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Opinion /

With scarcely 15 months to go before Zimbabwe's next elections, it seems that the Western world has no strategy to avert continued Zanu PF misrule. What's new, you may ask, and why are we singling out the Western world?Well, it's because the other power blocks do have a strategy: it is to support Zanu PF. Our 'all-weather' friends China, Russia, the Middle East etc have no interest in promoting democracy in Zimbabwe. Neither does the South African government or Africa in general.Witness Mugabe's zombie trip to Ghana for their 60th independence anniversary celebrations. Zimbabwe had no working planes so Mugabe hired one in Bahrain to take his usual '$5 million a time' retinue on a trip through which he slept most of the time. The Herald says the Ghanaians couldn't get enough of him  despite the disparaging comments he has made about their country.What of the UN, can't they help? Does anyone seriously expect anything from this sclerotic talk shop? They will tut tut but tolerate Mugabe for ever as long as his violence doesn't get out of control (and his regular harangues to the General Assembly don't last too long). Anyway, getting the Security Council to do anything about Zimbabwe is impossible. It will always be vetoed by China or Russia.So those hoping for change are looking to the West. But the outlook here is poor as well. Western countries must know that the next elections are going to be rigged. After all, most of them have embassies in Harare and their envoys can't spend all their time attending each other's national day festivities.The opposition, civil society  and even expelled former Zanu PF leaders  have all explained how the elections will be stolen. The way it always has been. Morgan Tsvangirai spelt it out in detail this week.Well, says the West, we will be stern and tell Mugabe to change his ways . . . And if Zanu PF steals the elections we will bleat loudly. But we won't break off diplomatic relations, stop aid money which props up the regime or even impose any more of those problematic sanctions.So it will be business as usual, probably with Tsvangirai roped in again to do what the MDC have already shown they can do: revive the rapidly collapsing economy so that Zanu PF can get rid of them again.As the French say, plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
SC seeks response from UP govt, ECI on plea of SP leader Azam Khan against his disqualification from UP Assembly.
Opinion / Columnist

COMRADE Gilbert Musekiwa Simon Majiri, whose Chimurenga name was Chabudaishudhu Kufahakuurayi is an unassuming war veteran. Born in 1938, Chabudaishudhu who now stays in Mvurwi, grew up in Shamva, around the Bushu area and went to school up to Standard Six.Chabudaishudhu was part of the Group of 45 which received military training in Ghana in 1964. In this interview with our team (SM) comprising Munyaradzi Huni and Tendai Manzvanzvike, Chabudaishudhu narrates how the late VP Joshua Nkomo named "his 11 enemies" after the split of Zapu, he explains Zanu's five point liberation programme and reveals for the first time why Zanu was known as four-in-one.The humble war veteran frequently recites the popular Chinese saying: "Better die the quickest death in the battlefield than die a slow death by hunger, oppression and suppression," to explain how he rejoined the liberation struggle in 1975 after serving 10 years in the notorious Rhodesian prisons. Read onSM: Comrade Chabudaishudhu, tell us how you joined politics and what the situation was like during that time?Chabudaishudhu: I join nationalist politics in 1957 during the time of the ANC when I was staying in Salisbury (now Harare). I used to attend rallies by politicians such as Chikerema and Nyandoro at areas such as KwaMai Musodzi. During that time there was ANC in Zambia, ANC in South Africa, ANC in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and ANC in Malawi. I later joined NDP.When the OAU was formed in 1963, the organisation said all revolutionary organisations should be registered. By this time, Zapu had been banned for about 11 months and it wasn't easy for Zapu to be accepted by the OAU because they were saying the party is banned. But the party was not dead. Through General Hashim Mbita, leaders in Zapu were instructed to go and deliberate on which party to register. Zapu had its executive comprising 12 members. This executive sat down and some suggested to register a new party but the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo said doing so would be a betrayal of the agreement he had made with Parirenyatwa never to form another political party. Reverend Sithole then stood up and challenged Nkomo saying there was need to form a new party.Nkomo then convened a meeting where he announced that he had expelled 11 members of Zapu. I personally attended that meeting and I can tell you Nkomo at this time was very popular. He started the meeting by saying "I am going to name my 11 enemies. Ndabaningi Sithole, Robert Mugabe, Herbert Chitepo, Leopold Takawira" He named the 11 members. I just said to myself on this day "uumm, out of 12 iwe wega ndiwe wazongoita munhu kwaye chete?" One out of 12, it means he had been outvoted. I was just thinking to myself.This new group led by the 11 leaders was labelled as New Party, New Movement Anti-Nkomo splinter group. This is what Zanu was called by its enemies before it came up with its proper name. On August 8, 1963, that's when Zanu (Zimbabwe African National Union) was formed. I remember Zvobgo was the publicity secretary at the time. The leaders used to say Zimbabwe African National Union is four-in-one, meaning it's a political party, a nationalist party, a revolutionary party and a pan-Africanist party. This really excited us. The leaders said this is a dynamic political organisation based on five point liberation programme  kwanzi tirikuda kurovana huma nehuma with the Smith regime. The leaders called for freedom through direct confrontation through the five point liberation programme  that is mass mobilization, consolidation, recruitment, training and waging the war.SM: Did you have any position in Zanu by this time?Chabudaishudu: I was chairman of youth in Zanu for Highfield Branch. I was also in the African Trade Union Congress which had split from the Southern Rhodesian Trade Union Congress. Together with other leaders we fought for the rights of back workers and I tell you it was an uphill struggle. I used to work together with Davison Ziwande. In Highfield in the beginning, there were only seven youth leaders who were actively involved in Zanu politics.SM: Who were these seven?Chabudaishudu: There was Thomas Marere, Mutsetse, Davison Ziwande, Noel Chabvunga who used to stay in Old Highfield, Donald Maizivei. I can't remember the other comrade. We terrorised those against Zanu in Highfield. Due to these constant clashes on 11 July 1964, ndakabaiwa nebanga on my right leg ndichienda kumusha kuShamva after a fight over Zanu. Kwanzi kurasa Nkomo uchida Sithole unofa uchibaiwa nemapanga. I however fought back, kurova vanhu nemabhotoro but I was eventually overpowered. I spent five weeks in hospital. While in hospital, neshungu ndaitova nebanga ranguwo randaigara ndakavhura just in case. While in hospital I received a letter from Davison Ziwande saying they were coming to take me because some Zapu youths were planning to come and finish me. That day I pretended as if I was much better and so I was discharged from hospital.SM: So how then and when did you leave the country to join the liberation struggle?Chabudaishudhu: After a few months, I came back to Harare in Highfield were I continued mixing politics and my trade union work. One day I went to the Beatrice Cottages where I informed Trinos Makombe that I wanted to leave the country and join the liberation struggle. He advised me to go and see Eddison Sithole. I went to see Sithole and that's where I met vaMuzenda. I told them that ndirikuda kuenda kwakaenda vamwe. They told me kuti hatina mari but luck enough money was somehow found and I was also lucky there was an I.D, chitikinyani belonging to Watson Chihota. That's the I.D I used to leave the country crossing into Mozambique. However, when I got to Mwanza Police station, I was deported to the border. I later escaped and walked to the road to Malawi where I saw a Clan Transport truck. I spoke to the driver, who was from Rhodesia, who told me that there were roadblocks along the road. He, however, agreed to take me to Blantyre where there was the Zanu representative called Mawere. When I got to Malawi, the Malawi Young Pioneers yaipenga zvekupenga zviya. Vaipenga zviya zvekuti munhu aikwanisa kungotsakatika. These were the comrades who welcomed me in Malawi. When I told them that I was from Zanu, ahh, vakanditambira zvakanaka chose. These comrades took me to Limbe where Mawere was staying.This is where I met comrades Mundondo, John Makwasha and William Ndangana but he wasn't there for long. I met Mawere the next day. After a few days, arrangements were made for us to go to Dar es Salaam. We went to Dar es Salaam without passports. We just had a letter that had been written by Mawere. All the way we would be stopped at roadblocks but on seeing us, the slogan was "Your Skin is the Passport to Africa." We were about 16 on this journey. I remember Guzuzu who later died at the Chinhoyi Battle in 1966 was part of this group. Even in Dar es Salaam the slogan was still the same.We later met the Zanu representative in Dar es Salaam, Mombeshora. I think he was the father to the current Minister Mombeshora. We spent two weeks as Mombeshora was sorting out our passports. We later got our passports and we proceeded to Ghana. From Dar es Salaam we flew to Mombasa, from there to Nairobi, then to Addis Ababa, then Khartoum and then Lagos. In Lagos that's where we saw the first black pilot tikabva taita shungu kuti hoo saka munhu mutema can also do this? From Lagos we flew to Accra, Ghana.We met five comrades, who included Dzvukamanja, Nyangoni. I can't remember the other comrades. The Zanu representative in Ghana was Stanley Parerewa. Later we were taken to Half Asini training camp, about 300 miles from Accra. At Half Asini we joined comrades who included Clackson Mudemu, Ndangana, Titus Chakavanda, Andrew Muchenje and many others. This was still in 1964. At this camp we received training in mobile warfare and regular warfare from Ghanaian military experts.From Half Asini we were taken to Oben Masi, another training camp for security reasons. This camp was about 125 miles from Accra. While at Oben Masi, 13 Chinese military experts came to train us. They gave us lessons on guerilla warfare, mobile warfare and regular warfare.SM: Can you explain what you mean mobile warfare and regular warfare?Chabudaishundu: Regular warfare is about fire to fire. You fire and I fire back. Mobile warfare ndeyekuti ukapfura, ukaona kuti situation yandibvumira, you go to another position and fire from there. Like I said, the Chinese came and taught us guerilla warfare were you only hit the enemy when you are sure of victory and when the enemy is not expecting to be hit.We used to sing one song while marching with a verse that said "God will give us power," and the Chinese changed that saying we should say "mass will give us power." We also used to sing the song entitled "We are members of the guerilla brigade." (John Makwasha joined the interview and the two went back in time singing the song as if they were at some military parade. The two went on to sing another song with the following words:"Kana torangarira, kana torangarira nyika yababa vedu iyoNyika yababa, nyika yenhaka, iyo nhasi yotongwa nemabhunu".Chabudaishudhu: We would cry while singing this song. The song would bring all the memories of the ill-treatment of blacks in Rhodesia. It would inspire us to train even harder.The Chinese trainers told us that hamungakwanisi kuenda kuAmerica or Russia to buy zvinoputika so munofanira kugadzira mega explosives. I think we were at Oben Masi for about four months. We left in March 1965.Towards the end of the training, we were joined by some comrades who included Simon Bhene who later turned out to be a sellout. On our way back, Bhene just disappeared and went straight to Rhodesia where he informed the Rhodesian government about our training in Ghana. This led to the arrest of many of our comrades when they were deployed into the country.SM: Tell us exactly what the Chinese taught you?Chabudaishudhu: They taught us political orientation vachitipa mweya wekuti simbaradza kuti tizvisunungure. They told us of the Chinese Long March inspired by Chairman Mao. They would tell us kuti ukatora bhora risina mwena, harisimuke saka unofanirwa kutanga wari pombera mweya. Saka they would tell us kuti tangai mazadzwa nemweya wekuti muri kunorwisa muvengi arikukudzvanyirirai. They told us that our oppression could only be finished by the barrel of the gun. That's when they told us the slogan that; "Better die the quickest death in the battlefield than die a slow death by hunger, oppression and suppression."So the Chinese vakatizadza mweya wehondo kuti chako ndechako. You have to fight to get it. You see, the First Chimurenga chana Mbuya Nehanda nana Sekuru Kaguvi, they tried to fight and so the Chinese told us that they only way to get back our country was to fight. There was a subject on Army Combat  which taught us that unogona kutanga hondo usina chawakabata. That's why when we were later deployed, we crossed into Rhodesia without any weapons because we were going to use zvombo zvemuvengi. That's why when most of us were arrested, we didn't have any weapons and that's why the Rhodesian government found it difficult to sentence us to death.SM: Tell us of your journey from Oben Masi?Chabudaishudu: From Ghana we flew to Nairobi. We were quite a group. Some of our comrades had not been booked to proceed to Dar es Salaam where there was our leadership. My group proceeded to Dar es Salaam and we were welcomed by Simpson Mutambanengwe, who was in charge of foreign affairs in Zanu. Am not sure what happened to my other comrades, but I know that about three comrades flew back straight to Rhodesia and these comrades together with Bhene alerted the Rhodesians that we were soon to be deployed.From Dar es Salaam we were transferred to Mbeya, near the Tunduma border with Zambia. At Mbeya we found Peter Mutandwa as the commander at that time. We spent about three nights there and I think we were about 20. One of the evenings, we illegally crossed into Zambia and just a few kilometres into Zambia, we were arrested by the Zambian Regiment. They told us that there was no need for us to illegally cross into Zambia as they were aware of our mission. They advised us that our leaders should speak to the Zambian leadership so that we could cross into Zambia legally. So we were taken back to Tunduma. We were taken back to Dar es Salaam and we later came back through Blantyre in Malawi. We were now in small groups. Takazouya tiri three. I remember there was Christopher Sakala, Benard Mandizera and myself. Like I told you, the Rhodesians had been alerted that we were coming and so we were arrested as we were trying to cross into Rhodesia.SM: How did this happen?Chabudaishudhu: We were coming from Malawi and went through Nyamapanda border in Mutoko. Nyamba situation kuno kumusha yanga yatoipa kare. We were arrested and taken to Kotwa police station. We had letters from Malawi. So we were like Malawians coming to Rhodesia. I don't know how they had made this arrangement. We were given these letters by the Malawian government, their Labour office. Remember during those days Malawi could give its citizens letters showing kuti vanhu ava vari kutsvaga basa in Rhodesia. Unfortunately, this tactic had already been exposed by those sellouts and by some comrades who had been arrested earlier. So the Rhodesian Special Branch was actually waiting for us. We were arrested right at the border while in a bus. The bus was stopped and we were all searched by the police. They identified the three of us saying imi chimbosarai pano. We were then taken to Kotwa police station. From Kotwa were taken to Salisbury main police station, now Charge Office. We stood in a line and I was identified as Gilbert Majiri, the former trade unionist. I knew it was game over and we suspect that one of comrades who had been arrested earlier, was assisting police to identify us.SM: When you left Malawi with those letters, what were you told that you were supposed to do in Rhodesia?Chabudaishudhu: We were supposed to blow Rhodes' statute that was along Julius Nyerere in Salisbury. Next we were supposed to go and hit another target in Mabelreign, then St Georges Hotel that was in Avondale. We were also supposed to hit some nightclub where most whites frequented to have fun. Taifanirwa kugadzira maexplosives tega while in Rhodesia and hit these target. In Rhodesia we were supposed to join a group led by Shadreck Chipanga, which we called "Flying Squad" because they were not based at one place. This group sort of coordinated the activities of the other groups.SM: What exactly was your role?Chabudaishudhu: I was a field engineer, responsible for kugadzira zvinoputika zvacho. Shadreck Chipanga was the commander of the Flying Squad. The leaders in Malawi who had given us these instructions were led by Percy Ntini, who had just been transferred from Zambia. The whole strategy was mapped while in Malawi because we knew all the streets of Salisbury. We were supposed to hit these targets on different days. After hitting, we were supposed to disperse and meet another day at a given gathering point. Our first contact on arrival in Rhodesia was a teacher called Ndoro who was at Ranchhouse College. He is the one who was supposed to tell us where to stay and so on.SM: What was the reason to hit these targets?Chabudaishudhu: We wanted to harass the Rhodesia authorities and whites in general. The Chinese had taught us that; "When the enemy is active, you retire and when the enemy retires, you attack." When we were arrested, we were branded as terrorists. Other comrades who had been arrested included Andrew Muchenje. I can't remember the other names, but when we went to court we were now 28.Some of our comrades stood as Crown Witnesses testifying against us. These comrades included Tungamirai (not Josiah Tungamirai) and Maraza. I can't remember the others. I was put in a cell at Avondale police station. After briefly appearing in court I was transferred to Darwendale police station where I spent some weeks. I was later brought to the High Court and it took about five weeks for the 28 of us to be sentenced. We had been divided into two groups. We had two lawyers and the prosecutor was called Masterson. This prosecutor was white but was very fluent in Shona. We were sentenced to 10 years in prison. We were taken to Khami Maximum Prison. Before going to Khami we met some of our comrades who had been sentenced to death like Richard Mapurisa and two others. We were at Salisbury prison in A -Block while these three were in cells reserved for those sentenced to death. From our Block we would sing the song "Garo tumira vana kuhondo" and all political prisoners would join in singing this song. We would cry while singing this song because we knew these three had been sentenced to death.While at Khami, the treatment was inhumane and I think my fellow comrades have told you in details how we were treated like dogs. In was in prison from 1965 up to 1972. In 1972 I was put under detention in Salisbury Remand Prison. That's where I met vanaMugabe, vanaTekere, vanaMorton Malianga and so on. That's the time vanaMugabe has formed a school while in prison. VaMugabe used to teach English Literature and Tekere taught us English Language. We used to tell vaMugabe kuti "mukanwa menyu makafira British" because hakuna munhu mutema aitaura chirungu like him. We actually protested that we wanted vaMugabe to teach us English language, but he said Literature was also important. When Tekere spoke, his first English words were "Over and above" We then said, "ahh, anenge anotogona chirungu wani?"Later the Rhodesian authorities said they had made a mistake mixing "magandanga and platform politicians, the nationalists like vanaMugabe. We were then taken to Hwahwa while others were taken to Sikombela. While at Hwahwa, that's when we were mixed with comrades from Zapu. I met Zapu comrades like Cain Nkala, Chikanya, Fox Adolfas Muwani and many others. I was now the chairman of the Zanu group at Hwahwa. At Hwahwa we started another school and Garikai Mandizha was the headmaster.While at Hwahwa we wrote a strong-worded letter to the international community saying the Smith regime was cruel such that they wanted to kill us. I then said to the authorities, we wanted to go for the Review Tribunal which was done once a year. I told the comrades that at the Tribunal, all the comrades were supposed to leave everything in my hands. When we went for the tribunal I said as citizens we had the right to criticize our government as was written in the letter. After this tense tribunal, I was then put under home restriction. The idea was to remove me from the rest of the political prisoners. This was now in 1975. Ndakanzi chienda unogara kumusha kwako, kuShamva. I remember I left Hwahwa on 11 March 1975 and arrived in Shamva on the 14th after passing through several police stations were I was supposed to report that I was now under home restriction.SM: We have spoken to some comrades who say those comrades who went for the tribunal and were later released or put under home restriction were sellouts?Chabudaishudhu: I am aware of that talk but that was not the case with me.SM: So when you were put under house restriction, what happened to the other comrades?Chabudaishudhu: They were taken back to Hwahwa prison. I was also taken back to Hwahwa but was released on March 11, 1975. I think Chikanya was later released and other comrades. Garikai Mandizha, Shadreck Chipanga, Watson Chihota and others requested that they wanted to go outside the country to further their studies. They indeed went out of the country, but the Smith regime still considered them as prisoners.When I got to Shamva, I secretly started getting involved in politics again. In 1976, the comrades were now entering into the country through Mozambique. One day I was asked to go to the base revakomana  the comrades there asked me about my military training and I told them. To make sure these comrades were genuine, I asked these comrades to tell me the fundamental principles of guerilla warfare and they told me "Preserve yourself and eliminate the enemy." I instantly knew these were genuine comrades.SM: Who were some of these comrades at this base?Chabudaishudhu: I only remember the names of comrades Guy Medicine and Gwenyambira. I then told these comrades to go and see the spirit medium in the area called Murombe. They were supposed to go kunosuma kuti tauyawo in your area. Tine basa ratakatumwa rekusunungura Zimbabwe. I actually took these comrades to this svikiro.SM: Why was this important?Chabudaishudhu: That was the only way to protect yourself. Up to this day hana yangu inorova kuti one day Government is going to abandon chivanhu chedu, and say we are a Christian country and we will be doomed.Even today when we say Mash West, Mash east and so on, I always ask myself, ko vadzimu vedu vanoziva here what this means because kupatsanurwa uku came with colonization?SM: You told us that after staying in Shamva under house restriction, you later re-joined the liberation struggle?Chabudaishudhu: Yes. Ndiri pamusha many comrades kept passing through and I would help them because they trusted me. One day some comrades wanted to attack some whiteman called Derrick and they failed. They came back and I asked them how they had failed to hit the whiteman? After hearing their explanation, I decided to accompany them back. We went to Shamva Country Club and saw many whites having fun there. We however decided against attacking these whites because we knew they would call reinforcements quickly. So we planted several landmines on the routes they were later to use. Several whites were killed by these landmines and the Rhodesian Special Branch knew I had something to do with this since I was an expert in explosives. They found me at home and they tortured me. Ndakaita kunonzi kuporomorwa, kuzvamburwa.After this I was put in the same cage with those vicious police dogs and taken to Shamva police station. Later, I was taken to Bindura police station. After a day, I was driven back to Shamva and was shocked to be dropped at my homestead. The white CID inspector who was driving the car said; "We are hot on the heels of tuvanhu twenyu turi musango utwotwu. We are coming after all of you." I said; "thank you mambo, thank you mambo!" When I arrived home, people said "auya Jonah, asvika Jonah, asvipwa nehove."I knew that the authorities were going to come after me and bomb the whole village. Kashavi kaya kemaChina kandibata futi "better die in the battlefield." One day around 6pm, I escaped and met some comrades pamusha wekwaChiyanike. Vainzi vaSapeta kureva shortcut for Elizabeth. We started walking with these comrades and when we got to Gwetera river, they gave me a gun, a submachine. I can't remember all the comrades but I know there was Cleopas Marunda. We were later join by other comrades including Moto Chaparadza. We were more than 11 comrades.While walking along Gwetera, we saw some white Rhodesian soldiers and our commander asked "is this the right time to fight, if so let's fight." We took positions and the comrade who had a motor fired just once. We took them by surprise and rakava baravamhanya varungu vachitiza. We were instructed not to fire to preserve our bullets. After this, we continued walking until the next day.We decided to rest still along Gwetera river and I don't know how this happened. I suddenly saw mabhunu walking towards our direction. This was now around 2pm. The other comrades were deep asleep including Cleopas. I realized that there was no time to alert him. I took aim at this group of white soldiers and started firing. My other comrades were taken by surprise but they quickly took cover when they discovered what was going on. After a while, we decided to retreat and paimhanywa ipapo. We had now split into two groups. Takazosangana kubase rekwaJonasi kuChesa in Mt Darwin in the evening. One of the comrades, John had been hit padumbu and he was struggling to walk.After a few days resting we started walking again tichibva tapinda mune imwe hondo paKaterere one evening. This was now in Rushinga. We were planning to go to Mazowe Bridge and we were told that Chief Katerere akasungwa achinzi ndiye ano supporter magandanga. While walking along Bhinya road, we came under attack. First they threw a tracer bullet and kwakabva kwachena kuti mbuu. Dzakarira-PFuti ipapo. There was a guy called Fox Bapiro, ummm mukomana anga akaoma iyeye. Akarova-PFuti mabhunu akatiza. Somehow ndakarasana nevamwe macomrades and I spent the whole night walking. I think I spent about five days failing to locate the other comrades.On the fifth day, I saw some school children and I decided to capture them. I instructed some of them to go and call Sabhuku Machisa. I was later taken to a nearby base where there were some comrades. I was starving because I had not eaten any proper food for five days. Ndaipona nemapfura. These comrades gave me some food and in no time it was time to move. Shacky Zhazha was the leader of this group.We walked for about four days and decided to rest at some base where there was Nobbie Dzinzi whose Chimurenga name was Kufa Muchapera. Muchapera, who was the detachment commander, then said I was supposed to be under his detachment.The security comrades under this detachment were led by Mushunje and Mao.I later operated in Rushinga for quite some time. Later I was called to Chimoio after the establishment of the Chitepo Ideological College. I resisted for a while because I was now used to the war, but I was later persuaded by other comrades to go. I went to Chimoio with other comrades.Next week, Chabudaishudhu continues his narration telling us of his time at Chitepo Ideological College and the horrifying scene he saw when Chomoio camp was attacked by the Rhodesians. Make sure you buy your copy of The Sunday Mail to hear this fascinating story in full.
Then, that April, Belgrade's wife died suddenly from complications related to Lyme disease. "It threw my life into turmoil," Belgrade, now 56, recently told Business Insider. He was left to raise the couple's 2-year-old son, Izzy, on his own.

Meanwhile, the company that Belgrade had run with his wife had collapsed. "My business fell apart and I didn't want to lose this house," he said.

Desperate for additional income, he looked at his new home office and saw an answer.

Like the rest of California, Belgrade's affluent Central Los Angeles neighborhood has a major housing shortage.

In the past decade, there has been an average of 80,000 homes a year built in California  100,000 units below what's needed to keep pace with population growth through 2025, according to a recent report by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

To manage the cost of living, more and more Californians are moving in together, often sharing rooms at twice the rate of the national average, according to the HCD.

Others had the same idea as Belgrade. They, too, thought about turning their extra space into a rentable apartment as an inventive way to make more housing available. These types of residences are formally known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and colloquially as "granny flats."

But Los Angeles wouldn't grant Belgrade a permit for an ADU. At 6,750 square feet, his lot size just missed the mark required to build, officials said, one of the many Byzantine rules the city applies to ADUs.

"I decided, f--k 'em, I'm going to do it anyway," Belgrade said. To him, the investment, and the risk, would pay off.

He tried to do everything by the book. A "stickler for code and safety," he hired a planner and added a kitchen, French doors, central A/C, and bathrooms to the two-story backyard unit.

In 2010 he rented it out, and it became one of the 50,000 unpermitted ADUs across the city. (Because of strict regulations, only 644 had been approved in Los Angeles between 2003 and 2016.

"It totally saved me," he said. The cash helped cover his mortgage payment.

But over the next several years, Belgrade would go from clandestine landlord to crusader for reform to figurehead of a movement that changed the law.

And while many see ADUs as an antidote to affordable-housing shortages plaguing the country, others are fighting hard against it.

The consequences are dire

California's housing-supply slump has driven home prices to levels unseen since 2007, before the dawn of the financial crisis. The current median home value in California is just under $490,000, up nearly 7% from this time last year and more than twice the national median. Homeownership in the state is at a 70-year low.

And it's near impossible to find affordable rental options. Silicon Valley has been hit especially hard. The median rent in the city of San Francisco, one of the priciest housing markets in the country, is up to $4,170.

"In the Bay Area, we've added more than 600,000 new jobs since 2010 but created only about 60,000 new housing units," Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, a public-policy advocacy group, wrote in an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle.

"The consequences are dire," he wrote.

It's not just California. New York City's median rent is hovering around $3,000, twice the national median. And cities that were once considered the West's more affordable big markets, like Denver, Portland, and Seattle, are now experiencing some of the fastest-rising rents in the country.

The Census Bureau's most recent "American Community Survey" revealed that roughly half of total US renters in 2015  about 20.4 million  were spending more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing costs.

Some cities wonder whether home-sharing services like Airbnb are to blame for the housing crisis at the micro-level, where landlords are evicting tenants in rent-controlled apartments only to list them as vacation rentals for double the price. But research commissioned by Airbnb says the company's presence in expensive cities is only slightly affecting rents and, in fact, helping with affordability by providing additional revenue streams for renters.

Still, Airbnb doesn't solve any shortage of long-term affordable housing, the primary goal of ADUs.

Tilting the balance of power

For nearly four years, Belgrade and his tenants flew under the radar. Then someone anonymously reported his unsanctioned unit.

"I had to submit to an inspection, and at that point they saw everything was up to code, they weren't trying to shut me down or anything, but they said that I would have to change my certificate of occupancy and go through the process," he said. "So I did. And I came up against a brick wall."

Belgrade was told he could make fixes to the unit totaling $50,000, by his estimates, including adding covered parking and fire sprinklers and obtaining a zoning adjustment, but there would be no guarantee of a permit.

But he wasn't willing to surrender to the city's demands, and so began his more than two-year effort to reform the city's strict ADU regulations. He attended town-hall meetings and city-council meetings and met with fellow homeowners, and he soon discovered that an onerous approval process and city and utility fees were discouraging people from building.

Then, in early 2016, Los Angeles' infighting came to a head. A lawsuit between the city and a neighborhood organization, led by Carlyle Hall  a homeowner and former land-use and environmental lawyer in California for over 30 years  launched Los Angeles into "legal limbo" and stalled ADU construction for months. Belgrade met dozens of affected homeowners, many whose livelihoods depended on getting their second units occupied, whether with family or a caretaker or renters.

"These are people who had some hard money loans with interest gathering and they were stopped in their tracks," Belgrade said. "These people were outraged, they didn't know what to do. And they were calling me, and I was trying to help them, and I would cry just listening to some of these stories.

"It really drew me in and next thing you know, I'm this, like, major voice of the accessory dwelling units in Los Angeles," he said.

Then, relief. California Sen. Bob Wieckowski wrote a bill that put the state in charge of ADUs. It passed in September 2016, revoking all ADU city-level ordinances  from parking restrictions to fire sprinkler requirements to cumbersome costs  and established a new, comparatively lenient, baseline criteria for approval.

"It tilts the balance of power in favor of second units and the importance that they can play in helping us meet our housing needs," Wieckowski, a Democrat who represents California's East Bay and part of Silicon Valley, told Business Insider. On January 1, 2017, the law went into effect.

Wieckowski sees Los Angeles as the poster child for a new wave of housing development that could help alleviate California's housing crisis.

"I want LA to lead the state in construction of ADUs," Wieckowski said. "If [a homeowner] decided they wanted to get rid of their garage and convert their unit, or build a unit over the garage, or convert their master bedroom into another unit, that's their prerogative and if that's how they want to live  why not?"

But not everyone sees it that way. Some say it takes the power away from local governments, though they still reserve the right to tailor state law to their city by enacting new, less restrictive rules.

Then there are some homeowners, like Hall, who are worried that a "thoughtless" state standard for building ADUs will erode the character and quality of single-family neighborhoods, and accomplish nothing in the way of housing creation.

Creating a postsuburban city

Hall isn't speaking out of turn. In the 1990s, he served as former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley's appointee to the Redevelopment Agency, where he managed $100 million in city funds toward affordable housing.

"There's a certain amount of rhetoric that accompanies these second-unit proposals  'This will provide affordable housing opportunities and allow people who couldn't buy to buy.' Well, that's just utter nonsense, it's poppycock," Hall said. And it's especially true in Los Angeles' hillside and beachfront areas, he says, where affluent, overpriced properties abound.

But Wieckowski says it's a "supply-and-demand gig." The more ADUs pop up, the cheaper they'll become.

Researchers at the CityLAB at UCLA, a think tank in the university's Department of Architecture and Urban Design, see ADUs as a logical next step in the evolution of modern cities.

Dana Cuff, the founding director of CityLAB and a professor of architecture and urban design and planning at UCLA, said ADUs are part of a "postsuburban city."

The modern household no longer comprises the bread-winning dad, the stay-at-home mom, and 2.5 kids, Cuff told Business Insider. Instead, college graduates are moving back in, and homeowners need cash flow from renters and space for nannies, caretakers, and aging parents.

"There's just an infinite number of ways our housing should be made more flexible for our complete lives," she said, and ADUs "get the ball rolling."

Cuff's research suggests that ADUs are feasible for 5% to 10% of the 500,000 single-family lots in Los Angeles, enough to make a dent in Mayor Eric Garcetti's goal for 100,000 new housing units by 2021.

While ADUs may be a solution for boosting housing supply in the long term, it's not a quick fix, she says.

"It's a messy process that's going to take time as people try to figure out how to do it efficiently so that the housing that's built there is, in fact, affordable," Cuff said. "The amazing thing about the secondary units is the land is free. It's already there, you don't buy that. And that's the biggest expense in housing today, the land."

In 2009, Portland began waiving ADU-development fees, cutting costs by up to $15,000 for the construction or conversion of one unit. Over the next six years, the number of ADU permits in the city tripled, and the measure was recently renewed through 2018 to encourage homeowners to build ADUs. The city says ADUs are now integral to meeting its housing goals.

In New York City, the Citizens Housing and Planning Council has suggested a pilot program to convert up to 38,000 basements in single-family homes into legal apartments. But as the group notes, there would be legal and political hurdles to overcome before a plan like this comes to pass.

"People are naturally, and probably rightly, skeptical about neighborhood change, but I think over the long run neighborhoods are going to find that this is an extremely beneficial change to our single-family-housing fabric from everyone's point of view," Cuff said.

The fight doesnt end there

In March, Belgrade finally received his ADU permit under the new law. But he had to shell out $3,300 in permit and city fees to make it happen.

Still, he doesn't regret building illegally years ago. And the same tenants who moved in six years ago still live there.

"Having renters keeps my family in this house," said Belgrade, who's now remarried with a 1-year-old son.

The fight doesn't end there. Belgrade says he won't fall silent in the ADU community. He's already working to establish a Los Angeles-based advocacy group for fellow ADU landlords called YIMBY, "Yes In My Backyard."
But there are a handful of policies the new administration is championing that liberals can get behind, including large-scale infrastructure investment and paid family leave.

Here are five things Trump is doing that "the resistance" may actually be in favor of.

Scrapping the TPP

President Donald Trump fulfilled his campaign promise to withdraw from

A $1 trillion infrastructure plan

In another break from Republican orthodoxy, Trump campaigned on the promise to invest billions of federal dollars in national infrastructure.

Protecting Social Security and Medicare

Guaranteed paid leave

The U.S. is the only industrialized country in the world to not guarantee any kind of paid family leave on the federal level.

Republicans, including Vice President Mike Pence, have long fought all kinds of Democratic paid leave proposals. In a break from his party, Trump proposed six weeks of guaranteed paid maternity leave for biological mothers on the campaign trail. Ivanka Trump, a self-proclaimed champion of women's empowerment, has been credited with helping craft the policy.

During his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, Trump confirmed his commitment to paid leave, but seemingly tweaked it by using the phrase "new parents," rather than "mothers."

Laws to encourage women in STEM

Early this month, Trump signed two bills aimed at promoting women in science.
Farther north, in the frigid expanse now occupied by Finland and Russia, an equally significant battle raged in the unprecedentedly cold months of winter 1939-1940, as the outnumbered Fins took on Stalin's Soviet Union.

The two countries signed a nonaggression treaty in the early 1930s, but that did not allay Finnish concerns about their neighbor's ambitions.

Those fears were justified, as the Soviet Union surged across the Karelian Isthmus in November 1939, seeking to deepen its western frontier.

Stalin threw about a million troops into the dense forests and frozen expanses that connected the two countries, and able, determined Finnish troops turned the bucolic landscape into a charnel house for underprepared, underfed, and initially overwhelmed Soviet troops.

Finland is thought to have lost about 25,000 soldiers during the 105-day conflict, while the Soviet Union was bled of nearly 200,000 troops, with hundreds more stricken by frostbite.

Helsinki eventually succumbed to the Soviet onslaught, however, signing a peace pact on Moscow's terms on March 12, 1940  though the country did not completely capitulate and would later allow German troops to transit its territory to engage the USSR.

As the photos below show, the Finnish troops made deft and deadly use of a vicious winter and unforgiving landscape to exact the maximum toll from the Russian invaders.

War between Finland and Soviet Russia started 22.45 oclock (M.E.T.) on November 30, 1939. Trenches which were dug at the beginning of the Finnish-Russian tension in Helsinki, December 1, 1939.

A house hit by a Russian aerial bomb in Helsinki, December 11, 1939, and which was still on fire after several days. Heavy Soviet artillery barrages could reportedly be heard in the Finnish capital  more than a hundred miles from the front.

Source: War is Boring

Some of the 50 volunteers for the Finnish army as they prepared to sail from New York on December 9, 1939, on the Swedish-American liner Gripsholm for their native country.

Finnish soldiers use a sleigh on the snow-covered roads near the Mannerheim line during the present fighting in the Karelian Isthmus, Finland, on December 14, 1939.

A Finnish soldier at his post in the snow on the Mannerheim Line, the defensive line against Russia, in Finland, on December 14, 1939.

The war came to have two forms: A conventional conflict that revolved around the Mannerheim Line  Finnish fortifications on the Karelian Isthmus  and a campaign of harassment and attacks waged by Finnish ski troops against Soviet personnel in the country's forests.

A private car that was completely destroyed by a bomb blast during the first aerial bombardment of the Finnish capital of Helsinki in 1940. Women members of the volunteer corps soon began their task of dismantling the wreckage and removing it from the street.

This is a Finnish light artillery squad on patrol duty in the Karelian Isthmus on January 3, 1940. Using white tunics over their heavy winter clothing to camouflage themselves, the soldiers took on the appearance of ghosts as they travel over the snow covered terrain.

The Finnish troops often had to improvise and augment their snow gear with bed linens for camouflage. But those improvisations were effective: Many thousands of Soviet troops, mostly dressed in auspicious and inadequate khaki uniforms, disappeared into the wilderness.

A Soviet bomber, shot down by Finnish anti-aircraft guns on the Karelian front on January 3, 1940, where Russia was reporting massing seven divisions for a drive on the Mannerheim line.

To ski patrols like this, somewhere in Northern Finland on January 4, 1940, was ascribed the successes that led to reported Russian routs at points where Finnish Suicide Patrols have penetrated into Soviet territory.

White suits for camouflage ski poles, skis, and rifles make these men look like explorers, but theyre really Finnish Soldiers setting out, hunter style, to worry the Russians, in the snows and forests of Finland, January 10, 1940.

Finnish troops reporting the capture of a Russian tank in the snow-covered forest on the Eastern front, January 10, 1940. The Russians lost more than 300 tanks in the first month of the Russo-Finnish war.

What a bullet began, the Arctic cold finished, for this Russian soldier who lost his life near Suomussalmi, Finland, shown Jan. 31, 1940. He was killed while erecting a field telephone line. The extreme cold froze the soldier in this position.

The bitter cold could subject living flesh to frostbite within minutes of exposure, and dead bodies were often frozen to the firmness of bricks.

Finnish troops sometimes capitalized on the ghoulish brutality of the conditions, positioning dead Soviet troops in upright poses meant to intimidate their adversaries.

Members of a Finnish ski patrol examining the tomb of two Russian officers on the Salla front in Finland on February 10, 1940. The tombstone is a painted red box with a Soviet star made of coins nailed on the box.

While the Fins would eventually settle for a peace deal with the Soviets, the resistance exacted a heavy toll on Stalin's armies.

"

Finnish soldiers, above, are looking over the now famous battleground at Suomussalmi, Finland, on February 10, 1940, after Russian troops had been back. In the foreground of this scene of destruction are frozen bodies of dead Russians.

Swedish volunteer, somewhere in Northern Finland, protects himself from the sub-zero arctic cold by an eerie mask over his face in February 20, 1940, while on duty against the Russian Invaders. The small holes in the mask are what the soldier sights his rifle through.

Canadian volunteers who are fighting for Finland, February 24, 1940. First, they must learn to ski to prepare themselves for attack against the Russians over snow-covered battlefields.
Both countries have agreed to collaborate on an Investment promotion and protection agreement to better channel investment into each others country, possibly via Special Investment Zones.

Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, signed the agreement on behalf of Ghana, while Hon Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade signed on behalf of Mauritius.

The DTA is subject to ratification by Ghanas Parliament.

The agreements were signed on Saturday March 11, 2017 at Port Louis, Mauritius in the lead up to the celebration of the Indian Ocean nations 49th Independence anniversary, which falls on March 12.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the signing ceremony, Ghanas Vice President, Alhaji Dr Bawumia, who is the Special Guest for the Celebrations, explained that the agreements form part of Ghanas quest for greater cooperation with the rest of the world, especially Africa, in order to boost trade.

We have seen the manifestation of the first fruits of this Joint Permanent Commission with the signing of the historic double taxation agreement between Ghana and Mauritius, and we believe that this will provide a platform to give confidence to investors both in Ghana and Mauritius to undertake investments in our respective countries and not be taxed twice by our respective governments.

We believe this is just the beginning of our cooperation, Vice President Bawumia indicated.

Dr Bawumia emphasized the need for greater intra-African trade to better improve the lives of Africans.

Our government believes very strongly there has to be more trade within the African continent and among countries of the South. There has to be more investment, and more cooperation. We are happy to note that this type of cooperation that we seek is being manifested, especially recently in our relationship with Mauritius, in the area of trying to set up Ghana as an International Financial Services Centre in the West African Sub region, Dr Bawumia indicated.

Prime Minister of Mauritius, H. E. Anerood Jugnauth, announced that a number of framework agreements have also been reviewed, including the setting up of a Technology Park at Dawa in the Greater Accra region, and investments in the energy and tourism sectors.

We have also agreed to pursue consultations on two project proposals submitted by Mauritius, namely, the setting up of a solar energy power generation, and a tourism and hospitality project providing for the construction of a coastal resort in Ghana.

Cooperation between the Public Utility Regulatory Commission and Mauritius was also discussed Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth disclosed.
During this years International Womens Day, the First Lady hosted some Ghanaian female celebrities to discuss domestic violence and other issues affecting the Ghanaian women.

As a true African, the First Lady has consistently shown her love and passion to promote her country during state function with her flawless appearance, always looking regal in African Prints.

Coming from a political background, her father, Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph was a Speaker of Parliament in the Third Republic of Hilla Limann that replaced William Akuffo Addo and Dr.Busia.

She was born in Osu and her mother had German heritage even though she came from Ningo.
Opinion / Columnist

ZAPU's factional wars over Dabengwa's leadership went a gear up yesterday as factions went on overdrive to outdo each other as Bulawayo elections were postponed at the eleventh hour on Friday 10 March. The provincial elections were scheduled for Saturday 11 March 2017 following the November dissolution of the substantive province for gross incompetence.It is however alleged that the reason for the dissolution was the province's allegiance to party Secretary General Strike Mkandla who has ambitions to replace party President Dumiso Dabengwa before congress in 2020.Highly placed inside sources have revealed to this publication that the postponement of the elections yesterday was at the behest of the Milleniads faction who sprung into action after smelling defeat by the Floor Polish group of Mkandla's. It is alleged that the later had maneuvered around the delegates' lists from districts, where all Milleniads were removed from the lists and replaced by those aligned to them, undoing what the district conferences had agreed on.After sensing defeat, it is alleged that Milleniads leader Iphithule Maphosa manipulated the national organizing department, whose members are alleged to be aligned to the Milleniads group to postpone the elections, which districts complied with without resistance. It is further alleged that Maphosa also used his influence to solicit for support from all important organs of the party such as the President, the National Chairman and the whole National Executive Committee. It is popular belief within ZAPU that the Milleniads have support of the whole national executive save for the Secretary General and his wife who also is a national executive member.Sources say the National Organizing Committee, without question complied with Maphosa's order to postpone the election only to realize afterwards that the real reason was that his faction, which has no funding at all had failed to match up with the Floor Polish group who are heavily funded and had adequately co coordinated and lobbied districts for Victor Nhliziyo to take over the chairmanship. Nhliziyo is former secretary of Bulawayo Province and is at the centre of all the problems in the beleaguered province of the party.The Milleniads are said to be fearful of a Bulawayo province that is under the leadership of Nhliziyo whom they have accused of numerous offences but at the protection of the SG has evaded disciplinary action. A number of complaints have been raised against Nhliziyo ranging from ill discipline to subversion with no action being taken against him. Our sources say the accusations could be as a result of power struggles and the fact that Nhliziyo is SG Mkandla's marksman in the war to succeed Dabengwa.According to sources, all Bulawayo district chairpersons were each summoned to Maphosa's office where. Together with the national organizing department assessed the Milleniads chances of winning the Saturday scheduled poll. We are reliably informed that by the end of day on Friday, the Milleniads were staring defeat after realizing that most of the delegates aligned to their faction had been removed and replaced in almost all districts except a few. This is alleged to have caused panic in the broke faction and the only way to redemption was blocking the elections and get some breathing space.The postponement of the elections is said to have been received with mixed feeling ranging to shock to anger among the ZAPU ranks. The Floor Polish group is said to be very angry and fuming at the decision and have vowed to crush the opposite faction. Anger was also fueled by the absence of Deputy Organizing Secretary Ndodana Moyo at the meeting he called this Saturday afternoon, said the sources who said he chose to attend a public meeting in Maphisa. Maphosa was also absent at the meeting despite him being a national representative of the province.Efforts to get comments from Secretary General were in vain as his phone went unanswered while Maphosa's was out of reach by the time of publication.
They have cited the Chief Justice for contempt of court after she sanctioned impeachment proceedings against them, claiming they had over suits in court related to their impeachment.

The interdicted judges argue in their writ of summons that it is only the Attorney Generalwho has a constitutional responsibility to represent the Chief Justiceas lawyer in all civil actions against the Chief Justice in any court in Ghana.

They are asking the Supreme Court to declare as unconstitutional when the Chief Justice instructed Kizito Beyuo to represent her the suit which is challenging the official act of the Chief Justice.

In addition, the embattled judges are praying the court to declare the entry of appearance filed by Kizito Beyuo for and on behalf of the Chief Justice as alien to the rules of practice and procedure of this court prescribed in C.I. 16 and as such, same as void.
The witness, who is the Director of Legal Assistance Network, a Human Rights organisation, denied her involvement in the case was to make herself relevant in the legal profession.

She also said she has been giving legal aid to many vulnerable people in Ghana.

Obinim was charged for causing physical abuse, contrary to section 4 of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) Act.

The two other pastors have been charged with abetment.

Background

The controversial pastor who was angered by the couples amorous activity which has led to a pregnancy took the law into his hands and lashed the young man on his bare back before turning to the girl flogging her mercilessly with a belt in the full glare of his congregation.

Throughout the punishment, Obinim is heard questioning the jobless young man why he got the girl pregnant when he has no finances for her upkeep and the upbringing of the unborn child.

The girl who was unable to stand the flogging attempts to escape, but she was held by henchmen of the Bishop to enable the bishop to mete out more beatings.

After subjecting the two to severe flogging for several minutes, Obinim orders his junior pastors to remove their belts and subject the couple to more flogging.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection reported the act of Obinim to DOVVSU.
The tweet was attached to a gorgeous portrait of the first lady.

The president wrote the same message on his Facebook wall wishing the first lady a happy birthday.

Thousands of well wishers joined the president to wish Rebecca a happy birthday in the comments.

"Wow, She celebrates her birthday with my mum who is another amazing woman. I guess precious gems are born on the 12th of March. Happy blessed birthday mum. May the good Lord bless you and lift you from grace to grace. I pray He keeps you safe and in perfect health. Enjoy your day to its fullest," one user said.

"Happy birthday to the most wonderful first Lady of the Republic of Ghana. May the Lord grant you all wishes and long life. God bless you more and more and a PLUS 1 (+1)," another user wrote.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
A letter signed and released by special aide to the former president, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, on Sunday March 12, said Mr Mahama appreciated the kind thoughts of the initiators but added he has not endorse the programme.

He (Mr Mahama) is unaware of the said programme, he has not been informed or invited to any such programme, and he has not provided any form of endorsement for the programme, the statement added.
President Akufo-Addo also said his administration will actively support contemporary training methods that will make the military abreast with international military trends and also remain the beacon of Armed Forces across the continent.

READ MORE: Government increases peacekeeping allowance for army

He was speaking in Accra at the annual West African Security Services Association (WASSA) of the Ghana Armed Forces.

"In terms of military preparedness, government will actively support contemporary training methods that will not only keep you abreast with international military trends, but will also ensure that you remain the beacon of Armed Forces across the continent," he said. "We are committed to providing you with modern military equipment, which would complement the training you would receive."

He continued: "Government is also committed to enriching the human resource base of the Armed Forces by supporting initiatives that will provide further education for soldiers, sailors and airmen to enhance further their skills at protecting our territorial integrity.

"With regard to our sailors, the advent of oil and gas has made their role more critical, as they now have the added responsibility to protect our waters and oil fields from new dangers.

"In the presence of the Minister for Defence, the energetic, excellent Dominic Nitiwul, government is going to allocate the needed resources to you to protect our sea lines of communication, especially in the wake of current activities in the Gulf of Guinea, such as piracy, disruptions and destruction of oil/gas operations and installations, bunkering, drug trafficking and smuggling, among others.

"Our airmen will not be left out of this programme of resource enhancement, so that we have an Air Force worthy of the name."

The president also noted all military barracks in the country have been earmarked for renovation.

"Additionally, more residential accommodation facilities would be put up in all the units to reduce the acute accommodation problem facing our soldiers. A contented soldier is one whose remuneration does not unduly distract him from his mandate. My government intends to take your welfare seriously," he added.

Also, he said a third phase expansion of the 37 Military Hospital Project has begun. "This is to ensure that the hospital continues to provide first class healthcare for members of the Armed Forces and their families, and also for 37 to meet more effectively its function as a national emergency hospital."
The statement has the same import as the one made by former president Kufuor when he said: "it is better to be a messenger in a ruling party than a General Secretary in an opposition party."

Speaking at the congress in Ouagadougou, Mr Nketia asked party youth to be patient when their party is in power.

"The frustration of party foot soldiers not getting employed immediately or quickly rewarded when the party comes to power cannot be over emphasised, yet the consequences are even worse when you find yourself in opposition," he said.

Quoting the late professor Evans Atta Mills, the NDC scribe, popularly known as General Mosquito, said the reward for party loyalty comes in phases.

The reward of party activism is like embarking on a journey; it starts with a step but covers miles with time. I readily recall a famous quote of the late leader of our party and former President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills who said while party activists must be rewarded; we must understand that some get their reward in the morning, others get theirs in the afternoon and others in evening.'"

"The tendency for the party faithful to get demoralised, disenchanted and apathetic as a result of this challenge is real and a difficult one to confront, he added.

Mr Nketia also pledged the NDC's loyalty and support to the MPP which won power in 2016 following the forceful overthrow of President Blaise Compaore.
The Appointments Committee will continue public hearing on Tuesday, even though it does not lie with us to anticipate, but we are expecting that the full set of the Presidents deputy Ministerial list will come so that the anxiety that you are subjected to will end and probably the accusations that you are removing certain names can end, Hon. Iddrisu said in parliament.

Mr. Speaker, we say we are expecting the full set of the Deputy Ministerial list. If it does not even come with additional Ministers of State, and therefore if it is not done within time, I will not be available to sit during research for consideration, and I am sure it is same with my other colleagues because it will be an exercise in futility You will bring a list of Deputy Ministers here, but bring it on time so that Mr. Speaker and his Appointments Committee can look at it early so that before we rise, we have the full set of government, he added.
A Daily Guide publication on March 8 under the headline EOCO Chases SSNIT, reported that the outgoing SSNIT board under Joshua Alabi gave approval for the trust to put a number of its expensive management residential facilities in Accra on sale at the eleventh hour when the NDC was on its way out of government.

"The buildings include six residential properties and two guest houses located in plush areas like North Ridge, Cantonments and Airport Residential Area  all in Accra  but there are concerns that the facilities will be sold at very cheap rates as most state properties are being sold allegedly to cronies," the story addd.

But in a rejoinder, Prof. Alabi, explained that: "a committee which was set up to look into the financial viability of some of the assets of the Trust found that the listed properties were either unoccupied, or had deteriorated, while others had outlived their usefulness.

"Management explained to the Board that these assets did not yield any cash returns to the Trust and had negatively affected the return on assets ratio while the cost of maintenance of the properties were too high.

"The Committee in its report recommended that the listed properties should be sold.

"Following the recommendations, the Board at its last meeting held on 5th January, 2017 directed that management of the Trust should engage the services of the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL) to value the properties to be disposed of and revert to the Board. That is the incoming Board.

"The Board decided that the report of the valuation should be submitted to the next Board for review and consideration before the process of divestiture begins.

"The Board further directed that the sale should be advertised and bidders should be required to submit bid bonds as part of the process. The Board further directed that in doing so, due process should be followed.

"I am not aware of any contrary decisions taken subsequently regarding this matter. So it cannot be true that the former Board decided to sell properties at the eleventh hour as claimed by the Daily Guide."
The recent inductee to Forbes 30 under 30 list for retail and ecommerce told Business Insider that she

"This was back when jean skirts were a big thing," Box said."I figured out how to stress denim using old jeans, bleach, and razors."

She was in sixth grade.

The business didn't last long. Box had yet to learn one of the most fundamental lessons of business: the market price of a firm's goods must exceed the cost of production.

"Also, my teachers didn't take too kindly to me mending my wares in the back row of their class," Box added.

By the time Box was a student in college she was a seasoned entrepreneur. She was making $100,000 a year from a jewelry business she started as a senior in high school.

"I was making them in my dorm room and then selling them to local department stores in Dallas," Box said.

Box's love of fashion and retail only grew as the years went by. In 2011, when she was 23-years-old and working as a personal shopper, she launched a blog to attract potential clients. That project led to the creation of RewardStyle, a platform that allows so-called influencers "to make cash from their social media content."

In 2014, in response to the exploding popularity of Instagram, Box launched LIKEtoKNOW.it. The service makes it possible for users to buy merchandise that their favorite Instagram influencers post. When a shopper likes a picture on Instagram, they receive an email with information about where they can buy the item they liked. Since 2014, shoppers have purchased more than $250 million in merchandise via the service.

On March 6, LIKEtoKNOW.it launched an app that would allow consumers to buy products they screenshot.

According to a press release, "By downloading the app, consumers get a push notification with ready-to-shop product information when they screenshot enabled influencer images across the mobile web, including the content they discover inside of closed mobile social platforms like Instagram and Snapchat."

Box told Business Insider that being a young entrepreneur came with numerous challenges. One of the most difficult hurdles was striking the perfect balance between her personal life and her professional life. The fact that her husband was her business partner made this an especially daunting task.

"In the early days my husband Baxter and I shared a phone and a desk," she said."Over time it became difficult to have a healthy relationship."

Box said she and her husband overcame this by setting boundaries around their work day and personal life.

"They include simple things such as designating times when we allow each other to talk about work, when we start our work day and end it, and cutting down the number of night events we commit to," Box said.

Learn as much as you can about your industry. Learn what motivates people in your industry and take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way. When I was in college I took advantage of internships in different cities and different sides of the fashion industry in order to expose myself to everything.

Be your own costumer. We created RewardStyle to create something that I really needed. Look for problems in your own life, a real problem that you and other people have, and try to fix it. And if you continue to be your own costumer, then you will be able to properly critique and improve your product.
Njoku, a media executive, posted a picture of himself and his wife on Instagram today expressing his delight over a recent trip to Abidjan,Ivory Coast with his hubby.

He added the caption, "Abidjan with Mrs Njoku was pretty awesome. Happy to be back with O+K though. #3 loading."

No guessing what that means as the heavy actress posed comfortably beside him with her protruding baby bump, clearly approaching her due date.

Remmy, who is also the CEO of Rok Studios got married to her husband on August 18, 2012 at an occasion held in Festac, Lagos.
A Crime Officer at the Madina Divisional Police, Ghana, Superintendent Joseph Oppong disclosed details of the incident in a video posted by Asempa News.

Oppong recalled an occurrence where Dikeh damaged her husband's possession reportedly worth a sum of $15,000 after consuming some vodka.

This report came to light following her recent interview with the Media Room Hub which made her seem like a victim of a bad marriage.

The actress had accused Churchill of physical abuse and philandering with other women.
Maikori was arrested following an accusation by Kaduna State Government which claimed that he incited violence in the region.

His close friend, Okeugo gave the subject more light in a press release on Saturday, March 11, 2017.

"True to statements made by the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai last week at the Social Media Week Lagos in which he vowed to "prosecute"( or persecute) Mr Audu Maikori for statements in respect of the Southern Kaduna crises.

Mr Maikori despite being ill has been ferried off to Kaduna state by law enforcement officers at the behest of Governor El Rufai, who is asserting that one of the pictures posted by Mr Maikori caused the death of Fulani in Kaduna State.

It is unfortunate that the governor has made this issue more about Audu Maikori that we have forgotten what the real issues are about.

The real issues are that hundreds of people from Southern Kaduna have been killed in the past year and there has been no clear indication that the arrests or prosecution of the actual perpetrators of these Mass Murders is imminent.

There seems to be a keener focus on locking up or silencing people who are speaking up against the lacklustre response of the Kaduna state government.

Governor El Rufai claims that Audus posts may have incited violence in Southern Kaduna. Well lets examine the tweet again.

The tweet stated the following words Not a Very Merry Xmas for the People of Southern Kaduna the tweet does not mention any inciting words; neither does it state Fulani or any other thing.

In summary the article itself was not inciting, it laid out the history of the crisis dating back 20 years ago, indeed it acknowledged the efforts of the Governor/Government but called for them to do more, and even outlines ideas and steps to help curb the situation and ended with this line:

This is a plea for action and a prayer for peace for Southern Kaduna, Kaduna and all of Nigeria.

How can this article be read or interpreted as irresponsible, inciting or reckless?

The very next day, the 24th of December 2016 on Christmas eve it was reported that Goska Village was attacked by the murderous herdsmen, with the killing of scores of people. The pictures are all over the Internet and the reports were made by several news sites.

One wonders if the Governor will also arrest and charge for posting this story.

All this happened during a 24-hour curfew.

Was it this article that incited suspected Fulani herdsmen in a remote part of Southern Kaduna with no Internet access to slaughter the people in that village?

The gaffe here was that the picture on the tweet was later discovered to be that of another genocide. Was that intentional?? Of course not.

Many pictures come up when you do a Google search of the Southern Kaduna killings on the web, and really how can one just on the surface of it tell a Rwandan village from a village in Kaduna? Does this make the story any less true?

Did the Fulanis not attack already before pictures were posted? Mr Maikori even posted an apology on both Facebook and Twitter for the picture, while still maintaining focus on the loss of life caused by the incident.

Did this picture really start all this? Have there been any reprisals from Southern Kaduna indigenes on Fulanis? (None has been yet reported)

The second matter has to do with false story told by Mr Maikoris driver.

The driver has confessed to the IGP monitoring unit as well as the Marwa, Lekki Police Post confirming that he concocted the story in a bid to defraud Audu of some money.

The details of the story are already widely publicized and there is no need to rehash it. What is worthy of note is that Audu personally investigated the matter after the Schools statement and took active steps to apprehend the driver and take him to the Police.

He thereafter issued a copious apology to not just the College of Education, but the Fulani Community, the Southern Kaduna community and both the State Governor and government.

In spite of all these Gov. El Rufai still arranged for him to be arrested, detained and investigated by the Police under the charge of Criminal conspiracy and Incitement

The narrative being sold by the governor is that Audu has been reckless and Irresponsible and therefore responsible for attacks? Does this make sense?

Lets examine this allegation: In the matter of the drivers claim how could anyone actually verify the story?

What reason would anyone have to doubt a story if a personal staff who has worked with them for months says that he lost his brother?

Why would anyone think he lied, when on several occasions even more numbers of people have been killed in the same area?

The main reason for Audus advocacy and that of others like him is the helpless situation Southern Kaduna people have found themselves in.

They are being decimated every day and when they speak up against it, they are called inciters or criminals.

They are arrested, detained, threatened, taken to court and all sorts of charges are trumped up against them.

Has this advocacy worked? Yes and this is evidenced by the serious attention the matter has seemed to garner, so much so that we have seen the recent establishment of battalions, arrests of some suspected killers and even the level of support the Kaduna State government has gotten both locally and internationally.

If these advocates hadnt spoken up only God knows how many people would have lost their lives by now.

Last week the Governor took time out to attend the SMW Lagos where he made two scary statements

1. We are going to prosecute him. He was arrested. His statement has been taken. He is on bail. He is going to be prosecuted. His fate will be decided by a judge. He thereafter also added

2. We (the state) are TRYING (please note the emphasis on trying) to link the dates of his (Audu Maikori) tweets/postings to attacks that MAY have happened the next day to Fulanis and if we are able to establish that causation, we will prosecute him.

So two points jump out: -

1. Considering the fact that the Fake picture was made on the 23rd of December 2016 and his statement was made two months later, it would seem to me that any LINK or connection between the erroneous picture and any attacks should have been well established and/or reported by now. Second, if between the 2nd of March 2017 when the Governor made his statement and this week, evidence suddenly appears linking these deaths to the time of the statement, then it is safe to say that such evidence is fabricated or at least is tailored to meet an expected charge.

2. The second issue for consideration is how personally involved the Governor seems to be in this matter. He stated to several newspapers and media platforms that he would ensure Audu was prosecuted. In the matters relating to prosecution, the accused must first be investigated. It is only when a prima facie case has been established will he then be prosecuted. Anyone who watched the shocking video of the Governor can see clearly that he has already decided to prosecute Audu regardless of what happens because he needs a scapegoat. What was the crime? Speaking out against the slaughtering of people in Southern Kaduna.

This sort of statement, if there is ever need for it, should be made by the Attorney-General of Kaduna State, Director of Public Prosecutions of the State and not the Governor who is supposed to a neutral arbiter in such matters. Clearly, the Governor has demonstrated which side he stands on. So contrary to his verbal statements this case for him is very personal. We should not be surprised if sometime soon, the Police suddenly find new evidence that indicts Audu. And needless to say, any trial held in this matter will be heavily tipped in favour of Governor El-Rufai. He has more than enough government resources and connections to make sure he wins at all costs.

Meanwhile, let us get back to the real issues. Are people being killed in Southern Kaduna still? Yes, in fact, during the weekend during which Mr Maikori was first detained, between the 19th of February and the 21st of February, another 21 people were reportedly killed near Kafanchan and Kaura according to Thisday News.

Over 3,000 people have been displaced and compensation still has not been paid to many of these homeless people who have suffered- but surprisingly compensation was niftily paid to the Fulani community who are by the Governors self-admission, not even Nigerians!

The Governor has proudly announced this is at several fora. He says the justification of these payments is based on recommendations of the Agwai Report - unfortunately General Agwai himself has frowned at that position.

He said that any recommendations for the payment of compensation would be to both aggrieved sides not just one-sided to the Fulanis and in his words the action of the Governor was partial.

The real forensic analysis that should be conducted by the local and international media, civil society groups, law enforcement agencies and concerned citizens is the number of Southern Kaduna indigenes slaughtered by the Fulani aggressors between the times Governor El-Rufai started paying them up till this present day.

The real concern is how the governor has incentivized these killings because when you pay money to people who are killing innocent citizens, you have done nothing but provide the killers with the incentive to continue killing.

Little wonder the crisis in Southern Kaduna has lingered this long.

We are at a critical point in this nation and Southern Kaduna is a very important part of the equation.

Indeed the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo last week ensured he visited Kaduna to meet with some of the stakeholders to plead for the restoration of peace in Southern Kaduna by dialogue, by consultations and by forgetting past wrongs and working together towards a new peace pact - a development that was very welcome by all sides.

I dont see how the persecution of advocates such as Audu Maikori will help bring peace - instead it brings a further strain on any efforts of peace building.

Let it be known that persecuting Audu Maikori is persecuting those who continue to cry out against the killings in Southern Kaduna.

This is a time for the Governor to reach out and broker peace in a state that has been war torn and not to further persecute a people who have suffered great persecution over the past one year for crying out for help.

Keep praying for the people of Southern Kaduna."
The governor made the call on Saturday at the grand finale of Ibadan Cultural Festival 2017 held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.

Ajimobi lamented that the unpleasant attitude of indigenes is detrimental to the development of the city, cleanliness and support for government policies, saying that the city could only develop through collective effort.

According to the governor, Ibadan is a historical home of warriors and these warriors have conquered several wars in the past.

We have to brace up to uphold the legacy as the society demands today.

Our own war today should be for the development of the city, against indiscipline and poverty, he said.

He stated that selling of goods on the streets destroys the environment and government had continually preached against such.

Ajimobi stated the state government has begun the enforcement of its environmental laws, adding that anyone who flouts the law would be punished accordingly.

Our society will be better for it if the people embrace the right attitude. It is difficult for any government to do it all alone without the support of the people.

Investors can only come into the city if the environment is clean and attractive, he said.

Chief Wole Akinwande, the President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), commended the governor for the signing of Oyo State Real Properties Protection bill into law and the progress made so far on Ibadan Master Plan.

He urged the people to make cleanliness of the city a habit, saying their Clean Ibadan programme carried out during the festival was to encourage the people on the habit.

Princess Olaide Salawu, the Chairperson of the Ibadan Cultural Festival 2017 Committee called on the indigenes to always strive for the growth and development of the city.

If you have been so much blessed in Ibadan, then this land is your Jerusalem. Dont let it be a one day affair.

Seek for the peace, cleanliness and advancement of Ibadan land and all who love her shall prosper, she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured several cultural displays, likewise the display of the prowess of notable Ibadan warlords.

NAN reports that the festival, which commenced on Feb. 2 featured quiz competition, debate, operation make Ibadan clean, stage play, Ibadan beauty pageant, Okebadan day, Ibadan conference and lots more.

The event was bankrolled by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) and with the theme Advancing Our Heritage
He said the initiative will phase out Danfo buses as means of transportation in the state within the next two years.

Ambode said his government has identified the daily challenges of Lagosians while commuting via public transportation, adding that the new plan would provide a viable alternative.

He stated that the Bus Reform Initiative is a three-year plan aimed at introducing over 5000 air-conditioned buses to replace Danfo, pointing that the yellow buses are no longer befitting of the States mega city status.

He said: "We decided that the best thing is to allow the yellow buses go and so the Bus Reform Initiative itself is a three-year plan of 2017 to 2019 in which it intends to bring in new buses of 5,000 units in the three-year plan.

"The bigger size buses will take 70 people and then the medium range buses will take 30 people. We believe that the middle range buses will be supplied up to 70 per cent of the total volume which will amount to about 3,600 units and then the longer range in that direction."

On how the government intends to fund the initiative, Ambode said his administration will launch a public transportation infrastructure bond of N100 billion that will span between seven to 10 years, adding that the government already has a sinking fund which it intends to put into the bond.

The Governor added: "You are aware that the Federal Government paid the refund of the Paris Club Loan last December and this is a money belonging to the State Governments due to the refund and so Lagos State decided not to touch its share of the Paris Club refund. Right now, we have a sinking fund of N14.5 billion that is already put in place to drive this public transportation bond.

"We refused to touch our money and we believe that the second batch of the refund should be paid next month and eventually that will be N29 billion that we will have. I will add another N1 billion to it making it N30 billion to kick start this initiative.

"By the time we have N30 billion as sinking fund to drive the bus initiative against the bond of N100billion that we want to put into the market, there will be that credibility and credence that the bond will drive itself and that is the whole idea."

Aside from the bond, Ambode said his administration also intends to give out the franchise to interested stakeholders in multiple of 50 buses each, 100 buses, 200 buses and above, explaining that what is required is a down payment of 25 per cent of the buses.

"So, these are bankable projects as we have a sinking fund and so our exposure as a government is just technically 75 per cent. So, from the kind of machinery we want to use to run the buses, there are no cash takings, everything is automated and obviously, who ever has a franchise, whoever drives, they have the recourse to take part of the money while part of the intake also goes to the repayment of the facility and so it is a comprehensive template," he said.

The Governor added that the Danfo drivers, who would be absorbed into the new initiative are expected to adapt accordingly, stating that the transport unions would be expected to take ownership to ensure sustainability.

Ambode explained that: "This is just a paradigm shift where danfo drivers move from being addressed as Danfo drivers but as professional drivers. So, we will buy back the danfos from them and it becomes the seed money to become eventual owners of those buses in the years the facility is spread.

"It is something we have been working on in the last one year and we dont come out to say we are going to do anything without working properly on it. It is process and now we are at the advocacy process.
The bad news for Tennessees strawberry farmers is that they are not going to get much sleep this weekend. They are going to be cold, and they are going to need a lot of help in their fields. The good news is that they are well prepared to save their crops despite an impending hard freeze.

The current statewide forecast for Tennessee, depending on location, is for frigid temperatures to last through the weekend.

Strawberry blooms begin to experience stress when temperatures hit about 30 degrees. For strawberry crops in full bloom, being subjected to a 28 degree temperature for even 30 minutes results in about a 10 percent kill. There will be a 90 percent kill when strawberries are exposed to temperatures that hover around 25 degrees for 30 minutes.

Strawberry growers will protect their fields through a laborious process, covering each row with a heavy cloth. If the daytime is sunny, safely above freezing temperatures and without cold winds, the row covers are removed so that plants and soil can soak up warmth. Covers are then reapplied in late afternoon. As long as this weekends forecast does not deteriorate further, Tennesseans can still look forward to a good local crop.

A few other fruit crops may also be impacted by the weekend chill, and are harder to protect. Fruit tree growers, particularly those who grow cherries and plums, may already have some blooming trees which could be affected.

Statewide directories of strawberry growers and farmers markets are available at the Pick Tennessee Products website, www.picktnproducts.org. The Pick Tennessee mobile app allows users to search for nearby strawberry patches, as well as markets where local berries are sold.
He will also write the National Assembly on Monday, to officially notify the two chambers of his return from London.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, disclosed this to Vanguard on Sunday.

The President returned to the country on Friday, March 10, after 49 days of medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been carrying out Presidential duties in Buhari's absence.

On media reports that Buhari may reshuffle his cabinet when he resumes, Adesina said he is not aware of that.

"The President has not discussed that with me. I report what he says," he told the newspaper.
The upper chamber during plenary last Thursday mandated Ali to appear before it in Customs uniform over the agency's plan to impound vehicles that do not have customs duty from April.

"If retired Colonel Ali cannot respect the Customs service or he's ashamed of wearing its uniform and rank of his position while appearing before peoples representatives, then he should honourably resign," Senator Solomon Adeola representing APC, Lagos West, said in a statement issued on Sunday, March 12.

The Senator also explained that the Senate mandated Ali to wear his uniform in order to protect the organizational integrity and discipline in the institution.

At the Thursday plenary, Adeola had backed Senator Dino Melaye on the need for the Senate to curb Ali's 'high-handedness.'

He said the Customs boss is "carrying out the affairs of this agency as if he is the managing director or the commander-in-chief of this country."

ALSO READ: Ali dares Senate, says he was not appointed to wear uniform

However, the Comptroller General, in response to the Senate order, said he would not wear his uniform to the National Assembly, noting that he was not appointed to wear the uniform.

Ali has been wearing mufti while carrying out official duties since his appointment.

In the statement, Senator Adeola expressed disappointment in Ali's response, saying he expected him, as a retired army colonel, to know the importance of uniforms.

Adeola said: "Military and paramilitary uniforms inclusive of ranks are part of the symbol of legitimate authority conferred on the wearer to carry out certain duties on behalf of the government.

"Except in covert operations, an officer in these organizations operating without uniform could be taken to be performing illegal duty or worse, be taken as not representing the institution at all. And as stated on the floor of the Senate in plenary, the Comptroller General is rank that can only be worn on uniform and not on mufti."

According to him, there is concern among officers and men of the Customs Service on the appointment of 'outsider' to head the agency as it is a morale killer, career progression inhibitor as well as damaging to the organizational growth of the service stressing that there may be need to amend the Nigerian Customs Act to restrict appointment of CG to career officers as it is done in the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Immigrations and the Nigerian Prisons Service.

"The APC-led Government of President Muhammadu Buhari was elected on the promise of change, adherence to rule of law and renunciation of impunity in any forms. The story we hear daily is the arrogance and high-handedness of the CG and name dropping of the President. We had it on good authority of his reluctance to be answerable to the Minister of Finance as stipulated in laws of the land. We that were elected cannot look the other way while the people we represent are subjected to avoidable hardship orchestrated by an unelected appointee in a bid to cure the inefficiencies of the agency he leads. We are in a democracy," the Senator added.
The call was contained in a communique signed by the partys Zonal Chairman, Mr Goodluck Obi and seven others, and issued at the end of the South-East meeting of the party in Awka on Saturday.

The political party said more than two million eligible voters might be disenfranchised in the state if the commission failed to carry out the revalidation exercise before November.

NCP South-East further decries the level of cross carpeting from one political party to another by politicians.

It is embarrassing and a sign of desperation,Obi said, urging people of goodwill to disassociate themselves from such politicians.

The political party also welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari back to Nigeria and prayed God to grant him long life and good health to continue the good work he started, especially the fight against corruption.
A statement by the spokesman of the Police Command in Borno, Victor Isuku, disclosed that the bombers were shot when they attempted to enter Maiduguri through the Umarari in Molai, near Damboa road.

On Saturday at about 20:45hrs, two female suspected suicide bombers, of about 18 years of age, attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General Area which is about 9 Kilometres to the township.

They were sighted by local vigilantes- the Civilian JTF- and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty at the area, it said.

The statement added that only the two bombers died in the incident.
According to Premium Times, the herdsmen were shot while herding cattle in Anguwan Yashi village in Jemaa local government area on Saturday afternoon.

The National Assistant Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Ibrahim Abdullahi, identified the deceased as Anas Shuaibu, 20, and Yahaya Musa, 14.

Amid fears of renewed violence in the area, Abdullahi, who spoke to the news medium, urged the Fulani community in the area "not to take the laws into their hands and allow the security agencies do their job."

Confirming the incident, the police spokesman in the state, Aliyu Othman, said nine persons have already been arrested in connection with the killing.

ALSO READ: Fulani herdsmen kill 31 people in Kaduna

In the last few months, clashes between herdsmen and mainly farmers have claimed over 200 lives.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, in a congratulatory message, commended the cordial relationship between the U.S. and the Holy City to ensure a better world for humanity.

On behalf of President Donald Trump and the people of the United States, I offer my congratulations to His Holiness Pope Francis on the fourth anniversary of his election as Bishop of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church.

The United States and the Holy See have worked together for decades to face global challenges such as trafficking in persons, food insecurity, epidemics, and the exploitation of religion as a tool to incite hatred and divide nations.

Together we have built vital partnerships and cooperated to advance peace, liberty, and human dignity around the world.

On this day I join millions of Americans, and people around the world, in congratulating the Holy Father and wishing him continued success in leading the Catholic Church to make a better world for all, Tillerson said.

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on Dec. 17, 1936, Pope Francis is the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, a title he holds ex officio as Bishop of Rome, and sovereign of Vatican City.

He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi, the first Jesuit Pope from the Americas, the Southern Hemisphere and outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III, who reigned in the eighth century.

Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 28, 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on March 13.

Throughout his public life, Pope Francis has been noted for his humility, emphasis on Gods mercy, concern for the poor, populist causes and commitment to interfaith dialogue.

He is credited with having a less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors, for instance choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than in the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors.

He maintains that the church should be more open and welcoming.

He does not support unbridled capitalism, Marxism, or Marxist versions of liberation theology.

Pope Francis maintains the traditional views of the church regarding abortion, euthanasia, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, and priestly celibacy.

He opposes consumerism, irresponsible development, and supports taking action on climate change, a focus of his papacy with the promulgation of Laudato si.
Waszczykowski was referring to last week's clash at a Brussels summit of EU leaders, when Poland cast the sole vote against Tusk's re-election.

Warsaw's far-right and eurosceptic government had campaigned hard against the centrist Tusk, 59, who was prime minister from 2007 to 2014 and in the top EU job since then, arguing he should not be elected against the wishes of his home country.

But bloc leaders voted by 27 to one to give Tusk a fresh two-and-a-half-year mandate -- with only Poland's current Prime Minister Beata Szydlo voting against.

"We must be conscious that at any moment we may be deceived", Waszczykowski wrote.

"We must adapt our policies and adjust our behaviour concerning the EU. Certainly, we must lower our level of confidence in the EU. We will have to start following a negative policy", he continued, saying that could include "blocking" various European initiatives.

The minister pointed to the refusal of the European Council to consider the last-minute alternate candidate Warsaw had put forward to replace Tusk -- euro-MP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski.

"Why was it decided that the candidacy of eurodeputy Jacek Saryusz Wolski had to be decided by a consensus vote? And that for Donald Tusk, it was going to be a simple majority vote?" he said.

But Waszczykowski said Poland's need for a "very firm" stance on the EU did not mean the country would balk on obligations to participate in the European Council of bloc leaders and EU activities in general.

But the diplomatic clash underscored a deepening rift with the largest of the eastern post-Soviet EU states, just weeks before the bloc had hoped to make a show of unity at its 60th birthday and as Britain moves forward with plans to exit the EU.

Moreover, the clash rattled an alliance struck between ex-communist states Poland and Hungary, which are both led by eurosceptic rightwingers.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who had initially supported the Polish stance, ended up siding with the rest of the EU, leaving Szydlo out in the cold.

After the vote, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the powerful head of Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS )party, voiced disappointment with Orban. Poland's deputy foreign minister postponed a trip to Budapest planned the day after the vote.

But Warsaw said both sides would pursue their cooperation, including a visit by Hungary's President Janos Ader to Warsaw later in March to celebrate "days of Polish-Hungarian friendship".
Within days, Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot is expected to request authority for a slew of probes against members of the government and Congress.

It's the latest chapter of a three-year embezzlement and bribery scandal shaking Latin America's biggest economy.

Last week "was the calm before the political crisis which is coming and which will last for months," said political analyst Alberto Almeida. "It's a terrible time for the credibility of the political class."

Speculation has been growing for months over who will be on Janot's list. On Saturday, G1 news site reported that Janot would seek about 80 investigations and that the number of politicians involved may reach 200.

The request to the Supreme Court, which oversees all judicial matters concerning sitting politicians, will be based on a deluge of testimony in plea bargains with 77 former executives of the giant Odebrecht construction company.

Odebrecht employees have confessed to systemic bribery of politicians in exchange for inflated contracts with state oil company Petrobras and favorable legislation. The money went either directly into politicians' pockets or into party campaign slush funds.

It is not clear whether Temer, who has already lost a string of ministers to the ever-expanding corruption crisis, will be subjected to a probe himself.

He is also involved in a separate case at the Supreme Electoral Court which is looking into whether his 2014 election as vice president on the ticket with then president Dilma Rousseff benefited from campaign slush funds.

The court could, in theory, annul the election's result, creating yet another wave of instability for Brazil.

Reforms in danger

At the very least this week, Temer's government looks certain to take a new battering just when it's trying to push through austerity reforms.

Brazil has been through two straight years of recession and Temer, who became president last year after Rousseff was impeached, says his main goal is to put the economy back on track.

He has got Congress to pass a 20 year spending freeze and is now asking for pension reform and other painful measures.

But the corruption scandal also means that Congress -- where many members are expected to be probed by Janot -- is sometimes more interested in survival than legislation.

For example, Congress has spent much of its energy in recent weeks on trying to craft amnesties to cover anyone involved in taking unregistered campaign donations, despite fierce condemnation from anti-corruption judges and prosecutors.

"Every time there's a new phase (of the probe), Congress stops," said a source in the Chamber of Deputies, asking not to be identified.
"After we received an anonymous call, yesterday (Friday), agents from the Spanish police opened the back of a refrigerated truck in a lay-by on the A23 motorway and found eight Iraqis inside, all in perfect health," police said.

None of the migrants carried identification, but police said they were able to determine that all were Iraqi nationals.

The occupants included one family of two adults and three children, another family of a woman with a two-year-old daughter, and a man travelling alone.

It wasn't immediately clear how long they had spent inside the truck, but police said they were on their way to Britain when their truck was intercepted in the eastern province of Teruel.

"We do not know yet how these Iraqi families came to be in Spain," police said.

The driver, a 37-year-old Romanian national, was arrested on charges of human trafficking.

According to Spanish media reports, a family coming from Iraq was found in a refrigerated truck on the same motorway and in the same province last month.

On August 27, the decomposing bodies of 71 people were found inside a truck at the side of an Austrian motorway in a discovery which sparked a horrified response across Europe as it struggles with its worst migration crisis since World War II.
A scene in the play "In the Name of People" [file photo]

"In the Name of People", adapted from a novel under the same title, was staged for the fourth time in the Poly Theatre in Beijing, on Saturday.

The play sheds light on Chinese politics and officialdom in the ongoing campaign against corruption. It follows a tense struggle among fictional provincial officials: the secretary of the political and legal affairs committee, the anti-corruption director of the procuratorate, and the chief of the public security department.

The novel "In the Name of People" by Zhou Meisen was published in January and drew an enormous amount of public attention as it discussed corruption at a senior level.

"We don't focus on the fact of corruption and the plot of investigation and punishment," says director Wang Xiaoying. "We highlight the complicated and subtle emotional activities and personality conflicts between criminals and corruption fighters, exposing the internal virtue and vice of characters gradually."

Hunan Satellite TV is to broadcast its own drama of "In the Name of People", also authored by Zhou Meisen. Co-produced by the Film and TV Center of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China, it is set to air at the end of March.

Costing 120 million yuan (about 17.4 million U.S. dollars) and comprising 55 episodes, it will be the first Chinese screen production to focus on the war against graft since regulatory authorities ordered in 2004 that dramas involving corruption and violent crime should not be broadcast in prime time on satellite channels.

"The TV play took almost two years to prepare and shoot, and more than 40 well-known actors appeared in it," says director Li Lu. "The audience can discern the resolution of the Party and nation in fighting corruption. The investment came from five private film and TV companies, and satellite TV stations above provincial level purchased the play for 220 million yuan (about 31.8 million U.S. dollars), which shows the confidence of the market."

As many as 11 other TV plays set amid the anti-corruption campaign were submitted to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television before 2016, but they are still waiting to be broadcast.
Two suspected jihadists were killed and another seriously wounded in the incident near Kebili, 480 kilometres (300 miles) south of Tunis, in what the ministry described as a "terrorist attack".

The ambush by motorcycle-mounted gunmen occurred early Sunday on a police checkpoint, it said, adding that a fourth attacker fled the scene.

"Homemade explosives" were found on the motorbikes, the ministry added.

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced an increase in jihadist attacks that have cost the lives of dozens of members of the security forces and also 59 foreign tourists.
The mere mention of the Kimberly Road and Division Street intersection prompts a collective groan from residents, government officials and Davenport Public Works staff.

For a lengthy period of time, the busy intersection has been a traffic and public safety nightmare known for car stacking and rear-ending accidents.

Starting Monday, Valley Construction will begin a four-month, $1.6 million improvement project to alleviate those long-term concerns.

"The geometry of the intersection needs to be updated with the traffic counts we have now," said Deputy Director Brian Schadt. "That left turn into the four commercial (businesses) on Division alone, by the time you hit the tabletop as you come up the hill, all of a sudden, boom, you have to stop and turn left. So, there's rear-ending."

Overall, the project, which is primarily being paid for through federal funds, is split into four construction phases that will run until late July.

Included in the project is widening north and southbound lanes of Division Street to accommodate dedicated turning lanes, installing new Americans with Disabilities Act ramps, sidewalks and medians on both Kimberly Road and Division Street and traffic signals.

"We're just trying to get more people through the intersection comfortably," Schadt said.

In the past year, the intersection has seen 23 accidents, 30 percent of which were rear-end related.

Several of the accidents were also related to motorists entering or exiting the CVS and Walgreens driveways off Division Street.

The first stage will run between Monday and March 27 to install a water main along the north lane of West 40th Street and crossing Rodeo Road.

It was originally scheduled to be completed by March 20, but Schadt said additional time was required to bring specialized equipment to the area. That extension is not expected to change the project's overall construction window.

With all the work to be done, a traffic mitigation plan has been put into place that may require some rerouting.

Average daily traffic counts maintained by the Iowa Department of Transportation in 2014 showed more than 14,000 vehicles traveling on Division and between 18,500 and 20,400 using Kimberly near the intersection.

From the end of March to the end of the May, Kimberly Road eastbound will be reduced to one lane and one turn lane as it approaches the Division Street intersection.

Division Street will be down to one lane in both north and south directions from 38th Street to 40th Street between the end of March and mid-July.

"The traveling public will definitely notice a difference, but they're trying to shoehorn as much as they can," Schadt said.

Despite the inconvenience, Schadt said the plan also tries to accommodate businesses because of their dependence of road access.

"While we are doing quite a bit of construction in the area, accesses to the businesses will remain open at all times," Schadt said.

Businesses, residents prep for work

For many who live and work in the area, the upcoming construction is no surprise.

For those who didnt know, the placement Thursday of lighted sign boards, advising that work begins Monday, brought them up to speed.

Of the half-dozen workers and residents interviewed Thursday, all agreed the Kimberly and Division intersection is dangerous, and the addition of turn lanes will help with safety and traffic flow.

But no one looks forward to the long lines and confusion that frequently result from road construction at a busy intersection.

Im excited theyre doing it, said Oliver Owens, district manager for Family Video, which has a store just south of the intersection. The traffic gets backed up to our driveway during the busy times.

The problem, of course, is that people tend to avoid construction, so I dont expect it to have a good impact on business for a while.

Across Division from the video store, the owner of Terris Dog Styling School has more serious concerns than short-term interruptions.

In addition to objecting to the citys plans to take a couple of feet of her lawn for the street widening, owner Melissa Stalkfleet said she also is concerned about the median that is being placed in the middle of Division Street.

What the median will do is prevent anyone from turning left into my business, she said. When I brought it up, the city people said medians make travel safer, but they said they forgot to bring their statistics.

They advised me to tell my customers to go past and make a U-turn. I cant tell an 80-year-old customer with a Schnauzer on his lap to do a U-turn.

We average 100 cars, coming and going from here every day, so things will really change for us.

But the change is not without benefit, Stalkfleet said.

It will fix the terrible angle where my drive meets Division, she said. And the intersection is really bad.

Several residents in the area agreed, saying they have seen many crashes, and the widening should help. But traffic in the interim will be painful.

A woman walking her dog near Division at Cheyenne Court said she worries about motorists in her neighborhood trying to avoid the intersection by shooting west to Pine Street, which is a two-lane road with no lighted crossing.

Another nearby resident, Nick Fowler, said he shares the concern about arterial roads becoming congested as motorists avoid Kimberly and Division.

We have a lot of schools around here, he said. There are times of day, in the morning and afternoons, when things are pretty bad. A lot of kids are walking around, too.

But, again, the payoff will be in the improvement, he said. I can for sure say that it needs to be done. And it could be worse. From what I understand, the whole thing is supposed to be done in, like, four or five months.

Weve all seen much longer road-construction projects than that. We just have to grin and bear it.
PORT ORANGE, Fla.  Dolores J. Dee Weedon, 79, of Port Orange, and formerly of Pleasant Valley, passed away peacefully Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016, at the Port Orange Hospice Care Center in Port Orange.

A memorial gathering will be 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf. Memorials may be made to Speedway Fire and Rescue, Box 3235, Davenport, Iowa 52808.

She was born in Kewanee, Illinois, the daughter of Sylvester and Helen Clary. On Dec. 1, 1960, she married the love of her life, Ronnie Weedon. He preceded her in death on April 11, 2005.

Dee worked for many years at the Chefs Hat Restaurant as a server and spent virtually every weekend at the racetrack watching her husband, both sons and grandson race. She especially enjoyed the countless hours she spent with her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dee never missed any of their special events and taught all of her girls how to be ladies.

Before moving to Florida, she was active in First Presbyterian Church of Coal Valley.

Those left to honor her memory include her children, Debbie Lane, of Davenport, Ronnie and Phyllis Weedon, of Davenport, Rob and Sandy Connors, of Port Orange, Jerry Connors, of Pleasant Valley and Ginny and Rick Schumann, of Davenport; her grandchildren, Kim and Pat Keller, Karrie Jane Moore, Dale, Jimmy and Rita Schumann, Ronnie Lane, and Bobby Jo and Brian Waldbusser; and her great-grandchildren, Brandon, Andrew, Katie, Matthew, Tori, Leigh Ann, Sadie, Loryn, Molly Mae, Kyle, Gracie, Brady and Jordyn.

While the family was sitting by the pool trying to find the words to write this obituary, they remember how peacefully she passed away and how she looked up and said with a smile, There are those smiling faces. They laughed wondering if she saw her mom and Ronnie and at that moment they heard the roar of a race car engine. Instantly they felt at peace and knew she was where she wanted to be for so long, with her beloved Ronnie.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Dolores obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.
I thought of life's defining moments while listening to David Ginsburg tell his story as we sat in the sun room of his Davenport house, looking out at where his lawn meets the edge of a stubbled corn field.

Ginsburg is an occasional letter writer to the Quad-City Times, a man who was surprised to find how much he changed after retiring from MidAmerican Energy in 2010. His roots are deeper here now than they were when he was working, he said. Hes becoming more politically aware. Hes become more involved. And one of the things that helps define his life now is something he subjugated during his working life  his Jewish faith and heritage.

If I were to try to find the defining moments in Ginsburgs life, I would say retirement was one of them. I would also say that it was his marriage at a very early age, when everyone was opposed to the idea. Hes still married to the same woman and still talks in a defiant tone about those who advised them to wait. For other defining moments, I would point to his time in the military during the Vietnam War. He was sent to East Africa for very memorable and life-shaping years that he still looks back on with fondness and wonder. I would also point to his memories of the farm crisis, when he lost his job and found another one by putting an ad in the Des Moines Register Classifieds section announcing his willingness to work.

Except for his years in the military, Ginsburg is a life-long Iowan. He graduated from high school in Ottumwa in 1964. Eighteen year-olds were being sent to fight in Vietnam, but the voting age and the drinking age was still 21. You had to be 21 to see an R rated movie like Rosemarys Baby that came out when Ginsburg was at basic training.

(The voting age) is the first thing I ever wrote a congressman about, he said.

At the time, 21 was also the age of consent for a man to get married. David wasnt old enough when he married Sharon and had to get his mothers signature.

He left the University of Iowa after a year because he wanted to be a computer systems analyst and the courses he needed were being offered somewhere else  at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. My hometown was on the cutting edge, he said. He got his associate degree and joined the military. That degree made him a perfect fit working for the U.S. Army Security Agency at Kagnew Station in Asmara, Ethiopia (now Eritrea).

Ginsburg has a vivid memory of the day he went to Fort Des Moines for his physical. There was a crowd of protesters four and five people deep and he was escorted by two federal marshals, one on each side. It was my first dose of reality about what I was doing, he said. They were calling us names. I was 20 and I joined to serve my country. Ginsburg grew up in a liberal, progressive family, he said. During World War II, his family took in a Japanese family because they werent allowed to live in near the coast in California. They needed a place to stay in the Midwest. His parents taught him there were two sides to every story and when he looked at those shouting Vietnam protesters, I knew what I was doing and I felt right about it. But I also knew they had a different point of view, he said.

Kagnew Station was a Cold War listening post. Any non-NATO Middle Eastern country was fair game, Ginsburg said. He worked 10- and 12-hour shifts sifting through reams of encrypted Morse Code. My main area of expertise was Somali.

His wife saved enough money for a plane ticket and joined him in Asmara and his daughter was born there. They lived in a compound three blocks from Haile Selassies winter palace. Living there gave Ginsburg a life-long appreciation for other cultures and an awareness of how wasteful Americans can be, especially with water.

The family returned to Iowa in 1971. We missed Iowa. We came back for the education, for the change in seasons and for family. Ginsburg finished his degree in business administration on the GI Bill at Parsons College in Fairfield.

We were a strain on our parents when we came back, he said. We were different people than when we left three years before. We were independent and self-sufficient.

We paid our dues and now we wanted a piece of the American Dream.

By the 80s, Ginsburg had risen through the ranks and was a plant manager at a company that built hog sheds in Kalona, Iowa. When the recession hit the Midwest, Ginsburg was the last employee to leave the building. I locked the doors and walked the keys to the bank.

Thats when he put the Classified ad in the newspaper Job Wanted, and he got a call from F.A. Wittern, inventor of the vending machine. He said, Lets go for a ride. Soon Ginsburg had a job another job.

His career eventually brought him to Davenport, where he and his wife chose to stay after retirement.

One of the things I asked myself when I retired was What have I accomplished in my life? What are the absolute truths that I know? Youre born and you die. Beyond that, every other belief I have falls under the category of what other people told me. Every generation has another generations history to deal with. If we arent making the world a better place, we are complicating it for the next generation.
The shameful inequity, felt by thousands of Iowa's public school students, will end if the Iowa House follows the Senate's lead.

Equal footing would take a decade, under the legislation passed unanimously Thursday in the state Senate. The initial bumps of $5 and $10 per-year wouldn't amount to much in districts such as Davenport Community Schools, which now receives more than $170 less per-pupil each year in state aid. That districts annually misses out on $2.7 million thanks to the state's unjust funding model.

But SF 455, sponsored by Education Committee Chairwoman Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, is the best hope for Iowa students who just happen to live in a community granted second-class status four decades ago. It would pump more than $200 million into districts that, for too long, have been treated unfairly.

Reaching that milestone requires the House, like the Senate, vote for equity in how Iowa funds its schools.

The number of school districts receiving maximum state aid would more than double, from 162 in 2017 to 333 in 2027, according to analysis by Iowa's Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Tens of thousands of Iowans, in districts such as North Scott and Maquoketa, would enjoy smaller classes and bolstered programming. They'd finally get a fair shot.

Sen. Roby Smith did yeomen's work in the upper house. His consistent argument against structural inequity has amplified Tate's cause. He's championed the the long-term fix now moving through the Senate.

Yet Smith's short-term bandage, meant to bridge the gap during SF 455's 10-year rollout, stalled in committee. A budget bill -- it would permit districts to spend down an additional 5 percent of rainy day funds -- Smith now intends to reintroduce it in the Ways and Means Committee. We urge Ways and Means Chairman Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, to embrace Smith's bill and shepherd it to the floor.

But it's the House that gets the final say on the equity bill itself.

SF 455 could face a rougher road in the more conservative House. The bill does, after all, have budgetary implications. And Republican lawmakers are just itching for a tax cut in the near future. It's imperative that Republican Reps. Gary Mohr, Bettendorf, and Ross Paustian, Walcott, forcefully push the overall fix, if and when it moves out of the Senate. They should do the same for Smith's short-term fix, should the senator's end-run on the funnel prove successful. To Paustian's credit, he's at least acknowledged the problem in past years. SF 455 could represent an opportunity to show that his heart is in it. Vocal support from both Paustian and Mohr would provide the legislation a significant boost. Bipartisan, regional support from House Democrats Phyllis Thede, Bettendorf, and Cindy Winckler, Davenport, would be a political boon.

Davenport Superintendent Art Tate put his career on the line for the cause. He's now under state investigation because, after years of gripes, Tate wouldn't be ignored any longer. He stripped the money out of his surplus so Davenport's students could, for one short year, experience equal treatment. In so doing, he violated state law.

What's legal and what's moral aren't always one and the same. Iowa Department of Education should immediately drop its investigation of Tate, should the legislation become law.

SF 455 isn't ideal. It would take a decade for full implementation. It would face numerous new Legislatures, all who could, in a tight year, decide to kill it. It requires stop-gaps that, as of now, are on life support in the Senate.

But the enactment of SF 455 would be an official rejection of structural inequity that treated some students as steerage for far too long.
LINCOLN, Neb. | Just over a year ago, Andrew Tuzson and his wife, Angela, were living in Denver but getting ready to make a move to Nebraska.

The couple had had it with Denver's long commute time.

"With the three kids, we were really, really ready for a change of pace. We were really wanting to inject ourselves into a community that was really family-focused," Andrew Tuzson said.

They created lists and looked at opportunities. Lincoln remained at the top of those lists because of the family aspect and its booming economy, he said.

Tuzson grew up in western Nebraska, but had been gone for years, the past 12 in Colorado, where he and Angela, who's from Wichita, Kansas, started a business in their basement.

They decided to visit Lincoln, and while here, check out office space in the Haymarket. Even before they got in their car to head back to Colorado they had made up their minds, Andrew Tuzson said.

"Yeah, let's do this."

They haven't looked back.

The Tuzsons have been doing business in Lincoln since May 20 as Evol Empire Creative, a web-design, development and marketing agency. Evol Empire now has 23 employees, several recruited from Seattle and San Diego.

"You name it, we do a lot of importing if the talent doesn't already exist here in Lincoln," Andrew Tuzson said.

Nebraska economic development experts also have their sights set on attracting talent to the state.

With a low unemployment rate  3.4 percent in December, compared with 4.7 percent nationally and a 2.8 percent rate for Lancaster and Seward counties  and a limited pool of workers that can be added to the labor force, state officials say it's critical to seek ways to not only retain the current workforce but attract new people.

Nebraskans 25 and older with bachelor's degrees or more education left the state between 2011 and 2015 at a rate of 11,861 each year.

In the past decade, Nebraska governors and their agencies have preached a common theme  Grow Nebraska  with businesses and workers, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. A year ago, Gov. Pete Ricketts hired Courtney Dentlinger to lead the Department of Economic Development.

"We're a relatively unknown quantity outside of the borders of Nebraska," she said then. "So we need to tell our story and explain why Nebraska's a great place to do business."

The state is poised for significant economic growth, given its current job openings and opportunities and low cost of living, combined with high rankings in quality of life and doing business, the department said.

But a primary concern is whether businesses looking to relocate or expand will be able to find sufficient qualified workers to fill their positions.

Many of the people who are migrating here to work are helping tell Nebraska's story, and lure others here.

Beth McKeon, 37, managing director of NMotion and a serial entrepreneur, came to Lincoln a year ago from Lawrence, Kansas, after looking for a company in the Midwest that was supporting startups.

She heard about the job opening at NMotion.

"Literally, the whole thing from initial contact to moving to Nebraska took less than three weeks, and it was over the Christmas holidays," she said.

Lincoln was an ideal choice, McKeon said.

"NMotion, as an organization, has been very successful at recruiting from out of state. And I think that's a testament to both the strength of the program, but also what's happening here in Lincoln," she said.

NMotion, with four employees, provides education and resources for tech startups, with the primary product being a 90-day accelerator program. Funding comes from the University of Nebraska, the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development and private companies.

The state is working to recruit workers by developing a talent portal, NEworks, to increase qualified, diverse talent for job opportunities.

The Department of Economic Development calls it a one-stop shop to promote Nebraska as a great place to live, work and play, through job and training opportunities, and with the appeals of culture, quality of life and community engagement.

According to the department's grant application for the project, the talent portal will target 25- to 34-year-olds, the most-mobile age range, by showcasing the proximity and access to outdoor recreation and natural resources, as well as arts, music and film venues. The website will provide information on Nebraska communities, affordable housing, safety, health care, demographics, climate and comparable cost of living.

Nearly 57,000 job openings were advertised on the NEworks website in December, according to the Nebraska Department of Labor. That's more than three job ads for every two unemployed people.

In 2016, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development surveyed 263 businesses that import capital from outside the region. Nearly 50 percent had increasing employment needs and 80 percent reported recruitment problems.

The health care industry is one that has a high demand for workers, and not enough supply.

Lincoln's Bryan Health employs 4,500 people and has a 5 percent vacancy rate, said Jan Garvin, vice president for human resources. Patient demand continues to grow.

The demand for nurses can't only be met by the women and men graduating from nursing education programs in the state, she said. Those graduates have many options for nursing careers in addition to hospitals, Garvin said. Besides nurses, Bryan is competing for people to fill many other jobs at its hospitals.

One option for it and other health-related businesses is to tap into the growing number of immigrants coming to Nebraska, Garvin said. To address language and cultural barriers, Bryan has offered on-site English classes and other resources.

Nebraska also has a growing need for technology workers.

In 2015, the state had the third-fastest rate of growth in technology jobs in the country, according to Dice, a careers website for technology and engineering professionals.

"Wayne Gretzky said it best, right?" Andrew Tuzson said. "He doesn't go to where the puck is. He goes to where it's going to be. And the Silicon Prairie is where that puck is heading.

"What's happening here in Nebraska is turning heads across the country."
Quintessence is defined as the most perfect or typical example of quality or class.

Thats the experience Jennifer Thomas Patterson hopes to provide for customers at her new Quintessence Salon and Spa, which opened late last month on the second floor of Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City.

Quintessence offers a full range of hair services, cut, color, extensions, body and facial waxing, permanent makeup, eyelash extension, skin care and massage.

The decor is a mix of modern and rustic by design to give more of a city feel, with contemporary furniture and stylist stations set off with original bare terra cotta brick walls and old wood accents.

I wanted to make it like when people walk in, its just like, wow, Patterson said. I wanted that first impression to be amazing.

Patterson originally started her career in social work, but switched to cosmetology in her late 20s.

She has worked in various salons around town for the last several years, all leading up to her owning and operating Quintessence, and employing five other stylists.

I always wanted more, so I pushed and pushed, she said.

Quintessence Salon and Spa is at 520 Main St., Suite 230. Call 605-716-6780, see their Facebook page or log on to vagaro.com/transform605 for more information.

Rimrock Forks & Spoons

Barb and Layne Lindberg reopened what is historically known as the old Fireside Inn just after the first of the year.

The newest iteration of the longtime west Highway 44 eatery just this side of Johnson Siding is now called Rimrock Forks & Spoons.

This is the first full restaurant venture for Barb and her husband, Layne, although Barb has years of waitressing experience. She has also done lots of baking and catering as well.

The building located along Highway 44 has seen a number of restaurant concepts over the years and also includes community center and church space for the pine-forested Rimrock area west of Rapid City

Barb Lindberg said she wants Forks & Spoons to continue to be a gathering place for family and friends to come and eat and visit with each other.

We want people to come here to get away from texting everybody and talk to everybody, she said.

She is stressing homemade menu items and an antique style decor. A gift shop is in one wing of the building.

Currently Rimrock Forks & Spoons is operating on a winter schedule, three nights per week, from 5 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, the featured menu item is steak tips. Fridays, the spotlight is on chicken enchiladas and fish enchiladas.

Saturdays menu is more open allowing them to try out new things, she said.

The menu also includes soups and sandwiches and a breakfast-at-night specialty, the Cattlemans Omelette, made with five eggs. Another specialty is dough fritters, deep-fried bread served with warm honey.

While catering and event planning services are still available, she said, busy Highway 44 is a good base for a sit-down neighborhood restaurant.

It was a good place to ground and have everyone come to us rather than us going to them, she said.

See therimrockexchange.com or call 605-484-7564 for more information.

New construction office

After completing several high-profile construction projects in and around Rapid City over the past decade, Appleton, Wisc.-based Consolidated Construction Co. decided to have a permanent presence here.

According to its website, the company originated in North Dakota in 1950 and returned to its home state in 2014, opening a branch in Bismarck.

Their new Rapid City branch office is at 919 Main St., the former Dusek Building downtown.

After years of success in Rapid City, were looking forward to being an official part of the community by opening our new branch, Rick Bickert, Consolidated Construction CEO, said in a press release. The office is staffed with local professionals who are experts in the needs of the area and have built strong relationships within the community.

Among those local professionals are senior project manager Frank Smyle who is continuing his 34-year construction career in Rapid City and the Black Hills area. He previously worked for MAC Construction, R.C.S. Construction and the design firm Dunham Associates.

Project engineer Phil Hawki has 19 years of construction experience, including site supervision and project management. Senior site superintendent Chad Redder is also based in the Rapid City office.

Consolidated Constructions projects include the nearly finished Home2 Suites, along with Residence Inn Rapid City, Cambria Hotel and Suites, and MainStay Suites. The company recently began work on the Cadillac Jacks Gaming Resort expansion in Deadwood.

For more information on Consolidated Constructions services, contact Smyle at (605) 593-8340.
A hands-on program at the Rapid City Public Library is dishing up delicious food along with a serving of friendship.

Cook the Book is a monthly program that started in November, and it has already gained a loyal following. Janet Parr, programming librarian, said the library wanted to offer a hands-on program centered on cooking, and cookbooks naturally tie into that concept.

Each month 10 recipes are selected from a cookbook. When participants sign up, they choose one of those recipes to make at home and then bring the prepared dish to the program to share with the other participants.

You cook one recipe, but you get to try the other nine recipes, Parr said. Theres something about a meal that brings people together.

Library associate Kathryn Kuntz has participated in two of the programs. It gives people a reason to cook," she said. "You need nourishment, but this gives people an opportunity to cook a fancier dish and to try something new.

Not only does the program give participants a chance to try new dishes, but it also offers them a chance to chat and bond over food.

At the beginning of the program, we sit around and (talk). We exchange the pros and cons of the dish we made, said Parr, adding that most dishes have been hits.

Its a great feeling to share a meal that youve prepared and share with other people that are excited about cooking and being together, Kuntz added.

Cookbooks are carefully selected. February's cookbook, "Molly on the Range: Recipes and Stories from an Unlikely Life on the Farm" by Molly Yeh, was picked because Parr felt like it would appeal to local residents. In the book, Yeh tells how she left Brooklyn to live on a farm on the North Dakota-Minnesota border.

Previous cookbooks have been chosen for the variety of simple recipes they offer and the availability of ingredients. The recipes arent the labor intensive and scary recipes that would intimidate people. They are simple recipes and fun to whip up and share, Kuntz said.

Parr agreed. I looked for simplicity and whether the ingredients will be available in this area. I also look at the recipes as a meal. I want to include an appetizer, a few main dishes, a salad, and a dessert.

And its sharing their successes and failures about the dishes they have prepared that has helped to make this program so popular.

I made brandy snaps the first time  they hurt so much, Kuntz said with a laugh. You have to roll them out before they harden, and they cant be too hot or too cold. Its the Goldilocks thing: They had to be the perfect temperature so you can roll them out and not burn your fingers.

Thats a perfect example, said Parr, referring to Kuntzs attempt at brandy snaps, We talk about what you didnt expect from the recipe.

Participants have ranged from couples that come to the program together, a mother and daughter who enjoy cooking, and others who simply just want to connect.

All cultures come together through food, Parr said. Food brings people together.
HOT SPRINGS | Last fall, Paula Edwards of Hot Springs celebrated her fifth liverversary, marking 5 years since she had a liver transplant.

Since Oct. 23, 2011, the liver that once filtered another persons blood, removing toxins and sustaining life, has been filtering her blood and sustaining her life.

Early in October 2011, doctors werent sure Edwards would make it.

Her own liver was failing her. It was being eaten away by her own bodys antibodies trying to combat the Hepatitis C virus that was turning her liver into something that looked like a sea sponge, instead of the smooth, round, purplish organ that filters the blood.

How Edwards went from nearly dying to a happy, healthy woman celebrating five years of renewed life with a transplanted liver is a story filled with coincidences that she and her husband Mike say dont feel much like coincidences, more like the work of a hand of something much bigger than both of them.

To further highlight their transplant journey, the Edwards have written a book A Walk Together, and created the website transplantjourney.com to share their experiences.

The liver issues began for Paula Edwards when she was 12. She had a neck surgery, and her doctors determined that she would need a blood transfusion.

At that time, blood was not screened for pathogens like the Hepatitis C virus or other blood-borne diseases. As a result, blood infected with Hep C entered into Edward's body. For many years, she went undiagnosed.

Edwards said she felt weak and not quite with it from time to time, but didnt think anything of it. Regular doctor visits also gave her a clean bill of health each and every time.

However, in 1992, while filling out a life insurance application that included a doctor's visit, Edwards discovered that she had elevated liver enzymes, a hallmark of liver issues.

During a follow-up visit, her doctor informed her that she had Hep C.

She figured shed get some antibiotics and she was good to go. However, the doctor explained that this would eventually destroy her liver and kill her.

Hep C, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), comes in acute or chronic forms. Acute Hep C is a short-term, mild illness that occurs within the first six months after someone is exposed to the Hep C virus. For most people, however, this acute infection leads to chronic infection.

Chronic Hep C infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the Hep C virus remains in a persons body. Hepatitis C virus infection can last a lifetime and lead to serious liver problems, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or liver cancer.

Hep C is primarily a blood-borne disease  to be infected by the virus, one must come in contact with the blood of someone else infected by Hep C  but it can also be spread when a person has contact with blood through contaminated needles, shaving gear or toothbrushes; when a baby is born by a mother who has Hep C; and through sexual contact, although the risk of sexual transmission is believed to be low. This risk increases, however, for those who have had multiple sexual partners, have a sexually transmitted disease, engage in rough sex, or are infected with HIV. The CDC says more research is needed to better understand how and when Hep C can be spread through sexual contact.

The CDC estimated some 30,500 cases of acute Hep C in the U.S. in 2014. As many as 4 million people in the U.S. may have chronic Hep C. Also, some 85 percent of those initially infected with the virus will develop the chronic disease.

Initially, the doctors tried Interferon to combat Paulas liver problems and Hep C, but the side effects nearly killed her.

As she turned 50, Edwards said she began to notice problems, including fatigue and vomiting. As hospital visits increased in frequency, doctors began looking at Paula for a liver transplant.

Sioux Falls was initially the closest transplant location, and when the decision was made to do a transplant, she was sent there.

Paula recalls hallucinating because the toxins in her body were not being removed by her liver. In October 2011, the state approved Medicaid funding of Paulas liver transplant, which she ended up having in Wisconsin.

In Milwaukee, hospitalized for more than 30 days, Paula finally heard the news: We have a liver for you. The transplant was completed and Mike Edwards recalled how there were five major links to hook the donor liver up with Paulas bodys own connections, each finally successful.

Early in January of 2012, after 112 days of hospitalization, Paula Edwards was discharged.

Several months later, she was asked to appear in a television commercial for Averas transplant efforts. A television crew came to shoot footage of Paula, set against the backdrop of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Paula recalls wanting to reach out to thank the family of the donor of her new liver almost immediately after the transplant proved successful.

In July 2013, after jumping through the required hoops to reach out to the donors family, Edwards received an email from Zeni Marchant, the mother of Nick Marchant, the 17-year-old whose liver had been transplanted into Paulas body.

What the Edwards learned about Nick Marchant was both joyful and heart-breaking: Marchant had taken his own life after troubles with a girlfriend, and his death brought his liver to Paula Edwards.

Prior to that dark moment, hed been a popular, intelligent, well-liked kid, an athlete  a power-lifter who did a 456-pound squat to win a Wisconsin state title, and another 500-pound lift for a national title.

As time continued the two families grew closer together, with the Edwards visiting Wisconsin annually, even seeing Nicks room, exactly as it had been prior to the night he took his life, and other things. The Marchants also visited the Edwards in South Dakota.

Both Paula and Mike have many takeaways from their journey. Mike Edwards says he realized his purpose in life was to simply walk this torturous path with his wife, hold her hand and help her not to be scared.

As long as I stayed calm, didnt get distracted, I knew we could get through this, he said.

Paula Edwards discovered that she believes everyone is here for a special reason and that her calling is to give people help and show people that they can stand dealing with the burdens, even huge ones, life throws at them and still come out of it.

She is especially keen on getting the word out on Hep C and surviving it.

Much of the advances that created the drug that can cure Hep C  Harvoni, recently heavily advertised  came from AIDS research, she said. A simple regimen with Harvoni knocks the virus out completely. Unfortunately, this wasn't available when Paula was diagnosed with Hep C.

But she also had to take Harvoni after the transplant because Hep C remained in her body and could have destroyed her new liver as well.

Today she is Hep C free, she said.
SIOUX FALLS | A man who was sentenced to life in prison in 1968 for kidnapping a tourist in Rapid City has died at the South Dakota State Penitentiary, a release from the state Department of Corrections said.

Richard Kingston, 71, died Friday. An autopsy will be conducted, the release said.

According to law.justia.com, Kingston was about 21 years old in July 1967 when he killed an 18-month-old girl, kidnapped a Rapid City man and robbed and kidnapped a Washington woman who was visiting the Black Hills with her family.

A Pennington County jury found Kingston not guilty by reason of insanity of the killing and the first kidnapping and guilty of the robbery and second kidnapping.

He was sentenced to life in prison for the kidnapping and 20 years, to be served concurrently, for the robbery.
PIERRE | I shudder to write about this. Why did Sen. Stace Nelson have to work so hard to ban legislators from having sexual relationships with interns and pages?

Nelson, R-Fulton, had to try twice this year to get it done. And if his version of the story is accurate, he tried in the past to privately draw attention to the problem.

The joint committee on legislative procedure accepted one sentence from Nelsons proposed ban Wednesday.

That sentence said: No legislator or legislative employee may have sexual contact with any legislative intern or page, and no legislative intern may have sexual contact with a page.

The Legislature already had a rule, but it didnt cover consensual relationships. It said:

This prohibition against harassment also encompasses sexual harassment including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexually harassing nature, when:

(1) submission to the harassment is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment or other employment determinations, or

(2) the harassment has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

There are other legislative rules that would have seemed to cover such situations. An entire section of rules deals with ethical behavior. It goes to considerable length:

The people of South Dakota require that their legislators maintain the highest of moral and ethical standards as such standards are essential to assure the trust, respect and confidence of our citizens.

Legislators have a solemn responsibility to avoid improper behavior and refrain from conduct that is unbecoming to the Legislature or that is inconsistent with the Legislature's ability to maintain the respect and trust of the people it serves.

While it is not possible to write rules to cover every circumstance, each legislator must do everything in his or her power to deal honorably with the public and with his or her colleagues and must promote an atmosphere in which ethical behavior is readily recognized as a priority and is practiced continually, without fail.

Those last two words  without fail  would have seemed to cover everything. But they havent.

The consensual relationships that former Rep. Mathew Wollmann, R-Madison, admitted to having with interns in 2015 and 2016 would have seemed to fall under without fail.

He resigned in January after they came to light, in part through Nelsons effort.

But this was hardly the first time. Several marriages have resulted in the past few decades from affairs involving legislators that occurred during legislative sessions. There was the ugly investigation involving a senator and a page a decade ago.

It took Nelson to finally get a straightforward ban in black and white. Admire him or detest him, he isnt one to let something go.

He spent more than 20 years in military law enforcement. He is a U.S. Marine to his core and is proud of it.

Nelson said this was an opportunity to "correct massive holes" in the conduct code for the Legislature.

Unfortunately, he was right.
All across South Dakota, a state that relies heavily on volunteer fire departments to protect life and property, those departments are facing an increasing battle to attract and keep volunteers at a time when call volumes and the need for their services are increasing dramatically.

As fire department calls for both fires and medical emergencies continue to rise, the number of volunteer firefighters willing to respond has remained virtually stagnant. Meanwhile, the age of volunteers continues to rise in a state where only five of the 337 fire departments are not fully or partially staffed by volunteers.

Many volunteer fire departments  which comprise 70 percent of all departments across the country  are left wondering what the future holds.

According to a report from the National Volunteer Fire Council, the number of fire department calls has tripled over the past 30 years, from about 12 million in 1986 to nearly 34 million in 2015. Departments average one call every 24 seconds.

At the same time, volunteer firefighter ranks have slightly decreased, from 808,200 in 1986 to 808,150 in 2015.

The NVFC report cites emergency medical calls as the main cause for the spike in calls. Local volunteer firefighters like Rockerville VFD Assistant Chief Gary Sortland and Rapid Valley VFD Chief Marshall Keefe say that trend is playing out in West River South Dakota as well.

When we started the emergency medical service (about 15 years ago), that almost doubled our call volume, Sortland said.

He added that the number of calls his 27-person department responds to tends to increase by about 10 to 15 each year. Rockervilles service area comprises 60 square miles with a population that bulges from 2,000 people in the winter to almost 15,000 in the summer due to tourism.

Keefe estimated that about 70 percent of his agency's calls are for medical emergencies and not fires.

If someone is having a heart attack or chest pain or breathing differently or in a car accident, thats a big chunk of what we do.

Keefe said his department serves between 12,000 and 15,000 people and responded to more than 500 calls last year with a team of 35 volunteers. Regarding the increased demand on his department, Keefe said, its something were learning and will have to adapt to.

Charlie Kludt is president of the South Dakota Firefighters Association and is both a career firefighter at Sioux Falls Regional Airport and a volunteer firefighter in the town of Viborg, 40 miles southwest of Sioux Falls. Dousing fires and saving lives since 1993, Kludt said stagnation in the number of emergency medical technicians and ambulance workers has coincided with volunteer fire department struggles, affecting both groups.

Ambulance services are suffering the same way the fire departments are, Kludt said. I think there is a lot more of a demand for fire departments to be assisting on medical calls more than what there was in the past.

Kludt, the son of a firefighter, said the challenges in recruiting new volunteers stem from the increased demands on peoples time, as well as the highly demanding nature of the job.

Nowadays there just seems to be so many more things that seem to be family oriented activities that are taking up their time, Kludt said, explaining that many communities in South Dakota are bedroom communities, meaning people are out of the area all day working and come home only to sleep at night. Theyre not home. It wouldnt do me any good to volunteer when Im not around.

Keefe said many volunteers simply decide that they are too busy to help.

One of easiest things for people to cut when theyre busy is their volunteer service, he said.

The national report cites the increased calls, time demands and training requirements as the cause of decreased recruitment and retention, noting the aging and more transient nature of many communities as a contributing factor.

Then theres the highly demanding nature of firefighting, and Kludt said many people simply dont have the proper desire or attitude to handle the demands of a fire department or medical service.

In 2015, 47 volunteer firefighters died in the line of duty, with stress, overexertion and heart attacks as the biggest causes of death. Other health and safety risks include cancer and behavioral health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and suicide.

As fewer young adults join local departments, the ranks of volunteers continue to age, especially in small communities. While communities with populations between 10,000 and 24,999 have 28.4 percent of their volunteers ages 30 years or younger, and 19 percent of their department 50 years or older, communities with populations under 2,500 see those numbers invert, with 22.9 percent 30 years old or younger and 31 percent 50 years or older.

The population that is willing to volunteer, I believe, is getting older and older, said Gail Schmidt, fire chief at Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department. Assistant chief Sortland said the age of the Rockerville crew is in the 40-plus range.

We really cant get too many of those 25-year-olds, he said, citing the older population in their area. Schmidt said that could become a problem in the future as older volunteers aren't in as solid physical condition as they once were.

The ability to do that physical aspect is less and less as we get older.

In South Dakota, where almost 95 percent of firefighters are volunteers and communities tend to be less populated, the phenomenon of aging departments is even more pronounced. According to the South Dakota Firefighters Association, 22 percent of firefighters are 29 and under, the same percentage as those ages 50-59.

Of the 337 fire departments in South Dakota, 325 are completely volunteer and seven are a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters. Only five departments are composed completely of career paid firefighters.

In the past few years, some volunteer fire departments in South Dakota have been forced to discontinue service, Kludt said. In those cases, other area departments are notified and work together to absorb the service area. The cause is usually a lack of manpower, not money.

They just didnt have the people to handle the few calls they did have, Kludt said.

Keefe, Schmidt and Sortland said they had never turned away a volunteer because of the start-up cost of training, which the NVFC estimates can cost up to $20,000 including equipment and training, and take three to four months to complete.

Volunteer fire departments are primarily funded by taxing citizens within the departments service area, through budgeted funding from the city or county, or through fundraising efforts, Kludt said.

To keep costs in check, departments often work together to provide training to volunteers from across the region at the same time and location. They also work together to fight fires, often responding to wildfires or structure fires in tandem in what are known as mutual-aid calls. The NVFC estimates that volunteer fire departments save localities almost $140 billion per year.

The Rockerville VFD had the highest number of calls, 147, in 2016 since it began serving the community in the 1960s, Schmidt said. Expressing a bit of worry for the future, she was quick to point out that firefighting of the past, present and future will always be about teamwork.

The brotherhood that exists in the fire service is amazing, she said. Its just a big family, and its a great atmosphere.

As the pressure continues to mount on fire departments to do more with the same or less, Schmidt said that brotherhood and inter-department coordination will be paramount.

That was highly apparent on Saturday morning when a fire at a home on Virginia Lane just north of Rapid City drew response from the North Haines VFD, Rapid City Fire Department Station 7, Rapid Valley VFD, Black Hawk VFD, Box Elder VFD, Piedmont VFD, and the Meade County Sheriffs Office. No one was injured, but the home was a total loss.

No one department can do it on their own, Schmidt said.
Picture a nondescript packing crate labeled "agricultural equipment" being loaded onto a delivery truck, which drives along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., until it stops midway between the White House and the Capitol.

The nuclear bomb explodes with the power of 15 kilotons. There are more than 80,000 deaths, from the highest ranking members of government to the youngest schoolchildren. All major news outlets then report receiving an identical claim: that five more nuclear bombs are hidden in five major cities.

Such is the nightmare nuclear scenario that former US Defense Secretary William Perry says may seem remote, but the consequences, if realized, would be disastrous.

"I do not like to be a prophet of doom," says Perry, 89, with the gentle grace of a decadeslong diplomat who has negotiated with countries both hostile and friendly to US interests. Then he bluntly gets to the point. "What we're talking about is no less than the end of civilization."

Perry doesn't believe an intentional terrorist attack or all-out nuclear war is the greatest risk -- he fears a "blunder" that plunges the globe into a nuclear conflict.

Perry says with a more aggressive Russia, and a brash and at times unpredictable President Donald Trump, "the possibility of a nuclear catastrophe is probably greater than it has ever been, greater than any time in the Cold War."

CNN reached out to the White House for comment on Perry's statements. It did not respond.

While he's long been out of government, Perry's uses his extensive policy chops and background to engage the public -- through speeches, presentations and online courses.

He worries that tensions between the Koreas, and possibly Japan, could turn into a conventional conflict that could go nuclear. A bellicose and expansion-minded Russia could draw the United States into a situation that could escalate, Perry says. And the District of Columbia scenario shows how devastation can result from a crude bomb.

"When my kids were getting under desks at their school and going through nuclear drills -- the danger today is actually greater. We're just not aware of it," says Perry.

The former defense secretary is spending his twilight years sounding the alarm with his 29-year-old granddaughter. They're trying to awaken a new audience on social media with the William J. Perry Project, an advocacy group dedicated to helping end the nuclear threat.

"We're really just out there trying to reach a generation that isn't really engaged on this issue right now," says Lisa Perry, the digital communications manager for the project. "It's something we learned in history class. There was no conversation about what's happening now."

"The dangers will never go away as long as we have nuclear weapons," William Perry explains. "But we should take every action to lower the dangers and I think it can be done."

A lifetime dealing with the nuclear threat

Perry served three years under President Bill Clinton, a time when more than 8,000 nuclear weapons were dismantled. His nuclear knowledge traces back to his days as a CIA analyst working with the Kennedy administration during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was tapped to evaluate photos showing Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and recalls it as one of the scariest times in his life.

"We made miscalculations," recalls Perry about those anxious two weeks. "It's a miracle they did not lead to war."

Perry lists the risks: US-Russia hostilities. A nuclear terror attack. A regional crisis.

On a regional conflict, Perry sees North Korea as an unpredictable nuclear threat. The regime's growing arsenal and history of bold actions, Perry says, could be met by an escalated response by South Korea or even the United States. Not necessarily a deliberate attack, says Perry, but he fears a "blunder" that plunges the globe into a nuclear conflict.

"When a crisis reaches a boiling point then you have a possibility of a miscalculation," warns Perry.

Trump and the nuclear threat

President Donald Trump signaled his position on nuclear weapons in a December tweet, saying the United States must "greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability."

Perry says he hopes the President will come to understand the gravity of nuclear weapons, something Perry believes all commanders in chief eventually learn. He encourages the Twitter-using Trump to have higher standards when it comes to mass communication on nuclear issues.

"The consequences are so serious, that one has to give careful thought to what you say in these areas. I don't think, in the nuclear field, it's an area that lends itself to offhand or spontaneous comments. I think they require deep thought," explains Perry.

"It's hard to imagine that... tweeting meets that test."

The Oval Office, however, can have a sobering affect, as Trump acknowledged to ABC News, describing what it's like to get the nuclear codes.

"When they explain what it represents and the kind of destruction that you're talking about, it is a very sobering moment, yes. It's very, very scary, in a sense," the President said in an interview with David Muir.

Engaging the public through education

Perry watches closely as his granddaughter pecks away at the keyboard. She's scanning through recent notifications he received on his official Twitter page.

"You've been getting some attention for the 'No Nukes' campaign," Lisa tells her grandfather.

Next, they check Perry's massive, open online course, "Living at the Nuclear Brink: Yesterday and Today," where Lisa says he has more than 3,800 enrollees.

"That's good, but I'd like the number to be to be tens of thousands, not thousands," Perry says with a grin.

The Perry team has also used Reddit's "Ask Me Anything" chats to help educate through social media. Lisa, who describes herself as a child of the Internet and encouraged her grandfather to partake, says they spent up to three hours answering questions during one session on the discussion website.

Lisa Perry believes her generation would become as active in this issue as in global warming or other social justice issues, if they're merely made aware that a nuclear threat is not hypothetical, but real. "It should be something we talk about, that we get to decide on, because it affects all of us," she says,

At 89, William Perry could have easily settled into retirement long ago and let younger generations deal with the nuclear threat. Instead, he chooses to carry on this mission: to engage.

When asked why, he calmly points to a wall in his house where photos of his family neatly hang. He has five children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

"I would like them to have a chance at a future, a future in which they can live in peace and not be faced with the specter of nuclear war," says Perry. "And we can translate that to other people's children and grandchildren as well."
The Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act is a "bad policy" that will harm lower-income people, Sen. Cory Booker said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

"The Republicans cannot just force this down our throats," the New Jersey Democrat told anchor Jake Tapper. "It's going to knock a lot of folks off, hurt long-term care, hurt good working-class folks. So, I don't understand this all."

"I don't understand what their political strategy because this is bad politics," he added. "But deeper than that, it's bad policy and bad process."

Since its introduction this week, legislation from top House Republicans to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's signature health care law has drawn significant opposition from lawmakers and a range of health care leaders and industry stakeholders, including major doctors and hospital groups.

Some GOP lawmakers have said that the bill won't get through the Senate.

Booker said millions could lose coverage under the Republican repeal-and-replace plan.

"What we see now, though, which is -- I'm not exaggerating, it's frightening to me -- Brookings just comes out and says that we're looking at about 15 million Americans losing their insurance."

Booker acknowledged that Obamacare has challenges that need improvement. But he said the Republican approach would not fix it.

"That would be great if they were coming with an open heart to say, 'Hey, this is not perfect, let's fix it,'" he said. "What we're saying as the Democratic Party is, let's build upon it. Let's fix it," he added.

Booker drew criticism from progressives for voting against an amendment to the fiscal 2017 budget resolution that would have created a reserve fund to allow Americans to import affordable prescription drugs from Canada.

But the senator said his concern was about ensuring that Americans got quality drugs, and he touted his support for legislation that would allow allow the import of drugs from Canada.

"This is about good legislation, because while most Canadians are getting access to really high-quality drugs, if we just did that, without the safety provisions that we put in there, you could see rogue pharmacies popping up, rebranding drugs, because drugs are coming in from other countries and things, and saying these are now Canadian drugs," Booker said. "So we put things like track-and-trace technology and other things to make sure our consumers are getting quality drugs."

MapLight, a website that discloses political donations, said Booker received more than $267,000 in donations from pharmaceutical manufacturers from Jul 1, 2010 to Jun 30, 2016, making him the third-largest recipient of funding from the sector in the Senate.

But Booker said it's false to suggest that he's more focused on the concerns of his donors than the people of New Jersey.

"That's where my loyalty lies, and, we're trying, in the Senate, my team is trying to focus on that," he said.

"In fact go back to when I was a mayor, we ... did an incredible, innovative program to lower prescription drug laws and get more people in preventative care," he added. "So my work, and you know this, my history, what got me into politics in the first place was representing low-income communities."

Will Cadigan is in cms
Journalist and Intercept co-founder Glenn Greenwald said Saturday he believes both the CIA and FBI as well as Russia interfered in the US presidential election.

CNN's Michael Smerconish asked Greenwald whether he gave "any credence to the conspiracy theory" that the CIA, along with the Russians, had attempted to manipulate the results of the election, and the journalist replied simply that it "was probably both."

And he asserted the FBI had also played a part.

"I also think the FBI clearly sided with Donald Trump and did a lot of damaging leaks on purpose to hurt Hillary Clinton," he added, an apparent reference to the bureau's handling of the investigation into Clinton's email.

Greenwald went on to sum up the 2016 election as "a proxy war ... for unseen forces."

He said he hoped for a "real investigation" into what happened, "where the evidence is publicly disclosed so that we can stop playing these games with anonymous leaks by people with unseen agendas trying to manipulate public opinion."

Doing so, he argued, is the only way to distinguish between "what's actually true" and what's "conspiratorial nonsense."

"Until now, we don't have that. And that's very dangerous," he said.
It's early in his presidency, but Donald Trump has faced one controversy after another. None has been more perilous to him than the accusation that he was elected in large part due to the interference on his behalf by Vladimir Putin and Putin's agents of the Russian government.

That one just won't go away. Even as Trump has blustered, battered and bullied, the news organizations persist in catching various Trump deputies in lies about their conversations with representatives of Moscow.

When the blustering, battering and bullying don't work and the media reports threaten to consume his administration in dangerous scandal, POTUS leaves his Plan B and falls back onto Plan T. "T," of course, stands for "Twitter," and Donny can always be counted on to put out some tweets that are so outrageous, they can only be designed as a distraction from another damaging crisis.

This is after a week that ended with still further destructive disclosures that his functionaries had seemingly inappropriate confidential contacts with Russian operatives, both during the campaign and during the transition.

The latest ruinous crisis involved conversations with the Russians conducted by Jeff Sessions  discussions Sessions had denied under oath. It was the talk of the town until TOTUS swung into action. "TOTUS," of course, stands for "Tweeter of the United States." This time TOTUS who was weekending in his Palm Beach, Florida, fortress was up very late, flinging whatever he flings late at night at his predecessor, Barack Obama. The charge was that Obama, while still president, had Trump Tower phones wiretapped: "How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!"

That may seem far-fetched, but it did conform to the usual modus operandi. It was another increasingly transparent way to change the subject, particularly when he doubled down by demanding a meaningless congressional investigation. It's beginning to leave a widespread impression that these are nothing more than pathetic desperation moves, particularly when he offers no evidence to back them up, other than reports and discussion on Fox News and Breitbart.

When Bill Clinton was president, his hustlers could be counted on to release damaging material late on a Friday night so it would get minimum exposure in the Saturday papers and on TV. It was sleazy and became forever known as the "Friday news dump." Trump's dumps come in 140-character spurts. It's become a predictable obfuscation technique, but it's not as effective as it was.

We in the media have learned to multitask; we can juggle more than one story at a time. That's a change from the days when we could over-report only one controversy at a time. So the Russian story is not going away no matter what bombastic bombs blast; its potential to do serious harm to the Trump presidency is not being tamped down, by any means. Of all the bitter controversies, this one may be the messiest if it can be shown that there was collusion with an adversary's government.

All the Trump Twitter tantrums won't change that. They won't work. Loosely quoting the "The Music Man," those words start with a "T." And so does "Trouble," jeopardy for this presidency.
The thriving population of grizzly bears in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming is one of the greatest wildlife recovery stories in our nation's history. The species numbered fewer than 150 bears in the greater Yellowstone region in the 1970s. Today, there are estimates that as many as 700 to 1,000 specimens in the area.

The success is due to the efforts of biologists and protections accorded by the Endangered Species Act. But now there are legislators in Helena who, for purely political reasons, want to stick their noses into the process.

Last week, the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives passed a resolution, on a largely partisan vote, urging Congress to remove all legal protection from the species in Montana. Currently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is recommending removal of Endangered Species Act protections from grizzlies in the greater Yellowstone region. But the agency has made no recommendations with respect to the species in the northern Continental Divide or the Yaak-Cabinet regions of Montana that grizzlies are also known to inhabit.

Some of those lawmakers supporting the resolution said grizzly bears are a menace to public safety and livestock and that delisting is necessary so people can fight back without fear of federal prosecution.

Frankly, that argument defies sense, and this resolution quite simply injects politics into an area where it has no place.

We should all celebrate the success of the grizzly recovery. The presence of this species adds a unique dimension to the last wild places in the lower 48 states. And the bears are an economic asset that draw tourists from around the world.

The continued health of the species is vital to the interests of all Montanans. And that will depend on wise policy guided by the biologists who brought the bears back from the brink of extinction here in Montana.

State senators should scrap the resolution urging the delisting of all Montana grizzlies and stick to the issues we sent them to deal with  the repair of our roads and bridges and the success of our schools, colleges and universities.

Let's leave the fate of the grizzlies in the hands of the scientists.
Did you know Montana residents can save money with a First-time Home Buyer Savings Account?

I didnt know. Im a little sheepish to share that its been available for Montanans for well over a decade.

One of the educational efforts of Montana State University Extension is financial education. Most of the time, I promote in classes the Montana Medical Savings Account to help constituents save on their Montana taxes for eligible medical expenses. How did I miss the special savings account for the purchase of a first home? Let me tell you about this opportunity.

As of the First-time Home Buyer Act, Montana residents who have never owned a home, condominium, townhouse, or modular or mobile home with a permanent foundation in any other state or country quality for this savings account. The first-time home buyer savings account is not subject to Montana income taxation if used for eligible costs for the purchase of a single-family residence by a first-time home buyer. Some examples of eligible expenses include: down payment, closing costs, realtors fees, appraisal costs, credit history report, points, pro-rated property taxes, home inspection and loan origination fees.

First-time home buyer savings accounts can be established at a state or federally chartered bank, a savings bank, a credit union, a trust company, a mutual fund company or with a brokerage firm. The account must be kept separate from all other financial accounts. The account holder is responsible for maintaining documentation to verify that the withdrawals were used exclusively for eligible expenses for the purchase of a single-family home.

Montanans can contribute any amount into a first-time home buyer savings account. However, the maximum amount that can be used to reduce Montana taxable income is limited to $3,000 annually for each taxpayer who files singly, head of household or married (filing separately). Deposits to the savings account can be made for up to 10 years or until account holders purchase their first home, whichever comes first.

One benefit of a first-time home buyer savings account is that the amount annually placed in the account (up to $3,000 for single filers, $6,000 for joint filers) reduces Montana taxpayers adjusted gross income and, as a consequence, reduces the Montana income tax that has to be paid. The amount of the reduction in Montana income taxes depends on your tax bracket. Please note, this will not reduce your federal income tax because the first-time home buyer savings account law is a state one  not federal.

For more details and examples of situations, please refer to the Montana State University Extension publication First-time Home Buyer Savings Account. This can be found online through store.msuextension.org or visiting your MSU Extension Office in Ravalli County.

The material presented is for information purposes only and should not be considered as tax or legal advice or be used as such. For answers to specific tax questions readers should confer with their appropriate professionals (accountants and attorneys).

Katelyn Andersen, M.S., is an Associate Professor for Montana State University. She serves as the 4-H/Youth Development and Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent for Ravalli County. Contact: 375-6611 or 215 S. 4th Street Ste G, Hamilton.

Information referenced from the Montana State University Extension MontGuide: First-time Home Buyer Savings Account.
Its not often that the complexities behind the myriad of decisions that go into that unique marriage between public and private entities needed to create a conservation easement become so crystal clear.

For a moment last week, that clarity happened through the narrow view offered via a spotting scope set up in Brien and Gayle Webers kitchen.

Once your eye found that perfect spot behind the tripod-mounted scope, the very first thing that popped into view was a rusted 1911-vintage tractor perched a top a nearby ridge.

Brien Webers grandfather, James, must have been proud when he purchased the first gas-powered tractor in the Bitterroot Valley.

That piece of history so visible for anyone who cares to look is a steady reminder of the Webers' century-long connection to this piece of land just west of the Calf Creek Wildlife Management Area.

But theres more there to be seen.

As the eye tracks back just beyond the rust-colored tractor, the large elk herd bedded down in the sagebrush-covered hillside pops into view.

Most of the winter range for elk and deer in the Bitterroot Valley is found on private lands along the edges of the surrounding mountainsides. Much of that has become fragmented as those traditional family farms were sold and subdivided.

The elk come through here on a regular basis, Gayle Weber said. They spent some time this winter out on top of the manure pile just up behind the house. Theyve been around quite a bit over the last month.

Thats something that will never have to change.

Recently, the Webers signed the remaining papers that put their 467 acres of land at the end of Hamilton Heights Road southeast of Corvallis into a conservation easement that will forever preserve the family farm as open space.

The idea of putting the land adjacent to the wildlife management area had actually been broached back in the 1980s when Webers father, Milt, was still alive.

Weber remembers his father thought the idea was crazy.

Back then no one knew a whole lot about conservation easements, and for many land-rich, cash-poor family farmers, the idea of giving up development rights wasnt prudent.

Over the past decade, the Webers watched many of their friends and fellow family farmers take that step to protect their heritage that had been handed down through generations.

We saw that it had worked for them, Brien Weber said. We started thinking about preserving this land that had been in our family for so long.

The couple had been talking about the idea for the last couple of years with the Bitter Root Land Trust, but the process went into overdrive last fall when they received notice that a project slated for U.S. Farm Bill funding in eastern Montana had fallen through.

With that funding suddenly available, the Webers decided the time was right.

An appraisal of the conservation easement value of their land adjacent to the popular wildlife management area was $1.04 million.

That value is what the Webers would give up by agreeing never to subdivide the property.

The Ravalli County Commission agreed to contribute $200,000 from the countys open lands bond program. The Farm Bill's Agriculture Land Easement program contributed $525,000.

In return, the Webers donated $315,000 of the easement value.

Bitter Root Land Trust Executive Directer Gavin Ricklefs said the Weber easement is a perfect example in how the communitys investment in open land works to protect wildlife habitat and the valleys farming and ranching heritage.

The countys Open Lands Bond funding provided the catalyst for securing the Farm Bill funds, which helps stretch that local funding even further.

This is one of the most highly leveraged Open Lands Bond projects, Ricklefs said. The Open Lands Program paid less than 20 percent of the total appraised easement value, while the Farm Bill conservation program paid over 50 percent.

Beyond that, Ricklefs said the Webers generously donated nearly one-third of the appraised value of the conservation easement.

Ricklefs said the land trust also received generous support from the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association to help make conservation possible on critical winter range properties like the Weber Ranch.

RCFWA recognizes how much of our elk and winter range is located on private land here in the valley, and the Land Trust is extremely appreciative of their investment in projects like this that help private landowners keep that winter range intact for healthy wildlife populations.

The Weber Ranch has been and will continue to be part of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' block management program, which provides public hunting access to local hunters.

The Webers both agree that going the process can be an emotional roller coaster.

On the day that we closed, we knew that was right for us, Brien Weber said. Sometimes I think people think that you do this for the money, but thats really the last reason that anyone takes this step.

I think that people who say that probably dont own land thats been in their family for generations, he said. You could sell this land for far more, but once its gone, its gone forever.

All my memories are here, Brien Weber said. Its nice to know that this place will stay the same forever.
Washington Primary School Principal Scott Holland is trying to clear up any confusion parents may have about the Kindergarten Round-up and the future of Washington Primary School.

The Hamilton school trustees will vote Tuesday on whether to place an $8 million to $10 million bond on the ballot in June. They have held open meetings and community conversations about the plan to sell the Washington building, moving the youngest students to an additional building at Daly Elementary School.

Holland said the dialogue has been positive but may have created some confusion and questions for families. He wants to reassure parents that next year Washington will look the same as this year  including being in the Washington building.

Well have the same staff based on enrollment, he said. We may be down to five kindergarten classes unless we get a crazy amount of kids that come and register, which I hope is the case.

Holland said quality education would continue.

Whether we are at Washington or whether we are at Daly, the focus will remain on early education, he said.

For the 2017-2018 school year, the Hamilton Little Broncs Preschool will move from Hamilton Middle School to Washington. The move will allow the youngest learners to be with students of similar ages and have a larger playground. The Early Learning Center, which includes the Little Broncs Preschool, transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten, will be at Washington in the south end of the building.

We already have eight requests for (transitional kindergarten) for next year, Holland said. Those are kids that are old enough to start kindergarten but just arent ready. More and more parents are seeing the benefits of this.

Holland said transitional kindergarten students can advance to kindergarten midway through the year, when students are ready, providing for personalized education and growth.

Our teachers are qualified to go through the screening process the first couple of weeks of kindergarten and if there are any concerns, transitional kindergarten is an option, he said. If they start TK and are knocking it out of the park, we can bump them up. It gives us an option.

Holland said the transitional kindergarten is in its fourth year at Washington.

Everything we have seen with TK has been so beneficial, he said. Our first students through the program will be second-graders next year and every one of them is where they need to be for grade-level competency.

Kindergarten Round-up at Washington will be held 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 24, at Washington, 225 N. Fifth St. in Hamilton. The Round-up is nearly two weeks after other valley schools.

We ran it late last year and got about 30 more kids to come and register than we had the year before, he said. Well have a large bus parked at Safeway to remind everyone.

Kindergarten Round-up at Washington will have screenings, a school tour, a bus tour and an opportunity to meet the teachers.

The staff also added classroom visits to the schedule.

We want to be more welcoming to families as this is their first year, Holland said. We want to encourage the welcoming environment.

Each child will also receive free, age-appropriate materials to work on reading and math over the summer.

Parents need to bring their child, the childs certified birth certificate, immunization records and verification of residency (utility bill). Children must be 5 years old by Sept. 10 for kindergarten, but children with April through September birthdays may be ready for transitional kindergarten.

Holland will deliver information packets to all local preschools and Head Start the week of the Round-up.

If there are any questions Ill be able to answer them, he said. This gives people the opportunity to ask questions in person. There may be a lot of questions. This consolidation is a great thing but parents want to know where their child is going to be.

Holland said the specialists will remain the same and students will still have physical education, music and library time.

If the levy passes, it will take one to two years to build, and for the 2017-2018 school year we are going to be right here at Washington, he said. Well always provide those early childhood services and we are excited to get the preschool students and staff over here too. Regardless of the location, whether we are at Washington or if we get to merge with Daly, we will keep all our services.

For more information, call Washington Primary School at 406-363-2144.
HELENA  Medical marijuana providers, patients, and labs that test products told a legislative committee Friday they want regulations and licensing on their industry to show it is legitimate.

"This is transparency and this is bringing the program out from the shadows," said Kate Cholewa, who represents the Montana Cannabis Industry Association. "It is about transparency; it is about safety; it is about containment and being a functional program."

Senate Bill 333 is carried by Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, and would require seed-to-sale tracking, licensing of dispensaries, a 2-percent tax on providers to pay for the program, and requirements for testing laboratories. It also creates a canopy-based limit  referring to the amount of space the plants occupy  for providers. And it removes the requirement that a parent serve as a minor's provider.

Proponents of the bill filled a small meeting room and overflow space to testify before the Senate Taxation Committee, which did not take immediate action on the bill. No one spoke in opposition.

Caferro stressed the tax is to pay for the tracking and licensing system only. It's expected to generate about $500,000 a year, though the bill does not yet have a fiscal note.

Another bill set for a hearing Wednesday proposes to tax medical marijuana as a part of Gov. Steve Bullock's proposed $123 million in revenue increases.

House Bill 529, carried by Rep. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls, includes a 6-percent tax on medical marijuana and is expected to bring in $2.6 million over the next two years for general state coffers.

Montana voters in November passed an initiative that required licenses and inspections and created licensing fees to administer the program.

Under Caferro's bill, medical marijuana would be tested by labs to ensure quality and safety. With the tracking system, any products deemed unsafe could be easily pulled from circulation, supporters said.

Daniel Fuchs, who spoke on behalf of a group called Montanans Ensuring Access to Natural Medicines, told the committee he wants to see regulatory framework and oversight.

"It's critical for all industries to have guidelines to be held accountable to, to have oversight with regard to public health and safety," he said.

Gregory Zuckert of Whitefish designs tracking systems that are used in a handful of Western states. He said being able to track cultivation and inventory makes for more successful businesses and incentives to providers to increase their level of professionalism.

"A tight regulatory regimen with a rigorous inspection component will go a long way toward creating confidence with the public," he said.

The bill also clarifies that providers can create marijuana concentrates, which advocates say are used frequently by cancer patients. And it requires that providers live in the state for at least five years prior to applying for a license. That change is meant to reduce what is called a "green rush," when out-of-state providers looking to make a quick profit flood a state.
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Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway.
Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Rain showers early with some sunshine later in the day. High 86F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies. Low 67F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Paco Nunez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images(ROTTERDAM, Netherlands) -- A state of emergency was declared in the Dutch city of Rotterdam as police were called in to contain a pro-Turkish demonstration amid worsening relations between the Netherlands and Turkey.

About 1,000 protesters gathered outside the Turkish consulate in the city after Turkey's minister for family affairs, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was prevented from entering the building. The minister, who traveled to the Netherlands from Germany, said on Twitter: "We were stopped at the Consulate General of Rotterdam, 30 metres away, and are not allowed to enter."

"Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam," she said in another tweet.

Rotterdams mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said the minister was being escorted back to the German border, BBC reports.

Turkeys foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, was barred from entering the Netherlands after he was set to attend a Rotterdam rally on Saturday in support of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of a referendum on expanding the president's powers. In retaliation, Erdogan described the Dutch government as "Nazi remnants and fascists," according to BBC.

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 "Why Prison?: An Economic Critique" | Main | NY Times editorial makes pitch for raising the age 

March 12, 2017

You be the federal sentencing judge: how long a prison term for convicted "Bridgegate" defendants?

As I have often said in this space, I find I find high-profile, white-collar sentencing cases to be among the most interesting and dynamic because they often require a judge (and others) to balance and calibrate competing punishment theories and goals. Because most white-collar offenders are not violent and often had a successful/productive life before getting into trouble, the need for severe punishment to incapacitate or specifically deter an offender from committing future crimes is often diminished. But because potential white-collar offenders are likely influenced by the deterrent impact emerging from the punishment of others like them, and also because white-collar offenders typically have had a relatively advantaged background, one can reasonably believe that crime control and just punishment concerns justify throwing the book at any and all serious white-collar offenders.

Against that backdrop, I am eager to hear various perspective on the upcoming federal sentencing of the two defendants discussed in this local New Jersey article headlined "What's at stake this week when Bridgegate defendants are sentenced." Here are the basics:

On paper, they could face up to 20 years in prison. Bill Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly, once members of Gov. Chris Christie's inner circle who were convicted in November of conspiracy and fraud in connection with the Bridgegate scandal, are due to return to court Wednesday morning for sentencing. While neither is expected to serve anywhere near the 20-year statutory maximum term under federal sentencing guidelines, the unusual nature of the charges in the case, including civil rights violations for interfering with the ability to travel, could have both looking at nearly four years in prison, say legal experts. Baroni, 44, the Port Authority's former deputy executive director, and Kelly, also 44, a one-time deputy chief of staff to Gov. Chris Christie, were charged with helping orchestrate the shutdown of several local toll lanes at the George Washington Bridge in 2013 in a scheme of political retribution targeting the mayor of Fort Lee over his refusal to endorse the governor for re-election. After a seven-week trial, the two were found guilty. Prosecutors, however, not only charged the two with conspiracy and fraud, but with violating the civil rights of those stuck in the massive traffic jams they created--which left Fort Lee frozen in gridlock for days. Those civil rights violations are now driving what could be an unusually harsh sentence, according to legal experts. "Civil rights violations have always been treated severely by federal courts since historically they were used by the federal government to prosecute crimes that states were either unwilling or unable to prosecute," noted Robert Mintz, former deputy chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force of the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey and a criminal defense attorney at McCarter & English. The U.S. Attorney's office would not disclose the proposed sentencing range in Bridgegate case and attorneys for both Baroni and Kelly also declined comment, but the federal sentencing guidelines suggest both face upwards of 46 months, in large part due to the civil rights violations. U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton, who presided over the Bridgegate trial, has sole discretion to set punishment. While crimes carry statutory maximum penalties, federal judges for the most part follow set guidelines that outline a uniform sentencing policy for those convicted in the federal courts, so that individuals convicted of similar crimes generally serve the same sentence no matter where they were tried. "The guidelines are advisory only. But a lot of judges follow them very rigidly," observed Alan Ellis, a former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a San Francisco attorney who specializes in sentencing and post-conviction matters. Yet sometimes judges agree to significant departures from those guidelines. At sentencing last Monday, David Samson, the former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey chairman, faced up to 24 months in prison for bribery in connection with a shakedown of United Airlines. Instead, he walked out of court with just a year of house arrest.... Samson's guilty plea earned him a downward adjustment from the sentencing guidelines for his "acceptance of responsibility." A negotiated plea deal with the U.S. Attorney's office further limited the maximum term he faced. "These two people went to trial," said Ellis of Baroni and Kelly. Those who go to trial are said to "pay rent on the courtroom," because they receive no downward adjustment at sentencing if they are found guilty.... For Baroni and Kelly, who wrote the now-infamous "time for traffic problems" message that served as a smoking gun to prosecutors, the civil rights violations will represent the most serious violations to be addressed at sentencing. "In this case, the facts are so unique that it doesn't fit the typical pattern of these type of violations so it is hard to predict how the court will factor in that violation," said Mintz. "In the end, the sentence that these defendants receive will likely turn more on how the judge views the criminal conspiracy--whether the conduct was a calculated scheme that truly endangered the public or was merely a misguided act of political retribution that went horribly awry." Whatever the sentence, defense attorneys have already said the plan to appeal the case.

Prior related post:

March 12, 2017 at 02:48 PM | Permalink

Comments

Interesting questions--it's one thing to affirmatively stop someone by pulling them over, but constricting a route?

Also, Doug, remember the government shutdown--same sort of thing was done to tourists--with no authority. Where were the prosecutions there?

And I would not be offended by 10 years in prison. Problem is--where is the line?

Posted by: federalist | Mar 12, 2017 3:17:41 PM

Doug and Federalist, one must also consider the shame, humiliation, and loss of reputation stemming from a felony conviction. These consequences can amount to substantial collateral punishment to certain white collar defendants like these folks.See See U.S. v. Smith 683 F.2d 1236, 1240 (9th Cir. 1982) (The stigma of a felony conviction is permanent and pervasive.); see Wayne A. Logan Informal Collateral Consequences 88 Washington Law Review 1103 (2013) (Today, convict status serves as a perpetual badge of infamy, even serving to impugn reputation beyond the grave.). In my view this is a mitigating factor.

On the other hand, as I recall, an aggravating factor here was that the traffic jam caused a near tragedy when an ambulance was stuck in the traffic.



All in all, assuming equal culpability (and I would want to see the PSR), I would impose a sentence of four years on each, with a recommendation for a minimum facility camp.

Posted by: Michael R. Levine | Mar 12, 2017 3:55:19 PM

Six years each.

Posted by: Dave from Texas | Mar 12, 2017 9:14:10 PM

The real story here is the fact the person in the high status position gets off with house arrest and the little guys (relatively speaking) will face jail time. My own outsider's view is that this is a case of "a misguided act of political retribution that went horribly awry."

I don't believe they really intended to violate anyone's civil rights. It's just not plausible to me. I see it as recklessness--they wanted pay back and didn't care who got hurt. Still I think the should face jail time but perhaps only a year or two. Six years seems excessive to me.

Posted by: Daniel | Mar 13, 2017 4:38:35 PM

I agree with Mr. Levine's rationale but would impose no more than 24 months.

Posted by: Emily | Mar 13, 2017 6:01:47 PM

The problem, it seems to me, is that the "crime" (if it is that, and I don't know) is nebulous. Is it a civil right to have a road open? That's not so clear--especially with all sorts of discretionary functions that government performs. Not only that--this is the sort of crime that can be enforced based on naked partisanship. There were clear abuses of individuals during the government shutdowns, which were clearly violations of civil rights. Yet no one will get punished for those clear-cut abuses.

That said, this was an appalling abuse of power, and I won't feel sorry for them if they get maxed out.

Posted by: federalist | Mar 13, 2017 6:13:35 PM

federalist, are you asserting that, in this case and perhaps others, the failure of other arguably similar offenders to be prosecuted/convicted serves as a strong mitigating sentencing argument?

I sure know a whole lot of drug defendants who would surely be eager to assert that a failure to punish comparable others is a strong reason to mitigate their sentence. But I suspect you would not find such sentencing arguments compelling. Is there are unique reason you seem uniquely concerned with un-prosecuted others in this particular setting?

Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 13, 2017 8:52:26 PM

I do not understand the crime. How would bridge trapped motorists blame the local mayor? They do not even know the name of the nearby towns. Then, how long would they recall this traffic jam, which is frequent anyway, at the time of the next election if voters of the very small town? There are Port Authority signs all over. That is the agency that would be blamed. The bridge is beautiful, and the views are too. I would prefer to be stuck there than on the Cross Bronx Expressway. People will travel from around the world to jump off it. It is a favorite suicide destination.

I do not understand the long time it took to investigate the charges. How long does it take to review seized emails? In a federal conspiracy, should one be using permanently available emails and texting?

I do not understand a grand jury investigation for months.

I do not understand the charges. If there was a crime, it was the unrelated steering of contracts to the law firm of the head of the Port authority, without open bidding. No charges there. If the charges below have some validity, why is the Mayor of New York not being investigated for the same? From the NY Post, "Time for some traffic problems in Manhattan! City officials have intentionally ground Midtown to a halt with the hidden purpose of making drivers so miserable that they leave their cars at home and turn to mass transit or bicycles, high-level sources told The Post."

"Count 1

Charges Baroni and Kelly with conspiracy to obtain by fraud, knowingly convert and intentionally misapply property of the Port Authority, an organization receiving federal benefits.

The count charges Baroni and Kelly agreed with Wildstein and with each other to take unauthorized control of Port Authority property and misuse it. The property they allegedly misused falls into two categories: Physical property and money.

The physical property they are accused of misusing are the local access lanes and the toll booths. The money they are accused of misusing stems from the time and services of Port Authority employees related to scheme, including the employees' salaries and the overtime paid to toll booth operators to manage the single toll booth.

Count 2

Charges Baroni and Kelly with the substantive offense of obtaining by fraud, knowingly converting and intentional misapplying property of the Port Authority.

The count goes beyond the conspiracy and/or agreement, and relates to the actual misuse of Port Authority resources. Like the previous count, the property they are accused of misusing falls into two categories: Physical property and money.

Count 3

Charges Baroni and Kelly with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Refers to the alleged conspiracy to commit wire fraud, or lie, in order to obtain Port Authority property.

Count 4 & 6

Charges Kelly with wire fraud.

The charges are tied to Kelly's emails. Count 4 charges Kelly for her "time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" email on Aug. 13, 2013, and Count 6 charges her for a subsequent email allegedly tying her to the scheme.

Count 5 & 7

Charges Baroni with wire fraud.

The charges are tied to Baroni's emails. Count 5 charges Baroni for his email to Wildstein indicating that Mayor Sokolich had called about an urgent matter in Fort Lee. Count 7 charges Baroni for forwarding an email from Sokolich to Wildstein about the alleged scheme.

Count 8

Charges Baroni and Kelly with conspiracy against civil rights.

Refers to the conspiracy that Baroni and Kelly allegedly agreed on together with Wildstein.

Count 9

Charges Baroni and Kelly with depriving the residents of Fort Lee of their civil rights.

The charge accuses the defendants of conduct that "shocks the conscience," which means Baroni and Kelly had to willfully act to deprive Fort Lee residents of their rights."

Could partisan politics be involved in this Obama administration prosecution? I think, there should be an investigation of the investigation. What did President Obama know, and when did he know it? That way the spending of tax payer $millions on lawyer employment would not have to end.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 14, 2017 10:00:51 AM

Prof. B. I do not speak for federalist.

I think prosecutors should be sued in lawyer malpractice for violations of their acts of commission breaching the dozens of duties to defendants, enumerated in multiple statutes.

They should also be liable for acts of omission, or failure to prosecute, and for the resulting damage to a plaintiff or a class. In the above comment, it should be malpractice to fail to prosecute the Mayor of NYC for intentionally interfering with interstate commerce by intentionally causing additional traffic jams in the city.

If the standard of conduct is set by this Bridgegate prosecution, then discretion to not prosecute the Mayor of NYC is lawyer malpractice. The claim against the federal prosecutor would be per se, since the standard was set in a tribunal.

It is just false that government workers have no duty to individuals, since individuals are the sole physical reality, and general populations have no definition or empirical measurability.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 14, 2017 10:15:45 AM

Doug, I don't believe that I said that the fact that others weren't prosecuted means that the court should go easy on them. What I said was that selective enforcement is a real concern for crimes like this (surely you cannot be blind to the possibility of abuse here).

I find what these guys did absolutely appalling and a gross abuse. The issue for me is whether opening up actions like this to criminal sanction (by way of creative charging) is a cure worse than the disease. There is not a lot of distance between this prosecution and the prosecution of Rick Perry or Tom DeLay. This prosecution isn't in the John Edwards category (a bullshit prosecution if I ever saw one), but the rationale here can really be abused.

Doug, I will give you a hint--you can go through every single post I have ever made--hypocrisy is not something you will find here.



Posted by: federalist | Mar 14, 2017 10:50:35 AM

I was not suggesting you were a hypocrite, federalist. But one possible way to deal with "disease" of unjustified/inconsistent political prosecutions is to have sentences on the back end be low so as to not turn such prosecutions into huge scalps for politically motivated prosecutors. And low sentences could be potentially justified by the failure to prosecute those similarly situated. I was trying to see if you think, based on your comments, that this should be a viable argument here.

Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 14, 2017 1:19:24 PM

We had mandatory sentencing guidelines. They dropped crime 40% across the board.

We need mandatory prosecutorial guidelines, preventing false or trivial prosecutions, and forcing prosecutions of lawyer privileged parties, such KKK lynch mobs, mayors who block traffic, and murderers of black people.

These should be applied by robots running legislative enacted algorithms. Judges and prosecutors may be rehired to wheel such robots into grand jury panels and into trial court rooms.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 14, 2017 1:45:07 PM

doug, the question was tendentiously put, and had a clear hypocrisy angle

you can walk back, and that's fine . . . .

And no, I don't think the lack of significant jail time is a deterrent to "political" prosecutions--think Edwards would have gotten much time?

I would be interested to know if you have any thoughtful criticisms (or support) of the charges brought here. They seem a stretch to me, at first blush, but I am not an expert. Let's say state official gets to make decisions about road maintenance and decides to favor localities that voted for the governor? Prosecutable? Or let's say an Obama appointee wants to make life difficult for tourists in a hotel in a national park so as to help make the political case against the shutdown--ok, from a criminal law standpoint, to lock them in the hotel?

Posted by: federalist | Mar 14, 2017 2:00:31 PM

federalist, this post asks about what folks think would be the proper sentence here, and you twice lamented the failure to prosecute comparable in the wake of government shut downs. That led me to think, perhaps inaccurately, that the failure to prosecute others in arguably similar cases influences your view of what you think would be the proper sentence here. My question was to inquire on that front, and I remain interested to know your answer, and I remain primarily interested in talking about the sentencing issues in this case not that we are at the sentencing stage.

Perhaps the related sentencing question you that may better connect to what you are getting at in your comments is whether you think it proper for the sentencing judge in this kind of case (who has no direct control over a prosecution that arguably fits the applicable statutory definition) could and should have his sentencing determination influenced in part by his concern that the prosecution in harmfully stretching a statute and/or applying it in an improper or biased way. I tend to like judges at sentencing acting as a kind of check of prosecutorial overreach, so I am comfortable with judges exercising sentencing powers this way if/when doing so in a transparent and deliberative manner consistent with applicable sentencing statutes.

As for you more general question, I think the civil rights charges in this case are a troublesome stretch, but there were also I believe more traditional fraud charges on which the defendants were convicted. I did not follow the issues/trial closely, both those charges seemed more in light with a traditional type of prosecution.

Among the many things I find interesting about your comments, federalist, is that you suggest the prosecutions here may be hinky in some sense, but also state you are fine with these defendants getting a decade in prison.

Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 14, 2017 6:07:44 PM

Prof. B. Should prosecutors, at will employees, under the control of political appointees, prosecute their political opponents of another party, and use discretion to not prosecute members of their own party doing far worse?

Should prosecutors immunize members of the Democratic Party who lynched 5000 black men, each in front of hundreds of witnesses, and prosecute Yankees going 1 mph over the suddenly changed speed limit in a town, without any warning? Then should prosecutors send such Yankees to indentured servitude on cotton farms, wearing iron balls on chains on their ankles for two years?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QvF2FZZftY

What should be done about such rogue prosecutors and their supervisors if no legal recourse is possible?

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 14, 2017 10:16:47 PM

Prof. B. Is OK to argue about trivial personal remarks with federalist, and to ignore claims of massive failures and toxicities of the prosecutorial system?

How would you like a mechanic that fails to fix 90% of broken cars, and does the wrong repairs on 20% of the 10% of cars he does repair? Should there be any legal recourse against such a mechanic?

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 15, 2017 6:26:07 AM

Obviously, the fact that I am fine with a decade in prison is predicated on the assumption that this was conduct governed by the statutes---from a quick read, I find it a stretch, particularly the fraud piece. Obviously, if it's not a crime, then ten years would be tyranny.

And Doug, I think it plain that I NEVER argued that the lack of prosecution elsewhere should mitigate the sentences. I just raised the issue of selective prosecution.

In any event, as you can probably tell, I am highlighting my lack of detailed knowledge about this area of the law---but my antennae are up. No doubt about that.

Posted by: federalist | Mar 15, 2017 9:33:43 AM

David: this blog often discusses, in various ways, what you call the "massive failures and toxicities of the prosecutorial system." It does not discuss often what seems your desired remedy, namely tort liability for prosecutors. You have your own blogs to discuss what you consider most important, and I think it bad form in this cyber world to spend a lot of time lamenting that others do not want to talk endlessly about what you want to talk endlessly about.

federalist: I generally share your concerns about the legality/wisdom of these Bridgegate prosecution, but I generally do not share the instinct that once you reach a satisfactory answer to the binary legality issue (e.g., you decide the convictions are technically legal), then the defendants here ought to have their sentences maxed out. I am not saying this is an implausible or unjustifiably way to look at the world --- indeed, the federal sentencing guidelines often essentially demand looking at the world this way in a lot of white collar cases. But I see a a lot of reasons to connect, formally an informally, concerns about selective prosecution, guilt and punishment.

One setting where perhaps this might be considered more crisply (and could become a real issue real soon) could be to imagine the federal prosecution now of a prominent recreational marijuana business in Colorado. If the feds went after one major state-licensed dealer (and only one), would you feel comfortable with that one dealer (and only that one) getting an LWOP sentence? Would your answer to this matter in any way if the one dealer selected to be the subject of prosecution was an especially prominent supporter of Dems and/or vocal critic of federal drug laws?

Posted by: Doug B | Mar 15, 2017 10:05:07 AM

"If the feds went after one major state-licensed dealer (and only one), would you feel comfortable with that one dealer (and only that one) getting an LWOP sentence? Would your answer to this matter in any way if the one dealer selected to be the subject of prosecution was an especially prominent supporter of Dems and/or vocal critic of federal drug laws?"

There are a lot of issues in that question. A lot of issues. But yeah, I would worry about selective prosecution in that case.

Why I think the Bridgegate defendants should be maxed out (assuming there was a crime)--this was a truly evil thing to do.

Posted by: federalist | Mar 15, 2017 11:04:15 AM

Post a comment


In case youve ever wondered why I didnt blog very often in 2016, youre looking at the reason right now. Having spent most of my waking hours writing, testing recipes, and traveling for my new book project, I am beyond ecstatic to announce that the book has been completed and, even though it will not ship until May, it is now available for preorder.

Bangkok: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Thailand is the title of the book, and it pretty much sums up the contents. The recipes come from my familys library, my own research, and my personal collection of tried-and-true recipes that Ive made in my Chicago-based kitchen, half the world away from my hometown. Theyre quite personal; the stories are even more so.

Being 368 pages in length, the book packs in a lot of information. Its also lushly and beautifully photographed which is what happens when youve entrusted the location photography and studio photography into the hands of the award-winning and internationally-acclaimed photographer, David Loftus. David went to Bangkok early last year and capturedso exquisitelythe places and things I love in the city. Then last summer, the incredibly talented food stylist, Julia Azzarello, and I worked on the food photography portion of the book at Davids beautiful and cozy studio in London (by the way, Londoners, you can be assured that all of the ingredients you need to make the recipes in this book can be found in your citywe bought them all). With the dedicated and capable team at Ten Speed Press behind the project, the result isI know Im gushing over my baby hereone very beautiful book.



The recipes in Bangkok cover a much wider range than those in my first book, Simple Thai Food, in terms of genre, time period, and level of difficulty. Even though the vast majority of them are for everyday dishes currently enjoyed by Bangkokians, they also include some lesser-known dishes from as far back as the early days of the city. Some are cult favorites among Bangkokians that only the most informed of visitors will know of. Some are from the times when my great-grandparents and grandparents and parents were young. Some are dishes from my childhood. Some are traditional family heirloom-type dishes that you dont normally find outside the homes. Some are my clones of famous restaurant dishes. Some are the home versions of the dishes Ive learned from the sources.

And now heres the part of the announcement that may seem unwise for someone who obviously wants people to buy her new book to say. But Ill say it anyway, because you need to know this.

Unlike Simple Thai Food which was written with the goal of easing those new to Thai cooking into the traditional dishes of Thailand one easy, or relatively easy, dish at a time, Bangkok was written with the goal of honoring the culinary brilliance of the city of Bangkok, arguably one of the greatest food destinations in the world. Different books. Different goals. Different intended audiences.

That said, I believe weve got a balanced mix of recipes. Some dishes are a bit more difficult or time-consuming to make than others; some require ingredients available only at well-stocked Asian groceries specializing in Southeast Asian cuisines (I tried to offer substitutes where possible); some are very easy and call for common ingredients that you can find at any mainstream market; some are easy to execute but require long cooking time; some are more difficult to execute and require a longer list of ingredients; some have just a few ingredients but are trickier to pull off unless youre an experienced home cook. Etc.



If youre new to Thai cuisine and the way the Thai compose and eat their meals, if the real flavors and aromas of ultra-traditional Thai food are still somewhat too foreign to you, and, especially, if your interest in Thai food extends only to Thai restaurant takeouts like curries and noodles (which is fine!thats the extent of my interest in some cuisines too), you may benefit more from a book like Simple Thai Food.

Bangkok cookbook will be more suited to those who knowor have a strong desire to knowabout the cuisine and the eating culture of Thailand, those who have fallen in love with Bangkoks local cuisine and are motivated to replicate it faithfully, those who are accustomed to the true and uncompromising tastes and aromas of Thai dishes and ingredients or at least seek to expand their palate, those who are resourceful enough to know where to find necessary ingredients both at their local stores and markets or online, and even those who dont cook at all but are interested in learning about Thai cuisine and culture. If you are reading this and have been reading this blog for years, Im almost certain that this describes you and that theres nothing in the book thats too challenging for you.



In the course of the next few weeks, Ill talk more (on this blog) about the contents of the book, including the recipes and the places in Bangkok you should eat at.

For now lets look at some of what people have said about Bangkok so far.

This is a truly remarkable collection of cleverly selected recipes. Punyaratabandhu is a gifted storyteller, and her work is an outstanding addition to the Thai cooking canon.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STARRED REVIEW

When Leela Punyaratabandhu is your guide, you eat well. Leela is the rare writer who not only has a deep understanding, passion, and respect for the cultural and gastronomic history of her home country, but also an undying inquisitiveness into cooking technique and a desire to perfect that technique for the home cook. She has the soul of a Bangkokian and the mind of a recipe developer. Leela may have learned to cook from three generations of her family in a nineteenth-century Thai kitchen, but she is a ceaseless tinkerer, always looking to update, adapt, and improve. Its what makes the recipes in this book actually work. In Bangkok youll find a book that is personal, accessible, and perhaps most importantly, jaw-droppingly delicious.

J. KENJI LOPEZ-ALT, author of The Food Lab and Managing Culinary Director of Serious Eats

No one can argue that Bangkok is one of the worlds greatest food cities. Leela Punyaratabandhuthe award-winning food blogger and Thai food expert captures the culinary magic of her hometown in this luscious new book, from snacks to curries to Thai iced tea. She has created an authoritative and essential compendium for anyone who cares about Asian food. The section on noodles alone is worth the price of admission.

JAMES OSELAND, author of Cradle of Flavor, former Editor-in-Chief of SAVEUR Magazine, and judge on Top Chef Masters

As mentioned earlier, Bangkok: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Thailand wont ship until May. But you can preorder the book now on Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, and Barnes & Noble. Those outside of these online stores service zones, Book Depository offers free shipping worldwide (or wait until the book hits your local bookstores where English-language cookbooks are sold in early May). Bangkokians, keep an eye out for it at Kinokuniya (the one at Siam Paragon would probably stock a lot of copies), Asia Books, and B2S.
SIOUX CITY | CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC recently honored CENTURY 21 ProLink with the CENTURY 21 President's Award.

The award is presented to CENTURY 21 offices that achieve the CENTURY 21 CENTURION award and the CENTURY 21 Quality Service Pinnacle award in the same calendar year.

The CENTURION award is presented to CENTURY 21 offices that earn $2,053,000 in sales production or 436 closed transaction sides within the calendar year.

The CENTURY 21 Quality Service Pinnacle Award is presented to those independent offices that receive satisfaction surveys for at least 30 percent of their consumers surveyed with a survey score of 95 percent of better for two consecutive years.
SIOUX CITY -- Sara Gotch of Gnarly Pepper was the winner of the 2017 Innovation Market, The Sioux City Growth Organization's annual entrepreneurial competition.

Gnarly Pepper is spice blend that can be mixed with Greek yogurt to form low-calorie high-protein dips and condiments. The spice blends are in some local stores as well as online at gnarlypepper.com. Gotch will receive a $5,000 prize in addition to three hours of free legal services, professional business consultation and tax services.

Kyle Madsen was the runner-up for his idea, The Perch, which is his proposal to create a quiet speakeasy with high-end and regionally made spirits in an intimate venue for musical arts. Madsen will receive a $2,500 prize along with free legal, consultation and tax services.

The duo were two of five finalists from the Innovation Market, held on Feb. 16, and they presented their final pitches to SCGO members and guests on Wednesday. The entrepreneurs were given seven minutes for their presentation followed up by a three minute question and answer session. A short discussion followed the presentations after which votes were cast.
SIOUX CITY | IBC will host "Setting the Trend," Siouxland's premier safety conference, on March 29 at the Marina Center in South Sioux City, Nebraska.

The conference will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will offer sessions with experts in safety and risk management.

Topics will include safety in: manufacturing, municipalities, construction, residential, commercial, industrial and more.

The keynote speaker will be Rick Crowl Jr, a work comp plaintiff attorney and partner at the Stuart Tinley Law Firm in Council Bluffs.

For additional information and to register, visit ibcins.biz/conference-registration or call 712-277-2424.
SIOUX CITY | Stephen Coyne, professor of English at Morningside College, recently had his book, "It Turns Out Like This," published after winning an annual competition sponsored by New Rivers Press.

"It Turns Out Like This" is the life story of Stu Jakes, told in snapshots from his childhood as a folk healer to his later years living on a crabbing boat and every hard turn in between.

The book can be purchased at the Morningside College Bookstore, at Barnes and Noble at Southern Hills Mall or from amazon.com.
Ever since The Office closed, NBC has been looking for a workplace comedy that offers the same kind of fun.

Superstore comes close but Trial & Error, a new entry, has one of those nagging continuing stories that could prejudice the jury. Shot in mockumentary fashion, it demands you stick with it  even if this isnt the laugh equivalent of Making a Murderer.

Nicholas DAgosto plays a New York lawyer (a Northeasterner, as a locals like to call him) who comes to the small town of East Peck, South Carolina, to lay the groundwork for one of his senior partners. The firm is representing Larry Henderson (John Lithgow), a poetry professor accused of killing his wife. A real free spirit, Larry does himself no favors whenever hes trying to help his attorney make the case.

The folks at the office arent any better. Surrounded by examples of taxidermy (that guy is right next door), the researcher (Sherri Shepherd) suffers from a number of diseases, mostly tied to forgetfulness, and the investigator (Steven Boyer) is a little too Dwight Schrute for his own good. Constantly burying the lead, Boyers Dwayne Reed has a past that also could prove harmful.

Even worse, the prosecutor (Jayma Mays) sees this job as her way to become East Pecks district attorney.

When DAgostos Josh Segal meets a woman he thinks shares his point of view, he quickly discovers shes not some random East Pecker but Larry Hendersons daughter.

Connect the dots and you can easily see how DAgosto is the Jim Halpert; Krysta Rodriguez is the Pam Beesly and Lithgow is the Michael Scott.

Created by Jeff Astrof and Matt Miller, Trial & Error has good actors. It just doesnt always know what to do with them.

Boyer, for example, has the ability to be more than a one-note foil. Rodriguez shouldnt just be the romantic interest. And Shepherd doesnt need to rely on that WebMD list of diseases to get laughs.

When theyre in the office spitballing potential defenses, the legal team should be funnier. When theyre in the courtroom, they shouldnt have to rely on outbursts from Lithgow. Clearly, given half the chance, Lithgow can make anyone seem inconsequential. Thanks to his work in Third Rock from the Sun, hes capable of pure ham at the drop of a knife.

Adept at rollercizing (a form of roller skating exercise), Henderson has enough quirks to fill several seasons of litigation. But, by its nature, Trial & Error suggests there will be resolution and, somehow, we as viewers should be able to spot the clues leading us to the killer.

As the audiences tour guide, DAgosto is appropriately wary. He could have moved into Pawnee and been a perfect fit with the Parks & Recreation staff.

Here, though, hes forced to cash and carry and thats expecting too much. The joy of The Office was its ability to let anyone take the lead. Trial & Error is dependent.

Because the second episode doesnt do much more than extend the first, its anyones guess how this will keep viewers coming back for more. The Jinx constantly surprised. Trial & Error seems like its just going through the motions.

Trial& Error airs Tuesdays on NBC.
 Flash

Photo taken on March 11, 2017 shows scene after blasts targeting Iraqi Shiite visitors in Damascus, capital of Syria. At least 40 people were killed and 100 others wounded on Saturday when explosive devices ripped through busses carrying Shiite visitors close to the Shaghour area in the capital Damascus, a well-informed security source told Xinhua.

At least 40 people were killed and 100 others wounded on Saturday when explosive devices ripped through busses carrying Shiite visitors close to the Shaghour area in the capital Damascus, a well-informed security source told Xinhua.

The blasts targeted an area near the Bab al-Saghir cemetery between the Shaghour neighborhood and Bab Musalla area, said the source.

The security source said that the two bombings targeted two busses of Iraqi Shiite visitors, who usually come to the area to visit Shiite shrines in the Bab al-Saghir cemetery.

Local Sham FM radio confirmed that the explosive devices targeted buses of Shiite visitors in that area, placing the death toll at 40, saying most of those killed were Iraqis.

In Bab al-Saghir cemetery there are 11 Shiite shrines, usually a visiting spot for Shiite visitors.

The large cemetery contains graves of Sunni and Shiite people, as well as Shiite shrines.

The neighborhood of Bab al-Saghir, which the cemetery took its name from, as well a Shagour are also home to a blend of Shiite and Sunni Damascenes Muslims.

During the six-year-old war, tension between Shiite fighters and Sunni rebel groups started growing, as the Shiites emerged as backers of the government of President Bashar al-Assad, while the rebellion against Assad was driven by Sunni-dominated rebel groups.

Several previous bombings have targeted Shiite visitors in Damascus, but the intensity of such explosions have largely decreased recently, until the Saturday bombings.

Footages of the blasts were aired by the state TV, showing blown up busses, glass littered on the ground mingled with blood spots.

It's the latest sign of the sectarian tension in the war-torn country.
DAKOTA CITY, Neb. | The New York Times on Tuesday reported on several items concerning Omaha, Nebraska: Its growing population, its busy downtown and its role as host of the College World Series.

The thrust of the story, however, involved the city's decision to allow select streets to go from asphalt back to gravel in an effort to save money. The story noted 27 states have adopted similar cost-cutting measures.

The opposite is about to happen in Dakota City, where a street-paving project over 13 blocks will see workers pouring concrete come June. Already, work has begun in water-system improvements and tree removal, making way for this street-paving effort.

Steve Harris Construction of nearby Homer, Nebraska, will do the work, thanks to an accepted bid of just over $1 million.

"You don't see as many gravel roads in other communities," said Alyssa Silhacek, Dakota City administrator. "This will be big as it has been decades since we've had any residential paving."

Mayor Jerry Yacevich calls it an economic development tool for his community, home to 1,919 residents.

"I've heard people say, 'I'm not going to build a home on a gravel road,'" Yacevich said. "We're trying to promote Dakota City more and get people to move here."

Yacevich said 16th Street runs to the side of his home, one he decks out in holiday lights each Christmas. That street is one of those to be paved this summer.

Much of Dakota City was a muddy mess at times last spring, a wet one, as drivers moved on 130 blocks of unpaved streets. In April, the city issued a public notice selecting 18 unpaved sections, many of them single city blocks, and allowed property owners along those streets to vote on whether they wanted their portion of the road paved.

Nine of the 18 districts voted in the affirmative, "paving the way" for this effort to begin. Property owners will be assessed for the work, making up about 38 percent of the cost. The city is also contributing around 62 percent of the cost.

Yacevich and Silhacek say it's a step in the right direction. While taxes are going up, The Times won't find a regressive hot-button topic here.

"We'll start on South 21st Street, where the new fire station is going (a $2.15 million project)," Silhacek said. "We gave them through October (to finish). I would think we'll be done sooner."

Along with the fire station and paved streets, Dakota City residents are also helping foot the bill for a new wastewater treatment facility. Silhacek said base rates for residential sewer service would jump from $30 to $40 per month. Water rates would rise 25 cents or so per month.

The $5.3-million plant, which will be located on a newly paved thoroughfare, will replace a 40-year-old facility. The new fire hall replaces one built in the 1950s. The paved streets? They replace dirt and gravel roads in place for longer than most can remember.
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DES MOINES | At the Iowa Statehouse, he often gets the cold shoulder from colleagues and has been shut out of all but one committee.

But state Sen. David Johnson, of Ocheyedan, said he has no second thoughts about switching his party registration from Republican to independent last year, and insists he's still working hard on his key issues of education and environmental protection.

More than halfway into the 2017 session, Johnson remains convinced he did the right thing in bolting from the party last summer after publicly airing his strong concern for the direction the party was headed with outspoken businessman Donald Trump as the GOP presidential nominee.

"I will not stand silent if the party of Lincoln and the end of slavery buckles under the racial bias of a bigot," Johnson said at the time.

Trump ultimately became the 45th president and Johnson watched national politics with a high recoil factor.

"It is a period of deconstruction going on...It is not the party of Lincoln, it is the party of Trump," Johnson said.

In the November election, Johnson also watched his former party capture control of the Iowa Senate, 29-21, and maintain its majority in the Iowa House. Of the 150 legislators, Johnson is now the only independent, but he insists the number will eventually grow.

Being a distinct political minority is fine with Johnson, who said, "I've never been a follower. I feel I am voicing the opinion of Iowans better than I ever have before."

Johnson said he has been unshackled from the days of worrying whether he could air reservations with Republican plans to Senate party leaders.

Lots of aspects of the legislative job remain the same for Johnson. The former journalist rises at 5 a.m. and watches MSNBC's morning political show, "Morning Joe," and then pages through daily newspapers. He still works long days at the Capitol, often staying until the early evening hours. After leaving last Tuesday, Johnson described fielding phone calls for four more hours, until 11 p.m.

Johnson introduces amendments to bills and gives floor speeches during the so-called personal privileges period. He continues to attend weekend legislature forums in his Northwest Iowa district.

However, much has changed for Johnson.

After he stopped caucusing with Senate Republicans, Johnson lost all his committee assignments. This session, Democrats gave him a seat on the Natural Resources and Environment Committee after a Democrat stepped aside.

Senate Minority Leader Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, said he had no qualms about appointing a former Republican to the committee.

"He has been an strong advocate for the environment and clean water," Hogg said.

Johnson also no longer has access to party research analysts, although he said he always did a lot of his own studying in prior years.

When encountering other senators, he often gets a cool reception.

"It is disappointing. It is petty. I've got friends too," Johnson said.

In summarizing whether he has loyal friends or new detractors among Republican and Democratic senators, Johnson would only cite one senator by name, Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock.

"Senator Dix refused to meet with me, in spite of numerous requests," Johnson said.

"I can't help but believe that the leadership has passed down...that my bills are dead on arrival," Johnson said.

Dix did not immediately respond to a Journal interview request.

Hogg said it has been fascinating to watch independent Johnson, sometimes voting with Republicans and sometimes not.

"He is being highly effective, because he is able to speak up on everything," Hogg said. "It is kind of like he has been liberated from any party apparatus."

Last year, the Senate was controlled by Democrats on a 26-24 count.

With Republicans holding both legislative chambers and the governor's mansion, the House and Senate has been quickly moving legislation that Johnson contends is not good public policy. He cited Iowa K-12 schools receiving only 1.1 percent growth in their budgets for fiscal year 2017-18, cuts to community colleges and sweeping changes to the collective bargaining law for public employees.

"It is outright union busting...How many times can you slap a teacher or state worker in the face before they flee the state?" Johnson asked.

In spite of the obstacles, Johnson insists he's having fun.

"I call it serious fun. The adrenaline is flowing and, at (age) 66, I guess that is a good way to feel," said Johnson, in his 19th year in the Legislature.

Johnson's term runs through December 2018 in Senate District 1, which covers all or parts of Clay, Dickinson, Lyon, Osceola and Palo Alto counties. He has not decided whether to seek re-election to a four-year term.

Prior to the election, Zach Whiting announced he would seek the Republican nomination for the Senate post, citing Johnson's decision to leave the party. Whiting, of Spencer, is a staff member for U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

Johnson said he knows many in the state Republican Party and in Northwest Iowa are dismayed with his switch to an independent. He also said many Iowans he's known for years have told him privately they like his lawmaking skills.

He said he is convinced more independents will be elected, and a third party could arise, "with government accountability at its core."

"Let's make this tri-partisan," Johnson said. "The Legislature should get used to this, because I think in the years ahead, you will see more independents.

"It is great. I just continue to be amazed by people who are community leaders, maybe not publicly, who voice support for me."
SIOUX CITY | Pat Gill recalls the phone call he received from an upset mother from South Dakota prior to a past election.

The woman's son, a college student in Sioux City, had been encouraged to register to vote during a voter registration drive on campus. He did so, and cast an early ballot in Woodbury County.

The mother was mad because she had wanted her son to vote in South Dakota, and she told Gill she was going to have him cast a ballot in their home county.

"I told her OK, but that would be a felony," said Gill, Woodbury County Auditor and election commissioner.

That student was one of hundreds who are registered to vote in one of Siouxland's border counties and at least one other state, and those multiple-state registrations drew President Donald Trump's ire after his inauguration.

Though he won the electoral college vote, Trump finished nearly 2.9 million votes behind Hillary Clinton in the popular vote. Trump claimed he would have won that, too, if millions of ballots hadn't been cast illegally. He cited voters registered in multiple states, people who have died and remain on voter registration lists and illegal immigrants as the main sources of his alleged voter fraud. The House Oversight Committee has said it will not investigate his claims.

Duplicate registrations also are cited by supporters of controversial legislation that would make multiple changes to Iowa's voting laws. The Republican-led House last week approved a bill that voters provide state-approved identification at the polls.

Go through the voter registration lists in any Siouxland county and you'll find dozens of voters who are registered in another state. You'll also find people who have died still on those lists.

In 2015, the most recent year for which data was available, 1,605 voters registered in the Northwest Iowa counties of Woodbury, Plymouth, Sioux, Lyon and Monona were solid matches with registrations in another state. In those cases, the voter's first, middle and last names, birth dates and last four digits of their Social Security numbers matched. Another 1,467 voters in the five border counties were a possible match, meaning the first and last names matched, but their Social Security numbers did not match.

State and local election officials said they believed, at least in their jurisdictions, there are no grounds for concern about voter fraudulent ballots being cast. It's not illegal to be registered to vote in more than one state, said Carol Olson, assistant Iowa Secretary of State. It's only illegal if you vote in more than one state.

"People registering in more than one state is not indicative of voter fraud. It's simply an indication of a highly mobile society and nothing else," Olson said, adding that statistics show that annually, 15 percent of Iowans move. That doesn't include college students or Iowans who travel south to spend the winters in a warmer location.

State election officials in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota receive annual updates from the Interstate Crosscheck Program, a database in which more than 30 states share their voter registration lists to find names that match across state lines.

"It's an additional tool for us all to maintain and clean our voter registration files," Olson said.

Of Woodbury County's 61,673 registered voters, 1,121 were solid matches in another state and 807 were a possible match. Of the solid matches, 497 were in neighboring Nebraska and 72 were in neighboring South Dakota.

Gill was not surprised, given the number of college students living in Sioux City. Many students from out of state have dual registrations because college organizations often have voter registration drives. Gill said he has not heard of one person who's voted in Woodbury County and another state during his 20 years in office.

"People are concerned about that," Gill said. "But then think about the conspiracy it would take to do that and affect an election. It would be very difficult to accomplish."

Iowa's voter registration forms ask applicants to indicate if they're registered to vote anywhere else. Many don't fill out that information, Gill said. His office will update the county's voter rolls if it receives notification that a Woodbury County voter has registered elsewhere.

"If we get notification that someone is registered in another state, then we cancel their registration here," Gill said. It's then up to the voter to correct any discrepancies, he said.

New registrants must present a driver's license or Social Security number when filling out their applications, and that information is verified to reduce the chance of an illegal resident voting.

"As soon as we get a registration in, we verify them before we put them on the rolls," Gill said.

Stacey Feldman, auditor and election commissioner in Plymouth County, where 171 of its 17,000 registered voters were solid matches with registrations in another state in 2015 and 174 more voters were a possible match, said she believes that most voters wind up registered in multiple states because of an oversight. When they move, they forget to notify their local election office.

"People just don't think of that when they move away," Feldman said.

State officials in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota said that once they get lists of voters registered in multiple states, the names of those matches are sent to each county, which is responsible for updating its voter rolls.

In Iowa, any registered voter who hasn't voted or updated his or her registration information for four years is placed on an inactive list. Woodbury County, for example, currently has 3,131 inactive voters. If another four years go by without any voter activity, that voter's name is deleted from the registration lists.

"I do believe we have a good voter registration system and there is not fraud," Feldman said.

Nebraska has a similar system. If eight years go by, and a voter has not had any activity on his or her registration, that name is removed from voter rolls, said Joan Spencer, Dakota County Clerk and election commissioner.

In 2015, of Dakota County's nearly 11,000 registered voters, 958 matched names on another state's voting registration records. Those on the list are contacted by mail to verify their address and whether they've moved, Spencer said.

"I have no reason to believe people are casting fraudulent ballots," Spencer said. "I don't see how it could happen. We go in and check every single voter. People that are questionable, we do research on."

South Dakota does not break down the number of voters who are registered in multiple states by county, but the total in the state is "very, very little, especially for an exact match," South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs said.

Local election officials said it's not uncommon that voters who have died remain on voter registration lists. When a voter dies, family members are quick to cancel the deceased's utilities, subscriptions and other services. They usually don't think about notifying their local election office.

State and local officials receive notices of death certificates filed with the state and delete registered voters who appear on those lists. In smaller counties, election workers often are aware of many registered voters' deaths.

"We're a small enough county that we get the newspapers and see the obituaries," Feldman said.

Is it possible that a voter could cast a fraudulent vote in November? Yes, Gill said. In most cases, an incident of voter fraud is going to be discovered after the fact. But he doubts that voters are willing to take that risk.

"People know they might get away with it on Election Day, but the odds are they'll eventually be caught and prosecuted," Gill said.

Such prosecution is rare. Olson said she can remember only one recent Iowa case in which a voter was charged with election misconduct. Krebs said the last case in South Dakota was "a long time ago, probably more than 10 years ago."

Gill said he has never received a formal complaint concerning voter fraud, leading him to believe that voters in Woodbury County and across the tri-state region are playing by the rules. It's why he bristles when he hears blanket statements about widespread voter fraud.

"I haven't seen any evidence of that," he said. "I think that really does a disservice to the integrity of the elections by anyone who makes those statements."
Editor's note: Every other Sunday through the conclusion of this year's session of the Iowa Legislature, local and area lawmakers share their Statehouse views.

Rep. Chris Hall, D-Sioux City

Consider for a moment where Sioux City was in 2010, during the depths of the economic recession, compared to where it will be 10 years later. In 2010, the community received emergency grants from the U.S. Department of Labor to retrain and educate nearly 1,500 workers who lost their jobs with the closure of the John Morrell packing plant. Employers like Terra Industries and Gateway had transitioned white-collar positions elsewhere following mergers. The financial and banking crisis of 2008 hit both the public and private sectors hard, reducing the retirement and savings accounts of workers across the country. Unemployment in Sioux City stood at 6.6 percent.

During the years that immediately followed, local and state leaders pursued a course of renewal. The state of Iowa renewed the Targeted Jobs program for an additional five years, helping to spur expansion and new investment. To date, the program has created 1,244 jobs and retained 1,089 jobs at an average wage of $26.37. All of those jobs are on the Iowa side of the river.

In 2014, CF Industries announced a landmark expansion that eventually reached $2 billion. This month, for the fourth time in five years, Sioux City was ranked as the top economic development community under 200,000 people by Site Selection Magazine. Soon, the $264 million Seaboard Triumph plant will be completed with the great task of hiring 900 workers. In 2018, Siouxland will see the four-lane completion of Highway 20, opening an east-west corridor to freight and transportation. In 2019, new entry points to the city on Wesley Way and Virginia Street will bring visitors into revitalized historic districts downtown, paired with completion of Interstate 29 construction. Bike paths are being completed. Food Truck Fridays and entrepreneurial events have taken off. The states Reinvestment District program will leverage an agricultural expo center, new downtown lofts and residential living, and just announced  a brand new hotel attached to the citys Convention Center.

Amazing things are under way. In short time, this will be viewed as an historic decade for Sioux City.

Sen. David Johnson, I-Ocheyedan

Of late, legislative town halls have provided opportunities for northwest Iowans to engage their state representatives and senators. Citizens have responded with standing-room-only crowds and tough questions.

As it should be. Iowans are watching the Legislature with great interest and intensity. Previous "hot-button" issues have been school funding, public employees' bargaining rights and abortion. All have moved on the fast track.

There are more to come in the Iowa Senate. (Some bill numbers might have been changed.)

Minimum wage. Four counties have adopted measures to increase the minimum wage within their borders to as much as $10.75 an hour, phased in over several years. The statewide minimum hourly wage set by the Legislature has stood at $7.25 since 2008.

House File 295 would not only ban future local wage hikes in Iowa, the bill could reverse raises already in place for workers in those counties.

Republicans pushing the bill haven't stopped there. The proposed legislation would prohibit cities and counties from engaging in other labor issues such as sick pay and paid family leave. Banning plastic shopping bags, too.

My take. Republicans talk a good game in support of local control, but this session they are wielding the heavy hand of state government control.

Guns. There are more working parts to this bill than a Swiss watch. House File 517 passed the House 58-39 Tuesday, mostly along party lines. The centerpiece of the 22-page bill is the so-called "stand your ground" provision intended to protect people who use deadly force in self-defense.

The bill also addresses handgun use by Iowans under 21 provided there is direct supervision by a parent or guardian; makes handgun permits valid for five years instead of one; further restricts the governor from limiting the sale of firearms during a state of emergency; adds state penalties for illegal gun sales; makes confidential personal identification of gun owners; and legalizes short-barreled rifles and shotguns.

My take. "Stand your ground" should stand alone in a separate bill. I'm thinking long and hard about whether concealed handguns should be allowed in the Capitol, which is included in the bill.

Des Moines Water Works. Dismantle the state's largest water utility, say supporters of House File 484, and make it a regional authority with better suburban representation.

My take. What a waste of time. This bill is clearly in retaliation for the water works governing board suing three northwest Iowa counties whose drainage districts are contributing to high, sometimes unsafe, nitrate levels. The public health risks are real, even at low-level exposure over a long period of time, new research has shown.

Who is out for revenge? Farm Bureau and other agriculture interests. They should know better. Their public image is tarnished enough by blocking legislation to improve the state's livestock confinement laws and opposing funding the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust approved by 63 percent of Iowa voters in 2010.

Voter ID. Supporters want more "integrity" in our election laws, opponents suggest voter "suppression" is at play. House File 516 would require government identification for every voter on Election Day.

My take. What's the problem? Out of 1.6 million votes cast statewide in recent elections, only 10 improper ballots were reported to the secretary of state.

What's more, and I mean more: The estimated start-up costs are pegged at $1 million, and money will have to be available every year after. Let's see, that's 10 improper ballots, divided by $1 million ...

Attend a town hall near you. We need to hear from you.

Rep. Jim Carlin, R-Sioux City

Iowans have a right to expect integrity in our election process. Last week, the House passed the Election Integrity and Modernization Bill, or the voter ID law. The bill is to make it easier to vote, harder to cheat, and no one is turned away from the poll. A recent Des Moines Register poll finds that 69 percent of Iowans believe that a government-issued ID should be presented in order to vote. HF 516 requires all voters to present government-issued identification at their polling location. Free voter identification cards will be issued by the secretary of state to eligible voters who cannot afford another form of identification.

Rep. Matt Windschitl, a longtime advocate for Second Amendment rights, floor-managed the ominbus firearms bill which passed the House last week and will head to the Senate for consideration.

The bill provides the following Second Amendment protections:

 Allows a parent to teach their children handgun safety.

 Requires completion of a training class only once for a permit to carry, rather than every five years as required under current law. Changes the annual permit to purchase to a five-year permit.

 Prevents the government from confiscating weapons in times of emergency.

 Keeps personal information of weapons permit holders confidential.

 Allows Iowans to defend themselves in the event of danger and removes the duty to retreat. Includes civil immunity protecting Iowans from costly litigation.

 Clarifies current state law that no city, county or township holds the authority to limit the use or possession of firearms.

Please stay in touch with your questions and concerns. As always, you may contact me at jim.carlin@legis.iowa.gov or 515-281-3221 or 712-253-4270.

Rep. Tim Kacena, D-Sioux City

Last week in the House, Republican lawmakers passed a voter ID bill. Make no mistake about it, this is a voter suppression bill. The bill passed will in fact disenfranchise thousands of voters in Iowa, mainly the elderly, minorities and those voters under the age of 25.

Voter fraud is virtually nonexistent here in Iowa and across the country. The voter ID bills that have been passed across the country do nothing more than perpetuate the false belief that there is a voter fraud problem. While researching background information to make a sound decision on how to vote on the bill, I found this bill was a solution in search of a problem.

Earlier in the week, the Iowa House also passed a wide-reaching gun bill. I did vote "no" on this bill. The main reason for my "no" vote was based on taking away the right of city and county elected officials to make the determination, if they felt the need, to stop the carrying of weapons to public meetings without the threat of a lawsuit. The bill also allows the carrying of concealed weapons in the state Capitol.

Unfortunately, there were several amendments offered to this bill that failed and, if they had been adopted, I very well would have voted "yes." In the end, the bill as it passed contained many parts that I feel makes the general public less safe and has the potential for abuse. I will always respect the right of a person to own a gun; with that right comes responsibility.
March has been designated Women's History Month.

The designation came after a movement begun by an education task force of the Sonoma County California Commission on the Status of Women. It initiated a Womens History Week of celebration in March 1978. It was a highly successful week with over 100 women from the county going into classrooms of Sonoma County and doing special presentations.

From there the movement grew into other states, finally reaching President Jimmy Carter. In February 1980, Carter issued a proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Womens History Week. In 1981, U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch and then-U.S. Rep. Barbara Mikulski co-sponsored a congressional resolution for National Womens History Week. This demonstrated the wide range of political support for recognizing, honoring and celebrating the achievement of American women.

By 1986, 14 states declared March as Womens History Month. In 1987, Congress declared March as Womens History Month in perpetuity. To this day, a special proclamation is issued every year honoring the extraordinary achievement of American women.

The movie "Hidden Figures," which was released in February, speaks to the achievements of women. The film tells the story of three brilliant African American women - Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson - who made a difference at NASA. The movie is a wonderful tribute to them. They did what they needed to do to get the job done.

If you have not seen the movie or read the book, you should take the time to do so.

These three women found ways to keep themselves important to NASA. They did not complain, they just did it by teaching themselves and finding out what was important to keep their job.

Katherine Johnson was a physicist and mathematician who was known for accuracy in computerized celestial navigation. She conducted technical work at NASA that spanned decades. She calculated the trajectories, launch windows and emergency back-up return paths for many flights from Project Mercury, including missions of John Glenn and Alan Shepard, to the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the moon and through the space shuttle era. She has done calculations for a planned mission to Mars, too.

Dorothy Johnson Vaughan was a mathematician and human computer. She taught herself and her staff the programming language. Eventually, she was promoted to supervisor, and she was the first African American woman to supervise at NASA. She knew if she did not teach herself and her staff, they would be out of a job because of the computer.

Mary Jackson was a mathematician and aerospace engineer at NASA. She took advance engineering classes and in 1958 became NASAS first black female engineer. After 34 years at NASA, she earned the most senior engineering title she could achieve. She analyzed data from wind tunnel experiments and real-world aircraft flight experiments. Her goal was to understand air flow, including thrust and drag forces, in order to improve U.S. planes.

Promotions slowed and Mary became frustrated because she could not break into management-level grades. In 1979, seeing the glass ceiling was the rule rather than the exception for NASA's professional women, she decided to make a career change, left engineering and took a demotion to fill the position of Langley Air Force Base's Federal Womens Program manager. She wanted to impact the hiring and promotion of the next generation of all of NASAS female mathematicians, engineers and scientists.

Women such as these three blazed a trail for the rest of us. They worked hard with a positive can do attitude to reach their goals. Because of their commitment to being the best they could be, they made it a little easier for those who came after them.

Locally and statewide, we see women who have and are making it better for others.

For example, I always appreciated what Margaret Prahl did as a lawyer and as the first woman on the Sioux City Council, as well as her involvement in retaining the city manager form of government. Her work in city and state government helped pave the way for other women in Sioux City. Her career and volunteer path made a difference for women not only locally, but statewide.

Senator Joni Ernst is the first woman the state of Iowa ever elected to the U.S. Senate and she is the first female veteran from any state to serve in the U.S. Senate. Ernst earned the rank of lieutenant colonel prior to retiring from the military in 2015. Near the end of her career she served as the commanding officer of the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge. It is the largest battalion in the Iowa Army National Guard.

I have been able to serve on state boards and local boards because of what other women before me have done.

Next week: Al Sturgeon

Charese Yanney of Sioux City is owner and managing partner of Guarantee Roofing, Siding and Insulation Co. She serves on the Iowa Department of Transportation Commission, the Iowa Economic Development Authority Vision Iowa board, the Missouri River Historical Development board and the Siouxland Initiative Executive Committee.
 Flash

Iraqi security forces on Saturday pushed further toward the old city center of the western side of Mosul amid fierce clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants, the Iraqi military said.

The federal police and interior ministry special forces, known as Rapid Response, advanced in the neighborhood of Bab al-Toub in Mosul city center, fighting heavy clashes against IS militants in the narrow streets of the old neighborhood, said Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yarallah from the Joint Operations Command in a statement.

The troops killed many IS militants and destroyed three car bombs and 20 explosive devices during the battles in Bab al-Toub, the statement said.

The commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) continued their advance inside the neighborhoods of Aghawat and Risala in the west of the old city center, while more CTS troops initiates new advances in the nearby neighborhoods of New Mosul, Nafet and Nablus, leaving many IS militants killed along with destroying five booby-trapped cars and 14 explosive devices, the statement added.

Also in the day, the army's 16th infantry division made a new progress in northwest of Mosul's western side, and the troops recaptured two villages, a compound of industry installation and the major water facility, which provides the western side of Mosul with water, the statement said.

The troops killed many IS militants and destroyed three car bombs and 15 bombs, along with destroying a vehicle carrying IS militants, it added.

Near Mosul, the army's 9th armored Division and the Shiite paramilitary Hashd Shaabi unit seized part of the town of Badush and surrounded the nearby cement plant in northwest of Mosul, according to the statement.

The troops have been fighting heavy clashes in Badush during the past few days, as the the troops managed on Wednesday to recapture Badush prison, the statement said.

The troops also found two mass graves near Badush prison for people said to be killed by IS militants without giving details about the number of the victims.

However, the Hashd Shaabi units announced earlier in the day they had discovered a mass grave at Badush prison containing the remains of hundreds of people executed by the extremist group.

The presence of armored division and the Hashd Shaabi is aimed at surrounding Mosul from the west to cut off the escape route from Mosul and the neighboring Syria.

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.

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.
SIOUX CITY | As moves go, CSI's recent relocation probably was one of the easier ones.

The Sioux City managed services provider stayed on the same floor of the same building but now occupies a space that more than doubles what it had and provides much-needed room and privacy for employees and clients.

"It gives us more independence to where we feel more comfortable in our own space. It gives us the opportunity to grow in downtown Sioux City," said Mike Curry, president and CEO.

CSI, or Computer Service Innovations, has been in the Benson Building at Seventh and Douglas streets since 1994. The company recently completed moved into a 7,500-square-foot corner spot on the ground floor, next door to the company's former space, which had only 2,800 square feet.

A newly redesigned logo featuring bright orange squares adorns the windows facing each street.

It's the latest stage of growth for a company that Curry started in 1992 in his home. CSI now employs 35 people and monitors and manages network systems for more than 200 clients in retail, health care and finance across the country. The firm offers a wide range of services, from IT support and consulting, to network cabling to cloud computing to digital marketing services.

Curry helps put his company's services in simple terms: CSI offers products that monitor a company's system and network. That system reports to CSI's command center, which monitors for alerts. If the center receives an alert, it creates a service ticket, which is dispatched to the appropriate CSI service technician.

In a simple scenario, if a client's email system goes down, CSI would get an alert that the server is down and then a technician will fix it either on site or remotely from a computer terminal at the CSI office.

"It's been a process that's been developed over many, many years in the information technology world, and we're really happy to be a part of it," Curry said.

CSI counts many Siouxland companies among its clients. They're the ones that gave Curry his foothold in the business.

"With very little money, we were able to start up a small business," Curry said. "If it wasn't for the local community and people here, CSI never would have had a chance."

The company has made a big push into the retail industry recently, and counts a large retailer with 400 locations among its clients.

"We've really grown big in the retail side of the business," Curry said.

So much so that CSI had, for the most part, outgrown its old site inside the Benson Building, Curry said. It was crowded. Few people had offices, and all departments were basically lumped into a group of cubicles, which did little to prevent workers from hearing each other talking on the phones.

That's all changed. Each department now has its own private area so workers don't have to worry about overhearing phone conversations coming from a neighboring cubicle. For the first time ever, the company has its own conference room for staff meetings or meetings with clients.

"There's a lot more confidentiality and a lot more peace, you might say," Curry said of the new office arrangement.

Now that he's settling in after the move, Curry can turn more attention to continuing to grow his company. An around-the-clock help desk is being planned.

And though CSI technicians can provide many services remotely from their Sioux City terminals, technicians also travel hundreds of miles on service calls. Curry said he hopes to hire subcontractors or partner with other firms so CSI can respond faster to client locations that stretch from Wyoming to Kentucky. It would make sense, he said, to have one or more CSI technicians based in metropolitan areas such as Chicago or Minneapolis.

"We're always going to expand and grow our services department," Curry said. "Pretty much we are end to end, a one-stop shop."
SOUTH SIOUX CITY  Exploring new opportunities for growth is something executives at Gerkin Windows and Doors have always been open to.

Thats one reason why the 85-year-old South Sioux City manufacturer of residential vinyl and aluminum window and door products has been able to not only stay afloat, but prosper over decades of operations.

One catalyst for the companys recent growth has been the increasing demand for commercial-style aluminum windows in residential construction inside of the company's customer demographic area, which is considered to be about a 500 mile radius around its corporate headquarters.

Scott Gerkin, vice president of sales for Gerkin, noted this style of window, which typically features floor to ceiling glass that allow more light into the home, has been popular on the coasts and waterfront properties for a while, but has caught on in the Midwest.

Until we kind of came across that opportunity, we had only been using aluminum windows for commercial use, and now we found a really nice niche for that on the residential use, he said.

Besides a willingness to innovate, Scott Gerkin, a company employee of more than 30 years, also credited the manufacturers strict quality standards for its success.

The reason that I think we have done very well is that our mission has been to build the highest-quality product with a great value and not wavering from that mentality, he said.

The grandson of Virgil Gerkin, who founded the company in 1932, Scott Gerkin knows the companys culture and reputation.

He noted that even after his father and uncle sold the company to Midwest Energy  a predecessor to Mid-American Energy Co.  in 1985 or when the Schneider family took ownership in 1991, the original Gerkin quality standards remained intact.

Sometimes theres a push on the market to build cheaper, but thats not anything weve ever wanted to do, Scott Gerkin said. The culture here is to offer the best quality, the best value and to have very good service to go with that.

Innovative and quality products coupled with steady growth has served the commercial and residential vinyl and aluminum window and door products manufacturer well since it relocated from Sioux City to South Sioux City in 1991.

In 2004, just 13 years after the move across the river, Gerkin built a new 170,000-square-foot plant/headquarters at 5000 Rhino Road, which is named after the companys Rhino commercial aluminum window and door series.

Only a few years into the new facility, Gerkin needed another expansion so that it could increase the production of insulated glass, and that 30,000-square-foot plant opened up across the street at 3405 Daniels Lane in 2013.

That allowed for us more room to bring in new equipment for existing product lines and expand our capabilities of production, Scott Gerkin said.

Even with the extra room from moving insulated glass production across the street, Scott Gerkin said space was still tight at the main facility, which prompted the company to break ground on a 73,000-square-foot addition to its Rhino Drive campus late last year.

We are just going to expand everything that we have now in this existing plant, he said. It gives us more room to increase our capacity for production, more room for additional material and more room for finished goods and processing the shipping.

The new addition is expected to be complete sometime in 2018, but Gerkin was not sure if it would lead to additional jobs. At the end of 2016, Gerkin Windows and Doors had just over 200 employees company-wide.

Weve had an increase in workforce this year and well see where that goes  I cant say for sure where thats going to take us  but as the company continues to grow, we will certainly be hiring people as needed, Scott Gerkin said.

While his family may no longer own the company, Scott Gerkin is proud of the legacy his grandfather started, and that his father and uncle carried on continues to be well represented nearly nine decades after it began.

Theyve always been one to go after high-quality product lines, and to see the Schneiders take on the same mentality and expand the size of the company and the quality of the products with new products over the years has been extremely exciting to see and fun to be part of, he said.
LE MARS  Scooping up BoDeans Baking Group of Le Mars was a no-brainer for the decision makers at Joy Cone Company, Americas largest ice cream cone producer.

The Hermitage, Pennsylvania-based company last fall purchased BoDeans, which makes cones, wafers and dessert crumbs.

Terms of the deal, which followed two years of negotiations, werent disclosed.

John Wilhelm, chief operating officer of BoDeans, said the transition has been very good.

Joy Cone was the leader in their industry, which is retail and food service, and we were the leader in the novelty side, which is selling to large industrial dairies, Wilhelm said. So it was was a good merger to bring the two companies together.

Wilhelm noted that even even before the merger, the two companies shared numerous similarities.

Believe it or not, the culture of the two companies were very similar: They both were privately held family-owned companies that put a real high value on employees, he said. BoDeans and Joy Cone both have a long history of taking good care of their employees.

BoDeans has about 250 employees at its three sites in Le Mars, and no jobs were lost in the transaction. Additionally, the workers now own 100 percent of the company through an employee stock option plan that was a requirement of the deal.

Although Joy Cone has been around for nearly 100 years  the company was started in 1918 by Albert George, an immigrant from Lebanon  BoDeans was allowed to keep its brand identity after the deal was completed.

BoDeans has a good reputation in the novelty industry, so all the novelty customers like Wells (Enterprises Inc., makers of the Blue Bunny brand) and Nestle and Unilever (USA) know who BoDeans is just like how Joy Cone has their identity in retail and food service, Wilhelm said. If you go into a grocery store, youll predominately see Joy Cone on the shelf.

Joining Joy Cone is part of a nearly two decade period of success for BoDeans, which was started by Dean Jacobsen and his wife, Bo, in February 2000. The company found success immediately and was listed as one of Americas fastest growing privately owned companies by Inc. magazine in 2005.

The company has rapidly grown in 15 years, so its always on to another project, said Wilhelm, who has been at BoDeans since 2002. We pretty much started from nothing and turned the company into a very successful company.

Although BoDeans has only been in business for 17 years, the company experienced significant growth during this time. The original cone manufacturing plant expanded from 20,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet within its first year of operation.

In 2004, BoDeans underwent another expansion and added another 25,000 square feet in manufacturing and warehouse space. The manufacturer added wafers to its production line in 2006 and built a 134,000-square-foot plant to support that endeavor.

Over the next decade, BoDeans continued to grow and the original cone production facility is now 90,000 square feet, has 18 cone ovens and has an annual production capacity of 1 billion cones a year. The company also has the capacity to produce 50 million pounds of wafers and 15 million pounds of crumbs/inclusions annually.

Most recently, BoDeans acquired Altesa, Mexicos largest cone producer, in 2013. The Altesa facility, which is located outside of Mexico City, also was included in the Joy Cone deal.

In addition to quality, Wilhelm laid out other basic reasons for BoDeans continued success.

BoDeans entered the market with the premises of being a low-cost producer, so we always invested in the most current and modern technology and constantly upgraded our assets, Wilhelm said. We have a low overhead structure and self-directed work teams  we empower people to make decisions as a group  and we just work well from a cost standpoint.

When executives from Joy Cone were visiting Le Mars during the negotiation process with BoDeans, one thing that impressed them most about the operation was the latters facilities.

Theyre first-class facilities and frankly that was one of the selling points, Joy Cone CEO David George said in December. Their operation is first rate  facilities and equipment are top of the line  and you can tell right away its a great operation.

Like Wilhelm, George thought the two companies fit together really well.

It was really a perfect match because its a product we understand and it gets us into a market that we always wanted to get into, but were unable to before, George said.

Wilhelm noted joining forces also gives them a few advantages.

Some of the benefits are you get to see how each company was doing things and share best practices, he said. Obviously, theres things BoDeans did very well and theres things Joy did very well and we got to look and analyze that and apply best practices in both facilities.

Another advantage would be on the purchasing side because we essentially doubled the size of our company. It gives us a lot more purchasing power, so, hopefully, we can buy raw materials and ingredients better as a result.
SIOUX CITY | Cloverleaf Cold Storage's $18 million expansion of its Sioux City warehouse facility is the latest in a series of additions the company has completed across the United States.

Begun last summer and expected to be completed this summer, the 140,000-square-foot addition to the company's warehouse facility in Sioux City's Bridgeport industrial area comes on the heels of recently completed projects in Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio.

The Sioux City expansion demonstrates Cloverleaf's confidence in the local and regional food industry, company official Adam Feiges said.

"This is an illustration of our faith in the growth and strength in the food processing industry in Northwest Iowa and the upper Midwest," Feiges said.

The expansion of the Sioux City facility adds warehouse space and new loading docks, increasing warehouse space by 50 percent and boosting the storage capacity by 18,000 pallet positions to a total of 48,000 pallet positions. To get an idea of how much product that is, Feiges said, it would be enough to fill 22,000 truckloads with product.

"Construction is proceeding on schedule, and we're very excited to see the facility opening," Feiges said.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board in July approved $405,000 in state tax incentives to help fund the expansion project, which should lead to the creation of eight jobs, Feiges said.

The assistance, through the IEDA's High-Quality Jobs program, includes a refund of states sales, service and use taxes related to construction.

Officials said at the time of the IEDA application that the warehouse expansion was necessary to store a growing output from Cloverleafs local Farmers Produce plant, which has seen continuous growth since 1988. Farmers Produce is a subsidiary of Cloverleaf that provides custom short-run food processing services to the protein production industry.

Cloverleaf, family-owned and operated, was founded in 1952 and currently operates both ambient and refrigerated food-grade warehouses in 17 locations in eight states in the central and eastern United States. In 1962, Cloverleaf built one of the first modern panel-and-rack warehouse buildings in Sioux City. According to trade publications, Cloverleaf is the 11th largest cold-storage warehouse company in the world and the eighth largest in North America.

The company is "actively seeking opportunities" to expand other facilities, Feiges said.
SIOUX CITY | For a company on the move, locating in a building that's also a hub for Sioux City's public transportation makes a lot of sense.

Counsel, a business technology provider, opened its Sioux City office last fall, finding a home on the first floor of the Martin Luther King Transportation Center, 530 Sixth St.

The location made sense. It's a high-traffic area that guarantees the company's signs facing both Nebraska and Sixth streets get a lot of exposure.

"Having these signs here, people driving by here, they definitely know we're here," account executive Sam Avery said.

The downtown site also was a practical choice, given that Counsel has a number of business clients in the downtown area. It's also fun to be part of the downtown atmosphere, said Ryan Lundgren, vice president of sales.

Counsel focuses on business technology: the sale, leasing and service of office copiers, printers, 3D printers and document management systems. It doesn't sell office furniture or supplies.

The company was founded 26 years ago under the name Bro Business in Harlan, Iowa. Joel and Karen Longtin of Sioux City bought it 14 years ago and changed the name to Counsel.

Lundgren said the company had a strong presence in southwest Iowa through the Harlan location.

It expanded into Sioux City after buying the technology division of Sioux City-based Office Elements in November 2015.

"That's what brought the Counsel brand to Sioux City," Lundgren said. "The opportunity for the acquisition was right, so it really made sense. It really fills in our territory."

First up was securing Office Elements' former clients, something Lundgren said Counsel was able to do.

"We were able to communicate quickly with all the Office Elements customers and make them comfortable with who we are," he said.

With the number of clients in Siouxland, the company decided to open an office here. The office houses three technicians who came over in the Office Elements purchase and Avery's sales position. Lundgren said it's possible that a second sales position could be added in the next 18 months.

Within the past year, Counsel has also opened Iowa offices in Storm Lake, Mason City and Algona to go with its Harlan location.

"It's been a fun 16 months," Lundgren said.

Counsel also operates locations in Omaha and Lincoln through a sister company, MOA, or Midwest Office Automations.
SIOUX CITY | For the second straight year and six out of the last 10 years, metro Sioux City has been crowned an economic development king by Site Selection magazine.

The tri-state region landed on top of the national publication's 2016 list of the small metro areas with the most new or expanded business projects.

The metro area has now been No. 1 in the category of metros with under 200,000 population for four of the last five years, with the streak interrupted only by a runner-up finish in 2014.

Metro Sioux City had 26 qualifying projects in 2016, defined by Site Selection as an investment of at least $1 million, an addition of at least 20,000 square feet or creation of at least 20 new jobs. The publication does not track retail and government projects, or schools and hospitals.

Bowling Green, Kentucky was a distant runner-up with 15 projects in the category.

The 2016 list, released Wednesday, is featured in the publication's March issue  the largest print edition in the magazine's 63 year history  and on its website, siteselection.com

The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and Siouxland Initiative celebrated the milestone Wednesday with a news conference featuring economic development leaders and elected officials from Dakota Dunes, Le Mars, North Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, Sioux City, South Sioux City and Woodbury County.

"I feel like I'm among old friends because you keep doing so well," Site Selection managing editor Adam Bruns said at the new conference. Bruns went on to present a plaque to leaders from The Siouxland Initiative that highlighted the metro area's latest honor.

Bruns complemented the city on its continued success in economic development and pointed out that a recent report from U.S. News & World Report ranked Iowa as the nation's 6th best state and Nebraska as 13th, which meshed with the data his publication has compiled.

"Companies are looking for a place to grow or expand and they like what they see in Siouxland," Bruns said.

The record $2 billion expansion at CF Industries Port Neal site was completed in 2016, and construction continued on several other large industrial projects, including the $300 million Seaboard Triumph Foods plant in Sioux City.

"The projects per capita number is off the charts compared to numbers two, three four and five," Bruns said referring to the top five ranked cities in Sioux City's category.

Chris McGowan, president of the Siouxland Chamber and Initiative, credited the strong collaboration between the tri-state communities for the region's continued success.

"The Siouxland Initiative is very pleased to take a role in helping bring our tri-state together to drive and to help support economic development, but the Siouxland Initiative is one part of a very strong team, one link in a very important chain that includes economic development professionals and elected officials in all our tri-state communities," he said.

Site Selection also announced Nebraska has won the Governor's Cup for the state with the qualifying new and expanded facilities per capita. The Cornhusker state had 101 projects for the year. Iowa finished fifth with 93 projects.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts Ricketts said he wants to make Nebraska a low-cost state in which to do business.

"My goal," Ricketts said in the Site Selection news release, "is to do tax relief every year I'm governor."

Omaha-Council Bluffs topped the 2016 list of metro areas with populations between 200,000 and 1 million.

Texas won the Governor's Cup for having the most qualified projects of any state.

Sioux City metro had previously taken top honors from Site Selection in 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2015.

Site Selection, based in Atlanta, has more than 48,000 subscribers who include professionals who help corporations find the right place to locate and expand.
SIOUX CITY | Restoration of a century-old building brings with it some surprises and sometimes a few delays, but Mark Schuett is happy with what he's found at the former Sioux Tools plant.

He'll be even happier later this year, when he hopes his company, American Natural Processors Inc., will begin operations at the former manufacturing plant at 2901 Floyd Blvd.

Schuett bought the building in 2015 with plans to turn it into a processing, packaging, distributing and warehousing facility for American Natural Processors Inc., one of the nation's largest processors of organic ingredients.

Schuett declined to put a dollar figure on the work done on the building, but it's been a substantial investment, he said. Work has been ongoing for more than a year. Workers stripped the building to the bare bones, replaced windows and roofs. Concrete floors are still being repaired. Rewiring is about 75 percent complete as is relighting.

"It's taken a little longer than what I had hoped for," Schuett said. "We want to do it right. Sometimes you have to invest a little more than you planned to make it last another 100 years."

The former Sioux Tools plant traces its roots to 1914, when Oscar Albertson and Harold Jacobson opened Albertson & Co. The plant started by making piston rings and spark plugs and later expanded its product line, introducing a line of air-powered tools in the 1950s.

By the 1960s, the company had changed its name to Sioux Tools. In 1994, the factory became a division of Kenosha, Wisconsin-based Snap-On Tools, which closed the plant in 2002.

Most recently, the building served as an auxiliary warehouse for Bomgaars Supply, which moved out in 2015 after expanding its main warehouse and distribution center at 1805 Zenith Drive.

Schuett said American Natural Processors will use the Floyd Boulevard site mainly for warehousing and production. The company's research and development division also will be moved here from Cherokee, Iowa. The company will continue to operate its plant in Cherokee, as well as facilities in Galva, Iowa, and Hartley, Iowa.

Once completed and fully operational, Schuett said the Sioux City plant should create 20-25 jobs.

Schuett founded American Natural Processors in 2000 with his wife, Julie. Daughter Nicole, a scientist, and her husband, Sam Jennett, an engineer, have since joined the family-owned operation. The plants craft organic oilseeds into meals, flours and oils, without the use of chemicals or preservatives. The company processes ingredients that include soy, corn, canola, flax, rice, hemp, chia, peas and algae.

Cleaning and de-oiling of grain and oil refining will be done at the company's three other sites. Oil and other products will be transported to Sioux City for final processing and packaging.

By late summer or early fall, the Sioux City plant could begin its first operations, likely liquid product packaging. The Sioux City plant will allow the company to package its oils in smaller quantities. Currently, the smallest containers the company fills are 55-gallon drums. The new plant will allow packaging of smaller jugs that are sold to restaurants, opening up new marketing possibilities in an industry that continues to grow.

American Natural processes most of the organic grain grown in this area, Schuett said, but also handles grain imported from other areas of the country and overseas because the demand for organic products in the United States exceeds what's produced here. Schuett said his plants continue to break production records to keep up with that demand.

"The demand continues to go up on the organic food," he said. "We just keep expanding with it."

The company processes products used as ingredients contained in foods that can be found in organic grocery stores such as Whole Foods and in Hy-Vee's organic food sections. It also produces meal that is used in livestock and poultry feed.
NORTH SIOUX CITY -- Food processing has long been one of the bread-and-butter industries of North Sioux City, which is why Paige Petersen thinks a new frozen burrito company will be a natural fit for the community.

Petersen, the city's economic development director, helped bring Reds All Natural Burritos to the southeast South Dakota city about 2,500.

We are really excited to have them here, she said. Its kind of fun to have a fun, fresh unique company thats all organic  its kind of a one a kind for our area.

Based out Franklin, Tennessee, Reds All Natural produces a variety of frozen products, including burritos, bowls, enchiladas and taquitos, some of which are organic, dairy-free and gluten-free. The companys products are found in more than 40 retail chains across the country.

The burrito maker will occupy space at 803 N. Derby Lane most recently occupied Portionables Inc., division of Sargento Foods, according to Ellen Kaplan, a Century 21 ProLink senior commercial sales associate who represented the buildings owners, Lion Realty, in the negotiations with Reds.

Sargento closed the North Sioux City facility in 2013.

While she was not able to disclose exactly how many jobs Reds is bringing to North Sioux City, Petersen said it was a good number for our area and that these were quality positions being created.

Wrapping up a deal with the frozen burrito maker was considered a big win for North Sioux City, something Gov. Dennis Daugaard acknowledged in a press release shortly after the deal was announced.

Its my pleasure to welcome Reds to North Sioux City, he said. Reds CEO, Mike Adair, made the right choice to establish production capabilities in South Dakota. I am confident our workforce and business climate will help Reds All Natural achieve even greater success.

Chris McGowan, president of The Siouxland Initiative, a regional economic development entity, echoed the governor's sentiments.

The companys executive management team recognized and identified with the exceptional number of successful food processing companies that call this community home," McGowan said in the release. "To their credit, state and community leaders recognized that this is an extraordinary company with a unique corporate philosophy that represents an ideal fit for southeast South Dakota.

Adair, in a release, also said he was happy to expand his company to the Rushmore State.

Weve had a very warm welcome from everyone in South Dakota, and weve been impressed with the work ethic of the people and the skillsets they bring to the food industry, Adair said. Weve seen tremendous sales growth over the last several years and we look forward to continue that momentum and get production underway in North Sioux City.

Adair started Reds in 2007 after tasting one of his wifes homemade burritos. The company is named after the couples rescue dog.

As part of the deal, the state Economic Development Board approved an undisclosed amount of financial assistance to Red's through the state's Revolving Economic Development and Initiative and Reinvestment Payment programs.
NORTH SIOUX CITY -- An empty field behind Royal Canin USAs existing plant on North Derby Lane in North Sioux City will soon be the site of the pet food manufacturer's sparkling new $120 million facility.

Last June, Royal Canin broke ground on the new project, which will replace the 130,000 square foot plant it currently operates in the southeast South Dakota city.

The new state-of-the-art plant is expected to open in April 2019. About $60 million will be spent on construction, and another $60 million will go toward state-of-the-art equipment.

During last summers groundbreaking ceremony, Gov. Dennis Daugaard applauded Royal Canin for reinvesting in North Sioux City.

"Royal Canin could've built a new plant anywhere in the country," he said, "but after thoughtful deliberation, the company chose to remain in South Dakota."

According to a release from the governors office, increasing demand for pet food and a desire to grow the Royal Canin brand were reasons the company pulled the trigger on the expensive investment in North Sioux City.

No matter the motivation, Paige Petersen, economic development director of North Sioux City, is happy the company is staying put.

I think its great for economic development in the state; they could have gone anywhere, she said. Its amazing that North Sioux City will be able to continue that relationship. Im proud of that, and that we have that type of relationship.

Royal Canin, a division of Mars Inc., a McLean, Va.-based conglomerate, does not expect to expand its North Sioux City workforce of 185-full-time employees. Mars Petcare is the worlds highest selling pet food manufacturer and the company had more than $17 billion in sales in 2015, according to petfoodindustry.com

The Royal Canin expansion is part of Mars aggressive attempts at investing in the U.S. In the last five years, the company has spent more than $1 billion on improving or building new facilities across the country.

The new North Sioux City facility will be built to meet leading-edge environmental standards, and will pursue a LEED Gold Certified designation upon completion, as part of Mars company-wide commitment to sustainability. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the nationally-accepted benchmark for designing, constructing and operating green buildings.
SIOUX CITY -- Seaboard Triumph Foods executives feel so confident about the Sioux City market that they're already planning an expansion of their mega pork plan under construction.

Ground was broken in fall 2015 on the company's slaughter and processing plant. Work is expected to wrap in May 2018, with production anticipated to start in July with a single shift and a workforce of about 1,100.

Last month, the company -- a joint venture between Guymon, Oklahoma-based Seaboard Foods and St. Joseph, Missouri-based Triumph Foods -- announced it would add a second shift in May 2018, growing total employment to around 2,000.

The timing of the expansion for a second shift is a result of growing demand for the Seaboard Foods line of quality pork products as well as ongoing growth in the industry, STF chief operation officer Mark Porter said in a release. The support demonstrated thus far by our customers, community, city and state agencies simply gives us great confidence to grow right here in Northwest Iowa."

Mayor Bob Scott praised the company for the additional investment, saying it "shows the confidence that Seaboard Triumph Foods has in our community."

"As one of the largest projects in Sioux City, this expansion will create the demand for further housing growth to accommodate new employees in the region, Scott said in a statement.

With a second shift, the plant will have the capacity to slaughter and process up to 20,000 to 24,000 hogs daily, or 6 million hogs per year, double the initial projections.

The new construction, which will begin this spring, will increase the total square footage from 850,000 to 950,000, and raise the total cost from around $264 million to excess of $300 million.

To help finance the larger investment, a state economic development board last month approved an additional $3.3 million in tax incentives. The action raises to $16.5 million the total state tax credits and sales and use tax refunds awarded to the blockbuster project since it was announced in May 2015.

The city also awarded an incentive package that included waiving $7.7 million in property taxes on the sprawling complex for the first five years, based on a scale that will gradually reduce the exemption.

The Sioux City plant, the first all-new pork slaughter facility in the U.S. in a decade, is being constructed on a 250-acre site in the city's Bridgeport West Business Park, bounded roughly by Interstate 29 to the east, the Missouri River to the west and Sioux Gateway Airport to the south.

Hundreds of temporary construction workers have been deployed to the site, creating a big economic boost to the region. Epstein is the managing contractor for the project. The Chicago-based firm has extensive experience building similar meat factories, including the Triumph Foods plant in St. Joseph, Missouri. The majority of the subcontractors are based in Siouxland. So too are most of the workers assigned to the project.

The state-of-the-art Sioux City plant, designed with technologies to mitigate odors, will mirror the St. Joseph plant, which opened in 2006, and today employs about 2,800.

After the second shift begins, the Sioux City plant will have about 200 salaried positions and 1,800 hourly production positions. The company has hired a substantial number of the salaried posts and recently started job fairs and other hiring efforts for production jobs.

Hiring locally for full-time positions is a priority, said Irving Jensen III, STF director of community relations and government affairs. With local unemployment at a near-historic low, however, officials also are recruiting beyond the tri-state region.

The new factory's initial annual payroll in excess of $50 million, as well as spending on materials, supplies and services, is expected to ripple through the local economy, creating new sales for a host of ancillary businesses, from truck drivers to pallet makers to cold storage warehouses.
SIOUX CITY | After hitting a brief snag in relocating its Sioux City operations, Time Management Systems is ready to move forward with construction of its new building this spring.

"We're still hoping to break ground as soon as the ground thaws," said Jennifer Vanderloo, co-owner, vice president and CFO of the business, which traces its Sioux City roots to 1975.

The company has an accepted offer on a lot at 4050 Stadium Drive and is reviewing it to make sure the site will accommodate building plans. The company had hoped to have construction already started at another lot on Stadium Drive, but discovered that site was not large enough, necessitating the purchase of a larger site, Vanderloo said.

Vanderloo said she hoped construction of the nearly 5,000-square foot building could be completed by late summer, at which time all employees and services will be moved from a building the company currently leases at 3220 Line Drive. The new site will relieve crowded conditions that have made expansion difficult.

"It'll allow us the growth for our employees to better serve our customers," Vanderloo said.

The $600,000 project, aided by a $75,000 tax credit from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, is expected to add seven new jobs to the company, which provides time and attendance solutions, both hardware in the form of time clocks that employ different types of scanning technology to time card software that can be customized and programmed to fit companies of any size. The company also provides door access systems.

The new building will double the size of the Sioux City site, which houses administrative services and technical support. Currently there are eight to 10 workers in Sioux City, but there's no room to put more workers. The new location will accommodate continued growth, Vanderloo said.

"It'll better allow us to deal with our customers," she said.

That growth included the opening five years ago of a site in Sioux Falls that serves as the company's headquarters. Despite that South Dakota location, Time Management Systems has a long history in Sioux City.

Vanderloo's parents, Tom and Carol Rademacher, opened Midwest Typewriter Co. in 1975 on Nebraska Street. As the company evolved, its name changed to Midwest Office Automations when it began selling copiers and printers and developed the time and attendance division. It also moved to Gordon Drive before landing at its current site at Line Drive.

Eventually, the Rademachers sold off the copier division and split off the time and attendance division to create Time Management Systems. In 2013, the Rademachers sold the company to Vanderloo and her sister, Melinda Kroll.

Vanderloo said Time Management Systems continues to look at opportunities to add to or expand its time and attendance services.

"We're expanding now what we currently offer," she said.
DAKOTA DUNES  About a fifth of the 47 units in Ho-Chunk Inc.s new Dakota 303 luxury apartment complex in Dakota Dunes have been leased, according to Dennis Johnson.

Johnson, Ho-Chunks chief investment officer, said units have only been available for leasing for about three months. However, they are pleased with how things are going at Dakota 303, where apartments are renting for $1,250 a month.

For that four-digit price tag, tenants are granted access to an indoor pool, a fitness area, garage parking and secure building features. Additionally, each 1,100 square-foot unit features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, is equipped with a modern kitchens, quartz countertops, a washer/dryer, stainless steel appliances, 9-foot ceilings and tiled master showers.

Construction on the $7.5 million three-story apartment complex on Dakota Dunes Boulevard was completed last summer. Something unique about the project was the method in which the building was assembled.

Dakota 303 was built using a modular design, meaning the apartments were built off-site, shipped to the area, then stacked upon the foundation. Johnson once compared the construction technique to an extreme version of staking Lego bricks.

The apartment modules were built off-site at Ho-Chunk's facility, Dynamic Homes, in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, before being shipped to the Dunes.

Ho-Chunk is the economic development corporation for the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.

Johnson once said the Dakota Dunes complex will be the newest, nicest and most modern complex in the planned community in southeast South Dakota.
LE MARS, Iowa | As its largest employer continues to expand, Le Mars isn't going to be relinquishing its title as "Ice Cream Capital of the World" anytime soon.

Le Mars-based Wells, makers of Blue Bunny ice cream and frozen novelties, is in the midst of a 6,000-square-foot addition to its South plant that will add amenities for its employees.

The $40 million project, funded in part by a $3 million tax relief package awarded by the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board, also includes a plant upgrade and modernization that will add two new production lines, creating more than 80 new jobs at a company that employs more than 2,000 workers.

"This was demand-driven and capacity-driven," said Brad Galles, South ice cream plant manager/senior director. "It's purely driven on our growth trend and aspirations to continue growing the business."

The project is also meant to improve the work environment for the plants employees. The building addition will house an improved break room, locker rooms and cafeteria. It will update an area that is 25 years old with more TV sets and quiet areas in which workers on lunch breaks can use their phones, laptop computers or other electronic devices. The area will have the feel of a college dorm lounge, Galles said.

"We're trying to create a better environment for our employees to enjoy their lunch and enjoy their time off," he said.

Construction on the expansion began in December. Galles said he hoped the project would be finished in April.

Workers anticipating the new break areas have caught glimpses of the work in progress.

"Employees, I think, are excited. Break rooms are something we hadn't ever updated before," Galles said.

Installation of the two new production lines, which will produce frozen novelties and ice cream, has begun. Galles said it's hoped the new lines will be running in May. Most of the new workers have been hired or are being hired so that training can begin soon.

The addition will bring the total number of production lines in the South plant to 41. Their addition comes on the heels of a 2016 expansion in which one packaged ice cream production line was added.

The addition of lines is part of Wells' continual examination of its production to meet consumer needs, Galles said. If it's deemed necessary, the company could add production lines in the future.

"We continue to evaluate our growth trends," Galles said. "We're always looking at our future and what that might be."
SIOUX CITY -- WestRock is moving ahead with a $48 million expansion of its corrugated box operations in Sioux City.

Plans call for the company to consolidate its two manufacturing plants on Tri-View Avenue and Bridgeport Drive. All manufacturing will be done at the Bridgeport plant, where an 82,000 square-foot addition is under construction.

For the company to remain competitive, new technology will be installed at the combined plant that will automate some job functions, according to documents filed with the city.

This investment will allow WestRock to modernize our operations in Sioux City, Chris Augustine, WestRock director of corporate communications, said in a news release issued last October by the city and The Siouxland Initiative. We will be more competitive in the industry and retain as many jobs as possible in the local community once we improve our facility layout and update our equipment.

As part of the expansion, the plant at 1540 Tri-View Avenue will be converted into a warehouse and distribution center, according to documents filed with the city.

Without the modernization and consolidation project, the company likely would have relocated to another state, city officials said. Mayor Bob Scott said city leaders began talks with WestRock officials last year to ensure the large employer remained here.

They had an opportunity to expand in other areas of the country and we appreciate their decision to invest in Sioux City," Scott said in the October statement.

WestRock has had a presence in this community for decades and their decision to make a very substantial capital investment in Sioux City helps ensure that they will be with us for many more years to come, Siouxland Initiative President Chris McGowan said in the statement.

In Sioux City, WestRock manufactures corrugated boxes for metro Sioux City industries that includes Tyson Foods, BPI Inc. and Curly's Foods.

WestRock, based in Norcross, Georgia, has 39,000 employees at more than 250 operating and business locations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia.
IDEX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides applied solutions worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Fluid & Metering Technologies (FMT), Health & Science Technologies (HST), and Fire & Safety/Diversified Products (FSDP). The FMT segment designs, produces, and distributes positive displacement pumps, small volume provers, flow meters, injectors, and other fluid-handling pump modules and systems, as well as offers flow monitoring and other services for the food, chemical, general industrial, water and wastewater, agricultural, and energy industries. The HST segment designs, produces, and distributes precision fluidics, rotary lobe pumps, centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, roll compaction and drying systems, pneumatic components and sealing solutions, high performance molded and extruded sealing components, custom mechanical and shaft seals, engineered hygienic mixers and valves, biocompatible medical devices and implantables, air compressors and blowers, optical components and coatings, laboratory and commercial equipment, precision photonic solutions, and precision gear and peristaltic pump technologies. This segment serves food and beverage, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical, cosmetics, marine, chemical, wastewater and water treatment, life sciences, research, and defense markets. The FSDP segment designs, produces, and distributes firefighting pumps, valves and controls, rescue tools, lifting bags, and other components and systems for the fire and rescue industry; engineered stainless steel banding and clamping devices for various industrial and commercial applications; and precision equipment for dispensing, metering, and mixing colorants and paints used in retail and commercial businesses. IDEX Corporation was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois.
Upon taking office, President Donald Trump dusted off a portrait of Andrew Jackson and hung it above his desk in the Oval Office. He chose better than he knew.

The most jaw-dropping furor of the early Trump administration  the Obama wiretapping allegation  was presaged in broad outline almost 200 years ago during Jacksons presidency. Trump is Jacksonian not just in political sensibility but also in temperament, and that ultimately could determine the fate of his presidency.

Trumps tweets created a sense of crisis in his own government, sent his aides scrambling to find some justification and could yet have momentous consequences if, say, FBI Director James Comey quits in the fallout.

This is a lot of work for a Saturday morning tweetstorm arising, as far as we can tell, from a fit of pique.

Still, it doesnt have anything on the Peggy Eaton affair. On the surface, the affair involved the picayune question of how a wife of one Cabinet member was treated by the wives of other Cabinet members. Yet it blighted the beginning of Jacksons presidency, remade his Cabinet and affected subsequent presidential politics.

Peggy Eaton was married to Jacksons secretary of war, John Eaton. She was beautiful, impetuous and not popular with the other women in Washington society, who considered her of low character.

The attacks on Peggy reminded Jackson of abuse directed at his late wife, Rachel, and he devoted himself entirely to her cause. In the ensuing contention, invitations to parties, gossip and petty snubs took on the highest political significance.

Imagine The Real Housewives of D.C.  except with the president of the United States intimately involved in every brawl. Secretary of State Martin Van Buren deftly worked the politics of the affair to become a favorite of Jackson and set himself up to get elected as his successor, while Vice President John Calhoun  whose wife, Floride, was a Peggy antagonist  fell from favor.

Jackson and Trump share qualities that invited their respective blowups.

Theres the moodiness. Jackson biographer Jon Meacham describes him at one point as grumpy and wounded, sensitive and wary of conspiracy. Surely, that captures Trumps mood when tweeting a week ago Saturday, furious at the latest eruption of the Russian controversy.

Theres the oppositional mindset. Jackson believed, Meacham writes, the country was being controlled by a kind of congressional-financial-bureaucratic complex in which the needs and concerns of the unconnected were secondary to those who were on the inside. This is a fair approximation of the deep state that Trump and his supporters believe is out to sabotage him.

Theres the combativeness. Jackson viewed all conflict in military terms, and Trump is ever the counterpuncher.

Theres the emphasis on loyalty. In the Eaton affair, Jackson couldnt abide contradiction. Trump aides must defend the indefensible when the president goes off half-cocked, knowing every controversy is a loyalty test.

Theres the backdrop of hostile polite opinion. Jacksons critics considered him unbalanced and dictatorial, as Meacham puts it. Sound familiar?

Finally, both Jackson and Trump viewed the controversies as a test of their legitimacy. Jackson saw the attacks on Peggy Eaton as a way to undermine his authority to pick whomever he pleased for his Cabinet. Trump considers the Russia story an attempt to undermine his November victory.

Jackson eventually found his way out of the Eaton affair, not through continued internal warfare but by deftly negotiating a turnover of his Cabinet. Similarly, Trump wont punch his way out of the Russia story with wild allegations of his own, but by focusing on matters of greater public import.

Jackson won two terms, and for all his faults demonstrated a deep love of country. The test for Trump is whether he can rein in his Jacksonian temperament enough to get out of his own way.

In the meantime, just like the first time around, political observers will be agog. As John Quincy Adams noted when Jacksons Cabinet turned over, people stare  and laugh  and say, what next?
Labour  March 12, 2017  Alia Karim and David Bush

On Monday March 6th, striking York University food service workers, represented by Unite Here Local 75, voted to accept their new contract. The workers went on strike for and won a $15/hour starting wage and fair working conditions. Their victory paves the way for workers right across the province to achieve $15 and fairness.

The workers won major improvements to their contract in the nearly three week strike. They will see an immediate bump in their starting wage from $12.21 per hour to $13.21, which will apply retroactively back to last September. There will be a further wage increase this coming September and by the end of the first year of the contract, the starting wage for all workers will be $15.

The workers won improvements in contract language which will protect union work and breaks. They also achieved a significant victory by getting Aramark to fully cover the dental plan, which the company has never done for any of its workers in North America. By the end of the contract, all workers, both full-time and part-time, will be on the health and dental plan.

The 160 Aramark food service workers at York University had been preparing for this round of contract negotiations since last year. The low pay, bullying, racial discrimination by management, and the poor working conditions bred widespread discontent amongst the workers. They built up the confidence to take on a powerful multinational corporation and the York University administration by marching on their boss, holding demonstrations, and organizing mass meetings with other food service workers across the GTA. Through months of organizing, the workers in the union were able to produce a 100 per cent strike ratification vote.

On February 2, the food service workers walked off the job on a one-day strike, shutting down all Aramark locations at York University. The workers marched on campus, held multiple rallies, and demonstrated their strength to the employer and the administration.

Workers then went on indefinite strike on February 16. They held a picket line at the main gate and organized two marches on campus a day. During Yorks reading week, which was on the second week of the strike, the union organized a week of actions downtown targeting the company. They were joined by the striking food service workers from UofT Scarborough (who are still on strike).

Building Support

The workers picket line was at the main entrance of the University. Although most of the Aramark locations were shutdown on campus, as the strike proceeded management and a small amount of workers crossing the picket line allowed the company to open a couple of locations.

Food service workers were not engaged in this struggle alone. Other workers and students organized an extensive solidarity campaign to help the workers achieve a victory.

This work did not begin when the strike started or even in the weeks leading up to the strike. In fact, organizing began many months before. The Real Food Real Jobs campaign started in the winter semester of 2016 at York University. The goal of this campaign was to build solidarity with York food service workers and fight for healthier food options on campus. The Fight for $15 and Fairness, a provincial wide campaign to fight for labour law and employment standards reform, formed an active group on the York campus at the end of the 2015, and then joined in the efforts of Real Food Real Jobs last spring.

These groups spent months doing outreach, raising awareness about the food service workers struggle, and about the need to improve the minimum standards of work for all workers. They organized a solid routine of tabling, petitioning, class talks, MPP visits, postering, and fun creative actions to raise awareness. The orientation was not to debate or talk to the already converted, but to win over a majority of students and workers on campus to support a $15 minimum wage and fairness at work.

The groups operated under the assumption that the best way to build solidarity was not to simply argue that students should support food service workers because Aramark workers had it rough. This was true, but the goal was to get students to see that a victory for the food service workers made it easier for other workers on campus and right across the province to achieve similar victories. With a large percentage of students working low-wage jobs and many more expecting to, making this link was an important part of the solidarity effort.

The Cross Campus Alliance (CCA), a coalition with representatives from the main employee associations and student federations on campus, was also a crucial element in the solidarity campaign. The CCA produced thousands of solidarity posters which students put up right across campus. The CCA also helped set up a website, York15.ca, which generated a solidarity letter for all community members to sign on to that would automatically be sent to the president, the chair of the Board of Governors, and all of the vice-presidents. Members of the York community filled out the solidarity letter and flooded the administrations emails. The CCA was instrumental in preventing the administration from isolating the food service workers from the other trade unions and student unions on campus. The CCA also got an amazing videographer to produce a series of videos explaining the issues and documenting the strike and solidarity efforts. These videos were invaluable for class talks and promoting the struggle on social media.

In the lead up to the strike, these groups helped organize a series of successful demonstrations on campus that traveled to the main cafeteria and other Aramark food service locations. The rallies were used as an opportunity to show all the workers that they did not stand alone, to build further awareness about the strike with the wider York community, and to demonstrate to Aramark management that the workers had broad support. In fact, when management saw that students were supporting workers and faculty began to cancel catering with Aramark, they became visibly upset.

Engaging in Solidarity

When the strike was called, a wide range of solidarity actions were initiated to get more students and community members involved. As workers walked the picket line they were joined at points by various student and union groups. Some faculty even visited the picket line with their students.

One tactic that proved successful was the solidarity coffee. On campus, management opened a select few locations to break the strike. In an effort to blunt managements efforts and reinforce the boycott, the CCA, Real Food Real Jobs, $15 and Fairness, and the Osgoode Law Union coordinated a series of coffee stations set up right next to a management-run Tim Hortons or Starbucks. Everyone entering the location was handed a leaflet, got an explanation about the strike from a volunteer about why they should support the workers, and then was offered free coffee. The solidarity coffee actions were extremely effective and often resulted in little to no business going to Aramark. These actions would not have been possible without the York Federation of Students taking the lead on the logistics.

But providing free coffee six days a week all day while workers walked the picket was expensive and unsustainable. On days and at locations where solidarity coffee wasnt being provided, mass leafleting at open Aramark locations was organized. While many students knew about the strike, there was some confusion about which sites on campus were on strike and which werent. On such a large campus, it was a mistake to assume that everyone already knew about all the issues. The leafleting provided more opportunities to educate students about the issues.

The goal of the solidarity work was to build a large base of support for the striking workers on campus and to get those supporters to put the heat on the university administration to help settle the strike. The York administration had repeatedly denied that strike had anything to do with them, but they had subcontracted out the work to Aramark and they had essentially created a budget line for food services on campus.

Beyond the thousands of posters, leaflets, and emails targeting the university administration, the solidarity campaign also set its sights on disrupting the Experience York Day. On Sunday March 5 at Glendon campus and on Saturday March 11, York hosts its two big recruitment and orientation days in which it tries to convince students to enroll for the upcoming fall semester. The solidarity campaign planned a big Experience York on Strike greeting for prospective students and their families. The website which mirrored the official website for the day was set-up and was actually shared by members of the administration and the official York social media accounts.

The York administration, feeling the pressure from students and workers and concerned about any hit to potential enrollment, began to get involved informally in the negotiations in the week leading up to the settlement. Aramark, which cares little about its already tarnished brand, was upset that its client was being targeted because that could endanger any future contract.

Why This Matters

The victory is a huge win for racialized workers in low-wage industries who are forced to take the hardest and least desirable jobs without basic labour protections. The majority of Aramark food service workers are women of colour. Harassment and intimidation from managers was targeted at women, physically pushing them to work harder and if they didnt comply they would be disciplined through suspension or a cut in hours. Some female workers were told they are not going to be promoted because they were Muslim and wore a hijab. There were pregnant women who were bullied and harassed to continue working despite their need for proper breaks.

These women decided to fight back and were very vocal about their experiences at work. They asked for an end to harassment, racism and Islamophobia and for respect and dignity. Their struggle shows that $15 and Fairness is not just about economic justice for workers, but it is also about justice for racialized women who face intersecting exclusion on the basis of class, race, sex, gender, and status. Their demands for respect and dignity were inherently tied to demands for higher wages and fair working conditions. Their victory is a huge win for racialized women who bear the brunt of precarious work and shows how $15 and Fairness demands can effectively push back against systemic inequalities in the labour market.

The victory at York belongs above all to the workers, whose confidence and organizing galvanized the entire York community and the whole Fight for $15 and Fairness movement. The strike was also a victory for the students and other unions on campus. The victory for improved working conditions for the food service workers make it possible to think of fighting to make all of York a $15 and fairness campus. The new networks of students and workers forged in this fight can continue the struggle after the settlement.

The lesson for those engaged in the solidarity work is that doing sustained mass outreach and consciousness building about the issues  and even broader concepts like striking, scabbing and unions  is essential. This was made easier by the existence of the $15 and Fairness campaign, which spoke to the direct interests and concerns of students and other workers on campus. Instead of making the support for the service workers contingent upon an abstract sense of solidarity, it allowed people in the York community to concretely understand that a victory for food service workers would make it easier to achieve $15 and fairness for all workers.

The goal is not just to win legislative reform, it is also to build the confidence and capacity of workers to engage in this fight.

The solidarity effort fed off the strength of the workers. Their courage and convictions were the scaffolding of the work done by all the groups on campus. No one group aimed to divide, dominate, or take credit for the solidarity because the striking workers anchored and clarified what needed to be done. Everyone came to operate under the premise that many hands make light work.

The strike also shows the true power of the Fight for $15 and Fairness campaign. The campaign is aiming to reform labour law for unionized and non-unionized workers alike. The goal is not just to win legislative reform, it is also to build the confidence and capacity of workers to engage in this fight.

What this successful strike demonstrates is that the campaign can be used by workers to achieve substantive victories in the collective bargaining process. What we saw firsthand was the Fight for $15 and Fairness can raise expectations, it can help build a wide layer of support, and it can be a useful framework to galvanize workers and students into action. By building a broad based class movement for all workers, the campaign can help raise the floor of working standards so that unionized workers can have the power and confidence to fight for more. 
Kwame Marshall, left, an electrical engineer at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, celebrates his win as a Most Promising Engineer-Government at the 31st annual Black Engineer of the Year Award Conference in Washington, D.C., with NAVAIR Cmdr. Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags. (USN photo)

PATUXENT RIVER, Md.

Frederick Smith, second from right, an information technology specialist at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division is recognized as a Modern-Day Technology Leader during the 31st annual Black Engineer of the Year Award Conference Feb. 10 in Washington, D.C. Pictured, from left, are Dr. Pamela McCauley, professor and director of the Ergonomics Laboratory in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems at the University of Central Florida, Ann Marr, vice president of Human Resources at World Wide Technology, Smith, and Dr. Kendall Harris, Dean of the College of Engineering at Prairie View A&M University. (USN photo)

(March 09, 2017)Two NAVAIR employees won awards at the 2017 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Conference Feb. 9-11 in Washington, D.C.Kwame Marshall, an electrical engineer, won the Most Promising EngineerGovernment Award, and Frederick Smith, an information technology specialist, won a Modern-Day Technology Leader Award.According to BEYA, the Most Promising Engineer Award recognizes an engineer in the early years of his or her career who demonstrates tremendous potential for future technical contributions. Marshall, based out of Patuxent River, is the H-1 lead mission systems engineer and mission computer project lead."Over the two years I have known Kwame, I have witnessed him being the first one to volunteer for a grueling task," said Ron Ashleman, PMA-290 mission systems deputy. "He moves heaven and earth to get the job done and on schedule. He is bright and an intuitive problem solver. He volunteers for numerous mentoring groups. His engineering peers look to him for career advice, and he willingly helps others."Marshall's career began as a Department of Defense contractor electrical engineer intern at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, California. He transitioned to the Naval Air Training Systems Division in Orlando, Florida, in June 2012, supporting the P-8A Trainer program. In 2013, Marshall moved to Patuxent River, where he now oversees the production, sustainment, development and retrofit of 12 systems for three H-1 aircraft variants."The best advice I would give an upcoming NAVAIR employee in the STEM field would be never be afraid to come out of your comfort zone," Marshall said. "We need to step up to every challenge and opportunity that is presented to us and embrace it. Doing this will make each and every one of us better engineers and scientists.""I'm motivated by knowing everything that I work on directly affects the warfighter's life," Marshall said. "They depend on me to ensure they have functional and cutting-edge technology to give them every advantage possible to keep us safe."The Modern-Day Technology Leaders Award recognizes individuals such as Smith who are committed to shaping and strengthening the future of STEM."When I found out I was selected, I was excited and rejuvenated," Smith said. "I felt that some of the fruits of my labor were coming to bear."Before joining the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in 2014, Smith served as a federal contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan for five years, supporting operations in information security and identity dominance through using biometric automated toolsets. He currently works in the Weapons System Center for Integration supporting the Warfare Systems Integration Laboratory Engineering Division."Since I've been here, I have worked to have a thorough knowledge of the environment I work in and the people I support in information security," he said. "I want to ensure that I'm able to meet with them and align with them in their strategic and tactical goals, as well as their overall mission to ensure that I provide them the tools, information and resources needed to operate safely as they make the new cutting edge widgets or gadgets for our warfighters."NAVAIR relies on STEM careers to accomplish research, testing and evaluation, and engineering services. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women and other minorities have historically been unrepresented in STEM fields.NAVAIR employs more than 2,300 African-American employees, with approximately 800 working in STEM positions.
Noah Zwick, left, and Jeff Seehase work on their flying skills during the Introduction to Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) course (AVN-5000) at the La Plata Campus. (Photo: CSM)

LEONARDTOWN, Md.

(March 12, 2017)Two new drone classes will be offered this spring at the College of Southern Maryland's Leonardtown Campus. The first course is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to safely operate a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) or drone. The second course is for those pilots who want to use a drone for commercial purposes and need to pursue FAA certification.A free information session on the two new courses will be held March 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Leonardtown Campus, Building C, Room 114."Drones are for everyone," said Bill Winters, instructor for both of the courses. "You can use these for home videos. You can use them in your business. There are unlimited applications."With twice as many drones sold in 2016 as in the previous year, approximately 2.5 million, the FAA is encouraging drone owners to fly safely and has developed strict rules and regulations on the operation of drones. "Every drone that meets FAA criteria as a sUAS must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration," Winters said. "The Federal Aviation Administration  would like anyone who receives a sUAS to know the rules and regulations before they take to the air." The two upcoming courses at the Leonardtown Campus are designed to provide that training."Introduction to Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS)" (AVN-5010) is a 12-hour class that will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 18-27 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Students will come away from the course with their own drone and the necessary software, along with the skills to use it."Remote Pilot Test Prep" (AVN-5020) is an six-hour class on Tuesday and Thursday, May 2 and 4 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. designed to help pilots prepare for the FAA certification test. As of August 2016, FAA pilot certification is required of anyone operating a drone for business purposes."The College of Southern Maryland is excited to offer these new courses on this emerging technology," Dr. Daniel Mosser, CSM vice president of continuing education and workforce development, said. "There are countless applications and workforce impacts expected, and we are offering the most comprehensive, up-to-date course material available so that our students can be among those who are capturing this technology's potential."Reggie Young of Prince Frederick was a student in CSM's inaugural drone course, held earlier this year at the La Plata Campus. The initial course was a combination of the two courses being offered at the Leonardtown Campus. "I liked the material that was presented and the obstacle course challenge to fly the drone through," he said. "I think this course could really benefit people who want to learn to fly drones who've never had any previous experience.""The CSM program is geared to empower enthusiasts with the skills they need to enjoy flight in a safe and controlled manner whether you are a beginner or experienced pilot," Winters said. "Career opportunities for students with drone training are endless and include military drone pilot, firefighter, disaster relief, search and rescue, law enforcement, oil and gas operations, traffic reporting, agriculture, forestry, engineering, commercial contractors, film and other industries. The world of sUAS is exploding and CSM can provide you with the skill to be a hobbyist or begin your career in the growing commercial world."Winters was introduced to the small unmanned aircraft program at the National Security Agency, and he assisted with the drone course offered at the La Plata Campus earlier this year. He is a certified FAA pilot and has been operating sUAS commercially for five years.The two upcoming courses were developed by CSM in partnership with SkyOps, a technology transfer company that creates training experiences that prepare the American workforce for new jobs and business models created by emerging technology. This partnership between the college and SkyOps allows CSM to lead innovation in the region by offering a nationally recognized curriculum.To register and for more information, visit www.csmd.edu/drones . For additional assistance, email conedops@csmd.edu or call 301-539-4760.
In the fall of 2014, the Standardbred Canada website ran an article explaining how a horseman with an artificial leg had been licenced to participate in pari-mutuel horse races. Now, the horseman in question has made it into the history books.

In 2014, war veteran Guy Disney received a licence from the British Horseracing Authority to ride in amateur races and point-to-points (steeplechase) events.

Disney, the son of a veterinarian that practices within the British racing industry, was forced to have the distal portion of his right leg amputated in 2009 after an armoured vehicle in which he was travelling in Afghanistan was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade.

Last month, Disney, 34, became the first amputee jockey to guide a winner at a professional racecourse in Britain. He reached the feat with Rathlin Rose in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown. Disney and his mount were the 13-8 favourites in the tilt and went on to win the three-mile affair by four and a half lengths.

Guy Disney, pictured up in the irons (Image courtesy Racingfotos)

As an article by the BBC explains, Disney was more than humble when asked about his feat afterward.

"I've been phenomenally lucky," Disney was quoted as saying. "I've been amazingly well looked after  people have had it far worse than I have. Some don't make it back.

"It's fantastic. He's inspirational to everyone. It puts things into context, said Rathlin Roses trainer, David Pipe.

"I didn't appreciate how big a thing it is. Guy was very excited about it. He was speechless afterwards and just said 'thank you."

(With files from the BBC)
It has been announced that a Down Under winner of more than $2.4 million (NZ) in purses will be making the trek to North America in a few weeks time.

According to an article by stuff.co.nz, 11-time Group 1 winner Christen Me has participated in his last New Zealand race and will now test out the North American pacing scene.

Christen Me, pictured in victory (Martin Hunter / Stuff)

Christen Mes trainer, Cran Dalgety, has stated that Christen Me will ship over to North America in three weeks. He has also said that the star pacer will be sold, but that his connections  Charlie Roberts and Vicki Purdon  could possibly retain a share. Dalgety also said that the pacer will return to New Zealand once his racing days are over.

Christen Me won has won multiple stakes and awards  including having been named New Zealand Horse of the Year for the 2014/15 season  but he has been unable to bounce back from a virus that he caught later in 2015. He returned from the bout of sickness, but, according to the article, hasnt been the same since.

His connections are hoping that Christen Me will thrive from the use of lasix in North America, as they have said that the pacer suffers from pulmonary hemorrhaging.

Vicki Purdon and Cran Dalgety celebrate Christen Me's New Zealand Free-For-All victory in 2014 (John Kirk-Anderson / Stuff)

"With the way things are over there he could really improve," Dalgety was quoted as saying.

"He's got a lot of life left in him yet, he's only had 68 starts so he hasn't been over-raced."

(With files from stuff.co.nz)
Horseman James 'Jimmy' H. Kennedy of Pompano Beach, Florida, passed away on Thursday, March 9, at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale. He was 65.

Born Feb. 1, 1952, in Bay City, Michigan, Mr. Kennedy was the son of the late James D. and Gay (Young) Kennedy.

Mr. Kennedy trained harness horses for many years, with Joe Hurley's Roll The Dice Stable and Arthur Courtemache among his clients. He winter trained his stable at the Pompano Park training side. He had many friends on the backstretch.

The most notable of Mr. Kennedys horses were Shannon Supreme, who finished second in a heat of the 1987 Little Brown Jug, and Aint No Stopn Me p,3, 1:55.1h ($300,747), granddam of 2016 Horse of the Year Always B Miki. Aint No Stopn Me was also the 1995 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes two-year-old filly pace champion. Other winners included 1994 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes champ All I Got; Matron winner Vagabond Heart; Spurred On; Jus Chillin Out p,3, 1:50.3 ($303,801); and his homebred Mister Sea p,4, 1:54.3f ($249,859).

In the last decade, Mr. Kennedy became a licensed racing official and for a period of time, until his health failed him, was the starter at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

He is survived by two daughters, Brenna Kennedy (fiance Matt Rogers) of Ellenville, New York, and Danielle Kennedy (Klaus Busch) of Delanson, New York; and an aunt, Marie Bergweiler of Michigan. He was predeceased by his parents and brothers and sisters.

As per Mr. Kennedys wishes, there will be no services. Arrangements are under the guidance of Loucks Funeral Home, 79 North Main St., Ellenville, N.Y.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, 353 Sweetmans Lane, Suite 101, Millstone Twp, N.J., 08535.

To send a personal condolence to the family please visit www.loucksfh.com.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Jim Kennedy.

(harnessracing.com)
Rejecting populism for hegemony

Theres a superb scene in the movie Syriana where CIA bureaucrats distance themselves from one of their agents, Bob, played by George Clooney, who has become a troublesome asset for the agency. Terry, the pack leader, begins to extemporize a narrative to his subordinates. With cool detachment, he tells them: Put some space between us and Bob. Bob has a long history of entrepreneurial operations. We havent really had a handle on Bob for years. After 9/11, some people got a lot of leeway, let their emotions get the best of them. These are complex times. Theres already an active investigation into Bobs activities inhelp me out here.

At this point, the group flesh out the details of how theyre going to burn the agencys connection to Bob, painting him as an agent gone rogue, slipping the net of agency supervision, defying protocol, and ultimately selling himself to unsavory elements that want a U.S. asset killed. In this way, the leviathan spits out a loyal servant, rendering him obsolete with a fable and a slander, sanctified by the imprimatur of the officialdom.

We should note the importance of the media in all this storyline, albeit fictional. The dark arts of propaganda arent overtly mentioned, but they are the pivotal tools that will animate the destruction of Bobs career. All sound strangely familiar? It should. Its pretty much the script the intelligence community uses as its modus operandi when it needs to deal with an inconvenient public servant.

Theater of the Absurd

With rumors of detente crackling through the ether, the imperialist machinery of anti-Russian foreign policy has cranked into high gear, leveraging leaks and the press to mute Trumps overtures of peace. Leaks to the The Washington Post were leveraged in last months excommunication of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Flynn was rather easily vanquished by a leak from within the American intelligence community outing him as a confabulator and, in pundit spin, a man vulnerable to blackmail by the Kremlin.

After Flynns unceremonious ouster, Attorney General Jeff Sessions was the next target, pilloried by Democrats for his contacts with the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, something he declined to mention in his confirmation hearings. A third interaction has now been surmised, with tantalizing rumors Sessions was in the same room as Kislyak during a cocktail party. Did they conspire over canapes? Smuggle thumb drives wrapped in prosciutto? Exchange piquillo peppers stuffed with nuclear codes? The possibilities blossom like a mushroom cloud. Can you feel the frisson of treason?

Of course, the FBI has been investigating more mundane contacts between the Trump team and Moscow, a project that will either result in Trumps impeachment for some manner of treason or his complete and utter subjection to the foreign policy whims of the foreign policy establishment. A Times article reported that the Obama administration furiously laid the foundation for this investigation by disseminating innuendo that Trump was under Russian influence during the peace laureates last days in office. Typically, the unofficial commentariat in the comments thread praised Obamas patriotism, as though this wanton Wall Street servant was doing anything other than performing last-minute janitorial services for his venal party.

A few weeks ago, a Congressman (Rep. Darrell Issa) obscurely called for the appointment of a special prosecutor. But now Lindsey Graham has embraced the call, suggesting one be named if contact between Trump aides and Moscow were found, regardless of the content of that contact. It reminds one of the proverb that Caesars wife must be above even unfounded suspicion, let alone actual wrongdoing. In any event, Graham and his monomaniacal bedmate, John McCain, continue their lurid press junket, now looking to subpoena intelligence agencies for wiretaps of Trump phone calls, though former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper refuted the wiretap rumor, as did FBI Director James Comey, albeit by the oblique means of asking the Justice Department to do so. In any event, the banishment of Flynn, the tarring of Sessions, and the net of suspicion cast over the Trump administration are fierce warnings from a rattled foreign policy community, a modern equivalent of the severed heads of Roman soldiers set on pikes as a message from Visigoth hordes.

The enveloping of the president in a cacophony of innuendo is likely a collaborative effort between the Justice Department, the National Intelligence Agency, the CIA, and crucially, the mainstream press. Beyond the corridors of the Capitol Hill, civil-society organizations like the George Soros-funded MoveOn.org and Barack Obamas robust Organizing for Action (OFA) are turning up the heat on the streets, creating the visible signs of unrest, sometimes violent, that have capsized governments from Venezuela to Ukraine at the behest of Western oligarchs.

In recent weeks, President Donald Trumps appointment of delusional hawk H.R. McMaster as National Security Advisor, a call for an unnecessary $54 billion dollar expansion of the military budget, his sudden demand for the return of Crimea to Ukraine, his fulminant echoes of Bush administration hysteria over Iran, among other hawkish developments, can be read as an unsettled presidents efforts to appease a foreign policy establishment that is ruthlessly using the media to undermine, and reign in, a wayward steward of empire.

Full-Spectrum Dominance vs. Clear-Headed Detente

But why is Russia such a perennial target of Washingtons? Why are peaceful overtures toward Moscow so scorned? As the Trump administration found out, de-escalation is a no-no in Washington. Russia, along with China, are the leading targets of American long-term foreign policy. They represent the only two nations that might seriously rival the U.S. in Eurasia, which is considered the fulcrum of the 21st century global economy. Preventing the rise of new rivals is long-standing U.S. policy, most explicitly articulated by Paul Wolfowitz on behalf of the Clinton administration in early 1990s.

None of this should come as a surprise. Consider what was at stake. At the macro level, the entire program for global hegemony is under threat. Outlined over decades by foreign policy luminaries such as George Kennan, Allen Dulles, Wolfowitz, and Zbigniew Brzezinksi, the general plan is for full-spectrum dominance, meaning control of land, sea, air, and space, on a planetary basis, with a special emphasis on Eurasian landmass, as the ghoulish McMaster called it in a recent anti-Russian speech.

If history is any guide, it is unacceptable for a U.S. president to thaw relations with Russia unless that thaw consists of Russia capitulating to American demands. Mikhail Gorbachevs trusting dismantling of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact led to a decade of Western looting of Gorbachevs country. Vladimir Putin has since restored a measure of Russias economic and military strength. Where Gorbachev was exploited, Putin is proving resistant to such entreaties, except on the economic front, where he appears to have bought into some of Western neoliberal policy.

Instead, Putin is posing a threat to the forward progress of Washingtons neoconservative foreign policy. He has actively promoted a variety of pipeline projects that would speed Russian oil and gas to Western Europe, undercutting profits of Western multinationals and addicting NATO nations to the energy teat of the Russian Federation. And he has conducted a few military maneuvers that have enraged the Washington elite, which are used to being conciliated by effete comprador elite in developing nations. This is different. A nuclear nation that cant be overrun or bombed into submission. And it shows.

After successfully dismembering Yugoslavia, Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, the West-led spread of chaos across the Middle East stalled in Syria. After happily expanding NATO throughout Eastern Europe with little opposition, expansion hit a wall in Ukraine. In both instances, it is Moscow behind the holding action preventing the American project of global dominion from advancing. Thats why Putin has replaced Hugo Chavez as the Wests most demonized public figure.

Worryingly for covetous D.C. schemers, theres a lot of new economic activity afoot in Eurasia, little of it involving the U.S. This activity includes plans for a Eurasian Union headed by Russia, a metastasizing Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the rapidly advancing One Belt, One Road vision of the Chinese. The latter would effectively be a New Silk Road stretching from Vladivostok to Lisbon, animating Chinese and Russian economic influence across the Asian and European continents, and lifting countries like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This is Washingtons nightmare scenario, since no serious geo-strategist believes global hegemony is feasible short of dominion in Central Asia. This understanding fuels the underlying animus toward Moscow and Beijing. It has nothing to do with ceaseless repeated lies about Russian aggression in Eastern Europe and Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. And it has nothing to do with lies about Moscow rigging the election for Donald Trump or Michael Flynn lifting sanctions in a nefarious quid pro quo.

The Deep State vs. the Nation State

Long-time Congressional staffer Mike Lofgren refers to the murky agencies at work to ensure this planetary plan stays on track as the deep state, in his book of the same name. He writes that it includes key elements of the national security state, which ensure continuity of policy despite the superficial about-faces from one administration to the next. The deep state is effectively a warlike oligarchy, hell-bent on full spectrum dominance, driven by a lust for wealth and power, and anxious to inscribe its name in history. Specifically, Lofgren says, the deep state includes the Department of Defense, the State Department, the National Intelligence Agencies, Wall Street, the defense industry, and the energy consortium, among other major private players. They share common agendas, operate a revolving door of employees, and have a collective distaste for democracy, transparency, and regulation. The deep state is the link between military interventions and trans-pacific trade deals, between sanctions and IMF loans. All of these tools, be they arms or loans or legal structures , serve a single purpose: the overarching control of world resources by a global community of corporate elites. One can also see how these three instruments of policy and power all do tremendous damage to a particular entity, the nation-state. It is the nation-state that is considered by elites to be the sole remaining barricade between populations in nominal democracies and their unfettered exploitation by multinationals, although one might reasonably argue that the state more often abets exploitation rather than deters it.

The Dystopia to Come

So where is this all headed? Aside from the theatrics of the Trump presidency and its sequestration or removal. What would full-spectrum dominance look like? Probably something like a one-world market, populated by enfeebled states, ruled by a worldwide raft of interlocking investor rights agreements that allowed private capital to plunder natural resources free of state restraints, such as labor safeguards, environmental protections, reasonable tax regimes, capital controls or border tariffs. Faceless multinationals would pillage the planet, their anonymous appointees manning the joysticks of power behind the reflective glass of their cloud-draped spindles, unreachable and unelected by the armies of the destitute that prowled the wastelands below. The amalgamated forces of corporate elitism would coolly play labor arbitrage across continents, threaten and destroy defiant economies through currency flight and commodity manipulation, and continue to consume an outsized percentage of the worlds resources. This would fulfill the hegemonic dreams of former State Department Director of Policy Planning Kennan, who once argued that we must dispense with humanitarian concerns and deal in straight power concepts, the better to control and consume an outsized portion of the worlds resources, presumably a privilege reserved for elite whites, and a selection of mandarins from other ethnicities with special clearances.

A criminal corporate commonwealth, supported by a fiat dollar as global reserve currency enforced by threat of war and economic collapse, will be deaf to protest from below, its weaponized satellites aimed at populations like sunlit magnifiers at a column of ants. Currency itself would be wholly digitized. This move would be sold as a positive advance as it would provide better tax accountability and therefore fund future programs of social uplift. Rather it will be employed as a means of totalitarian financial control over populations. Their wealth will be institutionalized. The concept of withdrawal will fade along with the fiction of ownership.

Terrorism will become the chosen tool of this elite power (insofar as it isnt already). Surgical strikes, be they military, economic, or news-driven, will keep the rabble in line as all societies become subservient to the portents of war, the fear of inaccessible funds, and the black smears of an amoral media. The deep state will become an obsolete term, as the nation-state will recede in memory as a relic of a strife-ridden dark age.

After all, the laissez faire cult of the beltway actually believes the planet would prosper sans nation-states. As another scene from Syriana reminds us, elite capital has a very different worldview from the majority of labor, who continue to believe the state has a role to play defending their interests. At one point in the film, Texas oil man Danny Dalton lectures lawyer Bennett Holiday on the true definition of corruption, Corruption!? Corruption is government interference in market efficiencies in the form of government regulation. Thats Milton Friedman! He got a goddamn Nobel Prize! The U.S. already practices free-market militarism, refusing to recognize borders, legal constraints, or geostrategic jurisdiction. Why not free-market finance and trade?

The good news is that, if you can clamber into the top one percent of the U.S. population, for instance, serving as a parasite on the grizzled hide of the corporate beast, you might yet partake of unimaginable luxuries, high in the clouds, sipping Mimosas as you transit between the ring-fenced metropoles of the world, where stateless elites intermingle.
Let's protect American ideals

Four years of the Trump Administration frightens me. I assume too many apolitical Americans were tired of eight years of gridlock by our federal government and felt any change would be an improvement. Its not. At present, many Americans fear deportation and broken families. Others mistrust and misbelieve what the president says. Already many of the president's early cabinet appointees have threatened our public school system, the environment and climate change, and our relationship with foreign partners.

Our country's First Amendment assures Americans of freedom of speech, religion and the press. President Trump claims our press is biased and cannot be believed. This is not true. Most reporters report the best unbiased facts or information available.

President Trump has banned the immigration of immigrants from seven (now six) Muslim nations on the premise that many immigrants may be terrorists. Americans shooting Americans with assault rifles, automatic weapons or handguns are our main means of manslaughter.

Our countrys 2nd Amendment, drafted in 1789, was designed for loyal colonists using their personal weapons to defend our new nation. Our government has never threatened to take away our hunting and sporting arms.

Many Mexican immigrants work at menial jobs in the U.S.; hard work growing and harvesting vegetable or fruit crops or milking cows. These are jobs many American laborers avoid. Without Mexican labor, Wisconsin would not be a major U.S. milk and cheese producer.

I hope leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives, especially Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi, would unite all members of the House into one unit, regardless of political party or political beliefs and take strong measures to preserve American ideals. To me, this means sharing our countrys wealth, conserving our resources, cooperating with other nations on global warming, welcoming immigrants and refugees, aiding our public schools and universities, helping the poor and elderly, along with providing health insurance for all. Above all, we need to curtail worldwide nuclear proliferation and avoid getting American troops involved into another quagmire war.

Calvin E. Kraemer

Chippewa Falls
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PORTLAND, Maine  Gone are the days when cyclists had to put away their bikes for the winter. These days, hard-core riders are staying outdoors year round thanks to fat bikes that allow them to conquer winters worst instead of staying indoors on a stationary bike.

The bikes, with comically large tires, have come into the mainstream in the past couple of years, after being introduced about a decade ago.

John Grondin, 48, of Scarborough, got his fat bike to kick the winter blues.

I wanted to get outside and ride in the winter, he said. I like to ride, period. Ill ride a road bike. Ill ride a mountain bike. I just want to ride.

The ginormous tires are wide enough to float over snow and bounce over obstacles. Groomed snowmobile trails provide miles and miles of winter riding.

Fat bikes represent the first major bicycle trend in several decades, after BMX bikes in the 1970s and conventional mountain bikes in the 1980s, said Jay Townley, partner in Pennsylvania-based Gluskin-Townley Group, a consultant and market research company focusing on the bicycle business.

Growth in the segment has provided something to cheer about for bike retailers and has prevented a slide in bike sales, which number about 18 million units a year, he said.

The industry, quite frankly, needed something. If anything, the fat tire bike helped to keep a stable bike industry instead of losing volume, he said.

The NPD Group, which tracks retail sales of bikes in the U.S., reports that fat tire bike sales have grown eightfold in the past three years, to $74.7 million in 2016.

The growing popularity can be seen at fat bike races.

Every weekend there are races and festivals across the nations snowbelt. Dozens of riders braved single-digit temperatures in February for the Sugarloaf Fat Tire Festival at Maines tallest ski mountain.

The bikes arent cheap. Purchased at an independent bike shop, they can easily top $1,000, and the price goes up from there. But less-costly versions are being sold these days at big-box retailers like Wal-Mart.

Bike shops appreciate the extra business during whats typically a slow time of the year.

The Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop used to close for the winter but is now offering fat bike rentals for riding inside Maines Acadia National Park. Cyclists can ride their fat bikes even if theres a lack of snow that sidelines snowmobiles and cross-country skiers and others winter sports, said shop manager Adam Gariepy.

Range Morton, sales manager at Gorham Bike and Ski in Portland, said fat bike sales creep upward when theres a lack of snow that leads to a corresponding decrease in ski sales.

The fat bikes really help us to get through the winter, Morton said. They were a big help last year and this year.

David Crowell, of Laconia, New Hampshire, said riding takes him back to his childhood, except that he couldnt afford a $5,000 carbon-fiber bike when he was 12.

Getting outdoors, theres a sense of freedom, and perhaps a bit of danger. After all, theres no way to avoid the occasional spill while bombing around in the snow. Thankfully, riders note, snow hurts less than pavement in a crash.

Theres something about those big fat tires  they tend to put a grin on peoples faces, Crowell, 47, said. Its like being a kid. Youre out there doing something. Maybe you shouldnt be doing it, but youre doing it anyway..
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Zander Dejah, 25, pays $1,900 a month rent to live in a downtown San Francisco house with at least 40 other people, many of whom sleep in bunk beds.

Dejah is a resident of The Negev, a communal living space that styles itself as a home for millennial tech workers to brainstorm ideas, write code and create apps, even if they have to share toilets and bathrooms with dozens of others.

Houses like The Negev, located in a neighborhood known as "SoMa" or South of Market, have cropped up around San Francisco as an influx of young professionals, many of whom are tech workers, have faced the city's notoriously high rents and apartment shortages. It has three floors and roughly 50 rooms, filled with bunk beds, beer bottles and laptops, according to residents.

Dejah, born and raised in New York, graduated last year with a degree in computer science and math from McGill University. Unemployed, he moved to California six months ago and found his room at The Negev on Craigslist.

"I thought New York was expensive," said Dejah, who quickly landed a job as a virtual reality engineer at consulting firm moBack. "It's basically an extension of college. We sort of live in a frat house."

The home is certainly filled with parties on weekends, but the residents make sure to sit down every Sunday for a communal dinner, akin to a traditional family gathering.

While some say communal housing provides a solution for many first-time workers fresh out of college, such housing also has created its share of controversy. Housing advocates have complained that this new dorm-like style of living has pushed up rents and forced longtime residents to move out.

Alon Gutman, who co-founded a company called The Negev and began leasing the building on Sixth street in 2014, said, "We have never made somebody move out of that building," adding that his tenants pay 30 percent to 50 percent less than others in the neighborhood.

"We are trying to solve the housing crisis and increase density in a positive way."

The Negev company runs nine communal properties, three of which are in San Francisco. The others are in Austin, Texas, and Oakland, California.

The Negev properties, generally in run-down, low-income neighborhoods, are restructured to accommodate a large number of tenants, Gutman explained.

Sarah Sherburn-Zimmer, executive director of the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, said housing problems have arisen because occupants leave buildings being converted to communal homes and cannot afford to move back in or the space is no longer suitable for them.

"The Negev house takes affordable housing and makes it unaffordable," said Sherburn-Zimmer. "All they've done is take away housing from people who had it and loved it and pushed them out to make a quick buck."

Kumar Srikantappa, 31, who also pays $1,900 a month for a single room at The Negev, said he chose the house because of the social experience. After eight months there, the software engineer for Oracle Corp said he would soon be ready to live elsewhere.

"I met a bunch of friends, and I just want to move on to another location and into a bigger place," he said. "It's time."

Click on reut.rs/2njat9I to see a related photo essay.

Reuters
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Spies at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) have called an emergency summit with Britains political parties after warning them that the next general election is vulnerable to cyber attacks by the Russians.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of all the main political parties offering expert help to strengthen network security, reported the Sunday Times.

In his letter, Martin said: "You will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system."

He called a "technical seminar" on cyber-security for politicians.

"This is not just about the network security of political parties' own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on Parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts," Martin said.

Experts at GCHQ have made protecting the political system from foreign hackers as "priority work".

They fear that Kremlin-backed hackers could steal and leak internal emails or publish private databases of voters' political views in an attempt to damage the standing of political parties with the public, according to the report.

A senior government source said GCHQ would help with the security of "personal datasets, including the electoral roll and voter identification data".

Security officials stepped in after Russia was accused of helping Donald Trump win the US presidential election by hacking and publishing 20,000 emails from the rival Democratic Party.

Russia was also accused of infiltrating the German Parliament's computer network in 2015.

Reuters
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Xi calls for 'great wall of iron' to safeguard restive Xinjiang

China\'s President Xi Jinping claps during the opening session of the National People\'s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Reuters, Beijing :

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for a "great wall of iron" to safeguard the restive western region of Xinjiang after a top official said Islamist separatists pose the "most prominent" challenge to the country's stability.

Xi make the comments at a meeting of Xinjiang's lawmakers on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing, marking his first ever visit to the regional delegation since taking office.

Beijing has long said it faces a determined campaign by a group known as the East Turkestan Independence Movement, or ETIM, in Xinjiang, where hundreds of people have been killed in recent years in attacks and unrest between mostly Muslim ethnic Uighurs and the majority Han Chinese.

"(ETIM) is the most prominent challenge to China's social stability, economic development and national security," Cheng Guoping, State Commissioner for counterterrorism and security, was quoted as saying by the China Daily newspaper.

The comments come about a week after a video purportedly by the Islamic State group surfaced showing Uighurs training in Iraq, vowing to plant their flag in China and saying that blood will "flow in rivers".

"Just as one loves one's own eyes, one must love ethnic unity; just as one takes one's own livelihood seriously, one must take ethnic unity seriously," Xi told the delegation, according to the state broadcaster.

The daily evening news showed Xi meeting delegates in traditional Uighur dress, with one individual presenting him with a photo of a Uighur family whose relative once met Mao Zedong, the founder of modern China.

"I'm too excited. In 1958 old Kuerban met Chairman Mao in Beijing and now I'm meeting Chairman Xi," he said in heavily accented Mandarin.

China is worried that Uighurs have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight for militant groups there, having travelled illegally via Southeast Asia and Turkey.

Rights groups say the unrest in Xinjiang is more a reaction to repressive government policies, and experts have questioned whether ETIM exists as a cohesive militant group. China denies there is any repression in Xinjiang.

Cheng told the China Daily that China should "closely check in on whether Afghanistan is becoming another paradise for extremist and terrorist groups. Such a major development may pose a serious challenge to the security of our northwestern border".

The Global Times, an influential state-run tabloid, said Xinjiang authorities would issue a new anti-extremism regulation this year, possibly later this month, that would "prevent the spread of extremist ideas".




Erdogan compares Dutch rally ban to Nazism as row spirals

Recep Tayyip Erdogan compared moves to block rallies in Germany to \"Nazi practices\".

AFP, Netherlands :

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said a Dutch ban on his foreign minister's visit was like Nazism, as tensions rocketed over rallies abroad to help Ankara gain backing for a key vote.

His comments came after the Netherlands said it would refuse Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu permission to land for a rally to gather support for a referendum on boosting Erdogan's powers.

The Dutch decision to ban Cavusoglu from visiting and holding a rally in the port city of Rotterdam came after Germany and other European nations also blocked similar campaign events.

Unlike in Germany, where a string of planned rallies were barred by local authorities, in the Netherlands it was the government that stepped in to block Cavusoglu's visit.

"They are the vestiges of the Nazis, they are fascists," Erdogan told an Istanbul rally Saturday, days after he angrily compared moves to block rallies in Germany to "Nazi practices". "Ban our foreign minister from flying however much you like, but from now on let's see how your flights will land in Turkey," Erdogan said.

Around 1,000 people waving Turkish flags protested outside the consulate in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam on Saturday evening, watched by a large police presence.

Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya appeared at the scene after reportedly travelling overland from Germany, but Turkish TV said she was stopped by Dutch police some 30 metres (yards) short of the consulate.

"We've been here for about four hours. We were not even offered water," she told the NTV television channel. "(Dutch) police are not allowing me to enter the consulate. "

"I was told to leave the country and return to Germany as soon as possible," she added. "I will not leave unless I am allowed to meet even for five minutes with our citizens."

The Dutch public broadcaster NOS said police were planning to escort Kaya back to the border with Germany. Police would not confirm anything to AFP.

Cavusoglu flew to France where he is expected to address a rally Sunday in the eastern city of Metz. A French official said the visit had been cleared by the foreign ministry in Paris.

As the row raged, Turkish foreign ministry sources said the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul had both been sealed off for "security reasons".

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Erdogan's criticism was "crazy."

"I understand that they are angry but this is way out of line," he said. "I really think we made the right decision here."

Cavusoglu, speaking in Istanbul, said the ban was "unacceptable".

"Why are you taking sides in the referendum?" he said, adding: "Is the foreign minister of Turkey a terrorist?"
BTC to support for expansion local technology based manufacturing sector

Mushfeka Ikfat, Chairman, Bangladesh Tariff Commission, visited Walton factory at Chandra in Gazipur on Sunday. Abdul Quaiyum, Member, Sheikh Liakot Ali, Joint-Chief of the commission, SM Ashraful Alam, Managing Director of Walton Hi-Tech Industries Ltd a

Economic Reporter :

Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) will provide all kinds of supports for the expansion of local technological products manufacturing sector. The local brand is manufacturing various sorts of high-tech products like refrigerator, air conditioner, television and other home and electrical appliances with its cutting-edge technologies and machineries.

BTC Chairman Mushfeka Ikfat expressed such remarks after visiting Walton factory at Chandra in Gazipur on Sunday, said a press release.

Tariff Commission Member Abdul Quaiyum, Joint-Chief Sheikh Liakot Ali, Deputy Chief and actor Mir Sabbir were accompanied her.

Managing Director of Walton Hi-Tech Industries Ltd, SM Ashraful Alam welcomed the Tariff Commission Chairman and her entourages with bouquets after their arrival at Walton Hi-Tech & Micro-Tech Industries premises.

Executive Directors of Walton Group Abul Bashar Howlader, Md Sirajul Islam and Ashraful Ambia, Senior Operative Director Uday Hakim and Operative Director Engineer Golam Murshed were among other top Walton officials present on the occasion.
JS resolution on 'Day of Genocide' hailed



People of all walks of life including those working for the cause of victims of our Great War of Liberation, have expressed joy over the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) resolution, which was unanimously adopted on Saturday to observe March 25 as the "Gonohotya Dibos or Day of Genocide".

"We would like to express our gratitude to the present government, especially would like to thank Prime Minister and leader of the parliament Sheikh Hasina for recognizing March 25 as the Day of Genocide," Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee president Shahriar Kabir told BSS.

Kabir, also a journalist and researcher, said it was their longstanding demand to declare a day to commemorate the victims of genocide.

"We have been demanding it for long 24 years. Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam first raised the demand from a rally at the central Shaheed Minar in 1993. Pakistani government and their flatterers were trying to make the world forget about the genocide in 1971. This step of the government would be helpful for us to get international recognition for 1971 genocide," he added.

Kabir also urged the government to observe International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and Prevention of this Crime on December 9 in befitting manner as declared by the UN in 2015.

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) senior prosecutor Barrister Tureen Afroz also expressed her happiness over the adopted resolution, saying, "I am delighted over this recognition as it is one of the ways to show our utmost respect to the martyrs of 1971. At least we will observe the day, which we almost tend to forget, nationally."

"We have been working for long to get international recognition for the genocide that took place in our country in 1971. But due to different national and international conspiracies, we have failed in attaining the goal. Alongside, anti-liberation forces were in power in our country for long, who were not that much interested in giving the recognition, as the liability of the genocide would ultimately fall upon them also," she added.

Tureen called upon all not to forget the fact that genocides have taken place during the whole period of war in 1971 and continued in some places even after the war officially ended on December 16, 1971.

"We have to remember one thing, by commemorating the victims of genocide on this single day does not mean that the genocides have taken place on March 25 only. Genocide took place during the whole war even the crimes took place in some places even after December 16 I think by recognizing the March 25 as Day of Genocide, we have done a great job which will keep our future generation aware of the facts about 1971," Tureen hoped.

JSD lawmaker Shirin Akhter moved the proposal last evening in the House under the Rule 147(1) of the Rules of Procedure to observe "Gonohatya Dibos" on March 25. In her notice, Akhter proposed taking necessary initiatives to earn international recognition to one of the brutal genocides in the world history committed by the Pakistani occupation forces on the night of March 25.
US running out of sanctions to deal with North Korea

Ben Rosen :

North Korea's successful launch of four ballistic missiles into the waters off northwest Japan on Monday was just a dry run of a nuclear attack against US military bases in Japan, state media in Pyongyang said on Tuesday.

It's doubtful that North Korea could carry out that threat. But analysts say that if the country doesn't yet have a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a missile, it is well on its way to developing such a weapon as well as the means to reach the West Coast of the United States.

"They are going to get those capabilities eventually," says Miles Pomper, a senior fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California, US. "It is just a question of when."

But close observers also note it's important to understand what's motivating the hermit kingdom's quest for nuclear weapons. It is not necessarily to destroy its neighbour on the Korean peninsula, Japan, or even the US, they say. It's perceived as a path to safeguarding leader Kim Jong-un from suffering the same end as Muammar Gaddafi in Libya and Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

"Above all else, North Korea's nuclear programme is about security," John Delury, a professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, told BBC in September, the day North Korea performed its fifth nuclear test. "It is, by their estimation, the only reliable guarantee of the country's basic sovereignty, of the Communist regime's control, and of the rule of Kim Jong-un."

"So, until we can help Pyongyang find a credible substitute to guarantee its security, and give Kim Jong-un the kind of prestige that comes with being a member of the nuclear club, we can expect more tests, more progress and more provocations," he said.

In the test launch on Monday, three of the missiles, either Scuds or Nodongs, fell within the so-called exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 miles from the shores of Japan, and where fishing and cargo ships are active. The fourth missile landed outside but close to the zone.

Jeffrey Lewis, director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California, says that the test launch was more of a military exercise, a bit of saber rattling rather than a true weapons test.

"We think they know the missiles works," says Dr Lewis. "Now, can the [military] unit go through the launch process?" Experts have debated whether North Korea possesses a nuclear warhead it can mount to a short or medium-range missile. Pyongyang has shown it has a nuclear weapon, testing it five times: in 2006, 2009, 2013, and twice in 2016. But North Korea's claims it has miniaturised a nuclear warhead - mounting it to a short, medium, or long-range missile - has never been independently verified, according to the BBC.

It's less likely North Korea possesses an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach West Coast cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Seattle. But Kim said in his New Year's address that the country had reached "the final stages" of that weapon's development.

Conservative estimates place the timeline of the ICBM's development within three years. Others expect it to be tested and perfected much sooner. But they add its purpose is likely deterrence, not aggression.

"When you look at their actions and their words, the North Koreans' goals for their nuclear program are first of all to deter America from invading them," says Joshua Pollack, editor of The Nonproliferation Review. "Their basic strategy is when massive American reinforcements show up in the region to launch the invasion, the North Koreans are going to bring out their big guns to stop that from happening."

This attitude is the result of years of bad blood between it and the US. North Korea's interest in a nuclear weapon started after World War II. Eight years later, the Korean War ended not with a peace agreement, but with an armistice, technically keeping the Korean Peninsula in a state of war until this day. During the cold war, North Korea aligned with the Soviet Union and communist China, putting it at odds with the US. And in his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush lumped North Korea into the "axis of evil," countries he said were involved with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

At the start of the Iraq war a year later, then-leader Kim Jong-il disappeared from public view for 44 days, reportedly fearing a US assassination by Tomahawk missiles, according to BBC.

Today, North Korea's goal in advancing their nuclear program and developing nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the US is about both ensuring it doesn't suffer the same fate as Iraq as well as being ready if the US and South Korea turn a defensive military exercise into a surprise attack, explains Pollack.

In an editorial in North Korean media in January 2016, Pyongyang alluded to this approach.

"History proves that powerful nuclear deterrence serves as the strongest treasured sword for frustrating outsiders' aggression," an editorial in KCNA reads. "The Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq and the Gaddafi regime in Libya could not escape the fate of destruction after being deprived of their foundations for nuclear development and giving up nuclear programs of their own accord."

In some ways, the younger Kim has been more aggressive than his father. Kim has already overseen more ballistic missile tests, including from submarines, in his five years in power than his father did during his entire 18-year reign. But some North Korea watchers suggest that up until the regime's most recent missile tests on Monday and last month, it has tempered its provocations, an opportunity they said for the Trump administration to engage North Korea in negotiations.

But that window is closing, says Joel Wit, a senior fellow at the US-Korea Institute, part of Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Washington, DC.

"I don't want to say it's closed. But it's closing quickly," he says.



(The Christian Science Monitor)
World must act quick to save people from starvation in war hit countries

THE United Nations Humanitarian Chief Mr Stephen O'Brien's warning that the world is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II with over 20 million people facing starvation and famine in four countries is a terrible disclosure at a time when the world is not having any shortage of food and resources to save those people, but they are left to suffer from man-made war and conflicts.



The World War II devastated the world for grabbing others' land for power and wealth and it can't be denied that the world peace is under severe threat again from similar politics of intolerance and greed by powerful nations over poorer ones.



We must say the world leaders must pay heed to the warning of the UN Humanitarian Chief to come to the help of the dying people and that should also require reversing the politics of destroying small and poorer nations so that they can live in peace. People can live better in those countries if they are left to live and work in peace.



Stephen O'Brien has depicted a horrendous picture of Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen where ethnic conflicts have been fuelled to devastating war destroying the countries and the people denying unhindered access to food and other humanitarian assistance to punish them. Warlords are fighting for control of the land and wealth with outside powers helping one side or the other. Syria, Iraq makes no exceptions.



The UN Humanitarian Chief has said hunger and crisis of livelihood are threatening existence of millions in those countries asking for urgent mobilization of around $4.4 billion by July to what he said " to avert a catastrophe."



Prior to a Ministerial-level pledge making meeting for Yemen in Geneva on April 25 to be chaired by new UN Chief Antonio Guterres, Stephen said without immediate mobilization of resources many will simply die. Hundreds and thousands of children stunted without enough food will have no future.



The largest humanitarian crisis in the world is Yemen, he said with two thirds of the population in need of assistance. The conflict has left more than 7,400 people dead and 40,000 wounded since the war broke out in March 2015. He said despite assurances from parties to allow access of humanitarian assistance to starving people, leaders and their proxies break the promise to keep the people starving.



He has said a total of $2.1 billion is needed to reach 12 million people with life-saving assistance and protection in Yemen this year. The same situation is in South Sudan where he said famine is man-made and parties to the conflict are parties to the famine. They are not allowing food and humanitarian assistance to reach the people. More than 7.5 million people need assistance where over 3.4 million are displaced. Nearly 200,000 have fled South Sudan since January this year.



In Somalia more than half the population -- 6.2 million need humanitarian assistance and protection, including 2.9 million at risk of famine. Nearly one million children under the age of five are facing acutely malnutrition. Women and children walk for weeks in search of food and water. In northeastern Nigeria, over 10.7 million people need humanitarian aid, including 7.1 million facing severely food insecurity. This should not be the case for Nigeria - a country with huge oil reserves and cash.






One to one communication channel proposed to curb terrorism

The International Conference of Police Chiefs of South Asia and neighbouring countries on Regional Cooperation in Curbing Violent Extremism and Transnational Crime held at Hotel Sonargaon in city on Sunday. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal addressed t

Staff Reporter :

A three-day international police chiefs conference began in Dhaka on Sunday aimed at strengthening the fight against extremism and terrorism in South Asia and neighbouring countries.

In the conference, the police chiefs also proposed to create 'one to one communication channel' to curb terrorism in the region.

"Through maintaining a unified comprehensive strategy and building a diplomatic consensus, we can combat transnational crime and terrorism across the region," they said.

They are expecting to create a platform for cooperation between the various police forces and create a professional and technical support network for law enforcement within the framework for bilateral and regional cooperation in the South Asia region.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal inaugurated the police chiefs conference as the chief guest at Pan pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Sunday morning.

A total of 58 foreign representatives, including Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock, from different countries and institutions attended the inaugural function.

Bangladesh Police in collaboration with Interpol is hosting the three-day conference with the participations of Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal,

South Korea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Officials from Interpol, Facebook, US IGCI, FBI, ASEANPOL and International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Programme (ICITAP) and other international organisations are also attending the conference.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, "Today our responsibility is not only to ensure the security of our own country but also of the neighbouring countries. The militants may have virtual presence regardless boundary and in this backdrop, mutual cooperation and collective approach is a must to face the menace."

Bangladesh government has zero tolerance against terrorism and promised to prevent murder, kidnapping, terrorism, militancy and other unlawful acts, the minister said.

"Through this conference, we pledge to make active efforts to fight terrorism and transnational crimes together. It gives a sense of unity and responsibility towards fulfilling further commitments," he said, adding, "Our responsibility is not only to ensure the security of our own country but also of the neigbouring countries."

In his welcome speech, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque said, "We thankfully put on record that in our ongoing fight against violent extremism, we have got all-out support and cooperation from India, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Interpol and FBI."

"Our special thanks are due to India as they always spontaneously cooperate with us in every ways by sharing real time information, exchanging expertise, providing training and other supports," he said.

"In fact, we need to go beyond the traditional approach and introduce 'one-to-one' communication channel among us to ensure real time information sharing and strengthen our fields of cooperation to a new heights," the IGP said.

"Networks of violent extremism, militancy and crime dynamics have spread over most of the countries of the globe. It's difficult for an individual nation to address the threats posed by terrorists on its own," he said.

"In recent years, new developments in technology and communications have enabled them to carry on their anti-human schemes with increased mobility. The greatest security threats originate from terrorism, violent extremism, international drug trafficking, and people smuggling," he added.

"Keeping in view the prevailing scenario, we attach special focus on regional cooperation which, we believe, will pave the way for global cooperation as well," the IGP said.

Additional IGP (Admin) of Police Mukhlesur Rahman, said, "Cybercrime, money laundering, counterfeiting of currency, and terrorist financing have added new threats for all nations."

Conference sources said, 14 working sessions will be held on various subjects during the three-day conference. The topics include terrorism, human trafficking, financial crime, terrorism financing, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and intelligence and cyber crime issues.

At the end of the conference the international group of law enforcement officials will sign a joint declaration on terrorism and transnational crimes.
The New Nation Editor Mufazzal`s wife passes away

Yasmin Begum

Staff Reporter :

Yasmin Begum wife of A.M. Mufazzal, Editor of The New Nation, died on Saturday evening at her residence in Uttara, Sector-4 due to prolonged illness. She was 62.

She left her only son and her daughter-in-law, many well-wishers and a host of relatives to mourn her death. Namaj-e-Janaza of the deceased was held at the Uttara Sector-4 Jam-e-Mosque after Zohr prayer. Later she was laid to rest at the Dhaka North City Corporation graveyard in Uttara.

The Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) The New Nation Unit has expressed deep shock and sympathy to the bereaved family and pray for the salvation of the departed soul of the deceased.

Her Qul Khwani and Doa Mahfil will be held on Friday (March 17) at her residence Road-10, House-27, at Uttara Sector-4.
Dutch will pay price for dispute

Some 1,000 protesters took to the streets outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam

BBC Online :

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the Netherlands it will "pay the price" for harming ties after two of his ministers were barred. Mr Erdogan said: "We will teach them international diplomacy."

The two ministers were blocked from addressing Turkish expatriates in Rotterdam on Saturday, with one of them escorted to the German border. The Dutch government says such events would stoke tensions days before the Netherlands' general election. The ministers were trying to win support among expatriate voters for a referendum on expanding Turkish presidential powers. Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, Turkey's family minister, had arrived by road on

Saturday but was denied entry to the consulate in Rotterdam and was taken to the German border by Dutch police. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tried to fly in but was refused entry.

Water cannon and riot police on horseback were deployed to disperse about 1,000 people protesting outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam overnight. Protests were also held on Sunday outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, where the Netherlands' flag was replaced with a Turkish one, which was later removed.

The Netherlands' foreign ministry responded by saying that the Turkish authorities were responsible for the safety of Dutch diplomats in Turkey. Speaking at an awards ceremony in Istanbul on Sunday, Mr Erdogan said of the Netherlands: "They will certainly pay the price, and also learn what diplomacy is."

Accusing the Dutch of acting in an "impudent" way, he said: "Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price."
Journos` 3-hr `pen down` prog for 3 days from Mar 19

UNB, Dhaka :

Journalists will observe a three-hour 'pen down' programme from 11 am to 2pm on March 19, 20 and 21 to press home their demand for immediate announcement of the 9th wage board.

Besides, they will stage a street-march towards the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and submit a memorandum on March 22 if the wage board is not

announced by the time. Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) president Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul on Sunday announced the programmes while observing a road blockade programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club.

As part of their countrywide programme, the journalists observed the two-hour road-blockade programme beginning at 11am in front of the Jatiya Press Club with the initiative of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ). All the unions and media organisations having the BFUJ affiliation arranged the road-blockade programme across the country demanding immediate announcement of the 9th wage board and the trial of all the journalist murder cases, including that of Sagar-Runi.


Govt has no intention to shut any pvt varsity

Staff Reporter :

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Sunday said, the government has no intention to close any private university. Rather it has been trying to ensure quality higher education there (private universities) by building congenial academic atmosphere on the campuses.

"The government has given all supports to private universities in the interest of quality higher education. We want smooth functioning of all private universities," the Minister said this at the 5th convocation of Eastern University as the chief guest held in the Basundhara Convention City Hall on Sunday. High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh Benoit-Pierre Laramee was the convocation speaker with Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) Professor Abdul Mannan, Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University Prof Dr Abdur Rab, Chairman of Eastern University Trustee Board Md Azizul Islam and pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury as co-speakers.

Nurul Islam Nahid said, the government will take legal action against those of the private universities which failed to translate their given conditions to administer as per the Private University Act-2010.

Nahid said, "You (students) are the future of the country.

So, you have to be good citizens by acquiring knowledge to boost development process for building a prosperous Bangladesh."

The last eight years witnessed a remarkable progress in the education sector on account of the government's sincerity to expand and improve quality of education in the country. Referring to advancement of female education, he said a significant change has been brought in expansion of female education in the country as the government opened various facilities including financial assistance to boost female education. Now both male and female students are equally advancing in the education sector, he also added. The government has taken massive programme to enhance quality of education as it is the prime challenge in the education sector, the Minister added.

He called upon the authorities of both public and private universities to enhance research works alongside updating the teaching methods and curriculum to generate new knowledge as well as ensure quality education.

The Minister conferred degrees to 1901 graduates and post-graduates in the convocation.


2 electrocuted in city

Staff Reporter :

Two persons died after being electrocuted in the city's Tejgaon and Kadamtali areas on Sunday.

The deceased are Enamul Haque, 20, a mechanical helper of a city press, and Anisur Rahman, 23, a mason in Kodamtali area, said Bachchu Mia, Sub-Inspector of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Police Outpost.

Enamul Haque was electrocuted while returning home from his factory in Tejgaon around 3:30am, he said.

Locals rushed him to DMCH where the doctors declared him dead around 4:30am, said Bachhu Mia.

Anisur was electrocuted at 10:30am while handling a water pump in his residence at Kadamtali, said Kazi Wazed Ali, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kadamtali Police Station.

The victim was declared dead after he was taken to DMCH one hour later, the OC said.

The body was sent to the DMCH morgue, the police official said.


SC also asks to close down all Hazaribagh tanneries

Staff Reporter :

The Supreme Court on Sunday upheld a High Court order directing the government to immediately close down 154 tanneries operating in the city's Hazaribagh area and to disconnect their utility services.

A three-member Bench of the Appellate Division headed by the Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha dismissed an appeal petition seeking a stay on the High Court order.

Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association's Chief Executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan told the reporters that the Director General of the Department of Environment must close all the tanneries at Hazaribagh and disconnect their utility services after the Supreme Court order. The Chairman of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association submitted the petition to the apex court on Thursday seeking a stay of the HC order.

On March 6, the High Court directed the government to shut down all the tannery industries operating in the city's Hazaribagh area without delay. The court also ordered to disconnect gas, power and water lines of those tanneries, polluting the environment and violating of High Court's directives.

Ministries of Home, Environment, Industries and Inspector General of Police and Dhaka Metropolitan Commissioner have been asked to assist the Department of Environment to shut down the tanneries.

The High Court Bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Salim passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association. The court fixed April 6 for submission of progress report on the tannery closure and fixed April 10 for further hearing in this regard.

Upon a writ petition, filed by the Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association, the High Court in June 2009 directed the tannery owners to move the tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar by February 2010. In October 2010, the date was extended to April 2011.

In December last year, the Industries Secretary issued a notice saying that no raw leather will enter Hazaribagh and no tannery will operate there after March 31, 2017. The association submitted a petition with the High Court on January 3 arguing that the Industries Secretary had no authority to extend the time for relocating the tanneries from Hazaribagh without permission from the High Court.

After holding hearing on the petition, the court on March 6 directed the Director General of Department of Environment to immediately shut down the tanneries at Hazaribagh and their utility services, said Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association, Syeda Rizwana Hassan, after the court order.

According to the report submitted by the Industries Secretary, 43 tanneries only out of 154 were relocated in Savar. Rest 122 tanneries are operating in Hazaribagh. Even they did not pay the compensation fixed by the Appellate Division for polluting the environment.

At this, the High Court ordered the government to close all the tanneries operating at Hazaribagh soon as per section 4(3) and 4(ka) of Environment Protection Act.
Beef price soaring

Meat sellers intentionally increasing price, says Mayor

S M Mizanur Rahman :

Beef, a delicious curry item, has already started disappearing fast from the poor and middle income groups' menu due to its skyrocketing price in capital Dhaka as elsewhere in the country.

Country's red meat prices are feared to continue rise further as meat sellers are bearing the brunt to slaughter cattle due to extortion on highways, illegal commission and excessive tax.

As a result, they are being compelled to buy cows, goats, sheep and buffaloes from the cattle markets at high rate across the country.

The beef is now being sold at between Tk 500 and Tk 580 per Kg. The price of one Kg beef was Tk 280 two years back. In 2011, the price of one Kg beef was Tk 260 and the price shot by Tk 350 in 2015.

For Salma Alam, a housewife in Uttara, making some of her family's favourite dishes like beef, has not been an option recently because of a surge in the price of red meat.

"It's too expensive," she said. "We just have to go without." Earlier, the Bangladesh Meat Sellers' Association and Dhaka Metropolitan Meat Sellers' Association had gone for weeklong strike demanding "withdrawal of excessive tax imposed to them at Dhaka's Gabtali. The also demanded stopping charging extra from traders by the Gabtoli Cattle Market lessee and money-laundering to India through Hundi, shifting tannery industries from Hazaribagh to Savar and withdrawing the Dhaka North City Corporation Chief Executive officer and Chief Estate Officer.

Later as Per additional Secretary of Commerce Ministry's assurance they postponed their strike.

The meat sellers earlier claimed that they would be able to sell beef at Tk 300 per kg if their four-point demands is met.

DNCC Chief Executive officer in association with the leaseholders of Gabtoli Cattle Market Lutfar Rahman and Kala Moiza has been taking extra money from the cattle traders.

"In connivance with the DNCC Chief Executive Officer and Chief Estate Officer, Lutfar Rahman and Kala Moiza charge Tk 6000-7000 per head instead of government-fixed Tk 100," Bangladesh Meat Traders' Association Secretary general Rabiul Alam told The New Nation on Sunday. He said these three people are responsible for skyrocketing price hike of red meat in the country.

As Tk 6000-7000 is given to the syndicate members as commission for each cattle, the government is losing revenue from it.

"It is very unfortunate that although the commerce ministry assured of us providing all supports to run our business, practically no initiative has been taken to overcome the situation yet," he said.

The meat sellers earlier claimed that they would be able to sell beef at Tk 300 per kg if their four-point demand is met.

"We are still saying if our demands are met and the hassles in importing cows from India are removed, we'll be able to sell beef at Tk 300 per kg or even less," he added.

He also threatened that they would go on a countrywide indefinite strike ahead of the holy month of Ramzan if their demands are not met

'We have sat with Commerce Ministry. The officials of the ministry assured us of solving the problems. But we are still in critical condition," he said. Besides, he said meat price has also increased as traders have to pay extortion at many points of highways while bringing cattle to the capital from different districts.

Besides, meat traders do not get fair prices for their rawhide as tanneries are not shifted from Hazaribagh to Savar, he added.

"We have to pay Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000 as extortion for per cow," he said, adding but government did not take any initiative in this regard.

"I bought a medium-sized cow from the Gabtoli cattle market at Tk 65,000 on Wednesday. Purchase price of per kg beef is Tk 480. I have to sell per kg meat at Tk 500 to 580 for my survival," said a meat seller in city's Moudha Badda area

When Contacted DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq claimed that they have given all out cooperation to the meat sellers to run their business smoothly at a reasonable price. "DNCC' CEO is not responsible for hiking the meat price. The meat sellers have taken the chance, they increased the price again. Instead of selling the beef at a reasonable price, they hiked the price again," he said.
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Demolish BGMEA Bhaban within 6 months: SC

Time extended

Staff Reporter :

The Supreme Court on Sunday gave six months time to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association to demolish its building constructed illegally in Dhaka's Begunbari canal and Hatirjheel Lake.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order after hearing a petition filed by BGMEA on March 8 seeking three years time for shifting the offices from the building.

The Supreme Court on March 5 dismissed a petition seeking review of its judgment that upheld a High Court verdict, delivered in April 2011, for demolishing the 15 storied BGMEA building.

That day the apex court asked the BGMEA authorities to submit an application in the Appellate Division seeking time for demolishing the building by March 9. BGMEA sought three years time for shifting the offices from the building. But the court granted six months time.

A four-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha rejected the appeal petition filed by the BGMEA on June 2, 2016.

The apex court on November 8 last year released the full text of its verdict in which it upheld the High Court judgment that ordered BGMEA to immediately demolish, at its own cost, the 15 storied building constructed illegally in 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 Dec, 2016, President of the BGMEA filed a petition seeking review of the Supreme Court judgment.

On April 3, 2011, the High Court 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 Supreme Court lawyer brought the report to the attention of a High Court bench. On October 3, 2010, the High Court issued a rule as Suo Moto about the building.

On April 3 in 2011, the High Court 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 High Court judgment following a BGMEA petition. Later, the time period was extended several rounds.

The High Court 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 Supreme Court rejected the leave to appeal petition on June 2 in 2016.

The apex court said in its full verdict that although both site and environment clearance certificates were required for the commercial building, the "petitioner failed/did not care to obtain" the latter.

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 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.

The construction violates "section 3 of the Building Construction Act 1952" other rules under it, reads the verdict.

Moreover, the High Court order was "well reasoned and based on proper appreciation of facts and circumstances as well as the law", said the apex court.
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Today

Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 76F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. 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.
HARRISBURG  Sometimes, Sarah Wofford finds herself talking to people who want to get information about an issue. She tries to help that person fine-tune their request.

She is the Freedom Of Information Act Officer for the city of Harrisburg, responsible for answering requests for pieces of public information.

Sometimes, though, she might get a call, from someone asking about an issue that the city has no oversight of. It could be someone upset at the color of their neighbor's house or how clean they keep their property.

Its like a phrase I use, its a civil matter, not a city matter, Wofford said.

She said sometimes the person requesting information doesn't fully understand what they're asking for.

Wofford is among those responsible for taking requests from the police about various pieces of public information about which they want to know. Jobs like hers are on the forefront of the information retrieval process highlighted during Sunshine Week, March 12 to 18.

Sunshine Week was created by the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 2005 to celebrate the right to access to public information, in an effort to diminish secrecy and keep the workings of government transparent.

Southern Illinoisan journalists have used FOIA requests to build a database of the salaries of public officials, report on deaths of incarcerated individuals in some Southern Illinois jails and investigate spending at the beleaguered Alexander County Housing Authority.

Larry Young, the father of Molly Young, a 21-year-old woman who died almost five years ago in March 2012, used the FOIA complaint process to have the Illinois State Police release photos of his daughter to him. The process led to the February 2016 signing of "Molly's Law," which allows more time for the family of victims to file wrongful-death lawsuits. The law also increases the threshold for fines for not releasing information.

Those with complaints about their Illinois FOIA requests can contact the Illinois Attorney General's office. In 2015, the last year for which the Attorney General's Office has data, the office received 4,381 complaints about FOIA requests and 389 Open Meetings Acts complaints, the highest in recent years. An agency spokeswoman said the 2016 data would be released soon.

What people are seeking

A handful of Southern Illinois FOIA officers said people seek all kinds of information in FOIA requests.

Alice Rix, Marion's FOIA Officer, thinks people might not be aware the city now lists the minutes from city council meetings and city ordinances online. By checking online for these before they ask for information, those who request FOIAs can see if what they are seeking has already been answered, or use those forms to better target their request.

On the city of Marion's website, visitors can find the minutes to city council meetings by scrolling to the bottom of the main page to the section titled "City Government," and clicking on the final item titled "Council Meeting Minutes" (http://cityofmarionil.gov/city-of-marion-council-minutes).

Users will see a tab for a link to the ordinances, "City of Marion Online Ordinances" (http://cityofmarionil.gov/city-of-marion-online-ordinances).

Those interviewed for this article said they are not required to report the number or nature of FOIAs that they receive to any other agency. The federal government, though, through the U.S. Department of Justice does track the number and nature of FOIA requests; for details, visit https://www.foia.gov/index.html.

In 2016, the city of Carterville received 36 FOIA requests, according to FOIA Officer Janice McConnaughy.

Pinckneyille received six requests in 2016, less than what it received in the two previous years, according to city clerk Larry S. West.

That same year, the city of Herrin received seven FOIA requests, down from the 13 it received in 2015; and way up from the one request it received in 2014, based on data from FOIA Officer Shelly Huggins.

Sunshine Laws call for transparency in government, which includes such things as government meetings and minutes of those meetings.

Following is an overview of how the website of some local government agencies make that public information available online.

CARBONDALE

Information about Carbondale's FOIA requests and how to file them is available by clicking on the main page tab "Resources" and clicking on the sixth link, "Freedom of Information Act." That page has information about the law and process and also a link to a downloadable PDF form.

FOIA Officer: Jennifer Sorrell, City Clerk, @ jsorrell@ci.carbondale.il.us

FOIA Officer (police; except for Police Pension Board): Marcia Toliver, Records Supervisor,@ mtoliver@ci.carbondale.il.us

CARTERVILLE

Click on the "Gov't" main menu tab, then click on the "City Hall" tab and select the "Office Staff" tab and go down that page to find the FOIA officer, Janice McConnaughy.

FOIA Officer: Janice McConnaughy, office manager, @jmcconnaughy@visitcarterville.com

DU QUOIN

Click on the "Information" tab and go down the list to select "Ordinances;" click on "Freedom of Information Policy."

A single-page pdf file lists the city council meeting dates throughout 2017. (Find it under the "Information Tab," and click on "Meeting Notices." There are no city council meeting agendas under the "Agendas" tab (under the main page's "Information" tab heading.)

The city council meeting minutes run (from Aug. 24, 2015) through the July 25, 2016, meeting minutes.

FOIA Officer: Address requests to City Clerk

HARRISBURG

Find the FOIA link under the "City Hall" tab on the main website page; under the "City Hall" is also where you find links for City Council Agendas and City Council Minutes. The city also has a link to a FOIA form.

Under the "City Hall" main page tab are "City Council Agendas," running Jan. 15, 2015, through March 2, 2017; "City Council Meeting Dates," with a single page listing the 2017 council meeting dates; and "City Council Minutes," from Jan. 15, 2015, to Feb. 16, 2017. There is also a link for "Audio for Council Meetings," with links for six meetings, from Sept. 15, 2016 to Jan. 19, 2017.

FOIA Officer: Sarah Wofford, city clerk (https://www.thecityofharrisburgil.com/foia)

HERRIN

Information about FOIA/OMA information on Herrin city's webpage can be found under the "City Hall" tab, under the "City Clerk" tab and listed among the 20-some duties and responsibilities of the city clerk.

Tabs for "Agendas," "Minutes" and "City Codes" are on the Herrin city website's main page; the agendas are listed from May 12, 2014, through March 13, 2017, meeting and the minutes, through the Feb. 13, 2017, meeting.

FOIA Officer: Shelly Huggins, city clerk, @shuggins@cityofherrin.com

MURPHYSBORO

Information about FOIA requests is on the main page for the Murphysboro City Council, near the middle of the page under the heading marked "City of Murphysboro" (Administration). There is a dedicated FOIA page, which notes that written requests may be directed to FOIA Office Sandra Ripley, Deputy City Clerk.

Under the "Our Government" tab on the city website's main page are links to "City Council Meetings;" "Meeting Agenda and Minutes (from January 2011 through February 2017 and March 14, 2017);" and "Freedom of Information."

FOIA Officer: Sandra M. Ripley, smripley@murphysboro.com

PINCKNEYVILLE

At the very top of Pinckneyville's website is a link to a letter informing readers of the city council's 2017 meeting dates: the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 6 p.m.

Also across its main tabs is one titled "Public Records," which has links to "Sunshine Law Compliance;" "Meeting Minutes (from Sept. 13, 2010 through Jan 23, 2017);" "Budget Reports;" and "Freedom of Information and Requests."

Under the "City Services" tab, off the "How Do I " tab, is a link to "Get on the Council Agenda."

There does not, however, appear to be a link for city council agendas.

FOIA Officer: Larry S. West

WEST FRANKFORT

The website for the city of West Frankfort lists tabs on its main page for "City Government," under which can be found listings for "Agendas," "Meetings" and "Minutes."

The "Meetings" page lists the 2017 city council meeting dates and those for various other committees and boards.

"Minutes" are posted from Aug. 9, 2016 through Feb. 14, 2017.

FOIA Officer: FOIA requests run through the City Clerk's office: cityclerk@westfrankfort-il.gov
MARION  Delta Regional Authority, through a program partnership with the Economic Development Administration (EDA), last month announced a $111,111 contribution to help the Greater Egypt Cluster Development Plan with its marketing strategy.

Cary Minnis, executive director of Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission, said Greater Egypt Cluster Development Plan is a series of projects designed to grow three key sectors of industry in Southern Illinois: healthcare, transportation and logistics, and manufacturing.

Greater Egypt has been working with Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board and Mantra Con on creating both an economic development strategy and workforce development strategy, Minnis said.

The money will be used to develop a regional marketing strategy and materials to help attract businesses, jobs, and consumers. The marketing plan will focus on the manufacturing, transportation, warehousing and healthcare sectors.

Marketing strategy is just one piece of a much bigger project. Minnis stressed that this is very early in the process. We are recruiting for our leadership committee from those respective industries to help provide oversight. That is our next step, Minnis said. We have been writing grants for things wed like to start with.

In addition to the marketing study, they also will embark on a freight study. Mantra Con is working on a variety of things, as well.

These investments are funded by a joint program partnership through EDAs Economic Adjustment Assistance program. DRA leadership works closely with the governor of each state and his board designee to identify projects to receive investments, which are aligned with state economic development goals. Investments also are guided by EAAs priorities: collaborative regional innovation, public/private partnerships, national strategic priorities, global competitiveness, environmentally sustainable development and underserved communities.

Theres lot of good things happening. We have lots of assets (in Southern Illinois). We definitely want to put together a strategy that will help up showcase the benefits companies would have by locating in the area or by expanding, Minnis said.
State Sen. Andy (D-Decatur) Manar believes the Illinois legislature is close to reforming the formula for school funding.

As the work for formula reform continues, I think were pretty close to that actually, believe it or not. Before the spring session adjourns we will have a bill passed, Manar said.

However, reforming that formula does not fix the funding problems in Illinois schools, according to Manar, Jessica Handy, government affairs director for Stand for Children; David Ardrey, executive director for Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools; and Bill Curtin, English teacher at Carbondale Community High School.

Were here to talk about a specific piece of the larger issue of school funding that weve been working to try to address, Manar said.

The gains made on the school funding formula are going to be mitigated by inequities in pensions, specifically within the Teacher Retirement System (TRS).

The group is advocating for passage of three bills before the Illinois legislature.

Two bills are basically identical and would reduce the TRS federal funds rate to the normal costs of teacher pensions. They SB 195 and HB 656.

The other bill, SB 865, would require school report cards to include information on the total amount the district spends on teacher pensions.

First bill passed out of senate education committee. Its very simple, but it underscores the nature of how TRS money is accounted for and how it is attributed to school districts, Manar said.

TRS payments are set by the number of teachers in a district and the salaries those teachers are paid. The bill for the pensions is sent to state government, state government budgets for it and pays the payment. The payment has two pieces: current costs and past costs.

Manar said there is terrible disparity among districts, but it makes sense. A district that has fewer students per class and pays teachers more, costs the system much more than a district that has more students per class and pays teachers less, such as many rural districts.

Then, there is the issue of the cost of pensions paid with federal funds.

These are funds intended for Title 1 kids, or low income students, or kids with special needs through IDEA, those federal funds if you hire a teacher with them,

When a school district hires a teacher with their state or local money, they pay a small percentage toward TRS. Its 0.58 percent of that teachers salary, Handy said. When a school district uses their federal funds  they take 39 percent off the top to pay pension debt. If you were just paying the current costs it would be about 7 percent, but they charge those funds with the total unfunded liability rate which is 39 percent now and in July will go up to 45 percent.

Federal funds are Title 1 (for districts with the highest percentages of students from low-income families), Title 2 funds (to increase academic achievement by improving teacher and principal training) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA (offsets the costs of educating children with disabilities).

Handy said funds are distributed using a federal formula with Title 1 based on how many students a district has in poverty and Title 2 formula for professional development for teachers.

Essentially, the metric thats used drives those federal funds to districts directly, but the state intercepts the money to pay off teacher pensions. That causes fewer teachers to be hired, and were the only state that allows it, Ardrey said.

Manar added that a lot of districts will hire two uncertified staff members instead of one certified because the pension costs are so much less. Uncertified school staff pensions are through Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) and not TRS.

This is a disincentive to actually do what is instructionally best for your kids, Handy said.

Curtin has seen the impact this funding system has in the classroom. He only has been in Carbondale two years, but taught six years before that in Kankakee School District.

For teachers hired with federal money, it becomes a revolving door, according to Curtin. If the school loses the funding, those teachers are laid off. By the time funding is secured for the next school year, many have taken other positions.

So very quickly you get a situation where students cant trust their teachers will be there for them, Curtin said.

Curtin received a grant that funded laptops for students. They engaged in a community project that got them on Late Night with David Letterman and This American Life. He said they had resources to do the research, contacted the right people and got involved in their community.

These kids have great potential, but they are not getting resources because we are putting funds toward teacher pensions, Curtin said.

Weve got to pay it one way or another, but we think this is just the absolute worst place to pay it from, Handy said.
To the Editor:

In the Saturday (Feb. 25) edition of The Southern, U.S. Rep. Bost defended his decision to not meet with constituents in a town hall setting due to the verbal discord across the country.

In all fairness, Mr. Bost has no idea how voters in the 12th District would conduct themselves because he refused to meet with them.

The House of Representatives is pushing through legislation that affects our healthcare, our environment, and our public education system with little or no explanation to the people they have been elected to serve.

If Mr. Bost truly believes in the votes that he is casting, he should have the moral courage to confront his constituents.

Elizabeth Tregoning

Carterville
Two stalwarts of the local legal community were honored recently by the Orangeburg County Bar Association for their years of service.

Attorney Tom Bryant and Peggy Smith, longtime administrative assistant to Judges Ed Dickson and Jimmy Williams, received awards at a special ceremony Feb. 23 at the Orangeburg Country Club.

Bryant received the Honorable Karen Johnson Williams Award, presented to a current or former member of the bar association in recognition of outstanding leadership and who best exemplifies that which brings honor, esteem and respect to the legal profession.

He has been a mentor and friend to me for nearly 20 years, association President Nick Thomas said.

Bryant is a partner in the Orangeburg firm of Bryant, Fanning and Shuler. A graduate of Orangeburg High, he received his undergraduate and law degrees from Washington and Lee University and was a member of the international legal honor society, Phi Delta Phi. He returned to Orangeburg and began practicing law in 1961. A lifelong Democrat, he served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1969 to 1973.

Thomas said that it was difficult to get Bryant to agree to receiving the award because he shuns the spotlight.

He does not like to be the center of attention at all, he said.

For help, he reached out to Bryants friend Alex Sanders, retired chief justice of the S.C. Court of Appeals and former president of the College of Charleston.

Imitating Sanders, Thomas said, Nick, were gonna give that award to Tom whether he likes it or not.

Sanders said Thomas was unsure whether Bryant would accept this time because he had turned down the award for the past two years.

Of course, I gave him some advice, Sanders said. I said, Tell Tom that he doesnt have any say-so in the matter.

A person doesnt get to say whether they will be honored, he said. A persons reputation, bad or good, is up to other people. Tonight, we are those other people, and weve decided to honor Tom Bryant.

Sanders said the law is limited in what virtues can be recognized.

Have you ever noticed that theres no Nobel Prize for law? he said. Thats because unlike the sciences, the law does not reward original thought.

He said that its barely possibly for attorneys to convince a judge of the validity of anything they say unless we can first convince the judge that somebody else said it.

So, to honor a lawyer, we must look to some other virtue. Tonight, that virtue is courage, Sanders said.

In the practice of law, I never encountered a problem so big that I couldnt run away from it, he said. Tom Bryant did not practice law that way. He confronted law and life head-on.

He said that integral to the virtue of courage is the virtue of integrity.

Tom Bryant has practiced law and lived his life in the grand traditions of lawyers from Sir Thomas More to Atticus Finch, the example that he has set for all of us, he said. He is my friend, Tom Bryant, and he richly deserves the honor we are according tonight.

When current Family Court Judge Anne Gue Jones joined Bryant, Fanning and Shuler in 1991, Bryant wanted her to take over family law cases.

He didnt want to do family court work anymore. He was tired of it. He didnt want to deal with the emotions of it, and he wanted me to take that on, she said.

I learned how to practice family law from the very ground up, and he taught me what I knew, Jones said.

So I began a 10-year practice with Bryant, Fanning and Shuler. Little did I know then that it would set the path for where I am today and that I would ultimately be the resident family court judge in Orangeburg, she said.

Tom has been like a mentor to me, Really like I would say, a father figure, she said.

I am where I am today because of his tutelage, she said.

She said she would describe his practice as that of a small-town, gentleman lawyer.

He was always wanting to help others, to solve their problems, and to bring resolution and peace to difficult situations, she said.

It is a noble responsibility to be an advocate, a counselor and a peacemaker, she said. Tom Bryant has done all of these extremely well and in the process, he has made his community a better place.

It has been my privilege to call him a mentor, a partner and a friend, she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Taking the podium, Bryant said, I appreciate all of you coming here tonight. This has been a long journey for me, but Ive had the enjoyment out of the journey.

The law is a noble calling, but it gives us the opportunity to reach out to people and to help people and to do for people in accord with the principles of mankind, he said.

Smith received the Lisa Wimberly Mizell Award, presented annually to a non-attorney who has served the Orangeburg legal community as a private citizen, government employee, elected official, or in any capacity that has provided service, dedication, assistance and inspiration to the members of the Orangeburg County Bar.

When Judge Williams was stepping down and Ed Dickson was flirting with the idea of running for the seat, the first thing Ed did was call Miss Peggy and ask if shed continue to work for him, Thomas said. Because if she said no, he wasnt so sure he was going to take the job.

Thomas said Smith has been tireless in her dedication.

Shes been quick to answer calls, emails, squeezing motions into calendars that didnt have space for that motion. There to sign warrants, there to sign orders, tracking down the judge anytime that she could.

Shes been a friend to a lot of the attorneys and shes been a de facto mother to all the law clerks that have served under Judge Williams and Judge Dickson, myself included.

Before presenting the award to Smith, retired Circuit Judge Jimmy Williams took the podium to speak.

To Thomas, Williams said, I hate to start off correcting you, but when I entertained the idea of retiring from the judgeship, I knew that Ed Dickson wanted the job.

Williams said that he called Dickson and joked, If you promise me youre going to hire Peggy, Ill retire. If you dont, Im going to die in office.

Smith first began working as a legal secretary in Orangeburg in 1975. She worked for the firm of Marshall, Nicholson and Williams and followed Williams when he followed him when he became a sole practitioner. Later, she worked with him at the 1st Circuit Solicitors Office and continued when he became a circuit judge.

Nothing could give me more honor tonight than to say a few words about Peggy, he said. I met her in 1976 and shes been a very important part of my life ever since.

Williams said that Smith was an important factor in what little success I had on the bench.

I owe it all to Peggy, he said. She is one of the most understanding, perceptive people that I have ever known.

Williams said that if he had to limit himself to one word to describe Smith, it would be devoted. She was devoted to her family and to her career, he said.

She was devoted to me, Lord have mercy, he said. I could not have made it without her.

Im just thrilled to be here and to be honored, and Ive loved every minute that Ive spent with all these people, Smith said after the awards ceremony. Its been a blessing.
ST. MATTHEWS  Alaglas Pools announced the promotion of Larry Howell to vice president of manufacturing.

Howell joined the Alaglas team in 1999 and began work as a laminator in the production of fiberglass swimming pools. According to the Alaglas announcement, over the course of the next 18 years, Howell demonstrated an enthusiasm to learn and advance. As a result of his dedication and perseverance, Howell continued to assume production responsibilities of an increasing nature. He served as production team leader, production supervisor and plant manager.

During this time frame, Howell has been directly involved in the production and shipment of more than 7,000 fiberglass swimming pools. As a result of his commitment to product excellence, Alaglas Pools was awarded the American Composites Manufacturers Association ACE award for superior quality with product entries for this award coming from 50 states and 15 countries.

In 2015, Howells production team produced the first two fiberglass swimming pools in the North American continent through a state-of-the-art resin-infusion manufacturing process.

Howell and his wife Shakira -- along with their four children, Zion, Zippora, Hyleasa and Dmauria -- reside in Orangeburg County, South Carolina.

Alaglas is a manufacturer of composite swimming pools established in 1987 and is owned by Monty and Juanita Felix.

Mall launches

Color for a Cause

Prince of Orange Mall announced Color for a Cause, an event series that raises funds and awareness in support of local organizations.

Color for a Cause is a live mural coloring contest and shopping event. Participating organizations are provided a mural with inspirational graphics to color during the event. Murals are judged at the end of the event and the winning mural will be displayed in the mall. During the event, customers are encouraged to shop on behalf of a cause. For every receipt shown, a point will be allocated to a participating organization as dictated by the shopper. The organization with the most points receives a prize donation.

Our goal is to use the mall common areas for events that inspire shoppers, families and the community and Color for a Cause does just that. We want to invite everyone to come out for this fun night out to learn more about organizations that are doing great work right here in Orangeburg. Everyone is encouraged to attend, help color, shop to support local causes and enjoy treats and refreshments, said Coles Doyle, marketing director for Hull Property Group, owner of the Prince of Orange Mall.

The first event was scheduled for March 2 featuring CASA Family Systems, the Regional Medical Center, South Carolina Youth Empowerment Movement, Claflin University Dance Team and Orangeburg SPCA.

RMC welcomes

pediatric hospitalist

Dr. Carlos Paxtor, a board-certified pediatrician, has joined the Regional Medical Center as a pediatric hospitalist.

Dr. Paxtor is a great addition to our pediatric hospitalist team. He has extensive research experience and clinical experience as a hospitalist and in private practice that will benefit our youngest patients, said RMC Hospitalist Program Medical Director Kenechukwu Ntukogu, MD. Dr. Paxtor is also fluent in English and Spanish, which will be an asset to our diverse patient population.

Prior to joining RMC, Paxtor served as chairman of the Pediatrics Department at Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill and is currently in private practice at Sunshine Pediatrics in Rock Hill.
ROWESVILLE -- A late-night blaze ripped through 15 cabins at the historic Cattle Creek Campground on Friday. Families say they will rebuild the structures that have been passed down through the generations.

Orangeburg County Chief Fire Operations Officer Teddy Wolfe said the fire is suspicious and under investigation.

"The fire had two points of origin," Wolfe said. It was initially reported to fire departments as a grass fire.

"We're following leads," Wolfe said.

Cattle Creek Fire Chief Jonathan Berry said the 911 call came in at 10:46 p.m. and firefighters were on the scene in less than five minutes. The firefighters cleared the scene at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

In total, there were 24 fire units on the scene with 70 people, he said.

Both Wolfe and Berry described the fire as "extremely intense," due to a few wind gusts and the radiant heat from the timber-built cabins called "tents."

Many of the structures were made of old, dry pine boards, Berry said.

"They were like tinderboxes, he said.

Several have undergone rebuilding or renovations in the past 30 to 40 years, but the campground remains primitive and rustic.

"It's a tragedy tonight," said Cattle Creek Campground trustee Harry Wimberly on Friday. "It's certainly a loss to the Cattle Creek area, to the Cattle Creek community."

Cattle Creek Campground consists of 36 cabins, called "tents," arranged in a wide semi-circle around an open pavilion structure known as the "stand" or "tabernacle." At the northwest end of the camp meeting ground is Cattle Creek United Methodist Church. Between the church and the tabernacle is a cemetery.

Neither the church nor the tabernacle were damaged.

Cattle Creek Campground was named to the National Register of Historic Places on May 19, 1983.

Although local tradition had it that Cattle Creek Campground was established in 1786, the National Register nomination form states it's likely that the campground was not functional until the early 1800s.

The campground burned in 1898 and was gradually rebuilt over the next several decades.

Just like after the earlier fire, Wimberly said "I think community will come together and it will get rebuilt."

Wimberly has been attending Cattle Creek's camp meetings during the last week in July since he was a child, and says it's a time for religious services, fellowship and food.

Cattle Creek is one of only five Methodist camp meeting grounds remaining in South Carolina, with Cattle Creek being the only one in Orangeburg County. The others are in Dorchester County.

The tents, so named because the first campers and worshippers stayed in cloth tents and lean-tos made from limbs and branches, are built of rough, unpainted lumber, have gable roofs covered with metal or composition shingles, and generally measure about 20 feet by 30 feet.

Each contains two rooms downstairs with dirt floors and one or two rooms upstairs, which are reached by a small stairway or ladder. All have porches with shed roofs.

On Friday night and into the early morning hours of Saturday, dozens of community members stood helplessly on the edge of Cattle Creek Road and watched as the fire burned the tents.

Dozens of firefighters battled the blaze and got it under control after Berry, who is also a forest technician with the S.C. Forestry Commission, and another forester retrieved tractors and bulldozers.

Berry said in order to keep the blaze from spreading to more tents, crews had no choice but to remove two unharmed tents on each end of the row.

"It was very difficult firefighting," he said.

"When I got here, it was probably six to eight tents already involved, Berry said.

Berry said his initial reaction was to try to stop the fire, "but there was no stopping it," he said.

"These tents are priceless," he said, "these tents have been in people's families forever."

The destroyed tents include tents 18 through 32, belonging to the Wimberly, Dukes, Austin and other families.

Kay Fender and her brother Boley Wimberly were among the community members who gathered along Cattle Creek Road late Friday night to watch firefighters save as many tents as possible and extinguish the roaring blaze.

"I can't believe it," Fender said.

After her brother called her to let her know that the campground was on fire, she said to herself, "This has got to be a joke."

"Memories, that's all we have," she said.

"As a child, we looked forward to going to camp meeting for a week," she said. That was like vacation, and we'd stay the whole week."

Families gather at Cattle Creek Campground during the last week of July for an event that fosters spiritual enrichment but also rekindles the fellowship among friends and family around a bounty of food each night -- with meals cooked in each tent in their open-air kitchens and wood-fired stoves.

For 15 Cattle Creek Campground families, their memories of the tents and the fun times they shared in them are all that remain.

"I don't think it's hit me yet. It's just something you can't believe yet. You just can't take it in," Fender said.

"My mother loved it. I'm glad she wasn't here to see it, she said.

Wimberly, whose voice cracked with emotion as he described the scene, "I can't put no words on it yet. It's just tough."

At daybreak and throughout Saturday, families visited the campground to assess the damage.

Mary Padgett of Branchville and her grandson walked slowly by the tents that had been reduced to scorched rubble.

"It's sad. It's horrible. I don't know how to explain it. It's just upsetting," she said.

"The blessing is that the church and the tabernacle are still here," she added.

Padgett said she learned about the fire when her grandchildren told her about it on Saturday morning.

"I said, 'You're kidding me,'" she said. It's just unbelievable."

Janice Wiles of Bowman said that she grew up taking part in camp meeting each year for as long as she can remember.

Her family's tent, number 26, was known as the Louise Austin tent for her grandmother. It was rebuilt about six years ago, but her family acquired it in 1881.

"We have so many memories here," she said.

"As a child, I would cry the night before we had to leave because I didn't want to leave to go home," she explained.

On Saturday as she visited the campground, she cried because the tent where she and her family formed memories was no longer standing.

"We're going to rebuild," she said.

"I have grandchildren coming up and I want them to experience what I experience," she said.

Branchville Town Councilman Tom Jennings said, "This is my heart. And while I am grateful that my tent is not damaged, I am concerned about the future of this place. This campground is 230 years old. And this is the oldest one I've found anywhere.

"It's just so upsetting. Everybody's just wanting to know why, why."

In addition to the Orangeburg County Office of Emergency Services and the Orangeburg County Fire District Office, the following fire departments responded: Cattle Creek, Canaan, Cordova, Bowman, Branchville, Rowesville, West Middle, Edisto, Holly Hill, Providence and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety.
Project Life: Positeen, an afterschool tutoring program, was recently awarded $2,250 by the South Carolina Tobacco Collaborative.

Im happy about it because it tells us that if we seek the information we need to define these grants, we can write them and get the assistance we need from others. We can get the grants, Project Life Director L. Zimmerman Keitt said.

We just thank the community because the community really supports us, she said.

With the help of the grant, Project Life students will be able to, go out at schools and public places to talk with people about second-hand smoking and the dangers of it.

Were going to train our fifth- through twelfth-graders and the Dawn Center will help us do that, Keitt said. Were also hoping that we can find out how many places have policies of non-smoking in their facilities.

After receiving training at the Dawn Center, the participants will speak with other students and adults on March 25 at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Cameron for their Career Development Day.

There will be displays set up because were going to have several industries (and) HBCUs, Keitt said.

The students will make their own posters as well and the best will be displayed at the church.

The career development day runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the theme: Exploring Our Childrens Future.

Keitt also announced that Project Life, in collaboration with Claflin University, has written a grant for $75,000 from Midlands Gives with the Central Carolina Foundation.

The Dawn Center, Department of Public Utilities and the Tri-County Health Commission wrote letters of support.

Within the grant, youve got to ask people to donate through us to Midlands Gives, Keitt said. Weve set that up with PayPal on our website and the Facebook page also has information for donations.

Were going to be doing a lot with these students, she added.

Keitt said Project Life will be doing different things this year other than simply tutoring.

Were training our children, were exposing them to different areas of Orangeburg, facilities and things of that nature where they wouldnt ordinarily go, Keitt said. We are trying to get our young people to understand that they can become policy makers, they can form policies themselves.

Programs like Project Life: Positeen help students know when they get into high school and college, they wont have to worry about anything, she said.

The training they get, they do not get it anywhere else, Keitt said.

Students from K5 to high school currently attend Keitts after-school center from Monday to Thursday. They receive tutoring in math, English-language arts, science, social studies and writing. Claflin and South Carolina State students also help in tutoring.
WASHINGTON -- An old Marine told me that Marines guard Marines from the other side. And when one of their brothers is being threatened, the Devil Dogs (aka Marines) will "go wild on them" for eternity.

Yes, but what about the sisters? Do the Devil Dogs protect them, too? What about the female Marines whose nude photos were posted to a Facebook group where comments ranged from raunchy to suggestions of violence?

Do women Marines count in the Devil Dogs lore?

The questions arise as the Defense Department begins an investigation into recent revelations about the Facebook group, Marines United, which the Associated Press reports was comprised of active-duty and retired male Marines along with some Navy Corpsmen and Royal British Marines.

Some of the nude shots were grabbed from Instagram, which mostly prohibits nudity. Others were shot surreptitiously. Most were passed along a testosterone-rich grapevine. More than two dozen active-duty women in the photographs were identified by their rank, full name and location. Needless to say, the women were horrified to learn that they had been sexually objectified by their peers.

One said the scandal had ruined her Marine experience and that she wouldn't re-enlist. One active corpsman said he'd seen the photos on the Facebook page, which also provides news and support, but wasn't interested and skipped over them. He didn't find the collection surprising, however, likely given his generation's comfort with nudity in all its forms.

The young women who knowingly had their photos taken apparently thought that viewers would be of their own choosing. One can imagine, however, that a libidinous corpsman (pardon the redundancy) who discovers a picture of a semi-nude or nude female Marine might be inspired to share it. Isn't "sharing" the operative terms in today's narcissistic, show-and-tell-all culture?

The difference and the distinction, however, is that the Marines United boys club basically stole the images and used them without the subjects' consent. Marines being Marines? Or are they guilty of something more sinister, potentially deserving court martial?

To the civilian mind, the answer is rather simple: The Pentagon, now fully infiltrated and indoctrinated by modern feminists, has decided to put women in combat (thank you, President Obama). Therefore, women must be treated as men.

But what about the vice-versa? Must men be treated as women? That is, should they be trained to be more "sensitive"? If so, can you simultaneously create sensitivity in the desensitizing, killing culture that breaks down an 18-year-old's humanity and instills in him an instinct for extreme brutality?

Put another way, how stupid are we?

There's a reason we say in times of great peril, "Send in the Marines," and it's not because of the few brave, committed women among them. But try to find someone in today's military willing to say so.

Older vets with nothing to lose will sometimes open up. Two of my regular Marine correspondents, "Jack" and "Russ," both of them Vietnam vets, explained the culture that creates killers and how this environment isn't conducive to civilian norms.

Jack, who told me the afterlife story, is my brother. Russ is a retired Methodist minister who counsels veterans navigating post-traumatic stress disorder. Neither they nor I intend to justify the Facebook group but rather aim to illuminate the mindset that might have led to it and the misunderstandings that create havoc.

"Hollywood makes this s--- up," says Jack in his best "French." "I never saw a Marine shed a tear for lost buddies. Now in the Middle East, these guys have f------ breakdowns and unit ceremonies and all that s---. In Vietnam, your buddies put you in a body bag, a chopper flew your dead a-- to Da Nang and off you went on a jet back home.

"It ain't Hollywood. It is stinky, bloody, sweat-soaked, soil-your-britches killing and being killed. You push that cr-- down so far in your guts that it comes out 50 years after the job is done. That's PTSD."

Russ explains the culture in somewhat more polished terms.

"Marines embrace the warrior archetype more than other branches. The shadow of this is patriarchy, misogyny and brutality. We are trained to be killing machines, deadening all emotion except anger. We're told we don't have the luxury of sensitivity, so we objectify everything, including women."

Still, he's optimistic, saying that we need to return to "the embodiment of the hero archetype in the medieval knight. Aggressiveness can be coupled with honor, nobility and compassion."

Maybe so. But knights typically didn't joust with women, which may be the most salient inference. That said, chivalry has a place here. An apology to the women who exposed themselves to the few, not the proud, would be appropriate -- both as gesture and punishment.
BOWMAN -- Orangeburg County Councilman Johnny Ravenell talked about issues related to the new Yonder Field outdoor concert venue at Bowman Town Councils March 7 meeting.

The residents out there are in an uproar, Ravenell said, making an unscheduled appearance at the meeting. They are very much concerned about the activities that will go on out there and the proximity of the noise to the residents and things of that sort.

(The developers) have gone through the Department of Health and Environmental Control, they had testing of sounds and they are saying that the average resident, as close as they are, will not be affected by the sound from the outdoor amphitheater, he added.

We try to mediate between the residents out there and the developers, Ravenell said. A lot of people have misconceptions about that project. That project is between landowners and the buyers. The county is giving no incentives for that project.

A lot of citizens are under the impression that (county officials) can go out there and tell them what they can and cannot do, he said. But that would be overstepping our bounds.

Ravenell said when he visited the site earlier that day, the managers reported the project was on schedule. Developers expect Yonder Field to host concerts 10 to 20 weekends during the year.

The county councilman also discussed the new solar farm that will largely be located outside of Bowman, with only one small section extending into the town limits. Though the facility will not generate any jobs locally, the solar field will fall into a different category in terms of taxation. Basically, the solar farm will incur higher property taxes than the property did when it was used solely for agriculture.

Council also attended to a variety of regular housekeeping matters. Town Clerk Melvin Felder reported ending balances last month were: general fund, $136,299.10; sewer operation and maintenance, $10,821.55; and municipal fund, $3,546.01.

Police Chief Kevin Pendarvis reported his department filed seven incident reports in February including two larcenies, one strong-arm robbery, one domestic dispute, one suspicious incident, one bank card fraud and one death investigation that determined natural causes.

Pendarvis reported he received price quotes for the new ballistic vests needed for officers. He recommended the town purchase seven new vests at a cost of $599 each.

In other business:

Councilman Nathaniel Gaines reported he expects beautification work on Bowman streetscapes to resume in April.

Councilman Michael Void reported that a tree still needed to be removed from Bowman's nature park and that the fence the tree struck should be repaired before it deteriorates further. He also expressed concern that the vehicle gate leading into the park had been left open and that unauthorized vehicles entering the park could pose a threat to children playing there.

Bowman Town Council's next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4.
The birth rate has declined in Orangeburg, Bamberg and Calhoun counties among 15- to 19-year-olds since 1991, but more work remains, a state agency reports.

Overall, its wonderful news. We used to be 13th in the nation in the highest teen birth rate and now were 16th in the nation. Were going in the right direction. As a statewide community, I think the state has really embraced this issue and saw it as a true public health problem, said Beth De Santis, chief executive officer of the S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

The campaign reports the teen birth rate has declined 64 percent since 1991, the result of decades of success for communities across the state.

The decline includes an 8 percent decrease in the states teen birth rate between 2014 and 2015, with the states birth rate for teens ages 15 to 19 standing at 26.1 births for every 1,000 females in 2015, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

While communities, schools and medical providers are helping teens to make good choices about their sexual health and relationships, a teen still gives birth in the state every 131 minutes.

Youre still talking about over 4,000 births to kids 15 to 19 years old. So while the state gets to celebrate a 64 percent decline in the teen birth rate since 1991, we still have a lot more work to do, De Santis said.

In 2015, South Carolina ranked in the top 10 nationally for rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and diagnosed HIV for all ages.

The S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy has received a $1.5 million federal grant per year for five years to provide programs in Orangeburg, Aiken and Anderson counties.

Once launched, evidence-based programs will be implemented in middle schools, high schools and clinics in Orangeburg County as part of the Expanding the Reach project. De Santis said Bamberg and Barnwell counties are among the other counties that are actively partnering with the SCCPTP on this.

Each county is diligently working to increase access to birth control among teens. Condoms Access Points have been implemented in business and community organizations to create safe spaces for teens to access condoms, she said.

All programs encourage abstinence as the safest and most effective option and promote the use of various forms of birth control and the proper and frequent use of condoms among sexually active teens. This is critical to not only preventing teen pregnancy, but STIs and HIV as well, De Santis said.

She has said that continued focus on high-risk populations, such as youth in foster care and the juvenile justice system and those not in school, not working, or who are already parents will help.

A lot of our evidence-based programming that we use across the state is about the prevention of pregnancy as well as STIs. So the message really needs to be tailor-made for the teen population and not just for the overall population, she said.

Bamberg County ranked number one in the state with a teen birth rate of 15.6 for every 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 in 2015. The county has seen a 75 percent decline in its teen birth rate since 1991.

Theres lots of different areas that weve had huge gains in, but I think Bamberg is specifically the most important case study that we can make in our state. The community has been so engaged for over 20 years, De Santis said. "Thats the kind of sustained engagement that it takes in order to stay number one."

Michelle Nimmons, coordinator of Bamberg School District Twos Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, said the districts prevention efforts have been sustained over a 35-year period.

Age-appropriate, evidence-based curricula and multiple methods have been used to reach adolescents.

We provide parents and their children with evening programming. Those parent-child events are designed to promote healthy conversations between parents and their children. We believe that parents should be the primary sexuality educators for their children, so we promote starting conversations early and having them often, Nimmons said.

The district provides age-appropriate abstinence education for pre-K through fifth-grade students, along with educational programming for middle and high school students, including training sessions by the Denmark-Olar High School Peer Educator group.

The high STI and HIV rates among teens is disheartening, Nimmons said. She said the issue deserves as much attention as pregnancy prevention.

Continued funding opportunities have to be made available and partnerships have to be established so that all of us are mindful of how intertwined those two issues really are, Nimmons said.

In Orangeburg County, the teen birth rate for 15- to 19-year-olds has declined by 52 percent since 1991. The county had a 2015 teen birth rate of 33.7 percent, higher than the state average and higher than the countys 2014 birth rate of 24.1.

In Calhoun County, the teen birth rate for teens ages 15 to 19 dropped by 71 percent since 1991. The county had a 2015 been birth rate of 24.6, lower than the state average but higher than the countys 2014 teen birth rate of 19.8.\

For more information or to review the report, visit: https://www.teenpregnancysc.org/theissue or call 803-771-7700.
Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
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Ramblings of a badly aged Baby Boomer who went from Rebel Without a Cause to Bozo Without a Clue in, seemingly, the same afternoon.
By Trend





As of Jan. 1, 2017, Azerbaijans external public debt amounted to $6.913 billion (12.241billion manats), which is 20.4 percent of the countrys GDP, the Azerbaijani Finance Ministry said in a message.

Statistics on borrowings include direct government obligations and contingent liabilities for loans attracted under a state guarantee.

The message said that the external public debt of Azerbaijan consists mainly of credit programs and infrastructure projects of international financial institutions, as well as securities placed on international financial markets.

It should be recalled that as of October 1, 2016, Azerbaijans external debt was $7.65 billion (20.1 percent of GDP).
By Azertac





An Ukraine-Azerbaijan business forum will be held in Kiev on March 13.





The event will be organized as part of a visit of Azerbaijan`s Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev to Ukraine.





The business forum will discuss the creation of joint ventures.








By Azertac





Leadership of the Pakistan Naval Academy has visited the Military Academy of Azerbaijan`s Armed Forces to discuss prospects for cooperation in the field of military education.





The Pakistani delegation was also informed about the Military Academy.
By Trend





Nearly 1,500 people have been evacuated from the Solovei cinema in Moscow after a anonymous phone call informing police of a bomb threat, Sputnik reported.

The Moscow police told Sputnik that security officers are examining the cinema.

"An anonymous individual made a phone call and voiced threats to the organization. Policemen are checking the building," the source said adding that the identity of the individual is being verified.
By Trend





Turkish premier has warned Europe not to interfere in the nation's internal affairs, hours after Dutch government canceled Turkish foreign minister's flight permit, Anadolu reported.

Speaking at a rally in western Balikesir province, Binali Yildirim said some European countries hosted PKK, Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) members and anti-Turkey figures.

"Do not do that! I warn that this does not fit into friendship, [and] alliance. Those who become friends of Turkey's enemies will display enmity against Turkey," the prime minister said.

Dutch Foreign Ministry announced early Saturday in a statement the Netherlands canceled Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permit on grounds of "security" and "public safety". The foreign minister was scheduled to address the Turkish community in the Dutch city of Rotterdam later Saturday.

"Europe, please do not put your nose into Turkey's internal affairs, politics," the prime minister told the crowd.

The Netherlands, Austria and Germany are some of the European countries that have canceled meetings of some Turkish ministers and politicians, which they planned as part of their Yes campaigns ahead of the referendum in Turkey, on April 16th.
This post is prompted by a number of things that have left me pondering how as Christians we are to bring about change in our churches. When we strongly b...

7 years ago
The regions most powerful banking and financial services executives will descend on Abu Dhabi tomorrow (Monday) as Meftech 2017, the Mena regions most prestigious financial technology exhibition, gets underway.



Meftech will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on March 13 and 14, where the most influential financial executives will be joined by dozens of the worlds most advanced and exciting technology solutions.



Jim Marous, a recognised global leader in the field of financial technology, will be a keynote speaker at the event where he will urge banks and financial institutions to learn from truly digital companies such as Facebook and Apple to build relationships with their customers.



Marous, the owner of the Digital Banking Report, said: Todays consumer expects a more personalised experience than ever before. Using non-banking organisations such as Uber, Amazon, Apple and Facebook as examples, they want their bank to know them, look out for them and reward them based on real time insights.



They are willing to share very personal details about their life as long as their bank can provide value by saving them time and money and avoiding stress in their daily life. We are talking about using big data and machine learning, combined with AI (artificial Intelligence), IoT (Internet of Things) and voice technology to build a financial concierge relationship.



Using personalisation to provide real-time advice the way the customer wants to receive it results in a better customer experience, increased trust, higher engagement and loyalty. This, in turn, increases share of wallet and loyalty.



Two more industry leaders will join Marous on stage -- Chris Skinner, CEO of TheFinanser.com, and bank innovation consulting expert JP Nicols. All three will also offer face-to-face advice over the course of the two-day exhibition.



The stellar speaker line-up is bolstered by the latest cutting-edge technology solutions that will be on display, including blockchain technologies, machine learning and Facebook finance, all of which are disrupting the financial services industry across the globe.



IBM has been announced as a platinum sponsor of the event, while two other global giants, SAP and Comarch, have also recognised its significance in the region by taking up gold sponsorship opportunities.



Marous continued: Meftech should be a hugely important event for financial institutions in the Middle East. By bringing together regional and international leaders in the industry, individuals and organizations can learn about the latest technology, insights and case studies that are not available elsewhere. Through networking and learning sessions, participants can challenge legacy thinking and fight complacency in banking.



If I could give the attendees three bits of advice, number one would be to make data and analytics a top priority across their organisations, as it is the foundation for every future trend and prediction.



The second would be to leverage this insight to provide a personalised, contextual one to one relationship with customers and prospects, and finally to go beyond digitalization of paper to digitalization of processes, looking at each transformation from the perspective of the customer as opposed to being a cost reduction initiative."



Building upon Meftechs rich pedigree of success, it will be expanded this year with a host of features including, a bespoke appointments-scheduling service enabling exhibitors to pre-arrange one-to-one meetings, closed room roundtables to maximise interaction between participants and speakers, and a world class conference programme featuring a mix of keynote presentations, case studies and live demos.



Board level guests from some of the leading banks in the region have already confirmed their attendance including from FGB, ADIB, Qatar Islamic Bank and Bahrain Islamic Bank. - TradeArabia News Service
Shuaa has entered into an agreement with Integrated Financial Group, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Financial Group, in this regard.



UAE-based Integrated Financial Group operates an online platform that provides securities trading, asset management, corporate finance, advisory, and research services.



Integrated Capital is a central bank licensed investment company that has played a leading role in fixed income transactions in the region. In 2016, it acted as the co-lead on the debut $500 million bond issuance by Etihad Airways Partners.



Integrated Securities, formerly known as First Gulf Financial Services when it was part of Abu Dhabi-based First Gulf Bank, brings to the table a securities brokerage business with over 3,000 retail and institutional clients.



Shuaa Capital said the acquisition was aimed at bringing greater synergies to investors and clients.



"It is part of Shuaas return to prominence as a regional investment powerhouse," remarked Jassim Alseddiqi, the chairman of Shuaa Capital.



The company, he stated, was contemplating to restore Shuaa to its rightful position as a leader in capital markets and investment banking in the region.



"This is a gradual process, with an emphasis on building the right synergies and bringing the best products and services to the companys clients, investors and stakeholders," he added.



The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the coming weeks.



In December last year, Shuaa had acquired a 14 per cent stake in Khaleeji Commercial Bank, the subsidiary of GFH Financial Group, and Bahrains leading Islamic retail bank.-TradeArabia News Service
UK-based Unipart Rail, a leading supplier of services to the rail industry, said it will join hands with Arabian Railway Company to set up a new company that will deliver world-class projects, supply chain services and consultancy in Saudi Arabia.



Arabian Railway Company is the first of its kind and a specialised multi-disciplinary railway services company based in Saudi Arabia.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Mohawarean International Group (MIG), the company provides a range of maintenance activities across the full spectrum of rail transportation disciplines throughout the GCC.



Under this agreement, Unipart Rail will be opening a new office in Saudi Arabia at MIG's new tower block on King Fahd Road in Riyadh, opposite to the King Abdullah Financial District.



Speaking at the signing ceremony, Noel Travers, the deputy managing director, Unipart Rail, said the next 10 years will witness unparalleled reform of transport within the Middle East.



"Expansion on this scale, in this time span, has never been seen before," stated Travers in the presence of UK Rail Minister Paul Maynard MP at the signing ceremony held during the Middle East Rail 2017 conference in Dubai.



"The size and scale of railway development projects are vast, and there are good opportunities for Unipart Rail and Arabian Railway Company throughout the supply chain," said the top official.



"Unipart brings a strong heritage in the rail sector, a growing range of services, and The Unipart Way of working, which has been adopted by many of our clients globally as a route to continuous productivity improvement," he added.



Khalid Al Jumaid, the chief executive of Arabian Railway Company, said: "Unipart are experts in managing all kinds of supply chain. They take all the challenges and difficulties of an operator, and manage it on their behalf."



"They come with an excellent track record and experience, as well as knowing the Middle East market very well  and thats why I believe that Unipart will be successful here," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) said it has allocated Dh53 million ($15 million) towards funding of a 336-km-long National Road No 2 (Ndioum  Ourossogui  Bakel) project in Senegal.



The National Road No. 2 development runs along the valley of the Senegal River, and will directly impact 15 percent of the total Senegalese population - 2.15 million individuals across three administrative regions including Saint-Louis, Matam and Tambacounda, it stated.



Senegalese President Macky Sall attended the foundation stone laying ceremony along with Mansour Elimane Kane, the Senegalese Minister of Infrastructure, Land Transport and Opening up, Ali Al Marzouqi, Charge d'affaires at the UAE embassy in Senegal, and several high-ranking officials.



Speaking at the ceremony, ADFD officials said one of its goals was to support governments across the globe in achieving their desired development objectives.



This road will play a vital role in alleviating living standards for communities through enabling infrastructure that significantly eases movement of goods and people, they stated.



Lauding the Senegalese governments national strategy - Strategie Nationale de Developpement Economique et Social, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, the director general of ADFD, said: "The government of Senegals strategy articulates recovery, growth, long- term development and infrastructure investments as core priorities."



According to him, the 50-km-long road section will directly benefit 600,000 residents.



"Furthermore, the overall project reinforces the Senegalese national strategy and will kick-start socio-economic growth in the country, specifically improving transportation infrastructure, reducing travel time and helping curb high vehicle repair costs as a direct fall-out of accidents on ill-constructed roads," he stated.



Minister Kane emphasised that the National Road No.2 project is in line with the Senegalese governments strategy to enhance, boost and increase access to public services  notably through proper transport infrastructure.



Since 1976, ADFD has allocated concessionary loans worth Dh193 million to sustainable development projects in Senegal across key sectors  most significantly, health, transportation, agriculture and water.-TradeArabia News Service
Emirates Aviation University has announced special offers on its tuition fees effective immediately and valid for registration by May 31, 2017.



The offers vary between 20 per cent and 50 per cent and will be granted to all prospective students on foundation, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes.



As part of our ongoing commitment to providing our students with the best education and development support, we have taken the decision to offer a range of generous scholarships which will contribute to their future success. The scholarships include several programmes and will support students who are planning to pursue their education at Emirates Aviation University, said Dr Ahmad Al Ali, vice chancellor  Emirates Aviation University (EAU).



The offer will include 20 per cent scholarship on Bachelor of Business Administration in Aviation management, Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, Applied Bachelor Programmes such as Aerospace and Avionics Technology, Foundation Programmes such as Certificate 3 in Engineering and Engineering Foundation Programme. It will also include 30 per cent scholarship on Applied Bachelor Programmes such as Air Transport Management, Business Administration and Business with Marketing, Business with HR Management, Business with Accounting and Finance, Foundation Programmes such as Certificate 3 and 4 in Business, Aviation Operations with Business, Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Sciences Programmes such as MBA in Aviation Management and MSc in Aviation Safety and 50 per cent scholarship on Optimisation and Statistics.



EAU will also provide special offers on student accommodation which will be ready in summer.



Established in 1991, EAU is the academic wing of the Emirates Group and considered to be a leading educational institution for a wide range programmes and degrees including aeronautical engineering, aviation management, business administration, and aviation safety & security studies. Emirates Aviation University (EAU) has been an established collaboration partner of Coventry University since 2006. EAUs programmes have been internationally and nationally accredited by QAA, National Qualifications Authority, and Ministry of Education  Higher Education Affairs and passed with flying colours. - TradeArabia News Service
ZonesCorp, a key developer and operator of purpose-built industrial zones in the UAE, has achieved board member status of the Elite Council led and hosted by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).



This is the culmination of efforts by ZonesCorp to promote and advance the culture of excellence and innovation within the organisation.



Membership of this esteemed group came after a team from the Corporate Performance department at ZonesCorp participated in the first Council of the Elite meeting, held last month.



At the function, the ZonesCorp team presented a strategic plan designed to boost excellence with an innovative internal management system that will deliver improved customer service.



The Elite Councils initiative aims to establish a mechanism for the exchange of knowledge and experience that serves the wider strategic goals of Abu Dhabi.



Members of the Council representing the public and private sectors share their experience of developing innovative systems and processes that deliver excellence in their sectors.



Saeed Eisa Mohammed Al Khyeli, the director general, said: "ZonesCorp is always seeking to improve its performance by promoting a culture of excellence and innovation amongst employees and through the adoption of measures and policies that create an internal work environment that can help achieve this goal."



"This is also part of wider efforts to stimulate the economic agenda of Abu Dhabi 2030 vision, which is seeking to invest in the knowledge economy," he stated.



According to him, the government excellence has become the objective in all the institutions of Abu Dhabi, and at ZonesCorp we believe that excellence must include all levels of the organisation.



"We are investing considerable time and effort creating a culture of innovation and best practice amongst our staff to ensure that they have the necessary skills and abilities to deliver higher levels of productivity and service," he added.



ZonesCorp is for the fifth time in a row taking part in the Government's Excellence in Government Performance Award, designed to boost performance, productivity and contribute to building a knowledge economy in accordance with the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision.-TradeArabia News Service
ZonesCorp, one of the largest operators of purpose-built economic zones in the UAE, has announced a strong start to 2017 with five investors building new facilities in the Industrial Cities in Abu Dhabi (ICAD).



Situated in ICADs I & III, the new facilities, which cover a total area of 230,779 sq m, will represent a combined investment of Dh160 million ($44 million), said a statement from ZonesCorp.



After finalising deals with ZonesCorp at the end of 2016 / beginning of 2017, the investors are due to start construction in the coming months and cover a range of sectors in some of ZonesCorps core markets, including warehousing and logistics, F&B, SMEs and Heavy Machinery, it stated.



Falah Al Ahbabi, the chairman of ZonesCorp, said: "I am delighted with the progress we have made already this year and we are working hard to develop, manage and promote world-class economic zones that spur the sustainable growth, economic development and industrial diversification across the emirate of Abu Dhabi."



Saeed Eisa Al Khyeli, the director general of ZonesCorp said: "We are positive about the coming year and early indications suggest that we will continue to see a steady flow of high quality investments on ZonesCorp acreage as 2017 progresses."



The companies building new facilities in the ICADs are:

*Innovida Warehouses Management - A major UAE-based company that provides high-end premises to serve companies operating in logistic and supply chain services

*Fibrex Construction Group - A major turnkey construction group handling projects in the Gulf and across the Middle East with various categories ranging from residential, commercial, leisure, private, governmental and educational categories.

*Petro Hub - An industrial investment company, subleasing warehousing units to SME industrial projects, showrooms, and exhibitions.

*Riviere Mineral Water Factory - A well-established mineral water company that is expanding into new facilities and Aertssen Group, a Belgian family business which is currently one of the leading earth moving, heavy lift and heavy transport contractors in Europe.



"These new investments underpin our position as the strategic partner of choice for industrial and manufacturing developments in the UAE. The ZonesCorp model is distinct from a free-zone allowing investors to easily access rapidly developing internal and external markets," noted Al Khyeli.



"We are very happy to see these projects move forward and are looking forward to continuously work together with the investors to help them fully realise their ambitions," he added.



Since its inception, ZonesCorp has played a key role in developing the industrial sector in the UAE.



Currently housing over 650 industrial facilities, ZonesCorp has attracted over Dh29 billion ($7.9 billion) worth of investments from local and international companies into its economic zones.-TradeArabia News Service
Acknowledging the achievements of women from all walks of life, Nutreema Advertising yesterday (March 11) held The 15th Womens Show at the Intercontinental Hotel Abu Dhabi.



The event, held in collaboration with Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, HealthPlus IVF Fertility Center, and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhab, witnessed around 500 women from different sectors in Abu Dhabi attend.



During her opening remarks, head organizer Rima Sayegh Janho said: Every woman is beautiful and determined. Her essence is worth celebrating as she remains the rock of the earth over decades. Have a Happy Womens and Mothers Day to all of you.



Health talks included a talk on Endometriosis in Women, as March also marks the World Endometriosis Month. Dr. Islam Sidky, consultant obstetrics and gynecology, Minimal Access Surgeon at Danat Al Emarat Hospital in Abu Dhabi, said: There is a growing need to raise awareness on endometriosis in the region. Overall incidence rate is 10  15 per cent, and 50 per cent of women suffering from fertility problems are affected by endometriosis. Number of cases are increasing and women need to understand the symptoms and the importance of early detection, and having the right diagnosis early on. The diseases could be controlled and treated effectively if diagnosed early.



In addition to the talk on endometriosis, health talks throughout the day also included a presentation on the difference between Polycystic Ovaries and Ovarian Cysts presented by Dr. Walid Sayed, Medical Director and IVF Consultant HealthPlus Fertility Center; a talk on fertility health wellness by Dr. Bohaira El Geyoushi, medical director and consultant obstetrician gynecologist and fertility at Orchid Reproductive and Andrology Services; and a talk on face lifting new techniques by Dr. Christeen Youssef, Dermatology & Aesthetic specialist and CEO at Everlast Wellness Medical Center. Lastly, a very interactive presentation was given by Dr. Lavinia Lonita, CEO of Omixy, UK on personal omics for personalised prevention.



Silver Sponsor Jotun Abu Dhabi showcased during the event its new collections called Wonderful Interiors to highlight new color modes and painting schemes.



A fascinating jewelry show sponsored by the famous rare jewelry manufacturer Ibrahim Zein from Monte Carlo & Beirut was also staged along with a documentary video on Zeins craftsmanship and designs.

Star Saad Ramadan rendered a special song number, while dance performances kept the audience entertained. After a Q&A forum, a raffle was held where winners brought home exclusive gift hampers and vouchers courtesy of the participating companies.



Another highlight was a fashion show by Herz led by renowned fashion designer Heba Herzallah, who showcased her latest collections of evening and casual dresses.



Medical sponsors were also given an opportunity to showcase the latest healthcare trends, healthy foods, and sample products; provide free consultations; and conduct blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol check-ups. High-end retailers, on the other hand, displayed the latest in fashion, make-up, and accessories. - TradeArabia News Service
As part of its ongoing research into the cybercriminal underground markets of the world, Trend Micro researchers today released a report detailing Cybercrime in West Africa. This report leverages its partnership with Interpol to provide survey data and a deeper understanding of the regions cybercriminal ecosystem.



While tactics play a role in the success of West African cybercriminals, the greatest contributor to the proliferation of cybercrime in this region is their long history of defrauding victims globally, it says.



Viewed as outsmarting victims, cybercrime is encouraged in West Africa - especially Ghana where the ritualisation of online fraud, sakawa, is practiced. Sakawa recognises that a Supreme Being blesses scammers with protection and good fortune, eliminating the unethical implications and encouraging West Africans to defraud foreign victims.



It can be argued that West African threat actors turn to cybercrime as a means to an end to provide for themselves and their families. A survey conducted by Interpol revealed that each year nearly half of the one million graduates from more than 668 African universities are unemployed.



In terms of communication, West African cybercriminals willingly share tricks of the trade with one another and teach newbies how to con potential victims. The open lines of communication could be what has sustained this ecosystem for so long and explains how effective scams have risen to popularity.



The Major Players

The two most common types of cybercriminals in West Africa are known as the Yahoo Boys and Next-Level Cybercriminals. These two groups portray distinct characteristics and operate different types of scams based on their levels of experience.



Yahoo Boys, named for their use of Yahoo apps to communicate, are often part of groups operating in the same physical location and supervised by a more experienced ringleader. These cybercriminals see a scam from beginning to end and often carry out multiple attacks at one time. They specialise in advance-fee, romance and stranded-traveler scams, such as the Nigerian Prince phishing emails that brought West Africa on the theoretical map of cybercrime in the early 2000s.



Their goal is to convince unsuspecting victims to transfer large sums of money for a variety of illegitimate reasons. Yahoo Boys typically lack maturity and actively use social media to show off their ill-gotten wealth.



Meanwhile, Next-Level Cybercriminals are the opposite of Yahoo Boys. This group consists of well-off and highly respected family men who are mature in terms of personal behaviour. Albeit new to the scene, Next-Level Cybercriminals engage in more complex attacks, such as Business Email Compromise (BEC) and tax scams, by using malware and other crime-enabling software from Russia and other English speaking underground markets. They also maintain connections and accounts overseas as a way to feign legitimacy with their victims and keep law enforcement at arms length. Due to the sophisticated social engineering tactics required to pull off these scams, significantly more research and effort goes into the crimes committed by Next-Level Cybercriminals.



What Next?

The Interpol survey showed West African cybercriminals rake in an average $2.7 million from businesses and $422,000 from individuals. The substantially larger payout from enterprises explains why these cybercriminals prefer BEC and tax scams and use simpler attacks to sustain their revenue stream.



Although there is currently no underground marketplace in West Africa, we can anticipate one to emerge in the near future as these cybercriminals hone-in on their skills and adopt new tactics.



Despite roadblocks related to investigating cybercrime in this region, the Interpol survey revealed 30 percent of crimes reported to law enforcement each year lead to arrests. It is our hope that in partnership with Interpol, we can raise this number and alleviate further cybercriminal activity in West Africa.
The United States was the most preferred destination country globally for travellers in 2016, while in Asia the UAE was the top country for tourists, according to a new study.



The US topped globally with 11.9 per cent of the total tourists visiting the country. Italy with 8 per cent was the second most preferred destination country globally, followed by Germany (6.1 per cent), UK (5.9 per cent) and Spain (4.9 per cent) in the ranking prepared by HotelsPro, a technology and reservation solutions provider for travel industry professionals and a brand of the world's leading travel and accommodation supplier MetGlobal Group of Companies.



Data for the Global Travel Statistics for 2016 was collected from HotelsPros offices in London, Shanghai, Orlando, Dubai and Istanbul.



The most visited continent is Europe (58 per cent). It was followed by Asia (19.5 per cent), North America (16 per cent), South America (2.6 per cent), Africa (2.3 per cent) and Oceania (1.6 per cent), according to the data.

The most preferred country in Asia was the UAE with 19.7 per cent votes. Thailand (12.8 per cent) and Malaysia (7.9 per cent) followed UAE in the rankings for Asia.



The most preferred one in Europe is Italy with 13.8 per cent. Germany (10.4 per cent) and UK (10.2 per cent) followed Italy in the rankings. The most preferred one in Africa is Egypt with 26.7 per cent, followed by Morocco (21.3 per cent) and South Africa (18.6 per cent).



USA and Australia are well ahead

While the most preferred country in North America is the US with 78.3 per cent votes, Canada (9.1 per cent) and Mexico (8.7 per cent) followed the US in the rankings. In Oceania, the most preferred country is Australia (74.6 per cent), followed by New Zealand (21.2 per cent) and Fiji Islands (1.4 per cent). The most preferred country of South America is Brazil with 25.2 per cent, followed by Argentina (22.9 per cent) and Colombia (21.9 per cent).



Average length of stay is 2,8 days

According to the data, travellers all over the world mostly stayed between 1 and 3 days in the locations they visited in 2016. While 75 per cent of all accommodations constitute 1 to 3 days stays, 4 to 7 days stays were about 22 per cent of all stays in 2016. The ratio of more than 7 days stays is 3 per cent, it said.  TradeArabia News Service




While the aviation sector witnessed a slight drop in the total number of airline accidents in 2016, from 68 to 65, the number of fatalities climbed from 136 to 268, almost twice as much as those lost in 2015, a report revealed.



According to Iatas 2016 Airline Safety Performance report, the industrys five-year safety trend showed that the rate of accidents significantly improved, with the the previous five-year period (2011-2015) showing an average of 13.4 fatal accidents and 371 people killed per year, an improvement on 2015s report, which posted a previous five-year average of 17.6 fatal accidents and 504 killed per year.



"Last year some 3.8 billion travellers flew safely on 40.4 million flights. The number of total accidents, fatal accidents and fatalities all declined versus the five-year average, showing that aviation continues to become safer. We did take a step back on some key parameters from the exceptional performance of 2015; however, flying is still the safest form of long distance travel. And safety remains the top priority of all involved in aviation. The goal is for every flight to depart and arrive without incident. And every accident redoubles our efforts to achieve that, said Alexandre de Juniac, Iatas director general and CEO.



Ten fatal accidents were recorded in 2016, Iata reported, resulting in 268 killed. In 2015, four fatal accidents were recorded, resulting in 136 deaths.



Of the 10 fatal accidents in 2016, five were jet hull losses and five were turboprop hull losses.



The global jet accident rate in 2016 was 0.39 hull losses per million flightsthe equivalent of one major accident for every 2.56 million flightsup from 0.32 in 2015. This was not as good as the rate  achieved in 2015, Iata said, and [exceeded] the five-year rate (2011-2015) of 0.36. Thirteen jet hull losses were recorded for 2016, up from 10 recorded in 2015.



The Middle East and North Africa had the highest regional jet hull loss rate in 2016, with 2.49 jet hull losses per million flights, compared to zero for the region the year before. The regions performance was impacted by the May 19, 2016 incident involving EgyptAir flight MS804, an Airbus A320 that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea, killing all 66 people on board.



The global turboprop accident rate in 2016 was 1.15 hull losses per every one million turboprop flights, down slightly from 1.18 in 2015; the rate for the previous five-years (2011-2015) was 2.84 turboprop hull losses per one million flights. Eight turboprop hull losses occurred in 2016, the same number as in 2015.



The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) had the highest regional turboprop hull loss rate in 2016, with 10.03 hull losses per million flights, a sharp contrast to zero losses reported in the CIS in 2015.



For all jet and turboprop hull loss accidents combinedfatal and non-fatalIata calculated 1.61 accidents per million flights in 2016, down 10.1 per cent from 1.79 accidents per million flights in 2015.



De Juniac noted that Sub-Saharan Africa had its best performance within the last decade, with zero passenger fatalities and zero jet hull losses in 2016. The region had one non-fatal turboprop hull loss incident during the year.



Sub-Saharan airlines delivered a very strong performance in 2016, de Juniac said. The lesson in Africas improvement is that global standards like the Iata Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) make a difference. African nations should maintain this strong momentum by making IOSA and the IATA Standard Safety Assessment (for those carriers that are not eligible for IOSA) a part of their airline certification process. Regional governments also need to accelerate the implementation of ICAOs safety-related standards and recommended practices (SARPS). As of year-end 2016, only 22 African countries had at least 60 per cent SARPS implementation. - TradeArabia News Service
Leading hotel group Viceroy Hotels & Resorts is looking to expand its presence in the GCC along with plans to launch two new hotels over the next two years.



Viceroy Regional vice president and managing director, Mark Griffiths said: "As Viceroy Hotel Group, were looking to expand in destinations where Etihad Airways flies to, given that a great value of our market comes from Abu Dhabi and the GCC.



Viceroy Hotels & Resorts eyes several openings across the GCC for the succeeding years. Guests will soon be able to experience Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai on March 31, 2017. The architectural gem features 477 rooms and suites, eight dinning and nightlife venues, and facilities such as a beach club. One of its specialty restaurants is Quattro Passi which was founded by two Michelin-stared Italian Chef Antonio Mellino. This will be the first of its kind in the Middle East.



By the second quarter of 2018, Viceroy Hotels & Resorts will open its first luxury hotel and resort in Princes Islands, Istanbul. Viceroy Hotels & Resorts is also working on further developments in Morocco and Serbia.



The Viceroy Hotel Group is growing quickly from its present size. I look forward to growing as the regional vice president and managing director and growing with the company as it expands, Griffiths concluded.



The group, through Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, also continues to strengthen its relationship with respective island partners in the UAE capital and with the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority by offering packages together with Yas Waterworld, Ferrari World and Generation V for GCC families who will be celebrating the upcoming holidays on the island. - TradeArabia News Service
A nearly $950,000 award from the Wyoming Business Council could beef up operations for a Cody company that makes and sells jerky in the United States and Canada.

The state money, which would come in the form of a grant and a loan, would benefit Wyoming Authentic Products, but it is not yet guaranteed. The Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board will make the final decision on whether to approve the grant. And if SLIB rejects the grant, then the company would not receive the loan, since the two are bound together, said Josh Keefe, an economic development finance manager for the Business Council.

The governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer and superintendent of public instruction compose the SLIB.

And Thursdays decision by the council to award the grant portion of the financing package was not unanimous, with some members protesting that the company had been the beneficiary of state funds in the past for economic diversification and it needed to foot the costs of expansion itself.

Jerky from Wyoming cattle

By December 2018, Wyoming Authentic Products hopes to expand by more than twice its current production of 300 cases a week of jerky. The company is seven years old.

Wyoming Authentic Products jerky is sold in over 4,000 7-Eleven stores, since a company investor is involved in the convenience store company, said James Klessens, the CEO of Forward Cody, a local economic development group.

Nearly 700 Cracker Barrel restaurants carry the jerky. U.S. Navy commissary exchanges sell the snack sticks in Guam and Japan. Jerky lovers who shop at Southern grocery behemoths Publix Super Markets and Winn-Dixie can also find Wyoming Authentic Products on the shelves.

Interestingly, Wyomingites will have trouble finding the jerky at home, as not many Cowboy State markets carry it. It is available at the Farson Mercantile.

They cant keep it in stock, Klessens said The truck drivers from the oil fields come in and buy five or six at a time.

Wyoming Authentics owner could not attend the Business Council meeting in Casper, due to a family emergency, Klessens said.

Klessens said the quality of the jerky is noticeable in the taste.

Wyoming Authentic Products uses only Wyoming-raised cattle that are grown and fattened in a feedlot outside of Torrington and slaughtered in Pierce, Colorado, according to materials provided to the Business Council.

Financing package

The state money will cover most of the 3,500-square-foot expansion for office, smoker, raw meat preparation and packaging space, said Julie Kozlowski, the Business Councils community development director. The company is now in a building it leases from Forward Cody.

The projects costs are just over $1 million. In addition to the $750,000 grant, which was requested by the city of Cody, the Business Council has arranged for a four-year, 5 percent loan to the company of just under $190,000 that the Business Council, meeting at Casper College on Thursday, also approved.

And Wyoming Authentic Products will have to pony up about $97,000 of its own money, said Keefe, the Business Council employee.

Fourteen people currently work for Wyoming Authentic Products. With the expansion, the plan is to hire 10 more by January 2020. Employees will earn $43,000 a year, which is $10,000 over the county median.

Codys economy currently revolves around tourism, said Barry Cook, Codys city administrator. City leaders are always looking for high-paying, year-round jobs. Wyoming Authentic Products has been good for the area, he said.

Questions

The Business Councils decision to award the grant was split seven to six. The council spent some time chewing on whether it was prudent to award money to the project.

Wyoming Authentic Products benefited in the beginning of its operations when Forward Cody constructed the building thats now the jerky producers home with the help of a $1.2 million state grant in 2011.

Mike Sullivan of Cheyenne, a member of the council, said the job of the Business Council is to diversify the economy. It would be redundant to give Wyoming Authentic Products more money, since the firm is already in operation, he said.

The governor has asked us to go out and recruit the businesses and give them to the tools to be successful, he said. We have done that. This is a perfect example.

Sullivan said he was concerned that other firms will see the money and want more for themselves.

Its going to become too easy to go for a second and third and fourth grant, he said.

Business Council member Greg Hill of Wilson agreed.

He said the council needs to reinforce that this will be the last time and any further growth or aspirations for growth need to be wholly funded by them.

Nevertheless, a slight majority of the council felt it was a good project to recommend SLIB fund.
Casperites who looked skyward in late September 1979 saw a thick cloud of smog.

Public health officials werent sure what caused the pollution.

We are not equipped to give an immediate response, said Robert Schick, head of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Qualitys air quality monitoring division.

Earlier that month, construction workers had discovered a barrel of sulfuric acid buried next to the North Platte River.

It was all bubbly and foamy and stuff, Don Heil, state Highway Department spokesman, said at the time.

The acid was uncovered along with 25 or 30 other barrels of refinery additives dumped by the Amoco plant. Lorin Lefevre, Amocos chief of environmental control, told the Star-Tribune that he wasnt sure what was in the barrels but was not planning to test them. He insisted the additives were not highly toxic.

Modern federal and state environmental laws were largely established in the early 1970s, and while violations persisted, the government suddenly had the tools to respond.

The Natrona County Health Department was able to send air quality samples to the agency for testing, and DEQ devices installed east of Casper allowed for further monitoring.

As for the barrels of refinery waste, the state refused Amocos request to rebury it.

Today, few disagree that some government involvement is necessary to protect the environment. The debate is over whether the federal government needed to clean up air and water in Wyoming or whether the state could have done it alone.

Critics of the Environmental Protection Agency, including many in President Donald Trumps administration, argue regulators in Washington, D.C., are unable to properly understand issues in Wyoming and that the agency should be scaled back.

State laws, they suggest, are sufficient to keep the Cowboy State clean.

But critics of this attitude say that without federal standards, Wyoming would lose an important check on local environmental protections. Even if residents would no longer tolerate companies dumping barrels of acid, they contend, environmental issues are complex enough to warrant national oversight.

Can states go it alone?

The debate over the future of the EPA under new administrator Scott Pruitt, who repeatedly sued the agency as attorney general in Oklahoma, hinges  rhetorically at least  on how much authority the federal government should have over protecting air and water.

The EPA really is not the best way to deal with these problems, said Ben Zycher, an energy and environmental policy expert at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

In his view, the EPA should regulate only interstate problems, such as a polluted river that crosses state lines.

Pruitt, who eliminated the state attorney general offices Environmental Protection Unit in Oklahoma while creating a new unit to oversee his lawsuits against the federal government, pledged to turn over more control to states in his inaugural address to EPA employees.

I seek to ensure that we engender the trust of those at the state level, Pruitt said.

In many ways, the Powder River Basin Resource Council, a conservation group based in Sheridan, embodies the state action that conservatives advocate.

Founded in 1973 by a group of of ranchers and other northeast Wyoming residents to address the local impact of strip mining, the group helped pass state regulations.

Those laws were specific to Wyoming and required reclamation plans to be in place and mining companies to receive permission of landowners before beginning extraction, among other things.

Ranchers were worried about their property being mined through, losing their water, losing their grazing land, said Jill Morrison, a longtime staff member at the group.

But despite her organization serving as a model for local environmental protection, Morrison is quick to defend the role of the federal government.

We want our state to have primacy. We want our state to be the main regulator, she said. But we need some agency that has oversight and that is another backstop, another check and balance.

Morrison noted that in a state where 70 percent of public revenue comes from the energy industry, local regulators may be reluctant to vigorously defend Wyomings environment from mining companies.

They feel beholden, Morrison said.

DEQ spokesman Keith Guille said the state agency follows laws set by the Legislature.

Were beholden to our rules and regulations, Guille said.

Hodgepodge of laws

For state agencies to have control over environmental regulations within their borders, local laws cannot be more permissive than federal guidelines.

Im quite sure that without an EPA we would not have consistent standards, said New York Law School professor David Schoenbrod. Different people in different places have different ideas about the environment.

Schoenbrod, a critic of how Congress has implemented environmental laws, said that 44 states already had laws regulating air pollution before the creation of the EPA in 1970.

Its not like we were in the dark ages, he said.

But Joel Mintz, a former EPA attorney who now teaches at Nova Southeastern University, said that while there were environmental laws prior to federal intervention, they were weak and had little impact.

Before 1970, what existed was kind of a hodgepodge of state and local environmental laws, he said. Very little was being enforced or being done to stop pollution.

Even Zycher, the conservative energy and environmental analyst, gives the EPA credit for several important nationwide achievements.

He cites the elimination of lead in gasoline and a reduction in pollutants like sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

EPA regulation as driven by the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act has been successful in the sense that it has basically cleaned up U.S. air and water pretty substantially, Zycher said.

But much like Schoenbrod, Zycher believes that changes in society led to the creation of the EPA and that if Congress hadnt intervened, states would have stepped up  without the potential burden of federal oversight.

As societies get wealthier, people demand more environmental quality, he said. Thats a reality, and politicians respond.

Critics of states setting their own environmental rules are concerned about a race to the bottom, where individual states attract companies by promising not to stop them from polluting.

Zycher called this fear vastly weaker analytically than a lot of people recognize.

He argued that residents would vote with their feet and move away from regions with heavy pollution.

Yes, we want to attract capital investment, but we also want to attract labor resources, Zycher said. When your state is heavily polluted, then its going to be much more difficult to attract labor resources.

Would you want to live in Beijing? No, you wouldnt, he added, referencing Chinas heavily polluted capital, home to over 20 million people.

Wyoming without the EPA

Wyoming Sierra Club director Connie Wilbert said that poorer residents are often unable to easily relocate, making federal standards essential.

She also disagrees that turning the EPAs responsibilities over to states would work.

Thats because Wilbert doesnt think public pressure is sufficient to create strong environmental protections in jurisdictions across the country.

I dont think its really even fair to assume that the public has the knowledge, Wilbert said.

Wilbert says that the modern environmental laws, enforced by the EPA, have cleaned up Wyomings air and water in tangible ways.

She grew up in Fremont County in the 1960s and says that hiking in the Wind River Mountains today she can see farther into the distance than as a child.

Thats the result, she said, of laws that barred routine activities that sent smoke and toxins into the air.

Every house in Riverton had a 55-gallon drum out in the alley that you put your garbage in, she said. When it got full, you lit it on fire.

A lumber mill in Dubois incinerated wood scraps in a tepee burner day and night, Wilbert said.

It impacted the entire Wind River Valley, she said. There was a pall over the valley  that was just the way it was.

Household and commercial waste that wasnt burned was dumped into an unlined municipal landfill along the Wind River, Wilbert said.

Since state laws are required to meet federal standards, it is hard to parse whether federal intervention was necessary to clean up her hometown.

But former Wyoming Outdoor Council president Leslie Peterson said the political landscape in Wyoming has changed from the era when local environmentalists were able to work with the Legislature to pass major state laws.

She said that during the 1970s, when she oversaw the organization, a bipartisan attitude rallied many legislators to the cause of protecting Wyomings natural resources.

Peterson praised prominent Republicans in the state, including former U.S. Sens. Al Simpson and Malcolm Wallop, who were serving in the Legislature at the time. Tom Stroock, an oilman and Republican legislator from Casper, was also at the fore of working with conservation groups.

In 1978, the Outdoor Council gave lawmakers environmental rankings that were little dictated by party. Democratic House Leader Joe Stewart scored among the worst in the legislative body.

It was a very Republican body even then, but they were much more moderate than they are now, Peterson said. They were all really good in making sure Wyoming should develop on Wyomings terms.

Wilbert agreed that shifts in public attitudes meant todays Wyoming residents would balk at clouds of smog or cars being dumped in the North Platte River  and might be able to compel state politicians to take action if federal oversight wanes.

But she insists that EPA action is important to address more complex problems, like cancer-causing materials used in consumer products, or hidden items, like underground fuel tanks.

The public is not going to go back to burning garbage in the alley, because its smelly, Wilbert said. But thats not the whole picture.
John Fenton sometimes stands on his porch in the dark and listens. About 50 wells surrounding his property release steady puffs of gas into the air, keeping the wells warm on cold nights.

The exhale of the Pavillion gas field and the clicks of the gas pumps rumble like a freeway far in the distance. The chiseled-faced rancher whos spent a decade working with state and federal regulators searching for answers is troubled by the sound.

He knows the industry thats grown up in his backyard. His own sweat went into the drilling of some of those wells, when the field was just beginning to boom and his welding firm was bringing in enough cash to keep his family comfortable. But he walked away from the business as the story of Pavillions water became clear to him.

When it came down to it and I saw what was starting to happen with my neighbors, I just couldnt do it anymore, he said You got to decide what your conscience is worth.

What was happening was contamination, he said. The Environmental Protection Agency spent years searching for a source, and in 2011 the agency brought Pavillion into the national spotlight when it reported a link between oil and gas operations, particularly the use of hydraulic fracturing to stimulate production, and the polluted water supply. Its the kind of work some say the agency was created to do.

But that role could be changing. President Donald Trump recently proposed severe cuts to the federal agency that investigated Pavillion. With congressional approval, billions of dollars could be sliced from its budget, and up to one-fifth of its staff nationwide could be eliminated.

Opinions on the cuts in Wyoming vary.

Depending whom you ask, the agency is either a hammer-wielding bureaucracy crushing economic development in a sparsely populated state, or the only thing standing in the way of faceless corporations wreaking havoc on the landscape.

Both extremes are found in Pavillion, where the relationship between a state that relies on energy and the agency that helps regulate it is more nuanced and complex than any one side.

From state to federal and back again

Pavillion homeowners first turned to the state for help with their water more than a decade ago. And in 2016, the state released a report saying the towns water pollutants were likely naturally occurring. The state promised further testing and enlisted the help of the gas company that owns the field in cleaning up historic waste pits.

But it was the intervening years, when the EPA arrived like the cavalry and Pavillion became a documentarians dream, that locals remember vividly.

Keith Guille, spokesman for the DEQ, summarized the history of Pavillion succinctly.

We were looking at some issues and at some point the public asked that the EPA get involved, he said. They brought in their investigative work. That report was never finalized, and it was passed on to Wyoming to continue our investigation.

The actual saga was far more controversial.

Locals were dejected and frustrated by the states lack of significant action and appealed to federal regulators as a last resort, expecting little, said Fenton, the local rancher.

A team of scientists responded to the call and began a three-year investigation that would bring national attention to fracking in Wyoming.

The EPA held public meetings, where scientists were on hand to explain how the testing worked and what residents should be careful of. Investigators drilled two deep monitoring wells into the water table, to date the only wells that go that far down.

I think that the EPA a lot of times is demonized and they make some stupid decisions, but our experience on the ground is it wasnt this two-headed bureaucrat that showed up and made things difficult, said Fenton. It was real people that showed up, and they were scientists, and they went to work. They did more work in two or three years than the state had ever talked about.

Over a period of years, the EPA studied and tested, and its results were published in a draft in 2011. They told residents that fracking, and other oil and gas activities in the field, were likely the source of contamination.

Most in Wyoming know what happened next.

The EPA was pressured to surrender its review to the state, never finalizing its report.

The state investigators were diligent, but there was hostility between the state and the feds, Fenton said. A working group was formed with various departments, but the state was not as communicative and their results incensed locals, he said.

It seemed like what they were doing is they were going through the motions, he said. They were trying to appease us rather than give us answers.

Wyomings investigation found that though there were many issues to be dealt with in Pavillion, oil and gas could not be directly linked to water quality issues, in part due to a lack of water sampling before oil and gas operations began.

Residents were back to where they started.

Regulatory freedom, financial dependence

Wyoming has fought against federal rules for years, from opposing the Bureau of Land Managements methane emissions rules to fighting the EPA over the Clean Power Plan.

To some degree, the EPA is facing cuts due to a similar spirit nationwide. The political change has heartened those in Wyomings mining and extraction industries, who hope a weaker bureaucracy will help business, and the states political leaders have championed the reduction of federal environmental rules.

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso said former President Barack Obama wielded the EPA like a weapon, not to protect the environment but to attack industry. The agency would craft rules, particularly against coal, knowing the rules wouldnt hold up in court as a strategy to influence the market, he said.

It was clear, their game plan was to shut down the industry, Barrasso said. (The EPA thought) Let them sue us. By the time the suits worked their way through companies had made buying decisions, selling decisions, production decisions. It was manipulative. It was abusive.

Some of the EPAs critics say states no longer need the agency, because places like Wyoming have established their own rules and enforcement agencies.

Guille, of the DEQ, said cuts at a federal level could affect Wyoming, but the state can continue to run its programs and enforce its rules.

However, independence in regulation is not the same as independence in dollars.

While the EPAs Denver office declined to comment on how the possible cuts could affect the Wyoming region, federal funds will provide 60 percent of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Qualitys proposed budget for 2017. In many cases, federal dollars are provided to help the DEQ carry out rules mandated by federal policy.

One does not operate independently of the other.

The EPA, often the states opponent in court cases, still provided $6.7 million in grant funding to the DEQ to carry out environmental programs in 2016, part of a $23 million total contribution in grants to the states various agencies that year. Other recipients were the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry; the University of Wyoming for research into biofuels; and towns and municipalities like Casper for various environmental initiatives.

The relationship between state and federal is sometimes complicated.

We know the issues here in Wyoming. You talk to any of those folks that are above me, (they) will say that we can effectively run our programs here, said Guille, the DEQ spokesman. That being said, there have been decisions from the Legislature where we dont go after primacy. Drinking water is one. EPA has certainly, effectively, run that program. In times where we need to assist them, we have.

The state stands by its research and its conclusions.

But the EPA had already provided answers that locals believe are the truth.

Bare bones

The EPA has an obligation to enforce a little over 20 federal laws, from the Clean Water Act to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. That cannot easily change, but politics does influence how the agency carries out its function.

Barrasso says Obamas anti-industry agenda regarding coal reveals the EPAs direction in recent years. Others witnessed a pro-natural gas movement shaping EPAs findings. The latter say politics got in the way of the EPAs work in Pavillion.

The federal investigation in Pavillion took place during the fracking boom, said Jeff Ruch. His organization, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, helps EPA employees who feel blocked from doing their job.

In a push for cleaner energy, natural gas had been lifted up by the Obama administration as an intermediary fuel away from coal, in the direction of renewables, he said.

In short, the political power at the time didnt want to criticize fracking.

The silence was loud and clear at ground level in Pavillion.

I think that the Region 8 office was not getting the support they should have gotten from the Obama administration, said Fenton, the local rancher. I think a lot of them took risks with their careers doing what they did.

During the Obama years there were other changes in the EPA that influenced the Pavillion case.

Enforcement wasnt a priority, and there were fewer boots on the ground, Ruch said.

It frustrated employees who were passionate about their work, and it led to some serious cases that shocked the country, like lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan.

The EPA came in only after the damage had been done, and thats a direct consequence of how hobbled the agency has been in recent years, Ruch said.

Many anticipate the proposed EPA budget cuts will further restrict the agency from doing its job.

We dont know how these cuts are going to be allocated, Ruch said March 1. Whats being talked about is 24 percent of the overall budget, a $2.1 billion budget cut. That puts everything on the line.

Despite claims of growth under the liberal administration, the fact is, the EPA has already been restricted, said Shannon Anderson of the Powder River Basin Resource Council.

This agency, in general, is staffed already at a bare-bones level, she said. Theyve already been really hit, so if you hit them again, I think there are a couple consequences (in Wyoming).

The EPA serves as a baseline for environmental policy, she said. When a company makes a big mistake, she added, its usually the EPA that takes it on, not the state.

We need the federal enforcement arm to take those cases, Anderson said. They can take these companies to court.

Outside influence is one thing that advocates hope the EPA can combat, when state interests are too closely tied to the energy industry.

When the state took over the investigation in Pavillion, it was Encana, the Calgary-based gas company operating the Pavillion field, that volunteered a $1.5 million grant to pay for the study.

Its not unusual for industry to pay for an environmental or wildlife impact investigation, and Guille, of the DEQ, said the company had no influence over the investigation nor early access to results.

A spokesman for Encana said it continues to work closely with state regulators at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission regarding reclamation. The company is also confident its existing wells are in accordance with the states finding, said Doug Hock for Encana, and that the chance of fracking fluids contaminating well water was negligible.

But the funding didnt sit well with some in Pavillion, already skittish about how politics was influencing their small town.

A lonely vigil

The EPA did not exactly leave Wyoming quietly. The story of Pavillion continued to make headlines in part due to EPA investigators who used what influence they had after handing the case back to Wyoming.

The agency officially published a detailed criticism of Wyomings investigation.

The head federal investigator on the Pavillion case, Dominic DiGiulio, revisited the Pavillion data after he left the EPA. He published a new study in 2016 with another Stanford researcher, responding to criticisms of the EPAs study. He again linked fracking to water pollution in Pavillion, a few months before the state of Wyomings final study reported the opposite.

But there is no satisfying result in Pavillion, where Fentons lonely vigil continues.

He fears that the testing will go on with no end and no answers. People will move in, unaware of what lies beneath their homes and ranches, he said.

Fenton is less naive about environmental issues than he was before, but he still believes in the role of the EPA to protect the environment from industry. He believes in the work they did in Pavillion, whatever the outcome.
Vinnie Diaz has done a little of everything, from creating a pool cleaning service and working construction to driving a truck for McDonalds.

The 50-year-old from California works for a local retail chain in Casper now, but like many men in Wyoming over the last 100 years, Diaz has heard the tempting call of the oil fields and is hoping to try his hand on a frack crew. He recently attended a job fair for the oil field services company Halliburton.

When the price of crude is high, there are few jobs as lucrative for a blue-collar worker as those in the oil and gas fields. From the Powder River to the Greater Green River basin, the spoils of the Wyoming plays have bought many a diesel truck, provided down payments on Casper split-level homes and sent kids to college in Laramie.

Its not easy work, but that doesnt deter men like Diaz. The business is volatile, but that doesnt slow the number of people hoping to strike oil for themselves and their families. From the frack crews to the shareholders, oil and gas is a business filled with prospectors.

But in this trade, the oil fields giveth and they taketh away.

Wyoming lost 48 percent of its oil and gas jobs between a peak in mid-2015 and a trough in mid-2016. Some of those jobs are coming back. Halliburton, Schlumberger and Weatherford are hiring in modest handfuls across the state. Workers like Diaz are signing up. But with a impetuous market calling the shots, its unclear when and how many of the lost jobs will ultimately return.

***

The promise of good-paying work drew a handful of men and women east of Casper on a windy afternoon recently for on-the-spot interviews with one of the largest oil field services firms operating in Wyoming. Halliburton is hiring again in Casper for mobile crews, offering a strong benefits package, a robust paycheck and a willingness to train.

Halliburton has about 700 employees working in Wyoming but laid off almost 30 percent of its workforce worldwide during the downturn. Its still ever-present at well pads and frack jobs across the state, so a jobs call from the firm is promising.

The Houston-based company couldnt release the number of job offerings in the Casper area for competitive reasons, said Emily Mir, a spokeswoman for the company. But there were three hiring sessions each on March 1 and 2 for frack crews.

Halliburton is adjusting its workforce in the Wyoming area based on increased business demand, Mir explained in an email.

Whether growth from the major players in Wyoming will increase or stay a trickle remains unclear.

Companies like Schlumberger and Weatherford have jobs posted online for Wyoming in the single digits. Other companies, like Wyoming Machinery, also have a few jobs posted across industry towns such as Gillette and Casper.

Wyoming and the Rockies havent gained as much distance from the depression of the last two years as other plays nationwide. West Texas has plowed through the bust, and its low-cost drilling and lucrative stacked plays have made it appear invincible compared with the Mountain West.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that 1,800 oil and gas jobs were added between January and February nationwide. But those are likely tied to plays outside the Mountain West.

The Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum projects a negligible decline in industry employment in its state the coming year, and Wyomings numbers arent showing their cards just yet.

***

Jim Robinson watches sales and use taxes closely to see where industry spending may be picking up. So far the numbers havent been great, said the principal economist for the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division. Eight months into this fiscal year, sales and use dollars are down $66.2 million from the previous year, he said.

Despite an uptick in jobs from a mid-2016 bottom, there were still 800 fewer oil and gas jobs in December from the year before and 11,000 fewer construction jobs.

We are up to 19 rigs for two or three months in a row, Robinson said. [But] what we havent seen is a change in oil and gas jobs or a change of sales and use taxes  what that is telling me is that a lot of the drilling going on is the DUCs  drilling but uncompleted.

Companies are taking advantage of the lower prices to increase drilling but waiting to tap production or start fracking operations, he said.

The region is proceeding with caution and hasnt fully rebounded in terms of operations, said Dirk Schwartz, a longtime operator in the Rockies region.

When you see lower prices, we have to become more and more efficient with our businesses, he said. To some degree in the downturn, in our industry, weve become very efficient operating in a price-sensitive environment.

Larger companies are answerable to shareholders and can cut deeply into their blue-collar workforce during a downturn, he said. They try and retain the upper echelons because those highly trained employees are not easy to get back once prices start to rise again. They move on to other companies, taking proprietary information with them.

Large capital companies can, however, bear the price of retraining rig crews when the industry rolls back around.

If a downturn doesnt last too long, the laid-off workers are likely to come back, seeking the high hourly wages of the oil and gas industry, he said.

We all have staying power, Schwartz said. People get laid off and they go find something else to do. They are willing to come back within a certain time period. Otherwise they have to get on with their lives and their family.

***

Ian Breloar is one of those oil and gas workers who has been in and out of the business.

He left when his kids were born. They are now 2 and 5, and hes ready to come back.

He showed up at the job fair for Halliburton with a flat cap and a shy smile.

Its good money, good people, he said. Ill stay as long as I can.

The young father knows the industry changes with the price of crude, he said. His own father went through a downturn and lost his job in the industry. It wasnt long until the jobs came back, Breloar recalled.

It always fluctuates, so its not guaranteed 100 percent of the time. If you can save the money, its worth the risk.

For new recruits like Diaz, the former business owner from California, the volatility of oil and gas is less familiar. But he has been through economic downturns. California was hit first during the recession, he said. He moved out to Wyoming about five years ago for a new life.

Though there may be spots for Breloar and Diaz, job growth in Wyoming isnt likely to skyrocket anytime soon, said Schwartz, the oil and gas man.

I think the industry is in a pause, he said. To see jobs come back its going to be slow, and I dont think we are going to see any knee-jerk reactions one way or another. We are certainly in a hunker-down mentality.

Companies are cautious for good reason. The price of crude slipped below the $50-a-barrel mark last week, causing panic on Wall Street and threatening the months-long stability that brought Wyomings drilling rigs up.

The price had remained firmly in the lower $50 range since international production caps were agreed upon last year.

Companies that shed assets and employees and bled dollars in the last two years have stitched the worst of their wounds. They have been increasing operations despite the low price environment and set increasing capital expenditures projections for 2017.

A lot of the money is heading first to Texas, not Wyoming or Colorado, Schwartz said.

Still, the small gaps in the job market are likely to be filled in as soon as they appear.

For Diaz, Breloar, and those like them, this small uptick in jobs could mean better days, at least in the short term.

Im at a time in my life where I need to find something that is going to make me a good amount of money, said Diaz, the Californian. If its not going to be a long-term thing, at least I can save up for the immediate future. I understand that oil goes up and down. Im willing to take that chance. Its better than what Im doing now, financially.
Grownup Stuff</&h1>

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.

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.

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.
Helping Others

Donations needed

The American Legion Post 2 in Casper is asking for donations of garage sale items for a booth at the Super Garage Sale on March 25. Proceeds from the booth help continue to serve veterans and their families in Natrona County.

Large items like furniture cannot be accepted because their is no storage space, but sporting goods, camping gear, hunting and fishing gear, any tools and small cooking appliances would be greatly appreciated.

All items donated are tax deductible and all funds will stay in Natrona County.

For free pick-up of donations, call or text 267-1800. God bless America and all veterans, past and present.

Scarves for Special Olympics

Special Olympics Wyoming invites those who knit and crochet to make scarves for the Wyoming Special Olympics athletes to wear at State Winter Games in February 2018. Please use black, grey and white colors, approximately 6- by 60-inches in any pattern. The deadline to receive the scarves is January 2018. Please send scarves to Special Olympics Wyoming, attn. Scarf Project 2017, P.O. Box 624, Jackson, WY 83001. There is more information available at www.sowy.org/other-fundraisers.

Food of the month

Wyoming Food for Thought Project has announced its food of the month suggestions for the nearly 1,000 weekend food bags its volunteers prepare for food-insecure school students in Natrona County each week. Often, schools, churches and other groups designate certain collection days for a specific type of food as a donation.

The suggested food items may be taken to program headquarters at 900 St. John, but it's best to call ahead to make certain someone is there to receive it.

March, cereal; April, granola bars; May, tuna; June, peanut butter; July, pork 'n beans; August, mac n cheese; September, Chef Boyardee products; October, cereal; November, soup; December, chili.

For more information, call Cassandra at 337-1703.

Thanks for socks and gloves

Community Action Partnership's Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Community Sock and Glove Drive, which ran in December and January, was very successful. The community exceeded the initial goal of 500 donations, and received a total of 1,578 donations, including 882 pairs of socks, 584 pairs of gloves, 73 hats, and 39 scarves.

RSVP volunteers sorted and distributed socks and gloves to various locations throughout Casper. Donations helped provide a substantial amount of community members with basic winter essentials to keep warm, including:

35 schools in the Natrona County School District were each provided with a large bag of socks and gloves in the nurses office for students in need

100 home-based senior citizens through Central Wyoming Senior Services

Homeless during the Point in Time Count in January

Homeless during First Christian Churchs Sandwich Ministry

A family who lost their home in a fire and over 100 additional individuals and families in need.

Volunteer for new literacy program

INGLES!, a non-profit group teaching English as a second language to adult learners, is currently looking for enthusiastic, patient volunteers. Volunteers will help adult students improve their English one-on-one and in small classes. Volunteering requires a commitment of two hours twice a week. No Spanish proficiency or prior teaching experience required. Volunteer application forms are available at the Natrona County Library Reference Desk located on the second floor.

Blood centers extend hours

United Blood Services is expanding hours at its Casper and Cheyenne donor centers in an effort to make blood donation more convenient for more donors.

The center at 2801 East 2nd Street in Casper will be open six days a week. Closed only on Tuesday, the Casper center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

The center at 112 E. 8th Ave. in Cheyenne will be open five days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Blood donations can drop as much as 20 percent during the holidays and winter months, but every two seconds, every day of the year a patient in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion.

Whole blood donors are eligible to give blood every eight weeks and are encouraged to donate at least three times each year to help UBS meet the needs of patients.

Donors can save time and fill out their Fast Track Health History Questionnaire online at unitedbloodservices.org the day of their donation. To donate blood, volunteers must be at least 16 years old (16 and 17-year-old donors need a minor donor permit which is available online) and be in good health.

In addition to its community donor centers in Cheyenne and Casper, UBS operates various blood drives across Wyoming. To make an appointment call 877-827-4376 or go to unitedbloodservices.org.

Monthly fleece blanket making continues

The Fleece Blanket Project meets on the third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Christian Church, 520 CY Ave. Parking is in the back of the building. The group will meet March 18, 2017. Thus far, 289 blankets have been made and given to individuals in need of comfort and warmth and to agencies that serve a vulnerable population. Bring two yards of a print fleece and two yards of a solid fleece for each blanket, or just come and join others who want to make a difference. For more information, call First Christian Church at 234-8964.

Disabled vets need volunteer drivers

The Disabled American Veterans need volunteer drivers to take veterans to their medical appointment at the VA hospital in Cheyenne. The volunteer driver will transport them in a VA vehicle. If you are interested, please call the DAV transportation office in Cheyenne at 307-778-7577 for further information.

English speakers needed

CHAT, the English Conversation Club at Casper College Adult Learning Center, needs English speakers to meet international community members and help them speak English. Join us for an international potluck in the Werner Technical Center, Rm. 105: March 22, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.; April 13, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; and May 4, 11 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 268-2230 or email mdugan@caspercollege.edu.

Save the date, restorative justice

Save the date! Restorative Justice Symposium 2017: Wyomings Introduction to a New Frontier. March 15 and 16, 2017, at the Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center. Hosted by Natrona County Restorative Justice. For additional information and to learn more on what restorative justice is all about, visit and like NCRJsFacebook page.
Most wildlife documentaries are created to raise awareness of an issue: rhinoceros poaching in Africa, dwindling snow leopard numbers in Asia, the overfishing of tuna in the Pacific.

While no immediate threat looms for the thousands of Rocky Mountain elk featured in the newly released documentary Elk River, its creators hope to keep it that way.

I hope people feel a sense of wonder about those migrations and about Yellowstone and that it still has these amazing things to show us, said Arthur Middleton, the films producer, an assistant professor at University of CaliforniaBerkeley and a University of Wyoming graduate.

And I hope people feel inspired to know more about and participate in the conservation of migrations and of ecosystems and connectivity. I hope people think a little differently about Yellowstone that it is connected to the outside world.

Elk River is working its way through the film festival circuit, where it won most inspiring adventure film at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival and the peoples choice award at the Les Bois Film Festival. In early March, National Geographic recently released the almost 30-minute film online to the public for free.

***

Riis and Middleton intended the film to help show viewers locally and around the world what the elk face as they migrate in and out of Yellowstone National Park each year. One of the themes of the movie  that Yellowstone is not a self-contained box  becomes clear as the viewer travels with Riis, Middleton and the Cody elk herd from ranches on the valley floor to the tops of 12,000-foot mountains.

Nine elk herds migrate in and out of Yellowstone are the lifeblood of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, Middleton said.

The elk support not only a handful of apex predators such as bears and wolves but also countless people who ranch, outfit, hunt and hike in and around the mountains. Instead of glossing over the human relationship with the elk and focusing exclusively on the animals themselves, Riis and Middleton weave stories from locals who interact with the creatures the most.

Viewers meet ranch owners and managers and learn about some of the wonders and challenges of living with hundreds of head of elk. Outfitters explain how their lives revolve around the creatures.

Showing those relationships was critical to telling the story of the migrations, Riis said. And the people who know the elk best were also critical to the success of the film.

It took Riis about two and a half years of filming to produce the shots of elk necessary for the documentary. Capturing wild elk streaming one by one over a snow-covered mountain pass, or forging a raging river is, in fact, as hard as it sounds.

Riis used six trail cameras to collect his footage. But before he could set the cameras, he needed to know where to go. Locals  everyone from outfitters to hikers  offered their intimate knowledge of the mountains and the elk movement.

From there, it was hundreds of miles and many months spent on foot and horseback.

Each motion-sensor camera was set to film for two minutes with every trigger. The end result was incredible up-close footage of the animals behaving in ways humans rarely, if ever, get to see. But it came with its own trials.

Bears are on a lot of the same elk trails, and they will mess with anything. They would walk up to my camera and usually smell it and then I have to go in and check it and reposition it so it is looking down the trail and not at the ground, Riis said.

That meant each time Riis checked a camera it would be like opening a present.

I didnt personally see the migration that often, but my cameras did, he added. Elk can sense people from a long ways away. If I was ever close by on the trail, they would run off. So the only time I would actually see migration is through the camera after I would go check it.

***

For Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation CEO David Allen, the film is not only an inspiration but an educational tool.

It is fascinating to see how these elk truly are migrating and through what conditions and what terrain, he said. We all talk about it and preach it and believe it, but to actually witness it is incredible.

And while the film is finished, Middleton and Riis work with migrations in northwest Wyoming is far from over, they both said.

Because potential threats to the iconic migrations do exist. Habitat, particularly on private land at lower elevations, can be developed and divided. The age-old routes they follow could be altered.

The threats that they face are over decades and another century, where all the many things, the bites out of their winter range habitats, the invasive species that we introduce, the social tolerance levels getting low for having dense wildlife populations on private lands that we sometimes let get out of hand, Middleton said. If we dont figure out ways to prioritize some of the key threats like private land development and the key impacts, yes, we could lose some of those populations over decades.

But for now, for the 30 minutes it takes to watch Elk River, a viewer can marvel at the way countless generations of elk navigate Wyomings harshest country to form one of the most rugged North American migrations still in existence.
BUFORD  Jason Hirsch has big dreams for the smallest town in America.

From behind the convenience store counter, he looks over the windblown 10 acres of Wyoming high prairie that he manages  the mailboxes, the gas pumps, the small house, the old school  and sees potential.

He wants to upgrade the RV spots, build a playground, add fire pits, install picnic tables. He wants to sell Wyoming crafts and art. Or put in a deli. He envisions the town as a must-see stop along Interstate 80 as tourists travel between Cheyenne and Laramie toward Yellowstone.

The town  owned by a Vietnamese businessman  is a nexus for truckers, travelers and cowboys. Its a safe haven for truckers waiting out bad weather and a quirky roadside attraction for summer tourists. Sheriffs deputies stop in the convenience store for a cup of coffee. Local ranchers in dirty jeans and big hats come by for cigarettes or a lotto ticket and stay to chat about the weather.

The problem? Buford, population one, is having money troubles.

Its a week by week thing right now, said Hirsch, who works as the town manager, town sanitation team, town handyman, town spokesman and convenience store operator. It depends on whether I can make the bills.

Struggling to make ends meet

During Bufords heyday, about 2,000 people lived in the town, which was established as a fort in the 1860s. But when the fort moved to Laramie, so did Bufords population. By 2006, there was only one resident left: Don Sammons.

Sammons decided to sell the town in 2012 after more than 20 years as mayor, owner and manager. The new owner, Nguyen Dinh Pham, is famous in his native Vietnam for winning the auction and buying the town for $900,000. He now owns the gas pumps, the convenience store, a schoolhouse from 1905 that was converted into an office, a cell tower, a garage, a tool shed, a three-bedroom home and the towns zip code.

Pham, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City, bought the town so he could market his specialty coffee to Americans. Pham even unofficially renamed the town PhinDeli Town Buford in honor of the coffee brand, PhinDeli. The convenience store itself is a mishmash of cultures: art from local photographers sits on a long wood counter next to bags of the foreign coffee. Above the counter, an enormous, colorful mural shows Vietnamese women growing coffee beans and brewing it for eventual consumption by an American man sitting in a recliner watching CNN.

While the town may be small, it touches a large amount of people and we hope it will happen that they will have Vietnamese coffee from PhinDeli, Pham told the Star-Tribune in 2013.

Pham is known to wear a cowboy hat around the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. People refer to him as the mayor. Hirsch said Pham is rockstar famous in Vietnam for owning Buford.

Hirsch started leasing the town from Pham in 2015 in the hopes of helping Buford reach its full potential.

His lease is up in December and, unless something changes, hes probably not going to sign again. The lease requires Hirsch to run the town, complete all repair work and pay for all expenses out of the profits from the store and the gas pumps. Its expensive to ship in the stores inventory and the gas for the pumps. He pays about $800 a month to have the towns trash removed.

In short, the agreement is not working out. Hirsch would like to renegotiate the lease and sign again for five more years. But Pham would have to agree to a different set of conditions that would relieve Hirsch of some of the financial obligations and allow him more leeway to make improvements.

Theres a lot of things that could be done to make this a sustainable business, he said. Right now, its just not.

Winter is the hardest for Buford. There are far fewer tourists spending money at the gas station, and upkeep of the facilities becomes more complicated and expensive. Fences fall over. Wells freeze. The wind, ripping across the plains, tears roofing off the tops of the towns five buildings sandwiched between the interstate and some railroad tracks. A year ago, lightning struck the towns cell tower, which cost Hirsch about $8,000 to repair.

On Tuesday, the store shelves were sparse. Hirsch, wearing a Murdochs vest bearing the towns name and the states bucking horse, said he doesnt quite have the money to restock yet.

What Buford really needs is an investor, Hirsch said  someone who can lend the money for the improvements.

If I leave, hes going to have a hard time finding someone else to run this place, he said. Living alone in Buford, Wyoming, is not exactly everyones cup of tea.

Creating community

But Hirsch is not actually Bufords sole resident. That title belongs to Brandon Hoover, who lives rent-free in the modest green-roofed home a few hundred feet behind the gas station. In exchange for a place to stay and a small stipend, Hoover shares in the responsibility of taking care of the town and the store. Hirsch lives on a small ranch about 3 miles south of town.

It gets quiet in Buford, and it gets boring, Hirsch said. But its never lonely, even in the winter. Hirsch pulled out the guest log he created when he started running the town. He ran his finger down the long list of where his visitors came from: London, France, California, Texas. There are also a substantial number of people from the other Buford  Buford, Georgia  and Vietnam.

The Vietnamese travelers come in and take lots of pictures but never really buy anything, Hirsch said.

One trucker wandered into the store Tuesday looking for Wi-Fi, another amenity Hirsch would like but just cant afford. After buying a pack of cigarettes, the trucker stepped back into the wind.

Keep rocks in your pocket, Hirsch called out as the door swung shut.

But its the locals who come in and sit on the cream-colored bar stools along the glass counter  filled with trinkets featuring pictures of the towns semi-famous POP 1 sign  who are the heart of the place. Hirsch loves the smallest-town lifestyle. He likes that there are no stoplights or even paved roads between his home and the town. Sometimes on sunny summer days he rides his paint horse, Sugar Pie, to work.

Hirsch makes almost no money off of the locals. But the locals are what compel him to keep the town running. Hes made Buford into a community center for the 100 or so people spread out over more than 100,000 acres of surrounding ranch land.

Theyre my base, Hirsch said. They try to support me as best they can.

Buford hosted a Fourth of July party last summer, complete with music, barbecue and beer pong. A couple of hundred people from the area came in, along with a few travelers who mixed with the locals. They sat on hay bales and overturned washtubs and listened to the bands over the howl of the constant Wyoming wind. They called it the Buford Windstock.

The volunteer firefighters often meet in the schoolhouse-turned-office, and Hirsch has hosted a number of poker nights, whenever the weather permits.

Neighbors have just started to get to know each other by visiting at the store, said Victor Miller, a regular customer and friend who runs a ranch nearby. He comes to the store almost every day to chat and check his mailbox. Now, when a truck gets stuck in a snowdrift or there is some other emergency, neighbors have each others numbers.

Hirsch doesnt know what hed do if he couldnt be Bufords town manager. He doesnt know how people will get their packages if the town closed. He doesnt know who would host the poker games.

Its kind of sad, Hirsch said. Im just starting to figure things out, and now the future is uncertain.
ROCK SPRINGS  The Bureau of Land Management is proposing to remove about 1,000 wild horses from three herd management areas, including Adobe Town, in southwest Wyoming in order to meet population level objectives.

Kimberlee Foster, field manager for the Rock Springs BLM field office, said there are too many horses on the land, and rules require them to remove horses when they are above management levels.

Foster said the gathered horses will go to the Rock Springs Holding Facility where they will be put up for adoption.

The BLM plans to remove 210 horses from Adobe Town, 584 from Salt Wells Creek and 235 from Great Divide Basin.

There are many reasons the BLM must carefully maintain certain population ranges for wild horses in Wyoming. For one, there are no natural predators for horses in the state and equines can be prodigious breeders.

Typically a herd management area can double in size every four or five years, Foster said.

If wild horse populations become too large, the natural forage on the land wont be able to support them.

Herd management is based on the usage of the land, Foster said, as well as the amount of available forage for the animals. Additionally, the BLM has agreed to act to reduce herd sizes should population levels reach a certain point.

The BLM is accepting public comment until April 4 on its horse roundup plan.
The recently concluded session of the Wyoming Legislature left no one happy.

Members of the state Senate didnt get the deep cuts in education spending that they were looking for. Members of the House didnt get the more reasonable cuts-and-revenue approach to the schools funding crisis that they were looking for. Gov. Matt Mead didnt get the review of the tax structure that he says is critical to the states future health. And because the Legislature failed to take the needed action to solve the states systemic financial problems, Wyoming residents are certainly no better off.

All told, the Legislature cut $400 million in state spending, including about $250 million Mead recommended before the session. The final deal on education will cut $34 million on July 1 and trigger a review of the funding system. It also created a panel of lawmakers who will work the problem over the summer; they are empowered to draft bills for the next legislative session that include ways to raise revenue and cut funding to schools.

The clarion call for the session came from Mead, a Republican who is also a pragmatist. Mead said the state desperately needed to examine its tax structure to lessen its reliance on the fluctuating energy industry. He emphasized that without this change, no amount of economic diversification will improve Wyomings financial health  in fact, attracting businesses from which the state doesnt collect much revenue would be a step backward. And Mead wasnt alone: After the industry spent decades powering Wyomings spending, many of its backers supports the change.

But legislators failed to address the broken tax structure  in fact, they werent even able to raise the cigarette tax even a little. This is fundamentally dangerous thinking. Are they banking on a rebound in the volatile energy industry to boost the states fortunes and do the job that they could not? Anyone whos paying attention knows that coal is unlikely to ever reach its former heights. Its fate is not tied simply to burdensome federal regulations; we live in a global economy, where complex factors, such as green energy mandates, competition from low natural gas prices and demand from China, have impact far beyond the reach of the White House. Shackling the state to the ups and downs of the commodity market makes less sense every day.

To be clear, no one is advocating specifically for new taxes. But to oppose open discussion and consideration of changes to taxes, or tax structures, that generate the income that funds the services Wyoming people use, makes no sense and is not how representative government works. Nothing should be off the table because of promises made to special interest groups.

Without any consideration of adjustments to Wyomings tax structure, lawmakers were also unable to solve the states fundamental budget and education funding dilemmas. This money is running out, particularly for school construction, and the state has no alternative. Lawmakers failed to consider the big picture and what their cuts-only-dont-talk-about-taxes-no-matter-what focus might mean for future generations of Wyomingites, who will ultimately find themselves back in this situation  only worse, because there will be fewer places to cut.

Its noteworthy that in recent memory, Wyoming is the only state in the nation that tried to balance a budget deficit using a cuts-only approach. It didnt solve the problem. Will legislators learn from that?

Mead also spoke about the importance of fixing the state prison, which was on lockdown for 42 hours in December because of structural issues. Doors werent closing correctly, which affected security  something that should be a top priority at the state penitentiary. Mead had hoped to use bonds to repair or replace the building, but the Legislature, ignoring the obvious safety and security risks  as well as the financial implications of the lawsuits they could bring  opted to push the problem down the road without comment and create a savings account, a move that fails to deal with the very real and immediate problems.

All these failures to heed Meads recommendations happened under the watch of a Republican supermajority. Had they come up with a plan and coalesced behind it, they would have had little trouble passing it. But fractious infighting prevented that kind of success, with the most shortsighted legislators pushing against any tax changes at all.

Even those who oppose taxes, though, should be able to support a review of the states tax system. That examination  which the state still hasnt done, despite Meads reasoned warnings  could show legislators exactly how much the state suffers from its outdated tax structure and what could be done to remedy that problem.

Because of these fundamental failures, there is no way to call this legislative session a success, but its true that things could have been worse. For example, at one point, education faced a reduction of up to $91 million. House Speaker Steve Harshman, R-Casper, deserves credit for his role in keeping the cuts-hungry Senate in check.

Ultimately, this Wyoming Legislature spent most of the session kicking the can down the road to a future group of lawmakers. They ignored the opportunity to find balanced solutions to the pressing needs the state faces.

Voters, now is the time to weigh in on their performance. Tell your legislators what you thought of their performance. After all, because of their considered decisions, Wyoming people will be facing these same issues for years to come.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some March 12 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.
WASHINGTON  Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., begins the 2018 election cycle with $580,000 in the bank and a history of disagreeing with President Trump.

With almost two years until midterm elections, experts say Flake can expect serious opposition in his re-election bid from Republican and Democratic challengers alike.

Despite the presidents lukewarm performance in approval polls, he is still relatively popular with Arizona Republicans, which could make for a difficult primary for Flake and force him to veer right.

And if Flake survives the primary, Trumps unpopularity with the rest of the electorate could cause problems in the midterm general election, which historically goes against the party of the sitting president.

The weakest link (of potential Republican candidates) without question is Jeff Flake, said David Waid, a partner with political consulting firm Javelina and the former chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party.

The only Republican challenger to have entered the race so far is Kelli Ward, a former state senator who unsuccessfully ran against Sen. John McCain in 2016.

Flakes office did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the election, except to confirm that he does plan to run for re-election. But when Ward announced her bid in October, Flake said he will be ready for any challenges.

Shots at a seat in the Senate dont come along very often, so we fully expect capable challengers next cycle, both in the primary and the general, he said in a statement released by his office at the time. Well be prepared.

Ward has branded herself a Washington outsider and a conservative in the mold of the president. She said she thinks that Flakes finances, coupled with the same sentiment in Arizona that elected Trump, could carry her past the incumbent senator, and eventually, to the Senate.

But Ward faces an even more daunting fundraising challenge than Flake. She ended her 2016 campaign with about $52,000 on hand compared to Flakes $580,000, according to their year-end reports with the Federal Election Commission.

That said, Arizona State University political science professor David Wells said Flakes finances still leave something to be desired.

Hes going to need to raise $5 (million) to $10 million for re-election, Wells said. If he wins the nomination, hell get support from other groups because they dont want to lose the seat. But I dont know how much help hell get in the primaries.

At this point in his last election cycle, however, two years before Flake would win a Senate race for the first time, his 2010 year-end FEC report showed he had around $628,000 on hand. By the end of that election cycle, he had raised more than $9 million.

The key factor that might throw cold water on a lot of these candidates is Jeff Flakes campaigning and fundraising prowess, said Jaime Molera, a partner at public affairs firm Molera Alvarez.

He has incredible depth of supporters that will raise him a lot of money, said Molera, who served as a spokesman for Flakes predecessor, Republican Sen. Jon Kyl. Club for Growth (a conservative political action committee), theyve shown theyre very willing to go deep for him.

Ward said Flake is still vulnerable because of his support of amnesty that people dont want here and for his support of the Trans Pacific Partnership, the multinational trade deal that Trump pulled the U.S. out of in his first days in office.

Ward was referencing Flakes sponsorship last year of the SAFE Act, which would extend three years of protection to immigrants who are already protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. But that act would also have required that the Department of Homeland Security detain undocumented immigrants arrested or convicted of major crimes.

Although Ward is the only confirmed primary challenger, Arizona Treasurer Jeff DeWit is also reported to be planning to run. DeWit served as COO for Trumps presidential campaign.

Ward said she received personal assurance from DeWit that he would not run if she did. DeWits office would not confirm his intentions to run, but a member of his staff countered Wards statement, saying, The treasurer has a different recollection of the conversation than Kelli does.

Should he run, DeWit would be viewed more favorably by GOP primary voters than Flake or Ward, according to a survey conducted by conservative-leaning polling company Remington Research Group from Nov. 15-16. The poll of just over 1,100 likely GOP primary voters also indicated DeWit had a higher chance of defeating Flake in the primary than Ward.

Whoever wins the primary, Waid said, the Democrats would still have a good chance, pointing to what he called a strong (Democratic) bench. Potential Democratic challengers could include Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, and Ann Kirkpatrick, a former congresswoman who lost in her bid to unseat McCain in 2016  though neither has confirmed or responded to requests for comment.

Other primary candidates may not come out quite as battered, but they will come out of the mainstream. They will be carrying with them, good or bad, Donald Trump, Waid said. For typical administrations, the midterms are not friendly to the incumbent party. That kind of thing can be a detriment to Flake in the general election.
The proposed Rosemont Mine and real estate projects across Southern Arizona would be big winners if President Trumps proposed change to the Waters of the U.S. rule goes through.

Changing the rule as Trump has proposed would remove costly, time-consuming yet environmentally protective requirements for landowners to get federal permits for building projects near many Southern Arizona washes and streams. Most affected would be ephemeral streams and washes, which carry water only after big rains.

If that happens, Rosemont, for instance, could eventually be built even if it doesnt get its Clean Water Act permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, one law professor said.

The existing requirements wont go away overnight. Trump has issued an executive order that the Waters of the U.S. rule be reviewed and revised or rescinded. To change it, the administration must formally propose a new rule, hold hearings and take public comment, and then adopt it, which could take at least a year.

Court challenges would follow, just as the current Waters of the U.S. rule is being challenged. Its now tied up in court on lawsuits from 31 states, including Arizona.

Here is a guide to the controversy:

The new rule

President Trump ordered the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps to consider replacing the Waters of the U.S. rule with one consistent to the late Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalias opinion in a crucial 2006 wetlands case known as Rapanos vs. U.S. In it, Scalia and three other conservative justices said ephemeral streams and washes dont deserve Clean Water Act protection. Four liberal justices said they do.

The ninth, Anthony Kennedy, argued that such washes deserve protection if they have a significant connection to navigable waters. Today, two effluent-bearing stretches of the otherwise dry Santa Cruz River are considered navigable. The EPA and the Army Corps use Kennedys middle-ground standard to decide if projects near washes need Clean Water Act permits.

If the agencies follow Trumps direction, many or most projects next to washes wont require permits. This would have a major impact in Southern Arizona because by some accounts, 90 percent or more of all Arizona streams are ephemeral.

For Rosemont Mine, the Corps San Francisco regional office is weighing a decision on the $1.5 billion project in the Santa Rita Mountains. The Corps Los Angeles District office last summer recommended denial of a Clean Water Act permit. Officials of the Corps and Hudbay Minerals Inc., the company proposing to build the mine, were scheduled to meet and discuss the permit on Friday.

While Trumps proposal is considered, the mine and all other applicable projects must meet existing Clean Water Act rules. But if a new rule following Trumps vision takes effect, even if the mines current application is denied, the mining company wouldnt need a Clean Water Act permit and could build Rosemont if it met all other legal requirements, said Royal Gardner, an environmental law professor at Stetson University in Florida. Gardner worked as a legal adviser on Army Corps issues during the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations.

Business reaction

David Godlewski, president of the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, welcomes Trumps plan. I do think that this is a positive sign that the current administration is looking to reduce burdensome regulations. The Waters of the U.S. rule is particularly troubling to homebuilders and land developers in Southern Arizona, he said.

We saw it as an overextension of federal authority for regulating waterways; we thought the definition was going to extend federal jurisdiction to every little wash throughout Southern Arizona, Godlewski said.

He noted that Trumps executive order seeking a rollback of the rule said its in the national interest to ensure that navigable waters are kept pollution-free while at the same time promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty and showing due regard for the roles of the Congress and the states under the Constitution.

Hudbay officials didnt respond to the Stars request for comment on Trumps action.

During the Rapanos case in the 2000s, the nonprofit, libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation submitted information to the high court, showing that getting a permit for a housing subdivision typically costs nearly $300,000 and takes two years. In 2015, EPA said permitting a typical subdivision costs the developer $62,000, plus another $16,800 per acre.

If a court allowed the Waters of the U.S. rule to take effect, the EPA has said it would cost property owners across the nation who want to develop their lands  and regulators including the federal government and the states  a range of $158 million to $306 million a year. The EPA said it would also bring annual benefits of $338 million to $349 million due to its environmental protections that would improve water quality and preserve wetlands.

Environmentalist reaction

While the process of getting the Clean Water Act permits costs money, the bigger cost is for mitigation, said Melinda Kassen, a longtime Boulder, Colorado, environmental activist and expert on such water issues who now works in private consulting. Those costs are often to buy pristine land elsewhere to compensate for environmental damage caused by a permitted project.

The EPA estimates it costs $41,572 to $111,985 per acre to mitigate for wetlands damaged by construction projects granted these permits, and $95 to $1,000 per linear foot of stream mitigations.

For Rosemont mitigation, Hudbay has agreed to spend around $48 million to buy 4,800 acres  which lower-level Corps officials say is inadequate.

If federal regulation of ephemeral streams goes away, so would the mitigation requirements.

You can build a road and bridge through an ephemeral stream, dig a ditch through an ephemeral stream and put mining waste into an ephemeral stream, and none of it would be regulated, Kassen said. The Clean Water Act says you are supposed to protect these streams and avoid or mitigate adverse effects on these streams.

Christina McVie, the Tucson Audubon Societys conservation chair, is concerned that without Clean Water Act protection, builders will again be able to put homes and shopping centers right up against bare washes, risking severe damage during future floods.

While Pima County strictly limits floodplain development, thats not the case in all Arizona counties, McVie said.

Pollution impacts

McVie and other environmentalists also fear that removing Clean Water Act protection will make washes easier marks for polluters. Some law professors who specialize in water issues agreed.

Many states derive their ability to protect streams from the Clean Water Act, according to Gardner, Patrick Parenteau of Vermont Law School, William Buzbee of Georgetown University and Noah Wolf of Wayne State University. But many states, including Arizona, have laws forbidding rules stricter than federal rules, Buzbee and Parenteau said.

One reason the act was passed back in 1972 was that many states were failing to protect rivers and streams  thats why we had pollution havens, rivers catching on fire, massive fish kills, oil platform blowouts, Parenteau said.

Such arguments are nonsense, countered Reed Hopper, a Pacific Law Foundation attorney.

States can regulate discharges without federal interference. All the states have laws prohibiting toxic discharges to waters within the states, Hopper said.

The Clean Water Act says that its Congress policy to recognize, preserve and protect the primary responsibilities and rights of states to prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution, Hopper noted.

Asked about this issue, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials said that while the federal process to review these rules continues, our water quality programs continue to protect Arizonas surface waters in full force through both regulatory means as well as our important voluntary projects working with our communities. ...

We are confident this process will maintain ADEQs ongoing ability to protect and serve the unique needs of Arizonas surface waters, read the written statement from the department, which declined further comment.

Court challenges

Parenteau and Buzbee are dubious that a new rule following Scalias opinion could survive a court challenge because his opinion got only four votes from justices in 2006.

That portion of the Trump order is really questionable  taking the losing side and asking an agency to consider making it federal law, Buzbee said.

But Hopper, law professors Wolf and Jonathan Adler of Case Western University, and longtime private environmental lawyer Thaddeus Lightfoot said there could be ways the Scalia view could get five votes.

In 2006, five justices, including Kennedy, agreed that federal agencies interpretation of the Clean Water Act was unreasonable, not that the language of the Clean Water Act is clear and unambiguous, the libertarian-leaning Adler said.

The Kennedy opinion represents a ceiling for how strict the interpretation can be, not a floor, he said.

Lightfoot and other legal experts said that under existing Supreme Court rules and precedents, if agencies draw up a new rule, it would be entitled to a certain amount of deference by the courts if it wasnt done arbitrarily.

Theres no way Kennedy would accept Scalias view now because if Kennedy flip-flopped ... he would look like a fool, countered Parenteau.
Residents of a neighborhood just north of the University of Arizona main campus are upset about plans to build a multistory 1,000-bed dorm and classroom complex for students attending the UA Honors College.

Many residents say they are concerned they havent been consulted about the proposal and that the property, owned partially by the UA and the privately owned American Campus Communities, is outside the official campus boundaries.

ACC, based near Austin, Texas, is one of the nations largest developers of student housing communities in the country. It owns Entrada Real student apartments with 98 units and more than 350 beds near the UA, according to its website.

The proposal includes a dorm that would span an entire city block between East Drachman and Mabel streets and North Fremont and Santa Rita avenues, just north of East Speedway, and could be four to six stories tall. Other plans include classrooms, office space, a recreation center and a four-story parking garage to be built on the adjacent block between North Park and Fremont avenues.

The university is also considering demolishing several buildings along Park Avenue between Drachman and Adams streets, and putting in surface lots to offer additional parking.

The neighborhood now consists of homes, apartments catering to students, university parking lots and vacant land.

Many neighbors say they feel powerless, noting that as part of the state, the university does not have to abide by city zoning codes, including when it comes to building height, density and parking requirements.

For example, the height limitation for the surrounding neighborhood is 25 feet, or roughly two stories tall.

University officials have confirmed they are in the planning stages of the project and have begun preliminary discussions with some neighborhood residents as well as with ACC about a potential partnership in developing the property.

Weve been looking for a bigger, better home for honors for at least two years, said Robert Smith, UA vice president for university planning, design and operations.

The goal is to move our Honors College program to the next level by having all of the faculty, classrooms, beds and the students and everything together. Being spread out is not efficient.

Currently, many UA students who are part of the Honors College live in residence halls close to Euclid Avenue and Sixth Street. The UA says there are more than 4,000 students enrolled in the Honors College.

UA officials said theyve already made some changes to be better neighbors, including decreasing the number of floors of the dorm facing the neighborhood from six to four, and placing the entrance to the college on the south side to reduce noise and traffic generated by students.

One of the things that is important is to lower the impact to the neighborhoods, said Tannya Gaxiola, an assistant vice president for community relations at the UA. Being really good neighbors is really important as we were talking through what the project would look like.

Diana Lett, the neighborhood preservation committee chair for the Feldmans Neighborhood Association, said she feels the universitys plans so far demonstrate a lack of transparency and little respect for the desires of the surrounding communities.

Rather than compromise with the public and build a project we could live with, ACC and our public university chose to do an end-run around the city of Tucson  rezoning that would be required if the parcel remained privately owned, Lett said.

The university is supposed to build within planning boundaries, she notes, as part of its adopted Comprehensive Campus Plan and the proposed Honors College is outside the UAs northern planning boundaries.

Several residents who spoke to the Arizona Daily Star about the project echoed similar concerns.

The campus plan is a formal planning document outlining the universitys physical development of its land and construction projects, and mapping out its long-range plans to meet the educational needs of a growing student body.

Smith said he expects the new master plan will be released next year, and wont comment on whether the boundaries  set in 2009  will change.

While the 2009 plan showed the boundary to be just south of this proposed project, it included a reference to this area and stated that a university partnership housing project on UA property located north of the planning boundary is possible.

Smith said ACC has always had plans to develop the properties it owns in the neighborhood into some type of student housing.

Running his hand over a map, Smith motioned to the run-down properties the UA owns along Park Avenue between Mabel and Adams streets, mostly aging apartments.

I personally think this is pretty unattractive here, but I dont presume to know what the neighbors think, Smith said.

City Councilman Steve Kozachik, a UA employee, said his hands are tied in terms of the city stepping in to help ease the residents concerns.

He said the universitys plans for a new dorm may be following proper legal channels, but are hurting its reputation with surrounding neighborhoods.

Sometimes theres whats legal and expeditious, and sometimes theres what you can get away with but it destroys your credibility. In this case, the UA is doing both, Kozachik said. More importantly is the UA losing trust. Once thats gone, youve lost everything going forward.

Kozachik has requested a joint meeting to include UA representatives, ACC officials, the city attorney and surrounding neighborhoods, but no date has been set.
The nearly 600 readers who packed in to hear New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, like the 400 turned away from her full UA venue on Saturday, were primed to cheer her insider zingers against President Trump.

And Dowd, who professed her love for Arizona cacti because I identify with them, delivered barb after barb. Asked to predict how long Trump will stay in the job, she averred, I dont think he would quit or give up, then quipped: I think he will be there as long as he isnt in handcuffs. Also, this, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author of 2016s The Year of Voting Dangerously, who has covered Trump since 1987: The Russian thing is the weirdest thing any of us have ever seen covering politics, period.

But it hardly mattered where you listened Saturday at the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus: Current U.S. politics bubbled to the surface, whatever the advertised topic.

Grace Lin, author of When the Sea Turned to Silver, a literary novel for young readers that weaves in traditional Chinese myths and fairy tales, knowingly evoked laughs when she chose to read this passage: The new emperor is forcing people to build a wall.

T.C. Boyle spoke about his novel The Terranauts, an imagining of what went on (think: sex, in part) inside the sealed glass dome of Biosphere 2 near Oracle. He was asked about Steve Bannons role at Biosphere 2 in the 1990s. Bannon, chief strategist and senior adviser to Trump, was once the acting director at the futuristic project.

Boyle, a PEN/Faulkner Award-winning novelist, and the recipient of the Tucson Festival of Books 2017 Founders Award, explained that he isnt a journalist and didnt interview any people involved in the Biosphere. I wasnt aware of Bannons connection until people started tweeting to tell me about it after the book came out. And, what can I say? I have deep regrets that he exists.

Colson Whiteheads novel The Underground Railroad envisions a literal subway beneath the earth through which runaway slaves travel in the 1850s, and each allegorical state they go through is a different state of American possibilities. It won the prestigious National Book Award for fiction last year. Whitehead was asked Saturday what its protagonist, a fleeing slave named Cora, would think of Trumpland.

Turns out when you write about race in the past, you write about race in the present, Whitehead answered. I woke up in November with a renewed sense of white supremacy in America.

Asked to elaborate, Whitehead continued, If youre a black person in America, I think its something you think about a lot in the last three months. He told his audience that he had wanted to turn to a lighter genre after immersing himself in the horrors of slavery, but he couldnt because of the gravity of current events in the news. Instead, he revealed, he is seven pages into writing his next book, about white supremacy and institutional racism, as a distraction from living with both.

It wasnt all as serious as that, though. Some themes that came through in a cross-section of author events Saturday at the festival, which continues Sunday, March 12, at the university:

Current politics

You know you want more from Dowd, so here you go:

She took plenty of devastating shots at Hillary Clinton, too  over being her own worst enemy, such as by taking big money for speeches to Goldman Sachs at a time that she and Bill were worth millions; for the Clinton machine being very arrogant; and for failing to campaign in Wisconsin, among other criticisms.

But the victor owns the day, so:

The way you can tell hes a malignant narcissist is he has no empathy.  When he has decimated someone, he doesnt understand why they wont come back and be really loyal to him.

With his ego arithmetic, everything is about the numbers. When Dowd asked Trump early on why he wanted to run for president, he replied, Because I get the highest rating on Larry King, and the most number of men hit on Melania.

Republican leaders turning a blind eye to the ties to Russia have made a Faustian deal because they want their Supreme Court guy, their budget.

But then, this: To me, it was scarier covering Dick Cheney because he was dismantling checks and balances behind the scenes, while retaining the respect of official Washington.

The spoken word

A book festival is a homage to whats written on the page, of course  of language, imagination, history and ideas  but its also a celebration of the spoken word, as author after author read from their works in musical timbres and cadences, their voices mellifluous, as when Charles Johnson, 1990 National Book Award winner for Middle Passage, intoned that conflict is what it means to be conscious.

Sense of place

Best-selling mystery writer J.A. Jance shared that she always writes about real places, such as a mountain outside her childhood town of Bisbee shown on the map as Gold Hill but known to her friends as Geronimo, which figures in her latest Joanna Brady book, Downfall. Jance said she climbed it only once, when she was 12, and was astonished that at the top it was no bigger than a living room, and yet it loomed so large in my childhood. As for the real places in her books, the prolific author warned: I make up restaurants with wild abandon, which annoys readers when they go to those places. She also noted that when people die in her mysteries, she fudges the addresses of their deaths.

Boyle, a Californian who slipped into the Tucson area two years ago to check out Biosphere 2, shared that he was thrilled to see his first javelina there, right outside the glass dome.

Technology

Jances latest is an Artificial Intelligence character, and in her book the person creating the A.I. is a wannabe serial killer.

Technology also is the newest obsession of Boyle, in the form of gene editing and vivisection that he imagines cobbling animals into people and creating new transgenic creatures. In his new short story, Are We Not Men? those creatures include profane Crowparrots, maraschino-cherry-colored pit bulls, baby dogcats on special at the pet store, and 6-foot-tall 11-year-olds with traits chosen by their parents at GenLab, including IQs of 162.

And, no getting away from Twitter, and the tweeter-in-chief. To quote Dowd: Theres a theory at Shabbat that when Jared and Ivanka go away for 24 hours, thats when he goes nuts.

Tips for writers

Want to know why publishers of best-sellers want them to have 100,000 words? Its so theyll fit in a standard shipping box, Jance said.

Not all influences are literary giants. National Book Award winner Whitehead said he grew up wanting to write because of Marvelman, Spider-Man, X-Men and Stephen King, as well as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Ralph Ellison.

A tip for readers

When writing his most recent historically based fiction, Whitehead said, he decided: I wouldnt stick with the facts, but I would stick to the truth. So, he said, dont get too hung up on which events really happened precisely that way.

Go along for the ride and Google later.
The Arizona Daily Stars Sportsmens Fund Send a Kid to Camp program raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend overnight YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout camps and Camp Tatiyee, for school-age children and older teens with special needs, at little or no cost to their families.

We kicked off our annual fundraiser on Feb. 23 with a donation envelope in the Star.

Our goal is to raise $190,000 and send 650 local boys and girls to area camps this summer.

Since 1947, the Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund has helped pay for 38,551 children to go to camp. Were one of the oldest 501(3)) charities in Arizona.

Your contribution qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. That tax credit was increased starting for tax year 2016; donations made through April 18, 2017, qualify.

Donations are also welcome throughout the year.

Recent donations include:

Tom Foust, in memory of Sportsmens Fund founders Abe Chanin and Ricki Rarick, $200.

Richard Keiler, $250.

Kay Kennard, in memory of Eugene Cech, $100.

Patricia King, $50.

Janice and Alvin Kivel, $250.

John Kofron, $50.

Robert Koster, $10.

Klaus Kracht, $20.

Donald H Kramer, $50.

Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Lacagnina, $100.

Janet Lang, $10.

David Langebartel, $15.

Dorothy Laperriere, $50.

Betty Leftault, $100.

Janet Leonard, $100.

Louise Lievers, $100.

David and Elizabeth Loutzenheiser, $100.

Yen Low, $20.

David and Patty Lucas, $200.

Cordelia Lundquist, $50.

Martha Lyons, $50.

M. Marisio, $25.

Ann Marvin, $20.

Lucy R. Masterman, $100.

Ottilie R Matchett, $25.

Patricia McCann Peel, $25.

Nina McCarville, $100.

Barney and Paula McCloskey, $400.

Bob and Karen McCord, $50.

McKenzie/Conrads, $50.

Thomas and Barbara McShea, $50.

Martha A. Mecom, $100.

Carol Meenan, $100.

Charles and Mary E. Mendonca, $53.

Randy and Linda Miles, $25.

Eileen Miller, $200.

Bonny Milne, $20.

Rose Molin, $10.

Elizabeth Moorman, in memory of Helen Pastor, $100.

Steven and Mary Morris, $10.

Hughlett L. Morris, $500.

Judith Mullikin, $25.

The Munsons, $50.

K.B. Murray, $100.

Marilyn Murray, $100.

Bradley Craig Mylan, $100.

Sharon A. Narus, $200.

Thomas Knox and Nora Braman-Knox, $50.

Nancy Odegaard, $100.

Gayle OMalley, $75.

R. Ost, $25.

Parker family, $50.

Peggie and Dick Pearson, $100.

USAF Ret. Lt. Col. William Peel, $50.

Judy R. Pickrell, $100.

Gary Plumb, $50.

Barbara Powell, $100.

Mitchell Powers, $10.

Elizabeth Raymond, $50.

Paul Rees, $100.

Kay E. Riegel, $50.

Janet Rives, $50.

Mike and Carolyn Rockwell, $100.

Nick and Joan Romano, $25.

Robert and Mary Ann Rombough, $300.

Lowell Rothschild, $100.

Marvin Rupe, $25.

Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Ryan, $35.

Edward Santiago, $100.

Jacqueline Schaefer, $25.

Lloyd and Betty Schermer, $300.

Frederick B Schudel, $100.

Mary Schulz, $25.

Ismat Shafiqullah, in memory of Dr. M. Shafiqullah, $100.

Margorie Shea, $50.

B. Shepard, $200.

Arthur Silver, $25.

Diane M. Simpson, $20.

Janet Somerson $400.

Mary L Somerson $5.

Sue Q Sommer $50.

K & C Sontheimer $150.

Dr. Ronald P. Spark, $100.

C. Sparr, $50.

Jean O. Spindler, $50.

William Sproull $25.

Sidney and Iva Spurgeon, $400.

Harry Stacy, $400.

Mary Ruth Stini, $100.

Pam J. Stone, $25.

Daniel and Pamela Strausbaugh, $100.

Lydia Streeter, $100.

Dr. Gary F and Virginia N. Strniste, $200.

Christy Strong, $100.

Anita Sueme, $10.

Georgia Swanson, $20.

Lisa Swift, $300.

Laurie Tahija, $100.

Robert Taylor, $100.

Susan Taylor, $15.

Spencer and Helen Titley, $100.

Carol G. Trejo, $50.

Judith Tully, $50.

Francis Uetz, $150.

Edgar Updegraff, $200.

Bonnie Walker, $25.

Lucy Weeks, $50.

James White, $25.

Constance Whitehead, $200.

Sandra Whitehouse, $400.

Tommye Wiers, $100.

Douglas Williams, $100.

Laura Ziady $50.

Horizon Steel Co. Inc., $250.

Roger Pollman, $100.

G. and R. Peterson, $10.

Tucson Magic Basketball Inc., $50.

Woodrow Family, in memory of David Woodrow, $50.

Nine anonymous donations totaling $260.

More donations will be acknowledged in the coming week.
Picture a nondescript packing crate labeled "agricultural equipment" being loaded onto a delivery truck, which drives along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., until it stops midway between the White House and the Capitol.

The nuclear bomb explodes with the power of 15 kilotons. There are more than 80,000 deaths, from the highest ranking members of government to the youngest schoolchildren. All major news outlets then report receiving an identical claim: that five more nuclear bombs are hidden in five major cities.

Such is the nightmare nuclear scenario that former US Defense Secretary William Perry says may seem remote, but the consequences, if realized, would be disastrous.

"I do not like to be a prophet of doom," says Perry, 89, with the gentle grace of a decadeslong diplomat who has negotiated with countries both hostile and friendly to US interests. Then he bluntly gets to the point. "What we're talking about is no less than the end of civilization."

Perry doesn't believe an intentional terrorist attack or all-out nuclear war is the greatest risk -- he fears a "blunder" that plunges the globe into a nuclear conflict.

Perry says with a more aggressive Russia, and a brash and at times unpredictable President Donald Trump, "the possibility of a nuclear catastrophe is probably greater than it has ever been, greater than any time in the Cold War."

CNN reached out to the White House for comment on Perry's statements. It did not respond.

While he's long been out of government, Perry's uses his extensive policy chops and background to engage the public -- through speeches, presentations and online courses.

He worries that tensions between the Koreas, and possibly Japan, could turn into a conventional conflict that could go nuclear. A bellicose and expansion-minded Russia could draw the United States into a situation that could escalate, Perry says. And the District of Columbia scenario shows how devastation can result from a crude bomb.

"When my kids were getting under desks at their school and going through nuclear drills -- the danger today is actually greater. We're just not aware of it," says Perry.

The former defense secretary is spending his twilight years sounding the alarm with his 29-year-old granddaughter. They're trying to awaken a new audience on social media with the William J. Perry Project, an advocacy group dedicated to helping end the nuclear threat.

"We're really just out there trying to reach a generation that isn't really engaged on this issue right now," says Lisa Perry, the digital communications manager for the project. "It's something we learned in history class. There was no conversation about what's happening now."

"The dangers will never go away as long as we have nuclear weapons," William Perry explains. "But we should take every action to lower the dangers and I think it can be done."

A lifetime dealing with the nuclear threat

Perry served three years under President Bill Clinton, a time when more than 8,000 nuclear weapons were dismantled. His nuclear knowledge traces back to his days as a CIA analyst working with the Kennedy administration during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was tapped to evaluate photos showing Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and recalls it as one of the scariest times in his life.

"We made miscalculations," recalls Perry about those anxious two weeks. "It's a miracle they did not lead to war."

Perry lists the risks: US-Russia hostilities. A nuclear terror attack. A regional crisis.

On a regional conflict, Perry sees North Korea as an unpredictable nuclear threat. The regime's growing arsenal and history of bold actions, Perry says, could be met by an escalated response by South Korea or even the United States. Not necessarily a deliberate attack, says Perry, but he fears a "blunder" that plunges the globe into a nuclear conflict.

"When a crisis reaches a boiling point then you have a possibility of a miscalculation," warns Perry.

Trump and the nuclear threat

President Donald Trump signaled his position on nuclear weapons in a December tweet, saying the United States must "greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability."

Perry says he hopes the President will come to understand the gravity of nuclear weapons, something Perry believes all commanders in chief eventually learn. He encourages the Twitter-using Trump to have higher standards when it comes to mass communication on nuclear issues.

"The consequences are so serious, that one has to give careful thought to what you say in these areas. I don't think, in the nuclear field, it's an area that lends itself to offhand or spontaneous comments. I think they require deep thought," explains Perry.

"It's hard to imagine that... tweeting meets that test."

The Oval Office, however, can have a sobering affect, as Trump acknowledged to ABC News, describing what it's like to get the nuclear codes.

"When they explain what it represents and the kind of destruction that you're talking about, it is a very sobering moment, yes. It's very, very scary, in a sense," the President said in an interview with David Muir.

Engaging the public through education

Perry watches closely as his granddaughter pecks away at the keyboard. She's scanning through recent notifications he received on his official Twitter page.

"You've been getting some attention for the 'No Nukes' campaign," Lisa tells her grandfather.

Next, they check Perry's massive, open online course, "Living at the Nuclear Brink: Yesterday and Today," where Lisa says he has more than 3,800 enrollees.

"That's good, but I'd like the number to be to be tens of thousands, not thousands," Perry says with a grin.

The Perry team has also used Reddit's "Ask Me Anything" chats to help educate through social media. Lisa, who describes herself as a child of the Internet and encouraged her grandfather to partake, says they spent up to three hours answering questions during one session on the discussion website.

Lisa Perry believes her generation would become as active in this issue as in global warming or other social justice issues, if they're merely made aware that a nuclear threat is not hypothetical, but real. "It should be something we talk about, that we get to decide on, because it affects all of us," she says,

At 89, William Perry could have easily settled into retirement long ago and let younger generations deal with the nuclear threat. Instead, he chooses to carry on this mission: to engage.

When asked why, he calmly points to a wall in his house where photos of his family neatly hang. He has five children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act is a "bad policy" that will harm lower-income people, Sen. Cory Booker said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

"The Republicans cannot just force this down our throats," the New Jersey Democrat told anchor Jake Tapper. "It's going to knock a lot of folks off, hurt long-term care, hurt good working-class folks. So, I don't understand this all."

"I don't understand what their political strategy because this is bad politics," he added. "But deeper than that, it's bad policy and bad process."

Since its introduction this week, legislation from top House Republicans to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's signature health care law has drawn significant opposition from lawmakers and a range of health care leaders and industry stakeholders, including major doctors and hospital groups.

Some GOP lawmakers have said that the bill won't get through the Senate.

Booker said millions could lose coverage under the Republican repeal-and-replace plan.

"What we see now, though, which is -- I'm not exaggerating, it's frightening to me -- Brookings just comes out and says that we're looking at about 15 million Americans losing their insurance."

Booker acknowledged that Obamacare has challenges that need improvement. But he said the Republican approach would not fix it.

"That would be great if they were coming with an open heart to say, 'Hey, this is not perfect, let's fix it,'" he said. "What we're saying as the Democratic Party is, let's build upon it. Let's fix it," he added.

Booker drew criticism from progressives for voting against an amendment to the fiscal 2017 budget resolution that would have created a reserve fund to allow Americans to import affordable prescription drugs from Canada.

But the senator said his concern was about ensuring that Americans got quality drugs, and he touted his support for legislation that would allow allow the import of drugs from Canada.

"This is about good legislation, because while most Canadians are getting access to really high-quality drugs, if we just did that, without the safety provisions that we put in there, you could see rogue pharmacies popping up, rebranding drugs, because drugs are coming in from other countries and things, and saying these are now Canadian drugs," Booker said. "So we put things like track-and-trace technology and other things to make sure our consumers are getting quality drugs."

MapLight, a website that discloses political donations, said Booker received more than $267,000 in donations from pharmaceutical manufacturers from Jul 1, 2010 to Jun 30, 2016, making him the third-largest recipient of funding from the sector in the Senate.

But Booker said it's false to suggest that he's more focused on the concerns of his donors than the people of New Jersey.

"That's where my loyalty lies, and, we're trying, in the Senate, my team is trying to focus on that," he said.

"In fact go back to when I was a mayor, we ... did an incredible, innovative program to lower prescription drug laws and get more people in preventative care," he added. "So my work, and you know this, my history, what got me into politics in the first place was representing low-income communities."
Help India!

By Amit Kumar and Shafeeq Hudawi, Twocircles.net

How does one undo the damage caused by a lie, an allegation that should never have been made, or a rumour that should have been nipped in its bud? For a Salafi commune in Athikkad, Nilambur of Malappuram district, the best way seems to be that of keeping calm and quietly going on with their business in a manner that attracts zero attention.

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But, as they have found out, it has not always been easy.

Dammaj, a small town in the Sadah Governorate of North-western Yemen, is home to Dar-al-Hadith, a major centre for Salafists across the world. In 2007, a few residents of Kerala decided to replicate the model in Malappuram. Although geographically, the lush greens of Nilambur are a world apart from the dry and arid regions of Yemen, the people believed that everything else could be on the lines of Dammaj. Some of these people had worked and lived in Saudi Arabia and had attended Salafi classes during their stay. In Zubair Mankada, a local school teacher who taught Arabic in a government school, they found a leader and a preacher, and in 2007, the commune was established. It aimed to offer the families a puritan life akin to that of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). So, they zeroed in on the village of Athikkad, surrounded by greenery and offered a chance to the families18 to begin witha place to raise cattle and live as shepherds, just like the Prophet. The centre also hosted a number of religious discussions called Dars every week, and was attended in large numbers by people.

By the end of 2007 itself, these activities had caught the attention of the local police. Ten years later, one of the founding members of the commune, Yasir Amani, says that he understands why the people and the police got suspicious. Our commune was surrounded by tribal families, and we never interacted with them, he says. Add to this, every week a number of men would show up in many cars and attend meetings. If they (locals) that we were only discussing religious matters, maybe they would not have suspected us. But we made a mistake by never talking to themand hence, their concerns soon found way to the Police, he adds.

When Police first arrived, they asked a lot of questions, says Amani, but returned satisfied with their answers. And then they came back again. And they kept coming back. It seems like they were always looking for something to implicate usbut, there was nothing going on. The number of families rose to 25 at one point, we built our own mosque, our own madrasa and school, says Amani. Replicating the life of the Prophet however, turned slightly more difficult. Interestingly, Zubair, who was pretty much the top guy in this commune, continued to teach in the government school, Amani continued to work in the office of a local MLA and some other members found day jobs at offices. The commune enforced strict rules, and stuck to it. The police kept coming, but for the next six years the commune bloomed and in 2013, it had over two dozen families living there with many more visiting on a regular basis. And that is where the trouble began for Zubair. The madrasa property ran into a dispute with the Waqf Board and before any action could be taken against Zubair, he promptly left the commune. Amani, who is now 37 years old, says that the departure of Zubair brought down the whole functioning of the commune. We lost a person who could lead us in prayers, a teacher who could impart knowledge to our kids and a personality who could draw a lot of people. But he was doing wrong things and it had to be pointed out, Amani adds.

The departure of Zubair by the end of 2013 also meant that around 6 families also left. We had a mosque without an Imam and a madrasa without an Aalim, says Amani. By that time, the commune had begun to gain a lot of importance, and many people who were supposed to come refused after they heard that Zubair had left, he adds. I was hoping that some other people will come and help us, he says.

A complaint taken out of context

Other people did come, but they were extreme, says Amani, even by his standards. A year after Zubair left, some families from Kannur arrived. Some of the men who came strongly objected to my daughter, who was around 8 years old then, playing with boys her age. I could not understand what the issue was: she did the same thing in the government school that she went, he says. If anything, I had issues with her playing with non-Muslim kids, but what was the issue with Muslim kids? Amani said. This, along with a few other issues, made him uneasy.

The family of Shihabuddin was one of the families to arrive from Kannur to the commune. Shihabuddin, a soft-spoken man, met the correspondents at his home in the commune. I came here because it provided an ideal environment for my family to live an Islamic life, away from all distractions, and with fellow Muslims, he says. Since Shihabuddin came after Zubair had left, he claimed little knowledge of the feud, but said that he too realised that the police was watching them. I was never afraid however. I knew that as per the laws of this country, I was not doing anything illegal, he says. But, I guess even by Malappuram standards, our beards were too long, he says laughingly. Shihabuddin says he follows Saudi Islam, which according to him, is pure and the correct path. He refused to be photographed, saying that capturing images is Haram in Islam. To substantiate his point, he showed his mobile gallery, saying, See, I have six children but none of their pictures are in the phone. I do not take images of anything that has a soul, as it can be corrupted. Noticing the slightly confused look on our face, he says, I know, this idea may be extreme for you. I get thatI also do not allow my children to be vaccinated, or get polio drops. It is against the principles of Islam. But I am not trying to promote terror. I and my family are merely following our teachings, Shihabuddin, who works as an accountant in a company, says.

In June 2016, Amani decided to write to the local police station. It was the beginning of Ramadan. I wanted the police to essentially check the background of the new people who had arrived. I was not sure who they were, and what they were doing here. I did not want our commune to get a bad name. However, initially the cops refused to act on the same, he says.

And then, days later, 15 youths were said to have fled Kerala to go to Dammaj, but the local media turned the news on its head and said that they had instead gone and joined ISIS. I remember that news, says Shihabuddin. The police had always suspected us, now they claimed to have proof: we had brainwashed some people and made them join ISIS, he says. Amani too rubbished this claim. It is one thing to live life like a Salafi and another to go out and kill people who disagree with you. These people were not from our commune, I do not remember seeing them, and we had definitely not inspired them to such things, he says. But nevertheless, the commune made for good news: women in Hijab, men with long beards and in general, a bunch of people who never spoke to the non-Muslims. This image suited them, and they used my complaint to point out that even the members had said there were extremists living here, says Amani. How was I to explain to them that we were too liberal for our fellow Salafis and too hardcore for the outside world? he says. To avoid the attention, most of the families that had come from Kannur left. Shihabuddin was frequently called to the police station for questioning, but said that he was neither manhandled nor spoken to in a harsh manner. I would just go, repeat the same things again and again, and come back.

A few months later, the truth emerged: the people had indeed gone to Dammaj, but returned after the area was attacked by Saudi Air Force in action against the Houthi rebels. But by that time, the damage for us was already done. Our dream of making a full-fledged Islamic school was over: now, there is just a small madrasa for children and they attend regular schools otherwise. There are only nine families that remain now, and Dars and other religious meetings are rarely organised. In some ways, Shihabuddin says it has helped because the police last spoke to him about six months ago. They now know that we are few in numbers, and that there is little going on here. Our madrasa building doubles-up as a godown now, so you can imagine the rest.

Both Amani and Shihabuddin are firm in their beliefs, and like Shihabuddin, Amani too says that he does not allow his children to be vaccinated, but rather than sight religion as his inspiration, he says it is his personal choice. In retrospect, maybe I should have not filed the complaintbut what if that had lead to something even worse? This is a loss of reputation in some ways and we might recover. The media did not do its job; it fed on paranoia and took things out of context, he adds.

As the sun finally begins to cool down, the call for prayers blare out of their local mosque. Keeping in with Salafi values, Shihabuddin points out the simplicity of the mosque. It is not flashy, it is a house where we recite our prayers. There is nothing to distract us, he says.

But for the media and the police, the mere existence of this commune remains a focal point every time someone joins ISIS. We cannot do much about that, says Shihabuddin. Countries like Saudi Arabia have issued various fatwas saying that ISIS is a terrorist organisation. Who are we to question that? he says as we bid him goodbye.
Today's episode of The Andrew Marr Show was showered with last minute criticisms of the Government's Brexit approach. There were suggestions that World Trade Organisation rules would lead to a rise in food prices and that the Government has not done an adequate job in planning for Brexit. But the final amendments of the Bill to trigger Article 50 is being passed through Parliament this week. And there is no reason why Britain cannot achieve a good deal.

Why cut off its nose to spite its face?

It is no secret that the EU exports more to the UK than this country exports to the superbloc.

There have been many arguments that Britain should have a transitional deal post 2019, which means Britain will fail to leave the EU in time. If you watched that disastrous BBC documentary about Brexit this week, one expert stated that politics always triumphs economics in the EU.

Ticking time bombs

But if the EU wants to survive, why cut off its nose to spite its face? Regardless of how they deal with Britain, Brexit has still inspired Eurosceptics across the continent. We are leaving the EU, regardless of how bad or poor the final deal is. Italy's and Greece's economies are both ticking time bombs waiting to explode. If that happens, the future of the euro, let alone the EU, is thrown into jeopardy.

It is not in the EU's best interests to give us a bad deal, no matter what sort of rhetoric they come up with. So let's get on with leaving.
There's always a gun for hire. Pay a certain person something and they'll kill anyone. These local tree companies should be driven out of business for what they do. Some developer pays them and they knock down anything in the way to build a house.



What if these tree companies were boycotted and picketed? What if every time a tree company kills a tree illegally, they have their home base/office picketed - not the site they are working on, but their actual place of business?



If these companies start getting bad reputations and losing business, they might think twice before they illegally killed trees in Coconut Grove for a price and we might end up with just the tree companies with a conscience.





The next house to keep close watch on is the one on Day Avenue and Gifford Lane. The developers here, particularly an old lady who lives on the block, does not care about following laws. She prefers paying fines rather than protecting the foliage and she likes to overbuild with her partners. You can see their work on Indiana Street at Shipping. You can't miss it.





This week, after a two hour discussion, the Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (HEP) which was made aware of the oaks on the property where the duplex is planned for Gifford Lane. The Board denied the appeal but did lay down conditions to protect the mature oaks during construction. Let's hope neighbors keep a watch out for this. They were told to place fencing around the trees to protect them during construction and regular inspections are being asked for.





The HEP Board also asked for phased canopy pruning and minor design modifications and a tree bond, which I don't know if that matters to developers.





In the end, a large white duplex will take over that corner of the Grove, with hopefully mature trees surrounding it. In a perfect world, the structure would not be too close to the trees and allow them to grow, but in this case. they are quite close to the structure.
This Tuesday, US President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to tide over their tumultuous relationship and discuss important topics like tax hikes on German cars and bombing the hell out of ISIS. One topic discussed will be Americas $65 billion trade deficit with Germany, and according to Trumps trade adviser Peter Navarro, the President will be candid during this discussion.

Germany trade issue one of the most difficult, says Navarro

Navarro says that Trump will cut the sh*t when it comes to the $65 billion US trade deficit with Germany, whilst acknowledging it as one of the most difficult trade issues that Trump is tasked with tackling.

He apparently wants it reduced out of the restriction of the EU.

Navarro was speaking on this topic in Washington at a National Association for Business Economics conference. He said that candid discussions with Germany with the intention of having the trade deficit reduced outside the boundaries and restrictions that they claim that they are under with regards to the European Union would be useful.

Navarro, director of a new organisation called the White House National Trade Council (a result of electing a businessman into office), called the trade deficit a serious issue...that were going to have to deal with.
Travelling is the most enriching experience a human being can have; definitely, people who Travel frequently, own an incalculable treasure. In these moments when humanity is suffering from the famous stress, from the UK to the Far East, it is necessary to stop in our day to day and reflect a little about what is most important for us. Generally, we base our lives on work, leaving aside family and health itself; for this reason, travelling to magical places is the best decision, since we can interact with nature and if you have a backpacking spirit this article is for you.

Here we recommend three destinations that we know you will love

Sierra Gorda, Queretaro (Mexico)

It is located in the State of Queretaro and is consider a Biosphere Reserve. It has almost 400 thousand hectares, which is practically one-third of the state. In this ecosystem, we can find areas of thorny scrub, forests of cedars and high jungles bordering the Huasteca, where we can find natural treasures such as waterfalls, caves, basements, wells, canyons and magical natural lookouts. In the region, you will find hostels that are located in strategic places, where you can spend the night. These hostels have certified guides and all the equipment to make the excursions. It is recommended people wear waterproof clothing and comfortable shoes.

In this beautiful place, you can also sleep in tents and practice the descent down the river or rafting

Iguazu National Park (Argentina)

How do you feel about the smell and the sounds of the jungle and the water? This you can experience if you decide to travel to this magical national park. In this park, we find the Iguazu Falls, located on the Iguazu River, on the border between the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Parana.

It is considered one of the modern wonders and is a World Heritage Site. It is recommended to visit this place wearing comfortable clothes and light footwear. You must take enough liquid to drink as the walks are long. The Iguazu National Park is open every day of the year without exception. The rates are expressed in Argentine pesos and can only be paid in that currency and in cash.

Tayrona National Natural Park, where the jungle meets the ocean (Colombia)

This natural wonder is located in the Caribbean region of Colombia. It is considered one of the most important natural parks in the world, covering a habitat with a large number of species that are endemic to the regions with different thermal floors, ranging from sea level to heights of 900 m. Of the 15,000 hectares that make up the park, 3,000 are a marine area where you can practice diving, descend rivers, camp and enjoy campfires in the middle of a night full of stars. More than 350 species of algae are distribute in the maritime strip of the park, while the terrestrial flora has more than 770 different species of plants.

Its tropical landscape, coral formations, white beaches, rocky coastline, mangroves, and lagoons characterize this park. Visitors will also find archaeological ruins that denote the existence of human settlements of the tribe Tayrona that occupied the region from pre-Columbian times until well into the colonization period. It is considered one of the most important ecological reserves in South America. These places are waiting for you.
In recent years, one of the most controversial names to make the news has been Edward Snowden. After leaking classified information about the United States government, Snowden found asylum in Russia, but might soon find his way back to the United States if Donald Trump gets his way.

Snowden return

Edward Snowden once worked for the National Security Agency (NSA), starting in 2013, and was considered one of the brightest minds to work in the field. Later that year, Snowden copied classified information without consent from the NSA, and quickly fled to Hong Kong where he met with several journalists, including Glenn Greenwald.

Finally arriving in Russia, Snowden has avoided returning to the United States out of fear of unfair treatment. Snowden has been living in Moscow, Russia since June 2013, but his time in the Kremlin could soon come to an end. As reported by NBC News on February 10, the Russian government is considering sending Snowden back to the United States as part of a deal with President Donald Trump.

EXCLUSIVE: Russia is considering handing Edward Snowden over to U.S. to "curry favor," U.S. official says https://t.co/EsKxG6PyVP pic.twitter.com/RzlLguqgXz  NBC News (@NBCNews) February 10, 2017

According to sources close to NBC News, "U.S. intelligence has collected information that Russia is considering turning over Edward Snowden as a 'gift' to President Donald Trump." Trump has been critical of Snowden, referring to the former NSA contractor as a "traitor," while also going as far as calling for his execution.

The source has reportedly "analyzed a series of highly sensitive intelligence reports," which detail Russia's plan to "handover" Snowden as a part of a "curry favor" to the new president.

A second source was also cited by NBC News, who went on to confirm the claims, stating that the details of the potential move have been taking place since Inauguration Day.

Edward Snowden's legal team have since commented on the report, but said that as of press time, there is "no reason for concern."

Moving forward

Edward Snowden has been a hot political topic over the years, which has transcended party lines. Former President Barack Obama was outspoken about Snowden, though he didn't use such inflammatory language that has been used by the billionaire real estate mogul.
In a recent video produced by online newscaster The Young Turks, host Ana Kasparian discussed a policy change at the Maine State Prison, which required female visitors to remove bras when visiting with inmates. Bangor Daily News reports that the change occurred after "half a dozen women" complained to the prison. Commissioner Joseph Fitzpatrick stated that the prison would work to "standardize the prisons vetting."

Ana Kasparian explained that the rationale behind the policy was to prevent visitors from concealing weapons, or other contraband, in their bras, with the intention of delivering it to inmates.

One visitor stated that the reaction of inmates to female visitors not wearing bras was "noticeable," and expressed that she felt "exposed." Lori Venable continued that "you're in a room with sex offenders and pedophiles. It's embarrassing and its scary."

Prisons must balance safety with 'human decency and respect'

The TYT host commended Commissioner Fitzpatrick's statement that, "while a prison 'can't sacrifice safety,'" it has a duty to balance this mandate with "human decency and respect." Kasparian noted that the story didn't attract a great deal of media attention, and that the commissioner decided to act anyways, based on the merits of the situation itself.

Cenk Uygur, TYT host and co-founder, spoke about possible "dual" purposes behind such regulations.

He acknowledged that hiding contraband in a woman's bra is a legitimate safety concern, but suggested that some prison officials promoting such policies might actually be more interested in merely seeing women not wearing bras. The host compared the situation with the National Security Agency claiming that wiretapping would only occur against enemies in Iraq, when it turned out that the agency was also listening in on the calls of U.S.

service members.

Ana Kasparian urges viewers not to give up privacy

As to the efficacy of preventing women from wearing bras at keeping contraband out of prisons, Cenk Uygur suggested that there are body cavities that prisoners, and prison visitors, have become quite adept smuggling items in. Could a prison with zero-tolerance for contraband demand to perform cavity searches on female prison visitors, the TYT founder pondered, before then adding male visitors as well.

Ana Kasparian encouraged viewers to not be in a hurry to give up personal rights in "the name of safety." She cited ways in which authorities use scare tactics to trick Americans into giving up their privacy. The hosts also discussed the notion that positions that require employees to perform invasive searches, such as "advanced pat downs," seem likely to attract individuals with mental disorder that causes them to enjoy viewing or touching strangers' personal areas.
#Rex Tillerson, a former Exxon Mobil CEO, has maintained a quiet and effective cloak of silence since being sworn in as #Secretary of State six weeks ago. But with the looming threat of a North Korea and US military or nuclear showdown, it seems time we got to know the elusive man a little better.

On Tuesday, Tillerson will leave for a fraught #diplomatic mission that involves a mounting and increasingly fractured relationship between China South Korea, North Korea and the US. At such a testing time, when an open conflict with #North Korea is starting to be seen as a new possibility, all eyes will be on the new Secretary of State who has been reticent to engage with the press or the public  or even with other diplomats.

His quiet approach to global diplomacy

In the current hothouse political climate, where the American President shapes foreign policy through his often-injudicious use of Twitter  and where advisors are still fighting for power and influence in a highly charged environment  Tillerson's approach has many wondering. Is he behaving in a brilliant or weak manner? Is his subtle and elusive style going to invite respect or be dismissed as ineffective? And will he be able to handle the rising tensions between the US and #North Korea, and between China and South Korea (and then potentially the US too?)

For instance, #Mr Tillerson has limited his contact with American diplomats abroad and has given the public no proclamations about his agenda.

Diplomats and overseas officials receive no advice from him, neither have they had to pull rank with his views and his take on American foreign policy.

Tillerson has similarly refused all questions from the press and also presented no statements or opinions when the #White House proposed cutting the State Department budget by nearly 40 percent, and this without first consulting him.

He also skipped important White House conferences with big world leaders, and he didn't publicize or announce the State Department's annual report on human rights, which is usually an occasion for the United States to take a stand against repressive regimes throughout the world.

State Department officials also claimed that Tillerson offered no retort when President Trump rejected Tillersons pick for deputy Secretary of State.

His supporters say that he has accomplished far more behind the glare of a divide public and a muddled administration. They point to how he arranged the first journey of a Saudi foreign official to Iraq in 25 years and has plans to take on #Putin's disreputable behavior in Crimea and the Ukraine, something that Angela Merkel seems to have been gifted since Trump was voted in as President of the United States.

Hes already developing plans to begin ratcheting back #Putins nefarious behavior, Senator Bob Corker of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee proclaimed in an interview. This would indeed be the first effort of Trump's administration to take on Russia  and everyone is waiting for it to happen.

When hes ready to talk, you will be very highly impressed, Corker said. Let's hope so, since the #North Korea threat is building  and it would be wise not to engage in a nuclear war.
Earlier this week, the Republicans finally revealed their health care alternative that they hope will find its way onto the desk of Donald Trump. The bill has since received heavy backlash, but the president is still hopefully that he will be able to sign it into law.

Trump on Twitter

For the last eight year, the one talking point that almost all Republicans could agree on was their disdain for the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. During the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump vowed to "repeal and replace" Obamacare, while promising to make it one of his top priorities.

With the Republican plan now in place, known as the American Health Care Act, opposition has followed. In addition to the expected backlash from Democrats and other liberals, even some Republicans have pushed back, including Sen. Rand Paul who has been at odds with House Speaker Paul Ryan over the issue. As seen on his Twitter account on March 11, Trump is still pushing forward.

We are making great progress with healthcare. ObamaCare is imploding and will only get worse. Republicans coming together to get job done!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2017

In an attempt to appear unified, Donald Trump took to his social media account to attack Obamacare, while praising the Republican Party.

"We are making great progress with healthcare. ObamaCare is imploding and will only get worse," Trump wrote on Twitter early Saturday morning, before adding, "Republicans coming together to get job done!"

Trump threatens GOP: Back health bill or get primaried https://t.co/CJ0cO4s7df pic.twitter.com/MJawzQxM69  Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 10, 2017

Donald Trump's tweet comes just 24 hours after the Washington Examiner reported that the former host of "The Apprentice" met with congressional Republicans and threatened those who publicly oppose the new Health Care Bill.

For the Republicans that don't stand by the bill in question, Trump reportedly threatened them with a potential primary challenge during the next election cycle.

Moving forward

While Donald Trump is expressing confidence in passing the health care bill, the opposition continues to grow. Groups like the AARP have warned against the bill becoming law, as has many non-profit organizations that support doctors and nurses. Despite this, Republicans are expected to push the bill hard on the floor of the House and Senate, where Democrats will be waiting for them.
On Friday, a Florida judge denied Curtis Reeves, 74, a stand your ground defense, which now means the retired Florida cop could face a trial for second-degree murder. Reportedly the incident occurred in a north Tampa Movie Theater on January 2014. Reeves started an argument with Chad Oulson, 43, because he was texting during the movie previews. Apparently, Oulson was sending his daughters day care a text message at the time the fight broke out. The two men were seated close to each other, with their wives, when the argument broke out during the film Lone Survivor. The argument ended with Reeves shooting Oulson dead.

Reeves is not immune from prosecution

As reported by CNN, the hearing has been running for two weeks, to decide whether Reeves should have to stand trial for his actions. Reeves said in testimony that he believed he was in a life and death struggle. Reportedly during the argument Oulson had thrown popcorn at Reeves. Reeves believed Oulson was a definite threat and that he was about to punch him and this is why he pulled out his pistol and shot the man.

However, the movie theater surveillance camera captured the moment of the shooting and on viewing the footage, the judge said it didnt support Reeves testimony that he was in danger. ABC News reports the footage did show Oulson throwing the popcorn at the retired police officer and it captured the moment Reeves pulled out his pistol and shot Oulson in the chest.

Saying the evidence contradicted the defendants testimony, the judge said the logical conclusion was that Reeves was trying to justify his actions. Oulsons wife was also injured during the shooting leading to another charge of aggravated battery for Reeves.

Judge denies 'stand your ground' defense in movie theater shooting https://t.co/Q15GYAwaNX pic.twitter.com/vHZWq0i9YH  CNN (@CNN) March 11, 2017

Reeves will be appealing the decision

Reeves defense lawyer, Dino Michaels, said Reeves will be appealing the ruling by Judge Barthle.

While not wishing to comment on the court order, the defense team said they are taking the next step available for Reeves. Meanwhile the attorney for Nicole Oulson said he and his client are both thrilled with the ruling. T.J. Grimaldi said the trial will probably only happen next year. Grimaldi said they believed Reeves defense was a bastardization of the stand your ground law, adding that someone throwing popcorn on someone else is not a reason to be shot dead.
Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was paid $500,000 by the Turkish government while advising presidential candidate Donald Trump, who, as President, issued a second executive order banning immigrants to the Untied States from six nations, including Syria. Although Flynn terminated his relationship with the Turkish government immediately after Trump was elected President, he nevertheless advised President-elect Trump and later President Trump on Turkish affairs. Flynn was advising Trump on Turkey after having been paid half a million dollars by the Turkish government.

Register as a foreign agent

Under federal law, all agents of foreign governments must register as such when serving in a presidential administration. Although Flynn was aware of this law, he nevertheless did not register as an agent for the Turkish government until just a few days ago. Flynn's registration as an agent took place only after he was pressured to register by the Justice Department.

Turkish businessman hires Flynn

Reportedly, Flynn was hired by a Turkish businessman, Ekim Alptekin, to provide information to him and the Turkish government. Flynn was fired by Trump as National Security Advisor after totally misleading Vice-President Pence about his contacts with an agent of the Russian government.

When talking to Pence, Flynn lied and said that he had not had any contact with any agents of the Russian government, even though he had spoken with the Russian ambassador the United States on the phone. When Pence advised the President of Flynn's lies to him, Trump fired him.

Although Alptekin denied having anything to do with the Turkish government, documents that were recovered later revealed that Alptekin was misrepresenting the truth.

The newly uncovered Justice Department documents revealed that Alptekin "introduced officials of the Republic of Turkey to Flynn Intel Group officials at a meeting on September 19, 2016, in New York." (NBC News, 3/10/17).

And so, in the aftermath of all of these revelations, Flynn finally registered as an agent of a foreign government.

However, Flynn's registration was problematic because it took place after the fact after Flynn had resigned as an agent for the Turkish government and advised Trump on matters that pertain to Turkey. As some observers would characterize it, Flynn's registration as an agent of a foreign government is "too little, too late."

GOP Congressman asks about prenatal care

Meanwhile, GOP Illinois Congressman John Shimkus asked the House Energy and Commerce Committee why men should have to pay for prenatal care. Shimkus did not mention if he was aware that men also play a role in the conception and are seen as equally responsible for the prenatal care of their unborn children.
The world is about to see what sort of Secretary of State #Rex Tillerson is when he faces his first major global challenge: #North Korea and the changing power structure within the Asian Pacific region.

On Tuesday, he will leave for a fraught diplomatic mission that involves trips to Japan, South Korea and China. This, at a time when an open conflict with the Northern Korean government is simmering away as a new possibility.

The administration is also plotting President Trumps first meeting with #President Xi Jinping of China, who has warned both the US and North Korea against scaling back their escalating military  and nuclear  tensions.

The State Department hasn't allowed reporters to ride on the plane, which is unprecedented for an international diplomatic trip of such grave proportions. Traveling without the press can, according to sources, bring the risk that the secretary of state is defined by the country he is maneuvering, especially one like like China.

The upper ranks of the #National Security Council is going to meet on Monday to workshop and discuss the looming military North Korean threat and how to manage China, ensuring that Mr Tillerson keeps in line with the consensus strategy. One hopes that he is as good as they claim he is, so that the nuclear threat doesn't slip and spill into another Cuban Missile Crisis.

When the National Security Council meet on Monday to discuss the looming new threat of a nuclear stand off, don't expect to hear much from Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State.
A number of provisions in TrumpCare will surprise those many middle class and low-wage Trump supporters in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and other red states which put President Trump in office. Much of the analysis in this is from John McDonough, the Harvard professor who helped draft the Massachusetts medical bill which was so popular that it helped pass ObamaCare.

Tax savings

As promised by the Republicans in general and President Trump in particular, repealing ObamaCare will save taxpayers a lot of money. There are massive tax cuts included in the new TrumpCare insurance bill, but they all go to those who earn more than $200,000 per year with no income tax savings for those 160 million families who earn less than $200,000 per year.

One significant way healthcare was paid for in ObamaCare was by increasing the taxes on both earned and unearned income for those with incomes over $200,000.

Included in those millions of rich families are the 400 wealthiest families in the United States who will on average save $7 million annually in lower taxes that had helped pay for the low-wage earners ObamaCare.

A very strange business tax cut is the one ObamaCare imposed on indoor tanning salons. That tax is cut in the TrumpCare bill. Tanning salons contribute to the skin damage that leads to skin cancer.

Nearly 11 million low-wage people were added to Medicaid in the 31 states which expanded coverage under ObamaCare. Republicans now hold the state house in many of those states.

Those GOP governors are very upset by the proposed TrumpCare bill that eliminates the Federal support for those people who were added based on the promises of ObamaCare.

Age rating and tax credits for the poor.

Part of the Affordable Care Act or Aca was new tax credits/subsidies for those who made more than the Medicaid income limit but who still didn't earn enough that they could afford decent health insurance.

The subsidies under the ACA begin at the poverty level and decrease as income levels increase until at four times the poverty level the subsidy drops to zero.

The new healthcare act also changes age-related subsidies. Under the ACA older people got higher subsidies because their insurance rates are higher than for healthy young people.

Under the new plan, a low-wage 20-year-old will get a $2,000 tax credit while those in their 60s will get a $4,000 tax credit. But the insurance for a 60-year-old is much more than $2,000 higher than that of a 20-year-old.

Under the ACA a 60-year-old in a poor region of Pennsylvania got an $8,000 to $10,000 tax credit because the benefit was both age- and income-based. Under the proposed Republican bill the income consideration is dropped and everyone just gets the $4,000 tax credit.

Palin's input - she agrees it is a terrible plan.

Another way the ACA was paid for.

About 50% of the money that paid for the ACA came in lower Medicare and Medicaid payments to payments to hospitals, home health care, and other services including companies issuing Medicare advantage insurance programs.

In order to get more people insured under the ACA a hospital associations members gave up $350 billion in lower Medicare payments over a decade; now they want their money back because TrumpCare is repealing all the provisions that added so many millions to the insurance rolls.

The mandate was another way ObamaCare was paid for; in TrumpCare the mandate is removed but replaced with a much higher penalty going to the insurance companies.

The old fee or fine if you could afford but didnt buy insurance was $695. But TrumpCare says if you failed to have insurance for 64 or more days the previous year you pay a premium of 30% more on your new premium when you try to buy insurance but not in tax.

If you buy a $7,500 healthcare policy you pay an extra $2,200 that goes to the insurance company instead of the government, and there is no hardship exemption. If you lost your job and your insurance for more than 63 days it will cost you 30% more to re-insure.
Since his entry into politics Donald Trumps tweets have often been the subject of controversy or derision. In the case of one series of tweets the subject matter was such that they could not be left unchallenged and now their contents are being put to the test.

Wire tapping

Last weekend President #Donald Trump sent a number of tweets regarding allegations of wiretapping of Trump Tower that, according to him, had been ordered by his predecessor Barack Obama.

These allegations were immediately subject to derision by those who oppose The President and controversy by many others.

The claims were not backed by proof and not only did members of the White House staff have great difficulty in defending and explaining them, but also senior members of the Republican Party from both the Senate and Congress had greater difficulty in accepting them at face value.

Consequences

What immediately became apparent was that the President in his zeal to make the announcement did not consider the consequences of the allegations.

These consequences are simple. The accusations were considered by many as distractions from the difficulties caused by the Russian interference scandal which had to the resignation of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, or the decision by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from any investigations into the allegations.

Worse still, if the allegations were real then the order was made because it was part of an ongoing investigation, but not by the Obama Administration.

His tweets revealed that he did not understand that wiretaps could not be ordered by the Oval Office but only by a judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) and that such an decision could only be granted because of due cause.

For this reason the Oval Office was immediately asked to provide proof of the accusations which so far as not been forthcoming. .

Congress

Yesterday President Trump received the inevitable result of the controversial series of tweets.

As reported by Associated Press the House Intelligence Committee asked the White House to provide proof of the allegations by Monday.

The request was signed by the committees Chairman Republican Devin Nunes and by the senior Democrat Adam Schiff.

This request is one that cannot be easily refused and any such refusal can have serious consequences on the countrys Executive Branch. Like the boy who cried wolf in the old fable, the President has been called to face the truth of his allegations.

At this stage nobody can predict what will happen over the next few days and at the present time there is nothing on which the allegations can be seriously assessed by the legislators or the public. All the Legislative branch and the country can do is wait for the reply from the Oval Office.

In the meantime the Presidents flow of tweets has slowed to a small trickle since he made these allegations. This may be a sign that Donald Trump this week learned that his every word has consequences, even for himself.
This week, the tragedy of seeing Swaziland's elephants imprisoned inside a zoo in the USA was celebrated. Last year, despite conservationists and animal activists causing an uproar over the removal of these animals from Africa to zoos in the west, Swaziland went ahead and shipped 18 of the animals to America.

The translocation of the elephants has been hailed as a tremendous success as they have put on weight and are in good condition. They also know how to raise their various body parts for inspection and for shots after many months of practice and get to have a nice reward - a bit like a child getting a candy at the doctor, or a dog getting a biscuit for doing a behavioral trick.

The elephants also get to decide if they want to stay inside their prison, or go outside to their limited-space bathing and viewing area.

Watch Swaziland's captive elephants in their USA Zoo

The Zoo officials and the public that see and handle these elephants in captivity are not the root cause of what many African people feel is offensive and tragic. The animals were shipped to the USA by the Swaziland government. This followed hot on the heels of the Zimbabwe capture and shipment of elephants from the Hwange Game Reserve to China and a wave of disgust swept across the opponents of zoos as it was believed that Africa was now 'selling off their wildlife for cash.' The feeling was that when all else had been plundered, the wildlife could be sold off.

Nevertheless, some people did feel saddened that the need arose for shipping them off in the first place. As pointed out in an interview with Room for Rhinos on YouTube - in Africa elephants are not endangered, but are 'problem animals.'

Watch the argument for sending the elephants to the USA zoos

The viewpoint of the American zoos is that these animals were 'saved from the drought.' The opposing viewpoint is that Swaziland should have managed their national herd better, and why did they need to go across the ocean, when there were opportunities to relocate them within their natural habitat in Africa?

Some would argue that if they had stayed in Africa, they may have been hunted and killed in what is termed 'sustainable management of natural resources.' Watching these animals in the zoo and seeing where they should be living out their lives, one wonders really which would have been the better option for these elephants that are now technically serving life in prison for no crime other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time in a world which has failed to fully protect our natural heritage.

wildlife management in Africa is an explosive subject and proponents and opponents of the different ways they should be managed lead to heated and abusive debate. Nevertheless, no matter which way you look at it - these elephants represent a tragedy. They should be living in the wilderness. Watch the video below that shows elephants in a natural habitat and decide for yourself just how tragic the long and sad story is for those splendid and clever animals now living behind bars in the USA.
Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard have only been home from El Salvador for a few months. They came home for Jinger's wedding to Jeremy Vuolo, and, around that time, they found out they were expecting their second child. Duggar and Dillard decided to stick around for the holidays, but plan to head back to El Salvador very, very soon.

Where will the baby be born?

It has been confirmed that while Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard are heading back to El Salvador, they will be coming home for the birth of their second son. They announced they will be having another son just a few weeks ago.

Fans are happy for the young couple, but there is some concern about Duggar traveling to a country like El Salvador while pregnant. At this point, they would only be gone for a few months and have to return to have the baby. Fans are urging them to wait, and leave after they have welcomed their second child.

There has been talk that they are rushing back to the mission field because they caught a lot of grief for the alleged misuse of mission fund donations. Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard were accused of collecting more money with no intentions on returning to El Salvador. They have been heavily criticized for their choices, and now that they are pregnant again, the heat was really put on them to either return the money or go back to the mission field.

They obviously chose the latter option, and will be leaving Arkansas very soon.

Jill Duggar may still be afraid

It was revealed that while they were in El Salvador, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard experienced some harsh things. It was a violent place, and Jill cried on camera, showing fear as she explained what the family went through while they were out in the mission field.

Fans are begging the couple to reconsider and wait until both mom and baby are doing well this summer. It is going to be a lot of stress on Jill.

The Dillards have made up their mind, and plan to do their best with what they have been given. Returning to El Salvador is important to them, and Jill Duggar obviously feels comfortable enough to go while pregnant.
Ever since Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States, he's only increased his use of social media. As Trump routinely starts off his day with multiple Twitter rants, it instantly becomes headlines news, much to the chagrin of right-wing firebrand Tomi Lahren.

Tomi triggered

In the days following the election, Donald Trump spoke to CBS' "60 minutes" and vowed to become "very restrained" on social media. Despite his promise, the billionaire real estate mogul has only increased his presence on Twitter, bumping up his following to over 20 million.

Trump's three weeks in the White House has been met with heavy backlash, including over his controversial executives orders. The most controversial has been the "Muslim ban" executive order which restricts travel to and from seven different countries in the Middle East, which has resulted in the president constantly expressing his anger on Twitter. As the media continues to report on Trump's tweets, die-hard supporter and social media star, Tomi Lahren, is coming to his defense, as reported on February 9.

Kicking off her Thursday edition of "Final Thoughts" on The Blaze TV, Tomi Lahren went after the "liberal" media for concentrating too much on Donald Trump's tweets, while also bashing "snowflakes" and the political left.

"Another day, another round of mainstream media headlines solely dedicated to what Trump tweeted," Lahren said, while sarcastically adding, "awesome." "I guess that is the new mainstream definition of 'breaking news,'" she said, while saying it was disappointing to see "their bitterness and hard left tendencies seep out like this day after day after day."

Tomi Lahren continued, expressing anger that the media and more liberal news outlets were allegedly ignoring the "two million illegal immigrants living in New York and California.

Or the 11.1 million living in the United States illegally. Or Jobs. Or national security. Or energy independence. Or the debt or the deficit. Or the college campus assault on free speech."

Tomi on Trump

"President Trump can tweet whatever the heck he pleases, and if that hurts your feelings, don't follow him on Twitter!" Tomi Lahren shouted, while stating, "simple!" The popular social media star then went on to bash those boycotting Ivanka Trump's clothing line, while standing up for Kellyanne Conway after the former campaign manager came under fire for promoting the first daughter's products.

Tomi on Hollywood

In addition to her "Final Thoughts" segment, Tomi Lahren put together a mock "Academy Awards" show, titled the "Snowflake" awards. Lahren has been vocal in her criticism of Hollywood, and it appears she's taking her opposition to a new level of trolling.
'Logan' is expected to be Hugh Jackman's final outing as Wolverine. Jackman first appeared as Wolverine in 2000 and for many it's become nearly impossible to imagine any another actor in the role of the iconic antihero. His final film in the X-Men cinematic universe does not seem to be a conventional Superhero Movie either. Scott Frank, the writer of 'Logan' recently appeared on an episode of "Recode Media with Peter Kafka," in which he discusses the current state of the movie industry and how 'Deadpool' helped greenlight his latest project.

Blockbusters make films more formulaic

According to Frank, the movie industry is not the same as it used to be years ago. This is mainly due to changes in the economic and marketing processes, which have had a huge impact on the business as a whole. While the creative people of the movie studios used to have the final say in terms of greenlighting a script, the marketing branch have become the decision makers today. Frank goes on to explain that so much money is put into marketing a film that subsequently the head of the marketing team becomes a major player when it comes to deciding which movie makes it to the big screen. They want to make sure that the money that they've invested into a film will be a returned tenfold.

"Marketing has sort of become the church for the business," Frank says in the podcast. As a result, artistic freedom has been severely limited according to the writer.

How 'Deadpool' helped greenlight 'Logan'

Frank says that most of his friends who're looking to create original content within Hollywood have all turned to a different medium, namely television.

"If you're working in the movies, you're doing big, giant comic book, 'Star Wars', broad comedy or family stuff. Some of that stuff is pretty terrific. But at the same time, if you want to do anything other than those things, it's harder to do it in the movies," he claims.

So how come the R-rated 'Logan', which seems to be much darker and grittier than the average comic book movie, was ever greenlit in the first place?

This is where 'Deadpool' comes in. Ryan Reynolds helped revolutionize the superhero genre by creating an unprecedented movie that was both very funny and very brutal at the same time. "I think when they finally greenlit the movie, it was around the time of 'Deadpool'. While we'd been working on it off and on before then, I think they saw: You have to evolve in some way, so maybe one evolution to play with is to make it a little deeper and a little darker and quite, honestly, a little simpler," Frank explains. So while Hollywood seems to have become more one-dimensional, game changers, such as 'Logan' and 'Deadpool', still exist in today's movie business.
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President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, greets National People's Congress deputies from the PLA during the two sessions in Beijing on Sunday. Li Gang / Xinhua

Military's science and technology innovation and civilian integration stressed

President Xi Jinping urged the Chinese military on Sunday to further boost integration with civilian sectors while highlighting scientific and technological innovation as the key to military upgrades.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the People's Liberation Army should take advantage of China's achievements in science and technology to help modernize its weapons and equipment.

He made the remarks while meeting military deputies to the 12th National People's Congress who are now in Beijing attending the top legislature's annual session.

The president said that civilian and military technologies are increasingly connected. He asked the military to pay more attention to science and technology and to speed up civilian-defense integration.

Xi told officers to look for, support and make full use of advanced technologies that can serve the military's modernization and to assist the transfer of defense technologies to the business sector.

Institutional barriers and special interest groups must be removed to pave the way for civilian-defense integration, he said.

Xi also asked the military to improve its education and training systems so they can produce more professionals, adding that the PLA should also strengthen the teaching of science and technology among soldiers.

Xi, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, has repeatedly stressed the significance of civilian-defense integration, which generally refers to the military transferring technologies to the civilian sectors, and including private companies into its suppliers' list and military research and development.

In late January, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee set up a Central Commission of Civilian-Military Integration with Xi as its head. It was the first time the top leadership had established a dedicated body on civilian-military integration.

The PLA has created a website to publish its needs in technology, equipment and services, saying qualified private companies are welcome to offer their products and services. Many private firms have been given military contracts, the PLA Daily reported.

The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which oversees China's defense industries, has also pledged to gradually reduce restrictions on private businesses in the defense sector and to help State-owned defense contractors increase the use of parts made by private companies.
Sophie Yu pictured in December 2016. [Photo from Facebook]

New York -- Sophie Yu's Facebook photos show a happy, vibrant woman who likes to be with friends and travel.

The 25-year-old Manhattan financier is now recovering from a terrible accident on Wednesday when she fainted and fell onto the tracks of an oncoming 6 subway train at 51st Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.

Although the motorman slammed on his brakes, Yu was run over by the train and ended up losing part of one leg and one arm.

The Chinese immigrant, whose parents were reported to have left from China over the weekend to be with her, was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical but stable condition.

Yu lost her right leg below the knee and her right arm below the elbow, police sources told the New York Daily News.

Witnesses said the woman regained consciousness and was alert as rescue workers pulled her from beneath the train. Media reports show a photo of her shoes sitting near the edge of the platform.

"Her family is devastated," said a friend who asked not to be identified, the Daily News reported. "There's a lot of stuff they need to figure out right now. ... She's going to have a lot to go through."

"Oh my God, no!" said Derek Mika, the doorman at Yu's Manhattan apartment building, when he learned of the tragedy, the Daily News reported.

According to her Facebook page, Yu is a 2013 magna cum laude and dean's list graduate in finance of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

She previously lived in Birmingham, Alabama; Nashville, Tennessee; Philadelphia; and New Jersey. She posted on her Facebook page that she traveled to Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province in 2012.
No one could have foreseen this just a little more than four months ago: The next meeting for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be held in Chile's capital Santiago after the withdrawal of the United States and with the participation of China.

Representatives from 12 countries that formed the TPP, plus China and South Korea, will meet March 14-15 for the first time since US President Donald Trump announced his country's exit from the group, according to Reuters.

Asked on Friday whether China plans to attend the meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the Chinese side supports economic integration in the Asia-Pacific and stands ready to enhance communication and coordination with Chile and other relevant countries to build FTAAP (Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific), create an open Asia-Pacific economy and inject new impetus to economic growth in the region and beyond.

"We hope that the meeting will help realize the goals. To my knowledge, the Chinese side is actively considering attendance at the meeting," Geng told the daily briefing in Beijing.

The 12 economies signing the TPP in February last year included the US, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

To most nations, the withdrawal of the US, the largest economy in the group, literally killed the TPP. However, many still have not given up. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe travelled to the US twice to meet Trump after his election win and after his inauguration in a bid to persuade Trump. Japan is the only economy which has ratified the TPP.

Even within the US, many trade experts and former officials, especially those who had worked hard in the Barack Obama administration to push for the TPP, have also tried to lobby the Trump administration to change its mind.

Just last Tuesday, the Asia Society Policy Institute issued a report on trade and economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, urging the US government to reconsider its position on TPP, even with possible adjustments.

However, Trump and his Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have repeatedly expressed their views that bilateral trade agreements, instead of multilateral agreements, would serve the US better economically.

The TPP has been criticized by some in the US for being oversold as a geopolitical tool against China, the largest trading partner for many countries in the Asia-Pacific, including the 12 TPP members.

Former President Obama had said on various occasions that "the US, not China, should write the rules of the global economy."

That kind of rhetoric has deepened suspicions among many Chinese that the Obama administration was weaponizing TPP as a part of its rebalance to Asia strategy to curtail the rise of China.

The views of the Chinese government, however, have evolved over time, from initially regarding the TPP as a US containment strategy to expressing an interest to understand more of the US-led agreement.

China has been working with 15 other Asia-Pacific economies to advance the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), between the 10 ASEAN countries, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Just a week ago, the 16 RCEP economies concluded its five-day 17th round of negotiations in Kobe, Japan. They will meet again in the Philippines in May and India in July for the next two rounds of talks.

While the original plan to conclude the RCEP by the end of year still looks uncertain, the RCEP has been regarded as a viable way for regional economic integration after Trump sounded the death knell of TPP on Jan 23.

Trump was not the only one opposing TPP. Three other top contenders in the 2016 US presidential election  Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz  all opposed TPP.

Many US economists and trade experts believe that the strong anti-TPP sentiment among Americans has been largely due to the poor job the US government has done in helping vulnerable groups negatively affected by past free trade agreements.

During the APEC leaders summit in Beijing in Nov 2014, both TPP and RCEP were envisioned as possible pathways to an FTAAP.

While China's participation in the TPP meeting in Chile this week is set to make major headlines, no one seems sure about the fate of TPP after the US withdrawal or whether and when China might join the TPP negotiations.

One thing that seems sure is that China has increasingly expressed its support for globalization and open trade while the Trump administration increasingly smacks of protectionism and isolationism.

Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com.

Washington Journal
Scientists warn a massive earthquake is on the horizon for California

Should Californians start preparing for a potentially massive earthquake thats looming on the horizon? Going by data presented in a recent study, it may be a good idea, if not now then at least some time in the not so distant future.

The study shows how a 7.4 tremblor could potentially rupture underneath Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties, producing an earthquake that would be 30 times more powerful than the 6.4 magnitude quake of 1933 in Long Beach, which claimed the lives of 120 people.

But reaching the status of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake would not necessarily be easy. Indeed, certain circumstances would have to be in place to bring about a natural disaster of such epic proportions. Besides rupturing the Newport-Inglewood fault in Los Angeles and Orange counties, the quake would also have to impact the Rose Canyon fault system. The fault system, which hasnt been ruptured since roughly 1650, runs entirely through downtown San Diego. (RELATED: What caused Oklahomas recent record-breaking earthquake?)

Valerie Sahakian, the lead author of the study, explained that these two fault zones are actually one continuous fault zone. Sahakian wrote the study while working towards her doctorate degree at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. She is now a research geophysicist working with the U.S. Geological Survey. (RELATED: Scientists warn that massive earthquakes may be right around the corner.)

While scientists in the past have reported that the gaps between the two faults reached as far as 3 miles apart, this new study indicates that the gaps are actually much closer at 1.25 miles apart. Sahakian explained that this is the reason the two faults are actually characterized as one continuous fault.

Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson said that even though there was already an existing consensus that the two faults were actually one, we now have real evidence that this is the case.

Because of the geographic location of the faults on a map, it was very difficult to prove this to be true. So in the year 2013, Scripps researchers traveled out in boats and spent over 100 days collecting data. In the end, they were able to create a rather detailed map of the sea floor using technology that is similar to sonar used by submarines.

While the study serves as a horrifying reminder that San Diego and Orange County could one day be destroyed by a massive earthquake, the chances that it will happen anytime soon are slim. In our lifetime, the chances of a tremblor on the Newport-Inglewood/Rose Canyon fault are less than the chances of a tremblor on the southern San Andreas Fault.

So while Californians are safe from a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake for now, the information presented in this study is still worth taking into consideration.

Sources

LAtimes.com

OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com
COLUMBUS  Hopeful would be the right word to describe Phil Raimondos mindset in looking toward the future of the Trans-Pacific Partnership the United States withdrew from just days into President Donald Trumps new administration.

Our hope is that President Trumps goal (in pulling out of the trade deal) is to put the U.S. in a better negotiating position, said Raimondo, president and chief executive officer of Behlen Mfg. Co.

I hope he negotiates a deal more favorable and fairer to U.S. workers and businesses, something we all can support.

The TPP is a trade agreement between the U.S., Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The president signed an order Jan. 23 withdrawing the U.S. from the deal.

The trade agreement, when it included the United States, was signed by 12 countries representing about 40 percent of the worlds economic output. The loss of the U.S. economic output would leave a gaping hole in the trade pact.

The pact aimed to deepen economic ties between the nations, slashing tariffs and fostering trade to boost growth. Members also hoped to foster a closer relationship on economic policies and regulation.

The agreement was designed so it could eventually create a new single market, something like that of the European Union.

The deal could be good for Behlen export sales.

If the presidents withdrawal is aimed at addressing the shortcomings of the trade deal and tilt it more favorably toward the U.S., that would be great, Raimondo said.

A shift toward more protectionist trade policies, however, would make Behlen less competitive with other countries over the long term and be bad for the company, he said.

Its a fine line, said Raimondo, who was encouraged by Trumps cordial recent sit-down visit at the White House with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The longtime Columbus manufacturer felt the sting of declining exports in 2016. Behlens export orders shrank from 10 percent of the companys grain bin sales two years ago to 4 percent in 2016.

The Behlen exec has seen glimmers of improvement in export sales in the last few months. There has been an uptick in the companys export activity with smaller capital projects in Mexico and Ukraine.

Mexico is typically the top foreign customer for Behlens products.

Weve started to see some signs of life, said Raimondo, noting that at any given time during the year export sales account for 40 to 60 jobs at the Columbus plant. It would be real nice if we get export sales of 7 or 8 percent this year.

Overall, Behlen recorded sales of $176 million during 2016.

"It was a healthy year," said Raimondo while noting the sales were below record revenues of $200 to $210 million in 2007 and 2008 before the Great Recession sent sales spiraling into a multiyear slump.

The TPP was part of the Obama administrations strategy to boost American economic clout in Southeast Asia and stem creeping Chinese influence in the region. China is not a party of the trade deal.

If the U.S. is not a partner in the trade deal, Raimondo said, China would be in a much stronger position to negotiate trade policies in that part of the world.

We still have a lot of friends in China, but the U.S. would be a much better leader on trade in those markets," he said.

Behlen has about 650 employees at its Columbus plant throughout the winter, with the figure swelling to 725 to 750 during the summer months. Companywide, which includes plants in McGregor, Texas, Baker City, Oregon and Omaha, Behlen employs about 940 workers.

Today, the company consists of three diverse business units, including the Building Group (Behlen and Behlen China), Behlen Country (the nations leading manufacturer of livestock equipment) and International and Diversified Products (grain systems, strip-joining presses and custom fabrication).

The company is a leading manufacturer of farm and ranch equipment and building systems for a range of applications, including agriculture, commercial and government. Behlen's products include commercial grain systems, metal-stitching presses and custom metal fabrication.
COLUMBUS  It took a few years for Busch Equipment Co. to get off the launch pad in 2007, but the sales and marketing company has now reached a trajectory that will allow it to grow consistently for years into the future.

Slow and steady growth was the strategy from the beginning for Busch Equipment, run on a day-to-day basis by Ben and David Hellbusch, when setting up the company.

Initially, the Busch philosophy was to do a good job marketing a short list of products while representing their manufacturers, an approach that didnt take long to bear fruit.

Its been fun to be a part of watching it grow, the Hellbusch brothers said nearly in unison. It only took about 2 1/2 years from the company's startup in February 2007 for more manufacturers to begin lining up for Buschs services.

Busch, which recently participated in the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky, the largest indoor show in the nation, marked its 10th anniversary in late February.

Ben, 33, handles sales and marketing for the company, while David, 31, is in charge of day-to-day manufacturing and production in Columbus.

Both were in Louisville and maintain busy schedules attending annual equipment shows throughout the country. More than 850 exhibitors set up booths in the Kentucky Exposition Center for the four-day show.

Busch, owned by Ben and David along with their parents, Jim and Connie Hellbusch, is separate from but affiliated with Duo Lift Manufacturing. The sales and marketing firm sells only Duo Lift farm equipment through company salespeople locally and independent representatives in other parts of the country.

Busch also markets Akron and Mainero farm equipment for the manufacturers based in Ohio and Argentina.

Duo Lift, which started nearly 75 years ago, sells its products to customers through a combination of regional distributorships (fertilizer products), company representatives (farm equipment) and internally (custom products).

Duo Lifts fertilizer equipment, which includes trailers and running gears, is sold through regional distributors. The end users of the products are most often agricultural cooperatives.

Its all about pushing down (production) costs and shortening lead times for delivering products. Thats what we do here every day, Ben said.

Duo Lift has seen peaks and valleys in sales volume about every decade of its existence, and its now weathering a slump in the agricultural economy that began in 2014 as farm incomes dipped along with grain prices.

Ive always believed that the farm economy in the Grain Belt follows corn prices, Jim said.

The farm economy did very, very well from about 2007 through 2013 with $7-a-bushel corn, but slid in 2014 when corn prices sank to about $3.50 a bushel, he said.

When producers make money, they spend money, said the 70-year-old Jim, who has been designing Duo Lifts product lines since graduating from college nearly 50 years ago. Today, Jim said, about 90 percent of Duo Lift sales are to Corn Belt customers from Colorado to Ohio and Kentucky.

Good times down on the farm during that period were reflected in Duo Lifts operations.

The manufacturing plant at 2810 38th St. expanded three times in four years during a seven-year period of prosperity.

The company, which designs and builds trailers and running gears for customers, added a 20,000-square-foot building to its site in 2013. That project was just six months after Duo Lift completed a 20,000-square-foot addition to further streamline its production process.

An overhead conveyor system was added to the existing building and the new space, boosting production and efficiency.

Duo Lift also took advantage of a provision in the tax code that allowed stepped-up depreciation of new equipment, from over a seven-year period to one year, to buy computer-automated machine tools such as lathes and robotic welders.

Sales at Duo Lift increased 66 percent between 2006 and 2011 as the company introduced several new products and a farm equipment division. In 2008, an 8,000-square-foot shipping building was added along with new marketing strategies to promote the diversified product line.

From 2007-13, Duo Lifts overall sales grew by 30 percent while worker ranks swelled to 95 employees.

Those were the best years weve ever had, both in gross sales and profitability, Jim said.

As the farm economy has slowed in the last couple of years, Duo Lift has thinned its employee ranks, but not through layoffs.

Nobody was laid off, but some positions werent filled as people retired or left for other jobs, Jim said.

Duo Lift employs about 65 workers today, but its always on the lookout for skilled workers to sign on.
While farmers might be experiencing some heartburn over the future of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, Nebraskas corn and ethanol leaders say theyre optimistic President Donald Trump and Congress will support ethanol, an important pillar of the states agricultural industry.

Several years of bin-busting harvests have driven row-crop prices below the break-even mark for farmers, and corn stocks have reached a 30-year high of 12.4 billion bushels as of December, according to the most-recent U.S. Department of Agriculture figures.

Government forecasters expect net farm income will roll in at $62 million in 2017, which is nearly half what Americas farmers made in 2013.

Now imagine what Nebraskas farm economy would look like without an ethanol industry to buy up to 40 percent of its corn crop and turn the kernels into fuel, oil and a nutritious feed for animals known as distillers grain, Todd Sneller, administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, said in a recent interview.

One of the public-policy drivers that is a very real deal right now is making sure that agriculture has a chance to compete and stay healthy. The ethanol sector is one way to make sure that happens, Sneller said.

Several issues with the potential to massively impact ethanol has the industry abuzz as the Trump administration and Scott Pruitt, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, begin to mold ethanols future.

When an administration changes, I think were always looking at how do we continue to play to our strengths? How do we identify what the public policies are that are most important to that administration? How do we make the case that we need to support these policies, Sneller said.

Mixing it up

Confusion and outcry erupted in recent weeks when Bloomberg and other media outlets reported billionaire investor Carl Icahn and the Renewable Fuels Association, the nations largest biofuel trade group, negotiated a deal presented to the Trump administration that would shift who is responsible for mixing renewables into fuels in exchange for allowing E15 gas to be sold year-round instead of only in the winter.

The news prompted an immediate response from Fuels America, a coalition that includes the likes of Archer Daniels Midland and Monsanto, which cut ties with the Renewable Fuels Association over the controversy.

Despite our opposition, the Renewable Fuels Association has elected to lend its support to Mr. Icahns efforts. Accordingly, RFAs position is no longer aligned with Americas biofuel industry, and the Fuels America coalition has resolved to sever ties with the group, Fuels America said in a statement.

The White House later said no executive order on the issue would be forthcoming.

Despite that, the ethanol industry hasnt seen the end of discussions over who is responsible for blending renewables into Americas fuel supply, Sneller said.

Several organizations last year asked the EPA to shift the responsibility for blending  known as the point of obligation  from refineries and importers of fuel to the businesses that hold it just prior to sale at the pumps.

The EPA under President Barack Obama proposed denying the requests but also took comments from the public, a process that has pushed the final decision, which has yet to be made, into the Trump administration.

Its going to be an ongoing debate. Its really in the hands of the Environmental Protection Agency, Sneller said.

Renewable Fuels Nebraska, formerly the Association of Nebraska Ethanol Producers, has issued a statement opposing the change.

Since its inception in 2005, the Renewable Fuels Standard has been a pillar of our domestic-energy policy, Renewable Fuels Nebraska Executive Director Mark Palmer said in the statement.

RFN remains strongly opposed to any change in the Point of Obligation if it would undermine the integrity of that important program.

Growth and E15

President Trump in February issued a letter of support for ethanol and reiterated his campaign promise to reform regulations that impede growth or increase consumer costs without sufficient environmental or public health benefit.

Rest assured that your president and this administration values the importance of renewable fuels to Americas economy and to our energy independence. As I emphasized throughout my campaign, renewable fuels are essential to Americas energy strategy, Trumps letter said.

As important as ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard are to rural economies, I also know that your industry has suffered from overzealous, job-killing regulation. I am committed to reducing the regulatory burden on all businesses.

Trumps promise to do away with job-killing regulations could work in ethanols favor, Sneller said.

Ethanol supporters have renewed a push to change EPA regulations to allow E15 to be sold during the summer.

Reps. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, recently reintroduced legislation in the House that would allow gas stations to sell E15 blends year-round.

In the Senate, Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., teamed with Sens. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to introduce similar legislation  the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act.

Advocates say it would increase market access for higher blends of ethanol year-round, increasing regulatory certainty and make it easier to market the product by eliminating confusion that happens when it disappears from pumps several months out of the year.

Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, said other avenues to grow ethanol and support agriculture also are being pursued.

Our hope is that the Renewable Fuels Standard is really a floor  and not a ceiling  we can continue to build off of and that building could come domestically in markets or it could come internationally in markets, Brunkhorst said.

The United States in 2016 exported more than 1 billion gallons of ethanol and 11.5 million metric tons of dried distillers grain.

Brunkhorst said state governments and countries around the world are considering renewable energy or clean-air plans, and ethanol supporters must make sure the fuel is part of those discussions.

2022 guidelines

Nationally last year, 200 plants in 28 states  including 20 in Nebraska  produced a record 15.3 billion gallons of ethanol supporting 74,420 direct jobs and 264,756 indirect and induced jobs, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. If the industry continues its pattern of production annualized rate for this year, it would reach 16.1 billion gallons, making 2017 the fifth straight year of growth.

That success was built on the back of targets set by Congress in 2007, known as the Renewable Fuel Standard, for how much renewable fuel must be mixed into the nation's fuel supply.

Congress set volume guidelines through 2022, after which requirements will be in the hands of the EPA, which will set them in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Agriculture.

In politics, 2023 is a long time away, with a presidential and midterm elections between now and then.

But for businesses looking to plan for the future, its all too soon.

We need to start having those conversations as an industry and also get a sense of where we expect to be at that point, Palmer of Renewable Fuels Nebraska said in a recent interview.

This program has worked and will continue to work. If we continue to have something that works ... Its a pretty easy sell.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen, at the February National Ethanol Conference, called for the ethanol industry to be an active participant in that debate over future transition.

"I dont know about you, but Im not necessarily comfortable leaving the industrys fate in the hands of what has been an unaccountable bureaucracy that has not always appreciated the importance or benefits of corn ethanol, he said, according to a transcript of his state of the industry speech.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
The opinions expressed by "Don Quixote" are strictly his own and do not represent the opinions of Vernon Council!

Because I value your thoughtful opinions, I encourage you to add a comment to this discussion. Don't be offended if I edit your comments for clarity or to keep out questionable matters, however, and I may even delete off-topic comments.

Bob Spiers Vernon City Councillor
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Last years drought devastated crops and caused serious losses for farmers in the Mekong Delta. This year, authorities are restructuring crops, building dykes and erecting sluices in anticipation of continuing weather disasters.

By Pham Hoang Nam

The official attitude of provincial authorities in the Mekong Delta region this year could be deemed forewarned is forearmed.

Authorities are determined to prevent a recurrence of the disaster that struck last year after the worst drought in 90 years, along with serious saline intrusion, affected the entire region.

This year, the Delta is storing as much fresh water as possible. Dykes have been upgraded, sluices erected, and crops restructured. Master plans on climate-change adaptation are being reviewed and adjusted.

Predictions are that saline intrusion will be at a higher level this year in comparison with previous years. But it will be lower and less serious than last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments Irrigation General Department.

Salty water is already beginning to enter the Delta and will increase by early March.

Kien Giang Province in the southwestern area of the Delta has taken precautionary measures by investing more than VN40 billion (US$1.8 million) to upgrade 276 dykes and build sluices on the Kien River and Cut Canal.

Another VN20 billion ($900,000) has been spent on drilling more wells to ensure fresh water for domestic use.

The province has also worked closely with the neighbouring province of An Giang on a proper plan to use water resources, according to Nguyen Van Tam, the director of Kien Giangs Agriculture and Rural Development Department.

Authorities have made careful plans for the winter-autumn crop, based on the availability of water resources in different localities.

Natural disaster: Viet Nams worst drought in 90 years destroyed many crops in the Mekong Delta last year. - VNS Photo Nguyen Luan

In Bac Lieu Province, hot weather and salinity have been occurring since early February.

The province, working with the neighbouring provinces of Ca Mau and Soc Trang, is now operating 100 major sluices to adjust the usage level of fresh water.

More than 40 temporary dykes have been built, and farmers have been warned to preserve fresh water.

In an attempt to prevent saline intrustion and preserve soil quality, the entire region has also reduced the number of rice crops planted from three to two each year. The extra time will be used for vegetable cultivation.

Tien Giang in the coastal region, for example, has already shifted 2,500 hectares of land to vegetable cultivation.

Climate change: Rice ruined by drought. - VNS Photo Nguyen Luan

Master plan

Opinions about a master plan for the Delta to cope with climate change vary among experts, but all agree that it must be adjusted and completed as soon as possible.

Dr Tang uc Thang of the Southern Institute of Water Resource Research said: The Delta needs a long-term master plan to cope with drought and salinity, as it is one of several places in the world that will suffer the most from climate change.

This year, the amount of fresh water in the Mekong River is estimated to be 15-35 per cent lower in comparison with previous years, according to a report from the General Department of Irrigation.

Water-related development in the Mekong upstream has already affected agricultural production and daily life, and it will have a more serious impact in the future, Thang said.

The government should give priority to investing in salinity-control sluices along the Tien and Hau rivers and modernising irrigation by using automatic measurements and connecting independent irrigation systems to a larger system, he added.

To cope with changes in weather, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has made a 2016-20 action plan, which links agricultural production and rural development in the Mekong Delta.

Under the plan, rice is now mainly cultivated in the ong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) sub-region, which includes the provinces of Long An, ong Thap and Tien Giang.

Coconuts and pomelos are grown in a sub-region traversed by the Tien and Hau rivers in the provinces of Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh and Ben Tre. And shrimp are farmed mostly in the sub-region of the Ca Mau peninsula, which includes Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Kien Giang provinces.

As part of the plan, rice and catfish are now the major products in the sub-region of Long Xuyen, which includes the provinces of Hau Giang, An Giang, Can Tho and Kien Giang.

Green growth: A mangrove-shrimp model in Ca Mau province. -- VNS Photo Hoang Nam

Tran Cong Thang, deputy head of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, said that while the government had taken action to cope with climate change, more solutions were needed.

Viet Nam has built more irrigation dykes and sluices, enhanced measurements and warnings, provided more financial and technical support, changed timetables for crop farming, shifted farm lland from rice to vegetables, and planted new rice seeds resilient to drought and salinity, he said.

But all of these measures have limitations and we still lack long-term, sustainable solutions for the region, he added.

However, Dr Andrew Wyatt, the Mekong Delta programme manager at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Viet Nam, told Viet Nam News that the Mekong Delta Plan had already covered many of the most pressing issues.

The plan was created in 2013 by Viet Nam and the Netherlands under a Strategic Partnership Arrangement on Climate-Change Adaptation and Water Management.

The Mekong Delta Plan has carefully noted all of the climate-change impacts that would affect the region over the long term, and all suggestions have been properly given under the 100-year plan, Wyatt said.

The master plan is currently being reviewed and adjustments will be made, according to Wyatt.

Lack of water: Local residents dig a deep hole to find fresh water. - VNS Photo Nguyen Luan

Salinity: friend or foe?

I think Vietnamese authorities and local communities should change their views and consider salinity as an opportunity to develop in a new way, Wyatt said, adding that agricultural practices could be shifted to take advantage of saline conditions.

Before Viet Nams reunification in 1975, the Mekong Delta region had no dyke systems to keep fresh water.

In the past, farmers knew how to cope with salinity, but now, after a long time of being protected, they dont know how to deal with it, he added.

Wyatt said that warnings about serious drought and salinity from local authorities to local farmers had been ignored last year.

Local authorities should provide farmers with useful software that will help them prepare for climate change, he said.

Over the years, the extensive irrigation system in the delta helped Viet Nam become one of the biggest rice exporters in the world. However, changes to that system have occurred.

In many places, like the southernmost province of Ca Mau, local farmers destroyed irrigation systems and dykes so they could pump salt water into their shrimp farms," he said. "So now, its time to carefully review agricultural production in the region in the context of climate change."

Wyatt also pointed out that in the past, only land in the middle of the Delta region could grow fruit because it was not threatened by flooding or saline intrusion at that time.

Now, fruit-growing areas have expanded and salinity could affect orchards because fruit needs several years to grow, he said.

Hard times: Little water was available for daily use last year during the drought. -- VNS Photo Nguyen Luan

Mangrove-shrimp farming model

One climate-adaptation project, a new integrated mangrove-shrimp farming model, has been highly successful in the coastal region of the Delta.

Introduced in Ca Mau, it has helped farmers earn more income, while preserving mangrove swamps that aquaculture often destroys.

Many shrimp farmers in the past, for example, cut down mangroves to build ponds for shrimp, which thrive in salty water. This caused coastal erosion and increased saline intrusion in inland farming areas.

The mangrove-shrimp project, organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Netherlands Development Organisation, was first set up in Ca Mau Provinces Nhung Mien Protective Forest with 1,075 households.

The project goal is to help local shrimp farmers become more profitable by combining farms with protected mangrove forests, thus increasing profitability and sustainability while also enhancing coastal resilience to climate change.

Although shrimp farming is one of Viet Nams leading export-related activities, it is also the leading cause of mangrove loss in a country with a long, densely populated coastline vulnerable to tropical storms and rising sea levels.

The sustainability of the shrimp farming business and the conservation of mangroves are both national priorities.

Saline solution: New constructions are built to prevent saline intrusion. - VNS Photo Nguyen Luan

The mangrove-shrimp project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

It focuses on a group of around 2,700 farmers who use an integrated model of farming shrimp in mangrove forests in which each household has to earmark 60 per cent of the land for mangroves.

While farmers may have significantly lower yields per hectare than intensive shrimp farms, the integrated model results in a highly diverse output, lower costs and much lower risk of crop failure.

Not only is this model resilient to disease, but it is also stable and profitable, with incomes significantly higher than from traditional farming.

Households receive training that allows them to acquire certification in raising shrimp without industrial food or chemicals. Farmers also learn how to manage household waste and protect forests.

With the model, local residents can earn a sustainable living while mangroves are preserved and protect the coast, Wyatt said.

Underground water is also protected as the mangroves reduce water evaporation.

If you can protect underground water, you can help stop ground depression, and right now, the Mekong Delta is expected to sink around 10 millimetres each year because of excessive use of underground water, Wyatt said. VNS
Artisan Nguyen Van Cong has dedicated his life to preserving the ancient craft of embroidery, and has made a name for himself as a master of painting with thread. Trung Hieu reports.

Nguyen Van Cong, 45, was born in Hau Loc District in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

His shop on Ton uc Thang Street in Ha Noi has been built and decorated to look like a traditional Vietnamese house.

Embroidery work is usually done by women. But fate led me to follow this career, said Cong.

People in the embroidery business know Cong as a master of the art. The works he makes have his own distinct style; soft and seductive.

"Since childhood, when I saw mothers and older sisters meticulously embroidering towels and shirts for the young men who were going to join the army or go to work far from home, I felt really moved, he recalled.

Nguyen Van Cong works on a two-sided embroidery painting.

Although he studied electrical engineering at Ha Noi University of Technology, his passion for embroidery led him to learn about painting from some friends who were studying fine arts.

I decided to find my own way, and only traditional embroidery paintings helped me implement my passion  which is to make paintings from thread," he said.

Cong began his craft in 2008, and his first teachers were famous artisans Nguyen Cao Binh and Thai Van Bon.

After years of painstaking work, with his fingertips calloused from the needle  Cong has become a skilled embroiderer.

Then Cong discovered a sad truth.

He made many visits to traditional embroidery villages such as Quat ong (Ha Noi), Xuan Neo (Hung Yen), Van Lam (Ninh Binh), and Minh Lang (Thai Binh) to study more about the craft, where he found that many artisans were quitting the profession.

"I saw that many embroiderers had no more passion for the craft. This made me sad and concerned, but I was determined to revive this traditional craft, based on the beauty of Vietnamese identity," he said.

Back to basics

Over the last few years, many people have come to like imported embroidery products. As a result, traditional Vietnamese embroidery paintings have suffered.

Many people still like Vietnamese embroidery paintings, but we dont understand or take steps to preserve it. Thats why I decided to use the traditional themes to evoke everyones love of our ancestors craft, Cong said.

Natural scene: Embroidery paintings in Congs shop.

Vietnamese embroidery originated from feudal times. The thread was dyed using simple things like brown tubers, indigo and other kinds of leaves, resulting in vivid and colourful products.

Embroidery in Viet Nam has experienced ups and downs over the years, but has achieved very high aesthetic values, Cong said.

Before teaching techniques to his students, Cong explained to them the history and technical characteristics of pure Vietnamese embroidery.

As a result, his students are more in love with the country, and they put this sentiment into every stitch.

So far, he has taught advanced embroidery skills to about 80 workers.

But "love and passion are not enough", Cong said. "The ingredients that make up a traditional embroidered painting includes a mandatory rule that all embroiderers must understand. This is to use a kind of traditional silk fabric along with a type of special thread. The way to join the threads together is also very important to the professional embroiderers."

"Many of the novices dont know this, so their embroideries look crude and rough. Especially, following the traditional technique, we must embroider from left to right, from top to bottom, from inside outward. So, if you think traditional embroidery is simple, it is very wrong," he said.

Special skills: Only master embroiders can make two-sides paintings.

Currently, Cong runs 10 workshops in Ha Noi and in some villages in nearby provinces, employing about 400 workers.

As Cong is a connoisseur of painting, the new painting samples that he created are always Vietnamese landscapes showing peaceful villages, banyan trees, and communal houses in the countryside.

Among thousands of embroidery paintings that Cong and his students created, many of them were bought by foreign clients to hang in major hotels or exhibit at museums and art exhibitions, helping to promote the images of the country and people of Viet Nam.

Cong pays a lot of attention to developing a type of two-sided embroidery paintings.

"This kind is not for hanging but to exhibit, because both sides are shown the precise and soft contours. The white spaces of the painting is the thin, penetrating silk that we can see through it. This is the essence and development of Vietnamese embroidery, that the other countries can hardly match," he said.

Only the master embroiderers can make this kind of product, because, just a needle path of deviation, or a non-standard joint may destroy the painting, he said.

As these art works take a long time to complete, each ranges from 3-5 million to hundreds of millions of ong.

But for Cong, money is not everything.

I wish that we can help preserve the embroidery craft, which was almost lost. Moreover, I hope that one day embroidery will be taught in schools, so our students can practise their patience and understand more about our ancestors, he said.  VNS
By Hong Van

Nguyen Van Chuong is a 34-year-old software engineer from a Nang, who has transformed his love for his home into an application to help tourists navigate the city.

When I was working in education alongside foreign teachers, I saw a great need and demand for up-to-date local information for foreigners who want to explore and experience Viet Nam in a local way. The idea of developing an application to support travellers started at that time, in 2014, said Nguyen Van Chuong.

Chuong now works for a technology company based in a Nang. Through his work, he learned the process of developing a technology product, application or piece of software, and decided to begin developing the project.

The application he came up with, inDanang, is a mobile application providing information for both travellers and locals for free. It helps travellers search for information as well updates on destinations, maps, and upcoming events in a Nang without the need for an Internet connection.

Information is provided in various categories including food and drink, sightseeing, shopping, accommodation, and events. Users can also access recommendations on the best destinations in a Nang in four languages  Vietnamese, English, Korean and Japanese.

Useful info: The inDanang app will contribute to local tourism promotion, supporting travelers in terms of information. This is also a channel where feedback can be given, helping to improve tourism services.

The release of the inDanang app contributes to the promotion of local tourism and supports travellers with useful information. This is also a channel for feedback from travellers, helping to improve tourism services, said Chuong.

The more engaged I am in the project, the more inspired I am and the more I travel. Travelling to new places and taking field trips helps me to have the experience of a traveller and understand the problems as well challenges that travel agencies are encountering  how to develop local tourism in a sustainable way and how to create an authentic travel experience for travellers.

A series of inVietnam applications is also in the pipeline, covering 64 cities and provinces, said Chuong.

Currently there are many made-in-Viet Nam apps, yet most are commercialised, including the sale of tours or hotel bookings, said Chuong.

The inDanang app is not only free but the information it provides is authentic and accurate. To ensure the trustworthiness of the app, the project team worked directly with localities in order to gather information, said Chuong.

Information about destinations and services is backed-up by the Tourism Promotion Centre of a Nang Citys Department of Tourism, while food production and business facilities meeting food safety rules is provided by the citys Department of Trade and Industry, and ratings from users are also available.

When we did the field trip and experienced tourism services in Quang Nam, we saw that besides the three highlights of the ancient town of Hoi An, My Son sanctuary and Cu Lao Cham biosphere reserve, it is also necessary to introduce and support travellers in exploring new destinations in rural areas, neighbouring Hoi An and the mountainous area in the west with traditional handicraft villages or the destinations in the south of the province like Phu Ninh Lake eco-tourism area, Ky Anh tunnel, Tam Hai island, said Chuong.

To develop tourism sustainably, there needs to be investment, upgrades to infrastructure, the strengthening of tourism promotion work as well as supporting travellers during their visit and stay in the locality, besides diversifying tourism products, said Chuong.

To enrich his experience, Chuong also went abroad to learn from start-up models in Thailand and Hong Kong.

These visits helped to open up my perspective as well as give me valuable experience to regulate and adjust my model.

Initially I considered this simply as a technology product - using technology to create a new channel to connect travelers with the city. Yet when I implemented the project, carrying out the field trips and having the chance to meet and talk with businesses and tourism promotion agencies, I realised it was more than a product. I started understanding more about their concerns, their ambitions in tourism promotion which is specific to localities.

Top tourism: The co-founder of the inVietnam project, Khanh Lam working with a representative of Quang Nams Tourism Promotion Centre on his trip to Quang Nam Province.

The inDanang has filed for brand protection and expanded to inMocchau and inHoian.

Chuong and his team also made field trips to Moc Chau and Hoi An collecting information for the inMocchau and inHoian apps. Meanwhile basic information for similar applications for another 63 cities and provinces all over Viet Nam has been made available and will be released.

The inDanang app has been downloaded by about 15,000 Android users. About 500 use the application on a frequent basis, 20 per cent of users being Koreans, 10 per cent Americans, Hongkongese and Japanese.

Meanwhile, the inVietnam app is on trial period with more than 2,000 downloads.

It indicates the very big potential of Viet Nam tourism, said Chuong. VNS
I have always had a desire to travel around South East Asia before the age of 25, however, Brunei was not on my list until this year, when I was offered the opportunity to be a delegate for the Young South East Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) programme on Eco-Entrepreneurship last month.

Brunei, according to my research before the trip, did not have much going for it in terms of tourism. I was proved wrong, and enjoyed a pleasant, and very green, getaway.

Touching down in Badar Seri Bagawan, the capital of Brunei Darussalam on a rainy afternoon, I was startled by the citys abundant greenery. Clean streets were bordered by rows of trees, and the road from the airport to the hotel reminded me of Singapore. However, Brunei lacks the sky trains and skyscrapers of Singapore. One of my Bruneian friends told me that in Brunei, houses must be kept under the height of the local mosques, following the strict Islamic faith of the country. I was tired of high rises blocking out the sun in metropolises, so I quickly fell in love with Brunei.

My Bruneian friend, Khalish, kindly drove me around Badar Seri Bagawan to enjoy the night life. It takes only 20-30 minutes to drive around the small capital, which covers an area of just 100sq.km. With the windows down, we enjoyed breathing the fresh air while passing pristine forests, a well-earned reprieve from the noise and pollution of Ha Noi. Sixty per cent of the country is covered by forest, and it was easy to get close to nature, even in the city.

Not surprisingly in this Muslim country, night life is not as vibrant as some of the other big cities in South East Asia. Bars, pubs, and karaoke are banned, and beer and wine are not on sale to the public. Stores, shopping malls, and other services all close before 10pm. Therefore watching TV or going to sleep are what Bruneians do after dark, according to Khalish.

Not wanting to retire to my hotel before 10pm, I decided to visit Gangdong night market, which thankfully stays open until 11pm. Markets are a good way to acquaint oneself with city life because they truly reflect local livelihoods and lifestyles. Due to the late hour, there were not many visitors, but you could still find BBQ food, drinks, clothes, and in particular, loads of fresh fruit and vegetables. The market is simple, and similar to the way Bruneians live.

Food of the forest: Welcome snacks at Sumbiling Eco Village, including fried flour mixed with eggs and shrimp, and egg rice wrapped in eco-friendly leaves.

The excitement of eco-tourism

My surprise at how the country preserves the environment and respects nature continued when I took a one-day tour to a rural area located in the district of Temburong, one among Bruneis four districts, besides the capital city. Temburong is home to Ulu Temburong National Park, the countrys first national park. The park is known as the Green Jewel of Brunei and described as the finest example of the sultanates successful forest protection policy.

We strolled along the capitals streets to reach Kianggeh jetty for a speedboat ride along mangrove-fringed waterways. On the 40-minute cruise passing the Malaysian border, we saw a lot of stilt houses that make up Kampong Ayer water village, the historic home to for almost 40,000, ten per cent of Bruneis total population. Surprisingly, it is the largest traditional water village in the world. It took another 40 minutes by car to reach our final destination: Sumbiling Eco Village.

Far from the capital, Sumbiling Eco Village is a rural space where visitors can feel deeply at one with nature.

About eight years ago, Leslie Chiang Jin Kiong, the founder of the village, imagined a location where travellers could enjoy an experience closer to nature, and in a manner consistent with local ways of life. At that time, in his mind he considered one thing, I want something people want, not what I want.

They (local people) do not want money, they want respect, he said.

That is the reason why at the same time, the village provides Iban villagers with the means to earn an income while bringing new value to environmental conservation. To date, the village supports 15 family members by providing them with job opportunities as trekking guides, boatmen, and craftswomen, as well as sponsoring two school students for their school fees, uniforms, and books.

Clean roads: A tidy street in Badar Seri Bagawan. VNS Photos Khanh Duong

Eco-tourism is familiar to me because of explanations and examples in books and on social platforms. However, not until my visit to Sumbiling village, listening to its owner, and engaging myself in activities, did I really have a concrete idea about how eco-entrepreneurship works. Im still enchanted by the eco-village slogan printed on staff T-shirts: Farming is cool, smart, sexy and humane.

If youd love to relax inside wooden huts surrounded by greenery, the weaving and stone painting activities with locals may be an ideal suggestion. You could also while away the hours on a hammock by the river, and soak in the tranquility of the forest. If you are curious about how home-grown food is cooked, you can help make some bamboo chicken, surely the signature dish of an eco-friendly lunch. The chicken is stuffed into bamboo shoots and roasted on an open fire. After being cooked the chicken is soft, and maintains the pleasant smell of bamboo leaves.

My adventurous streak urged me to take on a more challenging activity: trekking into the rainforest to really soak in its majesty and preserved beauty. For this, we took a 2-minute boat ride across the river to reach the starting point of our journey. The route, at first, was easily accessible, except for some steep slopes. We were guided by two kind English-speaking locals, an older one and a younger one. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable, and we were able to learn about unique flora and fauna on the trail, how villagers would hunt in the past, and how the various leaves and roots could be put to use.

There are thousands of herbs you can find in the pristine rainforest. I was introduced to a type of leaf called kulimpapa, which had a pleasant and fresh odour. The young guide told me that this particular plant could be used to treat stomachache or other digestive ailments. It is also soothing for skin irritations caused by allergies or insect bites.

Many other plants can be used for a range of common illnesses and conditions. I was excited to discover the origin of some organic cosmetics. My lipsticks I use every day, for example, are made from palm fruits containing vitamin-rich oil.

On the challenging way back, we faced thorny plants, slippery puddles, and I felt exhausted after seven kilometres of tough trekking, however, my mind was revitalised after being surrounded by fresh air and herbs.

Whether spending time in the city or kicking back in the countryside, for me the memory of Brunei is a green and refreshing one. VNS
It has now become common knowledge that the best one-day getaway from Ha Noi is Ninh Binh Province.

About 100km from the capital city, the place has numerous historical sites and scenic places, like the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, Bich ong Tam Coc, the Trang An tourism complex, and the Bai inh Pagoda.

From a culinary standpoint, mountain goat specialties and com chay (fried rice crisp with various toppings) are the attractions that stand out.

It was a very nice Sunday when we set out for the province. After enjoying a two-hour sightseeing tour on boat on the Sao Khe River we made our way to the Thang Long Restaurant, which is about 3.5km from the Bai inh Pagoda and 4km from the Trang An Complex.

When we arrived at the restaurant on the banks of the Hoang Long River with its imposingly high limestone mountains and immense green fields, it was already full of travellers.

However, several waiters enthusiastically welcomed us and led us to a table that already had various goat dishes and com chay.

A beautiful waitress named Man told us there were almost 20 different goat dishes that the restaurant serves, but recommended that we try the tai de (VN150,000), half-done goat meat (briefly dipped in boiling water) and seasoned with lime fruit juice, ginger, garlic, chillies, peppers and julienned lime leaves.

Id heard of the dish, but was trying it for the first time. Man showed me how to wrap the soft meat with raw banana slices and qua sung (figs - Ficus racemosa) in rice paper and dip it in soyabean sauce.

The dishs mixed flavours won the approval of all our palettes. It was followed by de nuong ngu vi ( goat meat marinated with garlic, condiments and sugar, and roasted on wood charcoal); and de xao lan (stir-fried goat meat marinated with pineapple juice, curry powder and several other ingredients and served with fried, dry shallots and peanuts).

Sliced thrills: Boiled goat meat slices mixed with herbs. Photos courtesy of Thang Long Restaurant

The de nuong ngu vi (VN200,000) smelt good and was delicious, having just right amount of smoky flavour, but the piece was rather big and a bit tough. My friend Le Hang also found it tough and said she preferred the other dish.

I like the de xao lan (VN150,000). It is soft and peppery and goes well with the peanuts, she said.

Restaurant manager Nguyen Thi Nguyet said the most popular dish among her customers was nam de nuong (goat breast cut into thin pieces and marinated with pepper, oyster sauce, chili sauce, minced citronella, garlic, salt, and sugar for about 30 minutes before being roasted.)

I liked the goat meat pieces (VN180,000) steamed with perilla and citronella and dipped in Ban soyabean sauce mixed with sugar and eaten with raw plantain slices, pineapple and other herbs.

This dish is very nutritious. It cools down the human body during summer, Nguyet said.

Nguyet said she ordered goats from a man named Truong Van Vinh in the mountainous Gia Hoa Commune in Hoa Lu District.

Vinhs goat herd is left to graze on their own in the mountains, but he still takes very good care of them to prevent them from falling ill.

Nguyet said she typically bought a goat weighing between 15-20kg to make her dishes. If it was too small or too big, the meat would not be as tasty, she explained.

I also enjoyed the popular dish, com chay (VN60,000/three pieces).

Com chay, or rice crisp, is typically fried in oil until golden brown, then topped with pork floss or dried shrimp and chopped scallions, cooked by pouring boiling oil over them. Com chay cha bong or com chay tom kho are popular versions of this dish.

But Nguyet said she cooks her handmade com chay with the most fragrant rice.

I liked her com chay so much that I ordered more despite my friends advice that I will suffer indigestion from overeating.

Nguyet said:  I protect my com chay copyright by selling it at my restaurant only, not in the market.

If you want my com chay, you should call me. Ill send it to you. VNS

Thang Long Mountain Goat Restaurant

Add: Truong Yen Village, Truong Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District.

Tel: 0303620186

Hotline: 0975155458-01238880606

Open: 9am-9pm every day

Comment: Goat specialties and com chay (literally called scorched rice) are very enjoyable with affordable prices.
Sarah Gillis switched from a national bank to a local one in New Jersey as a matter of principle.

I feel like my voice matters more in a smaller bank, says Gillis, who closed her account at a national bank because she disagreed, she says, with some of its corporate investments. She opened an account at Peapack-Gladstone Bank by her home in Warren, N.J., about a year ago.

But when asked her thoughts on her new bank, its the perks and lack of fees she applauds. Her out-of-network ATM fees are reimbursed by Peapack-Gladstone and she gets $8 back if she uses her debit card at least ten times a month. I just think its a great bank, she says.

For consumers like Gillis, switching to a community bank  typically defined as a smaller bank that is locally owned and operated  is an action rooted as much in practicality as it is in ideology. Lower and fewer fees and the allure of keeping money local can be compelling reasons to switch.

Downsides persist

Community banks still wont be as convenient for many people as national banks. ATM access, for example, can be a challenge without the large networks enjoyed by national bank customers. Some 48 percent of community banks belong to a fee-free ATM network, a 2013 survey by the Independent Community Bankers of America found, but that leaves a large swath of community bank customers paying additional fees when using out-of-network ATMs.

Limited availability of cutting-edge technology continues to be an issue. The number of community banks offering mobile banking services was 81 percent last year, up from 71 percent the year before, according to a report by the Federal Reserve. But thats still a sizeable number of banks without services many customers consider essential, such as the ability to check account balances by smartphone.

The report noted mobile banking was difficult to implement for small and mid-size banks due to cost and expertise.

In the neighborhood

Fans of community banks point to the advantages, starting with a generally more favorable fee structure. These banks are more likely to have fewer checking account fees and lower overdraft fees than big national banks, according to a recent survey by Pew Charitable Trusts. Only about 10 percent of small banks surveyed reported charging monthly service fees on checking accounts; such fees are common at large banks, though they can sometimes be avoided by signing up for direct deposit or maintaining a minimum balance. The median overdraft fee for small banks was $32, compared to $35 for large banks.

And for many, the chance to keep money local is a reward in itself.

People feel that there is an authenticity to a locally owned business, says Terry Jorde, senior executive vice president at the Independent Community Bankers of America. Thats true whether its a hardware store, a locally owned restaurant, a flower store or a community bank.

Community banks also can play an integral role in local economies, especially in supporting small businesses.

More than 50 percent of small-business loans came from community banks, researchers at Harvard Kennedy School reported in 2015, as did 77 percent of agricultural loans. Small businesses also were more likely to be approved for some form of a loan from community banks  76 percent, compared to 58 percent at national banks, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Jorde, who worked for 32 years at a small bank in Cando, N.D., says community banks work to build relationships with customers. Its not just a cookie-cutter type of lending, she says, citing a focus on personal knowledge of an applicant and of the local economy in making loan decisions. You dont just put a bunch of statistics in a black box and then come out with a credit decision.

That seems to be reflected in lower default rates for community bank loans. The Harvard Kennedy study also found default rates for residential property loans were lower than 4 percent for community banks, compared to more than 10 percent for big banks.

Community banks arent for everyone. Those who move frequently from one city to another may find it inconvenient to change community banks each time, something thats not an issue for those who bank big.

Gillis, for one, believes the advantages of going local outweigh the drawbacks. Ive realized its not that hard to open a new account at a different bank or close an account, she says.

Should she ever leave New Jersey, she says, shell stick to a community bank, like the one she joined last year. I love it.
WATERLOO  Kristi Heffelmeier never dreamed shed be a farmer, but a few years ago decided it was time to return to her roots.

After spending several years as a teacher in San Antonio, Texas, she moved back to the house on her familys farm in Buckingham, where she was raised. She works year-round planting and harvesting corn and soybeans with her father, Chris Foss, on more than 2,000 acres of land.

Heffelmeier was one of about 15 women who attended a soil health conservation meeting Tuesday at Hawkeye Community College.

The Black Hawk Soil and Water Conservation District hosted a Women, Food and Agriculture Network event titled Women Caring for the Land. Several area speakers discussed conservation practices focusing on watersheds and soil health.

Nearly half the farmland in Iowa is currently owned or co-owned by women, according to Carol Schutte, program director for Women Caring for the Land.

Josh Balk and Shane Wulf, both watershed conservationists with BHSWCD, partnered with local professionals who led discussions and explained conservation practices, including how to use cover crops, no-till and strip-tilling, incorporating pollinator habitat and other good stewardship practices.

All the women in attendance shared at least one commonality: the desire to preserve Iowas rich top soil, known as black gold.

Soil has to be healthy for good productivity. If theres not good structure, if theres not biology holding the structure together then this is what we get, Schutte said pointing to photos of land destroyed by water erosion. And all of that top soil that used to be 3 to 4 feet deep in Iowa is now, in some places, its 6 inches or less, and that top soil is where we grow our crops, and once that top soil is gone, its gone.

Ashley Kittle, program manager for the prairie restoration organization, Prairie on Farms, explained the important role prairies have in Iowas soil.

Less than 1/10th of 1 percent of prairie remains in the state of Iowa, Kittle said. There used to be 70 to 80 percent prairie in Iowa. Thats why we have the soils we do.

Heffelmeier noted the production of agriculture has changed over the years.

Im very blessed that my dad is very innovative in a sense that hes not stuck in his ways. He always wants to learn, he always wants to be a good steward of the land, she said. When I started with him, I just thought thats how everybody farmed.

Attending workshops and programs like Women Caring for the Land has opened her eyes to many different farming practices.

Its neat to hear other perspectives, what other people are doing.

Pat Beck also enjoyed the camaraderie from other women at the event.

Its so encouraging to me and my generation to know that theres another generation of women really enthusiastic about doing this kind of thing, she said. Now when I see all of that good talent focused on sustainability ... theres so much hope.

The event was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, according to Balk.

Balk and Wulf attended the afternoon portion of the meeting to lead the group on a short bus tour to local conservation areas but noted the first portion of the day was only for women.

The demographic is such that women are really making a lot of decisions about land management and sometimes are not as well equipped. ... Were trying to make women feel more empowered about their experiences and the legacy they want to pass on, Schutte said.
CEDAR FALLS  Bruce M. Smith never considered himself a hero. Not when he came back from Europe 72 years ago. Not now.

The heroes are still over there, he said.

His physical features say otherwise.

The crease on the left side of his chin, where he lost 2 inches of jawbone, and a left arm he cant raise above his shoulder, say otherwise. Both were hit by shrapnel from a German howitzer shell in November 1944.

A citation from the United States Army for his actions the preceding July says otherwise.

His five grown children say otherwise. And now, the Republic of France says otherwise.

Smith, a Waterloo native and retired Cedar Falls homebuilder, recently received the French Legion of Honor for his part in liberating France from Nazi German during World War II. It is Frances highest honor for civil and military service, established by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.

The French government is awarding the medal to living American World War II veterans who served in France during the war.

Smiths family submitted an application in his name for the award after another Cedar Falls resident, the late Cleon Wood, received the honor for his service as an American airman during the war.

It took two years for Smith to receive the award. It is in addition to the Silver Star he personally received from Gen. Omar N. Bradley for gallantry in action in France in July 1944 and the Purple Heart he received his wounds from the howitzer shell that following November. Those injuries ended the war for him, landing him in hospitals in England and the U.S. for more than two years.

Smith, a 1938 Waterloo West High School graduate, will turn 98 on June 11. In 1944, he celebrated that birthday by landing in France one week after D-Day, a forward observer with the 183 Field Artillery Group of the 9th Corps of the U.S. First Army commanded by Bradley. The unit served at St Lo in the Normandy hedgerow country in a major Allied offensive in July 1944.

The group hauled 155mm howitzers in support of U.S. infantry and armored units, and soon found itself in the middle of the fight as infantry with small arms fire.

After the breakthrough (at St. Lo) we were headed toward Paris actually. When the tanks broke through, they cut off different German groups and the tanks needed some support fire, Smith said. So we pulled off and set up a position. We just got one gun dropped (in position), and we were right in with  I dont know how big, a company probably  of German soldiers. The Americans took fire. Our major said, Sometimes even artillery has to fight for their positions. He turned around and dropped dead right away. They shot him. We lost several that day of our own troops. We got some submachine guns set up, and held off a group of tank-supported infantry.

It was weeks of close-quarter fighting in the hedgerows, and on a couple of occasions he narrowly escaped serious injury. He also inflicted damage on the enemy.

On July 28, 1944, Smith and a group of fellow artillerymen proved more than the enemy could handle. On that day he won his Silver Star, according the citation.

Corporal Smith, armed with only a carbine, accompanied by five others, charged an enemy force of approximately 100 men, who were far superior in firepower as they were armed with machine guns, mortars and bazookas, the citation reads. The rapidity of the attack, which cost the enemy many lives and valuable ground, also denied the enemy the capture of 10 vehicles and four 155mm howitzers.

The courage, coolness and complete disregard for personal safety displayed by this enlisted man reflects highest credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States, the citation concludes. Bradley awarded Smith his Silver Star a short time later.

After breaking out of the hedgerow country, Smiths unit was assigned to support Gen. George S. Patton Jr.s U.S Third Army as it advanced across France, Belgium and into Germany. As a forward observer, he went out into no mans land near enemy forces, plotting targets for artillery to fire on. He was wounded Nov. 5, 1944, near Aachen during a night mission scouting enemy positions from a Jeep. A man who appeared to be out walking his dog may have betrayed his position to the enemy.

It was 170mm German howitzer shell, I found out later, he said. My radio operator was riding the Jeep, it blew him out of the Jeep. I stopped the Jeep. He got in. I had picked my helmet up to catch my blood flowing from his shattered jaw.

His radioman got in and took the wheel. He looked over and saw me and drove right off into the ditch. The radio operator ran up the road to an aid station and help.

I got hit in the left shoulder. It took out (a section) ahead of the humerus in my left arm, hit me in the neck, took out two inches of jawbone right up through my lip.

Medics splinted up his shoulder, stopped his jaw from bleeding and took him evacuation hospital, where he almost died.

A doctor examined him and was moving down an aisle to other patients. Then, I swallowed my tongue, Smith said. I couldnt make a sound. I couldnt breathe in or out.

I reached over with my foot and I kicked him in the butt, the doctor, Smith said.

The doctor saved him and secured his tongue so he wouldnt swallow it again. His jaw was eventually wired up and reconstructed with bone grafts from his hips.

Recovering at a hospital in Texas, he gave his fiance a chance to break their engagement. Instead they were wed in the hospital. Bruce and Betty Smith were married for 59 years. Bruce cared for her the last 20 years of her life as she suffered from Parkinsons disease and dementia. She died in 2005.

After Bruces daughter, Julie Michalicek, saw a Courier account of Cleon Wood receiving the medal, his daughter, Heather, a French teacher near Chicago, contacted the French Consulate. His son, Steve Smith, a retired chief juvenile court officer for the First Judicial District, filed the paperwork.

The medal came by Federal Express.

It was an absolute surprise to me, Bruce said.

Hes eligible to have a formal medal presentation, but receiving it is enough.

Im not much of a hero-type guy, he said. I did my job and did it well. And that was it as far as I was concerned.
WATERLOO  Two City Council members are asking colleagues to go on record in support of collective bargaining rights for city employees.

Councilmen Pat Morrissey and Jerome Amos Jr. submitted a resolution for council consideration to support the citys largely unionized work force in the wake of a new state law severely limiting their ability to bargain for wages, health insurance and other work rules and benefits.

It is scheduled to be considered at the regular council meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday in City Hall.

The proposed resolution recognizes that these changes may hurt employee morale, cause division amongst our employees and lead to the loss of dedicated and conscientious public servants.

It further states the city will treat employees in a manner which ensures employees must and will have a seat at the table when discussing benefits and work place conditions, employ fair and just compensation practices, and develop fair and just internal procedures for the handling of grievances.

The Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, which is a partisan board controlled by Democrats, passed a similar resolution earlier this year condemning the bargaining changes approved by a Republican-controlled Legislature and GOP Gov. Terry Branstad.

But the City Council, a body elected in nonpartisan elections, has not typically passed resolutions supporting or opposing state legislation.

Morrissey and Amos have also submitted a proposed resolution calling on the City Council formally to oppose current or future legislation what eliminates or diminishes the concept of home rule or local control.

The item specifically calls out current legislative efforts making it illegal for cities and counties to set a local minimum wage and rolling back increases adopted in four Iowa counties.

The results of these bills punish Iowas cities and counties who in many cases take action when the Iowa State Legislature has failed to act, the resolution states.
Seerley to close

for sewer work

CEDAR FALLS  Seerley Boulevard will be closed between Grove Street and Iowa Highway 58 near Peet Junior High School beginning Monday for five or six days, depending on the weather, for work on the Dry Run Creek sanitary sewer project.

The road is being closed so the contractor can install the sewer across Seerley.

The contractor will replace approximately 3,000 lineal feet of sanitary sewer ranging from 36-inches to 54-inches in diameter from 18th Street to Seerley Boulevard.

The entire project will replace and increase the capacity of the 55-year-old, 7,600-foot Dry Run Creek trunk sanitary sewer from Orchard Drive to a new 17th Street lift station. The project is being built in two phases.

Hart to deliver city address

WATERLOO  Mayor Quentin Hart is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the City address March 24.

The public, Cedar Valley business community, partners and neighbors are welcome to attend the event at 11 a.m. at the Cedar Valley SportsPlex, 300 Jefferson St.

The address is designed to highlight the citys successes, showcase important projects and preview plans for the future.

Church to serve

Southern cuisine

WATERLOO  Jubilee UMC Resource Center, at the corner of East Fourth and Newell streets, will host a LeChristophers Southern cuisine dinner today, beginning at noon.

This months menu will feature meatloaf, crispy fried chicken, baked chicken, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, salmon patties, collard greens, okra, pies and cakes. Salads and beverages are served with the meal.

Cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children.
WATERLOO  The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley needs help with the following:

Mallard Point Retirement is looking for people to play games with residents. Times and days are flexible.

Volunteers to assist with hands-on activities at the Grout Museum and Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum are needed this week between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Culture Fest is from 5 to 7:30 p.m. April 6. Volunteers are needed to help with performances, hand out programs, staff display booths, guide flow of person traffic and tear down.

Iowa Legal Aid is looking to recruit and train attorneys to provide their time and talents to react immediately in the event of a natural disaster. The time commitment will depend on the scope of the disaster, the volunteers ability and Iowa Legal Aid need.

For more information, call the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087, or go to www.vccv.org.

DES MOINES  The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardships State Climatology Office and the National Weather Service are recruiting volunteer precipitation observers across Iowa to participate in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network, known as CoCoRaHS.

Weather observers are needed everywhere, but the most critical needs are in Pocahontas, Worth, Wright, Allamakee, Bremer, Calhoun, Greene, Shelby, Audubon, Cedar, Adair, Adams, Decatur, Monroe, Louisa and Davis counties.

All that is needed is an interest in the weather, a 4-inch diameter rain gage, a suitable location to set up the gage and access to the internet. All data collected is immediately available for free online and is routinely used for flood forecasting, drought assessment, news media stories, scientific research and general weather interest.

More information about the network is available at www.cocorahs.org.
Middlebury College is a small, exclusive liberal arts college in Vermont. The ACT scores of its students range in the 30s, and it costs $47,420 per year in tuition to attend, or $61,050 if you want the entire experience with dorms and food.

If you went online earlier this week and looked up this bastion of intellectual excellence you would find the following headlines: The Busting of the Middlebury Bubble, Professor Injured by Crazed Mob at Middlebury, and Political Correctness goes Feral in Battle at Middlebury.

Someone had invited Charles Murray on campus to speak. Murray is a researcher who deals almost exclusively in facts. He also has a genius for putting those facts into understandable forms. I have read his books. What he writes does not conform to the modern lefts ideology. You may not agree with him, but it would be illogical for anyone interested in fairness, research data and discourse to ignore what he has written based on ideology rather than research. This means nothing to the hard left. They do not like what he has written. It violates their ideology. That is the ultimate crime. a crime so awful almost any method of stopping it is justified.

A mob of students at Middlebury would not allow him to speak. They attacked a professor who was with him, sending her to the hospital, and then physically threatened the speaker when he tried to exit the campus.

So much for safe spaces.

This little event emphasizes two points.

1. Modern universities and colleges are doing themselves no favors by emphasizing diversity, political correctness and safe spaces over hard-nosed academics. I spoke with an Iowa woman a few weeks back and we discussed some of the events that were making the news about riots at Berkeley and other campuses. I hate that stuff, she said. This woman is not political. I dont know who she voted for in the last election, but she does vote. She cares about education. Universities are missing the point. They do not have to make the radicals on campus happy. They need to make this woman happy, and fast.

2. How can you have a group of people who decry violence and who keep resorting to violence? The hard left has adopted the notion some ideas are so evil they are illegitimate. The ideas are evil not because they may be incorrect factually but because they counter the lefts ideology. Student protesters are the ultimate cannon fodder for all revolutions and trendy social issues because they are smart, relatively uneducated and impressed with passionate authority figures. They are told some ideas are so illegitimate it is virtuous and proper to prevent their expression, even if you have to resort to violence. They are also shown by example violence in reaction to ideas has no negative consequences.

To the far left, ideology trumps everything. The end justifies the means. The end is the preservation of the faith. No level of hypocrisy is too extreme in defense of that faith.
Before spring arrives and our attention turns to blue sky, dancing daffodils and why the corn planters GPS isnt working, lets take a few minutes to lock in key numbers that will dominate the still-young farm and ranch year.

For example, as of Wednesday, Congress has 66 legislative days remaining until its lengthy August break.

Thats 66 days to debate and hopefully pass promised Obamacare reforms; complete an overhaul of the complex federal tax code; design and fund the presidents $1-trillion infrastructure spending plan; tackle the White Houses proposed multi-billion-dollar border wall with Mexico; and, if farmers and ranchers have their way, outline the essential elements of a 2018 farm bill.

All this herculean lifting, however, still excludes raising the federal debt ceiling by March 31, tackling the very unbalanced Trump budget plan by Oct. 1 and conducting investigations into alleged Russian connections to current White House and former Trump campaign staff.

Other important numbers to keep in mind this year are contained in the Feb. 13 U.S. Department of Agricultures Net Farm Income Forecast. Most are, predictably, bleak.

According to USDA, 2017 net farm income will be $62.3 billion, down 8.7 percent from 2016, the fourth consecutive year of decline and the lowest since 2002 that, coincidentally, was another farm bill-writing year.

Even more worrisome, 2017 farm asset values will drop $32 billion nationwide, farm debt will increase 5.2 percent, or a modest $20 billion, and farm equity will decline another $51 billion after a $61 billion decline the year before.

USDAs 2017 crop acreage and production forecast, released Feb. 24, confirms the income numbers. Big acres and big crops, barring weather disasters, are seen for both corn and soybeans. Projected 2017-18 prices are anything but big; $3.70 for corn and $9.60 for soybeans are just a dime taller than 2016 average prices for both.

The real surprise contained in the number-packed report was 2017 wheat acreage. USDA pegs it at a shockingly small 46 million. Thats 10 million acres less than just three years ago and a collapse of nearly 30 million acres since peak plantings in 1981.

The drop-off is due to two causes, explains USDA: declining returns compared with other crops and changes in government programs that allow farmers more planting flexibility.

Thats the official line. Unofficially, climate change and todays crop insurance-based farm bill are the key reasons higher-valued corn and soybean acres continue to replace lower-return wheat in Kansas, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Some other numbers are just as revealing as the wheat data.

For example, two weeks ago the White House proposed cutting the 2018 Environmental Protection Agency budget by nearly 25 percent. Few rose to defend the agency, but EPAs current budget is surprisingly small  $8.1 billion or just under 0.25 percent of all annual federal spending.

By comparison, direct government program payments paid to U.S. farmers this year will hit $12.5 billion, or 50 percent more than all EPA spending and six times the proposed EPA budget cuts.

Despite the slow U.S. ag economy, the Australian ag sector is poised to enjoy its fourth record-setting year in row. The bullishness spurred one Aussie mining baron and a partner to pay $294 million for the nations biggest cattle ranch, S. Kidman & Co., last December.

Just how big is big by Down Under standards?

Big. The ranch includes 19.2 million deeded acres and leases for another 24.9 million acres. Combined, leased and owned acres are equal in size to North Dakota. The new owners will need it: they have a combined cattle herd of 300,000 head.

Still, commented the new owner, 300,000 head only puts her company in the top three of the nations cattle producers.
Put aside, for a moment, the raging controversies over this or that aspect of Donald Trump, the Russians and the election. And then ask: What do we know about the allegation at the heart of the matter: Did Trump, his campaign aides, or his associates collude with Russians to influence the 2016 campaign?

The answer is, we know nothing. After all the investigating, after all the talk, after all the yelling  the public knows nothing. There may be people at the highest levels of U.S. government secrecy who know the answer, but even that is not clear.

The most definitive statement came last Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, admitted he does not know of any evidence that proves or even points toward collusion.

Does intelligence exist that can definitively answer the following question, whether there were improper contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials? NBCs Chuck Todd asked Clapper.

We did not include any evidence in our report ... that had anything, that had any reflection of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians, Clapper answered. There was no evidence of that included in our report.

I understand that, but does it exist? asked Todd.

Not to my knowledge, said Clapper.

Remember Clapper was head of national intelligence until Jan. 20.

Other government officials who know less than Clapper  but who should still know something  are in the dark. On Feb. 27, Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said, We still have not seen any evidence of anyone thats  from the Trump campaign or any other campaign, for that matter, thats communicated with the Russian government.

Pressed about alleged contacts, Nunes said, That doesnt mean they dont exist, but I dont have that. And what Ive been told is, by many  by many folks, is that theres nothing there.

A few days later, Rep. Adam Schiff, Nunes colleague and the top Democrat on the Intel Committee, expressed frustration with the FBI for not sharing information on the investigation. I would say at this point we know less than a fraction of what the FBI knows.

Nunes and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff  who both have security clearances and, as the prime House overseers of the intelligence community should know what they are talking about  both agree: they know nothing about evidence of collusion.

The situation seems no better in the Senate, where the biggest recent controversy has been over Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr acting at the behest of the White House to tell reporters theres no there on the collusion angle.

What all that suggests is that there is an information vacuum at the core of the Russia election controversy.

The vacuum has not stopped President Trumps accusers, who are suggesting there is incriminating evidence of collusion the public has not seen. There are transcripts that provide very helpful, very critical insights into whether or not Russian intelligence or 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, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons told MSNBC Friday. I believe they exist.

The problem, for Coons and other Democrats, is his belief might not be based in fact. On Saturday, Coons office released a statement saying he did not mean to suggest he is aware of transcripts indicating collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians. And on Sunday, facing questions from Fox News Chris Wallace, Coons went into full retreat.

Chris, I have no hard evidence of collusion, Coons said. I think what hard evidence there may be will be discovered either through a full release of President Trumps financial interests and concerns and taxes, or the intercepts that I believe our intelligence community and FBI have of conversations between and among Russian officials.

The interview could prove a revealing moment in the Trump Russia election affair. When Coons admitted he had seen no evidence of collusion, where did he suggest it might be? In the presidents tax returns. Just how that might be possible is not clear. But there is no doubt Democrats work every day to pressure Trump to release his taxes (something candidate Trump broke with tradition by refusing to do). If Democrats come up with a dry hole on the Russia election matter, they might, like Coons, just seamlessly segue to Trumps taxes.

In the meantime, there are mounting demands for a special prosecutor or a 9/11-style commission to investigate an alleged event even the nations top investigators, after months of investigation, dont know actually happened.

To be clear, its possible incontrovertible evidence of collusion exists. It might be the FBI director or some other official will soon release information to settle the question once and for all. But right now, some very knowledgeable people admit they know of nothing there.
Geographically, the Cedar River divides northeast and southwest Waterloo  the east side and the west side.

Economically, the boundary for many years has been Franklin Street. To a large degree, it also has been a racial boundary.

The road, once U.S. Highway 20, divided downtown from the residential areas to the north, some of the most impoverished parts of the city. They also were the most African-American parts of Waterloo  Iowas most African-American community by percentage of total population.

That economic disparity is starting to change. Slowly. Deliberately. Tardily.

The revitalization of Logan Plaza by UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital in cooperation with developer Ben Stroh, the redevelopment of the KWWL building and other commercial properties along the north side of Franklin and the pending reconstruction of U.S. Highway 63 through downtown and the east side are all significant initiatives. They were begun under former Mayor Buck Clark, himself an east-side resident.

More positive economic news emerged last week.

The City Council unanimously approved a plan to restore four historic homes in the Walnut Street neighborhood north of Franklin and near downtown.

Lets say that again. Council members approved this unanimously.

It drew words of praise from one of their predecessors.

I want to say thank you mayor and City Council for accepting and approving this idea, said Willie Mae Wright, who served for 10 years on the council. Thank you very much.

Wright has a front-row seat to the revitalization of that neighborhood. A new CVS pharmacy sits right outside her front door. It also complements Dave Larsons acquisition and refurbishment of the historic 93-year-old, 90-plus-unit Walnut Court apartment complex down the street a few years ago.

The agreement calls for JSA Development, a company of former city attorney Jim Walsh, to invest more than $1.2 million to restore four homes, all more than 125 years old and otherwise slated for demolition.

The city will donate vacant structures at 519 E. Third St., 516 Pine St. and 521 Pine St. and spend up to $60,000 buying 515 E. Third St. JSA Development will get $10,000 from the city for each property it successfully rehabilitates.

The city also will fund an estimated $20,000 study to get the neighborhood declared a national historic district. That would provide tax credits to help JSA and existing homeowners fix up their properties.

JSAs David Deeds said city money otherwise spent on demolition will now help fix homes that will generate new taxes and revitalize an entire neighborhood.

Weve been demolishing our city for over 40 years, Deeds said. Where has it gotten us?

Right on, Mr. Deeds.

The project will bring Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity, Link Christian Community Development and other partners to the table to work on the areas revitalization.

To say that were elated is probably an understatement, said Walnut homeowner Esther Meuer-Valtchev.

Laura Hoy, a member of Link CCD and the neighborhood association, said the goal is to create a stable mixed-income, diverse neighborhood.

Councilman Pat Morrissey noted the effort with JSA started two years and five months ago over discussions about demolishing 519 E. Third St. But the time was used to build a coalition for revitalization of that entire neighborhood.

The area is attracting out-of-town investment and minority investment. The establishment of a franchise of a 67-year-old Chicago-based minority-founded business, Harolds Chicken Shack, with council-approved incentives, is symbolic and significant.

Its more than just a chicken place, Mayor Quentin Hart said in January, urging council members to look at it as part of the transformation of the Walnut neighborhood. The revitalization of the historic homes there is another step.

Im a little bit emotional about this particular project, Hart said. This has been years in the making.

His emotions are understandable and justified. Restoring those classic houses is bringing the mayor, council and the community together to revitalize a neighborhood in the heart of the city  and uplifting the city as a whole.
The United States is a nation of immigrants.

Immigration is the foundation of our country.

Over the decades of the 20th century we often heard those noble claims. We still do but in a different context. We kept those concepts in mind as we came through the era of segregation and world wars. Civil rights made great headway, and we finally started to do a better, though still incomplete, job of de-emphasizing our differences following the brilliant leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. Remember his famous statement: I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

E pluribus unum became one of Americas fundamental principles. It means out of many, one. The original intent of this principle was to express the importance of assimilation in our tradition of forging an American culture from millions of immigrants representing many diverse cultures. Assimilation was one important reason for our countrys success.

But then along came identity politics with its emphasis on differences, in particular the trend toward immigrants maintaining the purity of their cultures and not assimilating as had been the American tradition. What has happened? The progressive/liberal emphasis in recent years has been to proclaim continued diversity and separateness of cultures is what makes America great. Thats a change that discounts the importance of assimilation and instead argues against it.

Thus we see a commitment to multiculturalism encouraged by: emphasis on ethnic studies in colleges and universities; highlighting our racial and cultural differences rather than ignoring them; and in many ways moving in the opposite direction of Kings ideal.

This emphasis on differences is becoming more common on college campuses. There are movements promoting African-American only living quarters, study areas and courses. There are even no-white safe spaces on a few campuses. The Michigan Review, a U-M student newspaper, made an astute observation in opposing student demands for such a space: [This is] facilitating a sort of de facto segregation. ... To advocate for the ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion while simultaneously calling upon the university to sanction these spaces on campus is both unprincipled and laughably regressive.

Going hand in hand with this, it seems tolerance is becoming intolerance. When someone tries to ensure freedom of speech by supporting a controversial discussion or speaker, there will likely be a student shout-down. When challenged, students insist their freedom of speech is being infringed. Eventually, it seems, extreme insistence on free speech actually becomes intolerance, along with attempts to actually limit free speech for others.

This neo-intolerance leads to extreme political correctness, and during election years it teams with culture-based identity politics. Intense conflict is the result. In many ways this is tearing us apart. I applaud the presidents committed opposition to political correctness. I hope that helps to reverse the trend toward identity politics. Then maybe our tradition of immigrant assimilation can resume in full force.
The Taste of Carlisle may have seen its largest crowd yet as more than 600 people sampled the towns cuisine.

The 17th annual event was held Sunday at the Carlisle Expo Center, and brought together local restaurants, pubs, caterers, cafes, bakeries and chocolatiers for samples of the culinary delights Carlisle has to offer.

Michelle Crowley, president and CEO of the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce, said the crowd attending Sundays event was one of the largest in the 17-year history of Taste of Carlisle.

Two changes seemed to make the event even more enjoyable for guests. The first was bringing the event to Carlisle Expo Center. Crowley said that the extra seating available at the venue gave people more opportunity to relax and graze. The added space made more room for creativity with Create-A-Palooza.

We didnt really have food, but we have everything you can put food on, said Karen Griffith, owner of Create-A-Palooza.

Children could decorate paper tea cups while adults had the option to channel their inner child to decorate small plastic wine glasses with stickers and markers. Its a more disposable version of the plates, bowls and cups available at their studio, which is in the process of moving into a new location at 11 E. High St.

It all transfers to what we do at the studio, Griffith said.

The second change was shifting to an earlier start time with the VIP entry starting at 11:30 and the general admission entry starting at noon.

We hit that brunch window, and more people were able to get here, Crowley said.

Last year, Matt Ramsey, owner of Denim Coffee, was one of the people strolling through the aisles, plate in hand. This year, hes near the table, handing out coupons and samples of the shops fresh-roasted Nicaragua blend.

We just opened three months ago, so this is a first, Ramsey said.

On the other end of the scale, Market Cross Pub has been part of the Taste of Carlisle since the beginning. Its an opportunity to show off the products and services available at the restaurant, said owner Ashleigh Corby.

We always try to support our community, Corby said. There are great causes that are involved in this.

Proceeds from the event benefit the chamber, DCA, Project SHARE, the United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County and the Salvation Army, which also would be the recipient of any leftover food from the events vendors.

Vendors also included area businesses and other non-profits.

Heidi Witmer, executive director of the LEAF Project, said it was important for the non-profit to be part of the event to highlight the relationship between farm and table. Students in the agriculture-based leadership program now sell the produce they raise to six local restaurants, some of which were participants in Taste of Carlisle.

It really helps them make the connection, Witmer said.

The Culinary Arts program at Carlisle High School took its place among the established restaurants with its take on surf and turf featuring seafood salad and beef tenderloin in an eye-catching display.

Josh Dellinger, a sophomore in the program, said the Taste of Carlisle was completely different from the luncheons and other events the class normally does.

It will prepare me for my life outside of school and prepare me for the future when I might do catering or work in a fast-paced restaurant, Dellinger said.

Janet Noggle helped pack those bags as one of the events volunteers. Volunteers also greeted guests at the door, assisted with the raffle drawings and helped set up the event, among other tasks.

It gives you a chance to sample things before you go into a restaurant, she said.

It was a day of discovery for Carol Kilko.

This is the first time Ive been here and this is terrific, she said.

Kilko said she has lived in Carlisle for 30 years, but found three restaurants that she had not known about prior to the event. Theres no question about making a visit to the restaurant in the future, she said.
Judicial funding

ARNELL ERNST

clerk of court

WATERLOO  As clerk of court for Black Hawk, Buchanan and Grundy counties, I have been watching budget discussions at the Statehouse with grave concern.

After several consecutive years of underfunding by the Legislature, the Judicial Branch resources are at the thinnest margin they have ever been. In some areas, that may mean closing offices. Thats inconvenient if you have a legal case, and its dangerous if you need a restraining order or are in a mental health crisis.

With the chronic underfunding of the Judicial Branch there is no budgetary maneuver left that will allow us to maintain current staffing, services and hours. Without full funding something, somewhere will have to give.

This isnt just a public employee issue. Its an Iowa issue. Our work directly impacts ordinary people who live close to us, often facing desperate times. It would be an absolute shame to deny anyone access to justice due to lack of financial support.

Contact your legislators today and ask them to fully fund the Iowa Judicial Branch and support the judicial needs of all Iowans.

Wind turbines

JERRY HAGEMAN

WATERLOO  I am in favor of as many wind towers as we can build in our county. If you are truly worried about dead birds, lets work on getting the lead shot out of hunting. Climate change is happening fast whether some in our new administration want to believe it or not. The people of La Paz, Bolivia, now have no water because their glacier has quickly disappeared. The U.S. Navy (my employer during Vietnam) can tell you how they are driving vehicles in water on their bases in Norfolk and Diego Garcia at times.

It is a shame our 45th president can sign directives to weaken climate protection with one hand while making a speech for clean air and water at the same time. If they weaken the incentives for wind and solar, I feel it would be a hastening the day our kids and grandkids will have to breathe Chinese air and drink Flint-like water. Alliant and MidAmerican Energy have apparently seen the positives in wind towers; so I say, bring them on!

Welfare laws

KATIE BAILEY

GILBERTVILLE  Congress and our new administration have sold themselves as champions of ordinary working people, but they are gearing up to attack the very programs that help local constituents put food on the table and get health care (Re: Trump budget will hike defense spending by $54 billion, Feb. 28). A staggering 1 in 7 Americans lives below the poverty line  and the situation would be far worse without effective federal programs like Medicaid and SNAP (formerly known as food stamps).

Some members of Congress are talking about cuts or structural changes to these programs, but that is simply code for gutting them. Im counting on Rep. Rod Blum and Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst to reject these proposals, which will only make life worse for so many hardworking people in our state and around the country.

Gun violence

BOB BLACK

WATERLOO  Unfortunately the following data is not fake news and can be found on any legitimate gun violence website: Since Jan. 1 in the United States there have been more than 9,400 incidents of gun violence resulting in 2,250 deaths and 5,000 injuries; children, infant to 17 years old killed or injured is 587; mass shootings 56.

More than 70 percent of the American people have been calling for tougher gun regulations as well as tougher punishment for gun violence. We know who the enablers of this death and injury are. They are the elected representatives in Congress. They are the million-dollar-a-year salaried heads of the National Rifle Association, gun manufacturers, gun dealers including pawn shops and gun shows. But it seems knowing who they are does little to stop them, and until the American public decides to cure this disease, Im afraid we are terminal.

Fact checking

TODD WHITING

WATERLOO  Patricia Cooks March 6 letter provided a statement that 26,000 psychiatrists/psychologists signed an online petition stating Trump is mentally ill. This petition is found on the website change.org.

Being an engineer, I deal with facts. I downloaded a string of 500 of the latest posts to this petition and I read every one of them. Of the 500, 430 comments were from people who did not claim they had any medical training of any kind. There was a group of 37 who said they worked in the field of mental health but did not indicate any type of degree or related training. That left 33 who actually indicated they had a specific degree in the mental health field.

The language used in that group of 33 comments did not strike me as exemplifying professional standards of conduct.

The American Psychiatric Association Code of Conduct states it is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement. Are these 33 individuals not violating their own professional standards? Or is it possible these individuals are not even who they claim to be?

Refugees

JANICE NOLTING

CEDAR FALLS  In reference to Marvin Olds letter March 6 coming up with the solution of solving the immigrant problem by some of us taking them into our homes: It seems realistic. Unfortunately, I feel this would only be putting a bandage on a festering wound.

As long as our country and others partake of wars, with the exception of ISIS, in itself caused by a senseless Iraq war, we are going to be plagued with immigrants seeking refuge in our country.

The Vietnam war: a Democratic blunder.

The Iraq war: created by Republicans; unexplainably stupid.

A serial killer who murders 10 people gets the electric chair. But the proprietors of war, rich, prominent, Ivy League-educated leaders, in most cases, usually rise to fame and fortune at the expense of thousands, perhaps millions, of innocent human beings.

If one cant cope with the humanity of opening their arms to immigrants, then one should move to another planet. At least until someone discovers the solution to stupid, senseless wars on this one.
March Snowstorm for Northern Plains

After a period of unseasonably warm weather occurred during much of February into early March, winter has been making a comeback. Over the past week, a major buckle in the polar jet stream has allowed for arctic air to make a return to the nation's mid-section, and now a major snow event is going to push across the Dakotas eastward into Wisconsin and Illinois. As a result, a large swath of winter-related advisories are in effect for much of the northern Plains and upper Midwest. Snowfall totals of 5 to 10 inches are expected over the region, with most of the snow falling from Sunday into Monday.

Although March snowstorms are nothing to write home about, this snow event could be magnified by the fact that it has been so warm over much of the region the past several weeks. Typically, March snowstorms drop a heavy, wet variety of snow, but this system will drop a fluffier, lighter brand of snow that will pile up faster. This is due to the impressive amount of arctic air that is present ahead of this system. This will make the snow event feel more like a mid-winter event, rather than an early spring one.

The low responsible for bringing the snow is pushing east out of Wyoming, and will trek eastward across Nebraska on Sunday, and then move into central Illinois by Monday afternoon. Snowfall rates will reach around an inch an hour at times, making driving difficult for folks. Winds gusting to 20 to 30 mph across parts of the Dakotas into southern MN and northern IA will also help reduce visibilities at times during the event. Below are a few images that illustrate where the main snow band is expected to be found with this system.

The image below illustrates the probability of 4 inches or greater falling from Sunday through Monday night.

The image below depicts where there is a chance of seeing 8 inches or more pile up from Sunday through Monday night

On a side note, Chicago has been in a historic snow drought this winter, with only .6 inches of snow reported during the months of January and February combined. This will be the first significant snowfall of the winter for them, as totals may reach 5 or more inches with this system.
By The Associated Press

By The Associated Press Mar. 09, 2017 | 11:10 AM | LOUISVILLE, KY

Vice President Mike Pence plans to visit Louisville on Saturday as he tries to make the case for repealing and replacing former President Barack Obama's health care law.

Pence is set to appear with Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin at the event in the hometown of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Fellow Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul has been a critic of the health care legislation backed by President Donald Trump and Pence.

Pence was in Ohio and Wisconsin last week in support of the repeal.
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Punjab Agricultural University develops genetically-modified cotton varieties

Published: March 10, 2017

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana has claimed developing countrys first genetically-modified (GM) varieties of cotton  PAU Bt 1 and F1861. Cotton is the only GM crop allowed to be cultivated in India.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also has identified three Bt cotton varieties F1861, PAU Bt 1 and RS2013 for cultivation in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Key Facts

The genetic modification of cotton involves introduction of the Bt bacterial gene that codes for a protein which kills the bollworm cotton pest.

that codes for a protein which kills the bollworm cotton pest. All three varieties carry the Cry1Ac gene obtained from Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) bacteria . It imparts resistance against bollworm cotton pest.

obtained from . It imparts resistance against bollworm cotton pest. Besides, seeds of these three genetically-modified varieties can be reused by farmers with no commercial restrictions. It will aid in savings on repeat seed purchases every season.

The PAU Bt 1 variety was completely developed at PAU, whereas the F1861 and RS2013 were converted to Bt version by Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2017

Topics: Agriculture  Bt cotton  Punjab Agricultural University  Science and Technology

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Zack Colman in Christian Science Monitor:

Fatima Ait Moussa paces in front of 13 women sitting on the floor of a rectangular room in this village in Moroccos High Atlas Mountains. Shes shy, avoiding most eye contact, but Ms. Moussa is an accomplished woman. She commands the room with a familial tone and motherly smile.

Who is your husband? she shouts out.

Argan! they respond in unison. Moussa, dressed in a flowing black djellaba, repeats her question. One person responds, Argan is my wallet!

In reality, argan isnt literally a husband or a wallet. Its a tree that happens to play a vital role in sustaining the livelihoods of these entrepreneurial farmers. For the 149 women spread across 20 villages in Moussas cooperative, the trees and the oils they provide  used in expensive cosmetics, soaps, and food products  are the primary source of income. Moussas actual husband died in the mid-1990s, saddling her with massive debt. Around that time, she witnessed a similarly cash-strapped woman try, unsuccessfully, to convince a grocer to accept argan oil as payment. The encounter sparked the idea for the business venture she now runs. Its a success, judging by the womens enthusiasm and the framed certificates and photographs with leading politicians that decorate her office. Yet the cooperative is also beset by serious challenges, from drought and climate change to deforestation and global competition, that squeeze the womens $5 daily incomes.

Whats happening here is emblematic of forces that reach far beyond Moussas venture in these arid, windswept mountains of southwestern Morocco. Worldwide, 3.4 billion people live in rural areas, often in poverty and with lifestyles that expose them disproportionately to the effects of changes in Earths warming climate. From Afghanistan to Bolivia, as well as in large swaths of Africa, many of them cultivate land thats dry or growing drier. The challenge for farm communities is to adapt and respond before climate change starts to erode agricultural productivity. For governments and development groups, the challenge is broader: They are recognizing that its not just that climate change is affecting farmers, its also that farmers are affecting the climate. While plants like argan trees can help store excess carbon that would otherwise add to the worlds emissions, many agricultural practices create greenhouse gases. They, in fact, account for about a quarter of such emissions worldwide.

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Jessie Wender in National Geographic:

In honor of International Women's Day, we asked seven National Geographic photographers to reflect on a time where being a woman played a pivotal role in documenting a particular story, whether it be in gaining privileged access to a situation or bringing a nuanced approach to a subject. From Lynsey Addario's embed with an all-female combat patrol unit to Erika Larsen's intimate portrait of a woman with a double mastectomy, these images show the power of a shared sisterhood and exemplify the necessity to see the important stories of our time through a woman's lens.

Amy Toensing

I love how being a woman can be an instant ticket to community, like when I was at a Bedouin wedding in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. The scene was incredible with camel races, feasting, and dancing. When I told one of the hosts I had a present for the bride they suggested I give it to her myself. In traditional Bedouin culture, men and women who are not from the same family dont often mix, but because I am a woman, I was allowed. They led me to a house where access was restricted to women and immediate male relatives of the bride. I made this picture while sitting next to the bride as these beautiful young girls danced in her honor. We didnt speak the same language, but we connected.

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Romeo Vitelli in Providentia:

As one of the leading French mathematicians of his generation and author of two books on elementary geometry, Jacques Hadamard was always open to new mathematical ideas. When he received a mathematical proof in the mail from a previously unknown mathematician named Andre Bloch, Hadamard was mesmerized by its elegance. The proof related to a branch of elementary geometry involving paratactic circles, systems of two circles with orthogonal planes with the intersection being the common diameter of the two circles and cut according to a harmonic division. According to Bloch, parataxy remained invariant under inversion and any inversion with respect to a point situated on one of them transforms them into a circle and it's axis.

Hadamard was so intrigued by Bloch's discovery that he immediately decided to invite him to dinner. Since he had no other way of contacting Bloch, Hadamard wrote to the return address of 57 Grand Rue, Saint-Maurice with the invitation. Bloch wrote back that a visit would be impossible but asked the great mathematician to visit him instead. It was only when Jacques Hadamard finally took him up on his offer that he discovered why Bloch was unable to come to him: 57 Grand Rue, Saint-Maurice was the address of the Charenton lunatic asylum (now the Esquiral hospital) where Andre Bloch was an inmate. He had been involuntarily committed to the hospital following a brutal triple murder in 1917 and would never be allowed to leave. Although Hadamard was astonished by his discovery, he and Bloch talked at length about mathematics and he learned more about the inmate's story.

More here.
What county auditors want voters to know ahead of the midterm election

elections
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By Cathy Jameson

Ive heard a similar response 3 times from 3 different people over the last 3 weeks. When I hear something 3 times, I take it as a sign that I need to either investigate it or write about it. Sometimes Ill even pray about it. Since the comments all stemmed around the HPV vaccine, which Ive already investigated, I thought Id take a stab at writing about the things Ive been hearing.

We still vaccinatewell, except for the HPV vaccine. That one scares me, so I wont let my daughters get it.

Im selective in what shots I get for my kids. I dont mind getting some of them, like the tetanus shot. But Ill never get the flu shot again, and I wont even think about getting the Gardasil vaccine. I think that one is dangerous.

Im not sure really what to believe about vaccines causing autism because I trust my doctor. He says theres no truth to it. My kids are current (on their shots)all except for the HPV. I dont buy into that one. We do all the others mostly because I dont really want to know what I dont know, if you know what I mean.

Im glad that these parents know a little bit about the HPV vaccine. The little bit that they know is enough to say no thanks. But what I cant understand is why theyre so quick to say no to one vaccine but not the others. They readily accept all of the others. But the others theyve accepted, like the Hep B, the MMR, and the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine have something in common with the Gardasil vaccine  theyre all made by the same pharmaceutical company, Merck.

Maybe the other parents dont know enough about that company, but I know enough about it to say no way to all of their vaccines.

Merck has seen not just one but 2 other whistleblowers come forward about the MMR vaccine in recent years. Claims of scientific misconduct, a cover up at the CDC, and faked data surrounding the testing of the vaccines efficacy as well as the altering of reports concerning an autism link have been brought forward.

While official action to address and correct those disturbing claims has yet to be taken, it appears to be business as usual for the vaccine manufacturer. Some whove recently received the MMR vaccine, including college-aged students, have come down with, and spread, the disease that the vaccine claims to prevent. Instead of scraping that ineffective vaccine, which officials admit seems to have a waning efficacy, theres now talk of adding a third dose to the schedule.

Speaking of dose changes, Mercks Gardasil protocol has changed. Originally approved and marketed to young girls in 2006, vaccine campaigns strongly advertised the need for 3 doses in order for it to be effective. In late 2016, we learned that the third dose would be dropped from the protocol. Citing that they didnt have enough data on how well two doses works in older kids, other groups must have had enough data well before the US did. The too many doses too soon was reported elsewhere over 2 years ago.

All that readily accessible and concerning information aside, some parents continue to follow the schedule. That means they continue to opt for Mercks other vaccines. They do so even though those vaccines:

-contain the same ingredients

-are dosed at similar intervals

-are administered by same provider whos likely assured them that vaccines are safe

-warn of similar side effects and adverse reactions https://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM426457.pdf

-and are also included on the Vaccine Injury Table

-and have been part of billions of dollars worth of vaccine injury awards made by our government, the same government who, in one breath, claims vaccines save lives and yet in another, says that they are unavoidably unsafe.
A local pastor made a special trip over the summer to Alaska and left a piece of Bonne Terre there to point the way home.

Reverend Andrew Sigmund, a retired pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in St. Louis, said last June he drove to Alaska.

The highway was built in World War II because the Army was afraid that Japan might attack Alaska, said Sigmund. There was no road going from Canada to Alaska, so the soldiers built this 1,500 mile road in eight months. One of the soldiers got homesick and he put out a sign with an arrow saying it was so many miles to his home.

According to Yukoninfo.com, the tradition of hanging signs began during the Alaska Highway Project in 1942, when U.S. soldier Carl K. Lindley spent time in Watson Lake recovering from an injury. A commanding officer asked him to repair and erect the directional signposts, and while completing the job, he added a sign that indicated the direction and mileage to his hometown of Danville, Illinois.

Others followed suit, and the trend caught on. Today, there are over 77,000 signs in the Forest, and the number grows each year as visitors contribute signs and continue the tradition. The town of Watson Lake maintains the site, adding more sign posts as they fill up.

Sigmund thought as long as he was passing through Watson Lake, he would make a sign for Bonne Terre and place it there.

I was a pastor at the Catholic Church in Bonne Terre between 1983 and 1991 and I still have a cabin in Lake Timberline, so I am connected with Bonne Terre, explained Sigmund. I made this sign and stuck it up in the Sign Post Forest, I think it must cover acres. When I got there I put the sign up and it points to Bonne Terre.

Sigmund explained the highway was once called the Alcan Highway because it ran from Alaska to Canada, but is now called the Alaskan Highway.

According to Yukoninfo.com, it was first called the Alaska Military Highway, then it became the Alaska-Canada Highway, which was shortened to Alcan, before finally being replaced with the name Alaska Highway, which is the name it is officially known by today.

To the people who built it, though, it was simply "The Road." For eight months, the lives of 18,000 men and women were dominated by The Road, and for most it would remain one of the highlights of their life.

Sigmund believes that sometime after they had built it, it was given to Canada and they maintain the part that is in Canada.

The highway starts at Dawson Creek, said Sigmund. What the Army did was send in a crew of soldiers at Dawson Creek and also a crew in Alaska. Then they built an airport in the center of what was going to be the highway and dropped two crews in there. So four different crews started to bulldoze the highway and thats how they built the highway in eight months.

While visiting the park, visitors will also come across pieces of equipment that were used during the construction of the Alaska Highway. A time capsule and cairn was placed at the Sign Post Forest in 1992. The time capsule will be opened again in 2042.

It was just a novelty to see all those signs and to be able to add the small town of Bonne Terre, said Sigmund. Those signs point to all over the world. There is one from Japan and all the countries all over the world. They are all put up there by the people who are driving up the Alaska Highway."

Every year they get more and more signs and its a growing forest, said Sigmund. I thought the people of Bonne Terre would be interested in knowing about this.

The Sign Post Forest is located on the Alaska Highway Historic at mile marker 635, complete with a visitor's center. Visitors can bring a sign or make one at the visitors center.
Demonstrators stand with U.S. flags and signs in a show of solidarity with the press in front of The New York Times building in New York. The White House banned several major news outlets, including The New York Times and CNN, from an off-camera briefing, known as a "press gaggle," two days earlier.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. A mix of clouds and sun. High 79F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 62F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
This screen shot from dashboard camera video, provided by the North Augusta police, shows former North Augusta police Officer Justin Craven outside the vehicle of Ernest Satterwhite in his driveway in North Augusta, Ga., Feb. 9, 2014. SLED withheld the video for more than a year.
March 9, 2017

Egypt, the informal leader of the Arab world, is again championing the inter-Arab policy decision-making process. An Israeli official from the Foreign Ministrys political research center told Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity that Cairo has been holding intense deliberations with the Arab League, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority in view of the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The official noted that the deliberations focus on the strategic approach to be presented at that meeting.

From the Egyptian side, the agenda for the meeting should include the rise of Shiite power in the region as a result of increased influence by Iran and its surrogates, the Iran deal, the fight against the Islamic State (also in the Sinai Peninsula), the Palestinian-Israeli two-state solution and last, but probably most important, the level of American aid to Egypt on the backdrop of hints by Trump about cutting assistance to Middle Eastern countries.

The Israeli official emphasized that in these strategic deliberations, Sisi is considered to be a key figure for future Arab relations with the Trump administration. Sisi himself accords great importance to the coordination with Trump, with whom he believes to have a good rapport.

In Cairos view, the two men who best understand the Arab world in the US administration are Secretary of Defense James Mattis and new national security adviser Lt. Gen. Herbert Raymond McMaster. Both men gained this understanding of the Arab world during the war in Iraq.

A senior Egyptian diplomat in Tel Aviv also confirmed to Al-Monitor the existence of such deliberations. He said on condition of anonymity that Egypt will hold to its traditional national positions regarding the fight against terror and the Palestinian issue and will defend them with pride. Egypt will not change its stand, even if confronted by pressure concerning US aid. We believe that the current level of aid is an American strategic interest related to our common interests in defeating terror, he noted, referring to the $1.3 billion security assistance the Egypt receives annually from the United States.

The diplomat emphasized that in this context, it is essential for Cairo to coordinate a common position among the pragmatic Sunni countries on all relevant issues. He added that there is optimism in Cairo regarding the coordination with Washington on the issues of fighting terror and on Iran, as the Trump administrations outlook on these issues is perceived to be closer to the Egyptian outlook than that of the Obama administration.

It is clear to Cairo that with the change of administration, the Arab countries must crystalize their strategic views and policies for the future of the region. One policy plan designed to achieve this purpose is convening the Arab Quartet (Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, with either the Arab United Emirates or the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council). The Quartet would formulate a joint position on a two-state solution to be presented to the United States and to the international Mideast Quartet (United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia).

The Egyptian diplomat said that participants of the Cairo deliberations raised the idea that in his upcoming meeting with Trump, Sisi should propose a meeting of the president with the Arab Quartet. Egypt wants the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution process to move away from the American-Israeli coordination track, or even from internal Western coordination, which in recent years have all been nonstarters. The pragmatic Sunni axis should now have a say on this.

On the Palestinian issue, Trumps message supporting a regional negotiation framework was well-received in Cairo. In this vein, the thinking is also to propose a meeting between the Arab Quartet and the international Quartet in relation to two issues: regional anti-terror efforts and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The Egyptian leadership has also heard the echoes coming from Ramallah about an effort to establish a Palestinian-Jordanian confederation as part of the Arab Peace Initiative. According to the Egyptian diplomat, Egypt would not object to what he defined as more general confederative ties between Jordan and Palestine  as long as these dont enter into sensitive identity issues such as the status of Palestinian refugees in Jordan, the Palestinian right of return, the status of East Jerusalem and the status of Muslim holy sites. A more loose confederation could have the ingredients of free trade, joint security, joint parliamentary sessions and a common effort to resolve all permanent status issues with Israel.

Such creative ideas are of importance. Paradoxically, they are emerging as a result of the change in Washington  the Arab world must make up its mind at a time when the United States under Trump does not intend to rescue the region.

Yet given the leadership in Israel, it is very doubtful that even more realistic initiatives will come to fruition. Alas, instead of new initiatives, one can see on the horizon more diplomatic stalemate and violence.
March 12, 2017

Russia seizes opportunity in Libya

Vasily Kuznetsov explains the evolution of Russias approach to the Middle East in terms of both its blunt pragmatism and, since 2011, defining itself as an alternative project rather than part of the West  premised on Russian historical experience.

Kuznetsov writes that this alternative project has extended to support for Gen. Khalifa Hifter in Libya. In backing Hifter, Moscow is seeking to shift its relations with Cairo from mutual affinity into a solid alliance. Despite Hifters limitations, other armed groups in Libya are unreliable and weak. Nonetheless, Kuznetsov notes, 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.

There may also be a bit of payback in Putins meddling in Libya. US relations with Egypt have been shaken a bit since the protests that overthrew former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, and Russias abstention on UN Security Council Resolution 1973, which facilitated the US-led bombing campaign that helped depose former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, still stings. Kuznetsov suggests that it is the Wests ideologically driven policies and its reluctance to recognize the imperfect world that cause Moscows considerable irritation.

Does Barzani have a Yazidi problem?

Fehim Tastekin observes that in a turnaround from a decade ago, Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani is received in Turkey as a reputable state leader and the Kurdistan flag is hoisted next to the Turkish flag. During his latest visit Feb. 27, the official reception menu in Ankara was printed in Kurdish.

Tastekin adds, While Turkey adheres to combative relations with Kurds inside and outside the country, relations with Barzani are based on economic interests such as oil and Turkeys design to use Kurds against Kurds.

He explains Turkeys expectations for Barzani and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) include not only dividing Kurds, but Yazidis as well.

For a while now, Barzani has been goaded into a policy of balancing Rojavas leading political party, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), and its military arm, the People's Protection Units (YPG), with Syria's pro-Barzani Kurdish National Council (KNC) and the peshmerga of Rojava (officially the Democratic Federal System of Northern Syria). In Iraq, Turkey expects Barzani to oust the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from Sinjar. Turkey fears the PKK will turn Sinjar into an operations base to facilitate access between Syria and Iraq, Tastekin writes. Following Barzanis latest visit to Turkey, Syrian Kurds organized by Barzanis Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) under the name of 'Roj peshmergas' were sent to Sinjar March 2. The Yazidis' Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) in Iraq, trained by the PKK, did not allow them to enter. Clashes erupted and there were casualties on both sides.

Tastekin suggests that Turkey may be willing to expand its training bases and intervene in the region, writing, Persistent declarations by Turkish leaders that Sinjar can't be allowed to become a second Qandil  the main Kurdish headquarters in the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq  are naturally cited as confirming Turkey's role. According to high-level diplomatic sources talking to Turkish media, Ankara continues to cooperate with Erbil (Iraqi Kurdistan's capital) against the PKK presence in Sinjar and in Makhmour, Iraq, and Turkey will intervene when the day comes. When the Mosul operation is concluded, then peshmerga forces will be able to transfer fighters to Sinjar and Makhmour. Should the Kurdish government want its help, Turkey will set up training bases around Kirkuk and in some northern areas."

Turkeys interests and interventions deepen the political and military fautlines in Iraq. The United States and Russia dont want the Kurds to fight each other, at least as long as the IS threat exists. The cease-fire at Sinjar was arranged by the United States. Iraq's central government is unhappy with Kurdish aspirations to take over more disputed territory, hence its support for the YBS. Baghdad, which had cut off the salaries of Yazidi forces last year, has resumed payments because of protests by Turkey, which didnt want Yazidis to be dependent on the PKK.

A Russian role in Gaza?

Ben Caspit writes that the release of a report by Israels state comptroller Feb. 28 about Operation Protection Edge, which took place in the summer of 2014, reveals that Israel still does not have a Gaza policy. Netanyahu has yet to come up with a policy on how to handle Gaza and Hamas. He has not yet decided whether he wants the Hamas regime to continue ruling Gaza in the long term. There is no serious Israeli effort to improve living conditions in the Gaza Strip. Yes, there is a lot of talk, such as remarks by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, who said that if Hamas stops digging its tunnels and dealing in terrorism against Israel, Israel will agree to the construction of a seaport for Gaza, the gradual lifting of the closure and maybe even allowing laborers from Gaza to enter Israel for work. But there is very little activity.

Also assessing the urgency of conditions in Gaza, Akiva Eldar wonders whether Russias relations with Hamas could be put to good use in the Gaza Strip. Eldar writes, At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting March 5, Netanyahu said that on March 9, in his talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he would demand that any agreement on ending the Syrian civil war take into account Israels defense needs on its northern border. Why not make use of Russias good ties with Hamas to promote Israels security interests on its southern border, too? Less than two weeks ago, the Putin administration hosted Hamas and Fatah movement representatives for reconciliation talks. Putin would probably be glad to cut the ribbon at the new Gaza port.

GCC states take backseat on Syria

Mona Alami writes, Irans aggressive stance on Syria against the backdrop of a Saudi retreat can be attributed to the various players views of the region and their priorities  for Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries, Yemen is perceived as a direct strategic threat, putting the Syrian opposition parties at a disadvantage in both the UN- and Russian-brokered negotiations.

Moreover, Alamis explains, Another detriment to the opposition was the shift in the balance of power: The regimes capture of Aleppo was accepted by Gulf states as an irreversible blow to the Syrian opposition." She adds, The change in Turkeys solid anti-Assad attitude, at least publicly, represented an added challenge for Gulf states. Turkey and Russia reached a deal in August resulting in Ankara assuming a laissez-faire approach to the regime: Moscow gave Turkey the green light to enter northern Syria under the banner of Operation Euphrates Shield. This operation not only pushed into the Islamic State (IS) stronghold, but also landed a serious blow against Kurdish ambitions to unite the three Kurdish cantons of Hasakah, Kobani and Afrin, which could have paved the way for future independence. Without Ankaras full support, GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries are unable to increase military support to rebels, as the Turkish border is the only supply route to northern Syria.

She continues, These nearly concomitant events have left the Syrian opposition isolated and further weakened. Demographic changes occurring in Syria, with rebels pushed out of the Damascus region and Aleppo to the northern areas, has only added pressure on the already-fraying opposition. Increased clashes and fragmentation have taken place within major groups such as Ahrar al-Sham, followed by the emergence of new groups at the behest of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, under the name Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The military head of the group, Jabhat Fatah al-Shams Abu Mohammed al-Golani, in late February denounced the opposition's participation in the Geneva talks, calling on rebels instead to launch fresh attacks.
March 12, 2017

If Erich Maria Remarque, known for his masterpiece World War I novel All Quiet on the Western Front, were following developments in Turkey today, he would, perhaps, be inspired to write a piece titled All Trouble on the Western Front. Turkeys age-old European vocation is jeopardized and undermined. The tension between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his faithful in Germany spilled over to the Netherlands and unprecedented developments occurred. Turkeys relations with the European Union may have taken a fatal blow this month.

This time it was Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's turn to be forbidden from holding a rally, in the Dutch town of Rotterdam. He was stubborn and took off anyway on March 11, but his plane did not get permission to land on Dutch soil. Erdogan was furious and hit back at Dutch officials, charging that they were Nazi remnants and fascists; he had accused Germany a few days earlier of "continuing with Nazi practices."

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte immediately retorted and said Erdogans remarks were crazy, of course" and "out of line.

The tension between Turkey and the Netherlands further deteriorated the afternoon of March 11. Turkish Family and Social Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, who wears a headscarf symbolizing her religiosity or commitment to Islamism, and who was in Germany, announced she would be driving to the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam to meet with the Turks who had wanted to hear Cavusoglu speak.

Subsequently, Dutch authorities put up a barricade near the Turkish Consulate and did not let anybody in, including Kaya, who arrived in the evening. After a few hours, she was escorted back to Germany. In the meantime, a crowd of a few hundred Turks waving Turkish flags mobilized outside the consulate and marched toward the barricades, throwing rocks at Dutch police when the protesters realized Kaya was on her way back to Germany. Around 2:30 a.m., Dutch riot police dispersed the crowd with dogs and water cannons and restored order to the city. Seven Turks were wounded and 11 demonstrators were detained.

The morning of March 12, the Dutch flag was replaced by the Turkish one at the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, while some people shouted "Allahu akbar" ("God is great").

Erdogan lambasted the Netherlands once again and alleged that Nazism is on the rise in the West.

Kaya took to Twitter and protested the treatment she was subjected to, strongly accusing the Europeans of oppression and tyranny.

Some Turks were quick to respond, pointing to inconsistency and insincerity of the government she represents. The social media site Turkey Untold, which defines itself as monitoring Turkey's war crimes and human rights violations, wrote a tweet saying, 153 journalists, 13 elected MPs, 80 elected mayors, countless activists jailed in Turkey.

Interestingly, one of the main protagonists of the dispute was the Muslim mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb, who said in a statement that the Turkish consul general in Rotterdam had "scandalously misled" Dutch authorities about the night's events and Kaya's visit to the city. He said the consul general had called for people to come to the consulate despite an area ban being in place.

Aboutaleb, who is a popular Dutch politician, is of Moroccan origin and a member of the Labor Party. I regularly visit Rotterdam and so I am closely aware of his standing in the city and the conditions of my Turkish compatriots who are not discriminated against. So, in this instance, Turkish leaders cannot use Islamophobia in regard to the city's mayor.

The Netherlands is about to witness a fateful election, on March 15, with Geert Wilders  the ultranationalist, Islamophobe advocate of "Nexit" (the Netherlands leaving the EU)  currently on the heels of the prime minister in the polls. Wilders gladly took advantage of the dispute with Turkey in order to legitimize his quasi-racist policies. Rutte, who represents the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, and Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, who is a Dutch socialist from the Labor Party, can not be considered anti-Turkish or Islamophobe and should certainly not be called pro-Nazi or fascist.

This diplomatic crisis began earlier in the week when Rutte had said a visit to the Netherlands by Cavusoglu could only cause trouble between the two NATO allies. While attending a EU summit March 9, Rutte said, "This is the most serious thing we can do. You tell the foreign affairs minister of a NATO ally, 'We know you will come to the Netherlands: Don't show up!'"

Koenders had qualified Cavusoglus planned visit as "undesirable" and had said the Dutch government would not provide the customary assistance if he would visit. He said that the government "is responsible for public order and security of Dutch citizens, nobody else. That is why the Netherlands does not want this to happen."

On March 10, Aboutaleb said that he would likely ban a rally by Cavusoglu on the grounds of public order, due to tensions in the city's Turkish community.

For the first time in the history of the Republic of Turkey, a Turkish minister was deported and its foreign minister treated as persona non grata by an allied country  an unprecedented humiliation for the Turkish government. In fact, in the many centuries of Turkey's imperial history and problematic relations with the Western world, this has not happened.

So why did this happen now? In todays Turkey, Erdogan's foreign policy does not prioritize relations with the EU in order to obtain full EU membership. EU membership had been the mainstay of Turkish foreign policy since the late 1950s, when the foundations of the EU were laid.

Turkish foreign policy is subservient to the internal agenda of Erdogan, who is fully focused on April 16, the date of the fateful referendum on the constitutional amendments that would transform him from de facto leader to a kind of de jure sultan-president."

In recent weeks, the possibility of the rejection of his bid has become more likely than ever before. The no votes are outnumbering the yes votes in most of the polls  an outcome that Erdogan cannot afford politically and psychologically. He is desperately campaigning for a yes vote, and he needs the votes of the Turks in Europe to this end.

On Nov. 1, 2015, when the Turkish electorate gave Erdogan a very strong mandate to rule with 50% of the vote, his support in Germany among the Turkish voters was 10% higher, at 60%.

Erdogan is now desperately trying to move his campaign to Europe, all the while knowing that this would upset the apple cart in EU countries already unhappy about his anti-democratic practices and Turkey's drift to autocracy. Yet he is the one who claims to be championing democracy and accusing the Western European countries  Germany and now the Netherlands  of Nazism and fascism.

Rutte called Erdogans accusations bizarre and unacceptable, and Aboutaleb took offense and said, We have been compared to Nazis. I wonder if they know that I am mayor of a city that was bombed by the Nazis."

As long as the Turkish leadership is committed to disengage Turkey from Europe and the EU, none of this is important. Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said in regard to the Turkish-Dutch crisis, The dream of the European Union has ended and the downfall has started. Britain left the EU not to remain under the debris.

The deputy chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party, Yasin Aktay, said the crisis is not between Turkey and the Netherlands, but reflects the inner crisis of the EU and Europe. Without elaborating on how and why, he noted, For us, Europe and the EU are over.

The controversy with Europe might be a necessary ingredient for Erdogans goal to consolidate his Islamist-nationalist support in Turkey, and a nice gesture to his friend Russian President Vladimir Putin  but whether it is enough to secure a yes vote remains to be seen.

The inevitable consequence of the quarrel with Germany and the Netherlands, and to some extent Austria, is that going forward, it will be even more difficult than before to be a Turk in Europe.

And then Denmark joined the diplomatic meltdown on March 12, when Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed postponing a planned visit by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim this month because of the diplomatic row between Turkey and the Netherlands.

"With the current Turkish attacks on Holland, the meeting cannot be seen separated from that. I have therefore proposed to my Turkish colleague that the meeting be postponed," Rasmussen said in a press statement.

Yildirim was scheduled to speak in Denmark on March 20.
March 12, 2017

The Trump administrations internal debate over how to capture Raqqa, the so-called capital of the Islamic State (IS), is continuing nearly two weeks after the Pentagon presented the White House with a detailed blueprint on how to do the job.

The US Central Command remains strongly in favor of moving ahead with the Syrian Kurdish group known as the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and their Arab allies who operate under the umbrella of the Syrian Defense Forces (SDF). But concerns over Turkey, a critical NATO ally, are holding up plans to arm and train the SDF under the terms of a special presidential dispensation known as Section 1209 that permits the Pentagon to arm nonstate foreign militias. Turkey has repeatedly warned against giving the YPG modern sophisticated weapons, saying the group could transfer these to its ally, the Kurdistan Workers Party, which is fighting for autonomy inside Turkey.

Trump has not signed Section 1209 for the SDF yet even though the Obama administration recommended he do so. The announcement of a final decision on Raqqa has likely been put off until after Turkey votes in a referendum April 16 that would formalize the sweeping powers President Recep Tayyip Erdogan already wields. Washington is worried that Erdogan will use the issue to whip up further anti-Americanism and take further aggressive action against the YPG in Syria to boost nationalist votes.

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis is said to be among those raising red flags over the long-term effects of acting in concert with a group that Turkey views as terrorists. Hes thinking beyond Erdogan and focusing on the partnership with Turkey, and how this will impact relations in the long term, said a senior administration official familiar with the debate. Some administration officials participating in the debate are arguing in favor of postponing Raqqa, saying that IS  under assault from all sides and its access to Europe via Turkey now cut off  no longer poses an immediate threat.

That position is said to be embraced by some members of the international coalition, notably Britain, which has close political and commercial ties to Turkey. These have become even more valuable to Britain amid its growing isolation over Brexit. UK officials privately say they have zero interest in helping promote the Syrian Kurds aspirations for political autonomy.

But the debate over Raqqa is not limited to Turkey, and administration officials say that in all likelihood CENTCOMs wishes to proceed with the SDF will be respected.

Trump administration officials are focusing on the broader fight against IS and how to ensure that it does not return once it is pushed out. The Syrian Kurds have a track record of being able to work with the Syrian regime, as they recently did in Manbij where they ceded control over a string of villages to regime forces to hold attacking Turkish-led forces at bay. Could this become a blueprint for Raqqa? Some administration officials think so.

Nicholas A. Heras, a Bacevich fellow at the Center for a New American Security with deep knowledge of the region, has been closely following the conversation in the Trump administration over how to move forward in Syria. He shared his insights in an interview with Al-Monitor. The text of some of the highlights follows:

Al-Monitor: There is a lot of speculation over what the Trump administration is going to do in Raqqa. What is your take?

Heras: The Trump administration is actually having a much more strategic, and necessary, discussion about what is the long-term objective of the United States in Syria at the end of the counter-ISIS [IS] campaign.

It is having a tough but needed dialogue with itself, with the input of the US military, about how long the United States needs to be in Syria once ISIS' caliphate is conquered there.

Al-Monitor: How would you characterize the differences in the approach to Syria between the Obama adminstration and this one?

Heras: The Trump administration does not want Obama's creeping incrementalism in Syria through the counter-ISIS campaign to result in an indefinite American military mandate in Syria over formerly ISIS-ruled areas that would require the deployment of thousands more US ground troops as a stabilization force. This could be a very politically unpopular move for the American voting public that liked Trump's campaign promise to put America First and avoid long-running and expensive foreign interventions and nation-building like the Iraq war.

The devil's dilemma for the Trump team is that it also does not want the US military to beat ISIS in Syria, hand the territory off to local Syrian partner forces and allies like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, and have those partners fail to prevent the re-emergence of ISIS once the United States left. That would also be a political embarrassment.

Al-Monitor: So is there a chance that it could end up, albeit indirectly, working with the Assad regime?

Heras: The Trump team is trying to avoid as much as possible an American military mandate in Syria, and American withdrawal and subsequent partner failure to prevent the return of ISIS. It might decide to give the territory taken from ISIS back to Russia in order to stabilize, which means to [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad. The blame for failing to keep ISIS from coming back would fall to Russia and Assad and Iran, and the Trump administration can say that US partners, particularly Turkey, failed to provide an alternate holding force that would have made returning the territory to Assad unnecessary.

Al-Monitor: Could you elaborate?

Heras: Turkey has a weak hand because the SDF has demonstrated that it can cut a deal with Assad to connect the cantons of Rojava. Turkey would also have to invest in a large military occupation of Syria to be the hold force for Raqqa, which would be expensive as it fights a civil war with the PKK in eastern Turkey.

Al-Monitor: So are you saying that Turkeys role will be very limited?

Heras: Turkey has to ask itself whether it wants to have an indefinite Turkish military mandate over suspicious Arab tribes in eastern Syria far from its southern border. In essence, that is what the United States is asking Turkey to commit to if Erdogan wants to be the force that has the prestige of conquering Raqqa.

Al-Monitor: What about Iran? How can you plan an endgame for Syria without taking Iranian influence into account?

Heras: The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp [IRGC] is willing to play the long game in Syria, even if that long game is measured in a decade or more of a counterinsurgency war. From the Iranian perspective, Iran is engaged in a sacred defense of the homeland by fighting Salafist extremist groups in Syria.

Both Assad and Iran have an ultimate non-negotiable objective [of] reconquering all of Syria.

Al-Monitor: So how does the Trump administration address Israels security concerns over Iran?

Heras: Israel does not want the Iranians to use the Golan Heights region of Syria to open another front against it through the IRGC's Shiite proxy militias. The Southern Front, a coalition of rebel groups, many of whom have been trained and equipped by the CIA  and who control a significant amount of territory near the Jordanian border  would be empowered to push back on Iran in the Golan Heights and against the ISIS affiliates in southern Syria. The Southern Front would be supported by Israel, Jordan, the UAE and the United States. The Southern Front is an Israel-Jordanian effort, separate from Turkey, Assad and Russia.

The Trump administration could delegate support for the Southern Front to Israel and Jordan, while simultaneously relinquishing control of a conquered Raqqa to Assad.

The Trump team could take a region-by-region approach to Syria, which would allow close partners to pursue counter-Iran strategies in one region, such as in the south, and relinquish control of areas conquered from ISIS in eastern Syria to Assad.
March 12, 2017

This month the war in Yemen is 2 years old. It pits a coalition of mostly wealthy Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, supporting President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's government against a ragged alliance of Houthi Shiite rebels and backers of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who enjoy Iranian support. Despite occasional claims that victory is near by the Saudi-backed Hadi loyalists, there is little prospect for the war to end. The Yemeni people, the poorest in Arabia, are paying a terrible price.

The war is Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud's war. Salman had just ascended to the throne in early 2015 after the death of his brother Abdullah. Salman had just made his favorite son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, defense minister. The Houthi rebels chased Hadi out of Sanaa and seemed poised to take the whole country. Hadi fled in exile to Riyadh. The Houthis opened direct commercial flights from Sanaa to Tehran, Saudi Arabia's nemesis, and took other steps to strengthen their longstanding but limited ties to Iran.

Riyadh panicked. Salman feared an Iranian puppet state on his most vulnerable border, with 27 million Yemenis under Iranian influence demanding a fair distribution of the Arabian Peninsula's wealth. The Saudis announced creation of a coalition to back Hadi and return him to power in Sanaa. Some of the announced partners, including Oman, Yemen's only other neighbor, and Pakistan, quickly made it clear that they were not joining the war. The Pakistani parliament even voted unanimously to stay out of the war. Salman has not visited Muscat since; he has been to every other Gulf Cooperation Council capital and his monthlong trip this month to Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, China and the Maldives flies over Oman en route to the Arab summit in Jordan.

It quickly became clear that the young defense minister had no game plan for victory or an endgame for the war. The mission was titled Operation Decisive Storm, but two years later there is no decision. The young prince originally was the public face of the campaign; now he prefers to discuss his ambitious plans to oversee the kingdom's economic transformation to Saudi 2030. The Saudi border towns have borne the burden of the Houthis' counterstrikes with rockets and missiles. Reporters are not allowed to visit.

The Saudis and the Emiratis did succeed in keeping the rebels from taking Aden. After prolonged conflict, the Hadi government has been installed in most of the former South Yemen, although its control is tenuous outside Aden. Hadi spokesmen say victory is close. One promised that the fall of Sanaa is imminent this month. This seems unlikely.

Even if the Saudis take back Sanaa, the kingdom will face a prolonged, possibly endless, struggle to pacify the Houthis. The Saudis have been battling the Houthis for over a decade along the border in a series of small campaigns that go back to 2004. Then the Saudis were Saleh's ally. The Zaydi Shiite majority in the north has a deep aversion to the Saudis' Sunni Wahhabism.

Salman's father, King Ibn Saud, and all his brothers who have ruled since 1953 recognized that Yemen is a morass that can suck in resources. Ibn Saud fought a war with Yemen in the 1930s but kept his goals limited. His successors often found Yemeni politics and politicians to be frustrating and unresponsive to Saudi influence. All avoided getting into an open-ended conflict.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has been a beneficiary of the war. That is why the new US administration has conducted more airstrikes against AQAP targets since January than the Obama administration did in all of 2016. Attacking al-Qaeda makes sense  it is a dangerous threat to our interests  but it is a sideshow in the Yemeni war. As long as the war continues, AQAP will find plenty of ungoverned space to thrive in and plenty of angry Yemeni recruits.

Iran is the biggest beneficiary. Its support to the Houthis costs it very little. A handful of Iranian and Hezbollah advisers and some weapons transferred is a pittance for Tehran. But it gains propaganda advantage by helping the Yemenis against the Saudis. It gains from bogging down its rival in a conflict that is strategically crucial to Riyadh and marginal to Tehran. And it would like to see America bogged down in Yemen, too.

The United Nations has tried to get a lasting cease-fire and begin a political process. But the guidelines provided hastily by the UN Security Council at the start of the war are hopelessly tilted toward the Saudi position because all the major powers wanted to court the new king. Ironically, only Russia argued that the resolution was one-sided. In any case, none of the Yemeni parties has shown any significant willingness to compromise, and the Saudis are unwilling to force Hadi to step aside. So the diplomacy is as stalemated as the war.

America and Britain have provided the aircraft and munitions that the Royal Saudi Air Force has been using to bomb the infrastructure of Yemen for two years. A minority in Congress has tried to block arms transfers and sales but they are unlikely to succeed. Nonetheless, criticism of the Saudi war is growing around the world.

The war is a costly one for the kingdom, especially when oil prices remain low. No reliable figures are available about the costs of the Saudi war. Riyadh provides no figures. The Saudis fund not only their own military campaign but the costs of their Yemeni allies and many of their coalition partners such as Sudan. Saudi Arabia had the third-largest defense and security budget in the world in the first year of the war (2015), according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and while the Yemeni war is only a part of the Saudis' military spending, it is a burden far beyond what a nation of only 20 million citizens can sustain.

The Yemeni people were the poorest in the Arab world before the war. Now, according to UNICEF, a Yemeni child dies every 10 minutes from severe malnutrition and other problems linked to the war and the Saudi blockade of the north. Many others are stunted for life by malnutrition. The humanitarian costs are staggering and they will have a long political legacy.

Several members of the new American administration have experience with Yemen, including the secretaries of state and defense. Now is the time for a thorough interagency policy review of Yemen. While terribly poor, Yemen is strategically important as the underbelly of Saudi Arabia and the guardian of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait through which most of the West's oil imports pass. The prime American interest is to help our oldest ally in the region, Saudi Arabia, find a way out of a conflict that is not working out in its own interests. Our other urgent interest is to stop the carnage against the Yemeni people. Diplomacy is the answer, but it will need to be American-led with conviction and consequences.
For many people, if not most, writing and publishing a book remains a dream  an unfulfilled fantasy. Bismarck resident Tammy T.B. Lenox, however, has turned her love of fantasy into a reality with the release of her second book, Untrodden Destiny.

Written for the fantasy romance genre, the book  the first in a series of three related stories  is about forbidden romance between an elven princess and an Avesan prince, and a brewing battle for power between a colony of faeries and a group of goblins.

Theres a bird-spirited people I created called Avesans and they live with a colony of elves and a colony of faeries in this place called Falls Cove, said Lenox, who uses the pen name T.B. Lenox for her books. The elves live along the seaside, the Avesans live in the woods next to the seaside and then theres a meadow on the other side of the woods where the faeries live.

One of the main characters is a young Avesan named Prince Cormac who is betrothed to an Avesan maiden, although the engagement was not borne out of love  its an arranged marriage. Likewise, Princess Elvina, an elf, is also destined for a loveless, arranged match with an elven soldier.

According to Lenoxs official website, these two royal families find themselves entangled with a fated love. Forbidden by nature and tradition, Princess Elvina and Prince Cormac refuse to allow anything to stop them, though changing the minds of their parents will not be an easy task.

Part of the story centers on how the two lovers overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart. More complications arise when determined and idealistic twin Faeries, and a looming war threaten the normally peaceful lives of the three colonies that dwell in Falls Cove.

I got the idea for twins because I have twins of my own, said Lenox, the mother of six children. The girl faery is a little spitfire. She wants to be the first female faery in the Faery Guard.

Her twin brother  a scholar  has no interest in joining the guard, to the disappointment of their father, who is a high-ranking officer in the guard.

When the twins learn a colony of power-hungry goblins are planning to attack the cove, they each take action to do their part to keep their home and family safe. Sister Neecy fights for her opportunity to prove her abilities to the Faery Guard while her brother Aidan looks for answers in a mysterious family journal filled with ancient runes that he must decipher in order to help ward off the goblins.

Itll send him on a quest, which is where hell go in the second book, Lenox said.

Born and raised in Yakima, Washington, Lenoxs love of reading and writing was sparked when she was in elementary school. She was offered the chance to attend a young author's conference at a local community college where, as she sat listening to local authors and college professors talk about writing, she decided that one day, she would become a published author.

How Lenox has found the time to complete two books may come as a mystery to some. A wife and the mother of six children, three of whom are now grown and on their own, Lenox and her husband also recently welcomed their first grandchild into the world.

I write when the kids go to school and everybodys gone, she said. Thats usually when I can sit down and write. Either then or after everybody goes to bed. I just turn off the TV and do writing  Im a little over halfway through with the second book in the Falls Cove series. I want to get it finished and get it to my editors  I want to get it published by the end of the year.

When shes not spending time with her family or busy writing, Lenox keeps busy with a group called Bible Study Fellowship International and teaching the young members of her church.

The Park Hills Public Library, located at 16 S. Coffman St., will be hosting a book signing event for Lenox on March 18 from 9 a.m. to noon. Lenox will have copies of her book available for purchase during the event.

"Untrodden Destiny," along with her first book, titled Second Chances, (released earlier this year,) is also available on Amazon.com, through her website at tblenox.wixsite.com/tblenox or by going through her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FantasyGeek2016.
It's official: Jim 'N Nick's is coming to Huntsville.

(File photo)

Spokeswoman Rosie Pihakis confirmed the news to AL.com on Sunday, saying the barbecue joint will open during the latter part of 2017.

"We are thrilled to be coming to the Huntsville community," she said.

Jim 'N Nick's has multiple restaurants in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The nearest eatery to Huntsville is more than 50 miles away in Cullman.

Famous for its signature cheese biscuits, Jim 'N Nick's was founded by father and son duo, Jim and Nick Pihakis, in an old pizza parlor in Birmingham in 1985. On average, the company serves about 10,000 pounds of pork per day.

Pihakis, who said she can't release details about the location at this time, said they are currently accepting applications for all positions. Interested candidates should email their resumes to careers@jimnnicks.com.

Interviews will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 15 at the Homewood Suites at Village of Providence on 15 Town Center Drive. Walk-ins are welcome.

Click here to view the job listing on Craigslist.
Jeff Sessions SNL Al Franken.jpg

Kate McKinnon (right) revived her take on Attorney General Jeff Sessions on this week's "Saturday Night Live,' appearing on "Weekend Update" alongside cast member Alex Moffat's Sen. Al Franken on March 11, 2017. (NBC)

Maybe we should just expect to see

Jeff Sessions

added to the opening credits of "Saturday Night Live."

For the second straight week, Emmy-winning cast member

Kate McKinnon

revived her impersonation of the Attorney General and former U.S. Senator from Alabama.

This time, McKinnon appeared as Sessions during the "Weekend Update" segment, along with Alex Moffat's (excellent) take on Sen. Al Franken.

Co-anchor Colin Jost said, "I'm actually surprised to see the two of you here together."

"People don't realize this but, Al and I are actually great friends," Sessions replied. "I once took Al white-water rafting on the Chatahooche River, and Al showed me Jew stuff."

Franken stated that they simply had lunch at a deli.

Sessions said Franken caught him in another lie and that he wanted to correct the record, so Franken took out a Bible and asked Sessions to place his hand on it. The Attorney General then took out a fake plastic hand and put it on the book.

"You did not specify my biological hand. This is my oathing hand," Sessions said. "I'm a danger to the country."

When Franken asked another question and Sessions said he couldn't hear, he said, "What's that? I'm sorry, these ears are just decorative."

Franken asks them to take the oath, to which he responds, "Alababy...That's an 'Alabama maybe.'"

Franken then said "I cannot believe you were confirmed."

"Me neither," Sessions replied. "What can I say? I may talk cute, but I am veryscary."

Last week, "SNL" opened the show with

, appearing on a bus bench as the fictional Alabama-born character Forrest Gump. The episode's "Weekend Update" segment

.

Watch the full clip below:
Bentley digs in

In this Tuesday, March 22, 2011 photo, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley talks with students at the Alabama Capitol. At right, is Rebekah Mason, Bentley's former communications director and political advisor.

((AP Photo/Dave Martin, File))

Some legislators say they are seeing a stronger interest in the impeachment investigation of Gov. Robert Bentley, while others say not much has changed except for efforts to get rules in place for the untested process.

The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to direct special counsel Jack Sharman to resume his investigation of impeachment articles against the governor.

Last year, 23 House members signed impeachment articles alleging there is credible evidence for probable cause that Bentley illegally misused state property and resources.

The governor has denied any wrongdoing.

House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said Thursday it's important for the House to be ready to move, partly because he is expecting information from the Ethics Commission.

"We don't know exactly what date but we know there will be a report coming soon," McCutcheon said.

It's been almost a year since complaints were filed with the Ethics Commission concerning Bentley's relationship with former political adviser Rebekah Mason.

The law allows the commission up to 180 days to resolve complaints and allows one 180-day extension.

The next meeting is April 5.

At its meetings, the five-member commission votes publicly on whether there is probable cause to forward investigations to a district attorney or the state attorney general's office.

Bentley and Mason have denied breaking any laws.

Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, said there has been increased interest in impeachment since Bentley appointed Attorney General Luther Strange to the U.S. Senate.

Strange's successor, Steve Marshall, confirmed that the attorney general's office is investigating the governor.

Butler also said Secretary of State John Merrill's statement that he believed it was against the law for Bentley to use campaign funds to pay legal fees for Mason also raised interest in impeachment. Bentley's lawyer wrote a letter to the Ethics Commission saying the payment was legal.

"Everywhere I go people are interested and want to know the status of impeachment," Butler said.

Butler said the issues need resolution, noting they could be "all smoke" and "no fire."

"But we definitely owe it to our constituents to get to the bottom and find out," Butler said.

Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, D-Red Bay, who filed ethics complaints against Mason and her husband, Jon Mason last year, said there is more of a sense of urgency to take action on impeachment.

Morrow said Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, who sponsored the impeachment resolution last year, had trouble getting the minimum 21 signatures of House members to send it to the Judiciary Committee. Henry was able to muster 23 members in the 105-seat seat House to sign it last April.

Like Butler, Morrow said the way the process has unfolded since then has caused a lack of trust.

In November, Strange asked the Judiciary Committee to suspend its impeachment investigation because his office was investigating related matters.

Strange later sought and received the governor's appointment to the U.S. Senate. Asked about the potential conflict of interest, Strange said he had never said his office was investigating the governor.

His replacement, Marshall, confirmed that it was.

"The House members I'm talking to feel like they had the facts misrepresented to them," Morrow said.

"All I want and the public wants is, let's get to the facts."

Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley, said he does not sense a new urgency for action in the House other than to make sure procedures are in place.

Wadsworth, who is a lawyer but is not a member of the Judiciary Committee, said he expects something from the Ethics Commission before the House makes a decision on impeachment.

"Right now, I kind of see the Ethics Commission doing something first," Wadsworth said.

Wadsworth also mentioned concerns of double jeopardy. Former Montgomery County District Attorney Ellen Brooks, appointed by AG Marshall to oversee the Bentley investigation, raised that issue in a letter to Judiciary Chairman Mike Jones, citing a 1933 case in which the Alabama Supreme Court held that an impeachment proceeding in circuit court could affect a criminal investigation.

If the Judiciary Committee recommends impeachment of the governor, it would take 63 votes in the 105-seat House to bring the matter up for a vote.

Then it would take 53 votes, a majority of the House, to impeach the governor and send the matter to the Senate for trial.

A subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee is working on a set of rules that would govern an impeachment trial.

Lawmakers have almost no precedents because the House has not considered an impeachment case since 1915. The state Constitution authorizes impeachment but has few details about the process.

Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, a member of the subcommittee writing the rules, says the law is vague.

"We want to make sure we're doing it fairly and correctly, and that's not an easy thing to do," Albritton said.

One key point Albritton noted is that Bentley would be removed from office if the House voted to impeach him, unlike at the federal level, where removal from office comes only after conviction in the Senate.

Under Alabama law, Bentley could return to office if acquitted by the Senate, where it would take a two-thirds vote to impeach him.

Albritton said he gets more emails from constituents about bills on gun permits and protecting historical monuments than about impeachment, although he said people are frustrated by the scandal.

"But as far as what to do and when to do it, I haven't seen an increase in that," Albritton said.

Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, also a member of the impeachment rules subcommittee, said he's not sensed any renewed urgency in the Senate about impeachment.

"I haven't seen any change," Singleton said.
While most middle school students are making plans for their spring break, students at Chapman P-8 School are visiting the White House.

"We were completely priced out... so, we decided we were going to make our own trip," teacher Heather Cleckler said. Cleckler, 33, is in her fifth year teaching collaborative special education for seventh graders at the school and also works with the student government and ambassadors program. She said civics teacher Kimberlyn Webster got the idea to take students from the two groups on a trip to Washington, D.C., late last year.

When they started looking into booking the trip through different educational tours, Cleckler said there was no way her students, most of whom live in poverty and at least one in a group home, could afford the trip.

So, the teachers decided to plan their own trip. They used discount websites to book hotels and reached out to airlines for special rates. Clecker said she even talked to Chapman alumni who live in D.C. for advice on how to travel to the city cheaply. "We used every resource we could find," she said.

A planned educational tour would have cost each student about $1,200. With the plan Clecker and Webster designed, the cost per student was just over $600. She knew the students still couldn't afford the trip though, even with the savings. "We knew going in some kids needed to be fully funded-- and we were going to make that happen."

The kids went to work in December, starting with a Christmas market. They showed up for shifts to work the event, sold different items, and made $2,500. "That's when I said, 'We can do this.' We started plotting different events and fundraisers," Clecker said.

Over the next few months, the students worked more school events like the Father-Daughter Dance and a paint night. For every shift they worked, they earned money towards their amount due for the trip. "You name it, they've probably sold it!" Clecker said.

State Rep. Anthony Daniels donated $1,000 and the Northeast Huntsville Civic Association donated $400. Teachers across the school donated, parents of teachers donated, and there were even anonymous donations through Facebook. Eventually, Clecker said the group raised $12,500- enough to pay for everything on the trip.

"People have congratulated me so often... and that's great, but all of our teachers have worked beyond belief for this. Why did they do this? They aren't going on the trip. But, they love our kids that much," she said.

Clecker desperately wanted to visit the White House while in D.C., but she couldn't schedule a trip because of the transition period that began when President Donald Trump took office. After seeing Briarwood Christian School visit last week, she reached out for anyone who could help her get a tour. Eventually, she made a connection to U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks' office, who talked to someone in the White House and scheduled the students a tour. They visited the White House Saturday.

"We feel so lucky, and Mo Brooks' office really went above and beyond to help us," Clecker said.

None of the students, except for one, had ever been on an airplane before. Many didn't have rolling suitcases. Clecker said she had to work with DHR to get one student, who lives in a group home, permission to go on the trip. "There's a lot of baggage for someone who can't be living in their home, for whatever reason. It was lots of work through DHR, but it was all worth it." Again, faculty members stepped up to donate spending money and a digital camera to the child.

The kids asked dozens of questions about planes, hotels, and the D.C. metro. "They've never done any of this before," Clecker said. She made a packing list and tried to answer every question she could.

On Thursday, 13 seventh and eighth graders, one sixth grader, three teachers, and two grandparents headed to Nashville to fly to D.C.- a cheaper route than flying from Huntsville. The group arrived safely, and have a packed schedule of museums, monuments, picnics, and tours. They will return to Huntsville Tuesday.

Clecker said younger students have heard about the trip, and they want to go next year. They are willing to work to earn their way, and that's what the teacher strived for. "Other kids want to go. They think, 'I can do this.'-- At least they know they can."
A full-grown Southern pine beetle is still about half the length of a grain of rice, but state and federal forestry officials worry this tiny bug could have a monster impact this year on the state of Alabama's $11 billion wood products industry.

"With Southern pine beetles, the Latin name (Dendroctonus frontalis) actually means tree killer, and it is," said Edward Loewenstein, associate professor of silviculture at Auburn University's School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. "It is well-suited to take trees out."

This year's concerns are rooted in the large number of trees left stressed or already dying from last year's record-setting drought. Drought-stressed trees don't make sap as well as healthy ones, and that sticky sap is the tree's primary defense against beetles.

Southern pine beetles carve distinctive winding tunnels or galleries like these under the bark of their host trees.

"We're in crisis right now because any organism that's under stress is less able to deal with stress, and all of our pine beetles, bark beetles are stressors to trees," Loewenstein said. "When you've got this extraordinary drought like we had this past year, that is a huge stressor put on not only individual trees but entire stands and entire landscapes."

The results can be devastating to forest industries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates a widespread outbreak that begin in 1999 in east Tennessee caused more than $1 billion in timber losses.

Foresters fear the dead or dying trees left by the drought could provide fuel for a similar large-scale infestation, and are already seeing evidence of increased beetle activity, even though outbreaks usually don't flare up until the late spring or early summer.

"Normally in the winter you don't see a lot of dying pines and beetle activity, but we're seeing that a lot more this year," said Tim Albritton, staff forester with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alabama. "We can tell this year is building up to be a pretty bad year for beetles."

Foresters from the Alabama Forestry Commission, the USDA, the Auburn University School of Forestry, Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) and various private entities met in Montgomery last week to discuss how to handle the situation and share information about the extent of the problem, and are planning regular coordinated efforts among government agencies and private landowners to minimize the damage.

John Goff, director of the AFC's Forest Protection Division, said during the meeting that the Commission began taking flights in February to look for beetle damage in Alabama's forests and have already discovered 187 likely beetle infestations affecting 14,262 trees.

"We think the stars have aligned and we have the definite potential for major outbreaks this year," Goff said.

Suspected damage from Southern pine beetle infestations is shown via aerial photographs.Alabama Forestry Commission

The AFC usually doesn't start logging flights to look for beetle damage until May or June, but started early this year, in part due to the large number of calls the commission is getting from landowners to report possible infestations.

"Our phones are blowing up," said Mark Martin, assistant forest health coordinator for AFC. "We're getting calls left and right, every day."

The number of beetle infestations has climbed for the last four years even without a major drought, and state forestry officials fear this year could be the worst in memory for Southern pine beetles.

Goff said the AFC identified 109 Southern pine beetle outbreaks in 2013, 168 in 2014, 378 in 2015 and 691 last year.

Multiple species of beetle to worry about

There are multiple species of pine beetles threatening Alabama trees this year, but the Southern pine beetle is the most feared because it attacks trees in clumps, leaving an expanding swath of brown, dead trees winding through the state's evergreen forests.

That's mostly because Southern pine beetles can't fly very far, said Dana Stone, the Alabama Forestry Commission's forest health coordinator. Southern pine beetle infestations often start in stressed trees, but can spread to and kill even healthy trees as the number of beetles increases.

Other beetles, like the Ips engraver beetle, are more likely to attack scattered individual trees in the forest rather than leaving an expanding cluster of dead trees behind in the woods.

"It's important for landowners to know what kind of pest they may have in their trees," Stone said. "If it's the Southern pine beetle, they may want to go in and try to stop the spread of the infestation.

"If it's an Ips engraver beetle, it depends on how many trees are dying, but you may want to just let it be and let the situation take its course."

Landowners who suspect beetle infestation in their trees are encouraged to contact the AFC or a professional forester to determine what type of beetle they have and what the best treatment option is for their situation.

The usual recommended course of action for a Southern pine beetle infestation is to clear a buffer area around the infested trees at least as wide as the tallest trees in the infested group to prevent the beetles from spreading.

Those trees can be burned or simply left behind a safe distance from healthy forest trees. This "cut and leave" technique is often the recommended strategy for dealing with Southern pine beetle infestations, but would not be recommended for Ips beetle outbreaks, Stone said.

In the cut and leave treatment for Southern pine beetle outbreaks, infested trees are felled toward the middle of the area of the outbreak, along with a buffer of healthy trees in the direction the infestation was spreading.

Loewenstein said the densely packed pine stands in many plantations can make beetle infestations particularly troublesome and thinning pine stands in advance can help mitigate the damage.

"The trick is to keep these stands before the fact as healthy as possible so they can fight off any additional stressors," Loewenstein said. "If you've got stands that are overly dense, so individual trees within these stands have got very small live crowns, very little foliage, they're in effect being starved and these are stressed trees.

"If we keep the stands healthy, if you add any one additional stressor, usually the problem is not huge, but right now we've got everything coming together at once."

Forest products are big business in Alabama

Alabama's forest products industry is a major economic engine in the state, and by some metrics is the largest industry in the state. Alabama is second in the country in production of pulp and paper and No. 7 in lumber production.

According to a report by Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, Alabama produced more than $10 billion in forest products in 2010 and more than $11 billion when you include commercial logging products.

The study found more than 23,000 direct jobs created by Alabama's forest products industry, and indirect employment impact of more than 110,000 jobs.

While forestry is a large industry in Alabama, it is often a less visible one. According to the AFC, 87 percent of Alabama's 23 million acres of timber land, is owned by non-industrial private landowners.

"We're hidden," said Keith Plott, who works at the Louisiana-Pacific lumber mill in Hanceville. "You don't see forest industries that much because we're way back in the woods, we're in small towns, small communities. Folks who own land may harvest once in a generation, but every year there's a lot of folks who do that in Alabama."

Thinning pine stands, as Loewenstein and others recommend, is not always easy for those small-scale landowners who may go several years without having their trees cut.

Even if those owners can find crews willing to thin their pine stands, or to carve out buffer zones around infestation sites, they may not be able to find a customer willing to take their product and be forced to leave valuable timber to rot on the ground.

Plott said his company is not accepting more lumber this year and conditions are similarly tight at mills throughout the Southeast.

"In a catastrophic outbreak like this, we can't take the overflow," he said. "We're taking all the wood we can take right now and we're really the only outlet in north Alabama.

"We're full. We're going to stay full. So if there are additional products on the market, where are they going to go?"

Plott said those tight conditions make it harder for Alabama landowners to cope with infestations.

"Forest landowners in Alabama are generational folks," Plott said. "They want not only to produce forest products for themselves, for their kids, they want their kids to continue to harvest that land.

"But what's the benefit of doing that if you have an infestation that takes all your money away that you've planned for your kids for college or your retirement?"

What to do about it?

Like many state government agencies, the Alabama Forestry Commission has endured significant budget cuts in recent years, and its leadership is concerned about that lack of resources in trying to combat this outbreak.

Gary Cole, Alabama's interim state forester and head of the AFC, said the department has seen its funding for flights to watch for beetle damage has been cut by a third in recent years. The department also plays an active role in fighting forest fires, and must consider that when allocating resources.

Many of the private foresters in attendance at the Montgomery meeting last week said they would contact their representatives in the legislature to ask for more funding for AFC's beetle operations. Groups are also investigating whether more federal funding would be available if the outbreaks are as severe as some fear.

Communications with landowners will also be a big priority for AFC, USDA and private forestry groups. Representatives from the Alabama Forestry Association and ALFA both pledged to reach out to their memberships to spread the word about pine beetles.

"This is really a time where communications and quick communications is going to be important," Albritton said. "We've got to get this out to the landowners, because private landowners own a majority of the land in Alabama and if we don't get them notified as to what's going on and what they need to do, it could get real bad by mid-summer."
Orange Beach firefighters are asking for donations to help one of their own.

According to a post on Facebook by fire department, Foley firefighter Cody Carraway's son was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Carraway and Kahlee Salter learned their 15-month-old son Easton had a large tumor in his pelvic area. Doctors said the tumor was a rare form cancer called Sacrococcygeal Teratoma, and the cancer had spread to surrounding muscle tissue and both the toddler's lungs. Easton was diagnosed with stage four of the disease.

The family recently moved from the University of South Alabama Women's and Children's Hospital to Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.

"Cody and Kahlee are both with their son and plan to stay as long as it takes," the post read. "We are soliciting items to help them through their journey."

The department is seeking money or gift cards for restaurants and gas stations to help with the family's expenses. They are also asking for cards, fire department patches, and challenge coins to show the community's support.

Items will be sent to Saint Jude's on Friday. Donations can be dropped off at Foley City Hall, Gulf Shores Fire Department, Orange Beach Fire Department, Fairhope Fire Department, Daphne Fire Department Training Center, and the Bay Minette Fire Department.

"Please join us in praying for this little fighter!" the post said.

If you have questions about making a donation, contact Josh Hines at 251-424-7006 or Jamie Hinton at 251-923-8500.
Henagar Drive In Theater

The Henagar Drive In Theater in Henagar, Ala. is shown here in 2010. (AL.com File Photo)

When I was a kid, I spent a week every summer in the tiny town of Henagar, Ala. with my grandparents. My Pawpaw was the preacher at the Baptist church there.

Henagar is a rural community in northeast Alabama with about 2,400 residents.

About 20 years ago, Henagar got a drive-in theater. It's the only local attraction mentioned on the town website's home page, and a source of pride in the community.

Local media has covered the little theater off and on over the years: hailing its status as one of the last drive-ins in Alabama, detailing the efforts to rebuild it after it was damaged first by a 2009 gravity wave, and again after the April 2011 tornadoes.

I even wrote about it back in 2014, when the community rallied around the drive-in with donations and fundraising events to help its owners afford the $80,000 digital projector necessary for the place to continue showing movies.

Now the Henagar Drive-In is back in the news.

Maybe you've seen it. It'd be hard to miss. The New York Times, CBS News, Washington Post, Daily Mail, CNN and a whole host of other media outlets - including my own - have covered the Henagar Drive-In over the past week. Saturday Night Live even gave it a spot during its Weekend Update segment.

On March 2, the new owners of the Henagar Drive-In Theatre posted on Facebook that they would not be showing the new live-action Beauty & the Beast movie because it features a gay character.

Earlier that day, national media reported that the movie's director, Bill Condon, described one scene in the movie as a "nice, exclusively gay moment" featuring Gaston's sidekick, Le Fou.

"When companies continually force their views on us we need to take a stand," the theater owners posted on Facebook. "We all make choices and I am making mine.

"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 can't sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it."

So, a few things first.

I respectfully disagree with the owners here. Gay characters belong in kids' movies for many reasons. I say this as a Christian and as a friend and family member of some wonderful people who are gay and who deserve - like everyone else - to see a part of themselves reflected in popular culture.

The national debate around small business owners' rights to act upon their religious beliefs is no less intense down here in the South. But I'm not here to talk about that today.

What I want to talk about is what I know the most about - the media.

Alabama is having a bit of a moment in the national spotlight lately, with heightened media attention thanks to Jeff Sessions and reams of trying-to-understand-Trump-voters articles.

Even The Daily Show is getting in on the act, airing a multi-part series on our fair state over the next few weeks.

But this story, about one little drive-in that refuses to show a Disney movie with a gay character, is local news. We covered it here at AL.com, and rightly so.

When the national and international outlets came calling, though, it wasn't news; it was pure spectacle.

The reason this story made national headlines is because it reinforces a stereotype. It's an opportunity for derision, for people who live elsewhere to pause and pat themselves on the back. To thank their lucky stars they don't live in the bigoted hellhole that is Alabama.

It was smug. It wasn't particularly informative.

My colleagues in the national media wonder why rural folks - Southerners and Midwesterners and anybody else in flyover country - feel ignored. This is why.

There are some outlets making an effort, doing excellent journalism about communities all over the country.

But if you live in the South like I do, you know what I'm talking about. You know what it's like to understand that the only time the national media will train its eye on your community is when it wants to indulge in spectacle or wring its hands with investigative pieces about everything that's wrong with you and where you live.

That isn't a public service.

If the media really wanted to do some good, wanted to stick its head out of its east coast/west coast bubble, it would stop holding up small rural communities as oddities ripe for ridicule or pity. It would seek to understand. It would go for the big picture rather than the quick clickbait.

It would ask "Why?" rather than "Can you believe this?"

Here in the South, we have problems that need solving. I know; I've built a career reporting on them.

I want to see small-town attitudes change. LGBTQ and other marginalized people deserve to feel welcome and loved anywhere they go. We have so much work to do to get there.

And I see the irony in asking that rural communities not be stereotyped or demonized even as some in those very communities engage in stereotyping and demonizing marginalized groups. Case in point: the drive-in's Facebook post included homosexuality in a list of objectionable children's movie elements along with sex, nudity and foul language.

But these aren't problems exclusive to rural communities and flyover country. There are no easy answers. I believe the media can play an important role in positive cultural change, but derision isn't going to get us there. Understanding will.
Kory Kasey

Kory Kasey is an intern at Marshall Medical Centers and Student of the Year at UAH's Industrial and Systems Engineering and Engineering Management program. (Submitted by Kory Kasey)

Most of us have been in this situation. You're in the hospital for surgery or illness, or you've taken a family member there, bringing along a bag full of pill bottles or a list of daily prescriptions.

Sometimes you forget, and the hospital has to go by its own records or pull from a database from local pharmacies.

It's critical that the doctors know exactly what you've been taking and what you need to take during your hospital stay.

"It can be confusing for the nurses," who are in charge of making sure the medicine list is accurate, said Kory Kasey, an intern in the quality department at Marshall Medical Centers in Marshall County.

Kory Kasey is an intern at Marshall Medical Center and an engineering student at UAH. (Submitted by Kory Kasey)

Kasey, who was this year's Student of the Year in the University of Alabama in Huntsville's Industrial and Systems Engineering and Engineering Management department, has taken his engineering talent to the problem.

Working with Marshall Medical Center and the Office of Operational Excellence at UAH, Kasey helped develop a system that cross references all four sources: the patient interview, the medicines or list of medicines brought by the patient, the hospital's records from past visits, and a database of patient prescriptions from local pharmacies.

The system saves time for the nurses, so they can focus on patient care, and gives doctors a level of confidence that the medicines they prescribe during the hospital stay are the right ones.

A pharmacist at Marshall Medical Center was so impressed with Kasey's work that he wrote a proposal for Marshall Medical Center, including Kasey, to go to a national health care conference in Las Vegas in April sponsored by the health care group Vizent.

Kasey, a native of Clay and a graduate of the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, will be there for three days, explaining his medication reconciliation system to healthcare professionals from all over the United States.

"I've already spoken at the regional Vizent conference at Huntsville Hospital and the Lean Six Sigma Conference sponsored by UAH," Kasey said.

And that's not the only way Kasey, and UAH's Office of Operational Excellence, have helped Marshall Medical Center. He's worked on a supply chain management system that keeps the amount of supplies in the hospital store room stocked based on the demand for the item and how much lead time is needed to restock it.

He's also helped improve the hiring process for the hospital's HR department, worked on a central scheduling program for the call center, and helped emergency medical services with data collection.

Other UAH Industrial and Systems Engineering and Engineering Management students are doing the same at other local industries such as Northrop Grumman, Huntsville Hospital, GE and Steelcase, Kasey said.

The program provides local industry with some help streamlining their processes, and provides students like Kasey practical experience in their chosen field.

"Obviously, it gives a bunch of students the opportunity to go in there and see their work (put to practical use)," Kasey said. "It kind of jazzes me up a little."

And it's set him on a career path. A physics major turned engineer, Kasey didn't plan on working in a hospital. But now that he's been in the field, he knows what kind of job he'll seek when he graduates at the end of this semester.

"I definitely want to stay in health care," he said.

Haskins writes about points of pride statewide. Email your suggestions to shaskins@al.com, or tweet them to @Shelly_Haskins using #AlabamaProud
History will once again come to life when the Turner Brigade presents a living history event on March 25 at the Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site in Pilot Knob.

Sponsored by Missouri State Parks, the American Civil War event is free and open to the public and will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning with muster and spring drill. Spring was traditionally the time when military units would reorganize after a long winter to prepare themselves for battle campaigns through the summer and fall.

Made up of infantry, artillery, cavalry, engineer and civilian units, the Turner Brigade is the largest Union reenacting group in eastern Missouri. A family-oriented group, its grown to more than 150 adult members in recent years. While most Turner Brigade re-enactors are from Missouri, the brigade has members from as far away as the state of California.

The re-enactors will be in Civil War costume and portray life in military and refugee camps of the time. This family-friendly activity will be coupled with the displays in the visitor centers museum, providing an excellent learning experience for children and adults alike.

After morning muster and spring drill, the day-long event will offer spectators an accurate portrayal of life in military and refugee camps during the early to mid-1860s. Small arms and artillery drills will take place throughout the day.

Military and civilian units of the Turner Brigade are joined together in the Association of the Turner Brigade. The associations purpose is to provide a way for its members to offer a true and informed portrayal of soldiers and civilians during the Civil War, to enhance their reenacting experience by coordinating activities of affiliated units, and to present a unique educational experience of the Civil War period that only living historians can create.

The event is made possible by Missouri State Parks, the Friends of Fort Davidson and the Turner Brigade. The Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site, formerly Fort Davidson State Historic Site, is located at the junction of Highways 21 and 221 in Pilot Knob. For more information call 573-546-3454.
David Friedman is known for his support for the most extreme elements in Israels settler movement.

Nazareth  The choice of US ambassador to Israel has never before incurred such scrutiny or provoked such controversy.

Usually, the appointment is approved by the Senates foreign relations committee by consensus. But David Friedmans confirmation vote in March split largely on partisan lines, with Republicans backing him and all but one Democrat opposing him.

Tens of thousands of liberal American Jews signed a petition opposing his nomination, and major Jewish organisations and hundreds of rabbis also objected.

But then, Donald Trumps envoy to Israel is no ordinary ambassador.

Rather than climbing up through the diplomatic ranks learning the arts of statecraft, 57-year-old Friedman  who was set to arrive at his post this week  has been propelled overnight into one of the worlds most sensitive diplomatic posts.

READ MORE: US embassy relocation to Jerusalem a war crime

An Orthodox Jew and the son of a New York rabbi, Friedman is a bankruptcy lawyer who has worked on Trumps behalf for the past 15 years. He joined the presidential election campaign last year as Trumps adviser on Israel.

This appointment should explode any remaining doubts among Palestinians and the international community that the US can be any kind of honest broker. by Nur Arafeh, Al-Shabaka analyst

But it is not Friedmans lack of experience causing the greatest concern. It is his long history of support not only for the Israeli right but for some of the most extreme elements in Israels settler movement.

This appointment should explode any remaining doubts among Palestinians and the international community that the US can be any kind of honest broker, Nur Arafeh, an analyst with Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian think-tank, told Al Jazeera.

She added: It confirms that the Americans have no positive role to play in the struggle for self-determination or rights for the Palestinian people.

Friedman has vehemently opposed a Palestinian state, breaking with long-standing US official policy. He boasted recently, Arafeh noted, that he had helped to erase any reference to the two-state solution from the Republican election platform. He has also backed the annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank by Israel. Such statements put him to the right of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As ambassador, he may not be in charge of making policy, but he will be the administrations eyes and ears in the region. His cables to the White House will frame official US perceptions of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and his recommendations are likely to shape policy.

That point was underscored by Daniel Kurtzer, a former US ambassador to Israel. Everything an ambassador says and does has an impact on policy, he told the US Jewish daily The Forward.

Noam Sheizaf, an Israeli journalist and cofounder of the +972 website, said previous US ambassadors had collected and passed on data chiefly from human rights groups and the Israeli media. If the new ambassador is hostile to human rights, the treatment of political prisoners and issues of free speech, that will make a real difference to the information arriving in Washington, he told Al Jazeera.

Equally significantly, Friedmans statements and actions  even small ones, given the highly volatile situation in the region  could have powerful reverberations.

Kurtzer was one of five former ambassadors who wrote to the Senate committee urging it to block Friedmans appointment for his extreme positions, according to Haaretz.

Dianne Feinstein, a senior Democratic Senator, warned in a commentary that Friedmans divisive rhetoric and dangerous positions  would undermine our national security by further inflaming tensions in the region.





The first test will be where he decides to base himself after he arrives in the region. He already owns a home in Talbiyeh, a neighbourhood of Jerusalem from which Palestinians were expelled in 1948.

While the US embassy is in Tel Aviv, Friedman has fervently advocated for its relocation to Jerusalem  a move, said Arafeh, that would be seen as giving the US seal of approval to Israels declaration of all of Jerusalem, including the occupied East Jerusalem, as its eternal, united capital.

Palestinians expect East Jerusalem as the capital of any future state. Moving the embassy could trigger unrest, not just among Palestinians, but across the region.

Although Trump has lowered expectations of an imminent decision on the embassy, the issue appears still to be under consideration. A congressional delegation has visited Israel to investigate how such a move might be made, the Jerusalem Post reported.

If the embassy stays in Tel Aviv, Friedmans supporters believe he may still find a workaround, possibly by basing himself in the US consulate in Jerusalem.

OPINION: Israel: An inspiration for Trump

Friedmans support for the settlements is not confined to words. He is an active fundraiser for, and donor to, some of the most extreme settler causes, including in East Jerusalem. As ambassador, Friedman will be expected to distance himself from such causes, but his sympathies may be harder to hide.

Haaretz recently revealed that he was a donor to the American branch of Ateret Cohanim, a far-right Israeli group that aggressively settles Jews in key locations in East Jerusalem, and especially around al-Aqsa, the most sensitive Islamic site in the region. Ateret Cohanim barely conceals its aim to bring Jerusalems Old City and the mosque compound under Jewish control. Groups close to Ateret Cohanim want to destroy al-Aqsa and build a Jewish temple there.

To achieve its goals, the group has used subterfuge to buy dozens of homes in the Old Citys Muslim quarter and then settle them with Jewish religious extremists, often turning the buildings into yeshivas, or Jewish seminaries. Laura Wharton, a Jerusalem councillor for the left-wing Meretz party, told Haaretz recently that Ateret Cohanim was seeking to incite as much conflict as they can in Jerusalem.

The new ambassador also has strong ties to the wider settler movement in the West Bank. He is the president of American Friends of Beit El Institutions, which raises millions of dollars each year for the Beit El settlement, close to the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

Although all the settlements violate international law, Beit El has erected buildings on land unlawfully seized from Palestinians that violate Israeli law, too. One such building, a school, has a plaque bearing Friedmans name.

According to the Israeli media, Friedman is drawn to this settlement in particular because of its huge symbolic significance to the settler movement. This is the place where, according to the Old Testament, God promised Jacob the Land of Israel. It is a site with the power to rally religious extremists to the more general settlement cause.

It is no coincidence that Beit El is home to the settlers main media outlet, Arutz Sheva, for which Friedman fundraises and where he is a columnist.

In addition, the settlement lies far from Israels recognised border, some 14km inside the West Bank. The consolidation of Beit El made possible by the donations secured by Friedman is seen by the settlers as a way to foil the creation of a Palestinian state.

Sam Bahour, a Palestinian American analyst based in the West Bank city of Ramallah, said, given this background, Friedman would find it difficult to fulfil his role as ambassador.

The Palestinian leadership will meet him because they have to, but who else will be willing to engage with him? he told Al Jazeera. He will struggle to open up any other channels to Palestinians.

A loss of faith in US influence, said Bahour, would create a vacuum. That vacuum wont remain. Palestinians are not going to sit around waiting for four years to pass. It will be a gift to all forms of Palestinian resistance, from BDS [the boycott movement] and civil society to Hamas.

The split between Republicans and Democratic Senators over Friedmans appointment also offered the first signs of a possible polarisation in what can be said about Israel, said Bashir Bashir, a researcher at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. It creates more space for views that have been repressed or sidelined as not politically correct, he told Al Jazeera. It could pave the way for new political discourses.

That might include greater exposure for arguments for a one-state solution and comparisons of Israeli rule with apartheid.





Moshe Yaalon, the former Israeli defence minister, expressed fears about such a development on a recent visit to Washington. He warned that Israel was already paying a price for allying itself so closely with Trumps team, and was at risk of being identified as an exclusively Republican cause. Anti-Trump sentiments are becoming anti-Israel sentiments, he said, as reported by the Times of Israel.

Sheizaf said Friedmans influence was likely to contribute to Israels political system shifting further to the right. Netanyahus gradual entrenchment of Israeli military control over the occupied territories is under increasing challenge from settler leader Naftali Bennett, who is closer ideologically to Friedman. Bennett has pushed for bold new moves, such as formally annexing parts of the West Bank.

Friedman strengthens those like Bennett who see this as an opportunity to make big changes, Sheizaf told Al Jazeera.

But ultimately, Friedmans effect would depend on where the Trump administrations policy on Israel-Palestine settles, observed Sheizaf. In that regard, Trump could prefer traditional bilateral negotiations or opt to leave Israel to its own devices.

Its looking more likely the White House will prefer the second option, and in that sense, Friedman could be a great advantage to Netanyahu.
As right-wing groups run a campaign against Rohingya in Indian-administered Kashmir, refugees fear having to flee again.

Jammu, India-administered Kashmir  Abdul Kareem and Zahida Begum run a small corner store in Bhatindi, an affluent residential area of Jammu city in Indian-administered Kashmir.

When they arrived here in 2012, after fleeing massacres in Myanmars Rakhine state, the residents of this mainly Muslim neighbourhood of the largely Hindu city rallied around them, offering the young couple a space from which to run the shop.

Now they live in a cramped room beside the shop with their three sons, aged two, six and eight. The children do not attend school, although they say they are hoping to send the oldest one this year.

The family are Rohingya Muslims  one of the worlds most persecuted ethnic groups  but they say people here have been kind.

IN PICTURES: Rohingya: Chased from Myanmar, unwelcome in Bangladesh

India has been receiving Rohingya refugees from Myanmar since 2008. They arrived in large numbers during 2012, when anti-Rohingya persecution intensified in neighbouring Myanmar.

According to figures shared by the Development and Justice Initiative (DAJI), a non-governmental organisation that works with the UNHCR, and based on UNHCR data, there are an estimated 10,000 Rohingya refugees living in India. Approximately 5,700 live in and around the city of Jammu in Indian-administered Kashmir, although some sources claim the number could, in fact, be much higher.

But in early February, the Rohingya refugees started to notice billboards appearing around the city. Rohingyas, Bangladeshis quit Jammu, they declared, asking residents to Wake up  save history, culture and identity of Dogras, referring to the Hindu-majority community of Jammu.

A demographic threat

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, a right-wing Hindu political party, whose leader, Harsh Dev Singh, has made public statements about a conspiracy to engineer demographic changes in the region, is behind the billboards.

His theories have found some resonance in a state fractured by the politics of demography; where a general mistrust exists between residents of the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley and those of the southern Jammu region, where Hindus form two-thirds of the population.

There is alarm among the general masses [in the city], Singh told Al Jazeera about the presence of the Muslim Rohingya refugees.

The rumblings began last year, when Indias ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which runs a coalition government in Indian-administered Kashmir with the regional Peoples Democratic Party, began to raise the issue.

READ MORE: Hundreds of Rohingyas killed in Myanmar crackdown

Last month, a member of the BJP, Hunar Gupta, petitioned the Jammu High Court, seeking the identification and deportation of Rohingya refugees. Arguing the case for Gupta, senior advocate Sunil Sethi, who is also the chief spokesperson for the BJP in the state, said there had been a sharp increase in the number of undocumented migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Our intelligence agencies have warned that Rohingya in India could potentially be exploited by terror groups in Pakistan. We are asking that they be resettled elsewhere in the country, Ravinder Raina, a BJP legislator in the state, told Al Jazeera by phone.

In January, Mahbooba Mufti, the states chief minister, told the state assembly that Rohingya are being kept under strict surveillance and no instance of radicalising has so far been reported.

Embroiled in another conflict

Now the Rohingya refugees and their advocates fear that after being rendered stateless in their homeland, they may face a second displacement as they become embroiled in a larger conflict in a region that has been wracked by decades of armed rebellion.

Warily scanning the street outside his office, Ravi Hemadri, who runs the DAJI, explains: We are very apprehensive about the situation.

There is no sign outside the office, which is housed inside a white bungalow  it was taken down a week ago when the tensions started to build in Jammu  not far from Abdul and Zahidas shop.

The shop draws a steady stream of visitors, many of them Rohingya refugees visiting the DAJI office.

Thirty-year-old Abdul says he was jailed by Myanmars security forces after he married Zahida, his childhood sweetheart, in Buthidaung township of Rakhine state. Rohingya in Rakhine state must secure the permission of the local government before marrying, but such permission is rarely granted.

It was for love, he says softly, reflecting on his month in jail, during which he says he endured forced labour and daily beatings.

When he was released, the couple fled to Bangladesh. For five months, Abdul worked on a construction site in Leda at Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh, near the border with Myanmar, laying bricks and plastering.

But, seeking better wages and a less hostile environment, the couple decided to move to India. So they paid a Bangladeshi trafficker about $300 to smuggle them across the border into the Indian state of West Bengal.

Zahidas mother and older sister were already living in Jammu city. They had fled Rakhine state eight years ago, after they say one of her sisters was abducted by the security forces.

We could not even protest as they took her away, Zahida, 24, says with a shrug. Abdul also has a missing sibling  the family has not heard from him since 2012, when he left for Bangladesh.

I was so scared

But even away from politics, the Rohingya refugees face daily struggles to survive. Pappu Camp is one of the many Rohingya settlements in Jammu city.

Here, more than 100 families live cheek by jowl in shanties built with recycled materials like tarpaulin sheets, bamboo, cardboard and plastic. They have little or no access to education, healthcare and sanitation.

Most of the men work as day labourers, at constructions sites and in local factories, earning anything between 350 to 500 rupees ($5-7), a day. Some of the women work in walnut factories. An air of despair hangs over the place.

READ MORE: Malaysia says Muslim countries should end Rohingya crisis

Noora Begum, a mother of three arrived from Maungdaw, one of the worst-affected districts of Rakhine, the day before. People in the camp surround her, asking questions about their homeland.

What is happening in Arakan? Tell us everything you saw, asks Noorjehan, who has lived in Jammu for almost a decade and works in a pencil factory to support her four children.

Noora, who appears to be in her early 40s, replies haltingly in her mother tongue.

They were killing people in the village next to mine. I was so scared. We ran away in the middle of the night, says Noora.

Nearly 100,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar since last October when the military launched a deadly crackdown in the wake of an attack on an army post.

The UN human rights office said last month that hundreds of Rohingyas have been killed and accused the military of committing crimes against humanity.

Noora lost her husband a few years ago. She has no savings and worries that shes too old to start over again. Noorjehan reassures her that it is possible; she did it herself.

In our culture, women dont go out and work. But Ive had to work for my children, Noorjehan explains.

And yet, look at my life. Look at how we live. Should any human be living like this? she asks, pointing at the squalid conditions that surround her.

These people are not a burden

According to the UN refugee agency figures from 2011, there were about 204,600 refugees and asylum seekers in India. But, although India has a long tradition of accommodating refugees from neighbouring countries, it does not have a cohesive refugee policy and is not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees.

Sahana Basavapatna, a Bangalore-based lawyer and researcher on refugees in India who has worked with Rohingya refugees, says that India can no longer sit on the fence on this issue. India must introduce legislation, she says.

We insist that we are generous hosts, but we make it so difficult for people to live here. These people are not a burden, they are not taking away anything. They add to the local economy, the lawyer explains.

Just a short distance from Pappu Camp is Jamaat Ali Camp, home to nearly 80 Rohingya families. Last November, a fire started in one of the shelters. It gutted the entire settlement, and four refugees were burned to death.

Now the camp looks different from the other refugee settlements. It has new houses with shiny tin roofs.

Zahid Hussain, an elderly refugee who is wearing a white kurta and lungi (the attire for most Rohingya men), describes how the camp was rebuilt.

Funds were collected from residents of the city who dropped their donations in a bedsheet left on the ground outside the settlement.

Everyone gave money, people are generous in India, he says.

A Rohingya woman standing beside him with a child in her hands asks: Is it true, will we have to go from here as well? Where will we go?
Judges in Iraq have been holding court sessions inside camps for internally displaced people (IDPs), in an effort to help families to rebuild their lives.

People who have fled Mosul now face bureaucratic battles to be freed from the residual effects of living under the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS). Mobile courts began visiting IDP camps in December to provide much-needed services for families and individuals seeking to obtain essential civil identification documents.

The courts operate with the support and cooperation of QANDIL, a Swedish humanitarian aid organisation that works in partnership with the United Nations refugee agency. QANDIL provides legal assistance to IDPs to facilitate the issuance of documents related to births, deaths, marriages and divorces.

As IDPs are restricted from leaving the camps, the mobile courts serve as an important conduit to the court system.

In the beginning, it was kind of strange to open a court inside the camp, Aram Abdulkareem, a legal team leader in QANDILs Khabat office, told Al Jazeera. We suggested it, and at first they didnt take it seriously. But one of the judges said it was a great idea, and the whole thing started from there.

With the approval of the Nineveh Appeal Court, the courts began operating in the government-run Khazer M1 camp in December. After approximately a month based there, the Iraqi government suggested that the courts be transferred to al-Hamdaniya district. Mobile teams have now been assembled to visit three IDP camps once a week.
India is under the grasp of a majoritarian idea, and while constitutional rights remain, social isolation is worrying.

Among its numerous oddities, India is a land of serial elections. Hardly do a few months go by when national attention is riveted on a fresh round of crucial state or provincial polls.

Since the watershed victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalistic party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP or Indian Peoples Party), in the May 2014 elections, there have been state polls in 15 states and Puducherry, a former French colony which is a Union Territory, euphemism for an overgrown municipality.

These elections were conducted in batches or individually on five occasions, signalling that India has been in the throes of a poll almost every sixth months.

But of all these, the most politically significant elections were in the round which concluded on March 11 with the declaration of results.

People in five states voted for a local or state government in regions varying from the eastern fringe, Manipur, bordering Myanmar, to the tiny state of Goa on Indias western coastline.

A country within a country

Voters mirrored Indias social diversity with the four most significant religious communities, Hindus, Muslims and Christians and Sikhs, being present in significant numbers in the electorate.

In the round of polls, which lasted more than two months from January 4 when the Election Commission called for elections heralding the start of a boisterous campaign, the most crucial was in Uttar Pradesh which, besides being Indias largest state, is also politically the most significant.

Of Indias 12 former prime ministers, seven represented this state and even Modi sought election to the Indian parliament from this state after shifting from Gujarat, his birthplace and the state where he was chief minister for 13 years.

In times of size, UP is astonishing, for with a population of 204 million it almost matches Brazil. Equally significant is the fact that 19 percent of its population is Muslim, the religious community periodically locked in conflict with Hindus.

At 38,760,000, the number of Muslims in UP is more than the population of several Islamic nations. Moreover, it must have always been borne in mind that British India was divided on a religious basis and although India opted to remain a secular nation, in contrast to Pakistan which declared itself an Islamic nation, the Hindu-Muslim conflict has been at the centre of several political disruptions and remains an unresolved issue.

OPINION: Indias Bihar election is a test case for Modi

Insecurity among Muslims has increased steadily since the 1980s as the BJP emerged from the sidelines and acquired centre stage. Anxiety about safety and political representation has grown steadily since Modi came to power because of promotion of hardline Hindutva policies.

He is the second prime minister from his party, but the previous administration between 1998 and 2004 was a coalition. Modi led his party to become the first in three decades to secure a majority.

Moreover, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the previous prime minister from the BJP, was a moderate leader who attempted to sack Modi after the state-complicity Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002.

Landslide victory for BJP

UP was in the spotlight during these polls because the BJP won 73 of the 80 parliamentary seats in the state in 2014 and was instrumental in providing Modi with a clear majority.

The party had been out of power in the state for 15 years after losing in consecutive elections to regional parties, and this election presented BJP with the chance to stage a comeback.

As the results stored in electronic voting machines were tallied on Saturday, the entire nation watched agape as projections of even the most optimistic of exit polls were overtaken by the results.

When the numbers counter for the BJP and its two small allies eventually stopped rolling, it showed that with 325 seats in the 403-member state assembly, the BJP had won more than 80 percent of the seats.

No party has ever registered such a mammoth tally, not even that of Indira Gandhi, whose best mark was 309 in 1980.

Like all majoritarian or authoritarian leaders who assume office through democratic means, forcing the global community to accord respect, Modi has used India's demographic clout and is regarded as an international star. by

With this victory and in terms of popularity, Modi now clearly matches Indira Gandhi, and if he remains on the same trajectory, will eventually overtake Indias first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who was elected to three terms.

In fact, the verdict is nothing short of an unprecedented renewal of mandate for Modi. All contentious measures undertaken over past several months and divisive statements made in the course of the electoral campaign were endorsed by more than 41 percent of the people, which may be less than an absolute majority but is enough in Indias first-past-the-post electoral system to claim majority approval.

Significantly, the victory is ideological as well as programmatic because despite the large number of Muslims in the state, the BJP did not put up a single Muslim candidate.

From a total of 69 in the previous assembly, the number of Muslim legislators has fallen to 24 but, significantly, there are none in the Treasury Benches, which are the seats allotted to ruling party members and ministers.

In fact, the political isolation and irrelevance of Muslims has come about steadily under Modi, and because this has enabled him to consolidate Hindus behind him, the ploy is unlikely to be given up.

India is firmly under the grasp of a majoritarian idea, and while constitutional rights  irrespective of religion  remain, social isolation has reached worrying propositions. This obviously has left a large number of secular Indians, including Hindus, with a sense of queasiness.

Legitimacy through the results

The verdict also means approval for the controversial decisions to demonetise almost 86 percent of the currency notes in November and making public a counterterrorist military strike in Pakistani territory.

Despite being regarded almost universally as an example of bad economics, scraping high-value currency notes has been hailed as wise politics.

Similarly, the so-called surgical strikes against Pakistan have been lauded even though there has been little decline in terrorist activity in troubled Jammu and Kashmir.

The two issues enabled Modi to build a majoritarian and pro-poor plank for the election and the verdict demonstrates that the strategy has been successful.

In 2014 as well as during campaigns in state elections that have followed, Modi alternated between raising Hindu nationalistic sentiments and populist economic and social measures.

As electoral strategy, this has proved to be an unbeatable combination and currently Modi appears invincible except in states where he is faced with strong regional leaders.

The states scheduled to go to the hustings before parliamentary polls in the summer of 2019 are expected to favour the BJP, enabling Modi to begin his next national election with a huge advantage.

Like all majoritarian or authoritarian leaders who assume office through democratic means, forcing the global community to accord respect, Modi has used Indias demographic clout and is regarded as an international star.

OPINION: Indias demonetisation quagmire and its victims

His global following has been demonstrated not just among the Indian diaspora, but also among governments and legislators. Memories of a standing ovation at his address to the joint session of the United States Congress last year is fresh in the mind and this verdict will undoubtedly increase his wow factor.

Because the world community looks at final figures and places with more emphasis on economic and security matters, Modi is unlikely to lose friends globally although majoritarianism has moved towards becoming state policy.

His is also seen as an ally in the West-led fight against global terror as a consequence of which, barring odd voices or those from rights groups, few will raise a stink of growing social marginalisation of Muslims and other religious minorities.

India, as the world has known it for most years since independence, is in for deep-freeze. If there was any doubt, this has just confirmed by the staggering verdict from Indias most populous state.

Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay is a Delhi-based writer and journalist with a special interest in Hindu nationalistic politics. He is the author of Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The decolonisation of the mind is among the greatest challenges todays Indians have to face.

I recently wrote to the government of India to propose that one of Indias most renowned heritage buildings, the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, be converted into a museum that displays the truth of the British Raj  a museum, in other words, to colonial atrocities.

This famous monument, built between 1906 and 1921, stands testimony to the glorification of the British Raj in India. It is time, I argued, that it be converted to serve as a reminder of what was done to India by the British, who conquered one of the richest countries in the world (27 percent of global gross domestic product in 1700) and reduced it to, after over two centuries of looting and exploitation, one of the poorest, most diseased and most illiterate countries on Earth by the time they left in 1947.

Why do we need a museum?

It is curious that there is, neither in India nor in Britain, any museum to the colonial experience. London is dotted with museums that reflect its imperial conquests, from the Imperial War Museum to the India collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum itself.

But none says anything about the colonial experience itself, the destruction of Indias textile industry and the depopulation of the great weaving centres of Bengal, the systematic collapse of shipbuilding, or the extinction of Indias fabled wootz steel.

Nor is there any memorial to the massacres of the Raj, from Delhi in 1857 to Amritsar in 1919, the deaths of 35 million Indians in totally unnecessary famines caused by British policy, or the divide and rule policy that culminated in the horrors of Partition in 1947 when the British made their shambolic and tragic Brexit from the subcontinent. The lack of such a museum is striking.

Surprisingly, large sections of both Indians and British still remain unaware of the extent of these imperial crimes against humanity.

READ MORE: The Victorian Muslims of Britain

This became evident when a speech I made at an Oxford Union debate in 2015, on whether Britain owed its former colonies reparations, went viral. Whereas I assumed that everyone knew the issues involved, the speechs online popularity revealed that millions felt I had opened their eyes to their own history.

My Indian publisher, David Davidar, persuaded me to write a book on the British Empire in India that expanded on my Oxford arguments. The resulting volume, An Era of Darkness, published in the United Kingdom as Inglorious Empire, has become a bestseller in both countries.

Self-serving benefits

But while the facts and figures the book provides on colonial wrongs could all serve as lasting reminders of the iniquities of the Raj, some may still surprise.

Many apologists for British rule have argued that there were several benefits to India from it; the most common example cited is the Indian Railways, portrayed as a generous British endowment to knit the country together and transport its teeming millions.

But in reality, the railways were conceived, designed and intended only to enhance British control of the country and reap further economic benefits for the British.

Their construction was a big colonial scam, through which British shareholders made an absurdly high return on capital, paid for by the hapless Indian taxpayer.

Thanks to guaranteed returns, there was no check on spending, and each mile of Indian railway construction in the 1850s and 1860s cost an average of $22,000, as against $2,500 in the United States at the same time.

The British basked in the Indian sun and yearned for their cold and fog-ridden homeland; they sent the money they had taken off the perspiring brow of the Indian worker to England; and whatever little they did for India, they ensured India paid for it in excess. by

Indian passengers paid unfairly high rates, while British companies paid the lowest freight charges in the world. It was only after Independence that these priorities were reversed.

Similarly, some imperial nostalgics speak of Britains high-minded administration of the Empire, supposedly for the benefit of the natives. In practice, they ruled India for themselves, and were privately quite candid about their own motives.

The British basked in the Indian sun and yearned for their cold and fog-ridden homeland; they sent the money they had taken off the perspiring brow of the Indian worker to England; and whatever little they did for India, they ensured India paid for it in excess.

And at the end of it all, they went home to enjoy their retirements in damp little cottages with Indian names, their alien rest cushioned by generous pensions supplied by Indian taxpayers.

Leftovers of the colonial era

In the process, they left behind many less tangible legacies of British colonialism that continue to affect Indians.

These include the parliamentary system of democracy, enshrined by Indian nationalists in their Constitution for an independent India, which reflected the very British parliamentary democracy that Indians had been excluded from.

The Westminster model of democracy, devised in a tiny and homogeneous island nation, is unsuited to a vast and diverse country like India.

It requires the election of the legislature in order to form the executive, resulting in legislators less interested in law-making or government accountability than the prospect of executive authority.

India has been saddled with all the inefficiencies such a system creates in a diverse multi-party polity, whereas the presidential form of government practised in the US might have provided the stability required for effective decision-making unencumbered by unstable legislative majorities. But the British model prevailed, as it has in most of Britains former colonies.

Obsolete colonial laws continue to apply in India, which inherited a penal code drafted in the Victorian era.

The sedition law in India was worse than the equivalent law in Britain because it was written explicitly to oppress the colonised people.

Similarly, homosexuality is outlawed under Section 377 of the code in denial of the liberal standards of Indian society reflected in the ancient Hindu texts, which were suppressed when the British imposed Victorian attitudes to permissible sexual behaviour on India.

OPINION: Wests problematic embrace of Indias Modi

Ironically, the British have dropped both prohibitions themselves, but India remains unable to outgrow the colonial legacy. The legal and educational systems confirm that the decolonisation of the mind is among the greatest challenges todays Indians have to face.

This is why the need for a place to house permanent exhibits about what the British did to India is compelling.

An enduring reminder is needed, both for Indian schoolchildren to educate themselves and for British tourists to visit for their own enlightenment. As I say to young Indians: if you dont know where you have come from, how will you appreciate where you are going?

Shashi Tharoor is an elected member of Indias parliament and chairs its Foreign Affairs Committee. He is the prize-winning author of sixteen books, including, most recently, Inglorious Empire: What the British Did To India.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Park Geun-hyes sacking may be seen as a triumph of democracy, but the pressure will soon mount on her replacement.

J Berkshire Miller is the director of the Council on International Policy.

After months of political uncertainty and intense protests and division in South Korea, the constitutional court in Seoul reached a decision this past week to uphold the impeachment  from last December  of President Park Geun-hye.

The demise of Park finally closes a messy chapter of Korean politics, which showcased the disgraced leader ensnared in a bizarre and very public scandal involving her collusion with a friend, whom she used as an unsanctioned political adviser.

The nightmare is not over now for the former leader either, as Park now likely faces criminal charges on bribery, corruption and embezzlement.

On one hand, the courts decision has allowed the country a penultimate democratic moment after millions of South Koreans took to the streets over the past few months to denounce Park and the charges of political corruption and the nexus with the Korean business conglomerates  referred to as chaebol in the country.

Samsung  long the corporate flag-bearer for South Koreas remarkable economic growth over the past two decades  has had its reputation soiled through the scandal.

The corporate giants chairman and corporate princeling, Lee Jae-yong, has been charged with bribery, embezzlement and perjury and  if convicted on all fronts  could face up to 20 years in prison.

Samsung is accused of paying nearly $40m to Choi Soon-sil, the infamous unsanctioned friend and adviser of Park, in order to secure political favours.





An opportunity for cleansing

In this sense, Parks impeachment and the public airing of South Koreas dirty laundry  such as the long shady nexus between corporate and politic interests  provides an opportunity for the country to heal and learn from the difficult and internationally embarrassing episode.

This may provide the political drive needed to cleanse South Korean politics from its institutional traditions and practices vis-a-vis the chaebol.

But the reality is that this is much easier said than done  and the lack of appetite for true progressives, in addition to acute international and security pressures, will constrain the pace of South Koreas evolution past the Park era.

How are things slated to shake out in the coming months? First, Parks impeachment has now officially kicked off a sprint to an election for a leader in South Korea, with an election likely to take place on May 9  60 days following the courts ruling as per constitutional laws.

While time is short for Parks successors to officially campaign for the post  the election cycle has already been in full swing since Parks impeachment last December, as most experts believed that the Constitutional Court would uphold the National Assemblys decision on impeachment.

Tectonic political shifts

In the wake of Parks scandal there have been tectonic political shifts in Seoul and it looks likely that her successor will be left of centre.

Moon Jae-in is the current front-runner in the polls  with 32 percent  and his political comeback would be a remarkable turnaround after his crushing loss to Park during the presidential election in 2012.

Moon, the former chief of Koreas centre-left Minjoo opposition party, has advocated for tougher controls on the chaebols in the wake of Choi-gate scandal.

Regardless how the election campaign develops in the coming two months, it seems that the dye has been cast against the conservatives in South Korea. by

Moon, who would be the first liberal leader in nearly a decade if elected, has also pressed for a more dovish approach to North Korea and has promised to look at re-opening the Kaesong industrial complex with Pyongyang.

Moon has similarly been sceptical about the tougher approach taken by the Park administration on North Korea  such as their decision to deploy the controversial Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile battery, a move that has created deep tension with China.

Aside from Moon, other potential candidates to replace Park include Ahn Hee-jung, the centrist former governor of South Chungcheong province, who is currently running a distant second to Moon in polls with 17 percent.

Interim President Hwang Kyo-ahn, put in place after Parks impeachment last December, stands in third and faces a difficult challenge to distance himself from the scandal.

INTERACTIVE: The impeachment of Park Geun-hye

Regardless how the election campaign develops in the coming two months, it seems that the dye has been cast against the conservatives in South Korea and it is almost a certainty  unless there is a dramatic scandal or incident  that there will be a progressive leader in the Blue House later this spring.

This may be seen as a triumph of democracy and the ousting of Park has satiated some of her detractors, but the pressure will also soon mount on Moon or whoever else is tapped as her replacement.

The next leader will face a host of intense challenges  both foreign and domestic  including rising household debt, income inequality, regulations on the chaebol, tensions with China and  perhaps most critically  an evolving security crisis on the peninsula with North Korea. The hard part starts now.

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.
Ahmad Daqamseh opened fire on Israeli schoolgirls on a trip to the Jordan-Israel border in 1997.

A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 was released after serving 20 years in prison.

Ahmed Daqamseh was given a rousing welcome in his home village in northern Jordan after being freed on Sunday. He expressed no remorse for the killings.

Daqamseh was greeted by chanting supporters who kissed him on the cheek and raised a photo of him with the caption, Welcome to the hero Daqamseh.

The soldier opened fire on a group of Israeli students at the scenic Island of Peace border post in March 1997, killing seven and wounding seven, including a teacher.

The release of this hero has cheered us. Israel has committed crimes against many Jordanians that were never accounted for, said Saleh Armouti, a leading parliamentarian.

READ MORE: Jordan-Israel natural gas deal in focus

A Jordanian military court deemed Daqamseh mentally unstable and sentenced him to life in prison, rather than imposing the death penalty.

Jordan announced several days ago that Daqamseh would be released this week after completing his term. Prisoners can be released after serving 20 years of a life sentence in Jordan.

Israels government had no comment on Sunday.

Daqamsehs motives were never entirely clear, but he told the national security court at the time that he fired his weapon at the schoolgirls after they mocked him while he was praying.

Jordans then-ruler King Hussein condemned the attack and later travelled to Israel to offer his condolences to the families of the murdered schoolgirls. Amman also paid compensation.

Unfortunate decision

Yisrael Fatihi, whose 13-year-old daughter Sivan was killed in the attack, told Israel Radio on Sunday that he had been informed by the Israeli embassy in Jordan last week that Daqamsehs release was imminent.

It is unfortunate, but this is the situation, Fatihi said of the Jordanian governments decision.

Fatihi recalled King Husseins condolence visit, saying he and his family had been sitting on the floor in mourning at the time and the monarch knelt down next to them.

We told him we really appreciated his visit, Fatihi said.





Nurit, his wife, told AP news agency: Despite the murder we are for peace.

Following Daqamsehs release, Jordanian security forces set up checkpoints along the access road to his village, preventing journalists from entering with cameras.

Daqamseh was hospitalised in 2014 after he went on a five-day hunger strike to demand his release.

His strike followed Jordanian politicians demanding he be freed after Israeli soldiers killed a Jordanian judge in a scuffle at the Allenby Bridge border crossing with the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Jordan in 2011 had to distance itself from a newly appointed ministers remarks that Daqamseh was a hero after Israel summoned Jordans ambassador.
Ramallah, West Bank  Palestinian police violently suppressed a demonstration over a court case against slain activist Basil al-Araj and five others imprisoned by the Palestinian Authority (PA) last year.

A prominent activist and youth movement leader, Araj, 31, was killed in an Israeli raid in Ramallah last week.

About 200 people took part in what was a peaceful gathering on Sunday until Palestinian security forces and riot police intervened to break it up, violently arresting its leaders, firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets, and swinging batons to disperse the group.

At least 11 people were injured, including Arajs father, and were transferred to the nearby Ramallah hospital.

Security forces prevented many Palestinian journalists from covering the event, assaulting some and breaking their equipment. Protesters chanted slogans against the judges responsible for ruling on the case and held pictures of Araj.

Altercations began when police arrived at the scene and formed a wall in front of the district court, shoving protesters back.

A number of demonstrators were arrested, including Islamic Jihad leader Khader Adnan.

Were here against all political arrests, against all political courts, Lema Nazeeh, a lawyer and activist, told Al Jazeera.

The PA should take responsibility for protecting people, not taking them to court and making them into easy targets for the Israeli army, she added.

The official news agency Wafa quoted police spokesman Louay Azriqat as saying security forces treated the [protesters] with force, in accordance with the law, in order to open up the street and get things back to normal.A request for comment from the Palestinian Authority went unanswered.

Palestinian security forces arrested Araj in April 2016 along with Muhammad al-Salamin, Haitham Siyaj, Muhammad Harb, Seif al-Idrissi, and Ali Dar al-Sheikh on allegations they held unlicensed weapons and were planning to carry out an attack on Israeli targets.

In late August, the six men staged a hunger strike to protest torture and mistreatment while in detention. The group was released without charge after nine days on hunger strike, but four were immediately re-arrested by Israeli forces and are currently in Israeli custody.

The case sparked widespread criticism of the Palestinian Authoritys security coordination with Israel.

READ MORE: Palestinians protest against Basil al-Arajs killing

Araj had been in hiding since his release.

His death  in a violent raid during which Israel said its forces engaged in a two-hour shoot-out with the fugitive  has been seen by some as a turning point.

But on Sunday court authorities announced they would go forward with the case against the activists, despite Arajs death and the fact four of the men are in Israeli detention.

We are protesting against the Palestinian Authority who imprisoned Basil in the past and today wants to judge him, Omar Assaf, a member of the Palestinian BDS National Committee, told Al Jazeera at the demonstration.

[The protesters] are friends and people who love Basil and his way. They call on Abbas and the Palestinian Authority to stop security coordination with Israel.

Araj was revered by many as a beacon of resistance to the Israeli occupation.

Thaer Anis  an activist with the Jerusalem branch of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee who worked with Araj during his years of activism  told Al Jazeera his death was a stark reminder of the situation on the ground.

In Basils idea, there is a new message. We have two things we must struggle against: the politics in Palestine and the occupation,' Anis said. We will follow it.
Angry bystanders set the bus ablaze after driver sped away after driving into a band of street musicians.

At least 34 people have been killed and 17 injured when a bus ploughed into a crowd outside the northern Haitian city of Gonaives.

Marie-Alta Jean Baptiste, head of Haitis civil protection office, told AFP news agency on Sunday that first, the bus ran over two pedestrians, killing one and injuring the other.

Then the driver rammed into a band of street musicians while trying to speed away, killing 33 others. The incident took place about 150km from the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The vehicle crashed into a rara parade. Rara parades are groups of musicians playing traditional instruments who are often joined by passers-by.

Emergency workers transported the injured to a hospital, while police tried to control an angry crowd that attacked the bus.

After the incident, other musicians and people in the parade began hurling rocks at the bus and passing vehicles, injuring other people, said Albert Moulion, the Ministry of the Interiors spokesman.

The people who were not victims of the accident tried to burn the bus with the passengers inside, said Faustin Joseph, a coordinator at the civic protection office in the Artibonite region.

The bus, the passengers, and the driver were all placed into the care of local authorities, Joseph said.

The bus was travelling from Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince at the time of the incident.

Jovenel Moise, Haitis president, later on Sunday expressed his deep sadness following the terrible accident in a statement.

The head of state conveys, on behalf of the whole government, his sincere condolences to the families and those close to the victims, the statement read.

Moise called for an investigation as soon as possible to shine light on this tragedy.
Regional Chinese officials make repeated warnings about threat of religious extremism during meeting in Beijing.

Chinas ruling Communist Party has hardened its rhetoric on Islam, with top officials making repeated warnings about the spectre of global religious extremism seeping into the country, and the need to protect traditional Chinese identity.

Sharhat Ahan, a top party official in Xinjiang, on Sunday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn political leaders gathered in Beijing that the international anti-terror situation is destabilising China.

Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim, warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism.

READ MORE: Is China changing its policy towards Uighur Muslims?

Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianguo drew comparisons to the policies of US President Donald Trumps administration to make his point.

What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence, Li said. This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban.

It doesnt matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the US or it promotes stability, its about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture.

Over the past year, President Xi Jinping has directed the party to Sinicise the countrys ethnic and religious minorities.

Regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur ethnic minority, have also ramped up surveillance measures, police patrols and demonstrations amid fear of violence blamed on Muslim groups.

Although some scholars question whether global armed networks have penetrated China, top Chinese officials are increasingly echoing calls to counter extremism.

News of growing anti-Islam sentiment come as the South China Morning Post published a story about the growing popularity of similar anti-Islam expressions online targeting young Chinese Muslims.

Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago.

The roots of the Hui are in China, Wu said. To discuss religious consciousness, we must first discuss Chinese consciousness. To discuss the feelings of minorities, we must first discuss the feelings of the Chinese people.

The Communist Party has long viewed religion with suspicion but has generally granted a fair degree of religious freedom to its Hui minority, especially in their heartland of Ningxia, where mosques dot the skyline.

The party has kept a far tighter grip over Xinjiangs Uighurs  who have a language, culture and physical features that are more closely linked to Central Asia  partly due to the existence of a decades-old separatist movement.

Mohammed al-Sudairi, a doctoral student at the University of Hong Kong, said theres a strengthening trend of viewing Islam as a problem in Chinese society.





Xi Jinping has been quite anxious about what he saw as the loss of party-state control over the religious sphere when he entered power, which necessitated this intervention. I dont think things will take a softer turn.

In Xinjiang, where hundreds of people have died in recent years in violent attacks, the governments rising rhetoric has coincided with new security measures that activists said exacerbate a cycle of repression, radicalisation and violence.

The government, meanwhile, said Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters allegedly linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), though it provides little evidence for such claims.

ISIL released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.

On Friday, Xi met Xinjiang officials, according to state media, and directed them to safeguard the regions stability by erecting a metaphorical great wall of iron, a reference to the military response following the pro-democracy protest in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
Rebel alliance formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda said it was behind blasts targeting Shia pilgrims that killed dozens.

An alliance of fighters in Syria known as Tahrir al-Sham has claimed responsibility for twin bombings attacking Shia pilgrims in the centre of Damascus that killed at least 40 people.

On Saturday  a twin attack was carried out by two heroes of Islam  in the centre of the capital Damascus, killing and wounding dozens, the statement said.

The group, a large portion of which previously fought as an al-Qaeda affiliate, said the attack targeted Iranian militias and pro-government fighters in revenge for what it said was Irans role in supporting President Bashar al-Assads tyrannical rule, holding them responsible for killing and displacing Syrians.

Iran and the Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement of Lebanon are close allies of the Syrian government.





The death toll from the blasts remained unclear as of Sunday.

Syrian state television said 40 people were killed and 120 wounded by two bombs detonated by terrorists, while Iraqs foreign ministry said 40 of its nationals had died.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 76 people, including 43 Iraqi pilgrims, were killed when a roadside bomb detonated as a bus made its way through the Bab al-Saghir area of Damascus famed Old City, and then a suicide bomber blew himself up.

The war monitor said 11 bystanders and eight children were killed in the blasts, as well as 20 members of pro-government security forces.

In January, the Tahrir al-Sham alliance also claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of Damascus that killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

The centre of Damascus has been largely spared the violence that has rocked other major cities in Syrias six-year war.

But periodic bombings have targeted Shia shrines and were subsequently claimed by groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).
US envoy to anti-ISIL coalition says neighbourhoods held by the armed group are completely surrounded by Iraqi forces.

Iraqi security forces have seized control of more than one-third of western Mosul after a week of steady gains in their battle to retake the ISIL-held city where 600,000 civilians are trapped.

Staff Major-General Maan al-Saadi of Iraqs elite Counter-Terrorism Service told AFP news agency on Sunday about 17 of 40 western districts of the second-largest city had been retaken from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

READ MORE: Iraqs UN envoy  No evidence ISIL used chemical weapons





It was not possible to independently confirm the claim.

The enemy has lost its fighting power and its resolve has weakened. It has begun to lose command and control, said Saadi.

He said his forces were fighting ISIL  also known as ISIS  inside the Mosul al-Jadida and al-Aghawat areas on Sunday.

Iraqs joint operations command said another special forces unit and federal police were attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of Mosuls Old City.

The battle is not easy  We are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions, and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens, said Brigadier-General Yahya Rasool.

Later on Sunday, Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the anti-ISIL coalition, said the remaining western Mosul neighbourhoods held by the group were completely surrounded by Iraqi forces.

ISIL is trapped. Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul, he said.

Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, theyre going to die there, because theyre trapped. So, we are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys cannot escape.

McGurk said that ISIL had already lost more than 60 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq.

INFOGRAPHIC: Battle for Mosul  Who controls what

As many as 600,000 civilians are trapped with ISIL fighters inside west Mosul.

More than 65,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in the past two weeks, bringing the total number to more than 200,000 since the campaign to recapture Mosul began last October, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

ISIL seized Mosul in mid-2014 when the group swept across areas north and west of Baghdad, taking control of swaths of territory and declaring a cross-border caliphate in Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

Backed by US-led air strikes and other military support, Iraqi forces have since retaken much of the territory they lost.

Losing Mosul would be a major blow to ISIL, but the group is expected to pose a continuing threat, reverting to guerrilla-style tactics such as bombings.
Dozens missing after huge landslide at decades-old landfill site near the capital buries squatters makeshift homes.

At least 46 people have been killed and dozens are missing after a landslide struck at a massive rubbish dump on the outskirts of Ethiopias capital.

The landslide late on Saturday levelled more than 30 makeshift homes of squatters living inside the Koshe landfill on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, said Dagmawit Moges, head of the citys communications bureau.

Moges said most of the dead were women and children and more bodies were expected to be found in the coming hours.

It was not immediately clear what caused Saturday nights disaster. We expect the number of victims to increase because the landslide covered a relatively large area, he said.

The landfill has been a dumping ground for the capitals rubbish for more than 50 years.

About 150 people were at the site when the landslide occurred, resident Assefa Teklemahimanot told The Associated Press news agency, adding dozens were still missing.

Addis Ababa Mayor Diriba Kuma said 37 people had been rescued and were receiving medical treatment.

Many people at the site had been scavenging items to make a living, but others live at the landfill because renting homes nearby, largely built of mud and sticks.

My house was right inside there, said a shaken Tebeju Asres, pointing to where one of the excavators was digging in deep, black mud. My mother and three of my sisters were there when the landslide happened. Now, I dont know the fate of all of them.

The resumption of rubbish dumping at the site in recent months likely caused the landslide, Assefa said.

Dumping had stopped in recent years, but it resumed after farmers in a nearby restive region, where a new landfill complex was being built, blocked dumping in their area.

READ MORE: Ethiopia declares state of emergency over protests

Smaller landslides have occurred at the Koshe landfill in the past two years, Assefa said.

In the long run, we will conduct a resettling programme to relocate people who live in and around the landfill, the Addis Ababa mayor said.

About 500 waste-pickers are believed to work at the landfill every day, sorting through the debris from the capitals estimated four million residents. City officials say close to 300,000 tonnes of waste are collected each year from the capital, most of it dumped at the landfill.

Since 2010, city officials have warned the site was running out of room for rubbish.

City officials in recent years have been trying to turn the rubbish into a source of clean energy with a $120mn investment. The Koshe waste-to-energy facility, which has been under construction since 2013, is expected to generate 50 megawatts of electricity upon completion.
Police charge 64-year-old man with arson after he attempted to set shop ablaze to run the Arabs out of our country.

A man in the US state of Florida faces a first-degree arson charge after attempting to set a convenience store ablaze because he thought it was owned by Muslims.

Richard Leslie Lloyd, 64, told police he tried to set the Port St Lucie shop on fire to run the Arabs out of our country, according to news reports on Sunday.

According to police, however, the shop owners were of Indian descent.

Local television channel WPTV reported that Lloyd was angry at Arabs due to what they are doing in the Middle East.

The intended target was the Met Mart store in the town 180km north of the city of Miami.

INTERACTIVE: Mapping hate  The rise of hate groups in the US

According to police, Lloyd carried out the attack on Friday morning while the shop was still closed.

Police said Lloyd was hoping that by setting a rubbish bin on fire he would ignite a bigger blaze targeting the shop.

When the deputies arrived, they noticed the dumpster had been rolled in front of the doors and the contents were lit on fire, Sheriff Ken J Mascara was quoted as saying in a statement.





Upon seeing our deputies, the man put his hands behind his back and said Take me away.

Doing his part for America

Lloyd said he was doing his part for America by carrying out the attack, according to the arrest affidavit.

Its unfortunate that Mr Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Muslim when, in fact, they are of Indian descent, said Mascara.

Regardless, we will not tolerate violence based on age, race, colour, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, mental or physical disability.

Police said they will review Lloyds mental health, and will leave it to prosecutors to determine if he can be charged with a hate crime.

The attack was the latest in a string of recent assaults targeting minorities in the United States.

On March 3, a Sikh man was shot and wounded outside his home in Seattle in Washington state, a day after a man of Indian origin was killed in the US state of South Carolina.

In late February, an Indian engineer working in Kansas was killed and two other people wounded after a gunman shouting racial slurs opened fire on them.
Turkeys leaders continued their verbal assault on the Netherlands on Sunday with its foreign minister accusing his NATO ally of being the capital of fascism.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made the comments in France where he spoke to whip up support among Turkish immigrants for constitutional reforms to expand the powers of the Turkish presidency.

On Saturday, Cavusoglu was denied landing rights by the Netherlands, where he planned to hold a rally in Rotterdam. Holding political rallies for another countrys domestic policies is illegal in Holland.

The Netherlands  the so-called capital of democracy  and I say this in quotation marks because they are actually the capital of fascism, Cavusoglu said on Sunday in the northeastern French city of Metz.

READ MORE: Turkey-Netherlands row shows no sign of ebbing

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday at a rally in Istanbul that it was appropriate to accuse the Dutch government of Nazism and fascism because only those types of regimes would bar foreign ministers from travelling within their countries.

Erdogan also said during a live televised address that the Netherlands would pay the price.





The crisis with the Netherlands is the most serious yet as tensions spiral between Turkey and its EU allies over the desire of top Turkish officials to hold rallies abroad ahead of the April 16 referendum on a new constitution that would give Erdogan greater powers.

The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin, and Ankara is keen to harness their votes.

Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled from the Netherlands after being prevented from addressing a rally in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam on Saturday.

The latest row came after NATO allies Turkey and Germany sparred over the cancellation of a series of referendum campaign events there.

The West has clearly shown its true face in the last couple of days, Erdogan said. What we have seen in the last days is a clear manifestation of Islamophobia.

READ MORE: Turkey tells Dutch ambassador: Dont hurry back

After the unprecedented diplomatic fight, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Sunday he would seek to control the damage caused by the weekend incidents. He denounced the comments about fascism.

This country, as the mayor of Rotterdam pointed out yesterday, was bombed during the Second World War by the Nazis. Its totally unacceptable to talk in this way, Rutte said in The Hague.

The diplomatic fight comes at a tough time in the Netherlands, which has national elections on Wednesday, and where issues of Dutch identity and relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken centre stage.

In a neck-and-neck race, the parties of either Rutte or populist firebrand Geert Wilders could end up with the most votes.

Rutte said it was important for his government not to bow to Turkish pressure, especially, he said, after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept its ministers out.

Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail, said Rutte.

Still, added the prime minister, his government will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate.

The Dutch foreign ministry said on Sunday that Turkish authorities are responsible for the safety of Dutch diplomats in Turkey.

Meanwhile, Denmarks Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed on Sunday postponing a planned visit by Turkeys Prime Minister Binali Yilderim this month because of the diplomatic row between Turkey and the Netherlands.

France urged Turkey and several EU member states to calm tensions.
In report to parliament, chief justice singles out prominent lawyers severe punishment as one of top accomplishments.

China has praised punishments given to a prominent human rights lawyer and his associates as one of its legal systems top accomplishments last year.

In an annual report to Chinas parliament, Chief Justice Zhou Qiang singled out Zhou Shifeng, who in August was sentenced to seven years in prison for subversion. He said the severe punishment of the crime of endangering state security committed by rights defenders was a key achievement in 2016.

Zhou Shifengs Fengrui law firm was known for taking on cases considered sensitive by the ruling Communist Party, such as those of dissident scholars, victims of sexual abuse and members of banned religious groups.

Activists and lawyers in China are often accused of being in cahoots with foreign organisations trying to undermine national security and stir up opposition to the government.



China fights corruption within ruling party

In the report, chief justice Zhou also praised President Xi Jingpings anti-graft campaign, which he said saw the number of corruption cases tried in Chinas courts last year rise by about a third from 2015.

Xi has presided over a much-publicised crackdown on rampant government corruption since coming to power in 2012, with more than one million officials punished in what some compare to a political purge.

In 2016, Chinese courts heard 45,000 graft cases involving 63,000 people, up from 34,000 cases in 2015.

For overall hearings, the Supreme Peoples Court heard nearly 23,000 cases and local courts heard some 23 million last year, with only 1,076 defendants found not guilty, according to data cited by Zhou.

OPINION: Curbing Chinese corruption

In a separate report to the assembly, Chinas top prosecutor, Cao Jianming, said that the government last year initiated investigations against 47,650 people for taking advantage of their official posts. He said 48 officials above the rank of minister were prosecuted, including Ling Jihua, a former chief of staff to ex-President Hu Jintao who was sentenced to life in prison in July for taking bribes, illegally obtaining state secrets and abusing power.



China: Activist Hu Shigen jailed for subversion

Zhou Qiang also said that China, which is believed to execute more people than the rest of the world combined, gave the death penalty to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely serious offences in the past 10 years.

The actual number of executions in China is a state secret. A 2007 decision that all death sentences must be reviewed by the Supreme Peoples Court is believed to have reduced the number of executions dramatically.

Dui Hua, a US-based rights group, estimated that about 2,400 people were executed in China in 2013, one-tenth the number in 1983. It said that according to its sources, the number of annual executions remained largely unchanged in 2014 and 2015.

China typically hands out death sentences in cases of murder, rape, robbery and drug offences.
Park Geun-hye leaves Blue House after Constitutional Court removes her from office after massive corruption scandal.

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the countrys Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal.

South Korean television showed Park leaving the Blue House in a motorcade of fast-driving black cars, flanked by police motorbikes, after bidding farewell to staff, an official said. She was heading for her home in the Gangnam district of the capital, Seoul, where hundreds of flag-waving supporters waited.

President Park Geun-hye has just now departed the Blue House and headed for her private home, a Blue House official said by text message.

The Constitutional Court formally removed Park from office on Friday, upholding an impeachment motion filed by politicians in December amid suspicions that she colluded with a confidante to extort money and favours from companies and allowed the friend to secretly manipulate state affairs.

The ruling ended a power struggle that had consumed the nation for months and marked a stunning downfall for Park, who convincingly defeated her liberal opponent in 2012 with overwhelming support from older South Koreans, who remembered her father, a former South Korean leader, as a hero.

Hundreds of Parks supporters stood near her private home for hours on Sunday before she vacated the Blue House. They waved the South Korean flag and photos of Park and her late father, Park Chung-hee, singing the national anthem and shouting Nullify impeachment!

Members of Parks conservative party also gathered at her home.

Al Jazeeras Rob McBride, reporting from Seoul, said there were many people in the country who did not agree with the outcome of the court ruling.

OPINION: South Koreas next leader will face intense challenges

There is a very large body of supporters here in South Korea who feel very protective towards her, who feel shes been hounded out of office and who think shes been treated unfairly, McBride said.

Workers were earlier seen unloading a television, washing machine, bed and other household items from trucks and carrying them into Parks house.

Park no longer has immunity from prosecution and may face criminal charges including extortion, bribery and abuse of power.

She has not made a public statement since Fridays court ruling. She earlier apologised for putting trust in her jailed friend, Choi Soon-sil, but strongly denied any legal wrongdoing.

Park, 65, is South Koreas first democratically elected leader to be forced from office.

South Korea now has to elect a new president by early May. Opinion polls show liberal Moon Jae-in, who lost to Park in 2012, as the favourite to become the countrys next leader.
PM says Dutch move to stop two Turkish ministers from holding political rallies shows who Turkeys real friends are.

A diplomatic row between the Dutch and Turkish government shows no sign of ebbing, with the Netherlands barring Turkeys foreign minister from entering the country and forcing the Turkish family affairs minister to leave the country.

Both Turkish officials wanted to hold rallies for Dutch Turks to gain support for a constitutional referendum to be be held in April.

In a written statement on Sunday, Binali Yildirim, Turkeys prime minister, said Turkey would take strong countermeasures as a response to the Dutch actions.

Our so-called European friends, who mention democracy, freedom of speech and human rights, have, in the face of this event, once again failed the class, he said, adding that the recent events showed who Turkeys real friends are.

The events he was referring to included Saturdays occurrences in the city of Rotterdam, where Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, Turkeys family affairs minister, wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak to a pro-Turkish crowd.

However, Dutch authorities refused Kaya access to the building, resulting in a standoff between Dutch police and the Turkish minister and her security detail.

READ MORE: Netherlands revokes landing rights for Mevlut Cavusoglu

She was eventually declared an unwanted alien and deported to Germany, leading to skirmishes between Dutch Turks and riot police shortly after midnight in Rotterdam, which houses a large Dutch community of Turkish descent.

In a statement, the Dutch government said Kaya and the Turkish government were told she was not welcome in the Netherlands.





Despite these warnings, Kaya travelled to Rotterdam, where she was stopped by Dutch policemen before entering the consulate.

She then refused to leave her armoured car, leading to a stalemate that went on for about an hour.

In a statement, the Dutch government said: Prime Minister [Mark] Rutte and Minister of Foreign Affairs [Bert] Koenders then called their Turkish counterparts to discuss the situation. These deliberations led to Kaya leaving the Netherlands via the German border.

Mayors accusations

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said in a statement the Turkish consul-general in Rotterdam had scandalously misled Dutch authorities about the nights events and Kayas visit to the city.

He said the consul-general had called for people to come to the consulate despite an area ban being in place.

For her part, Kaya said on Twitter that democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms were forgotten in Rotterdam.

As an elected minister, a Turkish citizen and a woman l will never give up against this unlawful treatment, she said.

After Kaya was forced to leave, a crowd of about 1,000 protesters outside the Turkish consulate clashed with riot police, leading to several arrests and many people suffering injuries.

READ MORE: Turkeys constitutional reform  All you need to know

Around 2:30am local time, riot police were able to disperse the crowd, which had thrown stones and pots at them, and restore order to the city after using dogs and water cannons.

Tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey first rose on Saturday after the Dutch authorities barred Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, from landing in the country, citing risks to public order and security.

Dutch authorities have said they do not want Turkish ministers campaigning for the referendum.

After Cavusoglus aircraft was refused landing rights in the Netherlands, he flew to the French city of Metz.

In a response to the Dutch decision, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Netherlands fascists and remnants of Nazis.

Bizarre and unacceptable

Aboutaleb took offence at this comparison.

We have been compared to Nazis. I wonder if they know that I am mayor of a city that was bombed by the Nazis, he said in a response to Erdogans claims.

Rutte called Erdogans accusations bizarre and unacceptable.

As you can imagine, today is not a good day for Dutch-Turkish relations, and we will see how it will develop further, he said.

Apologies

In a reply to Saturdays events, Turkeys foreign affairs minister said an apology from the Dutch government will not be enough. Subsequently he warned of repercussions in response to the Dutch governments actions.

The row between the Netherlands and Turkey comes just days before the Dutch hold their parliamentary elections on March 15.

The tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey follow a row between Germany and Turkey.

Germany refused to approve similar Turkish rallies for the referendum, which led to a German authorities also being accused of Nazi practices by Erdogan.










English News China-Arab States Expo to light up bilateral cooperation

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



The 2016 expo was held in Cairo, Egypt, the first time the expo was held outside of China. Starting from 2016, the event will be hosted by Ningxia in singular years and the Arab countries in plural years.

By Zhu Lei, Fang Kaiyan and Huan Xiang from People's Daily This years China-Arab States Expo is now under intense preparation in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The upcoming business event is believed to light up bilateral cooperation as a new name card.

The China-Arab States Expo, now more influential among Arab countries, is a platform to promote high-level dialogue, strengthen policy communication, seek economic and trade collaboration, and advance cultural exchanges.

The wide-covering expo would add new elements every year, and a forum on high-speed trains will be included in this years agenda.

Since the expo was first held in Ningxia in 2010, some 876 agreements of various types have been signed with a total of 435.93 billion yuan ($63.2 billion) in contract value. The deals covered dozens of sectors like technology, finance, energy, agriculture, tourism, culture and education.

The 2016 expo was held in Cairo, Egypt, the first time the expo was held outside of China. Starting from 2016, the event will be hosted by Ningxia in singular years and the Arab countries in plural years.

In the 2015 expo, China and Arab nations, for the first time, agreed to co-build industrial parks. The projects including China-Omani Industrial Park Program and the ocean economy industrial park in Mauritania marked a breakthrough from zero.

Jordan, as an honorary guest of the expo, signed 18 cooperation agreements with a total of 19.8 billion yuan ($ 2.9 billion) in contract value and sold out an estimated 5 tonnes of exhibits.

Projects in key areas were signed at the 2015 expo as well. Intention of cooperation were reached in areas such as wind power technology, energy vehicles, nuclear power, dates pest control technology, water-saving irrigation equipment, intelligent management system of cultivation facilities, and solar desalination technology.



Ningxia is the largest Hui population habitation in China. Data at the end of 2015 showed that the more than 6.68 million Hui people living there account for 36 percent of local population.

Zhang Bawu, director of the development and reform commission of Ningxia, said the China-Arab States Expo and the Ningxia inland economic pilot zone are two golden platforms for Ningxia to open itself to world.

Pic

Business men from China and Arab countries communicate with each other at the 2016 China-Arab States Expo held in Egypt. (Photo by Wang Yunsong from People's 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 China expects to build LMC a flagship initiative for Asian community

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



At present, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) is being implemented in a full and effective manner. The directly concerned countries have returned to the right track of settling their disputes through dialogue and consultation, Wang introduced at a recent press conference.

By Zhao Cheng from Peoples Daily We hope the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism will become a flagship initiative in our efforts to build an Asian community of shared future, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday at the launch ceremony of the LMC China Secretariat in Beijing.



The goal of the LMC is to create an LMC cooperation corridor and forge a community of shared future among the involved nations, he added.



The LMC members cover China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, the six countries along the Mekong River (the Chinese stretch of which is called the Lancang River).



Wang also praised the efficiency and encouraging progress of the preparation work, saying that since the mechanism was born in March 2016, a series of working platforms like leaders' meeting, foreign ministers' meeting and three senior officials' meetings have been completed by the six members in less than a year.



More than half of 45 confirmed early harvest projects have been completed or under implementation, he said, adding that preparation work for five joint working groups on priority areas are moving headway as well.



Financial support rules have been clarified, and some big programs have been put into implementation, Wang added.

The necessity of LMC can also be evident by a severe drought hit countries along the Lancang-Mekong River since late 2015.



Back to then when Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam suffered from the disaster caused by El Nino phenomenon, China, starting from March 2016, discharged water from a dam to the lower reaches of the Mekong River to alleviate their drought.



Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh thanked China for providing water for emergency use amid severe drought, saying that it proves the necessity of the LMC and linked destinies between countries along the river.



China has inked or is discussing cooperation documents with several Mekong river countries on jointly building the Belt and Road, in a bid to better align each others development strategies.



So far, a series of connectivity infrastructural projects, including the road linking Kunming and Bangkok, railway connecting China and Laos, and the railway between China and Thailand, have been constructed or commenced.

Another spate of China-invested business projects, like Long jiang Industrial Park in Vietnam, Saysettha Development Zone in Vientiane of Laos, Rayong Industrial Zone in Thailand, as well as Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone in Cambodia, have grown into model projects for cross-border economic cooperation.



The six members have identified political and security issues, economic and sustainable development, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges as three pillars of their cooperation, same with the construction of ASEAN Community.

Peoples Daily, in a recent commentary under the byline of Zhongsheng, said that Chinas efforts to dock LMC and ASEAN community also declare its firm determination to assist the ASEAN integration process.



The international community has found that the temperature in South China Sea has lowered "significantly".



At present, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) is being implemented in a full and effective manner. The directly concerned countries have returned to the right track of settling their disputes through dialogue and consultation, Wang introduced at a recent press conference.



China and the ten ASEAN countries are advancing the COC consultation to work out a common set of regional rules, he said, adding that the joint working group has produced the first draft of COC framework.



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 has capability to realize 6.5% growth in 2017: economist

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



Justin Yifu Lin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that though quite a number of international and domestic challenges still lay ahead Chinas economy, the around 6.5 percent target is attainable.

By Qiang Wei from Peoples Daily A biggest highlight of Chinas 2017 government work report is to declare the countrys confidence in its economy, a renowned economist told the Peoples Daily, believing that China has the ability to realize the growth target set in the report.



Justin Yifu Lin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that though quite a number of international and domestic challenges still lay ahead Chinas economy, the around 6.5 percent target is attainable.



The Chinese people have the courage, ingenuity, and ability to overcome any difficulty or hardship, and the Chinese economy possesses potential, resilience, and strengths, he gave the reasons behind the conclusion by citing the words of the report.



China is the fastest growing economy in the world, and contributes over 30 percent to world economic expansion each year, he commented on the significance of growth.



Lin predicted in 2012 that China has the potential to keep growing at 8 percent for 20 years starting from 2008. His forecast was doubted by some after China slowed down its economic growth in recent years.



Lin, also Honorary Dean at the National School of Development at Peking University, explained that there must be difference between potential and reality, citing the trees as an example.



Even belonging to the same species, some trees well-nourished will tap their full potential and grow taller than their peers, the economist elaborated.



Economic growth rely on continuous increase of labor productivity driven by technology innovation and industrial upgrade, but China lags behind the developed nations in this subject, Lin pointed out.



As a medium developed country, China has its own advantages as latecomer. Some latecomers in similar conditions indeed posted an annual 8 percent to 9 percent growth in 20 years. So China has the possibility to realize the growth, the scholar continued.



But obstructed by a weak recovery of world economy since the outbreak of financial crisis in 2008, the growth potential of China is not fully leveraged, Lin added.



He said that his judgment was based on analysis of essential factors. Most people are pessimists, so someone described me as an optimist. But I in fact belong to an objective faction, Lin added.



Pics:

Justin Yifu Lin gives interview to the Peoples Daily. Photo by Quan Yajun



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 hopes its ties with Japan head for right direction in anniversary year

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



China hopes to push forward bilateral ties by making the most of key chances including the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties as well as the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan next year.

By Wan Yu, Liu Junguo from Peoples Daily Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday reiterated Chinas clear-cut willingness to improve relations with Japan for the benefits of both peoples, but stressed that China hopes all peace-loving people in Japan will make sure their country will head in the right direction in this important anniversary year.



This year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties, also the 80th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge incident.



Analysts said that the ties between China and Japan, worlds second largest and third largest economies, exert considerable influence not only in the region, but the world at large. The whole world is now closely following the trend of relations between the two major Asian nations in this special year.



Wang made the remarks when asked by TV Asahi on China-Japan ties in this special year at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress.



These two anniversary dates represent two totally different paths, the one leading to peace and friendship and the other to war and confrontation, the minister said.



He further explained that eighty years ago, Japan launched full-scale invasion of China, inflicting horrendous suffering on the people of China and other Asian countries and pushing itself into the dark abyss, while forty-five years ago, Japanese leaders drew the right lesson from history and mended relations with its neighbor, thereby realizing fast development at home.



Noting that some people in Japan are still torn between the two paths and try to reverse the course of history, Wang called for all peace-loving people in Japan to make sure their country will head in the right direction in this important anniversary year.



Of course, we want to improve relations with Japan for the benefit of our two peoples. But first of all, Japan has to adopt the right frame of mind, be sensible and come to terms with the fact of China's development and revitalization, the diplomat reaffirmed the preconditions.



China hopes to push forward bilateral ties by making the most of key chances including the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties as well as the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan next year.



Chinese President Xi Jinping, when meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last September in Hangzhou, told the latter that China's basic standpoint to improve its relations with Japan has not changed.



Xi stressed that China and Japan should adhere to their four political documents and the four-point principled agreement reached in late 2014, in a bid to ensure that their political foundation of bilateral relations will stand firm.



The two countries should properly "manage historical issues, and prevent new issues from emerging" in a bid to cut back on the "stumbling blocks," Xi added.



Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama told the Peoples Daily that at this important time node, Abe should apologize to Chinese people at Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, Crimes Exhibition Hall of Japan's Unit 731 or other memorial venues to commemorate the event.



Japan should keep firm to the four political documents and the four-point principled agreement, he underlined, urging Abe administration to face up to history, respect historic facts, and avoid making wrong decisions on Diaoyu Islands, Yasukuni Shrine and other agendas.



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English News Chinese peacekeepers to Lebanon awarded UN Peace Medal of Honor

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



China will provide a total of 100 million dollars of free military aid to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis in five years, he announced.

By Huan Xiang from Peoples Daily The 410 members of the 15th Chinese peacekeeping force to Lebanon were conferred the United Nations (UN) Peace Medal of Honor on March 8 local time.



The medal-awarding ceremony in honor of the Chinese contingent was held at the Chinese troops' camp in Hinniyah village in southern Lebanon.



The UN Peace Medal of Honor, which is set to commend those prominent contributors to human peace, is an honor for UN peacekeepers of contributing nations.



On behalf of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Pierre Liot de Nortbecourt, chief staff of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), hailed the contribution made by Chinese peacekeeping force, as well as Chinas long-standing commitment to world peace.



With a total of 410 personnel, the Chinese contingent comprises of a multi-functional engineer detachment, a construction engineer detachment and a medical detachment.



They were tasked with missions such as mine-sweeping in Lebanon-Israel border area, battlefield explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), project construction, medical rescue and treatment, and humanitarian assistance, and fulfilled them with outstanding performance.



Contributing more to global peacekeeping missions in recent years, it is not a fresh thing for China to shoulder diversified military tasks. China has been already the top contributor of peacekeeping forces among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.



As part of its efforts to assume international responsibility and obligation with its maximum capability, China has, by this March, sent 25th convoy fleet for the escort mission in the Gulf of Aden.



Chinese blue helmets, in their mission to dispose landmines and unexploded bombs in Lebanon, created a record in terms of both quantity and speed. At the same time, the peacekeepers sent by China to Liberia, Mali and South Sudan are guarding peace in war fire via their efforts to build bridges, roads for local public.



The number of Chinese peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon, South Sudan, Mali and other seven areas has so far totaled at about 2,600. Over the past 26 years, China has sent out a total number of over 33,000 military peacekeepers for UN peacekeeping operations.



Chinese President Xi Jinping, while addressing the Leaders Summit on Peacekeeping at UN headquarters in September 2015, declared that China will join the new UN peacekeeping capability readiness system.



The country, he said, will take the lead to set up a permanent peacekeeping police squad and will build a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops.



China will provide a total of 100 million dollars of free military aid to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis in five years, he announced.



China is also to deploy its first helicopter detachment in UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, said the president.



The countrys participation in UN peacekeeping missions has won it applause around the world. Chinese peacekeeping force sets a good example for all the peacekeepers stationed in Liberia, Farid Zarif, special representative for UN Secretary General, said when the 19th Chinese peacekeepers deployed to Liberia finished their mission.



Pic:

Members of the fourth Chinese peacekeeping force deployed to Liberia offer a skill training to Liberia National Police Training Academy to improve the students law enforcement capacity. (Photo by Peoples Daily Online)



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English News Deputies call for more efforts to protect wild animals

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



Some deputies to the ongoing two sessions, namely the annual meetings of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), called for more efforts to improve the laws on protection of wild animals and launch a tougher crackdown on illegal actions.

By Zhang Huizhong from Peoples Daily Some deputies to the ongoing two sessions, namely the annual meetings of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), called for more efforts to improve the laws on protection of wild animals and launch a tougher crackdown on illegal actions. Such appeal came after social media posts of pangolin being eaten at banquets triggered public fury in China. Pangolin is an endangered species that has been listed as one of the national second-class protected animals. Internet users in China launched boycott and expressed strong condemnation over such uncivilized and illegal phenomena. NPC deputy Zhu Zhengxu, a prosecutor from Baofeng county, Henan province, believed that poor awareness of law and greed for huge profits can be blamed for these uncivilized behavior. The violators blindness to regulations despite repeated prohibition also exposed a lack of punishment measures as well as insufficient law enforcement forces of relevant authorities, she added. NPC deputy Zhou Xiling, also procurator from Baoji, northwestern Shaanxi province, said that more campaigns must be organized to promote law on wild animal protection, so that the public will understand that they will be prosecuted for criminal liability if illegally hunting, killing, trading wild animals for eating. According to Chinas criminal law, the sentence for those who catch, kill, buy or sell state protected animals and endangered species could be up to 10 years in prison. Zhou said that such crimes should be curbed from the very source, adding that the crackdown should cover each transaction chain covering selling, buying and eating. China has included wildlife protection in legal system years ago, and made rounds of improvements on it. In the law on wild animal protection issued in 1989, the country prohibited hunting and killing state protected wild animals, while in the revised version came into force on January 1, 2017, it added forbidding illegal purchase of national key protected wild animals and products made from them. Pics: Customs in Yiwu, Zhejiang province for the first time seized smuggled ivory and pangolin products at the airport on February 21, 2017. Picture taken shows an employee weighing the smuggled pangolin scales for registration. (Photo by Peoples Daily)



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English News Expert stresses importance of reform and opening up

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



Chinas export is now under the shadow of complicated global environment. The imports and exports stood at 24.3 trillion yuan ($3.7 trillion) in 2016, down 0.9 percent year on year.

By Peoples Daily The reform and opening up policy has been repeatedly emphasized by Chinese leaders after it was introduced over 30 years ago. Expert said a new change is that in the past, China opens wider to outside world by launching more reforms, while in todays China, it is the opening up process that propels more reforms.



Chinese President Xi Jinping, when joining a panel discussion with deputies to the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) from Shanghai, once again vowed that China will persist in the all-round opening-up policy, and continue to liberalize and facilitate trade and investment, while urging Shanghai, a pioneer in China's reform and opening-up, to act as a bridgehead.



China will never close its opening door to the outside world, Xi reiterated.



The President asked Shanghai, home to China's first pilot free trade zone (FTZ), to free minds, seek new horizons, and be an example to the nation.



The city should also better play its role as test bed of Chinas opening-up campaign by finding out short boards, launching innovative reforms, and making more breakthroughs, so as to tell the whole world Chinas firm resolution for an all-round openness, he added.



Zhang Zhao'an, deputy head of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and an NPC deputy, told Peoples Daily that the opening up and reform are two wheels driving the rapid development of Chinese economy in the past three decades.



But in the past, we open up by launching more reforms, while in todays China, it is the opening up process that propels more reforms, he described the new change.



Hailing Chinas establishment of Shanghai FTZ as the best evidence, Zhang said that the reform measures resulted from such opening up process has accelerated the optimization pace of government management and resource integration.



He, when sharing the successful experience of Shanghai, stressed the importance of investment liberalization, trade facilitation as well as finance internationalization.



After the pilot FTZ was launched, a negative list approach to foreign investment, for example, was introduced and has been applied by more cities later, he further illustrated.



The pilot zone also innovated to process international trade through a single window, which enables cross-border traders to submit regulatory documents at a single location, the deputy elaborated, praising that it can effectively improve efficiency.



In addition, Chinas financial reform was accelerated thanks to Shanghais trials to launch Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect as well as free trade account, according to Zhang.



Amid the increasing political uncertainties in global arena, it is more necessary for China to stick to an all-round openness and play an active part in the reshaping process of global governance system, Zhang said.



In light of the background, he suggested governments and enterprises adjust their policies and strategies timely, citing the export as an example.



If the export is gloomy, according to him, the governments and businesses should improve the trade structure and optimize product portfolio.



Chinas export is now under the shadow of complicated global environment. The imports and exports stood at 24.3 trillion yuan ($3.7 trillion) in 2016, down 0.9 percent year on year.



Chinese enterprises must firm their resolution to go global, Zhang believed, saying that when a country weighs more in global economy, it will lead the global industrial chain.



The Chinese government should offer favorable policies and supporting services to encourage its companies overseas expansion, he said, advising the country to improve studies on laws and regulations of countries along the Belt and Road.



The government should establish and improve corresponding legal service platforms and service system to reduce the risks of those Chinese firms, he added.



Pic

Aerial view of Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone in Pudong New District of Shanghai. (Photo source: official website of Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone)



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English News Old industrial clusters in Northeast China step out of shadow for revitalization

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



After rounds of endeavor, the regional economy has exhibited a new outlook since 2016. In the past year, Jilin province registered a GDP growth of 6.9 percent, while the increase of Heilongjiang province was estimated at around 6.1 percent.

By Lin Xuedan from Peoples Daily Thanks to the favorable policy support from central government and measures taken by local administrations, the old industrial clusters in Northeast China have stepped out of shadow towards revitalization.



Chinese President Xi Jinping, while joining a panel discussion with deputies from northeast Liaoning province at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), stressed the importance of supply-side structural reform and reforms of state-owned companies, pointing a way for revitalization of the whole region.



The northeast, which consists of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, was among the first regions in China to become industrialized after the country was founded in 1949.



Back to those glorious days in 1950s, it was one of the major undertakers of the countrys 156 key projects. Its traditional industries included steel, automobile, shipbuilding and petroleum refining.



But when coming to the new century, the industrial development in the region failed to catch up the countrys pace to restructure economy, and its competitive edges were declined as a result. The clusters were even called a rust belt by some media.



In order to revive the industrial base, the central government and local administrations, in recent years, introduced a series of policies to increase investment, expand demand, and encourage innovation.



They also strove to build clean political ecology, improve business environment, release its

endogenous energy, and introduce more capital and talents. In addition, in a bid to boost local real economy, the state-owned enterprises were selected as pioneers to implement the supply-side structural reform.



After rounds of endeavor, the regional economy has exhibited a new outlook since 2016. In the past year, Jilin province registered a GDP growth of 6.9 percent, while the increase of Heilongjiang province was estimated at around 6.1 percent.



Industrial electricity consumed by Liaoning province increased by 5.5 percent in the first two months of this year, and its general public budget revenue posted a double-digit growth as well.



Pic:

Photo taken shows a busy port in Heihe, a prefecture-level city on the south bank of Heilongjiang River. Bordering Russia, it is a key pivot connecting China with Russia. (Photo by Peoples Daily)



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English News Red Notice graft suspect returns to China

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



In 2016, a total of 1,032 fugitives-including 134 former civil servants, 19 of whom were on the "red notice" list-were extradited or repatriated from over 70 countries and regions, along with recovered assets worth 2.4 billion yuan ($348 million).

By Jiang Jie, Li Ning from People's Daily Another graft suspect on China's 100 "most-wanted" list living in the US turned himself in to authorities on Thursday, the latest case in the countries efforts to capture officials on the run overseas on corruption charges.



Wang Jiazhe, a former employee of newspaper Liaoning Daily, became the first person to return after the "Sky Net" campaign was launched in 2017.



Wang was number 40 on China's 100 most-wanted fugitives abroad, his return a victory for all agencies involved, including the Fugitive Repatriation and Asset Recovery Office of the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group, a disciplinary watchdog established in 2014.



The suspects are listed in a "red notice" by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) that serves as an international arrest and extradition warrant for fugitives by country.



In April 2015 China released a red notice to apprehend 100 most-wanted suspects accused of economic crimes who have fled overseas.



A "Sky Net" campaign aiming to return the suspects to justice was launched in the same year. The 2017 campaign was started on Tuesday, following the success of the past two years.



Since President Xi Jinping took office in 2013, China has remained determined in its fight against corruption. The international manhunt for fugitive officials and recovery of stolen assets is key to strengthening party self-discipline and cracking down on corruption.



In 2016, a total of 1,032 fugitives-including 134 former civil servants, 19 of whom were on the "red notice" list-were extradited or repatriated from over 70 countries and regions, along with recovered assets worth 2.4 billion yuan ($348 million).



The "Sky Net" campaign in 2017 will follow the campaigns of the previous two years. The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) will be charged with the extradition of suspects and recovery of assets.



Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) will kick off operation Fox Hunt to capture suspects abroad, while the People's Bank of China will cooperate with the MPS in cracking down on money transfers through offshore companies and underground banks.



The three departments will also launch a special campaign to confiscate ill-gotten funds from suspects based on the newly-released provisions.



Pic:

An economic fraud suspect surnamed Zhang was extradited to China after ten years on the run in Italy in February 2015. (Photo by Peoples Daily)



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English News Shortage of doctors a challenge for organ transplants in China: expert

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



The chances of surgery success were much higher than before as well, said Huang, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, adding that the survival rate of liver transplants exceeded 95 percent in 2016.

By Hu Zexi from Peoples Daily Though China currently performs the second-largest number of organ transplants after the US, rising costs and lack of doctors remain challeges for those in need of the proceedures, a top Chinese medical expert said recently.



In 2016, Chinese citizens donated 4,080 cases and doctors performed 13,000 transplants, Huang Jiefu, chairman of China National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, told the press on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions in Beijing.



The chances of surgery success were much higher than before as well, said Huang, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, adding that the survival rate of liver transplants exceeded 95 percent in 2016.



Since the year 2015, donation from voluntary donors has become the only legitimate source of organ transplants in China, said Huang, who also attended a summit at the Vatican on combating organ trafficking in February.



After the Alibaba-owned mobile payment app Alipay allowed for users to register to be organ donors at the end of 2016, more than 100,000 people have since registered, the expert added.



But the former vice heath minister admitted that an incomplete management system, a shortage of professional doctors and higher costs are still roadblocks to Chinas organ transplant sector.



While about 300,000 people in China need transplants each year, only 31,000 patients are officially registere to receive them, he said.



The biggest obstacle is a lack of doctors and qualified hospitals, said Huang, adding that despite the number of organ donors increasing several times last year, only over 380 heart and 204 lung transplant surgeries were performed.



Huang said the number of organ transplant hospitals in China will increase to 500 in the next five years.



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English News Targeted poverty reduction calls for elaborate work: Xi Jinping

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



According to the government work report, China will do more in implementing targeted poverty reduction policy. This year, the country will further reduce the number of rural residents living in poverty by over 10 million, including 3.4 million to be relocated from inhospitable areas.

By Zhao Cheng from People's Daily Poverty alleviation calls for clarified responsibilities, precise measures and meticulous efforts especially when it becomes more difficult in its late phase, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday, urging the country to form a poverty relief mechanism with long-lasting effects.

Xi made the remarks during a panel discussion with deputies from southwestern China's Sichuan Province at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

He urged continuous efforts to select qualified village officials, integrate the fund used in agricultural sector, and improve the working ways to ensure better results.

Precision should be applied to the whole selection process of aid recipient, assistance providers, relief ways as well as quitting approaches, Xi stressed, adding that it calls for elaborate works.

Prevention of re-impoverishment is as important as poverty alleviation, he underlined, requiring that works should be done to consolidate the achievements for the counties, villages and households that have been already lifted out of poverty.

The country should form a poverty relief mechanism with long-lasting effects and resolutely contain formalism in poverty reduction, the president added.

After a deputy named Luo Yunlian from Ya'an, Sichuan province, which was hit by a severe earthquake in 2013, showed the pictures of the reconstructed disaster-hit region to Xi, he said that he was very pleased to see the citys rebirth.



NPC deputy Chen Min'er, Secretary of Guizhou Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Guizhou Provincial People's Congress, said that as long as party and government departments, grass-root organizations and social forces can apply a principle of precision in the whole selection process of aid recipient, assistance providers, relief ways as well as quitting approaches, China can win the war on poverty in a scientific and effective manner.



NPC deputy Chen Quanguo, also Secretary of the Party Committee of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, noted that the country should stick to the goal of eliminating poverty before 2020, prevent manipulation of statistics, and punish deception and falsification, so that the poverty relief work can really benefit the public and be testified by history.



In an effort to wipe out poverty, the central departments issued more than 100 policies and action plans in 2016, Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development told a press conference on Tuesday, adding that the fund allocated to poverty alleviation by the central budget has seen a year-on-year increase of 43 percent.



A total of 12.4 million people have been lifted out of poverty in 2016, and more than 2.4 million people have been relocated for poverty reduction, Liu said.



The targeted poverty alleviation introduced by China not only improves domestic people's livelihood, but enlightens the world with its experience and accomplishments.



According to the government work report, China will do more in implementing targeted poverty reduction policy. This year, the country will further reduce the number of rural residents living in poverty by over 10 million, including 3.4 million to be relocated from inhospitable areas.



Pic:

A farmer is working on a family farm in Yongfeng county, eastern China's Jiangxi province, on March 9, 2017. The farm has built a comprehensive sales platform that can connect its business customer and the impoverished households for a targeted poverty reduction. (Photo by People's Daily)



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English News "Two sessions" best windows into what China is doing: Foreign journalists

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Mars 2017



"The two sessions are more open. The organizer has offered more convenience for reporters, such as arranging on-site simultaneous interpretation service, opening the WeChat accounts of National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), keeping us informed of the meeting agenda and preparing the speech material for us," Jeremy Koh, Channel News Asia's Correspondent in Beijing told the People's Daily.

By Ji Peijuan, Yang Xun from People's Daily The annual "two sessions" are not only high-profile political events in China, but also big event of the news world. During the two-week long political season, foreign reporters sent by their media outlets delivered China stories and plans to the world with their reports.



The two sessions offer a rich mine to dig up news



Johnny Erling, a Beijing-based correspondent with German daily newspaper Die Welt, said that the two sessions offer a rich mine to dig up news and are best windows into China's development, because lots of policies will be announced at this season.



"The two sessions are more open. The organizer has offered more convenience for reporters, such as arranging on-site simultaneous interpretation service, opening the WeChat accounts of National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), keeping us informed of the meeting agenda and preparing the speech material for us," Jeremy Koh, Channel News Asia's Correspondent in Beijing told the People's Daily.



Rita Fatiguso, China correspondent for the Italian leading business daily newspaper II Sole 24 Ore, said it is her 4th two sessions, and the organization work is going better and better.

I really appreciated that the ministries strolling at North Gate can answer foreign reporter's questions, she said.



China's economic development plays a crucial role in world



The two sessions have provided a wide range of topics for reporters to choose from.



"I'm very interested in China's economy, which is crucial to the world," Jeremy Koh said. The reporter stressed that news about the two sessions have been broadcast for 24 hours non-stop and made the daily headlines of Channel News Asia these days.



Koh added he was interested in the press conference of the Minister of Environmental Protection, because the whole world is now following on how China will control smog in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas.



Rita said the topics she was interested in include China's target for GDP growth in 2017, military expenditure, cutting overcapacity and the "Belt and Road" initiative. She has raised questions to the Minister of Finance Xiao Jie about how China is managing the local debt risk.



The government work report is very persuasive



It is the third time for Sadyk Akizhanov, a Beijing-based correspondent with Kazakhstan Kazinform International News Agency, to report the two sessions.



He said readers in Kazakhstan are very concerned about the two sessions. The Kazakh reporter believes the Chinese deputies have raised many targeted proposals and suggestions, offering basis for the government to make the right and scientific policies. "I can see China's political system wins support from its people. he added.



Han Yonghong, China News Editor at Singapore Chinese language daily newspaper Lianhe Zaobao, said her newspaper has sent 6 reporters to the two sessions, including 3 from the headquarters.



Han said each time she could learn something from reporting the two sessions, China's most centralized and widely participated platform to discuss national affairs and announce new policies.



Pics:

Camera crews at the opening meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on March 5, 2017 in Beijing. (Photo by Shi Jiamin from Peoples Daily)



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A quick look at Obamas history reveals he has always had the inclination, motivation, and opportunity to snoop on and disseminate information about his political opponents. Its how he made his political career: getting his opponents' private divorce records unsealed and leaked with the help of the Chicago Tribune.

He and his administration continued this pattern and practice of skirting laws throughout his eight years in office, As Matthew Vadum reminds readers:

Obama used the IRS to target conservative and Tea Party nonprofits, along with Catholic, Jewish, and pro-Israel organizations. He brazenly lied about it, too. His Justice Department surreptitiously obtained telephone records for more than 100 reporters."

Wikileaks revealed that under Obama, the NSA intercepted conversations of numerous foreign officials, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Angela Merkel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Silvio Berlusconi, and Nicolas Sarkozy.

So it is rather astonishing that so many disregard Trumps claim that Obama and his aides spied upon him and his staff. There were several means at his disposal for him to do so, and it is increasingly likely that they did so. He apparently sought -- twice -- to get the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court to approve tapping Trump communications, and was turned down once, in June of last year -- a rare occurrence as in 10,000 applications in a six-year period only two were rejected. Reportedly the Obama administration tried again, using a slightly modified request and received permission. Heat Street reported this on November 7.

This week, investigative journalists Sara Carter and John Solomon confirmed that the FISA court warrant was granted in October.

"What we don't know is who was connected to that FISA," Carter said on Sean Hannity's show Wednesday night. "What was that FISA looking at? That is very highly classified. Nobody wants to talk about that particular FISA, right now. They said it did have to do with the Russian hacking on a very broad level, but it didn't hone in directly on Trump is what I was told," she said. In addition to the FISA warrant in October, the FBI obtained a separate warrant that same month to look into a computer server tied to then-candidate Donald Trump's businesses in Trump Towers (but not located in Trump Towers). According to the report, the feds used traditional investigative techniques to examine allegations of computer activity tied to two Russian banks and there had been no intercepts of Trumps phone or emails. The FBI quickly concluded, "the computer activity in question involved no nefarious contacts, bank transactions or encrypted communications with the Russians." The months-long FBI counterintelligence investigation into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential campaign briefly investigated a computer server tied to Donald Trump's businesses near the end of the election but has not gathered evidence of election tampering to date that would warrant criminal charges against any of the presidents associates, Circa has learned.

But a FISA warrant is not the only way to surveil communications. Under Chapter 36 of Title 50 of the US Code, and pursuant to Executive Order 12333, the president can authorize electronic surveillance without a court order, and we dont know if Obama utilized one of these means as well. Nor can we ascertain whos leaking, as on his way out of office -17 days before his term was up -- Obama allowed the National Security Agency to circulate such intercepted messages among 16 other intelligence agencies without following longstanding protocols designed to insure privacy of those involved in the communications, in effect inviting selective leaking by partisans in those agencies.

This week former NSA official Bill Binney confirmed the veracity of Trumps claim that his conversations had been tapped and monitored and claimed it was done outside the courts.

Binney told Fox the laws that fall under the FISA court's jurisdiction are "simply out there for show" and "trying to show that the government is following the law, and being looked at and overseen by the Senate and House intelligence committees and the courts." "That's not the main collection program for NSA," Binney said.

In any event, both the former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and the head of the FBI James Comey have stated without equivocation that there was no evidence found of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

On the other hand, there is increasing evidence of Russian ties to Hillary Clinton and those closely connected to her.

Jerome Corsi connects a Russian billionaire to Putin with close ties. He provides documentary evidence of the circuitous path the Russian government has been using since Hillary Clinton was secretary of state to make large financial payments to John Podesta and to the Clinton Foundation.

These transfers were made at the same time Hillary Clinton was transferring U.S. advanced technology to Russia.

John Podesta is not the only family member enriched by the Russians. His brother Tony also rode the Russian gravy train.

Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, has confirmed that it hired the consultancy of Tony Podesta, the elder brother of John Podesta who chaired Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, for lobbying its interests in the United States and proactively seeking the removal of various Obama-era sanctions, the press service of the Russian institution told TASS on Thursday. [snip] Previously, The Daily Caller reported that Tony Podesta was proactively lobbying for cancellation of a range of anti-Russian sanctions against the banking sector. In particular, he represented interests of Sberbank and was paid $170,000 for his efforts over a six-month period last year to seek to end one of the Obama administrations economic sanctions against that country. Podesta, founder and chairman of the Podesta Group, is listed as a key lobbyist on behalf of Sberbank, according to Senate lobbying disclosure forms. His firm received more than $24 million in fees in 2016, much of it coming from foreign governments, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Former President Barack Obama imposed the Russian sanctions following the break out in violence in east Ukraine in 2014. Podestas efforts were a key part of under-the-radar lobbying during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign led mainly by veteran Democratic strategists to remove sanctions against Sberbank and VTB Capital, Russias second largest bank. [snip] The lobbying campaign targeted Congress and the executive branch, with Podesta and other lobbyists arranging at least two meetings between Sberbank officers and Department of State officials, according to Elena Teplitskaya, Sberbanks board chairman, who spoke to House aides in August. [snip] The Podesta Group represented Sberbank and its subsidiaries, Troika Dialog Group in the Cayman Islands, SBGB Cyprus Ltd in Nicosia, Cyprus, and SB International in Luxembourg. Troika Dialog also was related to Klein, Ltd., a Cayman Island organization that once funneled tens of millions of dollars to environmental groups to oppose low-cost fracking in the U.S., which was hurting the Russian oil industry.[snip] Sberbank was the lead financial institution in the Russian deal to purchase Uranium One, owned by one of Bill Clintons closest friends, Frank Giustra. Giustra and Bill Clinton lead the Clinton-Giustra Enterprise Partnership, an integral part of the Clinton Foundation. Giustra has additionally donated $25 million to the Clinton Foundation. Giustra sought to sell his stake in uranium reserves that included ore deposits in the Western United States, and Hillary Clinton, who as secretary of state, approved the sale. And in one felled swoop, 20 percent of Americas uranium ore was sold to the Russian state atomic agency. During the pending sale, the Podesta Group represented Giustras company and tried to advance the transaction.

So there probably was surveillance on Trump and his associates, although no connection with Russia was established with them. Instead, all the connections to Russia were with Clinton and her closest associates.

What we also know was that, like Hillary Clinton, the Congressional Democrats repeatedly demonstrate a shocking disregard for national security. The Daily Caller has documented what the mainstream media is largely ignoring: the fact that dozens of Democratic congressmen, including the former head of the DNC, engaged three brothers from Pakistan and two of their wives at salaries multiple times over those similarly situated (over $4 million), gave them passwords, and allowed them access to sensitive computer files, even though it is impossible to fathom how people with their record of financial troubles got security clearances. These brothers are presently under criminal investigation accused of stealing House computer equipment and transferring information from Congressional files to a personal server. They owe $100,000 to an Iraqi businessman believed to have with ties to Hezballah who is a fugitive from U.S. authorities. This week, to cap it off, the brothers are under investigation for kidnapping and holding prisoner their stepmother to prevent her from seeing her dying husband in Pakistan.

Politico reports that Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former head of the DNC, refuses to fire one of the brothers even though he is banned from the House network. Shes keeping him on as an adviser.

Really, its impossible to parody Democrats these days. It would be too unbelievable.
I don't believe (whatever Schopenhauer said) that women in general are stupid, but I don't believe that the rumor's existence is entirely the fault of our men. The women seem to have brought it on themselves. If all our men were to start calling our women ugly, nobody would believe it, mostly because there is nothing more true than that women are one of the only things we stare at so desperately that some of us end up in jail. But even if men tried spreading the lie, the truth of an assertion lies not in its totality, but in its probability. Too many women are beautiful for us to call them ugly. We might even say the concept of beauty revolves around women. But are too many women intelligent for us to say they aren't stupid?

In woman's defense, the problem lies more in the fact that some women are speaking for women than that all women are speaking for women. The same has gone for every other group since the beginning of history. A part must represent the whole, or there will be chaos. The problem with womankind's representation is that femininity is not a representative organization (or even an organization) at all, and the women who speak for women are never elected by womankind to do it. We might even go as far as to say they have a problem of suffrage. The feminist of the modern age is much less an envoy than a usurper. She speaks for the totality of her sex when she represents easily far less than half.

But let us dispense with the abstract and move on to the concrete. When Donald Trump became the president nearly two months ago, it was said that "women" went mad over it, and when they went mad, they "all" took to the streets. Every paper went wild for our women's resistance. Coverage was extensive. Women in tasteless pink hats plagued our streets on both coasts; nobody was sure exactly what they wanted except that Donald Trump had to go and paid leave ought to be mandatory. They had won the right to vote, and now that they had won the right to vote they were uncomfortable with the conclusion of their voting. Nearly half of American women had voted for Trump. The worse half simply did not believe in the existence of the better.

Atop this absurdity came others. In the spirit of charity, we'll perhaps skip over The New York Times running a headline in praise of them that said "We are dissidents; we are legion." We'll ignore the fact that Legion was the name of a horde of demons in the Bible, and that Jesus sent them into a herd of pigs, and the herd of pigs stampeded in a fury, and the fury led them off a cliff. We'll ignore that this was applied to a rabble of angry, directionless, pig-colored feminists, and that they loved it because they were religiously illiterate. Had we been any less charitable, we might not allow them to slide. This is the most read book in the world, and these chapters at the end are the most read of them all. But we happen to be saintly, so we forgive and forget without anyone asking.

We'll ignore that a Wall Street firm decided to build them a statue, and the statue was of a little girl, and the little girl was placed in front of the Wall Street bull, and they intended for her to be taking a stand against the patriarchy of finance. We'll ignore that The Bull doesn't represent Wall Street itself and that it actually represents "a bull market," and that a bull market represents prosperity, and that a little girl standing up to a bull market is a girl whose childish obstinacy stands in the way of our advancement. We'll ignore that they loved it anyway. We'll ignore that falling below the reading of the New Testament, she falls below the symbolism of the tribesman, and that she fails as hard in the written world of the Romans as she does in the pictures of the ancient Egyptians.

Yes, we'll ignore all of this and get right to how she fails at her own senses. We'll ignore that liberal women do not know that if pregnancy is a massive disruption to a marriage, it is also a massive disruption to our businesses and worse to our military, and that they believe that women are just as good in combat and sporting and drinking as men. We'll ignore the claims of activist leaders in the New York Times, that what women want is not that more women become CEOs, but that nobody in the world be a CEO  that nobody should be driven to the top by greater incentives, and all progress should exist in a world without leaders. We'll ignore women whom nobody would have sex with demanding we keep our hands off their vaginas, and that we would keep our politics out of vaginas while they are putting vaginas into our politics. We'll ignore the consoling embraces given to people who are not raped and the cold shoulder given to children who are actually dissected.

Out of a spirit of charity, we'll ignore all of this, and in pretending the women we encounter know writing and symbols and senses and logic, war and democracy and biology and the meaning of leadership, we'll find ourselves pretending something very strange. We'll find ourselves pretending they are educated right-wingers. And when all is said and done, the feminists will stomp their feet and shout irrational things in the streets and refuse to help husbands and bosses and friends. But International Women's Day will not be remembered by many as a day about women. It won't even be remembered by most as "A Day Without a Woman." It will be remembered as the day millions of American men woke up and realized how happy they were to have married Republicans.

Jeremy Egerer is the author of the troublesome essays on Letters to Hannah, and he welcomes followers on Twitter and Facebook.
As ISIS empties a barbaric playbook of chemical attacks, child suicide bombers, and human shields in a desperate attempt to hold onto Mosul, it may also be adding cannibalism to this poisonous script.

The root of the Islamic State's maniacal desperation stems from a tightening noose being pulled on by Iraq military forces as they attempt to wrest control of the northwestern Iraqi city.

In an offensive begun last October, the five-month-long battle has turned the once entrenched citadel of ISIS control into a modern-day version of Stalingrad, with two highly armed opponents engaged in fierce, bloody street fighting.

ISIS appears to be playing the role of the German army as the U.S.-backed Iraqi troops have dealt a series of devastating blows, leaving a remnant of 2,000 unyielding Islamic State fighters, along with several hundred foreign jihadist allies, holed up in the western half of the city. With its caliphate metropolis on the verge of collapse, it's all hands on deck for the sociopathic Islamists, leading them to take any and all brutal measures to desperately stave off defeat.

To that end, ISIS militants have deployed child suicide bombers as part of their battle plan, a youth-centric stratagem that has left more than three hundred ISIS "Cubs of the Caliphate" killed to date. Unlike Japanese kamakazi pilots plied with sake to garner the courage to undertake their lethal missions, ISIS uses a nonalcoholic method to instill its young wards with suicidal fortitude, relying instead on promises from Allah of a great heavenly reward.

To be fair, ISIS isn't alone in using children in such a grotesque manner, given the longstanding practice of Islamist terror groups around the world to utilize underage suicide bombers, including those with Down syndrome, making children the Islamists' favorite choice of human explosive.

Unfortunately for ISIS, exploding children hasn't been enough to turn the tide of battle, so naturally, its agents upped the ante by employing human shields picked from among the nearly 750,000 Iraqis trapped with them to halt the Iraqi advance. Those who resist the urge to be used as human armor are eagerly gunned down by ISIS fighters, a chilling fact that still hasn't prevented nearly 50,000 civilians from fleeing their captors in the last several weeks.

Not to be deterred, ISIS took the next logical step and launched rockets reportedly containing mustard gas against civilians residing in Iraqi-held eastern neighborhoods. International outrage aside, it was a routine deployment of barbarism for ISIS, given that the group has been suspected of using chemical weapons dozens of times since 2014, including a 2016 rocket-launched chemical attack against American soldiers stationed at the Qayyarah air base near Mosul.

Outside its attempts to turn Mosul into a World War I-style poisonous gas-filled battlefield, it should be noted that ISIS tactics differ little from the global myriad of jihadi-crazed terror groups. From Boko Haram to Al Shabaab to al-Qaeda to the Taliban and other mutant fanatical outfits, they all use a similar standardized version of Islamist monstrosity.

Yet the decades-long litany of unrelenting atrocities undertaken by these organizations led many in the world to grow numb to their effects, opening the door for ISIS to burst onto the scene and captivate imaginations with new levels of barbarity, like a movie producer who offered added shock value to an Islamist horror genre grown stale. ISIS fit into this role neatly, given its self-identity as Islam's really true believers, avid acceptors of a literal translation of the Koran who view many of their fellow Sunni Muslims, let alone the blasphemous Shiites, as less than pure followers of Allah.

That's why, in its zealous mission to create a 7th-century Islamic caliphate, ISIS separated itself from the other Islamist terror packs by creating its own unique brand. This included creating such fine tag distinctions as drowning people in cages, dunking people in vats of nitric acid and scalding tar, grinding bodies into meat, burning people alive, and crucifixion. It should be noted that while ISIS is a committed equal-opportunity anti-apostasy enforcer, targeting fellow Muslims and even its own fighters not fully on board with its medieval agenda, it has reserved most of these heinous punishments for Christians and other religious minorities.

Like any good marketer, ISIS also became adept at using social networking sites to share through video and photographic uploads its jihadi product line of mass killings and executions.

While other Islamist terror groups employed similar media tactics, ISIS efforts have gained better traction, given the more gruesome material it had to offer  in particular, a signature twist of using children as a main subject feature in its promotional catalog of torture and death.

ISIS also offered a more enhanced benefit package to gain better applicants in a crowded jihadi job market by establishing a fully functioning sex slavery system comprising young women and girls, some as young as nine, from Christian and other non-Muslim groups. Given Islamic taboos against premarital sex and a deeply rooted Islamic attachment to prepubescent girls, offering these children up for systematic rape multiple times a day proved to be a great recruiting tool to entice sex-starved ISIS fighters.

While all these ISIS innovations had the benefit of instilling a lethal dose of fear into anyone who had the misfortune to fall under the organization's territorial control, they also produced detractors among the group's jihadi competitors.

An example of that professional dismissal was found in documents taken from Osama bin Laden's Pakistani compound, which detailed complaints that ISIS savagery was damaging al-Qaeda's jihadi reputation, which admittedly is akin to Jeffery Dahmer being offended by the excesses of Hannibal Lector and the latter's potential negative impact on the serial killer community.

Nevertheless, given the ruthless ISIS reputation, it does make one wonder how far ISIS can sink into the slime in its efforts to keep from losing Mosul, a question that may have been recently answered in an instructional handbook taken from one of the jihadi training schools that pepper the ISIS caliphate. There, a curriculum lesson on how to eat non-Muslims if food supplies run dangerously low was outlined, along with precise instructions on how to prepare a properly cooked human.

The ISIS cannibalism guide gives Koranic justification for consuming non-Muslims, an academic lesson the mentally unhinged Islamists have apparently passed, given their already documented serving of human food, albeit to a welcoming invitee. That truly horrifying and despicably insane act was committed near Mosul against a Yazidi woman who was starved for several days and then fed the remains of her three-year-old son. She was told by her deranged captors that it was meat mixed with rice.

In a bit of bad news for ISIS, though, the scarcity of Christians and Yazidis still alive in Mosul due to its genocidal acts means that the jihadis may be forced to go against Koranic strictures and substitute fellow Muslims on the entree plate. Even though that gruesome possibility remains on the table, not everyone is waiting to join in, as Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and some of his aides have reportedly fled Mosul to parts unknown.

While, if true, that news may signal the end of the living nightmare that has plagued the people of Mosul, given the inexhaustible cruelty of the Islamic State, the nightmare will continue to play out in what remains of its dying caliphate.

Frank Crimi is the author of Divine Roosters & Angry Clowns. He can be reached at frankcrimi@politicallyunbalanced.com.
While talk of a comprehensive Arab - Israeli peace agreement seems never ending, newly elected President Trump has described securing such an agreement as the ultimate deal. However there is ample reason why no deal has been struck, and why likely it will remain beyond reach.

The most important factor in reaching an agreement is both sides must want peace. However in this conflict, indisputable evidence shows only one side actually wants genuine peace and co-existence. A sober look at the facts reveals the Arab Palestinians have no interest in peace. In order to draw reasoned conclusions its also essential to separate fact from fiction.

Whos Who?

The Arab Palestinians are in a different category than the rest of the Arab world, which consists of 22 sovereign Middle Eastern nations. They do not have the distinction of being a sovereign nation, which they feel they are entitled to. However, shouldnt we first understand who they are, as well as their motives?

They are a mix of Jordanians, Egyptians, Lebanese, Syrian, Sudanese etc. who settled within the area known as the British Mandate of Palestine. This land encompassed 43,000 square miles and was promised to the Jews as a national homeland in the 1917 Balfour Declaration. Yet, in 1922 the British turned over 75% of it to create the nation of Transjordan, (todays Jordan). This left roughly 25% or 11,000 square miles of land to be dealt with.

In 1947 the British decided to leave the area and turned the issue over to the United Nations, which by a 72% majority voted to partition two separate states, one Jewish and one Arab. However, the surrounding Arab nations rejected the vote and attacked the new Jewish state one day after its independence, intending to destroy it. This is all indisputable fact.

The coming storm

Regional leadership directed local Arabs living in the area to relocate temporarily, while the armies of the surrounding countries carried out their plan to destroy the UN partitioned Jewish state. Thinking they would soon be able to return and grab a huge windfall, the majority of Arabs chose to leave.

However, their destructive aspirations failed, and the tiny nation of Israel not only was reborn, it remains and flourishes.



One can only lament how different history might have been if the Arab nations chose to accept the UN partition vote. Yet they chose war and have never taken responsibility for their action. Whats worse is the nations of the world have never required it of them.

So what happened to those Arabs who left hoping the Jews would be wiped out, allowing them to reclaim their homes, plus those of the defeated Jews? Many ended up in no mans land, which gave birth to the so called Palestinian refugees. Yet are they truly refugees? They did not leave with the intention of relocating elsewhere to start a new life as refugees typically do. They left because they were hoping the Jewish state would be destroyed and they could return to claim what was theirs, plus what wasnt theirs. An honest assessment disqualifies them from being classified as refugees. It was nothing less than bloodthirsty greed.

Since then they have portrayed themselves as victims deserving of compensation; not from the Arab nations who directed them to leave in order to launch their attack, but from Israel or Britain. If anyone is to blame for their plight it surely rests with Arabs, not the Jews. Unquestionably their fate was driven by hatred, greed and destructive intentions.

Have they ever admitted this? No. Instead they went on the offensive and to this day the Arab nations and the Palestinians lay blame elsewhere. This is precisely what Yasser Arafat did when he founded the first Palestinian terror group in 1964, the PLO. He blamed the Jews, and took no responsibility for the intent of the Arabs to destroy the Jewish state. He also rejected the United Nations partitioning of a sovereign Arab state, because it meant the existence of a Jewish state, which he refused to accept. His PLO charter defined the Balfour Declaration, the British Mandate for Palestine, and everything that has been based upon them null and void. (PLO Charter Article 20)

Moreover, his organizations charter specifically calls for the Palestinian people to assert their absolute determination and firm resolutionto work for an armed popular revolution for the liberation of their country and the right to return to it. (PLO Charter Article 9)

So much for peaceful co-existence.

Their Country?

Moreover, what country is he talking about? The so-called Palestinians did not have their own country. The area he is referring to was under the British Mandate and was turned over to the UN who voted to partition an Arab and Jewish state, which was rejected by the Arab nations. The fact is the Palestinians never had their own country, to return to and liberate. They could have had a country if the UN partition had been accepted. However, hatred of the Jews and refusal to accept the existence of a neighboring Jewish state outweighed the gift of having their own state. This abhorrent fact renders Arafats statement about the existence of their country as a lie.

It should also be noted the Jews have had a constant presence here dating back over 3,000 years. Plus, since they were victorious in defending themselves in the Six Day War of 1967, international law allows them to claim the disputed land, which gave them the legal right to build communities.

Its time to call a spade a spade. The entire premise on which the PLO was founded is a fabrication. There was never a Palestine and no Palestinian people. What is correct is there were Arabs of various ethnic origins living together with Jews in an area which was under the control of the British. Arafat himself for example, was a transplanted Arab Egyptian, not a Palestinian.

Part of the challenge of this unending conflict is separating fact from fiction. Suggesting the Palestinians have the right to liberate their country assumes they have or had one. They dont and never did. This cannot be overstated. Any reference otherwise is pure fabrication. However, this has not stopped them from spreading outright lies and others from buying into it. This includes defining the land they claim as occupied Palestinian territory, while blaming Israel as the cause for a lack of peace.

The charters of all the Palestinian terror groups, including Fatah, (which means conquest) -- the party of Mahmoud Abbas -- dont merely speak of self-determination within the area commonly referred to as the West Bank. Each charter places equal weight on the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel through armed struggle, and replacing it with one Palestinian state. It makes clear their goal is to eliminate the worlds only Jewish country, and replace it with another Muslim dominated country. This would bring the total to 23 in the Middle East, while the Jews would have none, and be subjected to live (or die) under Muslim rule in what used to be their own country.

If the community of nations decides to reward those who seek Israels destruction with nationhood without requiring them to alter their charters, renounce terror and recognize the Jewish state of Israel, it will be a black mark on humanity.

Then again the community of nations has ample history of treating the Jews unfairly. Evidence todays United Nations for starters.

More of Dan Calics articles are on his Facebook Page
From time to time, we hear proposals for reparations for America's past wrongs. American Thinker has recently highlighted this theme here, here, and here. The idea is primarily to extract some unspecified amount of money from living white citizens to pay living black citizens to atone for our national sins of slavery, Jim Crow laws, Black Codes, the Ku Klux Klan, and various forms of racial oppression and discrimination. Is this a good idea? A bad idea? A feasible idea? An absurd idea?

From practical and moral perspectives, the application of such a program of reparations would be not only unworkable, but an administrative and social nightmare. First, it would be impossible to accomplish. Second, it would be deeply divisive and destructive to all Americans  black, white, mixed-race, other ethnic minorities, or any combination of races.

Let's assume for a moment that the idea is legislated, ratified, enacted, whatever. How would we implement and enforce it? Before anything else can happen, we have to seek answers to the following questions:

Who would receive payments?

Who would pay?

How would funds be collected and distributed?

Who would control and administer the funds collected?

Who would make the decisions about who pays into the fund and who receives payment from the fund?

What would happen to Americans now living in racial harmony?

Most importantly, how could we deal with the divisions and acrimony such a plan would create? These are not trivial questions. They go to the heart of what it is to be an American today of any color, ethnicity, or race. (Leave aside for now the ultimate question of why this should happen.) For starters, let's consider all of the players:

Slaves: Former slaves. Descendants of slaves.

Slave owners: Plantations. Households (including many in northern states).

Inhabitants of slave states: Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. Confederate civilians during the Civil War. Southern abolitionists.

Inhabitants of Free States: Union soldiers during the Civil War. Union civilians during the Civil War. Union abolitionists. Union supporters of slavery.

Americans with no direct connection to the institution of slavery. Settlers living in Western territories prior to statehood. Immigrants arriving after slavery was abolished. Americans of mixed race and their children. Americans who continue to believe in or practice racial discrimination. Americans now living in racial harmony.

An Administrative and Accounting Nightmare

Immediately following the Civil War era, the administrative nightmare becomes obvious. If we extend this list into the post-Civil War era of Carpetbaggers, Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, and Civil Rights battles in Congress beginning immediately after the war, what do we end up with? Clearly, categories 1 through 4 above (except for 1b, descendants of slaves) are no longer living. This leaves us with category 5. Let's simplify the scheme by creating a category that captures all potential payers and receivers: living descendants of all of the above. Let's examine these questions, apply them broadly to our list, and give serious thought to this proposal.

Who Would Receive Payments?

Obviously, the most worthy of reparations are the black slaves themselves. (For simplicity, we will set aside the question of slaves of other races for now.) Since the last of the slaves freed by President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the victory of the Union over the Confederacy have been dead for almost half a century, this is a moot point. The most credible reports say the last black American slaves died in 1969 and 1972 at the ages of 110 and 116, respectively.

This leaves us with the descendants of slaves. But identifying these people could take years or decades to verify the tens of millions of possible claimants. Those demanding reparations would have to locate and study census records, family genealogies, oral histories, academic works, newspaper archives, church rosters, even legal and corporate databases. Even with the scope and speed of internet search engines, the task would be monumental. A new industry of researchers, advocates, and litigators would emerge, generating enormous fees, costs, and expenses.

The problem of determining legitimate claims is further aggravated when we try to sort out the "degree of blackness." Do we pay reparations to mixed-race people with legitimate claims to slave ancestry? If so, what percent of "racial purity" allows a claimant to a share of the reparations? ("Racial purity" is an ugly phrase in its own right. It was used by proponents of eugenics like Margaret Sanger and is still used by some in the abortion industry to justify their evil trade.) Would a person with one black parent and one white parent be required to pay into the fund as well as receive payment from it? In other words, this system would lead to the absurd position that a half-white, half-black person would be required to pay himself reparations!

Who Would Pay?

On the flip-side, which Americans would be judged guilty and forced to pay into the "Reparation Fund"? Who would make these judgments? This nation fought its second deadliest war (second to World War II) in part to end slavery, including hundreds of thousands who fought and died to defeat the slave states. Would descendants of Union soldiers be required to pay the same amount as those of Confederate soldiers? Or should their service in the cause of emancipation be taken into account for their descendants concerning payments for the wrongs of others? What about Northern slave owners and supporters of slavery?

Would we grant exemptions for descendants of abolitionists, whether they were from Southern or Northern states? What about Americans who had no connection to slavery at all? Do we charge descendants of settlers living in western territories prior to statehood or immigrants who arrived after emancipation? Or the tens of thousands of couples who have intermarried with people of different races or adopted black children? Or their mixed-race children?

Who Would Collect, Control, and Administer the Funds Collected?

The most likely answer would be to create a federal commission to establish the rules and procedures. This would create a massive and budget-hungry bureaucracy. It would need an army of accountants, attorneys, claims examiners, clerks, and support staff. Would the commission have the power to levy reparation funds similar to IRS powers of taxation? Or would they opt to create a new division within IRS to take over the collections? The paperwork would be unimaginably complex. The litigation would be eternal.

Who Would Make Decisions about Who Pays into or Receives Payment from the Fund?

The reparations fund would require highly skilled executives and managers experienced in making difficult decisions. Should the commission be appointed or elected? Should it be representative of the whole population or racially weighted toward the "victims"? Even with the most principled leadership, the whole process would inevitably  and quickly  become mired in turf-building, political infighting, and racial acrimony. And we have not yet even addressed the question of how much the payments should be. Would payments be uniform? Set on a sliding scale based on the alleged degree of racial culpability? Paid in lump sums? Paid out over time? What about appeals? Would we get the courts involved? We would pile nightmare upon judicial nightmare.

What Would Happen to Americans Now Living in Racial Harmony?

If you think "identity politics" is ugly now, just wait until the scramble for claims payments based on racial identity is institutionalized in a federal bureaucracy  not to mention the justifiable resistance from a large percentage of the population. Many good citizens with no racial animosity whatsoever would be forced into conflict with friends, co-workers, and even family members of other races. And this does not even factor in other minorities who may be encouraged to demand their own competing reparations for past wrongs, thus expanding the circles of racial and ethnic hostility. This lunacy would only further divide us and set us against each other. Fault lines in our already racially fractured society would widen even further and grow into major societal earthquakes.

Who Are the Real Creators of Racial Oppression and Conflict?

How do we deal with that segment of contemporary society who have constructed and perpetuated the present-day form of slavery? Who are these people? What are the institutions they have created over the past century and a half to prolong racism and discrimination  e.g., Jim Crow laws, Black Codes, the Ku Klux Klan? Who built and continues to enforce the modern "plantation economy" that keeps millions of our black citizens trapped in a system of welfare dependence and hopelessness? We can give them a name: the Democratic Party and their corrupt regime of modern liberalism.

Finally, who has created, legalized, defended, and funded the atrocity of the abortion industry that has targeted minority  especially black  neighborhoods since Margaret Sanger opened her first birth control clinic in Harlem in 1918? That would be the same industry (hidden behind the euphemism of "pro-choice") that has resulted in the deliberate extermination of almost 18 million black children (31% of the 58.6 million abortions since 1973 and 40% in 2013 alone). By one estimate, the black population has been reduced by more than 25% since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. This is the system that has largely achieved Sanger's vision of eliminating the "human weeds" from our nation  again brought to you by the preachers of compassion known as the Democratic Party.

If Not Reparations, Then What?

Where does this leave us? Clearly, the concept of racial reparations would be economically impossible, socially destructive, and deadly for race relations in our country. The only way forward is to look back. Look back to our greatest spiritual and religious leaders who have taught us the only way forward  love of neighbor, compassion for the poor, the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount. Share our time, talent, and treasure with our fellow men and women regardless of race, color, or creed. Develop in our lives those qualities that unite rather than divide. Remember the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King: "I have a dream that [our] children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

If an enforceable policy of racial reparations were ever to take hold in America, the consequences would be catastrophic to all Americans. In addition to the horrors cataloged above, it would encourage the worst elements of our society  namely, the race-baiters, the grievance industry, and the hustlers of racial hatred toward white citizens. Be afraid of reparations. Be very afraid.

Hugh Reynolds recently retired from 32 years in federal service. He spent his entire government career in the "fraud, waste, and abuse" business, including 18 years auditing that beleaguered enterprise known as the U.S. Postal Service, which survives without a dime of the taxpayer's money. He is a lifelong student of public policy and considers himself an "American Thinker."
I worked for the U.S. Border Patrol in the late 1990s. One summer day, my driver and I headed for a tiny town outside Houston to look at some above-ground fuel storage tanks. We took a "G-ride," an unmarked Crown Victoria.

When my driver, wearing a green polo shirt with a USBP emblem over his left breast, got out of the vehicle, the complete labor force of the tank manufacturing company ran away from that green shirt. The CEO of the company was standing on the deck as we arrived. He turned white at the spectacle of his employees running away from us. With arms raised as though he were being arrested, his comments were, "I swear, they all have good I-9s." It was obvious that his employees' immigration documents were probably bogus.

The U.S. Border Patrol would dispatch "intelligence officers" to cross the border and investigate the counterfeit document mills that could be found in the Mexican border towns. Some USBP agents or highway patrol troopers would stumble upon someone near the border who possessed multiple identity cards  driver's licenses, primarily. The photographs were the same as the person who was stopped, but the names and birthdates were all different. The quality of those bogus driver's licenses was amazing; if the owner hadn't been stopped with a fistful of bogus licenses, he likely would have walked or driven away with just a ticket or a warning or nothing.

During that same timeframe, the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) embarked to issue a new and improved "green card." Gone was the paper "flimsy." Hard and sturdy like a driver's license, with all of the "hard to counterfeit" safeguards built into the card, the Form I-551 Permanent Resident "green card" became the new standard official identity card.

I recall that it was during a Friday supervisors' meeting that we learned that the expected roll-out of the new state-of-the-art I-551 had been delayed by a week or so. Over the weekend, U.S. Border Patrol Agents had apprehended several people with the new I-551s trying to cross the border. An INS clerk in the U.S. who was learning to process green card applications had made up a batch of the new cards for some paying customers in Mexico.

During my short time with the Border Patrol, I learned that most illegal aliens possess one or more counterfeit identity documents, and the Minnesota driver's license was the bogus document of choice for illegal aliens. Someone's identity was stolen usually from a headstone in a cemetery. I learned that counterfeit documents are big business in Mexico. Making them is an expensive undertaking and enterprise requiring special card-making machines, official "blanks," and software.

I asked, "Who could be doing this? Who would or could sponsor these activities?" I suspected that some disaffected government employee from the Mexican government was behind the bogus identity cards. U.S. Border Patrol agents informed me that it wasn't the Mexican government or the drug cartels or some civil service clerk who had infiltrated the INS.

It was the first time I had ever heard of the name George Soros.

A few years later, I attended the Naval War College. In one of my elective classes, we had a guest lecturer whose expertise was counterfeit documents. He passed around two European identity cards, similar in size to today's U.S. passport card or Form I-551 or an international driver's license. The two cards were identical in every way, and he challenged the class to determine which one was real and which one was fake. The class was made up of military members or civil servants; none of us was trained in the manufacture or detection of counterfeit documents.

When we all gave up, our guest speaker held up a card and said, "This is the one I made." He dropped the card onto the wooden lectern, and it landed, as expected, with a dull, audible "click." He then raised the other card and said, "This is the real one." He dropped it, and when it struck the hard wooden surface, it "rang like a bell." He admitted that he had failed to thoroughly replicate the bogus identity card and had to go back to the drawing board to determine the unique molecular characteristics of the special authentic card.

Like currencies, today's identity cards and passports employ an amazing array of incredible technologies to thwart counterfeiters and deter the use of bogus documents.

Our discussion diverted to the very real problem of government agencies  in this case, those of Afghanistan and Iraq (it was 2003, and the U.S. was in Afghanistan and had recently pushed into Baghdad)  or rogue individuals with access to the equipment to issue official government documents (passports and transit visas, primarily) to senior members of the opposition parties as well as those people with money who were fleeing American forces.

The rank-and-file Iraqi servicemembers were generally not knowledgeable of or did not have access to such technology and the sensitive document-generating machine systems. Bogus papers were a gap in the country's national security systems that could be easily exploited. Baathists and Taliban leaders escaping Iraq or Afghanistan with superb counterfeit documents were able to expedite their departure, traversing border crossing points or "ports of entry." A Marine Corps lance corporal manning a Baghdad or Kabul checkpoint and verifying the identity documents of Iraqis or Afghanis fleeing their past or their hometown is not going to know if an "official-looking" document is legitimate or not.

Bogus or counterfeit documents, those that appear genuine in order to achieve some (sometimes political) goal (enter a country illicitly, establish a new identity, travel under an assumed name, underage teens to buy liquor or enter a club, convey an approved political narrative, etc.), have become something of a science project for me. They are everywhere. There are simple reasons Democrats do not want photo IDs to vote: bogus people with bogus papers.

When it comes to looking for counterfeit documents, you have to know what you are looking for. In 2008, my company won a contract to run a major airport in Africa. We trained our security employees in what to look for regarding counterfeit or stolen documents. On our very first day of operation, we stopped 19 Chinese men from boarding a jet because of fraudulent or stolen passports. The word got out that the airport screening process was too hard, and the number of fake passports seen dropped substantially.

Today, a good-looking passport may be the ticket out of the hellhole that is Syria, but it is still a terrorist's best way to enter a country. Syrian refugees have been given preferential treatment to enter Europe, leading other migrants and members of ISIS to try to pass themselves off as Syrians. Syrian passports were found near the bodies of two men responsible for the Paris attacks. German customs officers recently seized packages containing Syrian passports.

Fake passports have become a valuable and necessary commodity. Those with the means and wherewithal can easily acquire documents that establish a new identity, and those documents facilitate entry into a country. In the USA, for illegal border crossers with bogus documents that establish that they are "other than Mexican," all they have to do is utter the word "asylum," and U.S. Border Patrol agents will take them before a federal magistrate, who, in turn, gives them a "notice to appear." These asylum seekers are turned loose to find an asylum attorney within ten days. Guess how many actually appear with a lawyer.

The problem of counterfeit passports and bogus identity documents is huge and growing. And America has been left more vulnerable under the Obama administration.

"Extreme vetting" is really the effort to root out the fake identity documents that are freely traded on the black market and are sold to asylum seekers, refugees, and terrorist groups. President Trump's extreme vetting executive order to keep radical Islamic terrorists from entering the United States is a good first step.

Mark A. Hewitt is the author of the espionage thrillers Special Access, Shoot Down, and No Need to Know.
Several former ambassadors and Russia hands at the State Department are warning that the Democrats and the media could harm US interests abroad by stoking hysteria over Russia and the Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak.

The feeding frenzy began when it was revealed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had contact with the Russian ambassador that he failed to disclose during his confirmation hearings. Since then, the hysteria has grown to a ridiculous level, as unconfirmed reports and outright falsehoods about Kislyak have been reported.

The Hill:

Democrats have seized on the reports, claiming theyre evidence of the Trump administrations close ties to Moscow. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) unveiled a website this week entitled Connecting the Trump-Russia dots, with Kislyaks portrait squarely in the middle.



A CNN report alleged that current and former US intelligence officials have described Kislyak as a top spy and recruiter of spies.



Thats total horses**t said Wayne Merry, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council who worked as a U.S. diplomat to Russia and has known Kislyak for decades. Its a witch-hunt with paranoia and hysteria at its core. Normally its the Russians who become paranoid and hysterical. That the conspiracy theories and paranoia is coming from Americans makes me very uncomfortable.



The past two U.S. ambassadors to Russia defended Kislyak in interviews with The Hill: Michael McFaul a fierce Trump critic who was appointed by former President Obama, and John Beyrle, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush but served for three years under Obama. Both former ambassadors tell The Hill that the Russian ambassador was merely doing his job and that there is no evidence of any illicit collusion between him and the Trump campaign.



McFaul and Beyrle say they are extremely troubled by evidence that suggests the Russians interfered in the U.S. election. They support an independent investigation into the matter.



But allegations and insinuations that Kislyak was the point person for this  and that it could have played out in broad daylight at meetings on Capitol Hill or at Trump campaign events  are preposterous, they say.



Kislyaks job is to meet with government officials and campaign people and I think hes good at his job, said McFaul. People should meet with the Russian ambassador and its wrong to criminalize that or discourage it. I want the Russian government to be as informed as possible about the American political process. When I was ambassador, it was frustrating how poorly informed the Russian government was. Its a good thing to meet with him, not a bad thing.

This is a warning that is falling on deaf ears. The media and Democrats have the bit in their teeth and are taking the Trump-Russia pseudo connection to idiotic lengths. Since there isn't much of a counter-narrative or push back from the Trump White House, the American people are being led down an extraordinary dangerous path.

The thrust of all of this Russian hysteria is the unspoken but plain as day accusation that the president of the United States is a traitor. To make that charge without a shred of evidence - and no one doubts that's what Democrats and the media are suggesting - is highly irresponsible. But the anti-Russian hysteria is matched by anti-Trump hysteria. So we get "connect the dots" websites that try and connect the unconnectable.

The Democrat's are practicing a scorched earth policy in their opposition to Trump and they care little for who or what gets singed in the process.
Once upon a time, media leaders were told to rearrange their newsrooms. And so they brought in more people of color to make the newsrooms more relevant.

A bit later, they were told to change the gender breakdown  i.e., not enough ladies. So they brought in more ladies.

In the end, the newsrooms had more people of color and more ladies, but they were just as liberal and coastal as they were when it was white men sitting at the desk.

Nate Silver's new installment on the 2016 election will hopefully get a lot of discussion at journalism schools, and especially media staff meetings.

It is the biggest indictment on everything that is wrong with these newsrooms written in quite some time:

The political diversity of journalists is not very strong, either. As of 2013, only 7 percent of them identified as Republicans (although only 28 percent called themselves Democrats with the majority saying they were independents). And although its not a perfect approximation  in most newsrooms, the people who issue endorsements are not the same as the ones who do reporting  theres reason to think that the industry was particularly out of sync with Trump. Of the major newspapers that endorsed either Clinton or Trump, only 3 percent (2 of 59) endorsed Trump. By comparison, 46 percent of newspapers to endorse either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney endorsed Romney in 2012. Furthermore, as the media has become less representative of right-of-center views  and as conservatives have rebelled against the political establishment  theres been an increasing and perhaps self-reinforcing cleavage between conservative news and opinion outlets such as Breitbart and the rest of the media.

Let me share a couple of personal observations about the election.

Over and over, I would hear that the Trump rallies were full, and often people could not get in. We would hear about people driving around the country and seeing only Trump signs. On the other hand, that was not the case with the Clinton or Kaine rallies. I am not saying this is a total indicator, but it indicates something that most reporters were not picking up.

During the campaign, I took quite a few questions from Spanish media reporters. Every interview would start with a question about how Trump insulted Mexicans at the start of the campaign. I would respond by saying the remarks were bad, indeed, but Hispanics are also concerned about the economy and the cost of health care. Nobody wanted to talk about that in the Spanish media, at least the ones operating outside Miami, where Cubans dominate the audience.

Watching TV, I would see these experts talk about a Clinton landslide  i.e., 400 electoral votes or more. I would ask myself: Who was the last Democrat to do that? The answer is President Johnson in 1964, and he did very well with the white male vote. Hillary Clinton was not doing well with the white male vote!

Over and over again, I felt that the media were disconnected, or just too many reporters telling each other how smart they were.

Nate Silver recommends that journalists "recalibrate themselves to be more skeptical of the consensus of their peers."

Let me be more blunt than Nate. Journalists need new peers. They need peers who will tell them how stupid it is to say a man has a civil right to go into a woman's bathroom. Or to immediately play the race or gender card when someone between the coasts criticizes President Obama or Leader Pelosi. Or how silly it sounds that President Obama left a great economy but no one appreciates it.

Want more readers or viewers? Put a different team on the field, one that actually thinks, not just looks, like America!

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Should you suddenly find yourself surrounded by a bunch of young girls dressed up like Catwoman during the month of March, you may well have stumbled into a Purim street party. The Jewish version of Halloween, Purim is a minor Jewish holiday that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire from the wicked Prime Minister Hamans plot to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther.

Events revolving around Purim celebrate customs associated with the holiday, including the drinking of wine or any other alcoholic beverage and the wearing of masks and costumes in public.

Before I go into my rant, allow me to first note that there is no Jewish holiday that evokes such unbridled joy as Purim, one of the most widely celebrated festivals in Israel. The best part about the holiday is that it uniquely transcends geography, socioeconomic status and religious background. During Purim, everyone, from Jerusalem's Bible thumping ultra-Orthodox Jews in their severe black suits and hats to Tel Aviv's latte-sipping secular hipsters, artists and hi-tech entrepreneurs, is out there celebrating - if not together, then at least simultaneously.

My beef with this national day of dressing up in amazing Technicolor costumes, hitting the clubs and getting just a wee bit toasty is that I'm a 43-year-old father of four children under the age of five who has to wake up at 5:30, shave, shower and grind out another eight hours in an office doused in hellish fluorescent lighting. Such is the nature of minor holidays: businesses are pretty much open as usual and people work.

But that's only the half of it. I don't miss my wild and crazy single days, which were rather mild and lazy if memory serves, one single bit. Though I am not a religious person, I am undeniably blessed to have married up, to a woman of grace, elegance, good humor, easy charm, unusual compassion and unforced beauty. As such, I have no desire to relive those nights of binge drinking, dry heaving and waking up in low places.

Rather, the revulsion I feel towards Israel's Purim, as I did toward Halloween when I lived in the United States, is based on the fact that every year I have to endure the sight of middle-aged colleagues coming to work dressed like hookers, bikers and the occasional superhero.

Call me an uptight, unliberated white guy, but I actually can't even remember the last time I put on a costume. And while I can't back up the following suspicion with an iota of evidence, I maintain that when your company's CEO suddenly goes from wearing standard button-down shirts, slacks and loafers to prancing around the office watercooler dressed like Marilyn Monroe, well Mrs. CEO may want to consider reactivating her membership on Match.com.

And so, this Purim, just as in Halloweens past, I will be the only one to dare come to work dressed as, of all things, an employee. A good friend mine tried to convince me to not take getting dressed up so seriously. "Just do what I do and pencil in a mustache. You don't want to become known as the office buzzkill," he sagely advised.

Maybe that's what I'll do. Perhaps something as simple as a little Charlie Chaplin moustache above my lip will convey the message that I'm generally sociable, yet not desperate to socialize.

Thing is, in the hyper-politicized world we live in, Chaplin could well be mistaken for Hitler, in which case about half the office will think that I dressed up as Donald Trump

Or maybe I'll just burn a sick day
With the Trump administration only a few weeks old, a media template already has emerged for demonization. Impute sinister motives to any action of the reformist president, while ignoring precedents established by Democrat presidents doing the same thing. Over the weekend, a new phony non-scandal scandal has been created: we are to believe that a crusading prosecutor hot on the heels of Trump corruption has been fired before he can bring a case against he criminal inhabitant of the Oval Office. Or something like that.

The New York Times signaled to its fellow anti-Trump propagandists that it is time for synthetic outrage with this headline: With Preet Bhararas Dismissal, Storied Office Loses Its Top Fighter. Until Friday, Bharara was the most prominent US Attorney because his jurisdiction, the Southern District of the State of New York, includes Wall Street. Bharara, like many of his predecessors, is believed to harbor ambitions for high elective office, and refused to resign when AG Sessions asked for resignations from nearly all of the sitting 93 US Attorneys, the federal prosecutors who decide which violations of federal law to prosecute. As any conservative who lived through the Bill Clinton presidency remembers, when Janet Reno was appointed his AG, she demanded and got the resignations of all 93 US Attorneys. But we are to believe that the Trump administrations slightly less complete housecleaning is an outrage intended to cover up wrongdoing.

Bharara is being sainted now by the MSM as even-handed because his office has investigated and prosecuted politicians from both parties, including (cough!) New York Mayor Bill deBlasio, a highly unpopular Democrat who has become an embarrassment to the party, and whose office would make a great stepping stone for Bharara should he enter elective politics.

The problem with this narrative is that Bhararas conduct in office is not the quite the story of a crusader. Don Surber explains:

Fake News outlets portray Preet Bharara as a "storied prosecutor" who went after Wall Street and political corruption. They have it half right. He took down some crooked politicians, but when it came to Wall Street, he let the crooks buy the Department of Justice off. (snip) Through Preet Bharara, Barack Obama sold Get Out Of Jail Free cards to corrupt CEOs on Wall Street. Instead of doing time for their crimes, Bharara let their companies pay fines that went into a Department of Justice slush fund that then funded Obama's extreme radical lefty buddies.



The press has known about this pay-to-get-away scheme for years.



From the Daily Caller on August 7, 2012: A new report from the conservative Government Accountability Institute (GAI) finds that President Barack Obamas and Attorney General Eric Holders failure to criminally charge any top Wall Street bankers is likely a result of cronyism inside the Department of Justice and political donations made to Obamas campaign. Despite Obamas and Holders heated rhetoric against Wall Street (in 2009, Obama blamed the 2008 financial collapse on reckless speculation of bankers while Holder charged that unscrupulous executives, Ponzi scheme operators and common criminals alike have targeted the pocketbooks and retirement accounts of middle class Americans), they havent filed a single criminal charge against any top executive of an elite financial institution, GAI wrote in its report, exclusively obtained by The Daily Caller.

As Don points out, nobody went to jail. Instead, the companies paid enormous fines, and made contributions to many left wing groups that the Obama administration liked, in lieu of other punishments. Kimberly Strassel of the Wall Street Journal explained the scam in 2015:

the Justice Departmentfor 16 months has engaged in a scheme to undermine Congresss spending authority by independently transferring dollars to President Obamas political allies. The department is in the process of funneling more than half-a-billion dollars to liberal activist groups, at least some of which will actively support Democrats in the coming election. It works likes this: The Justice Department prosecutes cases against supposed corporate bad actors. Those companies agree to settlements that include financial penalties. Then Justice mandates that at least some of that penalty money be paid in the form of donations to nonprofits that supposedly aid consumers and bolster neighborhoods. The Justice Department maintains a list of government-approved nonprofit beneficiaries. And surprise, surprise: Many of them are liberal activist groups. The National Council of La Raza. The National Urban League. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition. NeighborWorks America (which awards grants to left-leaning community organization groups, and has been compared with Acorn). This strategy kicked off with the $13 billion J.P. Morgan settlement in late 2013, though in that case the bank was simply offered credit for donations to nonprofits. That changed with the Citigroup and Bank of America settlements, which outright required $150 million in donations. The BofA agreement contains a provision that potentially tees up nonprofit groups for another $490 million. Several smaller settlements follow the same mold.

So was Bharara a crusader or a bag man for leftist groups? I cant regard him as a serious impartial reformer if he presided over what amounted to a shakedown to benefit left wing groups like La Raza (The Race).

Good riddance.

Too bad for Bharara that he didnt bring charges against deBlasio when he had the opportunity. That will make a run for mayor less winnable for him.
Sinister "contact" between former Trump aide Roger Stone and the hacker known as "Guccifer 2.0" has unleashed the paranoid conspiracy mongers in the media, conflating what a more neutral observer might label "innocent" chatter with "proof" that Stone knew of the hacking before it happened.

There's only one problem with that; the Twitter conversation took place after the DNC hack occurred.

The Hill:

Stone insisted to The Washington Times that the conversations were "completely innocuous." It was so perfunctory, brief and banal I had forgotten it, Stone told The Times of a private Twitter conversation he had with a hacker known as Guccifer 2.0. Guccifer 2.0 is believed by the U.S. intelligence community to be a cover identity for Russian intelligence operatives. The intelligence community concluded that Moscow sought to interfere in last year's election to help Trump win. Stone told the Times he exchanged a handful of messages with Guccifer 2.0 in the weeks following a hack of the DNC, which was revealed in late July. In one message from Aug. 14, Stone said he was "delighted" that Guccifer 2.0's Twitter account had been reinstated after being suspended. wow. thank u for writing back, and thank u for an article about me!!! do u find anything interesting in the docs i posted? Guccifer 2.0 wrote to Stone, referring to an article Stone wrote for Breitbart News on Aug. 5 which attributed the DNC breach to Guccifer 2.0. im pleased to say that u r great man. please tell me if i can help u anyhow. it would be a great pleasure to me, Guccifer 2.0 wrote in an Aug. 17 message to Stone. Stone tweeted on Aug. 21, Trust me, it will soon [be] Podestas time in the barrel. Weeks later, Clinton campaign chairman John Podestas hacked emails were leaked to WikiLeaks, leading many to believe Stone was aware in advance of the hack. Stone denied any connection to the hacks at the time. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security last December released a joint report detailing how federal investigators linked the Russian government to hacks of Democratic Party organizations. Reports from the intelligence community said Guccifer 2.0 was used to publicly release the data from hacks, but that the hacks themselves were conducted by Russia. The content of the exchange is, as you can see completely innocuous and perfunctory, Stone told The Times. Even if [Guccifer 2.0] is/was a Russian asset, my brief Aug. 14 correspondence with him on twitter comes AFTER I wrote about his role in the DNC hacks (Aug 5) and AFTER Wikileaks released the DNC material, Stone said. How does one collaborate on a matter after the fact?

Stone is an admitted political "trickster," although some of his hijinks have been labeled "dirty politics" by his opponents. If there is a question about his knowledge of the Podesta hack, there's no evidence for it - a vague reference to Podesta's "time in the barrel" is hardly a smoking gun that Stone was in on the scheme.

A Twitter conversation - even a "private" one - is not evidence of "contact and is only being construed that way because the media and the Democrats are desperate to tie the Trump campaign to the Russians.

Stone is an unlovely character - he left an expletive laced message on Elliot Spitzer's 83 year old father's answering machine threatening him with prosecution if he didn't turn on his son, a gubernatorial candidate at the time. But plotting to hack the DNC and John Podesta with Russian computer criminals? That's a stretch even for Democrats.
President Trump has issued a modified version of his previous immigration policy executive order that was stalled a month ago by a lower-level federal judge in the state of Washington. Mr. Trump has been under relentless attack from those on the left against his efforts to limit immigration from terrorist-producing areas and his call for comprehensive vetting and background checks.

Beyond doubt, it is the first and most important duty of a president to protect the lives of a country's citizens, especially where a possibility exists of terrorists being embedded within a particular immigration flow. As the president previously stated, not to strictly enforce our immigration laws is "not compassion, but recklessness."

Some are exploiting the Holocaust to promote unrestricted Syrian and other Mideast immigration into this country. However, it is incorrect to draw a parallel between the Jews who fled Europe in the 1930s, who were, as Jews, specific targets for genocide and Nazi concentration camps, and those today wishing to escape the civil war in their Mideast countries. The Syrians, for example, are not being targeted because they are Muslims, and there is no Final Solution planned against them. Their civil wars have placed them in difficult circumstances, but their situation is not comparable to the deliberate and planned Final Extermination specifically directed at Jews as Jews during the once-in-history Holocaust. It's a different category altogether.

Furthermore, comparisons to the Holocaust situation are improper, for (2) there were no Nazi agents embedded within the fleeing Jews, (3) the Jews did not harbor a cultural or religious ideology wishing to sow physical destruction among the American people, and (4) there were no rabbis in the 1930s sending forth commands worldwide to destroy the "infidels." Indeed, (5) the completely innocent Jews of Europe had nowhere to go, no country to take them in  there was not yet a State of Israel  whereas there are 57 Islamic states, many exceedingly wealthy, who could be providing safe haven to their Islamic brothers.

If there is a genocide parallel, it involves the Christians of the Middle East, who have for decades been targets of the Muslim genocide against them simply for being Christian. And yet the left has been silent regarding the plight of Christians. During the Obama years, Christian immigration here from Islamic territories was, based on population percentages, 90% less than what it should have been. Mr. Obama moralized about "not using a religious litmus test" to over-weight Muslim immigration while severely undercutting and ignoring thousands of Christian refugees begging to be rescued from the Islamic jihad against them.

Thus, one can't be blamed for wondering if specific concern by the left for Muslim migrants and lack of concern or outrage regarding oppressed Christian refugees has more to do with transforming our demographics and historic culture, changing our voting patterns and outcomes, and diminishing the historic Judeo-Christian outlook in our civic life.

The Jewish community needs to be mindful that it has become the nation's highest victim of attacks precisely, as reported in 2014, because of assailants coming from the Muslim community. Such is the case for Jews not only here, but even more so in Europe. In addition, using their dislike for Israel to justify their aggression, many Muslim groups on college campuses are viciously harassing and physically attacking Jewish students all across America. There are also far too many postings and rally signs coming from members of Islamic groups calling for "throwing Jews into the ovens" or "wishing Hitler had finished the job."

Some involved in this violence are themselves young immigrants from Islamic countries, while others are the offspring of immigrants. This is all the more reason for comprehensive and serious background checking. Tough and thorough vetting is good for America and can prevent the importation and implementation of anti-Semitism. The onus of proof should be on those seeking entry here, not the U.S. government.

While we all agree that not all 100% of immigrants from these countries are on a jihadist or sharia mission, way too many are. To those bullied and shoved on campus, or those killed in an explosion in Fort Lauderdale, Boston, Columbus, San Bernardino, or Nashville, it's little comfort or solace that their lives or limbs was taken only from the bad 30%.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly called for and is working toward establishing safe havens in Mideast territories closer to the locations of those wishing to leave war-torn areas. Saving the lives of fellow Americans is a religious, historic, and civic duty. President Trump's goals and tenacity represent moral and genuine leadership.

Rabbi Aryeh Spero is author of Push Back: Reclaiming our American Judeo-Christian Spirit, author of Why Israel Matters to You, and president of Caucus for America.
Democrats tend to love sneaky lawyer tricks because their side is so good at them. The passage of Obamacare under the Senate rules governing reconciliation is the most prominent example of creatively applying the rules to get what they want.

But it turns out that there are some really smart and creative legal minds on the GOP side, and now that the GOP runs the Senate, the sauce for the Democrat goose also flavors the Republican gander, if that isnt too disagreeable an abuse of metaphorical license. Ted Cruz is one such legal mind; in the words of legendary Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz, one of the best students I ever had.

Parker Lee reports for Independent Journal Review on how that legal mind of Senator Cruz may have come up with a game changer for Obamacare.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)...now says he's found a decades-old rule that he hopes will allow Republicans to pass a more thorough, far-reaching health care reform bill. However, Cruz's strategy  which would leverage the power Vice President Mike Pence has as president of the Senate  might blow up the Senate too, Bloomberg Politics notes. (snip) Traditionally, it has fallen to the parliamentarian  who advises the Senate on the interpretation of its rules and procedures  to determine what should and should not be considered a reconciliation bill. According to Cruz, however, a provision in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 would allow Republicans to both drastically increase the scope of their new health care reform bill and still let it fall under reconciliation by essentially bypassing the parliamentarian and leaving that decision up to Vice President Pence. As Cruz put it: Under the Budget Act of 1974, which is what governs reconciliation, it is the presiding officer, the vice president of the United States, who rules on whats permissible on reconciliation and what is not. Thats a conversation Ive been having with a number of my colleagues." Who exactly those colleagues are remains unclear, though it's known that the Texas senator did meet with both President Trump and Vice President Pence over the course of the last week: Welcomed @SenTedCruz to my office in the @WhiteHouse. Looking forward to working closely with the Senator on important legislation ahead. pic.twitter.com/F8stH4k1iR  Vice President Pence (@VP) March 8, 2017 Cruz said this process would allow Republicans to include a number of provisions that would make the health care reform bill much more attractive to conservatives. For example, Cruz notes that Republicans could repeal all of the insurance regulations in Obamacare that have increased premiums, in particular one that decreased competition by preventing insurers from selling across state lines. Still, it remains to be seen whether or not Cruz's colleagues will be eager to employ the senator's radical interpretation of the rule. Being similar to 2013's filibuster reform, it runs the risk of fundamentally altering the way Congress works. In terms of fellow Republicans eager to see a more thorough replacement of Obamacare, however, Cruz certainly has plenty of allies.

Sure there would a storm of outrage and claims that the Cruz interpretation, as voiced by VP Pence as presiding officer of the Senate, was illegitimate. Yet, the passage of Obamacare by reconciliation stands as an example of how the rules can be flexible. The arcana of Senate rules and precedents are not the sort of thing to stir up a mob. Try getting activists to turn out for a cause whose justification that puts them to sleep with a boring law school lecture.

As for the notion of changing the way the Senate works, that is inevitable. The Democrats have not demonstrated any fealty toward the filibuster, having junked it for judicial appointments to the federal bench below the SCOTUS. As Karin McQuillan noted here two days ago,

The sixty vote requirement is not in the Constitution. Its just a Senate rule. A rule that McConnell refuses to question. A rule that will destroy the Trump Presidency more thoroughly than Obama and the Deep State.

Trump is a reform president, and Reform Number One is fully replacing Obamacare, not "Obamacare Lite" to be followed (maybe, maybe not) by phases two and three, where the good stuff supposedly will happen. The GOP base is sick and tired of reforms scheduled for a "later" time that never comes.

Cruzs approach would still keep the filibuster intact, but would strengthen the hand of the party holding the presidency, since the veep would in essence replace the parliamentarian  a nonpolitical office that really shouldn't have such a crucial political function. The prospect of empowering the presidency over a Senate minority is a mixed bag for Republicans that might face a Democrat president pushing a policy that the GOP might want to stop with a filibuster.

But does anyone really believe the Democrats would not once again limit filibusters if it suited their goals? Why be suckers, allowing the Dems to block total re-doing of their flawed and harmful legislation?
We no longer live in a constitutional republic. Congress routinely passes bills that violate the letter and the spirit of the Constitution, and judges boldly legislate from the bench instead of upholding the Constitution.

American progressives celebrate the new regime. For them, it represents a victory over a political system they consciously reject. Americans who do not identify as progressives display a range of attitudes about the situation we now find ourselves in as a nation. Some are indifferent, some are resigned, some are uneasy, and others are deeply concerned or even alarmed.

But what most non-progressive Americans share is a lack of clarity about what has replaced the constitutional republic the Founders designed for us and how it came about.

How can that possibly be? How can it be that America's governmental system has been overthrown and yet most Americans don't even understand what has replaced it?

Certainly the progressives' decision to replace the constitutional order little by little  progressively  and by means of the ballot box and the courts instead of suddenly made it possible. Also, the progressives very wisely were careful to conceal from the voters what they were up to. They were only "modernizing government for modern times" or "expanding our rights." They even made the brilliant decision to change their name from "progressives" to "liberals" when Americans began to realize what progressivism actually meant. Woodrow Wilson had been too blatant, you see, in his open scorn for the Constitution. The progressives learned from Wilson's mistake.

However, the progressives' incremental process could not have worked without a truly fundamental change. For the progressive project to succeed, Americans had to lose the American Idea. If Americans retained a strong understanding of their constitutional republic, they would eventually recognize  and understand  what was being done and what was being taken from them. Consequently, the point of the spear for the progressive project had to be education. Educators at every level had to be brought around to the progressive vision. (That is the explanation for the readily observable fact that progressivism and political correctness are most radically evident at America's universities.) If the progressives were going to succeed in their project of replacing the constitutional republic, Americans had to forget the American Idea.

And so that was accomplished.

Today, as the result of the 100-year-long progressive project, we live under a new system of government. The constitutional republic has been replaced by the administrative state. The administrative state cannot be found anywhere in the Constitution. In fact, the progressives designed it to get around the checks and balances and safeguards of the Constitution. Consequently, it has grown until it dominates every aspect of American life.

The administrative state is, or at least has been until this election, beyond the reach of the voters. Corruption and folly and waste practically define the Departments of Education and Energy, the EPA, and the rest of the vast realm of the bureaucrats. Yet the administrative state grows with each passing year. The bureaucrats are insulated from the voters. Enormous scandals that even the ever complicit press cannot ignore do not result in prison time or even firings.

If the American voters are no longer sovereign, who is?

The new sovereign is the deep state. The administrative state answers to the deep state. Some of the members of the deep state are high up in the bureaucracy. Some members even hold elective office. Many members are not at any particular time even employed by the government. Together, they run the show as the people who run for office come and go.

Donald Trump's election has driven this reality out from the shadows and into the light of day. The deep state and its administrative apparatus are in open revolt against Trump, making it perfectly clear to everyone that the actual regime no longer considers itself obliged to work for the constitutionally elected government. Instead, the real regime has arrogated to itself the power to accept or not to accept the results of an election.

The permanent regime the progressives built was thrilled by Obama's election; it rejects the election of Donald Trump. It will go to any lengths to obstruct him and to bring him down.

Robert Curry is the author of Common Sense Nation: Unlocking the Forgotten Power of the American Idea from Encounter Books. You can preview the book here.
However, it remains unclear whether this stance contradicts Japans pacifist constitution

In recent years Tokyo has significantly increased the countrys defense budget, ramping up annual military spending up to $41.7 billion in 2016 and to $44.64 in 2017.

In 2015 Japans parliament approved legislation that allows Japanese troops to be deployed overseas on combat missions and to participate in armed conflicts abroad, effectively overruling the nations previous self-defense only policy.

In 2016 Japan ranked seventh in the Global Firepower military strength rating, surpassing the military capabilities of countries like Turkey and Germany.

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces have evolved into a full-fledged professional army of some 270,000 servicemen, 678 battle tanks, 2,800 wheeled armored vehicles and 2,500 artillery systems. Japans naval assets include 43 attack ships, 3 helicopter carriers, 27 mine-sweeper vessels and 17 submarines. The countrys air force boasts some 700 military aircraft, including 119 helicopters.

Valery Kistanov, head of the Center of Japanese Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Far Eastern Studies, told RT that Japans military spending is likely bigger than the official estimates, and amounts to about $47 billion per year.

"Japan's Self-Defense Forces became one of the most high-tech militaries in the world, so there are definitely some risks involved. If your neighbor has a rifle, and a loaded one at that, its hard to predict how the relations between you and him may change in the future. Maybe the rifle will be fired?" Kistanov said.

He pointed out however that the military doctrines of both Russia and Japan rule out armed conflict between the two nations, and that Tokyo is more concerned about China and North Korea,

"There are US military bases in Japan, and missile defense capabilities (in the region) are being ramped up under the pretext of responding to the North Korean threat. These tendencies obviously raise justified concerns in Russia as the expansion of missile defenses in the Far East poses a threat to Russian interests and security by default," Kistanov surmised.

Inada made this statement in response to the latest North Korean ballistic missile tests, adding that Tokyo considers all available means of protecting the national security, including military strikes against enemy targets abroad.
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.
Each day during the week of Feb. 27, Oregon State University students marched through buildings on campus, disrupting classes and chanting.

This was the chant: These racist buildings have got to go!

The students, calling themselves "Organized to Revolution," are trying to call attention to four campus buildings they believe are named after racists. The groups goal is to get Arnold Dining Center, Avery Lodge, Benton Hall and Gill Coliseum renamed.

The students declined to identify themselves by name when approached by a Gazette-Times reporter, but one of them said: We are using trying to get rid of building names as a way to draw attention to issues of students of color on campus."

Initially, they have targeted four buildings on campus for a variety of reasons. (See the related story on A4 for details about all four buildings.)

Some cases against some of the buildings seem fairly clear-cut: Avery Lodge, for example, is named for Joseph Avery, a founder of Corvallis who a university historian said owned and edited a pro-slavery newspaper, the Occidental Messenger.

Others are less clear: Thomas Hart Benton, for example, was a Missouri senator who advocated for policies that transferred Oregon land from natives exclusively to white people. And William Montgomery Meigs The Life of Thomas Hart Benton quotes him making unabashed white supremacist comments to Congress.

But, university officials contend, Benton Hall is not named for the Missouri senator  it is named for Benton County, which was named for the Missouri senator.

Its in honor of the community," said Steve Clark, OSU vice president of university relations and marketing. It has nothing to do with the individual.

The university is on the verge of adopting a new process for reviewing the complex histories surrounding some building names, likely starting with these four, and making recommendations to OSU President Ed Ray about whether the buildings should be renamed.

Clark, who chairs the universitys Architectural Naming Committee, said the new process has been in development for nearly a year and could be used to begin evaluating building names before the end of March. Clark said the process would call for the issues to be evaluated and decided over a 10-week process.

We take this very seriously and were not going to dawdle, he said.

The process

The draft proposal outlines the following steps:

 Any community member can submit a renaming request, but Clarks committee is also allowed to initiate evaluations of building names when community concerns are well-known.

 A subcommittee of the Architectural Naming Committee then will perform a preliminary evaluation to determine if support exists to demonstrate the name may be inconsistent with OSUs mission to create an equitable, inclusive, and diverse educational environment. That review should be complete within 21 days, a draft of the policy said. The subcommittee prepares a written report documenting its evaluation.

 Whether the request for a full evaluation is approved or denied, the university does public outreach and engagement on the topic.

 A full review includes engagement with content area experts and community education and engagement.

 The committee is to base its decision based on this question: Was the context of an individuals life and legacy inconsistent with OSUs contemporary mission and values such that a building should be renamed?

 Following an evaluation, the full committee votes on whether to recommend the president rename the building. The full evaluation has a goal of being complete within 30 days.

 Clark said the president would be asked to make a decision on renaming within a week of the decision by the committee.

Larry Landis, OSUs director of the Special Collections & Archives Research Center, was co-chair of the subcommittee of the Architectural Naming Committee that developed the process for evaluating names.

This is a vetting process," he said. "We want to make sure OSU as an institution is living up to its core values."

Landis said the subcommittee work began in April 2016 because the administration knew there were concerns in the OSU community about some building names, but also because there has been a national trend toward reconsidering building names at other universities. (The University of Oregon, for example, has gone through controversies recently surrounding the names of some of its buildings.)

Landis said the issues around building names are often highly nuanced, so the committee process gathers both historical information and public input on which the president can base decisions.

Some of the issues may not be clear-cut," he said. "Thats why you need a process.

Landis said the process is an opportunity to make the universitys history more accessible. He added that the committee wants the process of evaluating names to be transparent and include opportunities to engage the public, possibly in town hall-style meetings.

We want everything to be in the open, the good and the bad, he said.

Landis said the Architectural Naming Committee will likely begin by evaluating the four buildings protested by the students, which are buildings that have been previously discussed as potentially problematic before.

Landis said he recommended the evaluations begin in alphabetical order, so the Arnold Dining Center and Avery will be examined in spring term if everything goes as planned.

Joseph Orosco, a philosophy professor who co-chaired the subcommittee that developed the new process for evaluating names with Landis, said it gives the university a way to have an open and frank discussion about how it distributes honor and recognition through the naming of buildings.

Very often we think about this issue in terms of what happened in the past. But it really is about the present and the future," he said. "We need a way to talk about what values we want to uphold right now as a community and what kind of university we want to leave for future generations. Many people say we have a responsibility to honor past traditions, but I also believe that we have a responsibility to think about our legacy, and how our present ethical commitments can lead to a more healthy and prosperous community in the future.

Orosco said many of the students involved in the protest have told him the issue of building names is just the tip of the iceberg for them about questions about equity and inclusion at the university.

This is one part of a bigger struggle to try to imagine an institution that can work for the benefit of all members of the community, not just the majority. Part of that work is dealing with the reality that OSU was envisioned early on as a place that did not include the participation of faculty and students of color. It took over a hundred years as an institution to come around to its commitment to diversity and inclusion and students want a way to recognize the importance of that struggle and not just the people who probably would not have wanted them here in the first place.

The university is holding a public meeting to explain the new process and gather public feedback on it at 7 p.m. Monday in Room 268 in the Learning Innovation Center.
While the future of recreational marijuana is in doubt nationally, hundreds of people are flocking to the Benton County Fairgrounds this weekend to celebrate medical and recreational marijuana use locally.

The 2nd annual Hemp & Cannabis Fair, held this weekend at the Benton County Fairgrounds, featured 40 vendors, including several local dispensaries, smoke shops, hemp-based products, consultants, medical professionals and a series of lectures looking to educate the community about the future of marijuana. The event is sponsored by Corvallis High Quality Compassion dispensary.

Several vendors, lectures and consultants Saturday focused on a number of legal questions on both the state and federal level. Eight states have legalized recreational marijuana, but recent comments from Trump administration officials have cast doubt on whether changes might be coming on a federal level.

Theres a lot of uncertainty and it feels like things are changing every day, said Brock Binder, owner of High Quality Compassion. I wholeheartedly believe though, that the western side of the U.S. has developed responsible use for retail and it will continue to be fruitful here.

Binder said that uncertainty nationally has highlighted the need for more education and more community outreach locally.

If we can sculpt an educated cannabis community, overall we believe thats going to help us (achieve) full legalization federally, because thats what we need, Binder said. The Hemp and Cannabis Fair is a well-known educational event about cannabis around the state of Oregon. (In) Benton County we dont get a lot of attention for cannabis education.

Binder said the fair has helped the local community to understand and embrace both medical and recreational marijuana.

I think people were more nervous at the fair last year. People are getting more used to this, he said. There is this state and federal divide that were seeing. On a state level, I think Oregons done a wonderful job.

High Qualitys assistant manager, Elise Warren, and outlet supervisor Alyssa Mahr spoke about increasing tensions between federal and state attitudes around marijuana in a lecture titled We Have Been Here Before.

I think its really important that our local representatives keep reflecting the ideas and opinions of local people, Mahr said. That hasnt been a priority federally for some time, and I think thats why were seeing that difference.

Warren said it was critical that people focus on common goals in their education efforts and to let research and statistics speak for themselves.

Organizing those goals, supported by medical research, is the best way to move this forward, Warren said, noting the recently formed Cannabis Caucus formed by Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. I think we took a good first step.

Several visitors, such as Corvallis Kiaya Melton and Steven Shelley, said they were attending the fair for the first time.

Im personally new to the medical community and this allows us to check out all of our different options, said Melton, a medical marijuana cardholder. We also wanted to support our local dispensaries because we think theyre doing a wonderful job.

Shelley, a medical marijuana caregiver, said he also wanted to stay on top of the latest issues affecting local marijuana businesses.

Theres been a lot of changes in regulations, Shelley said, noting this years regulatory change from the Oregon Health Authority to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Its understandable, but its affected a lot of people and businesses.

Melton said after visiting the fair she was impressed with the effects that legalization of recreational and medical marijuana have had on local businesses.

I think other states should look to Oregon as a role model, Melton said. This is fantastic to see how positive this has been for us.

Naomi Forkash, director of The Hemp & Cannabis Fair, said this years fair featured more local businesses, including dispensaries such as Beaver Bowls and The Green Room.

I think everyones just happy to have something to celebrate right now and having something thats legal, Forkash said. Having a welcoming environment like this is really important to this movement. Cannabis events can be professional, safe and educational. This is normalizing it. Were no longer hiding in the corner.
What happens when laws designed to protect privacy collide with an urgent need to gather information  say, to help deal with an outbreak of an infectious disease?

It's not an academic question, as you know if you've been following the news reports about the outbreak of meningococcal disease on the Oregon State University campus. Over the last few months, workers at the Benton County Health Department and the OSU Student Health Services have been tracking the disease; three students have required treatment at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

Although the disease isn't highly contagious, it can be spread through prolonged exposure to an infected person. And it's a serious matter: A 2015 outbreak at the University of Oregon killed one student and sickened seven.

As it turns out, universities have a number of venues in which students can get prolonged exposure to infected people  dormitories, libraries, study areas, fraternities and sororities  so health workers in Corvallis had to track down more than 200 people who may have been exposed to the infected students so that they could be treated with antibiotics.

But federal laws such as FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, protect the privacy of students. And other federal laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (better known as HIPAA) can make it difficult to gather information about patients.

I asked Charlie Fautin, the deputy director of the Benton County Health Department and a man who's had meningococcal disease on his brain over the last few months, how those laws affected efforts to stem the outbreak at OSU.

For starters, he said, HIPAA (which has been in many ways a poster child for unintended consequences) wasn't a factor in this case: The law includes an exemption for public health investigations. But since there's so much misinformation about HIPAA, he said, sometime health departments need to educate providers about that exemption.

However, Fautin added, FERPA and other privacy laws have bedeviled other health departments. For example, he noted, FERPA contains a clause saying that schools may release information in the face of a health emergency, but it doesn't define what is meant by "may release" or even what constitutes a health emergency.

So, he said, he's heard of cases in which a health department approaches a school about a potential outbreak and gets this response from school officials: "Has anybody died?"

"And we say, 'no, not yet.' And they say, 'This is not an emergency.'"

In cases like that, one would hope, the law would allow the health officials to show recalcitrant locals the Steven Soderbergh movie "Contagion," which is generally considered a relatively accurate account of a widespread outbreak (although it works on an accelerated timeline and does feature Jude Law in a biohazard suit).

No such dramatic gesture was required in the OSU case, Fautin reported.

"In all cases, OSU has made every effort to provide us what we need," he said. "They take their role in loco parentis very, very seriously." In other words, while OSU tries to protect student privacy, it also feels a responsibility to protect its students.

"They are good partners," Fautin said, "and not all of my colleagues around the state feel the same way about the institutions in their jurisdictions."

In fact, he said, the Health Department and OSU recently have worked out a written framework that spells out when sensitive personal information can be shared with health officials. Legal counsel at the university and the county worked to hammer out the framework. The idea, Fautin said, was to build something that would endure even after current officials at OSU and the Health Department have moved on.

Later this year, Fautin said, OSU and Health Department officials will share their work at a statewide epidemiology conference, with the idea being that it can serve as a template for other pacts elsewhere.

After all, the meningococcal outbreak at OSU won't be the last public health emergency in Oregon. I learned that much from "Contagion."
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


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Robert Reich's video about the 7 signs of tyranny appears to be tailor-made to explain the first six months of Trumpism.ran an OpEd by Reich putting it into some kind of context this week:

In truth, the old Trump was there all along, and he will always be there. Hes unhinged and dangerous. The sooner congressional Republicans accept this, and take action to remove him-- whether through impeachment or the 25th Amendment-- the better for all of us.

But that all ended Saturday morning when the old Trump-- the birther, the hatemonger, the thin-skinned paranoid, the liar, the reckless ranter, the vindictive narcissist, the whack-o conman-- reemerged in a series of unprecedented and unverified accusations about his predecessor.

The bar was so low that all Trump needed to do was not sound nuts and he was presidential.

Donald Trump at his most presidential,gushed NBC; a recitation of hopes and dreams for the nation, oozed NPR; the most presidential speech Mr. Trump has ever given-- delivered at precisely the moment he needed to project sobriety, seriousness of purpose and self-discipline, raved the New York Times ; he did something tonight that you cannot take away from him. He became president of the United States, rhapsodized CNNs Van Jones.

It seems an eternity ago but it was only last Tuesday night when Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress and stuck to the teleprompter without going off the deep end-- eliciting rapturous praise from the media.

Reich used the word "conman" to describe Trump. Alan Grayson likened him to "a crap artist," namely a Philip K. Dick character, in an e-mail to his supporters yesterday.

Does Donald Trump actually believe all the stupid things he says?





My favorite author is Philip K. Dick, and I think that Dick can shed some light on this. Lots of Dicks work has been made into science fiction blockbuster movies:





Blade Runner, Total Recall, Screamers, Impostor, Minority Report, Paycheck, A Scanner Darkly, Next, and and Radio Free Albemuth





Philip Dicks Man in the High Castle is Amazons most popular original show, and Hollywood is putting the finishing touches on Blade Runner 2049, the Blade Runner sequel.





Philip Dick also wrote lots of straight fiction, not science fiction. It was not well-received. Every single one of Dicks straight novels was rejected for publication during his lifetime, except one. The only one that saw the light of day while Dick himself saw the light of day was called Confessions of a Crap Artist.





Jack Isidore, the soi-disant crap artist in Confessions of a Crap Artist, actually isnt such a bad person. He simply is incapable of distinguishing between fact and fiction. His BS meter is permanently broken. He doesnt know what passes the smell test; he has no nose for it. He wasnt born yesterday, he was born like an hour ago. Think of him as Captain Credulity.





Because he is the way he is, there is a very good chance that whatever Jack Isidore tells you is wrong. And everyone in his life knows it.





The saddest thing is that Jack himself has no idea that hes such a fool. He believes whatever is coming out of his mouth, true or false. Even though no one else does. Everyone else in his life has to wrestle with the truth, but Jack is blissfully excused from that burden.





Is he a liar? Not exactly. The French have a term for someone like this: barjo. In fact, the one Dick novel deemed worthy of being made into a French film was this one, entitled Confessions dun Barjo.





Philip Dick foresaw that we might one day have a simulacrum as President (The Mold of Yancy, The Penultimate Truth), but he failed to predict that we would have a crap artist as President.





With Jack Isidore in mind, I dont think that you can depict President Trump as the proverbial turd-in-the-punchbowl like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill OReilly, who force-fed nonsense to Trump (and millions of other marks) for decades, like geese soon to be pate de fois gras. Look at OReilly when hes conveying some huge whopper. He has a tell. A little smile plays over his lips. He knows when hes flinging cow pies at you.





And Trump? Maybe not. This is a man whose first political act was to take out a full-page ad in the New York Daily News demanding the execution of the Central Park Five, five men charged with the assault and rape of a Central Park jogger, all of whom were completely exonerated when the real attacker confessed and his DNA matched what was found at the crime scene. (Note to Donald: the Constitution prohibits the death penalty for all crimes other than first-degree murder and treason, but thats beside the point. The point is that you fell for it.)





Remember that Trump first came to national political attention by arguing incessantly (and hiring investigators to try to prove) that President Obama was born in Kenya, and therefore ineligible to be President. As if those two different birth announcements in Honolulu newspapers as well as Daddy Obamas contemporaneous immigration file (not to mention the Obama birth certificate), meant nothing. [Footnote: One of my relatives, a Fox News addict, recently tried to convince me that Obama was born in Kenya. I mentioned the birth announcements. With not even a hint of irony, she warned me, dont believe everything you hear.]





So, does it come as any surprise that since the election, Trump claimed to have won the biggest Presidential landslide in recent history? (As Trump would say, WRONG!) That the turnout for his inauguration was the largest ever? WRONG! That the US murder rate is the highest that its been in 47 years? WRONG! That there was a recent fatal terrorist attack in Sweden? WRONG! That President Obama tapped Trumps phones? WRONG!





Yet these are all things that Philip Dicks Jack Isidore would have said-- and would have believed.





Its remarkable that someone so dupable (is that a word?) could function successfully in business. On the other hand, Trumps companies did go bankrupt four times, so Trumps lenders must have been pretty dupable, too.





Its a question that comes up again and again when you try to judge some malignant political figure: Is he evil, or just stupid?





Maybe it just doesnt matter that much. Maybe its just as bad to have a fool in a position of power as it is to have a liar. Time will tell.





Either way, unless we can figure out a way to send the Prevaricator-in-Chief back to Mar-a-Lago more quickly, there will be lots of mistakes to be made in the next four years. Think of the Trump Administration as the Reign of Error."
Nana Oforiatta-Ayim, the art historian, writer, and filmmaker behind the project, says, the narrative that is told about Africa is still the backward narrative: no innovation, its ahistorical and stuck. Yet with everything I was reading, it was stories of innovation, of knowledge, of technology.
For instance: Several years ago, a small tech company called Jetpac identified and categorized the content of 150 million photos posted publicly on Instagram to build a directory of businesses searchable by their characteristics. If the photos taken at a restaurant showed a lot of mouths wearing lipstick, Jetpacs app would tag the spot as dressy. If most of the faces in a photo of a bar were male, it would tag the spot as a gay bar.
Americans have gotten a look at Trump's new Attorney General, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, and they don't like what they see. A new Quinnipiac poll included a question about him for the first time. By a 52-40% margin, voters say Sessions lied under oath during his confirmation hearings and by a 51-42% say he should resign from office. Most American voters-- 66%-- support the establishment of an "independent commission investigating potential links between some of Donald Trump's campaign advisors and the Russian government." Only 30% disagree.

Sessions has no intention of resigning. He has an ugly, reactionary agenda he's been waiting his whole miserable life to implement. His "recusal" on Putin-Gate investigations is hollow and ineffectual. And his recusal on that case doesn't mean he won't be putting his energy into other ways to prove he truly is-- in Trump's own words (as well as Stalin's)-- "an enemy of the people." Take voting rights, for example. Sessions moved quickly to withdraw the government from the Texas case alleging racial discrimination in a Texas voter ID suit.

A bigger worry, was highlighted last week on NPR'swhen Terry Gross interviewed journalist Emily Bazelon about the longstanding relationship between Sessions and Trump's in-house neo-Nazi, Steve Bannon and how they plan to use the Justice Department to further their goals. Bazelon makes the point that Sessions nd Bannon have been working together even before either of them became part of Team Trump and she contends that "they took a long-shot bet on Trump that just happened to pay off." Now they can deal with a shared "deeper cultural discomfort with the growing population of people who are not white in this country, coming from a kind of traditional white sense of propriety of what America is about. That is what's motivating Sessions and Bannon, and that it's part of what's driving the more extreme elements of this presidency."

[B]efore Trump's candidacy, these were marginal fringe figures, Sessions and Bannon. They did not have anything like a central role in Washington. They didn't have a whole lot of power. But they had really strong ideas. And they had, I think, a very well developed sense about messaging. So then Donald Trump comes along. And he begins his campaign by, you know, in this broad brush way accusing Mexicans of being rapists. He gets a lot of attention. Nobody really takes him that seriously.





But Sessions and Bannon could see a willingness to kind of sign on to this anti-immigrant, divisive, nationalist agenda that they had been pushing for a few years. And so that's what I mean by vessel. In a sense, like, Donald Trump from their point of view was this happy coincidence that came along. What we do know is that, as you said, Sessions endorsed Trump pretty early on. And then Bannon wrote with some excitement to a friend of his to say that while he liked some of the other Republican candidates like Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina, he was ready to sign up for Trump because Trump had endorsed the nationalist anti-immigration plan that Sessions was working on.





So you can see the way in which they really found a kind of common ground here. By signing on to Trump, Sessions gave Bannon a reason to get on board. And then a few months after that, you see Sessions actually crafting or helping to craft an immigration policy for Trump.





...Sessions made it clear early on that [Justice] was the Cabinet position that he was interested in. And it's not a coincidence. First of all the, Justice Department is just one of the most powerful agencies in our country. And also, Sessions had a background as a U.S. attorney in the 1980s. So he had actually worked for the Justice Department in that capacity before. And so I think you see a kind of perfect synergy here. Sessions is exactly the right person for Donald Trump in this attorney general position given his larger agenda, the one that he shares with Sessions and Bannon. And for Sessions, it's a very powerful post that he is well qualified for.





...[B]roadly speaking, there are a couple of different approaches to voting law. You can talk about how to make voting easier for people or you can talk about making it harder. President Obama wanted to make voting easier. And so his Justice Department looked at the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protects the rights of minority voters, and tried to use that to prevent states from unnecessarily restricting people's voting rights.





So for example, Texas and North Carolina passed laws with strict voter ID and then other kinds of limitations, like taking away same-day voting registration. And the Justice Department sued those states and tried to make sure that the people who were going to be prevented from voting or for whom voting would be more difficult were being protected. And we know that in both states people who tend to lack the required forms of ID are more likely to be black and Latino. So we're talking about hundreds of thousands of minority voters for whom access to the polls becomes more difficult.





The Republican Party has had a different set of priorities. They have really pushed the idea that what's really important is to use the law to prevent voting fraud. Now, they've been doing this without evidence that in-person voter fraud is anything like widespread. But Donald Trump we know has really picked up on this theme. I mean, he made this unproven - wholly unproven allegation that millions of people had voted illegally in the election. And Sessions also has a history from when he was a prosecutor in the '80s of prosecuting African-American civil rights activists for voter fraud.





So there's again a kind of commonality here. And when you push the idea that what the Justice Department should be doing is preventing voter fraud, you've really made a case for using the law in a way that, as I said earlier, makes it harder to vote. And so I think what we're going to see and already seeing is the Justice Department shift from opening up access to the ballot to trying to restrict it. And in the Texas case, the Justice Department under Jeff Sessions has essentially switched sides. So instead of suing Texas, they're now saying they don't think that Texas intentionally discriminated against minority voters.




The other day we mentioned that a SuperPAC controlled by Paul Ryan is running threatening negative TV ads against 30 Republican incumbents . The one above has been on TV all weekend in Grand Rapids, it's suburbs to the north and east and in Battle Creek in central Michigan. The implied threat is that Ryan will destroy independent-minded libertarian Justin Amash's career the same way he destroyed the careers of Republican incumbents Tim Huelskamp (KS) and Scott Garrett (NJ). Most of the Republicans Ryan has targeted are in deep red districts where there have never been negative TV ads run against them. Crackpot extremists like Mo Brooks and Gary Palmer in Alabama, Paul Gosar, David Schweikert and Trent Franks in the Phoenix area, and Ted Poe, Louie Gohmert, Randy Weber, Michael Burgess and Brian Babin have never had to worry about Democratic opponents. But Ryan's threat is to take them out with a primary, like he did with Huelskampo-- and already tried doing once before to Amash. (Tulsa-area Congressman Jim Bridenstine is one of the congressmen being targeted. He's retiring at the end of the current session and doesn't care how much money Ryan wastes threatening him. He told a donor who I know earlier today that "Ryan should remember what happened to Julius Ceasar before he tries anymore of this kind of bullshit."





Face the Nation this morning threatening that he agrees with Trumpanzee that there'll be a "bloodbath" in 2018 if the GOP doesn't pass his Trumpcare bill.) But, apparently, the threats-- at least to the other 29 besides Bridenstine-- are serious. Right-wing website, the WashingtonExaminer.com reported on Friday that it isn't just Ryan. Senor Trumpanzee "has told Republican leaders that he's prepared to play hardball with congressional conservatives to pass the GOP healthcare bill, including by supporting the 2018 primary challengers of any Republican who votes against" Trumpcare. At least that's what he was boasting to Steve Scalise and his whip team last week. (Ryan was onthis morning threatening that he agrees with Trumpanzee that there'll be a "bloodbath" in 2018 if the GOP doesn't pass his Trumpcare bill.)





Remember, Trump has a terrible reputation for failing to get his candidates elected . His picks in North Carolina and Kansas got their asses handed to them despite Trump's backing and his GA-06 crony to replace Tom Price, Bruce Levell, is polling below the margin or error!









Still, the Trumpists behind the Examiner website claim his threats "could resonate" because the congressmen he and Ryan are targeting are in such strong Trump-supporting districts and "could be the most susceptible to a midterm primary challenge, especially if Trump tells those voters that their member of Congress is blocking him from fulfilling his promise to repeal President Obama's healthcare law.

"The president will respond as circumstances dictate," a House Republican said Friday, on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal strategy. "He has unique capacities; I wouldn't want to be the one he tests them out on."



If negotiations don't reach fruition as the bill readies for a floor vote, Republican insiders said, watch Trump's tweets and travel schedule for signs that he's dispensed with the carrots and brought out the stick to try to get wayward members on board.



Party insiders say the president at that point could choose to make an example of one or two resistant Republicans to send a message.



Rep. Mark Meadows, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, the primary group of House Republicans opposed to the healthcare bill, is a possible target. His western North Carolina district voted overwhelmingly for Trump in November, and Meadows has come out in opposition to the bill.



Meadows was still opposed this week but seems to recognize that it would be difficult to win an argument with the president at home.



"The president has a very powerful bully pulpit and a very powerful tweet and so I would never want to take on the president in either of those realms," he admitted.



...The whip team was expected to present Trump with a list of Republicans that need convincing on Tuesday. That's when they are next scheduled to meet at the White House, in what is to become a weekly check-in session until the House passes health reform.





So far Amash, for one, has been laughing at Ryan's threats and even went on CNN Thursday to mention that the Ryan-Pence-Price Trumpcare bill "has no constituency. Republicans at home dont like it. Democrats at home dont like it. It seems like the only constituency for it is the political class in Washington, and maybe some of the insurance companies. So I dont see how this bill goes anywhere... The sole objective of our leadership team is to ram this through, then go to Phase Two and have the HHS secretary make the changes, and those changes are only in place as long as hes the secretary. The third phase requires us to be working with Democrats, so I think we should be working with them now to see where we can find common ground. I think that we can convince Democrats major reforms to the healthcare system are needed... The president is the kind of guy who will work this hard. I think hes going to go and use his political capital on this. At the end of the day, what theyre trying to do is a political plan Theyre trying to pass essentially Obamacare 2.0 and they want to pretend its 'repeal and replace.' Because they dont want to upset people at home who like some of the features of Obamacare, and they want to fulfill their promises to Republicans. Thats the wrong strategy. You should really be looking at the policy and trying to find a way we can all come together... It doesnt address healthcare costs, and I feel very comfortable voting against that because Republicans and Democrats at home dont support such a bill."





Can Amash stand up to a primary? Be beat back one from establishment shill Brian Ellis in 2014. Ellis spent $1,820,123 against Amash ($1,057,006 from his own bank account) but Amash beat him 39,706 (57%) to 29,422 (43%). Trump won Amash's district 51.6% to 42.2% while Amash beat his Democratic opponent 59.4% to 37.5%. Since the election, Trump's popularity has waned, especially in Kent and Calhoun counties-- where virtually all the votes are cast-- while Amash's popularity has soared.





This Week, far right Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton, now a senator, "Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote," he said. "I'm afraid that if they vote for this bill, they're going to put the House majority at risk next year." Republican NY Times columnist David Brooks was also on Meet the Press today. He mentioned that his party's Trumpcare proposal is "declaring war on their own voters." This morning, on ABC's, far right Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton, now a senator, warned his old colleagues in the House not to get suckered by Ryan. He said the bill Ryan, Pence and Price cobbled together can't pass the Senate in its current form because it would have "adverse consequences for millions of Americans." He thinks Republicans who vote for it are putting their 2018 reelection prospects in serious jeopardy.Republicancolumnist David Brooks was also ontoday. He mentioned that his party's Trumpcare proposal is "declaring war on their own voters."

Still remember Alaska crackpot Sarah Palin? I don't think she's a big fan of Ryan's Trumpcare bill either-- although with her garblygook way of expressing herself, who knows. She dubbed the Ryan plan "RINO-care" and said "not another word from them until we are definitively told that there is no provision whatsoever allowing Congress to exempt itself whatsoever with this law. As with anything else mandated by Congress, every single dotted I and crossed T better apply to them, too, and not just the people who they are lording this thing over because remember this is government-controlled health care, the system that requires enrollment in an unaffordable, unsustainable, unwanted, unconstitutional continuation of government-run medicine, and even in this new quasi-reformed proposal, there is still an aspect of socialism. Thats the whole premise here... It would be really helpful if every single one of these politicians would do like the NASCAR drivers do-- and its been said before-- but let them wear their sponsors plastered all over their three-piece suits when they show up so we know what side theyre on and who theyre actually doing their bidding for... Its so wrong because its still so unconstitutional. Its still taxation without representation. It still picks winners and losers because some corporations get to opt out of the requirements that hit everyone else. It still infringes on states rights, and it still weaponizes the IRS against Americans who just simply seek freedom and choices and sensibility in their families health care. The IRS will be taxing aspects of this without representation because we have no choice. Were shackled to politicians whims and special interests bullying interests, which does violate the Constitution, and it actually allows government to have a lien on our health... I dont know why were still even giving an inch on aspects of socialized medicine via this new RINO-care proposal. Is that okay with conservatives, with Republicans in office? They say they want the patient first. They say they want freedom. They say they want a free market to drive the insurance system that we have in America. But no, government is still in control. Government actually has a lien on our health because they lord over us penalties if we want to opt out of a big government mandate... I have great faith that President Trump is one who will fulfill campaign promises. He already has a track record of doing so well in these first months, Im just really proud to have been part of the constituency that wanted him in there and worked hard to get him in there. So, yeah, Im sure that President Trump is going to do the right thing and listen to all sides, of course, but understand, especially, that as a businessman, hes going to understand whether this makes sense in his vision of how to grow businesses and how to get government off our back and back on our side. How will we create a smaller, smarter government with a proposal like this that basically allows for the continuation of a growth of government? Thats what any aspect of Obamacare or RINO-care does. So asking President Trump specifically about how running a business, not a Wall Street business, but mom-and-pop main street business, how does RINO-care help their business get to grow and drive and survive in this economy?"




The superstar duo's friendship goes way back and their bond seems to be only growing stronger with time.

Mumbai: It is no secret that after the Ae Dil Hia Mushkil-Shivaay clash, or may be even before that, Karan Johar and former best friend Kajols actor-producer husband Ajay Devgn have severed all ties with each other.

The mudslinging got so nasty that at one point Ajay accused Karan of paying controversial critic Kamaal Rashid Khan (KRK) a handsome amount of 25L to badmouth his film on social media.

The animosity grew so bitter that Karan Johar, despite knowing about Ajays plans of making a film on the Battle of Saragarhi, announced his movie on the same subject along with salman Khan as co-Producer and Akshay Kumar as the male lead.

But there is a catch to this story, Salman Khan, who is good friends with Ajay since their Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam days, had no idea about their (Karan Johar and Ajay Devgns) feud on social media fiasco and the subsequent fallout. Also, he was completely clueless about Ajays film on the same topic.

Upon learning about Ajays plans, the loyal friend that Sallu Bhai is, Khan reportedly backed out of the film in order to avoid any tension with good pal Ajay.

A source reportedly told DNA, Karan and Ajay have been at loggerheads for a while. And while Karan knew that Ajay was making this film, he went ahead and announced his.. to be co-produced by Salman and starring Akshay Kumar. But now with Salman not being part of this project, it will be interesting to see if KJo will still go ahead with this film.
Reaching out to non-Jatav Dalits and non-Yadav OBCs, Mr Shahs strategy also included tapping the youth and women voters.

BJP workers carry a cut-out of PM Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah as they celebrate the party's victory in UP and Uttarakhand assembly polls. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The man of the hour in the BJP besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi is party president Amit Shah. Architech of BJPs historic win in UP during the Lok Sabha elections, Mr Shah has emerged as the most successful president of the BJP so far.

After poll results, he credited Mr Modis pro-poor policies for the partys stupendous performance in the Assembly elections, including in Uttar Pradesh where it got over two-thirds majority.

After winning states like Assam, Haryana and Maharashtra, Mr Shah had been meticulously strategising for his party to end its political vanvaas in UP, which sends the highest number of members to Parliament. From caste calculation to fine-tuning caste arithmetic, Mr Shah also made sure that neither factionalism nor dissension hurt partys poll prospects. It was one of the reasons that the BJP did not project a chief ministerial candidate in both UP and Uttarakhand.

Reaching out to non-Jatav Dalits and non-Yadav OBCs, Mr Shahs strategy also included tapping the youth and women voters. BJP workers and cadres were asked to visit regularly to each and every house, with the Modi governments achievements, its impact, and also to make sure that every legal voter comes out an vote. RSS leadership was also actively involved in this entire exercise.

Mr Shah, sources said, himself, held meetings with party rebels to pacify them and had asked state leadership to engage as many leaders in election related activities so that they do not feel left out.

To a question on Ram mandir on Saturday, he said You should refer to our sankalp patra (manifesto). The BJP has said that it wants a temple under the constitutional provisions with either a court verdict or a dialogue. Asked whether the party will keep UPs complex caste equation in mind when it decides its CM, he said merit will be the sole criteria.
Nine jawans were killed in the very first round of firing by rebels, Bastar range inspector general of police P. Sunder Raj said.

Bhopal: Maoists killed 12 CRPF jawans on Saturday after drawing them into a deadly ambush near Kokacherru, a forested village in Chhattisgarhs south Bastar district of Sukma. This was one of the biggest attacks on security forces in the past one year.

The ultras triggered improvised explosive devices (IEDs), targeting a road opening party of security personnel and then opened indiscriminate fire on them when they walked into their ambush, leading to death of 12 CRPF jawans and injuries to two others, a senior district police officer told this newspaper.

Nine jawans were killed in the very first round of firing by rebels, Bastar range inspector general of police P. Sunder Raj said.

The incident took place at around 9 am, when 112 personnel of the CRPFs 219th battalion, part of a road clearing party, was securing an under-construction road between Bhejji and Kokacherru in the district, Mr Raj said.

The Naxals looted ten weapons, including Insas assault rifles and AK-47s, as well as two radio sets from the deceased troopers, a CRPF officer said.

Those killed included inspector Jagatjit Singh, ASIs H.B. Bhatt and Narendra Kumar Singh, head constables Jagdish Prasad Bishnoi and P.R. Minde and constables Mangesh Pal Pandey, Ram Pal Singh Yadav, Goraknath, Nand Kumar Patra, Satish Kumar Verma, K. Shankar and Suresh Kumar.
Kishor's tactics failed, and now, he is being partly held responsible for one Congress' biggest electoral defeats.

New Delhi: After 2014, Prashant Kishor was the go-to man for an election strategy. But one Saturday wiped off what used to be a very impressive record.

His consultant, the Congress party, did win in Punjab but thats being primarily attributed to Captain Amarinder Singh's electioneering skills.

As far as Uttar Pradesh is concerned, Mr Kishor's planning has been a disaster. In fact, it was Kishor who had urged the Congress leadership to consider the alliance with with the Samajwadi Party in the state.

It was his idea that Rahul Gandhi and company fight the elections with Akhilesh Yadav  a man caught in a volatile family feud that drowned out the alliance's message to the people.

The tactics failed and now, Mr Kishor is being partly held responsible for one Congress' biggest electoral defeats. Analysts say the plans sank not just one but two political forces and two separate leaders.

The suggestion to go ahead with the alliance is also being seen as one of the worst political decisions of the year. It also brings into doubt Mr Kishor's ability to read correctly data from the ground.

If the SP-Congress tag team was a disaster from the start, early readings of the constituencies and the polling public should have revealed so. But Mr Kishor, or his employers, had no clue.

Our alliance is winning, such exit polls we saw in Bihar also. Will talk tomorrow, Rahul Gandhi had said on Friday, a day before the results. The UP polls have proved that even somebody like Prashant Kishor can go wrong. It is obvious his strategies failed, Praveen Rai, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), was quoted as saying in reports.

Nobody summed up the fiasco better than actor and BJP MP Paresh Rawal. "Can anyone find out where is Prashant Kishore?" he wrote on Twitter. Has Prashant Kishor uploaded his resume on LinkedIn?" read another tweet.

The only message from Mr Kishor was a tweet praising AAP. He said AAP was one the toughest competitors his team has ever faced. He also congratulated Amarinder Singh, Congresss chief ministerial candidate, for partys victory.
The Congress returned to power in Punjab after a gap of 10 years by winning 77 seats.

Chandigarh: After leading the Congress to a resounding victory over the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine in the Assembly polls, senior unit chief Captain Amarinder Singh will take oath as Punjabs chief minister on March 16.

He was unanimously elected the new leader of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) on Sunday. Later, he met governor V.P. Singh Badnore to stake claim to form the next government. Mr Singh told reporters that some party members would also be sworn in as ministers on the same day, but did not give any details.

Mr Singh would visit Delhi on March 14 to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and discuss about formation of the new government.

AICC secretary in charge of Punjab, Asha Kumari, told mediapersons that the newly elected MLAs passed a one-line resolution uthorising party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi to take a decision on the new CLP leader. After Mr Gandhi proposed the name of Mr Gandhi, the legislators elected him by a show of hands, she said.

The Congress returned to power in Punjab after a gap of 10 years by winning 77 seats.
Suresh Prabhu tipped to be next defence minister.

New Delhi: Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is all set to head back to home state Goa as the next chief minister, where the BJP managed to get the required numbers to retain power. The BJP won back former ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), got a new ally in Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the support of two Independent MLAs. Saturdays poll results had thrown up a hung Assembly, with the BJP winning 13 seats and the Congress 17 in the 40-member Assembly. But the BJP managed to get three MGP, three GFP and two Independent MLAs to reach the halfway mark of 21. While the BJP is also in touch with the NCP, that won one seat, the latter was yet to officially reach out to the BJP.

Though there was no official confirmation on whether or not Mr Parrikar had resigned from the Union Cabinet, senior Union minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJPs election in-charge for Goa, said the state unit had requested that Mr Parrikar be the chief minister, which was agreed to by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the parliamentary board of the party. The name of railway minister Suresh Prabhu is doing the rounds as Mr Parrikars possible successor.

Goa BJP chief Vinay Tendulkar also said the central leadership had agreed that Mr Parrikar should head the BJP legislature party in the state.

Mr Parrikar met Goa governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday evening along with Mr Gadkari, 13 party MLAs, three Maharas-htrawadi Gomantak Party MLAs, three Goa Forward Party and three Independent MLAs. The halfway mark in the 40-member Assembly is 21 and the BJP has 22 MLAs on its side. Sources said two BJP MLAs had also indicated they were ready to vacate their seats for Mr Parrikar to be elected to the House. Ever since the Assembly elections were announced, the Goa BJP unit has been demanding that Mr Parrikar return to the state. He was also the partys star campaigner.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh accused the BJP of horse-trading, promising sums, ministries, corporations and SUVs to non-BJP MLAs to get their support.

I have never seen in any other state where a political party which has been rejected outright, where the CM has lost, six ministers have lost, yet are staking claim to forming the government, the senior Congress leader said. He said the BJP should accept defeat as the people of Goa had rejected the party.

Earlier on Sunday, the newly-elected BJP MLAs unanimously backed Mr Parrikar as state legislature party leader, while the MGP too said it would support a government led by Mr Parrikar.

The MGP had snapped ties with the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections over former CM Laxmikant Parsekars style of functioning. Mr Parsekar lost his Mandrem seat to his Congress opponent this time, and tendered his resignation earlier during the day.

The newly-elected BJP MLAs also passed a resolution urging party president Amit Shah to nominate Mr Parrikar as leader of the legislature party.

The MGP also passed a resolution extending support to the BJP if it forms government under the leadership of Mr Parrikar.
Shah meets Rajnath on UP CM; MLAs to decide in Lucknow Thurs.

New Delhi: In his first address to the BJP cadre and supporters after the partys stupendous performance in the just-concluded Assembly elections in five states, in particular Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that power is not an instrument to rule, but a tool of service to people. Accused by his opponents of trying to polarise elections on communal lines, Mr Modi pledged that the BJP-led government will take everybody along as in democracy, governments are formed with a majority, but run with consensus. At the BJP headquarters, Mr Modi pitched for building a new India by 2022 that would make the nations founding fathers proud, and said he saw the results, particularly in UP, as the foundation of the new India. India will celebrate the 75th year of Independence in 2022. Mr Modi also said these elections must be evaluated as the people voted heavily despite the absence of any emotional issue, and the voted for development. With the Modi government laying stress on garib kalyan plans, Mr Modi said poor people now needed an opportunity to prove himself/herself, not charity.

BJP chief Amit Shah described the results as greater than that in the 2014 general election and predicted that the party will get a bigger mandate in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Mr Shah also predicted that his partys victory march would continue in the coming elections in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat, as well in the eastern and southern parts of the country.

Hundreds of party workers and supporters had gathered at the BJP headquarters. Greeted by party workers and supporters, Mr Modi got down from his car and walked all the way from the Le Meridien Hotel roundabout to the party headquarters at 11 Ashoka Road. Mr Modi also attended the BJP parliamentary board meeting, which appointed central observers for four states to oversee the legislature party meetings. While Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and general secretary Bhupendra Yadav are the observers for UP, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and general secretary Saroj Pandey will officiate in Uttarakhand. Union minister Nitin Gadkari is the central observer for Goa while Union minister Piyush Goyal and vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe are on duty in Manipur. In UP, the legislature party meeting is likely to be held on March 16, when the party MLAs will decide their leader and chief minister. The parliamentary board also authorised Mr Shah to decide CM nominees in the four states in consultation with the party observers of the respective states.

A multi-layered security cover was put in place at Ashoka Road with hundreds of Delhi Police, CISF and BSF personnel as well as NSG commandos deployed there. Surrounded by security personnel, Mr Modi waved at supporters during his victory walk amid the shower of petals and chants of Modi, Modi.

I see this victory as the foundation of a new India where 65 per cent of the population will be young people below 35... A new India of unprecedentedly vigilant women... A new India where the poor dont want anything by way of charity, but seek an opportunity to chart out their own course. I see this change happening, Mr Modi said, amid chants of Har Har Modi! Ghar Ghar Modi!

Earlier in the day, the PM tweeted: India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength and skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development.

In a statement on his website narendramodi.in, the PM said: India is transforming, powered by the strength of each and every citizen of India... An India that is driven by innovation, hard work and creativity; an India characterised by peace, unity and brotherhood; and an India free from corruption, terrorism, black money and dirt.

Stressing on the development agenda, Mr Modi said this was one issue that most political parties shy from taking up as a poll plank, unlike emotional issues. He said there was a lack of emotive issues in these polls but still the turnout was huge for a campaign based on development, which shows the transition that is happening towards the creation of a new India. He said the unexpected turnout and mandate was forcing political pundits to rethink. Referring to generations of Jan Sangh and BJP leaders like Atal Behari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Kushabhau Thakre and Jana Krishnamrrthi who gave their youth and life for raising this banyan tree, Mr Modi said power was not an instrument to rule, but a tool of service for the people.

After the BJP and Mr Modi himself were accused of trying to polarise the elections, specially in UP, Mr Modi pledged that this government is of those who voted for it, and also those who have not. Of those who have walked along, and also of those who have not, adding that everybody will join in the making of a new India.

Mr Shah said the BJPs victory in UP in particular was an endorsement of the BJP-led NDA governments pro-poor policies. He said the people had expressed complete faith in Mr Modis leadership. Senior leaders including Cabinet ministers like Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, M. Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar, who are also parliamentary board members, were present on the dais. Mr Shah attributed the partys victory to demonetisation and said that with it the poor had come closer to the Narendra Modi government.

Mr Shah, meanwhile, held a meeting with Mr Rajnath Singh separately in the afternoon. Speculation is rife that both discussed the probable candidates for the UP CMs post. Mr Shah also met RSS leader Krishna Gopal late on Saturday night on the CM issue. The names that have been doing the rounds are state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, Lucknow mayor Dinesh Sharma, Shahjahanpur MLA Suresh Khanna, and Union ministers Manoj Sinha and Uma Bharti. Mr Rajnath Singhs name is also doing the rounds for the chief ministership. He is, incidentally, a former CM of the state.

In Uttarakhand, Satpal Maharaj and Trivendra Rawat are among the names doing the rounds for the CMs post.
The move by Mr Kumar is now being analysed as his silent support to the BJP.

Patna: While secular parties, including the RJD, have gone into introspection mode after the blockbuster victory of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar blamed political parties for opposing the demonetisation drive, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as one of the reasons for their loss.

Outlining the reasons behind the landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, Nitish Kumar released a statement on his twitter handle stating that there was no need to oppose demonetisation as it gave immense relief to poor people who felt that the decision was against corrupt people.

He added that backward classes supported the BJP as no attempt was made by political parties to unite them.

According to sources, the statement was released after assessing the political situation in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Though there was no immediate reaction by other constituents of the grand alliance in Bihar, but if some of the party workers in the RJD are to be believed, the statement is likely to cause a further rift.

Nitish Kumar was the first chief minister to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the demonetisation issue, while other Opposition parties had protested against the move. Mr Kumars statement also gave rise to speculations about his growing closeness with the BJP. Observers believe that results in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh may impact the political equations in Bihar.

Political pundits pointed out that while the Congress joined hands with the Samajwadi Party and the RJD supported the SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Kumar took a neutral stand by choosing not to campaign for any party or field candidates there.

The move by Mr Kumar is now being analysed as his silent support to the BJP. The issue was later raised by senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh who while speaking on the results of UP elections questioned his absence.
Naxals first used explosives against CRPF men, then stabbed them; Rajnath not to celebrate Holi.

Naxal outfits had been lying low for the last few months after demonetisation.

New Delhi: Initial investigation into Chhattisgarhs Sukma Naxal attack, in which 12 CRPF personnel were killed Saturday, have revealed that it was extremely brutal and lethal in which the Maoists not only used arrowhead explosives and IEDs, but they also stabbed the security personnel repeatedly with sharp-edged weapons.

This was one of the deadliest Naxal attacks ever since the NDA government came to power in 2014.

The intensity of the attack can be gauged from the fact that Naxals stabbed the CRPF personnel repeatedly to ensure that they were dead, a senior security official said.

First, the Naxals used IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and shot several rounds at the CRPFs road-opening party, following which they stabbed the security personnel. Such brutality by Naxals has not been seen in recent times, the official added.

The incident took place in South Bastars Sukma, which is a stronghold of the Naxals. The Central Reserve Police Forces road-opening team had gone there to secure an under-construction road between Bhejji and Kokacherru.

Saddened by the attack and the high casualty, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said he will not celebrate Holi Monday. Mr Singh visited Chhattisgarh Saturday and reviewed the situation. He also announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore to each of the slain CRPF personnels kin.

People familiar with the matter said the Naxals had laid a massive ambush for the CRPF. What has surprised the security forces was that the rebels used custom-made arrowhead explosives against the CRPF jawans.

The Naxals also fired mortar shells, and it appeared that they were well-prepared, both in terms of ammunition and men, for the massive attack.

Security officials said that it appears the Naxals have managed to acquire the technology for making the mortar shells locally.

Naxal outfits had been lying low for the last few months, especially after the governments demonetisation programme, as they were facing a severe financial crunch which had severely hampered their operations.

Now it seems the Naxals have managed to regroup and through this incident they are sending a message, the official added.

Central security and intelligence agencies have launched a hunt to identity the Naxal module which was behind the attack. It is suspected that following the attack the group may have crossed into Odisha.

They also managed to escape with a huge cache of arms, which included a light machine gun; at least five AK-47 rifles, an under-barrel grenade launcher and some mortar which are used by security forces in anti-Naxal operations.

Weapons used by rebels

Arrowhead bombs: A type of arrows whose tips are covered with explosives

A type of arrows whose tips are covered with explosives IEDs: Built using conventional explosives, such as artillery round, attached to a detonating mechanism

Built using conventional explosives, such as artillery round, attached to a detonating mechanism Home-made mortar shells: Security officials suspect Naxals have acquired technology to make advanced mortar shells locally

Weapons taken away by rebels
Cong has won 77 seats in 117-member state assembly after projecting state unit President Amarinder Singh as its chief ministerial nominee.

Chandigarh: Congress' return to power mark sits second best performance in the assembly elections in Punjab since its reorganisation in 1966 when Haryana was carved out as a separate state.

Congress has won 77 seats in the 117-member state assembly after projecting state unit President Amarinder Singh as its chief ministerial nominee.

The party was one short of 78 - figure required for two-thirds majority in the assembly.

The party's best ever performance was in 1992 when it won 87 seats in the elections which were boycotted by main Akali Dal in the wake of threats from radical Khalistani elements.

The opponents of the elections then called for the boycott saying the Centre had failed to take steps to meet longstanding Sikh demands, including the release of detainees, greater political and economic autonomy and more water for irrigating its drought-prone regions.

The 1992 elections were held amid a huge deployment of security personnel and the Punjab police.

Incidentally, a splinter Akali group led by Amarinder had contested the 1992 elections fielding 38 candidates, but only three could win.

The three included Amarinder who was declared elected "uncontested" from the Samana assembly constituency in Patiala district. The other SAD winners were Ranjit Singh (Khadoor Sahib) and Inderjit Singh (Zira).

The SAD faction had fielded 58 candidates out of which three won and 38 forfeited their security deposit.

But this time the Congress has put up its second best performance with Amarinder in the lead. He won from Patiala Urban seat, but lost to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from the Lambi constituency.

The three other 60-plus seats performances of the Congress have been in 1972 (66 seats), 1980 (63) and 2002 (62) when Amarinder first became chief minister.

Congress won 40-plus seats thrice in 1967 (48 seats), 2012 (46) and 2007 (44).

The party won 38 seats in 1969, 32 in 1985 and its lowest 17 in 1977.

Vote-wise the best performance of Congress was in 1980 when it got 45.19 per cent vote share, followed by 43.83 per cent in 1992, 42.84 per cent in 1972, 40.90 per cent in 2007 and 40.09 per cent in 2012.

Its worst performance was in 1997 when it got a vote share of 26.38 per cent.

This time, Congress won 77 seats and was followed by new entrant AAP with 20 seats, SAD with 15, BJP with 3 and Lok Insaaf Party, a pre-poll ally of AAP, with 2 seats.
The big news out of the Justice Department this weekend, of course, is the sudden decision by the Regime to fire all 46 Obama-DOJ Prosecutors , including Preet Bharara, the country's most effective corruption fighter. This was especially odd because both Trump and Sessions had asked him to stay on and he had agreed to do so. Did Trump just realize out of the blue that his seat of corruption in Trump Tower is part of Bharara's jurisdiction.





Recently Jeff Sessions-- who once famously explained that he thought the KKK were a bunch of fine guys until he realized they were a bunch of pot heads-- has been chomping at the bit to go after legalized marijuana businesses. "States, you know, can pass whatever laws they choose," Sessions drawled , "but Im not sure were going to be better, healthier nation if we have marijuana being sold at every corner grocery storewell have to work our way through that."





He said he's dubious about marijuana, and he made those remarks after Spicer told reporters that the Department of Justice would use the federal law banning marijuana to crack down on recreational pot sales while allowing states to regulate the drug for medical use. Recreational marijuana use is legal in Washington, Colorado, California, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Alaska (+ Washington, DC).

Legalization backers were quick to criticize Sessions for suggesting that pot might be sold at every corner grocery store.



No states allow this, said Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority, a pro-legalization group.



As a presidential candidate, Trump said that he would leave the question of legalization to individual states. But his choice of Sessions in November set off immediate panic among legalization backers.



Sessions, a longtime opponent of legalization as a former Republican senator from Alabama, caused a stir last year when he said at a Senate hearing that good people dont smoke marijuana.



At his confirmation hearing in January, Sessions gave conflicting signals on what he would do. In Washington state, where voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, the uncertainty has many politicians worred about a possible crackdown.



When Sessions was asked at his confirmation hearing whether he would use federal resources to investigate and prosecute sick people who use medical marijuana, he replied: I wont commit to never enforcing federal law.



But he also said that enforcing the law is a problem of resources for the federal government. And he said that Obamas Justice Department had set out policies that are truly valuable in evaluating cases.



Sessions also said that Congress should set marijuana policy and the attorney general should enforce the law.



I think one obvious concern is that the United States Congress has made the possession of marijuana in every state, and distribution of it, an illegal act... We should do our job and enforce laws effectively as were able, Sessions said.

Spider's statement was "President Trump sees a big difference between use of marijuana for medical purposes and for recreational purposes. The president understands the pain and suffering that many people go through who are facing terminal disease and the comfort that some of these drugs, including medical marijuana, can bring to them. I think that when you see something like the opioid addiction crises blossoming in so many states around the country, the last thing we should be doing is encouraging people."





Longtime Trump political consiglieri, self-serving crackpot Roger Stone, has warned Trump not to let Sessions screen around with pot policy. As with most of what Trump himself says, his stands on marijuana change depending on the audience he's talking to and his stands vary drastically... and incoherently. Stone urged Trump to take a hands-off approach and to ignore anti-pot fanatic Jeff Sessions. He wrote that one of the many controversial decisions Trump is getting ready to make "is whether to continue the federal stand-down by the us Justice department in which DOJ does not enforce federal marijuana laws where they contradict state laws legalizing the legal use and sale of marijuana in the 37 states where it is currently legal in some form." Stone:

Canceling the order by Obama attorney general Eric Holder to stand down on Marijuana would cause a major dislocation in multiple states that are currently budgeting millions in state revenue from the taxation of marijuana and un-employing hundreds of thousands of people currently working in an industry legalized by the states. I would urge President-Elect Trump to view this as a business man; U.S. government cannot turn back the clock on federal marijuana law enforcement.



...A great many pro-marijuana organizations, publications, and Internet outlets put their support behind Donald Trump based on his positive statements about Medical Marijuana. People who have marijuana rights as their primary political issue turned to Trump, many against long time party affiliation, in hopes of greater freedom and less abuse at the hands of Federal Agencies.



If, after winning the election, Donald Trump listens to the likes of Chris Christie and Jeff Sessions he risks alienating his base and his newly won supporters in a very tangible way. Both Sessions and Christie come from Old World War on Drugs thinking.



Criminalized Marijuana has directly lead to the persecution of countless individuals, the vast majority of whom are poor and minorities. That this was the desired result of the designers of the system of criminalization cannot be reasonable doubted.



Laws to suppress tend to strengthen what they would prohibit. This is the fine point on which all legal professions throughout history have based their jobs security.- Frank Herbert.



We cannot leave it to Law Enforcement types to decide what is to be allowed and what is to be prohibited. The People must decide for themselves, and they have decided. Overwhelmingly so. They have decided they want legalized marijuana.



If the people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.- Thomas Jefferson.



Drain the Swamp. Limit Federal Power. Reel-in out-of-control Alphabet Soup agencies. Return respect for law. These are all things Donald Trump made as major issues for his campaign platform.



The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced.- Albert Einstein.



A precipitous move by the Trump administration to change the equation on legal marijuana in the states could in fact bring action by congress where a coalition of liberal Democrats and libertarian Republicans are moving towards legislation to legalize the plant.

There's a bi-partisan bill pending before Congress, Virginia Republican Tom Garrett's H.R. 1227, the "Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017." The legislation aims to totally ending the federal prohibition of marijuana. Among the Republicans co-sponsoring it are Scott Taylor (R-VA), Don Young (R-AK) and Justin Amash (R-MI), all of whom represent districts that Trump won in November. Montana was a big Trump state, for example. He won 55.6-35.4% in that state-- with 279,240 votes. More people in Montana voted for Initiative 182-- expanding Medical Marijuana-- than voted for Trump: 284,531 Montanans. In Maine Trump didn't win but he got 357,735 votes. Question 1 on the same ballot, though, got 378,288 votes for legalizing recreational marijuana.

Meanwhile, of course, the regime is causing confusion and uncertainty in the marijuana industry. Ever watch American Psycho? I watched it for the first time last night on HBO. It reminded me of Trump.
Party leaders, specially the ones who have been close to Mulayam and Shivpal Singh, want Akhilesh Yadav to hand the party to his father.

Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav prepares to return after addressing a press conference following his party's defeat in state legislature elections in, Lucknow. (Photo: File)

Lucknow: With Akhilesh Yadav's experiments at the hustings backfiring, voices of dissent have started surfacing in the SP with some leaders demanding that the old order under party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav be restored.

The Samajwadi Party could manage only 47 seats, 177 down from its 2012 tally of 224 seats.

Party leaders, specially the ones who have been close to Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Singh, want Akhilesh Yadav to hand over the reins of the party to his father.

"Akhileshji had asked for control of the party only till elections, citing them as his exam and now that he has failed in it he should hand over the leadership to Netaji," a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.

Despite reservations expressed by his father, Akhilesh had gone ahead with a pre-poll alliance with the Congress with an aim of undoing the damage caused to the party's public image after the long-run family feud.

Akhilesh felt that Congress could help it consolidate the crucial Muslim vote, which accounts for over 18 per cent of the population and check the march of BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It was also Akhilesh who shunned the mafias and criminal elements and played the development card to the hilt, assuming that the electorate specially youth will fall for it.

"We had taken care of the party after big reverses in the wake of Ayodhya movement and we can do it once again ... we also promise to take care of Akhilesh's future", he said adding that the party should be allowed to work in the directions and guidance of netaji.

Former SP spokesman and founder member of the party CP Rai said those who have won the elections for the party are mostly the ones who had been given tickets by Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav.

"Barring the two or three candidates all those who have won are those who had been picked up by Netaji and Shivpalji ... ticket distribution was also an issue of contention ...Shivpal won the seat comfortably even though all out efforts were made to stop his march to the vidhan sabha," Rai said.

"The SP patron's rally in Jaunpur for Parasnath Yadav helped him win the seat despite the fact that he was not comfortably placed earlier...this goes on to prove the hold of

Mulayam Singh," Rai said.

The party, however, lost the Lucknow Cantt seat where the former SP chief addressed a rally for his daughter-in-law

Aparna Yadav but the party had no base, Rai said.

Another SP leader Madhukar Jaitely also aired similar views demanding more power to party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"Mulayam's honour should be restored. He wanted to campaign for the party... the happenings in the party in past six months were also the reason of party's defeat," Jaitley said.

Specially critical of Ram Gopal Yadav, Rai said that he had emereged as the 'Chanakya' in the party and he needs to follow what he had been preaching.

"Either he should atone for his wrongdoings or the party should give him the same treatment that he used to give others and both he and Akhilesh should own up for the loss", Rai said.

Party insiders said that after every defeat, Ram Gopal used to seek the records booth-wise and "harass" those on whose booths the performance of the party was not upto the mark.

Recalling the allegation of Mulayam Singh that Ram Gopal is hand-in-glove with the BJP and is ruining the future of Akhilesh Yadav, Rai said poll results have given more strength to these doubts.
The BJP won the most important state in the Hindi heartland with an over three-fourths majority, capturing 312 of the 403 Assembly seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets BJP President Amit Shah at the party headquarters to celebrate victory in UP and Uttrakhand Assembly elections, in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a road show in Delhi on Sunday to celebrate the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s astounding victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

The 1-kilometre long road show concluded at the BJP headquarters in the nations capital, where party workers and leaders assembled in large numbers.

Following this, Modi addressed party workers and supporters at an event held to felicitate him at the party HQ.

Highlights:

"We should be humble after the massive victory, and use this as a platform to serve the people," Modi said.

In a conciliatory gesture, Modi said that the BJP government works for not just those who voted for them, but also those who did not. "This government belongs to all Indians, those who are with us and those who are against us. To those who supported us and those who didn't," Modi stated.

The Prime Minister also claimed that India now had a PM who was often asked, "Why do you work so much?"

Modi said that though the government may make mistakes as 'we are only human', there will be no malafide intention in its actions.

The 66-year-old Prime Minister thanked the voters of all 5 states which went to the polls, and said the Centre would leave 'no stone unturned' for the betterment of these states.

"Whether it is the Jan Sangh or the BJP, this is the biggest, most comprehensive mandate we have got to run the country. This is a golden era in the history of BJP," Modi said. He added that this golden era has come about as a result of long years of hard work and sacrifice.

"The support we are getting from public is increasing with the passage of time," Modi said.

These elections are an emotional issue for us. They come when we mark the centenary celebrations of Pandit Deen Dayal Ji: Modi

Stating that India is a country where 65 per cent of the people are under the age of 35, Modi said, "It is now an India of dreams for the youth, of the youth".

Modi claimed that instead of asking for help, the poor in India now ask what work they can do for the country. "All they need are opportunities," PM said.

"We are witnessing a new India, and this victory is a step forward in achieving our aim of success and development," Modi said.

There are many reasons for a win but such an empathetic win after such a record turnout is special and makes everyone think: Modi

Addressing the gathering, Modi said, "Sometimes there are many reasons why a party wins an election. But such a victory is causing all political pundits to think again and again."

"In a democracy, election does help is forming governments. But it contributes to public education as well," said PM Modi.

"BJP won't break the belief of millions who have put trust in the party. We will win the 2019 elections too," the BJP chief claimed.

"With the help of demonetisation we were able to connect with the poor and deprived section of our society. This is a government of the poor, of Dalits, women, of everyone," Amit Shah said.

Hailing Modi, BJP President Amit Shah said that the mandate people have given to Modi in UP is 'two steps ahead' of the mandate he received in the 2014 general elections.

As Modi reached the BJP headquarters, legions of supporters greeted him, chanting 'Har Har Modi'. BJP workers and fans showered the PM with flowers.

The BJP won the most important state in the Hindi heartland with an over three-fourths majority, capturing 312 of the 403 Assembly seats and decimating the SP-Congress combine as well as Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a warm welcome as he arrives at BJP HQ in Delhi, greets the crowd #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/scZMAbe9Qv  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

Earlier on Sunday, Modi tweeted, thanking people for the immense win.

"A new India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development," Modi tweeted.

"When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar proud," he added.

The BJP Parliamentary board met at the 22, Ashoka Road headquarters to select Chief Ministers for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Nitish pointed out that the Congress-Samajwadi alliance was not successful in Uttar Pradesh like the grand alliance in Bihar.

Patna: Congratulating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its splendid victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said the opposing parties ignored the fact that demonetisation gave satisfaction to the poor.

"Congratulate Congress for victory in Punjab. Also appreciate that Congress turned out to be largest party in Manipur and Goa elections," he tweeted.

Nitish pointed out that the Congress-Samajwadi alliance was not successful in Uttar Pradesh like the grand alliance in Bihar.

He also stated that there was no need to oppose demonetisation in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls as the poor felt contentment that this move has hurt the rich. Nitish added that several parties ignored this fact.

Meanwhile, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav welcomed the decision of the voters and hailed the BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"I welcome the decision of the people. I also congratulate the BJP for its victory in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress has done great in Punjab. I congratulate the people of Punjab and Captain Amarinder Singh," Yadav said.

Breaking all previous records, the BJP bagged two-third majority in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The BJP won with a clear majority in Uttarakhand with 57 seats in the 70-member assembly, ousting the Congress led by Harish Rawat.

In politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, the saffron party witnessed an unprecedented victory with 321 seats, while the Congress-Samajwadi party alliance bagged 54, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) got 19 and others 18 seats respectively.
During his poll campaign and rallies, Mr Kejriwal had claimed that the AAP would sweep polls in Punjab and Goa.

A red carpet outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence on Saturday lies empty. The mood was sombre outside the CMs house. The party workers who were gathered outside began to leave, disheartened, after news of AAPs drubbing started trickling in. Only policemen and mediapersons waiting for the CM to make a statement were left.(Photo: G.N. Jha)

New Delhi: The AAP finishing off at a distant second in Punjab and failing to open an acc-ount in Goa is set to loom large over the upcoming municipal elections in the national capital, where the party is making its debut. Finishing off at 20 seats in Punjab has come as a rude shocker to the party, which had been banking on its win in the state and taking forward the spirits of its cadre to contest the civic polls in the city, due in April. Ap-art from this, the partys inability to open an acco-unt in Goa is bound to have a bearing on the crucial civic polls in the city, political experts said.

Led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had been campaigning aggressively in Punjab and Goa, the party had been exuding confidence in sweeping the two states. AAPs win in the two states, especially Punjab, would have given filip to the organisation in the run up to the municipal polls in the city. A party worker said that the poor performance in the state elections is bound to dampen the spirits of the workers, who would have got a shot in their arms with the win. However, the party leadership denied that the election results will affect the partys performance in the civic polls.

We accept the people decision. The party cadre has worked very hard. The struggle will continue, the chief minister tweeted after the results.

During his poll campaign and rallies, Mr Kejriwal had claimed that the AAP would sweep polls in Punjab and Goa. On the contrary, the party could not even open its account in Goa, with its chief ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes coming a distant fourth from Cuncolim. In Punjab, the AAP has won 20 seats, marginally ahead of the BJP-Akali combine.

Speaking to reporters, senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said that the party accepts the peoples mandate and will work hard for the civic polls in the city. A defeat does impact the enthusiasm of the volunteers, but the challenge for the party leadership is to keep them intact and prepare for the next win. He said, in the upcoming MCD polls, the party intends to hard-sell work done by the Kejriwal government in different fields.

In MCD polls, we will go to people showcasing the good work done by the Delhi government in the field of health, education, electricity and water. We will win the upcoming municipal polls, Mr Vishwas said.
BJP star campaigner Mr Tiwari added that in the coming civic polls.

Banking on party success in the state Assembly polls, Manoj Tiwari in a freewheeling interview to Shashi Bhushan has said that people have accepted BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modis policies and rejected AAP. BJP star campaigner Mr Tiwari added that in the coming civic polls, Delhiites would correct the mistakes they had made in the last Assembly election in February 2015

Q. Do you think that the Assembly poll results will have any impact on the upcoming civic polls in the national capital?

A. Todays poll results in five states have established one fact  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only acceptable leader across the country and BJP is the only party that is really concerned about the poor and all the sections of society. Results show that people are only concerned about good governance, jobs, infrastructure and better conditions, which have been taken up by the Modi government in its two-and-half years. While other political parties indulge in negative politics, BJP and Mr Modi always talk about development and we will contest the upcoming municipal elections on the agenda of developing world-class civic infrastructure in the city.

Q: Do you think poor performance of AAP in Goa and Punjab will adversely affect Mr Kejriwals party in the civic polls in April?

A. Results of Goa and Punjab clearly show that AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal has been rejected by the people and they have entrusted their faith in BJP and its leader and Prime Minister. In Goa, Mr Kejriwals party even failed to open its account and in Punjab, they performed poorly which shows AAP has lost peoples trust wherever they contested the Assembly elections. For its (AAPs) political expansion, Mr Kejriwal wasted the hard-earned money of Delhiites in advertisements outside Delhi but people know the reality of AAP and rejected its politics of falsehood. Now in coming municipal polls, Delhiites will rectify their mistake and once again give massive mandate to BJP.

Q. What will be the key issue on which the municipal polls will be contested?

A. Key issue will be a clean, transparent and corruption-free administration as promised by Mr Modi. Our councillors will carry forward the PMs policies and implement it on ground to provide better amenities.

Q. BJP will be facing anti-incumbency of 10 years in the civic polls. How are you going to defeat it?

A. Yes, this is true. We are facing anti-incumbency but please understand it is only due to good work by the civic bodies that the city has survived these 10 years, as the local government has failed to perform its duty. The AAP government has done nothing and for its failure, it has blamed others. So, people know these things and will vote for BJP for the good work done in the past 10 years despite hurdles created by the state government.
Police are trying to identify the accused from the CCTV footage at the ATM booth and from adjoining areas to gain clues.

New Delhi: A security guard posted at an ATM in south Delhi's Defence Colony area was allegedly robbed of his mobile phone by three men after they could not loot money from the machine in the wee hours on Sunday.

"The three accused allegedly tried to force open the ATM, located at D-Block in Defence Colony, with their hands. They even tried to move the ATM but failed," a senior police officer said.

On noticing it, when the guard, Rajesh Kumar, confronted them, the accused allegedly threatened him with dire consequences and overpowered him. They also took away his mobile phone, the officer said.

He later alerted his supervisor about the incident who informed the police and a case was registered.

Police are trying to identify the accused from the CCTV footage at the ATM booth, the officer said, adding they are also trying to gather CCTV footages from adjoining areas to gain clues.
Angered by country's lack of support for his industry he is taking on archaic laws that criminalise street performers.

New Delhi: For a brief moment Ishamuddin Khan had the world at his feet: A pioneer of the "Great Indian Rope Trick" -- an illusion of such legend it was long believed to be impossible -- he thought fame and fortune were assured.

But some 22 years after he first dazzled crowds with his ability to conjure a length of coiled rope out of a basket and up 20 feet into the air for an assistant to climb, he is still battling for recognition -- for himself, and his art.

Angered by country's lack of support for his industry he is taking on archaic laws that criminalise street performers.

"I love to perform on the streets, but under the law I am not a busker but a beggar," Khan explained.

"I can't fight the law on my own, but I am determined not to give up," he said, adding that he had enlisted the help of a legal centre to challenge the antiquated regulations, a foreboding task in India's creaking courts and maze-like bureaucracy.

Khan's father had a monkey show, while his mother was a rag picker. He grew up in Kathputli Colony, an enclave of conjurers, snake charmers and puppeteers in west Delhi's slums famously referenced in the Salman Rushdie novel Midnight's Children as the "magician's ghetto".

But such trades are not valued anymore, he said, pointing to the decades-old Bombay Beggary Act, which treats millions of street buskers as a public nuisance and forces them into a state of perpetual illegality, where they must stay a step ahead of the law.

Because of this, there is little opportunity for tribal performers in the country to be celebrated, despite the country's rich history of mysticism and artistic tradition.

"In India, if you're talented it doesn't make any difference," Khan told AFP, glancing wistfully at his rope basket and other magic props in his shanty home tucked away down an alley reeking of sewage.

"If you don't have enough money or a godfather with you, or (sponsorship) from the government or a businessman that is a big problem. And that makes me cry, sometimes I feel very bad."

Pursuing the impossible

Back in 1995, Khan became the first to perform the rope trick for the public in an outside space -- considered a huge feat in the world of magic as it gives little option for props, lighting trickery or hidden aids.

The trick was first mentioned by European writers during the British Raj era, Khan said. It was regarded so difficult that in the 1930s the Magic Circle offered a reward to anyone who could do it.

Decades later, a version of the story reached Khan. Already well versed in the skills of the trade from childhood, where he'd learned tricks from family and friends, he was motivated to take on the impossible.

"I heard once that if somebody succeeds in doing the trick, he would get (money) from the British Magic Circle. So I spent six years to find the secret of the trick," he said.

He delivered the performance, complete with a child seemingly climbing the levitating rope, at the historic Qutub Minar to an enraptured audience of hundreds.

"Overnight I won international fame, I was world famous," he recalled, reminiscing how the crowd broke into thunderous applause at the sprawling Mughal-era ruins.

Tradition under siege

News of his achievement spread -- he was invited to perform abroad, sponsors took an interest, and even now foreign tourists seek him out when visiting New Delhi.

And yet at home there has been little interest in his repertoire, which also includes transforming mango seeds into a shrub by sleight of hand and regurgitating iron balls.

Performers such as Khan often have to eke out a living on the streets and risk daily harassment from police who demand bribes or threaten charges because they are in breach of the law.

Calls for the government to amend the dated legislation have fallen on deaf ears. And the slum that he and some 2,000 other families of street performers call home is being razed, ending decades of tradition.

But Khan, who speaks fluent Hindi and English as well as a little French and Japanese, is hopeful he can bring about change.

"I love to perform on the streets, and I should be allowed some public space so that I can entertain passers-by. Is it too much to ask?"
Mr Modi made a conscious effort to reach out to all sections of society.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis fans in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi are at pains to tell visitors how Mr Modi won over the people of this ancient city by pressing all the right buttons. The Prime Minister, they explain, landed at the Banaras Hindu University when he came to file his nomination papers in 2014, paid obeisance to its founder Madan Mohan Malaviya, offered prayers at the famous Vishwanath temple and attended the evening aarti on the banks of river Ganga. All this, they said, appealed to the sensibilities of the people of Varanasi who are deeply rooted in Indian culture. Moreover, it is pointed out, Mr Modi made a conscious effort to reach out to all sections of society. For instance, when he spoke about how he planned to improve the infrastructure in Varanasi, Mr Modi had declared that he would make this city into another Kyoto. According to a BHU professor, Mr Modi chose to mention the Japanese city because there is a strong link between the people of Japan and Varanasi, specially the Mallah (boatmen) community. He explained that a large number of Japanese tourists visit Varanasi and, over the years, many of them have married boys from the Mallah community who are now settled in Japan. The Prime Minister, he said, could have referred to any other international city but he deliberately picked Kyoto precisely because of this connection between Japan and the people of Varanasi.

Speaking at a book release function a month ago, Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar made a strong case for greater Opposition unity at the national level. And yet this show of strength was missing in the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Despite his talk of keeping communal forces at bay, Mr Kumar did not even turn up to campaign for the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance or the Ajit-Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal even though his party had a pre-poll tieup with the party. According to the grapevine, Mr Kumar kept his distance from UP as he did not want to put himself out only to enhance SP leader Akhilesh Yadavs image. Moreover, he is also learnt to have complained that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi did not invite him for the campaign. However, Mr Kumars ally in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, helped out by addressing a number of public rallies in the last two phases of the polls in areas bordering Bihar. In fact, Mr Kumar had forayed into UP shortly after his spectacular victory in the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls in the hope that he would be able to get a toehold in this important state by appealing to his fellow Kurmis. The move was seen as a sign that the Bihar chief minister was preparing to play a larger role in national politics. But Mr Kumar backed off shortly after he ventured out and has confined himself to Bihar since then.

Well before the month-long seven-phase UP Assembly poll came to a close, it became evident to the Samajwadi Party and the Congress that the results will not measure up to their expectations. It was at that stage then that poll strategist Prashant Kishor, drafted by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, floated the idea that the two parties could tie up with the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party to keep the BJP out. It was also being whispered that since the BSP and the SP would not agree on a chief minister candidate from each others party, the top post could go to the Congress even though it is a marginal player in the state. No sooner did this story start doing the rounds that UP Congress chief Raj Babbar was seen consulting palmists and astrologers in Lucknow about his prospects for the chief ministers kursi. As it happens, Mr Kishors grand plan was destined to be a non-starter.

Is veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani nursing ambitions of being picked for the Presidents post later this year? Several BJP leaders have hinted at this possibility. A senior party insider recently remarked about how Mr Advani had succeeded in capturing traits like anger, greed and jealousy, it was not the case with ambition. It was pointed out that though Mr Advani did put aside his personal ambitions when Atal Behari Vajpayee was Prime Minister, these resurfaced subsequently, specially after he was projected as BJPs prime ministerial candidate in 2009. Although Mr Advani and other older party leaders have been banished to the partys non-functioning margdarshak mandal, his detractors maintain the BJP veteran has not accepted that he has been effectively marginalised by the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo that controls the party now. Mr Advani had hoped to get the Lok Sabha Speakers post when the BJP rode to power in 2014 and is now said to be keen on occupying the Rashtrapati Bhavan. But like last time, Mr Advanis ambitions are expected to be thwarted once again.
Its present agenda is to prevent any meeting or seminar that had invited persons opposed to the BJP line.

Students and teachers of Delhi University, JNU and Jamia during their protest march against ABVP at North Campus in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

The turmoil in the student world in India since January 2016 provides a grim warning of the dangers posed to democracy when students fall prey to extremist politics and resort to violence to silence dissent.

In January last year, dalit scholar Rohith Vemula committed suicide after he was suspended by the Hyderabad University. Najeeb Ahmed, a student at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, disappeared after clashes with persons from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Since most of the recent troubles are due to the ABVPs kind of politics, one must know its background.

The ABVP was set up in July 1948 by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists to escape the ban imposed on it after Mahatma Gandhis assassination. Its founder, Balraj Madhok, was a rabid politician who became president of BJP ancestor Jan Sangh. Its aim was to combat leftist student groups.

It was involved in the 1951 communal riots in Jabalpur and in clashes with Shiv Sena in Mumbai. Its present agenda is to prevent any meeting or seminar that had invited persons opposed to the BJP line. Film screenings or demonstrations to express dissent from the RSS-BJP line meet the same fate. The technique is uniformly deployed  object to an event on the campus; ask the college authorities to ban it; failing that, ask BJP ministers to use their clout to arrest its foes and, meanwhile, create an incident to justify attacks on the organisers of the event by ABVP goons.

The ABVP won control over the Delhi University Students Union. Its general secretary Ankit Sangwar said on Februray 27: If anyone raises a finger on [sic] this country that finger will be cut. A day later the ABVPs national media convenor Saket Bahuguna laid down the line: It is anti-national if somebody demands freedom of Kashmir [from India]. This is misuse of freedom of speech.

Both remarks were made in the context of the ABVPs recourse to force at the Ramjas College, which is affiliated with the Delhi University, over two invitees to a seminar on February 22. They were JNUs Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid. Khalid faces a sedition case because of his views on Kashmir. A day earlier, ABVP men locked up the Delhi Universitys seminar hall, pelted stones in protest at the invitation and called the organisers anti-national. The Ramjas College decided to cancel the event. The ABVP succeeded.

Its national organising secretary Sunil Ambekar said: We will not allow a person, like Umar Khalid to speak on a campus. But what place has this 49-year-old in a students body? A day later, ABVP members attacked a 5,000-strong march in protest at the seminars cancellation. The issue snowballed. Thousands of students and teachers marched through the Delhi Universitys campus to protest against the ABVPs hooliganism and drew support from opposition MPs.

This is not student politics. It is the extension of RSS politics to the student world. It portends grave trouble, for it puts a premium on the play of lumpen elements in public life. A brave 20-year-old student Gurmehar Kaur, daughter of an Indian Army officer who fell in the Kargil war, joined the campaign for free speech, but was obliged to withdraw after threats of rape and murder.

This is a body that plans to have a footprint in a hundred universities.

There are two aspects to the problem. One is ensuring freedom of speech on the university campus and banning of the practices which mar the working of political parties. Over a decade ago, the public was startled to find that at elections to student bodies money is spent almost as freely as in parliamentary polls.

The Supreme Court appointed a committee, headed by chief election James Lyngdoh. Predictably, his recommendations on elections to student bodies were unacceptable to the student community. For two decades, student politics were banned in Maharashtra following violence in Mumbai and Nagpur.

On March 1, 2017, the Maharashtra University Act 2015, went into force. It will revive elections on the campuses of universities in the state. What is needed is a statutory provision that guarantees freedom of speech in the university on the lines of Section 43(1) of the British Education Act 1986. It guaranteed freedom of speech to all members, teachers and visiting speakers.

But a wider, far more dangerous aspect cannot be tackled by legislation. It is the culture of intolerance and ready recourse to violence that has spread over the country and has also invaded university campuses. At the end it must be noted that politicians who practice violence in national politics are the very ones who use students as their instruments. The students fall in the trap  and end up aspiring to become politicians themselves.

By arrangement with the Dawn
With Reliance Jio's new Jio Prime plans coming in effect in just three weeks, Reliance Communications on Friday came out with a new offering that provides 1GB data to new 4G customers for Rs. 49 whereas 3GB data will be priced at Rs. 149 plus free, unlimited local and STD calls within its network.

The Reliance Communications plans under the new 'Joy of Holi' offer come with a 28-day validity.

"With this launch, all new 4G customers of Reliance Communications will get... 1GB of data access offered at just Rs. 49 while 3GB of data access can be availed for only Rs. 149, along with free and unlimited on-net local and STD calls, valid for 28 days," a company release said in New Delhi.

The Anil Ambani-owned RCom has also announced variants of the plan for its 3G and 2G customers, including unlimited 3G data access for Rs. 99 and unlimited 2G data access for Rs. 49.

"... We still see immense potential in the 3G and 2G markets, which boast of 750 million smartphones and data-ready feature phones. We have, therefore, customised special offerings in this space as well, with segmented and value-creating propositions," said Gurdeep Singh, co-CEO, Reliance Communications and CEO of RCom's Consumer Business.

RCom further said new 3G customers in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir can now recharge with Rs. 99 and get unlimited 3G data, bundled with Rs. 20 worth of talk time.

In this plan, voice calls will be charged at 25 paise per minute with a validity of 28 days.

In addition, new 2G customers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Chennai will be offered unlimited 2G data access for only Rs. 49 with an in-built talk time of Rs. 20 and call charges at 25 paise per minute, valid for 28 days, it added.

The offers come at a time when the Indian telecom service providers are rolling out attractive packages to woo and retain consumers in the aftermath of Reliance Jio's aggressive pricing plan.

The Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio has already sweetened its offering for 'Prime' members, saying those recharging with Rs. 303 will get an extra 5GB data beyond the 28GB already committed under the scheme.

Bharti Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal has reached out to postpaid subscribers promising more data to them starting March 13, which they can access through their mobile applications.
The Cuban people continue to suffer serious human rights abuses under the authoritarian rule of Raul Castro.

According to the latest State Department Human Rights Report, the main human rights abuses include the abridgement of the ability of citizens to choose their government; the use of government threats, physical assault, intimidation, and violent government-organized counter-protests against peaceful dissent; and harassment and detentions to prevent free expression and peaceful assembly.

The following additional abuses continued in Cuba: harsh prison conditions; selective prosecution; denial of fair trial; and travel restrictions.

Police and security officials continued to use short-term and sometimes violent detentions to prevent independent political activity or free assembly. Such detentions generally lasted from several hours to several days. The Cuban Commission on Human Rights and Reconciliation, an independent human rights nongovernmental organization counted 9,940 detentions through the end of 2016, compared with 8,616 in 2015.

Members of the #TodosMarchamos campaign, which included Damas de Blanco, or the Ladies in White, reported weekly detentions of members to prevent demonstrations. The largest opposition group, Patriotic Union of Cuba, also reported an increase in short-term detentions.

Long-term imprisonment of peaceful government critics, while rare, did occur. In December 2016, Patriotic Union of Cuba published a list of 46 political prisoners throughout the country serving more than one month in prison for reported peaceful protests or assemblies.

Cuban authorities interfere with privacy by engaging in significant monitoring and censoring of private communications. The government does not respect freedoms of speech and press, restricts internet access, maintains a monopoly on media outlets, circumscribes academic freedom, and maintains some restrictions on the ability of unregistered religious groups to gather.

The Cuban government refuses to recognize independent human rights groups or permit them to function legally. In addition, the government continues to prevent workers from forming independent unions.

Government officials, at the direction of their superiors, committed most human rights abuses. And impunity for these perpetrators remains widespread.

Our values are our interests when it comes to human rights, said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The production of these reports underscores our commitment to freedom, democracy, and the human rights guaranteed to all individuals around the world  including in Cuba.
The accused, who wanted to "run Arabs out of our country" pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store and set it on fire.

New York: In yet another incident highlighting the growing trend of racist attacks in United States, a man in Florida tried to burn down a convenience store owned by Indian-Americans, thinking they were 'Muslims'.

A 64-year-old man tried to set the store on fire because he thought the owners were Muslim, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said, reports CNN.

The accused named Richard Lloyd confessed that he wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country" so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store and set the contents on fire.

Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.

Lloyd told detectives he assumed the owner was Muslim and that made him livid because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," Mascara said.

"It's unfortunate that Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," Mascara said.

The sheriff also noted that Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime.

Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn the building because he "was doing his part for America."

Mascara further informed that when deputies arrived Friday morning and found the fire, a man in front of the store put his hands behind his back and told officers to "take me away."

Last month, Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed in an alleged hate crime in Kansas, as the gunman shot him dead thinking he was an "Iranian'.
Bharara was fired after he refused to quit following orders to the 46 Obama administration-appointed attorneys to resign immediately.

New York: India-born US attorney Preet Bharara was on Sunday "fired" by the Trump administration after he refused to quit following orders to the 46 Obama administration-appointed attorneys to resign immediately.

"I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life," Bharara tweeted from his personal verified Twitter account, making a reference to his jurisdiction the Southern District of New York.

Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusading against public corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general yesterday to immediately submit resignations.

Earlier, sources close to Bharara had said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a show down with President Donald Trump.

The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bharara's office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on in his administration.

Bharara had met Trump in the Trump Towers in Manhattan shortly after the Republican nominee had won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and had agreed to do so.

CNN quoted a statement Saturday from Senator Chuck Schumer saying he was "troubled" to learn of the Trump administration's request for Bharara's and other US attorneys' resignations, adding that the President initiated a call to him in November "and assured me he wanted Bharara to continue to serve as US Attorney for the Southern District.

"While it's true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for US attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesn't put ongoing investigations at risk," the New York Democrat said. "They ask for letters of resignation, but the attorneys are allowed to stay on the job until their successor is confirmed."

Bharara has made a national and international mark for himself with many high-profile cases and investigations including foreign countries, insider trading and those

involving US politicians. It was under his prosecution that India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was convicted for insider trading in 2012.

Bharara has served 7 years as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a jurisdiction that includes Trump Tower.
Washington: US-based Hindu organisations have demanded an apology from CNN and asked the news channel to stop further airing of a show which they allege promotes xenophobia and 'Hinduphobia'.

A series of protests small and big were held across the US on Saturday and more are scheduled against the airing of six-episode series "Believer with Reza Aslan" by the CNN.

As many as 16 top Hindu organisations in the US have come together the umbrella of American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) to mount a joint campaign against CNN and Reza Aslan.

Prominent among them include, Hindu Mandir Executive Council, representing over 150 temples across North America, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh with chapters in over one hundred cities in the US, Samskrita Bharati an authoritative source for Samskrita (Sanskrit) education across the world and Ekal Vidyalaya, a US sponsor of over 55,000 one teacher schools across India and Nepal.

On Saturday, AHAD co-sponsored a protest by dozens of Hindu organisations in New York, to protest the show that denigrated Hindu dharma and depicted the holy city of Varanasi as a "city of death."

Members of AHAD and VHP America also participated in protests in Atlanta, Houston and Washington. Additional community protests are planned in Chicago and San Francisco.

"We express complete support towards a multitude of Hindu organisations and Indian-American groups that joined hands to protest CNN's dangerous misrepresentation of the Hindu community," said Washington-based coordinator of World Hindu Council of America.

"Aslan has caused serious harm to Hindu community and put the safety of Hindu children in schools across the US in jeopardy... CNN has failed to hold itself to higher standards," they said.

Despite being warned about the offensive content, CNN proceeded to air the show without consultation with practising Hindu experts," said Ajay Shah, convener of AHAD.

In a statement, AHAD demanded "an on-air apology from CNN and Aslan for offending a billion strong Hindu community. It also asked CNN not to further air the alleged offending episode and a promise to consult practising Hindu scholars nominated before programmes relating to the Hindus are aired.
Mosul: Iraqi security forces have seized control of more than a third of west Mosul, a commander said Sunday, after a week of steady gains in their battle to retake the city from the Islamic State group.

Fierce fighting has shaken Mosul in recent days as thousands of US-backed Iraqi soldiers and police battle to reclaim the country's second city.

A renewed push against the jihadists launched last Sunday has seen IS forced from several neighbourhoods and key sites, including the main local government headquarters and the famed Mosul museum.

On Sunday, Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service said: "more than a third" of west Mosul was now under the control of security forces.

CTS forces were battling IS inside the Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawat areas on Sunday, Saadi said, adding that he expected the fighting there to be completed in the coming hours.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said that forces from the Rapid Response Division, another special forces unit, and the federal police were also attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of Mosul's Old City.

"The battle is not easy... we are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens," Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, the spokesman for the JOC, told AFP.

Still, he said, IS resistance "has begun to weaken in a big way".

IS seized Mosul in mid-2014 when the jihadist group swept across areas north and west of Baghdad, taking control of swathes of territory and declaring a cross-border "caliphate" in Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

Backed by US-led airstrikes and other support, Iraqi forces have since retaken much of the territory they lost.

The operation to recapture Mosul -- then the last Iraqi city under IS control -- was launched in October.

After recapturing the east of the city, Iraqi forces last month set their sites on the west, where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped.

Mass grave:

Northwest of Mosul advancing Iraqi forces also took the infamous Badush prison this week, announcing on Saturday they had uncovered a mass grave containing the remains of hundreds of people executed by the jihadists.

The Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary forces found "a large mass grave containing the remains of around 500 civilian prisoners in (Badush) prison who were executed by (IS) gangs," the military said.

According to Human Rights Watch, IS gunmen executed up to 600 inmates from the prison in June 2014, forcing them to kneel along a nearby ravine and then shooting them with assault rifles.

The jihadists have committed widespread atrocities in areas under their control and claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks in Western cities and elsewhere.

The US-led coalition launched air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq in 2014 and is providing a range of support to allied forces in both countries.

In Syria, the coalition is backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that is pushing towards the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa.

Turkish-backed rebels are also advancing against IS in northern Syria, as are government troops supported by Russia.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said Sunday that fighting was ongoing on several fronts, including in eastern Aleppo province where the jihadists forced regime troops to fall back from the outskirts of the Jarrah military airport.

Toll rises in Damascus bombings:

Russian and Syrian strikes hit IS-held areas in the province, the Britain-based monitor said, with eight civilians, mostly from the same family, killed in a strike on the village of Maskanah.

SDF forces were advancing slowly east of Raqa, it said, and several coalition air strikes hit the outskirts of the city early on Sunday.

IS has hit back at the increasing pressure with a wave of deadly attacks on civilians, often carried out by suicide bombers.

In one of the bloodiest attacks ever in Syria's capital, twin bombs targeting Shiite pilgrims killed dozens of people in Damascus on Saturday, most of them Iraqi pilgrims.

After giving an initial number of 59 dead, the Observatory on Sunday said the toll from the attack had risen to 74 after many of the wounded died.

Among the victims were 43 Iraqi pilgrims, 11 Syrian civilians and 20 members of pro-government security forces, it said.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack, but Shiite shrines have been a frequent target of attack for Sunni extremists of IS and Al-Qaeda.
The explosions killed 47 pilgrims, most of them Iraqi Shiites, and 12 Syrian pro-government fighters.

Twin explosions Saturday near religious shrines frequented by Shiite pilgrims in the Syrian capital Damascus killed dozens of people on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

Damascus: Twin bombs targeting Shiite pilgrims killed 59 people in Damascus on Saturday, most of them Iraqis, a monitoring group said of one of the bloodiest attacks in the Syrian capital.

There have been periodic bombings in Damascus, but the stronghold of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been largely spared the destruction faced by other major cities in six years of civil war.

A roadside bomb detonated as a bus passed by and a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Bab al-Saghir area, which houses several Shiite mausoleums that draw pilgrims from around the world, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The explosions killed 47 pilgrims, most of them Iraqi Shiites, and 12 Syrian pro-government fighters, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

"There are also dozens of people wounded, some of them in a serious condition," he said.

Syrian state television said 40 people were killed and 120 wounded after "terrorists detonated two bombs".

It broadcast footage of several white buses with their windows shattered, some charred and peppered with shrapnel.

Shoes, glasses and wheelchairs lay scattered on ground covered in blood.

Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Shaar said the attack targeted "pilgrims of various Arab nationalities".

"The sole aim was to kill," he said.

The Iraqi foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals were among the dead and 120 among the wounded.

A witness said that the second bomb exploded as passers-by gathered at the scene of the first attack, and state television said a booby-trapped motorcycle was defused nearby.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Shiite shrines are a frequent target of attack for Sunni extremists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) group, not only in Syria but also in neighbouring Iraq.

The foreign ministry in Damascus condemned "the cowardly terrorist attack which comes in response to victories of the Syrian Arab army" against jihadists.

The Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum to the south of Damascus, Syria's most visited Shiite pilgrimage site, has been hit by several deadly bombings during the war.

Twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of the capital in January killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

That attack was claimed by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, which said that it had targeted Russian military advisers working with the Syrian army.
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phuketpig said: Hi my partner and child had been granted a BVB for us to go on a Cruise out of Brisbane on the 3rd March..When boarding we went through what seemed to be customs/boarder protection.They took our passports and it looked like they scanned them through their machine..But on arrival back to Brisbane there was no passport control and we just exited the ship without showing passports..How does this affect our visa now...We are waiting on an 801 visa and I would hate for this to cause any troubles later.



Thanks Ron Click to expand...

There was another post recently that dealt with cruises, passports and immigration, but then again it is cruise season.Anyway, you require a passport mostly for your own security. If you miss the ship when you get back on board after visiting a port or have an accident in a foreign port, you are covered for immigration purposes.But the main thing with cruises is that you are not disembarking the ship into a foreign country, you are treated merely as a transit passenger, much like a long stay in the airport when you are travelling overseas (think 8 hours in an airport somewhere). Basically the ship is a floating part of the state of embarkation and you never leave the state nor the country, you just float around.I am not going to say for certain (because there are always unknowns to deal with) but for immigration purposes if you are on a cruise, you are deemed to never have left the country.I worked on a cruise ship many years ago and was the person who worked with immigration into and out of foreign ports, customs clearances etc. My advice is based on my experiences only and is not to be taken as gospel. If you feel you would be more comfortable getting professional advice, I am sure one of the immigration agents would be more than happy to help you.
Ford and its joint ventures in China sold 64,641 vehicles in February, up 2 percent compared to February 2016. Year-to-date sales for Ford in China totaled 153,073 vehicles, a 21 percent decrease compared to the same time last year.

Monthly sales for Changan Ford Automobile (CAF) totaled 42,695 vehicles, down 12 percent compared to the same time last year. Year-to-date sales for CAF totaled 108,858 vehicles, down 32 percent. CAF is rebuilding order banks in the first quarter after the strong close to 2016. Showroom traffic is improving and CAF expects 2017 to continue to strengthen with the launch key new vehicles such as the new EcoSport later this year.

Jiangling Motor Corporation sold 20,794 vehicles, a 48 percent increase compared to February 2016. Year-to-date sales for JMC totaled 41,043 vehicles, up 31 percent compared to the same time in 2016.

 Ford Edge sales increased 20 percent in February, compared to February 2016.

 Ford Everest sales increased 34 percent in February, compared to February 2016.

 Ford Taurus sales increased 9 percent compared to February 2016.

 Focus ST and RS sales increased 67 percent compared to February 2016.

 In February, Ford announced the Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCrew's pre-sale price of 560,000 RMB. This is the first time that the F-150 Raptor will be exported to China.
PSA Group's Free2Move Lease is now the fourth largest lessor in France with 200,000 cars, offering multiple-make, full service leasing to business customers of all types, from small business to large corporations, through the Peugeot, Citroen and DS brands dealer networks.

Business owners can use Free2Move Lease to enhance their employees' mobility experience through a wide portfolio of services related to leasing, fleet management, as well as new services to be launched gradually:

A connected fleet management service called Free2Move Connect Fleet. It uses live, accurate vehicle data from an onboard telematics unit to help reduce the fleets Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

A carsharing system for corporations named Free2Move Fleet Sharing. It allows simple and easy sharing of pool cars, therefore reducing employees travel expenses such as taxi rides.

Free2Move Lease operates in France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, with plans to expand to other European countries.
There is no better place for a jaw-dropping hot car than the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. Taking place every year in the Swiss City, famous automakers gather to show off their latest supercars to the public. Here are some obscure supercars saw at the event.

Vanda Electrics Dendrobium. The Singaporean startup Vanda Electric currently manufactures a tiny electric mini bike named as the Motochimp and an electric utility truck called the Ant Truck. This supercar features two inboard electric motors in the front and two more in the back, but they do not control individual wheels for torque-vectoring purposes.

The supercar has a top speed of 200 mph and weighs around 3,850 pounds. So expect a combined output power in the 700-900 hp range. The company plans to build 10-25 cars of this type and sell the for seven figures.

The Chinese automotive R&D company is creating a Turbine-Electric Recharging Vehicle engine for future use in mainstream vehicles. The car's chassis was developed and constructed by LM Gianetti of Turin in Italy, and designed by Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro.

The current turbine makes 40 hp, and a 107 hp version is coming soon. The flagship six-motor version will get a 25-KW-hr battery and makes 1,287 hp and 1726 lb-ft of torque.

This car can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 199mph. The company is planning to build ten cars per year and would take place in Italy starting 2018. No pricing has been established yet.

Rimac Concept One. This car was one of the stars at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. Founded near Zagreb in 2009, the firm refers to its Concept One as the world's very first fully electric hypercar. This car has big electric motors that spin each wheel and provides full torque vectoring and has a total output of 1244 hp and 1180 lb-ft of torque. It claimed to accelerate from 0-62mph in just 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 221 mph. This one costs $1.2 million.

Tamo Strada and Recemo+ S. Tamo is a new mobility services sub-brand of India's Tata Motors, and now it's launching a mid-engine two-seat supercar optimized for the Indian market. The car is powered by a 1.2-liter turbo three-cylinder that makes 187 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque that's spinning through a paddle-shifted six-speed automated manual single-clutch transmission. No word on the pricing yet, but this car will be the cheapest car on this list.

The 2017 Geneva Motor Show isn't just where the big brands show off their latest high-powered heroes. It is also where a collection of finest boutique supercar makers, design houses, and tuning shops wheel out of the company's wildest and weirdest creations.
Toyota added the fourth pillar to the Prius model, the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime. This is their most fuel-efficient plug-in electric hybrid gasoline to date. It can travel up to 640 miles on full electric charge with a single tank of fuel.

Engine. Generating 121 horses at 5,200 rpm to the front wheels and 105 lb-ft of torque is a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain built around it. Power is sent to the ground via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Also, drivers have the option to use the all-electric lithium-ion battery pack alone or allow the car to manage the power modes for maximum efficiency. When using the all-electric powertrain, the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime can travel up to 25 miles with an 84 mph speed and an impressive 133 MPGe.

The hybrid's fuel mileage according to the EPA is at 55 for a city, 53 for highway, and 54 combined cycle. This puts Toyota's hybrid model as the most fuel-efficient plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid sold in the US.

Charging. With the help of a quick charger, it takes a little more than 2 hours for the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime to fully juice up its 8.8kWh battery pack. But using the regular 120-volt household outlet, it takes up to 5.5 hours for a full charge.

There are three driving basic modes: HV, EV, and EV Auto. In HV, the Prime operates like a regular hybrid by relying on both the four-cylinder and the electric motor. EV shuts off the gas engine, while EV Auto lets the car decide how to best manage power delivery.

Pricing and trim levels. Toyota doesn't offer any factory options for its buyers, which are offered with only 3 trim levels, Plus, Premium, and Advanced. Clearly, the Advanced trim level is the most expensive of the three running at a price of $33,100, reports Digital Trends.

This trim level of the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime includes blind spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert, LED fog lights, and Toyota's Intelligent Park Assist (IPA) tech. A premium JBL sound system, a 7-inch touchscreen, a six-speaker sound system, and a rear-view camera are also included.

The Premium model boasts $28,800 and comes with SofTex upholstery, an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, and a wireless phone charger, and an 11.6-inch touchscreen. And then the entry-level Plus model is priced at $27,100. It packs standard with 15-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, and a 7-inch touch screen.

A separate article is dedicated for the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime interior, exterior, and driving experience. Meanwhile, what do you think of the most efficient hybrid in the segment?
The Ford F-150 rocks its "truck toughness" as it is renowned as the large light duty pickups in the 2017 J D Power Vehicle Dependability Study. The 2017 Ford F-150 Truck is one of the best-selling trucks in America for 40 straight years. Thus, Ford is aiming to unleash Ford F-150 Hybrid by 2020.

Ford aims to introduce the Ford F-150 Hybrid by 2020 as part of expansion, which reports allegedly claimed that it will create 700 direct new jobs. The company expansion and the F-150 Hybrid concept is a part of a $4.5 billion investment for electrified vehicles, which expanding lineup reflect the global contributions of electrified vehicles that will surpass gasoline-powered vehicles in the next 15 years, as per Trade Arabia News Service.

Last January, the company celebrated a major milestone of the F-series, which reveal that Ford has sold more than 26 F-series vehicle since 1977. Thus, Ford aiming that F-150 Hybrid will follow the series' capability and toughness.

The Ford F-150 Hybrid price is roughly running in from $54,000 range to $60,000. The hybrid vehicle is a mind blowing that Ford plans a new car assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, which the automaker will spend $700 million. Currently, the plant is producing the Lincoln Continental and Ford Mustang, as per The Verge.

Ford reveals that the engines for the future hybrid models will be turbocharged. The company explained that it would be smaller than the standard but it will provide a powerful additional power beyond that from the electric motors.

Toyota and Ford partnership way back in August 2011 claimed to make a hybrid version of the most anticipated and highly profitable F-150 full-size pickup truck. The automakers claimed that the hybrid pickup truck would have a twin-motor hybrid system from the four-cylinder engines, which will be in the lineup of EcoBoost V6 turbo.

The Ford F-150 Hybrid will set to have an excellent and enhanced aerodynamics, which may be similar to compact SUV. Some reports reveal it may come with Combined Charging System, which will produce 150 kilowatts.
Automotive supplier Magna International has developed a self-charging electric fuel cell vehicle. The company developed the vehicle as a solution to lack of access to hydrogen for fuel cells and the long time it takes for electric vehicles to recharge.

Automotive supplier develops self-charging electric fuel cell car. The self-charging electric fuel cell vehicle that the company's Australian subsidiary, Magna Steyr, worked on is a de-badged Mercedes Viano minivan. It features a fuel cell that is smaller than average which recharges its battery while running.

The vehicle is called the FCREEV which stands for Fuel Cell Range Extended Electric Vehicle. According to the company's website, it takes advantage of the "fast-fueling and high-energy density of hydrogen as well as the available infrastructure for electric charging".

What makes the FCREEV work is only temporary and is designed to bridge the gap between now and the time when long-range electrics cars will sport technology that allows for fast battery charging or when "a proper hydrogen refueling network is built" according to the company.

Speaking at the Geneva Auto Show, Magna Steyr research and development head Helfried Mueller said that "There's a big potential for this type of vehicle in the near future." One potential customer for the company's self-driving electric fuel cell vehicle would be ground logistics companies who may be forced to use zero emission vehicles due to stricter regulations in the future. These companies will not have the time to spend on recharging their delivery trucks.

The range of FCREEV is at 350 kilometers. 70 kilometers of that can be just on battery power. Its fuel cell stack is rated at 30 kWh, 84 kWh lower than the fuel cell found in the Toyota Mirai.

The automotive supplier doesn't have any plans to mass produce the FCREEV. It is instead using it to showcase what the company can do which includes product engineering and contract manufacturing to name a few.
Iconic vintage cars with lucrative price tags will be auctioned in the annual Amelia Island Concours d' Elegance. Three hundred impeccable cars are all expected to be seen in the event with over 35,000 attendees who hopes to be dazzled by the enormous collection the affair will showcase. Let's take a look at the highlights of the show:

1957 Jaguar XKSS. One of only 15 Jaguar XKSS manufactured in 1957. The Jaguar XKSS was the top winner of the 1957 Le Mans Rally. A rare gem -- and definitely a cool USD16-USD18 million car to fork out, according to Wired. It is a sought after vintage car in global auctions. In addition, the Jaguar classic under Landrover will produce the "Continuation" of the 1957 XKSS car. It will be built exactly how it was made in 1957.

1937 bugatti type 57s cabriolet pic.twitter.com/qUKYQbdpzo  Seicane (@seicane) December 5, 2016

1937 Bugatti 57S Cabriolet. This vintage car was manufactured between 1934 and 1940, it runs on 3.4 liters with a 170 hp engine. The shorter, lower chassis, especially turned engine and grill help make this a cool USD10 million, according to Classic Car Weekly. This car was known for its European car racing success

1949 Aston Martin BD MK. There was a time when an Aston Martin was the car of choice of premier British spy agent James Bond. According to reports, this car was made for David Brown, Ashton company head. It will be auctioned for a lucrative amount of USD2.3 million.

1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing. An iconic car and an unusual looking vintage car, the SL Gullwing has those vertical doors, reported 4 Wheels News. Making its entry in 1952 as the Mercedes W194 racer, it has a 3 liter SOHC straight-6 engine. Because of its roof-hinged doors, the car was called the "Gullwing". It's street legal version was introduced in 1954 hoping it will hit with the American market because of its vertical car doors that swoop up, was named W198 300 SL and was reintroduced in 1954. This variant was called the W198 300 SL.
Starting this month, the 2017 Cadillac CTS performance sedan will come with standard V2V safety communications technology. The V2V will allow connected vehicles to communicate with each other wirelessly to warn drivers of potential dangers ahead on the read.

Each vehicle's sensors can determine that a potential car crash could happen. It then sends signals to following cars whose onboard computers interpret the message and warn the drivers or trigger the automatic safety systems.

Cadillac's global director of Product Strategy, Richard Brekus, said in a statement, "From the introduction of airbags to the debut of OnStar, Cadillac continues its heritage of pioneering safety and connectivity advances." V2V essentially enables the car to sense around corners. Connecting vehicles through V2V holds tremendous potential, as this technology allows the vehicle to acquire and analyze information outside the bounds of the driver's field of vision. As an early mover, we look forward to seeing its benefit multiply as more V2V-equipped vehicles hit the road."

The automaker also noted that CTS drivers could customize alerts to appear in the car's instrument cluster and the available head-up display using the newest CUE infotainment system. Alerts that will appear on the CTS instrument cluster warning includes slippery conditions, disabled vehicles, or other hazardous situations.

The V2V technology on the 2017 Cadillac CTS works on a 5.9 GHz spectrum allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. Last year, Cadillac pioneered the world's first Rear Camera Mirror, increasing the driver's rearward vision by 300 percent.

In December, the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a proposal to mandate the new V2V technology to all new light cars and to standardize the messages and format of V2V transmission by 2020. Before, NHTSA stated that V2V systems have the capability to prevent or decrease the severity of 80 percent of vehicles crashes not involving an impaired driver.

Furthermore, the V2V is included as a standard feature on the 2017 Cadillac CTS in the United States and Canada and complements a robust suite of available active safety features. The car offers Driver Awareness, and Driver Assist active safety features like adaptive cruise control with full-speed range, forward collision mitigation, automatic front and rear braking, lane keeps assist, and rear cross traffic.
The success that Mercedes has been incredible, probably driving their competitors crazy. One of the things they launched this year was the Mercedes E-class Coupe, it is the sixth model of the new E-class chassis.

There are a lot of things that are new with this car, the dimensions of this car is different from its predecessors. It is longer and slightly wider than the E-class Saloon but has a shorter wheelbase.

According to Telegraph, the Mercedes E-class Coupe has a three part underbody that has similar front and middle section as the E-class Saloon but has a rear section similar to smaller C-class. The car is reportedly similar to E-Cabriolet that was one of the main attraction at the Geneva Motor Show.

However, it is reportedly 55 kg heavier than the E-class Saloon because Mercedes added more materials to the body of the car that gives it a better construction. The car also has higher standard specifications that include LED headlamp.

Aside from that, the car has a 68mm wider track, 15mm lower ride height, a stiffer bounce and rebound damping. Peter Kolb, Mercedes E-Coupe testing chief, explained that this car is based on exclusive and sporty cars that have lower wind and tire noise.

Aesthetically, the car looks good even though there might be a problem on the look of the rearmost side window. The look is an offshoot of the car's longer and pushed-back roofline. However, buyers can always use smoked rear windows to hide it.

Mercedes E-class Coupe's also has a better interior design than previous Mercedes cars. The new car was designed with a wavy wooden dash panel that links into doors.

It also has a dotted ventilator that has a well-designed turbine and a double-screen instrument panel and center console that fits perfectly into the whole design. According to Autoblog, Mercedes E-class Coupe does not have that more rear doors and has barriers between its front and rear windows.

Mercedes E-class Coupe will reportedly be on sale this summer, it might have the same price as an outdoor car. As of to date, Mercedes has not yet given the sale price of this car.
12 March 2017 13:15 (UTC+04:00)

Leadership of the Pakistan Naval Academy has visited the Military Academy of Azerbaijan`s Armed Forces to discuss prospects for cooperation in the field of military education, Azertag reported.

The Pakistani delegation was also informed about the Military Academy.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
12 March 2017 15:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The actions of the Netherlands against Turkey go beyond diplomatic ethics, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend March 12.

Some European institutions and in particular, a number of groups in the European Parliament, as well as the Netherlands, have made a "habit" of unreasonably criticizing other states, carry out "mentoring" and make claims against others using each opportunity, Hajiyev said.

The acts of the Dutch government, which considers human rights and democracy as its fundamental principles, against official representatives of Turkey, preventing Turkish people living there from assembling freely and use of force against them is of biased and contradictory nature, added the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

These actions are also a grave violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, as well as such fundamental principles as human rights and freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, Hajiyev said, adding that such actions go beyond the diplomatic ethics.

Netherlands canceled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permit after the diplomat pushed ahead with plans to address Turks in Rotterdam. Dutch authorities also intercepted a vehicle that was transporting Family Minister Fatma Betul Kaya to the European country.

Police used force to disperse crowd after demonstrators gathered near where Kaya's vehicle was stopped.

"Hundreds of police set up a barricade between us and our citizens. No power can cut ties between us," she said on Twitter.

The Dutch said their decision to cancel Cavusoglu's flight for "security" and "public safety" came after the Turkish ministers "threat" to impose sanctions on the Netherlands if the landing permit was revoked.

Turkey responded with a statement that requested to the charge daffaires that "the Dutch ambassador who is on leave abroad [should] not return for a while.

In a live broadcast later Saturday, Kaya confirmed she was blocked from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

"We expect Netherlands to return to democratic values as soon as possible.

"Freedom of expression, movement, freedom of assembly, all of these have been suspended right now," Kaya said.

A Turkish diplomatic source, who spoke to Anadolu Agency on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media, said Dutch diplomatic missions in Ankara and Istanbul were closed for security concerns.

Minutes after the Dutch cancelation was announced, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the move as a measure by Nazi remnants and fascists.

Addressing an inauguration ceremony in Istanbul, Erdogan said: How will your countrys [diplomatic] flights come here now after not granting permission to our foreign minister?

Several events planned for senior ministers from the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Germany have been canceled in recent days due to what Berlin cites as security grounds.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
12 March 2017 10:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Internal politics are to blame for the crisis between Turkey and Netherlands, Prime Minister Binali Yldrm said Sunday, Anadolu reported.

It seems the Netherlands has internal issues. General elections will be held on March 15. We think what we have been through today because of this election is based on internal politics, he told local television TV24.

But whatever situations are, this cannot be acceptable for us and it should be retaliated heavily, he said. The crises is over for now.

Yildirim said the huge diplomatic scandal is also a failure of Turkeys European allies to address the issue, in a statement posted on the prime ministrys website.

Our European allies who take every chance to mention freedom of speech, human rights and democracy failed once more towards this incident, he said.

The remarks by Yildirm came after the Netherlands canceled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permit after the diplomat pushed ahead with plans to address Turks in Rotterdam. Dutch authorities also intercepted a vehicle that was transporting Family Minister Fatma Betul Kaya to the European country.

Kaya was forced to leave the Netherlands for Germany with a police escort after an hours-long standoff in an attempt to enter the Turkish consulate.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
12 March 2017 11:35 (UTC+04:00)

Saudi ruler King Salman arrived in Tokyo for a three-day visit to Japan on Sunday, Azertag reported.

The stopover is part of a month long Asia tour which also took the king to Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

He is said to be accompanied by several hundred people and nearly 500 tonnes of luggage.

During his visit, King Salmans first to Japan since taking the throne, he will meet with Japans emperor Akihito and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Both countries are expected to use the meetings to build on agreements relating to energy security and infrastructure investment signed last year.

They will also discuss investment following a September 2016 agreement between Saudi Aramco and Mizuho Bank.

Another major deal announced will be a proposed Saudi-Japan Vision 2030 initiative, which will include dozens of joint cooperation projects relating to areas including desalination and solar power.

This will come as Japanese firms eye a share of the projects supporting the kingdoms diversification efforts.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
12 March 2017 12:45 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya said on March 12 that Dutch police is escorting her back to Germany after having been barred from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam amid an escalating row between the two countries, Hurriyet reported.

I am being taken to Germany from the Nijmegen border with democratic and humanitarian values disregarded. I condemn this on behalf of all my citizens, Kaya said in a tweet.

Sayan Kaya, who had arrived from Germany by road, was intercepted by Dutch police late on March 11 near the consulate building hours after Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglus flight clearance to Rotterdam was cancelled over security and public safety issues.

Dutch police officers blocked around one kilometer of the road in front of the residence of the Turkish consul general to Rotterdam, where Cavusoglus meeting with Turkish citizens ahead of the April 16 referendum would take place.

Sayan Kaya said she requested the Netherlands and European countries to return back to the democratic values they say to defend after being intercepted.

Thousands of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside the Rotterdam consulate, demanding to welcome the minister while protests also erupted in Istanbul and Ankara in front of the Dutch diplomatic missions which had been sealed off after the Dutch move.

Dutch police later used water cannon and horses to break up the protests following the minister's leave.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said late March 11 that they have conveyed to the Netherlands their will for the Dutch envoy to Ankara to not return to his post for a while upon the cancellation of Cavusoglus flight permit.

It has been notified that we do not wish for the Dutch ambassador, who is currently on leave outside of Turkey, to return to his job for a while, read a statement issued by the ministry.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Cloudy with occasional showers for the afternoon. High 62F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 51F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
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An early March visit to Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a study in white. Only a few snow drifts remain but white ice covers some water, while open water reflects the white snow of the mountains. Among all this white, swans provide the purest white.

Trumpeter swans are the largest swans and the heaviest waterfowl in North America. Cindy and I drove out to Ruby Valley to see them, braving a rough Ruby Valley Road, damaged from a hard winter.

Jane Bardolf is the refuge wildlife biologist. She told us about 25 swans typically spend the winter here. The highest swan count during this winter was 150 in December. That crowd probably contained about 50 trumpeters mixed in with 100 of the smaller tundra swans.

Pete Schmidt is the refuge manager. He was nice enough to show Cindy and I the best spots to watch swans, where they swam or stood on ice among Canada geese and various ducks.

The stately trumpeter swans weigh over 25 pounds and are six feet long. Clearing the water for such a heavy bird may require a 100-yard running start. These swans are named for their calls, often compared in quality and tone to a French horn, a sort of low pitched, bugling ko-hoh.

Trumpeter Swans were almost extinct early in the 20th century. By the 1930s, fewer than 100 remained south of Canada. Among several problems was the reduction in numbers of beaver dams. Swans like to nest in their ponds, often on top of the beaver lodge. Swan numbers have recovered somewhat, although their population still causes concern. Today, approximately 46,000 trumpeter swans exist in North America.

The Trumpeter Swan Society sees the swan as an indicator species of healthy wetlands and waterways and symbols of hope showing that science, partnerships, and perseverance can bring a species back from the brink of extinction.

Ruby Marshes is an important wintering spot for swans. Unfortunately, only two or three pair of swans spend the summer here and nesting success is poor. Pete said they are working on the nesting problem and are considering a plan to bring in juveniles to summer here, in the hopes they would return to nest the next year.

Pete said the swans wintering at Ruby Marshes probably spend the summer at Montanas Red Rock Lakes, an important breeding area. The Yellowstone National Park area has been important in swan recovery but the parks experiences echoes those of Ruby Marsh. Yellowstones population peaked at 72 in 1961 but now only has two breeding pairs. Seven trumpeter swans were released on the Yellowstone River in 2014 and 2015 in hopes of producing more breeding pairs.
Lithium Nevada Corp.s president, David Deak, is optimistic that there will be demand for lithium coming from the companys project near Orovada in Humboldt County once the site is developed.

The growth potential in the market is massive, said Deak, who also is a senior vice president and chief technology officer for parent company Lithium Americas Corp.

He came to Lithium Americas last June after two years with Tesla Motors Inc., which manufactures electric cars, so he saw the potential. Batteries use lithium.

The project has the potential to be one of the largest lithium producers in the world, he said of the site in Kings Valley that covers 37,64.6 acres.

The Lithium Nevada project would involve open-pit mining of deep clay that contains rich lithium deposits, and a processing plant would need to be built and the overburden removed to reach the richer lithium.

A lot of effort this year is refining the engineering efforts and maximizing the flow sheet to become one of the lower cost producers, Deak said. Were working on fundraising and development efforts.

Lithium Americas is generating revenue from the site now, however, by mining overburden for the RheoMinerals plant in Fernley, mainly for drilling mud. The clay is mined as needed to supply the plant so there arent full-time operations on site, Deak said.

We did campaign mining and are still using the material. When larger orders come, we will go back out there, he said.

RheoMinerals is a subsidiary of Lithium Americas.

The project near Orovada would produce lithium hydroxide from the very rich, dense clay, rather than from brine, Deak said. The project would be the most sustainable way possible. Efforts will reduce the carbon footprint and be mindful of surrounding habitat, as well, he said.

Deak foresees the Nevada project possibly being in operation in 2021. If it goes into full production, he estimated the project would employ roughly 200 people.

It will provide a lot of economic advantages to Nevada, he said.

Lithium Americas subsidiaries in Nevada employ roughly 50 people now, according to Catherine Clark, environmental director for Lithium Nevada.

A lithium brine operation in Argentina is closer to production than Kings Valley, Deak said.

We are on the verge of starting construction, he said. The worker camps are in place. Production should start in 2019.

The Nevada Division of Minerals is behind a bill, AB 52, that would make it easier to explore for lithium in Nevada, but the bill targets exploration for lithium in brine so it involves water rights. Deak said the bill really doesnt apply to us.

Western Lithium USA Corp. changed its corporate name to Lithium Americas Corp. effective April 1, 2016. Lithium Americas is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. There is a Reno office for Lithium Nevada.
Lakelands first female police officer was laid to rest Saturday.

Leila Plaire Gossett died at the age of 97

She was Lakeland Police's first female officer

She began as a meter checker before become an officer

Leila Plaire Gossett died in her sleep on March 6 at the age of 97, according to her family.

She began working for the Lakeland Police Department as a meter checker in 1956. Many people knew her as Lea within the department.

According to her family, she was promoted to an officer seven years later. She retired as a detective in 1978, after 22 years of service.

I think her legacy there is shes led the way for other woman, said Gossetts daughter Kathryn Smith. You know to have the same opportunities that she did.

According to her obituary, Gossett worked in the juvenile division, guiding delinquents to a better life and assisting in child abuse and battery investigations.

After retirement, Smith said her mother and father Marvin grew award-winning African Violets and Gesneriads.

Marvin Plaire died in 1988. Leila Plaire then married Walter Gossett in 1994. He died in 2010.

In 2016, the Mayor of the City of Lakeland proclaimed Oct. 17 Leila Plaire Day, in honor of her contributions to the Lakeland Police Department and the community. 
A woman missing since Saturday, along with the man suspected of kidnapping her, were found Monday in Ruskin.

Alisa Summers, Trevor Summers found alive

Citizen tip led to them being found

Witness: Alisa Summers was screaming for help outside business

PREVIOUS STORY: Friends hold vigil for Alisa Summers

Follow Bay News 9's Erin Maloney updates on Twitter



The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Alisa Summers and Trevor Summers were found at the Inn at Little Harbor.

Trevor Summers had a self-inflicted knife wound to his throat and was taken to a hospital for treatment and questioning, Sheriff David Gee said at an afternoon news conference. Alisa Summers had a wrist injury.

Alisa Summers was first reported missing Saturday. Deputies said a witness saw Summers, 37, who appeared to have her hands tied behind her back, screaming for help outside a Walgreens on Fishhawk Crossing Boulevard.

Authorities believe the incident unfolded late Friday and early Saturday.

Trevor Summers asked his 14-year-old daughter, who lives with Alisa Summers, to leave a window open at her house. At some point he went inside and allowed the daughter and their other children to drive to his address.

Monday morning, a resident saw Alisa Summers' vehicle at the Inn at Little Harbor and called the sheriff's office.

Officials said Trevor Summers did not cooperate with attempts to take him into custody.

This is the house where Alissa Summers and husband were found in Ruskin. @bn9 pic.twitter.com/4LyeHiXPZk  Erin Maloney (@ErinOnTV) March 13, 2017

Dueling injunctions

Alisa and Trevor Summers both filed domestic violence injunctions against each other in February as the couple worked through divorce proceedings. Hillsborough court records detail their deteriorating relationship.

Alisa Summers filed the first injunction. In it, she describes a Feb. 18 incident in which Trevor would not let her leave his home for more than four hours.

"He pushed me down and pulled a huge knife out from between the mattress and the box spring," Alisa said in the filing. "he held it at me and yelled how angry he was. He pulled blue rope and duct tape out and told me if I moved, he would tie me up."

The description is similar to what the witness saw Mar. 10 at the Walgreens location at Fishhawk Crossing Boulevard - a man pushing a woman with hands tied behind her back into an SUV, the woman screaming for help.

The injunction filed by Trevor Summers one day later recounts the events of Feb. 18 differently. In it, Trevor claims Alisa's report of assault and restraint was false.

Trevor went on to describe erratic behavior on Alisa's part, including an incident in which she "angrily pushed [their] 12-year-old son into a wall corner, pinned him down, grabbed his arms because she wanted his cell phone. He was hurt physically and emotionally."

Trevor's account of Alisa's behavior also detailed "sudden mood swings, fits of rage, lying to friends and family, promiscuity and depression." He also claimed that Alisa had abandoned the children on a number of occasions in pursuit of personal interests.

Trevor Summers currently faces charges of kidnapping, grand theft of vehicle and domestic violence.
The fight to save an historic African-American cemetery in Gulfport has turned into a legal battle.

Two organizations want ownership of Lincoln Cemetery

Vanessa Gray has volunteered time to clean up the cemetery

St. Pete church believes its better suited to maintain it



Two organizations have expressed interest in taking over ownership of Lincoln Cemetery.

On Saturday, Pastor Clarence Williams with the Greater Mt. Zion AME Church in St. Petersburg announced his organization has hired an attorney to fight for property ownership of the cemetery.

For over a year, 23-year-old Vanessa Gray has been working to clean up the cemetery. She tracked down previous owners and was handed the deed for $10. She also created the non-profit, Lincoln Cemetery Society.

During the same time, Pastor Williams was also working to obtain ownership. He even secured $90,000 from part of Pinellas Countys BP oil spill settlement.

That money is now in limbo until a rightful owner is determined.

Pastor Williams attorney believes there were issues with the way the deed was handed over to Vanessa Gray.

Pastor Williams said he praises Gray for all of her hard work with the cemetery but believes his organization would be best telling the history behind it.

"The sacrifices they made, the lives they lived, the injustices they endured and their moral fabric helped our society become better," Williams said. "I think the connection with the community and the connection with those who are buried there is really the power in terms of trying to determine the best agency and best fit for who has control of that property."

Gray said she is willing to work with everyone but feels it is important to keep the cemetery in her organizations name so they can continue the clean-up they started a year ago.

Gray said shes also passionate about preserving the cemeterys history.

She started a website to archive history and stories from the people buried at the cemetery.

The website includes information about Lincoln Cemetery like records, archives and an event calendar.

Gray says the society is working on several books, including one on the recent history of the cemetery.

Gray said she also has an attorney but hopes to settle issues out of court.
Silver Peak Mine in Esmeralda County is the only operation in the United States producing lithium carbonate, and the owner wants alterations to a proposed bill on lithium exploration to protect the long-time mine.

Silver Peak owner Albemarle Corp. wrote it was working with the Nevada Division of Minerals and state engineer to develop alternative language to AB 52 that protects the alkaline playa, encourages lithium exploration, particularly in areas of the state beyond the Clayton Valley, and protects Albemarles current site and operations.

Nevada Division of Minerals Administrator Richard Perry confirmed the division is working with Albemarle on the bill, which is proposed for action in the current state legislative session.

The operation owned by Albemarle pulls lithium brine from saltwater aquifers using extraction wells. According to the company, the Nevada Division of Water Resources has permitted Albemarle to extract 20,000 acre-feet a year from Clayton Valley Basin.

The permitted amount is the total perennial yield of the basin, Albemarle said in a fact sheet provided by Susan Richardson, senior director of communications of the Charlotte, N.C.-based company.

Albemarle writes that from the wellhead, the brine is diverted to an evaporation pond system. Using solar evaporation, the lithium salts are concentrated in the brine and eventually routed to the next pond in the system. This step is continued multiple times until the lithium concentration reaches a level that is high enough to convert to lithium carbonate.

Our evaporation process works in perfect confluence with our senior water rights because it maintains a balance between our extraction rate and the rate of the basin discharge, the company said.

The company stated that as the senior water rights holder in Clayton Valley, it has a responsibility to protect the unique resource so it can continue to provide value for all stakeholders. Those efforts include utilizing environmentally sound and proven processing capabilities and metering pumping rates to prevent instability in the valley.

The Silver Peak operations use of a natural evaporation system also is part of its environmental stewardship effort that includes using production technologies that minimize emissions and protect migratory birds, according to Albemarle.

The Silver Peak operation is the largest employer in Esmeralda County and has been involved in the communities of Silver Peak and Tonopah for more than 50 years, according to Albemarle.

We employ 75 to 90 residents from Silver Peak and the surrounding area, Richardson said in an email.

Although the Silver Peak Mine is the only lithium carbonate producer, Albemarle recognizes that Nevadas goal of increasing exploration and production of lithium carbonate would mean reaching beyond what Silver Peak could produce.

However, as Albemarles site in Silver Peak is the only operating lithium mine in the country, we believe the state should be thoughtful in developing any changes to current law that may adversely impact the states only lithium producer, the companys statement on AB 52 says.

Fundamentally, we believe current water law manages both exploration and operating aspects of lithium extraction. We have complied with those rules and have successfully operated under the currently regulatory regime for over 50 years.

As such we oppose efforts that would diminish or otherwise damage our resources in the Clayton Valley. As the holder of virtually all the senior water rights in the Clayton Valley, we oppose AB 52 as currently drafted because it does not recognize the importance of state water law for extracting lithium that is dissolved in groundwater, which is very different from hard rock mining.

It does not protect Albemarles senior water rights, as required by Nevada law. It also does not recognize that fully allocated basins such as the Clayton Valley cannot accommodate anyone wanting to access the aquifer without water permits.

If passed, it could lead to degradation of the delicate playa from over-drilling into the aquifer and extracting brine by too many parties, Albemarle wrote.

The minerals division proposed the bill to make it easier for companies to explore for lithium, which is seeing an increased demand, especially for rechargeable batteries for electric cars and cellphones.

The reason we did this, we received numerous calls last year from lithium exploration companies on how to explore in Nevada, and they had an interest in streamlining the process, Perry said.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management reported in January that there were 13,258 active placer claims for lithium in Nevada.

The proposed Assembly bill would allow for a shorter and more clearly defined regulatory exploration and production of dissolved minerals, Perry said.

The bill would create an exemption to state water law to allow exploration entities to sample brine from boreholes and sample and pump-test from an exploration well, he said.

Now, the state doesnt have statutes or code for regulating dissolved mineral brine exploration or production so the activity now defaults, in part, to water well regulations, according to the minerals division.

If the bill passes, the minerals division would regulate dissolved mineral brines, and the minerals division, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and Nevada Division of Water Resources would jointly develop regulations for dissolved mineral resource exploration boreholes, exploration wells and production wells in the second half of 2017.

The Division of Water Resources will work cooperatively with the Division of Minerals to develop regulations for dissolved mineral extraction should the legislature approve AB 52, said the Division of Water Resources in a statement provided by JoAnn Kittrell, public information manager for the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

If a company decides to proceed to plant construction, it would have to follow the normal procedure under Nevada water laws, Perry said.

In addition to lithium carbonate, Albemarle produces special lithium hydroxide grades at the Silver Creek site, the company states on its website.

The Silver Peak operations were owned by Chemetall subsidiary Chemetall Foote Corp. Chemetall was part of Rockwood Holdings Inc., which Albemarle Corp. acquired in 2015. The brand was changed from Rockwood Lithium to Albemarle the following year.

In addition to the Nevada operation, Albemarle has lithium reserves and operations in Chile and Western Australia.
Oregon Coast Spring Break Highlights: Many Levels of Fun



Published 03/11/2017 at 7:03 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Oregon Coast)  So much Oregon coast  so little time for spring break. (Above: wreck of the Peter Iredale: a spring break must-see).

The big vacation weeks for Oregon and Washington students is upon us, and this shoreline offers bundles of beautiful beaches and places filled with aspects not always in plain sight. Whale watching and the big SOLVE cleanup are always major players during this time, but there's even more lurking behind the captivating spots you see from the highway.

Looking to dig a little deeper and find the true treasures? Keep reading and then check the virtual tours to each area for much more.





Astoria and Warrenton: Sprawling Fort Stevens State Park will be the big buzz-inducer for the kids. It's not just gobs of beaches here (some of which you can drive on), but a huge array of trails and attractions. The wreck of the Peter Iredale is a highlight, but one of the most remarkable experiences on the entire Oregon coast is crawling around the spooky, cavernous and castle-like Battery Russell  a former military post that guarded this area.





Seaside and Cannon Beach. The undisputed king of spring break on the coast is Seaside, with its myriad of kid-friendly stuff, such as bumper cars, a helicopter ride and the ever-engaging Seaside Aquarium. Cannon Beach comes in a decent second with its variety of yummy eateries and fun shops, but beaches just south of there like Arch Cape or Hug Point are crammed full of discoveries and surprises.

Manzanita and Nehalem Bay. The most obvious pleasure is the lack of the obvious: it's not as crowded or commercial as many areas on the Oregon coast. The overlooks and the pristine beaches are endless fun, but it's the mind-bending finds like the freaky cliffs near Neahkahnie and their unique rock formations that will truly leave a lasting impression. Slightly inland, Wheeler and Nehalem are chock full of outdoor fun like fishing and kayaking.





Rockaway Beach to Tillamook Bay. The expansive, laidback sands of Rockaway Beach are among the longest stretches of uninterrupted beach along the coastline, but don't forget dreamy Lake Lytle across the highway. The town quickly gives way to the soaring scenery of Garibaldi and Bay City along Tillamook Bay, where fishing, boating, crabbing and the delicious seafood of Pacific Seafood rule the day.





Three Capes Route. You need more than one day just to explore this 25-mile stretch properly. Cape Kiwanda, Cape Lookout and the lighthouse-laden Cape Meares are just the most high profile destinations. Tiny Oceanside has so much crammed into its diminutive digs that you could spend a whole day there. Netarts and Tierra Del Mar are two villages full of surprises.





Lincoln City. Another spring break hotspot, there's more to do here for families or couples than two days and nights can allow. A thriving performing arts scene, live music, major examples of culinary prowess, a place to blow your own glass floats  well, that's just the surface. Shopping is huge, candy shops abound, and then there are all those beaches. Seven miles of deliriously delightful beaches.





Depoe Bay. The stretch that includes Gleneden Beach, Lincoln Beach, Depoe Bay, Otter Loop Road and Cape Foulweather is a mere 9-mile tract that is so overflowing with sights and sites there's no way to get into it here. But if you like soaring cliffs, wild waves, enormous ocean vistas, whales and places not tread upon by many others, then this is your ticket.





Newport. Another hotspot bubbling over with the fun and the fascinating, Newport has not just plenty of beaches but two lighthouses and a stunning culinary scene. There's the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Oregon Coast Aquarium for the kidlets, but everyone will adore the bustling bayfront district or the charming, time-tripping Nye Beach.





Waldport to Yachats. Seal Rock and the hidden beaches near South Beach are some of the most intriguing places on the entire Oregon coast. Waldport's sandy charms give way to Yachats' awe-inspiring rocky ledges, where crazed breakers entertain all day. You cannot miss Cape Perpetua and its soaring views some 600 feet high, nor skip out on the Devil's Churn and its raucous displays below.

Upper Lane County to Florence. There are about 20 miles of hidden beaches between Yachats and Florence, and you really should check out each one. The famed Heceta Head Lighthouse and seriously clandestine Hobbit Trail beach are two must-see's. Places like Bob Creek, Neptune State Park and Strawberry Hill are labyrinth-like mixes of mysterious rocky ledges and soft sands. There's even a few caves. Oregon Coast Hotels in these areas - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours



More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....



All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted
Beaumont police officers arrested two car burglary suspects in the act on Friday night at a popular Mexican restaurant, BPD announced in a Facebook post.

Officers were called to the Lupe Tortilla restaurant at 2050 Interstate 10 around 9:10 p.m. by a concerned patron, the post said.
If Donald Trump were smart - not just business-smart but politically smart - he would put his problems with Russia behind him once and for all.

He would give a major speech very soon that is similar to his address before a joint session of Congress, which was well-received by even many of his critics. We're talking dignified and presidential, one that explains his positions in plain English. He could lay out what business contacts he has with Russia, if any. Then he would follow that speech with a press conference that gave real journalists - not hacks from Breitbart - a chance to ask him tough but fair questions.

If Trump did this, he would deflate the balloon. The congressional investigations could (and should) still go on, but they would be filling in details on what we already knew, not breaking new ground. Most important of all, Trump could move forward with the real challenges of his presidency, not this distraction.

Distraction? Right now, let's be charitable about this, more fair that Trump would be. Let's assume the best about it.

Let's assume that even though the Russians hacked the election, it didn't affect the outcome. After all, Hillary Clinton was deeply unpopular even among many Democrats.

Let's assume that the Russians and the Trump campaign had no contacts before the election, or at least just casual ones. Let's assume - no, let's pray - that the two sides weren't collaborating about how to drag down Hillary and funnel embarrassing DNC emails to Wikileaks.

Because if those assumptions are true, there's no there there. There's no scandal, just a bunch of speculation that turned out not to be unfounded.

But we don't know that now. And in the absence of any real answers from Trump, it's only natural that journalists - and voters - will speculate and make assumptions. Be honest; if the president involved in all this were Barack Obama, wouldn't we be asking the same questions? We sure as heck would.

And right now, it's hard to feel confident in Trump. It's easy to suspect he's covering something up - because everything he says and does contributes to that uneasy feeling.

He won't reveal any possible business contacts with Russia - even though his son Donald Trump Jr. said in 2008, "We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."

He won't explain the 2,700 puzzling computer links between a Trump Organization computer server and Russia's Alfa Bank, which he could easily do if they are innocent.

He won't say why he has insulted almost everybody at home and abroad at one time or another except for Vladimir Putin. In fact, he has specifically praised him on several occasions.

As long as Trump stonewalls on these issues, the questions and the leaks will continue. As they should, because this is a democracy, and voters deserve the truth.

Scandals or potential scandals in Washington don't just go away. They simmer until they erupt, or get debunked. Trump can choose the outcome.

-----------------

Thomas Taschinger, TTaschinger@BeaumontEnterprise.com, is the editorial page editor of The Beaumont Enterprise. Follow him on Twitter at @PoliticalTom
James Murray and Sarah Parish set up a charity after the death of their baby daughter

Broadchurch star Sarah Parish has said the loss of her baby daughter almost ended her marriage.

Her daughter Ella-Jayne died in 2009 when she was just eight months old.

The actress and her husband James Murray were devastated by the loss of their child, who was born with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome which caused a large hole in her heart and a defective heart valve, and Parish has said it almost destroyed their relationship.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Parish said: "Such an incredible loss inevitably puts an enormous strain on a relationship because people grieve in different ways.

"It would take the most emotionally mature people to be able to cope in that situation, and to comfort one another in the correct way.

"I can only say now, eight years later, that I'm not sure we were able to do that at the time.

"We have made mistakes and done things that don't work for each other - and you either end up together, or you don't."

Parish said they might not still be together if they hadn't created a charity, the Murray Parish Trust, in memory of their daughter.

She wrote: " It has given us something to focus on and it has most definitely been good for our relationship.

"I hope that by speaking out now, I may help other couples who find themselves in that same sad position, and that something positive might come out of something so tragic.

"The day she died she took a bottle for the first time; she held our gaze and smiled into our eyes. For Jim and I, it was very, very difficult. It left a huge hole in our lives. I now know that losing a child is the hardest thing to happen to anyone; that we had never experienced tragedy before she died. We had never truly understood grief or loss."

She added: " I had support from my friends. But at home, Jim and I did things that didn't work for each other. The pressure of grief is such that either you end up separating or, miraculously, you don't. Jim and I have remained together despite some terrible, terrible times.

"We have our problems like any other couple. But we made some decisions which ultimately helped bring us through to the other side intact."

The couple are now parents to daughter Nell, seven, who was born ten months after Ella-Jayne, died.

Parish said: "H er birth could have been bittersweet but she's the light of our lives and we are loving watching her grow up."
A barman is in a serious condition after suffering head injuries in an assault in Carrickfergus. Police said they received a report that a member of staff was attacked in the Royal Oak bar on Green Street at about 21:40 GMT on Saturday night. Two men, aged 36 and 52, have been arrested in connection with the incident. The police have appealed for information. Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye

A barman is in a serious condition after suffering head injuries in an assault in Carrickfergus. Police said they received a report that a member of staff was attacked in the Royal Oak bar on Green Street at about 21:40 GMT on Saturday night. Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye

A man is in a serious condition in hospital after being assaulted by a gang at a pub in Carrickfergus.

The male staff member at The Royal Oak Bar was assaulted by a number of people at around 9.40pm on Saturday night.

He sustained serious head injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.

He remains in a serious condition.

Two men age 36 and 52 were arrested in connection with the incident. And a third man aged 50 was arrested on Sunday afternoon.

Detective Inspector Lindsay Fisher said: The 50-year-old man was arrested in the Carrickfergus area this afternoon and has been taken into custody for questioning.

"Our enquiries into this assault are ongoing and I would continue to ask anyone with any information to contact detectives in Ballymena on 101 quoting reference number 1275 11/03/17.

The Royal Oak posted on Facebook to say that the injured member of staff was recovering in hospital.

It said: "The Royal Oak would like to thank our customers for their concern over our injured member of staff. He is currently in hospital recovering at the minute. Thank you to all who was in the bar last night for your help and patience."

The bar is currently closed with owners saying they hope to be open in a few hours.
ELKO  Newmont Mining Corp.s newest regional senior vice president said he will continue to improve the companys safety record and increase its growth.

In his position, Andrew Woodley looks after all of the North American operations for Newmont, which includes all the mines in Nevada and Colorado.

Its looking after the current operations and safely improving performance, but its also looking at exploration within the properties, outside the properties, exploration and development opportunities, he said.

Newmont Director of Communications and External Relations Rhonda Zuraff said Woodley will focus on the strategic portion of the business.

Weve got the day-to-day general managers at each of our sites and that is not duplicative of what Andrews (position is,) she said.

Woodley said his role will look at the three- to 10-year horizon and beyond, whereas the general managers are typically looking at the day-to-day operation to the three-year horizon.

Background

Woodley grew up in Australia. He was most recently in Mongolia and prior to that Mozambique.

Im a mining engineer, he said. I did mining engineering in Sydney, in Australia. Spent about four years in Canada, did an MBA there and then Ive worked in lots of countries around the world with Rio Tinto for 21 years prior to this.

When he was asked what brought him to Newmont, Woodley said clearly Newmonts a good company.

He said the Denver-based business has a great reputation in the industry. He also liked the companys fundamentals and its improvements in safety and with its balance sheet.

To me most importantly, its got good leadership and good values, he said. ...Its one thing to have it in a book, but its another to practice it, and Newmonts reputation is they do. Certainly my first month is suggesting thats very much the case, which is pleasing and a credit to the team.

After he was asked why he changed companies after two decades with Rio Tinto, Woodley said its good to challenge yourself.

He wanted to use the experiences he had to experience other parts of the world and other cultures. He said there werent many companies he would have jumped to, but Newmont was one of the possibilities. When he was approached to work for Newmont, he was very interested and after a month on the job he said he was glad he accepted the position.

Woodley said his mining engineering background is always useful, however sometimes he misses being in the field.

I love people and I love the real work of what happens in mining, so some of my more interesting and rewarding days are when I am out at a mine talking to some of the team members there, he said.

Challenges

Im fairly new here, so for the first month or so its a lot about absorbing, listening, talking to people and getting different views on where people and where the businesses are, he said.

He said there are plans in place for the business and he is impressed with the people who work for Newmont.

Its the nature of all those moments, listening and talking to people that will help shape where my priorities are, he said.

Safety is the most important item for him. He said Newmont has made great progress in recent years and he wants to continue those improvements.

Theres nothing more important in our business than the well-being of our people, he said. Thats something I passionately feel.

Other than safety, Woodley said it is important to look where Newmont can grow its business.

The companys positioned really well, so I think as long as were smart and we look for those good value adding opportunities we can deliver on what Newmont should have and thats a bright future, he said.

A return to Elko

This is not his first time in Elko. He was in the northeastern Nevada city about 25 years ago.

One of my first jobs, after I finished my MBA, was to come to one of the mines here. I wont name which one it was, because it wasnt Newmont, he said with a laugh. I was working for a management consulting company.

He said it is always rewarding and inspiring to work in different countries and cultures.

So Ive been very lucky to get a lot of opportunities like that, Woodley said.

He said people in the Elko area know a lot about the business of mining, but what stands out for him is the quality of the people and the strength of the company. He said he is pleasantly pleased to hear how long people have worked for Newmont.

That means theyre good people and theyve got great experience, but it also says something about the company, that it does live to its values, he said. As I said that was a key consideration for me where I was looking to go.

His other consideration was the community.

My values are very strong on ensuring we operate with absolute respect and trust and respect from our key stakeholders. Our communities are another important stakeholder in and around where we work, he said. Ill be continuing to ensure Newmont in North America operates very well and for mutual benefit with our host communities.
Mike Nesbitt has given his final leader's speech to the Ulster Unionist Party Executive after he dramatically resigned as leader following a dismal showing at the election.

After almost five years in office Mike Nesbitt left an election count in Newtownards to announce his resignation during the snap Assembly election.

He has said he will stay on as an MLA.

In his final speech he addressed a wide range of topics.

Read More

He discussed what made him get into politics in the first place and his transition from UTV anchorman to politician.

He also told of his biggest regret in his time as UUP leader which he said was the "Assembly".

Mr Nesbitt also accused the DUP of having politics which "endangers our future".

He said: "My big regret is the Assembly. I led us into two Assembly Elections, hoping Northern Ireland was ready for its first post-sectarian Assembly Election."

Mr Nesbitt said that unionism needs to "engage more" and said that "includes engaging with Irish Republicanism.

"My vision remains of a partnership, a partnership of the willing.

"That is not what I hear from the DUP, which is unionism whose language is intent on domination.

"They talk of rogue and renegade ministers. They can talk of the crocodile that needs starved. All that language achieves is further division, polarisation and the energising of voters who were previously content to put their constitutional aspirations to one side as they enjoyed the benefits of being within the UK  making money, educating their children, having access to a health service without having to pay - and all the rest.

"What is missing from the DUP is any sense of the values and principles of 1998: reconciliation, tolerance, trust building and the demonstration of mutual respect. It is the unionism of domination, not partnership. It is  to my mind  the politics that endangers our future.

"Northern Irelands future within the United Kingdom will be best secured by maximising the number of people who are content and happy with their lot, including Catholics and aspiring nationalists. When people are too busy enjoying life, the more secure the Union will be."

Mr Nesbitt concluded: "Finally, I want to make clear I love this country, I love this party and I will offer 100% support to our next Leader.

"Any true Unionist must strive to create a post-sectarian society  I believe it will happen - some day - and in doing so, we will secure the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

"That is all I ever wanted."
The 1996 Canary Wharf truck bomb killed two, injured more than 100 and caused 150 million of damage

The port of Loch Ryan in Scotland as the threat of terrorists crossing by ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland is real and substantiated, the former terrorism reviewer David Anderson QC has warned

The threat of terrorists crossing by ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland is real and substantiated, the former terrorism reviewer has warned.

Officers at the Scottish ports of Loch Ryan and Cairnryan said passenger information from ferry companies was "incomplete and unreliable".

Since 2014 the terror threat in Scotland has been "severe", with an attack highly likely.

Reviewer David Anderson QC wrote: "The threat of terrorists crossing from Northern Ireland to Scotland is a real and substantiated one.

"The Canary Wharf truck bomb of 1996, manufactured by the IRA in South Armagh, killed two people, injured more than 100 and caused 150 million worth of damage.

"It was transported from Larne to Stranraer on a Stena Lines ferry, then driven to London."

That attack was more than 20 years ago, before the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which cemented the peace process.

Police Scotland this month launched a campaign urging the public to help defeat terrorism.

The terrorism reviewer's report was published before he left office at the start of March.

He said passenger lists for ferries connecting Belfast and Larne in Co Antrim to the Scottish west coast were incomplete and unreliable, warning port security had been impaired by shortcomings.

"On my visits in 2015/16 to the seaports of Kent and to Cairnryan and Loch Ryan in the south-west of Scotland, the common and strongly expressed refrain from ports officers on the ground was that they could do their jobs more effectively if they had better advance information about passengers arriving (and departing) by sea.

"In the absence of such information, it is impossible to target stops as precisely as it is, for example, at airports where advance passenger information is widely available."

He endorsed the view of officers at Irish Sea ports that better quality information, provided reliably and in advance, would substantially improve their ability to target examinations of passengers effectively.

A statement from Police Scotland said: "While there is a distinction between the type of passenger information available at a ferry port compared to an international airport, officers from Police Scotland's Border Policing Command work closely with operators at the respective ferry ports to ensure this is a safe environment for passengers who travel as well as the safety and security of communities elsewhere in the UK."

Mr Anderson said the special importance of the routes was accentuated by the invisible land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

"This requires great trust to be placed on the Common Travel Area arrangements, since a terrorist who has managed to gain entry to the Republic of Ireland (or who comes from the Republic of Ireland) can normally travel to Northern Ireland without passing a border check."

Mr Anderson also said the frontier between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was being used by extremists based in the south.

Most dissident republican attacks have targeted the security forces in Northern Ireland.

The border with the Republic and freedom of movement between Britain and Ireland is coming under fresh scrutiny as the Prime Minister prepares to launch Brexit negotiations.
This St. Patricks Day marks the one-year anniversary of something of a miracle. It was on March 17 of last year that then-Secretary of State John Kerry surprised the world  not the least activists pleading the cause  by recognizing that Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria are targets of genocide. It was an exercise in truth-telling, one that has since been wrapped up in all sorts of electoral and post-election political media frenzies.

Ive come to think of St. Patricks Day as a springtime Thanksgiving because of it. It was only a few days before that Father Douglas Bazi, a Chaldean priest from Iraq, celebrated a small Mass in Aramaic, the language that Jesus Christ spoke, at the Catholic Information Center, about a stones throw away from the White House. As we prayed, Bazi was only filled with gratitude, despite the fact that the erratic nature of U.S. foreign policy had contributed to people having to flee their homes, at best, in his part of the world. Having spent some time in terrorist captivity, he could have had bitter and harsh words for us. Instead, he exuded gratitude for the Americans who care about what happens to his people. At the time, he was running a parish filled to the brim with people who had left Mosul rather than convert to Islam, living in temporary housing on Church grounds, trying to look ahead to an uncertain future.

Despite his gratitude, Father Bazis presence and testimony demanded contrition from his audience. How many of us take political positions without ever looking people in the eye who might be most severely affected by the unintended consequences? I remembered publishing and writing myself all sorts of commentaries in defense of the war in Iraq not so long ago, without ever giving someone like Bazi a call.

There were bipartisan contributions on to the road to genocide. Encountering people both at home and on the other side of the globe who might otherwise be lost and forgotten can go a long way to humanizing and broadening our political outlook. It also might make Americans a beacon of hope for otherwise forgotten people.

And its not just the victims of genocide in the Middle East, of course, who still see the United States as a light where lives can flourish. Melinda Henneberger from the Kansas City Star just went over to Sudan, hosted by the Sudan Relief Fund. There, even churches cant protect the people seeking safe havens, as they themselves become targets. One priest recounted an attackers promise to crucify a Christian who got in his way.

As for the St. Patricks Day miracle, a joint statement from human-rights advocates for religious minorities in the Middle East notes: One year later, nearly all of the survivors of the ongoing genocide remain uprooted from their communities, either as refugees or internally displaced persons. Without security, aid and economic revitalization, these communities may never be able to return and rebuild. To date, few, if any, of the survivors have received assistance from the American people through U.S. government and UN programs. Theres more that must be done.

A new book on the Catholic history of New York begins with the portrayal of a missionary priest to what would become the capital of the world. In Sons of Saint Patrick, George Marlin and Brad Miner describe the native Mohawks as being impressed by the courage of Jesuit Isaac Jogues who they dubbed the indomitable one, although his neck was eventually hacked through with a tomahawk in 1646. If the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church, as Tertullian said, we have a rich past and present and could afford to mark St. Paddys Day with not only corned beef, Guinness and parades, but prayer, and action of the sort that gives honor to those who do not have the religious freedom we enjoy  even with current challenges and controversies  and to the God the major monotheistic faiths profess to live for.
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Bills: HF2119 - (Urdahl): Disaster assistance account modified. HF1165 - (Backer): Farmer financial eligibility conformed to the general poverty-based standard, and income limit removed. HF1475 - (Franke): Soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism crime created. HF1875 - (Zerwas): Controlled substance schedules modified. HF1892 - (Howe): Military member clarified, and veterans added to offense of impersonation. HF1179 - (Newberger): St. Cloud, Duluth, and Moorhead; emergency response teams funding provided, and money appropriated. HF2121 - (Cornish): Fire safety account funds appropriated.

Nor has it been heard or placed on the calendar next week by the senate Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy committee.

Nevertheless, Miller and Lang remain happy warriors. At the West Central Tribune, Tom Cherveny reports in Legislators hopeful for Appleton prison legislation:

. . . State Sen. Andrew Lang, R-Olivia, and Rep. Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, expect the legislation they authored to be receiving committee hearings in the next week or two. Miller told the Tribune he is confident the legislation will win approval in the House. Lang said he is optimistic for the legislation in the Senate as well. . . .

We'll see if the bills are added next week, before the second deadline, even though they weren't heard in committee in either body by the first deadline.

DOC Spokester: Challenge Incarceration Programs more effective option

Meanwhile, Cherveny reports that "neither legislator has heard how Gov. Mark Dayton feels about the legislation this session." However, the veteran reporter did ask the Governor's agency about the plan:

The Department of Corrections is not interested in utilizing the space in the Appleton facility, according to [Department of Corrections communications director Sarah] Fitzgerald. The department wants to address the needs by investing in the Challenge Incarceration Programs at the correctional facilities in Moose Lake and Togo. The chemical dependency program reduces recidivism and encourages offenders to change their criminal behaviors, according to Fitzgerald. "CIP has a recidivism rate of only 32 percent and the additional beds would have an impact of over a half million dollars in cost avoided per year,'' she told the Tribune in an email.

Fitzgerald mentions the CIP facilities that house male offenders; CIP for women moved to Shakopee in 2014. The prison in Appleton has housed male offenders only; reopening the facility would not address overcrowding at Shakopee nor address needs of female offenders now boarded at county jails, although Miller used their plight (reported in the Star Tribune) when he spoke in 2016 to his earlier bill (HF3223) for reopening the prison.

Cost of Appleton facility?

In the West Central Tribune article Miller brings up prison expansion plan that the Dayton administration has abandoned, without getting into specifics about how much re-opening and running the Appleton prison might cost.

Fortunately, there's a document from Miller's last prison rodeo (on behalf of his political contributors): the fiscal note created by House nonpartisan staff for 2016's HF3223. Here's that document:

Fiscal Note HF 3223 posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

Governor v. Cornish budget bills

Bluestem Prairie reached out to Debra Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Center, the minority lead on the Minnesota House Public Safety and Security Policy and Finance Committee, in order to discover how policy bills that missed deadlines might still go forward. Hilstrom speculated that while the House bill itself wouldn't reach the floor without suspension of the rules, committee chair Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, could insert funding for leasing/purchasing, then operating the facility, in in his budget bill, which has yet to be unveiled.

According to Hilstrom, HF986 is the "governor's bill" for the courts, public safety and corrections. If Bluestem isn't mistaken (we may be), Cornish can hear testimony on the policy bills, but not move them forward; instead, the measure would be funded in the Public Safety omnibus budget bill.

One supposes that the language might also be slipped into another bill via the amendment process in committee or on the House floor--though that isn't exactly the "hearing" for the bills that Miller and Lang say they've been promised.

Should funding for leasing/purchasing and operating the prison reach the Governor's desk via an omnibus budget bill, Mark Dayton has the option of a line item veto. In Minnesota, a governor can use the line item for a budget line (example here), but not a policy line, Hilstrom explained to Bluestem.

Hilstrom is the author of HF1692, which would require all state and local prisoners to be housed in public facilities, while prohibiting the state and counties from contracting with private prisons. Like its senate companion bill, SF1675 (Ron Latz), the bill did not receive a committee hearing by the March 10 deadline. There's a lot of that going around.

We'll keep watching this issue.

Note: Process isn't Bluestem's forte, so if we've stumbled in this explanation, please let us know.

Photo: The prison fence, with Appleton's water tower behind it.

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A Guy Had Masturbated On This Girls Pants!! Pulse oi-Syeda Farah

College fests are considered to be fun, and teens usually look forward to it, as it is the time when they get a chance to interact with other students from different colleges and make new friends.

But what happens if somebody ends up masturbating on your pants? Ewww! Sounds disgusting, right???

You May Also Like To Read: Reasons Why Men Masturbate

This is what happened in a college fest to a girl who returned home to find semen stains on her jeans!

The student named Meghna Singh, who is a history student at Miranda House College in Delhi, was attending a Crossroads Festival when she experienced this disgusting act.

Find out more on this, below...

She Returned Home After The Fest When she reached home, she found semen stains on her denims. That is when she realised on what had happened to her. She Posted It On Her Social Site This is what she posted on her social site. She Got Trolled For Her Post As there are losers all around us who love to poke their nose in everything, there were those who wished to troll her and call her a fake for her accusation. However, she was prepared for it. Wonder When Our Society Will Really Change This incident shows us as to how some disgusting men are turning to jerk off in a public fest where people only come to enjoy the show and have a good time around. A NICE DECENT ONE!! This sort of a disgusting act is something that really needs to be changed. What do you think? Do share your thoughts on this in the comment section below.
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe is traveling to Japan and South Korea today to strengthen trade links and promote Ireland as a stable country in which to do business.

The trip is part of the Government's St Patrick's Day Programme for international investment.
Northern Ireland Secretary of State James Brokenshire has cancelled his trip to Washington to concentrate on critical talks to save powersharing at Stormont.

Mr Brokenshire was due to meet President Donald Trump as part of the annual St Patrick's Day visit.

However he has decided to pull out of the trip to focus on helping Northern Ireland's political parties strike a deal.

If no agreement is reached by March 27 the North is facing another snap election.

A senior UK government source said that Mr Brokenshire had been due to fly to Washington on Wednesday for two days.

However, he has decided that the ongoing talks at Stormont are at a "critical stage" and that is where his focus must be.

"He is just focused on getting the right result and getting an agreement by the 27th. The deadline is looming. He will have no other option by law but to call another election if there is no agreement by then," the source said.

Mr Brokenshire recently met the acting US ambassador to the UK Lew Lukens to discuss the situation at Stormont.

"The Secretary of State is encouraged by how seriously the Americans are taking this. He would love to go to Washington. Washington has always helped Northern Ireland. But now is not the right time and time is short," the source added.

Political parties in the North are due to resume talks again on Monday in a bid to restore the powersharing institutions.
Gardai are investigating a fatal assault at a house in Co Galway this morning.

The incident happened on Cardinal Cushing Road, Mervue, Co Galway shortly after 4am this morning.

A man, aged in his late 30s, suffered apparent stab wounds.

He received medical assistance at the scene before being taken to University Hospital Galway where he was later pronounced dead. A post mortem is to be arranged.

Gardai arrested a man, aged in his mid 60s, at the scene.

He is currently detained at Gaillimh Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

The scene is preserved for technical examination. The State Pathologists Office has been notified.
The Office of Public Works is defending its flood relief plans for Cork city as the only viable way to protect against flooding.

It comes amid mounting public concern that the 140m flood defences could cause huge disruption and increase the flood risk during its construction.
A member of staff at a bar in Carrickfergus has been left in a serious condition in hospital with head injuries following a gang attack.

Police said the man sustained serious head injuries after he was assaulted by a number of individuals at The Royal Oak bar on Saturday night. Officers were called to the scene at around 9.40pm.
Eighty-four per cent of people rescued by lifeguards at south coast beaches this summer were from the Australian Capital Territory, with men comprising 92 per cent of those rescued and 82 per cent of those men aged between 18 and 35.

According to figures from Eurobodalla Shire's beach contractor Lifeguarding Services Australia, the number of rescues since last summer dropped by 40 per cent, despite an increase in attendance at their eight monitored beaches.

Broulee beach lifeguard Jackson. Last season, LSA lifeguards pulled 42 people from beaches surrounding Batemans Bay. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Eurobodalla beaches are among Canberra's favourite holiday destinations and overall there were 25 rescues performed, with 21 of those people from the ACT and two from Queanbeyan.

According to LSA, 23 of those rescued were men, with 19 aged between 18 and 35, one under 10 and two over 50-years-old.
Within weeks buyers can register for the first sales at Ginninderry and the developer behind the joint venture plans to reopen Ginninderra Falls in the next five to seven years.

However, the ACT Government, Land Development Agency and Riverview Group proposal to relaunch the falls within a conservation management corridor has drawn criticism from community groups angling for the site's environmental and indigenous heritage landmarks to become the center-piece of a national park.

The Ginninderra Falls Ginninderry environment consultant Jason Cummings. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Stage one of the project will see 354 dwellings built on ACT land near Strathnairn and the start of the 577-hectare conservation corridor earmarked for the western edge of the 1600-hectare site.

The fate of the 600 hectares on the NSW side hinges on whether the Yass Valley Council decide to rezone the land from rural to urban use when the issue is tabled before mid-year.
Tesla's Elon Musk may have put large scale battery storage on the national agenda with his offer last week to solve South Australia's power crisis for free if he did not deliver a large system with 100 days of signing a contract, but both the Prime Minister and South Australia's Premier are looking for more detail before taking him up on the offer.

Mr Turnbull and Mr Musk spoke for an hour early Sunday afternoon, with the Prime Minister yet to form a view on the merits of power storage systems in solving South Australia's power supply woes.

"They had an in-depth discussion on the value of storage and the future of the electricity system," a spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office said.

Their discussion was not political in tone, but rather a discussion between two people "picking each other's brains" over the options for energy storage in Australia, one source familiar with the discussion said.
One of the world's biggest retailers, Costco, wants to reclaim bragging rights of being 30 per cent cheaper than supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles.

Costco is 27 per cent cheaper than Coles and 24 per cent cheaper than Woolworths on a 27-product basket of basic household items, investment bank Morgan Stanley recently told clients. But the price gap had narrowed from 37 per cent, thanks to price cuts at Woolies and Coles, analyst Tom Kierath said.

Costco Australia managing director Patrick Noone said Costco was 28 per cent cheaper than the big two chains, based on an internal review of 150 to 160 fresh food and grocery products. He said he wanted to widen that gap back to 30 per cent.

"We're still comfortably ahead ... We can work a bit harder to get to 30 per cent," he said.
Childcare is increasingly big business. Some progress has been made. It was former Labor politician and journalist Maxine McKew, who as parliamentary secretary to Kevin Rudd began work on a National Quality Framework for childcare, which was later overseen by then childcare minister, Kate Ellis. Anyone who questions the importance of having women in Parliament should think on that. The National Quality Framework includes national standards for childcare and a national system for rating centres. The ratings process is overseen by a little-known government agency, the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority, which displays the ratings on a similarly little-known website, startingblocks.gov.au.

Centres are rated on 58 different criteria, including the quality of education programs and facilities. Centres are rated on a scale from "significant improvement required" to "exceeding". While ACECQA oversees the process, assessments are done by state government employees. Inconsistency is rife. And assessments are way behind schedule. The framework has been in place for about five years and still only 90 per cent of centres have been rated. Of those that have been completed, the vast majority have been visited only once. A child could start at a daycare centre, progress through all its rooms and leave without that centre ever having been assessed.

A review released in January by the Education Council of the Council of Australian Governments considered the need for more regular reviews of centres to ensure quality care. It found that "due to underestimated costs associated with the assessment and rating process, and a longer than expected timeframe involved in providing initial ratings for all services, subsequent assessments are not being conducted as anticipated, and there are concerns from governments and the sector about the length of time between quality assessments". It found more regular reviews would give greater incentive for centres, particularly those with low-quality ratings, to lift their game. Centres have no idea when they'll be assessed again and little incentive to lift their game and prevent being exposed again. "More frequent assessment may drive more rapid quality improvement in services with lower quality ratings, ensuring the flow-on effects to children's outcomes are realised sooner," the ECCAG review said.

"This would be anticipated to result in a more timely improvement of service quality and increased outcomes for the safety and wellbeing of children." Sounds like a no-brainer, right? But, despite this, the council has decided against implementing more regular reviews. Why? "More frequent assessment can only occur with additional funding."

Sorry kids, there's simply no money in the tin to make sure you're being cared for properly. This. Is. Not. Good. Enough. The Turnbull government has set aside $16 million to run an advertising campaign spruiking its revised childcare payments when they finally pass the Senate  more than ACECQA's entire annual budget of $14 million. The government could scrap the ads and fund consistent and quality ratings for childcare for an entire year. Something's gotta give.

Childcare is a service like no other. It is inherently hard to measure the level of care, attention and genuine connection provided to a child by their educator. As a market, the provision of childcare services suffers from a lack of information for consumers and a lack of ability to shop around to get the best product at the lowest cost. It's hard for parents to easily switch centres and uproot their little people's lives. Almost all of Australia's 3.8 million children aged 12 years or under have been exposed to some type of early childhood education and care, according to the Productivity Commission. This can include pre-schools and family daycare, but centre-based care is in growing demand. Parents need better and more up to date information on the quality of care their children are receiving. Parents are less productive at work if they are worried about their kids or wracked with guilt about leaving them. Children, too, need quality care from highly-skilled and happy educators to develop into productive members of society.
Federal politicians are lining up to declare One Nation's run of success over in the wake of the party's underwhelming result in the Western Australian state election.

The right-wing populist party's preference deal with the Liberal Party has also faced renewed criticism, labelled a mistake by Pauline Hanson and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. But, despite the reaction, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann refused to rule out a similar arrangement at the next federal election.

On the back of a brutal swing against outgoing Premier Colin Barnett's Liberal government, Labor will assume power with more than 42 per cent of the vote. The election was also seen as the next big test for the resurgent One Nation, with polls predicting approximately 10 per cent support or higher.

But the party attracted a lower house primary vote of just 4.7 per cent. In the upper house, One Nation had hoped to gain at least three seats with a mind to holding the balance of power. They now look set to win only one - with the help of Liberal preferences.
Perth: Pauline Hanson is about to begin her third TV cross of election night and the crowd's energy is waning.

"Keep them bobbing, keep them bobbing," James Ashby, Hanson's mercurial chief-of-staff, yells at the One Nation supporters behind her clutching corflutes.

"Keep the enthusiasm up!"

The man often described as the party's puppet master is waving his hands in the air, trying to rev up the party faithful gathered at Melville Bowls Club in Perth's southern suburbs.
The official portrait of former speaker of the House of Representatives, Peter Slipper, will be revealed later this month after sitting in a Parliament House basement for a year.

Mr Slipper's immortalisation on the parliamentary walls will occur almost half a decade after he vacated the role amid sexual harassment claims and an expenses scandal.

The painting - completed by accomplished artist Paul Newton for the standard fee of $30,000 plus other framing and travel expenses - was finished in 2015. Early last year, the Parliament's art collection committee and National Portrait Gallery advisers approved its addition to the taxpayer-funded series covering prime ministers, speakers and other dignitaries from Australia's history.

Set to be hung in the Members' Hall at the centre of Capital Hill on March 29, the portrait will be a reminder of the tumultuous 43rd parliament, remembered by many in Canberra as a time of toxic and hostile politics.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been warned he must embrace the political centre, rather than the far right, after voter anger at a preference deal between One Nation and the Liberal Party helped deliver a massive loss for the Liberals at the West Australian election.

With One Nation receiving less than 5 per cent of the vote in the WA lower house, Pauline Hanson conceded the preference deal was a mistake  a view shared by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and many WA Liberals.

While state issues dominated the election campaign, Liberals said Mr Turnbull must accept there were lessons for the federal party from the WA bloodbath.

WA Labor, led by former navy lawyer Mark McGowan, recorded a 10 per cent swing and is on track to pick up 20 seats.
1. WA wash-up

As Double Shot readers know, I was astounded when the Liberals announced they were ready to team up with One Nation, the fringe party they had exiled nearly two decades ago, citing a so-called new "sophistication" in Pauline Hanson's ranks.

Their preference deal put the WA Liberals in the worst position, as one Liberal source put it to me last week, of trapping the party into having to distance themselves from the populists while at the same time defending the optics of cosying up to the fringe party.

What was more astounding then the preference swap was the silence from Liberal MPs  who have an existential interest in keeping politics in the centre  on the party's legitimising of the far-right. After the event, the floodgates have opened and a litany of Liberals are now condemning the deal. [Matthew Knott and Fergus Hunter/Fairfax]
Three things that worry nine-year-old Arielle Cochrane are wars, poverty - and bees.

"I get scared when I think about people being poor and hungry," she said.

Rebekah Cochrane and her daughter Arielle. Credit:Louise Kennerley

But just as her fear of being stung won't stop Arielle from jumping in the pool - "I just have to check before we go in," mum Rebekah said - her fear of what's happening overseas doesn't stop her from lending a helping hand.

Arielle, who feels "bad" about wars, has already raised $40 by selling her old toys to buy a bike for a girl overseas who can't go to school.
Good Morning

How many workplace conversations today are going to start with the question "did you see the video of that bloke being interviewed on the BBC?" Here's the full interview in case you missed it - not only do the children run into shot, they keep screaming from the next room even after they've been removed. Anyone who's ever taken a conference call from home can relate and hopefully Associate Professor Robert Kelly isn't too traumatised by the exposure. But a more serious point has emerged: That's his wife in the video, so why did people assume it was his nanny? My other favourite video from the weekend features a cat and a keyboard. This will brighten your morning.



Before we get on with the top stories this morning, it's worth noting that it's a public holiday in South Australia, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania, so if you do business with people in those places they may not answer the phone today.

1. Judgement day in Bali for Byron Bay's Sara Connor

You may have seen TV pictures last night of Schapelle Corby spending her final couple of months on parole in Bali. She's due to return home to Australia at the end of May. Today, Australian eyes will be once again be on a Bali courtroom. Byron Bay mum Sara Connor will learn her fate seven months after the brutally-bashed body of a police officer was found on Kuta beach. Was she - as her defence argues - simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?



2. Batteries + Twitter = no more blackouts?

Could battery farms - nothing to do with hens - be the solution to power blackouts? Four rival companies say they can deliver battery solutions to South Australia's power woes. Among them is Tesla, whose chief executive Elon Musk and software billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes nutted out a financing deal over the weekend via Twitter! Next, Musk was on the phone to SA Premier Jay Weatherill and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. This, folks, is how you do business in 2017.
One Nation's poor showing in the WA election doesn't mean the party is no longer a threat in Queensland, experts warn.

After polling as high as 13 per cent of the primary vote in the lead-up to the election, the far-right minor party managed just under five per cent of the total vote, which wasn't enough to gain any lower house seats, although they did pick up at least one upper house spot.

Pauline Hanson during her live crosses at the Melvilee Bowling Club tonight after the Western Australian State election. Pic Tony McDonough . Saturday 11th March 2017 Credit:Tony McDonough

QUT political science Professor Clive Bean said while the party would be disappointed with that result, Queensland remains a strong state for One Nation, and it couldn't be written off for the upcoming Queensland election.

"I think Queensland has been more of a heartland for One Nation probably more so than any other part of Australia, so it could be that support holds up in Queensland," Prof Bean said.
Police are asking for public help in the search for a missing teenager, who was last seen on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday.

The 17 year old was last seen in North Arm about 6pm and has not been seen by friends or family since. Police hold concerns for his welfare because he has a medical condition.

The 17 year old was last seen in North Arm on Wednesday. Credit:Queensland Police Service

He was described as Caucasian, about 174 centimetres tall, a slim build with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a grey shirt and grey shorts.

Anyone with information about his location is urged to contact Policelink on 131 444.
An air and water search was continuing near Cairns for a missing fisherman who was believed to have set sail on Saturday evening.

Brian Williams, 81, was last seen about 4pm leaving his Smithfield residence and he had told his family he was going fishing.

81-year-old fisherman Brian Williams told family he was going out fishing on Saturday evening. Credit:Queensland Police Service

Mr Williams' vehicle and boat trailer were found at the Yorkeys Knob Boating Club, but neither himself or his boat were located.

The search was launched at first light on Sunday with a fixed-wing aircraft assisting boats, but by mid-afternoon there was still no trace of the man.
Tough new jail sentences will be introduced to combat increasing street violence after a weekend where hundreds of violent youths terrorised the city, leading to 65 arrests.

The Andrews government will introduce new legislation to combat the growing number of violent gang-related riots at family events such as the Moomba Festival.

The announcement comes just days after Moomba was marred by street violence for the second consecutive year when dozens of teens rioted in Federation Square on Saturday night.

So far 65 arrests have been made during the festival, with police using capsicum spray to disperse brawling youths who were armed with knives, a taser and a knuckle duster.
Police arrested 53 people on Friday and Saturday night - about 15 more than a regular weekend. An estimated 200,000 people made up the Moomba crowd on Saturday night. Police kept up a strong presence in the square. Credit:Scott McNaughton They used new weapons search powers to arrest rioters who were breaching bail conditions and a further three were banned from the city for 48 hours. Weapons seized included knives, a Taser, and a knuckle duster. "That was what was really successful in terms of our weapons search operation. We did identify a number of people that were breaching bail and we were able to deal with those," he said. Police on patrol during Moomba on Sunday. Credit:Paul Jeffers

On the first two days of Moomba, police have arrested 14 people for being drunk, nine on weapons-related offences, five for riotous behaviour, one for hindering police, four for assaulting police, two for criminal damage and one for robbery. An estimated 200,000 people made up the Moomba crowd on Saturday night. The scene in the square early on Sunday morning. Credit:Tom Cowie Mr Crisp said there were "no major fights" in the city on Saturday night and denied police had closed Federation Square to control the rioters. He said capsicum spray had to be used. "We have been successful at keeping those groups apart but have deployed OC spray as a result of that incident," he said.

Mr Crisp denied reports that rioters had attempted to breach the police station in Flinders Lane, but said they had gone to the station looking for trouble. He said police had also used pepper spray during the operation at the police station. Two police officers were injured on Saturday night, one had a grazed face and leg after falling while pursing an offender and another injured his knee. Mr Crisp said the rioters came from Melbourne's northern, eastern and western suburbs but were not from any particular ethnic group. He said Saturday night's rioters were of Caucasian, African, Pacific Island and Asian appearance. All of them had an "intent for them to get together and to fight and to cause harm to the community".

"We talk about the United Nations of offending," Mr Crisp said. "Gang is a very interesting term. It is almost that line of 'gang today, gone tomorrow'. There is no real colours or clubhouse; it is very fluid. Some would identify as westside or eastside. "They do want to identify as part of a group," he said. Mr Crisp said the festival had a divide between the early revellers and the late-night rioters. "It is almost the tale of two cities. There is very much the Moomba festival 'peace' and then there is the activities that occur later in the evening," he said.

Some of the behaviour was "consistent with White Night" and was not a typical Saturday night. Mr Crisp said he was mindful that the festival was only halfway through and police needed to get through Sunday night. "Rest assured for those Victorians, those Melburnians that want to come in to the festival, please do so. Come in, have a great time. Victoria Police, we are more than ready, we are certainly willing and will be able to deal with anything that might happen over the next few days," he said. "We are very confident that anything that might arise from tonight will be well managed." Police Minister Lisa Neville said last year's Moomba felt "very out of control" but new laws that allowed police to search for weapons had helped to control the rioters.

She said police made arrests and disrupted "the effort of some young people who were determined to disrupt Moomba and, in this case, the efforts of police stopped them in their tracks". She said police would be out in force all day on Sunday and Monday to ensure Melburnians could enjoy the festival. Ms Neville said the youths involved in the rioting behaviour were attempting to give themselves a tough reputation. Mr Crisp commended community leaders who helped police identify rioters. Community groups helping out included the Maori Wardens, the Salvation Army and the South Sudanese Community in Victoria Opposition attorney-general John Pesutto said the problem was complex, requiring more police, stronger sentencing and bail laws and more engagement with communities across Melbourne.
A man was assaulted and left unconscious in a carjacking in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

Police say the victim, aged 32, was getting into his car in Massey Street, Box Hill South around 6pm on Saturday when he was set upon.

At least two men attacked the Box Hill South man and left him unconscious before stealing his black 2013 Honda CRV, registration ZRK-896, police say.

Witnesses say another car was driven from the scene by one of the attackers.
Seven gruelling months after the brutally bashed body of a police officer was found on Bali's Legian beach, a panel of judges will today deliver a verdict in a murder trial that has consumed Australians.

Will they accept the defence team's portrayal of Sara Connor as a loving mother and pillar of the Byron Bay community who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Ms Connor, 46, has protested  often bitterly  that she is innocent and had nothing to do with the death of Wayan Sudarsa, a married father-of-two and a police officer in Bali for 35 years.

She insists all she did was try to break up a fight between her younger lover  British DJ David Taylor  and a stranger on the beach, whom she later learned was Mr Sudarsa.
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Art fans with cash in their pockets have already secured themselves a stay at Banksy's latest venture  The Walled Off Hotel.

Packed with creative genius by the Bristol street artist, bookings have been coming in thick and fast for the unique hotel experience after booking started at 9am on Saturday morning.

And it seems from the dates already booked out within a few hours, the hotel is going to be a success.

But don't fear, there are still rooms available, if you have the budget, for the hotel deemed as having the "worst view of any hotel in the world".

Next to the controversial barrier separating Israel and Palestine, the lodging in Bethlehem boasts a hotel, museum, protest and gallery.

If you're thinking of booking, here's the ultimate guide to everything you need to know.

Is it real?

Yes, it is an art hotel with some parking and will be operated by the local community.

Safety

The area is open to tourists and has restaurants, bars and taxis. It is 500 metres from the checkpoint to Jerusalem and a mile from the centre of Bethlehem. Anyone looking to go should check the British Foreign Office advice and safety checks. They can be found here.

Visa

As a British Citizen you can enter Israel as a tourist for up to three months. If you fly to Tel Aviv you can expect security to be tight and to be asked if you traveling to the West Bank. If you say yes, you will likely be subjected to questioning.

The Wall

Dividing the nation of Palestine from the state of Israel, the wall restricts movement for both sides.

How much is it?

Rooms vary in price the budget barriers, costing $30 per night to the Presidential suite just shy of $1,000. The Banksy room could be yours for $265 per evening.

How much is Banksy making?

Nothing. He has paid for the installation and handed it over as a local business. Any profits will go back into the community.

When can I go?

At the moment you can book up until June, but the Banksy website states it wants to stay open for a year  longer if there is demand.

Politics around it

The Walled Off Hotel is an entirely independent leisure facility set up and financed by Banksy. It is not aligned to any political movement or pressure group. The aim is to tell the story of the wall from every side and give visitors the opportunity to discover it for themselves.

Just visiting

The museum and art gallery are open to non-residents from 11am to 7.30pm. The piano bar is also open serving food and drink from 11am to 10pm?

Hotel rules

No one is allowed on the roof without permission from the Israeli military. Guests are told "drunkenness or loud public nudity" is not encouraged. There is also a ban on shining laser pens at the army watchtowers.

Security

The hotel is fitted with CCTV and alarms throughout. Access to bedrooms restricted to guests only. The hotel is locked from 11pm each night and there is a member of staff on site 24 hours a day.

Art work

Any guests staying overnight will have to put down a $1,000 deposit on a credit card because of the valuable art work. All rooms are inspected prior to departure, so check out takes around 15 minutes.

How do I book?

You can do it through the website here. Do it quickly though as lots of bookings have already been taken.
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We have received some pretty shocking pictures of bad parking in and around Bristol in the past few months - from people leaving their cars on double yellow lines to blocking dropped kerbs, pavements, corners and driveways  we've seen it all.

The struggle for free on-street parking places in the city does not seem to be easing, leading resident to turn to the police and us here at the Bristol Post to complain about drivers' bad parking habits.

We have collected some of the worst examples of parking which we have seen over the past several months  some sent in by readers and some snapped by police officers of neighbourhood teams.

Lockleaze Neighbourhood Sergeant Alan Gentry has previously told the Bristol Post that bad parking was repeatedly raised by the public.

He said the expansion of Southmead Hospital had an impact, as the new car parks to serve patients, staff and visitors had not been completed.

And while we sympathise with those frustrated with bad parking and others driving around for hours hunting for a space  some of these drivers really have gone too far

Driver decides to leave their car in the middle of Friary Road, Bishopston

Not only are pedestrians pushed onto the road because he is taking up the kerb, they are forced onto a road where other drivers' vision is obstructed because they are parked on a corner.

This black estate was pictured at the junction of North Road and Belvoir Road in St Andrew's really hasn't come even close to the kerb.

This Volvo driver has taken obstructing a junction to a whole new level.

This car was snapped in Tesco in Eastville... yet there are plenty of spaces around it....

Don't worry about those on foot, with a pram or in a wheelchair - they don't need the footpath, do they?

Not only is this clearly not a car parking space, what is it doing to the bottom of your car?

This car has really taken the biscuit and has blocked almost an entire junction. The car has been parked, or perhaps abandoned, over a minor road which leads onto Cotham Hill. Picture taken by Tim Allsop.

This red car seems to think the double yellow lines don't apply if parking on the kerb rather than the road.

Don't worry that a house is burning down, firefighters have time to be knocking on doors finding out who needs to move their car. It's not as if it's an emergency, is it?

Placed either side of every pedestrian crossing, white zig-zags are there to stop cars from parking where they will obscure other drivers' view of people crossing the road. Parking on them is never allowed.

Here is who to contact when you have a parking complaint

Parking on yellow lines: Whether the car is partially or complete on double yellow lines, the council is responsible for enforcement.

Obstructing the pavement: This is a police issue when the vehicle is causing an actual obstruction - meaning it is not possible to pass. The police use a threshold test of whether a guide dog, wheelchair or children's pushchair could pass.

Blocking pedestrian dropped kerbs: This can be enforced by both the council and the police

Blocked driveways: If you are unable to exit, police can deal with the offence by ticketing and towing. However, best practice means knocking on doors can generally resolve the issue.

Stopping and parking on school zig zags: This is enforced by the council.

To report problems contact the police on 101 or the council on 0117 922 3091.
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

Industry super fund-owned bank ME has reported strong growth in home loan settlements and the total loan portfolio for the six months prior to 31 December 2016.The banks settlements hit $3.2bn for the second half of last year, an increase of 54% from the previous corresponding period in 2015.MEs total home loan portfolio grew by 9% to $20.6bn while total assets increased by 6% to $24.6bn.Over half of the banks home loan settlements came through the broker channel, Lino Pelaccia, MEs general manager of broker, told Australian Broker.The contribution from brokers is slightly up on the same time as last year due mainly to our continued expansion into the broker market, he said.Increasing numbers of brokers are considering ME home loans, we continue to improve our broker services and service levels have remained very consistent over the last 12 months with new technology, and we continue to offer very competitive prices compared to other banks.Looking at the breakdown of settlements between owner-occupier buyers and investors, Pelaccia said the ratio will not change much given APRAs current cap on growth in investment lending.We also note ME is well below that cap at the moment and so have some room to win more investor business before the end of the financial year, he said.
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

Claims have surfaced that several of the big four banks have proposed measures to dramatically alter broker commission payments.According to sources talking to the Australian Financial Review column Street Talk, the lenders discussed several proposals with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) including instituting a flat service payment to brokers for each loan or paying them a disclosed and capped upfront commission.Under the proposed remuneration structures, this means brokers would then have to relinquish trail commission. Mike Felton , chief executive officer of the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia ( MFAA ), said that it was crucial that any debate on changing broker remuneration structures had input from all industry participants. This would ensure a balanced, equitable and sustainable outcome, he told Australian Broker.The ASIC Broker Remuneration Review process has clearly been a well informed and considered process with ASIC having taken time to consult broadly with industry to understand the complexities of the mortgage market and I am confident that the outcome of the review will reflect that.Peter White, executive director of the Finance Brokers Association of Australia ( FBAA ), said that despite these claims made by anonymous sources, it was entirely possible that these types of proposals had indeed been put forward.However, the banks would be cutting off their nose to spite their face if they changed broker commission structures dramatically, he told Australian Broker.If banks were to take that path, Im sure the non-bank sector and all the second tier banks would prosper enormously by it. The major banks need not delude themselves that they are the be all and end all of this world.
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It isnt secret that America loves to send people to prison. In 2008, we have five percent of the worlds population and 25 percent of its prisoners  which is odd for a Land of Liberty.

Lately it has become common to attribute our mass incarceration to the war on drugs. The conversation goes like this: Why dont we just release the non-violent drug offenders? That makes so much sense!

And it does. But it will not make that big a dent in the number of people sitting in cells, says John Pfaff, a professor of law at Fordham University and author of the new book, Locked In: the True Causes of Mass Incarceration  and How to Achieve Real Reform. (Book titles keep getting longer, dont they?) Surprisingly, people arrested for drug crimes constitute only about 16 percent of the people in prison. Most of the rest are there for violent crimes. So for Pfaff the question is:

Should we start releasing the violent criminals, too?

At first blush, this sounds crazy. We need to keep violent offenders off the street! But one point that Pfaff makes is that violent offender is a misleading term. It makes it sound as if there is a class of people who are wired wrong and incorrigible. This is wrong on two counts. First of all, some crimes are labeled violent that arent  like breaking into a house.

But beyond that, some people are labeled violent who committed their crime only in the context of one particular situation.

Youre in a bad mood, you have a beer, you get in a fight with your friend at the bar and break his jaw, says Pfaff. If were trying to minimize future harm, some sort of anger management class might be more effective than prison.

But prison has become our knee-jerk response to all violence, even though often this isnt addressing the real problem.

Which is? Well, says Pfaff, Whenever you have young men who are denied upward social mobility and the state doesnt do a good job of preventing violent crime, these young men will engage in violence against each other. Its as true in 19th-century Czarist Russia as it is in 20th-century Los Angeles. What is necessary is a change of circumstance.

That might sound like a verse from the West Side Story song  Officer Krupke, youre really a slob, this boy dont need a doctor, just a good honest job  but Pfaff cites a current theory that looks at violence as an epidemic: A shoots B, Bs friends shoot C, Cs brother shoots D, and so forth. One study tied 400 shootings back to one initial shooting, says Pfaff.

If we could just stop that chain at the start, so many lives would be saved  and so many fewer people would wind up in a cage. One method shown to work is a program in Boston called Project Ceasefire. It works like this:

The cops determine which gangs are responsible for the majority of the gun violence.

Then they sit down and meet with those people and kind of give them two choices: If you persist in this violence, we will crack down on you as a group, aggressively,  says Pfaff. But the cops also bring in an array of social workers to help with housing, food, employment, health care. And they say, If youre willing to put this violence behind you, we will help you build a more stable life. Its called focused deterrence. Its carrot and stick.

A program like this called Cure Violence was introduced in Chicago.

And when the state cut the funding a couple of years ago, thats exactly when the violence in Chicago began its sharp increase, Pfaff says.

Somehow, one solitary neighborhood managed to keep its funding. And there, says Pfaff, the crime rate continues going down. This doesnt definitively prove the program works. But its worth a lot more study.

It certainly is. And so is a look at the prison guard unions. While many people are concerned about the advent of private prisons  after all, these make money on heads in beds, so they support more incarceration  the role of the public prison guard unions should not be ignored.

Here in New York State, says Pfaff, our prison population is down 25 percent, and yet our correctional budget keeps going up. The more guards that are on the payroll, the more potential votes for laws that are tough  perhaps excessively  on crime. After all, jobs depend on it.

But lives depend on something else: Preventing violence, not just punishing it. Putting people behind bars ignores the cost to their families, and to taxpayers. If we want to make our cities safer, locking up violent offenders may not be the key.

Read Lenore Skenazys column every Sunday morning on Brook lynPa per.com
Was there a murder 100 years ago at Yardley's Continental Tavern?

Frank Lyons began excavating the basement of the Continental Tavern in Yardley. He found a gun, bloody corset and part of a woman's purse.
Higher taxes, trash pickup? Many special questions await voters Nov. 8

They're sometimes easy to miss, but many South Jersey communities have special questions before voters on their Nov. 8 ballots.
Burnham-On-Sea residents can have their say about proposed changes to the local Parliamentary constituency boundary.

As we first reported last year, residents in parts of the Burnham-On-Sea area could be voting for a different MP in future General Elections under plans announced by the Boundary Commission.

Under the proposals, the Wells constituency  which includes Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge  would be redrawn. The seat, overseen by MP James Heappey, stands to gain an area containing the villages of East and West Huntspill, Pawlett, Puriton and Woolavington  and lose Shepton Mallet and the Mendip villages to the north.

The new constituency would also gain voters in the Sedgemoor District Council wards of Burnham Marine and Knoll to the south and east of Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge. These areas are currently cut in two, with people in part of the ward voting in the Wells Constituency and the others voting in the Bridgwater and West Somerset seat, where the MP is Ian Liddell-Grainger.

The Boundary Commission for England is asking the public to help shape plans to change Parliamentary constituency boundaries as it opens its second consultation.

It follows a decision by Parliament to reduce the number of constituencies in the UK to 600 from 650, and to ensure that the number of electors in each constituency is equal, Boundary Commission for England has been asked to make independent recommendations about where the boundaries of English constituencies should be.

An initial 12-week consultation was held in the autumn last year, giving the public the first chance to view and comment on Boundary Commission for Englands plans.

Resients have until 27th March 2017 to go to the Boundary Commission for Englands website, www.bce2018.org.uk, to view and comment on the submissions. You had the chance to tell BCE what you thought about their proposals in the first consultation  this is now your opportunity to tell BCE what you think about other suggestions made during that consultation. You can support counter-proposals, highlight issues with alternative ideas and say where you think the BCEs original proposals are still the best solution.

Sam Hartley, Secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, said: Public input is invaluable throughout the 2018 Boundary Review. Comments made during both consultations will help us develop a well-rounded picture of how local communities live and work together across the country. This local knowledge will be essential when we revise our proposals. Any changes will be based on your comments so its important to have your say.

Following the second consultation, the BCEs assistant commissioners will look through all comments received during both consultations, considering all the evidence submitted. They will then advise the Commission on where they think the proposals should be revised.

Revised proposals will be published as part of a final consultation in late 2017/early 2018 and any further changes made based on comments received. BCE must report to Parliament with its final recommendation in September 2018. If agreed by Parliament, the new constituencies will be in use at the next scheduled General Election in 2020.
Prateek Pai (name changed), a 31-year-old information technology professional, will have reasons to bask in his professional glory if he enters the top-floor of the Bengaluru-based recruitment start-up Belong.co's office building. Surprisingly, he does not know the glass-fenced meeting room in an otherwise flat office floor is named after him to mark that both he and his employer have found the right match.
After eight months of hectic parleys, Britain's Group's Indian subsidiary and Aditya Birla Group's Idea Cellular have taken a step closer to a mega merger that would create a new market leader better able to contest a brutal price war with 42 per cent market share.
Fishermen agitating over the killing of a colleague allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy decided to withdraw their six-day old protest on Monday after talks with Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan in Rameswaram on Sunday.

The breakthrough came after talks between a delegation of fishermen leaders led by Struggle Committee President Arualanandam and the two ministers at a hotel here.

Arulanandam said the ministers have assured that the fishermen's demands would be met following which they decided to call off their agitation by Monday evening after the funeral of the slain fisherman Bridgo.

The fisherman was shot dead on March 6 allegedly by the Lankan Navy personnel while fishing in a mechanised boat off Katchatheevu islet.

The fishermen have been on the protest since March 7, refusing to receive the body of the youth unless a central minister visits the island and gives them an assurance that such incidents would not recur.

Earlier in the day, Commerce Minister Sitharaman accompanied by Radhakrishnan, senior BJP leader from the state, visited the fishermen at nearby Thangachimadam and appealed to them and the mother of 22-year old Bridgo to end the agitation and arrange for his burial.

Later, she held talks with the fishermen leaders. Ramanthapuram District Collector S Natarajan and other officials were present.

Natarajan told reporters that the fishermen have agreed to withdraw the agitation tomorrow after the funeral of Bridgo.

Another fishermen leader P Sesuraja said the community had already given a call for a one-day fast tomorrow. After the fast, the funeral would be held and the agitation would be withdrawn, he added.

The fishermen's decision to withdraw the stir comes two days after Sri Lanka released 53 Indian fishermen, arrested in recent past, as per a decision by the two countries to set free fishermen in each other's custody to defuse the tension following the killing of Bridgo.

The fishermen drew support from several political leaders who visited them and expressed solidarity, demanding the Centre's intervention in nabbing the culprits.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami last week wrote to the Centre and urged it to summon Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India forthwith and convey to him "the strong feelings of the Government of India and government of Tamil Nadu about the 'unprovoked' firing on fishermen and non-adherence to earlier agreements on this issue.

Earlier, after meeting the protesters at Thangachimadam,

Sitharaman said the fishermen's grievances would be conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi "who will find a permanent solution to the issue."

Explaining the steps taken by the Centre on the issue, she told reporters that the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo had taken up the matter with Sri Lanka within two hours of the firing incident.

She said the island nation had not kept its promise made during the tripartite talks that Indian fishermen crossing the International Maritime boundary line would not be harmed and would only be arrested.

The minister, who spoke in Tamil, said the killing of the fisherman would be raised by the Indian High Commission Secretary during the March 16 tripartite talks.

She said investigation was on into the killing after which suitable steps will be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents and also to ensure that the culprits were punished.

Stating that the BJP government had taken various steps since coming to power in 2014 to address issues of Tamil Nadu fishermen including the dispute over fishing rights in the Plak Strait, she said discussions were also on with Sri Lanka to release 136 boats seized by the island nation.

Five fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan prisons since November 6, 2011 had been saved from the gallows. Since 2014 till December 2016, a total of 1,753 fishermen detained by Sri Lanka had been released, the Minister said.

The government had also introduced various welfare schemes for the fishermen, she said.

Rejecting charges that the Centre which took prompt action in arresting Italian marines in the killing of two Keralite fishermen was not taking similar action in the present case, she said both were different incidents and should not be compared.
On December 31, the deadline for returning-high denomination notes, banned by the government, elapsed. But two months later, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is yet to give an estimate of just how many Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were deposited in banks during the period. Some estimates of currency returned were published in the initial few weeks after November 8. But with reports of possible double counting of notes cropping up, RBI thereafter resisted from updating its estimates, opting to physically count the notes returned. The government had hoped for a fiscal bounty from equivalent to the amount of currency not returned to banks. While this was expected to materialise in the coming financial year, the amount also finds no mention in the Union Budget for FY18.
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PM seeks commitment towards building a new India

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The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has appealed to the citizens to take the pledge for a New India and express commitment. .

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The Prime Minister said, " On the NM Mobile App http://nm4.in/dnldapp , take the pledge and express your commitment towards building a new India. .

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A new India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development. .

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When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud." .

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Last summer, when two women were looking for a restaurant space in Leesburg, the northern Virginia town of 48,000 people, one of the options held multiple enticements: It was affordable, it had a good location, the kitchen was fit for Asian cooking and it was in a gas station.
Zander Dejah, 25, pays $1,900 a month rent to live in a downtown San Francisco house with at least 40 other people, many of whom sleep in bunk beds.
India-born top US prosecutor Preet Bharara, known for his crusade against corruption, has been "fired" by the Trump administration after he refused to quit following orders to the 46 Barack Obama-appointed attorneys to resign immediately.

"I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life," Bharara tweeted, making a reference to his jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York (SDNY).

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.  (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017

Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusade against corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general a day earlier to immediately submit his resignation.

In a statement later in the day, Bharara said, "Serving my country as US Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live."

"One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served. I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice," said Bharara, who in 2013 was at the centre of the controversy after the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.

"They (SDNY officials) will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H Kim, the current Deputy US Attorney, who will serve as Acting US Attorney," he said.

Earlier, sources close to Bharara had said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a showdown with President Donald Trump.

The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bharara's office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on under his administration.

Bharara had met Trump at the Trump Towers in Manhattan shortly after the Republican won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said that he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and he had agreed to do so.

Charles Schumer, Senate Minority leader, condemned the move, hailing Bharara as "an exemplary US attorney".

"His relentless drive to root out public corruption, lock up terrorists, take on Wall Street, and stand up for what is right should serve as a model for all US attorneys across the country. He will be sorely missed," Schumer said.

Schumer was quoted by as saying that he was "troubled" to learn of the Trump administration's request for Bharara's and other US attorneys' resignations.

"While it's true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for US attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesn't put ongoing investigations at risk," the New York Democrat said.
The Dutch riot police have used water cannons and horses to disperse protestors outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, as the city forbade a Turkish minister from entering it.

More than 1,000 people had gathered outside the building as the diplomatic row between the two nations escalated after the Netherlands denied entry to Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Betul Sayan Kaya to the consulate, and later escorted her to the German border on Sunday, reported BBC.

"I am being taken to Germany from the Nijmegen border with democratic and humanitarian values disregarded. I condemn this on behalf of all my citizens," Kaya said in a tweet.

"This treatment against a woman minister can never be accepted", she wrote.

Kaya, who had arrived by road, was intercepted by the Dutch police on Saturday night near the consulate building hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight clearance to Rotterdam was cancelled over "security" and "public safety" issues.

Both the ministers were due to meet and seek the votes of Turks living in the Netherlands ahead of April 16 referendum which will see a constitutional amendment.

Kaya, who was blocked from entering the consulate, was later taken to the German border by the police, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte confirmed early on Sunday morning.

In a Facebook post, Rutte said attempts to find a "reasonable solution" to the countries' differences had proved "impossible", and dismissing Kaya's arrival in Rotterdam as "irresponsible".

Cavusoglu said that Ankara would respond 10 times stronger to the Dutch government's decision to prevent a Turkish minister from entering the country, reported Anadolu Agency.

"To prevent a female minister from entering 'our territory, our consulate office', was shameful for Europe," said Cavusoglu.

Protests also erupted in Istanbul and Ankara in front of the Dutch diplomatic missions which had been sealed off after the Dutch move.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the actions as a measure by "Nazi remnants and fascists".

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said late Saturday that it has conveyed to the Netherlands its will for the Dutch envoy to Ankara to not return to his post for a while upon the cancellation of Cavusoglu's flight permit.

The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Erdogan.

The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming.
took a big step toward resolving its legal problems in the United States when it pleaded guilty on Friday to its vast emissions deception. But in Europe, its troubles may be just beginning.
Mumbai on Sunday saw the survivors of acid attacks celebrate the festival of Holi with much enthusiasm.

All the girls, who have suffered substantially both at the physical and mental level ,were seen embracing life all over again.

"We are really enjoying ourselves and after going through so much in life, we have just started enjoying our lives like the same way we used to do before. So, this is big change for all of us. We are really enjoying it," said an acid attack survivor, Aarti.

The festival of Holi brings together people from all classes and age groups, who play with colours, dance, sing and distribute sweets.

Another acid attack survivor, Shabbo, urged people to observe a safe Holi.

"Play Holi safely and do not injure anyone. In the name of Holi, just don't throw anything on people as it has been seen mostly that people lob anything, which later develop into serious skin problems. So, please play Holi safely, enjoy and let others also enjoy," said Shabbo.

Holi involves smearing of coloured powder on people's faces, but studies have found that the industrial powders used are often toxic and can cause asthma, temporary blindness and even skin cancer.

Though it is celebrated for a single day elsewhere in India, it is almost a ten-day affair in some parts of Uttar Pradesh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, along with Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs, three MGP MLAs, three Goa Forward Party MLAs and three other Independent MLAs, met the Goa Governor to discuss the possibility of forming a government under Parrikar.

Envisioning stability in Goa's political scenario, Goa Forward Party MLA Vijay Sardesai came out in support of a BJP Government to be formed in the state.

"In the interest of Goan regionalist development, we are supporting BJP. There is no consensus in the principle party. However, we believe that Parrikar is most suitable for the position of Chief Minister since he can drive development in the state," said Sardesai.

"We will incorporate a Common Minimum programme within one month of formation of the Government," he added.

Echoing a similar opinion, Rohan Khaunte, an independent MLA stated that the current agenda is to channelise development in the state under Parrikar's leadership.

"At this moment, we are looking for consistency in development in the state. With the new government, we are looking forward to economic stability," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 40 Iraqi Shiite pilgrims were killed and around 120 were injured in the twin blasts that rocked in Damascus, Syria, said Iraq's Foreign Ministry.

Syria has been submerged in a civil war for six years, which has been marked by Sunni-Shiite sectarian conflict.

The explosions took place at the Bab al-Saghir Cemetery in the Syrian capital and the attackers used improvised explosive devices, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal said in a statement.

The ministry further said the pilgrims were visiting "holy shrines" at Bab al-Saghir, and that no one has claimed responsibility for the bombings so far.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government has branded the attacks "cowardly" acts of terror and called on the UN secretary-general and chairman of the UN Security Council to condemn them, said the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency.

The government further demanded that countries backing terror groups, "mainly those of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar and some Western states, be compelled to stop all forms of support to these organizations." The Syrian regime has claimed it has been fighting "terrorists" -- its term for rebel fighters.

Last year, ISIS claimed responsibility for deadly attacks near the revered "Lady Zeynab" Shiite Muslim shrine on the southern outskirts of Damascus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll in Saturday's twin blasts in Damascus city of Syria has reached 74, according to UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Earlier, syrian state-run media reported that more than 40 civilians were killed and over 120 were injured.

According to CNN, the SOHR said 20 victims were members of the Syrian regime forces and militiamen loyal to the Syrian regime.

The explosions took place at the Bab al-Saghir Cemetery in the Syrian capital and the attackers used improvised explosive devices, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal said in a statement.

The ministry further said the pilgrims were visiting "holy shrines" at Bab al-Saghir, and that no one has claimed responsibility for the bombings so far.

SOHR said the first explosion happened near the cemetery. When the visitors from the buses gathered around the site of the first explosion to see what happened, the second blast went off.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking a jibe at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati putting the onus on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for her loss in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday titled Mayawati as a 'bad looser', saying that her party is faring miserably thanks to her 'negative' attitude.

"Mayawati is a bad looser..only because of her awful deeds and actions her party is faring this way. Her behavior towards her party has always been negative and that is why her hold from the state is reducing. Putting the onus on EVMs for her loss and saying the machine accepted votes only in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is so not accepted by us and this shows her character," Jaitley told ANI.

While giving the credit to Prime Minister Modi and other BJP leaders for the win in the state, Jaitley asserted that this victory was obvious because of the party's 'good behavior' towards the people.

"BJP winning the election was an obvious fact, our behavior towards the public has always been good. PM Modi and other BJP leaders have always built that relationship not from now, since ages. The government has always worked for the betterment of the people and PM Modi has done his best in every task that he took up. So for us wining with full majority was obvious," Jaitley added.

The political banter between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi escalated to different levels during the election campaigns in the wake of assembly polls in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab.

After the BJP secured an astounding victory in the UP polls, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and congratulated Prime Minister and the BJP.

"I congratulate Shri. Narendra Modi and the BJP on their victory in Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand."

And, Prime Minister Modi replied in a subtle yet witty way, quite representative of his persona at election rallies.

"Thank you. Long live democracy!" he tweeted, while quoting Rahul's aforementioned tweet.

Breaking all previous records, the BJP bagged two-third majority in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The BJP won with a clear majority in Uttarakhand with 57 seats in a 70-member assembly, ousting the Congress led by chief minister Harish Rawat and in Uttar Pradesh, the saffron party saw an unprecedented victory with 321 seats, while the Congress-Samajwadi party alliance bagged 54, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) got 19 and others 18.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
World No.1 Andy Murray on Sunday suffered a major setback as he was crashed out of the ongoing ATP Indian Wells Masters after getting defeated from Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil in straight sets.

Pospisil, ranked 129th in the world, beat Murray 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) in the second round contest that lasted for almost two hours.

Murray had faced the 26-year-old before, claiming a 6-1, 6-3 second-round decision in 2015. He met him in the Wimbledon quarters that year, too, winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. So he was more than familiar with his opponent's sometimes-serve-and-volley game.

It was yet another disappointing performance for the 29-year-old in the California desert, where his best showing is a 2009 runner-up finish to fourteen time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal, reports Sport24.

Pospisil, will now face Serbian Dusan Lajovic, who defeated Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(2) .

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud began a four-day Japan visit on Sunday, marking the first trip to the country by a Saudi king in 46 years.

Kyodo News reported that Salman, who is visiting with his delegation, is scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and have a lunch with Emperor Akihito during his stay in Japan, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Arriving at Tokyo's Haneda airport Sunday evening, the Saudi king was welcomed by Crown Prince Naruhito.

Kyodo reported that according to sources approximately 10 aircraft were required to transport the huge delegation to Japan. To prepare for the group accompanying the king, including members of the Saudi royal family and ministers, over 1,000 rooms at high-end hotels in Tokyo have been reserved as well as some 500 limousines hired.

In his meeting with Abe, King Salman is expected to seek Japan's cooperation in boosting private-sector investment in the Middle Eastern country.

Saudi Arabia, the largest supplier of crude oil to Japan, is pursuing structural reforms to reduce its economy's heavy dependence on oil amid a slump in crude prices.

The Japanese government is planning to urge Saudi Arabia to include the Tokyo Stock Exchange among the bourses on which Saudi Aramco shares will be listed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Often regarded as the mother of all elections, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls certainly grabbed all the attention.

Although outgoing Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi miserably failed in wooing the votes in the recently held elections, the duo seem to be the stars of the best memes of Twitter.

While the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance failed to pay off for Akhilesh, his decision to partner up with Gandhi in his home state of Uttar Pradesh was widely mocked online.

Be it the loss of Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh or the BJP's win, the micro-blogging site was flooded with witty and punny reactions.

The BJP's historic win in both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand gave the ever-sarcastic and humour seeking Twitterati great fodder. The internet is full of memes and jokes that give a hilarious twist to the election results.

Let's have a sneak peek at what Twitter is saying:

Another politician who bore the brunt of the attack was Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was making strong inroads into Punjab where his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lost to the Congress.

Twitterati concluded that Prime Minister Modi is the 'baahubali' of Indian politics as he single-handedly swept the Uttar Pradesh polls with his 'surgical strike on black money' alias demonetisation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kathmandu, March 12 ( IANS) At least 1,295 motorcyclists were arrested for violating traffic rules in the Nepali capital during the Hindu festival of Holi here on Sunday, Kathmandu Valley traffic police office said.

While 694 people were freed after facing action, 596 people remained in police custody.

The offences included riding without helmet, exceeding the pillion limit, overspeeding and reckless driving, among others.

Police also arrested 220 others for drinking at public places, smearing vermillion without consent and misbehaviour.

Police said 173 boys and nine girls from Kathmandu, 21 boys from Lalitpur and 17 boys from Bhaktapur were arrested for misbehaving and other offences during the festival.

Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur are three districts inside the Valley.

The traffic police office said they set up 60 checkpoints to stop revellers from violating traffic rules.

Nepal celebrates Holi for two days. People from hill areas celebrate Holi one day before the people in the Terai region bordering India.

--IANS

giri/lok/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after Levant Swords rebel group said it was involved in the double bombing that killed 74 people, al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front claimed responsibility for the attack on Shia pilgrims, a media report said on Sunday.

Nusra front also claimed that the Shia Iraqis were not pilgrims to shrines in Damascus but fighters supporting the Syrian government forces against the six-year-old rebellion, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 54 victims of Saturday's attack were Syrian civilians and Iraqi pilgrims, in addition to 20 Syrian government troops.

One bomb exploded near the entrance to the Bab al-Saghir cemetery on the parking lot side where nine buses were parked.

Shortly thereafter, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt he was wearing on the grounds of the cemetery.

--IANS

sku/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
This highly elusive wildcat fed on food and good wishes of the locals after he strayed into a Himachal Pradesh helmet in the trans-Himalayas before he made his final exit from this world.

The aging, highly-endangered snow leopard found in his death the same glory that is associated with his life. The villagers, as a mark of respect, gave him a grand farewell.

Wildlife officials are elated over this man-animal bondage. They say this revived bond is helping the survival of the snow leopard in the Spiti Valley, which lies in the state's northernmost part, despite its dependence on their livestock, especially during the winter.

"For the last 10 days, a male snow leopard, which was unable to hunt owing to his old age, came close to Kibber village. Locals accepted his presence as a mark of respect and didn't retaliate," Wildlife Ranger Office Devinder Chauhan, who is posted in Spiti, told IANS.

He said the snow leopard had died of old age on February 21. For six months, his sighting was frequent near the human habitats of the area. (The average age of a snow leopard in the wild is 15 to 18 years.)

At his cremation, the entire villagers gathered to see him off and pay their last respects. The area is dominated by Buddhists, who are mostly vegetarians.

The locals, who mostly grow peas, have adapted themselves to co-exist with the wild animals.

"In order to minimise human-wild animal conflicts, the local communities were sensitised through conservation awareness programmes and this really helped them understand more about how the animals live among people and thus reduce retaliatory killings," Chauhan said.

The state Wildlife Department is monitoring snow leopards in the Spiti Valley, which falls in the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, through a satellite-based system to study the reasons for their straying into human habitation, their behavior and population.

Jagdish Bodh, a local, said every day people of the area used to visit the cliff where the snow leopard spent his last days.

"Almost every day we used to gather at the cliff to see the ailing leopard. He hardly looked at us but his eyes conveyed a message to leave him alone," he said.

Bodh said even a carcass was offered by a villager so that it could survive longer. "It barely moved from that spot. When the news about his death circulated, scores of villagers gathered to bid him farewell."

The Wildlife Department cremated the snow leopard -- a Schedule 1 animal under the Wildlife Protection Act of India -- after an autopsy.

Legendary field biologist George Schaller, who has worked for nearly two decades on studying endemic wildlife in the Tibetan Plateau, told IANS in a recent interview that the snow leopard needs protection from pastoral communities.

"They are beautiful and majestic animals that rarely attack humans. They attack only when the villagers attack them with sticks. I have spent nights in their habitat and they passed my sleeping bag.

"Man-animal conflicts are more a social issue. For the conservation of wildlife, you need cooperation of the local communities," he said.

According to Schaller, for conserving the snow leopard there is need to maintain a sizeable population of its prey species like the Asiatic ibex -- a wild goat -- and the Himalayan blue sheep.

Schaller's photograph of a snow leopard, taken in Pakistan in 1970, is the first recorded image of the wild cat.

Apart from the Spiti Valley, the state's Pin Valley National Park, the Great Himalayan National Park and the Pangi and Bharmour areas of Chamba district have a sizable population of snow leopards.

The central government-funded Rs 5.15 crore ($758,000) Snow Leopard Conservation Project is underway in the Spiti Valley, which runs parallel to Tibet.

The programme takes care of restoring the snow leopard's habitat.

Studies by the Wildlife Department show the presence of one snow leopard per 100 sq km in the Spiti Valley.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS

vg/vm/ky/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ruling Congress and the BJP have secured 28 and 21 seats respectively in a hung assembly after the Manipur assembly elections, and are exploring ways to get support from the splinter parties to form the government.

Even before the Manipur assembly election results were declared on Saturday, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were looking for support from smaller groups to form the next government.

Assam Finance Minister and North Eastern Democratic Alliance convener Hemanta Biswa Sarma said: "The Naga People's Front has written a letter to Governor Najma Heptullah that it will support the BJP."

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, an old hand at the coalition politics, is personally handling the Congress campaign to woo splinter parties.

Senior BJP leaders are also directly supervising the process of political alliance with some groups.

Thounaojam Chaoba, the chief ministerial candidate of the BJP, was defeated and the party is yet to choose another prospect.

"BJP with the support of coalition partners shall form the next ministry," party spokesperson Nongthombam Biren said. He, however, did not disclose the names of the parties.

The BJP and Congress will hold their meetings here on Sunday to discuss their course of action regarding the formation of the next government in the state.

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) with one seat and the Naga People's Front (NPF) with four seats have announced support for the BJP as they are partners of the NDA government at the Centre.

Manipur state Congress President T.N. Haokip said the NPF has close connections with the United Naga Council which imposed indefinite economic blockade against the state, and will not join hands with the party.

The National People's Party is also closer to the BJP, though it is yet to make its stand public.

Senior leaders said the Congress will join hands with the like-minded parties.

The ruling Congress had joined hands with the Communist Party of India (CPI) a decade ago, even though the party could form the government on its own.

Congress leader Bijoy Koijam was strongly opposed to the coalition as the ministerial berths could be given to some dissidents. However, Ibobi Singh continued the coalition culture.

According to sources, Congress leaders will call on Governor Heptullah soon to stake claim to form the government.

"Being the single largest party, the Congress should be given the first chance," a senior leader said.

However, the BJP leaders do not agree. Biren, who is being considered as the chief ministerial candidate, said: "Democracy is a number game. We have now majority with the support of like-minded parties. We will stake claim shortly."

The bargaining chip for supporting either the BJP or the Congress is ministerial berths.

The Manipur Chief Minister can have 12 ministers. With the NDA government at the Centre, the political balance is tilted in favour of the BJP in Manipur.

--IANS

il/sm/py/vt

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ruffled many a feather by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landslide in Uttar Pradesh had shattered the opposition hopes of unseating him soon.

Abdullah was in fact making a rational analysis that suited his own National Conference.

He tweeted that with the political balance tilting in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition should forget the Lok Sabha election of 2019 and aim at the 2024 general election to take power in New Delhi.

His views have ruffled the Congress, Abdullah's former ally.

But the predicament of a regional leader who cast his lot with the Congress when his party formed a coalition in Jammu and Kashmir after the 2008 assembly election has simply been overlooked by the Congress.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti felicitated the BJP for its landslide win in Uttar Pradesh by saying it was an endorsement of Prime Minister Modi's agenda of development and progress.

She was, however, quick to assert her party's regional niche by asking Modi to start the peace process so that a permanent solution to the problems faced by the people in the state was found.

Mufti also said the people's endorsement of Modi's developmental agenda had proved right the decision of her father, the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, to ally with an ideologically divergent party like the BJP.

Coalition compulsions for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have come to fore many times during the last two years it has ruled the state with the BJP.

On issues like the establishment of separate colonies for migrant Pandits, Sainik Colonies, West Pakistan refugees and even rationalisation of state administrative cadres like the KAS and KPS, the BJP and the PDP have found themselves on two sides of the river.

As the BJP gets stronger, the PDP will have to put together its regional act fast since most of its political ground in the Muslim-majority Valley has been eroded due to the unrest of 2016.

A silver lining to the dark cloud for the PDP is that its falling scores with Kashmiris have not benefitted the National Conference so far.

But in Jammu and Kashmir elections as elsewhere in the country, voters rarely vote parties to power as strongly as they do to throw them out of it.

The impact of the BJP victory will definitely help its rank and file in the Hindu-majority Jammu region.

The anger in the Jammu region against the BJP will at worst now zero on its ministers, not the party high command.

For the PDP, the same is not true in the Valley.

The biggest challenge the PDP now faces is to regain its lost ground by retaining the two Lok Sabha seats of Anantnag and Srinagar which go to the polls on April 9 and 12 respectively.

The seats fell vacant after Mufti vacated the Anantnag seat by taking over as Chief Minister and Tariq Hameed Karra resigned the Srinagar seat after parting ways with the PDP.

If the PDP wins both seats, it would have walked away with a political jackpot.

But if it loses both or one of the two seats, it will stand humbled before its BJP ally.

(Sheikh Qayoom can be contacted at sheikh.abdul@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.)
The BJP was on Sunday set to form the next government in Manipur with the National People's Party (NPP) extending support to it and thus enabling it reach the vaunted 31-seat-mark in the 60-member state assembly, NPP National President Conrad Sangma said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party won 21 seats in the assembly elections held earlier this month. It has already been promised support by the Naga People's Front which has four seats, the Lok Janshakti Party (one) and one Independent.

The NPP won four seats in the recent assembly elections.

Sangma said they will meet Governor Najma Heptulla to stake claim to forming the government in the state.

--IANS

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In a swift move, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, led by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, met Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday and staked claim to forming a new government in the coastal state.

Even as Parrikar knocked on the gates of Raj Bhavan, newly-elected Congress MLAs as well as senior central leaders, including General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, were holed up in a city hotel, deliberating for hours over finalisation of the party's legislative party leader.

The BJP contingent of 13 MLAs was led by Parrikar and was accompanied by three legislators each of the Goa Forward party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators, which takes the tally of BJP-aligned legislators to 21.

The BJP has also claimed the support of Nationalist Congress Party MLA from Benaulim Churchill Alemao, stating that his letter of support would be also be sent to the Governor soon.

The move came after newly-elected BJP legislators passed a resolution demanding that Parrikar return as CM. Parrikar, Gadkari and caretaker Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar were also present.

Talking to reporters after the meeting with the Governor, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, who was in-charge of negotiating with non-Congress MLAs for alliance formation, said the BJP would form a stable government in Goa.

"We will form a stable government under Manohar Parrikar. Our party President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have congratulated supporting parties," Gadkari said.

The Union minister also said that the discussions with the other MLAs were on since 1 a.m. on Sunday morning and most of the issues and differences had been cleared.

"We wanted to clear issues for long term. All should work together," Gadkari said.

Parrikar, who is expected to resign as Defence Minister before he is sworn in as Chief Minister, said that although the BJP could not get the required mandate, the target of 21 could be reached with support from non-Congress MLAs.

"As far as the mandate of the people (is concerned), we fell short of majority, but with this support, we could reach the figure of 21," said Parrikar, a former Goa Chief Minister, who was elevated to the Defence Ministry in 2014.

"We met the Governor and we are expecting invitation from her. Once invitation is received, we will consult colleagues and finalise date for swearing in," he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress which was expected to stake claim to forming the government on Sunday evening, has been unable to finalise its legislative leader, with the candidature of state unit President Luizinho Faleiro being resisted by his peers, namely former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane and Digambar Kamat.

While the Congress, which had fixed an appointment with the Governor for 6 p.m., remained embroiled in finalisation of the CLP leader, the BJP, which was expected to stake claim for government formation on Monday, ended up cobbling together the support of 21 MLAs, before submitting their letters of support to the Governor late on Sunday.

The Congress hit out at it.

"BJP always claimed to be party of morals and character. Is this the moral or character of a party which is horse-trading... promising corporations, ministries like they are distributing sweets? We strongly condemn any effort of the BJP, particularly Manohar Parrikar, to even think of staking claim to forming government," Digvijaya Singh told reporters.

Earlier on Sunday, both BJP and the Congress had held hectic parleys with their counterparts in regional parties and the Independent legislators in a bid to form the new government in the state.

--IANS

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China's star sisters Jiang Wenwen and Jiang Tingting won the duet technical title at the FINA Synchronised Swimming World Series here on Sunday.

The twin sisters, who made history by finishing fourth in pairs synchronised swimming at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, retired after the National Games in 2013. They each decided to make a comeback in 2015 after having daughters, reports Xinhua news agency.

In the final which was contested by 28 pairs, the Chinese sisters collected 91.4818 points to win their first title after their comeback. The silver medal went to Japan's Yukiko Inui and Mai Nakamura, bronze medallists at the 2016 Rio Games, who scored 90.1401 points. Ukraine's Anna Voloshyna and Anastasiya Savchuk earned bronze.

"We failed to win in Germany last week due to a lack of preparation," said Jiang Wenwen. "So today we are very happy."

China also took a silver in the free combination final, while the gold went to an inspired Japanese squad. France won their first medal of the competition, finishing third.

--IANS

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As BJP staked claim to forming a new government in Manipur, the Congress on Sunday accused it of "playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy" and abducting an Independent MLA from Manipur by misusing the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Imphal airport.

"(The) BJP is now misusing (the) CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct independent MLA Asab Uddin at Imphal airport and take him to Calcutta (Kolkata)," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted.

"(The) Modi government is playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy and abducting MLAs by misusing (the) CISF at Imphal airport despite electoral loss," he added.

Surjewala said: "Independent MLA Asab Uddin is travelling with Minister Sh. Nasir (A. Nasir). Federalism and rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by (the) Modi government."

Surjewala said that according to the Constitution and norms, the single-largest party is always invited to form the government. "The BJP government is subverting law and democracy through their Governors, who are acting as stooges," he said.

The ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have secured 28 and 21 seats, respectively, in Manipur after the assembly elections held earlier this month.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said the party will meet Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla to stake claim to forming the new government in the state with the support of the National People's Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

"We will approach Governor Najma Heptulla seeking her to invite the BJP, supported by the NPP and the LJP, to form the government in Manipur," said Madhav.

The BJP, which won 21 seats in the assembly elections held earlier this month, achieved the vaunted 31-seat mark earlier in the day with the support of its ally Naga People's Front (NPF) (4 seats), and the NPP (4 seats), LJP (1) and one Independent.

The Congress emerged as the single-largest party post-poll with 28 seats in the 60-member house but failed to garner support to form a new government.

--IANS

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A day after a gory double-bombing in central Damascus, the toll in the attack that targeted Shia pilgrims rose to 74 on Sunday, a British war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 54 victims of Saturday's attack were Syrian civilians and Iraqi pilgrims, in addition to 20 Syrian government troops.

So far, none had claimed responsibility for the twin-explosion attack that occurred in the historic centre of Bab-al-Saghir cemetery area here, Efe news reported.

One bomb exploded near the entrance to the cemetery on the parking lot side where nine buses were parked.

Shortly thereafter, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt he was wearing on the grounds of the cemetery.

The NGO said the number of fatalities could increase because many of the wounded were in critical condition.

--IANS

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If Manohar Parrikkar played his cards well, "he might even replace Prime Minister Narendra Modi", Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh said on Sunday and advised him now "to prove to be a good Defence Minister".

Singh, who is in charge of the Congress affairs in Goa, also had a piece of advise for his own party: "Congress should also understand that the people of Goa have given us last chance to perform or else perish. May God help us."

Taking a dig at Parrikar who has spent a long time in Goa despite being appointed the Defence Minister, Singh said he should now relax in Delhi and "should prove to be a good Defence Minister".

"My sympathies for Manohar Parrikar. But give him credit for his never-say-die spirit. In spite of losing badly, he is still fishing in troubled waters! But then he loves Goa fish," Singh said on his official Twitter account.

"Come on Parrikarji, now relax in Delhi and prove to be a good Defence Minister. Who knows if you play your cards well you may replace Modi!" he added.

The Congress, the single largest party with 17 elected legislators, and the BJP with 13 lawmakers are negotiating with the regional parties and Independent candidates to form the new post-poll government in the coastal state. In the 40-member assembly, any party seeking to form the government needs a simple majority of 21 members.

Digvijaya thanked the Goa voters for having faith in Congress. He also advised the Congress to understand the mood of people in Goa.

"Many many thanks for the Goa voters to have reposed their faith in Congress. Highly obliged. We have learned our lesson and mistakes made in 2007-12 won't be repeated. We shall deliver the promises made in a time frame," he said.

"As we have a fractured mandate, we are seeking support from all non-BJP MLAs without compromising on core promises made in our manifesto. Corruption shall not be tolerated and we shall sincerely work for Goa and Goans," he added.

The Congress, he warned, has a "last chance to perform or else perish".

--IANS

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the Netherlands it will "pay the price" for harming ties after two of his ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam city, as a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish immigrants escalated.

"We will teach them international diplomacy," Erdogan said in Istanbul on Sunday.

The two ministers were prevented from addressing Turkish expatriates in Rotterdam on Saturday, with one of them escorted to the German border, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"If you sacrifice your relationship with Turkey for the elections on Wednesday, you will pay the price," Erdogan said.

"We have yet not done what is required," he said.

The Dutch government said such events would stoke tensions days before the Netherlands' general election on March 15.

Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants" and fascists in response to the landing ban.

The Dutch government on Saturday first barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam and later stopped Family and Social Policies Minister Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in the port city, before escorting her out of the country to Germany.

"I am being taken to Germany from the Nijmegen border with democratic and humanitarian values disregarded. I condemn this on behalf of all my citizens," Kaya said in a tweet.

"This treatment against a woman minister can never be accepted", she wrote.

Both the ministers were due to meet and seek the votes of Turks living in the Netherlands ahead of April 16 referendum which will see a constitutional amendment.

Protests were held on Sunday outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, where the Netherlands' flag was replaced with a Turkish one, which was later removed, BBC reported.

Water cannon and riot police on horseback were deployed to disperse about 1,000 people protesting outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam overnight.

The Dutch riot police used water cannons and horses to disperse protesters outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. At least 12 people were detained.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour".

Protests also erupted in Istanbul and Ankara in front of the Dutch diplomatic missions which had been sealed off after the Dutch move.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Sunday that attempts to find a "reasonable solution" to the countries' differences had proved "impossible". He dismissed Kaya's arrival in Rotterdam as "irresponsible".

Rutte called the Turkish government's stance "bizarre" and "unacceptable". He said Turkey had crossed a diplomatic line.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that it has conveyed to the Netherlands its will for the Dutch envoy to Ankara to not return to his post for a while.

The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Erdogan.

The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that the stand-off between the two countries is "very regrettable" and should be sorted out "as fast as possible", reported Anadolu Agency.

--IANS

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Five members of the Kapil-Jyoti Sangwan gang were arrested here in connection with the sensational daylight murder of the father of rival gang leader Manjeet Mahal, Delhi Police said on Sunday.

Police said Pankaj Dagar, 37, Krishan, 28, Anil Sharma, 22, Deepak Maan, 22, and Deepak Sharma were arrested on Saturday evening from near the Hanuman temple on the Surakhpur-Najafgarh road in west Delhi.

The five were involved in several cases of attempt to murder, murder, extortion, kidnapping and other cases. Seven sophisticated semi-automatic weapons, including a mini carbine gun, and 75 live cartridges were recovered from their possession, police said.

"Krishan, a sharp-shooter of the gang was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head. He had on January this year killed Srikrishan, father of rival gang leader Manjeet Mahal, during the ongoing rivalry between both Sangwan and Mahal," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

Noting that there are several gangs active in the Najafgarh area, he said a gang, in order to show its dominance over the others, interferes in their illegal activities, thus creating bitter blood amongst them, Yadav said.

"The ongoing rivalry between the Sangwan and Mahal gangs claimed several lives of their family members and relatives during the last couple of years," he added.

Mahal and Sangwan became rivals after the former's accomplice Dinesh was killed by Sangwan in 2012.

--IANS

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The BJP's success in consolidating Hindu votes of various castes has rendered any division of Muslim votes redundant and helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead it to an unprecedented landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, according to some Muslim leaders.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won 312 seats, including some of the Muslim-dominated seats such as Deoband, Chandpur, Moradabad Nagar, Noorpur, Naanpara and Nakur where analysts feel that Muslim votes got divided between Muslim candidates of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Muslim candidates, however, managed to win seats like Meerut, Kairana, Najibabad, Moradabad Rural, Sambhal, Rampur and Suar-Tanda.

A number of Muslim leaders IANS spoke with conceded that a few seats did fall into the BJP lap because of the division of Muslim votes. But given the scale of victory the BJP got, it would not have mattered much had Muslims rallied behind any single party.

Kamal Farooqui, a former member of Samajwadi Party, said the "division of the Muslim votes per se" is somewhat an "abstract concept".

"Contrary to general perception, Muslims do not vote en masse for any party. The BJP projects Muslims as a monolith to consolidate the Hindu votes. The fact is Muslims vote just like normal voters on issues which concern them," Farooqui told IANS.

"It is simply not possible that all the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh vote for any one party. Muslim votes do matter... but they seldom go to a single candidate en masse in any constituency."

Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, National President of Welfare Party of India, said the BJP's strategy had "successfully rendered the Muslim factor (in elections) ineffective".

Ilyas said the BJP "succeeded in getting votes of Hindu backward castes minus Yadavs and Scheduled Castes minus Jatavs.

"This new type of social engineering is being seen after the emergence of Narendra Modi and (BJP President) Amit Shah on the scene," he said.

Former Rajya Sabha member Mohammed Adeeb said Modi and Shah were selling the promise of Hindu rashtra under the garb of 'achhe din' which actually helps the BJP turn Hindu votes into a single more effective whole.

"Although the Narendra Modi government does not have any visible achievement in its last three years, still people voted for Modi.

"In Modi, they see this hope of Hindu rashtra which he is propagating as the 'achche din'," Adeeb said.

Agreed Navaid Hamid, Chairman, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an umbrella body of several Muslim organisations. "We are moving towards a majoritarian democracy where nationalism is blended with Hindutva," Hamid said.

(Asim Khan can be contacted on mohd.a@ians.in <mailto:mohd.a@ians.in>)

--IANS

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Bollywood actor Sooraj Pancholi says he will not play Holi as a step to preserve water.

"I won't play Holi this year. Though as a kid I used to play with colours, I am now old enough to understand that this is wastage of water. So I shouldn't do that," Sooraj said.

The actor expressed his views while talking to the media at the Zee Cine Awards on Saturday night.

He added: "Since my new film is going on floor in 15 days, I do not want any skin rash or any such things. After playing Holi, removing colours is another task. So this year, I am not playing."

Sooraj made his debut with "Hero" in 2015 opposite Athiya Shetty.

--IANS

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Border guards of India and Bangladesh on Sunday celebrated the festival of Holi together along the international border.

India's Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) played Holi at Akhaura integrated checkpost and other bordering areas of Tripura and exchanged sweets.

Holi, the popular "Festival of Colours", will be celebrated in some parts of the country on Sunday and other parts on Monday.

"BSF and BGB are very close and have celebrated various annual carnivals each year. Celebration of each other's festivities together would bring both the organisations closer," BSF's 195 Battalion cCommandant Ajit Kurmar P. told reporters at the Akhaura checkpost here.

--IANS

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The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that Israel is putting obstacles on the ground, ahead of the upcoming visit to Israel by US Presidential Advisor Jason Greenblatt.

The ministry said in an emailed press statement that "the Israeli government continues to implement its settlement schemes aiming at more Palestinian land grab, unravelling preliminary measures and bulldozing operations to bailiff thousands of new settlement units in occupied Jerusalem".

The ministry denounced the settlement activity "that is aimed at destroying the two state solution", reported Xinhua news agency.

Palestinian sources said that Israeli authorities have approved construction of settlement units in Palestinian towns of East Jerusalem and open new roads connecting settlements to one another, cutting off geographical contiguity of Palestinian territories.

On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeinah said that the resumed communique between the Palestinian leadership and the US administration "represents a clear message that the resolution (of the conflict) lies in the international, Arab and Palestinian legitimacy that are not illusions or projects irrelevant to the unravelling course of events".

World powers, including the US, have condemned the Israeli settlement activity, which is considered one of the main disputes between Palestinians and Israel.

--IANS

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Levant Swords rebel group has claimed responsibility of the double bombing attack on buses of Shia pilgrims parked outside a cemetery which left 44 people killed and scores injured.

The group is allied with the rebels' Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is operating in areas in the southern countryside of Damascus, Xinhua cited Mayadeen TV as saying.

The deadly bombings targeted two busses carrying Iraqi Shia visitors, who were on a pilgrim visit to Damascus and about to visit Shia shrines in the Bab al-Saghir cemetery in Damascus.

Meanwhile, the pro-government al-Watan online newspaper said that the bomb squads succeeded to defuse bombs mounted on a motorcycle that was supposed to go off in that area as well.

--IANS

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Veteran Hollywood actor Liam Neeson, known for projects like "Silence", "Schindler's List" and "Taken", practices yoga with actor Ralph Fiennes.

Neeson says that when he thinks of India, Yoga is what comes to his mind.

"Diversity and depth of culture. Yoga for sure. I practice that sometimes with Ralph Fiennes," Neeson told IANS in an email interview .

The 64-year-old actor will next be seen in the film "Felt", "The Commuter" and "Hard Powder".

--IANS

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Son of iconic boxer Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali Jr, was briefly stopped before boarding a flight on Friday afternoon, his lawyer said.

Muhammad Ali Jr, who spoke with members of Congress about being detained at a Florida airport last month, arrived at Reagan National Airport in Washington on Friday for a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, New York Times reported.

He gave his Illinois identification card to an agent to get his boarding pass, said his lawyer, Chris Mancini, who was travelling with him.

Almost immediately, Ali was told that there was a problem and that the agent needed to call the Department of Homeland Security, Mancini was quoted as saying.

Ali was asked his date of birth, where he was born and his Social Security number. He was told that his Illinois-issued identification card was invalid for flying.

"The same state ID from Illinois that he travelled to Washington on was rejected," Mancini said.

Ali then produced his passport, which was accepted and went through security and boarded the flight with his mother.

--IANS

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Nigerian government forces in the northeastern state of Borno have rescued 211 civilians from the Boko Haram group, the army authorities said on Sunday.

Troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Operation Lafiya Dole, rescued the victims during an operation in Cingal Murye and Maja villages on Saturday, Xinhua quoted army spokesman Sani Usman as saying.

One the terrorist was neutralised, 11 bicycles were recovered from the fleeing terrorists, he added, noting that security team also escorted two heavy-duty trucks and 18 pickup vans to recover Internally Displaced Persons' food stuff from Mala Maja.

The Boko Haram insurgency has been blamed for more than 20,000 deaths and displacement of 2.3 million people since 2009.

Nigeria has made a considerable gain on the Boko Haram front, with its security forces operating in the restive region dislodging the Boko Haram fighters from the Sambisa Forest, the group's largest training camp in the country, last December.

--IANS

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The ongoing operations to free the western side of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) terrorists have pushed up to 100,000 civilians to flee their homes, the Iraqi government said on Sunday.

"The latest statistics of the Iraqi ministry of migration shows 99,852 displaced people since the launch of operations to free the neighbourhoods of Mosul's right bank (western side)," Xinhua quoted a statement by Jassim Mohammed al-Jaf, Minister of Migration and Displaced.

On Sunday, teams affiliated to the ministry received 10,607 civilians who left their homes from the battleground of the neighbourhoods of western Mosul, Jaf said.

The migration ministry prepared appropriate places to shelter the displaced people and provided emergency supplies, including food and medicine, Jaf added.

The announcement came as the Iraqi security forces were pushing deeper into the IS-held western side of Mosul, locally known as right bank of Tigris River, which bisects the city.

The troops dislodged IS terrorists from several neighbourhoods in the southern part of Mosul's western side, including the main government buildings in the old city centre.

--IANS

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Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday appointed Defence Minister as the new Chief Minister of Goa.

Parrikar has been asked to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly "15 days after administration of oath of office and secrecy", a letter issued by Secretary to the Governor Rupesh Kumar Thakur said.

The letter said that Parrikar had submitted evidence of support of 21 MLAs before the Governor.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has 13 MLAs, is supported by three legislators each of the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators.

According to Union Minister for Roads, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister before he takes oath of office as Goa Chief Minister.
India looked forward to the first official visit here by King Salman of Saudi Arabia to further deepen the strategic ties between both countries, an official said on Sunday.

"We are looking forward to the visit of the King of Saudi Arabia later this year," External Affairs Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha, said at an event here organised by the Saudi petrochemicals giant SABIC.

"Our historical and deep relations have been growing rapidly over the last couple of years. Both countries have intensified joint production and investment and are looking at new investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and pooling of technical resources and skills," he added.

Salman was crowned the new king in January 2015, following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah.

SABIC, which has a major presence in India, including an advanced R&D facility in Bengaluru, announced its CSR activity to test the eyesight of over 100,000 government-aided school children in Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Vadodara, Chennai and Mumbai.

In his address, Saudi Ambassador Saud Al-Sati invited India to play a key role in the kingdom's economic transformation as it seeks to reduce its dependence on oil exports following a long period of decline in crude prices and emergence of new fuels by diversifying its sources of income and attracting foreign investment.

Al-Sati said the Kingdom's Vision 2030 plan aims to free the Saudi economy from dependence on oil by diversifying its sources of income, attract foreign investment and make Saudi Arabia a manufacturing hub.

Bilateral trade in 2015 was worth nearly $40 billion, with India importing a fifth of its oil needs from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, King Salman began a four-day visit to Japan on Sunday, marking the first trip to the country by a Saudi king in 46 years. Saudi Arabia is Japan's largest supplier of crude oil.

Last month, the Saudi monarch went to Indonesia on his first trip outside the Middle East and North Africa since he visited the US in 2015.

Asian banks and companies are expected to play a major role in Saudi Arabia's plans to develop its non-oil sectors and expand its international investments.

--IANS

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Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Betul Sayan Kaya's vehicle was stopped by Dutch police from entering the consulate in Rotterdam late Saturday.

Dutch Foreign Ministry announced earlier in a statement that the Netherlands has cancelled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permission due to "security" and "public safety" reasons, Xinhua cited state-run Anadolu Agency as saying.

Cavusoglu was scheduled to address the Turkish community in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on Saturday.

Kaya's office reportedly said that she will meet with Turkish citizens there instead after the Netherlands denied landing permission to the top diplomat.

Dutch authorities blocked the street where the Turkish Consul General's residence in Rotterdam is located after Kaya announced that she will travel to Rotterdam by land.

--IANS

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The British Home Office has granted an additional funding to the police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the British girl who went missing in Portugal in 2007.

An extra 85,000 pound ($103,000) has been allotted to extend the missing girl's search for six more months between April and September, the British Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

Madeleine was a few weeks shy of her fourth birthday when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment on May 3, 2007, in the Portuguese town of Praia da Luz, Efe news reported.

London's Metropolitan Police have investigated various leads in a bid to find the child's whereabouts, while the girl's parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, have vowed to "never give up" search for their missing daughter.

Until now, 11.1 million pound ($13.5 million) have been allocated to a case, which is nicknamed Operation Grange, and has drawn unprecedented media attention.

The search for Madeleine has gone on for years, and has included investigators from Britain and Portugal.

--IANS

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The Brexit Secretary has warned members of Parliament to leave the bill for exiting the European Union unchanged when it is debated again in the House of Commons on Monday.

David Davis issued a last-minute warning to Tory rebels not to sabotage the Article 50 Bill amid fears that any change could see Brexit end up in the courts, reported The Telegraph on Sunday.

Davis said that putting promises over leaving the EU into law creates a "greater risk of legal action".

Davis warned that Prime Minister Theresa May would be negotiating with "one hand tied behind her back" if MPs approve two changes to the law proposed by Lords.

He also said that protecting the rights of EU citizens in Britain without reciprocal promises would plunge more than a million Britons abroad into "uncertainty".

"There will be many opportunities for Parliament to debate the ins and outs of our negotiation of a new partnership with the EU, and influence the outcome," Davis said.

"But attaching conditions to a bill that simply allows the Prime Minister to start the process of implementing the referendum result is emphatically not the way to do it."

The shot across the bows comes ahead of a historic week in the Parliament that is expected to see Britain's withdrawal from the EU approved by MPs and peers, reported the newspaper.

May is preparing to formally start negotiations as early as Tuesday in a landmark moment in Britain's modern history, dubbed "independence day" by supporters.

However, before that can begin, MPs must vote on Monday on whether to make two amendments to the legislation giving the Prime Minister the power to start Brexit.

The first would demand proposals are published within three months to protect the rights of all EU citizens currently in Britain.

The second would give MPs and peers a "meaningful vote" on the final Brexit deal -- effectively a veto, as Britain's departure could not happen without a parliamentary vote.

Both are being opposed by the government, but pro-EU Tories are rallying support privately behind both changes. Only about 30 Tory MPs are needed to back the changes for them to pass, given opposition parties support them and the Conservatives have such a slim majority, said the report.

May has indicated theParliament will get a say, but has said she would rather "walk away" from the EU than accept a "bad deal", and would not return to negotiations if MPs and peers reject the Brexit package.

The bill could complete its final stages on Monday if the Lords accepts the decisions made by MPs.

--IANS

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A man in Florida tried to burn down a convenience store owned by Indian-Americans because he thought the owners were Muslims, officials said.

Richard Lloyd, 64, told the police officials that he wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country" so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store on Friday and set the contents on fire, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a news release posted on Facebook.

The fire was put out quickly and didn't cause much damage since the store was closed and protected by security shutters.

Lloyd told detectives he assumed the owner was a Muslim and that angered him because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," Mascara said.

"It's unfortunate that Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," the sheriff said.

He said Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime, CNN reported on Sunday.

Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.

According to CNN affiliate WPEC, Lloyd told investigators he tried to buy a bottle of Tropicana orange pineapple juice at the store a few days ago but was told they didn't have any. He was also upset because he assumed the store employee was a Muslim, WPEC said, citing the investigative report.

Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn the building because he "was doing my part for America," WPEC said.

Last month, Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead and his friend Alok Madasani was injured in a hate attack in Kansas City.

Another Indian, Harnish Patel, was killed in South Carolina last week, but the killing was not identified as a hate crime.
It was touted as a party that could hurt the BJP in Goa. In the end, the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) of former RSS leader Subhash Velingkar won only 1.2 per cent of the vote share.

The party, which was expected to significantly damage the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the February 4 battle, eventually got a mere 10,745 votes -- while 10,919 Goans opted for NOTA (None Of The Above).

The Manch, which contested five seats, entered an alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Shiv Sena, which numerically failed to cut ice with the electorate.

While the Manch did not win any seat, its best performance was in the Sanquelim seat where its candidate Suresh Amonkar came third and BJP's Pramod Sawant came up trumps.

The MGP won three seats. The Shiv Sena could not open its account.

Velingkar, however, believes, that the eventual objective of the Manch was not to win seats but to expose the BJP and its "betrayals" as well as teach the saffron party a lesson.

"Voters have punished BJP for taking people lightly. We were successful in teaching a lesson to the BJP," said Velingkar, who has been critical of the BJP and in particular Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for backing the use of English language as a medium of instruction in primary schools, over regional languages.

Asked for the cause of the Manch's poor showing, Velingkar hinted at tampering of EVM machines.

"I suspect there is manipulation of EVMs. It is impossible for our candidates, especially in Panaji, to get less than 2,000 votes," he said.

GSM's Ketan Bhatikar came a poor fourth with just 323 votes in the Panaji constituency where BJP's Sidharth Kunkolienkar emerged victorious.

The BJP, however, believes that one reason why the Manch fared poorly could be the rebellion by Velingkar and the members of the Goa RSS.

Asked if Velingkar's campaign affected the BJP, the outgoing Tourism Minister, who lost in Saligao, partially blamed the RSS factor.

A senior BJP leader told IANS that while Velingkar's party did not matter electorally, the vicious campaign led by the former state RSS chief did affect the confidence levels of the BJP cadre.

"More than poll numbers, Velingkar may have damaged us with his bitter campaign against Manohar Bhai and Parsekar Sir. It was as if one our own was exposing our leaders. Even the Opposition campaign was not that effective," the BJP leader said.

--IANS

maya/mr

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The Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) win in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls  apart from its victories in Uttarakhand and Goa  is a huge morale boost for the party, as a lot was riding on the crucial state.
With reference to the Chinese Whispers item, JD(U) seeks liquor ban in Delhi (March 9), the purpose behind holding a day-long dharna by the Delhi unit of the Janata Dal (United) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is beyond comprehension.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) decisive victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand Assembly polls will empower the saffron party in the selection of the next presidential candidate when Pranab Mukherjee retires in July.

The BJP, which has a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha, having 281 MPs in the House of 543, needed extra numbers to have the candidate of its choice in Raisina Hills when the incumbent demits office on 25 July, 2017.

Mukherjee's successor will be elected by an electoral college comprising members of both houses of Parliament and elected members of the assemblies of 29 states plus the capital territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

BJP is already in power in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Assam and in coalition with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir and with TDP in Andhra Pradesh.

Now with Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in its kitty with a huge majority, the BJP is now in a better position to see its candidate through to the office of president.

Having a person of its choice in Rashtrapati Bhavan will be helpful to the party if it needs support in complicated political situations besides getting formal assent to laws passed by Parliament.

The win in UP is especially significant because UP Assembly members carry the maximum value of votes in a presidential election, given the fact that the state is India's most populous.

The value of a vote of an elected state legislator is equivalent to the population of the state divided by the number of elected legislators divided-yet again-by 1,000.

Also falling vacant in August is the vice president's office with incumbent Mohammed Hamid Ansari completing his second five-year term.

While the BJP will be certain to nominate one of their own candidates for the post of president, the post of vice president could go to an ally.

The BJP in 2002 got its nominee-former Rajasthan chief minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat-elected to the post of Vice President.

The BJP hopes that the good show in the elections will also help it on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.

The GST, considered to be country's biggest reform measure in two decades has been pending since 2015 because for lack of cooperation from Congress in the Upper House of Parliament where the BJP is short in numbers.

For passage of the bill in the Rajya Sabha, there is a need that the number of MPs opposing it comes down.

Now, with the massive majority in UP and Uttarakhand, BJP hopes to send maximum number of its candidates to Rajya Sabha during the biennial elections to the Upper House.

The changed scenario will pave way for more BJP MPs in the Rajya Sabha by the end of July with upcoming retirements.
After landslide victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to take the tally to four, against the Congress one in Punjab, with government formations in Goa and Manipur, where the party did not get clear mandates. The Congress alleged the BJP was doing horse trading in the two states.
Setting the tone not only for the 2019 general elections but beyond it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the results of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa were a stepping stone to usher in a new India by 2022, when the country would mark 75 years of Independence.
Writing in a blog for the Vivekananda International Foundation, the chairman of Prasar Bharati, A Surya Prakash, has some advice for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The context was demonetisation. Prakash praised the PM for out-of-the-box thinking but declared that execution of his plans needed a different type of bureaucracy.
One person was killed and three others injured when a Delhi Transport Corporation bus rammed into a flower shop in west Delhi's Punjabi Bagh area this morning.

The incident occurred around 9.50 AM when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle and hit the flower shop, a senior police officer said.

Four persons sitting at the shop located on the footpath on West Avenue Road in Central Market were injured and were rushed to the hospital. One of them died during treatment, he said.

"The bus on route number 567(Nangloi to Lajpat Nagar) was allegedly being driven at high speed," the officer said, adding the driver, Sandeep Kumar (40), has been arrested.

The driver claimed that a vehicle moving ahead of the bus took a sudden u-turn. To avoid hitting it he applied the brakes and lost control over the vehicle and rammed into the flower shop, the officer said.

It is suspected that the bus driver was overspeeding and that is why could not apply the brakes in time and lost control over the vehicle, he said.

The deceased has been identified as Raja (25), while Mithun (33), Rakesh Kumar (26) and Shankar (30) are undergoing treatment and their condition is stated to be out of danger, police said.

When police reached the spot, there were no passengers present. However, the bus conductor told police that there were around 25 passengers in the bus.

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An Afghan national who was booked on charges of smuggling heroin has been arrested, police said today.

Abdul Ali (55) was admitted to Metro Hospitals and Heart Institute here on February 28 with complaints of pain in the abdomen and loss of consciousness. He was operated on March 2 and some plastic packets containing white powder were surgically removed from his abdomen.

After the packets containing white powder were removed from his abdomen, it was sent for testing and was confirmed as heroin, a police official had said on March 9.

During the probe, it was found that two mobile numbers on which Ali had spoken, were registered at Jaitpur in Delhi. But, when police reached there it was found to be fake addresses, police had said.

Ali was arrested after he recovered from the surgery, an official at Sector 24 Police Station here said.

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Several Bollywood celebrities such as Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan and Shraddha Kapoor, wished a colourful Holi to their fans and urged them to play the festival of colours in a safe and eco-friendly manner.

Apart from extending vibrant greetings, stars also shared their favourite childhood Holi memories and emphasised on the innate significance of the celebration.

Saif called for a subtle yet bright Holi and said the festival holds a special place in his heart.

"Holi used to be the most fun, colourful and festive celebration of the year in my childhood. Now, we have mellowed (it) slightly... Environmental awareness and the shortage of water leads to a slightly more responsible attitude..."



"And I look forward to a bar-b-que by the pool, a bit of colour and a nice family day!! Happy Holi India!! Have a blast!! (with non-permanent colour please!!)" Saif told PTI.

Sharing one of her dearest Holi memories, Vidya said, "Having bhaang without knowing it was bhaang and then laughing all day. This was I think when I was 16."



The "Kahaani 2" actress said her "favourite Holi song would be definitely 'Rang Barse'. When you think of Holi, you think of that song."



Shraddha said, "Holi has always been a special time for me and my family. Everyone is together, a day filled with food, fun and family."



As harmony and brotherhood go hand-in-hand with the theme of Holi, actor Irrfan Khan emphasised that people should forget all their differences and immerse themselves in the riot of colours.

"Make mockery of all your social programmings, get rid of all chhaap, tilak, play with colours till you lose your identity. Holi hai #HappyHoli," Irrfan wrote on Twitter.

"Commando 2" actress Adah Sharma also took to the micro-blogging site, where she asked people to abstain from troubling street dogs by putting colours on them.

"On behalf of all the stray dogs (yes, I'm their official spokesperson)... This Holi, colour your hair red... Not your dog's! Enjoy #happyholi," wrote Adah alongside a video clip.

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur posted, "#Holi is also a festival of love. Celebrates the Divine love of Krishna for Radha. Let colours of love splash all over the world. #happyholi"



While actress Juhi Chawla gave advance greetings, by tweeting a colourful poster which read "Happy Holi".

Amit Sadh, who is currently in Gulmarg, told PTI his only message on Holi is to "do something different, be with your loved ones, surprise yourself and do something adventurous."



Vivek Oberoi wrote, "Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Holi! May God bless you with colours of love and happiness! Have fun, play safe and keep it dry #Holi."



Gurmeet Choudhary told PTI, "I would like to wish my fans and well-wishers a happy and colourful Holi. But, at the same time I would urge them to play safe and enjoy the festival."



"Indian Idol" host Karan Wahi said although he does not play Holi, he hopes those who celebrate the festival "don't go berserk wasting water."



TV actress Asha Negi said this time she is in no mood to party on Holi as she wants to make the festival a family affair by celebrating it "with close ones and lots of food".

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In the third accident in a week involving a luxury car, a BMW allegedly driven by an inebriated man rammed into an Uber cab and an auto, injuring four persons in south Delhi's RK Puram area this morning.

Police said that the incident was reported on Major Somnath Sharma Marg in sector 9 at 8:30 AM, when a BMW car travelling on the wrong side of the road allegedly rammed in a Swift Dzire car and then an auto.

The vehicle only stopped after breaking the boundary wall of a residential area.

"The driver of the car has been arrested and it is suspected that he was under the influence of alcohol. A liquor bottle has been recovered from his car," said a senior police officer.

The driver of the silver-coloured BMW, Rajat Prabhakar, is a resident of Karol Bagh and was allegedly inebriated at the time of the accident, he said.

The Swift Dzire car was a cab driven by Pradeep (35). He was dropping a married couple, Munni Dutta (28) and her husband Bitoo Pal (32), to the airport.

They are both critically injured and doctors had not declared them stable till evening.

Police said that the couple belongs to Assam and is currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS trauma centre, along with others who were injured in the accident.

The autorickshaw was parked on the side and the driver Ram Chander (60) was inside.

"The driver of the BMW was coming from the wrong side and had a head on collision with the cab and auto," said the officer.

Police said they have informed family members of the couple, both of whom work at private companies in Noida.

Chander's wife Ramvati said that her husband had been driving auto since the last 40 years but had never had an accident until Sunday.

The auto driver was reading a newspaper in the auto when the BMW hit his vehicle.

The accused helps his father in their business.

Last week, a Mercedes had killed a teen biker in outer Delhi's Paschim Vihar area, following which two men were arrested.

In another incident, a 50-year-old labourer was injured in south Delhi's Moti Bagh area when he was hit by a Mercedes car.

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Britain is drawing up contingency plans in case its Brexit negotiations with the EU fail, a minister said today as speculation mounted that the withdrawal process could start this week.

Brexit minister David Davis said it was in "everybody's interests that we get a good outcome", but said the government was "planning for the contingency, all the various outcomes".

He was speaking after MPs warned that ministers must prepare for the possibility that, with EU treaties allowing just two years to agree to a new relationship, Britain might well leave without a deal.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is optimistic about settling the divorce and a new trade agreement with the EU within the timeframe, but would walk away rather than accept a bad deal.

The cross-party parliamentary foreign affairs committee said this "represents a very destructive outcome leading to mutually assured damage for the EU and the UK", citing economic losses and legal confusion.

Davis told the BBC he did not think that was "remotely likely", adding: "There will be tough points in this negotiation. But it's in absolutely everybody's interests that we get a good outcome."



The MPs noted that the previous government had not prepared for the shock vote to leave the EU in the June referendum, something they called "gross negligence".

"Making an equivalent mistake would constitute a serious dereliction of duty by the present administration," they said in the report.

A bill empowering May to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and begin the withdrawal process returns to the House of Commons tomorrow for debate.

Without further opposition, it could pass the House of Lords tomorrow night.

After it is rubber-stamped by Queen Elizabeth II, May could start Brexit at any point.

Asked when the process might start, Davis noted that "in theory it's the point at which you have royal assent", but refused to confirm a date.

"Each date has different implications in terms of when it can be responded to by the Council (of EU leaders)," he said.

One factor could be the Dutch elections on Wednesday.

Keir Starmer, the Brexit spokesman for the opposition Labour party, repeated to Sky that he expected the government to start Brexit "probably on Wednesday or Thursday".

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Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group's CEO (South Asia) Raj Rana today said the company plans to operationalise 170 hotels in the country in next three years.

"The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has been India for almost 15 years. Right now, we have 84 operating hotels. We have plans up sleeves to operationalise 170 hotels in India by 2020," he told PTI here.

He was in the city to open Radisson Blu Atria, which will introduce the brand's internationally renowned, service philosophy with sophisticated design and premier accommodation.

"This is third hotel in the city and altogether we have six in Karnataka," he said.

The company has hotels in 60 cities, including 16 in state capitals, and the strength of their growth has been because of the trust the hotel owners have in them, Rana said.

On investments, Rana said the company invests in brands, distribution systems and revenue-driving platforms, and for brick-and-mortar units, the company relies on their partners.

The company also had signed a deal with Best Tech, a hospitality company which will build 49 park-ins and Radisson Hotels, Rana said.

Asked about acquisition plans in India, Rana said they don't have real estate acquisition and their growth is organic - that is hotel by hotel growth, Rana said.

Rana also said to begin with, the company's growth was dominantly in northern states, but for the last two years they have been foraying into the south market, in order to get Pan-India tag. "As much as 30 per cent of our inventory now is in the south," he said.

Rana further said corporate business was their niche market as it brings higher average rates, but are equally strong in leisure and particularly focused on religious destinations.

"We typically follow a sort of hub and spokes strategy to expand base," he said. The hub and spokes strategy is where the company first forays into unexplored market and then expands in other cities of the state, he explained.

Talking about the difference in hospitality industry in India and other countries like US and Europe, Rana said in India, seventy per cent of hotels were unorganised and unbranded, and this gave an opportunity to tap the huge market.

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The government's move to pull back high-value notes had "little impact" on India's growth and the economy will continue to grow at 7-8 per cent, eminent economist Lord Meghnad Desai has said.

" had small negative effect as the latest estimates show. I predicted this as small impact... Indian economy will continue to grow at between 7-8 per cent," the India-origin British politician told PTI.

Desai claimed that he had supported .

"Indeed, I proposed it myself back in 2004. It will not by itself eliminate corruption, but if the government follows it through with action to make large anonymous cash transactions illegal and insist on PAN cards for all large purchases, corruption will be reduced," the professor emeritus at the prestigious London School of Economics said.

Asked if he would ever advise any other economy to undertake such a drastic step as replacing 86 per cent of its currency, Desai replied, "I would advise other economies to try demonetisation, but (go for) better arrangements for introduction of new currency."



The government last month had pegged GDP growth at a higher-than-expected 7.1 per cent for 2016-17 despite the note ban. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) had put the figure for October-December at 7 per cent, compared to 7.4 per cent in the second quarter and 7.2 per cent in the first.

India's growth was higher than China's 6.8 per cent for October-December 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) and OECD (7 per cent) in view of the cash recall.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in February last year had projected the country's economy expanding at 7.4 per cent in 2016-17.

Buoyed by higher-than-expected growth, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also said a 7 per cent expansion in the third quarter belies the exaggerated claims of note ban impact on the rural economy.
China's Supreme Court has extended its maritime jurisdiction to cover all seas under the country's 'sovereign control', as Beijing firmed up its hold over the disputed South China Sea.

China will resolutely safeguard maritime rights and interests, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) submitted to the country's legislature the National People's Congress (NPC) today said.

China's maritime jurisdiction extends to cover all jurisdictional seas, a regulation contributed to China's strategy of becoming a major maritime power, Supreme Court Chief Justice Zhou Qiang said in his report, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

According to the regulation in effect since last August, jurisdictional seas not only include inland waters and territorial seas, but also cover regions, including contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, continental shelves, and other sea areas under China's jurisdiction.

Chinese citizens or foreigners will be pursued for criminal liability if they engage in illegal hunting or fishing or killing endangered wildlife in China's jurisdictional seas, Zhou's report said.

China asserts sovereign claims over almost all of the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area.

Last year, China has rejected an international tribunal verdict quashing its claims over the South China Sea over a petition filed by the Philippines.

Beijing however subsequently worked out a deal with Philippines to the dispute on backburner inlieuofheavy Chinese investments.

Last August China's Supreme Court issued a regulation of judicial interpretation to clarifyChina's jurisdiction over its territorial seas to nullify the international tribunal's verdict on the South China Sea.

The judicial explanation provided clear legal basis forChinato safeguard maritime order, marine safety and interests and to exercise integrated management over the country's jurisdictional seas, the court said.

China also claims the disputed islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan.

Coast Guard vessels of both the countries patrol the waters around the islands to assert their claims.

Zhou's report also said China's courts tried and concluded 6,899 cases involving foreign businesses and more than 16,000 maritime cases in 2016.

In 2017, China's courts will step up trials of foreign- related business and maritime cases to serve the Belt and Road Initiative (Silk Road) and the strategy of building China into a major maritime power, the report said.

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With the arrest of a youth from Uttar Pradesh, the Cuttack city police today claimed to have cracked a cyber crime involving economic offence.

Cash of over Rs 2 lakh, several fake ATM cards, PAN cards, Press cards, voter identity cards and Aaadhaar cards were seized from Md. Gafur alias Gafur Malik alias Sonu Malik, who was arrested yesterday in Ghaziabad, the police said.

The 25-year-old Gafur was brought here from Uttar Pradesh and was produced before a court in Cuttack city yesterday. He was remanded in judicial custody and was sent to Choudwar jail.

The Cantonment police here last month received a complaint from a cash dispensing agency that manages several ATM kiosks in the city, alleging that about Rs 1.7 lakh cash was missing from several ATMs of the city on February 5 evening during a short interruption of power supply.

Investigating into the case after examining the CCTV footages and bank transactions, the city police zeroed in on one Md Gafur of Ghaziabad district in western UP.

"During interrogation, we came to know that the accused had earlier worked as ATM operator and looted several ATMs in different cities of Odisha and UP", said Cantonment police station, Inspector Biswajit Mohanty.

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China, which is believed to be conducting the highest number of executions in the world, said today that it has given death penalty to an "extremely small number" of criminals for serious offences in the last 10 years.

In a work report delivered to National People's Congress today, Chief Justice of China's Supreme Court Zhou Qiang said the capital punishment had been strictly controlled and applied prudently since 2007.

In a major judicial reform in SPC reserved the right to review all death penalty decisions handed out by lower courts.

The report however did not give an exact number of cases where death sentences had been applied.

It said courts had strengthened efforts to protect human rights in judicial practice.

Rights groups like Amnesty International in the past accused China of committing highest number of executions of prisoners whose organs were also made available for the needy.

In 2011, China dropped thedeathpenaltyfor 13 economic- related non-violentcrimesm,including smuggling cultural relics, gold and silver; carrying out fraud related to financial bills; forging or selling forged exclusive value-added tax invoices; teaching criminal methods; and robbing ancient cultural ruins.

Later in 2014 China had removed capital punishment for ninemore crimes, including smuggling weapons, ammunition, nuclear materials or counterfeit currencies, raising funds by means of fraud, forcing people into prostitution, obstructing police and military officials, fabricating rumours during wartime.

Instead of the death penalty, those convicted will face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the new law said.

In 2015, China had banned the harvesting oforgansfrom executedprisonersfororgantransplantsand orderedall hospitals stop usingorgansfromdeath-rowprisoners.

The ban came amid criticism over the high rate of executions to cater to the heavy demand for organs.

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An organisation representing the Sindhi community has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare Sindhi New Year 'Cheti Chand' as a general holiday every year.

This year, Cheti Chand falls on March 29.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Bharatiya Sindhi Samaj (BSS) President Pradeep Bhavnani said the Government should declare Sindhi New Year as a holiday just as other minority communities have been given this facility.

He said the community, whose members are scattered all over the country, have contributed in nation-building.

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Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen today called on his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim to delay a visit planned for later this month because of "tensions" between Ankara and the Netherlands.

"Such a visit could not take place in light of the current attacks by Turkey against the Netherlands. Therefore I proposed to my Turkish colleague to postpone our meeting," Rasmussen said in a statement.

"In normal circumstances, it would be a pleasure to welcome (Yildirim) with whom I had a frank and constructive dialogue on December 10 in Ankara," he added.

Yildirim's visit had been planned for March 20, according to Danish radio station DR.

Rasmussen said Denmark "was following with serious concern the events Turkey, where democratic principles are under great pressure".

A diplomatic row has erupted between Turkey and the Netherlands after the Dutch prevented top Turkish ministers from holding rallies ahead of a referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

Erdogan accused the Netherlands -- which was occupied by the Germans in World War II -- of behaving like the Nazis.

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Uttarakhand Congress today asked the Election Commission of India to address BSP chief Mayawati's allegation that the EVMs have been tampered with in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

The suspicion raised by Mayawati about possible tampering of EVMs questions the credibility of the poll panel which it must address, outgoing Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat and state Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay said during a joint press conference here.

BSP chief Mayawati had yesterday alleged that the EVMs were tampered with in such a way that whichever button was pressed, the vote went to the BJP.

"The Election Commission must address the doubts being cast on its credibility. I hope the Commission will soon do something about it," said Rawat, who has lost in both the seats he contested.

Upadhyay said he will tour the state along with Rawat to boost the morale of Congress workers.

"The party will play the role of a constructive opposition and cooperate with the state government," he said.

BJP scored a massive victory in Uttarakhand winning 56 of the 70 seats in the state to storm to power, reducing the Congress to minuscule minority in the state Assembly with a poor tally of 11 seats.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said a Dutch ban on his foreign minister's visit was like Nazism, as tensions rocketed over rallies abroad to help Ankara gain backing for a key vote.

His comments came yesterday after the Netherlands said it would refuse Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu permission to land for a rally to gather support for a referendum on boosting Erdogan's powers.

The Dutch decision to ban Cavusoglu from visiting and holding a rally in the port city of Rotterdam came after Germany and other European nations also blocked similar campaign events.

Unlike in Germany, where a string of planned rallies were barred by local authorities, in the Netherlands it was the government that stepped in to block Cavusoglu's visit.

"They are the vestiges of the Nazis, they are fascists," Erdogan told an Istanbul rally yesterday, days after he angrily compared moves to block rallies in Germany to "Nazi practices".

"Ban our foreign minister from flying however much you like, but from now on let's see how your flights will land in Turkey," Erdogan said.

Around 1,000 people waving Turkish flags protested outside the consulate in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam yesterday evening, watched by a large police presence.

Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya appeared at the scene after reportedly travelling overland from Germany, but Turkish TV said she was stopped by Dutch police some 30 metres (yards) short of the consulate.

"We've been here for about four hours. We were not even offered water," she told the NTV television channel. "(Dutch) police are not allowing me to enter the consulate. "



"I was told to leave the country and return to Germany as soon as possible," she added. "I will not leave unless I am allowed to meet even for five minutes with our citizens."



The Dutch public broadcaster NOS said police were planning to escort Kaya back to the border with Germany. Police would not confirm anything to AFP.

Cavusoglu flew to France where he is expected to address a rally today in the eastern city of Metz. A French official said the visit had been cleared by the foreign ministry in Paris.

As the row raged, Turkish foreign ministry sources said the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul had both been sealed off for "security reasons".

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Erdogan's criticism was "crazy."



"I understand that they are angry but this is way out of line," he said. "I really think we made the right decision here."



Cavusoglu, speaking in Istanbul, said the ban was "unacceptable".

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A former BJP legislator from Gujarat is set to take over as the new chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), which has been headless for about a year.

The government has cleared the names of Manhar Valjibhai Zala as the chairperson and Manju Diler from Uttar Pradesh and Dilip Kallu Haathived from Maharashtra as members of the NCSK, but the announcement had to be postponed in view of the model code of conduct in place for assembly polls, sources said.

Zala and the two members are likely to take charge on March 16, an official source said.

The Election Commission had barred the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which is the nodal ministry of the body, from announcing the names of the new chairperson and members till the polling process was over in five states.

Zala, a former MLA from Jamnagar, has been associated with the BJP since 1991.

He was the mayor of Jamnagar from 2005 to 2008.

He also served as the Gujarat vice-president of Anu Suchit Jati Morcha from 1999 to 2004 and was the Director of Safai Kamdar Vikas Nigam in Gandhinagar in 2014.

Diler from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and Haathived from Nagpur in Maharashtra are also learnt to have been associated with the ruling party at the Centre, the source said.

For close to a year now, the NCSK does not have even a member after the retirement of the chairperson and other members on March 31, 2016.

The NCSK, established in 1994 to promote and safeguard the interests and rights of safai karamcharis and those engaged in manual scavenging, has a sanctioned strength of four members and a chairperson.

The government had extended the tenure of the Commission for another three years from April 1, 2016.

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China and are in talks for the internet giant's return to the Chinese mainland after it was pulled out seven years ago following a bitter spat with Beijing over censorship rules.

"China has been in touch with through various channels. Last year, leaders of our country's important department had further communication with Google," Liu Binjie, a standing committee member of China's Parliament the National People's Congress and former head of the General Administration of Press and Publication said.

Currently, search engine as well other services, including email services are blocked in China and they can be accessed only with VPNs, (Virtual Private Network).

Google Scholar, a search engine for scholarly literature, was among the services on Beijing's priority list for re-entry, Liu was quoted as saying by Hong Kong-based the South China Morning Post on Sunday.

There was hope that a part of Google's business would return to China first, gradually followed by others, Liu said.

"The academic sector will be the first to get through. China's focus is on (making) academic progress, such as academic exchanges as well as (exchanges in) science and culture, instead of news, information or politics," he said.

Other Google functions under negotiation included "service functions that do not involve (politically) sensitive information," the lawmaker said.

But, no timetable had yet been set for Google's return, he said.

Google pulled its search engine out of mainland China in 2010 and established in Hong Kong after a bitter spat with Beijing over its strict censorship rules.

However, with 721 million web users, China the world's biggest internet market remained an attractive destination for Google but Beijing's rigid firewall web system with stringent controls remained a concern.

In the absence of Google, Chinese language internet search engines like Baidu prospered. Microsoft's Bing too tried to make inroads in China.
Vice-Chancellor of newly formed St Xavier's University Fr Felix Raj has said the government must take a 'bold step' to stop student unrest in colleges.

"I am distressed when I see students studying for 10 per cent of total hours and agitating for the rest 90 per cent. Colleges must produce educational leaders, not political leaders," Fr Felix Raj said.

The government must take a decision to depoliticise the education system as colleges should be considered as "temples of wisdom, not temples of agitation", he told PTI.

College campuses have been rocked by student unrest across West Bengal in recent times.

The government must take a 'bold step' and "I know the CM (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) wants that", the vice-chancellor of the new university which will open its first academic session from this July, said.

The bill for setting up the new university, which is operational from February 8, the date of notification, was unanimously passed by the Assembly on December 15. Governor K N Tripathi gave his consent to the bill on January 16.

On the programmes of the university, Fr Felix Raj said it would have exchange programme with Jesuit universities in the US, Europe, Australia, India and Japan.

Despite being a university, he said, St Xavier's would continue to have its own school and college - both were 157 years old.

So, a student is now able to study from primary level to post-graduate level in St Xavier's, Fr Felix Raj, who is also Principal of St Xavier's College, said.

About the courses of the new St Xavier's University, he said, "We will start in July 2017 with 650 students for two undergraduate and four post-graduate courses."



Besides, the university will start MBA courses in 2018-19 session, he said.

Besides getting land from the government, Fr Felix Raj said the university got help from 11 chapters of St Xavier's Alumni Associations - in the US, Canada, Dubai, Europe, Bangladesh, Singapore, Thailand and others - in raising funds.

"We have already spent Rs 125 crore while the whole project involves Rs 360 crore," he said.

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A lion hit by a train in Savarkudla tehsil of Amreli district on March 3 died at a care centre in Jasadhar village today, a Forest official said.

The three-year-old male big cat was knocked down by a goods train near Badhada village when it was crossing tracks, the official said, adding the train was on its way from Savarkundla to the port town of Pipavav.

The area is located near Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.

"The injured lion lying near the railway tracks in Badhada village was first spotted by a farmer who informed us. We rushed a team and tranquillised the feline and brought it to our animal care centre in Jasadhar village where it succumbed to injuries," said Savarkundla Range Forest Officer RJ More.

He said the carnivore sustained internal and not external injuries due to the impact.

"The lion had not sustained any external injuries but was grievously injured internally. We treated it to the best of our capacity but could not save it," the officer said citing the postmortem report.

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US-based Hindu organisations have demanded an apology from CNN and asked the channel to stop further airing of a show which they allege promotes xenophobia and 'Hinduphobia'.

A series of protests - small and big - were held across the US yesterday and more are scheduled against the airing of six-episode series "Believer with Reza Aslan" by the CNN.

As many as 16 top Hindu organisations in the US have come together the umbrella of American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) to mount a joint campaign against CNN and Reza Aslan.

Prominent among them include, Hindu Mandir Executive Council, representing over 150 temples across North America, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh with chapters in over one hundred cities in the US, Samskrita Bharati an authoritative source for Samskrita (Sanskrit) education across the world and Ekal Vidyalaya, a US sponsor of over 55,000 one teacher schools across India and Nepal.

On Saturday, AHAD co-sponsored a protest by dozens of Hindu organisations in New York, to protest the show that denigrated Hindu dharma and depicted the holy city of Varanasi as a "city of death."



Members of AHAD and VHP America also participated in protests in Atlanta, Houston and Washington. Additional community protests are planned in Chicago and San Francisco.

"We express complete support towards a multitude of Hindu organisations and Indian-American groups that joined hands to protest CNN's dangerous misrepresentation of the Hindu community," said Washington-based coordinator of World Hindu Council of America.

"Aslan has caused serious harm to Hindu community and put the safety of Hindu children in schools across the US in jeopardy...

"CNN has failed to hold itself to higher standards. Despite being alerted about the offencive content, CNN proceeded to air the show without consultation with practicing Hindu experts,"said Ajay Shah, convener of AHAD.

In a statement, AHAD demanded "an on-air apology from CNN and Aslan for offending a billion strong Hindu community. It also asked CNN not to further air the alleged offending episode and a promise to consult practicing Hindu scholars nominated before programmes relating to the Hindus are aired.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Aslan said his documentary is not about Hinduism, but about Aghori, a mystical Hindu sect known for extreme rituals.

Aslan said there are people who are offended by the episode, especially when it comes to its treatment of such issues as caste discrimination, which remains a touchy subject for many Hindus in America.

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A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli school girls during a class trip to his country was released today, after serving 20 years in prison, an official said.

Ahmed Daqamseh had killed the eighth graders in a 1997 shooting rampage at the scenic "Island of Peace" border post where he was stationed. Seven other girls were wounded at the time.

The release could raise tensions between Israel and Jordan. In 2011, Israel summoned Jordan's ambassador to express anger after the kingdom's justice minister at the time called for Daqamseh's release.

Amer Sartawi, a spokesman for Jordan's Public Security Directorate, said Daqamseh was freed early today.

A military court deemed him mentally unstable at the time and sentenced him to life in prison, which in Jordan typically means 25 years. Jordanian lawmakers had lobbied for his early release.

After the shooting, Jordan's King Hussein - the late father of the current king, Abdullah II - rushed to Israel and paid condolence visits to the girls' families, a gesture that touched many Israelis at the time.

The shooting came three years after Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty.

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A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 was released today after serving 20 years in prison, his family said.

"The authorities released Ahmad Dakamseh this Sunday around 1:00 am after he finished his jail term. He is now a free man," his cousin Mohammed Yahya Dakamseh told AFP by phone.

Ahmad Dakamseh was released from the Bab al-Hawa prison in Irbid, 90 kilometres north of the capital Amman.

In March 1997, he fired an automatic weapon at Israeli schoolgirls on a trip to the Jordan-Israel border, killing seven of them and wounding five others and a teacher.

He had been sentenced to life imprisonment, which in Jordan is equivalent to 20 years.

A family member said he was aged 46 at the time of his release, which would have made him 26 when he was sentenced. Previous reports said he was 30 at the time of the attack.

Dakamseh, who hails from Irbid's Bani Kananah area near the Israeli border, was a married father-of-three at the time.

His motives were never entirely clear, but he told the national security court at the time that he fired his weapon at the schoolgirls after they mocked him while he was praying.

Jordan's then ruler King Hussein condemned the attack and later travelled to Israel to offer his condolences to the families of the murdered schoolgirls. Amman also paid compensation.

The attack came less than three years after Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty.

Dakamseh was driven home today in a convoy of dozens of cars whose drivers were honking their horns, a video shared on social media showed.

Dakamseh's brother Bassem said the family home was full of well-wishers.

"He is in good health, wearing a black suit among his relatives and close family including his 78-year-old mother," his brother said.

Videos circulated on social media showed Dakamseh greeting relatives and posing for selfies with visitors.

Dakamseh, who suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes, was hospitalised in 2014 after he went on a five-day hunger strike to demand his release.

His strike followed Jordanian lawmakers demanding his release after Israeli soldiers killed a Jordanian judge in a scuffle at the Allenby Bridge border crossing with the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Jordan in 2011 had to distance itself from a newly appointed minister's remarks that Dakamseh was a "hero" after Israel summoned Jordan's ambassador.

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Krunal Pandya continued his fantastic form guiding Baroda to an easy seven wicket victory against Karnataka with his all-round show in the quarter-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, here today.

The elder of the Pandya brothers, Krunal, first grabbed 3 for 32 in 6 overs to restrict Karnataka to 233 in 45.5 overs and then anchored the chase with a well-compiled 70 off 79 balls taking Baroda home in 45.5 overs.

Krunal had a partnership of 92 runs for the second wicket with opener Kedar Devdhar (78, 98 balls) after adding 64 for the first wicket with Aditya waghmode.

Devdhar's innings had six fours and two sixes while Krunal hit five boundaries and straight lofted six. Deepak Hooda also played his bit hitting 34 off 39 balls.

The match was certainly Krunal's who has now had a fabulous 50-over tournament and is certain to make it to one of the Challenger Trophy teams if Baroda doesn't emerge champions.

Krunal now has 11 wickets and three half-centuries in the tournament so far.

During his knock, Krunal ran beautifully between the wickets pushing the portly Kedar for quick doubles. He found the gaps with ease. Devdhar also packed a punch in his drives as Baroda didn't look like missing injured Hardik Pandya and neither did they require the services of veteran Yusuf Pathan.

During the Karnataka innings, Pawan Deshpande (54) and Ravikumar Samarth (44) were the main scorers. Opener Mayank Agarwal (40) was dismissed after getting set.

Krunal was brought into the attack in the 38th over when Karnataka were only four down and looking good for a big score. But the Mumbai Indians all-rounder did get the important breakthroughs and was instrumental in keeping opposition below 250.

Brief Scores: Karnataka 233 in 48.5 overs (pawan Deshpande 54, Krunal Pandya 3/32 in 6 overs)



Baroda 234/3 (Kedar Devdhar 78, Krunal Pandya 70, Deepak Hooda 34 no). Baroda won by 7 wickets. In semi-finals.

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French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron has called for "a return to civic respect" after the main conservative Republicans party tweeted an "anti-Semitic" caricature of him.

The image showing the centrist Macron, a former economy minister and investment banker, with a hooked nose, wearing a suit and top hat, was tweeted from the Republicans party account on Friday.

Francois Fillon, the Republicans candidate and one of Macron's main rivals in the race for the Elysee Palace, on Saturday condemned the image as "unacceptable".

He said he could not "tolerate the party spreading caricatures that use the codes of anti-Semitic propaganda".

The offending tweet was deleted after several hours, and the Republicans issued an apology.

Macron, whose campaign has gathered momentum as Fillon's has become embroiled in scandal, said the French expected better from their politicians.

"It starts with booing the press in public meetings and ends with people resorting to anti-Semitic imagery to attack their opponents," he told La Croix newspaper.

"All of this contributes to the debasement of public life."



With six weeks to go before the first round of the presidential election, former prime minister Fillon is battling allegations he used public money to pay his wife and children for "fake jobs".

The 39-year-old Macron is riding high, with one poll on Thursday suggesting he would finish ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the first round of voting.

With no candidate likely to win an outright majority in the first round, a run-off between the two top candidates will be held on May 7.

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Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner and education activist Malala Yousafzai may be on her way to study at the prestigious Oxford University if she gets the required AAA grades.

19-year-old Malala, who survived a shot to the head by the Taliban after being airlifted to the UK for life-saving surgery,is likely to take up a place on the popular Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) course at the university.

"I'm studying right now, I'm in year 13 and I have my A Level exams coming and I have received a conditional offer which is three As so I need to get the three As, that is my focus right now," she told head teachers at the Association of School and College Lecturers annual conference in Birmingham yesterday.

"I have applied to study PPE so for the next three years I will be studying that. But other than that I want to stay focused on my Malala Fund work," she said.

The Nobel Peace Prize winnerdid not specify which college she had received the offer from, but has said in the past that she would be applying to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, whose alumni include former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto - one of the politicians she admires.

She was invited to the college, which was the first in Oxford University to admit women,in December 2016 for an interview which she later termed"the hardest interview of my life".

"I just get scared when I think of the interview," she had said.

Yousafzai had also applied tothe London School of Economics (LSE), Durham and Warwick universities.

However, as the entry requirement to study PPE at Oxford is three A's, the other institutions all require an A* and two A's the speculation is that she is likely to end up in Oxford University.

"My goal is to make sure every child, a girl and a boy, they get the opportunity to go to school. It is their basic human right, so I will be working on that and I will never stop until I see the last child going to school," she said at the conference.

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The Congress today cried foul as the BJP was set to form the government in Manipur with the support from three small NDA constituents, a Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator, taking its tally to 32.

"As per the Constitution and norms, the single largest party is always invited to form the government. The Modi government through the Governors, who are acting as its stooges, is subverting the law and democracy," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said here.

"Federalism and the rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by the Modi Government," he alleged.

He also alleged the BJP was misusing the CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct an Independent MLA travelling with an outgoing Congress minister from Imphal to Kolkata.

"The BJP is now misusing CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct Independent MLA (Jiribam seat) Ashab Uddin at Imphal airport," he said, adding that the legislator was travelling with outgoing minister Abdul Nasir.

Congress general secretary C P Joshi, who is in charge of party affairs in Manipur, has been camping in the state.

The BJP today bagged support from three NDA constituents -- the National People's Party (NPP), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Naga People's Front (NPF).

Besides, one Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator extended support to the BJP in evening.

The BJP was the second largest party in Manipur with 21 seats, after the Congress (28 seats), in the 60-member assembly.

The NPP and the NPF has won four seats each, while the LJP has bagged one seat.

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The large Indian-American support base of Prime Minister Narendra Modi held celebrations across the US after BJP's electoral triumph in Uttar Pradesh and attributed the win to the party's development plank.

The historic victory in Uttar Pradesh, wherein the BJP won more than 320 assembly seats, would propel the developmental agenda of the Prime Minister, many of those celebrating the win said.

After BJP's win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, celebrations were held from Silicon Valley in the West Coast to New York and Washington DC in the east.

"Prime Minister Modi is not a typical politician as he does what he promised, I hope this change helps create more entrepreneurs and business development and economic development in Uttarakhand region," said Naveen Bisht, a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur originally from Uttarakhand and former board member of TiE, a network of entrepreneurs.

In Uttarakhand, the BJP bagged 56 out of 70 seats at stake to storm to power.

A large group of community activists assembled in the Silicon Valley yesterday to watch the assembly election results of five states including the most important one of Uttar Pradesh (UP).

Bhrigu Raj Singh, a prince of erstwhile Jhabua and son-in-law of Amethi winner Garima Singh, said the people of Amethi thanked the Prime Minister and the BJP national leadership for giving them a new hope.

Khanderao Kand, a director of Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) and founder president of GITPRO, a global Indian technology professionals association, said, "These elections will unblock a progress of India with a much needed positive change in the near future in the numbers in Rajya Sabha (which is) important for the passage of development related legislative changes."



Congratulating BJP on its "stupendous victory", Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP) leader Adapa Prasad said the win was for development which is the only focus of Modi.

"This is a slap on the face of those who engage in vote bank politics. BJP government will make UP great again," Virginia-based Prasad said.

Raj Bhanot, who is a BJP supporter and a Silicon Valley community leader originally from Punjab, said Punjab rejected AAP which was soliciting support from extremist.

"With this unprecedented win of the BJP in UP, it has proved that the poor people may not have money, but they have brains much sharper than even the elite people," said Chandru Bhambhra, the OFBJP coordinator of Northern California.

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Greeting jubilant party workers and supporters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today walked to the BJP headquarters in Lutyens' Delhi, a day after its historic win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand elections.

This was the first public appearance of the Prime Minister after poll results in five states came out yesterday.

As PM's motorcade arrived at the roundabout on Ashoka Road near Le Meridien Hotel, he was greeted by supporters who had gathered on either side of the road.

A few metres away from the roundabout, he got off his car and walked towards the BJP headquarters to attend the party's Parliamentary Board meeting.

Surrounded by security personnel, Modi waved at his supporters during his 'victory walk' amid shower of petals and chants of 'Modi, Modi'.

In view of Prime Minister's roadshow, a multi-layer security cover was put in place on Ashoka Road with hundreds of personnel of Delhi Police, CISF and BSF as well as NSG commandos deployed.

BJP workers danced to the drum beats outside the party headquarters, where Modi was felicitated, waved party flags and shouted slogans of 'Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi'.

BJP supporters threw 'gulal' (Holi colours) at each other



to celebrate party's victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. They also came with colourful balloons.

Police put up barricades on both sides of Ashoka Road in order to make a clear passage for the Prime Minister's arrival at the BJP headquarters.

Outside the party office, a large LCD screen was installed for the people who had gathered to hear the Prime Minister.
Jammu and Kashmir Minister Priya Sethi today said the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed by the Parliament would ensure better health and wellbeing of mother and child.

The increase in maternity leaves is a welcome provision that will protect the employment of women, the J-K Minister of State for Education, Culture and Tourism said.

"Once the President gives his assent to the Bill, all working women in every establishment, public or private, will be entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave. This will pave the way for healthy and secure motherhood, and wellbeing of the child," she said.

Woman who adopt a child of below three months age will also be given 12 weeks leave from the day the child is handed over to her, the BJP leader said.

Hailing it as an "historic" step by the Centre, Sethi said the decision to make creches mandatory in etablishments with 50 or more employees will help mothers take good care of their children while they are at work.

Describing the passage of the Bill as a "landmark" moment in BJP's efforts towards women-led development, Sethi said "the children of working mothers, who used to get neglected, will now get better care".

"With this, India will take a big leap in ensuring maternity benefits to working women," she said.

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A museum commemorating the visit of Swami Vivekananda to this temple town on his return from Chicago World Parliament of Religions would be built at the Railway station here, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

Vivekananda gave the message "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is achieved" after returning to India from Chicago in 1897, he said in commemoration of it the Railways would construct the museum, he said.

Prabhu was speaking after dedicating a host of passenger amenities here and also at Thanjavur and Madurai railway stations through videoconferencing facility.

Vivekananda had come by ship from the U.S to Colombo in Sri Lanka and then reached Pamban near Rameswaram. Enroute to Chennai (then Madras), he had visited Kumbakonam.

The passenger amenities inaugurated by Prabhu included Emergency Medical centre here for ensuring speedy assistance for passengers during exigencies, waiting halls in Thanjavur, and two lifts for the passengers at Madurai Junction.

On the occasion, Prabhu paid rich tributes to late chief minister Jayalalithaa, saying she was a great leader and her passing away was a great loss not only to Tamil Nadu but to the entire nation.

Stating that he was the first Railways Minister to visit the Kumbkonam station, Prabhu said he had decided not to confine himself to Delhi only.

"Delhi is not the entire India and Chennai is not entire Tamil Nadu. We have to go to people to understand the problems. In our country there are 7-8 lakhs villages and we aim to go and meet as many people as possible," he said.

Noting that lifts and escalators earlier available only at airports were being provided in railway stations now, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi always insisted on doing things for the benefit of people.

Prabhu said he was looking forward to working with the people of Tamil Nadu and would try to address their problems though there were limitations for Railways in meeting demands.

"The road traffic is growing and the low cost air traffic is growing. With all limitations, we are trying to solve problems and we have started on the path of solving them," he said.

Observing that he was the only minister depending on the Finance Ministry for funds, Prabhu said he was taking efforts to mobilise funds from external sources.

In the 2017-18 budget, allocation to Tamil Nadu for railway projects had been more than doubled to Rs 2,300 crore, he said adding last year Rs 33 crore was earmarked for passenger amenities.

Earlier, State Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu, local MLAs and MPs presented a memorandum to the Railway Minister on various pending demands.

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Union Minister Nirmala Seetharaman today visited fishermen who are on an agitation here over the killing of their colleague, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, and urged them to give up their stir.

She also requested the mother of the deceased fisherman Bridgo and his colleagues to receive his body, now kept in the mortuary here, and make arrangements for the funeral.

The minister told the fishermen that their grievances over such attacks would be conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "who will find a permanent solution to the issue".

The fishermen told the minister that they would not give up the stir as they wanted a permanent solution to the problem of such frequent attacks.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the fishermen, she said the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo had taken up the matter with Sri Lanka within two hours of Bridgo being killed.

She said the island nation had not kept its promise during the tripartite talks that Indian fishermen crossing the International Maritime boundary line would not be harmed, and only arrested.

The minister said the killing of the fisherman would be raised by the Indian High Commission Secretary at the March 16 tripartite talks.

She said investigation was on into the killing after which suitable steps will be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

Seetharaman said the Centre would take steps to see that those who opened fire on the fisherman were brought to justice.

Discussions were also on with Sri Lanka to release the 136 boats seized by the island nation, she said.

The minister said the BJP government had taken various steps since coming to power in 2011 to address issues of the fishermen.

Five fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan prisons since November 6, 2011 had been saved from the gallows.

Since 2014 till December 2016, a total of 1,753 fishermen detained by Sri Lanka had been released.

The government had also introduced various welfare schemes for the fishermen, she said.

Referring to the fishermen's charge that government was discriminating against fishermen from Tamil Nadu while it had promptly arrested Italian marines for the killing of two Kerala fishermen, she said both were different incidents and should not be compared.

Union Minister Pon Radhakrishan was also present during the meeting.

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None of the Indian pilgrims have attended the annual festival at a famous church in Sri Lanka's Katchatheevu island amid tensions between both the countries following the killing of an Indian fisherman allegedly by the Lankan navy.

The two-day event which began yesterday was significant for the navy as it had completed building of the new St Anthony's church.

Sri Lanka's Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne said that no Indian devotees were present.

"This is due to the killing of an Indian fishermen recently where they charged the navy of firing. The navy was not responsible for firing," Wijegunaratne said.

He said the navy only arrest poaching fishing boats in Sri Lankan waters and never fire at them.

"They can't open fire without approval from the Navy Commander and I did not give firing orders," Wijegunaratne said.

He said the navy had launched an investigation.

"We have asked India to provide us with Global Positioning System (GPS) location data of the boat in question. This will help us to investigate," Wijegunaratne said.

He also said following a request from the Bishop of Jaffna last year, the navy began constructing the new church at the site which has now been completed.

Nearly 7,000 Sri Lankan devotees were present.

Sri Lanka and India on Wednesday agreed to release fishermen held in each other's custody after a high-level discussion here in a bid to defuse the tension following the killing of the 22-year-old Indian fisherman.

The fisherman from Tamil Nadu was killed and another injured on March 6 allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy.

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Pakistan will deploy 200,000 troops to assist in the country-wide Census set to begin from Wednesday.

Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor and Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb addressed a joint conference about preparation for the sixth Census, which will be conducted in two phases and will be completed on May 25.

"The census would be conducted with the assistance of over 200,000 troops," Ghafoor said.

He said at least one soldier will accompany each civilian enumerator going from house to house to enlist the number of households and individuals living there.

The soldiers will not only provide security but help in verification of data collected by the enumerators.

Aurangzeb said that administrative and security arrangements have been made for the population and housing census.

"The number of the civilian staff taking part in the census is 118,918. They are all government servants from various departments and thoroughly trained for the job," Aurangzeb said.

She said that the first phase will start from March 15 and conclude on April 15. After a ten-day gap the second phase will start from April 25 and conclude on May 25.

She said that Rs 18.5 billion rupees have been allocated for the census.

The Minister of State said the holding of the census will help appropriate allocation of funds and other resources at right places.

Aurangzeb said that there will be imprisonment of six months and Rs 50,000 fine if wrong information is given.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says US President Donald Trump has assured him of his commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

Abbas today spoke about what he described as a constructive phone call with Trump two days earlier. The official Palestinian agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying that Trump "asserted his full commitment to the peace process."



Abbas says he told Trump he opposes extremism and will cooperate with the US to reach a peace deal based on the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel.

The phone call helped allay concerns the Palestinians were being ignored by Trump, who has embraced Israel's leader and at one point suggested the two-state solution was optional.

Abbas says he is to meet Trump at the White House in "the near future.

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Palestinian security forces used tear gas and batons to disperse a protest today at a court involved in the case of five Palestinians, including one recently killed by Israeli forces, activists and lawyers said.

The crowd dispersed included journalists and activists while the protest in the Palestinian political capital Ramallah had been peaceful, a group of human rights organisations said in a statement.

Police said protesters had "blocked the road in front of the court" and that "they refused to comply when security forces ordered them to clear the way".

"Forces then deployed in accordance with the law," they said.

Bassel al-Aaraj, 31, was killed on March 5 by Israeli soldiers in Ramallah.

According to the Israeli army, he opened fire at soldiers who came to arrest him at his home and was shot dead.

Palestinian cities such as Ramallah in the occupied West Bank are meant to be under Palestinian security control, though Israeli forces regularly carry out raids there.

Aaraj was involved in both protests against Israel's occupation of the West Bank as well as the Palestinian leadership.

He was wanted by the Israelis, but had also been detained for several months by the Palestinian Authority with four others for illegal possession of arms and endangering the lives of others.

Israel accused him of being the head of a cell planning attacks against Israel.

Israel and the Palestinian Authority coordinate on security matters, drawing criticism from many Palestinians.

The killing of Aaraj provoked an outpouring of support among Palestinians, including with graffiti in Ramallah and on social media.

The four other suspects were not present in court because they have since been arrested by Israel. Aaraj's name was withdrawn from the list of suspects on Sunday, his lawyer said.

"What we suffered today is an attack on our rights," his father Mahmud al-Aaraj told reporters after the protest was dispersed.

Mohannad Karajeh, a lawyer defending the accused Palestinians, said he planned to file a complaint on behalf of 12 protesters caught up in the dispersal.

The Palestinian journalists' union denounced "shameful aggression".

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With decks being cleared for Manohar Parrikar's return to Goa as Chief Minister, a new Defence Minister is likely to be appointed to replace the BJP strongman whose tenure saw clearance of a raft of arms deals besides simplification of the acquisition process.

Parrikar's tenure as Defence Minister was marked by fast-paced decision-making as the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared a range of projects and military purchases. He had also pushed for a number of stalled acquisition projects.

The deals finalized during Parrikar's tenure included purchase of 21 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers from American aviation giant Boeing and the US government.

Last year, the DAC headed by Parrikar had approved the much delayed purchase of 145 Ultra Light Howitzers worth about Rs 5,000 crore from the US and also bulk production of 18 Dhanush artillery guns, the first acquisition of such a weapon system by the army in three decades since the Bofors scandal.

In March last year, Parrikar had come out with a new defence procurement policy with an aim to ensure transparency in defence deals, fast-track acquisition process and indigenization of defence procurement.

In September last year, India had inked a Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons and equipped with latest missiles.

It was under Parrikar, known for taking a hard line on the issue of countering cross-border terrorism, that the army had launched the surgical strike in PoK in September last year in retaliation for the attack on a defence establishment in Uri.

Parrikar had assumed charge of Defence Ministry in November 2014 from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

In Panaji, Union minister Nitin Gadkari today said Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister before taking oath as the new Chief Minister of Goa.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold the Defence portfolio till a replacement for Parrikar is found.

Earlier in the day, the Goa BJP passed a resolution requesting the central leadership to make Parrikar the Chief Minister. BJP's prospective allies had also made Parrikar's return a pre-condition for their support.

Parrikar, an IIT (Bombay) alumni, had said some time ago he had still not "settled" in the national capital as he can never be a "Delhi politician", indicating his fondness for Goa.

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The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said today.

Government and rebel negotiators will resume talks early next month and discuss the terms of a broader cease-fire, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said.

Norway, which has been brokering the negotiations, hosted two days of informal talks in the Netherlands that led to a decision to resume the negotiations on ending one of Asia's longest-running rebellions.

Just three days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to unleash an all-out war against the New People's Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another in an ambush in southern Davao del Sur province.

"I'm ready for all-out war, another 50 years," Duterte said Thursday at the policemen's wake. "I can assure you that the armed forces and the Philippine National Police would respond. This time I'm using everything ... Rockets and bombs."



Duterte did not mention the talks' resumption in his speech at the annual graduation of cadets at the Philippine Military Academy Sunday in northern Baguio city, where he instead condoled with the families of government troops who died in combat.

He promised better and more weapons for soldiers and thanked "those who risked their lives and limbs to defend this country's sovereignty as well as those who continue to offer their sweat and blood to fortify the pillars of a great nation that we are presently trying to build."



The military welcomed of the breakthrough but said it would await formal notice from government negotiators and Duterte's instructions. "Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state," the military said in a statement.

The Maoist guerrillas said they would remain vigilant because of continuing military and police counterinsurgency operations but added they were optimistic with the talks' resumption.

"Instead of putting the lives of millions of people in harm's way, such as Duterte's all-out-war declaration, better yet we try to settle our differences on the negotiating table," said the rebels' Melito Glor command, which has a presence in the mountainous provinces south of Manila.

Founded in 1968, the rural-based guerrilla group has unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with five Philippine presidents before Duterte. Battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting have weakened the rebel group, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and remains a major Philippine security threat.

The rebels and the government declared separate cease-fires last year as they resumed peace talks. That allowed the government to withdraw troops from battlefields to focus on an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim extremist groups in the country's south.

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A police officer was killed and another wounded in a night-time ambush on a checkpoint in southern Tunisia, the interior ministry said today.

Two suspected jihadists were killed and another seriously wounded in the incident near Kebili, 480 kilometres south of Tunis, in what the ministry described as a "terrorist attack".

The ambush by motorcycle-mounted gunmen occurred early today on a police checkpoint, it said, adding that a fourth attacker fled the scene.

"Homemade explosives" were found on the motorbikes, the ministry added.

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced an increase in jihadist attacks that have cost the lives of dozens of members of the security forces and also 59 foreign tourists.

The country has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when a suicide bombing in Tunis claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group killed 12 presidential guards.

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About 450 workers of CPI and CPIM were arrested today for attempting to stage a 'rail roko' in the city and nearby Tirupur protesting Kerala's plans to build dams across Bhavani river.

The protesters sought the intervention of the Central and state governments to prevent Kerala from going ahead with its move, police said.

The dams would prevent water flow to three districts of Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode in Tamil Nadu, affecting irrigation in three lakh hectares, the protesters claimed.

Nearly 240 workers were arrested here while around 200 in Tirupur, police said.

Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 activists, belonging to DMK, Congress, TMC, farmers' associations and NGOs, were arrested at K G Chavadi when they staged a demonstration blocking Tamil Nadu-Kerala border on the same issue, police said.

They raised slogans against Kerala government for 'illegally' constructing check dams to prevent the flow of Bhavani water to Tamil Nadu, police said.

CPI Secretary M Mutharasan, who led the rail roko protest, said the Left Parties were ready to meet Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, heading the CPI-M-led LDF government, again and prevail upon him to stop the construction so that the cordial relationship between the two states.

They also demanded that the Centre immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board and release adequate compensation to farmers, who were suffering from acute water shortage due to drought.

Mutharasan told reporters that the Left parties had already met Vijayan on the issue and if necessary would again meet him.

He also wanted the state government to pay solatium to the families of nearly 300 farmers who either committed suicide or died due to heart attacks unable to bear crop loss.

Besides, the agricultural labourers, who were 'deprived' of works under Rural Employement Guarantee Scheme, also should be paid Rs.25,000 as compensation, he said.

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Europe's most powerful leader, Angela Merkel, meets for the first time next week America's flamboyant President Donald Trump whose arrival in the White House has sent shockwaves across the Atlantic.

While former US president Barack Obama had labelled Merkel his "closest international partner", there has been little known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office.

Trump's criticism of Germany over issues ranging from its record trade surplus to Merkel's liberal refugee stance, as well as his backing for Britain to leave the European Union, have not gone unnoticed in Berlin.

A month after US Vice President Mike Pence delivered a message to Europe underscoring the importance of transatlantic ties, Tuesday's meeting will be scrutinised for clues on whether Trump fully endorses that message.

The reserved German leader herself underlined that she is travelling to Washington not only as Germany's leader, but also as an envoy of the EU.

"I will of course point out that for us, our country and our membership in the European Union are two sides of the same coin," Merkel said in Brussels ahead of the visit.

The Washington meeting would also allow for "an exchange of bilateral and international topics, and transatlantic ties, as we have always stressed, are very important," added Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer.

As in other similar tours, Merkel will be accompanied by an army of business leaders, but this time the delegation faces an uncertain reception as Trump preaches an "America First" policy.

Siemens boss Joe Kaeser and BMW's Harald Krueger will be part of the group, according to weekly Der Spiegel, and both will likely be trumpeting the thousands of jobs linked to their investments in the US.

Krueger will also be keen to persuade Trump, who has singled out BMW for hefty tariffs if it built a factory in Mexico, to reconsider the threat.

But "if the government is serious about its new tax, the chancellery has already prepared a series of retaliatory measures," said Der Spiegel.

Juergen Hardt, the German government's US coordinator, said Merkel will sound a clear warning against protectionism, and press Washington to keep working towards a free trade deal with the EU.

The meeting will also be closely watched for the dynamics between the two leaders who appear to stand far apart on content and style.

While Merkel is a firm believer in the European Union and globalisation, Trump cheers Britain's departure from the EU and scrapped the TPP free trade deal in his first days in office.

The two also differ on immigration policies -- she slammed his ban on citizens from mainly-Muslim countries, while he criticised as "catastrophic" her liberal refugee stance that led more than a million asylum-seekers into Germany.

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A Russian government spokesman expressed impatience today that bilateral relations with the United States have not improved more quickly since US President Donald Trump took office.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said his country's government is eager for improved US-Russian relations, calling it "unpardonable not to be in dialogue," as Moscow presses the new US leader to make good on vows to improve ties.

"We certainly would expect our contacts to be more frequent, more in-depth, in order to sit and then talk to each other... Because we had quite a significant pause in our bilateral relations," Peskov said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN's "GPS" program.

"For countries like Russia and the United States, it's unpardonable not to be in dialogue, especially against this amount of regional and global problems that we have."



Earlier this year, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to develop relations "as equals" and establish "real coordination" to fight the Islamic State group in Syria, the Kremlin had said.

Peskov echoed that sentiment in the CNN interview, but urged the US to do more to kickstart the dialogue.

Trump is "not hiding the fact that he disagrees in lots of things with Russia, but he's quite pragmatic enough to say that we have to talk," Peskov said.

"We have to compare our positions in order to find some common ground," he said.

"At the same time, he says that we have to come together and start our dialogue. And, unfortunately, we don't have a better understanding on when this dialogue can begin."



Peskov also voiced concern over the assessment by America's intelligence establishment that Russia interfered in the US election last year in support of Trump.

Several congressional committees, as well as US intelligence agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, continue to investigate how and to what degree Moscow may have helped Trump score his completely unexpected victory over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Peskov, however, decried the "hysteria" of the US political debate, and said it is hampering efforts to establish warmer relations.

"We consider it a real danger for the future of our bilateral relationship and we sincerely want to see this hysteria coming to its logic end," the Kremlin spokesman said.

Trump's national security advisor Michael Flynn was forced to step down when it was revealed that he misled colleagues about his meetings with the Russian ambassador.

More recently, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from election-related investigations when it emerged that he too had met the Russian ambassador on two occasions, despite having told lawmakers at his Senate confirmation hearing otherwise.

Speaking on a different CNN program Sunday, Republican Senator John McCain, a top Trump critic, called for greater "scrutiny" in dealing with Russia.

"There's a lot of aspects with this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, and so far I don't think the American people have gotten all the answers," McCain said.

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Saudi Arabia's King Salman arrived in Tokyo today, making the first visit to Japan by a monarch from the oil-rich nation in nearly five decades.

The 81-year-old king, who was greeted by Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito at Haneda airport, will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tomorrow and as he kicks off the Japanese leg of a broader tour of Asia.

Salman, who will visit 83-year-old Emperor Akihito on Tuesday, is travelling with a lavish entourage estimated at over 1,000 people.

Some 1,200 rooms at Tokyo's luxury hotels have been booked by the delegation for the three-night stay through Wednesday, according to local media, which has also reported that hundreds of limousines have been brought into the capital to accomodate the visitors.

Saudi Arabia is the largest provider of oil exports for Japan, which relies on Middle East for energy to power the world's third largest economy.

Japan hopes to use the visit to widen its relations with Saudi Arabia and help the country's efforts to diversify its economy, including exploring ways to increase Japanese investments in non-energy sectors such as manufacturing, according to officials.

King Salman's arrival marks the first visit to Japan by a Saudi leader since the 1971 visit to Japan by then-King Faisal.

King Salman himself, however, last visited Japan in 2014 as a crown prince.

The king is on a month-long tour of Asia, which has already taken him to Malaysia and Indonesia.

After Japan, he is scheduled to visit China and the Maldives.

Maldivian opposition parties yesterday raised objections to the planned visit and warned that they would stage protests over reports that Saudi business interests were buying an entire atoll in the politically-troubled Indian Ocean republic.

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Six persons were killed and several injured after the bus they were travelling in overturned at Gopalpur chowk here, police said.

The driver of the bus lost control of the vehicle after which the bus overturned. Six occupants died on the spot while about two dozen passengers sustained injuries, Bochha police station in-charge Dhananjay Sharma said.

The bus was headed to Madhubani district from Delhi.

"The condition of some of the passengers are serious," Sharma said.

"The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and the injured were admitted to a nearby hospital," the officer said.

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Auto components maker Sona Group plans to invest Rs 300-400 crore over the next four years to expand business in the country.

The Gurugram-based firm plans to expand its forging and electric axle businesses, besides developing new products. It also aims to increase quantum of supplies to the US market.

"We are looking to invest in the range of Rs 300-400 crore over the next four years and most of it will happen in India," Sona Group CEO Sunjay J Kapur told PTI.

Bulk of the investment will go towards expanding the forging business, the electric axle business and drivelines segment, he added.

Elaborating on the group's future plans, Kapur said: "Currently we are 19-20 per cent of the global forging business. Our aim is to take it to 30 per cent, going ahead."



The company aims to introduce new products, he added.

"We not only want to do gears but would also like to see what else can be manufactured in the drivline segment. We would develop the electric axle business," Kapur said.

As electric vehicles gain currency, the group is looking to encash the trend by expanding its electric axle business.

"We are already supplying axles to some electric car manufacturers in the the US as well as to Porsche electric of Germany, so we are well on our way to cash in on that trend," Kapur said.

He added that the group also wants to grow its business in the US.

"We export around 30 per cent of what we produce in India to the US market. We would like to increase it further going ahead," Kapur said.

Founded in 1987, the group today has around 16 plants across India, Germany and the US. It supplies a range of products like steering and driveline components for passenger cars, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and specialty vehicles.

The USD 800 million group currently gets majority of its revenues from German operations.

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Sandwich restaurant chain Subway is planning to open around 100 outlets over the next 12 months in India targeting new states to expand its footprint.

Subway, which operates 600 outlets in over 70 cities in the country, is looking at both metro and non-metro locations under its plans.

"We plan to open around 100 outlets over the next 12 months," Subway Systems India Pvt Ltd Country Head Ranjit Talwar told PTI.

Stating that the aim is to accelerate expansion in both metro and non-metro locations, he said: "Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are among the new markets being focused on for footprint expansion."



Besides, the brand is looking at strengthening presence in states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, he added.

Major cities where Subway is planning to open new restaurants include Raipur, Gwalior, Ajmer, Jabalpur and Nagpur, among others, Talwar added.

Asked about investments, he said: "Given that the brand's business is 100 per cent franchise-based, it may not be feasible to state the likely investments."



Subway operates under a franchise-based model and there are no company-owned outlets. It has recently opened its 600th outlet in India at Bharuch in Gujarat.

The brand is also ramping up its delivery network by partnering with prominent food aggregators while working towards introducing mobile ordering for the Indian market soon, the company said.

Globally, Subway is present in 112 countries with over 44,000 franchised locations.

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The support extended by different Muslim organisations and clerics to the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party on the eve of assembly polls did not pay off for the party, which could pocket only 19 seats, one of its worst ever performance.

The BSP, which had fielded nearly 100 Muslim candidates, managed to win only four out of the 77 assembly seats dominated by the minority community voters.

Some of the Muslim clerics who had urged the Muslim voters to vote for the BSP were Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Ahmed Bukhari, Shia cleric and senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, besides the Rashtriya Ulama Council, an organisation which has some influence in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.

These Muslim-dominated seats are situated in districts of Rampur, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Amroha, Bareilly, Azamgarh, Mau, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Aligarh.

Rampur, where Muslims constitute nearly 50 per cent of the electorate, saw not even a single MLA of the BSP getting elected.

Similar situation prevailed in Saharanpur and Moradabad. The BSP also failed to make its presence felt in the Deoband assembly constituency in Saharanpur. The Muslim seminary Darul Uloom Deoband is located in Deoband.

In Amroha, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur, the party performed miserably. The party also could not fare well in Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Aligarh.

The only consolation for the party came from Azamgarh, where it won in Sagri, Mubarakpur, Lalganj and Didarganj assembly constituencies.

In Mau district, barring the Mau assembly seat which was won by mafia-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari, the party could not win other seats in the district. Even, Mukhtar's son and brother could not win.

Asked about the reasons for the BSP's defeat, President of Rashtriya Ulama Council (RUC) Aamir Rashadi told PTI, "The arrogance (ahankaar) of BSP chief Mayawati and her efforts to sideline Muslim clerics and BJP's success in effectively dividing the Muslim votes in the state led to significant losses for the BSP."



Pledging its support to the BSP last month, the Council had withdrawn 84 candidates fielded by it in the polls.

He said, "The need of the hour both in the interest of the state and that of the country, is that we (RUC and BSP) should work in close coordination with each other, so as to curtail the movement of the fascist forces and at the same time help the state to get relief from the prevailing goondaraj (rule of the goons) and parivarwaad (family feud)."



"Earlier in the past, there had been efforts to bring all the political parties working for the upliftment of Muslims under one umbrella, but it failed. This led to scattering of the Muslim votes," Rashadi had said.

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The toll from twin bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims in the centre of Damascus has risen to 74 dead, a monitor said today.

Among the victims of yesterday's blasts were 43 Iraqi pilgrims who had come to the Syrian capital to visit Shiite shrines in Damascus's famed Old City, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based monitor said that 11 bystanders and eight children were among those killed, as well as 20 members of pro-government security forces.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Bab al-Saghir area of the Old City before a suicide bomber blew himself up.

Syrian state television yesterday gave a toll of 40 killed and 120 wounded by "two bombs detonated by terrorists".

Iraq's foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals had died.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shiite shrines are a frequent target for Sunni extremists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS), not only in Syria but also in neighbouring Iraq.

The Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum to the south of Damascus, Syria's most visited Shiite pilgrimage site, has been hit by several deadly bombings during the war.

Twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of the capital in January killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

That attack was claimed by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front.

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India-born top US prosecutor Preet Bharara, known for his crusade against corruption, has been "fired" by the Trump administration after he refused to resign.

Bharara and 45 other US prosecutors appointed by former President Barack Obama had been asked by the Trump administration to resign immediately.

"I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life," Bharara tweeted, making a reference to his jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York (SDNY).

Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusade against corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general a day earlier to immediately submit his resignation.

In a statement later in the day, Bharara said, "Serving my country as US Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live."



"One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served. I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice," said Bharara, who in 2013 was at the centre of the controversy related to the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.

"They (SDNY officials) will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H Kim, the current Deputy US Attorney, who will serve as Acting US Attorney," he said.

The New York Times reported that Bharara was contacted by President Donald Trump's office a day before he along with 45 other attorneys were asked to resign.

President Trump's assistant had called Bharara's office on Thursday asking the United States attorney in Manhattan to "please call back".

Bharara, however, did not immediately return the call.

He firstcalledattorney general Jeff Sessions's chief of staff Jody Hunt to alert the Justice Department to the call from the president's office and expressed concern about contacts between the President and federal prosecutors, the report said.

Bharara then called Trump's assistant to say he could not speak with the President, citing protocolsgoverning a president's direct contact with federal prosecutors.

The following day, Bharara was among the 46 attorneys asked to resign and immediately clean out their offices.

Sources close to Bharara said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a showdown with President Trump.

The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bharara's office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on under his administration.

Bharara had met Trump at the Trump Towers in Manhattan



shortly after the Republican won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said that he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and he had agreed to do so.

Charles Schumer, Senate Minority leader, condemned the move, hailing Bharara as "an exemplary US attorney".

"His relentless drive to root out public corruption, lock up terrorists, take on Wall Street, and stand up for what is right should serve as a model for all US attorneys across the country. He will be sorely missed," Schumer said.

Schumer was quoted by as saying that he was "troubled" to learn of the Trump administration's request for Bharara's and other US attorneys' resignations.

"While it's true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for US attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesn't put ongoing investigations at risk," the New York Democrat said.

"They ask for letters of resignation, but the attorneys are allowed to stay on the job until their successor is confirmed," Schumer said.

Senator Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cast aspersions over the independence of the Justice Department.

"The abrupt, Friday night firing of all remaining US Attorneys -- including Preet Bharara, a well respected, tough prosecutor who the President promised could stay -- is another reminder that the independence of the Justice Department is at risk under this administration," he said.

Leahy noted that the President and Attorney General demanded resignations immediately, not even allowing them to remain until successors are nominated and confirmed.

"The Senate will now have to carefully evaluate the President's selected replacements," Leahy said.

"They will have a high bar to prove they have the necessary courage and fidelity to the law, like Sally Yates, to say 'no' to a President who will need to hear it regularly," he said.

Bharara's firing from office also attracted criticism from the South Asian Bar Association (SABA).

The New York Times report said, "It was unclear whether the president's call on Thursday was an effort to explain his change of heart about keeping Bharara or to discuss another matter." the report said.

Two White House officials were quoted as saying that the promise to keep Bharara on was a product of a chaotic transition process and Trump's desire at the time to try to work with Senator Schumer with whom Bharara is close.

However, the relationship between Trump and Schumer, the Senate minority leader, has since soured, the report said.

Bharara has made a national and international mark for himself with many high-profile cases and investigations including foreign countries, insider trading and those involving US politicians. It was under his prosecution that India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was convicted for insider trading in 2012.

Bharara has served 7 years as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a jurisdiction that includes the Trump Tower.
A Delhi court has awarded life imprisonment to two men for murdering a 19-year-old boy here five years ago.

Additional Sessions Judge V K Bansal sentenced Delhi resident Manoj and Uttar Pradesh resident Nand Lal for murdering Mukesh with a sword and iron rod after a quarrel in 2012.

"The facts of the case show that due to their act one person had lost his life. They are sentenced to life imprisonment with fine of Rs 2000 each," the judge said.

The court also said the statements of the witnesses were reliable.

"Witnesses are trustworthy and reliable...I am of the opinion that prosecution has fully discharged its onus and proved the guilt of accused persons beyond doubt and hence both accused are held guilty under IPC," the judge said.

According to the prosecution, Mukesh was found bleeding and lying unconscious near Wazirpur industrial area in north Delhi on April 2, 2012.

Police took him to hospital where he was declared brought dead.

In the subsequent probe, cops found that on the night of the incident, Mukesh and his friend were sleeping on a rickshaw when the accused persons came and assaulted him with an iron rod and a sword.

Prosecution witnesses told the court that a day before the incident, Manoj had quarrelled with Mukesh and the accused had been threatening the victim.

The police found the iron rod and the sword used for committing the offence.

During the trial, the accused had pleaded not guilty and claimed that they were falsely implicated.

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Imams in the UK will be encouraged to preach in English as part of plans to crack down on hate preaching in the country.

Britain's counter-extremism taskforce is working on the plans amid concern that preaching in foreign languages enforces divisions between Islam and mainstream British society and can foster radicalisation, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

"If imams are speaking in another language it makes it far harder to know if radicalisation is taking place," a government source told the newspaper.

The plans form part of the UK government's Prevent anti-extremism initiative, which will also be given a big increase in spending and staff.

The number of people working on the programme will double by 2020 as part of a revamped anti-terrorism and extremism strategy, known as Contest, to be announced by next week.

Meanwhile, The Sunday Times reports the expansion of Prevent will go alongside a tougher approach to returnees from Islamic State (ISIS), with measures to exclude British citizens permanently from the UK.

More than 30 dual nationals have been stripped of their British citizenship but the new drive could mean that many who hold only British passports are made stateless.

Ministers can cancel the citizenship of single-nationality Britons, if they were previously citizens of another country, and "temporarily exclude" British-born citizens from returning to the UK.

However, these powers have been used "rarely, if at all", according to a recent report by the then reviewer of counter-terrorist legislation, David Anderson.

About 850 Britons are thought to have travelled to ISIS territory.

The UK Home Office said the strategy would be published "shortly" but refused to comment on what it called "speculation".

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National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan visits border guards of the Tay Trang International Border Gate on March 12th (Photo: VNA)



She recognised the border guards dedication to safeguarding the national sovereignty along the 24.5km Vietnam-Laos border and 10 border markers under their management.

They have done a good job of people-to-people and defence diplomacy in the area which is contiguous with Muang May district of Phongsali province and Muang Ngoy district of Luang Prabang province of Laos.

She noted improvements in Na U commune, where the border guard post is located and once faced complex security issues, especially drug crimes. The post has worked closely with local authorities to disseminate the Partys guidelines and policies and the States laws and assist local residents in socio-economic development.

Applauding the border guards success in cracking down on drug crimes and smuggling, the NA leader asked the border guards to push ahead with crime combat, along with poverty reduction and the Party and political system reinforcement.

Lt Col. Phuong Cong Quy  commander of the border guard post of Tay Trang border gate  said the local social order and safety and border security have been ensured, adding that they have enhanced activities to help improve local living standards such as giving advice about crop and livestock farming and sponsoring disadvantaged students.

At a working session with the Peoples Committee of Noong Het commune, NA Chairwoman Ngan recognised achievements by Noong Het, which is one of the first communes of Dien Bien to fulfill all 19 criteria of a new-style rural area.

With fertile soil and good climate conditions, Noong Het should keep the cultivation area of its rice specialty while working harder to become an organic agricultural hub. It also needs to conserve local cultural identities and plant more Ban (Bauhinia variegate) trees, which are deemed a symbol of the northwestern region, so as to attract tourists, she said.

Also on March 12th, the top legislator paid homage to heroic martyrs at the Dien Bien martyrs cemetery near Hill A1  a relic of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu which defeated France and ended its colonial rule in Indochina in 1954.

She also visited the resettlement areas of Doi Cao and Noong Bua to learn about locals aspirations./.
Vertical integration of public sector will enhance the financial power of Indian firms to get acquisitions overseas and discussions on the issue will begin soon, a top official of a Navratna firm has said.

"It will increase the financial power of a company to get acquisitions overseas. I think this is one of the main reasons," Utpal Bora, Chairman and Managing Director of Oil India. "I understand that discussions in this regard would be held soon," said Bora, who was here last week to attend the annual CERAWeek 2017 in Houston, the gathering of whos who of the global oil and gas sector.

Bora refrained from giving any further details on the nature, scope and timeline of such a merger.

"The only thing I know so for that it was announced in the Budget. This is a good idea which would help India's oil and energy sector, but details are yet to be chalked out," he said in response to a question.

Noting that the "pros and cons" of such a move are yet to be discussed, Bora said the business model and culture of all the public-sector oil in India are different.

"So I think, it will have to be a very well thought out process," he said, adding that a lot of things need to be taken into consideration to ensure seamless merger of Indian oil .

"It's a good idea," he said, adding that in the 21st century financial power of companies is very important. "If two or three companies merge, we will have more financial powers to acquire overseas," Bora said emphasising that this is very important for energy security.

In recent years, Oil India Limited (OIL) has invested in acquiring properties overseas including the one in the US, Myanmar, Russia, Mozambique, Gabon and Nigeria.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the investment of $1.2 billion in Mozambique has not yielded expected results so far, he said. In the US, OIL has 20 per cent stake in Houston-based Carrizo Oil.

OIL contributes around eight per cent of the country's production and 10 per cent of gas. Bora said it is important to sustain the production, if not increase. "Recently we succeeded in arresting the decline in oil production," he said, adding that OIL is planning to develop its property in Rajasthan to add to the country's oil and gas production.
At a time when returns from software stocks have been low, Infosys should look at buyback every two years to stimulate its earnings per share growth, say analysts.
Stealing a march on the Congress, the BJP led by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today staked claim to form the next government in Goa under his leadership, with the support of the NCP, smaller outfits and Independents.



Parrikar will be the Chief Minister of the coalition government.



He called upon Governor Mridula Sinha in evening with the letters of support from three members each of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomkantak Party (MGP), two Independents and lone NCP MLA, taking the tally of the coalition to 22.



With this, the BJP which has won 13 seats has cobbled up the requisite number needed to reach the magic figure in the 40-member House which had thrown up a hung verdict, though the Congress has emerged the single largest party with 17 seats.



Union minister and the BJP's election in-charge for Goa, Nitin Gadkari said, "Parrikar will resign as the Defence Minister before taking oath as Chief Minister of Goa."



GFP leader Vijai Sardesai told media persons they are extending support to the BJP to provide stable government in the coastal state.



"We are supporting BJP to have stability in the government. We don't want development of the state to hinder due to instability," he said.



The MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar said his party has supported the BJP on the condition that only Parrikar heads the state government.



"We have given the letter of support to the BJP only because of Parrikar. Without him, we would not have supported the BJP to form the next government," he said.



State party unit chief Vinay Tendulkar said, "The BJP Central leadership has agreed on Parrikar to head the BJP legislature wing following which the decision to stake claim to form government was taken.
Manohar Parrikar has left a mark after two-and-a-half years with the defence ministry. His absence would be felt as he has been made the Goa chief minister, for many reasons, including his decision taking ability and rapport with the three armed forces.
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A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) scored a massive victory in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav asserted that the saffron party has made many promises and it is time to see if they will fulfill them or not.
The Rajbhars, an OBC community from Eastern Uttar Pradesh, have fought three general elections and six state elections since 2004, but were yet to win a seat. This time, in alliance with the BJP, their party Suheldev Bahujan Samaj Party(SBSP) has won four out of the eight seats it contested. The party had put up a candidate against BSP heavyweight Mukhtar Ansari in Mau. The partys candidate lost to Ansari by around 8,700 votes.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shakes hands with participants in the inventment promtoion conference (Photo: VNA)

He made the comment at the regions fourth investment promotion conference in Buon Ma Thuot city of Dak Lak province on March 11th.

The biggest-ever investment promotion event in the region brought together nearly 1,000, including economists, Vietnamese and foreign entrepreneurs, along with representatives of international organisations and diplomatic agencies.

The Government leader considered the Central Highlands, consisting of Dak Lak, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces, as a springboard to the development of the central region as well as the southeast and southwest of Vietnam.

The region is home to nearly 2 million hectares of basalt, or 60 percent of this soils total area in Vietnam, which is favourable for coffee and pepper farming. Although the country is a leading coffee and pepper exporter in the world, most of the exported products are unprocessed with low added value, PM Phuc analysed, suggesting investors focusing on these trees to rake in higher benefits.

Regarding tourism potential, he said the Central Highlands boasts imposing natural landscapes, many beautiful sites and a nice climate which are suitable for tourism and also cannot be found in other regions.

He underlined the Government and the regions determination to turn the Central Highlands epics into world intangible cultural heritage, asking the region to conserve local cultural identities, especially the gong culture.

At the conference, PM Phuc asked the Central Highlands provinces to form large-scale organic agricultural areas. He recommended them promote industrial development by modernising agriculture, boosting processing activities, and expanding the value chain of products from industrial trees.

The Central Highlands also needs to enhance regional connectivity to expand the market for its products and foster tourism, he added.

He reiterated the Governments resolve in protecting forests, which is regarded as the core of security in the region as well as the entire country.

We should be aware that protecting forests is meant to protect the living environment, water resources, livelihoods of people and heritage space of our ancestors. All activities to destroy forests and exploit forest products illegally are crimes, he said.

The leader praised investors in the region for creating a new momentum for local development, asking them to do as they say when investing here.

At the event, head of the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands To Lam, who is also Minister of Public Security, pledged to support and closely cooperate with investors.

Aside from the Governments incentives, the provinces also have their own support policies such as in site clearance, infrastructure building, and making environmental impact assessment reports. They will streamline administrative procedures and ensure transparency to help investors save time and unofficial expenses, he added.

At the conference, some projects received credit agreements worth over VND29 trillion (USD1.27 billion) from banks. Investment certificates and agreements were handed over to projects with a combined capital of VND80 trillion (USD3.5 billion)./.
The description tectonic shift was first used for election results this morning by Union Cabinet minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. It has since gathered currency among pundits and partisans. Narendra Modi has swept Uttar Pradesh as no one had since the post-Emergency Janata wave. The Congress looks at single figures, maybe even less than five in a state where its vice-president campaigned as UP ka ladka. BJP has, similarly, swept Uttarakhand and become a real force in Manipur, where it was non-existent. Surely, this is a tectonic shift.

I would contest it, but simply on the basis that "tectonic" change is too mild for a power shift that resets not just the political geography of India, but also its sociology, psychology and ideological pathologies.

The big pointers first. Narendra Modi has now risen as India's most popular mass leader since Indira Gandhi in her heyday and he has earned it all from his own effort rather than build on a legacy. Second, he has acquired control of the ruling party as no Indian leader did, not even Rajiv Gandhi, since Indira Gandhi. It follows that it redefines BJP for the first time as a party with a supremo, a prime vote-catcher and a personality cult of its own. With him, his brilliant, all-conquering electoral field marshal Amit Shah has also risen as the most powerful chief of a national party since K. Kamaraj in the 1960s.

Modi is the first leader from outside the heartland to acquire such national stature, the first, let's qualify, after independence. At the risk of being misconstrued, let me add that the last non-heartland leader to acquire such pan-Indian stature was only the Mahatma. No comparisons here, except that he too came from Gujarat. Modi has now acquired an aura that dazzles beyond partisan politics. Even those who disagree with him, and vote against him, say they do not suspect his personal integrity and good intention -- the reason they've been forgiving on demonetisation after suffering severely from it.

Modi's most loyal supporters also acknowledge that on the economy, reform, social messaging, his record halfway past his first term as prime minister has been patchy. "Wait for his second term," they say, "learn from his history in Gujarat." His first term as chief minister was contentious, overly political and divisive. In the second, he focused on the economy and infrastructure and built the springboard for national power later. It was also in his second term that he totally defanged the RSS, filed sedition cases against the troublesome VHP leaders and demolished scores of illegally-built temples in his encroachment clearing drive.

It would be reasonable to believe that this sweeping victory has brought that second term forward as 2019 seems more a certainty now. The defeat of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab and destruction in Goa should also detox his mind of any insecurities in Gujarat later this year. His party and the RSS are totally beholden to him. He has that greatest weapon, a brahmastra if you so prefer, that a mass leader has: the ability to bring votes. Or, to put it more simply, the ability to get lamp-posts elected.

The question now is, how will he use this power. Will he get off the electoral juggernaut now and focus on economic change as he did in Gujarat 2007 onwards? Will he invest his phenomenal persuasive skills along with his credibility to sell more challenging ideas of change: economic and governance reform, reducing the size of the government, make durable peace with the neighbours and make future secure for our future generations. He now has that kind of opportunity.

Other lessons from this result are simpler. To Congress, it is that times when its first family could get it votes, ended a long time back although the fluke success in 2004 deluded it into believing these were back. Second, that Rahul isn't a mass leader. He can keep the party together, but unless he learns to run it like a holding company with truly empowered CEOs, there is no future.

He must acknowledge then that Amarinder (who he doesn't particularly like) swept Punjab while he got swept out of Uttar Pradesh. In Manipur, a strong local leadership has pretty much held its own. In Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat lost badly, but remember he is a truly popular local leader who was sidelined until 2016 while power was given to serial defectors, the Bahuguna offspring. Rahul Gandhi has to seriously reflect on his former Assam loyalist Himanta Biswa Sarma's words, that he only relates to those with "blue blood", or entitled political legatees. This election, like several before this, tells you that there is nothing the young Indian detests more than a sense of entitlement. This is, as I have said before, a non-ideological, I-don't-owe-you-nothing young India. Don't try impressing them with your ancestors' track record. Talk about yours.

For the caste-based Uttar Pradesh parties, it's time to reboot, or go into sanyas. For three decades in the heartland, BJP has worked on a strategy to re-stitch with faith (Hindutva) what caste divided. If only Hindus could vote together than be divided as upper/lower/middle castes, BJP would be unbeatable. L K Advani succeeded once with the Mandir movement. But that was short-lived. Modi and Amit Shah have now done this by deftly weaving it in a new, majoritarian Indian nationalism. This has more oomph and longer legs than a mere temple. Akhilesh Yadav's future lies in reinventing himself as a pan-caste young leader (he's younger than Kejriwal and Rahul). Mayawati is looking down the barrel.

In fact, it is the Muslim voter now who'd contemplate the future. The Modi-Shah strategy has isolated the Muslim vote and proved its irrelevance. The "secular" parties have to rewrite their politics entirely if we are not to see the rise of Muslim radical parties, many mini Leagues and further ghettoisation.

And finally: Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party have made a strong statement in Punjab. If it feels like failure, it is because it believed its own hype of sweeping Punjab and Goa. But to finish second in an unfamiliar state ahead of the strongest traditional coalition is an achievement. What's been pricked, is its "me-all-conquering" hubris. It has to focus on the task at hand, not run ahead of the ball, consolidate its still formidable hold over Delhi. It's a cruel but accurate way to put it, so I shall go ahead: AAP's national ambitions deflated, it has to humbly return to municipal concerns, particularly with Delhi corporation elections coming up.
Generation of jobs, bringing the unorganised sector into the formal one, agriculture reforms and banks bad loans will be the focus of the government after the victory in the recent assembly polls, GOPAL KRISHNA AGARWAL, the Bharatiya Janata Partys spokesperson on economic affairs, tells Archis Mohan. Edited excerpts:
With a little over two years to go before the next Lok Sabha election, some pieces on the national political chessboard have started moving, thinking up the scenarios that could evolve from the prospective realignments emanating from the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh.
The distance between Le Meridien hotel and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters on 11, Ashok Road, in the heart of Lutyens Delhi is hardly 600 metres. On a normal day, you can cover the distance by foot in not more than five to seven minutes.
Koh Chang which is located in the Gulf of Siam off the eastern seaboard will benefit from a 5 year tourism master plan.

Government sponsored aid through DASTA (Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration) will fund the initiative.

According to reports THB340 million has been allocated for the program.

Both Koh Chang and the surrounding islands will be targeting green and sustainable initiatives


th. (Photo: VNA)

The mountainous district comprises 11 communes and towns and has 11 ethnic groups.

The parliament leader highlighted Nam Nhuns wide forestry and unused land area of 49,726ha (or 36 percent of the total natural area), which is favourable for livestock farming.

Despite a number of difficulties, the district has done a good job of ensuring social welfares as evidenced by an annual 5.5-percent decrease in the household poverty rate, she said.

Home to the Lai Chau hydropower plant  one of the largest of its kind in Vietnam, Nam Nhun should step up forest protection and development so as to ensure water security, she told local officials.

She assured that the Party and the State pay special attention to displacement and resettlement, applauding the districts efforts to resettle 829 households with 3,316 people for the construction of the Lai Chau hydropower plant.

Chairwoman Ngan asked local authorities to continue ensuring living conditions for 738 households with 3,023 people who were displaced by the building of the Son La hydropower plant.

She also told them to pay heed to the reinforcement of the political system, particularly in training officials of ethnic minority groups.

Also on March 11th, the top legislator visited workers at the Lai Chau hydropower plant./.
(Xinhua) 09:22, March 12, 2017

China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Sunday reported a sharp rise in the number of cases it concluded in 2016, while promising to play a bigger role this year in helping maintain stability and promote growth.

The SPC handled and concluded 22,742 and 20,151 cases respectively last year, up 42.3 percent and 42.6 percent from 2015, the court said in a work report to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the annual session of the country's top legislature.

Its lower courts at different levels, meanwhile, handled and concluded 23.03 million and 19.77 million cases in 2016, also up 18 percent and 18.3 percent respectively, it said.

In particular, the number of business-related cases concluded by courts at all levels amounted to over 4 million, up 20.3 percent year on year, whereas that of civil cases rose 8.2 percent to some 6.7 million. There were also some 133,000 environment-related cases, it said.

The courts concluded nearly 1.12 million criminal cases -- including 226,000 involving murder, robbery, kidnapping and burglary and 118,000 related to drugs -- but the number of people convicted for criminal offences dropped 1 percent to 1.22 million, the report noted.

About 63,000 people -- including 35 former officials at provincial- and ministerial-level and above -- were implicated in 45,000 graft cases, it continued, with some 2,800 convicted of bribery.

A separate report by the Supreme People's Procuratorate, also available to media shortly before the Sunday morning meeting, said more than 1.4 million were prosecuted last year over criminal charges.
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 ...
(Xinhua) 09:24, March 12, 2017

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday China's courts only handed out death sentences to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely severe offenses in the past ten years.

In a work report to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress, the SPC said the capital punishment had been strictly controlled and applied prudently since 2007, when the SPC reserved the right to review all death penalty decisions handed out by lower courts.

The report did not give an exact number of cases where death sentences had been applied.

It said courts had strengthened efforts to protect human rights in judicial practices.
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(Xinhua) 09:25, March 12, 2017

China has extended its maritime jurisdiction to cover all seas under its jurisdiction in an effort to resolutely safeguard the country's maritime rights and interests, said a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Sunday.

This was achieved by the issuance of a regulation on judicial interpretation, said the report, to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang to the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress, noting that the regulation contributed to China's strategy of becoming a major maritime power.

According to the regulation in effect since last August, jurisdictional seas not only include inland waters and territorial seas, but also cover regions including contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, continental shelves, and other sea areas under China's jurisdiction.

Chinese citizens or foreigners will be pursued for criminal liability if they engage in illegal hunting or fishing, or killing endangered wildlife in China's jurisdictional seas.

Zhou's report also said China's courts tried and concluded 6,899 cases involving foreign businesses, and more than 16,000 maritime cases in 2016.

The SPC stepped up guidance to maritime courts to improve their capacity and promoted international maritime law studies, in a bid to turn China into an international maritime judicial center.

In 2017, China's courts will step up trials of foreign-related business and maritime cases to serve the Belt and Road Initiative and the strategy of building China into a major maritime power, said the report.
Lexus has confirmed at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show that it will bring its futuristic UX crossover concept to the production line.



Unveiled at last years Paris Auto Show, the UX has a bold design and as we long expected, will see the light of day, but it isnt yet known just how much it will differ from the original concept.

While speaking with Motoring in Geneva, Lexus International executive vice president Yoshihiro Sawa said that the model will play an important role in the Japanese companys push to find younger buyers.

Except IS and small car CT, Lexus owners are aged, when it comes to high-end and high loyalty. The loyal users always changing the car but at the same time the average age is going up. But from this year we tried to seek the buyer average that is younger. We try to capture these new younger buyers, so that we change our design ways.

We are doing [UX]. Please expect UX, its not so far away, he said.

PHOTO GALLERY
An 18-year-old carjacker has been arrested in Cleveland, Ohio, all thanks to not being able to drive stick.



Damari Wayne has been charged with three counts of aggravated robbery and is being held in a city jail on $100,000 bond as he faces court. He has been charged with stealing three cars at gunpoint between February 11 and February 21.

On February 21st, Wayne and a 17-year-old accomplice stole a womans car from a parking lot at approximately 9:30 pm. The pair sped off in the vehicle and an hour later, attempted to steal another car. However, things didnt go so well.

After threatening to kill the 23-year-old car owner, Waynes younger accomplice jumped into the drivers seat, but didnt know how to drive a manual. The 23-year-old then had a gun pointed to his head as he attempted to show the thieves how to drive the car, reports Cleveland.

Eventually, Wayne and the 17-year-old gave up and ran off with the mans cellphone. Police were then able to track the stolen phone until the duo were arrested at a train station on the citys RTA Red Line.

As it turns out, driving a stick shift really can be the ultimate theft deterrent. Get one while you still can.

PHOTO GALLERY
(Xinhua) 09:37, March 12, 2017

The diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey rose on Saturday night after a convoy of Turkey's Minister of Family and Social Policies Betul Sayan Kaya was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam.

Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a "yes" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey.

Earlier on Saturday, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan.

Kaya entered the country at the German-Dutch border in a convoy by car and drove straight to the consulate in Rotterdam. Near the consulate, her car was stopped by the police.

"The Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam," the Turkish Minister stated through twitter.

The support of Turkish-Dutch citizens, holding Turkish flags, near the consulate grew to hundreds of people during the evening.

Around 10 p.m. local time, the Dutch military police started to clear some streets, without major incidents occurring so far, although Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported a rising tension.

The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming.
The Chevrolet Corvette will shift from a front-engined layout to a mid-engined setup when it arrives in the next couple of years, but could it be joined by another mid-engine player starting with 9 and ending with a 1?



Well, according to Andreas Preuninger, the model line director of Porsches GT division, theres a possibility that the 911 could become mid-engined in the future.

Preuninger expressed his optimism about such a model at the Geneva Motor Show while speaking with Car&Driver. Although he confirmed that a mid-engine 911 for the road isnt in the making at the moment, even getting a comment from him about such a vehicle has our cogs working to dream up such a vehicle.

Late last year, Porsches new 911 RSR racer was revealed with a mid-engined layout and initially, hopes of such a setup being replicated in the street car were dashed. However, Preuninger said that creating such a car is very much possible if motorsport regulations continue to favor mid-engined cars.

Even if a 911 with an engine directly behind the driver isnt produced for the road, the next-generation model is already promising to be rather astonishing.

PHOTO GALLERY
Photo: Contributed

What you need to know about the 5 most common types of dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a progressive, neuro-degenerative disease causing deterioration in mental ability and function, accompanied by changes in behaviours and personality.

While dementia mainly affects older people, there is growing evidence that that at least eight to 10 per cent of cases develop in people ages 40-65 years: frontotemporal dementia, early onset Alzheimers disease.



More than 46 million people live with dementia worldwide:

Asia  22.9 million

Europe  10.5 million

The Americas  9.4 million

Africa  four million

By 2030, this number is estimated to increase to 74.7 million and to 131.5 million by 2050. Around the world, one person is diagnosed with dementia every three seconds (World Health Organization, 2016).

The human brain is an enormously complex structure made up of grey matter and white matter, which is found throughout the brain: frontal lobes, temporal lobes, parietal lobes, occipital lobes and cerebellum. Within these lobes are three important areas: hippocampus, limbic system and mid brain.

Grey matter is composed of nerve cells (neurons) that communicate with each other by a chemical transmitters (dopamine) situated on the surface of the other neurons involved in regulating memory, mood, sleep, appetite, behaviour.

The supporting grey matter (glial cells) supplies nutrients to the neurones and repairs damage. This is very important because, neurons cannot reduplicate themselves and need to be maintained throughout a persons entire life span.



White matter consists of fibres that connect neurones in different parts of the brain to one another allowing rapid communication. These fibres enable neurons to influence the activity of thousands of other neurons in the brain.

Frontal lobes influence speech, personality traits, decision making, judgement, behaviours.

Temporal lobes regulate memory and mood, the understanding of language and meaning

Parietal lobes are involved in motor tasks (cooking, dressing), tactile and visuospatial perception of self and the outside world e.g. location

Occipital lobes are at the back of the brain and process visual stimuli

Cerebellum is set underneath the main part of brain: controls motor function, language, executive function and working memory

Hippocampus: learning of new information

Limbic System: memory, behaviour, emotions

Mid-brain: sleep, appetite, sexual function

Damage to any of these areas will result in the person with dementia developing symptoms specific to that area e.g. limbic system  person may start misplacing items, become suspicious.;

parietal lobe - person may become lost in own home.

The 5 most common dementias are:

Alzheimers disease

vascular dementia

Lewy body dementia

Frontotemporal dementia

Wernicke-Korsakoffs syndrome

Alzheimers disease:

Caused by destruction of neurons due to amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

Damage to limbic system and hippocampus occurs first, then other areas of brain

Progressive deterioration in ability to do activities of daily living: dressing, bathing

Memory problems, communication difficulties, behavioural and mood disorders

Other possible symptoms: insomnia, incontinence, weight loss

Vascular dementia:

Usually caused by bleeding/blockages in the blood vessels in the brain e.g. stroke

Or by multiple, very small strokes

Can occur with other types of dementia e.g. Alzheimers disease

Early sign is loss of executive function: plan, organize, respond

Problems such as decreased mobility, balance problems, depression, urine incontinence are more common

Periods of relative stability then a sudden decline, then stability

Potential risk factors include high BP, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking, diabetes

Lewy body dementia:

Often mistaken for other dementias, e.g. Parkinsons dementia

Presence of Lewy bodies: tiny spherical protein deposits that develop inside nerve cells in the areas of thinking, memory and movement

Fluctuating cognitive impairment: periods of increased confusion & windows of lucidity

Hallucinations or delusions occur frequently and can be quite detailed

Spatial disorientation e.g. falls, fainting

Tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement

Highly sensitive to neuroleptic drugs: Risperidone

Frontotemporal dementia:

Most common form of younger onset dementia

Affects frontal lobe in brain which controls behaviour and impulse control

Mood changes, inflexibility, impulsivity,

Hyperorality: excessive smoking or drinking, food fads, putting objects in mouth

Changes in behaviour: disinhibition, lack of judgment, loss of social awareness, loss of insight

Memory changes occur later

Wernicke-Korsakoffs Syndrome:

Caused by excessive and prolonged alcohol intake

Severe vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency causes build up of toxins and bleeding into parts of the brain - Wernickes Encephalopathy

Symptoms (in the absence of intoxication) include: severe confusion, ataxia (walk with feet spread wide apart) and abnormal movement of the eyes

Wernickes is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment

If treated early, most people will recover, however some will develop Korsakoffs Syndrome

Symptoms of Korsakoffs include: retrograde amnesia, confabulation (elaborate made up stories), difficulty learning new information, lack of insight and general disinterest in things

With prolonged abstinence from alcohol, there may be a partial recovery in symptoms

Other dementias include:

Parkinsons Disease with dementia

mixed dementia

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Neuro-Syphilis dementia

Progressive Non-Fluent Aphasia.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Contributed

Police in Newfoundland and Labrador are urging drivers to stay off the roads while emergency crews work to contain the damage caused by "extreme" winds.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary issued a statement Saturday advising motorists to avoid "all non-emergency travel" until the blustery weather subsides.

They say the "extreme wind" has caused blowing debris, property damage, blocked roads and downed power lines.

Newfoundland Power reported multiple outages Saturday afternoon affecting thousands of people in the St. John's area, near Whitbourne and the Burin Peninsula.

The utility tweeted that it's hard to say when power will be restored while "high winds continue to wreak havoc."

Environment Canada has issued wind and blizzard alerts throughout Newfoundland and parts of Labrador.

Meteorologists say winds gusting up to 160 km/hr could result in overturned cars, toppled trees and "near zero" visibility in blowing snow.
Photo: Contributed Kaleden and Skaha Estates Sewer Expansion Project.

The province announced new funding Saturday for 26 communities across B.C., including Peachland and the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.

In total, the new funding from the provincial and federal small communities fund will provide over $87 million for infrastructure projects that support economic growth, a clean environment and stronger communities, according to the provincial government.

Peachland will receive just under $7 million that will go towards a new Peachland Creek Water Treatment Plant.

Not only will the residents get to share in the direct benefits of the new water filtration plant, but the construction, maintenance, and operations of the treatment centre will create numerous employment opportunities for the community, said Dan Ashton, Penticton MLA, in a statement.

In the South Okanagan the Regional District of Okangan-Similkameen will receive $6.6 million to fund the first phase of the Skaha Estates and Kaleden Sewering project.

"The Skaha Estates and Kaleden Sewering Project is an important project for the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and this funding will help them move forward, said Linda Larson, MLA for the Boundary-Similkameen region.
Photo: The Canadian Press

When the sun finally broke through a blizzard that lasted three days in a northern Manitoba town, a local leader said it looked like the moon.

Churchill declared a state of local emergency on Friday after about 60 centimetres had fallen since earlier in the week, driven by wind gusts of up to 120 km/h.

Deputy mayor Charles Hutchins says there were nine metre drifts in some streets.

The once-a-week train that normally delivers supplies couldn't make it when the line was shut down, but Hutchins says the Northern store has arranged to fly goods in on Sunday.

The town has called it an "unprecedented weather event" and that the emergency declaration will allow it to acquire extra resources to deal with the cleanup.

Hutchins says it's the worst combination of snow and wind he's seen in his 50 years in Churchill.

"All that wind-driven snow is like cement," Hutchins said Saturday. He said the landscape had a lunar appearance to it.

The blizzard that hit many of the areas of the province also left six people stranded on a highway northwest of Thompson for three days. Members of the group managed to get help by breaking into an MTS cellphone tower and using a phone.

During the blizzard, Churchill advised its residents to remain indoors for their own safety. It said access to many of its buildings was limited due to snow that was blocking entrances.

VIA Rail cancelled its Friday train from The Pas to Churchill, and the train from Churchill to Winnipeg on Saturday was also cancelled.

"When the wind died down and the sun poked out, the store was very busy. It was like a mall in the city at Christmas," Hutchins said, adding that the power never failed and Internet still worked.

"My kids were happy because they were shut in with Netflix," he said.
Photo: The Canadian Press

aA 26-year-old high school teacher who was a virtual political unknown defeated a former provincial cabinet minister Wednesday to win the Liberal nomination for a federal byelection in a Montreal riding.

Emmanuella Lambropoulos and her team couldn't hold back their surprise at beating the woman considered to be the Liberal party favourite, Yolande James.

"I'm really shocked," Lambropoulos told reporters after her win in Saint-Laurent. "I didn't give up. Door to door. As soon as I knew I wanted this I worked really hard."

The Liberals said 1,353 party members voted, with Lambropoulos capturing just more than 600 votes to defeat Marwah Rizqy.

The winner's supporters credited the fact she lives in the Saint-Laurent borough and wasn't parachuted in by the Liberal party as the main reason she came away with the victory.

"We came from the bottom up," said John Babaroutsis, 22, who helped Lambropoulos secure her win. "We were the grassroots. Not from the top up like Mrs. James."

James, a former immigration minister in Jean Charest's Quebec cabinet between 2007 and 2010, had recently left her position as a political commentator for Radio-Canada to seek the nomination.

Former foreign affairs minister Stephane Dion held the riding since 1996 and it has been Liberal for decades.

The riding is considered safe for the party and Lambropoulos is likely to become its MP after the April 3byelection.

James, who was considered the heavy favourite, skipped out of a reception hall after learning she came in last out of three candidates.

Lambropoulos' win is not without controversy as the man considered to be one of the strongest candidates, if not the strongest, was not allowed to run for the nomination.

Alan DeSousa, the well-known mayor of Saint-Laurent for the past 15 years, was not told why he was rejected as a candidate.

Many Liberal party members who voted Wednesday told The Canadian Press they were disappointed DeSousa wasn't on the ballot and said they would have voted for him.

"Many people were upset," Babaroutsis said about DeSousa not being allowed to run and the party seemingly favouring James. "I think people being upset had an effect on the outcome but the most important thing is that she was able to mobilize the grassroots."

Lambropoulos was the only of the three candidates to live in the riding.

Her father, Athanasios, said her campaign started out with just him and her.

"Our goal was to hit the road and get memberships," he said. "We weren't seen by the press; we were invisible."

Her mom, Matina, said "Our headquarters was grandma's living room."

The NDP has selected Mathieu Auclair to carry its banner in the Saint-Laurent riding, while the Tories have picked Jimmy Yu, who came in second place in the 2015 election behind Dion with 20 per cent of the vote.

The Bloc Quebecois has chosen Wiliam Fayad.

Four other byelections  two in Ontario and two in Alberta  will also be held the same day. Both Ontario seats are also considered safe for the Liberals, while the Conservatives are expected to retain the two ridings in Alberta.

The Liberals currently have 180 seats in the 338-seat Commons. The Conservatives hold 97, the NDP has 44, there are 10 Bloc Quebecois members, one Green party member and one Independent.

Dion quit politics recently and was later named ambassador to the European Union and Germany.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, also known as Carlos the Jackal, is due to go on trial Monday for a deadly attack in a Paris' shopping mall decades ago, the oldest terrorist incident blamed on the former public enemy of France and probably the last one to come to court.

The Venezuelan-born Ramirez Sanchez, one of the most notorious political terrorists of the 1970s and '80s, is serving a life sentence in France for a series of murders and attacks he perpetrated or organized in the country on behalf of the Palestinian cause or communist revolution.

He first was convicted by a French court 20 years ago, and again in 2011 and 2013. If convicted on first-degree murder charges in the latest trial, he could get a third life sentence.

Ramirez Sanchez, 67, is scheduled to appear in a Paris court for allegedly throwing a hand grenade from a mezzanine restaurant onto a shopping arcade in the French capital's Latin Quarter in September 1974. Two people were killed and dozens injured.

At the time of the attack, Ramirez Sanchez had not yet been dubbed "Carlos the Jackal" or become one of the world's most wanted fugitives. He was 24 years old and already had joined the organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

When police arrived, they found a devastated mall with all the windows shattered, multiple bloodstains and a hole in the marble slab of the ground floor where the grenade fell. The two men who died were hit by metal chips that perforated vital organs and caused large internal bleeding, according to court documents.

Carlos has pleaded innocent and denied involvement in the case. His long-time lawyer and fiance, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, claims that none of the witnesses from the trendy Drugstore Publicis restaurant had described a man resembling her client, and that the whole case was trumped-up.

Yet an Arab language news magazine in France, Al Watan Al Arabi, published a long interview with a man it identified as Ramirez Sanchez five years after the attack. He allegedly claimed he had personally thrown the grenade into the restaurant, described the full details of the operation and explained why it was carried out. Carlos later disputed he had given the interview.

In the 1979 article, the man said to be Carlos said he attacked the Drugstore Publicis to pressure for the release of a Japanese activist arrested in France two months earlier. The attack, he said, came as a backup operation for a hostage-taking that was then ongoing at the French Embassy in the Netherlands.

It was in the name of the Palestinian cause that he subsequently became the military chief of the PFLP in Europe, claiming the "operational and political responsibility" for all the operations of the group on the continent and also for "all the wounded and all the dead," according to court documents.

"I am a hero of the Palestinian resistance, and I am the only survivor of (the group's) professional executives in Europe because I used to shoot first," he told investigators.

Carlos was arrested in Sudan by the French intelligence services in 1994, 20 years after the first attack blamed on him in France.

The case took so long to go to trial because it was first dismissed for lack of evidence before being reopened when Carlos was arrested and imprisoned in France. His lawyers introduced challenges at every stage of the proceedings.

The case will be heard by a special court made up of professional judges and with no jurors, as is the custom with terrorism trials in France.

During one interrogation, Carlos allegedly told investigators that "in 1974 it was obviously an attack. A grenade was thrown." He added: "I don't think the person who did this wanted to hurt the poor people who were present."
UPDATE: 4:14 p.m.

The NDP has finally chosen a candidate to run in the May 9 provincial election against Liberal MLA Eric Foster.

Barry Dorval, an English teacher at W.L. Seaton Secondary School, was nominated at a meeting on Sunday.

Dorval defeated Harwinder Sandhu, a nurse at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, to take the nomination.

My main concerns continue to be finding really decent employment, dealing with homelessness, education, Dorval said the meeting. A lot of provincial issues impact what is happening locally as well.

A former president of the Vernon Teachers Association, Dorval also questioned Foster's priorities when dealing with local issues.

My concern has been his ability to listen to what's happening here and reflect that back to Victoria rather than acting the other way where he's coming and representing Victoria to Vernon.

Sandhu also took a swipe at Foster, who has won the provincial seat in two elections.

He has failed on so many levels, Sandhu said, a proponent of better health care and affordability for people in the Valley. He has not done the job he should be doing.

Sandhu questioned the timing of the recently announced MRI machine  expected to be in place at Vernon Jubilee Hospital by 2018  saying it was made just in time for the election.

An official at the meeting said it looked like about 80 people were present, though it's not clear exactly how many voted, nor by how much Dorval won.

The other official candidate in the riding is the Green Partys Keli Westgate.

with files from Dustin Godfrey

ORIGINAL: 7:50 a.m.

The New Democrats are about to enter the provincial election race in the Vernon Monashee riding.

The local NDP constituency association is holding a nominating convention Sunday at the Vernon Elks Lodge on 30th Street in the downtown. Registration opens at 1 p.m. and voting begins at 2:45 p.m.

Two people are vying for the spot including: Harwinder Sandhu, a nurse, and Barry Dorval, teacher.

Sandhu is described by the NDP as a strong advocate for healthcare, seniors' care, public education and affordable childcare.

Born and raised in India, Sandhu immigrated to Canada in 2001 and has lived in Vernon with her husband and two daughters since 2012.

Dorval is described by the NDP as a dedicated English teacher at W.L. Seaton Secondary School in Vernon and an advocate for social justice and the environment.

The former president of the Vernon Teachers Association has lived in Vernon with his wife since 1999.

Already in the race are sitting Liberal MLA Eric Foster and Green Party candidate Keli Westgate.

As well, Don Jefcoat of the Libertarian Party of B.C. has said he will run, but it is not yet known if enough elector signatures have been collected.
Photo: Judy Anstey-Boone

Residents in Newfoundland and Labrador are taking stock today of the damage caused by Saturday's fearsome windstorm.

Utility crews worked through the night to restore power to the tens of thousands of customers who were left without electricity.

Newfoundland Power says 20,000 customers were still without power this morning, down from 70,000 on Saturday night.

The utility says it hopes to get most residents back on the grid by this evening, but isolated outages could last into Monday.

St. John's City Hall opened its doors today for residents without power to warm up and charge their devices.

Environment Canada says the worst of the hurricane-force gusts, which broke wind speed records in some areas, has passed.

Meteorologist Tabea Fiechter says between 140-km/hr and 160-km/hr winds blew through much of province Saturday, gusting up to 180 km/hr on the Avalon peninsula.

She says eastern Labrador could see snow squalls and up to 100-km/hr winds as the storm dies down Sunday.

Police asked motorists to stay off the roads Saturday to make it easier for utility and emergency crews to do their work.

Reports from eyewitnesses and on social media have indicated various amounts of damage to homes, buildings and vehicles.

Premier Dwight Ball has advised communities to check with insurance companies to fully understand policies and coverage in dealing with storm damage.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drove his dispute with European nations to the hilt Sunday, boldly claiming that "Nazism is alive in the West" after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands over the weekend.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage from his unusual actions, Erdogan made it clear during an address broadcast live that Turkey would not be easily appeased.

He said Ankara would retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands in an unprecedented midnight standoff outside the country's Rotterdam consulate between a high-level government official and police in full gear.

Earlier in the day, the Netherlands had already denied Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

"I said 'I thought Nazism was over,' but I was wrong. In fact, Nazism is alive in the West," he said from Istanbul, reviving memories of Europe's darkest past in remarks similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkey's president, Turkish cabinet ministers have been scheduling campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

However, some European nations claim that Turkey under Erdogan is slowly slipping toward dictatorial means, especially since the aborted coup of last summer. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands.

The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken centre stage in the runup to a national election on Wednesday.

In a neck and neck race, the parties of either Rutte or populist firebrand Geert Wilders could end up with the most votes.

Rutte said it was important for his government not to bow to Turkish pressure, especially, he said, after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept its ministers out.

"Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail," said Rutte.

Rutte's actions, which came two days after several German municipalities cancelled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being "Nazi remnants."

On Sunday, he further heaped on the criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch.

"If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price," Erdogan warned.

"Those who treat my foreign minister, my economy minister, our legislator friends in a shameless way, will pay the price. Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price," he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting protesters.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming.

Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz.

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said the rally presented no threat to public order and in the absence of such a risk, the rally was permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted the minister as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz with cheers of "Turkey" and "God is Great."

The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenhood, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland.

"The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to," Rutte said. "These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey."

Still, added the prime minister, his government "will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate."

Turkey's family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam Saturday where she was to campaign for the upcoming referendum in Turkey.

After a tense standoff outside the consulate on Saturday night, she was escorted back to the German border.

Kaya, speaking to reporters Sunday at Istanbul's main airport, condemned Dutch authorities' "anti-democratic" actions which "trampled on freedom of expression and right to assembly."

"We were subject to very rude and harsh treatment," she said.

Police in Rotterdam said they arrested 12 people as a demonstration outside the consulate devolved into rioting following Kaya's ejection.

Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said the arrests, made for alleged violence and public order offences, came as protesters pelted police with bottles and rocks early Sunday. Police responded with baton charges and a water cannon.

Wessels says seven people were injured in the brief explosion of violence, including one police officer who suffered a broken hand.
A C919 aircraft, the first Chinese-made large passenger plane, has entered the preparation phase for its maiden flight. [Photo: COMAC]

The C919 plane was developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC). It is the first domestically-produced large passenger aircraft based on the latest international aviation standards.

The eyes of the world have been on the C919 since work on its development got underway in 2008. It's reported that, as of the end of last year, the aircraft already had 570 orders from 21 foreign and domestic customers.

C919 to make maiden flight in the first half of 2017

The C919 passenger jet was unveiled as it was rolled out from the final assembly line in Shanghai on Nov 2, 2015. [Photo: COMAC]

On November 2, 2015, the first C919 rolled off the production line in Shanghai. Since then, the plane has been undergoing a series of tests to lay a solid foundation for its maiden flight, according to Wu Guanghui, chief designer of C919 and COMAC deputy general manager.

However, the exact date for the C919's maiden flight has not been decided as yet. "I can only say that C919 has entered the stage of preparation for its first flight. But it still needs many tests including the 'sliding' emergency control tests, and after that a review meeting will be held before the plane's maiden flight," said Wu.

The C919 passenger jet was unveiled as it was rolled out from the final assembly line in Shanghai on Nov 2, 2015. [Photo: COMAC]

Meanwhile, it's been reported that the work of assembling the second and the third C919 has already started. According to staff members at COMAC, crew members of the C919 are familiarizing themselves with the control systems of the plane.

Comparisons between C919, Airbus320 and Boeing737

The C919, with over 150 seats and standard range of 4,075 kilometers, is expected to compete with the updated Airbus 320 and Boeing's new-generation 737, which currently dominate the market.

A C919 aircraft, the first Chinese-made large passenger plane, has entered the preparation phase for its maiden flight. [Photo: COMAC]

The following are some of the performance statistics about the three passenger planes.

A table shows the performance statistics of Airbus A320, Boeing737 and C919. [Photo: Chinaplus]

Based on the statistics above the gaps in performance between C919 and other popular passenger planes across the world are pretty small. Despite this, aviation industry insiders say the biggest question about the C919 is its safety, and more importantly, if safety problems can be resolved in time. A more sophisticated problem-solving mechanism will be needed after the successful maiden flight of the C919, experts added.

China's pursuit of its aircraft dream

An ARJ21-700 aircraft run by the Chengdu Airlines. [Photo: COMAC]

China developed its first large passenger aircraft, the Y-10, a four-engine narrow-body jet airliner in the 1970s. The plane, which could seat 149 passengers in economy, had a successful test flight on Sept. 26, 1980. Unfortunately, the project was canceled in 1985 for viability and budgetary reasons.

China resumed the pursuit of its aircraft dream in 2008 when COMAC produced the ARJ21-700 regional jet, China's first airliner independently designed in accordance with international standards.

An ARJ21-700 aircraft run by the Chengdu Airlines. [Photo: COMAC]

The delivery of the first ARJ21 to Chengdu Airlines for commercial operation on June 28, 2016, was a milestone for the Chinese aviation industry. So far, there are two ARJ21-700 jets in commercial operation between Shanghai and southwest China's Chengdu.

A C919 aircraft, the first Chinese-made large passenger plane, has entered the preparation phase for its maiden flight. [Photo: COMAC]

As for the C919, Wu Guanghui said he has great confidence in it and is willing to be the first person aboard.
Photo: The Canadian Press

P.E.I., Canada's smallest province, is used to being overlooked from time to time.

But Islanders are facing a fresh indignity: being wiped off the map  several of them.

The Hudson's Bay Company was recently caught selling T-shirts and onesies featuring a map of Canada without P.E.I., while a world map at the Vancouver airport similarly omits the island Anne Shirley made famous.

As well, a feature map in the Canadian Automobile Association's magazine highlighting some of Canada's historically rich destinations for its 150th anniversary forgot to label the very cradle of Confederation.

"We shouldn't be playing 'Where's Waldo' with a Canadian province," says Marie Gilchrist, an Ontario native who retired to P.E.I. with her husband.

She says she noticed the Vancouver airport's incomplete map as she was going through security on her way back to Charlottetown. She wrote a letter to the airport expressing her dismay and didn't hear back for two months, she says.

A spokesperson for the Vancouver Airport Authority says the graphic is meant to show the places travellers can fly to directly from the airport  but says the route map is being replaced to make it "more accurate."

"It is unfortunate P.E.I. was mistakenly left off the graphic," Christopher Richards wrote in an email. "We recognize the importance of P.E.I. in Canadian history and hope our two provinces can one day be joined by direct flights to better connect British Columbia and P.E.I."

Gary Howard of CAA Atlantic says the "mistake" in its print magazine was corrected on a digital version of the map, and the publication plans to showcase P.E.I. this summer.

"No one wanted to ignore the birthplace of Confederation," says Howard. "The story will show ... all the great things around Prince Edward Island, so we took a lemon and made some pretty tasty lemonade out of it."

A spokesperson for the Hudson's Bay Company, meanwhile, says the store pulled the errant T-shirts and onesies. The design is part of the store's "Grand Portage "commemorative collection that donates a share of its profits to Trans Canada Trail in honour of Canada's 150th birthday.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee is asking the Trump administration for evidence that the phones at Trump Tower were tapped during the campaign as its namesake has charged, a request reinforced Sunday by an influential Republican senator who says the president must either come up with the evidence or retract his claim.

"I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve, because, if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least," Sen. John McCain said.

President Donald Trump asserted in a tweet last week: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" He continued the allegation against former President Barack Obama in other tweets but offered no evidence.

The request for evidence was made in a letter sent to the Justice Department by the House committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a senior congressional aide said Saturday. The aide wasn't authorized to discuss the request by name and requested anonymity.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place, but that has not quelled speculation that Trump's communications were monitored by the Obama administration. Trump has asked Congress to investigate.

Early this past week, Schiff said the committee would answer the president's call to investigate the claim. He also said he would ask FBI Director James Comey directly when he appears later this month before the full committee, which is investigating Russian activities during the election.

On Sunday, Schiff said he doubted there was any evidence of wiretapping, but that Comey and others called to testify at the upcoming hearing "would be in a position to have to know."
Photo: albertasat.ca

A little satellite built by a group of University of Alberta students will supply information that could one day prevent damage from solar flares.

The AlbertaSat cube satellite, which is about the size of a breadbox, will measure the effects of space weather. It's scheduled to be launched on a supply rocket to the International Space Station later this month.

Charles Nokes, a masters student in space physics who has been working on the satellite since he was an undergraduate in 2013, says the satellite will examine the energy from the sun and its interaction with the earth's ionosphere.

Solar flares produce the Northern Lights, but can also cause costly and disruptive damage to electrical and electronic equipment.

Nokes says the satellite will be among dozens of other little satellites from other teams that are part of the QB50 project. They will be launched on the same rocket and will also measure space weather.

He says cube satellites are based on a universal 10-centimetre-square box standard that was developed at the end of the 1990s at California Polytechnic.

"Anybody in the world can follow the documentation that lists the standard and then pretty much every launch company in the world has some way of accommodating this kind of spacecraft," Nokes explained.

"You can stack them, too," he added. "Universities especially have caught on to this."

Nokes said there's still a lot that scientists don't understand about the effects of solar flares.

One of the most powerful geomagnetic storms happened in 1859 and is known as the Carrington Incident. According to an article on NASA's website, telegraph operators received electrical shocks and their telegraph paper caught fire.

A solar flare on March 13, 1989, provoked geomagnetic storms that disrupted Hydro Quebec's electric power transmission, knocking out power for approximately six million customers.

"That amount of energy can sometimes be so powerful that it penetrates all the way down to the ground, and because of all the infrastructure that we have that's reliant on electricity, that can have a very real impact," Nokes said.

Fifteen countries from five continents are involved in the QB50 project. The satellites will study space weather from nine to 15 months.

At the University of Alberta, the project has been going for seven years and involved approximately 50 students and faculty.

Nokes said the designers weren't experts in the beginning, but have become ones as they've worked.

"When I started, I knew hardly anything. I knew the International Space Station was a thing but I didn't know anything about orbital mechanics. I didn't know anything about spacecraft design. So everybody who joins basically starts from the ground up," he said.

The launch at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida was supposed to happen March 19, but a delay with the rocket has pushed the date back to March 21.

About a dozen of the Alberta group are planning to see the launch in person, while the rest will watch it live on NASA TV.

"Definitely, there's a lot of suspense," Nokes said.
Photo: Wikipedia.

An $800-million commitment central to the Trudeau government's economic growth strategy is expected to be divvied up within the next few months among groups and companies that can persuade Ottawa they're best positioned to help young, high-potential firms flourish.

The government earmarked the cash in last year's budget to support "innovation networks and clusters" as part of federal plans to help budding companies scale up significantly.

Ottawa hopes these firms will evolve into strong job creators and give Canada an economic boost.

The first withdrawal from the four-year program is scheduled to happen in 2017-18.

But even with this month's release of a budget billed as a plan deep in innovation, specifics on the $800-million program will likely have to wait a little longer.

Several non-government stakeholders engaged with Ottawa say the feds appear to be finalizing the strategy of how and where the funding will ultimately be allocated.

The $800-million envelope is important for the Liberal government, which is hoping the investment will help raise the country's long-term growth trajectory.

The Liberals have valued this approach since their days in opposition. Their 2015 election platform pledged $900 million over three years to support accelerators, incubators and clusters as a way to help innovative entrepreneurs grow their firms into global players.

Groups like the Council of Canadian Innovators, which has been actively engaged with the feds, expects the government to settle in April or May on how it would like to proceed with the $800-million plan.

Council executive director Ben Bergen, who represents tech-sector CEOs, said one challenge is that there are many ways to define a "cluster." It can range from a university with connected companies to a string of tech firms in a given region, he said.

As an example, he pointed to the cluster of companies that formed a couple of decades ago in the region around Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. Among them was BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion.

Bergen said his council would like to see the $800-million investment used to support clusters centred around high-growth Canadian companies, rather than ones that revolve around universities and incubators.
Photo: forces.gc.ca

While the Liberal government faces pressure to spend more on the military, National Defence has struggled to use the billions of dollars it already receives each year more efficiently.

The defence renewal initiative was launched to much fanfare in 2013 and aimed to trim between $750 million and $1.2 billion in waste that could be redirected back into training, maintenance and other frontline activities.

The five-year effort, which was to cut managers, centralize contracting and increase the use of simulators, was a direct result of then-prime minister Stephen Harper's call for "more teeth, less tail."

Progress has been made in the intervening years, National Defence spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said, with approximately $265 million in waste identified and used to address other "financial pressures."

That includes buying more spare parts for military vehicles and investing in training facilities.

"We take great pride in being responsible stewards of public funds," Le Bouthillier said in an email, "and will continue our hard work towards meeting our target."

But that progress is marred by the fact the department won't meet its original target, and will need at least another 18 months to hit the bottom end of its new target of $700 million in savings.

Even that could be optimistic, however, as internal documents show defence officials are banking on savings in a number of areas that so far haven't yielded any.

It likely doesn't help that one of the military's strongest advocates for eliminating waste was recently suspended under mysterious circumstances.

"I give you fair warning: You will receive no quarter with me," Vice-Admiral Mark Norman said when he took over as the military's second-in-command in August.

"I intend to root out unnecessary and non-value-added bureaucracy and process inside our own lines here at National Defence."

Defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance relieved Norman of his duties without explanation in January and the naval officer has since retained the services of high-profile lawyer Marie Henein.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said it is incumbent on all government departments, especially the military, which receives about $20 billion a year, to ensure the money is spent wisely.

"Canadians expect that of us," he told The Canadian Press in an interview.

"At the same time, we need to make sure that we maximize our dollars to make sure we have the right equipment for our troops and are able to send them to places, and (provide) realistic training."

But Sajjan also said he is not going to force the department to do anything that will affect the military's ability to do its job.

"I want them to go through the efforts, and they are," he said. "But I'm not going to start taking away from other capabilities that's going to take away from our troops."

The department's initial goals may have been overambitious, says defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, but efforts to cut waste and find savings have been inconsistent across the department and military.

"It doesn't really seem like the department's been thoroughly engaged in the overall effort," he said.
Photo: The Canadian Press

An al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility Sunday for twin blasts near holy shrines frequented by Shiites in the Syrian capital Damascus that killed at least 40 people as a suspected airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition killed at least 17 in northern Syria, activists said.

The Levant Liberation Committee said in a statement that the attack was carried out by two of its suicide attackers, claiming that they targeted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen. It identified the suicide attackers as Abu Omar and Abu Aisha.

The Syrian government maintains that the attacks killed 40 people. However the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights increased its estimated death toll on Sunday to 74. Conflicting casualty estimates are common in the aftermath of violence in Syria.

The attacks in Damascus show that Syrian militant groups can still strike deep inside the capital where security is tight, with scores of checkpoints that search cars and ask people for identity cards.

The claim of responsibility comes at a time when al-Qaida's branch in Syria known as the Fatah al-Sham Front is trying to market itself as the only effective force against Assad and the main defender of the country's majority Sunnis.

Fatah al-Sham is opposed to peace talks between the opposition and the government that have taken place recently in Geneva and the Kazakh capital of Astana. Fatah al-Sham as well as the Islamic State group have been excluded from a cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey that went into effect on Dec. 30.

Saturday's attack also wounded over a hundred, most of them Iraqis, according to Syrian and Iraqi officials. The al-Qaida-linked group said the blasts were a message to Iran  a main backer of Assad.

"Iran and its militias have, from the start of the revolution, supported the tyrannical and criminal regime and have been killing and displacing our people," the statement said. "This is a message to Iran and its militias that the right will not go wasted."

The Levant Liberation Committee is a coalition of several militant groups dominated by Fatah al-Sham.

The attacks came two weeks after members of the same group stormed two different security offices in the central city of Homs, killing and wounding scores of people, including a top Syrian security official.

In northern Syria, opposition activists said a suspected U.S.-led coalition airstrike hit a school in the village of Kasrat just south of the city of Raqqa, killing at least 17 people. The airstrike came amid an offensive by U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters against the Islamic State group in the northern province of Raqqa that is home to the extremists' de facto capital.

The Observatory said Sunday's early airstrike killed 19 people, including eight who fled violence in the nearby province of Aleppo. The activist group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently said the airstrike killed 17.

On Thursday, at least 20 civilians, including some children, were killed in suspected U.S.-coalition airstrikes on a village east of Raqqa.

Also Sunday, two Syrian opposition figures said the Syrian armed opposition will not take part in a meeting planned and sponsored by Russia and Turkey in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Tuesday, saying the government has not been abiding by a cease-fire.
Photo: The Canadian Press A man touches the new BlackBerry KEYone before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. An $800-million commitment central to the Trudeau government's economic growth strategy is expected to be divvied up within the next few months among groups and companies that can persuade Ottawa they're best positioned to help young, high-potential firms flourish.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ AP/Manu Fernandez

An $800-million commitment central to the Trudeau government's economic growth strategy is expected to be divvied up within the next few months among groups and companies that can persuade Ottawa they're best positioned to help young, high-potential firms flourish.

The government earmarked the cash in last year's budget to support "innovation networks and clusters" as part of federal plans to help budding companies scale up significantly.

Ottawa hopes these firms will evolve into strong job creators and give Canada an economic boost.

The first withdrawal from the four-year program is scheduled to happen in 2017-18.

But even with this month's release of a budget billed as a plan deep in innovation, specifics on the $800-million program will likely have to wait a little longer.

Several non-government stakeholders engaged with Ottawa say the feds appear to be finalizing the strategy of how and where the funding will ultimately be allocated.

The $800-million envelope is important for the Liberal government, which is hoping the investment will help raise the country's long-term growth trajectory.

The Liberals have valued this approach since their days in opposition. Their 2015 election platform pledged $900 million over three years to support accelerators, incubators and clusters as a way to help innovative entrepreneurs grow their firms into global players.

Groups like the Council of Canadian Innovators, which has been actively engaged with the feds, expects the government to settle in April or May on how it would like to proceed with the $800-million plan.

Council executive director Ben Bergen, who represents tech-sector CEOs, said one challenge is that there are many ways to define a "cluster." It can range from a university with connected companies to a string of tech firms in a given region, he said.

As an example, he pointed to the cluster of companies that formed a couple of decades ago in the region around Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. Among them was BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion.

Bergen said his council would like to see the $800-million investment used to support clusters centred around high-growth Canadian companies, rather than ones that revolve around universities and incubators.

He argued that in the past, the institution-centred approach has not produced the outcomes governments have been looking for.

"By really focusing it on the firm rather than on...institutions or on incubators you actually give them the jet fuel that they need to go and compete globally," Bergen said.

"There's real economic opportunities for revenue and growth  and it's through that commercialization that wealth is generated.

"That's how you turn the $800 million into $8 billion."

Bergen added that he thinks the federal plan should emphasize accountability and transparency when it comes to how the clusters are formed. He also recommended metrics be attached to monitor their progress.
Photo: Contributed

Four candidates for leadership of the federal New Democratic Party are debating in Ottawa this afternoon.

Guy Caron, Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton and Peter Julian are facing off in a 90-minute event expected to cover a wide range of issues.

But the first priority for all is to introduce themselves and set the stage for the respective campaigns.

Each used their opening remarks to give some of their biographical detail and sketch out broad themes for their vision for the party.

The NDP soared to a historic victory in 2011 under the leadership of Jack Layton to capture Official Opposition status in the House of Commons, but lost dozens of seats to the Liberals in 2015 under leader Tom Mulcair.

NDP members will select someone to replace him in October.
Photo: The Canadian Press Map locates Gonaives, Haiti; 2c x 3 1/2 inches; 96.3 mm x 88 mm;

A bus plowed into people taking part in an early morning street festival in Haiti on Sunday, killing at least 34 people and injuring 17 others, rescue officials said.

The accident occurred at about 3 a.m. in the city of Gonaives when a passenger bus first hit two people at a bus stop and then continued into a crowd of people participating in a Rara festival, an Easter season Haitian musical celebration, said Josepth Faustin, civil defenceco-ordinator for the Artibonito region.

Faustin said angry festival-goers then attacked the bus and tried to burn it before police rescued the passengers aboard. The bus driver fled and was being sought. He said the cause of the accident was unclear.

The injured were being treated at a hospital in Gonaives, about 60 miles (100 kilometres) northwest of the capital.
Photo: The Canadian Press Alec Jones, 14, created an app for Facebook Messenger called Christopher Bot which helps with homework by sending reminders about when assignments are due. Jones poses for a photo at his home in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, March 10, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

A Facebook tool that helps students be more productive and keep track of assignments developed by a Victoria teen has gone viral in an unexpected place.

Alec Jones, 14, says his chatbot, Christopher Bot, that helps students stay on top of their homework has garnered more than 3,000 subscribers, with many of them based in Thailand.

Chatbots are automated software programs, which Jones compares to iPhone's Siri, that respond to users in a conversational manner. The bot that Jones developed works through Facebook's Messenger platform.

For students who forget to write down their assignments or deadlines when they are handed out or struggle to keep track of it all, Christopher Bot is designed to do the remembering for them.

Once a user subscribes to Christopher Bot, all they need to do is input their course schedule. The bot then sends a message to them near the end of each class asking whether they've been assigned homework. It also responds with sympathizing messages of "that sucks more than a vacuum" when the answer is yes.

Later, the bot reminds the user about their assignments.

Jones said he had the idea after forgetting to bring books or schoolwork home with him. When he went to school early sometimes to catch up on homework he had missed, Jones said he noticed his friends were having similar problems.

"The thing with calendars or agendas or to-do lists is that at the end of the day you always have to remember to put that information in," he said, adding that those tools are easily forgotten in lockers.

But your phone is always in your pocket.

"With the bot, it texts you first. You don't have to remember to write it in, it asks you."

He said he first considered designing a smartphone app, but with only having experience in building websites, the technology for app development was a bit out of his reach.

"I looked up what would be the closest thing I could do (to an app) and I heard about bots, and I thought it would be an interesting platform to build on," he said.

Everything about building a bot was also new to him, and Jones said he spent a lot of time reading articles and documents to figure it out.

A spokesperson for Facebook said the company doesn't typically see 14-year-olds developing bots on their platform, and called Jones's endeavour "an incredible achievement."

When he launched the bot in February, Jones said he hoped a few hundred people would sign up.

He created a profile for the bot on a tech product website to help promote it. Jones said someone from Thailand came across the profile, tried out the bot and shared the post on Facebook.

That Facebook post received over 11,000 likes, 3,800 shares and 300 comments, all of which were written in Thai. A spike in subscribers to the bot ensued.

"I never expected that so many people would be signing up," Jones said.

While Jones said he sees endless potential uses for technology, he hasn't had any new ideas yet and is focusing his efforts on managing Christopher Bot for now.
Two T-shirts that are removed from the website due to racism allegations

The Chinese Embassy in Berlin has demanded a German online retailer stop selling a series of T-shirts with slogans deemed to be offensive to China.

T-shirts from the German retailer Spreadshirt.de reportedly were printed with slogans, such as "Save a dog, Eat a Chinese" and ''Save a shark, Eat a Chinese", which the embassy described as insulting to China.

According to an online statement, the embassy has demanded the German company remove associated products, and offer appropriate explanations and an apology.

The embassy also reportedly issued a complaint to the German government and demanded the German side tighten regulations to avoid the risk of hurting the feelings of the people's of the two countries.

Wildlife protection has been high on China's agenda, with its latest big move, a ban on ivory trade and products issued in December last year.

A newly-revised wildlife protection law, featuring stricter regulations, also came into effect at the beginning of this year.
Photo: Contributed

For Canadas 150th birthday this year, Castanet is featuring an Okanagan wine each week, celebrating the bottles of our Valley and the diversity of the Canadian wine industry, including suggested food pairings and Canadian music artist to listen to while enjoying a glass. For current availability, consult the winery.

Wine: Altostratus Pinot Noir, 2013

Winery: Black Cloud (virtual, visit blackcloud.ca)

Why drink it? Ah, pinot noir, the heartbreak grape. Tough to get right, growing and harvesting it at the right time requires careful attention. Pick the grapes too soon? A harsh wine is the result. Too late? Can be sweet and jammy, and not in a good way. This one, from a virtual winery without a storefront, is pure Okanagan pinot. Balanced, fruity, earthy, medium bodied, and when you take a sniff, youre transported to a vineyard on a warm fall day. A bit of black cherry, cedar spice, vanilla, black tea on the taste buds. Its a good wine to transition from winter to spring.

Price: $30-$35

Pair with: On a very warm day, lightly chill in the fridge for 10 minutes, and enjoy with a platter of roast veggies and a mild goat cheese. On a cold day, grill up some lamb or a mild sausage with a side of your favourite carbs.

Classic cancon music pairing: Shadows in the Moonlight, Anne Murray
YouTube

A moose on the loose caught several skiers and snowboarders by surprise as it galloped headlong down a run at Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado.

Cheri Luther was snowboarding Friday when she saw the moose approaching, and she shot video of the large animal coming within feet of her.

Luther, who kept snowboarding, is heard saying, "Oh, my God, I don't know where to go" before screaming as the moose runs by her.

Resort officials say no one was hurt, and the encounter is a good reminder that skiers and snowboarders share the mountain with wildlife.

In late December, a rare lynx strolled nonchalantly across the Purgatory resort in southwestern Colorado, walking through a crowd of skiers and snowboarders who stopped to take videos.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Two days before Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered dozens of the country's top federal prosecutors to clean out their desks, he gave those political appointees a pep talk during a conference call.

The seemingly abrupt about-face Friday left the affected U.S. attorneys scrambling to brief the people left behind and say goodbye to colleagues. It also could have an impact on morale for the career prosecutors who now must pick up the slack, according to some close to the process. The quick exits aren't expected to have a major impact on ongoing prosecutions, but they gave U.S. attorneys little time to prepare deputies who will take over until successors are named.

"It's very, very gut-level reaction," said Steven Schleicher, a former prosecutor who left Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger's office in January and was still in contact with people there.

The request for resignations from the 46 prosecutors who were holdovers from the Obama administration wasn't shocking. It's fairly customary for the 93 U.S. attorneys to leave their posts once a new president is in office, and many had already left or were making plans for their departures. Sessions himself was asked to resign as a U.S. attorney in a similar purge by Attorney General Janet Reno in 1993.

But the abrupt nature of the dismissals  done with little explanation and none of the customary thanks for years of service  stunned and angered some of those left behind in offices around the country.

Former prosecutors, friends and colleagues immediately started reaching out to each other on a growing email chain to express condolences and support, commiserating about how unfair they felt the situation was. One U.S. attorney was out of state on Friday and was forced to say goodbye to his office by a blast email, said Tim Purdon, a former U.S. attorney from North Dakota who was included on the email chain.

Some of those ousted were longtime prosecutors who had spent their careers coming up through the ranks of the Justice Department. John W. Vaudreuil, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, became an assistant U.S. attorney in that office in 1980. Another, Richard S. Hartunian of the Northern District of New York, joined the Justice Department in the 1990s.

"All of these U.S. attorneys know they serve at the pleasure of the president. No one complains about that," said John Walsh, an Obama-era appointee as U.S. attorney in Colorado who resigned in July. "But it was handled in a way that was disrespectful to the U.S. attorneys because they were almost treated as though they had done something wrong, when in fact they had not."

Peter Neronha, who had served since 2009 as U.S. attorney for Rhode Island, said even before Friday he had been preparing for his eventual departure and had written a resignation statement to be released upon his exit. He said he knew his time was limited but had been eager to stay on to see through a major public corruption prosecution and to speak with students about the perils of opioid addiction.

"When that was done, I was going to go anyway  whether I got 24 hours' notice, or two weeks' notice, or two months' notice. It doesn't really matter," Neronha said.

Whenever there's a change in presidential administration, he said, "I think it would be unwise not to be ready."

It's not clear why the Justice Department asked the prosecutors to exit so quickly. Sessions gave no warning during the Wednesday conference call in which he articulated his agenda for fighting violent crime.
Fear continues to grip the border villages of Manipur, a week after the Myanmar Army's alleged intrusion into the Indian Territory.

According to reports, Myanmar troops intruded Holenphai village of Tengnoupal district on March 4 and vandalized a saw mill, taking away all its machines.

Panic-stricken residents of Lhangcham and Holenphai villages staged a protest against the alleged intrusion on March 10 and demanded the deployment of security forces.

"We are asking the state and centre governments of India that we are in border zone, border line and we are not safe from the disturbance of this foreign army. So the authority should give us safety and peace. We want peaceful life in India, but now we are not safe. We are afraid of this Burmese Army," said Chief of Holenphai village, Haokip.

India's northeastern states of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram share the international border with Myanmar.

Tengnoupal is the highest point of a road (NH-2) between Imphal and northwestern Myanmar (Burma).

Chief of Lhangcham village, Lanminlen Haokip, said the Indian Government should ensure safety of its people.

"We are sacrificing our life, but nobody cares for us. Our loyalty to Indian citizens has been undermined by the government, so how can this happen every now and then? Is Indian government vulnerable to protect its people?" said Haokip.

-ANI
In yet another incident highlighting the dangerously growing trend of racist attacks in the United States, a man in Florida tried to burn down a convenience store owned by Indian-Americans, thinking they were 'Muslims'.

A 64-year-old man tried to set the store on fire because he thought the owners were Muslim, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said, reports CNN.

The accused named Richard Lloyd confessed that he wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country" so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store and set the contents on fire.

Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.

Lloyd told detectives he assumed the owner was Muslim and that made him livid because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," Mascara said.

"It's unfortunate that Mr. Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," Mascara said.

The sheriff also noted that Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime.

Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn the building because he "was doing his part for America."

Mascara further informed that when deputies arrived Friday morning and found the fire, a man in front of the store put his hands behind his back and told officers to "take me away."

Last month, Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed in an alleged hate crime in Kansas, as the gunman shot him dead thinking he was an "Iranian'.

--ANI
(Xinhua) 10:30, March 12, 2017

File photo of the Long March-7 carrier rocket. [Photodiyitui.com]

A Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket arrived at a launch center in south China on Saturday in preparation for the launch of China's first cargo spacecraft next month.

After about a week of ocean and rail transport, the carrier rocket arrived at Wenchang, Hainan, where it will undergo assembly and testing prior to the April launch of China's first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1, said China's manned space engineering office.

An artist's rendering of the Tianzhou-1 module. [Photo: Wechat]

Tianzhou-1 is expected to dock with the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab three times and conduct propellent refueling in orbit as well as other space experiments before falling back to earth. Tiangong-2 will remain in orbit and continue its experiments.

The Long March-7 Y2 is a medium-sized rocket that can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low-Earth orbit. It is able to carry cargo spacecraft and man-made satellites. It made its maiden flight in June 2016.

The launch of Tianzhou-1 will complete the second phase of the country's manned space program, a crucial step for China in building a space station by 2020.
(Xinhua) 10:33, March 12, 2017

Photo shows a hadrosaur.

Dinosaur tracks have been found in northeast China's Jilin Province, according to an announcement by scientists from China, the Republic of Korea and the United States.

The tracks were found on a rural mountain road in Longjing City in the Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Yanbian, Jilin in August 2015.

"The tracks include footprints of hadrosaurs that are 55 centimeters long. The trackmaker's body could have reached 7 meters long," Xing Lida, associate professor from China University of Geosciences, told Xinhua.

Several tracks of carnivorous dinosaurs were also discovered with various footprint sizes ranging from 43 to 21 centimeters, Xing said.

The discovery will help with research to understand the region's landscape during the Cretaceous period, Xing added.
Cao Jianming, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China, speaks during the annual session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

China will continue to take "zero-tolerance" attitude toward fighting the corrupt senior government and Party officials.

Forty-eight high-ranking tigers stood trial last year as part of the nationwide anti-graft campaign. Another 21 were placed under investigation for alleged corruption, down by 49 percent on 2015, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Among those 48 punished included Ling Jihua, former vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, who was sentenced for life imprisonment for bribery, illegally obtaining State secrets and abusing his power; and Su Rong, a former State-level official who was sentenced to life in prison for corruption.

China has also launched investigations into 21 officials of vice-ministerial level or above, including Wang Min, former Communist Party of China chief of Liaoning Province; Wang Baoan, former head of the National Bureau of Statistics; and Lyu Xiwen, former Beijing deputy Party chief, it added.

This year, prosecuting departments will focus on establishing cohesion mechanism with the supervisory commission and keep playing an active role to combat corruption, said Cao Jianming, prosecutorgeneral at the SPP, while delivering the annual report to the top legislature on Sunday.

In addition, the prosecutors will attach great importance to investigating the corrupt officials who abuse power to accept bribes, get elected by bribery and trading their job positions. They will severely punish those who indulge malfeasance and neglect their duties, or accept huge bribes when serving as the grass-roots officers.

Cao said they will also take measures to prevent corruption in poverty-relief areas and supervise key poverty-alleviation programs laid out in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020).

According to figures released by SPP, prosecuting departments investigated 47,650 officials at all levels for duty-related offenses last year, down 12.2 percent compared with 2015. This included 10,472 accused of accepting bribes, up by 21.5 percent.

Since October 2014, when the SPP launched a special project targeting the corrupt fugitives and confiscating their ill-gotten assets, prosecutors have brought back 164 corrupt officials from 37 countries and regions, including the US, Canada, Australia and Singapore.

Late last year, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, approved a pilot reform program to produce an integrated supervision system that will be more authoritative and efficient in tackling corruption.

According to the top anti-graft watchdog, Beijing, Shanxi and Zhejiang have been chosen as pilot areas for the reform of supervisory commissions and the measures will be gradually expanded across the country.
The fossil of the 420 million-year-old Sparalepis tingi [Photo provided to Xinhua by Zhu Min]

The fossil of an ancient fish species dating back to 420 million years ago was found recently by Chinese scientists in Qujing city of Yunnan province, Xinhua News Agency reports.

The fossil of Sparalepis tingi (up) and restoration drawing of the fish [Photo provided to Xinhua by Zhu Min]

The fish, called Sparalepis tingi, is about 20 centimeters long, and has unusual scales like a suit of armor. It shows that the earth may have entered the "Age of Fishes" in the latter part of the Silurian Period (443.7 - 419.2 million years ago), instead of the popularly accepted Devonian Period (419.2 - 358.9 million years ago).

Life restoration of Sparalepis tingi (front) [Photo provided to Xinhua by Zhu Min]

The discovery was published on Wednesday in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Zhu Min, author of the article and a researcher from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the discovery offered new fossil evidence for exploring the early diversification for the jawed vertebrates and the origin of bony fishes.
Chino, CA (91710)

Today

Showers early becoming a steady light rain later in the day. High 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Showers early, becoming a steady rain late. Low around 55F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 11

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Azerbaijan has increased the authorized capital of SOCAR Turkey Yatirim JSC, created to support the countrys participation in the construction of the Star refinery in Turkey, reads a report on the activities of Cabinet of Ministers for 2016.

The authorized capital of SOCAR Turkey Yatirim JSC was increased by nearly 27 percent, from $1.9 billion to $2.412 billion.

In addition, the cost of Azerbaijans 40 percent share in SOCAR Turkey Yatirim JSC was increased to $964.8 million.

State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) allocated $960.2 million as of Jan. 1, 2017 to finance the Star oil refinerys construction in Turkey.

The Star refinery belongs to Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR.

SOFAZ allocated $200.2 million for the project in 2016.

The total cost of the refinerys construction exceeds $5 billion.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 12

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran has unveiled a new home-made tank during a ceremony attended by Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan on March 12.

The tank dubbed Karrar has been completely designed and manufactured by the countrys defense ministry, Tasnim news agency reported.

In the meantime, the country inaugurated the mass production line for producing the tank in Bani Hashem Defense Industrial Complex in Dorud city, Lorestan Province in western Iran.

Karrar is equipped with electro-optical fire control system, laser rangefinder, ballistic computer, and ability to fire at fixed and mobile targets during daytime and at night.

It is capable of moving through pits, rivers and under water and enjoys a navigation system that can be displayed for the tank driver.

The Karrar tank is capable of firing highly-precise laser-guided missiles, and can be operated by the gunner and commander from two parallel sites, Dehqan said during the unveiling ceremony.

The minister noted that the tank has a machine gun automation system for firing from inside the atrium under different conditions.

Given the similarities between Karrar and the Russian T-90 tank, some military experts claim that Iranian engineers reverse engineered the T-90 or gained access to some of its plans.

Dehqan earlier said that the home-made tank if not better, its still as deadly as the Russian T-90.
Judge Hamilton III, passed away on March 7, 2017, in his home town of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Judge was born in Chattanooga on May 10, 1959, to Judge II and Phyllis Hamilton. Judge

owned his own locksmith business. Judge was a locksmith for over 20 years, and he took

pride in his profession. He preferred working on safes, they were his specialty. He loved

spending time with his fur babies, and he was an avid Miami Dolphins fan. But most of all, he

cherished every moment of the 36 years, that he spent with his wife Teresa.



He was preceded in death by his parents, Judge II and Phyllis Hamilton, his Grandmother Grace,

whom he loved and thought of as his momma.

Survivors include his loving wife, Teresa Hamilton, his fur babies, Bella, Tyson and Thumper, all of Chattanooga, and his sister Allison Hamilton of Toledo, Ohio. He was a loving husband, a great friend, and a fantastic uncle to many.

A gathering of family and friends will be held from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, at Wilson & Sons funeral home.



Arrangements are by the Fort Oglethorpe Chapel of W.L. Wilson & Son's Funeral Home.
Tehran, Iran, March 12

By Mehdi Sepahvand -Trend:

Iran has sentenced to death a man and a woman who it says had created a new sect, Tasnim news agency reported March 12.

According to Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the two were luring people into their sect which was about sexual perversion.

They were charged with corruption on earth and sentenced to death. Their pleas are now being considered at the Supreme Court of Justice, Dolatabadi said.

Corruption on earth is the title of capital crimes in the Islamic Republic of Iran that involve endangering the lives, beliefs, or assets of the Muslim nation as recognized by the judge.
General Motors announced on March 6, 2017 that it was selling its European-based Opel and Vauxhall divisions to the PSA Group, parent company of Peugeot and Citroen. For Chattanoogans, the news may have jogged some memories of two different eras when Opels were sold at local car dealers.

Opel was founded in Germany in 1862 by Adam Opel as a sewing machine manufacturer, later expanding to bicycles and automobiles. General Motors acquired a controlling interest in Opel in 1929 and by 1931 owned all of Opel. Both Opel and Vauxhall were operated as a subsidiary of General Motors for many years.



In 1958 General Motors decided to have their Buick dealers sell the Opel to draw customers away from the increasingly popular Volkswagen. Locally, Amos & Andy Buick sold Opel beginning in 1964 alongside the much larger Buick sedans and coupes.



Faced with continued competition from other import brands and demands for greater fuel economy, General Motors introduced new subcompacts such as the Chevrolet Vega, Monza, and Chevette during the 1970s. The importing of the Opel automobiles soon waned.

In 2008 a second appearance of cars with Opel roots occurred in Chattanooga with the introduction of the Saturn Astra subcompact at the local Saturn dealership on International Drive. The Astra was an example of a world car with initial engineering in 1991 by Opel and re-badging under assorted brands by Buick of China, Holden in Australia, Saturn, and Vauxhall. Intended to replace the Saturn Ion, the Saturn Astra had poor sales and was soon discontinued as part of the sunset of the entire Saturn division of GM in 2009.

If you have memories of the Opel Kadett or Saturn Astra, please share them by sending an e-mail to me at jolleyh@bellsouth.net. Ill update this article with some of your recollections.
How does a political activist keep track of the proliferating invitations to march, write postcards, knit pink hats or show up at congressional town hall meetings?

Protests have heated up in Chicago since President Donald Trump's inauguration, and so too have online methods for organizing them.

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With names like Persist List, Indivisible Chicago, People's Action and Chicago Activism, the websites and social media groups are helping activists mobilize quickly to respond to daily news.

Karen Goldman doesn't consider herself an activist. But in January she created Persist List, a Chicago website dedicated to grass-roots activism at the neighborhood level.

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"I honestly thought like 20 of my friends would look at it," she said. But it has a much larger following of people who "want to make a change but are kind of overwhelmed because there are so many events out there."

While a wave of "March 4 Trump" rallies supporting the president took place nationwide last weekend, including one in downstate Springfield, Chicago has seen few such demonstrations. A pro-Trump rally is scheduled later this month at Trump Tower.

For now, the local momentum is with activists critical of the new president on a number of issues, from immigration to transgender rights to health care.

Goldman's site isn't explicitly partisan, but the events listed on her site and others that have bubbled up since November are of the progressive variety. The 42-year-old River North resident said the presidential campaign inspired her to create the website to help other people get involved in local and state politics.

"I really want people to be aware of what's out there and the actions they can take to make changes in their communities, especially at the local level," Goldman said. "That's democracy. We're very lucky that we're able to do that and voice our opinions."

Another local resource is the Chicago Activism website, which includes a list of daily events. The website has a curated list of resources to help residents organize on their own.

"Basically, we are trying to provide resources that help people to get connected to a broader social movement," said Mike Kalas, co-founder of Chicago Activism. "There are many local organizations working on a wide range of important issues in Chicago; but too often people who are new to activism and civic engagement don't know how to get involved."

The recently revamped website is a work in progress. Kalas said he plans to build a mobile app with features like personal and group profiles, chat rooms, action alerts and tools for voting and collective decision-making.

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Indivisible Chicago was founded nearly a month after Trump was elected president as a grass-roots organization committed to resisting the new administration's agenda. The group's website features a daily list of events.

Founder Jason Rieger said the group models its efforts after the Indivisible Guide, an online manual drafted by former Democratic staffers to help people appeal to elected officials and create change in their communities.

"It was a simple, concise, brilliant guide to influencing your representatives to effect policy," Rieger said.

In two months, the group has grown from 35 people to more than 2,000 volunteers in a dozen neighborhoods across Chicago. Dozens of grass-roots organizations also promote events through the Indivisible Illinois Facebook and Twitter accounts.

"Everyone is just looking for ways to fight back against the Trump administration and the various policies that he's putting forth that we consider un-American and against our core values," he said.

Similar national websites highlight local and national grass-roots events. People's Action tracks events planned to protest the Trump administration on each Tuesday during the first 100 days of his presidency. Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore launched a website in February called the Resistance Calendar as a "one-stop site" for anti-Trump events across the U.S.

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"Most of the folks that I've been talking to have never done anything before, and they just don't even know where to start," Goldman said. "And they don't want to just go through Facebook feeds (looking for events); they want to go to a site ... for something that's just a beginner activity to get their feet wet."

Conservative groups like the Chicago Tea Party and the Illinois Tea Party also have calendars on their websites, but with few events currently listed. The Chicago Tea party has no events scheduled this year, and the Illinois Tea Party has one meeting scheduled March 16 in Rockton. The group also shared a Facebook event for the Illinois Make America Great Again March in Springfield on March 25 with a sister event at Trump Tower.

Chicago has a history of organizing around social and economic issues that is "literally generations old," according to longtime Chicago activist Chris Geovanis.

"One of the things social media platforms are offering people is the capacity to come together," she said. "It's providing a network for people to literally self-organize in their neighborhoods, at their workplaces  to find each other in a way that 10 years ago or 20 years ago would have been much more challenging."

Geovanis, 57, has been involved in social activism dating to the anti-war movement after 9/11. She said she spent several months helping organize a 2003 protest in response to the beginning of the war in Iraq but is pleasantly surprised at the number of new faces she sees at rallies this year.

Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have made it possible for people to find each other and organize faster than ever before, she said.

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"We put 15,000 to 20,000 people in the streets the day after the bombs started dropping, including on Lake Shore Drive, but that was a long organizing process  before social media platforms (existed) as a way to share information," she said.

One example of the speed with which protesters can be mobilized was in late January, when thousands descended on O'Hare International Airport after Trump signed his executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Rieger said he was contacted by a lawyer at O'Hare once news broke that Trump had signed the executive order. He put out an email blast to about 1,500 people on the Indivisible Chicago mailing list, packed dinner and drove his own young children to the airport to support people who were being detained inside the international terminal.

"There was so little time to organize but it was incredible. There was a huge outpouring of people to O'Hare," he said. "Chicago is a very passionate city. We believe in fighting for what's right."

Dozens of protests have been held in the Chicago area in recent months. While Trump has been a frequent target, particularly at his Trump Tower near Michigan Avenue, a long list of issues and officials have been the focus. This week's calendar items give a sense of the breadth.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

Activists organized a funeral Monday for Rep. Peter Roskam's congressional career, which they said died "after a long battle with avoiding accountability to his constituents."

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On Tuesday, Black Women Speak hosted its inaugural Lemonade March in the Loop to support pay equality and better working conditions for women and workers around the world. The group encouraged attendees to wear yellow. It was one of five International Women's Strike events scheduled in the city.

More than a dozen related events are scheduled Wednesday, including an International Women's Day indoor rally in West Town.

On Thursday, activists from Answer Chicago are holding a work session at 4802 N. Broadway to paint banners, assemble placards and review plans for the International Women's Day March for Equality, Justice and Power on Sunday.

"There's clearly a groundswell of sentiment among people that there's real value in coming together, and mobilizing and expressing publicly a set of values that you know clearly are not shared by the folks in Washington and for that matter, elected officials locally," Geovanis said.

nmoreno@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @nereidamorenos
Spectators watch the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Columbus Drive on Saturday, March 11, 2017, in Chicago. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune) (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Not even the bone-chilling temperatures could put a damper on the frenetic vibe Dan and Undrea Draney Woolley and their four daughters brought with them to Chicago's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown Saturday.

On an icy but sun-drenched day, the shamrock-colored family from Rochester, Minn., crowded in front of a metal barricade near Congress Parkway ready to shout for the slightest movement along the parade route. "We got here an hour early and we're pumped!," Michaelie Woolley, 26, yelled, sparking cheers from her family.

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Visiting one of her twin daughters, a nursing student at Rush University, was a bonus in the annual celebration of Irish heritage for Undrea. Her grandfather was born in Northern Ireland's County Down on March 17, the traditional death date of St. Patrick.

As a result, the Woolley home each year is transformed into a sort of St. Patrick's Day party spot, decorated in green while the family enjoys corned beef and cabbage, soda bread and their special holiday green spaghetti.

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"She's fanatical about her Irish heritage," Dan Woolley, 55, said of his wife during their second excursion to Chicago's parade, "We spend more money on St. Patrick's Day than Christmas."

"When we go, we go big," Undrea Woolley added.

The Woolleys were among the thousands, many of them families with young children, who poured into the Loop and crowded along Columbus Drive from Balbo to Monroe for the 62nd annual parade, with a theme this year of "Irish Immigration: A New World of Opportunity."

Saturday's parade had all the familiar touchstones, including emerald-adorned revelers, military marching bands, kilt-clad bagpipers and curly-haired Irish dancers. At least 128 groups participated, according to parade organizers.

This year's grand marshal, attorney Martin Healy Jr., a former person of the year named by Irish American Heritage Center, walked amongst area politicians, who carried commemorative shillelaghs.

The day's chill extended beyond the weather as Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner  who've recently exchanged barbs over Chicago Public Schools' $215 million budget gap  kept their distance from each other, never crossing paths along the half-mile parade route.

While the mayor, wearing a green Blackhawks jersey, walked with a who's who of Illinois Democratic Party elites, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, the green-sweatered Rauner hung back, shaking hands and high-fiving children in the crowd.

Spectators arrived hours ahead of the parade, gathering along the Chicago River to watch boat crews sift orange powder into the murky water to dye it shamrock green.

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Members of the Montesinos family, who've traveled many times from Minneapolis to Chicago to watch the dyeing of the river, thought they knew what to expect  until a boat cruising by splashed them with the dye, which trickled onto their hats and coats like bright green raindrops.

"Look!" Tonya Montesinos, 42, cried out, laughing at the glowing drops that speckled her jacket. "Now we all get to take a bit of St. Patrick's Day in Chicago home with us."

City officials could not provide a crowd estimate. By Saturday afternoon, Chicago police had made two arrests at the parade, they reported. Medical crews took 38 people to area hospitals for medical emergencies, according to the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communication.

The city's official parade is the first of four St. Patrick's Day events in the Chicago area this weekend, including Sunday's South Side Irish Parade in the Beverly neighborhood.

Chicago Tribune's Marwa Eltagouri contributed.

wlee@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @MidNoirCowboy
A woman was sexually assaulted at knifepoint and robbed as she tried to enter a home in the Lincoln Park neighborhood early Sunday.

It happened about midnight in the 1900 block of North Orchard Street, according to Chicago police.

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The male attacker confronted her from behind and sexually assaulted her while brandishing a knife, police said.

The attacker, who police said appeared to be Hispanic, fled in an unknown direction with the victim's property.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 12

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Irans foreign ministry issued a statement, warning Iranians about Turkey trips.

The statement which was published by the ministrys official website urges citizens to avoid unnecessary trips to Turkey during upcoming Nowruz holidays.

Considering the security conditions in Turkey in recent months and concerns for safety of Iranian citizens, all Iranians who intend to visit Turkey are strongly recommended to avoid making unnecessary trips and take all necessary measures if the visit is unavoidable, the statement reads.

Nowruz, which is celebrated by more than 300 million people worldwide, is the first day of spring. This holiday also coincides with the start of the New Year in Iran.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, left, listens to the committee's ranking member, Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., in Washington on Wednesday. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)

In early March 2016, when Democrat Obama was president, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its monthly report showing the economy added 242,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent. Republican House Ways and Means Committee chair Kevin Brady of Texas issued a sour statement saying "It's disappointing to see so little growth."

In a campaign speech, Republican presidential hopeful Trump advised his followers, "don't believe those phony numbers!"

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On Friday, with Trump now president, the Department of Labor issued its monthly report showing the economy added 235,000 jobs in February, and the unemployment rate was 4.7 percent. Brady issued an enthusiastic statement saying, "This is a great report. The fact that hundreds of thousands more people found new jobs last month is a good sign that our economy is moving in the right direction."

Trump's spokesman Sean Spicer commented on the numbers to reporters, saying, "They may have been phony in the past, but it's very real now."
Gov. Bruce Rauner, seen here answering reporters' questions at his Capitol office, will appear on WBEZ-FM 91.5's "Morning Shift" at 9 a.m. March 10, 2017. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Illinois Republican lawmakers dismissed it as a political stunt last week when committees controlled by majority Democrats in the General Assembly summoned Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's agency heads and asked them to specify exactly how they would cut their budgets.

The consistent answer was some form of "homina, homina, homina."

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"We do not know where to go," said one.

"I'm not prepared to discuss any," said another.

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They didn't know or didn't want to say where they'd cut. Most likely they felt as though their budgets are already squeaky tight.

Can't blame them. Contrary to popular opinion, much of state government is already running pretty lean. Illustrating that as well as the emptiness of Rauner's stated determination to take an ax to spending was the purpose of the stunt.

The governor's determination is in line with the results of an Illinois Policy Institute poll released Tuesday that found 51 percent support for the idea that our wildly out-of-whack state budget should be balanced with spending cuts alone.

But, as the stammering, sputtering, thoroughly pranked agency heads illustrated, that determination is out of step with reality.
Adele Zaveduk tells students at Hinsdale Middle School about her childhood in France during World War II. (Kimberly Fornek/Chicago Tribune)

Hinsdale eighth-graders heard firsthand accounts of U.S. servicemen and Jewish survivors who lived through World War II.

"I really believe this is an essential part of our studies," Rick Dusek, a social studies teacher at Hinsdale Middle School, said referring to the tradition that culminates a month of studying the Second World War and the Holocaust.

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The students heard Magda Brown tell how her family was taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp when she was 17. Her parents were killed in the gas chambers, but she was sent to a work camp.

They heard John Ullinskey describe how his ship towed the USS Evans on the northwest cost of Okinawa, Japan while kamikazes attacked.

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"It took almost 30 hours to go 130 miles," Ullinskey said. "Not only did we have to cope with the enemy, we had to cope with Mother Nature."

Irv Abramson explained how he wanted to go to college, but his family could not afford it, so he enlisted in the Army after high school.

"They offered a program where if you enlisted . . . and served at least three years, they said, 'we will pay for your education, when you come home.' They didn't say, if you come home," Abramson said.

Abramson was with troops who landed at Marseilles, France and fought their way across the country to the Ardennes Forest, where they were involved in the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 and January 1945.

The Germans were shooting artillery shells into the heavy forest. The shells would hit the trees and hot metal shrapnel rained down, Abramson said.

"I was in a shallow foxhole and the left side of my body was exposed," Abramson said. The shell fragments burned him, broke his knees, his ribs, punctured his lung and gave him a concussion that gave him permanent hearing damage.

He told the students he was not sharing his story to focus on his injuries, but "to tell you I was just one of many soldiers that sacrificed their lives and their limbs to give the people back home the safety they needed to continue to live in a democracy."

Abramson also told the students to value their education.

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"I hope you never have to sacrifice to get an education," he said.

Eighth-grader Chase Sikora said the weapons and uniforms the presenters brought captured his interest.

"It was pretty amazing that they have been held and worn by real people in the army," Chase said.

Nora Rafferty, another student, said it was inspiring to hear the veterans' stories and the account of Adele Zaveduk, who was a 4-year-old living in Paris when the Germans invaded France.

Zaveduk's family was Jewish. After her father was taken away, her mother took her and her younger sister to live with strangers in the French countryside, where she thought they would be safer than in Paris.

Zaveduk said she thought her mother would come back for them soon, but they lived there until the war ended three years later.

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"She never said goodbye to us," Zaveduk said.

But while she and her sister lived with the Mullard family in two rooms of a house without running water, her parents separately were sent to Auschwitz.

Zaveduk went to school and church with Mrs. Mullard's grandchildren and was raised as a Catholic like they were.

Zaveduk's parent survived German imprisonment. The Russians liberated her father, she said. Her mother was in a march of prisoners from Auschwitz when she was freed. She weighed 65 pounds, Zaveduk said. The Red Cross sent her mother to a hospital in Sweden to recuperate.

Eventually her parents found each other and then came for their daughters. But Zaveduk said she begged Mrs. Mullard to let them stay. She had not forgotten how her mother left them.

"For one year, I never let my mother touch me," Zaveduk said.

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She also argued with her mother over whether she was a Catholic or a Jew, she said.

"It took me 40 years to accept the fact that she never meant to abandon us, she meant to save us," she said.

Zaveduk showed the students photos of her family and the number tattooed on her mother's arm.

Nora, the eighth-grader, said hearing Zaveduk's experiences was important, not simply so she learns what happened during the war, but so that she can tell other people "so no one will forget."

kfornek@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @kfdoings
Orland Park's Assistant Village Manager Joe LaMargo doesn't understand why using a Blue Lives Matter flag on the village sticker is making a political statement even after it has been pointed out to him. He is happy to change the flag to an American flag when some veterans suggest it, but wouldn't change it when residents complain about having a political symbol on their cars. Blue Lives Matters down plays Black Lives Matters. Can't Joe see how this symbol can be offensive to people of color? We're not anti-police. We just don't want to be forced to place political messages on our cars. Why doesn't Joe get this? It's really pretty simple.

Lynnea, Orland Park

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I read in the Daily Southtown that Police Supt. Eddie Johnson is really going to get tough on "repeat" gun offenders with tougher sentences. However, the story continued by saying there could [and probably would] be lesser penalties because of mitigating circumstances against first time offenders. That's what I call "really being tough." I suppose when caught with an illegal gun, these first-timers will say that they were just on their way to grandma's house to protect her from all those big, bad gang-bangers? Yes sir, Mr. Superintendent, that'll work.

Bob, Oak Forest

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President Donald Trump said save Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security on the campaign trail  one of his many lies. Trumpcare contains big cuts to Medicaid. Rep. Paul Ryan bragged out these big cuts to Medicaid on a conservative radio show. He went on to say he is so excited about these cuts  an example of "de-federalizing entitlements." The host asked about the Congressional Budget's Office report that says 15 million people will lose insurance under his plan. Ryan's response was, "you are never going to win a coverage beauty contest." Wow. We see how he feels about what he calls "entitlements." What's next? Medicare? Can we take away his entitlement health insurance package that we pay for?

SS

Nancy Pelosi recently pontificated about the wrongs of the new administration's replacement of Obamacare. This is from a woman who was clueless to the oppressive details of Obamacare until she and we all found out after it passed.

Tom, Evergreen Park

What's Speak Out?

Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give your first name and your hometown.
An 8-year-old Libertyville boy stood up in the cafeteria of Deerfield High School Saturday afternoon to ask U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider why President Donald Trump wanted to "take health insurance away from certain people."

The question posed by Daniel Troester, a third grader at Butterfield School, was among the many queries and comments Schneider, a Deerfield Democrat, fielded during the "Congress on Your Corner" event. Questions ranged from education to cyber security, but much of the discussion was focused on the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, and the implications of a recently proposed Republican replacement for the health care law, the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

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Saturday's event marked the third congressional town hall Schneider has hosted in recent months.

In response to Troester's question, Schneider said the issue came down to a difference in worldview between himself and the president. The reason the country is as successful as it is, he said, is because of a respect for rules and an understanding that "each of us deserve the respect of each other and we have certain rights given to us just because we are here and each of us are equal before the law."

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"I worry Mr. Trump believes he's special just because he's Mr. Trump, and that the rules don't apply to him and the people around him," Schneider said. If the majority of the country believes that access to affordable and quality health care is a basic right, he said, "we have to do it together" and that may mean that the more wealthy among us will have pay "a little bit more" to ensure those struggling also have access to quality medical care.

"The long and short of it is if you would like less care for more money, this is your plan, and that's really essentially what it is," Schneider said, referring to the Republican-backed AHCA. He said congress should instead focus on fixing the problems with Obamacare and decreasing the cost of health care across the board rather than pushing through a bill that would negatively impact the poorest Americans.

When asked about a possible path toward preserving the ACA, Schneider said Republicans "are kind of between a rock and a hard place" because they've promised for the last seven years to repeal the health care law. He said massive turnouts at recent Republican town halls across the country criticizing legislators for their attempts to get rid of the ACA have slowed down their progress on a repeal and replacement of the health care law.

Both House Speaker Paul Ryan and Trump are strong advocates for the proposed replacement, Schneider said. Halting its approval will likely depend on "fractures in the Republican Party in the House," he said.

"We don't know what's going to happen," Schneider said. "We'll be on pins and needles for the next 10 days as Ryan tries to push this through."

Appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday morning, Ryan stressed the importance of individual freedom when it comes to health care.

"It's not our job to make people do something that they don't want to do," Ryan said. "It is our job to have a system where people can get universal access to affordable coverage if they choose to do so or not."

When asked Saturday how passage of the AHCA would hurt seniors, Schneider said the proposed law severely reduces funding for Medicaid, which pays for long-term care and nursing care for low income older adults.

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"It's an attack on Medicare because the ACA extended the viability of the (Medicare) trust fund by 12 years," he said. "(The AHCA) pulls this back."

Just as he was at his last town hall event at the Northbrook Public Library, which drew a crowd of between 500 and 700 people, Schneider was asked by several in the crowd what they can do to oppose the Trump administration's policies.

Schneider said it's not a matter of simply waiting to vote in the mid-term elections in 2018. He repeated the advice he previously offered at the Northbrook event three weeks ago, which is to find one issue that you care deeply about and understand it and educate others whether in person or through social media.

"If we try to engage in everything, nothing gets done," he said. Schneider also urged the crowd to join local political groups fighting for specific causes.

Rita Echt, an 81-year-old Highland Park resident, said she may take the congressman up on his suggestion.

"I'm a little too old to be too active, but nevertheless... I'm going to see what's out there that I can do that doesn't involve transportation," she said.

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Echt said she attended the event with her friend, Bonnie Newton, 70, also of Highland Park, because she's "concerned about the course the country is taking."

Newton said she has made calls to her legislators and that she's "just scared" for the future of the country.

"What I found encouraging today was the number of people who turned out," Echt said. "Sometimes Democrats are a little too laissez faire and they don't get up and go and listen and participate. I think what this last election has done has pulled some people out of the woodwork because we realize we can't let this go on, we have to be proactive."

Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
A prayer vigil was held March 11, 2017, at the makeshift memorial for three people who died in a shooting at the Milestone Row condominium complex in St. Charles. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune) (Nuccio Dinuzzo / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Mike Backer remembers Brittany Coffland from the U.S. history class he teaches at St. Charles East High School.

At the end of class Friday, after noticing the student with an infectious smile shared his March 14 birthday, he teased the 16-year-old that, since he had seniority, one of them would need to move their celebration.

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On Saturday, he joined more than 150 who stood silent on a St. Charles street for a memorial honoring Brittany and her twin sister, Tiffany. The 16-year-olds died Friday in a shooting that police have described as a domestic incident. Their father, Randall Coffland, 48, also died in the shooting, and their mother, Anjum Coffland, 46, was injured. She remains at Delnor Community Hospital.

Police have offered few details and have not identified the suspected shooter or the motive. The four family members were the only ones in the condominium during the shooting, police said.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 14 Police identified 16-year-old twins Tiffany Coffland, left, and Brittany Coffland as the teens who were killed March 10, 2017, in the Milestone Row condominium complex in St. Charles. (Oswego High School yearbook)

Classmates and friends gathered on the 300 block of First Street, just doors away from the upscale condominium building the girls called home. According to neighbors, the girls seemed kind and happy.

Students arrived in groups. They hugged and cried, many leaving bouquets of flowers at the bench designated as a memorial for the Coffland sisters. The quiet memorial paid tribute to the teens who would have turned 17 on Tuesday.

One parent said she was told the girls could often be found outside on the benches in nice weather.

Backer said he got a note from student services recently that didn't include details but did ask staff to keep an eye out and be aware that the girls may need additional help due to a problem at home.

"We try to keep kids safe at school," Backer said, but they can't control what happens in their homes.

He said he sometimes tells his students about his own problems in his past to help them open up about what may be going on in their own lives.

Brittany was "very sweet, always had a smile and was engaged all the time. Seeing that is what teaching is all about," he added.

Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News.
If you ask any Elgin police officers why they decided to become cops, they will likely tell you that they like protecting people from harm. They feel great civic pride in keeping the streets safe, and reaching out to people who value what they represent as an officer of the law. They also love the job because they get to catch bad guys, often finding them in dangerous places no one else would dare go. It takes a special person to do that, and it feels good.

Not many, if any, would tell you they joined the force to knock down doors and round up immigrants who are in the U.S. without permission, locking up families that have established themselves as respectful and law-abiding members of the community. That would feel bad.

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But thankfully Elgin cops won't be immigration troops  that has been made clear by their superiors. More importantly, that has been made clear to immigrants who, in warily watching what is unfolding in Washington, might be afraid that the cop on their block is bent on turning them in.

"We don't call immigration if we have contact with you," Elgin police Sgt. Eric Echevarria told a packed audience at a community forum at Iglesia Carismatica Puerta De Sion in Elgin. The police were quick to add that they will surely cooperate with the federal government in apprehending anybody who is a threat to the community, as they must. But they also were intent on defusing any tension by asserting that they are not an arm of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, actively working to nab and deport each person who cannot show proof of legal residency.

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We praise the Elgin police for reinforcing this message. It's the right thing to do  particularly from a law enforcement point of view. Those who are not breaking the law can be very helpful in upholding the law  but only if they feel compelled to come forward and report a crime without fear of being arrested themselves. This kind of vital cooperation would be lost by turning the local police force into deportation agents. It would only drive people underground.

Police did warn that immigrants should be wary of a real threat to their security: those who prey on their fears of deportation by posing as police officers or ICE agents in an attempt to intimidate them or scare them off. This should be reported to police  and, again, without fear.

Elgin police aren't alone in strongly emphasizing that only those who are a threat to the community have reason to fear police action leading to deportation. Many other city police chiefs feel the same way. They will concern themselves with actual threats to public safety.
Trump's Watergate?

I was in high school during Watergate. This whole business with Trump and the Russians is starting to look like Watergate.

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David Berkey, Elgin

Alternative to Obamacare repeal

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I am supporting HR 676, the American single-payer health insurance system, which has been designed by a working group of 39 physicians and endorsed by at least 2,525 other physicians.

Let's remember that private health insurers are the gatekeepers to our access for health care: in-/out-of-network providers, copays, deductibles, lifetime caps, services, age/gender discrimination. The Affordable Care Act began to curb some, but not all, of these practices. Research shows that administrative overhead accounts for 31 percent of our current U.S. health care spending; Medicare overhead, just 3.6 percent.

A national health program is not "socialized medicine," where doctors are employees of the government, such as the Veterans' Administration and the military. Care continues to be delivered by the private (mostly not-for-profit) sector. For a minimal increase in tax, everyone is covered for all medically-necessary services with no copays or deductibles.

I encourage you to research and discover the many benefits of HR 676 and denounce "the repeal and replace Obamacare" proposals in consideration. Keeping Americans healthy and productive is not only an economic issue, it is a moral issue. Please call or write your representative in Congress and tell them to support HR 676.

Mary Roberti, Elgin

Hultgren protesters 'respectful'

I am one of the people protesting at U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren's Campton Hills office. I am 71, a retired university professor, and a constituent of his. I disagree with many of the stands Hultgren takes and want him to hear my views. I send emails and leave messages at both his offices, but do not receive individual replies from him. I do get a form letter, expressing the same views I'm concerned about. And, of course, I can watch him lecture me on YouTube about why he's right (therefore, I'm wrong) about issues such as health care.

Hultgren told the press that our group has elements of aggressive disrupters and one of his staffers might quit because of us. There are between 30 and 150 people at Hultgren's Campton Hills office every Tuesday. We stand on a parkway near the office, which is equal distance from the Campton Hills Police Department. Since the police are right across a parking area from the office, if the staffer feels threatened by the group, wouldn't you think he/she would report it and call for help, which would arrive in two minutes or less? I assure you, the group is respectful and nonthreatening.

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The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly is critical to a functioning democracy and is guaranteed by the First Amendment. Our purpose in exercising this right is simple  we want Hultgren to hold a town hall, honoring his duty to represent all of his constituency.

Gerry Becker, Aurora

Editorial should have condemned protesters

A recent editorial lauds the scores of elected local officials for meeting with constituents who may, from time to time, be upset. Nothing to disagree with that.

So without indicating party affiliation, the Democrat House Representative used as a courageous example of attending a town meeting had no clue whether he could be facing an angry group. Really? So is the Naperville Sun thinking that the militant anti-Trump "Indivisible" crowd could have been planning to take over the town meeting?

Using this example of being brave and taking the heat is not comparable. "Indivisible" was organized just after the November election by five young, elite, progressive, energetic communications experts with experience crafted in the Obama administration. They unite with the one specific purpose of creating mayhem at town meetings. Surely by now you have perused their battle cry in the pamphlet "Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda," 26 pages. It describes in detail how to organize, create the largest impression, enlist the aid of media, especially video to maximize the effect of their obstruction techniques. You know, similar to the obstruction techniques that elected and also paid Democratic congressional representatives boycotting legislative and committee meetings, engaging in sit-ins on the Senate floor, misinterpreting and misdirecting.

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Your editorial is your opinion, and it clearly lines up with this profound democratic militancy. Our representatives should have attended the meetings, and taken the orchestrated abuse to collect their paychecks, if that is how you measure it. But, nowhere do you suggest restraint on the part of the organizers' zeal. Nowhere do you suggest that there is another side in this. And nowhere do you condemn the lockstep, hostile resistance displayed by the minority party.

Gerald Staraitis, Naperville

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Submit letters to the editor via email to suburbanletters@tribpub.com. Please include your name and town of residence for publication. Please include phone number and email address for confirmation. Letters should be no more than 250 words.
A Cooper's hawk had a bird's eye view of the Waukegan lakefront from the parking garage at the College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus in downtown Waukegan recently.

The raptor got in but couldn't get out, until it got a helping hand from CLC police Officers Trent Treantafeles and Heidi Onion.

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According to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds, these hawks are among the world's most skillful fliers when they are in their element, which is woodlands and established neighborhoods with mature trees, where they dodge limbs in pursuit of small birds.

They will also hang around bird feeders, which freaks some people out because they don't want to be part of the natural carnage. I got within a few feet of one on my back porch as it eyed the old Christmas tree we set up next to the feeder as cover for the small birds using the feeder. He or she chased one small bird underneath a car in the nearby driveway.

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The lab says you just have to take down the feeder for a few days and it will go on its merry way.

Like most hawks, this one can really fly:

"Look for Cooper's hawks to fly with a flap-flap-glide pattern typical of accipiters. Even when crossing large open areas they rarely flap continuously. Another attack maneuver is to fly fast and low to the ground, then up and over an obstruction to surprise prey on the other side," according to the lab's website (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/id).

So when I first heard about this, I was guessing this hawk was chasing smaller birds when it entered the garage and then just got lost. When it met up with glass, it probably got confused. But Treantafeles explained officials believe it got into the fourth floor of the parking garage through a two- by-three-foot hole created by a missing panel.

They first heard about the bird from a Waukegan police officer making his rounds through the garage, and then they were dispatched to take care of it.

"Sure enough, here is this hawk standing at the top level of the stairs. I looked at the talons on this thing, they were three inches long, and I thought this might not be easy," he said.

But Onion came up with the idea that she would start on the first floor and start clapping and yelling as she made her way to the top, where Treantafeles would be waiting on the parking deck to open the door and let the hawk out.

"When she got to the top level, we opened the door and the hawk just looked at her and then flew right out. He flew away and looked very happy," he said with a laugh, "It was pretty interesting."

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Bird migration talk

The Lake County Audubon Society will have Doug Stotz talking about migrating birds at its April 3 regular meeting, at 7:30 p.m. in the second-floor meeting room of the Libertyville Village Hall, 118 W. Cook St., across the street from the Cook Memorial Library. Stotz will talk about migratory species' unique migrations through the Lake County and Chicago areas.

He's been with the Field Museum since 1994 and is a senior conservation ecologist at the museum's Keller Science Action Center, "a team of scientist-explorers expert in translating museum knowledge into lasting results for conservation and cultural understanding, both in the midst of a great urban center and in the wildest, most remote places on Earth," the center's website explains.

He is part of the center's tropical rapid inventory team, where he has gone on 25 rapid inventories in South America and Cuba. He is the author of "Birds of Peru," and "Neotropical Birds: Ecology and Conservation."

He is the Climate Change Task Force co-chair for Chicago Wilderness, a Chicago area organization of more than 260 public and private organizations, that works to manage, study, and protect natural areas.

Know that after meetings, members and sometimes even the speaker, will agree on a place in downtown Libertyville for a cold drink and to talk a little more about the outdoors.

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Grants get kids outside

The Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program, funded by donations and administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, awarded a total of $98,000 for 102 field trips that will bring approximately 8,300 students out to a nearby state park, museums or other natural resource sites.

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Here in Lake County, the Da Vinci Waldorf School in Wauconda received $1,000 to go visit the Adeline Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park in Zion; Hawthorn Elementary School in Vernon Hills received $1,000 to visit the Heller Nature Center in Highland Park; the LEARN 6 Charter School in North Chicago (Great Lakes) received $500 to visit Lake County's Greenbelt Forest Preserve in North Chicago; and the Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake received $2,000 to visit the Cook County Forest Preserve's Skokie Lagoons in Winnetka.

Fish meet

The Waukegan-based Walleyes Unlimited USA's March 29 meeting at 7 p.m. will be at the Gurnee American Legion, 749 Milwaukee Ave., and will feature hall of fame guide and native son Tom Neustrom, who will talk about "The Life Down Under  Know Your Electronics" and "Power Jigging Walleyes." Non-members can attend for $5.

The group is also having an indoor Fishing Swap Meet and Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 25 at the Fox Lake American Legion Hall, 703 N. Route 12, Fox Lake. Admission is $2 and those under 18 are free, as is parking. Food and beverages will be available.

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Founded in 1969, Walleyes Unlimited USA was founded in 1969 and is one of the multi-species fishing clubs in the country, drawing most of its members from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The group was honored in 2007 by being inducted into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.

fabderholden@tribpub.com

Twitter @abderholden
The UK Conservative Party forced its lawmakers to cancel foreign trips ahead of the House of Commons debate on whether to accept the amendments to the bill triggering Brexit talks, Sputnik reported.

The Telegraph learned that at least two ministers had been forced to cancel their plans because of the restriction.

According to the newspaper, every Conservative Party lawmaker had been told to be present in the parliament as the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party (SNP) all wanted to pass the amendments.

On Monday, the House of Commons is set to vote on two changes to European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, made by the House of Lords. One of them would give UK lawmakers a "meaningful vote" on the final Brexit deal, while the other asks the government to guarantee the rights of EU citizens in the United Kingdom after Brexit.

The UK government plans to start the Brexit process before the end of March. According to the local media reports, it could be done the next week.
We applaud Indian Prairie School District 204 and the administration of Waubonsie Valley High School for their efforts to keep their schools comfortable for all students and free of discrimination. Students who feel safe and supported are able to work to their potential and take full advantage of their educational opportunities.

Harassment and bullying come in many forms, and some can seriously affect the lives of more vulnerable students. This is especially true for young people whose gender identity does not exactly match the physical characteristics with which they were born.

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Recognizing that this is something over which a person has no control, the federal government established protection for transgender students so that they would have the right to use the locker rooms and restrooms that matched their gender identity as closely as possible. Some schools, such as Waubonsie, even established small alternative facilities, so that something like changing for gym or using the restroom would not interfere with normal school activities.

Attitudes on social issues often evolve slowly and unevenly, and some parts of the country resist social changes. That's why we feel federal protection of transgender rights is necessary. Title IX federal law states that no person "shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

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The previous administration interpreted "on the basis of sex" to include transgender individuals. The present administration does not, which leaves states, towns and school districts more freedom to interpret treatment of these individuals.

Many area school districts, however, have decided that, since the law did not change, their policies should remain the same. That is not only the right thing to do, but it displays a better understanding of the challenges faced by transgender students as they try to get an education.

We don't believe the current federal interpretation of Title IX will stand forever. In any event, school districts in Illinois, on the West Coast, and in the Northeast are increasingly adopting gender policies that are open and inclusive. That is a trend we like because such policies are effective in ensuring that all students are treated fairly.

Students often express considerable personal differences, and many of these differences can be larger impediments to getting a good education than gender identity. District 204 clearly understands that the important thing is that every student be treated with dignity and respect. That allows them to attend to the real reason they are in school, which is to learn.
Media collusion cited

This is in response to Ted Slowik's selective outrage pertaining to the Trump administration's Russian contacts. He, like The New York Times, is ignoring the bigger story of U.S. intelligence agents colluding with the media and leaking classified information.

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We know this outrage is selective and hypocritical because as Peter Schweizer, president of the Government Accountability Institute, details revelations so far concerning Russian ties in the Trump camp, the Clinton deals with Russia involved hundreds of millions of dollars and enormous favors that benefited Russian interests.

The Clinton Foundation scored $145 million in donations from nine shareholders in a Canadian uranium company called Uranium One that was sold to the Russian government in 2010. The deal required the approval of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's State Department. The deal allowed Rosaton, the Russian State Nuclear Agency, to buy assets that amounted to 20 percent of American uranium. Rosaton controls the Russian nuclear arsenal. Some of these donations were hidden and not disclosed by the Clintons.

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Ted Slowik and The New York Times want an investigation into the activities of Gen. Mike Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, but have no interest in looking into a transaction that resulted in uranium investors making huge profits, Russia acquiring a strategic asset and the Clintons bagging $145 million.

Schweizer said such inconsistencies sap all credibility from those raising the issues. It's yet another of the countless examples of why Americans no longer trust the media. They know the only ones in this story putting party before country is The New York Times and people like Ted Slowik.

Chris Schneider, Naperville

Editorial should have condemned protesters

A recent editorial lauds the scores of elected local officials for meeting with constituents who may, from time to time, be upset. Nothing to disagree with that.

So without indicating party affiliation, the Democrat House Representative used as a courageous example of attending a town meeting had no clue whether he could be facing an angry group. Really? So is the Naperville Sun thinking that the militant anti-Trump "Indivisible" crowd could have been planning to take over the town meeting?

Using this example of being brave and taking the heat is not comparable. "Indivisible" was organized just after the November election by five young, elite, progressive, energetic communications experts with experience crafted in the Obama administration. They unite with the one specific purpose of creating mayhem at town meetings. Surely by now you have perused their battle cry in the pamphlet "Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda," 26 pages. It describes in detail how to organize, create the largest impression, enlist the aid of media, especially video to maximize the effect of their obstruction techniques. You know, similar to the obstruction techniques that elected and also paid Democratic congressional representatives use, boycotting legislative and committee meetings, engaging in sit-ins on the Senate floor, misinterpreting and misdirecting.

Your editorial is your opinion, and it clearly lines up with this profound democratic militancy. Our representatives should have attended the meetings and taken the orchestrated abuse to collect their paychecks, if that is how you measure it. But nowhere do you suggest restraint on the part of the organizers' zeal. Nowhere do you suggest that there is another side in this. And nowhere do you condemn the lockstep, hostile resistance displayed by the minority party.

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Gerald Staraitis, Naperville

Hultgren protesters 'respectful'

I am one of the people protesting at U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren's Campton Hills office. I am 71, a retired university professor and a constituent of his. I disagree with many of the stands Hultgren takes and want him to hear my views. I send emails and leave messages at both his offices, but do not receive individual replies from him. I do get a form letter, expressing the same views I'm concerned about. And, of course, I can watch him lecture me on YouTube about why he's right (therefore, I'm wrong) about issues such as health care.

Hultgren told the press that our group has elements of aggressive disrupters and one of his staffers might quit because of us. There are between 30 and 150 people at Hultgren's Campton Hills office every Tuesday. We stand on a parkway near the office, which is equal distance from the Campton Hills Police Department. Since the police are right across a parking area from the office, if the staffer feels threatened by the group, wouldn't you think he/she would report it and call for help, which would arrive in two minutes or less? I assure you, the group is respectful and non-threatening.

The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly is critical to a functioning democracy and is guaranteed by the First Amendment. Our purpose in exercising this right is simple  we want Hultgren to hold a town hall, honoring his duty to represent all of his constituency.

Gerry Becker, Aurora

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Roskam questioned on election tampering

I was on U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam's telephone town hall of March 7. For the second time in less than one month, I got into the queue, but once again was unable to ask my question about his position on Donald Trump's ties to Russia. While I waited for my turn, which never came, I heard some things that just didn't add up, especially in light of a new bill Roskam co-sponsored focusing on potential Russian interference in European elections in 2017.

Say that again? Potential? European elections? 2017?

In December, Roskam co-authored an article for The Hill that calls for confronting corruption as an essential component of democracy. Yet as a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, Roskam voted against the release of Trump's tax returns, which may shed light on conflicts of interest especially with foreign powers like Russia. He isn't calling for an independent investigation of the Russian hacking of the 2016 election, preferring to let the internal partisan committees conduct their investigation. He isn't calling for the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who lied under oath about calls he had with Russia while campaigning for Donald Trump.

During the telephone town hall, Roskam said he was confident that the checks and balances of the government would prevail. He went on to say that on his recent trip to Kosovo and Sri Lanka, he assured these countries that Congress is not part of the Trump administration, but a co-equal branch of government. He also told a caller he will decline opportunities to critique every provocative action by Donald Trump because that would make him a professional commentator.

This just doesn't add up. Why sponsor a bill to protect foreign nations from Russian interference in future elections when he won't even stand up to a member of his own party right here in the U.S.? We already have ample evidence from the intelligence community that Russia did interfere with our 2016 election, and that several members of the Trump campaign and administration have ties to Russia.

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The only reason our democracy works is if all three branches of government are actually doing their "checking and balancing." If Peter Roskam won't stand up to corruption, then we need a legislator who will.

Sandra Alexander, Glen Ellyn

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Submit letters to the editor via email to suburbanletters@tribpub.com. Please include your name and town of residence for publication. Please include phone number and email address for confirmation. Letters should be no more than 250 words.
"The North wind doth blow, and we shall have snow" is a mini-poem from my childhood, and unfortunately seems to be affecting our area. Seeing the little crocus heads peeking out thinking it's time to bloom, then getting hit with freezing temperature is a bummer. Winter still may raise its head for us, but right behind March comes April with its springtime smiles.

The Valpo YMCA starts spring rolling by opening the running season with its Ringing in Spring event April 1. The event is the largest springtime race in Northwest Indiana, and is a Gold Cup Series run for the serious runners. The race, which begins at 9 a.m., starts and ends at the YMCA, on Cumberland Drive and includes 10K and 5K runs and walk, and children's race (at 10:15 a.m.) Cost of the race is $18. Entrants can order a quarter-zip long-sleev moisture wicking shirt for $15.

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Parents who enter can utilize free child care during the race. There will be awards for all age groups. Go to RingingInSpring.com to register. If you are like me and like to watch people huffing and puffing, there's a place for you too. According to Ruth Cavanaugh, there is a need for volunteers for such things as child care, parking, water stops, assisting with the Little Ringer race, food servers, start and finish line, and cleanup. To volunteer, go to rcavanaugh@valpoymca.org, or call at 219-462-4185, ext. 234. And one thing we can all do, starting now, is put up some positive vibes for a sunny warm day.

If there is a more phenomenal group of caring individuals who help all of Northwest Indiana's neighbors than the Visiting Nurse Association, I have yet to find it. Whether it is the need for Meals on Wheels, hospice care or home care, the Visiting Nurse Association angels are wherever they are needed. The Visiting Nurse Association Homemakers help seniors who can no longer can be self-sufficient, remain in their own homes longer by helping with chores, shopping, cooking and most of all, companionship.

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The Visiting Nurse Association Phoenix Center truly is a hug waiting to happen. Most of us as adults experience the hurt and sadness of death, either of family members or good friends. It is the toughest part of life, and often takes a very long time for our hearts to heal. For children, the loss of a loved one can even be harder to deal with, and if those they are closest to also are grieving, the awareness of their pain can go unnoticed. Neither can most children share their grief with their friends as adults do.

Enter the Phoenix Center, where children of any age who are lost and hurting, will find people to lean on and help them through their sorrow, as well as other children in their age group who are going through the same sadness. The support for these children is given with open arms, and the grieving kids choose the support they need.

There is no cost for the program, and families can be involved for as long as they think is needed. Because grief is an individual thing, the Phoenix Center is there as a supportive environment. All Visiting Nurse Association programs depend on contributions from the community and annual events. Nobody asked me to request that you to donate, but I am so thankful for all they do. To give a gift, go to www.VNANWI.org or call 219-462-5195.

I hope you have a great day, because you deserve it. Thanks for reading. Fly your flag.

Lorrie Woycik is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune.
Soliday needs to stop emulating Trump

Indiana state Rep. Ed Soliday seems to think that since he is a member of the supermajority that he shouldn't criticized for a measure he introduced in the Indiana state legislature with regard to electric cars. It seems that a tech company CEO took issue with this measure and informed him of his displeasure on the 140-character social media site. Soliday, instead of asking this business exec what his objection was, took to Twitter with a negative retort: "Not nearly as stupid as you are!!!" Then he shut down his account with Twitter, which an opportunist then pirated. Now, Soliday wants an apology from someone, but it isn't clear who he wants the apology from: tech executive, social media site or Twitter pirate?

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Since Soliday is a leader in the supermajority, one would think he would want to have a face to face dialogue with this executive, who may move a manufacturing venue to Indiana, instead of Soliday thinking like the new chief executive in D.C.

Gerald E. Jawor

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Hobart

Health insurance companies concerned more about profit than people

The problem with the Affordable Care Act is that there's not enough competition between insurance companies because there aren't enough insurance companies. Those insurance companies that participate can always drop out if the profit is not enough in the opinion of their board of directors, leaving fewer choices and higher premiums for the consumer.

The obvious solution is to eliminate the insurance companies altogether and run the program the same way workers compensation is run, as a nonprofit, state-run plan. Premiums are paid to the state, just like workers' compensation and benefits are paid out by the state. All premiums paid collectively would be no higher than the expenses incurred by the state to operate the program and the state would be free to contribute a share of its revenues to drive down premiums even further.

Billions can be saved just by eliminating the insurance company profit margins, and that savings could be passed on to the consumer in the form of lower premiums and thousands of jobs could be created, creating more revenue for the state to offset the expenses of the program.

Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Michael J. McGregor

North Judson

No mandate for Paul Ryan

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Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has declared that he and his colleagues must do what they had been elected to do. A lame rallying cry it is, to be sure. It suggests a mandate by the voters to begin the deconstruction of valuable, hard-won U.S. social programs. A mandate suggests strong voter approval. Because the president lost the popular vote, it is reasonable to conclude that no mandate has been granted to Ryan and his colleagues to begin reinventing the wheel.

It is this writer's hope that his opposition musters the courage and the numbers to deflect the workings of his group to defend and reinforce the institutions that make America great.

Greg Susoreny

Munster
In this March 4, 2017, photo, Edith Fuller, 5, spells a word during the 2017 Scripps Green Country Regional Spelling Bee in Tulsa, Okla. Fuller is bound for the Scripps National Spelling Bee after becoming the youngest winner of a regional competition in Oklahoma. (James Gibbard/Tulsa World via AP) (James Gibbard / AP)

What's Quickly? It's where readers sound off on the issues of the day. Have a quote, question or quip? Call Quickly at 312-222-2426 or email quickly@post-trib.com.

A 5-year-old girl made history as the youngest person ever to qualify for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Just think, a 5-year-old little girl can spell better than our president. Sad.

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To the mayor of Gary and the Gary school board: If you want to run a successful business, quit hiring all these flunkies, consultants and get rid of all the dead weight and your city and corporation will come back. Your poor leadership is why Gary continues to falter.

Trump and Pence are claiming they knew nothing about Michael Flynn's sordid double life, despite published reports. This whole team needs to be removed ASAP

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So, we're going from Obamacare to Trumpdon'tcare?

Why waste the county hospital funds on an animal shelter? Use the funds to help out the needy. Vote these sponsors out in the next election.

In charter schools, only a percentage of the teachers have to be licensed. How comfortable would you be if only a percentage of the doctors, nurses or other medical professionals in our lives had to be licensed?

These hardcore lefty liberals would rather put the country in harm's way rather than accept the results of the election. True blue Americans all the way.

Trump with his Rasputin (Steve Bannon) whispering in his ear is a very scary thing for America.

Congressman John Shimkus, R-Ill. doesn't think it's fair for men to pay for plans that cover maternity services. But has no problem with women paying for plans that help with certain men's issues.

It makes me so sad to hear the news that nine children in Chicago were living in squalor with no heat or food and 110 people in Somalia starved to death when there is so much food waste in this country. No child in this country should ever need to go to bed hungry or live like that.

"One cannot be naive by choice. In that case it is called ignorance."

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Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Trump is ensuring that his pals and campaign donors are getting a generous share of that corporate welfare. Take it away from the poor and give it to the billionaires.

The White House says "The Affordable Act is unaffordable." So let's make it more unaffordable for more people. Such a deal.

The Trump presidency was supposed to be to shake up Washington. I don't think this is what anyone had in mind. More progress and less mania please.

It would be really nice if our elected officials remembered that they were in office to govern for those people that voted them in.

Trumpcare sure is shaping up to be the Trump University of health insurance policies.

For someone with "no ties to Russia," he sure surrounds himself with people that have many ties to Russia.

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Read more at www.post-trib.com/quickly.
2022 election guide: Here are Pueblo County's top races, ballot issues

Here's what you need to know about the local candidates and ballot questions in the 2022 election, as well as how to vote in Pueblo, Colorado.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May will ask the European Union to hand back nine billion pounds ($10.95 billion) of the UK funds held by the European Investment Bank (EIB), Sputnik reported.

The Sunday Times newspaper reported that the prime minister would make the move as soon as she would trigger the Article 50 initiating Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

Earlier in the day, media reported that May would likely be able to trigger Article 50 as early as Tuesday as there was an "80 to 90 percent chance" that the House of Lords would pass the Brexit bill by midnight on Monday.

Earlier in March, media reported that lawyers and Conservative Party parliament members have concluded that there was no legal basis for Brussels to demand a 60-billion-divorce settlement from the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom held a referendum last June and decided to leave the European Union.
At least 23 people were killed Sunday in deadly clashes between Iraqi forces and Daesh militants in western Mosul amid an ongoing offensive to dislodge the terrorist group from the northern city, according to a local police officer, Anadolu reported.

Our forces are engaged in fierce battles against Daesh militants since morning, Police Captain Yahya Abbas al-Talibi told Anadolu Agency.

He said nine Daesh militants were killed in clashes with Iraqi forces in the citys western part.

Three security forces were also killed, including two who were shot dead by Daesh snipers, he added.

Our forces are resolved to advance toward the center of western Mosul, al-Talibi said.

Meanwhile, a security source said 11 civilians were killed by a suspected U.S.-led coalition airstrike in western Mosul on Sunday.

A suspected coalition plane struck a mobile target, which left 11 civilians dead and injured four others, the source said on condition of anonymity due to safety fears.

In mid-February, Iraqi forces -- backed by a U.S.-led air coalition -- began fresh operations aimed at dislodging Daesh terrorists from western Mosul.

The offensive comes as part of a wider campaign launched last October to retake the city, which Daesh overran -- along with much of northern and western Iraq -- in mid-2014.
As Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said, when speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing on Saturday, a trade war between China and the United States would only cause pain, and benefit neither.

Despite being the world's largest economy, richest nation and mightiest military power, the US administration is fond of saying the country is being treated unfairly.

According to the alternative facts of tweet-loving US President Donald Trump and the accusations of other representatives of his administration, countries that have smaller economies, and which are poorer and weaker, are bullying the US, and it has become the victim of "unfair trade practices that disadvantage American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses in global markets", as claimed by the recently released President's Trade Policy Agenda.

Of course, given so many anti-China ideologues within the administration, it comes as no surprise that China is one of the countries the US' accusing finger is pointed at, with the increase in US trade deficit in goods and services with China highlighted in the report released by the US Trade Representative Office at the beginning of the month.

Such finger-pointing has not been rare in the past year or so, as during his presidential election campaign, Trump repeatedly claimed China was the source of the US' economic and trade woes.

However, as his trade policy agenda goes on to note, a rising trade deficit "is not inconsistent with a stronger economy", even though "that has not been the experience of the typical American household".

And there's the rub. The report makes no mention of the benefits trade delivers the US economy. Nor the widening wealth gap in the US, which highlights the fact that those benefits remain firmly grasped in the hands of a few.

Nor is it just a bilateral issue. The US has registered trade deficits with about 100 economies. Which, as many economists have rightly pointed out, are deeply rooted in the US' excessive credit-based consumption and lack of savings.

As a result, the US must import saving from surplus countries such as China, Germany, and Japan, to sustain growth, leading to its colossal trade imbalances.

Although many may think that China cannot live without the US, as Zhong noted on Saturday, "that's only half true", the US also cannot live without China.

Instead of seeking a trade war, the US should cast away its inward-looking mentality and respect the role of the WTO and other multilateral trade negotiation and dispute-settling mechanisms to help build a unified and inclusive global trade regime.
BEIJING -- The top government official of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region said on Sunday the westernmost region has been "resolutely and forcefully" fighting terrorism to maintain stability.

Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, made the remarks at a panel discussion among lawmakers from Xinjiang at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing.

His words came two days after Chinese President Xi Jinping said the "great wall of iron" should be fortified in Xinjiang to safeguard national unity, ethnic solidarity and social stability.

Xinjiang is an important "security barrier" in Northwest China which holds a special strategic position and faces special issues, Xi said.
BEIJING -- Ceremonies were held on Sunday to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the death of Dr Sun Yat-sen, a renowned statesman who led the revolution that ended imperial rule in China.

Representatives from all walks of life attended a ceremony in Zhongshan Park, named after Sun, in Beijing. A moment of silence was observed before attendees showed their respect to Sun by bowing three times in front a statue of Sun.

The ceremony was presided over by Liu Fan, vice chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang Central Committee.

Also on Sunday, local officials and residents of East China's Jiangsu province marked the day at Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing, the province's capital city, honoring his achievements and role in the revolution.

Sun was born in 1866 and is known to the Chinese people as a "great revolutionary and statesman" for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China.

Sun died on March 12, 1925, in Beijing.
TAIPEI -- Civilian groups and residents gathered in downtown Taipei on Sunday to commemorate Dr Sun Yat-sen, calling for opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting China's peaceful unification.

Sunday marked the 92nd anniversary of the death of Sun, a renowned statesman who led the revolution that ended imperial rule in China.

Hundreds of residents and members from local civilian groups, including the Zhong Shan International, named after Sun, visited the Dr Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, bowing to Sun's statue and singing patriotic songs. They held banners and shouted slogans such as "oppose Taiwan Independence" and "peaceful unification."

Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou also paid respect to Sun's statue.

More than 560 civilian groups in Taiwan announced that they have established an "alliance of anti-independence," based on adherence to the 1992 consensus, which stresses the one-China principle. They called on people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to make common efforts for unification and national rejuvenation.

"The alliance is aimed at carrying on Dr. Sun's ideas and promoting the peaceful unification of the nation," said Sun Wu-yan, head of Zhong Shan International.

He said Dr Sun is very important in the minds of Taiwan people, but some are trying to eliminate Sun's legacy with an ulterior motive, which is not tolerable.

On Sunday, ceremonies were also held on the Chinese mainland to commemorate Dr Sun.

Representatives from all walks of life attended a ceremony at Zhongshan Park in Beijing, observing a moment of silence and bowing three times in front of a statue of Sun. Local officials and residents of East China's Jiangsu province also marked the day at Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing, the provincial capital.

Sun was born in 1866 and is known as a "great revolutionary and statesman" for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China.




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Dutch former foreign minister criticized his government move to cancel Turkish minister's flight permit, Anadolu reported.

The former minister from Christian Democratic Party, Ben Bot criticized Prime Minister Rutte and said it was not understandable to cancel Turkish minister's flight.

"In my opinion, this is closely related to elections. We defended democracy and human rights," said Bot.

Bot said the move was contrary to democracy values, adding: "We took a wrong step."

On Saturday, Dutch government canceled Turkish foreign minister's flight permit and blocked family minister's convoy from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

The ministers were due to meet Turkish society ahead of April 16 referendum which will see a constitutional amendment.

Turkish foreign ministry asked duty-off Dutch ambassador in Ankara who was on leave not to return 'for a while'.

Dutch police dispersed Turkish citizens who took to the streets to protest police's treatment of Turkish family minister.

In Turkey, hundreds of people flocked to Dutch missions in Ankara and Istanbul to protest the Dutch government's moves.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the move as a measure by Nazi remnants and fascists.
Xi attends gathering with ethnic minority lawmakers, political advisors

Top Communist Party of China and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli attend a gathering with ethnic minority deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) and ethnic minority members of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on the sidelines of the ongoing annual sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a gathering with ethnic minority lawmakers and political advisors Saturday evening on the sidelines of the annual national legislative and political consultative sessions.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, along with other Party and state leaders, arrived at the banquet hall of the Great Hall of the People at 7:45 p.m. to the enthusiastic applause from the lawmakers and political advisors in ethnic costumes.

"Good evening, general secretary!" Gesang Zhoigar, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) from Tibet sitting next to Xi, greeted him warmly.

Xi was pleased to learn about improved life in her village, where big changes in education, medical services, elderly care and housing have taken place.

He asked her to convey his regards to the villagers, wishing them an even better life.

After being briefed by a deputy from Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on local development, Xi told him to make solid efforts for ethnic unity and lead people in pursuing a well-off life.

Other leaders, including Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also attended the gathering.

They had cordial conversations with the lawmakers and advisors, encouraging them to contribute to the Chinese nation's rejuvenation.

The gathering was chaired by Qiangba Puncog, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

Sun Chunlan, head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, said that the CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to ethnic work and has made a set of decisions and arrangements to support ethnic regions.

"We must closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core," Sun said, calling for joint efforts to build a community of shared future for the Chinese nation.

Attendees of the gathering also enjoyed performances showcasing China's ethnic arts.
Political advisors pool wisdom for state affairs, public concerns

The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, a member of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the fourth plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Chinese political advisors gathered Saturday to pool wisdom for religious belief, cross-Straits relations, food safety, financial governance, judicial reform and united front work, among other topics.

Fourteen members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee addressed a plenary meeting at the Great Hall of the People.

Yu Zhengsheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the plenary meeting.

During the meeting, the 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu lamented that some Buddhist temples and monks are eroded by commercialization and called on followers to behave correctly.

The Panchen Lama said that with commercialization, some monks went after money and power instead of guarding Buddhist ethics or concentrating on Buddhist pursuits.8 The 27-year-old senior monk, also vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, said though such incidents and people were not the mainstream, they had left an "extremely bad" influence.

The Panchen Lama said he was concerned about insufficient efforts in nurturing talent as some temples had monks but no instructors, Buddhist scripts but no teaching. Preaching is impossible without a good team of Buddhist instructors.

To keep pace with the needs of the time, Buddhist doctrines should be interpreted in ways compatible to the country's reality and social progress, so that the religion can play its positive role to advance social and economic developments, he said.
China's maritime jurisdiction extends to cover all jurisdictional seas

BEIJING -- China has extended its maritime jurisdiction to cover all seas under its jurisdiction in an effort to resolutely safeguard the country's maritime rights and interests, said a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Sunday.

This was achieved by the issuance of a regulation on judicial interpretation, said the report, to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang to the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress, noting that the regulation contributed to China's strategy of becoming a major maritime power.

According to the regulation in effect since last August, jurisdictional seas not only include inland waters and territorial seas, but also cover regions including contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, continental shelves, and other sea areas under China's jurisdiction.

Chinese citizens or foreigners will be pursued for criminal liability if they engage in illegal hunting or fishing, or killing endangered wildlife in China's jurisdictional seas.

Zhou's report also said China's courts tried and concluded 6,899 cases involving foreign businesses, and more than 16,000 maritime cases in 2016.

The SPC stepped up guidance to maritime courts to improve their capacity and promoted international maritime law studies, in a bid to turn China into an international maritime judicial center.

In 2017, China's courts will step up trials of foreign-related business and maritime cases to serve the Belt and Road Initiative and the strategy of building China into a major maritime power, said the report.
Tax authorities welcome more public supervision

China will carry out more efforts to improve taxation-related services this year, said Wang Jun, head of the State Administration of Taxation, on Sunday.

He said the administration will release a list clearly defining its power and responsibilities to invite public supervision and make use of the internet to facilitate tax reporting and payment.
State-owned enterprises urged to invest wisely

Chinese State-owned enterprises (SOEs) should avoid blind investment and further improve work efficiency, said Xiao Yaqing on Sunday, chairman of the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

The SOEs' corporate debts are at "safe and controllable" levels, said Xiao, adding the commission will continue to strengthen the supervision of State-owned capital and better manage their assets.
Two arrested over Guangxi pangolin banquet

Two men have been arrested in connection with a business banquet that served pangolin, an endangered mammal, the head of the State Forestry Administration said today.

Zhang Jianlong said an investigation was launched into the meal, which took place in 2015, shortly after images of the pangolin dish began to circulate on social media in February.

It was soon discovered the banquet had been arranged for a business delegation from Hong Kong to the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Zhang, who was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the National People's Congress, also commented on netizens' concerns over the health of giant panda Shulan.

Pictures online of Shulan foaming at the mouth at Lanzhou Zoo in Gansu province recently raised concern among netizens, while visitors to the animal park have also complained that its pandas look unhealthy.

The zoo has since undergone an evaluation and been deemed unsuitable for pandas, Zhang said. He added that Shulan will be returned to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, where she was born.

The case has provided "strong evidence that there are still loopholes in our wildlife protection efforts", he said. "We will step up efforts to regulate construction, law enforcement and public education."
China reiterates 'zero tolerance' toward corruption

Cao Jianming, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China, speaks during the annual session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

China will continue to take "zero-tolerance" attitude toward fighting the corrupt senior government and Party officials.

Forty-eight high-ranking former officials stood trial last year as part of the nationwide anti-graft campaign. Another 21 were placed under investigation for alleged corruption, down by 49 percent on 2015, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Among those 48 punished included Ling Jihua, former vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, who was sentenced for life imprisonment for bribery, illegally obtaining State secrets and abusing his power; and Su Rong, a former State-level official who was sentenced to life in prison for corruption.

China has also launched investigations into 21 officials of vice-ministerial level or above, including Wang Min, former Communist Party of China chief of Liaoning Province; Wang Baoan, former head of the National Bureau of Statistics; and Lyu Xiwen, former Beijing deputy Party chief, it added.

This year, prosecuting departments will focus on establishing cohesion mechanism with the supervisory commission and keep playing an active role to combat corruption, said Cao Jianming, prosecutorgeneral at the SPP, while delivering the annual report to the top legislature on Sunday.

In addition, the prosecutors will attach great importance to investigating the corrupt officials who abuse power to accept bribes, get elected by bribery and trading their job positions. They will severely punish those who indulge malfeasance and neglect their duties, or accept huge bribes when serving as the grass-roots officers.

Cao said they will also take measures to prevent corruption in poverty-relief areas and supervise key poverty-alleviation programs laid out in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020).

According to figures released by SPP, prosecuting departments investigated 47,650 officials at all levels for duty-related offenses last year, down 12.2 percent compared with 2015. This included 10,472 accused of accepting bribes, up by 21.5 percent.

Since October 2014, when the SPP launched a special project targeting the corrupt fugitives and confiscating their ill-gotten assets, prosecutors have brought back 164 corrupt officials from 37 countries and regions, including the US, Canada, Australia and Singapore.

Late last year, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, approved a pilot reform program to produce an integrated supervision system that will be more authoritative and efficient in tackling corruption.

According to the top anti-graft watchdog, Beijing, Shanxi and Zhejiang have been chosen as pilot areas for the reform of supervisory commissions and the measures will be gradually expanded across the country.
Call for reform to match changing tastes of Chinese tourists

More than 80 percent of Chinese tourists do not visit scenic spots when they go on vacation, according to the head of the China National Tourism Administration.

Li Jinzao, director of the administration, said the development of the nation's tourism industry has been led for four decades by the construction of scenic spots, hotels and restaurants.

However, in the past two years, tourists have grown dissatisfied with this combination, he told reporters today on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions.

"More tourists are now interested in visiting villages with well-protected natural landscapes, and they want to stay in local residents' cottages or apartments," he said. "So we need to build tourism destinations as a whole, not just focus on managing scenic spots. We need to reform tourism management."

Li added that the tourism industry could also contribute to poverty alleviation.

"Roughly speaking, the industry could contribute at least 17 percent to the poverty alleviation goal set for the next five years. And in some regions and provinces, the percentage could be even higher," he said.

"For an example, Guizhou province is underdeveloped, yet this helps it to preserve its natural beauty, which is attractive to tourists from home and abroad. So developing tourism based on protection could be the best way to lift Guizhou out of poverty."
Wrap-up: Ministers address journalists

Zhang Jun, justice minister

China will further improve the management of expert testimony in court cases and clarify the standards for trials that may result in the death penalty, the justice minister said today.

Zhang Jun told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions: "DNA appraisal is crucial to identifying a killer, but we currently have more than 10 expressions about how to identify murder, which we need to clarify for judges."
Plan to boost profile of vocational education in China

China will take measures to improve vocational education and raise its profile among the general public, the education minister said today.

Chen Baosheng said 70 to 85 percent of the 7 million college graduates produced each year are from vocational education and they make a great contribution to the nation's development.

However, there are problems with vocational education, which means it is not attractive to some students, with many believing it has less prestige than other forms of higher education, he told reporters at a news conference in Beijing.

"Such thinking should be rooted out," Chen said. "Vocational education is just as important as other forms of education and it deserves respect, particularly considering its role in nurturing the talent needed for economic restructuring and the development of manufacturing."

He said the ministry will boost cooperation between vocational schools and enterprises to ensure the training matches with what industries actually need.

More work will also be done to tear down the barriers between vocational schools and other forms of higher education, making it easier for students to transfer, he added.

"We want the whole of society to know that vocational and higher education are providing intelligent support to the country," Chen said, adding that China not only needs to nurture the likes of Albert Einstein, but also the likes of Thomas Edison and Lu Ban, the ancient Chinese inventor and craftsman.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 12

By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend:

The mere fact that a foreign minister of a NATO member state must ask for permission from a NATO ally government to visit that country is difficult for Ankara to comprehend, Matthew Bryza, former US ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Trend March 12.

Senior Turkish officials feel this is another example of anti-Turkish and anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe, he added.

Indeed, this incident is occurring at a particularly sensitive moment, given upcoming elections in the Netherlands, where extreme right leader Geert Wilders is using this case to whip up fear of Muslims to gain votes, said Bryza.

This is also a sensitive moment because of the approaching constitutional referendum in Turkey, the former ambassador believes.

He pointed out that many people in the Netherlands and Germany have difficulty with understanding why the leaders of Turkey or any other country would believe they have the same rights as Dutch or German citizens to hold political rallies in these Western European countries.

It is important for Turkish and EU leaders to move beyond this dispute and rebuild strong working relations, according to Bryza.

In any case, this dispute will likely gain Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan votes in the April 16 referendum, as it will feed the feelings of many Turks, resident both in Turkey and Europe, that they are the victims of anti-Turkish and anti-Islamic discrimination, he said. This will lead to an increase in Turkish nationalism and desire for a strong national leader.

Netherlands canceled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permit after the diplomat pushed ahead with plans to address Turks in Rotterdam. Dutch authorities also intercepted a vehicle that was transporting Family Minister Fatma Betul Kaya to the European country.

Police used force to disperse crowd after demonstrators gathered near where Kaya's vehicle was stopped.

"Hundreds of police set up a barricade between us and our citizens. No power can cut ties between us," she said on Twitter.

The Dutch said their decision to cancel Cavusoglu's flight for "security" and "public safety" came after the Turkish ministers "threat" to impose sanctions on the Netherlands if the landing permit was revoked.

Turkey responded with a statement that requested to the charge daffaires that "the Dutch ambassador who is on leave abroad [should] not return for a while.

In a live broadcast later Saturday, Kaya confirmed she was blocked from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

"We expect Netherlands to return to democratic values as soon as possible.

"Freedom of expression, movement, freedom of assembly, all of these have been suspended right now," Kaya said.

A Turkish diplomatic source, who spoke to Anadolu Agency on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media, said Dutch diplomatic missions in Ankara and Istanbul were closed for security concerns.

Minutes after the Dutch cancelation was announced, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the move as a measure by Nazi remnants and fascists.

Addressing an inauguration ceremony in Istanbul, Erdogan said: How will your countrys [diplomatic] flights come here now after not granting permission to our foreign minister?

Several events planned for senior ministers from the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Germany have been canceled in recent days due to what Berlin cites as security grounds.
China drafting standards to prevent toxic school running tracks

The Ministry of Education is working with other government departments to draft new standards for school running tracks to protect children's health, it was announced today.

Synthetic running tracks have attracted widespread attention in recent years after complaints they have caused vomiting, nosebleeds and skin irritations in students at primary and middle schools, including in Beijing, Shanghai and Hebei and Jiangsu provinces.

After looking into the incidents, the authorities discovered a lack of updated standards for the construction school running tracks, Chen Baosheng, the education minister, said at a news conference today on the sidelines of the two sessions.

"Some schools are even building running tracks using standards from more than two decades ago," he said.

"There are also problems with the bidding process," he said, adding that builders are sometimes winning contracts due to their low prices not high quality.

To root out toxic running tracks and protect students' health, Chen said the ministry is working with other departments and research institutes to draft a new set of standards.

"We'll pilot the new standards in some places and implement them nationwide once they have proved to be suitable," he said.

The ministry will also work with local authorities to supervise all existing and newly constructed running tracks, he added.
Minister: 80% of overseas students have returned to China

More than 80 percent of Chinese overseas students have returned home since China launched its opening-up policy in the late 1970s, according to the Education Ministry.

"Since the country's opening-up, about 4.85 million Chinese have gone abroad to study and 3.22 million have returned," Chen Baosheng, the education minister, said today at a news conference on the sidelines of the annual two sessions.

The ministry has supported returnees, such as by offering subsidies to students with an overseas education to conduct research and other projects in China, Chen said.
The opening meeting of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 5. [Chen Yehua / Xinhua]

The presentation of the Government Work Report during the two sessions in Beijing last week is always reason for discussion and reflection. As an observer and researcher of Chinese innovation for over a decade, I pay particular attention to the support and regulation regarding innovation. In recent years innovation has been a key strategic direction for reform, increase of productivity and overall economic development.

In this years report also we see innovation as one of the most important work items on the governments list. Here I will assess both the two sessions attention to innovation and the press release by Minister of Science & Technology Wan Gang on March 11, 2017. In general, the policy is steering towards more openness and autonomy while lacking sufficient emphasis on domestic talent development for innovation.

First, the fundamental support for 15 large-scale science & technology projects toward 2030 will push the boundaries of technology in areas such as information technology, new materials and electronic devices. Second, particular focus is on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and the promotion of open research with crowdsourcing of ideas, open innovation initiatives and an overall open approach to developing AI applications. Third, loosening of monitoring and control of science and research funding to increase autonomy of the researchers. Fourth, focus on the internationalization of high technology from China, especially emphasizing the bridging role of the 17 national independent innovation demonstration zones. These initiatives all point towards more openness of technology development and innovation and increased autonomy.

However, an underappreciated but crucial component is talent development. While the above policy directions are certainly in favor of developing science and technology, funding and research is only one of the pillars of an innovative economy. Bringing back talent from abroad to launch innovative ventures or lead scientific discovery is great, but not enough. A venture or project cannot be run by one returnee talent, a team and organization of talents is necessary to make it happen.

Although reform in education is on the agenda, I believe that part of those reforms should specifically address the sustainability of innovation in China. China cannot and should not rely on overseas returnees alone for innovation. Educating and fostering an innovative and professional workforce domestically is crucial. And this starts at the kindergarten and primary school all the way through middle  and high school to university.

Innovation is a journey that starts with creativity and discovery and ends with commercialization via entrepreneurship. In the early phases of education, the curriculum for children should at least facilitate the development of creative skills, creative thinking and problem solving and relentlessly motivating children to develop curiosity and a sense of discovery. Practically this means including not only skills courses, such as the arts, but in particular enough time for and the right facilitation of experimentation, discovery and reflection via projects and experiential learning.

Moreover, educational concepts of Chinese teachers also need to be steered accordingly. Please note, fostering creative skills and discovery thinking does not create a workforce of artists but a talent pool of innovators, scientists, and entrepreneurs that may make changes and improvements in society.

The policy directions appear to favor science and technology driven innovation and that may not be a bad thing. If education and more fundamental talent development can be added to the mix, the future of a sustainable innovative China is bright.

Mark Greeven is an associate professor at the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy Department of Zhejiang University's School of Management.
Professional kiters from North China's Shanxi province give a performance during the Thailand International Kite Festival 2017 at Cha-Am Beach in Central Thailand's Phetchaburi province, on March 10, 2017. The Thailand International Kite Festival 2017, hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), began at the Cha-Am Beach in Phetchaburi province on Friday. The three-day event features various large-scale show kites as well as performances by 20 professional kite teams worldwide. [Photo/Xinhua]
People are seen though a shattered glass window of a bus at the site of an attack by two suicide bombers in Damascus, Syria March 11, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi government on Saturday said that up to 40 Iraqi Shiite visitors were killed and 120 wounded in the deadly bomb attacks in the capital Damascus.

"The terrorist criminal attacks targeted busses carrying Iraqis visiting the holy shrines in the Bab al-Saghir in Damascus, and initial reports indicate that nearly 40 Iraqis killed and 120 wounded," Ahmed Jamal, Iraq's foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

A rebel group called Levant Swords claimed responsibility for the bombings, according to Mayadeen TV.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry is cooperating with the Syrian authorities and will send planes to retrieve the bodies of the victims, that statement said.

The ministry also calls on the international community to denounce the terrorist crime that targeted Iraqi civilians visiting the holy shrines, it added.

Earlier in the day, a Syrian security source said that two explosive devices struck two busses carrying Shiite visitors near the Bab al-Saghir cemetery between the Shaghour neighborhood and Bab Musalla area, leaving at least 40 people killed and some 100 wounded, and most of them were Iraqi nationals.

In Bab al-Saghir cemetery, there are 11 Shiite shrines, usually a visiting spot for Shiite visitors.
People, holding a banner with a picture of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, shout slogans during a protest in front of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, early March 12, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

THE HAGUE -- The diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey rose on Saturday night after a convoy of Turkey's Minister of Family and Social Policies Betul Sayan Kaya was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam.

Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a "yes" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey.

Earlier on Saturday, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan.

Kaya entered the country at the German-Dutch border in a convoy by car and drove straight to the consulate in Rotterdam. Near the consulate, her car was stopped by the police.

"The Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam," the Turkish Minister stated through twitter.

The support of Turkish-Dutch citizens, holding Turkish flags, near the consulate grew to hundreds of people during the evening.

Around 10 p.m. local time, the Dutch military police started to clear some streets, without major incidents occurring so far, although Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported a rising tension.

The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming.
A general view shows the headquarters of the African Union (AU) building in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, January 29, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

JOHANNESBURG - The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) ended their 10-day robust discussions on Saturday with various resolutions to advance the continent.

The African Union (AU)'s legislative body had deliberated various issues since March 2 in Johannesburg. PAP and the Nairobi-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) decided to initiate a process to have AU members adopt integrated climate-related legislation. PAP also agreed to domesticate the Paris Agreement on Climate Change adopted in 2015.

"We want to have a unified legislation on climate change as a continent to lessen the impact of climate change and PAP will lead that process," PAP Vice President Bernadette Lahai told Xinhua.

Lahai said they also agreed to ensure youths' role in shaping the future of the continent. African youths will meet later this year to discuss various issues like immigration, peace and security.

She said PAP, PACJA and the Pan-African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change (PAPNCC) will meet to devise a policy and legislation on climate change.

PAP also called on African countries to combat gender-based violence through education.

Hasna Houmed Bilil, chairperson of PAP's Permanent Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and People with Disability, said some governments have not shown any political will to carry out regulations and tackle abuse against women.

"The parliament has an important role in safeguarding the implementation of the reforms and laws," Bilil said.

PAP called on its members to establish systemic capacity building at the institutional level in order to understand and champion gender issues. The parliament also asked for a repeal of the laws that discriminate against women.

Moreover, PAP called for integrated legislation to fight an increase of electronic waste. PAP said that children in some African countries work in hazardous places (e-waste dumps) where they are exposed to the dangers of the effluent and fumes.

African parliamentarians were also resolved to promote greater regional and continental integration by stepping up the pace of introducing a common passport that will allow visa-free travel to member states.

PAP had in the past asked African governments to adopt and ratify a PAP protocol to grant the legislative body relevant legislative powers. However, the process of ratifying the PAP protocol has been slow, said PAP President Roger Nkodo Dang.

Dang said that it is a grave concern for the continental parliament that some three years after the AU adopted PAP's new protocol, the ratification process remains slow in African member countries.

Currently, PAP is unable to play its expected pivotal role in promoting Africa's integration and steering the social, political and economic development of the continent since AU members have failed to ratify the protocol.

PAP needs 28 member states to ratify its protocol but only 14 out of the 54 AU members have done so.

The African parliamentarians also discussed how to combat terrorism, promote intra-Africa trade and security, as well as address illicit financial outflows.
Europes mask has come off and its real face has been revealed to the world following recent bans on Turkish ministers by Germany and the Netherlands, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday, Anadoly reported.

Speaking at the International Benevolence Awards at the Halic Congress Center in Istanbul, Erdogan said the recent events in Europe show some of the signs of increasing fascism, racism, and Islamophobia" in that part of the world.

He termed the ban on Turkish ministers who just wanted to meet their expat community as "a manifestation of Islamophobic developments.

"The West has thrown off its mask in the past days," Erdogan said.

He thanked France for not "getting involved in such games".

Last week, Turkish ministers were barred from holding public rallies in two German cities ahead of the April 16 referendum in Turkey.

On Saturday, the Dutch government first canceled the Turkish foreign minister's flight permit to the Netherlands and then blocked a convoy carrying Turkeys family minister from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

The ministers were also due to meet Turkish residents ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional reforms.

He rejected all justifications being made for the ban on Turkish ministers.

"Will they say they did not invite [the ministers]?

"I can go to any country with my passport, both as a diplomat and within the frame of the freedom of travel," he said.

Reiterating his previous comparison of such moves to Nazi-era practices, Erdogan said the Netherlands "went too far by not allowing the consul general outside the consulate [to meet Turkeys female family minister].

Last week, Erdogan also compared German bans of Turkish referendum rallies to Nazi practices.

Turkish President said the countries involved in such acts against the Turkey would soon "learn what international diplomacy is".

About the upcoming election in the Netherlands, he said Turkey would closely watch the election results and decide on its future stance on the European country.

"If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for an election, you will pay the price," he added.
Turkey will retaliate harshly against the Netherlands following its actions against a Turkish female minister in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sunday, Anadoly reported.

Speaking at a rally in western Yalova, Yildirim said: "The attitude of the Netherlands yesterday [Saturday] towards Turkish family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya is unacceptable."

The premier said the Netherlands have violated diplomatic principles, thwarted the freedom of movement of a serving Turkish minister, forcing her to leave the country.

"Everyone should know that Turkey will retaliate in the heaviest possible way," Yildirim said.

He said Turkey will do everything necessary to ensure that such events against Turkish citizens and the country do not occur again.

He noted that while supporters of terrorist organizations like Fetullah Terrorist Organization and the PKK roam freely in Europe, Turkish ministers were not being given permissions.

"These days, we see the dictatorial practices of those who give us democracy lessons," Yildirim said.

He added that by preventing Turkish ministers from meeting their expat community, Europe was backing the No campaign in the upcoming referendum in April in Turkey.

Last week, Turkish ministers were barred from holding public rallies in two German cities ahead of the April 16 referendum in Turkey.

On Saturday, the Dutch government first canceled the Turkish foreign minister's flight permit to the Netherlands and then blocked a convoy carrying Turkeys family minister from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

The ministers were also due to meet Turkish residents ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional reforms.
(Photo : Getty Images. ) Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the people of Xinjiang region to maintain ethnic unity to defeat terrorism in the region.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the people of Xinjiang region to foster ethnic unity to erect a "great wall of iron" that could help to stamp out insurgency activities in the country's only Muslim-dominated province.



"Just as one loves one's own eyes, one must love ethnic unity; just as one takes one's own livelihood seriously, one must take ethnic unity seriously," Xi told a delegation of Xinjiang lawmakers.



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The Xinjiang delegation met the Chinese leader on the sidelines of the annual parliament session, marking Xi's first ever meeting with top lawmakers from the insurgency-hit region since taking office.



A daily evening show broadcasted on state television showed Xi meeting the delegates who were dressed in traditional Uighur dresses, with one delegate gifting the president a photo of a Uighur family whose relative once met Mao Zedong, the founder of modern China.



The timing of this meeting looks very conspicuous given that Xinjiang region has witnessed a surge in violence in recent months, prompting Chinese authorities to carry massive anti-terror rallies in the capital city of Urumqi and other sensitive cities of the region.



The rallies were seen as a show of strength against the Uyghur Muslim insurgents, who have been engaged in a low-intensity insurgency war against the Chinese government for many years now. The Uyghur insurgents aim to establish Xinjiang as a separate Muslim nation.



Over the years, the growing insurgent activities in Xinjiang region have sort of overshadowed the Tibetan insurgency struggle, which more or less has been tamed down by the Chinese authorities. One of the reasons for this unabating violence is considered to be Xinjiang's proximity to Pakistan and Afghanistan, which are considered to be hotbeds of Islamic terrorism.



Last year, China announced that it is joining a quadrilateral anti-terror alliance along with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan to quell the terrorism problem in Xinjiang and other regions. One of the terror groups that is continuously under Chinese security agency's radar is the East Turkestan independence movement ((ETIM)



"(ETIM) is the most prominent challenge to China's social stability, economic development and national security," Cheng Guoping, State Commissioner for counterterrorism and security, was quoted saying by the China Daily newspaper.



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TagsXinjiang, Xinjiang Insurgency, China Muslim Insurgency, China Muslim
(Photo : Getty Images. ) Chinas Commerce Minister Zhong Shan on Saturday warned that a trade war with China would be more painful to U.S. exporters.

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Any possibility of a trade war between China and the U.S. would cause enormous pain for both the economies, China's Commerce Minister Zhong Shan warned on Saturday as the reports of President Donald Trump's administration working on anti-trade policies against China continues to gather steam.



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"A trade war would not benefit either country or either country's people, you could say it would have no advantage whatsoever," Zong told reporters on the sidelines of the annual Chinese parliament session.



Zong sought to break the popular myth among Americans that "China can't live without the United States" as he pointed out "that's only half true." He clarified that "U.S. exports to China has outpaced the growth of Chinese exports to the United States" over the years, suggesting that a trade war will hurt the U.S. exporters more.



The Chinese commerce minister said that he is looking forward to meeting his U.S. counterpart Wilbur Ross, who was sworn-in recently as the new U.S. commerce secretary. Ross is widely considered to be the main man behind President Donald Trump's vehement opposition to multilateral trade deals.



Zong's comment about the trade war comes exactly a day after the U.S. Aluminum Association filed an anti-dumping petition against the Chinese aluminum foil manufacturers. The proceeding marks the first ant-dumping complaint against China under the new Trump administration and also a definite signal that the new U.S. regime has taken the first step in initiating a trade war against the second largest economy.



Trump has rarely ever minced any words while expressing his displeasure against China's controversial trade practices. His vicarious criticism of China's alleged currency manipulation and dumping practices during last year's election campaign left a sore feeling among the Chinese leadership.



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TagsU.S. Exporters, U.S. and China, china, U.S. and China Trade War, China Trade War
I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up.
Concern over attacks on religious sites in Syria

Attacks on religious sites in Syria are raising tensions, Human Rights Watch has warned.

It reports that an armed opposition group destroyed a Shia place of worship in Idlib governorate, while two churches were looted in Latakia.

Witnesses told HRW investigators that the attacks took place after the opposition gained control of the areas and government forces had retreated.

Investigators found evidence of forced entry at the churches and concluded that the motivation may have been theft rather than a religious attack.

Residents of Ghasaniyeh and Jdeideh, two Christian villages in Latakia, told investigators that neighbours were fleeing because of dire humanitarian conditions as well as the fear of armed opposition fighters, and air and artillery strikes by government forces.

Attacks against minority places of worship are occurring despite assurances from some opposition leaders that all Syrians would be protected in the conflict.

HRW says opposition leaders are failing to address the attacks or stop members of their forces from engaging in lootings and kidnappings.

"The destruction of religious sites is furthering sectarian fears and compounding the tragedies of the country, with tens of thousands killed," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

"Syria will lose its rich cultural and religious diversity if armed groups do not respect places of worship. Leaders on both sides should send a message that those who attack these sites will be held accountable."
Jordan Soldier Who Shot Israeli Schoolchildren Freed After End Of Sentence

A Jordanian soldier who was convicted of killing seven Israeli school girls two decades ago has been released from prison after serving his sentence, family sources said on Sunday.

They said Ahmad Daqamseh was now in his family home in the village of Ibdir near the city of Irbid in northern Jordan.

In July 1997, a five-member Jordanian military tribunal found Corporal Daqamseh guilty of opening fire at a group of Israeli schoolchildren and killing seven of them before soldiers seized him and rushed to help the victims.

The incident took place on March 13 of that year during a school field trip in the border area in Jordan.

Daqamseh would have faced the death penalty but the tribunal said he was mentally unstable and was sentenced to life sentence which is equivalent to 20 years under Jordanian law.

A few days after the incident, the late King Hussein personally apologised for the incident, travelling to Israel to visit and pay his respects to the families of the slain girls.

Daqamseh became a hero to a strong opposition movement led by Islamists and nationalists who vehemently opposed the country's peace treaty with Israel in 1994.

Many lawmakers had lobbied in previous years for his release in a kingdom where many see Israel as an occupier state that drove out Palestinians from their land.

Jordanians of Palestinian origin form a large portion of the kingdom's population.
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Meetings and interviews with watch brand CEOs are often very structured affairs. Sometimes you have to submit your questions in advance, after being politely reminded that you wont be given any financial figures; other times your interlocutor might speak freely, but faithfully present the companys corporate direction, usually confining it to the next twelve months.



It is much more enlightening, therefore, when you get the chance to learn more about the person, their professional background, how they came into the world of watchmaking and what their long-term vision is. This was the case when I met Lionel Betoux, owner of Cabestan, over breakfast. As I handled the unmistakable vertical winch tourbillons I was treated to an abbreviated life story of the companys owner, which helped to explain exactly where Cabestan is headed.



Most people would be happy with one MBA, but Lionel Betoux has two and was thus predestined for industry. He set up his first company in Birmingham (it was surprisingly easy) and went on to set up two further companies in the city, all supplying the local car manufacturers. One of these companies was set up to work exclusively with Volvo in Sweden (at the time, Ford owned Volvo in addition to local manufacturers Jaguar and Land Rover) and Betoux subsequently went to work in Sweden as the project manager of Volvos XC90 SUV. While he was living there, he had the idea of setting up a spa resort in the French Jura, which required frequent journeys to Switzerlands border regions. It was through these travels that he came into contact with Rolex, where he ended up working in research and development.



He spent six years at Rolex before setting up a mechanical engineering company in Geneva, but eventually realized that his true passion was for the product, so at the time when ETA first mooted cutting movement supplies, he decided he wanted to produce a base watch movement. This led to his first meeting with watchmaker Eric Coudray who, rather than help with this project, suggested he purchase Cabestan instead. Betoux was against the idea but his business partner convinced him to look at the business plan, which he eventually reviewed and developed into a 100-page document. The deal was finally done in March 2013.



Cabestans production has remained very limited ever since, with a production of just 28 watches in 2014 and 35 watches in 2015. But Lionel Betoux is now using his experience in industrialization to take the brand to the next level. When I took over, we had an inventory problem, he says. We had 80% of the components to make 80 of our watches, but did not have enough to make the watches we wanted or needed. Therefore we spent a lot of time to massively restructure the company, re-establish the brand, and be more client oriented. As a result of his plans, you can expect Cabestan to evolve considerably over the next few years. Betoux wants to have the brands first own-name store in 2019 and already has a detailed plan in place (weve seen it) up until 2020. As early as this year, that could see attractively priced new models entering the collection. Watch this space!




In my last column, I wrote about purpose, and where there is no vision, the people will perish. In this article, I will define what your vision should not be by defining the average American, thus setting up my future articles.

Most doctors believe the notion of "the average American." Who is the average American? I'm glad you asked. The average American eats low nutrition, high sugar, and high-fat foods; in other words, over processed and nutritionally depleted foods.

The average American consumes 300 sodas, 400 candy bars, 500 doughnuts, and 170 pounds of refined white sugar annually. He/She will eat over a dozen, 3,000-pound cows, six whole pigs, 3,000 chickens and other birds, thousands of sea creatures, washing it down with over 30,000 quarts of animal milk in his/her lifetime. Quite a large burden on the digestive tract and bloodstream.

The average American in his/her lifetime will have two to four bowel movements per week, approximately 70,000 bowel movements shy of what is considered to be healthy. These sluggish bowel habits most certainly lead to diverticulosis and other intestinal problems.

The average American is overweight, by at least 25 pounds, and is underexercised. He/She will have high cholesterol, with an average level of 200, and most likely will have high blood pressure, both conditions of which are easily reversed.

Did you know, the number of people dying due to the practice of medicine is over 100,000 annually? The average American in his/her lifetime will take multiple medications: over 30,000 aspirin, various painkillers, numerous over the counter medications, and assorted prescription drugs, perhaps contributing to this statistic.

The average American will imbibe upwards of 2,000 gallons of alcohol! As you can see from a long term perspective, these numbers are daunting and mostly destructive to your health.

The average American is most likely to be sick physically, emotionally, or spiritually and may not even be aware of it. Many people have a negative self-image and suffer recurring bouts of depression and anxiety. Thus, based on these and many other statistics, your doctor can take your symptoms, conclude that you are an average American, diagnose your disease, and give you a poor prognosis.

Sounds pretty bleak, doesn't it? There is; however, good news. These numbers are meaningless if you choose not to be average; if you choose to live an above average, healthy lifestyle; one which has been discussed in this column over the last few years. If you have been the average American, by adopting healthy lifestyle habits, your body will respond in a positive manner and heal itself.

The objective of the Christian Health in Practice program here in Conroe is to foster a healthy community through education. We teach what optimal lifestyle habits are to promote natural healing. That ideal lifestyle includes a positive attitude, self-control, and modifying the way we live, work, play, and relate. CHIP will be inviting a guest lecturer to host our Healthy Living Weekend starting Friday, March 31, where we will explain further about healthy lifestyle habits. For more information, please call 281-451-1452.

Dr. Ray Innis is a practicing Anesthesiologist in Conroe and Facilitator of the Conroe CHIP (Christian Health In Practice) program. He's also a columnist for the Healthy Living Alliance
A Houston veterinarian and her boyfriend are due in court Monday on charges of trying to hire a hitman to kill their exes.

Valerie McDaniel and Leon Jacob were being held in the Harris County Jail without bond on a charge of solicitation of capital murder.
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The rancher crouched by a tall stack of wood, fresh blue jeans stretched over his aging knees.

He was a cowboy through and through, with a dark blue bandana tied neatly above an unadorned leather vest. His eyes, shaded by a well-worn hat, crinkled behind round wire frames as he scratched a shaggy dog gazing contentedly into the distance.

It took Andy Wei two months to create this painting, which stunned onlookers with its realism Saturday at the awards ceremony for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's School Art Program. Wei, a high school senior from Fort Bend ISD, was this year's Grand Champion in an annual contest that recognizes the most talented student artists from about 100 school districts and 40 private schools in the area.

This year's competition drew 187,000 entries from students of all grade levels. Roughly 640 of them received best of show, gold medal or special merit awards, and champions were chosen from elementary, junior high and high school entries.

For the first time this year, the elementary and junior high champions will showcase their art alongside high school winners at the program's auction March 19. There, 72 of the contest's best entries will be sold to support the young artists and to fund scholarships and workshops for other participants. Last year, the Reserve Grand Champion piece fetched a record $220,000.

Auction chairman Howard Webster said this year's entries were "unsurpassed" in quality. The junior high students were particularly impressive, he added, a hint that future high school contests might be more competitive.

"The art gets better every year," he said.

In a showcase in the NRG Center lobby, a graphite drawing of another cowboy stood out for its black-and-white austerity. The man, standing behind a table stacked with iron pots and pans, leaned against a shelf that cast intricate shadows over his face and torso.

Jared Efurd, a senior from Tomball ISD, won a gold medal for the piece. The best part of drawing, he said, is bringing to life someone or something that exists only in his mind.

"That's the fun part, using your imagination," he said.

Deyanna Polk, a sophomore from Round Top-Carmine ISD, took home a best of show award for a pencil drawing of an orange-hued cow. She appreciates art as a creative outlet, she said, but she ultimately hopes to train her precision and focus to become a surgeon.

"Surgery is another type of art," she said. "A scalpel is the same as a paintbrush, pretty much."

Chloe Eich, a junior from New Caney ISD, earned a special merit award for a close-up drawing of a woman holding a plate of biscuits. Her pearl bracelet, patchwork blue apron and bright red nail polish spoke of the South.

"I love the freedom of expression you can put into art," Eich said.

Eich and two other New Caney ISD students were part of a group selected to attend a four-week workshop at the Western Art Academy in Kerrville. Their art teacher, Jeri Rae Kent, used to judge contest entries before working with students to prepare them for the competition.

"They've put so in so many hours with unwavering attention to detail," Kent said. "They were constantly working in the studio."

Wei, who has competed in the show twice before, wanted to enter this year's competition with an ageless image of the American West. He met his subjects - the cowboy and his dog - on their ranch and watched their interaction, committing details to memory.

The challenge, Wei said, was capturing the cowboy's expression as he looked at his four-legged sidekick. Eight years of adventures had made them inseparable, and now, they were growing old together.

"I hope people see the story, rather than just a piece of art," Wei said. "It's a companionship I really admire."
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From Vancouver to Chicago to Rochester to here in Houston  Jewish Community Centers evacuated on Sunday after the latest round of anti-Semitic bomb threats targeted the schools and religious spaces across the continent.

Police found no threat at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in southwest Houston, Executive Vice President Joel Dinkin said. The center received an emailed threat just after 2 p.m.

It was the second time that the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in southwest Houston was forced to evacuate in less than a month.

AT SCHOOL: Student finds racial slur written on notebook

The Jewish Community Center Association said six centers nationwide were targeted Sunday. A spokesman could not immediately confirm that each was not credible. Sunday marked the end of the Jewish holiday Purim, which tells the Torah story of the Jews' rescue from a king's plot to kill every Jewish person in one day.

More than 150 bomb scares have targeted Jewish gathering spots since the start of 2017.

Dinkin said community members and staff are "disturbed" by the threats but appreciate the center's programs and offerings, especially during a distressing time.

"You can't prepare for it," he said. "You can only continue to review your protocols and respond accordingly."

The FBI declined to offer any information on Sunday's scares except to say that they are "investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with threats to Jewish Community Centers" and "will ensure this matter is investigated in a fair, thorough, and impartial manner."

MEETING OF MINDS: Interfaith leaders gather to discuss JCC bomb threats

More than 140 JCC leaders, including Dinkin, asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to put more fiscal resources toward investigating anti-Semitic threats last week.

Local law enforcement have represented a beacon of responsiveness and professionalism as our communities have endured dozens of anti-Semitic threats in past week, the letter read. We respectfully ask that federal agencies, including your own, do the same.

Just a day before this most recent round of threats, the Anti-Defamation League's Houston-based regional director Dayan Gross penned an opinion piece in the Chronicle, acknowledging the uptick in hate incidents and also urging locals to reject bias.

"Hate tends to wash over us in waves, and we have seen swells before," he wrote.

"But no one in our Houston office, including one person who has worked there for over 30 years, has seen such an endless litany of bias-motivated vandalism and harassment."

Keri Blakinger contributed to this report.

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see which hate groups are active in Texas
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The last anyone saw of Monica Cassandra Carrasco, she had gone to bed wearing a beige nightgown and had her Bible by the beside.

That was Oct. 1, 2003. The next morning, the then-16-year-old had vanished from her bedroom, with her Bible.

Since then, the family, law enforcement officials and the FBI have been trying to find out where she went and what happened to the girl from Balmorhea, a town of 470 people in far West Texas.

MISSING WOMAN: She left work 25 years ago, then disappeared

Carrasco's mother, Katherine, posted a recollection on a website about her last day with her daughter.

"I told her I loved her," Katherine wrote on www.missingmonica.com, "and she said she loved me. Then we prayed."

The next day, the girl was gone. Since then, nothing. No contact. No phone calls. No sightings.

Just more searching by the Reeves County Sheriff and FBI.

ISLAND MYSTERY: Woman's disappearance from South Padre has investigators puzzled

Carrasco is listed as 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing 116 pounds at the time of her disappearance.

Family members and the FBI say she has chicken pox scars on forehead and suffers from depression, schizophrenia and has an eating disorder.

Anyone with information may call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 or The Reeves County Sheriff's Office in Texas 1-432-445-4901.

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see other missing persons cases around Texas
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A Houston lawmaker has written and submitted a Senate bill that would eliminate vehicle safety inspections in Texas.

Senate Bill 1588 would repeal the act that requires Texas car owners to get an annual safety inspection. Sen Don Huffines (R) wrote the bill, but it is also sponsored by Senators Charles Perry (R), Carlos Uresti (D) and John Whitmire (D).

HOUSTON SAFTY: The 25 most dangerous intersections for drivers in Houston

Currently, safety inspections for cars require vehicles to be properly equipped with safety features such as functioning turn signals, mirrors, braking, etc. But the inspection also looks out for how much emissions the car is releasing into the atmosphere.

Texas is one of just 16 other states that still have a vehicle inspection law and if the law passes, the action would result in a $150 million loss to the state, but a type of tax cut for Texas citizens, Huffines told KTRK.

"With significant technological advances in vehicle design and technology, this 66-year-old program is a relic of the past," Huffines said in a news release. "State government is wasting Texans' time & money on the annual chore of passenger inspections when 34 other states, including populous states like California, don't require it of their drivers. Once you realize that these inspections aren't about safety, it's clear that they're simply a tax on Texans' time and money."

To learn the Texas cities that are the safest drivers in the Lone Star State, click through the gallery above.

STAY SANE: The 17 worst commutes in Houston ranked
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El Paso Police Detective Michael Aman thought he had a 45-year-old cold case solved.

Aman got a DNA match on fingernail clippings from a homicide in 1970 to someone who was acquainted with the victim. The match happened even though DNA evidence wasn't in use four decades ago.

"In this case we were kind of lucky because they didn't know about DNA, but by accident they did the right thing and packaged it correctly," Aman told KTSM-TV in El Paso.

OFFICER DOWN: New reward on what may have been contract hit on Texas police officer

But, when it came time to bring the man charged with killing Doris Rivers to trial, police and prosecutors found out the evidence was useless.

El Paso Judge Gonzalo Garcia last week threw out the case against 72-year-old Willie Johnson because the detective who had collected the evidence back in 1970 was dead. Therefore, he was unable to testify about the chain of custody the collected evidence had gone through.

Johnson, a former Fort Bliss soldier, had been living in Mississippi at the time of his 2015 arrest. Police described him as one of two original suspects in the case - along with Rivers' ex-boyfriend.

MYSTERY MAN: Found near Michigan-Ohio border, police think he's from Texas

The ex-boyfriend was eliminated as a suspect in June 2015 after a DNA swab from him didn't match the DNA taken from the blood on Rivers' fingernail clippings.

Johnson was accused of killing the 21-year-old Rivers at her home in El Paso on Nov. 12, 1970. Rivers' sister found her body in front of a television which was still turned on. Police officials said Rivers had been stabbed five times.

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see unsolved homicides and cold cases in Texas
Gong Yoo attends the 'Train To Busan' photocall during the 69th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2016 in Cannes, France. (Photo : Getty Images/Andreas Rentz)

Starring "Train to Busan" actor Gong Yoo, "Goblin" was a big winner at the 2017 Korea Cable TV Awards. The drama series aired on tvN from Dec. 2, 2016 to Jan. 21.



On March 10, Friday, the winners of the 2017 Korea Cable TV Awards were announced. The awards ceremony was held at the COEX auditorium in Seoul, South Korea, Soompi reported. People behind "Goblin" rejoiced as the TV series won two awards.



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Instead of having one overall grand prize winner, there were grand prize awards in specific categories at the 2017 Korea Cable TV awards. This is similar to the awards ceremony in 2016.



The Daesang or Drama Grand Prize was given to "Goblin." The series also won the same category in the Cable VOD (Video on Demand) Grand Prize Awards.



"Goblin" won two more awards in the Cable Star Awards. K-Pop boy band BtoB member Yook Sung Jae, who is professionally known as Sunghae, won the Rising Star, Acting award while Amy Lee, who is professionally known as Ailee, received an award for singing "I Will Go to You Like the First Snow" as OST of the series.



Among the TV networks, tvN was the big winner at the 2017 Korea Cable TV Awards, as well. Aside from "Goblin," tvN series "Good Wife," "Problematic Men" and "Another Oh Hae Young" also won awards in the Cable Star Awards.



tvN is set to release its first sci-fi drama series. Kim Kang Woo and Yeo Jin Goo will star in the new drama series titled "Circle," which is set both in present-day Korea and in 2037, Korea Herald reported.



Gong played the title role in "Goblin." Joining Gong and Lee in the main cast were Sungjae as rebellious but kind-hearted chaebol heir named Yoo Deok Hwa, Lee Dong Wook as the Grim Reaper, Kim Go Eun as an optimistic and bubbly high school student named Ji Eun Tak and Yoo In Na as a bright and attractive chicken restaurant owner named Sunny.



Four actors made cameo appearances in "Goblin." They were IU's "The Producers" co-star Park Hee Von and "While You Were Sleeping" stars Jung Hae In, Kim So Hyun and Kim Min Hae.



Here is a video featuring Gong:






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The Vatican is examining the possibility of Pope Francis visiting Egypt but no dates or schedule have been set, his spokesman said Saturday after Italian reports suggested the trip would happen in May.

"A trip by the Holy Father to Egypt is under study but neither dates nor a programme have been finalised," the spokesman, Greg Burke, said in a statement.

Italy's national broadcaster RAI had claimed that Francis would be in Cairo May 20-21 and that his programme would include a stop at the Al-Azhar university and mosque complex.

The pope hosted the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, at the Vatican last May, in a landmark meeting with one of Islam's top clerics.

The encounter was the culmination of a steady improvement in ties following a series of spats under Francis's predecessor Benedict XVI.

The current pope has made interfaith dialogue and reconciliation a leading theme of his pontificate and he has also overseen an improvement in relations with the Orthodox and Protestant wing of Christianity.

The Argentine pope has a long-standing invitation to visit Egypt, issued by President President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi when he met Francis at the Vatican in 2014.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's time to meet the cats named Tiny through Turkey in cleveland.com's contest to find the Cutest Cat in Greater Cleveland.

With about 3,500 kitties entered in the contest by their owners, cleveland.com is publishing all the pictures over a 5-week period, organized in alphabetical order by the cats' first names. In the photo gallery above are cats named Tiny through Turkey.

One photo gallery will be posted daily at cleveland.com/best through March 14. The Top 100 Cutest Cat finalists will be announced on March 15.

The galleries contain one photo of each feline entered in the contest through email or by attending the free photo shoot that was held at cleveland.com's office in January.

Meanwhile, a five-person selection committee from cleveland.com is pouring over the photos to decide the 100 finalists. From there, readers will determine the Top 10 -- as well as the order of the Top 10 finish -- through voting in online polls.

Here's links to all the other cat photo galleries that have been published:

Aaloo through Azusa: See contest photos of cats named Aaloo-Asusa

Photo gallery #1

BaBa through Bellah: See contest photos of cats named BaBa-Bellah

Photo gallery #2

Bellatrix through Boo: See contest photos of cats named Bellatrix-Boo

Boo Boo Beefcake through Buttons: See contest photos of cats named Boo Boo Beefcake-Buttons

C.C. through Charley: See contest photos of cats named C.C.-Charley

Charlie through Chumbee: See contest photos of cats named Charlie-Chumbee

Chumly through Cuddles: See contest photos of cats named Chumly-Cuddles

Cupcake through Dolly: See contest photos of cats named Cupcake-Dolly

Domino through Ethel: See contest photos of cats named Domino-Ethel

Photo gallery #9

Eva through Frankie: See contest photos of cats named Eva-Frankie

Frankie through Gio: See contest photos of cats Frankie-Gio

Giorgio through Harriet Tubman: See contest photos of cats Giorgio-Harriet Tubman

Photo Gallery #12

Harry through Ivy: See contest photos of cats Harry-Ivy

Izzie through Jobu: See contest photos of cats Izzie-Jobu

Photo gallery #14

Joe through Kinzy: See contest photos of cats Joe-Kinzy

Kipper through Lenny: See contest photos of cats Kipper-Lenny

Leo through Lito: See contest photos of cats Leo-Lito

Little Babe through Lucy: See contest photos of cats Little Babe-Lucy

Lucy through Maple: See contest photos of cats Lucy-Maple

Marble through Mhysa: See contest photos of cats Marble-Mhysa

Mia through Misiu: See contest photos of cats Mia-Misiu

Miss Addison through Motor: See contest photos of cats Miss Addison-Motor

Mouse through Neal: See contest photos of cats Mouse-Neal

Ned through Olive: See contest photos of cats Ned-Olive

Oliver through Ozzy: See contest photos of cats Oliver-Ozzy

P-Nut through Phoebe: See contest photos of cats P-Nut to Phoebe

Phoenix through Princess: See contest photos of cats Phoenix-Princess

Riley through Rusty: See contest photos of cats Riley-Rusty

Saber through Seamus: See contest photos of cats Saber-Seamus

Sebastian through Smitty: See contest photos of cats Sebastian-Smitty

Smokey through Steinway: See contest photos of cats Smokey-Steinway

Stella through Tango: See contest photos of cats Stella-Tango

Tanis through Tinkerbelle: See contest photos of cats Tanis-Tinkerbelle

Throughout February and March we will also publish special category winners such as the cats with the Prettiest Eyes, Best Mustaches and Cats We Most Want to Cuddle With.

Look for lots more content throughout the contest at cleveland.com/best, including videos and features.

Remember, if you don't see your cat pictured yet, please be patient and watch for the alphabetical galleries to roll out daily through March 14.

Notable: To be eligible for the Top 10, the cat must reside in Northeast Ohio (Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage, Lake and Geauga counties).
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WikiLeaks released the CIA's foreign espionage tools for hacking into smart phones and televisions.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Last week, Wikileaks unveiled the CIA's tools for hacking into televisions, smart phones and other devices. WikiLeaks also revealed itself to be a tool of Vladimir Putin, and perhaps, the Trump campaign and administration.

Wikileaks document dump may be the largest CIA leak in history, and Wikileaks says it's only the first installment. Wikileaks has opened the CIA's technology toolbox, for foreign espionage, for all the enemies of the United States to see and now use. The New York Times reports the initial release included 7,818 web pages with 943 attachments. WikiLeaks claims they now have CIA material containing several hundred million lines of computer code.

CIA surveillance directed at foreign, not domestic targets.

US intelligence experts assert the the tools WikiLeaks exposed were being used for foreign espionage targets, not against US citizens.

Former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell said on CBS News that Americans "don't need to worry at all" about the CIA monitoring their TV's and phones. "The CIA focuses its activities overseas. It focuses its activities on foreign nationals. The CIA is not permitted by law to target Americans. So Americans should not worry about this. Just the opposite -- they should actually be proud that their intelligence agency has developed these capabilities to collect intelligence on our adversaries who are trying to undermine our security and to, in some cases, kill Americans. So I think that's how the average American should think about it."

Leak likely an inside job.

Morrell said the leak had to be an inside job. "This data is not shared outside CIA; it's only inside CIA. It's on CIA's top secret network, which is not connected to any other network. So this has to be an inside job.

Morell said there are a lot of questions CIA leaders and Congress need answers to. "Was this a CIA staff employee or was this a contractor? How did they get their access to all of this data? How did they download it onto a thumb drive? How did they get it out of the building? Were there any red flags on the system at all?"

Trump ally meets with WikiLeaks leader

BuzzFeed reported that Trump ally Nigel Farage visited the London residence of WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange Thursday. Farage is the former leader of the pro-Brexit U.K. Independence Party and campaigned with Trump in the U.S. last year. Assange is living in exile in London embassy of Ecuador, after being accused of rape in Sweden.

When a BuzzFeed reporter asked Farage if he had gone to the embassy to visit Assange, Farage said he couldn't remember why he had made the 40 minute visit, then added, "I never discuss where I go or who I see."

Trump adviser communicated with Russian hacker.

The Smoking Gun and The New York Times have reported that former Trump adviser, Roger Stone, had contact via private messages on Twitter with "Guccifer 2.0" who U.S. Intelligence holds responsible for hacking the DNC and the Clinton campaign.

U.S. Intelligence official contend that "Guccifer 2.0" is an online persona created and operated by the G.R.U., Russia's military intelligence service. G.R.U. is Russia's version of the Soviet Union's KGB.

In late-July, "Guccifer 2.0" began following Stone on twitter. "The only Trump World figure among the small group followed by the hackers," reported The Smoking Gun.

Stone is one of at least three Trump associates said to be part of an ongoing joint counter-intelligence investigation by the FBI and US intel agencies into financial connections between Trump associates and Russian operatives. The other two names that have been mentioned have been Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign boss, and Carter Page, Trump's former foreign policy adviser.

Assange is no hero.

Julian Assange is no hero. He's become nothing more than a tool of Putin's Russia and an enemy of the United States and western Democracy.

WikiLeaks aided and abetted Russia's cyber attack on United States during the 2016 presidential election. It has now attacked the U.S. again with the release of CIA documents.

If Russia and WikiLeaks attacked the US with airstrikes instead of hackers and documents dumps, how would the Trump administration, Congress and the American people be reacting? Would Trump be saying nothing, as he has on the WikiLeaks CIA attack?

Assange likes to portray himself as only the leader of a noble anti-secrecy organization, fighting for transparency for the good of the world. But how come Assange never seems to release any damaging documents on Vladimir Putin and Russia? Is the self-anointed champion of transparency not troubled by Russian journalists and Putin's political opponents and critics turning up dead or poisoned? Does Assange care that Putin is said to have siphoned off billions of Russian money into his own pockets? If Wikileaks is so interested in transparency, why only leaks on Hillary Clinton and not Trump?

The latest WikiLeaks attack is yet another reason why it's imperative Congress appoint a 9/11-type independent commission to fully investigate the Russia/WikiLeaks attacks on the US during the 2016 election.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Almost all of the money from Ohio's main tuition voucher programs - 97 percent of it - flows to private religious schools, a Plain Dealer examination of records from the 2015-16 school year shows.

Christian schools, as expected, receive the bulk -- more than $140 million in state tax dollars a year.

And Catholic and other Christian schools in Cleveland are the biggest winners, thanks to a Cleveland-only voucher program that was the first in the state when it started in 1996.

The top three private schools to benefit from Ohio voucher dollars -- Cleveland Central Catholic, St. Joseph Academy and Metro Catholic -- are Catholic schools in Cleveland, as are seven of the top ten in the state.

The non-religious schools that receive money from the programs tend to be Montessori or STEM programs, like the Montessori High School at University Circle, which received just over $100,000 in voucher money.

The money that goes to religious schools through parents has always been a hot-button issue in voucher debates, though the U.S. Supreme Court found Ohio's plan to be constitutional in 2002. Who uses state voucher dollars at which schools will be a major part of the debate this spring as the Ohio legislature considers a bill to expand Ohio's private school tuition aid to more middle class families.

Vouchers are also likely to have a major role in the plans of President Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos, his Secretary of Education, to expand public funding of school choices for families beyond just traditional district schools.

Both are big believers in vouchers, which give money to families to help with private school tuition. Vouchers should not be confused with charter schools, another major option for school choice. Charters are not private schools, but are state-funded public schools that are privately-run.

Read more:

Some Catholic schools depend on vouchers

For Cleveland Central Catholic, the school receiving the most tuition help, vouchers are the school's life support.

The school tucked behind the historic Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus in Slavic Village lost students and support when families moved out and foreclosures devastated the neighborhood. Vouchers have helped mostly-poor families afford the school's tuition, said Leo Hyland, the school's president.

Between standard vouchers and some additional vouchers available only for disabled and autistic students, 97 percent of Central Catholic students use some type of state voucher to pay their tuition.

Many need to do janitorial work in an after-school work study program to make up the difference.

Voucher payments make up two thirds of the school's $6 million budget.

"It would be a big challenge for us to survive" without the vouchers, Hyland said. "It is a godsend to the school, and I'm very pleased that our families make the most of it."

About half the students at St. Joseph Academy in Cleveland use state tuition vouchers, making the school the second-largest beneficiary of vouchers in Ohio. (Joshua Gunter/ The Plain Dealer)

Vouchers also provide a $4 million-a-year boost to a sliver of the West Park neighborhood - a stretch of a few hundred yards of Rocky River Drive, in particular - to help with tuition at the neighboring Our Lady of Angels elementary and St. Joseph Academy.

Mary Ann Corrigan-Davis, president of St. Joseph, said about half of the students at the all-girls high school use the vouchers, making it the second-highest recipient of voucher dollars in Ohio.

Without the vouchers, she said, "I am sure enrollment would decrease and it would be a real struggle for people."

The vouchers are less crucial for schools like St. Ignatius High School, the 13th biggest voucher beneficiary in Ohio, where vouchers cover a total of about $1.5 million in tuition payments.

But those cover partial tuition for about 230 of the 1,500 students at St. Ignatius.

What the data shows

The totals presented in charts below include Ohio's three main voucher programs that are available to students without disabilities: Cleveland Scholarship, EdChoice and EdChoice expansion vouchers.

The Cleveland Scholarship gives Cleveland residents $4,250 toward tuition at private elementary schools in Cleveland and contiguous cities or $5,700 for high school. EdChoice gives $4,650 for elementary school or $6,000 for high school to students that would otherwise attend schools that score poorly on state tests, including 21 schools in Cleveland suburbs.

EdChoice was expanded two years ago to give similar aid to low-income students.

Read more:

These programs would be expanded under the bill now before the Ohio Senate to include more middle class and suburban students by wiping out the income and geographical restrictions.

Click here for more on that proposal and here for how parents might save voucher money for college or tutoring.

Two separate special education and autism voucher programs are not included in The Plain Dealer analysis, though we have added their totals to the chart below to show how some schools benefit from them.

The Plain Dealer sorted out schools with a religious mission through reviewing the names and websites of the more than 500 schools participating in the three voucher programs and placing calls to some schools.

Most had obvious religious names, like Cleveland Central Catholic - 86 schools had "Christian" in their name - and St. Joseph, one of 184 schools named after saints. Schools named after bishops or archbishops or with names including terms like "Our Lady," "Notre Dame," "Immaculate Conception" and the words "Holy" or "Bible" were also easy to classify.

Others, like the Urban Community School in Cleveland openly declare their religious affiliation.

The Plain Dealer found:

Of the $150 million in state tax dollars Ohio awarded through the Cleveland Scholarship, EdChoice and EdChoice expansion, just over $143 million (95 percent) went to families using Christian schools.

Schools with other religious affiliations - Jewish and Muslim - ended up receiving a little more than $3.4 million, or two percent of the money.

Families using non-religious schools accounted for slightly less, also about two percent of the cash.

How religious schools benefit from Ohio's voucher money:

Here's a breakdown of how students attending different types of schools benefited from state voucher dollars in 2015-16. These totals include the three main voucher programs serving students without disabilities.

Cleveland-only vouchers Statewide EdChoice Ed Choice expansion (low-income families) Total Percentage of voucher dollars Non-religious $391,353 $1,982,844 $1,041,560 $3,415,757 2% Religious (not Christian) $427,707 $2,288,416 $738,874 $3,454,997 2% Christian $33,161,892 $89,748,797 $20,397,690 $143,308,379 95% $33,980,951 $94,020,057 $22,178,124 $150,179,132

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Religious schools always big voucher recipients

The predominance of money going to religious schools is no surprise. When the late Governor George Voinovich started the Cleveland program in 1996, about 77 percent of the students attended religious schools, mostly Catholic ones. The percentage grew quickly as early voucher schools became charter schools and vouchers have expanded.

Attorney Clint Bolick, an early advocate of the Cleveland's school voucher program talks to the media in June 2002 in front of the Supreme Court. Behind Bollock is Rev. Barry Lynn, of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The high percentage has drawn criticism over time as a handout that promotes Christianity on the public dime. It also sparked a court challenge that reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2002.

The court, though, found that the voucher program was designed to provide choices to parents in a district that was constantly under state control.

The court also found that if non-religious schools could also be part of the program, then a high percentage of religious schools did not make it unconstitutional.

"The constitutionality of a neutral educational aid program simply does not turn on whether and why, in a particular area, at a particular time, most private schools are run by religious organizations, or most recipients choose to use the aid at a religious school," the court ruled in its 5-4 decision.

See the full ruling below.

Voucher supporters, including Catholic organizations and State Sen. Matt Huffman, the Lima Republican who has proposed expanding the voucher program, focus on the percentages being attributed to family choices, not state policy.

"Parents don't have to choose religious schools," said Larry Keough, who heads education efforts of the Catholic Conference of Ohio. "They can choose any schools of the list as providers."

The rate of religious schools also is high because many secular private schools choose not to participate in the voucher program, said Dan Dodd, executive director of the Ohio Association of Independent Schools.

Schools such as Hathaway Brown, Laurel School, Hawken School, Gilmour Academy, and University School often fell out of the areas included in voucher programs. And voucher amounts are so much lower than the schools' tuition, Dodd said, that qualifying families could rarely make up the difference.

"Most of them also don't take it (vouchers) because of the strings that go along with it, specifically testing," Dodd said. The state requires most voucher students to take the same state tests as public school students, even if the school avoids them for other students.

"That seems to be the biggest hurdle," Dodd said.

Which schools benefit from vouchers the most?

Ohio's top 20 voucher-receiving schools, through the three main voucher programs serving students disabilities. Additional dollars from disability vouchers are included to give a full look at these schools.
Cleveland police tape

A Brooklyn police chase caused a vehicle to crash into a Cleveland bar Saturday night, police said.

(cleveland.com file photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A car crashed into a Cleveland bar Saturday night during a Brooklyn police chase.

The crash happened about 9 p.m. at a bar near Fulton Road and Memphis Avenue in the city's Old Brooklyn neighborhood, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. Brooklyn police were pursuing one vehicle at the time of the crash.

The chased vehicle smashed into two other vehicles, pushing one into the bar, Ciaccia said. One person was injured in the incident, but it's unclear how serious the injuries were.

The vehicle that was being chased got away from Brooklyn officers, Ciaccia said.

Brooklyn police officials were not immediately available to say why the chase was initiated. Cleveland police only completed the crash report, Ciaccia said.

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police tape.jpg

Cleveland police are investigating after an RTA bus sustained gunshots Sunday morning.

(File photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority driver was injured early Sunday when shots were fired at the bus he was driving, police said.

The shooting happened about 4 a.m. at West 44th Street and Lorain Avenue in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood, police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. A vehicle stopped at the intersection fired a gun at the RTA bus.

The bus driver was not shot, but he was taken to MetroHealth for treatment for minor injuries, possibly caused by broken glass striking him, Ciaccia said.

A man - the suspected shooter - came to the Cleveland police Second District later Sunday morning and turned himself in, Ciaccia said. Formal charges have not been filed.

The shooting investigation continues.

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muslim.jpg

Sohaib Awan, left, and Safeer Ahmad were among members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association who took the "True Islam" campaign to downtown Cleveland on Saturday.

(Tom Feran, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On downtown sidewalks where someone standing with a sign might be expected to be panhandling, half a dozen young men on Saturday gave away smiles and information.

Holding signs reading "Meet a Muslim" and "Ask me anything," they answered questions, handed out pamphlets explaining "True Islam" and tried to correct misconceptions that they say play into the hands of extremists and terrorists.

Safeer Ahmad of North Canton, a freshman at Ohio State University, noted that a Pew Research Center survey found that 62 percent of Americans had never met a Muslim.

"We want to change that," he said. "People fear what they don't know."

"Most ask about whether Islam promotes violence," said Sohaib Awan of Ravenna, a second-year student at Northeast Ohio Medical University. "They see what the media shows from the Mideast, and they draw conclusions based on that.

"The teaching of Islam is that when any person kills another, it's as if that person has killed all of humanity. And a person who saves another person, it's as if that person had saved all of humanity.

"The fundamental teaching is the sanctity of life. That is the biggest point we're trying to get across."

"Everyone's been pretty positive," Ahmad said, noting they'd received handshakes, high-fives, hugs and even $5 from "a guy who said it was to get coffee and warm up."

Their effort was part of a nationwide campaign in 85 cities on Saturday by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association designed to counter stereotypes and extremism.

Among the points they made most frequently were that Islam rejects all forms of terrorism; supports the separation of church and state; believes in the equality of women, and says "no religion can monopolize salvation."

More information about the effort is at TrueIslam.com.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio - An Ohio state representative was arrested Sunday morning and faces drunken driving and weapons charges, reports say.

Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford (R-Hamilton), who represents Ohio House District 51 in Butler County, was arrested about 7:45 a.m. Sunday at a McDonald's in Liberty Township, Butler County jail records show.

The Butler County Sheriff's Office told the Associated Press that deputies made the arrest after responding to a report of a man passed out in his car. A loaded gun was found inside the vehicle.

Liberty Township is about 30 miles north of Cincinnati.

Retherford, who lives in Hamilton, faces charges of OVI and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, the Dayton Daily News reports. He has not yet been formally charged.

Retherford's arrest happened the morning after the Butler County GOP's Lincoln Day Dinner, though attendees told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the representative did not seem impaired while he was there.

The Butler County Republican Party released a statement, saying it is "disappointed" to learn of Retherford's arrest, according to the Dayton Daily News.

"While it is wise to be patient and allow the legal process to work itself through, our party is disappointed at the first reports concerning State Representative Wes Retherford's actions this morning," the party's executive chairman Todd Hall said in the statement. "As all of the details regarding last night's incident comes to light, they will be examined and considered accordingly."

Retherford was re-elected in November 2016 for his third term as a state representative, according to his profile on the Ohio House of Representatives website. He defeated his Democratic challenger by more than 30 percentage points, the Enquirer reports.

The representative is a retired, disabled veteran who works on "various issues pertaining to those who have served in the military," according to his profile on the statehouse. He works as a mortician's assistant at a Hamilton funeral home.

If Retherford is charged and convicted on the weapons charge, he would no longer be allowed to serve as a state representative, according to the Enquirer's report.

Phone and email messages left for Retherford by the Associated Press have gone unanswered as of Sunday evening.

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Willoughby Hills police cruiser

A woman was assaulted Saturday afternoon by a man with a rifle at a Willoughby Hills business, police said.

(File photo)

WILLOUGHBY HILLS, Ohio - A woman was injured Saturday afternoon when a man assaulted her with a rifle at a Willoughby Hills business, police said.

The assault happened about 2 p.m. at a business inside a shopping plaza in the 28000 block of Chardon Road, across the street from a larger plaza with Giant Eagle and Marc's grocery stores, Willoughby Hills police said in a news release.

The victim told responding officers that she was assaulted by a 37-year-old man with a rifle, police said. The suspect was still inside the business, but he refused to speak with officers.

A "soft barricade" situation ensued, Willoughby Hills police Sgt. Michael Gerardi told cleveland.com. The suspect would answer a negotiator's call and either immediately hang up or stay on the line but not speak.

The Western Lake County Emergency Response Team was sent to the business, and one of the team's negotiators successfully reached the suspect by phone. The team's officers arrested the suspect a short time later, police said.

No one was injured in the barricade situation, Gerardi said. It's unclear if the suspect has been formally charged.

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Relations between Turkey and Egypt grew strained after the ouster of Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi, a close ally of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP government

The Egyptian -Turkish Business Council is expected to meet Sunday in Cairo for the first time since the ouster of Egypt's ex-president Mohamed Morsi, Ahram Daily website reported.

Sunday's meeting, which will be the Council's fifteenth annual conference, will include 11 representatives from Turkish companies seeking investment opportunities in Egypt, the Egyptian head of the Council Adel Lameay said.

Lameay added that the Turkish companies attending hail from the textile industry, educational services, printing and publishing, transport and logistics, construction, and electricity generation.

The meetings, according to Lameay, aim to boost economic ties between the two countries.

This is the second visit in less than two months by a Turkish business delegation to Egypt.

Relations between Turkey and Egypt grew strained after the ouster of Morsi, a close ally of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP government.

Erdogan has made several statements in support of Egypt's now banned Muslim Brotherhood group, which Cairo condemned as provocative.

Cairo has repeatedly accused Ankara of "interference" in its domestic affairs, and of providing safe haven to leading members of the Brotherhood.

Erdogan's government has remained an outspoken critic of Morsi's ouster and of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis presidency.

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Older Americans struggling to overcome age discrimination while looking for work face a new enemy: their computers. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan recently opened a probe into allegations that ageism is built right into the online software tools that millions of Americans use to job hunt.

watch now

Separate research published recently by the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank found that in a widespread test using fabricated resumes, fictional older workers were 30 percent less likely to be contacted after applying for jobs. Fictional older women had it even worse, being 47 percent less likely to get a "callback." Several forces are conspiring to ensure that many Americans have to work well past the traditional retirement age of 65. People are living longer, their retirement savings are inadequate, and Social Security reforms are almost certainly going to require it. The San Francisco Fed says that the share of the older-65 working population is projected to rise sharply  from about 19 percent now to 29 percent in the year 2060. Online job-hunting tools should be making things easier for older employment seekers, and it can. Indeed.com, which claims to list 16 million jobs worldwide, currently lists 158,000 openings under its "Part Time Jobs, Senior Citizen Jobs" category. Monster.com, which claims 5 million listings, has a special home page for "Careers at 50+." In other ways, however, online job sites can cut older workers out. Age bias is built right into their software, according to Madigan. Job seekers who try to build a profile or resume can find that it's impossible to complete some forms because drop-down menus needed to complete tasks don't go back far enough to let older applicants fill them out. For example, one site's menu options for "years attended college" stops abruptly at 1956. That could prevent someone in their late 70s from filling out the form. Madigan's office said it found one example that only accommodated those who had attended school after 1980, "barring anyone who is older than 52." Other sites used dates ranging from 1950 to 1970 as cutoffs, her office said. "Today's workforce includes many people working in their 70s and 80s," Madigan said. "Barring older people from commonly used job search sites because of their age is discriminatory and negatively impacts our economy." The Illinois' Civil Rights Bureau has opened a probe into potential violations of the Illinois Human Rights Act and the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Madigan's office has sent inquiry letters to six top jobs sites: Beyond.com, CareerBuilder, Indeed Inc., Ladders Inc., Monster Worldwide Inc. and Vault. CareerBuilder called the issue a mistake.

SIphotography | Getty Images

"CareerBuilder is committed to helping workers of all ages find job opportunities, and is fixing this unfortunate oversight," spokesman Michael Erwin said in an email. Beyond.com said it hadn't heard from Madigan's office, and added that it works to prevent age discrimination on the site. "Discrimination has no part in the hiring process and that's why we take such care to help job seekers and hiring managers carefully consider all information they put forth during the job search process to avoid any conscious or unconscious bias," the company said in a statement. Indeed.com also said it had not heard from the attorney general's office, and denied its site had an issue. "On Indeed, anyone can upload a resume with any dates, and users can create a resume with drop down dates that go back to 1900," spokesman Alex Ortolani said. Monster, and Vault did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Ladders said the company has not received a letter so far from Madigan. "Our site does not restrict the dates on resumes that people submit to us. In fact, to combat age discrimination we do not ask for a year of graduation from college," in an email on March 13.

Barring older people from commonly used job search sites because of their age is discriminatory and negatively impacts our economy Lisa Madigan Illinois attorney general




Stocks may be trekking higher, but Wall Street trading veteran Art Cashin says there are looming risks to the market that could soon shake things up.

On CNBC's "Futures Now" last week, Cashin commented on how a "counter-intuitive" trend is appearing in the market with small-cap stocks.

The IWM , the small-caps stock tracking ETF, has lost almost all of its gains year to date. That trend is one the UBS director describes as "slightly disturbing," given how small-caps were predicted to rally under President Donald Trump.

Conventional wisdom suggested that "one of the Trump initiatives would be in international trade, therefore the multinationals might be under some stress, and the small caps should be fine," he explained. "So that deterioration has bothered us somewhat."

What's more, Cashin sees two more problem areas that could soon emerge in the market.

Firstly, "people begin to realize that the Trump agenda will be far later in being implemented than people thought, that it's going to have more difficulty getting through Congress," he said. "Then the other one, which is more of a roll of the dice, is a geopolitical event."

Cashin mentioned tensions with North Korea in particular as a possible boiling point, but many market analysts also have their eyes on the upcoming French election.

With populist candidate Marine Le Pen gaining ground, all eyes are on the first round of the elections, which will take place in April and could cause volatility in the market.

Yet in addition to trouble possibly brewing across the pond, Cashin is also watching next week's Federal Reserve meeting and what a rate hike could do to yields and, and subsequently, the market.

"The Fed next week is one of the reasons that we're getting a push up under yields here in the 10-year," explained Cashin. "I think there's more watchful waiting, but if you get up around that 2.75 percent [in the 10-year note yield], I think you'll see some red lights flashing."

In other words, the UBS director believes that markets may take a tumble if the bond breakdown continues. Last week, the 10-year Treasury yield hit a 2-year high on growing expectations of a Fed rate hike.

All three major indices saw a second day of gains on Friday, led by tech and health care.
If you want a successful career as a filmmaker, Casey Neistat says to keep one thing in mind: You have to think like Tarzan.

"It's about this idea of grabbing on to whatever's in front of you and running with it, without having much understanding of where it's going to lead you," Neistat said to a packed audience Saturday at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.



Neistat, 35, is one of the most successful filmmakers who got their start on YouTube. He started making comedic videos about his everyday life, eventually scoring a short-lived HBO show and deals with brands like Nike, Google and Samsung. He co-launched a video sharing app called Beme in 2015, which was acquired a year later by CNN for $25 million.

He's planning to launch a new YouTube channel this month and works with the Beme team to create new ways to disperse the news, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Neistat credits his success to trusting his ideas and not fearing failure. One of his big breaks came after being ticketed for biking outside the bike lane in New York. He turned the experience into a YouTube clip of him only biking in the bike lane, whether there were obstructions in his way or not. Soon after, the New York Times was calling.

"YouTube five years ago wasn't the YouTube today, and it brought an entirely new audience to my work," he said.

Eventually, companies like Nike wanted him to make videos for them. Instead of shooting Nike's Fuelband ad script, he decided to pursue his desire to travel and used the product's slogan "Life is a sport. Make it count" as his guide. Neistat blew the advertising budget on a whirlwind global trip, filming it along the way. It remains Nike's most viewed ad, he said.

It hasn't all been home runs, Neistat points out. And, as he becomes more successful, he admits he gets more scared. But, he's sticking to what he knows works.

"Looking in the rear view mirror is a mistake unless you learn from it," he said.
President Donald Trump pledged to forego a presidential salary, but as his second payday approaches, the White House is declining to say if the president has donated any of his earnings yet.

During the campaign, Trump promised he would take "no salary" if elected  a pledge he reiterated after he won.

"I'm not going to the take the salary," he told "60 Minutes" in November.

The Constitution, however, requires that the president receive a salary, and that it not be reduced during his term. Federal law mandates the president receive a $400,000 annual salary, paid out once a month.

Trump aides have previously said Trump would donate his salary to the Treasury Department or a charity.

More from NBC News:



HHS Sec.: 'Nobody will be worse off financially' under GOP health plan

Trump voters would be hit hardest by health care replacement plan

John Kasich critiques GOP health care plan over Medicaid cuts

MSNBC requested details and documentation about any salary donations from the White House, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management, which all declined to say whether Trump has donated any of his salary to date. (OPM referred questions to the White House.)

Last month, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the website Politifact that Trump "will be giving" his salary "back to Treasury or donating." The site noted the White House "declined to answer several inquiries into whether Trump has gotten a paycheck already."

Under the law, Trump would receive his first monthly paycheck for $33,333 in February, and another $33,333 on March 20.

Salary donations are not the only area where Trump's pledges to donate revenue are lacking transparency.

During the transition, Trump also unveiled a plan to "donate all profits from foreign governments' patronage of his hotels and similar businesses" to the Treasury Department. The plan was released by Trump's private law firm, Morgan Lewis, but no system or accounting has been released for how or when such donations will be processed or disclosed.
During a fraught phone call at 2:30 in the afternoon on Saturday, a tense, nearly 24-hour standoff over the fate of the U.S. attorney in Manhattan came to a head: Preet Bharara was out.

But was he fired, or did he resign?

Bharara Tweeted on a personal account that he had been fired.

@PreetBharara tweet

But an official familiar with what happened says acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente never said the words "you're fired."

There is no particular legal or practical difference between being fired or asked to resign, but politically the stakes are enormous.

Trump administration officials are at pains not to suggest that Preet Bharara, the powerful U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was any different than any of the other U.S. Attorneys asked to resign on Friday.

But Bharara felt he had a deal, brokered directly with President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions back in a November meeting at Trump Tower.

And for Bharara, being fired by Trumpwho is deeply unpopular among New York Democratscould be a boost to a political career that many Democrats and Republicans are predicting for the prosecutor.

"By the way, now I know what the Moreland Commission must have felt like," Bharara wrote on Twitter.

"Bharara's decision not to resign if anything will be considered a badge of honor in New York," said Edward Little, a partner at the law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed, and a former federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

"It's not clear whether he will run for office soon, as he has always been interested in public office or whether he will take a break and join one of the major law firms in the City, any one of which would be thrilled to have him," Little said.

During Saturday's phone call, an official said Boente told Bharara he needed to submit a letter of resignation. Bharara asked if that meant he was being fired. Boente again said Bharara needed to submit a letter of resignation. Boente said a message Friday to presidentially appointed US attorneys applied to everyone, including including Bharara. After the call, Bharara issued his Tweet saying he had been fired.

"The White House probably didn't want to fire him outright so as to maintain the appearance of following the custom of replacing most or all of the US Attorneys, who are political appointments," Little said.

"Bharara's refusal to resign was probably a way of expressing his surprise and dissatisfaction with Trump's reneging on his promise to keep him in office."
She is controlled and cautious, a physicist from East Germany who takes her time making decisions and has never relished the attention that comes from being Europe's most powerful leader.

He is a wealthy real estate magnate from New York who shoots from the hip and enjoys the spotlight.

It is hard to imagine two leaders more different, in style or substance, than Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Donald Trump, the new president of the United States.

For months, they have been engaged in an uneasy long-distance skirmish over policy and values.

On Tuesday, they meet for the first time - a high-stakes encounter that will be watched by governments around the world for clues about the future of the transatlantic alliance, a partnership that has helped shape the global order since World War Two but which Trump is threatening to upend.

"Do I think they are going to become good friends? Probably not. They are very different personalities," said Charles Kupchan, who advised Trump's predecessor Barack Obama on European policy as a member of the National Security Council.

"But I do think they have a strong interest, both politically and strategically, in learning how to work together. It is arguably the most important meeting with a foreign leader of Trump's presidency."

German officials say the detail-oriented Merkel, 62, has been preparing assiduously for her trip to Washington.

She has watched Trump's speeches and poured over his interviews, including a lengthy Q&A with Playboy magazine from 1990 in which he floats many of the controversial ideas he is now trying to implement as president, they say.

Members of her entourage have also analysed Trump's encounters with other leaders - including Britain's Theresa May, Japan's Shinzo Abe and Canada's Justin Trudeau - and have had exchanges with some of their counterparts on how to handle the unpredictable former reality-TV star, the officials added.

"We have to be prepared for the fact that he does not like to listen for long, that he prefers clear positions and does not want to delve into details," said one senior German official.


The UN General Assembly approved on Friday a draft resolution, presented by Egypt, calling for a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in the United Nations system.

In a statement released on its official Facebook page late Saturday, the foreign ministry said that Cairo drafted the resolution with 10 other countries involved in the UN peacekeeping forces.

The resolution stressed prevention and accountability as key for the UN and its member states to demonstrate their commitment to a zero-tolerance policy for SEA and to providing justice for victims, read a press statement from the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday.

In the resolution, titled United Nations action on sexual exploitation and abuse, the UNGA called upon member states deploying non-UN forces authorised under a Security Council mandate to take appropriate steps to investigate allegations and to hold perpetrators accountable.

It also urged all such non-United Nations forces to take adequate measures to prevent, and combat impunity for, sexual exploitation and abuse by their personnel, the statement read.

We owe it to the world to adopt this resolution, said Egypt's permanent delegate to the UN ambassador Amr Abo El-Ata while introducing the draft resolution in an address to the UNGA.

The troop- and police-contributing countries presenting this draft resolution took it upon themselves to lead this effort in order to send a strong, unequivocal message that it is our responsibility to combat sexual exploitation and abuse, not just among uniformed personnel, but across the United Nations system, Abo Al-Ata was quoted as saying in the statement.

On 9 March, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a report titled Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse" and gave a speech saying that "acts of rape, sexual violence, exploitation and abuse should never take place. Certainly, no person serving with the United Nations in any capacity should be associated with such vile and vicious crimes."

Guterres said "since exploitation is also deeply rooted in gender inequality and discrimination, we [the UN] must work to promote gender balance throughout the United Nations family and in our missions and peacekeeping forces.

"Let us declare in one voice: we will not tolerate anyone committing or condoning sexual exploitation and abuse. We will not let anyone cover up these crimes with the United Nations flag. Every victim deserves justice and our full support. Together, let us deliver on that promise."

The report focuses on four main areas of action to improve system-wide prevention and response to SEA: putting victims first; ending impunity; engaging civil society and external partners; and improving strategic communications for education and transparency.

In 2016, 103 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse were reported in UN field missions, according to a UN peacekeeping report released in March 2017.

Nearly 118,000 UN troops and police are currently serving in 16 peacekeeping missions around the world, according to the UN's January statistics. Egypt contributes 2,703 troops including police and military personnel.

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ITHACA, N.Y.  Cornell University is looking to offer a new major in environment and sustainability in the fall of 2018.

Students would take their course work through Cornells College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).

The schools Faculty Senate has approved the new major, and approval by the New York State Education Department is pending, the school said in a news release posted on its website.

The cross-college major is a modified and broader version of the existing environmental and sustainability sciences (ESS) major in CALS, per the Cornell release.

It has been expanded to include a humanities concentration, while retaining the existing social science and science concentrations.

The major will offer students additional ways to combine the study of physical and biological sciences with social science and humanities fields and to explore the social, ethical, and public-policy dimensions of environmental issues.

Were very excited to partner with CALS in this new major, which will prepare students to be the next generation of leaders in environment and sustainability and equip them with the interdisciplinary skills to address complex environmental issues like climate change, Gretchen Ritter, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said in the Cornell release.

CALS and Arts and Sciences are partnering to do whats in the best interest of students in both colleges. Not only are students interested in environment and sustainability, but also there is a strong, growing need for students who can understand environmental issues from different disciplinary vantage points, Kathryn Boor, dean of CALS, added.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
Maxim Sokolov said that a date, venue and time are yet to be set for the bilateral aviation protocol to be signed

Russia and Egypt have agreed upon the final version of a bilateral aviation security protocol which aims at resuming direct flights between the two countries, TASS Russian news agency reported the country's transport minister as saying.

Maxim Sokolov told journalists at a press conference on Saturday that "[the Egyptian side] has not yet merely identified the date, the venue and time for signature of this agreement, while all the issues have been agreed."

Russia suspended flights with Egypt in October 2015, when a Russian passenger plane crashed in Sinai after taking off from Sharm El-Sheikh. All 224 people on board, mostly Russian nationals, were killed.

A number of other countries also suspended flights after the incident, which Islamic State militants claimed was the result of a bomb they had placed on board. Germany, Poland and Turkey have since resumed flights; the UK, formerly a major source of tourists to Egypt, has not done so..

Russian airport security experts have visited Egypt on at least six occasions since the October 2015 crash to assess the effectiveness of new security measures put in place by the Egyptians to persuade Moscow to resume flights.

The latest Russian inspection took place earlier this year and the Egyptian officials said Sunday they would invite them back in about two weeks to inspect the facility one last time before they give the airport their nod of approval.

Russian officials have similarly said that they were close to resuming flights to Egypt, but they have not set a specific date.

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Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
The holidays are creeping up on us
The death of a woman on hunger strike as a result of a conflict with a neighbour sparked stir in Menoufiya on Sunday around the hospital where she passed away, Al-Ahram Arabic reported.

The woman, 55-year-old Safaa El-Koumy, had been holding a sit-in and hunger strike at the hospital for the last two weeks in protest at the local government's apparent failure to remove building infringements on a main road in her village of Tabluha.

According to the family lawyer, the issue started in 2014, when residents of the village complied with a law ordering main streets be broadened, demolishing and rebuilding their houses.

"However, due to corruption in a local administrative unit, one family was allowed to violate the law, seizing almost 35 metres of the road. Despite removal orders being issued, the violations continued, narrowing the road, and blocking sunlight from neighbours' buildings," lawyer Ragab El-Gohary told Ahram Online.

A security source in Menoufiya told Al-Ahram Arabic that the previous removal decrees were appealed and the decree cancelled by administrative court. A new decree was issued this month, but the procedures for its enactment have not yet been finished.

On 28 February, following attack on her family in the village, El-Koumy along with her four sons and daughters went to hospital to report the violator, who has been in conflict with the family and other neighbours for years.

"When they reached the hospital they found out that the attacker filed a police complaint claiming he was attacked by El-Koumy and his sister was harassed. They decided to go on strike, and started a sit-in and hunger strike at the hospital," El-Gohary said.

Dozens gathered on Sunday morning at the Central Hospital of Tala, blocking a nearby road until around noon, when the crowd dispersed to attend the woman's funeral, scheduled for later that day.

Most of the angry crowd came from El-Koumy's village, and suffered from violations and corruption amid legal disputes against the same person, according to El-Gohary.

Despite their mother's death, El-Koumy's sons and daughters will continue the hunger strike at the hospital until the constructions that are in violation of the law are removed, said El-Gohary.

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The State Council and Judges Club have also opposed the bill, which would see top judges selected by the president rather than by seniority, but parliament will have final say

Egypt's Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has rejected unanimously a draft bill that would grant the president the right to appoint the heads of the country's judiciary committees.

The opinion of the seven-member council, which oversees the administrative affairs and appointments of the regular judiciary, is not binding on parliament, an MP involved in the bill told Ahram Online.

After a meeting with parliament's legislative and constitutional affairs committee, which drafted the bill, the first deputy of Egypt's Court of Cassation and member of the SJC, Adel El-Shorbagy, said the council rejected the bill and was committed to the current selection of judicial committee heads based on seniority.

The draft law, which was submitted for review in December, states that the president will select new heads from three candidates nominated by each council.

According to El-Shorbagy the SJC will send a note to parliament with an official statement of their rejection of the draft law.

The existing judicial authority law stipulates that the heads of judicial bodies are selected by existing councils based on "seniority" only.

In December, the deputy head of the parliament's constitutional and legislative committee Ahmed Helmy El-Sherief submitted the bill to the State Council, the State Lawsuits Authority, and Administrative Prosecution, all of which would be affected by the changes in selection of heads.

In February the State Council also rejected the law.

El-Sherief on Sunday told Ahram Online that the committee is yet to receive the SJC's official notification of rejection.

"We have already received the State Council's refusal, and we are waiting for a response from the Administrative Prosecution and the State Lawsuits Authority," El-Sherief said.

He added that after the committee receives the three bodies' responses, they will hold a meeting to discuss next steps.

"The committee has the right after receiving the official responses to pass the bill, reject it, or amend it," he said, adding that the committee has the final say on the issue.

The Judges Club, a non-state association that includes many of the country's judges, said in December that it considers the draft law a major violation of Egypt's judicial system, saying it completely ignores seniority among judges, on the basis of which the heads of judicial council are appointed.

Article 185 of Egypt's constitution stipulates that each judicial body or organisation shall be consulted in regards to the drafting of bills regulating its affairs.

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A group of young members of the Free Egyptians Party say internal strife may herald the end of the liberal party

A group of young members of the liberal Free Egyptians Party have said they are boycotting the party's internal elections, the latest of a series of internal fissures hitting one of the country's most important political parties.

A statement shared on Saturday by former spokesman Shehab Wagih said the group is boycotting the forthcoming vote for the higher committee in protest at the party's internal disagreements.

"We are saddened to admit that the ongoing crisis might be the end of our dream of an alternative. Thus, we have chosen to be satisfied with having our names linked to the prosperity of such an experiment, and not be part of its end," the statement read.

Wageeh told Al-Ahram Arabic website that he and the other signatories have not resigned their memberships.

The Free Egyptians Party was founded soon after the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak by telecoms tycoon Naguib Sawiris. The party holds the largest number of parliamentary seats of any single political party.

"We believe the party used to be strong until personal rivalries occurred and led to its collapseIt no longer looks like the party that we founded or dreamed of," Wagih added.

Discord between members started to surface last year, with some members infuriated by what they deemed as the party toeing the government's line. Others believed Sawiris was over-critical of the authorities.

The current showdown dates back to December 2016 when party members, head by current chair Essam Khalil, voted to dissolve the partys board of trustees after amendments were made to its bylaws.

Matters worsened following the sacking of Sawiris after he failed to show up for questioning over accusations of libel against party members.

The board refused to accept the decision, calling it a coup, and accusing the political bureau of hijacking" the party away from its founders. Sawiris has taken the matter to court and a hearing is due on 19 March.

"Since the early precursors to the crisis, we have sought to maintain silence, work quietly to bring views closer and reach understanding between the sides of the crisis, and to preserve the cohesion of the party," the Saturday statement added.

Among the signatories of the Saturday statement are Mohamed Farid, youth secretary-general, Emad Raouf, deputy secretary-general, and Amira El-Adly, a member of the political bureau.

The party's board of trustees believes the call for elections by the party's current head Essam Khalil is illegal and that the vote should only be called by an election committee named by a third of the party's higher committee members who oppose the December decision.

Nasr El-Kaffas, the party's current spokesman, was quoted in local media as saying that the boycott reflects the personal stance of some members which the party respects. He added that the board of trustees only makes up a minority and that the party's parliamentary bloc and the majority of its higher commission backs its political bureau and its head.

Some observers believe the strife is the result of an ailing political climate that has taken its toll on most of the country's parties.

"The country's nascent political party life is overall miserable, with a faulty election law and an experiment that we have not been aware of for over 30 years," political analyst Sameh Eid said.

"All the post-Mubarak parties have a fragile foundation that was based on channeling big money and buying election professionals rather than relying on those with authentic affiliations."

"Such internal feuding will finish the party and will lead to it losing its reputation amongst the public and confidence that draws votes," Eid added.

Many other political parties which were founded following the 2011 uprising have been hit by internal differences or mass resignations, including the Constitution Party, founded by Nobel laureate and former vice president Mohamed ElBaradei, and the Egyptian Social Democratic Party whose former head Mohamed Abul Ghar resigned after internal dissension, citing a failure to "heal the rift" within the party.

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Theresa May is ambivalent about the Cameron Government in which she served. On the one hand, she was one of its most senior Ministers, breaking the post-war record for heading up the Home Office. On the other, her relationship with Cameron and his Chancellor, George Osborne, deteriorated as time went on into a state of cold war. She spectacularly sacked the latter after replacing the former.

As ConservativeHome pointed out in the wake of the Budget, that ambivalence extends to the last election manifesto. As it happens, the Brexit vote has already provoked the breaking of a major commitment by Philip Hammond without anyone complaining at all. He tore up Osbornes deficit reduction timetable in his Autumn Statement last year.

But as James Cartlidge suggested yesterday in a tour de force on this site, some Conservative MPs dont mind if manifesto commitments that seek to tackle problems are postponed. But they will rush into action if those that put off dealing with them are about to be broken. Whether you like or dislike Philip Hammonds plans for National Insurance Contributions, this was undoubtedly what happened last week.

The danger for Theresa May now is that the media and others  we must presumably exclude the official opposition  will be energised into hunting down anything that might look like a broken manifesto pledge. The Independent on Sunday is early out of the blocks today, claiming that Camerons pledge to build 200,000 starter homes at 20 per cent below market price has been shelved.

These stories have a potential bonus for the hacks  thats to say, inveigling supporters of the ancien regime into saying that the Prime Minister is letting down her predecessor. Andrew Gimson reported in his recent profile of Ben Gummer that the hard-toiling Cabinet Office Minister is charged with ensuring that no fewer than 544 manifesto commitments from 2015 are implemented. Until now, he has been able quietly to get on with the job. No longer.
Back in December, we asked our panel of Conservative Party member readers of this site how they felt about the outcome of the US presidential election. Overall, 44 per cent were happy about Trumps victory (17 per cent very pleased, plus 27 per cent pleased), while 31 per cent were unhappy (17 per cent very displeased, plus 14 per cent simply displeased). The remaining quarter said there were neither pleased nor displeased.

This month weve returned to the topic, asking 727 respondents to pick one of the following options:

Having Donald Trump as Americas President is a good thing.

Its too early to pronounce on Donald Trump as Americas President, but the signs are good.

Its too early to pronounce at all on Donald Trump as Americas President.

Its too early to pronounce on Donald Trump as Americas President, but the signs are bad.

Having Donald Trump as Americas President is a bad thing.

The results show some slippage at both ends of the scale.

Fifteen per cent believed Trumps presidency to be a good thing, while 24 per cent said it was too early to pronounce but the signs were good  so a total of 39 per cent giving an overall positive response.

By contrast, 11.7 per cent said Trumps presidency was a bad thing, with a further 15.8 per cent saying it was too early to pronounce but the signs were bad  giving a total of 27.5 per cent on the negative side of the ledger.

In short, both positive and negative feelings about him seem to have waned since the immediate aftermath of the election. Accordingly, the proportion who gave neither a positive nor negative response  saying it was to early to pronounce at all  has grown to 33.4 per cent, becoming the largest single group. It could be his erratic actions in power, or the intense media war over his every word, but Tories are becoming less, not more, decided about him.
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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with a delegation of journalists from 25 African countries on Sunday and spoke about the country's role on the continent, his office said.

According to an official statement by the presidency, El-Sisi spoke about the role of African media in increasing awareness about the continent by putting a spotlight on common challenges and ways to overcome them.

The Egyptian president also said that Egypt's policy towards African countries is based on mutual respect and cooperation, and that Egypt has represented Africa's interests in the United Nations and while on the Security Council.

The meeting at the Ittihadiya presidential palace was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

The delegation of journalists came to Egypt to attend a workshop organized by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development, a state body affiliated with the foreign affairs ministry.

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Iraqi forces battling to retake Mosul have cut the last road out of the city, trapping Islamic State group militants inside, the US envoy to the anti-IS coalition said Sunday.

"ISIS is trapped. Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul," Brett McGurk told journalists in Baghdad. "Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there."

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Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Sunday "inflammatory remarks" by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who compared the Dutch to the Nazis, would not help de-escalate a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Rutte said that while the Netherlands did not seek confrontation with Ankara, it would have to weigh further options if Turkey did not stop making such comments.

"It is now in the interest of leadership and in the interest of working together to try to de-escalate, but of course the Turks then have to help and what they are saying today is not helping," Rutte told journalists.

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Heres the business argument in favor of fixing, not replacing, the Affordable Care Act: It can allow people with talent, brains and grit to fly on their own. Known as Obamacare, the program gives entrepreneurs the freedom to abandon jobs sapping their potential. Put simply, it can fuel free enterprise.

It has problems. Theres no question. But theres also no question that entrepreneurship is sorely lacking in Connecticut right now. More small firms die than are born. Long-established businesses are net job killers that simultaneously extract huge rents from state and local governments. Our economy depends on federal defense spending while being dominated by monopolies of various kinds. Put all this together and you have a paralyzed state economy that has not seen serious economic growth in some 20 years.

It will get worse if Congressional Republicans pass the American Health Care Act, their proposed legislation to replace Obamacare. It will be a gut-punch at least two times over. One, it will discourage entrepreneurship even more, because it swaps subsidies for tax credits. It would require paying the cost of insurance upfront and waiting until Tax Day for reimbursement. Most firms do not have enough cash to float them till payback time. And it will kill thousands of jobs.

How many? According to the Economic Policy Institute, more than 12,800 Connecticut residents will lose their jobs. The reason: When you take $1.3 billion in federal subsidies away from people, they spend more on insurance, less on things that small businesses sell. When you knee-cap the purchasing power of thousands of consumers, people lose their jobs.

The EPI is liberal, so lets consider a middle-of-the-road source. The Commonwealth Fund did a similar study and found a bleaker picture. More than 36,000 residents could end up unemployed, most in health care. Connecticuts Gross State Product could contract by as much as $208 billion.

You may think it cant happen. After all, more than 500 organizations with a stake in public health have voiced opposition to the American Health Care Act (which some are now calling Trumpcare). The American Association of Retired Persons, which has 37 million members whose demographic is predominantly Republican, has launched a big campaign to kill the bill. The Democrats are united in opposition. Deficit hawks in the House and Senate say the tax credit provisions make the bill Obamacare Lite. Not to mention Trumpcare would be a total epic health care fail.

But it can happen. Do not underestimate the power of ignorance, arrogance and greed. We should be prepared.

This is asking a lot. Connecticut does not have a good track record of acting when action is needed. While our New England neighbors show courage, we in the Land of Steady Habits are mired in a bog of fear and paralysis. Massachusetts bravely legalized marijuana and is now reaping the rewards. Even Rhode Island  Rhode Island!  is putting us to shame by building the first offshore wind farm in the region. Now Maine, led by that yahoo Paul LePage, might follow suit.

This is ridiculous. If Congressional Republicans repeal and replace Obamacare, it will be a massive tax break for the very, very rich. Most of the $600 billion carved out of the federal budget will return to the countrys 1 percent. State lawmakers should figure out the percentage likely to return to Connecticut, tax it, and redistribute it in the form of cash subsidies to the estimated 289,000 residents who are about to lose their health insurance. They should also pass a law requiring all state residents to buy health insurance or pay a penalty while seeking to join the health care systems already in place in Massachusetts and California, thus deepening the insurance pool, thus decreasing overall health care costs.

That will be a hard sell made harder if lawmakers focused on the needy. They should sell this idea by focusing on liberty, the economy and free enterprise. The needy, after all, include scores of entrepreneurs, job creators and small-business pioneers whose dynamism we need if we are going to break out of this slow- and no-growth cycle. To be sure, providing health insurance isnt a cure-all. Connecticut desperately needs multiple rounds of reform, including renewed and broadened prosecution of existing anti-trust laws, including revision of occupational regulations that protect pet industries.

We have a long way to go, but building a floor from which people with talent, brains and grit can fly is a start.

John Stoehr is a lecturer in political science at Yale University. He can be reached at johnastoehr@gmail.com.
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DANBURY - Hunger among college students is a growing national challenge with serious classroom consequences that experts say should be better researched at the campus level.

That appears to be the case at Western Connecticut State University, a 4,200-student institution with two campuses in Danbury, where a food pantry has been serving 40 students weekly for the last year.

We have not seen this as a burgeoning crisis; if we did, we would react to it, spokesman Paul Steinmetz said in an interview last week at the Newman Center, a campus ministry where the pantry is operated. We start gathering data when we sense there is a problem ... and our sense right now is this is not something we have to mount a new program to address, because students are not being left behind or suffering because of it.

But WestConn social work major Marilyn Hart has called on the University to conduct a student survey similar to one at Central Connecticut State University that found 37 percent of students were hungry at least once in the last month.

Students themselves might think going hungry is a necessary part of college life, she said, without realizing the negative affects nutritional deficits have on academic motivation and concentration.

The idea of the starving or struggling college student has been totally normalized, especially among students, said Hart, 30, of New Milford, who left a career as a chef to pursue a college degree. There is a belief that the college experience includes struggle, desperation and skipping meals, and this just isnt true.

Experts agree.

In the broadest national survey to date, released in October by a coalition of campus groups, 48 percent of college students reported having food insecurity - a term the federal Department of Agriculture uses to measure the health impacts of different degrees of meal deprivation.

The survey of 3,800 students at 34 community colleges and universities found that 22 percent of students had very low levels of food insecurity that qualify them as hungry.

When a student can receive financial aid and earn a part-time salary and still not be able to afford adequate, nutritious food, our educational system is failing to provide that student with a viable path to success in their higher education, concludes the report by the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness and three other organizations.

The campus hunger challenge was addressed again in late February at a conference of deans and students from Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Connecticut Food Bank CEO Bernie Beaudreau, who moderated the conference, said students and university staff may recognize the problem only after a students financial aid has been discontinued owing to poor academic performance.

I heard stories about students reaching desperation points, being hungry and becoming unstable, missing classes and grades failing, Beaudreau wrote.

That is not the story at WestConn, said the Rev. Jeff Couture, the campus chaplain and director of the Danbury chapter of the Newman Center.

They have more of a quality-of-life issue than a hunger issue, said Couture, whose pantry gives out bags of dorm-friendly food such as macaroni and cheese, instant oatmeal, and canned chili. This helps the kids save money.

Steinmetz added that the university has a team of faculty, administrators and student welfare workers that intervenes to keep at-risk students in class.

He added that the university is always interested in data about its students, but does not believe there is a need to survey them about hunger on campus.

We have not gone and surveyed our kids, but my impression is that many of them are not coming to the pantry because it is the only food they have to eat; they are taking it to the dorms and sharing it with their friends, Steinmetz said.

But Hart said the only way to know how hungry students are is to ask them.

If a student has missed meals their whole life, how would they know they are an outlier? said Hart, who grew up in a poor home. A lot of students have a stigma about it. I do believe we have a large population of students who are food-insecure.

What is hunger?

One of the keys to addressing student hunger on campus is getting colleges to take it seriously, say advocates such as Sara Goldrick-Rab, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin whose 2015 report Hungry to Learn found that 20 percent of college students had food insecurity.

The first step is getting past stereotypes that students who have meal plans and part-time jobs and financial aid have all their living expenses met, she said. Another misconception is that hunger is somehow part of the college experience, she said.

Hart, who is working on a senior project to raise money for a Danbury shelter, said hunger on campus today is a function of higher costs for tuition, housing and health care as well as food.

There are dormitory students who are having a hard time eating even though they are on a meal plan, said Hart, whose family depended on food stamps when she was young. We definitely have work to do. We need to do a survey.

The 2016 national survey asked students if they could make any of the following statements:

I worried whether food would run out before I could buy more.

The food I bought didnt last, and I had no money.

I couldnt afford to eat balanced meals.

I cut the size of a meal because I didnt have enough money.

I was hungry but I didnt eat because I didnt have money.

I did not eat for a whole day.

The result, the survey shows, is that students who answered yes to some of these questions also identified adverse academic consequences, including missing class and dropping classes altogether.

Whether due to nutritional deficits or the stress and distraction of dealing with financial hardship, food insecurity can compromise students ability to perform well in their classes, the study reads.

Couture said WestConn does not have the same issue with student hunger as another urban institutions such as Norwalk Community College, where 380 students get food each week at the campus pantry, because WestConn has a proactive approach to student welfare,

We have so many resources on campus and in the Danbury area that we dont let problems get to that point, Couture said. We are ahead of the curve so that every student need is met.

Couture went a step further, suggesting that for some low-income students, campus life may be a more stable experience than home life.

Even so, he said, he was interested in doing more outreach to hungry students.

If the question is Can we do more? The answer is always yes, he said.

rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342
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BRIDGEPORT - The evening began with a childs game. Telephone.

But the children were being babysat in a side room, coloring with crayons and otherwise distracted.

This game of telephone was played by their immigrant parents. And the lessons learned could keep these undocumented families intact.

The audience of about 45 separated into a figure 8, one circle of English speakers and another of Spanish speakers.

Organizers whispered a message into the ear of one person in each group, who then whispered it to the individual beside them, and so on, until it had traveled the circle.

Then the last to receive the message announced what they had heard to the room - and everyone laughed over how it had been mangled.

Sometimes you hear the wrong things or sometimes you add things you want to add, moderator Barbara Lopez of the pro-immigrant Make the Road CT told the crowd. This game was fun. But this is how rumors start in our community.

Were just doing an ice breaker, her colleague, Julio Lopez Varona, told reporters with Hearst Connecticut Media.

In fact that was the goal of the next two hours - to teach Bridgeports undocumented residents how to thwart agents of ICE, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Lesson one? Get the facts straight when warning family and neighbors if ICE agents conduct raids in the city as part of Republican President Donald Trumps aggressive deportation efforts.

Too many false alarms or mistaken information, as displayed by the telephone game, could prove disastrous.

What happened to the kid that was shouting wolf? Varona asked the audience. He was potentially eaten by the wolf. We dont want that to happen.

Proponents of Trumps policies argue ICE is simply enforcing immigration laws that for too long have been abused by foreigners. Critics see an extreme white nationalist agenda in the Presidents targeting of non-violent immigrants.

Police! Open the door!

At Make the Roads event, the ICE agents tasked with carrying out Trumps roundup were characterized as predators who rely on fear, intimidation and ignorance of the law.

Signs reading, Deport ICE and Not One More Deportation hung on the walls.

We need to have a system where we protect ourselves, Varona told the audience.

Besides clear and accurate communications, that system relies on legal loopholes and stall tactics.

The telephone game was followed by a role-playing demonstration of how to respond when ICE agents make a house call.

Police! Open the door! demanded Make the Road staffer Luis Luna, pretending to be outside a volunteer audience members home.

The volunteer asked for a search warrant signed by a judge.

We do not have a warrant, but open the door! Luna insisted.

They dont have the right to enter if you dont give them the right to do so, instructed Varona. He has to have an arrest warrant. Thats very important.

And even then, Varona said, The order has to have the right name (of the intended target). If it doesnt, you dont have to open the door.

Also be prepared to contact a lawyer or advocate, Varona said. Do not turn to a friend or Cousin Tito.

Make the Road, Varona said in the interview, also relies on like-minded Caucasian citizens who could be quickly dispatched to minority neighborhoods where ICE is active. Not to interfere, but to bear witness.

We want to build a network of people ready to make sure whatever ICE does is done lawfully, Varona said. Having white observers is going to help that happen.

Though the evening was about resistance, Varona emphasized to the crowd, Dont lie to ICE. You will get in a lot of trouble.

And a tip sheet passed out by Make the Road warned against giving ICE agents false documents.

Yazmin Rodriguez, a Norwalk-based immigration attorney, spent several minutes offering legal advice.

Do not sign any documents unless you have an attorney present with you, she said. No immigration officer can force you to sign any documents.

One female audience member, her small daughter cradled against her shoulder, tearing pieces from a bread slice, wondered what will come of the child if her parents are taken by ICE.

What happens if were deported? she asked Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said parents should have a plan in place to leave their children with someone they trust and preferably not also eligible for deportation.

Rodriguez afterward said she enjoys volunteering her services at events like Make the Roads.

Its a big concerted effort (by) different immigration attorneys. Weve been more active the last month (since Trumps swearing in), she said. I love being an activist. I like to inform people of their rights. Were not just sitting behind a desk or going to court.

Rodriguez said at this point she is not aware of any extra aggressive ICE roundups in Connecticut, a blue state with a governor - Dannel Malloy - that is a vocal critic of the Trump administration.

We have spoken to ICE agents and other government officials in the state and, at least the agents Ive spoken to, have said, Were not doing any raids, Rodriguez said. They are picking people up. Arresting people that have orders of removal and a criminal background.

Varona said, I think eventually theres going to be movement. I think its inevitable.

Havens for students, families

Varona believes that, despite the fact Bridgeport is a Democrat-stronghold, an organization like Make the Road has to be proactive in town.

If were not doing this, people wont know what to do, Verona said.

The citys political machine, led by Mayor Joe Ganim, has been less than enthusiastic about Make the Roads and others efforts to have local government officials stand up to Trump. And some minority community leaders who initially seemed sympathetic are proving unreliable allies.

The documented ones that are here, Im all for that, City Councilwoman Rev. Mary McBride Lee, who has been honored in the past for her civil rights work and was a Trump critic, recently told Hearst. The undocumented? Everyone should be here legally. Nobody wants to separate families, but you also have to abide by the law.

Ganim and some on the council fear the President will make good on threats to strip defiant cities of federal funds - threats that critics consider illegal.

Ganim has even delayed implementing a two-year-old effort to provide municipal identification cards to undocumented immigrants - cards New Haven has had for years, and that Hartford plans to launch this spring.

Still, Bridgeports school board, at Make the Roads urging, and some religious institutions have taken pro-undocumented immigrant stands. The Board of Education declared its properties safe havens for students and their families, and some churches are considering sheltering those fleeing ICE deportation to drag out the legal process and buy them time.

As Make the Roads ice breaker session concluded, two participants shared their fears with Hearst through a translator.

One 24-year-old woman crossed from Mexico into Arizona seven years ago, and has lived with her husband and two children in Bridgeport for two years.

Her husband works construction - brick and tile, she said. She is learning English.

I understand there are Mexicans that are criminals, the woman said. But you do not punish everyone because of a few people.

Another female, 42, who is Dominican, is raising three children - 12, 10 and 3 years old. She has lived in the United States for 13 years, 11 of those in Bridgeport.

I am so afraid, she said. And sometimes, its like, you get through the day, and youre like, I made it through the day. But what will happen tomorrow?

This woman found some solace in attending the Make the Road event.

I feel like I know what to do, what not to do, she said. I dont feel alone. I feel supported.
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SHELTON  Facing a possible $7.6 million in state education funding and teacher retirement payments the city is looking into hiring a special counsel to take on Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and his proposed budget in court.

Shelton is by no means alone. Many of the more well-to-do communities from Groton to Greenwich are crying foul, saying that the governors plan would upend their finances. Malloys budget plan was unveiled on Feb. 8 and the chorus of complainers has been getting louder by the hour.

His budget appears to reward poor management while penalizing the successes of prudent local budgeting, said Milfords Mayor Benjamin Blake, who, like Malloy, is a Democrat. It sends a loud message that if a municipality works hard and makes tough choices, the state will come down on said city like a ton of bricks.

And Fairfield First Selectman Mike Tetreau, another Democrat, was quick to point out that Malloys plan, in effect, places a greater burden on the poor and the elderly as opposed to the most affluent.

Thats because were shifting the cost of government from the income tax  which is progressive because it taxes the wealthy at a greater rate  to local property taxes, which are regressive because the rich and poor alike pay at the same rate.

Tetreau says that Fairfield is a lot worse off than Shelton; it could be out about $15 million if Malloys budget is OKd intact.

Its a little like if you go out to dinner, and the people in the table next to you say, Could you pay our check?  he said.

Shelton officials say they might seek relief in court  probably with the help of other town and cities  although how this might materialize remains unclear.

What the governor has proposed is unbelievable, unconscionable and maybe even unconstitutional, maintains Shelton Alderman John Anglace. There are many other ways the state can keep its commitment to our teachers without passing the buck to the municipalities.

Anglace said that hell be working with the office of Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti to pursue this remedy and, if warranted, will ask your approval for legal action.

Meanwhile, Lauretti said he already has spoken to some other municipal leaders who are interested.

As mayor its my job to protect the citizens of Shelton, said Lauretti, who is gearing up for a run at the Republican gubernatorial nomination. The law does not allow a municipality to sue the state but maybe we can file as individuals

Rounding up support

The mayor said he will talk to Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller and Oxford First Selectman George Temple among others about pursuing this.

The way some mayors and first selectmen are talking, it looks like Lauretti will have plenty of help as a number of leaders are considering similar moves.

For example, theres Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbs,t who said he was livid over the Malloy plan.

Governor Malloys budget is the single greatest assault on public education in the history of the town of Trumbull, he said. He took our education cost-sharing reimbursement from $3.4 million down to zero. And at the same time he says were on the hook for one-third of teacher pensions.

Herbst said that the high-achieving school districts would hit the hardest. Its a disgrace and quite frankly, I think that the governor should be ashamed of himself.

In Monroe, First Selectman Steve Vavrek said that he had to all but discard his proposal for the towns 2017-18 spending plan.

It left us with an 11 percent tax increase, he said. I came out with my budget on the same day that the governor released his, and basically it rendered my budget useless.

He said that since Monroe is a referendum town in which the electorate votes on the budget, he foresees some difficult weeks ahead.

Plus, were the first referendum town in the state  on April fourth, he said. We knew that is was going to be bad, but this ...

Should Malloys proposed budget pass, Shelton would lose about $3.8 million in Educational Cost Sharing funds and be required to pay another nearly $3.8 million into the teacher retirement fund.

Anglace said this translates into a roughly 1.5 mill hike in the citys 22.31 mill rate. That would be the citys first tax increase in more than a decade.

The governors proposal would put Seymour would on the hook for about $2.4 million and Oxford for close to $5 million. All this comes, Anglace said, despite the governors invasive income tax, sales tax, gas tax and various licensing fee increases.

This is not political, said Anglace, a Republican. This is all about peoples money. The state took the teacher retirement pension payments out of the collective bargaining agreement and made it state law which they agreed to fully fund. Now theyre telling us they dont have the money to pay for their own state law.
Demand is high for talented people that are willing to live and work abroad. Even after their expat assignments are done, people with international experience are highly valued.

According to the U.S. Committee on Economic Development, 80 percent of U.S. executives believe their companies would operate better if more internationally cultured employees were present. American companies need people that have the ability to adapt to different cultures, languages and countries if they intend to sell their products internationally.

Companies are willing to pay a premium for talented expats. Expat employees earn on average between 30 to 40 percent more than their counterparts in the same positions in the U.S. In addition to this, being bilingual can earn you between 2 to 15 percent more depending on how fluent you are and also what languages you speak. Expat benefit packages typically pick up housing, car and driver, international schools and housekeeping services.

In China, for example, the average expat pay package for a middle manager is worth about $276,000. On top of the significantly higher pay and benefits packages, the U.S. government does not tax the first $90,000 worth of income for its citizens working abroad.

Not only are the pay packages phenomenal, but 71 percent of executives at American companies believe that an international assignment is essential for people on a leadership track. The bottom line is that not only should you want to take on an international assignment, you need to if you want a leadership position at a American multinational.

Personal reward

I was hooked on the expat lifestyle during my first two-week trip to Shanghai. I was meeting a friend and her colleagues at Kathleens Five for brunch. Kathleens sits atop the Shanghai Art Museum, which was once home to the Shanghai Race Club in the concession era. The view, overlooking Peoples Park on a blue sky spring day, was spectacular. I was sipping Champaign and listening to their stories about their recent travels to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and all over east Asia. I was hearing about private clubs that they were members of that sounded more like secret societies than social clubs.

Suddenly, one of the girls broke into Mandarin. She was arguing with the waitress over the bill. What she said to the waitress I will never know. The next thing I knew more free Champaign was being poured. It was like something out of a movie. I was in awe of these people and wanted to be one of them. It wasnt long after that that I committed to staying in Shanghai for a year.

The expat lifestyle is something to be treasured in and of itself. While living in China, I traveled to almost 50 countries on six continents. Instead of vacations to Florida or California I was going to Tokyo or Bangkok. It became a jumping off point to adventures I had never imagined. Everything was closer and more affordable.

Ive stood at the foot of Mt. Everest and went to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Ive seen lions hunt down a buffalo in the Serengeti and felt the biting cold of a winter in Moscow. I have a Chinese goddaughter and have officiated a wedding in three languages, one of which I dont even speak. I count among my friends people from Brazil, Mexico, Spain, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Ireland, Europe, Australia and Thailand.

These are the real rewards for going global. The places Ive seen and people Ive met cant be done justice here. Life abroad exposes you to the unimaginable and forces you to expand your horizons. It makes you a global citizen.

The challenge

While the lifestyle is amazing, its not all safaris and mountain base camps. Theres a reason for the large pay packages for expats: adjusting to a new country and culture is hard. A lot of expats wash out.

According to Rosetta Stone, 75 percent of all expat relocations end in failure. The reasons cited are the language barriers, lack of preparation, cultural differences, a familys inability to adjust and stress. Life as an expat is an emotional roller coaster that touches the most extreme ends of the emotional spectrum. When youre happy, youre ecstatic. When youre mad, youre enraged. There are no in-betweens.

Life abroad is not easy. Things as simple as a haircut are difficult when you dont speak the language and sometimes even when you do. Managing a cross-cultural office space is hard. It requires a cultural competency in a culture that is foreign. It requires an ability to effectively communicate to the team back at home why things cant be done the same way abroad that they are done in America and why the American way isnt always the best or only option.

But those up to the challenge will open themselves up to a world of opportunity.

Related:

Taking a Job Overseas Is Challenging, But So Rewarding

The Best Countries to Start a Business Are . . .

7 Nations Eager to Welcome American Entrepreneurs



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A police officer was killed and another wounded in a night-time ambush on a checkpoint in southern Tunisia, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

Two suspected militants were killed and another seriously wounded in the incident near Kebili, 480 kilometres (300 miles) south of Tunis, in what the ministry described as a "terrorist attack".

The ambush by motorcycle-mounted gunmen occurred early Sunday on a police checkpoint, it said, adding that a fourth attacker fled the scene and was being hunted.

"Home-made explosives" were found on the motorbikes, the ministry added.

Interior Minister Hedi Majdoub was among a large crowd of mourners who attended the policeman's funeral at Kebili on Sunday afternoon.

Since its 2011 revolution, the North African country has experienced an increase in militants attacks that have cost the lives of dozens of members of the security forces and also 59 foreign tourists.

A soldier was wounded when a mine exploded on Sunday in the Mount Sammama area of central-western Tunisia, a defence ministry spokesman said.

Mount Sammama is in a range of hills that are a favoured hideout of loyalists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

It is adjacent to Mount Chaambi, considered to be the main rear base of the militants near the border with Algeria.

The injured soldier was hospitalised, but his life is not in danger, the spokesman added.

Tunisia has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when a suicide bombing in Tunis claimed by the Islamic State militants group killed 12 presidential guards.

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Times of IndiaChidanand RajghattaMarch 7, 2017WASHINGTON: With their matted locks, naked ash-caked bodies, and bizarre rituals that purportedly includes cannibalism, the secretive and mystical Aghori mendicants constitute a miniscule fraction of professed Hindus in India, barely even known within the country.Bumped into prime time by CNN to ostensibly showcase the 'world's most fascinating faith-based groups,' a documentary on the mystical sect that opened the series on Spiritually Curious Believer with host Reza Aslan has aghast many Indian community leaders and Hindu organisations in the US. They say it comes at a dangerous time for immigrants when they are already unfairly caricatured and misrepresented."It is unbelievably reckless of CNN to be pushing sensational and grotesque images of bearded brown men and their morbid and deathly religion at a time when the United States is living through a period of unprecedented concern and fear," Vamsee Juluri, a professor of media studies at the University of San Francisco, wrote in a commentary as outrage swept through the Hindu Indian community in US over the documentary.Accusing the network of perpetuating a 'very racist, colonial era discourse of dehumanization and even demonization,' Juluri said it was callous on part of CNN and Reza Aslan, who is an Iranian-American religious studies scholar, to be 'oblivious to the kind of discomfort and even danger that images like this could create for South Asians, Sikhs, Muslims and other brown people in America.' Several immigrants from India have been attacked in recent weeks in the US, and civil liberties groups have reported a spike in hate crimes.Calling for all Hindus worldwide to boycott CNN, which he called 'Clinton News Network,' Shalabh Kumar, the Indian-American businessman-supporter of President Trump, characterized the program as 'disgusting attack on Hindus for supporting @POTUS.'On his part, Aslan maintained that the show was about the Aghori and not Hinduism. But that did not mollify Hindu commentators, including members of the Hindu-American Foundation (HAF) who had an opportunity to preview the film, and who pointed out that it devoted 'copious footage to highlighting stereotypical and sensationalized presentations of Hinduism.'But after the producers indicated they intended to proceed with the screening despite anticipating protests from the Hindu community leaders, the HAF apparently advised its members to watch the documentary and respond civilly and appropriately, an approach that agitated the more hardline members of the community.In fact, in its interaction with Aslan, the HAF asked him if there would be an episode of Believer showcasing Aslan's own faith, Islam. Aslan's response: the producers originally intended to shoot an episode featuring the Ashura festival in Pakistan. Everything was scripted, scouted, and ready to go. But no one would insure the production to shoot  at least at a price that didn't break the show's budget. The episode was abandoned.If and when there's a second series of Believer, Aslan assured them that Islam would definitely be included.But it was not just Hindu-Indians who panned the documentary; at least one TV critic also lit into it from a professional perspective. "Many of the groups and leaders featured here are so fringe that their bizarre philosophies and theatrics distract from Aslan's main mission- to demystify lesser understood faiths and find a commonality that makes us all believers in something," wrote LA Times reviewer Lorraine Ali."The research and scene-setting- in this installment, where Aslan explains the caste system, its relation to the Hindu religion and interviews scholars and people on the street- is when the show is at its best. But when it leads to him hanging out in a meditation den, lit like a rave, with an attention-seeking guru who drinks honey out of human skulls, the journey is more about sensationalism than true discovery,'' she added.
A Jehovahs Witness in London. These were some

of the most persecuted Christians of the 20th century.

Anti-terror legislation is being used to target those whose faith is only extreme in terms of its commitment to non-violence. It should be a warning to us allGiles FraserThe GuardianMarch 9, 2017The small Siberian town of Birobidzhan is set in a mosquito-infested swampland on the far eastern end of the Trans-Siberian railway. It was to places such as this that the Soviets exiled various undesirables. In April 1951 more than 9,000 Jehovahs Witnesses were rounded up and sent to Siberianon Stalins instruction. They were allowed to take 150kg of their possessions with them. Everything else was confiscated by the state.You may walk past embarrassed as Jehovahs Witnesses try and hand you cringeworthy religious literature on the high street. But these were some of the most persecuted Christians of the 20th century. And their persecution continues.A couple of months ago, the Russian police raided the Birobidzhan branch of the Jehovahs Witnesses and discovered extremist literature. The Jehovahs Witnesses describe the incident thus: Masked special police disrupted a religious meeting and planted literature under a chair in the presence of the attendees. The police ordered the place to be permanently closed.A few weeks later, the Russian ministry of justice demanded that the Jehovahs Witnesses HQ hand over all information on their 2,277 Russian congregations. After a brief examination of what the police allegedly found, it concluded that the Jehovahs Witnesses were showing signs of extremist activity. Congregations in Belgorod, Stary Oskol and Elista have all been shut down. Bibles have been impounded at customs, their literature banned. Many expect that the Russians are gearing up for an outright ban.Unfortunately, in todays Russia, the will to confine Russians to restricted and state-determined religious beliefs has proved increasingly strong, is how Andrew Wood, former British ambassador to Russia, described what has been going on. Fabrication is always both repellent and a sign of desperation at the absence of credible proof of extremism.So what is it about Jehovahs Witnesses that the Russians find so objectionable? This week, I decided not to avoid the eye of the couple who hand out literature at my tube station. So many times Ive ignored them, and their Olympic smiling endurance, brushing past grumpily. Reading about their history, I now feel guilty about my lack of respect.On open display was What Does the Bible Really Teach?, the book that the Russian authorities often plant in kingdom halls as an excuse to shut them down. I flicked through. Its really not my thing. And the graphics are criminally cheesy. But its pretty bog-standard Christian fundamentalism, with an emphasis on the end of the world.What makes the Jehovahs Witnesses different? I asked the smiling man.We take the Bible literally, he replied.But so do others. What makes you distinctive?Take thou shalt not kill, he replied. We dont participate in war.Jehovahs Witnesses were taken to Nazi death camps for that very reason. They refused to swear loyalty to a worldly government and refused to serve in the military. They wouldnt say Heil Hitler either. So within months of the Nazis coming to power, their meetings were ransacked and a Gestapo unit was set up to register all known Jehovahs Witnesses. Their children were taken off them to receive a proper patriotic German education. And they were given their own purple triangle to wear as identification. In 1942, Wolfgang Kusserow was beheaded in Brandenburg prison by the Nazis for refusing to fight. You must not kill, he said at his trial. Did our creator have all this written down for the trees?Jehovahs Witnesses are right to fear what is happening to them again, right now, in Russia. They have seen it all before. It should be a warning to all of us that the idea under which they are now being persecuted is that of extremism. Its a word that draws its persuasive force from those who would use their religion to plant bombs and sever heads. So anti-terror legislation is now also being used to target those whose faith is only extreme in terms of its commitment to non-violence. The Russians are using the fear of Islamism as an excuse to crack down on all religious activity that refuses to bow the knee to Mother Russia.My parents were exiled to Siberia, said Yaroslav Sivulskiy, a spokesman for the Russian Jehovahs Witnesses. They worshipped even while they were in those camps. We will continue too. Respect, I say.
Aubrey Whelan

philly.comMarch 6, 2017She was a young woman, working as a stenographer in Canada, when she first heard of the Rev. Major Jealous Divine.He was the charismatic and controversial head of a homegrown religious movement, literally God in the flesh to his followers. They called him Father Divine, and he preached racial equality, celibacy, and total devotion to the kingdom of heaven -- which, he believed, he was creating in Philadelphia.The stenographer was intrigued. She immigrated to Philadelphia and met Father Divine in his office on South Broad Street.It was during World War II. She was 21; he was probably in his mid-60s. She was white; he was black. Soon, they were married -- in 1946, in secret in Washington, where interracial marriages were legal -- and Edna Rose Ritchings, the oldest daughter of a florist, became Mother Divine, the Spotless Virgin Bride, the living embodiment of her husbands teachings. The couple maintained that they never consummated their marriage, in keeping with Father Divine's devotion to celibacy.After his death, she led his International Peace Mission for decades, eventually selling off the properties he amassed in Philadelphia and retreating with the last members of the movement to an estate in Gladwyne.She died there on Saturday, March 4, followers said in a statement. The movement does not publicize birth or death dates, but she was thought to be 92. Her death was related to old age, said Christopher Stewart, the archivist for Father Divines library and museum at Woodmont, the missions Gladwyne headquarters.Legally named Sweet Angel Divine, she was the second wife of Father Divine, and followers believed the spirit of his first spouse was present in her. Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, she became a U.S. citizen in 1977.Father Divines origins are obscure, and his birth name is not confirmed; historians believe he was George Baker and grew up either as the son of sharecroppers in the deep South or in Rockville, Md. But by the turn of the century, he was well on his way to establishing himself as an itinerant preacher emphasizing racial equality -- a radical theology for the time, as was his insistence that he was God himself. But he gathered fame and followers, leading an integrated congregation that included some wealthy followers who helped him build a small real estate empire in New York.He won praise for the communal meals where anyone was welcome, and jeers for what critics saw as an extravagant lifestyle -- fine suits and a Cadillac and real estate holdings. Eventually, he fled legal trouble in New York -- a lawsuit filed by a former follower seeking the savings she had given to the church -- and established himself in Philadelphia, with headquarters at the Circle Mission Church on South Broad Street and two hotels, the first racially integrated hotels in the country, the Divine Lorraine and the Divine Tracy. They were known as much for their low rates as they were for their strict rules: no untoward mixing of the sexes, no smoking, no drinking, no foul language, and no tips.Mother and Father Divine spent their time traveling among outposts of the Peace Mission, Stewart said, hosting the communal meals -- holy communion -- with followers that were the hallmark of the Peace Missions religious practice.Father Divine spent hours a day at the holy communion table, and Mother would be at his side presiding, Stewart said. Its a real meal, a multi-course meal that you sit down to nourish body as well as spirit.Followers believed Father Divine would never die; when he did, in 1965, at about 80, the International Peace Mission said he had laid his body down, and Mother Divine continued to lead its followers, setting a place for him at holy communion and professing that her husband was still present in spirit.She resided for years at Woodmont, where the mission hopes to open a library dedicated to Father Divine, and where visitors, for some time, could still come on certain Sundays and partake in a meal. She was described as soft-spoken and always well put together, almost glamorous -- quite different from her hard-charging, charismatic spouse."She wanted everything proper, she wanted his memory preserved and wanted to carry on the principles of the movement," said Robert Weisbrot, a history professor at Colby College in Maine who wrote about the International Peace Mission and visited Woodmont in the 1980s. "But she was not someone who was an aggressive social crusader. It was an inward-looking movement at the time she was leading it." (She didn't like the book Weisbrot eventually wrote on the movement -- she felt it wasn't appropriately reverent toward her husband.)In the 1970s, the cult leader Jim Jones -- who would later commit suicide with 900 of his followers in Guyana -- tried to assume leadership of the organization, recruting Peace Mission members, Stewart said. Mother Divine eventually barred him from attending mission events, Stewart said. "She put the kibosh on that," he said.She gave interviews from time to time, sometimes appearing at political rallies -- she liked Ronald Reagan and H. Ross Perot -- and occasionally weighing in on issues in Gladwyne such as a deer cull and a new municipal sewer system (she was in favor of both). The movement began to sell off properties as its membership dwindled. The Divine Lorraine, its most famous and most visible, sat vacant for years after the sale, and is now on its way to becoming a luxury apartment building.She was love personified, said Roger Klaus, who described himself as a student in the Peace Mission, and who has lived at Woodmont with Mother Divine since the 1970s. She commanded a presence when she walked into the room.There was much speculation on what would happen to the dwindling International Peace Mission after her death. She was firm that she had made no plans for a successor, and Klaus was vague on what the missions path was.Were trusting Fathers spirit, he said, and thats what weve always done.A viewing will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 9, at Woodmont Estate, 1622 Spring Mill Rd., Gladwyne. Enshrinement will be held later.
The Salt Lake TribuneMarch 7, 2017Polygamists say that a woman who last month gave emotional testimony to lawmakers about being sex-trafficked through several sects was never involved in polygamy.Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, recognized Michelle Neilson on the floor of the House of Representatives last month after she testified in support of his HB99 , which would increase the penalties for polygamy when it is prosecuted in association with fraud or abuse."I was abused within several polygamist groups within the Salt Lake County area here," Neilson told members of the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 1, after raising her right hand and swearing to tell the truth. "I was trafficked from one group to the other for money."Neilson said her grandfather introduced her to multiple polygamist sects, including the Apostolic United Brethren, which is headquartered in Bluffdale, where she grew up. She also referenced the Davis County Cooperative Society, also known as the Kingstons; the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; and the LeBaron Group."There is child trafficking going on. I was trafficked from one group to the other for money," Neilson told the committee."I also was shown that I would be murdered and killed by their blood atonement if I did not accept their doctrine," she added.She said one of her abusers was Rulon Jeffs  president of the FLDS before his death in 2002. He was replaced by his son Warren Jeffs, who is serving a sentence of up to life in a Texas prison for crimes associated with sexually abusing underage girls he married.Later in February, Noel recited Neilson's story before the Utah House, then commended her courage and asked her to stand up while representatives gave her an ovation.But polygamists opposed to the bill say they have found no evidence that Neilson was ever in, or trafficked by, polygamous sects.Joe Darger, the person leading the effort to defeat HB99, said he has asked all the polygamous churches he is in contact with to search their records.None, Darger said, can find any record of Neilson or Michelle Pollak, the other name she has used, according to public records.Public records confirm Neilson grew up in Bluffdale. A 1971 Tribune article lists Neilson, then 16 years old, as queen of that year's Bluffdale Town Days.Neilson's ex-husband, Les Pollak, said he doesn't believe her story. They met when they were both Brigham Young University students, he said Tuesday. They were married from 1978 to 1991.Pollak said he met all of Neilson's immediate family, including her parents and grandparents. They were devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which officially stopped practicing polygamy in the late 19th century and excommunicates members found to be polygamists."It never came up while I was with her," Pollak said of the polygamy and abuse claims. "It was never discussed."In a phone conversation Tuesday with The Salt Lake Tribune, Neilson, 62, was adamant that what she said was true. She also said that the police force in Bluffdale and Saratoga Springs are investigating what she called a "cold case" arising from her story.A spokesman for the police force shared by Bluffdale and Saratoga Springs did not return a call seeking comment about the criminal investigation.Neilson did say that the abuse wasn't confined to meetinghouses or homes of polygamists. She said she also was abused in sex rituals in Masonic temples in Salt Lake County."There was sexual abuse on the altar," she said. "That happened at the Masonic temple."But she declined to provide details of who abused her, which polygamous sects they were in, or who married her at age 12, as she has asserted. She cited the ongoing criminal investigation as the reason."I don't need your verification," she said. "What I have done is expose things that have been done to me and others."Shirlee Draper, who was at the hearing that night to testify against the bill, said Neilson's testimony sounded strange. Draper is a former plural wife in the FLDS who is now works in social services."I was very puzzled," Draper said Tuesday. "I was racking my brain trying to place her because nobody of that description ever came through the FLDS and wouldn't have. We were so closed off from the world, we didn't interact with other groups."Darger said Neilson appears to be a case of polygamy opponents utilizing someone with a story that helps their cause."Because this gets so charged, people listen to it," Darger said. "They can say polygamy and everyone gives them a lot of attention, and this got attention."After Neilson testified in favor of HB99, it passed the House Judiciary Committee. Bill sponsor Noel did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday.The bill adds criteria for being prosecuted for bigamy: The offender must live with the extra spouse and "purport" to be married. Current state law requires only one or the other.HB99 would keep bigamy a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison, but those penalties could increase to one to 15 years if bigamy is prosecuted in conjunction with crimes such as abuse, fraud or human smuggling. Anyone leaving a polygamous marriage and reporting abuse or protecting a child would receive amnesty.Those who oppose the bill  including Darger, who has three wives, and the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition  have said it makes criminal behavior of what people who don't purport to be married can do legally. They say that the state already has statutes targeting fraud and abuse, and those wanting to use the amnesty provision of the bill would have to weigh whether they want to expose sister wives or husbands who didn't commit abuse.HB99 did not receive a hearing in the Utah Senate. To pass there, senators would have to bring it to the floor for a vote. The Legislature's general session ends Thursday night.ncarlisle@sltrib.comTwitter: @natecarlisle
Protestors briefly took down the Dutch flag at The Netherlands' consulate in Istanbul on Sunday and replaced it with a Turkish one, AFP journalists saw, as tensions escalated in a diplomatic row.

Demonstrators gathered at the consulate in anger after The Netherlands refused on Saturday to allow Turkey's foreign minister to enter the country for a rally.

Police in Rotterdam say they arrested 12 protesters as a demonstration outside the Turkish consulate devolved into rioting, AP reported.

Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said the arrests were made for violence and public order offenses as Dutch-Turkish protesters pelted police with bottles and rocks early Sunday.

Police responded with batons and a water cannon.

Wessels says seven people were injured in the brief explosion of violence, including a police officer who suffered a broken hand.

The confrontation came at the end of a long standoff in which Dutch authorities refused to allow Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya into her country's consulate in downtown Rotterdam.

A small number of protesters reacted angrily when they heard that Dutch police were driving the minister to the German border.

Earlier, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says he was forced to keep two Turkish ministers from traveling within the Netherlands and to bar them from campaigning among Turkish voters because Ankara had threatened sanctions against his government.

Rutte said Sunday, "We can never do business under this kind of blackmail."

The prime minister says he was shocked to see one of the ministers try to get to a Rotterdam rally by car after the government had made clear she was not welcome.

Turkey's minister of family affairs was escorted back to the German border after a long standoff outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Earlier, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights of the plane carrying Turkey's foreign minister.

The ministers planned to urge Turkish expatriates to back the referendum, which would expand the president's powers.

Rutte says: "We drew a red line."

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How could Jeremy Corbyn miss the open goal of Philip Hammonds National Insurance foul-up during the Budget exchanges? By not giving a monkeys.

On Budget eve, when the Labour leader should have been prepping furiously, he decided to drive up from the Commons to Holloway market in North London to buy a large bag of North African dates  which he then spread out in a pretty pattern on his desk. Hes not even trying.

Jeremy Corbyn up from the Commons to Holloway market in North London to buy a large bag of North African dates - on Budget eve

Seumas Milne, the Labour strategist who acts as Corbyns brain, was touring the Commons last week asking pundits for the percentage likelihood of Theresa May calling a snap election.

Or to put it another way, the chance of Seumas having to find a new job after Labour is routed. Luckily for him, within hours Hammond had dropped his NI clanger and the odds lengthened considerably

Maverick Right-wing MP Steve Baker, who played a key role in attacking fellow Tory George Osbornes Project Fear in the referendum campaign, has given the ex-Chancellor a chance for revenge.

Oddball Baker has laid a new doormat, featuring a giant photo of his own face, outside his Commons office  just yards from Osbornes own rooms. Im sure George would love to wipe his feet all over it, he quipped.

New eccentric Dom is lost in space...

People have often wondered what planet Dominic Cummings, left  the eccentric strategist behind the Brexit victory  is on.

Now it seems hes not so sure either. The former aide to Michael Gove says we should build a manned base on the moon after we leave the EU to help change political dynamics on Earth. Everything OK, Dom?

The former aide to Michael Gove - Dominic Cummings - says we should build a manned base on the moon after we leave the EU

Paddy Ashdown and Lib Dem-turned-independent peer Alex Carlile spent last weeks Lords Brexit debate snarling at each other after Carlile witheringly dismissed his former partys calls for a second EU referendum.

After one-time Lib Dem leader Ashdown tried to continue the argument as peers began to vote, Carlile was overheard saying: Youve always been a bully, Paddy.

Warm beer all round!

While MPs debate whether to move out of their crumbling offices for a 4 billion refit, Rome burns.

Disaster was narrowly averted last week when a fire caused by dodgy electrics swept through the cellar of the Commons Strangers Bar.

One MP moaned over a pint: I thought the lager tasted off.

Branded untruthful by a judge in a cash for advocacy libel case and deselected as a Tory MP, youd think ex Minister Tim Yeo would keep a low profile. But no.

Tawdry Tim will be at a Commons event on Tuesday hosted by his latest venture, a pro-nuclear outfit.

Perhaps it is linked to the nuclear-sized 400,000 hole in his bank balance left by the court case.
So Theresa May has pencilled in Tuesday, March 14 as B-Day. If, as expected, the Brexit Bill passes the Commons unamended tomorrow, she will deliver the go order. Article 50 will be triggered and Britains great Brexit crusade will be formally under way.

In the eyes of many, the Prime Minister is acting with reckless haste. There have been reports that Whitehall is woefully understaffed and unprepared for the upcoming negotiations.

The furore over Philip Hammonds Budget has exposed how the Government is struggling to build sufficient fiscal headroom for the economic trials ahead.

There have been reports that Whitehall is woefully understaffed and unprepared for the upcoming negotiations.

Angela Merkel is said to be licking her lips at the prospect of rebuffing Britains entreaties and demonstrating to German voters who is Europes real Iron Lady.

All of these concerns are legitimate and compelling. But they are also irrelevant. The die is cast. Mrs May will either successfully deliver Britains withdrawal from Europe, or perish in the attempt.

At the start of last week, if you had asked any Tory MP what they thought were her chances of success, they would have responded positively. The Copeland by-election triumph had put a spring in their step.

But the bungled Budget has shifted the mood. Optimism has been replaced by unease. MPs who thought they were finally unravelling the May enigma  starting to work out who she was, what she believed in and how she intended to operate  felt blindsided.

The bungled Budget has shifted the mood in Whitehall. Optimism has been replaced by unease

Another problem exposed by the Budget was complacency. Labours implosion as an effective Opposition is starting to have its own negative impact on the Government.

The simple fact is the rise in National Insurance for the self-employed had not been politically stress-tested, because there was a feeling there was nothing to test it against. Jeremy Corbyn no longer figures in their calculations, is how one Government adviser explained it to me.

Yes, there is no longer an official Opposition worthy of the name. But that doesnt mean Mrs May does not have opponents. For hardcore Eurosceptics, this stuff isnt politics to them, its a religion, one Minister told me. Theyve spent their entire lives fighting over Europe. Theyre not going to just put their weapons down now. They cant.

Until now they have been Mrs Mays allies, protecting her from attempts to delay the triggering of Article 50. But once it has been triggered, their loyalties will change.

At that point the debate will no longer be about whether Brexit happens, but what sort of Brexit happens. And anything other than the hardest of hard Brexits will be regarded as an unconscionable betrayal.

This is the real danger facing Mrs May: not that she is pushing ahead with Brexit too fast or aggressively but that she is not moving swiftly enough.

The current timetable is roughly this. Article 50 is triggered. Negotiations begin, and will last for almost two years. Meanwhile, hardcore Eurosceptics and Europhiles will sit idly by as Britains future is decided behind closed doors.

This is the real danger facing Mrs May: not that she is pushing ahead with Brexit too fast or aggressively but that she is not moving swiftly enough

Then Mrs May will suddenly emerge. She will have in her hand a piece of paper that promises peace in our time. Her deal will be rubber-stamped by Parliament. A year later it will be rubber-stamped by the people at an Election.

The whole thing is a fantasy. No sooner have negotiations begun than they will leak. Every offer and counter offer will create a firestorm.

The sceptics will take to the barricades. The Europhiles will take to the barricades. The financial markets will be in turmoil. The wider business community will be spooked.

Nobody wants this. Speak to anyone outside politics about Brexit and they will invariably give you the same response: We need to get on with it.

Amen. Mrs May needs to get on with it. She needs to realise it is excess caution, not undue speed, that is her enemy. She needs to have the main planks  single market access, the exit bill, the European Court of Human Rights, the rights of EU nationals  nailed down within 12 months. And she needs to put the framework of that deal to the country at an Election.

If she doesnt, there is a real danger the Prime Minister will find herself suffocating in a Brexit vacuum.

Mrs May cannot hold back now. Not when she is trying to guide her nation through its greatest challenge since the world was last at war.

AS one Minister put it: We have a new Government that has no mandate from the voters and is ripping up the old manifesto. A new PM who has no mandate from her own party. The main Opposition is providing no opposition. The Lib Dems arent in the running and Ukip is in disarray. Thats not sustainable for another three years.

Mrs May cannot hold back now. Not when she is trying to guide her nation through its greatest challenge since the world was last at war.

Around her is shot and shell. The only thing the Prime Minister can do is charge.

As Theresa Mays inner circle struggled to contain last weeks Budget fallout, one Minister offered a less than flattering portrait of their crisis management strategy. They pretend not to care about what people write about them, but they do. It should all be water off a ducks back. But they end up acting more like a duck thats been waterboarded.

Basildon 1992. Enfield 1997. Two seats that defined a General Election. And I understand that Bishop Auckland may be added to the list. At a meeting at Conservative Campaign HQ on Tuesday, the seat that has been in Labour hands since 1931 was officially included as a party target.

Its an example of where we think things are heading in the wake of Copeland, a Tory insider explained to me. Given that Bishop Auckland has a Labour majority of 3,500, that means more than 40 Labour seats are potentially under threat, including Peter Mandelsons old stomping ground of Hartlepool, and Sadiq Khans former stronghold in the Peoples Republic of Tooting. If that Labour fightback really is going to start, it had better start quickly.

A former Shadow Minister has confided that he saw 'Saturday. Ecuadorian Embassy' in his diary last year. But Corbyn's office tells me that he has not been to the Ecuadorian Embassy and has no plans to

Nigel Farages visit to Julian Assange raised eyebrows last week. Now a former Shadow Minister has confided: I was in Corbyns office last year and his diary was open. There was this entry, Jeremy and Seumas Milne. Saturday. Ecuadorian Embassy. Corbyns office tells me: He has not been to the Ecuadorian Embassy. He has not met Julian Assange and he has no plans to. All very peculiar. Perhaps we could get WikiLeaks on the case.
28 parties are competing for the 150 seats in the Dutch lower house of parliament. A total of 76 seats are needed for a majority.

The small lowlands country of The Netherlands holds general elections on Wednesday, the first in a series of national polls which could reshape Europe's political landscape.

Away from the tourist delights of the tulips, windmills and clogs, here is a beginner's guide to the Dutch elections:

Amid the rise of populist and far-right parties, the Dutch will be the first to cast ballots ahead of presidential votes planned in France in April and May, and legislative polls in Germany in September.

After the surprise Brexit vote and Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election, far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders is hoping for his biggest polls win to date, which could see him emerge with the largest party in parliament.

The vote has essentially come down to a neck-and-neck race between Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) and outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his Liberals (VVD).

But there are 28 parties -- a post World War II record -- competing for the 150 seats in the Dutch lower house of parliament. A total of 76 seats are needed for a majority.

Thanks to a complex system of proportional representation, even small parties can get seats, enabling them to play an important role in shaping the make-up and viability of the next government.

While Wilders has been topping the polls, smaller parties like the Green ecologists GroenLinks have also been wooing voters away from some of the country's long-established, traditional parties.

Europe's worst refugee crisis since the 1940s and a slew of attacks by Islamic jihadists have forced their way high up the Dutch campaign agenda -- fuelling support for Wilders's anti-Islam, anti-immigration platform.

Wilders has a one-page party manifesto which vows to close the borders to Muslim immigrants, close mosques and ban the sale of Korans.

In an overt bid to win over some of Wilders's supporters, some of the other parties are increasingly insisting on bolstering what they call "Dutch values."

Rutte told citizens with immigrant backgrounds to "act normally" and adapt to Dutch norms or "leave" the country.

The biggest debates so far have however focused more heavily on traditional concerns -- health care, pensions, and work conditions.

Just days before the vote too, The Netherlands became embroiled in a bitter diplomatic row with Turkey, which forced itself onto the elections agenda.

The Dutch lower house, or Tweede Kamer as it is called, says on its website that "no party has ever received more than 50 percent of the votes."

"All governments since World War II have been coalition governments, supported by two or more parties to form a majority."

Once the official results are announced on March 21 by the elections commission, the new Dutch parliament will be installed on March 23.

A point person, known as an "informateur", investigates which parties could form a coalition, and presides over negotiations between the party leaders to draw up a programme of policies.

These discussions can take weeks or even months. Dutch media has reported it takes on average three months for a new government to take office.

Once a programme has been set out, a person known as a "formateur" begins drawing up the possible new cabinet. The reward for this arduous task is often the top job -- becoming prime minister.

Even though Wilders has been leading the polls for months, he has dropped back to second place behind Rutte.

Most party leaders have vowed not to work with him. So even if the PVV were to emerge as the largest party, it would likely be excluded from government.

Analysts say Rutte's VVD could join up with the Christian Democrats (CDA) and the progressive D66 seeking to reach the magic 76 needed for a majority.

But here GroenLinks or even some of the smaller parties may find themselves with the weighty role of kingmaker.

Parliamentary seats are attributed according to a complicated formula based on the number of votes cast divided by the 150 available parliamentary seats, which determines that year's electoral quota.

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The Prime Minister is about to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, so formally beginning our exit from the EU.

This is when our negotiating and planning skills are really tested. But Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, drawn from all sides of the House and with a Tory in the chair, warns that Brexit Ministers and departments are far from ready.

The committee fears that Whitehall is making a grave mistake by failing to plan for a hard Brexit, crashing out of the EU without an agreed deal.

It condemns Brexit Secretary David Davis for brushing off calls to plan for such an exit, saying it would be guesswork.

Theresa May, pictured, would be wise to heed the warnings of the Foreign Affairs Committee while there is still time

On the contrary, the committee says, it is all too easy to predict and could lead to mutually assured damage.

It urges the Government to make contingency plans for such an outcome, if it wishes to avoid accusations of dereliction of duty.

The Premier, and Mr Davis, should take this very seriously.

These are the same MPs who savaged David Cameron for gross negligence for his comparable failure to make preparations for a Leave victory last June.

The referendum result has imposed a necessary but temporary unity on the Tory Party. All but a handful of mavericks accept that its result must be respected.

But plenty of thoughtful MPs see no reason to stand and watch while grave mistakes are made.

There has been a tendency on the part of Leave supporters to view any doubts or criticism as a denial of democracy.

In some cases this was justified. Some Remainers behaved arrogantly and showed unwise contempt for a democratic vote.

But it is not excusable in this case. When the British people voted to leave the European Union, they assumed as they did so that this task would be accomplished competently and carefully.

Mrs May and Mr Davis would be wise to heed the warnings of the Foreign Affairs Committee while there is still time.

Scrap the aid target

Britain's 12.2 billion aid budget rises yet again to meet the Governments absurd self-imposed spending targets.

The formula  under which targets are fixed first and projects chosen later  means an increase of up to 400 million this year, mostly taken from taxpayers who are just about managing.

And how is it to be spent? As The Mail on Sunday reveals this week, aid does not, sadly, always mean fighting famine and poverty. If only it did.

On the Israeli-occupied West Bank of the Jordan, your cash is helping to fund schools named after terrorist mass killers and promoting extremist anti-Israeli propaganda.

It is time to abolish the targets which make this sort of thing all too easy.

Troops last post

One of the chief comforts for Servicemen and women in danger far away, and their families, has been the swift delivery of their letters from home, through the system known to soldiers as e-blueys.

The alternative  a comparatively cumbersome traditional airmail service  is plainly inferior.

But to save a mere 1 million, small change in the defence budget, e-blueys are to be scrapped.

How can a Tory Government justify such an action?
You may think that a high IQ and bilingual tongue are sure signs of intellect but experts have shared the genuine signs of intelligence - and they're rather surprising.

From being an avid reader to having the ability to learn from your mistakes, psychologists share the clues of authentic intelligence.

My Domaine has rounded up the top signs, so how many do you possess?

Experts have revealed the genuine signs of intelligence that people can't fake - so how many do you possess?

1. You learn from your mistakes

Psychological studies prove that smart people are the ones who can recognise and accept their failures - and, crucially, learn from them.

Rather than viewing mistakes as setbacks, intelligent people see them as learning curves and opportunities to grow.

2. You read for fun

People who are avid readers and pore over a good book for pleasure rather than actively trying to seek out new knowledge are naturally more intelligent.

According to research, these avid readers have better memory function, communication skills, and focus.

3. You can argue against anyone

Arguing is a sure-fire sign of intelligence - but it's the way in which you do it that sets you apart from others.

SIGNS OF REAL INTELLIGENCE You learn from mistakes You read for fun You can argue against anyone You think before you speak You don't care what others think Advertisement

Travis Bradberry, author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, says those who argue articulately and convincingly - and can argue from every angle - are more gifted.

It isn't just those who can argue from their point of view, but from everyone else's, that have genuine intelligence.

4. You think before you speak

Truly intelligent people have a brain that is quicker than their mouth.

If you take your time to answer people's questions and think them through to provide a genuine answer that you've thought about, you're one step ahead.

5. You don't care what others think

Seriously intelligent people don't consider other people when making decisions.

They don't think about how others will feel as a result of their own actions and do things regardless of other people's judgement.
Apart from one strip club membership-sized hurdle, Sharon, 31, and Nick, 29, have been one of Married at First Sight's most stable couples.

And Nick wasn't afraid to share his feelings at Sunday night's commitment ceremony, telling experts and other contestants he was 'maybe' in love.

It comes as the couples were confronted with the cold reality of their situations - with just one week left in their shared apartment, and most couples living in different parts of the country, big decisions needed to be made.

Of course, the loved-up Victorian wasn't phased by the idea of his bride living on the other side of the country.

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Feeling positive: Nick confessed he was 'maybe falling in love' with bride Sharon

'I'm open to moving anywhere - as long as I'm with Sharon I'm happy,' he said with a grin on his face.

'I definitely think where this is going is better than anything I've ever been in.'

His bride remained silent throughout his spiel, choosing just to silently smile at him instead after getting sheepish when she was asked if she loved the carpenter.

Stoked: The distance was not an issue for him, he said, as he would be happy as long as the 31-year-old was there

Sticking around: The couple both decided to stay to see out the end of the reality television experiment

It was a feeling Alene could relate to, as she also struggled to speak about her feelings.

As she and her groom Simon spent time together before the ceremony, she appeared to be trying to allude she had strong feelings for him.

'Simon and I have been travelling very well. We have finally started liking each other, maybe more than liking each other, and now we have reached that stage, we have to take the leap of faith and just say it,' she told producers.

She later spoke to her partner about distance being able to reignite love and passion, which he scoffed at.

Defending her argument, she told him: 'after six weeks, there has to be more emotion than just "I like the person",' she said pointedly.

More emotion: Alene appeared to fumble over her words when it came to telling groom Simon how she felt

'They might realise they actually love the person, or have deeper feelings for them.'

Later in the commitment ceremony, she was a bit more closed off about her feelings.

While Alene admitted she had begun to compromise because she wanted the relationship to work, she stopped short of dropping the word love.

When asked to elaborate on her feelings for groom Simon, she fumbled and said she 'didn't know the word'.

Simon was quick to jump in, telling her: ' it starts with an L'.

'It starts with an L': Despite nudges from the experts and Simon, Alene could not say she loved her 'husband', despite hinting at it earlier in the episode

Flustered, she used her Arabic heritage as a way out, telling the crowd of couples 'English isn't my first language!'.

Instead, she explained she felt deflated when he wasn't around, and while she might not be 'in love yet', the pair were more than friends.

Later to producers, she said she felt 'drawn' to her Queensland-based beau.

Matching her eloquence, Simon said: 'I feel something of a similar-type nature as well'.

A man of few words: While Alene tried to find the words to express her adoration for Simon, he chose to simply agree, telling producers: 'I feel something of a similar-type nature as well'

Meanwhile, Victorian Vanessa and Queensland man Andrew had hit a road block when it came to making their relationship work long-distance.

While both appeared to want the relationship to last, Vanessa was not interested in a relationship where she was separated from her partner.

Though she acknowledged it was the only option for the couple short-term, she said: 'I'm just not enthused over trying to make it work living in different states'.

'I really like Andy, and I hope we work out' she said.

'I'm just a realist.'

Realist: Andy and Vanessa revealed they were struggling with the idea of making their relationship work long distance, with Vanessa taking very little interest in the idea

Andrew said he was 'really keen to make it work', suggesting he may be the one to move to the southern state.

Nadia and Anthony appeared more certain about their future - or at least Anthony did anyway.

Citing his job in a 'niche industry' as the reason, Anthony declared it would 'more than likely' be Nadia that made the move, giving up her native Queensland for his NSW.

She's coming with me! Because Anthony works in a 'niche industry', he said his bride Nadia would have to move to live with him if the relationship were to continue

'I don't think either of us want to do long distance,' he told the experts at the commitment ceremony, saying that to be the provider in the relationship, he needs to be where the work is.

Nadia was less certain about the move, explaining: 'It's not something I can foresee straight away, what's going to happen'.

Later, she bizarrely likened their relationship to a load of washing, telling producers: 'we're in the wash cycle - it's on rinse and spin at the moment... then we'll be hung out to dry'.

While Nadia did not appear to be completely on board with her husband's plan for their future, the pair both chose to stay

Anthony was not only adamant about the future of his relationship, but also the future of Sean and Susan's.

'I've said it before - Sean is a horseman and horses are always the priority - relationships come second,' he said.

'He needs a horsewoman, and Suze is not a horsewoman. End of story.'

The pair are still struggling with the issue of distance, with Sean unable to move away from his farm in remote Queensland, and Susan unwilling to spend the rest of her life in isolation.

But an incident at the dinner party which saw the farmer stand up for young Cheryl may change the couples' minds.

Certain: Sean and Susan remain determined to find a way around their distance issues

'I don't even have to turn around and look, I know she's always there, she'll always have my back,' Sean said of the tense moment at the party.

His actions made Susan 'proud', and she confessed while she had been 'confused', the eventful evening had put things into perspective for her.

'Now I'm more sure than I have been the whole time,' she said.

Despite the huge hurdle threatening their otherwise perfect union, the couple decided to stay in the experiment.

Got his back: Sean said he felt comforted by Susan's presence. 'I don't even have to turn around and look, I know she's always there, she'll always have my back,' he told the experts

Michelle and Jesse were on the other side of sure, with the pair both breaking down in tears during their commitment ceremony.

Jesse had spent the last week trying to be more open in a last-ditch attempt to take his friendship with his bride to another level.

'I've now opened up a door and seen something more,' he professed to the 31-year-old.

'I'm not willing to give up or quit yet - because I think you're worth fighting for.'

Teary: Michelle and Jesee had an emotional chat about the sad state of their relationship, which struggled to move from friendship to something more

He revealed that in the past, opening up had often pushed his love interests away, which left him feeling like he stood a better chance if he remained closed off.

Despite his best efforts, Michelle was still struggling to get into the swing of things.

'It's hard to work out how I'm feeling,' she said.

'I want to feel more, I'm expecting to feel more... It's a tug-of-war between friendship and more than friendship.'

Eventually, she decided to stay in the experiment, explaining she had made a commitment and felt she should see it out.

Committed: Despite their troubles, the pair chose to give it one last shot

'I committed myself to Jesse at the altar, I committed myself to the experience and finding love,' she said.

'I want to know I gave it my best shot.'

For Cheryl and Andrew, it was impossible to see a way forward.

After a week of 'relationship boot camp' organised by expert John Aiken, the pair were still yet to move back in together, let alone have an honest conversation about the boy's night debacle.

Ahead of the ceremony, Cheryl said she was 'a little bit disgusted and looking forward to telling [Andrew] how I feel'.

Disgusted: Cheryl appeared to be well and truly over Andrew on Sunday night, as she told producers she was 'looking forward to telling him how I feel'

Andrew remained adamant he had done nothing wrong, and refused to take responsibility for the relationship breakdown.

When the controversial 'boys night' comments were raised by the experts, the 38-year-old continued to play dumb about his actions.

'I had no reason not to have Cheryl's back [at the boys night],' he said defensively.

The fireman told the experts and other couples he was 'still confused' about what was said and who could have been the one to say it.

'Confused': Andrew maintained his innocence and said he still 'didn't know what was said or who said it' at the boy's night

Bailing out: Cheryl and Andrew both chose to leave this week, earning the 25-year-old a 'good job' from fellow contestant Nadia

During the ceremony, Cheryl claimed he had only stayed in the competition to 'catch up with people' - something he himself alluded to earlier in the episode.

'I'll leave some good friends I've made along the way if I write leave, but if I write stay, I could be signing up for more of what's been a bumpy ride,' he told producers as he considered his decision.

As she said goodbye to other couples, Nadia whispered 'good job' to her.
A former beauty pageant star who first became a millionaire at the age of six, now juggles three companies as well as her education.

Isabella Barrett, 10, shares an insight into her hectic lifestyle from going to school, attending gymnastics classes five days a week and working on her fashion empires in Channel 4's new series How'd You Get So Rich.

'It's really fun, I get to travel a lot and meet loads of new friends. I feel like I have accomplished a lot in the ten years that I have been alive,' the youngster from Rhode Island says.

After finding fame on TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras, Isabella, or Bella as she's known, founded three fashion and jewellery brands Glitzy Girl, Bound By the Crown Couture and Cicciabella.

Isabella Barrett, 10, now juggles her school life with her work life - helping to run three companies Glitzy Girl, Bound By the Crown Couture and Cicciabella

The former reality star first became a millionaire in 2013, when she was just six years old and has enjoyed an enormous success

Bella started out in beauty pageants as a toddler and first found fame on the American TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras

Isabella, who departed reality show Toddlers and Tiaras in 2012, has made most of her money from the Glitzy Girl collection, which features lip glosses, charm bracelets and velour hoodies. The idea for Glitzy Girl came about during Isabella's pageant days.

The youngster is an active participant in all three companies however. As well as being a stakeholder in each business, she designs clothing and jewellery, walks the catwalk in her fashion shows and directs photoshoots.

She even gets Channel 4 presenter Katherine Ryan involved in one such shoot in her back garden, showing her how to strut her stuff as a model before styling her in a couture gown from her own label.

And Bella insists on only using her own music as a soundtrack for the catwalk. She has produced three of her own singles which are available on iTunes - LOL, I'm Just a Kid and Pop Star Empire.

Her attitude impresses Katherine who says: 'Bella is one of the most confident people I've ever met in my life, and I have worked with adult directors who dont have the authority that shes got on set.

'She is going up to everyone and managing every single part of production. Shes ordering everyone around.'

But despite all the fame, money and success, asked what she wants to be doing when she grows up - her answer is surprising.

'Living in LA. And being a mother or being a teacher. Either one'

Bella has three different fashion brands including one couture line featuring this dress, which she shows to presenter Katherine Ryan

Bella's mother Susannah has supported her daughter's dreams for success and has helped her build an empire

'Youre not going to be famous anymore?' presenter and comedian Katherine Ryan questions.

'I will, I will still do this type of stuff, but [You want a balanced life?] Yeah,' Bella responds.

A confident Bella certainly enjoys working hard for her success, and after winning 55 crowns and 85 titles during her beauty pageant reign, she knows a thing or two about being in the spotlight.

And mother Susannah has been happy to help her daughter along the way, admitting: 'Isabella was performance art from the beginning. We took her to her first pageant and she was like "this is where I want to be" and it was on the stage.'

Despite her impressive fortune, 10-year-old Bella insists being famous is more important to her than the wealth.

'I get to meet friends. Its not always about the money, its about meeting new friends and having fun.'

How'd You Get So Rich? airs at 10pm on Channel 4, Monday March 13
Former model and Instagram fitness guru, Emily Skye, has close to two million Instagram followers and a hugely successful fitness program.

But the 29-year-old beauty, from the Gold Coast, recently took a two week 'break' from Instagram after becoming overwhelmed and anxious.

Ms Skye announced her return with a lengthy post explaining why she felt the need to take a break from social media.

Former model and Instagram fitness guru, Emily Skye, has close to two million Instagram followers and a hugely successful fitness program

But the 29-year-old beauty, from the Gold Coast, recently took a two week 'break' from Instagram after becoming overwhelmed and anxious

Ms Skye announced her return with a lengthy post explaining why she felt the need to take a break from social media

'I don't believe being on here all the time is healthy. I've been investing more time into my "real life" rather than the online world,' she wrote.

'I really love what I do and always want to be helping people in some way and love replying to everyone online. Lately though I just felt I was giving too much of myself away and wasn't taking care of myself enough.

'I found myself getting anxious frequently and felt exhausted. If I couldn't reply to everyone online and be there for everyone I felt I was a disappointment.'

'I found myself getting anxious frequently and felt exhausted. If I couldn't reply to everyone online and be there for everyone I felt I was a disappointment,' she said

Ms Skye described herself as a 'people pleaser' and said she always wants to be doing everything she can to help others and make them happy

What are Emily's tips for getting out of a rut? * I try to get outside in the sun if possible and get some vitamin D - it always makes me feel happier and healthier. * I get out and spend some time with friends who are positive and supportive.  I workout!! If I dont want to go to the gym then Ill do something else like a walk, run, swim or even dancing in the lounge room! * I literally throw myself into something thats different or takes me out of my comfort zone. Advertisement

Ms Skye described herself as a 'people pleaser' and said she always wants to be doing everything she can to help others and make them happy.

'Unfortunately this way of living was making me feel unhappy and stressed,' she continued.

'It's sometimes hard to remember to take care of yourself first isn't it! If we don't it's really hard to take care of anyone else properly.'

Ms Skye said she is now feeling 'good and positive' and that she also 'removed' people that were making her feel negative.

'I just really needed to take responsibility for the content I was consuming online and if it isn't positive or doesn't cause a positive response then I don't see the point in seeing it,' she said.

'I had to take control of the things I could control and also set boundaries for myself. I can't please or help everyone and I needed to let go of the pressure I put on myself to.

'I had to take control of the things I could control and also set boundaries for myself. I can't please or help everyone and I needed to let go of the pressure I put on myself to,' she said

'Please consider what goes into a photograph you see online or in magazines... and also what goes into looking a certain way,' she said

'If something doesn't make me feel good and I can choose to remove it then I'm going to do so! I highly recommend you do the same! It honestly has helped me so much! A life evaluation and detox was exactly what I needed!'

Before her break, Ms Skye opened up about the weight she had gained after being overseas for a month and shared a raw snap of herself and her 'stomach rolls.'

'Please consider what goes into a photograph you see online or in magazines... and also what goes into looking a certain way, for example; posing, angles, lighting & even photoshopping!' She wrote.

'A lot of what we see in these images is not "healthy" or "realistic" and comparing ourselves will never do us any good. Focus on your health - mental and physical and focus on being YOUR best.'
Thousands of tributes are pouring in for a blogger shared the good, the bad and the ugly sides of living with terminal stomach cancer.

Lisa Magill, 34, died peacefully on Saturday night from the illness she battled for four years, surrounded by friends and family.

Emotional well-wishes from her more than 55,000 followers flooded the Facebook page after her mother Geraldine announced her 'gorgeous girl' had died.

Courageous blogger Lisa Magill, 34, who shared the good, the bad and the ugly sides of living with terminal cancer has died

The Terminally Fabulous blogger (pictured), shared a harrowing video update of her cancer just last week

Hundreds wrote on the Facebook page's wall and more than 3,000 left comments on her mother's post at 12.45pm on Sunday announcing her death

Hundreds wrote on the Facebook page's wall and more than 3,000 left comments on her mother's post at 12.45pm on Sunday announcing her death.

'Lisa... heaven has gained an angel, not just any... but a rockstar! You have made me understand the importance of embracing life's journey and the essence of smiling through adversity,' one fan wrote.

'Glad you are resting peacefully... or maybe started showing the angels how to rock on!'

'You fought the most bravest fight in the world and touched the lives of so many. Thank you for your honesty and telling it as it is,' another posted.

She covered everything from 'dating while you're dying' to her 'fear of missing out' in her popular blog Terminally Fabulous ever since she was diagnosed with stomach cancer shortly after her 30th birthday

On Sunday, her mother Geraldine announced her 'gorgeous girl' had died peacefully on Saturday night

'You fought the most bravest fight in the world and touched the lives of so many. Thank you for your honesty and telling it as it is,' one follower posted

'Even when you know it is going to happen, it is still hard to take in. What an amazing woman Lisa was, her wit and humour was incredible and hilarious,' a third wrote.

'The way she was able to write so beautifully and make so many people laugh was amazing.'

Many followers said even though they never met Ms Magill and at best exchanged messages on social media, they were touched by her story.

'I will miss your wit and humour, your cynicism, your strength, courage and somehow also that "close friendship" with this girl I've never met,' one wrote.

'Thank you for sharing your stories, thank you for giving your time and energy at some of the worst moments of your much too short life.'

'Last night at 11.50 our gorgeous girl was wrapped in the wings of an angel and joined her friends and family in heaven,' her mother wrote on Facebook

Many followers said even though they never met Ms Magill and at best exchanged messages on social media, they were touched by her story

'I, like so many others were just following Lisa's journey, but I feel like I've lost a friend. I'm crying because she touched my heart,' another said.

'You were honest, funny, and a beautiful person both inside and out. Although I had never met you, I truly feel like I have just lost a friend right now,' a third wrote.

'I had to leave the room I was in as I didn't want my family seeing me cry for someone have never met. It's indescribable how sad I feel as Lisa feels like a friend,' another commented.

Many others said that although they were sad Ms Magill was dead, at least she was free of the pain her cancer had caused her for so long.

'So sad right now, yet so relieved that Lisa is finally free of her pain. We will be forever grateful to your family for sharing your journey, making us laugh out loud and cry in equal measures,' one wrote in a comment.

'Relieved and sad at the same time. Glad to hear she's in no pain. RIP Brave lady!' another wrote.

Ms Magill covered everything from 'dating while you're dying' to her 'fear of missing out' in her popular blog Terminally Fabulous after she was diagnosed aged 30.

Ms Magill's mother said: 'Our hearts are shattered into a thousand pieces'

Her mother penned a long and moving tribute of her own to announce her daughter's death, which has been liked more than 15,000 times.

'Last night at 11.50 our gorgeous girl was wrapped in the wings of an angel and joined her friends and family in heaven,' she wrote.

'Lisa's passing was so peaceful, slipping away in her sleep without pain nor fear, just as we'd all prayed for and more importantly just as Lisa had wanted it.

'Our hearts are shattered into a thousand pieces, Lisa was one of the most generous souls to walk this earth, she would do anything to make us happy.

'In fact she'd do anything to make anyone happy, she was one of a kind. We were so blessed to have her in our lives.'

Last week, a visibly weak Ms Magill (pictured previously) detailed how much pain she was in, while also being brave enough to say thank you to her blog followers

'Over the past couple of years Lisa has fought long and hard, she has been at death's door so many times,' Ms Magill's mother, Geraldine Magill, told Daily Mail Australia

Just last week the 34-year-old, from Brisbane, posted a Facebook video update with the help of her family.

In the post, a visibly weak Ms Magill detailed how much pain she was in, while also being brave enough to say thank you to her blog followers.

'I am not going very well. I have been quite ill and I've been in the hospital for the past few days,' Ms Magill began the update.

'I am in pain as I speak. My chest is hurting, my stomach hurts, my pelvis hurts, everything massively hurts. I'm so weak I can't actually stand up out of my own bed.'

The Brisbane woman died peacefully on Saturday night, her mother announced

The popular 34-year-old blogger is pictured with her mother Geraldine last Christmas Day

On Wednesday, her mother told Daily Mail Australia she knew the end was near.

'Over the past couple of years Lisa has fought long and hard, she has been at death's door so many times,' she said.

'When she started her blog, she did not expect it to touch so many people the way it has, it has really inspired her to keep going and hopefully help as many people as she could along the way.'

'Her fight is coming to an end now, Lisa is in so much pain and discomfort, we just want her to be at peace now. We love her so much we have to let her go.

'Lisa is now in transition from Terminally Fabulous to Eternally Fabulous.'

The Terminally Fabulous Facebook page has been flooded with messages of support.

'I'm sitting crying for a wonderful woman I never meet but feel I know so well,' one fan wrote.

'Her strength and grace has amazed me. I'm sending so much love your way through this hard time for your family.'

On Wednesday, Ms Magill's mother told Daily Mail Australia she knew the end was near

The Terminally Fabulous Facebook page has been flooded with messages of support
A baby with so much hair it could be seen on his ultrasound scan already has a quiff measuring in at five inches long.

Oliver Dunn, from Nampa in Idaho, shocked medical staff not only in the womb but also after his birth when he came out with a full head of hair.

Ever since, it's continued to grow an inch a month and now at five-months old it stands at an impressive five inches tall.

Oliver Dunn's hair is already five inches long and he's only five months old - his quiff sticks up on end and can't be tamed

The young tot's extremely static hair refuses to be tamed, and his parents have tried everything to get it to stick down

Oliver was born with a full head of hair and it has continued to grow at a rate of an inch a month and shows no sign of slowing down

Amused parents Angie and Brian Dunn, 33 and 32, say people are besotted with his 'do and constantly try to touch his tufts.

Despite combing and wetting his head, his parents say nothing will stop the rebellious quiff from sticking up and say it makes him look like he's been 'permanently electrocuted'.

Angie, a first-grade teacher, said: 'Oliver was born with a full head of hair and he's not lost any of it since then, if anything it became longer, puffier and thicker.

'His hair is now around five inches on the top and doesn't look like it's going to stop growing any time soon.

'It's so static-like that it looks like he's been electrocuted and no matter what I try, it won't keep down.

'Like most mum's do, I've licked my finger and tried to stick it down, but it never works, it's like his hair is static all of the time.

'Some people have commented that he looks like a baby Chris Farley or like Kevin Bacon in Footloose, which I find really funny.

'Whenever we're out in public, his hair is the first thing people notice about him, nobody can believe how big it is for such a young baby.

Doctors were stunned at Oliver's bountiful bonnet after his long locks even showed up in his ultrasound scan

Angie and Brian Dunn, 33 and 32, were amazed at their son's hair and say that people often comment on how adorable he looks

'It's so puffy and fluffy that everyone wants to touch it and think it's really cute, fortunately Oliver doesn't mind and is really smiley.

'No one can believe his age when we tell them, they often think he's much older because he is such a tiny little guy with such a lot of hair.'

Oliver's massive mop has always drawn attention even during the ultrasound and straight after he was delivered.

Angie said: 'The first time we realized was during an ultrasound, when my doctors said "wow, he has a lot of hair."

'But even I was surprised how much hair he had when he was born, all the doctors, nurses were shocked because he had a tonne of it.

Because of the way it sticks up on end Oliver's parents think he looks 'permanently electrocuted'

The blonde-haired blue eyed youngster was visited by staff members in the hospital who were shocked at the amount of hair he had

'Even people from other wards were coming into the room just to see his hair.'

Angie maintains she uses no hairspray or product and that his hair is naturally very voluminous.

She said: 'I don't use any oils to help grow his hair, I just use regular baby shampoo and that's it.

'After giving him a bath, I brush his hair down but it pops back up by the time it's dried.

'There's nothing you can do to make his hair lie down.'

Oliver's hair is increasing an inch a month and has quicker growth-rate than some adults.

This means he will desperately need a haircut before reaching six-months-old.

Angie said: 'Most parents have to wait until their baby is one or older for their first haircut, but I think Oliver's will need to be done much sooner.

His parents don't want to take too much of his hair away as they think it will change him too much

He gets lots of attention from his adoring public but he remains happy and smiley about it all

Oliver's amused parents are baffled about where he got so much hair from but think it will be a great story to tell his friends when he eventually goes to school

'It's already getting really scruffy and covering his eyes, but I'm a bit cautious as I don't want it to change too much, I just want it trimmed by about an inch.

'I'm worried it will change how he looks, because his hair is such a big part of his identity, to see it go would make me very sad.'

The Dunn family have tried to trace where their son gets his long locks from but even they're stumped.

Angie added: 'Both me and my husband had hair as babies, but not like this, ours was normal so I don't know why his is so long and sticks out the way it does.

'When he's older he will definitely have a great "Show and Tell" piece for school or better yet I can use it when he brings his first girlfriend home.'
They might still be learning the ropes as young royals, but Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar of Sweden are already brimming with grace and charm.

Estelle, five, and her one-year-old brother Oscar stole the show as they joined their parents Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel for an official engagement in Stockholm today.

The family were on hand to take part in festivities for Victoria day, which is celebrated every year on 12 March. In Sweden each calendar day is linked to a name, with many belonging to saints or members of the royal family.

Stealing the show: Five-year-old Princess Estelle on stage with her parents, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, at a ceremony to celebrate Victoria day in Stockholm today

Little royals: Princess Estelle, left, and Prince Oscar, right with his father, joined the festivities

Wrapped up: Crown Princess Victoria kept out the chill in an elegant knee-length camel coat

Crown Princess Victoria, who is first in line to the Swedish throne, is traditionally honoured with a gun salute and a bouquet of flowers.

In keeping with her typically elegant style, the 39-year-old wrapped up in a knee-length camel coat, which she wore over a striped pussy-bow blouse and tailored black trousers.

The mother-of-two swept her hair back in a simple low chignon, which showed off a small pair of jewelled drop earrings.

Princess Estelle looked adorable navy coat with faux fur collar. The young royal kept out the chill with a grey beanie and chunky knit gloves.

Gracious: Crown Princess Victoria was joined by her daughter as she greeted well-wishers

Proud parents: Victoria and Daniel hold Estelle's hand, left. Princess Victoria is honoured, right

Tender moment: Victoria leans down to kiss her daughter's head at the annual celebration

Her brother was similarly wrapped up in a coat and blue hat, and wore a pair of dinky navy and orange waterproof boots.

The toddler was seen clinging on to a polar bear toy as he was carried around the square by his father Prince Daniel, 43.

Crown Princess Victoria has only recently returned to royal duties after taking time off to enjoy some time with her family.

The Swedish royals took a long-planned trip abroad together in February.

It was organised to give the Crown Princess quality time with her children while they are still young and neither is in school.

Radiant: The 39-year-old royal beamed as she received a brightly-coloured bouquet of flowers

The Swedish royals took a trip together in February to spend quality time with their children
Ivanka Trump might be getting the SNL treatment in America, but in China, she is the next big beauty trend.

According to cosmetic surgery professionals in the country, women are ga-ga over the first daughter's good looks - so much so that they are going to great lengths to copy her look.

Since Donald Trump's inauguration, Chinese companies have been lodging applications to use Ivanka's name to sell their business.

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Women in China have been taking images of Ivanka Trump into cosmetic surgeons' offices looking to copy the first daughter's look

Chinese companies have also been scrambling to register businesses with Ivanka's name to cash in on her popularity in the country

Women in the country have apparently been requesting changes to their features to match Ivanka's (stock photo)

But one company in the southern city of Foshan was lucky enough to have preempted the scramble, registering their name, Foshan Yiwanka Medical Management, back before the election.

Yiwanka shares characters with the Chinese spelling of Ivanka, making it a very popular business name right now.

The medical center specializes in facial cosmetic surgery and also in liposuction and breast augmentation.

And it was especially lucky that the company secured the name, as the Ivanka image is very beneficial to their business, as human resources manager Li Yunxing explained to Washington Post.

'Young women in China like to change their looks to copy film stars eyes, noses and lips,' he said.

One cosmetic surgery professional revealed that women are after Ivanka's 'big eyes, her pretty nose and lips and her flawless figure'

Ivanka is pictured modelling a Douglas Hannant gown in a portrait taken in New York in 2002

'No doubt young women here want Ivankas big eyes, her pretty nose and lips and her flawless figure.'

However, the Chinese women looking to be the next Ivanka will have some catching up to do, as two Texan women were revealed back in November to have already spent tens of thousands of dollars

Tiffany Taylor, a mother-of-three, has had breasts implants, cheek fillers and a nose job to appear more like President Trump's eldest daughter.

A 33-year-old aspiring socialite, she is modelling herself on Ivanka's 'classic features', she told ABC's Nightline.

Jenny Stuart, a 36-year-old from Houston, said she admired the 'classy, pretty' woman.

Jenny Stuart (left) and Tiffany Taylor (right) have spent more than $60,000 on surgeries to look like Ivanka Trump

The women want to recreate Ivanka's 'classic and pretty' features, they said

Both visited plastic surgeon Dr Franklin Rose in Houston to achieve their new looks. He told the show they were not the first patients to come to ask for Ivanka make-overs.

'Breasts or nose or face, she has such a pretty face shape. This is not the first patient that's come in with a picture of Ivanka Trump.

'She is very beautiful and she's very poised.'

Taylor, who works in the oil and gas industry and lives on a farm, said she has spent around $60,000 transforming her look.

'I like Ivanka Trump's classic features. That's kind of what I'm modelling myself after.'

She has had liposuction, breast implants, fat grafts and cheek fillers and recently underwent an eye lift and nose job.

Stuart, who claimed she is often told she looks like Angelina Jolie, had a Brazilian butt lift, breast enhancement, nose job and have fillers in her cheeks.

Taylor underwent a nose job and eye lift as part of her transformation to become more like Ivanka

Taylor had her nose slightly flattened to look more like Trump's daughter

Stuart (above before her nose surgery) studied photographs of the 36-year-old beforehand

Jenny Stuart, 36, also underwent a nose job and cheek fillers. She said she was happy with the results (above)

Dr Rose said he has had other patients requesting the 35-year-old's look, especially her nose and breast shape

The total for her procedures is $30,000.

Dr Franklin Rose said they aren't the first patients to have come to him asking to look more like Ivanka

Over the past four months, Dr Rose said the name on all patients' lips was that of Donald Trump's daughter.

'She's the star of the media at the moment and she's disarmingly beautiful.

'You get a lot of J.Lo, everyone wants her buttocks, but over the past four months it's been all about Ivanka.

'Most patients under 45 come in with pictures on their cell phone to show me,' he added.

While Ivanka's look is revered, none have come calling to morph themselves into her stepmother, Melania.

'Melania's face is a little severe. She gets a lot of Botox, I think Ivanka and her might go to the same surgeon because Ivanka has had fillers and Botox over the years too,' he told DailyMail.com.




A group of furious mothers has planned to target a Kmart store in Queensland with a 'flash mob' protest after a young mum was reportedly kicked out for breastfeeding her baby.

According to the organiser of the protest, Rachel Benton, the woman was 'asked by management of Kmart Smithfield to leave the store if she wished to continue breastfeeding her child'.

The mother-of-four said that the woman, who asked not to be named, was told by the manager that 'it was against store policy for her to feed her child whilst there despite being covered with a wrap'.

A group of furious mothers have planned to target a Kmart store in Queensland with a 'flash mob' after a young mother was reportedly kicked out for breastfeeding her baby (a Sydney store is pictured)

According to the organiser of the group, Rachel Benton, the young mother was 'asked by management of Kmart Smithfield to leave the store if she wished to continue breastfeeding her child' (stock image)

'The manager was also encouraged by witnesses to apologise for his stance, which he declined,' she wrote on her Facebook page.

As a result, Ms Benton has planned a flash mob at the entrance of the store on Saturday the 18th of March.

'Indirect discrimination happens when an apparently neutral condition has the effect of disadvantaging a particular group, in this case women who are breastfeeding,' the event's details read.

A flash mob has been planned by a mother to protest the discrimination

Public breastfeeding law in Australia: In Australian Federal Law breastfeeding is a right, not a privilege. Under the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 it is illegal in Australia to discriminate against a person either directly or indirectly on the grounds of breastfeeding. Direct discrimination happens when a person treats someone less favourably than another person. For example, it is discriminatory for a waiter to decline to serve a patron who is breastfeeding. Source: Breastfeeding Association Advertisement

'We will be meeting at the Kmart entrance in a protest for this discriminatory and illegal treatment towards a breastfeeding mother.'

So far, 44 people have confirmed their attendance and 68 are interested.

While Ms Benton heard about the incident on social media, other mothers who witnessed the event have expressed their anger as well.

'I actually saw this happen, I saw the girl feeding then about 5 minutes later saw a lady yelling at a guy that worked there and he was saying "I was just passing on a message" and the lady yelled at him again and walked out,' one woman wrote on social media.

The Cairns Post reported that the woman was 'pretty upset' over the ordeal and that Sarah Cannell, a mother who had overheard the incident, said the woman breastfeeding had a 'green cotton wrap draped over her shoulder and no breasts were visible'.

Hundreds have penned furious posts on Kmart Australia's Facebook page to which the store's team have responded and requested details via private message

'The employee of Kmart told her that it was against policy to breast feed in store as it was offensive,' she wrote on social media.

'Those were his exact words.'

Hundreds have penned furious posts on Kmart Australia's Facebook page to which the store's team have responded and requested details via private message.

A spokesperson for Kmart told Daily Mail Australia that they 'sincerely apologise for this situation'.

'We were concerned to learn of our customer's experience and have asked her to contact us directly,' she said

'Kmart has an equal opportunity policy in place which clearly states that the business will not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of pregnancy, potential pregnancy or breastfeeding and the features associated with these attributes.'
For two decades, sculptors from different backgrounds have been gathering by the Nile in Aswan for a unique annual event  a symposium dedicated to the challenge of working in granite.

The 22nd annual Aswan International Sculpture Symposium took place this year, beginning in 21 January and finishing on Saturday, and located, as always, across the Nubian Museum in Aswan.

The Nile-side location has hosted the symposium since it begun, but each year sees a new crop of artists of different nationalities and with different styles.

The director was also a new face for this edition, with artist Nagy Farid succeeding Adam Henein, the event's founder and a well-known sculptor, as curator.

This year saw the participation of 15 artists; ten local and five non-Egyptians: Hiroyuki Asakawa from Japan, Liu Yang from China, Valerian Jikia from Georgia, Klaus Hunsicker from Germany and Jose Carlos Millan from Spain.

The Egyptians included four returning artists with previous experience in the symposiums workshops: Therese Antoine, Maged Mikhail, Reem Osama and Ali Saadallah, and six workshop artists, who are joining the symposium for the first time and are working on smaller blocks of stone for a shorter period of time.

They are Al-Shaimaa Darwish, Ahmed Magdy, Tamer Ragab, Abdelmegid Ismail, Ola Mousa, and Shorouq Helal.

Something old, something new

Though the artworks vary in size, style and treatment, many of the Egyptian artists were inspired by their country's heritage.

All the Egyptian artists working here are rooted in ancient Egyptian sculpture, no matter what their direction is, which makes us very distinct from sculptors around the world. It is not up to us, but a natural influence. The treatment of the stones surface is similar to the ancient Egyptian approach, Abdelmeguid, an award-winning artist and sculpture professor, told Ahram Online.

For his piece at the symposium - a minimalist bust of a woman with windswept hair - he is trying to achieve the same refined finish of his ancestors art.

Reem Osama also considers heritage, as well as nature, to be her main source of inspiration.

She explains that one of the main characteristics of ancient Egyptian art is geometric shapes and sharp and strong lines, elements of which can be seen in her symposium-sculpture of a giant cat.

Osamas cat is poised to pounce on something, with its tail raised in full alert. In contrast to the curves of a cats body in nature, the body is depicted as a sharp slant, like a slide. She depicts the paws with geometric shapes that when viewed from the side resemble the stairs the animal is crouched on.

When I spent two years on that subject it influenced my work and I started thinking in the same ways and followed a similar process, Osama says. I saw that even though the subjects may not be ancient Egyptian, but the works [of many current Egyptian artists] are related to it in some way, in form or in the way they are abstracted.

Her observations can be seen in the work of Therese Antoine who was influenced by ancient Egyptian arts pure geometric forms.

While her subjects changed from geometric portraits to full figures, particularly her own body, her style also developed to include organic curved forms, mixed with her earlier style of cubism.

I was always working with subjects that were distant, and wanted to explore with something more personal and directly related to me, she says.

A conversation with Maged Mikhail reveals the same approach. Although his abstract piece titled El-Omda ("the village mayor") may not immediately evoke the pharaonic style, his subject takes as a starting point the chair and the seated figure, a common ancient Egyptian theme and motif used in depicting kings, gods and scribes to reflect their power and majesty.

El-Omda is a sculpture of two parts; a body and a crown. A man in a traditional galabeya dress sits with his knees bent, the volume of the fabric creating a dome.

Ancient Egyptian motifs also found their way into the work of a German artist Klaus Hunsicker, whose sculpture is designed with a vertical oval shape in the centre, and two cone-like structures at the top and bottom of it that mirror each other. The top cone-shape is characterised by horizontal stripes that make it reminiscent of Queen Nefertitis crown.

In fact, the addition of stripes as an element in Hunsickers work resulted from his previous visits to Egypt, where he attended two other symposiums. As such these lines are to him mentally linked with Egypt, inspired also by the lines on Ancient Egyptian burial masks that depict beards.

He also tackles heritage on a conceptual level with this year's piece, titled Keep It. It is inspired by a German saying "keeping the old and creating the new"; preserving heritage without remaining too attached to it, and embracing development and evolution without forgetting one's roots.

Beyond the stone

Chinese artist Liu Yang was inspired by the symposiums location in Aswan, naming his piece The Nile.

In his tall sculpture, Yang carved out organic, irregular hollows that look like dancing drops of water, a technically challenging feat.

By evoking the fluidity of water, Yang is one of the artists whose work transcended the solidity of the material.

Al-Shaimaa Darwish also explores the contrast between subject and material in her piece. Depicting an embryo, the purely organic form shaped like an uneven egg, with soft curves and no sharp edges, matches the intimacy of the subject, but contrasts with the dense, solid granite.

The project materialised after the artists experience of giving birth to her son Moussa, and represents an intimate human experience.

Ola Mousas portrait of a woman looking skyward, titled Music of the Sky, shares another personal moment, this time of spiritual meditation. She tames the hard solid granite to produce something far gentler and very emotive.

Hiroyuki Asakawa from Japan is interested in creating interactive works, that are more than just objects and can reach beyond the inert, heavy material to create experiences for those who encounter it.

Titled Share Happiness, his work is a pair of headphones that will function like the acoustics of a string phone.

If you speak towards one side of the headphones at a distance of 25 cm from the centre, the sound will travel all the way to the other half which is placed some distance across it.

Taking shape

Some of the artists working on interesting ideas include Tamer Ragab, whose work explores the effect of natures forces, particularly wind, on creatures.

His piece takes a specific part of a worms body in motion, and captures it as the wind hits it, like a photograph would, looking at how it would be affected by the force. The final piece is abstracted to a design suitable for granite, but full of life and vigorous movement.

Shourouq Helals piece The Kite Runner is inspired by her childhood spent flying kites in Alexandria. It pays homage to a disappearing activity, no longer as popular as it used to be.

The Kite Runner is an artistic interpretation of the kites diamond shape and its shadow on the ground.

One of the things I had in mind was the story of Peter Pan, whose shadow was separate from his body, she tells Ahram Online, adding that fairytales and stories have been a main inspiration to her recent works as well.

Jose Millan is concerned with the concept of infinity. In his work, the recognisable infinity loop is presented in a way that surprises you from every angle.

From the front, the two parts seem to be connected at just a point in the centre. Upon looking at it from the side, the base is reduced to a small point, and the center is what expands horizontally. The piece simultaneously threatens the sense of balance and confirms it.

On mediums

Granite is the hardest of stones, and the different artists had different thoughts on the mediums capacity and limitations.

Some were faced with a challenge such as Antoine, who had a multifaceted sculpture that was tough to forge in the hefty granite, but one the artist enjoyed and was determined to overcome.

The long, thin shapes in the work of Helal were always at risk of breaking off if the artist wasnt careful. And yet she works on her concept regardless of the material she is using.

Every material can be manipulated to do what you want, so that youre the one who controls it, not the other way round, Helal says.

Magdy, who usually works with more forgiving materials such as bronze, polyester or wood, appreciates how granite trains the artist to look closer, and be braver with decision making, because theres no turning back once the stone is cut.

The harder it is to make mistakes, the easier the medium is for the sculptor. Granite is not difficult; it only needs patience, says Abdelmeguid.

Similarly, Osama feels that if she can tackle this tough material, everything else becomes easier, and notes that geometric shapes are what best suit the nature of stone sculptures as they result in stronger compositions.

Saadallah also feels the stone has demands that he likes to respect.

I follow the stones needs, and adjusts my model to fit the requirements of the block so as not to disrupt the value of the whole. I believe it would be a shame to waste any of the material unnecessarily, he says.

While many of the artists were working on rose-colored granite, some opted for black granite, and others mixed two colors of the stone in their multi-part works.

Mousa explained that her choice of the black stone was to serve her concept, as the rose granite has a busier visual texture, and the black is more discreet, in tune with her meditative portrait.

Asakawa, on the other hand, highlights the contrast between the age-old material of granite which was used by the oldest civilisations, and the contemporary object he is creating from it.

On a more mystical note, energy is one of the important elements in the work of Valerian Jikia, who believes granite is a very powerful stone. If you put positive energy into it, it will return back to you and to the viewers.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Australian Paralympic swimmer Jessica Smith has opened up about her decision to convert to Islam before her wedding day.

Jessica, who was born without her left arm, married Hamid two years ago and they now share a 17-month-old daughter, Alya, together.

The mother-of-one told Mamamia she was initially 'confronted' when she found out she would need to convert to the religion, after Hamid told his Iranian family they were engaged.

But she insisted the decision was entirely hers to make.

Jessica Smith, 31, decided to convert to Islam for her husband's family and has since become a citizen of Iran. She wore a headscarf while visiting Iran but doesn't wear a hijab while out in Australia

'If I wanted to be with him I knew that this was a decision I would have to make,' Jessica said

'I suppose it wasn't a demand, and I certainly don't want people to think that there was a choice that was taken away from me because it wasn't, and I think that's what a lot of people assume,' she told the publication.

'If I wanted to be with him I knew that this was a decision I would have to make,' she added.

Jessica said her father converted to Catholicism and prior to marrying her mother and her Grandmother did the same so she didn't see it as 'such a huge thing.'

Jessica, pictured with her one-year-old daughter Alya, was asked to convert to Islam after her husband announced their engagement - but she barely hesitated in her decision

'Knowing me and how strong-willed I am and how I would never put myself in a situation where I wasn't making decisions for myself based on my own ideas, I think they knew I would never do something like that if it meant that I was in any way, shape or form doing it because somebody else told me to do it,' Jessica said.

'I saw it as okay; as a married couple it seems right to unite in terms of wanting to just have the same perspective and morals and values when we start a family. So that was my understanding of it.'

She said: 'I saw it as okay; as a married couple it seems right to unite in terms of wanting to just have the same perspective and morals and values when we start a family. So that was my understanding of it'

Ms Smith told Daily Mail Australia that she was 'default' religious growing up, meaning she was baptised Catholic but questioned it as she got older, and that's why taking on a new religious identity was such a big step.

'There are also lots of preconceived ideas about how women are treated in the Islamic faith and many of those notions turned out to be myths.'

'My husband is so supportive of anything I want to do and religion has never held me back,' she said.

After copious hours of research she decided to convert but has chosen not to wear the hijab because she does not yet know enough about her new religion to answer questions about it.

The 31-year-old, who competed in the 2004 Paralympic Games, has already overcome a battle with anorexia and bulimia but is looking forward to raising her family.

A fast-paced career at a very young age led to some dangerous eating habits: 'I think my way of trying to combat everything I couldn't control was by trying to control my food and my weight'

'Because I have always looked different, I have always struggled with low self esteem, and I think my way of trying to combat everything I couldn't control was by trying to control my food and my weight,' she previously told Daily Mail Australia.

Jessica said becoming an elite swimmer worsened her illness, as she suddenly felt pressure 'to look a certain way in order to be respected as an elite athlete, but more so as an elite athlete with a disability'.

'That compounded the food issues, and training as often as I was, to the extent I was, it kind of fueled the eating disorder but I was also able to mask it as part of my training as well,' she said.

The Paralympic swimmer has overcome anorexia, bulimia and low self esteem since ending her career in the pool

'I was really young when I was training with the Sydney team - feeling impressionable and by being on the training squad and then not making the team, it plunged me into a world of depression, and that's when everything worsened.'

'Because I perceived myself to be less than ordinary, I convinced myself if I could be perfect in every other way, then people would look past the imperfections,' she told ABC Radio Perth.

Jessica said she never wants her daughter to face the trauma of an eating disorder herself, and is taking every precaution to prevent that.

The 31-year-old doesn't want her daughter to fall into the same body traps that she did: 'I don't ever want her to make the same mistakes I did'

'I don't ever want her to make the same mistakes I did,' she said.

'Later in life, that's just going to be about communicating as best I can about these issues - she's a bit young now for an open and honest conversation.

'But there are small simple things, like I make sure I don't stand in front of the mirror and say negative things about my body, because I know she takes all that in.

'She's like a sponge at the moment, absorbing everything I say, so I have to be really careful.

'We also spend fun time in the kitchen so she learns food is something to be enjoyed and something to celebrate, rather than associating food as good or bad and healthy or unhealthy.'
Doctors have been accused of launching a crusade to abolish the 24-week limit on abortion  which MPs fear would lead to a surge in late terminations.

The Mail on Sunday has learnt that the British Medical Associations (BMA) ethics committee has published a discussion paper titled Decriminalising Abortion.

The doctors union is now calling on its 160,000 members to put forward proposals on how they want the law to change.

Tiny Abiageal Peters was born last October at 23 weeks - before the legal cut-off times for abortions. After major abdominal surgery she is now blooming

The shock move comes less than a year after this newspaper revealed how Royal College of Midwives (RCM) chief executive Cathy Warwick provoked fury when she decided it should join a campaign to legalise all abortions.

Women can legally have abortions at up to 24 weeks, but after that terminations are strictly controlled. Campaigners object to the use of criminal law to control abortion and say that it denies women control over their bodies.

Last night, anti-abortion campaigners said they believed there was now a concerted campaign to abolish abortion laws 50 years after 1967s landmark Abortion Act.

Labour MP Robert Flello, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group, said: It is my fear the BMA is embarking on a misguided crusade to scrap the 24-week limit, which would have tragic consequences in terms of late terminations. Women could then terminate unborn children at any stage  right up to birth  without facing criminal sanctions.

That would lead to the unacceptable situation where unborn children who could survive outside the womb were being killed.

In 2015 in some English hospitals up to 70 per cent of babies born at 23 weeks survive, fuelling calls from campaigners to reduce the age cut-off

In 2015, about 230 of the 198,000 abortions carried out in the UK were later than 24 weeks. But in some English hospitals up to 70 per cent of babies born at 23 weeks now survive, fuelling calls from campaigners to reduce the age cut-off.

Last spring the RCM joined the British Pregnancy Advisory Services We Trust Women campaign, which explicitly states it wants the abortion time limit to be removed from criminal law. The RCM was condemned for failing to consult its members  or consider the moral rights of the unborn child.

Despite the furore, the BMA is now considering following suit. In December it wrote to members highlighting decriminalising abortion as one of six topical areas of interest on which they might like to submit draft motions for this summers BMA conference.

Labour MP Robert Flello said the BMA were embarking on a 'misguided crusade'

Last month it wrote again, including its 52-page booklet Decriminalisation Of Abortion: A Discussion Paper. This claims to be an even-handed guide containing a number of arguments, put forward by others, in favour of and against decriminalisation.

It states: These invite the question  what role, if any, should the criminal law play in setting parameters for the provision and administration of abortion?

But Mr Flello said it was completely misleading to claim the document was neutral, adding: Theres no discussion whatsoever about the most controversial element of decriminalisation  the scrapping of time limits and introduction of legal abortion up to birth. Neither is there any mention that more and more extremely premature babies appear to be surviving.

Under the 1967 Act, a woman can have an abortion up to 24 weeks if two doctors agree that continuing with the pregnancy would put her physical or mental health at risk. After that abortions are allowed only to prevent grave permanent injury or death to the woman, or if the baby will be born with serious disabilities.

BMA members have until April 7 to submit draft motions. A spokesman said: The BMA does not have a policy on the decriminalisation of abortion. This paper does not include recommendations about whether, and if so how, abortion should be decriminalised. It aims simply to inform debate.

Under the 1967 Abortion Act a woman can have an abortion up to 24 weeks

Conservative MP Maria Caulfield said: While claiming it does not have a policy on decriminalisation, the discussion paper is an attempt by the BMA to steer the abortion conversation in a particular direction.

News of the BMAs move comes as MPs prepare to debate scrapping the two sections of the Offences Against The Person Act 1861 which underpin abortion law.

Labour MP Diana Johnson, who will introduce the ten-minute-rule bill tomorrow, said Parliament should consider whether it was appropriate a woman could still be jailed for life for ending her own pregnancy. If her bill succeeds, it could result in women being able to buy abortion pills to take at home  without the need for doctors authorisation.
When Cara Delevingne was given an entire island for a free holiday with 160 friends in the Maldives last December, it didnt take her long to assemble an A-list guest list.

Predictable faces included Caras sister and fellow model Poppy, their older sibling Chloe and Chanel model Arizona Muse. Somewhat less expected to be posing for Instagram shots with Ray Winstones daughter Jaime and the portrait artist Jonathan Yeo was the diminutive actor Tom Hollander, 49.

Cara Delevingne's beach party

Tom Hollander is pals with Kate Winslet (left) and Jaime Winstone (right)

Tom with acting friends Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Michael Gambon

Tom with Kevin Spacey

Yet The Night Manager stars invitation to the #MaldivesBeachParty shouldnt have come as a surprise: his elite squad of friends already boasts Richard Curtis, his wife Emma Freud, Kate Winslet, Kevin Spacey and Sir Ian McKellen.

The draw? An apparently boundless charm matched in equal measure by his much-lauded talent. Meet the VIPs who have fallen for the acting worlds most popular man

THE ARISTO EXES

Toms infatuation with the London social scene has paved the way for countless high-society liaisons (and more diary column inches dedicated to his love life).

Tom's dalliance with heiress Jemima Goldsmith fizzled out in 2013

Tom had a two-year romance with Daphne Guinness

Tom had a long-term romance with the socialite and interior designer Fran Hickman, which ended in 2010

Romances include a two-year affair with Daphne Guinness in the early noughties (the upper-crust style icon was often pictured crouching next to him for photos), followed by a long-term romance with the socialite and interior designer Fran Hickman, which ended in 2010.

A dalliance ensued with heiress Jemima Goldsmith but fizzled out in 2013, shortly before she started dating Russell Brand. Toms stuttering love life is clearly a sore spot, leading him to bemoan, I am single. Acting can make it hard to have profound relationships if youre not careful.

THE THESP BESTIES

Things quickly got starrier as Toms acting career took off. In 1996 he formed a close bond with Ralph Fiennes after they met backstage at the Almeida Theatre, North London.

Tom continues to attract an admiring circle of A-listers, including Bill Nighy

In 1996 Tom formed a close bond with Ralph Fiennes after they met backstage at the Almeida Theatre

Tom and Benedict Cumberbatch performed at literary event Letters Live last November

Ralph reports he was immediately won over by Toms effusive wit, claiming, When people meet Tom for the first time, he quickly turns on the charm. He can have a room in stitches.

Two years later, Liam Neeson became a good friend after they appeared on stage in The Judas Kiss (at the time, one reviewer claimed Tom was too sexy for his size).

Tom continues to attract an admiring circle of A-listers, including Bill Nighy (theyve starred in five films together, with Bill claiming Toms work is so sophisticated that you cant see the acting) and Benedict Cumberbatch after they performed at literary event Letters Live last November.

THE CAMBRIDGE CREW

Social ascent started early thanks to a private education at Abingdon school alongside the members of Radiohead, who Tom drafted in for a charity event in 2004.

At Cambridge University, Tom formed a close friendship with the future James Bond director Sam Mendes, who cast him in several plays alongside social anthropology student Nick Clegg

At Cambridge University, he formed a close friendship with the future James Bond director Sam Mendes, who cast him in several plays alongside social anthropology student Nick Clegg.

Tom and the former deputy PM starred together in Sams 1988 version of Cyrano de Bergerac and remain friends (they even share a godchild).

THE MOST-WANTED PLUS ONE

While a stable relationship may elude him, a gaggle of admiring thespians hasnt. Top fans include Olivia Colman, who has been close to the actor ever since they played husband and wife in the hit BBC sitcom Rev.

The pair  who teamed up again for The Night Manager  are frequently seen together at A-list dos.

Olivia Colman (left) is a fan and good friend of Tom

Tom has a private dinner with Meghan Markle

Tom with Bob Geldof

Other party pals include Bob Geldof, with whom he chatted at a charity lunch last May, Andy Serkis, Dominic West and Emily Mortimer (who claims Tom is entirely presentaccessible, engaged, clever and funny).

He also won over Meghan Markle when they had dinner at private members club Loulous in Londons Mayfair.

His next target? A wife, with Tom claiming hes desperate to settle down and be a bit more serious. But as the Maldives Beach Party proved, you shouldnt hold your breath.

Plus, as the actor admits, I love schmoozing. I can schmooze with the best of them if Im in the right mood. I love it.
The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party may have suffered a humiliating defeat in the state Assembly elections, but a lot of voters in the city sympathise with the outgoing chief minister for trying to change the party image to that of a more progressive political party.

The blame for the electoral defeat has now conveniently shifted to the Congress and 'traitor' Shivpal.

'The Congress turned out to be the hand of Bhasmasur (a mythological demon who turns into ashes whoever he puts his hand on),' says Ramcharan Yadav, a sullen activist outside the party office at the broad, metaled Vikramaditya Marg in Lucknow.

Family members from the ruling Yadav clan fell out in the run up to the election: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with his uncle Shivpal Yadav

Long faces greet you inside the office. Party activists in starch-laden kurtas, green stoles and dark red caps look bored and brooding.

However, they put up a brave face in their interaction with the media, initially.

'Only two-three rounds of results have come in. We are confident that SP is going to form the government under Akhilesh Yadav,' says one of them before the cameras.

Another party worker goes to the extent of blaming faulty EVMs. They reiterate their faith in the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav, who is locked inside his residence a few paces from the office. But Akhilesh's rivals in politics and his own party do not mince words in mocking his 'inexperience'.

'The decision to cede 100 seats to the Congress before the polls and making gestures to arch-rival Mayawati after the exit polls, clearly indicate that he knew the Samajwadi Party was incapable of taking on the rising popularity of the BJP under Prime Minster Narendra Modi,' state BJP spokesperson Dr Chandra Mohan told Mail Today.

The burden of 'inexperience' is admitted by several SP workers, although grudgingly.

'Two inexperienced leaders came together,' said a disgruntled SP activist at the party office on Saturday, in his reaction to the alliance between Gandhi and Yadav scions.

The activists from the Shivpal camp are more brutal. 'Neta ji said it earlier that wearing a red cap does not a politician make.

'When you disrespect your elders, what message are you trying to send to your loyal supporters? Behaviour bolta hai,' said an anonymous party worker sitting outside Shivpal Yadav's Lucknow residence, referring to Akhilesh's poll slogan 'Kaam bolta hai'.

Shivpal who had left for his ancestral village, Saifai, a day earlier, must be feeling vindicated.

The first major fallout of the defeat will be that the feud between Shivpal and Akhilesh will only grow more bitter.

As the day wore on, bringing in little respite for the Samajwadi Party, the Akhilesh camp at the party office openly foul-mouthed the 'traitor' for working against the party nominees at the hustings.

A formal split in party is bigger possibility now. For, the goodwill generated by the young Yadav leader for launching reforms in the party is pitched sharply against his political inexperience and open defiance of seniors.

The second main fallout is that the chances of an alliance between the SP and Congress for the 2019 general election stand blown away.

For, the party supporters are quick and resilient in laying the (orphaned) defeat at the Congress door and a repeat of such an experiment will be fraught with disaster for Akhilesh Yadav.




It was a captain's knock by Amarinder Singh as he led the Congress to power in Punjab after a decade, notwithstanding its dismal performance in subsequent elections across the country.

The Congress practically trounced its opposition, winning 77 out of 117 seats, leaving the SAD-BJP combine and AAP far behind.

The results came as a birthday gift to Singh, the chief ministerial candidate, who turns 75 on Saturday, and had told voters that it will be his last election.

Amarinder Singh as led the Congress to power in Punjab after a decade away

The AAP, which left no stone unturned to snatch power, finished second with 20 seats.

Though the Akali Dal, by winning 15 seats, fared worse than exit polls predicted, and came third.

'I am grateful to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and every other member of the Congress who have contributed to the exceptional electoral performance of the party,' Singh said.

He added he would soon meet Rahul Gandhi to submit his recommendations on cabinet formation. In response to a question, he said the issue of deputy CM would also be decided by the party vice-president.

Singh, who is set to don the CM cap for the second time, promised that his government would take more than 100 critical decisions, with no financial implications, in its first cabinet meet.

He reiterated his poll promise of wiping out the drug menace in four weeks and bringing to book every person found guilty of perpetuating it.

Describing the result as a mandate for stability, progress and good governance, Singh listed education and health as two areas of immediate concern.

Political experts believe AAP lost mainly due to the presence of outsiders in the party, which was not accepted by voters.

SAD and Congress campaigned throughout that by voting AAP, they were handing over Punjab to outsiders.

Kejriwal's 'not-so-successful' run in Delhi, with allegations of hobnobbing with Khalistani radicals, and accusations of selling tickets to moneyed people turned out to be the major factors that prevented it from becoming a formidable contender, say political observers.

This helped the Congress pocket a major chunk of anti-incumbency votes. The issue of Dera Sacha Sauda support to the SAD-BJP alliance also led to a counter mobilisation in favour of Congress.

'I had always maintained that voters of Punjab are very sensible and had seen through the farce named AAP.

The AAP bubble has burst with their outright rejection by voters. The Bathinda blast, coupled with alleged extremist links, also worked against it,' Singh said.

Reacting to the defeat, the AAP expressed confidence that they will bounce back. State AAP convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich said that the party will receive feedback from volunteers and analyse reasons for the defeat.

'AAP's fight for raising the voice of the people and for changing the kind of politics in the country will continue,' he said.

Waraich thanked volunteers and supporters for 'making the party so strong in such a short span of time that it could take on established parties' and 'making it the principal opposition party in the state'.

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said that he will hold talks with party workers to find the cause of defeat. He will be submitting his resignation to the Governor on Sunday.

Last-minute sops failed to woo voters in Badals' favour

The Badals did everything to woo voters, but their doles failed to connect with Punjab's electorate.

Be it additional subsidised ghee and sugar, atta dal scheme, a free pilgrimage, increase in social security pensions, regularisation of services of 30,000 employees or the SYL water controversy, Badals had to be content with third position.

The drug trade taint, farmer suicides, spurious pesticides and the decade-long anti-incumbency factor weighed heavily against the Akalis.

In fact, political observers and opponents say the most important takeaway for the Badals in this election is their blatant mixing of politics with religion (deras).

Law and order, corruption and poor financial health of the state also contributed to the rout.

The Badals gave a free hand to constituency incharges, who often committed excesses and flouted norms, cornering transport, liquor, sand and cable businesses.

Besides, the 'arrogance' of ministers and party leaders and their 'unavailability' to people when in need, also led to their mass rejection.

Favouritism, centralisation of power and dynastic rule also led to the defeat of the SAD-BJP alliance.

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said he will support Singh on issues related to rights of the state. Badal said he will ask his son and SAD president Sukhbir Badal to form a committee so that the reasons behind the defeat can be discussed in detail.

Sukhbir also congratulated Amarinder over the victory and said, 'We honour the mandate given by Punjabis.

The Congress practically trounced its opposition, winning 77 out of 117 seats, leaving the SAD-BJP combine and AAP far behind

I wish the Congress continues to maintain the pace of development in Punjab and take it to new heights.'

'As per information, the SAD has got an impressive 30.4 per cent of vote share.

'Despite this, we have not fared well due to concentration of AAP vote share of around 24 per cent in Malwa region alone.

'There are other factors also which will be examined in due course,' he added.

On the other hand, controversial SAD leader Bikram Majithia won from Majitha defeating his nearest rival, Congress candidate Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lally, by 22,884 votes.
The Iron Lady of Manipur has announced she will quit politics after receiving just 90 votes in the state's assembly elections on Saturday.

Following her dismal performance, Irom Sharmila, said: 'I am fed up with this political system. I have decided to quit active politics.

'I will move to south India as I need to calm my mind.

Scroll down for video

Irom Sharmila offers prayer at Kangla fort after released from JNIMS security ward in Imphal

'But I will continue my fight against Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) until and unless it is repealed. But I will fight as a social activist.'

A sad picture: Sharmila spent 16 years in her hospital jail bed for standing up for what she believes in

The 44-year-old human rights activist declared her intention to run for a seat after ending a 16 year fast last year.

After spending the best part of this century going hungry, a judge granted her bail and Sharmila put honey to her lips with her own hand in August.

She said she would 'never forget' the moment and declared to continue fighting the security act in a different way - through the assembly elections.

However, this proved fruitless for the former Amnesty International Prisoner of Conscience as she secured 90 votes in the contest for the Thoubal constituency against Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

Sharmila, a clearly determined activist, insisted that despite quitting politics, she will not back down.

'I will never forget this moment': The human rights activist breaks her fast of 16 years by bringing honey to her lips with her own hand

She said: 'I will continue my fight against AFSPA until and unless it is repealed.

'But I will fight as a social activist.'

During her political campaign, Sharmila said that she wanted to get married as part of her new life after fasting which enraged a section of the people, who had unleashed a barrage of criticism and may have partly contributed to her defeat.

At first glance, her decision to go on hunger strike can be seen as more dramatic than that to eat once again, however can be seen as quite the opposite.

An Indian court has granted bail to the activist who has been force-fed for nearly 16 years, after she assured the judge that she planned to end her fast

The first attempt at activism was a sudden, emotional decision taken following the tragic deaths of innocent men in Manipur, while the second move was a decision taken slowly after 16 year of hunger and incarceration.

She moved from the vulnerability of her hospital jail to the openness of normal society in order to marry, fight elections and celebrate life.

But the worldwide recognition the Iron Lady gained for fasting gave her a reputation that didn't allow her to desire these things, and likely led to her political failure.

The Iron Lady shortly after her arrest (left) soon began to regain her strength (right) but doctors said it would take a long time for her body to get used to eating food again

She claimed her decision to run in the elections was solely driven by her abhorrence of the law, adding: 'I need power to remove this act. I am the real embodiment of revolution.'

The two other candidates of her newly floated party Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance also lost their deposits as they failed to win less than one sixth of the votes in their constituencies.

But what exactly led her to take such extreme action at the turn of the century?

It was following the deaths of 10 civilians at the hands of Indian paramilitary soldiers in November 2000, that Sharmila decided to go on hunger strike to protest the controversial security law that allows police to shoot first and ask questions later.

Soon after starting her fast, she was charged with attempting suicide and taken into police custody where she was force-fed through a nose tube for 16 years.

An official with Amnesty International India said the fast was 'a testament to her passion for human rights'.

The official, Abhirr VP, added: 'The government arrested her, confined her to a hospital room and force fed her for 16 years, seemingly to break her will.

'There was zero dialogue. A peaceful protest was criminalised.'

The gross abuses of human rights offered by this act are exactly what the Iron Lady of Manipur has been protesting for the most part of the 21st century.

The AFSPA is in effect a number of northeastern territories of India, including Manipur, which has long been plagued by separatist insurgencies and government crackdowns.

The law gives security forces in these regions the right to shoot to kill suspected rebels without fear of possible prosecution and to arrest suspected militants without warrants.

Protesters of the Armed Forces Security Power Act turn out en masse to support Sharmila as she ends her hunger strike

Most north-easterners are ethnically more tied to China or Myanmar than they are to most of India, and the law is also in force in the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir.

The act prohibits soldiers from being prosecuted for alleged rights violations except with express permission from the federal government although such prosecutions are rare.

At least 46 people have been killed and more than 5,000 wounded, including security forces, since protests erupted after the killing of a commander of Kashmiri separatist group Hizb al-Mujahideen in Kashmir in July.

Despite calls from judicial authorities and human rights groups, the federal government has kept in force the anti-terror law in parts of northeast India and mainly-Muslim Kashmir to contain insurgencies.
AV BIRLA Group telco Idea Cellular has announced free incoming calls on domestic roaming and slashed the cost of international roaming value packs.

Idea has joined entered the ring in the latest round of India's mobile phone price war to protect its market share from the onslaught of new entrant Reliance Jio.

The Idea move comes close on the heels of market leader Airtel announcing the scrapping of all roaming charges for outgoing and incoming calls as well as SMS and data usage within India to take on Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Jio which is offering free voice calls and dirt cheap data tariffs as part of its disruptive pricing.

New market entrant Reliance Jio has disrupted price plans by offering calls and data for free: Mumbai: Mukesh Ambani, Chairman & Managing Director of Reliance Industries

With effect from April 1, Idea's 200 million customers will enjoy free incoming calls while roaming on company's 2G, 3G and 4G network across 400,000 towns and villages in the country.

Idea customers will be able to make outgoing calls, SMS freely at affordable rates while roaming anywhere in India, an Idea statement said.

It further said mobile data tariffs and data pack benefits of home circle will be available while roaming within India at no extra charge.

The facility of free incoming calls on domestic roaming will be extended to both prepaid and postpaid customers.

For international travellers, the company is offering international roaming value packs with free bundled usage of up to 400 outgoing minutes, 100 SMS per day, 3GB bundled data and unlimited incoming calls for Rs 2,499 for Asia, and Rs 5,999 for Europe for 30 days validity.

These international roaming packs also come bundled with free 1GB/2GB/3GB data and overage charges as low as Rs 3 per MB to avoid bill shock to travelling customers, Idea said.

The company said it has done a study of customers travel destinations, usage patterns and bill shock complaints to design a new range of value packs for select destinations across Europe, Asia, America, UK and Middle East.

For value conscious customers, the packs start at Rs 1,199 for 10 days validity and go up to Rs 5,999 for 30 days validity, giving up to 85 per cent savings on international roaming charges, it said.

Idea is now set to enable over 200 million customers to use their mobile phones freely, without having to worry about roaming charges, while they travel anywhere in the country, Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer of Idea Cellular said.

Great for consumers: The Idea move comes close on the heels of market leader Airtel announcing the scrapping of all roaming charges for outgoing and incoming calls

On February 27, Bharti Airtel had removed domestic roaming charges on calls and data, and said international call rates will be cut by up to 90 per cent to as low as Rs 3 per minute and data charges by up to 99 per cent to Rs 3 per MB across popular roaming destinations.

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications has also come out with a new offering that provides 1GB data to new 4G customers for Rs 49 whereas 3GB data will be priced at Rs 149 plus free, unlimited local and STD calls within its network.

The younger Ambani sibling who has also been caught in the cut-throat competition unleashed by his elder brother announced the 'Joy of Holi' offer with a 28-day validity on Friday.

RCom has also announced variants of the plan for its 3G and 2G customers, including unlimited 3G data access for Rs 99 and unlimited 2G data access for Rs 49.

RCom further said new 3G customers in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir can now recharge with Rs 99 and get unlimited 3G data, bundled with Rs 20 worth of talk time.
The BJP'S victory in Uttar Pradesh is an event that will change the political discourse in the country.

In north India, in particular, the Mandalera seems to have gone, though it would probably be inaccurate to say that 'Kamandal' has won.

More than mere communal polarisation, what the BJP did was to successfully triangulate the caste equations on a message of development and economic change.

The BJP'S victory in Uttar Pradesh will change the political discourse in the country (Prince William and Narendra Modi)

Credibility

It managed to consolidate its support among the upper castes and isolate the Yadavs, Jatav Dalits and the Muslims.

The communal agenda came up elliptically (shamshan and kabristan) and subliminally via the 'surgical strike'.

Good, firm, handshake: Modi's 'iron grip' on India's narrative has tightened

It did not really have to convince anyone of its anti-Muslim credentials, its message came through when it simply did not put up any Muslim candidate.

The whole structure was put into place by a well-oiled strategy of Amit Shah. But at the bottom of it all, it was one man - Narendra Modi who made the difference.

Without his credibility and authoritative leadership, it is doubtful that the BJP would have done so well against a well known regional party and leader.

The BJP did not project a chief ministerial candidate and that makes the Modi victory even more total.

Whoever is now appointed will know that he owes everything to the Prime Minister.

And in humiliating the SP-Congress alliance, Modi has established a dominant national leadership position, which is unlikely to be challenged for quite a while.

The victories of 2014 and 2017 will alter the texture of UP politics.

It is not that that the SP or BSP lost their vote share, it is that their method of consolidating minority voters around one major caste lost out to the Shah-Modi formula of fusing the majority of the castes and leaving out the minorities.

The exclusion of Muslims from its calculations has portentous consequences.

One major reason for the lack of radicalism among Indian Muslims had been their effective integration into the country's political system.

Without Modi's credibility and authoritative leadership, it is doubtful that the BJP would have done so well against a well known regional party and leader

Alternatives

Victory in UP was important for Modi's project of winning the 2019 general elections. His comprehensive sweep of the Lok Sabha seats of the state in 2014 set the stage for the equally comprehensive victory in the Vidhan Sabha poll of 2017.

Had the party not done as well, it would have indicated an erosion of support in the past two years.

But the results now show that the BJP retains the base it tapped in 2014, and it is likely to retain it in 2019 because the Opposition has been scattered.

The lesson for the Congress Party is quite the opposite. They projected a strong regional leader Captain Amrinder Singh in Punjab and fared well, as indeed they did in the days of yore when powerful satraps ruled the land.

But successes in Punjab, and relative good performance in Goa and Manipur are insignificant in the face of the UP outcome.

The choices before the Congress are stark - persist with the Gandhi family and witness slow collapse, or strike out on a new path which may prove to be a blind alley.

The election results have been equally cruel for the Aam Admi Party which was hoping that a strong performance in Punjab would propel it into the position of emerging as the national Opposition.

Then, those who see this as a verdict in favour of demonetisation miss the point.

Make no mistake, demonetisation was a disastrous move, but Modi had the charisma and authority to convince the people that it was, in reality, an attack on the rich on behalf of the poor.

BJP workers play holi as they celebrate the party's victory in the UP and Uttarakhand elections

Expectations

His ability to capture the narrative was evident, too, in 2002, when the charges against him were much graver.

Actually, the sheer scale of the victory means that the people simply shrugged away the pains of demonetisation and focused instead on BJP's larger message that they would rid the state of crime, caste-ist politics and bring jobs and development instead.

Politicians often do promise such things, but with Modi enunciating them, the promises appeared far more credible and enticing.

As of now Modi's promises remain IOUs encashable in the future. There has been no significant gain in ambitious programmes like 'Make in India.'

Job creation has crashed and 'Swachh Bharat' appears to have had little impact. In the area of foreign policy, too, there have been few achievements.

On the other hand, India's important relationships with Pakistan and China appear to be in a stasis.

Modi needs to urgently improve the quality of his government and begin meeting the aroused expectations of the people of the country.
Barely 24 hours after landslide poll victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP's top leadership assembled at the party headquarters in New Delhi to begin a new mission - finding chief ministers for these two states and stitching up alliances to take power in Goa and Manipur.

The BJP parliamentary board comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, JP Nadda, Ananth Kumar, M Venkaiah Naidu and Thawar Chand Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior leader Ram Lal, met to appoint state observers who would make the selections after consulting local MLAs in UP and Uttarakhand.

The party chose Naidu and Rajya Sabha member Bhupender Yadav as observers for Uttar Pradesh to get feedback from the state party MLAs on who they would like to see as the CM for the country's largest and politically most significant state.

The BJP are looking for popular leaders to take on the Chief Ministerial responsibility in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

'We are trying to gather consensus on the most suitable candidates for the CM posts in UP and Uttarakhand,' Nadda told reporters.

'We have appointed Naiduji and Bhupender Yadav to gather the response on most suitable CM candidate, which they will give to party chief Amit Shah on their return from the state.'

Modi mania

The BJP board also appointed Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP leader Saroj Pandey as observers for Uttarakhand to get local party MLAs' feedback on best possible candidates for CM post.

For Manipur, senior BJP leaders like union power minister Piyush Goyal and party national vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe have been tasked with government formation formalities and gathering responses for CM candidate selection in Manipur, where the BJP has staked a claim to form the government.

Nadda added that the process of response gathering will start in the states after Holi and will be over in the next couple of days.

He also said Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who was the central observer for Goa, is already on the job in the state towards BJP's government formation.

When the BJP takes power in these four states, it will have its governments in 16 states.

The party is already preparing for polls in Gujarat and Karnataka and is looking to stamp its footprints in other states so it can go into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a near-complete saffron map of the country.

The BJP parliamentary board gave Shah full authority to select CM nominees for the four states based on the feedback he receives from the state observers.

Modi said, 'I am seeing a new India, the India of the dreams of the youth. A new India that fulfills the aspirations of our women. A new India that is about opportunities for the poor'.

The party's highest consultative panel represented by its top leadership also thanked citizens for the stunning victories in UP and Uttarakhand, and supporting them in other states.

Thousands gathered at the BJP's Ashoka Road headquarters on Sunday for the biggest road show since the momentous 2014 general elections victory.

Modi waved to them through his victory walk into the office where he addressed supporters, workers and party leaders as he talked about inclusivity and pitched for building a 'new India' by 2022 that would have made the nation's founding fathers proud.

'I am seeing a new India, the India of the dreams of the youth. A new India that fulfills the aspirations of our women. A new India that is about opportunities for the poor,' he said.

'The poor are saying, I want to progress and I seek the opportunity from you.'

Party sources said about 10,000 people had thronged the venue through the day. Supporters waved party flags and shouted slogans of 'Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi.'

A multi-layer security cover was put in place in the area with hundreds of personnel of Delhi Police, CISF and BSF as well as NSG commandos deployed.

The PM lauded Shah, the party's central and state leadership, and workers for the BJP's presence in every geographical area of the country.

'As fruits grow on a tree, no matter how big it is, it starts bending,' he said.

'Nature inspires us. As the fruits of victory cover this tree call BJP, it becomes our responsibility to bend, to become more humble.'
A court has declared that a man convicted of assault and weapons charges deserves a new trial because his trial judge fell asleep during testimony.

Daquantrius Johnson's 2014 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm will be thrown out after the decision in the Kansas appellate court on Friday.

One juror had noticed that Sedgwick County District Judge Ben Burgess had fallen asleep and asked a bailiff whether Johnson could get a fair trial under the circumstances.

A man will receive a new trial on 2014 firearm and assault charges after Sedgwick County District Judge Ben Burgess fell asleep during testimony

The bailiff passed that comment on to Burgess, who later told jurors they alone would decide the case and that no attorneys indicated his nodding off affected his decisions.

Daquantrius Johnson was convicted in 2014 but an appellate court has since granted him a new trial due to the judge's sleepiness

'You are the trier of facts. I decide what evidence you will hear and what instructions you will receive,' he said, according to the Kansas City Star.

'I don't believe during the course of this trial  there were any objections raised that I had to make rulings on that would have been affected by my nodding off.'

Burgess asked Johnson's attorney if he wanted to request a mistrial. That lawyer declined.

Johnson, however, was able to raise the issue on appeal and the court ruled in his favor.

'We see no option other than granting Johnson a new trial for such an error,' they said.

A message Friday with Burgess wasn't immediately returned.
Refugees are the focus of the biggest installation of Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei which goes on display next week at the National Gallery in Prague.

Called "Law of the Journey", the 70-metre-long (230-foot-long) inflatable boat with 258 oversize refugee figures will be shown from March 16 through the rest of the year, the gallery said.

"The largest individual object by this Chinese artist reflects his intense interest in the fate of refugees, which led him to 40 refugee camps in different locations across the globe," it said.

Ai spent the last year visiting such migrant and refugee hotspots as the US-Mexican border badlands to the Turkish-Syrian frontier and crowded holding camps on Greek islands.

"When I first came to Lesbos, we found a half sunken boat there. I asked to be taken to it and sent the other people away. I wanted to experience what it was like to be there alone," Ai said, quoted in the gallery statement.

"I felt what it was like to be on a poorly equipped boat, all by myself, as an insect on a leaf in the middle of the lake," added the 59-year-old painter, sculptor and photographer.

"In the boat I found a baby bottle and a Bible soaked with seawater. That was when I decided to explore this, to go after all those thoughts that are in my head."

An outspoken critic of the Chinese government, Ai was detained in 2011 for 81 days and had his passport confiscated for four years. He later travelled to Berlin where his wife and son live.

Recently he has staged several high-profile exhibitions inspired by migrants, including decking out the columns of Berlin's Konzerthaus with 14,000 orange life jackets from Lesbos.

Last month, he said he has looked with dismay at the Trump presidency, the US entry ban on Syrian refugees, the attempt to deny visas to citizens of several mainly Muslim nations, the pledge to build a wall with Mexico and invoke mass deportations.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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A glamourous fashion designer is living it up in Bali with a gaggle of famous friends while 80 creditors are owed $1 million from her failed business.

Jessica White's clothing company Shakuhachi Limited went into liquidation in May 2015 with a long line of suppliers left empty-handed.

But the blonde beauty does not look like a woman in mountains of debt as her social media shows her sipping cocktails, attending dress-up boat parties, and wearing expensive designer clothes.

Scroll down for video

Glamourous fashion designer Jessica White (R) is living it up in Bali with a gaggle of famous friends like Lindy Klim (L) while 80 creditors are owed $1 million from her failed business

The blonde beauty does not look like a woman in mountains of debt as her social media shows her sipping cocktails and wearing expensive designer clothes

She was even spotted attending fellow Australian fashion guru Lindy Klim's 39th birthday party in December, with whom she is close friends.

The video posted to Ms White's Facebook page shows Instagram star and ex-wife of swimmer Michael Klim receiving a huge cake surrounded by friends.

The pair pop up on each other's social media frequently and Ms Klim even modeled for Shakuhachi on its Instagram page as recently as last month.

The Balinese princess also name dropped the label as three of her favourite fashion boutiques on the island in a 2015 interview with Escape magazine.

Michael Klim even made an emotional public appeal to raise money for Ms White's brother Nico after he suffered a brain injury in a motorbike crash in 2014.

Ms White frequently pops up on Ms Klim's Instagram, like here at a Christmas celebration last year

Ms White attended Ms Klim's 39th birthday party in December and took a video of her receiving the cake

Ms White is also frequently pictured with other members of a glamourous clique of fashion designers and Instagram models who are either based in Bali or flit between the island and Australia.

Shakuhachi is still operating, with a 50 per cent off sale across its website, as its assets and brand were bought from administrators by Loft HK Limited in 2015.

However, Ms White's old company Shakuhachi Limited - which contains all its debts - is still being liquidated by Andrew Spring of forensic accounting firm Jirsch Sutherland.

His report to creditors like fabric makers, Woollahra council and modelling agencies puts its debts at more than $860,000 - with Ms White personally owing $634,034.

The report says Ms White's lawyers disputed the debt but did not provide a statement of her assets.

'I have been advised that [she] has moved to Bali, Indonesia, and I anticipate there may be an issue with serving a statement of claim on her. My investigations in this regard are ongoing,' he wrote.

One of Ms White's friends is pictured sipping on wine in Bali modelling one of her garments

Ms White (R) attending a dress-up boat party in Bali with one of her friends

Mr Spring also believed Shakuhachi may have been trading while insolvent - a crime that can result in heavy fines and possible jail time, as well as claims by creditors.

He estimated at least $476,397 could be claimed as trading while insolvent, and he was tracing $58,000 transactions only listed on bank statements as 'Bali transfers'.

Mr Spring sent a report to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission detailing potential breaches of director duties, but needed $20,000 to $40,000 from creditors to keep investigating for them.

Ms White told the Sydney Morning Herald she was taking the allegations 'very seriously' but her personal finances were not an issue for Shakuhachi under its new ownership.

Ms White is also frequently pictured with other members of a glamourous clique of fashion designers who are either based in Bali or flit between the island and Australia

Ms White attends the Da Maria Bali restaurant with Ms Klim and another friend

However, she said she was still associated with the brand and 'foreign investment' meant she could design and manufacture her products overseas.

'Shakuhachi is currently working to attract new international designers... I am excited by the prospect of working with [them],' she told the newspaper.

Her social media strongly indicates this, as she frequently posts about the brand, as do her friends, and often asks her followers to courier samples to and from Bali on her behalf.

'Any peeps travelling to bali over the holiday need some samples brought over will give free dresses,' she wrote in July last year.

Ms Klim models a Shakuhachi in a photo that appeared on the label's Instagram page last month

Ms Klim took to Facebook to thank Ms White and her brand for providing her with a last-minute dress

The previous month she advertised for a store manager for Shakuhachi's shop in Melbourne's Emporium shopping centre and one for its three Bali outlets.

The company's store in Paddington, Sydney, closed February.

Mr Spring also said Ms White was linked to Shakuhachi by a third company Emporium Clothing Pty Ltd, of which she is director.

Suppliers told the Herald their receipts bore the Emporium Clothing name, despite the clothes being sold through Shakuhachi.

Shakuhachi is still operating, with a 50 per cent off sale across its website, as its assets and brand were bought from administrators by Loft HK Limited in 2015.

Ms White appears on the catwalk at the Australian Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2011/12 in Sydney

'Certainly it doesn't sound good, when you say there is potentially $1 million of personal claims against her... and the same business operation continues. I know a lot of creditors are aggrieved when that occurs,' Mr Spring said.

Hong Kong manufacturer Mince Fashion, owed $24,000 by the old company, said it did business for two years without issue but was then not paid for a year.

Its director Wai To Wong said Ms White emailed him in March 2015 asking for patience claiming 'things would be better soon'.

'We need to pay in a few weeks. I know this is a lot to ask and really hope it's OK with you as it will help us return to normal with cashflow,' it read.

Shakuhachi Limited was in administration just two months later.
Unvaccinated children could soon be banned from being enrolled in childcare centres and preschools across Australia under a federal government plan.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wants to close state loopholes allowing parents to consciously object to having their children immunised, The Sunday Telegraph reports.

He has written to state and territory leaders about introducing nationally consistent laws.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wants nationally-consistent laws on vaccination

The prime minister wants to close state loopholes allowing unvaccinated kids to attend daycare

Children have to be vaccinated in Victoria and Queensland.

But in New South Wales, parents who object to vaccinations are still allowed to present a form co-signed by them and a doctor or an authorised immuniser.

Unvaccinated children can be enrolled at childcare centres in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

Mr Turnbull, who has three grandchildren, told News Corp Australia parents had a right to know if their children were safe in daycare.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has written to his state and territory counterparts

The prime minister, who has three grandchildren, said unvaccinated kids were a safety risk

'All of us desperately want to protect our children and our grandchildren and other people's children,' he said.

'If you don't vaccinate your child you are not only putting their own life at risk, but you are putting everyone else's children at risk.'

The prime minister wants the issue of nationally-consistent vaccination laws discussed at the next Council of Australian Governments meeting of state premiers and territory chief ministers in Canberra.

The announcement comes a week after Mr Turnbull slammed One Nation leader Pauline Hanson for likening the federal government's 'no jab, no pay' policy to a dictatorship.

Pauline Hanson told the ABC last week a federal vaccination policy was a dictatorship

Since 2014, family payments of up to $15,000 a year have been withheld if parents failed to have their kids immunised.

Mr Turnbull shot down Senator Hanson's assertion the government was 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 a week ago.

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 last week.

Pauline Hanson admitted to Sunrise host David Koch (left) on Thursday that her earlier comments on vaccination were wrong

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?'

Senator Hanson admitted her comments were wrong on Thursday, telling Sunrise host David Koch she had wrongly believed there was a test to see if children were allergic to vaccinations.
The prison cellmate of disgraced former police detective and convicted killer Roger Rogerson is a Catholic school paedophile, it has been revealed.

Rogerson is serving a life sentence in Sydney's Long Bail jail while staying with Francis William Cable, a former Catholic teacher who sexually abused young boys, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Rogerson, 75, was last year sentenced alongside Glen McNamara to life in prison for murdering drug dealer Jamie Gao in 2014.

Roger Rogerson was sentenced to life in prison over the 2014 murder of drug dealer Jamie Gao

Rogerson is sharing a prison cell with Francis William Cable (pictured), who sexually abused young boys between 1960 and 1974

Cable, 84, was jailed in 2015 for a minimum of eight years after he was found guilty of indecent assault and buggery.

He sexually abused young boys between 1960 and 1974 while a teacher at Marist colleges in Maitland and Pagewood.

Both Rogerson and Cable are staying in the jail's Kevin Waller Unit, for the frail and the aged.

Rogerson is also said to be close to divorcing his wife of 13 years Anne Melocco, according to a source close to the family.

The source said the divorce would help ensure Ms Melocco is 'looked after' financially.

'A lot of people think he's trying to free up money to help fund his appeal, but as a matter of fact that's not the case. Roger's main concern is providing for Anne once he's gone and also while he's in prison,' the source revealed.

Both Rogerson and Cable are staying in the Kevin Waller Unit of Sydney's Long Bay Jail (pictured)

Rogerson is also said to be close to finalising a divorce to wife Anne Melocco
The opening of a hotel by elusive graffiti artist Banksy in the shadow of the controversial concrete and barbed wire wall that separates Israel from the Occupied Territories was always going to be an incendiary event.

The British artist is, after all, as renowned for the provocative works that miraculously appear overnight on walls around the world as he is for slipping away before being spotted.

His identity is a closely guarded secret, and while the Mail on Sunday has identified him as Bristol-based artist Robin Gunningham his name has never been officially confirmed.

The Walled Off Hotel - a play on the Waldorf hotel chain - is a bizarre spectacle in the middle of the occupied territories

Yet as a handful of curious foreigners ate Victoria sponge cake and sipped tea beneath security cameras and slingshots in his Walled Off Hotel (a play on the celebrated Waldorf chain), few seemed to appreciate they were playing starring roles in one of the more bizarre openings the art world has ever seen.

This hotel, museum and slice of performance art has, after all, won global publicity with its unusual and archly sly boast of having the worst view of any hotel in the world. Several of its ten rooms look directly out at the forbidding wall that divides two warring communities.

A sprinkle of visitors from abroad had come to take selfies beside flower holders converted from tear gas canisters and listen to a mock warning from Israeli security of imminent attack after its doors opened yesterday. This is brilliant, said Steven D Martin, a pastor from Washington DC. Banksy has discovered that art is the most powerful form of protest.

Inside, tourists passed a mechanical model of Arthur Balfour signing the declaration that committed Britain to the creation of a Jewish state, then admired art nestling amid details about the occupation.

Several of the hotel's ten rooms look out directly onto an Israeli watchtower and barrier

Certainly this is the weirdest hotel I have ever visited, provocative, informative and in places mildly amusing. Yet the staff, resplendent in red waistcoats as they served coffee costing nearly three times as much as in nearby cafes, seemed strangely nervous. The artist himself, of course, was nowhere to be seen. Staff whispered that they were not permitted to talk with journalists.

The reason soon became clear: two Israeli flags beneath slogans emblazoned on posters in Arabic, Hebrew and English have been added to a room that was only seen for the first time yesterday.

This is normalisation, said one angry local man from a nearby refugee camp. And that cannot be allowed in this place.

One local said the hotel was an example of 'normalisation' - the policy opposed by the Palestinian militants of fostering interaction with Israelis

He was referring to a policy opposed by Palestinian militants of fostering interaction with Israelis, which the hotel does by its location in Area C  a part of the Occupied Territories under Israeli control  and its promotion of peaceful coexistence. This might sound sensible. Yet it is highly controversial for radicals, especially those in nearby refugee camps  and already there are dark mutterings about the hotel. The presence of Israeli flags in such a place is a provocation indeed.

The bizarre piece of performance art is certainly the weirdest hotel reporter Ian Birrell (pictured) has ever visited

But Wisam Salsah, 42, a former tour guide who met Banksy on his first trip to the West Bank in 2005 and now manages the hotel, said they were expecting the building to attract people from all over the world to visit Bethlehem. This highlights the issue of the wall, he said.

Guests cannot stay here until later this month. Rooms range from a presidential suite with a bullet-holed water tank through to bunk beds scavenged from an army barracks costing 25 a night per person. Locals seemed to be largely ignoring the hotels opening yesterday  although nearby shopkeepers are pleased by the hotels arrival since their takings had been boosted and one wealthy Palestinian-American businessman was enjoying the exhibits.

British artist Banksy has become a worldwide phenomenon for his provocative political art

I remember when the wall went up I guessed it would only last a few months, said Omar Sbitany, who lives in Israel. It takes something amazing like this to remind us that this is not a normal situation.

And for all the media attention, not everyone had clocked the hotels arrival. I have been walking past this every day on my way to work and had never even noticed this, said Zenat Mouti, 35, a factory worker. Who is Banksy?
More than 50 people have been arrested as Melbourne's Moomba festival descended into chaos for the second year running.

About 100 young troublemakers, mostly males, came to the city looking to start a fight on Saturday night, police said.

Officers were forced to deploy pepper spray as organised brawls broke out in front of horrified families at the community event.

Police seized weapons including knives, scissors, a taser and a knuckle duster after conducting more than 800 searches.

More than 50 people were arrested as Melbourne's Moomba festival descended into chaos for the second year running on Saturday night

Officers were forced to deploy pepper spray as organised brawls broke out in front of horrified families at the community event

Among the 53 people arrested were nine for weapons offences and five for riotous behaviour

Among the 53 people arrested over Friday and Saturday were nine for weapons offences, five for riotous behaviour and four for assaulting police.

Five youths looking to create havoc in Federation Square at about 11pm on Saturday were arrested before violence could start, Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp said.

He disputed reports that police cleared the tourist hotspot, saying members of the public voluntarily left to avoid exposure to the capsicum spray used to quell the situation.

Five youths looking to create havoc in Federation Square at about 11pm were arrested before violence could start

Police seized weapons including knives, scissors, a taser and a knuckle duster

Sudanese community groups, including faith-based Planet Shakers, worked with police to get some youths out of the CBD, the Deputy Commissioner said.

Police have smothered the festival, which goes for the entire Labour Day long weekend, after mass brawls and riots marred last year's event.

At the time, a number of teenagers arrested claimed to be part of the notorious Apex gang.

More than 100 youths were filmed causing chaos in Federation Square and on Swanston Street last year.

Police have smothered the festival, which goes for the entire Labour Day long weekend, after mass brawls and riots marred last year's event (pictured)
A man is fighting for his life after he was knocked unconscious in a terrifying carjacking in Melbourne's east.

Police have been told a 32-year-old man was getting in his car in Box Hill South at about 6pm on Saturday before he was brutally assaulted by at least two men.

The man was knocked unconscious in the alleged attack before his black Honda CRV was stolen, police said.

A man is fighting for his life after he was knocked unconscious in a terrifying carjacking in Melbourne's east. Investigators are pictured at the scene on Saturday night

Police have been told a 32-year-old man was getting in his car in Box Hill South at about 6pm on Saturday before he was brutally assaulted by at least two men

Witnesses said that one of the offenders fled from the scene in another car.

The victim has been taken to hospital in a critical condition.

The man's wife told the Herald Sun she believed it was a random, but well-prepared attack.

'I'm still focused on my husband so I'm not very sure but I think it's kind of random,' she said.

'But the guys who did this they were prepared, they chose the right time because there is no one on the street.'

The woman, who has a one-month-old baby with the victim, said she hadn't spoken to her husband since the attack.

Witnesses said that one of the offenders fled from the scene in another car

The man was rendered unconscious in the alleged attack before his black Honda CRV was stolen, police said (stock image)

'I have spent almost the whole time with him but I can't speak with him, he's asleep, (the doctors) have put him to sleep,' she said.

Investigators are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

'Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault and robbery in Box Hill South last night,' a police spokesperson said.

'Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.'
Stable lads have been the backbone of British horse racing since the 18th Century.

Whether at country estates or training yards, their hard work has helped keep the sport afloat.

But it is now claimed the term stable lad suggests a menial trade  and puts off potential recruits.

Racing chiefs have decided to rebrand the term 'stable lads' in a bid to help fill the 800 person shortfall in stable staff

Racing chiefs have decided to rebrand the role, changing the title to racing groom.

The British Horseracing Authority, the sports regulator, is to abandon stable lad in all official documents and job advertisements.

Zoe Elliott, of the BHA, said: We are encouraging employers to modernise and move away from the term stable lads and lasses.

This is not just from a gender point of view but because we have people of all ages in the role. Similarly we want the more senior person in the yard, the head lad or lass, to be described as team leader or yard manager.

The problem is the old terms does not reflect the skills of these employees and does not do them justice. They are really very highly skilled.

The British Horseracing Authority said the term does not do justice to the skill of the stable employees

There are 6,500 stable staff and about 1,700 new stable lads and lasses are needed a year  but the shortfall stands at almost 800.

George McGrath, of the National Association of Stable Staff, denied the move was down to political correctness.

He said: A stable lad conjures up the image of a 12-year-old boy who lives in a barn above the horses. Racing groom has a more professional feel about it.

But Gloucestershire trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: It seems a bit silly. We get on all right as they are. Its political correctness and everything else, I imagine.
Tesco chairman John Allan yesterday tried to quell a growing public backlash after describing white men as an endangered species in the boardroom.

His comments at a retail industry conference last week prompted widespread condemnation.

But Mr Allan insisted yesterday that he was a committed advocate of greater diversity.

Tesco chairman John Allan (pictured) insisted he was a 'committed advocate of greater diversity' after a public backlash to his description of white men as 'endangered species' in the boardroom

In his original remarks, to a room of aspiring non-executive directors, Mr Allan said: For 1,000 years, men have got most of these jobs. The pendulum has swung very significantly the other way.

If you are a white male, tough. You are an endangered species and you are going to have to work twice as hard. If you are female and from an ethnic minority, and preferably both, then you are in an extremely propitious time.

The comments sparked outrage on social media, with several commentators calling for a boycott of Tesco supermarkets.

On Twitter, former Labour frontbencher Yvette Cooper highlighted Mr Allans endangered species quote, commenting: Says the man who chairs a board of 11, eight of whom are white men! No words.

Mr Allan, who earned 660,000 last year for his work as Tesco chairman, said yesterday: I would like to clarify the remarks I made earlier this week.

Mr Allan said: If you are a white male, tough. You are an endangered species and you are going to have to work twice as hard. If you are female and from an ethnic minority, and preferably both, then you are in an extremely propitious time.'

The point I was seeking to make was that successful boards must be active in bringing together a diverse and representative set of people. There is still much more to be done but now is a good time for women to put themselves forward for non-executive director roles.

In all the organisations I have been involved in, I have been a committed advocate of greater diversity and very much regret if my remarks have given the opposite impression.

Mr Allan had previously been reported as describing the endangered species comment as humorous, adding: Clearly white men are not literally an endangered species.
They are the heartfelt dispatches written by loved ones and treasured by battle-weary British troops fighting thousands of miles from home.

During the UKs wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military families sent millions of letters  known as E-Blueys  to soldiers, easing the pain of their separation and the anxiety over the dangers they faced.

But now penny-pinching Defence chiefs have decided to cut off this precious link between home and the battlefield in a sad and short-sighted move that is expected to save just 1 million a year.

Vital link: A soldier on the front line reading his E-Blueys. Soldiers received the letters through a secure, password-protected website that their loved ones at home could access

Soldiers received the E-Blueys through a secure, password-protected website that their loved ones at home could access.

The electronic messages were then printed out on paper at the front line so that soldiers could carry them around with them in their backpacks  unlike emails or social media messages, which are confined to a computer or phone.

The system was also much faster than airmail, reducing delivery times from weeks to hours.

These advantages meant E-Blueys became hugely popular with soldiers and their families.

Last night, Army welfare groups and military wives expressed fury over the decision, which comes as about 1,500 UK troops are fighting Islamic State in the Middle East and 800 British forces are being sent to the Russian front line in Estonia to confront President Putins soldiers. About 500 British soldiers also remain in Afghanistan.

Prince Charles is among those who have praised the role played by E-Blueys in maintaining morale. Speaking while his son Prince Harry was serving in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot, he said the letters to and from the war zone provided precious consolation for distressed families.

Prince Harry with his father on his return from Afghanistan in 2008. Prince Charles praised the E-Blueys as a way for families to keep in contact with troops in conflict zones

Last night, Conservative MP Johnny Mercer, who served as an Army officer in Afghanistan, called for the system to be retained, saying: We should definitely keep this capacity to deliver letters via the internet to troops.

It would be such a shame if this was lost for ever because I remember just how meaningful the E-Blueys were to me and my wife while I was away.

We would write them almost daily and there is definitely something special about receiving a letter  it is more meaningful than an email. Ill never forget the E-Blueys being handed out and taking my letters back to my cot [bed] and reading privately for a few moments.

It was far more intimate and reassuring from a morale point of view than sitting at a bank of computers at an Army base and simply reading messages online while surrounded by lots of other soldiers.

Prince Harry in his accommodation on the front line in Afghanistan

Last night, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the E-Bluey service would cease on March 31. Defence sources said the move had been triggered by more troops using social media and other modern ways to keep in touch with their families.

But soldiers on the front line are often ordered not to use their mobile phones and social media for security reasons.

How the 'E-Bluey' works Soldiers and their families access a secure website or use a smartphone app. Letters are typed in and photographs uploaded on to the site. They are then encrypted and sent via a MoD server to the recipient. In the war zone they are then printed out, sealed and addressed like traditional airmail. In Afghanistan, letters were printed at Camp Bastion and flown to outlying locations. Soldiers reply using the same system and the letters are printed in the UK. Advertisement

The MoD has pledged to reinvest the 1 million savings to help improve wi-fi provision at overseas locations.

Troops and their families will also be able to send handwritten letters  known as Forces Free Air Letters (FFALs).

E-Blueys were invented in 2000 by Royal Logistics Corps officer Brigadier Barry Cash as an alternative to airmail. The bulging mail sacks would take up valuable space in cargo aircraft which could have been used to send first aid, ammunition and weapons instead.

E-Blueys were first widely used from 2003 when British troops invaded southern Iraq. By the height of the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 100,000 were being sent every month.

Last night Brigadier Cash said: This is a sad and short-sighted decision which understandably has caused concern for families of troops serving overseas. It is hugely important to morale that troops receive messages from home. The E-Blueys did this very quickly and cheaply, saving money and space on military transport. The system was hugely popular and for the sake of 1 million this move seems most unwise.

The Army Families Federation (AFF), which represents soldiers and their relatives on welfare issues, told The Mail on Sunday that the decision had caused distress and worry in the military community and that the organisation had sought clarification from the MoD over why it was made.

With hundreds of UK troops being sent to Estonia this year, security experts have raised concerns that Russia will attempt to hack British military communications, including unprotected conversations on social media platforms.

The MoD said: The welfare of our people is very important to us and were committed to making sure they can keep in touch with their families. That is why were updating our service and reinvesting E-Bluey funds into ways of communicating more suited to our modern Armed Forces.
Egypt's Ministry of Health announced on Sunday that 180 thousand women over 40 years of age received free examinations for the early detection of breast cancer between October 2007 and January 2017, state news agency MENA reported.

The number of early breast cancer cases detected in this period amounted to 2,993.

Health minister's consultant Abeer El-Meghawry said the program started with 4 portable clinics, and has expanded to 12, along with fixed units in every governorate.

Medical examination equipment worth nearly EGP 8 million has been donated by UNHCR.

Patients diagnosed through the programme have received medical care at different public hospitals around Egypt, El-Meghawry added.

The consultant encouraged women above 40 to visit the nearest moving clinic in their area, or the headquarters of the National Cancer Institute in Cairo for early examination.

According to the National Cancer Registry Programme, cancer incidence in Egypt stands at 166 cases per every 100,000 citizens.

Liver cancer tops the list, affecting 23.8 percent of cancer patients, followed by breast cancer at 15.4 percent and bladder cancer at 6.9 percent.

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has confirmed to the British Government that Tony Blair has offered to help Donald Trump win a Middle East peace deal.

Mr Tillerson gave details of Mr Blairs involvement after The Mail on Sunday revealed last week he had visited the White House 11 days ago to discuss the issue with the Presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Mr Kushner has been tasked by Mr Trump with achieving the ultimate deal  peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Tony Blair offered to help the Trump administration achieve the 'ultimate deal' of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians

News of Mr Blairs White House talks came as a total surprise to Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Britains Ambassador in Washington, Kim Darroch. Embarrassed British officials said the first they knew about Mr Blairs visit was when they read it in this newspaper. Some expressed surprise that Mr Blair had not told them in advance.

American State Department and White House officials told Downing Street and the Foreign Office that this newspapers account was accurate: Mr Blair had offered to help Mr Kushners Middle East peace effort  and the Trump administration had taken his approach seriously.

Shortly after meeting Mr Kushner for three hours in the White House West Wing on March 1, Mr Blair jetted to Israel for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus team. Kushner, 36, has close family ties with Netanyahu.

He first met the Israeli leader as a child when Netanyahu visited Kushners father, a Jewish US property magnate. Kushner junior, who is married to Mr Trumps daughter Ivanka, 35, introduced Trump to Netanyahu and is credited with persuading the US President to take a much more pro-Israeli stance.

The US State Department, led by Rex Tillerson, had taken Blair's approach 'seriously'

One official said: The basis of Mr Blairs approach was that he has years of experience of Middle East politics and in particular has much better Arab contacts than anyone in the White House.

After leaving No 10 in 2007, Mr Blair was Middle East peace envoy, appointed by the EU, Russia, US and United Nations.

A senior diplomatic source said: Blair has offered to help Kushner and the White House and they are very interested. They think his general diplomatic and Middle East background could be useful.
George Thomas Wiley III was arrested for sending inappropriate text messages to a minor

An 18-year-old man was arrested for sending inappropriate text messages to a minor, including one that said 'You better be worth risking going to jail.'

George Thomas Wiley III, from Krotz Springs, was later released on a $13,500 bond.

His charges on Thursday included computer-aided solicitation of a minor, according to St. Landry Parish sheriff's spokesman, Major Eddie Thibodeaux.

Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said in a news release that one of the 14-year-old girl's parent called detectives after checking their daughter's text messages.

Cyber crime detectives further searched through the young girl's phone, and found messages between she and Wiley.

The 18-year-old from Krotz Springs, Louisiana was later released on a $13,500 bond

Guidroz says the jail comment came after a question about the girl's age.

He says Wiley acknowledged sending the texts to the girl and to receiving a picture of her breasts through Snapchat.

A call to the only George Wiley listed in the area was not immediately returned to the Associated Press.
A woman was sexually assaulted by a man on a Melbourne tram on Valentine's Day, police claim.

The 38-year-old woman was travelling on the Vermont South Tram in Richmond when the man approached her around 10pm, according to Victoria police.

The man allegedly sexually assaulted the woman while several passengers were riding on the tram.

A 38-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by a man on a Melbourne tram on Valentine's Day while several other commuters were on board, police claim (pictured is a computer generated image of the alleged suspect)

Officers said the man got off the train at the intersection of Bridge Road and Lennox Street and headed to Cameron Street.

Police have created a computer generated image of the man based off the victim's description.

Anyone with any information about the incident or the man's identity are urged to call Crime Stoppers.
A mystery benefactor who left an idyllic island in the Lake District to the National Trust has been revealed to be a reclusive spinster.

The name of the generous pensioner was not disclosed when the charity said last month that it had been left the four-acre Grasmere Island in a will. The gift was hugely significant as the sale of the tree-covered beauty spot in 1893 inspired the trusts creation.

Probate records reveal the benefactor was Alison Mack, who ran a boarding house for female students at Oxford. She lived for more than 30 years in Bromley, South-East London, until moving into a care home shortly before she died aged 86 in February 2014. She left an estate worth 1.9 million.

A mystery benefactor who left an idyllic four-acre Grasmere island in the Lake District to the National Trust in her will has been revealed to be a reclusive spinster

The island is believed to have been owned by her family since the 1940s or 1950s, when her parents bought farmland nearby.

Grasmere Island was sold in 1893 to a Mr Belk from Middlesbrough, angering locals who wanted an organisation to protect the landscape. A meeting between Lake District supporters Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, Sir Robert Hunter and Octavia Hill was held soon after the sale and led to them founding the National Trust in 1895.

Miss Mack was given the island by her mother in 1973 and enjoyed regular holidays in the Lake District, but had apparently not visited the area for many years. Her will also requested that her ashes be buried in a field near Grasmere Lake, described by poet William Wordsworth as the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.

Miss Macks nephew, Duncan Mack, 61, of Newbury, said: It was a marvellous gesture on her part, but she was a private person and did not want publicity.

Her second cousin, Julie Baldwin, of Hove, East Sussex, added: She was a bit of a recluse. She never spent anything on herself.

The National Trust described Miss Macks gift as hugely symbolic.
Warning to women: Lindsey Kushner spoke out at her final trial

Leading lawyers and politicians last night rallied to the defence of a judge who warned that women who get drunk may be making themselves a target for rapists.

Judge Lindsey Kushner QC urged women to take more care of themselves as she jailed a man for six years for raping a girl who had been out at a nightclub.

In her final trial before retiring, Judge Kushner said that potential rapists tend to gravitate towards girls who have been drinking.

She added that a girl who has been drunk is less likely to be believed than one who is sober.

While the comments sparked criticism from campaign groups who accused her of victim-blaming, others were quick to offer their support.

Tory MP Anna Soubry tweeted: Judge Kushner stated the obvious. Anyone is more vulnerable to any offence of violence (which rape is) if incapacitated by alcohol.

Francis FitzGibbon QC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, said educating women about the risks from predatory men was empowering.

He said: It is sensible for young women to be educated so that they are aware that there are predatory violent men out there who may take advantage. That level of education is itself a form of empowerment. I dont see it as any way as victim-blaming.

Support: Tory MP Anna Soubry said Judge Kushner 'stated the obvious'

And leading barrister Barbara Hewson said it was important Judge Kushner was allowed to get her message across.

She said: You may have a generation of young women who are naive and think they can go out and get drunk and somehow think nothing bad will happen to them. That is a disastrous assumption to make.

Mother-of-two Judge Kushner, 64, made her comments at Manchester Crown Court on Friday at the end of her final trial following a 43-year legal career.

The court heard that the 18-year-old victim had drunk a significant amount of alcohol and inhaled a popper party drug at Manchesters AXM nightclub last July.

She later met Portuguese pair Orlando Machado and Ricardo Rodrigues-Gomes, both 19. The factory workers took her to a canal path and had sex with her.

Rodrigues-Gomes was convicted of rape and jailed for six years, while Machado was cleared.

Passing sentence Judge Kushner said: People who are potential defendants to rape gravitate towards girls who have been drinking. I beg girls and women to have this in mind.
No one knows better than Nick Clegg the reputational price attached to breaking a political promise: the former LibDem leader has been haunted by his U-turn over university tuition fees during the Coalition Government.

The former Deputy Prime Ministers abandonment of his 2010 General Election pledge not to hike fees led to fury among students and contributed to the partys near-wipeout at the 2015 election.

Now Mr Clegg has offered his advice to Philip Hammond as he battles the Budget backlash over National Insurance rises: blame it all on David Cameron.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (left) has suggested Chancellor Philip Hammond should blame the backlash over National Insurance rises on David Cameron (right)

The honest thing to do for Hammond, and knowing him it is what I suspect he would like to do, is to dump on his predecessors and say Osborne and Cameron were wrong, said the Sheffield Hallam MP, arguing the Chancellor was constrained by Mr Cameron and George Osbornes Election manifesto ruling out tax rises.

In what normal world does a Government impose a fatwa in all circumstances on adjusting taxes in anticipation of economic events which you cannot anticipate? What he has ended up with, at great cost to him, is a saving that is minuscule in public expenditure terms, Mr Clegg told The Mail on Sunday.

His remarks come as the former Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, Vince Cable, said Mr Hammond had received a hospital pass from the previous Conservative administrations promise not to raise taxes.

Writing in todays Mail on Sunday, Mr Cable said: The ultimate blame actually lies with the man who, in effect, threw the political rugby ball to them so recklessly  David Cameron who put the fateful pledge in the Conservative manifesto.
A man has been hit with a $1000 fine after he flew a drone into one of Australia's tallest skyscrapers.

The man was flying the drone over Melbourne's Southbank in January when it crashed into the Eureka Tower, the Daily Telegraph reported.

He was slapped with the fine by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for flying the drone at an unsafe height over a populated area.

A man was fined for crashing a drone into Melbourne's Eureka Tower (pictured centre)

The man was flying the drone over Melbourne's Southbank area in January when it hit the Eureka Tower (pictured)

Three other fines have been handed out by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority this year, two in Western Australia and one in New South Wales (stock image)

It came a month after CASA issued a warning that places like Southbank were not suitable for flying drones and failing to comply with the rules could result in a fine of up to $9000.

CASA has also handed out three other fines this year for improper drone use.

A man was issued with two $900 fines for crashing a drone into farmland in Western Australia, triggering a bushfire.

A 25-year-old man also copped a $900 fine in February for flying a drone too high around Katoomba in Sydney's Blue Mountains, posing a risk to a police helicopter which was carrying out a search and rescue operation.

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said there has been a significant increase in the number of drones taking to Australian skies in recent years.

'The good news is we do get complaints and they are increasing but they're not skyrocketing, it's not running out of control. When we do get evidence of a breach of the rules we do investigate,' he said.

There has been a significant increase in the number of drones taking to Australian skies in recent years (stock image)

A Senate committee is currently looking at the rules and regulations surrounding the use of drones in Australia.

The committee will hold a public hearing in Dalby, Queensland on Thursday.

CASA says drone users must stay more than 30 metres away from other people, never fly around crowds or groups of people and keep their drone in sight at all times.
A father was left speechless when a complete stranger bought his young daughter a plane ticket on Wednesday.

According to a Facebook post that has now gone viral on the page 'Love What Matters', a man was travelling with his two-year-old daughter when he was told he had to buy her a plane ticket or she could not board.

The young father was under the impression that she was of the age where she could still fly for free, and was visibly shocked and confused.

A father was left speechless when a complete stranger bought his young daughter a plane ticket on Wednesday

The Facebook post, shared by Kevin Leslie, said that the man was hit by emotion, and mentioned that he would not be able to afford to re-book the flight or pay for the $749 ticket for his daughter.

He then stepped to the side and began to make some calls.

'Hugging his daughter and grabbing his head, you could tell he was heartbroken,' Leslie shared on the page.

After the two talked for a time, the woman, who was identified on the post as Debbie Bolton, walked up to the counter and asked to buy the girl's ticket

However, the woman standing next to the young father, at the check in counter overheard the entire conversation, and walked over to ask him what was wrong.

After the two talked for a time, the woman, who was identified on the post as Debbie Bolton, walked up to the counter and asked to buy the girl's ticket.

Bolton is the co-Founder and Global Chief Sales officer at Norwex - a firm that sells home cleaning products.

According to the Facebook post, the agent asked her: 'You know how much this ticket costs right?'

Bolton responded that she did and that it was fine, and pulled out her credit card.

The person who wrote the original post watched the entire interaction take place, and said that he told the woman: 'God Bless you!' as agents printed out the ticket.

The agent made multiple comments about having goose bumps, and the father asked for Bolton's name so that he could find and repay her.

According to the post, she said over and over 'Don't worry about it'.

'She knew she wanted to help that man and his daughter no matter what the cost,' the post said.

Although Bolton hoped to stay anonymous and did not buy the ticket to receive attention, after the post was shared on Facebook a number of people left comments that revealed her identity.

Some of her personal friends and coworkers left comments that this is exactly the kind of thing that she would do, and that they are proud to know her.

Although Bolton hoped to stay anonymous and did not buy the ticket to receive attention, after the post was shared on Facebook a number of people left comments that revealed her identity

Bolton is the Co-Founder and Global Chief Sales officer at Norwex, and was returning from a business trip in Omaha, Nebraska, when the interaction took place

Bolton is the Co-Founder and Global Chief Sales officer at Norwex, and was returning from a business trip in Omaha, Nebraska, when the interaction took place.

A woman who works with her, Suzanne Holt, told DailyMail.com: 'I'm the Senior Vice President Sales Leader within her company and admire her greatly. She's an amazing woman and never would have intended for this to be public.'

Amy Cadora, Chief Marketing Officer for the company said in a statement: 'Were not surprised to hear of Debbies kind and generous personal gesture. We are very proud of her and love having her as a part of the Norwex team and as one of the Co-Founders of Norwex North America'

Holt also commented on the viral Facebook post, saying: 'My first thought was that I'm sure she did this privately and would not want it to be known so I didn't plan to share it with anyone. With the way news goes viral on Facebook, I saw it spread like wildfire through my news feed as she was recognized.

'This is an amazing story because it's about a woman who is amazing at her very core.

'I love, admire and respect her for who she IS, not just for the business she's built. She lives her life like this.

'She's someone who does good in private just because it's the right thing to do. She's not doing it to bring fame to herself, but just to show love.

'When showing it to my son, he immediately said "That sounds like something Debbie would do."'

Norwex manufactures and sells environmentally friendly, chemical free home and personal care products.

Amy Cadora, Chief Marketing Officer for the company said in a statement: 'Were not surprised to hear of Debbies kind and generous personal gesture. We are very proud of her and love having her as a part of the Norwex team and as one of the Co-Founders of Norwex North America.

'We have always appreciated the loving spirit of Debbie Bolton. Shes kind, caring and generous. Thats why none of us was a bit surprised when we saw the recent post on social media about her generosity.

'Rather than drawing attention to herself, Debbie just did what anyone else would do. Her hope is that her action might inspire someone else to make a positive impact in the life of another. Ultimately, were all real people, making a real impact.'
New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball has died at the age of 78.

The 'Footrot Flats' creator is believed to have passed away on Sunday after a long battle with Alzheimer's at his Gisborne home, according to Stuff.co.nz.

He is survived by his wife, Pam, and the couple's children.

New Zealand cartoonist and Footrot Flats creator Murray Ball (pictured) died on Sunday at the age of 78 after a long battle with Alzheimer's

Mr Ball's collaborator Tom Scott said he had received word of his friend's death around 1pm on Sunday.

'It's terribly sad, because he was a brilliant man,' he told Stuff.co.nz.

'He was a hero of mine when I was growing up in the Manawatu. It was tremendous to think these great cartoons could be created by someone living just up the road, the didn't need to be things done overseas,' said Mr Scott, who was born in Mr Ball's hometown of Feilding.

Mr Scott said Mr Ball gave him his break when he asked his friend to help write the script for Footrot Flat's feature film.

The cartoon based on characters Wal and Dog ran from 1976 to 1994 in newspapers across the world.

Mr Ball's wife, Pam, told Radio New Zealand last year her husband has been in poor health for the past six years, according to the NZ Herald.
Pauline Hanson wore a face mask while posing for a picture with a colleague who is sick with the measles.

The snap with bedridden WA senator Peter Georgiou and senator Brian Burstin was posted shortly after Ms Hanson's One Nation party took a beating in the state's election.

Mr Georgiou's condition was kept secret during the election campaign, Perth Now reported.

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Pauline Hanson wore a face mask while posing for a picture with a WA senator Peter Giorgiou, center, who is sick with the measles. Senator Brian Burstin is pictured on the right

Pauline Hanson posed for the bedside snap after her One Nation party suffered defeat at the ballot boxes in Saturday's WA election

She was recently forced to apologize after she made some controversial comments about vaccination

He reportedly fell ill during a trip to Bali, despite being vaccinated as a child.

Ms Hanson was forced to apologize on Thursday for remarks she made about vaccinations.

She likened the government's insistence Australians get vaccinated to the behaviour of a 'dictatorship.'

But she later retracted those comments in an interview with Channel Seven's Sunrise program.

'Vaccinations have controlled a lot of diseases. I admit that. As far as having tests done, I admit I was wrong with that. I think it has been blown completely out of proportion,' she said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Ms Hanson declared victory after the WA election despite One Nation winning less than half the support they predicted.

Despite a sharp slump that saw the party projected to take just 4.7 per cent of the vote, Ms Hanson remained defiant - saying the party has done 'extremely well'.

Critics have slammed Ms Hanson for being in denial about the result, after she campaigned tirelessly in the week before the poll.

Labor has storms to power in Western Australia, claiming victory over the Coalition and long-reigning Premier Colin Barnett.

Ms Hanson was forced to apologize on Thursday for remarks she made about vaccinations

She likened the government's insistence Australians get vaccinated to the behaviour of a 'dictatorship'

Speaking after news broke of Labor's sweeping lead, Senator Hanson told 9 News she had done 'extremely well'.

'When you consider some of the seats were polling higher than the nats and the greens that have been here and held seats in the state, you can't deny we've done extremely well here,' she said.

One Nation picked up just 4.5 per cent of the primary vote - less than half of what it had projected to claim in pre-election polling weeks ago, reports ABC.

She said feedback from voters suggested 'the preference deal with the Liberal party had done us damage.'

'People were saying 'why did you do the deal with the Libs? We don't want Barnett back in.'

But Senator Hanson justified their decision to push ahead with the deal in the hope it 'would translate to seats in the upper house.'
Sherif Sonbol captures "behind the stage on the stage", unique moments of The Rad Trads band on stage during the Jazz Tales Festival on 10 March at Cairo's Ewart Hall.

The Rad Trads is a band from the United States comprised of six musicians, all professional jazzists who founded the band in 2012.

At the concert they played several of their original tracks and arrangements of covers, continuously heating up listeners. When the musicians stepped down to the audience, the hall exploded in additional fervor.

The Jazz Tales Festival is organised by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's Arts Centre in cooperation with the American Consulate in Alexandria, with its Cairo segment hosted by the American University.

The festival continues with several workshops and concerts until 1 April, and all events are open to audiences, musicians and jazz lovers for free.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
Lee Rigby's mother has revealed her struggle to come to terms with her son's death as she launched a refuge for bereaved military families in his name.

Lyn Rigby, 50, said she wanted to end her own life after her son was murdered by Islamic extremists in Woolwich, London, four years ago.

As she prepares to welcome the first guests to Lee Rigby House in Staffordshire - a home which will help bereaved military families and struggling war veterans - she opened up about her own struggle.

Lyn Rigby, 50, said she wanted to end her own life after her son was murdered by Islamic extremists in Woolwich, London, four years ago

Lee Rigby House has been jointly funded by the Lee Rigby Foundation and former wrestling star Kendo Nagasaki, who was moved by the Fusilier's story

She told The Sun on Sunday: 'When I hit rock bottom I wanted to end it all. There was no lifeline or place to run to, so I found myself sitting at my son's grave at midnight on one of the bleakest winter nights possible.

'I lay on the ground next to his headstone in the pitch black as the wind and rain lashed into me. I just wanted to be with Lee again and this was the only way I could think of trying to get closer to him.

'I sobbed my heart out all alone in the graveyard, so I know how grim things can get when you are grieving a loved one. I wish there had been a retreat or a place I could have gone to at my darkest hour, because this kind of grief is the loneliest and scariest thing in the world.

'It's real torture and I hope I can offer some small comfort to others when they are feeling the same way.'

Lee Rigby House has been jointly funded by the Lee Rigby Foundation and former wrestling star Kendo Nagasaki, who was moved by the Fusilier's story.

The retreat is actually part of his country estate and Lyn said she was thankful for the support.

In January, the Islamic extremist who brutally murdered Mr Rigby found a lawyer to fight a 20,000 legal battle against the prison service after his teeth were knocked out during a scuffle with guards.

Private Lee Rigby, a drummer in the the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, taking part in a march through Hounslow, London on November 26, 2009

The retreat is actually part of his country estate and Lyn said she was thankful for the support

Michael Adebolajo, 32, lashed out at officers who were trying to escort him to his cell at HMP Belmarsh, south east London, in July 2013. His head reportedly hit a window but he refused medical attention afterwards.

The five officers involved in the incident were suspended on full pay during a six-week police investigation. They were later cleared and returned to work.

Adebolajo and his accomplice Michael Adebowale, 24, murdered 25-year-old Fusilier Rigby near the Royal Artillery Barracks

Adebolajo had been trying to find legal representation ever since and reports say he finally found someone to help him sue.

The exact figure for the claim is not known but similar cases have sought up to 20,000.

The news was met with disgust and anguish by Mr Rigby's family, who said the jihadi killer had no remorse for his 'heinous' crime.

Adebolajo and his accomplice Michael Adebowale, 24, murdered 25-year-old Fusilier Rigby near the Royal Artillery Barracks.

They knocked Rigby down in a car and then hacked him to death with knives and a cleaver. Both of the attackers were found guilty of Rigbys murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Adebolajo was given a whole life order and Adebowale was ordered to serve at least 45 years.
A British jihadi who fought for Islamic State in Syria was allowed to fly in and out of the UK despite being stopped by anti-terror police, a court heard.

The 35-year-old  who once led a poppy-burning stunt  spent up to four months on the battlefield, according to security services.

Despite that, he was able to travel freely through Europe and the Middle East. Only now has the Bangladeshi-born extremist  who cannot be named for legal reasons  lost a legal battle to keep hold of his UK passport, but he remains in the country.

A British jihadi who fought for Islamic State in Syria was allowed to fly in and out of the UK despite being stopped by anti-terror police, a court heard (stock image of member of ISIS)

Last night experts said the case highlighted the risks posed by some 400 battle-hardened jihadis who have returned to the UK from Syria and Iraq.

Raffaello Pantucci, a terrorism expert at the think-tank RUSI, said such individuals should be put in jail or made subject to new Terrorism Prevention Investigation Measures.

The man admits he was involved with jailed extremist Anjem Choudarys banned Al Muhajiroun group which burned poppies and chanted British soldiers go to hell during an Armistice Day protest in 2010.

He now claims to regret his links to the Islamist organisation and after leaving it in 2011 he worked in the NHS and then tried to set up a confectionery firm.

But in February 2014 he travelled to Turkey, supposedly for business, and was arrested for overstaying his 90-day visa in June that year.

According to a summary of the Home Offices case against him, during that time he had travelled to Syria to engage in terrorism-related activity.

The suspect later went to Sweden, then travelled to Egypt where he claims he married a British woman who became his second wife. He then travelled with her to Greece and from there to Bulgaria.

He was deported from Bulgaria on national security grounds in November 2014 and on his return to the UK was interviewed under counter-terror powers.

A few months later, he flew to the Czech Republic and was again questioned upon his return. MI5 at first thought this was a to conduct reconnaissance of border security.

Shortly afterwards, in March 2015, he travelled to Poland, but on his return he found his passport had been cancelled by the Home Office because he had been involved in terrorism-related activity.

The suspect sought a judicial review of the decision at the High Court which was told he may have associated with other British jihadis including masked murderer Siddhartha Dhar, dubbed Jihadi Sid.

On Friday, judges Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Supperstone rejected claims by the mans lawyers that cancelling his passport was done on flawed grounds.
Tesla founder Elon Musk has followed up on his ambitious plan to solve South Australia's energy crisis with a phone call to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Musk is so sure Tesla batteries can remedy the crisis within 100 days from contract that he's even made a bet on it.

'Thanks @elonmusk for a great in depth discussion today about energy storage and its role in delivering affordable & reliable electricity,' the Prime Minister tweeted on Sunday.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tweeted on Sunday that he had spoken with tech billionaire Elon Musk

Tesla founder Elon Musk said he was 'very excited' to talk with Malcolm Turnbull about electricity

Malcolm Turnbull said he had an 'in-depth discussion' with Tesla founder Elon Musk

Musk (pictured) and the Prime Minister spoke for about an hour

The tech billionaire responded: 'You're most welcome. Very exciting to discuss the future of electricity. Renewables + storage arguably biggest disruption since DC to AC.'

Daily Mail Australia understands the pair spoke for about an hour and have pledged to keep in contact with one another.

Turnbull has previously blamed the South Australia state government for the power crisis, saying their pursuit of renewable energy is excessive without sufficient back-up.

Musk's discussion with Mr Turnbull came a day after he spoke with South Australia premier Jay Weatherill, tweeting he was 'very impressed' and 'Govt is clearly committed to a smart, quick solution'.

Mr Weatherill said he and Musk had a 'positive discussion', the Australian Financial Review reported.

'Many local, national and international businesses have come to us with proposals in the weeks since we announced our plans to intervene in the broken national energy market,' he said.

Musk said on Saturday he had spoken with South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill

Tech billionaire Elon Musk claims Tesla batteries can remedy South Australia's energy crisis within 100 days from contract

In a Twitter conversation on Friday with fellow billionaire and co-founder of Atlassian Mike Cannon-Brookes, Musk wagered that if the installation of a 100MWh battery farm is not up and running within 100 days, it comes free

Cannon-Brookes queried how serious Musk was on the claim and if Tesla could deliver on it if he came up with the money for the project

In a Twitter conversation on Friday with fellow billionaire and Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, Musk wagered if the installation of a 100MWh battery farm is not up and running in South Australia within 100 days, it comes free.

On Thursday, head of Tesla's battery division Lyndon Rive said the company could solve the state's power issues courtesy of increased production at their 'Gigafactory' in Nevada.

Cannon-Brookes queried how serious Musk was on the claim and if Tesla could deliver on it if he came up with money for the project.

'[Is] that serious enough for you,' Musk said after stating his wager.

'You're on mate,' Cannon-Brookes responded.

'Give me seven days to try sort out politics and funding.'

Musk said to launch a 100MWh system in 100 days would cost $33.2m plus shipping, taxes and installation costs

An 80MWh system was recently launched in California within 90 days by Tesla.

Musk said to launch a 100MWh system in 100 days would cost $33.2m plus shipping, taxes and installation costs, according to The Advertiser.

South Australia has a high level of energy dependency on an interconnector to Victoria's supply.

Coupled with its nation-leading penetration of renewable energy into the grid, the state has been vulnerable to wide spread outages in recent history.
A courageous blogger who shared the good, the bad and the ugly sides of living with terminal cancer has died.

Lisa Magill, 34, covered everything from 'dating while you're dying' to her 'fear of missing out' in her popular blog Terminally Fabulous after she was diagnosed with stomach cancer, aged 30.

On Sunday, Ms Magill's mother Geraldine announced her 'gorgeous girl' had died peacefully on Saturday night.

Courageous blogger Lisa Magill, 34, who shared the good, the bad and the ugly sides of living with terminal cancer has died

The Terminally Fabulous blogger (pictured), shared a harrowing video update of her cancer just last week

She covered everything from 'dating while you're dying' to her 'fear of missing out' in her popular blog Terminally Fabulous ever since she was diagnosed with stomach cancer shortly after her 30th birthday

'Last night at 11.50 our gorgeous girl was wrapped in the wings of an angel and joined her friends and family in heaven,' she wrote on Facebook.

'Lisa's passing was so peaceful, slipping away in her sleep without pain nor fear, just as we'd all prayed for and more importantly just as Lisa had wanted it.

'Our hearts are shattered into a thousand pieces, Lisa was one of the most generous souls to walk this earth, she would do anything to make us happy.

'In fact she'd do anything to make anyone happy, she was one of a kind. We were so blessed to have her in our lives.'

On Sunday, her mother Geraldine announced her 'gorgeous girl' had died peacefully on Saturday night

'Last night at 11.50 our gorgeous girl was wrapped in the wings of an angel and joined her friends and family in heaven,' her mother wrote on Facebook

Just last week the 34-year-old, from Brisbane, posted a Facebook video update with the help of her family.

In the post, a visibly weak Ms Magill detailed how much pain she was in, while also being brave enough to say thank you to her blog followers.

'I am not going very well. I have been quite ill and I've been in the hospital for the past few days,' Ms Magill began the update.

'I am in pain as I speak. My chest is hurting, my stomach hurts, my pelvis hurts, everything massively hurts. I'm so weak I can't actually stand up out of my own bed.'

Ms Magill's mother said: 'Our hearts are shattered into a thousand pieces'

Last week, a visibly weak Ms Magill (pictured previously) detailed how much pain she was in, while also being brave enough to say thank you to her blog followers

On Wednesday, her mother told Daily Mail Australia she knew the end was near.

'Over the past couple of years Lisa has fought long and hard, she has been at death's door so many times,' she said.

'When she started her blog, she did not expect it to touch so many people the way it has, it has really inspired her to keep going and hopefully help as many people as she could along the way.'

'Her fight is coming to an end now, Lisa is in so much pain and discomfort, we just want her to be at peace now. We love her so much we have to let her go.

'Over the past couple of years Lisa has fought long and hard, she has been at death's door so many times,' Ms Magill's mother, Geraldine Magill, told Daily Mail Australia

The Brisbane woman died peacefully on Saturday night, her mother announced

The popular 34-year-old blogger is pictured with her mother Geraldine last Christmas Day

'Lisa is now in transition from Terminally Fabulous to Eternally Fabulous.'

The Terminally Fabulous Facebook page has been flooded with messages of support.

'I'm sitting crying for a wonderful woman I never meet but feel I know so well,' one fan wrote.

'Her strength and grace has amazed me. I'm sending so much love your way through this hard time for your family.'

On Wednesday, Ms Magill's mother told Daily Mail Australia she knew the end was near

The Terminally Fabulous Facebook page has been flooded with messages of support
A tourist from New Zealand died after a psychedelic drug experience in the Peruvian jungle - but his mother didn't find out until three days later.

Matthew Dawson-Clarke, 24, died in September 2015 after drinking tobacco tea in preparation for an ayahuasca ceremony in the Amazon.

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic drug that's made from a vine that grows in the South American jungle, and Mr Dawson-Clarke was keen to try it after going on vacation to Peru.

His mother found out about his death through a phone call from a person who simply said: 'I'm so sorry for your loss.'

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Matthew Dawson-Clarke, 24, died in September 2015 after drinking tobacco tea in preparation for an ayahuasca ceremony in the Amazon

His mother Lyndie Dawson-Clarke, pictured, found out about his death through a phone call from a person who simply said: 'I'm so sorry for your loss.'

'My world stopped that day,' the mother told the ABC.

Lyndie Dawson-Clarke spoke about her son's death in an interview with ABC's Foreign Correspondent programme.

She said she wants young people who are interested in trying the drug to be careful.

'I'm not here to tell people what to do with their lives,' she said.

'I'm just here to say "be aware."'

Ayahuasca is a temporarily mind-altering brew that is made from the mashed stems of a vine by the same name

That plant matter is often mixed with the leaves of the psychotria viridis plant, which contains the psychedelic compound DMT. Pictured, an ayahuasca vine

Ayahuasca is a temporarily mind-altering brew that is made from the mashed stems of a vine by the same name.

That plant matter is often mixed with the leaves of the psychotria viridis plant, which contains the psychedelic compound DMT.

Ayahuasca has been used in religious ceremonies by the peoples who inhabit the Amazon jungle for centuries.

It has recently become popular among tourists who come to South America.

As the government of Peru put it, according to the BBC, consuming ayahuasca is supposed to open the 'gateway to the spiritual world and its secrets.'
A public health warning has been issued over a measles outbreak.

The warning was issued by Victoria's acting chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton on Sunday after a person was found to have worked at a discount department store while infectious with measles.

The casual employee of the Big W store in Werribee Plaza, in Melbourne's west, worked afternoon and evening shifts between March 3 and March 6 while infectious, before they were diagnosed with the illness.

Heath authorities in Victoria have issued a warning over a potential measles outbreak. Pictured is a stock image of a measles rash

'The individual's co-workers have already been advised of the case and to be aware of the signs and symptoms of measles,' Dr Sutton said, the ABC reported.

'It is thought a recent visit to Bali is where the illness was contracted, but the symptoms were not apparent until well after their return.'

A casual employee of the Big W store at Melbourne's Werribee Plaza (pictured) worked while infected with measles

MEASLES SYMPTOMS - Fever - General discomfort, illness or lack of wellbeing (malaise) - Runny nose - Dry cough - Sore and red eyes (conjunctivitis) - Red and bluish spots inside the mouth (Koplik's spots) - Red and blotchy skin rash that appears first on the face and hairline, and then spreads to the body Source: Victoria Department of Health and Human Services Advertisement

Dr Sutton said the worker did not require treatment in hospital but was still recovering from the illness.

He said he was concerned others could have been infected by coming into contact with the employee.

He warned anyone with symptoms including a rash, fever or cough should seek medical treatment.

'Measles has an incubation period of up to 18 days so illness acquired from contact could still be coming through, and cases could still remain infectious for many days,' he said.

The Big W employee worked on March 3, 8pm to midnight; March 4, 5pm to 9pm; March 5, 3pm to 6pm and March 6, 6pm to 9pm.
An elite European sex club created by a school friend of the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton has opened its doors to Australia.

Killing Kittens, which was founded by Emma Sayle in the UK more than 10 years ago, began hosting a series of small sex parties in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne in 2015.

After garnering a better idea of 'who is on the scene', the female-focused group is hosting its largest party yet in Australia for up to 80 guests in an undisclosed location in Sydney in April, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Killing Kittens, an elite European sex club, has opened its doors to Australia and will host a party for up to 80 women and couples at an undisclosed location in Sydney in April (pictured left is founder Emma Sayle)

The club began hosting a series of small sex parties in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne in 2015 to get a better idea of 'who is on the scene' (pictured is the club's Manchester location)

Ms Sayle said Australians have appeared to be more hesitant when it comes to exploring their sexuality, but she hopes Killing Kittens can help women 'make and break all the rules.'

'Women want the opportunity to explore their sexuality, where they are in control and there are very few places where that happens.'

'These parties are carried out in a safe environment, where women can learn about their sexuality and build their confidence as they explore.'

'They can be in control and feel empowered without being at the mercy of a guy, who can sometimes be pushy or controlling,' Ms Sayle said.

Ms Sayle said new club members shouldn't force themselves out of their comfort zone and should observe the party and only join if they feel an urge to.

Single women and couples can attend.

Last year, the London-based club opened a permanent party pad in Manchester (pictured left is Louise Blakeley Taylor, the manager of the UK North Killing Kittens)

Ms Sayle founded Killing Kittens in the UK in 2005 after she said she realised the sex party scene at the time was focused only on men's pleasure

Ms Sayle (far left) and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton were part of the 'Sisterhood' rowing team (pictured), an all-female crew who bid to cross the Channel in a Dragonboat

Women must initiate the first move, but most new female members do not have sex at their first rendezvous, Ms Sayle told The Sydney Morning Herald.

The age range for the regular Killing Kittens parties is 18-45, but the company also runs a 'silvers' club for people over the age of 45.

Ms Sayle said she created Killing Kittens in 2005 after noticing sex parties at the time catered just to men's pleasure.

Parties are typically held in extravagant, yet private, locations and the club has more than 80,000 members online.

Killing Kittens also hosts parties in New York, Miami, Chicago, Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Paris and Amsterdam.

Last year, the London-based club opened a permanent party pad in Manchester.

Ms Sayle, who has two young children, attended Downe House School with the Duchess of Cambridge, but told The Sydney Morning Herald they were not close friends because they 'live in two very different worlds.'
Scores of revellers were caught with party drugs at Sydney music festivals over the weekend.

Two people were charged with drug supply and 97 others were handed court notices for possession at the Days Like This festival in Randwick on Saturday.

Police said they were 'disappointed' some of the 5,000 partygoers at the popular event 'risk their lives taking illicit drugs'.

Scores of revellers were caught with party drugs at Sydney music festivals over the weekend. Pictured, a woman relaxes at the Days Like These festival on Saturday

Police said they were 'disappointed' some of the 5,000 partygoers 'continue to risk their lives taking illicit drugs'

At two separate music venues at Moore Park on Saturday, 38 others were caught with drugs.

A 25-year-old man was arrested after police found 26 MDMA capsules, while a 41-year-old woman was charged after 11 MDMA capsules were seized.

And at the under 18s Good Life Presents Your Friends 2017 event at Sydney Olympic Park, 10 young people were found to be in possession of drugs.

Nearly 100 people were handed court notices for possession at the Days Like This festival in Randwick on Saturday. Above, two revellers pose for a photo at the popular festival

Some partygoers were caught with drugs at American DJ Diplo's set at the Hordern Pavilion on Saturday

They will all be dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.

Police say the majority of those in attendance at the events were well behaved but are disappointed people are still bringing in illicit drugs.

They said they will continue operations to target illicit drugs and other criminal offences at these types of events.

Police say the majority of those in attendance at the events were well behaved but are disappointed people are still bringing in illicit drugs
A Muslim group has appealed for donations on behalf of an Islamic homeless charity to fund pilgrimages to the holy city of Mecca.

Brothers In Need describes itself as a non-profit group which is dedicated to 'the idea of helping Muslim and non-Muslims'.

However a third-party group, Sydney Islamic Lectures, posted a message on Facebook encouraging people to make '100 per cent tax deductible' donations to the charity so Muslims can visit the holy city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia.

'Help someone fulfill one of the pillars of Islam,' it said on a March post which has since been deleted. 'Fund their hajj trip.'

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Sydney Islamic Lectures posted this appeal calling for donations to a Muslim charity to fund trips to the holy city of Mecca

Brothers In Need describes itself as charity that helps Muslims and non-Muslims

The Sydney Islamic Lectures graphic included the Brothers In Need logo, the registered charity symbol and the phrase '100 per cent tax deductible'.

It deleted the post after Daily Mail Australia contacted Brothers In Need to ask if they had endorsed the Facebook post.

The charity declined to say if Sydney Islamic Lectures was affiliated with the charity or if it funded trips to Mecca from donations, even though the group's Facebook site has numerous links and posts about Brothers In Need.

'Thanks for that, we have contacted the admin on the page and asked them to remove it,' Brothers In Need said via email.

The charity also declined to say if it had complied with Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) guidelines, implemented in 2012.

'Please send me a copy of the ACNC guidelines and regulations,' it said.

A spokesman for Revenue and Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer said she would ask the ACNC and the Australian Taxation Office to investigate the charitable appeal.

'It should be noted that the ACNC is an independent body and there are secrecy provisions affecting what it can disclose during investigations,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday.

Revenue and Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer has said she will request an investigation calling on people to donate to a Muslim charity to fund pilgrimages to Mecca

Brothers In Need says it is focused on helping the poor, need, sick, elderly and homeless

Brothers In Need describes its three key priorities as helping the poor and the needy, visiting the sick and the elderly and feeding the homeless.

The charity posted a Facebook video on Sunday showing director Dean Mousad helping the needy at Martin Place, in Sydney, on Saturday night.

'Peace be upon you. This is Dean from Brothers In Need and Brother Aziz,' he said.

'We are out here on a Saturday night in Martin Place. As you can see we're distributing aid to those who need it most.

'We're here on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday. The volunteers are distributing essential items. We've got hygiene packs, we've got the sanitary packs.'

The deleted Sydney Islamic Lectures Facebook appeal asked people to donate to the Brothers In Need Hajj Fund, which is based at a Commonwealth Bank branch at Westfield, Parramatta.

It's a different account to Brothers In Need Limited, which has an account with the Commonwealth Bank at Bankstown, in Sydney's southwest.
Scarlett Johansson skewered Ivanka Trump on SNL in a biting sketch that mocked the first daughter and President Trump's perceived favorite child.

Slipping into character with an easy sensual assuredness, Johansson waltzed her way through a fake perfume ad with the cutting name of 'Complicit'.

Sold as a fragrance 'For the woman who could stop all of this but won't', the skit lanced Ivanka for alleged hypocrisy in claiming to support a liberal agenda while standing next to her father as he follows another course.

Scarlett Johansson impersonated Ivanka Trump on SNL Saturday night in the first time that they have openly poked fun at the first daughter on the show

Appearing in a spoof of a perfume commercial, Johansson walked through a lavish ballroom as all heads turned to see

Johansson appeared on the show just days after filing for divorce from her husband Romain Dauriac.

During the glossy sketch, Johansson walked through a lavish ballroom as all heads turned to see.

This was not her first time acting in a fragrance commercial. In 2014 Johansson was the face of a Dolce and Gabbana's perfume campaign for 'The One'.

A stereo-typically deep voice-over introduced her: 'Every man knows her name, every woman knows her face. When she walks into a room, all eyes are on her, she's Ivanka.

'She's beautiful, she's powerful, she's complicit.'

The commentary continued: 'A feminist, an advocate, a champion for women, but.. like.. how...

'She's loyal, devoted, but probably should've bounced after the whole access Hollywood bus thing.'

This referred to her father's infamous 'p****gate' incident when he traded boorish stories of sexual conquest with Billy Bush.

Johansson's Ivanka then stared at herself in a mirror as she applied lipstick, seeing Baldwin's Trump reflected back to her with the commentary 'She doesn't crave the spotlight, but we see her, oh how we see her.'

Johansson's Ivanka then stared at herself in a mirror as she applied lipstick

She saw Baldwin's Trump reflected back to her to the commentary 'She doesn't crave the spotlight, but we see her, oh how we see her.'

The fake ad continued with the tagline 'The fragrance for the woman who could stop all this, but won't.'

Sketch writers also took one last shot at her towards the end, with the voice over saying: 'When she watches Titanic she thinks she's Rose, (but) sorry girl, you're Billy Zane.'

And just in case viewers forget about Trump's equally 'complicit' counterpart, the skit tacks on one last punch: 'Also available in a cologne for Jared.'

The fake ad continued with the tagline 'The fragrance for the woman who could stop all this, but won't'

Sketch writers also took one last shot at her towards the end, with the voice over saying: 'When she watches titanic she thinks she's rose, sorry girl, you're Billy Zane'

This was Johansson's second appearance as the First Daughter. She first played Ivanka in 2007, when she impersonated the image of Ivanka as millionaire Trump's favorite spoiled daughter.

This sketch received the most attention online late Saturday night, with 'Complicit' becoming a trending topic close to midnight.

Viewers who made comments on Twitter had a lot to say, with some obviously loving the skit, while others found it 'stupid'.

Viewers who made comments on Twitter had a lot to say, with some obviously loving the sketch, while others found it 'stupid'

However, possibly the most spot on reaction was from one Twitter user, who suggested that this shot at Ivanka was SNL's latest attempt to goad the President into tweeting a reaction to the television show

However, possibly the most spot on reaction was from one Twitter user, who suggested that this shot at Ivanka was SNL's latest attempt to goad the President into tweeting a reaction to the television show.

Until recently the President often took to Twitter after an episode of the comedy show where they were particularly cruel to him to share his opinions about it being 'unfunny'.

He has been uncharacteristically quiet as of late, and SNL's sketch writers could be attempting to draw a reaction.

The fake ad was the first time that the show has torn into the First Daughter since her father took office in January




The House of Representatives, under our constitution, has two primary tasks: legislating and government oversight.

Thats not new it follows all previous constitutions. But to bolster the independence and sovereignty of the parliament, the new 2014 constitution required its approval of the Cabinet appointments and endorsement of the governments program.

But now more than a year since its election, the parliament has not measured up to its responsibilities and seems to be preoccupied with internal conflicts. Most recently, the House last week expelled an elected member on the basis of vague, unsubstantiated allegations. At the same time, it refuses to recognize the membership of another legally elected representative who won a ruling from the Court of Cassation affirming his legitimate election to the House.

On the whole, the media and public tend to follow the irregularities and breaches taking place in the House. But more important than what the parliament is doing, however, is what it isnt doing.

On the legislative front, immediately upon being seated, the House approved 340 laws issued via presidential decrees in just 15 days, with most of that time spent on procedural issues. And when the government presented its program, as required by the constitution, the few sessions allotted it involved no genuine debate on the proposed policies.

Even when the House approved a law regulating civic associations and sent it to the presidency, it was ignored like it didnt exist. (And yes, its an extremely bad piece of legislation, but it still must be discussed, not disregarded.)

Finally, when the Supreme Constitutional Court overturned several articles in the protest law, the parliament did not take timely action to remedy the law, even with young protesters languishing in prison because of it.

On the economic front, the House inexplicably never reviewed one of the biggest loans ever received by Egypt in its history, the $12-billion loan from the IMF, although the agreement has entered into force and the first tranche of the loan was received. Nor has the House shown any interest in discussing state megaprojects, first and foremost the new administrative capital, although the project requires commitments from the state treasury and the contribution of state assets.

The House has thus far not asked for an account of the Suez Canal expansion project, which added LE64 billion to domestic debt, and it has not addressed the ongoing expansion of the states economic role, which is a source of confusion and anxiety both in and out of Egypt.

And politically, the parliament has shown little interest in exercising any oversight. It has been unconcerned about the Renaissance Dam project in Ethiopia and its repercussions and has stayed silent on the gross mismanagement of the Tiran and Sanafir Islands imbroglio and the resulting predicament. Nor has it devoted any attention to national and international reports on detainees and violations of citizens rights, as if they concern citizens of another country.

The fact is, our representative body has occupied itself, and the public, with issues and debates largely unrelated to its legislative and regulatory role. This is a serious matter: the failure of the parliament to assume its constitutional role means, in essence, that we are a country without parliament, without government oversight, and without popular representation in lawmaking. It means the executive monopolises the tools of governance, legislation, and oversight, which threatens the balance of powers on which the constitution is based.

I will conclude by stating my deep respect to those MPs, whether partisan or independents, who continue to work in silence, exercise the rights and duties of their office, and refuse to go along with the prevailing recklessness, silence, and weakness. Theyre true heroes who deserve our support.

But those who are satisfied with silence, passivity, and obedience should know that time will hold them accountable.

One day, the people will demand an accounting from them for squandering their own rights and the rights of those they ostensibly represent.



*The writer holds a PhD in financial law from the London School of Economics. He is former deputy prime minister, former chairman of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority and former chairman of the General Authority for Investment.

A version of this article was published in Arabic in El-Shorouq newspaper on Monday, 6 March.

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Tributes poured in for the New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball on Sunday after news of his death.

Mr Ball was 78 and is survived by his wife, Pam, and the couple's children.

'I grew up with Murray Ball's work... Lucky and privileged to have shared your Kiwi humour and drawings,' wrote one mourner on the Growing Up Kiwi Facebook page.

Mr Ball, who is known as the creator of the 'Footrot Flats' comic strips, is believed to have passed away on Sunday after a long battle with Alzheimer's at his Gisborne home, according to Stuff.co.nz.

Tributes poured in for the New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball on Sunday after news of his death

Mr Ball, who is known as the creator of the 'Footrot Flats' comic strips, was praised as an inspiration by the cartoonist Chris 'Roy' Taylor

Many, including the journalist Simon Wilson, wrote tributes to the Footrot Flats creator after his death was announced on Sunday

Footrot Flat (pictured) was based on characters Wal and Dog and ran from 1976 to 1994 in newspapers across the world

'We could all relate, understand, and respect the stories, characters, the people, and the love,' wrote a 'Footrot Flats' fan on Facebook.

Chris 'Roy' Taylor, a cartoonist and illustrator, wrote:

'Your work inspired me as a youngster and still does to this day.'

Another admirer took to Twitter to write: 'Belgium had TinTin. France had Asterix. NZ had Footrot Flats.'

The cartoon based on characters Wal and Dog ran from 1976 to 1994 in newspapers across the world.

Mr Ball's collaborator Tom Scott said he had received word of his friend's death around 1pm on Sunday.

New Zealand cartoonist and Footrot Flats creator Murray Ball (pictured) died on Sunday at the age of 78 after a long battle with Alzheimer's

The cartoon based on characters Wal and Dog ran from 1976 to 1994 in newspapers across the world

One admirer took to Twitter to write: 'Belgium had TinTin. France had Asterix. NZ had Footrot Flats'

Mr Ball, who is known as the creator of the 'Footrot Flats' comic strips, is believed to have passed away on Sunday after a long battle with Alzheimer's at his Gisborne home

'It's terribly sad, because he was a brilliant man,' he told Stuff.co.nz.

'He was a hero of mine when I was growing up in the Manawatu. It was tremendous to think these great cartoons could be created by someone living just up the road, the didn't need to be things done overseas,' said Mr Scott, who was born in Mr Ball's hometown of Feilding.

Mr Scott said Mr Ball gave him his break when he asked his friend to help write the script for Footrot Flat's feature film.

Mr Ball's wife, Pam, told Radio New Zealand last year her husband has been in poor health for the past six years, according to the NZ Herald.
An elephant killed its trainer with a swish of its trunk at a Japanese zoo today.

Wichai Madee from Thailand was washing an Indian elephant with a colleague at Adventure World in Wakayama when the female became angered and swung its trunk.

The trainer, 37, smashed into the iron bars of the elephant's cage and was rushed to hospital where he later died.

An elephant killed its trainer with a swish of its trunk at a Japanese zoo today. Indian elephants can grow to 6.4 metres in length and 3.5 metres in height (stock image)

Police said: 'The animal might have somehow become angry. It swung its trunk and the trunk hit the person who was working in front of the elephant.'

'The person apparently was pushed hard and hit either the cage or the ground and hit his head.'

Zoo staff called the police saying 'an employee was attacked by an elephant.'

The incident happened at 9.15am before the zoo opened its doors to the public.

Animal rights activists have rushed to defend the elephant, saying it is not animals' fault if they become angry while in captivity.

One wrote on Facebook: 'The simple fact of taking a wild animal from its natural habitat and forcing it to live in captivity changes the behaviour of the animal.'
An incendiary new documentary threatens to reignite the furor surrounding Michael Brown's death, by throwing new light on his final hours.

Filmmaker Jason Pollock aims to tell what he believes is the true story behind the 18-year-old's fatal shooting in his new film, Stranger Fruit, which aired Saturday at SXSW.

It includes never-before-seen footage that calls into question the long-held narrative that Brown had robbed a store before being shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Brown.

What threatens to really fan the flames is the fact that police have since admitted to knowing about the footage and say they refused to reveal it to the public because it was 'irrelevant' to the investigation.

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New footage shows Michael Brown appearing to give the store clerks an item, which according to Pollock was a bag of marijuana, during a previous visit to the shop in Ferguson

Brown can then be seen walking out of the store with a bag in his hand, which contains cigarillos that seem to have been given to him by the employees

Filmmaker Jason Pollock (pictured) has released a new documentary telling what he says is the true story behind Michael Brown's shooting death in August 2014

St Louis County police spokesman Sergeant Shawn McGuire told the DailyMail.com: 'The incident is still irrelevant to our investigation because our department investigated the encounter between Michael brown and Darren Wilson.'

The 95-minute documentary, for which Pollock spent two years in Ferguson doing research, features interviews with the teenager's relatives, as well as public officials and witnesses.

Brown was fatally shot on August 9, 2014, by white officer Darren Brown, who was not indicted but cleared of criminal wrongdoing by a grand jury. A US Department Of Justice report pointed to systemic racism among the town's residents and its authorities - a theme explored by Pollock.

The filmmaker titled his movie after the famous song Strange Fruit, which protested the lynching of African Americans.

A key element of the documentary is never-before-seen footage that suggests Brown did not rob a convenience store moments before his death, unlike what authorities said at the time.

The clip, which Pollock shared with the New York Times, shows Brown visiting Ferguson Market and Liquor around 1am on the day he later died.

He appears to be giving a small bag, which according to Pollock contained marijuana, to the employees, who in turn give him two boxes of cigarillos. The teenager starts to walk away with the cigarillos inside a bag, but comes back and gives them back to one of the clerks, who puts the bag behind the counter.

The video, according to Pollock and to Brown's mother, implies there was a previous understanding between Brown and the clerks when the teenager later came back to the store - and that he did not steal the cigarillos, but obtained them through a negotiated deal.

The never-before-seen video sheds new light on the Brown case and suggests the teenager (pictured) did not rob a convenience store, unlike what authorities said at the time

Police released shortly after Brown's death a video (pictured) that shows the teen pushing the store clerk - but didn't publish footage of his prior visit to the shop

Officer Darren Wilson (pictured), who fatally shot the teen, was not indicted. A grand jury exonerated him of any criminal wrongdoing

Lawyers for the convenience store and its employees told the New York Times there was no deal with Brown and denied the filmmaker's account.

In a preview of his documentary, Pollock makes a point of pointing out that authorities did not release the video of Brown's previous visit to the store.

The Ferguson Police Department however did publish a clip of the teenager shoving one of the employees, which some of the many protesters who rallied after his death saw as an attempt to tame the young man's image.

McGuire told the New York Times in an email Saturday that the the video of Brown's earlier trip to the store hadn't been released until now because the footage was not relevant to the investigation.

Brown's death sparked days of unrest in Ferguson and nationwide protests. Pollock's documentary could now prompt some to demand the US Department Of Justice reopen the case, the Hollywood Reporter noted in a review.

Pollock was tipped off to the existence of another video of Brown because of a police report that made a brief mention of his earlier trip to the convenience store.

'We had to do this so that people understood what really happened,' Pollock told reporters at SXSW.

'Because everyone still thinks all these ridiculous things about him, and that he was a thug. He was not a thug.'

Pollock pointed out that Brown had just graduated high school in a district with historically low graduation rates.

'That means he was a rock star and he beat all the odds and was murdered eight days after his graduation.'

The DailyMail.com has reached out to the Ferguson Police Department for comment.
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Fort Lauderdale descended into chaos on Saturday with four fights in the space of 20 minutes and Spring Break revelers seen passing out drunk on the beach.

DailyMail.com also witnessed students smoking drugs, playing raucous games of beer pong on the beach and twerking in full view of families further along the sand.

The south Florida city, which is home to just 179,000 people, sees an influx of approximately 100,000 partygoers each week during Spring Break - a boon for businesses profiting from the $1bn industry.

Last week saw 1.3 million students head out on Spring Break, with the largest group of 2.5 million following on Friday.

But for the local police department, it means a spike in crime - and having to lay on extra officers to enforce the law.

Arrest figures for Broward County, in which Fort Lauderdale sits, show that 108 people were arrested on Friday alone and 113 on Thursday - most for public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

The city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is bracing for the next seven weeks after it was hit with a storm of college students this week after the first wave of Spring Break revelers closed out the first week of the holiday on Saturday

Spring Break is known for obscene amounts of drinking, for both men and women, and these ladies held their own as they shot gunned cans of Natural Light or 'Natty Light'

Not all college students can handle the all day and night partying, and this man couldn't last the whole day. He needed the help of his friends to escort him off the beach for a much needed nap

In a chaotic day, four explosive brawls broke out in a span of just 20 minutes, leading to some men having cuffs put on them

These women played an enlarged version of peer bong, using paint buckets instead of red solo cups and a softball instead of a ping pong ball on the beach

Instead of hopping in the nearby clear water, this woman chose to cool off by having a can of Miller Lite poured on her face, running into her mouth, hair and ears

Last week saw 1.3 million students head out on Spring Break, with the largest group of 2.5 million following on Friday. But for the local police department, it means a spike in crime - and having to lay on extra officers to enforce the law

Women took the day on the beach to dance and twerk on Fort Lauderdale's sandy shores, much to the delight of nearby men

Figures for this weekend are not yet available but will include the two students arrested during an mass brawl witnessed by DailyMail.com on the beach on Saturday.

The altercation, one of five to take place between 4.39pm and 6.11pm, saw a vicious fight break out as students left the beach.

Police horses had to be drafted in to break up the fighting - and did their work to chants of 'fight, fight, fight' from surrounding men.

Cops also had to endure obscenities aimed at them by students, with one yelling 'F*** you, f*** you, it's the f***ing sidewalk' as police attempted to clear the area.

One cop who asked not to be named told DailyMail.com: 'I'm not sick of [Spring Break] yet because it's still early but I will be.

'Some of the craziness happens at the beach but most of it is around the bars.

'We do a lot of overtime right now - there are cops all over the beach and all around. They have to be.'

DailyMail.com also witnessed students smoking drugs, drinking loads and twerking in full view of families

Others decided instead of heading home they would take naps on the beach and chose to pass out under the sun, much like this young man resting his eyes in an inflatable bed

Arrest figures for Broward County, in which Fort Lauderdale sits, show that 108 people were arrested on Friday alone and 113 on Thursday - most for public intoxication and disorderly conduct

Many were underage - and not ashamed to admit it - with one telling DailyMail.com: 'I'm going to get f***ed up later. I know I'm underage but I do it anyway'

Student Aaron Miller, 25, of the University of New Hampshire, added: 'It's been crazy, it's been wild - all this energy. 'I've been partying everywhere - music, women and beer is what makes a party'

In a span of two hours there were five fights that broke out. The altercation broke out as students left the beach, knocking a nearby woman to the ground on Saturday

Police horses were brought in to break up the fight - and did their work to chants of 'fight, fight, fight' from surrounding men

Cops also had to endure obscenities aimed at them by students, with one yelling 'F*** you, f*** you, it's the f***ing sidewalk' as police attempted to clear the area

A college student said: 'Beer and people are not scarce. The craziest thing is seeing people drinking so much they pass out'

The wild partiers often had a drink in one hand and a phone in the other, taking videos and pictures of their day on the beach

One cop who asked not to be named told DailyMail.com: 'I'm not sick of [Spring Break] yet because it's still early but I will be'

Despite the police presence, students spoken to by DailyMail.com said they planned to party on regardless and were seen openly smoking weed in full view of the police.

Others opted for drinking games, with several seen playing beer pong, downing booze through funnels and swigging from bottles of hard liquor such as cognac and whisky.

Many were underage - and not ashamed to admit it - with one telling DailyMail.com: 'I'm going to get f***ed up later'.

Peyton Mayer, 18, from Evansville, Illinois, said: 'I love it here - it's so much fun. I plan to just eat, drink and party.

'I'm going to get f***ed up later. I know I'm underage but I do it anyway.'

Aaron Miller, 25, of the University of New Hampshire, added: 'It's been crazy, it's been wild - all this energy.

'I've been partying everywhere - music, women and beer is what makes a party.

He continued: 'Beer and people are not scarce. The craziest thing is seeing people drinking so much they pass out.'

Beach goers also brought along funnels to quickly guzzle down booze into their systems, disregarding cautions warning against public consumption of drinking on the beach

Despite the police presence, students spoken to by DailyMail.com said they planned to party on regardless and were seen openly smoking weed in full view of the police

DailyMail.com saw several revelers having to be helped by friends off the beach after too much drinking, many before 3pm

Rowdy college students often attempted to hide what alcoholic beverages they were drinking in plastic bottles, such as Gatorade and generic water bottles. Others made no attempt to hide their large liquor bottles

Saturday's party in Fort Lauderdale follows similar antics witnessed by DailyMail.com in Miami and Panama City Beach, both located in Florida

One man had trouble making his way from the sand to the pavement as passerby try to help him up

His words proved prophetic - by 3pm many of the students had become so intoxicated, they were having to be helped off the sand by friends.

One man seen by DailyMail.com was so drunk, he was unable to lift his head while a girl was seen being carried down the stairs in a nearby shopping center by two friends.

Saturday's party in Fort Lauderdale follows similar antics witnessed by DailyMail.com in Miami and Panama City Beach, both in Florida.

On Friday alone, 35 arrests were made in Miami while in the much smaller Panama City Beach, 18 arrests were made over the weekend of 3-5 March. Seven more were arrested the following day - most for public intoxication and underage drinking.

Students in Panama City Beach were also seen indulging in twerking contests, urinating in beach huts and, in one case, appearing to have sex in a nightclub.

One man seen by DailyMail.com was so drunk, he was unable to lift his head while a girl was seen being carried down the stairs in a nearby shopping center by two friends

The first weekend is expected to be the busiest of all of the eight weeks in Miami for this year's Spring Break season because most of Florida and Georgia schools are on their holiday break

Several other beaches in Florida have put a ban on drinking and allowing glass containers on its beach. Fort Lauderdale officials said arrests or notices to appear before a judge can follow if a person is sleeping or drinking on the beach

Students in Panama City Beach were also seen indulging in twerking contests, urinating in beach huts and, in one case, appearing to have sex in a nightclub. Pictured: Fort Lauderdale Spring Break students
Donald Trump must provide proof that Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on him during his presidential campaign by Monday, a bipartisan group from the House intelligence committee, has said.

Last week Trump tweeted: 'Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!'

He continued the allegation against former President Barack Obama in other tweets but offered no evidence.

Now he is being taken to task in a letter sent by the committee chairman Rep Devin Nunes (R-Calif) and the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep Adam Schiff (D-Calif), a source said.

Donald Trump (pictured on Friday) has until Monday to provide proof for his claim that Barack Obama tried to wiretap him, a House committee said in a letter, according to an insider source

Trump made the announcement on Twitter on Saturday March 4. Obama's director of national intelligence has denied the claim

He claimed that Obama had personally requested a tap on Trump Tower, but was 'turned down by court'

Trump called his claim a 'fact' even though he has not yet produced any evidence of a wiretap having been ordered

Trump had previously said that he enjoyed Obama's company, but in these tweets referred to him as 'low,' 'bad' and 'sick'

The claim comes from a senior congressional aide who wasn't authorized to discuss the request by name and has requested anonymity.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place.

But that has't quelled speculation that Trump's communications were monitored by the Obama administration.

Trump has asked Congress to investigate, and early this week Schiff said the committee would answer the president's call to investigate the claim.

He also said that he would ask FBI Director James Comey directly when he appears later this month before the full committee, which is investigating Russian activities during the election.

'We should be able to determine in fairly short order whether this allegation is true or false,' Schiff told reporters Tuesday evening at the Capitol.

Nunes has said he hasn't seen any evidence to back up Trump's claim so far and that the news media has been taking the president's weekend tweets too literally.

'The president is a neophyte to politics - he's been doing this a little over a year,' Nunes told reporters earlier this week.

Other lawmakers have also asked for similar evidence.

Declaring that Congress 'must get to the bottom' of Trump's claim, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), contacted Comey and Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente.

They asked the pair to produce the paper trail created when the Justice Department's criminal division secures warrants for wiretaps.
Detective Constable Nighat Hubbard is claiming she was a victim of sexism while serving in the Met (Pictured, appointed an MBE by the Queen in 2014)

A Muslim detective honoured by the Queen is suing the Metropolitan Police over claims of racism.

Detective Constable Nighat Hubbard is also claiming she was a victim of sexism while serving in the force.

She alleges she was held back while white colleagues were allowed to work more complex investigations, according to The Sunday Times.

The serving officer also says in her claims, which date between 2013 and 2014, that male colleagues made discriminatory comments to her and other women officers, the paper reported.

She said that a male colleague referred to a female officer as a 'f****** witch' in front of her.

DC Hubbard has also made allegations against a former senior Met officer, detective inspector Mick Standing.

She alleges that Mr Standing, who retied from the force earlier this month, admitted that he did not like her on a personal level 'because she knew too many officers; rather than her race.'

DC Hubbard claims that she was picked out by former Met commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe to go on the radio to try and attract more black and ethnic minority (BME) officers.

However, she was later told by Mr Standing that he 'did not want her recruiting BME officers in job time.'

Mr Standing told the Times that he was 'completely exonerated' of wrong doing by an internal investigation run by the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards.

Pictured: DC Hubbard is appointed an MBE by the Queen for her charity work, in 2014

DC Hubbard alleges she was held back while white colleagues were allowed to work more complex investigations at the Met

Det Con Hubbard was presented with an MBE in 2014 for her charity work, reportedly making her the first Muslim policewoman to be honoured by the Queen.

Scotland Yard said: 'We are aware of an employment tribunal claim brought by Det Con Nighat Hubbard against the Metropolitan Police Service alleging race and sex discrimination.

'We are unable to discuss further while proceedings are ongoing.'




Vigilantes are being urged against exposing speed boating hoons online because it's hindering police's ability to bring them to justice.

Social media groups launched to expose the Gold Coast waterway hoons, including their registration numbers, are compromising the legal right of alleged offenders.

The dangerous craze, which has seen a spate of injuries from stunts gone wrong, landed on the police's radar and drawn the ire of locals, reports Gold Coast Bulletin.

Vigilantes are being urged against exposing Gold Coast speed boating hoons online

'The practice of posting video and photography of marine activities on social media in an attempt to name and shame alleged offenders does not assist police in taking action against possible offenders,' Gold Coast Water Police sergeant Tony Nelson said.

He urged locals wanting to put an end to the craze to contact water police by telephone, email or in person.

Thrill-seeking boating hoons are dicing with death and menacing locals in a dangerous new social media craze.

'Although uploading imagery to social media may appear to be addressing the issue, it is important to remember that any investigation and legal process must follow strict rules.'

Many of those involved in the craze are underage, as children can legally operate a vessel that has an outboard motor with six horsepower or less.

The hoons have been terrifying tourist kayakers and residents living along the waterways, prompting authorities to consider changing boating legislations.

Social media groups launched to expose the Gold Coast waterway hoons, including their registration numbers
Boris Johnson has hit out at Russian 'dirty tricks' as GCHQ spies warned the next general election could be disrupted by hackers who threaten to leak emails and voter databases.

The Foreign Secretary said he shared concerns about Kremlin meddling as it emerged that seminars will be held to educate politicians on the threat.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of all the main political parties to offer advice on how to withstand attacks.

Foreign Secretary Boris said today that he shared concerns about Kremlin meddling

Vladimir Putin, accused of meddling in worldwide politics, adjusts his sunglasses as he watches an air show

An aerial shot of the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, who have sent a letter of warning to politicians

According to The Sunday Times, the letter, he said: 'You will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system.

'This is not just about the network security of political parties' own systems.

'Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts.'

Mr Johnson, whose role includes responsibility for GCHQ, told ITV's Peston On Sunday: 'We have no evidence that the Russians are actually involved in trying to undermine our democratic processes at the moment. We don't actually have that evidence.

'But what we do have is plenty of evidence that the Russians are capable of doing that.

'And there is no doubt that they have been up to all sorts of dirty tricks - bringing down French TV stations, you have seen what has happened in the United States where there is no question at all that they were involved in the hacking of the Democratic National Convention.

'You have seen what happened in Montenegro, where there was an attempted coup in a European state and possibly even an attempted assassination of the leader of that state.

'Now there is very little doubt that the Russians are behind these things, to say nothing of what they have done in Ukraine.'

In February, Mr Martin warned that 188 high-level cyber-attacks, 'many of which threatened national security', had struck Britain in the previous three months.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, a former defence and foreign secretary, also said the NCSC had been blocking 'potential attacks' on Government departments and the public at a rate of around 200 hacks a day.

US intelligence services have accused the Kremlin of breaching Democratic National Committee computers in an attempt to interfere with the presidential election won by Donald Trump.

It was after this revelation that the Government's Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) were called in to investigate.

President Donald J Trump during a discussion on healthcare in the Roosevelt room of the White House

A woman empties a ballot box at the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, an event the GCHQ fears could be under threat from Russian hackers

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson attempted to play down the revelations when ht told ITV's Peston On Sunday: 'We have no evidence that the Russians are actually involved in trying to undermine our democratic processes at the moment.

'We don't actually have that evidence.

'But what we do have is plenty of evidence that the Russians are capable of doing that.

'And there is no doubt that they have been up to all sorts of dirty tricks - bringing down French TV stations, you have seen what has happened in the United States where there is no question at all that they were involved in the hacking of the Democratic National Convention.

'You have seen what happened in Montenegro, where there was an attempted coup in a European state and possibly even an attempted assassination of the leader of that state.

'Now there is very little doubt that the Russians are behind these things, to say nothing of what they have done in Ukraine.'

Mr Johnson said he feels deeply sad relations have deteriorated.

This tweet from a Russian hacker pulled Paul Nuttall up on his lies about the Hillsborough disaster

Since then, it has been alleged Vladimir Putin has already started plotting in the UK when he launched a cyber plot to help Labour's Gareth Snell win the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election.

A series of tweets linked to The Kremlin surfaced just days before residents in Staffordshire filled in their ballot papers criticising Ukip's Paul Nuttall, who was Snell's main rival for the seat.

The accounts responsible for the damning messages were publishing Russian propaganda hours before switching to a pro-Labour stance.

The tweets pulled up Nuttall on his controversial Hillsborough remarks.

One message read: 'Ukip's Nuttall lied about 'close friends' at Hillsborough. Can this man be trusted?'

Another stated he wanted to privatise the NHS while one said his party only supported 12 percent of the population.

The network of messages was uncovered by Alex King, a specialist researcher who tracks Russian propaganda on social media.

This tweet, criticising Ukip over its alleged desire to privatise the NHS, is part of a wider Russian plan, according to an expert

Up until a couple of days before the Stoke by-election, the accounts were sending out pro-Russian messages

A specialist in tracking Russian propaganda said the new series of tweets were part of a campaign

He said the accounts were part of an organised campaign as opposed to individual users with their own agenda, according to the BBC.

Mr King said the fact the users use stock pictures as profile images point towards it being a coordinated attack, as well as the fact that they are tweeting memes with multiple hashtags.

Elsewhere in Europe, Germany's domestic intelligence agency warned in December that Russia was trying to influence the upcoming federal elections with 'increasingly aggressive cyber espionage'.
The heartbroken mother of slain English woman Mia Ayliffe-Chung has likened Australia's second working holiday visa conditions to the 'wild west'.

Mia, 20, and her friend Thomas Jackson, 30, were stabbed to death at Shelley's backpackers in Home Hill, near Townsville, in August last year.

On Saturday Mia's mother Rose Ayliffe wrote an article in the The Telegraph UK blaming the visa programme for her daughters death.

Rosie Ayliffe (right) the heartbroken mother of slain English woman Mia Ayliffe-Chung (left) has likened Australia's second working holiday visa conditions to the 'wild west

'I believe her death would not have occurred had she not joined the Australian government's Second Working Holiday Visa programme, which entails completing 88 days of (usually) agricultural work in rural regions within one season,' Ms Ayliffe wrote.

Ms Ayliffe said that the jobs the young people were offered were often in remote areas with 'bad reputations'.

She said the workers were paid 'next to nothing' for the grueling work and that some of the living conditions were appalling while harassment both verbal and sexual was 'rife'.

'The scheme is so badly run it often amounts to little more than modern-day slavery for these young adults,' she wrote.

Rose Ayliffe said that she believes her daughter wouldn't have died if she had not of joined the Australian government's Second Working Holiday Visa programme

Ms Ayliffe-Chung was stabbed to death at Shelley's Hostel in Home Hill, near Townsville

Ms Ayliffe said her daughter and Mr Jackson were in jobs in remote areas with 'bad reputations'

Mr Jackson went to Ms Ayliffe-Chung's rescue and was stabbed 20 times. He succumbed to his injuries six days later

The hotels owner and manager were also injured during the attack.

'Put bluntly, they are exploited into carrying out Australians' dirtiest, unsafest work for them, in the most remote and inhospitable areas of that vast country.'

Ms Ayliffe said that she only discovered just how bad conditions were for young travelers when she flew to Australia to bring her daughter's body home.

She said some of the accommodation that workers were put up in were 'filthy and infested with bed bugs' and that some employees reportedly 'took advantage' of workers.

Ms Ayliffe accused some employers of 'confiscating passports' so that workers were unable to leave and couldn't believe employers were allegedly allowed to continue to offer work after being up on rape charges.

The English teacher called for Australia to change the legislation towards the exploitation of immigrant workers but said it was too late for her daughter.

Mr Jackson had gone to Ms Ayliffe-Chung's rescue and was stabbed at least 20 times in the face, neck and chest. He succumbed to his injuries six days later.

French kickboxer Smail Ayad, 29, has been charged with two counts of murder over the deaths of Ms Ayliffe and Mr Jackson.

Ms Ayliffe-Chung's mum said the workers were paid 'next to nothing' for the grueling work and some of the living conditions were appalling while harassment both verbal and sexual was 'rife'

The 20-year-old's mother said some of the accommodation that workers were put up in were 'filthy and infested with bed bugs' and employees 'took advantage' of workers

Ms Ayliffe-Chung (pictured) and Mr Jackson had been completing farm work in cane fields as an Australian visa requirement
Officers detained Gareth Bryan Edwards, originally from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, as he entered a pub in Benidorm

A British fugitive described as 'very dangerous' by police has been captured in a pub in Benidorm.

Officers detained Gareth Bryan Edwards, originally from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, as he entered a pub in the holiday resort after recognising him from a Crimestoppers-style Spanish alert last November.

Reports said the 25-year-old showed police a passport containing the photo of another man and then fled as they tried to put him in a patrol car.

He was tracked down to an empty swimming pool in a nearby apartment block and his identity subsequently confirmed with a fingerprint test.

Edwards was held late on Friday night in Mallorca Street in the heart of the Little England area of Benidorm.

It is understood he had a small amount of cocaine on him when he was arrested, and is thought to have been making money by working as a drug dealer.

He is expected to appear at an extradition hearing at a court in Madrid on Monday where he will be asked if he agrees to go back to the UK.

Spanish police appealed last November for the public's help in catching Edwards.

They said they suspected the British fugitive was hiding out in Spain and named him in an alert alongside nine other wanted men including drug dealers and killers from Europe and North Africa.

They said in a statement at the time that Edwards was wanted by the British authorities for 'crimes of robbery with violence and intimidation' carrying a 'maximum punishment of three life sentences.'

It is understood he had a small amount of cocaine on him when he was arrested, and is thought to have been making money by working as a drug dealer

The statement said: 'Gareth Bryan Edwards, 25, from Aylesbury in the United Kingdom.

'Wanted by the British authorities through a European Arrest Warrant with a maximum anticipated punishment of three life sentences for the crimes of robbery with violence and intimidation.

'He is a very dangerous person and is probably armed and carrying drugs.'
Faced with aggressive on-air questioning about the president's wiretapping claims, Sarah Huckabee Sanders didn't flinch, she went folksy.

Speaking to George Stephanopoulos on 'Good Morning America,' she pulled out a version of an old line from President Lyndon Johnson: 'If the president walked across the Potomac, the media would be reporting that he could not swim.'

The 34-year-old spokeswoman for President Donald Trump was schooled in hardscrabble politics - and down-home rhetoric - from a young age by her father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 34, stands in front of the White House

Her way with a zinger - and her unshakable loyalty to an often unpredictable boss - are big reasons why the deputy press secretary is a rising star in Trump's orbit.

In recent weeks, Sanders has taken on a notably more prominent role in selling Trump's agenda, including on television and at White House press briefings. As White House press secretary Sean Spicer's public profile has fluctuated in recent weeks amid criticism of his performance, Sanders has increasingly become a chief defender of Trump in some of his toughest moments.

Sanders' rise has fueled speculation that she's becoming the president's favored articulator, a notion she disputes. 'It's hard for any one person to maintain a schedule of being the singular face all day every day,' she said. She argued that more than one press aide spoke for President Barack Obama.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on March that Trump 'firmly believes' that the wiretapping allegations that they say have been 'reported pretty widely' should be looked at by Congress when grilled by George Stephanopoulos

Sarah Huckabee Sanders was schooled in hardscrabble politics _and down-home rhetoric from a young age by her father, folksy former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee

'When Eric Schultz went on TV did anybody say Josh Earnest is getting fired?' Sanders asked. 'Was that story ever written?'

Spicer echoed that message: 'My goal is to use other key folks in the administration and the White House to do the shows.'

Indeed, speaking on behalf of this president is a challenging and consuming job.

About Sanders, Kellyanne Conway said: 'The president has a great deal of trust in Sarah.'

Trump often presents his own thoughts directly on Twitter in the early hours of the morning and is known to closely follow his surrogates on television, assessing their performances. He has been happy with Sanders' advocacy, said Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to the president.

'She understands America. She understands the president. And she understands how to connect the two,' said Conway, who noted that Sanders had appeared on television throughout the campaign as well. 'The president has a great deal of trust in Sarah.'

On some days recently Sanders has been the administration's messenger of choice, even when news outlets aren't thrilled. Last Sunday, NBC's Chuck Todd said on-air that 'Meet the Press' had sought a 'senior administration official or a Cabinet secretary,' but that the 'White House offered a deputy press secretary. And so we declined.'

Sanders credits her larger-than-life dad with helping her learn how to deliver a message. Huckabee, a frequent political commentator, has long been famed for his pithy rhetoric. The two speak most mornings before 6am.

'I'll call and say, 'What do you think if I say this?' He'll say, "That's really good. You might try to say it a little bit more like X,"' she said.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the press office is often not alerted about what the president is going to tweet before it happens. She had to defend his wire tapping tweets on 'This Week' (Martha Raddatz, right)

On advocating for the unconventional Trump, Sanders admits that even in the press office, they don't always get a heads up before Trump tweets. But she says part of Trump's appeal is that he 'directly communicates with the American people on a regular basis.'

Arkansas-raised, Sanders moved her young family to Washington to be part of the administration. She is married to a Republican consultant and they have three young children. She joined the Trump campaign not long after her father's second presidential bid - which she managed - fizzled out in the 2016 Iowa caucuses. She said she was drawn to Trump's message of economic populism and his outsider attitude.

'One of the big things my dad was running on was changing Washington, breaking that cycle,' Sanders said. 'I felt like the outsider component was important and I thought he had the ability to actually win and defeat Hillary.'

She also said she was drawn to the Trump family's close involvement in the campaign, 'having kind of been in the same scenario for my dad's campaign.'

Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she would be flattered to get parodied on Saturday Night Live

Being part of an effort to defeat Hillary Clinton had extra significance for Sanders, whose father entered the Arkansas governor's mansion just a few years after Bill Clinton exited and who shared advisers and friends in the state. Sanders said at times it was difficult to be aggressive, but she 'so disagreed' with Hillary Clinton's policies, that she kept on.

Sanders entered politics young, helping with her father's campaigns as a child and then working her way up the ranks until she had the top job in 2016. In 2007, she moved to Iowa to run her father's operation in the leadoff caucus state, where he was the surprise winner. She has also served in the Education Department under President George W. Bush and worked on a number of Senate and presidential campaigns.

Mike Huckabee said his daughter was always a natural.

'When most kids at 7 or 8 are jumping rope, she's sitting at the kitchen table listening to Dick Morris doing cross tabs on statewide polls,' said Huckabee, referring to the adviser-turned-adversary to President Bill Clinton.

Those Arkansas ties continue to hold strong. Sanders has consulted with friends from the state about her new role, including Mack McLarty, the former Clinton chief of staff, who she said counseled her to appreciate the "historic opportunity" to work in the White House.

Her rising profile has come with ups and downs. Sanders says she is turning off social media alerts because she has been flooded with criticism. For now, she has not been treated to a portrayal on 'Saturday Night Live' - like Spicer and Conway. But her dad says that if that comes next, she should roll with it.

'One of the great honors of life is to be parodied,' Huckabee said. "It's kind of an indication that you've arrived at a place of real power."
Labour is prepared to fight to keep Scotland in the UK for a second time, with leader Jeremy Corbyn saying it is 'absolutely fine' for another vote to be held

Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of a 'special type of idiocy' after declaring he is 'absolutely fine' with holding a second Scottish independence referendum.

The hapless Labour leader sparked fury among his own MPs after contradicting the party's official policy in an interview.

His latest blunder was branded a 'massive propaganda coup' for the Scottish Nationalists' ambitions of forcing a second vote in the wake of the Brexit decision.

Ian Murray, the party's only MP in Scotland after the SNP landslide at the 2015 General Election, said it showed why he had been right to quit the frontbench.

The damaging gaffe came during a visit to Glasgow.

'If a referendum is held then it is absolutely fine, it should be held,' he told Press Association.

'I don't think it's the job of Westminster or the Labour Party to prevent people holding referenda.'

Ian Murray, Edinburgh South MP, tweeted: 'Often asked why I resigned from Shadow Cabinet. Ladies & Gentlemen I give u Jeremy Corbyn. He's destroying the party that soo (sic) many need.

'Independence would be disaster for Scotland and my constituents. Supporting another Indy ref goes against wishes of Scots. Wrong then & now.'

Backbencher Wes Streeting said: 'When Tories are on ropes over budget, it takes a special type of idiocy to back an independence referendum. Slow clap @jeremycorbyn. Enough.'

Former shadow cabinet member Michael Dugher said: 'We had a (highly divisive) referendum. Result was clear. We should back Scottish Labour, back the Union & get after the SNP.'

A source close to Mr Corbyn hit back: 'Westminster blocking a second referendum would give the SNP exactly what they want  more grievance.'

SNP Leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon enthusiastically seized on the divisions, tweeting: 'Always a pleasure to have @jeremycorbyn campaigning in Scotland'.

The row broke out amid reports that Theresa May is determined not to accede to SNP demands for a second referendum until after the UK has actually left the EU.

However, Mrs Sturgeon has indicated that she may try to hold another vote as soon as September 2018.

Former shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray left no room for misunderstanding about his view on Jeremy Corbyn's comments

Mr Corbyn said he did not think that Westminster should seek to block another independence referendum if Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insists on holding one

Mr Corbyn has been facing fresh demands for him to step down from the leadership amid appalling poll ratings, limp performances at key events, and a series of embarrassing errors.

Despite Philip Hammond being embroiled in a row over a tax raid on millions of self-employed, a post-Budget poll showed the Tories had opened up a massive 19-point advantage over Labour.

The gap was the biggest recorded by polling firm YouGov for eight years - and the biggest for the Tories in government since 1987.

It would deliver a staggering 130-strong majority for Theresa May in the Commons if replicated at a general election.
The son of hate preacher Abu Hamza has left the UK to fight alongside rebel groups in Syria, it is believed.

Since making the 22,000-mile journey, Sufiyan Mustafa, 22, has played an active role in fighting and was involved in the siege of Aleppo, intelligence insiders claim.

It is unclear if Mustafa is fighting alongside Islamic State fighters or members of other rebel groups.

Hate preacher Abu Hamza's son, Sufiyan Mustafa, 22, has played an active role in fighting alongside rebel groups and was involved in the siege of Aleppo, intelligence insiders claim

Mustafa is the sixth of eight children fathered by Hamza, 58, an Egyptian-born hate preacher who is now serving a life sentence in a US prison for terror offences.

Mustafa's father, Hamza, rose to notoriety in the UK after becoming imam of the Finsbury Park mosque, in north London, in 1997

An intelligence insider told The Sunday People that Mustafa has no criminal record in the UK, but he 'has been part of military operations' in Syria.

The insider added: 'He has managed to stay a ghost since he set foot in Syria but it's thought he has been with rebels in the north.'

Experts believe that more than 800 Brits have flocked to Iraq and Syria to join 27,000 foreigners fighting for IS since violence broke out in 2011.

Mustafa's father, Hamza was jailed for life for terrorism offences during a trial in New York City in 2015, and has been serving his sentence in solitary confinement at a high security prison in Florence, Colorado.

Hamza was extradited to the US after the British government spent a decade trying to kick him out of the country.

He rose to notoriety in the UK after becoming imam of the Finsbury Park mosque, in north London, in 1997.

Hamza was jailed for life for terrorism offences during a trial in New York City in 2015, and has been serving his sentence in solitary confinement at a high security prison in Florence, Colorado.

One year later, in 1998, he helped organise hostage-taking of 16 mostly British tourists in Yemen. Three Britons and an Australian killed in rescue mission.

In 2000, he set up a terrorist training camp back in the US, in Bly, Oregon, sending volunteers and money to Afghanistan to support al Qaeda and the Taliban.

He then firmly placed himself on the national radar in 2001 after speaking out in support of Osama bin Laden following the September 11 attacks.

His current jail is known as the 'Alcatraz of the Rockies', due to its reputation as being inescapable.

It houses the most dangerous inmates in the US prison system and is believed to the world's most secure prison.

Two of Hamza's sons, as well as a stepson, have also been jailed for various offenses, including a bomb plot and a robbery.
A young father has been left fighting for his life in hospital after he was repeatedly bashed in a violent carjacking attack.

The 32-year-old man has been placed on life support after he was allegedly knocked unconscious by at least two men on Saturday evening, police say.

The man was on his way to pick up his wife from work when he was assaulted near his car outside his Box Hill South property in Melbourne's east.

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A young father has been left fighting for his life in hospital after he was repeatedly bashed in a violent car jacking attack in Box Hill South, Melbourne on Saturday evening

His wife, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed she believed her husband was set upon in an unprovoked attack.

'They had been focused on that street because it's pretty quiet and they just looking for some chance to look for a single driver [sic],' she told 9 News.

The man was found unconscious by his father-in-law just metres from his one-month-old baby daughter who was sleeping inside the home.

'I'm a new mum, if I lost my husband, I have no idea what that means to me,' his wife said.

He was rushed to Box Hill Hospital before being transferred to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition.

The 32-year-old man has been placed on life support after he was allegedly knocked unconscious by at least two men on Saturday evening, police say

His wife claimed she believed her husband was set upon in an unprovoked attack (pictured police at the scene)

His wife said her husband has shown some signs of improvement.

'Because the damage is on the right side of his head, so they are really worried that the whole left body won't be moved [sic],' she said.

'But now he can move the left hand so this is the best thing's happened [sic].'

Witnesses say one of the offenders fled the scene in a second car as the man's black 2013 Honda CRV registration number ZRK-896 was stolen.

Investigators are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.
Turkish ministers have been forced out of Holland sparking mass riots on the streets of Rotterdam as protesters and police became embroiled in violent clashes.

Water cannons were fired at demonstrators in an attempt to control the crowds who were seen to be kicking police officers on the ground as well as throwing stones and metal railings.

The ugly scenes were in reaction to two Turkish ministers being blocked from entering the country by officials, which prompted Tayyip Erdogan to label the Dutch 'Nazi remnants and fascists'.

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Screaming men face off with Dutch riot police outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam

A man prepares to launch a metal railing at as demonstrators and riot police clash in Rotterdam

A Dutch riot policeman tries to get his dog to let go of a man after riots broke out during a pro Erdogan demonstration at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands

A well-dressed man in a suit cowers as a man in dark clothing kicks a riot police officer on the ground

A line of riot police advance towards demonstrators as violent clashes erupted in the Netherlands

A man in a suit and a riot police officer come together as another officer falls to the ground

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks about the Dutch being 'Nazi remnants' were made at a rally in Istanbul, as he currently hopes to secure a 'Yes' vote in a referendum over whether he be granted increased powers

Mr Erdogan addresses his supporters in Istanbul after the Dutch government withdrew landing permission for the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's aircraft

Dutch riot police battle pro Erdogan demonstrators after riots broke out at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam

A demonstrator aims a boot at a Dutch riot police officer who has fallen to the ground

A demonstrator with his arms behind his back screams as he is surrounded by three policemen

demonstrator throws a stone during clashes with riot police in the streets near the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam

Turkish residents of the Netherlands gather for a protest in Rotterdam on March 11, 2017

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam demanding action after the Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied entry into the country.

Turkey's families minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was also blocked by Dutch police from entering the consulate and escorted to the town of Nijmegen, near German border.

Both have since been escorted out of Holland.

The tit-for-tat row has led to growing demonstrations in both countries as horse-mounted police in Holland broke up demonstrations in Rotterdam.

Angry demonstrators protested in the streets of Rotterdam outside the Turkish consulate in the city.

Violent clashes between protesters and Dutch riot police officers turned ugly quickly as 1,000 people turned up to voice their disapproval of the ministers' access to the country being blocked.

Some men were seen throwing stones, others were seen kicking police officers who had fallen to the ground and metal railings were also hurled in the riots.

Many of those protesting were Turkish nationals living in the Netherlands.

Turkey's family affairs minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, also blocked by Dutch police from entering the consulate Turkish family affairs minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya (pictured), was also denied entry into Holland, according to reports Turkey's family affairs minister says Dutch authorities escorted her to the border with Germany in a manner that 'tramples on all democratic and human values.' Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya said through her twitter account that she was being taken to the town of Nijmegen, near the border with Germany, adding that she condemned the Dutch authorities' action in 'the name of all of our citizens.' Kaya wrote: 'The whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such a treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted.' As demonstrations in Rotterdam grew, police moved in to disperse protestors using water cannon and horses to break up protests. After several hours of a calm, but tense demonstration involving more than 1,000 people outside the Turkish consulate, police were seen - some carrying out mounted charges on horseback - beginning to forcefully disperse the protestors. The port city's mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told reporters police had moved in to try to break up 'a few groups', but that the situation in the city centre was stabilising as police 'try to get everyone to return home.' But after initially dispersing, the crowd began to gather in smaller groups again, with the police once again moving in, a source said. Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had crossed into Holland several hours earlier aiming to attend a rally in support of the Turkish government's planned April referendum, despite angry Dutch pleas to Ankara to keep its ministers away. Earlier Dutch authorities had also refused Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu permission to land in the city for a rally to gather support for a referendum on boosting the presidential powers. Advertisement

The vote on whether Mr Erdogan should be given more power (his supporters are pictured here) is a potentially divisive issue in Turkey, and Rotterdam authorities said on Friday they was banning the rally

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks were made at a rally in Istanbul, as he currently hopes to secure a 'Yes' vote in a referendum over whether he be granted greater powers.

He is targeting expat voters in European countries with high Turkish populations, such as the Netherlands and Germany.

But foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu - who had been flying to Rotterdam on behalf of Mr Erdogan ahead of the April 16 vote - was not permitted to land because Dutch authorities had deemed the rally unsafe.

The nation will go to the polls on April 16 to decide whether the president's powers should be increased

Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the opening ceremony of the Bagcilar district subway station in Istanbul

Following the growing dispute between the two countries, hundreds of protestors waving Turkish flags have begun demonstrating, demanding a response.

Mr Erdogan told the crowd back in Turkey earlier in the day: 'You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on,' Mr Erdogan told booing crowds.

'They do not know politics or international diplomacythese Nazi remnants, they are fascists.'

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said that while the Netherlands and Turkey could search for 'an acceptable solution', Turkey was not respecting the rules relating to public gatherings.

A spokesman for the Dutch government added: 'Many Dutch people with a Turkish background are authorised to vote in the referendum over the Turkish constitution,' it said.

'The Dutch government does not have any opposition to gatherings in our country to inform them about it.

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (left) believes he should be able to fly 'wherever I want'. Dutch prime minister. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte (right) said Turkey was not respecting the rules relating to public gatherings

A spokesman for the Dutch government said: 'Many Dutch people with a Turkish background are authorised to vote in the referendum over the Turkish constitution,'

'These gatherings are not allowed to contribute to tensions in our society and everyone who wants to hold a gathering is obliged to follow instructions of those in authority, so that public order and safety can be guaranteed.' the spokesman added

Demonstrators took to the consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands to wave flags and protest

Members of the police stand in line during a gathering of several hundred demonstrators waving Turkish flags outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam

The protesters were demanding to see the Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya who was barred by police and escorted to the German border

'But these gatherings are not allowed to contribute to tensions in our society and everyone who wants to hold a gathering is obliged to follow instructions of those in authority, so that public order and safety can be guaranteed.'

But it said Cavusoglu's threat hours earlier of political and economic sanctions if travel permission were withdrawn made the search for a reasonable solution impossible.

Mr Cavusoglu had previously said that the Netherlands was treating Turkish citizens like hostages in hindering their contact with Ankara.

Earlier in the day, Dutch government denied landing rights to Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu who planned a speech at the consul's residence in Rotterdam

State-run television said some protesters hurled eggs toward the Dutch embassy but were warned to keep the protest peaceful

Dutch police, some mounted on horse back, began to disperse protesters who had broken up into smaller groups of demonstrators, according to reports

Police sealed off the entrance to Holland Street, where the embassy is located. Around 500 people were seen waving Turkish and Ottoman flags near the embassy building

More demonstrators battle with Dutch police after riots broke out - water canons and horse mounted charges were used to try and contain the escalating protests

The vote a potentially divisive issue in Turkey, and Rotterdam authorities said on Friday they was banning the rally.

Cavusoglu said on Saturday he would fly anyway, and had been expected to appear at the Turkish consulate, as he had done when city authorities in Hamburg banned him from speaking last week.

'If my going will increase tensions, let it be,' he told CNN Turk. 'What damage will my going have on them? I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want.'
Inmates at a riot-hit prison are being taught songs in a bid to cut reoffending rates and combat stress.

HMP Birmingham, where inmates caused 2 million worth of damage in a 12-hour riot last year, lets prisoners take part in a two-hour singalong every week.

Choirs Beating Time, the charity behind the rehabilitation programme, say the lessons help 'maintain a fit mind' by combating 'stress, anxiety and depression'.

Inmates at HMP Birmingham are being taught songs in a bid to cut reoffending rates and reduce stress (file photo)

The prisoners are being taught Bob Marley's One Love, Bill Withers' Lean On Me

The prisoners are being taught to sing Bob Marley's One Love, Bill Withers' Lean On Me.

It has proved so popular that the singing sessions will soon be rolled out at HMP Featherstone and Brinsford Young Offenders Institute.

The charity currently works with 300 prisoners and work closely with Choir With No Name, a network of singing groups for the homeless.

Last December, inmates caused 2 million worth of damage in a 12-hour riot in one of the biggest prison riots since Strangeways in 1990

Jane Evans, from Beating Time, said: 'The sessions are incredibly uplifting.

'Those taking part do a mixture of everything, from choral work to musicals, and they've told me it's the highlight of their week.'

'We've discovered some very fine voices and the sessions work on team building and giving them a sense of community.'

Beating Time chief executive, Heather Phillips said: 'Singing groups are perfect communities, bringing together a diverse group of people to achieve things that are beyond us as individuals.

'Our mission is to create meaningful change and rehabilitate members through this.

Reoffending rates are on the increase and is costing the UK as much as 13 billion a year. Pictured, a police officer covered in paint after a disturbance at HMP Birmingham in December

'Our focus is enabling the many people in our jails who want to work and to secure long term employment on their release.'

'Re-offending is on the increase and is estimated to cost the UK as much as 13 billion a year.

'England and Wales release 90,000 prisoners per year and for those serving sentences under 12 months, 60 per cent will go on to re-offend in the year after release.

'Stable employment reduces the probability of re-offending by up to 50 per cent, but three-quarters of prisoners have no job to go to once they get out.'

In November last year, local businessmen visited the prison to listen to the inmates.

Speaking at the time, Director at HMP Birmingham, Peter Small, said: 'We must strive to do all we can to reduce the chances of prisoners returning to custody and initiatives like the prison choir are a chance for prisoners to develop soft skills that employers are looking for, like team work, communication and commitment to a project.

Charity Choirs Beating Time works with 300 prisoners and is also behind Choir With No Name, a network of singing groups for the homeless. Pictured, ambulance crews at the prison during the riot

60 per cent of prisoners who serve less than 12 months behind bars reoffend in the year after they are released. Pictured, members of special riot squad, the 'Tornado Team' leave HMP Birmingham after 600 prisoners rioted at the end of 2016

'To ensure we give local businesses the best opportunity to employ prisoners on release, we will identify and train prisoners in an attempt to meet their requirements and facilitate meetings and interviews for potential candidates.

'There is a lot of potential within HMP Birmingham and it's great to have an opportunity to show employers what we can do and see if we can change attitudes towards employing ex-offenders.

'It's in no one's interest to write people off because they have been in custody.'

It is proving so popular that the classes will be rolled out to HMP Featherstone and Brinsford Young Offenders Institute. Pictured, equiptment is carried into HMP Birmingham to help tackle the riot last year

In December 2016, 600 inmates took over at least two wings, the gym, the pharmacy and the exercise yard in a prison riot.

The prison was brought back under control when 300 riot police stormed the building 12 hours later.

It is believed to be the worst prison riot since the 1990 Strangeways riot.
The New Zealand actor accused of sexually violating seven young women during secretive acting classes can be been named as Rene Naufahu.

The former Shortland Street star initially had name suppressed for court proceedings, but on Sunday he abandoned his bid to have his name kept secret.

Later that day, social media posts surfaced showing the 46-year-old being baptised. The post said his wife and children joined in for the ceremony.

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The actor accused of sexually violating seven young women during secretive acting classes can be been named as Rene Naufahu (pictured being baptised on Sunday)

'Proud of our @4_13athletes brother Rene! Today he was baptized alongside his wife and kids! Privileged to walk the journey with you uso.

'Much love from your 4:13 family. Standing with your through it all,' the post by the group 4:13 Athletes reads.

In a statement Naufahu said he was prepared to face the charges - which allegedly happened between 2010 and 2013 - in the public eye.

'Suppression was only ever reluctantly sought by me to preserve my ability to continue to work and to try and minimise the disruption on my family who I love.

The former Shortland Street star initially had name suppressed for court proceedings (pictured leaving court this week)

'I now no longer seek suppression with my family's support. I am pleased to be able to make this decision and I know that it is right.

'I am quite prepared to confront these charges openly and will do so.'

Naufahu was allegedly having an extra-marital affair with one of the accusers, then aged 21, at the time she said she was allegedly assaulted by him, according to Stuff.

His lawyers argued the women had conspired together after one of them felt slighted because he'd ended their affair.
Michael Bragg, now 20, plied a 15-year-old girl with a cocktail of drugs and had sex with her while she was beign sick, Plymouth Crown Court heard

A pervert plied a 15-year-old girl with a cocktail of drugs and had sex with her while she was being sick.

Sick Michael Bragg, now 20, ignored the teenager's plea for him to call an ambulance as she lay fitting and instead pinned her on his bed in Plymouth, Devon.

Bragg had fed her a cocktail of mephedrone, cannabis and pills thought to be Valium, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

He then had sex with her while she was vomiting even though she felt like she was 'in another universe'.

Bragg, then 19, was cleared of raping his victim but was convicted of having sexual activity with a child in the summer of 2015 by majority verdict.

He denied both charges but confessed he was 'not 100 per cent sure' whether they had sex or not in his bedroom in Plymouth, Devon.

Bragg, who now lives in Boston, Lincolnshire, has already pleaded guilty to having sex with another girl when she was 14, and faces jail.

Bragg, then 19, was convicted of having sexual activity with a child in the summer of 2015 by majority verdict. He will be sentenced on Monday. Pictured, Bragg at court

Judge Paul Darlow released him on bail after the hearing.

He will be sentenced on Monday.

Judge Darlow said: 'This is something of an act of mercy. He should return expecting an immediate custodial sentence to be passed.'

The girl said that she had asked for the 'bubble' but Bragg kept giving her the drug - ten 'Rizla bombs' and seven lines.

The girl added she had started throwing up violently but Bragg had refused her requests to call an ambulance.

She said that Bragg had sex with her even though she vomited half way through.

Bragg confessed he was 'not 100 per cent sure' whether they had sex or not in his bedroom. Pictured, Plymouth Crown Court

Wearing her school uniform, she told police in an interview shown to the jury: 'I felt really, really used and dirty.'

The girl told officers the defendant pinned her down on the bed and had sex with her.

She added: 'I was fitting and being sick. I did not know what to do, I was not functioning.'

Bragg then fell asleep and she lay there until leaving the next morning, the court heard.
A Scottish charity worker is to be freed from his 20-year prison sentence after his victims claim he was falsely accused of sexually molesting them at his orphanage.

David Brown, 66, from Edinburgh has already served 11 years of his term, but now the children he was said to have abused admitted lying in court about being sexually abused in Albania.

The boys, now 18 and 22, said they had been pressured by police and a psychiatrist to say they had been victims of sexual attacks at the hands of Mr Brown when they were just children.

David Brown, 66, who has served 11 years of a prison sentence for sexually abusing boys only for his so-called victims to come forward and admit they lied in court about being molested

Both boys have expressed a feeling of guilt at the man they had called their father being innocently locked up for more than a decade.

Through Mr Brown's charity His Children, the two boys said to have been abused were given a chance when they were taken from the streets and offered a permanent home.

They both now want to return to court to admit what they said in their statements and in court between 2006 and 2008 were lies.

The 22-year-old told the Daily Record the psychologist and an investigating officer pressured him into saying Mr Brown had abused him, even though no such event occurred.

'I want to see him out and hug him,' he said.

'David took us off the street and sent us to school.'

The 18-year-old echoed his co-witness' version of events, saying he too was told by officials in the case to lie about what had happened.

He told the Daily Record: 'David should not be in prison.

'I was young at the time and told the court what the psychologist told me to say.'

The two boys, now aged 18 and 22, have admitted they were pressured into lying in court

Mr Brown moved to Albania in 1999 during the war in neighboring Kosovo, and two years later registered his charity organisation, His Children.

The shelter housed orphans and abandoned children found on Tirana's streets.

Brown was arrested in May 2006 and his orphanage was shut down.

In court, Hoxha read testimony from former orphanage residents who described being beaten and sexually abused by Brown and forced to sleep naked in his bed.

The children said they had been threatened with expulsion if they told anyone about the abuse.

The charity worker's lawyer confirmed they will file an appeal with the Albanian high court.

He said that without the witness statements, there is no case against his client, although he could still be sitting in his cell for a year until his release is cleared.

Mr Brown, talking from prison, said he wants to remain in Albania and pick up his charity work where he left off before being wrongly imprisoned.
The controversial inquiry into Ted Heath by Wiltshire Police - Operation Conifer - has now topped 1million, despite growing demands for it to be shut down

Police have spent more than 1million investigating claims former Prime Minister Ted Heath had been linked to a network of paedophiles who held satanic orgies.

The controversial inquiry into Heath by Wiltshire Police - Operation Conifer - has now topped 1million, despite growing demands for it to be shut down.

The mounting bill has been blasted as an obscene waste of taxpayers' money and the inquiry has been branded a farce.

A Freedom of Information request by the Sun on Sunday revealed 1,066,722 had been spent by mid February, up from 674,472 in September.

This includes 900,000 on police salaries, 32,000 on accommodation and 22,000 on vehicle hire.

A further 11,022 was spent on public transport and 1,029 on accident repair.

There are currently six officers and 11 civilian staff working on Operation Conifer, which was set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Part of the report is due to be published in June.

A final report may then be handed to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Wiltshire Police have spent more than 1million investigating claims former Prime Minister Ted Heath had been linked to a network of paedophiles who held satanic orgies

The probe has been blasted by critics who have described the inquiry as 'obscene.'

The news has angered Sir Edward's godson, Lincoln Seligman.

He told MailOnline: 'Nearly two years and a million pounds, and all we have from the Chief Constable are nudges and hints, and the occasional declaration that he's convinced of Edward Heath's guilt. And complete silence from the Wiltshire Police Commissioner.

We need a judge like Sir Richard Henriques to look into the way this inquiry is being run. Urgently.'

Former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor, 70, who was wrongly accused of child murder and of being part of a VIP paedophile ring, told the Sun on Sunday: 'This inquiry is futile beyond belief. It can achieve nothing.

'The person is dead so they can't prosecute. Nor can he defend himself. So any report will be one-sided.

'It is an abuse of taxpayers' money when Wiltshire Police say they have scant resources. It is obscene.'

Mr Proctor sued the Metropolitan Police, along with the former chief of the defence staff Lord Bramall and the broadcaster Paul Gambaccini, last month over their treatment as suspects in bungled Scotland Yard inquiries that could cost the force as much as 3 million.

Wiltshire Police's controversial inquiry into Heath  Operation Conifer  has now cost taxpayers more than 1million

Earlier this month it was revealed the alleged victims of Sir Edward have already discussed making compensation claims for sexual abuse before the police investigation of the former Prime Minister concludes.

The family claim the MP was part of a satanic sex cult run by their parents who slaughtered as many as 16 children, which would make them the worst child murderers in British history if their allegations were true.

But there are no records of missing or murdered children that match their accounts.

The women's lurid claims were dismissed by police in 1989 when they first came forward.

But Sir Edward's name was never mentioned to police at the time and it was only last year that he was named for the first time after one of the women said they had 'remembered' a man they called 'Ed' was part of a network of paedophile abusers.

Allegations that Sir Edward was involved in satanic orgies have been dismissed as fantasy by an expert asked to review the case.

Elsewhere it was revealed police had quizzed a convicted hoaxer, a Twitter 'fantasist' and a sex offender over the paedophile claims against Sir Edward.

Wiltshire Police also contacted former Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams because the journal often made jokes at the expense of Heath when was PM from 1970 to 1974.

Police even visited the current editor, Ian Hislop, to ask what he knew about the former Prime Minister, despite the journalist being a teenager during the period under investigation.

Unmarried Heath had been jokingly dubbed 'Sailor Ted' in a reference to rumours that he was gay.

More than 30 people have come forward so far giving accounts of child sexual abuse.

Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale regards the allegations as 'totally convincing' and is said to believe the accounts '120 per cent.'

However he acknowledged it had been 'wrong' for Superintendent Sean Memory to launch the investigation outside Heath's former Salisbury home in 2015, as it 'tended to imply there was a case to answer'.

Wiltshire North MP James Gray said the chief constable must make a public announcement if no evidence against Heath is found, as his name has been 'besmirched'.

A Wiltshire Police spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The current cost of Operation Conifer is 1,066,720 (as of end of Feb 2017). There are currently 17 staff working on Operation Conifer.

'It is important to stress that Operation Conifer is a national investigation that is being led by Wiltshire Police on behalf of the Police Service.

'To ensure appropriate scrutiny of Operation Conifer, Wiltshire Police has established an external scrutiny panel.

'The aim of the panel is to provide independent scrutiny of on all aspects of Operation Conifer to enable the Chief Constable, the Gold commander and the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) to consider the ongoing proportionality and justification for the investigation. The scrutiny panel is made up of a number of professionals and experts in their relative fields.

'This includes a human rights lawyer, an ethics doctor, a psychiatrist and a Wiltshire resident who is able to give a "lay persons" opinion. Advice from the panel and its members has been sought on an ongoing basis and it continues to be a valuable part of the approach to the investigation.'
Embattled Bank of England chief Charlotte Hogg pocketed almost 1million of public money before disclosing her links to Barclays.

Deputy governor Miss Hogg, 46, is facing calls to resign after it emerged she failed to tell the Bank that her brother Quintin worked at the lender.

MPs could demand she is removed from her post today over her failure to reveal this conflict of interest and claims she misled Parliament.

Charlotte Hogg was urged to quit as deputy governor over her failure to declare where her brother Quintin Hogg worked

Her failure to declare her brothers job only came to light in evidence to MPs on the Treasury Committee scrutinising her promotion from chief operating officer.

But Miss Hogg has worked at the Bank for four years, earning a lavish pay package.

She took home 351,155 in the last financial year, including a base salary of 267,946 and pension payments worth 81,765. She earned 346,486 in 2014-15 and 214,347 the year before. In total she has received at least 912,000 since joining the Bank.

Although the Bank is not directly funded by taxpayers, instead drawing its money from the financial sector, Miss Hoggs pay packets are still likely to be controversial.

The married mother of two  whose father, former Tory MP Douglas Hogg, was accused of claiming 2,200 to clean his moat during the MPs expenses scandal  has apologised and has been given a verbal warning by Mr Carney. But several committee members do not feel this is enough and want the group to oppose her promotion. Although this would have no legal force, it could make her position untenable.

Some financiers feel the Bank is guilty of hypocrisy after holding them to exactingly high standards since the financial crisis.

They suggested they would seek to use the Hogg defence next time their staff were criticised for bad behaviour if the deputy governor stays on.

One executive told the Sunday Times: We will be asking for a pass should we fail to disclose something to the regulator. I dont see how they can make one rule for her and another for us.

Another senior financier said the Bank is in a 'very tricky spot' as its clean image has been called into question.

MPs on the Treasury committee could recommend that Miss Hogg is removed from her post as early as Monday in what would be a painful humiliation for her and the Bank.

Committee members on Friday night said she should stand down before then to save further embarrassment and protect its reputation.

Labour MP John Mann said: 'Her position is untenable and she has to resign.'

A second committee member, who did not want to be named, added: 'This is very serious.

'Given how disastrous this has been for Charlotte Hogg, she may want to use the pause in the committee's deliberations to reflect and consider her position.'

Hogg joined the Bank in 2013 and took over as deputy governor for banking and markets this month, earning about 350,000 a year

Another said: 'It is not looking good for her. She has been hoist by her own petard.'

Although the Treasury committee cannot force Miss Hogg to resign, its verdict on her suitability for the job could make her position untenable.

The row casts a shadow over the otherwise glittering career of the woman who until now was favourite to become the first female governor in the Bank's 323-year history when Mr Carney leaves in 2019.

Miss Hogg, an aristocrat whose father Douglas Hogg, Viscount Hailsham, was in John Major's cabinet and whose grandfather and great-grandfather both served as Lord Chancellor  joined the Bank as chief operating officer in 2013.

She took over as deputy governor for banking and markets this month, earning about 350,000 a year.

But at no point did she declare that her brother was director of group strategy at Barclays  a lender the Bank regulates.

The failure to disclose the link means she broke the Bank's own code of conduct  a set of rules she helped write.

The code states: 'A relationship with a person or organisation outside the Bank should be disclosed where it may lead or could be perceived to lead to a conflict of interest or advantage.

'Close personal relationships with those active in... Bank-regulated financial institutions... should all be disclosed.'

The failure to disclose the link means she broke the Bank's own code of conduct  a set of rules she helped write. The code states: 'A relationship with a person or organisation outside the Bank should be disclosed where it may lead or could be perceived to lead to a conflict of interest or advantage

Having failed to declare her links to Barclays to the Bank, Miss Hogg then misled Parliament last week when she told the Treasury committee scrutinising her promotion that she had raised all possible conflicts of interest.

In one exchange, she told MPs: 'I have always declared, from the moment I joined the Bank, all of my potential conflicts of interest. I am in compliance with all of our codes of conduct. I know that. I helped to write them.'

In a letter two days later to committee chairman and Tory MP Andrew Tyrie, Miss Hogg admitted she was wrong.

'I should have formally declared my brother's role when I first joined the Bank. I did not do so and I take full responsibility for this oversight,' she wrote.

Miss Hogg, a married mother-of-two, was given a verbal warning by Mr Carney. The Bank declined to comment.
Lord Heseltine accused Boris Johnson of turning 'waffling' into a 'science' today as he vented his fury over the government's attitude to Brexit.

Despite the Tories leading by a massive 19 points in the polls, the peer bizarrely warned that the party's supporters were 'appalled' by Theresa May's stance.

He dismissed last month's historic victory in the Copeland by-election - a seat that had been held by Labour for more than 80 years - as 'flukey'.

The barrage came with potentially just days to go until Mrs May triggers Article 50 and launches the formal two-year divorce process from the EU.

Lord Heseltine claimed Tories were 'appalled' by Theresa May's handling of Brexit - despite the party being 19 points ahead in the polls

Foriegn Secretary Boris Johnson today played down concerns that the UK will be severely damaged by leaving the EU without a trade deal

MPs will vote tomorrow night on whether to overturn amendments to the Brexit Bill that have been passed in the House of Lords.

Former deputy PM Lord Heseltine was among a handful of Tory rebels who put joined forces with Labour, the Lib Dems and crossbenchers to inflict two defeats on the government.

The amendments would require Mrs May to hold a 'meaningful' parliamentary vote on the final deal with Brussels.

They would also lead to an immediate guarantees of protections for all EU nationals currently living in the UK - even though the Brussels club has so far refused to give such an undertaking for Britons.

Despite signs that up to 10 Tories could rebel in Commons, a defiant David Davis insisted he would not make any concessions.

'The simple truth is what I don't want to do is take a simple Bill which is designed to do nothing more than put the result of the referendum into law, as the Supreme Court told us to do,' the Brexit Secretary told the BBC's Andrew Marr show.

The chances if the Bill completing its final stages tomorrow night were boosted today as Lord Heseltine made clear he did not think the House of Lords should keep defying the will of the elected chamber.

That would allow Mrs May to take the historic step of triggering the formal Article 50 process for quitting the EU as early as Tuesday.

Speaking on ITV's Peston programme today, Mr Johnson played down concerns that the UK and the EU would be unable to strike a deal - meaning Britain would leave on basic World Trade Organisation terms.

The House of Lords passed amendments to the Brexit Bill that would force the PM immediately to guarantee rights of EU nationals already in the country, and offer parliament a 'meaningful' vote on any final deal

Theresa May, pictured at an EU summit last week, could trigger the Article 50 process as early as Tuesday if the legislation is finalised

The Foreign Secretary said it was 'very likely' there would be a mutually beneficial agreement, stressing that the UK has a 'robust' economy and a confident negotiating team.

'Our partners and friends around the EU desperately want this thing to work. They don't want more misery, they don't want to fall out with the UK,' he said.

But Tory grandee Lord Heseltine ridiculed Mr Johnson when he appeared on the same programme later.

'Boris has turned the art of political question into a science... waffle, charm, delay - anything to actually stop answering questions.

'He does it magnificently.'

Lord Heseltine said the historic Tory win in Copeland was 'flukey', and said people should focus more on Richmond.

In that case Conservative Zac Goldsmith quit and ran as an independent in protest at the expansion of Heathrow Airport, but was defeated by Lib Dem Sarah Olney who fought an anti-Brexit campaign.

'The fact is a huge number of Conservatives are appalled,' Lord Heseltine said. 'They feel like they have been betrayed by what is going on now.'
A 25-year-old woman who was struck by a train after fainting and falling onto the subway tracks lost her right leg and arm in the horrific accident, officials said Thursday.

Sophie Yu remained hospitalized Saturday after the tragic incident on Wednesday while she was waiting for a southbound 6 train at the Lexington Avenue and East 51st Street station.

Witnesses say she was standing near the platform edge when she fainted around 1.30pm and fell onto the subway tracks into the path of a the train and became trapped underneath. Doctors were later forced to amputate her right arm and leg.

Yu's family are reportedly flying over from her native China to be at their daughter's bedside.

'Her family is devastated,' a friend told the New York Daily News. 'There's a lot of stuff they need to figure out right now... She's going to have a lot to go through.'

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Sophie Yu (left and right) remained hospitalized Saturday after the incident on Wednesday while she was waiting for a southbound 6 train at the Lexington Avenue and East 51st Street station

Tragic: The 25-year-old who was struck by a train after fainting and falling onto the subway tracks lost her right leg and arm in the horrific accident, officials said Thursday

'I'm not sure how much her (parents) know,' said the friend. 'We are all supporting her, and I think that's all she needs right now.'

Yu's Facebook page reveals that she lived in both Birmingham, Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee, before she moved to New York.

The 25-year-old was waiting for her subway train on Wednesday when she fainted and fell onto the tracks.

The motorman of the incoming subway train saw her fall and immediately hit the brakes, however, it was unable to stop in time.

Yu became trapped underneath the train after being struck by it.

Emergency workers rescued her from beneath it, and witnesses say she regained consciousness and remained alert.

The woman is listed in critical but stable condition at Bellevue Hospital following the tragic incident on Wednesday (scene above)

She was struck by a 6 train inside the Lexington Avenue and East 51st Street station on Wednesday (scene above). The woman was standing near the platform edge when she fainted and fell onto the tracks

A video shared to Facebook outside of the station shows the woman being put on a stretcher by emergency personnel before being wheeled away to be rushed to the hospital in a waiting ambulance.

An NYU student who was riding the 6 train before it was evacuated at the station told the Daily News: 'The firemen were calm. They were trying to pull her out.

'They were like, "Ma'am, could you please not move, please try not to move, stay calm.''

About an hour after the incident, regular train service resumed with some delays.

Her doorman Derek Mika was stunned by news of he accident.

'Oh my God, no!' he said. 'She's so quiet. She's very friendly. She laughs at almost anything you tell her.'

Witnesses say Yu (left and right) was standing near the platform edge when she fainted around 1.30pm and fell onto the subway tracks
A 13-year-old girl was told she was not allowed to buy a can of squirty cream for her mum's cafe from a convenience store - because she didn't have ID.

Natasha Davenport said staff in the shop in Fareham, Hampshire, told her she was underage and therefore could not buy the aerosol can without identification.

She then walked to another store in the same chain nearby and was able to buy the can of cream without question for her mother's internet cafe.

Natasha Davenport, 13, was not allowed to buy a can of squirty cream in a Co-Op in Fareham, Hampshire because she didn't have identification. Staff said she was banned because it was an aerosol

It is illegal to sell aerosol spray paints to those under the age of 16 in the UK, but this does not affect other aerosol products, such as squirty cream and deodorant.

The store has now told Natasha and her family the situation was a mix-up that it should never have happened.

Natasha said: 'When I put the cream on the counter the woman on the till looked confused and said that she needed to get the manager.

'The manager said that they couldn't sell it to me because it was an aerosol.

Natasha went down the road to another shop in the same chain and bought a can of cream without any trouble. Staff have since apologised to her family

'I was thinking 'you don't need ID for squirty cream - I can get deodorant without needing any ID'.

'I was shocked. It's pathetic. It's squirty cream - it was only going to be used for hot chocolate. I don't know what sort of danger it could be.'

Natasha's sister Becca Raymond, 20, went to the Southern Co-operative store to question why her sister was unable to buy the squirty cream.

She said she thought it was 'stupid' that her sister couldn't buy the item.

Becca added: 'I went up there and asked them why they weren't selling it to her and they said it was because she was underage.

'All they are going to do with the stuff is eat it. It's like health and safety gone mad.'

A spokeswoman from Southern Co-operative apologised to Natasha and her family.

She said: 'Unfortunately, the colleague who served the customer misinterpreted the training and information given to them.

'We will speak to the store and we apologise to the customer for any inconvenience caused.'
Ministers will call for Imams to preach in English at mosques under a new strategy to tackle extremism in Britain.

The rule will be suggested by the counter-terrorism task force, amid Government concerns that preaching in foreign languages builds up divisions between Muslims and British society.

Another aspect of the strategy could also include tougher licencing rules for Imams travelling into the UK from other countries, reports the Sunday Telegraph.

Ministers will call for Imams to preach in English at mosques under a new strategy to tackle extremism in Britain (file photo)

At the moment preachers must be able to speak English before they are granted a visa.

However, Imams already in Britain will not have to face the stricter licensing regulations because it could be seen as encroaching on their religious freedom.

Ministers believe that the new language rule could help fight the battle against Islamic extremism.

A source told the Telegraph: 'If Imams are speaking in another language it makes it far harder to know if radicalisation is taking place.'

Between 1998 and 2015, 269 Britons were convicted of Islamist terrorism offences or killed as suicide bomber.

In a report published by think-tank the Henry Jackson society, both Birmingham and London were said to have produced the most terrorists.

Birmingham in particular, which has a large Asian-Muslim population, was described as 'major terrorism hotspot.'

Women's involvement in Islamist terrorism in the UK has also trebled in the same period from 4 per cent to 11 per cent

The call Imams to speak English, comes amid Government concerns that preaching in foreign languages builds up divisions between Muslims and British society (file photo)

It was found that only 10 per cent of terror attacks were carried out by 'lone wolves' unconnected to wider networks.

Speaking last year, former Prime Minister David Cameron warned that not speaking English adequately could make Muslims 'more susceptible' to ISIS recruitment.

He faced a backlash from Muslim groups and former Cabinet minister Baroness Warsi for linking the issue of English language skills to extremism.

He said: 'I think it's quite right to say to people who come to our country that there are many rights that you have here - it's a fantastic country to live in - but there are also obligations that we should put on people who come to our country, and chief amongst them should be obligations to learn English because then you can integrate, you can take advantage of the opportunities here and you can help us to build the strong country that we want.'

A Government spokesman has denied the claims that Imams could be forced to increase their English language skills.

He told the Telegraph: 'There are no plans to license Imams or require Imams to have a minimum level of English language proficiency beyond visa requirements already in place.'




Hugging a member of the royal family is a strict breach of protocol but when Prince Charles met survivors of the Yugoslav Wars he was too emotional to stick to the rules.

The future king, 68, warmly embraced relatives still desperately trying to find their loved ones who went missing in Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.

The moving display of affection came after he spoke to survivors at his Clarence House residence in central London on Wednesday.

Moving: When Prince Charles met survivors of the Yugoslav Wars he was too emotional to stick to the rules

Charles said: 'In the months since I have thought a great deal about those stories and have been determined to do something to support you, the families, in your exceptional work to promote reconciliation and justice.

'When we do not know what has happened to our loved ones there is no closure to that grief  no remedy for our despair.

'Loss always brings grief but I know how easily loss can also bring despair at the pointless cruelty and destruction we witness in our world and at our own inability to understand it.

'When we do not know what has happened to our loved ones there is no closure to that grief  no remedy for our despair.'

More than 12,000 are still missing from the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia which lasted from 1991 to 2001 and killed 140,000.

The future king, 68, warmly embraced relatives still desperately trying to find their loved ones who went missing in Balkan conflicts of the 1990s

The Prince posed for a photo with members of the International Commission on Missing Persons and survivors of the Balkan wars

The Prince added: 'Only reconciliation offers the assurance that our children and grandchildren will not suffer the same agonies as our own generation has endured.

'It is my profound hope that your countries will be changed by your quest for truth through cooperation and that by working together with the International Commission on Missing Persons you will offer a model of reconciliation that will inspire others around the world.

'That work requires tremendous courage, the courage I believe we must all try to summon from the depth of our souls, however great the pain.'

Survivors at the meeting organised by the International Commission on Missing Persons told of their harrowing ordeals during the conflicts which involved systematic ethnic cleansing.

Prince Charles and Camilla in Kosovo in 2016

Croat Marin Brkic, 47, recalled how his uncle was made to dig his own grave before he was killed and his grandmother thrown into the same pit and buried alive.

He told The Sunday Express's Camilla Tominey: 'I dont have a headstone for my father or a monument to my family.'

The Yugoslav Wars were sparked by the collapse of Yugoslavia as its constituent republics sought independence.

Ethnic minorities in Serbia, Croatia, Albania and Bosnia faced systematic cleansing by factions pursuing ultra-nationalist agendas.

Prince Charles last year called for reconciliation in the postwar Balkans, urging the region's many nations to work for peace and not become prisoners of their turbulent history.

On a visit to Serbia he said that while peace and stability have returned to the Balkans after the 1990s' ethnic wars, more needs to be done in order to preserve the momentum of peace.

'Every society and country is molded by its past, but there can be few places on Earth where one feels the weight of history more than in the Balkans,' he said.

'No one should forget or ignore that history but, even more importantly, it is important not to become prisoners of it.'

Speaking in the Serbian capital on St. Patrick's Day, Charles evoked the 1979 death of his uncle Lord Mountbatten, who was killed by an IRA bomb on a boat off the west coast of Ireland, along with his grandson.

'I feel, therefore, that I have at least some understanding, through my own experience, of the heart-rending anguish that so many families in this region, of whatever nationality, race or religion, have experienced through the loss of loved ones,' he said.

'But after many years of reflection and, indeed, despair at the pointless cruelty and destruction we witness around the world, my own conclusion is this: that only reconciliation offers the assurance that our children and grandchildren will not suffer the same agonies as our generation,' Charles said.
New footage inside the Royal Caribbean cruise ship that ran into high winds and rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean last year has emerged.

The terrifying video shows a passenger looking out the window as 30ft waves submerged the ship during the hurricane force storm.

The ship, carrying more than 4,500 guests and 1,600 crew members, was heading to Port Canaveral in Florida but was forced to turn back and return to New Jersey due to the rough weather.

New footage has emerged of a passenger on the third floor of a cruise ship as it encountered a treacherous storm in February 2016

The terrifying video was taken from a cabin on the third deck of the Anthem Of The Seas ship

It forced frightened passengers into their cabins overnight as their belongings flew about, waves rose as high as 30 feet, and winds howled outside.

In the video that surfaced on Reddit, a passenger is seen leaning against the window saying, 'we're just staying in one place, hoping not to die.'

His friend says: 'Jesus Christ man. We're underwater, under the third floor.'

Hurricane-force winds reaching 150mph caused huge swells, which sent the ship teetering through the night at angles of 45 degrees

Four passengers were injured in the storm and the ship was damaged in some of its public areas.

Hurricane-like conditions caused items inside the ship to fly off shelves and smash into one another as the vessel leaned at least 45 degrees off center in the swells.

The cruise line provided a full refund to passengers, as well as a discount for a future cruise.

The trip was originally supposed to be a week-long round-trip from New Jersey to Florida and the Bahamas, but the hurricane-force storm cut the vacation short.

The National Weather Service's Ocean Prediction Center had issued an alert for a strong storm four days in advance and questions were raised as to why the cruise ship travelled through the treacherous conditions.

Royal Caribbean said the ship experienced 'extreme wind and sea conditions' that were not expected.

However it apologized to passengers following the February 7 2016 incident, saying 'we have to do better.'

But in September that year, Anthem of the Seas was caught up in another extreme storm.

Terrifying footage showed the 1,100ft-long Anthem of the Seas undulating through huge swells and 90mph winds en route to Bermuda as it encountered the tropical storm Hermine.

A pile of wind-ravaged lounge chairs were left in a mangled pile on the deck after the massive storm in February 2016 tossed the ship in huge ocean swells

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship ran into high winds and rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean
A veteran firefighter has died after a car crash en route to tackle a deadly house fire which killed a three-year-old girl.

Little Ashanti Hughes died on Saturday morning after suffering severe burns in the house fire, sparked by a charging hoverboard, at 2534 Lexington Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Friday.

Two other girls remain hospitalized in critical condition after the blaze while a man and his teenage son were treated and released.

Fire Lt. Dennis DeVoe was responding to reports of the fire, which was ruled accidental, when his vehicle was hit at an intersection by 19-year-old Khanyae Kendall, who was reportedly driving a stolen vehicle. The firefighter was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries.

Ashanti Hughes (left) and veteran firefighter Dennis DeVoe (right) died after a deadly blaze sparked by a charging hoverboard

Little Ashanti Hughes died on Saturday morning after suffering severe burns and injuries in the house fire (pictured) at 2534 Lexington Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Friday

Her home at 2534 Lexington Street (above) caught fire after a hoverboard exploded

Kendall, who fled the scene, was later arrested and is being charged with DUI, aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, accidents involving injury, among other charges.

The fire broke out around 7.45pm on Friday night after a hoverboard, which was plugged in to recharge on the first floor, began sparking.

'They heard some sizzling and crackling in the hoverboard and shortly thereafter, it exploded in flames,' Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.

Enterline said hoverboards are 'notorious for starting fires.'

Ashanti, pictured with her mother China Marie Hughes, suffered severe burns in the fire

The three-year-old succumbed to her injuries on Saturday morning. The other two injured girls remain in hospital

Charles Allen told CBS affiliate WHP-TV that he saw young girls screaming from the second story as the smoke and flames erupted around them.

'Somebody was trying to kick out the window because of the smoke or whatever and then all of a sudden I hear a child hit the ground - boom,' he said.

Allen said he ran over and picked up the girl.

'Everybody was frantic, hollering, screaming and what not, so I was taking her to the ambulance,' he said.

Three girls were rushed to a local hospital and later transferred to Lehigh Valley burn center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where Ashanti tragically died, PennLive reports.

'My granddaughter, I can't replace her,' said Mark Hughes, Ashanti's grandfather. 'The pain is so deep. I'm so hurt. My soul is hurt.'

Fire Lt. Dennis DeVoe, pictured with his wife Amy, was responding to reports of the fire when his vehicle was hit at an intersection by a 19-year-old who was reportedly driving a stolen vehicle

The veteran firefighter (pictured with his wife) was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries

Many of the firefighters battling the blaze had just come straight from the funeral of a retired firefighter who died of cancer.

The fire was part of a 'devastating' evening for the department, Enterline told PennLive.

DeVoe, a married father, and 21-year veteran with Harrisburg Fire Department, was driving back to the station to pick up his gear when the driver of the stolen car smashed into him.

'What we saw was a horrific scene,' Harrisburg Police Captain Gabe Olivera said of the crash scene.

Lt. Dennis DeVoe 'was a leader in our department and the fire service as a whole,' Enterline said.

Firefighters spent more than an hour battling the flames that were fueled by high winds

Two other girls who lived here remain in critical condition at Lehigh Valley burn center

'His passion for the fire service made each of us strive to be better in all we do. Our department and the City of Harrisburg are better because of his service.'

'Our hearts are broken and we grieve for the loss of our brother.'#

A month ago, DeVoe was one of two firefighters who pulled a man from a burning house, and afterward called it just another day on the job, PennLive.com reported.

'It's what we signed up for,' said DeVoe, a husband and father of four children. 'I'd want someone to do that if it were one of my family members.'

Firefighters spent more than an hour battling the flames that were fueled by high winds.

By 9.45pm the fire was under control, but smoke continued to pour out of the house.

'When the officers arrived it was fully engulfed, we have people trying to get back in the house to try and get people out from the building and the fire department arrived and made entry to the building they did remove several people from the building,' said Olivera on Friday.
A Jordanian soldier who shot dead seven Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 was released from prison today, sparking outrage from the families of those he killed.

In March 1997 Ahmad Dakamseh fired an automatic weapon at the girls, who were ironically on a trip to the Island of Peace, a man-made park on the Jordanian border.

Sivan Fatihi, Natali Alkalai, Adi Malka, Ya'ala Me'iri, and Nirit Cohen, who were all 13, and Karen Cohen and Shiri Badayev, who were both 14, were killed and five others were wounded, as well as a teacher.

Dakamseh showed no remorse during interviews with Jordanian media. He said his opinion of Israelis had not changed and he added: 'As for my position on the Zionists, you all know...what I did 20 years ago.'

Hezi Cohen, who lost his daughter Nirit, said today: 'This morning takes us back 20 years, to that horrible day.'

He said: 'I'd like to tell the (Israeli) prime minister and defence minister "Our children's blood should not be worthless". You should have acted vis-a-vis Jordan to prevent this release at any cost.'

Ahmed Dakamseh (pictured, right, in sunglasses) is welcomed by relatives in his home village of Ebder, near Irbid, after spending 20 years in jail

Jordanian soldier Ahmad Dakamseh waves to relatives in court during his trial in June 1997 before being sentenced to 20 years for killing seven Israeli schoolgirls earlier the same year

Photographs of the seven murdered schoolgirls are on display at a memorial to the massacre at the Island of Peace, where they were killed 20 years ago

Dakamseh was sentenced to life imprisonment, which in Jordan is 20 years.

His cousin Mohammed Yahya Dakamseh said: 'He is now a free man after he finished his jail term'.

Dakamseh, who is now 46, was released from the Bab al-Hawa prison in Irbid, 60 miles north of the capital, Amman.

He had been sentenced to life imprisonment, which in Jordan is 20 years.

Dakamseh, who has three children of his own, told his trial he fired his weapon at the girls after they mocked him while he was praying.

He was diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder.

Jordan's then ruler King Hussein condemned the attack and later travelled to Israel to offer his condolences to the families of the murdered schoolgirls. His government also paid compensation.

Orit Cohen, whose sister Keren was killed, said: 'Who says that tomorrow he won't carry out another attack and murder more Israelis?'

The late King Hussein of Jordan is pictured in March 1997, meeting the parents of Shiri Badayev, 14, who was killed by Dakamseh. King Hussein condemned the attack and paid compensation to the families

The attack came less than three years after Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty.

Dakamseh was taking back to his home village of Ebder in a convoy of dozens of cars whose drivers were honking their horns, a video shared on social media showed.

Dakamseh's brother Bassem said the family home was full of well-wishers and added: 'He is in good health, wearing a black suit among his relatives and close family including his 78-year-old mother.'

Ahmed Dakamseh (pictured in 2012 in prison) was said to have been suffering from an anti-social personality disorder at the time of the shooting

A portrait of Ahmad Dakamseh hangs in the Jordanian city of Irbid on the day of his release after serving 20 years in prison

Israel Fatihi, whose daughter Sivan was killed in the attack, said 'He was called a hero in the Jordanian parliament at the time of the murder.

'If that's what they said in parliament, what can we expect from the family?'

He said Israel's peace with Jordan was between Israelis and the royal family, not the people or the parliament.

After the 1997 killings, Jordanian police said they prevented 100 people including two Islamist members of parliament from paying a solidarity visit to Dakamseh's family.

But 21 other lawmakers in a statement condemned the massacre, saying the holy war mentioned in the Koran did not authorise the killing of children.

Dakamseh (pictured, left, in sunglasses) was greeted by dozens of well-wishers when he returned home today and was reunited with his 78-year-old mother, Kamleh (right)

Dakamseh, who suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes, was hospitalised in 2014 after he went on a five-day hunger strike to demand his release.

His strike followed Jordanian lawmakers demanding his release after Israeli soldiers killed a Jordanian judge in a scuffle at the Allenby Bridge border crossing with the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Jordan in 2011 had to distance itself from a newly appointed minister's remarks that Dakamseh was a 'hero' after Israel summoned Jordan's ambassador.

Then justice minister Hussein Mujalli, who had also been Dakamseh's lawyer, said he was a 'hero' and did not deserve prison.

Jordan is the only Arab nation besides Egypt to have signed a peace treaty with the Jewish state.
Married At First Sight fans have slammed the show's most controversial character, after he again failed to accept responsibility for his behaviour on 'boy's night'.

Perth Firefighter Andrew Jones, 38, angered fans across the country last Sunday when he made fun of his 'wife' Cheryl Maitland's intelligence and appearance, even pretending to grope her breasts during a night in with his fellow male contestants.

But one week later, Andrew again denied any wrongdoing when he was questioned by the show's panel of experts.

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'Confused': Andrew maintained his innocence and said he still 'didn't know what was said or who said it' at the boy's night

'I don't know what to say to you, it was just a light-hearted boys night,' he said.

His flat-out denial garnered a huge backlash online.

'Screaming at Andrew on Married, I can't believe what he's saying,' one woman said on Twitter.

'Andrew makes my blood boil,' another said.

One week after the 'boy's night', Andrew again denied any wrongdoing when he was questioned by the show's panel of experts

Andrew made fun of his 'wife' Cheryl Maitland's intelligence and appearance, even pretending to grope her breasts during a night in with his fellow male contestants

Andrew's reasoning for his behaviour angered fans even more when he implied his behaviour was okay because it was just 'boys being boys'.

'"It was just a light-hearted boy's night, I'm totally confused" no no no - you were a pig,' one woman said.

One disgruntled viewer said he was sick of Andrew claiming he was too drunk to remember what he said that night.

'If Andrew states tonight that he still cannot remember due to his drinking on boy's night, he has a bigger issue than finding love,' he said.

Andrew's reasoning for his rant about Cheryl (pictured) angered fans even more when he implied his behaviour was ok because it was just 'boys being boys'

'It was just a light-hearted boy's night, I'm totally confused' no no no you were a pig,' one woman said on Sunday night

'Everyone's reaction to Andrew talk s*** again,' one woman wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of a shocked-looking woman

'Andrew must have been a goldfish in a past life. Seems to have the memory of one,' another said.

'Everyone's reaction to Andrew talk c**p  again,' one woman said alongside a woman appearing to gasp.

Andrew's behaviour has been the centre of debate ever since the contentious boy's night when he unleashed a foul rant about his partner Cheryl.

During the tirade, he told his friends Cheryl spoke about nothing apart from hair extensions and the Kardashian family.

'Hair extensions. The Kardashians It's a funny thing. If I talk, I get shut down pretty quick,' he said.

'When she talks I try and jump in and make it a conversation. But she talks super quick, she drives like she talks lalalala.

'A conversation seems too much for Cheryl.'

'Hair extensions. The Kardashians It's a funny thing. If I talk, I get shut down pretty quick,' Andrew said about partner Cheryl (pictured)

'When she talks I try and jump in and make it a conversation. But she talks super quick, she drives like she talks lalalala,' Andrew said about Cheryl

Andrew also made hand gestures, pretending to grope his 25-year-old 'wife's' breasts.

He also admitted to the boys he was a better match with Lauren, his former 'wife'.

'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.

He famously denied what he said and did that night claiming it was just 'boys being boys'.

But when Cheryl discovered Andrew's questionable behaviour she confronted him at a dinner party in front of the other contestants.

Andrew told Cheryl she was 'full of s***' and mocked her.

Andrew has been publicly slammed for his behaviour on the boy's night (pictured here)

His questionable reaction prompted other contestants to weigh in.

Farmer Sean jumped to Cheryl's defense saying: 'I didn't feel comfortable with the night'.

'There was a lot there throughout the night that was bagging out Cheryl and putting Cheryl down,' he said.

'There was a comment, something about 'Lauren and Cheryl, well that's good for Jonesy, now we can have threesomes with them'.'

Andrew unleashes a fowl rant about on-screen partner Cheryl while on the boy's night

Cheryl questioned Andrew about his behaviour, but her on-screen partner flat-out denied any wrongdoing

Andrew's time on the show came to an end on Sunday night when he and Cheryl finally parted ways.

The pair's mutual decision to end their relationship was celebrated by fans.

'Cheryl and Jonesy, please leave already. Please put us out of our misery,' one woman said.

'See ya Jonesy (Andrew). Don't let the door hit you on the way out,' another said.

'Thank God that pig has left the building. Andrew made my skin crawl,' another woman said.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is reportedly 'laying the groundwork' for a 2020 presidential bid.

Cuomo, 59, has already hired two fundraisers in Florida, a key swing state in the presidential elections.

A source told the New York Post that the newly hired fundraisers, including Hillary Clinton's former go-to-guy Jon Adrabi, is a sign Cuomo's building a national network to launch his presidential bid.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is reportedly 'laying the groundwork' for a 2020 presidential bid. Cuomo, 59, has already hired two fundraisers in Florida, a key swing state in the presidential elections

Adrabi and another consultant are expected to plan events and build relationships with Democratic donors in Florida.

'Hiring out-of-state fundraising staff, particularly in a battleground state, opens up money spigots beyond what would normally be available and is a key first step to laying the groundwork for a run,' said one source.

According to the Post Cuomo's plan is to hire political consultants with experience outside of New York.

Cuomo, who is in his second term, steadfastly denies he will run for president, saying his sole concern is running in New York and seeking re-election in 2018.

But the governor has been listed as top contender in a report from The Hill, claiming the No. 10 spot on the list.

State Democratic Party director Basil Smikle Jr did not dispute the Florida hiring, and told the Post that Cuomo 'always fundraises across the country and uses local consultants'.

A source said the newly hired fundraisers, including Hillary Clinton's former go-to-guy Jon Adrabi, is a sign Cuomo's building a national network to launch his presidential bid

His focus on out-of-state fundraising is a sign he wants to get a jump on other Democratic hopefuls, consultants say.

'Florida is a critical state not just for electoral value but for connecting with influencers and raising money,' Dan Gerstein, who advised former Connecticut Sen Joe Lieberman in his presidential run, told the Post.

'If you are serious about positioning yourself for a possible candidacy you start early.'

Cuomo has several fundraisers planned next month, including a dinner at the St. Regis where tickets cost $15,000 per person.
Richard Gere has lashed out at Israel over its settlements in territory that Palestinians want for a state.

The 'Pretty Woman' star went to Jerusalem for the local premiere of 'Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer,' a new film by Israeli writer-director Joseph Cedar in which he stars.

During his fourth visit to the country, the 67-year-old actor discussed his month-long internal debate about whether he should come due to his opposition to Israel's settlements in Palestine and what he sees as its shift to the right with newspaper Haaretz.

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Richard Gere took a 48-hour trip to Israel to promote his latest film 'Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer.' He told newspaper Haaretz that he had difficulty deciding whether to come due to his opposition to Israeli government policies

The 67-year-old Pretty Woman star expressed particular concern about Israel's settlements in land claimed by Palestine. He said: 'Settlements are such an absurd provocation.' Pictured: Construction at the West Bank Jewish settlement of Ramat Givat Zeev near Jerusalem

He said: 'There's no defense of this occupation. Settlements are such an absurd provocation and, certainly in the international sense, completely illegal.

'And they are certainly not part of the program of someone who wants a genuine peace process.'

Gere, pictured with co-star Lior Ashkenazi, plays a New York City man named Norman Oppenheimer whose life changes after his friend becomes Prime Minister of Israel

His beliefs were compounded, he said, by the Israeli government's shift to the right following the election of US President Donald Trump and friends - even Israeli ones - telling him he would be 'co-opted' by the government as a sort of public relations boon.

He cited criticisms Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has launched at an organization critical of the country's Defense Forces as counter to 'Jewish culture.'

He told the paper: 'To question authority makes you a traitor? If you question bad policies you are a self-hating Jew? That is insane.'

Gere, pictured with his latest film's director, Joseph Cedar, also criticized the Israeli government's shift to the right, particularly following the election of US President Donald Trump

He talked through his dilemma with his film's director, Joseph Cedar, who was born in New York City but grew up in Jerusalem, and eventually decided to make a 48-hour trip to promote the film.

He also met with groups promoting peace between Israel and the Palestine, two nations which have been in some form of conflict since the formal founding of the State of Israel in 1948.

He told Haaretz he was particularly impressed with Women Wage Peace and YaLa, two groups working towards a end to the decades-long conflict.

In his film, which debuted in Israel last week and is set for a US release in April, Gere plays a man named Norman Oppenheimer whose life changes after his friend becomes Prime Minister of Israel.

Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory are a contentious issue as the international community mostly considers settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace, while Israel says settlements along with other core issues like security should be resolved in peace talks.

The Obama administration took a harder line against Israel than previous US governments, but the nascent Trump administration appears to support the nation more.

Trump and Netanyahu have offered praise for each other in the past, and Netanyahu came to visit Trump in Washington in February.

It is not yet clear what, exactly, the Trump administration's policy on the Israel-Palestine conflict will entail.
Teaching current events in the age of Donald Trump has prompted a debate among educators: Is it ever OK for teachers to offer up their viewpoints?

It is a time in students have become energized by classroom discussions of such hot-button issues as immigration and racial justice, making it difficult for teachers to keep their personal political beliefs out of the classroom.

Teachers across the country have been warned against sharing their political beliefs with their students. One New York City teacher was warned over a homework question critical of President Donald Trump.

Teaching current events in the age of Donald Trump has prompted a debate among educators: Is it ever OK for teachers to offer up their viewpoints?

An Alabama district fielded complaints for a teacher's 'Obama, you're fired!' caption under a Trump display. And a Texas art teacher was given sensitivity training after a video caught him shooting a squirt gun at an image of Trump, and yelling, 'die!'

Education experts say teachers should be careful not to shape their students' beliefs for them, but it has become a flash-point at a time when students are more passionate than ever about current events, and have asked their teachers what they think.

Issues such as immigration, racial justice and transgender rights discussed not only in social studies but in other classes, the hallways and at lunch, too.

'Why shouldn't a teacher be able to vocalize their opinion?' Niagara Falls High School student Santino Cafarella, 18, asked after his government class this past week.

'We're in high school at this point. We should be able to discover our own viewpoints.'

Julie Conti, right, leads her government class at Niagara Falls High School through a lesson about political cartoons

After a class lesson on political cartoons taking aim at issues such as Donald Trump's speech to Congress, student debt and the fake news phenomenon, Niagra Falls High School student Michael McDonald, 17, said: 'It's inevitable for social studies teachers to have an opinion.

'But as long as they're not clearly expressing their opinion and trying to influence our opinions with their own, then I don't think it's a problem.'

His teacher, Julie Conti, pressed students about the intent, structure and effectiveness of the cartoons they examined, but stayed neutral on whether she agreed with the content. Conti said she sometimes plays devil's advocate to get a classroom conversation started, but her aim is to give students the knowledge and ability to make up their own minds.

'If I just express my opinion, I don't think that has done that for them,' she said. Some administrators across the country have taken a hard line.

Other educators around the country take different stands on the topic, with many teachers offering up their political opinions, and others keeping their mouths tightly sealed.

Program director at the University of Wisconsin's Center for Ethics and Education, Paula McAvoy, said: 'There's a general belief in the public that teachers shouldn't be using their classroom as a soapbox but there's a ton of variation on what's allowed and what's not allowed.'

She's seen everything from prohibitions on political statements and buttons to no policies whatsoever.

McAvoy contends shying away from political discussions in the classroom isn't the answer because schools should offer a place for young people to consider differences, challenge assumptions and form their own opinions.

Minnesota teacher Tom Schoper doesn't hide his conservative leanings, and even has Nixon/Agnew and Barry Goldwater posters in his classroom.

Ccampaign posters representing a variety of candidates are displayed in a classroom at Niagara Falls High School in Niagara Falls, NY

However, Schoper has said he makes a point to expose students to other perspectives, bringing in Democrats, Socialists, Libertarians and others to speak at his rural high school.

'What I give the kids is opportunity. I set the table,' the Glencoe-Silver Lake High School social studies teacher said. 'It's up to those kids to make up their mind.'

At West Chicago Community High School, government teacher Mary Ellen Daneels goes to the other extreme, and won't give up her personal political beliefs even when regularly pressed by students.

'The kids go a little bit crazy,' she said. 'They'll come to me and say, "OK, when I graduate, can I Facebook message you and you'll tell me what your partisanship is?"'

Daneels's stand is part of a voluntary non-disclosure pledge government teachers at her school have taken as a way to stay out of their students' ways as they examine sensitive issues. She said the policy also keeps the instructors above reproach should anyone suspect students are being steered one way or another.

The Tuscaloosa, Alabama, City Board of Education temporarily suspended teacher Scott Johnson without pay and sent him to sensitivity training for his 'Obama, you're fired' display the day after the election, saying it violated the board's policy prohibiting partisan political activity in the classroom.

Johnson, in a statement, said he made 'an error in good professional judgment.'

The Dallas Independent School District placed art teacher Payal Modi on administrative leave after her video with the water gun.

Staten Island teacher Adria Zawatsky received a disciplinary letter after a vocabulary question on a homework assignment sought the word 'haughty' to describe Trump's speaking manner

The New York City Department of Education encourages respectful conversations, spokesman Michael Aciman said, 'but staff are directed to maintain neutrality when discussing political issues in school'

Staten Island teacher Adria Zawatsky received a disciplinary letter after a vocabulary question on a homework assignment sought the word 'haughty' to describe Trump's speaking manner.

The New York City Department of Education encourages respectful conversations, spokesman Michael Aciman said, 'but staff are directed to maintain neutrality when discussing political issues in school.'

Larry Paska, executive director of the National Council for the Social Studies, an organization of educators and curriculum designers, acknowledged that teachers weighing in to class discussions with their own politics can be fraught with peril.

'You are helping kids to form their own perspective and I think by including your own, you shape it for them,' he said. 'And that's not really the goal of social education.'
A Utah bill expanding penalties for bigamy passed the state senate on Thursday in response to a lawsuit filed by Kody Brown from the reality show 'Sister Wives.'

The bill states bigamy, or marrying someone else while still married, could become second degree felony instead of a third degree felony.

The polygamist could face charges for human trafficking, fraud, child abuse, sexual abuse and/or domestic abuse which would make bigamy a felony in the second degree.

A 2011 lawsuit by the Brown's of TLC's 'Sister Wives' led to House Bill 99 which would expand the possible charges for bigamy including child abuse and human trafficking

The Browns moved to Utah to avoid prosecution for bigamy. The new bill could make bigamy a second degree felony where it is currently a third degree felony

Also, the new bill widens the definition of a new spouse to a purported spouse living in the home with the married couple. Bill sponsor Utah state Rep. Mike Noel said the purpose of the expanded text is to avoid lawsuits in the future.

Kody Brown and his four wives Janelle, Meri, Christine and Robyn sued Utah in 2011 claiming the law prohibiting them from living together with their 18 children was unconstitutional.

They won in US District Court in 2013, citing Lawrence v. Texas which struck down sodomy laws. But the ruling in favor of the Browns was overturned on appeal in 2016 according to CNN.

In order to become a state in 1896, Utah was forced to abandon legal polygamy. From 2001-2010 only 10 people have been charged with violating the law.

Police started investigating the Browns after their reality show aired in September 2010. The family moved to Nevada to avoid being arrested for bigamy.

Sister Wives Meri, Christine, Janelle and Robyn sued the state of Utah with husband Kody Brown in 2011. They won but the decision was overturned on appeal last year

Kody Brown protests outside of the Utah State Capitol in February. The US Supreme Court rejected hearing the case earlier this year

In February the Browns marched to the Utah State Capitol to protest House Bill 99.

Kody Brown told Fox 13: 'Theres thousands of polygamists, husbands and wives, consenting adults in this state, who theyre ignoring their need to be free as consenting adults.'

'Once again, prosecute the real crime. Prosecute abuse, prosecute fraud, prosecute all these things that are there. Leave consenting adults alone.'

House Bill 99 barely passed the state senate with a 15-14 vote in favor just before the midnight deadline.

Utah had to abandon legalizing polygamy when it gained statehood in 1896

If signed by Governor Gary Herbert, the bill will become law. Herbert has not said whether or not he will sign the bill.

The US Supreme Court rejected hearing the case earlier this year.

Court documents show there are about 30,000 polygamists in Utah. They believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven  a legacy of the early Mormon church. The mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly forbids it.

Noel, who is Mormon, said that his great-grandfather was jailed for being a polygamist and he's irritated that today's polygamists refer to themselves as Mormons.

'They've hijacked my religion and I actually resent that,' Noel said.

Opponents of plural marriages claim the close communities where polygamy is practiced often have welfare fraud, child abuse, sexual abuse and forced labor.
Four people were shot, three fatally, including teenage twin sisters, inside an Illinois condo on Friday night in what police say is a 'domestic related incident'.

Twins Brittany and Tiffany Coffland, both aged 16, and their father, Randall Coffland, 48, were found dead by police in St. Charles, which is located about an hour outside of Chicago, WGN-TV reported.

The girls' mother, Anjum Coffland, 46, was also shot and injured in the residence.

She was rushed to Delnor Hospital in Geneva with non-life threatening injuries and is in stable condition.

Authorities say a neighbor called 911 around 5.15pm on Friday to report that shots were fired on the 400 block of South First Street, as a second 911 call was placed moments later from inside the residence.

Tragic: Brittany (left) and Tiffany (right) Coffland, both aged 16, and their father, Randall Coffland, 48, were killed in what police are calling a domestic disturbance in St. Charles

The incident happened inside of a condo, as the girls' mother, Anjum Coffland (right), 46, was also shot. Above Randall is pictured with Brittany (center) and Anjum (right)

Authorities say a neighbor called 911 around 5.15pm on Friday to report that shots were fired on the 400 block of South First Street, as a second 911 call was placed moments later from inside the residence (scene above)

When St. Charles Police Department officers arrived to the scene, they found the twins, who would have turned 17 on Tuesday, and their father dead, while Anjum was still alive.

Tammy Hartje, a neighbor, said about 15 minutes before police arrived she heard a commotion.

'When I walked across the street I had heard screams. I looked up and I noticed in that apartment they had the door open and I was thinking that's weird because it was so cold outside,' Hartje told the TV station.

Authorities say the twins, their father and mother were the only people inside the residence at the time.

Police say Anjum and Randall were married but living at separate addresses.

When officers arrived to the scene (above), they found the twins and their father dead, while Anjum was still alive with non-life threatening injuries. She was rushed to Delnor Hospital in Geneva

Authorities say the twins, their father and mother were the only people inside the residence at the time. Police say Anjum and Randall were married but living at separate addresses. (scene above)

Officers responded to a report of 'domestic trouble' on February 9 involving the couple at a residence in the 100 block of South Fifth Avenue, the Daily Herald reported.

'The report indicates that nothing physical happened' during the previous incident and no one was arrested, police say.

It's unclear who fired the gun and the shooting is still under investigation.

After news broke of the tragic shooting in the community, a memorial was created outside of the condo, as mourners left candles, flowers and signs to remember the twins who were juniors at St. Charles East High School.

'It's kind of unnerving to realize that someone you were so close with, and could see in a day, and could be gone in a matter of hours,' Ally Siebrasse, a friend of the twins, told WGN-TV.

After news broke of the tragic shooting in the community, a memorial (above) was created outside of the condo, as mourners left candles, flowers and signs to remember the twins who were juniors at St. Charles East High School

'Tiffany would just absolutely light up a room with her smile. Her personality. She was an amazing young girl.

'You could tell made everyone better just by knowing her.'

She added that Brittany was more 'kindhearted' as she was on the cheer squad at the school.

School officials had counselors on campus for students or staff who needed to talk or grieve over the weekend.

St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina issued a statement about the 'horrific personal tragedy.'

'Being the close-knit community we are, an incident of this nature has impact beyond the immediate family,' Rogina said.

'We think about and pray for the extended family which includes relatives, high school students and other friends.

'We also pray for the greater community, all of us, that we will stand tall and provide calm and peace at such a tragic moment.'




President Donald Trump's revised travel ban is already facing legal trouble as Democratic attorneys general are preparing to file complaints blocking the new executive order.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who led the fight which halted Trump's first ban signed in January, is looking to use his order from last month to block the revised policy.

The president signed the new executive order earlier this week which is set to go into effect on March 16. The revised policy removes Iraq and denies US entry to all refugees for 120 days and halts for 90 days the granting of visas to nationals from Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson (pictured left on Thursday) is asking a federal judge to find that his order last month halting the old travel ban applies to the new one

It will also no longer affect current visa holders and removes language that would give priority to religious minorities.

In the original lawsuit targeting the first ban, Ferguson said it was unconstitutional and hurt the state's businesses and universities.

Ferguson said on Thursday that it's not the government, but the court, that gets to decide whether the revised order is different enough that it would not be covered by previous temporary restraining order.

Washington state Solicitor General Noah Purcell said Trump's team was implementing the 'same basic policies in a new form,' and that the ruling should still apply.

New travel ban: The president signed the new executive order earlier this week which is set to go into effect on March 16 which removes Iraq from the list of countries banned and will no longer affect current visa holders and removes language that would give priority to religious minorities.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin speaks at a news conference Thursday, March 9, 2107, in Honolulu. Chin's office filed an amended lawsuit against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban

Ferguson joins Minnesota, Oregon, New York and Massachusetts as they plan to file a new complaint against the order on Monday.

The Democratic attorneys general are doing to Trump what Republicans did to President Obama when he was in office by filing lawsuits blocking policies.

Republican attorneys general took Obama to court over a variety of issues, most notably his health care legislation.

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin joined the fight saying the ban will hurt the state's economy as it heavily relies on tourism.

The courts need to hear 'that there's a state where ethnic diversity is the norm, where people are welcomed with aloha and respect,' Chin said.

But White House officials remain unmoved and believe the travel ban will stand up to legal scrutiny.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the administrations feels 'very confident with how that was crafted and the input that was given.'

On Friday, the new policy faced its first legal setback after a Syrian family was exempt from the order because US District Judge William Conley in Wisconsin ruled they were 'at great risk of suffering irreparable harm' if the directive is carried out.
A number of Democrats, and even Republicans, have spoken out against the dismissal of high profile U.S. attorney for Manhattan, Preet Bharara.

On Saturday, Bharara was fired by the Trump administration for refusing to hand in his resignation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, also from New York, took to twitter and wrote: 'Preet Bharara was an excellent US attorney. Took on Wall St, public corruption & terrorists.'

'Hell be sorely missed,' the top Senate Democrat added.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., appearing this morning on CNN's State of the Union with Jake Tapper, said that President Trump had 'every right' to ask for the resignations of 46 Obama-era U.S. attorneys.

'Elections have consequences, so for people to complain about it, they're ignoring the history of new presidencies,' McCain told Tapper.

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High profile U.S. attorney for Manhattan Preet Bharara refused to hand in his resignation after the Trump administration requested a clean out of the Justice Department

Bharara tweeted on Saturday afternoon that he had been fired by the Trump administration

Sen. John McCain made comments about Bharara's dismissal today, reminding CNN's viewers that 'elections have consequences' and President Trump had 'every right' to purge the Justice Department of Obama era officials

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., took to Twitter last night and expressed sadness at the fact President Trump had let the Manhattan-based U.S. attorney go

Another New York Democrat, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, used a Trump-style tweet to get his point across about the firing of Preet Bharara

Not every Republican was in lock step with McCain, however.

When Bharara initially refused to resign, New York Assemblyman Brian Kolb, a Republican, cheered him on.

'Good for Preet, he is doing the job he was appointed to do!' Kolb tweeted on Saturday.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., styled his tweet of disapproval to sound like the current White House occupant.

'Trump just fired prosecutor renowned for public corruption cases. So much for the rule of law. Sad!' the lawmaker wrote.

Bharara's termination followed Attorney General Jeff Sessions' move on Friday asking for 46 US attorneys nominated by President Obama to resign their posts.

A source told CNN that Trump previously tried to get in touch with Bharara through his assistant, who left the US attorney a voicemail - of which the content is unknown.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., (left) and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. (right) had opposing viewpoints when it came to Preet Bharara's dismissal

Bharara returned the call and informed Trump's assistant that rules prohibit him from speaking directly with the president. Bharara also informed Sessions' chief of staff about the voicemail and said that he would not speak with Trump.

Later, Bharara received another call from Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente asking if it was true that he was refusing to resign.

When he told Boente that it was, Boente called him again later on and informed him that Trump was firing him.

Bharara, who was among those asked to leave despite meeting with Trump in November and being told he would stay on, had refused to step down.

'I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life,' Bharara tweeted on Saturday afternoon.

In a statement released Saturday afternoon, he added: 'One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served.

'I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice.

'They will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H. Kim, the current Deputy U.S. Attorney, who will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney.'

Presidents often order political appointees to resign when they take office, but the abrupt nature of the move caught some by surprise - especially given that so many were asked to leave at once.

The New York attorney was said to be blindsided by the move, CNN reports.

A federal law enforcement official told the Daily Beast earlier on Saturday that Bharara had not yet submitted his resignation and was deciding whether to challenge the Trump administration to fire him.

Trump personally asked two attorneys to stay on - current acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente and the man he picked to take over that position, Rod Rosenstein.

'The President called Dana Boente and Rod Rosenstein tonight to inform them that he has declined to accept their resignation, and they will remain in their current positions,' Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said.

It follows an NBC report that some attorneys were not aware they were expected to resign until their staff members saw posts on social media.

A source told the outlet that Sessions ended a conference call on Thursday by saying 'happy hunting' - giving them no indication of the announcement that was to follow.

Bharara met with Trump at his home in Trump Tower in November and told reporters afterward he had decided to 'stay on.'

'The President-elect asked, presumably because he's a New Yorker and is aware of the great work that our office has done over the past seven years ... whether or not I'd be prepared to stay on' Bharara said.

'I agreed.'

Bharara was among those asked to leave by Jeff Sessions, despite meeting with President Trump in November and being told he would stay on

He is among a group of Obama-appointed holdovers who did not vacate their offices following the transition to the Trump administration.

The US attorney's office in New York had no comment about the Justice Department's announcement.

As the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, Bharara has helped bring down top political leaders in both parties. His jurisdiction also could interface with the Trump Organization, which is located in Manhattan.

He helped bring down New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, on corruption charges, and then prosecuted Senate minority leader Dean Skelos, a Republican.

His jurisdiction could have put him in a position to pursue the Trump administration.

Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told ABC News there 'may be' a link between the firing and a watchdog's letter days earlier asking the attorney to investigate whether the president's companies are receiving financial benefits from foreign governments.

'There's a lot of questions coming up as to whether President Trump is concerned about the jurisdiction of this U.S. attorney,' he added.

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), who used to have Bharara on his staff and helped secure his appointment, expressed concern on Friday night.

'I'm troubled to learn of reports of requests for resignations from the remaining U.S. Attorneys, particularly that of Preet Bharara, after the President initiated a call to me in November and assured me he wanted Mr Bharara to continue to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District,' Schumer said.

'While it's true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for U.S. Attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesn't put ongoing investigations at risk. They ask for letters of resignation but the attorneys are allowed to stay on the job until their successor is confirmed.

'By asking for the immediate resignation of every remaining U.S. Attorney before their replacements have been confirmed or even nominated, the President is interrupting ongoing cases and investigations and hindering the administration of justice.'

Preet Bharara, pictured with his wife Dalya Bharara, attended the 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked 46 US attorneys to resign their posts

Bharara was among those asked to leave, despite meeting with Trump at Trump Tower (above) in November and being told he would stay on

On Wednesday, watchdog groups wrote to Bharara urging him to pursue potential violations by the Constitution's Emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments, the Washington Post reported.

The statement released by the Justice Department made no mention of Bharara or any exceptions to those being asked to resign.

'As was the case in prior transitions, many of the United States Attorneys nominated by the previous administration already have left the Department of Justice,' said Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur-Flores in a statement.

'The Attorney General has now asked the remaining 46 presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys to tender their resignations in order to ensure a uniform transition. Until the new U.S. Attorneys are confirmed, the dedicated career prosecutors in our U.S. Attorney's Offices will continue the great work of the Department in investigating, prosecuting, and deterring the most violent offenders,' she said.

A new POTUS can do what he wants with US attorneys, but coming when it does, this smacks of Trump paranoia about "deep state" conspiracies.  Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) March 10, 2017

Bharara was among 46 federal prosecutors asked to resign by the administration of President Trump

Many of the federal prosecutors who were nominated by Obama have already left their positions.

The Obama administration allowed political appointees of President George W Bush to serve until their replacement had been nominated and confirmed.

The federal prosecutors are nominated by the president, generally upon the recommendation of a home-state senator.

One US attorney appointed by Bush, Rod Rosenstein of Maryland, remained on the job for the entire Obama administration and is the current nominee for deputy attorney general.

US attorneys are responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the territories they oversee. They report to Justice Department leadership in Washington, and their priorities are expected to be in line with those of the attorney general.

Sessions submitted additional information to the Senate Judiciary Committee this week after it was revealed he did not disclose during his confirmation hearing that he had met with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. on two occasions over the course of the presidential campaign.
The new principal at embattled Punchbowl Boys High School has vowed to teach students traditional Australian values and fly the flag every day.

Robert Patruno, who replaced Islam convert Chris Griffiths, said he aims to stamp out sexism at the school after it was revealed female teachers were being excluded from school events.

In his first interview since the Muslim-majority high school was thrust into the spotlight earlier this month, Mr Patruno said he will combat religious extremism and implement a government deradicalisation program his predecessor refused to take part in.

'It's about respect, he told the Daily Telegraph.

New school principal Robert Patruno (pictured) has vowed to teach students traditional values

The kid, while he doesn't maybe shake hands because of his belief, will place his hand on his chest. He is still showing respect to that female teacher by placing his hand on his heart, Mr Patruno said.

The new principal vowed to combat religious extremism and sexism at the largely Muslim school in Sydney's west.

Mr Patruno said on Sunday he would implement the deradicalisation program  called Stronger Communities Working Together.

The new Punchbowl Boys Highschool in Sydney's west has vowed to repair the flagpole and fly the Australian flag everyday

Punchbowl Boys High School was identified as one of 19 New South Wales schools at risk of radicalising Muslim students

Punchbowl Boys High School was identified as one of 19 New South Wales schools at risk of radicalising Muslim students.

The NSW Government implemented the program to help at-risk schools across Western and South-Western Sydney.

A total of 19 schools will take part in the counter-extremism program.

Mr Patruno promised to throw his support behind the program and ensure full transparency when it came to religious practices at the school.

Mr Patruno promised to throw his support behind the program and ensure full transparency when it came to religious practices at the school

With this in mind, Mr Patruno vowed to repair the school's flagpole and fly the Australian flag every day.

He also promised to ensure students showed female teachers respect.

'It all comes down to education. If there is those values in the school, I'm going to address them. I'm not going to turn my back on them,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

New principal Robert Patruno (far right) was met with threats of violence when he started in the position

The new principal also said he was focused on rebuilding a relationship with the local police, after his predecessor Mr Griffiths, a Muslim convert, reportedly did not welcome them.

'All I know is that I need to rebuild the relationship with Bankstown police. The police haven't been welcomed into the school,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

Former principal Mr Griffiths also reportedly told students to film the police if they were ever questioned.

The new principal also said he was focused on rebuilding a relationship with the local police, after his predecessor Mr Griffiths, (pictured) a Muslim convert, apparently distrusted them

Former principal Mr Griffiths also reportedly told students to film the police if they were ever questioned

Mr Griffiths was ultimately sacked for his lack of cooperation with the police, and government, by Education Department Secretary Mark Scott.

When Mr Patruno replaced him as principal, members of the community lashed out.

He was threatened by two men, middle-eastern in appearance, on Monday night who said: 'We're going to get you; we're going to f*** you up, you dog'.

Mr Patruno said he was an professional educator and was undeserved of threats and abuse.

He also said he was a father and had only the best intentions for the students at the school.

The school in Sydney's west has been identified as one of 19 to implement a government run deradicalisation program
Celebrity chef Luke Mangan has apologised for his A Moveable Feast on Bondi beach, running out of food.

Customers who forked out hundreds of dollars to attend Mangan's food event were left furious after waiting in line for hours for food and drinks - which ran out early.

A spokeswoman for Mangan released a statement which was obtained by The Daily Telegraph on Sunday apologising.

Celebrity chef Luke Mangan has apologised for his A Moveable Feast on Bondi event running out of food

'I am writing on behalf of Luke, as he and team are aware of and sincerely apologise for the fact that some of the 3500 guests at last nights A Moveable Feast on Bondi Beach did not enjoy their experience.

'Unfortunately these issues were due to some operational challenges that sat beyond our control.

'We will be working on these issues with the event organisers to ensure the next A Moveable Feast event is run seamlessly.'

Tickets to A Moveable Feast on Bondi Beach, in Sydney's east, on Saturday evening cost $165 per person, but were only for sale in pairs.

Billed as part pop-up dinner and part synchronised picnic, it promised the anticipated thousands of visitors the 'ultimate summer celebration'.

Food lovers were promised chilled wine and a gourmet eight-course shared feast inspired by the Australian gourmet chef's restaurants around the globe.

But although it was scheduled to run up until 11pm, dozens of angry punters took to the event's Facebook hours before it ended to blast the event's organisers.

Customers who forked out hundreds of dollars to attend celebrity chef's dining event were left furious after having to wait in line for hours for food and drinks  which ran out early.

They complained about long queues, a two-hour wait for alcohol they had pre-purchased and a lack of food leading some to be rescued by Domino's.

One customer demanded a refund on the $500 he had spent on tickets.

'Worst $500 spent on 2 hour wait for preordered booze then no food left due to amazingly poor event organisation,' mikeys71 wrote on Instagram.

He added Domino's 'came to rescue at end of night as no staff had any idea what was happening'.

'Hoping for refund or $500 voucher at your restaurant not happy Jan!'

Zeina Chalich added on Twitter: 'Love Bondi but @Luke Mangan what a joke!

'I'm glad you ran our & we missed your food. Waiting 2hrs for a drink was bad too.'

Georgia Cable shared a picture of the event's food and described it as 'horrendous'

Georgia Cable shared a picture of the 'horrendous' food served on the event's Facebook page.

She wrote: '$320 for an airline meal and I didn't even get a holiday to go with it! Ridiculous queues for pre-ordered drinks and a plastic chair at a trestle table on the beach.'

Ms Cable also blasted the event's organisers for having a course that was simply a bread roll with olive oil and said charging $60 a bottle for a $15 wine was 'offensive.'

Liv Aaron added: 'The Jetstar food on my flight home yesterday was better than this! An absolute joke!'

Thousands of people flocked to Bondi Beach. paying $165 per person for tickets to the event

Many complained about the long lies, poor quality food and shambolic organisation

Angry customers flooded social media complaining about the lack of food and long queues

Debbie Lucey remarked: 'Ironic that it's called A Moveable Feast when the patrons spent the majority of the time in a stationary queue.'

Tanya Maria Mah described the event as a 'sorry shamble' and said security manhandled customers, adding there was also a lack of water stations.

'What a sorry shamble of an event,' she wrote on Facebook.

'The event was desperately unorganised and poorly planned - the staff literally had NO IDEA what in hell they were meant to do other that look completely dumbfounded and overwhelmed at the smallest requests.'

One man wrote he paid $500 for tickets to the event on Bondi Beach and received no food

The man added that he and his friends ended up eating Domino's pizza despite being promised an eight-course 'gourmet' feast at the event

She said she paid $165 for a pre-packaged hamper of food that she never received and had to wait more than an hour in line for a drink.

Ms Mah added that customers were not able to leave the beach to get a takeaway and 'security staff man-handled hungry punters and were completely over the top with their security measures.'

Christopher Archer wrote that he waited three hours for 'obscenely priced' alcohol at the event and even when food ran out, customers weren't allowed a pass to leave to eat elsewhere and return later.

'Terribly organised event. $135 for aeroplane food that we never received as it ran out, 3 hour wait for obscenely priced wine/champagne, no water and no option for a pass out, to leave and come back so we could grab a drink at a bar and enjoy the DJ later on,' he wrote.

'Disappointing is an understatement.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted A Moveable Feast for comment.
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Shocking photo have been released showing wolfhound dogs attacking each other in organised fights set up by breeders.

The vicious bouts took place at a stadium in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, earlier today.

The bloody contests were organised by a local dog breeders club with the aim of finding the dog best suited to improve the Asian Shepherd breed, organisers claimed.

Twelve owners, from across Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, brought their dogs to fight for the title of Champion of Breed.

Although banned in many countries around the world, dog fighting is a popular and legal past time in the country.

While the massive canines violently attack each other, breeders, owners and spectators watch and even film the animals.

Shocking photo have been released showing wolfhound dogs attacking each other in organised fights set up by breeders

The vicious bouts between large Asian Shepherd dogs took place at a stadium in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, earlier today

The bloody contests were organised by a local dog breeders club with the aim of finding the dog best suited to improve the Asian Shepherd breed, organisers claimed

Twelve owners, from across Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, brought their dogs to fight for the title of Champion of Breed

Although banned in many countries around the world, dog fighting is a popular and legal past time in the country

The bloody sport involving large dog breeds, while shocking to Westerners, is more accepted in the former Soviet state

Dog-fighting competitions such as this are not unique to Kyrgyzstan - they are also known to be held in China

While the massive canines viciously attack each other, breeders, owners and spectators watch and even film the animals
Saudi Arabia's King Salman has arrived in Tokyo with his 1,000-strong entourage making the first visit to Japan by a monarch from the nation in nearly five decades.

The 81-year-old king, who was greeted by Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito at Haneda airport, will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday and as he kicks off the Japanese leg of a broader tour of Asia.

Salman, who will visit 83-year-old Emperor Akihito on Tuesday, is travelling in style with his demands ranging from golden elevators to a fleet of hundreds of limousines.

Saudi Arabian King Salman (centre) gets off the plane upon his arrival at Haheda Airport in Tokyo on March 12, 2017

Saudi Arabia's King Salman arrives in Japan as part of a four-day visit on his Asian tour

King Salman makes his way down his custom-made golden escalators - one of many luxury items to have made the trip

The king's visit marks the first from the nation to Japan in almost 50 years

Some 1,200 rooms at Tokyo's luxury hotels have been booked by the delegation for the three-night stay through Wednesday, according to local media, which has also reported that hundreds of limousines have been brought into the capital to accomodate the visitors.

This follows a lavish nine-day trip to Indonesia where the king ordered for a special toilet to be build in a mosque and a custom seat to be built in the House of Representatives.

King Salman (left) gets off the plane in Japan

Saudi Arabia is the largest provider of oil exports for Japan, which relies on Middle East for energy to power the world's third largest economy.

Japan hopes to use the visit to widen its relations with Saudi Arabia and help the country's efforts to diversify its economy, including exploring ways to increase Japanese investments in non-energy sectors such as manufacturing, according to officials.

King Salman's arrival marks the first visit to Japan by a Saudi leader since the 1971 visit to Japan by then-King Faisal.

King Salman himself, however, last visited Japan in 2014 as a crown prince.

The king is on a month-long tour of Asia, which has already taken him to Malaysia and Indonesia.

After Japan, he is scheduled to visit China and the Maldives.

Maldivian opposition parties on Friday raised objections to the planned visit and warned that they would stage protests over reports that Saudi business interests were buying an entire atoll in the politically-troubled Indian Ocean republic.

KING SALMAN'S LAVISH DEMANDS Advertisement

JAPAN:

As well as the extras King Salman took to Indonesia, he has made some more requests just for Japan

1,200 rooms in luxury hotels in Tokyo have been block booked for his massive entourage for the three-night stay

A fleet of hundreds of limousines have been taken with him to Asia including modified Mercedes-Benz s600s

Two golden escalators to take him from his enormous private jet

INDONESIA:
The family of a British mother jailed in a notorious Iranian prison on secret charges say her health has deteriorated so badly that she can barely walk.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 38, a British-Iranian citizen, was detained as she was trying to return to Britain with her daughter Gabriella after visiting family in Iran last April.

Since then she has been held as a political prisoner and sentenced to five years behind bars for charges which have not been made public.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (pictured), 38, a British-Iranian citizen, was detained as she was trying to return to Britain with her daughter Gabriella after visiting family in Iran last April

The charity worker was accused of plotting to topple the Iranian regime.

An appeal made to lower her sentence was rejected in January.

Now Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's sister-in-law Rebecca Jones, who lives in Cardiff, said that while her brother Richard's wife was no longer being kept in high security, she was starting to suffer physically.

Evin Prison, where she is held, is known for its severe conditions and its impact on prisoners' health.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is said to have suffered dangerous weight loss, hair loss and has become virtually unable to walk.

GP Mrs Jones said: 'Nazanin is still in Evin Prison. She's now in a political wing, so she is no longer isolated and is with other prisoners so she is starting to make friends.

'Physically, her health is deteriorating. She now has problems with her left shoulder, neck and left arm.

'She had a visit from a neurologist who wanted her to go to hospital but every prison has rejected that, though negotiations are ongoing.

Richard Ratcliffe has not seen his wife or daughter since before they left for Iran, with Gabriella in the care of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's parents who live in Tehran (pictured, the family)

'She now has more regular visits from Gabriella with her mum and dad and she gets occasional calls to Richard once or twice a month.'

Richard Ratcliffe has not seen his wife or daughter since before they left for Iran, with Gabriella in the care of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's parents who live in Tehran.

Mrs Jones said: 'She's still very desperate to come out as soon as possible. She's having a lot of panic attacks, anxiety and restless nights which are affecting her physical health as well.

'In many ways things have got better for her but I think it has hit home that her release might not be imminent any time soon.

'Of course she has been in prison with women who haven't been released for seven or eight years.'

Back in the UK, Mr Ratcliffe, of Hampstead in north London, has been in contact with the UK Government to petition them to put pressure on Iranian regime to release his wife.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe (pictured, with her husband Richard) is said to have suffered dangerous weight loss, hair loss and has become virtually unable to walk

Mr Ratcliffe (pictured, with his wife) has been desperately contacting the British Government and urging them to put pressure on the Iranian regime to release his wife

Mrs Jones said: 'I think the longer this goes on the more frustrating it is for Richard.

'The whole family are bewildered why nobody high up in the Government hasn't asked for her release. When you go back and talk to the Government and nothing much has changed, it's disheartening really.

'There are good days and bad days. Richard tries to be upbeat but when he's in his flat on his own he can get quite low.'

A spokesman from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: 'We are deeply concerned that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's sentence has been confirmed following an unsuccessful appeal while Iran continues to refuse the UK consular access to her.

'The UK's Minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood, has spoken to his Iranian opposite number to express our concerns.

'The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have both previously raised this case with their counterparts.

'We have been supporting Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family since we were first made aware of her arrest.

'Mr Ellwood has met her husband in London and her family in Tehran to assure them that we will continue to do all we can for her.

'We are continuing to press the Iranians for consular access and for due process to be followed, and are ready to help get her daughter back safely to the UK if requested.'
David Letterman's gap-toothed grin was a welcome sight in homes across the nation from 1982-2015.

But despite the comedian's warm on-screen personality and sparkling wit, those who worked with him say they knew a different man: A glowering, insecure figure whose fiery temper scared away many of those close to him.

His time on Late Night and the Late Show were punctuated with angry outbursts, crude behavior towards female guests and hours-long self-loathing sessions, The New York Daily News reported.

Difficult: David Letterman was hugely popular as the host of Late Night and the Late Show - but insiders claim that he was insecure, and that his insecurity would turn into attacks on others

Claims: The claims come from Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night, out in April. In it, some of Letterman's former colleagues and friends say he was difficult to deal with

The claims - including some from Letterman's closest colleagues and friends - are collected in the upcoming book Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night by Jason Zinoman.

In the book, Zinoman says that the comedy megastar was miserable almost from the very beginning of his time on the talk show circuit.

In 1980 he was given The David Letterman Show - a morning gig on NBC that netted him two Emmy Awards but was cancelled within months.

His then-girlfriend, Merrill Markoe, an influential writer on the show, recalled how he screamed at her across a street: 'If it weren't for you and your crazy ideas, I'd still have a talk show like John Davidson!'

NBC kept Letterman on contract and shifted him to Late Night after Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, but Markoe says that did little to cheer Letterman.

Despite popular acclaim, she noted at the time, 'The last ten months have included a nightly discussion about what a failure we are.'

Over the following years, Zinoman said, he would become such a tyrant that one of his head writers, Tim Long, would begin to chew Coke cans to relieve the stress - sometimes swallowing bits of tin.

But it wasn't just behind the scenes that people suffered, Zinoman wrote - no-one was safe.

Shock: In 1998 Letterman shocked Jennifer Aniston (pictured in 2006) when he attempted to suck on her hair. He reportedly also called Andie MacDowell the C-word after a difficult interview

'There comes a moment when he turns on you,' one long-time collaborator said.

That's something Letterman's peer Jay Leno - who had made his TV debut on the Tonight Show, but was frequently featured on Late Night - would discover.

Their friendship was ruined, Zinoman says, when Leno took over from Carson in 1993 - something that horrified the insecure Letterman, who thought he was a shoe-in for the role.

Things appeared to look up when CBS offered him a record-busting $16 million contract to host their Late Show, but that seemed to exacerbate what Zinoman calls his 'fear of failure'.

'It got worse when he went to CBS,' said Paul Shaffer, Letterman's long-time bandleader.

'Any flaw, minor flaw, he exaggerated. He was most uncomfortable at No. 1.'

When Jay Leno landed a huge interview with Hugh Grant after the Brit star slept with prostitute Divine Brown, he leeched huge numbers of viewers from Letterman - viewers who never came back.

After the interview, the book claims, Letterman performed a skit with a life-size doll of himself.

Letterman hit the doll, causing a burst of laughter from the audience... and then kept hitting it, over and over and over again, until the humor had drained from the room and the audience sat uncomfortably in silence, Zinoman said.

Bitter: Letterman was bitter about Jay Leno getting Johnny Carton's Tonight Show job, insiders claim - and even more so when Leno's 1995 interview with Hugh Grant pulled away viewers

His insecurity also led to him lashing out at his crew behind the scenes, the book claims.

When a guest dropped out in the late 1980s, Barry Sand - a producer who had worked with Letterman since his days as a morning show host - managed to bring in Mel Gibson at the last minute.

Gibson, who was a megastar thanks to Lethal Weapon, was a huge scoop for the show.

But Letterman reportedly exploded, shouting 'Who the hell wants Mel Gibson? I dont want Mel Gibson!'

The host brought in Kamarr the Discount Magician - a recurring guest on the show with more than 40 appearances - instead.

How'd you like to be married to that c**t? David Letterman on Andie MacDowell, according to ex-colleague Rich Hall

Even guests were not safe from Letterman's venom - and his sometimes questionable attitude towards women, the book claims.

Comedian Rich Hall, who had written for Letterman on NBC, appeared as a guest on his CBS show.

He came onstage after an awkward interview between Letterman and Andie MacDowell, and moments before cameras rolled, Letterman allegedly asked 'How'd you like to be married to that c**t?'

And in 1998, Letterman famously attempted to suck on an unwitting Jennifer Aniston's hair, causing the actress to recoil in horror as he leaned into her neck, vampire-like.

Letterman appears to have mellowed since he stepped away from the studio, Zinoman says.

But for many of those who worked with him during his time as one of the late-night lynchpins, the bitter memories linger on.

David Letterman has been approached for comment.

Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night by Jason Zinoman is published on April 11.
These shocking images show the squalid shipping container where a kidnapped cattle dealer was held hostage as a criminal gang demanded a 400,000 ransom.

Paul Gogan, 42, from Essex, was allegedly threatened with a shotgun and told he would be killed or have his fingers cut off during his five-day ordeal inside a disused refrigerator container in a remote field in Northern Ireland.

Bound by cable ties, Mr Gogan was held in pitch dark, with no sanitation, surrounded by horse faeces and only dirty mattresses to lie on.

The 42-year-old, who was targeted over an alleged unpaid debt, was given only limited food and water.

Shocking pictures showed the appalling conditions in which Paul Gogan, 42, was held hostage

Mr Gogan, from Essex, was kept for five days inside a disused refrigerator container

Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray said the victim endured a 'terrifying ordeal'.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland officer said: 'He didn't know whether he was going to live, he didn't know whether he was going to die - he didn't know if he did live, was he going to come out hurt, permanently injured, with fingers cut off.'

Mr Gogan was finally released across the Irish border after a reduced ransom of 100,000 was paid by his family - money that has never been recovered.

'Kidnapping is a very, very traumatic crime,' said Mr Murray.

'Thankfully, it is reasonably infrequent in Northern Ireland and that's the way we want to keep it and that's why this case is a success story for us - we overcame a number of criminal justice hurdles to convict five individuals in relation to a very, very serious crime.'

Mr Gogan was tied up at gunpoint, hooded and bundled into a van and driven to the site

Scottish businessman Robert James Vevers and four men from Co Tyrone all escaped immediate custodial sentences last month after pleading guilty to various offences linked to the October 2012 kidnap.

Vevers, 60, from Crawick, in Dumfries, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail, conspiracy for false imprisonment and kidnap. He was handed a term of two and half years, suspended for three years.

Omagh men Patrick Noel McCaul, 45, and Matthew McClean, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail. They were sentenced to two years suspended for three years.

Robert McClean, 23, from Omagh, and Martin Arkinson, 22, from Strabane, pleaded guilty to assisting offenders.

They were handed 18 month and 12 month sentences respectively, both suspended for three years.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said it was considering referring the sentences to the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal on the grounds of being unduly lenient.

The maximum jail term for kidnap is life, while that for blackmail is 14 years.

Mr Gogan was bundled into a van and driven 25 miles to the field where the container sat

Mr Murray, who declined to comment on the sentences, hailed the 'tenacity and commitment' of his officers.

He said their task was made more difficult when Mr Gogan withdrew his complaint two years into the investigation.

Despite no victim testimony, CCTV, DNA and phone evidence helped build the case.

'Dedicated detectives working for four years with a reluctant witness and one telephone number built a case that was capable of bring five individuals before the court for very, very serious crimes,' said Mr Murray.

Mr Gogan, 42, was allegedly threatened with a shotgun and told he would be killed or have his fingers cut off during his five-day ordeal inside the container

The plot unfolded when Vevers asked Mr Gogan to accompany him to Northern Ireland in 2012 to have a look at a meat factory similar, he claimed, to one he wanted to set up in England.

It was a fabrication and when the pair arrived by ferry Mr Gogan was instead driven to a farmyard near Omagh where he was confronted by a gang of masked men.

He was bundled into a van and driven 25 miles to the field where the container sat.

A call made by the kidnappers to Mr Gogan's father demanding 400,000 and threatening to cut off his fingers proved their undoing.

Detectives ultimately were able to trace the call back to the gang members.

Mr Murray said DNA on balaclavas found near the container and on cable ties used to bind Mr Gogan were also key to building the case, as was extensive examination of CCTV at the port and in Co Tyrone.

A PPS spokesman said: 'The Public Prosecution Service is currently considering if there is a basis to refer the sentence in this case to the Court of Appeal on the grounds that it may be unduly lenient.

'An unduly lenient sentence is one that falls outside the range of sentence that a judge, taking into consideration all relevant factors and having regard to sentencing guidance, could reasonably consider appropriate.'
Former private schoolboy John Zakhariev, 21, (pictured) has been reportedly arrested in Bulgaria on terrorism charges

A former private schoolboy who allegedly tried to join Islamic State in the Middle East in 2013 has reportedly been arrested in Bulgaria on terror charges.

John Zakhariev, 21, allegedly travelled to Syria for a short time after he graduated from Sydney's catholic school for boys Waverley College in 2012, Fairfax Media reported.

But Bulgarian authorities allege the Sydney man - who is the son of a Vietnamese mother and a Bulgarian father - was sent packing in 2013 because he was not competent for combat training.

Authorities allege Zakhariev had travelled to Bulgaria last year to train himself at shooting ranges after he obtained a Bulgarian passport.

Mr Zakhariev admits visiting a legal shooting range in Bulgaria, but denies it was for 'training' purposes.

However, he claimed he only wanted the passport so he could travel in the EU and to help his father, 82, a former UN diplomat, move back to his homeland to retire.

Mr Zakhariev's lawyer Hristo Botev told the publication the allegations he was preparing himself for the terrorist group were 'absurd'.

The man allegedly travelled to Syria after graduating from Sydney's Waverley College in 2012

His 25-year-old sister Nevena Zakhariev told Fairfax Media the family thought it was a joke when her brother was arrested.

'At first, I just thought it was a big misunderstanding, we laughed it off thinking he'd be home in a couple of weeks because he's done nothing wrong,' she said.

'But as months and months passed, it became more serious. My fear is that the government wants to make an example out of him and he'll go to jail for something he didn't do.'

The man has been detained since September last year as he's expected to front a court hearing on March 17.

'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing appropriate consular assistance to an Australian man detained in Bulgaria, in accordance to the Consular Services Charter,' a DFAT spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump has completed a Florida triathlon after Jared and Ivanka were pictured on a couple's power jog.

The Trump clan seem to be doing their best to keep in shape through the winter months.

On Sunday, Lara, who is married to Eric Trump, completed the LasOlasTriathlon in Fort Lauderdale, a course were athletes can swim up to 1,000 meters, cycle 20 miles and run up to 6.2 miles.

'Pretty terrible conditions today but, we did it! #LasOlasTriathlon #RoundDeux' Lara posted in Instagram with pictures of herself in her Lycra running gear.

Her impressive feat comes just 24 hours after Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner braved the chilly weather to go jogging around their neighborhood on Saturday morning before heading out on a family outing.

The couple were spotted leaving their Washington D.C. home early and were followed closely by secret service agents as they took off through the streets.

Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump (left) has completed a Florida triathlon after Jared and Ivanka were pictured on a couple's power jog

On Sunday, Lara completed the LasOlasTriathlon in Fort Lauderdale, a course were athletes can swim up to 1000 meters, cycle 20 miles and run up to 6.2 miles. On Saturday she posted this picture with the caption: 'Tomorrow, we do it again'

Ivanka Trump was spotted outside her Washington D.C. home early Saturday morning when she went jogging with her husband

Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner braved the chilly weather to go running around their neighborhood

Ivanka, 35, rugged up with a maroon beanie, navy sweatpants and a black high-neck sweatshirt. Her husband was spotted in all-black running attire with just a cap to keep his head warm.

A female secret service agent ran beside them with what appeared to be a radio in her hand, before following them through a gate into their home.

The couple left their home later in the morning with their daughter five-year-old Arabella. They were spotted getting ready to head out and their daughter wore a bike helmet.

It comes after Ivanka spent the night baking cookies with the couple's children as they prepared to celebrate the annual Jewish holiday of Purim.

The mother of three shared a cute snap on Instagram of her with daughter Arabella, 5, and Joseph, 3, making hamentashen.

The triangular cookies, which are typically filled with either poppy seed, raspberry or apricot preserves, are a staple during Purim, which falls on March 11 and 12 this year.

Purim is celebrated during huge parties in Jewish communities around the world.

Lara, who is married to Eric Trump (pictured together last June) successfully completed her triathlon challenge

Ivanka and Jared were later spotted heading out with their five-year-old daughter Arabella

Dressed in a maroon beanie and navy sweatpants, Ivanka was spotted dashing through a gate at her home following her run. She was followed by a female secret service agent

At one point during their run, a female secret service agent ran beside Kusnher with what appeared to be a radio in her hand

They were spotted getting ready to head out later on Saturday as their young daughter wore a bike helmet

Ivanka accompanied the photo with the caption: 'After-school fun making hamentashen for Purim with Arabella and Joseph.'

Her youngest child, soon-to-be one-year-old Theodore, didn't seem to be part of the baking session.

The couple moved their family from New York to Washington when Jared became a senior advisor to his father-in-law at the White House.

They moved into their $5.5million house in the Kalorama neighborhood, not far from the Obamas' new home.

Ivanka, who was raised Presbyterian and converted to Judaism prior to her wedding in 2009, has shared photos of her family celebrating Purim and observing other Jewish traditions in recent years.

The day before Ivanka shared her family snap, her brother Eric posted a photo of the two of them in Washington, DC, saying he missed his sister since she moved out of New York City.

Eric and Ivanka posed for the picture on International Women's Day, during which Ivanka attended the luncheon hosted by her stepmother Melania in the State Dining Room.
A competitive father and son are battling for the lead in Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Mitch Seavey, 57, a two-time Iditarod champion, was the first musher out of the checkpoint in the village of Kaltag on Sunday, leaving at 4.40am.

Seavey's son reigning champion Dallas Seavey, 30, departed five minutes later. The Iditarod crosses nearly 1,000 miles of grueling Alaska wilderness.

And they're off: Two-time Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey takes off two positions ahead of his son, reigning champion Dallas Seavey, at the start of the 45th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Fairbanks on Monday

Reigning champ: Dallas Seavey, four-time Iditarod winner and reigning champion waves at the start of the race

This year's race started March 6 in Fairbanks and the winner is expected early this week in the town of Nome, along Alaska's frozen Bering Sea coast.

Dallas Seavey has won four of the past five races. He is a third generation musher who grew up helping his dad train his racing teams, according to the Iditarod's website.

The father and son are close, but also competitive. Mitch Seavey has finished in second place behind Dallas the past two years.

The 30-year-old holds the race's title for youngest champion and the fastest, according to the Alaska Dispatch News. He finished the 2016 race in eight days, and 11 hours.

Mushers begin the race with teams of 12 to 16 dogs, and must have at least five on the towline at the finish line. The father and son each arrived at Kaltag with 13 dogs and left with 12.

Officials with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race said an injured dog that died while being flown to Anchorage showed signs of overheating.

The two-year-old male dog on musher Scott Smith's team died Friday while in transit from the Galena checkpoint.

Smith dropped the dog, Smoke, from the team Tuesday because of a wrist injury.

Veteran musher Wade Marrs was the third competitor out of Kaltag on Sunday, leaving at 5.28 am.

In a photo provided by the Iditarod Trail Committee, Iditarod musher Katherine Keith arrives at the Huslia half-way checkpoint with 13 dogs in harness Friday morning

Two-times champion Mitch Seavey hugs son, Dallas Seavey (four-times champion) before they both race

Next was Nicolas Petit, a native of France who lives just south of Anchorage. Petit departed at 6.35 am.

Rounding out the top five was Joar Leifseth Ulsom of Norway, who left Kaltag at 6.50 am.

The Kaltag checkpoint offers a brief respite before the trail heads overland to the wind-whipped coast of Norton Sound, the race website says.

Animal advocates say the race can be deadly for dogs, and the animals are forced to run. But supporters say it celebrates world-class canine athletes that have been conditioned to perform at the highest levels.
Margaret Johnson, 40, dubbed the 'Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham' is jailed for her 153rd offence after going on a three-week stealing spree six days after being released for similar crimes

A thief dubbed the 'Pickpocket Queen of Birmingham' is jailed for her 153rd offence after going on a stealing spree just six days after being released from prison.

Margaret Johnson, 40, stole a 60-year-old woman's handbag in Lidl and pinched someone's phone in Asda on January 24.

The next day she stole a bag from an 84-year-old woman in Aldi and made off with a pregnant lady's phone 24 hours later.

The cold-hearted thief snatched the bag of a 76-year-old woman shopping in Lidl with her grandson who has Downs Syndrome on February 2.

She was caught on CCTV stalking the pair around the aisles - and when the pensioner had her back turned she swiped the handbag from inside a shopping trolley.

The woman was devastated as the bag contained cash, a bank card, and a glass eye belonging to her son who was killed in a car crash 30 years ago.

The cold-hearted thief snatched the bag from an 76-year-old woman in Lidl. The elderly lady was in town with her grandson, who has Downs Syndrome. Pictured, Johnson targets an elderly shopper in Aldi

She was jailed for two-and-a-half years just over seven weeks after she was released from prison. Pictured, Johnson moves in to steal from the elderly lady

On February 6, she stole another bag from an 80-year-old lady in B&M Bargains.

She was jailed on March 10, just over seven weeks after she was released for similar offences.

Johnson was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court after admitting six counts of theft.

She also pleaded guilty to breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) when she was spotted at the Bullring Shopping Centre where she was previously banned from.

Johnson also pleaded guilty to breaching a Criminal Behavious Order when she was spotted at the Bullring Shopping Centre. Pictured, the thief reaches towards the lady as she is distracted taking something off the shelf

She has been banned from large parts of Birmingham city centre and from stores such as Poundland, Clarkes, Iceland and Asda across the whole of the West Midlands. Pictured, Johnson steals from the woman

After the case, Sergeant Julia Slater, of West Midlands Police, said: 'It's hard to find words to describe Margaret Johnson.

'She is someone who thinks absolutely nothing about preying on the most vulnerable people in society and stealing money from them that they can ill-afford to lose.

'She deliberately targets elderly, lone female shoppers - people she considers easy targets - and when an opportunity arises she slyly swipes their bags or slips purses or mobile phones from pockets.

'Even by her own despicable standards she has stooped to new lows with these offences.

'She has been given ample opportunity to change her ways but refuses to engage with our offender management teams and throws offers of support back in our faces.

'Shoppers in the city are much safer with Johnson in prison.'

Pictured, Johnson quickly moves away and pretends like nothing happened. Meanwhile, the woman is still getting items from the supermarket shelf. She also made off with a pregnant woman's phone in Aldi

She was last jailed in July 2015. As she was led away, she gave policemen the middle finger and said: 'I'll be back.' Pictured, CCTV showing Johnson (left) walk towards her next victim

The court heard Johnson has clocked up a staggering 153 offences including 93 for theft.

In July 2015 when she was jailed previously she pointed her middle finger up at officers telling them: 'I'll be back' as she was led to the cells.

After being released she then went on a three-week campaign of thefts and was caged again in January last year.

Birmingham has the only other specialist pickpocket team in the UK outside of London. They went undercover to monitor Johnson's activities when she was released. Pictured, Johnson prepares to steal from her victim in a supermarket

Her latest conviction also came with a CBO banning her from large parts of Birmingham city centre and from stores such as Poundland, Clarkes, Iceland and Asda across the whole of the West Midlands.

Sgt Slater added: 'Breaching the Order is a criminal offence if any of our officers spot her in an area or store where she's excluded from then she'll be arrested and faces being sent back to prison.

'Birmingham Police's Pickpocket Team is the only such specialist theft unit in the UK outside London and sees undercover officers posing as shoppers on the look-out for thieves, aggressive begging and suspicious activity.'
A mother is suing an Ontario hospital for neglect after her premature baby's skull was fractured when a nurse fell asleep while feeding him and dropped the baby boy.

Kelsey Bond, 19, from Marmora, said she received a phone call from the Quinte Health Care 7 maternity department in Belleville Hospital, notifying her that her baby had fallen, the National Post reported.

'I received a phone call at eight oclock in the morning saying that the nurse had fallen asleep feeding him and woke up to him crying on the floor,' she said of the February 20 incident.

New baby: Mother of premature twins Kelsey Bond (pictured right with her husband) is suing a hospital after one of her babies suffered a skull fracture when a nurse dropped the infant after she fell asleep while feeding him

Twin Kieran Keller, pictured, was born on December 23, nearly three months premature. He was transferred to a special care unit on February 3

Bond added that the hospital apologized and assured her baby Keiran Keller was fine after a pediatrician checked on him after the incident and found nothing wrong. The mother said the horrifying news had left her speechless and she hung up.

The new mother-of-twins said the accident occurred at 3am, but she was not notified until five hours later. The name and details of the nurse were not released.

Baby Kieran and Kayden were born on December 23 at 29 weeks of gestation, almost three months premature, the site reported. The baby boys were transferred to the special-care nursery in early February but Kayden was released a week later.

Kieran remained in the special unit because of lung conditions and other complications. Bond, who has a third child aged two, said she had been feeding Kayden when she received the call about the mishap.

The mother then called the hospital and asked for a head ultrasound and arrived at the maternity ward later that day with her mother-in-law.

The mother (pictured with her twins) said the hospital called her at 8am on February 20 to inform her that her son had been accidentally dropped by a nurse, but assured her the boy was fine

Bond's son had been at Quinte Health Care 7 maternity department in Belleville Hospital in Ontario

The teen said her son's head seemed 'swollen' and 'red on the left side', reports said.

Despite Belleville Hospital doctors' reassurance that her baby was fine, Bond said she had a feeling her son was not and transferred him to a different hospital.

Kieran was transferred via ambulance the following day to Kingston General Hospital, about an hour away from Belleville.

A CT scan showed Kieran had a depressed fracture in his skull and there was a collection of blood between the brain and skull, documents obtained by the National Post said.

Kelsey Bond holds up her son Kayden to see his twin Kieran. The mother has a third son, aged two

The baby boy had been in and out of hospitals until March 2, when he was said to be doing better, the mother said. However, Bond said Kieran still needs extra special care compared to his brother, and she is concerned about the long-term effects.

Doctors told Bond her son's head may not fully heal for up to six months to a year.

Quinte Health Cares Carol Smith Romeril apologized for the incident saying the hospital was 'devastated' and 'sorry' that the baby suffered a fall under their care.

She called the incident an 'unusual event' and reassured the hospital practiced safe and 'excellent' care.

Bond told the paper that the nurse who was responsible for dropping her son had not been suspended or punished.

Hospital officials however did not comment on the nurse's status. Romeril said public statements about accidents may put off workers from reporting them in the future.

'We cant have people thinking that theyll automatically lose their jobs or be reprimanded for a human mistake,' she told the Post.

Romeril added: 'This is a very unusual event and I think the assurance in the care is a long history of excellent and wonderful care.

'I dont believe this unusual and unfortunate incident that were apologizing for negates all that.'

Senior director Susan Rowe did not comment on the baby's fracture that was found at another hospital.

She said they are working on an investigation and the matter will be discussed with the family.

Bond said she was frustrated with the apology and is filing a suit for neglect. She has filed a complaint with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
Police are hunting for a mother-of-five last seen being bundled into her own car with her hands tied together in Hillsborough County on Saturday.

Alisa Summers, 37, was seen screaming for help as she was shoved into her dark blue Saturn Outlook, outside a Walgreens on Fishhawk Crossing Boulevard.

Her husband, Trevor Steven Summers, 39, is a possible suspect in the kidnapping, ABC Action News said.

Gone: Alisa Summers (left and right) was seen being kidnapped at around 9pm on Saturday. Police say husband Trevor (left) is a likely suspect. The pair are separated from each other

Kids: The pair have five children together, as seen in pictures on Alisa's Facebook page from as late as September. In November she posted that she was moving to another city

Alisa and Trevor Summers are separated and have injunctions out against one another.

Alisa, of Valrico, went to his Riverview home to talk to him about their marriage on Saturday, police said.

She did not return to her house.

Instead, she was seen apparently with her hands tied behind her back and being pushed into her car at 9pm outside the Walgreens, around 20 minutes' drive from his Riverside home.

The Saturn Outlook has the license plate GLH M32, and is registered to Alisa.

Vehicle: This is Alisa's dark blue Saturn Outlook, license plate GLH M32, which she was said to have been bundled into. She was screaming and her hands were tied behind her back

Alisa and Trevor are seen together - along with five children - in photographs on her Facebook page as late as September.

But in November a status update said that she had moved to Valrico.

And posts after that suggest a tumultuous time in her life.

In one post on February 25, she shared this post from author Lisa Terkeurst: 'The enemy wants us to get so discouraged that we flirt with feelings of defeat. He wants our hearts broken, our spirits weakened, and our minds filled with fear.

'But we know how this story ends. So we will not back down or shy away. We are Jesus girls!'

Alisa remarked: 'Exactly what I needed!'

Anyone with information on Alisa, Trevor or the car is asked to call Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on (813) 247-8200.
Toys R Us have recalled a children's rattle ball in the UK over fears that babies could choke to death on the tiny beads inside.

The Kids II Oball rattle has been pulled from shelves in the British toy shop after 42 people in the U.S. complained that the beads can break out of the rattle.

Of these complaints, three children gagged on the small pieces.

Toys R Us have recalled the Kids II Oball rattle ball (pictured) in the UK over fears that babies could choke to death on the tiny beads inside. There have been 42 complaints in the U.S.

More than 81,000 rattles could be affected in the UK.

The small balls are sold by the popular retailer for 4.99 each.

Toys R Us wrote on their U.S. site: 'The clear plastic disc on the outside of the ball can break, releasing small beads, posing a choking hazard to young children.

'The firm has received 42 reports of the plastic disc breaking releasing small beads including two reports of beads found in childrens mouths and three reports of gagging.

Parents found that the clear plastic can break, scattering the small orange balls. There were three reports of children gagging on the beads in the U.S. Pictured, the recall notice on the manufacturers' website

'Consumers should immediately take these recalled rattles away from young children and contact the firm to receive a full refund.'

The recall only affects rattles sold after January 1, with date codes T0486, T1456, T2316, T2856 and T3065, which can be found on the rattle.

In the U.S. and Canada, almost 700,000 of the toys could be affected.
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin blasted the GOP's healthcare plan as 'socialism' on Saturday, the same day Vice President Mike Pence attempted to convince Kentucky leaders that the 'Obamacare nightmare' is nearing it's end.

Palin said in an interview with conservative news outlet Breitbart that she is expecting president Donald Trump to 'step in and fix it'.

'Even in this new quasi-reformed proposal, there is still an aspect of socialism.'

She said was really concerned with the fact that Paul Ryan's healthcare bill does not eliminate Obamacare's mandate, which requires all Americans to purchase health insurance. But under Ryan's plan, those who not comply, pay a fee to the insurance companies.

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin blasted the GOP's healthcare plan as 'socialism' on Saturday, the same day Vice President Mike Pence attempted to convince Kentucky leaders that the 'Obamacare nightmare' is nearing it's end

Meanwhile, Pence told Kentucky officials that the new healthcare plan would create an 'orderly transition' to end the 'Obamacare nightmare'. The vice president has been the chief salesman for Trump's push to repeal and replace the law. He's pictured with Kentucky Gov Matt Bevin

'This 30 per cent additional fee will be collected by some in the private sector, which will mean politicians are allowed again to pick the winners and losers, and it makes you wonder who's lobbying hardest for aspects of this new bill because obviously there are special interests involved.

'Otherwise, certain private sector segments of our economy wouldn't be rewarded as they will be with this fee, instead of going to the IRS going to private companies,' Palin said.

Palin added that she's confident that Trump will fix the healthcare plan.

'I have great faith that President Trump is one who will fulfill campaign promises. He already has a track record of doing so well in these first months,' she said.

And Palin isn't opposed to all aspects of the plan.

'As a businessman, he's going to understand whether this makes sense in his vision of how to grow businesses and how to get government off our back and back on our side,' she added.

Meanwhile, Pence told Kentucky officials that the new healthcare plan would create an 'orderly transition' to end the 'Obamacare nightmare'.

Pence presented the Trump administration's case for healthcare to unimpressed Republican Gov Matt Bevin and other local leaders.

Trump also spoke highly of the proposed plan, saying that his administration is 'making great progress with healthcare'. He's pictured with several members of his cabinet and their spouses

'Despite some fear-mongering among those on the left, we are gonna work with Congress and work with Health and Human Services and we are gonna have an orderly transition to a better healthcare system,' Pence said.

'We're gonna make the best healthcare system in the world even better,' Pence said. 'The ObamaCare nightmare is about to end.'

Trump also spoke highly of the proposed plan, saying that his administration is 'making great progress with healthcare'.

'ObamaCare is imploding and will only get worse. Republicans coming together to get job done!' Trump tweeted just minutes before Pence arrived in Kentucky.

The vice president has been the chief salesman for Trump's push to repeal and replace the law.

He reiterated his support for the American Health Care Act as he spoke during his visit to the Harshaw-Trane Parts and Distribution Center in Louisville.

The proposed American Health Care Act is set to the requirement that all Americans have health insurance.

But consumers must maintain continuous coverage; otherwise, they would face a flat 30 per cent surcharge on top of their premiums.

Primarily affected would be some 20 million people who purchase their own private health plans directly from an insurer and the more than 70 million covered by Medicaid, the federal-state program for low-income people.
This is the shocking moment an inmate at a UK prison is viciously beaten by another prisoner as soon as he walks into a cell.

The man is seen sheepishly walking into the room at HMP Featherstone in Staffordshire when he is immediately set upon and punched in the face as the brutal attack begins.

A fellow inmate is then filmed repeatedly hitting and kicking him as the victim screams in pain on the floor, with guards nowhere to be seen.

Voices can be heard off camera demanding the victim 'say sorry' but the attack continues for around 40 seconds, despite his desperate pleas for them to stop.

An inmate in a UK prison has been filmed being brutally assaulted (right) as soon as he walks into the door of a cell (left)

The offender viciously hits the man around the head repeatedly and knocks him on to the bed where he continues to land blow after blow

It is understood the footage was filmed at HMP Featherstone, pictured, in Staffordshire

The victim initially cowers on a bed, covering his head with his arms, before he is dragged onto the floor with his shirt riding up around his neck.

While he lies prone the attacker begins to kick him in the stomach, leading the victim to crawl part of the way under the bed to try to avoid the beating.

It is unknown how the incident was filmed and uploaded online due to the ban on mobile phones and internet access for most UK prisoners.

The footage is believed to have been shot at the prison last November, with staff in the UK said to be 'demoralised' at the amount of violence taking place behind bars.

Mike Rolfe, chairman of the Prison Officers Association, told the Sunday People: 'It's a bloodbath in prisons at this minute in time. Staff are absolutely on their knees, lost all morale, all motivation.

It is unknown how the incident, pictured, was filmed given the ban on mobile phones and internet access for most UK prisoners

The victim attempts to escape the attack by crawling under the bed (left) but is dragged back (right) and the assault only continues

'Prisoners are scared. They want prison officers to be in charge, and the prison officers feel incapable to do that.

'Low staffing numbers, people leaving the job in droves, it's a real bad mix, and it's dangerous for everyone, staff and prisoners alike.'

It comes weeks after Justice Secretary Liz Truss issued a warning to prison bosses to curb drug use and violence at UK institutions.

The victim is left cowering on the floor, pictured, as shouts are heard off camera demanding he 'say sorry'

Miss Truss will hold governors to account in what has been dubbed the biggest shake-up of jails in a generation.

In sweeping reforms, the Justice Secretary will give prison governors in England and Wales freedom from State control over budgets for education, employment and health.

Under Miss Truss's major overhaul of the failing justice system, crisis-hit prisons will be transformed from 'offender warehouses' to places where criminals are reformed with a rehabilitation revolution.

As well as punishing people who break the law, offenders will be given the skills needed to turn their lives around, driving down the 15billion a year cost of reoffending.

The wide-ranging Prisons and Courts Bill will bring together a number of reforms announced in recent months as prisons were hit by record levels of violence and suicides, riots and spiralling drug use.

The Bill will introduce new powers to tackle the scourge of mobile phones sneaked into prisons by jamming them to stamp out their use to organise crime, terrorise victims and post videos on social media.

Her plan involves 1.3billion investment in new prisons over five years, with plans for 2,500 officers, and more mandatory drug tests.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'This behaviour is completely unacceptable. We do not tolerate any forms of violence and will work closely with the police to push for the strongest possible punishment.

'This incident is now under police investigation and so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.'
Arnold Schwarzenegger has denied rumors he is considering a run for the Senate

Arnold Schwarzenegger has shot down speculation he is planning to launch a Senate bid.

The former California Governor took to Facebook to tell fans that while he was 'flattered' by the suggestion he might be seeking to revive his political career, it did not fall in line with his plans.

'I'm deeply flattered by all of the people who have approached me about running for Senate, but my mission right now is to bring sanity to Washington through redistricting reform like we passed here in California,' he said.

Tossing fuel on to his raging feud with Donald Trump, the 69-year-old said he was determined to correcting gerrymandering which had 'broken' the system.

Touting his crusade to address it, he continued: 'I believe my best platform to help repair it is from the outside, by campaigning for independent redistricting commissions.'

Speculation surrounding Schwarzenegger's political ambitions have grown with his feud with the president.

After his departure from the Celebrity Apprentice earlier this month, many suspected he might toss his hat back into the ring to take on Trump who has publicly blamed him for the show's poor ratings.

The former California Governor took to Facebook to tell fans a senatorial campaign was not in his plans

Schwarzenegger has been feuding with Donald Trump who claims he was fired from Celebrity Apprentice

Trump insists Schwarzenegger was fired because of the shrinking audience.

Schwarzenegger says he no longer wants to be involved because of Trump's affiliation with the franchise.

Last week, Schwarzenegger's spokesman refused to rule out a possible Senate campaign.

'Right now Gov. Schwarzeneggers focus is on using his platform to bring some sensibility and coherency to Washington by fighting for redistricting reform, like we did in California,' they told Politico.

'We are keeping all of our options open as far as how we can accomplish that.'

He would likely have run against incumbent Democrat Dianne Feinstein who will be up for reelection in 2018.
Many people wonder about the mind-boggling physics that explains how passenger planes stay airborne as they fly people thousands of miles across the world.

But a trio of airline workers decided to explore a different aspect of a plane's power.

A video has emerged of the attendants placing the end of a toilet roll inside the toilet bowl of a Boeing 737 before unravelling the whole roll all the way down the aisle.

In the short clip posted online a man reaches forward and presses the flush.

An unpleasantly loud sucking noise starts up which will be familiar to anyone who has used a toilet on a commercial flight.

The camera pans to the right to reveal the length of the roll whizzing up the aisle as it is sucked down the bog.

A French YouTuber has posted a video of three airline workers placing the end of a toilet roll inside the toilet bowl of a Boeing 737 before unravelling the roll down the aisle in the cabin

In less than four seconds, the entire roll of paper has disappeared.

The vacuum toilets used on Boeings since 1982 were invented in 1975 by James Kemper.

The toilets use a small amount of water, strong suction and slick walls to pull waste away, according to Gizmodo.

Waste from aeroplanes is held in a tank until the aircraft lands.

The camera pans to the right to reveal the length of the roll whizzing up the aisle as it is sucked down the bog. In less than four seconds, the entire roll of paper has disappeared

The tank can only be emptied using an exterior lever, so it is physically impossible for the pilot to empty the tank while the plane is in the air, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

But people regularly report falling waste incidents, often concerning 'blue ice'.

Some believe that this is human waste that has been coloured blue by a chemical added to the toilet water and frozen at high altitudes, before being dumped from an aeroplane or leaked from the holding tank.

The FAA says it always investigates reports of human waste that has fallen from the sky and it almost always turns out to be bird droppings.
A Spitfire that was shot down in a dogfight during World War II is set to fly again after undergoing a 3 million restoration.

The Spitfire NH341, which flew 27 combat missions between June and July 1944 before being taken out near Caen in France, was paraded up and down a hangar at the Imperial War Museum's Duxford Aerodrome in front of a crowd of war veterans and aircraft aficionados.

It was due to take off from the Aerodrome in Cambridgeshire on Saturday but a carburettor issue meant its maiden voyage will be pushed back to a later date.

Working: The Spitfire NH341 was paraded at Duxford Aerodrome much to delight of war veterans and enthusiasts

Gerry Abrahams, 94, a former Lancaster pilot who served in the 75 squadron between 1944 and 1945, was present at the demonstration on Saturday and said he was moved when he heard the plane's engine roar once more.

'Hearing the engine start made my heart flutter, that is the best part of a Spitfire,' he told The Sunday Telegraph.

He added: 'We can't forget what happened in the war. So many soldiers lost their lives and young people don't realise that, but they should.'

Three years ago, the badly damaged fuselage was bought by Keith Perkins, owner of Aero Legends, a firm that allows the paying public to fly in vintage planes.

It has taken 30 months for specialist craftsmen and engineers to restore the fighter to be able fly again.

Historic flying Project manager, Martin Overall, who oversaw the restoration, said: 'The plane came to us in July 2014. It was in a very poor state because it had been shot down and crashed quite hard.

Vintage: The plane will hit the skies at a later date after experiencing a technical glitch on Saturday

'I have both enjoyed and cursed these challenges throughout the 30 month restoration.

'It is fantastic that individuals now have the opportunity to experience this awesome machine.'

In the summer the plane will fly near the site in Orbec where it crashed in July 1944, to pay tribute to all those who died in skies protecting their country, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

Canadian pilot Jimmy Jeffrey emerged from wreckage and was helped by the French Resistance to return to his unit - having first taken him to a nearby town for a hair cut and to buy some cheese.

Aero Legends spokesman Elliot Styles said 'teething issues' were not unexpected for maiden flights and NH341 would still fly throughout the year.

The Spitfire NH341 remained in France until Aero Legends Ltd bought it in 2011.

Aero Legends owner Perkins admitted he was 'totally unaware' of the plane's history before he bought it.

It was flown by nine pilots from the Royal Canadian Air Force's 411 (Grizzly Bear) squadron during its short service.

Flt Lt Bruce Whiteford flew NH341 more than any other pilot and he had his wife Elizabeth's initials and name painted on the plane.

The Spitfire NH341 The Spitfire NH341 was built at Castle Bromwich as a Spitfire Low Level Fighter

It was sent to 411 (Grizzly Bear) squadron RCAF on June 22, 1944 after receiving some modifications at RAF Little Rissington

This was to be only the squadron it served with although it was flown by several pilots while active

On the June 29, 1944, the NH341 downed a German ME109 fighter plane five miles West of Caen

The NH341 also took out a BF109 a day later on June 30. However the plane was reported lost on July 2, 1944

It was flying a morning patrol when it became engaged by FW190's of the Luftwaffe (JG26) South-East of Caen, according to Aero Legends

The pilot, Jimmy Jeffrey, managed to parachute to safety before the aircraft crashed and he successfully evaded capture

The bulk of its remains were originally put on display at the Musee Memorial de la Bataille de Normandie at Bayeux during 1996

It was later displayed at the Juno Beach Museum at Courseulles-sur-Mer during 2003 where it was mistakenly described as being ML295

Vintage planes specialist Aero Legends Ltd bought it in 2011 and conducted a 3 million restoration project

It was due to fly out from Duxford Aerodrome in March 2017 but a technical glitch means its maiden flight will be rescheduled Advertisement

The Spitfire was displayed at the Musee Memorial de la Bataille de Normandie at Bayeux in 1996 and later displayed at the Juno Beach Museum.

Flt Lt Antony 'Parky' Parkinson MBE, who was due to captain NH341's maiden flight, said: 'The finest spitfire in the world has been reborn and it is incredible.

'As a two-seater it allows us to fly passengers and let these people see the utter delight of what it feels like.

'It's a miraculous experience not only because it's the most beautiful aircraft ever but it's also exciting because of its history.

'It symbolises so much of the war years and there aren't many people in the world who don't think the spitfire is the most impressive plane to have flown in our history.

'I can't wait to fly it. Every time we fly an aircraft for the first time it's a great experience but when we get to put a new spitfire in our logbook it's a special moment and a privilege.'
Experts have revealed diamonds are falling out favour with newly-engaged couples who are choosing emeralds and rubies instead.

Analysts at retail data company, Kantar Retail, have revealed that couples are now spending their hard-earned cash getting on the housing ladder rather than purchasing diamonds.

Anusha Couttigane, a senior analyst at the firm, told The Sunday Telegraph: 'A generation of marital-age people are now prioritising other things such as weddings, housing, and the cost of having children rather than splashing out on a really expensive ring.

Coloured gems, such as rubies, are now proving to be more popular as they are cheaper

In 1953, Marilyn Monroe (right) sang 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend' in the popular film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, while Dame Shirley Bassey (left) sang 'Diamonds are Forever' in the the 1971 James Bond film of the same name - but is that still the case?

'There is still a lot of demand for solitaire diamond rings, but there has been growth in non-traditional designs which use a range of cheaper, coloured stones too.'

Her comments come after research published last year by insurance company Allianz showed that men spend 573 on average on an engagement ring - 3,082 less than the suggested 'two month salary' rule, as originally suggested by jewellery company De Beers in their famous advertising campaign.

The research also revealed one in five women can expect to receive a more expensive ring, costing between 750 and 3,000 or more.

A rise in ethical shopping is also said to be contributing to the drop in sales, according to the newspaper.

This was highlighted in 2010 when Livia Firth, wife of actor Colin Firth, launched the Green Carpet Challenge with journalist Lucy Siegle - a challenge to only wear ethical dresses on red carpets as the pair attended movie premieres and events.

There has also been a growing demand for emeralds, according to Anusha Couttigane, a senior analyst at Kantar Retail

The challenge has since grown into a communications brand which seeks to 'raise the profile of sustainability, ethics and social welfare', according to its website.

It has also created a sustainable standard that designers can adhere to.

In 2013, the brand launched its first Green Carpet Challenge capsule collection with online retailer, Net-A-Porter, where five British designers sold two gowns each that complied with the ethical standards set out by the brand.

Luxury jewellery designer, Chopard, quickly jumped on board with the challenge, and launched their first high-end 'Green Carpet Collection' range, featuring ethically sourced diamonds.

The brand also became the world's first luxury watch and jewelry company to enable mining communities to gain a Fairmined gold certification.
A New York City busker dressed as Chewbacca was arrested after he allegedly told a father: 'Give me $20 or get your monkey-a** kid out of here,' in December 2015.

Robert Williams, 41, is now suing the city for $1m for the arrest, which he says ruined his 'reputation and character.'

He was arrested for 'aggressive begging in a public place' around noon on December 13.

Robert Williams was dressed as Chewbecca while busking in Times Square in December 2015 and was arrested for 'aggressive begging in a public place.' Pictured: An individual dressed as Chewbacca

Williams claims he spent 24 hours in jail after he was arrested for allegedly telling a father: 'Give me $20 or get your monkey-a** kid out of here. Pictured: One of the 'designated activity zones' in which Times Square performers must stand as of June 2016

A father asked Williams, who was performing in Times Square as Chewbacca, to take a photo with his son, the New York Daily News reported.

Williams moved toward the father and blocked him before yelling at him, the criminal complaint alleges.

Williams said police targeted him 'without cause or provocation' and claims he was held in jail for around 24 hours in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Friday.

He said in a previous claim filed in March 2016 that he suffered 'loss of freedom, severe mental anguish, humiliation, psychological trauma and financial expense.'

His lawyers said his case was tossed while the Manhattan District Attorney said it is pending.

Times Square street performers as of June 2016 must stand in 'designated activity zones' while busking, following numerous complaints of aggression, Gothamist reported.

Fines for busking in a non-DAZ can run up to $500 and, following repeat offenses, jail time.
A two-month-old baby has died after being crushed by her mother who accidentally rolled on top of her as they slept.

Kourtny Williams was rushed to hospital in Manhattan on Sunday morning from the apartment she lives in with her mother in King Towers in Harlem.

The baby's mother called police frantically at 9.50am to report she had stopped breathing after waking up.

Two-month-old Kourtny Williams died after being crushed by her mother who accidentally rolled on to her as she slept in their Harlem apartment (above) on Sunday

She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital but was pronounced dead.

NYPD officials told DailyMail.com the death was accidental and no charges were being brought against her mother.

The New York City Housing Authority, which owns the building, declined to comment further.
An Iraqi Army helicopter fires a missile at ISIS positions as government forces seeking to retake Mosul said they had cut the last road out of the city, trapping hundreds of jihadists inside.

The Baghdad regime recaptured east Mosul earlier this year and are now battling to retake the western side of the Euphrates river from ISIS, which seized the country's second city along with swathes of other territory in 2014.

The Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, Brett McGurk, said: 'ISIS is trapped. Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul.'

A Russian-made Iraqi Army helicopter fires a missile at ISIS positions in Mosul

A French-made Eurocopter flies off after sending a missile towards ISIS positions

'Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there, because they're trapped. So we are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys cannot escape,' said Mr McGurk, who was appointed by President Obama but has been retained by President Trump.

Iraqi soldiers and pro-government paramilitaries are fighting ISIS west of Mosul, while two special forces units and the federal police battle the jihadists inside it.

ISIS fighters may still be able to sneak in and out of the city in small numbers, but the lack of access to roads makes larger-scale movement and resupply more difficult, if not impossible.

An Iraqi policeman (right) checks a refugee and his baby, who have just fled their homes in western Mosul

A seriously wounded civilians, injured while opening a booby-trapped shop in Tayaran district, is carried away by an Iraqi policeman

Mr McGurk said ISIS had lost 'over 60 percent of the territory it once held' in Iraq and was 'losing more every day'.

He said 180 ISIS leaders had been killed and said: 'We now believe that we are killing so many of their fighters that they are not able to replace them. That was not the case even a year ago.'

In addition to carrying out strikes targeting ISIS, the US-led coalition has trained nearly 90,000 members of the Iraqi security forces, the US envoy said.

Displaced people flee their homes, while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul

Washington had spent billions of dollars training and equipping Iraqi forces prior to its military withdrawal in 2011, but that effort did not translate into long-term competence, with Baghdad's forces performing dismally in the early days of the 2014 ISIS offensive.

Iraqi forces have since made a major turnaround, dealing IS a string of defeats and launching a massive operation in October to recapture Mosul.

While the noose is tightening around the jihadists still in Mosul, the city's recapture would not spell the end of ISIS.

It still holds areas in western Iraq as well as across the border in Syria, including Raqqa.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an umbrella group for Kurdish and Arab fighters, are closing in on Raqqa.

Mr McGurk said they were only six miles from the city.

He said of ISIS: 'Raqqa remains their administrative capital, it's where we think a lot of their leaders are located, it's where we think they are planning a lot of attacks around the world.'
Donald Trump Jr revealed on Saturday that he has barely spoken to his father since he was sworn into office.

Donald Jr, 39, revealed at a GOP fundraiser in Dallas just how little he has interacted with the president.

The Executive Vice President at The Trump Organization said: 'I basically have zero contact with [President Trump] at this point.'

Donald Trump Jr said he 'basically [has] zero contact' with his father (pictured with Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump)

President Trump said when he took office he would hand control over to his two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump

It's quite the contrast from the relationship his sister currently has with their father.

Ivanka moved to Washington, D.C. when her husband Jared Kushner was appointed senior adviser to the president.

President Trump said when he took office he would hand control over to his two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, in the form of a blind trust.

The head of the Office of Government and Ethics criticized the arrangement. Eric and Donald Jr sat in on an official meeting between the president elect and American CEOs during the transition period.

At the fundraiser in Dallas, Donald Jr called him homestate the 'people's republic of New York'

According to NBC News, Donald Jr said at the fundraiser: 'I thought I was out of politics after Election Day and [would] get back to my regular life and my family. But I couldn't.

'Deals are still exciting,' he added. 'But when you're the sort of guy out there every day, 24-7 fighting in this thing  it's like a great fight.'

Donald Jr praised the state of Texas because he said it 'understand the freedoms' in contrast to his home state which he labeled the 'people's republic of New York.'

He complimented his father while criticizing the previous administration saying: 'I'm watching more take place in two months than I saw in two terms before.'
A university study argues that advertising messaging played a role in Hillary Clinton's loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 US Presidential Election.

Researchers for the Wesleyan Media Project said that Clinton's advertisements were 'devoid of policy discussions in a way not seen in the previous four presidential contests' and urge 'caution in concluding that television advertising is no longer effective'.

The study found that only about 25 percent of Clinton's advertising focused exclusively on policy, compared to the 70 percent of Trump ads that discussed just policy.

Meanwhile, Clinton's team devoted more than 60 percent of its ads to 'personal' issues such as candidate characteristics.

About 10 percent of Clinton ads and 15 percent of Trump ads focused on a mixture of policy and personal.

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A study published by the Wesleyan Media Project at Wesleyan University found that Hillary Clinton's television advertisements were, on measure, 'devoid of policy discussions in a way not seen in the previous four presidential contests.' Pictured: A Clinton ad

Study found that Clinton's team devoted 25 percent of TV ads exclusively to policy while 70 percent of Trump's ads discussed policy. Found that almost half of her ads were negative, denigrating Trump, while more than half of Trump's provided 'contrast,' denigrating Clinton while propping him up

For comparison, in 2012 the percentage of both Obama and Romney ads that focused exclusively on personal issues was no more than 10 percent.

And in 2000, when George W. Bush defeated Al Gore, hardly any ads were devoted to exclusively 'personal' issues.

The Project, which is housed at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and analyzes all broadcast ads from politicians, illustrates how the 2016 campaign featured significantly fewer advertisements than 2012's cycle, in which Barack Obama won a second term by defeating Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

The cycle last year featured just under 600,000 advertisements in the top 75 media markets, compared to more than 900,000 in 2012 and slightly more than 600,000 in both 2008 and 2004.

This graph illustrates Clinton's failure to broadcast ads until the last week of the campaign in two swing states that she lost: Michigan and Wisconsin. Her ads in Pennsylvania, which she also lost, skyrocketed in the last week too

The researchers found, in essence, that Clinton's advertisements were too focused on negative characteristics of Donald Trump and not enough on positive policy changes she would effect if she became president. Pictured: A Clinton ad

Researchers found that almost half of Clinton ads were negative - meaning their purpose was primarily to denigrate Trump - while more than half of Trump's ads were 'contrast' spots that denigrated Clinton but also contrasting her with himself.

An example of a 'personal' ad is Clinton's 'Role Models' commercial, in which little girls listened to misogynistic comments from Trump.

Trump's 'Two Americas,' advertisement, which described what his team claimed would be the difference between 'Hillary's America' and 'Trump's America,' was a 'contrast' spot.

Clinton was found to have focused on 'personal' television advertisements, for example her ad 'Role Models,' in a way that was unprecedented and not matched by Trump. Researchers said: 'Team Clinton's message that Trump was unfit for the presidency may not have been enough'

The researchers also concluded that of the Clinton ads denigrating Trump, about 90 percent of them focused on his personal characteristics, for example, his temperament and comments towards women.

Meanwhile, less than 10 percent focused on his proposed policies - for example, building a wall along the Mexico or his proclamation to 'bomb the s*** out of ISIS.

In essence, the study found that Clinton's advertisements did not focus on positive policy changes she would effect if she became president.

This graph shows Clinton's considerable advantage on broadcast television's top 75 media markets, with darker shading reflecting a greater advantage. Note Trump's advantage in Wisconsin, where he won by less than 25,000 votes

The researchers wrote: 'Message matters, and a message repeated endlessly does no good unless it resonates with a sufficient number of the right voters.

'Team Clinton's message that Trump was unfit for the presidency may not have been enough.'

The study also commented on the 'unusual nature' of the 2016 race - both due to Trump being an outsider candidate and Clinton's significantly different campaign tactic of focusing heavily on his seemingly unfit presidential credentials and temperament.

Donald Trump won the 2016 election with 306 pledged electors out of the 538 in the US Electoral College. He carried 30 states, compared to Clinton's 20 plus her win in the nation's capital.

Clinton won the popular vote, with about 65.9million votes compared to Trump's 63.0million.
Within the last 24 hours it appears as though President Donald Trump unfollowed MSNBC anchors Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski on Twitter.

Scarborough and Brzezinski, who host 'Morning Joe', were some of Trumps earliest supporters when he announced that he was running for president.

However, things have changed since and their recent negative coverage of the billionaire has seemingly offended him.

It's unclear when Trump stopped following Scarborough and Brzezinski on the social media site.

But a report from CNN on March 6 about who the president follows on Twitter lists both Scarborough and Brzezinski under the media section of people he follows.

Within the last 24 hours it appears as though President Donald Trump (above on Friday) unfollowed MSNBC anchors Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski on Twitter

Scarborough (right) and Brzezinski (left), who host 'Morning Joe', were some of Trumps earliest supporters when he announced that he was running for president, but things have changed since then and their recent negative coverage of the billionaire has seemingly offended him

In recent months, the two anchors have been very critical of the president.

Most recently, they blasted him over his claim that Trump Tower was wiretapped by former President Barack Obama near the end of the 2016 election campaign cycle.

In addition, Scarborough and Brzezinski also disagreed with the manner in which former national security adviser Michael Flynn was fired.

Of the president's frequent public comments, last week, Scarborough said on the show:

'Donald Trump and all of his public comments has basically acted as if Michael Flynn was persecuted  a good man driven from office by the hounds in the mass media  and Mike Pence trying to put a nice gloss and saying that vindicates the president's decision to fire him,' Scarborough stated.

Trump now only follows 41 accounts on Twitter, many of the accounts belong to either members of his administration, friends, family and media personalities

'This guy was not only acting as a foreign agent, literally as a foreign agent, not metaphorically while he was traveling with Donald Trump and close to Donald Trump as anybody.

'He was the person who became the national security adviser, and somehow the president and others right now, at least the official explanation, they had no idea that he was acting as a foreign agent when he was appointed to be national security adviser.

'That is one of the most extraordinarily  if it's true, they did not know  one of the most extraordinary failures of vetting I've ever heard of.'

Brzezinski also voiced her concerns and called Trump's tenure thus far 'fake and failed.'

Trump now only follows 41 accounts on Twitter, many of the accounts belong to either members of his administration, friends, family and media personalities.

Neither Trump, Scarborough or Brzezinski have released a statement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was interviewed by Fareed Zakaria on CNN today and confirmed that Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak met with Trump associates over the course of the presidential campaign.

Peskov, who denies Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election, suggested that Kislyak was simply doing his job when he met with Trump allies including now Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was forced to recuse himself from all Justice Department Russian-related investigations.

The spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was likely that Kislyak had meetings with associates of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton too.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov (pictured) sat down with CNN and confirmed that the Russian ambassador met with some of President Trump's associates over the course of the presidential campaign

Fareed Zakaria pointed out that while team Trump seemed to be having meeting with the Russian ambassador, it was seemingly not the case with Hillary Clinton's allies

'This is his job,' Peskov said of Kislyak's meetings with Trump's inner circle, including conversations with ex-National Security Director Michael Flynn, who was forced to resign after it was discovered that he misled Vice President Mike Pence over discussions Flynn had with the Russian ambassador.

'He was talking about bilateral relations. He was talking about what is going on in the United States so we have a better understanding in Moscow,' Peskov continued.

The spokesman characterized there interactions as fairly typical.

'This is what is being performed by every ambassador of Russia abroad, every ambassador of the United States, including in Moscow,' Peskov explained.

'Because the more an ambassador talks to people in his country of residence, the better job he does,' the Putin PR professional added.

Zakaria noted that the Russian ambassador seemingly wasn't holding the same kinds of meetings with those aligned with Clinton.

Peskov pushed back on that assertion and suggested it wasn't necessarily true.

'If you look at some people connected with Hillary Clinton during her campaign you would probably see that he had lots of meetings of that kind,' Peskov said.

'But there were no meetings about electoral processes,' the spokesman added.

When asked specifically about who the Russian ambassador met with that was associated with Clinton, Peskov answered, 'people working in think tanks advising Hillary or advising people working for Hillary.'

Russia continues to deny steering the election away from Clinton and tilting it toward Trump, who seemed to benefit from the dumps of Wikileaked information from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta's private email account.

'The answer is a very simple no,' Peskov said of the allegations. 'And the fact that Russia is being demonized n that sense comes very strange at us.'

'We  quite unexpectedly  we faced a situation when Russia all of a sudden became, lets say, a nightmare for the United States,' he continued.

'And we sincerely cannot understand why American people and American politicians started the process of self-humiliation,' he added. 'Youre self-humiliating yourself, saying that a country can intervene in your election process.'
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Saint Patrick's Day is perhaps the most raucous celebration of any saint as parties and parades take place across the globe every year on March 17.

Shouts of slainte are to be heard amid clinking glasses of Guinness and whisky as people celebrate their Irish ancestry - no matter how distant.

So far have the Irish travelled that revelry is to be found in Australia, America and even parts of Africa - not forgetting Dublin itself.

But how much do most people really know about the Patron Saint of Ireland?

The 16-year-old boy who was kidnapped by pirates - who allegedly rid Ireland of snakes - and whose original vestiments were actually blue, not green.

An actor playing Saint Patrick sails past Down Cathedral as the re-enactment of his first landing on Irish shores takes place at Inch Abbey in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. The Irish annals for the fifth century date Patrick's arrival in Ireland at 432 and the patron saint of Ireland's remains are believed to buried at Down Cathedral

When Saint Patrick was 16-years-old he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. According to his autobiographical confessions the following six years were spent working as a shepherd on Mount Slemish in Co. Antrim

During his six years imprisonment at the hands of slave owners, Saint Patrick began to reflect on his lack of faith and become a devout follower of religion. He spent much time praying and fasting before one day having a vision which led him to stow away on a boat bound for Britain - returning to his family

One night Saint Patrick had a dream that the Irish were calling him back needing to hear the word of God. This inspired him to return one day. However, he felt ill-prepared for a life as a missionary and travelled to France to train at a monastary

Some 12 years later he returned to Irish shores as a bishop having received the Pope's blessing to spread the word of God

Saint Patrick met the Celtic chieftain, Dichu, who would become his first convert. Dichu gave Patrick a barn two miles away at Saul - sabhall meaning 'barn' in Irish - this became his first church

Some of chieftain Dichu's warriors pose during their reenactment carrying traditional Celtic weaponry and draped in tartan throws

King Dichu and his druidess pose for a portrait as the re-enactment of the landing of Saint Patrick on Irish shores

Patrick's real name was probably Maewyn Succat. His father, Calpornius, was a Roman-British army officer and a deacon. Legend has it that he used the native shamrock as a symbol of the holy trinity when preaching - while some say he brought the Latin alphabet to Ireland - however contrary to popular belief - it was blue not green that coloured his vestiments

Patrick had great success in converting the Irish, and three assistant bishops from France were sent to help him, among them St. Sechnall. Within his lifetime the Irish had been transformed into God fearing people

Under Irish law, from 1903 to 1970, St. Patrick's Day was a religious observance for the entire country meaning that all pubs were closed for the day. The law was overturned in 1970, when St. Patrick's was reclassified as a national holiday - allowing the taps to flow freely once again

Today, millions across the world celebrate Saint Patrick's Day with raucous parades. Dublin has a parade that attracts hundreds of thousands of people, while in Chicago the river is dyed green for a few hours. The biggest parade takes place in New York - a city with an enormous Irish tradition following the mass immigration during the Irish potato famine
An American Cocker Spaniel has been named as the winner of Best in Show at this year's Crufts.

Judge Jeff Horswell handed the award to Miami Ink, a two-year-old pup from Blackpool who was handled by Jason Lynn, from Preston.

Miami was previously named as the winner of the Gun dog group yesterday at the competition, which was held at the NEC in Birmingham.

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Afterglow Miami Ink, an American Cocker Spaniel, has been named as this year's Best in Show winner at Crufts

The dog, who was also named as the Group Winner for the Gun dog category, was seen parading on the floor after being named as the winner

But the competition has received backlash from viewers, saying Miami is not a 'real gun dog'

Elliot called the result 'absurd'. He added: 'It's a pompus fancy thing. THIS is a working class gundog'

Speaking to presenter Clare Balding after Miami scooped the award, Mr Lynn said: 'He's pretty special and honestly I'm speechless. I'm absolutely shocked and thrilled.

'This is kind of a special place to be and being here a few years ago prepared me for all the noise and excitement.

'Temperament is probably the hallmark of the breed - his happy, wagging tail and his charisma.'

Laura Alice Kirchen said Miami was a 'sorry excuse of a gundog' and it was 'ridiculous'

Mandy Taylor joined in the criticism, saying it was 'disgusting' Miami won and 'should not' have won gun dog 'let alone best in show'

Leila took a photograph of her dog and said she may enter for the competition next year

Nicki created a meme for his critical tweet, and added a photograph of a disappointed pup

However, viewers slammed the decision to allow Miami to win, with many claiming that he was not a real gun dog.

Elliot wrote on Twitter the result was 'absurd' and Miami was too 'pompous' and 'fancy' to be a gun dog.

'It's a joke to real working dogs', he added.

Mandy Taylor said the result was 'disgusting' and the American Cocker Spaniel should not have won the Gun dog category, 'let alone best in show'.

Many Twitter users started publishing images of their dogs with the caption: 'This is what a real gun dog looks like.'

However, the criticism did not stop the celebrations for the winners of the competition.

Melanie Harwood, owner of Reserve Champion winner Frankie the Miniature Poodle, praised the winner.

She said: 'It's a fantastic result - it was a wonderful line-up of dogs and I'm thrilled for Jason. To get reserve, I'm speechless.'

Other finalists included Alan the Lakeland Terrier, Frosty the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen from the Netherlands, Kagayaki the Yorkshire Terrier and Bentley the Newfoundland, also known as MerryBear D'Artagnan.

This year also had a slightly sad twist as Britain's Got Talent winner Pudsey competed for the final time ahead of his retirement.

Pudsey, who is a male Border Collie, Bichon Frise, and Chinese Crested powderpuff cross, scooped the 2012 title after performing tricks to the Mission Impossible theme song.

Handler Jason Lynn proudly shows off Miami's sleek coat while judge Jeff Horswell stands near the winning pup

Jason Lynn (above) was delighted after Miami was announced as the winner of Best in Show

Speaking to presenter Clare Balding after Miami scooped the award, Mr Lynn said: 'He's pretty special and honestly I'm speechless. I'm absolutely shocked and thrilled'

More than 22,000 dogs have taken part in the 2017 competition, with the most popular entry among Labrador Retrievers.

Around 160,000 dog owners and lovers are estimated to have packed out the Birmingham NEC arena over the four-day competition.

Sunday's Best In Show final brought to an end the world's largest dog competition which saw entries from 56 countries.

Now in its 126th year, the competition is host to hundreds of breeds and crossbreeds who are ranked by their agility, obedience and heelwork to music ability, among other competitions

Britain's Got Talent winner Pudsey was photographed competing in this year's event for the final time
Ivanka Trump kept a low profile as she emerged from her Washington DC home on Sunday after being roasted by Scarlett Johansson on Saturday Night Live.

The First Daughter fought the chilly weather in her favorite winter duffel coat, a bobble hat, sunglasses and leather gloves, hopping in to a car outside her house at around 9.30am.

Her husband Jared Kushner left at around the same time in a different SUV parked outside.

It was Ivanka's first appearance since the SNL sketch which fans of the Trumps deemed too harsh after it aired.

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Ivanka Trump wrapped up against the chilly weather as she emerged from her Washington DC home on Sunday morning

The 35-year-old kept warm in a grey bobble hat, green coat and some leather gloves

It showed Johansson in character as the 35-year-old, waltzing through a room of admirers.

Sold as a fragrance 'For the woman who could stop all of this but won't', the skit lanced Ivanka for alleged hypocrisy in claiming to support a liberal agenda while standing next to her father as he follows another course.

A stereo-typically deep voice-over introduced her: 'Every man knows her name, every woman knows her face. When she walks into a room, all eyes are on her, she's Ivanka.

'She's beautiful, she's powerful, she's complicit.'

The commentary continued: 'A feminist, an advocate, a champion for women, but.. like.. how... She's loyal, devoted, but probably should've bounced after the whole Access Hollywood bus thing,' referring to her father's infamous hot-mic comments in 2005 while appearing on the show.

Her husband Jared Kushner was seen getting in to a different SUV at around the same time on Sunday morning

Kushner was also roasted on Saturday night in a biting Saturday Night Live sketch

Secret Service agents were also seen carrying car seats from the pair's black and white SUVs into the house on Sunday

A Secret Service agent stands guard on the sidewalk as the pair arrived home in a convoy

The pair arrived home separately on Sunday. Ivanka rode in the black SUV (above)

Trump was caught boasting about how he could do 'anything' to women because he was famous including grabbing them 'by the p****'.

He apologized for the remarks, saying they were nothing more than locker room talk. Melania Trump said she was outraged by the comments made by her then new husband, but told the public she had accepted his apology. Ivanka held her tongue for days despite uproar from fans.

Eventually she too issued a statement deeming the comments 'inappropriate and offensive'.

Scarlett Johansson ribbed Ivanka on Saturday Night Live in a spoof perfume ad for a made-up fragrance called Complicit

'For the woman who could stop all of this but won't': The sketch saw Johansson glide past admirers as a voice over delivered taglines. When she looked in a mirror to apply lipstick, she her reflection was shown as Alec Baldwin in character as the President

At another section in the sketch, Johansson peered in to a mirror to apply lipstick to see Alec Baldwin in character as the president staring back at her.

'She doesn't crave the spotlight, but we see her, oh how we see her,' the voice over continued.

Writers roped Jared in to their ridicule, adding the tagline: 'Also available in a cologne for Jared.'

This was Johansson's second appearance as the First Daughter. She first played Ivanka in 2007, when she impersonated the image of Ivanka as millionaire Trump's favorite spoiled daughter.

Others suggested that this shot at Ivanka was SNL's latest attempt to goad the President into tweeting a reaction to the television show.

The president previously took to Twitter after an episode of the comedy show to deem it unfunny. He also lambasted it in television interviews.

Mixed reviews: Scores of viewers responded favorably to the skit while some said the show had gone too far




Australian woman Sara Connor and her British DJ boyfriend David Taylor will learn their fate on Monday after a Bali police officer was found dead last year.

Wayan Sudarsa's body was found face down at Kuta Beach with dozens of wounds across his face, upper body and neck in the early hours of the morning last August.

On Monday, three judges at Denpasar Court are expected to hand down their decision as to the pair's guilt and what, if any, time they should serve.

Sara Connor and British boyfriend David Taylor are pictured after her trial at Denpasar Court in Bali in January

Connor and Taylor embrace during a re-enactment of the events leading up to Wayan Sudarsa's death

Connor has maintained she did nothing during the fatal fight but try to separate Mr Sudarsa and Taylor.

But prosecutors have called on the Byron Bay mother-of-two to receive the same eight-year sentence for the charge of fatal assault in company.

Connor said the 'nightmare' was supposed to be a relaxing holiday.

She had touched down in Denpasar airport, and met up with Taylor to have drinks before going to Kuta Beach and cuddling at the water's edge.

Taylor, a British DJ, re-enacts a scene on Kuta Beach as a police officer poses as the alleged murder victim

Connor holds a walkie talkie as she re-enacts the events leading up to the police officer's death

Connor is escorted by an officer to testify at Taylor's trial at Denpasar Court in Bali

Connor noticed she had lost her purse, and a suspicious Taylor confronted the police officer and began frisking him.

The situation violently escalated.

Connor says she was bitten by Mr Sudarsa when trying to separate the pair, and ran away, ending her involvement.

Taylor, 'in fear of his life', struck Mr Sudarsa over the head with a beer bottle.

The Byron Bay mother is pictured kissing Taylor outside Denpasar Police Station after a re-enactment of the scene on Kuta Beach

Connor is led to a court room for her first trial at Denpasar Court in November

Police officer Wayan Sudarsa was found dead face down and covered in sand on Kuta Beach in the early hours of the morning last August

When Mr Sudarsa was motionless, Taylor took the officer's identification cards.

He later told Connor the police officer was 'passed out' on the beach.

They had no idea, they say, of the seriousness of Mr Sudarsa's injuries.

Dr Dudut Rustyadi, who performed the autopsy on Mr Sudarsa, told their trials it would have taken him at least two hours to die and had someone intervened he might have been saved.

The couple are escorted by police officers to Kerobokan Prison in Denpasar

The Byron Bay mother is pictured arriving for her trial in March

Instead, Connor and Taylor returned to their hotel, cut up Mr Sudarsa's cards and left for nearby Jimbaran later that morning.

Two days later, Connor turned on her mobile phone and learnt of his death.

Connor maintains her innocence, but admits she made a mistake.

'I let David burn the clothes (they wore on the night of Mr Sudarsa's death) because I was confused and in shock and I apologise for that.'

Taylor is pictured being arrested by police in Bali after the officer's death last August

Connor sits in a court room accompanied by a translator at Denpasar Court in November

'How different my life would be now if my bag was never stolen (on Kuta Beach) and the taxi driver had taken me to the police station that night,' Connor told her trial this month.

Connor's lawyers insist she is not guilty of fatal assault and should have been charged with destroying evidence.

Because prosecutors didn't use this offence, they argue she should be released immediately.

Meanwhile, Taylor's legal team say he acted in self-defence, is young, has shown remorse and has good chances of rehabilitation.
Ice use is leading to an extra 231,000 emergency and psychiatric hospital admissions in Australia every year, a study has found.

The impact the drug is having on the nation's health system has been detailed in a new study published in the Drug and Alcohol Review.

According to the study, ice use was responsible for up to 150,000 additional visits to Australian emergency departments in 2013 alone.

A new study has detailed the impact ice use is having on Australia's health system (stock image)

Ice use led to an extra 150,000 admissions to Australian emergency departments in just a year (stock image)

It was estimated methamphetamine use accounted for between 28,400 and 80,900 additional psychiatric hospital admissions.

The longitudinal study involved researchers at Curtin University, University of New South Wales, University of Newcastle and Monash University.

Researchers also found more frequent use of the illicit drug was associated with more frequent trips to emergency and psychiatric hospitals but fewer trips to GPs and counsellors.

'The dual impact on emergency departments and psychiatric hospitals is most likely because of a proportion of methamphetamine-related presentations involving methamphetamine psychosis,' the authors wrote.

There was also evidence people reduced their use of various non-acute health services like the GP, psychologists and dentist during periods of more frequent methamphetamine use.

The researchers reached the estimates by analysing the utilisation of health services of nearly 500 ice addicts from Sydney and Brisbane.

Methamphetamine use was also estimated to have accounted for between 28,400 and 80,900 additional psychiatric hospital admissions

This 'crisis' style approach of ice addicts is costly and there needs to be a rethink about how services are provided, the authors suggested.

'Increasing engagement with less expensive non-acute health services to provide improved long-term health care may reduce the costs attributable to methamphetamine use for acute care services,' the authors wrote.

'Ensuring non-acute services are well equipped to respond to the needs of people who use methamphetamine is crucial to encourage people to access these services.'


An investment banker who gave up the city life to be a hill farmer was unable to control his temper when day trippers strayed on to his land, a court heard.

Michael Wentworth Waites, 62, exploded when a father and his two young sons turned up at the Lake District beauty spot for a picnic.

Another time, a woman walking her dogs with her teenage niece on Christmas Eve was allegedly told: I could shoot that dog... I can shoot trespassers.

And he accepted a caution for assault in 2010 after he ordered a man and a woman to leave his land. The man allegedly lunged at Mr Wentworth Waites and ended up with a cut lip when the farmer defended himself.

Michael Wentworth Waites (shown left) is said to have confronted Beatriz Dickman (right) and her aunt Sarah Clifford as they walked their dog, along others

The incidents led to police revoking his shotgun licence in April last year. But he appealed, insisting he was a pretty calm chap and feared a local conspiracy against him. He strongly denied making any shooting threats and said he was concerned for the safety of people wandering on to his farm. A judge at Carlisle Crown Court is due to announce his decision today.

Mr Wentworth Waites was a fund manager for Deutsche Bank when he realised his ambition to become a farmer in 2008. He bought Thornthwaite Hall, a 16th century Grade II listed building, and its 550-acre farm in Bampton, Cumbria, for 2million. He kept 800 sheep and 170 cattle.

But problems occurred when the public wandered on to his land. Rosalind Scott-Bell, for Cumbrias Chief Constable, said the farmer was fed up with trespassers and just cannot control his fury.

Nicholas Smith was out for a picnic with his sons aged five and seven in March 2014 when they were confronted by Mr Wentworth Waites. He was allegedly shouting and swearing. Mr Smith said: He just exploded, seeming to be unbothered about the presence of my children. He was shouting aggressively. I would describe him as being out of control.

Mr Wentworth Waites was later given guidance by a gun licensing officer after the incident was reported to police.

But on Christmas Eve 2015 he was said to have confronted Beatriz Dickman, 17, and her aunt Sarah Clifford as they walked their dogs. Although not in possession of a firearm, he was aggressive and angry and allegedly said: I could shoot that dog, there are cattle around here with calves, adding: I can shoot trespassers.

Although not in possession of a firearm, Waites was aggressive and angry to Sarah Jane Clifford (pictured)

He denied making the shoot comments and said the claims were complete nonsense. I was firm but courteous, he said.

On the picnic incident, he told Judge Peter Hughes, QC, the father was an irresponsible fool who put his children in danger as cows with calves were nearby.

The farmer said the claims against him were similar and he was concerned about collusion.

Mr Wentworth Waites, who has held a shotgun certificate for 30 years, said he used his gun only to control predators such as foxes.

Before he bought the farm local people used the land like a country park, but he wanted everyone to stay on public footpaths.

They expressed some concern and indeed resentment when I asked them to desist, he said.

The public can still use a right of way in the form of a coast-to-coast walking route crossing his land. He added: I have thousands of people walking on my land every year. There is never a problem.

However, he did ban the local hunt after his cattle were chased and fences trampled on two occasions. He thought the ban was immensely unpopular.

Assistant Chief Constable Darren Martland told the court there was a risk to the public. But Nicholas Doherty, for Mr Wentworth Waites, said: A lack of diplomacy does not mean he is a danger.
A P-plater has narrowly avoided plunging off the edge of a 50 metre cliff after he lost control of his car and became suspended over the perilous drop.

The 19-year-old was suspended over the edge of the cliff when he drove over the embankment and became snagged on a tree on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, on Sunday night.

Firefighters and emergency crews frantically worked for more than two and a half hours stabilising the car before they were able to rescue the driver and get him to safety.

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A driver became suspended over a 50 metre cliff when he lost control of his car

The 50 metre plunge of Mount Martha where the car was suspended on Sunday

The P-plater drove over the embankment and became snagged on a tree

Up to six SAS and firefighter crews eventually hauled the car back inch-by-inch off the cliff.

The 19-year-old was taken to Frankston hospital with cuts and abrasions and only suffered minor injuries.

The driver was taken to Frankston Hospital with minor injuries

The teenager reportedly lost control of his car and drove over the embankment

The driver suffered minor cuts and abrasions and was taken to hospital
One in five voters in multicultural parts of suburban Sydney are backing One Nation, new polling shows.

Immigrant voters are embracing Pauline Hanson, even though the Queensland senator wants to reduce Australia's net annual migration intake to zero and still believes Asians are swamping Sydney.

Her party may have floundered at last weekend's elections in Western Australia but secret polling by the Labor Party showed One Nation having 21 per cent support in a marginal Liberal-held federal electorate in Sydney's south and west, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Pauline Hanson may have floundered in WA but One Nation has strong support in Sydney

Birds of a feather: Pauline Hanson last year said Hurstville (pictured) was being swamped by Asians but that doesn't appear to have dented her support in surrounding suburbs

One Nation is popular in the marginal Liberal-held seat of Banks, which includes the Penshurst Mosque in Sydney's south

One Nation was especially popular in the seat of Banks, which includes the Penshurst Mosque and parts of Hurstville.

Senator Hanson singled out this suburb in Sydney's south to justify her controversial 1996 maiden speech where she said Australia was 'in danger of being 'swamped by Asians'.

'You go and ask a lot of people in Sydney, at Hurstville or some of the other suburbs,' she said during a combative media conference in July last year.

'They feel like they have been swamped by Asians and regardless of that now, a lot of Australians feel that Asians are buying up prime agricultural land, housing.'

'You ask a lot of people in Hurstville': Pauline Hanson still thinks Asians are swamping Sydney

One Nation is also popular in the Sydney inner-west seat of Reid which takes in Strathfield (pictured)

Her party had 16 per cent support in the inner-west electorate of Reid, which takes in multicultural Strathfield and Canada Bay Council, which has a Bangladeshi-born Muslim councillor.

The area's federal member Craig Laundy has been the most vocal supporter in the Liberal Party of maintaining section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which makes it illegal to offend or insult a group of people based on their ethnicity.

Two-thirds of One Nation voters had switched from the Liberal Party and one-third from Labor, the poll found.

The focus group research showed men aged 35 to 50 and 51 to 65 were more likely to support One Nation.
Teresa Dennett died aged 58 after an NHS mix-up

A stroke victim died after being turned away by two hospitals because of a shortage of beds.

A third hospital had beds but no specialist centre to perform the emergency operation that Teresa Dennett needed.

One of its medical registrars was left to try frantically to broker a deal between the two main hospitals to accommodate 58-year-old Mrs Dennett.

She might have been saved by an earlier operation, but she died before the brain surgery could be carried out, a coroner said.

Now her daughter, Maryanne Mason, 36, has described the fraught race against time to try to find a hospital to take her mother.

And because of the NHS bed shortage, she has warned: This is a tragedy waiting to happen again.

Mrs Mason said: We, her family, tried so hard to help her but she was let down by the system. Were angry and upset. She should still be with us.

Her pain is compounded by the fact that she was forced to ask her ailing mother if she was prepared to undergo the neurosurgery, with all its risks.

She then had to tell her it was too late for it to be carried out.

Mrs Mason recalled: The first 48 hours after a stroke are critical and she was deteriorating. I was with her, holding her hand, and she was still responsive.

I said, I know you cant open your eyes but you can hear me, do you want an operation to save your life? Squeeze my hand if you do. She did and said, Yes. Leo. She wanted to live for her grandson.

But in the time that the hospitals were wrangling over who could or should take Mrs Dennett, she had deteriorated too much to have the surgery.

Mrs Mason, whose five-year-old son Leo desperately misses his doting grandmother, recalled: The worst thing was going back to the ward and telling her Sorry mum, I couldnt save your life. I couldnt stop crying. I felt I had failed her.

Mrs Dennett was fit and healthy before she suddenly had a stroke in February last year. Her son David, 33, with whom she lived in Teversal, Nottinghamshire, raised the alarm and she was taken to her nearest hospital, Kings Mill Hospital in Mansfield.

Her rare type of stroke meant she required emergency surgery, but because Kings Mill has no neurosurgical centre, it asked for help from the nearest specialist unit at Queens Medical Centre (QMC), part of Nottingham University Hospitals.

Maryanne Mason and her son. Her mother Teresa Dennett, died of a stroke because she was failed by three separate hospitals due to lack of emergency beds

A coroners report in January into Mrs Dennetts death said that it became clear that a post-operative intensive care unit (ICU) bed was not available [at Nottingham] and there was no prospect of one becoming available in the near future.

An intensive care consultant at the QMC told Kings Mill Hospital that not only were all the ICU beds full, but he had already ready transferred out his least sick patient to make way for another.

The next nearest specialist centre, Sheffield Teaching Hospital, said it was also full and that it was Nottinghams responsibility. Recording a narrative conclusion, coroner Heidi Connor said that if an operation had taken place before her final deterioration ... then it is likely [Mrs Dennett] would have survived, albeit with ongoing neurological disabilities.

She added: The medical registrar at Kings Mill was left to try to broker a deal with multiple neurosurgery units and valuable time was lost in this process  The efforts of the registrar are to be praised.

She stressed that there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken.

Dr David Throssell, medical director of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said: Our clinician gave advice consistent with guidelines from the Society of British Neurological Surgeons, which state that surgery should take place at the nearest neurosurgical centre (Nottingham) as quickly as possible, regardless of any issue with bed availability.

Peter Homa, chief executive of Nottingham University Hospitals, said: We had no immediate intensive care capacity. We will now accept patients whom our neurosurgeons consider would benefit from emergency surgery regardless of our critical care or other bed availability.
The head Democrat of the White House Oversight Committee has said he is 'curious' about President Trump's choice to terminate Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara.

Maryland Representative Elijah Cummings revealed that Bharara's dismissal came mere days after he received a letter from an ethics watchdog group on Wednesday urging him to investigate whether Trump's businesses were receiving funding from foreign governments.

Cummings said that the letter 'very well may' be connected to Bharara's termination, as Trump previously said he planned to keep him on as the US Attorney in Manhattan, where many of the president's businesses are based.

Now, Bharara has tweeted alluding that he was investigating Trump prior to his dismissal on Saturday.

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Bharara's termination followed Attorney General Jeff Sessions' move on Friday asking for 46 US attorneys nominated by President Obama to resign their posts

Bharara cryptically tweeted on Sunday 'By the way, now I know what Moreland Commission must have felt like'

On Sunday he cryptically tweeted 'By the way, now I know what Moreland Commission must have felt like.'

This was his first tweet since he announced that he had been fired by the Trump administration.

Many have interpreted his tweet as a suggestion that he was investigating Trump or his administration for possible corruption.

The Moreland Commission was established in 2013 by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to investigate public corruption. After the anti-corruption team turned their sights on Cuomo's office, the governor shut the commission down in 2014, reported the Blaze.

It is believed that Cuomo shut it down because they were investigating him, and he ended up not being charged with any wrongdoing.

Maryland Representative Elijah Cummings, right, said he is 'curious' about President Trump's choice to terminate Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara

Bharara tweeted on Saturday afternoon that he had been fired by the Trump administration

Bharara refused to resign and said in a tweet on Saturday that he had been fired.

'Just not very long ago, the president was saying that he was going to keep the U.S. attorney there in New York and then suddenly he's, I guess, changed his mind,' Cummings told ABC News.

His termination followed Attorney General Jeff Sessions' move on Friday asking for 46 US attorneys nominated by President Obama to resign their posts.

He said that serving as the US Attorney for Manhattan would 'forever be the greatest honor' of his professional life.

Cummings continued by saying that Trump has every right within his power to dismiss US attorneys if it he wants to, but that he was 'curious' the decision to remove Bharara.

Cummings said he believes Trump's decision to fire Bharara came after the Manhattan US Attorney received a letter urging him to investigate Trump's foreign business ties

On Wednesday, the letter came from the leaders of the groups Democracy 21, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the Campaign Legal Center.

EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE 'No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State. Advertisement

It read: 'A failure by your office to investigate these reports and to take appropriate action will leave the Nation exposed to foreign governments directly and indirectly providing payments and financial benefits to President Trump when those foreign governments may be seeking to influence Executive Branch policies and positions.'

Their belief is that President Trump's businesses have received funding from foreign governments, which is a violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution.

'There's a lot of questions coming up as to whether  President Trump is concerned about the jurisdiction of this U.S. attorney,' Congressman Cummings continued.

He also commented on the environment created by the Trump administration since taking office, which has been described as chaotic and uncommunicative.

'There is an air of mistrust that's been brought on by President Trump himself and so many others,' he said.

'No doubt about it, when they ask about the emoluments clause and possible violations of it, and the US Attorney's relationship to that, I think that had something to do with it'.
WIth space for flunkeys and finery, this is the plan for a huge new iceberg basement to make room at Kensington Palace.

As revealed by Sebastian Shakespeare in Saturdays Daily Mail, the proposed enormous two-storey underground extension would be dug next to the 18th century Orangery to free up the palace suites for the Royal Family.

The local council, Kensington and Chelsea, has restricted residential two-storey basements because of the disruption they create but officials will probably make an exception for the royal development, documents show.

Above shows a plan of how Historic Royal Palaces plan to use their underground extension, which would be dug next to the 18th century Orangery

A planning application to extend the basement was put in to Kensington and Chelsea council by Historic Royal Palaces

More than 4.5million of taxpayers money has already been spent on William and Kates Apartment 1a at Kensington Palace, which has 22 rooms and two kitchens

The 165ft-long mega-basement will make room at the palace, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to move full-time with their children this autumn after William ends his two-year pilots job with East Anglian Air Ambulance and takes on full-time royal duties.

The grade I-listed Orangery  described in the plans as an elaborate greenhouse in the style of an elegant palace  was built in 1704 on the orders of Queen Anne who wanted to protect her citrus trees in winter. It is currently used as a restaurant for visitors to the palace grounds.

The extension at the back of the historic building would provide more than 1,500 sq m of extra space over three floors. Two would be below ground with the one above built in buff brick with red brick detailing.

Some of the 100 staff working at the palace could move out of their offices and into the extension, which will also house a ceremonial dress collection.

The top basement floor will be home to staff offices, with light wells providing light and air.

The planning application says: The addition of a basement storey is required to allow for the accommodation of administration which must necessarily be moved out of rooms leased from the Royal Household in Kensington Palace.

The application has been put forward by Historic Royal Palaces, the charity which looks after the state apartments at the palace.

The 165ft-long mega-basement will make room at the palace, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to move full-time with their children this autumn

Princess Eugenie (left) is moving to a cottage in the palace grounds later this year with her boyfriend Jack Brooksbank, while Meghan Markle (right) is said to have visited boyfriend Prince Harry in his residence, Nottingham Cottage

A council decision on the proposal is expected by the end of next month.

More than 4.5million of taxpayers money has already been spent on William and Kates Apartment 1a, which has 22 rooms and two kitchens.

Prince Harry lives in nearby Nottingham Cottage where he has been visited by girlfriend Meghan Markle.

Princess Eugenie and boyfriend Jack Brooksbank are moving to a cottage in the palace grounds later this year.

Kensington and Chelsea began restricting iceberg basements at residential homes  and banned them at listed properties  after huge outcry about the disruption the projects generate.

However, it still gave planning permission for 362 basement extensions of more than one storey in 2015/2016 alone.

The underground extensions have been popular with the rich and famous who want to expand their homes to accommodate gyms, indoor pools and cinemas.

But last year ministers were urged to put tougher restrictions on such developments.

Queen guitarist Brian May is among those to have protested over such developments, which he says have turned his West London neighbourhood into a hellhole.
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In January last year, Sam Frost and ex-boyfriend Sasha Mielczarek bought a block of land near his home in Bowral, NSW, to build their dream home.

And after the pair split, it's been reported by The Daily Telegraph that Sam has splashed out $1.2 million on a Sydney townhouse.

According to the publication, the blonde beauty purchased the property in the inner west and next to Sydney Park, after failing to find a place near an eastern suburbs beach.

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Moving on up! Radio star and ex- Bachelorette Sam Frost has splashed out $1.2 million on a Sydney townhouse, it's been reported

The publication reports the townhouse was built in 2002 and has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a one car garage.

The pad features timber floors, white walls and high ceilings, with a black and white kitchen, and first sold for $570,000 when first built.

There's also a large Patio for outdoor entertaining and the bedrooms feature balconies.

New digs: According to the publication, the blonde beauty purchased the property (pictured) in the inner west and next to Sydney Park, after failing to find a place near an eastern suburbs beach

Her new sanctuary: The publication reports the townhouse was built in 2002 and has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a one car garage

Cosy: The pad features timber floors, white walls and high ceilings, with carpet in the bedrooms

Case of the ex: Sam is seen in Melbourne in 2015 with Sasha Mielczarek

According to the publication, Sam was hunting for an apartment at Bondi Beach around the same price and failed to win an auction on a Clovelly apartment.

The Daily Telegraph reported last year that Sam and ex Sasha snapped up a plot of land for around $810,000 in Bowral where they would build a home.

The land was in the Retford Park Estate, which is named after the historic mansion built nearby, with the grounds of the property being divided and sold.

At the time, the pair wrote on their respective social media accounts: 'We are very excited.'

Also in January last year, Sasha said they were planning to move in together.

The hunky tradesman told The Motherish: 'I'm still down at the South Coast and obviously Sam is in Sydney for her radio. There is plans. Its not in the near future but it is close.'

The pair announced their split at the end of last year, after 18 months together, having met on The Bachelorette.

In an official statement issued in December, a representative said their split was 'mutual.'

That's Sydney for you: The pad first sold for $570,000 when first built and has substantially grown in price

New nest: There's also a large Patio for outdoor entertaining and the bedrooms feature balconies

Modern: According to the publication, Sam was hunting for an apartment at Bondi beach around the same price and failed to win an auction on a Clovelly apartment

Not meant to be: The Daily Telegraph reported last year that Sam and ex Sasha snapped up a plot of land for around $810,000 in Bowral where they would build a home

'After 18 months together, Sam Frost and Sasha Mielczarek have come to a mutual decision to end their relationship,' the representative told Daily Mail Australia.

'It is important to stress that there is no bitterness or scandal, they have just come to the realisation that the best way forward is to separate.'

Last month, Sasha opened up to WHO Magazine about their breakup, saying he was still single despite reports and slammed claims the pair only stayed together for 'contractual reasons.'

Sad: The pair announced their split at the end of last year, after 18 months together

'That's ridiculous. No such thing exists. I mean, Sam and I fell in love. And I still love her. She's an amazing person. We fell head over heels in love from the moment we saw each other. There was no way that wasn't real,' Sasha told the publication.

He added about the rumours of his new romance at the time, saying: 'I am sitting here alone. I'm single. I've been spending time with friends and family and they've helped me get back on my feet.'

Last week, the pair both attended the same event, the Beauty and the Beast premiere in Sydney.

Sam attended with friends while Sasha took his mother.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted a representative of Sam for comment, in relation to this article.
Best buddies George Clooney and Rande Gerber know how to have fun.

The Oscar-winner, 55, and businessman, 54, looked debonair in tuxedos in a new promotional shot for their award-winning tequila brand Casamigos.

In the shot, Clooney and Gerber are sitting in a lavish lounge setting with a wooden panel background, each holding a glass of their smooth alcoholic beverage.

Happy go lucky: George Clooney and Rande Gerber looked debonair in this promotional shot for their Casamigos Tequila brand

Clooney looked reminiscent of his Ocean's Eleven character, Danny Ocean, in a tuxedo.

Gerber - the husband of supermodel Cindy Crawford and father of rising modeling star Kaia Gerber - wore a black suit with a tie.

Gerber, a one-time model himself, and the Up in the Air star have been in full promotional mode for their brand.

On the go: They recently held a bash for the cast and crew of a commercial they filmed

Stylish: The men were seen packing up the original black Trans Am from 1977's Smokey & the Bandit, noting that the vehicle - a piece of Hollywood history - was used in the commercial

They recently held a bash for the cast and crew of a commercial they filmed.

The men were seen packing up the original black Trans Am from 1977's Smokey & the Bandit, noting that the vehicle - a piece of Hollywood history - was used in the commercial.

Ownership has its perks: Rande was seen checking out his product in this promo shot

George wore a grey suit with a white button-up shirt while Rande wore a T-shirt touting the brand with jeans and black sneakers.

The Casamigos bosses have past shown extra love toward their staffers, as last year, their sales team visited Mexico for a weekend vacation on the brand's tab.

George certainly has plenty to toast to, as he and his stunning wife Amal, a human rights lawyer, are expecting twins this summer.

Fun: Clooney was seen in this shot taken in Jalisco, Mexico, polishing off a bottle of Casamigos

The beautiful people: Rande and Cindy looked amazing as they matched in black at an NYC event last month
Its the mystery that has baffled the gossip world for days who was the ponytailed man spotted kissing Michael Jacksons teenage daughter Paris through her car window in Los Angeles last week?

Now I can reveal that the mystery man was her new manager, Tom Hamilton. Tom, 31, works for Hollywood veteran Arnold Stiefel, who has managed the careers of Prince and Rod Stewart.

Tom looks after Pariss modelling interests and helped to organise a tell-all Rolling Stone magazine interview which won headlines across the world.

Its the mystery that has baffled the gossip world for days who was the ponytailed man spotted kissing Michael Jacksons teenage daughter Paris?

The cover came at around the same time that Paris parted ways with Michael Snoddy, her boyfriend of a year.

At one time Paris, 18, was so besotted with Michael that she got a string of tattoos to match his, and even had one of his name inked on her ankle.

Now Paris spends almost all her time with Tom, but her family need not worry too much about his intentions. Sources tell me that although he is single, Paris really isnt his type. Phew!

At one time Paris (pictured), 18, was so besotted with her ex-boyfriend Michael that she got a string of tattoos to match his, and even had one of his name inked on her ankle

Teenage model Lottie Moss was guilty of sharing far too much information last week  by revealing that she had cut her lip open during a night of passion with her boyfriend Alex Mytton.

Lottie, 19, posted a video of her injury on Snapchat and asked her fans: Do you guys ever get it when you have sex and cut your lip?

Fortunately, the video was quickly deleted  possibly after Lottie, right, received a stern ticking off from big sister Kate.
Friends of Pippa Middleton are wondering whether she will have to enforce a no ring, no bring rule when it comes to her big day and Meghan Markle

After all the attention that Prince Harrys girlfriend Meghan Markle got at a wedding in Jamaica last week, friends of Pippa Middleton are wondering whether she will have to enforce a no ring, no bring rule to stop the American TV star stealing the limelight on her big day.

Pippa  and her world-famous bottom  may know all about upstaging the bride (who can forget her role at her sister Kates wedding back in 2011), but she has no intention of letting the Suits actress do the same to her.

Pippa, 33, is due to marry wealthy hedge-fund boss James Matthews in May.

When she sent out invitations, Pippa let slip to friends that she was keeping numbers down with a no ring, no bring policy  meaning guests can only bring their partners if they are either married or engaged.

However, many Royal observers expected her to make an exception for Meghan, who has been dating Harry for more than six months. But the incredible reaction to Meghans appearance at Tom Inskips wedding to Lara Hughes-Young has now cast doubt on that.

Friends say that to make life easier for everyone  not least Meghan, who is busy filming a seventh series of her legal drama in Toronto  Pippa may not extend a late invitation to her.

A pal of Pippa tells me: She saw how all eyes were on Meghan rather than Lara last week. The situation was also stressful for Harry. Pippa and her mother Carole wonder whether Meghans presence could cause a great deal of unnecessary chaos.

The tender moment Harry and Meghan held hands in public for the first time at the Jamaican wedding of his good friend last week

The star arrived back in Toronto last week following the Jamaica trip and went straight to the home of her best pal  stylist Jessica Mulroney  where she played the role of Auntie Meg to Jessicas adorable daughter Ivy

Pippa and James, 41, have picked a low-key church on MP Richard Benyons private estate in Berkshire for their wedding, followed by a reception at the Middleton family home nearby.

Meanwhile, I am told that the Suits producers are doing everything in their power to keep Meghan as the centre of attention. They are desperate to sign her up for another series and are prepared to offer her a major pay rise.

The star arrived back in Toronto last week following the Jamaica trip and went straight to the home of her best pal  stylist Jessica Mulroney  where she played the role of Auntie Meg to Jessicas adorable daughter Ivy.

The Duchess of Cambridges stylist Natasha Archer (left) may be responsible for ensuring that her boss is the most elegantly dressed woman in the world, but she doesnt seem to have the same influence over her husband-to-be Chris Jackson (right)

The Duchess of Cambridges stylist Natasha Archer may be responsible for ensuring that her boss is the most elegantly dressed woman in the world, but she doesnt seem to have the same influence over her husband-to-be Chris Jackson.

The dashing Royal photographer wore a fake leopard skin suit and matching tie for his stag party last week.

Worryingly, Chris even dared to suggest on social media that he was thinking of wearing a similar outfit on the big day itself.

Meanwhile, Palace insiders say Natasha might become Kates new Girl Friday now that Rebecca Deacon is stepping down.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY TELL ME! Gillian Anderson (pictured) admitted that she struggles with managing her three children 'We have settled on me just being esquire. I mean, I am not a Lady. I dont want to be called a Lady!' Richard Clifford tells me why being in a civil partnership with Sir Derek Jacobi has caused some confusion. 'Before Simon sacked me he gave me an envelope with the number of a man who does Botox for Christmas. I wonder if the two were linked' Dermot OLeary hints at the Glamour Beauty Festival that Simon Cowells sacking of him may have been to do with his wrinkles. 'I really do struggle with parenting. I feel like Im failing most of the time and I spend most of my life telling my children not to be children.' Gillian Anderson admitted that she struggles with managing her three children, just like everyone else, when we met at the WOW Festival. 'After lots of rejections and hearing the words Joan who? in my early career, I got a car number plate which said Joan Who to cheer myself up.' Dame Joan Collins relives what its like to start at the bottom at The Time Of Their Lives premiere. 'Boy George and I squatted together in horrible conditions. Looking back now it seems a privilege.' Grayson Perry reflects on sharing a house with the pop star after graduating, during a talk he gave at the Grierson Trust. 'Helena Bonham Carter should be the next Doctor Who. Its time for a female Doctor.' Billie Piper tells me shes backing Helena as a Time Lord. Well, she does already have a very good collection of scarves! Advertisement




His blossoming relationship with a glamorous young fashion designer continues to make headlines.

But it seems Karl Stefanovic, 42, is keen to keep new girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough, 33, out of the spotlight as much as possible.

The Today Show co-host led photographers on a wild goose chase this week when a young blonde sitting next to him in the passenger seat of his car turned out not to be Jasmine - but rather Richard Wilkins' son Christian, the Daily Telegraph reports.

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Happy couple! Karl Stefanovic (left) reportedly used the son of Today Show colleague Richard Wilkins as a decoy from photographers for his blonde girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough (right)

Having left his home in Cremorne, in Sydney's northern beaches, to visit Wilkins, it seems paparazzo got excited when Karl was spotted next to a 'blonde'.

Seemingly keen to lead them on, the father-of-three then drove around the area for 45 minutes, with the cameras trailing behind.

What followed was described by one as a chase across a very busy Military Rd in peak hour'.

Doppelganger: Karl led photographers on a wild goose chase when a young blonde sitting next to him in his car turned out not to be Jasmine - but rather Wilkins' son Christian (pictured)

But, when Karl pulled up at some shops after the chase, the identity of his mystery blonde was revealed to be Wilkins' son 'Prince' Christian.

It's believed the Sydney socialite was used by Karl as a decoy, so that Jasmine could leave Wilkins' house without being followed.

'We put two and two together when we realised Richard wasnt even in the country at the moment,' the photographer said.

It comes after Karl and his girlfriend, who met in December, were pictured dining at celebrity hot spot Fratelli Paradiso in Sydney on Thursday.

Similarities? It's believed Sydney socialite Christian (right) was used by Karl as a decoy, so that Jasmine (left) could leave Wilkins' house without being followed

Wild goose chase: Karl reportedly drove around Sydney for 45 minutes leading photographers in a chase across a very busy Military Rd in peak hour'

Social butterfly: Los Angeles-based model Jasmine was first revealed to be dating Karl just last month after he split from his wife of 25 years Cassandra in late 2016

The Potts Point restaurant is said to be a favourite among A-list stars like Nicole Kidman and Lara Worthington.

Los Angeles-based model Jasmine was first revealed to be dating Karl in February, only months after he split from his wife of 25 years Cassandra.

Karl is now reportedly preparing to introduce the blonde beauty to the children he shares with Cassandra, Jackson: 16, Ava, 11, and River, 10.
John Cena is simply smitten with longtime girlfriend Nikki Bella.

And the pair was happy to flaunt their affections as they arrived at the Kid's Choice Awards at USC's Galen Center in Los Angeles on Saturday

On the event's Nickelodeon orange carpet, the 39-year-old wrestler - who was hosting the night of stars and slime - looked dapper as can be as he planted a smooch on his 33-year-old mate.

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Host with the most! John Cena and girlfriend Nikki Bella were among the first to arrive at the Kid's Choice Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday. The 39-year-old talent was hosting the event

Sealed with a kiss! The smitten WWE stars shared several kisses on the event's orange carpet

The six-foot one-inch star towered above while donning an olive colored suit which he paired with a black and gold tie as he held his feisty girlfriend close.

The WWE Diva wows in a sheer black Cami NYC top teamed with an asymmetrical ruffle skirt byGemy Maalouf which she styled with a pair of embellished white heels.

The San Diego, California native's long dark hair was styled in romantic waves that reached down to her waist while Nikki complimented her classic look with glowing skin and dark eyeshadow.

Brawling beauty! WWE Diva Nikki Bella wowed in a semi-sheer dress with asymmetrical ruffle

Simply smitten: The six-foot one-inch tall athlete seemed over-the-moon with his WWE girlfriend, who he held close and kissed on the orange carpet

Return of the Doc: On Twitter, the former pro wrestler teased the return of his character Doctor Thuganomics, one of his early alter egos for the WWE

Yesterday, the wrestler-turned-actor teased his Nickelodeon appearance with a fun tweet which asked followers if they thought 'the Doctor of Thuganomics' was making a return.

The 'doctor' refers to one of the wrestlers' early WWE characters, who was fond of freestyle rapping, jean shorts and body slams.

The Trainwreck actor accompanied his tweet with a picture from his good old days as the rapping wrestler, who dons a hearty chain and varsity jacket while making an over the top gesture.

Nice shampoo! The Daddy's Home star had tons of affection for his girlfriend Nikki Bella, at one point leaning in to kiss her head and perhaps take a whiff of her hair

Busy bodies: The athletic duo stays close even when their busy schedules keep them apart, with John calling Facetime, texts and carefully planning he and Nikki's key to keeping close

Cena recently shared how he and his lady stay close even when their busy schedules keep them apart, talking to Extra last week.

He said, 'It sometimes comes down to the unromantic fact of scheduling time for each other, which  for lack of a better word  sucks, but when we have that time with each other, its truly incredible.'

He continued to fawn over his partner, saying 'I love her to death and I look forward to the next time I see her.'

No Doubt she's stylish! Gwen Stefani embraces cartoonishly fun vibes in a patched jacket paired with silk shorts and fishnets

John was joined by plenty of other talent on the orange carpet, including Gwen Stefani, and Dance Mom's Chloe Lukasiak and tons of Nick's other under 18 stars.

Tune into tonight's awards for performances by girl group Little Mix, as well as former Fifth Harmonizer Camila Cabello and Machine Gun Kelly, not the mention the outrageous hosting skills of Mr. John Cena.

The 30th annual Kid's Choice Awards begin at 5pm PST on Nickelodeon.

On fire! Actor Jade Pettyjohn wowed in an off-the-shoulder party dress at Nickelodeon's 2017 Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday

Going for the gold! Actresses Cree Cicchino (l) and Riele Downs (r) both dazzled in golden hues at this year's Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
She may be known for her acting, but Michelle Keegan's baking skills could soon be put to the test as producers hope to line her up for the Celebrity Bake Off.

The 29-year-old actress is reportedly 'top of the list' of names that bosses are hoping to sign up for the celebrity spin-off of the show.

It is hoped that the Our Girl star, who is said to be a keen baker, would add some glamour to the revamped programme when it moves to Channel 4 later this year.

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Keen baker: Michelle Keegan is reportedly 'top of the list' of names that bosses are hoping to sign up for the Celebrity Bake Off

A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'After they managed to wrestle the Great British Bake Off away from the BBC, the bosses know the pressure is on.

'Theyve made signing up names for the celebrity special priority and Michelle Keegan is top of the list, as she is apparently a very keen baker.

'She is also a real Bake Off fan and thinks it would be a fun thing to do. The issue is whether or not she can fit it in with her other work projects.'

Michelle, who is married to TV presenter Mark Wright, is set to fly out to South Africa this month to film the third series of Our Girl, where she plays Corporal Georgie Lane.

Glamorous: Channel 4 producers hope that the actress, who is married to TV presenter Mark Wright, could add some sparkle to the revamped version of the show

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Michelle for comment.

Viewers were left shocked when it was announced that the Great British Bake Off would be moving from the BBC to Channel 4.

While Mary Berry, Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc will not be making the move, Paul Hollywood has signed on to the revamped programme after agreeing to a six-figure deal.

Prue Leith has also reportedly signed on to star as a judge alongside Paul on the show.

Busy schedule: Michelle is set to fly out to South Africa this month to film the third series of Our Girl, where she plays Corporal Georgie Lane

A source told the Mirror: 'The deal has taken its time to iron out the details, but it has now been signed and Prue is going to be on the show.

'We think her and Paul will be another winning combination. Prue is excited about the show and cant wait to get started.'

This comes after the veteran cook revealed she was 'close' to signing a deal, saying, 'I'm certainly one of the runners'.

A Channel 4 spokesman said: 'We'll be announcing the line up for The Great British Bake Off in due course'.

A full series of the Great British Bake Off is not expected to air until 2018, but a celebrity version of the show in aid of Stand Up to Cancer is planned for this autumn.

Shock move: Viewers were left shocked when it was announced that the Great British Bake Off would be moving from the BBC to Channel 4
She recently gushed about her new boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

And Perrie Edwards looked to be in high spirits as she put on a sizzling display at Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards in LA on Saturday.

She showed off her incredible figure in a daring silver mini dress as she arrived at the event with bandmates Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson.

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Sizzling: Perrie Edwards stunned in a daring silver mini dress as she arrived at Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards with her bandmates

The 23-year-old teamed the metallic number featuring a choker neckline with a pair of black strappy heels, while wearing her poker straight blonde locks down in a centre parting.

Meanwhile, Jade, 24, showed off her toned midriff in a matching pink crop top and mini skirt, which she teamed with a fluffy pink coat.

Opting for a more covered-up look, Leigh-Anne, 24, showed off her svelte figure in a printed retro-inspired jumpsuit.

Daring: Jade Thirwall, 24, showed off her toned midriff in a matching pink crop top and mini skirt, which she teamed with a fluffy pink coat

Dressed to impress: Opting for a more covered-up look, Leigh-Anne, 24, showed off her svelte figure in a printed retro-inspired jumpsuit

In keeping with her bandmate's predominantly monochrome colour palette, Jesy, 25, chose a plunging lace-up maxi dress that skimmed her curves.

Little Mix recently wowed fans in their new music video for No More Sad Songs, where they donned racy bikinis and cowboy hats for the American-themed video.

The band, who have been busy promoting the new track on social media, are currently touring with Ariana Grande in the US.

They are up for the Favorite Global Music Star category at Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards and will be performing on stage at the ceremony.

Looking hot: Jesy, 25, chose a plunging lace-up maxi dress for the event on Saturday

Girl power: The band are up for the Favorite Global Music Star category at Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards

Last month, the band scooped the Best Single award at the BRITs last up for their break up anthem Shout Out To My Ex.

Battling it out in a star-studded category, the victory was made all the more sweeter by the group pipping Perrie's ex Zayn Malik to the title.

Perrie recently spoke about her new boyfriend Alex, describing him as 'very sexy'.

She said in a filmed chat about her love life: 'I have a boyfriend and his name is Alex. He plays for Arsenal. He's very cute and hot and sexy.'
Father-to-be George Clooney hauled his own luggage before taking a solo flight out of LAX Airport on Saturday.

Rocking orange-lensed shades, the 55-year-old silver fox strutted through the terminal while dressed down in a navy polo shirt, baggy blue jeans, and tan loafers.

Perhaps the two-time Oscar winner was flying to meet his pregnant second wife Amal Clooney, who was last seen jetting out of JFK Airport on Friday.

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Solo mission: Father-to-be George Clooney hauled his own luggage before taking a flight out of LAX Airport on Saturday

Jet setter: Rocking orange-lensed shades, the 55-year-old silver fox strutted through the terminal while dressed down in a navy polo shirt, baggy blue jeans, and tan loafers

The 39-year-old human rights lawyer spent the last two days at the United Nations headquarters in New York meeting with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after speaking on behalf of her client, Nadia Murad.

Last month, George's mother Nina confirmed that the British-Lebanese barrister (born Alamuddin) is expecting twins - a boy and a girl.

'It will be one of each!' the 77-year-old former city councilwoman gushed to Radar Online.

'That's what Ive been told. How marvelous! My husband [Nick] and I are extremely excited.'

Buns in the oven: Perhaps the two-time Oscar winner was flying to meet his pregnant second wife Amal Clooney, who was last seen jetting out of JFK Airport on Friday

Busy: The 39-year-old human rights lawyer spent the last two days at the United Nations headquarters in New York meeting with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (R) after speaking on behalf of her client, Nadia Murad

'It will be one of each!' Last month, George's mother Nina confirmed that the British-Lebanese barrister (born Alamuddin) is expecting twins - a boy and a girl (pictured Thursday)

The Clooneys were last photographed together on February 26 arriving at London's Eurostar from France where he'd received a Cesar dHonneur Award at the Cesar ceremony.

'To my wife Amal, there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not proud to be your husband,' the Money Monster actor said onstage the Salle Pleyel in Paris.

'And I am excited about the years to come, and particularly the months to come. I love you very much!'

It's clear from the Kentucky-born college drop-out's marital alliance with Amal that he has strong political ambitions.

Train: The Clooneys were last photographed together on February 26 arriving at London's Eurostar from France where he'd received a Cesar dHonneur Award at the Cesar ceremony

The Money Monster actor said onstage the Salle Pleyel in Paris: 'To my wife Amal, there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not proud to be your husband. And I am excited about the years to come, and particularly the months to come. I love you very much!'

In the past, George has used his celebrity to advocate for the Darfur conflict, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2004 tsunami, and 9/11 victims.

The five-time Golden Globe winner will soon release his sixth feature directorial effort, Suburbicon, which stars Julianne Moore, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin.

Clooney also co-wrote the 1957-set crime mystery with the Coen Brothers - who previously directed him in Hail, Caesar!, Burn After Reading, Intolerable Cruelty, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?

At the helm! The five-time Golden Globe winner will soon release his sixth feature directorial effort, Suburbicon, which stars Julianne Moore (2-R, pictured on October 17)
She's the daughter of famous rocker Richie Sambora.

But it seems Ava Sambora is well on the way to making a name for herself, thanks to her unbeatable style sense.

The 19-year-old model and actress stunned on the bright orange carpet at the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday.

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Star in the making! Ava Sambora, 19, stunned on the bright orange carpet at the Kids Choice Awards on Saturday

Her white sleeveless frock dropped to her mid thigh, which revealed her perfectly sculpted gams.

On closer inspection, it seemed the garment was actually composed of two layers, a lacy, translucent top which was slightly longer than the simple white slip underneath.

She capped off the head-turning look with a pair of ultra strappy, sky-high nude stilettos.

Legs for days: Her white sleeveless frock dropped to her mid thigh, which revealed her perfectly sculpted gams

Her long platinum blonde locks were parted in the middle and fell in gentle waves down past her shoulders.

An orange-tinged smoky eye, moderate blush and pale rose lipstick ensured the young beauty was ready for her turn in front of the cameras.

While she looked fresh and energetic on the red carpet, it seems the young knockout may have flown back from a vacation quite recently for the event.

Flawless: An orange-tinged smoky eye, moderate blush and pale rose lipstick ensured the young beauty was ready for her turn in front of the cameras

On Friday, she was still busy posting Instagram pictures which showed her enjoying the beach in Hawaii.

One depicted the future heart-breaker in a pink bandeau top bikini with lacing up the front.

Her caption somewhat humorously read 'Back and sunburnt as ever.'

Lucky! On Friday, she was still busy posting Instagram pictures which showed her enjoying the beach in Hawaii
She is seldom seen in a demure ensemble - with her sex appeal being her unique selling point.

And despite the event being child centric, Blac Chyna left very little to the imagination at the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, which she attended with son King Cairo, aged four.

The 28-year-old reality star risked a wardrobe malfunction as she slipped into a saucy plunging shirt under which she went braless - in a shock look which appeared to cause her trouble on the orange carpet.

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Oh dear! Blac Chyna left very little to the imagination at the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, which she attended with son King Cairo, aged four

Blac's red carpet appearance comes hot on the heels of her well-publicised split with Rob Kardashian, with whom she shares four-month-old daughter Dream, meaning her glowing look was undoubtedly a point laid out to her former love.

Slipping into a white shirt, she left a number of buttons undone, with her braless chest on full view yet she struggled to contain her assets.

Despite the racy neckline of the look, her ensemble was far more pared-back than her usual getups as she wore just light-wash jeans with the crisp shirt.

In a touching display, she coordinated her look with that of her son, who she shares with Rob's half-sister Kylie Jenner's boyfriend Tyga.

Be careful! The 28-year-old reality star risked a wardrobe malfunction as she slipped into a saucy plunging shirt under which she went braless - in a shock look which appeared to cause her trouble on the orange carpet

Just the two of us: Blac's red carpet appearance comes hot on the heels of her well-publicised split with Rob Kardashian, with whom she shares four-month-old daughter Dream, meaning her glowing look was undoubtedly a point laid out to her former love

More appropriate: She paired the look with tattered ripped jeans which provided an edgy touch while boosting her diminutive height with pointed mustard coloured boots

She paired the look with tattered ripped jeans which provided an edgy touch while boosting her diminutive height with pointed mustard coloured boots.

The stunning star kept her make-up minimal with the look as she wore just a smudge of bronze eyeshadow with a delicately outlined pink lip.

Blac's hair was worn in bouncy loose curls which perfectly framed her soft bone structure with the dimples from her now-removed cheek piercings standing out.

Adorable King Cairo wore a near-identical ensemble to his mum, with a white T-shirt worn beneath an open white shirt and ripped jeans.

Letting them out! Of course she did opt to leave several of the top buttons open, ensuring her impressive decolletage was still on full display

Pretty standard: There are contradicting reports of late about whether Rob and Chyna, who got engaged last April, are still together

There are contradicting reports of late about whether Rob and Chyna, who got engaged last April, are still together.

The Rob & Chyna co-stars briefly and dramatically split in December, with Rob uploading a Snapchat video in which he bewailed the breakup in their vacant house.

Though the duo reunited shortly thereafter, People was claiming by last month that the E! reality stars had broken their engagement.

Meticulous: As usual, her make-up was spot on, and featured a slick of rose lipstick

Matching! Like his mom, King Cairo also donned a white oxford shirt and distressed, light-wash jeans for the occasion

However, E! News quoted a source Wednesday who said they've been 'working on staying together and focusing on Dream.'

Apparently, 'The main reason why the Kardashian family is so involved with Dream is Kris, who has worked hard to focus Rob on being present for his daughter.'

The source said: 'Kris has been super focused on being the rock, and she's building a bridge between Chyna and the rest of family.'

Kiss! Once inside, Blac and King had some more fun as they shared the experience on Snapchat

Splat! The mother-son duo posted using several filters, including a special one built for the event that featured the ability to slime those in the picture

Inside the bash, Blac and King had some more fun as they shared the experience on Snapchat. The mother-son duo posted using several filters, including a special one built for the event that featured the ability to slime those in the picture.

While ex-fiance Rob, 29, and her other child Dream, were not present at the event, there was another connection to the Kardashians in attendance.

Khloe's ex-husband Lamar Odom, 37, also walked the orange carpet with his own children, though he reportedly didn't interact with Blac.
Gal Gadot tweeted a new trailer Saturday night for her upcoming film Wonder Woman, which is set to be released in the US on June 2.

Directed by Patty Jenkins, the film sees the title character train as an Amazon warrior on the Mediterranean island of Themyscira during her early years.

When Chris Pine's unconscious American military pilot Steve Trevor washes ashore, she finds herself and her newly-discovered superpowers plunged into World War I.

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Incoming: Gal Gadot tweeted a new trailer Saturday night for her upcoming film Wonder Woman, which is set to be released in America on June 2

As the trailer begins, the young Diana - who grows up to become the superhero - approaches a mounted sword, accompanied by her mother Queen Hippolyta.

Connie Nielson, who plays the monarch of Themyscira, warns that 'Only the fiercest among us even could' brandish the weapon, 'and that is not you, Diana.'

The trailer quickly whisks its audience to Diana as played by Gadot, who's engaged in fierce training with Hippolyta's sister General Antiope, as played by Robin Wright.

Offering backstory: Directed by Patty Jenkins, the film sees the title character train as an Amazon warrior on the Mediterranean island of Themyscira during her early years

Outside world: When Chris Pine's unconscious American military pilot Steve Trevor washes ashore, she finds herself and her newly-discovered superpowers plunged into World War I

'You will train her harder than any Amazon before her,' Hippolyta's voiceover commands as trainer and trainee are locked in combat by sword.

'Five times harder, ten times harder, until she is better than even you,' Hippolyta continues over a clip of General Antiope overpowering the young Diana.

'Never let your guard down!' she upbraids her pupil, whom she's just disarmed, bellowing with contempt: 'You expect every battle to be fair!'

Welcome to Themyscira. I am proud to present the NEW trailer for #WonderWoman!  pic.twitter.com/8F3G0LMz5Y  Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) March 12, 2017

Exposition: As the trailer begins, the young Diana - who grows up to become the superhero - approaches a mounted sword, accompanied by her mother Queen Hippolyta

The monarch: Connie Nielson, who plays the monarch of Themyscira, warns that 'Only the fiercest among us even could' brandish the weapon, 'and that is not you, Diana'

Yet at one point, Diana raises her arms up to shield herself from a blow from General Antiope, and inadvertently creates a force field that sends her hurtling backward.

As Diana - sired by Zeus, incidentally - stares down at her forearms in bewilderment, her mother's voice intones: '...but she must never know the truth about what she is.'

Shortly thereafter, Trevor arrives, and as he stands shirtless before Diana she solemnly informs him: 'It is our sacred duty to defend the world.'

No quarter: The trailer quickly whisks its audience to Diana as played by Gadot, who's engaged in fierce training with Hippolyta's sister General Antiope, as played by Robin Wright

At one point, Diana raises her arms up to shield herself from a blow from General Antiope, and inadvertently creates a force field that sends her hurtling backward

He in turn bids her beware, saying: 'Whoever you are, you are in more danger than you think,' whereupon she decides to set forth from the island.

'Be careful, Diana,' her mother's seen saying, touching her face, and Diana insists: 'If no one else will defend the world, then I must.'

Arming herself with the sword from the beginning of the trailer, as well as a whip, the Amazon warrior - who's discovered superhuman jumping ability - heads to London.

'Right...': Shortly thereafter, Trevor arrives, and as he stands shirtless before Diana she solemnly informs him: 'It is our sacred duty to defend the world'

Abroad: Arming herself with the sword from the beginning of the trailer, as well as a whip, the Amazon warrior - who's discovered superhuman jumping ability - heads to London with Trevor

Though she denounces the city as 'hideous' whilst boating up the Thames with Trevor, she finds her powers useful there, saving him from a bullet with her forearm.

A rollicking string of action sequences sees her in the iconic regalia of the superhero, who was introduced as a DC comics character in 1941.

The whip flames as she incapacitates multiple foes with it, her famous round shield deflects munitions, and the requisite tentpole film explosions rage apace.

The look: A rollicking string of action sequences sees her in the iconic regalia of the superhero, who was introduced as a DC comics character in 1941

German General Erich Ludendorff, as portrayed by Danny Huston, at one point hisses at her: 'What are you?' leading her to reveal her origins to him.

'I am Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Hippolyta,' she says, advancing on him. 'In the name of all that is good, your wrath upon this world is over.'

Gadot first played Wonder Woman in Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice last year, and will also feature as the character in this year's Justice League film.
A glamorous trip to Paris Fashion Week turned into a nightmare for fashion designer Dan Single when he tumbled from the third floor of his Paris hotel last week.

The 36-year-old is understood to have fallen from the balcony of the Grand Amour, shattering his legs, The Daily Telegraph reports.

On Friday, wife Bambi Northwood-Blyth, flanked by two friends, was seen rushing to a nearby hospital where Dan is in an induced coma.

Bad fall: A glamorous trip to Paris Fashion Week turned into a nightmare for fashion designer Dan Single when he tumbled from the third floor of his Paris hotel last week

The publication reports that the model told nearby photographers she was 'Okay' before leaving in a dark car.

Dan is not believed to have head, brain or spinal injuries but underwent an unspecified surgery.

'His legs are a complete mess; he won't be walking for a very long time. He is not in a good way. It's expected both he and Bambi will have to stay over there for quite a while because he's not able to fly,' a source is quoted as having told the publication.

The father-of-one and his young wife were staying at the hip hotel which boasts arty, high concept interiors, including an all pink room with surreal art deco details.

Long way down: The hotel sits in a six-floor terrace and it's a terrifyingly steep drop to the ground below from the third floor

Urgent: On Friday, wife Bambi Northwood-Blyth, flanked by two friends, was seen rushing to a nearby hospital where Dan is in an induced coma

The hotel sits in a six-floor terrace and it's a terrifyingly steep drop to the ground below from the third floor.

A few days before the accident, Bambi, 25, posted an image from the roof of what appeared to be another hotel.

Her Instagram posts appear to indicate she arrived in France around three days ago, which could mean the accident happened on the pair's first night in the city of love.

Hospital drama: Dan is not believed to have head, brain or spinal injuries but underwent an unspecified surgery

Holiday: A few days before the accident, Bambi, 25, posted an image from the roof of what appeared to be another hotel

Two months ago, Bambi and Dan celebrated their third wedding anniversary and Bambi took to Instagram to celebrate the occasion.

'UMERO TROIS .... HERES TO THREE LEGENDARY YEARS AND ANOTHER MILLIONS TO COME,' Bambi wrote on alongside an image of the pair's wedding day.
He's known for his harsh criticism despite not delivering the goods himself.

And on Sunday night's episode of My Kitchen Rules, self-proclaimed seafood king Josh slammed Amy and Tyson's stew as they competed in the sudden-death cook off.

After tasting their main, Josh remarked to housewives Mell and Cyn: 'Were you expecting cat food?'

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Critical: Self-proclaimed 'seafood king' Josh slammed Amy and Tyson's stew as they competed in the sudden-death cook off during Sunday's episode of My Kitchen Rules

'It was like a lot of kind of, gelatin almost, on it...But were you expecting cat food?,' he said, making the women laugh.

Cyn remarked how she only got a small piece of meat on her plate.

David also remarked: 'It is average in terms of what their ability is.'

Blunt: After tasting their main, Josh remarked to housewives Mell and Cyn: 'Were you expecting cat food? ... It was like a lot of kind of, gelatin almost, on it...But were you expecting cat food?,' he said, making the women laugh

On a mission: Josh's snub came after he vowed to make 'angry, angry man' Tyson reach boiling point, saying to the camera at the start of the show: 'I'd love to just push Tyson's buttons and just see if I can just stir him up and see how angry he can be. I've upset a few people, so I reckon I'm the one for the job'

Josh's snub came after he vowed to make 'angry, angry man' Tyson reach boiling point, saying to the camera at the start of the show: 'I'd love to just push Tyson's buttons and just see if I can just stir him up and see how angry he can be. I've upset a few people, so I reckon I'm the one for the job.'

During Sunday's cook-off, Amy and Tyson decided to cook an entree of steak tartare with Parmesan crisp, a main of oxtail, steak and kidney stew, with a dessert of cheese sorbet with walnut cake and carrot.

Damo and Caz revealed they were whipping up an entree of fish cakes with lime saw and sriracha aioli, a main of lamb backstrap with roast beetroot, parsnip puree and goat's cheese cream and a dessert of red wine poached pears with cinnamon ice cream.

Tasty: During Sunday's cook-off, Amy and Tyson decided to cook an entree of steak tartare with Parmesan crisp, a main of oxtail, steak and kidney stew, with a dessert of cheese sorbet with walnut cake and carrot

Amy and Tyson struggled to make their oxtail, burning their first batch in the pressure cooking but managing to save the dish on their second attempt.

However, the pair had to leave out the steak as it was tough, with Amy trying it and spitting it out into the bin.

The judges however praised the pair for leaving it off the plate, despite Amy saying she was 'devastated'.

Dinner is served: Amy and Tyson struggled to make their oxtail, burning their first batch in the pressure cooking but managing to save the dish on their second attempt

Colin Fassnidge remarked that their cooking was 'confident cooking' and that the pair made a very 'cheffy dish.'

'It's the food we like to eat.'

The judges - including Karen Martini, Liz Egan, Pete Evans and Manu Feildel, added that they liked the flavour of the dish.

Guy Grossi meanwhile said that Damo and Caz's lamb wasn't cooked correctly, and was pink in some parts and overcooked in others.

Criticial moment: The judges - including Karen Martini, Liz Egan, Pete Evans and Manu Feildel, said they liked the flavour of the dish. Guy Grossi meanwhile said that Damo and Caz's lamb wasn't cooked correctly, and was pink in some parts and overcooked in others




She's never been shy when it comes to showing off her bust.

And things were no different on Saturday when Kyle Richards stunned at the Family Equality Council's Impact awards in Beverly Hills.

The 48-year-old RHOBH star flaunted her black bra, which was exposed thanks to her emerald gown's extremely low neckline.

No envy needed! Kyle Richards stunned at the Family Equality Council's Impact awards in Beverly Hills on Saturday

The garment also featured cutouts which provided tiny glimpses of her flat stomach and toned legs.

A pair of black pumps with geometric medallions on the toes, as well as some complementary emerald earrings and rings completed her sophisticated look.

Her brunette tresses were slicked back into a long ponytail, and of course her crimson lipstick, light blush and delicate eye make-up made the reality star glow on the red carpet.

While Kyle no doubt drew many a glance, other Real Housewives stars were on hand as well, including her husband, Mauricio Umansky, 46.

Not shy: The 48-year-old RHOBH star flaunted her black bra, which was exposed thanks to her emerald gown's extremely low neckline

Peek-a-boo! The garment also featured cutouts which provided tiny glimpses of her flat stomach and toned legs

All together: While Kyle no doubt drew many a glance, other Real Housewives stars were on hand as well, including her husband, Mauricio Umansky, 46 (pictured next to Kyle)

Lisa Vanderpump, 56, looked chic in a flowy black jumpsuit which included sheer shoulders and a distinctive belt.

Matching earrings and a sparkly pink clutch completed her ensemble.

Her husband, Ken Todd, no doubt turned some heads with his shiny take on a classic three piece suit.

Always chic: Lisa Vanderpump, 56, looked chic in a flowy black jumpsuit which included sheer shoulders and a distinctive belt

Making a statement: Her husband, Ken Todd, no doubt turned some heads with his shiny take on a classic three piece suit

Monochrome: Camille Grammer, 48, looked delightful in a complex white number

Camille Grammer, 48, looked delightful in a complex white number.

The outfit was composed of a sheer pattern top layered over a solid white halter top, which she tucked into some classic white shorts.

Gold platform heels and some hoop earrings rounded out her angelic look.

Other reality stars were also present, including the biggest of them all, Kim Kardashian, 36, who looked smashing in a white, floor-length strapless gown that accentuated her famously curvy figure.

Heard of her? Other reality stars were also present, including the biggest of them all, Kim Kardashian, 36, who looked smashing in a white, floor-length strapless gown that accentuated her famously curvy figure

Hollywood was also well-represented at the shindig thanks to Julie Bowen of Modern Family and Sarah Paulson of American Horror Story.

Julie, 47, looked elegant in a plunging white dress which also featured a knee-high split up the front.

An elaborate necklace and small clutch added a few dashes of bling and color.

Sarah Paulson, 42, kept things simple in a demure black number that fell to her knees.

Classic: Julie Bowen, 47, looked elegant in a plunging white dress which also featured a knee-high split up the front
Kaia and Presley Gerber, the now-modeling children of 1990s icon Cindy Crawford, enjoyed a bit of family time together at the weekend.

The brother and sister, who are 17 and 15 respectively, were spotted on Saturday enjoying a stroll out and about in Beverly Hills.

Kaia, showing she's inherited her mother's eye for style, wore a chic pair of narrow black sunglasses and had slung on a small Louis Vuitton backpack.

Sibling bonding: Kaia and Presley Gerber, the now-modeling children of 1990s icon Cindy Crawford, enjoyed a bit of family time together at the weekend

The black and brown leather bag contrasted against a navy sweater that she'd teamed with frayed-hem denim shorts and black leather boots.

Meanwhile, her elder brother wore a grey and white flannel shirt from AllSaints with a pale grey T-shirt and dark jeans, matching his sister in the boots department.

Kaia and Presley are their mother's children by businessman Rande Gerber, to whom the 51-year-old supermodel's been married since 1998.

Ritzy locale: The brother and sister, who are 17 and 15 respectively, were spotted on Saturday enjoying a stroll out and about in Beverly Hills

Before she'd wound up with her current husband, the DeKalb native had spent 1991 until 1995 tethered in matrimony to Richard Gere, who's 17 years her senior.

Both of the Crawford-Gerber progeny have drifted into modeling, to the point Kaia and her mother jointly covered the April issue of Vogue Paris last year.

She also wrangled a modeling gig in Teen Vogue later last year, and gave an interview with Crawford in the pages of the magazine.

Only the best accessories: Kaia, showing she's inherited her mother's eye for style, wore a chic pair of narrow black sunglasses and had slung on a small Louis Vuitton backpack

In addition to shoots for the CR Fashion Book and ODDA, Presley's done campaigns for Calvin Klein and, more recently, for Dolce And Gabbana.

The Italian brand's new Spring/Summer 2017 campaign featured him alongside Pamela Anderson's 20-year-old son by Tommy Lee, Jude Law's 20-year-old son by Sadie Frost, and Daniel Day-Lewis' 21-year-old son by Isabelle Adjani.

Gerber, Brandon Thomas Lee, Rafferty Law and Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis were joined in the campaign by Cameron Dallas and Luka Sabbat.
They found success on the wildly popular NBC show, This Is Us.

And Milo Ventimiglia, along with the rest of the series cast, stepped out in support of Operation Smile in Park City, Utah on Saturday.

The Celebrity Ski & Smile Challenge took place in order to raise money for the organization, which provides surgeries for children with cleft palates.

A good cause: Milo Ventimiglia, 39, came out in support of Operation Smile at Park City, Utah on Saturday

Milo layered a simple white T-shirt underneath a black cardigan.

The handsome actor, 39, paired his top half with a set of dark-coloured trousers.

The Gilmore Girls star styled his chin-length locks in a slicked-back do.

Radiant: Co-star Chrissy Metz, 36, looked beautiful in an A-line dress and berry-coloured flats

Also present for the evening was Milo's equally talented This Is Us co-stars.

Milo plays Jack Pearson, the father of Chrissy Metz's character, Kate.

The 36-year-old looked beautiful in an A-line dress and berry-coloured flats.

The gang: Also present for the evening was Milo's equally talented This Is Us co-stars

Chris Sullivan, 36, gave off a southern vibe in a black blazer, jeans and boots.

The handsome star plays Toby Damon, the fiance of Chrissy's character.

Justin Hartley, who plays her brother, was joined by fiance Chrishell Stause.

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8 central on NBC. It has been renewed for both a second and third season.
Danny Dyer is reportedly planning to whisk his wife Joanne Mas on a 'no expenses spared' second honeymoon following his alleged work woes.

The 39-year-old EastEnders star, who is said to be taking a break from the soap after being stricken with stress, married his partner of 20 years in September last year yet wants to revisit their post-wedding festivities.

Sources tell the Mirror that 'he wants to make Jo feel special' following his recuperating break to South Africa in the midst of his momentary split from the BBC show.

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Loved up: Danny Dyer is reportedly planning to whisk his wife Joanne Mas on a 'no expenses spared' second honeymoon following his alleged work woes (pictured in 2004)

It was reported in January that an incident at the National Television Awards saw an 'intoxicated' Danny become embroiled in a 'meltdown' leading to claims that he was bowing out of EastEnders for a rest period.

Despite the claims, and an accompanying video, soap bosses came forward after the leaked clip to deny that he is 'spiralling out of control, exhausted and needs to control his temper.'

Following the explosive allegations, Danny has removed himself temporarily from his role as Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter to recuperate in South Africa.

Now, sources have revealed that aside from his professional dramas he is planning to dedicate himself to his wife Joanne, who proposed in February 2015, before they walked the aisle in Hampshire last year.

Give me a break: The 39-year-old EastEnders star, who is said to be taking a break from the soap after being stricken with stress, married his partner of 20 years in September last year yet wants to revisit their post-wedding festivities

During Danny's South African break, Joanne has reportedly been staying at home with their three children daughters Dani 19, Sunnie nine and two-year-old son Arty.

According to the Mirror the couple are now set to relight their romance by jetting to the Maldives: 'Since they got married Danny has been working non stop, they havent had a lot of time together and he wants to make Jo feel special.

'Hes very focused on his family. His time in South Africa has done him the world of good. Now he just wants to do lots of fun things with his family.

Following his wedding, Danny told Hello magazine: 'I was overwhelmed. Jo looked stunning - and seeing her there with all my beautiful children - I was really moved. It couldn't have been any better.'

MailOnline has commented representatives for Danny for comment.

Despite the romantic gesture, reports surfaced last months stating he had exchanged racy messages with a young mother, who he met at an Essex book signing event the previous year, as she claimed he told her 'bend over and show me that bottle' - cockney rhyming slang for her backside.

On June 27, just nine weeks before his wedding to Ms Mas, he sent the woman a picture of his privates poking out of boxer shorts. A source said after the revelation: 'This was a bit of fun between Danny and a girl that has got a bit out of hand.

'There was no relationship, it was nothing serious and Jo is not about to split up with the love of her life over a few messages. Everything we have heard suggests Jo will stand by her man.'

News of the romantic getaway comes after it was claimed that the cast of EastEnders are reportedly planning a surprise welcome back party for Danny when he makes his return from South Africa to the BBC soap.

Homel life comes first: Sources tell the Mirror that 'he wants to make Jo feel special' following his recuperating break to South Africa in the midst of his break from the BBC show

His co-stars, according to the Daily Star, are keen to show their support for the soap favourite when he makes his anticipated return.

A source told the newspaper: 'They're keen to show everyone is behind him 100% after his tough few months. They are planning a round of applause when he steps back behind the bar for filming for the first time.'

'The cast know how important Danny is to the show's success and don't want it to be awkward.'.

Danny is said to be taking some time away from the soap for personal reasons, after a string of emotional storylines for his character.

Bowing out: Sources tell the Mirror that 'he wants to make Jo feel special' following his recuperating break to South Africa in the midst of his break from the BBC show

Last month Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale came forward to slam accusations that he and Danny had clashed prior to his sudden departure from the show.

According to the Daily Star, Danny had criticised Adam for only ever playing one character on screen, and branded himself the superior actor.

However the soap stalwart has since admitted that the claims were 'news' to him, as he and Danny had enjoyed a 'nice chat' before his departure.

The paper first reported tensions between the pair - with Danny allegedly stating of his co-star: 'Adam has played one role. He's auditioned once in his whole career. Out of every soap actor I've got the most experience.'

Not true: Last month Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale came forward to slam accusations that he and Danny had clashed prior to his sudden departure from the show

Following the release of the NTAs clip back in January, despite The Sun referred to the video as depicting a '15 minute meltdown', a friend of Danny's told MailOnline: 'He wasn't behaving badly at all. He was presenting an award so he was tired as he had been at the venue since 6pm.

'He was struggling to find the exit to get out as he was worried he was going to be mobbed by fans as there were queues everywhere and he just wanted to get to his car. The rest of the group were saying, 'Just go, go now,' before it gets any busier. He wanted to get out and nothing more.

'Danny is one of the nicest people you can work with. He's always so lovely and a rye professional.'
He reportedly banned her from performing any of their collaborated music material after their unceremonious split in 2014.

But Rita Ora and Calvin Harris have now put aside their differences - with him finally allowing her to sing their songs - in particular the catchy tune I Will Never Let You Down, which soared to the top of the charts upon release two years ago.

'Late last year they got in touch and sorted things out,' a source told The Sun, before adding: 'It was such a relief to both of them that they could move on and put things behind them.'

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Moving on: Exes Rita Ora and Calvin Harris have put aside their differences - with him finally allowing her to sing their collaborated songs - in particular the catchy tune I Will Never Let You Down, which soared to the top of the charts upon release two years ago

The insider also went on to mention how they shared a lot of great memories during their romantic time together, but it was unfortunately 'tainted' by their bitter split.

However, all has changed: 'Rita is now back in touch with a lot of Calvins industry friends and able to work on music with them and, most importantly, able to perform I Will Never Let You Down.

'Shes gearing up for her second album soon and its great to be able to perform arguably her biggest hit when shes doing promo for it.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Rita for further comment.

'It's a relief': According to The Sun, Rita, 26, has been in regular contact with Calvin, 31, recently - which is a far cry from their bitter split in 2014

Not ending well: The insider also went on to mention how they shared a lot of great memories during their romantic time together, but it was unfortunately 'tainted' by their bitter split (Pictured 2013)

The British songstress' hit track I Will Never Let You Down was written and produced by 31-year-old Harris - real name Adam Richard Wiles - and released in March 2014, going straight to the number one spot in the UK singles chart.

In an interview with Wonderland at the time of their break-up, Rita candidly confessed: At the time I just wanted to crawl in my bed and die. But I got out of it the other side, Im surviving.

I kind of saw the light at the end of the tunnel and I just wanted to change the vibe of the whole album, she further explained. It was initially a really lovey-dovey album because thats where I was, but then I obviously didnt feel like that.

No sweet music: Their 2014 break-up was so bitter that Calvin reportedly banned her from performing any of their collaborated music material (Pictured 2014)

The man behind it all: Rita's hit track I Will Never Let You Down was written and produced by Harris, 31, and released in March 2014, going straight to the number one spot in the UK singles chart

I was like, Okay, I need to get back in the studio and write some thank God my friends are great kind of music.

The ANTM host is currently said to be collaborating with global pop-star Justin Bieber on her eagerly anticipated second studio album - the person who was rumoured to have ended her romance with Calvin.

A source told TMZ at the time: 'Word got back to Calvin, Justin and Rita got touchy feely with each other while they were in the recording studio together over the last few months.

'Calvin heard they were very affectionate - she would sit on his lap [and] he would rub her back.'

'Calvin heard they were affectionate': The ANTM host is currently said to be collaborating with global pop-star Justin Bieber on her eagerly anticipated second studio album - the person who was rumoured to have ended her romance with Calvin

Her upcoming new music material also follows a six month legal dispute with Jay Z's label Roc Nation last month.

Rita finally came to an agreement after the company sued Rita for $2.4 million for breaching the terms of her contract and not providing the required number of albums throughout the years she's been with them.

The star was said to be 'overjoyed' she could get to work on releasing a new record to follow her 2012 debut Ora.
She's set to welcome her first child with her fiance Jason Statham later this year.

Although expecting the pitter-patter of tiny feet, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wasn't afraid to mix-up her maternity style as she enjoyed a date night with her beau at Giorgio Baldi's in Santa Monica on Saturday.

The 29-year-old British model looked radiant as she sported a stomach-hugging semi-sheer top for their romantic night out.

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Sheer bliss: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wasn't afraid to mix-up her maternity style as enjoyed a date night at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica on Saturday night

Opting for the daring top, the blonde bombshell proved she didn't have to compromise her style despite her blossoming bump.

The statuesque beauty teamed her skin teasing top with a pair of form-fitting denim jeans that highlighted her enviable endless pins and skimmed her growing bump.

Bringing her chic look together, she wrapped a luxurious velvet duster coat around her frame as she sauntered her way into the eatery in her strappy black heels.

Rosie added a touch of sparkle to her Parisian inspired ensemble with a pair of drop statement earrings and a crystal embellished clutch in her manicured hand.

Date night: The 29-year-old British model looked radiant as she sported a stomach hugging semi-sheer top for their romantic night out alongside fiance Jason Statham

Teasing her golden tresses into a French twist, she accentuated her famous pout with a slick of gloss while waiting outside the eatery with her actor beau.

The action star appeared to take style notes from his pregnant fiancee as he complemented her in a pair of grey suit pants and black cardigan for their outing.

The couple have been dating since 2010 and Jason popped the question with a dazzling 243,000 engagement ring.

The pair had confirmed their happy news last month when she shared a bikini snap on Instagram, displaying her sizable baby bump.

What a display: The pair had confirmed their happy news last month when she shared a bikini snap on Instagram, displaying her sizable baby bump

She gushed excitedly beside the picture: 'Very happy to share that Jason and I are expecting!! Lots of love Rosie x  Photo by @jasonstatham'.

The pair have faced pregnancy rumours for months, after the Mad Max star was repeatedly pictured covering her stomach while out and about and on her social media pages.

The stir around the Victoria's Secret model kicked off earlier this year when she posted a shot of herself clad in a baggy poncho for her 6.7 million followers on Instagram.

She captioned the post, 'Here's to fresh starts and exciting prospects for the new year. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2017.'

Mama-to-be! Rosie had faced pregnancy rumours for months, after the Mad Max star was repeatedly pictured covering her stomach while out and about and on her social media pages

Shortly thereafter, sources told the Daily Mail that the blonde beauty is 'indeed pregnant and ... has been calling in clothes to suit her changing figure.'

However it is no doubt exciting news for Transformers star Rosie, who has previously discussed her thoughts about starting a family with her 49-year-old actor.

Speaking to The EDIT in 2015, Rosie confessed: 'Having a family is something I think about for sure, and whether I'd live here in America or in England. But it's not always as simple as that.'

Before she added: 'I have no idea what will happen, but it'll be interesting to find out, right? And nothing will be perfect, I'm sure.'
They both shot to fame with their explosive dramas on Ex On The Beach.

So Charlotte Dawson no doubt had much to discuss with newbie ZaraLena Jackson as they enjoyed a night on the town in Manchester on Saturday night - shortly after the latter's shock departure from the show last week.

The 24-year-old daughter of comedy legend Les left very little to the imagination in a skimpy black ensemble while her fellow reality star pal, also 24, opted for a similarly racy look with a saucy sheer gown.

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Hot stuff! Charlotte Dawson no doubt had much to discuss with newbie ZaraLena Jackson as they enjoyed a night on the town in Manchester on Saturday night - shortly after the latter's shock departure from the show last week

Charlotte soared to fame in last year's fifth series of the show, where she was embroiled in a dramatic fling with Stephen Bear and fast became an MTV favourite due to her brash attitude and hilarious one-liners.

The flame-haired beauty has since become a stalwart of the reality social scene, with Saturday night being no exception as she joined her fellow Preston native.

Her sexy ensemble was teetering on the edge of lingerie as she showed off her endless legs and perky cleavage in the strapless body which just about protected her modesty with the addition on a long lace skirt fastened to just the back.

The plunging front of the gown illustrated her braless state beneath the number, yet her legs took centre stage due to their totally bare state.

Hot mama! The 24-year-old daughter of comedy legend Les left very little to the imagination in a skimpy black ensemble while her fellow reality star pal, 24, opted for a similarly racy look with a saucy sheer gown

Woah mama: Charlotte soared to fame in last year's fifth series of the show, where she was embroiled in a dramatic fling with Stephen Bear and fast became an MTV favourite due to her brash attitude and hilarious one-liners

She boosted her height and exposed pins with the addition of a pair of staggering and envy-inducing Christian Louboutin heels.

As if her outfit was not show-stopping enough, she added in a dazzling choker with intricate beaded adornments dangling loosely onto her collarbones from a tight top.

Charlotte's auburn locks were styled into a dramatically volumunious hairdo with a beehive top cascading into loose bouncy waves at the ends.

As a make-up guru, who runs a beauty parlour from her home, she was naturally dolled up perfectly with a smokey eyeliner highlighting her almond shaped peepers.

Legs eleven: She boosted her height and exposed pins with the addition of a pair of staggering and indeed envy-inducing Christian Louboutin heels

Sexier than ever: As if her outfit was not show stopping enough, she added in a dazzling choker with intricate beaded adornments dangling loosely onto her collarbones from a tight top

ZaraLena has shot to fame starring in the current sixth season of the show which is currently serialising on MTV, although she dramatically departed following cruel rows with co-stars and a failed romance with Geordie Shore star Aaron Chalmers.

Despite leaving the programme, she was still making waves on the social scene as she sizzled in a sheer gown with strategically placed appliques.

Having forged a career as a fashion designer, ZaraLena was naturally keen to be her own best sartorial advertisement as she showed off her incredible figure in the racy and glitzy gown.

Stunner: ZaraLena has shot to fame starring in the current sixth season of the show which is currently serialising on MTV, although she dramatically departed following cruel rows with co-stars and a failed romance with Geordie Shore star Aaron Chalmers

She's back! Despite leaving the programme, she was still making waves on the social scene as she sizzled in a sheer gown with strategically placed appliques

Flame haired fancy: With a near-identical hair colour to Charlotte, she opted for a slicker style with her tumbling locks straigtened into long lustrous lengths

Fuming: Her decision to leave the show was the result of a love triangle with Aaron and his ex-girlfriend Becca Edwards (pictured), atop a mutiny with Geordie beauty Zahida Allen

With a near-identical hair colour to Charlotte, she opted for a slicker style with her tumbling locks straigtened into long lustrous lengths.

She boosted her height and slender legs with the addition of glitzy heels with a thin strap which perfectly matched her dazzling boxy clutch bag.

Her decision to leave the show was the result of a love triangle with Aaron and his ex-girlfriend Becca Edwards, atop a mutiny with Geordie beauty Zahida Allen.

Following a series of furious rows, she explained: 'Aaron clearly still has feelings there for Becca and I feel like piggy in the middle, so I need to get out of this situation. I think it's time I left. I've made a decision that I will go tonight'.

All rows: Aaron was the momentary object of her desires before the departure

Sizzling: The duo opted for near-identical ensembles
Following Victoria Rees' heated lunch on last week's episode of The Real Housewives of Sydney, Lisa Oldfield and Nicole O'Neil met up for a quiet breakfast together to discuss the drama that went down between AthenaX Levendi and Matty Samaei.

'I think we need to tell Athena that she needs to apologize to Matty,' said Nicole, referring to Athena's comments to Matty about the beautician's Botox.

Athena then joined the twosome, and as usual, it didn't take her long before she started to rant about her spirituality.

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'I think we need to tell Athena that she needs to apologize to Matty': Lisa Oldfield, Nicole O'Neil and AthenaX Levendi met up for breakfast to discuss Athena's fight with Matty Samaei

Lisa and Nicole tried to explain to the enlightened artist that she may have put some of the other women off and crossed the line with Matty, but she still wasn't convinced that she was in the wrong.

She then accused Matty of trying to make her look 'un-spiritual', to which Lisa responded: 'I just wish you wouldn't talk so much.'

'I think you're right,' mused Athena, who then finally agreed to try and make things right with Matty.

Athena accused Matty of trying to make her look 'un-spiritual', to which Lisa responded: 'I just wish you wouldn't talk so much!'

'I think you're right,' mused Athena, who then finally agreed to try and make things right with Matty

Meanwhile, Melissa Tkautz was busy meeting with the director of her new horror movie, the expletive-ridden killer pig flick Boar.

'There's nothing better than a blonde chick punchin' a f***er out in the pub!' exclaimed director Chris Sun as they watched some rough footage from the film together.

Matty then arrived to give her opinion on the footage, and she seemed quite impressed.

Blockbuster? Matty went to Melissa Tkautz's to watch some scenes from the star's upcoming movie, a killer pig thriller called Boar

'There's nothing better than a blonde chick punchin' a f***er out in the pub!' exclaimed director Chris Sun as they watched some rough footage from the film together

'Babe worked, so why wouldn't a big angry pig work?' she said.

The topic soon turned to Athena, with Matty saying that the artist 'hides behind her spirituality', while Melissa labeled her behaviour at the lunch 'disgusting.'

Later that night, Lisa enjoyed a family dinner with husband David, her dad, and her niece.

'Babe worked, so why wouldn't a big angry pig work?' Matty said about the movie

The pair soon talked about Athena, with Matty saying that the artist 'hides behind her spirituality', while Melissa labeled her behaviour at Victoria's lunch 'disgusting'

However, things became tense as the controversial couple started to bicker over cleaning and other issues.

'I think David is angry because I'm not spending enough time with him and he does feel ignored, so he's very much gone from being my biggest supporter to my biggest critic,' Lisa said in her confessional.

By the end of the dinner, David had told Lisa she was going to hell while the brunette snapped at her husband to 'f**k off'.

Later that night, Lisa enjoyed a family dinner with husband David, her dad, and her niece

No love: Things became tense as the controversial couple started to bicker over cleaning and other issues

A few days later, the ladies got together for Athena's glamorous 'Greek goddess' themed 41st birthday bash.

Everybody showed up except for Matty, who decided at the last minute not to attend after failing to receive a phone call or apology from Athena after their spat at Victoria's lunch.

The women then sat down to eat, where Melissa broke the news to Athena that Matty wasn't attending.

Let's party! A few days later, the ladies got together for Athena's glamorous 'Greek goddess' themed 41st birthday bash

No show: Krissy and Melissa spoke to Matty on the phone, who said she wasn't coming to the party because AthenaX hadn't apologised for their fight

'Matty's a really nice person,' said Melissa. 'If you want to be friends and get over this hump, you need to make that phone call.'

'But I've already done that!' replied Athena, to which Melissa shrieked back: 'No you haven't!'

Athena then read out the text message that she'd sent to Matty, which was a friendly invitation to her birthday, but contained no apology.

Hashing it out: The ladies sat down for dinner and to discuss Matty's absence

'Matty's a really nice person,' said Melissa. 'If you want to be friends and get over this hump, you need to make that phone call'

Athena read out the text message that she'd sent to Matty, which was a friendly invitation to her birthday, but contained no apology.

Fed up with the drama, Lisa pulled Victoria away for a private chat - and then began to confess her marital problems with David.

'I feel like I'm a failure as a mother and a wife,' sighed Lisa. 'There doesn't feel like there's any love or support there, and I feel very lonely.'

'I f***in work my ass off and pay for the mortgage and everything else. I love where we're living, I love my children, I love all my animals, I love my beautiful home... I just hate the mongrel that I'm living with,' she revealed.

Fed up with the drama, Lisa pulled Victoria away for a private chat - and then began to confess her marital problems with David

'I feel like I'm a failure as a mother and a wife,' sighed Lisa. 'There doesn't feel like there's any love or support there, and I feel very lonely'

The brunette went even further, admitting that her two young sons have no respect for women, or for her as their mother.

By the time she revealed that her two sons called her a 'bad mum', the outspoken star could no longer hold back the tears.

Victoria then urged Lisa to divorce David for the good of her children, before giving her the name and number of her lawyer.

Tears: Lisa revealed that her two sons called her a 'bad mum', the outspoken star could no longer hold back the tears
She's never shy of flaunting her endless curves in her daily flesh-flashing looks.

And it appears Kylie Jenner was back to her old style tricks as she stepped out in a figure-flaunting ensemble while dining at Los Angeles eatery Catch on Saturday night.

The 19-year-old reality star sizzled her mesh fishnet look that showcased her enviable curves as she left the West Hollywood hotspot.

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What a catch: Kylie Jenner was back to her old style tricks as she stepped out in a figure-flaunting ensemble dining at Los Angeles' eatery Catch on Saturday night

Showcasing plenty of leg, she worked a black fishnet detailed halterneck bodysuit which skimmed her honed waist - while teasing at her decolletage and shoulders.

The E! reality star complemented the daring one-piece with an equally racy high-waisted mesh pencil skirt that hugged her pert derriere and hips as she left the venue.

Letting her golden skin shine through her look, she completed her net themed look with a pair of matching knee-high boots by Tamara Mellon that highlighted her slender pins.

Like a glamorous mermaid caught in a fisherman's net, the beauty mogul styled her raven-coloured in a straight style which cascaded to her hips.

Fisherman's friend: The 19-year-old reality star sizzled her mesh fishnet look that showcased her enviable curves as she left the West Hollywood hotspot

Oh my cod: Showcasing plenty of leg, she worked a black fishnet detailed halterneck bodysuit which skimmed her honed waist while teasing at her decolletage and shoulders

Got us hooked: Letting her golden skin shine through her look, she completed her net themed look with a pair of matching knee-high boots that highlighted her slender pins

Accentuating her pout, she worked a slick of nude matte lipstick across her lips which offset her rust hued eyeshadow look.

She added a touch of sparkle to her ensemble with a number of diamond rings which highlighted her aqua blue manicure while flanked by a number of security.

The youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan was sure to capture her night on Snapchat as she gave her fans an insight of the exclusive venue for her evening out with her close pals.

Fishing for attention: Like a glamorous mermaid caught in a fisherman's net, the beauty mogul styled her raven-coloured in a straight style which draped down her shoulders to her hips

One person noticeably absent from her fun-filled evening was Kylie's rapper beau Tyga, 27.

Rumours surrounding Kylie and the handsome rapper's romance started surfacing around October 2014 while he was still dating Blac Chyna, who has since had a child with her half-brother Rob Kardashian.

The overlap in the relationships led to social media feuding between the classy women, with the former stripper clearly unhappy the father of her son was romancing a teenager.

She's so koi: The youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan was sure to capture her night on Snapchat as she gave her fans an insight into her glam look for the evening

Hook, line and sinker: Accentuating her pout, she worked a slick of nude matte lipstick across her lips which offset her rust hued eyeshadow look

Any Fin is possible! Kylie was sure to flaunt her honed waist on her social media

Kylie previously admitted: 'The first year we started hanging out, everyone around him told him not to be with me.

'I still get comments like: "Dont be with him." But were not doing it for the public - we love each other.

'We need to be together at all times. We never get mad at each other, we just figure things out.'
Criss Angel returned to the stage on Saturday night, 24 hours after he was forced to halt his show after a trick went wrong and left him unconscious.

The illusionist was performing a magic trick at his Mindfreak Live! show in Las Vegas on Friday when one of his famous stunts went terribly wrong.

The 49-year-old New York native was in the middle of performing an illusion where he was attempting to get out of a straitjacket while hanging upside down when he suddenly passed out in front of a horrified audience.

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Returned: Criss Angel returned to the stage on Saturday night, 24 hours after he was forced to halt his show after a trick went wrong and left him unconscious

Criss was taken to Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center's emergency room which is located approximately four miles away from where he was performing and was then released after being checked over.

Angel returned to the stage on Saturday and perfectly performed the stunt again.

A statement on his Twitter account said: 'Criss Angel routinely performs some of the world's most dangerous illusions and escapes live on stage. During Friday evening's performance, while attempting his famed upside down straitjacket escape while suspended by his feet, he lost consciousness.

ER: Criss was taken to Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center's emergency room which is located approximately four miles away from where he was performing. He is seen back on stage last night above

Criss Angel shared a statement to his twitter account about the stunt

'He was lowered to the stage and rushed to the hospital where he was evaluated and released early this morning. He is undergoing additional testing today and while it is not yet certain, it is his hope to return to the stage in his hit show MINDFREAK LIVE! at Luxor Las Vegas tonight. He is grateful for the outpouring of love and concern from his fans around the world.'

The star, whose birth name is Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, has dated Britney Spears, Pamela Anderson and Holly Madison.

He was in the process of trying to escape the jacket when he seemed to go limp.

He's back: Criss Angel returned to his Mindfreak Live! show in Las Vegas on Saturday, a night after a straitjacket trick went horribly wrong and left him hospitalised

His act: Here Criss is seen in a straitjacket doing the routine several years ago

Angel is seen above successfully performing the stunt on a previous occasion in the file picture

The show took place inside the Luxor Hotel to a packed audience.

The incident happened only 10 minutes into the opening act. For two minutes he was spinning around. That is when he was 'lowered down and the curtain closed onstage'.

An eyewitness also said he 'appeared unconscious.'

Tweeters were quick to write about what happened with one saying that he thought Criss had 'died.'

The statement added: 'Due to Fridays events, Criss and his son Johnny Crisstopher were unable to attend a previously scheduled appearance at a fundraiser for MakeAWish of Southern Nevada Saturday morning. In his absence, a representative of HELP, the nonprofit Criss created to find a cure for pediatric cancer, presented MakeAWish with a $100,000 donation.'

Angel had just returned from a ski holiday with a friend.

Concerned: Tweeters wrote about the scary incident with Will iv of ap saying that he thought Criss almost died

Another fan: Lona Rorer said she was 'praying for Criss' and that he 'went limp'

His gig: Criss was taken to Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center's emergency room which is located approximately four miles away from where he was performing

At work: Here the ex of Holly Madison is seen on star at his Luxor show

Scary: The incident happened only 10 minutes into the opening act. For two minutes he was spinning around. That is when he was 'lowered down and the curtain closed onstage

In October 2013 Angel was performing a similar straitjacket routine above Times Square in New York when he suffered a shoulder injury.

Three months later Criss had surgery to repair torn muscles in that shoulder. That caused him to take a hiatus for 10 weeks from his show.

The longtime Sin City performer has a son Johnny with model Shaunyl Benson. The two have been taking care of their little boy after he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in October 2015.

On the slopes: Angel had just returned from a ski holiday with a friend

The illusionist told UsWeekly: 'Johnny is technically in remission, thank God. I believe he will be healed.'

Last year the child was 'still undergoing intense chemotherapy treatments, blood transfusions and spinal taps in Australia.'

Angel added: 'What doctors found is you have to continue treatment to kill all the cells, as there is no guarantee.'
He's ditched his Lothario ways in favour of a one woman life.

And Gary Beadle appears more than devoted to the woman who stole his heart, as he kicked off a six-week vacation with girlfriend Emma McVey while hitting the beach in Australia on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Geordie Shore stalwart looked hunky in his swim trunks while his model girlfriend looked nothing short of sensational in a bikini top with barely-there denim shorts on her bottom half.

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Loved up: Gary Beadle appears more than devoted the woman who stole his heart, as he kicked off a six-week vacation with girlfriend Emma McVey while hitting the beach in Australia on Sunday

Gaz has been dating Emma, who was previously in a relationship with TOWIE hunk Mario Falcone, since August and the duo have been inseparable ever since.

With his Lothario history, having bragged of bedding thousands of women and insisting her deserves 'a degree in pulling', many women have battled to hold Gaz down for a relationship.

Yet Emma appears to be succeeding, as the duo embarked on yet another romantic getaway, following sun-drenched trips to Dubai last year.

During their latest break, Emma once again slipped into a bikini to show off her model physique, with the peach bandeau top highlighting her perky cleavage.

The happy couple: The 29-year-old Geordie Shore stalwart looked hunky in his swim trunks while his model girlfriend looked nothing short of sensational in a bikini top with barely-there denim shorts on her bottom half

Her taut abs were partially concealed by her high-waisted denim shorts which she cinched in with a tight black belt to help hold up the Daisy Dukes.

Emma's cascading brunette locks were scraped into a high, messy bun to help show off her stunning features, while she masked her face with oversized sunglasses.

Gaz meanwhile showed off his taut six-pack in small black swimming trunks while walking in bare feet as he climbed out of a slick white car.

The couple's romantic outing came after Gaz admitted he'd happily settle down with Emma, when he made the revelation during a series of drunken games with his Geordie Shore co-stars for a Facebook Live chat with The Sun.

During a round of infamous party game Snog, Marry Avoid, Gaz surprised everyone by revealing he'd marry Emma, snog ex Charlotte Crosby and avoid another ex Lillie Lexie Gregg.

Around the time, Charlotte offered an olive branch to her former flame, which he ignored.

After an episode of Geordie Shore, she spoke about the time they visited a Love Lock Bridge together and fastened a padlock to show their love at the time.

Lads: With his Lothario history, having bragged of bedding thousands of women and insisting her deserves 'a degree in pulling', many women have battled to hold Gaz down for a relationship (pictured with co-star Aaron Chalmers)

She wrote: 'An interesting fact about this EP thats being played now on @MTVUK me and @GazGShore actually went to love lock bridge and did our own..but it never got shown on the actual show. Its still there somewhere on the bridge. cant quite remember what it said.'

Despite tagging her ex-boyfriend in the post, he made no comment on social media referring to the post. The pair met when Geordie Shore began in 2011 and over the course of five years, viewers witnessed the pair struggle to make their relationship work.

Charlotte then claimed she was done with their romance for good in June as she sensationally quit the show claiming he was the reason, whilst branding him 'a liar and a cheat.'
She recently confessed that her dad's public support of new President Donald Trump was a source of contention between them.

But Hailey Baldwin proved the dispute was a thing on the past as she stepped out in style with her father Stephen in West Hollywood on Friday.

The 20-year-old model-of-the-moment flaunted her enviably chiselled abs in a skin-tight crop top and satin joggers, while the actor, 50, rocked a more casual ensemble.

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Daddy/daughter outing: Hailey Baldwin proved her disagreement with dad Stephen over new President Donald Trump was a thing of the past as they stepped out together in West Hollywood on Friday

Hailey's super short clingy top bared her enviable stomach, proving why she was discovered by Ford Models back in 2014, before going on to appear on the pages of Vogue, Teen Vogue, Glamour and Marie Claire.

The American star teamed the look with a cool denim jacket, which was casually slung off one shoulder, and a pair of maroon-coloured bottoms.

The blonde bombshell's locks were expertly styled upon her shoulders, while a pair of large silver hoops framed her make-up honed features.

Hot on her towering blue Schutz heels was her dad Stephen, who opted for a grey cardigan, black tee and denim jeans.

Impressive figure: The 20-year-old model-of-the-moment flaunted her enviably chiselled abs in a skin-tight crop top and satin joggers, which she paired with Schutz heels

Abs-tastic! Hailey's super short clingy top bared her enviable stomach, proving why she was discovered by Ford Models back in 2014

In a candid new interview with The Times Magazine on Saturday, Hailey confessed that she didn't agree with her dad's public support of President Donald Trump.

Stephen had initially faced backlash for praising Trump on social media, and publicly slammed his brother Alec's satirical impression of the businessman on Saturday Night Live.

Hailey had previously admitted on This Morning Show that the biggest struggle of his political standpoint was how it 'reflects' on her as someone starting out with a career.

However talking about his beliefs three months later to the magazine, the model admitted: 'It was a very big issue for me, but my dad's still my dad. I would never let politics get in the way of family. It's over now, and his opinions have changed with how everything's now unfolding.'

Edgy beauty: The star teamed the look with a cool denim jacket, which was casually slung off one shoulder, and a pair of maroon-coloured bottoms

Differences: Despite admitting that her family are incredibly close, the model did confess that her dad's support of new President Donald Trump was a source of contention between them

She also admitted she wasn't keen on social media sited, revealing: 'It does affect you. People tell me I'm ugly, fat.

'I try not to care but the fact is, everyone wants to see what people are saying about them. Whoever says they don't google themselves is a liar.'

Hailey has carved a successful career as a model so far - having just returned to LA from the prestigious Paris Fashion Week with Kendall Jenner and the Hadid sisters.

Proving her prowess in the industry the blonde, who is the niece of Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin, had even taken centre stage at the Elie Saab AW17 catwalk show on Saturday.

Staying strong: She said: 'It was a very big issue for me, but my dad's still my dad. I would never let politics get in the way of family' (pictured together in 2013)

Talking about social media: She confessed: 'It does affect you. People tell me I'm ugly, fat. I try not to care but the fact is, everyone wants to see what people are saying about them'

With her career only going from strength to strength, it had been announced prior to her stint in Paris that she had been named the new global ambassador for L'Oreal Professionel.

The star, who has previously dated Justin Bieber, is the new muse for the brand's SS17 and AW17 campaigns, as well as the face of their 2017 PRO FIBER hair care treatment campaign.

Taking to Instagram, Hailey gushed of her excitement to be teaming up with the iconic beauty company.

She wrote: 'I am super happy to join the L'Oreal Professionnel family this year ! Can't wait to share the @lorealpro campaigns with you #LorealPro (sic).'
Netflix's royal series The Crown has been back in production since October, with stars Matt Smith and Claire Foy spotted on set shooting various new scenes in recent weeks.

But the actors - who play Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II respectively - weren't present for a scandalous scene shot outside ITN in London over the weekend.

The sequence featured a public gathering outside the infamous news studios - which were founded in January 1955, two years after Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.

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That'll leave a mark! A member of parliament is SLAPPED across the face in dramatic new scenes from season two of The Crown as filming continues outside ITN in London

Take that! The gentleman in brown is sure to let the MP know what he thinks of him in the newly shot scenes

A fracas seems to have broken out as a man in a brown suit, with army medals attached to it, is seen scowling as he is escorted away from the building by the police.

Various other suited gentlemen watch on, and another is seen addressing the crowds afterwards.

Two women are notable in the scene - one pushing a baby's pram along the busy London street, and a second uptight-looking lady talking sternly to some of the men.

The same woman is later seen in a vicious-looking row with a police officer.

Justice? The man is then seen to be whisked away by the police, following the nasty assault

Fracas: A man in a brown suit, with army medals attached to it, is seen scowling as he is escorted away from the building by the police

No show: Foy and Smith weren't present for a scandalous scene shot outside ITN in London over the weekend

A right royal hit: It transpires that the scene involves the man with the medals slapping a Member of Parliament across the face and consequently being led away by the authorities

Hot off the press: The sequence featured a public gathering outside the infamous news studios - which were founded in January 1955, two years after Elizabeth's coronation in 1953

It transpires that the scene involves the man with the medals slapping a Member of Parliament across the face and consequently being led away by the authorities.

It's unclear which event in history this covers - as the series follows the events of the Queen's early life as the country's monarch and has thus far catalogued mostly historically recorded events.

The closest event in history this resembles is when former Minister of Defense Manny Shinwell slapped the face of the Conservative MP Commander Robert Tatton Bower after Bower told him to 'go back to Poland'.

This took place, however, in 1938 - which predates the Queen's reign and the opening of ITN studios (1955).

Foy and Smith were seen on set at the end of February, taking a break from filming.

Backstory: It's unclear which event in history this covers - as the series follows the events of the Queen's early life as the country's monarch and has thus far catalogued mostly historically recorded events

Long process: Series two of The Crown started shooting last October and has continued into the new year

Foy broke the stiff British reserve required of her character for one fleeting moment, as she scoffed a puff pastry during filming in London for the second series of the hit Netflix series.

Meanwhile, her co-star Smith returned as Prince Philip, looking dapper in a navy blazer as he clambered into a sleek 1956 Lagonda Coupe to take it for a spin.

With the success of the first season of Netflix's royal drama it would seem the writers are thinking beyond the commissioned season two, to what will happen next.

As it stands, Smith and Foy portray Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh as their younger selves, between the years 1947 and 1955.

Pointing the finger: Two women are notable in the scene - a stern lady seen in a vicious-looking row with a police officer

Don't push it: An actress was seen pushing a baby's pram along the busy London street

But as their tale progresses, so does time - and the characters of the series will naturally age.

And using make-up, or even CGI, to make the actors look older is not something show creator Peter Morgan is interested in doing.

'I feel that when we reach 1963-64 weve gone as far as we can go with Claire Foy without having to do silly things in terms of makeup to make her look older,' he said of the actress, who is currently 32 (Smith is 34).

Referring to what happens if a third season is commissioned (which it's likely it will be seeing as there is a six season arc planned) Morgan told ScreenDaily: 'Wed probably need to think about the issue of recasting everybody and so those conversations are happening now.

'I couldnt tell you where well come out. Its a big thing to go on again. Everybody needs to look at one another and [ask] under which circumstances and what terms would we do it.'

Addressing the masses: Various other suited gentlemen watch on, and another is seen addressing the crowds afterwards

Series two will also feature Michael C. Hall and Jodi Balfour, recruited earlier in the year to portray President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

The plot arc in which the Dexter actor and Final Destination 5 actress feature concerns a visit the Kennedys made to London in June, 1961.

Set against the backdrop of a Great Britain still recovering from the aftermath of World War II, The Crown follows a young Queen Elizabeth (Foy) facing enormous responsibilities to Crown and country.

The drama promises a look at the intrigue, love lives and machinations behind the most notable events, after it was billed as the 'the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world  Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.'

Thrilling: Set against the backdrop of a Great Britain still recovering from the aftermath of World War II, The Crown follows a young Queen Elizabeth facing enormous responsibilities to Crown and country

Hit show: The drama promises a look at the intrigue, love lives and machinations behind the most notable events

The first series, which begins before Elizabeth's ascension in 1952 and runs until 1955, made its debut on Netflix last year - and was immediately met with rave reviews from fans and critics alike.

Christopher Stephens for the Daily Mail called the first episode 'a sumptuous display of small-screen splendour' and deemed the series 'so breathtaking that youll want to wolf it all down in a weekend, and then return to savour every moment.'

The Guardian then confirmed that the staggering budget had been more than worth it, with leading lady Foy 'managing to register every layer of misery and frustration as Elizabeth' while the remaining cast were 'uniformly excellent'.
She delightedly welcomed her second daughter to the world earlier in the week.

And Rochelle Humes is ensuring she remembers baby Valentina Raine is a unique was as she took to Instagram on Sunday to post an image of the tot's dehydrated umbilical cord shaped into the word love and framed.

The 27-year-old Saturday songstress, who shares her daughters with husband Marvin, shared the image with her 1million followers, who appeared divided by her choice of art, which she shared alongside an image of her placenta in pills.

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'I just got sick': Rochelle Humes is ensuring she remembers baby Valentina Raine is a unique was as she took to Instagram on Sunday to post an image of the tot's dehydrated umbilical cord shaped into the word love and framed

Rochelle, who is already mum to three-year-old daughter Alaia-Mai, announced the news of social media on Friday by posting a heartwarming snap of herself cradling her newborn child, with the caption: 'The Our world is now complete'.

After days of delighting in new motherhood, she remained silent on social media until Sunday when she shared a gift box sent to her by celebrity favourite Placenta Plus, a company that includes Rebekah Vardy among its clientele.

The gift box included a pack of pills made from Rochelle's placenta, a frame with the dried umbilical cord shaped into the word love and a handwritten note reading: 'To Rochelle and Marvin, Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl, love Danielle!'

She added a caption on the image reading: 'After being very curious I took the plunge, so excited to feel the benefits..Thanks so much Danielle'.

Loved-up: The 27-year-old Saturday songstress, who shares her daughters with husband Marvin, shared the image with her 1million followers, who appeared divided by her choice of art, which she shared alongside an image of her placenta in pills

Our world: Rochelle, who is already mum to three-year-old daughter Alaia-Mai, announced the news of social media on Friday by posting a heartwarming snap of herself cradling her newborn child, with the caption: 'The Our world is now complete'

While placenta pills are coming to be an increasingly popular trend, it seems the umbilical cord art irked some of Rochelle's followers, who penned: 'High five to the tablets but the picture just no... I'm sorry but that picture is horrible! The tablets I understand but I just couldn't have that picture!...

'i would give the pills a go but the picture. i think i just got a little bit sick in my mouth. but i wouldnt want to keep the cord, baby teeth, hair any of that stuff makes me heave. oh wants to keep all that shiz, this house is divided x...

'Next time I have a baby I'm defiantly trying the pills xx not sure about the picture. But that's just my preference xx but heard so many good things about the pills xx'

Thanks! The gift box included a pack of pills made from Rochelle's placenta, a frame with the dried umbilical cord shaped into the word love and a handwritten note reading: 'To Rochelle and Marvin, Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl, love Danielle!'

Hey! Other fans however threw their support behind products: 'Some people have to have their say on everything and anything.... a picture made from the placenta, the cord that was used to supply her baby with food and everything else it needed to survive for 9 months inside....

Placenta Pills: A fad or essential for new mums? Placenta is the organ from which the mother connects to the baby to provide nutrition in the womb The organ acts to protect the baby at the end of pregnancy and has been feted in ancient medicine for its qualities Key nutrients included in the placenta include Stem Cells and Growth Factors, Iron  essential for oxygen absorption in the cells and Vitamins B6  aids in the making of antibodies There are two methods to make placenta pills: Traditional Chinese Medicine involves steaming the placenta before dehydration, while the Raw Dried method, involves the dehydration of raw placenta. Both methods involve grinding and encapsulating after dehydration. Advertisement

Other fans however threw their support behind products: 'Some people have to have their say on everything and anything.... a picture made from the placenta, the cord that was used to supply her baby with food and everything else it needed to survive for 9 months inside....

'please tell me how this can be so wrong like some have protested??? Sometimes I lose my faith in humanity!... Rochelle has posted on social media so something like that is going to divide opinion...

'i just don't think everything needs to be seen there are lots of bodily functions etc that have helped create and bring a beautiful baby safely into the world but we don't have to frame all the gory bits...

'it's really none of your business! Surely every one is entitled to making their own personal choice! Leave her to get on with caring for her newborn. Negative comments are all a new mum needs.'

The framed cord in a hot seller on Placenta Plus, marketing between 10 to 40, with the website's description reading: 'A framed cord keepsake is simply your cord keepsake in a frame. We offer a choice of colours to suit your preference...

'A cord keepsake is your babys umbilical cord dehydrated into the shape of a heart or the word love. It is possible to have your babies name but the cord has to be long and the name short.'

A good thing? The framed cord in a hot seller on Placenta Plus, marketing between 10 to 40, with the website's description reading: 'A framed cord keepsake is simply your cord keepsake in a frame. We offer a choice of colours to suit your preference...

Aside from the umbilical cord preservation, Danielle Kinney, the placenta encapsulation specialist who turns the stars' organ into pills, relayed the health pros of the method to The Mirror.

She said: 'The benefits include a faster recovery all over, a reduction of postpartum bleeding, production of more breast milk and it helps your energy levels  the list is endless. The rise in placenta encapsulation is because mums of multiple children need that extra help.'

The process, which costs 200, takes 24 hours and consists of the dried placenta being ground up into power - which in return are taken by new mothers for anything between six weeks and six months.
She appeared to confirm her romance with fugitive Julian Assange this week, when she referred to him as 'sexy' on her website.

And Pamela Anderson certainly seemed in better spirits than ever on Saturday night as she beamed from ear to ear at her own charity gala in France.

The 49-year-old looked truly stunning in a form-fitting black and white lace dress as she arrived at the Pamela Anderson Foundation gala, held at the Casino Barriere of Sainte-Maxime.

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Looking 'sexy' herself: Pamela Anderson certainly seemed in better spirits than ever on Saturday night as she made a glamorous arrival at her charity gala in France

The former Baywatch star showed off her gorgeous figure in the white lace midi dress, which skimmed her womanly curves all the way down.

Pulling into a sophisticated high neck, the white frock was then adorned with contrasting black lace detailing across her bust and middle.

With a strip of black crochet drawing attention to her petite waist, the dress then hugged her slender figure and long legs to its demure knee-length hem, which was also lined with the feminine trim.

Stunning: The former Baywatch star showed off her gorgeous figure in the white lace midi dress, which skimmed her womanly curves all the way down

Keeping utterly co-ordinated from head to toe, the actress completed her look with a pair of black heels, featuring a pearl brooch on the toe, and a box clutch printed with a monochrome lace pattern.

The bombshell swept her blonde hair to one side to display her naturally pretty features - which she accentuated with glowing make-up and a slick of scarlet lipstick.

Her radiant appearance comes after she seemingly confirmed her relationship with Julian Assange - by calling him 'sexy' in note addressed to him on her website.

Radiant: The bombshell swept her blonde hair to one side to display her naturally pretty features - which she accentuated with glowing make-up and a slick of scarlet lipstick

Affectionately titled 'My Julian', the letter read: 'Julian Assange is the most intelligent, interesting, and informed man in existence. Yes- I think he's quite sexy. He has tremendous strength and stamina- though vulnerable.'

She added that his intentions were good and that the 2010 rape allegations are untrue - going on to explain that she is now advocating for men who were falsely accused of the crime.

Signing the note off with 'love', she finished: 'Thank you to my heroes at Wikileaks, and of course - I will always stand by My Julian ... Love, Pamela.'

Minimal: The actress completed her look with a pair of black heels, featuring a pearl brooch on the toe, and a box clutch printed with a monochrome lace pattern

It was revealed last year that Pamela has reportedly formed a romance with the WikiLeaks founder.

The former Baywatch actress has often frequented the Ecuadorean Embassy where the Australian national has been living to avoid extradition since June 2012.

The blonde bombshell was first seen arriving at his guarded door in February with vegan cheeseburgers from health-conscious chain Mildreds - following a visit in December which saw her take him a bag full of Whole Foods treats.

Infatuated: Her radiant appearance comes after she seemingly confirmed her relationship with Julian Assange - by calling him 'sexy' in note addressed to him on her website

Tribute: Signing the note off with 'love', she wrote on her site: 'Thank you to my heroes at Wikileaks, and of course - I will always stand by My Julian (above) ... Love, Pamela'

The Playboy pin-up was first spotted at his official residence in September 2014, with their initial meeting set up so Anderson could try and persuade the Australian to get behind her foundation - which supports female victims of sexual abuse.

In February, the actress did not refute rumours when asked on Loose Women if she was dating the hacker, although it has not been confirmed by either party.

She said: 'Since then I feel a genuine closeness to Julian. I have had more stimulating conversation with this man than all my ex-husbands and lovers combined.'

'Our intentions were not to become romantic, but to join forces.'

'The rumors are flattering. I think I might have what it takes to be an effective First Lady.'
They divorced in October 2009, with relations between the pair hitting an all-time low in December 2011 as they battled it out in court over defamation claims.

And it has now been reported that Peter Andre is attempting to make the 90,245 he spent in legal bills while battling with ex-wife Katie Price tax deductible.

According to The Sun, the father-of-four has claimed that when he took Katie to court for making defamatory statements about him he was protecting his celebrity image, as well as his reputation as a good parent.

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Taxing situation: Peter Andre is trying to make the more than 90,000 he spent in a 2011 defamation suit against his ex-wife Katie Price tax deductible, according to The Sun

However, the newspaper reports that the HMRC has stated the money should not be considered tax deductible, given that 'a clear purpose of the legal expenses was to safeguard the appellants relationship with his children, which cannot be for any business purpose.

'A second purpose was to protect the appellants reputation which cannot "necessarily be a wholly business purpose".

'Furthermore a stated object of the claim to damages is personal in nature and there is no reason why the legal costs should be separated from the damages they were expended to secure.'

Exes: Pete had hit Katie with the suit after she alleged that he'd cheated on her and didn't love her son Harvey the way that he cared for his two biological children with the former model

Sources close to Peter - who is said to be worth around 11 million - insist that he will respect the outcome of the HMRC's imminent final decision on the matter, after he and his lawyers had appealed the initial ruling.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Peter Andre for comment.

After the former couple's court battle, Katie agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of libel damages to Peter, over claims that he was unfaithful to her and that he didnt love his stepson Harvey as much as he said he did.

Meanwhile the former spouses have both moved on with their lives, with Peter marrying Emily in July, while Katie tied the knot with Kieran in 2013.

Moved on: Katie is now married to Kieran Hayler, with whom she also has two children. They're pictured with Katie and Peter's children Princess and Junior

Notably, the exes' relationship has now been mended to the point that Katie has publicly heaped praise on Peter on several occasions.

During an interview with Reveal magazine in September, the mother-of-five - who shares two children with Peter - revealed that she was 'obsessed' with her husband.

Katie said of her first marriage to Pete, who she met on reality show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here: 'I didn't want to leave him at all. I was obsessed with him. I loved him. It destroyed me - it took years and years.'

The one in between: Katie was also briefly married to Alex Reid after her divorce from Peter

Of her subsequent relationships with second husband Alex Reid and Argentine model Leandro Penna, Katie added: 'Then I met Alex - bad mistake. Met Leo... they were all just trying to fill a gap.'

Meanwhile, Katie admitted to Closer around the same time that she hoped to have a sit down chat with ex-husband Peter about the breakdown in their relationship.

She said: 'Pete and I have never had a proper chat about everything that happened. One day I want us to sit down together and be honest about it all. It's all amicable right now. He's got his life and I've got mine.'
They are often dotted around the world exploring respective ventures.

Yet the Beckhams united on Saturday night to help celebrate the birthday of Victoria's mum Jackie Adams as she was joined by husband David, sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz alongside daughter Harper at London's swanky China Tang eatery.

The world's most famous family looked to have had a delightful evening as they vacated the restaurant alongside David's mum Sandra and Victoria's sister Louise.

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Busy lady: Victoria headed to the dinner for her mum Jackie's birthday fresh from an overnight stay in Paris with her eldest son Brooklyn

Victoria led the way among her extended family as she headed to the dinner fresh from an overnight stay in Paris with her eldest son Brooklyn, who turned 18 earlier in the week.

The pop star-turned-fashion mogul remained in the outfit she arrived in London's St Pancras Station having whizzed in from Paris Gare du Nord following their one night stop over in the French capital.

She wowed in a crisp white shirt tucked into a low-slung pink velvet skirt with intricate pleats and a girlish bow fastened at the hip.

Never far from her staggering heels, the stunning star wore a pair of white booties with a sky-high heels which coordinated perfectly with her white leather clutch bag.

Tight knit: David was seen embracing Romeo as they left the restaurant in central London

Family affair: All the Beckham children went to the dinner, including Harper who was seen holding on to David's mum Sandra's hand

Out in full force: Harper led the way with Sandra, as mum Victoria and brothers Romeo and Cruz followed behind

Stylish: Victoria remained in the outfit she arrived in at London's St Pancras Station, wowing in a crisp white shirt tucked into a low-slung pink velvet skirt

Super chic: Victoria wore her brunette bob in loose curls falling from a centre parting while her make-up was flawlessly applied

Reunited: The Beckhams were celebrating the birthday of Victoria's mum Jackie Adams at London's swanky China Tang eatery.

Mummy's boy: Brooklyn, 18, also went to the dinner following his whirlwind trip to Paris

Victoria wore her brunette bob in loose curls falling from a centre parting while her make-up was flawlessly applied with her glowing complexion shining through.

While the stunning star remained in her ensemble, Brooklyn changed into a look typical of his skater boy style with his beanie and checked shirt.

David stuck to his tried-and-tested style comprising of his trademark baker boy cap paired with a leather biker jacket and battered jeans.

Family affair: Romeo, 14, naturally looked cutting edge in a funky lilac bomber jacket, while Cruz, 12, kept things simple in a navy bomber jacket paired with a light blue raglan shirt

Night out: The Beckhams appeared to have had a delightful evening as they left the restaurant

Fashionable: Romeo's jacket featured white writing scrawled across the back, teamed with a pair of Converse

Doting dad: David was seen lovingly embracing Romeo, who has scored modelling contracts with fashion houses including Burberry

Close relationship: David clearly enjoyed spending the evening with his children

Proud mother: Victoria led the way among her extended family as she headed to the dinner fresh from an overnight stay in Paris

Doting mum: Victoria shared a sweet snapshot of herself with Romeo, revealing the gang were having the best of times together

Ever the doting dad, he grabbed hold of his middle son Romeo, who has scored modelling contracts with fashion houses including Burberry.

The 14-year-old model naturally looked cutting edge in a funky lilac bomber jacket with white writing scrawled across the back paired with complementary Converse.

Cruz, 12, kept things simple in a navy bomber jacket paired with a light blue raglan shirt as he jumped down the steps at the luxurious restaurant.

Great time: The whole family looked happy and relaxed after leaving London's swanky China Tang eatery

Casual look: Brooklyn had his arm in a sling following his snowboarding accident

Beckham boys: The fashionable family were out in full force as they celebrated Victoria's mother Jackie's birthday

Big gathering: In classic Beckham style, the whole family were quick to swarm social media with details of their evening

Youngest Beckham: Harper looked sweet in a navy dress while her lengthy blonde tresses billowed behind her

Close: Victoria's sister Louise was also at the big family dinner, wearing a khaki shirt

Vacating the restaurant: The family certainly appeared to have enjoyed the dinner at London's swanky China Tang restaurant

As ever Harper was the apple of the family's eye as she marched ahead in a sweet navy dress while her lengthy blonde tresses billowed behind her.

Ringing in Jackie's birthday also was her other daughter Louise as she strutted ahead in a khaki shirt while joining the rest of the family.

In classic Beckham style, the whole family were quick to swarm social media with details of their evening, with Romeo sharing an image of the birthday girl and his granddad Tony.

Doting father: David was reunited with eldest son Brooklyn following his trip to Paris

Trademark style: David wore his trademark baker boy cap paired with a leather biker jacket and battered jeans

High spirits: Brooklyn seemed to be in a cheerful mood, after reuniting with his ex-girlfriend Sonia Ben Ammar in Paris

Double birthday: The family were also no doubt also celebrating Brooklyn's 18th at the bash

Heading home: They were seen getting into their cars as they left the London restaurant

Busy weekend: Victoria showed no sign of tiredness despite only arriving back from Paris earlier that day

The happy couple posed in front of a cake depicting them sitting at a table while their three children while adding the caption: 'Happy birthday @jackie.adams_ love u lots'.'

Victoria meanwhile posted an image of David and Brooklyn flashing a rude hand gesture while adding the caption: 'Fun night out last night with my favorite boys x I love u @davidbeckham @brooklynbeckham @romeobeckham @cruzbeckham X VB'.

Feeling playful, David shared a video depicting Harper playfully sticking her tongue through a piece of paper, while adding the caption: 'I mean sometimes the kids do things that really make you chuckle ... Happy birthday to Nana @jackie.adams_'.

Happy nana! Romeo sharing a snap on Instagram of Jackie and his granddad Tony in front of a birthday cake

'They make you chuckle': David shared a video depicting Harper playfully sticking her tongue through a piece of paper with happy birthday written on it

Super cute: He shared a snap of the five-year-old, while wishing Jackie a happy birthday

Boys will be boys: Victoria shared a snap of David and Brooklyn with the caption: 'Fun night out last night with my favorite boys'
Some stars just never age, and Charlie's Angels vet Jaclyn Smith is one of them.

Over the weekend the 71-year-old actress looked youthful in photos taken during a last-minute road trip.

The fashion designer explained she jumped in the car with her husband of 20 years Brad Allen to take a hike in Sedona, Arizona.

Trim lady: Jaclyn Smith went hiking in Sedona, Arizona with her husband Brad Allen over the weekend

Her words: 'What a great weekend!' the brunette bombshell began. 'Brad and I took a spontaneous road trip to Sedona and did a little exploring and vortex hiking'

'What a great weekend!' the brunette bombshell began.

'Brad and I took a spontaneous road trip to Sedona and did a little exploring and vortex hiking.

'The twisted trees are a result of the energy from the vortex!' she added.

Her post: 'The twisted trees are a result of the energy from the vortex!' she added

Big time: She came to fame as Kelly Garrett on the TV series Charlie's Angels with Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson. Pictured 1976

WHAT IS THE SEDONA VORTEX? - The term Vortex in Sedona refers to a place where the earth's energy swirls and draws to its center everything that surrounds it like a tornado - At these sites, trees often exhibit this swirling or twisting pattern on their trunks -This is due to the powerful vortex energy at the core of a Sedona Vortex, it has been claimed - The earth's energy is supposedly increased, leading to self-awareness and various kinds of healing Advertisement

The term Vortex in Sedona refers to a place where the earth's energy swirls and draws to its center everything that surrounds it like a tornado.

At these sites, trees often exhibit this swirling or twisting pattern on their trunks.

This is due to the powerful vortex energy at the core of a Sedona Vortex, it has been claimed.

The earth's energy is supposedly increased, leading to self-awareness and various kinds of healing, according to The New York Times.

Smith ended with: 'If you are ever in Arizona, I highly recommend checking it out!'

In one of her hashtags she wrote 'weekend getaway.'

Smith has been busy coming up with the new designs for her label which sells at K-mart.

In several Instagram photos she can be seen working on the fabrics and designs.

She liked it: Smith was the only original cast member besides David Doyle (Bosley) to star on the show for all five years. Pictured 1976

Mother and daughter: Smith has been coming up with the new designs for her label which sells at K-mart. In several Instagram photos she can be seen working on the fabrics and designs

Her daughter Spencer, 31, has also been helping out with her work.

The star is reportedly worth $75m thanks to her business savvy.

She came to fame as Kelly Garrett on the TV series Charlie's Angels which aired from 1976 until 1981.

Smith was the only original cast member besides David Doyle (Bosley) to star on the show for all five years as Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson dropped out early.
She's known for her love of intricate body art, having amassed over 15 tattoos since she was a teenager.

Now never-before-seen images of Angelina Jolie have surfaced showing the star being tattooed by ex Thai monk Ajarn Noo Kanpai alongside her estranged husband Brad Pitt in Siem Reap in Cambodia.

The Hollywood actress - who was directing her Netflix movie First They Killed My Father at the time in the country - had flown the tattoo artist from Bangkok to work on the symbolic inkings for her and Brad in February 2016.

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Tatt's nice: Never-before-seen images of Angelina Jolie have surfaced showing the star being tattooed by ex Thai monk Ajarn Noo Kanpai alongside her recently estranged husband Brad Pitt in Siem Reap in Cambodia early 2016

During her visit last year, she acquired three new mystical sak yant back inkings from the Thai artist, a style which encompasses lines of script, geometric patterns and animal shapes.

Opting for an ancient handheld method, the artist used steel rods mounted with a surgical steel needle - which is deemed to be more painful but more accurate than a tattoo gun - to apply the tattoos to the skin.

During the visit, Brad also got inked by Kanpai, who tattooed the left side of his stomach with a Buddhist symbol months before they separated in September.

Ironically, the former couple's designs were intended 'to symbolically bind them as husband and wife', yet their marriage didn't stand the test of time.

Symbolic: The Hollywood actress - who was in the country directing her Netflix movie First They Killed My Father at the time - had flown the tattoo artist from Bangkok to work on the symbolic inkings for her and Brad in February 2016 (After and before)

All three of the new markings are on her back, joining previous tattoos that say Know Your Rights, a traditional Thai tiger and Cambodian writings that have already been in place for years.

Along with the symbolic binding, the new tattoos also included two ancient Thai Buddhist symbols and mantras, which are thought to help provide protection.

Complete with a thin, intricate outline in black ink it was also thought the tattoo is an homage to the thousands who lost their lives during the country's Khmer Rouge reign.

New art: Opting for an ancient handheld method, the artist used steel rods mounted with a surgical steel needle - which is deemed to be more painful but also more accurate than a tattoo gun - to applied the tattoos to the skin

Meaningful: During her visit last year, she acquired three new mystical sak yant back inkings from the Thai body artist, a style which encompasses lines of script, geometric patterns and animal shapes

It isn't the first time Kanpai worked with Jolie having first inked her shoulder blade in 2003 and in 2004 on her tiger.

The Bangkok-based - who's designs cost thousands of pounds - artist has also worked with a number of famous faces including model Cara Delevingne and actress Michelle Rodriguez.

One-time monk Ajarn is based in a temple near Bangkok and his designs are said to protect whoever has them.

Before the storm: During the visit, Brad also got inked by Kanpai, who tattooed the left side of his stomach with a Buddhist symbol months before they separated in September

The Oscar-winning actress has been back to Cambodia since her inkings, making her first official appearance since the announcement of her separation from Pitt alongside her children Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10 and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

The mother-of-six, whose eldest child Maddox was adopted in 2002 from an orphanage in Battambang, Cambodia, gave a free public screening of the memoir-based drama in February,

The harrowing film tells the story of the war time experiences of Angelina's friend and former refuge Cambodian Loung Un as a young child, and is set to be released on Netflix.

The premiere will be followed by screenings across Cambodia, some seven months before the film is released to a global audience on Netflix.

'Bind': Ironically, the former couple's designs were intended 'to symbolically bind them as husband and wife', yet their marriage didn't stand the test of time

Moving on: Since the inkings, Brad has been embroiled in a tumultuous divorce battle with Angelina

Pitt, 53, and Angelina are currently locked in a custody battle over their children.

Brad and Jolie - whose romance is believed to have begun during filming of Mr & Mrs Smith, while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston, in 2005 - are due back in court in February for a hearing in the ongoing case.

Pitt and his family allegedly got into an argument aboard a private plane in September, causing an anonymous source to call the DCFS.

Locked in: Pitt, 53, and Angelina are currently locked in a custody battle over their children (Pictured together in 2014)

Pitt was exonerated in November by officials with the FBI and LA DCFS amid accusations he was physically abusive to Maddox during the flight from France.

The actor is requesting to share joint physical and legal custody with Jolie, who wants sole physical custody with Pitt receiving scheduled visits.

In January, Jolie accused her estranged husband of 'publicly impugning' her character in court documents that claimed Pitt is 'terrified the public will learn the truth'.

The allegations came as she approved of Brad's request that their children's records be legally sealed, after he claimed their accessibility was a violation of privacy.

While Jolie at the time agreed with his motives, she accused Pitt of using court filings to deflect from his 'own role in the media storm that has engulfed' their children .

Jolie - who currently retains temporary physical custody of the children - remains undaunted in her attempts to get sole custody of the kids.

Battle: Jolie - who currently retains temporary physical custody of the children - remains undaunted in her attempts to get sole custody of the kids (Pictured in 2013)
Colton Haynes has gotten engaged to Jeff Leatham.

The Teen Wolf actor, 28, accepted a proposal from the Kardashian family florist while in Mexico on Saturday evening. Cher sang her hit I Got You Babe from a large screen before Jeff asked for Colton's hand in marriage. Then fireworks went off.

Both shared a photo to Instagram on Sunday from the scene of the proposal.

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Sealed with a kiss: Colton Haynes has gotten engaged to Jeff Leatham. The Teen Wolf actor accepted a proposal from the Kardashian family florist while in Mexico

They were kissing on the beach as fireworks went off. Candles set up a perimeter around their beach area.

Colton wrote on his caption, 'I SAID YES!!!'

'Jeff, you're crying,' Colton said in an Instagram Stories video. 'You're the sweetest person in the entire world. I can't believe you.'

The two were at the Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico - and it appears that Cher had a helping hand in the proposal.

He put a ring on it! The 28-year-old Arrow actor flashed his sparkling engagement ring while Facetiming his good friend and actress Ally Maki who wrote: 'So happy that you found someone who completes you and fills your heart in a way no one else can'

Before the florist could pop the question, the singer appeared on a big screen to offer some words of advice.

Colton shared a picture of himself and Jeff embracing with fireworks lighting the sky above them, and Cher visible on a giant display.

He captioned the Instagram post: 'Thank you @cher for the beautiful "I got you babe" proposal lead in, you sounded incredible as always :) The most special night of my life @jeffleatham . #flowers #fireworks #fullmoon #cher (sic)'

And Jeff shared the video introduction on his own Instagram account.

He did this too: The artist helped Kris Jenner decorate her home for Christmas in 2016

Singing a snatch of her song, I Got You Babe, the 70-year-old singer said in the clip: 'So, 'I got you babe!' Alright, this is for you. You know what it is, you know what you're supposed to do now, and this is gonna be the best thing ever. You have to call me to tell me how it worked out, alright?'

Jeff captioned the post: 'Thank you @cher and @pauletteakapauly - for helping making my Proposal Evening Epic. I got you Babe never sounded so good right before @coltonhaynes said YES!!! So Appreciative and much love. (sic)'

The actor came out publicly last year and only let the world know last month he was with Leatham.

'It's not every day that someone comes into your life & makes you want to be a better man,' Haynes wrote. 'I feel so blessed to be by your side @jeffleatham.'

Together at a big event: The men dressed up for the Vanity Fair Oscar party in February

In a diary excerpt from November 2014 - which he shared with Paper magazine - Colton wrote: 'I honestly wake up after five hours of sleep wide-awake. It's probably from the bottle of wine I drank before I finally fell asleep/passed out or the amount of pills I'd had.

'I read up on why I'm experiencing numbness and lack of circulation in my hands and feet and it's due to the stimulants I've been taking for quite some time now...

'I'm so closed off to the world that I can't even get up enough courage to go in public. I'm afraid of people and have become agoraphobic...

Open: In a diary excerpt from November 2014 - which he shared with Paper magazine - Colton wrote about struggling with coming out

'To the public eye, my possibilities are endless, but in my mind, I'm fading away and battling to hide the pain and emotion that has plagued me my entire life. I've cheated, lied and finally owned up to it...I am lonely. This is my fault, though. I don't want to let anyone in. People don't understand the things you give up when you step into the limelight. No one really wants to get to know you.'

But he shared another entry from November 2016, revealing he was the happiest he'd ever been after 'taking control' of his life by seeking help and speaking out.

Jeff has created a name for himself as an over-the-top florist who works for the Four Seasons Hotel.

He helped Kris Jenner and Kylie Jenner decorate their homes for Christmas, and he has also worked for Khloe Kardashian.

Leatham has also done arrangements for Sofia Vergara and Dolly Parton.
Kendall Jenner is one of the top models in the world right now as she has landed a Vogue cover and was the belle of Paris Fashion Week this year.

And on Sunday the 21-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star proved she is worth her modeling fee.

The stunner looked ravishing in red lingerie as she puckered up for a secret photo shoot.

A blossom: Kendall Jenner posed with fake flowers during a shoot in Miami on Sunday

Too cute! The sister of Kim Kardashian scrunched up her face a bit when looking at the crew

Awkward moment: The 21-year-old seemed to be biting her lips between takes

The reality diva was sitting on fake green grass as she wore lace lingerie that looked rather see-through.

The bra had thin straps with a wide band on the ribs. The panties had wide sides.

The rumoured girlfriend of A$AP Rocky also had on red heels and red lipstick, making her appear ready for a night of romance.

Faux: The reality diva was sitting on fake green grass as she wore lace lingerie that looked rather see-through

A 10: The bra had thin straps with a wide band on the ribs. The panties had wide sides

Red-y: The rumoured girlfriend of A$AP Rocky also had on red heels and red lipstick, making her appear ready for a night of romance

Her hair was parted in the middle and worn straight.

Around her were oversized wood flowers that made her look like she was on the set of Alice In Wonderland.

It is not known was the shoot was for.

This comes after the star was seen with sister Kylie while they promoted their clothing line on Saturday.

The reality television stars looked stylish as ever as they flashed their shoulders in sexy bardot tops in the pictures posted to Instagram.

Hard at work or hardly working? The Calvin Klein model got to sit pretty as her makeup artist did her thing

Sibling thrivalry: Kylie Jenner looked glam as ever in a bardot top as she advertised her clothing line with her sister Kendall

Kylie is seen in a partially sheer sweater with a velvet around her neck.

She is standing in front of a rail of clothing on hangers, in the shot which has been desaturated of colour.

The make-up entrepreneur is sporting cream framed mirror sunglasses, which showed the photographer's light reflector.

Fashionista: Kendall checked out some clothing on a rail and held a vintage SLR camera

Meanwhile Kendall looks elegant as ever, with a bell-sleeved fitted top.

She has striped high-waisted pants and beads around her neck.

Her dark tresses look exceptionally glossy and she is holding a vintage SLR camera.

Looking curvy! Jenner shared this selfie on Tuesday plugging a fashion brand

Kylie plugged another fashion brand earlier in the week, as she posted an ad for a knitted two-piece set.

The star's figure looked super hourglass with a tiny waistline and large hips, almost like her older sister Kim Kardashian's shape.

Kylie is dating aspiring rapper Tyga, who has a son with ex Blac Chyna - who also has a daughter, Dream, with Kylie's half brother Rob Kardashian.
He is the Masterchef judge best known for wearing his trademark cravat, and his portly frame.

But it seems Matt Preston's battle with the bulge has come to a head with his wife, Emma, putting him under 'strict orders' to lose weight ahead of the cooking show's new season.

She has reportedly banned all junk and fast foods which are high in fats and sugar, including burgers, fish and chips, pavlova and Tim Tams - which are said to be the food critic's weakness, a source told New Idea.

The healthier choice: Matt Preston's wife Emma has banned all junk and fast food in their home

The lifestyle overhaul for the 53-year-old came after Emma saw messages of concerns from fans of the show about his weight.

'Every year when the show airs, Matt gets a lot of messages about his weight... It's not nasty remarks, but genuine concern about his health,' the source told the publication.

Part of Matt's weight loss plan is said to be replacing his late-night cravings for healthier options such as eggs on toast, which the source said is working for him.

Loving help: The lifestyle overhaul comes after she saw messages of concern from fans for her cravat wearing husband's health

Lifestyle overhaul: 'It's not nasty remarks, but genuine concern about his health'

'It's just been happening slowly but surely, and now he is determined to walk back into the studio with new confidence and surprise them all,' they said.

Matt has sported a slightly trimmer figure in a recent season but the source said that in the past the wardrobe department has had to alter his suits last minute because of weight gain.

'He would love to be able to have them pull different outfits off the rack without having to make them larger,' they said.

Slowly but surely! The cravat wearing foodie is said to be swapping his late-night cravings with healthier options such as eggs and toast

Fitter outlook: In the past the wardrobe department has had to alter his suits at the last minute because of weight gain

Meanwhile Matt's judging counterparts on the show, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan, have amped their workout regimes and shown off fitter physiques in recent seasons of the show.

Filming for season nine of the hit culinary show is already underway, according to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald.

An air date is yet to be announced.

New Season! Filming for season nine of the hit culinary show is already underway
He's the TV 'husband' who was slammed on social media for calling his partner 'frigid'.

And now Married At First Sight's Anthony Manton, 33, has allegedly been left in a jealous rage over 'wife' Nadia Stamp, 36, according to Woman's Day, after she appeared alongside the show's relationship expert John Aiken during a Facebook Live Q&A.

Nadia cosied up to the psychologist during the revealing talk, with the pair's chemistry noticed by fans.

Comfortable together: Nadia and relationship expert John cosied up during a recent Facebook Live Chat, allegedly leading the brunette beauties TV husband Anthony to become jealous

Anthony was reportedly left red-faced over the exchange, with Nadia and John appearing comfortable and relaxed alongside each other.

One viewer asked: 'Is John married? If not, I think he should be with Nadia'.

The brunette beauty was all smiles as she opened up about the more intimate details of her relationship with the notoriously 'controlling' Anthony.

But the race caller's jealousy appears to be unfounded, with John reportedly happily married to Kelly Swanson-Roe, with whom he shares two children.

Friends: Nadia appeared with John on a Facebook Q&A, discussing the more intimate details of her relationship with Anthony

Jealous: Anthony's alleged jealousy over the pair's chemistry was short-lived, with John happily married to Kelly Swanson-Roe

It's not the first sign of trouble between Nadia and Anthony, with the stunner appearing in a cast reunion photo last month without Anthony or her wedding ring.

The couple have also had 'intimacy' problems throughout the show, with Anthony drawing the ire of fans on social media when he called Nadia 'frigid'

'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 said.

Trouble in paradise? Nadia was spotted in a cast reunion photo without her wedding ring last month, with her 'husband' Anthony noticeably absent

Controlling: Anthony became a villain on the show after calling Nadia 'frigid', recieving backlash from fans on social media

Nadia was also seen flying solo last week, with the flight attendant spotted in Bali on a sunny holiday with a female friend.

Showing off her fit figure in a skimpy orange bikini, the part-time model captioned the photo: 'Enjoying some down time on my Bali layover'.

The trip added speculation to rumours the couple have parted ways.
It seems Paris Hilton's new beau is bringing out her earthy side.

On Saturday, the 36-year-old hotel heiress was seen dressed in a low-maintenance look, keeping close to boyfriend Chris Zylka, 31, as the new couple explored Tulum and did some shopping downtown.

The model-turned-DJ and The Leftovers actor are staying at an exclusive beachfront nature-centered resort in Mexico that offers organic food, a holistic wellness spa, and daily yoga, for a price starting at a cool $1,200 per person, per night.

Keeping her leveled: Paris Hilton was seen dressed in a low-maintenance look, keeping close to boyfriend Chris Zylka, 31, as the new couple explored Tulum

Pricey digs: The model-turned-DJ and The Leftovers actor are staying at an exclusive beachfront nature-centered resort in Mexico

The VIP destination also features a private, secluded beach, trips to local waterfalls, musical guests and performances in the evenings, and a beachfront restaurant serving up food inspired by Mayan culture.

The upscale digs are decorated in a bohemian, spiritual style, and guests can choose from fully furnished 500 sq foot private jungle rooms or beachfront lodging. Rooms include outdoor, under-the-stars showers.

The hotel promises that their guests' stay will be 'an extraordinary experience,' in 'an environment full of just the right amount of care and attention to detail.'

Having fun: The hotel promises that their guests' stay will be 'an extraordinary experience,' in 'an environment full of just the right amount of care and attention to detail'

Whatcha got there? Chris was spotted peering at his lady's phone screen, while taking a drag from a cigarette

Outing: The good-looking duo left their luxurious hotel to hit the town for some adventures and to grab some souvenirs

The good-looking duo left their luxurious hotel to hit the town for some adventures and to grab some souvenirs.

Hilton, who is perpetually glamorous, opted for a cute off-duty look for the casual trek.

She wore army print leggings, a black paint-splattered muscle t-shirt that read 'champagne nights,' and faded New Balance sneakers.

Off-duty look: Paris wore army print leggings, a black paint-splattered muscle t-shirt that read 'champagne nights,' and faded New Balance sneakers

Her long blonde tresses were allowed to dry naturally into loose slight waves and were kept away from the bombshell's face with a patterned head band.

Paris appeared to forego makeup for the day's adventures, showing off her flawless skin before hiding behind a pair of large sunglasses.

In true Hilton fashion, she was glued to her phone, sharing Snapchat stories and Instagram posts of her adventures while Chris took drags from a cigarette.

Natural beauty: Paris appeared to forego makeup for the day's adventures, showing off her flawless skin before hiding behind a pair of large sunglasses

Low-maintenance: Her long blonde tresses were allowed to dry naturally into loose slight waves and were kept away from the bombshell's face with a patterned head band

Zylka matched his leading lady's off-the-grid look in a pair of faded blue jeans, a light blue muscle tee with palm trees that read 'Aloha,' black Converse tie-up shoes and a black backpack.

The couple took in the tropical town's sites, stumbling across a tipi tent, browsing Mexican art and souvenir stores, grabbing ice cream, and visiting the Papaya Playa Project nightlife scene.

They both held onto brown paper shopping bags - Paris' a few sizes larger, of course - while making their way back to Habitas (their pricey lodging).

The tattooed hunk stopped mid-walk to hug his golden-haired beauty close to him, making her laugh as she appeared to flirtatiously push him away.

So in love: The tattooed hunk stopped mid-walk to hug his golden-haired beauty close to him, making her laugh as she appeared to flirtatiously push him away

They both held onto brown paper shopping bags - Paris' a few sizes larger, of course - while making their way back to Habitas (their pricey lodging)

Socialite: In true Hilton fashion, she was glued to her phone, sharing Snapchat stories and Instagram posts of her adventure

It seems things are heating up between the couple , who first sent fans into a frenzy when Paris posted a photo of the two of them captioned: 'My #Valentine' on February 19.

Later that week, she shared another intimate snap with her Instagram followers, hinting that their relationship was getting serious as she captioned a number of selfies with the pair: 'Home is where you are.'

Zylka's previously had a splintered engagement with DVF brand ambassador Hanna Beth Merjos. He also dated Pretty Little Liar's Lucy Hale in 2012.

Hilton's ex-fiances reportedly include model Jason Shaw and a fellow Paris, heir to the Latsis shipping family.
She found international fame with her role in The World Is Not Enough.

And Sophie Marceau proved she was still every inch the Bond girl as she stripped off for her saucy role in French-Belgian film, Jailbirds.

Daring to bare all, the French actress, 50, showed off her sensational figure as she went nude for the gritty scenes

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Shaken AND stirred: Sophie Marceau proved she was still every inch the Bond girl as she stripped off for her saucy role in French-Belgian film, Jailbirds

Exposing every inch of her frame, the star looked incredibly youthful as she exhibited her age-defying beauty.

Attempting to protect her modesty with her hands, the scene showed the star being strip searched upon entering prison.

Sophie plays Mathilde Leroy in the French-Belgian drama, a woman who voluntarily takes her lover's place behind bars in a bid to break him out of prison.

Laid bare: Daring to bare all, the French actress, 50, showed off her sensational figure as she went nude for the gritty scenes

Ageless beauty: Exposing every inch of her frame, the star looked incredibly youthful as she exhibited her age-defying beauty

Best known in Britain for her role as troubled heiress Elektra King in James Bond film, The World is Not Enough, Sophie has been somewhat of a sex symbol since.

Packed with revealing outfits and enough steaminess to fill a train, like most Bond Girls, Sophie succumbed to the charms of Pierce Brosnan's Bond character.

Although her Bond girl days may be over, Sophie looked as though she hadn't aged in a bit in the the 18 years since the film was released.

Stripped: Attempting to protect her modesty with her hands, the scene showed the star being strip searched upon entering prison

Gritty role: Sophie plays Mathilde Leroy in the French-Belgian drama, a woman who voluntarily takes her lover's place behind bars in a bid to break him out of prison

Still youthful: Although her Bond girl days may be over, Sophie looked as though she hadn't aged in a bit in the the 18 years since The World Is Not Enough was released

Gritty: Sophie was not afraid to bare all for the gritty role

Despite being an international sex symbol for many, Sophie previously admitted that she doesn't consider herself to be.

She told The Guardian: 'I've never really been beautiful. I'm photogenic, which is very important, and now I'm getting older I'm aware I have to take care.

I'm transformable, and you can do all sorts of different styles with me.

'I can be sexy or I can be not sexy at all. I don't want to be stuck in one thing, because I'm not myself one thing.'
Demi Moore made a surprise appearance in Los Angeles Saturday.

The 54-year-old actress looked simply stunning at the event, flaunting a fresh face and sweet pair of glasses at the performance of the play Women Of Manhattan put on by We The Women art collective.

The New Mexico native was there to support her daughter Scout Willis, who was one of many stars performing to raise money for Planned Parenthood.

She barely ages! Demi Moore wowed at an event held by We The Women art collective in Manhattan Saturday, showing off her flawless complexion

Demi looked chic and carefree during a night of performances at the famous Palace Theater in Downtown LA.

The GI Jane star wowed in a lace dress by Gucci, which showed off her trim physique. She kept practical by throwing a pink striped sweater over her shoulders to keep warm.

For beauty the Striptease actress went classic, wearing flawless skin with a healthy glow underneath a pair of simple square eyeglasses.

Music to our ears! Scout Willis sang a song during the event supporting Planned Parenthood, which was put on by the We The Women art collective

Daughter Scout took the stage to perform a song after the main performance.

The second generation star looked elegant in the spotlight, wearing a dusty blue dress paired with Mary Jane heels.

The daughter of Demi and Bruce Willis showed off her cleavage and a small tattoo beneath the frock's plunging neckline.

Peek-a-boo! Scout Willis flaunted her cleavage and a tiny tattoo in a dusty blue frock. Here, she poses with We The Women founder Nathalie Love

Seen and not Heard! Amber Heard looked chic in a black slip while posing with friends at the LA benefit

The event was a star studded affair. Over 500 people showed up to the revival production of Women Of Manhattan, which was the brainchild of actresses Nathalie Love and Samantha Rossler. The play first debuted in 1986.

One-hundred percent of the evening's proceeds went to the women's health organization Planned Parenthood.

We The Women and Saturday's benefit performance were organized by actresses Nathalie Love and Samantha Rossler, who both wowed at the event.

With his squad! Jonah Hill arrived with a large group of friends, which included Max Winkler. Here he poses with his posse and We The Women co-founders Nathalie Love and Samantha Ressler

The diet of a Graduate! Dustin Hoffman had room for seconds, grabbing an extra slice of pizza during the event's pre-performance cocktail hour

Amber Heard made an elegant appearance, seen sporting a silky black slip with side-swept hair as she posed with several LA beauties.

Jonah Hill arrived to the performance at the last minute with a posse of friends in tow, including Henry Winkler's son Max.

Dustin Hoffman made the most of cocktail hour by chomping on several slices of pizza before enjoying the play.
Celebrity chef Glynn Purnell has been accused of exchanging sexually explicit messages with a female fan he met on Twitter.

According to The Mirror, the 42-year-old Secret Chef star - who has three children with his long-term partner Kerry O'Carroll - sent nude images and 'hundreds' of raunchy messages with the fan behind his devoted love's back.

'I was surprised when he started following me on Twitter, and I got carried away,' the fan is quoted as saying. 'I didn't realise he had a family at first. When he started talking about sex one thing led to another.

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The Chef's Secret? Celebrity chef Glynn Purnell has been accused to exchanging sexually explicit messages - and nude images - with a female fan he met on Twitter

'Before I knew it we were swapping pics of our tattoos, and then he started sending intimate photos of himself.'

The Mirror reports that Glynn - who dubs himself the Yummy Brummie - initiated contact with the woman in question back in October, leading to months of late-night messaging - and even a failed plan to meet up in London last month.

'I felt wanted,' admitted the fan. 'I love him when he appears on Saturday Kitchen.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Glynn Purnell for comment.

Family man: The Saturday Kitchen and Secret Chef star has three children with long-term partner Kerry O'Carroll

As of Sunday, the TV personality - who was responsible for landing Birmingham's first Michelin star as head chef at local restaurant Jessica's - appeared to have deleted his @Yummy_Brummie Twitter account.

In an interview with The Guardian back in 2015, Glynn had spoken of his love of spending quiet time at home with his partner and their children.

'The second Sunday Id spend at home  I love being there,' he said. 'About six years ago we moved out of the city into a house with an orchard, right next to a river.

'I have a little treehouse, overlooking both, and I often sit up there, just gathering my thoughts, taking five minutes out of my busy life. So this is where Id like to be, with my wife and kids.

Profile: Glynn's profile has been boosted, thanks to his ITV show The Secret Chef, which sees help to improve the culinary skills of kitchen novices. He is seen with trainee Steve Occleston

'I say my wife, even though technically were not married  weve been engaged for 18 years. Two restaurants, three kids, a cat and a dog later, I figure you just have to take your time.'

In November, Kerry was left in 'agony' after a crash near the family's Warwickshire home, which left her car a write-off.

She said at the time: 'I'm in agony. I can't sleep, my car is written off. I'm having flashbacks, I'm in so much pain.'

Warwickshire Police said an 80-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving following the three-vehicle collision.

However he was later de-arrested pending further investigation.

According to her Twitter profile, Kerry helps manage Glynn's two Birmingham restaurants - Purnell's and Purnell's Bistro - as well as cocktail bar Ginger's.

The Michelin-starred chef's profile has rocketed in recent years with appearances on a string of TV cooking shows.

Speaking of his TV career in September, he told the Birmingham Mail: 'I'm never going to be Graham Norton or Jonathan Ross. And I don't want to be.

'I was hugely flattered that the BBC asked me to guest present Saturday Kitchen after James Martin left. I think of the people watching while eating their cornflakes and I don't want it to be boring.'
Travis Kalanick has steered Uber to a valuation in the tens of billions of dollars with operations worldwide

Uber's rise to the top of the ride-sharing industry is due in large part to its hard-charging founder and chief executive, Travis Kalanick.

But while Kalanick has steered Uber to a valuation in the tens of billions of dollars with operations worldwide, he and the company have been bruised by this aggressiveness, prompting a search for a steadier hand at the wheel.

After a series of missteps and embarrassments for Uber and Kalanick, the San Francisco startup has acknowledged it is searching for a number-two executive to handle some of the day-to-day management tasks.

Kalanick, 40, is known for taking a hard line in battles with regulators and taxi operators in markets opposing the entry of a new kind of competitor.

But he has been humbled by the events of the past month, which included the release of a dash-cam video showing him berating and cursing at one of Uber's drivers.

"To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement," Kalanick said in a memo to employees after the incident.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, 40, is known for taking a hard line in battles with regulators and taxi operators in markets opposing the entry of a new kind of competitor

The video, he said, was "a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time I've been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it."

Uber has also been rocked by disclosures about a culture of sexism and its covert use of law enforcement-evading software.

Kalanick also made a hasty exit from a business advisory panel for President Donald Trump after a consumer boycott campaign fueled by concerns that he was aiding a leader with divergent values.

But Kalanick has long been known as someone who drives close to the edge.

The California native dropped out of the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) to start a file-sharing service called Scour, which pre-dated the popular service Napster but ran into similar legal challenges.

Scour faced lawsuits from major music and film industry groups claiming $250 billion in damages, and was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2000.

After that failure, he launched another file-sharing service called Red Swoosh.

Uber has faced protests and traffic tie-ups from angry taxi drivers, with demonstrators in Paris setting fire to some vehicles

Despite legal issues, Kalanick ended his tenure at Red Swoosh a millionaire when the company was bought in 2007 by Akamai Technologies.

Kalanick frequently recounts his story for the idea of Uber -- saying he and co-founder Garrett Camp were unable to find a taxi during a 2008 visit to Paris, and dreamed up the idea of pushing a button on a smartphone to summon a ride, and called it UberCab.

The name was shortened to Uber, which launched in 2010 in San Francisco, and now is active in more than 500 cities around the world, with an estimated valuation of $68 billion.

According to Forbes magazine, Uber's lofty value gives Kalanick a personal net worth of $6.3 billion.

- Bumps in the road -

The road has not always been smooth.

Last year, Uber had to quit the Chinese market and agree to a partnership with the local market leader, Didi Chuxing.

Uber and Kalanick have faced protests and traffic tie-ups from angry taxi drivers, with demonstrators in Paris setting fire to some vehicles.

Some Uber drivers have sued to be recompensed as employees, rather than independent contractors, and others have complained that the mobile app used by Uber lacks the ability to offer tips.

Uber has also faced criticism for its "Greyball" software that may be used to avoid authorities, and its "God View" which could be used to spy on riders.

After revelations about "Greyball," Uber announced it would not use the program to evade regulators.

Kalanick is known for being defiant in the face of criticism but his recent mea culpa is not the first time he has tried to soften his image.

"I realize that I can come off as a passionate advocate for Uber," he was quoted as saying in 2015 by The Wall Street Journal.

"I'll be the first to admit I'm not perfect, and neither is this company."
Indian magician Ishamuddin Khan is challenging archaic laws that criminalise street performers

For a brief moment Ishamuddin Khan had the world at his feet: A pioneer of the "Great Indian Rope Trick" -- an illusion of such legend it was long believed to be impossible -- he thought fame and fortune were assured.

But some 22 years after he first dazzled crowds with his ability to conjure a length of coiled rope out of a basket and up 20 feet into the air for an assistant to climb, he is still battling for recognition -- for himself, and his art.

Angered by India's lack of support for his industry he is taking on archaic laws that criminalise street performers.

"I love to perform on the streets, but under the law I am not a busker but a beggar," Khan explained.

"I can't fight the law on my own, but I am determined not to give up," he said, adding that he had enlisted the help of a legal centre to challenge the antiquated regulations, a foreboding task in India's creaking courts and maze-like bureaucracy.

Khan's father had a monkey show, while his mother was a ragpicker. He grew up in Kathputli Colony, an enclave of conjurers, snake charmers and puppeteers in New Delhi's slums famously referenced in the Salman Rushdie novel Midnight's Children as the "magician's ghetto".

But such trades are not valued anymore, he said, pointing to the decades-old Bombay Beggary Act, which treats India's millions of street buskers as a public nuisance and forces them into a state of perpetual illegality, where they must stay a step ahead of the law.

Because of this, there is little opportunity for India's tribal performers to be celebrated, despite the country's rich history of mysticism and artistic tradition.

"In India, if you're talented it doesn't make any difference," Khan told AFP, glancing wistfully at his rope basket and other magic props in his shanty home tucked away down an alley reeking of sewage.

"If you don't have enough money or a godfather with you, or (sponsorship) from the government or a businessman that is a big problem. And that makes me cry, sometimes I feel very bad."

- Pursuing the impossible -

Back in 1995, Khan became the first to perform the rope trick for the public in an outside space -- considered a huge feat in the world of magic as it gives little option for props, lighting trickery or hidden aids.

The trick was first mentioned by European writers during the British Raj era, Khan said. It was regarded so difficult that in the 1930s the Magic Circle offered a reward to anyone who could do it.

Ishamuddin Khan grew up in Kathputli Colony, an enclave of conjurers, snake charmers and puppeteers in New Delhi's slums

Decades later, a version of the story reached Khan. Already well versed in the skills of the trade from childhood, where he'd learned tricks from family and friends, he was motivated to take on the impossible.

"I heard once that if somebody succeeds in doing the trick, he would get (money) from the British Magic Circle. So I spent six years to find the secret of the trick," he said.

He delivered the performance, complete with a child seemingly climbing the levitating rope, at the historic Qutub Minar monument in New Delhi to an enraptured audience of hundreds.

"Overnight I won international fame, I was world famous," he recalled, reminiscing how the crowd broke into thunderous applause at the sprawling Mughal-era ruins.

- Tradition under siege -

News of his achievement spread -- he was invited to perform abroad, sponsors took an interest, and even now foreign tourists seek him out when visiting New Delhi.

And yet at home there has been little interest in his repertoire, which also includes transforming mango seeds into a shrub by sleight of hand and regurgitating iron balls.

Street magician Ishamuddin Khan is a pioneer of the 'Great Indian Rope Trick'

Performers such as Khan often have to eke out a living on the streets and risk daily harassment from police who demand bribes or threaten charges because they are in breach of the law.

Calls for the government to amend the dated legislation have fallen on deaf ears. And the slum that he and some 2,000 other families of street performers call home is being razed, ending decades of tradition.

But Khan, who speaks fluent Hindi and English as well as a little French and Japanese, is hopeful he can bring about change.

"I love to perform on the streets, and I should be allowed some public space so that I can entertain passersby. Is it too much to ask?"
LafargeHolcim has found itself in the hot seat over how it kept its Syrian cement plant operating in 2013 and 2014

Some multinationals working in conflict zones are turning to ethically dubious practices to keep their factories operating, employees working and goods flowing.

French-Swiss cement manufacturer LafargeHolcim admitted earlier this month that it resorted to "unacceptable" practices in 2013 and 2014 to keep its Jalabiya plant in Syria running until it was seized by the Islamic State. In practice this amounted to the financing of armed groups.

Recent history is full of scandals involving businesses paying armed groups and fanning the flames of war.

Banana companies paid paramilitary groups in Colombia in the 1990s and 2000s, jewellers fed the trade in "blood diamonds" in Liberia and Congo and mobile phone makers are regularly accused of using minerals taken from mines controlled by armed groups in Africa.

But how do companies get themselves into this? Errors of judgment? Sliding imperceptibly past a point of no return? Too much responsibility given to middlemen? A fundamental contradiction between profit and ethics?

- Grey areas, platitudes -

"Whether it wants to or not, a business working in a war zone or a post-crisis zone becomes an economic stakeholder in a military environment," said Bertrand Monnet, a professor in criminal risk management at France's Edhec business school.

"And it is not always quite able to manage the challenges that this involves."

Big companies have ethical codes and while "this type of talk is all very well... in reality it's not enough to cope with the tensions between economic logic and fundamental rights," said Cecile Renouard, a professor at the Essec business school in France and a writer on corporate ethics.

She said that in the Lafarge case, the company's ethics statement was ambiguous in this respect.

"The company says it wants to be the world leader in its sector and at the same time contribute to making the world a better place", but "permanently striving for economic and financial performance inevitably comes into conflict with the desire to take into account the local situation."

Nicolas Berland, a professor at the business ethics and management department of the Paris-Dauphine university, said that while there are "true cynics" who work in conflict zones with no regard for the morality of what they are doing, others find themselves in grey areas.

Trying to honour agreements and protect their workers in difficult, unpredictable environments "they sometimes try to find a compromise by betting the situation will change rapidly," he said.

The safest approach is not to get involved in dangerous areas in the first place, or to pull out as quickly as possible when a crisis blows up.

Alexandre Hollander, head of Amarante International, a company specialising in security for international organisations, said: "In a war situation, multinationals generally decide to pull out of the country."

French oil giant Total left Syria in 2011 and French industrial gas supplier Air Liquide recently quit eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists decided to seize control of businesses.

- Responsibilities and obligations -

Local officials can also play an ambiguous role.

"The fashion is to have 'cross-expatriates', such as a Jordanian in Libya, because they are less exposed to risks thanks to their nationality," Hollander said, but "the understanding of corruption is not always the same for a Russian, a Turk or a Lebanese."

Moreover, "put under great pressure, mid-level managers can find themselves tempted to turn a blind eye a bit," he said.

And then, "it is difficult to extract yourself once you're caught up in the machinery. Once you've given two cans of petrol, $1,000, then $100,000, the amount doesn't matter any more."

In the Lafarge case, "the basic mistake is that they failed to clearly articulate a break point, to identify what are the red lines beyond which these relationships with local partners become unacceptable," said David Rodin, an expert in the ethics of war at Oxford University.

In theory the question is "to what extent is Lafarge responsible for the crimes the armed groups commit," he added. "The question is then at what level were decisions being taken? Was there sufficient oversight and guidance?"

Two companies with extensive foreign operations listed on the Paris stock exchange blue-chip CAC 40 index declined to make public their guidelines while insisting that the issue of ensuring the security of foreign staff is monitored at the highest level of management.

"Lafarge, a company of international standing, approaching such a highly-publicised conflict -- shouldn't it have been extra vigilant?" said Marie-Laure Guislain of Sherpa, a French law association that protects victims of financial crimes, which made a criminal complaint against Lafarge for "financing terrorism".

France has just adopted a law on companies' obligation to be vigilant on these issues, which could "have real effects" in this sort of situation, she said.
Philippine's President Rodrigo Duterte visits a wounded police officer at the Kidapawan Medical Specialists Centre, in Kidapawan City, on the southern island of Mindanao, on February 3, 2017

The Philippine government agreed on Sunday to reinstate a ceasefire with the communists behind one of the world's longest-running insurgencies, despite President Rodrigo Duterte's earlier threat to step up attacks on the group.

Negotiators for both the government and the communist-led National Democratic Front also agreed to resume collapsed peace talks, a joint statement said.

"The parties shall continue the formal peace talks and reiterate their reaffirmation of all bilateral agreements and statements," made before the peace talks ended abruptly last month, the statement said, after a meeting in Utrecht, Netherlands.

"In the meantime, the parties agreed to reinstate their respective unilateral ceasefires," as soon as both sides inform their armed units, the statement added.

Duterte, a self-described socialist who once boasted of his links to the communist rebels, had reopened stalled peace talks with the 4,000-strong communist rebel movement after taking office in June.

Chief of the National Democratic Front of Philippines (NDFP) Jose Maria Sison (R) poses for a photo next to Philippines Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus G. Dureza, in Rome, in January 2017

His government released captured rebel leaders and both sides had called separate ceasefires to pave the way for peace talks overseas.

But the volatile Duterte angrily called off peace talks in February after guerrillas killed soldiers in a series of attacks.

Last week, Duterte ordered the military and police to step up their attacks following a communist ambush that left four policemen dead on Wednesday.

"This time, I'm using everything. I have encouraged the police to call in the air assets. Use our new jets. Make use of the rockets and bombs. Flatten the hills with bombs," Duterte said.

The joint statement said an NDF negotiator, arrested after talks collapsed, would be released.

The next round of formal talks will be held in April with another round to be held in June, the two sides said.

The communist insurgency in the poverty-stricken country began in 1968 and is one of the longest running in the world. It has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives, according to the military.
Hundreds of supporters have gathered outside the Blue House, where impeached President Park Geun-Hye remains holed up after the court ruling that ousted her

The front-runner to succeed South Korea's impeached president Park Geun-Hye on Sunday called for unity as the country writes a "new history", while hundreds gathered outside the home of the ousted leader in a show of support.

The Constitutional Court on Friday upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach Park, effectively removing her from office over a corruption scandal involving her close friend.

A presidential election is to be held within 60 days of the ruling, with local media suggesting May 9 as the most likely date.

The likely winner -- by a distance -- is the liberal former Democratic Party leader Moon Jae-In who enjoys 36 percent of popular support.

"If the power of candlelight has brought us this far, we now have to work together for a complete victory," Moon told a news conference on Sunday, referring to weekly candlelit vigils that called for Park's ouster.

"South Korea will make new history through a regime change."

Park, who is South Korea's first democratically-elected president to be ousted from office, remains holed up at the presidential Blue House as workers repair and clean her private residence.

Television footage showed hundreds of Park's flag-waving supporters gathered outside her home in prosperous southern Seoul with reports saying she is likely to leave the presidential office on Monday.

Moon said it would be "heartless" to kick Park out of the Blue House while her home was being prepared but warned against possible attempts to destroy or remove state documents before she left.

Park was found to have broken the law by allowing her friend Choi Soon-Sil to meddle in state affairs, and breaching rules on public servants' activities.

The court ruling removed her presidential immunity to criminal indictment.

She has already been named a criminal suspect, accused of bribery for offering policy favours to firms that benefited Choi.

For months she has refused to make herself available for questioning by prosecutors probing the scandal.

But that may no longer be an option once she leaves the Blue House, when she could face formal arrest if she refuses a summons, with local reports saying that the prosecutors were mulling imposing a travel ban on Park.

Tens of thousands of anti-Park protesters took to the streets to celebrate the court's ruling on Saturday while some 20,000 angry pro-Park flag-waving protesters rallied nearby demanding a review of the one-off decision.

Police have arrested several protesters for violent behaviour, with a third person confirmed dead Saturday in hospital after losing consciousness the day before in a clash between pro-Park supporters and riot police.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is the entrepreneur behind electric carmaker Tesla

Australia's prime minister held talks with Elon Musk on Sunday after the US innovator offered to solve the energy crisis plaguing a southern region in a hundred days -- or install the technology free.

Musk, the entrepreneur behind electric carmaker Tesla, made the pledge in response to power woes in South Australia, which was last year hit by a state-wide blackout after severe winds from an "unprecedented" storm tore transmission towers from the ground.

In a Twitter exchange on Friday with Australian software startup Atlassian's co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, Musk said he could solve the energy issue with a battery farm.

"Tesla will get the system installed and working 100 days from contract signature or it is free. That serious enough for you?" Musk wrote to Cannon-Brookes, who had earlier said he could get financing for the plan.

The conversation piqued the interest of the Australian leader Malcolm Turnbull, who on Sunday said he had spoken to Musk and had "a great in depth discussion today about energy storage and its role in delivering affordable & reliable electricity".

It is understood their conversation lasted almost an hour and that the pair would continue their talks about energy storage over the next few months.

Musk replied that it was "very exciting to discuss the future of electricity. Renewables + storage arguably biggest disruption since DC to AC".

South Africa-born Musk was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft. He is also chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer recently bought by Tesla.

He has envisaged Tesla as a company that can help reduce emissions by not only selling people electric cars, but also generating and storing the solar energy that powers them.

Australia is one of the world's worst per capita greenhouse gas polluters, due to its heavy use of coal-fired power.
A demonstrator holds a sign near the White House to protest President Donald Trump's travel ban on six Muslim countries

Over 130 US foreign policy experts have denounced President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, saying it undermines America's national security and interests as much as the original order barring travelers from some Muslim-majority countries and refugees.

"To Muslims -- including those victimized by or fighting against ISIS (Islamic State) -- it will send a message that reinforces the propaganda... that falsely claim the United States is at war with Islam," read the letter by former government officials and experts.

"Welcoming Muslim refugees and travelers, by contrast, exposes the lies of terrorists and counters their warped vision," added the document dated Friday.

Among the 134 signatories were some who served in either or both Republican and Democratic administrations were former senior diplomat Nicholas Burns, ex-National Security Council counter-terrorism director Richard Clarke and ex-undersecretary of defense Michele Flournoy.

Most served under Democratic presidents, including former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, former Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, ex-national security advisor Susan Rice and ex-National Counterterrorism director Matthew Olsen.

Their comments echo those being made in court by US states claiming the modified measures discriminate against Muslims and are detrimental to US interests.

"Bans like those included in this order are harmful to US national security and beneath the dignity of our great nation," the letter read.

The executive order "weakens this country's ability to provide global leadership and jeopardizes our national security interests by failing to support the stability of our allies that are struggling to host large numbers of refugees," it added.

The letter was also sent to Trump's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Homeland Security chief John Kelly and Acting Director of National Intelligence Michael Dempsey.

The revised directive temporarily closes US borders to all refugees and citizens from six mainly-Muslim countries.

It denies US entry to all refugees for 120 days and halts for 90 days the granting of visas to nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The new order, unveiled Monday, is due to go into effect March 16 and replaces the previous Trump directive that was blocked in federal court.

The blocked order included an indefinite Syrian refugee travel ban and its blacklist of barred countries included Iraq.
An Iraqi forces member fires towards Islamic State (IS) group jihadists' positions in west Mosul during the ongoing battle to retake the city from the group

Iraqi security forces have retaken more than a third of west Mosul from the Islamic State group since launching an assault on the area last month, a commander said Sunday.

"Around more than a third of the right bank (west Mosul) is under the control of our units," Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi told AFP.

Mosul is split by the Tigris River, and its eastern side is referred to as the left bank, while the western is known as the right back.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake west Mosul -- the most populated urban area still under IS control -- on February 19, pushing up from the south.

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 retaken most of the territory they lost.

Iraqi forces launched a major operation to retake Mosul in October, recapturing the eastern side of the city before setting their sights on the smaller but more densely-populated west.
Soe Win (L) and Taw Phaya, the respective great grandson and grandson of King Thibaw, arrive to attend a ceremony at Mandalay's Golden Palace to mark the exile anniversary of their royal ancestor, in November 2016

The family of Myanmar's last king hit out on Sunday at a Thai soap opera inspired by the palace intrigue of their ancestors, accusing Thailand of double standards in how it treats another country's royals.

Soe Win, the great grandson of Myanmar's last monarch King Thibaw, told AFP his family were angered by "A Lady's Flame", a new hit prime-time soap that recounts a bloody dynastic power struggle.

The show is set in a fictional kingdom but almost entirely mimics the final years of the Konbaung dynasty in the 19th century in the country formerly known as Burma.

It portrays the scheming among a key queen and princesses who orchestrated the massacre of nearly a hundred people to ensure Thibaw had no rivals to the throne following his father's death in 1878.

While the massacre is historical fact, Thibaw's scions are upset with their family's portrayal by a country that shields its own monarchy from any criticism

"We have asked Thais this, would they accept it if one of our companies here did the same thing about their country," Soe Win told AFP.

"If no action is taken, we will ask for help from their (Thailand's) royalty," he added.

Thailand ferociously enforces a lese majeste law that bans scrutiny or criticism of its monarchy.

Increasing numbers have been jailed in recent years for their comments about the royal family, sometimes for as much as 30 years.

It is only supposed to protect senior living royal family members.

But recent cases have been brought against a historian for writing about a Thai king four centuries ago, against students who staged a play about a fictional kingdom and against a man for insulting the favourite dog of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Neighbours Thailand and Myanmar were bitter rivals for centuries and fought a number of bloody wars.

One of the most momentous battles saw Myanmar forces attack the city of Ayutthaya, second capital of the Siamese kingdom, and raze it to the ground in 1767, forcing the inhabitants to abandon the city.

In Thai historical soaps and dramas the Burmese are often portrayed as having villainous or treacherous tendencies, something that has previously caused anger in Thailand's western neighbour.

Soe Win said he was particularly incensed by scenes in "A Lady's Flame" in which royal family members slapped each other.

"It's quite insulting, as if we are wild," he said.

For many Burmese the fall of its monarchy at the hands of the British just a few years after Thibaw took the throne was a deep psychological scar.

He died in exile in India though there are plans to return his remains to his homeland.

His family are playing a much more visible role now that the military who suppressed them have given way to a civilian-led government.
An Iraqi forces member fires towards Islamic State group jihadists in west Mosul on March 11, 2017

Iraqi forces have retaken more than a third of west Mosul from the Islamic State group, a commander said, as Baghdad's troops fought Sunday to advance deeper into the city.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to recapture west Mosul -- the most populated urban area still under IS control -- on February 19, retaking a series of areas as they advanced up from the south.

Officers have said that jihadist resistance is weakening, but tough fighting -- including in the Old City, a warren of narrow streets and closely-spaced buildings where hundreds of thousands of civilians may still reside -- remains ahead.

"Around more than a third of the right bank (west Mosul) is under the control of our units," Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service told AFP.

CTS forces were battling IS inside the Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawat areas in west Mosul on Sunday, said Saadi, adding that he expected the fighting there to be completed in the coming hours.

And Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said that forces from the Rapid Response Division, another special forces unit, and the federal police were attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of the Old City.

But the process of advancing in Mosul is laborious, Saadi said.

Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have fled Mosul since government-backed forces launched their assault

"We are not able to leave pockets (of jihadists) behind us; therefore, the advance includes taking control of areas and searching and clearing them and security checks on the citizens present, then the continuation of the advance," he said.

- 'Not easy' -

The jihadists are "still relying on explosives-rigged vehicles and suicide bombers and snipers" and units that aim to slow the Iraqi advance, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, the spokesman for the JOC, told AFP.

"The battle is not easy... we are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens," Rasool said.

But IS resistance "has begun to weaken in a big way," he said.

The battle against IS inside west Mosul is being spearheaded by CTS and the Rapid Response Division, the latter of which is working with the federal police.

Outside Mosul, Iraqi army forces and pro-government paramilitaries are operating against IS to the west of the city.

On Saturday, the Hashed al-Shaabi -- an umbrella organisation for paramilitary groups that is dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias -- announced the discovery of a large mass grave northwest of Mosul.

The Hashed said the grave contained the remains of around 500 people killed by IS at the Badush prison, a figure that could not be independently confirmed, but which was in keeping with accounts from Human Rights Watch and the United Nations.

According to HRW, IS gunmen executed up to 600 inmates from the prison on June 10, 2014, forcing them to kneel along a nearby ravine and then shooting them with assault rifles, an account also contained in a UN report.

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 retaken most of the territory they lost.
Syrian forensics experts examine a damaged bus following bomb attacks in Damascus' Old City on March 11, 2017

The toll from twin bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims in the centre of Damascus has risen to 74 dead, a monitor said on Sunday.

Among the victims of Saturday's blasts were 43 Iraqi pilgrims who had come to the Syrian capital to visit Shiite shrines in Damascus's famed Old City, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based monitor said that 11 bystanders and eight children were among those killed, as well as 20 members of pro-government security forces.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Bab al-Saghir area of the Old City before a suicide bomber blew himself up.

Syrian state television on Saturday gave a toll of 40 killed and 120 wounded by "two bombs detonated by terrorists".

Iraq's foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals had died.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shiite shrines are a frequent target for Sunni extremists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS), not only in Syria but also in neighbouring Iraq.

The Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum to the south of Damascus, Syria's most visited Shiite pilgrimage site, has been hit by several deadly bombings during the war.

Twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of the capital in January killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

That attack was claimed by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia (centre) arrived in Japan to meet with Emperor Akihito and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a four-day stay, the first visit by a Saudi king to Japan in 46 years

Saudi Arabia's King Salman arrived in Tokyo Sunday, making the first visit to Japan by a monarch from the oil-rich nation in nearly five decades.

The 81-year-old king, who was greeted by Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito at Haneda airport, will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday and as he kicks off the Japanese leg of a broader tour of Asia.

Salman, who will visit 83-year-old Emperor Akihito on Tuesday, is travelling with a lavish entourage estimated at over 1,000 people.

Some 1,200 rooms at Tokyo's luxury hotels have been booked by the delegation for the three-night stay through Wednesday, according to local media, which has also reported that hundreds of limousines have been brought into the capital to accomodate the visitors.

Saudi Arabia is the largest provider of oil exports for Japan, which relies on Middle East for energy to power the world's third largest economy.

Japan hopes to use the visit to widen its relations with Saudi Arabia and help the country's efforts to diversify its economy, including exploring ways to increase Japanese investments in non-energy sectors such as manufacturing, according to officials.

King Salman's arrival marks the first visit to Japan by a Saudi leader since the 1971 visit to Japan by then-King Faisal.

King Salman himself, however, last visited Japan in 2014 as a crown prince.

The king is on a month-long tour of Asia, which has already taken him to Malaysia and Indonesia.

After Japan, he is scheduled to visit China and the Maldives.

Maldivian opposition parties on Friday raised objections to the planned visit and warned that they would stage protests over reports that Saudi business interests were buying an entire atoll in the politically-troubled Indian Ocean republic.
Bangladesh's clothing industry last year accounted for 80 percent of the country's $35-billion exports

Bangladesh's highest court Sunday ordered the demolition of a lakeside building occupied by powerful garment groups, a move welcomed by activists who considered the structure an enduring symbol of corruption.

The 16-story building, long criticised for openly flouting Dhaka's strict construction laws, must be destroyed within six months at a cost borne by its occupants, the Supreme Court ruled.

"If they fail to carry out the order, the (government's) capital development authority will demolish the building," Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told AFP.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), which occupied the building, said they would vacate as "soon as possible".

The building has been a source of a bitter legal dispute for years.

A court first challenged its legality seven years ago after it was revealed the building was constructed illegally on a state-owned floodplain.

Lawyers declared the hard-fought verdict a "landmark" in Bangladesh's judicial history.

"It's challenging the culture of impunity that prevails in our society," Rizwana Hassan from Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association, told AFP.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lay the foundation stone for the controversial BGMEA building in 1998, while a former premier now opposition leader formally opened it for business in 2006, underscoring the industry's ties to politics.

The BGMEA represents Bangladesh's clothing industry, which last year accounted for 80 percent of the country's $35-billion exports.

The garment industry employs nearly five million Bangladeshis, making it the single largest job creator in the impoverished nation.

A top union leader described the building as a "symbol of conspiracy and corruption".

"They (BGMEA) thought they were above the law. They wanted to flex their muscles with no respect for the law," union leader Babul Akhter told AFP.
Syrian forensics experts examine a damaged bus following bomb attacks in Damascus' Old City on March 11, 2017

Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front on Sunday said in a statement it was behind twin bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims in the centre of Damascus that killed 74 people.

"On Saturday... a twin attack was carried out by two heroes of Islam... in the centre of the capital Damascus, killing and wounding dozens," the statement said.

Without elaborating, it called the bombings "a message to Iran and its militias".

Iran and the Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement of Lebanon are close allies of the Syrian government.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 43 Iraqi pilgrims were among those killed when a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Ban al-Saghir area of Damascus's famed Old City and a suicide bomber blew himself up.

The Britain-based monitor said 11 bystanders and eight children were among the dead, as were 20 members of the pro-government security forces.

State television gave a toll of 40 killed and 120 wounded by "two bombs detonated by terrorists", while Iraq's foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals had died.

In January, Fateh al-Sham Front also claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of Damascus that killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

Damascus, stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad's government, has been largely spared the violence that has rocked other major cities in Syria's six-year war.

But periodic bombings have targeted Shiite shrines and were subsequently claimed by Sunni extremists, including the Islamic State jihadist group.
Afghan security personnel stand guard in front of the main gate of a military hospital in Kabul on March 8, 2017, after a deadly attack

Insiders including two interns were among the attackers who launched a gun-and-grenade assault this week on Afghanistan's largest military hospital, killing more than 100 people, multiple surviving staff and security sources told AFP.

The six-hour attack on the Sardar Daud Khan hospital on Wednesday began when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the back entrance, paving the way for gunmen disguised as doctors, according to the official account of the assault.

But multiple survivors spoke of a "simultaneous massacre", revealing that attackers already positioned inside the facility -- some of them familiar staff -- launched a killing spree with guns, grenades and knives immediately after the blast.

They included two interns in their 20s who had worked in the facility for months, according to a hospital official who guided Afghan special forces to rescue the victims.

"We all knew them," he told AFP, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media.

"One of them blew himself up and the other was shot down by special forces."

Another doctor, badly wounded in the attack, said one of the interns had worked under him. "He was my student, a familiar face... It was painful to see him shooting at everyone," he told AFP.

The involvement of the two interns was corroborated by an Afghan security source.

The carnage inside the heavily guarded hospital points at a spectacular intelligence failure and spotlights how insurgents have managed to infiltrate top government and military institutions in Afghanistan.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish conceded that "the attack was carried out from both outside and inside".

"This could not have been possible without the help of people inside," Radmanish told AFP. "Some individuals are being questioned."

- Savage assault -

The Islamic State group claimed it was behind the attack via its propaganda agency Amaq -- hours after the Taliban denied responsibility.

But the survivors AFP spoke to said the attackers chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and "Long live Taliban" in Pashto.

Officials have also cast doubt that the attack was the handiwork of IS, a group seeking to expand its foothold in Afghanistan but which faces heavy pressure from both US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces.

"We have leads and clues that contradict IS's claim," a senior Afghan security official told AFP earlier this week.

A wounded Afghan soldier speaks with colleagues at a hospital in Kabul on March 9, 2017, after he was injured during an attack on the main military hospital

"The group does not have the capacity to carry out such complex attacks. There are indications that the (Taliban-allied) Haqqani network was behind it."

Perhaps most tellingly, the gunmen, who were well-versed with the building's layout and raided nearly every floor, spared two wards on the first floor where Taliban patients were admitted, the survivors said.

A particular target, they said, was the VIP wing of the hospital where the attackers sought out an army general and the relative of a former minister by name. It was unclear whether they survived the attack.

The defence ministry insists only over 30 people were killed by five attackers. But Western sources, the Afghan security source and the survivors, some of whom counted dead bodies, said there were far more attackers and the death toll exceeded 100.

The savagery of the assault was characterised by how the assailants stabbed bed-ridden patients, threw grenades into crowded wards and shot people from pointblank range.

"They weren't spraying bullets; they were shooting victims in the head," one hospital staff member told AFP, adding that the victims included a mother and a child in her arms.

"Some of them were in phone contact with handlers whom they addressed as Mullah Sahib. 'We are killing all the non-believers,' they said."
A group of young riders, from the Velokhaya cycling development project in Khayelisha, find themselves unable to proceed in strong wind at the start of the Argus Cape Town City Cycle Tour on March 12, 2017

High winds forced Cape Town to cancel its annual cycle tour on Sunday as gales threatened to knock riders off their bikes and organisers warned that fires threatened the route.

Cyclists preparing for the Cape Town Cycle Tour struggled to hold onto their super-lightweight bikes as they were caught up in strong gusts, according to an AFP correspondent on the scene.

Winds reached 100 km/h (62 mph) on some parts of the course used for the event which is the largest individually time race in the world, organisers said in a statement.

There were also fears that fires which have spread across the region in recent days could also have threatened the ride, the 40th time that it has been held in the city on South Africa's west coast.

It is the first time that the tour, which was expected to attract 35,000 cyclists, has been cancelled.

"This morning presented a number of challenges` not least of which were wind speeds considerably higher than predicted yesterday`" Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust marketing director David Bellairs told local media following the decision to cancel the 109-kilometre-long (68-mile-) ride.

"This` combined with a large fire that broke out in Hout Bay in the early hours of this morning` and the added risk of protest action en route` were all contributing factors to the decision... to stop the event`" he said.

Riders who had already started the course were turned back by organisers at the 21 kilometre point.

Many of the participants had travelled from overseas to join the event.

"I'm from Cape Town so it's not a major train smash that it was cancelled. I just feel for all the guys and girls that have come from far away`" cyclist Greg Anderson told Times media.
Donald Trump's attacks on the media and unsubstantiated claims have inspired one group of journalists - editorial cartoonists.

Since the president's inauguration, his exaggerations and running battles with reporters have provided regular fodder for the artists who help drive the country's political discourse through daily illustrations on the nation's opinion pages.

Four of them - Jim Morin of the Miami Herald, Jack Ohman of The Sacramento Bee, Joel Pett of the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky and Kevin Siers of The Charlotte Observer in North Carolina - contributed drawings specifically for Sunshine Week. The celebration of press freedom and the fight for government transparency falls each year around the birthday of James Madison, who was instrumental in passing the Bill of Rights.

This image provided by Jim Morin of the Miami Herald in February 2017 shows his editorial cartoon made for 2017's Sunshine Week. In 2005, the American Society of Newspaper Editors launched the first national Sunshine Week, a celebration of access to public information that has been held every year since to coincide with the March 16 birthday of James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution and a key advocate of the Bill of Rights. (Jim Morin via AP)

Ohman, a Pulitzer Prize winner, said the actions of the Trump administration remind him of Richard Nixon's presidency, an era that sparked his interest in politics and cartooning.

"Fast forward to 2017 and we have a new type of Nixon presidency, where they're not transparent and they're lying a lot of the time and you don't know what to believe," Ohman said. "In a way, my career, in terms of commentary, has come back full circle."

He said Sunshine Week is a reminder that journalists must continue fighting for free-speech protections and government transparency.

One of his cartoons for this week plays off Trump's recent comment calling the media "the enemy of the people." Its panels show journalists engaged in their routine work - covering city council meetings, reporting on environmental disasters, writing about high school sports.

"So when we have the atmosphere of people saying negative things about you and calling into question your very existence, calling into question the First Amendment, calling into question freedom of expression, that has a chilling effect," he said. "I think what it's made me want to do is hit even harder than I probably normally would because I think it's so important to be able to express myself."

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Associated Press video journalist Haven Daley contributed to this report.

This editorial cartoon provided by Jack Ohman of The Sacramento Bee in March 2017 shows his editorial cartoon made for 2017's Sunshine Week. In 2005, the American Society of Newspaper Editors launched the first national Sunshine Week, a celebration of access to public information that has been held every year since to coincide with the March 16 birthday of James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution and a key advocate of the Bill of Rights. (Jack Ohman via AP)

This editorial cartoon provided by Joel Pett of the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader in February 2017 shows his editorial cartoon made for 2017's Sunshine Week. In 2005, the American Society of Newspaper Editors launched the first national Sunshine Week, a celebration of access to public information that has been held every year since to coincide with the March 16 birthday of James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution and a key advocate of the Bill of Rights. (Joel Pett via AP)

This editorial cartoon provided by Kevin Siers of the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer in February 2017 shows his editorial cartoon made for 2017's Sunshine Week. In 2005, the American Society of Newspaper Editors launched the first national Sunshine Week, a celebration of access to public information that has been held every year since to coincide with the March 16 birthday of James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution and a key advocate of the Bill of Rights. (Kevin Siers via AP)
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Authorities say a man who worked at the Milwaukee Police Department and a woman are dead after a double shooting on the city's northwest side.

The Milwaukee County medical examiner responded to the call about 3 p.m. Saturday. Police spokesman Sgt. Timothy Gauerke says a 47-year-old man died at the scene and a 38-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Investigators say the incident is related to domestic violence and police are not looking for any suspects.

No further information was immediately available.
IBDIR, Jordan (AP) - A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was unrepentant after his release from prison Sunday, lashing out at Israelis with harshly derogatory remarks.

Ahmed Daqamseh, who had spent 20 years in prison, was given a rousing welcome in his home village in northern Jordan after his release. He was greeted by chanting supporters who kissed him on the cheek and raised a photo of him with the caption, "Welcome to the hero Daqamseh."

Daqamseh opened fire on a group of Israeli students at the scenic "Island of Peace" border post in March 1997, killing seven and wounding seven.

Ahmed Daqamseh, second left, is seen with friends and relatives after his release from prison, Sunday, March 12, 2017 in Ibdir, Jordan. The Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was released Sunday, after serving 20 years in prison. (AP Photo/Omar Akour)

A Jordanian military court deemed Daqamseh mentally unstable and sentenced him to life in prison, rather than imposing the death penalty. Jordan had announced several days ago that Daqamseh would be released this week, after completing his term. In Jordan, life terms are not open-ended, and prisoners can be released after 20 years.

Upon arriving in his hometown, Daqamseh expressed no regrets, telling a reporter that Israelis are "human garbage."

Israel's government had no comment Sunday.

Israel and Jordan cooperate closely on security matters, including in the battle against Islamic extremism, even if their 1994 peace treaty remains widely unpopular in Jordan where many residents have Palestinian roots.

Yisrael Fatihi, whose 13-year-old daughter Sivan was killed in the attack, told Israel Radio on Sunday that he had been informed by the Israeli embassy in Jordan last week that Daqamseh's release was imminent.

"It is unfortunate, but this is the situation," Fatihi said.

After the shooting, Jordan's King Hussein - the late father of the current king, Abdullah II - rushed to Israel and paid condolence visits to the girls' families, a gesture that touched many Israelis at the time.

Fatihi recalled Hussein's condolence visit, saying he and his family had been sitting on the floor in mourning at the time and that the monarch knelt down next to them. "We told him we really appreciated his visit," Fatihi said.

Nurit, his wife, told The Associated Press her daughter was a "very happy" child who "took everything easily." She said she misses "her laughter, her smile, her joy of life."

"Despite the murder we are for peace," she said.

Daqamseh was released from prison before dawn Sunday.

By Sunday afternoon, he was receiving well-wishers in his clan's meeting hall in the village of Ibdir, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital of Amman.

Jordanian security forces set up checkpoints along the access road to the village, preventing journalists from entering with cameras.

In comments broadcast on the Al Jazeera satellite TV channel, Daqamseh appeared to be unrepentant. He said that those who criticized him for killing young girls were "hired pens" and admonished them to "fear God."

Standing in a street dressed in a suit and tie, he said, "Palestine needs every single Arab and Muslim."

Asked by the Al Jazeera reporter about a purported Israeli plot to kill him, Daqamseh said: "They (Israelis) are human garbage that other peoples got rid of by dumping them in Palestine, the most sacred place after Mecca."

"This garbage should be burned or buried," he added. "This will happen, if not in our generation, then in other generations."

In a videotaped statement posted online, Daqamseh urged Jordanians not to believe what he called "the lie of normalization with Israel" and the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Keren Ofri Mizrachi, one of the girls Daqamseh shot and wounded in the attack, said his release from prison is a difficult day for her.

She told Israel's Channel 10 TV how he shot her four times from close range while she was trying to escape the carnage. Her twin sister was also shot and wounded in the attack.

"I saw the look of murder in his eyes," she said, adding that his release had brought memories flooding back. It feels like being "wounded again."

"I have chosen to live. I won't allow anybody or anything in the world break me. I am strong, I am a proud Jew. I have a family and children, they are my strength," she said.

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Associated Press writers Ian Deitch in Jerusalem and Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed to this report.

FILE - In this Sunday, March 16, 1997 file photo, King Hussein of Jordan shakes the hand of members of the Badayev family in Beit Shemesh who are in mourning after their daughter Shiri was killed by a Jordanian soldier. King Hussein came to Israel to offer condolences to the seven families who had lost their daughters in an attack on a class trip. The Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was released Sunday, March 12, 2017, after serving 20 years in prison. (AP PHOTO/GPO/HO, File)

Mother of Jordanian soldier Ahmad Daqamseh, who was convicted of killing seven Israeli schoolgirls in March 13, 1997, speaks to the media after the release of her son from prison, at her home in the village of Ibdir, Jordan, March 12, 2017. Daqamseh who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage has been released after serving 20 years in prison. He had opened fire on the eighth graders while they were on a class trip to the scenic "Island of Peace" border post. A Jordanian court later deemed Daqamseh mentally unstable, sparing him from the death penalty. (AP Photo/ Raad Adayleh)
In 1st budget, Trump to push conservative view of government

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump sends Congress a proposed budget this week that will sharply test Republicans' ability to keep long-standing promises to bolster the military, making politically painful cuts to a lengthy list of popular domestic programs.

The Republican president will ask his adopted political party, which runs Capitol Hill, to cut domestic agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, along with grants to state and local governments and community development projects. The spending plan, set for release Thursday, would make the Pentagon the big winner with a $54 billion boost to defense spending.

Trump has promised to "do a lot more with less," but his blueprint faces a reality test with Republicans, many of whom are already protesting.

Republicans have groused about some of the preliminary plans, including elimination of the $3 billion community development block grant program that's popular among local GOP officials, a 25 percent cut to the EPA and elimination of 3,000 jobs, and essentially scuttling a $300 million per-year program to clean up the Great Lakes.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is joining with Democrats to push back on that last proposed reduction. Cuts to the Coast Guard are meeting Republican resistance. Trump's plan to eliminate community development block grants was dismissed on Capitol Hill by those who remember how a modest cut to the program sank a spending bill not long ago.

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McCain to Trump: Provide wiretap evidence or retract claim

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House intelligence committee is asking the Trump administration for evidence that the phones at Trump Tower were tapped during the campaign as its namesake has charged, a request reinforced Sunday by an influential Republican senator who says the president must either come up with the evidence or retract his claim.

"I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve, because, if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least," Sen. John McCain said.

President Donald Trump asserted in a tweet last week: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" He continued the allegation against former President Barack Obama in other tweets but offered no evidence.

The request for evidence by Monday was made in a letter sent to the Justice Department by the House committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a senior congressional aide said Saturday. The aide wasn't authorized to discuss the request by name and requested anonymity.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place, but that has not quelled speculation that Trump's communications were monitored by the Obama administration. Trump has asked Congress to investigate.

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10 Things to Know for Monday

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday:

1. WHO ASKS TRUMP FOR WIRETAP CLAIM PROOF

Sen. John McCain calls on Trump to reveal evidence that then-President Obama bugged phones at Trump Tower - or retract the accusation.

2. WHERE BLIZZARD COULD DROP 18 INCHES OF SNOW

Forecasters say a nor'easter will bring heavy, wind-whipped snow from New Jersey to Maine beginning late Monday.

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Health law's woes, real or perceived, drive call for repeal

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump and Republican leaders say drastic action is needed because the Obama-era health care overhaul is a disaster, with soaring premiums and insurers bailing out.

It's true that major parts of the 2010 law are clearly troubled, but others are working fairly well.

The risk is that the GOP's "rescue mission" will inflict collateral damage on what's working and cause new problems. Or that promised solutions might disappoint.

The Affordable Care Act, or ACA, expanded coverage in two main ways. It offered subsidized private health insurance through online markets such as HealthCare.gov that cater to people without workplace coverage. It also allowed states to expand their Medicaid programs to cover more low-income adults.

Together, those features have helped push the nation's uninsured rate below 9 percent, a historic low.

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Northeast blizzard could dump 18 inches of snow on New York

NEW YORK (AP) - The Northeast is bracing for winter's last hurrah - a blizzard expected to sweep the New York region starting Monday with possibly the season's biggest snowstorm dumping up to 18 inches on Central Park.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch Sunday for coastal regions including New York City and surrounding areas of Long Island, Westchester County and Connecticut.

A winter storm watch was in effect for a larger area of the Northeast: New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New England.

In New York City, forecasters said the first snow is expected late Monday or just after midnight Tuesday, with up to 4 inches falling by dawn. Heavy snow the rest of the day could pile 10 to 14 inches more of white stuff, with sustained winds of about 30 mph and wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

"This would certainly be the biggest snowstorm of the 2017 winter season in New York City," said Faye Barthold, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island.

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Turkish leader says Dutch will 'pay the price' for insult

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations Sunday, claiming that "Nazism is alive in the West" after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would "pay the price" for their unusual action.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased.

He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police in riot gear from entering her country's consulate in Rotterdam.

That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

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Abrupt dismissals spark turmoil among federal prosecutors

WASHINGTON (AP) - Two days before Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered dozens of the country's top federal prosecutors to clean out their desks, he gave those political appointees a pep talk during a conference call.

The seemingly abrupt about-face Friday left the affected U.S. attorneys scrambling to brief the people left behind and say goodbye to colleagues. It also could have an impact on morale for the career prosecutors who now must pick up the slack, according to some close to the process. The quick exits aren't expected to have a major impact on ongoing prosecutions, but they gave U.S. attorneys little time to prepare deputies who will take over until successors are named.

"It's very, very gut-level reaction," said Steven Schleicher, a former prosecutor who left Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger's office in January and was still in contact with people there.

The request for resignations from the 46 prosecutors who were holdovers from the Obama administration wasn't shocking. It's fairly customary for the 93 U.S. attorneys to leave their posts once a new president is in office, and many had already left or were making plans for their departures. Sessions himself was asked to resign as a U.S. attorney in a similar purge by Attorney General Janet Reno in 1993.

But the abrupt nature of the dismissals - done with little explanation and not always with the customary thanks for years of service - stunned and angered some of those left behind in offices around the country.

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Who and why, twin mysteries behind leak of CIA's cybertools

WASHINGTON (AP) - It's not just who did it, but why.

WikiLeaks' release of nearly 8,000 documents that purportedly reveal secrets about the CIA's tools for breaking into targeted computers, cellphones and even smart TVs has given rise to multiple theories about who stole the documents and for what reason.

Perhaps it was a U.S. spy or contractor who felt jilted. Maybe the CIA was exposed by a foreign country that wanted to embarrass U.S. intelligence. Could it have been a CIA insider worried about Americans' privacy rights?

Some possible motives behind last week's disclosure:

FROM THE SOURCE

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Scientists race to prevent wipeout of world's coral reefs

SOUTH ARI ATOLL, Maldives (AP) - There were startling colors here just a year ago, a dazzling array of life beneath the waves. Now this Maldivian reef is dead, killed by the stress of rising ocean temperatures. What's left is a haunting expanse of gray, a scene repeated in reefs across the globe in what has fast become a full-blown ecological catastrophe.

The world has lost roughly half its coral reefs in the last 30 years. Scientists are now scrambling to ensure that at least a fraction of these unique ecosystems survives beyond the next three decades. The health of the planet depends on it: Coral reefs support a quarter of all marine species, as well as half a billion people around the world.

"This isn't something that's going to happen 100 years from now. We're losing them right now," said marine biologist Julia Baum of Canada's University of Victoria. "We're losing them really quickly, much more quickly than I think any of us ever could have imagined."

Even if the world could halt global warming now, scientists still expect that more than 90 percent of corals will die by 2050. Without drastic intervention, we risk losing them all.

"To lose coral reefs is to fundamentally undermine the health of a very large proportion of the human race," said Ruth Gates, director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.

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How to win your NCAA office pool: Take North Carolina

Whittling down 68 candidates and deciding who will be the last one standing is a tedious task. But enough about what seemed like a never-ending presidential election cycle.

Take a break, America.

It's Bracket Time again.

The field for this year's NCAA Tournament was revealed on Sunday night, and by the time the games start in earnest on Thursday millions of people will fill out tens of millions of brackets in an effort to pick the national champion. There's no Electoral College to select, no "deep state" either, not even Syracuse. And most hopes will be dashed before the end of the first weekend.

Let us help.
Rita Ward had a question: Why did a weekly listing of causes of death suddenly stop appearing in the local newspaper?

It turned out the health department in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, halted its practice of providing causes of death to the Evansville Courier & Press. When Ward and a reporter for the newspaper asked why those records were no longer available, the department cited an Indiana law intended to protect citizens against identity theft.

"I truly do believe printing the cause of death is important," Ward told the Courier & Press in a 2012 interview. "Maybe a reader might see a neighbor who died of colon cancer and make the decision to have their first overdue colonoscopy. It can be a first step toward a change for the better. It can touch a reader. It's personal. That's why it is important."

This undated photo provided by Gannett in March 2017 shows Mizell Stewart III, president of the American Society of News Editors and Vice President/News Operations for Gannett and the USA TODAY Network. In an editorial written for 2017's Sunshine Week, Stewart writes, "Now, more than ever, Americans are urged to recognize the importance of open government to a robust democracy. Access to meetings, minutes and records of our elected and appointed representatives is a key element of the constitutional right to petition the government for redress of grievances. It is not strictly for the benefit of the news media." (Gannett via AP)

Ward and the newspaper sued for access to the information under Indiana's Access to Public Records Act. They lost two lower-court rulings before the Indiana Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that the records, focused on the decedent's name, age and cause of death, should continue to be made available to the public. In their ruling, the judges underscored "the importance of open and transparent government to the health of our body politic" and held that "the public interest outweighs the private."

The court's explicit link between government transparency and the welfare of citizens underpins Sunshine Week, a national, non-partisan effort to highlight the critical role of open government and freedom of information at the local, state and federal levels. The March 12-18 celebration is led by the American Society of News Editors and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Gridiron Club and Foundation.

Now, more than ever, Americans are urged to recognize the importance of open government to a robust democracy. Access to meetings, minutes and records of our elected and appointed representatives is a key element of the constitutional right to petition the government for redress of grievances. It is not strictly for the benefit of the news media.

In addition to ordinary citizens such as Rita Ward, access to government information helps citizen's groups hold public officials accountable through firsthand observation of their actions. Access also enables historians to accurately describe past events and gives individuals critical information about public safety in the neighborhoods where they live.

The National Park Service, fulfilling a request under the Freedom of Information Act, provided aerial photographs last week that showed a sharp contrast between crowds on the National Mall for the inauguration of President Trump and those who turned out for the first inauguration of President Obama.

Despite public statements by Trump and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer that crowds for Trump dwarfed those of Obama, the photos - not the words of government officials - told the full story.

In addition to state laws in Indiana and across the country, the Freedom of Information Act gives citizens the right to obtain information from the federal government - information that your tax dollars paid to collect. In addition, more and more local governments are leveraging technology to make public information, from traffic data to public transit schedules, even more accessible and more useful to citizens.

This week and every week, take a moment to consider what your life would be like if government officials operated in total secrecy and restricted your access to information. Support organizations fighting against those in power who seek to weaken open government protections. Join with fellow citizens in seeking disclosure. When you want information from a police department, local government or school board, ask for it.

Just like Rita Ward learned in the Indiana death records case, you have the right to know.

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Mizell Stewart III is president of the American Society of News Editors and Vice President/News Operations for Gannett and the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MizellStewart
JERUSALEM (AP) - Richard Gere has lashed out at Israel over its settlements in territory that Palestinians want for a state.

The "Pretty Woman" star came to Jerusalem for the local premiere of a new film by Israeli writer-director Joseph Cedar in which he stars.

A story in Sunday's Haaretz newspaper quoted the actor as saying "settlements are such an absurd provocation ... and they are certainly not part of the program of someone who wants a genuine peace process."

American actor Richard Gere speaks during a press conference at the Israeli premiere of the "Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer" movie, in Jerusalem, Thursday, March 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

The international community mostly considers settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says settlements along with other core issues like security should be resolved in peace talks.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The senior advisers to ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye offered to resign on Monday, news reports said, three days after the country's Constitutional Court formally ended her rule over a corruption scandal.

Park, whose power had been suspended in a parliamentary impeachment vote in December, was formally removed from office Friday after the court dismissed her from the top post. Park vacated the presidential office on Sunday.

Nine senior presidential advisers tendered their resignations to acting leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unidentified government officials. Other South Korean media carried a similar report.

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye smiles with watery eyes upon her arrival at her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (Kim Hyun-tae/Yonhap via AP)

Hwang's office could not immediately confirm the report, and calls to the presidential Blue House weren't answered.

Park's Blue House had 10 main presidential advisers on foreign policy, economy and other issues, but one position has been vacant since the arrest of one adviser over the scandal.

After being removed from office, Park has lost her presidential immunity and will likely face a direct investigation over allegations she colluded with a longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil, to extort money from businesses and allow Choi to meddle in state affairs though she has never held an official post.

Dozens of high-profile figures, including Choi, Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong and top government officials are already facing criminal trials.

Park has expressed defiance about the corruption allegations, raising worries about a further deepening of the national divide over her fate. Three people died and dozens were injured in violent clashes between Park's supporters and police following the court's ruling.

"Although it will take time, I believe the truth will certainly come out," Park said in a statement read by her former presidential spokesman, as hundreds of her supporters chanted her name and waved national flags.

She had previously apologized for putting trust in her jailed friend, Choi Soon-sil, but denied any legal wrongdoing.

South Korea's main opposition party has called Park's statement "shocking" and "very regrettable" because she did not express remorse.

Park's departure from the Blue House came a day after tens of thousands of opponents and supporters divided the streets of downtown Seoul with massive rallies, reflecting the deep split in the nation.

South Korea now has to elect a president by early May. Opinion polls show the Democratic Party's Moon Jae-in, who lost to Park in 2012, as the favorite to become the country's next leader.

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Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrives at her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park on Sunday expressed defiance toward the corruption allegations against her as she vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office. (See Myung-gon/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye smiles upon her arrival at her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (Kim Hyun-tae/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye, center, arrives at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park on Sunday expressed defiance toward the corruption allegations against her as she vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office. (Choi Jae-koo/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye, center, smiles as she is greeted by supporters upon her arrival at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park expressed defiance toward the corruption allegations against her as she vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home on Sunday, two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A vehicle carrying ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrives through her supporters at her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (Kim Hyun-tae/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye waves to her supporters from her vehicle upon her arrival at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park on Sunday expressed defiance toward the corruption allegations against her as she vacated the presidential palace and returned to her home two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office. (See Myung-gon/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye talks with people upon her arrival in front of her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (Kim Hyun-tae/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted South Korea'n President Park Geun-hye, center, smiles upon her arrival at her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (See Myung-gon/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye, center, smiles upon her arrivel at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Ousted South Korea President Park Geun-hye, right, smiles as she is greeted by supporters upon her arrival at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A vehicle carrying ousted South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye, center, leaves from the presidential Blue House to her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (Baek Seung-yul/Yonhap via AP)

A vehicle, front left, carrying ousted South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye, center in the car, leaves from the presidential Blue House to her private home in Seoul. South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Park left the presidential palace on Sunday evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal. (Baek Seung-yul/Yonhap via AP)
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) - Police in Nigeria say two teenage female suicide bombers have been shot dead by troops as they tried to sneak into the northeastern city of Maiduguri.

Borno State police spokesman Victor Isuku says the two were wearing explosive vests under their clothes when they were shot dead Saturday night. The vests were later detonated safely by police.

No one else was harmed.

Extremist group Boko Haram has been using more and more teenage suicide bombers in the past couple of years. Maiduguri is the birthplace of the Islamic insurgency and the base for Nigerian military efforts to combat it.

Also Saturday, army spokesman Sani Kukasheka Usman said 211 civilians had been rescued during an operation in Murye and Mala Maja villages that killed a key Boko Haram operative.
DUBLIN (AP) - The senior Protestant politician in Northern Ireland has left the door open to stepping aside as part of negotiations to revive the British territory's unity government with Catholics.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said Sunday her party colleagues will decide whether she or an alternative is nominated as Northern Ireland's next "first minister," the top power-sharing post.

Foster was forced from the position in January when the Democratic Unionists' coalition partners, the Irish nationalists of Sinn Fein, withdrew in protest at her leadership.

Sinn Fein this month enjoyed a surge in support in Northern Ireland Assembly elections, drawing nearly even with the Democratic Unionists for the first time.

Foster says she won't resign as party leader, but potentially could hand the first minister role to a colleague.
President Donald Trump's release of a spending blueprint for the upcoming budget year will set in motion a debate that's full of uncertainty - and the potential for gridlock, even a government shutdown.

There's also a more immediate quandary: What to do about the current budget year?

None of the 12 annual appropriations bills has been enacted and a temporary funding measure expires next month. Trump's signature is needed on what promises to be an omnibus spending bill with a $1 trillion-plus price tag. The path toward passage may be rocky, given the political land mines such as the border wall and a budget-busting supplemental Pentagon request.

FILE - In this March 6, 2017 file photo, Housing a Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson speaks to HUD employees in Washington. Carson sought Thursday, March 9, 2017, to reassure his agency that budget cuts may not be as steep as some fear, even as housing advocates and others brace for deep reductions to public housing and anti-poverty programs. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Some key dates in the process:

-Early March: With Wednesday's deadline to increase the government's borrowing authority looming, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he would use bookkeeping measures to avert a first-ever government default on U.S. obligations such as Social Security benefits and interest payments. Such "extraordinary measures" will buy time until the fall for lawmakers to approve legislation increasing the debt limit.

-Thursday: Trump submits a budget covering only discretionary spending. That's the $1 trillion-plus portion of the $4 trillion federal budget that passes through Congress each year. Trump's plan will boost the Pentagon's budget by $54 billion - about 10 percent - while cutting domestic programs and foreign aid by an equal amount.

-April 28: A temporary, government-wide funding bill expires. Unless Congress passes and Trump signs a catchall spending bill or another extension, the government would partially shut down. Democratic votes are needed to pass the bill through the Senate, but any measure that satisfies Democrats is sure to alienate tea party Republicans.

-May: Trump reveals the remainder of his budget, including tax proposals, plans for curbing mandatory spending, economic projections - and large deficits. Around the same time, Congress is likely to work on its annual budget resolution, which promises to be very difficult but is a precursor to Trump's promise to overhaul tax laws.

-Summer-Fall: The Republican-run Congress tries to advance spending bills for the 2018 budget year, which begins Oct. 1. Meeting that deadline is highly unlikely, but at some point, budget talks probably will begin - assuming, as many do, that the regular process will have broken down.
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's information minister says the country is set to launch a national census for the first time in 19 years.

Maryam Aurangzeb said told reporters Sunday that the census will start on March 15 and should be completed by May 15.

She appealed to citizens to cooperate and warned against giving false information. Pakistani army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor said that nearly 200,000 soldiers will help civilian staffers collect the door-to-door data.

Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time. Analysts believe the figure has risen much higher, most probably crossing over 200 million.

Aurangzeb says Pakistan's ongoing fight against Islamic militants was the main reason for the long delay.
BERLIN (AP) - European government leaders, Social Democratic party chairmen and international delegations are arriving in Berlin for a convention of the so-called Progressive Alliance.

It's an association of mostly social democratic party members, who want to work closer together in their fight against populism and authoritarianism.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni, Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa are among the leaders to be hosted Sunday and Monday by German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Martin Schulz, the Social Democrat's candidate for Germany's general election in September.

Designated Social Democratic Party, SPD, chairman and top candidate in the upcoming general elections, former president of the European parliament Martin Schulz, center, and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, first row 3rd from left, pose with other participants prior to an convention of the Progressive Alliance at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

In a statement, the German Social Democratic Party said that the convention stands for "progressive parties worldwide working together more closely in times of new authoritarianism and growing populism."

Designated Social Democratic Party, SPD, chairman and top candidate in the upcoming general elections, former president of the European parliament Martin Schulz, center, posses with other participants prior to an convention of the Progressive Alliance at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Behind Martin Schulz at left is the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. Sculpture in back shows late chancellor Willy Brandt. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Designated Social Democratic Party, SPD, chairman and top candidate in the upcoming general elections, former president of the European parliament Martin Schulz, center, posses with other participants prior to a convention of the Progressive Alliance at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Behind Martin Schulz at left ais the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. Sculpture in background shows late chancellor Willy Brandt. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Designated Social Democratic Party, SPD, chairman and top candidate in the upcoming general elections, former president of the European parliament Martin Schulz, center, posses with other participants prior to a convention of the Progressive Alliance, at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
BERLIN (AP) - A Tunisian man, who allegedly was involved in an attack on the Bardo National Museum that killed more than 20 people in Tunis in 2015, can be deported from Germany.

German public broadcaster ARD reported Sunday that German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere confirmed Tunisia had sent the documents needed to deport him.

The man's name wasn't given, but ARD reported he also participated in a March 2016 attack on a Tunisian town.

ARD said the Tunisian was in German custody pending deportation from September to November, but was released again because Tunis didn't send required documents. He was detained again in February.

Anis Amri, the Tunisian who killed 12 people in an attack on a Berlin Christmas market, also couldn't be deported because Tunisia failed to send documents.
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - A grand jury has indicted an Ohio man accused of fatally shooting three people including his former girlfriend.

Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck says the charges against 61-year-old Muhammad S. Ali carry the possibility of a death sentence if Ali is convicted.

Authorities say Ali took a gun to a Dayton home in August 2016 and killed his former girlfriend 53-year-old Tammy Cox; her son, 25-year-old Michael Cox; and 74-year-old Jasper Taylor, who was in the house at the time.

Records show Ali had been hearing voices when he was at a behavioral health care facility the day of the shootings.

The charges against Ali include aggravated murder, felonious assault, aggravated burglary and kidnapping. A message seeking comment was left with his lawyer.

Ali is scheduled for arraignment Tuesday morning.
FERMO, Italy (AP) - World champion Peter Sagan sprinted to another victory in the Tirreno-Adriatico race, while Nairo Quintana retained the overall lead after the fifth stage on Sunday.

Sagan, who was also fastest on Friday, edged out Thibaut Pinot and Primoz Roglic on the narrow, cobbled climb to the finish of the 210-kilometer (130-mile) ride from Rieti to Fermo

Bora-Hansgrohe's Sagan worked his way back up to the front bunch with 2 kilometers left and easily won out of a group made up largely of riders targeting overall victory.

Slovak cyclist Peter Sagan crosses the finish line to win the fifth stage of the Tirreno Adriatico cycling race from Rieti to Fermo, Italy, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (Dario Belingheri/ANSA via AP)

"It was crazy. It looked like there was no tomorrow. The peloton went so fast," Sagan said. "I'm very happy with my win today. It wouldn't have happened without (Rafal) Majka, who pulled a lot.

"After the climbers attacked, luckily there was a bit of flat road that allowed me to come across and sprint for the win."

Several riders were dropped on the short, steep climbs in the second half of the route.

Quintana stretched his lead slightly and is 50 seconds ahead of Pinot, who moved into second, and 1:06 ahead of Rohan Dennis.

Adam Yates was second, 33 seconds behind Quintana, before pulling out with an apparent illness with around a third of the race left.

Monday's penultimate stage is a 168-kilometer (104-mile) leg from Ascoli Piceno to Civitanova Marche.

The route has been altered because of the condition of some roads and will now pass through Pollenza, where riders face the final categorized climb of the race.

The race finishes Tuesday.

Slovak cyclist Peter Sagan celebrates after winning the fifth stage of the Tirreno Adriatico cycling race from Rieti to Fermo, Italy, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (Dario Belingheri/ANSA via AP)

Colombian rider Nairo Quintana celebrates the overall lead after the fifth stage of the Tirreno Adriatico cycling race from Rieti to Fermo, Italy, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (Dario Belingheri/ANSA via AP)
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says U.S. President Donald Trump has assured him of his commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

Abbas on Sunday spoke about what he described as a constructive phone call with Trump two days earlier.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying that Trump "asserted his full commitment to the peace process."

Abbas says he told Trump he opposes extremism and will cooperate with the U.S. to reach a peace deal based on the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel.

The phone call helped allay concerns the Palestinians were being ignored by Trump, who has embraced Israel's leader and at one point suggested the two-state solution was optional.

Abbas says he is to meet Trump at the White House in "the near future."
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Sebastien Bourdais believed he could drive for tiny Dale Coyne Racing and really make a difference for a race team that has little chance against the big guns in IndyCar.

But he had a condition: Bourdais wanted to be reunited with the team players he was with when he was recognized as the top driver in open-wheel. So he brought with him engineer Craig Hampson, who led Bourdais to 31 victories, 31 poles and four consecutive titles from 2004 to 2007.

Bourdais also brought Olivier Boisson, who was the Frenchman's engineer at KVSH Racing the last several seasons. Bourdais and Boisson teamed to win four races for KVSH.

Race winner Sebastien Bourdais, of France, left, and third place finisher Scott Dixon of New Zealand spray each other in Victory Lane after the IndyCar Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg auto race Sunday, March 12, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

This squad Sunday it has the potential to be a major player this season in IndyCar. Bourdais pulled off a major upset in the IndyCar season-opener, driving from last place to a victory on the streets of St. Petersburg that left him in tears.

He credited his two engineers and talked about the complexity of managing relationships while pushing so hard for success.

"They're the two guys that understand me the best, have understood me the best, over the years," he said. "It takes a very special mindset and relationship to really be able to cope with each other, optimize each other, and carry over the time. It's pretty exhausting as far as relationships are concerned.

"It's very difficult to sometimes not be offensive to people when you're pushing everybody so hard. It's hard because you want this so bad, and you put so much into it, that at some point it's very easy to be over-demanding."

So the potential is there this season for Bourdais to help build the Coyne organization. Few expected it to come Sunday on the temporary street course in St. Pete, the town Bourdais calls home. Team Penske was seeking its fourth consecutive victory in the event, and a problem in qualifying meant Bourdais started last in the 21-car field.

It left him downtrodden the day before the race because it was his error.

"Come out of yesterday, feel miserable about yourself. Man, I just threw that one away so bad," he said. "It's probably the hardest race to recover. The (passing) windows are super narrow and it's difficult to pass.

Bourdais earned his 36th career victory, which broke a tie with Bobby Unser for sixth on IndyCar's win list. It was the fifth career win for the Coyne team, first since Carlos Huertas won at Houston in 2014.

"We were hoping we could win a race or two this year. We're halfway there. Maybe we can do better than that. We'll see," Coyne said. "The money we spent over the winter was starting to pay off."

Bourdais led 69 of the 110 laps to give Honda a much-needed victory over Chevrolet. He beat reigning series champion Simon Pagenaud, a fellow Frenchman, to the finish line by 10.350 seconds.

"He was untouchable," Pagenaud said. "It's 1-2 French. Sorry for the French Revolution, guys. I'm very happy for him."

Scott Dixon finished third for Chip Ganassi Racing, in its first race back with Honda. Ryan Hunter-Reay was fourth for Andretti Autosport and Honda appeared much improved with four drivers in the top five. Takuma Sato was fifth in his first race with Andretti.

But the day belonged to Bourdais, who is off to an amazing start to the racing season. He was part of the class victory in January at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, and heads to Sebring next weekend looking for another sports car win.

Bourdais also earned a class win in last year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is actually Bourdais' hometown and the one race he's always wanted to win.

___

More AP auto racing: www.racing.ap.org

Sebastien Bourdais, of France, holds up his trophy after winning the IndyCar Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg auto race Sunday, March 12, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

Sebastien Bourdais, of France celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the IndyCar Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg auto race, Sunday, March 12, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

Sebastien Bourdais, of France celebrates with his crew in Victory Lane after winning the IndyCar Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg auto race, Sunday, March 12, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

Race winner Sebastien Bourdais, center, of France; second-place Simon Pagenaud, left, of France; and third-place Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, hold up their trophies in Victory Lane after the IndyCar Grand Prix auto race Sunday, March 12, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
TIRANA, Albania (AP) - Albania's prime minister says that four Cabinet ministers will step down and devote themselves to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election.

Edi Rama said Sunday that the ministers of interior, health, social wellbeing and the state minister for local affairs, who are part of his governing Socialist Party's leadership, "will focus with renewed energy" on the campaign.

Rama denied media rumors that the reshuffle came after a request from the opposition parties. The opposition has threatened to boycott the polls unless the current coalition government agrees to create a caretaker cabinet.

For three weeks, opposition Democratic Party supporters have blocked the main boulevard in the capital, Tirana.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A relative has identified the fourth victim in a shooting at a New Orleans home that left a woman and two children dead.

WDSU-TV (http://bit.ly/2nbOAgu ) reports Debra Smith said Sunday that her granddaughter 12-year-old A'Miya Smith was severely wounded in the March 10 shooting. Smith is the daughter 30-year-old Monique Smith, who along with her two boys, Jumyrin Smith and 10-year-old Justin Simms was killed in the shooting.

The grandmother says A'Miya remains in critical conditions after undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound to the face.

Police have not released a motive for the shooting. No arrests have been made.

News outlets quote New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison as saying it was "a very horrific scene."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has escalated a diplomatic row with the Netherlands saying he appropriately accused the Dutch government of Nazism and fascism.

The diplomatic spat between the two countries showed no sign of abating after a Turkish minister was escorted out of the country as persona non grata.

That development came less than 24 hours after Turkeys foreign minister was denied entry, prompting Mr Erdogan to call the Dutch Nazi remnants.

The stand-off was over plans by Turkish government officials to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum back home.

In a live televised address on Sunday, Mr Erdogan warned that the Netherlands would pay the price for sacrificing its ties with a Nato ally to upcoming elections there.

Mr Erdogan talks during a rally in Istanbul (STR/AP)

He also said Turkey would retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands.

I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that I was wrong. Nazism is alive in the West.

The president thanked France, which allowed Turkeys foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to address Turkish citizens in the city of Metz on Sunday.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands on Saturday (Michael Sohn/AP)

But Mr Cavusoglu also warned of repercussions against the Netherlands and said an apology was not enough.

Noting that Ankara had already barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey, he said: We have other steps in mind. Weve already begun planning them. We will certainly take those steps and more.

Demonstrators battle with Dutch riot police near the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam (Peter Dejong/AP)

Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had arrived in the country from Germany but was prevented from entering Turkeys diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up an extraordinary stand-off with armed police. She was later sent under escort back to Germany.

As she was approaching the German border, Ms Kaya wrote: The whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such a treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted.

The Dutch were equally angry and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Mr Erdogans Nazi comment a crazy remark. He said he was forced to take action because Ankara had threatened sanctions against his government: We can never do business under this kind of blackmail.

A Turkish flag flies over the Dutch consulate in Istanbul (AP)

However protests over the ban grew with one man in Istanbul climbing onto the roof of the Dutch consulate and replacing the Netherlands flag with the Turkish one.

In Rotterdam, police said they arrested 12 protesters as a demonstration outside the Turkish consulate descended into rioting.

Mr Erdogan called on international organisations to raise their voices against the Netherlands.

In a campaign rally on Sunday before the referendum on expanding the powers of his office, Mr Erdogan also urged international organisations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands.
Dylan Hartley has demanded England choose glory over failure by completing the Grand Slam defence that will establish a new world record for successive Test victories.

Scotland were overwhelmed 61-21 at Twickenham on Saturday as the reigning champions retained their crown with a round of the RBS 6 Nations to spare, amassing seven tries that included a glorious hat-trick for Jonathan Joseph.

They head to Dublin for Saturdays climax to the tournament knowing that victory over Ireland would see Eddie Jones men become only the sixth team, and the first since 1998, to manage consecutive clean sweeps.

Dylan Hartley led England to glory

An added incentive is the opportunity to break New Zealands record sequence of 18 straight wins that was equalled by dismantling the Scots in the highest points total accumulated in the history of the Calcutta Cup.

The milestones are piling up at a rate of knots and Jones reacted to Scotlands unexpected collapse by urging his team to achieve greatness, a rallying cry echoed by his captain.

Eddie talked to us about that (greatness) a little bit. We talked about it as well. We have two options - theres failure on one side or you can kick on and get better and hit those lofty heights, Hartley said.

Weve put ourselves in the position to win a Grand Slam in this tournament and thats what were out to do. The performance against Scotland was pretty ruthless so it was a good progression for the team, but weve only equalled New Zealands record. Wed like to go one further.

Jones urges England to finish the job next weekend in Dublin 



 https://t.co/LDZCmPwW7I pic.twitter.com/TzEfh3K4Er  England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 11, 2017

Of course we want that record. We want to get better and win games and that comes as part and parcel with it. We want to be the best team in the world, but were not. Thats the reality - were not. But weve got something to aim for.

Will Carlings vintage side of 1991-92 were the last of three England teams to defend the Grand Slam, leaving Jones fully aware of what is at stake at the Aviva Stadium.

Weve got a fantastic opportunity. It would mean for the players theyve achieved greatness. How many times in your life do you get to be great? Jones said. Its exciting. The players were in the dressing room talking about it. They want to do it.
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt

ANKARA/ROTTERDAM, March 12 (Reuters) - Turkey told the Netherlands on Sunday that it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam, as a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish immigrants escalated.

President Tayyip Erdogan labeled the Netherlands a "Nazi remnant" after it became the latest European country worried about political tensions inside Turkey spilling beyond its borders to prevent Turkish politicians from holding rallies.

The Dutch government on Saturday first barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in the port city, before escorting her out of the country to Germany.

Dutch police used dogs and water canon early on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters outside the consulate in Rotterdam who were waving Turkish flags and throwing bottles and stones.

Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Officers carried out charges on horseback.

The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said the ministers' visits were undesirable and that it would not cooperate in the political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands.

In a statement issued early on Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour".

Protesters also gathered outside the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul, throwing eggs and stones at the buildings. Turkish authorities had earlier sealed off the premises in apparent retaliation.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he would do everything to "de-escalate" the diplomatic confrontation, which he described as the worst the Netherlands had experienced in years.

For a short period, the Turkish flag flew outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul. Sources inside the Turkish presidency said the flags had been changed by Dutch consulate officials and that there had been no outside interference.

WILDERS: "GO AWAY"

Ahead of his planned trip, Cavusoglu had threatened tough economic and political sanctions against the Netherlands if it refused him entry.

Supporting Rutte's decision to ban the visits, the Dutch government said there was a risk of Turkish political divisions flowing over into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps.

It cited public order and security worries in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight.

Turkey fired back saying the Dutch ambassador to Ankara should not return from leave "for some time".

Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do all she can to prevent Turkey's domestic tensions spreading onto German territory. Austria and Switzerland have also cancelled Turkish rallies due to the escalating dispute.

The diplomatic row comes in the run-up to the coming week's Dutch election in which the mainstream parties are under strong pressure from the far-right party of Geert Wilders.

After Kaya, the Turkish family minister, was escorted out of the country, Wilders told her on Twitter "go away and never come back".

Erdogan's spokesman responded by saying the Netherlands had bowed to anti-Islam sentiment.

"Shame on the Dutch government for succumbing to anti-Islam racists and fascists, and damaging long-standing Turkey-NL relations," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin wrote on Twitter.

Erdogan had earlier reacted to The Netherlands' actions by saying:

"You can cancel our foreign minister's flight as much as you want, but let's see how your flights will come to Turkey now."

"They don't know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists."

In a sign the row could spread further, the owner of a venue in Sweden where a senior official from Turkey's ruling party had been due to hold a rally on Sunday cancelled the rental contract, Turkey's private Dogan news agency reported.

The news agency said the owner had not given a reason for their decision.

Cavusoglu also decided against traveling to Zurich, Switzerland, for an event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue. Zurich's security authorities had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglu's appearance. (Additional reporting by Daren Butler and Yedim Dikmen in Istanbul, Orhan Coskun and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara, Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Richard Lough)
DUBAI, March 12 (Reuters) - A wanted person has been fatally wounded during an operation by Saudi security forces in eastern Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry said on Sunday, in the second incident of its kind since Friday.

Residents said that a 16-year-old youth died in the raid on Saturday morning targeting wanted people in Awamiya, a restive town in the Qatif district, where many of the country's Shi'ite Muslim minority live.

The interior ministry said security forces came under fire while pursuing wanted men who had been hiding in houses vacated by inhabitants to pave the way for a development project intended to revamp the area.

"Security men came under heavy gunfire at the Musawara neighbourhood from an unknown source, which required an appropriate response," the statement, carried by state news agency SPA said.

"As a result, Walid Talal Ali al-Arayedh, who is wanted by security authorities, was wounded and taken to a hospital where he later died."

Residents reached by telephone said Arayedh was a bystander in the area when he was fatally shot and taken to a hospital by his family, where he died. They said at least seven other people were wounded in the raid, while wanted men managed to escape.

Activists posted video and audio recordings of heavy automatic fire and images of vehicles riddled with bullets from the raid, which they said lasted for about three hours. The authenticity of the recordings could not immediately be verified.

On Friday, SPA reported that security forces killed Mustafa Ali Abdullah al-Madad, who was wanted by security forces for "a number of terror crimes against the citizens and security personnel" in Qatif governorate.

Awamiya was the home town of prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, whose execution in January last year prompted angry protests against the ruling Al Saud dynasty and led to Saudi Arabia cutting off relations with Iran.

Qatif in Eastern province has been the focal point of unrest among Saudi Arabia's Shi'ites since protests in early 2011 calling for an end to discrimination against the minority sect and for reforms in the Sunni Muslim monarchy. Saudi Arabia denies any discrimination against Shi'ites.

(Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Stephen Powell)
PARIS, March 12 (Reuters) - France urged Turkey and several EU member states to calm tensions and said there had been no reason to prohibit a meeting on its soil on Sunday between Ankara's foreign minister and a local Turkish association.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu addressed a public meeting in eastern France on Sunday a day after the Netherlands barred his plane from landing in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres.

"In the absence of a proven threat to public order, there was no reason to prohibit the meeting," the Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

"Given the current tensions between Turkey and several member states of the European Union, France calls for a de-escalation".

"It also calls on the Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations," the ministry added. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier; Editing by Keith Weir)
BERLIN, March 12 (Reuters) - German police said on Sunday they were questioning a man in his early 20s who was detained after an overnight operation in the southwestern town of Offenburg following a security threat.

Germany is on high alert following deadly militant attacks in France and Belgium and after a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December, killing 12 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.

Police said they believed one target of a potential attack was a night club. They added that no weapons were found during the operation and a second man who was arrested was later released.

Federal and local police officers stepped up security in Offenburg's town centre and on public transport.

Offenburg lies in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg close to the French border. French police were involved in the operation.

Separately, on Saturday, police in the city of Essen closed a shopping mall after security agencies warned of a possible attack.

Security sources said that threat appeared to follow a call for violence by a German militant loyal to Islamic State who is currently based in a region of Syria controlled by the militant group.

Police questioned two men in connection with the Essen threat. (Additional reporting by Reuters Television and Sabine Siebold; Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Mark Potter and Richard Lough)
By Tom Perry

BEIRUT, March 11 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said U.S. forces in Syria were "invaders" and he had yet to see "anything concrete" emerge from U.S. President Donald Trump's vow to prioritise the fight against Islamic State.

Assad has said he saw promise in Trump's statements emphasising the battle against Islamic State in Syria, where U.S. policy under President Barack Obama had backed some of the rebels fighting Assad and shunned him as an illegitimate leader.

"We haven't seen anything concrete yet regarding this rhetoric," Assad said in an interview with Chinese TV station Phoenix. "We have hopes that this administration in the United States is going to implement what we have heard," he said.

The United States is leading a coalition against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

In Syria, it is working with an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. Their current focus is to encircle and ultimately capture Raqqa - Islamic State's base of operations in Syria.

This week, the U.S.-led coalition announced that around 400 additional U.S. forces had deployed to Syria to help with the Raqqa campaign and to prevent any clash between Turkey and Washington-allied Syrian militias that Ankara sees as a threat.

Asked about a deployment of U.S. forces near the northern city of Manbij, Assad said: "Any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation ... are invaders."

"We don't think this is going to help".

Around 500 U.S. forces are already in Syria in support of the campaign against Islamic State.

Assad said that "in theory" he still saw scope for cooperation with Trump, though practically nothing had happened in this regard. He dismissed the U.S.-backed military campaign against Islamic State in Syria as "only a few raids", and said a more comprehensive approach was needed.

The U.S.-led coalition is currently backing a campaign by its Syrian militia allies to encircle and ultimately capture Raqqa, Islamic State's base of operations in Syria.

Assad noted that the Russian-backed Syrian army was now "very close" to Raqqa city after advancing to the western banks of the Euphrates River this week - a rapid gain that has brought it to the frontier of areas held by the U.S.-backed forces.

He said Raqqa was "a priority for us", but indicated that there could also be a parallel army attack towards Deir al-Zor in the east, near the Iraqi border. Deir al-Zor province is almost completely controlled by Islamic State, also known as ISIS.

The Deir al-Zor region had been "used by ISIS as a route for logistics support between ISIS in Iraq and ISIS in Syria, so whether you attack the stronghold or you attack the route that ISIS uses, it (has) the same result", Assad said.

INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION WITH CHINA

With Russian and Iranian military support, Assad firmly has the upper hand in the war with rebels who have been trying to topple him with backing from states including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

U.N.-led peace talks in Geneva ended earlier this month with no breakthrough. Assad said he hadn't expected anything from Geneva. He added that deals brokered locally with rebels were "the real political solutions" since the war began.

The so-called local "reconciliation" agreements are the government's preferred method for pacifying rebellious areas, and have often been concluded after years of government siege and bombardment.

In some cases, the rebels have been given safe passage to the insurgent-dominated province of Idlib. The opposition says the agreements amount to forced displacement.

"We didn't expect Geneva to produce anything, but it's a step and it's going to be a long way," Assad said. He added that it would be up to Syrians to decide their future political system, and there would be a referendum on it.

Assad also praised "crucial cooperation" between Syria and Chinese intelligence against Uighur militants who have joined the insurgency against him. He said ties with Beijing were "on the rise".

China and Russia last month blocked U.N. sanctions on Syria over accusations of chemical weapons attacks during the war. (Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Toby Chopra and Dominic Evans)
By Jessica DiNapoli and Makiko Yamazaki

NEW YORK/TOKYO, March 9 (Reuters) - U.S. nuclear firm Westinghouse Electric Co LLC has hired bankruptcy attorneys, in a sign that owner Toshiba Corp is more seriously weighing a Chapter 11 filing as an option to help it rein in a multibillion dollar financial maelstrom.

People familiar with the matter said the nuclear engineering company had brought in law firm Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP as an exploratory step, and had not yet taken a decision on a bankruptcy filing.

The news comes as the Japanese conglomerate faces huge pressure to meet a Tuesday deadline to publish audited earnings, postponed a month ago so that it could probe potential problems at Westinghouse further.

It is also pushing forward with the sale of most or even all of its prized flash memory chip business, as it seeks to plug not only an upcoming $6.3 billion writedown for Westinghouse but also to create a buffer against future financial problems.

Toshiba said it was not aware of any intention for Westinghouse to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Sources familiar with the company have said, however, it is one of several options being considered as it struggles to limit losses in the United States where it is facing cost overruns at two projects. It has also hired a Japanese law firm to help estimate the impact of a U.S. bankruptcy for the broader group, those sources said.

Japanese Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko said on Wednesday that a Chapter 11 filing would not necessarily be a negative step and that Westinghouse was one topic that he may discuss with U.S. officials when he visits in the near future.

"If the U.S. side raises the issue, it will be necessary to discuss it," he told a parliamentary committee.

One complication may be financing guarantees given by the U.S. government to help fund the construction of reactors at the Vogtle plant in Georgia, one of the two projects at the core of Westinghouse's problems.

According to a 2014 statement on the U.S. Department of Energy Website, the loan guarantees totalled $8.3 billion.

CRUNCH WEEK NEXT WEEK

The most immediate challenge for newly appointed Chief Executive Satoshi Tsunakawa - who comes from the healthcare side of Toshiba's business and has no direct nuclear experience - is to get third-quarter earnings over the line.

One source with direct knowledge of the matter said the likelihood of Toshiba meeting its March 14 deadline was 'fifty-fifty' as Westinghouse auditors and lawyers were fussing over details. If it fails to meet that deadline it has until March 27 to file or it could face a delisting.

Toshiba's shares slid to end down 7 percent, giving it a market value of just $7.5 billion, hurt both by investor concern it may not make the deadline and Westinghouse's hiring of bankruptcy lawyers.

The TVs-to-construction conglomerate must also submit next week a report to the Tokyo Stock Exchange on its internal controls in the wake of its latest financial woes as well as a separate 2015 accounting scandal. That could eventually also lead to a delisting if the bourse finds Toshiba's efforts unsatisfactory.

Even with all those items on its plate, it needs to proceed with the sale of much of its flash memory chip unit - a business it values at least 1.5 trillion yen ($13.1 billion), with bids due at the end of the month.

Toshiba has sent invitation letters to around 10 potential bidders, a source said.

Taiwan's Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker, is so far the only suitor to acknowledge publicly its plans to bid. SK Hynix Inc has said it is considering a bid.

Sources have said other potential bidders include Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, data storage firm Western Digital Corp which operates a Japanese chip plant with Toshiba, rival Micron Technology Inc , as well as financial investors such as Bain Capital.

While Foxconn has said it is very confident it can buy into Toshiba, sources with direct knowledge of the deal said it is not a favoured bidder due to Japanese government's opposition to its close ties with China.

Desperate for cash, Toshiba is also hiving off peripheral assets, from a $2 billion smart meter unit to minority stakes in smaller affiliates, like molding machine maker Toshiba Machine. ($1 = 114.4800 yen) (Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York and Makiko Yamazaki in Tokyo; Additional reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware, Kentaro Hamada in Tokyo and JR Wu in Taipei; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Ceylons colonization by the British rule had a sizeable impact on what we now deem as cultural and social norms in Sri Lanka today. When the British established themselves in this country, they brought in their morals and culture which contrasted dramatically with what we Sri Lankans practised pre-colonization. With colonization, the British forced upon us Victorian Christian morals and laws and almost completely wiped out our own social and governance structures without any consultation with the local population!

One such law, the British brought in 1883 and which still exists today, is Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code which criminalizes homosexual sex as Unnatural offences and gross indecency between persons. In its original form, the Penal Code only spoke of male homosexuality referring to any male person with another male person.

"They are bullied and discriminated in schools verbally, physically, emotionally and sexually by older children or staff members. They are often expelled from schools or forced to quit due to the extreme bullying. Family members and others verbally, physically, emotionally and sexually abuse them and discriminate against them often punishing them with beatings and rape"



These provisions are very similar to the Penal Codes of India, Singapore, Zambia and Fiji all former colonies. In 1995, 365A of the Penal Code was amended and the word malereplaced with the word personthus including both LGBTIQ and non-LGBTIQ persons within the purview of this law.

The actual meaning of the words Carnal Intercourse against the order of nature and acts of gross indecency is yet to be determined and the law remains a vague and ambiguous piece of legislature. What exactly constitutes Carnal Intercourse against the order of nature? Using a condom for example while engaging in intercourse (even heterosexual) is technically against the order of nature, but is this a criminal offence? Would a man having anal intercourse with his spouse be committing an act of gross indecency? Should the State be allowed into our bedroom to force upon us, extreme conservative structures that dictate who we love and how we love?

Since Independence, no person has been convicted under Sections 365 and 365A but the very existence of these laws has given society, law enforcement and government the authority to violate the rights of LGBTIQ persons with impunity.

This is a little picture of what LGBTIQ persons go through on a daily basis. They are bullied and discriminated in schools verbally, physically, emotionally and sexually by older children or staff members. They are often expelled from schools or forced to quit due to the extreme bullying. Family members and others verbally, physically, emotionally and sexually abuse them and discriminate against them often punishing them with beatings and rape. They are forced into heterosexual marriages which are particularly traumatizing for lesbians as they are sexually abused throughout their marriage They are routinely arrested with no charges and are sexually and financially exploited, blackmailed and in many instances subject to sexual abuse and beaten by police officers.

Job opportunities are a few and far between. Those who have been unable to finish schooling due to harassment and bullying particularly, face issues finding employment due to their lack of qualifications. Once employed, many of them are often verbally, physically, emotionally and/or sexually harassed if they are found to be LGBTI or Q. In many instances, they are sacked from their jobs for no apparent reason other than their sexual orientation or gender identity or their perceived sexual orientation. When seeking health care, they are often treated with disrespect and are subject to rudeness and name-calling, long waits until all the heterosexual persons have been seen by the doctors and so on. Walking on the street or using public restrooms are very difficult to many of LGBTIQ persons. They very often fall prey to verbal, physically, emotional, and sexual harassment and violence.

"This has been the norm for the past 134 years. Enough is enough! It is time Sri Lanka moved into the future with dignity and pride and embraced diversity. We are all citizens of this country. We all deserve to live in freedom and dignity without being criminalized for who we love"



These are just some of the violations and discrimination that take place. All these examples have been reported to Equal Ground, the only organisation advocating for the LGBTIQ community in Sri Lanka. However, it is only the tip of the iceberg, as most LGBTIQ persons here hide their sexual orientation and gender identity and refuse to complain about their abuse. In fact, even the few out and proud LGBTIQ persons mostly do not report their experiences, their discrimination and abuse because they fear reprisals. Those who have had the courage to report their issues have often faced retribution for daring to speak.

It is interesting to note that although the law criminalizes any person; if they are found to be suspected of Carnal Intercourse against the order of nature and acts of gross indecency it is common practice in Sri Lanka to only view homosexuality as a crime and not heterosexuality! While the human rights of every single LGBTIQ person in this country are being violated, the Govt cites culture and social norms to continue to outlaw the LGBTIQ community and continue the vicious cycle of homophobia, violence and discrimination. This has been the norm for the past 134 years. Enough is enough! It is time Sri Lanka moved into the future with dignity and pride and embraced diversity. We are all citizens of this country. We all deserve to live in freedom and dignity without being criminalized for who we love.

No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they could learn to hate, they could be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

-Nelson Mandela
During 18 years of brutal military rule under Gen. Augusto Pinochet, a brave man saved between 25,000-35,000 people from torture, prison and death. But Roberto Kozak, who died in September 2016 wasnt even Chilean. He was Argentinian and was belatedly awarded citizenship by Chile last year.



Tall, strikingly handsome and immaculately dressed, Kozak has been compared to Oskar Schindler, the German businessman who saved 1,200 Jewish lives during World War II. Emilio Barbarani, an Italian diplomat in Santiago who worked with Kozak, sees a parallel between the two men. As he puts it: Roberto was a success with girls. He was well-dressed, well-paid. He did not need to take political risks. It was not his job to do this. He did it because he was courageous.

Kozak, one of 12 siblings, was born to a poor farming family in Argentina on May 14, 1942. The family moved to Buenos Aires, where his father made his living doing odd jobs. Kozak started working in a bookshop after school when he was just nine years old. He became an avid reader and attended evening classes, eventually obtaining a degree in civil engineering from the University of Buenos Aires. After a number of technical jobs, Kozak applied for a job at the Argentinian office of the International Committee for European Migration (ICEM), created in 1951 to help WWII refugees. Now known as the International Organisation for Migration, this body has 165 member countries and comes under the umbrella of the United Nations.

"Roberto undertook a great task but he did not do it alone. He was part of a network. He would have considered it egocentric to claim responsibility"



In 1970, Kozak was sent for diplomatic training in Germany and then to study English in England. After a stint in Geneva, he was transferred to Chile. Eleven months after his arrival in Santiago, on September 11, 1973, General Pinochet launched his coup against the elected socialist government of President Salvador Allende.

The coup wasnt unexpected. But the military juntas brutal crackdown on all opposition shocked many in Chile and around the world. Pinochet, who believed Marxism to be the root cause of all evil, targeted anyone with left-wing views or sympathies. But dragged into this bloody net were students, journalists, priests, musicians and even foreigners suspected of helping the opposition. Between 1973-78, about 70,000 people were detained, of whom an estimated 30,000 were tortured and approximately 3,500 killed. The most notorious of Pinochets detention centres was Villa Grimaldi, a remote farmhouse near Santiago.

Roberto Kozak

Run by the notorious Major Marcelo Moren Brito of Dina, Chiles secret police, it had around 4,500 detainees, most of whom were brutally tortured. Among them were the parents of Michelle Bachelet, who is now President of Chile. Her father, an air force general who supported Allende, died under torture. Michelle Bachelet too was tortured but later released along with her mother.

Rodrigo del Villar, a geography student, was tortured at Villa Grimaldi. In 1976, Kozak managed to secure his release. As Villar later told an interviewer: If he had not got me out? Quite simply, we would not be having this conversation now.

Kozak took enormous risks but he did not do it alone. He had a network of helpers ranging from foreign diplomats to Catholic human rights organizations such as the Vicariate of Solidarity. A modest man, he believed in teamwork and even his son did not know until many years later precisely what his father was doing during those dark and terrible years under Pinochet. As his widow Sylvia put it: Roberto undertook a great task but he did not do it alone. He was part of a network. He would have considered it egocentric to claim responsibility. He felt his task was important but he never took centre stage. He placed great value on teamwork.

"Rodrigo del Villar, a geography student, was tortured at Villa Grimaldi. In 1976, Kozak managed to secure his release. As Villar later told an interviewer: If he had not got me out? Quite simply, we would not be having this conversation now"



But he was more conspicuous than the rest of the network because of his looks, his energy and his busy schedule. In 1986, when the worst seemed to be over, an ultra right-wing death squad of Pinochet loyalists raided Kozaks office. Calling him a communist son of a bitch, he was made to answer questions at gunpoint after his co-workers were tied and trussed up on the floor.

Kozaks incredible luck held again. They were looking for hidden weapons because left-wing guerillas had attempted to kill Pinochet five days ago. Unable to connect Kozak to the assassination attempt or to find weapons, they left without killing anyone. As one staff member later recalled: He was green. It was a colour between yellow, white and green. But poker-faced, he went downstairs, calmly called Geneva to inform them of the raid and then went on with his work.

Gen. Augusto Pinochet

ICEM was not a human rights set up and Kozaks superiors in Geneva were not aware of precisely what he was up to in Santiago. Kozak realized that if he was going to help Pinochets victims, he would have to take personal risks with both his life and his job. He told his fellow staffers that they should not be content with being wheels in a bureaucracy and should do whatever possible to help the coups victims. Kozaks stylish home as well as the ICEM office became clandestine places of refuge for people he had freed from military prisons. He managed to do that with a combination of diplomacy, daring and generous amounts of whisky. Kozak held regular late night parties at home, inviting officers from the junta and secret police and befriending them. He led a double life, with released prisoners hidden in his attic while their tormentors were entertained upstairs. Discovery would have meant an unpleasant end for Kozak and his family, but he managed to get away with it.

His second wife Sylvia recalls that he often suffered from acute stress, though he managed to look calm outwardly. Once, a death squad loyal to Pinochet raided Kozaks office after the dictator escaped an assassination attempt.

"The man turned to Kozaks son and said: Your father saved my life"



Not all of Pinochets men were willing to put up with Kozaks humanitarian work. The secret police chief Manuel Contreras took a strong dislike to him. But even Contreras was unaware of the scale of Kozaks operation. Kozak sometimes negotiated and secured the release of scores of prisoners.

After getting them released, Kozak had to find them safe haven abroad by persuading friendly foreign diplomats to give them visas. A released prisoner, if he or she remained in Chile, always risked being arrested again. To prevent those freed from being instantly re-arrested, Kozak personally took them from the detention centre to his home or office and hid them there till a foreign visa was obtained, a process which could take several months. Once that was done, he would escort them to the airport and all the way to the waiting airliner.

Kozak knew that Pinochets men did not respect his diplomatic immunity and counted on the contacts he had with junta members, hoping the goodwill would hold. Getting Pinochets top men to drink, Kozak would ask them to sign expulsion orders for detainees. The ICEMs drivers worked late into the night as Kozaks waiters. As one staff member recalled: the whiskey was very importantwhile Roberto was having a party for the military officials in his house, there would be refugees and political prisoners hiding in the attic. He was always playing with fire.

Kozak daringly went all the way to the top, meeting Pinochet himself in 1978. He told Pinochet the same thing he told his late-night military guests  Chiles international reputation was suffering because of its human rights record. But, if Pinochet agreed to release more political prisoners, Kozak would tell the press that the regime was at last working to improve its human rights record.

Living this double life, Kozak became heavily stressed. His wife said later that her husband suffered both due to personal risk and the tortures he saw being inflicted on people almost everyday and he was not always successful in getting his proteges out of Chile. Some were arrested again and killed.

In 1992, Chile awarded Kozak its highest honour, the Order of Bernardo OHiggins. But Kozak was always modest about his achievement. While attending the opening of Chiles human rights museum in 2010, his son Nikolai saw a man step up through the crowd to his father. Both began to cry.

The man turned to Kozaks son and said: Your father saved my life.

I then realized my father was not the man I thought he was, Nikolai said.



(Source: The Guardian UK).
At least 1,246 persons had been arrested by the Police during a five-hour special raid carried out across the country on Friday midnight, the Police said.

The Police said the raid was carried out from Friday 11.00 p.m. to Saturday 4.00 a.m. and about 12,000 Police officers participated in the raid.

They said at least 110 convicted criminals and 109 who wanted for various criminal activities were among the arrested.Of them 567 had arrest warrant on them.

Of them 87 were wanted for engaging in various crimes and 71 were arrested for possession of drugs, Police spokesman DIG Priyantha Jayakody said.

He said that 307 persons were arrested in connection with major traffic violations and 76 were arrested for driving under influence on liquor.

DIG Jayakody said that it was one of largest raid carried out by the Sri Lanka Police recently, which covered the entire country at the same time.

The raid was carried out under the direction of the Senior DIGs in each Provinces of the country under the direct guidance of IGP Pujith Jayasundara.(Darshana Sanjeewa)
A decorated float with seven Buddha statues was recovered in the deep sea off Thirukovil, Ampara by the Sri Lanka Navy, the Navy said.

They found seven statues of the Buddha and several other objects in the float. The Navy towed it to Oluvil Port and had handed it over to the Akkaraipattu Police.

The Police said the two of the statues were about 3ft each and others about 1  ft each.

A senior Police Officer said the statues and the float would be produced before Akkaraipattu Magistrate.

Ampara District Asst. Director of Archeology Aruna Nilmalgoda said he scheduled to visit Akkaraipattu Police to inspect the statues and other objects.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Pirivena Education, North and East and the Chief Incumbent of the Ampara Mahawapi Temple Ven. Kirindiwela Somarathana Thera was of opinion that the float with statues could have been launched in Thailand or any other Buddhist country. (Wasantha Chandrapla)
Discussions linking technology and politics has been a linear frame work of analysis

Sri Lankas competing political narratives vulnerable to foreign tampering

A CIA web server reportedly holds thousands of weaponized malware that could carry out intense surveillance

The Stratsight column was initiated to trace the depth and breadth of unprecedented global transformations causing significant turbulence for policy makers and analyst alike and illuminate possible local articulations of such global trepidations.

The Wikileaks most recent release of a major hack and retrieval of top secret data from a CIA web server holding thousands of weaponized malware that could carry out intense surveillance has created a political firestorm in Washington, but if one watches carefully the effect of such revelations, we truly are living in a situation which techno political analyst Adam Segal calls the hacked world. The use of technology, spaces of technology such as cyber space and the data we produce on such spaces to be packaged in a manner than can advance the political agenda of an interested party or nation state.

Since the 20th century, the discussions linking technology and politics has been a linear frame work of analysis which traces the rapid technological transformations that made the 20th century a century of innovation and human progress that the world has ever seen. From hyper-globalization, information technologies, Internet Of Things (IOT), military modernization to expanding role of robotics for automated weapons platforms. Such linear narratives started changing since 2007, where one of the most connected States in Europe, Estonia, suffered a major hack attack paralysing the country for weeks, many analysts saw this as an emergence of Cyber War.



The Hacks on Estonia created a major scramble among global powers to achieve two aspects; first to seek mechanisms to defend their own interests and security against cyber attacks and secondly, to achieve some sort of consensus on internet governance that would facilitate a set of global standards to regulate the internet. Ten years later, both these attempts seem to have failed and the threats they envisaged ten years ago are manifesting in a radically different manner. Estonia cyber attacks prompted States to look at cyber as a realm and space or domain of warfare. Yet with the most recent developments such as a hacks leading to discrediting the Democratic party leadership during American presidential election 2016 to retrieval and leaking of deep surveillance secrets of the Americas premier intelligence agency last week is pushing security experts to understand the threat from a totally different perspective to the events of 2007.

"Social media network has become battlegrounds over our political ideologies"



In December of 2010, the USA suffered a unique diplomatic crisis that it never saw coming, the massive leak of American diplomatic cables by the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks. The main figure behind Wikileaks, Julian Assange, for many in the cyber world was a legendary hacker who went by the pseudonym Mendex with a reputation that linked him to hacking into the most advanced computer systems on board the international space station. The initial leaks apart from US diplomatic cables, included footage from an American Apache gunship cockpit voice recording during a raid in Iraq which killed 12 civilians, including two international journalists. The recording confirmed that the pilots were aware to a certain degree their victims were non- combatants. Such leaks, exposed the illiberal side to Americas war on terror and wars that it justified on the ground of democratic regime change efforts. Since then Wikileaks has been a thorn on the side of the American establishment, until during the recent election campaign where then presidential candidate Donald Trump openly declared that he, Loved Wikileaks. Where as in 2010, many American law makers called for a ban of Wikileaks and arrest Assange on terrorism charges, much has changed within the last seven years.

Wikileaks that the world witnessed as a part of a progressive radical transparency movement which exposed wrong doings of powerful states always attempted to hold a moral high ground claiming it was doing such leaks purely on public interests, yet by 2016 it started leaking emails from the hacked democratic national congress, the functional apparatus of the democratic party, These explicit exposes seriously undermined trust and reputation of the democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Security analysts realized very much later that the single biggest threat coming from cyber space was not cyber weapons, cyber terrorism or cyber war but a form of manipulated narratives that they called weaponized narratives, powerful enough to sway the public opinion of a country engineered by a third party or a hostile adversary.



In a recent research conducted by a team led by Prof. Jonathan Albright at Elon University, it came to light that a company that went by the name Cambridge Analytica, which by activating a complex data analytical algorithm could prey on the personalities of individual voters to effect and create large shifts in public opinion. The company has been behind Trump campaign, Ted Cruz campaign and the leave campaign during the Brexit vote. Max Boot, the conservative American military analyst in a recent article to the foreign policy magazine questions why doesnt Wikileaks leak secrets about Russia or why it chose to hack and reveal CIAs hacking tool kit a few days after President Trump blamed his predecessor of tapping into his conversations during the campaign.

Life and times that we are encountering are pretty much driven by an intricate communication backbone, devices and data, from our ordinary e-banking to hailing a tuk tuk over a call taxi app, what we are not realizing is that even in such mundane acts we create raw data, humanity has created more data in the last two years than data preceding that time period in the whole of human history. Todays politics and political narratives are driven by a battle for ideas. Social media network has become battlegrounds over our political ideologies where those who wield more data will prevail over the others. If one takes a closer look at Sri Lankas competing political narratives, what we are missing is how vulnerable such narratives are to foreign tampering. Sri Lanka is soon becoming a battleground State in the larger Indian Pacific super region. It is becoming alarmingly evident with the interest China, India and US are focusing on the country, there are many analysts in Sri Lanka who do exciting and very serious critical overviews of the geo-political interests of these regional and extra regional players.

"There is no real serious attempt of even comprehension by local security experts to comprehend the new types of external threat"



There is no real serious attempt of even comprehension by local security experts to comprehend the new types of external threats that may undermine the social and political cohesion of the country. Scholars argue that weaponized narratives are becoming the Achilles heal of liberal societies, liberal democracies thrived on the fact that openness and transparency is a clear indicator of progress, yet even advanced societies are struggling because of this openness where there is significant space for the manipulation of idea and facts especially in the cyber domain. Social media has empowered so many voiceless and powerless minorities and individuals who may have not voiced their opinions if other wise, yet social media have also empowered the contamination of the political mind.

Erci Schmidt, the former CEO of Google wrote in his PhD thesis, The internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesnt understand, the largest experiment in anarchy what we have ever had. Today in the USA, Wikileaks intentionally or with the aid of a third party is successfully doing what no other could do to the country; create rifts between the presidency and intelligence services.



The debate around America dominance in the 21st Century, is going to take a very different form, if the politico strategic coherence corrodes in the USA, its strategic posture, power projection and foreign operations will be seriously impacted. If the leaks manage to create a divisive rift between the current US administration and the American intelligence community, it would make America more vulnerable to external threats than ever before, while the Trump administration may find ISIL is Americas top enemy, the truth could be far from that. Such breakdowns could send a chilling message to the rest of the world, especially a country like Sri Lanka wedged between serious regional power struggles and trying to save its own political narrative would be far more vulnerable. What we need to understand is that while humanity has progressed rapidly, the techno spaces have encroached not just our lands, but our minds.



The writer, Dr. Harinda Vidanage is a Director at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS)
The colourful Indian festival of Holi was celebrated at the Paradise Beach at the Mount Lavinia Hotel this morning. The event has been organised by the Colombo Indians and many local and foreign families were seen participating at the event. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja
Though more than 5,000 pilgrims from India had been scheduled to attend St. Anthonys Feast of Kachchathivu islet this year, none attended it, the Navy said today.

Navy Spokesman Chandima Walakuluge said around 9,000 devotees from both India and Sri Lanka were expected to take part in this years Kachchathivu Feast. However, only local pilgrims attended the festival that was held on March 11 and 12.

The Indian media reported that as fallout of a tragedy, where an Indian fisherman was killed and another injured in a shooting, the Rameshwaram fishermen had decided to boycott the annual feast in Kachchathivu.

They said hundreds of fishermen and families continued their sit-in protest against the death of 20-year-old K. Bristo, allegedly in the Sri Lanka Navy shooting, hardening their stance on day three of the agitation by announcing that they would not give up unless the Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar personally guaranteed their demands.

The annual Kachchathivu feast is held in February or March, and is attended usually by a large number of Indian as well as Sri Lankan devotees.

Last year over 5,000 pilgrims from India visited the shrine..(Darshana Sanjeewa)

Video by Romesh Madushanka
The pilot project- Priority lane, which functions dual lanes as priority lanes for passenger buses was initiated at Rajagiriya today with the participation of the Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The project which was introduced as a long term solution for the heavy traffic congestion in Colombo will be conduct as a trial version for a period of one week and will be concluded on March 19. As the first steps the dual lanes between Rajagiriya junction to the Ayurvedic Junction and the road from the Ayurvedic Junction to the Rajagiriya junction would function as Priority lanes.

The Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development announced that the entire project was initiated under the advisory of the Prof. Amal Kumarage with the support of the Korean governments KAICA Institute.

The ministry said that a monitoring team has been created to review the outcome of the project, including officials from the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry, Road Development Authority, Sri Lanka Transport Board, Sri Lanka Police, Moratuwa University, Western Province Passenger Transport Authority and the Colombo Municipal Council.

Introducing the pilot project - Priority lane as a means of reducing the traffic congestion in Colombo and the suburban areas, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka said the proposed lane concept is a result oriented one and implemented in European Countries and in Singapore.

Minister Ranawaka said, while developing the transport services the country should work on more practical and less cost effective practices.

He also said that the recent census shows between 150-180 buses move towards Colombo Fort from Battaramulla during the rush hours from 7am - 9am and at 4.30pm.

Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala, Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, and Prof. Amal Kumarage participated at initiating the project. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)


Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne yesterday denied allegations by Indian fishermen that the Sri Lanka Navy had opened fire on Indian fishing vessels recently.

After attending the Feast of St. Anthony's Sacred Church located on Kachchativu Island, he responded to a question raised by a journalist as to why there had been no Indian presence at the annual Feast saying Indian fishermen had boycotted the feast due to an incident where they claimed that the SL Navy had fired at an Indian fishing boat in Sri Lankan waters, which is totally false.

Mr. Wijegunaratne said that even for a warning shot is fired at a boat it has to be to receive the approval of the Navy Commander. I never authorised such a thing. We dont need to fire at them. If foreign fishermen are captured in Sri Lankan waters, the protocol is to arrest them and produce them before courts. With the technology available, any Navy officer can contact me directly. However, there is an ongoing inquiry about the incident being conducted by the Navy Deputy Chief of Staff, he said.

Mr. Wijegunaratne said that the information of the location where the boat was at when the incident took place has been requested from the Indian side but to date this information has not reached us.

We have requested the GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates of the boat when it was shot at. Thereafter we can conduct further investigations based on data in our radar system. We hope that the Indian Coast Guard would give us that information soon, he said.

The Navy Commander said that the SL Navy is presently maintaining a close relationship with the Indian Navy. He said if the shooting did take place it should have been reported to the Indian Navy and they should report it to our Navy immediately.

This years feast marked the first of its kind conducted upon the completion of the new church by the Sri Lanka Navy and Mass was conducted by Bishop of Jaffna, His Lordship Rt. Revd. Dr. Justin Bernard Gnanapragasam.

The Feast was attended by the Vicar General of the Diocese of Jaffna, Very Revd. Fr. Pathinathar Josephthas Jebaratnam, District Secretary of Jaffna, Mr. N.Vethanayahan, Commander of the Security Forces in Jaffna, Major General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander Northern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva, Jaffna Deputy Inspector General of Police Sanjeewa Dharmaratne, senior officers and a large number of fishermen. Sri Lankan Catholic devotees as well as a large number of religious dignitaries including Rev. Sisters were in attendance. (Romesh Madusanka and Thilanka Kanakarathna)

Video by Romesh Madushanka
Sri Lanka is steadily transforming itself in to a commercial hub with the involvement of various government and multi-national companies. While such positive progress is being made, little to no attention is given in terms of preserving the environment in Sri Lanka. Sadly today, many rainforests and other natural resources are in the process of being exhausted as a result of this commercialisation. At a recently held press conference, the Centre for Environmental Studies (CENS) shed light on the proposed National Physical Structure Plan (NPSP), its objectives and the adverse impacts on the environment.

The main source of income for NPSP is the tourism industry :

Ravindra Kariyawasam

Speaking at the press conference, environmentalist and National coordinator of CENS, Ravindra Kariyawasam said the government was trying to implement this plan without giving any insight to the public. This plan was begun during the former regime and its main aim is to transform Sri Lanka into a knowledge, aviation, production and energy-based hub in South East Asia by 2030. In order to achieve this far-fetched goal, several international bodies such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund have made requests to the present government as well. According to the National Physical Structure Plan, the government has planned to construct six mega-cities for example, one city connecting Gampaha and Kalutara, another in Galle, Hambantota, Batticaloa, another connecting Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa and the Jaffna city itself. There is an upcoming network of highways spanning from the South Coast to the North and the East and the entire country. But this will not end here. This network of highways will eventually reach India across Adams Bridge and would eventually be one phase of the South Asian network of highways. This network is constructed by utilizing the resources that are freely available in our land today.



Speaking further, Ravindra said the main source of income for this NPSP was the tourism industry. Therefore, many areas have been identified as eco-tourism zones. With this identification process, many hotels too will be established in these areas. In addition to that, elements such as Titanium and Copper which are found in abundance along the coastal belt will also be exhausted as a result of these projects. In terms of agriculture it is quite evident that Sri Lanka has been sold into the hands of various multi-national companies. One American company has acquired acres and acres of land for cultivation purposes.

As of now, close to 50 acres of land in the Kegalle district have been cleared and several lands in Kalutara and Mathugama have been acquired to plant palm trees. There is an ongoing project to seek permission from farmers to manage water for irrigation purposes. In other words, the government is seeking permission from farmers to sell the reservoirs and the wells. On the other hand, mini-hydro power plants are mushrooming across the country and many of these plants produce non-renewable energy.

"At this rate, by 2030, only around 10% of local rainforests will be left. The question here is whether this 10% would be able to provide water to the entire land"





Quite a number of forests will be destroyed due to this project. This would affect natural habitats and pose a threat to local flora and fauna. At this rate, by 2030, only around 10% of local rainforests will be left. The question here is whether this 10% would be able to provide water to the entire land. Moreover, this clearing of forests would impose a threat to local flora and fauna and eventually lead to their extinction, said Ravindra. In his concluding remarks, Ravindra said that before these projects commenced, there should have been an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), but this was done in quite an ad hoc way. The people involved would blindly produce a report and then move on to the extent of cross-questioning us to see if everything was in place. A proper EIA would weigh the pros and cons of conducting the project but the EIAs which were produced are useless documents. During the previous years, there were many protests staged against the Darbur Company which was set up in Kotadeniyawa to produce an Indian fruit drink. Recently we saw how the Coca Cola Company carried out discussions with the government to establish their production plant in Sri Lanka and export to India. The previously mentioned highway network is also in aid of this transaction because Coca Cola bottles cannot be transported by air. Therefore, once the highways are built connecting India, this transaction will be made easier.

Development and conservation of nature should go hand in hand :

Fr. Ashok Stephen

In his comments, Fr. Ashok Stephen representing The Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) said that it was important that all human beings should come forward to protect the environment during the development process. Humans are the guardians of nature but today we see that these guardians are politicians. Hence, we can see the results today. The development and conservation of nature should go hand-in-hand. But development should happen in such a way so that natural resources are not exhausted. These resources should be preserved for future generations. Quite a number of projects take place without the proper assessment of their impact on nature and this I believe is quite a serious matter. Irrespective of the regime, there is a greater impact on the environment due to these ongoing projects and those involved are geared to carry them out illegally. Therefore, its high time that we spread the message around and open the eyes of the public to save our country from facing any other man-made disaster in future.
Khan launched a harangue against two media outlets on Monday saying they were carrying out a false campaign against him.
ma Maheswaran, the late leader of the Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) once described the armed struggle as being an extension of the political struggle by other means. But many of the actions committed during this so-called war of liberation by both the liberationalists and the forces of the State ranged against them, show that such actions cannot be simplistically referred to as more brutal forms of diplomacy.

In fact some of the actions carried out during the final stages of the war has led to charges of war crimes being levelled against both the Sri Lankan Government and the liberationists via UN sponsored resolutions and led to the adoption of UN Resolution A/HRC/30/L.29 - Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.



The resolution concludes with recommendations of the High Commissioner on the way forward, including the establishment of a hybrid special court to try war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed by parties to the conflict. The appointment of a hybrid court is repugnant to most Sri Lankans who see the appointment of Judges, who are not of the countrys Judicial System as an affront to the local Judiciary. They also feel Foreign Judges will be biased against a particular party to the conflict.

However, parties representing the Tamil people are insistent that local courts without international jurists cannot be expected to deal out justice. The Government, despite co-sponsoring the US-sponsored resolution realises the appointment of hybrid courts at this moment of time could lead to an outbreak of mass protests and a possible outbreak of violence.



And so today, once again, the Sri Lankan Governments top diplomats and politicians are facing the somewhat unenviable task of seeking time to implement the UN Resolution.

Lets face it perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity need to be prosecuted and the suffering of victims of crimes cry to heaven for justice. But justice cannot be selective, alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity must be punished whoever commits them.

The Sri Lankan Government defeated forces of terrorism. In the course of the conflict a number of atrocities were committed. Those who committed them need to face the consequences of their actions. But, justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity must not be limited to particular States. Justice must be applicable across the board.



For instance, since Israel invaded Palestine in 1948, the number of registered Palestine refugees has grown from 750,000 in 1950 to around 5 million in 2013 according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Even at the time of writing Israel continues to evict Palestinians from their homes, demolish entire villages in Palestine and create illegal settlements for Jewish settlers.

During the Gaza conflict in April 2013, Israel used artillery shells with white phosphorus - chemical weapons - on built up Palestinian towns. The use of chemical weapons stands banned by the UN. Their use in war is a recognised a war crime. Yet, the UN is yet to condemn Israel or bring a resolution demanding accountability for these and numerous other war crimes committed by the Israelis against the Palestinians - the destruction of their homes, forcible occupation of their lands or placing limits on water Palestinians receive under Israeli law.



The US used chemical weapons against Vietnamese civilians during the course of its invasion in Vietnam. A million Vietnamese people are still affected by Americas use of chemical weapons in the 1960s, which has left babies still suffering painful deformities and mental illness. Hospitals across the country still care for children who from birth suffer the horrific symptoms caused by Agent Orange decades after the attacks.

In Yemen, more than 140 people attending a funeral in the countrys capital Sanaa were killed in an air strike by Saudi-led coalition forces

On March 9, 1945, the U.S. warplanes launched an aerial attack on Tokyo dropping tons of incendiary bombs in a 3-hour period on the downtown Tokyo suburb of Shitamachi - comprising roughly 750,000 people. Almost 16 square miles in and around the Japanese capital were incinerated, and between 80,000 and 130,000 Japanese civilians were killed in the worst single firestorm in recorded history.



War Crimes??? Crimes Against Humanity???

O Tempora o mores!

Highlighting the speck of dust in my brothers eye, whilst ignoring the log in my own does not serve the cause of justice. It only holds the concept of justice to ridicule.
Donald Trump

When Donald Trump was taking oaths in Wahington DC on January 20, 2017 as the 45th President of the USA, in London, an award winning John Pilgers documentary The Coming War on China was screened in cinemas. Trump as the most powerful leader on our planet, could shake the world twice within one week without firing a shot was proved, the following day after inauguration, by over 670 rallies against Trump across the world from US cities through London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Sydney and Hong Kong. South Asian countries remained silent. Are the Asians overawed by Trumps triumph, or fear the impending war on China? The second global backlash on January 29, 2017, was caused by Trumps sudden ban on immigrants from seven Islamic countries from entering the USA for 90 days. Attorney General who refused to defend Trumps action was promptly sacked. The Federal Judge who gave a stay order for the ban was insulted by Trump.



But first, the most alarming J. Pilgers well researched documentary, The Coming War on China reveals a build up to war on the door step of China. It shows that there are more than 400 US military bases (with an illustration of their locations) encircling China from Australia through the Pacific and across Eurasia to Afghanistan and India. Filmed over two years in the Marshall Islands, Japan, Korea, China and USA, it brings together rare archives and interviews with witnesses including Pentagon war planners. China was excluded from Obamas Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). As promised, Trump withdrew from TPP, as part of his isolationist policy just on the second day after assuming office. He is a man of his words, say his admirers in the White House.



Pilgers documentary reveals a study by Rand Corporation (which planned US wars) entitled War with China; Thinking Through the Unthinkable. US Admiral Harry Harris, the US military commander for Asia and Pacific told New York Times,My responsibilities cover Bollywood to Hollywood. No wonder PM Modi was invited by Trump to visit US. In 2015, in high secrecy the US staged its biggest military exercise in East Asia called Talisman Sabre, that included the blocking of Malacca Straits, (Chinas wind pipe) to starve China. Chinas response was swift and firm. Global Times of China wrote, the US risks a large scale war with China if it attempts to blockade the islands off the South China sea. If Trumps rhetoric becomes policy, The two sides had better prepared for war an editorial wrote. Tillerson had better bone up on nuclear strategies if he wants to force a big nuclear power to withdraw from its territories. When Pilgers interviewed a Chinese strategist in Beijing, he had said We are not your enemy, but if you decide we are, then we must prepare for war without delay.

What is predictable about Trumps world order is that, it would be in disorder, as he changes gears every day. He challenges one Chinas policy by President Nixon. He was against free trade, climate change theory, calls the UN a club where members meet to have a good time and threatens to cut US contribution by 40%, the US-Japan alliance a bad deal and NATO is obsolete, and Trump is against globalisation, while owning Miss Universe Pageant. This combustible mix of the most depraved, is life-threatening for the global community. A US writer Matt Triby wrote in an essay Donald Trump is western civilizations own car wreck.



Trumps emerging Foreign Policy would divide the world on racial lines. Trumps re-alignmment of international alliances with the worlds two white nations - US and Russia against China, is a photocopy of German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm IIs alliance of eight white nations, including Russia Great Britain and France. They invaded China in 1897, ransacked Beijing and divided China among them. A cartoon at the time showed Queen Victoria, Czar Nicholas, Kaiser Wilhelm and other leaders seated round the Yellow Peril cake or China ready to cut it.

Trump routinely delivered anti non-white pronouncements during his election campaign to the sound of enthusiastic applause. He built a platform of white identity. politics, around villainization of non-white Asians in particular.

Trump mocks Asians, using broken English and said, When Asian negotiators enter a room they dont say hello, instead they say deal. Trumps bigoted rhetoric and abusive racist remarks are not new. He is only distilling racial discrimination that existed from the 19th century Europe and America. Observes sociologist, Jonathan Alter noted in the Daily Beast Trumps thinking about Asia is rooted in the tradition of Yellow Peril xenophobia. In Beijing, Lijia Zhang, a young journalist told Pilgers in 2016, The idea of Yellow Peril has not left them. Pilgers documentary records this fear of Yellow Peril with such evidence.



YELLOW PERIL

Yellow Peril is the white mans fear of the rising tide of the Asians. The phrase Yellow Peril was coined by sociologist Jaques Novikow in his essay Le Peril Jaune in 1897. Soon after that philosophers, evangelists, writers, news paper cartoonists, film producers in Europe and US joined to spread the dragons teeth or Yellow Peril phobia. Philosopher Von Ehrenfels said Western world is in a Darwinian struggle to survive, but the yellow race is winning. Evangelist G.G. Rupert said in 1911 Yellow Peril from China, India, Japan and Korea is attacking the UK and the USA, but Jesus would prevent conquest of the Western world. Lothrop Stoddards in his 1920 book said The rising tide of colour, held that white blood races are most advanced, but China or Japan would unite the oriental races to conquer the Western world. Just as Karl Marxs book Das Capital, in later years led to Communist phobia, Stoddards book drove the Europeans to unite and invade China, which in its 5,000-year history never invaded any country. In 1906, W.E.B Du Bois wrote The Colour Line Belts the world Is Chinas One Belt one Road (OBOR) initiative is its response? Films such as, The World of Suzie Wong 1960, The Lotus Blossom, Miss Saigon 1989, (first song, Saigon girls are hotter than hell!) Shanghai Express 1932 portrayed Asian women as sexually voracious and perpetually available for copulation.



German Emperor Kaiser used a picture of Michael the Archangel leading the goddesses against Yellow Peril, with a picture of Buddha in the background. Nothing was sacred in the fight against oriental yellow races; religion, gender, ethnicity and media were used against Asians. The war against Asians has not stopped even in the 21st century. Readers may be surprised to learn that even NASA has been afflicted by the Yellow Peril. NASA banned space researchers working with Chinese or even using NASA funds to entertain Chinese visitors, astronauts from Russia were taken to US space station but never a Chinese. Perhaps it helped Chinese scientists to get funds to build Chinas own space station very successfully and sent Chinese astronauts on frequent visits to the space station.

US novelist Gore Vidal wrote For the US to survive in the Sino-Japanese world, alliance with the Soviet Union is a necessity. Does it not explain Trumps unexpected cosying up with President Vladimir Putin of white Russia, against China? It is a heterodox one with very little support, since it is framed in racial terms.

"Many hoped Trump would not convert his election campaign rhetoric to policy. But from day one after assuming office as President, his words are becoming deeds"



Core of Yellow Peril ideology is white mans fear of oriental sexual voracity say sociologists. In the 19th century, Asian immigrants were deemed an existential threat to physical health, sexuality and morality of white Americans. Yellow Peril was legalized in the US by a series of Acts such as, Chinese exclusion Act of 1882, Cable Act of 1922, Asiatic Barred Zone Act etc barred Asian immigrants calling them homosexuals, idiots, criminals, alcoholics and polygamists. Chinese were massacred in Wyoming in1871, Tacoma riots in1885, Seattle riots in1886 and Los Angeles massacre of 1871.

Millions of non-whites are being killed in Iraq and Syria. The US has spent $ 5 trillion on wars since 9/11 according to Browns University of US. American billionaire George Soros, manipulated a currency war against Tiger economies of Asian countries. In 1997, Malaysian ex-Premier Dr. Mahathir Mohammed accused Soros for using his wealth to punish Asian countries. As economist Paul Kinsman said Soros not only moved money in anticipation of a crisis, but do his best to trigger such a crisis. Soros who advocates a Federal Constitution for Sri Lanka visited as a guest of our government. In Davos on January 19, 2017, Soros warned that Trump was preparing for a trade war. As Kaiser of Germany did in 1890s, Trump was forming an anti-Asian alliance with the leaders of white Russia, Israel, and the UK. Firing the first bullet on the trade war against China, Trump threatened to impose a 45% import duty on all imports from China, plus a 75% duty on imports of steel from China.



Donald Trump loomed large over the 2017 World Economic Forum. President Xi Jinping in his key note address ignoring Trumps Yellow Peril jibes and without naming Trump, threw down the gauntlet to the Trump camp. His speech was a rebuke of everything that Trump stands for. Xi defending globalisation and free trade vigorously said, We must remain committed to free trade and investment. Take steps to fix what was wrong with globalisation, mend it; but do not end it. China is not going to let globalisation go down without a fight, As Trump is pulling back from from the world arena, Xi is stepping forward to fill the void. Carl Bidt, former Swedish PM said, There is a vacuum in global leadership. Xi sees it and seized it. Xis speech is not only a rebuke of Trumps relentless depiction of yellow China, as a threat to the white US, but also a power play. Xis rhetorical broadsides would have caused more than ripples in Trumps White House.



Many hoped Trump would not convert his election campaign rhetoric to policy. But from day one after assuming office as President, his words are becoming deeds.Yellow Peril xenophobia of 1882 has come alive. As the champion of white supremacists (as Hitler and Karl Wilhelm did), Trump is exploiting the Yellow Peril fear, to make America great. Result is an instant disorder in world order. Asia is becoming a scene of international rivalry, with US-China rivalry becoming the most menacing. This rivalry is drawing small countries of Asia to the two sides. Japan is desperately seeking the friendship of Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia; China is offering Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to fill the vacuum caused by Trumps withdrawal from TPP.

The narrative in Trumps Washington DC is, China has become very aggressive and unpredictable. South Asia is in a state of flux with a permanent war in Afghanistan, Indo-Pakistan tensions and Chinas involvement in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal. Many have begun to fear Trumps authoritative actions with no respect to even an independent judiciary or Congress, might trigger the World War III. In the past, President Kennedy started the Vietnam war and President George W. Bush waged the never-ending war on Iraq without Congress approval. As a child during the WW II, I can recollect how many Sri Lankans -- rich or poor -- suffered due to scarcities of essential food, despite the valiant efforts by the British Government to keep us alive.



It is sad to see today that UK Premier Theresa May extending her friendship to Trump, as firm as the hand she extended for him to grasp while walking down the steps of White House. It is no relief to be told by experts that Trump suddenly grasped Mays hand because Trump suffers from bathmophobia or the fear of steps. World community; the Asians in particular, are hoping Trumps fear of Yellow Peril would not push him to press the nuclear button. Ironically, the prevention of WW III rests mostly on Angela Merkels Germany supported by Xi Jinping.

Professor Nancy Snow of the California University said, Lets hope Trumps buffoonery or typhoon buffoonery fades into nothing more than a tropical depression.
At the outset, let me admit my miserable failure in reading the signals correctly on the ground in Uttar Pradesh while predicting that the Samajwadi party-Congress combine was ahead in the election.

The absence of a wave was visible compared to a very clear Modi wave that had swept the state in 2014. My analysis was as much a result of factoring in the election arithmetic as the observations from the ground in the initial phases where I had extensively travelled around.

Most analysts still agree with me that there was no visible wave in favour of the BJP in the state despite the evident popularity of Prime Minister Modi.

So, what explains the huge margin of victory in this assembly election?

While it can be argued that the mandate is comparable to the landslide 73/80 in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2014, the BJP had many clear disadvantages as it faced the electorate once again three years later.

The BJP's groundwork had begun immediately after the Lok Sabha victory and been assiduously followed up till a few months back all the way up to the ticket distribution stage.

The biggest change was the fact that unlike in 2014, when Uttar Pradesh was an essential but a part of the national jigsaw, in 2017, the fight was to win the state and Modi wasnt available as the Chief Ministerial candidate. If the collective opposition had no obvious candidate to take on Modi in 2014, the state had not one but two alternatives in Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, with proven track records, to choose from. Despite the growing personality driven contests in the last few years, the BJP had no clear face to project to challenge the incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, whose popularity has only grown despite this defeat at the hustings.

Moreover, in the absence of a visible wave, the X-factor of demonetisation made the election trickier.

We need to rewind back to the '90s to really make sense of this win. The BJP had never crossed 34 per cent votes in assembly polls even in the height of the Ramjanma bhoomi movement in Uttar Pradesh. The previous best was the 33.4 per cent in 1993 when it failed to reach a simple majority with just 177 seats letting the Samajwadi party-Bahujan Samaj party alliance to form the government with the outside support of Congress and Janata Dal.

The only time the BJP formed a majority government with a clear mandate in Uttar Pradesh was in 1991 with a 33.1 vote share and 221 seats against a fragmented opposition (unlike 1993).

After the BJP failed to form a government yet again in 1996 with 33.3 per cent votes and 174 seats, the then all-powerful BJP general secretary KN Govindacharya chaired five-member committee studied the election results and gave a report which laid emphasis on social engineering as the vote share was seen to have plateaued around 33 per cent in five consecutive elections in Uttar Pradesh (including the Lok Sabha elections in 1991 and 1996) for the party.

While many in the saffron party failed to understand the significance of the term at that time, the leadership took it seriously in the next few years and brought about some changes.

Like getting more backward and Dalit candidates to occupy top positions and fielding more such candidates in assembly elections. Bangaru Laxman, who made it to the party presidents chair and Uma Bharti, who was chosen as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister are high profile examples. The other part was expanding the party profile through service extended through the 70-odd assorted organisations loosely making up the Sangh Parivar. The obvious target was to consolidate the Dalit and OBC votes that make up the majority in most Indian states including Uttar Pradesh. The Dalits make up 21 per cent and OBCs 39 per cent in Uttar Pradesh.

Later, at the turn of the century, Govindacharyas stature had grown so huge that he dared to make the Mukhuata (Mask) comment about the then Prime Minister AB Vajpayee, claiming that Advani was actually calling the shots in the BJP and the government. Vajpayee saw to it that Govindacharya was summarily thrown out of the party in the wake of the ensuing controversy.

Cut to 2014, the key to sweeping the elections in Uttar Pradesh was the communal passions ignited by Muzaffarnagar riots in September 2013 and Narendra Modis candidature in Eastern UP to fully take advantage of the Modi wave.

The tactician in Amit Shah realised that it would be nigh impossible to repeat the 42 per cent vote share of 2014 in Uttar Pradesh again without using more gambits. That is how Govindacharyas social engineering was dusted up a couple of years back and deployed in Uttar Pradesh (and unsuccessfully in Bihar as the Index of opposition unity made up for it).

A source close to the BJP president tells me that the groundwork had begun immediately after the Lok Sabha victory and been assiduously followed up till a few months back all the way up to the ticket distribution stage. This also meant making smaller groups among OBCs like Kurmis, Koeris, Rajbhars, Nishads et al part of the partys social, cultural and political coalition by getting them to share the dais and to making them candidates in the polls. The alliances with the Kurmi party Apna Dal and another smaller ally in Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj party of Rajbhars were also part of the broad strategy.

Though the OBCs make up 39 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, the biggest chunk of that is made up of the Yadavs who act as the captive vote bank of the Samajwadi party. So, the BJP concentrated on the rest 30 per cent. The BJPs traditional support base of Upper Castes (20 per cent) was also convinced about the need to carry everyone along. An effort was also made to attract some of the non-Jatavs (11 per cent) among the Dalits to further shore up the base.

It can be seen that this "social engineering" played a major part of the BJP victory in Uttar Pradesh thereby augmenting the traditional base of the party pushing it upwards of 40 per cent vote share in the absence of a chief ministerial face.

This essay cannot end without lamenting the debacle of the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), founded way back in 1984 by Kanshi Ram to unite the "Bahujans" (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs) of India under a single umbrella. While her party has delivered their worst ever performance since 1991, it would do well for them to introspect why they couldnt get the OBCs to back their party even as they made explicit appeals to the Muslims to vote for them. A desperate charge of tampering of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) was Behenjis response to the drubbing.
Normally every political party and every ruling politician faces mid-term blues as this is the time when a sitting chief minister or prime minister starts facing a backlash and his/her popularity dips considerably. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi defies all political conventions and norms.

Just before he completes three years of his five-year tenure he has single-handedly delivered the biggest-ever poll victories for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the all-important state of Uttar Pradesh as well as Uttarakhand.

This will inevitably bolster Modi in all roles - as prime minister, as BJP leader and as Indias biggest vote-catching politician of all times.

Riding on the crest of his unprecedented popularity which has skyrocketed after the victories in UP and Uttarakhand, you can expect a flurry of bold decisions from him in all possible areas - governance, economic and fiscal policies, political matters and foreign policy.

Political matters

Politically, his deep focus will be on his home state Gujarat which is due to hold Assembly elections by December this year. Therefore, one should expect increased visits to Gujarat from him. In fact, Modi has already launched his Gujarat expedition and visited Gujarat immediately after campaigning for the seventh and final phase ended in UP.

An upset defeat in Gujarat, now highly unlikely, would dent his achievements in the just-concluded Assembly polls. Obviously, Modi would have none of that and would leave no stone unturned to replicate his UP success in Gujarat.

Next, he will pick his choice for the post of UP chief minister. It is highly likely that the BJPs choice for the CMs post will be a low-profile MLA and a hardcore Modi loyalist, or the UP version of ML Khattar, the Haryana chief minister.

It seems highly improbable that Modi will install a political heavyweight like Rajnath Singh or Yogi Adityanath. He will like to see a timid person as the UP chief minister who doesn't pose any threat to him ever. Singh and Adityanath do not fit the bill from that logic.

Thereafter, Modi will pick his candidates for the two top constitutional posts of the country, president and vice president, elections for which are due in July-August. Again, the sole criterion for choosing his candidates for the two posts will be the person's total and unflinching loyalty towards him. That throws party veterans of the "margdarshak mandal" out of the window as all these veterans are now as good as expired cheques.

In Parliament, one should expect an even more aggressive and taunting PM. He will ruthlessly push important Bills and ride roughshod over the opposition despite the Congress party registering a comprehensive victory in Punjab and winning the Amritsar Lok Sabha bypoll by a massive margin.

Governance/policy issues

Modi will be emboldened to roll out ambitious policy reforms in and outside Parliament that he has held back so far. Expect him to unveil stringent policy decisions in all fields, particularly real estate and banking. A new policy of e-passbook for property owners should be expected soon aimed at giving a body blow to black money.

Foreign policy

Modi will go back to foreign policy issues in a big way after putting this subject on the back-burner for the past many months.

His biggest foreign policy outreach should be expected to be Pakistan. Formal talks with Pakistan should be expected soon. In any case, Pakistan has made several gestures like taking action against Lashkar-e-Tayyeba chief Hafiz Saeed to prepare a positive climate.

The intricacies of India-Pakistan bilateral relations are such that require to be discussed at length in a separate piece, but suffice it to say that Pakistan will now be on the front-burner of Modi's foreign policy outreach.

He will resume his foreign trips soon and is expected to visit Germany, Israel, Russia and China for bilateral/multilateral reasons. He will inevitably walk taller abroad than ever before and will deal with foreign leaders with an even more enhanced position of strength.

Foreign leaders will look at Modi with a bigger halo around him than ever before because they would know they are dealing with the Indian leader who is best poised to win a second five-year tenure in 2019.
There does not seem to be any end in sight to the spiralling cases of persecution of human rights activists or minorities in Pakistan, despite the recent change in the army and ISI dispensation. Such hapless elements continue to be targeted with fury and impunity.

The cases are becoming all the more glaring amid frequent incidents of suicide bombings in different parts of the country, and government "action" notwithstanding, terrorists are having a field day targeting mosques, public places and soft infrastructure which is taking a huge toll on innocent lives.

Most condemnable among the recent terror attacks was the one at the Shahbaz Qalandar shrine a few weeks ago in Sehwan, where nearly 88 people died.

In a related development, a prominent Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist, Muhammad Jan Gigyani, was brutally murdered on March 4 in Shabqadar, close to the Afghan border in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The slain lawyer was known for his selfless service for the poor, particularly defending women subjected to human rights abuses and exploitation, so common in Pakistan. Gigyani is fondly remembered for his active association with Amn Tehreek (peace movement) - a group promoting peace in the turbulent regions of KP.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) claimed responsibility for the activist's assassination. It may be recalled that JuA is a dreaded and banned militant organisation which came into focus recently after a slew of terror strikes in parts of Pakistan.

Needless to emphasise that such state of affairs is a sad reflection on Pakistani law enforcing and security agencies for their abject failure to protect rights activists and whistleblowers.

In January this year, five human rights defenders, Ahmed Raza Naseer, Salman Haidar, Waqas Goraya, Asim Saeed and Samar Abbas disappeared mysteriously and the police are doing little to locate them. Their fate is still unknown.

Muhammad Jan Gigyani was brutally murdered on March 4.

Such disappearances, interpreted or thought to be inspired for abductions, make issues murkier, raising suspicions in the absence of any valid explanation by security agencies. Moreover, such disappearances are becoming common in Pakistan, especially in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and KP.

It would, therefore, appear that the government writ does not run such that it can control such disappearances of minorities and human rights activists. Civil societies apprehend a segment of state complicity in such vanishing acts.

Dwelling on the issue of oppression of minorities in Pakistan, March 9 was observed by Christians as the commemoration of the Joseph Colony arson. Exactly four years ago, on March 9, 2013, a Christian colony commonly known as Joseph Colony was attacked by thousands of enraged Muslim mobs who indulging in arson and burnt as many as 170 houses, affecting 300 families.

The incident occurred when a poor Christian, Sawan Masih, was falsely arrested on charges of blasphemy. Such was the fury of the mob that the loudspeakers on top of mosques blared anti-Christian propaganda and instigated the majority Muslims to attack the minority. The security apparatus remained a mute spectator.

Marking the fourth year of such persecution, this year too the majority community flexed its muscle, displayed naked aggression and visibly intimidated the Christians to remain quiet and not raise their voice against strong-arm tactics by the majority and their hired communal goons.

The Christians had to swallow their pride and dignity and continue to suffer the wrath of the majority zealots who have no respect or fear of the law of the land.
Ally Financial Inc., a digital financial-services company, provides various digital financial products and services to consumer, commercial, and corporate customers primarily in the United States and Canada. It operates through four segments: Automotive Finance Operations, Insurance Operations, Mortgage Finance Operations, and Corporate Finance Operations. The Automotive Finance Operations segment offers automotive financing services, including providing retail installment sales contracts, loans and operating leases, term loans to dealers, financing dealer floorplans and other lines of credit to dealers, warehouse lines to automotive retailers, and fleet financing. It also provides financing services to companies and municipalities for the purchase or lease of vehicles, and vehicle-remarketing services. The Insurance Operations segment offers consumer finance protection and insurance products through the automotive dealer channel, and commercial insurance products directly to dealers. This segment provides vehicle service and maintenance contract, and guaranteed asset protection products; and underwrites commercial insurance coverages, which primarily insure dealers' vehicle inventory. The Mortgage Finance Operations segment manages consumer mortgage loan portfolio that includes bulk purchases of jumbo and low-to-moderate income mortgage loans originated by third parties, as well as direct-to-consumer mortgage offerings. The Corporate Finance Operations segment provides senior secured leveraged cash flow and asset-based loans to middle market companies; leveraged loans; and commercial real estate product to serve companies in the healthcare industry. The company also offers commercial banking products and services. In addition, it provides securities brokerage and investment advisory services. The company was formerly known as GMAC Inc. and changed its name to Ally Financial Inc. in May 2010. Ally Financial Inc. was founded in 1919 and is based in Detroit, Michigan.
Global Partners LP engages in the purchasing, selling, gathering, blending, storing, and logistics of transporting gasoline and gasoline blendstocks, distillates, residual oil, renewable fuels, crude oil, and propane to wholesalers, retailers, and commercial customers in the New England states, Mid-Atlantic region, and New York. The company is also involved in the transportation of petroleum products and renewable fuels through rail from the mid-continent region of the United States and Canada. Its Wholesale segment sells home heating oil, branded and unbranded gasoline and gasoline blendstocks, diesel, kerosene, residual oil, and propane to home heating oil retailers and wholesale distributors. It also aggregates crude oil through truck or pipeline in the mid-continent region of the United States and Canada, as well as transports it through rail and ships it through barge to refiners. The company's Gasoline Distribution and Station Operations segment sells branded and unbranded gasoline to gasoline station operators and sub-jobbers; operates gasoline stations and convenience stores; and provides car wash, lottery, and ATM services, as well as leases gasoline stations. Its Commercial segment sells and delivers unbranded gasoline, home heating oil, diesel, kerosene, residual oil, and bunker fuel to customers in the public sector, as well as to commercial and industrial end-users; and sells custom blended fuels. As of December 31, 2021, the company had a portfolio of 1,595 owned, leased, and supplied gasoline stations, which included 295 directly operated convenience stores; and owned, leased, or maintained storage facilities at 26 bulk terminals with a collective storage capacity of 11.9 million barrels. Global GP LLC serves as the general partner of the company. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.
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General Mills, Inc. manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates in five segments: North America Retail; Convenience Stores & Foodservice; Europe & Australia; Asia & Latin America; and Pet. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream, nutrition bars, wellness beverages, and savory and grain snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. It also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the North American foodservice and commercial baking industries; and manufactures and markets pet food products, including dog and cat food. The company markets its products under the Annie's, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Blue Basics, Blue Freedom, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, EPIC, Fiber One, Food Should Taste Good, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto's, Go-Gurt, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Haagen-Dazs, Helpers, Jus-Rol, Kitano, Kix, Larabar, Latina, Liberte, Lucky Charms, Muir Glen, Nature Valley, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Oui, Pillsbury, Progresso, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Totino's, Trix, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, Yoki, and Yoplait trademarks. It sells its products directly, as well as through broker and distribution arrangements to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, e-commerce retailers, commercial and noncommercial foodservice distributors and operators, restaurants, convenience stores, and pet specialty stores, as well as drug, dollar, and discount chains. The company operates 466 leased and 392 franchise ice cream parlors. General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
LYNCHBURG  Virginias more than 40 distilleries will be able to sell bottles of their products at in-state festivals and events focused on spirits starting early this summer.

Prior to passage of the identical bills SB 1448 and HB 2029 in the General Assemblys 2017 session, distillers only were permitted to sell their products through state liquor stores and in highly regulated amounts in on-site tasting rooms. Customers also could purchase bottles of distilled spirits at Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control-approved, on-site distillery stores. Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, and Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, sponsored the respective bills.

The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Terry McAuliffe and set to take effect July 1, was presented by the Virginia Distillers Association, a newly formed lobby organization formed by the states distillers to fight for loosening regulations on the tightly controlled industry. According to VDA lobbyist Curtis Coleburn, the legislation helps distillers reach more customers and increase their sales.

Theyve been able to go to these events and do tastings, but then if someone found something that they like, they would have to tell them to go to the local ABC store to buy it, Coleburn said. This will allow them to satisfy some of that instant gratification.

Currently, VDA has two spirits festivals in the works for distillers to sell their products. The Virginia Craft Spirits Showcase is planned for Sept. 16 in Roanoke and the Coastal Virginia Spirits Classic will take place in Hampton Roads this fall.

For small distillers, such as Dome & Spear in Evington, that do not have tasting rooms, being able to bring products to festivals to sell to a wide range of customers is a huge benefit.

If youve got a festival, you can hit thousands of people at once, said Charles McCauley, owner of Dome & Spear. It would definitely help because, right now, Im confined to selling in ABC stores.

The legislation also is popular with organizations that host these events. Thomas Jeffersons Poplar Forest in Bedford County partners with the Virginia Distillery Company to hold tasting events, such as Barrels, Bottles and Casks, where visitors take a tour through the house and sample different beverages. The new legislation will allow visitors to then purchase full bottles of the products they tasted on the tour.

This will be a great opportunity for [Virginia Distillery] to sell their product, said Jeff Nichols, director of Poplar Forest. Its a new opportunity to get a different audience to come see Poplar Forest.

On the other hand, Denver Riggleman, a Republican gubernatorial candidate and the owner of Silverback Distillery in Afton, thinks the legislation is not enough to create parity between Virginias distilleries and its wineries and breweries.

Its a good start, but the bill is really symbolic, Riggleman said. Yeah, we can sell bottles at festivals now, but it doesnt relieve the heavy tax burden we are under as distilleries.

Currently, Virginia distilleries are required to send all of their profits directly to the Virginia ABC, and a portion of those profits are sent back after taxes are deducted for all three levels of government. The state levies a 20 percent excise tax on sales of distilled alcohol, localities get their portion of the sales tax and the federal government collects $13.50 per proof gallon. A proof gallon is one liquid gallon of spirits that is 50 percent alcohol at 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition to extra taxes on liquor not added to beer or wine, distilleries have to submit quarterly reports with information such as details about all purchases of materials they make.

If you have a brewery, youve got to have a license, but you dont have to have the ridiculous report filing you have to have for a distillery, McCauley said. You really have to account for every drop you make. If [the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau] comes to audit you, then you have to come up with all of those records. Even the raw materials, you have to report how much you bought each month.

Last year, the General Assembly increased the limit on how much distillers could sell in their tasting rooms from two ounces to three.

The growing market for craft distilled spirits in the state is no cause for concern, according to the Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association. Phil Boykin, the organizations president and CEO, said they are not worried about more competition.

Let the marketplace work, he said. Beer, wine and liquor compete every day, so lets let the consumers choose.

Despite gains for the industry, VDA Executive Director Amy Ciarametaro said the recent bills are only the beginning in terms of easing regulations and creating more economic development opportunities for the states distilled spirits industry.

We believe this is a logical and sensible next step as far as being able to get more product in front of consumers, she said.

Virginia ABC spokesman Kathleen Shaw said the agency is not aware of any enforcement concerns relating to the legislation.
Obesity, mental health, aging and racial disparities in health care are among the biggest health issues facing Central Virginia, according to a report from the local office of the state Department of Health.

The departments Thomas Jefferson Health District outlined its priorities and its plans to help combat the problems in a three-year public health plan unveiled last week. The plan is the result of more than a year of health data collection and talks between health care providers and community leaders in the city of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Greene and Nelson.

The document sets four broad goals: promote healthy eating and active living; address mental health and substance use; improve health disparities and access to care; and foster a healthy and connected community, with an emphasis on improved care for children and the elderly.

Many of the departments strategies involve outreach to local populations, with nonprofit and volunteer organizations taking the lead, said Dr. Denise Bonds, director of the health district and an associate professor of public health sciences at the University of Virginia.

For example, nonprofit organizations in Fluvanna County are working to provide healthy cooking classes at local churches. In Charlottesville, local agencies are planning to push for increased availability of fruits and vegetables in small corner markets in the city.

Were trying to get local champions for each of the strategies, Bonds said. Were asking someone to step forward and really champion these goals in their community.

The plan also calls for an expansion of integrated care facilities, which provide primary care, mental health and substance abuse services in one location. Region Ten Community Services Board already provides this service in one of its Charlottesville locations, and it is proven to work, Bonds said.

People are more likely to get help for mental health problems, for example, if those services are provided in the same location as their primary care provider.

We find that peoples physical problems  their diabetes or obesity  are worsened or cant be treated if they have mental health issues, Bonds said. And we know from studies that those things often go together.

The report also notes that African-Americans in the health district  and across the state  have higher rates of mortality for heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as higher rates of infant mortality. The authors write that the disparities could be caused by a lack of access to health care, insufficient outreach and education by providers or social barriers preventing utilization of services.

The first step to solving the problem will be to meet with members of the African-American communities in each locality and try to find out where services are falling short, Bonds said.

We will be starting some listening sessions to talk to groups to see what their concerns are as far as accessing care, she said.

This was the third public health plan laid out under a federally funded program known as Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships, which is intended to bring together local public health representatives, nonprofit organizations and health care providers.

The Thomas Jefferson District MAPP sought input from more than 100 local agencies, including UVa, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, Region Ten and social services agencies from each locality.

Aaron Pannone, an assistant professor of public health at UVa, said there was an emphasis on allowing each locality to come up with its own solutions this time around.

We were guided by the principle of each locality  Nelson, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa, Albemarle and Charlottesville  setting their own strategies to improve health, he said. Thats what guided us through the whole process: people in each of those localities setting their own priorities.

The complete plan is available at vdh.virginia.gov/thomas-jefferson/plan-mapp2health.
One hundred years ago next month, President Woodrow Wilson went before Congress and asked for a declaration of war against Imperial Germany. Six months earlier, he had campaigned for re-election by claiming he kept the country out of war. What had changed?

The first factor was Germanys resumption of submarine warfare in the Atlantic. This threatened U.S. shipping to Europe, especially to Britain, which faced isolation and potential starvation.

A second factor was a revolution in Russia, which forced the ouster of its czarist regime and ended its war with Germany. This permitted German armies to be sent to the Western Front where French and British forces had suffered massive casualties in nearly three years of warfare.

A third and perhaps decisive factor in Wilsons call for war was discovery of a secret German plan to enlist Mexico in its war effort by pledging to support Mexicos hope to recover territories lost to the United States in the Mexican-American War of 1848. This large territory included New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Knowledge of the German plot caused Wilson to decide that Europes war vitally affected the U.S. homeland.

Anti-Americanism was endemic in Mexico in 1917. In that year, a revolution overthrew an entrenched system that included the aristocracy and Roman Catholic Church.

Since then, Mexico has been governed by a constitutional system that includes a president limited to one six-year term, a legislature and courts.

In reality, Mexican presidents have limited powers to act, and corruption in the society is massive by American standards. The current president, Enrique Pena Nieto, lacks public support at home, and he is challenged by a charismatic anti-American opposition leader, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The United States and Mexico have been recently linked by the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994.

NAFTA was an outgrowth of a 1988 free trade agreement between Canada and America. It was negotiated by President Ronald Reagan and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and greatly expanded trade relations between the two neighbors.

In the early 1990s, Washington and Ottawa concluded that globalization in trade was an excellent means to expand international trade to the benefit of economies and consumers in all countries, especially underdeveloped ones. Mexico was one of these, and the Clinton administration believed that Americas strategic interests included trying to bring Mexico into better alignment with U.S. foreign policy.

However, Mexicos historical mistrust of Washington made it desirable that another major trading country, Canada, be part of the North American trading partnership.

The terms of the NAFTA agreement proved to be highly advantageous to Mexico because it enabled exporters to send products duty-free into the United States. It was also beneficial when many U.S. companies closed manufacturing plants in the United States and moved them to low-cost labor sites in Mexico, many just over the U.S. border.

During the U.S. presidential campaign of 1992, a third-party candidate, Ross Perot, warned that NAFTA would produce a huge sucking sound as jobs moved to Mexico. His opposition cost George H.W. Bush re-election and brought Bill Clinton to the White House in 1993.

Donald Trump pledged during the 2016 campaign to scrap NAFTA because it had caused a huge drain in American jobs. His negative comments about Mexico after he entered the White House sounded hostile to this southern neighbor, including his pledge that Mexico would pay to build a border wall to stop illegal entry.

President Pena Nieto cancelled a planned visit to Washington for discussions on NAFTA when Trump continued to criticize his country, which Mexicans view as insulting.

Political observers suggest Trump was simply bolstering his negotiating position before holding negotiations on NAFTA with Canadian and Mexican officials to reduce large trade imbalances. Legislation to tax imports from Mexico while exempting exports is under consideration in the House of Representatives.

Donald Trumps strong criticism of Mexico runs the risk of turning the countrys politics against the U.S. and open the way for an anti-American leftist leader, Lopez Obrador, to emerge as Mexicos president 2018. That clearly would not be in Americas national interest.

Donald Nuechterlein is a political scientist and author who lives near Charlottesville. Email him at nuechtd@cstone.net.
That was then. This is now.

In 1999, Republicans snapped Democrats century-long run on legislative power by promising Virginians a General Assembly that would be fair and balanced. Except for a brief Democratic hiatus in the Virginia Senate, Republicans remain the dominant party at Mr. Jeffersons Capitol because of redistricting, a practice that is anything but fair and balanced.

To keep it that way, House Republicans are spending taxpayer money: at least $2.6 million so far for private lawyers to defend their hyperpartisan gerrymandering. That bill will balloon the longer Republicans litigate  the longer they refuse to legislate a remedy to a problem the public increasingly recognizes as an obstacle to managing the peoples business.

Recently, a Richmond trial court and the U.S. Supreme Court, through important procedural and technical decisions, nudged Virginia closer to removing naked partisanship from the process of drawing legislative lines  and stripping Republicans of the artificial advantage with which they retain the statehouse even as they endure a long, bitter retreat statewide.

Over the wishes of Republicans, Circuit Judge Ry Marchant cleared the way for a trial later this month on whether  as alleged by a redistricting reform group, OneVirginia2021  nearly a dozen districts in the House of Delegates and state Senate violate a Virginia constitutional requirement that their boundaries be compact, creating seats that reflect a regions shared characteristics, or so-called communities of interest.

The Senate districts were actually drawn by Democrats because they controlled the chamber at the time. It is a reminder that Democrats, too, are anything but innocent when it comes to the Darwinism that drives redistricting.

In this instance, survival is a consequence of creative cartography and the slender Democratic majority that made it possible.

The fight in Marchants courtroom will likely continue in the Virginia Supreme Court, which has yet to establish standards for determining the compactness of House and Senate districts.

It is an issue largely avoided in some of the courts recent rulings on redistricting. In 1992 and 2002, when upholding Democratic and Republican plans, respectively, the court allowed that the legislature has broad latitude in crafting districts.

The U.S. Supreme Court ordered a do-over by a three-judge trial court that upheld 11 majority-black House districts that Democrats contend intentionally eroded African-American voting strength in surrounding areas, thus protecting Republicans.

The justices said the trial court must reconsider the districts, using narrower guidelines that could make it easier to prove that race illegally guided Republicans.

Perhaps forgotten in these two disputes: They focus on redistricting plans in place since 2011. Because they have perpetuated Republican legislative hegemony  and hostility to depoliticized redistricting  the struggle over House, Senate and congressional boundaries fully shifted to the courts.

This has kept the issue in plain view and created fresh opportunities for Republican resistance; notably, running down the clock.

The trial in state court and the reconsideration by the federal court mean that the redistricting fight will drag on for months, preserving the contested boundaries on which the Republicans 2-to-1 majority in the House rests.

Those lines, paired with the low turnout of an off-year election that magnifies the strength of the narrowing Republican base, could be a firewall against Democratic challenges fueled by anti-Trump rage in a state that tipped to Hillary Clinton. Democrats, so far, have candidates for about 30 Republican seats. But holding the House could mean little for Republicans and their long-term goal of controlling the legislature into the 2030s.

For that to happen, Republicans need one of their own elected governor this year and for their majorities in the House and Senate to survive the 2019 elections. Then, Republicans would be in 2021, as they were in 2011, in full command of redistricting, happily drawing the friendliest lines, confident that the governor would sign them into law  and, no doubt, triggering another years-long tussle in the courts, again financed by taxpayers.

This should call attention to the role of Ed Gillespie, the supposed front-runner for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, in legislative gerrymandering, not just in Virginia, but across the country.

It is becoming a Democratic talking point, with Tom Perriello and Ralph Northam  rivals for their partys nomination for governor  signaling they would use the veto to stop a lopsidedly Republican redistricting plan.

Gillespie was chairman of the Republican State Leadership Conference, the national organization that supplied the money and minds necessary to install GOP majorities in the state legislatures, which, in turn, draw congressional seats.

Because Republicans now hold two-thirds of the nations legislative chambers, it is no surprise that they are comfortably in charge of the U.S. House of Representatives.

These days, Gov. Terry McAuliffe is practically mimicking Gillespie, a political opponent but a personal friend from their many days together lolling in the Washington swamp as chairmen of their national parties. McAuliffe is joining former President Barack Obama and top members of his administration in an effort to give Democrats an upper hand in redistricting.

So when McAuliffe brays about nonpartisan redistricting, Republicans justifiably guffaw  as they did when the governor responded to the U.S. Supreme Court decision by proposing they quit their pricey court fight and consent to an independent panel redrawing the 11 disputed House districts. McAuliffes offer only steeled Republican intransigence.

But as long as the redistricting issue is before the courts, Republicans face a peril. Judges could rule against them, forcing adjusted boundaries and, in the process, creating districts hostile to the GOP.

Republican lawyers believe that 2019 is the earliest that House seats could be reset should the party lose in court. History suggests otherwise, perhaps auguring a special election next year.

In 1981, federal judges rejected as racially biased a Democrat-drawn House redistricting plan. In their ruling, the judges said it was too late to fix the offending districts.

But the court decreed that delegates, elected for two years, could only serve for one under the flawed plan; that they would have to stand in new districts in a special election in 1982 and, again, in 1983 for a full term. In those three consecutive elections, Republicans would pick up seats, gaining momentum toward their historic takeover in 1999.

That was then. This is now.

Jeff E. Schapiro is a writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Contact him at (804) 649-6814.
Were not here to do the Hydraulic Road grade-separated intersection, said Philip Shucet at the inaugural meeting of a group overseeing possible changes to Hydraulic Road-U.S. 29.

In fact, no one knows yet what form proposals might take.

Point noted.

Theres a tendency to look at the current ambition to upgrade the Hydraulic intersection as a possible mirror image of the successful reconstruction effort at Rio Road and U.S. 29.

But as Mr. Shucet said, Hydraulic Road might feature a grade-separated interchange  and it might not. He is the former Virginia Department of Transportation commissioner who oversaw the Rio project.

Its critical to keep an open mind about any and all possible solutions to traffic congestion at Hydraulic Road at U.S. 29/Emmet Street.

A bias toward a grade-separated interchange might prevent local leaders from perceiving other good options.

For that matter, a bias against a grade-separated interchange might prevent leaders from recognizing it as the best solution. In Charlottesville, a 20-year-old vote against such an interchange still is on the record.

But in comparing the fledgling efforts on Hydraulic to the completed Rio project, were not just talking about the final results  to grade-separate or not to grade-separate  were also talking about the process.

And the process through which the Rio project was completed did, in fact, contribute to its success. That process can be replicated, regardless of what kind of engineering design it eventually produces.

In fact, it is being replicated. The meeting last week of state and community leaders follows the pattern used in the Rio project: A panel of local elected officials, business owners and citizens is meeting regularly to discuss the Hydraulic venture, provide input and help guide decision-making. Their involvement is aimed at ensuring that local interests are represented in the states drive to speed traffic through a congested bottleneck.

Possible changes to Hydraulic are part of a package of improvements that include the Rio intersection, numerous upgrades to U.S. 29, and the extensions of Hillsdale Drive and Berkmar Drive. Many of those projects are either completed or are underway.

Hydraulic may be the last piece of the puzzle because in some ways it is the most complicated.

So no wonder Mr. Shucet cautioned that no assumptions should be made about the final form of the project.

If you want to have a chance to influence the project yourself, keep your eyes and ears open.

This is a fast-moving process, noted Chip Boyles, the executive director of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission.

The advisory panel will meet every two weeks; those meetings can be viewed live at the Virginia Department of Transportations website.

Two other meetings also will be held specifically to get input from the public.
New Delhi: Global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan has carried out a study to revamp the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) with a view to making it a vibrant body for promoting trade.

DGFT under the Commerce Ministry deals with matters related to exports and imports. "The agency has submitted its report and we are looking at that. The revamping is important against the backdrop of changing global trade scenario and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)," an official said.

The move assumes significance as India is aiming to increase its share in the global trade to 3.5 per cent from the current 2 per cent by 2020. According to experts, the country needs a vibrant organisation to promote its trade interests.

"We need a vibrant and independent export promotion organisation whose job is to do hand-holding to traders particularly in the small and medium sector," said Biswajit Dhar, professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

He cited examples of some South East Asian countries with such bodies and suggested India can take cues from them. Prior to 1991, the DGFT was known as the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports. Till 1991, it has been involved in the regulation and promotion of foreign trade.

DGFT is responsible for formulating and implementing the foreign trade policy with the main objective of promoting India's exports. It also issues scrips/authorisation to exporters and monitors their corresponding obligations through a network of 36 regional offices. India's annual merchandise trade stood at around USD 750 billion.
New Delhi: As the noose tightens around shell companies evading taxes, the CBDT Chairman has asked field officers to file prosecution cases against those entities which claimed bogus long-term capital gains.

In a letter to Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Sushil Chandra has called for fast track prosecution proceedings in cases where the Settlement Commission has rejected entry operators who have claimed advantages of long-term capital gains.

"Prosecution proceedings can be successfully initiated in several cases of entry operators, including those concerning bogus LTCG (Long Term Capital Gains) claims, cases rejected by Settlement Commission, etc," Chandra said.

The Prime Minister's Office last month has set up a task force under Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia comprising members from central probe and enforcement agencies to monitor action against deviant shell companies.

According to the tax department, there are about 15 lakh registered companies in India of which only 6 lakh file annual returns. This means a large number of these companies could be indulging in financial irregularities.

While the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has filed cases against 49 shell companies, Rs 3,900 crore is believed to have been laundered by 559 persons with the help of 54 professionals. Also, Rs 1,238 crore cash has been deposited in shell or dormant companies, post-demonetisation.

The I-T department is taking steps to plug loopholes in the law and deter people from wrongly availing capital gains benefits. With bogus capital gains of Rs 80,000 crore availed by shell companies last year coming to the notice of the I-T department, the Budget 2017-18 has proposed 10 per cent long-term capital gains tax on those who acquired shares in unlisted companies after October 1, 2004, if they had not paid securities transaction tax (STT) at the time of purchase.

"Since this is the last month of the current fiscal year, the CBDT chairman has stressed on a speedy filling of the prosecution and disposal of the pending compounding application. It is a very good move to expedite the momentum to book the defaulters under the law," Prakash Sachin & Co Partner Prakash Sinha said. Shell companies are characterised by nominal paid-up capital, high reserves and surplus on account of receipt of high share premium, investment in unlisted companies, no dividend income and high cash in hand.

Also, private companies as majority shareholders, low turnover and operating income, nominal expenses, nominal statutory payments and stock in trade, minimum fixed asset are some of the other traits of shell companies.

The CBDT, which is the apex policy making body of the I-T department, had in the beginning of the current fiscal forwarded to field officers a list of cases in which prosecution could be filed.

Besides, a list of potential cases of prosecution for TDS default was uploaded on the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) portal in October, 2016. "The figures of prosecution are not being compiled from all the charges within your region and reported to the Board.

Complete and correct reports in this regard should be submitted to the Board after taking into account data from Investigation Directorate, Central TDS, LTU, International Taxation," Chandra said in the letter.
Mumbai: The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Police caught hold of a Punjabi film producer on Saturday who is allegedly involved in an international drug racket. Yadvinder Basrao, aka Pinky Basrao, had allegedly smuggled 5 kilograms of Mephodrone (popularly known as meow meow) worth 1.5 Cr to two people whom he mentioned during his interrogation and were taken into custody.

The police revealed that Basrao has taken a few other names from the film industry who are associated with the drug syndicate.

On Saturday, the ANC arrested the owner of an international courier agency, Sunil Dhutiya and Vicky Nadar in Andheri and recovered 1 kilo of meow meow from them. During the interrogation Nadar and Dhutiya revealed that they have been involved in the business for quite sometime now and supplied meow meow to many people in Andheri area and it was Basrao who Dhutiya had received around 5 kilos of meow meow from. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (ANC), Shivdeep Lande, had formed a special team to catch Basrao red-handed who had fled to Chennai by then. According to police, the producer had been to Delhi earlier this week.

Basrao, who was living out of his bag, was nabbed from a hotel and remanded in police custody till March 14.

In order to escape police, the producer was living out of his bag and had no house of his own in any part of the country. He does not have a house anywhere in the country, a police officer reportedly told a leading daily.

The officer also revealed that the producers dream of funding two more films got the better of him and he gave in to the lure. He has told us that he was working on a film based on a religious epic and there was shortage of funds. He was in talks with another director to make a movie. He claimed that to fund these movies he started supplying narcotics, the officer reportedly said.

Before turning into a Producer, Basrao was an RTO agent who moved to Canada and returned to India a few years later. In 2008, a film named Yaariyan, Gurdas Mann and Om Puri, was produced by Basrao under the banner Pinky Basrao Films.
The actress has given a conscious priority to the West post her success in Hollywood.

Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra has given a strict diktat to her industry folks to meet her when they are in America. The actress has given a conscious priority to the West post her success in Hollywood.

The actress had confessed on Koffee with Karan that she insists on everyone she knows meet her when they are in the US.

The latest to hangout with PeeCee is none other than Aishwaryaa Dhanush.

Aishwaryaa, whos the daughter of Superstar Rajinikanth and wife of actor Dhanush had been in the West to perform during a UN address.

They took to their respective Twitter feeds to talk about their meeting.

Aishwaryaa's Bharatnatyam performance on International Womens Day had received a lot of backlash on Twitter. As soon as a clip of her dance performance found its way on to the internet, the filmmaker was immediately panned for allegedly mediocre gig.
Mumbai: While promoting her upcoming film, Vidya Balan had an amazing time when she met her 100-year old fan. Reportedly, Vidyas fan Jayanti, who is 100 years old, revealed that he had watched her film Parineeta over a 100 times. Jayanti even flew all the way to Mumbai from Kolkata to celebrate his 100th birthday in the most fantastic way.

Overwhelmed Vidya, took some time off and met her fan. The actress greeted him with a warm hug. The actress expressed her experience as a blessing to have met her true fan.

On work front, Vidya Balan is gearing up for her upcoming film Begum Jaan, which is said to be one of the most realistic films in current times. Vidya will be seen playing a character with grey shades in the movie. Its been helmed by National Award winning director Srijit Mukherji.

The film is a Hindi adaptation of the Bengali movie, Rajkahini, and will see Vidya playing the role of a brothels madam during the partition of India. The film, featuring Naseeruddin Shah and Gauhar Khan in key roles, is slated to release on April 14.
In a news that sent shock waves across Tollywood, producer Dil Rajus wife Anitha passed away due to a cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Saturday evening. She was just 46. That the credit presented by Smt Anitha appeared in the beginning of every film made under Dil Rajus Sri Venkateswara Creations, shows how close he was to his wife.

Dil Raju wasnt in Hyderabad; he has been away since the last week of February when he left to Abu Dhabi for the shoot of his next production venture Duvvada Jagganadham, starring Allu Arjun. He later went to monitor another upcoming project Fida starring Varun Tej. As soon as he got the news, he left for Hyderabad. He should arrive by 8 pm on Sunday, we were told by a source close to him at the time of going to print. His brother Sirish arrived in Hyderabad on Sunday afternoon.Condolences from the industry insiders have been pouring in ever since.
Kathmandu: Human trafficking is catastrophe that is plaguing people across the world and people in economically backward areas are ending up as soft targets by trafficking. Women are being trafficked from countries like Nepal and areas like West Bengal and Bihar in India among others, organ trafficking is another aspect of this trade.

According to a report by Indian journalist Soma Basu for Youth Ki Awaaz, traffickers are now running a shocking scam with women from Nepal first being trafficked to Mumbai and their skin being removed in order to sell across the country. This skin is being used for penis and breast enlargement across the globe.

A 100-inch square path is sold to pathology labs in India for Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000, and its then exported to US based firms that manufacture skin and tissue derivatives for cosmetic surgeries. The skin tissues are also used for lip augmentation and plastic surgeries, services for which India has become a new market.

The trade is so lucrative with a high demand for human tissues that many people have rapidly joined it and the network is growing rapidly. Brothels in Mumbai and other parts of India are the skin factories catering to this rising demand since women are afraid to complain as they have seen others being killed or tortured for refusing.

Sedating women is a way to remove skin and it's routine in brothels where women are drugged and tied to beds if a client wants to try something adventurous. When the skin is missing, women just assume that the client might have done it.

Womens rights activists have expressed outrage over this since Nepal is one of the worst hit by trafficking in the world, with girls being trafficked to brothels in India.
The racket has a well established structure of kingpins, smugglers, and peddlers. Kingpins are hiding in Mumbai and Goa, while smugglers come to Hyderabad by bus or train to hand over drugs to peddlers, who are mostly Africans living in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad: A new drug mafia based in Mumbai and Goa has expanded its tentacles to Hyderabad, as demand for costly party drugs had peaked in the city. Senior police officials say the two Nigerians, who were arrested this week, were part of a much bigger mafia than what the police suspected.

Days before Holi, the demand for Charlie (Cocaine) surged in Hyderabad, and the drug was being smuggled from Mumbai, Pune and Goa. Sources said that Hyderabads rich customers prefer to buy from Africans as they deliver quality stuff unlike locals, who often adulterate it. Besides cocaine, MDMA is also smuggled to Hyderabad by the gang.

The racket has a well established structure of kingpins, smugglers, and peddlers. Kingpins are hiding in Mumbai and Goa, while smugglers come to Hyderabad by bus or train to hand over drugs to peddlers, who are mostly Africans living in Hyderabad. We arrested two peddlers. The others are at large, said DCP B. Limba Reddy of the commissioner's task force.

The smugglers leave Hyderabad without leaving any trace after handing over packages to peddlers. While delivering drugs to customers the peddlers are extremely cautious. They delete their customers number soon after they make calls, Reddy said.

But police could collect call data with the help of service providers to understand the customer base in Hyderabad. Most of them are rich. Techies, businessmen and students are in the list. We are checking everyone and trying to track them down, a senior police official said.

One gram Cocaine costs around Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 in Hyderabad. So it is easy to conclude that people who shell out that much regularly for drugs must be the rich, said Limba Reddy.

The police has also collected details of many pub crawling youths who were regular customers of these peddlers. These established customers help the mafia to increase customer base, said another official.

Sources from a weekend party circle say that Cocaine is now easily available.
Imphal (Manipur): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs, along with the MLAs of other parties in Manipur met state Governor Najma Heptulla on Sunday to stake claim to form the government.

The development came after National Peoples Party (NPP) of Manipur on Sunday pledged support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

NPP president Conrad Sangma said while announcing support, National Peoples' Party is in alliance with BJP at the Centre. It was natural for us to work with them in Manipur too.

The NPP secured 4 seats in the recent Assembly elections in the state, results of which were announced on Saturday. The BJP has won on 21 seats, while the majority mark is 31.

The Naga Peoples Front (NPF), with 4 seats, has already said that it would support BJP. In addition to this, the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP), an alliance partner of BJP at the Centre, won 1 seat in the recently concluded elections.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Shyamkumar Singh from Andro assembly constituency in Manipur defected from Congress and joined BJP on Sunday. With this, BJP reached the magic figure of 31 needed to form a government in the state.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav had earlier said that the party would approach Manipur governor Najma Heptulla to form a government with the support of NPP, NPF and LJP.

The Congress, which is currently in power in Manipur, won 28 states in the recently concluded state elections, losing 19 seats from the last polls held in 2012.
Chandigarh: After guiding Congress to a thumping victory in the state Assembly polls, senior party leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab on March 16.

Talking to media outside Punjab Raj Bhawan here today, he said that he will go to Delhi on March 14 to meet Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and discuss formation of the new government.

The oath taking ceremony will take place on March 16, he said.

However, the scion of erstwhile Patiala Royal family refused to comment on the number of ministers who will be part of the new cabinet. He said the Congress government will be accountable to the people of the state.

Amarinder earlier held an official meeting with Governor V P Singh Badnore for staking claims to form the new government in the state.

He was also unanimously elected as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader by the newly-elected party MLAs in a meeting held at party office here today.

Navjot Singh Sidhu (Amritsar East), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantt), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar East) were some of the newly-elected MLAs present at the meeting.

Congress ended the SAD-BJP combine's ten year regime by registering a thumping win by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-third majority.

Rookie Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) managed to get 20 seats, while SAD-BJP won 18 seats in the state polls. Two seats went into the kitty of AAP's ally lok Insaf Party (LIP).

The winning margin of Amarinder from Patiala seat was the highest in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. He won convincingly with a margin of 52,407 votes after defeating his nearest rival AAP candidate Balbir Singh.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav coming out after submitting his resignation to Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik at Governor House in Lucknow on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)

Lucknow: With Akhilesh Yadav's experiments at the hustings backfiring, voices of dissent have started surfacing in the SP with some leaders demanding that the old order under party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav be restored.

The Samajwadi Party could manage only 47 seats, 177 down from its 2012 tally of 224 seats.

Party leaders, specially the ones who have been close to Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Singh, want Akhilesh Yadav to hand over the reins of the party to his father.

"Akhileshji had asked for control of the party only till elections, citing them as his exam and now that he has failed in it he should hand over the leadership to Netaji," a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.

Despite reservations expressed by his father, Akhilesh had gone ahead with a pre-poll alliance with the Congress with an aim of undoing the damage caused to the party's public image after the long-run family feud.

Akhilesh felt that Congress could help it consolidate the crucial Muslim vote, which accounts for over 18 per cent of the population and check the march of BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It was also Akhilesh who shunned the mafias and criminal elements and played the development card to the hilt, assuming that the electorate specially youth will fall for it.

"We had taken care of the party after big reverses in the wake of Ayodhya movement and we can do it once again ... we also promise to take care of Akhilesh's future", he said adding that the party should be allowed to work in the directions and guidance of netaji.

Former SP spokesman and founder member of the party CP Rai said those who have won the elections for the party are mostly the ones who had been given tickets by Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav.

"Barring the two or three candidates all those who have won are those who had been picked up by Netaji and Shivpalji ... ticket distribution was also an issue of contention ...Shivpal won the seat comfortably even though all out efforts were made to stop his march to the vidhan sabha," Rai said.

"The SP patron's rally in Jaunpur for Parasnath Yadav helped him win the seat despite the fact that he was not comfortably placed earlier...this goes on to prove the hold of

Mulayam Singh," Rai said.

The party, however, lost the Lucknow Cantt seat where the former SP chief addressed a rally for his daughter-in-law

Aparna Yadav but the party had no base, Rai said.

Another SP leader Madhukar Jaitely also aired similar views demanding more power to party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"Mulayam's honour should be restored. He wanted to campaign for the party... the happenings in the party in past six months were also the reason of party's defeat," Jaitley said.

Specially critical of Ram Gopal Yadav, Rai said that he had emereged as the 'Chanakya' in the party and he needs to follow what he had been preaching.

"Either he should atone for his wrongdoings or the party should give him the same treatment that he used to give others and both he and Akhilesh should own up for the loss", Rai said.

Party insiders said that after every defeat, Ram Gopal used to seek the records booth-wise and "harass" those on whose booths the performance of the party was not upto the mark.

Recalling the allegation of Mulayam Singh that Ram Gopal is hand-in-glove with the BJP and is ruining the future of Akhilesh Yadav, Rai said poll results have given more strength to these doubts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses supporters at the party headquarters to celebrate victory in UP and Uttarakhand Assembly elections, in New Delhi on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a road show in Delhi on Sunday to celebrate the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s astounding victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

The 1-kilometre long road show concluded at the BJP headquarters in the nations capital, where party workers and leaders have assembled in large numbers.

Following the road show, Modi addressed BJP workers and supporters at an event organised in his honour at the Delhi HQ.

Highlights of the event:

"We should be humble after the massive victory, and use

this as a platform to serve the people," Modi said.

this as a platform to serve the people," Modi said. In a conciliatory gesture, Modi said that the BJP government works for not just those who voted for them, but also those who did not. "This government belongs to all Indians, those who are with us and those who are against us. To those who supported us and those who didn't," Modi stated.

The Prime Minister also claimed that India now had a PM who was often asked, "Why do you work so much?"

Modi said that though the government may make mistakes as 'we are only human', there will be no malafide intention in its actions.

The 66-year-old Prime Minister thanked the voters of all 5 states which went to the polls, and said the Centre would leave 'no stone unturned' for the betterment of these states.

Modi claimed that the support the BJP was getting from the people of India was increasing over time.

"Whether it is the Jan Sangh or the BJP, this is the biggest, most comprehensive mandate we have got to run the country. This is a golden era in the history of BJP," Modi said. He added that this golden era has come about as a result of long years of hard work and sacrifice.

Stating that India is a country where 65 per cent of the people are under the age of 35, Modi said, "It is now an India of dreams for the youth, of the youth".

Modi claimed that instead of asking for help, the poor in India now ask what work they can do for the country. "All they need are opportunities," PM said.

"We are witnessing a new India, and this victory is a step forward in achieving our aim of success and development," Modi said.

Addressing the gathering, Modi said, "Sometimes there are many reasons why a party wins an election. But such a victory is causing all political pundits to think again and again."

BJP won't break the belief of millions who have put trust in the party. We will win the 2019 elections too," the BJP chief claimed.

"With the help of demonetisation we were able to connect with the poor and deprived section of our society. This is a government of the poor, of Dalits, women, of everyone," Amit Shah said.

Hailing Modi, BJP President Amit Shah said that the mandate people have given to Modi in UP is 'two steps ahead' of the mandate he received in the 2014 general elections.

As Modi reached the BJP headquarters, legions of supporters greeted him, chanting 'Har Har Modi'. BJP workers and fans showered the PM with flowers.

#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a warm welcome as he arrives at BJP HQ in Delhi, greets the crowd #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/scZMAbe9Qv  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

The BJP won the most important state in the Hindi heartland with an over three-fourths majority, capturing 312 of the 403 Assembly seats and decimating the SP-Congress combine as well as Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Earlier today, Modi tweeted, thanking people for the immense win.

"A new India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development," Modi tweeted.

"When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud," he added.

The BJP Parliamentary board met at the 22, Ashoka Road headquarters to select Chief Ministers for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The party also staked claim to form governments in Goa and Manipur, after getting support from allies.
Raipur: After paying a visit to Narayana Hospital in Raipur where the CRPF personnel, injured in a Maoist attack, are undergoing treatment, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday announced that Rs. 1 crore would be provided as compensation to the deceased.

"We have decided that a total compensation to kin of the soldiers who were killed in the attack shouldn't be less than Rs. 1 crore under any circumstances," Singh said.

He also assured that the country would not let the soldier's sacrifice go in vain and said that a heavy retaliation would be given to the Maoists.

"We want to assure the country that martyrdom of our soldiers will not go in vain. We are confident that we'll be able to control the activities of Maoists," Singh said.

At least 12 personnel of the 219-battalion from the CRPF were killed and six others critically injured in a Maoist attack near Bhejji in Sukma district, earlier on Saturday.
Hyderabad: Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today attributed the victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly polls to Prime Minister Narendra Modis good governance and various welfare measures.

"It is an unprecedented and historic victory and a reflection on PM Modi's good governance and zero corruption initiatives. It is victory of the Prime Minister's projects and schemes particularly for farmers, SC/ST, OBCs and Minorities," the senior BJP leader and Secunderabad MP told reporters here.

He claimed that "The same trend will continue in the 2019 general elections."

Dattatreya appealed to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and leaders of all political parties to give up their "negative" attitude towards the PM and join hands for development of the country.

He congratulated Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and party workers for the resounding win in the Assembly elections.

Dattatreya exuded confidence that BJP will replicate its performance in Odisha, Telangana, Karnataka and strengthen party organisation in other states.
City residents Mehreen Noor and Syeda Hina Fathima have moved a petition in the Hyderabad High Court against the triple talaq pronounced by their husbands over Whatsapp from the US. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: City residents Mehreen Noor and Syeda Hina Fathima have moved a petition in the Hyderabad High Court against the triple talaq pronounced by their husbands over Whatsapp from the US. The petitioners said that the Supreme Court in Shamim Ara v State of UP and the High Courts of Allahabad, Bombay and Madras had ruled that pronouncing talaq unilaterally without counselling and without giving reasons was bad in law and in violation of the Constitution.

The petitioners alleged that they were subjected to mental and physical torture by their husbands and in-laws. They said that the Sharia did not accept the form of divorce their husbands had adopted. Urging the court to direct the police to give them and their parents protection, the petitioners asked the court to order the authorities to frame guidelines to protect married Muslim women from the illegal method of triple talaq.
Hyderabad: In a wide-ranging opinion piece for Al Jazeera, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has claimed that the British  during their rule  were responsible for the deaths of at least 35 million Indians.

Mr Tharoor, also the author of An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India, has been spearheading the demand for an official apology from the British for atrocities committed during the Raj.

Two years ago, at an Oxford Union debate, he had called for reparations from Britain to its former colonies. He has also in the past referred to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as a thoroughly unpleasant scoundrel, and explained why the British were also behind the proliferation of certain engineered social evils such as the caste system in India.

Sir Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of Britain from 1940 to 1945 and again, from 1951 to 1955. In the Al Jazeera column, the member of Parliament suggested Victoria Memorial in Kolkata be turned into a museum displaying the truth of the British Raj.

This famous monument stands testimony to the glorification of the British Raj in India. It is time that it be converted to serve as a reminder of what was done to India by the British, who conquered one of the richest countries in the world (27 per cent of global gross domestic product in 1700) and reduced it to, after over two centuries of looting and exploitation, one of the poorest, most diseased and most illiterate countries on Earth by the time they left in 1947, he wrote.

Mr Tharoor also deplored present-day Britains ignorance of actual war crimes committed by its Rajera officials and soldiers and slammed what he described was the original Brexit. He insisted there be a memorial remembering the lives lost during the turbulent occupation.

Nor is there any memorial to the massacres of the Raj, from Delhi in 1857 to Amritsar in 1919, the deaths of 35 million Indians in totally unnecessary famines caused by British policy, or the divide and rule policy that culminated in the horrors of Partition in 1947 when the British made their shambolic and tragic Brexit from the subcontinent. The lack of such a museum is striking, he wrote in the Al Jazeera piece.

Several of Mr Tharoors articles and speeches on the subject have gone viral online  triggering mass support in India, for a British apology. In fact, he suggested earlier this year that 2019  the year marking the centenary of the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre  will be a good time for Britain to apologise for all wrongs committed during its 200-year rule on India.

Appearing on Sky News, the Parliamentarian said India had played a critical role in the wars fought by Britain.
Rameswaram: Fishermen who have been agitating over the killing of their colleague allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy have decided to withdraw their six-day old protest on Monday following an assurance by Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman (Commerce and Industry) and Pon Radhakrishnan (Road transport, highways and shipping), in this pilgrim town on Sunday.

According to Arulanandam, president of the fishermen Struggle Committee who held talks with the two ministers at a hotel here, both had assured that the fishermens demands would be met. Following this, they decided to call off their agitation by Monday evening after the funeral of the slain fisherman Britjo was performed. He was shot dead on March 6 allegedly by the Lankan Navy personnel while fishing in a mechanised boat off Katchatheevu islet.

The fishermen have been protesting since March 7, refusing to receive the body of the youth unless a Central Minister visited the island and assured that such incidents would not recur. Earlier in the day, the Commerce Minister accompanied by Mr. Radhakrishnan, visited the fishermen at nearby Thangachimadam and appealed to them and also the mother of 22-year old Britjo to end the agitation and arrange for his burial.

Later, the Ministers held talks with the leaders of the fishermen. Ramanthapuram district collector S. Natarajan and other officials were also present. Mr. Natarajan told reporters that the fishermen had agreed to withdraw the agitation on Monday after the funeral was held. Another fishermen leader P. Sesuraja said the community had already given a caon Monday. After the fast, the funeral would be held and the agitation would be withdrawn, he added.

The decision to withdraw the stir comes two days after Sri Lanka released 53 Indian fishermen, arrested in the recent past, as per a decision by the two countries to set free fishermen in each others custody to defuse the tension in the wake of Britjos killing.

Investigation into killing is on, steps will be taken to prevent killings in future: The minister told the fishermen that their grievances over such attacks would be conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will find a permanent solution to the issue. Speaking to reporters after meeting the fishermen, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman said the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo had taken up the matter with Sri Lanka within two hours of Britjo being killed.

The island nation had not kept its promise during the tripartite talks that Indian fishermen crossing the International Maritime boundary line would not be harmed, and would only be arrested.

The Indian High Commission Secretary will raise the issue of killing the fisherman at the March 16 tripartite talks, she said and added that investigation was on into the killing after which suitable steps will be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents. She said the Centre would take steps to see that those who opened fire on the fisherman were brought to justice. Discussions were also on with Sri Lanka to release the 136 boats seized by the island nation, she said.
New Delhi: Initial investigation into Chhattisgarhs Sukma Naxal attack, in which 12 CRPF personnel were killed on Saturday, have revealed that it was extremely brutal and lethal in which the Maoists not only used arrowhead explosives and IEDs, but they also stabbed the security personnel repeatedly with sharp-edged weapons.

This was one of the deadliest Naxal attacks ever since the NDA government came to power in 2014. The intensity of the attack can be gauged from the fact that Naxals stabbed the CRPF personnel repeatedly to ensure that they were dead, a senior security official said.

First, the Naxals used IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and shot several rounds at the CRPFs road-opening party, following which they stabbed the security personnel. Such brutality by Naxals has not been seen in recent times, the official added. The incident took place in South Bastars Sukma, which is a stronghold of the Naxals.

The Central Reserve Police Forces road-opening team had gone there to secure an under-construction road between Bhejji and Kokacherru. Rajnath Singh has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore to each of the slain CRPF personnels kin.
New Delhi/Lucknow: Possibilities of Mr Akhilesh Yadav creating history by becoming the first Chief Minister to get a second consecutive term in nearly three decades in Uttar Pradesh sunk without a trace.

Yet, unlike Ms Mayawati, one cannot write the political obituary of Mr Akhilesh Yadav with ground reports showing that the young leader enjoys widespread goodwill in his state.

However, Mr Akhilesh Yadav, who had emerged the boss of his party after a bitter battle with his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav, failed to encash this goodwill into votes.

This was the partys worst performance in 25 years of its existence. The SP had won 224 seats in 2012 when Mr Akhilesh Yadav was made chief minister.

Sources in the SP said the two key factors which could have contributed to the rout were the tie-up with Congress and the bitter factional fight with Mr Shivpal Yadav, who is seen to be a strong grassroots leader.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had fought the elections on the development plank and ran a media blitzkrieg showcasing his government's achievements, which included promises of free laptops and smartphones. But the people seem to have decided it was too little too late.

Apparently many of his voters could not accept the way he sidelined Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Shivpal Yadav and took over the reigns of the party. Moreover, the new SP presidents decision to deny tickets to his fathers loyalists and forge an alliance with the Congress also disturbed the party cadres.

Mr Akhilesh Yadav, who handed over his resignation after the humiliating defeat, said that the BJP had won by misleading the voters and sided with BSP chief Mayawati who raised questions over EVMs. I think in a democracy you get vote not by samjhana (making people understand) but by behkana (misguiding), he told a press conference here. There were massive crowds in my rallies. I did not expect such a thing will happen. I hope the next government will work better than SP government. The people might not have liked my expressway and they voted for the bullet train, he said.

Even as he accepted the verdict of the people, Mr Akhilesh Yadav said: I will do analysis at the booth level. I will accept the responsibility after analysing the reasons of the defeat at booth level.
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday attributed the landslide victory for BJP in UP to Hindutva card played by it coupled with an anti-incumbency sentiment against Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and his team, and ruled out a wave in favour of PM Modi. He told the media here the anti-incumbency factor was common in most of the states where polls were held recently. He, however, rejected questions whether the same fate awaits the Congress party next year saying we have done exceptionally good work, and our schemes have helped beneficiaries from all castes. So, it will not be as easy as BJP leaders are thinking. It seems these leaders have not forgotten the sins they committed while in power

Mr Siddaramaiah refused to acknowledge that the duo of Modi-Shah worked wonders for BJP in UP and Uttarakhand. If there was a so-called Modi wave, BJP should have retained power in Punjab and Goa and formed government in Manipur, but Congress staged a come- back in the first two states, while in the last one, it is poised to make a come-back for fourth term in a row. It is polarization of votes because they played the Hindutva card extensively.
Bengaluru: Union Minister H. N. Ananth Kumar said on Saturday the outcome of Assembly polls in UP and other states might lead to a Sonia-Rahul mukt Congress, adding the two leaders have become a "liability to the party.

The way Rahul got defeated, there may be a move towards Sonia-Rahul Gandhi mukt Congress. It will start in a big way. Rather than adding, they have become a big liability, said Mr Kumar, adding the countdown has started. Asked why he was saying so and if it was even conceivable for the Congress to do it, Mr Kumar said, it is a question of their survival. The countdown for the dynasty has started. The writing on the wall is very clear. After the advent of Mr Modi, there is no place for corruption, criminalisation of politics and dynastic politics, he told PTI here. On the election results, he said from day one prelude to the 2014 Lok Sabha poll campaign, PM Modi had been talking about Congress mukt Bharat which is now being pursued to its logical conclusion.

The people have come to the conclusion that elections will not be based on caste equations or other considerations but it will be aspirational elections. Mr Modi should be credited for heralding aspirational politics, he said. People want good governance and pro-people activities. Modi has become an icon of aspirational politics, he said, citing his work as the Gujarat chief minister and the prime minister. People of Uttar Pradesh have rejected Mayawati's BSP, Akhilesh Yadav's SP and Rahuls Congress lock, stock and barrel, he said, adding there was a "palpable, visible Modi wave" in the run-up to the elections in that state. He termed the mandate as decisive, which had sent a strong signal that the people had endorsed outright Modi's demonetisation move and voted for his crusade against corruption, black money and terrorism.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board will meet on Sunday evening in New Delhi to decide the names of the Chief Ministers in the states where it has got the majority to form the government.

The party has performed well in the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

Briefing media in New Delhi, party President Amit Shah had on Saturday said the Chief Ministers would be chosen on the basis of merit and capability.

Shah also informed that ahead of the Parliamentary Board meeting, the party workers would felicitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership resulting in overwhelming victory in the state assembly polls.

The BJP had not announced a candidate for CMs post before the polls, and several leaders are said to be in the fray. Names of some Union ministers from the state, including Uma Bharti and Mahesh Sharma, are also doing the rounds.

The BJP could consider Bharti, who belongs to the backward Lodh caste, for the post of CM considering the massive mandate it received from the backward castes.

There is still a growing demand for Union home minister Rajnath Singh to be the chief minister of UP. He has been CM of the state in the past  between 2000 and 2002  during the BJPs last tenure in power in UP.

A BJP veteran, Rajnath has good ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and has popular following in the state. Rajnath could be acceptable to different religious and caste groups too as he is considered a moderate leader.

There have been reports suggesting Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath as a possible contender for the CMs post in UP.

UP BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya, who comes from a backward community and was closely associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) during the Ram Mandir agitation, also seems to be in the fray for the crucial post in the state. His appointment as BJP state chief was aimed at garnering support from the non-Yadav OBCs in the state. However, his lack of experience at the top level can go against him.

While these leaders are touted to be the top contenders for the CMs post in UP, the suspense can be put to an end only by an announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has a penchant to spring surprises.
Chennai: The state unit of the BJP, which went into a celebratory mood rejoicing the stunning saffron sweep in the north Indian states on Saturday, said the party's performance in the north has invigorated the party in facing the upcoming local bodies polls and byelection to the R. K. Nagar Assembly constituency.

We will go to the civic polls and R.K. Nagar byelection with more enthusiasm, which the poll outcome in Uttar Pradesh and other states has given us, BJP state president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan said. Speaking to reporters here on Saturday she said after the demonetisation drive, BJPs performance in the civic elections in several states, including Maharashtra and Odisha, showed that people are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The huge increase in tally in the number of legislators will translate into more MPs for the party in Rajya Sabha and it will in turn help pass legislations swiftly for peoples welfare, she said and lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah for the poll wins. Political opponents who claimed that BJP would be shunted out in the polls after demonetisation, have been proved wrong.

Dr Tamilisai said since 1967, the people of Tamil Nadu have been witnessing corrupt governance alternately by Dravidian parties viz. the AIADMK and DMK and hence they are ready to give the BJP an opportunity.

The electorate would not favour Dravidian parties. On the recent killing of a Rameswaram fisherman, the BJP leader said it was very unfortunate and that her party was committed to the welfare of fishermen.

Seventy-five fishermen have been released by Sri Lanka. Do not try to judge our party by a single incident. In the past two-and-a-half years, this is the first (killing) such incident to happen. Also, this will be the last such thing, Dr Tamilisai said.
Chennai: Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin on Saturday complained that the centre had not come forward to condemn the killing of fisherman Britjo and said no one from the External ministry including officials or minister of state had visited the protesting fishermen to know their views.

Stalin who went to Thangachimadam met the relatives of Britjo and conveyed his condolences. Later, addressing the protesters, he said the parents of Britjo who refused to take the solatium of Rs 5 lakh told him that such incidents should not occur in future and the rights of fishermen are more important than money.

Recalling that he had written a letter to External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, he said party MP Tiruchy N. Siva had submitted a copy of the letter to the office of the External Ministry. DMK MP Kanimozhi had raised the issue in Parliament and a discussion on the subject could be allowed on March 13, he said.

The DMK working president said either the External Affairs minister or the Union Minister of State under her or the officials should have come and met the protesting fishermen. He recalled that when two Kerala fishermen were shot dead by an Italian ship, the centre took stern action, but the centre remains silent when fishermen of Tamil Nadu are killed.

The state government had not exerted pressure on the centre to act, he complained and added that the retrieval of Katchatheevu would be only solution to the problem.

Election results due to anti-incumbency: Stalin

Attributing the results of Assembly elections in five states to anti-incumbency factor, DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Saturday said the same trend would be seen when Assembly elections are held in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to the media, he also greeted the parties which have won the elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

DMK urges EC to transfer CoP to ensure fair bypoll

DMK on Saturday urged the Election Commission of India to shift S. George, Chennai Commissioner of Police to ensure free and fair polls to RK Nagar bypoll on April 12.

Submitting a petition to the Election Commission, DMK MP R.S. Bharathi alleged that George would support all sorts of malpractices to favour the ruling AIADMK.

He said there is a fight between two groups of the ruling party and so, the ruling faction is relying on their loyalist George who would dance to their tunes, he said.

He said RK Nagar is a sensitive area and therefore the ruling party has plans to unleash violence and indulge in corrupt practices including distribution of cash for votes, besides distribution of gifts.

The DMK also alleged that George accepted the orders of the Assembly secretary on February 18 and directed his subordinates to enter the Assembly and evict the DMK MLAs.

The party also said the ruling party had promised to appoint him as the Director General of Police for his loyalty.

The petitioner said there are reports that George did not attend the phone call of former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam when the latter was in charge and such reports show his loyalty to the faction led by V.K. Sasikala, the letter claimed.
New Delhi/Lucknow: After Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the worst hit in the current round of Assembly election is BSP supremo Mayawati. It could be the end of the road for the dalit czarina, the worst hit in the Modi tsunami in Uttar Pradesh.

Ms Mayawati has been out of power for nearly10 years now. This is the third successive defeat for her party since she lost power to the Samajwadi Party in the 2012 Assembly polls and was subsequently routed in the Lok Sabha polls.

If the BSP fails to make inroads in the 2019 general elections then her political survival would be at stake. This year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll drubbing is also expected to create further divisions in her loyal Dalit caste base, with the non-Jatav already gravitating towards the BJP.

Ms Maywati, who had built the party organization in Uttar Pradesh brick by brick with tremendous public outreach in the initial days, has been later accused of having become inaccessible and building a coterie around herself.

The BSP was also the last one among all parties to latch on to the social media.

After the death of BSP founder and her mentor Kanshi Ram in 2006, Mayawati had formed its first majority government in 2007 on the Dalit-Brahmin social engineering formula.

But she has failed to hold on to her vote bank thereafter and the party's fortune have been dipping ever since. The BSP managed to get merely 21 seats in the UP Assembly in 2012 and could not win a single seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Her wooing of the Muslims this time by giving them 100 seats also seems to have backfired. Her assertion during election speeches that Muslims should vote for BSP in order to keep the BJP at bay apparently led to reverse polarization of Hindus, which worked in the BJP's favour.

This is evident by the defeat of two of the three members of the Mukhtar Ansari's family in their own bastion. The BSP also suffered on account of allegations of corruption that were leveled against the party leadership by leaders who walked out of the BSP.

The allegations gained credibility as leaders, one after another, walked out of the party and spoke of tickets being sold for a price.
Panaji: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday met Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, with MLAs of the BJP and other parties, to stake claim to form the government.

With this, Parrikar looks likely to become the Chief Minister of Goa. For this, he would have to resign his post as Union Defence Minister.

The BJP in Goa had on Sunday unanimously passed a resolution electing Parrikar as the legislature party leader.

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) had said that it would support the BJP in the state in its efforts to form a government, only if Parrikar was made the Chief Minister.

The BJP has 13 MLAs in Goa after the results of the Assembly elections were announced on Saturday. On Sunday, Parrikar met the Governor with the BJP MLAs, 3 MLAs of MGP, 3 Goa Forward Party MLAs and 3 Independent MLAs, thus taking its number up to 22 in the 40-member Assembly.

Speaking about the developments, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said to ANI, MGP and Goa Forward Party said during our discussions that only if Manohar Parrikar becomes Goa CM candidate, then we will support BJP.

However, he added, Parrikar will have to resign as Defence Minister before becoming Goa CM, but he has not done it yet.

This is a mandate given by the people, though we fell short of majority. Together we have completed the magic figure of 21, Parrikar said addressing the media later.

We met the Governor, and we are expecting an invitation. Once we receive it, we will consult our colleagues and decide the date for swearing in, Parrikar added.

The Congress, which won 17 seats in Goa, will thus once again have to sit in the Opposition, after doing so from 2012 to 2017.
Chennai: The BJPs spectacular win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand signifies peoples clear mandate for Prime Minister Narendra Modis development initiatives and the saffron partys winning streak will continue in Tamil Nadu too, said Union minister of state for road transport, highways and whipping Pon Radhakrishnan.

The BJPs stunning performance in the northern states will reflect in Tamil Nadu too. The party's winning streak will be repeated in the local bodies elections and in the coming Assembly and Parliament elections, Mr Radhakrishnan said. Speaking to this correspondent on Saturday, he said, People voted the BJP for development. No other PM in India has taken development on fast track mode as our Modiji did.

The next Assembly election will see non-DMK and non-AIADMK, party emerge to the fore to rule the state and our BJP is working in that direction. Tamil Nadu will see BJP rule and not Kazhagam rule in future, Radhakrishnan added.

The BJPs victory in the biggest state in India shows that the people have rejected the religious and caste outfits by giving a clear mandate to Modi's development, BJP national secretary H. Raja said.

The party has won in Uttar Pradesh after 15 years. We have won 80 per cent seats in UP and Uttarakhand. Those parties that played the religion and caste cards were rejected by the people. In Manipur, our party has for the first time emerged to the first place from zero. In Punjab, we are emerging as major Opposition and we will form the government in Goa, he said.
Hyderabad: Muslim reservations will be the new poll weapon for the BJP as it looks to spread its wings in TS at the expense of the ruling TRS in the run-up to the 2019 general elections.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced that the Act increasing Muslim quota from 4 to 12 per cent will be passed in the ongoing Budget session itself.

The BJP has decided to oppose this tooth and nail and hold massive rallies to garner support of people across the state against religious reservations.

Fresh from the landslide victory in UP, the BJP, which is traditionally weak in TS, is preparing the ground to build strength for the 2019 elections by declaring war against dynastic and family rule of the TRS.

Party leaders say the BJP had succeeded in removing Maa-Beta ki sarkar in 2014 in Delhi (referring to Sonia-Rahul) and Baap-Beta ki sarkar in UP now (referring to Mulayam-Akhilesh in UP) and will repeat the story in TS in 2019 by dethroning TRS, in which the baap, beta aur beti call the shots.

BJP national president Amit Shah addressed two public meetings in Suryapet and Warangal in 2016. In Warangal, he labelled TRS government as the most corrupt in the country and accused the CM of being scared of MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. KCR ji, it is not Owaisi who made you CM, but the people of Telangana, he had said.

In Suryapet, the BJP chief accused the TRS government of misusing Central funds, saying, Central funds up to Rs 90,000 crore sent to Telangana for various schemes have not reached the people.

While Amit Shah raised the pitch against the TRS with his fiery speeches which prompted TRS leaders to lash out at the BJP, the situation changed in November 2016 following demonetisation as the CM strongly supported the move. However, the BJPs stunning performance in recent Assembly elections, especially in UP, changed its point of view on regional parties. The party is keen to establish its political supremacy in all states before 2019.

Muslim quota is totally unconstitutional. We will strongly oppose religious reservations. We will lead a massive movement on the lines of Telangana movement against Muslim quota. We have already launched a state-wide signature campaign against it to gather public support, which has been receiving overwhelming response. We will take to the streets against Muslim quota, if the Act is passed, said BJP leader G. Kishan Reddy.

He expressed confidence that the BJP-led government at Centre will not approve reservations based on religion. The BJP has also decided to take up agitation programmes against forcible acquisition of land for irrigation projects and failure of TRS government in delivering on its major poll promises of 2BHK houses for the poor and free three acres of land for all Dalit families.
Hyderabad: Anticipating the states revenues to increase significantly in 2017-18 due to GST expectedly coming into force from July 1, the TS government has decided to present a bigger Budget than last year. The 2017-18 Budget will be presented to the State Legislature on Monday.

The Budget size is likely to be over Rs 1.41 lakh crore against Rs 1.30 lakh crore last year. The TS Cabinet, which met at the CMs new camp office Pragathi Bhavan for first time on Sunday, approved the Budget.

Earlier, the Cabinet meetings took place in the Secretariat. Sources said the Cabinet approved the `1.41 lakh-crore Budget after finance minister Etala Rajender explained the state expected revenue collection to increase by nearly `20,000 crore since GST will improve tax compliance in the state, bringing more commercial establishments under the tax net and giving no scope for evasion.

Sources said more than the Budget, the Cabinet discussed the political impact of BJPs stunning performance in recent Assembly elections, especially in UP.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is said to have told the Cabinet that though BJP is quite weak in TS, it should not be taken lightly in wake of its superb performance in back to back elections.

He told the ministers to pull up their socks and brace up for 2019 elections by taking up extensive programmes in their constituencies after the Budget session ends.

Mr Rao felt that Karnataka Assembly elections due in early 2018 would be a key indicator of how the BJP fares in the South in 2019, especially in TS and AP.

If the BJP wrests power from the Congress in Karnataka in 2018, it would aggressively take up activities to consolidate its base in TS and AP in the election year. We need to carefully watch BJPs moves for 2019 and it should not be taken lightly, Mr Rao said.

The TRS survey on performance of ministers and MLAs also came up for discussion. Mr Rao said he would continue to order such surveys every six months in all the 119 Assembly constituencies and asked non-performers to overcome their shortcomings identified in the survey.
New Delhi: In his first address to the BJP cadre and supporters after the partys stupendous performance in the just-concluded Assembly elections in five states, in particular UP and Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that power is not an instrument to rule, but a tool of service to people.

Accused of trying to polarise elections on communal lines, Mr Modi pledged that the BJP-led government will take everybody along as in democracy, governments are formed with a majority, but run with consensus.

At the BJP headquarters, Mr Modi pitched for building a new India by 2022 that would make the nations founding fathers proud, and said he saw the results as the foundation of the new India.

India will celebrate the 75th year of Independence in 2022. Mr Modi also said these elections must be evaluated as the people voted heavily for development.
When it comes to winning elections, the sophistication and efficiency of the BJP political machinery is unmatched. Of course, Prime Minister Narendra Modis charisma provides the base, which the party leverages, to ensure that their individual candidates win. So what does this historic win  pulling in an unprecedented 77 per cent of the seats up for grabs in the UP Legislative Assembly  mean for the nation. And specifically, is UP the tail which can wag the dog? Uttar Pradesh accounts for around 12 per cent of Indias GDP but has 17 per cent of its population. If you sometimes wonder why India doesnt grow more than it does or why the existing growth is not well-distributed, look no further. UP is to blame for both negative outcomes. It pulls down national metrics on per capita income and growth. It also makes us look bad on social inclusion. Nearly a quarter of all Muslims and the poor (based on the governments poverty headcount metric) live in UP. The states poverty level, at just under 30 per cent, is the second highest in the country, after Assam. If the BJP can halve poverty in Uttar Pradesh, bringing it down from 30 to 15 per cent (same as the existing levels of poverty in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra), the national poverty ratio will fall by a massive 10 percentage points, from 22 per cent to 12 per cent. Reducing the levels of poverty in UP also has high positive externalities  particularly political. There are sizable communities of migrant workers from UP in Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi, through whom the message of achche din can travel to these metros, generating a feel good tsunami.

Consider that if the BJP can make Uttar Pradesh grow at the average rate of national GDP, it would increase the rate of growth of the national GDP by 0.5 percentage points. This additional income, even if it is proportionately distributed across the population of the poor, would reduce poverty to single digits in UP. Cynics could ask how can we be sure that the BJP will extract the potential? Others think the BJP will face headwinds while picking a chief minister, thereby risk displeasing sections of the winning rainbow coalition. The squabbling in New Delhi in 2014 is evidence that even the BJP is not immune to internal sabotage by disgruntled cadres. The BJP works best when it functions in a vertically-integrated manner  much like the Communist Party of China. Significant decisions are all made at the very top. Targets are determined for lower level formations at the state and municipal levels. These are then vigorously followed up and performance measured against targets. Now that UP is directly controlled by the BJP, the Narendra Modi performance juggernaut can be rolled out uniformly across the state.

So here are three focused ways in which the BJP can be different. First, today UP is a state which is resource poor and deficient in entrepreneurship. Out of the 100 top companies listed by market capitalisation on the Bombay Stock Exchange, only one company  Dabur India  is headquartered in UP. The Annual Survey of Industries 2014-15 lists only six per cent of the total number of factories and industrial workers, and just five per cent of industrial capital in UP. This illustrates that government efforts remain crucial, unlike in more developed states, where private sector initiatives can substitute for government efforts. The Modi magic, of revitalising the bureaucracy through direct interaction and consultation, as is now being practised at the Centre, must be institutionalised. This direct contact pattern of administration at the Centre has significantly reduced the earlier proliferation of corruption and silo-based operations. Mr Modi must return Uttar Pradesh to the real-time management of its bureaucracy, who have been sidelined and broken in spirit for too long. The State in UP has become moribund. It must be reinvented, and used as an instrument for social change.

Second, agriculture is the heartbeat of Uttar Pradesh. Poor rural infrastructure and lawlessness have constrained additional investment in agriculture. Eighty per cent of the poor also live in rural areas. Agriculture based on per drop more crop; large scale diversification to non-cereal crops and commercialisation of agriculture outside the subsidy regime format of minimum support prices; cheap fertiliser and energy can pay rich dividends. The new land leasing arrangements should be led by UP, just as Rajasthan has taken the lead in amending outdated labour laws. More urgently, crop yield is not uniform across the four sub-regions. Average agricultural productivity can be increased by 10 per cent by simply pushing up productivity in the lagging central and eastern sub-regions (which account for around one-half of total foodgrain production in UP) to the levels prevailing in the states western region, adjoining Delhi and Haryana. Finally, UP has the worst road infrastructure in North India. Power cuts are rampant, even in Noida, which is a satellite township that adjoins Delhi.

A proposal to build a regional air hub to service Agra has been gathering dust because the political alignment between the Union government in New Delhi and the state government in Lucknow was not favourable since 2002. If Delhi plans to link Myanmar and Southeast Asia by road with Afghanistan and beyond, over 700 km of this highway must pass through UP. Some of transport minister Nitin Gadkaris expertise in getting infrastructure going could be usefully applied to UP.

The BJP is known for its executive and managerial abilities; its disciplined cadre; its capacity to ramp up domestic and foreign investment and to link investment to results. Uttar Pradesh is likely to give it the biggest bang for every buck it spends, simply as the desire to do better in UP is matched only by the utter frustration of its citizens over their stagnating future prospects. If UP booms, India will follow. This is one chance that we simply must not lose.
The turmoil in the student world in India since January 2016 provides a grim warning of the dangers posed to democracy when students fall prey to extremist politics and resort to violence to silence dissent. In January last year, dalit scholar Rohith Vemula committed suicide after he was suspended by the Hyderabad University. Najeeb Ahmed, a student at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, disappeared after clashes with persons from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Since most of the recent troubles are due to the ABVPs kind of politics, one must know its background. The ABVP was set up in July 1948 by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists to escape the ban imposed on it after Mahatma Gandhis assassination. Its founder, Balraj Madhok, was a rabid politician who became president of BJP ancestor Jan Sangh. Its aim was to combat leftist student groups. It was involved in the 1951 communal riots in Jabalpur and in clashes with Shiv Sena in Mumbai. Its present agenda is to prevent any meeting or seminar that had invited persons opposed to the BJP line. The technique is uniformly deployed  object to an event on the campus; ask the college authorities to ban it; failing that, ask BJP ministers to use their clout to arrest its foes and, meanwhile, create an incident to justify attacks on the organisers of the event by ABVP goons.

The ABVP won control over the Delhi University Students Union. Its general secretary Ankit Sangwar said on Februray 27: If anyone raises a finger on [sic] this country that finger will be cut. A day later the ABVPs national media convenor Saket Bahug-una laid down the line: It is anti-national if somebody demands freedom of Kashmir [from India]. This is misuse of freedom of speech. Both remarks were made in the context of the ABVPs recourse to force at the Ramjas College, which is affiliated with the Delhi University, over two invitees to a seminar on February 22. They were JNUs Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid. Khalid faces a sedition case because of his views on Kashmir. A day earlier, ABVP men locked up the Delhi Universitys seminar hall, pelted stones in protest at the invitation and called the organisers anti-national. The Ramjas College decided to cancel the event. The ABVP succeeded. Thousands of students and teachers marched through the Delhi Universitys campus to protest against the ABVPs hooliganism and drew support from opposition MPs.

This is not student politics. It is the extension of RSS politics to the student world. It portends grave trouble, for it puts a premium on the play of lumpen elements in public life. A brave 20-year-old student Gurmehar Kaur, daughter of an Indian Army officer who fell in the Kargil war, joined the campaign for free speech, but was obliged to withdraw after threats of rape and murder. There are two aspects to the problem. One is ensuring freedom of speech on the university campus and banning of the practices which mar the working of political parties. Over a decade ago, the public was startled to find that at elections to student bodies money is spent almost as freely as in parliamentary polls. The Supreme Court appointed a committee, headed by chief election James Lyngdoh. Predictably, his recommendations on elections to student bodies were unacceptable to the student community.

On March 1, 2017, the Maharashtra University Act 2015, went into force. It will revive elect-ions on the campuses of universities in the state. What is needed is a statutory provision that guarantees freedom of speech in the university. But a wider, far more dangerous aspect cannot be tackled by legislation. It is the culture of intolerance and ready recourse to violence that has spread over the country and has also invaded university campuses. At the end it must be noted that politicians who practice violence in national politics are the very ones who use students as their instruments. The students fall in the trap  and end up aspiring to become politicians themselves.

By arrangement with the Dawn
The Comptroller and Auditor-Generals report on Air Indias health is no surprise. The essence of the report is that the national carrier has been overstating revenues and understating losses. One view is that its more the accounting procedure the airline adopts than a dressing up of its balance sheet to produce a rosy picture. The airline has been living on government funding, that could be stopped if the government acts on the CAG report. What is of concern is that there has never been any action against those who mismanaged the airline over years by buying fuel-guzzlers and then failing to find buyers when they realised their mistake.

Even the measly $329-million Air India got from Boeing as compensation over the delay in supplying aircraft, instead of $710 million it billed them for, is suspect, on whether the airline got this in cash or kind from the aircraft maker. The government must examine this kowtowing to Boeing as if Air India was a supplicant. It is unbelievable that the airline had no written deal with Boeing on compensation to be paid over delays in delivery and aircraft grounding due to technical faults. The airlines turnaround has been attempted before. What it should do now is get people in the airline business at the helm of affairs. There are top executives of the airline who have retired and who are ready to offer their services to help out Air India free of cost. But for some reason, the government seems disinclined to take up such pragmatic offers.
Holi this year has left a bitter taste in the mouth of sweet sellers. With the election results coming exactly on the eve of Holi, almost all political parties have decided against sending out the customary boxes of gujiya to their leaders, party workers, bureaucrats and journalists. Since the parties were not sure of the results and the exit polls left them even more confused, they decided to play safe and cut out the Holi hampers.

A sweetshop owner, known for his proximity to political leaders and the huge profits that he makes in every festive season, admitted: The elections came at the wrong time and took away the cheer from the Holi festival. Every leader was nervous and refused to place any orders. Our business has taken another hit after demonetisation. A senior leader who has been sending out gift hampers on every festival explained, I am not contesting the elections but I knew my party is losing. Had I sent out gujiyas, my colleagues would have said that I am celebrating their failure. Holi, obviously, has lost some of its colour, irrespective of the winner or loser in the polls.

COOKING UP A KITCHEN STORY!

Kitchens can also cook up politics. It may sound weird but a tiny kitchen room of a poor tribal in a Chhattisgarh village has set off a political debate after it hosted Chief Minister Raman Singh recently. The kitchen story, as was being painted by Opposition Congress, unfolded when the CM suddenly landed in Kediama village in Garyabandh district on March 1 during his ongoing Lok Suraj Abhiyan or good governance campaign  an annual sojourn to rural Chhattisgarh undertaken to get feedback directly from people. Mr Singh while interacting with villagers asked if they have been provided with LPG gas cylinders and burner-stoves under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. Forty-five-year-old Nandini Vishwakarma, a poor tribal woman, drew the CMs attention to a peculiar problem she was facing. Neither me, nor my husband (a farm labourer) knows how to light the stove connected to the LPG cylinder, she said.

Much to the surprise of the villagers, the CM promptly visited her kitchen and gave her a demo. Ms Vishwakarma then happily prepared black tea for him. Wah! the CM muttered after the very first sip in appreciation of the tea. Barely a couple of hours later, the photo of the CM giving the demo had gone viral in the social media. The Congress then described the whole episode as a promotional campaign for the BJP. It was a well-drafted kitchen story played out to perfection, the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman remarked.The script should have ended with: Wah Ujjawala! he quipped.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis stunning victory in Uttar Pradesh has lessons for the Indian political system and for his capacity to rule the country above the fray. He has bettered the BJPs record in the 2014 Lok Sabha election while diminishing the office of Prime Minister by his no-holds-barred campaign. Imagine the Prime Minister of India pitching his tent in Varanasi for three days for an Assembly election, throwing convention to the winds and putting his national responsibilities on the backburner. His aims were clear: to win the heartland state with an outsize influence in national politics, increase the partys strength in the Rajya Sabha and win more votes in the electoral college to choose the President and vice-president, with both posts falling vacant this year. The Congress won Punjab by a clear majority and cornered the BJP in Goa and Manipur, but performed dismally in UP, winning only seven seats despite its alliance with the Samajwadi Party of Akhilesh Yadav, who fought bravely against the BJP and his own clan, including his father and a less than faithful uncle.

Mr Modi again proved to be a superb campaigner, weaving local complaints into a larger picture of Opposition-bashing, painting himself as pro-poor and converting his demonetisation decision into an anti-rich move. In the process, he insulted and derided Opposition leaders by name in idiomatic Hindi, limiting his capacity to take the whole country with him in a future crisis. As Mr Modi basks in his triumph in Uttar Pradesh, where does it and other Assembly elections take the country, and what is the future of the Congress Party and of Rahul Gandhi, with the next general election of 2019 already casting its shadow? He sacrificed his national position in favour of attaining immediate goals, but his insults will ring in the ears of Opposition leaders long after dust has settled on a memorable election. It remains to be seen how far his conduct during the Assembly elections will impair his capacity to govern.

After the announcement of the results, it is time for introspection for the fractious Opposition parties because divisions in their ranks are the happy hunting ground for the BJP. Above all, with its poor showing in much of the country, with the exception of Punjab, the Congress is facing an existential crisis, with little time left for prevarication over reconciling the perennial dilemma of the dynasty against the heir-apparents lack of political instincts. Without the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, the party faces the real danger of splintering, and although it still has some capable young leaders, they cannot usurp the leadership role. Sonia Gandhi, still the partys titular leader, believes it is her duty to continue dynastic rule, having been married into the family. The problem for the BJP is of a very different kind: protecting the parliamentary form of government against Mr Modis preference for a presidential variety. By refusing to name a chief ministerial candidate for UP, Mr Modi emphasised his own importance in the election and the surfeit of Modi masks in the celebratory functions speak for themselves.

The BJP is still short of electoral votes to select candidates for the two high constitutional posts that will fall vacant later this year, but is better placed to bargain with the Opposition parties. The political turmoil in Tamil Nadu will play in its favour. But the absence of a recognised national Opposition leader will continue to haunt the Opposition ranks. Bihars Nitish Kumar at one time assumed this role, but the new compromises he had to make in the coalition arrangement with Lalu Prasad Yadav has somewhat diminished his stature. Mr Modi and his party have much work to do in the remaining time before the next general election. While revelling in the UP victory, they cannot afford to rest on their laurels. A nation is more than a collection of states and need the healing touch of a national leader above the fray to hum. Mr Modi will no doubt attempt to make an attempt at reconciliation, but will find the going tough, in view of the insults he has hurled at leading Opposition figures. Does the scale of the BJP triumph in UP alter the configuration of Indian politics? For one thing, the BJP must guard against over-confidence.

We know what happened to Indira Gandhi in the aftermath of the Emergency regime and of her political revival after the then Opposition, including the BJPs parent, made a mess of its golden opportunity. Mr Modis lieutenants have been unanimous in suggesting that the Centres welfare programmes for the poor, such as distribution of free cooking gas cylinders and reaching electricity to new areas, did the trick for the BJP. At the same time, the Opposition was mindful of Mr Modis flirting with the communal card in pleading for space in villages for Hindu rituals as for Muslim graves in an effort to consolidate Hindu votes. It is an old card that the BJP cannot resist playing in any election in the Hindi heartland. The next few months will be crucial in determining the direction Mr Modi will take in seeking to alter the countrys political arithmetic. A key element will be the pace at which the BJP will seek to Hinduise UP, which has a substantial Muslim population and the tradition of strong clan leaders ruling their bailiwicks without official intervention and often with official connivance. The recent battle between the security forces and a terrorist in Lucknow who chose to die, rather than surrender, shows the perils of overzealousness in preaching Hinduism. The country at large hopes that the Opposition in its present battered state will seek wider space for coordination, if not unity, in fighting the BJP, which is set to replace the Congress as the countrys hegemonic party with a twist: promoting the cause of Hinduism as the new Idea of India. The BJP has never agreed with Indias, and specially Jawaharlal Nehrus, Idea of India, but is shy in fully spelling out in own narrower version of nationalism.
G. Rajesh, Advanced Systems Laboratories, Mohit Mohan Patra, Brahmos Aerospace, P.S. Methia, Defence Research and Development Laboratory  all from Hyderabad, and Manoj Kumar Patra, Defense Laboratory Jodhpur, won the award in the Academic and R&D Institution category of innovation in polymeric products and were recognised by the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

The prime ministers initiative, Make in India has been catching up in all quarters and the defence sector from Hyderabad, too, has been warming up to it. At the recently held 7th National Awards Petrochemicals and Downstream Plastics Processing Industry at New Delhi, a team from Hyderabad stood out for technology innovation.

G. Rajesh, Advanced Systems Laboratories, Mohit Mohan Patra, Brahmos Aerospace, P.S. Methia, Defence Research and Development Laboratory  all from Hyderabad, and Manoj Kumar Patra, Defense Laboratory Jodhpur, won the award in the Academic and R&D Institution category of innovation in polymeric products and were recognised by the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

Rajesh, the leader of the team and a scientist working in this field for 13 years, says, It feels great to be recognised. We were working for five years on rubber composites for microwave isolation in radio altimeter instruments. Talking about why it took so long, he says, While working on the rubber composite, we had to look into every detail minutely. The instruments which use these rubber composites are made to measure the height from the ground accurately. While doing so, nothing should come in between the signals. Thats where we took time. According to him, the teams work has enabled India to make the rubber composites within the country and not resort to importing it. Before, they were imported from Europe. Not only has this innovation made it cheaper, but it has also fulfilled the PMs dream, he says.

While studying in IIT Kharagpur, Rajesh travelled a lot. I love travelling. While in college, I was clear that whatever I do professionally, I will travel and explore different places often, he says.

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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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Guatemala City: The death toll has risen to 38 girls in a fire that began when mattresses were set ablaze during a protest by residents at a youth shelter, hospital officials said Saturday.

As the number of dead slowly rose, the search continued over the weekend for answers in the disaster that has put a spotlight on alleged failings in Guatemala's child protective services.

Authorities at the Roosevelt Hospital where many of the girls were taken for treatment of their burns said Saturday that another girl had died. Nineteen of the adolescents perished at the scene of the Wednesday inferno and another 19 died later in local hospitals.

Various groups have said they plan to gather Saturday to protest the deaths and demand the resignation of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.

The president has blamed the government's "rigid" and "insensitive" system for dealing with troubled youths and has promised to reform protective services for some 1,500 minors currently living in youth shelters around the country.

Morales blamed the Guatemalan state during a Friday news conference for the tragedy and said that all of the government institutions in charge of minors played a role.

Officials say the fire began when mattresses were set afire during a protest by residents at the shelter housing hundreds of boys and girls. Questions remained over why someone among the girls set the blaze and whether doors remained locked as the girls pleaded for their lives.

Widespread reports by some victims' relatives have said that some of the girls set mattresses on fire to protest their apprehension and return to the facility after fleeing the previous night because of mistreatment, bad food and fears of rape.

Parents and relatives said many of the young people at the shelter had been sent there because of abuse, poverty or family problems. Others were ordered there by judges after run-ins with police, officials said.
Washington: An intruder carrying a backpack was arrested after scaling a fence and entering the White House grounds, the U.S. Secret Service said on Saturday, in the latest breach of security at the president's official residence.

President Donald Trump was inside the White House when a male suspect scaled the complex's South Grounds fence at 11:38 pm on Friday, and uniformed officers arrested him, the Secret Service said in a statement.

Trump was not in any danger during the incident, CNN reported, citing an unnamed source.

A 2014 intrusion at the White House prompted the resignation of Secret Service director Julia Pierson and a series of recommendations to tighten security. In 2015, a row of sharp spikes was bolted to the top of the black iron fence surrounding the property.

In the latest incident, the suspect was apprehended near the south portico entrance, where presidents often address the public, CNN said. The entrance is near the part of the White House where the president resides.

Authorities did not immediately identify the suspect but Martin Mulholland, a spokesman for the Secret Service, said he had no arrest record or history with the agency, which is charged with protecting the president, his family and other elected officials.

The backpack carried by the intruder was screened and searched as a precaution, and no hazardous material was found, according the statement. The Secret Service searched the north and south grounds but nothing of concern turned up.

Neither the Secret Service nor the White House responded immediately to a request for further details.

Security Shakeup

The most serious of the recent security incidents at the White House occurred in September 2014, when an Army veteran carrying a knife climbed the fence and pushed his way inside the building before he was stopped.

Another man wearing an American flag jumped the fence in November 2015. In April 2016, an intruder threw a backpack over the outer fence and then scaled it before getting arrested.

The Secret Service and National Park Service have been working on a new fence design and other upgrades.

Joseph Clancy, her replacement, said in February that he planned to step down in March, allowing Trump to name his own security chief.

The service's credibility was also damaged in 2012 when it was revealed that members had hired prostitutes while in Colombia in advance of a trip by then-President Barack Obama.
Durham: A former university professor and a scientist who had created a manual on how to abuse children, escaped a jail term last week after he blamed his Parkinsons medication for his behaviour.

According to a report in The Sun, 59-year-old Dr Jeremy Allington-Smith had downloaded several thousands of vulgar pictures of kids and sketched images of children being abused.

He had also filmed hundreds of women, making 360 covert videos of women in short skirts in 5 years.

The behaviour of the former Durham university lecturer came to light after one of his students found an envelope which had disturbing pencil sketches of children being abused in the rubbish.

Following this, police raided the professors house to discover 3,141 downloaded pictures of which 688 were in the most serious category. They also found 1,818 Japanese-cartoon style and computer generated pictures along with a manual on how to abuse children.

Last week, the judge at the Durham Crown Court said that doctors confirmed that the medications potential side-effects, which if monitored correctly could be controlled to prevent impulsive behaviour.

He further said that Allington-Smith was racked with remorse after psychiatric counselling.

Allington-Smith admitted possessing the manual and to three instances of making and processing indecent images of children.

Allington-Smith was the associate director of a leading research facility and one of the countrys leading astrophysicists. He recently resigned from his post at the Durham University.
Washington: Over 130 US foreign policy experts have denounced President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, saying it undermines America's national security and interests as much as the original order barring travellers from some Muslim-majority countries and refugees.

"To Muslims -- including those victimised by or fighting against ISIS (Islamic State) -- it will send a message that reinforces the propaganda... that falsely claim the United States is at war with Islam," read the letter by former government officials and experts.

"Welcoming Muslim refugees and travellers, by contrast, exposes the lies of terrorists and counters their warped vision," added the document dated Friday.

Among the 134 signatories were some who served in either or both Republican and Democratic administrations were former senior diplomat Nicholas Burns, ex-National Security Council counter-terrorism director Richard Clarke and ex-undersecretary of defence Michele Flournoy.

Most served under Democratic presidents, including former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, former Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, ex-national security advisor Susan Rice and ex-National Counterterrorism director Matthew Olsen.

Their comments echo those being made in court by US states claiming the modified measures discriminate against Muslims and are detrimental to US interests.

"Bans like those included in this order are harmful to US national security and beneath the dignity of our great nation," the letter read.

The executive order "weakens this country's ability to provide global leadership and jeopardises our national security interests by failing to support the stability of our allies that are struggling to host large numbers of refugees," it added.

The letter was also sent to Trump's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Homeland Security chief John Kelly and Acting Director of National Intelligence Michael Dempsey.

The revised directive temporarily closes US borders to all refugees and citizens from six mainly-Muslim countries.

It denies US entry to all refugees for 120 days and halts for 90 days the granting of visas to nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The new order, unveiled Monday, is due to go into effect March 16 and replaces the previous Trump directive that was blocked in federal court.

The blocked order included an indefinite Syrian refugee travel ban and its blacklist of barred countries included Iraq.
Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said a Dutch ban on his foreign minister's visit was like Nazism, as tensions rocketed over rallies abroad to help Ankara gain backing for a key vote.

His comments came after The Hague said it would refuse Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane permission to land for a rally to gather support for a referendum on boosting Erdogan's powers.

The Dutch decision to ban Cavusoglu from visiting and holding a rally in the port city of Rotterdam came after Germany and other European nations also blocked other campaign events.

Unlike in Germany, however, where a string of planned rallies were barred by local authorities, in the Netherlands it was the government that stepped in to block Cavusoglu's visit.

"They are the vestiges of the Nazis, they are fascists," Erdogan told an Istanbul rally Saturday, days after he angrily compared moves to block rallies in Germany to "Nazi practices".

"Ban our foreign minister from flying however much you like, but from now on let's see how your flights will land in Turkey," Erdogan said.

Turkey promised to avoid the flight ban and send another minister to Rotterdam "by land".

Cavusoglu was however expected to address a rally Sunday in the eastern French city of Metz, a local official said, adding that the visit had been cleared by the French foreign ministry.

"The prefecture has been charged with ensuring security... (and to ensure) there is no disruption to public order," Alain Carton told AFP.

A French diplomatic source said the go-ahead was in line with the principle of freedom to hold public gatherings.

'Crazy' comments:

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Erdogan's criticism was "crazy."

"I understand that they are angry but this is way out of line," he said. "I really think we made the right decision here."

About 60 people protested outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, laying a black wreath and shouting pro-Erdogan slogans such as "Stand tall".

Cavusoglu, speaking in Istanbul, said the ban was "unacceptable".

"Why are you taking sides in the referendum?" he said, adding: "Is the foreign minister of Turkey a terrorist?"

Turkey's official Anadolu news agency reported that the Turkish family and social policies minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya would go to Rotterdam "by land" from Duesseldorf in Germany, citing her ministry as a source.

The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin, and Ankara is keen to harness votes of the diaspora in Europe ahead of the April 16 referendum on creating an executive presidency.

The Turkish government argues the changes would ensure stability and create more efficient governance but opponents say it would lead to one-man rule and further inflame tensions in its diverse society.

Erdogan accused the Netherlands of working against the "Yes" campaign and said: "Pressure however much you like. Abet terrorists in your country however much you like.

"It will backlash, and there's no doubt that we'll start retaliating after April 16... We are patient. Whoever is patient will reach victory."

Dutch far-right anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders celebrated the government's ban, attributing it to "heavy PVV pressure", in a reference to his party, which appears set to emerge as one of the largest in the Dutch parliament in Wednesday's vote.

Allegations of harbouring 'terrorists':

The latest row came after NATO allies Turkey and Germany sparred over the cancellation of a series of referendum campaign events there.

Germany is home to 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey -- the fourth-largest electoral base after Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

Although Berlin insisted that the string of cancellations by local authorities were down to logistical reasons, Turkish officials repeatedly hit back, leading to Erdogan's angry "Nazi" remark.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said such rhetoric was "depressing", belittled Holocaust victims and was "so out of place as to be unworthy of serious comment".

Berlin has emerged as a strident critic of Ankara's crackdown after an attempted coup last July, which has seen more than 100,000 people arrested, suspended from their jobs or sacked for alleged links to the plotters or to Kurdish militants.
Twin explosions Saturday near religious shrines frequented by Shiite pilgrims in the Syrian capital Damascus killed dozens of people, Arab media and activists report. (Photo: AP)

Damascus: Twin bombs targeting Shiite pilgrims killed 59 people in Damascus on Saturday, most of them Iraqis, a monitoring group said of one of the bloodiest attacks in the Syrian capital.

There have been periodic bombings in Damascus, but the stronghold of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been largely spared the destruction faced by other major cities in six years of civil war.

A roadside bomb detonated as a bus passed by and a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Bab al-Saghir area, which houses several Shiite mausoleums that draw pilgrims from around the world, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The explosions killed 47 pilgrims, most of them Iraqi Shiites, and 12 Syrian pro-government fighters, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

"There are also dozens of people wounded, some of them in a serious condition," he said.

Syrian state television said 40 people were killed and 120 wounded after "terrorists detonated two bombs".

It broadcast footage of several white buses with their windows shattered, some charred and peppered with shrapnel.

Shoes, glasses and wheelchairs lay scattered on ground covered in blood.

Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Shaar said the attack targeted "pilgrims of various Arab nationalities".

"The sole aim was to kill," he said.

The Iraqi foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals were among the dead and 120 among the wounded.

A witness said that the second bomb exploded as passers-by gathered at the scene of the first attack, and state television said a booby-trapped motorcycle was defused nearby.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Shiite shrines are a frequent target of attack for Sunni extremists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) group, not only in Syria but also in neighbouring Iraq.

The foreign ministry in Damascus condemned "the cowardly terrorist attack which comes in response to victories of the Syrian Arab army" against jihadists.

The Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum to the south of Damascus, Syria's most visited Shiite pilgrimage site, has been hit by several deadly bombings during the war.

Twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of the capital in January killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

That attack was claimed by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, which said that it had targeted Russian military advisers working with the Syrian army.
China's Supreme Court has extended its maritime jurisdiction to cover all seas under the country's 'sovereign control', as Beijing firmed up its hold over the disputed South China Sea. China will resolutely safeguard maritime rights and interests, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) submitted to the country's legislature the National People's Congress (NPC) today said.



China's maritime jurisdiction extends to cover all jurisdictional seas, a regulation contributed to China's strategy of becoming a major maritime power, Supreme Court Chief Justice Zhou Qiang said in his report, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.



According to the regulation in effect since last August, jurisdictional seas not only include inland waters and territorial seas, but also cover regions, including contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, continental shelves, and other sea areas under China's jurisdiction.



Chinese citizens or foreigners will be pursued for criminal liability if they engage in illegal hunting or fishing or killing endangered wildlife in China's jurisdictional seas, Zhou's report said.



China asserts sovereign claims over almost all of the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area.

Last year, China has rejected an international tribunal verdict quashing its claims over the South China Sea over a petition filed by the Philippines.



Beijing however subsequently worked out a deal with Philippines to the dispute on backburner in lieu of heavy Chinese investments. Last August China's Supreme Court issued a regulation of judicial interpretation to clarify China's jurisdiction over its territorial seas to nullify the international tribunal's verdict on the South China Sea.



The judicial explanation provided clear legal basis for China to safeguard maritime order, marine safety and interests and to exercise integrated management over the country's jurisdictional seas, the court said. China also claims the disputed islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan. Coast Guard vessels of both the countries patrol the waters around the islands to assert their claims.



Zhou's report also said China's courts tried and concluded 6,899 cases involving foreign businesses and more than 16,000 maritime cases in 2016. In 2017, China's courts will step up trials of foreign- related business and maritime cases to serve the Belt and Road Initiative (Silk Road) and the strategy of building China into a major maritime power, the report said.


Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today submitted his resignation to Governor V P Singh Badnore following his party's defeat in the assembly polls.



The Punjab cabinet, which met under Badal for the last time, recommended dissolution of the Assembly, paving the way for the constitution of the new legislature.



The 89-year-old Akali leader along with deputy chief minister and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal went to the Raj Bhawan and handed over the resignation letter to the Governor, a Raj Bhawan spokesman said.



Badal, a five-time Chief Minister, retained his Lambi Assembly seat defeating Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh. However Amarinder retained his traditional bastion Patiala seat.



The SAD-BJP alliance finished a poor third at the hustings with the combine managing just 18 seats in the 117-member House. SAD won 15 seats while its ally BJP won three.New entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 20 seats.



Congress by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-thirds majority swept Punjab and ended the ten year regime of the Badals.



Earlier, Badal held a cabinet meeting in which a resolution was passed to dissolve the Assembly.



Among others who attended the meeting include Sukhbir Singh Badal, N K Sharma and Madan Mohan Mittal.



The Punjab Cabinet decided to recommend the dissolution of the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha under the provision of Article 174 (2) (b) of the Constitution, to the Punjab Governor, an official spokesman said.



A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of Council of Ministers chaired by Badal here at Punjab Bhawan, the spokesman said.



"The Cabinet authorised the Chief Minister to send this proposal to the Governor of Punjab for dissolution of 14th Vidhan Sabha with immediate effect," he said.



After meeting the governor, Badal told the media that his party's fight on the issue of SYL will continue.



Sukhbir said that as a responsible opposition, SAD will offer support to the Congress government on all matters which are in the interests of Punjab.



"I congratulate Captain for the Congress win," he said adding that, "we will introspect why the SAD lost despite doing lot of development works."



The Chief Minister expressed his sincere and deepest gratitude to his Cabinet colleagues, officers, officials and the people of the state for extending full support and cooperation to the incumbent government during its tenure to ensure overall development and prosperity besides maintaining peace and communal harmony at all costs.



The Council of Ministers thanked the people of state for their support and cooperation during the last decade for upholding the ethos of peace and communal harmony besides ensuring all round development of the state.



The Cabinet passed a resolution which read, "The last decade saw Punjab becoming a power surplus state, from a power deficit one thereby relieving the people from power cuts besides developing a world class infrastructure along with international airports and perpetuating the glorious legacy of state through beautification of Sri Amritsar Sahib."



"Punjab emerged as a leading state during the last ten years where free power facility was given to farmers, dalits and weaker sections of society, Atta-Dal scheme for economically poor strata, scholarship schemes for students, free health care facilities and huge monetary relief for cancer victims," the resolution said.



Farmers and poor section was provided exemplary facilities which are not available to them in any part of the country.



New era of congenial relations between Centre and state was started due to which Punjab was immensely benefited by Central relief, it said.



During the last ten years utmost attention was given towards securing the interests of the state.



Despite mounting pressure, nobody was allowed to rob even a single drop of water of the state, the resolution said.



"Even the genesis of SYL canal was decimated by de-notifying the land acquired for this canal and giving it back to the original owners," the resolution said.



Several path breaking initiatives were taken for welfare of urban and rural populace. The state government foiled the plans of divisive forces to ignite communal violence in the state and upheld communal harmony, peace and amity at every cost.



"Even the ugly head of conspiracy hatched from foreign land to disturb hard earned peace of the state was crushed with heavy hand," the resolution said.



The Cabinet also expressed gratitude to the police and civil administrative set-up, all government, semi government and other organisations for their support and cooperation during last decade.



The meeting also prayed to God that Punjab should scale new heights of glory in coming days and may this atmosphere of peace and development carry on in the state.



The meeting reiterates its faith and extends full support and cooperation to the new government for safeguarding the rights and interests of the state.

It also extends best wishes to the new Government and Punjabis.
India-born top US prosecutor Preet Bharara, known for his crusade against corruption, has been "fired" by the Trump administration after he refused to resign.



Bharara and 45 other US prosecutors appointed by former President Barack Obama had been asked by the Trump administration to resign immediately.



"I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life," Bharara tweeted, making a reference to his jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York (SDNY).



Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusade against corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general a day earlier to immediately submit his resignation.



In a statement later in the day, Bharara said, "Serving my country as US Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live."



"One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served. I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice," said Bharara, who in 2013 was at the centre of the controversy related to the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.



"They (SDNY officials) will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H Kim, the current Deputy US Attorney, who will serve as Acting US Attorney," he said.

The New York Times reported that Bharara was contacted by President Donald Trump's office a day before he along with 45 other attorneys were asked to resign.



President Trump's assistant had called Bharara's office on Thursday asking the United States attorney in Manhattan to "please call back".



Bharara, however, did not immediately return the call.

He first called attorney general Jeff Sessions's chief of staff Jody Hunt to alert the Justice Department to the call from the president's office and expressed concern about contacts between the President and federal prosecutors, the report said.



Bharara then called Trump's assistant to say he could not speak with the President, citing protocols governing a president's direct contact with federal prosecutors.



The following day, Bharara was among the 46 attorneys asked to resign and immediately clean out their offices.



Sources close to Bharara said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a showdown with President Trump.



The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bharara's office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on under his administration.



Bharara had met Trump at the Trump Towers in Manhattan shortly after the Republican won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said that he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and he had agreed to do so.



Charles Schumer, Senate Minority leader, condemned the move, hailing Bharara as "an exemplary US attorney".



"His relentless drive to root out public corruption, lock up terrorists, take on Wall Street, and stand up for what is right should serve as a model for all US attorneys across the country. He will be sorely missed," Schumer said.



Schumer was quoted by as saying that he was "troubled" to learn of the Trump administration's request for Bharara's and other US attorneys' resignations.



"While it's true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for US attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesn't put ongoing investigations at risk," the New York Democrat said.



"They ask for letters of resignation, but the attorneys are allowed to stay on the job until their successor is confirmed," Schumer said.



Senator Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cast aspersions over the independence of the Justice Department.



"The abrupt, Friday night firing of all remaining US Attorneys -- including Preet Bharara, a well respected, tough prosecutor who the President promised could stay -- is another reminder that the independence of the Justice Department is at risk under this administration," he said.



Leahy noted that the President and Attorney General demanded resignations immediately, not even allowing them to remain until successors are nominated and confirmed.



"The Senate will now have to carefully evaluate the President's selected replacements," Leahy said.



"They will have a high bar to prove they have the necessary courage and fidelity to the law, like Sally Yates, to say 'no' to a President who will need to hear it regularly," he said.



Bharara's firing from office also attracted criticism from the South Asian Bar Association (SABA).



The New York Times report said, "It was unclear whether the president's call on Thursday was an effort to explain his change of heart about keeping Bharara or to discuss another matter." the report said.



Two White House officials were quoted as saying that the promise to keep Bharara on was a product of a chaotic transition process and Trump's desire at the time to try to work with Senator Schumer with whom Bharara is close.



However, the relationship between Trump and Schumer, the Senate minority leader, has since soured, the report said.



Bharara has made a national and international mark for himself with many high-profile cases and investigations including foreign countries, insider trading and those involving US politicians. It was under his prosecution that India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was convicted for insider trading in 2012.



Bharara has served 7 years as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a jurisdiction that includes the Trump Tower.


#Moon Jae-in Moon expresses wish to return 3 N.K. dogs to state Former President Moon Jae-in's side said Monday it wants to return to the state a pair of dogs and their puppy he has been keeping after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gave the pa...
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today slipped while boarding a chopper in Padartha area in the district where he had gone to visit Ramdev's Patanjali Herbal Food Park.





The Minister "is perfectly all right and has returned to New Delhi by the same chopper," Haridwar SSP Krishna Kumar VK told PTI on phone.



TV visuals showed Jaitley being attended to by a medic as he sat near the chopper after the mishap, flanked by Ramdev and others.



Jaitley had gone to visit Patanajali Herbal Food Park located in Padartha area of the district, about 20 km from the town.



After taking a round of the Park in the company of the yoga guru, he was boarding his chopper when he slipped and fell, the official said.



"There was nothing serious about it. He later boarded the chopper and left for Delhi," the official said.
The naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district which killed 12 CRPF personnel appeared to have been "pre-planned" and executed with "deadly accuracy", police said today.



Besides triggering IED blast and indiscriminate firing, naxals also lobbed country-made mortars and "Rambo-style" explosive-headed-arrows on security personnel during the ambush, they said.



"As per preliminary investigation, it was learnt that the attack was pre-planned and executed by two military platoons of maoists active in Bhejji periphery. The security forces seem to have walked into a trap," a senior police official told PTI.



At around 8 AM yesterday, a Road Opening Party (ROP) of CRPF's 219th battalion, comprising around 120 personnel, had launched the operation from Bhejji to ensure security to the construction works underway between Injram-Bhejji, he said.



Besides, the ROP was also meant to sanitise the area for the movement of villagers and traders for the weekly market held every Saturday at Bhejji, located around 450 kms from the state capital, the official said.



"It is presumed that ultras were aware of the ROP operation on 'market day' and therefore had positioned themselves in the forest ahead of the patrolling team's movement," he said.



"When the para-military forces reached around 2 kms away from their camp towards Kottacheru at around 8:50 AM, the naxals surrounded them and unleashed the attack on them by resorting to random firing after triggering a powerful explosion, without giving them any chance to save themselves," the official said.



The troopers, however, took position and retaliated but till then over a dozen of them were hit by bullets and splinters, he said.



"The naxals also lobbed Rambo-type explosive-headed-arrows and locally-made mortars to inflict injuries on security personnel," the officer said.



Such locally-made mortars and arrows do not inflict deadly injuries, but reportedly prove to be a great tool to thwart opponents in such an ambush, he said.



The officer further added that such grenade-headed-arrows were also used in recent attacks on security personnel camp in Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts of Bastar division.



Initial inputs suggest that military platoon no 2 and 4 of maoists were involved in yesterday's attack, the official said, adding that more details will be known after investigation.



It was the biggest attack on security forces in last one-and-a-half year in the state.

Notably, Injram-Bhejji patch is part of the strategically important road being built from Dornapal to inaccessible Jagargunda (58 kms long).



Bhejji is located around 15 kms away from Injram, which is situated on Sukma-Konta road -- a patch on NH 30 that connects Jagdalpur (district headquarter of Bastar) to Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh.



Five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camps have been set up between Injram-Bhejji, besides a police station in Bhejji which was constructed long back.



The newly-appointed Inspector General of Police (incharge) Bastar Range Sundarraj P had last month visited Jagargunda and assured the people that the construction of this road (Dornapal-Jagargunda) will be completed soon.



The rebels are opposed to such road projects, especially this one, fearing that it would facilitate the movement of forces in the pockets that they claimed to be their "liberated zone."

Through such attacks they want to thwart development works, he said.



Security personnel have been put on alert fearing maoist offensive activities in view of annual 'tactical counter offensive campaign' (TCOC) being observed by rebels from March-June.



"The summer season proves to be a favourable period for carrying out maoist attacks as the grass and bushes dry up providing a clear view of force movement in the vast jungle terrain," the official added.


Dining is no longer going to be conventional, as the megapolis got its first floating hotel  'AB Celestial' - where one can enjoy a relaxing evening in the backdrop of the iconic Bandra -Worli sea link.



This new theme hotel is docked at the Maharashtra Maritime Board's jetty at Bandra under the Bandra-Worli Sea link, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) said in a release.



This luxury floating hotel was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis yesterday.



The concept is conceived by WB International Consultants (the founder of AB Celestial) in association with MTDC and Maharashtra Maritime Board.



The AB Celestial is designed and imported from the US, having three-tier luxury dining floatel with a sky deck, two galleys and a capacity to accommodate a minimum of 660 guests across four tiers, it said.



The floatel, mainly targeted at affluent and foreign tourists, also houses two multi-cuisine restaurants including a club lounge equipped with a 24-hour coffee shop.



Earlier, the floatel was launched in 2014, by then state tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal, but could not open to public due to issues over permissions.



Currently in India, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have floating hotels. Globally cities like New York, Dubai, Hong Kong, Saigon in Vietnam have floating restaurants.
Fresh from BJP's landslide win in UP and Uttarakhand after a bitter and often divisive campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today talked about inclusivity and pitched for building a 'new India' by 2022 that would have made the nation's founding fathers proud.



Accepting felicitations from party leaders and supporters at BJP headquarters, Modi said he saw the election results, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, as the "foundation of the new India".



"I see this victory as the foundation of a new India where 65 per cent of the population will be of young people below 35 years of age... a new India of unprecedently vigilant women.



"A new India where the poor do not want anything by way of charity, but seek opportunity to chart out their own course. I see this change happening," he told the gathering which lapped up every word he said, amid repeated chants of 'Modi! Modi! Modi!'



Earlier in the day, Modi tweeted, "India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development."



Modi, whose 'crematorium and graveyard' remark at an election rally in UP was seen as intended to polarise voters along communal lines, in a statement on his website Narendramodi.in said," India is transforming, powered by the strength of each and every citizen of India.



"An India that is driven by innovation, hard work and creativity; an India characterized by peace, unity and brotherhood; and an India free from corruption, terrorism, black money and dirt."



The theme of development ran through his felicitation speech too.



"Beyond the emotive issues, political parties fought shy of going to elections on the issue of development. Development is a difficult subject. In these elections, there was a lack of emotive issues, but the huge voter turnout after the campaign based on development shows the transition that his happening towards creation of a new India," he said.



These elections must be evaluated as people have voted heavily despite the absence of any emotional issue. The poor have voted in large numbers on the topic of development, he said.



Modi, who was accused by his rivals of playing caste and religion politics during the campaign, said the BJP-led dispensation will will take everybody along as "in democracy governments are formed with a majority but run with consensus".



Noting that the government has no right to discriminate against anybody, Modi said, "This government is of those who have voted for it and also those who have not. Of those who have walked along, and also of those who have not."



"Everybody will join in the making of a new India," he said.





Having shown his characteristic aggression while stumping, Modi made a fervent pitch for humility.



"As fruits grow on a tree, no matter how big it is, it starts bending. Nature inspires us. As the fruits of victory cover this tree call BJP, it becomes our responsibility to bend, to become more humble," he said.



Referring to the generations of Jana Sangh and BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Kushabhau Thakre and Jana Krishnamrrthi who "gave their youth and life" for raising "this banyan tree", Modi said power was "not an instrument to rule but a tool of service to people".



Talking about the concept of 'Antyodaya' of Jana Sangh ideologue and one of its founders Deendayal Upadhyaya for the uplift of the last man, Modi said," The poor have to be made capable of carrying their own burden to lessen that of the middle class, encumbered by taxes."



He lauded BJP chief Amit Shah, the party's central and state leadership, and workers for the party's presence in "every geographical area" of the country". "Today, a BJP worker can proudly say he is a member of an organisation which is the largest political party in the world," he said.



Modi wrapped up his address with throaty chants of 'Vande Mataram'.



Earlier, Modi, who took electoral campaigning to aggressive new levels, holding road shows three days in a row at the peak of electioneering in Varanasi, his constituency, did a brief encore, walking down the Ashok Road, smiling broadly and waving to jubilant supporters who lined the boulevard.



Amid a steady shower of flower petals, a triumphant Modi walked into the BJP headquarters surrounded by SPG commandos where he was received by Amit Shah.



Before taking the stage with Shah and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and others ahead of a meeting of BJP's Parliamentary Board to discuss the party's performance in the assembly polls in five states, he garlanded the bust of Deendayal Upadhyaya.



"When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud," Modi said in a tweet earlier in the day.



In a statement on his website Narendramodi.in, the Prime Minister said, Together, let us build the India of our dreams so that when we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we have an India that will make Gandhiji, Sardar Patel and Babasaheb Ambedkar proud.



He said, India is transforming, powered by the strength of each and every citizen of India; an India that is driven by innovation, hard work and creativity; an India characterized by peace, unity and brotherhood; and an India free from corruption, terrorism, black money and dirt.



He also listed out a set of pledges which he wanted the countrymen to take.

Modi wanted the countrymen to pledge that they stand for a corruption-free India, that they will undertake cashless transactions, that they will dedicatedly work towards a Swachh Bharat, that they will ensure a drugs-free India.



The Prime Minister also wanted the people to pledge that they will support and encourage women-led development, that they extend complete support to an accessible India, that they will stand for an India of peace, unity and harmony and that they will be job creators, not job seekers.



This came a day after the BJP, powered by a spirited campaign by Modi, posted landslide victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, decimating the rivals.
A man was stabbed to death by his relative over a petty issue at Kannur village in Bagalur on Saturday. The deceased, Vinod (30), hailed from Nepal. The police arrested Hemaraj (30), a resident of Kannur, and a native of Nepal in connection with the murder. Hemaraj works at a book binding unit at Kannur.



Police said Vinod moved from Mumbai to Bengaluru as his relative Hemaraj promised him a better job in the city. Hemaraj ensured Vinod a job in a printing press. Vinod came to Hemarajs house on Saturday night and the duo started consuming alcohol. Vinod started speaking at a hight pitch. Hemaraj asked him to speak softly saying neighbours would complain to the landlord. He also told Vinod that the owner might ask him to vacate the house if he received complaints. However, Vinod ignored him and continued to speak loudly.



The two picked a fight over the issue and Vinod, who was well-built, tried to thrash Hemaraj. Hemaraj ran inside the kitchen and brought a knife. He ended up stabbing Vinod in an attempt to protect himself. Vinod, who was bleeding profusely, was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.



On being informed, the police rushed to the house and detained Hemaraj. He was produced before the judge and was remanded in judicial custody.



Vinods body was shifted to Ambedkar Hospital and the post-mortem will take place once his parents reach the city from Nepal.
Six citizens received the Namma Bengaluru Awards on Sunday, the flagship award of the Namma Bengaluru Foundation which recognises contributions towards the betterment of the city.



In its eighth edition, Dr T V Ramachandra, a professor at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), was named the Namma Bengalurean of the Year. Dr Ramachandra has published over 252 research papers in international and national journals and he has also set up a Bioremediation model at Jakkur Lake.



Jagannatha Rao, deputy conservator of forests and lakes with the BBMP received the award in the Government Official of the Year category. He received the award for his work on protecting the citys lakes by putting up fences, removing encroachments and educating citizens.



Geetha Menon was awarded in the Citizen Individual of the Year category. Menon is the founder of Stree Jagruti Samiti, which supports domestic workers by fighting for their rights and employment benefits.



The Rising Star of the Year award was presented to Harshil Mittal, a software engineer who started the initiative Lets Spread Love in 2015, to provide food to underprivileged children and senior citizens in the city.



Jasmeen Patheja received the Social Entrepreneur of the Year award for her community art project titled Blank Noise which aims to change public attitude towards eve-teasing.



The Media Individual of the Year went to Dhanya Rajendran, founder of The News Minute, a digital news platform which focuses on reportage from the five southern states.




Scores of companies from homegrown startups to US firms, who want to build their own cab aggregator app, are reaching out to drivers disgruntled with Ola and Uber.



Drivers will meet the company representatives on Monday once again to sort out issues regarding the reduced earnings. However, driver union leaders feel that the companies are not ready to budge.



This is the fourth meeting. They dont want to solve our problems. So, instead of begging the companies, we are planning to set up our own app which works on by the drivers and for drivers model. Many companies have offered to help us, said Tanveer Pasha, leader of a drivers union.



US entrepreneur Philip Macafee, who has been writing about ride-sharing cab aggregators exploiting immigrants and people from lower classes in the US, has offered to help the drivers. In a message to driver union leaders, Macafee promised to help drivers to run their platform successfully.



Ravi Linganuri of Bengaluru-based Tabverts said he has an advertising-cum-ride sharing model that ensures minimum pay for drivers. A driver will get at least Rs 50,000 per annum from advertisements, he said.



Drivers think that having their own company will streamline the pay model to help them take home what they earn. We pay more than 25% of our earnings as commission to Ola and Uber. We spend more than 40% on fuel. Add the 5% tax and vehicle maintenance costs, there is nothing much to left, Pasha explained.



Sources in Ola, however, said running a cab aggregating app requires nearly a thousand back-end operations. Besides, the drivers have to realise that they have to invest a lot to first grab the market. There is a cut-throat competition and it is tough to survive, the source said.



Ruchi Dana of Jugaad, a tech company that offers last-mile logistics solutions, has offered its cloud-based technology. We manage entire backend for the drivers at minimal service charges. Our operations are running successfully in over two countries. We hope to empower individual drivers in India and ready to support them to have indigenous control, she said.



Abhilek Tripathy of Startup Street said he can not only provide the fleet management app but also educate the drivers on the business model of such platforms. I studied Ola and Uber and wrote a detailed analysis paper back in 2013, when I predicted this bubble burst. Now, I can educate drivers on the model and prevent them from making the same mistake, Tripathy said.



Kulabhushan Singh Yadav of Mantra Labs that has built apps for two cab aggregator companies in Coimbatore and Delhi NCR, said his company can build a platform that does not require large number of behind-the-scene operations.



We have offered to build an app for the Bengaluru drivers. We need to be realistic in the beginning. We will create an app that has minimum features and low bugs. Marketing it is a challenge that they have to face, he said.


A construction worker was hacked to death by his co-workers for excessive use of water while playing Holi in Subramanyapura on Sunday evening.



The deceased, Biswajith Dutta (27), hailed from West Bengal. He had been residing at a makeshift shed at a construction project taken up by Iskcon in Subramanyapura. The police have detained nine people in connection with the murder.



A large number of construction workers from West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar have been employed for the project. They reside in makeshift sheds at the construction site. A big tank has been built at the site to store water for daily use, said the police.



Dutta, who began playing Holi on Sunday afternoon, would often go near the tank and use the water. The co-workers citing scarcity of water at the site warned him not to use too much water. However, Dutta ignored them and told them to mind their business, said the

police.



The suspects lost their cool as Dutta kept wasting water till evening. They picked a fight with him and he retaliated. One of them hit his head with a log repeatedly.



A profusely bleeding Dutta was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, said the police.


International Student House for Women (ISHW) and Meghdoot Hostel of the Delhi University have barred women students from stepping out of the hostel premises on Holi, drawing flak from the students.



The authorities maintained that the restriction has been imposed to ensure the safety of the girl students staying in the hostels.



However, women students of the varsity condemned the ban and termed it as arbitrary and illegal confinement.



Residents and their female guests will not be allowed to leave or enter the ISHW premises from 9 pm of March 12 till 6 pm of March 13. No male visitors will be allowed to enter the hostel complex on March 13, resident tutor of the womens hostel Kumari Khusbhoo stated in a notice to the inmates.



Residents desiring to play Holi may celebrate the festival outside the ISHW residential block but within the hostel premises, she said.


Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to resign from the Narendra Modi Cabinet before he takes oath as the next Goa chief minister.



The probable exit of Parrikar and poor health condition of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is indicative of new faces in the Cabinet Committee on Security, which takes most of the strategic decisions of the government. The ministers of defence, external affairs, finance and home, along with the prime ,minister form the CCS.



Parrikar was drafted in the Ministry of Defence in November 2014 to take over from Arun Jaitley who handled the defence portfolio for six months, along with his principal responsibility as the finance minister.



Though the BJP leader from Goa is yet to resign from the defence ministry, addressing a press conference in Panaji, Parrikar, along with his cabinet colleague Nitin Gadkari, made it clear that he would resign once he received a call from the Goa governor to form a government.



For most part of his tenure in the South Block, Parrikar never lost touch with Goas politics, travelling to the coastal state almost every weekend. He publicly rued how he missed Goan food and lost four kilograms since he settled in Delhi.



Finding a suitable replacement for Parrikar would be a priority for the Modi government because of some of the key reforms he initiated in the defence sector; the most ground-breaking being the strategic partnership model.



For the first time in independent India, the strategic partnership model would allow big private corporations to be involved in manufacturing crucial heavy duty weapons like combat jets, warships, submarines, helicopters and artillery guns. Defence manufacturing so far remains an exclusive domain of the state-owned units.



Parrikar was in-charge when Indian Army carried out the surgical strike on terror camps across Indias disputed border with Pakistan. He also oversaw the implementation of one rank, one pension scheme, which led to substantial increase in the pension of the military personnel.




The defence ministry has proposed creation of a non-lapsable rolling fund to facilitate buying heavy-duty military hardware like artillery guns, combat aircraft, choppers, warships and submarines.



The defence ministry has decided to set up a rolling capital fund account for defence modernisation after discussing the pros and cons threadbare within the ministry and the services at least three times. A proposal seeking the finance ministrys approval was sent on February 9.



Though the previous government did not favour such a corpus, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar decided to review the idea, being pushed assiduously by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence for years.



It has been felt that the utility of creation of a non-lapsable, roll over fund for capital (acquisition) cant be completely negated as the same would help in eliminating the prevailing uncertainty in providing adequate funds for various defence capability development and infrastructure projects, stated the ministry in a note that was shared with the House panel.



The Ministry of Defence therefore has reviewed its stated position taken so far and proposes to take up the case for setting up of a capital non-lapsable, rollon fund afresh with Ministry of Finance immediately, it added.



The idea of creating such a corpus has been around for almost a decade. It was announced by former finance minister Jaswant Singh in his Budget speech in 2004. But after the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was defeated few months later, the idea was given a quiet burial.



While the proposal is yet to find favour with the Union finance ministry, a panel of lawmakers has extended their support to the idea. The ministry, under Arun Jaitley, who also served as the defence minister for a few months, however, conceded that it would consider the suggestions with an open mind.



The intention of the committee in recommending such a fund for defence modernisation is primarily for ensuring that the money allocated for a particular item is spent on the specified item only, not necessarily in the same Financial year. The committee are glad to note that the Ministry of Defence has now reviewed its stated position, the panel said in its report.


Controversial Kannada writer Yogesh Master was attacked by half a dozen bike-borne youths in Davangere on Sunday. The youths manhandled him, blackened his face and shirt and insulted him in public view.





The author was in the city on Sunday to participate in a programme to mark the 82nd birth anniversary of journalist P Lankesh and memorial day function organised by Gauri Lankesh Patrike at Kuvempu Kannada Bhavan in city. The incident took place when the author and three of his friends went to drink tea at a tea stall on Bapuji Dental College road after the inaugural function.



Later, addressing reporters, the author said he was dragged, assaulted, insulted, humiliated and smeared with black spray on his face and shirt by bike-borne youths who were shouting Jai Sri Ram.



Yogesh Masters controversial Kannada novel Dhundi Aranyakanobba Ganapathiyade Kathe, had triggered widespread protests across the state four years ago. He was also arrested after several pro-Hindu organisations objected to his depicting Lord Ganesha in bad light in his literary work and hurting the sentiments of Hindus.



Meanwhile, journalist Gauri Lankesh, CPI national Polit Bureau member Siddanagowda Patil, labour union leader H K Ramachanadrappa, activist Nagari Babaiah and others condemned the attack and demanded the arrest of the culprits. Yogesh Master has lodged a complaint in this regard.


Unable to bear frequent separation from his son, a murder convict, who was out on parole, committed suicide by hanging with his boy on Sunday morning.



The deceased are Sridhar Kumar (40) and Sri Vishnu (13), residents of Shettihalli in Bagalgunte, Bengaluru North.



The court had convicted Kumar for murdering a relative about 10 years ago, and had come out on parole three days ago. He was married to Savithri (35) and has a daughter Usha (13), besides a son, said the police.



Kumar used to be a small-time private financier in Ramamurthy Nagar. He had lent money to his relative, who had delayed repayment of the loan. A fight broke out between the two, and Kumar slit his relatives throat. He was arrested and convicted.



Kumar was the sole breadwinner of his family. Due to frequent visits to the police station and a legal battle, he landed in a financial crisis. He was forced to sell his house in Ramamurthy Nagar to tide over the crisis. He then decided to shift his family to Shettihalli where Savithris parents live, and found a rented house there.



He would spend time with his family whenever he came out on parole and return to prison, police said.



On Saturday night, he asked Savithri to stay with her father who was unwell. She called Kumar at 7 am the following day, asking him to come for breakfast. He told her that he would be there soon. There was no response when she repeatedly called him around 9 am. She went to the house and knocked several times, but to no avail. With the help of neighbours she broke open the door and saw the bodies of her husband and son hanging from a ceiling fan, police said.



In a statement, she told the police that Kumar and Vishnu were attached to each other. Vishnu would often beg his father to stay back whenever he came home during parole.

Kumar often told her that it was difficult to live without his son. The two might have taken the extreme step as they could no longer bear the separation, Savithri said.



According to the police, there was no death note. The bodies were handed over to the family after a postmortem at Sapthagiri Hospital.


The BJP government in Rajasthan has directed all secondary and senior secondary schools to buy a set of 15 volumes on Deendayal Upadhyaya, the RSS pracharak, thinker and leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh.



The books include letters, journals, collection of writings and speeches of Upadhyaya.



The order has run into trouble as the volume costs Rs 6,000, which is almost four times the annual budget sanctioned for a school to buy books. Also, the Opposition has criticised the decision by calling it a multi-crore scam and another effort to saffronise education.



According to a circular released by the state secondary education directorate on February 27, schools in Rajasthan will compulsorily have to buy Deendayal Upadhyaya Sampoorna Vangmay from Delhi-based publishing house Prabhat Prakashan. According to official data, around 4,074 secondary schools, 9,444 senior secondary schools and 132 model schools will have the book.



Sunita Chawla, assistant director, senior education department told Deccan Herald, Around 80% of the schools have a library either in the form of a room or a mere cupboard. However, the yearly budget for the library varies from school to school, ranging from Rs 1,500-2,000 a year.



The Congress has criticised the ruling BJP for compelling schools to procure the expensive books. State Congress president Sachin Pilot told DH, Its a big scam where the BJP wants to favour the editor of this book, Mahesh Sharma, former BJP MP and BJP state president in Rajasthan during Vasundhara Rajes previous term. Also, it shows the party's vested interest in promoting this book to spread saffronisation in the state.



Similar views were echoed by social activist Mukesh Goswami of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghathan (MKSS). "When schools are still fighting for basic amenities, such an expensive book won't help improve students. Instead of splurging on such costly books, schools can spend on necessary commodities.



The book was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Vigyan Bhavan last year.
The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:



- Billy McGroarty, Drimkeelan, Mountcharles

- Gordon Dugan, Glebe House, Glebe Culdaff

- Kitty McGonigle, Lochandubh, Kincasslagh

- Maisie Matthewson, Lifford



Billy McGroarty, Mountcharles

The death has taken place of Billy MCGroarty, Drimkeelan, Mountcharles.

Remains will be reposing at his late residence today Sunday from 1pm. Removal from there on Tuesday morning to the Church of the Sacred Heart Mountcharles for 11am funeral mass with burial afterwards in the adjoining churchyard.



Gordon Dugan, Culdaff

The death has taken place of Gordon Dugan, late of the Glebe House, Glebe, Culdaff, Donegal.

Reposing at his residence until removal on Monday, 13th March, at 10.30am for 11am service in St Buadans Church of Ireland, Culdaff, followed by burial in the adjoining burial ground. Family time please from 11pm until 11am. Family flowers only or donations in lieu, if desired, to The Patients Comfort Fund, Carndonagh Community Hospital.



Kitty McGonigle, Kincasslagh

The death has taken place at her late residence of Kitty McGonigle, Lochandubh, Kincasslagh.

Remains will reposing at her home today, Saturday 11th March from 12 noon. Rosary both nights at 9pm.

Funeral Mass in St Marys Church, Kincasslagh on Monday 13th March at 11am. Burial afterwards in Belcruit Cemetery.

House private please from 11pm to 10am and on the morning of the funeral.



Maisie Matthewson, Lifford

The death has taken place of Maisie Matthewson (nee Cassidy) Lurganshannagh, Ballindrait, Lifford.

Funeral leaving her home on Sunday (March 12th) at 10.15a.m. for Mass in St Patrick`s Church, Murlog at 11a.m.

Interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery, Deeply regretted by her sorrowing daughter, sisters and family circle Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on her soul. Donations in lieu of flowers please to the Donegal Hospice c/o 1A Newtown Place, Strabane. Family time please from 11p.m. to 11a.m.



* If you wish to have a death notice included, please e-mail: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a contact telephone number for verification.
A referendum to allow all Irish Citizens, including people in the North, to vote in Irish Presidential elections has been welcomed.

Donegal TD and diaspora minister Joe McHugh welcomed the government plan.

Minister McHugh was in Philadelphia on Sunday when Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced plans for a referendum.

The government's decision is in line with the recommendations of the Convention on the Constitution, in their Fifth Report.

This announcement is a historic recognition of the strong and enduring links between Ireland and all our citizens, wherever they are in the world, Minister McHugh said.

I welcome this initiative which is an important one for the Irish Diaspora around the world and for Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland.

A key theme that emerged from submissions received during the development of Ireland's Diaspora Policy was the importance of the issue of voting rights to many Irish citizens abroad.

Many members of the diaspora felt it would allow them to deepen their engagement with Ireland and to play a more active role in Irish society.

Speaking at the Irish Memorial in Philadelphia today, the Taoiseach said: "Today's announcement is a profound recognition of the importance that Ireland attaches to all of our citizens, wherever they may be.

It is an opportunity for us to make our country stronger by allowing all of our citizens resident outside the State, including our emigrants, to vote in future presidential elections.

I am especially pleased to be making this announcement as we prepare for our worldwide celebration of St. Patrick's Day and of all that is Irish."
Campaign groups from Donegal are to meet the health minister tomorrow to discuss issues concerning cancer services at Letterkenny University Hospital.

Co-operating for Cancer Care NorthWest and Donegal Action for Cancer Care are meeting Simon Harris in Dublin.

The meeting will discuss the retention and development of cancer services in Letterkenny University Hospital.

Noelle Duddy of Co-operating for Cancer Care NorthWest said the groups will be seeking a progress report from the minister on the appointment of a second breast surgeon at the hospital.

We would expect that there will be a progress report in relation to cancer services issues and in particular the appointment of second breast surgeon at Letterkenny University Hospital, she said.

The main issue would be the breast surgeon. There are too many sticking plasters and we need round table talks to look at the complexities of Letterkenny University hospital and what is the best way forward so that cancer services are developed and retained and that patients in this region get the best deal and the best outcome they can get.
The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Meave Collum, Church Road, Falcarragh

- Jeannie Barber, Fanad

- Billy McGroarty, Drimkeelan, Mountcharles

- Gordon Dugan, Glebe House, Glebe Culdaff.

- Kitty McGonigle, Lochandubh, Kincasslagh

Meave Collum, Church Road, Falcarragh



The death has taken place of Meave Collum, Church Road, Falcarragh.

Reposing at her late residence.

Funeral Mass on Monday at 1pm in St. Finians Church, Falcarragh, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Jeannie Barber, Fanad



The death has taken place of Jeannie Barber (nee Carr) of Fanad.

Funeral from her daughter Elizabeths home on Monday, 13th March for service in Ballyarnett Presbyterian Church at 2pm, followed by burial in Altnagelvin Cemetery.

Family flowers only, please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to The Longfield Residents Comfort Fund, Longfield Care Home, 2 Longfield Road, Eglinton.

Billy McGroarty, Mountcharles



The death has taken place of Billy MCGroarty, Drimkeelan, Mountcharles.

Remains will be reposing at his late residence today Sunday from 1pm. Removal from there on Tuesday morning to the Church of the Sacred Heart Mountcharles for 11am funeral mass with burial afterwards in the adjoining churchyard.

Gordon Dugan, Culdaff



The death has taken place of Gordon Dugan, late of the Glebe House, Glebe, Culdaff, Donegal.

Reposing at his residence until removal on Monday, 13th March, at 10.30am for 11am service in St Buadans Church of Ireland, Culdaff, followed by burial in the adjoining burial ground. Family time please from 11pm until 11am. Family flowers only or donations in lieu, if desired, to The Patients Comfort Fund, Carndonagh Community Hospital.

Kitty McGonigle, Kincasslagh



The death has taken place at her late residence of Kitty McGonigle, Lochandubh, Kincasslagh.

Remains will reposing at her home today, Saturday 11th March from 12 noon. Rosary both nights at 9pm.

Funeral Mass in St Marys Church, Kincasslagh on Monday 13th March at 11am. Burial afterwards in Belcruit Cemetery.

House private please from 11pm to 10am and on the morning of the funeral.



* If you wish to have a death notice included, please e-mail: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a contact telephone number for verification.
These are interesting political times in most every way, but perhaps the most apparent these days is the effect that shaking up the status quo has on open government from the top reaches of federal governance to local boards and councils.

As today marks the beginning of the annual Sunshine Week, its appropriate to consider the importance of keeping the peoples business open to the people; its arguably somewhat different than data dumps or other releases of information by folks like Edward Snowden or Julian Assanges WikiLeaks.

Open government means that the business of the people belongs to the people, and should be available for public scrutiny.

Here at home, diligence is paramount, particularly with regard to incidents that, without the work of government watchdogs, may fade into history. Just this week, the Alabama Legislatures Judiciary Committee directed its attorney to continue investigating Gov. Robert Bentley for potentially impeachable acts related to his suspected romantic involvement with a senior aide and the possibility that government resources were used to facilitate and shield such a relationship.

This scandal has been playing out since last year, and the people are still in the dark with regard to some important questions they have every right to have answered, as they pertain to:

--Use of the states aircraft and leased aircraft paid for with state funds;

-- BP settlement funds used at the Governors Beach Mansion;

--The Governors discretionary fund, and emergency funds;

--Financial records of Serve Alabama, the governors Office of Faith-Based and Volunteer Service run by Jon Mason, husband of Rebekah Caldwell Mason;

-- Nondisclosure or Confidentiality agreements signed by any member of the governors security detail from 2013 to present.

-- Official and unofficial logs of any state transport of Mrs. Mason to and from Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and any other location.

-- Records regarding cell phone communication and text communication with Mrs. Mason from 2011 to present.

-- All documents related to the Governors trip to the Republican Governors Conference in Las Vegas, including payments and reimbursements for expenses.

Gov. Bentley should have taken the high road and provided answers to these questions early on, but he has not. Now there is an investigation in the Attorney Generals office as well as impeachment proceedings in the Legislature, making it further unlikely that Bentley will address the matter outside of official testimony, should the case come to that.

Regardless, the people will ultimately discover how their resources have been spent and whether the governor violated the public trust, the law, both, or neither.

Without a climate of open government, there would simply be no discussion about it.
The Alabama Legislature is considering HB 97 by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, and SB 153 by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, to establish a smart and secure statewide system to measure student achievement over time. Incredibly, Alabama currently does not have a statewide platform for collecting longitudinal data gathered from year to year to plot change.

There are no means to measure how something at one point in time affects outcomes later. But a longitudinal data system would enable us to learn if high school enrollment in advanced courses or performance on state tests improve student readiness for college, what college-level programs ensure that more students succeed, and at what cost.

Shouldnt legislators who direct our very limited dollars know which initiatives show the best evidence of increasing student achievement? Shouldnt school administrators have the information and resources to effectively manage? And shouldnt teachers have the data to help their instruction improve students?

A secure longitudinal data system  personal information would not be identifiable - would utilize performance records from early childhood education through the workforce to evaluate the progress of education and workforce programs.

The purpose is to look at how groups of students advance through education and training, to determine which programs are successful and those that are not, learn which groups may need early intervention to help them succeed, what programs that are best practices and can be incorporated into other areas, and workforce outcomes of participants in both higher education and workforce training programs.

We have the pieces that will let our children succeed. Now is the time to gather those pieces and use the data to know what works, and perhaps more importantly, what does not. Let the facts, not our opinions, guide decisions so that all Alabama students can excel.

William J. Canary, president and CEO

Business Council of Alabama

Montgomery
Jakob Folds took his first job out of school at Eastern Sheet Metal. Eventually he wants to go to college to be an engineer.

Its a goal hes working toward in steps. He took construction and drafting classes in high school and a sheet metal course at Wallace Community College.

Hes worked in several departments at the plant, doing tasks ranging from building and pressing out elbows for ducts to welding and cutting circles.

Ive done plenty of things, Folds said, but what he likes best is crafting materials. I get to actually build stuff. 

Plant manager Tony Kelley called Folds an exceptional guy who can read and comprehend blueprints. Those are skills he doesnt see in every applicant.

Were surprised at the number of people who cant read a tape measure, Kelley said. I would love to see the basic math skills improved coming out of the schools.

Training provided in community college programs helps fill the gap.

The two programs that Im familiar with at Wallace  the sheet metal and the welding program  are excellent programs, Kelley said. They seem to really be hitting home with what industry needs. Ive been well pleased with what theyre teaching in the programs theyve got, the students that are coming out of there.

Providing workers with the skills industry needs is an ongoing challenge. Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce President Matt Parker said automation and new technologies are transforming the manufacturing arena.

You need to make sure youre training on the right technologies that are going to be here in the future, Parker said. Its a constant ebb and flow of what we have to do to try to help our area grow and prosper.

Changes in the workplace extend beyond manufacturers. By having a variety of educators, businesses and others at the discussion table, all parties can help develop programs that provide the training workers need to fill local jobs.

Groups like the Alabama Workforce Council promote collaboration between government and industry to develop a sustainable and competitive workforce.

The advisory body has seven regional workforce councils. Region 6 includes 10 counties in southeast Alabama. It works with Wallace and two other colleges in the two-year community college system, Lurleen B. Wallace Community College and Enterprise State Community College, to provide workforce training resources and programs.

Those meetings are really listening sessions, Parker said. You hear about what industry is needing and whats emerging.

Dean Mitchell, executive director of the Dothan chamber, said the sheet metal technician program is one example. Business people at a meeting at the chamber expressed the need for having some skills upgrade in that area and the chamber worked with the Region 6 council and Wallace to put that program in place.

Parker said healthcare is a large sector of the local economy and has a lot of different needs.

Wallace has done an excellent job keeping that pipeline loaded and keeping that growing and sustainable to meet the needs of our healthcare community, Parker said.

The perfect scenario, Parker said, is when youre able to provide curriculums that help all segments.

It helps everybody really, whether its reading a tape measure, doing basic math, soft-skill development, he said.

Mitchell said the area is blessed to have large sectors  from retail, hospitality and healthcare to manufacturing, agriculture and distribution  that serve as great partners for development.

We really try to diversify our economy, Parker said. We dont want to be loaded in one sector over another.

Parker said the region has been making strides in public education, including the academy concept implemented at the Houston County Career Academy.

Thats really engaging industry in getting more hands-on and more information and support into the classroom, he said.

Parker said Dothan City Schools is looking at that process as part of Superintendent Chuck Ledbetters plan to strengthen and enhance workforce development and the information infrastructure.

The chamber will provide a workforce development update at a luncheon on March 16 in Rotary Hall at Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center. The speakers are Business Council of Alabama president and CEO Billy Canary and Alabama Workforce Council chairman Zeke Smith.

Parker said the states reorganization of the workplace development system with regional boards and directors is an important development.

The legislators really had a lot of vision to establish this and support it financially because thats really going to continue to grow and strengthen our workforce development system in the state, Parker said. Its going have a big impact on the future.

Parker said demands on the workforce never stop changing.

Were not ever going to cross the finish line, he said. Were going to keep hearing all the different needs out there and try to put things together to try to address the needs to continue to grow and strengthen our economy.
Samsung is expected to include numerous new features in the upcoming Galaxy S8 Plus, with the anticipation being that these will ultimately trickle down into a Galaxy Note 8 release later in 2017. In previous generations, the Galaxy Note has always been more powerful than the Galaxy S series, with this contributing to the glorious reputation of the phablet range.

A number of new rumors have recently emerged about the Galaxy Note 8, and from what could be determined so far, it looks like Samsung is going full force in the development of the Note 8. According to the Inquisitr, there are three very encouraging rumors which have recently emerged about the upcoming flagship, which as if on cue, is speculated to be codenamed "Great."

Exynos 8895 SoC

Samsung has a fondness for releasing two variants of its flagship devices - one with a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip and another with own Exynos processor every year. This time around, it seems that Samsung might be following this trend, as Galaxy Note 8 would be equipped with the South Korean tech giant's next-generation SoC, the Exynos 8895.

The Exynos 8895 is a monster of a mobile chip, which is capable of meeting and possibly even beating the Snapdragon 835 in some aspects. Chip is created using a 10nm finFET process and capable of supporting 4K video capture at 120fps, according to Android Authority.

Dual ISP Camera

The Exynos 8895 will open the way for a camera innovation that would most likely make a debut with the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. The Galaxy Note 7, which boasted a very good camera, to some extent disappointed many when it was revealed to have a single sensor. With the Note 8 being equipped with the Exynos 8895 SoC, nevertheless, Samsung would finally be able to equip its flagship phablet with a Dual Image Signal Processor (ISP) camera, which is one of the most advanced imaging systems in the mobile industry.

An 8mm Frame

The Galaxy Note line-up usually includes devices that are superior to the S-series, Samsung's other flagship brand. According to Value Walk, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 might be as thin as 8mm that would make it the thinnest phablet ever released by the South Korean tech giant.

Despite some rumors suggesting that Samsung could be tempted to rush the Galaxy Note 8 to recover from the debacle of last year, the smart money is on this phablet rumored to be releasing in the second half of 2017. The Galaxy S8 will be released early this year. The Galaxy Note 7 was offered in Blue Coral, so it seems extremely likely that this will be retained for the Galaxy Note 8, alongside gold and silver options.
The Maryland House of Delegates passed a milestone fracking ban bill Friday with unprecedented bipartisan support. House Bill 1325, which passed by a vote of 97 to 40, would ban hydraulic fracturing statewide.

Public opposition to the practice has grown over the past year, as more than a dozen counties and cities across the state have already passed local resolutions and ordinances to ban fracking and more than 1,000 Marylanders marched through the state capitol last week to demand a fracking ban.

We cannot afford to put our health, our ecology or the growing economy of Western Maryland at risk for fracking. That is why a total ban is necessary and supported by the people of Maryland, said Kumar Barve, chairman of the House Environment & Transportation Committee that put forth the bill.

As a longtime proponent of legislative initiatives to protect Maryland from the dangers of fracking, I commend the Maryland House of Delegates for voting in support of a fracking ban, said Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo who introduced the bill. Across the country, fracking is polluting the air and water of countless communities and making people sick. The passing of this bill is a huge step forward in securing Maryland as a national leader in combating climate change and protecting our citizens.

Residents from across the state have sent more than 35,000 petitions and letters in support of a ban to the General Assembly. More than 200 businesses, the majority from Western Maryland, and more than 200 Maryland health professionals sent letters to the General Assembly in support of the bill.

The passing of the fracking ban bill through the House by a 57 vote margin is truly a watershed moment for Maryland, said Mitch Jones, senior policy advocate at Food & Water Watch. The current overwhelming support from Maryland delegates shows an understanding that without a ban, public health and local businesses cannot be protected. We applaud this critical step towards preserving the resources and economy of Maryland and call on the Senate to follow the lead of the House.
California is the first U.S. state to require Monsanto to label its blockbuster weed killer, Roundup, as a possible carcinogen, according to a ruling issued Friday by a California judge.

Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Kapetan previously issued a tentative ruling on Jan. 27 in Monsanto Company v. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, et al.

Judge Kapetan formalized her ruling Friday against Monsanto, which will allow California to proceed with the process of listing glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, as a chemical known to the state to cause cancer in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known as Proposition 65.

[facebook https://facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1497387253607540/ expand=1]

In January of 2016, Monsanto filed a lawsuit against the State of California Environmental Protection Agencys Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) over the agencys notice of intent to list glyphosate as a Prop 65 chemical.

OEHHA issued the notice after the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued a report on glyphosate, which classified the chemical as a probable human carcinogen. The IARC report compelled OEHHA to list glyphosate as a Prop 65 chemical and warn consumers about the possible danger associated with glyphosate exposure.

https://twitter.com/GMWatch/status/821758084305526784 expand=1]

Why Did Monsanto Sue the State of California?

In 1986, California voters approved Proposition 65 to address concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals. Prop 65 requires California to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

OEHHA is the administrator for the Proposition 65 program and determines in many cases whether chemicals or other substances meet the scientific and legal requirements to be placed on the Proposition 65 list. The agency uses a Labor Code listing mechanism, which directs the OEHHA to add chemicals or substances to the Prop 65 list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer if they meet certain classifications by the IARC.

Monsantos lawsuit against OEHHA argued that the statutory basis underlying the agencys action to list glyphosate as a Prop 65 chemical violates both the California and U.S. Constitutions. According to the complaint, listing glyphosate as chemical known to the state to cause cancer cedes regulatory authority to an unelected, undemocratic, unaccountable, and foreign body that isnt subject to oversight by California or the United States.

Though, according Judge Kapetan ruling:

 the Labor Code listing mechanism does not constitute an unconstitutional delegation of authority to an outside agency, since the voters and the legislature have established the basic legislative scheme and made the fundamental policy decision with regard to listing possible carcinogens under Proposition 65, and then allowed the IARC to make the highly technical fact-finding decisions with regard to which specific chemicals would be added to the list.

As Monsanto admits, the IARCs list is not created in response to the Labor Code listing mechanism or Proposition 65, and in fact IARC has stated that it disavows any policy or rulemaking role, and that it does not intend its determinations to carry the force of law.

In the months that followed, a number of interested nonparties joined the lawsuit as intervenors, either on behalf of Monsanto or on behalf of the State of California. When a case has the potential to affect the rights of interested nonparties (individuals or organizations not named in the lawsuit), they can become intervenors, effectively joining the litigation either as a matter of right or at the courts discretion without the permission of the original litigants. Intervention simply gives nonparties that could be affected by a cases outcome a chance to be heard.

Below are the intervenors in Monsanto Company v. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, et al.

Monsanto Intervenors:

California Citrus Mutual

Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA)

California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations

California Grain & Feed Association

Almond Alliance of California

Western Plant Health Association

OEHHA Intervenors:

Center for Food Safety

Sierra Club

United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (AFL-CIO, CLC)

Natural Resources Defense Council

Environmental Law Foundation

Canadian Labor Congress

Teri McCall is one of many California residents to cheer the ruling against Monsanto. Her husband, Jack, sprayed Roundup on the familys Cambia, California farm for nearly 30 years. In September 2015, Jack went to see a doctor to treat swollen lymph nodes in his neck. That day in the hospital, he learned that the swelling was caused by anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a rare and aggressive version of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

https://twitter.com/IRTKGMO/status/707911797907521539

Three months later, Jack suffered a severe stroke due to complications with his cancer treatment. He died on Dec. 26, 2015.

In the wake of her husbands death, Teri McCall filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Monsanto, alleging the company knew about the link between Roundup and cancer, but failed to warn the public about the risk.

My husband Jack was very conscious of the dangers of chemicals and his misfortune was taking Monsantos word that Roundup was safe, McCall said at a press conference held in January in Fresno, California, following Judge Kapetans tentative ruling.

[facebook https://www.facebook.com/BaumHedlund/videos/10155015260708385/

I dont want to see any more unsuspecting people die from cancer because they didnt know of the danger to their health from exposure to Roundup. Glyphosate in Roundup needs to be on the list of Prop 65 chemicals that are dangerous to our health so that people can make informed decisions for themselves about the risks they are willing to take. I dont believe my husband would have been willing to take that risk, McCall said.

Its great to see democracy is alive and well in California where judges are still willing to stand up for science, even against the most powerful corporate polluters. This decision gives Californians the right to protect themselves and their families from chemical trespass.

I am representing Ms. McCall along with Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman. We are also representing 230 other plaintiffs (45 from California) who are suing Monsanto for non-Hodgkin lymphoma from exposure to Roundup, with more clients coming onboard every week.
Lawyers representing fossil fuel defendants in a youth climate lawsuit filed a motion Friday with a U.S. District Court seeking an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on a Nov. 10, 2016 order in Juliana v. United States. As reported by The Washington Post , the Trump Administration filed a similar motion requesting appeal on Tuesday. Fossil fuel defendants support the Trump Administrations motion.

Fossil fuel defendants claim Judge Ann Aiken erred when ruling that the political question doctrine is not a barrier to plaintiffs claims. The fossil fuel defendants argue the executive and legislative branches of government, and not the judiciary, should resolve the issues presented by plaintiffs in this case.

https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/839839259196600323here is hardly any political question in the United States that sooner or later does not turn into a judicial question. Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America 440 (Liberty Fund 2012).

In fact, more than 11 pages of Judge Aikens order thoughtfully and judicially analyzed and concluded on the political question issue. Her order walked through all six Baker factors from the Supreme Courts 1962 opinion in Baker v. Carr, a case recently featured in a 2016 podcast produced as part of the RadioLab Series More Perfect. Following her analysis, Judge Aiken included a section entitled Summary: This Case Does Not Raise a Nonjusticiable Political Question. From that section, the order reads:

There is no need to step outside the core role of the judiciary to decide this case. At its heart, this lawsuit asks this Court to determine whether defendants have violated plaintiffs constitutional rights. That question is squarely within the purview of the judiciary.

This case shares some key features with Baker itself. In Baker, a group of voters challenged a statute governing the apportionment of state legislative districts. 369 U.S. at 188-95. Sixty years of population growth without legislative reapportionment had led to legislative districts had led to some votes carrying much more weight than others. Id. at 192-93. Here, the majority of youth plaintiffs are minors who cannot vote and must depend on others to protect their political interests. Thus, as amicus the League of Women Voters persuasively argues, the youth plaintiffs claims are similar to the Baker claims because they are rooted in a debasement of their votes and an accompanying diminishment of their voice in representational government. Br. for the League of Women Voters in the United States et al. as Amici Curiae at 19-20 (doc 79-1).

In Baker, the Court acknowledged that the plaintiffs claims had political dimensions and ramifications  but nonetheless concluded none of the Baker factors was inextricable from the case. 369 U.S. at 209. Similarly as discussed in detail above, this case raises political questions yet is not barred by the political question doctrine.

The political question argument is a last ditch effort to avoid judicial review, Julia Olson, plaintiffs counsel and executive director of Our Childrens Trust, said. When our political branches deny our plaintiffs their fundamental rights, it is absolutely the courts job to step in. This is well-settled and this defense is dead.

Juliana v. United States was filed in 2015 by 21 young plaintiffs who argue that their constitutional and public trust rights are being violated by the governments creation of climate danger. Judge Ann Aikens November order denied motions to dismiss brought by both the Obama administration and fossil fuel industry defendants.

Juliana v. United States is one of many related legal actions brought by youth in several states and countries, all supported by Our Childrens Trust, seeking science-based action by governments to stabilize the climate system.
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.
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Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter

A sobbing paedophile who left his nine-year-old victim crying on her bedroom floor was spared jail as a judge decided to give him a chance at "rehabilitation".

Anthony Nicholson-Wisbey, of Frating Court, Braintree, started a sexually explicit conversation with a young Canadian girl online, asking for naked photos and threatening to expose the girl if she didn't do what he said.

His vile actions, conducted on August 24, 2014 while he was living in Chelmsford, were only uncovered when the girl's mother "found her crying in the foetal position on her bedroom floor".

Nicholson-Wisbey, now 21, appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday (March 10), having pleaded guilty to inciting a young girl to engage in sexual activity and three counts of possession of indecent images, ranging from Category A to Category C.

The court heard that initially, the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told Nicholson-Wisbey that she was 15.

Outlining the facts of the case, prosecutor Emma Nash explained how the then 18-year-old incited the young girl to engage in sexual acts and send pictures of herself.

She said: "He asked her to insert things into her and she sent pictures of that. As he sent more intimate requests and ramped up the level, she started to refuse.

"His response was to tell her that from her IP address, he could tell where she lived, would print out all the images and post them to her address.

"She made it clear she was scared. Before long she told him she was 10, although she was actually nine.

"From the images he would've known she wasn't 15. She looked like a pre-pubescent child."

Whenever the victim declined to comply with his extremely sexual requests, the defendant would repeat his threats of sending the images to her family, or that he would hack her phone.

Ms Nash described the defendant's tone as sinister, controlling and nasty.

"His response at all times was 'do what I tell you to, please me in the way I am asking you'," she said.

At one point in the exchange, Nicholson-Wisbey had actually told his victim that he was a 15-year-old girl, and by the end had demanded that she declare her love for him.

The incident, which was reported to the Canadian authorities, led to the arrest of Nicholson-Wisbey, then 20, on May 12, 2015.

Officers seized devices belonging to the defendant, and although none had any trace of the online conversation, a HTC mobile phone contained 49 moving and still images of indecent pornography unrelated to the Canadian child.

A victim impact statement, written by the victim's mother, highlighted the trauma suffered by the nine-year-old.

She wrote: "This has changed our lives forever. She never slept in her room again from that day.

"She learned at a really young age what debilitating anxiety was. She completely lost her self-worth.

"She did not know that there were people in the world who would manipulate her."

Nicholson-Wiseby cried intermittently throughout the sentencing, but sobbed uncontrollably when defence counsel Sarah Vine spoke in mitigation.

Ms Vine said: "The defendant was an adult, but he was only just an adult. His words to me were 'I have ruined a young girl's life. I deserve whatever is coming to me.'

"The journey to this point of remorse has not been simple. These are exceptionally difficult offences to admit to.

"It takes a kind of courage rarely seen in these courts to admit such offending and its consequences."

Ms Vine argued that while a custodial sentence would punish her client, there would be a wider benefit to society for a sentence that would allow him to change his behaviour.

Judge Emma Peters, who allowed a shaking and crying Nicholson-Wisbey to sit as she passed sentence, said he was an "inadequate man" who instead of pursuing relationships in the real world, had locked himself away online.

"You were bullied as a child and you reacted to that by pursuing a life in the virtual world, instead of a real life with real people," she said.

"You became a loner, only comfortable in a quiet room, sexually gratifying yourself with people on a screen."

She told Nicholson-Wisbey that if she stuck rigidly to the sentencing guidelines, he could face an immediate prison sentence of up to eight years.

"The question is whether I do what the guidelines say I should and send you to prison to punish you and deter others from this kind of offending or do I pass a sentence that could reform and rehabilitate you," Judge Peters added.

"It is a great shame that I can't pass a sentence that achieves all of those aims."

As Nichsolson-Wisbey muttered apologies in the dock, Judge Peters chose the more lenient approach, suspending his two-year prison sentence and giving him a spot on a rehabilitation course.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was put in place for 10 years and he will be on the Sex Offenders' Register for the same period.
Written by ACM

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The 1st French Politician (after those in Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, etc) to dare Resist controversial Turkish Government's pressing attempts to find in Europe a place for M. Erdogan's notorious Propaganda to impose a Constitutional modification that Council of Europe has just denounced as "Dangerous" and a "SetBack" against Democratic Principles, in addition to the well known recent Massive Violations of Human Rights of many Tens of Thousands of Dismissed and/or Arrested and Jailed (allegedly some even Tortured and/or Raped, etc, according to International Human Righs NGOs) Judges, Teachers, Civil Servants, Journalists, MPs, Soldiers, Kurds, etc, recently extended even towards European Countries, inside which f.ex. Turkish "Ditib"s strange Imams were found in Germany etc. to Spy over European Populations here, (after the Turkish Consulates, f.ex. in the Netherlands, etc), is a Young "Rising Star" of mainstream Center-Right "Republican" Party, (created by Experienced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on 2015, who had been Voted then as its 1st Leader, and now represented in the forthcoming 2017 Presidential Election by former Prime Minister Francois Fillon), the New vice-President of Strasbourg's "Great East" Mega-Region, and fresh Candidate to the forthcoming Parliamentary Elections of June 2017, Elsa Schalck, former Leader of that Party's Youth and Lawyer:



Speaking to "Eurofora" on that "Hot" issue Today, she reacted to a Topical Public Debate which has just reached the level even of German Chancelor Angie Merkel, the Dutch Prime Minister and Top Opposition Leaders, EU Commission's vice-President Jean-Claude Juncker, etc., (See Infra).



Elsa is even more Directly concerned, since she has been now selected as the "Republicans"' New Candidate for MP in the 1st Constituency of Strasbourg, to which belongs also the Suburb of "Haute-Pierre" (means : High Stone), inside which is located the City's Biggest Building for Collective Socio-Cultural Events : that of "Zenith - Europe", where the controversial Mr Erdogan had already chosen to hold, Exceptionaly, a Political Event, (a "First" ever in that Facility, build with Public Funds, mainly at Local/Regional level, by a previous Mayorship in Strasbourg, steming from Today's "Republican" Party), gathering here Thousands of openly politicized Turkish Immigrants from several European Countries, (and particularly, from nearby Germany, etc), already Back on October 2005, (Comp., f.ex., "Eurofora"s NewsReport on that event, at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/erdoganspeechonterroromitsisis.html, despite the fact that, as many others, "Eurofora"s Family had to Find a "Refuge" those Days at Nearby Switzerland, escaping from those politicized Turkish Crowds, added to various "Counter-Demonstrations", etc., which had submerged then the area).

- "No", I don't think at all that it would be a good idea to eventualy allow to hold such a meeting nowadays here in Strasbourg, Miss Schalck replied to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question on that Topical Issue.



- "Here" (i.e. in France), "it's for us", French Politicians, "to hold Public Debates, on the Country's National and/or European Political Choices, told us the Youngest vice-President of Strasbourg's "Great East" Mega-Region, located at the "Heart" of Europe, EU and urozone, (which has been Recently Extended considerably, up to the point to have Now common Borders bringing Together 5 European Countries : France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium, i.e. practicaly Linking UNO's Headquarters at nearby Geneva, to Strasbourg's Headquarters of the CoE, ECHR and EU Parliament's full Plenaries, as well as Luxembourg's EU Court of Justice and Court of Auditors, up to Belgium's EU Council and EU Commission's Headquarters), speaking at the Eve of the Forthcoming French Presidential and Parliamentary Elections of April/May and June 2017, respectively, which are notoriously Crucial also for Topical Debates on EU's foreseable Future.



- As far as the Controversial current Turkish Government is concerned, "They have enough things to do for themselves in their Country, which have not yet been done", Elsa Shalck, furthermore, criticaly observed, Explaining to "Eurofora" that she obviously referred to all those Recent CoE's and other European/International Institutions' Official Announcements, including even Today in Strasbourg, which Criticize and/or Warn against Serious Risks of Massive Violations of Human Rights, Backlash on Rule of Law and/or basic Democratic Principles, particularly Aggravating in nowadays Turkey : F.ex. by CoE Parliamentary Assembly's "Monitoring" Committee, CoE's Human Rights' Commissioner, CoE's "Venice" Commission on Democracy through Law, etc, and even by UNO's Human Rights' bodies at Nearby Geneva, (etc).



The French ChristianDemocrat/EPP Young Politician was also reacting to "Eurofora"s reminder of the Recent Public Controversy between the German Chancelor Angie Merkel and other Top EU Political Leaders, with controversial Turkish President Tayip Erdogan, who notoriously Accused modern Germany for so-called ..."NAZI remnants" (sic !), but also the Netherlands for ... "FASCIST practice" (re-sic !), added to EU Commission's President, former Long-Time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and f. Chairman of "uroGroup", Jean-Claude Juncker, who was also Accused of ... "RACIST trend" (sic !!!) by Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister for European affairs, Omar Tcelik, (Both mostly Echoed also by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglou, and/or Prime Minister Binali Yildirim), for Not Yielding to Ankara Government's Growing Pressure to Impose Public Meetings of Foreign Governments with Turkish Immigrants inside Europe for Open Political Propaganda on Controversial Issues, to whom the Top German and EU Leaders reportedly Replied that such Insults were "Absolutely Inexcusable" and/or "Shameful", respectively.



After several Refusals in Germany, (particularly from Regional "Lander", i.e. Federated States' and/or various other Authorities), Press reports for a General Refusal by the Austrian Government, an Interdiction of Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglou's Airplane to land in the Netherlands, where Police and/or Local/Regional Authorities also Prohibited 2 Public Meetings with Turkey's Ministers, it's also in Switzerland that the Zurich Canton and another one were Added to a Fast-Growing Series of European Countries Unwilling to yield to Ankara's Pressure and even open Threats on that "Hot" and Controversial Issue, which was Earlier Preceded by Popular Reactions against some very Loud Nationalist Turkish Gatherings with Ankara's current regime's representatives f.ex. in Koeln and/or other German Cities, followed Recently by the "Ditib" Turkish "Imam Spying" Scandal in Germany, added to a Turkish Consulate Spying Scandal also in the Netherlands and elsewhere inside Europe, (where Turkish Officials had notoriously been urged to even Collect Informations and/or Denonciations against Dissident figures or views expressed in public, even of critical Journalists, etc), Amidst mounting Tension provoked also by various kinds of relevant Street Demonstrations and/or Counter-Demonstrations, etc., resulting to Inevitable Fears of even more Unrest, Mob Clashes, etc.



This was, by a striking Coincidence, almost Immediately Followed even by a recrudecence of Isolated but Serial, and Bloody Violent apparently Islamist Terrorist Attacks Targetting various Innocent Civilian People in Germany, (Cowardly even a Young Girl aged only 13 y.o., reportedly Attacked from Behind with an Axe, an Old Man aged 80 y.o. seriously Knifed, with Life-Threatening Wounds, a massive Gas-Attack inside Public Transports' system, etc), but also 2 Different Reported "Explosions" in Sweden, (etc).



European Government's Criticism of Erdogan's loud and abrupt Accusations against Socio-Cultural "Integration" policies for Turkish a.o. Immigrants, made while Visiting Germany, during such Public Meetings, Back on Autumn/Winter 2005, had notoriously been almost immediately Followed by Exceptionaly Violent Moves and Clashes by some apparently (at least partly) Manipulated Immigrants in several French Suburbs, setting Fires, destroying Cars, Robbing Shops, etc, which Ceased only after then President Jaques Chirac authorized then Minister of Interior Nicolas Sarkozy to use all adequate means for the reestablishment of Republican Order. But, Before that, inter alia, 2 Young Teenagers had been reportedly Led by a Turkish origin Adult aged 21, into a Dangerous Electric Power Building Site, allegedly under pretext to "Hide" from French Police, during Stone-Throwing and Fire-Setting, Clubs-Brandishing, etc. Street Clashes, where the inexperienced Children, from Other Immigrant origins, were inevitably Electrocuted Dead, while their "Leader", that Turkish Adult 21 y.o., (perhaps Experienced also by notorious Turkish Lobbies' Links to Buildings' Business, there and elsewhere), was the Only one who managed to get out Alive, Fueling Afterwards even More Street Clashes Following Controversial Claims that he reportedly made to Local Medias immediately after that Tragic Incident, (even if some of his parents reportedly tried to alleviate somehow such "Hot" Statements, Later-on).



Be it, possibly, for the Sake of Many Thousand of People's Human Rights' currently Massively Oppressed, notoriously in Turkey, particularly nowadays, (even Long Before an alleged Short-lived, 6 Hours-long "Coup Attempt" on July 2016, which served for main Pretext to a serious Aggravation afterwards, as, inter alia, also UNO's High Commissioner on Human Rights, Zeid bin Raad's strong Denonciations of already Previous Mass Oppression of mainly Kurdish Populations in Turkey, obviously show), and/or in order to Simply Prevent Risks of "Importing more Tensions" inside Europe, f.ex. by probably provocative pro-Turkish Government Demonstrations, facing various "Counter-Demonstrations" by Dissidents, Human Rights Organisations, etc, but, may be also some eventual Concerns about Preventing recrudences of that Recent "Spying" Scandal inside Europe, reportedly by Ankara Government-controlled "Ditib" a.o. "Imams", Turkish Consulates, etc, as, f.ex. in Germany and/or the Netherlands, etc, particularly in the Recent Delicate Context of various Islamist Terrorists' Bloody Attacks Targetting Innocent Civilians in Europe, the USA and elsewhere in the World, (Comp. Supra), etc., EU Politicians' reserves on such Controversial Foreign Government-pushed Public Gatherings nowadays, obviously should not be underestimated.

Particularly not when it Starts here by a Rising New French Politician, with deep Links to Both Young People, and Franco-German trans-border Relationship.

+ As for those Turkish Government Accusations of .."Racism" (sic) against EU Commission's President Jean-Claude Juncker (Comp. Supra), Elsa's observations to a pre-Electoral Strasbourg gathering, were Interesting, particularly concerning "Integration"'s need and potential : While having, naturaly, Strongly Defended her Political Family's beliefs to France's "Values", "History" and "Identity", etc., at the same time, she pointed at Young Jonas, another "Republican" Party Youth Member, who had recently made a Good Speech on French Politics, underlying the Fact, that, even if when he came here, he barely spoke the French Language, nevertheless, at Present, we are Proud of him !", she rightfully concluded, smiling Friendly to that Young French of Migrant origin, Well Integrated now in the European Culture.



(../..)





***

(+Partly UpDated)

("Draft-News", as already send to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).



***


I'm looking into safa in motor city and gems metropolitan also in motor city for my children to attend when we relocate. Does anyone have an idea of their availability?
Bon jour everyone,



I'm Bruce, my wife is Marie. We're moving from Austin, TX to Paris late April. We have an apartment until Sep then we'll decide to stay in Paris or move to Montpellier which we like too.



Besides living in the US we lived in the UK for some years. I became a British citizen when I was there. Marie a native Brit became a US cit while we were living in Texas.



We're really excited to be spending the summer in Paris. We've been a few times, have good friends who live there and hope to take our French speaking up a few notches.



I just wanted to say 'hi'. I've been spending some time reading others' posts and this forum is jam packed with great advice. Hope to meet a lot of you on the forum.



Best wishes,

Bruce
Hi,



My wife and I are hoping to move to Morzine / one of the surrounding villages such as Montriond or Essert-Romand at the end of this year. We're having trouble finding any long term (12 month) rentals. Most we find online are seasonal / short term.



Can anyone advise of local Immobiliers or rental forums we could use. Any ideas gratefully received.



As a bit of background, I'll be getting posted overseas temporarily via my UK company using the A1 document.



Thanks very much in advance,



Dan
A sprawling compound of stucco walls, limestone columns and weathered brass ornaments, Apetitos stands out like a model Mexican restaurant built to help sell houses in a new subdivision. The inside looks like a muted version of Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderias tourist-friendly carnival atmosphere, turned down from 11 to 5.

Its clean, bright, colorful and loud, with tacos that behave like they came from the block instead of a suburban highway intersection.
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For the second time, Steven Lopez interrupted his business English class last week at Palo Alto College to say the next day was his 24th birthday.

I want cake, said Lopez, who has Down Syndrome. My favorite cake is Spurs cake.

The instructor, Sylvia de Hoyos, told student Chris Rice, 23, to imagine he was ordering a cake for Lopez.

Yeah, I get a discount on it, said Rice, who bags groceries and works maintenance at H-E-B.

Thats the whole point of it, de Hoyos said. No matter what conversation or what communication were having, were going to be using this business English.

Lopez, Rice and the five other students sitting at computers in their final business English class make up the inaugural cohort of Project Access, which teaches college courses and workforce skills to adults with intellectual disabilities.

The first program of its kind in San Antonio, it began last fall and could expand to at least one other community college in the Alamo Colleges District, said Cindy Morgan, PACs coordinator of disability support services.

Students with intellectual disabilities often choose not to pursue post-secondary education, Morgan said. Out of about 8,900 students at PAC, only 14 this semester have certain learning disabilities that must be reported to the state. Morgan most frequently works with students that have Down Syndrome or autism, but students have also come to PAC with attention-deficit disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. They plan to pursue liberal arts degrees, and some set their sights on the veterinary technician program, but after multiple semesters many are still struggling through non-credit remedial courses, Morgan said.

Project Access students instead take 16 credit hours over three semesters to earn General Office Level 1 certificates, which do not require developmental English or math courses. The curriculum includes keyboarding, business math and records management.

To keep them motivated over the summer, students will come to campus once a week for lessons from PACs student teachers who focus on special populations, Morgan said. Area employers will also visit to share what job skills theyre looking for, Morgan said.

The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level office positions or customer service jobs, Morgan said. The office certification also feeds into PACs associate of applied science degree for administrative assistants. Morgan said she is thinking of adding a logistics certification.

I dont want students to feel that this is their only option, she said.

Students admitted to Project Access must have graduated from high school or completed equivalency certificates, and read at fourth- to sixth-grade levels. Morgan acknowledged the paradox in those prerequisites, saying special education services and modified testing can push students to graduation without needed skills.

All seven students in the Project Access pilot returned this semester.

Now they have become close friends and they love being here on campus, so its really helped with their independence and boosted their confidence, Morgan said.

Rice graduated in 2013 from South San Antonio High School. He has multiple disabilities, saying Thursday he usually cant remember what theyre called, but hes always had trouble reading. He doesnt want an office job, but said business English has been his favorite class so far.

It already is helping more, Rice said. Its helping me to read some labels and stuff.

Morgan and PAC President Mike Flores began planning Project Access almost three years ago, after meeting with the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas. They looked at similar programs, including STEPS at Austin Community College and VAST Academy at Houston Community College. Unlike those programs, Project Access offers college credit.

A new Project Access cohort will begin next semester and every semester after that, Morgan said. Teachers and parents of students in San Antonio-area school districts have been asking more frequently about the program, and Morgan said she hopes another Alamo College will join PAC to expand it.

The students have really grown in the time that theyve been here, Morgan said.

amalik@express-news.net
As San Antonios homicides have increased  57 more of them last year than in 2015, the largest jump in two decades  the countys capital murder prosecutions have been slowed by a shortage of defense lawyers qualified to handle such cases, adding at least a years delay in getting them to trial.

The crisis is partly coincidence.

Police say San Antonios spike in killings appears to be random, pointing to the usual collection of causes but unable to single out any as the main driver. The shortage of lawyers who meet rigid state rules for handling death penalty cases, meanwhile, has been developing over the past few years.

Capital murder, in which the killing happened during the commission of another felony or the victim is a child, is the only crime in Texas that can carry the death penalty. As of this month, 68 capital murder cases were pending in Bexar County, 18 more than at the same time last year, county records show.

Combined, the trends are like having a roofer shortage after a hailstorm.

We really got stretched in 2016, said state District Judge Sid Harle. We had more capital murder cases with multiple defendants than I had seen in a long time. And every co-defendant has to have a separate lawyer with separate experts.

I worry about the expense to the county, the wear and tear on the lawyers and the prospect that some defendant might claim he (had) ineffective counsel because of their attorneys enormous caseload, he added.

The San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association has about 400 members, and doubtless others also practice in Bexar County, said its president, Michael McCrum. But Bexar County has only 11 who live in the county and are qualified to be lead counsel in capital murder cases involving the chance of the death penalty.

Some of them are carrying four or more such cases at one time, though lawyers and judges agree this is far too many.

San Antonio attorney Alan Futrell, 64, who has represented capital murder defendants since 1995, buried his creased forehead in his hands as he contemplated the six such cases he is currently juggling.

This isnt something Im proud of, he said. This is worrisome. Its scary.

Among his clients are Johnny Avalos, accused of killing four women in the five months before his arrest in April 2015; Abdi Abdi, a Somalian man accused in the shooting death of a 5-year-old girl as her parents were robbed; and Ralph Torres, charged with killing the 61-year-old owner of a Blanco Road convenience store during a two-day crime spree last August.

Alan clearly has too many, said Harle, more in sympathy than alarm, because he appointed Futrell to some of those cases. But hes an excellent lawyer and his clients are lucky to have him.

Yet even the best of lawyers cant be in two places at one time.

The capital murder attorneys call these long, complicated cases practice killers, said state District Judge Ron Rangel. When youre in trial for eight weeks and every single word you utter will be parsed by appeals courts, you dont have any time to meet with new clients or your existing clients. Its like stress on a bridge. Eventually something falls.

Besides professional burnout from lengthy, complex trials and the relatively low county pay for doing indigent capital defense in Texas, an obscure regulation keeps many otherwise qualified lawyers from taking on death penalty cases.

The vast majority of murder defendants in Bexar County and throughout America are poor people represented by taxpayer-funded, court-appointed lawyers.

Scores of indigent murder defendants have been denied fair trials since 1980 because of demonstrably incompetent lawyers, legal experts calculate. In response to this new awareness, the state closely regulates the experience and skill-sets of court-appointed capital murder attorneys.

Cases that could result in the death penalty can take months to try, with jury selection alone often taking three weeks or more. Sometimes prosecutors decide early they wont seek death. Sometimes they wait until the last minute  and until they decide, defense teams must respond as if their clients life is at stake.

Even without a shortage of qualified defense lawyers, a capital murder case might take two to three years just to reach a trial in Texas largest counties.

When you add another year of delay onto that, witnesses become tougher to find, their stories may change, Rangel said. Plus, the families go through an agonizing wait.

Equally complex is scheduling the testimony of experts.

That takes time and can get very expensive, Futrell said. Were not figuring out ways to delay the cases.

In Texas, counties bear the cost of defending the indigent. Bexar County budgets about $6 million annually to pay for all indigent defense in its 10 felony district courts. Some capital murder cases can run $60,000 or more for the fees of a court-appointed lawyer and the expert witnesses.

It is that art of presenting mitigating evidence to a jury deciding on a possible death penalty that underlies the whole issue of the capital murder lawyer shortage in Texas. The state requires any lead counsel in a death penalty trial, the so-called first chair, to have experience at it.

Other requirements include five years of criminal law work and experience challenging mental health or forensics experts in court. But lack of experience presenting mitigating evidence disqualifies more lawyers than anything else.

Its what separates those 11 lawyers in Bexar County from dozens of other highly-qualified defense attorneys who may have handled scores of homicide cases, but found ways to avoid the death penalty.

Most lawyers agree that the state guidelines are well-intentioned, especially given the history of wrongful death penalty convictions in Texas.

The Death Penalty Information Center, a Washington-based nonprofit, reports that 13 people have been released from Texas Death Row since 1973, their convictions overturned  the less populous states of Florida and Illinois have had 26 and 20, respectively, in the same period.

Jeff Mulliner was a prosecutor in Bexar County for nine years and helped try 13 capital murders, four involving the death penalty. As a defense attorney, he has helped on five capital murder cases  but he isnt allowed to be the first chair.

Im not begging to take first-chair appointments, Mulliner said recently. But I think its ridiculous that Ive done 18 capital murder cases, and because Ive either worked out plea agreements to avoid the death penalty or because I was a prosecutor (who would not normally present mitigating evidence), I am not deemed qualified to lead the defense in a death penalty case.

Rangel and Harle agree that giving judges the ability to occasionally waive the mitigation rule would be a logical legislative fix, but not everyone agrees.

District Attorney Nico LaHood, when he was a defense lawyer, was among those who considered himself skilled enough to handle a death penalty defense but not qualified to lead one. Still, he is against weakening the requirement if it increases the risk of appeals judges ordering cases retried.

Mitigation is a very big deal, LaHood said. I have no trouble with experienced judges like Harle and Rangel using that discretion (to appoint lawyers who dont meet the standard), but I do with inexperienced judges.

Kathryn Kase, senior counsel at the Texas Defender Service, a non-profit devoted to improving capital defense, said taxpayers should support the mitigation standard.

Every time a county tries to cheap out on the defense of a death penalty case, they end up having to try them again when verdicts are overturned, she said by phone from her Houston office. If taxpayers are really concerned, they should urge their counties not to seek the death penalty.

Texas juries have handed out fewer death sentences after life without parole became the only alternative to it, criminal justice experts say. In 1999, 48 people were sent to death row. In 2016, Texas juries chose death only four times, none of them in Bexar, Dallas, Travis or Harris counties.

Some counties have enough qualified lawyers to handle the demand, though Harris County-based lawyer Steven Rocket Rosen averred, Theres a shortage all over the state.

Ive worked on 15 death penalty cases, and I took them to make a name for myself, he said. But now, I wouldnt take one for a million dollars. I think theyve given me PTSD.

Court-appointed capital murder work wont bring defense attorneys anything close to a million dollars. For a first chair in Bexar County, its $150 an hour for actual trial work, $80 for out of court. They receive a flat rate of $3,500 if the accused pleads guilty. A judge must approve fees for private investigators that go above a $1,500 cap.

Capital attorneys are the best in the field, Rangel said. Theres too much stress for too little pay when life and death are on the line.

The stress is real, Harle agreed, noting, You will live with that case for the rest of that clients life.

And if he loses, your own client will almost certainly turn on you and try to make you out to be incompetent, he added.

Some lawyers simply dont want to legitimize the death penalty by taking such cases, Mulliner said.

There are some fantastically bright lawyers in Bexar County, he said, who just say, All Im gonna do is DWIs.

bselcraig@express-news.net
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Michael Montano would be a perfect poster child for San Antonios decade of downtown.

He is a young tech-industry lawyer who bicycles (when he doesnt walk) to his seventh-floor downtown office at Geekdom. He is an idealistic millennial who spends much of his time thinking about how to preserve and enhance neighborhoods in the citys urban core.

He is the grandson of immigrants from Michoacan, an overachiever from the South Side who made it to Yale University and Stanford Law School.

Hes also determined to become the next District 1 council member. Montano, who got his first serious taste of local politics when he handled data analysis for the 2012 Pre-K 4 SA campaign, is trying to dislodge Roberto Trevino, the District 1 incumbent he defines as an elected official who loves his title but not his job.

Montano, 36, argues that ever since Diego Bernal left the District 1 seat in 2014 to run for state rep, theres been a noticeable leadership void in the district. Last summer, he launched a six-month District 1 listening tour, visiting neighborhood association meetings, PTA meetings and churches. He didnt talk about his interest in the District 1 seat, he just asked questions and took mental notes.

When I talk to people in the neighborhoods, theyre concerned about things like getting their fair share of public-safety dollars, because crime is going up in the district, Montano said. Theyre concerned about the fact that their potholes and their sidewalks arent being fixed, that their yards are still flooding.

There are parts of this district that havent had a sidewalk fixed in 50 years, if they ever had one put in in the first place. A pothole should not be a historical marker.

District 1 has always been a first among equals on the council, largely because it represents downtown and is the face that the city shows its visitors. Its the district that produced Henry Cisneros, Maria Berriozabal and Bernal.

If Montano has one issue that defines his campaign, it is protecting the integrity of historic neighborhoods, such as Beacon Hill and Alta Vista, from what he views as the encroachment of inappropriate development and gentrification.

Right now, he said, there is undue pressure on certain neighborhoods to build non-conforming housing that doesnt fit with the Neighborhood Conservation District rules or the vision that the residents have for the place that they live.

You look at a place like 930 W. Craig Place. Theres a four-story apartment building in the middle of a single-family block. Theres no scenario in which that makes sense. And people are naturally upset about that.

Trevino, 46, defended his record, saying hes very focused on the needs of the neighborhoods, and pointing to roof, sidewalk and tree programs his office has created. He explained the controversial development at Craig Place as a failure of process that he has worked to correct.

At Craig Place, staff interpreted the NCD (Neighborhood Conservation District) as well as the zoning, and by the time anybody knew anything, they had already poured concrete, Trevino said. The issue there was simple communication, so I asked Rod Sanchez, at Development Services, to let us know when somebodys coming in for a plan review.

Montano is only one of five District 1 challengers on the ballot this year, but he looks like the most formidable, given his credentials and the team of young volunteers he is building (reminiscent of the armies that formed behind Rey Saldana and Bernal in 2011).

With nearly two months to go, things are already getting testy. Trevinos district office sent out a newsletter last week that had all the elements of a campaign mailer, and it didnt take long for Montano to voice his objection.

The newsletter offers a list of Trevinos accomplishments, broken up into the categories of neighborhood engagement, policy, community support and city by design.

The mail piece also includes a logo  vaguely similar to the interlocking rings of the Olympic Games logo  that is barely distinguishable from the one used by Trevinos campaign.

Montano described the newsletter as wholly inappropriate and added that he is considering filing a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission.

Trevino said he got the language of the mailer cleared by the City Attorneys office, and offered a two-word message for Montano concerning the filing of an ethics complaint:

Please do.

The battle is officially on in District 1.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Celebrated Hollywood actor Joe Manganiello, who will be seen portraying the role of an anti-hero as Deathstroke in the forthcoming solo batman movie titled The Batman, is expecting that his fans will be rooting for him in the movie.

"This is my character, an exciting one, and has the capacity I think, to be a great villain. And what all the great ones can do is polarise an audience. When I was a kid, I always rooted for the villain." Joe Manganiello said in a statement.

"As a kid, I think I would have rooted for him and I think fans will," Manganiello added.

Manganiello also said that he is pretty excited to work alongside Ben Affleck, who will don the protagonist's hat as Batman. Manganiello also stated further that he had always wanted to work with writer and producer Geoff Johns and lucky to get his wish fulfilled.

"I've known them all for years and I'm very excited to work with everyone. Ben Affleck makes great films and he's a great Batman." Said Manganiello.

"Geoff Johns certainly is a really fun guy to hang around with and has a great grasp on this steering wheel that is the Titanic of the DCEU. Knowing what they have planned for the future, I think fans are really going love it," the actor explained further.
Prithviraj the talented is all set to join hands with actor-director Roopesh Peethambaran. Director Roopesh recently confirmed that he is working on the script of his next project, which stars Prithviraj in the lead role.

Even though the director didn't open up much about the project, he revealed that the project will not start rolling anytime soon. Roopesh first approached Prithviraj for the project in 2015, but the actor turned down the offer citing date issues.

But the director stated that he is ready to wait for the actor, after which he agreed to go through the script. Prithviraj finished the script reading within one week, and informed Roopesh that he is impressed with the story.

However, the actor put forward a few suggestions regarding the script, for which the director agreed. Roopesh is currently re-working on the script and is planning to kickstart the project whenever Prithviraj is free.

Roopesh Peethambaram also stated that he is extremely impressed with the professionalism of Prithviraj, and appreciated the actor's positive attitude towards the writers and directors who approach him.

Recently, Prithviraj has openly appreciated Roopesh Peethambaran's recent outing as an actor, Oru Mexican Aparatha, through his official Facebook page. Roopesh has played the role of Roopesh, the main antagonist in the movie.

The actor-director, who rose to fame by playing Mohanlal's childhood in the cult classic action thriller Spadikam, made his directorial debut with the Dulquer Salmaan starring revenge thriller Theevram.
Alibaba launches Denmark Pavilion on Tmall Global;

Danish Pavilion established on Alibaba's travel booking platform Fliggy

In a ceremony at Alibaba's headquarters in Hangzhou today, Alibaba Group Executive Vice-Chairman Joseph Tsai and Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Anders Samuelsen witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to increase exports from Denmark to China and promote Denmark as a tourist destination of choice for Chinese travelers.

The event saw the unveiling of the new Denmark Pavilion on Alibaba's Tmall Global imported goods marketplace, enabling Danish producers of fashion, lifestyle, home and food products to reach the over 440 million annual active buyers on Alibaba's e-commerce platforms, and introduces Chinese consumers to high quality, unique products from Denmark. The concept of country pavilions was developed to help customers on Tmall Global become acquainted with the culture and authentic products from countries around the world.

The new pavilion launches with more than 20 brands selling high-quality Danish products in the fashion, lifestyle, home and food categories. Leading Danish merchants at the ceremony hosted live-streaming sessions on the Tmall mobile app to introduce their brands and products directly to Chinese consumers as the pavilion went live. Participating Danish brands include Bang Olufsen, Jacob Jensen Design, ECCO, ONLY and Vero Moda.

Alibaba Group and the Government of Denmark will also strengthen cooperation in anti-counterfeiting and the protection of intellectual property.

Tapping into the rising popularity of Denmark as a travel destination of choice for Chinese travelers, an official Danish Pavilion has been established on Alibaba's travel booking platform, Fliggy, which offers travel tips provided by the Danish Embassy, Danish Consulate and Visit Denmark (Fliggy's second Nordic European tourism board strategic partner). Denmark will also be the first country in the world to participate in Fliggy's visa innovation program by creating an official visa information platform. In addition, a strategic cooperation agreement was signed between Fliggy and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) which will see a new SAS flagship store open on Fliggy, bringing the total number of airlines which have established a flagship store on Fliggy to more than 20.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at Alibaba Group's headquarters, both Mr. Tsai and Minister Samuelsen emphasized that collaboration between Alibaba Group and the Danish government will help to expand the flow of high-quality Danish products to the world's largest e-commerce consumer market.

"I am pleased to formalize our efforts with Denmark and open the Denmark Pavilions on Tmall Global and Fliggy, allowing Alibaba to serve Danish businesses of all sizes with direct access to the growing Chinese middle-class market," commented Joe Tsai, Alibaba Group Executive Vice-Chairman. "Danish design, art and lifestyle are admired all over the world for their sophistication and minimalism, and there is no doubt that Danish products will become even more popular amongst Chinese customers, enticing an ever-growing number of them to want to travel to the country themselves."

"China is a very promising, but also a challenging market for many Danish companies. Chinese consumers have often limited knowledge of Danish products and with the opening of an official Danish pavilion on China's leading e-commerce market place Tmall Global, we hope to draw attention to Danish products and brands. More and more retail is happening online and more in China than anywhere else it is therefore important that the Danish Foreign Ministry can support Danish companies' success in this particular area. I believe the establishment of an Official Danish Pavilion on Tmall Global is an important step in that direction," said Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen.

About Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group's mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. The company aims to build the future infrastructure of commerce. It envisions that its customers will meet, work and live at Alibaba, and that it will be a company that lasts at least 102 years.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170312005017/en/

Contacts:

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.N. Secretary-General condemned the terrorist bombings in the Syrian capital of Damascus. The Secretary-General is appalled by the utter disregard for human life displayed by the perpetrators, and extends his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, many of whom were pilgrims. Those responsible for the bombings, and anyone carrying out attacks against civilians, must be held accountable. A Syrian jihadist group affiliated with al-Qaeda reportedly has claimed responsibility for a twin bombing on Friday in the capital Damascus that killed at least 40. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham said the attack was 'a message to Iran' over the country's support for Syrian president Bashar al Assad. The majority of dead were Iraqi pilgrims, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory put the death toll at 74, but the figure was not confirmed. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Crypt TV, a Los Angeles, CA-based online scary video content brand, raised $3.5m in funding.

The round was led by Lerer Hippeau Ventures with participation from Advancit Capital and NBC Universal.

The company intends to use the funds to expand into serialized content.

Co-founded by CEO Jack Davies and Eli Roth, Crypt TV is an online scary video content brand bringing new monsters, horror stories and more to its community of over 2m fans spreading the companys message #WeirdisGood.

FinSMEs

12/03/2017
Streetbees, a London, UK-based global research platform that is being used by consumer companies, raised $5.1m in seed funding.

The round was led by BGF Ventures with participation from early investors Octopus Ventures and LocalGlobe.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations, doubling the size of the 40-strong team in the next year.

Led by CEO Tugce Bulut and former Morgan Stanley trader Oliver May, Streetbees recruits bees  ordinary people around the world  who capture the moments from their lives via their smartphone sharing their habits, shopping preferences or political opinions for clients including Unilever, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, LOreal, Dyson, The Times Education Supplement, Vodafone and Amnesty International.

Streetbees verifies consumers are who they say they are, with phone-number verification and background checks, and ensures that customers are contributing to the study by asking for photos and videos from the moment. It uses artificial intelligence and mobile geolocation technology, combined with social media, to gather data from their bees all around the world.

Every user gets paid in cash within 24 hours for sharing their insights.

The company currently has over a million users in 87 countries and expects to reach 10 million users over the course of the year.

FinSMEs

11/03/2017
Around 9.30 am, less than an hour after the first trends started trickling in, and it became clear that the BJP was headed for a big win in Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi was holding forth on demonetisation. The BJP should not take the election result as a validation of demonetisation, he said, it is a bad policy regardless of the results.

Sure, an election result cannot determine the soundness or not of any economic policy. Bank nationalisation was not a good policy just because Indira Gandhi sold it as a pro-poor measure and won elections. Similarly, the jury on demonetisation will be out some years down the line. It may turn out to be a master-stroke or may turn out to be a disaster.

But who kept warning that BJP has invited electoral disaster upon itself with demonetisation? It was the entire political opposition and the allergic-to-Modi crowd. Even when the BJP put up a good show in the local body elections in Maharashtra and Odisha, the chorus that came from the anti-Modi side was that demonetisation was not a big factor here, but it will be in the Uttar Pradesh elections. They have been proved wrong again and a senior journalist was gracious enough to admit this during a television panel discussion. But Indian politicians are not known for their graciousness  hence the latest spin about how this election was not a referendum on demonetisation.

Let us, for arguments sake, agree that demonetisation was a disastrous move. It is clear now that even if a bad policy is packaged and marketed well, it will sell. As Akhilesh Yadav so churlishly said  voter samajhte nahin hain, behkaave mein aa jaate hain (voters refuse to understand; they get swayed by spin).

So, will Narendra Modi now move ahead on reforms agenda that his critics will almost certainly dub as disastrous (never mind that they may have championed them before May 2014), marketing them well to offset any electoral reverses? There is simply no debate on this  he should. He must use the mandate he has got to push ahead on the development front.

There is no point in boasting about growth figures. Figures dont matter when people do not have jobs. There is a serious problem on the employment front and the government needs to recognise this. The Jat agitation, Patidar agitation, the short fuse the youth seem to be on, all stem from this. The young are firmly behind Modi, but only because they think he will bring them employment  if not regular jobs, avenues for earning money. This requires serious action on several fronts.

The biggest arena of action will be Uttar Pradesh itself. As BJP president Amit Shah said at his press conference on Saturday, India cannot grow in double digits when Uttar Pradesh is growing in single digits. The state is lagging on almost all development parameters. Given the overwhelming majority the part has got, there should now be focussed attention on infrastructure, especially power and roads.

Uttar Pradesh is on board power minister Piyush Goyals UDAY express, but theres little progress on improving the efficiency of the state electricity board. That can now change and the Centre must prevail on the state government to eschew populism, which is the bane of state electricity boards across the country. If the infrastructure (power and roads) and law and order deficits are fixed, then economic activity in Uttar Pradesh will get a much-needed revival and should bring jobs in its wake.

But what about other economic initiatives? Will the stupendous Uttar Pradesh win change equations in the Rajya Sabha, where the Congress has managed to play spoiler on many occasions? Will it change equations in the GST Council which still has to green flag the bills related to compensation to states and the draft integrated GST law?

GST may be a shoo-in now; after the drubbing the Congress got in Uttar Pradesh and the BJPs surprising show in Manipur, the former cannot continue to play the spoiler on this. The laws have to clear Parliament, but will probably be brought in as money bills, which means there is precious little the Congress can do to block them.

Fortunately, some big bang reforms that require legislative approval are in place, like the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Code, for example. Labour law reform is a pending reform, but the legislative route can be bypassed by encouraging states to amend their laws and then facilitating Presidential assent for them. The changed equation in the Rajya Sabha will help in the election of the next President. Then there are a lot of not very glamorous bills which can give a fillip to manufacturing that are pending  an amendment to the Factories Act is one - and cant be brought as money bills. The government will need to strategise on these.

Will Modi make a big move on privatisation? Unlikely. What is keeping Modi from this much-needed move is not fear of political backlash; he genuinely believes in the public sector. Only the really hopeless cases will be given up. No, that may not mean Air India.

But Modis economic agenda will surely need watching from now on.
By Rupam Jain and Tommy Wilkes

| NEW DELHI

NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party won a landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, in a personal triumph that will strengthen his claim to a second term as national leader.Wresting control of India's most important battleground state is a ringing endorsement of Modi's stewardship of Asia's third-largest economy after his high-risk decision last November to scrap high-value banknotes to rein in corruption.The Election Commission of India said Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won a clear majority. With the tally of results almost complete, the BJP had collected as many as 312 of 403 seats in the state assembly, the biggest majority for any party in the state since 1977.Almost four in ten voters backed Modi's party, the election commission said, close to the party's vote share in Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 general election when it won the biggest national majority in three decades."I give my heartfelt thanks to the people of Uttar Pradesh. This is a historic victory for the BJP; a victory for development and good governance," Modi told his 28 million followers on Twitter.Investors hope victory will embolden Modi to embark on more reforms, including the launch of a national sales tax, to boost economic growth."The outcome of this election will enable Modi to sharpen his winning anti-corruption and improved governance policies as he begins to position himself for the 2019 general election," wrote analysts Shailesh Kumar and Sasha Riser-Kositsky of macro advisory firm Eurasia Group.

Modi threw himself into the Uttar Pradesh campaign after his party started slowly, addressing dozens of rallies and turning the contest into a test of his personal popularity and his radical move to abolish big banknotes worth 86 percent of the cash in circulation. Celebrations erupted outside BJP offices in state capital Lucknow and Delhi, with party workers dancing and splashing each other with paint in keeping with the Holi festival of colours that Hindus are celebrating this weekend.Modi's campaign manager, Amit Shah, credited the BJP victory to a corruption free and pro-poor administration. The BJP will discuss who will become the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, Shah told reporters.OPPONENTS DECIMATED

In four other state election results on Saturday, the BJP won overwhelmingly in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand but lost control of the coastal state of Goa. In the northeastern state of Manipur the Congress party beat the BJP into second but was short of a majority.Congress took Punjab, offering at least some consolation after Rahul Gandhi, heir apparent to the party leadership, failed again to make an impact. The party, which led the fight against colonial rule and has ruled India for most of its independent existence, collapsed to its worst ever performance in Uttar Pradesh. Congress picked up 6 percent of votes, raising fresh questions about its claim to be a credible national opposition.In Uttar Pradesh, a largely poor and agricultural state of 220 million people, Modi pitched himself as a man on the side of the poor prepared to hit the corrupt rich hard with his demonetisation drive.

The scale of the victory shows Modi's ability to decipher Indian electoral arithmetic by appealing across castes and communities in a state where most people traditionally vote along religious and social lines.Critics accuse his party of stirring communal tensions to shore up votes among its core Hindu base. None of the BJP's opponents, including the ruling Samajwadi Party, managed a vote share above 23 percent, results showed."The Samajwadi Party wholeheartedly accepts the verdict of the people of Uttar Pradesh," spokesman Ghanshyam Tiwari said, conceding defeat. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was expected to resign later on Saturday.The election decimates the field of plausible opponents who could halt Modi's march to a second term at the 2019 general election.Victory in Uttar Pradesh will also make it easier to overcome resistance to the BJP's legislative agenda in the upper house of parliament, where the ruling party is in the minority. (Additional reporting by Krishna N.Das, Malini Menon and Savio Shetty; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Toby Chopra)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt

| ANKARA/ROTTERDAM

ANKARA/ROTTERDAM Turkey told the Netherlands on Sunday that it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres.President Tayyip Erdogan had branded its fellow NATO member a "Nazi remnant" and the dispute escalated into a diplomatic incident on Saturday evening, when Turkey's family minister was prevented by police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister.Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd, which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. They carried out charges on horseback, while officers advanced on foot with shields and armoured vans.Less than a day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkey's family minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she was being escorted back to Germany."The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accepted," she said. The Rotterdam mayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to the German border.Kaya later boarded a private plane from the German town of Cologne to return to Istanbul, mass-circulating newspaper Hurriyet said on Sunday.The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and "the Netherlands could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands."The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte's decision to ban the visits.In a statement issued early on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had told Dutch authorities it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour".Turkey's foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return from leave "for some time". Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action.

Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigre Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute.Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders.The Dutch government had banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally on Saturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there anyway, saying Europe must be rid of its "boss-like attitude".Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting in Hamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkish consulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkish citizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from Ankara."If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want," he added hours before his planned flight to Rotterdam was banned.

SANCTIONS THREAT

Cavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threats proved decisive for the Netherlands government.It cited public order and security concerns in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and said the threat of sanctions made the search for a reasonable solution impossible."This decision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way. It does not abide by diplomatic practices," Cavusoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening. Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling second ahead of Wednesday's elections, said in a tweet on Saturday: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!"Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: "This morning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear he was threatening the Netherlands with sanctions and we can never negotiate with the Turks under such threats. So we decided ... in a conference call it was better for him not to come."

'NAZI REMNANTS, FASCISTS'

Addressing a rally of supporters, Erdogan retaliated against the decision to prevent the Turkish foreign minister from visiting Rotterdam."Listen Netherlands, you'll jump once, you'll jump twice, but my people will thwart your game," he said. "You can cancel our foreign minister's flight as much as you want, but let's see how your flights will come to Turkey now.""They don't know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists," he said.Rutte called Erdogan's reference to Nazis and Fascists "a crazy remark". He added: "I understand they're angry but this is of course way out of line". Erdogan chafes at Western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him.He maintains it is clear the West begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a "no" vote in the referendum.Barred from the Netherlands, Cavusoglu arrived in France on Saturday ahead of a planned speech to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. Earlier, an official at the Moselle regional prefecture told Reuters there were currently no plans to prevent the meeting from going ahead.A member of the Union of European Turkish Democrats also said on Saturday via a Facebook post that the Turkish foreign minister would no longer come to Switzerland for a planned event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue.Zurich's security department, which had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglu's appearance, said in a statement on Saturday evening it was relieved the event had been cancelled. (Additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Writing by Ralph Boulton and Daren Butler; Editing by David Clarke and Simon Cameron-Moore)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Justice C S Karnan of the Calcutta High Court (formerly of the Madras High Court) caused rather a stir in January this year when he addressed a letter to the prime minister wherein he named twenty current and former judges of India's higher judiciary and accused them of corruption. This resulted in the Supreme Court taking notice of these allegations and summoning Justice C S Karnan to appear before it in order to explain himself. He failed to appear despite a valid summons being served on him and the seven-judge bench hearing the matter has issued a bailable warrant against him on Friday to ensure his presence on the next date, on 31 March.

To put it bluntly, our system wasn't designed for a situation where a judge of a High Court wouldn't defer to a request from the Chief Justice of India to appear before the Supreme Court. In fact, our system wasn't designed for a rogue judge at all. There's no precedent anywhere in the history of the Indian judiciary to even begin to provide guidance on how to go about dealing with a situation like the one Justice C S Karnan has caused and possibly nowhere in the Commonwealth have we seen a precedent like this.

Common Law Judges are famous for their respect for order and tradition and always fall in line behind the law and quite frankly for many judges, the fact that they had a summons issued for contempt issued against them alone would be sufficient cause to offer their resignation. But to wilfully disregard the summons and have a warrant issued against them, is akin to placing straw around the house and getting ready to set it on fire.

Obviously, this has caused a painful and panicked reaction across the Bar. Only on Saturday, Mr Ram Jethmalani, a senior advocate and member of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) addressed a letter to Justice Karnan asking him in no uncertain terms to reconsider his behaviour and withdraw his remarks at the earliest possible opportunity. Further, he even offered to personally counsel the judge in order to help him fall in line.

The judge will do well to heed the advice of Mr Jethmalani, who is older than India's independent judiciary and speaks from a place of good sense and wisdom. But it remains to be seen if Justice C S Karnan will take up this offer of redemption, for it seems that there has been much water that has flown under the bridge to facilitate an outright apology from him to bring this distasteful business to an end.

Ram Jethmalani's letter to CS Karnan by Firstpost on Scribd

The Constitution is quite clear, the Parliament has the power to impeach judges, the Judiciary cannot duo-motto do it. So even if Justice Karnan is convicted of contempt, it may be difficult to remove him as a judge. Removing judges of the higher judiciary is a notoriously difficult process and so far in the history of modern India, no judge has completely been impeached, most of them resigning half way through the process.

This judge, from his conduct so far, seems like someone who wishes to fight it to the end, so it will take the Parliament to step in and impeach him should he be convicted of contempt. Though in a lighter vein, transferring him to Sikkim as in the case of P D Dinarkaran (the last troublesome judge in recent memory) may no longer be a workable solution, given the protests from the Bar there last time.

If he is convicted of contempt, the Supreme Court could also state that Justice C S Karnan vacated his office the moment he committed contempt because contempt would violate the oath of office he swore when he took office as a Judge.

Therefore, they could pass and order declaring that he was no longer a judge of the Higher Judiciary or they could permit him to resume his judicial duties once he has purged himself of the contempt. Though it remains to be seen how the public confidence would be affected by allowing a contempt or to resume his judicial duties.

But for now, the country watches as the Supreme Court tackles an unprecedented situation. India has dealt with many errant judges before, but it is rare to deal with a judge who has openly decided to take on the Supreme Court and today faces arrest for it.

With bail set at Rs10,000 or an amount to the satisfaction of the arresting officer the Director General of Police, West Bengal, it remains to be seen if that's enough to compel his presence on the next date. If it's not, the next logical step is non-bailable warrants, which means an arrest of Justice C S Karnan till he is produced before the Supreme Court and the photo of a High Court judge in handcuffs being produced before the Supreme Court is a visual that almost every person serving in India's legal system wishes to avoid. For a visual like that would cause severe damage to the credibility of India's robust judiciary both at home and overseas.
Following months of lockdown in Kashmir, the state is once again in the throes of intense violence. The cycle of death and injuries continues unabated in the Valley as at least five people were killed, including three militants and two civilians, and around 30 were wounded by bullets or pellets fired by security forces on Thursday.

The rising toll of casualties this year is alarming and has the potential to spark another summer of death, injuries and shutdowns.

A 15-year-old teenager, Amir Wani, died when he was hit by a "stray bullet" in the neck, according to the police. His relatives, however, said that he was killed by the forces deployed to quell the protesters throwing stones on its personnel. The forces were fighting militants holed up in a house in Padgampora village of Pulwama when the protesters attacked them.

Another boy, Jalaluddin, died due to "cardiac arrest" while being chased by the forces. Eyewitness accounts, however, said that he died of asphyxiation, caused by the smoke shells lobbed by the forces on demonstrators. There has been no official word on the cause of his death.

Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, Jehangir Ganai and Mohammad Shafi, both residents of Pulwama, were also killed in an encounter with the forces. Shafi's family was called by the police, to persuade him to surrender, before he was killed. Shafi's brother, a LeT militant, was killed last year in another encounter with the forces.

Following the news of Amir's death, a civilian, clashes spread throughout the district, in which at least 30 youth were injured. Nine of the protesters were hit by bullets. Meanwhile, battling the protesters, nine forces' personnel were also injured.

Some of the injured protesters were treated in medical facilities in Kakapora and Awantipora, however, those injured in their eyes by bullets and pellets were shifted to hospitals in Srinagar, for advance treatment. A huge influx of people flocking to support the injured caused scenes of mayhem at the hospitals, with anti-India and pro-freedom slogans being raised.

Another militant, Mushtaq Ahmad Seer, was killed in a brief shootout when the cab he was travelling in was stopped by forces in Bandipora district on Thursday evening. His funeral was attended by thousands of people belonging to several villages, amid snowfall and rain. An army Major was also wounded in the shootout.

Several protesters were injured by pellets fired by forces on the demonstrators. Though their exact numbers couldn't be verified, it is known that three boys were hit in both eyes and two in one eye. All of them were treated in Srinagar's SMHS hospital. The conditions of two people hit by bullets were said to be "critical", according to hospital authorities in Srinagar.

Thousands of people thronged to the native villages of the slain civilians and militants, to attend their funerals. A shutdown is being observed in Kashmir in protest of the killings. Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was placed under house arrest. Umar had condemned the security forces for killing Amir. He had said that the forces had translated Army Chief Bipin Rawat's words into actions, by killing Amir.

The authorities disallowed the congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid on Friday, which is situated in the old quarter of Srinagar city. Prayers and violent protests are a norm in the area near the mosque. Roads leading to the mosque were sealed and the gates were locked by forces. Reports of clashes between protesters and police were also reported from Sopore, where police had to use teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Train services remained suspended for the second consecutive day in Kashmir.

General Rawat had warned demonstrators against disrupting the forces' encounters on militants by throwing stones. Since his warning, the protests by civilians during gunfights have only escalated.

Kashmir has been on the boil since the turn of the year. Over two dozen militants have been killed by forces. Around 10 civilians were also killed by the forces' firing. The warnings exchanged by the militants and police have added fuel to the already tense atmosphere in Kashmir.

Given the rising toll of casualties and no visible efforts by New Delhi to engage different stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue, people are worried about the possibility of a breakout of another deadly spell of protests this summer.
The Justice CS Karnan fiasco took an unexpected turn on Saturday after noted lawyer and Rajya MP Ram Jethmalani wrote a scathing letter to the Calcutta High Court justice, calling him a "lunatic" and asking him to withdraw his statements casting aspersions on the judiciary.

The Supreme Court on Friday had issued a bailable warrant against Calcutta High Court Justice for refusing to heed summons to appear in a contempt of court case.

However, the judge hit back by ordering the CBI to probe all the seven apex court judges in the constitution bench and alleged that he is being targetted for being a Dalit.

A seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar had asked the West Bengal Director General of Police to serve the bailable warrant personally to Justice Karnan and sought his presence before it on 31 March.

The bench also asked Justice Karnan to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000.

Jethmalani wrote in the letter, "I am sorry to tell you that I am convinced you have lost your mind. Your behaviour is that of a lunatic and someday that may be the only defence available to you though with no bright chance of success".

The former union law minister warned Karnan to apologise for casting aspersions against 20 "corrupt" judges, seeking probe against them to curb "high corruption" in the Indian judiciary.

Jethmalani wrote, "As a senior member of the Bar and living in the departure lounge of God's airport I am advising you to withdraw every word that you have uttered and humbly pray for pardon for every stupid action you have so far indulged in."

Defending the sanctity of the Indian judiciary, he added that it is the only protection that the common man have in the "corruption-dominated country" and warned him to neither destroy or weaken it.

Concluding his letter, Jethmalani added that he has been working all his life for the backward classes and advised Karnan to listen to his advice.

"As a lawyer I have worked all my life for the backward classes and I have great concern and sympathy for them. But you are out to cause the greatest damage to their interests. Please listen to sensible advice of an old man who has hardly any concern other than service to the nation including the backward classes," he said.

It is to be noted that a bench of seven Supreme Court judges had started contempt of court proceedings against the Calcutta High Court judge for levelling allegations of corruption against the Madras High Court chief justice and other judges repeatedly.

Read the full letter below:

With inputs from agencies
On Saturday, when the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election results were announced, I had argued in Firstpost Decode  the website's live election day coverage  that BJP's landslide victory will herald in the "funeral of secularism", whose practice in India can be described as "Muslim communalism". The Muslim voters now are well-aware that they are being used by political parties.

My co-panellists felt uneasy by this line of argument. One co-panellist wondered: "Is he trying to say that we should drop secularism from our constitution?" About the use of Muslim voters in the name of secularism, a second panellist said, "My sense is that the Muslim voter doesn't like this particularly, and doesn't respond to it."

Trying to blame the campaign "messaging" by politicians, he said: "The Muslim voter in many states has decided not to be used." This attempt to shift blame from the Muslim voters, or their intellectuals, does not hold true.

The discussion led to another level of argument  that secularism has transformed into communalism, meaning it is a new phenomenon that can be blamed, presumably, on the BJP. This is not a new phenomenon, I argued, saying that Mahatma Gandhi supported the Khilafat Movement in the name of secularism. To which the second panellist retorted, "But at that time, the country seemed to be very supportive of it overall."

So, it seems that we have arrived at a new definition of secularism, as per which, if the entire country supports Muslim communalism  notably a purely Islamic phenomenon like the Khilafat Movement led by Islamic clerics  then that can be dubbed as secularism.

The only criterion of secularism in this conception is that the entire country must support it. This is the behavioural meaning of secularism in India, that is headed for a proper 'funeral' in coming decades.

There are two other meanings of secularism. One, as a movement of scientific ideas, secularism reduces the role of religion in the life of individuals and societies and helps them live a meaningful, rational and considered life. In this sense, secularism empowers the individual. Second, there is a constitutional meaning of secularism, as per which the state must maintain distance from religion. In both these meanings, you and I cannot have any disagreement.

However, it is the behavioural meaning of secularism that has emerged as a threat to Indian Muslims, and as a national security threat to India. In this meaning, the secular Hindu passes a law such as the Right to Education Act, saying that children aged 6-14 must be in proper schools but at the same time, exempts madrassas, effectively telling Muslims to go to madrassas and study the Quran. So, in essence, secular Hindus are telling Muslims that you are good in madrassas and subjects like mathematics and physics are reserved for Hindus.

Take another example of behavioural secularism. In 1986, a law was passed in Parliament whose sole purpose was to quash an order of the Supreme Court, which had granted alimony to a destitute Muslim woman, Shah Bano. This practice of secularism was, like the Khilafat Movement, meant to benefit Islam.

Take law and order for example. Kamlesh Tiwari is languishing in jail for criticising Prophet Muhammad, while police officers do not have the guts to arrest Islamic clerics that announce a reward of Rs 51 lakh rupees for beheading Tiwari in jail.

The communal policing in the name of secularism is dividing India along religious lines. At the behavioural level, secularism has made policing communal in the Indian society and, therefore, has emerged as a national security threat.

The counter-secularism forces have registered a decisive victory in UP and this trend is likely to continue through the 2019 elections and beyond. It is a movement of ideas that will ultimately lead to 'authentic' secularism in India, where every underprivileged Indian will receive benefits from the state, but not in the name of quota, secularism and religion.

In United States' politics, liberalism is considered a word of abuse. Similarly, the constant abuse of secularism in India, jointly by the Left-liberal forces and Islamic clerics, has made it a form of abuse. This form of abuse in language and practice is rooted in the history of the world. India's intellectual discourse was shaped and dominated by Western-educated editors and academics. Their viewpoint dominated India's masses over the past century. This viewpoint is essentially European in origin.

Emerging from the first and second World Wars, the Western liberals and their Indian followers imposed a liberal-secular order of thinking that prioritised the blacks against whites in the West and Muslims against the Indian identity.

This class of Indians viewed nationalism in its European sense  in which nationalism was xenophobic, narrow and consequentially murderous, resulting in the killings of millions of people during the two world wars. Because the prevailing view of nationalism in India is European in its nature, Indias liberal intellectuals and editors deride Indian nationalism, encouraging in this process 'counterfeit' secularism that divides Muslims and Hindus, and separates Muslims from India's mainstream.

Speaking of such liberal intellectuals, English novelist George Orwell wrote in the preface to his Animal Farm: "One cannot expect intelligent criticism or even, in many cases, plain honesty from liberal writers and journalists who are under no direct pressure to falsify their own opinions."

This behavioural secularism in India  practised by this class of liberal-left academics, journalists and politicians for the past seven decades  has subordinated our policing to Muslimism, advanced legislation to suit Islamic clerics such as in the Shah Bano case and the RTE, and forced the Indian state to hand over its responsibility of teaching Muslim children to madrassas. In the US, it was challenged by Donald Trump. In India, it is trumped, not by Modi, but by the Modi phenomenon.

The ideas of co-existence and pluralism are India's original contributions to civilisation. There is no country that can claim copyright on these ideas. Liberalism and secularism have sought to thrive at the cost of Indian civilisation because Indian intellectuals, influenced by the West, continue to undermine the Indian identity.

Austrian economist FA Hayek described such liberal intellectuals as "professional second-hand dealers in ideas" but now that Modi has emerged as the first-hand dealer in ideas, their counterfeit secularism and they are headed for proper 'funerals'.

Follow the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election Live

The author, a former BBC journalist, a contributing editor at Firstpost and executive director of the Open Source Institute, New Delhi. He tweets @tufailelif
New Delhi: While the country is caught in the Holi revelry, every year both stray and pet animals inadvertently become victims of hooliganism, which must be stopped with increased sensitisation of the public, say animal rights organisations.

Noting that the colours used during the celebrations are made of "toxic metals and dyes", Dr RT Sharma of Pet Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in New Delhi said it was important for people to understand that animal skin was different from human skin.

"While human skin sweats to flush out the chemicals, animals like dogs do not have sweat glands and their bodies end up absorbing the toxins."

"On several occasions," he said, "stray dogs end up licking or drinking the coloured water, which can result in severe liver problems, and can also be fatal in certain cases," Sharma told PTI.

Friendicoes  SECA in Defence Colony in New Delhi, which has been spreading awareness against animal cruelty during the festival, will remain open on Holi to attend to any kind of emergency that might occur.

"Besides the colours which are harmful, cold water splashes made on animals and loud noises frighten them, leaving them in a confused and restless state of mind," Mandy Seth, President of Friendicoes said.

The animal shelter will be providing facilities like ambulance and other emergency-related services, along with a 24x7 functioning veterinary clinic in the advent of any mishap.

Sharma said often most pet owners were too emotionally attached to their animals to leave them out of the festivities, ending up harming them in the process.

Both Sharma and Seth suggested that while a 'tilak' on the forehead of the animal was acceptable, it was advisable that they be kept indoors.

In case of accidental spills, Sharma suggested an aggravated situation could be recognised by a change of behaviour in the animal like increased restlessness and scratching, drooling or an aggressive flapping of their heads.

While in extreme cases, the victim must be taken to a doctor immediately, giving them a bath in warm water using a mild animal shampoo was an advisable step as first aid.

"Affected animals show very recognisable signs in behaviour, especially a vehement flapping of head. They tend to become more aggressive. In some dogs like Pugs and Shih Tzus, who have bigger eyes, colours can also cause eye problems. In such cases, they should be washed in warm water and in more serious cases, taken to the vet," Sharma said.

As part of their awareness campaign, Peta too has put out a word of caution for people playing Holi around animals.

In an article titled, "Keep Animals Safe This Holi", the Mumbai-based animal rights organisation urged people to create awareness in their localities and sensitise children against "throwing powder colour or water balloons at animals".

"Kids may not realise that this frightens and hurts animals," the article reads.

Besides the synthetic colours used during the festival, that can cause skin allergies, rashes or even blindness in people as well as animals, Peta also warned against letting animals consume "Holi sweets".

"Animals can easily inhale the coloured powder, which can cause nasal irritation and respiratory allergies or infections. Animals that ingest it while grooming themselves can suffer from stomach ailments or other illnesses or even die. Drinking water coloured by the powder can also cause hair loss and dermatitis in dogs."

"Also, give dogs only canine-friendly treats this Holi. Ingredients like cream, chocolate and raisins can make them sick or even kill them," the article notes.

Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar-based Animal Welfare Trust Ekamra (AWTE) will have a group of volunteers keeping an eye on street animals to offer immediate first aid if required.

"We have also planned to clean the small puppies and dogs by giving them a bath to remove the colour," Purabi Patra from AWTE said.
During his entire kindergarten year in Mobile, Alabama, Raj Mankad, a second generation Indian immigrant, was called stinky and nobody touched him. For most of his childhood, he was the only person of colour in his class and faced ongoing violence, mostly verbal. He was occasionally called the N word. Sometimes, he was told hed go to hell by some cruel people, other times by people genuinely concerned for his eternal soul.

Mobile, being a port city, had its share of cosmopolitan thinking even in the 80s when Mankad was growing up. But it was also a place where the Ku Klux Klan was active and thriving, and a young black man had been lynched. Did this make the young Indian American child rebel against his roots? The opposite! he said. My Indian roots took on exaggerated importance, they were so thoroughly reframed in the colonial context, the reactive stance was there, said Mankad who is now editor of an architecture magazine in Houston, Texas.

The killing of Srinivas Kuchibothla in a bar in Olathe, Kansas, last month has left the Indian community in the US shaken. Following Kuchibothlas death, more Indians have been shot. But even before the menacing Donald Trump era, south Asians, including Indians have borne the brunt of racist innuendo, including attacks investigated as hate crimes, especially following 9/11. These have only got exacerbated since Trump's hateful election campaign. In fact, in the year that led to the 2016 elections, 207 incidents of violence and racist rhetoric in the country were documented by the advocacy group South Asian Americans Leading Together.

While the prejudice is deep-seated and old, perpetrators appear to have been provoked and emboldened now by a new 21st Century brew of media and politics," said Mankad.

Indian Americans who grew up in the US, or those who moved for a boost in education or career have a panoply of instances to share of being discriminated against. These then manifest themselves at best as ignorant jibes and at worst blatant displays of racism.

Dhriti Veeranandal Sibley moved to the US from Chennai when she was 12. At first, her family lived in a racially diverse neighbourhood in Illinois filled with Indians, and the transition was rather smooth. But troubles soon began to overwhelm the teenager when they moved to a conservative white suburb of western New York. First, there was the issue of having to get rid of Indianisms and the accent in order to be assimilated. Then came the task of warding off evil boys. There were some guys who somehow got my number and would frequently leave me voice mails singing I'm proud to be an American. They also left threatening notes in my school locker and made fun of this guy who really liked me. Theyd leave comments on how it was disgusting that he could want my hairy brown vagina. Sibley is now training to be a nurse and lives in Santa Barbara.

The NRI community in the US, though, largely prefers to shove such instances under the carpet, in order not to rock the boat while their H1B visas are in the process of getting converted into green cards, eventually leading up to citizenship. Add to that the current pop culture and media in India busy laying an accent on tales of success of the Indian diaspora in the hefty American Dream, stories of bias and prejudice then barely find their way into the world, especially in the home country.

Los Angeles based social worker Madhuri Mistry got married and moved to Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1985. While looking for an apartment, a friend of her husband told them about a vacancy in a building. They immediately set up a meeting with the building manager, who told them that there was no vacant apartment and casually pointed them to another building where there were many Indians. Our friend was surprised and called the manager again and asked if there was a vacancy. He said yes. The friend was livid and asked us if we wanted to file a law suit, but we didnt pursue.

As in the case of Kuchibothla, Indians become the targets of assault because theyre mistaken for other minorities. Pradeep Anand, president of a business firm, was a student at the University of Houston in 1979-80 during the Iran Hostage Crisis, when 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days. There was lot of anger in the air and a few people, who did not look Caucasian or had an accent, were beaten on that campus. Walking around the campus was tense. Some people began wearing T-Shirts that proclaimed I am not an Iranian! morphing a line from a just released movie, The Elephant Man, recollected Anand.

Anand is aware that he belonged to the educational elite when he came to the US on a fellowship after graduating at the Indian Institute of Technology. But in situations like these, it didnt matter. It all boiled down to being mistaken for some other ethnicities, especially at airports, after 9/11, he said.

And it is this elitism or class privilege that made software engineer Amit Desai* laugh off the idiocy when he spent close to a decade in California before returning home to India. At a restaurant, he had been mistaken for a seeker of job instead of someone coming to eat; as a sandwich packer in the university cafeteria a white woman had expressed concern that he was packing her salad with fingers despite having a glove on (she was comfortable with a white man doing it); as a newcomer to the US, he faced racial profiling.

I had the privilege to be not helpless towards the racism I faced. I felt empowered by class and my democratic citizenship to India. If this was colonial India, if I was not an H1-B person but a person working at an Indian restaurant who was escaping his countrys social and economic conditions and trying hard to be part of a more open democratic society then I dont know how I would have felt, said Desai. He added that this kind of racism in America provides a lesson for an upper caste person from India, especially an Indian male, about his own country. India is an old world feudal society fundamentally rooted in caste exploitation and genocide of adivasis, he said.

The latest aggressions all but serve as a wake-up call to Indians, that in the eyes of a white supremacist, theres no distinction of colour. Says Mankad, whose childhood experiences shaped the trajectory of his life --- he works in solidarity with and is fiercely vocal about other vulnerable groups including the LGBTQ community, Muslims and other people of colour: We are reminded once again, if a Muslim's house is set on fire, the house of the Hindu next door will burn too. We must be in solidarity with one another now and over the long term. Those overcome by hate don't know or care to learn what differentiates us.

*name changed
The Kaur Project is a storytelling and photography website that highlights the lives, struggles, and achievements of Sikh women in North America. The brainchild of writer Jessie Kaur Lehail and photographer Saji Kaur Sahota, the website has been lauded as an online safe space for Sikh women to share their stories, each written in the first person and opening readers to the diversity within Sikhism. The stories are quilted together from pieces of personal philosophy, experiences of struggle and their corresponding moments of catharsis, and axioms by which to live. Excerpts from an interview:

When did you start The Kaur Project, and what was its genesis?

It was in the Spring of 2015. We met at a womens conference in early 2015. I was on the board, Saji was doing photography. We decided to meet for coffee and from there Kaur Project was conceived. We bonded over feminism, identity politics, and their mutual realisation that many women in Sikhism stood in the shadows of their fathers or husbands.

Within a few weeks the project was underway, I constructed the theoretical framework and website. Saji intertwined the theoretical framework into the photography and discovered how she wanted to frame each Kaur session at her studio. We went back and forth on how the process would be built out.

We have seen a lot of feminist theory incorporated into mainstream media, but theres been nothing specifically for and about Sikh women. So we created it. We wanted a safe place for women to share the untold stories of power and resilience from women who have the name Kaur.

We wanted to do something that was creative but had a theoretical framework behind it and really to showcase the diversity of Kaur and Sikhism in general. The name Kaur is an equaliser, enabling Sikh women to be identify themselves without their fathers or husbands.

Saji and I are feminists and believe it's important to support women... Kaurs make up 48 percent of the community and yet our voices are never heard. Its important to give a voice to the voiceless. There is very minimal conversation about how women have contributed to Sikh history. We're in the background for Sikh religious events and in the community. This needs to change and us Kaurs must lead this.

I read that you were inspired by the Humans of New York blog what about the format of portraits+sharing of personal accounts appealed to you?

HONY was relatable. It literally humanises people. For us, we wanted to look at Sikhism through a theoretical framework and showcase it in a creative way that gave a voice to the typically voiceless.

Saji and I have community circles, so the first 10 Kaurs we connected with Kaurs from there or from referrals. Then women started to connect via our website, or come talk to us at events and ask to be interviewed. Now our email account is inundated with requests from local Kaurs, but also Kaurs from around the world.

At first women were not certain why they were being asked about their names. I believe it's because no Kaur has ever been asked, 'what's your story?' Then to have your picture taken and your story told, it's a little intimidating...

How many women have been featured on The Kaur Project so far? And among all their stories, are there any that really stood out for you or resonated with you?

We've featured 60 women and have been inspired by every one of these stories. There is something so beautiful about how these women open up when Saji photographs them and then again when they are interviewed over the phone. When I interview these women, the enormity of the task at hand also becomes apparent. Every story I hear reminds me that there are ten more waiting to be told. Stories regardless of age or generational gap, really showcase the complexity and diversity of Kaurs.

Stories that have resonated with us are those of Beant Kaur, Bobby Kaur, Chanan Kaur, Jessica Kaur, Dilpreet Kaur, and Jas Kaur.

Could you tell us a little of your own stories  as women, as Kaurs, as a writer and photographer, as Indian-origin women in Canada? Why and how did questions of identity and community come to occupy an important place in your consciousness?

Both of us are first generation Canadians. Both were raised in small towns (Jessie: Kamloops, Saji: Kitimat) and then moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

I (Jessie) am a writer 'by default' with an academic background that focuses on intercultural communication, health communication, contemporary critical and cultural theory, ethnicity, gender, and feminism. When not behind the lens, Saji champions social causes.

Being a Kaur and the meaning behind it is fluid for both Saji and I. Part of why we created this project was to navigate our own Kaur journey and like all journeys we are learning things as we go along. Being a Kaur and the values from Sikhism and our parents are the undercurrent of our lives.

What do you think a platform like The Kaur Project makes possible? What kinds of conversations has it been able to trigger that perhaps werent taking place before?

It is a starting point for dialogue, something so important in the community and at large. It provides an entry point into education and understanding that Sikhism is heterogeneous.

Weve had something like The Sikh Project what are your thoughts on it? Does it compare in any way to what the Kaur Project has attempted to do?

Sikh Project is doing great work and we believe there is room for many projects. It is functioning well, but it's also important that Sikh women are provided a safe space to share their stories, that is exactly our goal.

The question that you ask of Kaur identity is such a deceptively simple one, and one that is so complex to articulate really  based on what your interview subjects have told you, and your own experiences, how would you define the Kaur identity? What does it signify?

Answered in previous attachment

What comes next for the Kaur Project?

We want to continue to share Kaur stories. A book and exhibition would be creative ways to get the word out about the depth of the project and we are open to these opportunities.
Former UP BJP vice-president Dayashankar Singh, who had been expelled from the party for six years in July 2016 for making derogatory remarks against BSP chief Mayawati, was on Sunday brought back to the party.

ANI reported that UP BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya revoked the expulsion of Dayashankar Singh on Sunday.

The actual significance (or its lack thereof) of Singh's expulsion in July 2016 becomes pretty obvious when one realises that in less than six months, and a day after getting a landslide victory in the UP elections, BJP revoked the expulsion of a man who was supposed to be sacked for six years for saying that Mayawati was worse than a prostitute.

"Even a prostitute fulfils her commitment after she is paid. But Mayawati sells party tickets to anyone who paid her the highest amount. If someone gives her Rs 1 crore for a ticket she will give it to other person who is offering Rs 2 crore," Singh had said. "Mayawati has become worse than a prostitute and abandons the ideals of Kanshi Ram," he had further said.

In fact, that was not the only time Singh had lashed out at Mayawati. In September, Singh had said that "even a rickshaw puller was better than her (Mayawati)".

"A rickshaw puller is better than her (Mayawati) as he does not strike a deal with anyone else once he has settled the fare with one passenger," Singh had alleged while speaking at the programme in Ballia. "But Mayawati does not follow this rule...she can do anything for money," the former BJP leader, who has often accused the BSP supremo of "selling tickets", had said.

His family had also lodged a named FIR against Mayawati and some other BSP leaders for allegedly using foul language against them during their public protest in Ballia. Addressing the gathering, his wife Swati had charged that "only relatives get justice in the SP government".

Swati Singh won in the UP polls from Sarojini Nagar seat in Lucknow.

With inputs from PTI
Chants of death to the dictator grow louder as Iran protests intensify The protests in Iran that were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini have now entered the 42nd day. The demonstrations are more powerful than ever and so is the crackdown by Iranian authorities. Thousands of mourners defied heightened security measures as they made their way to Aminis burial site in
Haridwar: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday slipped while boarding a chopper in Padartha area in the district where he had gone to visit Ramdev's Patanjali Herbal Food Park.

He later boarded the chopper to Delhi to attend the Bharatiya Janata Party's Parliamentary Board meeting to chose chief ministers for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The minister "is perfectly all right and has returned to New Delhi by the same chopper," Haridwar SSP Krishna Kumar VK told PTI on phone. TV visuals showed Jaitley being attended to by a medic as he sat near the chopper after the mishap, flanked by Ramdev and others.

Jaitley had gone to visit Patanjali Herbal Food Park located in Padartha area of the district, about 20 km from the town. After taking a round of the Park in the company of the yoga guru, he was boarding his chopper when he slipped and fell, the official said. "There was nothing serious about it. He later boarded the chopper and left for Delhi," the official said.
Shortly after the Uttar Pradesh election results became evident on Saturday, Wall Street Journal columnist and American Enterprise Institute (AEI) fellow Sadanand Dhume posted what many readers, looking at the saffron sweep, must have been left wondering.

Dear Delhi media: Thanks for reporting on every obscure subcaste and constituency in UP and not spotting the biggest wave in a generation.  Sadanand Dhume (@dhume) March 11, 2017

In less than 140 characters, the crux of the problem plaguing media everywhere was addressed. Here we have one of biggest waves in the history of Indian politics that gave BJP an unprecedented 325 seats in Indias most populous and culturally diverse state, and most media punditry and reportage did not only fail to spot the trend but overwhelmingly foresaw quite the opposite.

It is not as if the signals werent clear. Between 8 November and now, the BJP has swept nearly all elections at every level across India  be it Assembly or civic body polls. Yet it is astounding how a storm of reporters and an army of analysts predicted demonetisation to be Modis biggest hubris that will cause his downfall in UP.

Intriguingly, most of these predictions were based not on armchair speculation but field reporting that somehow misread the strong wind in favour of Narendra Modi even as it detected huge advantage for Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati while dissecting demographic data or slicing and dicing caste and community equations down to the minutest detail.

Pics Courtesy @ShefVaidya.I think d Met Office's predictions about rainfall in Chennai r more accurate than the "analysis" of these journos pic.twitter.com/ciwvZdwTqy<http://pic.twitter.com/ciwvZdwTqy>  Sai Deepak J (@jsaideepak) March 12, 2017

Dimple Yadav joins the Akhilesh-Rahul road show...this makes for a good picture. Only if Priyanka was here too!  Aman Sharma (@AmanKayamHai_ET) March 4, 2017

@Farhan222 I am saying, clearly, that post today's polling it's clear there is NO BJP wave. BJP is fighting well in several seats though  Rohini Singh (@Rohinisgh_ET) February 27, 2017

@Rohinisgh_ET I agree @DilliDurAst and have been arguing this throughout  barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 28, 2017

This is not to say that journalists are psephologists and are expected to call elections.

Far from it. The medias authority as the fourth establishment stems from its ability to report and interpret events even as these unfold. The source of medias power is secondary, not primary and is subject to the candour and effectiveness with which it carries information to masses and transports their concerns back to those in positions of power.

Increasingly, however, we find that this traditional role is being globally replaced by activist journalism where scribes assume certain roles and responsibilities for themselves beyond just showing truth to power. In doing so, however, the media inevitably risks moving away from its primary role of being a seeker and interpreter and begins to believe in its own capabilities. This is a slippery slope. It usually leads to the media believing that it, and not the people it represents, is the true receptacle of power. The final outcome is that it grows disconnected with the masses and ends up misreading situations.

Even where portends exist, media either ignores or suffers from a denial. We have seen the manifestation during Brexit or the US presidential elections where the entire super-structure of the Wests sophisticated media machinery failed to spot the most obvious of trends.

The disturbing consequence of this growing disconnect is the publics deep distrust of the media and an anger that the medium which is supposed to carry their voice is becoming either too elitist to care or too inward-looking to notice their concerns.

#UPElection2017 still open. No "hawa" till phase 3. Vicious hand-to-hand combat for most seats. Cong brings little to SP, mostly a liability https://t.co/rXOm6rDQPM  Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) February 20, 2017

Meanwhile the Babu buzz in Uttar Pradesh is all around Mayawati whose silent voter they say sorely underestimated by the media. Lets see  barkha dutt (@BDUTT) March 9, 2017

It is indeed surprising to note how, barring a few voices such as Rajdeep Sardesai or Surjit Bhalla, even some senior figures of Indian journalism seemed to have missed the wood for trees.

What adds to the fascination is that the scale and breadth of BJPs victory  as these data points prove  should have made it easily identifiable.

But somehow it didnt. Tavleen Singh expressed it the best in her column for The Indian Express: When the dust settles on this painfully long election campaign and normalcy returns, us political pundits need to take the advice we usually give losers when election results come. Introspection.
An internal rebellion is what grand institutions sometimes need to break free of fatal stupor. In the wake of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election results declared on 11 March, a former Congress MP from East Delhi, Sandeep Dikshit, signalled signs of dissent  albeit mild and without directly naming the top Congress leadership  that this party badly needs right now. Dikshit was pretty vocal about his concerns for the party when he reacted to the results of the Assembly elections on Saturday evening. The party experienced a washout in the state that was its cradle in its formative years; the Congress has been reduced to a single-digit status in the 403-seat Assembly as it has won only seven seats.

Analysing the factors that led to the Congress debacle in the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly elections, Dikshit (52), a St Stephen's graduate and an MBA from Institute of Rural Management, Anand, spoke at length with Firstpost.

Edited excerpts follow:

There seem to be some serious problems within the Congress  as after its massive debacle in the 2014 General Election, it failed to revive and has been performing badly ever since. Now, in the latest Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly elections, it has performed pathetically. Why so?

Since 2014, the Congress has been facing one defeat after another  whether its an Assembly election or a civic poll like in Odisha. Theres an erosion of its base from those states in which it used to be a strong force. After every defeat, in the name of introspection, the senior leaders are lying. Moving one person from one place to another or changing portfolios doesnt make sense. There is no honest introspection within the party to find the reason. Capacity building of a strong cadre has been missing for a long time. Rather than capturing the imagination of people  as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has successfully done  the party leaders are capturing the Congress. They have failed to communicate the core ideology of the Congress and the issues to its voters.

Do you think there was some blunder in the poll strategy of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh? First, it announced former Delhi chief minister and senior leader Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial candidate; then went into an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. As a result, she withdrew and it seemed the Congress was thriving on chaos.

There was dissent within the party. Even senior leaders like Sheilaji (Sandeeps mother), who was at the forefront initially to lead the party in Uttar Pradesh, was badly treated. Here, we dont respect senior leaders. Moreover, the Congress has lost its connect with the masses in Uttar Pradesh  that once used to be a strong Congress bastion and has given the country so many prime ministers, including nations first  Jawaharlal Nehru.

Today, almost 90 percent in the Congress are patron managers, who are more involved in the distribution of tickets and getting favours. Capable leaders have been sidelined.

What Congress did in Uttar Pradesh was nothing but a stupid act. It didnt act till five months before the polls. This 'Gathbandhan' (alliance) was a failure, because the other partner was Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who hasnt done anything commendable. The construction of a super-highway or a flyover cant be termed as development. I have travelled across the state and it has earned a bad name  "27 saal, UP behaal (UP is the worst for years)". Development adds to politics but its missing in the state. Modi highlighted these problems before the electorate and projected himself as the solution. The voters believed in him and voted BJP to power. Congress missed it and instead joined hands with Samajwadi Party. Highlighting the alliance as a union of two youth leaders (do yuva neta) didnt help because the image of a true youth leader was missing.

It has been observed that Congress virtually gets wiped out in the state in which it loses. What is the reason?

Its true and now this erosion has become unstoppable. There are several reasons  no new cadre-building; the party is bereft of ideas; good people with leadership qualities have been reduced to pygmies. No self-respecting leader will be popular within the party. Similarly, Captain Amarinder Singh, who earned the Congress a win in Punjab, is not popular. After all hes a self-respecting man. But, we also saw his popularity among the masses that made him a winner.

Do you think the top Congress leadership should take the blame for these defeats that have come one after another?

Of course! Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi being the leader of the party, who represents the youth of this country, also has to share some responsibility. I am not saying that he should be blamed for the electoral debacle. As he has absolute power within the party, he can lead the change.

Unlike Modi, the Congress seems to have failed to connect with the youth of our country...

Because, several senior leaders in the party are not allowing fresh blood into the fold and aren't ready to get young, talented workers. We need to give space to those who can connect with the youth. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Congress built its cadre from among the youth who were part of the freedom movement or some other field of activity. At present, the need is to build a strong cadre. How many young Congress leaders are associated with any kind of movement? There are young leaders as well who function like some of those old senior leaders, who do nothing but occupy space within the party fold for personal benefits.

We dont need professional politicians; instead we should have politicians (and leaders) who can function professionally and align with the masses. The Congress also needs to effectively communicate its message, like the BJP is doing. Its talking about pro-poor measures taken by the government and thereby connecting with the common man.

Ultimately, what is the solution for the revival of Congress party?

First and foremost, the party ought to get rid of deadwood.

Second, build a strong young cadre base.

Third, the Congress needs to re-articulate its ideology and pluralist values.

Fourth, the thrust should be on socio-democratic India.

Fifth, we cant go on promoting the economic policy, where unbridled flow of capital is made to corporates by keeping the interests of capitalists in mind, like what happened during the times of Manmohan Singh and P Chidambaram. We have to keep the interests of farmers, workers and the common man in mind.

Sixth, the Congress has to focus on inclusive programmes related to education and healthcare to connect with the masses.
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The exit polls projected BJP winning an average of 15 to 20 seats. Though the BJP is likely to emerge as the single largest party, there is a possibility that the party may not reach the majority mark of 21 seats. A day before the counting day, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that the BJP is confident of winning a majority and will not require any post-poll alliance.

Being Indias tiniest state, the average votes cast on 4 February comes to 24,627 votes cast in each of Goas 40 constituencies. If the past is any indicator, victory margins in many constituencies could yet again be very narrow in which roughly 440 postal ballots on an average in each constituency may make or mar the chances of political parties and chief minister aspirants.

Smaller states like Goa witness different brand of political permutations and combinations. After 81 percent out of the states eligible and registered 11.09 lakh voters opted to exercise their right to franchise on 4 February, Goa continues to witness a slugfest over postal ballots.

Three exit polls Axis My India, C-Voter and MRC have given the BJP an edge over its competitors. The party is likely to win 15 to 22 seats, followed by Congress. MRC predicts 15 seats for BJP, 10 for Congress and AAP seven. Meanwhile, C-voter predicts that BJP may retain Goa with 18 seats and Congress may gain six seats. AAP which is making its debut in Goa might just end up only two seats. C-Voter exit poll predicts that BJP would be the single largest party in Goa.

The exit polls released on Thursday projected a win for BJP in the 40-seat Goa Assembly. The exit polls put Congress in the second lead and predicted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) might not repeat its Delhi success in Goa.

Circumstances will dictate if Parrikar would be back where Goans want him to. He may be asked to form the next government if BJP falls short of the majority since his magnetic personality will attract Independents and some smaller parties to support BJP. However, if BJP gets majority on its own, Parrikar may stay put as the defence minister and asked to nominate the new chief minister, as he was asked to in 2014 when he handpicked Laxmikant Parsekar as his successor.

Union defence minister is unarguably the most popular BJP leader in Goa and the majority of Goans would want to see Parrikar back as the next chief minister. So would Parrikar, who had moved to the Centre, rather reluctantly in November 2014.

It is D-Day for candidates belonging to the ruling BJP, opposition Congress and the debutant AAP. While BJP will look to retain the state, Congress would look to make a comeback. The Aam Aadmi Party will look to recreate its Delhi magic.

Uncertainty hovers over incumbent Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekars future even in the event of BJP forming the new Goa government.Parrikar had nominated Parsekar as his successor since he allegedly did not want a strong leader to emerge from the BJP ranks as his replacement.

DSouza entered Goa Assembly in 1999 and remains undefeated since then. He was appointed deputy chief minister when Parrikar formed the government in 2012. He was seen as a strong contender to replace Parrikar as chief minister in 2014 and made his displeasure public when his claim was overlooked, while asking him to continue as deputy chief minister.

Victory margins in many constituencies could yet again be very narrow in which roughly 440 postal ballots on an average in each constituency may make or mar the chances of political parties and chief minister aspirants.

In an earlier interview to Firstpost , Gomes said that Kejriwal has been the guiding force, whether it is policy formulation or implementation. Our door-to-door campaign has helped AAP a lot. We paid heed to the peoples voices and it finds representation in our manifesto, he said.

Postal counting starts at 8 AM. EVMs to be opened at 8.30 AM. Results for all the 40 seats are expected by 12 PM.

Talking to Firstpost, BJP may end up being the single largest party. AAP may not create much of a flutter in the state. However, it will probably not join hands with the Congress. The fact that Parrikar and Laxmikant Parsekar did not face any taint of corruption worked in their favour.

Counting of postal ballots have started in Goa. In all 17,590 postal ballots were issued to government servants who were deployed on election duty when Goa voted on 4 February.

Two counting centres are buzzing with activities -- counting for 19 seats of North Goa is taking place in the state capital Panaji while counting for the remaining 21 seats of South Goa is being done in Madgaon, considered as Goa's commercial capital.

The Congress, the prime opponent of the BJP, has fielded four former chief ministers - Digambar Kamat, Pratapsinh Rane, Ravi Naik and Luizinho Faleiro in their respective constituencies, while the NCP has given a ticket to Churchill Alemao.

In all 1,649 EVMs were used for Goa polls. They would be opened at 8.30 am after counting of postal ballots get over.

Goa has over a dozen chief ministerial aspirants, including some independents who are ready with their dreams and sustained dreams if Goa throws up yet another hung Assembly.

According to Times Now, Goa has its first two leads, with Congress leading in two seats while one seat has an 'Others" candidate leading.

Full country started counting at 8 am, but in Goa  where 1,649 EVMs were used, counting started at 8.30. Feni likes to be fashionably late. Builds up suspense and all, no?

According to initial trends, the Congress is leading in 3 seats in Goa while the Others is leading in one seat.

Parsekar was locked in a 7 cornered contest in his home constituency. It was widely speculated that BJP's decision not to announce him as its chief ministerial candidate had weakened his hold over the North Goa constituency.Opposition parties had targeted Mandrem and Panaji, which happened to be constituency of Manohar Parrikar, to defeat BJP and take wind out of its sails in Goa.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar lags behind his Congress rival Dayanand Sopte after the first round of counting in the Mandrem Assembly constituency in North Goa.

Kunal, Goa CEO said that the biggest challenge it faced during the election in Goa: "Money power plays an important role in Goa and we had our flying squads in place monitoring the situation, accompanied by the IT officials and local police. We seized cash in abundance from various places during the election and it was let off only after verification of the sources of the funds."

In the GPCC office. The vice president Sheikh along with other party members are closely monitoring the numbers. They're ecstatic that the CM is trailing in his constituency.

Goa Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza leading in Mapusa constituency. He has remained undefeated here since he won this North Goa seat first in 1999.

D'Souza's victory may strengthen his claim to become first Christian chief minister from BJP's ranks. His claim was overlooked in favour of Laxmikant Parsekar when Manohar Parrikar stepped down as Goa chief minister in 2014.

Now say 'hung Assembly', b*gger. Now say it. Since when Feni was asking, "What hung Assembly?", but no one listens only.

Former Goa chief minister Pratapsingh Rane is leading in Poriem constituency. Rane has served as Goa chief minister for six terms and is among the strong contenders to become chief minister for the seventh time if his Congress party finds itself in a position to form the new government.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is headed for a disastrous debut in Goa. The party that claimed it will sweep Goa polls, is trailing in all seats it contested, including its chief ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes in Cuncolim seat.

Laxmikand Parsekar was defeated by Congress party's Dayanand Sopte, once a close confidant of Parsekar. Sopte had defected from the BJP and was rewarded with nomination by the Congress. Sopte has now won by a margin of 3,500 votes.

The Congress was leading in eight seats in Goa and the ruling BJP in five of the 40 constituencies in the state after the first three hours of counting of votes. While Goa Forward Party has gained lead in two seats, NCP leads in one. The MGP is ahead in Bicholim seat as well, with its candidate Naresh Sawal mantaining lead over BJP's Rajesh Patnekar.

Congress's Francis Silveira bagged the St Andre constituency. He got the better of BJP's Ramrao Wagh by a margin of 5,070 votes.

BJP candidates  Pravin Zantye and Michael Lobo  emerged victorious in Mayem and Calangute seats respectively. While Zantye defeated Congress rival Santosh Sawant by 4,974 votes, Lobo won by 4,460 votes against Congress candidate Joseph Sequeira.

National general secretary Digvijaya Singh is likely to hold a party meeting at 6 pm today. Congress in Goa is likely to form the new government and get into an alliance with the NCP, MGP and Goa Forward.

The ruling BJP suffered a major blow when Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was defeated by Dayanand Sopte of the Congress at Mandrem by nearly 5,000 votes.

MGP leader and former minister Sudin Dhavlikar has won from the Marcaim seat by a margin of over 13,000 votes, defeating BJP's Pradeep Sheth.

Ironically, the thrust of Modis 28 January Goa rally was stability. He urged Goa voters to give BJP big majority to avoid fractured mandate and plunge Goa into political uncertainties of the past. Goa voters had none of it as they appear to have given a fractured majority.

The best scenario for BJP was to send back Parrikar to Goa and officially name him as the chief ministerial candidate. The party refused to read the writing on the wall, just hoping that by using Parrikars name and Modis image, the party to emerge victorious.

The 63-year-old leader was at helm of affairs in Goa from 2007-12. He was booked by Goa Crime Branch in the multi-crore Louis bribery case in 2015 along with his former cabinet colleague Churchill Alemao.

Kamat further added, "The BJP-led government tried to harass me. They filed fake cases against me. They tried to jail me. Only God protected me."

"I attribute my victory to all my party workers who stood by me and reposed their faith in me," Kamat told reporters outside the counting centre here in South Goa.

MGP won in three constituencies, but lost two sitting seats Ponda  represented by Lavoo Mamlatdar  and Priol from where party President Dipak Dhavalikar was elected last time. The party retained Madkai, where its leader Sudin Dhavalikar won with a margin of more than 10,000 votes. It also won Pernem where its candidate Manohar Asgaonkar defeated BJP Minister Rajendra Arlekar and Sanvordem where its nominee Dipak Pawaskar trounced BJP's sitting MLA Ganesh Gaonkar.

Laxmikant Parsekar, who addressed a press conference, along with Manohar Parrikar said that though the number of seats are a little less than Congress, the voting percentage of BJP is 33% and Congress is 28%. "We have provided a stable government in Goa. The coming term would again witness instability, the track record of development will receive a severe and serious setback and Goa will be pushed back at least by 10 years. But it is people's mandate and we have accepted it," he said.

While the Congress has won 17 seats and is just four short of a majority in the Goa Assembly, the BJP too has is set to stake claim to retain the state. BJP which has won 13 seats is reportedly wooing parties like Goa Forward, MGP and two independents to form the next government.

Media reports suggest that defence minster Manohar Parrikar may be elected as Goa chief minister in order to woo the smaller parties to join the alliance. With BJP stuck at 13 seats, it needs 8 more MLAs to form the government. It is to be noted that Parrikar had formed the government in 2000 with just 10 MLAs.

The biggest gainers from that general sense of ennui with the established parties were Independents and small parties  particularly candidates who have performed well.

The lesson from the Goa Assembly election results is that sound and fury are not enough to counter deep political roots. People would rather trust power to those with a record of governance, even when such parties have disappointed in the recent past. The Aam Aadmi Party was the most visible during the campaign, but the relatively new party fared quite miserably. The traditional parties of governance in Goa  the Congress and the BJP, fared relatively well even though people in general had been disappointed with their performances.

"The people want Parrikar to come back to Goa. Now it will depend on the Goa Forward Party and MGP. If they support us, we will form the government in the state," said BJP legislator Michael Lobo, who got elected from Calangute constituency. He said if the GFP and MGP pledge support, the BJP can submit a letter to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha staking claim to form the state government.

Three of the BJP's newly elected MLAs today rooted for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to take the lead to form government in Goa, if the smaller parties back it.

Sudin Dhavalikar and his brother Deepak were ministers in the BJP-led coalition government for a good part of the last five years but were sacked by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar two months before the 4 February polls were announced after both brothers criticised his leadership.

"We will have to strategise. How can we jump into anything? Coalition talks will happen in their own time," Dhavalikar said, even as political sources told IANS that the MGP leadership, including Dhavalikar, was in touch with both Congress and BJP leaders.

With Goa throwing up a fractured mandate, leaders of smaller parties, who have turned kingmakers, have turned cautious even as both the Congress and the BJP desperately woo them.

BJPs strategy to field eight Catholic candidates in Goa seems to have worked well for it. Although it won only 13 seats in the new 40-member Assembly, most of its Catholic candidates won their seats and one, Arthur DSilva, came second in the Curtolim constituency. The party has earned a lot of flak for fielding no Muslims in Uttar Pradesh and in several other states in the recent past. However, it adopted a different strategy in Goa with regard to minorities.

According to CNN-News 18, Manohar Parrikar resigned as defence minister and he is on his way to meet the governor of Goa and form the next government.

"MGP unanimously passed a resolution that it will extend support to BJP if they recall Parrikar from the Centre to the state and appoint him chief minister," MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar told PTI. "The resolution is very clear. MGP will support BJP only if Parrikar is made chief minister. Our support is not to BJP but to Parrikar," he added.

Nitin Gadkari, during a press conference said that the BJP Parliamentary Board, party president Amit Shah are ready to make Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of Goa. He clarified that he has not resigned as the defence minister yet. Depending on the governor's decision, Parrikar will resign as the defence minister before taking oath as CM.

Capping the day of fast-paced developments, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday night appointed defence minister Manohar Parrikar, the BJP Legislature, Party leader, as the chief minister and asked him to prove majority on floor of House within 15 days of taking oath.

Parrikar may contest the bypoll from Mapusa seat, which has to be vacated by former deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza. Parrikar is not yet a member of the legislative assembly and has to contest a poll in the next six months. According to India Today, D'Souza may be accommodated in the Rajya Sabha.

MGP leader Sudin Dhavlikar is all set to be the new deputy chief minister succeeding Francis D'souza. MGP, which bagged three seats, had extended its support on the condition that Parrikar be the chief minister.

While five members of the cainet will be be from the BJP, two each will be from MGP and Goa Forward party. Two Independents will also take oath along with them, reports India Today.

India Today reports that Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane along with many other MLAs are all set to quit the Congress over its inability to form the government despite emerging as the single largest party in the state. The son of former chief minister Pratapsingh Rane, Vishwajit has blamed the Delhi-based leaders for teh unexpected debacle.

The Congress, which won 17 seats in the 40-member Goa assembly, on Monday night moved the Supreme Court challenging Governor Sinha's decision to invite the 13-MLA BJP, led by Parrikar, to form government, claiming that it violated the "established constitutional practice" of inviting the single-largest party in a hung Assembly. Chief Justice J S Khehar agreed to set up a special bench on Tuesday for an urgent hearing as the court is closed for a week for Holi, The Times of India reported.

A day after the Congress alleged that the BJP 'stole' the elections in Goa and Manipur, Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear the party's plea challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's invitation to Manohar Parrikar to form the government in Goa.

The petition, filed by advocate Devdutt Kamath, is likely to be argued by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and has made the Centre and Goa as the parties.

A special bench would be constituted as the apex court is on Holi break for a week. The petition filed by Goa CLP leader Chandrakant Kavlekar has sought stay on the swearing-in of Parrikar as the chief minister. The petition has also sought quashing of the decision of the governor to appoint Parrikar as the chief minister.

The Congress moved the Supreme Court on Monday challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of the state. The hurriedly filed petition late on Monday evening was mentioned at the residence of Chief Justice J S Kehar, who agreed to give an urgent hearing today.

In a counter-move, Congress, late on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of the state. The hurriedly filed petition on Monday evening was mentioned at the residence of Chief Justice J S Kehar, who agreed to give an urgent hearing today.

On Monday, Parrikar quit as the defence minister and reports said that the swearing-in ceremony will be held at 5.30 pm in Panaji. Congress leaders lambasted the BJP leadership for a move which was "unconstitutional". Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram accused the BJP of "stealing" the elections in Goa and Manipur.

Enlisting the support of two independents, three members each of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and that of the lone NCP member, the BJP members led by the defence minister called upon Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday evening and formally staked the government formation claim.

BJP pulled off a midnight coup in Goa and staked claim to form the next government under Manohar Parrikar despite emerging as the second largest party behind Congress in a fractured mandate.

"Despite losing the mandate of the people, our political opponents (BJP) have tried to misrepresent to your good-self that they enjoy the majority support of legislators. This is not only opportunism at its lowest but is also not constitutionally permissible," Goa CLP Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar stated in the memorandum.

The Congress urged Governor Mridula Sinha to invite the party to form the next government by virtue of being the single largest party, a day ahead of swearing-in of BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister. In a memorandum submitted to the Governor tonight, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) claimed to have the requisite support and that they can prove the same on the floor of the House.

"We have adequate numbers. We are the single largest party and we should be invited to form the government," CLP leader Chandrakant Kavlekar told PTI.

The Congress Legislative Party will meet Governor Mridula Sinha on Tuesday to stake claim to form the next government in Goa, stating that they have adequate numbers on their side. "We are holding a Congress Legislative Party meeting in the morning and then will be meeting the Governor at 10.00 AM to stake claim to form the next government.

Depending upon which way the apex court views the Goa development, there is a strong possibility that Goa may be headed for a brief spell of Presidents Rule since the new Assembly must be constituted before 18 March.

The Congress party is seeking cancellation of the gubernatorial invite to Parrikar. Parrikar along with an assorted Cabinet is scheduled to be sworn-in Tuesday evening.

Eyes are fixed on how the apex court views this development and whether inviting Manohar Parrikar to form the new government can be held legitimate by it when it takes up for hearing a petition filed by the newly elected Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar. Chief Justice JS Khehar agreed to set up a special bench which will hear the petition at 10.30 am.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who has been vocal about Congress' poor performance in the elections, on Tuesday said that Goa Governor Mridula Sinha must work according to the Constitution.

The petition, filed by advocate Devdutt Kamath, is likely to be argued by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and has made the Centre and Goa as the parties.

The hurriedly filed petition late on Monday was mentioned at the residence of Chief Justice J S Kehar, who agreed to give an urgent hearing. A special bench would be constituted as the apex court is on Holi break for a week. The petition filed by Goa CLP leader Chandrakant Kavlekar has sought stay on the swearing-in of Parrikar as the chief minister. The petition has also sought quashing of the decision of the governor to appoint Parrikar as the chief minister.

Hearing on Congress' petition challenging appointment of Manohar Parrikar as Goa chief minister begins in the Supreme Court. The Congress earlier moved the apex court challenging Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint BJP leader Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of the state.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, at a press conference, said that Governor Mridula Sinha will meet "us at 1.30pm, though we wished that she should've met us earlier."

TV channels report that Supreme Court had more than a few tough words for Congress who moved the apex court challenging Manohar Parrikar's appointment as the chief minister for Goa. Asking the Congress why did it not first approach the governor with the adequate numbers, the Supreme Court asked the party about the numbers required to form the government.

-"The entire object of this hasty late night political maneuvering by the powers that be is to defeat the mandate of the people and to somehow grab power by misusing the office of the Governor."

- Governor's move, a complete "departure from the Sarkaria Commission as well as MM Punchhi commission recommendations, requiring her to invite the single largest party (in this case the Indian National Congress) to form the government, has acted with utmost haste."

- The Governor has blatantly violated the Constitution by inviting the BJP to form the Government and has scheduled to administer the oath of office to the unelected Chief Minister

Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar's petition challenging Governor Mridula Sinha's decision to appoint Manohar Parrikar as Goa Chief Minister, has plunged the state in a new political crisis. The Supreme Court hearing is underway, but here are the major points raised in the petition.

The Supreme Court bench also observed that numbers should determine the single largest party in Goa and the bench asked the Congress why they didn't approach the governor to stake claim to form the government. The SC also asked the Congress to show the numbers.

The tussle for government formation in Goa reached the Supreme Court, with the state Congress legislative party leader challenging the invitation extended by Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday to BJP leader Manohar Parrikar to form government. During the hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar, ordered an immediate floor test in Goa.

The apex court on Tuesday ordered a floor test in Goa Assembly on 16 March at 11 am. The Supreme Court allowed the swearing-in ceremony for Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister on Tuesday at 5 pm.

Smarting under the Supreme Court snub, the Congress party tried to put up a brave face by terming the court advancing the floor test as its victory and that Parrikar will be Goa chief minister for just two days. The big question, however, remain whether and where the Congress party will get the requisite numbers to topple the Parrikar government.

"We wanted to stake claim since 12 March. We had even given her a letter by the night of 12 March. She still did not give us time, and went against 'established conventions' and invited the BJP to form government," Singh told a press conference in Panaji. - IANS

Congress' Digvijay Singh, who is under fire from the party's central leadership said that the Goa Governor Mridula Sinha unilaterally invited the BJP to form the next government in the state, despite a letter by the Congress party to her seeking an invitation to form the government.

"How we lost in Goa was stupid," Chowdhury said, adding that he should be removed as the party's general secretary. She also sought to defend Rahul Gandhi, stating that the Congress VP trusted state leaders and gave them a free hand, according to CNN-News18.

"We have the numbers to form the government. We have more than 21 MLAs with us with the support of alliance partners," Goa BJP unit General Secretary Sadanand Tanawade told reporters in Panaji. - PTI

The BJP welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to not stay the swearing-in of Manohar Parrikar as Goa Chief Minister, and claimed it will be able to prove majority on the floor of the House.

"I will comment after the swearing-in," Parrikar told reporters in Panaji, when asked to comment on the apex court's decision to organize a floor test of his government on Thursday.

Even as the Congress termed the Supreme Court verdict ordering a floor test in Goa a victory for the party, Manohar Parrikar has chosen to keep mum.

Members of Congress, NCP and RJD raised the issue during Question Hour. Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that democracy is being murdered.

Congress and its UPA allies on Tuesday staged a walkout of the Lok Sabha to protest the alleged efforts to install BJP government in Goa and Manipur despite it having the numbers.

Slamming the Congress party for being a sour loser, Arun Jaitley of te BJP said that the grand old party has got too many complaints. On the ruckus in Lok Sabha today, Jaitley said that since Mallikarjun Kharge has used "strong words" in the House, they should either be expunged or the government be allowed to respond. The Speaker said nothing beyond the questions and answers will be allowed to go on record.

"They are saying that it is okay for them to misuse the office of the Governor...In the two states where we won, democracy has been undermined by them (BJP) using financial power, money. That is what is happening. The mandate of the people of Goa and Manipur has been stolen by the BJP," he told reporters outside Parliament.

In his Facebook post, finance minister Arun Jaitley slammed Congress for crying foul over government formation in Goa. Jaitley said, "Goa produced an inconclusive verdict. There was a hung assembly,obviously post-poll alliances will be formed".

The newly-elected Goa Assembly is likely to have its first meeting on Thursday. Floor test will be done after new legislators are administered oath by a pro-tem Speaker.

Speaking to CNN News18, former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that the Congress will fail to prove its majority on the floor of the House on Thursday. He also added that his party used no money power to lure smaller parties. Parsekar, who lost his Mandrem seat, also showed confidence that Independents will back the Parrikar government on Thursday's floor test.

It can't be helped if the Congress vice-president chooses to remain in 'La La Land' but the party's charge against BJP and petition in Supreme Court that Governor Mridula Sinha 'acted in haste' should be explored from all angles. Did Sinha err in inviting BJP's chief ministerial candidate to form a government? And how accurate is the claim that a party which finishes second "has no right to form a government"? What are the political, legal and moral aspects of this charge?

Reports suggest that Manohar Parrikar has also arrived at the Raj Bhavan. Eight other MLAs will also be sworn-in along with him.

MGP leader Sudin Dhavlikar follows Manohar Parrikar in the order of precedence. He is expected to be the PWD minister.

He is followed by Sudin Dhavalikar of the MGP and Vijai Sardesai of the Goa Forward party.

Former Congressman, who joined the BJP in December 2016, Madkaikar is now a minister in the Parrikar cabinet.

The Congress has been crying foul as despite being the single-largest party in the Assembly it failed to cobble up the support of non-BJP MLAs, following which Governor Mridula Sinha gave the BJP the first go at government formation.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has to prove majority in the Goa Assembly today. He stepped down as the Defence Minister to return as the chief minister on Tuesday. Parrikar enjoys the support of 22 MLAs, two more than the halfway mark of 20 in the 40-member Assembly.

Manohar Parrikar, whose party has 13 MLAs, had staked claim to form the government on Sunday mustering the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) besides two Independents, which together took the tally of the combine to 21.

After being sworn-in as the Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar exuded confidence that his government would be stable and run the full five year term. "Let everyone be very clear that this government will last for its full tenure. I agree the mandate is fractured. But if every fraction of the fractured mandate comes together, we will become 22. This is bringing together post-election coalition and the lead has been taken by regional parties, not me," he said.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media Congress MLA Vishwajeet Rane said, "It seems those leaders sent from Delhi never wanted Congress to form government in Goa. Congress should know the kind of mismanagement done by the in-charge of the party who came here from Delhi, which will finish the party."

Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has summoned the first session of the new Assembly to meet at 11:30am. The MLAs will take oath first, following which the floor test would be conducted.

Ahead of the floor test, the Congress refused to comment on their strategy asking people to "wait and watch." "You wait and watch. I will not comment anything right now," Congress Legislature Party Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar told PTI. Led by Kavlekar, all the 17 party MLAs had called upon the Governor on Tuesday seeking an invitation to the Congress to form the government, but failed to get any assurance from her.

The anguish of the Congress party MLAs' seems to be directed at AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh who has been handling the party affairs in Goa ahead and after elections.

Acting swiftly, the BJP which ended up as the second largest party staked the claim to form government.

The Congress leaders are still smarting from the failure of the party managers to cobble up any post-poll alliance to attain power, despite emerging as the single largest party in Assembly elections.

The BJP had won 13 seats, four less than the Congress which bagged 17 seats in the 40-member House. The BJP will have to prove majority in the Legislative Assembly, as per the directions of the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

"In Goa and Manipur Congress could not stake the claim, the Honourable Governor found BJP have numbers to lead the state we were called to form the government. They went to court, even court asked them to prove the numbers, now they are writing blogs. If you have numbers prove it on floors. They are making absurd allegations of horse trading," says Venkaiah Naidu.

Trashing Parrikar's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra told ANI that the event was a big scam. "This swearing-in ceremony of Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister of Goa is a big scam and BJP has resorted to unfair means. Throughout Goa people are protesting as to why the saffron party did such a low act to come to power, and why is the media not showing all this."

Under fire from his own party members for mismanagement, Singh told NDTV, "If you are seeing me smiling, that shows confidence. We will defeat the motion."

In an interview with NDTV, Congress leader and in-charge for Goa elections, Digvijaya Singh said that he was confident Parrikar would lose the trust vote. "There is no crisis as far as Goa and Manipur are concerned. The High Command had fully authorised the General Secretaries in charge to take decision and there was no interference."

"Ideally, the CLP leader should have been elected immediately (after the poll results). Party's Goa Incharge has done this mismanagement. I will meet Rahul Gandhi before taking any further step. I am hopeful that Rahul ji will give us justice. If he does not respond, then we will feel that we are not in right party and we will take decision after consulting our workers. We will have to quit the Congress if such kind of behaviour continues."

So while, there may be many legal disputes as to how best a governor should act, sometimes effective and quick rulings are better for a democracy than cold hard letters of the law. The law states that the chief minister is a member of the house, who is appointed by the governor and holds the confidence of the House. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

So this does not become a point of who is legally authorised to hold office or not, when adjudicating these matters there are many factors at play, the cold hard letter of the law, the changing tides of democracy and the practicality of having to form of a government. So when courts get involved, the results that come out often times don't always stick to precedent like clockwork.

The governor of a state has a unique constitutional role in our system of Westminster style democracy. The role is similar to the president at the Centre. The role of the governor at the end of the day is to ensure that there is a stable government that can pass a budget and ensure supply as without passing a budget the government will stop and only the legislature can raise money.

All eyes are on Panjim right now where the Goa Legislative Assembly is scheduled to have a floor test on Thursday to see if Manohar Parrikar, recently appointed as the state's chief minister, can survive a vote of confidence in the House.

Making absurd allegations against BJP and stalling Rajya Sabha for performing its duties, this is what Congress does. People rejected Congress in 2014. Congress should have understood its role as constructive opposition. Now after landslide victory in Assembly elections, Congress should understand its role, Venkaiah Naidu tells CNN-News18.

"Two days were taken to choose a Congress Legislature Party leader. Those in charge indulged in mismanagement. The Supreme Court also said so. They are experienced people, but they did not know what to do, what step to take to form the government. Parrikar came from Delhi and swiftly spoke to everyone concerned, got the numbers and formed the government," the Congress legislator from Valpoi was quoted as saying by IANS.

After failing to act quickly to form a government in Goa, the Congress now stares at a revolt as a senior legislator said he and other "like-minded lawmakers will be forced to re-think our remaining with the Congress in future". Senior Congress leader and legislator Vishwajit Rane sought party vice-president Rahul Gandhi's intervention and action against those he claimed "mishandled" the government-formation fiasco.

The Congress claimed that Rs 1,000 crore had been spent on horse-trading and luring non-Congress legislators by the BJP to form a coalition government in Goa earlier this week. "Nothing less than Rs 1,000 crore have been spent by the BJP to lure and buy MLAs over to their side," All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar told CNN-News18.

Leader of the Goa Forward Party, Vijay Sardesai, who is backing the Parrikar government in Goa told News18, "The BJP was quicker. They deemed Goa important enough to send their minister (Parrikar) back from Delhi to Goa. Now there will be more development here too. This is why we supported the BJP. The Congress has many grand old men all vying for power. They could not have decided a leader and provided stability, so there was no point in going with them. They have backstabbed me twice, tried to scuttle my political plans. Digvijaya Singh is not really responsible for this mess in Congress."

After Kejriwal and Mulayam allege elections were won by tampering EVMs, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP had "stolen" the election and the allies by buying them out. "BJP ne Manipur aur Goa mein paise ka prayog kiya, sarkaar chori ki hai (BJP has used money to steal the governments of Manipur and Goa).

"We have the people with us," he said. Earlier, Goa Congress chief Luizinho Faleiro had expressed his confidence saying, "Congress is united and strong and we will prove our majority in Assembly."

The actual floor test would start after all the newly-elected members of the 40-member assembly are sworn in as legislators.

The much awaited floor test of the newly installed Manohar Parrikar-led Goa government is underway. While the BJP which heads the coalition government is confident of surviving the crucial test, considering it continues to enjoy support of its new-found allies, the rival Congress party entered the House still claiming it has the majority by its side.

The Congress has 17 seats in the Goa Assembly, four short of majority mark. The party has been unable to enlist the support of non-BJP MLAs.

Here's how Manohar Parrikar may get to touch the magical figure of 22 in the 40-seat Goa Assembly:

The first MLA to be sworn-in in the Goa Assembly today was Dayanand Sopte, the Congress leader who registered a record win against former CM Laxmikant Parsekar in Mandrem constituency

The Congress needs only four more MLAs to reach the crucial mark. Sinha on Sunday had granted Parrikar 15 days to prove his majority in the assembly, but the Supreme Court, which was hearing a petition filed by Congress legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar, directed on Tuesday that the floor test should be held without delay on Thursday.

Sources in the Congress party told IANS on condition of anonymity, that the Congress leadership, which is being accused of acting sluggishly and thereby losing the opportunity to form the government, is now in contact with leaders from the MGP and GF, requesting them to switch over.

BJP claims, it enjoys support of 22 legislators, including its own 13 MLA. It had submitted letters supporting its claim of 21 legislators to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday. Since then another Independent legislator Prasad Gaonkar, MLA from Sanguem constituency, has joined the ruling coalition. There are indications that former chief minister and the lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Churchill Alemao, who won South Goas Benaulim seat, may also vote in favour of Parrikar government, helping it sail through the floor test ordered by the Supreme Court on Tuesday easily.

It is highly unlikely that BJPs new-found partners will vote themselves out of power. All three legislators of the Goa Front are already ministers, two-each among three Maharashtra Gomantak Party (MGP) and thee Independents gave been accommodated in the Manohar Parrikar government as cabinet ministers.

Kuncalienkar is expected to vacate the Panaji seat for Parrikar, enabling him contest the by-election and become member of the legislative assembly within six months of his appointment. Indian constitution allows a non-member to run the government for maximum six months.

Kuncalienkar, who worked as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Parrikar while he was Goa chief minister from 2012 to 2014 before he moved to the centre as Indian defence minister, was elected to the assembly from Parrikars Panaji seat in 2015 in by-election. He retained the seat defeating thus far unconquered Atanasio Monserrate of the UGP by little over 1000 votes.

Kuncalienkar was sworn in as the pro-tem speaker by Governor Mridula Sinha on Wednesday. He will continue in the post until the assembly elects its new Speaker, likely to take place couple of days before the Manohar Parrikar government presents its budget sometime next week.

While BJP has numbers by its side to sail through todays floor test without any hiccups, the rival Congress party is raising questions over selection of pro-tem speaker Sidharth Kuncalienkar, BJP legislator from Panaji seat.

BJP got the support of 22 MLAs, 16 were opposed and one was absent during the Goa floor test. Parrikar has the challenge of assigning the portfolios.

In a major embarrassment, newly-elected Congress party legislator Vishwajit Rane did not vote, giving signals that all is not well with the Congress party. He walked out of the House after taking oath as legislator.

Parrikar government got support of 22 legislators, excluding the pro-tem speaker who was not required to cast his vote, while the Congress could manage only 17 votes.

"We have won the floor test, debunking Digvijaya's claim that they have the numbers. This is what happens when you come to Goa to have fun."

BJP claims, it enjoys support of 22 legislators, including its own 13 MLA. It had submitted letters supporting its claim of 21 legislators to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday. Since then another Independent legislator Prasad Gaonkar, MLA from Sanguem constituency, has joined the ruling coalition. There are indications that former chief minister and the lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Churchill Alemao, who won South Goas Benaulim seat, may also vote in favour of Parrikar government, helping it sail through the floor test ordered by the Supreme Court on Tuesday easily.

It is highly unlikely that BJPs new-found partners will vote themselves out of power. All three legislators of the Goa Front are already ministers, two-each among three Maharashtra Gomantak Party (MGP) and thee Independents gave been accommodated in the Manohar Parrikar government as cabinet ministers.

#WATCH : BJP has used money to win power in Manipur and Goa, they stole Governments, says Congress VP Rahul Gandhi in Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/XIffdr0lEH

Kuncalienkar is expected to vacate the Panaji seat for Parrikar, enabling him contest the by-election and become member of the legislative assembly within six months of his appointment. Indian constitution allows a non-member to run the government for maximum six months.

Kuncalienkar, who worked as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Parrikar while he was Goa chief minister from 2012 to 2014 before he moved to the centre as Indian defence minister, was elected to the assembly from Parrikars Panaji seat in 2015 in by-election. He retained the seat defeating thus far unconquered Atanasio Monserrate of the UGP by little over 1000 votes.

Kuncalienkar was sworn in as the pro-tem speaker by Governor Mridula Sinha on Wednesday. He will continue in the post until the assembly elects its new Speaker, likely to take place couple of days before the Manohar Parrikar government presents its budget sometime next week.

While BJP has numbers by its side to sail through todays floor test without any hiccups, the rival Congress party is raising questions over selection of pro-tem speaker Sidharth Kuncalienkar, BJP legislator from Panaji seat.

BJP got the support of 22 MLAs, 16 were opposed and one was absent during the Goa floor test. Parrikar has the challenge of assigning the portfolios.

In a major embarrassment, newly-elected Congress party legislator Vishwajit Rane did not vote, giving signals that all is not well with the Congress party. He walked out of the House after taking oath as legislator.

Parrikar government got support of 22 legislators, excluding the pro-tem speaker who was not required to cast his vote, while the Congress could manage only 17 votes.

"We have won the floor test, debunking Digvijaya's claim that they have the numbers. This is what happens when you come to Goa to have fun."

We have proved before the people of India, we had support of 23 and we proved it on the floor of house: Manohar Parrikar,Goa CM pic.twitter.com/Qkr1JiaADd

It is a government of coalition & decision in this regard will be taken by the coalition: Goa CM Parrikar on question of need of deputy CM pic.twitter.com/HZ8v3bgHzX

Everyone voluntarily came and voted, none of them were kept in a hotel room or secluded common place as was the case of opposition: Parrikar

Votes for the general Assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will be counted on Saturday.

The exit polls released on Thursday projected a win for BJP in the 40-seat Goa Assembly. The exit polls put Congress in the second lead and predicted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) might not repeat its Delhi success in Goa.

Three exit polls Axis My India, C-Voter and MRC have given the BJP an edge over its competitors. The party is likely to win 15 to 22 seats, followed by Congress. MRC predicts 15 seats for BJP, 10 for Congress and AAP seven. Meanwhile, C-voter predicts that BJP may retain Goa with 18 seats and Congress may gain six seats. AAP which is making its debut in Goa might just end up only two seats. C-Voter exit poll predicts that BJP would be the single largest party in Goa.

Based on the exit polls, BJP may form the new government but may not hit the majority mark of 21 seats. "Goa could be headed for a hung Assembly in which smaller parties could come into the picture. Congress winning the maximum 18 seats may open intense efforts and bargaining. As of now it is clear that AAPs attempts to extend its 2014 Delhi experiment may have failed in Goa," political commentator Ajay Jha says. The smaller parties and the Independents are likely to be the kingmakers.

In last-minute instructions on preparations for the counting day on Saturday, the Election Commission on Thursday instructed the electoral officers to set up additional close-circuit TV cameras to monitor carrying of EVMs from strongrooms to the counting hall.

"On the day of counting, additional CCTV camera may be installed at such locations from where the carrying of EVMs from strong rooms to the counting hall can be recorded for effective monitoring," the EC said in the letter.

The EC further said: "For counting day, CCTV cameras must be strategically placed so that all movements of personnel carrying control units is covered and displayed on TV, placed at the Returning Officer's table and at some place where candidates, counting agents can also view the movement of CUs from strong room to the counting hall."

It further said that in case the counting hall is located at a distance or in a separate building away from the strong room, barricading from the strong room door up to the counting hall door should be done in such a way that "EVMs of each constituency should not be criss-crossing each other".

According to Goa Chief Electoral Officer Kunal, the overall polling percentage on 4 February was 81. Out of the 11.10 lakh registered voters, 8,98,507 exercised their franchise. The constituencies in the mining and tourism belts saw more than the average polling, as per the EC estimates.

Though as many as 250 candidates, including many Independents, are in the fray for the 40 seats, the fight is mainly between ruling BJP, Congress, AAP and MGP-led alliance.

With inputs from agencies
Goa has a history of hung Assemblies. On Saturday, when the state delivered a fractured mandate, it was up to the two major parties  Congress and the BJP  to garner support of the regional parties and the three Independent candidates to stake claim to form the next government.

After enough backdoor negotiations, it was the BJP that successfully cracked the electoral math. During a press conference, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Union minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the party is ready to form the government in Goa.

After Saturday's counting, the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats, while BJP won 13 seats, eight short of the majority mark of 21. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and independent candidates won three seats each, while NCP bagged one seat.

Gadkari had said that Parrikar has the support of the BJP Parliamentary Board and party president Amit Shah. He added that though the BJP has the numbers, only after getting Governor Mridula Sinha's invitation will Parrikar resign as defence minister and take oath as the chief minister.

Parrikar, who has been given the moniker of Goa's super CM, added that the swearing-in ceremony will take place once the governor invites BJP to form government. Upon giving up the post of defence minister, he said that even though it was a new responsibility for him, he is happy that there were corruption charges levelled against the BJP government.

Definitely it was difficult as it was a new department (Def Min) but I am happy no corruption allegation levelled on our Govt: M Parrikar pic.twitter.com/jMp5qqiRMQ  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

Though BJP had refrained from naming Parrikar as its chief ministerial candidate before the election, one of the main reasons to bring Parrikar back at the helm of affairs was the demand put forth by the regional parties. Earlier on Sunday, reports suggested that BJP's former ally MGP would back the party if Parrikar comes back to Goa.

Sudin Dhavalikar and his brother Deepak were ministers in the BJP-led coalition government for a good part of the last five years, but were sacked by Parsekar two months before polling took place on 4 February, after the brothers criticised his leadership.

"MGP unanimously passed a resolution that it will extend support to BJP if they recall Parrikar from the Centre to the state and appoint him chief minister," MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar had told PTI after emerging from the party's legislature wing meeting.

"The resolution is very clear. MGP will support BJP only if Parrikar is made chief minister. Our support is not to BJP but to Parrikar," he said.

Goa Forward Party, which made its debut in this election, had earlier hinted to go with the Congress, but refrained from making any official announcements. The party president, Vijai Sardesai, said that his party has laid down a few conditions before getting into an alliance with the BJP and one of them was that the government should be led by Parrikar.

We have decided to support BJP to form the Govt under leadership of Manohar Parrikar:Vijay Sardesai,Goa Forward Party #Goa pic.twitter.com/aIPVdd4VOT  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

After caretaker chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar's humiliating defeat in Mandrem, even BJP MLAs of the Goa unit hankered for Parrikar's leadership. "We want Parrikar as chief minister of Goa. We have faxed our resolution to party president Amit Shah," BJP MLA Michael Lobo told IANS.

Parrikar, who was instrumental in orchestrating BJP's win in the 2012 Goa Assembly election, became the defence minister after Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. Though he was reluctant to give up the prized post of the Goa chief minister and shift to Delhi, he installed Parsekar as his replacement. Parsekar was seen as a weak leader not just in Goa, but also within the party, with speculations doing the rounds that Parrikar holds the remote control. Parsekar never managed to come out of Parrikar's shadows. Before the election, there were reports that Parrikar has been increasingly spending time in Goa than in Goa.

Ajay Jha wrote for Firstpost: "Parrikar as chief minister brought stability to Goas infamous murky politics and initiated a slew of development-oriented and people-friendly measures until his services were requisitioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clean up the Defence Ministry perennially associated with controversial defence deals. BJP realised its folly that without Parrikar it stood no chance of retaining power by the time the next election arrived."

On 4 February, when Goa went to polls, Parrikar's offhand comment: "I have lost 4 kg in Delhi because of the food. I like Goan food. You can interpret this the way you want," seemed a bit cryptic, but not anymore.

Meanwhile, the Congress which was expected to stake claim to forming the government on Sunday evening, has been unable to finalise its legislative leader, with the candidature of state unit president Luizinho Faleiro being resisted by his peers, namely former chief minister Pratapsingh Rane and Digambar Kamat.

Meanwhile, the Congress hit out. "BJP always claimed to be party of morals and character. Is this the moral or character of a party which is horse-trading...promising corporations, ministries like they are distributing sweets? We strongly condemn any effort of the BJP, particularly Parrikar, to even think of staking claim to forming government," said Digvijaya Singh.

With inputs from agencies
The lesson from the Goa Assembly election results is that sound and fury are not enough to counter deep political roots. People would rather trust power to those with a record of governance, even when such parties have disappointed in the recent past. The Aam Aadmi Party was the most visible during the campaign, but the relatively new party fared quite miserably. The traditional parties of governance in Goa  the Congress and the BJP, fared relatively well even though people in general had been disappointed with their performances.

The biggest gainers from that general sense of ennui with the established parties were Independents and small parties  particularly candidates who have performed well. So, for example, the outstanding Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte and Vinoda Datarama Paliencar of the Goa Forward Party were both re-elected. That no party got a majority was only to be expected  given the general lack of enthusiasm about either the Congress that was trounced in 2012 over the 'mining scam' and other corruption charges, and the BJP that has failed to inspired people with its governance since then.

That the BJP suffered owing to an anti-incumbency sentiment is obvious from the fact that it won fewer seats than the Congress despite garnering the highest number of votes overall. Clearly, its votes were concentrated in support of candidates who had worked in their constituencies. With a 28.4 percent vote share, the Congress was able to win 17 seats in the 40-member Assembly, while the BJP won only 13 seats with its 32.5 percent vote share.

AAP activists had hoped that, although it was new, their party would be able to fill the gap. Although vigorous, their campaign evidently failed to convince a large number of voters. It got only 6.3 percent of the popular vote across the state  less than a fifth of what the BJP got. The long-established Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which stands for the Konkan-Marathi identity of the state, won three seats with 11.3 percent of the votes.

Unlike the MGP that won a couple of seats by huge margins, the AAP was not even in the main fight in any constituency in the state. Its candidates came in third in only a couple of constituencies. Unlike either the Congress or the BJP, AAP had declared its chief ministerial candidate  Elvis Gomes. But even Gomes came in fourth in his Cuncolim constituency. Just a few days before polling, he had claimed to have visited 95 percent of the houses in his constituency.

The no-nonsense style of Gomes, a former bureaucrat known for his tough anti-corruption stance, could strike some as abrasive. The party fielded professionals such as doctors and architects in many constituencies. People at large were evidently not convinced about their ability to get the little things  like admissions, loans, gutters and electricity connections  that people outside the networks of influence seek from their representatives.

AAPs poor performance is particularly remarkable since Goa has very small constituencies compared to states like Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. Many of those who won got less than 10,000 votes. So, to convince voters one-on-one, which is AAPs style, should have been easier than it would have been elsewhere. But, although party enthusiasts had come from as far as Bengaluru and Delhi to put in their efforts, their preferred tactic was to stand on major street corners with banners, brooms (the partys symbol) and caps, unconvincingly shouting slogans.

In contrast to Goa, where its votes were scattered across various constituencies, AAP was able to win 20 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly since its support was concentrated in the relatively urbanised Malwa region. Across Punjab, AAP garnered only 23.7 percent of the popular vote  well behind the Akali-BJP alliance's 30.6 percent, and third even to the Akali Dals 25.2 percent.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be known as a Hindu party, but about half its new legislature party in Goa comprises Catholics.

BJPs strategy to field eight Catholic candidates in Goa seems to have worked well for it. Although it won only 13 seats in the new 40-member Assembly, most of its Catholic candidates won their seats and one, Arthur DSilva, came second in the Curtolim constituency. The party has earned a lot of flak for fielding no Muslims in Uttar Pradesh and in several other states in the recent past. However, it adopted a different strategy in Goa with regard to minorities.

In fact, the proportion of Catholics among the BJP candidates during the election in Goa (the party did not field candidates in every constituency) almost matched the 25 percent proportion of Catholics in the states population.

Although this proportion of the population has steadily declined over most of the past century, from more than half to a quarter, Catholics still comprise a vocal and socially influential community.

The concentration of Hindus is much larger in the heavily forested northern and eastern parts of the state. Only one constituency among the 40 in the state is reserved for scheduled tribes.

House leader

It would be particularly interesting if the party was now to choose a Catholic as its House leader. Francis DSouza, who retained the Mapusa seat, is a frontrunner. DSouza has been the deputy chief minister in the cabinets led by both Manohar Parrikar and Laxmikant Parsekar over the past five years.

For a sitting MLA, DSouza won with a very convincing margin  10,957 votes against the 4,129 votes of his nearest rival  from the pro-Hindu Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. He evidently did not face much anti-incumbency antagonism in his largely urban constituency.

DSouza certainly thinks he ought to lead the party in the House. He had publicly voiced his anger and opposition when the low-key Parsekar was promoted to the chief ministers post when Parrikar moved to New Delhi in late 2014. DSouza was abroad at the time.

BJP national president Amit Shah announced after the votes were counted on Saturday that the partys Central Parliamentary Board would decide who would lead the legislature parties in the five states for which polls have just been completed.

Suspense over vacancy

Parsekar, the House leader over the past couple of years, was defeated from the Mandrem constituency in north Goa. For Parsekar, who had held the seat for four terms, this is particularly humiliating since he contested as the sitting chief minister.

Shah had announced during the election campaign that Parrikar would run the partys state unit after the elections  whether from New Delhi or from the state capital, Panaji.

Parrikar might be despatched to the state if the party feels confident that he can cobble together a House majority and so form the next government despite having won only 13 seats in the 40-member House.

This might cost it politically and morally, however, for the results can be interpreted as a rejection of the incumbent ruling party  a withdrawal of the mandate to rule.

The Congress would expect to be invited to form the next government on the basis of having the largest group in the new House. It might hope for the support of some of the three Independents.

Churchill Alemao of the Nationalist Congress Party is likely to support the BJP, which supported his candidature in the Benaulim constituency. Alemao was the chief minister when he was part of the Congress, and the NCP had contested the 2012 elections in alliance with the Congress.

On the other hand, the Congress might hope for support from the Goa Forward party, which has won three seats. The Congress had apparently supported some of the Goa Forward candidates  such as Vinoda Palienkar in the Siolim constituency in north Goa.
Imphal: Uncertainty looms large on government formation in Manipur although the ruling Congress is the single largest party in the new Assembly with 28 seats.

Independent candidate Ashab Uddin, who is yet to announce his support for any party, is likely to play a vital role in the formation of the new government.

Ashab Uddin won from Jiribam defeating Thoudam Debendra Singh of the Congress by 1,650 votes.

Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy said on Sunday that his party would support the Congress.

In the results declared on Saturday, the Congress got 28 seats in the 60-member assembly while 21 seats went to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Until now, the BJP had just two seats.

The Naga People's Front (NPF), the National People's Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) are constituents of the BJP-led alliance and are most likely to support the BJP in government formation.

If they do that, the BJP grouping's tally will go up to 30, just one short for a simple majority.

Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu said in Kohima that his NPF, which has four legislators, would support the BJP. The NPF has sent a letter to the Governor.

The NPP also has four members and the LJP one member.

The Congress is three seats short of a majority.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, in charge of the Northeast, is camping in Imphal to supervise the numbers game.

Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had a brief meeting on Saturday night with the Governor.

Ram Madhav contended that the verdict of the people was against the Congress and that with the support of the like-minded smaller parties the BJP would form the next ministry.

He, however, declined to give a time-frame saying the party shall stake claim as and when it has "enough numbers".

Congress sources said Ibobi was in touch with the National People's Party. While the Congress needs just three MLAs to stake claim to power, the BJP needs at least 10 MLAs.

According to party sources, Congress leaders will again call on Governor Najma Heptulla soon to stake claim to form the government.

"Being the single largest party, the Congress should be given the first chance," a Congress leader said.

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders do not agree.

Party spokesperson Nongthombam Biren Singh, being considered as the Chief Ministerial candidate, said: "Democracy is a game of numbers. We have the majority with the support of like-minded parties. We will stake claim shortly."

Nongthombam Biren Singh won from Heingang defeating Trinamool Congress' Pangeijam Saratchandra Singh.

In the just concluded election, the BJP got 36.3 per cent of valid votes while the Congress secured 35.1 percent.

For more updates, go here.
Though no party gained absolute majority in Manipur in the declared results of Assembly polls on Saturday, the ruling Congress emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats just three seats behind the tally of 31 required to form a government.

The results defied the CVoter survey results which predicted 25 to 31 seats for BJP and 23 at the most for Congress. The number of seats gained by BJP in this election is 21.

The saffron party saw a giant stride in terms of gains in number of seats and vote share from what it was in the earlier Assembly election held in 2012.

In the last Assembly election the saffron party won no seat and garnered only 2.12 percent of votes compared to 21 seats and the 34.46 percent vote share it acquired this time. On the other hand the Congress saw decline in 11.02 percent votes.

It is likely that the Congress will be able to garner support from the 11 MLAs who have won either as independents or candidates from comparatively smaller parties. But there is a catch.

The Naga Peoples Front that has won four seats will not support Congress, said a press release issued by it. The release also said that it will support any non-Congress led government.

It was a predictable move as its mentor United Naga Council has already declared Okram Ibobi Singh-led Congress government as anti-Naga.

This condition leaves the regional party with the option to support BJP. In that case the BJPs tally will go up to 25 seats, which is only three seats lesser than what the Congress has won.

Sources in the BJP told Firstpost that the saffron party is in talks with other smaller parties and independents to cobble up more support to form a government.

Though the Congress is also in talks with these MLAs with equal assiduousness, the decision declared by the NPF to not to support Congress puts the grand old party on back foot, especially at a time when the BJP is in power at the center.

Experts in Manipur politics told Firstpost that it would have been difficult for the Congress to form a government if it fails to get at least 25 seats.

In that case many of the MLAs would have looked upto BJP, as it is in power at the Centre, for political stability. Such a situation would have brought advantage for the saffron party, said Professor Oinam Bhagat, of Jawahar Lal Nehru University.

Though this risk predicted by Bhagat has been minimised to a great extent as the Congress crossed the danger mark of 25 seats, but the risk of a fall in the government will exist even if it manages to patch up the deficit of three MLAs, as the support from smaller parties is easy to lose as well.

Manipur like many other states in the North Eastern region is suffering from severe fund crunch and joining hands with the party in power at the Centre is seen as a smarter move by the MLAs, which also makes their support fickle. Hence not being able to garner support from the four NPF MLAs puts Congress not-so-far-away from this risk.

If the grand old party succeeds in consolidating support from the remaining seven non-BJP and non-Congress MLAs, then it will pave way for Okram Ibobi for the fourth term creating a rare history in the region.

Okram Ibobi Singh faced strong anti incumbency current towards the end of his third term. But ethnic tension between the Nagas and the Meiteis that triggered a four month long economic blockade worked in his favour as the majority Meiteis sided with him.
Chandigarh: After guiding Congress to a thumping victory in the state Assembly polls, senior party leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to take oath as the chief minister of Punjab on 16 March.

Talking to media outside Punjab Raj Bhawan on Sunday, he said that he will go to Delhi on March 14 to meet Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and discuss the formation of the new government.

The oath-taking ceremony will take place on 16 March, he said.

However, the scion of erstwhile Patiala Royal family refused to comment on the number of ministers who will be part of the new cabinet. He said the Congress government will be accountable to the people of the state.

Amarinder earlier held an official meeting with Governor V P Singh Badnore for staking claims to form the new government in the state.

He was also unanimously elected as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader by the newly-elected party MLAs in a meeting held at the party office on Sunday.

Navjot Singh Sidhu (Amritsar East), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantt), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar East) were some of the newly-elected MLAs present at the meeting.

Congress ended the SAD-BJP combine's ten-year regime by registering a thumping win by bagging 77 seats, one short of a two-third majority.

Rookie Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) managed to get 20 seats, while SAD-BJP won 18 seats in the state polls. Two seats went into the kitty of AAP's ally Lok Insaf Party (LIP).

The winning margin of Amarinder from Patiala seat was the highest in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. He won convincingly with a margin of 52,407 votes after defeating his nearest rival AAP candidate Balbir Singh.

Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka, who won from Amritsar West (SC), said the Congress government's priority will be to end the state's drug menace which "flourished under the 10-year long regime of SAD-BJP."

"A road-map has been prepared to end the source of drugs," he said.

He added that false cases were registered under the Akali regime against politicians belonging to Opposition party under the garb of ending drug menace.

To a question on Badal offering support to new Congress government, Verka said the party did not want Badals' support as they were already rejected by the people for their atrocities and scams.

Congress MLA from Dera Baba Nanak, Sukhjidner Randhawa said the schemes started by the SAD-BJP regime would continue, adding that "politicisation" of state police would be put to an end.

He added that Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) will not be constructed at any cost.
New Delhi: A whopping 322 of the 403 new lawmakers elected to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly are 'crorepatis' (multi-millionaires) while as many as 143 have criminal cases, including of murder, pending against them.

According to a report by the National Election Watch, the list of multi-millionaires elected members is headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party's Ajay Pratap Singh elected from Colonelganj constituency in Gonda.

Singh, who in his poll affidavit declares himself as a farmer, possesses properties worth over Rs 49 crore. That includes 60 kg of gold, seven vehicles and six guns, three each in his name and his wife's.

As many as 1,455 multi-millionaires contested the Assembly polls, the results of which were declared on Saturday.

Of the 143 new legislators who have declared pending criminal cases against them, 107 face serious charges including of murder and crimes against women.

Mafia-don-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari of the Bahujan Samaj Party leads the pack of new legislators with criminal antecedents. Elected from Mau, Ansari has 16 criminal cases against him, and that includes five charges of murder.

Of the total 4,853 candidates who contested the polls, 860 had declared that criminal cases were pending in courts against them.

On the gender side, among the newly elected legislators only 40 are female. Of the total 4,853 contestants, only 479 were women  less than 10 percent.

Nearly 72 percent or 290 of the legislators are graduates or more educated.
As Congress slumps to a miserable low in the heartland of Indian politics, it is time to bust the biggest urban myth created and carefully nurtured by its entrenched media machinery  the fable of Priyanka Gandhi.

Sinking lower and lower with familiar electoral defeats and grappling with the ineffectiveness of a failed brand in Rahul Gandhi, Congress kept reminding us that it had a brahmastra up its sleeves. It wasn't clear why this brahmastra had not been deployed into service despite the party tottering on the brink of getting wiped out of India. Still, ahead of every election, we were fed a steady stream of articles and subjected to large dollops of studio discussions on how at that promised hour, Priyanka will arrive on a golden chariot and apparently flatten all demons around her.

It matters little that Rahul Gandhi's sibling has no electoral experience beyond campaigning in the family turfs of Amethi and Raebareli. Yet, against every grain of logic and each lesson of history the myth gradually took shape that merely waving hands and draping the sari like her grandmother would be enough for Priyanka to turn around Congress' sinking ship.

Such a narrative requires a giant leap of faith. When it comes to the Congress, the media has it in abundance. It not only failed to question the lunacy of the plan but worse, bought into it and tried to make Priyanka an urban legend. As Uttar Pradesh elections drew closer, articles about the clamour from grassroots for Priyanka started surfacing even though it is unclear who these mythical grassroot workers were.

Even so, the 'clamour' apparently grew strong enough for Priyanka to give in to pressure from party workers to gracefully become the backroom whiz kid. Even as Congress khatias were up for grabs during Rahul Gandhi's 'khaat sabhas' in Uttar Pradesh, we were told that Priyanka and poll strategist Prashant Kishor would stitch an unbeatable plan to end Congresss 27-year UP hiatus.

It seemed as if the promised moment was upon us when Priyanka finally steps into the ring and saves her embattled brother and endangered party. To be fair to Kishor, he understood the depth of Congress' systemic rot that starts with its vice-president and suggested a Priyanka-centric campaign.

Had she really been the brahmastra that the party apparatchiks and a few journalists insisted she was, Priyanka would have picked up the gauntlet and led Congress from the front. This could have been a chance to put that illusion to rest, whether in 2017 a mere physical resemblance with Indira Gandhi is enough political capital for the Gandhi scion to exploit. Not surprisingly, Priyanka balked. Party sycophants may have bought into it, but Priyanka would have known the reality of that myth.

She chose a backroom role and engaged the bickering Samajwadi Party into a seat-sharing agreement. After initial hiccups due to the change in SPs internal power dynamic, the alliance finally took off and Priyanka was given credit for stitching an unbeatable alliance and ensuring over a 100 seats for the Congress. The move had an air of inevitability about it despite tantrums from both sides. Congress was fighting a grim battle of survival and Akhilesh-led SP wanted to consolidate Muslim votes. SP-Congresss marriage of convenience was spun as the strategic masterpiece and Priyanka was expectedly given the credit for it.

Leaving the tactics aside, we got a glimpse of Priyanka the orator when she tried to paint Modi as the "outsider", mimicking Nitish Kumars 'Bihari vs Bahari' campaign. Bihar isnt UP and Priyanka is not Nitish Kumar. It became evident quite soon that there is little to choose between Rahul and Priyanka when it comes to oratory skills or communicating with masses. Village tours wearing elegant khaki saris and sharing token meals with Dalit women inside their hutments cannot replace the hard grind of BJPs relentless fieldwork and sustained mass connect of its machinery.

Interestingly, after giving out an impression that she will deliver multiple rallies and cover the length and breadth of UP, we were suddenly told that the Gandhi dynast wont step beyond her family turf. It was perhaps an attempt at plausible deniability and a move to shield the First Familys last brand from permanent damage in the event of another humiliating defeat.

The final tally shows the most embarrassing defeat for Congress in the history of UP elections. It not only got 7 seats among the 114 it contested, the party also lost all four seats in Amethi, places where Priyanka had done extensive campaigning. This should end the urban myth once and for all.
Lucknow: With Akhilesh Yadav's experiments at the hustings backfiring, voices of dissent have started surfacing in the SP with some leaders demanding that the old order under party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav be restored.

The Samajwadi Party could manage only 47 seats, 177 down from its 2012 tally of 224 seats. Party leaders, specially the ones who have been close to Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Singh, want Akhilesh Yadav to hand over the reins of the party to his father.

"Akhileshji had asked for control of the party only till elections, citing them as his exam and now that he has failed in it, he should hand over the leadership to Netaji," a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.

Despite reservations expressed by his father, Akhilesh had gone ahead with a pre-poll alliance with the Congress with an aim of undoing the damage caused to the party's public image after the long-run family feud.

Akhilesh felt that Congress could help it consolidate the crucial Muslim vote, which accounts for over 18 percent of the population and check the march of BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It was also Akhilesh who shunned the mafias and criminal elements and played the development card to the hilt, assuming that the electorate especially youth will fall for it.

"We had taken care of the party after big reverses in the wake of Ayodhya movement and we can do it once again ... we also promise to take care of Akhilesh's future", he said adding that the party should be allowed to work in the directions and guidance of netaji.

Former SP spokesman and founder member of the party CP Rai said those who have won the elections for the party are mostly the ones who had been given tickets by Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav.

"Barring the two or three candidates all those who have won are those who had been picked up by netaji and Shivpalji ... ticket distribution was also an issue of contention ...Shivpal won the seat comfortably even though all out efforts were made to stop his march to the Vidhan Sabha," Rai said.

"The SP patron's rally in Jaunpur for Parasnath Yadav helped him win the seat despite the fact that he was not comfortably placed earlier...this goes on to prove the hold of Mulayam Singh," Rai said.

The party, however, lost the Lucknow Cantt seat where the former SP chief addressed a rally for his daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav but the party had no base, Rai said.

Another SP leader Madhukar Jaitley also aired similar views demanding more power to party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"Mulayam's honour should be restored. He wanted to campaign for the party... the happenings in the party in past six months were also the reason for party's defeat," Jaitley said.

Especially critical of Ram Gopal Yadav, Rai said that he had emereged as the 'Chanakya' in the party and he needs to follow what he had been preaching.

"Either he should atone for his wrongdoings or the party should give him the same treatment that he used to give others and both he and Akhilesh should own up for the loss", Rai said.

Party insiders said that after every defeat, Ram Gopal used to seek the records booth-wise and "harass" those on whose booths the performance of the party was not up to the mark.

Recalling the allegation of Mulayam Singh that Ram Gopal is hand-in-glove with the BJP and is ruining the future of Akhilesh Yadav, Rai said poll results have given more strength to these doubts.
There is reason to believe, based on early voting trends and results, that a bulk of Muslim voters in Uttar Pradesh cast their votes in favour of the Samajwadi Party (SP), while some voted for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), in the recently concluded Assembly election.

It was a result of concerted efforts by the 'so-called' secular parties, the SP and BSP, as well as the Urdu press and Islamic clerics that swayed the Muslim voters against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

However, with the results going heavily in favour of the Narendra Modi-led party, it can be argued that a wave of reverse polarisation worked in its favour in the state.

Before the elections, renowned Sunni Islamic clerics like Maulana Salman Al-Husaini Al-Nadwi and Maulana Saidur Rahman of the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama seminary, Maulana Khalid Rasheed of the Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal and Maulana Aamir Rashadi of the Rashtriya Ulama Council as well as the Shia religious leaders like Maulana Kalbe Jawwad and Maulana Kalbe Sadiq had expressed support for either the SP or the BSP.

In October, much before the elections, BSP's political rallies used to begin with the recitation of the Quran and references to hadiths (sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad). To some extent, the BSP may have inadvertently aided in the reverse consolidation of Muslim votes for the BJP.

Even Congress scion Rahul Gandhi had visited the Darul Uloom Deoband and the Nadwatul Ulama, in an attempt to to seek votes. It is not uncommon for Hindu leaders, during election time in UP, to act as minority leaders to woo the Muslim voters. Muslims, too, love this symbolism.

Although BJP's landslide victory may have benefited by the reverse consolidation of Muslim votes, the sheer scale of the victory indicates that the ground realities, not only in UP but elsewhere in India too, have altered fundamentally.

India is predominantly a 'youth' country, with 55 percent of its 1.3 billion people below the age of 25, and about 70 percent below 35 years. They belong to a new political population, that hasn't seen either the Emergency or the Partition.

The Indian Constitution is not merely a document. It contains a set of ideas about liberty and equality, which nurture the minds of India's youths, who are beginning to look beyond caste and religion. The youth now aspire for jobs and developments. So, it is not incidental that voices against the arbitrariness of triple talaq and for the Uniform Civil Code are being raised by this new political population.

During the seven-phase voting in UP, it was seen that Muslim women connected with Modi's statement on the issue of triple talaq, a social disease that haunts Muslim families across India. Anecdotal evidence from the ground suggests that some Muslim women were not allowed to vote in UP, because they were opposed to triple talaq.

Many Muslim women voted for Modi, if not the BJP, for his gas cylinder scheme  in which LPG cylinders are distributed to poor families, irrespective of their caste and religion.

In UP, Muslims youths have been asking: Why not the BJP? It must be mentioned that during the 1930s and 1940s, the Congress was perceived as a Hindu party by Muslims, while the Muslim League was viewed as a Muslim party.

The BJP, too, is going through a similar phase in which it is perceived as a Hindu party, while the Muslim League is now replaced by the SP and BSP. While the SP may survive the election results, the BSP will be almost dead as a party. BJP's sweeping victory will force the dominant Muslim mind to rethink its preconceived ideas and notions.

In Gujarat and Assam, some Muslims did vote for the BJP. Shia Muslims already vote for the BJP, while Sunni Muslims continue to engage in minority politics. During the era of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Muslims did connect with the BJP, but this political connect was lost subsequently and Muslims fell back into their cocoon. In Bihar elections, Muslim women prayed for Nitish Kumar to win because they were fed baseless rumours that Modi will demolish the mosques.

In the UP elections, some Muslims did vote for the BJP, but their numbers are insignificant and they do not say it publicly because they will be shamed in their community. Among Muslims, the Shia Muslims do not project themselves as a victim or as a minority. For half a century or more, the Sunni Muslims have viewed the successive governments as enemies and haven't learnt to live as a minority. While Muslims know that the so-called secular parties are using them, their leaders still do not realise the harmful effect of this 'counterfeit' secularism in India.

Secularism exists only in books. In India, the practice of secularism essentially means only one thing: Muslim communalism, as practised both by Muslim as well as by the so-called secular Hindu parties. This form of counterfeit secularism is dividing India's society and its people into caste and religious categories. Much like liberalism has become an abuse in the US, secularism in India is harming Indian Muslims because it does not stand for the authentic meaning of secularism.

A bulk of Muslims is still influenced by Islamic clerics, though a class of newly educated Muslim youths is constantly trying to think of its place in the Indian polity. However, the Muslim youth too remains caught up in the historical legacy of Muslim separatism.

In the 1857 war, Muslims and Hindus fought together against the British. But this unity was lost soon. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's educational movement began in opposition to Hindus, and Muslims continued this opposition during the freedom struggle. It continued after Independence in the name of quota and riots.

Unless the Muslim leadership abandons this historical legacy of separatism and stops seeing any Indian party or government as an enemy, its betterment cannot follow. Due to the sheer logic of electoral calculations, the BJP was right not to field Muslim candidates in UP because they would have certainly lost. However, as the BJP has now emerged as a pan-India party, it must follow its policy of sabka saath, sabka vikas  by recruiting Muslim leaders, especially women, in its organisational hierarchy at the district levels.

Muslims need to embrace BJP, while the BJP must walk a step towards the Muslims. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has done some considered thinking on this issue. Having realised that Muslims cannot be left behind, the RSS has established a Muslim Rashtriya Manch to foster India's cohesion. The BJP too needs to learn from it and begin a journey that conforms to the moderate core of Indian society in which everyone resides together and dreams a vision of India together.

The author, a former BBC journalist, is a contributing editor at Firstpost and executive director of the Open Source Institute, New Delhi. He tweets @tufailelif

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Lucknow: For all the focus on Muslims in the Uttar Pradesh elections  demonised by the BJP and actively wooed by the BSP as well as the Congress-SP combine  the number of people from the community in the 17th Vidhan Sabha has touched a historic low of 25.

This is far short of the 68 members the community had in the 403-member assembly after the 2012 election which saw the Samajwadi Party (SP) romp home with 224 seats.

That was the best-ever showing for Muslims  comprising almost 19 percent of the state's 22 crore population  who have been sending, on average, about 40 legislators to the house in every election.

The poor showing this time around, many Muslim leaders here feel, does not augur well as it implies that a "sizeable population is being kept away from mainstream politics".

Former chief minister Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), who saw the community as key to her electoral success, had fielded more than 100 candidates this time round, and a large number of Muslim outfits and groups had exhorted the community to vote for the party.

The BSP, however, finished a poor third with just 19 seats  six of whom are Muslims.

The community was also seen as crucial for the Congress-Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance and received a fair share of tickets from the combine. The alliance, however, returned with just 54 legislators, of whom 19 are Muslim  17 from the SP and two from the Congress.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Apna Dal  which together won a whopping 321 seats  did not field a single Muslim candidate and were also accused of communalising the campaign in a bid to polarise Hindu votes.

The BSP and SP wooing has left some in the community disenchanted. As in the past, welfare measures for a community that fares poorly on practically all social indices did not go beyond handing out tickets to us, says Ali Zafar, a prominent Muslim voice in the state.

He also slammed the SP, BSP and Congress for their "aggressive outreach for the Muslim vote, so much so that it antagonised the majority Hindus".

There are as many as 143 seats in Uttar Pradesh where it has traditionally been believed that Muslims can make or mar the fortunes of political parties. Of these, in 70 seats Muslims have 20-25 percent presence, and in the remaining 73, they account for 30 percent or more of the population.

Political observers here say there are many reasons why Muslims fared so poorly this time despite such significant presence in so many seats.

For one, the community sought to send Muslim candidates to the assembly, irrespective of political affiliations. This split the vote between the Congress-SP and the BSP. As Rizwan, a BSP worker in Indiranagar, Lucknow, put it: "There was no coherence in the Muslim pattern of voting this time."

The result is there for all to see - just 25 legislators at a time when recent elections had seen a rising trend in elected Muslims. The numbers had been steadily rising in last five elections: 28 legislators in 1993, to 38 in 1996, 46 in 2002, 56 in 2007 and, of course, as many as 68 in 2012.

There has also been talk of some Muslims, especially the youth and women, having voted for the BJP, after the triple talaq stand taken by the party. While this is difficult to corroborate, but in the celebrations at the BJP state headquarters here after the landslide win on Saturday, many burqa-clad women were seen dancing and raising "Modi, Modi" slogans.

Yunus Parvez, a student at a polytechnic here, believes there has been a certain churning in the Muslim populace, if not in favour of the BJP, then against the political parties that have "used us as mere vote banks", adding that the "community will have to think beyond narrow issues".

The students union of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) had, before the elections, appealed to the community to shun all political parties and instead use the None Of The Above, or NOTA option on the polling machines.

The BJP has been unapologetic about not giving tickets to Muslims. Its state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya reiterated on Saturday that the party would not give tickets to Muslims in the 2019 general election or the 2022 assembly election. He said the party believed in giving tickets to candidates depending on their "winnability" and not to appease any particular community.

Clearly, pushed to the fringes of the mainstream and rendered largely irrelevant, the community will need to strategise anew on the best way to once again emerge as a relevant electoral force. It will also need to battle the perception  used cleverly by the BJP to consolidate Hindu votes in the just-concluded elections  that the community votes tactically and en bloc, though there is little evidence to support this.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), headed for a three-fourths majority in the Uttar Pradesh assembly underscores yet again the fact that the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine plays to win and win big.

This is the key difference between BJP 1.0 and BJP 2.0. The way the duo plunged headlong into the electoral arena and led the party from the front is a sort of reflection of the adage of living each day as if it was your last.

Needless, the just-concluded UP polls is a mini-2014 elections characterised by the same features: gigantic stakes, massive expectations, and a charged atmosphere, all culminating in a comprehensive electoral triumph for the party. Its instructive to briefly examine the present condition of the combined opposition. One wonders what Akhilesh Yadav was thinking when he tied up with the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress but the consequence is now clear: the fatal alliance has punctured the Samajwadi Partys cycle just like it had blunted the edge of the CPMs sickle two years ago in West Bengal. The BSPs elephant didnt quite gallop, and has been reduced to tatters with 17 seats and a Mayawati throwing around conspiracy theories of EVM tampering across all the polling booths in the state.

Of the numerous reactions from non-BJP parties, these tweets from Omar Abdullah perhaps give the most accurate assessment of the magnitude of the BJPs victory:

At this rate we might as well forget 2019 & start planning/hoping for 2024.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi & the BJP in 2019.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

How the hell did almost all the experts/analysts miss this wave in UP? It's a tsunami not a ripple in a small pond.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

The last tweet deserves a slightly detailed examination. The reason is twofold. In a line, most media and analyst narratives so far placed their trust in wishful thinking instead of ground reality.

The trajectory of the Akhilesh Yadavs government was marked by three key characteristics: one, rampant caste favouritism in appointments and party positions. Two, brazen Muslim appeasement, which was most noticeable during the Muzaffarnagar riots, the Hindu exodus from Kairana, and the emergence of Azam Khan as a powerful Muslim strongman. Three, rampant corruption and the near-emptying of the states coffers.

The other and perhaps the most important reason is the Amit Shah factor, which these analysts perhaps purposefully overlooked. In a near-repetition of the manner in which Amit Shah wrested 71 seats for the BJP in the 2014 general elections, he strategised early, worked quietly and delivered massively. As one notices retrospectively, there was hardly any word in the media from the party circles regarding the BJPs Uttar Pradesh strategy. Outside the party, there was only speculation. This is consonant with Narendra Modis tactic of keeping all cards close to his chestin other words, youll know it only once its been accomplished.

This stunning victory is also significant because it reflects a BJP 2.0, which doesnt seem to become demoralised in defeat; instead, it learns from it and bounces back with renewed strength. The pointer here is to the shock-loss in Bihar, which also led to a realisation perhaps that brand Modi had been overexposed back then, and that local feedback is more important.

The learnings from Bihar were reflected in its sweep of Assam, where crucial poll decisions were left to the local leadership in the person of Himanta Biswas Sarma. The same can more or less be said about the recent triumphs in the Maharashtra and Odisha local bodies polls. In Maharashtra, it was Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis all the way.

As much as all of this is true, the one undeniable factor that won Uttar Pradesh for the BJP is Brand Narendra Modi. As this Firstpost article shows, Modi certainly passed the demonetisation test in flying colours, but it would be a limiting view to attribute the scale of the UP victory to just this factor. At the risk of simplification, the present victory owes to an unbeatable combination of these factors:

Developing a comprehensive social fabric woven with the threads of development, stragetic Hindutva, and a spectrum that includes non-Yadavs, non-Muslims and Dalits.

Deftly splitting the sizeable Muslim vote bank which perhaps for the first time was undecided whether to vote for the BSP (with 97 Muslim candidates), the SP or the Congress.

The undiminished personal capital of Narendra Modi as an incorruptible and hardworking Prime Minister interested only in Indias development.

Modis guarded address to the nation on 31 December 2016 on the impact of demonetisation indeed held clues that it was part of his Uttar Pradesh poll strategy. In retrospect, his caution back then has paid handsome dividends now.

The manner in which the BJP exploited the combined oppositions tried and tired narrative: of doles and caste and communal goodies. Or to quote Omar Abdullah again, Criticising the PM will only take us so far. The voter needs to know there is an option available to them that has a clear +ve road map.

As the results show, the BJPs decisive victories both in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have severely demoralised the opposition, mainly the already-moribund Congress party. As I noted in my piece on the recent Maharashtra polls, the rampant and frequent desertions will only escalate in pace and numbers as it faces a very real prospect of a huge drubbing awaiting it in Uttar Pradesh.

While the said drubbing has occurred, the reactions from key Congress leaders are along predicted lines. Sandeep Dikshit, son of Sheila Dikshit, the Congress partys UP Chief Ministerial candidate, remarked acidly that the Congress treats its leaders as commodities; it's owned by a few people. But the worse is yet to come. Between now and 2019, the Congress will face six elections in a straight contest with the Narendra Modi-led BJP. And Karnataka being its only biggest remaining state, shows promises of being doomed with former Congress CM SM Krishna and Vokkaliga heavyweight MH Ambareesh all set to join the BJP.

Equally, one hopes, perhaps in vain, that the Congress party will learn, at least now, to desist from disrupting the Parliament. With the BJPs former opponents like Nitish Kumar slowly and tactically allying with it, there will come a time when the Congress will truly be isolated and left with zero friends. Theres also the possibility that even if the Congress offers a pre-poll alliance with other secular parties, therell be no takers given how everybody from the DMK to CPI(M) to SP have been singed by its lethal handshake.

While its obvious that both the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand victories have added enormous muscle to the BJP in the Rajya Sabha, and will have a decisive impact in electing the next Vice President and the President, theres another, more political side to it in the near future.

The astute political animal that Modi is, hell look at these wins to further consolidate his partys near-unchallenged dominance in Indias political landscape and as a precursor to the 2019 polls for which hell set more audacious goals. In this light, its not far-fetched to conceive that we could witness an electoral battle on the lines of Narendra Modi vs a Unified Opposition.

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The results of Assembly election in Uttarakhand will serve as a bitter lesson to the hill state's political figures, who have continuously undermined the sentiments and sufferings of locals here. The state came into being in 2000, primarily to meet the needs of people residing in the hilly regions, but the lust of politics and lure of power meant the politics of the hills became just like the politics of the plains.

This is the reason why the state has always voted anti-incumbency, as if the voters have never been satisfied with their elected representatives.

After the 2012 cloudburst hit Kedarnath, when all eyes were on Uttarakhand, at a time when help was pouring in from around the world, billions of people doing their bit to improve the lives of people here. People lost not only their property and means of livelihood but also their near and dear ones had gone missing and were untraceable. Further, connectivity was poor and out of utter helplessness, people were looking for someone who would be concerned about them, someone strong-willed, who would take them out of this never ending cycle of woe.

The landslide victory enjoyed by the BJP is therefore a victory of the party, a sign that the people of the hills have seen in Narendra Modi one such liberator. The party's victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha election was the culmination of the same aspirations, and the hope people of the hills had from PM Modi. Uttarakhand couldn't stay aloof for long, and joined the bandwagon before long.

In the hills of Uttarakhand, there are many villages left vacant due to migration, meaning girls are abandoning their education, women are suffering during child birth, and the authorities aren't paying enough attention to the degredation of their environment. Life in the hills can derail without these essential amenities, and disenchanted voters found a ray of hope in the roaring Modi wave, following the prime minister's assurance that he will improve lives of people in the hills.

Rallies Modi held in Uttarakhand would all start with demonetisation, before he renamed it a cleanliness drive and assured people of his aim of eliminating black money from the country. To appeal to a large population of the state's voters who come from the armed forces, Modi spoke of surgical strikes. To appeal to the state's women, he even spoke of the unwholesome smoke they were inhaling because of pollution. He showed a homely concern, by addressing issues of their safety, even when it came to foraging for firewood in the forests, where they face leopards and bear attacks.

Modi reminded the state's voters about the potency of environment, that can be the panacea of all evils in the eyes of Pahadis. He assured them that he will generate employment, so the youth won't need to leave their aged parents in their deserted old village. "Pahad ka paani aur pahaad ki jawaani, dono pahaad ke kaam aayenge (The hills' water and the hills' youth will both help the region)," he said.

But such a tsunami of votes doesn't come on poll promises alone. Modi went a step beyond, and showed personal concern which swayed votes in his favour. People trusted and stood behind Modi. This is not the victory of a political party, rather the faith of the hills in the words of one man, who is still considered a messiah.
Berlin: Europe's most powerful leader, Angela Merkel, meets for the first time next week America's flamboyant President Donald Trump whose arrival in the White House has sent shockwaves across the Atlantic. While former US president Barack Obama had labelled Merkel his "closest international partner", there has been little-known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office.

Trump's criticism of Germany over issues ranging from its record trade surplus to Merkel's liberal refugee stance, as well as his backing for Britain to leave the European Union, have not gone unnoticed in Berlin. A month after US Vice-President Mike Pence delivered a message to Europe underscoring the importance of transatlantic ties, Tuesday's meeting will be scrutinised for clues on whether Trump fully endorses that message.

The reserved German leader herself underlined that she is travelling to Washington not only as Germany's leader, but also as an envoy of the EU. "I will, of course, point out that for us, our country and our membership in the European Union are two sides of the same coin," Merkel said in Brussels ahead of the visit. The Washington meeting would also allow for "an exchange of bilateral and international topics, and transatlantic ties, as we have always stressed, are very important," added Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer.

As in other similar tours, Merkel will be accompanied by an army of business leaders, but this time the delegation faces an uncertain reception as Trump preaches an "America First" policy. Siemens boss Joe Kaeser and BMW's Harald Krueger will be part of the group, according to news weekly Der Spiegel, and both will likely be trumpeting the thousands of jobs linked to their investments in the US. Krueger will also be keen to persuade Trump, who has singled out BMW for hefty tariffs if it built a factory in Mexico, to reconsider the threat.

But "if the government is serious about its new tax, the chancellery has already prepared a series of retaliatory measures," said Der Spiegel. Juergen Hardt, the German government's US coordinator, said Merkel will sound a clear warning against protectionism, and press Washington to keep working towards a free-trade deal with the EU. The meeting will also be closely watched for the dynamics between the two leaders who appear to stand far apart on content and style.

While Merkel is a firm believer in the European Union and globalisation, Trump cheers Britain's departure from the EU and scrapped the TPP free trade deal in his first days in office. The two also differ on immigration policies  she slammed his ban on citizens from mainly-Muslim countries, while he criticised as "catastrophic" her liberal refugee stance that led more than a million asylum-seekers into Germany.
PARIS The French foreign ministry condemned a deadly bombing in Damascus and called on truce guarantors, especially Russia and Iran, to ensure a ceasefire in Syria is fully respected.The death toll from a double bomb attack on Saturday targeting Shi'ites visiting a pilgrimage site in Damascus has climbed to 74, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday.

"There is more than ever urgency to ensure that ceasefire is respected in Syria," the French foreign ministry said in a statement.

"France calls on the truce guarantors, especially Russia and Iran, who will meet in Astana next week, to put pressure on parties to ensure that ceasefire is fully respected".

Russian-backed peace talks are due to take place in Astana on March 14-15. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier; Editing by Keith Weir)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Washington: A 64-year-old man attempted to burn down a convenience store owned by the Indian-Americans in Florida as he mistakenly thought it was owned by Muslims. Richard Lloyd, who wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country", pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St Lucie store and set the contents on fire on Friday.

The store was not open at the time of the incident and firefighters quickly extinguished the fire without it causing any property damage.

"It's unfortunate that Mr Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," St Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said. Mascara said Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime. Lloyd told investigators he tried to buy a bottle of juice at the store a few days ago but was told they did not have any. He was also upset because he assumed the store employee was Muslim, CNN affiliate WPEC reported.

He said he was angry with what followers of Islam "are doing in the Middle East" and thought the store owners were Muslims. Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and remained at the St Lucie County Jail in lieu of a USD 30,000 bond as of late yesterday, the news channel reported.

He told investigators he "was doing my part for America," and planned to burn the entire building. Hate crimes against Muslims increased by over 65 percent in 2015, according to the FBI statistics.

Some religious leaders attribute the crime spike to the rise of President Donald Trump, who critics say fuelled Islamophobia and racism as a candidate.
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt

| ANKARA/ROTTERDAM

ANKARA/ROTTERDAM President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad.Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.In a speech in France, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" as it joined other European countries in stopping Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities.The Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her out of the country to Germany.Dutch police used dogs and water cannon on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd. The Dutch government - set to lose about half its seats in elections this week, according to polls, as the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders makes strong gains - said the visits were undesirable and it would not cooperate in their campaigning."I call on all international organisations in Europe and elsewhere to impose sanctions on the Netherlands," Erdogan said, after his prime minister earlier said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways", without specifying how."Has Europe said anything? No. Why? Because they don't bite each other. The Netherlands are acting like a banana republic," Erdogan said in a speech in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul."NAZISM WIDESPREAD IN WEST"

A day earlier, Erdogan described the Netherlands as "Nazi remnants" and returned to the theme on Sunday by saying "Nazism is still widespread in the West" in what Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said were inflammatory remarks. "We ended up in a totally unprecedented situation in which a NATO ally...with whom we have historic ties, strong trade relations, is acting in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner," Rutter told reporters.Rather than the Netherlands apologising for refusing the Turkish ministers entry, Turkey's president should apologize for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, he said.The row risked spreading on Sunday as Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed postponing a planned visit by Yildirim this month due to the dispute.

The French foreign ministry urged calm and said there had been no reason to prohibit a meeting in France between Cavusoglu and a local Turkish association.Supporting Rutte's decision to ban the visits, the Dutch government said there was a risk of Turkish political divisions flowing over into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps.DUTCH ELECTION

The diplomatic row comes in the run-up to next week's Dutch election in which the mainstream parties are under strong pressure from Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV). Experts said it was too early to tell how events in Rotterdam might affect the election. "If there is any impact, however, it is likely that Geert Wilders and his PVV Party will profit most," said Leiden University professor of electoral research Joop van Holsteijn.

After Turkey's family minister was escorted into Germany, Wilders tweeted: "go away and never come back".The Dutch government cited public order and security worries in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and Turkey fired back saying the Dutch ambassador to Ankara should not return from leave "for some time".Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul. Police sealed off both sites.German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do all she can to prevent Turkey's domestic tensions spreading onto German territory. Austria and Switzerland have also cancelled Turkish rallies due to the escalating dispute. European Parliament Vice President Alexander Graff Lambsdorff demanded a ban on Turkish ministers campaigning in the EU."The European Union should agree on a line that Turkish ministers are not allowed to campaign in the EU," he said."The Dutch are showing how it is done, the German government pussyfoots around ... in that way Turkey can try to play one country off the other," he told Die Welt newspaper. (Additional reporting by Yesim Dikmen in Istanbul, Orhan Coskun and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara, Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Teis Jensen in Copenhagen, Madeline Chambers in Berlin, Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier in Paris,; Writing by Daren Butler and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
A federal judge in Wisconsin dealt the first legal blow to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban on Friday, barring enforcement of the policy to deny U.S. entry to the wife and child of a Syrian refugee already granted asylum in the United States.

The temporary restraining order, granted by U.S. District Judge William Conley in Madison, applies only to the family of the Syrian refugee, who brought the case anonymously to protect the identities of his wife and daughter, still living in the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo.

But it represents the first of several challenges brought against Trump's newly amended executive order, issued on March 6 and due to go into effect on March 16, to draw a court ruling in opposition to its enforcement.

Conley, chief judge of the federal court in Wisconsin's western district and an appointee of former President Barack Obama, concluded the plaintiff "has presented some likelihood of success on the merits" of his case and that his family faces "significant risk of irreparable harm" if forced to remain in Syria.

The plaintiff, a Sunni Muslim, fled Syria to the United States in 2014 to "escape near-certain death" at the hands of sectarian military forces fighting the Syrian government in Aleppo, according to his lawsuit.

He subsequently obtained asylum for his wife and their only surviving child, a daughter, and their application had cleared the security vetting process and was headed for final processing when it was halted by Trump's original travel ban on Jan. 27.

That executive order sought to ban admission to the United States of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Iraq - for 120 days and to suspend entry of all refugees indefinitely.

The original travel ban, which caused widespread chaos and protests at airports when first implemented, was rescinded after the state of Washington won a nationwide federal court order blocking further enforcement of the policy.

The modified executive order reduced the number of excluded counties - removing Iraq from the list - and lifted the indefinite refugee travel ban for Syrians. But opponents from several states have gone to court seeking to halt its implementation as well.

"The court appreciates that there may be important differences between the original executive order, and the revised executive order," Conley wrote in his decision. "As the order applies to the plaintiff here, however, the court finds his claims have at least some chance of prevailing for the reasons articulated by other courts."

In a related development on Friday, the federal judge in Seattle who imposed a nationwide injunction on enforcement of the original travel ban refused a request to apply that order to the revised policy, saying that lawyers from states opposed to the measure needed to file more extensive court papers.

(Reporting and writing by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York and Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California; Editing by Sandra Maler and Mary Milliken)
Cynthia Nixon says shes scared for her daughter under a Donald Trump government.

The Sex and The City actress celebrated International Womens Day by attending a benefit for Afghan Hands, which supports careers for women in Kabul.

But Nixon, who has joined protests against President Trump, said: Being a female . . . I do feel added pressure. Because I feel like when you have a benevolent presence in the White House, it is one thing, and you take a lot of stuff for granted. But when you have Donald Trump in the White House, you have no choice but to step up.

She added, I am not just afraid for my daughters future, I am afraid for us all. I am not afraid [what will happen] four years from now, I am scared for next month.

But Nixon further said at the Gabriel & Co. event that theres an upside to the new administration. People are really coming out . . . all around the world, she said. It is amazing and very inspiring. You wouldnt think it would matter, but it matters what we see people doing, saying and protesting on TV.

Click here to read more in the New York Post.
North Koreas recent missile tests will put new pressure on the Trump administration to choose a strategy for dealing with this pesky proliferator.

The standard playbook is well known to those who have worked on the problem of North Korea: pressure China to pressure North Korea, toughen sanctions, reassure allies and push them to build missile defenses. Mr. Trump can follow this well-worn path, but he will likely get the same result: failure.

Instead, Mr. Trump, simply by virtue of being the new president, has another option. He can talk to the North Koreans and negotiate. North Korean officials have said that they are willing to turn the page and start fresh with President Trump. If he is open, they would be open. Or so they say.

What would that even look like?

One clue is to be found in a former Director of National Intelligence Clappers public remarks on North Korea. He suggested it might be possible to cap the Norths programs. A freeze or a cap might then evolve to another stage, if the cap was successful. But getting a freeze on the Pyongyangs weapons programs will require two things: fresh thinking and artful negotiation.

As someone who has sat across the table from North Korean officials in Pyongyang discussing nuclear weapons, I can tell you it won't be easy. There will be challenges, potential pitfalls, and domestic critics  the same obstacles that Ronald Regan faced when his government negotiated with the Soviets.

Of course, it takes two to tango. Are the North Koreans ready to dance? Perhaps.

Chairman Kim previously floated the idea that he would freeze some of its weapons tests, if the U.S. called off its joint military exercises with South Korea.

More recently, Pyongyang suggested that it would normalize relations, if the U.S. withdrew its troops from the South. Both offers are complete and utter non-starters.

But heres the thing: they are offers.

Negotiations start with offers, and rarely does the first offer represent the final deal.

Any negotiation would require that the U.S., South Korea, and Japan to all be on the same page. Our treaty allies have to know that Washington would never agree to anything that would disadvantage them, and that common security interests would be the bedrock of any agreement.

If Mr. Trump were successful, he will have reversed years of failed attempts by the Washington establishment -- Republicans and Democrats alike-- to stop progress in the Norths weapons programs.

That the maverick president might deliver a North Korea deal is certainly irony. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the nations top diplomat, did not negotiate with North Korea on her watch, and she would probably not have negotiated an agreement had she won the election.

Clinton is alleged, in a hacked campaign email, to have threatened to ring China with missile defenses in order to pressure China to control the Kim regime.

The email, if authentic, suggests a policy that is plainly flawed. Beijing does not control Pyongyang, though it wishes it could. North Korea has repeatedly conducted nuclear tests over and against Chinas objections.

It also misreads Chinas likely reaction. Facing a ring of missile defenses (our missiles aimed at their missiles), and with no guarantee that they would be withdrawn even with a tamed North Korea, China will respond by building more of its own missiles. In short, it would precipitate an arms race.

The other pillar of a Clinton pressure policy would have been more sanctions on North Korea. As a new U.N. report on North Korean procure points out, Pyongyang continues to employ a variety of evasion techniques that enable them to sidestep the sanctions.

The conclusion is consistent with a study I authored with my colleague John Park from Harvard University. Our study interviewed North Korean defectors and found that North Korea, Inc., has innovated, and some cases even flourished, in the face of sanctions.

The president has the freedom to pursue a new direction. He should not squander this opportunity.

If he passes on negotiations, and things go badly, he may not get another chance.

He should test the North Koreans to see if they are serious about negotiations.

Every negotiation entails risk, and there will be plenty of naysayers. It is always easier to do more of the same, but it is this very policy that has brought us to this point.

Mr. Trump could change the course of events on the Korean peninsula and make the world a safer place.

If he doesnt, his presidency may well be defined by that failure.

The moment has arrived for the art of the deal.
In July 2012 I was speaking at a youth retreat in the mountains of Tennessee when I received a call from CNN. It seemed that Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy had publicly commented on the issue of same-sex marriage and now the gay mafia were out to destroy him and his restaurant chain. Would I, asked CNN, be willing to offer the orthodox Christian perspective on homosexuality and defend Chick-fil-A in this controversy? After reviewing Cathys remarks and concluding that they were neither outrageous nor biblically incorrect, I agreed to the interview and, later that day I defended the Christian position on the network as vigorously as possible in the time that I had.

Shortly thereafter, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee called for Christians to mobilize and show their support for the embattled fast food restaurant with Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. They did. Lines at the restaurant stretched for blocks. This event marked the first time I could remember Christians fighting back rather than meekly submitting to the media and special interest bullies.

But not all evangelical Christians were supportive of the Home of the Chicken Sandwich. In an article for World Magazine, Barnabas Piper, son of prominent evangelical pastor John Piper, wrote:

I will not be attending Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day on Wednesday. Heres why Convictions, especially biblical ones, will divide people. That is inevitable, but not desirable. The separation of believers and unbelievers, when it happens, must be a last resort or an unavoidable result. Actions to the contrary, those that clearly promote an us versus them mentality, are most often unhelpful. There is a time for Christians to engage in boycotting, such as when a business deals in obviously immoral areas or is clearly unethical in its methods. But for a mass of Christians to descend upon Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country tomorrow to support the leaderships view on this issue is, I believe, a bold mistake.

I was stupefied by these remarks. Piper is young and was, no doubt, well intentioned here. But, brother, if you cant be relied on to show up and order a combo meal in support of a company under attack for its commitment to Christian principles, when exactly can we count on you? This wasnt about the leaderships view on homosexuality; this was about the biblical view of marriage and society. Besides, Huckabee wasnt asking Piper or other Christians to die for their faith. He wasnt asking them to take to the streets and destroy property as protestors on the Left have recently done in such places as Ferguson and Berkeley. He was asking them to do nothing more than eat a chicken sandwich and some waffle fries for Jesus. Has any protest in history been easier or tastier?

A generation ago pop star Bonnie Tyler famously asked: Where have all the good men gone?

Since then, the situation has only gotten worse, Bonnie. As C.S. Lewis noted, men in the English-speaking world have largely been emasculated, and men in the Church are seldom an exception to this decades-long trend.

To stand strong for ones faith in Jesus Christ and push back against a culture that, in the words of Isaiah 5:20, call[s] evil good and good evil is to be divisive, unloving, bigoted, and intolerant.

This is because evangelicals have confused Christs command to love others with being likable, as if that were an attribute of God. (It isnt.) As such, they endeavor to be, above all else, inoffensive and polite. This doctrinal malpractice has given us a generation of men who are what Lewis called men without chests.

I am a child of the military. I was born at Fort Benning, Georgia and grew up at such places as Fort Gordon, Fort Campbell, and Fort Lewis.

The idea of fighting for things that matter has never been foreign to me. I fully recognize, as the Athenian statesman, Pericles, observed, Happiness depends on freedom, and freedom depends on courage.

My father, a career soldier, had a phrase he liked to employ whenever he saw a man behave in a manner that was less than manly. He would say something like, That was candy-assed. Of course, my father didnt invent the idiom, but in his use of it you didnt need further explanation. You knew exactly what he was talking about.

The term fits the kind of Christianity that has infected the Church and sapped it of its vitality and strength. The expression might offend the sensibilities of some of my readers to which I can only say, it might fit you.

I urge you instead to be offended by the way our Gods name is blasphemed in our country every day; by the 54 million children murdered in the holocaust of abortion since 1973; by the sordid sexual agenda that is eroding the very fabric of Western civilization; by the fact that Christians are dying for their faith, largely at the hands of Muslims, at a rate of 100,000 per year; and, most of all, by the reality that these things are being ignored, trivialized, or celebrated. These are things that offend me deeply, and I hope they offend you, too. Righteous anger has a place within the Christian life. Tap into it. In the words of Ephesians 4:26, Be angry and do not sin.

Evangelical Christians comprise a hefty 26 percent of the U.S. population. I fully believe that if they were to find their voices, their courage, and were to dispense with candy-assed Christianity, that we would see a Great Awakening in America. Indeed, we would see America become truly great again rather than superficially so. But it will, as I say, require courage, because the forces opposing us seem determined to burn this country to the ground.

That cannot go unchallenged.

When Jesus said to turn the other cheek, he did not mean to turn a blind eye. The highest calling of a Christian is not to be civil; it is to be salt and light.
Dr. Jim Walsh, Senior Research Associate at MITs Security Studies Program , is an expert in international security, and international security contributor to NPRs Hear and Now, broadcast nationally to 425 NPR stations and 4 million listeners a week. Before coming to MIT, he was director of Harvard Universitys Managing the Atom project . He is one of a handful of Americans who has traveled to both Iran and North Korea to discuss nuclear issues. His analysis has appeared in the New York Times, the New York Review of Books, Washington Post, and numerous media outlets (160 appearances in 2016). His recent publications include Stopping North Korea, Inc.: Sanctions Effectiveness and Unintended Consequences.
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Japan is considering the development new weapons systems to prepare a first-strike against North Korea's nuclear program, according to Japanese lawmakers.

"It is time we acquired the capability," said Hiroshi Imazu, a legislator who helps set security policy for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's political party, according to Reuters. "I don't know whether that would be with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or even the F-35 [fighter bomber], but without a deterrence North Korea will see us as weak."

Such an armament would represent the boldest expansion of Japanese offensive capabilities since World War II, in a country that has created constitutional restrictions on military development. But North Korea's increasing pattern of aggression in the region has neighbors looking for new ways to counteract the dictatorship.

U.S. military aircraft delivered the first components of a missile defense system to South Korea on Tuesday, two days after North Korea launched four missiles in the direction of Japanese territorial waters in apparent protest of U.S. and South Korean military exercises. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is traveling to the region next week to discuss plans for cracking down on the regime, which may include military options.

Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com
Federal attorneys on Saturday identified the person who allegedly jumped a White House fence Friday night and got so deep into the compound that he was seen hiding behind one the mansions column before being apprehended.

The suspect has been identified as Jonathan Tuan Tran, 26, of Milpitas, Calif., according the U.S. Attorney's Office and court documents.

Tran purportedly entered the White House grounds at about 11:38 p.m. Friday with a backpack and was approaching the buildings south portico residence entrance when apprehended.

President Trump was inside the White House at the time and on Saturday said he appreciated the Secret Service efforts and that the accused is disturbed.

The Secret Service issue a statement on the incident at about noon Saturday that said the backpack contained no hazardous materials and that the unidentified suspect had no previous history with the agency.

However, court documents obtained by Fox News state Tran had two cans of mace in his possession, including one inside his jacket pocket.

Tran was charged late Saturday in a District of Columbia federal court with entering or remaining in restricted grounds while using or carrying a dangerous weapon. The federal offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The Secret Service says the suspect scaled an outer-perimeter fence on the White House complexs southeast side, near the Treasury Building, and was arrested without further incident by an officer in the agencys Uniformed Division.

Court document state surveillance video shows Tran hiding behind a White House column.

And the arresting officer writes in the criminal complaint that he first observed Tran walking close to the exterior wall of the White House mansion and that Tran began heading toward the complexs south lawn upon being noticed.

The officer also states Tran, dressed in a hooded sweatshirt of jacket, told him, I am a friend of the president. I have an appointment.

The documents state Trans was also carrying an Apple laptop computer, a book written by Trump and a letter to the president.

In the letter, Tran mentions Russian hackers and that he has relevant information. Tran also writes that hes been called schizophrenic and that his phone and email communications have been read by a third party, according to the documents.

Tran is being held without bond, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for now has declined further comment. Trans next court appearance is Monday.

Friday's security breach follows a series of similar lapses that took place during the eight years that Barack Obama was president.

An especially embarrassing breach came in September 2014 when an Army veteran with mental health issues scaled a fence on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House and made it deep inside the building, to the East Room, before the Secret Service could detain him.

The Obamas were not at home at the time. The incident was one of several breakdowns by the Secret Service that ultimately led to the resignation of the agency's director, Julia Pierson, the following month.

Fox News' Kristin Fisher, Matthew Dean and Serafin Gomez and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
A key Democrat and Republican on congressional Intelligence committees doubted Sunday that the Justice Department would meet a bipartisan request to provide evidence by Monday on whether former President Obama ordered a wiretap on Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

I dont expect to see any evidence, California Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, told ABCs This Week.

Schiff and committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., purportedly made the request in a letter Saturday.

Schiff suggested Sunday that the Justice Department would have no evidence because either Trump made up the wiretap charge or that the president perpetuated a farfetched allegation.

He further suggested the department wouldnt face consequences for failing to meet the deadline and that FBI Director James Comey would have an opportunity to tell what he knows at an open committee hearing scheduled for next week.

We're going to be able to ask the director of the FBI  is there any truth of this? Have they seen any evidence of this? Schiff said. And I think on March 20, if not before, we'll be able to put this to rest.

He also said Comey might welcome the opportunity to make clear whether he indeed asked the Justice Department to reject Trumps wiretap claim.

Trump sparked the controversy last weekend with the tweet: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"

He continued the allegation against Obama in other tweets, which included no evidence and were followed by an official White House request that Congress investigate the issue as part of a broader probe on Russia and perhaps others outside influence on the 2016 White House race.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place. But that has not quelled speculation that Trump's communications were monitored by the Obama administration.

Last week, Schiff said his committee would answer the president's call to investigate the claim.

Nunes has said that so far he has not seen any evidence to back up Trump's claim and has suggested the news media were taking the president's weekend tweets too literally.

"The president is a neophyte to politics -- he's been doing this a little over a year," he told reporters last week.

On Sunday, Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, told ABC that Comey was unlikely to meet the Monday deadline -- only because the U.S. intelligence communitys work should remain top secret.

There are reasons why the intelligence community, in particular the FBI, which often operates  in conjunction with the Department of Justice, is reluctant to make public statements," he said. "Because it could reveal what we do and what [we] don't know and how we know those things. And that's not something that we want our adversaries to understand.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that Trump could "clear this up in a minute" if he were to call the director of the CIA or the director of national intelligence and say, OK, what happened?

"I do believe on issues such as this, accusing a former president of the United States of something which is not only illegal, but just unheard of, that requires corroboration, McCain continued. I'll let the American people be the judge, but this is serious stuff."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A quadruple shooting claimed the lives of two boys and their mother in New Orleans early Friday morning, and left a third child in critical condition at a local hospital.

Authorities have yet to name a suspect or possible motive for the shootings, NOLA.com reported. Crimestoppers has offered a $5,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest.

Officials arriving on the scene at 4:15 a.m. first found AMiya Smith, 12, and rushed her to University Medical Center, where she remained Sunday under police guard. AMiyas grandmother, Debra Smith, told WDSU that Amiya had been shot in the face.

As investigators ventured deeper into the home, the bodies of Monique Smith, 30, Justin Simms, 10, and Jumyrin Smith, 6, were discovered.

Every murder breaks a heart, NOPD Chief Michael Harrison told reporters. But to find that children were involvedit really rattles everybody.

Neighbors told NOLA.com that Monique, her children and her husband moved into the residence about a year or two ago. Initially the family was seen playing in the yard or having cookouts; however, the family soon turned more reclusive and neighbors rarely saw them.

Every murder breaks a heart.  NOPD Chief Michael Harrison

A relative said Monique was separated from her husband, and Debra Smith told WDSU the husband had hit Monique.

He told me that he did, Smith said. That he put his hands on her.

Authorities havent said whether Smiths husband, who is believed to be living in Mississippi, is a person of interest in the case.

Its sad, a neighbor told NOLA.com. The family seemed like they were real peaceful. The children seemed happy. But its just New Orleans. You never know.
Winter weather caused quite a mess in northern Washington state trapping high school students from Mill Creek.

An avalanche sparked a snow slide Friday afternoon blocking Highway 20 between Newhalem and Diablo. The road is still closed.

Officials with the Washington State Department of Transportation says the area is not safe for crews to begin clearing the snow. The next assessment will happen on Monday.

But that means 42 students and five chaperones will remain at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center near Diablo Lake. The group from Henry M. Jackson High school were supposed to head back to Mill Creek on Friday.

Its not so much that we are desperate to leave because were not having a good time or this wasnt a good experience, said 10th grader Lily Sager. I think because people were not planning on this and it was just such a surprise that people were just so shocked that this has occurred. I think a lot of it is the fact that it was an avalanche. Its such a crazy thing that you think that would never happen to me.

Read more from Q13Fox.com.
A woman and her dog were found dehydrated but alive by searchers Saturday, two days after they disappeared while hiking in Northern California.

Bethnee Haury, 56, had stumbled into a deep ravine while hiking with her Australian shepherd, Camaro, near the community of Kings Mountain, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said.

Haury's family told KTVU that the woman suffers from dementia and is dependent on insulin. Haury was airlifted to a hospital to be treated for dehydration and minor injuries after she had made her way into a ravine, which had about a 200-foot drop. Searchers found her about 600 yards from a road.

"There were so many things that could have gone wrong, you know, the weather, her health, the terrain," San Mateo County Sheriff's Detective Salvador Zuno. "There were so many things that could have gone wrong but they didn't."

Haury was visiting a bed and breakfast in Woodside with her husband and son when she went on a hike in the woods with the dog Thursday afternoon. Her husband reported her missing that evening when she did not return.

In all, Zuno said that a team of 230 rescuers from 13 agencies looked for Haury.



"That (number) does not include search dogs, horses, off-road vehicles, the sheriff's air squadron or the Cal Fire helicopter that also participated," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from KTVU.com.
A Cincinnati police officer was shot while responding to a domestic violence incident and shot a suspect early Sunday, a police spokesman said.

The officer was shot once, possibly twice, and discharged his service weapon, shooting what appears to be a male suspect in the 2600 block of Gilbert Avenue about 12:30 a.m., Lt. Steve Saunders said in a conference call with reporters.

Both the officer and suspect were taken to a hospital.

They are in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries and undergoing surgery, police tweeted.

Read more from FOX19Now.com.
March 13, 1997.

It's a date many people will remember, as it is the night the so-called "Phoenix Lights" event took place. 20 years ago. In the two decades since that mysterious night, there have been lots of theories over the light's origins.

Some say it was military flares.

Some say it was hot air balloons.

Those who believe in the theory that extraterrestrial beings were behind the Phoenix Lights also endure ridicule from skeptics who say otherwise.

The sightings that night would become the subject of a book, as well as a documentary, by Phoenix physician Lynne Kitei. She was a witness to the Phoenix Lights. She saw the lights from her Paradise Valley home, and snapped some photographs.

"I have no idea what they were," said Kitei.

It took Kitei seven years to come forward. Those who first talked about the Phoenix Lights suffered because of it. Former Phoenix City Councilwoman Frances Barwood was the first public official to draw attention to the Phoenix Lights. Now living near Prescott, Barwood asked about the sights at a City Council meeting, weeks after the lights appeared.

"I asked if anybody knew what this object was and could we check into it," said Barwood. "I was met by a whole bunch of stares."

Barwood was puzzled by the reaction.

"After the meeting, one of the City Managers came over to me and said, 'you shouldn't have asked that question,'" recounted Barwood.

Hundreds of witnesses then began to call Barwood.

"I thought if this many people saw whatever this was first of all, what did they remember? They all described the exactly the same thing," Barwood said. "There was no doubt in my mind. You cant get that many people to agree on the same object."

Read more from FOX10Phoenix.com.
A trio of families who sheltered former government contractor-turned-notorious leaker Edward Snowden in Hong Kong in 2013 are now seeking asylum in Canada, the northern neighbor of the country whose secrets Snowden stole.

The families  consisting of three Sri Lankan adults, a Filipina and three children  had an asylum claim in Hong Kong; however, they felt the claim might soon be rejected, prompting the push for Canada, lawyer Marc-Andre Seguin told Reuters on Friday.

The families that sheltered me have formally filed for asylum in Canada. Let us pray Canada protects them in kind, tweeted Snowden, who has been granted asylum in Russia since 2013.

The families, who housed and fed Snowden for two weeks before he fled to Russia, face adverse conditions in Hong Kong and are actively sought by Sri Lankan operatives, Seguin said.

More than ever, relocating our clients to Canada is a question of life and death, Seguin said in a statement obtained by Time.

A spokesperson for Canadas immigration minister said it was policy not to comment on pending or possible cases.

The families seeking asylum first gained notoriety in September, when their role in helping the on-the-run leaker was revealed in the film Snowden. Snowden, a former government contractor, fled the U.S. after he stole and subsequently leaked thousands of computer files related to NSA surveillance operations at home and abroad.

One of those who aided Snowden, 44-year-old ex-Sri Lankan soldier Ajith Pushpakumara, arrived in Hong Kong in 2006, but is desperate to make his way to North America.

I would choose Canada, Pushpakumara said, according to the South China Morning Post. I heard I could have good protection [there] and hopefully I could work.
Positivity, usually a word that exudes from my spirit as though it were limitless. I have been through trauma before, through times that are more d...

8 years ago
Turkeys president stood firm behind his blistering comments that accused the Dutch government of Nazism and fascism and vowed on Sunday the Netherlands would pay the price for barring Turkish ministers from the country, a move that has dramatically swelled tensions between the NATO allies.

The diplomatic dustup arose Saturday when Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte prevented a pair of Turkish ministers from traveling within the Netherlands. Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had intended to attend rallies for the countrys Turkish population in support of a controversial constitutional referendum set to take place in Turkey. But Kaya was prevented from entering a diplomatic compound and eventually escorted to Germany, while Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands.

I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that was wrong, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a live television address on Sunday. Nazism is alive in the west.

Turkey has already banned the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey and Cavusoglu said the country has other steps in mind.

Weve already begun planning them, he said. We will certainly take those steps and more.

The Dutch barred Cavusoglu from entering because of objections to his intention to attend a referendum rally in Rotterdam. If passed, the new laws would expand Erdogans powers, which the Dutch see as a step backward from democracy. Turkish officials have been campaigning in various European cities with Turkish populations before the April 16 vote.

The Dutch government said it withdrew permission to land because of "risks to public order and security.

Hundreds of pro-Turkey protesters gathered into the night in Rotterdam. The protests led to a scuffle with police as Dutch officials used a water cannon to disperse the group, Reuters reported.

The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls next Wednesday for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains. Ruttes strong stance towards Turkey in this weekends conflict, however, could help Rutte bolster his own image with the voting public, perhaps helping to stave off Wilders charge, experts say.

Amsterdam political scientist Andre Krouwel said Ruttes moves show voters we are the ones who go down in the trenches to defend the Netherlands.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Brilliant.

Thats how one person describes a new pilot program to give low-income and needy people an incentive to buy freshly picked food, grown by local farmers.

Starting this spring, Farmers Markets in downtown Fredericksburg and on Gordon Road in Spotsylvania County will give people on Medicaid $20 worth of broccoli or beans, corn or cauliflower, tomatoes or taters, for every $10 they spend. Thats after the Medicaid recipients get a coupon for $10 worth of free food.

The program is brilliant because it will increase the access to healthy food, said Casey Hu, donor services manager at the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region. The agency helps individuals and groups identify areas where community-based programs are needed, then raises funds for them.

Despite the specialty grocery stores already in the region and the new markets coming to town, the number of local residents who dont have access to fresh foodor cant afford itcan be eye-opening.

Its not just homeless people who dont have food, Hu said. It can be working-class families, living paycheck to paycheck.

Elderly and disabled people who get Medicaid, a health-insurance program for low-income and needy people, also have limited resources for proper meals. Mary Lou NissimSabat works as a home health care nurse with One on One Care in Stafford County, and she sees many of the people she serves eating packaged or fast food laden with added salt, sugar and other preservatives.

How I wish I could get my clients to eat better, she said. They only seem able to send their aides out for fast food.

Research shows that one of every 11 people in the Fredericksburg region faces food insecurity, which means insufficient access to food needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Groups have formed to help address the needs, and several programs have involved area farmers markets.

Markets in Fredericksburg, King George, the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center and the Gordon Road site have helped people who get SNAP benefits, formerly food stamps, buy fresh food since 2009.

Last year, the markets provided the same kind of incentive the new Medicaid program will offer. Through SNAP benefits and the Virginia Fresh Match, which offers tokens that match the amount spent, people with limited funds were able to buy almost $82,000 worth of freshly picked fruits and vegetables.

Everybody wants access to affordable fresh food, said Elizabeth Borst, executive director of Virginia Community Food Connections and a long-time local market activist.

Research has shown that if people who cant otherwise afford fresh food are given the chance to purchase it, theyll follow through, she said.

Shes hoping that trend will continue with the pilot program geared to Medicaid recipients. The Virginia Fresh Match Medicaid Incentive, or VFMMI, will be tested first in Fredericksburg and Roanoke before potentially going statewide.

Lots of area partners are involved in the effort. George Washington Regional Commission and The Farmers Market.co, an organization that works to connect local farmers and consumers, received a grant from Wholesome Wave, a national nonprofit working to help Americans in poverty afford fruits and vegetables.

The grant is worth $4,500 and is one of nine awarded nationally, chosen from more than 100 applications.

Borst believes the program for Medicaid recipients is even more critical as state cuts result in fewer people qualifying for SNAP benefits.

In the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford, about 4,635 people receive Medicaid, according to August 2016 figures.

Sixty percent of them also get food stamps, meaning the remaining 40 percent, or 1,854 people, dont get additional help with their monthly groceries.

The pilot program hopes to reach at least 1,500 clients by partnering with agencies that deal with Medicaid recipients. The program will get the word out about Farmers Markets at doctor offices and local agencies with high caseloads of Medicaid patients.

Borst believes such programs are winwin situations for consumers, who get more bang for their buck, and farmers, who use the money to keep farmland in production. Virginians spend more than a billion dollars a year in SNAP, but only one tenth of one percent, or $163,000 in 2016, goes to farmers markets.

Much of it goes to cheap choices like instant rice and noodles, states the Virginia Fresh Match website. When more SNAP money is spent on local produce, everyone benefits.
It seemed like the odds were against Dave Wilder that morning in late January, when his heart stopped beating as suddenly as if someone had flipped off a switch.

But one of the doctors who treated him said the 62-year-old, who served 28 years in the Coast Guard and currently works as a contractor, had two things in his favor.

Even though the vital artery that supplies blood to the left side of his heart was totally blocked, Wilder was the rare person with that condition to survive a cardiac arrest. Minutes after he passed out, he got the help he neededfirst from a father and son who saw him, face down in a parking lot, then from trained professionals.

Hes a very tough guy, and hes a very lucky guy, said Dr. Alex Na, a cardiac surgeon who later performed triple-bypass surgery on Wilder at Mary Washington Hospital. A lot of times, when people have a blockage like that, and they have an arrest, they cant be brought back.

There have been a very small number of patients who survive what Wilder did, Na said. Hes in a class all his own.

Phillip Atkins and his son, William, just happened to be driving near the Amtrak train station in Fredericksburg on Jan. 23. They live in Stafford County, and the elder Atkins is a contractor who owns several properties downtown. His son, a student at Germanna Community College, works with him between classes.

The father is always looking around, wondering if this building is for sale or noticing when that one needs work.

Hes very observant, William Atkins said.

His keen eye served Wilder well that rainy morning.

Wilder, who lives near the Brooke area of Stafford, usually takes the VRE train near his home to Coast Guard headquarters in Anacostia.

On this particular day, he had brought his daughters dog back to Fredericksburg and was heading toward the downtown station. He doesnt remember much after he parked his car in a far-away lot and started walking.

Meanwhile, Phillip Atkins was at the stoplight at Charles Street and Lafayette Boulevard. To his left, he saw a crumpled body in the parking lot behind the Irish Brigade.

Take a look at that guy, he told his son, and the two wondered if the man had passed out from drinking.

Something told the elder Atkins that wasnt the case, and he ran the red light and drove behind the pub.

I grabbed him by the shoulder, the father recalled, and said, Buddy, are you OK? 

ONE LAST GASP

Wilder wasnt. His face was bloodied from the fallwhich also chipped a front toothand he was still breathing, although he wasnt conscious.

The Atkinses recounted these details to Wilder and his wife, Denise, when they recently met at the place where it all happened.

After I rolled you over, you took one last gasp and were out, Phillip Atkins said.

Denise Wilder did her own small gasp then and reached for her husbands hand.

You are a lucky man, Phillip Atkins said to Wilder.

Because of you two, Wilder added.

The elder Atkins didnt want to be recognized, but stressed instead the importance of trained first responders, as well as those who are certified in CPR.

We just happened to be in the right spot at the right time, and thank God, youre alive, he said.

Because you did something, Denise Wilder said.

We did what we hope anyone would do for us, Phillip Atkins said.

NO MOUTH-TO-MOUTH

He started chest compressions while his son called 911. Phillip Atkins learned CPR when he was a 17-year-old lifeguard, but that was 40 years ago. His son had just started a CPR class at Germanna and encouraged him to pump Wilders chest to the tune of Staying Alive.

He didnt do mouth-to-mouth because of the blood on Wilders face.

Instructors recognize that people may not want to perform CPR on strangers because of that contact, said Lori Knowles, deputy chief of Stafford Fire and Rescue. Thats why current classes encourage chest compressions alone.

Youre pushing the lungs up and down, so youre still getting air in and out in an oxygen exchange, said Na, the cardiac surgeon.

When rescuers arrived, they used an automatic external defibrillator, or AED, to shock Wilders heart back into a regular rhythm. They took him to Mary Washington, where he would be hospitalized for almost four weeks.

TOTAL BLOCKAGE

Wilder suffered a laundry list of problems, which is ironic considering his lifestyle. He eats right, works out regularly and has almost perfect blood pressure.

He does everything youre supposed to do, his wife said. Hes the last person wed think this would happen to.

But Wilder also has small arteries on the left side of his heart, which Na said contributed to the biggest problem: His left main coronary artery was totally blocked. He was basically living off blood coming from the right artery, as his heart formed collaterals, or small vessels to carry the blood, Na said.

Shortly before 9 a.m. on Jan. 23, the heart couldnt deal with the blockage anymore and shut down. Wilder suffered an aneurysm on the left arteryand had a small strokeas his heart went into ventricular fibrillation, or V-Fib, the most serious disruption of cardiac rhythm.

A person experiencing V-Fib will pass out and die if circulation is not restored quickly, usually within just a few minutes, according to the website Aurora.

A HUGE DIFFERENCE

The Atkinses could tell Wilder hadnt been on the ground long. His phone hadnt gone to screen saver, and his clothes were barely wet from the rain.

Their quick action kept blood flowing to all the vital organs, Na said. When he performed bypass surgery two weeks laterdoctors waited to be sure the stroke was containedall his functions were good. Wilder hadnt suffered any damage to his kidneys, liver or brain from a disruption of blood.

They made a huge difference, Na said.

Wilder had his surgery on Feb. 8 and was released Feb. 17, after some complications from an infection. Hes walking at least a mile a day, taking all sorts of preventive medications and is wearing a vest thats actually an external defibrillator, just in case his heart flutters again.

Hell be out of work for several months and unable to do the projects around the house that he loves, like finishing the basement.

As he and his wife hear more details about what happened, theyre awed by the timing of it all. Denise Wilder was in Louisville with her ailing mother when her husband had his cardiac arrest.

Had he passed out at home, or when he dropped his daughters dog off in Fredericksburg, his wife or child would have found his dead body.

If it had been a normal work day, and he collapsed at the Brooke train station, which is more isolated than the one downtown, he might not have been seen immediately.

Denise Wilder believes its a miracle he was put in the path of Phillip and William Atkins.

We cant help but think how blessed we are that it happened where it did, she said.
A man who shot two people inside their Fredericksburg apartment last year was convicted of four charges Thursday, but was cleared of five others.
Fredericksburgs City Council will hold a public hearing on a revised proposal for a new Jewish student center near the University of Mary Washington at its meeting Tuesday.

Its one of two public hearings that will follow City Manager Tim Baroodys presentation of his proposed budget at 7:30 p.m. in City Council chambers, 715 Princess Anne St.

Fredericksburg developer Larry Silver has offered to build a multimillion-dollar project for the Hillel Jewish student organization across the street from campus at 1500 College Ave., next door to the Baptist Student Union and just down the street from both Catholic- and Methodist-run student centers. It will be named The Maxine and Carl Silver Hillel Center.

The new proposal calls for demolishing the single-family home on the property to make room for the 7,937-square-foot center. The previous plan called for a two-story, 9,800 square-foot building, but some College Heights neighbors felt that would be too massive.

The facility will still include meeting space, several staff and student offices, a multipurpose room for student activities and a cafe for students. A small apartment for a rabbi or staff member is also planned.

An on-site parking lot with six spaces has been proposed between the Hillel Center and the Baptist Student Center, but city staff recommend that the Silver Cos. come up with an alternative plan as a condition of approval for the site plan. It should include off-site parking on the UMW campus or in one of its parking garages.

Eleven people spoke at the Planning Commissions public hearing about granting a special-use permit for a religious institution in a residential zoning district and a special exemption for general density for the proposed center on Feb. 8. Seven opposed it, including four who cited such concerns as parking, traffic, UMWs encroachment into the neighborhood and construction noise.

A representative of the College Heights Civic Association said that the association didnt oppose the proposed student religious center, and another speaker spoke in favor of it.

Commission members voted 32 (one member absent and one abstaining) to recommend approval of the use permit for the student religious center, and 50 (one member absent and one member abstaining) to recommend disapproval of the special exception for the size of the facility.

City Council will also hold a public hearing on a request by Cowan Crossing LLC, a subsidiary of the Silver Cos., for special-use permits for a Freddys Frozen Custard & Steakburgers to be built on the parcel currently occupied by the sales trailer for Cowan Crossings residential development. The permits are for a fast-food restaurant and a drive- thru at 1611 Jefferson Davis Highway.

A fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru is generally appropriate in this area, but it could create additional noise, light and smoke from food preparations, according to city staff. They recommend approval under several conditions, including limiting the hours of operation to no earlier than 10 a.m. and no later than midnight from May 1 to Oct. 1 and no later than 11 p.m. during the rest of the year.

Commission members voted 3-2 (one member absent and one abstaining) to recommend approval of the project, but had concerns about permitting later hours in the Cowan Crossing development. The other fast-food uses and the Starbucks drive-thru in the development must close by 10 p.m., and the members were concerned that those establishments would ask to stay open later as well.

It recommended that Freddys stay open no later than 10 p.m. from Oct. 2 to April 30.
Many attendees dabbed at their eyes during a King George veterans address to the Veteran and Military Service Committee at the National Association of Counties.

Standing in a pair of sparkling gold open toe heels, retired Army Capt. Leslie Nicole Smith relayed a message of hope and healing for all wounded warriors as she stressed the importance of networking and community interaction.

While serving with the 29th Infantry in Bosnia in 2001, Smith suffered a blood clot and complications resulting from exposure to a chemical agent or toxin. She was immediately redeployed to Walter Reed Army Medical Center two weeks before the end of her tour.

By the time she arrived stateside, her condition had deteriorated, and her very survival was in question. Smith pulled through but lost her left leg below the knee and eventually spontaneously lost her vision, first in one eye and then the other.

Smith was introduced at the Feb. 26 event by friend, neighbor, King George County Supervisor and vice chair of the committee, Ruby Brabo.

The supervisor, who is married to a soldier, has a keen understanding of military life.

Brabo told the audience that she went up and introduced herself as Smith walked down the street with her Canines for Veterans Service Dog, Isaac, saying she was proud to call Leslie a friend. She helped build a local network of neighborhood support within Smiths community.

Before Smith related her story of going from the brink of death to her new normal, she emphasized that it was through efforts of the attendees, the committee specifically, and NACo as a whole that ill and injured warriors, caregivers, and their families are able to make positive differences and change lives for the better.

The retired soldier told the crowd that it is sometimes difficult for veterans to reach out to ask for help, but they need people to build a network of support, Like Ruby had done for me.

Smith said it is essential to create that strong network, to lay the necessary groundwork, to build solid foundations, and to understand the need for military and veterans and how to help them overcome any challenges that they may face.

Personal experience has taught Smith that veterans have a tendency to not ask for help.

I think its because we dont like to be seen as weak or that we cant figure something out, in a sense that we couldnt complete the mission, said Smith.

She told the committee that it is essential to make use of all resources including military, social, and even church groups to reach out and help veterans and suggested that counties host events for veterans in order to be able to identify those residing in the area.

The crowd laughed along with Smith as she told them of the trials of going from her first prosthesis, that she described as resembling the foot cartoon character Fred Flintstone used to drive his prehistoric vehicle, to having the military design a more delicate foot that could wear high heels.

Smith said she had some interesting reactions and thoughts as she went through her medical ordeal. She laughed saying that some of the first things she was concerned about was how she would put on her makeup or fix her hair.

But it was exactly these things that helped forge the way for those who followed as it brought the military an understanding that women had different needs and considerations than their male counterparts. She was also one of the first military personnel to sustain the type of injuries that became more commonplace as soldiers returned from the Iraq War.

It was through her personal journey with the pitfalls of navigating through loneliness, depression and acceptance of her new normal that she has been able to hit home with her message.

She has continued to reach out to help others and advocates for support of wounded, ill and injured veterans, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

The retired Army captain serves as a spokesperson for a number of veterans organizations including the Gary Sinise Foundation, Canines for Veterans, American Veterans Disabled for Life memorial, and Fisher House Foundation to name just a few.

Smith recently received a secretarial appointment to the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.

Additional information on the NACo organization may be found at NACO.org
RIYADH: Energy giant Saudi Aramco on Tuesday posted a 44.6 percent slump in third-quarter profit, as the coronavirus pandemic weighs heavily on the global demand for crude oil.



Aramco, seen as Saudi Arabias cash cow, has revealed consecutive falls in quarterly profits since it began disclosing earnings last year, piling pressure on government finances as it pursues ambitious multi-billion dollar projects to diversify the oil-reliant economy.



The worlds most valuable listed company said it was committed to a bumper dividend even as third quarter net profits dropped to 44.21 billion Saudi riyals ($11.79 billion), compared to $21.3 billion in the same period last year.



Aramcos net profit for the first nine months of this year also dropped 48.6 percent to $35.02 billion, the company said.



The latest results are in line with analysts expectations but stand in contrast to the losses reported by Aramcos rivals, which are reeling from pandemic-driven economic shutdowns that have suppressed energy requirements.



Although the results underscore a downbeat market, Aramcos July-September results showed an improvement amid relatively steady crude prices compared to the second quarter, when it posted a profit of $6.57 billion.



We saw early signs of a recovery in the third quarter due to improved economic activity, despite the headwinds facing global energy markets, Aramcos chief executive Amin Nasser said in the statement.



We continue to adopt a disciplined and flexible approach to capital allocation in the face of market volatility. We are confident in Aramcos ability to manage through these challenging times and deliver on our objectives.



Nasser said Aramco was committed to delivering a dividend of $18.75 billion to shareholders for the third quarter  an amount that exceeds the declared profit and the available cash flow.



The announcement is in line with the companys pledge to pay an annual dividend of $75 billion after it floated a sliver of its shares last year in the worlds biggest IPO.



Aramcos dividend payout is now much bigger than its income, said Tarek Fadlallah, chief executive officer of the Middle East unit of Nomura Asset Management.



Not a problem if oil rebounds next year. But it will be a big problem if it doesnt, he added.



Amid weakening oil prices and flat output, Aramco may have to continue funding its bumper dividend by borrowing in the short term, said investment research firm Bernstein.



Dividend payments from Aramco help the Saudi government  the companys biggest share holder  manage its ballooning budget deficit.



Last month, several oil giants including ExxonMobil and Chevron reported another quarter of red ink as uncertainty over oil demand forced the energy sector to rein in spending. By contrast, Aramcos results reflected its resilience, Nasser said.



But the Saudi giant is bracing for a possible further wave of coronavirus infections that could undermine a tentative global economic recovery and further erode the demand for crude worldwide, analysts say.



The company has cut its capital spending this year and also slashed hundreds of jobs as it seeks to reduce costs, Bloomberg News reported in June.



Saudi Arabia, the worlds biggest crude exporter, has been hit hard by the double whammy of low prices and sharp cuts in production. A drop in oil income is expected to hinder Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans ambitious Vision 2030 reform programme to overhaul the kingdoms energy-reliant economy.AFP




SHORTLY before the Paris climate conference of December 2015, a leading U.S. government scientist published a paper purporting to show that the Earth had not experienced an 18-year pause in rising temperatures.

The claim was contrary to every temperature dataset in existence at the time, but Tom Karl, then director of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations National Centers for Environmental Information, argued that previous findings were wrong and temperatures actually were rising at an alarming rate.

Extraordinary claims should require extraordinary proof. But world leaders, including President Barack Obama, chose to immediately get behind Karls startling discovery, seeing it as the iron-clad evidence they needed to produce a strong climate agreement requiring sharp reductions in carbon-dioxide emissions.

Last month, however, in a much-discussed article on a prominent climate-change blog, John Bates, an award-winning scientist responsible for establishing and maintaining the NOAAs data-testing and archiving process, disclosed Karl and his team violated the agencys rules for ensuring the quality of their research.

Prior to the publication of Karls paper, NOAA had adopted a process for reviewing climate data-sets to ensure they would be archived for sharing, replication and testingkey components of the scientific process.

Defying agency rules, Karl did not run his teams dataset through the agencys software and did not archive key datasets, Bates wrote. Because Karl failed to archive and store his datasets properly, some of the original datasets were lost when the computer used to process the data failed.

How convenient for climate alarmists.

The data purportedly showing an alarming and continuous global temperature rise gets lost, but Karl and his team say, in effect, The computer ate our homework, but trust us anyway. Were right and everyone else is wrong.

Bates, in his article, castigated Karls research for consistently exaggerating measured warming in an effort to produce the results his team wanted.

So, in every aspect of the preparation and release of the datasets leading into [Karls paper], we find Tom Karl ... pushing for, and often insisting on, decisions that maximize warming and minimize documentation, Bates wrote.

Gradually, in the months after [Karls paper] came out, the evidence kept mounting that Tom Karl constantly had his thumb on the scalein the documentation, scientific choices, and release of datasetsin an effort to discredit the notion of a global warming hiatus and rush to time the publication of the paper to influence national and international deliberations on climate policy.

Prior to the publication of Bates article, much of the climate-science community had already become suspicious of Karls claims when it was discovered, as David Rose wrote in a report for the Daily Mail, Karl took seawater-level readings from buoys but then adjusted them upwards. Karl used readings from seawater intakes on ships that act as weather stations even though readings from the ships have long been known to be too hot, Rose explained.

As a result, the ocean temperature dataset used by Karl exaggerated the warming.

Even if the science motivating the Paris climate agreement werent suspicious, the treaty itself is a costly farce.

While the United States is expected to restrict its peoples fossil-fuel use, China, India and other major carbon-dioxide emitters get to keep growing their coal, natural gas and oil use.

Their economies get to thrive while ours is expected to stagnateall without any hope of a real climate benefit.

United Nations officials have admitted that even if all the parties to the agreement were to cut emissions as promised, temperature rise would still exceed the upper limitby a substantial marginin 2100.

If disaster is in the offing, the Paris climate agreement wont stop it. The U.S. should withdraw.

H. Sterling Burnett is a research fellow on energy and the environment at The Heartland Institute, a nonprofit research center. Write him at 3939 North Wilke, Arlington Heights, Illinois.
THE ECONOMIC vitality of the Fredericksburg region rests on more than jobs and roads and developable acreagethe obvious factors.

It also depends on quality-of-life concerns. When major employers consider a job-creating move to an area, they size up all sorts of factors, including amenities such as parks, schools and public services. Those things matter as far as getting and retaining a quality workforce.

Which is a long-winded way of suggesting that how Stafford and Spotsylvania care for stray and abandoned critters matters to the counties current well-being and future prospects.

Each locality has a ways to go in providing public facilities adequate to the needs of their dogs and cats, Free LanceStar writers Amanda Vicinanzo and Jeff Branscome recently reported. Thats hardly unusual for any local government. On politicians priority lists, spending tax dollars on animals always comes after projects for people.

In Stafford, officials broke ground recently on an animal shelter near the Rappahannock Regional Jail that will triple the amount of space in which the county tends to the dogs and cats its animal control officers pick up.

The $5.7 million shelter, set to open by summer of 2018, will replace a 6,000-square-foot shelter built in 1991 that is insufficient to the task. Having too little room has led Virginia to fine Stafford, and its among the reasons the county has had to euthanize animals. In 2016, the shelter put down 183 dogs and 254 cats, according to the countys own figures.

Officials realized nearly a decade ago that Stafford needed a bigger shelter, but only recently did county supervisors make it a priority.

The new facility will enable the county to handle more animals, improving their health and the chance they will be adopted, said Paul Milde, chairman of the Stafford Board of Supervisors. It will provide spaces for sick animals, veterinary care, and families in search of a pet that will be a good match for their household.

Like good schools or emergency services, the shelter will help attract businesses to the area, Milde said.

Enhancing the lives of all our citizenshuman and animal alikebenefits everyone, he said. The new shelter will make Stafford County an even greater place to live, work, and raise a familyalong with a few pets.

In Spotsylvania, addressing similar issues may take more time.

Its Board of Supervisors is slated March 28 to consider a plan to expand the countys shelter from 8,000 to 11,000 square feet. That would allow more dog kennels, cat towers, a puppy room, a multi-purpose room with administrative space, and amenities to make the adoption area more appealing to pet-lovers. The county provides shelter space and animal-control services to Fredericksburg under a contract between the two localities.

Spotsylvania officials latest proposal calls for spending $1 million more than the original plan, raising the shelters cost to $4.7 million. That would include $1.1 million to renovate the existing shelter off U.S. 1, $2.6 million for the expansion, and about $1 million for site work and design. If approved by the board, the revamped shelter could open by mid-2019.

In 2013, supervisors voted to build a new shelter, but later opted to improve the existing one to save money. Spotsylvania has had a no-kill shelter since 2013, meaning employees dont euthanize animals to make room for new arrivals. That policy is the humane thing to do, says Sheriff Roger Harris, but it means the shelter needs more space.

Several months ago, officials proposed increasing the projects budget by $650,000 to add administrative space and enlarge a privately run spay-and-neuter clinic thats attached to the shelter. County staff nixed the idea, saying the current plan will meet requirements without greater cost.

For the welfare of Spotsylvanias dogs and cats and for county and city residents satisfaction, we hope the county officials move rapidly to build a better facility.
Leaks an attempt

to sabotage President Trump

In his final days in office, President Obamas administration gave vast new access to classified national security information to over a dozen federal agencies. The result is dangerous leaks, criminal violations of the Espionage Act and the creation of a shadow government to sabotage President Trump.

In other words, President Obama and his administration put politics above the safety of the American people. They created a soft coup, allowing unelected bureaucrats to undermine the president and dramatically endanger our national security by leaking classified information. Its unconstitutional.

Those who perpetrated this crime need to be held accountable. How the Obama administration rammed this rule change through needs to be exposed. The rampant leak of information must be stopped. Our national security must be protected!

Rose Davis

Spotsylvania
Wittman accessible to his constituents

I would like to reply to Patricia Joshis letter [Wittman misses hearing residents concerns firsthand, Feb. 25].

While I was president of the Fredericksburg Regional Hospitality Council, I found 1st District Rep. Rob Wittman to be accessible. I asked him to speak to constituents on two different occasions and he was very accommodating. He arrived ahead of time, updated us on his efforts and opened the floor to questions.

He answered those concerns and when he did not have the answer, he researched and gave us replies through email. I have also been present when Rep. Wittman attended numerous public gatherings. I especially remember him speaking honoring a veteran from the Iraq war.

I have found Mr. Wittman to be very responsive and accessible, and I appreciate his efforts.

John Gaston

Spotsylvania
Melissa Benoits lungs had been weakened by cystic fibrosis and ravaged by bacterial infections for three years. Then, last February, a bout of swine flu sent her spiraling toward death.

By April, she gasped for air with every breath. She had coughing fits so intense her ribs fractured. Her lungs were filled with pus, mucous and blood. Benoit could barely walk to the bathroom, let alone play with her 2-year-old daughter, Olivia.

The bacterial infection had become resistant to the strongest antibiotics, and sepsis was shutting down her organs one by one, according to her doctors at Toronto General Hospital.

She was dyingand so were her chances of receiving a lung transplant that could save her life: Too sick, she was dropped from the transplant list.

Several times on that Sunday in late April, doctors brought family members in to say goodbye to the then-32-year-old mother.

We had reached the end of the road, said Shaf Keshavjee, one of three surgeons attending Benoit. There was nothing we could do to keep her alive.

Quietly, though, her team of doctors had been mulling a procedure that could extend her life but had never been tried.

They could remove both lungs entirely and let machines do the work. If everything went right, the devices could keep her alive until donor lungs became available.

The machines they wanted to use had served only as a crutch for people with lung disease. The doctors didnt know whether they could work long-term, or whether Benoit would succumb to infection or other complications from the tubes running in and out of her body. At that point, they didnt even know when donor lungs might become available.

What they did know was that if they did nothing, Benoit would be dead by morning.

So they went to the family and explained the risky procedure.

The family understood the risks and explained that Melissa had often told them she would want to try everything possible to live for her husband, Chris, and 2-year-old daughter, Olivia, the hospital said later in a news release.

Chris Benoit said in that news release that things were so bad for so long, we needed something to go right, and this new procedure was the first piece of good news in a long time. We needed this chance.

In a nine-hour procedure in late April, doctors removed Melissa Benoits lungs, and she was placed on the most sophisticated life support possible for her heart and lungs, according to the hospital.

Doctors detailed the procedure in a paper published in November in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. They shared the story of the last-ditch procedure at a recent news conference.

A small, portable artificial lung known as a Novalung was connected to her heart, oxygenating her blood and removing carbon dioxide. Another device helped her heart circulate the oxygen-rich blood throughout her body.

And with that, the procedure was no longer theoretical. Doctors put Benoit in a medically induced coma and rolled her into intensive care.

Keshavjee, the surgeon, told The Washington Post that doctors saw positive signs almost immediately, though that was the most nerve-racking time for him.

Once we took the lungs out and she got connected, literally within 20 minutes, we were able to remove all the blood-pressure-supporting drugs, he recalled. That told us that the concept is right. Shes not going to die tonight, but were not home free. Now can we keep this state until we get lungs?

They waited for nearly a weekeither for lungs to become available or for complications to arise.

The lungs came first.

The transplant was a successand a short time later, Benoit opened her eyes.

They brought me back from death, Benoit told The Post.

She still faces hurdles as a lung transplant recipient, doctors said.

She spent months walking on treadmills and lifting weights to build her strength, she said. The physical therapy continues, but the cane and the walker are gone.

More and more, she can keep up with her toddler. Most of Olivias memories were of her mother getting weaker and weaker, or sleeping, as the child calls her moms weeks in a coma.

Their last holiday before the procedure was Easter. They hid eggs up and down the hall for the holiday, and Olivia darted around collecting them. Benoit, on a high dose of oxygen, could barely muster the energy to get out of bed.

Now were able to do things I havent been able to do for a very long time, she said. I play with her. We go out. Last week, we just went to the aquarium for the very first time.
Virginia stopped issuing tax refund debit cards almost two years ago, but the program is still causing problems.

Nearly 107,000 taxpayers who had refund cards preloaded with a total of $14 million in state income tax refunds havent collected their money. They never activated their cards.

The Way2Go cards, as they were called, were issued for tax years 2012 through 2014.

The cards have been stripped of the refundsand most of the money is now parked at the Virginia Department of the Treasury as unclaimed property. The remaining refunds will be transferred later this month.

Taxpayers must file claims now to get their money.

When the Way2Go program was in effect, taxpayers were given two options for receiving state tax refundsdirect deposit into a bank account or a prepaid MasterCard that was supposed to work like a debit card. Paper refund checks were eliminated during those tax years in an attempt to save the state $200,000.

However, the debit cards carried a host of fees and caused so much aggravation and confusion that some taxpayers simply gave up trying to collect what was owed to them.

Many people got hit with fees they didnt expect and some were charged for services that were supposed to be free.

It was a colossal mess, said Richmond resident Donna Shell. After filing a joint tax return, she and her husband each got a debit card.

The Shells avoid using direct deposit as much as possible, because they could be more susceptible to fraud, she said, hence the reason for choosing the debit card option.

The cards came with one free transfer into a banking account.

Ron Shell deposited his half of the refund from his card into their joint bank account, but when Donna Shell tried to deposit her half from her card, it was denied for insufficient fundsnot once, but over and over again.

It got embarrassing, Donna Shell said about her attempts to deposit the money.

What she didnt know was how much money was on the card. I now know I should have reduced my refund amount, since our one-time freebie was used on Rons transfer.

In trying to sort out the problem, she made calls to a toll-free number on the back of the debit cardand got nowhere with an automated system.

Eventually, she got a real live person on the phone who helped her retrieve the exact amount left in her account minus deductions for inquiries and transfer attempts. After that conversation, I was able to transfer the remaining funds to our joint account.

Donna has another debit card from another tax year that she figures is good for $15 or $20. Its not worth the hassle, she said about the effort to collect the money.

The balance on that cardwhatever it may beeventually will be transferred to the Virginia Department of the Treasurys unclaimed property division.

A total of $7,911,746 from 67,041 unactivated debit cards has been turned over to the unclaimed property division, said Bill Dadmun, records and receipts manager for the division.

The money will remain there in perpetuity until it is claimed. I hope everyone comes forward and gets their money. They earned it. Its theirs, Dadmun said.

That doesnt mean we have a pile of money sitting in a vault. Its being put to use for K through 12 educational purposes.

An additional $6.12 million from the last batch of unactivated cards39,935 of themwill be turned over as unclaimed property later this month, said Paige Tucker, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Taxation.

All the unclaimed refund money is from debit cards that were never activated.

It does not include the remaining balances on cards that were activated, like the one issued to Donna Shell. It is unclear how much total money is available for use on those cards.

Activated cards must be dormant for five years before money can be transferred to the Treasurys unclaimed property division, Dadmun said.

Cardholders who never activated their cards were sent letters in early January from the Go Program, which was administered by Xerox Corp., with information about how to activate a card and what to do if a taxpayer lost the card. If a card wasnt activated or a replacement card wasnt requested by March 1, the funds would be transferred to the states unclaimed property division.

Taxpayers can go to vamoneysearch.org to claim their refunds from unactivated refund debit cards.

Dadmun said it typically takes six to eight weeks to get the money once a taxpayer files a claim. The refund is sent via paper checks through the mail.

We have to prove they are who they say they are, Dadmun said about the verification process. We want to make sure that if we send money to John Smith, its the right John Smith.

Virginia issued a total of 1.2 million refund debit cards between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 30, 2015.

We dont have any research to explain why taxpayers didnt activate their cards, Tucker said. Taxpayers liked checks, or at least the option to get a check, better than the debit cards. When we offered debit cards, the number of taxpayers choosing direct deposit went up. That trend has continued when we started offering checks again.

In 2016, 70 percent of taxpayers received refunds by direct deposit and 30 percent by paper check, she said.
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ANJUM IBRAHIM



Firdous has connections



The media team has been changed in Punjab yet again and a reject of the federal government, no disrespect intended, has been inducted as Special Assistant for Information to The Buzz.



Hmmm.



What are you thinking? That Firdous Ashiq Awan has connections, material and spiritual, that The Khan simply cannot ignore! Ororwait are you worried that The Shy Buzz, brought up asas



Not alpha male, I mean if he was alpha male he wouldnt be toeing The Khans line.



Hey by saying yes sir, yes sir, three bags full sir, he has remained as the chief minister of Punjab, regarded as the second most powerful executive position in this country, besides which other chief minister has had the audacity of going against the wishes of his party leader.



Nawaz Sharif.that guy has some history!



Dont be facetious, that was when his arch nemesis Benazir Bhutto was the Prime Minister.



What about Ghulam Ishaq Khan did he then become his arch nemesis.



Hey the past is the past, lessons learned and all that, focus on the present; anyway what I wanted to say was The Buzz is shy around women in public and here is The Khan who has given him two strong women  Yasmin Rashid and now Firdous Ashiq Awan.



He will survive them too if The Khan remains the prime minister.anyway the numerous changes in the federal and Punjab media teams should indicate to The Khan that perhaps its not all about the narrative..



I wouldnt call it change but a reshuffle.



OK anyway logic dictates if someone is not good for Punjab, Shahbaz Gill was fired from Punjab, he aint good for the federal government, and someone who was fired from the federal government namely Firdous Ashiq Awan may not.



Never thought of that.while our Sleepy Joe is messing up the Food Ministry, our Hillary is being shuffled from one ministry to the next though retaining a ministry and I mean Khusro Bakhtiar and then we have the two Blamers  our economic team leaders who are blaming others for inflation that their policies are fuelling, and then we have.



Eat your heart out - as long as these guys can convince The Khan nothing will shake them out of the apple tree.




Leaving the Single European Market will present many challenges post Brexit, with the cost of trade likely to increase and the logistics of moving goods to our nearest neighbours set to become more complex.

Addressing a Brexit briefing organised by EU media group Euractiv in London on 9 March, NFU strategy director Martin Haworth said there were more threats than opportunities in relation to trade.

Even if government was able to negotiate a customs agreement with the EU, avoiding the imposition of tariffs, transactional costs would still amount to 5-8%, which would weigh down on farm prices.

See also: Three options for post-Brexit farm support explained

The reintroduction of border controls would also provide plenty of scope for disruption to trade.

Mr Haworth recalled past lamb wars with France (in which the French had blockaded shipments from the UK in 1990 due to low prices).

None of that has happened since weve had the single market, he said.

Mr Haworth also warned of the challenge of getting agriculture included in any future Free Trade Area, pointing out that food and farming was always a problem area in such trade talks.

The EU and the UK had different priorities, he added, with the EU focussed on agriculture and the UK more concerned about financial services.

Failure to secure a deal with the EU could see the UK reverting to World Trade Organization trade rules, which would be very damaging in terms of selling to key markets in Europe.

Opportunities

These concerns were echoed by Peter Hardwick, head of international trade development at AHDB.

While he acknowledged there were opportunities to develop business outside the EU, securing such deals would require sanitary and phytosanitary agreements. These take years to develop and agree, he said.

There were also issues of perishability to consider, when looking to sell farm produce to more distant markets.

It is a difficult and long-term project to develop new markets overseas, said Mr Hardwick. Continued access to the EU market remains crucial.

But Lord Teverson, chairman of the EU Energy and Environment sub-committee in the House of Lords was more upbeat, pointing out that the UK remained an attractive market, with more than 60 million relatively affluent consumers.

There has to be some leverage in that, he said.

Senior executive with sugar refiner Tate & Lyle, Gerald Mason, also played down the challenges of trading with the rest of the world, suggesting the costs were quite low once the processes were mastered. Its not as scary as you may think, he said.
How does the U.S. rank in economic freedom? The results may surprise you

According to the Heritage Foundations Index of Economic Freedom for 2017, the United States has less economic freedom than New Zealand, Australia, Estonia, Ireland, Chile, the United Kingdom and Lithuania. America is currently ranked 17th with a total score of 75.1, the lowest ever.

The index uses a scale of one to 100 to demonstrate the level of economic freedom in any given country. Hong Kong, for example, is the freest place on earth with a score of 89.8. Unsurprisingly, North Korea ranked last on the list with an economic freedom score of 4.9.

The report gave details as to why the United States received its lowest score ever. The substantial expansion in the size and scope of the U.S. government, increased regulatory and tax burdens in many sectors, and the loss of trust and confidence that has accompanied a growing perception of cronyism have severely undermined Americas global competitiveness, the report explained.

The scores that are assigned are based on the Heritage Foundations four pillars of economic freedom: the rule of law, the size and scope of the federal government, the regulatory state, and open markets. Considering all of this, it is easy to see how and why America received such a poor score. In virtually all four of these areas, especially under the previous administration, the United States has underperformed.

Few presidents have been more hostile to the rule of law in the United States than former President Barack Obama. In what at times seemed like an all out assault on private property rights and the ability of Americans to keep most of what they earn, Obama consistently sabotaged the rule of law and economic freedom. High corruption levels within the Obama Administration also created an environment of economic insecurity and uncertainty.

If there was one thing that the federal government wasnt during Obamas presidency, its limited. That is to say, under for the former administration, the size and scope of government expanded in nearly every way imaginable. From corporate taxes to taxes embedded inside of the Affordable Care Act, the government has been participating in massive redistribution of wealth practices, often transferring money from businesses both big and small to big, bloated bureaucrats and federal agencies. Overtime, this significantly erodes economic freedom.

Year after year throughout the Obama administration, tens of thousands of pages of regulations were spit out by various departments, including the Energy Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Agriculture Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. These regulations significantly hinder the ability of businesses to grow, expand, hire more employees, and ultimately prosper. Whats worse is that most of these regulations are imposed by handfuls of unelected bureaucrats, meaning that we the people have virtually no say in the rules and restrictions they put in place that effect our day to day lives.

Barack Obama certainly wasnt an advocate of open markets and the current president of the United States isnt either. Donald Trumps proposed tariffs and protectionist trade policy is in many ways a complete contradiction to open markets, and the American consumers will be the ones who will be forced to deal with the expensive consequences.

Even though the United States received its lowest economic freedom score ever, the report indicated that economic freedom has advanced in a majority of the worlds countries over the past year. While a total of 103 nations around the world showed advances, America appears to be going in the opposite direction. Only when our leaders once again embrace free market principles and the rule of law will we see the United States bounce back.

Sources:

OffTheGridNews.com

Heritage.org
HARRISBURG  (Associated Press) - With three weeks of budget hearings behind them, Pennsylvania's big Republican legislative majorities now have months of budget-making ahead of them and, perhaps more than ever, a willingness to increase taxes to deal with the state's persistent post-recession deficit.

For now, top Republicans are saying what they said last year  a tax increase is a last resort  before they approved a tax package anchored by an additional $1 per-pack excise tax on cigarettes. But this year, many rank-and-file Republicans seem more resigned to a reality that the deficit  nearly $3 billion through next summer, according to the state's nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office  cannot be swept away easily.

"Our solution is always to cut spending, but we know we're at a pretty bare point right now," said Rep. Jeff Pyle, R-Armstrong. "So we know we have to come up with some revenue.

Last month, Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, delivered his third budget plan to lawmakers, and made some bets that he could squeeze savings out of state government. It was also his first plan not to propose an increase in income or sales tax rates, a move that encouraged some Republicans.

It sought a smaller increase in spending  $1 billion, or 3.2 percent more, including $230 million needed to plug holes on the current year's books. His administration is closing a prison, eyeing the closure of community health centers, looking for better deals from pharmaceutical companies, proposing a reduction in school busing aid and eliminating a grant for the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school.

Wolf wants municipalities without police departments to start paying for budget-busting state police coverage. He wants to trim a growing pallet of specialty tax credits. He wants to shift grant programs onto a bond. And Wolf wants to use the huge Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg to secure a $200 million upfront loan.

Wolf's $1 billion tax package would end Pennsylvania's status as the only major natural-gas production state not to tax it, a tax that Republicans have rejected for nearly a decade. The package also would close what the administration characterizes as tax loopholes for out-of-state corporations, custom software sales, insurance policies and commercial storage.

During three weeks of Appropriations Committee hearings, every element of Wolf's budget plan drew criticism from one Republican quarter or another.

"Something's important to everybody, that's how I look at it," said Rep. James Santora, R-Delaware.

A paramount task for Republicans and Wolf is to avoid another nearly 10-month stalemate that marked their first budget go-round, forcing layoffs, service cuts and borrowing by school districts, counties and social services providers. While Wolf and Republicans are trying to soften those fears with a gentler tone, the state's underlying fiscal imbalance is perhaps as bad as it has been since the recession ended.

Republicans will scour for political victories.

They will press to shift public employee pensions toward a 401(k)-style benefit. They will press Wolf to give private companies more of a role in wholesaling and selling wine and liquor in Pennsylvania. And they will push to open up more avenues for taxpayer-funded alternatives to traditional public schools.

"I think Republicans are very frustrated that we're not able to do more reforms," said Rep. Tedd Nesbit, R-Mercer. "We have large majorities.

They also will look to reduce Wolf's spending target, even if it is relatively austere. The trick may be doing it without cutting programs. That may mean pressuring agencies to keep shrinking the size of the state's workforce, and particularly unfilled positions.

With Republican-controlled Washington, DC, eyeing big reductions in Medicaid spending, Republicans are also hoping to talk Wolf into introducing cost-control measures in the state's roughly $30 billion Medicaid program. That could include premiums, co-pays or more.

"We're looking at all those things," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Stan Saylor, R-York.

Until budget talks get serious, Republicans will hope that anemic state tax collections pick up. They will try for legislation to expand casino-style gambling in Pennsylvania in hopes of reaping new taxes and fees. But some also acknowledge that, ultimately, it may be difficult to find better money-raising ideas than Wolf's.

"Honestly," Pyle said of Wolf's proposal to tax custom software sales and commercial storage, "I think people are more open to that than you would think."
Readers, we need your help to prove a merry Christmas for victims of domestic violence.
Corvallis police continue to investigate the shooting that left one person dead and another hospitalized Friday afternoon near the Orleans Natural Area off of Highway 34.

Police responded to the shooting after a passing motorist reported that a man had been shot at around 2:30 p.m. Friday near the Orleans Natural Area between the highway bypass and the Willamette River. Several witnesses told police the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. The man, who was transported from the scene, was in critical condition Saturday at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, police said.

The second gunshot victim was found in a nearby tent within the wooded area near the highway and was declared dead at the scene. Authorities are withholding the identities of both people involved pending notification of next of kin.

Police said Saturday the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

Highway 34, which was closed Friday afternoon following the shooting, reopened to traffic at around 1:10 a.m. Saturday.

Police blocked off the Van Buren Bridge and Highway 34 from the bypass to Northwest First Street following the shooting.

Police said there was no danger to the public, but detectives treated the scene Friday as a criminal investigation.

The Corvallis Police Department is leading the investigation because even though the Orleans Natural Area is in Linn County it is also within city boundaries.
Dead man found on the street  Police arrest an 18 year old : Murder in Meckenheim solved

Meckenheim A man was found dead on a street in Meckenheim in the early hours of Saturday morning. Later in the day an 18 year old man was arrested.

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Police investigations quickly brought success: a murder case in Meckenheim has been solved in just a few hours. Police took an 18 year old into custody on suspicion of killing a 45 year old man on Saturday night.

As reported, the body of the 45 year old had been found on the corner of Carl-Goerdeler-Strae and Giermaarstrae at around 3am on Saturday morning and the alarm was immediately raised. Upon arrival, the emergency services found a man with severe injuries. Despite intensive medical treatment, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Saturday evening the police reported that an argument had evidently taken place in the early hours of the morning between the 18 year old man, the 45 year old man and the mans brother (49). According to police, a minor traffic offence had occurred, which brought the three men into a confrontation.

The argument escalated into violence. The victim had apparently attacked the 18 year old, who then took out a knife and stabbed the 45 year old causing fatal injuries. Following forensic and criminal investigations and police questioning of witnesses and those involved, the Bonn prosecution authorities consider it to be a case of self-defence.

The prosecution authorities and the Bonn police homicide division had taken on the case during the night, secured the evidence at the scene of the crime and questioned the witnesses. These investigations led them to the 18 year old man, who had also been injured in the confrontation. The suspect was released after questioning. Investigations continue.
The son of hate preacher Abu Hamza has left the UK to fight alongside rebel groups in Syria , it is believed.

Since making the 22,000-mile journey, Sufiyan Mustafa, 22, has played an active role in fighting and was involved in the siege of Aleppo, intelligence insiders claim.

It is unclear if Mustafa is fighting alongside Islamic State fighters or members of other rebel groups.



Hate preacher Abu Hamza's son, Sufiyan Mustafa, 22, has played an active role in fighting alongside rebel groups and was involved in the siege of Aleppo, intelligence insiders claim

Mustafa is the sixth of eight children fathered by Hamza, 58, an Egyptian-born hate preacher who is now serving a life sentence in a US prison for terror offences.



+5 Mustafa's father, Hamza, rose to notoriety in the UK after becoming imam of the Finsbury Park mosque, in north London, in 1997

Before heading to Syria, he studied at London's Westminster University, the same school attended by IS executioner Mohammed 'Jihadi John' Emwazi.

An intelligence insider told The Sunday People that Mustafa has no criminal record in the UK, but he 'has been part of military operations' in Syria.

The insider added: 'He has managed to stay a ghost since he set foot in Syria but it's thought he has been with rebels in the north.'

Experts believe that more than 800 Brits have flocked to Iraq and Syria to join 27,000 foreigners fighting for IS since violence broke out in 2011.

Mustafa's father, Hamza was jailed for life for terrorism offences during a trial in New York City in 2015, and has been serving his sentence in solitary confinement at a high security prison in Florence, Colorado.

Hamza was extradited to the US after the British government spent a decade trying to kick him out of the country.

He rose to notoriety in the UK after becoming imam of the Finsbury Park mosque, in north London, in 1997.



+5



Hamza was jailed for life for terrorism offences during a trial in New York City in 2015, and has been serving his sentence in solitary confinement at a high security prison in Florence, Colorado.

One year later, in 1998, he helped organise hostage-taking of 16 mostly British tourists in Yemen. Three Britons and an Australian killed in rescue mission.

In 2000, he set up a terrorist training camp back in the US, in Bly, Oregon, sending volunteers and money to Afghanistan to support al Qaeda and the Taliban.

He then firmly placed himself on the national radar in 2001 after speaking out in support of Osama bin Laden following the September 11 attacks.
bohlah at 12-03-2017 08:16 AM (5 years ago) (m)

The Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said that the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa was driven by hate speech and misinformation by South African politicians.

The Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said that the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa was driven by hate speech and misinformation by South African politicians.

The Presidents Special Assistant, who made this known during a television programme tagged: The Osasu Show, pointed out that politicians fueled the attack by telling their citizens that foreigners, including Nigerians, were taking their women and jobs.



The former lawmaker, who frowned at the attacks on Nigerians and the looting of their properties, in South Africa, admitted that though there were foreigners who commited crime in the rainbow country, and could be dealt with, it was not by discriminating against Nigerians or any other race or country.



She said, These attacks happened in the past and this is the seventh time. The last one was in 2015 the king of Zulu made some remarks that were inciting, that led to the last attack.



This particular one, fine, there are economic issues everywhere in the world. Politicians are campaigning and telling their people, you know what, drive these criminals away, they are taking your jobs, and they are taking your women too.



She advised South African companies operating in Nigeria to do more to educate their people on the need to stop attacks on Nigerians.



She noted that MTN, DStv and other South African companies could initiate a campaign against xenophobia by educating citizens in the former apartheid enclave.



Imagine MTN sending text messages to everyone in South Africa, saying Xenophobia is bad, dont do this and that. They should embark on some corporate social responsibility.



Those multinationals should get up and do something. DStv should be doing various jingles on why xenophobia is bad, they should take over the awareness campaign, she stated. The Presidents Special Assistant, who made this known during a television programme tagged: The Osasu Show, pointed out that politicians fueled the attack by telling their citizens that foreigners, including Nigerians, were taking their women and jobs.The former lawmaker, who frowned at the attacks on Nigerians and the looting of their properties, in South Africa, admitted that though there were foreigners who commited crime in the rainbow country, and could be dealt with, it was not by discriminating against Nigerians or any other race or country.She said, These attacks happened in the past and this is the seventh time. The last one was in 2015 the king of Zulu made some remarks that were inciting, that led to the last attack.This particular one, fine, there are economic issues everywhere in the world. Politicians are campaigning and telling their people, you know what, drive these criminals away, they are taking your jobs, and they are taking your women too.She advised South African companies operating in Nigeria to do more to educate their people on the need to stop attacks on Nigerians.She noted that MTN, DStv and other South African companies could initiate a campaign against xenophobia by educating citizens in the former apartheid enclave.Imagine MTN sending text messages to everyone in South Africa, saying Xenophobia is bad, dont do this and that. They should embark on some corporate social responsibility.Those multinationals should get up and do something. DStv should be doing various jingles on why xenophobia is bad, they should take over the awareness campaign, she stated.

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 12-03-2017 08:16 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero
bohlah at 12-03-2017 08:43 AM (5 years ago) (m)

Kemi Olunloyo has told Tonto Dikeh she should have killed her estranged husband, Churchill Olakunle when she had that gun in Ghana for allegedly abusing her.

Kemi Olunloyo has told Tonto Dikeh she should have killed her estranged husband, Churchill Olakunle when she had that gun in Ghana for allegedly abusing her.

You recall Ghanaian police had yesterday read out a report where they said, in a fit of anger, Tonto Dikeh allegedly destroyed property at her husband's house worth $15,000 dollars and waved a gun at Churchill's staff. This happened before Tonto wedded her now estranged husband.







According to Kemi, from a woman who also suffered domestic violence, (pictured above), to another, Tonto should have shot Churchill when she had the chance. Kemi wrote on Instagram:

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO @TONTOLET #tontodikeh from a bold, brave, transparent woman.



You recall Ghanaian police had yesterday read out a report where they said, in a fit of anger, Tonto Dikeh allegedly destroyed property at her husband's house worth $15,000 dollars and waved a gun at Churchill's staff. This happened before Tonto wedded her now estranged husband.According to Kemi, from a woman who also suffered domestic violence, (pictured above), to another, Tonto should have shot Churchill when she had the chance. Kemi wrote on Instagram:#tontodikeh from a bold, brave, transparent woman. Quote Like #ArethaFranklin and #WhitneyHouston sang "I'm every woman, it's all in me"..the reason I brand myself as the most intelligent woman in Nigeria is simple. I do what

others are SCARED to do.



I'm proud of myself, never been married, probably never will. I have written on Facebook that if I marry it will be for money and never love and that's why billionaire #Bauchi Forex prince Ahmed Makama said he wasn't giving up on me cos he's been after me since our London school days when I was 17yo and he was 19.



Today Makama is 55yo and married with lots of grown kids and grandkids and wants a second wife. I will never be THE SECOND WIFE or be in a polygamous relationship. Even his Hausa wife is "excited to have me join as wife #2".



I illustrated this beating around the bush to u @tontolet because I wanted to show the upcoming ones that many things attract us to marriage. Money, status looks etc.

Regarding Churchill, YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM while you had the GUN! I'm a gun violence activist. I promote guns for protection not for slaughtering, assassinations etc. It is to protect u from the bad elements.



As a social critic and investigative journalist ppl were waiting for my view. I was still investigating @zukiliciouz interview and your write ups.

When I posted my #domesticviolence pics on Facebook 2013 with my entire hand in a man's mouth bitten like an animal, my head busted with a pipe, people were shocked. Men glorified it...Kemi must have done the man wrong.



These pics b4 and after the hospital emergency room taken by @BaltimorePolicedepartment Offc Ronald Roberts in his police car.

Ladies keep all photos, don't keep silent. My ex fiance's family kept telling me to stay that things will improve. Its a vicious cycle. In America I was allowed to protect myself...WITH A GUN! Its legal.



Hon Jibrin @abdulabmj said put up a strong resistance. How in Nigeria? Have a weapon READY ladies and protect ur legal rights! Bad men will KILL U FIRST! #RIP to all the women that died in the struggle.



#HNNSWIPE screen to see my *GRAPHIC* PICTURES



CONTD IN 1ST COMMENT

My domestic abuse story happened when I was 27yo and 9mos pregnant. My baby was induced meaning REMOVED from the womb immediately to save him in case I lost more blood in the trauma.



Barely a month after he was born, another assault and I was coughing up blood from a severely bruised nose and throat cos I didn't cook rice for dinner and I opened FIRE!



I will be 53 yo and remain single to this day and posess an extremely aggressive and assertive personality. I will never entertain the bullshit act of domestic violence ever again.



My son is now an adult. Told by his dad that I bruised myself then reported to police. See denial? I kept every police report and it's in a database @baltimorepolice HQ. Something NPF doesn't have.



NPF does not involve themselves in domestic situations. They only come to pick up YOUR BODY. Here in Oyo state, Ajimobi passed a LAW on DV. Huge jail terms ~ 30 years. C: @tontolet



tontoletThanks mama

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 12-03-2017 08:43 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero
UN Aid Chief: 20 Million People in 4 Countries Face Starvation, Famine

By Margaret Besheer March 10, 2017

The United Nations says it needs $4.4 billion by July to prevent famine in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeastern Nigeria.

U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien, who just returned from field missions to the affected countries, told Security Council members Friday that the United Nations is facing its largest humanitarian crisis since the organization's creation. He said that without the necessary funding and full, safe and unimpeded access for aid workers, people will die.

"We stand at a critical point in history," O'Brien told council members. "Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine. Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death."

He said all the regions on the brink of famine have one thing in common: They are conflict zones.

Yemen

Yemen's needs are the most critical. It is already the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with two-thirds of the population, or nearly 19 million people, needing assistance.

The situation in Yemen  already the Arab world's poorest nation  rapidly deteriorated as the country was plunged into war between Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government.

More than 7 million people face hunger today, a staggering increase of 3 million people since January. The U.N. has appealed for $2.1 billion to reach 12 million people there this year.

O'Brien said that, in encounters with people in Yemen, they all told him the same thing. "They are hungry and sick and they need peace so that they can return home," he said. While he received assurances of improved aid access, O'Brien said all parties to the conflict arbitrarily deny sustained humanitarian access, and they politicize aid.

While trying to reach Taizz, O'Brien's convoy came under fire. No one was hurt, but it demonstrates the dangers that humanitarian workers face on a daily basis.

O'Brien said the U.N. secretary-general would chair a donors conference for Yemen in April in Geneva, but that the situation is so critical, donors should not wait to contribute.

South Sudan

In South Sudan, where a political rivalry between the young country's two leaders plunged the area into violence more than three years ago, O'Brien told the council that the situation "is worse than it has ever been."

More than 7.5 million people need humanitarian assistance  up by 1.4 million from last year. More than 1 million children are believed to be acutely malnourished. O'Brien warned that 270,000 of them face "the imminent risk of death" if assistance does not reach them in time.

A localized famine was declared last month in Leer and Mayendit counties, and the country is also dealing with a growing cholera outbreak.

"Aid workers have been killed, humanitarian compounds and supplies have been attacked, looted and occupied by armed actors," O'Brien noted. But despite government-imposed obstacles to reaching those in need, aid workers managed to reach more than 5 million people last year with assistance.

Somalia

In 2011, Somalia experienced a famine that killed 260,000 people. By the time the international community designated the crisis a famine, more than half the victims already had starved to death.

"The current indicators mirror the tragic picture of 2011," O'Brien warned. But, he said, humanitarians are better prepared today to prevent a famine.

"To be clear, we can avert a famine. We have a committed, clear new president, a humanitarian and resilient track record, a detailed plan  but we need those huge funds now," he said.

Northeastern Nigeria

Three states in northeastern Nigeria  Borno, Adamawa and Yobe  are severely food insecure because of violence and instability stoked by Boko Haram terrorists. More than 8.5 million people in those three areas need aid. More than $1 billion is needed to meet critical needs in the northeast.

"The situation for people in each country is dire, and without a major international response, the situation will get worse," O'Brien concluded. He said the United Nations and its partners are ready to scale up, but need the access and money to do more.

"It is all preventable," added O'Brien. "It is possible to avert this crisis, to avert these famines, to avert these looming human catastrophes."

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Officials Release Details of Latest Counter-ISIS Strikes in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 11, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, conducting 28 strikes consisting of 111 engagements against ISIS targets yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 19 strikes consisting of 25 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two pieces of engineering equipment and a vehicle.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, eight strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed two wellheads; and damaged four supply routes and a crane.

-- Near Raqqa, nine strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units; destroyed four fighting positions, two ISIS-held buildings, two watercraft, two weapons factories, a tunnel, a vehicle and a vehicle-borne bomb; and damaged a supply route.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted nine strikes consisting of 86 engagements against ISIS targets, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Asad, a strike destroyed two tactical vehicles.

-- Near Bayji, a strike suppressed an ISIS heavy machine gun team.

-- Near Kirkuk, a strike destroyed a vehicle and a mortar system.

-- Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle, an ISIS-held building and a mortar system.

-- Near Mosul, four strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units, an ISIS heavy machine gun team and an ISIS sniper team; destroyed six fighting positions, two heavy machine guns, two rocket-propelled grenade systems, two vehicle-borne bombs, two vehicle-borne bomb factories, two mortar systems, a command-and-control node, a tactical vehicle, a roadblock, a supply cache and an ISIS-held building; damaged eight supply routes and an ISIS-held building; and suppressed 17 ISIS mortar teams and ten ISIS tactical units.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne bomb and weapons cache.

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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Spokesman condemns escalation of attacks on Yemen residential areas

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 11, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi here on Saturday said escalation of attacks on several Yemeni residential units is violation of human rights and should be investigated by international organizations.

Qasemi underlined that preventing the access of international organizations and institutions in charge of rendering medical aids is against human rights.

He also condemned the Saudi Arabia-led air strike on a market which killed dozens of innocent people in Yemen on Friday (March 10).

Qasemi also voiced sympathy with the bereaved families of the victims of the heinous crime.

The spokesman underlined that the United Nation and other international institutions should take the massacre of innocent Yemeni civilians into consideration.

He also urged the intentional community to do its best for an immediate halt to such attacks and take necessary measures to protect the health and safety of civilians, women and children in particular, in Yemen.

According to media reports, at least 16 people were killed in airstrikes by Saudi warplanes on a market in the western Yemeni province of Hudaydah.

The air raids that hit the market in Khawkhah district on Friday also left 10 people injured.

9060**1771

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Rights, aid groups denounce South Sudan's sharp increase in visa fees for aid workers

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 6:41PM

Rights and aid agencies have censured South Sudan for its controversial decision to significantly raise the cost of foreign aid work permits as the crisis-wracked country is desperately struggling with an unprecedented famine and starvation that threaten millions of lives.

The government of the impoverished country unexpectedly announced in early March that it moved to increase foreign worker visa fees from $100 to as much as $10,000 per year, depending on the qualifications of the worker, with Minister of Information Michael Makuei arguing that Juba needed to make the change in order to raise government revenue.

The labor ministry, for its part, has already announced that it would charge foreigners $10,000 for working in a "professional" capacity, $2,000 for "blue collar" employees and $1,000 for "casual worker."

Elizabeth Ashamu Deng, Amnesty International's South Sudan Researcher, on Saturday strongly censured Juba's decision, saying "the government and the army have largely contributed to the humanitarian situation" in the famine-hit African country "and now, they want to create profit from the crisis they have created."

She added that there were currently hundreds of aid workers operating in the country and the controversial decision on visa costs, if implemented, "could further hinder their critical work on the ground."

Deng said there were hundreds of aid workers operating in the country, and that the new visa costs "could further hinder their critical work on the ground."

InterAction, the largest US alliance of international nongovernmental organizations, which groups 180 NGOs working worldwide, also denounced the move.

"If this measure is put into practice, it will be impossible for humanitarian workers to pay this kind of sum," said Director of Humanitarian Practice at InterAction Julien Schopp on Saturday.

He added that "no organization can afford this, and if NGOs go to their institutional donors to request that extra money, I'm pretty sure that [the donors] will be reluctant to pay this because they will see this to some extent as ransom."

On Friday, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O'Brien said the world was facing the largest humanitarian crisis since 1945, when the world body was founded, as widespread starvation and famine were increasingly threatening the lives of over 20 million people in four impoverished countries, including South Sudan, where over 7.5 million people need assistance, including some 3.4 million, who have been displaced. The figure shows an alarming increase of 1.4 million since last year.

"More than one million children are estimated to be acutely malnourished across the country, including 270,000 children who face the imminent risk of death should they not be reached in time with assistance," O'Brien said.

A bloody civil war in South Sudan began in December 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused his former Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup against him. The two sides then got involved in a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the impoverished country along ethnic lines between the rival communities of Dinka and Nuer, killing thousands of people.

A peace agreement convinced Machar to return to the capital, Juba, but fighting broke out again in July 2016 after a new wave of fighting erupted in the world's youngest nation. Machar is currently in exile in South Africa after fleeing the new spate of violence.

Numerous international attempts to reach a truce between the warring sides have failed.

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Two Taliban 'infiltrators' shoot 8 police to death in Zabul

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 5:48PM

Eight Afghan policemen have been killed in their base by "infiltrators" in an attack claimed by the Taliban in Shinkia district of the southern province of Zabul.

"The infiltrators first poisoned their colleagues and then shot them dead," said provincial spokesman Gul Islam Seyal on Saturday.

The attackers fled the area, he added, taking all the weapons and munitions from the base.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, however, denied the use of poison.

Some two weeks ago, 11 policemen were shot dead by one Afghan officer in a similar attack at a checkpoint. The assailant in the so-called insider attack fled the checkpoint in Helmand province in a police vehicle.

In a separate incident, three gunmen attacked a military airbase in the eastern province of Khost. Officials said one of the attackers was killed by police before he was able to enter the base close to Afghanistan's border with Pakistan.

The two others, official said, disappeared after the first attacker was shot. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier a government official said that in 25 hours security forces had killed over 50 militants across Afghanistan.

More than 15 years after the United States invaded Afghanistan, insecurity remains in the country.

Currently 8,400 US troops are stationed in different bases in Afghanistan. Earlier this week, US General Joseph Votel, who is in charge of military operations in the Middle East, asked for even more troops to be deployed to Afghanistan.

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Houthi fighters kill 7 Saudi mercenaries in western Yemen

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:0PM

Fighters from the Yemeni Houthi Ansarullah movement have engaged in fierce clashes with militiamen loyal to Saudi-backed resigned president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in the country's southwestern province of Ta'izz, killing a number of them.

Medical and security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday that skirmishes near the Red Sea port city of Mukha, situated 346 kilometers south of the capital, Sana'a, had left seven pro-Saudi gunmen and eight Ansarullah fighters dead over the past 24 hours.

On January 7, pro-Hadi militia forces, backed by the Saudi air force, began a major offensive to recapture Mukha, which overlooks the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, from Ansarullah fighters.

There have been intense clashes over the past month both inland and north of the city, leaving tens of people from the two sides killed.

Meanwhile, scores of Saudi-sponsored gunmen were killed when Yemeni army forces, supported by allied fighters from Popular Committees, targeted their vehicle in the Khabb wa ash Sha'af district of Yemen's northern province of al-Jawf.

Separately, an unnamed military source told Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that Yemeni forces and their allies had thwarted an infiltration attempt by Hadi loyalists into the Jabal al-Tahani mountainous region of the southern Yemeni province of Dhale, killing four mercenaries.

Additionally, several Saudi troopers and pro-Hadi militiamen were killed or injured when Yemeni soldiers and Popular Committees fighters struck their position in the al-Alab border crossing of Saudi Arabia's southern and border region of Asir. There were no immediate reports about possible casualties or the extent of damage caused.

Yemeni soldiers and their allies also fired a salvo of rockets and artillery rounds at Hajar and al-Masial military camps in Asir, with no reports of casualties available.

The developments came on the same day that Saudi fighter jets carried out a string of aerial attacks against residential areas across Yemen.

Saudi military aircraft launched two raids in the Nihm district of the western-central Yemeni province of Sana'a, but no casualties were reported.

Saudi jets also pounded Jabal Haylan in the city of Sirwah, which lies about 120 kilometers east of Sana'a, though no reports of casualties were available.

According to the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, the Saudi military campaign has claimed the lives of 10,000 Yemenis and left 40,000 others wounded.

McGoldrick told reporters in Sana'a earlier this year that the figure was based on casualty counts given by health facilities and that the actual number might be higher.

On February 23, Yemen's Legal Center for Rights and Development, an independent monitoring group, put the civilian death toll in the war-torn Arab country at 12,041.

The fatalities, it said, comprised 2,568 children and 1,870 women.

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Kosovo President Says Will Resign If Lawmakers Don't Create Army

RFE/RL March 11, 2017

Kosovo's president said he will resign and force a parliamentary election if lawmakers do not approve his proposal to create a national army over the objections of Kosovo's Western allies and minority ethnic Serbs.

"If [members of parliament] will not vote in favor, I will resign as president that second," President Hashim Thaci, whose former political party is the biggest in parliament, told state television channel RTK in an evening interview on March 10.

"A legislature that will not vote for the army of its own country should go home," he said, adding that he will overcome objections from NATO allies by coordinating the plan "100 percent" with them.

The plan to replace Kosovo's lightly armed security forces with a regular army has drawn strong objections from the country's ethnic Serb minority, whose delegates in parliament have vowed to block it, and as well as the United States and NATO.

Serbian lawmakers have insisted that such a change would require amending the country's constitution.

But Thaci claims as supreme commander of the Kosovo Security Forces he has legal authority to make the change. And the parliament earlier this week moved to bypass the Serbian opposition by preparing amendments to an existing law that would allow the existing security forces to buy heavy weapons and recruit more soldiers, in effect transforming it into an army.

The row over the army has left Kosovo at odds with its Western backers over a major issue for the first time, and it remains unclear what prompted Thaci to shift policy.

When he first offered the plan earlier this week, it drew immediate criticism from NATO, which still has some 4,500 troops in the country in a peacekeeping mission begun nearly two decades after the regional war.

NATO said it would prefer that Kosovo change its constitution to create a regular army, a move that would require the support of the 120-seat parliament's 11 Serb deputies. Those Serb lawmakers, however, backed by Belgrade, have said they will never accept his plan to double the nation's forces to 5,000 active soldiers and 3,000 reservists.

NATO and the United States said they would re-evaluate the assistance they have long provided to the existing security forces if Thaci's plan is approved.

"The U.S. believes Kosovo's security depends on the quality of its partnerships. We don't want to see Kosovo out of step with key partners," The U.S. ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, tweeted late on March 10.

While NATO has said it has no plans to leave Kosovo, the dispute with longtime allies has alarmed some.

"The United States is very important for Kosovo and its people," Arben Gashi, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Isa Mustafa's Democratic League of Kosovo party said on March 10. "As for Hashim Thaci, he can easily be replaced."

With reporting by AP, Reuters, RTK, and Top-channel.tv

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo- president-thaci-says-will-resign-parliament-does-not- approve-creating-national-army/28363228.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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E-Mail Hack Gives Glimpse Into Russia's Influence Drive In Eastern Europe

Yaroslav Shimov, Aleksy Dzikawicki March 11, 2017

Belarusian Alyaksandr Usorsky describes himself as a historian and publicist. His works include titles such as Who Set Hitler Against The U.S.S.R?, Churchill's Cannon Fodder, and God Save Stalin! Tsar Of The U.S.S.R. Josef The Great.

And according to a cache of documents hacked from Usorsky's e-mail and social-media accounts released since the end of February by the Ukrainian hacker site InformNapalm, he is also "a Russian curator" of a loose network of nationalists, radicals, and neofascists across Eastern Europe.

Among other projects, he has specialized in trying to spoil relations between Poland and Ukraine.

In written correspondence with RFE/RL, Usorsky confirmed the authenticity of the hacked documents.

"I have specific political views and I act in accordance with them," Usorsky wrote. "As a private person, I sometimes help my comrades who have similar political convictions -- but always in strict accordance with Russian, Belarusian, and Eastern European laws. If you read the documents that the Ukrainian hackers took from my accounts carefully, you will see that my projects are profoundly and exclusively lawful and legal. These are normal political operations. By definition, they are not public, but that doesn't make them a conspiracy of enemies of Ukraine."

"I don't consider myself an enemy of Ukraine," he added. "I am an enemy of all the lying, base, dishonest bastards who have turned Ukrainians into idiots. And I will fight against those bastards to the end, no matter what they think about it."

Russia has been locked in a conflict with Ukraine since pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kyiv amid unrest in February 2014. Shortly thereafter, Moscow occupied and annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea and allegedly began providing active military and political support to separatist movements in eastern Ukraine. Moscow also launched an aggressive informational campaign aimed at labeling new Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his government a "fascist junta."

Poland has been one of Ukraine's most vocal and active supporters within the European Union, pushing hard for the bloc to impose sanctions against Russia for its interference in Ukraine and generally keeping the perceived threat from Moscow on the bloc's agenda.

Informnapalm describes itself as a group of volunteer cyberwarriors that monitors open-source information and uses hacking tactics to "show the true face of the Kremlin's fascism and activities of its followers."

Extensive Contacts

The hacked documents show Usorsky's extensive contacts with the right-wing Kukiz'15 political movement, which has the third-largest faction in Poland's legislature, the Sejm; the rightist KORWiN party; and the nationalist Great Poland Camp (Oboz Wielkiej Polski, or OWP).

He also maintains contact with Polish politician Mateusz Piskorski, founder of the pro-Russian Change (Zmiana) party. Piskorski made headlines in 2015 when he invited representatives of the Russia-backed separatist movements in eastern Ukraine to address the Change founding congress.

Piskorski is a founder of the pro-Kremlin European Center of Geopolitical Analysis (ECGA), which among other things organized a group of "international observers" to monitor the illegal March 2014 "referendum" in Crimea that has been repeatedly cited by Moscow as justification for its annexation of the Black Sea peninsula. Poland's security service believes Change is a Moscow-inspired project.

Pisorski has long-standing ties to Russian thinker Aleksandr Dugin, a neofascist organizer who advocates a Russian-dominated cultural space extending from Central Europe to the Far East and has spent decades cultivating ties with like-minded activists across the region.

According to e-mails from the fall of 2014, Usorsky funneled 100,000 euros ($106,000) to activists from Great Poland Camp and other groups to organize rallies in Eastern Europe to denounce the Ukrainian government and support the Russia-backed separatists. One of the activists involved in that project reported back to Usorsky that "the bulk of the funds were spent on organizing rallies against [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko and the Ukrainian Army, for Novorossia and the Russian World; some of the money also went to fight against the monuments to the UPA [the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a paramilitary group that fought against both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II] troops in Poland."

On the Russian side, Usorsky was reporting on his activities and appealing for funding from Ukrainian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev -- known for his financial support for pro-Russian and pro-Orthodox projects in Ukraine, the Balkans, and elsewhere -- and Russian State Duma Deputy Konstantin Zatulin.

Russian Imperialist

Zatulin is a self-proclaimed Russian imperialist who has supported pro-Russian movements in many countries of the former Soviet Union and the former Soviet bloc. He is the director of the Institute of the Diaspora and Integration at the Russian Academy of Science's Institute of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and has been declared persona non grata in both Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

Zatulin has a long record of involvement with Russia-backed breakaway movements in conflict zones in the former Soviet Union, including the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the Moldovan region of Transdniester.

In his exchange with RFE/RL, Usorsky said only that his activities are funded by "private donations." He claimed he had received no money from Zatulin's institute but confirmed that he regularly sent project ideas there for "expert" analysis. Among the projects analyzed were ones titled Ukraine Is Not The European Union, Montenegro Vs. Poland, and Moldova Is Not Romania, as well as a project to campaign for an anti-NATO referendum in Slovakia.

RFE/RL contacted all the Polish organizations that figured in the Usorsky e-mails and only KORWiN responded, saying in one word that the documents were "lies," despite Usorsky's acknowledgement that they are from his accounts.

InformNapalm's report asserts that Usorsky's contacts with Malofeyev seem to have dried up in recent months, perhaps because the oligarch has turned his attention to pro-Orthodox and pro-Russian projects in Montenegro and other Balkans countries.

Russia has recently stepped up its efforts to prevent Montenegro from completing its bid to join NATO. The government in Montenegro has accused Russia of backing a foiled October 2016 coup plot, saying it was orchestrated by "Russian nationalist structures" backed by "the Russian state."

Intriguing Exchange

In one intriguing exchange, an assistant to Malofeyev contacted Usorsky in October 2014 with a request that Usorsky insert into the Polish media sphere a paparazzi-style photograph of Malofeyev meeting in Bosnia-Herzegovina with Milorad Dodik, the head of the ethnic-Serb component of the Bosnian federation, together with a text that vaguely hinted that Russia was ready to carry out a Crimea-style operation in Bosnia if Dodik failed to be reelected. Usorsky complied with the request, but the purpose of this controlled leak remains a mystery.

Usorsky has also registered an organization called the Eastern European Cultural Initiative in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, although it is unclear what that organization does.

"We have received information about this group, but not from Slovakia -- only from abroad," said Jaroslav Nad, an analyst with the Slovak Security Policy Institute in Bratislava. "We can't name any serious activities or events connected with this structure in this country. Some speculate that since it is relatively easy to register such nongovernmental organizations in Slovakia, it was done here but with the intention of carrying out activities in other countries."

Jaroslaw Guzy, a political analyst and politician, said it is difficult, given the history of Poland's relations with Russia, for "openly pro-Russian" groups to get a foothold there.

"But there are groups that are using openly anti-Western slogans, who play on resentment toward the West which also has deep historical roots," Guzy said.

They also act in national politics using slogans of "political realism," Guzy added.

"Of course, Russia is constantly trying to boost its influence with all sorts of political forces [in Poland]," Guzy said. "Paradoxically, it has the biggest effect with radical nationalists. Nationalists often turn out to be pro-Russia, but indirectly -- they promote anti-Western slogans and keep Russia in the background. Polish nationalists also exploit anti-Ukrainian sentiments, which have their own historical roots connected with bloodshed during World War II. They use these emotions to build something that is tactically in line with the goals of Russian policies."

'A Gift To The Kremlin'

In recent months, there has been a wave of desecrations of monuments and cemeteries in Ukraine that Polish and Ukrainian officials suspect is part of a Russia-backed effort to sow enmity between the two countries.

"Polish officials support us all the time in crucial areas," Vasyl Zvarych, an official at the Ukrainian Embassy in Warsaw, told the website Codastory. "So Russia is trying to stir up anger and make us blame each other."

"Conflict between Poland and Ukraine is a gift [to] the Kremlin," Olgierd Syczewski of the Warsaw branch of the Center for European Policy Analysis was quoted as saying in the same story. "And Russia heats it up, and mainstream media spread it without realizing they are helping Moscow."

Slovak security analyst Nad told RFE/RL he doesn't believe the number of pro-Kremlin activists in the region has increased.

"However, in recent years these people have become more active and are expressing increasingly radical views and are getting better at using social media and 'alternative' mass media," Nad said.

This activity in Eastern and Central Europe mirrors accusations of Russian efforts to influence political processes in Western European democracies by supporting radical right- and left-wing groups through financial backing, such as a widely reported loan to Marine Le Pen's right-wing National Front party in France, and social-media disinformation campaigns such as the notorious "Lisa case" in Germany.

Speaking in February to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Bonn, Germany, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, "You should know we do not interfere in the domestic matters of other countries."

RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson contributed to this report

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia- e-mail-hack-belarusian-usorsky- piskorski-dugin/28363888.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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Former Abkhaz Leader Seeks Election To Parliament

Liz Fuller March 11, 2017

On March 12, voters in Georgia's breakaway Republic of Abkhazia go to the polls to elect a new parliament. The election campaign has been overshadowed by an acrimonious dispute over the participation of former de facto president, Aleksandr Ankvab, who was forced to resign in early summer of 2014 under pressure from the then opposition Coordinating Council.

Supporters of Raul Khajimba, who masterminded that campaign to oust Ankvab and was subsequently elected as his successor, argue that Ankvab's candidacy risks destabilizing the region and jeopardizing the agreement reached in December between Khajimba and the Bloc of Opposition Forces that for two years had lobbied for his forced resignation.

One of the various organizations representing veterans of the 1992-1993 war that ended with the region's de facto separation from Georgia even asked Prosecutor-General Georgy Arshba to launch a probe into Ankvab's alleged handover, in his capacity as Interior Minister, of weaponry to Georgian forces during the early days of that conflict, the news portal Caucasian Knot reported.

The Bloc of Opposition Forces, which endorsed Ankvab's candidacy, responded by stressing that, like any other citizen, Ankvab has the constitutional right to seek election.

Ankvab outlined his rationale for doing so in a televised address on February 28. He said he believes the legislature is invested with sufficient powers to exert a positive influence on the "urgent problems" that hinder the region's development, and that the main objectives of both the parliament and the government are to strengthen state sovereignty (Abkhazia is recognized as an independent state only by the Russian Federation and a handful of other countries) and to effect tangible economic and social development.

Economic Malaise

The Black Sea region has a population of slightly under 250,000, and is struggling with economic stagnation and infrastructure decay compounded by a lack of investment, high unemployment, rising crime, and drug addiction.

Ankvab's professed confidence in the potential influence of the Abkhaz parliament is open to question, however. Abkhazia is a presidential republic in which many, if not all, key decisions, including how to spend the colossal financial subsidies from Russia that keep its economy afloat, are made by a small group of officials close to the president. That group in effect functions as an alternative cabinet, according to former Prime Minister Beslan Butba, who stepped down in March 2015 because its members routinely ignored him.

The parliament's duties are circumscribed: it adopts laws; approves the annual budget; and endorses the candidates proposed by the president for the post of prosecutor-general and National Bank chairman. It is empowered to vote no confidence in individual ministers, but not in the entire cabinet, but has no say in selecting and approving the government.

Khajimba called last year for a redistribution of powers that would strengthen the legislature, specifically by granting it input into the formation of the government. He also proposed amending election legislation to raise to 45 the number of lawmakers and switch from a majoritarian to a mixed majoritarian-proportional system. But those proposals remain on paper.

The formal role of political parties in Abkhazia is therefore limited: indeed, parliament speaker Valery Bganba has gone so far as to affirm that Abkhazia does not yet have a genuine party system, according to Apsny.ru. Consequently, political parties are constrained to act outside parliament to tap into public dissatisfaction with, and bring pressure to bear on, leaders whose policies they consider ineffective or counterproductive, or both, as the Coordinating Council did in 2014 and the Bloc of Opposition Forces in 2016.

Reported Death Threats

In light of those limitations, only four of the eight political parties qualified to do so -- Khajimba's Forum of National Unity of Abkhazia and the opposition parties Aynar, Amtsakhara (Keep the Home Fires Burning), and the National Front for Justice and Development -- have nominated parliamentary candidates.

The region's legislature comprises 35 deputies elected in single-mandate constituencies. The Central Election Commission has registered a total of 142 candidates, just 25 of them representing the four parties listed above. The remaining 117 were proposed by so-called initiative groups. In addition to Ankvab, they include former State Security Service Chairman Aslan Bzhania, who placed a close second to Khajimba in the August 2014 ballot to elect Ankvab's successor; former Prime Minister Sergei Shamba, currently chairman of the United Abkhazia party; former Interior Minister Raul Lolua; and former Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Chirikba.

Four candidates who registered have since withdrawn. Twenty-seven members of the outgoing parliament are seeking reelection, according to the news portal Apsny.ru.

Given the peripheral role played by the parliament in Abkhaz political life, it is not immediately clear why the Abkhaz leadership is seemingly so concerned by Ankvab's election bid, even though it is anticipated he will defeat his two rivals.

Russian analyst Sergei Markedonov raised the possibility -- which he himself characterized as purely hypothetical -- that, given the strong opposition representation in the new legislature, Ankvab could be elected its deputy speaker, or even speaker.

The fact that there have reportedly been threats to Ankvab's life suggests that this is a scenario some supporters of the present leadership are intent on averting at all cost.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/caucasus- report-abkhazia-ankvab-parliament- election/28363704.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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Russia Hints at Involving US in Talks on Afghanistan

By Ayaz Gul March 11, 2017

Russia has hinted at involving the United States in a newly-launched regional dialogue Moscow says is aimed at seeking a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan. The move comes as Afghanistan's national security adviser is due to visit Moscow to discuss the prospects for promoting reconciliation with armed opposition in his country.

Moscow's stepped up Afghan diplomacy stems from its concerns that a protracted conflict is encouraging Islamic State militants to establish a foothold in the war-torn country and export terrorism to neighboring Central Asian states that ultimately could threaten Russian security.

In December, the Russian government hosted senior foreign ministry officials from China and Pakistan for the first time to discuss ways to encourage direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The participants also exchanged views on how to collectively work to contain "spillover" effects of terrorism.

Kabul strongly objected being left out of the trilateral meeting, however, while U.S. officials also questioned Russia's intentions for organizing the talks.

The criticism and skepticism prompted Moscow to expand the format of the dialogue to include Afghanistan, along with Iran and India, in the next meeting it hosted last month.

Involving more partners

"At its next stage we think it will be important to, in a timely fashion, involve in that same process our Central Asian partners as well as the United States," said Vladimir Safronkov, the Russian deputy ambassador to the United Nations, on Friday. He was addressing a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan.

Safronkov reiterated that the consultations are working out "a single regional approach" to "reinvigorate" the Afghan reconciliation process.

He made the remarks on a day when the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Afghan National Security Adviser Haneef Atmar will visit Moscow March 17 for talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"The officials will discuss the security situation and prospects for promoting national reconciliation in Afghanistan, as well as ways to develop multilateral cooperation within the Moscow format of regional consultations on Afghanistan," the ministry said.

Russia-Taliban contacts not welcome

While Afghan officials and the U.S. military welcome Russian peace efforts, they are critical of Moscow's overt contacts with the Taliban.

Russia maintains that "the limited contacts" with the Taliban are meant to encourage the group to join Kabul-led peace efforts and to ensure security of Russian citizens in the country.

But General John Nicholson, U.S. commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan, told a congressional hearing last month that Russian attempts to overtly legitimize the Taliban are based on arguments that the insurgents, and not Afghan forces, are effectively fighting IS militants. He dismissed those assertions as misleading and said Moscow is only trying to undermine U.S.-led counterterrorism efforts in the region.

Speaking in India earlier this week, National Security Adviser Atmar said his government continues to warn Moscow that any assistance to the Taliban will not be seen as "a gesture of friendship" toward Afghanistan.

"They [Russia] are assuring us that this is not the case. All they want to do is to facilitate peace in Afghanistan and second a counter-response to Daesh. There we disagree. We say the best response to Daesh is state-to-state relations and cooperation, you cannot get it from non-state actors. Don't expect a terrorist to be taking on another terrorist," explained Atmar, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Afghan officials in the country's northern border provinces have also lately alleged that Russia is helping the Taliban establish training camps in their areas.

Russia says allegations 'absurd'

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday responded to what it dismissed as baseless allegations and U.S. criticism.

"The distribution of such absurd inventions revealed a staged campaign to discredit our country, during which the Afghan and world community is thrown the thesis of Russia 'undermining' international anti-terrorist efforts in Afghanistan," according to a statement published on the ministry's website.

It went on to assert that the campaign is to "divert attention from accountability for the numerous mistakes in more than 16 years of foreign military presence in Afghanistan."

Moscow blames the U.S.-led international efforts for the worsening Afghan security conditions that it says allowed IS to find space in the country.

Afghan security forces backed by American airpower have conducted successful major operations against IS over the last year and confined the terrorist group to less than three districts in the eastern Nangarhar province, according to a latest U.S. military assessment. It says the number of IS fighters also has been reduced to about 700 from an estimated 3,000 a year ago.

Speaking on Friday at the U.N. Security Council meeting, though, Russia's Safronkov challenged those assessments.

"We think that there are some three-and-a-half-thousand active members of [Islamic State] operating in the country. The realistic figure given all the cells operating could be much higher," he said. The Russian ambassador contradicted U.S. assessments and asserted that IS is active in more than one Afghan province.

"Their main regions of action are Helmand, Kandahar, Faryab, Bagram, Kunduz. So we would call everyone to devote to that problem heightened attention and not to try and somehow gloss it over to ignore it," Safronkov said..

IS has stepped up attacks in Afghanistan and took credit for Wednesday's suicide attack on the country's largest military hospital in Kabul. The assault left more than 50 people dead and scores of others wounded.

Russian envoy Safronkov asserted that the Kabul attack is more proof of the expanding and strengthening structure of IS in Afghanistan.

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Afghan Corruption Watchdog Warns of Graft's Consequences

By Paul Alexander March 11, 2017

John Sopko's message to the Afghan people is simple: Corruption kills.

It kills soldiers and citizens alike. And if it's not brought under control, it could kill the country's fragile future.

"People have to understand that corruption isn't about just money," said Sopko, who heads corruption watchdog Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the watchdog for the $113 billion that the U.S. has given the country. "It's about lives."

"The main threat to the success of the war [on terrorism] is corruption. Corruption steals from the Afghan government. Corruption actually steals salaries, steals weapons, steals fuel from the Afghan government," Sopko said.

He recalled a contract that was designed to protect Afghanistan's hazardous roads from terrorist bombs. It went to an American company, with Afghans doing the work. The money was stolen, and the right work wasn't done.

"As a result, soldiers died," Sopko told VOA's Afghan Service in an interview. "There have been many examples ... where corruption has meant that the Afghan soldiers don't have enough bullets or guns, or they don't have enough fuel, or enough food, or enough medical equipment because it was stolen.

"The Afghan people should be as outraged as I am and U.S. taxpayers are about corruption," he said.

Cash infusion

In a rush to fill the vacuum created when the U.S. invaded Afghanistan to oust the terrorists responsible for plotting the 9/11 attacks, Washington and aid agencies pumped money into the poverty-wracked nation to help install a new government and start a development plan to overcome the poverty that breeds extremism.

While there were successes, the strategy also fed corruption in a country where it already was endemic.

"The U.S. did contribute to the problem, unintentionally," Sopko said. "The U.S. and its allies probably gave too much money too fast to too small a country, such as Afghanistan, with too little oversight.

"When that happens, corrupt Afghans, corrupt Americans and corrupt contractors will steal money and then bribe officials. The blame is two-sided; it takes two to tango. The United States could have done a better job in overseeing the billions of dollars that were sent to Afghanistan," he said.

SIGAR was created in 2010. Sopko, a former Justice Department prosecutor who fought organized crime at home, was brought aboard two years later. He discovered that while some money was lost to sheer waste, corruption ate up a large chunk of what was left. And not all of it went to line Afghan officials' pockets.

"We've arrested over 100 contractors, U.S. government employees, U.S. military employees, and they are serving time," Sopko said. "We've recovered about $1 billion in fines and restitution."

Confidential hotline

SIGAR also is working with the Afghan government to turn around a long tradition of corruption in its ministries.

"Many of the generals have paid to get their jobs, many of the police have paid to do their jobs," Sopko said. "Many of the former ministers have put their friends and cronies in these agencies.

"This is the difficulty that the Afghan government has. They have to ferret out those corrupt elements. Collaborating together, we can fight corruption better that we can do alone or the Afghan government can do it alone. We may have helped create the problem. Now we have to help the Afghan government stop the corruption and basically take a knife and cut out the cancer that is corruption."

While he wishes the current Afghan government would do more, he has found them a more willing partner than the previous administration.

"They have to have a willing partner. Up to now they have, and we hope that continues," Sopko said.

Still, mistrust of the government is pervasive. SIGAR has set up a confidential hotline for citizens to report corruption.

"Many of our best cases come from brave Afghans who have contacted this hotline," said Sopko.

Getting rid of corruption is also key to fighting Afghanistan's drug problems. And both are critical to fighting terrorism.

"The drug trade supports the insurgents and the extremists," Sopko said, quoting Gen. John Nicholson, the head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, as saying insurgents get about 60 percent of their funding from the drug trade. "The corruption supports the insurgents. We have evidence of that."

Sopko said President Ashraf Ghani warned, years before he became the country's leader, that Afghanistan had the potential to become a narco-terrorist state.

"And it's trending that way because no one is seriously addressing the narcotics problem," Sopko said. "We hope the Afghan people and the new American administration will be more aggressive."

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Trump Transition Team Knew of Flynn's Foreign Ties

By Steve Herman March 11, 2017

The White House confirmed Friday that President Donald Trump's transition team was aware before January's inauguration that Michael Flynn, Trump's choice to be national security adviser, might be required to inform authorities he was acting as an agent on behalf of a foreign government.

Trump's spokesman, Sean Spicer, said the president had not been told earlier of Flynn's ties to the government of Turkey, which paid Flynn's firm $530,000 last year.

Flynn, a retired U.S. general, advised the Department of Justice this week that he represented Turkey last year. Flynn had previously informed Congress that he was lobbying on behalf of a Dutch firm, but did not mention his work for the Turkish government, as required by U.S. law. Flynn's filing was done on a retroactive basis.

Flynn took over as U.S. national security adviser when Trump took office on January 20, but was dismissed less than a month later; White House officials said Flynn failed to tell Vice President Mike Pence about meetings he had last year with Russia's ambassador to Washington, when former President Barack Obama was still in office. Flynn and the envoy, Sergey Kislyak, discussed sanctions that the Obama administration had imposed on Russia, it was later revealed.

'Trump was not informed'

Reporters peppered Spicer with questions Friday about Flynn, Trump, Pence and the Turkish lobbying incident. The president's spokesman said an attorney for Flynn contacted an attorney for Trump's transition team to ask whether the national security adviser-designate was obligated to report his activities involving Turkey to the appropriate U.S. authorities.

Attorneys on Trump's team told Flynn's lawyer it was up to him to decide whether Flynn must take further action, and that Flynn did seek further counsel, Spicer said.

However, Flynn's attorneys said they twice told Trump's legal counsel team of his possible plans to register as a foreign agent, according to The Washington Post.

The first time was in a conversation with Don McGahn, Trump's counsel, before the inauguration and then in a conversation with another member of the White House legal team in the early days of the new administration's early days, the newspaper reported Friday, attributing the information to "someone with knowledge of the situation speaking anonymously to discuss private conversations."

The Associated Press also reported Saturday that Flynn's representatives had a second conversation with the White House counsel's office after the inauguration, and they made clear the national security adviser would indeed be registering as a foreign agent with the Justice Department, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions.

Asked specifically whether "the president was informed at all about this arrangement" that Flynn had with the Turkish government, Spicer said, "No, he was not."

A questioner asked Spicer about U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, a Democrat, who "sent a letter to Mike Pence during the transition informing him [about Flynn's ties to Turkey]." Cummings is said to have advised Trump's running mate that this was a controversial, "red flag" issue. Pence was reported to have said this week that he had no knowledge of the letter, but Spicer, saying "just so we're clear," interjected: "Now what [Pence] said was that he was not aware of the filing" in which Flynn declared he was a foreign agent.

Flynn's firm was hired three weeks after the Republican National Convention last July to investigate Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A former imam in Turkey, Gulen is blamed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for conspiring to topple him in a military coup that failed last year.

Exiled imam or radical Islamist?

Flynn was listed as the author of a lengthy story published on Election Day last year by The Hill, a Washington newspaper that is widely read in U.S. political circles. Flynn's article, headlined "Our ally Turkey is in crisis and needs our support," extolled Turkey's status as a vital U.S. ally and denounced Gulen as a "shady" cleric who "portrays himself as a moderate, but ... is in fact a radical Islamist."

The Hill has appended a note to Flynn's article on its website, saying that it was unaware of Flynn's lobbying activities before this week.

"Four months after this article was published," the newspaper advised its readers, "General Flynn filed documents with the federal government indicating that he earned $530,000 last fall for consulting work that might have aided the government of Turkey. In the filings, Flynn disclosed that he had received payments from Inovo BV, a Dutch company owned by a Turkish businessman with ties to Turkey's president, and that Inovo reviewed the draft before it was submitted to The Hill. Neither General Flynn nor his representatives disclosed this information when the essay was submitted."

Flynn's lawyer, Robert Kelner, writing to the Justice Department this week, explained that his client decided to register retroactively as a foreign agent "to eliminate any potential doubt," and pointed out that Flynn was not directly hired by a foreign government. The owner of the Dutch company Inovo, which signed a contract with the Flynn Intel Group last August, is Kamil Ekim Alptekin, chairman of the Turkish-American Business Council.

Differing accounts about Flynn's role

Alptekin tweeted this week: "For the record: nobody remotely linked to the Gov. of Turkey knew about Gen. Flynn's article in advance and I wasn't consulted either." The previous day, however, the Flynn Group acknowledged that Inovo had seen the article in advance, and that some technical changes were made based on feedback from the Turkish-linked entity.

Flynn did file a separate legal document with Congress last November disclosing his role as a lobbyist for Inovo, saying he was helping the Dutch company understand Pentagon budgets.

Spicer told White House reporters that filing as a lobbyist was distinct from registering as a foreign agent with the Department of Justice.

"It is not up to, nor is it appropriate, nor is it legal for the government to start going into private citizens, seeking advice and telling them whether they have to register or not," Spicer said. "That would be the equivalent of walking through someone's tax return and saying, 'That's not a deduction that you should take.' "

Spicer cut off several reporters who tried to ask follow-up questions, telling them, "It's one-question Friday"  meaning he wanted to take only one question per person. The press secretary had said at the conclusion of Thursday's briefing that he would institute the informal one-question rule.

Journalists persisted, however, and Spicer did take some further questions about the controversy over Flynn's actions on behalf of Turkey. Asked whether the general had disclosed his work on behalf of the Turks in applying for the security clearance he needed to work as the head of the National Security Council at the White House, Spicer said: "I don't know the answer to that question. You should follow up with General Flynn."

Spicer echoed comments by Trump when he announced the general's appointment, repeating that Flynn was "unbelievably qualified, 40 years in the military, with impeccable credentials."

The press secretary said Trump insists on the highest ethical standards "for everyone who works in this administration," and that is why Flynn had to resign: "At the end of the day when [the president] found out that General Flynn had betrayed the trust of the vice president, he let him go."

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Kim Han-sol

Kim Han-sol is the son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, and the grandson of Kim Jong-il. In constrast to Kim Jong-un, who was little more than a rumor a couple of years prior to assuming power, Kim Han-sol is very well attested. Born in Pyongyang in 1995, he never met his grandfather. Kim Han-sol moved to Macau after his father reportedly fell out of favor with his grandfather Kim Jong-il in the early 2000s, and is reportedly a graduate of France's prestigious Sciences Po university.

Kim Han-sol is believed to be the last surviving male of the "Baekdu" descent flowing from North Korean state founder Kim Il-sung to Kim Jong-il and his father Kim Jong-nam. In most descriptions of Kim Jong Un in official North Korean communications, the phrase, Baekdu hyultong, or Baekdu bloodline, appears. Mount Baekdu is the place where North Korean founding leader Kim Il Sung supposedly fought against Japanese occupation forces, and where his son Kim Jong Il was supposedly born. Or so North Koreans are told to believe.

In August 2013 North Korea revised the 10 fundamental principles of the ruling Workers Party to legitimise the hereditary succession of current leader Kim Jong-un and his family. The revised rules stipulate that North Korea and the Workers Party will be kept alive forever by the Baekdu bloodline.

The English-language South China Morning Post reported 11 October 2011 that the 16-year-old Kim Han-sol had been accepted by the international United World College in Hong Kong, but that his visa bid was rejected by the city's immigration department despite several requests. United World College, an international high school with a very good student to teacher ratio has 13 schools in different locations across the world.

Hong Kong immigration authorities refused direct comment on the report. But they acknowledged that entry visas for study do not apply to nationals from certain countries, including North Korea, and said such applications are considered on an individual basis.

The youth instead enrolled at another United World College facility in the Bosnian city of Mostar, Bosnia and Hertzegovina. Spokeswoman Meri Musa told a news conference that all she could say is that Kim Han Sol is a North Korean citizen. She also said the school selects students based on their sense of idealism and sense that they can really change the world.

As of 2012, he was studying at United World College in Mostar. United World College did not explicitly confirm that the student it was accepting was a grandson of Kim Jong-il. "The entry of a student from North Korea, furthermore from a very well-known family, has understandably generated surprise and comment, some of it critical," it said in a statement.

At that time Kim Han Sol and his mother and sister were safe in Beijing under protection of the Chinese. The grandson of Kim Jong-il speaks perfect English with an American accent. He seems like a very smart and intelligent guy.

Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-nam and their sister Kim Jong-chul well all privately educated in Switzerland. Kim Jong-un speaks fluent German and excellent English. While in Switzerland they lived in a very modest 3 bedroom apartment in a very clandestine manner.

During a rare TV interview in 2012, the young Kim called Kim Jong Un a "dictator". His reply to a question why his uncle was appointed as leader was: "My dad was definitely not really interested in politics. "I really don't know how he (Kim Jong Un) became a dictator... It was between him and my grandfather."

A man claiming to be the son of the North Korean leader's slain half brother said he and his family are safe and in an undisclosed location, in a video released online 07 March 2017. "I'm currently with my mother and my sister," said the man said in a clip posted to YouTube. "We hope this gets better soon," he added. A South Korean intelligence official identified the man as 21-year-old Kim Han Sol, the son of Kim Jong Nam's second wife. Kim Han-sol was believed to be living in an apartment in Macau with his mother Ri Hye-kyong and his 19-year-old sister Kim Sol-hui under China's protection.

Kim Jong-nam's son Kim Han-sol reportedly arrived at the mortuary of the Kuala Lumpur hospital 21 February 2017 and confirmed the body was that of his father. Major media outlets in Seoul say, Kim Han-sol disguised himself as a special police officer on his way in and out of the hospital to conceal his identity. During his hour-long stay, Kim also reportedly underwent some tests to determine whether his DNA matches Kim Jong-nam's.

Kim Han-sol's trip to Malaysia came a day after Malaysian authorities said they would only release Kim Jong-nam's body to direct family members whose ties with him could be proven through a paternity test. If the DNA is a match, Kim Jong-nam's direct family members will be able to claim his body.

North Korea protested the move, as it wanted to take the body back to Pyongyang. If son Kim Han-sol claimed his fathers corpse, at least three possible interment sites could be named. The first is in North Korea, birthplace of both Kim Jong-nam and Kim Han-sol. This possibility appeared slim, given that North Korea has been mentioned as possibly behind Kim Jong-nams assassination. A second possibility was Macao, where Kim Jong-nams second wife and Han-sols mother Lee Hye-kyong and younger sister Kim Sol-hui reside. In this case, the assistance and cooperation of the Chinese government would be essential. And some mentioned Malaysia, the site of the killing, as a possible alternative location for interment of Kims corpse.





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Carlos the Jackal

Organisation of Arab Armed Struggle

Ilich Ramirez Sanchez was the son of a wealthy Venezuelan Communist party leader. Illich Ramirez Sanchez, better known to the world as Carlos the Jackal, was responsible for numerous terrorist acts in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. By more recent standards, it all seems rather tame, if not quaint.

Trained in Cuba, Sanchez nickname comes from a character in the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel The Day of The Jackal. Forsyth's book was set in the early 1960s in France. The Organisation de l'armee secrete attempted to kill DeGaulle, who had granted the country of Algeria independence, but failed. The result was that DeGaulle was the most closely guarded man in the world. As a desperate act, they hire The Jackal, the code name for a hired killer who agreed to kill French President De Gaulle.

One of historys most infamous terrorists, "Carlos the Jackal" participated in murders in Europe and the Middle East. During the Cold War, kidnapping, assassination, skyjacking, hostagetaking, bombing, and armed robbery were the principal methods of terrorism. Carlos the Jackal  former Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist, was mastermind of the infamous December 1975 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) hostage crisis in Vienna. The Jackal claimed operational and political responsibility for the PFLPs operations in Europe. In the early 1980s, the terrorist group led by the infamous Carlos the Jackal planted bombs aboard Frances passenger trains.

Carlos, the most notorious terrorist of his time, was believed to have worked for Mohamar Qaddaffi ofLibya, Saddam Hussein ofIraq, President Assad of Syria, Fidel Castro of Cuba, George Habash and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Italian Red Brigade, Columbia's M-19 Movement, the BaaderMeinholf Gang, and any number of other "Communist and Socialist" employers.

However, Carlos was a freelancer and worked for anyone, never establishing any permanent reciprocal nation state loyalties. Ilich Ramirez Sanchez seemed at the time to be more bon vivant than committed ideologue. But as a self-proclaimed "professional revolutionary", he was responsible for twenty-four deaths and 257 wounded during his career of violence.

Carlos went on to form his own terrorist group, which he named the Organisation of Arab Armed Struggle. They attempted to hijack a nuclear power plant in 1982 but failed. The group then carried out a series of bombings in Paris. By this time Carlos was forced to flee Europe, eventually settling in Damascus. He lived in Syria between 1985 and 1991, after which he moved to Jordan and then the Sudan.

Douglas Farah, Senior Fellow, International Assessment and Strategy Center, noted in 20012 that Carlos the Jackal was among the first to articulate the possible merging of radical Shite Islamic thought with Marxist aspirations of destroying capitalism and US hegemony. In his writings Sanchez Ramirez espouses Marxism tied to revolutionary, violent Palestinian uprisings, and, in the early 2000s after becoming a Muslim, militant Islamism. Yet he did not abandon his Marxist roots, believing that Islamism and Marxism combined would form a global anti-imperialist front that would definitively destroy the United States, globalization and imperialism.

In his seminal 2003 book "Revolutionary Islam", written from prison where he was serving a life sentence for killing two French policemen, Sanchez Ramirez praised Osama bin Laden and the 9-11 attacks on the United States as a lofty feat of arms and part of a justified armed struggle of Islam against the West. From now on terrorism is going to be more or less a daily part of the landscape of your rotting democracies, he wrote.

The repeated, public praise of Chavez for Sanchez Ramirez were a crucial element of the Bolivarian ideology and an acceptance of his underlying premise as important to Chavezs ideological framework. Chavez ordered his ambassador to France to seek the release of Sanchez Ramirez and on multiple occasions referred to the convicted terrorist as a friend and true revolutionary.

In a 1999 letter to Sanchez Ramirez, Chavez greeted the terrorist as a Distinguished Compatriot and wrote that "Swimming in the depths of your letter of solidarity I could hear the pulse of our shared insight that everything has its due time: time to pile up stones or hurl them, to ignite revolution or to ignore it; to pursue dialectically a unity between our warring classes or to stir the conflict between thema time when you can fight outright for principles and a time when you must choose the proper fight, lying in wait with a keen sense for the moment of truth, in the same way that Ariadne, invested with these same principles, lays the thread that leads her out of the labyrinth. "

For more than half a century, Special Forces and CIA legend Billy Waugh dedicated his life to tracking down and eliminating America's most virulent enemies. Happily ensconced in squalid, sweltering Khartoum in the early 1990s, he surveiled all-star terrorist Carlos the Jackal and kept tabs on up-and-comer Osama bin Laden.

Billy Waughs persistence, knowledge of human character traits, and ability to establish an unobtrusive urban observation post allowed him to find and fix international terrorist Carlos the Jackal for later apprehension by French security forces. Waugh recounts tailing them in the early 1990s (ruing that his proposals to kill them weren't accepted).

Carlos eluded intelligence agencies and police for twenty years b efore his capture in Sudan in 1994. Seized by his own bodyguards, the Jackal was handed over to French intelligence. On 14 August, the Jackal was handed over to agents from the French Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (DST).

The Jackal returned to court in May 2013 to appeal against his conviction for a series of deadly bombings in France 30 years ago. The 63-year-old, who had been imprisoned in France since being captured in Sudan in 1994, was found guilty in 2011 of masterminding attacks in 1982 and 1983 on two French passenger trains, a train station in Marseille and a Libyan magazine office in Paris.

Already serving life for murder at the time, Carlos was given another life sentence for his role in the attacks that left 11 people dead and nearly 150 injured, earning him the mantle of the world's most wanted fugitive.

Carlos the Jackal faced a possible third life sentence as he wents on trial in Paris on 13 March 2017 for a 1974 grenade attack that killed two people and injured 34. The 67-year-old Venezuelan, was alleged to have thrown a grenade from a mezzanine into a busy restaurant in a shopping arcade in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Paris on September 15, 1974. The grenade attack case was initially dismissed due to lack of evidence, but was later reopened following his 1994 arrest in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.

The prosecution maintain that the grenade attack was linked to a larger plot, which included a hostage situation at the French embassy in The Hague on September 13, 1974. A member of the Japanese Red Army, a communist militant group, had been arrested at a Paris airport two months previously. This group was alleged to have had ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), of which Carlos was a key member.

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Famine - 2017

FAMINE Nigeria Somalia South Sudan Yemen



DROUGHT Angola Burundi Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mozambique Rwanda Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zimbabwe

Sounding the alarm on behalf of more than 20 million people in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and north-east Nigeria facing devastating levels of food insecurity, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres joined other top United Nations officials 22 February 2017 calling for strong and urgent action from the international community to help the already-fragile countries avert catastrophe. As many as 17 African countries struggled with the impact of two consecutive years of drought, which left more than 38 million people at risk.

The United Nations estimated more than 17 million people faced hunger in nine countries. Somalia faced its second famine in less than six years, South Sudan has declared some parts of the country in famine, and Kenya's government declared the drought there a national disaster. More than 5.5 million people are going to bed hungry in Ethiopia alone.

Famine is already a reality in parts of South Sudan. Unless we act now, it is only a matter of time until it affects other areas and other countries. We are already facing a tragedy; we must avoid it becoming a catastrophe, said the Secretary-General, stressing: This is preventable if the international community takes decisive action.

Briefing the press at UN Headquarters in New York alongside the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, Helen Clark, and by video conference, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin, Guterres said the UN needs at least $4.4 billion by the end of March 2017 to avert a catastrophe.

Despite some generous pledges, just $90 million has actually been received so far  around two cents for every dollar needed. We are at the beginning of the year, but these numbers are very worrying, he said: The lives of millions of people depend on our collective ability to act. In our world of plenty, there is no excuse for inaction or indifference.

In South Sudan, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners aim to assist 5.8 million people this year; in Somalia, 5.5 million people and in Yemen 8.3 million. In north-east Nigeria, humanitarians are reaching more than two million people with food assistance.

These four crises are very different, but are all preventable. They all stem from conflict, which we must do much more to prevent and resolve, he said, urging all members of the international community to step up and do whatever is in their power, whether that is mobilizing support, exerting political pressure on parties to conflict, or funding humanitarian operations. Saving lives is the first priority, but we are also looking to build longer-term resilience to shocks, Mr. Guterres said, noting that UNDP Administrator and the Emergency Relief Coordinator will set up a steering committee to link the UN Development Group and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee for humanitarian assistance to ensure a coordinated long-term approach.

Clark noted that the way forward on the four crises would very much reflect the new way of working among relief and development agencies agreed by the 2016 UN World Humanitarian Summit, which stressed that the priority is saving lives and part of saving lives is building resilience for the future. For her part, Cousin said that in each of these four countries, the plans are in place and the people are prepared to perform the work that is necessary. What we need is the resources and the access.

Acting now, before we reach the height of the lean season in these countries will ensure our ability to provide the support that is necessary to avoid what we all see on the horizon, which is a famine in each one of these countries if we fail to act, she stated. Carla Mucavi, the Director of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in New York, and Justin Forsyth, the Deputy Executive Director of the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), also attended the briefing.

U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien, who just returned from field missions to the affected countries, told Security Council members 10 March 2017 that the United Nations faced its largest humanitarian crisis since the organization's creation.

About two-thirds of the population (more than 18 million people) in Yemen needed assistance, including more than seven million severely food insecure, and the fighting continued to worsen the crisis. I continue to reiterate the same message to all: only a political solution will ultimately end human suffering and bring stability to the region, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen OBrien said, noting that with access and funding, humanitarians will do more, but cautioned that relief-workers were not the long-term solution to the growing crisis.

In South Sudan, where a famine was recently declared, more than 7.5 million people are in need of assistance, including some 3.4 million displaced. The figure rose by 1.4 million since last year. The famine in the country is man-made. "Aid workers have been killed, humanitarian compounds and supplies have been attacked, looted and occupied by armed actors," O'Brien noted. Parties to the conflict are parties to the famine  as are those not intervening to make the violence stop, stressed OBrien, calling on the South Sudanese authorities to translate their assurances of unconditional access into action on the ground.

Similarly, more than half the population of Somalia (6.2 million people) is need aid, 2.9 million of whom require immediate assistance. Extremely worrying is that more than one million children under the age of five are at the risk of acute malnourishment.

Concerning Kenya, O'Brien mentioned that more than 2.7 million people were food insecure, and that this number could reach four million by April 2017. In collaboration with the Government [of Kenya], the UN will soon launch an appeal of $200 million to provide timely life-saving assistance and protection, he informed.

Three states in northeastern Nigeria  Borno, Adamawa and Yobe  are severely food insecure because of violence and instability stoked by Boko Haram terrorists. More than 8.5 million people in those three areas need aid. More than $1 billion is needed to meet critical needs in the northeast.

The El Nino-driven crisis increased the malnutrition rates of rural children, and driven up food prices for urban residents. The Super El Nino of 2015 to 2016 brought droughts and floods around the world, yet it was its sister La Nina [which subsided in February 2017] that was fuelling drought and hunger in East Africa in 2017. Events such as the drought in East Africa, are becoming more severe, less predictable and are happening more often. Those three factors put everyone in the path of these climatic events at higher risk.

Warm, wet air rises over the western Pacific, causing rain over Southeast Asia. On the other side of the cycle, dry air descends over East Africa. That is why not much rain falls in Africa even in normal years. But when the western Pacific is warmer, it pushes the whole system harder: more rain over Southeast Asia, and more dry air descending on East Africa. More dry air means more drought.

The warming over the western Pacific appears to be pretty much directly related to increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Research shows that in the past, a warmer ocean meant a drier East Africa. But it is not entirely clear whether the current drying trend will continue. But the global climate models are the exact opposite of what it seen in East Africa. The models predict it should be getting wetter. But the models may be flawed in this area. The short term is more clear. The western Pacific is still warmer than average. Which means the forecast is for a third season of disappointing rains.

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THAAD unaffected by S Korea political crisis

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:23AM

The US military says it will push ahead with plans to deploy the THAAD missile system in South Korea despite the ongoing political turmoil in the East Asian country.

South Korea's Constitutional Court has upheld a parliamentary impeachment vote against President Park Geun-hye on Friday, days after the US started deploying the controversial missile system to allegedly deter North Korea.

"Leaders change over time, that's not new," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said, saying the two countries had already agreed upon the deployment and Washington would continue shipping the advanced weapon's components.

"We made an agreement with the Republic of Korea that this was a capability that they needed... This is something that is needed militarily. That agreement was reached and we remain committed to delivering on it," he added.

This is while the former president's likely replacements are divided on the issue, with one calling for a review and the other telling Chinese media that the system should be rolled back.

US officials told Reuters that THAAD could become operational over the next several weeks. This is while the Pentagon has refused to provide a certain date.

THAAD is equipped with a powerful detection system known as an X band radar that experts say would destabilize regional security and upset the region's current military balance .

Regional powers Russia and China have both strongly criticized the deployment of the US missile system to South Korea, vowing appropriate responses.

The deployment was announced earlier in the week, after North Korea successfully test-fired four missiles, three of which according to Tokyo went down in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The US has military forces in South Korea  a long-time adversary of the North  and is deploying an advanced missile system there in response to perceived threats from Pyongyang.

The US also occasionally deploys nuclear-powered warships and aircraft capable of carrying atomic weapons in the region.

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Hundreds Protest In Belarus City Against Tax On Jobless

RFE/RL's Belarus Service March 11, 2017

PINSK, Belarus -- Several hundred people have staged a protest in the southwestern Belarusian city of Pinsk, calling for the scrapping of a law imposing a tax on jobless people.

The March 11 protest was the latest in series of demonstrations against the law, despite authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka announcing that he was suspending its application for one year in order to "correct" it and carry it out next year.

Lukashenka said the law, which is reminiscent of Soviet-era legislation, was needed to fight what he has called "social parasitism." The legislation has sparked protests across the nation of 10 million. It imposes a special tax on Belarusians who work less than half of a calendar year and do not register at the country's labor bureaus.

The law, however, exempts registered job-seekers, homemakers, subsistence farmers, and Belarusians working in Russia.

The Pinsk protest, dubbed "The March of the Non-Parasites," brought together people of various ages, including pensioners, who gathered in the main square of Pinsk.

Some participants were carrying both the current red-green flag of Belarus and the historical white-red-white banner used by the short-lived Belarusian Republic in 1918, before Belarus became a Soviet Republic.

'Time To Take Up Pitchforks'

Some demonstrators chanted slogans calling for the replacement of the current government and for fair elections.

"It's time to take up our pitchforks," one old man told RFE/RL.

"This is a terrible thing that's happening in Belarus. We have reached the limit. Even under [Soviet leader Leonid] Brezhnev, we lived a hundred times better," he said.

RFE/RL correspondents reported that three men in civilian clothes attempted to detain popular video-blogger Maksim Povich, but gave up and ran away when demonstrators shouted at them to leave Povich alone.

Similar rallies are scheduled for March 12 in three more cities -- Babruysk, Vorsha, and Rahachou. Activists in the capital, Minsk, told RFE/RL that city authorities had given them permission to stage a demonstration as well.

Although Lukashenka announced a suspension of the tax, he also instructed his interior minister to ensure that "perfect order" is established in the country, the BelaPAN news agency reported.

Lukashenka, who the United States has dubbed "Europe's last dictator," has ruled Belarus for more than two decades, quashing political opposition, civil society groups, independent media, and other forms of dissent.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-protests- parasite-law-pinsk/28363781.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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Iran to unveil Karrar tank Sunday

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 11, IRNA -- Domestically-manufactured battle Karrar (Striker) tank would be unveiled in a ceremony on Sunday attended by Defense Minister Brigadier-General Hossein Dehqan, it was announced on Saturday.

Concurrent with the unveiling ceremony, the production line of Karrar tank will be inaugurated in Bani-Hashem Armor Complex in Dorud city in western province of Lorestan.

All the manufacturing process of the tank has taken place in Bani-Hashem Armor Complex.

Iran industry has been developing fast in the past few years. On March 7, the Saba-248 national helicopter was unveiled in a ceremony attended by Dehqan and Vice President for Scientific and Technological Affairs Sourena Sattari.

The helicopter has totally been designed and built by the experts of Iran Helicopter Logistics and Renovation Company affiliated to the ministry's Aviation Industries Organization.

Iran Helicopter Logistics and Renovation Company designed and built Saba-248 national helicopter in cooperation with the knowledge-based companies, universities and research and scientific centers.

The Saba-248 is a multifunctional helicopter with two engines and eight seats. It can be deployed to a wide variety of missions, including freight and passenger transport missions, rescue operations and aerial photography.

9060**1771

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Iran seeks constructive marine interaction with Russia: Commander

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 5:29PM

Iran seeks to bolster "good and constructive" marine cooperation with Russia, an Iranian naval commander says.

Captain Mohsen Sheidayee, the commander of a flotilla of Iranian warships, currently on a friendly visit to Makhachkala, the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan in Russia, made the comments in a meeting with the commander of the Russian Caspian Flotilla.

"The purpose of this trip is [to strengthen] good and constructive interaction with the focus on peace," Sheidayee said.

He noted that the country had succeeded in making great progress by relying on the know-how of young Iranian experts.

"We are proud to have turned threats into opportunities during the time of sanctions," he added.

The Russian commander, for his part, commended Iran's remarkable progress achieved in the naval industry thanks to the country's domestic expertise and capabilities.

He stressed the importance of promoting hope, friendship and peace among the Caspian Sea littoral states.

The Iranian naval fleet, comprised of the domestically-manufactured Damavand destroyer and missile-launching frigate Derafsh, berthed off the port of Makhachkala, on Thursday.

The flotilla is the fourth fleet dispatched by the Iranian Navy to its northern waters. The Navy has previously sent three fleets to Russia and one to Azerbaijan.

The Caspian Flotilla is the oldest Russian military fleet stationed in the Caspian Sea.

Iran Navy fleet returns home after five-month voyage

Meanwhile, the 44th flotilla of the Iranian Navy successfully ended its five-month mission in the high seas and returned home on Saturday.

The flotilla, consisting of the Alvand destroyer and the Bushehr logistic support vessel, succeeded in circumnavigating the African continent and sailed into the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in November 2016.

The 44th fleet embarked on a voyage for the high seas on October 5, 2016 to safeguard maritime routes used by the country's vessels and oil tankers against pirates.

It first crossed the Gulf of Aden and then docked at Tanzanian port city of Dar es Salaam on October 29, 2016 and remained there for three days. It later sailed through Mozambique's maritime border.

In February, Iranian naval forces successfully saved one of the country's merchant vessels in the strategic strait of Bab el-Mandeb from a Somali pirate attack. The Somali pirates, on board 11 speed boats, sought to attack the Iranian ship at the mouth of the passageway to hijack it.

However, the timely presence of the 44th flotilla of the Iranian Navy forced the pirates, who have acquired massive refueling and support boats as a result of their hauls, to flee.

The 44th flotilla also saved two Iranian ships from three pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden on October 17, 2016.

In recent years, Iran's Navy has increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.

In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, safeguarding merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.

Iran's Navy has managed to foil several attacks on both Iranian and foreign tankers during its missions in international waters.

Pakistani flotilla to dock in southern Iran

Elsewhere, a Pakistan Navy's flotilla of warships is scheduled to berth at the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Sunday for a three-day stay.

The Pakistani mission, comprising Navy ships Tippu Sultan and PNS Jurrat, will dock at Bandar Abbas in line with Tehran-Islamabad maritime interaction and with the purpose of strengthening the existing relations between the two countries, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

In October 2016, the 43rd flotilla of the Iranian Navy participated in a joint relief and rescue drill with Pakistani naval forces in waters off the port city of Karachi. It was consisted of Lavan logistic warship, Falakhan and Khanjar missile-equipped warships, Konarak troop-carrier warship and a domestically-manufactured helicopter.

Several exercises were carried out during the joint maneuver such as search and rescue training, helicopter vertical reference training, telecommunication exercises using flags, lights, radiographs and the formation and combination of the surface vessels of Iran and Pakistan.

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Iraq's Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters uncover mass grave of hundreds near Mosul

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:41PM

Iraqi fighters from pro-government Popular Mobilization Units have found a mass grave at a detention facility near the northern city of Mosul, which contained the remains of hundreds of people killed by Daesh Takfiri terrorists.

The media bureau of the forces -- commonly known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha'abi -- announced in a statement on Saturday that the fighters had found the grave inside Badush prison, located about 10 kilometers northwest of Mosul.

The statement added that the grave "contained the remains of around 500 civilian inmates, who were executed by Daesh gangs after they controlled the prison during their occupation of Mosul."

According to Human Rights Watch, Daesh extremists slaughtered up to 600 prisoners from Badush jail on June 10, 2014. The Takfiris forced the ill-fated inmates to kneel along a nearby ravine and then shot them dead with assault rifles.

Lawmaker Vian Dakhil, who is the only Izadi representative in the Iraqi Parliament, said at the time that Daesh terrorists had been holding more than 500 Izadi women at Badush.

Back in August 2014, Daesh terrorists overran the northwestern region of Sinjar, killing, raping, and enslaving large numbers of Izadi Kurds. The region was recaptured on November 13, 2015, during an operation by Kurdish Peshmerga forces and Izadi fighters.

The Office of Kidnapped Affairs in the northern Iraqi city of Dohuk says around 3,500 Izadi Kurds are held captive in Daesh-held areas, adding that a large proportion of the abductees are women and children.

Late February, a mass grave believed to contain the bodies of thousands of Iraqi security personnel killed at the hands of the Daesh Takfiri terrorists was found eight kilometers outside Mosul.

The British daily newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported that Khasfa sinkhole was the biggest mass grave in conflict-ridden Iraq as it was the resting place of an estimated 4,000 victims.

The body count at the natural depression outnumbers any other known sites in Iraq, especially the murder of about 1,700 Iraqi Air Force cadets in a June 2014 attack on Camp Speicher military base near the northern city of Tikrit.

Most of the ill-fated Iraqi policemen were shot and dumped into the pit just off the Baghdad-Mosul highway, while others lost their lives in vehicles driven over the edge of the sinkhole.

Iraqi army soldiers and allied Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters launched an offensive to retake Mosul last October and since then they have made sweeping gains against Takfiri elements.

Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting and launched the battle in the west on February 19.

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Russia Starts Preparations to Modernize Naval Base in Syrian Tartus

Sputnik News

18:31 11.03.2017

Viktor Ozerov, the head of the Russian Federation Council's defense committee, said that the capital modernization work of the naval base in Syria's Tartus will start by the end of 2017.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia has started survey works at the naval maintenance facility in Syria's Tartus, which are necessary for its modernization and the capital works are expected to begin by the end of the year, Viktor Ozerov, the head of the Russian Federation Council's defense committee, told Sputnik Saturday.

On Friday, a Navy source told Sputnik that upgrades at the naval base in Tartus would begin this spring and take around five years to complete.

"The survey works were launched, including those, connected in particular with the construction of a pipeline for fuel. We have started to prepare documents and Syrian companies will carry out a number of [modernization] works. We have started to reinforce quay walls and reconstruct temporary facilities of security services into permanent ones," Ozerov said.

According to Ozerov, the capital modernization work of the naval base will start by the end of 2017.

Tartus hosted the Russian Navy maintenance and support facility since 1977. Currently, the Tartus facility is the Russian Navy's only support base in the Mediterranean Sea.

The agreement between Russia and Syria on the expansion and upgrades of the Russian naval maintenance facility in the Syrian port of Tartus was signed on January 18. The agreement is supposed to be in effect for 49 years and to extend automatically for 25-year periods after that.

The deal stipulates that 11 Russian vessels can be present in the harbor of Tartus at once, including the ships equipped with with nuclear marine propulsion, provided that nuclear and environmental safety guidelines are respected.

 Sputnik

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Security Council encourages Syrian parties to take part in UN-supported talks 'without preconditions'

10 March 2017  Looking forward to the early resumption of the United Nations-facilitated intra-Syrian negotiations, the Security Council today encouraged the Syrian parties to return to talks in good faith "and to engage constructively and without preconditions" on the agenda set out by UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura when they resume.

In a press statement that follows a briefing earlier this week from Mr. de Mistura, the Council welcomed the conclusion of a further round of intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva on 3 March 2017. It further welcomed the Special Envoy's announcement that the talks had yielded a clear agenda for future negotiations as indicated by resolution 2254 (2015), focusing on governance; constitutional issues; elections; and counter terrorism, security and confidence building measures.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their commitment to ensuring the inclusion of Syrian women in the political process through sustained consultation and dialogue and promoting their full and effective participation.

Recognizing that the continuation of political negotiations was made possible by the ceasefire developed through the Astana process, the Council called on the Syrian parties to fully implement the ceasefire, established pursuant to the arrangements of 29 December 2016, including ending ceasefire violations and ensuring humanitarian access.

The Council also encouraged the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) members to use their influence over the parties to help end violations, reduce violence, build confidence and ensure safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access in line with its resolution 2165 (2014).

The ISSG established respective taskforces on humanitarian aid delivery and a wider ceasefire. They have been meeting separately since early 2016 on a way forward in the crisis. Russia and the United States are the co-chairs of the taskforces and the ISSG, which also comprises the UN, the Arab League, the European Union and 16 other countries.

In his briefing to the Council, Mr. de Mistura had expressed his intention "to bring the invitees back to Geneva for a fifth round with a target date of 23 March."

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Unauthorized forces in Syria are invaders: Syrian president

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 10:48AM

President Bashar Assad says all foreign troops deployed to his country without the approval of the Syrian government are invaders, apparently referring to US and Turkish forces.

Assad made the remark in an interview with China's PHOENIX TV, a script of which was released by Syria's official SANA news agency on Saturday.

Asked whether Damascus had given the green light for the recent deployment of American forces in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, he replied, "No, no, we didn't."

"Any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation or consultation or permission, they are invaders, whether they are American, Turkish, or any other one," Assad said.

"And we don't think this is going to help. What are they going to do? To fight ISIS (Daesh)? The Americans lost nearly every war," he added.

The US "didn't succeed anywhere they sent troops, they only create a mess; they are very good in creating problems and destroying, but they are very bad in finding solutions," he added.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that the US had deployed a small number of combat forces in and around Manbij in a bid to prevent clashes between the Turkish- and US-backed forces operating in the area.

The deployment was the first of its kind by the US in Manbij. American forces have carried out training and advising missions in the city before.

Turkey, too, has deployed forces to Syria in a violation of the Arab country's sovereignty.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Assad stressed that the solution to the Syrian conflict had to be focused on two parallel ways, namely dialog and the fight against terrorism, which he said the government is responsible for.

'Referendum on the political future of Syria'

He further said that Syrian people had to decide about the country's future.

Referring to the people of Syria, he said, "They're going to have referendum about what they want." He did not explain.

Asked about the situation in Raqqah, where Daesh terrorists have amassed, the Syrian leader said government forces had come "very close" to the city.

Daesh has declared Raqqah its so-called headquarters in Syria, and Syrian government forces have been planning to liberate the city.

"Yesterday, our troops reached the Euphrates River, which is very close to Raqqah City, so it's going to be a priority for us, but that doesn't mean the other cities are not priority," he said.

'Nothing concrete by Trump, yet'

Moreover, Assad emphasized that he had not seen "anything concrete yet" from US President Donald Trump, who has used harsh rhetoric about the fight on Daesh.

The counter-terrorism fight "cannot be from the air, it should be in cooperation with the troops on the ground, that's why the Russians succeeded," he said, stressing that Moscow had supported the Syrian army in the push against Daesh and prevented its expansion.

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President Bashar Assad Hopes Syrian War Will End in 2017

Sputnik News

11:56 11.03.2017(updated 12:13 11.03.2017)

In an interview with Chinese Phoenix Television, published by the news agency SANA, President Bashar Assad said he hopes Syrian war will end in 2017.

According to Assad, at the beginning of the war, Syrians did not understand "what was going on in the country," and they believed in "the Western propaganda."

"We always hope that this year will be the last. However, this is war, so we can not say what exactly may happen," Assad said.

The civil war in Syria has been lasting for six years with government troops fighting against numerous opposition factions and terrorist organizations such as Jabhat Fatah al Sham and Daesh.

The nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime was introduced on December 30, 2016, with Russia and Turkey being its guarantors. Terrorist organizations are not part of the ceasefire.

 Sputnik

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Damascus Didn't Consent to US Military Presence in Manbij - Bashar Assad

Sputnik News

11:30 11.03.2017(updated 12:36 11.03.2017)

Syrian President Bashar Assad does not consider presence of the US military in Syria as helpful in fight against terrorism.

Moreover, Damascus did not consent to the US military presence in the area of Manbij city, President Assad added.

"No, no, we didn't. Any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation or consultation or permission, they are invaders, whether they are American, Turkish, or any other one. And we don't think this is going to help," Assad said in an interview with Chinese Phoenix Television, published by the SANA news agency, in response to a question on where the Syrian government gave a green light to the deployment.

The United States has deployed a small number of additional troops to Syria's Manbij on a new mission focused on reassurance and deterrence, US Department of Defense spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis said in a briefing on March 6.

"We have made visible actions in deploying US forces as part of the coalition in and around Manbij to reassure and deter, and that is to deter parties from attacking any other parties other than ISIS [Daesh] itself," Davis told reporters.

There is no room yet for cooperation between the United States and Syria, despite common task in fighting terrorism, Syrian President Bashar Assad emphasized.

"Yeah, in theory, yes, but practically, not yet, because there's no link between Syria and the United States on the formal level. Even their raids against ISIS that I just mentioned, which are only a few raids, happened without the cooperation or the consultation with the Syrian Army or the Syrian government which is illegal as we always say. So, theoretically we share those goals, but particularly, not yet," Assad said in an interview with Chinese Phoenix Television, published by the SANA news agency.

The president also noted that the only serious force that effectively fights against Daesh in Syria is Russia.

"The only serious party in that regard is Russia, which is effectively attacking ISIS in cooperation with us," Assad said in an interview with Chinese Phoenix Television, published by the SANA news agency.

He added that the presence of the United States, on the other hand, was not helpful in fight against terrorism.

"They [the United States] didn't succeed anywhere they sent troops, they only create a mess; they are very good in creating problems and destroying, but they are very bad in finding solutions," Assad said commenting on the presence of US troops in Syria.

Geneva Peace Talks

Speaking about the latest round of Geneva peace talks, Bashar Assad said that the Syrian government did not expect the negotiations to produce any results but considers the meeting to be a first step in the right direction.

"We didn't expect Geneva to produce anything, but it's a step, and it's going to be a long way, and you may have other rounds, whether in Geneva or in Astana," Assad said in an interview with Chinese Phoenix Television, published by the SANA news agency.

He stressed that the Syrian government went to the talks despite reserves over what it considers terrorist groups being represented in the opposition delegation as it hopes that terrorists could give up their ideology and return to normal life.

"We went to that meeting because we think any kind of dialogue could be a good step toward the solution, because even those people who are terrorists or belonging to the terrorists or to other countries, they may change their mind and go back to their normality by going back to being real Syrians," the president said.

UN-backed Syrian peace talks in Geneva were meant to be used by various states as a tool to apply pressure on the Syrian government rather than strive for settling the country's six-year conflict, Syrian President Bashar Assad said Saturday.

"We didn't forge this mechanism; it was forged by de Mistura and the UN with the influence of the countries that wanted to use those negotiations in order to make pressure on Syria, not to reach any resolution," Assad said in an interview with Chinese Phoenix Television, published by the SANA news agency.

The latest round of Geneva talks did not involve actual settlement negotiations but merely outlined the shape of future discussions, he added.

 Sputnik

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UNSC: Astana Ceasefire Agreement Enabled Continuation of Syrian Political Talks

Sputnik News

02:10 11.03.2017(updated 02:47 11.03.2017)

The UN Security Council says that the continuation of the intra-Syrian political dialogue in Geneva became a possibility because of the ceasefire agreement achieved during talks in Astana.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  The continuation of the intra-Syrian political dialogue in Geneva became a possibility because of the ceasefire agreement achieved during talks in Astana, which should be fully implemented, the UN Security Council statement said in a statement.

"The members of the Security Council recognized that the continuation of political negotiations was made possible by the ceasefire developed through the Astana process," the statement noted on Friday. "The members of the Security Council called on the Syrian parties to fully implement the ceasefire, established pursuant to the arrangements of 29 December 2016."

Members of the Council expressed full support for Un Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura and his efforts to "facilitate the lasting political settlement of the Syrian crisis".

They also welcomed the recent announcement of the planned continuation of intra-Syria negotiations that will focus on governance, constitutional issues, elections, and counter terrorism, security and confidence building measures.

Members of the Council called on the International Syria Support Group members to exercise their influence over the stakeholders to help "end violations, reduce violence, build confidence and ensure safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access".

 Sputnik

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Twin Blasts Kill at Least 46 in Damascus

By VOA News March 11, 2017

At least 46 people, most of them Iraqi pilgrims, were killed and more than 120 others wounded Saturday in Damascus in twin bombings that targeted a religious shrine.

Images from the scene showed several wrecked tourist buses, with eyeglasses, shoes, cellphones and a mangled wheelchair scattered in the bloodstained wreckage.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. However, Islamic State militants and other Sunni extremists have carried out similar attacks in the past against Shi'ite shrines in Syria and neighboring Iraq, including a double bombing last June that killed 12 people at a shrine in a Damascus suburb.

Syrian authorities and monitors cited conflicting reports about the cause of the blasts. State television said bombs had been planted in the Syrian capital's Bab al-Saghir cemetery, which includes a shrine where Shi'ites venerate some of the early figures of their faith. The Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah, however, said suicide bombers carried explosives to the shrine, which marks one of the seven gates to the Old City of Damascus.

All accounts agreed that the two explosions were detonated 10 to 15 minutes apart, which meant many casualties occurred when the crowds rushed to the blast scene to offer help and the second bomb exploded.

Assad interview

In a separate development Saturday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed that his army would continue an offensive against Islamic State all the way to the extremists' de facto capital, Raqqa, even as a rival, U.S.-coordinated Kurdish force prepares an all-out assault on the same extremist stronghold.

Assad spoke in an interview aired Saturday by Hong Kong-based satellite Phoenix television.

Asked about the deployment of 500 U.S. troops last week at Manbij, Assad said that "any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation ... are invaders."

Three rival anti-jihadist armies are now converging on the area northwest of Raqqa: a Turkish force and allied Sunni fighters; Assad's largely Shi'ite army, backed by Russia and Shi'ite militias that Iran supplies; and the U.S.-backed Kurdish force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The close proximity of those forces has prompted warnings that long-standing antipathy between Turkey and Kurdish fighters in the SDF could boil over into conflict ahead of any combined assault on Raqqa.

The Pentagon described the U.S. deployment this week as a precautionary move aimed at keeping the rival forces in and near Manbij from attacking each other.

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Turkey summons Dutch charge d'affaires over canceling FM's flight permit

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:54PM

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned the Netherlands' charge d'affaires in Ankara after authorities in the Dutch city of Rotterdam withdrew the landing permission for Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane in an escalating row over Turkey's campaign rallies in Europe.

"We have summoned the Dutch deputy ambassador today," said an official from the foreign ministry on Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity, a few hours after the Dutch government announced that it had barred the Turkish minister from landing on the soil of the Netherlands, citing "public safety" and "security" concerns.

Cavusoglu had planned to attend and address a massive rally scheduled to be held by the supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Rotterdam in an attempt to whip up support for a "Yes" vote among tens of thousands of Turkish voters ahead of the April 16 referendum on whether to increase Erdogan's power.

The European country is currently home to 400,000 people of Turkish origin.

Cavusoglu also had plans to hold a meeting at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam later on Saturday, after the conclusion of the rally. In an interview with the CNNTurk conducted earlier in the day and after the announcement of the travel ban, he said if the Dutch government refused to let him land on the Netherlands' soil later in the day, Ankara would impose sanctions on the European country.

"If the Netherlands cancels my flight clearance today, then we will impose severe sanctions on it that will affect it economically and politically," he said, stressing that he would travel to the Netherlands later in the day.

Meanwhile, the Turkish president lashed out at the Dutch government for at the decision, saying the ban was reminiscent of Nazism. He said Ankara would retaliate.

"How will your country's [diplomatic] flights come here now after not granting permission to our foreign minister?" Erdogan asked the Dutch authorities, speaking at a ceremony in Istanbul on Saturday. He added that authorities in the Netherlands "neither know politics nor international diplomacy These are the remnants of Nazis, they are fascists."

Also on Saturday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte responded to the threats of sanctions made by the Turkish president and foreign minister, saying, "Of course we can never negotiate with Turks under such threats. So then, we decided  that it was better for him not to come to the Netherlands."

He also said that the Dutch government had earlier told Turkish authorities that "we are against such a visit because this is a Turkish minister and we don't think it is right for Turkish ministers to campaign in the Netherlands amongst Dutch people with potentially a Turkish passport, but first of all Dutch people, to campaign in the Netherlands."

Rutte said Erdogan's Nazi comments were "crazy, out of line."

Amsterdam had previously expressed opposition to Ankara's plans for holding a referendum rally there.

In addition to the Netherlands, Germany has also canceled two Turkish ministers' plans for rallies.

If Erdogan wins the referendum, he would be able to serve for a maximum of two five-year-long mandates, which means he could stay in office for two more terms until 2029, with the next elections scheduled for 2019.

The new Turkish constitution would also reportedly pave the way for the abolition of the post of prime minister, in which Erdogan served from 2003 until 2014, and enable the appointment of vice presidents. It would also empower the president to hire and fire ministers.

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Netherlands bars Turkish FM's plane from landing

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 11:27AM

The Netherlands has barred a plane carrying the Turkish foreign minister from landing to drum up support for an April referendum in Turkey, saying the trip was be a threat to public order.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Saturday said Turkey's call for a massive rally had upset discussions under which his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu would have been allowed to enter the European country.

The ban came despite Ankara's threat of sanctions against Amsterdam if the Dutch government canceled Cavusoglu's visit.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at the decision, saying the ban was reminiscent of Nazism and pledged to retaliate.

Cavusolgu had told CNN Turk earlier in the day, "I am going to Rotterdam today, if the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy."

The Dutch premier slammed the threat of sanctions, saying such a move "made a reasonable solution impossible."

Cavusoglu denounced "fascist practices" by the Dutch government against rallies aimed at gathering support among Turkish citizens in the Netherlands in the April 16 referendum on giving executive powers to Erdogan.

Amsterdam had previously expressed opposition to Ankara's plans for holding a referendum rally there. Germany has also canceled two Turkish ministers' plans for rallies.

During the Saturday interview, the Turkish foreign minister said German and Dutch bans on campaigns for a 'Yes' vote in the upcoming referendum on constitutional changes means that Europe is "taking a side for a 'No' vote."

On February 10, Erdogan approved a bill earlier adopted by the parliament that will change the country's political system into a presidential one if approved in the referendum.

The European Council said the amendments would give the president "the power to dissolve parliament on any grounds whatsoever, which is fundamentally alien to democratic presidential systems."

The president would be able to serve for a maximum of two five-year-long mandates. That means Erdogan could end up staying in office for two more terms until 2029, with the next elections scheduled for 2019.

The new constitution would also reportedly pave the way for the abolition of the post of prime minister, in which Erdogan served from 2003 until 2014, and enable the appointment of vice presidents. It would also empower the president to hire and fire ministers.

The proposed constitutional changes have been met with widespread protests across the country, with critics claiming that the ruling party is using last year's botched putsch to expand Erdogan's authority and crackdown on opposition.

More than 250 were killed during the coup on July 15, when a group of army soldiers and police officers attempted to oust Erdogan. After suppressing the coup, Erdogan ordered a massive crackdown, which has seen more than 40,000 people jailed and some 110,000 others discharged from their jobs.

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Proposed constitutional reforms in Turkey non-democratic: Council of Europe

Iran Press TV

Sat Mar 11, 2017 6:30AM

The Council of Europe has censured a hotly-pursued drive by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to change the country's parliamentary ruling system to a presidential one.

In a non-binding statement on Friday, a legal panel of the Council said the controversial political change in Turkey would be a "dangerous step backwards" for democracy.

Erdogan submitted the proposed constitutional reforms to the Turkish parliament in January. The legislature approved the draft, and a referendum has been scheduled for April 16 for the public to weigh in on the reforms.

The European panel said the amendments would give the president "the power to dissolve parliament on any grounds whatsoever, which is fundamentally alien to democratic presidential systems."

The president would be able to serve for a maximum of two five-year-long mandates. That means that Erdogan could end up staying in office for two more terms until 2029, with the next elections scheduled for 2019.

The new constitution would also reportedly pave the way for the abolition of the post of prime minister, in which Erdogan served from 2003 until 2014, and enable the appointment of vice presidents. It would also empower the president to hire and fire ministers.

The panel said such a presidential system would be weakening the "already inadequate system of judicial oversight of the executive."

The Council is to release its comprehensive legal opinion on the matter on Monday.

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Erdogan Calls Dutch 'Nazi Remnants' After Landing Permission Denied For Turkish Foreign Minister

RFE/RL March 11, 2017

A diplomatic spat between Turkey and the Netherlands over attempts by Ankara to campaign for a referendum escalated throughout March 11 -- with tit-for-tat reactions in both countries -- after Dutch authorities denied the Turkish foreign minister's plane permission to land.

By late evening on March 11, officials from both countries were being blocked from entering their own diplomatic buildings in each other's countries.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted angrily to the blocking of the Turkish foreign minister's plane, threatening to respond in kind against diplomats from the Netherlands and describing the Dutch as "Nazi remnants" and "fascists."

It is the second time in a week that Erdogan has used the word "Nazi" in criticizing one of Turkey's NATO allies, having accused Germany on March 5 of "Nazi practices" for withdrawing authorizations for Turkish campaign rallies.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters on March 11 that Erdogan had made "a crazy remark" that was "way out of line."

Rutte said he understood that Turkish officials are angry, and that the Dutch government "will do everything to keep the relations with Turkey as good as possible, as strong as possible."

"But, of course, today was not a good day in the Turkish-Dutch relations," Rutte said.

The Dutch government on March 11 barred the aircraft of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing, saying it had withdrawn the permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by Cavusoglu's proposed visit to Rotterdam.

Cavusoglu wanted to hold a rally to promote a Turkish referendum to give enhanced powers to Erdogan, which is scheduled for next month.

Rotterdam authorities had already barred him from addressing the Turkish rally there, with mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb saying that it would pose a threat to "public order."

However, Aboutaleb had earlier said there was no question of him being excluded from the Netherlands.

Cavusoglu responded that Turkey would respond with harsh economic and political sanctions if he were banned.

The Dutch government explained the refusal in its statement by saying that the Turkish threat of sanctions made the search for a "reasonable solution" impossible.

Turkish Minister Denied Entry To Consulate

Erdogan on March 11 also threatened to retaliate by barring Dutch diplomats from flying to Turkey, and he said the Netherlands' behavior was reminiscent of Nazism.

"They are Nazi remnants, they are fascists," Erdogan told an Istanbul rally. "Ban our foreign minister from flying however much you like, but from now on let's see how your flights will land in Turkey."

Later on March 11, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to return to Ankara from his current leave "for some time."

Meanwhile, Dutch public broadcaster NOS aired footage of Turkey's Family Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya being blocked by Dutch police from entering the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam on March 11.

NOS said that Kaya, who arrived in Holland from neighboring Germany by car, was not arrested.

Kaya confirmed on Twitter that she was blocked by Dutch police 30 meters from the Turkish Consulate building and was not being allowed to enter.

Following that incident, officials in Turkey's Foreign Ministry said the Dutch embassy and consulate in Ankara were closed off "due to security reasons" -- along with the Ankara residences of the Dutch ambassador, charge d'affaires, and consul general.

In a statement, the ministry said: "It has been explained to our counterparts that this grave decision taken against Turkey and the Dutch Turkish community will cause serious problems diplomatically, politically, economically, and in other areas."

As that statement was being issued, Cavusoglu's plane arrived late on March 11 in Paris where he plans to speak at a March 12 political rally.

German Rebuke

Officials in several major European cities have banned rallies by senior Turkish politicians to promote a constitutional referendum among members of Turkey's European diaspora.

Four planned Turkish political rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland were also canceled, amid growing signs of unease across Europe over Turkey's drive to gain support for President Erdogan ahead of a referendum on April 16 to enhance his powers.

Turkish politicians want to attract the votes of the Turkish community in Europe ahead of the April 16 referendum on whether to boost Erdogan's powers.

Similar cancellations in Germany led Erdogan to accuse Berlin of "Nazi practices," a jibe which drew a sharp rebuke from Germany's leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, who labeled the comparison as "unacceptable."

Relations between Turkey and the European Union have deteriorated in recent months, with Erdogan angry at criticism from EU members for waging a mass crackdown on opponents since he saw off a coup attempt last July.

Swiss police cited "significant security risks" for their decision to cancel a speech by a Turkish politician on March 10 in the evening.

Foreign Minister Cavusoglu is still looking for a new venue for an event on March 12 after one hotel near Zurich pulled out on security grounds and an alternative, in the city of Winterthur, was rejected as inappropriate.

The town of Hoerbranz, in Austria, cancelled a meeting with a former Turkish minister because it had falsely been labelled as a book presentation. Other events were scrapped in Linz, Herzogenburg, and Wiener Neustadt.

With reporting by AFP and BBC

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-cavusoglu- rotterdam-public-rally-ban/28363506.html/a>

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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Ankara 'Will Retaliate': Erdogan Squares Off as Netherlands Keeps Turkish FM Out

Sputnik News

18:13 11.03.2017(updated 01:34 12.03.2017)

Turkey will retaliate over the Netherlands refusing to let Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane land in the country, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the Dutch authorities refused to let Cavusoglu land over security concerns. The foreign minister had planned to hold a Turkish expat rally at the Turkish embassy in the run up to April's constitutional referendum. The incident followed rally bans in several other European countries.

"Turkey will retaliate after the constitutional referendum on April 16. Ankara can be patient We'll see if your planes will be able to land in Turkey. I mean in terms of diplomacy rather than regular passengers. This is another issue that will have to be looked into," Erdogan said, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

Earlier in the day, Cavusoglu threatened the Netherlands with sanctions in case the Dutch authorities prevented him from meeting with Turkish expats.

Ankara has been seeking support from Turkish expats for a constitutional change that would increase the president's powers. Despite the Turkish leadership's efforts a number of pre-voting rallies were canceled in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

 Sputnik

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Turkey-Europe Row Deepens, But Germany Wants Ankara Onside

By Henry Ridgwell March 11, 2017

Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, was barred Saturday from landing in the Netherlands as opposition grows to Turkish campaigning throughout the European Union.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the action strongly, calling his NATO partner a "Nazi remnant" - the second comparison he has made between a European nation and Nazis this week.

"It was a crazy remark, of course," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters Saturday. "I understand they are angry but this is, of course, way out of line."

Shortly after these comments, state-run Anadolu news agency announced that Turkey's Family Minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, who currently is in Germany, would travel to the Netherlands by land, even though the events at which she was scheduled to speak have since been canceled.

Many European Union countries objected to visits by Turkish ministers campaigning ahead of a referendum to change Turkey's constitution. Ankara wants to drum up support among the millions of Turks living in Europe to give Erdogan more powers, which could see him remain in office until 2029.

Tensions have been building for several days, as local authorities in Austria and Germany blocked appearances by Turkish ministers hoping to rally supporters in Europe.

Cavusoglu invited supporters onto the grounds of its consulate in Hamburg on Tuesday, after he was barred from using another building in the German city.

Berlin called Erdogan's earlier comparison of Germany's response to the actions of the Nazis "unjustifiable."

'No room' for campaigning

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders waded into the debate this week ahead of a planned rally at The Hague.

"We are in Holland here, not in Turkey, and a Turkish minister has no room here to lobby for somebody like Erdogan, who is a mere dictator," Wilders said.

Ankara blames what it calls growing fascism in Europe - and has cast the rift as an attempt by Europe to influence the outcome of the April 16 referendum.

Analyst Kamran Matin of the University of Sussex says Turkey has sought to exploit the rift.

"It was really stemming from the German authorities' concern for the German-Kurdish relation within Germany because a large number of Turkish citizens living there are of Kurdish origin," Matin said. "But I think the Turkish government and Recep Tayyip Erdogan especially, they very quickly seized on this and rechanneled it toward their campaign for changing the structure of the state."

Europe has made clear its concerns over the path of the Turkish government. More than 40,000 people have been arrested since a failed coup last July  including last month's arrest of a German journalist based in Turkey. The EU fears giving the president more powers would further undermine democracy.

But Europe - and especially Germany - needs to keep Turkey onside, according to Matin.

"The refugee deal they have with the EU, and especially with respect to Germany, is crucial leverage they have over Germany," he said. "And the flow of refugees would have immediate impact in German domestic politics. Turkey is such a geopolitically important state and actor for not only European countries, but the entire Western bloc, especially facing the resurgence of Russia."

Berlin has voiced hope that diplomatic relations will improve after the referendum.

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GCHQ spies have warned political parties the next General Election is at risk of Russian cyber-attacks.

The intelligence agency plans to educate politicians on the threat from the Kremlin after its spies were accused of tampering with elections in the US and Germany.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre, has written to leaders of all the main political parties to offer advice on how to resist attacks.

A seminar will also be held for MPs, it has been revealed.

According to The Sunday Times, the letter said: "You will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system.

"This is not just about the network security of political parties' own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts."

Last month, Mr Martin warned that 188 high-level cyber-attacks, "many of which threatened national security", had struck Britain since November.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, a former defence and foreign secretary, said the NCSC has been blocking "potential attacks" on Government departments at a rate of around 200 hacks a day.

The news emerged after US intelligence services accused Russia of breaching Democratic National Committee computers in an attempt to interfere with the presidential election won by Donald Trump.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency warned in December that Russia was trying to influence the upcoming federal elections with "increasingly aggressive cyber espionage".

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson attempted to play down the revelations when he told ITV's Peston On Sunday: "We have no evidence that the Russians are actually involved in trying to undermine our democratic processes at the moment.

"We don't actually have that evidence.

"But what we do have is plenty of evidence that the Russians are capable of doing that.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now

"And there is no doubt that they have been up to all sorts of dirty tricks - bringing down French TV stations, you have seen what has happened in the United States where there is no question at all that they were involved in the hacking of the Democratic National Convention.

"You have seen what happened in Montenegro, where there was an attempted coup in a European state and possibly even an attempted assassination of the leader of that state."

"Now there is very little doubt that the Russians are behind these things, to say nothing of what they have done in Ukraine."
Most of us will visit a doctor when we are sick, experiencing a new health problem or in pain, but to stay healthy, it is important that we visit our primary care physicians regularly even when we are well.

A recent study found only about 21 percent of Americans get yearly health exams, compared to 65 percent who see their dentists at least once a year. Annual physical exams, like routine dental visits, are a critical element in maintaining good health. While a yearly examination may seem unnecessary, especially if you feel great, this regular visit with your doctor can offer valuable help in preventing health surprises and setbacks down the road.

Annual checkups are vital in our ability to prevent health problems and diagnose them as early as possible, but, unfortunately, only a small fraction of the population who could benefit from a yearly exam with their primary care physician will receive one this year. Early diagnosis of many conditions  from cancer, to heart disease, to infections  gives us the best chance at achieving the best health outcome possible. We recommend that everyone discuss with their doctor if they could benefit from a yearly checkup.

Danville Regional Medical Center can help connect you and your family with a primary care physician who can perform a checkup and help you get started on a regular exam schedule that is right for you. You can call DRMCs toll-free physician referral line, (800) 424-DOCS (3627), for personalized assistance.

What is a primary care physician?

Primary care physicians consist of family physicians and general practitioners, general internists, general pediatricians and geriatricians. They are the doctors who are typically responsible for diagnosing new illnesses, managing chronic ones, advocating preventive care and protecting the wellness of their communities.

Primary care providers are usually a patients first contact and principal point of continuing care within a health care system. Continuity is a key characteristic of this practice of medicine. Having a consistent primary care physician allows you to consult the same practitioner for routine check-ups, preventative care and consultations about emerging health concerns.

What happens during a regular check up with a primary care physician?

Doctors use a physical exam to see how the body is performing and monitor vital signs such as weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and other markers. Depending on a patients personal health history, a doctor may choose to focus on certain areas of a physical exam such as additional blood pressure and cholesterol screenings for patients with a family history of heart disease.

Beyond improving a persons health, an annual checkup also is an opportunity to foster the doctor-patient relationship, which enables the doctor to sense minute changes in the patients health that can only be identified with a level of familiarity.

Additionally, yearly exams are the best way for a doctor to monitor patients to ensure they are getting the preventative health screenings at appropriate times.

Are annual exams expensive?

Getting an annual exam doesnt have to be expensive. Most insurance plans fully cover one checkup each year. Contact your insurance provider for details regarding your plans coverage.

For more information about primary care and the benefits of annual exams, contact DRMC at (434) 799-2100.
on a bustling commercial street in a hip neighborhood of a newly revived city. You cruise the sidewalk, checking out the businesses that line the glitziest block or two. Heres what youre likely to see: a high-end restaurant with pricey small plates and an ambitious chef; a gourmet pizzeria with locally sourced toppings; an artisanal yogurt shop; a microbrewery; and a coffeehouse. And maybe another coffeehouse.A thought pops into your head: This isnt a business district, at least not in the old-fashioned sense. This is a food corridor. Scarcely any commerce other than restaurants exists here. What were talking about is cafe urbanism.In many comeback neighborhoods, its a reasonable estimate that locally owned restaurants are responsible for at least three-quarters of the resurgence. They are a fundamental source of the increased sales and property tax revenue that these rejuvenated areas enjoy. And serious scholars have argued that cafe urbanism can be an engine for the broader success of the surrounding metropolitan area. Back in 2001, the economist Edward Glaeser and two co-authors studied local economic performance and found that the number of downtown restaurants existing in a metro area was a consistent predictor of population growth. More recently, the transportation researcher Matthew Holian wrote that a boom in a regions city center restaurants could be linked to reduced auto travel and lower greenhouse gas pollution.While those conclusions may be a bit of a stretch, it seems undeniable that cafe urbanism has been a genuine blessing for cities that have been able to achieve it. But what if, over the next few years, it starts to peter out?That may already be happening. In 2016, according to one reputable study, the number of independently owned restaurants in the United States -- especially the relatively pricey ones that represent the core of cafe urbanism -- declined by about 3 percent after years of steady growth. The remaining ones were reporting a decline in business from a comparable month in the previous year. Were seeing more upscale restaurants closing, industry analyst Warren Solocheck told one reporter last fall. Mainstream media sources have begun using the phrase restaurant recession.The numbers arent definitive, and they could be misleading. But they jibe ominously well with whats been happening in the place where I live, the Clarendon district of Arlington, Va., just outside Washington, D.C.Clarendon is a textbook case of the cafe urbanism phenomenon. Thirty years ago, it was a tired and boring old commercial corridor, the faded downtown of an inner suburb that no longer seemed to need one. Then the restaurants came in, most of them opened by Vietnamese and other Asian immigrants eager to take advantage of depressed storefront rental costs. These establishments proved so unexpectedly successful that by the mid-1990s, Clarendon had become a mecca for eateries of all ethnicities and price ranges. In the first decade of the new century, the balance began to tilt toward white tablecloths and entrepreneurial chefs. Curious visitors began coming to Clarendon from all over the Washington metropolitan area, and tourists began stopping by to check it out.Five years ago, the few adjoining blocks that make up commercial Clarendon offered adventurous diners a bonanza of intriguing choices: foie gras, sesame seared tuna, charred baby octopus, bison carpaccio. Most of the restaurants seemed to be doing well. A couple of them closed in 2012, but the local consensus was that they were victims of uneven quality or an excess of close-by competition. Most of those remaining seemed to be attracting healthy crowds for dinner on ordinary evenings.Nobody was predicting what happened in Clarendon in 2016 -- a wave of failures that amounted to a local restaurant die-off. Within the space of a few months, nearly a dozen major restaurants closed their doors, many of them well liked by reviewers and locally popular, some of them fixtures in the neighborhood going back a decade or more.The immediate reaction to the die-off was to look for purely local causes. Clarendon had lost a substantial share of its daytime office population to federal staffing cutbacks, depriving some of the restaurants of the lunch trade they needed. Then there was a transportation/density issue: Clarendon isnt especially friendly to automobile traffic, and some proprietors felt there might not be enough people living within walking distance to support a dozen high-end restaurants in a small urbanized space.just happening in Clarendon. It appears to be the case in lots of other demographically similar parts of the country as well.The fact is that most of the chic independent restaurants that bring excitement to gentrifying neighborhoods have never been especially profitable. According to the National Restaurant Association, a dining establishment that charges the typical customer $25 for a meal may clear a profit of about 4.5 percent on its operations -- and that figure does not include the capital costs for construction work on the restaurant or the debt service owed to the lender who financed that work. Given its dicey profit margins, an independent restaurant may need to be crowded most of the time to be financially healthy. Some manage to pull this off, at least in hot neighborhoods of big cities, but a larger number dont achieve it on a sustained basis.Even restaurants that turn in good numbers at the cash register are getting hit by escalating costs. Places like Arlington have become much more expensive to live in over the past couple of decades, and they have also become more expensive to do business in. Commercial property taxes have risen quite a bit in Clarendon in recent years. Its the landlord who has to pay these taxes, but often its the restaurant tenant who ends up covering most of the increase in the form of higher rents. Rents are skyrocketing all over our area, says Kathy Hollinger, who heads the Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Association. Some of it is becoming alarming. They cant keep laying on these expenses. Or, as food writer Kevin Alexander put it last year, Your success often ends up pricing you out of the hood you helped revitalize.On top of all that, theres the issue of labor costs. No one disputes that theyve been rising pretty substantially in the restaurant business. Labor is estimated to represent about one-third of restaurant expenses. Much of this is minimum-wage labor, at least in the kitchen, but as the minimum wage goes up in much of the country, it becomes an increasing factor in overall costs. This hasnt been an issue in Arlington in past years, but its an ongoing problem for San Francisco, Seattle and other cities that are seeing dramatic increases in the wages of their least-well-paid workers -- partly the result of local minimum-wage mandates. In one survey in San Francisco, a quarter of the restaurants going out of business cited higher wage costs as a reason for their demise. Thats not an argument against better pay; its just a piece of the larger puzzle.Overall, its possible to survey the restaurant scene in gentrified America and conclude that nothing terribly worrisome is taking place. Arlington still has more than its share of nice places to eat, and if you look out a little more broadly, at the much larger District of Columbia next door, you see that theres been a virtual explosion of creativity and culinary entrepreneurship that doesnt seem to be ending.But if you extrapolate from the most recent numbers, its also possible to envision another scenario for many communities a few years down the road: a combination of a few very expensive special occasion restaurants, along with high-profit-margin drinking establishments and low-end pizza-and-burger chains, with a gradual erosion of the more adventuresome, more interesting independent dining places that have been the catalyst for so many reviving neighborhoods. As our societal problems go, I wouldnt argue that this ranks near the top of the list of calamities. But if youre the mayor of a city or suburb that has been reaping the benefits of cafe urbanism, you might want to ponder whether theres something you can do to prevent the gradual demise of your golden goose.Im no expert in restaurant economics. But a few issues seem to stand out as simple common sense. One is the crucial role of rents and leases. Local governments can insulate restaurants against some of the worst depredations of the market by guaranteeing them a chance to renegotiate their rental terms on a fair basis when the lease comes up for renewal. Several cities have done this or contemplated doing it; New York has been debating it for years. Another is licenses and permits. Several of the restaurateurs familiar with the Clarendon situation insist that the countys regulatory strictures have been unhelpfully burdensome. This may or may not be true, but its something governments probably should be paying more attention to.Underlying this whole subject is the question of whether cafe urbanism is a sufficient strategy for sustaining long-term urban revival. It would be encouraging to walk down the street portrayed at the beginning of this column and find, in addition to a cluster of restaurants, a hardware store, a drugstore, a grocery and maybe a clothing store or two. No local government can snap its fingers and lure businesses like these to its commercial streets. Stand-alone hardware stores are, in most of the country, a relic of times past. Groceries come into reviving neighborhoods when the residential population grows large enough to support them. Still, its worth pointing out that, in the end, the secret ingredient of a sustainable neighborhood comeback is commercial diversity. Cafes are wonderful; in some places, they may not prove to be enough.
Bhuma suffers heart attack, critical

Senior politician and Nandyal MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy suffered a massive heart attack on Sunday morning. His condition is critical, according to latest reports.

Bhuma, who had shifted loyalties from YSR Congress party to the Telugu Desam Party last year, met TDP president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada on Thursday along with the MPTCs and ZPTCs supporting the party in the ongoing MLC elections. He returned to his residence Allagadda late in the night.

At around 8.30 am on Sunday morning, Bhuma suffered a massive stroke and he was immediately shifted to a private hospital at Allagadda. Later, he was shifted to Nandyal hospital for better treatment. He was kept on ventilator. Doctors said his condition is critical. His daughter Akhila Priya, who was in Ahobilam in the morning, rushed to Nandyal.

Naidu called up Akhila and assured that the government would take care of all the necessary needs to provide him better treatment.

He also spoke to Kurnool collector and asked him to arrange a helicopter to shift Bhuma to Hyderabad, if necessary. I pray for his recovery, Naidu tweeted.

This is the third time that Bhuma suffered the heart attack. In the past, he also underwent a bypass surgery for his heart ailment, party sources said.
Judith Bingham celebrates her 100th birthday at Heartland Living and Rehabilitation today with family, friends and staff. She was born on March 13, 1917, in Winnipeg, Canada.

School: She received her masters degree in psychiatric social work at the University of Minnesota.

Job: She worked in the field of social work for many years in Buffalo, N.Y., and New York City. She moved to Greensboro, where she began her ministry in Christian counseling, in 1968.

Fun facts: She is still a faithful prayer warrior, counselor and friend today. She attributes her long life to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

***

Margaret Ware Wrape of Greensboro celebrated her 100th birthday on March 7 with close family and friends. Margaret was born in Kings Mountain and was one of nine children.

School and work: After graduating high school at 17, Margaret moved to Charlotte to attend business school. After completing these courses, she was employed as office manager for Standard Oil Company for five years.

Family: She was married to Van Wrape. She has lived with daughter Debbie Stanton and son-in-law Dwight, along with their dogs and cat, for 11 years. Her other daughter, Molly, and son-in-law, Milton Newton live one block away along with their dog. She has two grandsons, twin great-granddaughters and a great-grandson.

Fun facts: Her father was the local blacksmith, and her mother was a resourceful homemaker. Wrape lived in Burlington for 50 years before moving to Greensboro. In Burlington, she was an active member of Davis Street United Methodist Church. She also served the community in various capacities, one of which was delivering Meals On Wheels well into her 80s. She was a very avid bridge player and enjoyed many Scrabble games with family and friends. One of her favorite things to do is spending time with her grandsons, who have always called her Meg.

***

John Morris of Jamestown turns 84 on March 16.

Family: Children, Karen and Christopher Clark; four grandsons and two great-grandchildren.

Fun facts: He likes to point out that his birthday reminds us of John 3:16 in the Bible. He likes watching the hummingbirds in his yard and eating strawberry cheesecake. He worked as the Senior Wheels Coordinator in Greensboro for 10 years.

***

Keith Dyson, aka Grumpy, turned 67 on March 6.

Family: Two children, Erik (Kelly) and Alysha (Brad), and five grandchildren.

Fun fact: He is a devoted husband, father and grandfather and is adored by family and friends.

Happy Birthday Grumpy.
Q: I have been taking various PPIs for a decade. I am 76, and my creatinine is creeping up in the blood tests at my regular checkups. This could be my age, but I worry that the PPI I take for heartburn might be making it worse.

My doctor says not to worry; he also is taking one. But as I age, I am concerned about drug side-effects. I decided to go off these pills.

I started by cutting them in half, then taking half every other day. I was able to take that half dose just a couple of times a week, and now Im off altogether.

I am careful about what I eat. I drink cold water if I get a little heartburn. Sucking on a hard candy increases saliva, and that also helps with reflux.

A: A creatinine blood test helps doctors assess kidney function. Rising levels could be an early indication of kidney damage.

There is evidence that long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be harmful to the kidneys (Kidney International, Feb. 22, 2017). Other side effects associated with PPI use include pneumonia, intestinal infections, hip fractures, nutritional deficits and dementia.

Suddenly stopping a PPI such as omeprazole can cause rebound hyperacidity. Tapering the dose gradually makes sense. Our Guide to Digestive Disorders offers other ways of dealing with heartburn and easing off PPIs.

Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (70 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons Peoples Pharmacy, No. G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website, www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q: I recently asked my doctor for a prescription for tetracycline to clear up my skin. Years ago, when I was 19 and my face looked like raw hamburger, this medication worked a miracle and was not at all expensive.

When I got to the pharmacy to pick up my new prescription, I was told my out-of-pocket cost for a 30-day supply would be $900, even though I have insurance. I cant afford that! I dont know anyone who could. What happened to tetracycline?

A: Like you, we were shocked at the price of this old generic antibiotic. Forty years ago, the brand-name form of tetracycline (Achromycin V) cost just over $10 for 100 pills (500 mg). The cash price today for 60 tetracycline pills is over $900. In Canada, the price for 100 pills is under $50. We cannot explain why Americans pay so much more for this old medication.

Q: Years ago, while working in accounts payable at Texas A&M University, I would see bills for cases of Massengill douche powder for the vet school. Curious, I asked what in the world the vet school did with it.

I was told that when students had to deliver a dead calf, the odor was indescribable and pervasive. Massengill would cut it. How they discovered this, I do not know.

When I moved to the country, I had two dogs get too friendly with a skunk, remembered this and tried the Massengill. It works!

A: We first heard about using diluted Massengill feminine hygiene solution to remove skunk smell several years ago.

Another popular remedy for this problem is a homemade solution developed by chemist Paul Krebaum in 1993: 1 quart of fresh 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 or 2 teaspoons of liquid dishwashing detergent. The ingredients should be mixed in an open container.

It will foam and should be applied to the affected areas while still foaming. Dont try to store it: this mixture could explode if contained.
The sudden resignation of Rockingham County District Attorney Craig Blitzer late Friday evening sent Judicial District 17A into a frenzy Saturday morning, when attorneys and judges worked to learn who would be the countys acting district attorney.

By early afternoon, they had their answer: Gov. Roy Cooper appointed former Forsyth County District Attorney Tom Keith to fill the job on an interim basis.

Blitzers resignation came as publicity peaked regarding an SBI investigation and allegations that he and Person/Caswell County District Attorney Wallace Bradsher hired their wives in a scheme to collect more than a combined $100,000 a year, despite their wives rarely having worked.

On Wednesday, agents with the State Bureau of Investigation raided Blitzers office, and Judge Stuart Albright canceled Superior Court until March 20.

Blitzer on Saturday released a statement through his attorney Michael Grace of Winston-Salem.

It is my hope that my resignation will help to promote the continued orderly administration of justice for District 17A, said Blitzer, who was sworn into office on Jan. 1, 2015, after beating his only opponent in the Republican primary on May 6, 2014. No Democrat ran against him in the November general election.

Grace also said in the statement that Blitzer would work with the SBI throughout its inquiry.

News about the SBI investigation, details of which were revealed in a whistleblowers lawsuit filed against Blitzer, Bradsher, their wives, the state and several agencies and other individuals, caught the attention of Keith, a Republican who was the Forsyth County district attorney for 20 years.

He said Saturday that he wanted to help turn around the Rockingham district attorneys office after reading news articles about its problems. He started immediately after receiving Coopers call.

I have confidence that he will bring strong oversight as a prosecutor and a manager during these times of uncertainty in Rockingham County, Cooper, the former N.C. attorney general, said in a news release. Criminal cases must proceed for both the victims and the accused, and for the safety of the community.

State law gives Cooper, a Democrat, the authority to appoint someone to fill the vacancy without the input of the local bar association or the former district attorneys party.

The difference in Cooper and Keiths political affiliation immediately drew attention.

Gov. Cooper knows Tom Keith is a proven and capable district attorney, and the courtroom isnt a place for political party labels, said Noelle Talley, Coopers spokeswoman.

Keith served five terms as Forsyth Countys district attorney before retiring in 2009, 11 months shy of his terms end. The Winston-Salem Journal reported that Keith left his position early to devote more time to law enforcement and crime prevention-related projects.

Under state law, Keith will take an oath of office and assume all authority and duties that Blitzer had. Keith will receive the same compensation as Blitzer, whose annual salary was $127,215.

Keith said he does not know whether his appointment will be for days, weeks or months, but he is willing to serve for as long as he is needed. The office will be up for election in November 2018.

Im going there Monday morning, not as someone who is a placeholder, but someone who is actively involved in management and the prosecution of cases, Keith said.

In fact, he said he plans to be in Rockingham County at 7:30 a.m. today to make calls and meet with judicial officials and Sheriff Sam Page.

Clearing cases

Keith has put in a request for the countys jail roster to determine the length of time people have spent in jail and how many inmates are there. He said he wants to make sure the oldest cases get cleared.

According to that jail roster, of the more than 180 inmates listed, Antonio and Heather Gwynn have been there the longest after having been arrested July 17, 2013, in the homicide of their 17-month-old daughter, who was found restrained to her car seat and suffocated with a blanket.

Antonio Gwynn was scheduled for trial in January, but the case was continued without a future date set.

Also pending is the trial of Mickey Snow, the only one of five defendants not to have accepted a plea deal on charges involving an Eden teen prostitution ring. Four men, including Snow, were accused of paying Teresa Vanover in exchange for sexual acts with her two mentally disabled teenage daughters.

Many other cases during the past year were continued, and few trials took place. Blitzer spent nearly four months in the fall away from the office in law enforcement training classes.

Keith said if he determines that the case backlog is too substantial, he will request that additional help be brought in from assistant district attorneys and judges from surrounding counties.

Blitzers resignation left many to wonder what would happen with his staff.

All currently employed district attorney staff will remain employed regardless of Mr. Blitzers resignation, said Sharon Gladwell, the spokeswoman for the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. However, the North Carolina General Statutes state that employees serve at the district attorneys pleasure. 

Blitzer purged many employees from his predecessors staff, but Keith said he plans to keep the staff, none of whom has been named in the investigation involving Blitzer.

When I got elected in 1991, I kept the staff, Keith said. I kept everyone. Ill keep everyone there and see how they do. Can they adapt? Every DA has a different way of doing things. Every district has a different culture. What works in Forsyth County, as a larger urban district, may not work in a smaller rural district.

The investigation

Keith said he knows that the next few weeks will have its challenges. He has followed the news about the district attorneys office and knows what he is up against.

This is my life, Keith said. Ive been a lawyer since August 1970. I believe in the criminal justice system. Someone has to step up to the plate.

While Keith begins his work in Rockingham, the SBI is continuing its investigation.

Judge Joe Crosswhite of Iredell County Superior Court confirmed to the News & Record in October that he had ordered an investigation into Blitzer and Bradshers offices for the alleged theft of state money.

In February, Debra Halbrook, a former victim-witness legal assistant in the Caswell County district attorneys office, filed a whistleblower lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court stating that Bradsher, the district attorney, fired her for reporting his office and the Rockingham County office to the SBI.

The lawsuit details Halbrooks allegations and says that a federal investigation may be going on simultaneously.

After reviewing the SBIs investigative report in December, Crosswhite asked that N.C. attorney generals office take over the investigation. Crosswhite said that the attorney generals office denied his request because of a conflict of interest with both district attorneys.

Halbrooks lawsuit caught the attention of Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, who took over the investigation from Crosswhite.

After the SBI searched Blitzers office, Freeman told the News & Record that she was working regularly with the SBI and that the investigation is still pending.

Gladwell confirmed Saturday afternoon that Bradsher remains the Person/Caswell County district attorney.
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Unless things change soon, North Carolina taxpayers will be on the hook for at least $145 million a year for a voucher scheme that funds private, mostly religious schools with no idea about what the schools teach or how most of the students are doing academically, not to mention that the publicly funded schools can openly discriminate against gay students or kids with gay parents.

Increasingly we are also learning that the voucher schemes are not producing the gains in student achievement that proponents claim. In many cases, students using vouchers to attend private schools and religious academies are doing worse than their counterparts in public schools.

The latest report comes from the Childrens Law Clinic at Duke Law School and calls the North Carolina voucher program poorly designed with one of the weakest accountability systems in the nation.

One of the few requirements that is part of North Carolinas voucher law is that schools with more than 25 voucher students enrolled must report aggregate test data, which is public record. The majority of voucher schools enroll fewer than 25 students and are not required to report anything about student achievement to the state.

The Duke report looks at how students are doing at the voucher schools that are required to report  10 percent of them in 2015-2016 with 22 percent of the total number of voucher students, and the results are not encouraging.

More than half of the voucher students tested below the national average in reading, math and language and overall performed below their peers in public schools, although it is not a precise comparison because the law allows voucher schools to select their own national tests.

Still, the trend in the Duke study is clear and it mirrors findings in two recent national studies, which are also discussed in the report.

One in Ohio by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute released in July 2016 found that students who use vouchers fared worse academically compared to their closely matched peers attending public schools.

And as the Duke study also pointed out, a recent study in Louisiana found that voucher students experienced dramatic academic declines after they left the public schools.

The lack of accountability and troubling trends in student achievement dont seem to faze voucher supporters, who are in the middle of another round of well-funded lobbying and public relations efforts in Raleigh.

As Billy Ball of NC Policy Watch reported recently, one of the strategies appears to be part of a national movement to re-brand voucher schools as part of the public school system because they are funded with public dollars.

Never mind the almost complete lack of accountability and transparency in the program, or the blatant discrimination allowed at the schools. They want to be considered public options.

One prominent state official who remains unconvinced is Gov. Roy Cooper. Coopers budget allows students already receiving vouchers to continue to receive them, but ends the programs dramatic expansion called for in the budget passed by the General Assembly last year.

Voucher supporters do not really have an answer to the questions about accountability or the fact that many of the schools use textbooks that teach students religious beliefs as fact, like the claim that dinosaurs and humans co-existed on earth.

Their response is usually that public schools are failing some students and they need to try something new, and that parents are the ultimate accountability measure.

Of course, many voucher supporters also oppose initiatives to fully fund programs for at-risk children or increase investments in low-performing public schools and programs for families to help low-income students.

And parents are already free to send their children to any private school they want, regardless of what they teach or who they admit.

But the taxpayers of North Carolina should not have to pay for it, especially when there is a public school system available to everyone.

Coopers right about vouchers. It is time to pull the plug, not expand them.

They do not increase student achievement, they are not accountable and they do discriminate.
Kellyanne Conways unfortunate remark about the Trump presidency having alternative facts to those being reported by mainstream news media is still the focus of comment even weeks after she voiced the idea.

Conways alternative facts remark, words most likely linked to spontaneity rather than mendacity, will follow her to her grave and, thanks to the internet, well beyond the grave into an eternity of mockery. She is not alone.

Consider the case of Walter Duranty. His alternate facts journalism once appeared with frequency in The New York Times. He was, by the standards of his times and the Times, most definitely a journalist. But he wasnt. Not at all.

I am happy as an American to distance myself from Duranty, who was a British subject. He was quite the English dilettante, and Americans often kowtow to effete Englishmen, perhaps explaining the willingness of the Times and others to ascribe journalistic credibility to Duranty. But Duranty wasnt credible. He was craven.

Reporting from the nascent Soviet Union not long after Joseph Stalin wrangled control of power in that emerging communist state, Duranty took it on himself to investigate rumors of engineered starvation in the Ukraine area of the USSR. Millions were said to be dying of hunger in the Ukraine despite this areas reputation as the breadbasket of Eurasia. Stalins manipulations were said to be withering the crops.

It turns out this was all true. Millions were dying in the Ukraine of starvation to satisfy Stalins sick synthesis of psychological and ideological needs. Duranty, despite apologists who even now defend him, knew full well what was happening. But you would never know it if you read Durantys dismissive dispatches of alternative facts that the Times and other venues published with little to no vetting. Alternative facts that maintained there was no famine, only spotty hunger pockets.

Lest Durantys alternative facts need even more validation than publication in the Times, ponder that Duranty actually received a Pulitzer Prize for these famine reports sieved through communist gauze. Recent scholarship reveals more and more of the nexus of cash, ideology and vanity that created the monstrous lies that culminated in publication in a world-class newspaper and a Pulitzer Prize. It is an award that to this day remains awkwardly in place.

Touted back in those days as a journalist, Duranty is now the archetype of an anti-journalist. His reports, stained by red in so many ways, skewed world opinion and left unblocked Stalins road to ruin for the people of the Ukraine. These are the facts  not the alternative facts.

The dead of the Ukraine famine of the 1930s know a little something about alternative facts but they cannot speak to us. They can, however, haunt us. And well they should.
If you have a felony criminal rap sheet, and youre here illegally, you need to be deported and locked up. Today, if we are lucky enough to deport them, how many times do we see them come back, only to commit more crime, rape, robbery and murders? Then, we just deport them again. Why not tell them one time:

If you come back again, you are an enemy combatant. You will be sent to Guantanamo Bay because you are a terrorist to my family and friends. I dont want people I care about to become victims while you are being chased around, over and over again. When your criminal friends find out where you are, they will say, No, thanks, and you may never get out.
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President Donald Trumps plan to gut the federal Environmental Protection Agency and dismantle clean water and air rules is prompting environmentalists to gear up for a legal and political battle not seen in a generation.

They are planning massive cuts and the impact would be significant, said Roger Reynolds, legal director for the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Save the Sound.

We will fight this, Reynolds said, referring to lawsuits against the federal government and political activism to reverse Trumps course. We have made an awful lot of progress. This is an attempt to unravel that.

A variety of news reports last week, many citing unnamed sources, revealed Trump administration plans to cut billions from the EPAs budget and slash thousands of workers from its workforce. Trump last week signed an executive order directing the EPA to overturn a rule protecting clean water and signaled intentions to dismantle another rule protecting clean air.

The impact of those actions could reach deep into Connecticut, placing at risk grant money for state environmental cleanup initiatives and eliminate federal staff who issue permits for remediation and redevelopment of contaminated properties, and oversee cleanup of polluted property.

Federal funds account for 25 percent of the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protections $176 million annual budget, with $31 million coming directly from the EPA.

More Information Hed here Here are some of the cuts and rollbacks proposed at the Federal Environmental Protection Agency: Overturn a clean water rule reducing pollution in small brooks and streams that flow into larger waterways such as Long Island Sound Remove a rule establishing stricter limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants EPA's $8.1 billion budget could be cut to $6.1 billion, a 24 percent reduction or $2 billion. EPA workforce of 15,000 employees cut by 5,000 workers The impact on Connecticut could include: Less environmental cleanup money Delay or backlog in issuing permits to remediate and redevelop contaminated property Cancel or delay of EPA commitment to a $95 million cleanup of Stratford's contaminated Raymark Industries property Lower funding and priority for nitrogen reduction efforts in Long Island Sound Less incentive to close Midwestern coal burning power plants that are the source of airborne pollution in the state See More Collapse

The $95 million in EPA grants pledged to re-mediate and redevelop the Raymark Industries Superfund Site in Stratford is surrounded by questions, along with future efforts to further improve Long Island Sound.

A range of climate control initiatives could also be scrapped, including partnerships with local governments, climate change research and funding to help companies produce more energy efficient products.

The threatened reduction in funding for EPA is a big deal and something that causes serious concern in Connecticut, said Dennis Schain, a spokesman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

We need to see further details about exactly what cuts may be put in place and how they would be accomplished, but there is no doubt that without a strong, vibrant and properly funded EPA there could be risks to the quality of life we enjoy, Schain said.

Cuts and consequences

Environmentalists and state regulators agree that Connecticuts environment has steadily improved over the decades, thanks in part to the EPA.

Rivers that once turned strange colors are now clear and filled with fish. Long Island Sound is again swimmable, and progress is being made in reducing the man-made nitrogen that robs the waterway of oxygen and chokes off life.

Forty years ago, the Connecticut River and Housatonic Rivers were very contaminated, but today they are a center of economic development and tourism, said Chris Collibee, a spokesman for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. The eagles and fish have returned and so have people that come to witness them.

Numerous news organizations last week reported Trump administration plans to cut the EPAs annual budget to $6.1 billion  a more than $2 billion reduction. As many as 5,000 of the agencys 15,000 workers could be eliminated, leaving less staff to research climate change, issue permits and enforce existing law.

Its been decades since the EPAs budget was that low, said Donald Strait, president of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Save the Sound.

Such a cut would devastate the agencys ability to fulfill its core functions, Strait said. We urge the administration to rethink this approach, and allow the EPA to continue protecting Americans air and water.

Reynolds said the impact of fewer EPA staffers and funding would mean less grants for cleanup projects and longer wait times for permits for construction and remediation projects seeking to return contaminated properties to tax generating use.

Everything will get locked, Reynolds said. Businesses wont get the permits. If [EPA] cant process permits, things cant move forward. The Stratford cleanup hangs in the balance. You hear different things on different days. But we do know there will be substantial cuts.

Glenn Pricket, chief external affairs officer for the Nature Conservancy of Connecticut, said deep cuts in environmental programs that protect the health of our families, communities and businesses would undermine the administrations goal of enhancing our nations security. We all rely on healthy lands and waters for jobs, food, security and prosperity.

The $31 million in federal funding for DEEP goes a long way to protect the states environment.

These funds support a wide range of staff and programs on the environmental quality side of our agency, Schain said. There are also many special efforts we are involved in with EPA, such as the Raymark Remediation in Stratford, where EPA has developed and approved a cleanup plan.

Collibee said the governor opposes the EPA reductions, noting proper environmental management leads to economic growth. We urge [Trump] to not undo all the great work the EPA has helped to accomplish, not only here in Connecticut but nationally, he said.

Brooks and wetlands

The EPA has long been criticized by the farming, gas, oil and coal industries over regulations deemed bad for business, and many within those sectors backed Trumps candidacy.

As Oklahomas attorney general, Scott Pruitt, Trumps EPA administrator, sued the EPA 13 times over regulations he viewed as overly burdensome.

Despite pledging to promote clean air and clean water during his address to Congress last week, Trump signed an executive order to rollback a clean water rule known as Waters of the United States put in place by former President Barrack Obama.

Trump called the rule one of the worst examples of federal regulation and said EPAs regulators were putting people out of jobs by the hundreds of thousands and regulations and permits started treating our wonderful small farmers and small businesses as if they were a major industrial polluter. They treated them horribly. Horribly.

Many disagree with Trumps assessment and say the clean water rule is an essential tool that protects large and small waterways.

The Waters of the U.S. regulations were designed to bring protection to parts of the nation where it is lacking, Schain said. The presidents executive order leaves the door open to continued pollution and contamination of smaller water bodies and tributaries across our nation.

The rule resulted from a U.S. Supreme Court decision that empowered the EPA to regulate pollution flowing from rural brooks and wetlands because contaminants in those waters, as they travel through streams and rivers and into oceans or waterways like Long Island Sound, can impact a much larger ecosystem.

These small waterways flow to the Connecticut River, the Hudson, the Pequonnock, the Thames and eventually to Long Island Sound, Strait said. We must fight these ill-advised attempts to roll back protections every step of the way.

Another Obama-era EPA rule targeted by Trump for removal limits climate change damage by setting stricter caps on greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas powered plants.

The smog from Midwestern plants is carried by prevailing winds to Northeastern states such as Connecticut, endangering public health and prompting officials to declare bad air days when concentrations rise to dangerous levels.

It is unconscionable to turn our back on the Clean Power Plans well-crafted approach, Schain said.

Still, environmentalists said overturning the EPA rules is not as easy as signing an executive order.

Creating a rule, or removing one, can take years of research and scientific proof, and require public hearings and detailed environmental impact statements. Final EPA rules are also often backed by court decisions upholding their validity.

Reynolds said it could take years to dismantle the rules targeted by Trump.

These are final rules, he said. There will be [court] challenges. But its highly unlikely it could occur in a presidential term.
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Connecticut could sue President Donald Trumps Environmental Protection Agency over its plans to relax clean-air standards for power plants and cars  the latest confrontation between the Democrat-run state and the pro-business president.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy sent a letter Thursday to Trumps controversial EPA chief, Scott Pruitt, blasting the agencys preliminary decision to exempt nine states, most of which are in the Rust Belt, from tougher scrutiny of coal-fired power plants. Those states, the governor wrote, should be held accountable for their adverse impact on the air quality in the Northeast.

Connecticut leaders further fear that Trumps administration, under pressure from U.S. automakers, will unwind Obama-era fuel efficiency standards and caps on tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide.

Obviously, this is a guy who was a sellout to fossil fuels to begin with and doesnt mind polluting Connecticuts air with (emissions) from Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, Malloy told Hearst Connecticut Media, referring to Pruitt.

An EPA spokesperson declined to comment. Hearst also reached out to the White House for a response.

The specter of a court challenge over clean air standards adds to the growing hostilities between Trumps administration and the states leadership.

They have already butted heads over deportation rules, punishment of sanctuary cities and a travel ban for visitors from first seven, then six Muslim-majority nations. Connecticut filed a friend of the court brief in support of Washington states lawsuit over the first version of the ban, which was suspended by a federal court.

Detrimental changes

State Attorney General George Jepsen, a Democrat, is gearing up for the next legal battle.

President Trump, in his words and actions, has made quite clear that he intends to roll back regulations and enact policies that undermine efforts to address climate change and improve air and water quality, Jepsen said. It is well-established that states, like Connecticut, have authority to challenge federal environmental rules and regulations, and we have for some months now been in communication with our counterparts in other states in preparation for what we believe will be significant and detrimental changes to environmental policies.

In late 2013, Connecticut, along with eight other New England and mid-Atlantic states, petitioned the EPA to expand a multistate coalition created under the Clean Air Act for compliance. Known as the Ozone Transport Commission, the group pushed for the addition of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia to its ranks. Pennsylvania is already part of the coalition, but Connecticut officials filed a complaint as recently as last year over pollution from three coal-fired power plants in the Keystone State.

Malloy said he confronted Pruitt over the matter during a work session between National Governors Association members and the Trump administration at the White House.

He gave me some gobbledygook answer, Malloy said. Listen, this guy has admitted his goal is to put the EPA out of business, and hes off to a strong start.

The tailpipe of America

Pruitt has come under heavy fire for saying he does not believe carbon dioxide emissions are a primary contributor to global warming. In his letter to Pruitt, Malloy wrote the health of Connecticuts residents and those of the other states in the region was at risk. The EPAs decision to exempt the nine states from tougher scrutiny is preliminary and wont take effect until after a public comment period, which is underway.

Connecticut is tired of serving as the tailpipe of America, Malloy wrote.

The state is expected to fight Trumps administration over the reported rollback of fuel efficiency standards for cars and caps on tailpipe emissions. Connecticut, like California, relies on a waiver from the Clean Air Act that allows some states to impose tougher emissions standards for vehicles.

U.S. automakers have called on Trump to abandon the standards, which they say have saddled their industry with $200 billion in compliance costs through 2025.

My office stands ready to act to protect the states authority and the progress that Connecticut has made to safeguard its clean air and water, Jepsen said.

The Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, which represents 300 dealerships in the state, declined to comment.

nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy
WASHINGTON  In Connecticut, motorists lose an average of $864 a year driving roads badly in need of repair. Of 4,214 bridges, 338 are structurally deficient. And the state should spend over $8 billion in the next 20 years on drinking-water and wastewater upgrades.

Those are the stark conclusions of an American Society of Civil Engineers report card released Thursday. It gives the overall state of American infrastructure a grade of D-plus.

Nationwide, the 2017 report gives a D-minus to transit; a D to aviation, dams, drinking water, inland waterways, levees and roads; a D-plus to renewable energy, hazardous waste, parks and recreation, schools and wastewater; and a C-plus to bridges, ports, and solid waste.

Rails, a subject of intense concern in Connecticut because of Metro-North accidents, actually get the reports highest grade  a B.

This devastating report . . . makes clear the desperate need for action by Congress and the president, said Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., who has a seat on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. The time is now for a bold, comprehensive plan to move our infrastructure into the 21st century.

The organization presented its report here on Thursday, with remarks from Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

The report did not assign state-by-state grades. But an accompanying comparative map gives some hints on how Connecticut shapes up against some of its neighboring states.

Connecticut has 21,512 miles of roads in disrepair  57 percent of the total. By contrast, New York, a much larger state, has 28 percent of its total in similar poor condition. And New Jersey, traditionally one of the nations most heavily trafficked state, has 38 percent of its roads in need of major work, according to the report.

Connecticut must invest $3.6 billion in drinking-water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years, according to the report card. For New York, the figure is $407 million over the same time period. For New Jersey, its $933 million.

In his speech last month before a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump called for a $1 trillion infrastructure plan financed through public and private financing, public and private capital, creating millions of new jobs.

But details have been sparse. Democrats and infrastructure professionals have expressed concern about tax incentives for private financing, worrying that the private sectors need to recoup its investment in roads and bridges, for instance, might result in exorbitant tolls.

The ASCE estimated the gap between estimated infrastructure funding versus actual need at $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

Deteriorating infrastructure is impeding our ability to compete in the thriving global economy, and improvements are necessary to ensure our country is built for the future, the report said. While we have made some progress, reversing the trajectory after decades of underinvestment in our infrastructure requires transformative action from Congress, states, infrastructure owners, and the American people.

dan@hearstdc.com
RIDGEFIELDSeveral towns joined Ridgefield Thursday in threatening legal action against the state if Gov. Dannel P. Malloys plan to shift teacher pension costs to municipalities is adopted in next years budget.

A legal brief commissioned by First Selectman Rudy Marconi concluded that the governors proposal, which would require municipalities pay one-third of teacher pensions, likely violates both state statute and bond covenants made by the state. Marconi shared the brief at a press conference held Thursday morning by the Connecticut Council of Small Towns.

Given the various serious legal questions that this proposal raises, COST is urging lawmakers to take this issue off the table, Marconi said at the conference.

The plan to shift part of the costs to municipalities was presented in Malloys two-year budget proposal last month. Along with other cuts to state funding in the budget, the proposal would mean several towns owe money to the state, $4.4 million in Ridgefields case.

Marconi, who is also vice president of COST, said Ridgefields Board of Selectmen asked him to research legal options after hearing the proposal. He requested the law firm Cohen and Wolf P.C look in to the matter, and then shared the resulting legal opinion with COST, since officials in other towns had expressed similar concern.

COSTs Executive Director Betsy Gara said the brief will help the organization take legal action if the proposal passes the legislature.

Were a small grassroots organization and dont necessarily have the resources to [hire a law firm], she said. We appreciate Ridgefield stepping up. This is a big issue for usand if the state does continue to proceed we will be weighing our legal options to challenge it.

The law firm found that the pension proposal likely violates two sections of a state statute which outline how the retirement reserve should be funded and the protocol for replenishing unfunded portions.

Contributions from municipalities are not an allowable source of funding for teacher pensions under state law and using them to address liabilities in the fund would circumvent the protocol laid out in the statute, according to the brief.

While these parts of the statute could be amended by the legislature, Gara said, it would be more difficult to override bond covenants, which the law firm found would also be violated by the pension plan.

In 2008 the state issued $2-billion worth of bonds to cover unfunded portions of the reserve. Under covenants made with the bond-issuer, the state cant reduce its contributions as they pay back the bonds over the next 25 years.

The brief also found that the state treasurer advised in 2015 against changing these contributions.

State Treasurer Denise Nappier suggested that altering contributions to the TRS fund would be a (legal) problem, the law firm wrote.

A 2014 study found that Connecticuts teacher retirement funds liabilities outweighed its assets by about $10 billion. About 80 percent of the $1 billion contributed this year to teachers retirement is needed to offset this liability, rather than add to present-day teacher benefits.

Town officials said Thursday that municipalities and taxpayers should not be punished for the states mismanagement of the fund.

The state pension plan is antiquated and needs to be brought into the new century, Marconi said.

Should the plan pass, Gara said, towns would be forced to raise property taxes anywhere from $2 to $10 per $1,000 of assessed value to offset the financial burden.

She added that it makes it difficult for the nearly 110 towns represented by COST to draft their budgets for next year, since they dont know yet whether it will be adopted.

The Ridgefield Board of Selectmen did not account for the governors proposal in its budget, which was approved this week, but Marconi said the pension plan was an elephant in the room during the draft process.

The official state budget wont be decided until at least June.

Its such a wild card, Gara said. Its making it impossible to develop our education and municipal budgets while also controlling property taxes.
It was a blessed week for new phone fans but seven days after MWC 2017 wrapped up things are starting to look familiar in our Trending Phones chart. We still have six new devices in the chart, but the first place is an old friend.

The ever-so-loved Galaxy J7 Prime leads ahead of the newly launched Galaxy A5 (2017). Moto G5 Plus completes the podium - a midranger worth noticing.

Looking at the rest of the chart there are some well-known faces like the Redmi Note 4 with Snapdragon 625 and the Oppo F1s. Nokia 6 also lurks around and Galaxy S7 Edge makes another return to the top 10.

It may be 2017, but we see Motorola, BlackBerry, and Nokia in the same chart once again. Thats right - BlackBerry Aurora was announced in Malaysia and it totally snatched your attention, rocketing the device to 6th place in its first week.




Haiti - Environment : Jean Conille wins the International Economic Leadership Award





Known as a philanthropist, entrepreneur and one of the world leaders in the environment industry, Jean Conille is moving progress forward in Haiti. As the recent recipient of the prestigious International Economic Leadership Award from the The International Diplomatic Institute of Washington (sponsored by the Heritage Foundation Group), Conille has created and presented a well-organized report to boost Haitis economic structures and help to fight for a better life in his home country.



Jean Conille is not new to awards. He was the recepient of the 2015 Digicel Entrepreneur Of The Year Award https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16446-haiti-economy-recipients-of-the-digicel-entrepreneur-of-the-year-award.html , and his company Autogaz S.A. was selected by Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) as one of the Top 10 Best Development Ideas From Members Of The Haitian Diaspora. Autogaz S.A. is a chain of environmentally-friendly gas stations for public transport vehicles (Tap-Taps). These stations allow drivers to convert gasoline vehicles to propane for free.



In a recent interview, Conille explained his plan for the promotion of a vast environmental civic program that will introduce clean-burning energy in the transportation sector throughout Haiti. He stated that, "The environment knows no citizenship -- when we improve the environment in Haiti, we improve the environment all over the world." His plan states that propane emits virtually no air pollutants, and when compared to other fuel sources, it assists in air quality improvement, reduces GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and helps to protect the environment.



Conille believes that changing the culture in Haiti involves education for the masses combined with opportunity to increase income and move people out of poverty. The social and economic impact of this project is significant, as it improves the livelihood of taxis drivers and their families and increases spending power, contributing to the economy at the lower end of the social pyramid.



Each Tap-Tap consumes approximately five gallons of gasoline per day. By converting to LPG, fuel costs are reduced by an average of USD $10 per day, amounting to annual average cost savings per vehicle of USD $3,250. In a country where the average annual income per person is less than USD $400, this represents a substantial savings. As a result, profits for drivers are increased by letting propane play a vital role in lowering emissions in the country's largest transportation sector.



Autogaz S.A., through its aggressive conversion of public vehicles to propane gas, promises to help Haiti achieve its commitment at the COP 21 in Paris by reducing by over 13% of green gas effects in the country within the next five years, a remarkable achievement which would put Haiti ahead of all other states in the compliance race.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Caricom / Cuba : 5th meeting of foreign ministers in Havana





On Saturday, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) met in Havana for the 5th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Caricom.



Bruno Rodriguez, the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, in his opening speech called for unity, cooperation and integration of the Caribbean in order to strengthen ties between the nations of the region. He urged to promote the construction of a more prosperous, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Caribbean, such as the Association of Caribbean States, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) and the Commonwealth of Independent States Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), of indispensable, legitimate instruments for political consultations.



Moreover, in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation, he urged the region to strengthen its support to Haiti for recovery, reconstruction and development so that the country can overcome the damage of Hurricane Matthew, which struck Haiti beginning of October 2016.



Haiti was represented at the summit by Jean Warnard Dorneval, Advisor to President Moise, who in his speech stressed that Haiti was one of the most affected countries in the world by the effects of climate change, reiterating firmly the opening of Haiti to cooperation with the countries of Caricom.



During the meeting, it is planned to sign several agreements concerning, among others, education, health, natural risks, construction, human resources and training in the field of energy.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2017/03/12 | Source

Line Friends, a subsidiary of Korea's largest portal site Naver, will open a store in New York's Time Square in July. The company is the character brand of Naver's messaging app Line.

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Line Friends said Monday that it will open a 430 sq.m store in the Big Apple to coincide with the first anniversary of Line being listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Some 330,000 people pass through Time Square every day, and LINE Friends hopes to lure New Yorkers with a giant LED billboard.

Line Friends sells stationery, toys and other goods using characters from the messaging app used by 220 million people worldwide. There are 28 these stores in 11 countries including Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.
A Constitutional Amendment for Education Wars

by Tom Yamachika, President, Tax Foundation Hawaii

A bill in the legislature, championed by the state teachers' union, would propose a new way of raising additional money for education. It would authorize a substantial surcharge on real property to fund education.

The bill would require an amendment to the Hawaii Constitution to be effective. That is because our constitution now gives all revenue from real property tax to the counties. One thing that was not so obvious, however, is that the same bill proposed another change in the constitution that has not been discussed in detail yet. Its easy to miss, but has a potentially far-reaching effect.

By itself, the proposed amendment doesn't sound like much. Article X, section 1 of our constitution now begins with, "The State shall provide for the establishment, support and control of a statewide system of public education". The bill, SB 683, would change it to, "The State shall make sufficient sums available for the establishment, support and control of a statewide system of quality public education".

The "shall make sufficient sums available" language is used in one more place in our constitution. It's in Article XII, Section 1, relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Our supreme court, in Nelson v. Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, 127 Haw. 185, 277 P.3d 279 (2012), held that the language is mandatory funding language, which means that if the state legislature decides for whatever reason not to sufficiently fund DHHL, DHHL has a right to ask the courts to force the State to pay sufficient sums, if there is enough information within the history of the constitutional provision to give the courts a good idea of what sufficient sums means.

In other words, the sufficient sums language is a ticket to an education war. The Legislature comes up with its judgment of what is sufficient funding for education; the Department of Education, HSTA, or whoever is affected disagrees; and they would battle it out in court.

Would there ever be an education war? Suppose for a second that the constitutional amendment goes to the voters, the voters approve it, and the surcharges go into effect. Lets say, for purposes of argument, that the surcharges bring in $500 million. (The current version of the implementing legislation bill would bring in less, but if the constitutional amendment passes, there is nothing to stop the implementing legislation from being amended. Yes, we could be opening our checkbooks wide!) At that point, everyone in state government outside of the Department of Education is going to be leaning on the Legislature to say, Hey! You folks appropriated $2 billion to the Department of Education last year. They pulled down $500 million from the surcharges this year. How about dropping their appropriation to $1.5 billion this year? They will get the same amount of money, so they wont be hurt. And our program/service/rebate/tax incentive could really use the extra help this year, and would make such a difference to the people of Hawaii! Those within education, however, are likely to want the surcharge money on top of the $2 billion already going to the DOE. Otherwise, why the tremendous effort to get the constitutional amendment passed?

Variations on the education war theme could also come up. Some could argue that our constitution requires bills to have titles that gives the public a fair idea of what is in them. The title of SB 683 talks about establishing tax surcharges, but does not give a clue that it is now mandating funding unlike the rules for every state agency outside of DHHL. So, if it is passed, its validity can be attacked. The education wars could get complex and nasty.

As of this writing, the Senate Ways and Means Committee took out the sufficient sums language. The bill now goes to the House. Proponents of the bill may push to get the language back in. Will we see education wars in years to come?
Applicants Sought to Serve on Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court

News Release from Hawaii Judiciary March 10, 2017

HONOLULU, HI  The Nominating Committee of the Hawaii Supreme Court is seeking qualified applicants to serve on the Hawaii Supreme Court Disciplinary Board. Four attorney and two non-attorney board positions are expected to be available. Applicants from all islands are invited to apply.

The term of each position is three years, beginning July 1, 2017. These positions are not compensated; however, expenses to attend board meetings are reimbursed.

The Hawaii Supreme Court Disciplinary Board oversees the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which investigates allegations of attorney misconduct and incapacity, and recommends appropriate action to the Hawaii Supreme Court to effectuate the purposes of its Disciplinary Rules.

The application deadline is April 14, 2017. Those interested in serving should submit a resume and letter of interest to:

Gayle J. Lau, Chair, Nominating Committee

Supreme Court of Hawaii

P.O. Box 26436,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96825

# # #
Jesus take the wheel with me here this weekend. Just yesterday I was blogging about Nick Cannons culturally appropriating crazy ass wearing turbans to spread compassion or some shit, and now Our Lady of Perpetual Frontal Lobe Damage (aka Lindsay Lohan) might be releasing a line of fucking headscarves.

Lindsay has recently gone next level nuts with this whole Im not a former child star turned raging alcoholic, I AM A GLOBAL CITIZEN thing, even claiming she was racially profiled for wearing a headscarf at the airport. Girl, racial profiling had nothing to do with your additional questioning at the airport. Security probably just thought the ginger bitch with the fake Russian/British accent wearing a hijab seemed unstable as all hell.

Lindsay has been hinting for a while now that shes converted to Islam and even suggested she didnt feel safe coming back to America because of her religious beliefs. Linsanica Ali (her new name) also posted this pic on Instagram with the caption: New fashion line coming soon#fashion.

You know why radical Islamists hate Americans? Its not even because of guys like Donald Trump, its because of assholes like Nick Cannon and Lindsay Lohan who think dressing in this religious garb will make them seem deep and compassionate or some shit.

You know who Muslim women wont be buying their headscarves from? Lindsay fucking Lohan. If Lindsay Lohan couldnt sell leggings to white girls (and boy did she try), how the fuck is going to sell headscarves to Muslim women? Shes not Nike, this isnt some groundbreaking shit. No one is buying middle-Eastern fashion from the little red-headed girl from The Parent Trap who now speaks in accent thats like Staten Island meets the Ukraine for some reason.

Where THE FUCK is Amanda Seyfried as Karen Smith to remind this bitch that she is WHITE?!
Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized Rochester Gas & Electric for the utility company's response to a windstorm that left thousands without power in Rochester and Monroe County.

At a briefing Saturday in Rochester, Cuomo announced the state Public Service Commission will investigate RG&E's preparedness once the storm cleanup is complete.

"I am not pleased with the job that RG&E has done," Cuomo said. "As a matter of fact, I am displeased with the job they have done."

One of the reasons RG&E's response drew Cuomo's ire is how quickly National Grid, a competing utility company, was able to restore power for a vast majority of its customers.

Cuomo said that 170,000 National Grid customers lost power during the windstorm. As of noon Saturday, the number was down to about 7,000.

RG&E had 116,000 customers lose power, Cuomo said. At his briefing, he said 50,000 of the company's customers still didn't have electricity.

The windstorm was the latest weather event to impact New York. Cuomo mentioned some of the past storms  Superstorm Sandy and a blizzard that dropped seven feet of snow in the Buffalo area.

"You have to be ready to handle them," Cuomo said. "You know why? Because consumers pay good money to utility companies and they have a right to expect when you turn on that switch, the lights are going to come on. That's why you pay your bill and if the utilities are going to provide service to the consumers in this state, they have to be prepared."

Avangrid, the parent company of RG&E and New York State Electric and Gas, provided a few updates Saturday on its progress  and responded to Cuomo's comments.

At 1:30 p.m., NYSEG and RG&E announced that more than 70 percent of customers who lost power due to the storm had service restored. The companies were working to repair more than 4,000 downed power lines.

Avangrid provided another update at 5 p.m. and reiterated its goal of having service back on line by midnight Sunday for more than 90 percent of RG&E's customers affected by the storm.

As of 10 p.m., RG&E reported 31,114 customers without power in Monroe County and 38 in Wayne County. RG&E's plan remains to have service restored by midnight Sunday.

"This significant wind storm caused a substantial amount of damage," said Mark Lynch, president and CEO of NYSEG and RG&E. "We appreciate our customers' patience as our crews work to restore power safely and as quickly as possible."

Avangrid also issued a statement in response to Cuomo's remarks about its restoration efforts.

"We are focused on restoring service safely and efficiently," the company said. "Our customers depend on us for safety, comfort and convenience in their homes and businesses, and it is our highest priority to meet their needs safely and efficiently. Thousands of men and women from our company and throughout the Northeast are working around the clock, and they will keep working until we have restored service to all of our customers.

"We welcome any additional assistance Governor Cuomo is able to secure for this effort. The company will respond to the Public Service Commission's concerns when we receive a formal notice of any inquiries."

Cuomo did thank nearly 1,000 workers who have come from other parts of New York and out of state, including Canada, to help restore power to the affected areas.

Neighboring states sent personnel to assist with the storm response. There are 110 workers from Connecticut, 75 from Maine, 40 from Massachusetts and 20 from Pennsylvania supporting the power restoration effort.
Freedom of speech is a privilege. We need to treat it that way.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party won stunning election victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Saturday, a personal triumph for Prime Minister Narendra Modi that could now ensure his partys near-domination of politics in India.

Riding on Modis charismatic campaign, the BJP registered the biggest-ever victory by any political party in Uttar Pradesh since Indira Gandhi led the Congress to 309 seats in 1980 before the state was divided. In doing so the saffron outfit replicated its landslide victory in the 2014 national polls.

The results routed the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, as well as the Bahujan Samaj Party, once a dominant power in a state where the BJP last ruled in 2002.

Here are five takeaways from the assembly election results:

1) Semi-final to 2019 general election goes to BJP

Winning the politically crucial state could help Modi set the tone for a second term in the national elections in 2019. The mandate also signalled a ringing endorsement of his policies, especially his controversial decision to scrap 500-and 1000-rupee banknotes, which led to a cash crunch but was welcomed by many as helpful in fighting corruption.

The win has raised hopes among investors that the BJP will embark on a round of new reforms to boost growth in Asias third-largest economy. Economists now expect Modi to launch initiatives aimed at flushing out ill-gotten gains from real estate, gold and campaign finance.

2) Numbers tell a tale

Few political pundits foresaw the scale of the BJPs victory in Uttar Pradesh, where Modi staked his personal reputation on a high-octane campaign.

Election commission data showed the BJPs vote share in the UP doubled to about 39.7% over the last assembly polls in 2012, a stunning achievement also credited to Amit Shah, the BJP president and Modis chief election strategist. The party had bagged 42.6% votes in Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Even in states where the Congress was ahead the BJP registered a higher vote share. The party bagged 32.5% votes in Goa to Congresss 28.4% while in Manipur it got 36.2% versus its rivals tally of 35.1%.

3) Some consolation for the Congress

Modis BJP now heads the government in states where more than half of Indians live, while the Congress party, which has ruled India for most of the 70 years since independence, leads in regions covering less than 8% of the population.

At stake in these polls were the survival of the Congress and relevance for a clutch of regional parties, especially the Aam Aadmi Party which was seeking to expand its influence beyond the national capital where it won power in 2015.

The BJP wrested Uttarakhand from the Congress. The two were neck-and-neck in Manipur and Goa where smaller parties will now hold the balance of power.

For the Congress, some consolation came from Punjab, where the party rode anti-incumbency to decisively boot out the Akali Dal-BJP alliance.

4) AAPs national ambitions punctured

For AAP supremo and Delhi chief minster Arvind Kejriwal, the poll results punctured his national ambitions for now.

The party won just 20 seats in Punjab and failed to open its account in Goa despite a months-long campaign that saw Kejriwal spending much time away from Delhi.

We accept the peoples mandate with full humility. All party workers worked very hard. Our struggle will continue, Kejriwal tweeted.

5) Innovative campaign by the BJP

Early on in the campaign, the BJP sought to leverage Prime Minister Modis pro-development credentials but weeks before the close of the polls played its Hindutva card that appeared to have helped it consolidate votes on religious lines.

In a state where people tend to vote along traditional caste and religious lines, and successive governments exploited communal divisions to fire up their base, Modi expanded his appeal among a cross section of castes and sub-castes that traditionally voted for the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.

Several other factors also helped.

To leverage Modis social status as a member of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the BJP started a special unit in Uttar Pradesh to mobilise OBC support in 2015. Additionally, Shahs decision to appoint Keshav Prasad Maurya as the party state president ensured a new social combination -- consolidating roughly 40% non-Yadav Other Backward Caste votes.

Given his Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh background, the 47-year-old Phulpur MP received full organisational support and the backing of a sizeable population of Kushwahas in eastern UP.

How the hell did almost all the experts/analysts miss this wave in UP? Its a tsunami not a ripple in a small pond, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said in a Twitter post.

The Congress admitted that the loss in Uttar Pradesh  its campaign was led by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi  was hurtful.

Yes, UP is a bad loss, it hurts, said party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi. I agree that, in UP, we need fundamental restructuring for the Congress as a whole. These have to be hard, tough decisions about strategy.

With Reuters inputs
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah ruffled feathers in non-BJP camps across India with his series of tweets after the assembly election results on Saturday.

The National Conference president described BJPs landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh as a tsunami and not a ripple in a small pond while suggesting opposition parties to focus their energies towards finding a positive alternative.

One of his tweet read; At this rate, we might as well forget 2019 and start planning (and) hoping for 2024.

The Congress reacted sharply to Abdullahs comments. Omar Abdullah should focus on strengthening his party rather than commenting on national politics. He should also take some interest in Jammu and Kashmir affairs and the peoples problems instead of spending time on twitter, partys chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

He said the National Conference has not been able to revive itself after losing badly to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2014 assembly elections. We will definitely help since we were together in a coalition government in the past, the Congress leader said.

JD (U) spokesman Neeraj Kumar accused Abdullah of politics of opportunism. By referring to BJPs expansion as a tsunami, he seems to have laid down his guns much before the next assembly elections in his state, he said, suggesting that Abdullah should not get so pessimistic and disheartened by one result. His party leader and Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar in fact congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for getting complete support of the backward classes and the poor following his demonetisation drive.

RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari said a fragmented opposition worked to the advantage of BJP. While stressing that the route to Delhi passes through Bihar and UP, he said its time that the opposition consolidate and put up a united face to stop BJP from retaining power in 2019. He said Omar Abdullahs vision was confined to Kashmir.

Trinamool Congress chief whip in Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Shekhar Roy also ticked off the NC chief. If Abdullah had suggestions, he should have raised them at proper platforms, he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party declined to comment on Abdullahs tweets.

The DMK also chose not to comment on Abdullahs tweets. But DMK spokesperson A Saravanan while describing Modi as the most charismatic leader in the country today, said in the same breath that it would be extremely difficult for the BJP to make inroads in Tamil Nadu in 2019 because the partys policies do not align with the people.

Tamil Nadu has historically favoured moderate parties and the people have a strong sense of regional identity, which includes pride in their language and customs. The BJP, through its policies, its attempts to homogenize what it means to be an Indian, and its nature as a Hindutva party runs counter to that - so unless they start appealing to Tamils they can never win, he stressed.

AIADMK spokesperson, Avadi Kumar too described Modi as the most charismatic leader in the country but said, A lot can change by 2019.

In Tamil Nadu, there is no chance Modi or the BJP will win anything in 2019. Remember in 2014, Amma had stopped his wave in the state, he said.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy described Abdullahs statement pessimistic. The election results in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are not an indicator to the nation-wide trend. It is a peculiar outcome confined only to those two states which were part of only one state in the past and various factors worked in favour of the BJP there.

(With inputs from Arun Kumar in Patna Bihar and Aditya Iyer in Chennai)
The aspirational Uttarakhandi clicked for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a primarily bi-polar poll.

That is what I could make out from my visits during the polls in the hill state. When I visited the hill state for the first time in the non-internet era of early 1990s, when it was part of Uttar Pradesh, a common Uttarakhandi was just looking for a happy two square meals a day and improvement in existing roads.

That was not the case in 2017. The aspiration to do better was evident. The older generation wanted roads to their homes, women tapped drinking water and assured power supply and youngsters jobs at their doorsteps.

Defeated chief minister Harish Rawat had promised all this but did not deliver much in his three years of troubled rule, mired by dissidence and intense coterie politics that alienated him from the people.

There was an opportunity for Opposition BJP to latch on. It took so, smartly.

First, it fostered dissidence within the Congress and took away senior mass leaders away from the party. Second, the BJPs dirty tricks wing dismantled Harish Rawats so-called clean image by exposing him through sting operations and social media. Third, it pumped money into polls that the Congress was not able to match.

More than that, the BJP had a master campaigner in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who clicked with masses instantly. He spoke a few lines in the local dialect at a number of rallies, including his last in Rawats bastion Kumaon connecting instantly with locals, especially women.

Modi spoke about people issues and his plans to deal with them. It had an emotional connect with people who were willing to forget about corruption allegations against the previous BJP government with a common refrain Modiji will deliver for us.

BJPs many Harish Rawats

The Congress had only one poster boy in Harish Rawat.

The BJP had many with similar stature like Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Satpal Maharaj, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to name a few. They were assigned specific tasks months in advance.

A senior BJP leader said Koshyari was asked to remain in his area of influence in the hills, Maharaj tasked to exert influence among ashrams and muths and Pokhriyal to handle only crucial Haridwar region having 13 seats. The leader counted two gains --- minimising infighting and making use of their influence.

The BJP also managed the rebels well, promising them a post when they form the government and adjusting some of them within the party organisation. Former state BJP chief Tirath Singh Rawat, who was denied ticket, was adjusted as the partys national secretary.

Well-oiled strategy

When it came to strategic, the BJP was miles ahead of the cash-strapped Congress. The party had connected with voters even before the poll dates were announced in the first week of January after which the Congress launched its campaign.

The BJP posted workers from other states in all constituencies. We have assigned every village to our workers from Himachal who know the customs and topography, a central minister told this correspondent during the campaign.

They have been asked to stay in villages and not in towns.

Hindu card

A good strategy would not have been enough. The party carefully crafted the Hindu card from Haridwar in the plains to Badrinath and Kedarnath in the hills. In the plains, having high Muslim votes, it was used to polarise the majority votes while in hills the card was to showcase the BJP as real party of Hindus.

The BJP scripted an unprecedented win never seen before in the young state born in 2012 with the Congress left with only solace --- its vote share almost remained intact.

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Winning and losing are part of any democracy but nobody could have foreseen that voters in the 2017 assembly elections would declare their verdict in such a resounding manner. The BJP has scored such an incredible victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand that even its leaders could not have imagined this. The way the Aam Aadmi Party was routed in Punjab was also something beyond what most people had anticipated.

Let me begin this column by talking about the BJP. In 2013, when Amit Shah initiated the process of expanding the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh, who would have thought that the party will win 72 seats in the Lok Sabha, leaving all other parties gasping for breath. Now consider the results of March 2017. The miracle of 2014 is repeating itself. Shah looked at politics with a new perspective. He knew the minorities wont vote for his party. Therefore, not even a single Muslim was given a ticket. Similarly, he knew that the Jatavs among Dalits and the Yadavs among the backwards had already made up their minds. So, he diverted all his attention to non-Yadav backwards and non- Jatav Dalits. For the first time in the history of Indian politics, an election that was fought keeping in mind 70 per cent people has proved so rewarding.

The credit for this landslide victory also goes to Narendra Modi. Almost three years into his tenure, he hasnt let even a stain of corruption taint the governments record. It is Modis magic that the voters confidence in him hasnt been shaken despite the hardships faced by them owing to demonetisation. He drew huge crowds wherever he went and people clung on to what he was saying. Shortly after he made the remark about shamshan and kabristan, I was visiting the villages around the site of the public meeting. Even as the analysts were squirming, the voters were swearing by him. When he spent three days in Varanasi, the traditional political experts began questioning him. The people have given a thumping response to all these questions.

Now let us discuss the Samajwadi Party. The election results have proved that Akhilesh Yadavs hard work has proved futile. Even along with the Congress, the party could not win 100 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The family feud, the division of the Muslim vote, the Congresss bad performance, the delay in ticket distribution and the absence of booth management can all be blamed for their performance. The struggles for Akhilesh Yadav do not end here. His uncle Shivpal Yadav opened a new front against him even before the results were out. He is analysing the verdict as a defeat for the SPs arrogance. His supporters are saying a few big decisions will be taken shortly. If Akhilesh manages to weather the challenges from within and without, with determination and resoluteness, he will prove to be the most promising leader in Uttar Pradesh.

A discussion on Mayawati is needed here. Her graph has been falling since 2012. Now she is shifting the blame of her loss on to electronic voting machines. But she is losing a grip on her core voters and her political magnetism is on the wane. Clearly Mayawatis views and politics need an overhaul.

Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party will have to do a rethink on its strategy. They fought the elections in Punjab with a lot of sound and fury. On Saturday morning, when the election results were about to be announced, Arvind Kejriwals residence in Delhi resembled the setting of a grand Diwali celebration. AAPs associate Kapil Mishra was loudly proclaiming on television that a new peoples hero is about to emerge. One hopes that in the future, the seniors of the party will focus on big deeds rather than making tall claims.

Finally, let us talk about the Congress party. It is true that Punjab has prevented a loss of face for the oldest party in the country, but it lost Uttarakhand. The Congress met the same fate in Uttarakhand as the BSP in Uttar Pradesh. Although, it had become the single largest party in Goa and Manipur, victory or defeat in these two states has a limited impact on national politics. Obviously, for Rahul Gandhi, the road to reviving the Congresss lost glory is long and hard.

The verdict of March 11, 2017 has given rise to the slogan Modi Naam Kevalam (Just chant Modis name) and given a resounding defeat to the entire Opposition. The challenge before the prime minister now is to deliver on his promises. At the same time, the Opposition  which is on all fours  has to gather the confidence to return to the wrestling ring. With the elections in Gujarat and Himachal round the corner, both sides will have very little time to put their plans into action.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan
The verdict of the recent round of assembly elections in five states is an indication of the endorsement of the feeling of nationalism that the BJP has been able to arouse amongst large sections of Indians, more than the failure of the opposition parties or the disapproval of the work done by the respective state governments.

Such an emphatic victory of the BJP and the massive support it managed to garner (39.7% votes in UP, 46.5% votes in Uttarakhand; according to provisional numbers) clearly indicates that the voters at least in UP and Uttarakhand, voted for the BJP rising above caste considerations. The party not only managed to hold on to its core supporters, but also attracted a large number of voters cutting across caste communities. This verdict should be interpreted as an approval of the policies of the central government, the continuing popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and an intact support base of the BJP; even three years after coming to power at the Centre. These results also indicate the very strong ability of Narendra Modi to connect with voters at large, as was visible from the crowds which he managed to attract during his road shows in Varanasi. The BJP did lose the assembly elections in Bihar and Delhi, but these victories in UP and Uttarakhand indicate that the wave created in UP and Uttarakhand during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections continues abated.

Being badly defeated in Uttarakhand and UP, the Congress still can take solace in having returned to power in Punjab with increased popularity (38.5% vote share at the time of writing, compared to 33% in the 2014 Lok Sabha); but credit for its victory should go more to the misgovernance of the Akali-BJP rule in the last two decades, rather than to any attraction towards the Congress. Even though there was a new alternative available to the voters in the form of the Aam Adami Party, voters in Punjab preferred to vote for the Congress, mainly due to the personal popularity of its chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh. The Congress can also take solace in having been in serious contests in Manipur and Goa.

But the two parties which are in real trouble are the SP and BSP which have been routed in Uttar Pradesh. The vote share of the SP-Congress combine and BSP in UP indicate that these parties may only have managed to hold on to their traditional vote banks and failed miserably to attract voters from other castes and communities. Clearly voters were not attracted to the Kaam bolta hai campaign of the SP-Congress alliance. Mayawati has also failed miserably in impressing upon the voters of UP that the policies of the Modi government have not helped the poor and downtrodden. Clearly, all the parties opposing the BJP in these five states namely the SP, the Congress, the BSP and the AAP failed to create any narrative of either development or of a new definition of nationalism which could match or counter that propagated by the BJP during the campaign.

With these victories, the BJP has created a kind of history in the states of UP and Uttarakhand. In UP it has managed to win more than 300 seats, the biggest victory ever registered by any political party in the state. It was way back in 1980 that the Congress managed to win 294 seats out of the 403 assembly seats in the UP assembly. Similarly, in Uttarakhand it created history by winning the largest number of seats (56) and with the biggest margin of votes. All previous assembly elections in the state were decided by a narrow margin of one or two per cent votes.

The massive victory of the BJP in UP and Uttarakhand reinforces the popularity of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister and the BJPs undisputed and most popular leader. These results also indicate an endorsement of the policies of the central government especially notebandi. The BJP has also managed to perform reasonably well in Goa, a state where it was the ruling party; and in Manipur, a state where it was hardly present.

These victories have certainly brightened the chances of the BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and would force the opposition parties to rethink their strategy. No single party seems to be a match for the growing popularity of the BJP and no leader seems to be anywhere close to the emulating the magic of Narendra Modi. These parties and leaders need to write a new narrative, because the old idioms no longer work.

Sanjay Kumar is a professor and currently the Director of CSDS. The views expressed are personal.
As I write this piece from Berlin --- detached from the hype and hoopla that marks the declaration of any election result --- the main question that comes to my mind is this: Does this result set the stage for the general elections in 2019? The answer is no.

Heres why I say this: The BJP has won UP and Uttarakhand convincingly. The Congress has retained Punjab and has emerged as the single-largest party in Manipur and Goa. The AAP has to cope with a sense of disappointment for they were hopeful in Goa and sanguine in Punjab.

Now, let us now rewind to 2002. That year no party got a clear majority in UP. The Congress won Punjab and Uttarakhand and was the single-largest party in Goa and Manipur.

Did that election set the stage for the 2004 general elections? No. The riots in Gujarat in 2002 did. This fact was admitted by none other than former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee after he lost the 2004 Parliament elections.

Similarly in 2007, the BSP won in Uttar Pradesh. The Akali Dal-BJP alliance routed the Congress in Punjab. The BJP won Uttrakhand. The Congress which won Manipur was the single largest party in Goa.

Did this election set the stage for the 2009 parliamentary polls?

No. The Indo-US civil nuclear deal did. It helped the Congress catapult from 145 seats to 206.

Again in 2012, the SP won UP. The Akali Dal-BJP alliance retained Punjab and won Goa. The Congress won in Manipur and emerged as the single-largest party in Uttarakhand.

Did this election provide the platform for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls? No. What provided the focus was Narendra Modis anointment as the prime ministerial candidate in Goa in 2013. It helped the BJP resolve its internal contradictions that had befuddled it for nine long years and unite under the leadership of Narendra Modi.

Is the 2017 result is also an amalgamation of diverse state-level impulses?

While data would have to be crunched to analyse why the poll numbers have once again defied exit poll calculations, this result does provide headroom for Modi to try and address the two fundamental challenges that plague India: The first is Indias relationship with Pakistan, and the second, the faltering economy, notwithstanding the creative statistics that have been put out by the Central Statistical Organisation.

Would Modi be willing to pick up the threads in Indias relationship with Pakistan that has been on the rocks since the Uri attack or will he wait since Pakistan is scheduled to go for national assembly elections in 2017?

If he chooses the latter, it means that the zero-sum game between the two countries will continue till the May of 2019.

Coming to the economy, the fact remains that we have entered an era of jobless growth. Given the youth bulge in our demographics, this is a potentially dangerous portent that can have long-term implications for social stability and cohesion.

Modis real test will be in Gujarat later this year. In the meantime, this amalgam of state-level factors at work gives him a chance to refocus on governance.

As far as the Opposition is concerned, they should focus on finding a presidential candidate who commands credibility across the widest spectrum of forces hostile to the current dispensation.

Then only would it be back in the game.

(Manish Tewari is a former Union minister and national spokesperson of the Congress. The views expressed are personal

Twitter: @manishtewari)
It was in 1993, when Mulayam Singh Yadav, founder president of the newly born Samajwadi Party, and Kanshi Ram, national chief of the fledgling Bahujan Samaj Party, sprang a surprise by forging an electoral alliance with the sole purpose of checkmating the resurgent BJP riding the crest of the Ram temple wave.

The coalition government lasted one year and 181 days, but the two regional parties grew enough to eventually control the states politics. The Congress was already in decline since it allowed the laying of the foundation stone for the Ram temple in Ayodhya in 1989; the BJP also started decaying along with its emotive temple issue losing potency after the demolition of the disputed structure in December 1992.

While the Congress regained ground and formed a government at the Centre in 2004, it could never revive in Uttar Pradesh that sent the Gandhi family  from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi -- to the Lok Sabha.

The decline of the BJP, however, happened gradually and by the time the state entered the new decade, it was very far from the seat of power. The saffron party barely won 88 seats polling 20.08% in 2002 and a decade later in 2012, fell to 47 seats and 15% votes.

Nonetheless, it propped up Mayawati in 1995 after the SP-BSP alliance collapsed and supported her government from outside. However, in 1996 elections, the BJP agreed to play second fiddle to the BSP. She became chief minister of a coalition government.

The BJP was eyeing her Dalit vote bank and eventually it was in 2017 that it could penetrate it and take away a sizeable chunk of Pasis (a sub-caste of Dalits) from her partys fold.

Thus the states politics was literally controlled by Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav and both got their first jolt in 2014 when Narendra Modi, then Gujarat chief minister, landed in the state to contest the general election from Varanasi. He swept UP in 2014 and again in 2017. By then, while Mayawati had lost many of her caste champions to the BJP, Akhilesh Yadav had replaced his father Mulayam.

Is it the end of regional party politics in UP? What next for Mayawati and Akhilesh? Can they revive their respective parties as both survive on the politics of caste identity?

Political analysts usually feel that leaders may be down but not necessarily out.

Mayawati may have to change her style of politics as all caste combinations and calculations will fail until she moves beyond building statutes. Young Dalits want jobs, laptops and a better life. She has so far promised dignity to her voters but she will have to add development too.

Akhilesh has added aspirations to his caste politics and added development to his agenda. He also has age on his side. But he faces a major challenge from within his own family. The knives are bound to be out as his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav will be vengeful. His father had once said, I have given the party to him for three months. Let him contest this assembly election the way he wishes.

</iframe<p>Mulayam may try to take control of the party from him before the 2019 Lok Sabha election and it is not going to be easy. He may have to fight for the chair against his own son. Now that his second wife Sadhna Yadav has also come out in the open with political ambitions for herself and son Pratik Yadav, Mulayam may have to do a tightrope walking as he also knows Akhilesh is the party&rsquo;s future. </p><p>On the other hand, Akhilesh is also prepared as he says, &lsquo;Victory has many fathers, defeat none.&rsquo; </p><p>An emboldened BJP will try to end the rule of the regional parties and repeat its 2014 performance in 2019 as it wants bipolar politics in the country. However, it will prove to be a gigantic task as both the regional parties have a base vote which will be hard to penetrate.</p><p><b>(Sunita Aron is senior resident editor, HT, Lucknow. She tweets at</b> <b><i>@overto)</i></b></p><p><b><i></i></b></p>
The BJP on Sunday edged past the Congress in the race to form the next government in Manipur, despite coming second in the recently held elections.

After day-long parleys, the party managed to secure support from the National Peoples Party (NPP)  which has four MLAs  to take their tally to 30 seats. Now, they need just one more seat to reach the magic figure of 31.

We have decided to extend support to the BJP-led government. The NPP and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will be part of the government while the Naga Peoples Front (LPF) will extend outside support, Conrad Sangma, NPP leader and Lok Sabha MP, told HT.

Assembly elections 2017: Click here for Live updates

The saffron party, which secured 21 seats  seven less than the Congress  already has the support of the NPF and the LJP. Both the regional parties are constituents of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance  a regional front of anti-Congress parties. Ram Vilas Paswans LJP is part of the NDA government at the Centre.

We have the support of more MLAs, and have already reached the 31 figure  but that will be disclosed later. We have sought an appointment with the governor on Sunday evening to stake claim to forming the next government, Sangma said.

It is still uncertain if lone independent MLA Ahsab Uddin from Jiribam and All India Trinamool Congress legislator T Robindro Singh will be part of the BJP-led coalition.

The Manipur assembly has 60 members. The BJP, which had no seats in the previous assembly, won 21 in this election while the Congress count came down from 42 in 2012 to 28.

High drama had played out at the Imphal airport on Sunday afternoon, when Uddin was allegedly detained by CISF personnel while returning from the state capital.

On behest of BJP, independent candidate Ashab Uddin has been detained forcibly by CISF and flown to unknown destination, tweeted Congress general secretary CP Joshi soon after the incident.

Confusion prevailed in the hours that followed, and Uddin could not be contacted despite several attempts. Senior BJP leaders didnt react to the allegation either.

Meanwhile, the Congress also seemed to be trying to gather support from like-minded parties to retain power. Party members elected incumbent chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh as the Congress legislature party leader, and was expected to meet governor Najma Heptullah on Monday to stake claim to form the government in the state.

For full coverage on Manipur election, click here
After a long Sunday spent seeking support from regional parties, the BJP is all set to return to governance in Goa for its second term in a row.

The party, which managed to secure 13 seats in the Goa legislative assembly, had fallen short of eight seats required to achieve a majority. However, things began falling in place after senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari flew down to Panaji on Sunday morning and held a meeting at the Cidade De Goa with all its winning MLAs. Manohar Parrikar also attended the event, which went on till seven in the evening.

Later, the BJP and its allies went to meet the Goa governor to prove their majority in the house.

We have decided to extend our support to the BJP as we feel that the Congress has no candidate worthy of the chief ministerial post. But we want Parrikar as the chief minister because nobody else is suitable for the job, said Sudin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

With this alliance, the BJP will gain three crucial seats.

The regional party had opposed the BJP during the elections, criticising it for not supporting the Konkani language.

A similar request was put forward by Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party, which comes with three seats. We were with the Congress during the elections, but after discussions with the BJP high command, we feel they (the BJP) want to work on regional issues like us. Therefore, we have decided to extend our support to the BJP, he told mediapersons.

Two independent MLAs  Rohan Khaunte from Porvorim and Govind Gaude from Priol  have also extended their support to the saffron party.

It is also rumoured that Nationalist Congress Party member Churchill Alemao, who won from Benaulim constituency, will extend support to the BJP. However, no official statement has been released in this regard.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrated Holi and Diwali both, on Saturday. The BJP rode on his shoulders to power in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The scale of BJPs victory defied almost every poll prediction and surpassed even the partys own expectations.

There was a Modi wave in this election. Some figures corroborate that. In Uttar Pradesh, Modi addressed 23 rallies and held two roadshows covering 118 of a total of 403 assembly seats. And the BJP won 99 of them. The Apna Dal, an ally of the BJP, also won three of these seats. Thats a total strike rate of 86.4%.

Such strong was the Move wave it blew away every BJP opponent. The Samajwadi Party of Akhilesh Yadav could win just 11 of these 118 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party of Mayawati just four. The Congress drew a nil.

At the start of the election, the BJP had planned just one rally of the prime minister in each of the seven rounds. As election got nearer, it was scaled up to two rallies of the PM for every phase. The final tally was 23 for seven phases, averaging more than three for each of the rounds.

Modi was criticised for spending three days in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, and holding two road shows.

Why should not be spent time in his area? What is wrong in it? BJP chief Amit Shah said. Shah revealed last evening that the prime ministers had told BJP poll managers to draw such a schedule for him in Varanasi by which he gets maximum time to connect with his voters. BJP won all five assembly seats in the parliamentary constituency of the Prime Minister.

Modi also held four rallies in Uttarakhand covering 25 out of total 70 assembly segments. The BJP won 20 of them and other five went to the Congress. It wrested a total of 57 seats; the best-ever performance by any political party in the hill state.

The PM had two rallies in Punjab, covering 10 seats and BJPs ally, Shiromani Akali Dal, won 4 of them. The AAP of Arvind Kejriwal won 1 and the Congress 5.

The BJP won Panaji seat in Goa where the PM has a rally. It won 13 out of 26 seats that the PM covered through his rally in Manipur.

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The grand celebrations at the New Moti Bagh Palace on Saturday after Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh won the seat and the state on his 75th birthday were for the people of Patiala. The Congress is preparing for a grand Holi at Chandigarh on Monday before Amarinder is formally sworn in as chief minister for the second time on March 16.

The party is hosted every year by Amarinders confidant and Punjabs richest MLA, sugar baron Rana Gurjit Singh, at Chandigarh. Though Rana had drawn flak for holding grand celebrations even when the Congress had lost in the 2012 polls, this time there is every reason for the party to celebrate. Its dry run in Punjab polls has finally ended and that too with a thumping victory, which has left even Congress leaders wondering at the hows and whats.

But before the celebrations, the party put into motion the process for forming the next government in the state. After reaching Chandigarh from Patiala on Sunday afternoon, Amarinder was unanimously elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) at the Congress Bhavan here in presence of partys emissaries  former Rajasthan CM and head of Congress screening committee for Punjab elections Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab, Asha Kumari and AICC secretary Harish Chaudhary.

Later, Amarinder, accompanied by Gehlot, Kumari and Chaudhary, went to Raj Bhavan to meet Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore and formally staked his claim to form the next government. The swearing-in ceremony will take place here on Thursday, March 16, at 10am.

Though as CM this time, Amarinder wont have to look over his shoulder as the party high command has been further weakened by poll drubbing in UP and Uttarakhand and the Gandhis need him more than ever before, Amarinder, after meeting the Punjab governor, said the size and ministers of cabinet would be decided after his meeting with Rahul on Tuesday.

Going by internal party dynamics, Amarinder is far more well placed in 2017 than he was in 2002, the first time he became the CM. For one, he had ensured a majority of the tickets went to his loyalists. So the CLP is packed with his loyalists and even the partys three senior-most leaders are now out of the way.

He had debarred his prickly rival and former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from changing her seat, Lehra, where she was facing four-term anti-incumbency by bringing in the no swap rule for sitting MLAs on general seats.

Former leader of opposition Sunil Jakhar who was sulking after Amarinder did not bat for his Rajya Sabha nomination, too has lost his bastion, Abohar. Amarinders other rule of one family, one ticket kept another potential power centre, Lal Singh, out of the poll race. Lals son, Rajinder Singh, has won the Samana seat.

Though Fatehjang Bajwa, the younger brother of his other bitter critic, Rajya Sabha MP Partap Bajwa, has won, he poses no threat of dissidence to Amarinder.

Now there only loyalists in the new CLP. The only question would be of who is more loyal. But in his last term as CM, Amarinder is not likely to play the favourites card. He will go by merit and seniority while trying a balance between factors of caste, religion, gender and region as he has won on the promise of good governance, a senior party leader said.

Sidhu as deputy CM?

Though Amarinder said the decision to appoint a deputy CM rests with the party high command, the party circles were abuzz with speculation that Navjot Singh Sidhu would be sworn in as Amarinders deputy. The other prominent portfolio of finance is likely to go to former finance minister Manpreet Badal.

Some senior ministers in the race for cabinet berths on basis of region, caste and religion arithmetic are Tripat Singh Bajwa (Jat Sikh, Majha), Aruna Chaudhary (Hindu, woman, Majha), Brahm Mohindra (Hindu, Malwa), Charanjit Singh Channi (Dalit, Malwa), Pargat Singh (Jat Sikh, Doaba), Sukhbinder Sarkaria (Jat Sikh, Majha), Razia Sultana (Muslim, woman, Malwa), Amarinder and Kuljit Nagra (Rahuls confidant, Jat Sikh, Malwa).

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In handing down a resounding victory to the Congress, Punjab has lived up to its time-tested electoral record of decisive mandates. And, the comeback captain in this hard-fought election is Amarinder Singh who not only made the most of anti-incumbency ire against the 10-year rule of the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine but also fended off a stiff challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party that had fancied itself as a disruptor in the states binary politics.

By all accounts, the election results are far better for the erstwhile scion of Patiala royalty that even his own party had foreseen. Against the Uttar Pradesh disaster, a spectacular showing in Punjab is a sanjeevani that will keep alive the Congress hope for a revival in national politics ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. For the grand old party it also underscores a critical lesson: Empowering regional satraps is the only way to revive its pan-India fortunes.

It may be tempting to interpret the Punjab triumph as an example of Singhs remarkable luck. After all, he had presided over two back-to-back assembly debacles (2007 and 2012) before resurrecting himself from the footnote to the frontline with a Lok Sabha win from Amritsar in 2014.

Truth be told, its a feat pulled off largely by Singhs charisma and credentials as a gritty fighter. His political heft had no match in Arvind Kejriwals party, which, in hindsight, was punching way above its weight.

While tapping into the mother lode of anger against the ruling Badals, Singh, as campaigner-in-chief for the Congress, deftly made the most of AAPs mistakes. He made political corruption his chief plank. He focused on a development pitch, with a fix-the-broken-Punjab narrative.

AAP, the rookie party, in contrast, promised to jail the Badal within four weeks of coming to power  the centrepiece of the partys negative campaign that eventually didnt go well with aspiration-bound Punjabis. But, AAP lost the plot by its dalliance with Sikh radicals, some of them avowedly Khalistanis, in its zeal to mop up the anti-Akali vote.

Crucially, Kejriwal blundered by staying at the home of a former terrorist. In a state where the dark 1980s are never a distant past, such a risky gambit and a bomb blast on the eve of polling day, revived old fears. The violence-weary voters, particularly the Hindus who are 43% of the electorate, plumped for the Congress. That also helps explain why the Modi magic didnt work even in BJP bastions in urban Punjab. The saffron party was reduced to its worst ever tally.

Singhs unambiguous and tough stand on Punjabs river waters also went down well in Malwa, an Akali citadel that had emerged as ground zero for AAPs surge. While his resignation from the Lok Sabha against the Supreme Court ruling on the contentious Sutlej Yamuna Link canal bolstered his standing among the Sikh peasantry, he skilfully used the emotive inter-state issue to focus on Kejriwals Haryana roots and labelled him an outsider.

The Akalis had their share of political missteps. Their last-minute deal with the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda backfired and drove the peasantry into Singhs arms. Not surprisingly, not just sprawling Malwa with 69 of 117 seats, other regions of Doaba and Majha too turned out to the rich hunting ground for the Congress and a Waterloo for both the Akalis and AAP  to the uttter delight of Amarinder Singh on his 75th birthday.

ramesh.vinayak@hindustantimes.com

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The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP of abducting an Independent legislator from the Imphal airport and taking him to an unknown destination amid power struggle in Manipur that elected a hung assembly.

Lone Independent MLA Ashab Uddin, who was coming to the state capital, was allegedly detained by CISF personnel at the airport.

On behest of BJP, Independent candidate Ashab Uddin has been detained forcibly by CISF and flown to unknown destination (sic), Congress general secretary CP Joshi tweeted.

There was, however, no clarity on what actually happened. Ahsab Uddin couldnt be contacted as his phone was switched off. Senior BJP leaders too didnt react to the allegation.

Formation of the next government in Manipur hung in balance as the Congress, the single largest party, and second-placed BJP jostled to get support from smaller players to reach the required numbers.

Throughout Sunday, a day after voters gave a hung verdict, Congress, which got 28 seats, three short of the required 31, and BJP, which secured 21, tried to woo National Peoples Party (NPP), which has 4 MLAs.

Voters have given a mandate against the Congress. Therefore other parties should respect the mandate and support a BJP-led government. We already have support of some and expect others to join soon, said senior BJP leader Ram Madhav.

A meeting of newly elected BJP MLAs was held to discuss the partys strategy. No decision has yet been taken on who would be made the legislature party leader or when it would stake claim to form a government.

The saffron party already has the support of four Naga Peoples Front (NPF) MLAs and the lone Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) legislator, taking its tally to 26. But due to anti-NPF sentiments in the valley, the BJP is likely to take outside support from the party instead of including it in the government.

On the other hand, the Congress is also trying to gather support of like-minded parties to retain power.

Incumbent chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh was elected Congress legislature party leader. He is expected to meet governor Najma Heptullah on Monday to stake claim to form the government.

It is a fractured mandate and it calls for formation of a coalition government. We will stake claim to form the government soon, state Congress president TN Haokip told journalists.

The NPP, which is part of the NDA-government at the Centre and the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA)an anti-Congress regional front---also held meetings, but is yet to make its stand clear.

Both the Congress and the BJP are also trying to get T Robindro Singh, the lone All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MLA, into their fold, to boost their tally.

Key players in Manipur

NPF: The party, which is active in Naga-dominated hill areas of Manipur, bagged four seats and has already pledged support to any non-Congress coalition government in the state. The BJP is part of the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government in neighbouring Nagaland. It is also part of the BJP-led NEDA.

NPP: With four MLAs, the NPP, which has presence in Meghalaya and Rajasthan assemblies, holds key to which party would form the next government. Like NPF, the party is also a NEDA constituent. Its lone Lok Sabha MP Conrad Sangma, son of former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma, is part of the NDA government at the Centre. The BJP is hoping the existing connections would work in its favour, but the NPP is yet to make its stance clear.

LJP: Ram Vilas Paswans LJP, which is part of the NDA government in New Delhi, won one seat in Manipur. Paswan has made it clear that it will support a BJP government in the state.

Legislator Karam Shyam, a second term winner on LJP ticket, also confirmed the partys decision.

AITC: From seven wins in the previous election, Mamata Banerjees party this time managed to secure just one seatstate president T Robindro Singh. It had fielded 16 candidates. Like the NPP, the party also remains undecided on its position. Both the Congress and the BJP are trying to bring Singh to their fold.

Independent-Ashab Uddin: The 51-year-old who won from Jiribam is the lone Independent MLA in the 60-member assembly. There is still no clarity on which party he would support.
The Modi wave, which swept Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, failed to touch Amritsar Lok Sabha bypolls where the Congress candidate defeated the BJP nominee by a margin of around 2 lakh votes.

The parliamentary seat fell vacant after Captain Amarinder Singh resigned as member of Parliament in protest against the Supreme Court verdict on Satluj-Yamuna Link canal.

Amarinder had won the 2014 LS polls from here with a margin of over 1 lakh votes, but Congress candidate Gurjit Singh Aujla, former president of Amritsar district Congress Committee (rural), almost doubled it.

Since the constituency has a majority of Sikh voters (67%) in the Lok Sabha segment, which was considered the main factor behind the victory of Captain Amarinder Singh who defeated BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley in the last Lok Sabha general polls, this time the saffron party decided to field its Sikh face Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina. However, he lost the bypoll with a big margin amid an unprecedented anti-incumbency wave in Punjab.

The Congress candidates were not the first choice of voters in both assembly and LS bypoll. A sizeable section of voters who chose SAD-BJP candidates for the Assembly polls, supported the Congress candidate in the LS bypoll. So, their choice differed for both the elections.

The Congress candidates got a total of 4,90,043 votes in the nine Assembly segments of the Amritsar Parliamentary area, while the Congress nominee Aujla got 5,08,153 votes in the Lok Sabha bypoll. On the other hand, the SAD-BJP candidate got lesser votes3,08964than the total votes (3,42,292) polled by the alliance candidates in the assembly polls.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Upkar Singh Sandhu, former president of the SAD urban unit, came third with 1,49,984 votes. As many as 9747 voters pressed the NOTA button.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party smashed rivals, the Samajwadi Party-Congress combine of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, and Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party, to register a spectacular win in Uttar Pradesh assembly election 2017.

The seven-round political slugfest in Indias most populous state saw the BJP score a knockout, much like its stellar showing in UP in the 2014 general elections, when it won a landslide 71 of 80 Lok Sabha seats.

Here is a ringside view of how Modis ferocious poll assault played out across seven rounds this year, flooring the opposition and getting the BJP 312 seats out of 403 (a resounding 77.41% success).

Round 1

The ring for the opening round was the volatile western UP and the BJP got off to a blistering start for the 73 seats on offer across 15 districts. The party had won only 11 of these seats in the 2012 state polls. The scorecard changed this time to a stunning 66 seats. The SP and BSP reeled under the onslaught, managing only 3 seats each. The BJP had caught them cold in a region where communal polarisation, caste considerations, demonetisation, and farm debt were seen as the key talking points during the build-up.

Round 1: 73 seats 1. BJP  66 2. SP  3 3. BSP  3 4. Congress - 0

Round 2

Results reveal the BJP was on a roll. Voters across Rohilkhand and parts of western UP scored this round 50 out of 67 seats for the BJP. The party had won only 10 of these seats in 2012. Mayawati stumbled badly in this round, failing to win a single seat. The BSP had won 18 of these seats in 2012. Akhilesh managed to sneak in a few blows, but it wasnt enough. The SP won 15 seats, down from 34 in 2012. The BJPs overall scorecard swelled to 116 seats.

Round 2, 67 seats 1. BJP  50 2. SP  15 3. Congress  2 4. BSP  0

Round 3

The 69 seats on offer spanned 12 districts, including urban centres Lucknow and Kanpur, as well as the Yadav family turf of Mainpuri and Etawah. Results reveal the SP and the BSP could not duck, bob or weave under the BJPs incisive blows. The BJP pocketed a staggering 55 of the seats, up from a mere 5 in 2012. The SP had won 55 of these seats in 2012, it managed 11 this year. Incidentally, following infighting in the SP ahead of the elections, Akhilesh had changed candidates on as many as 20 seats in the region that comprises the potato belt and Kannaujs perfume industry. Both Akhilesh and Mayawati were in deep trouble by now. Tables turned, the BJPs overall tally soared to 171.

Round 3, 69 seats 1. BJP  55 2. SP  11 3. BSP  2 4. Congress  1

Round 4

The arena moved to areas that included the BSPs perceived stronghold Bundelkhand and the Congress pocket borough of Rae Bareli. Mayawati would have pinned hopes on this round, but it was not to be. Results reveal Modi had rivals on the ropes again, scoring at will. The BJP won 40 of the 53 seats in this round, up from 5 in 2012. The SP went down from 24 seats in 2012 to a mere 2. The BSPs returns were a poor 2 seats, a slide from the 15 in 2012.

At this point, results reveal UP voters made it a no contest and Modi and the BJP were home with three rounds of voting to spare. The BJPs overall tally after round 4 rose to 211 seats. The party had breezed past the 202 halfway mark on its own in the 403-member House. The SP and BSP were bruised and battered by now, but in the tradition of Indian electoral democracy, they did not know it yet.

Round 4, 53 seats 1. BJP  40 2. SP  2 3. BSP  2 4. Congress  3

Round 5

The bout moved to eastern UP and results show the BJP landed punch combinations with Muhammad Ali-esque chutzpah and Mike Tyson-esque ferocity. Neither Akhilesh nor Mayawati could counterpunch. The BJP won a massive 44 of the 52 seats in this round, up from 5 in 2012. The BJPs overall scorecard soared to 255 seats and it was on course for the biggest victory by any party in UP since Indira Gandhi led the Congress to 309 seats in 1980 before the state was divided.

Round 5, 52 seats 1. BJP  44 2. SP  3 3. BSP  4 4. Congress  0

Round 6

The UP voter continued embracing saffron in the penultimate round and gave the BJP 32 of the 49 seats on offer. Akhilesh and Mayawati thew some jabs, but it was too little too late. The BJPs tally now stood at an imposing 287. Modis 23 public rallies and two road shows in about a month in a shrill political campaign were paying off.

Round 6, 49 seats 1. BJP  32 2. SP  7 3. BSP  7 4. Congress  1

Round 7

BJP smashed the record in the final round of voting, winning 25 of the 40 seats on offer. It logged up a unanimous victory with 312 seats on its own.

Round 7, 40 seats 1. BJP  25 2. SP  6 3. BSP  1 4. Congress  0

For our full coverage of assembly elections, click here

(With inputs from Pankaj Jaiswal and Rajesh Kumar Singh in Lucknow)
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar might return to Goa to become chief minister and help the BJP outmanoeuvre the Congress by forming the next government with the help of regional parties and independents.

With 13 seats, the BJP finished second to the Congress 17 in the 40-member Goa assembly with 10 seats spread among smaller parties and independents.

Both national parties are in frantic talks to stake claim to form the government, and a only a leader of Parrikars stature can stitch together a coalition, party insiders say.

Late on Saturday, Union roads minister Nitin Gadkari was dispatched to Panaji to hold talks with regional parties and he got back to the central leadership with good news at 3 am this morning, said party sources.

Parrikar was Goa chief minister before joining the Narendra Modi government as defence minister in November 2014. The final call on Parrikars return will be taken at a meeting of the BJP parliamentary board headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday evening.

The BJP had projected Parrikar as its face in Goa but didnt declare him the chief ministerial candidate because Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted him to continue in the Union cabinet. The party has been forced to do a re-think about Parrikar after its sitting chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar lost.

The BJP is depending on the support of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party, who have won three seats each. The BJP has the support of Independent MLA Govind Gawade, who was backed by the party during the election from Priol constituency. There are two more independents and the BJP leadership is in talks with them.

MGPs Sudhin Dahvlikar is a close friend of highways minister Nitin Gadkari and the two negotiated an alliance after a meeting that went on till wee hours on Sunday. Gadkari has left for Goa to finalise talks with other parties.

The MGP was a part of the BJP government in Goa, but walked out of it following differences with chief minister Parsekar. The MGP too wants Parrikar to head the next government. We are also in talks with the Goa Forward Party. We are confident of striking a deal, a Union minister told HT.

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If five voters went to a rally each by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi during the recently concluded assembly polls, chances are four voted for the BJP and allies, and only one for the Congress and partners.

Data shows the BJP rode on Prime Minister Narendra Modis shoulders to storm to power in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In contrast, Gandhi couldnt convince enough voters to back his party.

In Indias largest state, Modi addressed 23 rallies and held two roadshows covering 118 of a total of 403 assembly seats. And the BJP won 99 of them. The Apna Dal, an ally of the BJP, also won three of these seats. Thats a total strike rate of 86.4%.

The same figures for Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is a study in contrasts. The 45-year-old addressed 54 rallies covering 46 assembly constituencies. But the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance won just seven of these  a poor strike rate of just 15%. In fact, the BJP won 38 of these, a win rate of 82%.

In Punjab  where the Congress swept to a two-thirds majority  the prime minister covered 10 seats and the Akali Dal-BJP combine won four of them  a strike rate of 40%. But despite a thumping victory, Gandhis win rate  seven of 15 constituencies covered  of 46% wasnt much better.

In Uttarakhand  where the incumbent Congress was crushed  Modi addressed 25 rallies and his party won 20, a strike rate of 80%. All five constituencies Rahul campaigned in Uttarakhand went to the BJP.

In Manipur  where the two national parties were neck-and neck  the BJP won 13 out of 26 seats the PM covered in his rallies, a strike rate of 50%. The saffron party bagged the lone seat where Gandhi campaigned.

In Goa, the BJP won the sole seat Modi campaigned in. For Gandhi, the strike rate was 50% with the national parties splitting a seat each.

In total across the five states, Modi covered 180 seats and his party and allies won 140. Thats a nationwide strike rate of 78%.

Gandhi campaigned across 69 constituencies and the Congress and partners won just 15  a strike rate of 22%. The numbers tell the story of this election.

(With data inputs from Abhinash Jha and Piyush Aggarwal)
Foreign publications took note of the assembly election results, interpreting the BJPs landslide win as a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity and as a referendum on demonetisation.

The New York Times Geeta Anand writes that the landslide win increases Modis chances of being re-elected in 2019. The piece goes on to quote India-based political commentator Ashok Malik saying the BJPs victory was a stupendous achievement. Here you had a prime minister making himself the face of the election in the absence of a local leader and stitching together a coalition across the state.

Anand argues that the scale of the victory suggests that voters overlooked Modis politically risky decision to eliminate most of Indias cash. The report includes insights from Harsh Pant, a professor of international relations specializing in India at Kings College, who says that Modi was able to shape the demonetisation as a political narrative, rather than an economic one. He said, I am a crusader against corruption, and you have to rise above your mundane economic realities and support me. And people did, Mr. Pant said.

The Guardians Michael Safi writes that the decisive win was a board endorsement of Modis policies, including the currency ban. The execution of demonetisation was botched, with cash shortages persisting in parts of the country, but Modi successfully framed the policy as a decisive strike against the untaxed hoards of black money accumulated by the countrys wealthy elites, says the report.

The report also goes on to say that Saturdays results raise doubts over Modis national rivals. It quotes Prabhakar Kumar, the head of CMS Media Labs, a research group that analyses media and political trends, saying that there is no one in the opposition who can match Modi. There are no dents to his image, no corruption. Whether or not people agree with his way or working or his policies, there is a perception that this person works 24 hours a day and has boundless energy.

The article goes on to say, These wins came in spite of the party not running a single Muslim candidate in the state and some party members making Hindutva appeals, trying to stoke a pan-Hindu identity among a faith group traditionally riven by caste distinctions.

Soutik Biswas, the BBCs India correspondent, decodes what the historic wins means for Modi and the BJP. For one, the balance of power in India has now decisively swung in favour of the BJP, and reinforces the partys position as the central pole in Indias politics, writes Biswas. According to the piece, other gains for the BJP include surviving the jitters caused by demonetisation, a boost in the upper house of the Parliament and ensuring that Modi becomes the front-runner for 2019.

The piece also examines the state of Indias jaded and uninspiring opposition. The main opposition Congress party - despite its apparent win in Punjab - remains in a limbo, run by the dynastic Gandhi family, which holds the party together but is unable to win votes.

A report in the Washington Post says that the election win will be a morale-booster for Modi, who campaigned extensively in Uttar Pradesh. Modis party appears to have successfully forged a coalition of upper, middle-ranking and lower castes in Uttar Pradesh. The elections prove that the BJP was able to break caste and class barriers, social scientist P. Kumar of the Giri Institute of Development Studies said in Lucknow, the state capital.

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Despite failing to become the largest party, the BJP is busy gathering the numbers to form the next government in Manipur with the help of smaller players.

From having no seats in the previous assembly, the party bagged 21 seats---seven less than the ruling Congress, which got 28. The party needs support of 31 MLAs to stake claim to form the next government.

The mandate is against the Congress. We already have support of some groups and are confident of getting others to join us to reach the required number, said senior BJP leader and Manipur in-charge Ram Madhav.

Senior leaders said the party would stake its claim to form government as soon as it has the support of 31 MLAs. Swearing-in of the new government will take few more days.

The saffron party already has support of Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF), which has four seats and the lone Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MLA has also agreed to back a BJP-led government.

We are already part of the NDA government in Centre and our party has decided to support a BJP-led government in Manipur, LJP legislator Karan Shyam told HT.

On Saturday evening, the NPF had issued a statement that it would support a non-Congress government in Manipur. BJP is part of the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government in Nagaland.

The Congress, which got 14 less seats than in 2012, is also trying to stay in the government formation race and is in talks with National Peoples Party (NPP), which got four seats and the lone Independent MLA.

Madhav and other senior BJP leaders like powerful Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and senior leader Prahlad Patel are stationed in Manipurs capital and holding talks to cobble up the figures.

Government formation may take 2-3 more days. Hectic meetings are on and there should be some positive development by Sunday evening, Sarma told Hindustan Times.

Both the Congress and the BJP are also trying to get the lone All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) legislator T Robindro Singh to their side.

We are the single-largest party and we would try the get support of at least three more MLAs to form the government, said Manipur Congress president TN Haokip.
Its time for another roadshow by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this time in the Lutyens Delhi.

Modi, who helped the BJP sweep Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, will drive to the party headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday evening for a meeting of the BJPs parliamentary board.

The meeting will fix dates for the legislature party to meet in Lucknow and Dehradun to elect the new chief minister in two states.

Modi, for his part, tweeted on Sunday that a new India was emerging, and that it stood for development.

A new India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2017

When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2017

BJP sources said before the party meeting, Modi could leave his convoy at the roundabout near Hotel Le Meridien and walk up to the party headquarters, located about 100 meters away, on the Ashoka Road. He will have cheering BJP workers on both sides of the road.

Congratulatory posters and banners have been put along the road, hailing Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for the resounding victory in the two states.

A stage has been set outside the party headquarters from where Modi will address workers. Thousand of them are expected to reach the BJP headquarters on Sunday.

Modis Bharatiya Janata Party won stunning election victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Saturday, a personal triumph for the Prime Minister that could now ensure his partys near-domination of politics in India.

Riding on Modis charismatic campaign, the BJP registered the biggest-ever victory by any political party in Uttar Pradesh since Indira Gandhi led the Congress to 309 seats in 1980 before the state was divided. In doing so the saffron outfit replicated its landslide victory in the 2014 national polls.

The results routed the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, as well as the Bahujan Samaj Party, once a dominant power in a state where the BJP last ruled in 2002.

Winning the politically crucial state could help Modi set the tone for a second term in the national elections in 2019. The mandate also signalled a ringing endorsement of his policies, especially his controversial decision to scrap 500-and 1000-rupee banknotes, which led to a cash crunch but was welcomed by many as helpful in fighting corruption.

The win has raised hopes among investors that the BJP will embark on a round of new reforms to boost growth in Asias third-largest economy. Economists now expect Modi to launch initiatives aimed at flushing out ill-gotten gains from real estate, gold and campaign finance.

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In an outcome unmatched over the last 40 years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 312 out of 403 (77.4%) seats in Indias largest state assembly in its most-populous state, increasing its vote share by 25 percentage points from the 2012 assembly elections to 39.7% in 2017.

The BJP almost repeated its performance from the 2014 parliamentary elections, when it won 42.7% votes and 73 (more than 90%) of 80 Lok Sabha seats. Despite the effects of demonetisation and the perception that voters behave differently in parliamentary and assembly elections, it would take a historic vote swing favouring the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress alliance or the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to keep the BJP from sweeping UP, as IndiaSpend had predicted in January 2017.

This performancevote share, and seats won as a percentage of total seatsis the best by any party after 1977, when, in the wake of the Emergency being lifted, the Janata Party won 352 seats of 425 (82.8%) seats and garnered 47.8% votes from the people of UP.

The BJP almost exactly replicated the performance of the Congress in 1980, when the Congress won 309 seats with 39.6% of the votes, while the BJP won 11 seats with 10.8% votes. In 2017, the BJP has 312 seats with 39.7% votes, while the Congress has seven seats with 6.2% of UPs votes.

Regional parties SP and BSP maintain vote share, fail to win seats

As the chart shows, the SP and BSP maintained their core vote share of at least 20%the SP had 29% of the votes in 2012 and the BSP, 26%in the 2017 assembly elections, but they could not translate those into seats.

Source: Election Commission of India data here and here

Our analysis of assembly elections since 1993, after the formation of the SP, shows that both SP and BSP were consistent in growing their vote shares, while the vote shares of the major national parties, the BJP and the Congress, reduced.

The BJP in 2017 has registered its best performance ever, the Congress its worst ever since 1977, and the SP and BSP the worst ever since their inception.

After being the single largest party and forming the government for one term (1997-2002) in the 1993-2002 period, the BJP remained out of power in UP for 15 years. The Congress never again achieved the 15% vote share it achieved in 1993.

The BSP improved its vote share from the 19.8% in 2014 Lok Sabha election to 22.2% in the 2017; in 2012, it won 26% of the vote share, winning 80 seats; in 2017 it is down to 19.

BJP makes U-shaped recovery, Congress continues downfall

Looking back at the last four decades, the BJP started modestly in 1980, winning 11 seats with 11% of UPs votes, as we said.

So dominant were the SP and BSP over the last 30 years, the BJP and Congress were compared with a third front.

Except for three of the last 11 state elections, non-Congress and non-BJP parties put together always garnered more than a third of the votes, winning more than half the states vote in 2007.

In the four decades since 1980, UP was ruled by the Congress the first decade, followed by the BJPs rise and a fractured mandate that benefitted regional parties in 1989 and 1993 during the second decade, followed by 15 years of regional party dominance.

Note: For elections prior to 2002, the figures are for undivided Uttar Pradesh, including present-day Uttarakhand.
Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav defended his son and outgoing chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday after the partys debacle in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, saying no one person is responsible for the defeat.

The SP and Congress coalition, stitched against Mulayams wishes, managed to win 54 constituencies against the BJP-led alliances runaway victory, capturing 325 seats in the 403-member assembly.

We failed to convince voters, said Mulayam, who was ousted by Akhilesh as party chief in January after a bitter power tussle in the family.

Everyone is responsible for the loss. A single person cannot be blamed, he said in Saifai, his native village, where he will celebrate Holi. Akhilesh too will join the celebration.

Before they left for Saifai separately, Mulayam met his son briefly at the Janeshwar Mishra Trust office in Lucknow. Mulayam joined in when Akhilesh was interacting with party office-bearers.

People inclined towards the BJP as it has made a lot of promises. Let us see how many promises they fulfill, the SP founder said.

Mulayam discussed the partys rout and questioned the utility of the alliance with the Congress, which was related to single-digit figures in UP.

Akhilesh tried to encourage crestfallen party workers, saying the SP is not a party but an ideology, and that our struggle will continue.

You all should reach out to people and re-strengthen the party. I will review the partys performance and analyze the results. A meeting of all party candidates and MLAs will be held next week after which we will devise our new strategy, he said.

The meeting with his legislators will be held at the party office on March 16.

But his uncle and senior SP leader, Shivpal Yadav, who won his Jaswant Nagar seat, is unlikely to attend. Akhilesh and Shivpal have been at loggerheads in the family feud, and he too has opposed the alliance with the Congress.

Shivpal has planned to celebrate his win in Jaswant Nagar, which he won by more than 50,000 votes without support from the party. He had campaigned like a first-timer.

(with PTI inputs)
It was the centerpiece for any political discussion. For months, experts feverishly analysed how the Muslim vote would impact elections in Uttar Pradesh and sway the results in favour of one party or the other.

But in the end, the BJPs spectacular victory in Indias largest state swept away any remaining myth of the monolithic Muslim bloc vote.

The saffron party  which didnt field a single Muslim candidate  won 31 of the 42 seats where the minority community comprised a third of the electorate, a strike rate of 74%. In 2012, the BJP had won eight and five in 2007.

The Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance won 10 and the Bahujan Samaj Party just one. Both formations had made a strong pitch for the minority community, with BSP chief Mayawati even using a Dalit-Muslim coalition as the central pitch of her campaign.

Take, for example, the town of Deoband that is home to the Dar-ul-Uloom, one of the tallest Islamic seminaries in the world. The BJP candidate cruised to victory in the constituency where Muslims are a majority.

Across Uttar Pradesh, the 2017 election marked a sharp decline in the number of Muslim legislators. Only 25 Muslim candidates won  19 from the alliance and six from BSP  down from 67 the last time and 56 in 2007.

Another striking statistic was this: When the total voteshare for the 42 seats was collated, the BJP was found to have bagged 39.36% votes. This was way above 33.73% for the alliance and 18.61% for the BSP.

Experts say the results indicate that Muslims never vote in one single wave and that the persistent focus on the minority communitys influence might have consolidated the Hindu votes.

Average Indian Muslims vote the way average Indians vote. They are driven by mostly by the local considerations, said Kamal Faruqui, member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

He appeared to echo BJP president Amit Shah who said a voter is a voter, there is nothing like a Hindu voter or Muslim voter.

Others say the BJPs strategy worked well to cancel the influence Muslim votes hold in key constituencies.

The BJP negated Muslim votes through smart social engineering and polarization, said Zafarul Islam Khan former president of All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat, the apex forum of Muslim organizations and institutions in the country.

The victory of BJP signals triumph of hate and is not good news for Indian democracy.

(with inputs from Samarth Bansal)
A day after the BJP secured a massive mandate in Uttar Pradesh, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the oppositions negative campaign against demonetisation pushed the people towards his party. In an interview to Hindustan Times, the minister said poll results would help the Centre bring in new reforms.

What would you attribute your spectacular performance in Uttar Pradesh toanti-incumbency against the SP government or Modi wave?

People have seen Modi taking action against black money and tax evasion. There is hunger for development among people. Earlier, during Indira Gandhis days, she raised the slogan garibi hatao but people were not aware what development meant. With the advent of television entering every house, people know how development is taking place, whats happening in different states.

People are realizing Modi is doing something, so let us strengthen him. Thats the mood of the people. Crossing 300 (seats in UP) was beyond our expectations. That means the people desired to bring UP out of the mess. They wanted to have a taste of development that they saw everywhere thats the mandate.

Why did it not work in Punjab or Goa?

There was a certain amount of anti-incumbency in Punjab. In Goa, MGP and BJP fought elections together earlier. This time we fought separately. The BJP has got 31.6 % on its own and MGP 11.6 %. Combine both, where is Congress? It got just 26.3 % but still got more seats.

Also, there was an issue of language  Konkani, the mother tongue, or English. We have taken a principle stand that choice is left to the people, we cant discriminate. It has also cost us to some extent but we have no regrets. Then there was the leadership issue also. Our leadership did not inspire people. That is why even our CM lost the election. We were casually talking about Manohar (Parrikar) but did not send him there.

What about the Hindu consolidation factor in UP?

I dont agree with it all. You people try to simplify things and are guided by pseudo-secular mindset. When we win, it is because of Hindu consolidation and when they win, it is because of secularism or progress or development.

If you go through all the regions, certain amount of minorities also voted for the BJP, particularly women folk. Some of the BJP critics wrote articles that we are winning before polling just to frighten the voters and send a message that (they should) come together, otherwise the BJP will win.

How will these results impact governance at the Centre, more push for economic reform?

It means reform, perform, transform. This is the PMs mantra. He is very keen and pursuing it also. The negative attitude of opposition and lack of a majority in the Rajya Sabha, it used to delay us. Now things will improve.

There will be some change in the minds of some opposition parties, which has started a negative campaign. They will now realize it has not paid any dividends. One feedback that we got was that the negative campaign by the opposition on demonetisation brought poor people nearer to us.

You did very well in the recent Odisha panchayat polls. As the BJP expands its footprint, many regional parties, including friendly ones such as the BJD, will feel the pinch.

The BJP strategy is very clear.. We want to become a real pan-India national party. We were a nationalist party earlier also but at the same time we were not able to cross some barriers. Thanks to the leadership of Narendrabhai Modi, we are crossing them. We are expanding. This is not to give a threat to any regional parties. Every party wishes to expand its base. We want either the BJP to come to power, or a friendly party. We want to expand our base across the country and we are in the process of becoming a common mans party.

Are you happy to see the Congress, and not AAP, coming to power in Punjab?

We do not have a choice. Its the peoples choice. AAP is over-ambitious. He (Arvind Kejriwal) went to Varanasi to contest against Narendra Modi. He overstated things. He went to Goa, look at what has happened. He went to Punjab, look at what has happened. Even in the Lok Sabha, Punjab people gave four Lok Sabha seats to AAP. The people deserted the party because he proved that he cannot work as a team. If you go by the performance of AAP, their conduct is no better than the Congress. This impression is gaining ground.

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A number of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters who were making arrangements for the past one week to make unfolding of their partys likely victory into a public event in Canadian cities of Vancouver and Toronto went back heartbroken.

On Friday evening as per the local time there, they got together in banquet halls in both the cities but as they saw AAPs tally struggling to cross the 20 mark, they started leaving the venue. If the AAP had won, viewing of vote counting would have been followed by celebrations in the early morning.

The entire plan went for a toss, said Mandeep Singh, a Brampton resident, who had planned to be part of the public viewing of results. But a message from his parents that AAP was not winning dissuaded him from going to the banquet hall.

Must read | Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal meets guv, tenders resignation

Some who were scheduled to appear for election night debates on local Punjabi-language TV channels opted out, unable to believe what had transpired.

Among those taken aback was 32-year-old Sudeep Singla: Things went completely off the track. We are all very upset, we never thought this could happen. Adding to the sense of injury was the fact that party had not even lost very respectfully.

NRIs respect mandate by the people. So we would put our heads together and think where we went wrong, said Joban Randhawa, AAPs youth overseas convener. Joban, who was studying in Toronto, was still to decide to resume studies or not.

All cards have fallen haywire, said Yadvinder Singh Sidhu from Vancouver, Canada. Bombay (the banquet hall) in Surrey wore a sombre look, within one hour of the start of counting, he added, saying that there was no goodbye and people started slipping out of the venue.

Gurinder Singh Matharoo, a Punjabi businessman in Adelaide, Australia, said the usual euphoria among the Punjabi community had evaporated. People are not talking to each other. Earlier they used to talk to one another very frequently about poll scenario, he told HT over telephone.

Now we hope for good governance from Capt Amarinder Singh. Poor show by AAP is disheartening for Punjabi diaspora living in USA too, said Rajwant Singh, a dentist in Potomac, Washington.

He termed it the most watched election in India by the diaspora. According to Rajwant Singh, We were expecting Punjab would opt for new leadership and a corruption-free administration. But people have decided to go for status quo. We cant help.

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The Majhails  people belonging to the Majha region  true to their ready-to-fight persona, gave a bleeding blow to the ruling SAD-BJP combine by giving 22 seats to the Congress.

The region comprising four districts  Pathankot, Tarn Taran Gurdaspur and Amritsar  has 25 assembly seats.

The only solace for the SAD in Majha came from its big- gun Bikram Singh Majithia, who won by over 22,000 votes. But SAD bounced a surprise with Lakhbir Lodhinangal winning Batala seat, reducing Gurpreet Singn Waraich to the third spot.

Must read | Singh is King: Capt Amarinder conquers Punjab for Congress, stubs out AAPs challenge

The BJP, which had won five seats from the Majha region in 2012 polls, could just win one only this time with deputy speaker Dinesh Babbu from Sujanpur retaining his pocketborough by 18,701 votes.

Majha was significant for the SAD due to 10 years of anti-incumbency, coupled with an uprising of sorts in its citadel of Malwa due to the emotive issue of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. This panthic anger was at the core of pro- Aam Aadmi Party sentiment in Malwa. But the electorate rejected the AAP in Majha and solidly backed the resurgent Congress.

The glimmer of hope for the SAD was from its alliance partner BJP, which too was humbled.

The wipeout is significant as the region was being represented by four ministers in the Parkash Singh Badal government.

Dont miss | Opinion: Votes up, Punjab? 5 questions answered by assembly poll results

Also, in the Panthic belt of Tarn Taran district all the SAD candidates were defeated.In the 2012 polls, the BJP had won five seats in Majha, SAD 11 and Congress 9.

The three seats that saved the SAD-BJP from the wipeout included Majitha and Batala, from where the SAD candidates won, and Sujanpur which the BJP retained. The AAP was routed in the region and its candidates were pushed to the third slot.

The fight in Majha was between the Congress and the SAD-BJP as the latters candidates finished second in all the seats they lost.

Analysts point out that Navjot Singh Sidhu also worked in favour of the Congress. Not only he himself won by an impressive margin but also his presence benefited the adjoining seats. Though Majha had been a strong base of the Akalis, Sidhus entery into the Congress gave a fillip to anti-Akali anger in the region.
Apparently demoralised after losing the Punjab assembly elections, senior leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) skipped the partys political conference at Anandpur Sahib on the occasion of Hola Mohalla on Sunday.

The Akalis had proposed to hold the conference, even as the Congress had decided against it. SAD secretary Dr Daljit Singh Cheema had even held a series of meetings with party workers to oversee preparations of the conference.

Only Lok Sabha member from Anandpur Sahib Prem Singh Chandumajra and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar turned up at the thinly attended conference along with a few second-rung leaders. SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal and president Sukhbir Singh Badal were both conspicuous by their absence, and so were other senior leaders of the party.

Addressing the conference, Chandumajra said the Congress must fulfil promises it made to the electorate ahead of the polls and continue the development works undertaken by the SAD-BJP government in the past 10 years.

SAD (Amritsar)s political conference was addressed by its general secretary Prof Mohinder Pal Singh. He said the new Congress government must take steps to arrest those responsible for desecrating the holy book and also check drug menace in the state.

Meanwhile, thousands of devotees paid their obeisance at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and other historical gurdwaras in Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib on the second day of Hola Mohalla. International Sikh Martial Art Academy also organised a gatka competition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi powered the BJP to victories even scheduled-caste reserved constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, denting what was seen as a captive vote bank of the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Out of 85 reserved seats in UP, the BJP won 69. Three seats each went to Modis ally, the Apna Dal of Union minister Anupriya Patel and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party of Om Prakash Rajbhar. Put together, Modis NDA won 75 out of 85 seats. That is a strike rate of more than 88%.

This came as a surprise especially because the Dalits  comprising 21% of the states population  were seen as hostile to the BJP and favouring the BSP, which ended up with just two seats. The Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance secured seven and a lone independent won.

BJP leaders argue that the Saturday result defies the conventional logic that SC do not vote for the BJP and, instead, try to defeat the BJP. The scale of the victory in SC reserved seats needed years of effort, which we had to put in. Amit Shah had a clear strategy in mind and it worked, a BJP leader said.

They credited the Modi wave with having turned around the BJPs fortunes from 2012, when the saffron party won just three reserved seats. The Samajwadi Party  which had won the election then  had triumphed in 58 of these seats then.

The task to win UP was left at the hands of Sunil Bansal, a RSS man and confidant of Amit Shah. Next, he got party committees formed in 1.28 lakh booths out of total 1.47 lakh polling stations across the state. This created an army of 13 lakh workers on booths.

Basanl pressed the refresh button on BJP. Nearly 40% party posts went to the OBCs and 20% to leaders from Scheduled Caste communities. This also had a reflection in distribution of election tickets, which was majorly done by him in consultation with Amit Shah.

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Billed as a silent player and the strongest claimant to the Lucknow throne until a few months before the launch of campaign, Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has been decimated like never before, logging an all-time low of 19 seats in the UP assembly.

Does the BSP performance mark a watershed moment for subaltern politics in India?

Unlike leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan, Ram Das Athawale or Prakash Ambedkar, who aligned with Indias mainstream parties, Mayawati, until some years back, had been considered a lone star among Dalit leaders.

In the 2014 parliamentary elections, the BSP failed to win a single seat, but drew consolation from the fact that the party polled the third highest percentage of votes after the BJP and Congress. This time, Mayawati can hardly conceal what is considered an open secret: That Mayawatis Dalit vote base is slipping.

Mayawatis acts are finally catching up with her: her earlier compromises in aligning with the BJP to form governments in UP, the properties she and family members have allegedly amassed, her over-dependence on the Jatav vote bank at the expense of other backward castes such as Khatiks and Valmikis, said PL Mimroth of the Jaipur-based Centre for Dalit Rights.

In fact, Mayawatis politics has been at complete contravention from the philosophy pursued by her mentor Kanshi Ram, he said.

In the run up to the assembly polls, several desertions from the BSP happened. Swami Prasad Maurya, the partys OBC face, quit after alleging that bribes were being taken from ticket seekers. A month earlier, the BSP chief had expelled 8 MLAs, including four belonging to the non-Yadav OBC castes.

These developments have ostensibly helped the BJP consolidate the non-Yadav OBC bloc, Dalit scholar Rajesh Yadav said.

According to Kaushal Panwar of the Delhi University, Mayawatis decline has gradually happened because of her blind pursuit for power politics.

Her mentor Kanshi Rams aim was to bring about Dalit consciousness. With that idea having been compromised, the BSP is today no different from other political parties. This is the reason that the BSP is falling off the political radar, Panwar said.

Dalit intellectual Chandra Bhan Prasad believes it is too early to write off the BSP, explaining the UP verdict as the success of the BJP in marketing Hindu religion.

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The BJP-led NDAs prospect of getting its candidate elected as the next President has increased with its landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The presidential election is due in July when incumbent President Pranab Mukherjee completes his five-year term.

With the NDA winning 325 of the 403 seats in UP, 57 of the 70 seats in Uttarakhand, 30 seats in Manipur, 18 in Punjab and 13 in Goa, the alliance has dramatically reduced its gap to the halfway mark of 5,49,442 votes in the electoral college (EC) that elects the President.

The total strength of the EC is 10,98,882 votes.

The alliance is now short of just 24, 522 votes to see its own candidate as President. Before Saturdays result, the shortfall was 79,274.

After the BJPs clean sweep in UP, its strength in the EC soared to 4,33,182. With the allies the number stands at 5,24,920.

The EC comprises all elected MPs and MLAs.

Each vote has a value depending on the size of the population an elected member represents. MPs have the highest value  708  for each vote. The value of an MLAs vote depends on the population of the state.

UP, the most populous state in the country, has 83, 824 votes in the EC. The value of a UP MLAs vote is 208.

After the UP victory, the BJP will have 67, 600 votes from the state. In the outgoing UP assembly, the BJP with 41 MLAs had just 8528 votes.

Similarly, the partys share of votes from Uttarakhand increased to 3648 from 1728. After its impressive show in Manipur, it will have 540 votes from the state. In the outgoing assembly, it did not have a single MLA in the northeastern state.

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Would Prime Minister Narendra Modi risk installing an upper caste chief minister in Uttar Pradesh?

Four out of five contenders for the top post in countrys most populous state are from upper castestwo of them Brahmin.

We will choose the next chief minister on the basis of merit. The best man will be picked up, BJP president Amit Shah said last evening, dismissing the notion that caste will be a consideration. That is easier said than done.

Given the BJPs effort for consolidation of OBC communities in its favour, picking an upper caste leader in a state where backwards are in majority has its own risk.

Other Backward Classes (OBCs) account for more than 40% of UPs population and Rajnath Singh was the last upper caste chief minister that UP had for a brief time between 2000 and 2002.

While BJPs parliamentary board is meeting later today to review the results and discuss who could be the next chief minister, here is a list of the top contenders.

Manoj Sinha

Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

57-year-old Sinha is the telecom minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modis government. A two-time parliamentarian, he represents Ghazipur Lok Sabha seat from eastern Uttar Pradesh. An upper caste Bhumihar leader, Sinha is considered close to Modi and manages Varanasi, the PMs parliamentary constituency.

Keshav Prasad Maurya

UP BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya (PTI)

The 47-year-old MP from Phulpur comes from a backward community. He currently heads Uttar Pradesh BJP and was closely associated with the VHP during the Ram Temple movement in the 1990s. His appointment as the president of BJPs state unit was aimed to garner support among the non-Yadav OBCs.

Rajnath Singh

Home Minister Rajnath Singh (HT PHOTO)

Indias home minister, the 65-year-old Thakur leader was the last BJP chief minister in Uttar Pradesh. The senior-most BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh, he is considered close to the RSS. He has the experience of running a state government.

Mahesh Sharma

Tourism minister Mahesh Sharma (HT PHOTO)

Sharma is a first-time Lok Sabha MP from Gautam Buddha Nagar and is currently the tourism minister in Modis cabinet. A practising doctor who owns the Kailash Hospital in Noida, Sharma has been a member of the UP legislative assembly. He is considered close to the RSS.

Dinesh Sharma

BJP vice-president Dr Dinesh Sharma (HT PHOTO)

The 53-year-old leader was first elected the mayor of Lucknow in 2008. He teaches at the Lucknow University and is currently the national vice president of the BJP. He is considered close to BJP president Amit Shah.

That said, Modi is known to spring surprises. It is possible he might pick a candidate few would have considered a frontrunner.

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The BJPs landslide victory in Uttarakhand gave the saffron party the biggest mandate in the hill states history. Powered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP won more than 50 seats in a 70-member assembly, leaving behind the incumbent Congress in a distant second place with just 11.

But there are several contenders for the chief ministers position, and BJP chief Amit Shah has said the newly elected legislators would elect their boss.

Among the probable are spiritual guru Satpal Maharaj, who joined the BJP from the Congress, Trivendra Singh Rawat, an RSS ideologue, state BJP president Ajay Bhatt and former assembly speaker Prakash Pant.

Here are factors that may go in favour or against the four leaders eying the top job:

Satpal Maharaj: At 66, BJPs national executive member Satpal Maharaj is the senior-most among the competitors for the top job. A former Congress heavyweight, Maharaj joined the BJP in the wake of the 2014 Lok Sabha election, following his differences with chief minister Harish Rawat.

Strength: His clean image is said to be his strong point. The spiritual guru tag also apparently suits the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), its ideological mentor. Maharaj is known to have close ties with top RSS leaders as well as Modi and Shah. His administrative experience as a former Union minister of state is also a strong point.

Weakness: With many BJP cadres and senior party leaders eyeing the top job, Maharaj might be considered an outsider. His nomination for the top job may also trigger an open revolt by other party members, say insiders.

Ajay Bhatt: BJP state president Ajay Bhatt is the Leader of Opposition in the assembly. He began his political career as a RSS worker before he joined the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the BJPs youth wing.

Strength: His long association with the Sangh Parivar that goes back to his childhood might work in his favour. Bhatt, 58, rose through the ranks over the years. His floor management during the political crisis last year brought him close to Shah, say some party insiders. His experience as a former minister is also seen as his plus point.

Weakness: Many in the BJP feel that if nominated to the top post Bhatt may face difficulty in getting the full support of legislature party owing to his reclusive nature.

Trivendra Singh Rawat: A former RSS pracharak, 56-year old Singh had also been the state BJPs general secretary (organisation), later its national secretary. He is also the partys Jharkhand in-charge.

Strength: Singhs RSS background and his closeness to Shah may help him land the post of CM, according to insiders. Currently the partys Jharkhand in-charge, Singh also assisted Shah in running the partys campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. A former minister, he also has the administrative experience required to run the top job.

Weakness: His habit of calling a spade a spade may come in the way of being elected for the top post, say BJP insiders. Besides, he doesnt mingle much with party workers, sources say, which is his yet another weak point.

Prakash Pant: The first Speaker of Uttarakhand assembly, Pant ( 57) has also served as a parliamentarian minister

Strength: Pant may emerge as a dark horse if political equations dont favour his three competitors to the top job, say BJP insiders. According to them, he fits the bill as he is a good strategist besides having the administrative experience as a former cabinet minister.

Weakness: The BJP veterans habit of keeping a low profile and not interacting much with party workers may not work in his favour, say his detractors.

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A day after registering a resounding victory in the Punjab assembly elections, state Congress president and chief minister-designate Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday said his government would form a special task force to curb the drug menace in the state, while making the state more investor-friendly.

Reiterating his commitment to wipe out drugs from Punjab in four weeks after forming the government, Amarinder, who will take oath as the CM on March 16, said the task force would be formed in the first cabinet meeting which would work under the direct control of the CM office.

Also read | Comeback Captain: Congress wins Punjab on Amarinders charisma, fighting spirit

The STF will launch a crackdown against drug smugglers and small-time suppliers. Psychiatrists would be appointed in drug rehabilitation centres to provide treatment to addicts as they are only consumers, said Amarinder.

Also read | Punjab elections: Amarinder proves a worthy captain for Congress

Replying to a media query, he said Whosoever found involved in the drug trade would be punished. When asked if his government would arrest Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia as his name figured in a drug scam, Amarinder said: No guilty persons will be spared. But there will be no vendetta politics.

Also read | Punjab election results: Dalits shun Akali Dal to power Congress to victory

Commenting on the rookie Aam Aadmi Partys showing in Punjab polls, the Congress leader said: AAPs bubble has burst. There was no wave of the AAP in Punjab. The partys hype was only on social media. He also pointed out the absence of a regional figure in the AAP, adding that it was the reason behind its drubbing in the state polls. Calling for a bigger role for regional leaders in states, Amarinder said it was vital to project a regional face who could identify with the people.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him full cooperation for the development of the state. I will be meeting the PM soon to discuss development projects for the state, he said.

Asked about farm loan waiver, a key pre-poll promise of the Punjab Congress, Amarinder said he was fully committed to implementing the same and would ensure that adequate funds are released for it.

The Congress leader said his government would create an investor-friendly environment in the state. We will make states industrial policy more liberal. Top industrialists are in touch with me to set up their units in Punjab, he said.

Reacting to the recent clashes between Sikh hardliners and Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda, Amarinder said maintaining peace and harmony will be his governments top priority, urging the warring groups to cool down tempers and work for the progress of the state.

NO WATER TO SPARE

On the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal row, Amarinder said it was important to see the quantum of water available with Punjab. When Punjab does not have enough water, the question of giving it to other states does not arise, he said, adding Punjab has 60% of agrarian land with just eight MAF (million acre feet) water, while Haryana with 40% of agriculture land has 12 MAF water.

The very premise of the formation of Haryana in 1966 under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, with its lopsided distribution of water, needed to be challenged, said Amarinder, adding that his government would work on this.

ON SIDHUs ROLE

To a question on Amritsar East MLA Navjot Singh Sidhus role in the new Congress dispensation, Amarinder said it was Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis call.

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The quest for power has already begun in Manipur, and it is up to the National Peoples Party (NPP)  which won four seats in the polls  to decide whether the BJP or the Congress should form the next government in the state.

The elections threw up a hung verdict on Saturday, sending both the political parties on a desperate hunt for allies to attain the magic figure of 31 seats in the state assembly.

The NPP, headed by former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma till his death last year, had fielded nine candidates in the Manipur polls. Four of them won.

We will hold discussions with the elected MLAs and get their individual opinions before talking a call, Conrad, NPP leader and son of the late Sangma, told mediapersons in Imphal.

Incidentally, the NPP  which has two MLAs in Meghalaya  is part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) in the northeast. With a lone Lok Sabha MP, it is also part of the NDA government at the Centre.

The saffron party hopes that its existing connections with the NPP would help secure the latters support for a BJP-led coalition in Manipur.

The Naga Peoples Front (NPF), which won four seats, has pledged its support to any non-Congress coalition government in Manipur. The BJP is already a part of the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government in the neighbouring state.

The NPF, also a part of NEDA, is active in the Naga-dominated hill areas of Manipur. It had fielded 14 candidates in this election.

The Lok Janshakti Party  with one MLA  has also pledged support to a BJP-led coalition, taking the saffron partys tally to 26 seats. Thats two short of what the Congress has, and five less than the number required to secure a majority in the 60-member assembly.

Meanwhile, the Congress is making its own arrangements to retain power in the state. Okram Ibobi Singh, the incumbent chief minister, was elected as the Congress legislature party leader during a meeting of newly elected MLAs in Imphal on Sunday.

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A class 12 board girl student was allegedly misbehaved and scolded while taking her board exam while wearing a hijab. The matter came to light when the father of the student lodged a complaint to shahar qazi on Wednesday.

The student reached Anand Vidhya Mandir School, Bhopal to take her board exam on March 1 but school administration stopped her from entering the exam hall with a hijab. When the girl refused to remove the hijab, she was allegedly misbehaved and scolded by the administration. She was allowed to take exam only when she removed the hijab.

Father of the student Mohammad Sohail said to the Hindustan Times, My daughter was already facing exam pressure and behavior of school administration had added to her stress. The girl took the exam under depression.

I wanted to educate my daughter but I cant forget my religion and its tradition. If such things happen with Muslim girls, they would stop studying, said Sohail.

Sohail Mohammad lodged a complaint to shahar qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi and All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Arif Masood.

However, Anand Vidhya Mandir School secretary Pradeep Shrivastava said he was not aware of such a happening.

AIMPLB member Arif Masood said, A large number of complaints of misbehaving with girl students for wearing hijab were received. We have lodged a complaint with school education department because such interference and misbehavior with female Muslim students can spoil their future.

Shahar qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi said, I have written a letter to Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) to allow girls in Hijab to write their examinations. If they have a doubt regarding any cheating in the examination, they can frisk the girls properly with the help of a lady teacher.

Even, we are ok with removing of the hijab if only girl students take exam in a hall in the presence of lady invigilators but they have to wear it because there are male candidates as well. In the name of strictness, they cant hurt the religious sentiments. We will oppose it, said Nadvi.

MPBSE, public relation officer (PRO) SK Chaurasia said, he had not received any complaint regarding this. Appropriate action will be taken after receiving the complaint, he said.
Winning and losing are part of any democracy but nobody could have foreseen that voters in the 2017 assembly elections would declare their verdict in such a resounding manner. The BJP has scored such an incredible victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand that even its leaders could not have imagined this. The way the Aam Aadmi Party was routed in Punjab was also something beyond what most people had anticipated.

Let me begin this column by talking about the BJP. In 2013, when Amit Shah initiated the process of expanding the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh, who would have thought that the party will win 72 seats in the Lok Sabha, leaving all other parties gasping for breath. Now consider the results of March 2017. The miracle of 2014 is repeating itself. Shah looked at politics with a new perspective. He knew the minorities wont vote for his party. Therefore, not even a single Muslim was given a ticket. Similarly, he knew that the Jatavs among Dalits and the Yadavs among the backwards had already made up their minds. So, he diverted all his attention to non-Yadav backwards and non- Jatav Dalits. For the first time in the history of Indian politics, an election that was fought keeping in mind 70 per cent people has proved so rewarding.

The credit for this landslide victory also goes to Narendra Modi. Almost three years into his tenure, he hasnt let even a stain of corruption taint the governments record. It is Modis magic that the voters confidence in him hasnt been shaken despite the hardships faced by them owing to demonetisation. He drew huge crowds wherever he went and people clung on to what he was saying. Shortly after he made the remark about shamshan and kabristan, I was visiting the villages around the site of the public meeting. Even as the analysts were squirming, the voters were swearing by him. When he spent three days in Varanasi, the traditional political experts began questioning him. The people have given a thumping response to all these questions.

Now let us discuss the Samajwadi Party. The election results have proved that Akhilesh Yadavs hard work has proved futile. Even along with the Congress, the party could not win 100 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The family feud, the division of the Muslim vote, the Congresss bad performance, the delay in ticket distribution and the absence of booth management can all be blamed for their performance. The struggles for Akhilesh Yadav do not end here. His uncle Shivpal Yadav opened a new front against him even before the results were out. He is analysing the verdict as a defeat for the SPs arrogance. His supporters are saying a few big decisions will be taken shortly. If Akhilesh manages to weather the challenges from within and without, with determination and resoluteness, he will prove to be the most promising leader in Uttar Pradesh.

A discussion on Mayawati is needed here. Her graph has been falling since 2012. Now she is shifting the blame of her loss on to electronic voting machines. But she is losing a grip on her core voters and her political magnetism is on the wane. Clearly Mayawatis views and politics need an overhaul.

Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party will have to do a rethink on its strategy. They fought the elections in Punjab with a lot of sound and fury. On Saturday morning, when the election results were about to be announced, Arvind Kejriwals residence in Delhi resembled the setting of a grand Diwali celebration. AAPs associate Kapil Mishra was loudly proclaiming on television that a new peoples hero is about to emerge. One hopes that in the future, the seniors of the party will focus on big deeds rather than making tall claims.

Finally, let us talk about the Congress party. It is true that Punjab has prevented a loss of face for the oldest party in the country, but it lost Uttarakhand. The Congress met the same fate in Uttarakhand as the BSP in Uttar Pradesh. Although, it had become the single largest party in Goa and Manipur, victory or defeat in these two states has a limited impact on national politics. Obviously, for Rahul Gandhi, the road to reviving the Congresss lost glory is long and hard.

The verdict of March 11, 2017 has given rise to the slogan Modi Naam Kevalam (Just chant Modis name) and given a resounding defeat to the entire Opposition. The challenge before the prime minister now is to deliver on his promises. At the same time, the Opposition  which is on all fours  has to gather the confidence to return to the wrestling ring. With the elections in Gujarat and Himachal round the corner, both sides will have very little time to put their plans into action.
Do citizens of India have the right to peacefully and non-violently call for azaadi for Kashmir and Bastar or advocate separation and division? Most lawyers will say they do. The BJP insists they dont. In a recent speech in London Arun Jaitley added: Free speech does not permit you to assault the sovereignty of the country. Im not a lawyer but my research leads to a very interesting conclusion.

Article 19 (1) of the Constitution states: All citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression. Article 19 (2) states: Nothing (can)  prevent the state from making any law  (to) impose reasonable restrictions  in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India.

Two things follow. Article 19 (2) does permit a restriction on freedom of speech on grounds of sovereignty but its an enabling provision. Its not the law itself. A law along these lines needs to be promulgated by parliament to put Article 19 (2) into effect.

Now, does such a law exist? Until 1962 the penal code provision for sedition (Section 124A) was such a law. However, in the Kedar Nath Singh judgement the Supreme Court read it down. It now only applies if there is actual incitement to violence.

In 1995, in the Balwant Singh case, when the Supreme Court ruled that Khalistan Zindabad is not seditious, it upheld the 1962 ruling. More recently, in September 2016 the Supreme Court explicitly reaffirmed this judgement: We are of the considered opinion that the authorities while dealing with offences under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code shall be guided by the principles laid down by the constitution bench in Kedar Nath Singh versus State of Bihar.

So the situation that prevails today is simple. The Constitution permits the government to make a law to restrict freedom of speech in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India but the law that does that only applies if there is incitement to violence. If the government wishes to criminalise peaceful non-violent calls for azaadi it needs to pass a specific law to do so. Article 19 (2) is not sufficient.

Will the BJP pass such a law? I hope not. I have two reasons for saying so.

Perhaps in the immediate years after independence India was a fragile nation whose future was uncertain and so even peaceful calls advocating separation or division were a threat that could not be permitted. Thats not the case any longer. Today were resilient enough to withstand the rhetoric of college students. Indeed their liberty to say what they want should be proud proof of our strength.

Second, as far back as 1962, in his maiden Rajya Sabha speech, Annadurai said: Dravidians demand the right of self-determination  we want a separate country for southern India. If his words were laughed off rather than seen as a threat 55 years ago surely similar calls should be treated similarly today?

Now I dont mean to suggest calls for azaadi are not offensive and distasteful. But free speech includes the right to offend. A law to protect against that would diminish us.

Lets not in the name of nationalism commit that blunder. Indeed, because were confident of our nationhood and its resilience lets permit dissidents to question it. We know theyre wrong but they have a right to be.

The views expressed are personal

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Timing and this writers desire to be contrary have worked together to ensure this column isnt about the results of the Uttar Pradesh election.

Timing because this column is being written before the actual results  the editors insist this piece be filed every Friday, at the latest  and I do not want to say anything based on the exit polls because they have been wrong, horribly wrong, in the past.

Anyway, since everyone and his pet cat will be weighing in on the elections (and I am sure that I too shall eventually succumb and do so on some platform), I do not want to write about them, at least not yet.

Time was when columnists would write about their areas of expertise; now, everyone wants to comment on the hot-button issue of the day. It would be all right if each had something new or different or insightful to say. Unfortunately, that isnt the case. I put this down to a case of columnist arrogance, deadline pressure, and the increasingly visible tendency, among writers and editors, to offer readers intellectual click bait. The first because most columnists believe readers want to know their opinions on a subject, even if they are no different from other peoples, or shed no new light on it. The last because if Gurmehar Kaur is trending, it makes sense (or so some believe) to write something on it because it will mean more website traffic. The second is self-explanatory and entirely forgivable.

I am writing this article (actually rushing to complete it) in an extremely positive frame of mind, not because of what the exit polls show, but because, I soon have to head out for Day 2 of Mint and MIT Technology Reviews EmTech India Innovators Under 35 event. This is the second year Mint is hosting the event.

It is always good, especially for someone who usually moderates events on macroeconomics or Indian banks bad loans problem, to sit through an event where speakers reference 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Matrix, and generally prove why science fiction is different from fantasy. For the benefit of the uninitiated, fiction is always in the realm of the possible (although it may not always be probable). Fantasy is about the impossible.

The highlight of this event is the recognition of Technology Reviews Innovators Under 35. This is the Indian leg of MIT Technology Reviews global awards platform for young innovators. Along with a few other judges from India and around the world, I have gone though several entries, and that, and the profile of the winners this year is the reason for my sunny mood.

I think it was a Mint columnist  I cant remember who, and Google has decided not to help me  who once wrote that while Indians love technology, they are not comfortable with science. Worse still, the technology icons most Indians admire  in recent years, this has usually been any young Indian Institute of Technology graduate with the surname Bansal (and I mean no offence to any Bansal)  are usually people who have built businesses (or are trying to build businesses) that arent particularly high on the innovation quotient. Many run companies that are local copies of global ones (and some even run these clones badly).

Yet, innovation is alive and well in India.

There is a bunch of start-ups  two of them, that work in the area of Artificial Intelligence (Mad Street Den Systems and Mixup Communications, recently featured on a global listing of 50 hot start-ups no one had really heard of  that are working at the bleeding edge of technology.

And, as platforms such as the TR Under 35 show, there is a bunch of young innovators working on non e-commerce and non dot com innovations. For instance, this years innovators include a young man whose company has created a local language mobile phone operating system, a young woman who has combined data science and chemical engineering to make the oil producing process more efficient, and another young man who has come up with a way to make play more social.

A few months back, when I opened the judges portal and looked at the entries I had to evaluate, I actually gave out a mini-whoop of delight: the first entry had to do with pure chemistry.

Science is well in India; theres hope for innovation in the country; and all is well with the world.

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The landslide BJP win in Uttar Pradesh at the expense of the Congress and two leading caste-based regional parties -- the SP and the BSP-- makes Prime Minister Narendra Modi look unassailable. The enhanced mandate makes him comparable with the late Indira Gandhi at the national level and with Charan Singh for having woven a tapestry of competing social groups around his persona.

The sole difference apparently is that Modis the unquestioned assimilator of the majoritarian sentiment, the Muslims having largely stayed away or been kept away by his party. Empirical evidence of the anatomy of the saffron storm will emerge in due course. But the BSPs near-complete decimation is proof of the Modi lure having taken in its embrace vast sections of the forward, middle and backward castes barring perhaps the Yadavs and to some extent Mayawatis captive base of Jatavs.

The outcome in UP that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha besides a wholesome share in the Upper House -- where the BJP sorely needs numbers -- is a repeat of the BJPs 2014 show. It had then won 328 assembly segments with over 42% vote and 71 Lok Sabha seats.

What clicked for the BJP was an amalgam of the PMs political savvy and his major domo Amit Shahs social engineering. Established by Brahmins and for long regarded as a defender of the Brahmanical order, the BJP today doesnt resemble its Jana Sangh avatar or the AB Vajpayee edition that first brought it to power in the 1990s.

Unlike in the general elections when Modi leaned on the AB Vajpayee legacy, he had little use for it in the battle for the assembly. He was the BJPs sole mascot, and Shah the sole manager.

Organisationally, Shah built upon the partys 1991 formula. The BJP had, at the time, propped up Lodh leader Kalyan Singh as the CM of its first full majority regime in UP.

The OBCisation of the BJP was complete when it entered the fray to recapture UP after 26 years. As is evident from the results, the strategy that irked the partys forward caste base (that held fast for want of attractive options) got considerable traction across castes.

An enabling factor in the broadening of the BJPs social base was the Modi-Shah combines Hindutva plank, the seed of which lay in their refusal to give tickets to Muslim candidates. Looking back, ones tempted to conclude that the exclusive approach showed up their professedly secular rivals as less caring of Hindu concerns.

Widespread media reportage of incidents of railways sabotage and the cracking of a terror module in Lucknow added to the majoritys incipient fears and distrust of Muslims and consequently the votaries of their cause. It all happened midway through electioneering.

Another value-addition to Modis appeal was the demonetisation gamble. He projected it as a litmus test of his pro-poor policies, prompting caste identities on the social and economic margins, to rally around him. Some did it out of hope, some out of class retribution.

In sweeping aside the two-pronged challenge of the SP and the Congress, the PM more than avenged his defeat at the hands of the Congress-inspired grand alliance in Bihar. The emphatic dislodging of Harish Rawat in adjacent Uttarakhand means his BJP controls the whole of undivided UP.

On the decline since the 2014 drubbing, the Congress can draw some comfort from wresting power in Punjab where a high-decibel AAP challenge fizzled out rather tamely. The ruling Akali-BJP combine there has been reduced to a rump, giving Capt. Amarinder Singh a legislative heft thats as overwhelming as the BJP has in UP.

Uttar Pradesh is undoubtedly the trophy; Punjab merely a consolation prize. But, it will boost the Congresss morale. It is a sizeable victory it finally has after a string of defeats.

At the national level, the UP mandate will embolden the BJP to take radical policy initiatives. Besides improving its numbers in the Rajya Sabha, it will push it closer to the electoral-college votes it needs to install the President and the Vice President of its choice later this year.

So, rather than resting on its Punjab oars, the Congress needs to assess its strengths and weaknesses. One reason why it has been performing poorly in the states is the lack of the cogent social base it had till the 1980s when Mandal destroyed it all. The BJP came up with the counter Kamandal politics. But the Congress just twiddled its thumbs.

About time therefore that Rahul Gandhi and his team began focusing on electoral bouts before the 2019 polls in BJP-ruled Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Elections will also be held in Himachal and Karnataka, where the Congress is in power, before the big-ticket fight.

In politics, organisational absenteeism can be self-destructive, as was writ large in the BJP sweep in the local bodies polls in Orissa. The Congress has a base in the BJD-ruled state -- but not the leadership or the will to bring it alive.

Given the need for a national alternative to the BJP, one cannot but help recall what CPI leader M Farooqui told a Congress-organised seminar shortly before suffering a cardiac arrest: When we in other parties make mistakes, our parties pay a price. When Congress makes mistakes, the nation pays for it.

letters@hindustantimes.com

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sprang a surprise by winning nine of the 10 assembly seats in Dehradun district, even as the Congress party struggled to come to terms with the rude shock.

The saffron party cemented its emphatic victory by penetrating deep into the home turfs of senior Congress leaders and defeated two cabinet ministers in the district, which forms the nerve centre of Uttarakhand politics.

In the last state assembly, one of the 10 seats had fallen vacant after the disqualification of former Congress MLA Umesh Sharma Kau last year. Of the remaining nine, five seats were represented by the BJP and four by Congress.

Dehradun mayor Vinod Chamoli turned out to be a giant killer defeating three-time MLA and cabinet minister in the Harish Rawat government, Dinesh Agarwal by 10,953 votes. People clearly voted for change, as they were tired of being cheated by them (Congress MLAs), Chamoli told HT.

In another surprise, BJP candidate Munna Singh Chauhan upset the applecart of senior cabinet minister Nav Prabhat by defeating him with a margin of 6,418 votes on the Vikasnagar seat. Another big surprise was the victory of BJPs Khajan Das in Rajpur Road constituency by a margin of 8,632 votes against sitting Congress MLA Rajkumar, who was being touted as a sure-shot winner on the seat.

Former Congress rebel Umesh Sharma Kau defeated Prabhulal Bahuguna of Congress with a margin of over 36,771 votes on the Raipur seat and became a winner with the highest victory margin in the state. BJPs sitting MLA Sahdev Pundir trounced the hopes of state Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay on Sahaspur seat by defeating him with 18,863 votes. Seven-time MLA Harsbans Kapoor defeated Suryakant Dhasmana of Congress by 16,670 votes on Dehradun Cantt seat to record his record eighth straight assembly election success.

Ganesh Joshi of Shaktiman fame won the Mussoorie seat from Godavari Thapli of Congress by over 12,077 votes. Similarly, Trivendra Singh Rawat defeated sitting Congress MLA Hira Singh Bisht by 24,869 votes, while BJPs sitting MLA Premchand Agarwal won the Rishikesh seat yet again with a margin of 14,801 votes. The only seat Congress managed to win was that of Chakrata, where cabinet minister Pritam Singh defeated BJPs Madhu Chauhan by a margin of 1,543 votes.

Dinesh Agarwal, forest minister in the Harish Rawat government, blamed the Congress partys defeat to a strong Modi wave, alleging that people neither see the work, nor the merit of candidates. They only saw (PM Narendra) Modis party...I dont think any of the (BJP) candidates won on the basis of their merit. Though I respect the mandate of the public, but such a blind wave is not good for democracy and it only leads to a dictator-like attitude among the winners, Agarwal told HT, while commenting over the BJPs victory in Dehradun.

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Despite a sweeping victory in the Uttarakhand assembly election, the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not find it easy to name a chief minister of their choice, party insiders said on Sunday.

It will not easy for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah to foist a leader of their choice as the chief minister, they said.

One BJP veteran, who can stymie such a move to realise his chief ministerial ambition, is former state party chief Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, a source in the BJP, told Hindustan Times.

Koshiyari can resist such a move if the BJP central leadership picks somebody else for the top post ignoring his claim as majority of the 57 elected legislators are loyal to him, he said, adding that Koshiyari might oppose the nomination of BJP national executive member Satpal Maharaj for the top job.

Maharaj, who joined the BJP after the 2014 Lok Sabha election, is said to be the central leaderships favourite for the chief ministerial post and is close to the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS), the BJPs ideological fount.

Apart from Koshiyari, three other claimants to the chief ministerial post, including state party chief Ajay Bhatt, former ministers Prakash Pant and Trivendra Singh Rawat, too are opposed to the BJPs central leadership favouring Maharaj for the top post.

Among them, Koshiyari and Bhatt have been RSS workers while Rawat served as a pracharak.

All these (BJP) veterans consider Maharaj as a rank outsider and also a major threat to their political career, a senior party leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

They perceive him as a go-getter, who will outshine them all once picked for the top post.

A source in the BJP said that if the partys central leadership refused to accept Koshiyaris claim, the later will recommend the name of two of his protegeesRawat and Pant for the post of chief minister.

Koshiyari will follow that strategy to sidetrack Maharaj, who is also not acceptable to any of the four former chief ministers, including BC Khanduri, Koshiyari, Vijay Bahuguna and Ramesh Pokhariyal, the source said.

BJP insiders said that if Koshiyari insists on the name of Pant and Rawat, the central leadership of the party will have to accept either of the two, for the top job.

Of the two, Rawat can be acceptable to our central leadership as he was a former RSS pracharak and is a good administrator, a state BJP leader said.

Rawat has the support of most of the legislators compared to Pant.

State BJP vice president JP Gairola denied the speculations, saying the party won the assembly election with a huge majority, so, any name suggested by the central parliamentary board for the post of the chief minister, will be unanimously seconded by the partys legislature wing.

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Candidates facing serious criminal charges swept the Uttarakhand assembly elections results for which were announced on Saturday.

Many of them, including BJPs Ganesh Joshi who allegedly hit police horse Shaktiman during a protest last year, won with thumping margins.

With over 12 cases and 11 serious charges, BJPs Arvind Pandey was leading the pack. He defeated Congress Rajendra Pal Singh by 14,106 votes from Gadarpur in Udham Singh Nagar district.

Pandey was charged with inciting communal tensions, rioting, murder, dacoity and illegal payment in connection with poll.

Joshi won the Mussoorie seat by defeating Congress Godavari Thapli by 12,077 votes. He is facing serious charges like criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant (police horse) from his duty as well as under animal cruelty act.

Sahdev Pundir of the BJP defeated Congress state unit chief Kishore Upadhyay by 18,863 votes on Sahaspur seat. He has three cases against him with at least four serious charges, including assault of woman with intent to outrage her modesty and rioting.

Rajkumar Thukral, another BJP candidate with criminal background, won the election from Rudraprur. He defeated Congress Tilak Raj Behar by 24,771 votes. He is facing four serious charges including those related to murder and attempt to murder.

Congress Adesh Chauhan, who has three serious charges including deliberate act intended to outrage religious feelings and promoting enmity on grounds of religion, won Jaspur seat by 4,204 votes against BJPs Shailendra Mohan Singhal.

Three-time MLA Dinesh Agarwal of the Congress, however, lost from the Dharampur to BJPs Vinod Chamoli by 10,953 votes.

Agarwal has four serious charges related to forgery, provoking breach of peace, and punishment for rioting on his name.

According to an analysis of self-sworn affidavits of candidates by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Uttarakhand Election Watch (NEW), 91 of total 637 candidates in the state had declared criminal cases against them. Of these, at least 54 of them have serious criminal cases against them.

Moreover, at least 10 red alert constituencies in Uttarakhand had three or more candidates with criminal cases contesting elections. Of these four Dharampur, Raipur, Rishikesh and Mussoorie  fall in Dehradun district and three in Udham Singh Nagar.

The BJP topped the list with 19 of its 70 candidates having criminal cases against them, followed by the Congress (17 out of 70 candidates). As many as 32 of 261 Independent candidates have criminal cases against them.

People hardly study or even know of criminal background of their candidates, which reflects in the results, said Bhim Singh Rawat, a retired schoolteacher.

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Ahead of the civic polls, scheduled to be held in mid-April, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) initiated the pending project to install close circuit cameras in primary schools for the safety and security of students.

Delhi BJP unit president Manoj Tiwari inaugurated the pilot project at a primary school in Yamuna Vihar on Friday. The EDMC made a budgetary provision of Rs2 (approx) crore to install the cameras at 15 schools.

He also laid foundation stone of a municipal primary school building in B Block, Yamuna Vihar, which will be built at a cost of Rs3.12 crore.

Read: Eye on Delhi MCD polls, EDMC announces sops in budget 2017-18 despite empty pocket

Apart from providing education, ensuring security of school students is also the responsibility of the concerned school. The CCTV cameras will help in preventing any untoward incident, Tiwari said, who financed the project under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development scheme.

Considering we are undergoing severe cash crunch, it was difficult for us to spend the money. We shared the apprehension with Tiwari and he agreed to fund the project. We have already started the work and it is likely to complete in a months time, said Sanjay Jain, leader of house, EDMC.

According to Jitender Chaudhary, standing committee chairman, the civic agency is committed to provide foolproof security to the students. Installing of CCTV cameras will also help in keeping an eye on children as well as ensuring diffusion of qualitative education by the teachers. The step is in addition to the EDMCs commitment to provide better infrastructure in schools, he said.

All the 15 schools selected in phase I fall under the Shahdara North zone of the EDMC. Based on the success of project, the civic agency will arrange for installing CCTV cameras in other schools.

Read: Cash-strapped EDMC never rose to its feet after trifurcation

As per EDMC official, there is planning to constitute a monitoring team of EDMC officials at the headquarters to supervise the CCTV cameras from the control room at the Patparganj, in long term.

Besides, EDMC has also set up targets to provide pucca building in all 365 schools during 2016-17. Except for three school buildings where the construction is pending due to land dispute, we have achieved the target this year, said a senior official from education department.

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Five more characters in the five-year-old rivalry between two of Delhis most notorious gangs have been put behind the bars by Delhi Police.

Three among those arrested are alleged to be involved in the murder of Shri Krishan, the father of Manjeet Mahal  Delhis top gangsters who is currently in Tihar jail.

The five, henchmen of the Nandu gang, were arrested after a brief gunfight on Saturday evening. The Nandu gang is led by the Sangwan brothers  Jyoti and Kapil  archrivals of Manjeet Mahal.

Read: CCTV footage: How gangster Mahals father was shot point blank in Delhi

Senior police officers said the arrests have prevented a bloodbath at Mahals house in Mitraon village. The five were headed to Mitraon to wipe out the entire Mahal family.

The killings were allegedly planned allegedly by Kapil and Jyoti to avenge the murders of their two close aides, Vikrant and Dinesh alias Mangu, in Gurgaon and Chhawla in February. The two were murdered within a span of 12 days, after the murder of Mahals father.

Shri Krishans murder was the fallout of the long standing gang war between Mahal and Nandu gangs, which has claimed over a dozen lives on the southwestern outskirts of Delhi and areas bordering Haryana in the past five years. In the last one year, since both the gang leaders are in jail, their henchmen are targeting family members.

Police said the five sharpshooters were also looking for an opportunity to target Mahal, either during his appearance in courts. It was claimed that they had also planned to kill Mahal when he had gone for the funeral rites of his father.

The rivalry between between Sangwan brothers and Mahal started in 2012 when Dinesh Dalal, a close aide of Mahal and a big name in Delhis crime world, was murdered by their rival gang led by Dhirpal Kana, Vikas Langarpuria and Jyoti Sangwan.

Read: Gangs of Najafgarh: An hours drive from Delhi, fear rules this village that lives in gaze of CCTVs

Mahal retaliated with an attack on Kana by his henchmen in 2013 in outer Delhi.

In 2015, Mahal again struck at the Nandu gang after one Ballu threatened his accomplice Nafe Mantri. When Mahal came to know about it, he took along Mantri and reached Ballus office in Dinapur. They killed one Sunil.

But the Sangwan brothers took just three hours to strike back. Since Jyoti was in jail, Kapil and his men killed Mantris father at his home.

Even though almost all the ganglords from Najafgarh and adjacent areas are in jail, the gang war has not abated. Police officers say that despite being in jail, the crime lords continue to plan and execute their plans against their rivals through relatively smaller gangs, who are eager to graduate in the crime world.
In order to provide emotional support to women personnel living far away from their family, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has decided to provide accommodation to relatives visiting these women personnel. Space will be created near CISFs barrack in east Delhis Shastri Park and female relatives will be allowed to stay in the facility.

Among the para military forces, CISF has the highest percentage of women personnel with most of them required for frisking duty at airports and Delhi Metro.

Read: Modi lauds CISF for dynamic role in securing key places across India

On Womens Day, I visited the barrack for female personnel in Shastri Park, where 450 women posted at Delhi Metro live. While listening to them, one of them narrated the incident that how her elder sister had visited her recently but she could not stay with her as the rule doesnt allow an outsider to stay in the complex. Many other personnel complained about the same. I have directed the DIG of Delhi Metro to arrange a room where relatives of these women personnel can come and stay. They have come from far away and spending time with their relatives will help them perform better, CISF DG OP Singh said.

About 450 women personnel stay at Shastri Park barrack, while another 150 stay at Akshardham. There are around 8,000 women personnel in CISF and the force is recruiting more personnel.

We are adding 1,700 more women personnel this year and taking various steps to improve the environment. It is our duty to take care of our staff after what we have seen in recent times, Singh added.

Read: Sharp suits to khakis: Heres why Delhi airport security changed look again

Women personnel of the force are trained in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, a close quarter unarmed combat system against multiple opponents. The women commandos have been trained to tactically use common objects pen, hairpin, cap, belt, shoe laces, keys and sandals as deadly weapons to take on rogue elements.

These women have been given training in this special martial art as this ensures less harm to the suspect and he or she is neutralised quickly. In sensitive cases, we need the suspect alive so that he can be interrogated for further leads, said a CISF official.

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Four people were injured after a speeding BMW crashed into an Uber cab and auto before hitting a boundary wall on Sunday morning in south Delhis RK Puram, the latest in a series of such accidents in the Capital.

Police said the driver of the luxury car was arrested and tests conducted to see if he was driving under the influence of alcohol. Two passengers of the cab, its driver, and the driver of the autorickshaw were injured.

The accident took place at 8 am at Major Som Nath Sharma Marg near Shani Mandir in Sector 1, RK Puram. The BMW rammed into the Maruti Swift Dzire cab head on. The car was coming from the Delhi Airport side while the cab was headed towards the airport from Noida.

The impact of the hit was so powerful that the front left portion of the Swift Dzire was badly damaged. As the BMW was speeding, its driver lost control after hitting the Swift and hit a parked auto rickshaw before crashing into a concrete boundary wall, said a police officer.

Ishwar Singh, deputy commissioner of police (south), said the BMW driver was identified as Rajat, a resident of Karol Bagh. We have sent Rajat to a nearby government hospital for medical examination. His medical reports will tell he was driving under the influence of alcohol or not. He, however, some influence of intoxication, said Singh.

The injured were identified as Bittu Pal and Munni Dutta  a married couple travelling in the cab -- Pradeep, the Swift Dzires driver and auto rickshaw driver Ram Chander. All of them are undergoing treatment at the AIIMS Trauma Center.

A case has been registered at the RK Puram police station. The vehicles have been impounded.

This is the second time in two months that a BMW has rammed into an Uber cab in recent weeks. In January, a speeding BMW hit a Wagon R Uber taxi near the Munirka flyover in south Delhi.

The same month, four people including a woman techie were killed in Ghaziabad when a speeding Audi rammed head on into an auto-rickshaw they were travelling in.

Official data show a sharp rise in road accidents in India  one every four minutes -- and road crashes are identified as number one killer of young men and women.

Almost 97% of the road accidents are caused by rash or negligent driving including drink driving, data show.
karn.singh@hindustantimes.com

Police captured five henchmen of jailed gangster-brothers Kapil and Jyoti Sangwan in southwest Delhis Najafgarh on Saturday evening, after being tricked into a trap and they fired pistols to escape.

An officer said three of them were wanted for the brutal murder of 74-year-old Shri Krishan, father of dreaded Delhi gangster Manjeet Mahal, currently lodged in Tihar jail.

More than 15 bullets were fired at Shri Krishan on January 29 at the gates of his home, almost a month after his son was arrested by a team of Delhi Polices special cell.

He died instantly as bullets pierced his head and chest.

The murder is viewed as fallout of a raging gang war between Mahal and the Nandu group, the one led by the Sangwan brothers. The feud has claimed more than a dozen lives on the southwestern outskirts of Delhi and border areas in Haryana over the past five years.

The gangsters have been targeting family members, as their animosity has exacerbated in the past year.

Deputy commissioner of police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the five men arrested on Sunday when they were on the way to Mitraon village to attack members of Mahals family.

Assistant sub-inspectors Krishan Kadiyan and Rajender Hooda had information that they would be passing through Surakhpuri-Najafgarh Road. A trap was laid accordingly to capture them.

Their car was blocked by our vehicles when it reached a particular spot. The occupants were asked to surrender, but they fired five bullets at our men in an attempt to escape. Nobody was wounded and the attackers were overpowered, Yadav said.

The police fired two warning shots. Assistant sub-inspector Hoodas flak jacket took one of the bullets from the gangsters.

The arrested men are Krishan alias Bhalu, who had Rs 50,000 reward on his head, Anil Sharma, Deepak Maan, Pankaj Dagar, and Dipak Sharma.

A carbine, six semi-automatic pistols with 75 cartridges were confiscated from them, along with the car. The five spent shells were also retrieved as evidence.

Officer Yadav said the arrest prevented a possible bloodbath at Mahals house in Mitraon village.

Their main target apparently was Mahals brother Sanjay and other family members.

Police said the arrested men were doing the jailed Sangwan brothers bidding to avenge the killings of two close associates Vikrant and Dinesh in Gurgaon and Chhawla in February. The duo was murdered within 12 days of each other, after Mahals father was shot dead.

Officers suspect the two deaths were plotted by Mahal and his sidekick, Nafe Singh alias Mantri, who is also in jail, and executed by their hitmen.

Mantris father too was gunned down by the rival gang.

Police said rival gang members could be looking for an opportunity to kill Mahal either in jail or on court premises during hearings. The gangster was a target when he visited his village under police protection to attend his fathers last rites in the first week of February.

However, the plan could not be executed because he was heavily guarded. The attackers came prepared but backed, Yadav said.
Five BPO employees were arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping a 30-year-old woman from Nepal. The woman told police that the men locked her in a flat in east Delhis Pandav Nagar and took turns to rape her in the early hours of Sunday.

In an attempt to escape from the custody of the five, the woman reportedly jumped from the first floor balcony of the building due to which she injured her legs.

On the basis of her complaint, a case of gangrape, illegal confinement and unnatural sex under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at the Pandav Nagar police station against the five, who work in different private call centres, said the police. The five were identified as Lakshya, Vikas Kumar, Naveen, Swarit and Prateek.

Police said she was taken to the flat by her friend Vikas, who also knew the five youths. He left the flat after telling the woman that he has some work and he will pick her up in the morning after finishing the work.

A senior police officer said that the woman lived with her two children in south Delhis Munirka area. In her statement, she told police that she knew Vikas for the past few months. On Saturday night, Vikas met her in Munirka and asked her to accompany him to his friends for a party.

The woman left with him and on the way met two of his friends. The three brought her to the flat where their three other friends were already present. Vikas stepped out after sometime, leaving the woman with the five men, said the officer, quoting the womans complaint.

The woman reportedly told police that the five forced her to consume alcohol. When she got intoxicated, they allegedly locked her in the flat and took turns to rape her. They allegedly threatened to harm her if she raised an alarm or attempted to escape from the flat.

Around 5.30 am, the woman managed to reach the balcony and jumped. She alerted some passersby about the sexual assault she was subjected to. One of them informed the police.

The rape survivor was admitted to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for medical treatment and examination. She sustained minor injuries in her legs. We registered a case and arrested the five youths, said Omvir Singh, deputy commissioner of police (east).

Police sources said investigation is on and that the woman had been changing her statement.
Scientists are trying to redesign the Yamuna Biodiversity Park so that it could be turned into a permanent wildlife refuge, instead of acting as trap from where animals, that have taken refuge in it, could be captured and sent back to the wild, as was done in the case of a leopard recently.

The redesigning plan includes building a 75-metre wide animal bridge  the first of its kind in India - over Jagatpur-Pushta road which animals can access while moving from Phase-II to Phase-I, installing a 12-feet high double layered fence along the park boundary with special features to prevent leopards from straying into villages and developing animal corridors along the bank of River Yamuna.

Read: A wildlife success story? Leopard caught on camera at Yamuna Biodiversity Park

We are planning to add some new features to the 457-acre park with fencing and animal corridors. While on one hand the park would attract more wildlife including leopards and become a safe haven for them, on the other hand we have to ensure the animals do not pose any threat to the people living in the parks fringes said CR Babu Professor emeritus of Centre for Management of Degraded Ecosystems.

In November 2016, a full-grown male leopard was spotted in the park for the first time. Experts believe that it came from Kalesar National Park in Haryana. The animal was, however, captured and released into the wild, as the government was apprehensive that it could stray into nearby villages and attack people.

The decision drew flak from several quarters. Wildlife experts claimed that the park acted as a trap and not a refuge for the leopard.

We have already sent a proposal to the Delhi Developing Authority for installing the fence and developing the animal bridge. If the bridge is built it would be the first such animal bridge in India. DDA planners are working on them and the designs are being finalised, said Faiyaz A Khudsar scientist in-charge of the park.

Read: Why Delhi and its only known leopard both deserve a chance

The animal bridge would connect the two phases of the park and ensure that animals are not killed in road accidents while crossing the Pushta Road. It would have greenery and trees on top to provide an ideal habitat for the animals.

While barbed wire would comprise the inner circle of the boundary fencing, a chain-linked fence would form the outer circle. The fence-poles would end in a V-shape the inner arm of which would have drooping structures so that even if a leopard manages to climb the pole, it wont be able to cross it.

The 4-km long fence would be put up in phase-II which has the River Yamuna on one side. The river side would be kept open so that leopards can enter the park. Animal corridors would be developed along the river to attract more animals. Only the sides which have human settlements would be fenced.

The intention is good but this would hardly solve the problem. Unless they put up a fence on all sides the leopard would find a way out. And if the entire boundary is fenced leopards wont be able to enter the park. Secondly leopards are good climbers and could jump from one tree to another and ultimately manage to come out of the boundary. Then what do you do? Cut the trees? said Vidya Athreya a wildlife biologist working on leopards.

Proposals

A 75m wide and 100 m long animal bridge to connect Phase I and Phase II. This could be the countrys first animal bridge

12-feet high double layered fence with special features to prevent leopards from straying into human habitat

Wildlife corridor along the bank of River Yamuna to facilitate movement of animals

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For the Congress, a spectacular victory in Punjab has come not a moment soon. It has not only ended the partys losing spree in state elections since the 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, it has put the GOP back into the saddle in the border state after a hiatus of ten years.

The hard fought election, decidedly more acrimonious than ever before, is a significant marker in Punjab politics. While the Congress coasted to a comfortable tally, two short of a two-thirds majority, the outcome has altered the long-entrenched bipolar system of power politics.

Since the 1966 reorganisation of Punjab, the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have taken turns to rule the state. This time, however, a third player, the Aam Aadmi Party, has emerged as the main opposition, relegating the Akalis to number three. In a first, the Congress government, led by Capt Amarinder Singh, will have to contend with a two-pronged opposition in and outside the Vidhan Sabha.

That, however, is one of many daunting challenges for the new dispensation. As the euphoria wears off, Amarinder will soon find that winning may be easier than governing the border state beset with complex and critical issues.

Be it the drug menace, agrarian crisis, stagnant industry, rampant unemployment or a string of targeted murders and acts of terror that remain unsolved, the new government has a tough task on its hands. A simmering conflict between the Sikh hardliners and the Dera Sacha Sauda remains on a short fuse. That is ominous in a state where religious and sectarian faultlines are only skin deep, making the normalcy so deceptive.

But, Amarinders immediate challenge stems from the long-standing river waters dispute. The Supreme Court has read the riot act to Punjab with a direction to construct the contentious Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal to carry Haryanas share in the Punjab rivers. Given the Captains doggedly anti-SYL stand, he has a minefield of legal and political issues to negotiate in the next few weeks as the apex court breathes down the states neck. The electorally-mauled Akalis will be waiting in the wings to latch on to this emotive issue and fan disaffection in the Sikh peasantry that deserted them in the poll.

Then, there is a burden of soaring expectations. Having based his campaign on populism, Amarinder promised virtually everyone the moon, chiefly vanquishing the drug problem in four weeks, debt waiver to farmers, and one job per family. All this when his government inherits empty coffers and a state weighed down by a debt burden of Rs 1.42 lakh crore. With the not- so- friendly Modi regime at the Centre, the Congress government is likely to have a very short honeymoon.
Elon Musk

Over the past decade, Tesla has been very successful at creating two products: sexy electric luxury cars and frequent chaos.

The first product is self-evident  just look at a Tesla Model S sedan or Model X SUV. Take a ride in one. The whole experience is aesthetically and emotionally thrilling, overlaid with the delightful impression that you're helping to save the world by emitting exactly zero greenhouse gasses from the non-existent tailpipe.

The second sounds bad, but it isn't. A long time ago, I took a deep look into so-called "chaos theory" and learned with the right intellectual framework, chaos can be understood as a sort of dynamic orderliness, a natural process governed by complicated mathematics that demands a lot of intense thinking to understand.

That's Tesla in a nutshell. And that's why Wall Street has been struggling so mightily to model the company over the past few years, with analysts' price targets ranging from a bearish $150-per-share to a far more bullish $400-ish predictions.

Tesla is hard to define

Tesla gigafactory

Tesla also proposes a definitional challenge: the biggest part of the business is cars, and the auto industry isn't difficult to figure out. But Tesla is also an energy storage company, a battery company, a software firm, and provider of electric-vehicle charging, and now a solar-energy provider, following the 2016 acquisition of SolarCity. There's a connection to CEO Elon Musk's space-exploration company, SpaceX, and Musk is given to creating adjacent projects on a whim. Think of the Hyperloop or the new "Boring Company," the latter set up to dig vast tunnels under Los Angeles to alleviate freeway traffic.

The chaos has been useful. Musk is comfortable with it, and it's enabled Tesla to sustain an elevated market cap  it pushed passed $40 billion during a market rally early this year  and to distract analysts and experts from dealing with Tesla's most basic problem: that at its core, Tesla is a carmaker that's not very good (yet) at making cars.

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This isn't to say that Tesla makes bad cars. As Consumer Reports recently noted, Tesla is the most beloved car brand in America. Tesla owners adore its cars, and Tesla has done yeoman work over the past two years both at ramping up production to nearly 100,000 vehicles annually and addressing reliability issues. At Business Insider, we've driven just about everything the company sells, and we've been uniformly impressed.

Missing its marks

But Tesla hasn't hit the manufacturing marks that one would expect from a 10-year-old car company. What a big automaker can easily achieve in a year, Tesla takes far longer to match. Witness the Chevy Bolt: General Motors revealed, engineered, launched, and is now mass-producing a $30,000 EV with a range of 238 miles on a single charge  and it accomplished all this in about one year. If Tesla is lucky, it will hit full production of its own Model 3 by sometime next year, taking anywhere from six-to-12 months longer.

tesla model 3

Musk's chaos-surfing talents have allowed Tesla to prosper off what's now a recognizable pattern with its stock price. Big spikes are invariably followed by deep swoons. There have been a few periods of steady growth, but volatility has been the rule, not the exception. The chaos tends to cluster around a $200-per-share level, sometimes dipping lower, sometimes surging higher.

This gives Musk a predictable valuation for the company when he and his team want to return to the markets to raise capital, as many analysts now think they will do this year. Tesla currently has about $3.5 billion is cash on hand, enough to cover the $2 billion to $2.5 billion that it will cost to launch the Model 3, which leaves Tesla with the $1 billion cushion it favors.

That's the critical piece of order in Tesla's financial chaos, which really is head-spinning when you think about it: a $30-billion-plus market-cap company that builds fewer vehicles in a year than GM does in a month, has rarely shown a profit, and is preparing to attack the least lucrative part of the auto business with the Model 3.

Chaos on top of chaos

There are other examples of Tesla chaos, behaviors that are completely foreign to the rest of the auto industry. Musk reporting that he slept near the assembly line while the production kinks of the Model X were being worked out. Musk spending half his time designing SpaceX missions to circumnavigate the Moon and colonize Mars. The sideline tunneling thing. CFO Jason Wheeler leaving after only about a year on the job.

This stuff doesn't happen at Ford or Toyota. If it didn't, it would be extremely alarming.

However, in the next few years, I think it will fade at Tesla, as the company grows from being a manufacturer of niche electric mobility for an early adopting elite to becoming a purveyor of EVs for the rest of us.

TESLA SKITCH LOOKBACK 1

Unfortunately for Tesla, the rest of us don't have much tolerance for chaos. The vertiginous math of Tesla's ascent will be less acceptable once the company levels off. For example, while the first Model 3 customers may be okay with plunking down $1,000 each to wait two years or more for their car, the next wave of buyers won't be so patient. They'll want their car more or less right away. They'll also want to bring it in for repairs and get it back the same day, so Tesla is going to have to add a lot more service centers before 2020.

For Tesla as a company, chaos has been a useful commodity. You can't begrudge Tesla for creating it and then deploying it in its favor. But Tesla is now morphing into being a sustainable energy and transportation conglomerate, with the scale to build one million vehicles a year and install lots of solar panels and solar roofs, not to mention assemble more lithium-ion batteries than anyone on Earth.

It isn't really a big company yet, even though it has a big-company market cap. But if all goes according to plan, it will be a big company  and big companies tend to be chaos slayers, not chaos creators.

Frankly, it remains to be seen whether Tesla can thrive in a less chaotic environment. But those days are coming, and we all need to get ready.

NOW WATCH: Tesla will begin selling its Solar Roof this year  here's everything you need to know





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Even as parts of the city is reeling under a water crisis, the civic bodies have decided to supply 12 million gallons per day (MGD) extra water on Monday to ensure that there is uninterrupted water supply to celebrate Holi.

During last years Holi too, the civic bodies had supplied 8 MGD extra water, but, the supply fell short in parts of northwest Gurgaon where taps went dry by evening despite educational institutions and corporate offices being closed.

On Monday, officials of the Haryana Urban Development Authority s(Huda) said they will release 102 MGD water on Monday. The civic body usually releases 90MGD water daily.

More water will be supplied despite de-silting work being carried out at the Basai water treatment plant and maintenance work at the Chandu Budhera plant. The two plants supply 70 MGD and 22 MGD respectively. Both these water treatment plants get supply from Yamuna and NCR channels located at Kakroi village in Sonepat, connected through a 70-km-long water channel that needs regular inspection and maintenance.

Read I Parched Gurgaon wastes water on Holi

As most of de-silting work at the Basai water plant has been completed, the water flow and quality has improved there. Hence, water supply has been increased to cope with the extra demand on Holi, Naresh Pawar, superintending engineer (water supply), Huda, said.

The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has also undertaken measures and said its engineers have been deputed at the power boosting stations and water treatment plants to ensure electricity supply remains uninterrupted, and there is no disruption to water supply because of power snags.

Last week, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram had issued public notices reminding people of the importance of low volume of water consumption on Holi.

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At least six people were killed and more than two dozen seriously injured after a bus overturned on the National Highway 57 in Bihars Muzaffarpur district on Sunday evening.

The injured have been admitted to Sri Krishna Medical College for treatment.

The bus from New Delhi was heading to Madhubani district. The incident took place soon near Adigopalpur village in Bochaha police station area after the bus left the town.

An injured passenger said it was hardly 20 minutes the bus left the bus stand when the accident occurred.

The bus was at high speed. As soon as it reached near chowk, the bus overturned before we could understand anything, he said and went unconscious.

A local resident, Mumtaz, said they saw the bus took a spin and overturned. We rushed to the spot and started rescuing people, he said.

He said four bodies were found from the bus. We also rushed several injured to the hospital, said Mumtaz.

Station house officer of Bochaha reached the spot along with force.

(With agency inputs)
The Maoist attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district which killed 12 CRPF personnel appeared to have been pre-planned and executed with deadly accuracy, police said on Sunday.

Besides triggering IED blasts and indiscriminate firing, the Maoists also lobbed country-made mortars and Rambo-style explosive-headed-arrows on security personnel during the ambush, they said.

As per preliminary investigation, it was learnt that the attack was pre-planned and executed by two military platoons of Maoists active in Bhejji periphery. The security forces seem to have walked into a trap, a senior police official told PTI.

Around 8am on Saturday, a Road Opening Party (ROP) of CRPFs 219th battalion, comprising around 120 personnel, had launched the operation from Bhejji to ensure security to the construction works underway between Injram-Bhejji, he said.

Besides, the ROP was also meant to sanitise the area for the movement of villagers and traders for the weekly market held every Saturday at Bhejji, located around 450 km from the state capital, the official said.

It is presumed that ultras were aware of the ROP operation on market day and therefore had positioned themselves in the forest ahead of the patrolling teams movement, he said.

When the para-military forces reached around 2 kms away from their camp towards Kottacheru around 8:50am, the naxals surrounded them and unleashed the attack on them by resorting to random firing after triggering a powerful explosion, without giving them any chance to save themselves, the official said.

The troopers, however, took position and retaliated but till then over a dozen of them were hit by bullets and splinters, he said.

The naxals also lobbed Rambo-type explosive-headed-arrows and locally-made mortars to inflict injuries on security personnel, the officer said.

Such locally-made mortars and arrows do not inflict deadly injuries, but reportedly prove to be a great tool to thwart opponents in such an ambush, he said.

The officer further added that such grenade-headed-arrows were also used in recent attacks on security personnel camp in Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts of Bastar division.

It was the biggest attack on security forces in the last one-and-a-half year in the state.

Notably, Injram-Bhejji patch is part of the strategically important road being built from Dornapal to inaccessible Jagargunda.

The newly-appointed inspector general of police (incharge), Bastar range, Sundarraj P had last month visited Jagargunda and assured the people that the construction of the Dornapal-Jagargunda road will be completed soon.

Through such attacks, they (the rebels) want to thwart development works, police said.

Security personnel have been put on alert fearing Maoist offensive activities in view of annual tactical counter offensive campaign being observed by rebels from March to June.

The summer season proves to be a favourable period for carrying out Maoist attacks as the grass and bushes dry up providing a clear view of force movement in the vast jungle terrain, the official added.
At the pinnacle of her political career, Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress boss Mamata Banerjee is a worried person after the election results in the five states.

The comfort with which she can rule her state in the near and medium term future is indeed related to how the states -- more specifically the political bellwether state of Uttar Pradesh -- voted.

Over the past few weeks, especially after she picked up popular issues such as overcharging and shoddy treatment in private hospitals, Mamata Banerjees popularity has reached an all-time high in Bengal. But her dream run may be abruptly interrupted by the saffron storm unleashed almost 1000 km away in Lucknow.

The Die Is Cast

Throughout her four decades of political life, the feisty 62-year old leader is known for taking risks and not playing her cards close to her chest. The past few months she hasnt conducted herself differently and she tweeted her whole-hearted support to the SP-Congress alliance within a few minutes of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi announcing their alliance.

On Saturday as the results poured in, Mamata tweeted, Congratulations to winners in different States. Congratulations to the voters for making their choice. To the losers, dont lose heart. In a democracy, we must respect each other because some will win, some will lose. Trust the people.

Political analysts stated that it is a much sober and mature response from the pugnacious chief minister who had been targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi so far.

The tweet is very interesting and politically significant. It is a courteous, mature and mellowed down statement indicating a softening stand on Bengal chief ministers side. One may see a speeding up of CBI cases, but all depends on Narendra Modi who would like Mamata Banerjee on his side in different issues like Teesta Water Treaty, said Sibaji Pratim Basu, political analyst.

Since the PM announced demonetization on November 8, she did not pull punches and emerged as Modis most bitter critic. She did everything possible from attacking him personally to touring the Hindi heartland to rally other political parties against him to even suggesting a national government under the leadership of Arun Jaitley. In short, she did not leave any escape route for herself.

BJP leaders have maintained that her opposition to the demonetisation had more to do with the cash her party leaders held rather than for any genuine concern for the people. With the resounding victory under its belt, it is unlikely that the ruling party at the Centre will forget all that in a hurry.

The results, I think, are dangerous for Mamata Banerjee. Encouraged by the unprecedented success in UP, BJP will now try to be aggressive in Bengal. Had Congress-SP alliance won in UP, it would have given Mamata Banerjee a chance to increase her attacks against BJP and foray into the national scene. But now it seems difficult, said Amal Kumar Mukhopadhyay, political science expert and former principal of Presidency College.

Palpable Tension

Trinamool Congress leaders had waited for the election results with bated breath. The apprehension was that if the BJP fared well, it may speed up CBI/ED investigation of the chit fund scams.

It is a fact that now BJP will try hard to conspire against our party leaders. They will use agencies to target our senior leaders. But we are ready to fight it out democratically, said a senior Lok Sabha MP of Trinamool Congress.

But there may be more ominous dark clouds waiting for Bengals ruling party. The Calcutta high court is hearing the Narada sting operation, and if the court orders a CBI probe, it may land a dozen Trinamool leaders in big trouble.

The sting operation conducted by the portal Naradanews.com was put out on public domain just about a fortnight ahead of the last assembly elections in Bengal and the video showed a dozen TMC leaders  ministers, MPs, MLAs and even an IPS officer who was purportedly working on behalf of a Rajya Sabha MP  accepting cash from the representative of a fictitious company.

The faces who were seen in the video telecast nationwide were those of the prominent and the powerful in the party  Saugata Roy, Suvendu Adhikari, Sultan Ahmed, Aparupa Poddar, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Prasun Banerjee (Lok Sabha MP), Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad (Bobby) Hakim, Madan Mitra (ministers), Iqbal Ahmed (MLA), Sovan Chatterjee (MLA and Kolkata mayor) S M H Mirza (IPS officer who claimed to be taking the money on behalf of party MP Mukul Roy).

The timing triggered a torrent of allegations from Mamata Banerjee who labeled it as a conspiracy. But following a Calcutta high court order, Central Forensic Science Laboratory certified that the video clips were not doctored. This has triggered speculation in legal and political circles that the division bench can hand over the investigation to a central agency such as the CBI.

In that eventuality, Narada will turn into a major embarrassment for Mamata.

The damage that Narada investigation can do to the TMC is evident from what is happening with the Rose Valley chit fund probe. Two TMC Lok Sabha MPs, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Paul are behind bars after the CBI arrested them in connection with the Rose Valley scam that involves about Rs 15,000 crore which is about six times larger than the Saradha scam of 2013.

Senior BJP leaders such as Kailash Vijayvargiya and Bengal party president Dilip Ghosh have said publicly that the pace of investigation in the Rose Valley scam will pick up once the elections are over in the five states.

On March 1, BJP leaders met CBI joint director A K Singh with the demand that the pace of investigation be increased. Eight days later Left leaders, too, piled on the pressure on CBI and ED officials with the same plea.

Obviously the effects of UP polls will fall on Bengal. The Bengal chief minister and her friends hit the streets against demonetisation. They should now apologise. We had met with CBI officers demanding a speedy probe. This will happen now because people want it, said Dilip Ghosh, state BJP president.

Mamata Banerjee is known for her fighting spirit. It is unlikely that the political ground below her feet will turn slippery in the near future in Bengal. But then she will certainly be uncomfortable facing the panchayat polls in the summer of 2018.

With the saffron camp steadily expanding its influence in the districts, a re-energised investigation into the chit fund scam, not to speak of a possible probe into the Narada videos, will only help BJP highlight charges of a corrupt political culture against its main rival.

Federal Dreams Shattered

Mamata Banerjees aspirations of spreading her influence beyond Bengal will also suffer a rude jolt as some of the players in that nebulous front have been humbled, and humiliated. It is of little relevance that she and Nitish Kumar are the faces left in what she liked to call the federal front.

Mamata Banerjee will enjoy a national importance. But her dream of a federal front has suffered. Modi now has the upper hand and will try and keep the Bengal chief minister under pressure. Till 2019 BJP will try and keep up this pressure while simultaneously trying to spread in the state, added Basu.

The UP verdict will enable BJP to increase its strength in the Rajya Sabha. The state sends 31 MPs to the Rajya Sabha and the BJP is poised to emerge as the largest party in the Upper House soon.

This will mean that the party will be able to pass bills, which had been a major headache for the Modi government after it came to power. Trinamool Congress on the other hand will lose its importance, as so far it played a key role in the Lok Sabha where it has 34 MPs. It has 11 MPs in the Rajya Sabha.

However, with regional parties like Aam Admi Party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party facing jolts in the assembly polls, Mamata Banerjee is expected to enhance her importance in the opposition camp. She had not only thwarted BJP so far in Bengal but remains a strong opposition.

At the ground level in Bengal BJP will try to spread furiously, which may result in tension and violence on the streets. But the BJPs likely expansion in Bengal may be less of an immediate threat compared to the investigation blues that Trinamool leaders could face.
Defiant to the end, Preet Bharara, the high profile Indian-born US attorney often called the Sheriff of Wall Street, refused to hand over his resignation, among the 46 sought by the Trump administration and announced he had been fired.

While there were no indications his firing, or the others, had anything to do with any investigation linked to President Donald Trump, his campaign or aides, critics have sought details. John Conyers, the House Judiciary Committees top Democrat, said he suspected Bharara could be reviewing a range of potential improper activity emanating from Trump Tower and the Trump campaign, as well as entities with financial ties to the president or the Trump organization.

Others have alleged the firing could have been aimed at preempting any investigation of Trump or his aides links to Russia that Bhararas office might have been pursuing.

Bharara himself has not given any such indication. I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired, he said in a tweet on Saturday, and in a statement said, Serving my country as US Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live. One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.  Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017

The tweet about his resignation came at the end of an intriguing set of events that began with a phone call from the White House to his office on Thursday, asking him to call back. He did, but only after he had looped in the office of the attorney general Jeff Sessions about a possible breach of protocols regarding contacts between the president and a US attorney. He called the White House and told them he couldnt speak to the president.

It wasnt clear if these calls had anything to do with his ouster, or if the President had personally wanted to give him a heads-up having asked him earlier to stay on, or if it was about any investigation or case being pursued by Bhararas office.

Bharara, who as US attorney for the Southern District of New York built a formidable reputation pursuing security scams and insider trading, was asked on Friday to resign, along with 45 other US attorneys appointed by President Barack Obama.

Every new president does that  President Bill Clinton had removed 90 US attorneys after taking office  and President Donald Trump was doing the same, as a justice department spokeswoman said in explanation of the resignations.

Except, as Bharara argued to the justice department official who called to ask for his resignation, the president had asked him to continue and by seeking his resignation now he was actually firing him. Bharara didnt say anything publicly though.

After another phone call with that justice department official, during which they are reported to have had a similar conversation, Bharara announced his firing on Twitter, ending a stand-off that shot to the top of headlines over a relatively quieter weekend.

Trump had Bharara to stay on after a meeting in November at Trump Tower where he, as president-elect, was building his team, with candidates rolling in and out of the building in full glare of TV cameras and reporters.

I agreed to stay on, Bharara told reporters, I have already spoken to Senator Sessions, who is as you know the nominee to be the attorney general. He also asked that I stay on, and so I expect that I will be continuing to work at the southern district.

On Friday, he was asked to turn in his papers.

Unidentified White House officials have said, according to media reports, the president had indeed asked Bharara to continue in anticipation of better relations with Senator from New York Chuck Schumer, who is close to Bharara.

Schumer is the leader of senate Democrats and Trump might have wanted him on his side to garner bipartisan support for his legislative agenda, but the two have since clashed on most issues, with the ensuing war of words ending in name-calling.

According to another account, Trumps chief strategist Steve Bannon and Sessions wanted to clean up the administration of all Obama holdovers and Bharara, who was named to the office by the former president seven year ago, had to go too.

Bharara had become in November the third Indian American invited by Trump to join his administration after South Carolina governor Nikki Haley who had been tapped for US ambassador to UN and Seema Verma for medicaid and medicare services.

Trump went on to hire a few more Indian Americans  Ajit Pai as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; Uttam Dhillon as a member of the White House legal team and Raj Shah as part of the White House communications group.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley slipped while boarding a helicopter in Haridwar on Sunday but no major injuries were reported.

Jaitley was leaving for Delhi when he slipped from the choppers ladder. He was immediately helped by the staff and security personnel and given first aid.

The minister fell from the helicopter ladder and he was hurt in the head and ankled. The doctor at the spot treated him and Jaitley rested for about 15 minutes before boarding the chopper again, Manikant Mishra, superintendent police (rural) told HT.

Jaitely was visiting Haridwar to inaugurate Ramdevs new yoga facility Patanjali. Ramdev and Balkrishna, managing director of Patanjali, were present at the helipad during the incident.
Noted senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani has written a scathing letter to justice CS Karnan of Calcutta high court, embroiled in a confrontation with the Supreme Court, calling him a lunatic and asking him to pray for pardon for every stupid action he has so far indulged in.

A seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar had issued a warrant order, directing Justice Karnans presence on March 31.

Justice Karnan had ignored earlier summons in connection with contempt proceedings initiated against him for accusing several judges of the Madras high court, where he had earlier served, and an SC judge of corruption, nepotism and casteism.

Later, justice Karnan ordered CBI to investigate and file a report against all the seven top court judges and Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi.

I am sorry to tell you that I am convinced you have lost your mind. Your behaviour is that of a lunatic and some day that may be the only defence available to you though with no bright change of success, the former Union law minister said in the letter.

As a senior member of the Bar and living in the departure lounge of Gods airport I am advising you to withdraw every word that you have uttered and humbly pray for pardon for every stupid action you have so far indulged in, he added.

He told Justice Karnan to not destroy or weaken the judiciary, which he said was the only protection common people have in the corruption dominated country. The SC had on February 8 issued contempt notice to justice arnan and asked him to appear before the top court on February 13.

Also read | The curious case of Justice Karnan and its implications for higher judiciary
Chairman of the moderate Hurriyat faction Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was put under house arrest while Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik was detained on Sunday evening to foil a scheduled sit-in demonstration on Mond.

The Valleys joint separatist leadership -- including Mirwaiz Umar, Malik and the hardliner Hurriyat faction chief Syed Ali Geelani -- had called for a day-long sit-in demonstration against the sufferings of Kashmiri prisoners languishing in various jails.

Geelani continues to be under house arrest
The Pakistan Army on Sunday resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing on Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district, authorities said.

Defence ministry spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta told IANS that the Pakistanis used 82 mm mortars and automatics to target Indian positions at Krishna Ghati sector on the Line of Control.

The shelling and firing started at 12 am and our troops have responded befittingly, he said. Intermittent firing exchanges are still going on.

The official said no casualty or damage was reported on the Indian side.
An examination centre for the ongoing class 12 board examination in Madhya Pradeshs Bundelkhand came under scanner after some students complained that son of a ruling party legislator got special treatment while appearing for the test on Saturday.

Over a dozen students in their complaint to the district administration claimed the VIP student was allotted a separate room to write his paper and the invigilators bended over backwards to help him at the centre.

The student in question is the son of BJP MLA Rekha Yadav. His centre for the examination, conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), was in Buxwaha Model Higher Secondary School.

Miffed by the alleged favour to the legislators son, examinees also demanded cancellation of the examination.

Altogether 7.18 lakhs students are appearing for the examination that commenced on March 1.

He was not only allotted a separate room, but also allowed to copy and given extra time to complete his paper, said Rahul Sahu, a class 12 student.

Another examinee Raghvendra Rajak said, The invigilators were extra strict with other general examinees while they were meeting out special treatment for the VIP student.

When we raised objection, teachers scolded us. Later, we lodged a complaint with the district administration, said another student Yogesh Soni.

Buxwaha tehsildar Vineeta Jain admitted receiving a complaint from the students against the centre. We have forwarded the matter to Chhatrapur collector for further action, he said.

The MLA, however, rubbished the allegation saying it was a political conspiracy to malign her image.

I havent asked anyone to give special treatment to my son. If school management helped my son to cheat, then district administration should take action against both him and the school management, she added.

The school authorities did not wish to comment on the allegation.

For the first time the board introduced hall tickets and Aadhar enabled biometric systems to stop impersonation. CCTV cameras were also installed at the centres.

Even teachers were barred from using mobile phones at the centres.
A task force established by U.S. Rep. John Katko during his first term in Congress has released a report outlining ways to address the need for more youth mental health services in central New York.

Katko, R-Camillus, worked with Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, a Democrat, to lead the task force, which launched in 2015.

The key recommendations made by the task force include streamlining data collection on mental illness. The report noted that current statistics available vary and that impacts how mental health professionals and researchers can best serve those who need treatment.

The panel also recommending improving administration of mental health services, increasing access to certain services, such as telepsychiatry and inpatient psychiatric care, and developing a strategy to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and mental health issues.

"This report follows two years of intensive dialogue, data collection and study from community advocates, health care providers and hospitals on the need to strengthen access to pediatric mental health care in our community," Katko said.

Magnarelli added, "I commend the task force in highlighting barriers to appropriate and essential needs for our youth with mental illness. However, to service the needs of patients, youth mental health services must be expanded to include more community-based resources."

The task force's report fulfills an early pledge by Katko to focus on youth mental health issues as central New York's congressional representative. He made it a high priority while campaigning for the 24th Congressional District seat in 2014.

The task force consisted of mental health and substance abuse treatment providers. Representatives from the Syracuse chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness also participated.

NAMI Syracuse President Karen Winters Schwartz, one of the task force members, lauded the work of the panel.

"It was refreshing to collaborate with individuals who could put their political differences aside and get something done!" Winters Schwartz said. "As president of NAMI Syracuse, I look forward to continuing working with Congressman Katko and Assemblyman Magnarelli to improve mental health care services and the lives of individuals and their families who struggle with brain disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and severe depression."

The next steps for the task force were outlined in the conclusion of the report. Not only will the group support the implementation of their recommendations, but they will advocate for federal and state funding to support youth mental health services.

The group also committed to supporting SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, which is adding an acute children and adolescent mental health unit.
The clock is now ticking on the Treasury Departments efforts to avert a first ever default on the nearly $20 trillion national debt, and some experts say Congress and the Trump Administration have until late summer or early fall to act before the problem reaches crisis proportions.

On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin urged House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to persuade the House to raise the legal debt ceiling above $20 trillion at its first opportunity. At the same time, Mnuchin announced that the Treasury has begun taking extraordinary measures to buy the government additional time before the government exhausts its borrowing authority.

Related: Trump Could Face His First Fiscal Crisis Over Raising the Debt Ceiling

Raising the debt ceiling is one of the most politically onerous and thankless tasks that is necessary periodically to allow the Treasury to borrow more in order to repay China, Japan and other U.S. creditors. Because the government spends more money than it takes in, raising the debt ceiling is also essential to keep cash flowing to operate defense and domestic government programs and to make sure that millions of Americans continue to receive their Social Security checks on time.

The task almost invariably becomes enmeshed in larger partisan disputes over budget and tax policy and frequently raises the specter of a partial government shutdown if left unresolved.

In his letter, Mnuchin revealed that the Treasury Department was suspending the sale of certain state and local securitie, a task the Treasury routinely performs to assist state and localities in meeting their obligations. By doing so, the Treasury technically slows the rate of growth of government borrowing.

Other maneuvers the Treasury likely will take to forestall the threat of default include delaying the reinvestment of assets in the Federal Employees Retirement System G-Fund, the Exchange Stabilization Fund and the civil service and postal retirement fund.

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Those and other steps would likely enable the Treasury to continue making all payments until at least mid-August or early September, but it's unclear what would happen beyond then, according to some budget analysts.

Related: Trumps Lofty Vision of Renewal Comes with a Huge Price Tag

But not everyone is so sanguine. David Stockman, the storied White House budget director during the Reagan administration, insists that the Treasurys financial picture is direr than Mnuchin is letting on and that they are burning through cash at the Treasury like drunken sailors.

In the first 46 days of the Trump administration they burned through $294 billion of cash, after starting with $382 billion, Stockman told Fox News this week. If they continue at last years rate, he said, They will be out of cash by Memorial Day at the end of May.

Trump and the Republicans will need some support from Democrats to raise the debt ceiling since many conservatives refuse to support a boost in borrowing authority. Stockman said there is currently no pathway to a majority of Congress agreeing to raise the debt ceiling given the poisonous divide between Republicans and Democrats over policies ranging from immigration to health care reform.

By May, the Republican Party is going to be in tatters, and there will be no majority to raise the debt ceiling, and then the rubber will meet the road, he said. This debt ceiling crisis is going to take down the whole system.

Related: Will CBO Deal a Death Blow to the GOP Health Care Plan?

In 2015, Congress and the Obama administration declared a temporary truce on debt ceiling politics by agreeing to suspend the debt limit until March 15 of this year  just a few days from now. At that point, the Treasury technically will be unable to borrow additional funds without the consent of Congress and the White House.

President Trump created a stir in financial circles during the 2016 campaign by lightly dismissing the importance of the debt ceiling. He even suggested that if push came to shove, he would try to negotiate down the debt with the countrys biggest creditors. And White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, a former Tea Party conservative House member, has long voiced skepticism of the dangers of the Treasury defaulting on its debt, suggesting that Congress and the administration could prioritize repayments of loans and federal expenditures.

But Mnuchen, a wealthy former Wall Street banker and hedge fund manager, takes the debt ceiling deadly seriously. He made it clear in his letter to Ryan that the debt ceiling demands immediate attention, even while the GOP-controlled Congress and White House are struggling to pass legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Related: Putting Trumps Historic $54 Billion Military Spending Boost Into Context

As I said in my confirmation hearing, honoring the full faith and credit of our outstanding debt is a critical commitment, Mnuchin told Ryan. I encourage Congress to raise the debt limit at the first opportunity so we can proceed with our joint priorities.

The Treasury has had close brushes with default over the decades. In August 2011, Standard & Poors downgraded the federal governments Triple-A rating after Congress and President Barack Obama deadlocked for weeks over a budget deal, and the Treasury came within an eyelash of defaulting

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Terming the BJPs victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls as unprecedented, party chief Amit Shah said the win is a stamp of approval on Prime Minister Narendra Modis work.

Shah said the party would win the 2019 Lok Sabha poll with a bigger mandate than 2014.

The victory is a stamp of approval on Prime Ministers work, Shah said addressing party workers and supporters at the BJPs national headquarter at 11, Ashoka Road here.

It is after a long time that a party is getting two-thirds majority in Uttar Pradesh. This victory is unprecedented in many ways, Shah said.

After independence, Narendra Modi is the leader who has not just talked about the poor, but worked for them. He is the most popular leader, Shah added.

He said demonetisation, free cooking gas connections to the poor, mission on toilets under the Clean India programme and Jan Dhan accounts worked in favour of the BJP.

This is two steps ahead of our victory of 2014. In the coming days, we will also spread to eastern and western states. We will get a bigger mandate in 2019 under the leadership of Narendra Modi, he said.
With the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) victory in Dadri, the families of the accused in the Bisada lynching case want the police to expedite the investigation in cow slaughter case against Ikhlaqs family.

The family of the accused said that an acquittal of their relatives is in the hands of the judiciary, but the new government can ensure that the investigation of cow slaughter by Ikhlaqs family is speeded up.

They said that the Samajwadi Party government failed to act swiftly and tried to save its vote bank by falsely implicating 20 persons, and only the BJP had supported them throughout.

The son and nephew of Sanjay Rana, who was previously associated with the BJP, are in jail for Ikhlaqs killing. Rana said that a selective approach was adopted in dealing with the case.

He questioned how the police could book only 20 persons when hundreds were involved in the lynching incident. Also, the treatment given to Ikhlaqs family after the incident was unacceptable to the villagers, he said.

BJP tried to woo voters by invoking the lynching episode and claiming to release our youngsters, but the acquittal has to be done by the court and the government has no say in it. However, we have expectations that the BJP cadre, particularly the Dadri representative, will ensure a swift investigation into the cow slaughter case. The police were supposed to investigate the matter and submit the finding to the court, but it is taking place at a snails pace, he said.

The tiny hamlet, which usually wears a silent and sombre look, burst into massive celebrations on Saturday.

Soon after the election results were declared, residents gathered on roads and chanted slogans of Modi and Tejpal Nagar. Reportedly, a few of the slogans also reflected that the youth languishing in jails would be back soon.

The lynching, which was sparked by suspicions of cow slaughter on the night of September 28, 2015, contributed majorly in changing the demographics of the village.

Urmila Devi, whose two sons Gaurav and Saurav are in jail, said that the new government has to intervene in the matter, as promised. Bahut bhaag dor kar li abhi tak, sarkar se apkesha hai ki hamare bachhe ghar wapis aajayein. Humko kanoon vyavastha ka nahi maloom aur na koi vakeel kar sakte hain. (We have run from pillar to post and approached every possible person for the release of our children. We expect the government will see to it as we cannot afford a lawyer).

However, the Muslim families in Bisada said they are hoping that the villagers set aside the lynching episode and put an end to their differences, to live in a harmonious atmosphere.

After the incident, there was never any attack on us, but we do live in fear. In this village, there is support as well as opposition to us, but we keep such thoughts confined, 65-year-old Mohammad Anees said.

Before Ikhlaqs lynching, there were 60 Muslim families in Bisada, of which 25 have relocated elsewhere. In the lynching case, 17 accused are still in jail and their request for bail is pending in Allahabad high court, while trials are underway in the Gautam Budh Nagar district court.

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Ahead of admissions to undergraduate courses in affiliated institutes of Dr Abdul Kalam Technical University, the university administration is planning to introduce new norms for vacant seats after the counselling session.

In a meeting held between representatives of affiliated institutes and the university administration, a proposal was floated by AKTU with regard to filling up vacant seats of colleges post the counselling process.

The university has suggested that from this year, the seats that remain vacant after the counselling process will be given only to such students who have appeared in Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) or any equivalent state level entrance that year itself, said Aashish Mishra, spokesperson, AKTU.

A total of 841 institutes are affiliated to the AKTU and a total of 93 colleges in Ghaziabad and 75 in Gautam Budh Nagar are also affiliated to the varsity that has its main campus in Lucknow. For undergraduate admissions in courses such as mechanical engineering, computer science, management, fashion designing, pharmacy, architecture and medical science, the university conducts a national-level Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination (UPSEE). Every year, more than 1 lakh candidates from across the country appear for the entrance test. The entrance test is followed by a counselling process where students are allotted colleges according to their preference and marks.

A total of 1,57,000 applicants have registered for UPSEE 2017 and the last date for registration is March 15. Students will get their admit cards on April 7 through the universitys website and the exam will be held on April 15, said Mishra.

This year, the university administration has decided to not allow direct entry to students for vacant seats in colleges. Many believe that such a step has been suggested by the university administration since many private colleges used to sell the vacant seats by allowing direct admissions. Direct admission also affected the quality of education in the affiliated institutes as students were given admission without any test or interview.

In the meet, the representatives of affiliated colleges suggested that government-aided institutes affiliated to AKTU should conduct counselling process in several stages but private colleges must have only one phase of counselling. They further suggested that the vacant seats should have direct entry and the colleges must be given the liberty to choose their merit list in the counselling session, Mishra said.

The university administration is expected to come up with a decision regarding counselling norms in the next academic meet to be organised in the last week of March.

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Newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators from Noida, Dadri and Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar district promised all-round development in their respective constituencies.

Noida

Pankaj Singh said development will be a priority for their government in the state. The Noida authority failed to use all its powers for the benefit of the public. We will ensure it functions for the welfare of the public. We thank people for their support. We will work for the welfare of all communities, Singh said.

When asked whether he will become a minister in the state government, Singh said, I am a small worker and want to work selflessly for the people.

Singh, in his rallies during the poll campaign, had emphasised on introducing a public representative in the Noida authority board to take up residents issues. Our foremost priority is to seek accountability from the officials of the Noida authority. There is a need to bring more transparency in the public welfare system by appointing representatives of the residents, he said.

Dadri

Tejpal Nagar said that BJP government will ensure that Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities funds are not diverted to eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in May 2013, had floated the idea of using Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities funds for other lesser developed cities in the eastern part of the state.

Around Rs350 crore from Noida and Greater Noida were diverted for developmental projects in eastern UP.

We will end the policy of the previous government, under which Noida and Greater Noida funds have been diverted. Funds from Noida and Greater Noida area will be spent only here for the development. We do not have adequate funds to build flyovers, underpasses, roads and for farmers schemes. So why will we divert our money to any other area? said Nagar.

Jewar

Dhirendra Singh said that his priority is to build an international airport in Jewar, besides starting schemes for the public.

The BJP government has revived the Jewar airport project in the last two and half years of rule at the Centre. Now, our government both the Centre and the state will set a deadline to deliver an airport at Jewar so that development in this region picks up pace, Singh said.

He said that Jewar does not have a womens college and many parents are hesitant to send their girls away for higher education, due to which it is essential to set up a womens college.

Given the proximity of many places of historical importance such as Guru Dronacharya temple in Dankaur, Vrindavan, Mathura, Hastinapur, I see a lot of tourism potential in the region. I would also vouch for the creation of a tourist circuit between Mathura and Meerut. Airport and tourism will provide a lot of employment opportunities for the locals, he said.

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As Noida is all set to anoint Pankaj Singh as its new member of legislative assembly (MLA), residents believe that the party must deliver on its promise of improving law and order and inclusive development.

On Saturday, the BJP won 312 of the 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh with Pankaj Singh winning by a margin of over one lakh votes in Noida.

Even as the party supporters are continuing their celebrations, residents have already come up with their demands. Various residents welfare associations (RWAs) have demanded that the new government focus on improving the infrastructure in planned sectors.

The government should ensure that there is better planning and management of the civic amenities provided to old sectors. Parking should be underground in sectors and market complexes. The cables should be laid underground so that the wires do not get snapped in the rainy season. There should be a check on encroachment, Gaurav Sharma, president of Sector 26 RWA, said.

Residents also demanded an end to homebuyers woes. Residents of NCR are fed up with the nexus of the authority and builders and the manner in which buyers are cheated. Builders overcharge them and often, they hand over inferior houses. We want the government to focus on ensuring that the buyers are not exploited, Harsh Kumar Pawar, president of Shatabdi Vihar RWA in Sector 52, said.

The confederation of NCR residents welfare association (CONRWA) president, PS Jain, also talked about the law and order situation. The BJP has come to power on the promise of enforcing law and order. Crime is rampant in NCR and the state, and it is time that the government clamps down on anti-social elements, said Jain.

Women residents also demanded safer neighbourhood and more opportunities for women. Incidents of chain snatching have increased in the city of late and despite efforts of the police, the numbers are not going down. There is a need for better policing to ensure a safe environment for women to work and live, Rekha Sharma, president of Sankalp India, a charitable organisation, said.

Dr Renu Awana, a city-based gynaecologist, emphasised improving the literacy rate among women and sensitising men to curb gender-related violence. Since I am a gynaecologist, I am aware of many cases of female foeticide in rural areas. The government should focus on educating women and enforcing the abortion act strictly. The men should also be sensitised; mere policing wont guarantee a better future for women, Awana said.

The traders community in Noida also sought safe conditions to conduct trade.

Kedar Bansal, the president of traders association in Sector 18, said, Businessmen need safe and sound neighbourhood to do our business peacefully. If businesses can be done smoothly, it also generates wide-scale employment and adds to the overall development. The government has received overwhelming majority because people were fed up with the law and order in the state. Now, with power in the Centre and state, they must deliver.

Furthermore, Bansal said that the business community of Noida was fed up of anti-social elements trying to extort them and Food Security and Drug officials trying to blackmail them with loopholes.

Every other day, we get threats from these anti-social elements who try to extort money from us. I can tell you from my experience, that almost 95% of these extortion threats are not reported by businessmen because they dont want to get into trouble, he said.

Similarly, a few days ago, officials from Food Safety and Drug department were visiting eateries in Sector 18 and threatening to close shops on the basis that their food quality is below the required standard. This culture of blackmailing businessmen should be stopped immediately, he said.

Businessmen also demanded relief from traffic woes, encroachment and parking mafia. The entire state is affected by such corrupt elements who are making a profit from the parking business. Traffic congestion and encroachment are also issues that are problems for us. We hope that the new government will deliver on its promises and provide relief from the parking mafia and encroachment, Sushil Kumar Jain, district president, UP Udyog Vyavsay Mandal, a traders body, said.

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A day before Holi, residents bodies of many sectors across Noida organised various functions and began celebrating the festival of colours early.

The Federation of Noida residents welfare associations (FONRWA) too held a Holi Milan at its office in Sector 52 on Sunday. The function was attended by over a 100 members of various residents welfare associations in Noida.

Newly-elected BJP candidate from Noida assembly, Pankaj Singh, Union minister and Gautam Budh Nagar MP Dr Mahesh Sharma, district magistrate NP Singh and chief development officer ML Gupta also visited the FONRWA event as special guests.

Read more: Son rise in Noida as BJPs Pankaj Singh wins by whopping margin

Pankaj Singh was welcomed by FONRWA representatives and felicitated for his victory. Later, he addressed the gathering and expressed gratitude for peoples support. He told residents that long-pending issues related to development would be among his top priorities.

I am honoured for the massive support from every corner in Noida and will always try to mitigate the sufferings of the people here. People have reposed faith in me and I will work for them as a common man, he said.

On his part, Dr Sharma also thanked those who had come to the Holi Milan for the victory of BJP candidates in Gautam Budh Nagar district. The function lasted for three hours during which children also presented some cultural performances.

A Holi Milan was also held at Dr Sharmas Kailash Hospital in Greater Noida, where people gathered on Sunday evening to celebrate. The attendees, especially youngsters, applied colour on each other and splashed others with coloured water.

Meanwhile, markets around Atta and in various sectors had a large number of visitors, especially children who purchased balloons, colours and pichkari (water cannons) to celebrate the festival. Residents were also seen purchasing snacks, particularly gujia, in various markets.

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A day after facing a crushing defeat in the Punjab assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday decided to hold a meeting of its MLAs after Holi to finalise the leader of Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha. The name will be announced before March 16, the day the chief minister will be sworn in.

Partys Punjab affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh said the meeting of the 20 MLAs will be held either on March 14 or 15. After that, the party will undertake a seat-wise analysis of its defeated candidates, he added. The first set of introspection meetings will take place in Punjab. We will try to assess what went wrong. Then the next meeting will be held in Delhi where we and senior leaders will have a similar session with party chief Arvind Kejriwal, he said.

Also read | Punjab poll result: AAPs NRI supporters in shock

When asked about what could be possible reasons that the partys performance was far lower than expected, Sanjay said the party would take feedback from candidates who lost and see what went wrong where.

Also read | Punjab assembly election results: How Kejriwal lost AAPs winning plot

AAPs Punjab convener Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi said the party would also get the possibility of EVMs hacking examined. Look at what happened in Uttar Pradesh. What Mayawati (Bahujan Samaj Party supremo) is saying about EVM hacking is not wrong, he said.

Also read | Ground zero of AAP surge in Punjab, Malwa went Congress way

Meanwhile, the party did not put up a stage at the Hola Mohalla celebrations in Anandpur Sahib. Though Sanjay had tweeted last evening that the party will go ahead with the political rally at Anandpur Sahib, no prominent leader of the party reached there. We could not put up a stage but held a meeting at Nikkuwala village. I could not attend that as I reached late due to a long traffic jam. AAPs Rupnagar MLA Amarjit Singh was there along with our former candidates from Chamkaur Sahib and Anandpur Sahib, said party leader Harjot Singh Bains.

A day after the poll result shock, the AAP leadership is putting up a brave face on the social media. Sanjay put up a 10-minute video message to the AAP team in Punjab this morning giving hope for the future. We are not going anywhere. We are here to stay and we are now looking at the 2019 Lok Sabha in Punjab. This is not the end of the tunnel, he said.

Partys MLA from Dakha Harinder Singh Phoolka tweeted that the party had won half the battle by relegating the SAD to the second position and winning 20 seats in the assembly.

Earlier in the day, Sanjay met partys Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, who lost to Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal from Jalalabad in the assembly elections, at his residence in Mohali.

Bhagwant put up a poem on hope and unending struggle by Punjabi poet Surjit Patar on his Facebook page. Known for his video messages, he has, however, not addressed his supporters since his defeat.

Kejriwal too has maintained silence on his twitter account for the past more than 24 hours which too is unusual. Organisation building in-charge Durgesh Pathak too has not tweeted any response to Punjab results.

Meanwhile, internal bickering and blame game among partys state leadership has also begun. A losing candidate, who did not wish to be named, said the party had lost because of the Delhi teams arrogance and wrong choice of candidates.

Another winning candidate said the party failed to appreciate the cultural ethos of the state and could have done better had Sucha Singh Chhotepur not been removed from the party. But Chhotepur got a few votes himself? The gross moral message of Chhotepurs removal damaged the party. It is not about the personal vote bank of a leader. His removal led to a split in the party and dissent which went out of control, he said.

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Dr Rakesh Sehgal, head of parasitology department, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research against whom there are charges of plagiarism, has been charge sheeted by the institutes administration on Tuesday.

Since December 2016, four doctors have been charge sheeted by the PGIMER administration after they were found guilty of research misconduct like data manipulation.

The other three doctors were issued a chargesheet in December. The three doctors are head of the pharmacology department Dr Amitava Chakravarti; associate professor, department of endocrinology, Dr Pinaki Dutta; and associate professor in department of urology, Dr Santosh Kumar.

Dr Sehgal was not charge sheeted along with other doctors as he had asked for some time to revert. On Tuesday, he was issued a charge sheet.

In 2012, an article Microarray in parasitic infections, whose main author is Dr Rakesh Sehgal was published in the journal Tropical Parasitology. However, in 2014, it was retracted as the content was found to be plagiarised.

The decision has come over two years after the Institute Ethics Committee highlighted the issue and a year after JP Nadda led Government Body directed the PGI director to take departmental action against four doctors.

In September, a review article written by Dr Meenu Singh  contender for PGIMER director- and one more doctor was withdrawn from an international library named Chocrane Library. There were allegations of minor plagiarism and similarities in the data presented. When asked about this issue, the official said, Nobody has complained to us about the issue. Dr Rakesh Sehgal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

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It takes two-three years to produce a piece of equipment but centuries to bring a tradition into being. Such traditions cannot be modified easily without causing harm to institutions. The Army has a robust grievance redressal system dating back to hundreds of years. A soldier can approach his superior, whether a non-commissioned officer, junior commissioned officer or commissioned officer with any sort of complaint regarding service conditions, food, leave, pay, promotion, etc. If his problem is not resolved to his satisfaction, the soldier is free to approach his next higher superior officer without any fear of any comebacks from the officer originally approached.

A unique institution held in high esteem in the Army is the Sainik Sammelan. Originally known as the Durbar until replaced by the more egalitarian term currently used, the custom dates back to medieval times. The British adopted it recognising its usefulness. In essence, it is a more or less democratic gathering of troops of a unit or formation where everyone is free to air their grievances in front of their commander without fear of disciplinary action. Both these strains of rendering justice are forceful and produce the desired results. They have stood the test of time.

Now with one stroke all this has been undone. The Army Chief has notified a WhatsApp number to which complaints can be sent to him in person. By making the Chief and his office the focus of imparting justice to over 12 lakh soldiers, this new system bypasses the established hierarchy rendering tens of thousands of leaders at all levels from section to army commander irrelevant. Tomorrow Sepoy Bhoop Singh may as well thumb his nose at Captain Clueless claiming, Ill send a WhatsApp message to the Chief. All in all, a rather hasty move with little if any thought given to its ramifications.

SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE

Besides providing the telecommunication to the Army, the Corps of Signals also provides information through communications intercepts, locates enemy humint and insurgents radio networks and jams their wireless systems. To do this, the Corps uses the most sophisticated equipment. A lot of their work involves cryptanalysis and breaking of the enemys codes. Traffic analysis is also used to generate information when codes cannot be broken.

I recently interacted with Colonel JS Chandoak, living in Chandigarh who did three tenures in this discipline. During the Bangladesh Campaign, he commanded an ad-hoc intercept company tasked with supporting the operations of XXXIII Corps. Generals ML Thapan and LS Lehl who commanded XXXIII Corps and 20 Division respectively told me that they had complete information about Pakistani orbat and operational orders. General JFR Jacob, who was chief of staff, Eastern Command testified to the effectiveness of signal intelligence in general.

In 1980-81 Chandoak commanded a signals intelligence unit located in the desert sector. The units receivers listened into communications deep within Pakistan. Direction-finding equipment located transmitters of enemy spies. Their task was to pass strategic information up the chain and feed affiliated formations with tactical intelligence. Chandoaks last stint was with an electronic warfare group responsible for the northern part of the western theatre. Their equipment was state of the art at the time though it would be obsolete now. The Corps of Signals always lives up to its motto Teevra Chaukas (Swift and Sure).

(Please write in with your narratives of war and military life to msbajwa@gmail.com or call/WhatsApp on 093161-35343)
The whole world wants to know why Kattappa killed Baahubali. The answer to this question will be found out on April 28 this year when Baahubali: The Conclusion aka Baahubali 2 will hit the screens. Over the last few days, internet has been abuzz with rumours about the release date of the trailer of Baahubali 2. The makers on Saturday have confirmed, putting all rumours to rest, that the highly anticipated trailer will be released on March 16 between 9 am and 10 am across theatres in Telangana and Andhra.

In a Facebook live chat, SS Rajamouli confirmed the trailer release date and time. He also said that theatres will decide when to play the trailer on March 16 and his team has no say in that. The trailer will be released in all the four languages and the makers aim is to make it the most viewed trailer ever in the history of cinema.

Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah Bhatia, Anushka Shetty, Ramya Krishnan and Sathyaraj in pivotal role, Baahubali: The Conclusion will have a simultaneous release in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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granny flats California

Things were going well for Ira Belgrade in 2009. The Los Angeleno and his wife of more than 13 years ran a successful talent-management company, and they'd recently converted their garage into a home office and rec room.

Then, that April, Belgrade's wife died suddenly from complications related to Lyme disease. "It threw my life into turmoil," Belgrade, now 56, recently told Business Insider. He was left to raise the couple's 2-year-old son, Izzy, on his own.

Meanwhile, the company that Belgrade had run with his wife had collapsed. "My business fell apart and I didn't want to lose this house," he said.

Desperate for additional income, he looked at his new home office and saw an answer.

Like the rest of California, Belgrade's affluent Central Los Angeles neighborhood has a major housing shortage.

In the past decade, there has been an average of 80,000 homes a year built in California  100,000 units below what's needed to keep pace with population growth through 2025, according to a recent report by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

To manage the cost of living, more and more Californians are moving in together, often sharing rooms at twice the rate of the national average, according to the HCD.

Others had the same idea as Belgrade. They, too, thought about turning their extra space into a rentable apartment as an inventive way to make more housing available. These types of residences are formally known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and colloquially as "granny flats."

granny flats California

But Los Angeles wouldn't grant Belgrade a permit for an ADU. At 6,750 square feet, his lot size just missed the mark required to build, officials said, one of the many Byzantine rules the city applies to ADUs.

Story continues

"I decided, f--k 'em, I'm going to do it anyway," Belgrade said. To him, the investment, and the risk, would pay off.

He tried to do everything by the book. A "stickler for code and safety," he hired a planner and added a kitchen, French doors, central A/C, and bathrooms to the two-story backyard unit.

In 2010 he rented it out, and it became one of the 50,000 unpermitted ADUs across the city. (Because of strict regulations, only 644 had been approved in Los Angeles between 2003 and 2016.

"It totally saved me," he said. The cash helped cover his mortgage payment.

But over the next several years, Belgrade would go from clandestine landlord to crusader for reform to figurehead of a movement that changed the law.

And while many see ADUs as an antidote to affordable-housing shortages plaguing the country, others are fighting hard against it.

'The consequences are dire'

California's housing-supply slump has driven home prices to levels unseen since 2007, before the dawn of the financial crisis. The current median home value in California is just under $490,000, up nearly 7% from this time last year and more than twice the national median. Homeownership in the state is at a 70-year low.

And it's near impossible to find affordable rental options. Silicon Valley has been hit especially hard. The median rent in the city of San Francisco, one of the priciest housing markets in the country, is up to $4,170.

most expensive metros

"In the Bay Area, we've added more than 600,000 new jobs since 2010 but created only about 60,000 new housing units," Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, a public-policy advocacy group, wrote in an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle.

"The consequences are dire," he wrote.

It's not just California. New York City's median rent is hovering around $3,000, twice the national median. And cities that were once considered the West's more affordable big markets, like Denver, Portland, and Seattle, are now experiencing some of the fastest-rising rents in the country.

The Census Bureau's most recent "American Community Survey" revealed that roughly half of total US renters in 2015  about 20.4 million  were spending more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing costs.

US relative cost of living

Some cities wonder whether home-sharing services like Airbnb are to blame for the housing crisis at the micro-level, where landlords are evicting tenants in rent-controlled apartments only to list them as vacation rentals for double the price. But research commissioned by Airbnb says the company's presence in expensive cities is only slightly affecting rents and, in fact, helping with affordability by providing additional revenue streams for renters.

Still, Airbnb doesn't solve any shortage of long-term affordable housing, the primary goal of ADUs.

Tilting the balance of power

For nearly four years, Belgrade and his tenants flew under the radar. Then someone anonymously reported his unsanctioned unit.

"I had to submit to an inspection, and at that point they saw everything was up to code, they weren't trying to shut me down or anything, but they said that I would have to change my certificate of occupancy and go through the process," he said. "So I did. And I came up against a brick wall."

Belgrade was told he could make fixes to the unit totaling $50,000, by his estimates, including adding covered parking and fire sprinklers and obtaining a zoning adjustment, but there would be no guarantee of a permit.

But he wasn't willing to surrender to the city's demands, and so began his more than two-year effort to reform the city's strict ADU regulations. He attended town-hall meetings and city-council meetings and met with fellow homeowners, and he soon discovered that an onerous approval process and city and utility fees were discouraging people from building.

Then, in early 2016, Los Angeles' infighting came to a head. A lawsuit between the city and a neighborhood organization, led by Carlyle Hall  a homeowner and former land-use and environmental lawyer in California for over 30 years  launched Los Angeles into "legal limbo" and stalled ADU construction for months. Belgrade met dozens of affected homeowners, many whose livelihoods depended on getting their second units occupied, whether with family or a caretaker or renters.

"These are people who had some hard money loans with interest gathering and they were stopped in their tracks," Belgrade said. "These people were outraged, they didn't know what to do. And they were calling me, and I was trying to help them, and I would cry just listening to some of these stories.

"It really drew me in and next thing you know, I'm this, like, major voice of the accessory dwelling units in Los Angeles," he said.

granny flat quote Bob Wieckowski

Then, relief. California Sen. Bob Wieckowski wrote a bill that put the state in charge of ADUs. It passed in September 2016, revoking all ADU city-level ordinances  from parking restrictions to fire sprinkler requirements to cumbersome costs  and established a new, comparatively lenient, baseline criteria for approval.

"It tilts the balance of power in favor of second units and the importance that they can play in helping us meet our housing needs," Wieckowski, a Democrat who represents California's East Bay and part of Silicon Valley, told Business Insider. On January 1, 2017, the law went into effect.

Wieckowski sees Los Angeles as the poster child for a new wave of housing development that could help alleviate California's housing crisis.

"I want LA to lead the state in construction of ADUs," Wieckowski said. "If [a homeowner] decided they wanted to get rid of their garage and convert their unit, or build a unit over the garage, or convert their master bedroom into another unit, that's their prerogative and if that's how they want to live  why not?"

But not everyone sees it that way. Some say it takes the power away from local governments, though they still reserve the right to tailor state law to their city by enacting new, less restrictive rules.

Then there are some homeowners, like Hall, who are worried that a "thoughtless" state standard for building ADUs will erode the character and quality of single-family neighborhoods, and accomplish nothing in the way of housing creation.

Creating a 'postsuburban city'

Hall isn't speaking out of turn. In the 1990s, he served as former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley's appointee to the Redevelopment Agency, where he managed $100 million in city funds toward affordable housing.

"There's a certain amount of rhetoric that accompanies these second-unit proposals  'This will provide affordable housing opportunities and allow people who couldn't buy to buy.' Well, that's just utter nonsense, it's poppycock," Hall said. And it's especially true in Los Angeles' hillside and beachfront areas, he says, where affluent, overpriced properties abound.

But Wieckowski says it's a "supply-and-demand gig." The more ADUs pop up, the cheaper they'll become.

Researchers at the CityLAB at UCLA, a think tank in the university's Department of Architecture and Urban Design, see ADUs as a logical next step in the evolution of modern cities.

UCLA Citylab ADU design

Dana Cuff, the founding director of CityLAB and a professor of architecture and urban design and planning at UCLA, said ADUs are part of a "postsuburban city."

The modern household no longer comprises the bread-winning dad, the stay-at-home mom, and 2.5 kids, Cuff told Business Insider. Instead, college graduates are moving back in, and homeowners need cash flow from renters and space for nannies, caretakers, and aging parents.

"There's just an infinite number of ways our housing should be made more flexible for our complete lives," she said, and ADUs "get the ball rolling."

Cuff's research suggests that ADUs are feasible for 5% to 10% of the 500,000 single-family lots in Los Angeles, enough to make a dent in Mayor Eric Garcetti's goal for 100,000 new housing units by 2021.

While ADUs may be a solution for boosting housing supply in the long term, it's not a quick fix, she says.

"It's a messy process that's going to take time as people try to figure out how to do it efficiently so that the housing that's built there is, in fact, affordable," Cuff said. "The amazing thing about the secondary units is the land is free. It's already there, you don't buy that. And that's the biggest expense in housing today, the land."

granny flats Ira Belgrade

In 2009, Portland began waiving ADU-development fees, cutting costs by up to $15,000 for the construction or conversion of one unit. Over the next six years, the number of ADU permits in the city tripled, and the measure was recently renewed through 2018 to encourage homeowners to build ADUs. The city says ADUs are now integral to meeting its housing goals.

In New York City, the Citizens Housing and Planning Council has suggested a pilot program to convert up to 38,000 basements in single-family homes into legal apartments. But as the group notes, there would be legal and political hurdles to overcome before a plan like this comes to pass.

"People are naturally, and probably rightly, skeptical about neighborhood change, but I think over the long run neighborhoods are going to find that this is an extremely beneficial change to our single-family-housing fabric from everyone's point of view," Cuff said.

The fight doesn't end there

In March, Belgrade finally received his ADU permit under the new law. But he had to shell out $3,300 in permit and city fees to make it happen.

Still, he doesn't regret building illegally years ago. And the same tenants who moved in six years ago still live there.

"Having renters keeps my family in this house," said Belgrade, who's now remarried with a 1-year-old son.

The fight doesn't end there. Belgrade says he won't fall silent in the ADU community. He's already working to establish a Los Angeles-based advocacy group for fellow ADU landlords called YIMBY, "Yes In My Backyard."

"The business potential is enormous, and serving the public with it. There's a lot that can be done  for-profit and not-for-profit  that really could help increase the housing stock," Belgrade said. "This could be one of the greatest assets to housing that the state of California has seen in generations."

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As the 2017 assembly elections in five states draw to a close, we give you a peek into all the hectic planning and work that went into putting our election package together. It was frantic, exciting, and weve loved every minute of it.

Planning in the HT newsroom started soon after the state elections in 2016 got over. It started well before the political parties launched their formal campaigns, long before the first posters went up. The first series to be rolled out was on the towns of Uttar Pradesh (UP), which was published in July 2016.

Read: Election results: Modi wave that swept UP was unprecedented in 40 years

The first series also marked the beginning of HTs exhaustive coverage of the latest round of elections under our signature My India My Vote pages. We dedicated a special election page on the website, where all the content was showcased.

It was time to tap into our strength, our wide network of reporters, to broad-base our coverage. The next series was a partnership between HTs UP and Delhi teams - the village series of UP, where the stories were co-authored.

Though elections were being held in five states - UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur the focus, however, remained on UP and Punjab

The coverage became more extensive from September, as the pace of political work in the states also picked up pace. One of the most ambitious projects from Punjab was the Dhaba Bites series. The series involves print stories, digital narratives, videos and aerial coverage using drones. Using new gadgets, such as drones, was both exciting, as well as challenging. Journalists were learning on the job. Tracking social media became important, as often thats where stories were breaking. In UP, in November, journalists trekked along six rivers to record the lives and issues of those living on their banks, for the River Sutra series.

Read: After Punjab and Goa setback, can AAP hold fort in Delhi municipal elections?

Back in Delhi, those from the design team such as Prijit, Malay, Kapil, Sanjay and Mukesh were brainstorming to present the news as attractively as possible. There was a lot of to-and-fro movement of manpower. Teams across centres worked in tandem on the design.

On January 4, the Election Commission announced the poll dates. Between January and March, at least 50 reporters hit the ground, logging more than 75,000 miles across five states. They went armed with multimedia kits consisting of mobile phones, sound rigs and gimbals. The digital platform gave journalists the opportunity to try out innovative storytelling techniques.

Read: List of major winners and losers in assembly elections 2017

The data team pitched in, to help analyse numbers, draw up maps etc for both stand-alone graphics and data stories, as well as with statistics to support stories by other reporters. Social media push was important. Reporters engaged readers through Facebook Lives and tweets about each story. The video team published over 40 videos just in February. Ambrish Bajaj and his team worked for three months to build the website to best showcase all the election content.

Meanwhile, at the news desk there was frantic editing taking place. March 11, results say, was the culmination of all this intense work.
A Russian woman pardoned by President Vladimir Putin after she was sentenced to seven years in jail for treason over a text message about movements of military equipment was released Sunday, local media reported.

Shopkeeper Oxana Sevastidi, 46, was convicted in March 2016 over an SMS sent eight years earlier about a train carrying military hardware towards neighbouring Georgia, months before Russia fought a brief war with the country.

Footage broadcast on state television from outside Moscows Lefortovo prison, where Sevastidi was being held, showed her hugging her mother before grabbing her personal items and getting into a car with her lawyer.

The Supreme Court is set to rule on her case on March 15. Sevastidis defence has hailed the pardon but insisted she would fight until her conviction was quashed.

We are preparing for the Supreme Court hearing which on Wednesday will consider this absurd criminal case and, I hope, put an end to it, lawyer Ivan Pavlov wrote on his Facebook page Saturday.

Putins pardon, issued on March 7, said it was motivated by principles of humanity.

Sevastidi, who hails from the Black Sea city of Sochi, told Meduza news site in December that she photographed military equipment transported on a train in April 2008, months before the August conflict.

Sevastidi said she exchanged messages with a Georgian acquaintance about what she had seen.

Sevastidi was detained by the FSB security service in January 2015 and convicted after a trial held behind closed doors.

In a similar case, a woman in a small town outside Moscow was arrested in 2015 after calling the Ukrainian embassy to say soldiers had left a nearby base and could be heading to eastern Ukraine where a conflict was raging, and where Russia denies intervening militarily.

She was released from prison and the treason charges against her were dropped after a public outcry.

Russia has prosecuted an increasing number of its nationals and foreigners for treason and espionage since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict in 2014 and the ensuing standoff with the West.
The House of Commons will debate and vote on Monday on the Brexit bill that was passed by the House of Lords last week with two amendments  the key issue is whether MPs will uphold the amendments or overturn them.

The bill was passed as introduced by the Theresa May government in the House of Commons, but the largely pro-EU House of Lords  where the ruling party does not have a majority  passed two amendments, much against the wishes of Prime Minister May.

The amendments related to assuring indefinite stay to EU citizens already in Britain (including thousands of Goan origin), and committing to giving a meaningful vote on the final deal reached with Brussels on leaving the EU, expected in mid-2019.

On Sunday, Brexit secretary David Davis urged MPs to overturn the amendments on Monday and sought to reassure Conservative rebels and others by saying that the issue of EU citizens future after Bexit will be the first thing on the agenda when talks begin.

If the amendments are overturned and the House of Lords agrees, the May government could send the notification to Brussels triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty to exit the EU on Tuesday, government sources said.

On Sunday, the foreign affairs committee of parliament added pressure by setting out the adverse scenario for Britain if the May government did not reach a deal with Brussels by the end of the two-year period.

May has gone on record to say that even if no deal were reached, Britain would leave the EU.

Committee chair Crispin Blunt said: "The possibility of 'no deal' is real enough to require the government to plan how to deal with it. But there is no evidence to indicate that this is receiving the consideration it deserves or that serious contingency planning is underway.

The government has repeatedly said that it will walk away from a bad final deal. That makes preparing for no deal all the more essential. Such preparation reinforces that stance, he added.

However, Davis insisted in a Sunday BBC interview that it was "not remotely likely" that there would be a complete breakdown in negotiations: "The simple truth is, we have been planning for the contingency, all the various outcomes, all the possible outcomes.

It's not just my team, it's the whole of Whitehall, it's every single department. But, understand, it's the contingency plan. The aim is to get a good outcome."

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Britain is drawing up contingency plans for the unlikely event it has to walk away from divorce talks with the European Union without a deal, Brexit minister David Davis said on Sunday.

Prime Minister Theresa May is set to begin exit talks by the end of the month, kicking off Britains most complex set of negotiations since the end of World War Two. The outcome will shape Britains political and economic future.

Ahead of the start of negotiations, which could be triggered as early as Tuesday, a committee of lawmakers warned it would be a serious dereliction of duty if the government failed to plan for the possibility of not reaching an exit deal.

I dont think, firstly, that is remotely likely, Davis told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, responding to the report. Its in absolutely everybodys interest that we get a good outcome.

Parliaments foreign affairs committee warned that a breakdown in negotiations would be a very destructive outcome, causing economic harm to both sides as well as creating uncertainty and legal confusion for individuals and businesses.

The simple truth is we have been planning for the contingency - all the various outcomes, all the possible outcomes of the negotiations, Davis said.

One of the reasons we dont talk about the contingency plan too much is that we dont want people to think Oh, this is what were trying to do.

Asked when May would trigger talks, Davis declined to name a specific date. Each date has different implications in terms of when it could be responded to by the (European) council ... Im not going to get into the details why, but theres politics in terms of achieving success.

No veto

Before May can begin negotiations, she must finish passing the legislation that gives her the right to formally notify the EU of Britains intention to leave and start a two-year negotiating period as set out in the EUs Lisbon treaty.

The laws are expected to be finalised in a series of votes early next week, which will test Mays authority over her Conservative Party as she seeks to overturn changes made to the draft bill by parliaments upper chamber.

For more on when May could trigger exit talks, see:

The government suffered two heavy defeats in parliament during the legislative process, inserting conditions into the bill saying May must guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in Britain and give lawmakers more powers to reject the final terms she reaches with the EU.

Facing a possible rebellion from Conservatives who want to vote on the final Brexit terms, Davis urged lawmakers to back Mays Brexit strategy and overturn those changes because they would tie the governments hands in the negotiations.

What we cant have is either house of parliament reversing the decision of the British people - they havent got a veto, Davis said.
A runaway bus plowed into a crowd of people in the Haitian city of Gonaives early today, killing 34 people and injuring 15 others, officials said.

The accident, in the city some 150 kilometres outside Port-au-Prince.

First, the bus plowed into two pedestrians, killing one of them, and injuring the other, Marie-Alta Jean Baptiste, head of Haitis civil protection office, told AFP.

Map of Haiti locating Gonaive, where a runaway bus killed more than 30 people Sunday. (AFP)

The driver then rammed into a band of street musicians as it tried to speed away, leaving 33 of them dead in a scene of ghastly carnage.

Emergency workers transported the injured to the hospital, while police tried to control an angry crowd that gathered at the accident scene.

The people who were not victims of the accident tried to burn the bus with the passengers inside, said Faustin Joseph, civic protection coordinator for the department of Artibonite, where Gonaives, the regional capital, is located.

The bus, the passengers and the driver were all placed into the care of the local authorities, Joseph said.
German police said on Sunday they had ended a major operation launched after they received information about a possible threat of an attack in the south-western town of Offenburg on Saturday night.

Officers stepped up security in the town centre and on public transport and police said one possible target was a night club which was not named. Investigations were continuing but no further details on the nature of the threat were available.

A spokesman in Offenburg, in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and close to the French border, did not give any further details.

Germany is on high alert following deadly militant Islamist attacks in France and Belgium and after a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December, killing 12 people.

On Saturday, police in the city of Essen closed a shopping mall after security services warned of a possible attack.
German police sealed off a major shopping centre in the central city of Essen on Saturday, citing the threat of a terror attack, with media reports suggesting a link to the Islamic State group.

The country is on high alert following scenes of carnage at a Christmas market in Berlin in December, when an IS jihadist rammed a truck into a crowd of pedestrians, killing 12 people.

The German domestic security agency BfV believes the IS group was almost definitely behind the threat, local media reported.

According to the Bild daily, IS called for an attack and got a message to Syrian supporters in the Essen region to attack a shopping centre on Saturday.

Security services quoted by Bild described the threat as a potential multiple suicide bombing at the mall, one of the biggest in the country.

The shopping centre will be closed all Saturday due to security concerns. The police have concrete information regarding a possible attack, local police said in a statement published on social media.

Local car parks and the underground train station were also closed.

Though there was no announcement of arms or explosives being found, police said two men had been picked up for questioning.

Both men were arrested in the town of Oberhausen near Essen but later police said in a statement that the pair are not suspects in the case.

Major operation

Many agents are deployed onsite. This is a major operation, a local police spokesman told AFP, indicating the lockdown included the 200-store Limbecker Platz in downtown Essen, nearby parking garages and an underground rail station.

Sniffer dogs were also been deployed at the site.

Essen, which is in the industrial Ruhr region, has a population of approximately 500,000.

The police said they had been alerted to the threat by another department but no German agency has confirmed if it was involved.

Interior ministry spokesperson Tobias Plate told AFP that the operation was being handled by the local police force but added that his ministry was in constant touch with the GTAZ, a joint counter-terrorism centre used by 40 internal security agencies.

German authorities have been on alert since the deadly Christmas market attack in Berlin.

A Tunisian failed asylum seeker, Anis Amri, rammed a hijacked truck into the crowded market on December 19, before being shot dead four days later by police in Italy.

Last July, a German-Iranian teenager who police say was obsessed with mass murderers, shot dead nine people at a Munich shopping mall before turning the gun on himself.

Fears of another attack rose on Thursday when a 36-year-old paranoid-schizophrenic man from Kosovo rampaged through Duesseldorf railway station with an axe, wounding nine people. Police have ruled out a terrorist motive for that attack.

Domestic security officials estimate there are some 10,000 radical Islamists in Germany, with roughly 1,600 among them suspected of being capable of violence.

IS has claimed responsibility for attacks in Germany in the past year, including the murder of a teen in Hamburg, a suicide bombing in Ansbach and an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzberg that injured five.
An Indian-origin female officer is among three policewomen suing Scotland Yard over racism and sexism claims, a media report said on Sunday.

Police constable Usha Evans, detective constable Nighat Hubbard-- the Metropolitan Polices first Muslim policewoman to be awarded an honour by the Queen -- and Hubbards colleague Catherine Bell allege they had faced discrimination from white male officers, The Sunday Times reported.

A judge ruled last week that it would be just and equitable for Hubbard to bring the legal claim after the Met Police was trying to block her from making the employment tribunal claim.

In a preliminary judgment, among the allegations made by the three officers included white colleagues being allowed to work on more complex investigations, while the women were held back. The allegations date between 2013 and 2014.

Hubbard also alleged that male officers had made discriminatory comments on her and other women in the force.

An internal inquiry by Scotland Yard found the men had no case to answer, but Hubbard described it as a whitewash.

One senior officer she accused of discrimination, former detective inspector Mick Standing, was protected by the Met and, after her complaint about him, was allowed to retire and join the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), according to Hubbards claim.

Standing, who left the organisation earlier this month, denies the claims and said he had been completely exonerated by a Met investigation.

According to Hubbards witness statement, Bell reported that Standing had told another female Asian officer, You need to grow a beard, shout more and be more masculine.

Hubbards claim makes allegations about another white, male officer who she claims mocked Evans religion.

Hubbard is leading the allegations which include that when she, Evans and Bell complained about the alleged discrimination to Scotland Yard, the anti-corruption command Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) investigation that followed was a sham and a cover-up.

Her claims against the DPS will now form part of the case to be heard by an employment tribunal this year.

The Met Police said, We are unable to discuss further while proceedings are ongoing.

The IPCC said it did not comment on staffing matters.
A man in Florida was arrested for trying to set fire to a grocery store belonging to Indian-Americans, mistaking him for Arabs, just two weeks after a man in Kansas killed Srinivas Kuchibhotla, believing he was a middle-easterner.

The accused, 64-year-old Richard Lloyd, told police officers he would run the Arabs out of our country and he thought the owners of the grocery store were Muslims, and he was mad due to what they are doing in the Middle East.

When the deputies arrived, they noticed the dumpster had been rolled in front of the doors and the contents were lit on fire, said Port St. Lucie Sheriff Ken J Mascara.

Upon seeing our deputies, the man put his hands behind his back and said take me away.

The sheriff added: Its unfortunate that Mr. Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent. Regardless, we will not tolerate violence based on age, race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, mental or physical disability.

Adam Purinton, a 51-year-old US navy veteran had earlier shot two Indian engineers at a bar in Olathe, Kansas on February 22, killing Kuchibhotla and injuring his friend Alok Madasani. A local American who tried to intervene, Ian Grillot was also shot and injured.

Purinton, who is in the custody of police, has been charged with murder and attempted murder, had told the Indians: Get out of my country. He later told a bartender he had shot two Middle-Easterners.

Deep Rai, a Sikh man was shot in his driveway by a man in a mask last week, was told to go back to his country. The assailant remains at large.

Sikhs have been targeted since September 9, 2001 by Americans, who mistake them for Middle-Easterners  Balbir Singh Sodhi was the first victim of the backlash, when he was killed outside his gas station in Messa, Arizona.
The front-runner to succeed South Koreas impeached president Park Geun-Hye on Sunday called for unity as the country writes a new history, while hundreds gathered outside the home of the ousted leader in a show of support.

The Constitutional Court on Friday upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach Park, effectively removing her from office over a corruption scandal involving her close friend.

A presidential election is to be held within 60 days of the ruling, with local media suggesting May 9 as the most likely date.

The likely winner -- by a distance -- is the liberal former Democratic Party leader Moon Jae-In who enjoys 36 percent of popular support.

If the power of candlelight has brought us this far, we now have to work together for a complete victory, Moon told a news conference on Sunday, referring to weekly candlelit vigils that called for Parks ouster.

South Korea will make new history through a regime change.

Park, who is South Koreas first democratically-elected president to be ousted from office, remains holed up at the presidential Blue House as workers repair and clean her private residence.

Television footage showed hundreds of Parks flag-waving supporters gathered outside her home in prosperous southern Seoul with reports saying she is likely to leave the presidential office on Monday.

Moon said it would be heartless to kick Park out of the Blue House while her home was being prepared but warned against possible attempts to destroy or remove state documents before she left.

Park was found to have broken the law by allowing her friend Choi Soon-Sil to meddle in state affairs, and breaching rules on public servants activities.

The court ruling removed her presidential immunity to criminal indictment.

She has already been named a criminal suspect, accused of bribery for offering policy favours to firms that benefited Choi.

For months she has refused to make herself available for questioning by prosecutors probing the scandal.

But that may no longer be an option once she leaves the Blue House, when she could face formal arrest if she refuses a summons, with local reports saying that the prosecutors were mulling imposing a travel ban on Park.

Tens of thousands of anti-Park protesters took to the streets to celebrate the courts ruling on Saturday while some 20,000 angry pro-Park flag-waving protesters rallied nearby demanding a review of the one-off decision.

Police have arrested several protesters for violent behaviour, with a third person confirmed dead Saturday in hospital after losing consciousness the day before in a clash between pro-Park supporters and riot police.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks during a rally in Istanbul, Sunday, March 12, 2017. The escalating dispute between Turkey and the Netherlands spilled over into Sunday, with a Turkish minister unable to enter her consulate after the authorities there had already blocked a visit by the foreign minister, prompting Erdogan to call the Dutch fascists. Erdogan said at the rally: "I had said that Nazism has risen from the grave. I said 'I thought Nazism was over but I was wrong.' In fact, Nazism is alive in the West." (AP Photo}





ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations Sunday, claiming that "Nazism is alive in the West" after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would "pay the price" for their unusual action.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased.

He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police in riot gear from entering her country's consulate in Rotterdam.

That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

The Dutch prime minster said it was important for his government not to bow to pressure from Turkey, especially after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept Turkish ministers out.

"Turkey is a proud nation. The Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail," said Mark Rutte, whose party is locked in a neck-and-neck race with populist firebrand Geert Wilders.

To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkey's president, Turkish cabinet ministers have scheduled campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

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For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

However, some European nations have complained that Turkey under Erdogan is slipping toward authoritarian practices, especially since last summer's aborted coup. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands.

Story continues

The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday.

Rutte's actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being "Nazi remnants."

On Sunday, he heaped on more criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch.

"If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price," Erdogan warned.

"Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price," he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting pro-Erdogan protesters who gathered outside the consulate.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming.

Addressing crowds at a campaign rally later, Erdogan called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands and urged the European Union to speak out against the Dutch.

"What took place in the Netherlands was the trampling of diplomacy, international law, practice, decency. Is there a peep coming out of Europe? No. Why? Because they won't bite one another. They are all the same. The Netherlands did not behave like a European Union member state governed by the rule of law, but like a banana republic."

Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz a day after he was banned from speaking in the Netherlands. He told hundreds of supporters there that the Dutch would be forced to "account" regardless of an apology and called the Netherlands the "capital of fascism."

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said the rally presented no threat to public order and was permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

France's foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, called for the calming of tensions between some European countries and Turkey. He also urged Turkish authorities to "avoid excesses and provocations."

About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted Cavusoglu as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz.

"I am disappointed by Holland because they speak of democracy and freedom but it is not the case. To not allow a speech, it's sad. We are all disappointed," said Beatrice Bozkus, a Metz resident who attended the rally.

The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenship, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland.

"The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to," Rutte said. "These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey."

Still, added the prime minister, his government "will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate."

On Saturday, Turkey's family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, where she was to campaign for the upcoming referendum in Turkey.

After a tense standoff outside the consulate, she was escorted back to the German border.

Speaking to reporters Sunday at Istanbul's main airport, Kaya condemned Dutch authorities' "anti-democratic" actions which "trampled on freedom of expression and right to assembly."

"We were subject to very rude and harsh treatment," she said.

Earlier, a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate in Istanbul and replaced the Netherlands' flag with the Turkish one.

Television footage showed a man standing on the roof of the building shouting Allahu akbar, Arabic for "God is great." A small group of men holding Turkish flags were seen outside the consulate shouting "Damn Holland" and "Racist Holland."

The private Dogan news agency reported that the consulate later took down Turkey's flag and put the Dutch flag back up.

In Rotterdam, police arrested 12 people early Sunday at a demonstration outside the consulate after police were hit by bottles and rocks.

___

Kiper reported from Istanbul. Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Dominique Soguel in Metz, France, also contributed to this report.
Police in eastern Spain opened an investigation into a suspected human trafficking route after discovering two trucks carrying Iraqi refugees in less than a month.

A civil guard spokeswoman told The Associated Press Sunday that an anonymous tip led officers to find eight Iraqis of Kurdish ethnicity, including four children, in the back of a refrigerated truck on a highway near the town of Teruel on Friday.

Two parents with their three children between the ages of five to 10, a mother with her two-year-old son, and a man travelling alone were crammed in the trucks refrigerated trailer.

The spokeswoman, speaking anonymously in line with police policy, said that all eight were in good health despite having been inside the trucks cooling chamber while it was on.

Police placed them in the temporary care of a NGO in Teruel dedicated to helping migrants. The Iraqis could ask Spain for political asylum, the spokeswoman said.

The truck was located a few kilometers (miles) from where police had discovered another truck illegally transporting a Kurdish family of two adults and four children last month.

Police say both trucks were heading toward Britain after departing from the southern Spanish region of Murcia. The police investigation will include how the Iraqis made it to Spain.

The driver of Fridays truck is a 37-year-old Romanian man. The other truck stopped last month was driven by a Bulgarian man. Both were arrested on charges of human trafficking.

In August 2015, 71 migrants were found dead in the back of refrigerated truck in Austria. Thousands also have perished at sea or on foot while fleeing the war in Syria and other violent conflicts in an attempt to reach Europe.
The Trump administration on Saturday fired Preet Bharara, the high profile Indian American attorney often called the Sheriff of Wall Street after he refused to hand over his resignation as directed by the President along with 45 others.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired, Bharara announced on Twitter, ending an intriguing stand-off that may have begun with a phone call from the White House to his office Thursday.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.  Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017

They wanted him to call back. He did, according to a published account of the interactions, but only let them know he couldnt speak to the President, as required by protocols about contacts between US attorneys and the President.

Bharara, who as US attorney for the Southern District of New York had built a reputation pursuing security scams and insiders deals on Wall Street, was asked on Friday to resign along with 45 other appointed by President Barack Obama.

Every new president does that  President Bill Clinton removed 90 US attorneys after taking office  and President Donald Trump was doing the same, as a justice department spokeswoman said in explanation of the resignations.

His sacking was surprising, considering he had apparently been asked by Trump to continue. The attorney in November had said that Trump asked him to stay on

I said I would absolutely consider staying on. I agreed to stay on. I have already spoken to Senator Sessions, who is as you know is the nominee to be the attorney general. He also asked that I stay on, and so I expect that I will be continuing to work at the southern district, he had told reporters.

On Friday, he was asked to resign.

Unidentified White House officials told The New York Times, President Trump had indeed asked Bharara to continue in anticipation of better relations with Senator from New York Chuck Schumer, who is something of mentor to Bharara.

Schumer is the leader of Senate Democrats and Trump might have wanted him on his side to help his legislative agenda, but the two of them have since clashed on almost every issue with the ensuing war of words ending in name-calling.

Bharara had then become the third Indian American invited by Trump to join his administration after South Carolina governor Nikki Haley who was appointed as US ambassador to the UN and Seema Verma for medicaid and medicare services.

Bharara was also the first and only Obama appointee to have been asked till then to continue, which is not altogether rare. Obama had asked Bob Gates, who was appointed by President George W Bush, to continue as his secretary of defense.
Twin bombs targeting Shiite pilgrims killed 59 people in Damascus on Saturday, most of them Iraqis, a monitoring group said of one of the bloodiest attacks in the Syrian capital.

There have been periodic bombings in Damascus, but the stronghold of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been largely spared the destruction faced by other major cities in six years of civil war.

A roadside bomb detonated as a bus passed by and a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Bab al-Saghir area, which houses several Shiite mausoleums that draw pilgrims from around the world, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The explosions killed 47 pilgrims, most of them Iraqi Shiites, and 12 Syrian pro-government fighters, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

There are also dozens of people wounded, some of them in a serious condition, he told AFP.

Syrian state television said 40 people were killed and 120 wounded after terrorists detonated two bombs.

It broadcast footage of several white buses with their windows shattered, some charred and peppered with shrapnel.

Shoes, glasses and wheelchairs lay scattered on ground covered in blood.

Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Shaar said the attack targeted pilgrims of various Arab nationalities.

The sole aim was to kill, he said.

The Iraqi foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals were among the dead and 120 among the wounded.

A witness told AFP that the second bomb exploded as passers-by gathered at the scene of the first attack, and state television said a booby-trapped motorcycle was defused nearby.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Frequent target

Shiite shrines are a frequent target of attack for Sunni extremists of al Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS), not only in Syria but also in neighbouring Iraq.

The foreign ministry in Damascus condemned the cowardly terrorist attack which comes in response to victories of the Syrian Arab Army against jihadists.

The Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum to the south of Damascus, Syrias most visited Shiite pilgrimage site, has been hit by several deadly bombings during the war.

Twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of the capital in January killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

That attack was claimed by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, which said that it had targeted Russian military advisers working with the Syrian army.

It was widely seen as an attempt to disrupt UN-brokered peace talks that took place the following month and which to Fateh al-Shams anger were supported by its former Islamist rebel ally Ahrar al-Sham.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has called a new round of talks for March 23.

Fateh al-Sham has been repeatedly bombed in its northwestern stronghold this year, not only by the Syrian army and its Russian ally but also by a US-led coalition battling IS in both Syria and Iraq.

The rift over the UN-brokered talks between the rebels and the government has also seen deadly clashes between jihadists and their former Islamist rebel allies.

The two groups had together seized virtually all of the northwestern province of Idlib but are now vying for territorial control.

Mass grave

In Baghdad, the foreign ministry blamed the Damascus attack on takfiri groups, referring to Sunni extremists.

The bombings could provide the impetus for increased Iraqi strikes against IS in Syria, which Baghdad has already carried out near the border.

Iraqi forces launched an operation to retake Mosul -- the last IS-held city in Iraq -- in October.

They recaptured its eastern side and now have their sights set on its more densely populated west.

Iraqi paramilitary forces said Saturday they had discovered a mass grave at Badush prison near Mosul containing the remains of hundreds of people executed by IS.

The jihadists reportedly killed up to 600 people after seizing Badush in 2014.

In northern Syria, Raqa, the de facto IS capital, is under threat from advancing Turkish-backed Syrian rebels, a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces as well as Syrian government troops supported by Russia.

Three hundred families of foreign IS fighters have fled the city in 24 hours on boats across the Euphrates River to the south, the Observatory said Saturday.

Assad said in an interview broadcast Saturday that recapturing Raqa was a priority for his forces.

While bomb attacks are rare in Damascus, the capital has been the target of shelling by rebels who hold areas on the outskirts.

The deadliest bombing around Damascus targeted the Sayyida Zeinab shrine in February 2016, costing 134 lives, in an attack claimed by IS.
Defiant to the last moment, Preet Bharara, the high profile Indian-origin US attorney often called the Sheriff of Wall Street, refused to hand over his resignation, among the 46 sought by the Trump administration, and announced he had been fired.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired, Bharara announced on Twitter, from an account he had set up only recently, ending an intriguing stand-off that began with a phone call from the White House to his office on Thursday asking him to call back.

He did, but only after he had looped in the office of the attorney general Jeff Sessions about a possible breach of protocols regarding contacts between the president and US attorneys. He told the White House he couldnt speak to the president.

It wasnt clear if these calls had anything to do with his ouster, or if the President had personally wanted to give him a heads-up, having asked him earlier to stay on, or if it was about any investigation or case being pursued by Bhararas office.

Bharara, who as US attorney for the Southern District of New York built a formidable reputation pursuing security scams and insider trading, was asked on Friday to resign, along with 45 other US attorneys appointed by President Barack Obama.

Every new president does that  President Bill Clinton had removed 90 US attorneys after taking office  and President Donald Trump was doing the same, as a justice department spokeswoman said in explanation of the resignations.

Except, as Bharara argued to the justice department official who called to ask for his resignation, the president had asked him to continue and by seeking his resignation now he was actually firing him. At the time, Bharara didnt say anything publicly though.

After another phone call with that justice department official, during which they are reported to have had a similar conversation, Bharara announced his firing on Twitter, ending a stand-off that shot to the top of headlines over a relatively quieter weekend.

Trump had Bharara stay on after a meeting in November at Trump Tower where he, as president-elect, was building his team, with candidates rolling in and out the building in full glare of TV cameras and reporters.

I agreed to stay on, Bharara told reporters then, I have already spoken to Senator Sessions, who is as you know the nominee to be the attorney general. He also asked that I stay on, and so I expect that I will be continuing to work at the southern district.

On Friday, he was asked to turn in his papers.

In a statement later, he said: Serving my country as US Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live. One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served.

Unidentified White House officials have said, according to media reports, the president had indeed asked Bharara to continue in anticipation of better relations with Senator from New York Chuck Schumer, who is close to Bharara.

Schumer is the leader of senate Democrats and Trump might have wanted him on his side to garner bipartisan support for his legislative agenda, but the two have since clashed on most issues, with the ensuing war of words ending in name-calling.

Schumer said he was troubled to learn of the resignation demands, particularly of Bharara, since Trump assured him that he wanted Bharara to remain in place.

According to another account, Trumps chief strategist Steve Bannon and Sessions wanted to clean up the administration of all Obama holdovers and Bharara, who was named to the office by the former president seven year ago, had to go too.

Bharara had become in November the third Indian American invited by Trump to join his admiration after South Carolina governor Nikki Haley who had been tapped for US ambassador to UN and Seema Verma for medicaid and medicare services.

Trump went on to hire a few more Indian Americans  Ajit Pai as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; Uttam Dhillon as a member of the White House legal team and Raj Shah as part of the White House communications group.

Michigan Representative John Conyers, the House Judiciary Committees top Democrat, requested that the committee receive a summary of probes linked to Trump, whether they touch on his administration, transition, campaign and organization, so that we can understand the full implications of this weekends firings. He suspected Bharara could be reviewing a range of potential improper activity emanating from Trump Tower and the Trump campaign, as well as entities with financial ties to the president or the Trump organization.

Sessions decision to include Bhararas name on the list of 46 resignations surprised Manhattan prosecutors.

Bharara has gone after over a dozen state officeholders, including New Yorks two most powerful lawmakers.

His office is investigating the financial terms of settlements of sexual-harassment claims against Fox News by its employees. Bhararas office is prosecuting former associates of Democratic Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in a bribery case. Also, prosecutors recently interviewed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in a probe on fundraising.

Annemarie McAvoy, a former Brooklyn federal prosecutor, said theres a good chance any subpoena seeking information about Trump campaign links to Russians would go through Bhararas office. (With inputs from agencies)
Half Moon Bay, CA (94019)

Today

Mostly sunny early. Becoming mostly cloudy with showers developing later in the day. Thunder possible. High 57F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Thunder possible. Low 48F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
US has sent several hundred Marines to Syria to fight against Islamic State (IS). The marines will help an allied local force which wants to capture the stronghold of Raqqa. The marines arrived a few days ago to establish an outpost from which they will fire artillery at IS positions some 32km away.

US special forces are advising the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance. Colonel John Dorrian, a spokesman for the US-led multinational coalition, stated that the artillery battery near Raqqa would help defeat IS in the area.

Under the government of Barack Obama, US special forces were deployed in the area to recruit, train and advise the SDF's Arab and Kurdish fighters. The BBC reports that their number was limited to 500. The Marines' deployment is considered temporary, thus, it is not affected by the cap.

The Rangers, US involvement

Col Dorrian stated the Rangers who had arrived on the outskirts of Manbij were there for a temporary period. They want to create some assurance after the clashes between Turkish-backed Arab rebels and fighters from the Manbij Military Council, which was set up by the SDF. After Turkey's president declared the rebels want to capture Manbij, the council said it had agreed a deal with Russia to give some villages to the Syrian government to protect them.

President Donald Trump considers a new plan to defeat IS. Reports say the review may boost the number of US troops in Syria. Trump wants to give the Pentagon greater flexibility to take combat decisions in the fight against IS.

The US will send up to 1,000 troops to Kuwait to serve as a reserve force that can deployed to fight against IS in Syria and Iraq if necessary. As a whole, about 6,000 US troops are in these countries. Col Dorrian stated the operation to encircle the city could be completed soon.

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South Korean President Park Geun-hye has become the first democratically elected leader to be ousted by court. Ms Park is involved in a corruption scandal involving her close friend, Choi Soon-sil. She now loses her presidential immunity and she could face criminal charges.

There have been angry scenes outside the court, two protesters had died. An election must be held within 60 days. The BBC reports that acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn has called for calm, stating the government should remain stable to avoid more problems.

Ms Choi is accused of using her presidential connections to put pressure on companies to give millions of dollars in donations to non-profit foundations that she controls. Ms Park is alleged to have been personally involved in this. On Friday, a panel of judges ruled Ms Park's actions "seriously impaired the spirit of... democracy and the rule of law".

Reaction in South Korea

The final decision is being celebrated by many, but some people disliked the decision of the court. Pro-Park protesters turned on police, two people believed to be pro-Park died. Besides a possible trial for Ms Park, there is also the ongoing prosecution of Ms Choi.

The de-facto head of Samsung, Lee Jae-yong, is also on trial because of corruption charges linked to the scandal. Analysts believe that the protests in recent months have sent a strong signal that the close link between politicians and the chaebols must change. A new election could modify the political landscape, but society remains deeply divided.

South Korea is split and nobody knows what will happen. The outcome is uncertain, but polls indicate a leftward shift. If the government moves to the left, it will have consequences for the relationship with North Korea and the United States.

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NASA's Kepler Telescope has released raw data on many earth size planets evolving around the star TRAPPIST-1. The discovery of these planets around the TRAPPIST-1 was hardly a month back, when the Spitzer Space Telescope revealed seven planets orbiting the ultra cool dwarf star.

The observations made by the Kepler Telescope will provide deeper details about the gravitational interaction among the planets. There are possibilities that it could reveal even more planets around the star as per Space.

The recently released data and its processed version will provide a balancing sight of these planets, Scientist will be able to determine if some of these planets orbit in the star's habitable zone. Kepler has been examining the TRAPPIST-1 from December 15, 2016 to March 4, 2017 as part of its K2 Mission.

Scientists are trying to understand everything they can about these earth size worlds, the experts are thrilled as this will allow the public to witness the process of discovery. Apparently the star darkens when while planets pass across it, and this hints that there are at least six planets visible in the data.

When the K2 observation plan was established, none of the planets were known in the TRAPPIST-1 and the star system was not included on the list for investigation. The observing campaign during December to March was when the discovery of the first planets was announced orbiting the TRAPIST - 1.

Looking back at Kepler's history and K2 missions, it has been responsible for more than 2,400 exo-planet discoveries. The space telescope is known for its extremely precise measurements, NASA is working on the James Webb Space Telescope and this will provide scientists with a detailed view of planets. The JWS telescope will have the potential to analyze the light passing from the star through the planets and it will also help to determine atmospheres and their composition.

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Trumps recent travel ban didnt quite receive very positive comments from the citizens of America. Whats more is that Hawaii and other states join forces as they oppose the executive order. Yet, Trump issued a revised travel ban order in which the states who participate in the legal effort call Trumps ban as a Muslim ban instead.

According to Koin, the move against Trumps travel ban had started with Hawaii. Washington and New York further asked to join the legal effort to block the order. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey then asked to participate as well in challenging the revised travel ban as well. The same goes for Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin stated that they strongly oppose the ban due to Hawaiis culture and dependency on tourism. He also said that the executive order would harm the countrys Muslim population, tourism and foreign students.

KSHB then noted that Trumps travel ban executive order had been revised last Monday. The new travel ban then noted that foreign nationals from six Muslim-majority are banned from entering the U.S. Instead of the seven-nation ban: Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Iraq and Yemen.

It was also mentioned that the President had excluded green card holders and those people with existing visas from the new order. The new executive order also stated to prohibit the aforementioned foreign nationals for 90 days and all refugees for 120 days from entering the country.

With that said, Washington and Minnesota identified that their plea for the suspension of Trumps travel ban should include the new order as well. Hence, "This is not a new lawsuit -- we're saying that underlying injunction is still under effect on core provisions (of the executive order)" Attorney General Bob Ferguson strongly explained.

Ferguson then noted how the seven nation ban changed into just a six-nation ban excluding Iraq which was originally included in the first order. "The language is virtually identical. ...This is effectively a Muslim ban" Ferguson added. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman also said that the executive order is just a Muslim ban by another name.

Yet, last Thursday, Sean Spicer had commented that they are going forward with the travel ban. He then added that the executive order is consistent with the federal law and they are confident with its input and process.

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PARIS, March 12 (Reuters) - The French foreign ministry condemned a deadly bombing in Damascus and called on truce guarantors, especially Russia and Iran, to ensure a ceasefire in Syria is fully respected.

The death toll from a double bomb attack on Saturday targeting Shi'ites visiting a pilgrimage site in Damascus has climbed to 74, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday.

"There is more than ever urgency to ensure that ceasefire is respected in Syria," the French foreign ministry said in a statement.

"France calls on the truce guarantors, especially Russia and Iran, who will meet in Astana next week, to put pressure on parties to ensure that ceasefire is fully respected".

Russian-backed peace talks are due to take place in Astana on March 14-15.

(Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier; Editing by Keith Weir)
Its the year 2002 and the phenomenon known as rap-rock or nu-metal is just starting to wane after a few years of dominating the spotlight. Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, P.O.D., and Crazy Town have already all released platinum-selling albums to mostly suburban, mostly white audiences who fell hard for the macho blend of punk and metals aggression with hip hops braggadocio. But of the many acts attempting this genre fusion du jour, very few had actual backgrounds rap music, with most coming off as rockers attempting to rap, and not vice versa.

Enter Pharrell and Chad Hugo. By this point, these two (collectively known as the Neptunes) are already two of the most in-demand producers in hip hop, having worked with seemingly every big name on the East Coast, and Pharrells even started singing and rapping on some of the beats he makes. Along with their childhood friend Shay Haley, they formed a rock-influenced group called N.E.R.D in 1999. The same year, they made their first guest appearance on Kelis Ghetto Children, a track that bore the same type of snappy, tight rhythms and guitar-mimicking keyboard sounds thatd pop up on their debut album a few years later.

In Search Of, N.E.R.Ds first release, initially had Latin-influenced beats underneath synth tones that suggested rock music, but werent all that far off from the sounds that The Neptunes regularly brought to rap and pop radio but this version of the album didnt last long. N.E.R.Ds debut was released in Europe on August 6, 2001, but before they could get it out in the states, Pharrell decided to pull it from the shelves. It was a proto-Life of Pablo move that was probably even more costly in a time when physical sales still dominated the market, but the group felt that In Search Of wasnt as strong as it could be.

Seven months later, and 15 years ago to the day, the album was finally released in the US. This time, the chintzy electronic backdrop was replaced by beefier live instrumentation, which made for a more instantly-detectable, in-your-face mashup of genres. It was still rap-rock with an emphasis on rap, but this time around, you couldnt miss the rock. In Search Of eventually went Gold, but hasnt ever matched the pop success of the Neptunes early-2000s heyday or Pharrells ongoing solo career, but that never seemed like the goal. Instead, its found its niche as a cult classic among skaters, weirdos, and outcasts, some of whom have even brought its influence into new music.

***

I wanted to learn what happened in those seven months between In Search Ofs Europe release and its American one, so I got in touch with a member of the band that helped re-record the album. In 2002, Minneapolis funk/soul group Spymob had already been around for eight years, kicking it around their local scene before signing with Epic in 1999 and releasing an EP. They were dropped from the major label in 2001, and were struggling to write new material when all of the sudden, drummer Eric Fawcett got an unlikely phone call.

[Our attorney] calls me and says, Youre never gonna guess whos a big fan of you guys And Im like, Mr. [sings] Im a hustler babyyyy?!' Apparently, someone had slipped Pharrell the bands EP a while back, and according to Fawcett, he spent that summer listening to it on repeat. A few months later, Fawcett flew out for a meeting in New York: Suddenly I was in the studio with Pharrell, and there was Puff Daddy, there was Mary J. Blige. We were in this different world.

Pharrell gave Fawcett the low-down on In Search Of and its initial botched released, asking if Spymob would be interested in being the ones to translate the albums digital sounds into analog ones. He sent us the tracks and we were like, Okay, this is nothing weve ever done before,' said Fawcett, And yet there was something really interesting about fusing what we were doing with the digital version of the record. We were coming up with ideas, tearing them apart and rebuilding them. We had no idea what our role was gonna be. The resulting sessions produced something heavier and more spontaneous-sounding than the digital version. Chad would definitely throw out suggestions, but our assignment was to do what we do. They wanted to keep it raw, just bass, drums, guitar.

This would be the version of the album thats still on iTunes and all of the major streaming services today, with the digital version being relegated to collectors status. Comparing the two is like looking at a sketch versus a fully fleshed-out drawing the sound is fuller, the rhythms less staid, and Pharrells wild-boy delivery more in-line with the music. Spymob helped N.E.R.D. touch upon various subgenres ranging from folk-country (Provider), to alt-rock (Truth Or Dare), to psych-pop (Stay Together), to, of course, funk. By tapping an experienced band for their rock project, Pharrell and Chad had put their money where there mouth was, or walked the walk instead of just talking the talk. Spymob would stay on as touring members of N.E.R.D for a while, and a couple members would go on to play on future N.E.R.D releases.

***

Today, In Search Of isnt exactly a household name in hip hop, but its presence is still felt. Tyler The Creators definitely raps current biggest N.E.R.D stan, famously declaring on his 2015 song DEATHCAMP that In Search Of did more for me than Illmatic. A$AP Rocky and Schoolboy Q have also name-dropped the group, and every time a new fusion of rap and rock happens Lil Waynes Rebirth, or The Knux, or even 21 Pilots you can hear a little N.E.R.D in there. It would be a reach to say that In Search Ofs genre blend was a reinvention of the wheel, but it is something that seemed to have never been attempted in the same way before, and it also seemed to impact plenty of kids on the fringes of other genres at the time of its release.

I didnt know how it would be received, but I knew the mixture of synthetic and organic instrumentation was a whole different thing, said Fawcett. What Limp Bizkit and other rap-rock bands were doing was fucking awesome, but it wasnt this. It was a weird fusion. Theres never been anything as stinky/funky/cool that Ive heard. There are other fusions of rock and R&B that are super awesome on their own terms, but that was just a super original thing that I dont think has been duplicated.

In similar ways, but in different genres, I think of what The Replacements did for indie rock, or Todd Rundgren they influenced so many people, but if youre just a casual music listener, you just know, Hello, Its Me, and maybe I Dont Wanna Work, and maybe one other song. Of course it would have been great if a band like N.E.R.D. had become a household name, but I am so content and thrilled with [the album]. For instance, once every few weeks a friend of a friend mentions that I was in N.E.R.D., and a freaky N.E.R.D. fan emerges thats just so awesome. N.E.R.D. fans are just crazy cool, and theyre all shapes and sizes and colors.

N.E.R.D helped break down boundaries those of sound, race, and genre. In that way, they really helped predict and usher in the later 2000s, a time when mashups, pop culture-savvy blog rap, and Punk Goes Crunk compilations would emerge as logical products of the file-sharing age. In Search Of may not stand the test of time like Illmatic, but it is undeniably an important artifact in rap history.

N.E.R.D
CBC filed a curious report this week: On Thursday night, 69-year-old British legend Elton John wandered into downtown Vancouver vinyl store Beat Street Records flanked by two bodyguards.

I came in from the back and there was Elton John standing there with his two bodyguards, digging through records, said store manager manager Lindsay Tomchyshen. He asked my boss if we had any Tech N9ne, like, the gangster rapper and I was not expecting that.

Elton John! Tech N9ne! Its a match made in heaven, and not the first time John has expressed an interest in hip hop. He hung out with Young Thug early last year, then lent his Bennie & the Jets vocals to A Tribe Called Quests album.

In case you were wondering, the store was sold out of Tech N9ne albums. John settled for a few albums by the 80s British band Scritti Politti.

Elton & Tech
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Total Wine & More is planning its foray into Pearland's untapped liquor market four months after residents there voted to expand alcohol sales within the city limits.

The company, which bankrolled the November ballot measure, is eyeing several potential locations and expects to open a store there within the next year. It is the first major liquor store to outline its plans for the area.

Total Wine entered the Houston market in October, challenging locally based Spec's with an aggressive expansion plan. The national retailer has five locations in the area so far, and it expects to have as many as 12 within the next year.

"We will wear the badge of market disrupter," said Edward Cooper, the company's vice president for public affairs.

The company also funded a local option election to expand alcohol sales in Pearland to include take-home purchases. The ballot measure, which Cooper called a "substantial" financial investment, opened the market to retailers selling packaged beer, wine and spirits.

Other liquor stores have already expressed interest in tapping a new source of demand. In January, Houston businessman Hiren Patel filed a permit application for a liquor store in the Food Town shopping center on West Broadway, and Costco filed an application with the state to sell alcohol at its store at 3500 Business Center Drive.

Martin Griggs, a senior planner with the city of Pearland, said Patel's application is slated to go before the city council later this month. He added that the city has received applications for three locations along Broadway and one on Shadow Creek Parkway, but none has yet been approved.

Total Wine, which hasn't yet filed an application with the city, is evaluating potential locations. The company typically occupies stores as large as 30,000 square feet that take months to build, Cooper said.

"We're going to lock down (a lease) on the space and then move forward with all the other efforts," he said.

Total Wine's expansion in Pearland will put it head to head with Spec's, which has a location on Pear-land Parkway just outside the city limits. The family-run business, which now has more than 160 stores throughout Texas, started in Houston in 1962.

Lisa Rydman, who handles marketing for Spec's, said in an email that the company's location near Pearland already serves that market. It doesn't have further plans for the city at this point.

"As the hometown team, we think Pearland and Houston as a whole will decide to support the local family that's been working with our community for almost 55 years," Rydman said.

Total Wine, however, has greater ambitions in the Houston area. Cooper said the company sees potential for more stores in the market and plans to compete with low prices, wide selections and above average customer service.

"Competition is always good for the customer," he said. "We want to be that destination."
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A recovery center in McKinney, Texas might soon have a branch-off facility in the form of a residential community formed by tiny homes.

Shannon White, who was once a Collin County Jail inmate, now offers her time to Grace To Change in the effort to help incarcerated women transition to sober lives in this state. White is among the organizers helping to launch Tiny House Big Recovery, a small network of tiny homes where former inmates can have a place to live. A Facebook page for the project describes it as an agency that will help to "provide short and long term housing for those who want to change but shelter is a roadblock."

CONTAINER HOUSING: Houston area builder gets a big break on HGTV's 'Tiny House'

In addition to having a roof over their heads, the makeshift neighborhood could also provide newly released women with a moral support network that could help them resist the urge to relapse. Many times, when a prisoner is released, they return to the same set of circumstances and friendships that landed them in jail.

When 23-year-old Christine Duke is released from jail this month, she explains that she will have no where to go. Duke told KHOU that she was on track to becoming a college student when she became involved with a crowd that led her to experiment with drugs. That led to a string of arrests in a state where she doesn't have family, and where her only friends are "not good influences."

(Story continues below.)

"It leaves hotel rooms or old places and hotel rooms are where all addicts congregate," Duke said.

Released inmates who relapse are statistically more likely to be imprisoned again.

COLLEGE AID: College students in Alabama work to provide desirable homes for the homeless

White explains that this creates a cost strain on McKinney's Collin County, where she says that taxpayers spend roughly $70 per day on each inmate. She says that having the Tiny House Big Recovery community as an alternative to imprisonment would be a better option.

Currently the recovery effort has only extended as far as the center's parking lot, but some McKinney residents are determined to help the organization obtain a 20- to 40-acre tract of land where tiny homes can be erected, KHOU reports.

When asked about the prospect of McKinney residents resisting having this type of place nearby, White says, "You have them in your backyard already, but they are un-treated."
Stacy and Larry Wilson don't need a new china pattern.

The couple, who wed Saturday afternoon in Pasadena in front of 100 friends and family, asked guests to forgo a last-minute run to Bed Bath & Beyond. The Wilsons would much rather their loved ones take a moment at the reception to swab the inside of their cheeks and fill out a couple red-and-white pages of health forms to become potential bone marrow donors.

And that's just what they did. Steps beyond the guest book, and just across from the bar, a line of guests formed at the swabbing station only minutes after the couple promised undying love.

"This means so much to us," says Larry Wilson, 45, who wore a white button-down shirt and slacks for the laid-back ceremony. "If it hadn't been for someone signing up to be a donor years ago, I wouldn't be able to marry my best friend. This is the reason I'm here."

Eight years ago, Larry Wilson was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In this form of cancer, a patient's bone marrow makes too many of one type of white blood cell called lymphocytes. As the saturation of these cells increases, there's less room for healthy cells. ALL is the most common form of childhood cancer, but it's no less severe when it's found in adults, like Wilson.

"They told me I had to have a donor if I wanted to live," he says. But none of his family members were matches.

In about 70 percent of cases, bone marrow donors come from within a patient's family. Finding an unrelated donor is an incredibly precise science, and the odds of a perfect match are beyond slim. Only about 7,000 patients are able to find a match through a perfect stranger each year, according to the international nonprofit blood cancer organization DKMS, which hosted Saturday's drive.

Wilson was one of those rare, lucky few. And his match came all the way from Germany, where Johann Beissal had once swabbed at a drive to help a nurse in a hospital he occasionally worked with through his job in the insurance field.

'There's no loser'

Beissal was in attendance on Saturday, and gave a short speech at the ceremony to encourage guests to take their turn at the swabbing station.

"It's a win-win situation," Beissal says. "There's no loser in being a donor."

For him, the win has been substantial. Donors and recipients aren't allowed to communicate freely for the first two years after a donation; instead, all correspondence has to be monitored by the hospital that administrated the surgery. For two years, Wilson and Beissal exchanged letters, sharing details of their lives and building a relationship.

"They were very generic. I couldn't let him know if I was male or female, what state I lived in, or my name," says Wilson, an IT specialist with Dell. Despite the fact that Beissal and Wilson were limited in what they could share, a friendship bloomed. And after the two-year mark, Beissal obtained Wilson's contact information, and called him. Within weeks, Wilson invited Beissal to fly to America and join his family for Thanksgiving dinner.

"Meeting him was emotional, obviously," Wilson says. "But because our DNAs are the same now - we have the exact same DNA in our blood - I knew he had to be somewhat like me anyway. It was like I've known him forever. We just saw each other, and had a big hug, and it took no time at all to become so close."

'He gave me this'

Larry and Stacy Wilson, a 46-year-old paralegal, have traveled to Germany to see Beissal, and Beissal has joined them for several Thanksgivings in the states. He calls Wilson's father "dad," and is known as a member of the family.

"He gave me this. There would be no wedding without him," Wilson says of his German DNA brother.

"There would be no Larry without him," Stacy Wilson says, framing it differently. "And he's the man I love."

She takes a deep breath. "You know that saying?" she asks. "It goes, 'All because two people fell in love.' This is like that, except it's all because of the swab, you know?"
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The mosque in a squat, brick industrial park in Northern Virginia was bustling during a recent Saturday morning.

Women in springtime colored hijab walked through the door. Women with no head scarves, too. There were old men, a couple speaking Spanish and 3-year-old red-headed twins who whirled like little tornados through all the rooms.

And yes, some were from the very countries that the Trump administration is banning from entering the U.S. because who knows what they are doing in those mosques?

All the activity at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society's branch in Chantilly? It's a free medical clinic.

The ADAMS Compassionate Healthcare Network has been open for nearly three years and has treated hundreds of patients, from refugees to day laborers to military veterans.

America is a land of hundreds of hospitals and clinics named for Sisters and Christ and crosses and mercy. Now, joining them, are about 25 free clinics run by primarily Muslim volunteers across the country, according to the American Muslim Health Professionals Task Force on Health Affordability.

Some, like the Al-Shifa Clinic in San Bernardino, Calif., or the Ibn Sina Community Medical Center in Houston, have been around for years. A few others - in Florida, Washington, Oklahoma - opened within the last year at a time when their religion is under siege.

ADAMS, Northern Virginia's largest mosque, has been operating its clinic for three years.

"It's for anyone," said Bazigha Hasan, one of the founders. "There is so much need, and we have people who want to give."

It's that simple for Hasan, whose day job is at Fort Meyer, where she is a military doctor to those serving our country. At the clinic, many of her patients can't afford medical care.

Virginia is one of the states that refused to expand Medicaid coverage through the Affordable Care Act, denying coverage to about 423,000 Old Dominion residents without insurance. Running on donations from the mosque, the clinic doesn't take any government funding, and can treat anyone in need. Though they don't keep track of patients' religion, it's easy to see they care for patients from all sorts of backgrounds. Since opening in 2014, they've treated nearly 2,400 patients, and 62 percent are women.

Hasan and the other doctors, nurses, therapists and medical assistants aren't volunteering at the clinic to show dubious Americans that Muslims are good people. And they're certainly not doing it to explain the tenets and practices of Islam.

"We don't really talk about that," Hasan said. "Mostly, they are just happy to have someone who will take care of them."

Saturday morning was a slide show of global geopolitics.

Immigrants from Khazakstan came in at 10:30 a.m. seeking treatment for a grandma with high blood pressure and diabetes.

Inside his exam room, Mahsin Habib pantomimed hiking as a good form of exercise for a diabetic patient.

"I speak Khazak, like this," he explained. "We speak all the languages here. Sign language."

"Just 15 minutes of walking every night will make a big change in those numbers," Habib said, explaining the ways that grandma, who recently came to America from Khazakstan, can help lower her blood sugar and blood pressure with exercise.

And the daughter, who works as a physician's assistant in Virginia, turned to mom to make sure she understood.

Habib saw a woman on Saturday from the Dominican Republic who had a lesion on her face return years after doctors there treated it incorrectly.

Opthamologist Omar Chaudhary recently helped a woman from Tunisia get corrective eye surgery after doctors there botched a cataract operation on one of her eyes.

Later that day, Habib saw the three-year-old twins. They had developed skin rashes and asthma since their arrival in the U.S. six months ago from Istanbul.

Habib suggested that the family switch the twins to organic milk to more closely resemble the all-natural dairy products they had back in Istanbul.

"It's more expensive, I know," Habib said, as the twins climbed his exam table, spun around and shredded tissue paper. "But that will be better for them."

Aydin Cengiz thanked the doctor and staff for all their help while trying to keep the twins on a straight path to the door, past the toy corner, past the water cooler, oops, keep the screen upright. Not in the lab! One more round of thank yous, and they finally got out the door.

And the staff quietly thanked Allah for helping them survive the twins onslaught.
When MD Anderson Cancer Center's financial losses started piling up early last fall, the first administrator to sound the alarm was Dr. Stephen Hahn.

Hahn, a self-described Philly kid who'd been recruited by President Dr. Ron DePinho two years earlier to head the division of radiation oncology, laid out a slide presentation to top officials that showed the elite Houston hospital was on track to lose up to $450 million in the new fiscal year without swift and decisive action.

"We better get a handle on this," Hahn said at the time. "If we continue on this path, this is where we'll be. It's not a good place."

Hahn says he came to MD Anderson with no ambitions beyond leading radiation oncology, but he's suddenly the man in the spotlight. He was appointed chief operating officer in February, and on Wednesday, the job became even bigger after DePinho announced his resignation.

DePinho's move was not a surprise - insiders had predicted it in recent weeks, critics had called for it for years - but it still landed like a bombshell on the campus. DePinho will step down, under fire, after less than six years in the job. He was just the fourth president in the institution's 75-year history.

DePinho talked a lot about curing cancer, but he will leave his successor with more basic goals: restore financial stability to a center bludgeoned by monthly budget deficits in the tens of millions of dollars; repair a fractured relationship between administrators and faculty who had grown increasingly wary of the direction he had been leading them; and convince stakeholders there is no lasting damage from years of turmoil.

Despite the tumult, MD Anderson should have no problem attracting a top leader - University of Texas System officials say they hope to launch a national search soon - but it may take a while to heal an institution that DePinho acknowledged in his resignation speech is in need of uniting.

Hahn said Friday he believes the COO position has a role to play in inspiring that unity. He said he has begun reaching out to faculty and staff about their thoughts on MD Anderson's "strengths, challenges and directions."

B B B

The campus shell shock is reflected in an institution-wide email sent Friday by Dr. Thomas Buchholz, MD Anderson's physician-in-chief. It called on employees to "recommit to our mission in the face of uncertainty, speculation and gossip."

"In this moment, let's show the world who we really are," wrote Buchholz. "Let's support one another through this journey. Let's provide the highest quality patient-centered, value-driven care. Let's teach, share and mentor others. Let's stop cancer before it even starts. Let's show our caring, pursue discovery and demonstrate our integrity in every interaction."

Buchholz wrote that "how MD Anderson responds to change speaks volumes about our character and culture."

"People counting on us cannot afford disruptions and delays (and) look to us with a heightened sense of urgency."

Such cheerleading would normally seem unnecessary at what's long been considered the world's best cancer hospital - No. 1 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of best such centers nine of the last 10 years - but to those who have observed the constant strife, it was completely logical.

Under DePinho, MD Anderson was often in the news for all the wrong reasons - faculty unrest, questions of conflict of interest, mounting financial difficulties.

The times stood in contrast to the glamour DePinho initially brought to the job. A renowned geneticist whose Harvard lab turned old mice young and whose high profile included an appearance on "The Colbert Report," he promised big things for MD Anderson. He sold UT System leaders on the notion that he could make the center a profit-making, drug-development pipeline. He envisioned curing cancer.

In truth, the hiring was always a gamble. Critics at the time noted DePinho lacked significant administrative experience and wondered how he would take to spending most of his time with regents, donors, finance officers and faculty instead of in the laboratory. Also, although a medical doctor, DePinho stopped practicing soon after getting his degree, making clinical faculty worry about how sensitive he'd be to their concerns.

Last week, DePinho's dreams finally crashed. In an extraordinarily forthcoming video, he apologized for his shortcomings and said it was "a time for a change in leadership." He said MD Anderson needed someone who could wrestle with "the tectonic changes in health-care delivery and economics."

Rice University health care economist Vivian Ho said whoever takes over will have a tough challenge.

"Insurance companies and employers have said enough is enough to the crazy price-raising by hospitals," Ho said. "They've passed the cost onto beneficiaries and workers in terms of high-deductible and high co-pay health plans and locking out high-cost hospitals like MD Anderson."

Hahn said the cancer center is hard at work responding to such changes - documenting where MD Anderson's more sophisticated treatment produces better outcomes, reducing costs where such benefits can't be confirmed. He says insurers and patients will be willing to pay more for care that has been shown to produce cures, extend survival or improve quality of life.

Hahn is buoyed by progress against the financial issues he warned about and which led to the January layoffs of 778 employees, the biggest workforce reduction in the cancer center's history. New data shows the center's operating revenues exceeded expenses by $92 million in January, the first positive margin since the launch last spring of a complex electronic record-keeping system whose steep learning curve adversely affected productivity.

January numbers benefited from a one-time, $71 million Medicare payment. Still, it marks a significant turnaround from the more than $460 million the cancer center lost over the previous 16 months, which included $58 million in December.

Hahn hopes to have MD Anderson's operating margin in the black at least by the end the fiscal year, Aug. 31, though preferably sooner. The year's deficit is now down to $77 million.

He said he thinks the "Moon Shots" effort to cure certain cancers and the Institute for Applied Cancer Science, a high-spending, drug-development arm of the hospital, are important to the institution and its patients, though they were controversial under DePinho. But Hahn said he is open to reassessing spending priorities.

"If your mission's threatened, it means everything you do has to be looked at," Hahn said. "The question is, how much do we spend and can we do it in a fiscally responsible and transparent way?"

B B B

Hahn, who graduated from Rice University before returning to Philadelphia to attend medical school at Temple, has made strides with faculty, chronically at loggerheads with DePinho. Many told the Chronicle late last week that DePinho's exit was an overdue, needed step.

Dr. Julie Izzo, chair of MD Anderson's faculty senate, said there has been a very positive reaction to Hahn by her group, which usually might "resist another layer of bureaucracy." She said Hahn has won the senate's respect, because he's "a clinician who's been on the front lines" and because "he walks the walk - if he says he's going to do something, he does it."

It is unclear to what heights Hahn might ascend at MD Anderson. He said he was honored to be asked to serve as COO and will continue doing so as long as leaders want him in the role. But he said being the head of radiation oncology is "a dream job, and it would be absolutely terrific to return to that."

Still, his name appears to be gathering momentum for an MD Anderson presidential candidacy, either the interim position, expected to be named in the next two weeks, or the permanent job, for which some national observers mentioned him late last week.

Asked Friday about the chance Hahn could be named the interim president, UT System Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. Raymond Greenberg said that "the support for Dr. Hahn is very strong among all constituents, and we are convinced that he will continue to play a key leadership role for MD Anderson Cancer Center going forward." He said the system is considering all options for the interim appointment, for which the data-gathering process will continue well into this week.

Hahn acknowledged that DePinho's resignation has created a feeling of uncertainty but said he believes everyone at MD Anderson remains "focused on the mission and the patients and families counting on us." He said DePinho's "resignation message was one of sincerity and grace, and it has helped shape our institutional dialogue about where we go from here."

Art Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York University's Langone Medical Center who has commented on the alleged conflicts of interest at MD Anderson, said UT System leaders waited about as long as they could before making a change.

He said that it should be healing to have the person "who was the tip of the spear of controversy move on" and that he thinks "any stain should wash away quickly."

"People expect a lot from premier institutions, and when they have leadership issues or other problems, everybody notices - but I kind of think MD Anderson will be there doing well next year, five years from now, 25 years from now," Caplan said.

"It's like if Harvard has some problems," he said. "I think most people's reaction would be like, yeah, well, I think I'd send my kids there anyway."

Mike Hixenbaugh contributed to this report.
The progressive partisans and advocates were among hundreds who packed a friendly town hall Saturday hosted by a Houston congresswoman that didn't have the tension or protestors present at similar recent meetings.

But there were many people who showed up for the listening session with U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee because they were worried about sick loved ones or their own health coverage.

They simply wanted answers.

There were few to be had, the Democratic legislator conceded, but plenty to fight for as Republicans in Washington prepare to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, with a new version of health reform.

Last week, the GOP unveiled a bill that gives tax cuts to the wealthy. Under Obamacare, that money helped to provide subsidies that allowed lower-income Americans to afford coverage and provided federal support to state Medicaid programs.

"We are asking the same questions - What will happen? - and I don't think we have any clarity," Jackson Lee told several hundred people in the cafeteria at Hamilton Middle School in the Heights. She was flanked by several charts critical of the repeal as well as large-print posters titled "Problems with the GOP Health Plan" and "Republican Myths Regarding Obamacare."

The congresswoman opened the program with comments from concerned health care professionals including physicians, nurses and a dentist.

"The ACA was not a perfect bill  but for political expediency we're moving in the wrong direction," said Dr. George Santos, a Houston psychiatrist. "Health care shouldn't be about politics. It should be about people.  The urge has been more about overturning something with President Obama's name on it than developing a comprehensive health care plan."

Ken Janda, president and CEO of Community Health Choice - a Houston nonprofit that provides health insurance marketplace plans under the Affordable Care Act - said people stand to lose access to care.

"The bill that's on the floor, to be fair, is isn't as bad as a straight repeal," he said. "You're talking about tens of millions of people losing coverage  as well as 1 million people here in Texas who have subsidies who probably can't afford it."

At one point in the nearly three-hour gathering, Jackson Lee waved a copy of the 120-page bill, marked with sticky notes, and read brief excerpts from the legislation.

Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician who is the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, warned that the legislation cuts funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - which provides emergency response and research for illnesses such as the Zika virus.

Judith Cashin Lerma, a Texas representative of National Nurses United, told the crowd they needed to place their political energy behind a single-payer system.

"We will vigorously oppose this legislation while continuing to campaign for real reform - an improved and expanded Medicare for all," she said.

Noelle McSherry, a 31-year-old safety engineer for a NASA contractor, has a disabled brother-in-law in his 50s. She and her husband ultimately will be responsible for his care, so she attended to find out about the proposed block grants for Medicaid.

"The people currently in control aren't listening," she said. "If there's a cap on the coverage that is available for Medicaid, what happens when we run up against that? What happens when there's not enough money left in the pool to help out with his care?"

Jackson Lee told the crowd she hoped the information would compel them to reach out to Republican members of Congress, to register to vote and to cast ballots in their interests during elections.

"What I hope that you're hearing is that we have to get up and move," the congresswoman said. We have to realize that this is our country, our neighborhood, our county, our city and our state."
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Hakim Nasir, 15, held up his smudged white board that read "I am a Muslim, ask me anything," as Kati, 15, approached. Earlier she had danced on Discovery Green's stage to music with lyrics that included, "God doesn't make mistakes."

Soaked from the morning's rainfall, the teens started up a conversation about Jesus Christ at the downtown Houston park on Saturday.

"We believe he was a prophet of God," Nasir said.

"What makes him a prophet of God in your eyes?" asked Kati, who declined to give her last name.

"He was a very honest and humble man and he was really pious compared to others," he replied.

"He was honest, and so when he said that there is only one God, God the father, do you think he was lying?" she asked.

"No. We believe in one God," he said.

The two paused, nodded and exchanged thank-yous and good-byes.

Nasir was one of several young Muslim men participating in the national "Meet A Muslim Day" Saturday, organized by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association.

Speaking from the heart

For the first time, members ranging from 7 to 40 years old gathered at more than 120 locations nationwide to engage with the public over any misconceptions or curiosities regarding the Muslim community and Islam in particular.

Bilal Rana, the association's national president and a Houston-based physician, attended the gathering of a dozen members at Discovery Green. There he directed sign-making and reminded the young men to speak from the heart when answering strangers' questions.

While members of the group had informally organized similar events in the wake of President Donald Trump's first executive order against Muslim immigrants, Rana said there remains enough national tension surrounding misconceptions about the Muslim faith to warrant the formal nationwide education effort.

"It's really easy to do things like make a travel ban, profile and create a registry to people you've never met and who have never been humanized to you," he said.

A 2010 Pew Research Center study found that only 41 percent of surveyed Americans said they were acquainted with someone who is Muslim, and a Pew study released last month found that Muslims and atheists are the least favorable religious groups in the county.

'Message of peace'

While Rana said that there hasn't been much backlash against the Muslim community in Houston due to the city's diversity, there have been a handful of incidents that together with national cases led to concern within the community.

Rana, for instance, was taken off a plane at Hobby Airport in November 2015 after a passenger sitting beside him reported him to authorities out of fear and suspicion of terrorist ties.

Nasir shared that around the time Osama bin Laden was killed, some of his classmates taunted him by saying "your grandpa died." He said he's learned to brush off such comments and that rather than feel any shame or anger from racial profiling, he chooses instead to participate in events like Meet A Muslim where he can correct misconceptions.

"You can believe what you want, but I'll never be a killer," Nasir said.

His older brother, Rahman, 22, who also participated in Saturday's gathering, said that while he personally hasn't faced discrimination or hate crimes, his Pakistani parents still fear whenever he's out late at night.

While rain made it difficult to meet with strangers at Discovery Green, the group still managed to get the attention of a handful of passersby, who were generally open to engagement.

"Even though I don't believe with them, about their beliefs, I applaud them for going out to talk to people about it," Kati said after her chat with the younger Nasir.

Andres Cerda who spoke with the elder Nasir brother about how the Christian and Muslim faiths both spread a message of peace said he welcomed the opportunity to have a deeper conversation about the two religions.

"When I saw that sign that said 'Ask me,' I figured sure, I can ask him," Cerda said.

"They are trying to share a message of peace, which is good because we have a misconception of all Muslims being violent," he added. "I don't have that misconception but there are a lot of people that do."
A new federal court ruling that some Texas congressional boundaries in 2011 were purposely drawn to dilute minority voter strength could someday help turn Texas a little more blue.

It also could be a setback for Republicans who have long sought to free the Lone Star state of federal oversight in elections.

But for now, Friday's 2-1 ruling by a panel of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas remains just a marker - however significant - in a drawn-out redistricting battle that could eventually be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ruling covers only 2011 maps and not the ones adopted in 2013 that took their place. For Democrats and minority leaders behind the current legal challenge, it still provides momentum for their continuing claims of discrimination, and for the need for Washington to step in.

"This is a great victory for LULAC, the people of Texas and the Latino community," wrote Luis Roberto Vera, Jr., League of United Latin American Citizens' national general counsel.

The ruling came as U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in Corpus Christi weighs whether the Republican-led Legislature intended to discriminate against minorities in a 2011 voter ID law as well. Both decisions, if upheld, carry the potential of sinking Texas back under a pre-clearance review process to determine whether future maps and other state election procedures violate the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

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"This long-awaited decision demonstrates yet again that serious voting rights violations continue to occur, and that the vote-suppression deniers in Congress are delusional," said Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Still, the Lone Star State's congressional boundaries are unlikely to change before next year's mid-term elections. Unless the court intervenes with another ruling in the case, they will be held under the same 2013 boundaries that were set after this legal challenge.

Appeal a certainty

Democrats argue that many of the defects from 2011 carried over into the 2013 map. If they prevail, one possible remedy would be a new federally mandated redistricting process - and possibly more federal court reviews.

To Republicans, however, it is far from certain the court will implicate the 2013 map as well. Even if it did, an appeal directly to the Supreme Court would be likely - pushing back any resolution perhaps into a future election cycle.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton had no immediate comment Saturday. Other officials said an appeal was almost a certainty.

"I can't imagine the state wouldn't appeal," said state Sen. Kel Seliger, an Amarillo Republican who chaired the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting that drew the original maps. "Redistricting cases go on forever, until we start the next redistricting, and they are very complicated."

A change of administration also looms over both Texas voting rights cases. President Donald Trump's Justice Department dropped the Obama administration's support for a claim of intentional discrimination in the Voter ID case. Some analysts expect a similar change of course in the ongoing redistricting battle.

As it stands, the latest ruling could magnify the national spotlight on the vast 23rd Congressional District currently held by San Antonio Republican Will Hurd.

Hurd has won the state's only swing congressional district twice by narrow margins. Redrawing the border district to include more Hispanic voters could significantly boost Democrats' chances of winning it back some day.

Since Hurd won the district in 2014 by a 2,422-vote margin, Democrats have held only 11 of the Lone Star State's 36 congressional districts.

Examining the sprawling district along the Mexican border between San Antonio and El Paso, the panel found that the Legislature divided Latino communities with "the intent and effect of diluting Latino voter opportunity."

The court's ruling found federal voting rights violations in two other Republican-drawn congressional districts in 2011: District 35, which stretches from Austin to San Antonio, and District 27, which runs along the Gulf Coast south of Houston.

But District 35 is already comfortably held by a Democrat, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, and District 27, held by Corpus Christi Republican Blake Farenthold, shows no signs of being anything but a GOP stronghold.

200-page ruling

The panel also found that minority voters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were improperly divided in the 2011 redistricting map that carved up Texas after the last census. But no district lines in the Metroplex were invalidated.

The nearly 200-page ruling found that race, not merely political advantage, drove some of the congressional lines drawn by the Texas Legislature.

But that finding did not apply across the entire 2011 map of Texas. The judges decided that the plaintiffs in the six-year-old case - an alliance of minority and civil rights groups - did not prove intentional racial discrimination in Houston area districts represented by African-Americans.

Still, Houston Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee applauded the ruling. The congresswoman said the population gains that African Americans and Hispanics made in the 2010 Census were never reflected.

"They were playing with the numbers," she said. "The courts have finally acknowledged that there are voting rights violations that have occurred - that the districts are not districts that are one person, one vote. They are skewed to party and not to generate participation. I am grateful that the issue of the violation of voting rights has been now reinforced by the courts. The tragedy is that the courts did not direct how to fix it and it will be the responsibility of the state legislature to redesign. No matter who you are, I would think you'd want to make sure voters vote and that they are represented."

The ruling stems from a lengthy trial in August 2014. Writing for the majority were U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia, a Democrat appointed to the bench by President Bill Clinton, and U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, a Republican appointed by President George W. Bush. Rodriguez also served on the Texas Supreme Court, where former Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to replace Abbott.

'It ripples'

The dissent, which was critical of the Obama administration's involvement in the case, was written by Justice Jerry Smith, a Republican appointed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by President Ronald Reagan.

Even if the panel's ruling were eventually extended to the 2013 map, it is hard to know how the lines would be redrawn. Backers of the lawsuit predict that whatever happens could have spillover effects into districts adjoining those that were invalidated by the court ruling.

"It ripples," said Matt Angle, who heads the Lone Star Project, a group that seeks to turn Texas blue. Shifts in Hispanic or African American voters in the affected districts around Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Travis County could create newly competitive congressional districts in the future.

Redrawing the lines would initially be a job for the Legislature. In light of the new finding of intentional discrimination, the suit's backers are pressing for immediate action. "All Texans deserve the right to elect their candidate of choice," said Rafael Anchia, chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. "We demand swift action by the Texas Legislature to allow all communities to cast a ballot that counts."

But if another round of redistricting doesn't ultimately fix the violations that the plaintiffs see in the current congressional map of Texas, the matter could eventually be thrown back into the federal courts.

Staff writer Cindy George contributed to this report.
Eager skating enthusiasts fanned out around the slick basins of their local gliding grounds at Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark's reopening Saturday.

The highly anticipated debut follows an 11-month renovation project that cost $2.7 million. When it opened in Buffalo Bayou Park in 2008, the facility of more than 40,000 square feet was the gem of Houston's skate culture. Outfitted pros and amateurs took advantage of the obstacles, among them one of the largest U.S. cradles - half-sphere obstacles on a steep incline.

The park closed in April 2016 after the Houston Parks and Recreation Department recognized a need for renovations.

"This is 11 months worth of waiting, so a lot of people are pretty impatient today," said Shannon Trevino, the park's supervisor. "They're just dying to skate - I don't blame them."

The facility was built with Houston attorney Joe Jamail's $1.5 million donation, made in the memory of his wife, Lee. (Joe Jamail died in 2015.) The park's visitors range from 2-year-olds supervised by parents to seasoned board fanatics in their mid-50s.

"Some people have been coming here since it opened. You watch them grow up," Trevino said.

Herik Hernandez, 23, a Jamail park regular, works at the city's other imposing skate attraction, the North Houston Skatepark - the largest park in the U.S. at 78,000 square feet. Even so, Hernandez finds himself frequenting the Jamail park for its rougher concrete.

"When I first started really skating, I came here," Hernandez said. "This concrete makes me a better skater; I have to pump harder over here. The concrete's much rougher. It gives me more resistance on my wheels. It gives me something to push through more."

Hernandez samples parks across Houston, but he considers Jamail a teaching tool.

"Whatever I learn from here, how fast, how hard I pump, how sharp I can hit a turn, I take it over (to North Houston) and it's much easier. This park helped me better myself."

Hernandez particularly enjoys the park's latest installments that promote "slappy grinds," a move that involves a skater riding up onto a ledge or railing and slapping the board onto the curb at an angle. The new features vary from a flat-surface obstacle-turned-stage for the park's "Skate and Rock" performances - evening concerts to entertain skaters in action - to a grassy, terraced seating area for spectators.

The more popular of the park's obstacles are the steep bowl pits; the most challenging starts at 9 feet, then deepens to 16 feet. Trevino said the sport is not without risk, but even older skaters tend to hold their own.

"They'll get in there and surprise you."

Barry Blumenthal, 51, navigates the park with evident muscle memory. His brightly colored gear can be seen from the edge of the park's railing. The cofounder of Public Use Skateparks for Houston, Blumenthal was instrumental in raising the funds for the park's renovation, which totaled $2.7 million, the largest private donation raised for a skate park in Texas history.

Blumenthal looked approvingly at the newly resurfaced edging, courtesy of Seattle's Grindline Skatepark Inc., as he fastened his helmet.

"They went into the park, filled the cracks, smoothed things out, added a few things that weren't here before and effectively set this up for the next generation of Houston skaters," Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal is among the park's central figures; everyone seems to know his name. Former X Games competitor Lance Childers casually called out to him in skater lingo, asking if Blumenthal had yet to run his board along the metal boundaries of the bowl pit.

"Did you sauce the metal yet?"

Once conditions were declared dry, a dozen boards hit the concrete. The gray morning lent a foreboding shade to the downtown skyline on the park's periphery, but none of the skaters seemed to notice.

They just came to ride.
NEW YORK - In state capitals, lawmakers attend workshops on how to avoid demonizing their opponents. On a college campus, students re-enact hard-fought debates that led to great compromises at the country's founding. Even a summer camp is aiming to give children the tools to show respect in the face of disagreement.

Americans alarmed and disheartened by a coarsened culture and incivility in politics - especially following a brutal presidential campaign season that bared new lows in both - are fighting back with initiatives around the U.S. to restore some semblance of decorum.

"It's incumbent on us to be the adults who push back against what we're getting in the popular culture and the political rhetoric," said Mary Evins, who directs the American Democracy Project for Civil Learning at Middle Tennessee State University. That's where students have staged classroom role-plays of compromises from the 1787 Constitutional Convention, assuming the parts of the Founding Fathers to act out the give-and-take required to reach agreement on crucial but difficult decisions, such as how large and small states would share power.

"There's so many people with a difference of opinion," said Brendon Holloway, who participated in various Democracy Project initiatives at Middle Tennessee State. "It's really important to bridge the gap."

The school is training faculty to incorporate civic learning across disciplines, holding a lecture series on rhetoric, and hosting former members of Congress to talk about respectful dialogue. Evins says it's all part of addressing not just college and career, but citizenship.

"If we do not address that third C, then we have shamed ourselves," she said, "we have walked away."

Even as polls find Americans say a civil tone in candidates is an important factor in how they vote, surveys have also shown people more accepting of personal attacks in politics.

A poll by Zogby commissioned by Allegheny College in October found in the six years since its previous survey, significantly more people viewed it as acceptable to interrupt, shout over, belittle, insult, personally attack, or question the patriotism of those with differing opinions. Respondents also have grown more accepting of commenting on another's sexual orientation, race or ethnicity.

Fewer people even believe elected officials should pursue friendships with members of other parties: 56 percent in the more recent survey compared with 85 percent in 2010.

"If this incivility continues, we're going to lose a generation to politics," said Jim Mullen, president of Allegheny, in Meadville, Pa. "And that's a very dangerous thing for our democracy."
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NEW YORK - A Manhattan federal prosecutor who says "absolute independence" was his touchstone for over seven years as he battled public corruption announced he was fired Saturday after he refused a day earlier to resign.

Preet Bharara, 48, revealed his firing on his personal Twitter account after it became widely known hours earlier that he did not intend to step down in response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' request that leftover appointees of former President Barack Obama quit.

"I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired," Bharara said in the tweet.

'Absolute independence'

In a statement later, he said: "Serving my country as U.S. Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live. One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served."

He said current Deputy U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim will serve as acting U.S. attorney.

The Justice Department late Saturday confirmed Bharara was no longer U.S. attorney but declined to expound.

Just over three months ago, then-President-elect Donald Trump asked Bharara to remain on the job and Bharara told reporters after the Trump Tower meeting that he had agreed to do so.

Meanwhile, Michigan Rep. John Conyers, the House Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, requested Saturday that the committee receive a summary of probes linked to Trump, whether they touch on his administration, transition, campaign and organization, "so that we can understand the full implications of this weekend's firings."

He said he suspected Bharara "could be reviewing a range of potential improper activity emanating from Trump Tower and the Trump campaign, as well as entities with financial ties to the president or the Trump organization."

A mixed reaction

Sessions' decision to include Bharara's name on the list of 46 resignations of holdovers from the Obama administration surprised Manhattan prosecutors.

But Annemarie McAvoy, a former Brooklyn federal prosecutor, said it was not surprising Trump might want Bharara gone because there's a good chance any subpoena seeking information about Trump campaign links to Russians would go through his office.

She said it was also possible Trump wanted "to take out as many people as they can in the prior administration given the leaks and problems that they're having."

Bharara was appointed by Obama in 2009.

In frequent public appearances, Bharara has decried public corruption after successfully prosecuting over a dozen state lawmakers, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you hate daylight saving time and all the confusion and sleep deprivation it brings, you now have solid data on your side. A wave of new research is bolstering arguments against changing our clocks twice a year.

The case for daylight saving time has been shaky for a while. The biannual time change was originally implemented to save energy. Yet dozens of studies around the world have found that changing the clocks has either minuscule or non-existent effects on energy use. After Indiana finally implemented daylight saving, something that didn't happen until 2006, residents actually used more electricity.

Daylight saving time isn't just a benign relic of the 1970s energy crisis. The latest research suggests the time change can be harmful to our health and cost us money. The effects are most disruptive in the spring and fall, right after the time changes occur. Clocks in the U.S. will spring forward this year on Sunday. Most of Europe moves to daylight saving time two weeks later.

Dangerous to health

The suffering of the spring time change begins with the loss of an hour of sleep. That might not seem like a big deal, but researchers have found it can be dangerous. Car accidents, strokes and heart attacks spike in the days after the March time change. It turns out that judges, sleep deprived by daylight saving, impose harsher sentences.

"Even mild changes to sleep patterns can affect human capital in significant ways," two Cornell University researchers, Lawrence Jin and Nicolas Ziebarth, wrote last year.

Some of the last defenders of daylight saving time have been a cluster of business groups who assume the change helps stimulate consumer spending. That's not true either, according to recent analysis of 380 million bank and credit-card transactions by the JPMorgan Chase Institute.

The study compared Los Angeles with Phoenix in the 30 days after the March and November time changes. Arizona is a natural test case since it's one of the two states, along with Hawaii, that doesn't do daylight saving. In the spring, according to the consumer transaction data, the additional hour of evening daylight in Los Angeles managed to slightly boost card spending per person, compared with that in Phoenix, although by less than 1 percent. That spending uptick is swamped by the negative impact of the November time change, which sees the darkened population of Los Angeles spend 3.5 percent less at local retailers.

In other words, daylight turns out to be a surprisingly large factor in how often workers stop at stores on their way home from their jobs in the evening.

"At the end of the day, it's either dark or light, and (people are) going to make an impulse decision at that point," Diana Farrell, president and chief executive of the JPMorgan Chase Institute.

Change is unlikely

Last year, 19 bills were pending in state legislatures to end the biannual time change, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. None passed.

Since the beginning of the year, state legislators have introduced an additional 20 bills on the topic, according to the NCSL. Eleven bills, including proposals in Texas and California, would put states permanently on standard time; nine of the bills aim to make daylight saving time permanent, many of them by urging lawmakers in Washington to change the rules.
In the past several months, our country has seen an extraordinary number of bias-motivated and anti-Semitic incidents, and our community has not been immune. In an average year, staffers in the Anti-Defamation League's Houston office will investigate 20 to 25 reports of hate incidents across South Texas. In the past 31/2 months, we've responded to nearly 50.

Among the reports we've investi gated in recent weeks: hate-filled fliers left on the Rice University and Texas State University campuses and on the doorsteps of residents' homes; a Victoria mosque burned to the ground by an arsonist; Jewish students harassed by other students flashing the "Heil, Hitler" salute, showing them swastikas and sending them posts with Nazi memorabilia included; a student at a local middle school who had a racial epithet written on his notebook; a synagogue in Beaumont that had rocks thrown through its windows, twice; "Heil Hitler left on a synagogue's voicemail; and a bomb threat at a local Jewish institution.

Hate tends to wash over us in waves, and we have seen swells before. But no one in our Houston office, including one person who has worked there for over 30 years, has seen such an endless litany of bias-motivated vandalism and harassment.

With such a growing swell of hate, it would be human nature to seek safety. For us, safety comes in our steely resolve to stay vigilant. The tentacles of hate have reached into our organization, too. Our New York headquarters and our offices in Boston, San Francisco and Atlanta have received bomb threats. We know how chilling it is when hate comes home. But we cannot shrink away. Neither I nor my staff will be discouraged or disheartened by this surging scourge. If anything, our focus is sharper and we are more determined to carry out our mission: "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and secure justice and fair treatment to all."

We are encouraged by the expressions of solidarity and support that recent events have engendered. I was honored to participate in a news conference at ADL's Southwest Regional Office in reaction to a spate of anti-Semitic incidents - a gathering called not by the Jewish community, but by Christians and Muslims who came together to denounce anti-Semitism and hate.

Bishop James Dixon of Kingdom Builders Global Fellowship, one of the religious leaders who initiated the news conference, said, "When the world is dangerous for any of us, then the world is dangerous for all of us." And more than two dozen Muslim leaders wrote in a letter to the Jewish community, "We will not allow the seeds of hate to sprout in our city without fierce resistance. Know this day, and know this always, an attack on a person of Jewish faith is an attack on all of us."

How can we be discouraged when we hear statements like that? Our Christian and Muslim friends get it. It's vital to reject hatred and speak out against it. Hate starts with words, and if not addressed, it grows. Three weeks ago two Indian engineers employed by Garmin were killed by a gunman who opened fire in a bar in Olathe, Kan. Bar patrons report hearing the gunman exclaim "Get out of my country!" before the shooting began.

Our U.S. senators are not silent. All 100 of them have urged the administration to take comprehensive action to investigate, prosecute and prevent the more than 140 threats against Jewish institutions, and desecrations of Jewish cemeteries. We are extremely grateful they took this important step. We've also asked President Trump and his administration to follow our senators' example and call out anti-Semitism and bigotry at every opportunity.

You can do it too, and by doing it, you can stop hate in its tracks. Whenever you see or hear a stereotype, bias-tinged joke or insult, whenever you witness someone being discriminated against, when you witness exclusion and prejudice, don't ignore it. Speak up and reject bias in no uncertain terms. Organizations like the ADL, our senators, the president and his Cabinet cannot do it alone. We all have to work together to eradicate hate, and it just makes sense to do that, because every hate incident is not just an attack against its target. It's an attack against all of us.

Gross is Southwest Regional director for the Anti-Defamation League.
The issue of immigration and border security is more complex than the political debate in Washington and on cable television would lead the public to believe.

It is also easier and far less costly to solve than many of the plans introduced by leading politicians and pundits.

The current reality on the Texas-Mexico border as well as much of the border outside of Texas is that the flow of immigrants who illegally enter the United States has declined dramatically in recent decades, from 1.6 million to about 400,000. Today, the border is faced with an illegal entry problem from individuals, mostly from Central America, coming to the United States in the hope of participating in the American dream. These economic migrants are basically law-abiding people who are seeking work because their country of origin has not given them a chance to succeed.

While immigration is a national obsession, there's a much greater and more real threat to American prosperity and national security. The United States is now at around 1.9 births per female, well below replacement level. And with 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day, the demographic outlook is bleak.

Without population growth and the prospect of new workers, economic growth is just not likely. Future GDP growth above 2 percent on a sustained basis will be an enormous challenge in the face of the demographic winter that will have a huge impact on the world over the next several decades. We need an immigration policy that addresses America's need for workers - about 600,000 to 650,000 low-skilled workers every year to keep our economy growing.

In addition to fact-based immigration reform, there are two things the U.S. Border Patrol seeks along the Texas-Mexico border: visibility of the river and access to the river.

Both can be easily achieved simply by cleaning up the riverbank along the Rio Grande. The salt cedar and Carrizo cane are invasive plants that are not native to Texas. Their density becomes a hiding place for immigrants and criminals who illegally enter the United States.

Once these invasive plants have been eradicated, an all-weather river road should be built to provide U.S. Border Patrol agents access to patrol the riverbank. Encouraging Mexico to eradicate the plants on their side as well would create a large buffer zone that discourages immigrants and criminals from crossing.

Coupled with modern technology such as motion detectors and infrared sensors, this enhanced natural buffer zone is a far more effective barrier to entry than any man-made barrier and also represents a good-neighbor solution. This approach is a faster, cheaper and more effective way to patrol and control the river and allow Border Patrol Agents to do what they do best - protect the border.

Yes, more can be done to smartly and cost-effectively improve border security. However, the reward for enhancing apprehension is only as good as the legal process supporting it; otherwise the process only becomes a catch-and-release program. Today, with the rapid decline in illegal immigration, the problem squarely rests on an inadequate judicial system. Simply said, we need more immigration courts.

Through October 2016, more than a half-million cases were awaiting adjudication in U.S. immigration courts. Border Patrol executives put the wait time at 1,000 days.

Budget reductions resulting from the 2011 budget sequestration are the main culprit, as well as the lack of "will" to solve the problem. As immigration enforcement budgets have more than quadrupled over the past five years, funding and staffing for the immigration courts have lagged far behind. There are currently 242 immigration judges; 253 judges were on the bench in 2010.

The July 2014 prioritization of cases of children and families from Central America seeking asylum has led to the escalation of wait times for the many immigration court cases that have not been prioritized. Some judges have been removed from their typical caseload to hear only cases of recently arrived children and families, leading to further delays.

In order to clear the backlog of these half-million cases by 2023, Congress would need to double the number of immigration judges. Alternatively, failure to increase the number of judges could result in a backlog of as many as 1 million cases in only five years.

To solve the border security problem, we must look to reasonable and productive solutions that benefit the United States and Mexico. As Texas' largest trading partner and our neighbor, we must support a border security plan with Mexico that continues to foster economic development and our good neighbor policies that have been in place for generations.

Nixon is CEO and chairman of the board of International Bancshares Corp. and International Bank of Commerce.
The week before the Super Bowl, the new, pedestrian-friendly version of Avenida de las Americas in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center was packed with people. Some were there for Super Bowl festivities, while others lined the newly redesigned pedestrian space to protest the Trump Administration's executive orders on immigration.

It's significant that today, both those events could happen in the middle of a street in front of one of Houston's economic engines.

Converted from what was formerly a six-lane road, the new pedestrian zone includes wider sidewalks and a pedestrian plaza, a smaller right-of-way that encourages bikes, pedestrians, and cars to use the same space at slower speeds, public art and new street-level restaurants.

The remaking of the Avenida de las Americas into a more pedestrian friendly plaza is a statement of what is possible here, despite Houston's car-centric design. Historically, Houston's approach has given us a built environment where, at best, pedestrians and bicyclists are slightly less-than-uncomfortable as they cross the city, and, at worst, they fear for their lives. But the Avenida de las Americas experience shows us we can pursue a different approach.

While building safer streets should be our foundational goal, there are other advantages to this approach. Higher foot traffic in a business or commercial district is good for the economy and promotes higher sales. We can build them because they make our neighborhoods more interesting and encourage us to lead more active, healthy lives.

Best of all, there isn't just one way to pursue this. The city has a number of examples of great streets that encourage pedestrian, bicycle and transit use while not removing cars. We can prioritize people without prohibiting cars.

In Houston's East End, a formerly empty median was remade into the Navigation Esplanade, a pedestrian plaza has helped to revive activity along a central commercial corridor in the neighborhood. By marginally shrinking the right-of-way of the two lanes of traffic, the project created a wide central median that was re-done by the East End Management district into an engaging public space. Today a weekly farmer's market and a variety of street festivals use the median. Pedestrians have easier, stop-light controlled access to the median and cars tend to travel more slowly in the stretch next to the populated median.

In neighborhoods, this approach might be as simple as designing streets that require drivers to travel at lower speeds. A bill in the state Legislature would lower the prima facie speed limit from 30 to 25 mph on city streets to improve safety. But beyond regulatory changes we can physically remake neighborhood streets to calm traffic and encourage mixed-mode usage where bikes, pedestrians, and cars share space safely. The Energy Corridor has already introduced the city's first woonerf, a design feature from The Netherlands that forces cars to slow and encourages pedestrians and bikes to share the road space. Other neighborhoods could follow suit or pursue their own strategies - building bulb-out curbs to narrow streets or pushing for the creation of wider pedestrian realms in future projects.

Some of our biggest commercial districts are a small step away from remaking themselves. Places like City Centre and Sugar Land Town Center could pursue parking and street-level interventions that remove cars from key commercial sections and open up foot traffic. Rice Village and the Museum District might look for ways to close or reduce traffic on small, underutilized sections of streets to encourage safer mode mixing. Rice Village's anchor tenant Trademark Property announced the creation of a pedestrian plaza along Morningside Drive. Such strategies could even be pursued initially on a temporary basis. Experiments can extend to our streets and we don't have to be afraid to close something to traffic for a test run.

And finally, many of our major corridors could be rethought and re-engineered in bold ways to help create a different kind of Houston. Wide, car-centric boulevards like Bellaire Boulevard or Richmond Avenue are too wide in many places, especially along major commercial activity nodes with concentrated traffic of vehicles and pedestrians. Options - including shrinking road widths, remaking the pedestrian realm, and reconsidering setback requirements on businesses that put front doors instead of parking lots adjacent to sidewalks - could remake these spaces. Even simply adding additional traffic lights could create safer crossings for pedestrians.

Such projects would require that we imagine a city that isn't only experienced through a car. This shift, to work on a grand scale, would require real money - not nearly as much as a single lane of highway costs - but real money nonetheless. It would also require cooperation among the Texas Department of Transportation, the city of Houston's Public Works and Planning departments, the Harris County Engineering Department, and citizens through the city.

Most important, these efforts don't have to happen in isolation. If we pursue a collection of such projects, the spaces could be tied together by the Bayou Greenways initiative or the in-progress bike plan to transform the way Houstonians think about and move through the city. The city recently inaugurated a walkable place committee to explore how we might pursue such an agenda.

Our streets are meant to be places of interaction, commerce and activity. Those things don't have to only happen in a car. They shouldn't only happen in a car. We only have to have the willingness to imagine ourselves experiencing that kind of street realm and then act to make that kind of street possible.

Shelton is director of Strategic Partnerships at Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  When Colorado expanded Medicaid coverage under former President Barack Obama's health care law, the largest provider in the Denver region hired more than 250 employees and built a $27 million primary care clinic and two new school-based clinics.

Emergency rooms visits stayed flat as Denver Health Medical Center directed many of the nearly 80,000 newly insured patients into one of its 10 community health centers, where newly hired social workers and mental health therapists provided services for some of the county's poorest residents. Demand for services at the new primary care clinic was almost immediate.

The hospital system, like others around the country, now is facing enormous uncertainty under the health care overhaul proposed by congressional Republicans.

The GOP plan would scale back the Medicaid expansion and take away direct federal subsidies to help consumers pay their health insurance premiums, replacing them with age-adjusted tax credits.

Denver Health could see revenue losses between $50 million and $85 million by 2020, which is between 5 and 9 percent of their annual revenue, according to the hospital's chief financial officer. Adding to the financial anxiety is that Denver Health and many other hospital systems and medical providers across the country still would be required to care for many of the same patients, even if they lost their health coverage. That would leave hospitals, state and local governments, or privately insured patients to foot the bill.

"If it's full removal of Medicaid expansion, we would have to make cuts on our system, and I really think that those cuts would roll back our progress and could paradoxically increase the cost of care by driving care back to where it shouldn't be  in the emergency rooms," said Dr. Bill Burman, interim chief executive for Denver Health.

Similar sentiments are being shared by hospital CEOs across the country as President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans make good on their promise to undo the Affordable Care Act.

Story continues

The Republican plan would limit the amount of federal money available to states that opted to expand Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides health coverage to the poor and lower-income people. It also would overhaul the framework of Medicaid generally so that in the future states would receive a limited amount per person based on enrollment and costs. Health care advocates have said such a change would mean less Medicaid money for the states.

The Republican proposal would boost one revenue stream for hospitals that had been cut under Obama's plan  a pool of money helping hospitals that care for a disproportionately high share of uninsured patients. But hospital CEOs say that money will not come close to making up for the revenue lost if large numbers of people lose their health coverage.

The American Hospital Association, which represents nearly 5,000 institutions nationwide and the Catholic Health Association of the United States, the nation's largest not-for-profit health provider, wrote Congress warning that the bill would lead to significant cuts in a program that provides services to the most vulnerable.

"We are likely looking at situations where hospitals would close down service lines, shorten clinic hours and lay off staff," said Beth Feldpush, a senior vice president at America's Essential Hospitals.

The Affordable Care Act sought to get more people covered and give them access to primary care doctors, theoretically increasing the number of paying customers for hospital systems while diverting those people away from emergency rooms where they are more expensive to treat. About 22 million people have gained coverage through Medicaid and by buying private health insurance in the government-sponsored marketplaces that offer plans with subsidized premiums.

The national uninsured rate is below 9 percent, a historic low.

Moody's Investors Service said it expects that the legislation's provision to cap federal Medicaid payments to the states, starting in 2020, will cause states to reduce payments to hospitals. The legislation also would saddle hospitals with more unpaid bills and uninsured patients, particularly older ones who could now face much-higher premiums, according to Moody's.

"We believe that the effect of older enrollees losing coverage will outweigh the positive effect of younger people gaining coverage, given that older people have greater health care needs and as they lose coverage, hospitals would incur greater uncompensated care and bad-debt costs," the report states.

S&P Global Ratings wrote that the bill would add to existing stresses on hospitals, including rising costs for salaries and prescription drugs.

NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health system in the country that serves mostly low-income people, made a rare decision to create its own insurance plans to help maximize revenue in the changing health climate. One of its plans, granted under the Affordable Care Act, offered premiums of $20 or less per month to 70,000 low-income enrollees. An additional 96,000 people gained coverage in another insurance plan under Medicaid expansion.

One plan would be eliminated entirely under the bill and tens of thousands would lose coverage on the other under the Republican bill.

Stanley Brezenoff, the health system's interim president, says it's "particularly appalling" for the expanded Medicaid patients who spent years going without insurance. Many of them have substantial medical needs and finally were able to get into a routine of receiving regular medical care.

"It is a brutal assault on the health care system, especially as it applies to the people in greatest need with historically the least access to care," he said.

Rural hospitals are particularly at risk.

One of the most likely ways hospitals will make up for revenue losses is by increasing the amount they charge privately insured patients. But rural hospitals have less bargaining power to negotiate rates with insurers because they have such a small number of insured patients to begin with, said Bruce Rueben, president of the Florida Hospital Association.

At Jackson Health, a 100-bed hospital in rural Marianna in the Florida Panhandle, 90 percent of patients are receiving charity care because they are uninsured or on Medicaid. They are the working poor who make too little to qualify for subsidies under Affordable Care Act plans and too much to qualify for Medicaid under Florida's stringent standards, where you must be a pregnant woman, child or disabled for the most part to qualify.

Nearly 60 percent of the hospital's patients work in agriculture, growing peanuts and fresh produce. Emergency room visits there continue to creep up every year by 2 to 3 percent, said chief financial officer Kevin Rovito.

"If they keep cutting the reimbursements for the hospital one way or another and we do disappear, then where are these patients going to go?" he said.

___

AP Medical Writer Linda A. Johnson contributed from Trenton NJ.
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Milo Yiannopoulos is a vicious troll, who has built a lucrative career by playing the victim under the guise of being a free speech advocate.

He deems himself to be a 'free speech fundamentalist' targeting feminism, Islam, political correctness, Black Lives Matter and many social justice movements.

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This is a man who refers to Donald Trump as 'Daddy', said Gay rights were a detriment to humanity, claims to 'like black guys for his love life', believes that 'Women's liberation was probably a mistake' blaming the pill and the washing machine for this.

So it's not hard to see how this university drop out became such a darling of 'Alt-Right' or why his decision to accept nomination for the election of Rector at Glasgow University has caused much anger.

Milo spouts bile and aims to shock, but knows he has absolutely no chance of winning the Rector election and really doesn't give a damn about Glasgow students. I suspect his sole reason for getting involved is that this is a desperate attempt to kick start a career which nose-dived because of his alleged 'condoning of paedophillia'. Of course up until then the rest of his gutter views were not deemed beyond the pale by his far- right friends.

All his statements on the Rector election have been predictably juvenile and deliberately provocative. I empathise with 3000 Glasgow students who have signed a petition demanding Milo's removal from the election, whilst others argue that the election should be boycotted until he is removed from the ballot paper, but to do either would be a fundamental mistake as 'Martyr status' is exactly what this non-entity craves.

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I don't say this as some woolly liberal, as a student in the 90's I vehemently argued and at times physically fought for a no-platform for Fascists, whilst the Liberals argued that no matter how odious Fascists were, they could be defeated through debate. But the problem with such an argument was and remains that the Fascists exist to destroy the democratic ideals we take for granted such as free speech.

They will always use public platforms to give them the veneer of respectability, but hide their true intentions and not just their swastikas. That is exactly the way they operated in Germany, When Hitler built a mass party he didn't do so by arguing for the 'Final Solution', but by posing as a legitimate political party that could be trusted and debated with.

Once he won power through the ballot box, he abolished democracy, throwing the very same liberals who had supported his free speech into concentration camps. Today's Neo-Fascists whether they be the BNP or the Le Front Nationale have the same strategy as Hitler's Nazis and that is exactly why they should never be treated as a legitimate form of politics.

I didn't argue 'no platform' for the likes of the BNP just because I found their views to be grotesque but because there was a connection between hate speech and their 'foot soldiers' carrying out physical attacks on ethnic minorities, Muslims, the LGBTI community and others.

In this country a policy of 'No platform' since the Battle of Cable Street in 1936 against Moseley's Blackshirts has meant Fascist organisations have been unable to gain a foothold. Nazis desperate for respectability, must always be denied it when they raise their heads.

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Those who argue we should challenge Nazis through debate should ask whether they would expect a Jewish person who may have lost a family member in the Gas Chambers to rationally debate with a Nazi thug, who would do the same again if he could?

But despite my views on a no-platform for Fascists, I do not believe it should extended to others such as Milo, just because their views are reactionary, racist, transphobic or sexist. Sections of the media are always desperate to give reactionaries a bandwagon. UKIP with just one MP has been a frustrating example of media's obsession with such figures, but whilst Nigel Farage might remind me of the 'BNP in blazers' he is not a Fascist and his arguments should be taken head on, demolished and ridiculed.

Ten students nominated Milo but these cowards now choose to remain anonymous, like so many of the keyboard warriors who abused me when I spoke out against Milo. Meanwhile this Joker claims he has 3000 Facebook likes for his Glasgow University Rectorial bid but any close examination shows it does not equate to bona-fide local students, but rather a motley collection of Trumpites and master-race types from the USA.

The website 'A thousand flowers' carried out a metadata and found 'Nearly 90% of those who like the page are outside of the UK, with more than two-thirds in the United States. Only 350 are in the UK - meaning a much smaller percentage will be in Glasgow, and eligible student voters'.

Following Donald Trump's victory and Brexit the stakes have never been higher, the clock seems to have been turned back and a green light given to bigots to come out of the darkness.

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Across Europe mainstream political leaders are engaging with ideas that were once relegated to the margins of fascism. Immigrants, the LGBTI community, minorities and Muslims are portrayed as threatening a 'civilised' way of life and students who are in the front-line cannot afford to be complacent.

This election is not about abdicating responsibility for challenging views such as Milo's but a real opportunity to take them head on. The students of Glasgow University have risen to the occasion. I have told many of students I have spoken to whilst campaigning that what actually counts is that they vote in their thousands and deliver a crushing humiliating defeat to Milo.

On the 21st March I hope the students of Glasgow University rise to the occasion and elect a rector who will be a strong voice for all students, an added bonus will be a landslide vote against Milo's hate. Should he come to the hustings on Thursday the 16th March then I expect that students and all Rector candidates will join the peaceful protests that take place, but also destroy him in the debate that follows.
David Cheskin/PA Archive

A Hounslow Girl is a name given to a young British Muslim Girl who wears a hijab and seeks to balance the two co-existing worlds of traditional cultural values alongside her own British identity. Torn between wanting to please her elders by upholding the Islamic ideals she has been taught but also longing to assimilate into the fast City life she has inevitably been born into.

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When I heard the term Hounslow Girl the first thing I thought was that I had better get to it before reality TV does. I wanted to write a story about a unique, inquisitive and confident young British Muslim Girl. I wanted her to take the stage and be at the centre of her own story, sharing her immediate feelings and anxieties with the audience. Growing up I had seen so many representations of young British Muslim girls on television but until Bend it Like Beckham I had never seen one at the forefront of a story. Instead, they were often shown as second class citizens or oppressed in either a mild or massive way, none of which mirrored the girls that I went to school with who were just as inquisitive and experimental as every other teenage girl. Although they had a firm grip on their cultural values, there is no denying that they were going through the same hormonal changes as every other girl in school.

Ambreen Razia in The Diary of a Hounslow Girl (Photographer credit: Talula Shepphard)

Another major reason for writing the show was to challenge perceptions and break the stereotype of what a story about a young British Muslim girl could be about in this current climate. It's always interesting hearing feedback from the audience about the assumptions they've made about the play as it unfolds. For example, the character rushes on stage wearing a hijab with what appears to be a bruised eye - I had one audience member who said that they thought it was going to be a play about violence against women. Later in the play, the character proceeds in leaving her family a number of video messages stating that she wants to flee, and I had another audience member admit that they thought she was off to Syria; I had a few shocked faces when she ended up pregnant and stuck in her Hounslow bedroom.

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So before telling stories about 'Jihadi brides' I wanted to present a raw tale of a girl simply searching for her own identity. A teenager who is seeking what every young person seeks at that age, love and affirmation. As I read the final draft back to myself before going into rehearsals, it was only then I realised what the play was about, I realised that the biggest tragedy was in the breakdown of the loving bonds between Mother and Daughter which often occurs when a child becomes a teenager - and how this experience can be so challenging for not only the daughters of first generation immigrants but also their parents who feel a great distant from their children's British lives.

Ambreen Razia in The Diary of a Hounslow Girl (Photographer credit: Talula Shepphard)

It's a universal tale: the universality comes in her relation to every other teenage girl in the world as the play unravels and we realise that it's simply about her lack of understanding of what her own expectations of love are.

It's real pleasure to be taking the show on tour again - you can find full details of the upcoming tour here.

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HuffPost UK is running a month-long project in March called All Women Everywhere, providing a platform to reflect the diverse mix of female experience and voices in Britain today
Pascal Rossignol / Reuters

Ok, firstly I'm sorry for yet another post with 'depression' in the title but hear me out.

A majority of people will have experiences somewhere along the spectrum of depression at some point or another. Well, actually, according to mental health charity 'Mind' 1 in 4 people will experience some aspect of mental health this year.

Statistics like this are shocking but are hardly surprising. We're still suffering post Brexit blues, Trump trauma and the destruction of humanity through the likes of Sean Hannity. It's far too easy to feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness during this weird time of disconnect.

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It's hard to see any positivity in the current political, social and economic climate, but there is. I've seen it, and have been a part of it. It's highly refreshing, reassuring and liberating.

In 2016 I experienced a lot of change and found myself fumbling from one job to another; signing the dotted line on yet another zero hour contract. I wanted remain but lost and my mind became hazy. I felt detached until it suddenly occurred to me that what I really wanted to do was something fulfilling, constructive and meaningful. After watching the latest Adam Curtis film 'Hypernormalisation' I also felt a healthy need to escape the bubble of me; something to do with algorithms...

I decided to break away to Calais for a weekend and volunteer with Help Refugees. This weekend quickly turned into three months and has been one of the best decisions I've made; they're usually few and far between. I suddenly found myself propelled into this community of diverse people all with the same desire of wanting to help their fellow human. Not wanting to sit back and watch the world fall apart into chaos but actively seeking and creating positive change.

During this time I regularly made visits into the Dunkirk camp to help distribute aid and assess individual needs. It was here I witnessed what it truly meant to be restricted, confined and detached, both physically and mentally. On one occasion a fellow volunteer and I assessed the needs of one shelter with fourteen men living inside. The shelter itself was merely 2.5 meters squared with four of the men (two in their early 20's) sleeping in the front porch with just a blanket barely covering the doorway and separating them from the elements. This was in February. But still, there were smiles and laughter.

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This was extremely humbling. Most people in camp are full of positivity yet they've already made huge sacrifices to get this far. Sacrifices that are almost impossible to comprehend. Sacrifices no one would choose unless desperate.

Through my time with Help Refugees I began to break free from the cage of self-doubt and helplessness. I became a part of something a lot bigger, bold and beautiful. All worries and fears became meaningless. I am extremely lucky. A short experience with an everlasting effect that will now follow me in everything I do. Small ripples of activism can create waves of change.

63, Dunkirk Refugee Camp
Prasit photo via Getty Images

Britain has voted to leave the European Union by a narrow majority.

Brexit has won, I accept that. But let's not forget that nearly as many people voted to remain in. The question now is how to pull together and move forward?

In my opinion the Brexit vote was also a revolt against a political system that is not working. Brexit is a reaction against the continuous globalisation that is clearly failing to benefit anyone, particularly the working class. Across Europe, recent years have been marked by extreme austerity to solve a crisis that the majority of us did not create, but are suffering its consequences of.

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For me, the EU Referendum has been the start of a silent revolution. We had had enough.

But let's go back to what most matter to us: The future of our beloved NHS.

The health service is currently in a financial crisis; nine in 10 hospitals are overspent as a result of years of funding squeezes. We should not forget that this is a Government choice and at the moment, the Conservatives are still in charge.

So much of what's good or bad for the NHS comes back to money and funding - it pays for the staff, the buildings, the medicine, the machines and everything else.

The UK spends a smaller proportion of its GDP on health care than countries such as Portugal, France, Spain or the Netherlands. It has consistently spent less of a share of its GDP on health than either the EU average or that of the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Allow me to showcase how much our NHS is starved not only of cash but also resources:

Current health expenditure in the UK was 8.46% of GDP in 2013. This compares to 16.43% in the USA, 11.12% in the Netherlands, 10.98% in Germany, 10.95% in France, 10.40% in Denmark, 10.16% in Canada and 8.77% in Italy.

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Current expenditure per capita (using the purchasing power parity) for the UK was $3,235 in 2013. This can be compared to $8,713 in the USA, $5,131 in the Netherlands, $4,819 in Germany, $4,553 in Denmark, $4,351 in Canada, $4,124 in France and $3,077 in Italy.

The UK had 2.8 physicians per 1,000 people in 2013, compared to 4.1 in Germany, 3.9 in Italy, 3.8 in Spain, 3.4 in Australia, 3.3 in France, 2.8 in New Zealand and 2.6 in Canada.

The UK had 2.8 hospital beds per 1,000 people in 2013, compared to 8.3 in Germany, 6.3 in France, 3.1 in Denmark, 3.0 in Spain and 2.8 in New Zealand.

Despite all that, in comparison with the healthcare systems of ten other countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and USA), in 2014 the NHS was found to be the most impressive overall by the Commonwealth Fund. It was rated as the best system in terms of efficiency, effective care, safe care, coordinated care, patient-centred care and cost-related problems. It was also ranked second for equity.

Let's remind to ourselves that the Brexit side have pledged to redirect 5.2bn of Britain's annual spending on the EU to the NHS. Our job now is to make accountable of their promise and make sure that they inject the much needed cash to our National Health Service.

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Today is the day we need to restart the fight to save our NHS. The distraction is now over and challenges are now clearer.

But let's make one thing clear, migration is not the cause of the NHS problems and struggles. Austerity is and that has been a government choice.

And let's not forget that we have a publicly-funded healthcare system; it is paid for by taxpayers. About 78% of working age EU immigrants in the UK are in work (a higher proportion than among UK nationals), so most are paying tax and contributing to the NHS. In theory, the NHS will be able to cope better with higher immigrant numbers. Migrants to the UK are also more likely to be young and fit so less likely to need the NHS.

What's more, 130,000 EU citizens work in our health and care service. It's a fact that you are more likely to find yourself cared for by a migrant than to find one queuing for benefits.

One question continues to monopolise my thoughts: What will happen to all European health workers such as myself, now?

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55,000 out of the 1.2 million staff in the English NHS are citizens of other EU countries according to the English Health Service's Electronic Staff Record. This includes doctors, nurse, professionals such as paramedics and pharmacists, support workers providing care and administrative staff.

Nobody will deport any EU Citizen back to their countries. The UK economy and especially the health system will collapse if so. Migrants, including myself are here to stay. We are part of the backbone of this country and we will continue to be in near future. But the uncertainty created by the government is sending the wrong message to the world. Britain has stopped being the first choice to come to work if you're an Nurse. Is sending a message that we are not welcome and it's staring to affect the EU heath workers already here. Some of us are starting to leave.

A second question comes to my mind. What will happen to future recruitment?

It's a well-known fact that currently we have a massive recruitment crisis. Thousands of NHS nursing and doctor posts lie vacant. At present more than two-thirds of trusts and health boards in the UK are actively trying to recruit from abroad as they struggle to cope with a shortage of qualified staff.

In nursing and midwifery, EU immigrants make up a small proportion, but their numbers have been increasing at a historically rapid rate in in recent years as the number of nurses trained in Britain has dropped; in future recruitment oversees will increase whether we are in or out the EU as Plans to scrap student bursaries and charge nurses and other health staff for their degrees in England could backfire.

At present All EU Member States agree to the free movement of workers and to the underpinning legislation on mutual recognition of training and qualifications. One of the benefits that the European Union has brought to Nursing is that all the Nursing studies across Europe are very similar. That will not change after UK will leave EU.

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It's a simple equation of offer versus demand. We are in desperate need of qualified Nurses and the best place to recruit them will still be in EU countries like Spain or Portugal where the Numbers of qualify Nurses exceeds their countries demands.

It will be foolish to change it.

Let's put a stop all the scaremongering. We ask Theresa May to guarantee unilaterally our rights to stay. Let's extend a hand to the losing side. There are no winners or losers. We have a uncertain road ahead. Change can be very daunting but often leads to better things. Let's be positive.
Amanatullah Ali (Photo: Reprieve)

In 2004, the UK detained two men in Iraq - Amanatullah Ali and Yunus Rahmatullah - and handed them over to the US, who tortured and 'rendered' them to Afghanistan. There, at the secretive Bagram detention facility, they were held for 10 years without charge, trial or access to a lawyer. Originally exposed by Reprieve, it is the only known instance to date where the UK detained people who were then turned over to the US for rendition and torture.

On Tuesday, the High Court held a hearing in a case brought by Amanatullah and Yunus, who are seeking some measure of justice for their ordeal. But in under an hour, Government lawyers had demanded a secretive "Closed Material Procedure", the first time these new, controversial powers have been used to bury the truth in a renditions case. The Government has suggested that details of the men's torture and rendition should be kept secret. These abuses are serious breaches of British law, held as "abhorrent" since the Magna Carta was signed.

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The doors of the court were slammed on the media, the public and even the victims' lawyers - everyone but the "Special Advocate" (the secret lawyer), the government lawyers, and the judge - and perhaps a smattering of secret agents sitting in the gallery. If MI6 has its way, what was said behind those closed doors will remain there.

Secret justice is no justice at all, anathema to long held principles of open British justice. But in this case, there is a particularly powerful need for transparency, given that the spooks have misled the ministers who in turn misled Parliament. Now the Government wants to consign all this dissembling to the darkness of a secret court.

The main argument offered in favour of secrecy was the need to keep secret the intelligence leading to this catastrophic mistake. Yet we, at Reprieve, already know what happened, as we have conducted a lengthy investigation. An open hearing would highlight how the security services (here, apparently, MI6) was operating on some truly "alternative" facts. They thought Amanatullah was a high-ranking member of the Sunni extremist group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In reality, he was a simple rice trader from Pakistan, who had joined thousands of pilgrims travelling to Iraq to visit holy shrines that had been unavailable under Saddam Hussein.

Everyone can make mistakes and they should generally be forgiven if they admit them. But here these two men spent more than a decade being abused in Bagram because MI6 was intent on concealing its error. And for 13 years, ministers have covered-up MI6's blunder - parroting what the agency told them, and insisting Amanatullah was an LeT terrorist.

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Successive British Governments have for years refused to come clean over their part in the US rendition programme, which saw detainees flown around the world to face torture in secret prisons. At first, they claimed that Britain had no involvement in American torture at all. In 2005, a little over a year after Amanatullah's rendition, Jack Straw patronised the British public by claiming that such allegations were "conspiracy theories". This, and a range of other statements, turned out to be misleading and the Government was forced to correct them. John Hutton, Defence Secretary in 2009, admitted Amanatullah's rendition should have been "questioned". They knew these men would be rendered but did nothing to stop it. To this day the Government is paying its lawyers to maintain falsehoods about Amanatullah.

The Government's attempt to trample on the rights of an impoverished torture victim far away in Pakistan is simply offensive. Amanatullah wants answers, to ensure that his ordeal does not happen to anyone else. He will have to learn to live with the years of abuse he has suffered at US hands. But what keeps him up at night is why he was handed over to the US in the first place.

He was not who the UK thought he was. Equally, Britain has not been the nation he thought it was. He holds the British legal system in high esteem. He believes that Britain is guided by a set of principles that include open justice and the rule of law. So far, this Government is proving him wrong.

Justice must be done, and seen to be done particularly when Torturer-in-Chief Trump threatens to drag Britain back into American excesses. A public airing is the only way to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. We can only hope that the Court will see how important it is for the truth to come out.

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Barcroft Media via Getty Images

With the Prime Minister expected to trigger Article 50 next week, there was a lot riding on last week's budget - as the Chancellor himself acknowledged in the run-up. But the budget itself contained no mention of Brexit. No mention of industrial strategy. No game-changing vision for how our country can prosper outside of the EU.

The Government made much of the fact that our economy has performed better than was anticipated last Autumn. But the reality is that the outlook for our economy remains weaker than it was a year ago. The OBR may have been premature in factoring in a Brexit shock, but it remains the case that we are entering a period of deep economic uncertainty.

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The sale of Vauxhall underlined the urgent need for an industrial strategy to enable us to attract and retain manufacturers after we leave the EU. Vauxhall imports 75% of its components and exports 80% of its finished products to the EU, which means that, like many manufacturers, the firm has been hit by the double whammy of a weak pound and uncertain market access. Without efforts to re-shore manufacturing supply chains and secure single market access for key exporting industries, there is a real danger that many of our finest manufacturers will up and leave.

The budget was an opportunity to deliver decisive action to bolster our economy for what lies ahead. But in every area that will be vital to securing our economic resilience in the coming months and years, this budget failed to deliver.

Take the regions. The EU referendum result has fed a growing awareness that parts of Britain have been excluded from economic growth for too long, and that we desperately need to rebalance our economy away from London and the South East. Yet the budget contained a mere 30m for the so called Midlands Engine Strategy and Northern Powerhouse. And this is against the backdrop of continued decimation of local authorities under this Government.

From infrastructure to R&D, Britain languishes well below OECD averages for the amount of GDP reinvested in our economy. Without a big push in both, Britain will struggle to remain competitive outside Europe. But on this urgent issue, virtually all the commitments listed by Hammond, from fibre broadband to local road networks, had already been announced. For all the talk of breaking with Osbornomics and finally providing the country with the investment we need, it looks increasingly likely that the 23bn announced last Autumn is all we're going to get.

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A healthy economy needs healthy businesses, but the small amount of additional support offered by the Chancellor will not solve the ticking time bomb of business rates, and fundamental reform has been kicked into the long grass. By not tackling business rates and raising taxes on the self-employed at the same time as giving 70bn worth of tax giveaways to those at the top, the Government is robbing David to pay Goliath.

With one-in-four jobs going unfilled because of a lack of skilled labour, the Government are right to point to skills as a priority area. But further education has experienced a prolonged period of funding cuts at the hands of this Government, including a 54% funding cut for non-apprenticeship adult skills training since 2010. The skills announcements in the budget will barely make up for ground lost due to this Government's cuts, let alone close the skills gap or meet the new skills challenges presented by automation and Brexit.

And, of course, many businesses are losing the skilled workers they already employ because of the Government's refusal to support Labour's amendment supporting the rights of EU citizens residing in Britain.

From the pitifully small amounts made available to our crisis-ridden NHS and social care sector, to the woefully unambitious plan for 5G - a series of re-announcements that will perpetuate the patchy and prolonged roll-out of our digital infrastructure to date - the story is the same. This was a business-as-usual budget for a country going through the most unusual of times.

Last June, the country chose to leave the EU. Now we face another choice - about what kind of economy - and society - we want to live in. Do we want Britain to become an economic dystopia where businesses face an uphill struggle in terms of gaining the tools and support they need to succeed and grow? A Britain where a shrinking elite grows increasingly wealthy while everyone else struggles on insecure poverty wages? Or do we want to rebalance our economy, rebuild our public services, and relearn the basic economic principle that Government is there to oversee the creation of a fertile environment in which business and the public sector can succeed? To rebuild our economy on the social principles of community, collectivism, and a fundamental sense of local and national pride that have been ground down by years of free-market fundamentalism?

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Sadly, we already know that Hammond is walking us towards economic dystopia. Even if the Prime Minister and Greg Clark's new-found enthusiasm for industrial strategy is genuine, it's long been clear that most on the Conservative benches remain deeply suspicious of the idea. Delivering the Government's promised industrial strategy would require a Clark offensive, but the worrying indication given by this budget is that Hammond is gaining the upper hand. Factor in last week's sacking of Michael Hesletine - one of the Government's few true believers in industrial strategy - and the possibility of the Tories delivering anything approximating a positive vision of post-Brexit Britain looks increasingly remote.

As they crash Britain out of the EU, cutting us off completely from the investment, skills, and markets on which our economy relies, the Tories will no doubt claim that they are implementing the will of the people. But leave voters weren't voting for a poorer, more unequal society or less investment in public services. Indeed, polling carried out for the GMB union shows that almost two-thirds of the public think that cuts to public services have gone too far, and the false promise that Brexit would mean more money for the NHS featured prominently in the leave campaign.
"All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking." Or so said the half-crazed philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche.

Brian Wansink took that one step further and conceived a great advertising thought while getting others to go walking.

Wansink, professor of psychology at Cornell University, recruited 56 subjects to walk a mile route. Half were told to test an MP3 player as they walked, stopping off at six places along the route to monitor sound quality. The other half were told the walk was exercise, and asked to monitor energy levels at the same set places. After the walk they returned their results, collected payment and were told they were free to go. Before they left they were invited to an all-you-can eat buffet the university had laid on.

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Unbeknown to them this was the real experiment. After the diners finally departed Wansink rooted through the bins and weighed the left-overs. The results were clear. The group told they were exercising ate far unhealthier food than those who thought it was a scenic stroll. Despite covering the same distance, at the same speed, the "exercisers" ate 35% more chocolate pudding than the control group.

Wansink attributed the findings to the idea of moral licensing: the tendency to over-compensate and treat ourselves after acting virtuously.

The proof for moral licensing is widespread

If this experiment was a one-off marketers could ignore it. But the evidence for moral licensing is widespread. One of my favourite experiments was conducted in 2011 by Wen-Bin Chiou, of Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan. Chiou recruited two groups of daily smokers who both received a course of placebo pills.

The first group knew what they were being given while the second group thought they were having multi-vitamin pills. After the course of pills was completed the groups returned and filled in an hour long survey about their behaviours. Those who thought they had taken multi-vitamins were less likely to have eaten healthily and exercised and more likely to have been binge drinking.

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Of course, claimed data can be misleading. So Chiou surreptitiously monitored how many people lit up while filling in the survey. He found that those who had been on the supposed vitamin course were 50% more likely to smoke.

His explanation for this, was that those who had taken multi-vitamin pills thought they had done their bit in being healthy and were therefore more comfortable about indulging their desire for immediate gratification.

The marketing application

The widespread nature of these findings means that we should be applying them to marketing. Products which appeal to a consumer's indulgent side should target consumers at moments where they're feeling virtuous. Potential options include reaching consumers in gyms, running ads around healthy eating or fitness content, or time targeting Friday afternoon's after a hard week's work.

This applies to a wide variety of products. Not just obvious ones like beer or chocolate, but any brands that consumers see as a treat. This covers a huge range, from lattes or luxury goods to the latest fashion. There are also opportunities in the other direction. Products which seek to appeal to a consumer's moral side might seek to reach consumers as they have succumbed to temptation.
Alastair Moore

Savita Halappanavar died on 28th October in 2012 from multiple organ failure and cardiac arrest after being denied a lifesaving procedure.

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Ann Lovett died at the age of 15 on 31st January in 1984 after giving birth alone in a field to a son who died before she was found.

Eleven women travel every single day from Ireland to the UK in order to access safe abortions.

These are facts. These are real women that have laughed and loved and made mistakes and changed lives, and the Northern Irish and Irish governments and people have failed them.

These women have become emblems of the struggle for abortion rights in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Their stories have gained notoriety, and have taken on the quality of myth or urban legend - shrouded in tragedy, shadow and fear.

Savita and Ann were real women. They were betrayed, their safety cast aside in favour of dogma, not by some intangible source or figure of malintent, but by us and the policies of our country. Every day that we deny the rights of half of our population to govern their own bodies and access safe medical services, more stories like these are written. The Irish people have a long history of holding up women as beacons to represent their country and freedom, and yet we do not trust them with the basic human right of control of their own reproductive choice.

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I've written and rewritten this piece multiple times as I try and control my temper. I try and master my rage and sadness for these women, prevent my grief from pouring out onto the page and making me appear shrill, or hysterical, or some other stupid word used to demean the legitimate outrage of someone who cares for women's individual humanity. I've decided to write what I feel (and what thousands of other people around the world feel as well if you follow the news) and see how it turns out. I can always edit all the swearing out later.

I am an Irish woman, and I grew up with stories of girls who "got the boat to England". I heard whispers about girls who were "acting the tramp" who had to be careful before they ended up buying a ticket. It became a normalised thing for me: if you got pregnant and you had the money, that's how you would fix things. If you got pregnant and you didn't have it, then welcome to motherhood. How can this be the case? How can we continue to treat the women of our country in this way?

As soon as the topic of abortion comes up, people immediately begin to weigh in with their thoughts. People assess the pros and cons, taking personal experience and religious belief into account when discussing the actions of an entire population of women. Women become reduced to vessels in their eyes, not the people that they share their lives and homes with, not their mothers, sisters, friends and partners.

We need to break down this disconnect for the people of Ireland. You love these women. You love the eleven women you send out of your country every day while they pursue a basic human right. You love the women who die in fear and pain because they did not receive the care they needed. You love the women who are forced to raise children that they do not have the mental or financial capacity to take care of because they couldn't see any other choice.

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You know them, and you love them.

I am part of the London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign, and we aim to bring people in London together to campaign for free, safe, legal abortion for every person in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Movements like this are springing up all over the world, as people become more aware of the inhumane laws forced upon Irish and Northern Irish women. We gather in rooms and in halls and we try and help our sisters. We protest and march and talk and write pieces like this. We do everything that we can to make sure that no more women have to suffer. We try and make sure that no more women have to die.

Please, please listen to us. And join us.

If you want to learn more about the campaign or volunteer with us then check out our website or follow us @LdnIrishARC

HuffPost UK is running a month-long project in March called All Women Everywhere, providing a platform to reflect the diverse mix of female experience and voices in Britain today
LONDON  In 2015, ad agency McCann Japan's creative planner Shun Matsuzaka set himself a task he called the "creative genome project": he wanted to create the world's first AI creative director, capable of directing a TV commercial.

And last week, Matsuzaka showed off his creation at the UK advertiser trade body ISBA's annual conference in London.

Here they are:

mccann AI creative director

Matsuzaka and his team in a newly-created division called McCann Millennials first began their project by breaking down a TV commercial into two parts:

The creative brief: The type of brand, the campaign goal, the target audience, and the claim the ad should make.

The elements of the TV ad: Including things such as tone, manner, celebrity, music, context, and the key takeout.

McCann Japan

They then assembled a database of deconstructed ads from all the winners of some of Japan's biggest award shows from the past 10 years  mapping and tagging each of the elements of the ads to help determine what made them successful.

Confectionery giant Mondelez was the first client willing to put the AI creative director to the test.

McCann pitted the robot against human creative director Mitsuru Kuramoto to create an ad for Clorets Mint Tab that conveyed the message: "Instant-effect fresh breath that lasts for 10 minutes."

mccann

The client was asked to fill out a form with all the elements they wanted to appear in the ad. The AI robot then scrambled the database for ideas (humans were required to actually produce the final creative).

The two spots would then be thrown to a nationwide poll, where consumers could vote for which ad they preferred.

See if you can guess which ad was created by a human and which was created by a robot:

Ad Number One:

Ad Number Two:

Answer: The first was created by the AI creative director.

Story continues

Fortunately for McCann's human creative director, his ad narrowly won 54% of the public vote.

However, when the 200-or-so advertising executives at the ISBA Conference were asked which they preferred, they voted for the crazy dog spot, directed by the robot. Clearly those advertising executives were not the target market for this particular campaign, but the experiment appeared to demonstrate just how creative  and funny  AI can be.

Matsuzaka told the audience he has two big predictions: "The future [ad] agency evolution will be based on its algorithms, which are created by humans," and "innovation only happens when the traditional barriers of partnership are broken down."

Next up for Matsuzaka's trusty robotic steed? "Japanese Idol". The McCann Millennials team are now building out a commercial database for the music industry to see if it can create the next pop smash hit.

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The Internet has been key to providing a voice for those who have been ignored by the traditional media streams. While those groups have been able to enjoy free expression and an exchange of ideas. Yet around the world, governments are trying to limit individuals access to the web.

As part of the World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, the reminders are focused on how the web remains a battleground for free speech, as well as a way to rally users in fighting repression of online speech. Reporters Without Borders created this day to also celebrate the work of brave individuals who are promoting free speech and expression on the Internet.

While there are a variety of reasons offered for censorship, in Iran, the web has become a way to track potential opposition and those who are arguing for change. Bloggers have been imprisoned, websites are blocked and access to the global internet is limited to non-existent. The argument has been to block obscene content, since the Iranian government promotes Sharia law, which includes more intense controls over content.

But this work has also had a cooling effect on free speech, as social media sites are blocked or heavily monitored and individuals are arrested based on questionable charges of insulting government officials. State-mandated blocking and filtering programs have become a standard part of the web in Iran.

Irans nationwide Halal Internet is meant to cut off a majority of citizens from the global web and they are attempting to block all foreign sites. As part of this day, Reporters Without Borders updates its Enemies of the Internet and Countries Under Surveillance lists. Countries on the Enemies of the Internet list include all of these countries mark themselves out not just for their capacity to censor news and information online, but also for their almost systematic repression of Internet users. Iran has been on that list since 2006.

There has also been an increase in the number of countries that have used the Internet for surveillance, in addition to censorship. Iran has also employed programs to track the usage of their citizens. Censorship and monitoring programs are being sold to multiple dictatorships, including Syria and Iran, according to Electronic Frontier Foundation. Yet, these capabilities would not be possible without the help of American and EU companies that sell the state-of-the-art programs being used to spy on their citizens.

Source: https://themediaexpress.com/2017/03/11/world-day-against-cyber-censorship/
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP)  The Latest on the diplomatic tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands (all times local):

8:05 p.m.

French centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron "strongly condemns" what he calls provocations from the Turkish government.

Macron has called on France to support its European partners and "reject the Turkish government's abuses." He says that "the European Union must have a united response."

He criticizes "unacceptable comments" by the Turkish authorities that target "European values," and Germany and the Netherlands.

Polls suggest Macron is the front-runner in the country's April-May presidential election.

French authorities allowed Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to hold a rally in the eastern city of Metz.

___

5:50 p.m.

Denmark's prime minister says that's he's asked Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim to postpone a planned visit because of "tensions" between Ankara and the Netherlands.

Danish public broadcaster DR says that Yildirim plans to pay a visit the country on March 20 but Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen announced in a separate statement that such a visit couldn't take place in light of "the current Turkish attack on Holland."

"Under normal circumstances, it would be a pleasure to welcome the Turkish prime minister," Rasmussen said, adding to DR that the Danish government was "very concerned" about political developments in Turkey.

It wasn't immediately clear which date Yildirim's visit would be rescheduled to.

___

5:25 p.m.

French conservative candidate Francois Fillon says France should have banned Turkey's foreign minister from holding a rally in the country.

Fillon, who is running for presidency in the April-May election, wrote in a statement that two of France's closest allies, Germany and The Netherlands, "have been publicly insulted in unspeakable way by Turkish leaders."

Story continues

He accuses Socialist President Francois Hollande of breaking with European solidarity: "it's obvious a common position should have prevailed to handle the Turkish demands."

Fillon says the controversy shows Turkey is moving away from European values a little more every day.

French authorities have said the rally of Turkey's top diplomat Mevlut Cavusoglu in the eastern city of Metz has been authorized in the name of the freedom of assembly and as long as it represents no threat to public order.

___

4:50 p.m.

The leader of Turkey's nationalist party has called on the government to suspend diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party which is allied with the ruling party for the referendum, has accused the Netherlands of becoming a "hostile country."

Bahceli said: "By adopting a disgraceful position, the Netherlands has become a hostile country. Diplomatic ties must be suspended."

___

4:40 p.m.

Turkey's foreign minister is calling for the defense of European values after holding a campaign rally in the eastern French city of Metz amid a diplomatic spat with the Netherlands.

Mevlut Cavusoglu has told The Associated Press that "we need to defend and promote European values, the common values, more than ever, because of the situation now. That is my message (to Europe)."

No incidents have been reported during the gathering in Metz, which has drawn several hundred people.

France's authorities have authorized the rally as long as it represents no threat to public order.

Cavusoglu was in France Sunday to whip up support for controversial constitutional reforms to expand the powers of the Turkish presidency, one day after being blocked from holding a rally in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

The decision has prompted tensions between Turkey and The Netherlands.

___

4:20 p.m.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on international organizations to "raise their voices" against the Netherlands after it escorted a minister out of the country and prevented another one from landing in the country.

In a campaign rally Sunday before a referendum on expanding the powers' of his office, Erdogan also called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands.

Erdogan reiterated that the Netherlands would be "made to pay" for its treatment of its ministers, adding there would be no reconciliation with the NATO ally until then. He didn't elaborate.

___

4 p.m.

Turkey's foreign minister has slammed Dutch authorities a day after he was banned from speaking in the Netherlands.

Mevlut Cavusoglu told hundreds of supporters in the French city of Metz that the Dutch would be asked to "account" for their decision regardless of an apology. He called the Netherlands the "capital of fascism."

Cavusoglu was in Metz campaigning for a set of constitutional reforms that would increase the powers of the Turkish presidency.

The reforms need to be approved by the public in an April 16 vote. Asked if they supported the change, the crowd chanted "yes" with enthusiasm.

Women, men, children draped in Turkish flags broke out into sporadic chants in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

___

3:35 p.m.

France's foreign minister has called for the calming of tensions between some European countries and Turkey.

Jean-Marc Ayrault says that "in such circumstances, it is indispensable to act with a sense of responsibility and avoid unnecessary controversies."

Ayrault called on Turkish authorities to "avoid excesses and provocations."

He justified France's decision to allow Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to hold a rally in the eastern city of Metz, saying there wasn't a threat to public order and no possibility of interference with French politics.

Dutch authorities refused to allow Cavusoglu to land in Rotterdam on Saturday to attend a rally before a Turkish referendum on constitutional reforms to expand presidential powers.

Turkish ministers' plans for campaign rallies have also caused friction with Germany earlier this month.

___

1:20 p.m.

Turkey's top diplomat has drawn more than a hundred people at a campaign gathering in the northern French city of Metz amid a diplomatic spat with the Netherlands.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was in France Sunday to whip up support for controversial constitutional reforms to expand the powers of the Turkish presidency.

Supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted the minister as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz with cheers of "Turkey" and "God is Great."

Turkish officials have been scheduling campaign events for the referendum in several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

Cavusoglu was blocked Saturday from holding a rally in the Dutch city of Rotterdam after the Netherlands withdrew his landing permission.

The diplomatic incident has triggered an exchange of sharp words and tit-for-tat moves between the two NATO allies.

___

1:00 p.m.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he appropriately accused the Dutch government of "Nazism and fascism," saying only those types of regimes would bar foreign ministers from traveling within their countries.

Erdogan also said during a live televised address on Sunday that the Netherlands would "pay the price" for sacrificing its ties with a NATO ally to upcoming elections there.

He also said Turkey would retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands.

Erdogan said: "I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that I was wrong. Nazism is alive in the West."

He thanked France, which allowed Turkey's foreign minister to address Turkish citizens in the city of Metz on Sunday.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says he was forced by threats from Ankara to keep two Turkish ministers from traveling within the Netherlands on Saturday.

___

12:45 p.m.

Turkey's foreign minister warns there "will be repercussions" against the Netherlands and that an "apology was not enough" as tensions continue escalating between the two NATO allies.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu talked with reporters Sunday in Metz, France where he condemned Dutch authorities canceling campaign rallies by himself and another cabinet member.

Noting that Ankara already had barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey, Cavusoglu added: "We have other steps in mind. We've already begun planning them. We will certainly take those steps and more."

Cavusoglu says Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte had "arrogantly" said he could only come to the Netherlands to deliver tulips and tour museums, but not to see Turks living in the country.

The minister also condemned that treatment of Turkish protesters in Rotterdam, saying he would show photographs of dogs being released on them.

___

12:15 p.m.

A French official says the Turkish foreign minister is being allowed to address a rally in the country's eastern city of Metz because the event represents no threat to public order.

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said Sunday that in the absence of such a risk, the rally must be permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu appeared at a midday rally with the local Turkish population that also was expected to draw Turkish expatriates from a nearby region of Germany.

The decision by French authorities to permit Cavusoglu to campaign in the country for a Turkish referendum that would expand the powers of the president contrasts with the position of the Dutch.

The Dutch government refused Saturday to allow Cavusoglu to land in Rotterdam because of objections to his intention to rally for the Turkish referendum.

___

11:15 a.m.

A man has climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate in Istanbul and replaced the Netherlands' flag with the Turkish one.

Television footage shows a man standing on the roof of the building shouting Allahu akbar, Arabic for "God is great."

A small group of men holding Turkish flags are seen outside the consulate shouting "Damn Holland" and "Racist Holland."

The incident occurred Sunday morning amid escalating tensions between the two NATO allies after the Netherlands barred two Turkish ministers for campaigning for an upcoming referendum on Saturday.

Private Dogan news agency reports the consulate later took down Turkey's flag and put the Dutch flag back up.

The man is still unidentified.

___

10:35 a.m.

Police in Rotterdam say they arrested 12 protesters as a demonstration outside the Turkish consulate devolved into rioting.

Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said the arrests were made for violence and public order offenses as Dutch-Turkish protesters pelted police with bottles and rocks early Sunday.

Police responded with batons and a water cannon.

Wessels says seven people were injured in the brief explosion of violence, including a police officer who suffered a broken hand.

The confrontation came at the end of a long standoff in which Dutch authorities refused to allow Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya into her country's consulate in downtown Rotterdam.

A small number of protesters reacted angrily when they heard that Dutch police were driving the minister to the German border.

___

10:20 a.m.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says he was forced to keep two Turkish ministers from traveling within the Netherlands and to bar them from campaigning among Turkish voters because Ankara had threatened sanctions against his government.

Rutte said Sunday, "We can never do business under this kind of blackmail."

The prime minister says he was shocked to see one of the ministers try to get to a Rotterdam rally by car after the government had made clear she was not welcome.

Turkey's minister of family affairs was escorted back to the German border after a long standoff outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Earlier, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights of the plane carrying Turkey's foreign minister.

The ministers planned to urge Turkish expatriates to back the referendum, which would expand the president's powers.

Rutte says: "We drew a red line."
State Holding Hearing On Eversource Rate Increase In Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Eversource is seeking to raise rates by 10 percent.

The company submitted a proposal to the Department of Public Utilities for such an increase and a local public hearing on the manner is scheduled for April 10 at the Berkshire Athenaeum.

The company is seeking to increase revenues by $35.7 million with the increase. Another $60.2 million is sought with increases to NStar customers in eastern Massachusetts, which is achieved through a 7 percent rate increase.

"Eversource's request addresses increases in operating and maintenance costs and capital costs associated with investments in the electric network since the last decision by the DPU approving a general distribution rate increase in 2011," Eversource wrote in an email announcing the hearing.

The state will weigh the proposal and then issue a decision by Nov. 30. The new rates would go into effect on January 1, 2018. It is estimated the average monthly bill in Western Massachusetts would go up by $11.64.

In the application, which includes NStar and Western Massachusetts Electric Co., the company says the increases will help with the undertaking of $400 million in capital investments over the next five year. Those investments, the company writes, are to improve reliability and develop electric vehicle infrastructure and electric storage capabilities.

The Department of Public Utilities has the ultimate say over the rate increase but Attorney General Maura Healey has opposed it. She has filed to be an intervener in the hearings.

In January she wrote, "as a regulated public utility, Eversource is required to justify why the state should permit it to raise electric rates on residents and business customers ... Our initial evaluation shows that Eversource should be returning profits to customers as savings, not raising rates. We urge the DPU to reject Eversource's request for a rate hike."

The DPU will be holding one hearing on the rate increases at 7 p.m. on April 10. Written comments on it may be submitted to the DPU by May 31.
Charter Proposes Broadband Expansion To Hancock, Egremont, Monterey

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Charter Communications has submitted a proposal to roll out broadband to nearly a quarter of the remaining households without high-speed internet access.

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has qualified the proposal and if the six towns - three of which are in the Berkshires - approve will enter negotiations to make it happen. The company would then expand its network and offerings - including cabled, internet, and phone - to 5,000 households.

"This is a strong proposal Charter has put on the table," said MBI Chairman Peter Larkin. "This is a big bite of the apple and at no cost to the communities."

The six towns in this proposal are Egremont, Hancock, Monterey, New Salem, Princeton, and Shutesbury. Larkin says there are 40 communities unserved by high-speed internet and some 40,000 households. But, it may be somewhat dependent on all of the towns sticking together to hit the critical mass to make it happen. MBI is asking the Boards of Selectmen to strongly consider the proposal and issue an approval by March 24.

The broadband expansion has been more than a decade in the making. The MBI rolled out a massive middle mile program, connecting public buildings throughout the underserved and unserved areas to fiber internet . But, completing what is know as the "last mile" has been a stumbling block for years. A number of different models to roll out broadband had been considered.

Gov. Charlie Baker put a temporary halt to the MBI's operations after taking office and restructured the program. The revamped MBI concept then changed to become more of a patchwork rollout with individual towns considering a variety of options. The idea was to move away from a "one size fits all" method to meeting needs and desires of towns.

"In the previous models, there was a commitment on the towns to pick up two-thirds of the cost," Larkin said. "In May last year we determined that was an unworkable proposition."

The state is now incentivizing private companies to rollout internet, in this case close to $5 million is eyed to help this along. The MBI would covering the town's share of a build out. Charter would be required to provide internet service to at least 96 percent of the households in each town. The residents will have the option of purchasing any or all of the offered services.

"For each town, this proposal has numerous benefits, including zero cost to the town, expedited timeline for construction, and broadband connections that are competitive with connected towns throughout Massachusetts," Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Executive Director Tim Connelly.

"If each of the six towns opts-in, that would cover roughly 25 percent of the remaining citizens in the unserved towns, which would mark significant progress toward our goal of closing the digital divide in the Commonwealth. We are pleased to offer these six towns the option of a zero-cost Last Mile solution that will put them directly into the construction pipeline."

The criticism of this method, however, has been that the new program opens the door for companies to provide lower quality services. Larkin, however, said the previous methods of pushing for a fiber to the home infrastructure left few options for towns to actually get it.

"We have this pursuit of a fiber only solution when it is not necessary," Larkin said. "In some ways the perfect has been the enemy of the good."

In this particular proposal, Charter is proposing a hybrid network by using a fiber backbone to the system and then using coaxial to the homes. Larkin says the company will need to provide at least service levels according to the Federal Communication Commission standards for broadband.

"Charter is bring faster speeds. They can meet the needs of the market place," Larkin said, calling the quality of the service as the best going on right now in the market.

The proposal is exactly like the one it had made to expand coverage in Lanesborough, Hinsdale, and West Stockbridge. That has been ongoing and slowly those towns have been coming online and if this latest proposal is approved, Charter would expand its footprint.

"This is a continuation of Berkshire County," Larkin said.

Of note, Charter had completed a merger with Time Warner Cable in recent years.

The MBI has issued a private provider request for proposal in November to ask companies to suggest ways to expand broadband into the unserved areas. Larkin said the Charter proposal was just the first to be qualified but other private providers have submitted proposals for various areas.

The MBI is funded through a $50 million bond bill issued in 2014.
State Senate Republicans are pushing for record funding to support water quality projects across New York.

In the Senate's one-house budget that will be considered this week, Republicans proposed an $8 billion investment in water quality, including a $5 billion clean water bond act that would need to be approved by voters.

The Senate Republicans also endorsed a plan proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to establish a $2 billion clean water infrastructure fund, which they say would be used to complement the bond act.

Other proposals supported by the Senate GOP: A new drinking water quality institute, which would set state standards for unregulated contaminants; establishing the Emerging Contamination Monitoring Act that would adopt the recommendations made by the institute; $300 million for the Environmental Protection Fund; $175 million for the Water Quality Infrastructure Investment Program; $205 million for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and $70 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

"Communities throughout the state are struggling with the growing problems of contaminated water supplies, major infrastructure failures, and other threats that jeopardize public health and constrains the economy," Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said. "The Senate's budget plan takes bold and necessary steps towards providing the resources our state desperately needs to ensure the long-term safety of our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure."

Clean water funding is a major priority for Cuomo and legislative leaders in this year's budget talks. The PFOA contamination in Hoosick Falls drew national attention and led to more of a focus at the state level on water infrastructure needs.

In Cayuga County, the impact of blue-green algae toxins generated concern and led to calls for state action. Cuomo included $2 million in his 2017-18 budget proposal to help Auburn and Owasco upgrade the municipalities' water systems.

State Sen. Tom O'Mara, who chairs the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, said water quality challenges "are here to stay."

"Consequently, these Senate recommendations are clearly among the top priorities in 2017," O'Mara, R-Big Flats, said. "These proposed actions focus on helping localities undertake vital and long overdue water infrastructure projects, including sewer and municipal water line repairs, and fully recognize that drinking water quality concerns and crises regionally, statewide and across the nation have become increasingly acute.

"It's a timely, commonsense budget strategy that makes great environmental, fiscal and economic sense."

Along with the Senate's one-house budget, the state Assembly is also scheduled to consider its budget plan this week. Once the chambers approve the one-house budgets, conference committees will begin negotiating the differences between the proposals.

Cuomo and legislative leaders will hash out an agreement on a final spending plan, which is due to take effect April 1.
Imperial Valley News Center

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Announce 2017 White House Easter Egg Roll

Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are happy to announce initial details for the 139th White House Easter Egg Roll. The Easter Egg Roll will take place Monday, April 17, 2017, on the South Lawn of the White House. Families with children 13 years old and younger are invited to join the President, First Lady, White House staff, and their families for a day of festivities.

The White House Easter Egg Roll is a timeless White House tradition, dating back to 1878 and the presidency of President Rutherford B. Hayes. The President and First Lady are honored to continue the traditions of the past, while weaving new traditions into the fabric of our Nation's history.

White House Easter Egg Roll tickets are free to the public and will be allotted through an online lottery. Tickets are limited and non-transferable.
Imperial Valley News Center

President Trump's First 50 Days of Action: Achieving Results for the American People

Washington, DC - President Trump's First 50 Days of Action: Achieving Results for the American People:

JUMPSTARTING JOB CREATION: President Donald J. Trump is looking out for the American workers who Washington has left behind.

President Trump has worked with the private sector to deliver tens of thousands of new jobs for Americans.

President Trump ordered the United States to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and negotiations.

President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete its construction.

President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to help ensure that new pipeline construction and repair work use materials and equipment from the United States.

CUTTING GOVERNMENT RED TAPE: President Trump has quickly taken steps to get the Government out of the way of job creation.

President Trump directed each agency to establish a Regulatory Reform Task Force to identify costly and unnecessary regulations in need of modification or repeal.

President Trump has required that for every new Federal regulation, two existing regulations be eliminated.

President Trump directed the Department of Commerce to streamline Federal permitting processes for domestic manufacturing and to reduce regulatory burdens on domestic manufacturers.

President Trump signed legislation, House Joint Resolution 38, to prevent the burdensome Stream Protection Rule from causing further harm to the coal industry.

President Trump ordered the review of the Clean Water Rule: Definition of Waters of the United States, known as the WOTUS rule, to evaluate whether it is stifling economic growth or job creation.

REFORMING WASHINGTON: President Trump has taken actions to reform the old Washington way of doing business and to ensure that his entire Administration are working for the American people.

President Trump put in place a hiring freeze for Federal civilian employees to stop the further expansion of an already bloated government.

President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing new ethics commitments for all Executive branch appointees, putting in place a five-year lobbying ban and a permanent ban on lobbying for foreign governments, so that appointees serve the American people instead of their own interests.

PUTTING PATIENT HEALTHCARE FIRST: After years of false promises, rising costs, and shrinking accessibility, President Trump is championing reforms to put patients first.

President Trump has supported efforts by Republicans in Congress to repeal the worst parts of Obamacare and replace them with the American Health Care Act.

President Trump acted on his first day in office to instruct Federal agencies to minimize the burden of Obamacare on Americans.

PRIORITIZING AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trump has taken action to ensure the safety and security of the United States homeland, its borders, and its people.

Under President Trumps leadership, the Department of the Treasury sanctioned 25 entities and individuals involved in Irans ballistic missile program.

President Trump implemented new protections against foreign terrorists entering our country.

President Trump has proposed increasing the militarys budget by $54 billion so that it can begin to rebuild.

As a result of a Presidential Memorandum President Trump signed on January 28, he has received a plan to defeat ISIS designed by the Secretary of Defense and other members of his Cabinet.

President Trump ordered a review of military readiness and made it the policy of the United States to rebuild the United States Armed Forces.

President Trump has negotiated to bring down the price of the F-35, saving millions of dollars.

DELIVERING ON IMMIGRATION REFORM: President Trump has made enforcing the Nations immigration laws a priority of his Administration.

President Trump signed an Executive Order to start work on a southern border wall.

President Trump signed an Executive Order to enhance the public safety of Americans through enforcement of immigration laws.

President Trump signed an Executive Order to halt funding to jurisdictions in the United States that do not comply with Federal immigration rules.

President Trump signed an Executive Order to begin the removal of illegal immigrants who have committed certain crimes.

Following through on President Trumps direction, the Department of Homeland Security will hire 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents and 5,000 border patrol agents.

RESTORING PUBLIC SAFETY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES: President Trump is following through on his promise to restore public safety for all Americans.

President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who engage in crimes against law enforcement officers.

President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a task force, led by the Attorney General, to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across America.

President Trump signed an Executive Order re-focusing the Federal Governments energy and resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations, such as drug cartels.

HELPING WOMEN AND MINORITIES SUCCEED: President Trump knows the country cannot reach its potential unless every American has a chance to prosper.

President Trump signed an Executive Order strengthening and repositioning the Historically Black Colleges and Universities initiatives within the White House to foster better opportunities in higher education.

President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched the United States-Canada Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.

President Trump signed into law the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act to encourage the National Science Foundations entrepreneurial programs to recruit and support women to extend their focus beyond the laboratory and into the commercial world.

President Trump signed into law the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act to encourage women to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), pursue careers in aerospace, and further advance the nation's space science and exploration efforts.

KEEPING HIS PROMISE TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION: President Trump promised a U.S. Supreme Court justice in the mold of late Justice Antonin Scalia selected from his previously announced list of 20 judges
President Donald J. Trump's Meeting with Congressman Elijah Cummings

Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump met with Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) in the Oval Office to discuss rising prescription drug prices. This meeting was a result of a January telephone conversation, during which Congressman Cummings said that he and the President, had more in common than differences.

President Trump expressed his desire to work with Congressman Cummings in a bipartisan fashion to ensure prescription drug prices are more affordable for all Americans, especially those who need lifesaving prescription medications. Reforming the Food and Drug Administration and reducing the regulatory burdens on drug manufacturers so as to enhance competition will help accomplish those goals. President Trump also offered his condolences to Congressman Cummings and his longtime staffer, Katie Malone, who lost six of her children in January in a tragic house fire.
Ten-Year Anniversary of the Disappearance of Robert Levinson

Washington, DC - Thursday, we marked the ten-year anniversary of the disappearance of United States citizen Robert Bob Levinson from Kish Island, Iran. The Trump Administration remains unwavering in our commitment to locate Mr. Levinson and bring him home. We want him back, and we will spare no effort to achieve that goal.

The Levinson family has suffered far too much during the last decade due to the absence of Mr. Levinson, a loving father, brother, husband, grandfather, and friend to many. Each and every day, but especially today, our hearts are with the Levinson family. We will not rest until this case is resolved.

We encourage anyone with information about this case to contact the FBI at http://tips.fbi.gov or email the FBI at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A $5 million reward is available for information that leads to Mr. Levinsons location and safe return. All information provided will be kept confidential, and information can be provided anonymously.
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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has sparked outrage for suggesting transgender women are not real women.

The feminist authors argument stems from the idea trans women have been culturally conditioned to be men from birth until the point they decide to transition. Ngozi Adichie believes their male privilege fundamentally sets their experiences apart from non-transgender women.

Appearing on Channel Four earlier in the week, the Nigerian novelist said: When people talk about, Are trans women women? my feeling is trans women are trans women.

I think the whole problem of gender in the world is about our experiences, she said. Its not about how we wear our hair or whether we have a vagina or a penis.

Its about the way the world treats us, and I think if youve lived in the world as a man with the privileges that the world accords to men and then sort of change gender, its difficult for me to accept that then we can equate your experience with the experience of a woman who has lived from the beginning as a woman and who has not been accorded those privileges that men are.

Although she insisted that she supports transgender peoples existence, she suggested their experiences should not be conflated with womens experiences.

I dont think its a good thing to talk about womens issues being exactly the same as the issues of trans women because I dont think thats true, she said.

The acclaimed writer, who is best known for novel Americanah, was condemned for the remarks on Twitter.

Raquel Willis, a Black queer transgender activist and the communications associate for Transgender Law Center, suggested the author was not in a position to comment on the experiences of trans people as she is not transgender herself.

"I've got all the respect in the world for Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie but trans women ARE women," said another critic.

Ngozi Adichie addressed the remarks at Women of the World festival this weekend and sought to further explain herself.

It was then misunderstood by people who felt I was somehow saying that trans women were not part of feminism or not part of womens issues," she told the audience.

"Its dishonest and I dont believe that we should insist on saying that the person who is born female and has experienced life as a woman has the same experiences of somebody who has transitioned as an adult. I dont think its the same thing. I just dont think it has to be the same thing in order for us to be supportive."

Ngozi Adichie did not immediately respond to request for comment
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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Edgar Wright is back, baby.

It's been four years since his latest directorial feature - if you ignore his abrupt departure from 2015's Ant-Man - and expectations couldn't be higher for one of the UK's most innovative, beloved directors.

The first trailer for Baby Driver has debuted alongside its SXSW premiere, which has already seen the film receive rave reviews and a label as "Gone in 60 Seconds for the La La Land crowd", thanks to its intense mix of car stunts and rollicking musical soundtrack.

Ansel Elgort stars as getaway driver Baby, whose life is constantly accompanied by music blaring through his headphones, in an effort to drown out the constant hum in his head caused by a childhood accident. However, a chance meeting with the girl of his dreams (Lily James), puts Baby in something of a predicament: as he attempts to ditch his criminal life without incurring the wrath of his bosses.

Kevin Spacey stars as the crew's top honcho, alongside Jon Bernthal, Eiza Gonzalez, Jon Hamm, and Jamie Foxx.

Baby Driver hits UK cinemas 16 August.
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Scarlett Johansson has ruthlessly mocked Ivanka Trump on Saturday Night Live.

The actor, who rose to fame for her roles in Girl with a Pearl Earring and Lost in Translation, appeared in a faux perfume advert cuttlingly titled complicit.

Turning heads as she strolled through a glamorous black-tie event, a voiceover introduces the first daughter, saying: "shes beautiful, shes powerful, shes complicit.

"She's a woman who knows what she wants, and knows what she's doing, the advert continues as Johanssons Ivanka poses for the camera.

It then takes aim at Ms Trumps feminist credentials and notes the Presidents slew of controversies could potentially impact his daughters career. "A feminist. A champion. An advocate for women. Like...how?" it asks.

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

"She's loyal. Devoted. Probably should have bounced after that whole Access Hollywood bus thing."

This is, of course, a reference to the Republicans leaked tape from 2005 which surfaced last year in which Mr Trump could be heard bragging about groping and making unwanted advances on women. The billionaire boasted that he was such a star he can grab women by the pussy.

The fake advert then concludes with the mantra: "The fragrance for the woman who could stop all this, but wont."

Unlike Mr Trump who is famed for his inflammatory and off-the-cuff remarks, the presidents second child, who is said to be his favourite, is far more PR-friendly. She was regularly wheeled in during the campaign to make her father more attractive to female voters.



Ms Trump, who is a former executive of the Trump Organisation, has been accused of failing to stand up to her father or hold him to account for his divisive policies or rhetoric.

The first daughter recently came under fire for sharing a photo of her date night with her husband Jared Kushner in the immediate aftermath of the Presidents hard-line immigration ban.

She drew heavy criticism for sharing the posed photo of herself and Mr Kushner, a property developer who is a senior Trump aide, while humanitarian chaos swept across airports around the world, with people accusing her of extreme insensitivity and labelled the photo wildly offensive, inappropriate and tone deaf.
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Thousands of people could be living in floating space colonies orbiting the Earth in 20 years time, according to the head of a project by the British Interplanetary Society (BIS).

And, while life in space might sound unappealing to some, Jerry Stone believe it could actually be healthier than planet Earth, enabling people to live longer and, eventually, grow taller.

Mr Stone, author of the book One Small Step about the moon landings, and other members of the BIS have been updating research carried out in the US in the 1970s into how humans could start living in space in large numbers.

In a speech in Aberdeen as part of British Science Week, Mr Stone will claim humanity is now close to the point where such colonies could be built using material taken from the Moon and asteroids.

Speaking to The Independent, he said the space colonists would initially build and maintain solar panels that would be used to provide power on Earth.

This, he said, was much more efficient than collecting the suns energy on the Earths surface after it has passed through the atmosphere.

But other industries might later move into space to take advantage of the weightlessness and huge supply of energy from the sun.

The colonies would consist of a vast hollow cylinder, which would rotate to provide gravity for the people who would live on the inside.

 Strange messages coming from the stars are probably from aliens, scientists say

Mr Stone said much would depend on private companies developing spacecraft that provided cheap and reliable access to space.

But asked when he thought the first major colony might be created, he said: If we were to say start in 10 years time, we could potentially have this up and finished in 20 years from now, which is pretty amazing, isnt it?

The research in the 1970s was led by Princeton University physicist Professor Gerard ONeill, who asked his students to come up with designs for space colonies.

They decided it would be better for them to float in space, rather than be attached to the Moon, for example.

They came up with a number of designed, calling them Island One, Two and Three.

Recommended Lana Del Rey wants you to join her hipster moon colony in new video

While the project might sound far-fetched, Mr Stone said it could actually have been done 40 years ago.

They [the Princeton team] deliberately restricted the design to the technology of the period, so nobody could say this is very nice, but it depends on this, this and this that hasnt been invented yet, he said.

They could have done all this with 1970s technology. If we were to do this now we could probably to it far more efficiently than back in the 1970s  thats why I started this project at the British Interplanetary Society.

Were not just playing around with it. Some of our group have been working specifically on the Island One design. They have decided that a short cylinder would be better than a sphere.

The BIS teams adapted design has been dubbed Island Zero.

As the gravity is created artificially, this led them to question whether the colonies should have the same level as found at sea level on Earth, 1G.

Do they need to rotate to give 1G? How about 0.9G or 0.8G? That would mean less stress on the structure and less stress on the inhabitants, Mr Stone said.

They would probably live longer. And over longer periods of time, the inhabitants would be taller than those on Earth.

We would need to take that into consideration  youd need taller ceilings.

But also at what point does lower gravity become a problem? The answer to that is nobody knows.

On the International Space Station, people are completely weightless and thats not what we want.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

For most of the time, [the colonists] will be working and living under simulated gravity, which will be much better for them health-wise.

He said the BIS had looked at such plans before.

What makes this different to all the other previous studies by the BIS is they have pretty much been focussed, 99 per cent, on the technology, Mr Stone said.

But when you are building a space settlement, you are also involved in a huge range of topics  such as town planning, housing, offices, administration, parkland and so forth, agriculture  ecology is a huge thing.

Plus theres the political and legal aspects of it. If a consortium is set up to manufacture this settlement, will they actually be allowed to take material from the moon?"

The BIS, which was founded in the 1930s, has also been in touch with the Rothamsted agricultural research centre to discuss the kinds of crops that could be grown in space to feed the people there.

Mr Stone said the potential to harvest solar energy in space was one of the main drivers behind the project.

A number of countries are looking at the possibility of doing that, Mr Stone said.

This would provide a manufacturing base from which you can achieve this.

Power from space is far, far more efficient than generating power on the Earth.

And colonies capable of holding thousands might just be the start of humanitys new life in space.

There are other designs for a ring-shaped colony and the cylinders could be four miles in diameter and 20 miles long, Mr Stone said. They could hold up to 10 million people.

As part of British Science Week, Mr Stone will give a lecture called Colonies in Space at the Belmont Filmhouse in Aberdeen on 14 March and the film Moon starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey will then be shown
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An anti-Isis civilian fighter is crowdfunding so he can return to Syria for the third time.

Steven Kerr, 58, from Northamptonshire, who left his job as a warehouse manager to join Kurdish rebels on the front line, is hoping to go back to Raqqa, the jihadis stronghold in Syria.

The former soldier in the British Army and father of two is one of dozens of Britons to have worked with the YPG, a group of Kurdish rebels supported by international volunteer fighters.

Mr Kerr said that after seeing the atrocities being committed by Isis on the Kurds, he thought with his military background, he might be able to do something to help.

The activist was in the army from 1978 to 1984, but became addicted to drugs and estranged from his family on leaving the military.

In pictures: Isis' weapons factories Show all 11 1 /11 In pictures: Isis' weapons factories In pictures: Isis' weapons factories A mortar round fin manufactured by Isis in Gogjali, Mosul, November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories Isis rocket components discovered in Gogjali, Mosul, Iraq in November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories Isis mortars discovered near Karamlais, Iraq, in November 2016 CAR In pictures: Isis' weapons factories An Isis rocket launch frame in Qaraqosh, November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories A memo from Isis' COSQC on quality control at a manufacturing facility in Gogjali, Mosul, November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories Electrically-operated initiators manufactured by Isis in forces Gogjali, Mosul, November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories Isis mortar tubes at a manufacturing facility in Karamlais, November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories An Isis mortar production facility discovered in Gogjali, Mosul, in November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories An Isis weapons manufacturing facilities near Mosul in November 2016 Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories Stocks of French-manufactured Sorbitol, Latvian potassium nitrate and Lebanese sugar at an Isis weapons factory in Iraq Conflict Armament Research In pictures: Isis' weapons factories A destroyed Isis weapons facility in Qaraqosh, Iraq, November 2016 Conflict Armament Research

Mr Kerr told The Sunday Times he was jailed for nine months after he helped carry out a bank robbery in 2004.

He first went to Syria in 2015, where he was under near-constant fire from snipers as he helped defend villages along the Euraphes that had been recaptured from Isis.

He said: We used to get mortared constantly, every day and night. You hear the thump of the mortar being fired. Then if you count to ten and get past ten, you know the round has gone way overhead.

That first trip came to an end when his counting failed to get past ten one evening in August 2015.

One night we got to nine and then the side of the building caved in. I got shrapnel in my head, eyes and leg.

After coming home to nurse his wounds for two months, Mr Kerr returned to the conflict zone and stayed for six months, returning to the UK again last April.

Mr Kerr said despite the arduousness of the intense physical combat, one of the most difficult challenges he faced was overcoming the intense boredom of doing nothing for long periods of time.

Having to just sit in a village when theres nothing to do, it can grate on you after a while."

Mr Kerr knows eight other British fighters who have given their services to the YPG, whose fighters come from all over the world and include many women, who have formed their own unit, the YPJ.

The YPJ do most of the fighting.They are awesome fighters. Some of those girls, if I saw them running at me, Id s*** myself. Isis hate them. For them to get killed by a woman is a big no-no.

Kimberley Taylor, a 28-year-old from Blackburn, last year became the first and so far the only British woman to join the YPJ.
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt ANKARA/ROTTERDAM (Reuters) - Turkey told the Netherlands on Sunday that it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres. President Tayyip Erdogan had branded its fellow NATO member a "Nazi remnant" and the dispute escalated into a diplomatic incident on Saturday evening, when Turkey's family minister was prevented by police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister. Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd, which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. They carried out charges on horseback, while officers advanced on foot with shields and armoured vans. Less than a day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkey's family minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she was being escorted back to Germany. "The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accepted," she said. The Rotterdam mayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to the German border. Kaya later boarded a private plane from the German town of Cologne to return to Istanbul, mass-circulating newspaper Hurriyet said on Sunday. The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and "the Netherlands could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands." The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte's decision to ban the visits. In a statement issued early on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had told Dutch authorities it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour". Turkey's foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return from leave "for some time". Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action. Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigre Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute. Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders. The Dutch government had banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally on Saturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there anyway, saying Europe must be rid of its "boss-like attitude". Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting in Hamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkish consulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkish citizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from Ankara. "If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want," he added hours before his planned flight to Rotterdam was banned. SANCTIONS THREAT Cavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threats proved decisive for the Netherlands government. It cited public order and security concerns in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and said the threat of sanctions made the search for a reasonable solution impossible. "This decision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way. It does not abide by diplomatic practices," Cavusoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening. Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling second ahead of Wednesday's elections, said in a tweet on Saturday: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!" Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: "This morning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear he was threatening the Netherlands with sanctions and we can never negotiate with the Turks under such threats. So we decided ... in a conference call it was better for him not to come." 'NAZI REMNANTS, FASCISTS' Addressing a rally of supporters, Erdogan retaliated against the decision to prevent the Turkish foreign minister from visiting Rotterdam. "Listen Netherlands, you'll jump once, you'll jump twice, but my people will thwart your game," he said. "You can cancel our foreign minister's flight as much as you want, but let's see how your flights will come to Turkey now." "They don't know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists," he said. Rutte called Erdogan's reference to Nazis and Fascists "a crazy remark". He added: "I understand they're angry but this is of course way out of line". Erdogan chafes at Western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him. He maintains it is clear the West begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a "no" vote in the referendum. Barred from the Netherlands, Cavusoglu arrived in France on Saturday ahead of a planned speech to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. Earlier, an official at the Moselle regional prefecture told Reuters there were currently no plans to prevent the meeting from going ahead. A member of the Union of European Turkish Democrats also said on Saturday via a Facebook post that the Turkish foreign minister would no longer come to Switzerland for a planned event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue. Zurich's security department, which had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglu's appearance, said in a statement on Saturday evening it was relieved the event had been cancelled. (Additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Writing by Ralph Boulton and Daren Butler; Editing by David Clarke and Simon Cameron-Moore)
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Imams could be asked to deliver sermons in English under new measures to tackle extremism.

The Government's counter-extremism taskforce is reportedly working on plans amid concerns preaching in foreign languages encourages divisions within society.

If imams are speaking in another language it makes it far harder to know if radicalisation is taking place," a senior Government source told The Sunday Telegraph.

The plans are said to have been inspired by some Middle Eastern countries which have requested sermons be published online in English.

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 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected 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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fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

Other proposals reportedly include tougher licensing rules for foreign imams. Currently, preachers must be able to speak English before they are granted a visa.

However, imams already in the UK will not face a change in licensing because it could be regarded as a limit on religious freedom, the paper reported.

Last year, former Prime Minister David Cameron called for more imams to speak English to guide them away from Isis's "poisonous rhetoric".

When I was sat in a mosque in Leeds this week one of the young people there said how important it is that imams speak English because if you have got young people, sometimes who speak English themselves but not Urdu and not Arabic, they need someone to guide them away from Isil and their poisonous rhetoric," he said.

In 2007, a survey of 300 mosques found 6 per cent of imams spoke English as a first language.

A Government spokesman said: There are no plans to license Imams or require Imams to have a minimum level of English language proficiency beyond visa requirements already in place."
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Jewish people around the world are marking the holy festival of Purim today by donating to the less fortunate, exchanging gifts and drinking alcohol.

The holiday, which is a day of feasting and rejoicing, commemorates Mordecai and Esther, two of the main characters in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible, who saved the Jewish people from being massacred some 2,500 years ago.

According to the text, Haman, an adviser to King Xerxes I, tried to convince the king to massacre all of the Jews in the Persian empire after Mordecai, who occupied a senior position in court, refused to bow to the king.

Mordecai alerted Xerxes' wife, Queen Esther, who was also Jewish, to the murderous plot, and the king hanged Haman on gallows Haman had himself ordered to be built in anticipation of Mordecai's execution.

In addition to extra prayers, Jewish households and communities eat a celebratory meal, recite the Book of Esther, and dress up in fancy dress and masks. Drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages is also one of the main customs.

Joel Salmon, 22, an active member of the Jewish community in London, told The Independent: The drinking and dressing up is the most visible bit, which makes it a really fun holiday.

On the evening before Purim, Jewish people fast, but then feast on traditional treats, such as the triangular-shaped pastry called Hamantaschen (Haman's ears), during the festival.

Recommended Muslim students send flowers to Jewish organisations and synagogues

During the festivities children often dress up as their favourite characters.

Mr Salmon, said: My brother went to his [Jewish] school as Pablo Escobar- and spent a month growing the moustache specially!

For Jewish people celebrating the festival in the Persian tradition, the holiday is also a time for serious reflection.

According to Mehri Niknam, the director of the Joseph Interfaith Foundation  a non-profit organisation that advocates dialogue between Jewish and Muslim communities  the festival is more about remembering Esthers courage. She said: If Esther had not been such a brave woman, I would not be here today.

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. 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Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. 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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. 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Even though Ms Niknam did not partake in fancy dress, she did mark the day of celebration: We read the book of Esther and went for a picnic, she said. Its an enjoyable time, we celebrated the fact that we survived and that the Jewish people were not wiped from the Persian Empire.
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Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Prize winning activist who narrowly avoided being death after being shot by the Taliban, has revealed that she intends to study at a British university.

She told head teachers at the Association of School and College Lecturers annual conference on Saturday: "I'm in Year 13 and I have my A Level exams coming and I have received a conditional offer which is three As, that is my focus right now."

"I have applied to study PPE so for the next three years I will be studying that."

Ms Yousafzai had said she had also applied to study at Durham, LSE, and Warwick, which all make A*AA offers for PPE.

At Oxford, the standard offer is AAA. Ms Yousafzai did not reveal which college she had applied to, but previously said she had attended an interview at Lady Margaret Hall.

She also told the conference she would be juggling her studies with running the Malala Fund, an international charity which advocates for all girls to have access to 12 years of education.

 Malala Yousafzai on Syria

Speaking about her Oxford interview, Ms Yousafzai said: It was the hardest interview of my life. I just get scared when I think of the interview.

If she does take up an offer from Lady Margaret Hall, she will be following in the footsteps of her hero Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, who graduated from the college in 1977.

Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (Lady Margaret Hall)

Ms Yousafzai has lived in Birmingham since 2012, where she was treated after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban. She will be taking her A-Levels in history, maths, religious studies and geography the private girls school Edgbaston High.

While living under Taliban rule, Yousafzai had written a blog under a pseudonym which featured her thoughts on girls education.

She received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on girls education in 2014.
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A spoof fundraising page set up under the guise of helping pay columnist Katie Hopkins legal fees has raised thousands of pounds for food banks.

The MailOnline journalist was instructed to pay 24,000 to food blogger Jack Monroe for suggesting she approved of vandalising war memorials.

Although the full costs have not yet been assessed, the television personality is set to fork out at least another 300,000 in legal fees.

Recommended Katie Hopkins loses High Court libel case against Jack Monroe

A Just Giving fundraising page expressing false concern for Ms Hopkins' legal difficulties and the risk they may pose to her "glittering career" raised over 5,000 in less than 24 hours following the court's decision.

Organised by the creator of satirical news website The Southend News Network, the page makes clear that the money raised will go to The Trussell Trust, an anti-poverty campaign group that runs 400 food banks across the UK.

The organiser, who wished to remain anonymous because of concerns for their safety, told The Independent the money would help counteract the "bile coming left right and centre" from Ms Hopkins.

The celebrity has previously derided those who rely on food banks, saying in 2015 the Trussell Trust was "not helping huge numbers of needy people. They are giving free food to dependents who have honed their blagging skills from years on the take."

An "optimistic" target of 324,000  the equivalent of Ms Hopkins estimated legal costs  has been set for the fund.

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October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected 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migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

The Just Giving page says: We believe that having to find such an enormous sum of money could jeopardise Katie's glittering career in journalism, and we are not prepared to sit here and watch her disappear from our screens and newspapers!

"Therefore, we hope to raise the full 324,000 as a matter of urgency so that Katie doesn't have to endure any financial hardship as a result of this massive injustice."

The dispute between Ms Hopkins and Ms Monroe started after the TV personality accidentally mistook the food blogger for another person.

She said in a tweet to Ms Monroe: Scrawled on any memorials recently? Vandalised the memory of those who fought for your freedom. Grandma got any more medals?

Ms Hopkins had actually meant to direct the abuse to New Statesman columnist Laurie Penny, who had said she didnt have a problem with seeing graffiti on a memorial to women of the Second World War, which read: F*** Tory scum.

At the time, Ms Monroe offered Ms Hopkins the chance to apologise and give 5,000 to charities to help migrants, or face legal action.

She wrote: Dear @KTHopkins, public apology + 5K to migrant rescue and I wont sue. Itll be cheaper for you and v satisfying for me.

 Katie Hopkins visits Calais Jungle

In the judicial judgement, Mr Justice Warby noted: The case could easily have been resolved at an early stage. There was an open offer to settle for 5,000. It was a reasonable offer.

Instead, he said: Ms Monroe is entitled to fair and reasonable compensation, which I assess at 24,000.
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A proposed hike in national insurance for self-employed people has sparked fierce Conservative infighting amid fears the Government could lose a vote in the Commons over the 145 million tax raid.

Tory MPs are arguing over who is to blame for the budget shambles with the Government facing an embarrassing U-turn on Chancellor Phillip Hammonds pledge to increase national insurance contributions (NICs) for those who work for themselves and earn more than 16,250 a year.

With a working majority of just 17, if Tory rebels join a united opposition, the Government could lose a Commons vote after around 18 Conservative MPs publicly said they oppose the move  which they were reportedly not fully prepared for.

Mr Hammond briefed the Cabinet on the contents of his budget in advance  but insiders say he did not mention the increase in NICS contradicts an election pledge, leaving ministers caught on the hoof during interviews.

Almost 2.5 million self-employed workers will face a rise in their NICs averaging 240 a year, according to the Treasury.

A row erupted because the 2015 Tory manifesto pledged We will not raise VAT, national insurance contributions or income tax.

Guto Bebb, the junior minister for Wales who is also a whip, told BBC Radio Cymru: I believe we should apologise. I will apologise to every voter in Wales that read the Conservative manifesto in the 2015 election.

Mr Hammond was supposedly delivering a safe budget which was not expected to cause outrage  but the increase in NICS generated far worse headlines than MPs were told to expect.

Wednesdays announcement was designed to make the system fairer, according to Mr Hammond, so that the UKs growing army of self-employed will pay the same level of NICs as those who work for companies.

To give the self-employed something in mitigation, the Chancellor is considering extending maternity and paternity leave to the self-employed.

But Tory MPs are concerned the rise in NICs could be seen as an attack on the entrepreneurial class, who have historically been regarded as natural Conservative voters.

Addressing reporters in Brussels this week, Ms May gave the first hint of a possible climbdown when she said: The Chancellor will be speaking, as will his ministers, to MPs, business people and others to listen to the concerns.

Nigel Evans, the joint secretary of the Tory backbench 1922 committee, said: Ive got deep reservations about the bulldozer approach to an issue that is clearly growing  it needs precision engineering.

Theresa May has given Philip Hammond the pause by which he can now reflect again on how to tackle the problem by not punishing our people.

Mr Hammond reportedly put out a 2,000 word memo to MPs and aides detailing how they could defend the budget  but this also failed to mention that it broke a manifesto pledge  something politicians would expect to have advance warning of.

Since the Budget, a host of Tory MPs including Jacob Rees Mogg, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Anna Soubry and Iain Duncan-Smith have echoed Mr Evans reservations.

Ms Trevelyan told Radio 4 she thought the proposal was a mistake on a par with George Osbornes roundly-mocked pasty tax of 2012, which resulted in a U-turn.

MPs will debate the budget, including the proposals on national insurance, on Monday, with Nigel Evans due to meet the Prime Minister to outline backbenchers' concerns on the same day.
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The UK could have taken in up to 100 child refugees a week through fostering agencies were it not for a Home Office veto, a charity leader has claimed.

Andy Elvin, the chief executive of TACT Care, the UKs largest fostering and adoption charity, said officials met with foster agencies as long ago as September 2015 about the potential for carers to provide extra capacity on top of local councils offers of spaces for refugees.

The Home Office never took up the deal, Mr Elvin said. He told The Observer: We were talking to the Department for Education, because they were having meetings with the Home Office, and saying we can offer this fostering capacity now if you want it. They were aware of this throughout, but never engaged with it.

The Home Office responded that housing the children was the responsibility of local authorities, Mr Elvin said. He has previously described the Governments claim that councils lack the capacity to house the 3,000 child refugees designated by the Dubs amendment  its reason for backing down on implementing the plan  as a lie.

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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news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

He added that between September 2015 and June 2016, we offered on numerous occasions to the Home Office the option of contracting directly with us and other fostering agencies, rather than going straight to local authorities.

Mr Elvin told The Observer the UK could accept at least 1,200 refugees a year into foster care, or 100 children a week in an emergency. The idea was that Dubs would be done over a number of years, he said.

A Home Office spokesman said the number of children the Government had decided to accept under the Dubs scheme was in line with available local authority capacity.

The spokesman added: The UKs doors will remain open to all those who need our protection and we are very grateful for the support that local authorities and the public provide to the asylum system.

 Tory MP Pauline Latham says people should 'stop being so sentimental' about child refugees

Earlier this week the Government defeated an attempt to force ministers to take up offers from local councils eager to accept more unaccompanied children fleeing conflicts.

Ministers have been accused of ignoring evidence that town halls are willing to make thousands more places available, with the right funding.

But the bid, led by Conservative backbencher Heidi Allen, to force ministers to properly audit local council capacity, was lost by 287 votes to 267.

Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill said in February that more than 900 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were transferred to the UK from Europe in total last year.

This included more than 750 from France as part of Britains support for the clearance of the Calais jungle.

More than 200 of those children met the criteria for the Dubs route, while the remainder were transferred under an accelerated process based on, but operated outside of, the Dublin Regulation covering family reunion cases.

MPs have warned that closing off resettlement for unaccompanied child refugees under the Dubs scheme will increase the risk of trafficking and exploitation.

In an urgent report, the Home Affairs Select Committee, which is chaired by Yvette Cooper, has said the Governments evidence that re-housing child refugees would act as a pull factor to desperate parents and to people smugglers stands in contrast to the beliefs of charities.

It also claimed some local councils have said they have capacity for as many as 4,000 more lone children.
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Not many people gave Aydin Dikerdem a chance of winning a councillor by-election, standing for the Labour Party at the age of 24 in a notoriously Tory borough. Running for the first time in his life in Wandsworth, South London, Dikerdem expected to compete admirably but lose.

The previous councillor, Labours Sally Ann-Ephson, had been the first ever Labour councillor elected in the Queenstown ward only three years ago, in Battersea, an area that is becoming known as Dubai-on-Thames for the rapid growth of high-rise luxury flats and propertied affluence starting to dominate the area.

Ann-Ephson had been able to rely on a special personal popularity locally, having lived in the area all her life, but she died suddenly last year. As Dikerdem was selected to stand in the by-election, he mobilised his circle of friends and young activists on the Left, and managed to get up to 30 people turning out on cold November nights, knocking on doors of the sprawling Donnington and Patmore council estates.

I cant tell you how much people enjoyed opening their door and seeing three beaming young faces [canvassing], said Dikerdem. In the single twenty-four hours of election day, over 130 people helped campaign in one way or another for Dikerdem, and he ended up securing a 10 per cent swing in Labours favour.

We got double the turnout on some of the estates compared to the general election, he says. That is ridiculous, that shouldnt be happening. He becomes the youngest member of Wandsworth council, and comfortably one of the youngest politicians in London. My mum was more shocked, he says.

A crucial politicising moment for Dikerdem came at the age of 21, in one of his first disillusioning experiences with local government. He travelled back home from university to attend a Wandsworth council meeting for a scheduled debate and vote on the selling off of the playground land of his secondary Elliott School, that was being ear-marked for regeneration. With a big group of former pupils and friends taking time off work to watch in the hall, the council postponed the topic to be discussed in a more politically expedient environment, without the hostile crowd present. I remember just thinking, how is this allowed? How are they getting away with this? he says.

Elliotts land that was sold off to eventually become luxury flats is a place Dikerdem says he cant bear to go back to, but the moment had huge power for the politics of Dikerdem and his friend group. To be now in the town hall, fighting against some of these decisions, thats where the excitement comes in, he says.

The political environment Dikerdem enters could, however, be a great deal more auspicious for a young Labour councillor. Whitehall cuts to funding for local government have seen councils operate as the frontline executors of six years of austerity. Overall spending by local authorities have decreased by 37 per cent since 2010, with further scheduled downsizing to bring an average level of 67 per cent cuts to councils' budgets by 2020. In many councils nationwide, libraries, community centres, Sure Start centres, domestic violence and homelessness services have simply ceased to exist.

Given the size of the cuts, whether Labour or the Conservatives control councils is often tantamount to who gets to rearrange the deck chairs on a sinking municipal ship. Dikerdem predictably feels like he is fighting an uphill struggle in a Tory-held borough that includes Putney, Earlsfield and his ward of Battersea.

There are some times you feel like youre just running against a brick wall, he says. Along with many London politicians, Dikerdem sees the primacy of addressing the housing crisis as crucial to the future of his wards, and the citys, health. And like 3.3 million other millennials in Britain, Dikerdem lives with his parents, moving back in with his mother after university.

As such, he does not see the need to appeal to middle-class voters as antithetical to the goal of solving the housing crisis. There are so many right-wing arguments against the housing crisis, let alone left-wing ones, he says. If everyones spending their wages on rent, it means theres no money going into the economy. It doesnt make sense.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected 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 migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA

Within Dikerdems ward, around 15bn of private investment is committed to the Nine Elms area, which includes the Battersea Power Station, a former British icon of public ownership that a Malaysian consortium now plans to fill with luxury apartments, penthouses and shops. In a borough that has over 1,000 people on the waiting list for social housing, hopes that this injection of new flats into the area will make housing more accessible to struggling constituents are likely to be disappointed.

Most of the first phase of 865 flats in the development were sold to overseas buyers, while seven per cent of the units will be designated as social housing. Less than one in five of the new homes at the power station will be affordable, which is defined as costing 80 per cent of market rates. Given one unbuilt studio flat in the power station sold for close to 1m, even these affordable homes will be out of the reach of many Wandsworth residents.

Those sympathetic to the changes point to the 25,000 permanent jobs and 20,000 construction and engineering jobs that the Nine Elms development aims to bring into the area, for those who are not forced out already. However, there is a perceived knock-on effect to up-market development such as the Nine Elms project, with the land of other estates eyed up by developers.

The Winstanley estate in Battersea that currently houses over 700 people has reportedly been earmarked for demolition and regeneration, with the Doddington estate also thought to be targeted. People arent stupid, they know what the deal is, Dikerdem says. They know that in 10 years time, the council could well be knocking on their door, saying Oh, were going to regenerate round here, and knock it all down.

Dikerdem is about to start a PhD in international relations, but for now, with more council elections later this year, he wants to initiate a takeover of a borough that's historically been one of the safest Conservative strongholds. The Tories have been in power for 30 years or so. Weve got to take this council.
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The Government is not doing its job properly by refusing to plan for the possibility that it cannot reach a trade agreement with the European Union within two years, an influential cross-party group of MPs has said.

The Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, which has been investigating Government preparation for Brexit, warned that there was a real prospect that negotiations could fail and that the current lack of preparation was a dereliction of duty.

The warning, which comes just days before the triggering of Article 50, has echoes of criticisms leveled by the committee at the David Cameron ministry. Mr Camerons government tried to make a virtue of resolutely failing to plan for leaving the EU, with Downing Street repeatedly dismissing the possibility of a Leave vote.

In a report outlining its findings the committee described the upcoming negotiations as short, complex, and challenging. MPs were particularly alarmed at Brexit Secretary David Daviss characterisation of a no deal as an exercise in guesswork.

They said in fact, that issues including the fate of EU and UK nationals living in other countries, legal and regulatory uncertainty, the sudden return of customs controls between the UK and Republic of Ireland, and uncertainty over the UKs participation in EU security policy would all be major issues that would need to be dealt with.

Committee chair and Tory MP Crispin Blunt said: The possibility of no deal is real enough to require the Government to plan how to deal with it. But there is no evidence to indicate that this is receiving the consideration it deserves or that serious contingency planning is underway.

The Government has repeatedly said that it will walk away from a bad final deal. That makes preparing for no deal all the more essential. Such preparation reinforces that stance.

Last year, the Committee described the Governments failure to plan for a Leave vote as an act of gross negligence. This Government must not make a comparable mistake.

The Article 50 negotiations will hopefully be successful. There is a clear shared UK and EU interest in reaching agreement. Mutually assured damage is the alternative. The responsibility on the negotiators is substantial.

But there is a real prospect that negotiations will fail. The Government should therefore require each Department to produce a no deal plan identifying the likely consequences and making proposals, including guidance to individuals and businesses, to mitigate potential risks. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty.

Theresa May said in a speech outlining her Brexit plan earlier this year that no deal would be better than a bad deal. The Government has yet to explain what it would do in the case of no deal, however.

Crispin Blunt, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee (PA)

The UK would likely be forced to revert to World Trade Organisation rule that would see tariff barriers erected around the EU, with which Britain does most of its trade. That possibility has been described by former Chancellor George Osborne as amounting to the single biggest act of protectionism in British history.

Commenting on the report, a Government spokesperson said ministers would prepare for various eventualities.

Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned  forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA  because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty

We enter these negotiations aiming for a positive new partnership with the EU, including a comprehensive agreement on free trade. We are confident we can achieve such an outcome and that it is in the interests of both sides, he said.

However, as the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union has said, a responsible government should prepare for all potential outcomes.

He briefed the Cabinet last month on the need to prepare not just for a negotiated settlement, but for the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached.
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There is not enough time to give MPs a meaningful vote on the Government's final Brexit deal with the European Union, David Davis has said.

The Brexit Secretary on Saturday night instructed MPs to remove House of Lords amendments from the Article 50 Bill, one of which would give MPs a meaningful vote to accept or reject the Brexit deal once it had been negotiated.

The Government says MPs can have a vote but that if they reject the negotiated package there will simply be an automatic hard Brexit on WTO terms without any deal  widely regarded as the worst possible Brexit.

This means that MPs would be effectively unable to reject even a terrible deal obtained by ministers.

Asked on Sunday morning why MPs could not be given a more meaningful vote that could send the Government back to the negotiating table to get a better deal, Mr Davis said time was limited and that he could not risk MPs derailing Brexit.

First thing is, there is a limited time on this. We didnt choose the timetable, its a two year time limit on Article 50. So therell be a limit to what you can do, he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

Secondly, what we cant have is either House of Parliament reversing the decision for the British people. They havent got a veto  what does it mean otherwise?

Im sure therell be vote throughout this process, therell be a vote on the deal we strike, it will be a meaningful vote in the sense that they accept it or not.

Mr Davis said Britain would leave the EU by March 2019  two years after the Government triggers Article 50  though he accepted that there might be some transitional arrangements.

The Article 50 process is timed to take two years; Britain would by default crash out of the union on WTO terms if no deal was made during that time. However, the process can be extended by a unanimous vote of EU member states.

Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned  forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA  because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty

A leaked Treasury document revealed by The Independent this morning warns that crashing out onto WTO tariffs will cause a major economic shock and is worse than any other option.

The unpublished 36-page report states that relying on WTO tariffs would have serious consequences for companies, jobs and food prices.
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Theresa Mays plans to rely on World Trade Organisation tariffs in the case of a hard Brexit will cause a major economic shock and is worse than any other option, according to an unpublished Treasury document leaked to The Independent. Crashing out of the EU without a trade deal is the "alternative to membership with the most negative long-term impact" on the economy, it warns.

Relying on WTO tariffs would have serious consequences for companies, jobs and food prices, it states. The 36-page report uses language far stronger than that employed in the Treasury's published analysis of Brexit's long-term impact on the economy.

Opponents of a hard Brexit claimed the Treasury's view is unchanged from when the document was first drawn up, saying Parliament must be able to reject the damaging WTO option if Brexit talks ended in failure.

In the Commons on Monday, the Government will try to overturn a House of Lords amendment to the bill triggering negotiations, which calls for a meaningful parliamentary vote on the exit deal. Ms May has said that no deal would be better than a bad deal, meaning Britain would have to adopt WTO rules if it left the EU without an agreement.

 Theresa May suffers second defeat in Lords over Brexit

Brexit supporters dismissed the Treasury paper as part of Project Fear, saying any early predictions of an economic crisis had already been discredited by the UKs performance since the referendum.

The document claims that consumers would no longer benefit from the end to mobile phone roaming charges, EU compensation for delayed flights or cancelled holidays, or protections covering purchases in an EU country. It warns that the WTO regime would mean new taxes on British trade  tariffs and duties in the 53 countries with which the EU has free trade agreements. The UKs privileged access to these markets would be terminated, and it would take years to strike trade deals and be difficult to replicate the current terms.

UK agricultural exports to the EU would face new tariffs of 14.4 per cent on average, and non-agricultural goods an average tariff of 4.3 per cent  enough to undermine the competitiveness of some UK businesses, it says. The UK would have less access to the [EU] single market than Pakistan, Rwanda or Yemen.

The EU would trade with the UK on the same terms as it does with countries like China  with no preferential access.

The report describes the WTOs coverage of services, which account for almost 80 per cent of the UK economy, as out of date, based on a set of commitments that are 20 years old. It lacks the ambition the UKs modern economy needs. It argues that, without a trade deal, the EU would have no scope to lower tariff rates for the UK without cutting them for all members of the 164-nation WTO.

After we left the EU, wed need to renegotiate the terms of our WTO membership, the document, drawn up a month before the referendum was held, says. This would trigger bureaucratic negotiations with other WTO members, lasting for months or years This could be a very complex exercise involving a review of every tariff line  over 5,000  to determine what rate the UK wished to apply.

Although Britain could lower tariffs on EU imports to soften the blow of rising prices, it would have to reduce them by the same amount on all imports from WTO members. This would put the UK in a weak position if we wanted to negotiate trade deals to secure more market access for UK exporters  other countries might avoid coming to the table if wed already opened up access to our market.

A spokesperson for the Treasury said: We do not comment on leaked documents. The Treasury pre-referendum analysis is published online.

Open Britain, which campaigns against hard Brexit, seized on the report. Labour MP Wes Streeting, a leading supporter of the group and member of the Commons Treasury Select Committee, said: This report shows the Treasurys own internal view is leaving the EU with no deal would be a disaster for the UK economy. Civil servants have shown that crashing out of the EU on to the WTO would cause a severe economic shock. Ministers should rule out this perilous path for our country.

He added: Having ruled out the best possible deal, which is staying in the single market, our reckless Prime Minister has chosen to make this worst-case scenario a real possibility. Its time to swap dogma for reason and give Parliament the final say over the future of UK-EU relations.

But Richard Tice, co-chair of the Leave Means Leave group, said: "The Treasury has a woeful track record on Brexit and this report is more civil servant scaremongering which does not reflect the practical reality of how we can thrive under WTO. Such negativity damages our negotiating leverage. Ministers should push on with confidence.

If the EU rejected a zero-tariff deal with the UK, he said, the Government should leave the EU without an agreement, relying on WTO rules and striking free trade deals with our global partners.

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

Leaving the single market is an absolute necessity and if that means reverting to WTO rules then that is a perfectly sensible option, he added.

A study by the pro-Brexit group Economists for Free Trade last month found that if the UK removed all import tariffs, gross domestic product would grow by 4 per cent and Treasury receipts by 7.3 per cent.

Professor Patrick Minford, chair of the group, said: While the naysayers will have us believe that the WTO option of no trade deal with the EU will lead to economic decline, the reality is that we do not need any such deal with the EU to achieve prosperity. When we leave the single market, the UK will take up its full membership of the WTO and it is the pursuit of free trade from that point that will deliver economic success.
The director of the Trump administrations Office of Management and Budget, former South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney, sat for a pair of interviews on Sunday morning, in which he questioned the credibility of three of the federal governments most respected non-partisan agencies and twisted himself into verbal knots in explaining how the proposed replacement for the Affordable Care Act currently being considered by Congress would improve the nations health care system.

Mulvaney, appearing on CNN, was asked by host Jake Tapper to comment on the job growth numbers put out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, which showed unemployment shrinking to 4.7 percent even as wages increased and the economy created an estimated 235,000 jobs.

Related: Is the Republican Health Care Bill Headed for a Do-Over?

Tapper pointed out that during the campaign, Trump had repeatedly called the BLS statistics fake and insisted that the real rate of unemployment was actually as high as 40 percent. But on Friday, the White House celebrated the numbers. What changed?

Mulvaney began with some hand-waving about the alternative measure of unemployment known as the U6, which, unlike the more broadly cited U3, accounts for people marginally attached to the workforce and people involuntarily working only part-time.

What I think changed is you start to look at some of the underlying numbers you look at the U6 number, already boring your audience. There are things like U3, U6, what you should really look at is the number of jobs created.

It should be noted here that there was absolutely nothing remarkable in Fridays U6 number. It was well within the range it has occupied since prior to the election.

Related: The GOP Health Plan: A Giant Step in the Wrong Direction or Merely Step One?

Then, Mulvaney accused the BLS, which is staffed by career professionals, of cooking the books during the Obama administration.

We thought for a long time, I did, that the Obama administration was manipulating the number in terms of the number of people in the workforce to make the unemployment rate that percentage rate look smaller than it actually was. We used to tell people back home the only thing you should look at is the number of jobs created.

Story continues

But if there were something magical about the number of jobs created in February, 235,000, Trump certainly wasnt acting like it when the economy added that many jobs or more in multiple months during his presidential campaign.

Mulvaney was forced, in the end, to admit that, despite the administrations change in attitude toward the BLS numbers, there is actually nothing really different about them. The BLS did not change the way they count, I dont think, but you can have a long conversation when youve got a numerator and a denominator how to arrive at a percentage.

Related: Is This Why the GOP Is Having Trouble Selling Its Health Care Plan?

Tapper then asked if President Trump was breaking his campaign promise not to touch Medicaid by supporting the House Republicans American Health Care Act, which would strip hundreds of millions of dollars from the program and repeal the expansion it underwent through the Affordable Care Act.

Just because you spend less money on something doesnt mean it cant get better, Mulvaney said, insisting that improvements in efficiency and increased state-level control would improve the system for those using it.

When Tapper pointed out that the ACHAs changes would result in many million fewer Americans being enrolled in the program, Mulvaney tried to thread the needle by insisting that because people currently covered under the expansion would be allowed to remain -- but new enrollees would not be accepted -- that the bill isnt really reducing anyones access to healthcare.

It doesnt kick anybody off, he said.

Related: The Staggering Cost of Medical Waste in America

In an interview on ABC, Mulvaney took the opportunity to criticize the well-respected Congressional Budget Office in advance of its expected release of an analysis of the ACHAs impact on healthcare markets, expected on Monday.

Asked by host George Stephanopoulos about expert analysts who expect CBO to report that as many as 15 million Americans could lose coverage under ACHA, Mulvaney joined others in the White House, like Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who have challenged the competency of the agency.

We continue to think and have for a long time that CBO is scoring the wrong thing, he said. The congressional budget watchdog, he said, fails to consider the benefits of market competition, which he insisted the ACHA would generate, and also didnt take into account what he predicted as the collapse of Obamacare.

He also took a swipe at the Joint Committee on Taxation, which last week released a report that found the repeal of multiple taxes related to the ACA would greatly benefit the wealthy, and another from the AARP, which found that it would increase costs for seniors by thousands of dollars a year.

Related: Will CBO Deal a Death Blow to the GOP Health Care Plan?

I seriously doubt that any of those analyses take into account the fact that the use of Health Savings Accounts and the lower premiums that come from competition. Look, everybodys got skin in this game. Everybody has an interested party and theyre trying to protect their own.

In fact, Health Savings Accounts, which allow individuals to set aside income tax free to pay for health-related expenses, are being asked to do an awful lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to the purported improvements to that ACHA proponents are promising.

Again addressing the changes to the Medicaid program, Mulvaney insisted, What were doing is making sure that the truly indigent have care. Medicaid is still there. In fact, we think its going to be even better. The people who are just above Medicaid but still have difficulty buying their own premiums will not only have the refundable tax credit but they will have the ability to use HSAs to pay for their health care on a tax-advantaged basis just like you and I get. So I dont understand the criticisms lobbed in that fashion.

Theres a lot to unpack here:

Related: Medicare Could Save Nearly $16 Billion a Year Negotiating Drug Prices

First, the tax credits being offered under the proposed ACHA would provide much, much less money for premium payments than the existing subsidy system under the ACA.

Second, the idea that people on the cusp of qualifying for Medicaid are somehow going to find enough spare income to fund an HSA at the level needed to pay for a decent health insurance policy is laughable on its face. (Not to mention that tax advantaged savings for people with income too low to trigger significant tax liability is not much of a benefit.)

Finally, Mulvaney presents HSAs as though they are something new and innovative when in fact they have been around in their current form since 2003, and in different manifestations since the 1990s. If they were some sort of magic bullet to help the poor pay for care, theyd have solved the health care affordability problem years ago.

The upside to Mulvaneys appearances is that he repeatedly said that the administration views the existing proposal as a framework and is open to improvements offered through the amendment process in Congress.

Given the level of opposition the ACHA is generating on both sides of the aisle, it will need them.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
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The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has warned the leaders of Britains political parties of the threat Russian hacking poses to democracy.

An emergency summit has been called to educate politicians on the cyber-security threat to the next election, after Kremlin spies were accused of carrying out cyber-attacks to tamper with elections in the US and Germany.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of the main political parties to offer advice on how to withstand attacks, The Sunday Times reports.

 Barack Obama: US will act on election hacking by Russia

In the letter, he said: You will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system.

This is not just about the network security of political parties own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on Parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts.

A senior government source told the paper that the GCHQ would help improve the security of personal data sets, including the electoral role and voter identification data.

GCHQ security sources said their chief concerns were that Kremlin-backed hackers could leak internal emails or publish private databases of voters political views.

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 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected 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 migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

Last month, Mr Martin warned that 188 high-level cyber-attacks, many of which threatened national security, had struck Britain in the previous three months.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, a former defence and foreign secretary, also said the NCSC had been blocking potential attacks on Government departments and the public at a rate of around 200 hacks a day.

US intelligence services have accused the Kremlin of breaching Democratic National Committee computers in an attempt to interfere with the presidential to increase Donald Trumps chances of beating Hillary Clinton.

In December, Germanys domestic intelligence agency warned Russia was trying to influence the upcoming federal elections with increasingly aggressive cyber espionage.

Foreign secretary Boris Johnson said Britain had no evidence Russia had interfered in UK politics, but said it was clear Moscow had the capacity to do so.

There is no doubt the Russians have been up to all sorts of dirty tricks in other parts of the world, he told The Andrew Marr Show, such as in the US election and in France.
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Former Conservative MP Louise Mensch has claimed that she has evidence that the founder of the Breitbart news website was murdered by Russian agents.

Andrew Breitbart died of heart failure in 2012, but his passing has been subject to a number of apparently baseless conspiracy theories  including that Vladimir Putin had him killed.

When it was put to Ms Mensch on the BBCs Sunday Politics programme that she had previously entertained such theories in social media posts, she said she believed them.

The former Tory MP however drew a distinction between believing the theories and having reported them as fact.

I said on Twitter, in a tweet I believe that to be the case  about the murder of Andrew Brietbart. I believe it. You said I reported it  those are two completely different things, she said.

Pressed on whether she had any evidence for the belief, she said: I do. Indeed, Ive made no assertion, I said what I believe, there is a difference. I said I believe it, I didnt say that I reported it. If I say so then thats my belief.

Ms Mensch however later went on to downplay the role of evidence in her belief. When it was put to her that journalists should have evidence before holding beliefs, she said: Really? Do you have a faith?

The former politician turned journalist was the MP for Corby from 2010 to 2012; she stood down before her term was up.

Since leaving the House of Commons Ms Mensch has increasingly focused on US politics; she currently resides in New York.

Andrew Breitbart, a right-wing American publisher, founded the Breitbart news website in 2007 but passed away after five years. The outlet quickly gained a reputation for having published misleading or false stories and for dogmatically pushing a far-right agenda.

Trump Inauguration protests around the World Show all 14 1 /14 Trump Inauguration protests around the World Trump Inauguration protests around the World Activists from Greenpeace display a message reading "Mr President, walls divide. Build Bridges!" along the Berlin wall in Berlin on January 20, 2017 to coincide with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United State Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World An activist holds up a sign at the "We Stand United" rally on the eve of US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration outside Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York on January 19, 2017 in New York Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Protesters burn a U.S. flag and a mock flag with pictures of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside the U.S. embassy in metro Manila, Philippines Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Filipino protestors hold placcards during a protest rally in front of the US embassy in Manila, Philippines, 20 January 2017. On the eve of President-elect Donald Trump's inaguration as the 45th president of the United States, Filipinos and Fil-Americans held a protest in front of the US embassy in Manila to denounce the incoming US president. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Hong Kong police officers and security guards look on as an anarchist protester belonging to the Disrupt J20 movement sits after using a heavy duty D-lock and motorcycle lock to chain himself to a railing at the entrance gate to the Consulate General of the United States of America in Hong Kong to protest the inauguration of United States President-elect Donald Trump, Hong Kong, China, 20 January 2017. Two activists were arrested and taken away by Hong Kong police during the demonstration. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A banner is unfurled on London's Tower Bridge, organised by Bridges Not Walls - a partnership between grassroots activists and campaigners working on a range of issues, formed in the wake of Donald Trump's election, which aims to build bridges to a world free from hatred and oppression. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Protesters chain themselves to an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Washington, DC, U.S. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Bridges Not Walls banner dropped from Molenbeek bridge in Brussels, Belgium, 20 January 2017, in an Greenpeace action part of protests Wolrd protest in solidarity with people in the US, the day Donald Trump sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A woman holds an anti-U.S. President-elect Donald Trump placard during a rally in Tokyo, Japan, Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A Palestinian protester holds a placard during a demonstration against the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and against US President-elect Donald Trump, on January 20, 2017, near the settlement of Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Banners on North Bridge in Edinburgh as part of the Bridges Not Walls protest against US President Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Russian artist Vasily Slonov (L) and his assistant carry a life-sized cutout, which is an artwork created by Slonov and titled "Siberian Inauguration", before its presentation on the occasion of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, in a street in Krasnoyarsk, Russia Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A woman holds a banner during a march to thank outgoing President Barack Obama and reject US President-elect Donald Trump before his inauguration at a park in Tokyo, Japan, 20 January 2017. EPA Trump Inauguration protests around the World Palestinian demonstrators protesting this week against a promise by Donald Trump to re-locate the US embassy to Jerusalem Reuters

The far-right website came to global prominence during the 2016 US presidential election for its support for Donald Trump under the executive chairship of Steve Bannon.

Mr Bannon has since been appointed as Mr Trump's top advisor and chief strategist.
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The Conservatives have been accused of dropping a second manifesto pledge in the space of a week after ministers rowed back on plans to build hundreds of thousands of starter homes for first-time buyers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond sparked negative headlines after the Budget on Wednesday when he raised National Insurance for self-employed people, ditching a Conservative manifesto promise not to raise the tax.

But the Government has also now binned David Camerons flagship housing policy of building 200,000 starter homes at 20 per cent below market price, championed by the former Prime Minister just last year.

Despite dozens of announcements about the homes over the last few years, none have yet been build. This week, housing minister Gavin Barwell confirmed in person for the first time that the Government was not pressing ahead with the manifesto commitment to build 200,000 of them.

Mr Barwell said in response to a parliamentary question: Starter homes will form an important part of our programmes to help over 200,000 people become home owners by the end of the Parliament.

The number delivered will depend on what local authorities consider most appropriate to respond to housing need in their area.

The 200,000 starter homes pledge was repeated several times in the Tory manifesto. In one section entitled Helping you buy a home of your own under a heading our commitment to you, the party pledged to build more homes that people can afford, including 200,000 new Starter Homes exclusively for first-time buyers under 40.

Labours shadow housing secretary John Healey criticised the Government for ditching the manifesto pledge.

In their 2015 manifesto, the Conservatives made a clear commitment to build 200,000 starter homes for first-time buyers by 2020, but two years on not a single one has been built, and now the Housing Minister has confirmed to me that the pledge has been dropped, he said.

This broken manifesto promise means fewer affordable homes for first-time buyers when we need many more, and less help for those on ordinary incomes who want a home of their own when the need has never been greater.

After seven years of failure on housing this is a Government that has run out of ideas and has no long-term plan to fix the housing crisis.

In its housing white paper released last month the Government said it was not going ahead with rules that would force councils to make 20 per cent of all developments over a certain size starter homes  one of the key ways ministers hoped to reach the 200,000 target.

Shadow housing minister John Healey has criticised the decision (Getty)

According to the white paper the Government now wants 10 per cent of developments to be what it calls affordable home ownership  a wider category more open to interpretation.

The starter homes policy came in for criticism at its launch after calculations showed prospective buyers would likely have to earn well above the average wage in order to consider purchasing one.

In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent Show all 6 1 /6 In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent London properties A "cosy" flat in an upmarket area of west London is available to rent for a reasonable 520 a month, provided the tenant doesnt mind showering under the bed In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent London properties Located on Castletown Road, the advertisement on Zoopla boasts: "A cosy, single studio located in the heart of Londons fashionable and up-market area of West Kensington, this compact mezzanine includes not only a fully furnished living area including table, chair, wardrobe and chest of draws [sic] but also a personal shower and kitchenette complete with storage" In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent London properties The property is recommended for "students, working professionals and those looking for a thriving London life at an affordable rate" Rightmove In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent London properties A studio flat for rent in Kember Street, north London was advertised for 737-a-month Rightmove In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent London properties The 'well-used' kitchen of a flat in Hoxton, which was on the market for 997 per month Zoopla In pictures: Tiny London flats to rent London properties For only 125 per week you could be the lucky owner of this single studio flat, complete with shower and kitchenette, located between Barons Court and West Kensington Zoopla

In the white paper the Government also partially moved to address this concern by stating that the homes ought to be available to those on salaries of under 80,000, or 90,000 in London.

A DCLG spokesman said: Starter Homes remain an important part of this Governments commitment to getting people onto the housing ladder. We want to make sure the right homes are built in the right places, with councils delivering Starter Homes as part of a mixed package of affordable housing that can respond to local needs.

That includes our extra 1.4bn investment for our Affordable Homes Programme. This takes our total investment to more than 7bn to build around 225,000 affordable homes in this Parliament.
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Brexit negotiators are confident they can dramatically reduce the size of any bill for leaving the EU, according to legal documents circulated in the Department for Exiting the European Union.

It has previously been suggested that the UK might have to pay around 50bn to the EU after Article 50 was triggered, to plug the deficit in its budget the departure will cause.

The document was drawn up by Martin Howe QC, a founding member of Lawyers for Britain, a group of lawyers who campaigned for Britain to leave the EU in last years referendum.

It advises that the demand for payments into the European budget after Britain has left the EU is wholly without merit in law, and that it is hard to see any credible basis upon which the UK could be said to be obliged to pay for the deficit.

Mr Howe believes that a key point of leverage is the UKs funds in the European Investment Bank (EIB). The UK has a 16 per cent share of the 63.3bn capital of the bank, amounting to 10.1bn (8.8bn).

The guidance concludes: Overall the UK should be entitled on exit to a net payment in its favour, corresponding to the value of its capital invested in the EIB.

Theresa May is expected to formally trigger Article 50 this week, after the bill paving the way for Britains departure is due to be debated on Monday.

 I hope Britain will rejoin EU after Brexit, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker says

Jolyon Maugham QC, a barrister who launched a legal challenge last year arguing that Article 50 should be revocable once it is activated, so that the UK would not be forced to accept any Brexit deal, told The Independent he questioned the credibility of Mr Howes advice.

Martin Howe is an odd choice for the Government to be taking advice from, given that he doesnt specialise in any relevant field.

To seek out proper advice, you shouldnt simply go to a lawyer who tells you what you want to hear.

Its not clear that the Government are going to act on this advice, but if it did, it would be a fantastically stupid thing to do.

Its rather telling that the Government keeps pushing this line - that theres being no need to pay the EU any money, that the EU actually owe us money.

We are being prepared for a complete breakdown in negotiations.

A Treasury document leaked to The Independent indicates that Theresa Mays plans to rely on World Trade Organisation tariffs in the case of a hard Brexit will cause a major economic shock

Crashing out of the EU without a trade deal is the alternative to membership with the most negative long-term impact on the economy, it warns.

Relying on World Trade Organisation tariffs would have serious consequences for companies, jobs and food prices, it states. The 36-page report uses language far stronger than that employed in the Treasury's published analysis of Brexit's long-term impact on the economy.
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A Kenyan MP has declared "war" against white landowners in Kenya, as a spate of arson attempts, murders and cattle raids swept the countrys Laikipia province.

Matthew Lempurkel, who represents Laikipia North, told supporters: It is a war - a third world war - against the whites, according to the Sunday Times.

Lempurkel was arrested earlier this month in connection with the murder of a British-Kenyan rancher, Matthew Voorspuy but has since been released on bail.

Mr Voorspuy, a former British Army Officer, was shot dead while riding out to see cottages on his land that had been torched in an arson attack.

An estimated 10,000 nomadic herders driving 135,000 cattle have invaded ranches and wildlife conservancies in Laikipia in the last four months, often killing wildlife kept there.

One of the motivations for the incursion on to privately-owned land in Laikipia is a severe drought, affecting 23 of Kenyas 47 counties.

The Red Cross has estimated 2.7 million people in Kenya are at risk of food insecurity and severe hunger.

Mr Lempurkel told Kenya's Star newspaper: People are struggling over the available water and pasture for their livestock, which is our livelihood.

"In my constituency there are a million hectares owned by 36 settlers. Its very clear, it is white and black, and theres historical injustices."

In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-1.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-4.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-6.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-2.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-3.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-5.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-7.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-8.jpg AP In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-9.jpg Reuters In pictures: Kenya celebrates 50 years of independence kenya-10.jpg Reuters

The Kenya Land Alliance says that more than 65 per cent of arable land in the country is in the hands of only 20 per cent of the population.

However, with presidential elections coming up in August, many have claimed that Lempurkel is stirring up violence against white farmers as part of his bid to hold his seat in elections in August.

Herders leading ranch invasions have reportedly been pictured wearing Lempurkel campaign T-shirts.

The MP says that as long as he is in power there will be no private land in Laikipia and his peoples cattle will never go short of grass.
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The acting president of Brazil has reportedly moved out of his official residence because of ghosts.

Michel Temer, who has been running the country since Dilma Rousseff was impeached last year, told a Brazilian news magazine that he and his family were leaving the Alvorada Palace because they found it spooky.

Mr Temer and his wife Marcela are moving back to the vice-presidential residence of Jaburu Palace where they lived with their seven-year-old son Michelzinho since he was elected Vice-President in 2011.

He told Veja magazine: "I felt something strange there. I wasn't able to sleep right from the first night. The energy wasn't good.

"Marcela felt the same thing. Only Michelzinho, who went running from one end to the other, liked it."

He joked that they had even started to wonder whether there were ghosts in the modernist palace which was inaugurated in 1958.

The 76-year-olds move comes as he is facing mounting pressure as the ongoing corruption scandal facing the Brazilian political elite continues.

The Lava Jato (Car Wash) probe has seen numerous politicians indicted for corruption connected to allegations that the state run oil company, Petrobas, allegedly accepted bribes in return for awarding contracts.

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

Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was detained and questioned for three hours in relation to the inquiry in March 2016. Police said they had evidence he had received kickbacks due to the scheme  a charge Mr Lula has fiercely denied.

Ms Rousseff herself was impeached after the Senate found her guilty of breaking budgetary law as it said she manipulated government figures to mislead people about the true state of the economy. She has denied the allegations saying they were politically motivated.

But she quickly lost support after she moved to protect her predecessor and mentor Mr Lula from prosecution by appointing him as her Chief of Staff and thus making him immune from prosecution.

Mr Temer is himself facing allegations that he benefited from illegal donations when he and Ms Rousseff ran on the same ticket in 2014.
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A commuter charged with kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach cried as he left court.

Michael Lee, 40, allegedly kicked Natasha Rodney twice during an argument in the New York subway during rush hour.

The pair are said to have bumped into each other before Ms Rodney pushed Mr Lee to the floor. The man's lawyer said he was protecting himself from the attack by Ms Rodney, who is due to give birth at the end of this month, the New York Daily News reported.

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

Doctors found Ms Rodney, 28, and her baby were unharmed.

Mr Lee's lawyer, Lance Fletcher, said: "My client is in a position where he is fending off a violent attack from this woman and we dont have a lot of the details here. Who responds to something that way on the subway train?

"I believe ultimately this case is not going to be indicted."

But assistant district attorney Joseph Abrams told Manhattan Supreme Court: "This was a violent attack on a ... pregnant woman on a crowded rush hour subway train."

Mr Lee, who is reportedly married with a young daughter, was released on bail and shared a tearful hug with his brother outside court, the Daily News said.

He will next appear in court on April 26.
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A Canadian woman who murdered her nine-year-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 18 years.

Laura Coward confessed to the second degree murder of Amber Lucius in a Calgary court last month.

A jury heard how she said she was taking the child stargazing following a bitter divorce from the girls father in which he won full custody. She then drove Amber to a remote Alberta location 60 miles north of Calgary, drugged her with sleeping pills and set fire to her car with her daughter inside.

A postmortem found Amber died of a combination of hypothermia, smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Coward was arrested two days after her daughter was reported missing, in August 2014, when she was found by police standing outside the burnt-out SUV, with Amber's body still inside.

The 50-year-old had placed a handwritten note on the outside of the car's driver-side door which read: Help me. It was an accident. Locked keys in.

Justice Scott Brooker sentenced Coward to life in prison on Friday, saying her punishment must reflect society's disgust and outrage.

The judge said it was the ultimate betrayal for Ms Coward to kill her own daughter.

He described the killing as vile, random and senseless and said it appeared Coward did it to get back at her former husband, Duane Lucius.

However Mr Brooker said despite the severity of her crime, Coward deserved credit for pleading guilty to the murder and for appearing to demonstrate remorse.

The court had earlier heard that Coward, who had custody of Amber for the weekend only, gave her a toxic but non-lethal dose of a prescription sleeping medication. She mistakenly thought Amber was dead and filled the truck  while Amber was unconscious inside  with paper and plastic bags before setting it on fire with a propane torch and closing the door.

At her sentencing hearing last week, Coward begged the girls father and her own family and friends to forgive her.

I want to say to the father, my family, friends that Im responsible for my choices and I beg for their forgiveness and I plead for your mercy, she told Mr Brooker.

In pictures: Canada whale-watching boat sinks Show all 5 1 /5 In pictures: Canada whale-watching boat sinks In pictures: Canada whale-watching boat sinks Rescue personnel mounting a search for victims of a capsized whale watching boat park on a wharf in Tofino, British Columbia Reuters In pictures: Canada whale-watching boat sinks A woman pays her condolences from the First St. dock to passengers of a capsized whale watching boat in Tofino AP In pictures: Canada whale-watching boat sinks A candle burns on the First St. Dock in memory of those who lost their lives on a whale watching boat that capsized, in Tofino AP In pictures: Canada whale-watching boat sinks Canadian Coast Guard crew arrive at a dock in Tofino AP In pictures: Canada whale-watching boat sinks Rescue personnel mounting a search for victims of a capsized whale-watching boat park on a wharf in Tofino Reuters

Mr Lucius read a victim impact statement at that hearing saying he would never forgive Coward for the pain she has caused.

Fighting back tears, he said: Since the moment Amber was born, she was the light of my life.

She was energetic, talkative and full of joy. I will never get to watch my daughter grow up, but I know she would have done great in life.

No sentence will do justice for what has happened to Amber. As a father, I have had to bury my child and nothing will bring her back. I can only hope that other children are not being used as bargaining chips in a divorce or used to hurt the other parent.

Amber was my life and I will miss her every day until my end. I will never forget her.

Cowards life sentence was automatic following her confession, but the court was asked to decide how long she had to serve before being eligible for parole.

The Crown was asking for 20 years in custody before Coward could apply for parole, while the defence suggested 10 to 12 years would be sufficient.
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A mother captured the moment her nine-month-old son saw his father for the first time with his new glasses.

The greeting was made all the more special because US Air Force captain Brandon Caldwell was returning from a two-month deployment to Antarctica, and was worried young Reagan might not remember him.

Reagan's mother, Amanda, filmed as her husband sang "patty-cake" with their son, who she told ABC7 was "loving having daddy back home". The family lives in upstate New York.

She added: "This was the hardest deployment yet by far and you can see how hard it was for Brandon to be away from Reagan by the emotion he showed when he finally had him in his arms again."

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Reagan has glasses because he contracted a condition called Group B Strep some time after he was born, and ended up in intensive care with meningitis and sepsis, ABC7 reported.

Ms Caldwell, a former teacher who left the profession to look after her son, said she had been tested for the condition but received no guidance about it.

She said: "I was never told this could make my baby sick after leaving the hospital. I was not told anything about warning signs or symptoms of meningitis and sepsis.

"I want moms to ask questions, do research on it, and if you think there's something going on with your baby take them in to the paediatrician or the emergency room."

But Reagan is making good progress thanks to physical, occupational and speech therapy.
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A senior Republican senator has called on Donald Trump to either provide evidence that Barack Obama wiretapped his offices or else retract the claim.

Mr Trump last weekend accused Mr Obama of electronically eavesdropping on him shortly before the November election. He did so without providing any evidence, and the White House called on Congress to investigate the claim.

The House Intelligence Committee agreed to do so, and asked the White House to provide any evidence of the allegations by Monday. But speaking on CNN, John McCain, said Mr Trump could very easily clear up the matter.

I have no reason to believe that the charge is true, but I also believe that the President of the United States could clear this up in a minute, Mr McCain said.

All he has to do is pick up the phone, call the director of the CIA, director of national intelligence and say, OK, what happened.

He added: The president has one of two choices, either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve.

 Saturday Night Live Alec Baldwin returns as Donald Trump for Independence Day spoof

Mr McCain has long had a difficult relationship with Mr Trump. During the election campaign, Mr Trump claimed that Mr McCain, who served five years as prisoner of war in Vietnam, was only considered a hero because he got caught.

The Arizona senator eventually backed Mr Trump, in a move that seemed measured to ensure he did not alienate the people he needed to reelect him.

Through his spokesman, Mr Obama denied Mr Trumps accusation, as have other current and former national security figures.

Mr McCain also expressed his concern with the mounting questions about the relationships between Russian officials and people tied to the Trump campaign.

Theres a lot of aspects of this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, and so far, I dont think the American people have gotten all the answers, Mr McCain said.

In fact, I think there's a lot more shoes to drop from this centipede.

Mr McCain, who has advocated a hard line against Russia, called into question the failure of the Republican Party to adopt at its 2016 national convention a plank for the provision of defensive weapons to Ukraine following Russias invasion of Crimea.

Why was that taken out of the Republican platform, Mr McCain asked. Clearly, it was not the will of most Republicans.
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) has found itself in the crosshairs of the governor of Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf said IBM had failed to live up to an expensive contract.

The governor's office said in a press release it:

... has filed a lawsuit against IBM for their fraud and failures related to the Unemployment Compensation Modernization System project. The project was awarded to IBM in a fixed-price contract for $109.9 million with a completion date of February 2010. The contract was allowed to lapse in 2013.

All told, Pennsylvania taxpayers paid IBM nearly $170 million for what was supposed to be a comprehensive, integrated, and modern system that it never got, Governor Wolf said. Instead, the Department of Labor and Industry has been forced to continue to support many of its UC program activities through a collection of aging, costly legacy systems, incurring tens of millions of dollars in server, support and maintenance costs.

ALSO READ: 25 Worst Tasting Beers in America

As delays and costs mounted, a July 2013 independent assessment of the IBM project recommended that DLI not continue with the project because of the high risk of failure.

Accordingly, because IBMs benefits system presented unacceptable risks and would be unreliable, DLI allowed the UCMS contract to lapse on its September 28, 2013 expiration date. At that point, the UCMS project was 45 months behind schedule and $60 million over budget.

The administrations suit, filed on behalf of the Department of Labor and Industry, assert claims for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, constructive fraud, and fraudulent concealment.

ALSO READ: 25 Lowest Paying Jobs in America

While it is too early to say whether the case has merit, it is a black eye for IBM, which is particularly sensitive to the public's perception of its place in the world of big technology. It has spent tens of millions of dollars on the features and success of its Watson artificial intelligence services, as a means to show it can compete with tech companies, like Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) that have been more financially successful and enjoy the perception they are at the cutting edge of the industry.

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Donald Trumps eldest child has claimed he has had almost not contact with his father since the New York tycoon entered the White House and ceded control of his expansive business empire to his sons.

Donald Trump Jr, 39, told those gathered at a Republican fundraiser in Dallas, Texas, that he missed the intensity of the election campaign, though he claimed he did not miss politics itself.

Deals are still exciting. But when youre the sort of guy out there every day, 24-7 fighting in this thing - its like a great fight, he said.

As to his dealings with his father, he added: I basically have zero contact with him at this point.

In January, Mr Trump said he was giving complete and total control of his businesses to his sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump.

 Donald Trump Jr: If women can't handle basic workplace harassment teach kindergarten

He did so amid concerns that the New York tycoon did not appear concerned about creating a firewall to prevent a conflict of interests, or the appearance of such.

Despite the establishment of what Mr Trump claimed would be an independent trust from which he would be completely isolated, many felt it did not go far enough. They questioned whether, Mr Trumps position as president would still influence fortunes of his assets.

Also speaking at Saturday's event was Texas senator Ted Cruz, sharing a stage with a member of Mr Trump family for the first time since they clashed bitterly during the Republican primaries.

I saw on TV that [Cruz] had had dinner with my father earlier this week, Mr Trump Jr told the crowd, according to NBC. Now I dont even know if I have to deliver a punch line to that. But it's sort of ironic.

He said he was impressed by the speed with which his father was working.

I'm watching more take place in two months than I saw in two terms before, he said.
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Donald Trumps health secretary has claimed nobody will be worse off financially under the Republicans healthcare plan, despite independent analysis that says millions could suffer.

Republicans last week unveiled proposed legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Mr Trump has thrown his support behind the plan, despite complaints from hardliners that it provides people with too many entitlements.

The independent Kaiser Family Foundation said the bill will offer less help to Americans living in rural areas, the elderly and the poor. The Brookings Institute has projected the Congressional Budget Office will report that up to 15m fewer Americans will be covered under the Republican plan.

But on Sunday, health secretary Tom Price, a doctor who has long expressed a desire to scrap Obamacare, claimed those projections were incorrect.

I firmly believe that nobody will be worse off financially in the process that were going through, understanding that theyll have choices that they can select the kind of coverage that they want for themselves and for their family, not that the government forces them to buy, he told NBC.

So theres cost that needs to come down, and we believe were going to be able to do that through this system. There's coverage thats going to go up.

 Health Secretary points to smaller stack of paper to prove new healthcare bill is better than Obamacare

The Republican plan has for different reasons been criticised by both Democrats and conservative Republicans, with the latter terming it Obamacare-lite.

The American Medical Association, the USs largest group representing doctors, said in a letter to Congress the new plan could hurt certain groups.

While we agree that there are problems with the ACA that must be addressed, we cannot support the AHCA as drafted because of the expected decline in health insurance coverage and the potential harm it would cause to vulnerable patient populations, it said.

The plan, formally called the American Health Care Act, has already advanced through key committees in the House of Representatives. Congressional Republicans and the White House reportedly wish to have it signed into law before Easter.

In the NBC interview, Mr Price described Obamacare as a system that works for government or insurance but not the American people.

We need a system that works for people, the former Georgia congressman said.

I believe, and the president believes firmly, that if you create a system thats accessible for everybody and you provide the financial feasibility for everybody to get coverage, that we have a great opportunity to increase coverage over where we are right now, as opposed to where the line is going right now where people are losing coverage and were going to have fewer individuals covered than we do currently.
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A Republican congressman has sparked outcry after making a seemingly racist comment and retweeting a comment about far-right Dutch politician politician Geert Wilders.

Steve King suggested that immigration involving Muslim children was somehow stopping Americas from being restored

Retweeting a message endorsing the anti-Islamic views of Mr Wilders, a candidate in the Dutch election, Mr King Wrote: Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilisation with somebody elses babies.

Mr Kings own tweet was itself retweeted by former Ku Klux Klan imperial wizard, David Duke.

The 67-year-old Mr King has been representing Iowa in the US House of Representatives in 2003 and is known for comments that are frequently inflammatory.

 Dutch Right Wing Politician Geert Wilders Rails Against Islam and Endorses Trump

During the 2016 election campaign, Mr King, a supporter of Donald Trump, said white people had contributed more to civilisation than any other subgroup.

The post that Mr King retweeted on Sunday showed a image of Mr Wilders plugging a hole in a wall labelled Western Civilization as protesters with beards behind him hold signs that say, Infidels, Know Your Limits and Freedom of Speech Go To Hell.

Mr Wilders, who met last year with Mr King and who travelled to Washington in 2015 at Mr King's invitation to discuss Islam, is among a number of politicians in Europe who have sparked controversy with their views on race and culture.

Last month, he referred to some immigrants from Morocco as scum, while pledging to make the Netherlands ours again.

His Freedom Party has made significant gains in the Netherlands over the past few years.

It is one of many nationalist groups in Europe to have surged. One recent poll suggested his party was currently in second place.
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Clocks have gone forward an hour in the United States, as the country enters Daylight Saving Time (DST).

At 2am on Sunday 12 March the clocks skipped ahead one hour to 3am, as the country left standard time behind. On 26 March, the UK will follow suit, entering British Summer Time, which is one hour ahead of GMT.

The century-old practice (DST turned 100 in 2016) is supposed to redistribute daylight to more useful hours.

The time shift  which will cost first millions of Americans, and then millions of Britons, an hour of sleep  is billed as bringing brighter evenings, meaning no more commuting home in the dark.

But critics say it is an oppressive and disorientating practice designed to better control workers.

Here's everything you need to know:

When was DST introduced and why?

Benjamin Franklin, the American inventor and politician, first suggested the idea in an essay as a way for people to use fewer candles by making the most of early morning light.

In England, William Willet introduced the idea of a British Summer Time in 1907, and spent much of the rest of his life trying to achieve it before dying.

Germany adopted the idea first in 1916 and Britain  which was then fighting the country at the time  followed suit to help the war economy a year later.

In 1918, the US followed Europe's example.

Who has DST?

Almost all countries in Europe now have DST, except for Belarus, Iceland, Georgia and Armenia.

Russia does not use it, even though the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, between mainland Norway and the North Pole, has it - as do Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Israel in the Middle East.

Mongolia switched to DST recently, after re-introducing the idea in 2015.

In Africa, Morocco and the Western Sahara changed their clocks last year, as well as Namibia at the south of the continent.

Most of north America has DST, with the exception of the states of Arizona and Hawaii - although each time zone across the US starts DST at different times.

But most of south America does not, with the exception of parts of southern Brazil.

Big Ben: Behind the clock face Show all 5 1 /5 Big Ben: Behind the clock face Big Ben: Behind the clock face clockreuters.jpg Reuters Big Ben: Behind the clock face clockface.JPG Mimi Mollica Big Ben: Behind the clock face clockbell.jpg Mimi Mollica Big Ben: Behind the clock face clockworkings.jpg Reuters Big Ben: Behind the clock face IanWestworthReuters.jpg Reuters

The south east of Australia does use it, as does New Zealand.

But China does not plan to turn the clocks forward.

Countries sometimes announce just days or weeks ahead that they will take part in the time change, so the list is not exhaustive.

Was it always one hour forwards or back?

No  at points throughout history there have been 30 minute changes, two hour changes and even 20 and 40 minute changes.

Why is DST controversial?

Critics of DST claim darker mornings put children at risk walking to school.

On a more ideological level, some people see controlling time as an act of state oppression.

Pushed as a progressive, civilising tactic, critics have said the introduction of DST was originally linked to imperialism in addition to being part of a push by bosses to get as much labour out of workers as possible.

But fans argue setting the looks forward saves energy, boosts tourism and encourages more people to exercise outdoors.
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The father of a girl in India who was allegedly raped by a Catholic priest falsely claimed he committed the crime daughter in order to save the religious leader from disgrace, according to reports.

Police in Kerala said the biological father of a 17-year-old victim told them he was guilty of raping her last May, but it has since emerged that this was a lie in attempt to protect the reputation of a local priest, NDTV reported.

Robin Vadakkuncheril, bishop of the Mananthavady Diocese in Kerala, was arrested at the end of February on charges of raping the teenager last year, in what has been described as the worst sex scandal in the history of Keralas Catholic establishment.

Following the arrest of Mr Vadakkuncheril, 48, the girls father told the Indian Express: The priest betrayed our family and our faith in the Church. After my daughter delivered the baby, he wanted someone to take responsibility for the birth. How could I find someone for this job?

Finally, I had to falsely state that I was the father of my daughters baby. As a believer, I also wanted to avoid the disgrace falling on the priest and the Church."

The father, a farm labourer, added that when he discovered his claim to have raped his own daughter would lead to years of imprisonment, he decided to report what he said was the truth.

The girl, who recently gave birth to the baby, told police the priest had raped her in the place where the church provided computer lessons.

The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Show all 15 1 /15 The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Angela Merkel - German Chancellor German Chancellor Angela Merkel has retained her number one ranking for topping this years Forbes list for the fifth consecutive year and ten times in total. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Hillary Clinton - Presidential candidate, United States Clinton, who could become the worlds most powerful leader in 2016, has been featured on the list every year since it launched in 2014. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Melinda Gates - Cochair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Melinda Gates has cemented her dominance in philanthropy and global development to the tune of $3.9 billion in giving in 2014 and more than $33 billion in grant payments since she founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with her husband in 2000. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Janet Yellen - Chair, Federal Reserve, Washington, United States Janet Yellen made history in 2014 when she became the first female head of the Federal Reserve. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Marry Barra - CEO of General Motors Mary Barra made history by becoming the first female CEO of General Motors. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Christina Lagarde - Managing director, International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde is entering the last year of her first term heading the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the organisation which serves as economic advisor and backstop for 188 countries. Under Lagarde the IMF has supported efforts to increase female labor force participation as way to reduce poverty and inequality. The UK, Germany, China, France and Korea have endorsed Christine Lagarde for another term as the head of the IMF. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Dilma Rousseff - President, Brazil Dilma Rousseff, who has been elected in 2010, is Brazil's first female president. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Sheryl Sandberg - COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO and author of bestseller Lean In, joined the company in 2008 and became the first woman on its board four years later. Sandberg helped the social network go public and expand digital revenue. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Susan Wojcicki - CEO of Youtube Susan Wojcicki is CEO of YouTube, the worlds most popular digital video platform used by over a billion people across the globe. She oversees YouTube's content and business operations, engineering, and product development. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Michelle Obama - First lady, United States Michelle Obama, the 44th first lady of the United States has focused her attention on issues such as the support of military families, helping working women balance career and family and encouraging national service. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Park Geun-hye - President, South Korea Park Geun-hye is the first female leader of a country that has the highest level of gender inequality in the developed world. In her inauguration speech, she promised to prioritise both national security and economic revitalisation. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Oprah Winfrey - Actress, Director/Producer, Entrepreneur, Personality, Philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, a former queen of daytime TV has proven she can thrive without a talkshow. Her 'The Life You Want' tour sold out stadiums from Newark to Seattle in 2014. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Ginni Rometty - CEO of IBM Ginni Rometty joined IBM in 1981 and later became the first woman to lead the company. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Meg Whitman - CEO of Hewlett-Packard Meg Whitman is the only woman to have headed two large U.S. public companies: eBay and Hewlett-Packard.Until Marissa Mayer's arrival at Yahoo, she was the only female head of a leading Internet-based company. The world's 15 most powerful women in 2015 Indra Nooyi - CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo. Mrs. Nooyi leads one of the worlds largest convenient food and beverage companies, with 2008 annual revenues of more than $43 billion.

Investigating officer Sunil Kumar said police are searching for at least five nuns who allegedly helped the priest cover up the rape and subsequent pregnancy.

The case is one of several in which Indian priests have been accused of abusing minors, indicating that scandals that have convulsed the Catholic Church in the United States, Europe and Latin America have not spared Asia.

In 2011, the Asian bishops' conference convened a special meeting on abuse and warned that drastic and immediate measures were needed to deal with the issue.
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The Australian government wants to ban unvaccinated children from nursery schools across the country.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has written to state and territory leaders to push for nationally consistent laws to protect young children from disease.

Under his new proposal, the immunisation rates of all preschools and daycare centres would be made publicly available to parents, and the right to make a formal objection to vaccination would end.

Mr Turnbull said in the letter that he will take the policy to the next Council of Australian Governments (Coag) meeting.

He writes: At our next Coag meeting I propose we agree that all jurisdictions implement legislation that excludes children who are not vaccinated from attending childcare or preschool, unless they have a medical exemption.

Vaccination objection is not a valid exemption. We must give parents the confidence that their children will be safe when they attend childcare and preschool.

Parents must understand that if their child is not vaccinated they will be refused attendance or enrolment.

Mr Turnbull told News Corp: If you dont vaccinate your child you are not just putting their own life at risk but you are putting everyone elses children at risk.

The federal health minister, Greg Hunt, said the governments no jab, no pay policy of withholding family payments to parents of unvaccinated children was being supplemented by an equally tough policy of no jab, no play.

We want to work with all of the states and Im very confident that theyll come on board, he told the Seven Network. Ultimately its about protecting kids against horrendous illnesses that are agonising and potentially in some cases tragic.

Senior Labour MP Mark Butler said the opposition was willing to sit down and talk constructively with the government on the issue.

The AMA says that, next to clean water, this is probably the most important public health measure that a country can have, Mr Butler told ABC television. Weve said that we think there is also some need for consideration of a public advertising campaign at a national level, just to reinforce that public health message that the AMA is talking about.

Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination Show all 8 1 /8 Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination A hospitalised child suffering from polio shows off his biceps to a doctor in 1947 Getty Images Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination Children being given an oral vaccine for polio, known then as infantile paralysis, in Hull during the 1961 epidemic Rex Features Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination A boy suffering from polio being treated with a type of 'iron lung' in hospital. A nurse operates the equipment at the end of the bed which controls the flow of air pressure Getty Images Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination A woman sees her new born baby whilst lying inside an iron lung as part of her treatment for Polio Getty Images Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination Polio victim Margaret Dixon watching the opening matches of the 1957 Wimbledon championships from her invalid chair Rex Features Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination Young children polio patients doing physiotherapy exercises wearing calipers against their outside beds at Wingfield Nuffield Orthopaedic hospital in Oxfordshire Rex Features Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination A five year old polio victim walks into the outstretched arms of Doctor George Deaver, faculty member of the New York University College of Medicine, during a demonstration at the Institute of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine Getty Images Polio: iron lungs, leg braces and vaccination 6 May 1956: First injections for children against polio at the Hendon clinic Getty Images

The policy to increase vaccination rates was proposed after a public debate sparked by the leader of the right-wing, nationalist One Nation party.

Pauline Hanson was forced to apologise after she was criticised by the Australian Medical Association and others for suggesting vaccines were not safe and incorrectly claiming that parents could conduct their own tests to evaluate vaccination safety.

She told the ABCs Insiders programme that successive governments had blackmailed people into having their children vaccinated because Australia has a policy of withholding childcare fee rebates and welfare payments from parents who do not have their children fully immunised.

Mr Turnbull had attacked Ms Hansons comments, which came a week before the Western Australian state election.

Her comments were denounced by both the Coalition and Labour, with Mr Hunt saying: The clear and categorical advice from experts including the chief medical officer, based on decades of research and evidence, is that vaccinations save lives.

Additional reporting by Australian Associated Press
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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the Netherlands will "pay the price" for its "shameless" treatment of its family minister.

"They will certainly pay the price, and also learn what diplomacy is. We will teach them international diplomacy," Mr Erdogan said in a speech at an awards ceremony in Istanbul.

He said he appropriately accused the Dutch government of "Nazism and fascism," saying only those types of regimes would bar foreign ministers from travelling within their countries.

"I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that I was wrong," he added. "Nazism is alive in the West."

The row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands and Germany has escalated in recent days, with Mr Erdogan labelling the Netherlands a "Nazi remnant" after it prevented Turkish politicians from holding rallies.

The Dutch government first barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying into Rotterdam and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her back to Germany.

Dutch police used dogs sand water cannons to disperse hundreds of protesters gathering outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons while others threw bottles and stones, a witness told Reuters.

Mr Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil.

Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute.

Mr Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his new powers.

But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders.
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Turkey has told the Netherlands it will retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had branded the fellow Nato member a "Nazi remnant" and the dispute escalated into a diplomatic incident on Saturday evening, when Turkey's family minister was prevented by police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister.

Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd, which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. They carried out charges on horseback, while officers advanced on foot with shields and armoured vans.

Less than a day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkey's family minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she was being escorted back to Germany.

"The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accepted," she said. The Rotterdam mayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to the German border.

Kaya later boarded a private plane from the German town of Cologne to return to Istanbul, mass-circulating newspaper Hurriyet said on Sunday.

The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and "the Netherlands could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands."

The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte's decision to ban the visits.

In a statement issued early on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had told Dutch authorities it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour".

Turkey's foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return from leave "for some time". Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action.

Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigre Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute.

Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders.

The Dutch government had banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally on Saturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there anyway, saying Europe must be rid of its "boss-like attitude".

Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting in Hamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkish consulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkish citizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from Ankara.

"If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want," he added hours before his planned flight to Rotterdam was banned.

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. 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Cavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threats proved decisive for the Netherlands government.

It cited public order and security concerns in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and said the threat of sanctions made the search for a reasonable solution impossible.

"This decision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way. It does not abide by diplomatic practices," Cavusoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening.

Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling second ahead of Wednesday's elections, said in a tweet on Saturday: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!"

Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: "This morning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear he was threatening the Netherlands with sanctions and we can never negotiate with the Turks under such threats. So we decided ... in a conference call it was better for him not to come."

Addressing a rally of supporters, Erdogan retaliated against the decision to prevent the Turkish foreign minister from visiting Rotterdam.

"Listen Netherlands, you'll jump once, you'll jump twice, but my people will thwart your game," he said. "You can cancel our foreign minister's flight as much as you want, but let's see how your flights will come to Turkey now."

"They don't know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists," he said.

Rutte called Erdogan's reference to Nazis and Fascists "a crazy remark". He added: "I understand they're angry but this is of course way out of line".

Erdogan chafes at Western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him.

He maintains it is clear the West begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a "no" vote in the referendum.

Barred from the Netherlands, Cavusoglu arrived in France on Saturday ahead of a planned speech to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. Earlier, an official at the Moselle regional prefecture told Reuters there were currently no plans to prevent the meeting from going ahead.

A member of the Union of European Turkish Democrats also said on Saturday via a Facebook post that the Turkish foreign minister would no longer come to Switzerland for a planned event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue.

Zurich's security department, which had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglu's appearance, said in a statement on Saturday evening it was relieved the event had been cancelled.

Reuters
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Riot police using mounted charges and water cannons to disperse protestors in Rotterdam; a Turkish minister expelled after trying to enter her countrys consulate in the city; Ankara expressing outrage and threatening severe retaliation. The diplomatic crisis between the Netherlands and the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which has blown up so suddenly continues to escalate swiftly.

There is no sign at present of the situation defusing. In Ankara, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim reiterated that strong countermeasures will be taken. The homes of the Dutch ambassador and senior diplomats were sealed off in what was described as security measures.

In the Hague, the Netherlands Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, condemned Turkeys behaviour as bizarre, irresponsible and unacceptable.

The current confrontation started with the refusal of the Dutch government to allow Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, to come to the country in order to address a campaign rally in support of President Erdogan in Turkeys referendum next month.

However, the Turkish family affairs minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, arrived unannounced, to be detained and then expelled amid recriminations and accusations.

The referendum in question is about concentrating sweeping new powers into the hands of Mr Erdogan, a process which started in the aftermath of last years attempted coup. The opposition is effectively hamstrung with MPs, journalists and activists among those detained.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the largest opposition party CHP, complained: This is definitely not going to be a fair referendum. We know that the pro-Erdogan media will have a broadcasting policy that completely ignores the opposition. It will be presented as if we are running against the state, he warned.

But the outcome remains uncertain and the Presidents camp claim there is a concerted campaign to attempt to deny him victory with a foreign hand playing a part  a supposed threat which has been much discussed attempt to seize power by, allegedly, the followers of Fethullah Gulen, the exiled cleric living in the US.

There are 5.5 million Turks living outside the country and the President needs their vote to make sure he wins. However, attempts by his supporters to hold rallies have been blocked by the authorities in some western European countries, mainly citing security reasons.

This has led to Mr Erdogan accusing Germany of reverting to fascism and the Dutch to Nazi remnants. The foreign minister, Mr Cavusoglu, speaking in Hamburg last week, held the German government was applying systematic unacceptable pressure on our citizens.

He was speaking at the home of the consul-general after a rally on the referendum was blocked from its original venue by the authorities.

Today, in response to the Dutch measures he declared: What steps they take, we will take ten times more action. We are not afraid of this, but their doings are really inhuman.

Turkey is not the only party in this impasse to be guided to a large extent by domestic political considerations. Elections are due to take place in the Netherlands, France and Germany, in which nationalist parties are expected to do well, and taking a tough stance against Muslim Turkey may be regarded by governments to be strategically advantageous in trying to stem the right-wing advance.

Mr Rutter has noticeably hardened his language about immigrants and refugees with elections due there on Wednesday.

The far-right leader Geert Wilders, whose campaign has been flagging, has seized on what has happened. The Netherlands can see that these people are Turks, not Dutch he said. They have Dutch passports but they do not belong here.

The mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb, held a press conference in the early hours of this morning to stress that Ms Sayan Kaya has been asked to leave the country after the Turkish consul-general gave him false assurance that the minister would not be going to the consulate.

He lied flat out. He called on people to come to the consulate where the minister would be giving a speech, he stated.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. 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Mr Aboutaleb, a Muslim, and a member of the Labour Party, has been the mayor of the city since 2009 and had served previously in the government as the secretary of state for social affairs.

What has been raised in the standoff between Turkey and the Netherlands gives a glimpse of the pressures inclusive Western liberal democracy faces in these febrile political times in which race and religion have become issues to be exploited.
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Jordan has released a soldier after serving 20 years for the massacre of seven Israeli schoolgirls during a class trip in 1997.

Ahmed Daqamseh gunned down the children, who were aged 13 and 14, while they were visiting the scenic Island of Peace close to the Jordanian border. In the attack he also wounded seven others.

He has never shown any remorse for his actions and said during his trial he had killed them because they disturbed and mocked him as he prayed.

A court later ruled the Jordanian soldier suffered from anti-social personality disorder, sparing him from the death penalty and sentencing him to life in prison instead.

The Associated Press reported that Daqamseh arrived in his home village of Ibdir in northern Jordan on Friday and told reporters that Israelis are "human garbage". Amateur footage posted online showing him surrounded by singing and dancing men, some kissing him on the cheek.

In Jordan, a life tariff is set at 25 years, but officials announced plans to release the notorious killer several days ago.

The girls were from the town of Beit Shemesh in central Israel.

The attack sparked outrage around the world and came three years after Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty.

Yisrael Fatihi, whose 13-year-old daughter Sivan was killed in the attack, told Israel Radio on Sunday that he had been informed by the Israeli embassy in Jordan last week that Daqamseh's release was imminent.

It is unfortunate, but this is the situation, Mr Fatihi said.

His wife, Nurit, told The Associated Press her daughter was a very happy child who took everything easily. She said she misses her laughter, her smile, her joy of life.

Despite the murder, we are for peace, she said.

After the shooting, Jordan's King Hussein  the late father of current king, Abdullah II  rushed to Israel to pay condolence visits to the girls' families, a gesture that touched many Israelis at the time.

Mr Fatihi recalled the kings visit, saying he and his family had been sitting on the floor in mourning at the time and that the monarch knelt down next to them.

A majority of Jordanian politicians lobbied for Daqamsehs early release, with 110 out of 150 of the country's MPs signing a petition on his behalf in 2013.

In 2011, then-Jordanian Justice Minister Hussein Mjali caused outrage when he called for Daqamsehs early release, proclaiming him a hero who does not deserve prison. If a Jewish person killed Arabs, his country would have built a statue for him instead of imprisonment.

Daqamseh has repeatedly denied committing any crime and said that he should be freed from prison because he had simply fulfilled his national and religious duty by killing the children. He is regarded as a hero by some Jordanians, who oppose their government's co-operation with Israel.

The Associated Press contributed to this article
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Iraqi forces have retaken around 30 per cent of west Mosul from Isis, a commander of the elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) has said.

Isis fighters are now trapped in Mosul as Iraqi forces cut off the last road out of the city, the US envoy to the anti-Isis coalition said. "Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there."

The jihadists are vastly outnumbered and outgunned by Iraqi forces, backed by a US-coalition, and are defending their last major stronghold in Iraq using suicide car bombs, snipers and mortars.

However, fight is expected to become tougher as soldiers push into the Bab al-Tob area of the Old City, due to narrow alleyways through which armoured vehicles cannot pass.

As many as 600,000 civilians are trapped with the militants inside the city which Iraqi forces have effectively sealed off from the rest of the territory Isis controls in Syria and Iraq.

 Iraqi forces launch push to retake western Mosul from IS

Major General Maan al-Saadi said the militants were showing signs of weakness despite their initial "fierce" resistance.

"The enemy has lost its fighting power and its resolve has weakened. It has begun to lose command and control," he said, adding that around 17 out of 40 western districts had been retaken.

Mr Saadi said he expected it would take less time to recapture the western half of the city than the east, which was cleared in January after 100 days of fighting.

Isis released dozens of prisoners held in jails in a sign the militants are being overwhelmed by the Iraqi offensive, launched three weeks ago.

Among those released were people who had been caught selling cigarettes, violating a smoking ban, or in possession of a mobile phone and therefore suspected of communicating with the outside world, local residents said.

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

It came as remains of hundreds of mainly Shia prison inmates killed by Isis were unearthed by forces retaking the Badush area.

"Initial checks of part of the mass grave revealed remains with prison uniforms and lined up in a way that indicates they were shot dead in groups," said Karim Nouri, spokesman for the Hashid Shaabi, a state-run umbrella for Shia paramilitary groups.

Human Rights Watch said in a report that as many as 600 people were killed in the Badush prison massacre, which took place on the same day Isis militants captured Mosul in June 2014.

More than 65,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in the past two weeks alone, bringing the total number to more than 200,000 since the campaign to recapture Mosul began, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

It is by far the largest city Isis has held since the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, proclaimed a caliphate spanning Iraq and Syria from a mosque in Mosul in the summer of 2014.

The group has been losing ground in both countries to an array of forces, some of which are backed by the United States, others by Turkey, Russia and Iran.

Losing Mosul would be a major blow to Isis, but the group is expected to pose a continuing threat, reverting to insurgent tactics such as bombings.

Additional reporting by agencies
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As the Syrian civil war enters its sixth year of bloodshed, thousands of children are losing their parents, their education and their homes.

Many remember nothing before the brutal conflict, which is leaving invisible scars on those fleeing fighting, bombardment and the atrocities committed by Isis.

A study by Save the Children warns that the situation was at a tipping point for mental health, with drastic intervention needed to help the youngest and most vulnerable Syrians who will be charged with rebuilding the country.

Even those who have fled to safety with their families as refugees are suffering toxic stress, which has a life-long impact on mental and physical health.

These are the stories of six children battling to recover from their trauma.

Mohammed, eight

I am afraid by the war in Syria. It frightens me a lot to think about men surrounding me and pointing their weapons at me.

 Save the Children presents Mohammed's story of fleeing the Syrian conflict

When Mohammed was five, his father was killed by a sniper. He and his siblings saw the body in their local mosque but as his sister became hysterical, Mohammed showed no reaction.

The trauma became apparent as he became very introverted, developed a stammer, and started bed-wetting.

Since fleeing to Turkey, Mohammed has displayed aggressive and sadistic behaviour towards animals and people, including attacking his brother and mother and killing a kitten by throwing it from a building.

The eight-year-old now lives at a residential centre for children in Turkey, near the Syrian border.

Ahmed, nine

I dont like the planes, or the shells, or bombs, or mines. Some of them are underground, so you might be walking along and the mine explodes and then you die.

 Save the Children presents Ahmed's story of fleeing the Syrian conflict

Ahmeds father died during shelling when he was seven and the corpse was brought back to the family's home.

He and his sisters didnt talk for several days after seeing it, later moving to another village but being forced to flee after heavy bombardment.

During one attack, Ahmed became separated from his mother and one of his sisters. While they crossed into Turkey, Ahmed and his sister ended up following a relative to Isis de-facto capital of Raqqa.

The little boy was forced to watch the groups beheadings, seeing dead bodies, heads on spikes, lashing and several other brutality in the streets.

When he was reunited with his mother in Turkey he was stammering so badly that she had difficulty understanding him.

He was wetting himself, had trouble sleeping, and would lash out at his family - beating his sisters and even his mother.

After almost one year living in a residential centre for mothers and children in Turkey, his mental health has improved.

Razan, seven

I like to be alone, to be able to go out and no one kidnaps me. And for there to be no fighters or anything, and no bombing.

 Save the Children presents Razan's story of fleeing the Syrian conflict

When the war broke out, she had one brother and six sisters, including her favourite  Aya.

The two small girls were adored by their father, who took them for rides on his motorbike and showered them with gifts but one year into the war, he was killed by a sniper.

After seeing his corpse at the mosque, Razan stopped speaking and became very withdrawn.

Her family fled their home following bombardment, only to be displaced more than ten times in the same city.

Eventually, they ended up staying with relatives in a village but one day, the house they were staying in was bombed.

In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: Children play underground in Syria In pictures: Children play underground in Syria A child plays in the ball pit at the 'Land of Childhood,' an underground playground in a besieged town in Syria Unicef In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Abdulaziz, 10, plays in the 'Land of Childhood' underground playground in Syria Unicef In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Boys look through a show window inside the tunnel that provides a safe passage for children between the two basements that form the 'Land of Childhood' in a besieged town in Syria Unicef In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Children play at the underground 'Land of Childhood' in a besieged town in Syria Unicef In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Two girls play at the 'Land of Childhood' underground playground in a besieged town in Syria Unicef In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Children on the ride on a ferris wheel at the 'Land of Childhood', an underground playground in a besieged town in Syria Unicef In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Seven-year-old Massa at the "Land of Childhood" underground playground in a besieged town in Syria Unicef In pictures: Children play underground in Syria Children wait in line to buy sweets at the 'Land of Childhood,' an underground playground in a besieged town in Syria Unicef

Razan was pulled from the wreckage alive but her mother and younger sister didnt survive, and she witnessed horrific scenes of corpses and body parts in the local hospital.

She had shown signs of children after her fathers death she showed signs of trauma, becoming terrified of blood and panicking when she saw people crying.

Then after losing her mother and sister, Razan became aggressive towards her eldest sister who was caring for her, started bed-wetting, hallucinating and began to have trouble differentiating between fact and fiction.

She now lives at a residential centre for children in Turkey, near the Syrian border.

Hassan, nine

I dream of a big bird, bigger than me: that I can ride it and fly away. I dream that I can fly, fly fast away into the sky.

 Save the Children presents Hassan's story of fleeing the Syrian conflict

When he was six, fighters stormed his house and shot his father dead at point blank range as the terrified boy was hanging onto his leg.

His family fled to a village but in a horrific accident that winter, his mother and sister caught fire in front of him while attempting to fill a stove.

Hassans sister died within hours but his mother survived, suffering such serious burns that he was unable recognise her for some time afterwards.

They took eight months to leave Syria, now living in Turkey, but Hassan has become introverted and occasionally violent.

Nesreen, nine

When Syria didnt have any planes, it was a beautiful place. But as soon as the aeroplanes came, they destroyed Syria, and turned it into rubble.

 Save the Children presents Nesreen's story of fleeing the Syrian conflict

She and her family fled from the rebel stronghold of Idlib to Turkey at the end of last year, having witnessed people killed in government and Russian air strikes

The bombardment felt continuous and the children were unable to sleep. Many of their friends and cousins died in explosions.

During their journey to Turkey, they were shot at and a four-year-old child whose family they were travelling with was hit in the head, dying in front of them in his fathers arms.

Nesreen and her siblings have already shown signs of psychological recovery in Turkey.

Abbas, seven

 Save the Children presents Adira's story of fleeing the Syrian conflict

Abbas and his five-year-old sister Aya arrived in Turkey last year with their parents.

He suffers from cerebral atrophy and violent epileptic seizures, leaving him unable to walk or talk and requiring round the clock care.

The family originally fled their home in Palmyra when Isis invaded in 2015.

Abbas mother, Adira, wanted to travel to a nearby city so she could continue working as a teacher, and her son could get the healthcare he needed but they could not get past Isis checkpoints and headed towards Jordan instead.

A suicide bomber hit the border camp they lived in four months later, forcing them to travel to Turkey in a journey that took 21 days.

Save the Children is helping the family register for temporary protection in Turkey so the children can access health and education services.
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Ivanka Trumps products werent always the hottest items online.

In January, for instance, the first daughters fashion line ranked No. 550 based on the number of orders from Lyst, the biggest fashion e-commerce website in the world, according to Forbes.

That changed dramatically the following month.

Sales of Trumps products skyrocketed in early February, making her Lysts 11th most popular brand. The biggest spike, according to Lyst, came on Feb. 9, when sales jumped by 219 percent from the day before.

Yes, Feb. 9  the same day that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway promoted Trumps clothing and jewelry line on Fox & Friends.

Go buy Ivankas stuff is what I would tell you, Conway said. Im going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody.

And viewers did, apparently.

Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand, said in a statement that the beginning of February shows the best performing weeks in the history of the brand.

For several different retailers, Ivanka Trump was a top performer online, and in some of the categories it was the best performance ever, Klem said.

Sarah Tanner, Lysts spokeswoman, said increases in sales are usually tied to current events. For instance, interest in pantsuits went up by 460 percent last year because of Hillary Clintons affinity for the style, she said. Sales of the first daughters products went up by 86 percent in November when her father won the presidential election, according to the company.

But the brand was largely featured in the news in February, Tanner said. Conway gave her on-air endorsement of Ivanka Trumps brand after President Trump had complained on Twitter that his daughter had been treated so unfairly by the department store Nordstrom, which dropped her clothing line over slow sales.

It would not be a surprise to us if it resulted in the increase in sales, Tanner said of Conways Fox interview. I think thats one of the reasons the brand was largely in the news and could have attributed to this increase.

Recommended Scarlett Johansson spoofs Ivanka Trump in SNL sketch

Conway did not respond to an email requesting comment. Her promotion of the fashion line appeared to violate an ethics rule barring federal employees from using their public office to endorse products and immediately drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said Conways comments were absolutely wrong, wrong, wrong and clearly over the line, The Washington Post reported.

The White House later said that Conway had been counseled. But concerns about her comments remain.

On Thursday, the governments top ethics official criticized the White House for not disciplining Conway, The Posts Drew Harwell reported. Walter M. Shaub Jr., director of the Office of Government Ethics, had urged officials last month to reprimand the White House counsel but was rebuffed. On Thursday he wrote to Stefan C. Passantino, who handles White House ethics issues as the presidents deputy counsel.

When an employees conduct violates, disciplinary action serves to deter future misconduct, Shaub wrote. Not taking disciplinary action against a senior official under such circumstances risks undermining the ethics program.

Last month, a group of law professors filed a professional misconduct complaint against Conway  a law school graduate and member of the D.C. Bar  partly because of her on-air endorsement of Trumps products.

According to Lyst, February drew unusually large numbers of orders across many Ivanka Trump-branded products, including dresses, shoes, pants, coats, knitwear and tops. Heels were the bestsellers, followed by dresses.

Weve never seen such a large uptick, Tanner said. Typically, shes not in our top 100 sellers.

Comparing Februarys numbers with last years average number of orders of Ivanka Trump products shows a difference of 557 percent. (Tanner said company policy prohibits her from sharing the actual numbers of online sales.)

The excitement of the brand, however, may be slumping. The companys numbers show sales were gradually tapering off toward the end of February. March does not appear to be as remarkable, but sales are still on track to be about 8 percent better than they were in January, according to Lyst.

The Ivanka Trump brand also appears to have weathered an aggressive boycott campaign called Grab Your Wallet, which began in October and encouraged shoppers to avoid retailers that stock Trump-branded products.

Some retailers have partially or completely distanced themselves from the Trump brand. Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Belk have stopped selling Trumps branded line of clothing, shoes and jewelry. T.J. Maxx and Marshalls have instructed employees to stop promoting Trump products in stores and to move Trump clothing into general merchandise racks. Sears Holdings and subsidiary Kmart discontinued online sales of 31 items from the Trump Home collection last month, though their websites still contain items sold by third-party sellers. The collection includes living room and bedroom furniture, lamps and chandeliers.

The companies attributed their decisions to product performance. Nordstrom, for instance, said sales of the brand have steadily declined, particularly in the last half of 2016.

Still, despite the boycott, Trumps line of fragrances enjoyed top spots in Amazons best-selling list last month, The Posts Amy B Wang reported. The Ivanka Trump Eau de Parfum spray was the top-selling item in the Perfumes & Fragrances category.

Copyright: Washington Post
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Citywing flights ceased on Saturday onwards after going into liquidation. It had no aircraft and employed no flight crew. Instead it sold seats on flights that were operated by another carrier. Until last month, the airline used was Van Air Europe, based in the Czech Republic.

But on 23 February, the day Storm Doris swept across the British Isles, a Van Air plane was involved in what the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) calls an incident at Ronaldsway airport on the Isle of Man. The following day, all Van Airs UK route licences were cancelled.

It is understood the authority was concerned about decisions to attempt landings in weather below safe minima on an Isle of Man-Belfast flight.

After the grounding, Citywing chartered a Danish airline, North Flying Airport Service, to shuttle between Cardiff and Valley airport in Anglesey  a heavily subsidised route connecting the far north-west of Wales with the capital. It also used Spirit Airlines on some routes to and from the Isle of Man.

But after limping on for two weeks, Citywing issued a statement announcing its closure: The company has tried to offer a service whilst suffering considerable losses but these have proved unfortunately to be commercially unsustainable.

The last fatal accident involving a passenger aircraft in the British Isles involved Citywings predecessor, Manx2. In February 2011, six people died when flight 7100 from Belfast crashed at Cork airport. The pilots, who worked for a Spanish airline called Flightline, were attempting to go around for a third time after two previous aborted landings in heavy fog.

The aviation source, who requested anonymity, said Citywing had exploited gaps in the regulations on the safety and sale of air travel in the UK.

It's high time the CAA put a stop to anyone else setting up a 'virtual' airline and acting as an unlicensed and unregulated 'ticket seller. It's a scandal it's been allowed to go on for so long.

A long-established regional carrier, Eastern Airways, has stepped in to replace Citywing on a number of services: the Cardiff-Anglesey link, as well as services connecting the Isle of Man with Newcastle and Belfast City.

Mathew Herzberg, head of commercial for Eastern Airways, said: This will help to provide continuity for business and leisure travellers.

Initially the Citywing statement told passengers with bookings not to go to the airport, and said tickets on the Welsh internal flight would be valid on the five-hour rail link between Cardiff and Holyhead.

But Ken Skates, the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, told Adrian Goldberg on BBC Radio 5 Live: The flights will operate as usual. No passengers will be left in the lurch. They wont need to re-book.

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 migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. 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It is not yet clear what rights ticket holders on other Citywing services will have.
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Speculation is mounting that Theresa May will invoke Article 50 next week, if the European Union (Notice of Withdrawal) Bill receives the royal assent on Monday. The House of Commons is likely to remove the Lords amendments and send the bill back to the upper house, where Labour peers have indicated that they will not seek to delay it further. Without the support of the official Opposition, the die-in-the-ditch Remainers in the House of Lords will be unable to prevent the bill becoming an act, possibly on Monday night.

The Prime Minister would then be free to write her letter to Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, giving notice of the United Kingdoms intention to leave the EU in two years time.

Some journalists have wondered if she might do so on Tuesday, when she is expected to make a statement in the Commons about the Brussels summit she attended this week. Yet there are good reasons for not starting the clock straight away.

The Scottish National Party holds its spring conference in Aberdeen next weekend, and if Ms May were to invoke Article 50 before then she would more or less force Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, to respond by demanding a new referendum on independence. The Independent, which opposed independence for Scotland and which supported the UKs membership of the EU, sympathises with the desire of the majority of Scots to remain in the EU. If that majority believes EU membership is more important than keeping the UK together, we would respect that wish, but there is no decisive polling evidence yet to suggest that this is what the people of Scotland want.

 Theresa May: SNP treating politics "as if it were a game"

In which case, we would hope that the UK would stay together, to face the challenge of Brexit as a union. And what applies to Scotland applies also to Northern Ireland.

There has just been a divisive election in Northern Ireland, where the parties have until 23 March to negotiate an agreement that would preserve a devolved executive in the Assembly. Ms May might be well advised to avoid taking risks with the Union and to hold off until the end of the month before taking the next, momentous step towards Brexit.

The potential dangers for the whole of the UK of leaving the EU are underscored by the leaked Treasury analysis on which we report today. We suspect that the chances of the UK crashing out of the EU without a Brexit deal are higher than most people think  and that the consequences of doing so are likely worse than many realise.

Recommended The prospect of a united Ireland is not only credible but inevitable

The Treasury paper spells out in hitherto undisclosed terms what defaulting to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules could mean. It could mean food prices rising by 3 per cent, and the imposition of tariffs averaging 14 per cent on agriculture exports to the EU and 4 per cent on non-agricultural exports. It warns: The UK would have less access to the single market than Pakistan, Rwanda or Yemen.

That is why it may be that trying to obtain a soft Brexit in the negotiations with the EU27 that are about to begin may be hopelessly overambitious. The British Governments negotiating priority must be to avoid a hard WTO Brexit at all costs.

Ms May should not rush into the Article 50 process. Brexit is likely to be bad enough for the peoples of these islands without breaking up the UK as well.
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The spat between the Dutch and Turkish governments over the barring of Turkish ministers from speaking to rallies in the Netherlands to Turkish emigres has nothing to do with the forthcoming Dutch election this Wednesday  and everything to do with the Turkish referendum next month on, among other things, strengthening the powers of President Erdogan. Nevertheless it should remind us all of the importance of a stable and prosperous Turkey to a stable and prosperous Europe. This is not just a Dutch matter, nor indeed just an EU matter, for Turkish politicians have also been barred from Switzerland. This is affects us all.

The danger of course is that videos of Dutch police in Rotterdam using dogs and water cannon to disperse Turkish demonstrators will skew the attitude of the voters against immigration in general when they vote on Wednesday. Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Freedom Party, is the potential beneficiary for his pitch to the electorate is explicitly and vociferously anti-immigrant. His party may well become the largest single bloc in the new parliament, though given the Netherlands fragmented party system and the unwillingness of other parties to form a coalition with the Freedom Party, it seems unlikely that it will be part of the next government.

But the appeal of Geert Wilders cannot be dismissed as anti-immigrant rabble-rousing or a protest from people who feel left behind in economic terms. The Netherlands is one of the most successful EU economies, with among the highest standards of living and the lowest inequality of any member state. The proportion of immigrants in the population is not particularly high either. His support is part of a wider rejection of the present European leadership, evident just about everywhere and particularly so in France and Italy.

In France the two front-runners for the first round of the forthcoming presidential election are both outsiders: Marine Le Pen from the hard right and Emmanuel Macron from the radical centre. Ms Le Pen is explicitly anti-euro, promising a referendum on the currency and calling for a return to the franc. In Italy, it is not clear yet whether there will be a general election this year, but the Five Star Movement of Beppe Grillo is riding high in the polls. It has called from the country to leave the eurozone, a view supported by some investment houses in Italy. The popular mood in much of Europe has turned strongly against the euro, blaming it for sluggish growth and high unemployment. This may be unfair. It may be that the real problems like in the lack of economic reforms, including in the tax systems and the labour markets. It may be that reverting to national currencies would carry higher costs than remaining with the euro. But this is Europe now and politicians have to confront a powerful movement against the established elite. They cannot go round this. They have to go through the middle.

In the case of the Netherlands this does not mean dumping the euro. It does mean a new government that is sensitive to the concerns of people who have voted for the Freedom Party, even if the party itself is excluded from cabinet posts. As for Europe as a whole, whatever happens in the series of elections this summer and autumn, the EU will have to feel its way towards a more flexible response to the fears of Europeans in members large and small. The prize  a stable, prosperous society that looks after its weaker citizens and remains open to the world  is as attainable as ever. But what is happening in Rotterdam demonstrates the need to be thoughtful and sensitive in working towards that goal.
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The unprecedented events in Europe, and especially the Netherlands, relating to the Turkish referendum represent a chilling glimpse of the future in which the Turkish republic is our opponent rather than our Nato ally.

That these confrontations were engineered by President Erdogans government, which is courting the ultra-nationalist vote to help win a constitutional referendum, can little be doubted.

This referendum to convert Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential form of government is alarming as should it pass it will in effect be President Erdogans enabling act. Given his behaviour after last years coup attempt, when thousands were arrested and reportedly 100,000 civil servants dismissed, it is clear that this is a man who will push the limits of these further powers to the maximum.

Furthermore, these events tell us that Erdogan views his countrys European Nato allies with contempt and does not expect us to remain Turkeys allies.

After the referendum, the President will turn to the EUs failure to honour the commitment made to visa-free travel for Turkish citizens. The inevitable result will be that Turkey reopens its western borders for migrants and re-ignites the migrant crisis.

We need to wake up to the fact that under President Erdogan Turkey is no longer our ally, but a key opponent.

Otto Inglis Edinburgh

The patriotic nationalist

Hamish McRae makes no distinction between patriotism and nationalism (The EU could collapse completely if we continue to vilify nationalism, 11 March). The former is perfectly compatible with the principle of international cooperation within the EU, the latter is totally opposed to it. You can be a patriot and a nationalist, but you cant be a patriot and an internationalist!

Johan Hensens Ancrum

A broken promise

There has been loud condemnation this week on the Government wanting to renege on two election manifesto promises: National Insurance for self-employed and building 200,000 starter homes. But the reaction to the Government's plans to break their manifesto pledge on protecting Britain's interests within the Single Market seems to be inaudible.

Ian Quayle Herefordshire

Another referendum

A few weeks ago I was considering penning a letter to The Independent along the lines that the only good thing to come out of the Brexit debacle is that in the future, no sane political leader will ever again contemplate employing a referendum as a national political strategy. However on further reflection, I wonder whether a referendum might be a possible way of addressing the difficulties facing the NHS.

The proposition of the referendum could be framed so that a yes vote would indicate support for a NHS that was state, not privately run, was financed out of general (possibly hypothecated) taxation and spending on it would be pitched at a percentage of GDP, broadly in line with the other major developed countries.

There would be several benefits from this process. First, a yes vote would be a tacit acknowledgement that voters accepted they would be expected to pay higher taxes for their health care. In the past many citizens seem to have been in favour of increased spending on the NHS, as long as someone else pays. Explaining the individual financial implications for all but the very poor, would be an important educational process.

At the same time a yes majority would mean that all political parties would have a mandate to increase taxation. Health spending would cease to be such a contentious party political issue.

Second, the referendum would force would be privatisers of the NHS out of the woodwork. They would have to show their true colours or risk being labelled as total hypocrites. Moreover a properly funded NHS would remove the excuse for privatisation.

Third, a government that tried to renege on the spending commitment would no doubt be vilified by the right-wing press as enemies of the peoples will and held to account.

Finally, a referendum on the future of the NHS, with hopefully a huge yes vote, would surely mean the coming together of both sides and some sense of national unity around a common cause.

T Harris Lincolnshire
The Catholic church must measure up to its responsibility when it comes to compensating those who suffered abuse in institutions run by religious orders, Enda Kenny has said.

The Taoiseach urged church authorities to reflect on the issue following last week's revelation that orders have paid just 13% of a 1.5 billion euro bill for a long-running inquiry, redress and compensation.

Earlier on Sunday, Minister for Health Simon Harris called on the Vatican to put pressure on Catholic orders to stump up the agreed 50% share of the costs.

Asked about the issue on his visit to the US, Mr Kenny said: "I think the church and the congregations should measure up to the responsibility that they accepted here.

"We had a position following the residential institutions and the amount of restitution to be made there and that hasn't been what was set out at the beginning. I would expect that the congregations and church would reflect on the seriousness of this and measure up to their requirements."

He added: "I referred a number of matters to the Pope when I met with him last year and I would expect that the Vatican would respond to those."

The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, known as the Ryan inquiry, and the Redress Board cost a total of 1.5 billion euro (1.3 billion) by the end of 2015, according to the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG).

In the dying days of the government in 2002 then education minister Michael Woods arranged a controversial indemnity deal with 18 religious orders that they would hand over property, cash and assets worth 128 million euro (111 million) to cover some of the costs.

The C&AG said 21 million euro (18 million) of this was left to be transferred to the State at the end of 2015.

But the audit also revealed that a second deal was agreed after the Ryan report was published in 2009 - cataloguing decades of abuse and cover-ups in institutions for children - which agreed to an additional 353 million euro (306 million) of cash and property being handed over. That was subsequently reduced to 226 million euro (196 million) in 2015.

The C&AG's office found only 85 million euro (73.7 million) from the new deal has been handed over.

The watchdog has called for the redress scheme to be evaluated in the hope that lessons can be learned for future inquiries.
Inga Beale, chief executive of Lloyd's UK, has said the company will finalise its decision by the end of March (Stock picture)

Dublin is set to lose out to Luxembourg or Berlin in its bid to secure the new European HQ of insurer Lloyd's of London, according to sources close to the matter.

However, the loss could be offset if Bank of China decides to relocate parts of its London operations to Dublin, an announcement that is due within weeks.

The Government has fought an intense battle to tempt Lloyd's to grow its operations in Ireland, having last week lost out on its bid to convince global insurance giant AIG to relocate its European regional headquarters to Dublin.

AIG has instead selected Luxembourg. The company said it chose Luxembourg to ensure the "continued smooth operation of its business across the European Economic Area [EEA] and Switzerland" once the UK leaves the EU.

Lloyd's, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley are all due to make imminent announcements on their relocation plans in the wake of Brexit.

Inga Beale, chief executive of Lloyd's UK, has said the company will finalise its decision by the end of March

Taoiseach Enda Kenny met Beale at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland in January. Lloyd's UK then sent a delegation to Dublin. The Lloyd's delegation met IDA chief executive Martin Shanahan and separately met the Taoiseach at Government buildings on January 26. Lloyd's also met with officials from the Central Bank, including Sylvia Cronin, director of insurance, on the same day.

It is understood that among the matters discussed was the scale of the operations in Dublin.
Residents of Brasilia line up to be immunized against yellow fever in January 2008 (AFP Photo/JOEDSON ALVES) (AFP/File)

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Rio de Janeiro said Saturday it plans to vaccinate the state's entire population against yellow fever in response to an outbreak that has killed at least 113 people around Brazil.

Although Rio has not registered any cases, it is close to where the disease has taken hold in neighboring Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Sao Paulo states.

The aim is "to expand the strategy of vaccination as a preventative measure," the Rio health department said in a statement.

The state government said it's aiming to vaccinate the whole population by the end of the year. A total of 12 million doses will be required, with three million already ordered, the statement said.

Brazil's health ministry says that yellow fever, which is carried by mosquitoes, has been confirmed in 352 cases, with another 915 under investigation in an unusually severe outbreak.

So far 113 deaths have been confirmed from the disease, with 104 more under investigation.
It's full steam ahead at James Reilly's farm in Cavan where the 30-year-old is flat out reinstating the beef and sheep enterprise which has been in the family for the past four generations.

James returned to farming in earnest two years ago. The family farm in Ballyjamesduff had been leased for the best part of 15 years after his dad, Jim, suffered a stroke and had to scale back on his farming activities.

James has been running his own construction company- JR Smart Build - mainly in Cavan and Meath since graduating from college in Enniskillen in the 1990s, but always had an ambition to return to farming.

So between the new builds and house restorations, he went back to the nearby Ballyhaise Agricultural College to complete his Green cert in 2015.

"Dad was delighted when I made the decision and it's great to have him around the farm. He's not able for the physical side of the work, but it's great to get his advice and to have him keeping an eye on things," he says.

James still runs his construction company but is upping his work rate at the family's 140ac farm in Kildorough and, over time, expects to return the enterprise to its former commercial glory.

"I will be doing it gradually and it will probably take about five years to complete what I have in mind for the farm, but that suits me. I will gradually build up the stocking levels on the land over time," he adds.

At the moment, he rears around 60 bought-in Angus and Hereford calves to 18 months and sells them on to Liffey Meats. He also has some 200 sheep on the farm. They lambed around Christmas and he expects to have 30 of the lambs to be ready for the local marts come Easter time. The farm also produces an average of 800 tonnes of silage, most of which he sells on to local farmers as his current stocking levels are not of a size which would require such a level of stored feed.

"About 70pc of the silage is sold, but that will reduce when my stocking levels increase," he points out.

His priorities at the moment include a busy schedule of refencing and a refurbishment programme for the farm buildings. Liming the land and the general improvement of the soil are also priorities.

James is sanguine about beef and sheep prices, but he points out that he is only beginning to restock the farm, so he does not have the same overheads as neighbouring farmers who are working to the production limits of their holdings.

"I am sure when I am fully restocked I will have to deal with these bigger costs. The farm payment and the young farmers' allowance will help," he says.

At the moment, his farming and construction schedules are synchronised - early mornings and late evenings on the farm and daytime on the construction site, with every weekend on the farm taken up with "vaccinations and animal health issues mainly - things like that", as James puts it.

A single man, he is the only child of Jim and wife Mary to show an interest in farming. His brother John works off farm as an engineer, as do the girls Therese, Rosie, Martina and Maggie. What time James does have to himself is spent cocking the guns for the Ballyjamesduff and Mountnugent gun clubs. And even this may have to be suspended. "The way things are at the moment, the shooting is taking up valuable time," he says.
This week well-known Irish machinery dealers, Kelly's of Borris celebrated 60 years in business.

Maurice Kelly, grand father to Maurice and Terry Kelly established a business going from farm to farm, buying and selling turkeys, eggs and chickens and general farm produce for the Dublin markets.

This week, the company that grew out of that small business, Kelly's of Borris, celebrated 60 years in operation.

The current business was established in 1957 by the late Terry Kelly Senior, when he started out assembling planes in RAF, before returning to Ireland.

Once home, Kelly set about working as an agricultural contractor in the early 1950s and built the business up while also farming with is brother Paddy.

His father was still buying and selling, now agricultural machinery and by the 1960s he was importing second hand steel and machinery from the UK.

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That business, in Borris, Carlow, was taken over by Maurice and Terry in the late 1970s and they continued to import machinery from the UK, with up to 300 used tractors being sold through the business annually.

While they lost their successful Fiatagri franchise, Kelly's brought in the Valmet tractor range and acquired the CLaas machinery franchise.

By the 1990s they were selling 20 forage harvesters a year and 20 combine harvesters a year towards the end of the 2000s.

A large fire in 1997 didn't destroy the business spirit, but a new site was acquired for the business and the company expanded to Abbeyleix in 2014, where the Claas franchise is head quartered.

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Our photographer captured some of the events of its recently 60th celebrations.
The starting gun has been fired and the process to decide on the next round of the Common Agricultural Policy has started.

Over the next three, possibly four, years, there will be a succession of leaks, headlines, proclamations and scare tactics before the final programme will be agreed and implemented.

The CAP has evolved to a very high level and reaches into all aspects of Irish agriculture. While the pros and cons of the CAP can and are debated until the well tagged and fully traceable cows come home, in many ways it is has been very successful.

It provides safe food and enough food at an affordable price to the people that pay over money to operate it, which is no small thing. It protects biodiversity, protects the environment, and has put in place the most comprehensive system of food traceability that the world has ever seen.

However, as regards primary agriculture, the CAP has evolved to a point that is acting as a sea anchor to the development of the sector, not a positive force in its development.

The main problem with the current CAP is the system of basic payments based on entitlements. Entitlements can be directly traced back to output 25 years ago and it is this historical baggage that is stifling innovation and putting the long term sustainability of the sector in such jeopardy.

Basing income on historical output, regardless of current output, will over time hold back development.

Another issue that is having a negative impact on Irish agriculture is land structure.

The Land Commission was established in 1881, its primary role was the re-distribution of farmland in Ireland, a critical life-saving policy measure given the impact the famine had on the country thirty years beforehand.

The work of the Land Commission is indelibly stamped on the Irish landscape: the standardised houses and sheds, the concrete and wire fencing, the wrought iron gates.

The Commission's most lasting impact is the average farm size we now have.

A critical decision for the Commission was to decide on the size of holding necessary to create an economically viable unit.

Now however, too many of these small landholdings are providing more of a headache than a viable income source.

Investment

Many holdings require significant investment in terms of livestock housing facilities, drainage, hedgerow maintenance, weed control and more importantly they require time input.

The income from these holdings will not cover the cost of these investments. Over time, these holdings are deteriorating, the potential income is reducing and from a National perspective, overall output potential is decreasing.

There are often pressures to maintain ownership of these holdings for historical rather than economic reasons.

Previous generations weren't pressurised into farming small units for altruistic concerns, they started farming because they could generate a viable income from farming. That is not the case now.

The goalposts have shifted.

Populations respond to economic forces and regardless of interventions or payments, owners of small landholdings are voting with their feet and investment capital, to the detriment of agricultural development and more seriously in some cases, to their own well-being.

If we are to have a truly viable agricultural industry in Europe and in Ireland, the upcoming CAP should address two things.

Firstly the payment received for farming, the current basic payment, should be completely separated from the historical model that has evolved over successive programmes.

Secondly the new CAP should establish a 'Land Commission nua' to restructure the land to create more viable holdings.

The market, whether through selling, renting or leasing, has not and will not have enough impact to carve out a new land structure at the scale necessary for a viable industry.

A new system of land re-distribution will not be easy; the old Land Commission didn't have it easy either. Any system that has perceived 'winners' and 'losers' is always open to criticism.

Calls will be made that imposing larger land holdings will destroy rural Ireland.

Again, evidence would not support this. Over time, the importance of agriculture in the Irish economy has diminished, while at the same time practically the only houses built over the last 10 years have been one-off housing, predominantly in rural areas.

Rural Ireland has enough of its own attractions outside of agriculture to thrive.

Insisting that agriculture remains fossilised in a structure 50 years out of date will not do farming or the rural community, any favours in the long term.

Dr. Richard Hackett is an agricultural consultant based in North County Dublin and is a member of the ITCA and ACA.
While attending a funeral recently, I found myself musing on how uplifting and therapeutic the entire ceremony was.

The ritual of the mass, the comforting words of the priest and the singing of the choir all combined to create an atmosphere of peace and calm. It was also a fitting send-off and an appropriate celebration of a life well-lived.

Who knows what might face us on the other side and it all depends on your beliefs, whatever they might be.

I respect all religious faiths and regardless of what each individual might hold as true, as things stand, the majority of our funeral ceremonies are an excellent way to help us accept the inevitability of death and provide lasting comfort to those remaining.

Gatherings such as these help bind communities and are proof of the many psychological benefits that religion provides.

Back in the middle ages, things were rather different when huge cathedrals were built throughout Europe to provide evidence of a dominant and all powerful church.

In those days, most of the population was illiterate and great stained-glass windows and the Stations of the Cross provided easily understood visual lessons regarding the power of God, the glories of heaven and the threat of eternal damnation.

In more modern times, churches have become simpler in their layout and construction, but are still great places for meditation and general contemplation on the meaning of life.

I know atheists who regularly visit churches for the unique atmosphere of peace they provide. Many of us like to relax listening to recordings of the soothing sounds of Gregorian chant and of great church choirs giving voice.

It is strange to think how, in the past, such beauty and astonishing artistic achievement often went hand in hand with persecution and cruelty.

If you were of the wrong persuasion, you died, often by being tortured and then burnt. Religions throughout the world have gone through periods when they supported practices that are viewed nowadays as barbaric, but I suppose one must, in part, allow for the ignorance and fanaticism of the perpetrators.

It was only in the late 1800s that the practice of castrating young boys to save their voices for singing in church choirs ended.

The Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades were simply tools for conquering other nations and robbing them of their wealth in the name of religion, but then pretty much everyone who held power was doing the same.

It hasn't ended, of course, and in more recent times, many political leaders have used God as a justification for war.

The American presidents who quoted scripture and stated God was on their side when invading another country are just one example. I mention all of this as it is important to be aware of historical facts but, at the same time, we must not lose sight of the benefits that religions have bestowed through the ages.

It is not so long since all Irish politicians lived in terror of offending the Church, for to do so resulted in a severe belt of the crozier and little chance of getting re-elected.

The relatively recent scandals and revelations have ended the unhealthy power the bishops held over us, but we must not diminish the ritual and ceremonies that still provide comfort throughout life's journey.

We must not also lose sight of the benefits of traditional practices such as confession, along with repetitive prayer and thumbing rosary beads.

In Buddhism, they are known as worry beads and using them helps to soothe and calm us. Similarly, rubbing smooth round stones while repeating a mantra has been used as a tool to reduce anxiety from ancient times.

The act of confession is very much in the news these days following the statement by a Redemptorist priest that it is making something of a comeback due the widespread need for having "someone to chat to".

This produced a lively debate, for the actual act of confessing what we regard as sins and talking to another human being about them is well known to be of huge psychological benefit, regardless of who is listening.

One can just imagine the relief of unburdening yourself of a secret wrongdoing that was preying on your mind for weeks or maybe years. Just sharing our worries with another is well known to deliver immense benefits.

Confession is probably of greater assistance than lengthy and expensive hours lying on a psychiatrist's couch. And it's free.
Protesters march against the closure of the Ulster Bank in Ferbane, Co Offaly  many rural towns have seen their banks and post offices close branches

There was a time when a bank branch, or more usually several competing branches, were a seemingly permanent fixture on every Irish main street and in every shopping centre. Not any more. Since the Celtic Tiger died almost a decade ago several banks have disappeared altogether while even the survivors have drastically pruned their branch networks.

Last week it was reported that Ulster Bank was preparing to announce the closure of up to 30 branches in the Republic. These planned branch closures follow a review of Ulster's operations by management consultants McKinsey. These latest closures will cut the number of Ulster Bank branches in the Republic to just 80 - down from 132 Ulster Bank and another 58 First Active branches in 2007.

This will mean that the Ulster Bank branch network will have shrunk by almost 60pc over the past decade. While no official announcement has yet been made by Ulster Bank about the future of its branch network in the Republic, it has already announced the closure of nine branches in Northern Ireland.

"Banking has changed radically in recent years. More and more of our customers are using digital technology and fewer are using our branch network," said Ulster Bank in a statement.

At least a much shrivelled Ulster Bank branch network has survived. The same cannot be said of some of its former competitors. In 2010, UK bank Lloyds pulled down the shutters on its Irish subsidiary Halifax, which had 44 branches, while in 2013 Danske Bank called time on its Irish retail operation along with its 27 branches.

The surviving Irish-owned banks have also taken the shears to their branches. AIB closed 67 branches in 2012 and has reduced the size of its network by 25pc since the crash. An AIB spokesperson pointed out that the bank has closed no branches since 2013 and has opened four new branches over the past four years.

AIB now has 205 AIB branches with its EBS mortgage-lending subsidiary having a further 71 branches. However, last week's presentation to potential investors could not have left anyone in doubt as to where AIB sees its future. AIB has cut its branch network by a quarter and reduced branch staffing even further with the number of full-time equivalent staff falling by 28pc.

In common with all of the other retail banks, AIB is encouraging its customers to do more of their business with the bank digitally - with 80pc of cash and cheque lodgements now being made this way, up from just 40pc in 2011. Since 2011 the volume of over-the-counter branch transactions has fallen by 36pc while digital cash and cheque lodgements are up by 52pc.

Even the surviving branches look and feel very different from the bank branches of yore. AIB now has 20 what it calls "bank lobbies". These are open from 8am to 9pm seven days a week and are populated solely by electronic terminals, through which AIB customers can conduct their business with the bank, rather than by human beings.

AIB boasts that 40pc of its personal customers are "digital only" while a further 14pc are "mobile only". Even many of its other personal customers do a proportion of their banking business digitally or by mobile with more than two-thirds of all AIB customers doing at least some of their banking electronically.

Ulster Bank is also experiencing a migration of personal customers to digital banking. There was a 22pc increase in active users of its app in 2016, with new features being added - including giving customers the ability to amend standing orders.

None of this will come as any surprise to Tom Conlon, associate professor of banking and finance at the UCD business school.

"We are seeing the rise of fintech [financial technology] and the ability of fintech to replace branch facilities. I sense that the long-term expectation for branches is minimal," he says.

"Bank branches are extremely costly and extremely unprofitable. The banks are going to find it difficult to move to technology because they are based on legacy systems."

While the timing was coincidental, news of the Ulster Bank branch closures broke in the same week that Apple Pay, which allows people to pay for goods and services with their Apple devices, went live in Ireland. Apple is the latest non-bank, many of them hi-tech companies, to enter what had traditionally been regarded as the banking space.

Other non-bank entrants include PayPal and Irish company Payzone. While most non-bank entrants up to now have been concentrated in the payments space, that's beginning to change.

With bank shares in the doghouse, banks are finding it extremely difficult to raise fresh capital. By comparison many of the new entrants are highly-valued technology companies - Apple has a market capitalisation of 728bn - which have access to oodles of cheap capital.

"We are witnessing the decomposition of the traditional banking system," says Professor Conlon.

Despite the advance of technology and the arrival of new entrants, it was still widely believed that the banks were better able to discriminate between who to lend to and, more importantly, who not to lend to. With the Irish-based banks having written off over 100bn in bad loans over the past decade - something which cost the taxpayer a gross 64bn - that belief has taken a battering.

This revelation that the banks were not possessed of some unique skill when making lending decisions coincided with technological advances that allow for better credit scoring and the emergence in the US and UK of new forms of credit such as crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending. These developments will make it easier for non-banks to enter what had previously been regarded as the "core" banking markets such as lending.

As the banks downsize their branch networks An Post, which has 1,100 outlets, has attempted to pick up some of the slack.

It has agreements with AIB, Danske and Ulster Bank to allow customers of those banks to conduct routine banking transactions, such as cash lodgements and withdrawals at their local post office.

An Post is hoping to launch an own-branded current account in the next few months. Unfortunately the An Post branch network is also subject to the same economic and technological forces that have decimated bank branches.

The report on the An Post branch network by a committee chaired by businessman Bobby Kerr is believed to have recommended the closure of up to 80 post offices. This would bring the total down to just over 1,050 as against more than 1,900 in 1992. However, it is understood that An Post will seek more than 200 closures.

Bank branch and post office closures tend to hit sparsely populated rural areas disproportionately hard. In practice many smaller towns and villages have lost both their post office and bank branch(es) - a fact which their political representatives are rarely shy about letting us know. .

When the latest, but as yet unannounced, Ulster closures are added to the total, over 260 bank branches have disappeared over the past decade. While the end of the banking crisis means that the rate of bank closures will probably ease off, the pressure on branch banking is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

"The banks are stuck in a rut, there is a sense of 'this is what we do'," says Conlon. "Unless they invest in the future they are in trouble."
Property has possibly more colourful characters than any other sector of the Irish economy. It can be a very macho world - where beating your rivals to a prize site can be as important as making a big profit.

One of Killian O'Higgins' jobs is to try to temper some of those excesses and point clients in the right direction.

The Kildare native, managing director of WK Nowlan Real Estate Advisors (WKN) which is based in an office across from Dublin's Grand Canal, was amazed by some of the risky investments made by Irish people at the height of the boom.

O'Higgins (56) took over the role around three years ago after stints in London and Hong Kong in senior roles at commercial real estate firm DTZ. Having been absent for many of the Irish property excesses in the 2000s, he has the benefit of an outsider's view on the boom and bust.

"I learned about a particular deal that was happening in Brussels and I asked my Brussels colleagues about it, and they said, 'Yes, there's a local price, there's a European price, there's an international price, and then there's an Irish price,'" he says.

Many people couldn't understand how Irish people operating in faraway places had got so much money, he says.

"You got used to a couple of calls coming in from places like Bucharest. You were getting calls from very far-flung places, and you were asking yourself: why are people buying stuff in Bulgaria?"

While Irish investors had the appetite for risk, DTZ itself had concerns about Bulgaria at the time.

"We didn't have an office in Bulgaria because of the whole issue of 'Who are you dealing with and where is the money going?' - it was too difficult. Somebody once asked me about investing in Bulgaria, and I just said, look, don't. You have no background in Bulgaria, you have no understanding of the market. It's a very tough market, and really if you're going to invest in Bulgaria, be Bulgarian."

He remembers seeing an Irish paper and feeling the market had reached the top.

"On the last Thursday of August in 2007, I pulled out two 32-page property supplements from a newspaper. And I said to my wife, 'It's now all on the market. Who's going to be the buyer?'

"That was an 'end' moment where you say: right there are now issues, and the question is who are the people who are going to buy what's on the market?"

O'Higgins took a career break for a couple of years after finishing a stint in Hong Kong in 2011.

He returned to Ireland at a time when the property market was a disaster zone.

He was interested in contributing his property experience to social housing projects, and ended up meeting property expert Bill Nowlan - the founder of WKN.

Nowlan was working on a social-housing project (and still is). He asked O'Higgins if he would look after WKN so that Nowlan could focus on the social-housing project. That was 2014 - not long after the property recovery had started to kick in, which he attributes to the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) legislation and the arrival of American funds.

"The reality was capital was the big missing thing - you will remember the talk about Nama having stable finance to get things done, because people were asking, 'Who's going to put money into Ireland, it's just a basket case.' You've got to give credit to people like Kennedy Wilson spotting it early on and saying that in fact there's an awful lot of strengths there.

"Given the fact that I've been all around the world, one of the things you see about Irish people, wherever you meet them, is that they are very hard-working.

"It doesn't matter whether you're in Thailand, Japan or Ireland. When the markets go down, they go down too far. When they go up, they go up too far. The US funds in particular, they've seen this all around the world."

The eldest of nine, O'Higgins did his Leaving Certificate aged 16 and then got a job as a trainee surveyor with Lisney. He had "no pretensions" about going to college in those days.

"My careers guidance teacher told me I was totally unsuited to go into auctioneering, and then I saw an ad from Lisney's in January or February 1977.

"While guys I knew went to college and learned it, the beauty I had when they were finished three or four years later is that I'd actually had the practical experience."

From there he went to Sherry Fitzgerald where he ended up with a primary focus on commercial property and eventually became managing director of the DTZ Sherry Fitzgerald joint venture. Then he joined DTZ where he worked in charge of markets in the EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions.

In his time he's sold everything from motor-racing circuits to meat-rendering plants.

At WKN - one of his less fulfilling tasks is reminding people that the company is not Hibernia REIT - the property investment company run by Bill Nowlan's son Kevin, a former Irish rugby international.

Nowlan Senior is on Hibernia's board and spearheaded the movement to get REITs established in Irish law.

An avid reader and history buff, O'Higgins talks a mile a minute and moves from a story about the Chinese property market to a story about Chiang Kai-shek, the former Chinese leader.

It's clear he enjoys a good yarn and there's plenty of scope for them in an industry so full of flamboyant characters.

"There's an awful lot of focus around the industry on individuals because it is a very entrepreneurial, individual, business generally. Are they tough guys? Yes, because you have to be.

"It's a competitive business, and look if you go to a building site, a lot of the guys in the construction industry came from that background, lifting bricks, lifting blocks, digging trenches.

"And they brought themselves up and built 10 and then 20, and then 100 (units). So it is a hard business - look over the past. Next year it'll be 10 years in effect since the crash. Look over that period and see the attrition of that. You put yourself on the line for developments that may or may not happen.

"You're taking big risks - other people may be taking risks with you but often it's on a particular individual."

Today the market seems buoyant and the cranes are back as a feature of the Dublin skyline. But most of them are working on offices rather than houses - earlier this week Cairn Homes' boss Michael Stanley warned about what he called "an extraordinary imbalance" between commercial and residential development in Dublin city centre.

Are these offices actually going to be filled? Are we at a point where there's a risk of overdoing it again, particularly with Brexit and Trump as major potential threats to the Irish economy?

It's a time of great uncertainty - what has O'Higgins seen in the property market since the shock result in the British referendum last June?

"The biggest influence I've actually seen is the Brexit premium in Irish rents. The quoting levels increased," he says.

"And I think some of that has been in anticipation. Now there is a very good demand for office accommodation, there is a lot under construction at the moment. And indications are that foreign direct investment and whatever comes out of Brexit should be able to take it up. But what is going to come out of Brexit, we don't know. There are a number of people talking about potential office deals. We have seen no big office deal that you can say: that's a Brexit deal, definitely.

"If you look at the office market, and you look at the deals that were done at the back end of last year...those deals were done in the early 50s (a square foot in rent). Strip out some of the incentives and you slip down below 50.

"Whereas the quoted rents have stretched well ahead of that. And I think you will meet some resistance from Brexiteers, shall we say, from some of the office rents. Because if you're lifting out of Canary Wharf, rent isn't the 120 or thereabouts you're paying down in the West End, it's about 45... if you look at a chart of rents, you will see Dublin is relatively expensive, compared to Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Brussels."

He warns that Ireland must be careful not to price itself out of the market.

"It's not all going to be about one thing, it's not all about the price of offices.

"We just need to be careful that we don't put people off on the basis that the overall package is too expensive.

"We need to be careful in the hotel area as well, in terms of tourism. Unfortunately there may be a bit of an Irish tendency to see the opportunity and try to price accordingly... there is a risk in these areas.

O'Higgins has seen a lot in his 40 years in the property industry. Asked when the next Irish bust is coming, he says crashes are always caused by supply.

"Inevitably, we will end up with more offices than we require at some stage. You've got a volume of construction that's going on at the moment for delivery through 2018, 2019, 2020...that volume of construction is quite significant, there should be people out there to take it up, but how much more would you actually add to that? There's quite a few people at the moment looking at that and saying we need to be careful.

"It's only when people don't arrive that you realise your prices are too high and it's too late to get them back."

'We give the right advice ... even at a cost'

In my spare time I ...

"For my sins I'm a Kildare GAA supporter ... I'm a divil for punishment on that! Then I'm a complete contrarian because I support Munster in the rugby. So sport on the one hand, and the other area would be reading, particularly history."

The book I'm reading is ...

"I tend to dip in and out of about three books. I'm reading The Supreme Court by Ruadhan Mac Cormaic, and also a history of the Dukes of Leinster. The other one is a history of distilling in Ireland - I like a drop of whiskey occasionally!"

My music taste is ...

"I'm pretty catholic with a small 'c'. I would like opera, and classical music generally.

I like Irish music too - being from Kildare you have to have Christy Moore. I'd also go through Sharon Shannon and Liam Clancy."

The best piece of career advice I've received is ...

"Probably from Mark Fitzgerald in my Sherry Fitzgerald days. He said: "Whatever we do with clients, we give them the right advice, even at a cost to ourselves. We be honest, and when we set out a strategy we go for it and keep our eyes on the prize."
When the High Court approved a 12m write-off of debt owed by Pia Bang Stokes and her husband, Jeffrey Stokes - formerly of Unicorn Restaurant fame - it sparked fears that our new personal insolvency regime was failing ordinary debtors while working for high-profile ones.

The couple walked away from their debts after their creditors agreed to a lump sum payment of 145,000. Mr and Mrs Stokes also retained their 800,000 home in Kilternan, South County Dublin, although the home carries mortgage debt of about 680,000 on which they pay monthly repayments of some 700.

The Personal Insolvency Act, and the Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) mechanism, works. PIAs return people to solvency while keeping the family home.

A PIA or insolvency is not bankruptcy, it comes before bankruptcy and it is a better solution than bankruptcy for both the borrower and the banks in most cases. The courts have approved thousands of insolvency arrangements since the legislation became effective in September 2013.

Rather than being perceived as a failure, the high-profile case involving the Stokes is a testament to the successes the system is delivering. Indeed, high-profile cases don't tell the full story.

PIAs work exactly the same and on the exact same basis for the ordinary family home borrower with 250,000 worth of debt as they do for a debtor with 14m of debt. The common thread between the Pia Bang Stokes case and the thousands of more modest PIAs being approved is the maths.

If you are unable to meet your financial commitments (including the mortgage on your family home) as and when they fall due, you are insolvent and eligible to make an application for a PIA.

The sooner you contact a Personal Insolvency Practitioner (PIP) the better. The PIP will advise you of your options and assist you in completing your prescribed financial statement and PIA application form. From here the PIP will arrange for your application to go before a Personal Insolvency Court.

The Court will issue a protective certificate (PC) giving you 70 days protection from your creditors. It is during this period the PIP will engage with the mortgage lender and other creditors and construct a PIA proposal that will be voted on at a creditors' meeting.

If a 65pc majority of the debt owed is voted in favour of the proposal, then the PIA will be put back before the same Court to be approved giving it the force of law, binding all creditors (including the mortgage lender) and the debtor to the terms of the arrangement.

If creditors vote against the proposal, there is now an appeal mechanism whereby the Court may approve the PIA, and override the so-called "bank veto".

It is now the case that even where your bank rejects the PIA, the Court can approve your PIA proposal that was made to the bank. Both the High Court and Circuit Court have approved PIAs, including PIAs with substantial debt write-down, where creditors have initially vetoed the PIA proposal. In that, the much criticised "bank veto" is gone.

A PIA is all about a debtor's income and reasonable living expenses (RLEs). The concept of RLEs was introduced as an amount of income a debtor will not be forced to live below while servicing debt.

In a standard PIA there are primarily two different types of debt, the family home mortgage, and debt not associated with the family home. The home mortgage is serviced from within a debtor's RLEs on the basis that if a debtor is not paying a mortgage they will be paying rent.

If a debtor has a capacity to make a contribution to non-mortgage debt without reducing the full family home mortgage payment due, then the mortgage payment is left alone.

However, if a debtor does not have enough income to cover the full mortgage payment on his family home on top of his other reasonable living expenses, then the PIA will restructure the mortgage payment as well.

If you are having difficulty paying your family home mortgage or other debts, regardless of the level of debt or how hopeless your situation may feel, consulting a PIP is the responsible course of action.

Mitchell O'Brien is a Personal Insolvency Practitioner with Insolvency Resolution Services
Australian-listed Irish hospital tech company Oneview Healthcare has signed a collaboration deal with global giant Intel to accelerate its growth in the booming interactive patient care market.

Focused on markets in Australia, the US and the Middle East, Oneview integrates a hospital's IT systems onto a single tech platform to aid patient engagement and speed-up workflows for medical staff.

Founded in 2012 by Dublin-born entrepreneur Mark McCloskey, Oneview became the first Irish company to list in Australia when it floated on St Patrick's Day last year.

In its first year as a listed company it recently reported strong revenue growth with sales jumping to just over 9m, up from 2.3m in 2015. Oneview's collaboration with Intel, in conjunction with its technology partner Microsoft, will see the rollout of smart tech products such as sensors to aid independent/assisted living, wearable tech for patients, and 'smart rooms' in acute hospitals, senior living, and sheltered accommodation centres, said McCloskey.

The interactive patient care market is expected to be worth $40bn by 2024, up from $7.4bn in 2015.

The Oneview software system is already installed in about 3,000 hospital beds across 20 separate hospital facilities.

Its system is also deployed at the Laura Lynn Children's Hospice in south Dublin.

The firm said it expects to announce another hospital contract for 660 beds in the US in the coming weeks, with a year-end target of 15,000 newly contracted beds.

Last month Barnes Jewish Healthcare (BJC), one of the largest non-profit hospital groups in the US, agreed to deploy Oneview's software solution at its new Barnes Jewish Hospital Tower and St Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri.

The US group will install 2,000 Oneview devices at its hospitals over the next three years.

Oneview is also poised to enter the UK market if a pilot project launched this month with Oxford University is successful.

This will enable the firm to roll out its products to the NHS.

The company, which is in a rapid growth phase, saw net losses rise from 9.8m to just over 16m last year.

Its monthly gross cash burn - before recurring income - is 1.9m per month. Recurring revenue - a key metric for the business - was up 73pc last year at 1.28m. The firm has a considerable war chest, however, with cash on hand of 35.1m.

"The market for interactive patient care is growing at a rapid pace," said McCloskey. "Research firm Gartner predicts the sector will be worth $40bn within seven years. The need for a high-quality patient experience has never been more important.

"Our technology has revolutionised patient care and we are excited to continue to roll it out across international markets in the coming months," added McCloskey.

The firm has also announced a number of new senior hires including Kevin Jennings, the former head of Global Learning Design at Google.
The proportion of female directors in startup companies has declined over the past five years, according to new research across private Irish firms.

According to analysis by credit risk analyst Vision-Net, there were more than 20,500 new companies set up in 2016, with women making up 26.6pc of the directors.

This percentage has been declining, with women accounting for 30pc of start-up directors in 2015 and 34.5pc in 2011.

Christine Cullen, managing director of Vision-Net.ie, said: "Our research suggests a disappointing level of female participation at director level in Irish companies.

"This under-representation is particularly apparent in the startup community, and based on our findings, it is getting worse rather than better.

"Last year was a record year for Irish startups, with 20,535 new companies registered, 8pc more than 2015 (18,996). Despite this sizeable growth, the number of females registered at director level has fallen year-on-year as a percentage over the past five years."

The figures also showed that fewer than one in five directors of Ireland's top 150 indigenous companies are women. A review of these companies reveals that approximately 800 directors are associated with them. Of these, only 129 (16pc) are women.

There are around 295,000 active directors of companies that are trading as normal in Ireland - 104,000 of these are females which makes up 35.4pc of the total figure.

The top 150 is measured as firms with the largest turnover in euros as of August 2016. Unlimited companies were precluded if their audited accounts were not filed.

Cullen said: "These numbers are particularly disappointing when you consider the wealth of evidence that demonstrates that the bottom line is greatly improved when you have a gender balance at board level. So while we may know intuitively that gender diversity and balance matters, there is also a clear business case for it too.

"We know that Irish women are entering university and the workforce to the same degree as men, but this is clearly not translating into senior appointments or salary parity with men.

"Government and business leaders have a duty to better understand the barriers in the way of female directorship appointments and to proactively look for ways of pulling them down."

A separate report by Eurostat last week found that two out of every five Irish managers are women. However, women in management positions in Ireland earn 16pc less than men compared with the average pay gap across the EU of 23pc.
Two Irish tech companies have announced that they are joining forces to create a new 50m IT service operation.

PlanNet21 Communications and Agile Networks have announced their plans to merge to provide customers with a complete end-to-end portfolio of solutions including security, networks, wireless, unified communications and server storage.

The move will be accompanied by a full-service offering rangings from Solution Design to full Managed Service.

The combinations of the two tech firms will result in the employment of more than 110 staff with over 60pc of roles being in technical engineering. The annual turnover is expected to be 50m.

Both PlanNet Communications and Agile Networks brands will retain their individual brand names but plan to use their partnership to pursue significant business opportunities.

We are delighted to be joining with PlanNet21 Communications. It provides us with the best of both worlds.

We retain our identity and will continue to work with our existing customers, but it also allows us to collaborate and pursue major IT opportunities at home and abroad. This is a very exciting developing for the entire Agile Networks team, Darragh Richardson, Agile Networks Managing Director said.

Peter Carroll, CEO, PlanNet21 Communications said: The combination of Agile Networks and PlanNet21 Communications provides best of breed products and services for our customers.

The alliance brings together some of the best architectural and technical talent in the country and couples it with accreditations from all the leading technology vendors worldwide, thus allowing us to deliver solutions for any business requirement, he said.

PlanNet21 are a Cisco Gold Partner and leading provider of critical infrastructure technologies. They plan, build, support and manage ICT for both local and multinational companies.

Meanwhile, Agile Networks design, build and support networks for some of the countrys leading businesses. The company supports over 2.3 million end users across 4,900 sites for 100 major customers every day.
An Post is expected to seek the closure of more than 200 post offices and the co-location of many more to convenience stores in a radical restructuring plan. Stock image

An Post is expected to seek the closure of more than 200 post offices and the co-location of many more to convenience stores in a radical restructuring plan being formulated for the ailing postal network.

Decisions will be made as early as summer as An Post management battles crippling losses.

More than half of all the post offices in the State are losing money.

Last week the company announced that it needed to increase the price of stamps to avoid a cash squeeze in the near future, and buy time for a fundamental restructuring of the company.

Sources have now told the Sunday Independent that a plan to close just 80 post offices, as proposed in a report by businessman and Dragons' Den investor Bobby Kerr, would be a short-term measure and would not address the underlying problems facing hundreds of loss-making post offices.

It is also understood that a 58m sum suggested by Kerr to help fund post offices for the next four years, is unlikely to be forthcoming from Government.

However, while Government would be reluctant to prop up the ailing post office network until 2020 with a 58m cash injection, a decision to close a large number of post offices around the country, especially in rural Ireland, would be met with political opposition from all sides.

At the moment there are close to 1,150 post offices, with Ireland having a particularly high ratio of post offices per head of population.

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In a letter to postmasters from An Post this weekend, chief executive David McRedmond said that there was no point in delaying the restructuring of the network.

"The approach the An Post team and I are taking differs from the (Kerr) report in two fundamental respects," he said.

"Firstly, the report is predicated on a temporary and uncertain subsidy from Government. Secondly, the time-scale envisaged in the report is to stabilise the network for the next four years after which the problems would be even greater than they are today.

"We cannot and I do not want to delay the necessary fundamental restructuring decisions until 2020.

"Rather, we can complete the work now to ensure that we have a sustainable future for the business, certainty for postmasters, and continue to provide a high-quality service to our customers."

The letter to postmasters makes it clear that change must happen sooner rather than later.

Mr McRedmond acknowledges the extensive media coverage regarding the forthcoming postage price increase and the financial challenges facing An Post, including the post office network business.

He writes: "While we have stabilised the short-term cash-flow, the financial crisis in the company requires immediate action. I am very aware of the financial challenges facing our businesses. I am conscious that, while some postmasters/postmistresses are doing well, many more of you are concerned about the future of the business.

''Demographic shifts, new technology and a complex marketplace have all placed huge pressures on the Post Office Network."

Mr McRedmond states bluntly that he is intent on facing up to these challenges now.

He describes the Post Office Network Strategy Report (Bobby Kerr report) as a "useful top-line review", but adds that there is no substitute or alternative to doing the detailed granular work to address the business needs.

"I appreciate that these are challenging and troubling times for all involved in the business. An Post has no wish to prolong this uncertainty. I expect our review to be completed in a matter of weeks, following which we will engage with all stakeholders including you, Government, the IPU and major customers. I expect the necessary major decisions to be made before the summer," he told postmasters and postmistresses.
I can live with paying more in fees. But I cannot live with a bank that prioritises cheques over modern conveniences such as mobile payments (Stock picture)

Spare a thought for the customer support staff of Bank of Ireland and AIB. Last week, both sets of teams were inundated with enquiries from hundreds of frustrated customers, wanting to know when they may get to use Apple Pay.

Bank of Ireland took the worst of the flak as it doesn't even have Android Pay as an alternative.

Instead, its policy is to issue cheque books.

But paper IOUs finally look endangered. For those who missed it, Apple finally launched its Apple Pay mobile payments system into Ireland last week. In a nutshell, this system allows you to save your contactless credit card's details into your iPhone's digital 'Wallet' so that the iPhone becomes the physical object you use when paying for things at a contactless payment machine in a shop. It's incredibly handy. It's also pretty secure considering each payment requires your fingerprint, meaning a stolen iPhone is useless to the thief.

But the country's two biggest banks decided to sit the launch out. In doing so, they handed a free pass to KBC and Ulster Bank, the two banks with which Apple Pay can be used.

As a result, hundreds (perhaps thousands) of customers are now considering a move away from the big two banks.

I am one of those customers. My bank, Bank of Ireland, is an especially egregious case when it comes to a lack of modern options. For its own reasons, it sat out the introduction of Android Pay last December, making it the only major bank not to have either Apple Pay or Android Pay.

It has no problem issuing me with a chequebook, though.

So now I'm looking to open an account with KBC or Ulster Bank.

Quite apart from the issue of Apple Pay, this may be no bad thing. I'm fairly sure that moving bank almost always results in some saving anyway, regardless of extra benefits such as the use of Apple Pay.

I'm also fairly sure that it's not an overreaction to consider moving away from a bank because they don't have a shiny new system. We all have some issue or other with our existing bank. An item such as Apple Pay is really just the nudge many of us need to look at our finances with a bit more diligence. This is especially so as most of us have probably been with the same bank for years out of sheer inertia.

So I don't feel especially nerdy that it's the lack of Apple Pay that is finally pushing me into taking a proactive stance on my own banking habits.

I can live with paying more in fees. But I cannot live with a bank that prioritises cheques over modern conveniences such as mobile payments.

From the tsunami of negative feedback that Bank of Ireland got this week, I'm not alone. (To be fair, AIB also took it in the neck for not having Apple Pay. But it, at least, has mobile payments in the form of Android Pay. It also says it's in discussions with Apple about Apple Pay).

Why do we want these mobile payment systems?

I'd say it's because we're sick of flaky pieces of plastic. And we're sick of waiting in shop queues while others take ages unzipping wallets, tapping pin codes into terminals (which then sometimes take more time to process the transaction), replacing their cards, rezipping the wallet and replacing the wallet in their bags.

We also may be looking for slightly better security. Just over a week ago, I got a call from my bank telling me my credit card had been compromised and I'd need to wait over a week until a new one was issued to me. This is currently causing me administrative chaos with everything from disrupted bin payments and M50 tolls to Spotify and Netflix subscription interruptions. Whether or not the card was physically compromised or hacked from some website isn't that important because I'm pretty sure that using Apple Pay (or Android Pay) in future would be more secure.

This is because paying in a shop (or online) using Apple Pay or Android Pay doesn't always require the kind of physical disclosure of sensitive data (such as the three-digit CVV security number) that physical cards require. The whole system is based on a more secure, encrypted form of transaction that uses one-time dynamic codes.

For me, this means that I'm less likely to be called up by the bank and told that someone has withdrawn 200 from an ATM in Seville using what appears to be my card.

It also means a slightly thinner physical wallet and less of a necessity to keep changing cards when they disintegrate or bug out from being placed next to other cards in the same wallet.

While I can't completely divest my affairs from Bank of Ireland (I have a mortgage, for example), a few enquiries last week showed me that it's quite easy to switch a lot of current account stuff without too much hassle.

In the case of one of the Apple Pay banks, KBC, there also appears to be a fee-less option once a balance of 2,000 is maintained.

An alternative option to switching banks is Boon, a prepay system that works by downloading an app and topping up via a prepaid digital Mastercard. It works in any shop whose terminals accept the Mastercard contactless logo.

But that may be too restrictive. I'm not crazy about the thought of a constant top-up system where shortfalls may take days to rebalance.

So I'm going to try one of the other banks. I'm willing to do this just so I can use an iPhone as a payment tool. But in the process, I bet I'll save money on my day-to-day banking costs.
Independent TD Mick Wallace has introduced a bill in the Dail in a bid to bring High Court and Circuit Court judgments into line with bankruptcy legislation by reducing their lifetime from 12 to two years.

In a move aimed at banks and vulture funds specifically, Wallace, pictured, is also seeking to have the statute of limitations covering the period in which they can recover a debt or judgment from a borrower reduced from six to two years.

Introducing the first stage of the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill in the Dail last Thursday, the Independent TD highlighted the difference in the treatment currently afforded to the living and the dead in relation to the recovery of their debt. Under existing legislation, Wallace noted that the debts and judgments of a deceased person become statute barred after two years.

Contrasting this with the legislation that applies to living debtors, Wallace said: "It seems that under current legislation, living people must face a worse fate than death and are expected to continue to exist in limbo for six to 12 years."

Wallace's proposed legal changes are based in large part on a report produced by the Law Reform Commission in 2011, which recommended the length of a civil claim based on a contract debt be reduced from six to two years.

Referring to the 12-year duration of High Court and Circuit Court judgments, Wallace told the Dail that those who "do not wish to go through the insolvency or bankruptcy route but who are making their best efforts" to repay their debts were having the "last ounce of blood" extracted from them by their banks.

Wallace, who was declared bankrupt last December on foot of a 2m debt acquired by the US private equity giant Cerberus from Ulster Bank, said Cerberus and other "vulture funds" were adding to the problem. He criticised Finance Minister Michael Noonan's comment that the term 'vulture fund' was actually a "compliment" because "vultures provide a very good service in the ecology through cleaning up dead animals that are littered across the landscape".

Wallace said: "He [Noonan] would do well to remember that the dead animals the vultures are cleaning up are the Irish people, some of whom are well into their 70s and 80s."
President Trump's revised and watered-down travel ban hasn't caused the online furore of its predecessor, but it's still a massive issue for global business travellers.

A new survey of its US and European members by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) found that 41pc fear traveller harassment with the new order; more than one-in-three worry about uncertainty over green cards and visas; while 34pc are concerned about tit-for-tat harassment of US travellers in Middle Eastern countries.

And just short of half (44pc) of European travel professionals report that their companies have employees who travel to the US who could be affected by the new Trump order.

If implemented by next Thursday, would-be visitors and immigrants from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya will be affected.

The GBTA estimated that approximately $185m worth of business travel bookings were lost in the US as a direct result of the initial ban, and advocates keeping America open to business while still maintaining safe borders.

"The executive ban that was initially written was so broad and impacted many travellers and people who were low risk and had gone through the proper processes it didn't make any sense," Irish-American GBTA head Michael McCormick, inset, told the Sunday Independent from the organisation's headquarters in Virginia. "It was done as a surprise to the travelling community and also the people who were there to implement it. The programmes we do have in place, like visa waiver, are critical. They allow countries who are co-operating and have the same objectives in term of maintaining high levels of security to work well together. We've got programmes that are good that can even be better if we continue to invest in them, like pre-check, and visa waiver is at the core of that," he said.

"We took one step backwards, but fortunately it doesn't have to be permanent."

He said business organisations in the US are lobbying to ensure business travel isn't impacted further, and added: "The approach we took was to be factual and work to educate everyone involved. The security of our airports is a top, top priority but it's got to be done the right way. There are certainly countries and parts of the world that our agencies need to focus on because they represent high risk," he added, but said the efforts around this must be "focused on programmes and ongoing work that clearly identifies high-risk areas and continues to look to improve screening and makes sure all passengers are safe and secure".

The organisation does believe that Trump could help the industry. "Certainly all of the messaging from the administration is that there is going to be big investment into travel infrastructure and that we will get a healthy part of that expenditure - but it's only an idea at this point. Plans need to be created, and most importantly Congress has to fund it. We're still a good bit away from that funding being appropriated."

But McCormick does see areas that need dollars now. "We think air traffic modernisation is number one on the list. The systems are clearly antiquated - we are using the same radar and systems from the 1950s. There's also a very clear return on investment in fuel savings, time savings, more efficient used of facilities, period," he said.

He said airports need a shake-up but said "increasing the fees that passengers pay is not the answer. We've been paying and paying as passengers with high fees on airline tickets and that money just hasn't been spent. It's been used to offset budget deficits and used for other things but not the things they're needed for".

Meanwhile, unlike his counterparts in the leisure sector from the US Travel Association, he's only giving a guarded welcome to the arrival of new routes from Ireland to the US with Norwegian - a development that has been criticised by US airline unions and some members of Congress. "As always, buyers are always looking for competition, for choice for alternatives. For us we have to walk the balance between that and making sure that it's responsible competition," he said.

"In other sectors we have to be mindful of the fact that there are alternatives like ride-sharing and home-sharing that have impacted the business travel community. Generally, as long as it's fair competition and more product choice, that's good for buyers. We have to watch it closely. We're not the arbiters of what's fair - that's for the government agencies to decide - but that's the key. As long as it's fair competition we're all for it."

 To Schengen or not to Schengen, that is the question. The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) believes we might have to start thinking outside the box if Brexit results in a hard border and the ending of the common travel area (CTA) with the UK.

Under Schengen, 26 EU nations - including France, Germany and Spain - have a common travel area, without border or passport controls. The migration crisis and security concerns have affected this, albeit on a temporary basis.

At an ITIC Brexit briefing this week, ceo Eoghan O'Mara Walsh and chairman Paul Gallagher voiced fears over access for business and leisure travellers if the CTA is hit. "UK visa waiver schemes that allow Asian and Middle Eastern travellers to come here unimpeded would have to renegotiated," said O'Mara Walsh. On joining Schengen, Gallagher said "we have to protect ourselves".

The worst-case scenario looks bleak for Irish trade with Britain. Irish Ferries planning manager Nick Mottram warned of the gathering of "7km tailbacks of trucks" at Holyhead if full customs checks are implemented using the current technology.

 Is Brexit already having an effect on travel to and from Britain? Last February, UK-Irish passenger numbers rose 19pc to 752,000.

This year's corresponding figure is 750.000. Granted, it's only a slight dip (and 2016 was a leap year, with one day fewer), but watch this space.
Family time: Gay and Kathleen Byrne with grandchildren Saoirse (8), Sadhbh (10) and Cian (12), at the Haven Gala Concert last night. Photo: Fergal Phillips.

A host of stars turned out last night to support Haven's recovery work in Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.

The event, in Dublin's Convention Centre, comes after Riverdance director John McColgan's "eye-opening and thought-provoking" trip to the region last November.

The director wanted to experience the first-hand reality of life on the ground in the country and document how the Haitian people are rebuilding their lives, following the widespread devastation of the third major natural disaster in Haiti in just six years.

Celebrities who joined Riverdance on stage included Mario Rosenstock, Brian Kennedy, Kila, Roisin O and Patrick Bergin. The event was hosted by Miriam O'Callaghan and Brendan O'Connor.

Haven aims to raise awareness and support for the people of Haiti - a country which remains one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere.

Chairman and founder of Haven, Leslie Buckley, said that it was "a privilege" to welcome the McColgan family to the region. Mr Buckley explained how, during their visit, they had "witnessed the gravity of the situation", while greatly aiding recovery efforts by raising awareness through their documentary work.

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"We aim to create further support, and appeal to the generous Irish public to join us to help the people of Haiti in their recovery," he said.

Haven's team has spent the last eight years leading recovery work on the remote island of Ile a Vache, which was devastated by Hurricane Matthew, the most powerful hurricane to hit Haiti in over 50 years.

Last night, Mario Rosenstock kept the crowd entertained appearing for the first time ever on stage as Miriam alongside the real Miriam O'Callaghan. "Sometimes when someone does a characterisation of someone, like Trump and Baldwin, it grabs a hold," he said. "And I wonder why my impersonation of Miriam has grabbed such a hold. It's not just because I do an impression of her. There's a whole subtext - I have big blue eyes and she slaps men round for a living. So for me to embody that works well. She's been a good sport about it."

The biggest shout out of the evening went to Gay Byrne, who attended with his extended family. The 82-year-old was hailed - by the real Miriam - as being the "greatest broadcaster ever".
Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy has joked that the 1970s handlebar moustache he grew for his latest action thriller was a "woman-repellent".

Murphy plays an IRA operative in Free Fire, Ben Wheatley's follow-up to High Rise, which involves an arms deal that goes wrong resulting in pandemonium and spraying bullets.

Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson, who brokers the deal, plays a mysterious businesswoman, while Elysium actor Sharlto Copley is a South African arms dealer. Luther actor Michael Smiley and Control star Sam Riley also feature in the thriller.

The cast members posed for selfies with fans as they walked the red carpet in Leicester Square alongside Wheatley to mark the end of the 60th London Film Festival.

Murphy said: "It's great - delighted it's the closing film, it's a big deal so hopefully people like it.

Asked what he did to prepare for the role he said: "I grew a moustache. That was it."

The actor, now clean-shaven, added that he missed it "terribly", but joked that it was "ba sically a woman-repellent".

His co-star Smiley concurred, saying the "moustache-fest" made them look like porn stars, while Copley said the "70s man" look had proved a hit with his wife, adding: "I think that certain men can carry a tache."

Wheatley said he felt "overwhelmed" to have his film premiering on the closing night of the film festival.

He said of filming: "Once we got the cast together ... I just couldn't believe my luck. And then every day when I came into work it was a joy."

London Film Festival head Clare Stewart said she was thrilled to be ending it with a film by a rising British director.

Of Wheatley's Free Fire she said: "This shows him in really liberated form, it's kind of ballsy, shoot 'em up, pays ode to the great cinema achievements of someone like Sam Peckinpah and it's a lot of fun."
Dont make me make the podium move! White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer jokingly warned reporters during todays televised press briefing when asked whether President Donalds morning tweet boasting of new jobs numbers violated federal regs.

It played extremely well with the White House press corps.

Spicers joke was a sly reference to Melissa McCarthys Saturday Night Live appearances last month, playing Spicer at the White House Press Briefing. In her second appearance as Spicer on the NBC late-night show, McCarthy had first taken a leaf-blower to Cecily Strongs questioning reporter, then rode Spicers podium, Segway-style, into the gaggle of press, sending them scrambling in a panic to get out of the podiums path. [You can watch below].

Spicer reportedly wanted to make a joke about McCarthys impression of him at a briefing when she made her debut as Spicer in early February, but it had been ixnayed by OTUSPay.

Today, Spicer finally got his moment, when a reporter noted Obviously you guys were excited by the jobs report, but maybe a little too excited, noting President Donald Trump had tweeted within an hour of the jobs data coming out, in violation of a federal rule that prohibits the White House from commenting on the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report within an hour of its release.

Im wondering if there is counseling in the presidents future the reporter asked though, in his defense, the reporter chuckled, while asking, at the improbability.

What I understand is that rule was instituted to deal with market fluctuations, Spicer said, adding, I could be wrong.

Spicer called a bit silly the suggestion there was anything improper in Trump tweeting Great way to start a Friday along with the actual numbers that you all have reported.

I mean, dont make me make the podium move! Spicer warned.

Story continues

Big laughter in the briefing room.

Honest to god, every reporter here reported out that we had 235 thousand jobs, 4.7 % [unemployment rate]. There isnt a TV station that didnt go live to it, Spicer continued, having won over the room. So, to tweet out Great way to start a Friday? I think, yes, the president was excited to see more Americans go back to work. I dont think thats exactly a market disruption.

One reporter noted Trump previously dismissed as horseradish Obama-era Bureau of Labor Statistics job reports. Spicer was prepped for that question:

I talked to the President prior to this, Spicer said. And he said to quote him very clearly: They may have been phony in past, but its very real now.'

And, in case you missed it, here is McCarthy and her portable podium:

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Friends, colleagues and fans paid tribute to the late, great Tony Fenton to mark the second anniversary of the legendary presenter's death.

DJ Alison Curtis presented a show on Sunday, dedicated to the presenter, who passed away in March 2015 following a five-year battle with cancer.

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Speaking on Today FM Alison said she feels privileged to have known Tony but said that it made his loss even harder to accept.

"I was really, really lucky to consider him a friend and I was very, very lucky to work so closely with him during his final years. Every time I worked with him, he really inspired me to do my best and to do my show better and I really, really consider it a privilege to have had him in my life. I cared about him so much it hurt so much to lose him. We're thinking about him today, we're thinking about his family and we're thinking about all the listeners who loved him as well," she said.

Tony (whose real name was Anthony Fagan) grew up in Glasnevin and began his career with a mobile disco with Barry Lang and fellow Today FM DJ Ian Dempsey.

Ian Dempsey, who had worked with Tony since the pair were teenagers, said he was thinking of his late friend two years on and wished he could still call on Tony for a pint.

"I know who I'd rather have a pint with today," the Today FM presenter tweeted alongside a photograph of his pal.

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Rick O'Shea said the fun-loving Tony was "still missed" in the halls of Today FM, while Radio Nova presenter Peter Devlin also paid tribute to the late star of Irish radio.

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Speaking on Sunday, Alison said the many 'Tony stories' she hears on a regular basis is testament to a life well-lived.

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"It's very hard to believe that it's two years ago today that we lost him. Everyone has a Tony story and that means to me that he lived his live very, very well. He had such an impact on everyone who knew him even briefly or deeply. He is a massive loss to his family and friends, it goes without saying, but he's a massive loss to listeners as well," she said.
Local residents left teddy bears and flowers as tribute to the victims of the fire in Clondalkin. Photo: Arthur Carron

Victims of Clondalkin fire. (From left clockwise) Holly (3), AnneMarie (27), Biddy (aged in her 30s), Jordan (4) and Paris (2) O'Brien

Trying to make a fresh start: Annemarie OBrien and daughter Paris, who both died in the Clondalkin apartment fire

A grieving father said that his partner and young daughter, who died in a fire this week, had sought refuge accommodation after becoming homeless.

In an interview with the Irish Mail On Sunday, Sean Patel has paid tribute to his pregnant partner, Annemarie O'Brien and their daughter Paris Patel (2), who died in the horrific fire in Clondalkin, Dublin last week.

Annemarie and her daughter passed away when the apartment they were living in, located in Kilcronan Avenue, Clondalkin went up in flames in the early hours on Wednesday morning. The apartment was owned by the charity Sonas.

Mr Patel told the Irish Mail on Sunday that Annmarie and Paris were living in the Clondalkin apartment after being left with no choice but for him to live with friends and her to find refuge accommodation.

He explained that he and Annemarie were made homeless some time ago and had been searching for a family home. Annemarie was expecting their second child in just three weeks time.

Ann was a kind person and a loving mother. The two of them could never live without the other. She always made sure Hannah Paris Patel had the best care and unconditional love that a child could get from a mother, he said.

All she wanted was a home for us. I am so lost and nothing can fill this emptiness. Its going to be hard to move on. May their souls find eternal peace.

A Facebook thread shows Annemaries sister, Donna Nicole Kelly Devlin, pay tribute to the family: Sean loved my sister and my beautiful niece more than anything in the world.

Annemaries cousin Biddy OBrien and her children Jordan (4) and Holly (1) were also in the apartment at the time of the blaze. Holly died at the scene while Jordan was pronounced dead a few hours later.

Biddy remains in critical condition in hospital following extensive burns as well as smoke inhalation.

Jim OBrein, from the Bray Traveller Community Development Group, who holds connections to the family involved, told the Irish Mail on Sunday that Biddy underwent a six-hour surgery on Friday and remains critically ill.

Mr. Patel, originally from Malawi, lived in Ballymun for a number of years. He is currently staying with his brother in Galway while he attempted to come to terms with the lost of his partner and child.

His family are traveling to Dublin from the UK, Africa and Galway today ahead of the funeral today.
The Archbishop of Tuam has called for the probe into the scandal of mother and baby homes to be widened beyond religious orders.

Archbishop Michael Neary also apologised for the role of the Catholic church "as part of that time and society" when "particular children and their mothers were not welcomed, they were not wanted and they were not loved".

The Archbishop delivered a homily at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Tuam yesterday, near where children's remains were discovered on the site of what was St Mary's mother and baby home run by the Bon Secours sisters.

Speaking yesterday, he said there is "an urgent need for an enquiry to examine all aspects of life at the time, broadening the focus from one particular religious congregation, and instead addressing the roles and interrelationships between church, State, local authorities and society generally."

The Minister for Children, Katherine Zappone, has already promised to look at broadening the Commission of Investigation into mother and baby homes to cover all institutions, agencies and individuals who were involved with Ireland's unmarried mothers and their children.

The Commission was launched after research by local historian, Catherine Corless, who believed that 796 babies were buried at the site of the home. The Commission announced 10 days ago that children's remains had been found in an underground structure on the site.

Expand Close A red rose comes into bloom on the site of the Mother and Babies home grave in Tuam, Co Galway. Photo Andy Newman / Facebook

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The Archbishop of Tuam said yesterday that reports of high levels of mortality and malnutrition at the Tuam mother and baby home were "particularly harrowing".

He said: "It was an era when unmarried mothers, as our society at the time labelled women who were pregnant and not married, were often judged, stigmatised and ostracised by their own community and the church, and this all happened in a harsh and unforgiving climate.

"Compassion, understanding and mercy were sorely lacking."

He said it was timely "that this dimension of our social history be addressed and thoroughly examined", adding: "To do so would begin the process of attempting to explain, but not to excuse, what happened in our not-too-distant collective past.

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"How could the culture of Irish society, which purported to be defined by Christian values, have allowed itself to behave in such a manner towards our most vulnerable?"
Roy Webster was a "happy-go-lucky chap, a normal guy", well regarded by those he worked with and lived alongside in the quiet corner of Co Wicklow that he called home.

A family man, he had a five-year-old daughter he doted on and a new arrival - a six-week-old son with his wife Sinead.

He ran his own cabinet-making business from a workshop in a shed at the back of the family's bungalow. To clients, he was an obliging, hard-working, talented tradesman.

But in early April, 2015, despite appearances, his life was no longer normal, because a dark and terrible secret lay behind his workshop door.

As he spent that Easter weekend with his family, they were unaware that metres away, wrapped in a duvet, was the bound and bloodied body of a woman.

The woman - mother-of-three Anne Shortall - was being searched for by her worried family, gardai were asking questions and time was running out for Mr Webster.

Expand Close In the dock: Roy Webster, who denies murder but admits manslaughter, said he and Ms Shortall had had 'a fling'. Photo: Collins / Facebook

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Whatsapp In the dock: Roy Webster, who denies murder but admits manslaughter, said he and Ms Shortall had had 'a fling'. Photo: Collins

The horrible and tragic events surrounding Ms Shortall's disappearance and death unfolded at the Central Criminal Court last week, where Mr Webster is pleading guilty to her manslaughter but denies her murder.

The jury heard how Mr Webster, now aged 39, met Ms Shortall (47) at the end of a work night out in Wicklow town on December 20, 2014.

By his own account, he ended up going back to her apartment where they had sex.

He stayed until the following morning and got a taxi home to his then-pregnant wife and daughter.

In the following months, Ms Shortall tried to make contact with Mr Webster through one of his cousins on Facebook.

Mr Webster would later describe to gardai calls Ms Shortall made to his home in the middle of the night, and that she was looking to start a relationship but he was not interested.

What happened between them was just "a fling", a "silly drunken thing".

Meanwhile, the court heard of a stray Facebook message accidentally sent to a stranger in late March 2015 in which Ms Shortall wrote: "Tell your mate Roy that I need 5,000 for an abortion."

According to the prosecution, Ms Shortall later directly texted Mr Webster: "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I'm pregnant."

She told him she was looking for money for a termination when they met outside her apartment in South Quay, Wicklow town, on April 2.

He did not believe her and asked for proof. They arranged to meet the following afternoon, Good Friday.

First, that morning, he had a job to finish on Aileen Geoghan's kitchen in Greystones, but both had forgotten it was a bank holiday and she was not able to pay him.

Next, he had to pick up a children's book he had ordered for his daughter at Bridge Street Books in Wicklow town - Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy.

Finally, he texted Ms Shortall: "Meet at Leitrim". She replied "on way" and they met outside the Leitrim Lounge pub.

He drove her in his work van to the Murrough, a coastal industrial area, where they argued and, according to the prosecution, she threatened to "reveal all".

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The court has heard only a brief account of what happened next. What we do know is Roy Webster picked up a hammer and hit Anne Shortall a number of times about the head.

Then he tied her hands with duct tape and wrapped the same tape around her head. He drove her back to his home, eventually hiding the body in his workshop.

Ms Shortall had made her demands for money while she was under growing financial pressure as rent arrears culminated in an eviction notice.

Her money troubles had deepened since her separation eight years earlier from her husband, Colin.

Living in a rented apartment in Wicklow town, she led a 'night owl' lifestyle; going to the pub nearly every night. On other nights, she babysat her grandchildren. She would sleep until the afternoon.

Ms Shortall was alcohol-dependent, was on anti-depressant tablets, and had not worked in years.

However, a day before she disappeared, with her eviction imminent, she texted letting agent Mary Broe to say she had got the arrears and at least six months' rent - which would have amounted to just over 5,000. She said she would see Ms Broe the following Tuesday. "I ain't going anywhere," she texted the agent.

When she left the apartment at 3.50pm on April 3, her daughter Emma (22) noticed she had not taken her cigarettes, which was unusual because she was a chain smoker. She had also left her phone charging under a pillow.

Emma and her sister Alanna (19) became worried and found Mr Webster's number on their mother's phone, saved as 'Ashwood Kitchens' with the final text messages the pair had exchanged.

When contacted, Mr Webster initially lied about knowing Ms Shortall and then said he had met her and that "all I know is she is going to meet a friend in London".

Ms Shortall was reported missing on April 4 and garda enquiries soon turned to Mr Webster.

Again, he lied and by the evening of April 6 he had given two witness statements. In them, he admitted having had "a sexual encounter" with Ms Shortall in December. He said when she told him she was pregnant he said he would "go halves" with her if she could prove he was responsible and if not he was "not coughing up".

He told gardai that after talking for a few minutes in his van on April 3, Ms Shortall got out and walked back toward Wicklow town and that was the last he saw of her.

The next day, April 7, Detective Sergeant Michael O'Brien was at Mr Webster's home at Ashbree, Killoughter, Ashford, to discuss media coverage linking Mr Webster to the case.

As they sat around the table, it was Sinead who prompted her husband, in a soft voice with their baby boy in her arms: "Have you anything to say that you are not saying... if you have something to say tell us now. Did you hurt her?"

Mr Webster hesitated and then started to cry. "He said he did hurt her," Det Sgt O'Brien told a hushed court.

Mr Webster's wife said to him, much more directly and forcefully: "Did you hit her, Roy?" Det Sgt O'Brien recalled. He began to cry again and said "I did." The tension seemed to be mirrored by the courtroom's palpable silence.

"I asked him the question then: 'Where is she, Roy?' And then Sinead said: 'With what?' And he said: 'I hit her with a hammer,'" Det Sgt O'Brien continued. "I said: 'Where is she, Roy?' And he said: 'She is in the workshop'. At that stage, Sinead Webster said: 'In our workshop?' And he said: 'Yes," Det Sgt O'Brien told the jury.

Sinead Webster then dropped to her knees, the baby still in her arms, and gasped. A diabetic, she began to have a fit and injected insulin.

Garda Michael Wall got paper to take down a statement from the accused on the spot.

"She put me under so much pressure, I hit her a couple of blows, a mistake that is after ruining so many lives," Mr Webster said. "I was trying to keep it together for everyone but she had me against the wall. Everything I had worked so hard for.

She was just threatening and threatening. I grabbed the first thing I could and I hit her."

Garda Wall, who had taken the baby, then handed him to Mr Webster to bottle feed. Gardai eventually called him out to his workshop to show them where he had hidden the body.

The detective looked behind hoarding and saw a pair of hands tied with duct tape.

The accused, dressed in a dark suit, wept again in the courtroom as the heart-stopping scenes in his home that day were recalled by the sergeant - the day the lives of two families were shattered.

The prosecution evidence is du e to resume tomorrow and the defence has yet to present its case.

But this has been a trial that speaks of the horrors that can sometimes lie behind closed doors.
Relief: Pia Bang Stokes says the family, including Christian and Simon Stokes, now want to move on with their lives. Photo: David Conachy

Pia Bang Stokes, the matriarch of the Stokes family, has spoken for the first time following the family's high-profile High Court battle over debt owed by her and her husband, Jeffrey Stokes.

The businesswoman and interior designer was speaking after the couple came to an agreement with Dunbar Assets, formerly Zurich Bank, over their 12m debts.

As part of the settlement, the couple avoided bankruptcy and had the debt written off in exchange for a one-off payment of 145,000. They can also keep their 800,000 home.

The bulk of that money will go to Dunbar Assets, which is owed almost 9m, and to Revenue.

This weekend, Ms Bang said: "We are very relieved and very happy it is all over."

She said: "The 12m property portfolio was handed over and Dunbar subsequently sold all of the properties and then 5m was left to write down. Dunbar bank received 145,000 but we paid 290,000 when you include fees and creditors."

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Describing the past few years as "incredibly tough on all our family", she said: "A lot has been said in the media but only a handful of our good friends know the real story and I am grateful for them to have been there for us through this.

"We now just want to move on with our lives."

Meanwhile, her son Christian Stokes told the Sunday Independent that he and his brother Simon are also trying to move on with the next chapter.

"My case finished last year so my parents' case is separate," he said.

"We have been through some very dark times, as have many other families, and we have been working hard and trying to get on with our lives."

Christian added that he is now pursuing a new career in aviation, with the company Surfair.

Termed 'the Netflix of air travel', the company offers an 'all-you-can-fly' membership model, meaning members can skip queues and travel flexibly on executive jets.

His brother Simon is now operating two successful salad bars in Baggot Street and the IFSC in Dublin.

During the Celtic Tiger years, the family was the toast of Dublin's social scene.

Jeff Stokes ran the fashionable Unicorn restaurant at Merrion Row in Dublin, before becoming the landlord to Giorgio Casari, who fronted the eatery for 15 years before its golden age came to an end.

During that time it attracted clients such as Tony Blair, Gerry Adams, Seamus Heaney, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson and his late wife, Natasha Richardson, colourful property developer Johnny Ronan and the late Gerry Ryan.

Former US president Bill Clinton frequently visited the restaurant. On his last visit, Bono had a pint of Guinness and a packet of crisps waiting at his table.

In 2014, Christian and Simon Stokes, as well as their parents Jeffrey and Pia, consented to a 14.7m judgment being entered against them arising from various loans and guarantees.

Two years previous, the High Court had ruled the brothers could not be company directors until 2016 arising out of their involvement in the Residence private member's club. At the height of their fame, the Stokes brothers ran the club on St Stephen's Green.

With an annual membership fee of 850, the property was owned by developer Johnny Ronan and attracted regular patrons such as Bono, Neil Jordan, Rory McIlroy, Jonathan Rhys-Myers and The Corrs, plus household names from the world of business and sport.

Simon Stokes was unavailable for comment.
Drug test: Most overdose deaths are caused by the users ignorance as to the drugs purity. Stock photo

Nightclubs could soon provide free drug testing so users can check the 'purity' of substances bought from dealers.

The aim is to reduce the risk of accidental death by ensuring drugs such as cocaine and MDMA do not contain other potentially lethal ingredients.

The Sunday Independent has learned a specially formed steering committee - established to develop a new national drugs strategy - will submit its final report to Government within the next three weeks.

Under the plan, which would require a change in the law, users could have illegal drugs or party pills legally tested for a range of lethal substances, on-site in a club or at events such as a music festival.

The plan is based on a review carried out by the Health Research Board.

Advocates say it could reduce drug-related deaths by investigating if cocaine and various other substances are ''adulterated or highly potent''.

Increasingly, users of ''street drugs'' are unaware of what may have been mixed with the substance they are consuming. In many countries, including Ireland, drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines are increasingly cut with other substances, such as caffeine, phenacetin, levamisole and local anaesthetics.

Drug checking services already exist in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Front-of-house testing was trialled at two music festivals in the UK last summer.

Testing is done by putting samples into a container, which is taken to an off-site mobile laboratory, that can determine the chemical make-up of drugs. Advocates also suggest testing kits for synthetic so-called 'party' drugs may be a way of reducing risk.

Sadie Grace, head of the National Family Support Network, said the provision of drug testing will save lives, and reduce serious health complications.

"We know that more and more young people are being exposed to synthetic drugs and therefore the significant negative impact these substances can have.

"From working with families all over Ireland we have heard and witnessed the absolute devastation a bereavement brings and measures which can potentially alleviate this happening to another family are always welcome,'' she said.

Tony Duffin, head of the Ana Liffey Drug Project, said drug testing is needed at the "point of consumption" in places like festivals and clubs.

"There are a number of formal drug testing initiatives in other countries that Ireland can learn from.

"These models should be investigated and drug testing services, suitable to the Irish context, should be implemented as a matter of priority."

Sources involved in drawing up Ireland's new drugs strategy say the provision of the testing kits does not mean illegal activity is being condoned - rather it is an effort to reduce the number of fatalities from substances which have been tampered with and made more toxic.

A number of legal issues will also have to be resolved.

However, it is argued that the proposed testing kits -when combined with other strategies such as more education on substance abuse - could make drug use safer for those who do not abstain from risky behaviour.

Critics, however, say such a move risks ''normalising'' drug-taking and emphasised that no drugs are ever truly safe.

Latest figures produced by the Health Research Board show that in 2014 - the most recent year for which data is available - 697 people died from drug-related abuse.

This was a 62pc increase on the 2004 figure.
A member of staff at a bar in Carrickfergus has been left in a serious condition in hospital with head injuries following a gang attack.

Police said the man sustained serious head injuries after he was assaulted by a number of individuals at The Royal Oak bar on Saturday night. Officers were called to the scene at around 9.40pm.

PSNI Detective Inspector Lindsay Fisher said a 36 year-old and a 52 year-old man have been arrested in connection with the attack. They are currently in police custody.

He added: "I would ask anyone who witnessed this incident or who has any information which could assist us with our enquiries to contact detectives in Ballymena on 101 quoting reference number 1275 11/03/17.

"Information can also be given anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Gardai investigate the death of a cyclist is his thirties who was involved in a collision with a car on Coyngham Road in Dublin. Pictures: Arthur Carron

Gardai investigate the death of a cyclist is his thirties who was involved in a collision with a car on Coyngham Road in Dublin. Pictures: Arthur Carron

Gardai investigate the death of a cyclist is his thirties who was involved in a collision with a car on Coyngham Road in Dublin. Pictures: Arthur Carron

A cyclist has died after he was struck by a car in Dublin this afternoon.

A male (30s), a pedal cyclist, was seriously injured on Conyngham Road, Dublin 8 at approximately 2:15pm.

He was taken to St. James Hospital where he later passed away and a post mortem will take place.

The female driver (40s) received minor injuries.

Three units of Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) and an advanced paramedic were dealing with the incident.

The scene of the collision on Conyngham Road is currently closed as Garda Forensic Collision Investigators are at scene. Road diversions are in place.

Gardai in Kilmainham are seeking the assistance of any members of the public who travelled this road and who may be able to offer any further information or witnessed the collision to contact them at 01 - 6669700, The Garda Confidential Line 1 800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
President Donald Trump themed St Patrick's Day T-shirts in Philadelphia, before Taoiseach Enda Kenny arrives for the annual St Patrick's parade as part of his US visit

Finding a way of legalising the status of 50,000 undocumented Irish in the United States would make America a better country, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

On the first leg of his five city tour of the US Mr Kenny sought to set the tone for his St Patrick's Day engagements by promising to prioritise a push for immigration reform.

He told the Friendly Sons of St Patrick society in Philadelphia that it should be "no surprise" that he raise the issue with Donald Trump later this week.

The Taoiseach wants "to renew the strong case on behalf of the hard-working, tax-paying Irish people in the United States who for too long now have been living in the shadows, and want nothing more than to continue making their contribution to this great country".

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"We all understand that immigration reform is a politically sensitive issue. However, I truly believe that a US immigration system that addresses the needs of the undocumented Irish, and provides for future legal flows, will be of huge benefit to America," he said.

The Friendly Sons of St Patrick is Americas oldest Irish society but until this year was exclusively for men.

However to mark its 245th anniversary in March the Philadelphia chapter has inducted Irish Ambassador to the US Anne Anderson as the first honorary female member.

Mr Kenny described the move as a "just and courageous step forward".

"I was delighted last year that your pioneering Irish American spirit and commitment to equality lead you to the historic decision to admit women members. I salute that decision," Mr Kenny say.

He added that Ms Anderson's record of service is "stellar".

The Taoiseach will attend the St Patrick's Day parade in Philadelphia today before moving to Boston.
Berlin (AFP) - With urbanisation gaining pace and air pollution clouding the view in major cities, contemplating the stars in a pitch-black sky is fast becoming a rarity that tour operators are banking on as a new selling-point.

From a total solar eclipse to the Milky Way to the Northern Lights, many experts at Berlin's ITB, marketed as the world's leading travel trade show, were making the case for astronomical experiences this year.

"Astro-tourism is really an increasing business. We now see a lot of travel agencies which offer this kind of tourism," Andreas Haenel, an astronomer and director of the planetarium museum in north-western Germany's Osnabrueck, told AFP.

While space tourism may be the holy grail for the most committed of stargazers, its astronomical price tag puts it out of reach for most, not to mention health and safety concerns over forays beyond the atmosphere.

Enter astro-tourism, which allows enthusiasts of celestial movements to experience the natural phenomena with both feet firmly on planet Earth.

With few places sufficiently dark for observations, some European and US national parks have now classed certain areas as "dark sky preserves".

Meanwhile, deserts in Namibia, Botswana and Iran are marketed as ideal stargazing sites that also offer the exoticism of sandy dunes.

Keyvan Lankarani, the European representative of an Iranian tour company, said the sector started developing in his country due to domestic demand.

"It really started within the Iranian market itself because of the vast central desert, we have pretty big spaces of darkness," he said,.

- Northern Lights -

But beyond just searching for familiar favourites like Orion's belt or the Big Dipper, Haenel says recent years have seen a boom in "event astro-tourism" -- travel to witness an eclipse, a meteor shower, or the Northern Lights.

At the ITB show, the brochure promoting Canada's Yukon sold the moment that "you will never forget" when skies suddenly light up with colourful streaks as a result of gaseous particle collisions.

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Known commonly as the Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis has become a major selling point for towns around the Arctic Circle.

"There has been an increasing interest since the last four years. It has to do our marketing of course and an awakening," said Ellen Kachel of the Northern Norway Tourist Board, noting that demand has grown in particular among Asian clients.

The northern Norwegian city of Tromso has seen the number of visitors explode, and every photo shared on social networks only serves to fuel further interest for the region.

But this year, the big astro-tourism seller is the August 21 total eclipse of the sun, which will only be visible along a stretch running from Oregon to South Carolina, cutting diagonally across the United States.

"Nobody knows how many tourists are going there, the estimations go from several hundred thousands to several million people. But it seems to be becoming a great event," said Haenel.

In Idaho, the tourism sector is already in full gear to welcome an influx.

"We are almost sold out," said Nancy Richardson of Idaho Tourism, adding that "we've been selling this product (the solar eclipse) for two years already."

- Be patient with the 'diva' -

Illustrating how magical such experiences can be, Richardson recounted the story of a tourist from a polluted Chinese city who had tears in his eyes when he saw the Milky Way from the dark Idaho mountains for the first time.

After all for some on the planet, starry skies are already a thing of the past.

Defenders of the "dark sky" warn that the space available is shrinking faster and faster due to light pollution, not just for star gazing, but also for nocturnal animals that thrive in the dark.

Harald Bardenhagen, an astronomer and director of the Stars without Borders workshop, noted that "many Europeans have never seen properly the Milky Way".

"In 2024 you won't be able to see the stars anymore if nothing is done against the light pollution," he said.

As the sector's popularity grows, some warn that it should be careful not to fall victim to its own success.

For Kachel, the sector will have to find a balance of moderate growth that respects nature.

At the same time, astro-tourism may not be for everyone as it not only calls for patience, but also the acceptance that tonight may just not be the night.

"We never promise, that's why we call it 'hunting the Lights', you are looking for it but you don't know if you'll see it," said Kachel.

After all, she went on, the Aurora Borealis "is a diva" -- sometimes just not in the mood to perform.
Taoiseacht Enda Kenny intends to prioritise the plight of the 50,000 undocumented Irish living in America rather than criticise US President Donald Trump over his controversial Muslim travel ban when the two leaders meet in the White House this week.

Mr Kenny jetted off yesterday to begin a five-city tour of the US ahead of the customary St Patrick's Day visit to the White House later this week.

The Taoiseach has been under pressure to face down Mr Trump over his plans to introduce a travel ban on citizens based in six mostly Muslim countries.

However, senior government sources said Mr Kenny does intend on raising immigration issues with Mr Trump but his focus will be on the impact US policy could have on Irish citizens.

"The priority here is our interests - the undocumented Irish people working in American and Irish companies in America which now employ more people than American companies do in Ireland," the source said.

"The job of the Taoiseach is to secure the interests of the Irish people," the source added.

In a statement released last Friday evening, the Taoiseach said US immigration policy is an issue of "increased importance" to Irish people living in America since Mr Trump's shock election to White House.

"All of my interactions in the United States at political level will be undertaken with both mindfulness of the contribution that Irish people have made to America over so many years and also of the future potential of Ireland, as an ongoing member of the European Union, and the United States continuing to work together into the future," he added.

Mr Kenny and Mr Trump will meet for the first time on Thursday - the same day the revised travel ban is set to come into place. The ban will stop people living in Libya, Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the US. Mr Trump's first attempt to introduce a travel ban was blocked by the US courts and his second proposal is already facing legal threats.

Yesterday, Mr Kenny arrived in Philadelphia where he will today take part in a St Patrick's Day parade in the city.

He will then travel to Boston where he will take part in an event marking the 100th anniversary of John F Kennedy's birth.

On Tuesday, he travels to Rhode Island and on Wednesday he arrives in Washington where he will meet President Trump and other US dignitaries. Mr Kenny will then travel to New York on Friday to take part in the St Patrick's Day parade.
Former Attorney General Patrick Connolly has left large legacies to the ex-partner and son of murderer Malcolm Macarthur, who was found hiding in his plush Dalkey apartment after a massive Garda manhunt in August 1982.

Mr Connolly, an eminent senior counsel, had left Ireland for a holiday in New York the following day, but was recalled by the then Taoiseach, Charles J Haughey, who described the events as "grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented" (GUBU).

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Macarthur had brutally murdered nurse Bridie Gargan when stealing her car in the Phoenix Park, then lured Donal Dunne to his death some days later on the pretext of buying a shotgun from him, which he then used to kill the Co Offaly farmer.

According to Mr Connolly's will, which was filed in the Probate Office in Dublin last week, Macarthur's former partner, Brenda Little, has been left 100,000 in cash and Mr Connolly's interest in an apartment on Sallymount Ave, Ranelagh, Dublin. Two-bed apartments in that area command prices of more than 300,000.

Ms Little's son with Macarthur, Colin Little, who became a close friend of Mr Connolly, was left 75,000 in cash and Mr Connolly's "collection of cigarette trade cards and pictures".

Patrick Connolly, of Carnsore, Pilot View, Dalkey, Co Dublin, who died on January 7, 2016, left estate valued at 3,318,897.

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Despite returning to practise at the Bar, Mr Connolly was always remembered for the events surrounding the capture of Macarthur on August 13, 1982, after a nine-day manhunt.

During that time, he had brought the killer to the All-Ireland final as his guest and the fugitive had shaken hands with then Garda Commissioner Patrick McLaughlin during the half-time interval.

The trial of Macarthur in January 1983 was extremely short and equally controversial, as he pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Gargan, but charges of murdering Mr Dunne were dropped.

When the prosecution offered to outline the facts of the case, the trial judge said this was not necessary and the entire proceedings were over in an estimated seven minutes.

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Mr Connolly was called to the Bar in 1949 and built up a lucrative commercial practice. He never married but was very close to his extended family.

He never spoke about the dramatic events of 1982, but his funeral Mass in Dalkey was told that he kept a meticulous diary throughout his life.

Macarthur was released from prison in September 2012 and lives in south Co Dublin.

According to his will, Mr Connolly left bequests of 10,000 to the Bar Benevolent Council, Concern, and the Society of St Vincent de Paul. He also left 2,000 to the priest in Dalkey for Masses to be said for his soul.

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In the will dated December 19, 2000, he also left 100,000 each to a nephew and two nieces, and 75,000 to another named beneficiary.

The residue of his estate was left to his brother, Anthony, who has since died.
A woman reported missing from her home in Ballinteer, Co Dublin on Friday has been located.

The woman was last seen in the early hours of Saturday morning on Drumcondra Road after leaving work.

This afternoon gardai confirmed that she had been located "safe and well".

No further assistance is now required.
Anyone who has ever seen Elle Macpherson, aka 'The Body', in the flesh will understand why beauty editors hang on every beauty tip and tool she gives us; her skin is immaculate, toned and perpetually glowing.

When she stood before a forum of editors at the London launch of her first body range for Boots and told us that her secret was daily buffing, we stockpiled her The Body Calming Sugar Scrub and never looked back.

Now 50 years of age, the Australian beach babe's glow isn't going anywhere, so news of her latest gadget range for HoMedics (the company with whom she launched The Body wellbeing range last year) has us all looking forward to a better, brighter beach body this summer.

"A key part of my beauty regime is exfoliation," she says today. "The benefits are amazing helping to remove dead skin cells, increase circulation and aid cell renewal. I always feel a noticeable difference leaving my skin smooth and glowing."

The star turn of her new range - all essentially designed to smooth and scrub - is of course her Wet and Dry Face and Body Brush, 39.99, with four different heads including a pumice, cactus brush, loofah and facial brush to exfoliate your body from top-to-toe. "Take the hassle out of dry brushing with my new 4 in 1 wet and dry brush," says The Body.

"The battery-powered rotating head means it does all the hard work for you! You can use it all over your body and it's even suitable for the shower."

There's also a heel smoother for flip flop feet. Macpherson knows only too well "how easy it is to neglect your feet as summer approaches." But, says the model mother, "keeping them in tip top condition is a must." Step forward the Heel Smoother, 19.99, which "gently removes dry, hard skin leaving feet feeling instantly softer. It's really easy to use and you can even adjust the speed to tailor the results."

HoMedics have even braved a Hot Wax Epilator because, says Macpherson, "I'm a big fan of waxing as it removes hair from the root so the results last for longer."

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Whatsapp LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 05: Elle Macpherson on the school run in Notting Hill on October 5, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Jack/FilmMagic)

"My new hot wax epilator is perfect for achieving salon smooth legs at home." she goes on. "It's even effective on really short hairs and the aloe vera-infused wax means it's ideal for all skin types." With a temperature control, long life cartridge and wax strips it's designed to take you through the summer season - and safely so.

For summer hands and feet there's a Professional Manicure and Pedicure Kit, because like Macpherson says, "it's not always possible to take time out to visit the salon which is why my professional manicure and pedicure kit contains all the tools you need for perfect nails from the comfort of your home."

It retails at 29.99 and comes with a battery powered exfoliator, naturally, with rollers for heels, soles, hands and cuticles. "The seven different attachments mean you can buff, shape and polish your nails all with one handy gadget."

We may not have her body, but now, we have her know-how.
If you're a first-time buyer, you're faced with the challenge of saving for a substantial deposit while paying a steep rent to put a roof over your head. A loosening of the Central Bank mortgage rules, which reduced the size of the deposit amount required for first-time buyers, was no doubt a welcome relief to many at the end of 2016. While it may have made the prospect of owning a home a closer reality, it also drew with it a surge of new buyers into a market with a relatively stagnant supply of property.

Figures published last week show that loans to the value of 513m were approved for home purchases in January. This was a 54pc surge on January 2016, and a 47pc increase in the volume of approvals. First-time buyers accounted for nearly half of these figures.

On the next step of the ladder, if you're trading up without the benefit of a EuroMillions win, you probably can't afford to buy a new home before you sell your old one. Therefore you are faced with the prospect of renting a property in the interim as bridging finance (the mechanism commonly used by homeowners to bridge the gap financially between buying one house and selling another) is now rarely available. Renting a property should not be a concern but in a market where successive government intervention has pushed out so many private landlords, the stock of rental property has reduced dramatically. Consequently, rents in Dublin are currently 14pc above their peak levels in early 2008.

This leads to an undesirable chicken and egg situation for people trying to trade up. They need to sell before they buy, but they need to secure a house to move to before they can sell. The result is that many people are standing still and this is compounding a lack of supply on the market. According to MyHome data, there were just 3,619 second-hand properties available for sale at the end of 2016.

Finally, if you are trading down, you most likely are lucky enough to have equity in your home but you may not be able to afford to buy before you sell. If you sell, where do you go? The rental market is challenging, to say the least, and the supply of suitably large apartments or bungalows for sale is limited.

We need to begin the process of building the right housing stock in the correct locations. Construction activity is picking up but from a very low base. Fewer than 15,000 houses were completed in 2016 but we will need somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 new homes every year to meet demand nationally. Meanwhile, until we resolve the supply issue we are going to continue to have these pent-up pinch points in the residential market, which effectively just drive up prices.

David Byrne is a director at Lisney.
Hong Kong has a population of 7.4 million people. It also has some of the most expensive real estate in the world, coming in just behind New York.

A dose of reality every so often is the sort of medicine that makes us appreciate what we have. The housing crisis has filled many column inches in Ireland over the past 12 months but we need to put things into perspective.

What I'm referring to is the outcry over the new reduced planning regulations introduced here last year by the Government, which brought the minimum size apartment allowable to 45sqm.

Many other countries and regions are also experiencing chronic supply issues. Take Hong Kong, the former British colony now under Chinese control, which has a population of 7.4 million people. It also has some of the most expensive real estate in the world, coming in just behind New York.

Only 7pc of the city's land is zoned for housing and residential property prices have risen by 50pc over the past five years. What is being done about it? One solution is coffin homes: so far, so unappealing. But the name is appropriate. Coffin homes are tiny, up to 2.2sqm in size. If we were talking in fashion terms, they would be a size 0. They accommodate just a bed and some storage in a box and cost up to 300 per month. But what is mind-boggling is that official figures show more than 200,000 people are living is these boxes, while the actual figure is thought to be much higher. Needless to say, wi-fi range is not a problem.

They are 95pc smaller than the minimum living space allowable here. The cost of renting these spaces per sqm works out at four times the cost of a one-bed studio apartment in the Docklands in Dublin.

Not surprisingly, these Hong Kong living spaces have been criticised by many international humanitarian organisations. The United Nations has described them as "an insult to human dignity", but they are now a reality and unlikely to go away any time soon. What I mean is, maybe, just maybe, we should count our blessings.

Our Northern neighbours and property values

Northern Ireland is going through a well-documented period of transition. Among the factors causing tremors are the unknown impacts of the triggering of Article 50, the UK spring budget and last week's Assembly election with its uncertain outcome.

How are Northern residential property values holding up in the midst of all this uncertainty? Figures just released by Her Majesty's Customs confirm an average rise in values of 5.7pc throughout the region in 2016, which is below the 8.1pc increase south of the border.

The average house price for a typical starter home in Northern Ireland stands at 145,000, approximately 25pc lower than the figure for the Republic. A very substantial gap also exists between values in the respective capitals - at the end of Q4 2016, the average value in Dublin stood at 330,000, while the figure for Belfast stood at 170,000, nearly 50pc less, and similar to values in Limerick city. The population of Belfast is 335,000.

Values may be significantly lower in the North, but there are similarities to the South - for example, demand also exceeds supply, especially for new homes located in the main urban areas. The average value of property in Northern Ireland is among the lowest in the UK and prices are still approximately 35pc lower than before the crash. Estimates for 2017 expect prices to rise a further 5pc.

Government leaves private developers to build homes

If you owned large tracts of land which were suitable for housing and you could borrow money at 1pc, what would you do. Build? Apparently not.

Why is the Government so keen to leave the role of house-building to private developers? The current establishment is proposing to build just 26,000 new housing units by 2021. A further 21,000 homes will be provided through existing stock and housing associations. There are currently 100,000 people on the waiting lists nationally for social housing and 50,000 of these people are in Dublin.

If the total number of house completions reaches 18,000 nationally this year, based on previous stats, 40pc, or 7,200, of these will be one-off houses. This leaves in excess of 11,000 new units. The Government will receive 10pc of these through the Part V obligations, ie, 1,100 units. Of the remaining 9,900, and based on current figures to hand, only 20pc (or 2,000) will be purchased by investors and, of course, these will be divided between both private and social tenants, which dilutes the numbers further.

The above figure of 20pc is also falling as investors continue to leave the market in droves as a result of decreasing net returns caused by new rent control zones and onerous personal taxes.

Only this week the European Commission highlighted its concerns over the recent introduction of rent control zones here which have previously proven unsuccessful in other parts of Europe. It's a short-sighted measure, and will yield short-term gain that will be followed by long-term pain.

A recent report by the Department of Housing confirmed that the cost of constructing a typical three-bed semi-detached house in Dublin by the Government is 180,000. Yet a survey last year by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland produced a figure of 330,000, which included site costs, taxes, contributions and developer's profit - that's a difference of 150,000.

The planning authorities have the land to build these homes in many of the locations where they are needed and can borrow the necessary funding at minimal rates. It makes a lot more sense than waiting for the private sector to regain its appetite to invest in residential property, so let's start building.

The solution lies in one word - supply. This must come from on high. Why can't the Government accept this?

Philip Farrell is a market commentator and property consultant.
Print, from 18, Grand Canal Dock, as part of the Dublin Landmark Series by Jando Design. Available at jandodesign.com or in JamArt Factory, Temple Bar, Dublin 1

This beautiful silhouette lampshade is made by using an on-trend tropical print wallpaper on the inside of the shade and a neon pink cotton on the outside, 40.53; lovefrankie.com

This year, the playful trend of punchy colour - and in particular, neons - has been widely celebrated in the world of interiors, especially among those living in apartments and first-time buyers. To get the look, cherry-pick a small selection of fun, zingy pops of colour that will energise your home.

For a gentle introduction to the trend, choose soft furnishings, with the emphasis on 'soft'. Meadows & Byrne's spring collection features linen pillowcases and knitted cushions that make for an ideal pop of chartreuse in the bedroom. For the living room, Marks & Spencer's velvet cushions - with which you're getting two trends for one - will revive your sofa.

And as for the more daring pink, head to DETAIL in Arnotts, where designer Rachel McCann offers vibrant lampshades in a soft wool mix fabric. Textures such as this will soften the look.

She says: "I use beautiful wool mixes in a shocking pink; they bring such life to a room but in a soft, tactile way."

Such a vivid and bold colour palette might have shocked your grandparents in their day, but the trend can still remain sophisticated and subtle. Try a lone neon cushion on a grey sofa or a set of quirky coasters on a solid oak table.

Diving in at the deep-end, you'll find a huge rise in the popularity of vintage-style neon wall signs; think Tom Cruise in Cocktail and you'll get the idea. Pop one up where you keep your fancy drinks and you'll have a contemporary update on an old-school idea.

McCann says: "I love light airy spaces and use a lot of greys and soft tones in my rooms.

"To me, nothing ever finishes a room quite like an element of fun and colour. How strong you can handle it is up to you, but ultimately, you need to live with it. I say, keep it mostly neutral and just add a pop, especially when it comes to lighting."

The most popular hues right now are an electric pink and chartreuse (a mustardy colour that sits between lemon and lime). The former will add a very youthful edge to your home, the latter you'll find in every SS17 interiors lookbook. It's a shade pioneered by Pantone - the foremost authority on colour trends - who recently announced their colour of the year as 'greenery', referring to this family of particularly zesty and refreshing hues.

However, a word of advice from an expert. "When using colour make it your focal point," says McCann, "so don't have it everywhere, or it's too matchy or staged, generally one or two pieces has way more impact. Don't be afraid of colour, there's a term 'colour me happy' for a reason".

Failing that, you can never go wrong with a neon wall print against a plain white wall. For this, look no further than JamArt Factory. Their vibrant selection of A4 prints work wonderfully on their own or grouped together in the style of a gallery wall. Choose inexpensive, black wooden frames from IKEA (go for A3 with a thick white border) and you'll have one funky hallway.

The future is bright.

Print, from 18

Grand Canal Dock, as part of the Dublin Landmark Series by Jando Design. Available at jandodesign.com or in JamArt Factory, Temple Bar, Dublin

Throw, 45

Soften the neon look with a textured throw such as a chartreuse Reno cotton-knitted throw; Made.com

Neon rug, 190

Rethink accessories to add colour. Amara pink lambskin rug, 100 x 70 cm; amara.com

Word art, 21

Hello ceramic sculpture makes a bright welcoming statement; Next.co.uk

Stool, 63.68

Liven up your seating area with an Alice Stool in neon pink and cement grey; sistersguild.co.uk
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Colm McCarthy Opinion Free money is not the way to head off a crisis

Managing the macro economy involves three perspectives. These are the short-term  the next six months or a year; the medium-term  the next four or five years; and the long-term  the issues that demand to be addressed decades in advance. From the perspective of Irish governments in recent times, only the short-term merits attention, with the medium-term left to the civil service and the long-term to sporadic commissions and academic worrywarts.
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Dan O'Brien Opinion While we catastrophise about Covid, we ignore risk of running out of cash

We Irish view the world in an increasingly strange and unhealthy way. We catastrophise about Covid in a way other European countries do not. We focus on how bad the effects of the virus could get, on how many more restrictions might be imposed by Government and how helpless we are in the face of the virus.
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Eoghan Harris Opinion Misery media fails to give due credit to the Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheal Martin must drive his advisers mad. Unlike Leo Varadkar or Donald Trump, he never bigs up success stories such as the effect of Level 3 Plus on Covid or his visionary Shared Island project. Last Friday, Tony Holohan and RTE cheerleaders seemed to imply Level 5 was responsible for the improved Covid situation. Not so.
This Wednesday, the UK's prime minister, Theresa May, is expected to start the clock on Brexit. Taoiseach Enda Kenny described what's about to happen as 'the most important negotiations in our history as an independent State'. So, what's about to happen, what's at stake, and what should we be doing about it?

What's about to happen?

The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill 2016-17 is about to be passed. With that, Prime Minister May will send a letter to the European Union regarding the UK's withdrawal.

The European Parliament, which must vote through the UK's withdrawal, will quickly pass a resolution stating its views on the withdrawal. The heads of state for the EU27 (the European Council) will meet in the first week of April to issue high-level guidelines to the European Commission on how the negotiations should proceed.

The commission will then take three or four weeks to turn the guidelines into detailed negotiating directives. These will then be given to the Brexit Task Force, led by Michel Barnier, to conduct the actual negotiations with the UK.

Initial talks will focus on the 'divorce', not the future relationship. The UK wants both discussed in parallel, but the view from Brussels is that the 'divorce' talks must start first. Only if these go well will the task force seek a mandate to open informal talks on the future relationship, including trade.

Article 50 allows two years for the divorce talks. Both sides can agree to extend the period by one year. Both sides can also agree a transitional period. It's possible the 'divorce' talks will be completed within the two years, but few believe the future relationship talks can be. Without a transitional period, a 'cliff' would be reached, with the UK no longer party to EU treaties or sectoral agreements.

What's at stake?

Right now, the range of potential outcomes is wide open. The most benign of these, and the best for Ireland, would be that very little changes. For example, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland are members of EFTA, the European Free Trade Association. These countries are not members of the EU, but participate in the EU's single market. Were that to happen, trade and movement between Ireland and the UK could continue with minimal disruption.

On the other end of possible outcomes would be this 'cliff'. This could include planes from the UK not being able to land in EU countries, heavy restrictions on people moving between the UK and EU and serious barriers to trade snapping into place. Such an outcome is extremely unlikely, but is the 'do-nothing' scenario. In other words, it's the outcome that kicks in if an alternative isn't found in time. Unfortunately, the signals from the UK are that an EFTA-style outcome is also unlikely. The Brexit referendum didn't demand a hard Brexit, but the UK government has gone there anyway. Prime Minister May has stated that the UK will leave the single market, and that no deal (the cliff) would be preferable to a bad deal.

What are the main issues?

For Ireland, big issues include maintenance of free trade and free movement with the UK, avoiding a border with the North, and the rights of citizens in Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic. But what's concerning the EU and UK?

On the 'divorce' talks, the commission has three core issues. The first is the reciprocity of rights for UK citizens in the EU, and vice-versa. The second is the settlement bill it wants the UK to pay for its current and future EU obligations. The third is borders, with a big focus on Northern Ireland. There are differences of opinion as to what would be acceptable, including a border imposed around Britain, rather than Britain and Northern Ireland.On the future relationship, the UK wants free trade for specific industries like financial services and cars. But it wants out of the single market, mainly to be able to stop Europeans coming into the UK. The EU view is that there will be no sectoral deals. As one politician put it, 'If you're out, you're out'. During the Brexit campaign, prominent Leave members argued that Britain would get a great deal on trade, as the EU needs the British market. But that doesn't appear to be the mood in Brussels. There, there's a sense that what takes priority is the unity of the EU, and that if certain sectors have to take a hit to protect the European project, then so be it. This combines with a strong view across the European institutions that whatever the final deal, the UK must be worse off outside the EU than in it.

On trade, there has been a lot of talk in Ireland of future tariffs. If, for example, the 'cliff' is reached, tariffs will kick in at the default levels for the World Trade Organisation. While some are small, tariffs in sectors like agriculture are high, such as over 50pc for beef. But just as importantly, if the UK no longer signs up to EU regulations (food standards, for example), there will be very significant barriers and costs to Irish businesses trading with the UK.

What should Ireland do?

The short answer is 'a lot, and very quickly'. We're negotiating on the side of the EU, even though for the most part, what's bad for the UK in these negotiations is bad for Ireland.

We must advocate for no border controls on the island. We must emphasise the economic threats to Ireland, which seem less well understood in Europe than the political situation regarding the North.

We must make the case just as strongly in the EU capitals as we are in Brussels. The sense is that as you go further east and south, the understanding of Ireland's exposure to Brexit lessens. We need to bring to the table a clear understanding of what outcomes we want, and clear solutions for how to get them. It was said repeatedly to a Fianna Fail delegation in Brussels this week that while Ireland was doing a good job laying out some of the challenges, it was not as clear in communicating the desired outcomes. Domestically, we need to step up our engagement with, and support of, the most exposed sectors, including agri-food. To date, activity on the ground has been piecemeal and inconsistent. Relative to the size of the challenge, the relevant State agencies - IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland, and so on - have been given pretty small additional funding.

And we need stronger political leadership and coordination. For example, Fine Gael resists calls for a Brexit minister. We were told that Enda Kenny was our man in Europe, and that every minister was a Brexit minister. But the same people are now ousting Enda Kenny. We need to play the game of our lives and that demands clear thinking, hard work, skilful diplomacy, political leadership and, I imagine, not a little luck.

Stephen Donnelly is a Fianna Fail TD for Wicklow and East Carlow
In a State apology to the women of the Magdalene laundries in 2013, Enda Kenny said that just as the State had accepted its direct involvement, society too had its responsibility to bear. He believed that he spoke for all when he said that we had put away these women "because for too many years we put away our conscience". People, he said, swapped personal scruples for a solid public apparatus that kept them in tune and in step with a sense of what was 'proper behaviour' or the 'appropriate view' according to a moral code that was fostered at the time, particularly in the 1930s, '40s and '50s. "We lived with the damaging idea that what was desirable and acceptable in the eyes of the Church and the State was the same and interchangeable," he said.

The recent discovery of a significant number of remains at what was a mother and baby home in Tuam, Co Galway, and the grim expectation that further finds will follow at other such homes around the country, is the latest unfolding in the same story which was not unknown then, but was deeply hidden, buried if you like, in the secret chambers of the nation's often cruel and twisted heart. We are reminded of a scene from Tom Murphy's extraordinary play Bailegangaire. "Another story," protests Mary when Dolly plans to explain away an "illegitimate" child: "Oh the saga will go on."

The saga is ongoing until the full truth is known, if never quite fully reconciled. In that sense, Murphy's play is a profound part of the national narrative, in the words of Mommo, which has become a litany of "misfortunes", of "fields haunted by infants", which made for grim if unspoken news then and it does now, with an essential difference in this so-called modern Ireland, which is that it must be spoken of loudly, and then louder still.

The historical record shows that what we might call 'institutional Christianity' was an important part of the social fabric throughout western societies during the industrialisation age; in most cases, such as in Ireland, until well into the 20th Century, that period referred to by Enda Kenny as the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Indeed, its significance grew as the early disruptive effects of industrialisation became more pronounced. In general terms, therefore, the strengthening influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland at that time was not as far out of step with elsewhere as we often tend to think or are led to believe. In Ireland, though, despite the church's advance, there was undoubtedly something closed and defensive about its ethos. In many ways, it was this all-pervasive ethos that was "interchangeable" as referred to by Enda Kenny.

It is tempting to believe that Ireland has changed to reveal a more open and embracing society. In many ways, of course, the country has. Ireland today is a vastly different place from Ireland up to the 1950s, indeed Ireland of the 1980s. The negative influence of the Catholic Church has also waned, as its often positive functions have been downplayed or airbrushed entirely. But as that other outrage, related to a young woman called 'Grace' continues to unfold too, we are left to question whether that with which the State has replaced the social functions left to the church is in a position to hand-wring now or to throw stones. All of this informs us that as the country takes its first tentative steps into another disruptive era, the post-industrial digital age, that the State and a still defensive Catholic Church, and society in general, must finally mature into their respective but separate roles of responsibility, because if they fail to do so, and as Tom Murphy has warned, the saga will go on.
Former The Great British Bake Off presenters Mel Giedroyc (left) and Sue Perkins were invited to host ITV's new The Nightly Show for a week

Former Playboy model Pamela Anderson has described Julian Assange as one of the most important men in the world for founding WikiLeaks.

She said the actions of the organisation, which include exposing confidential CIA documents, were "historic" and in the interests of everybody.

Speaking to guest host John Bishop on Thursday night's episode of The Nightly Show, she said: "What he does is very important.

"He is exposing corruption in government and everyone should know."

Anderson was first introduced to Assange, who has been living for the past four years at London's Ecuadorian Embassy under political asylum, by renowned designer Vivienne Westwood.

The former model and activist recently made the papers when she visited him there, loaded with vegan snacks.

"He is very brave," she said of her friend. "He is passionate about what he does and he is brilliant... so stay tuned."

When asked by Bishop if her last comment hinted that she knew something about Assange's plans for the future, she responded: "I'm the least of anyone's worries."

The ITV topical chat show has been panned by viewers since it launched last week with David Walliams at the helm.

As audience ratings continued to slip, former Great British Bake Off presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins turned down an invitation to stand in as hosts.

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"We were approached to take part in the series; however, due to our busy schedule, we were unable to make the dates work," the pair said in a statement.

"We do wish the team all the best with the remainder of the series."
Dancer Loraine Barry has said coming to terms with the fact that she would not have a family was a "desperately sad" period of her life.

The Dancing with the Stars judge suffered three miscarriages in her thirties and said it was very difficult to accept that being a mother was not "her destiny".

The 52-year-old star opened up about her heartache in an interview with The Sunday World, in which she spoke about her relationship with dancer Luca Baricchi, who she met after her marriage to dancer Andrew Sinkinson ended in 1993.

Speaking to the publication Loraine said: "From 2004 to 2010 we were always trying for a family and I sadly had three miscarriages.

"Sometimes you just hear unfortunate stories, especially dancers, that they have difficulty. But I was 35-plus then and obviously it becomes a bit more difficult," she said.

The star and her former partner made the decision to stop trying for a family after Loraine's third miscarriage and the dancer said she had to come to terms with the fact that motherhood wasn't going to happen for her.

"At the time you do feel desperately sad about it.

"But sometimes it's not on the cards, it's not my destiny to have that so therefore I moved on," she said.

Expand Close Loraine said she had to come to terms with the fact that being a mother was not her "destiny". / Facebook

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Whatsapp Loraine said she had to come to terms with the fact that being a mother was not her "destiny".

While Loraine has been a shining addition to RTE's debut season of Dancing with the Stars, but the star is now based in London with her partner Peter.

Speaking of her partner, Loraine said their relationship is much different than any she's ever been in before, as Peter works in finance, not dance.

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"He's got nothing to do with dancing, which is wonderful really because I've never had that before in my life.

"I've always been involved with my dance partners, so to have another life outside of dancing creates great balance and that's what I feel now, that I have that great balance in my life."

INM is putting together a dedicated section on Independent.ie where women and men of all ages can share their stories of miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death. The section will serve as a testament to the women and men who share their stories, a memorial for the babies lost and as a resource for other people who have gone through or are going through the experience. Your stories can be anonymous or on the record and nothing will be published in any format without prior consultation with you. If you would like to be part of this and tell your story, email Yvonne Hogan at yhogan@independent.ie
Debra Rose Brillati didn't know Harriet Tubman lived in Auburn until shortly before she moved to the city from Boston in the fall of 2015.

When she arrived, Brillati said, she was surprised how little presence the abolitionist and Civil War spy had in the city where she lived the second half of her life.

Now, Brillati is leading an effort to fix that. She is the chair of the Harriet Tubman Downtown Memorial Committee, a joint committee of Celebrate! Diverse Auburn and the Harriet Tubman Boosters that will launch a fundraising campaign March 31 to build a sculpture honoring Tubman in downtown Auburn.

Brillati and her husband, who once lived in Syracuse, fell in love with Auburn while visiting friends there, she said. It was shortly after retiring to an old farmhouse they found on the western edge of the city that she began attending Celebrate! Diverse Auburn meetings.

#BringHarrietHome: Tubman home launches crowdfunding campaign to buy recently discovered photo When a newly discovered photo of Harriet Tubman made national headlines in February, Karen H

The idea for a Tubman sculpture has been batted around for years, Brillati said, but with the recent rise in Tubman's national profile, the idea gave birth to the joint committee in May 2016.

It also includes Tubman Boosters President Laurel Ullyette, Auburn City Councilor Jimmy Giannettino, Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason, Cayuga County Legislator Ryan Foley, Auburn Downtown BID Executive Director Stephanie DeVito and Assistant Director Jesse Kline, Katie MacIntyre of Generations Bank and artist Audrey Iwanicki.

"They're a really good group of people who are all doers and workers," she said. "It's been rewarding to be a part of."

So far, the committee's work has produced a few parameters for the Tubman sculpture project. With Giannettino and Mason's help, the committee hopes to work the sculpture into the forthcoming 10,000-square-foot Central New York Regional Welcoming Center, which is slated to be built in the South Street parking lot across from Memorial City Hall.

Iwanicki has helped shape the request for proposals the committee plans to send out for sculptors, and also assembled a list of possible artists, Brillati said. One requirement will be that the sculpture depict Tubman's life and work in Auburn. The committee is also looking at a bronze statue of Tubman, Brillati continued, although the medium is by no means set in stone.

"The idea is to be on par with the big statues of old white guys, and those tend to be bronze," she said with a laugh.

Brillati said the committee wants the Tubman sculpture to be about the same size as downtown Auburn statues of William H. Seward and Thomas Mott Osborne. However, it also wants her sculpture to be low to the ground, and not share Seward and Osborne's towering, pedestaled stature.

"We want it to be accessible," Brillati said. "We hope it becomes a thing to have your picture taken with her."

The committee is targeting a $125,000 cost for the sculpture, which it plans to support through a combination of crowdfunding and grants, Brillati said. It also plans to reach out to the Auburn school district for possible participation in the fundraising campaign, she added.

Though the committee has yet to encounter any opposition to the project, Brillati said, she anticipates some confusion over the sculpture's relationship to the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park being established farther down South Street. For her, the difference is simple: The sculpture will be in the heart of the city Harriet called home.

"It's long overdue that Auburn itself recognizes and honors Harriet Tubman," she said, "and shows that Auburn is proud of her."




john mccain

Sen. John McCain predicted Sunday that the public would learn more about the relationship between President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government.

In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," the Arizona Republican said there were "a lot of things about our relations with Russia that trouble me a lot."

He cited the removal of a provision in the 2016 Republican party platform that supported sending lethal weapons to Ukraine, a move that was "not the will of most Republicans."

"There's a lot of aspects of this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny. And so far, I don't think the American people have gotten all the answers," McCain said. "I think there's a lot more shoes to drop from this centipede."

McCain also argued for scrutiny of longtime Trump political adviser Roger Stone, who admitted to having contacts with the hackers who released private emails within the Democratic National Committee last summer.

"I think he and others need to be questioned," McCain said, adding that Stone also had ties with ousted former Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych, a Kremlin ally.

"This whole issue of the relationship with the Russians and who communicated with them and under what circumstances clearly cries out for investigation," he said. "But I would also point out we should not assume guilt until we have a thorough investigation. I'm not judging anyone guilty."

The Arizona senator also dismissed Trump's unfounded claim last weekend that former President Barack Obama personally ordered the wiretapping of Trump Tower phones because of his suspected ties to Russia.

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"President Trump has to provide the American people, not just the Intelligence Committee, but the American people, with evidence that his predecessor, former president of the United States, was guilty of breaking the law, because our director of national intelligence, General Clapper, testified that there was absolutely no truth to that allegation," McCain said.

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He continued: "So, I think the president has one of two choices: either retract or to provide the information that the American people deserve. Because, if his predecessor violated the law, [if] President Obama violated the law, we have got a serious issue here, to say the least."

The senator has remained engaged in the current inquiry into Russia's involvement in the election.

McCain is one of several Republicans who have called for an independent congressional investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election, and has warned of Russia's attempts to use similar tactics in the German and French elections this year.

But while he has emerged as an outspoken critic of the new administration's foreign policy worldview, some skeptics argue McCain has rarely gone further than voice his displeasure with Trump. Despite his longtime depiction as a "maverick," McCain has only voted against Trump's position a handful of times, though his chances to do so thus far have been limited.

NOW WATCH: 'That makes no sense!': Matt Lauer grills Kellyanne Conway over the timing of Michael Flynns resignation





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At least 34 people were killed and 17 injured in northern Haiti late on Saturday after a bus crashed into a parade of pedestrians, the country's civil protection authorities said on Sunday.

The bus, which was coming from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au-Prince, crashed into a "rara" parade in the town of Gonaives in the northern part of the country, authorities said.

Rara parades are groupings of musicians playing traditional instruments who are often joined by passers-by.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. The driver and passengers on the bus were being held at the police station, said Patrick Cherilus, a Civil Protection spokesman for the department of Artibonite.

After the accident, other musicians and people in the parade began hurling rocks at the bus and passing vehicles, injuring other people, said Albert Moulion, the Ministry of the Interior's spokesman.

Haitian roads are dangerous and chaotic, with few rules observed by pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers.
Protesters demonstrate in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City (AP)

Protesters gather in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City (Moises Castillo/AP)

The death toll in a fire at a Guatemalan children's shelter has risen to 40 with the death of another girl due to burns.

The death was announced by the Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala's capital on Sunday.

The fire began when mattresses were set ablaze during a protest by residents at the overcrowded youth shelter.

Authorities are still searching for answers in the disaster that has put a spotlight on failings in Guatemala's child protective services.

The prosecutor's spokeswoman Julia Barrera said the head of the country's protective services agency has been ordered not to leave Guatemala.

Nineteen of the adolescents died at the scene of Wednesday's inferno and another 21 have died in local hospitals.

AP
A Dutch riot policeman tries to get his dog to let go of a man after riots broke out during a pro Erdogan demonstration at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People shout slogans during a protest in front of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, early March 12, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Dutch riot police take up positions after riots broke out outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Turkey told the Netherlands that it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres.

President Tayyip Erdogan had branded its fellow NATO member a "Nazi remnant" and the dispute escalated into a diplomatic incident on Saturday evening, when Turkey's family minister was prevented by police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister.

Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd, which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. They carried out charges on horseback, while officers advanced on foot with shields and armoured vans.

Expand Close Protesters wave flags outside the Dutch consulate in central Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue, the main shopping road of Istanbul, early Sunday (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Protesters wave flags outside the Dutch consulate in central Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue, the main shopping road of Istanbul, early Sunday (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Less than a day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkey's family minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she was being escorted back to Germany.

"The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accepted," she said. The Rotterdam mayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to the German border.

Kaya later boarded a private plane from the German town of Cologne to return to Istanbul, mass-circulating newspaper Hurriyet said on Sunday.

The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and "the Netherlands could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands."

The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte's decision to ban the visits.

In a statement issued early on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had told Dutch authorities it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour".

Expand Close Dutch riot police charges after riots broke out at a pro Erdogan demonstration outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dutch riot police charges after riots broke out at a pro Erdogan demonstration outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Turkey's foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return from leave "for some time". Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action.

Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigre Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute.

Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders.

The Dutch government had banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally on Saturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there anyway, saying Europe must be rid of its "boss-like attitude".

Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting in Hamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkish consulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkish citizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from Ankara.

"If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want," he added hours before his planned flight to Rotterdam was banned.

SANCTIONS THREAT

Cavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threats proved decisive for the Netherlands government.

It cited public order and security concerns in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and said the threat of sanctions made the search for a reasonable solution impossible.

"This decision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way. It does not abide by diplomatic practices," Cavusoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening.

Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling second ahead of Wednesday's elections, said in a tweet on Saturday: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!"

Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: "This morning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear he was threatening the Netherlands with sanctions and we can never negotiate with the Turks under such threats. So we decided ... in a conference call it was better for him not to come."

'NAZI REMNANTS, FASCISTS'

Addressing a rally of supporters, Erdogan retaliated against the decision to prevent the Turkish foreign minister from visiting Rotterdam.

"Listen Netherlands, you'll jump once, you'll jump twice, but my people will thwart your game," he said. "You can cancel our foreign minister's flight as much as you want, but let's see how your flights will come to Turkey now."

"They don't know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists," he said.

Rutte called Erdogan's reference to Nazis and Fascists "a crazy remark". He added: "I understand they're angry but this is of course way out of line".

Erdogan chafes at Western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him.

He maintains it is clear the West begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a "no" vote in the referendum.

Barred from the Netherlands, Cavusoglu arrived in France on Saturday ahead of a planned speech to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. Earlier, an official at the Moselle regional prefecture told Reuters there were currently no plans to prevent the meeting from going ahead.

A member of the Union of European Turkish Democrats also said on Saturday via a Facebook post that the Turkish foreign minister would no longer come to Switzerland for a planned event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue.

Zurich's security department, which had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglu's appearance, said in a statement on Saturday evening it was relieved the event had been cancelled.
Ancient artefacts are seen inside a tunnel, under the rubble of the destroyed Mosque of The Prophet Jonah, in Mosul (AP)

Iraqi archaeologists think that tunnels dug by Islamic State militants under a destroyed shrine in Mosul have revealed the palace of an ancient Assyrian king who ruled some 2,700 years ago.

IS fighters blew up the shrine of the biblical Jonah's tomb in 2014 after taking control of the city. They started digging tunnels into the side of the hill under the shrine, leading to the discovery.

Ancient inscriptions and winged bulls and lions were found deep in the tunnels, thought to be part of the palace of King Esarhaddon, who ruled the Neo-Assyrian empire in the 7th century BC.

The militants may have been looking for artefacts to loot. IS was pushed out of eastern Mosul by Iraqi forces in January. The battle continues for western Mosul.

AP
Richard Gere was in Jerusalem for the premiere of a new film

Hollywood star Richard Gere has lashed out at Israel over its settlements in territory that Palestinians want for a state.

The Pretty Woman star was in Jerusalem for the premiere of a new film by Israeli writer-director Joseph Cedar in which he stars.

Gere was quoted in the Haaretz newspaper as saying "settlements are such an absurd provocation ... and they are certainly not part of the program of someone who wants a genuine peace process".

The international community mostly views settlements as an obstacle to creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel in territory it captured in the 1967 war.

Israel says settlements along with other core issues like security should be resolved in peace talks.

AP
Supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul (AP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has escalated a diplomatic row with the Netherlands saying he appropriately accused the Dutch government of "Nazism and fascism".

The diplomatic spat between the two countries showed no sign of abating after a Turkish minister was escorted out of the country as persona non grata.

That development came less than 24 hours after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry, prompting Mr Erdogan to call the Dutch "Nazi remnants".

The stand-off was over plans by Turkish government officials to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum back home.

In a live televised address on Sunday, Mr Erdogan warned that the Netherlands would "pay the price" for sacrificing its ties with a Nato ally to upcoming elections there.

He also said Turkey would retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands.

"I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that I was wrong. Nazism is alive in the West."

The president thanked France, which allowed Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to address Turkish citizens in the city of Metz on Sunday.

But Mr Cavusoglu also warned of "repercussions" against the Netherlands and said an "apology was not enough".

Noting that Ankara had already barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey, he said : "We have other steps in mind. We've already begun planning them. We will certainly take those steps and more."

Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had arrived in the country from Germany but was prevented from entering Turkey's diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up an extraordinary stand-off with armed police. She was later sent under escort back to Germany.

As she was approaching the German border, Ms Kaya wrote: "The whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such a treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted."

The Dutch were equally angry and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Mr Erdogan's Nazi comment "a crazy remark".

He said he was forced to take action because Ankara had threatened sanctions against his government.

"We can never do business under this kind of blackmail," Mr Rutte said on Sunday.

However protests over the ban grew with one man in Istanbul climbing onto the roof of the Dutch consulate and replacing the Netherlands' flag with the Turkish one.

In Rotterdam, police said they arrested 12 protesters as a demonstration outside the Turkish consulate descended into rioting.

AP

Mr Erdogan called on international organisations to "raise their voices" against the Netherlands.

In a campaign rally on Sunday before the referendum on expanding the powers of his office, Mr Erdogan also urged international organisations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands.

AP
Director of the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Jennifer Shasky Calvery speaks to media announces two felony charges against JPMorgan Chase Bank during a press conference in New York January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Allison Joyce

How do you clear a guilty conscience?

For one American, it meant repaying his debts by returning $0.09 to the US Treasury. For another, it meant sending the government $155,502.

And we don't know what they did because it was all done anonymously.

For more than 200 years, the Treasury has had a place for those with gnawing guilt to send cash and perhaps absolve them of their sins.

It's known as the Conscience Fund.

Some people are surprised to learn about the fund, Ryan Hanna, one of the fund's managers, told Business Insider. Hanna is one of 2,000 people based out of the Treasury's office in Parkersburg, West Virginia, where people can send their remittance.

People have donated because they've stolen supplies while in the military, withheld payments to the IRS, or just found cash lying on the street  all because the thought of keeping someone else's money burned a hole in their conscience.

"When we have new employees and they start looking at the list of the accounts we manage," Hanna added, "they see the description and a lot of times they'll ask 'What's that for?'"

It all began in 1811, when a donor sent $5 to the Treasury, then under the Madison Administration. The fund was authorized in 1950, and the Conscience Fund has served as the home for anonymous remittances since.

The fund doesn't usually pursue people for their crimes, but it does send thank-you notes.

People send donations anonymously by sending in a money order or a cashier's check; by sending money through relatives or attorneys; or by stuffing cash into an envelope.

Even when the largest donation was made, in 1990, in the amount of $155,502, the Treasury accepted the money without question.

Hanna and Walcutt couldn't comment on the total value of donations since the Conscience Fund began. But a 1987 New York Times article put the value at more than $5.7 million at the time.

Montgomery said the money the fund receives ends up in the Treasury's general account under "miscellaneous receipts." It's used for general expenses.

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US Treasury

But the fund has received a lot less in recent years, with $1.1 million in donations in 2014 and $427,000 in 2015.

By 2016, it had fallen to just $23,000, and, to date, in 2017 (about halfway through the fiscal year) it has seen just one donation, in the amount of $1,600.

Pew Research data has found that trust in the federal government is at historically low levels since 1958, although neither Hanna nor Walcutt wanted to speculate that trust was necessarily correlated with falling conscience-fund donations, which "vary widely" from year to year, Hanna said.

Both said the decline probably doesn't put the fund in jeopardy of getting dismantled. "I don't know that there would ever been an initiative to get rid of it," Hanna said.

Donations have ranged in size over the fund's 206-year existence. Most are under $100. The smallest was for those nine cents, when a man atoned for illegally using a $0.03 stamp on three separate occasions. Other donations have risen into the thousands, often on behalf of an estate.

With 100 funds to manage in total, Hanna and Walcutt aren't spending the majority of their time on the Conscience Fund. It's more of a background operation that gets a fun bit of attention now and then. Donors often include a note expressing their grief for having stolen in the first place.

Though technically necessary in order for managers to sort the money into the correct fund, the note has become a kind of tradition.

"This check for $1,300 is to make restitution of tools, leave days and other things I stole while I was in the Navy from '62 to '67,'" one note said, according to The Times.

Another read: ''Please accept this money enclosed for two postal stamps I reused.'"

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US President Donald Trump has claimed his predecessor Barack Obama had his phones tapped (AP)

There are now four grounds to impeach Donald Trump and a fifth is "on its way", according to former Labour Secretary Robert Reich.

Posting on Twitter, Mr Reich outlined the four reasons he thinks Mr Trump could be impeached.

He said Mr Trump is "'unfaithfully' executing his duties" by accusing former President Barack Obama of "undertaking an illegal (and impeachable) act."

Last weekend, Mr Trump accused Mr Obama of wiretapping his phones in Trump Tower, though he provided no evidence for his claim.

A spokesman for Mr Obama denied he ever ordered the wiretapping of any US citizen.

Mr Reich also said although part of the constitution forbids government officials from taking things of value from foreign governments, "Trump is making big money off his Trump International Hotel by steering foreign diplomatic delegations to it, and will make a bundle off China's recent decision to grant his trademark applications for the Trump brand  decisions Chinese authorities arrived at directly because of decisions Trump has made as president."

China recently granted preliminary approval for dozens of Trump-branded businesses, including new hotels, spas, massage parlours and personal security services.

The former Labor Secretary also said Mr Trump's ban on travel from six Muslim-majority countries violates the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, which bans any law "respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

He also said Mr Trump "labelling the press the 'enemy of the people' and choosing whom he invites to news conferences based on whether they've given him favourable coverage" could be another reason for impeachment, as he said it violates the 1st Amendment on the freedom of the press.

Finally, he wrote: "Article III Section 3 of the Constitution defines 'treason against the United States' as 'adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.' Evidence is mounting that Trump colluded with Russian operatives to win the 2016 presidential election."

Mr Trump has repeatedly denied his team had contact with Russian officials during the 2016 election, but was revealed to have met with Russia's US ambassador at the height of his campaign.

"The question is no longer whether there are grounds to impeach Trump. The practical question is whether there is the political will," Mr Reich concluded.

"As long as Republicans remain in the majority in the House (where a bill of Impeachment originates), it's unlikely.

"Another reason why it's critically important to flip the House in 2018."
Donald Trump will use his first face-to-face meeting with Angela Merkel this week to put pressure on Germany to "share the burden" of Nato spending, senior US officials have said, in what has been described as a "make or break" meeting between the two leaders.

The US president will also be "candid" with the German chancellor when the pair meet in Washington about the need to reduce America's trade deficit with Germany, in what will be the US president's first meeting with a world leader of whom he has been critical.

"The president believes that all allies must share the burden of Nato spending, and he is heartened that the German government is committed to spending two per cent of GDP," said the official.

"The message has been strong that all allies need to be making progress towards this goal. He does believe Germany as one of the largest economies should be setting an example and leading an example as we do in the US... he is very tough on the issue and has encouraged Europeans to look at increased commitments as well."

The two leaders will also discuss the global economy, the fight against Isil, and ties with Russia and China, laying the groundwork for Trump's visit to Germany in July for a gathering of G20 leaders.

Merkel's visit will take place mid-week, ahead of Taoiseach Enda Kenny's White House visit on Thursday.

The German chancellor has already clashed publicly with the US president, who called her open door refugee policy "insane".

On the German side, there have been deep concerns about Trump's commitment to Nato, and his plan to ban citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US.

Prof Anthony Glees, an expert in German politics at the University of Buckingham, said the visit would be "make or break" for Merkel.

"So far Merkel's attitude towards Trump has been seen as passive aggressive, Trump's attitude towards Merkel as active aggressive," he said. "They must cordially agree to disagree on past actions and past words, but to work together. If anything goes wrong the consequences could be devastating both in terms of Germany's domestic politics and the weakness of West in the face of Russian advances.In short, the stakes could hardly be higher."

Peter Navarro, Trump's trade adviser, suggested there would also be very direct talks about the trade deficit.

The $65bn US trade deficit with Germany was "one of the most difficult" trade issues facing Trump, he said, and bilateral discussions were needed to reduce it outside European Union restrictions.

Navarro, director of the new White House National Trade Council, added: "It's a serious issue. Germany is one of the most difficult trade deficits that we're going to have to deal with but we're thinking long and hard about that."

The US is Germany's biggest destination for exports but Trump has warned his administration may impose a 35pc tax on cars BMW intends to make at a new plant in Mexico and sell in the United States.

During the election Trump let loose on Merkel, accusing her of "ruining" Germany with her refugee policy. In January he told Bild that Merkel had made a "catastrophic" error on migration.

Merkel, who had a warm relationship with Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, has in turn been critical of Trump's travel ban and his comments about the media.

In an attempt to build bridges, the White House arranged for Merkel to meet with Mike Pence, the US vice-president, two weeks ago at a security conference in Munich.

"There will be huge pressure from Trump's backroom guys to chum up to Frau Merkel," said Prof Glees. "America needs a big friend in the EU - and for obvious reasons Britain can't be that friend any longer."

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Protesters hold pictures of those allegedly killed by the military or police during their 'all out war' campaign against communist rebels in Quezon city, north of Manila (AP)

The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate ceasefires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said.

Government and rebel negotiators will resume talks early next month and discuss the terms of a broader ceasefire, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said.

Norway, which has been brokering the negotiations, hosted two days of informal talks in the Netherlands that led to a decision to resume the negotiations on ending one of Asia's longest rebellions.

Just three days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to unleash an "all-out war" against the New People's Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another in an ambush in southern Davao del Sur province.

"I'm ready for all-out war, another 50 years," Mr Duterte said at the policemen's wake. "I can assure you that the armed forces and the Philippine National Police would respond. This time I'm using everything... rockets and bombs."

The military welcomed news of the breakthrough but said it would await formal notice from government negotiators and Mr Duterte's instructions. "Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state," the military said in a statement.

Founded in 1968, the rural-based guerrilla group has unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with five Philippine presidents before Mr Duterte.

Battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting have weakened the rebel group, which is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and remains a major Philippine security threat.

The rebels and the government declared separate ceasefires last year as they resumed peace talks.

That allowed the government to withdraw troops from battlefields to focus on an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim extremist groups in the country's south.

In a joint statement with the rebels, the Philippines also agreed to release a rebel consultant to the talks and reinstate immunities from arrest for other guerilla consultants. It pledged to release four other consultants and 19 detainees the guerrillas regard as political prisoners.

AP
US President Donald Trump has claimed his predecessor Barack Obama had his phones tapped (AP)

The US House Intelligence Committee has asked the Executive Branch for any evidence that would support President Donald Trump's claim that his phones were tapped at Trump Tower during last year's election.

A senior congressional aide said the committee has asked that the information be provided by Monday.

The aide said the request came in a letter sent by the committee chairman, Devin Nunes of California, and the panel's ranking Democrat, Adam Schiff of California. Other politicians have made similar requests.

Mr Trump has said his predecessor Barack Obama had the phones tapped.

He has not provided evidence to support his claim and has asked Congress to investigate.

AP
Toronto, Mar 13 (IBNS): A tomato processing company had been charged with mislabelling its canned products as organic and passing off American tomatoes as Canadian, media reports said.

The company, Thomas Canning based in Maidstone just south of Windsor in southwestern Ontario, and owner William Michael Thomas were charged with labelling regular canned tomato products as organic to get a 20 percent premium and selling canned tomato paste under the brand Tree of Life, National Post reports said.

Thomas Canning had received a $3-million grant from the provincial government In 2014 to build a new fruit and vegetable processing facility but failed to keep its promise.

The company had also been lying to inspectors before and after the grant money began to flow.

On Thursday Federal prosecutor Paul Bailey admitted before the court of his recent knowledge that Michael Thomas and the Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas were first cousins.

Due to the unethical nature of the future proceedings by the court the case was adjourned till the next month.

Thomas and his company were accused of total 11 offences in contravention of three federal statutes: the Food and Drug Act, the Consumer Packaging Act and the Canada Agricultural Products Act.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
Our Children's Trust lawsuit plaintiffs

The Trump administration is seeking an appeal in a landmark climate change lawsuit  before the case has even gone to trial.

The plaintiffs in the case are 21 kids who now range in age from 9 to 20. They argue that the federal government is violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property by failing to prevent climate change despite long-held knowledge of its dangerous consequences.

In November 2016, a federal judge denied all motions to dismiss the case, paving the way for it to go to trial.

Thats the order the Trump administration is now seeking to appeal. (The plaintiffs named President Trump as a defendant instead of Barack Obama in February, under the federal rules.)

The youth plaintiffs arent seeking financial compensation for the damage climate change is causing, though many have filed statements about how global warming has specifically impacted their lives. Instead, theyre asking the court to compel federal agencies to take action.

In the decision, Judge Ann Aiken said that the plaintiffs want the government to cease their permitting, authorizing, and subsidizing of fossil fuels and, instead, move to swiftly phase out C02 emissions.

Those actions stand in direct opposition to the Trump administrations anti-regulation, pro-coal and oil agenda. So its not surprising that the president does not want this case to proceed.

On March 7, Trump's administration filed two motions. The first seeks an appeal of Judge Aikens decision  a rare request in the legal process, since appeals typically dont come until after the court issues a final ruling. The second motion requests that trial preparation be delayed until after the appeal is considered.

Alex Loznak Our Children's Trust

This request for appeal is an attempt to cover up the federal governments long-running collusion with the fossil fuel industry, Alex Loznak, one of the plaintiffs, said in a statement. My generation cannot wait for the truth to be revealed.

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In addition to the possibility that the case could compel the government to create the very type of environmental regulations Trump has pledged to roll back, it also presents several other problems for the current administration.

First, while the kids initially sued just the government, several fossil fuel industry groups  the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, and the American Petroleum Institute (API)  legally intervened. They argued that the cases outcome would impact their business interests, and were permitted to join the federal governments side.

Rex Tillerson, Trumps Secretary of State, was the former CEO of ExxonMobil, which is represented by the fossil fuel industry groups, and he also served as chairman of the API. The plaintiffs were slated to depose him (under oath) as part of the case before his appointment, but will now eventually do so with Tillerson in his new role.

The ties between the fossil fuel industry in the federal government run very deep and Mr. Tillerson will have much to add on this crucial issue, said Philip Gregory, counsel for the plaintiffs, in a statement in January.

Second, as reports surfaced about the Trump administration removing data and information related to climate change from government websites, the plaintiffs filed a request for preservation of all documents and electronically stored information that could be relevant to the case (in other words, anything connected to the governments knowledge of and policies on climate change).

Destroying evidence is illegal and we just put these new US defendants and the industry defendants on notice that they are barred from doing so, Julia Olson, the lead attorney in the case, said in a statement at the time.

Donald Trump

The Trump administration said this request to retain records was overly burdensome and that the US would be irreparably harmed if the proceedings were not halted until after the motion to appeal is considered.

Third, lawyers from the Obama administration filed an answer to the plaintiffs complaint in January, one week before Trumps inauguration. In it, they wrote that the government had longstanding knowledge of the causes of climate change, the negative effects of carbon dioxide emissions, and the danger that rising temperatures posed to health and security in the US. Those admissions make the case even more difficult for the Trump administration attorneys.

It is not known yet whether the motions to appeal will be granted, but it is clear that the Trump administration has many reasons to try to prevent the case from moving ahead.

NOW WATCH: The Trump administration is deleting whole sections from government websites  here's how to view the old versions





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* Erdogan says Dutch to pay price for barring ministers

* Turkish foreign minister demands apology

* Protests in Rotterdam, Istanbul and Ankara

* Lambsdorff seeks ban on Turkish campaigning in EU (Adds latest Erdogan, Rutte comments)

By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt

ANKARA/ROTTERDAM, March 12 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad.

Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

In a speech in France, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" as it joined other European countries in stopping Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities.

The Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her out of the country to Germany.

Dutch police used dogs and water cannon on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd.

The Dutch government - set to lose about half its seats in elections this week, according to polls, as the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders makes strong gains - said the visits were undesirable and it would not cooperate in their campaigning.

"I call on all international organisations in Europe and elsewhere to impose sanctions on the Netherlands," Erdogan said, after his prime minister earlier said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways", without specifying how.

Story continues

"Has Europe said anything? No. Why? Because they don't bite each other. The Netherlands are acting like a banana republic," Erdogan said in a speech in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul.

"NAZISM WIDESPREAD IN WEST"

A day earlier, Erdogan described the Netherlands as "Nazi remnants" and returned to the theme on Sunday by saying "Nazism is still widespread in the West" in what Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said were inflammatory remarks.

"We ended up in a totally unprecedented situation in which a NATO ally...with whom we have historic ties, strong trade relations, is acting in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner," Rutter told reporters.

Rather than the Netherlands apologising for refusing the Turkish ministers entry, Turkey's president should apologize for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, he said.

The row risked spreading on Sunday as Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed postponing a planned visit by Yildirim this month due to the dispute.

The French foreign ministry urged calm and said there had been no reason to prohibit a meeting in France between Cavusoglu and a local Turkish association.

Supporting Rutte's decision to ban the visits, the Dutch government said there was a risk of Turkish political divisions flowing over into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps.

DUTCH ELECTION

The diplomatic row comes in the run-up to next week's Dutch election in which the mainstream parties are under strong pressure from Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV).

Experts said it was too early to tell how events in Rotterdam might affect the election. "If there is any impact, however, it is likely that Geert Wilders and his PVV Party will profit most," said Leiden University professor of electoral research Joop van Holsteijn.

After Turkey's family minister was escorted into Germany, Wilders tweeted: "go away and never come back".

The Dutch government cited public order and security worries in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and Turkey fired back saying the Dutch ambassador to Ankara should not return from leave "for some time".

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul. Police sealed off both sites.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do all she can to prevent Turkey's domestic tensions spreading onto German territory. Austria and Switzerland have also cancelled Turkish rallies due to the escalating dispute.

European Parliament Vice President Alexander Graff Lambsdorff demanded a ban on Turkish ministers campaigning in the EU.

"The European Union should agree on a line that Turkish ministers are not allowed to campaign in the EU," he said.

"The Dutch are showing how it is done, the German government pussyfoots around ... in that way Turkey can try to play one country off the other," he told Die Welt newspaper.

(Additional reporting by Yesim Dikmen in Istanbul, Orhan Coskun and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara, Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Teis Jensen in Copenhagen, Madeline Chambers in Berlin, Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier in Paris,; Writing by Daren Butler and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
Kerala, one of the most greenery state of India. The state now got the tag of the safest state for newborn babies. Just like foreign countries like the United States of America, Kerala is much concerned about the progeny of its state and nation.

Kerala has come up as the best state for new-born babies with very low IMR, Infant Mortality Rate. The IMR count has now dropped up to 6 which shows the alertness of state government and conceded authorities towards new-born generation. The NFHS-4 (National Family Health Survey -4) report of the year 2015-16 which was unveiled by Health Ministry cleared that Kerala stood par with the United States of America in statistics and figures.

The number of children who dies at an age of 1 year comes under IMR. Usually, the average IMR (Number of children under the age of 1 year died per 1000 newborn) of India was 41 but in Kerala, it has been come up to 6. If every state of India will adopt this achievement of Kerala then almost 7 lakh children can be saved per year.

This is not the just which India has achieved in the health sector, it also achieved an increment in sex ratio as the figures of female born has increased from 914 to 919 at the national level. The improved sex ratio varies from state to state but at last Kerala stood on top in sex ration too. Kerala holds a female born of 1,047 followed by Meghalaya (1,009) and Chhattisgarh (977).

The increment and in sex ratio and the downfall in IMR shows the effort of Health Ministry and concerned authorities in the specific sector. This achievement will eventually lead to a healthy nation and will help India to attain a good hold over IMR, population and sex ratio.

NFHS-4 also found that there was a remarkable hike of 34.1 per cent in institutional births in public facility, while the Empowered Action Group (EAG) in Assam experienced a hike of more than 40 percent.

The survey also found that full immunization rate has also been hiked in Punjab, Bihar, and Meghalaya with 29 percentage. While in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh it has increased by 28 points each.

NFHS-4 unveiled the surgery which on the district level, which is a new and effective step towards society and national health. The survey was conducted after accumulating information from 6 lakh households, 7 lakh women and 1.3 lakh men.
Asteroids hitting earth and destroying it has been a subject of science fictions films that are spread across Hollywood. But many dont know that asteroids are real threats to earth. There are about 15,000 asteroids in our immediate galactic neighbourhood. The astronomers of Catalina Sky Survey on March 2 spotted a 10-foot wide space rock that passed Earth, diving in closer than many communications and weather satellites, Space.com reports.

AFP

The asteroid came within 9,000 miles of earth, according to NASAs Center for Near Earth Object Studies. If we compare that distance to moon, the nearest object from earth, we could fathom the extent of the threat. The moon is about 239,000 miles from the earth.

NASA also has a website devoted to the possibility of an asteroid hitting the planet and its involved in an international collaboration with the European Space Agency, known as the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment mission, to address the issue.
The centre had estimated that nearly 24000 tonnes of gold are lying unused in temples and households, but even after 16 months, only seven tonnes of gold have come out of the coffers, the government officials have told The Reuters.

Reuters

Indian households that hold about 80 percent of the gold havent bought the scheme. The government backed four dozen centres opened to test the purity of gold didnt serve any purpose as not many people turned up for the scheme, Harshad Ajmera, president of the Indian Association of Hallmarking Centres told Reuters.

"You hardly earn anything but you have to do so many things to deposit gold under the scheme. Why should I take all this pain?" said 54-year-old clerk Ganpat Shelke, who considered depositing 50 grams of gold.

Reuters

The scheme was launched by PM Modi was much pomp in November 2015 with an intent to contain the gold imports which account for 27 percent of the trade deficit in the year to March 2016.

The country is the world's second-biggest gold importer behind China, buying about 800 tonnes a year for wedding gifts, religious donations and as an investment.
Workers from BHP Billiton's Escondida, the world's biggest copper mine, and their relatives attend a peaceful march as they stay on strike, in Antofagasta, Chile March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer

By Fabian Cambero

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - The striking union at BHP Billiton's Escondida copper mine in Chile, the world's largest, said on Saturday it will not accept the company's offer to return to the negotiating table, and called on BHP to clarify its negotiating positions.

During the strike, which started on Feb. 9, Escondida's 2,500-member Union No. 1 has repeatedly said it has three non-negotiable demands the company must commit to before workers return to the table.

First, every miner must be offered the same benefits package. Second, shift patterns must not be made more taxing. Third, the company may not reduce any benefits, such as vacation and healthcare, which were included in the previous contract signed four years ago.

BHP (BHP.AX)(BLT.L) said on Friday it had invited the union to resume talks as a first step toward ending the month-long strike. The union said on Saturday it would not accept before the company addresses its three core concerns.

"This invitation that the company sent us doesn't acknowledge nor take into account the three points we've demanded, it's very ambiguous, and it talks about what we've already touched on before," union spokesman Carlos Allendes told Reuters.

"We're going to ask that the company pronounce...that it's taking into account" the union's three points, Allendes said. "If it doesn't do so definitively...(the current situation) won't break."

A representative for BHP could not be immediately reached for comment.

Escondida produced more than 1 million tonnes of copper last year, around 5 percent of the world's total, and economists expect the strike to impact February economic growth in commodities-dependent Chile.

The strike, as well as stoppages at Freeport-McMoran Inc's (FCX.N) Grasberg mine in Indonesia and Freeport's Cerro Verde mine in Peru, have pushed global copper prices (CMCU3) up, on tighter supply expectations.

Rio Tinto (RIO.L)(RIO.AX) and Japanese companies including Mitsubishi hold minority interests in Escondida.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Gram Slattery; Editing by Leslie Adler and David Gregorio)
While you go about your daily life, have you ever wondered the sudden rarity of trees in the city? The areas that were once verdant and lush are now a little barren?

If you don't already know, the infrastructural advancements in the country are taking a toll on the presence of forests and trees in India. Starting with the growth of agriculture, the tree chopping business has exacerbated with time, especially in the areas where it's catering to the needs of the urban world.

Also read: India's Forest Cover Is Reducing, Does The Indian Government Really Give A Damn About Its Existence?

Mumbai needs an urgent green transplant. City's 1.3 Crore inhabitant have a green cover of just 19.12 Lakhs trees.  Zaran Dhulla (@dhullazaran) May 31, 2011

Facing the heat from Mumbaikars over the indiscriminate cutting of trees for the Rs 23,000 crore Metro III project, an arborist has now been appointed for a tree preservation management plan.

DNA

The arborist, Simon Leong from Singapore, has been appointed by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd's (MMRCL) general consultants, Maple Consortium, for six months at US $33,000 -that's about Rs 22 lakh a month besides accommodation and return airfare (four trips).

The specialist's appointment was approved by authorities in January this year.

At Rs 22 lakh a month, Mumbai Metro gets specialist to transplant trees - Times of India #News #India #Trending pic.twitter.com/br0q6GF6n2  News Orange (@NowOrange) March 12, 2017

The appointment came after the MMRCL has already identified the trees to be cut. So far, as many as 100 trees have been cut in the southern Mumbai.

eskipaper

Locals and activists in the area are questioning the cost being incurred for transplanting the given trees, after observing that no trees have survived in the past.

(Also read: Norway Becomes The First Country In The World To Commit To Zero Percent Deforestation)

"It's a complete eyewash. Tree plantation or transplantation is a complete scam in the city as norms are very lax," said Zoru Bathena of Aarey Conservation Group, as reported by The Times Of India.

hundredforhundred

The MMRCL has proposed to cut transplant nearly 5,012 trees along the 33.5 km route comprising 26 stations.

Since the law mandates that for every tree that is cut, three have to be planted within 30 days, the appointment of this arborist might bring a lot of greenery in the city.

Leong will visit Mumbai over the next 12-18 months and help MMRC contractors address this crucial responsibility.

(Also read: India Draws International Attention To Conservation Of Himalayan Region At COP22)
UPs massive mandate to BJP was a vote for Narendra Modi. ET spoke to a number of people familiar with the election strategy of the prime minister and his core team to get a sense of how the Modi Magic was created.

BCCL

First, the PM got the messaging right. UPs campaign message was divided into three parts. It started with a massive critique of the SP regime. That morphed into a message on asking for change from the SP-BSP dominance in UPs politics. Third, the PM spread the message of hope, when he campaigned heavily in the last two phases and put his personal guarantee of good governance on the forefront. Each message got BJP huge dividends, the PMs core team said.

Second, the PMs personal charisma. His core team said every survey of UP showed Brand Modi was just as big in 2017 as it was in 2014. The PM was our trump card, and we played that card exactly right, an aide said. He pointed out that the PMs rallies were calibrated to extract maximum advantage from Brand Modi. The long stay in Varanasi to maximise gains from Purvanchal was a classic example of effective use of Modis charisma, another aide said.

BCCL

Third, the PM and his core team avoided the mistake of Bihar and capitalised on the mistakes of Akhilesh Yadav. Unlike Bihar, BJP gave very few seats to allies in UP. It fought 383 of the 403 seats. In Bihar, BJP had left 87 of the 243 seats for allies.

This allowed the Modi effect to play out fully in UP. Helping Modi and his party was the grand error by Akhilesh Yadav  leaving 105 seats to a weak Congress.

A member of the PMs core team called it a favour without logic.

He said the day the alliance was made, we knew we were headed for a big win.

People familiar with the thinking of the PM and his top aides say it was extraordinarily immature of Akhilesh to be so generous to Congress. In the last state polls in 2012, Congress had forfeited deposits in 240 of the 355 seats it contested.

BCCL

Rahul Gandhi had been rejected by UPs people in 2012 and 2014, another senior PM aide said.

Fourth, and the PMs key aides say this was hugely crucial, Modi put his radical demonetisation policy on a referendum in UP. Modi never gave up on the theme that demonetisation was a move against the crooked rich and for ordinary voters, and voters overwhelmingly agreed.

Members of the PMs core team said Modis message on note ban was helped by Rahul Gandhis and Akhilesh Yadavs relentless attacks on the policy. That galvanised even more support from poorer voters for Modi. The PM read it absolutely right, Rahul read it utterly wrong, a top Modi aide said.

Fifth, the Mayawati factor. The core team was convinced from the beginning that although Mayawati was a lesser force than she was, she could be a useful ally in a united Opposition. But that Opposition unity was never on the cards. Mayawati could not play a Lalu Prasad role in UP.
Under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), Delhi police has so far issued challans to more than 700 people. The anti-smoking campaign, launched by Delhi police in mid-February, has so far worked well.

The Delhi Police is issuing challans for the first time directly under the COTPA. The act prohibits smoking in public places, sale of tobacco products to minors and sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of education institutions.

BCCL

Earlier, Delhi Police used the Kalandra system wherein a slip was issued to the offender and he/she was to pay fine to the magistrate.

The on-the-spot fine system under COTPA is turning out to be an extremely effective measure.

So far, 200 violators have been caught and challaned in the East Delhi zone. Five to seven people are caught daily. Police have even closed five hookah bars in East Delhi.

The North District Police have issued 263 challans so far, while the southeast Police have issued 250 challans under the COTPA so far.
A Norwegian group of ex-convicts and former drug addicts, who have now turned yoga devotees, have set up a base in Mumbai to construct public toilets for women.

The toilets are being constructed near the Bombay Central railway station.

The group, called `Back in the Ring,' is almost through with the construction of the toilet and plans to make it accessible to the common public by mid-April.

TOI

Alexander Medin, who took up this initiative as part of karma yoga, is leading the group. The deplorable state of civic amenities with regard to basic sanitation and hygiene for women, prompted Medin to start the construction.

The project is jointly funded by the Norwegian Chari table Organization-BITR along with the JSW Group. The group is scheduled to head back to Norway on March 15, after which the corporate group will take up maintenance of the toilet on completion.The group has carried out similar projects in Goa and Karnataka during their previous India tours.

worldtvnews.co.in

"The heat, the noise, and pollution - it all took a toll on us. However, we continued working on constructing the toilet. Each of us would reach the site at 10 am every day (from February While in Mumbai, the group stayed in the red-light area of Grant Road, only recently shifting to a modest hotel at Crawford Market. A group member also contracted pneumonia but is now recovering.Several others suffered from dysentery and exhaustion. "The heat, the noise, and pollution - it all took a toll on us. However, we continued working on constructing the toilet. Each of us would reach the site at 10 am every day (from February 17) and finish our work at 5 pm," said Medin, founder of the group.

He hopes the project will capture the attention of corporates and politicians who could channel the necessary funds to take it forward. "I wanted to use this project as an example. If some people from Norway, especially former drug addicts, can give their own time, energy and money to people they don't even know, we hope it will have a ripple effect among Indians," Medin said.

Another member from the group, Albin Bendu, 49, was in prison when he met Alexander who had started a yoga programme for inmates. "To be a part of this project has been a very rewarding experience. I am honoured to do this for the women of Mumbai," said Bendu.
A few would be familiar with Khadagvanshi Kshatriyas. the small community of peasants, they get dwarfed by castes with greater numbers and were mostly overlooked by political parties.

BCCL

Community elders were, therefore, surprised two days before the area went to polls in 2014 when they were told by local BJP members that Amit Shah wanted to visit them. Shah knew what he was doing. The concentration of the community in western and central UP makes it crucial to the outcome in certain Lok Sabha constituencies.

In the meeting, Shah invoked former UP CM Kalyan Singh, who is held in esteem by his hosts, and spoke of Narendra Modi's development message to try to persuade the Khadagvanshis to vote for BJP.

The effort paid off, with the community agreeing to enter the saffron tent.Yet, it did not benefit BJP greatly because the message could not be conveyed to all members of the community in time. This time, Shah made it a point to connect with Khadagvanshi elders well before polling day and ensured that 600 youth were despatched on motorcycles to take the panchayat's endorsement of BJP to all members of the community.

BCCL

The win is the result of hundreds of personal interventions by Shah to create a large social coalition. When the last round of polling closed, BJP sources said such initiatives could have boosted the party's chances in at least 100 constituencies. A tireless slogger, known for his hands-on style and an unwavering belief in micro-management, Shah emphasised - this time more remorselessly than in 2014 - on winning potential rather than reputation and age. The decision to bench Shyamdeo Rai Chaudhary, who had won the Varanasi seat seven times in a row, was taken despite Shah's personal regard for the man.

The decision to field Avatar Singh Bhadana, former Congress MP from Faridabad in Haryana, in western UP raised eyebrows. Shah went ahead because he needed to rally Gujjars around BJP, a vital necessity at a time when there was a fear that the Jats might drift away. The decision not to project a CM candidate was taken because of Shah's belief that BJP could ride on Modi's popularity while avoiding getting sucked into caste animosity.

BCCL

His decision to admit many members from other parties, particularly from BSP, was mocked by rivals who said the opportunism showed that BJP lacked bench strength of its own. Shah, however, felt that peeling away BSP's MLAs, especially important ones like R K Chaudhary and Swami Prasad Maurya, was necessary to undercut the perception about Mayawati being the main challenge and to get it cast as a party of Jatavs.Likewise, non-Yadav SP legislators were welcomed to frame SP as a Yadav outfit, a point that was harped on consistently by local campaigners among other backward communities.
Opposition leader Omar Abdullah has spoken, after the BJP looks set to sweep Uttar Pradesh and win Uttarakhand in a near upset - "At this rate, forget 2019, there is no leader who can take on (Narendra) Modi (in Lok Sabha elections)."

BCCL

He added that the Congress party's very probable win in Punjab and decent performance thus far in Goa and in Manipur (where it's neck and neck with the BJP) "shows that the BJP "isn't unbeatable"

In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi & the BJP in 2019.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

At this rate we might as well forget 2019 & start planning/hoping for 2024.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

I said "at this rate" which allows scope for change provided we wake up to the scale of the challenge & make an effort to change :) https://t.co/EmDjBBOEeW  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

The opposition's strategy, though "needs to shift from criticism to positive alternate" being presented. The former J&K chief minister said.

reuters

"Punjab, Goa & Manipur would certainly suggest that the BJP isn't unbeatable... ," Abdullah tweeted.
AUSTINChris Sacca showed up at South By Southwest (SXSW) in one of his cowboy shirts and with plenty of cowboy attitude.

The Lowercase Capital investor and Shark Tank regular spent an hour in a Saturday-afternoon onstage interview holding forthbluntly and often profanelyon issues ranging from his problems with President Donald Trump to Ubers self-inflicted PR nightmare to whats wrong with startup culture.

Talking Trump

Interviewer Alex Konrad of Forbes asked Sacca what keeps him up at night. After mentioning that he has a 1-year-old, a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old, he said, I love my kids, but, yeah, they just keep different hours than I do. And, he added, The Trump thing is really bad.

We are in an absolute unmitigated crisis right now, Sacca said. He was among the tech figures who signed last Julys open letter to Trump denouncing him as a disaster for innovation, but the concerns he voiced at SXSW went well beyond tech-policy specifics.

The idea that we have a serial sexual abuser and a pathological liar in that office, I cant get away from it, he said while denouncing mainstream Republicans for enabling Trumps kleptocracy.

Sacca did, however, find reason for hope in the groundswell of resistance against Trump, and in particular the Womens March the day after his inauguration. Some women just got together and [expletive] did it, they shipped it.

And, he added, at least the election was not bought with campaign donations: It was one of the very first times that total ad spend was decoupled from the result. His hope for what can come from that: It would be a lot cheaper for me not to have to raise tens of millions of dollars to elect progressive candidates who will raise my taxes.

Why Ubers in a world of hurt

Uber founder Travis Kalanick

Sacca, who was an early Uber investor, also teed off on a man almost as unpopular as Trump among some conference attendees. That would be Uber founder Travis Kalanick, whos been under fire since a former Uber engineer alleged in a blog post that the company condoned sexual harassment.

Story continues

Nothing about that story shocked me at all, Sacca said of the former engineers allegations that she was propositioned by her manager, a supposed high performer whom higher-ups failed to discipline. I couldnt believe the HR team responded like that, he vented. Automatons could respond better.

Sacca noted that he hasnt had a speaking relationship with Kalanick since 2011, but pointed to issues hed seen back then, such as Kalanicks dismissive response to early complaints about surge pricing increases during times of high demand.

We had a guy who paid $187 to go one mile in New York City, he recounted. Traviss response was suck it up, surge pricing is here to stay. 

(And yet, he added, The people who complained loudest on Twitter, their usage of Uber accelerated.)

Kalanick paid the price when people rejected his defenses for his now-ended participation on Trumps business-advisory council. Travis hasnt earned the goodwill of the country, so everybody went apeshit on him, he said.

Sacca allowed that Kalanicks pledge to get leadership help by hiring a chief operating officerhopefully a kick-ass womanshows some maturity.

Startup culture and mistakes made

Sacca did not just have strong words about Uber. Much of the startup culture is filled with a lot of posers, a lot of entitled people, a lot of people who should be working in some other  industry, according to Sacca.

Sacca denounced the trend of venture capitalists investing only in products they use: Theres like eight Ubers for jets and nine Ubers for yachts, and theyre all going to fail.

He also criticized the lack of gender diversity in Silicon Valley, noting that even when women have spots at the table their advice may go ignored. Case in point: his own failure to follow up on one Lowercase employees suggestion to invest in Pinterest.

Sacca did, however, pass on Snapchat (SNAP) early onhe called its supposed initial emphasis on sexting the least healthy thing in the worldand has no money in it. Aways be proud of the things you invest in, he counseled. During the Q&A part of Saccas talk, he voiced his skepticism of virtual realityIt just deprecates every other sense we havebut complimented augmented reality, in which a phone or tablet overlays information on its cameras view of the world.

A Georgetown University graduate, Sacca confessed that when he sees people wearing shirts with the schools logos, I have found myself hovering my hand over them to see which year they graduated.

His own customary attire is a silver-embroidered cowboy shirt. An audience member asked about that, and he explained that each one is a little different from the other and, unlike his speech, can contain some subtleties. He pointed to his attire and said mysteriously, This one may or may not have secret messages.

More from Rob:

Email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com; follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro.
It is not all rosy for the family of Ibidunmoye, as Kidnappers are demanding for a ransom of N20m after abducting a director in Ekiti State Civil Service, Olaniyi Ibidunmoye.

The Victim was kidnapped on Wednesday in Ibillo, Edo State, while returning from a pastoral meeting of his church in Abuja.

He is a director in the Office of Ekiti State Surveyor General and also a pastor in Agape Christian Ministries.

The kidnappers initially took him away in his Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle, which they later abandoned before taking him away in another car.

According to a source close to the family said, He was kidnapped on Wednesday and the abductors have established contact with the family demanding a ransom ofN20 million.

The family has been going through emotional trauma since his abduction. The wife is traumatised and disconsolate.

We are pleading with his captors to release him unconditionally and allow him to reunite with his family. He is a civil servant and a man of God. We are begging them to release him for the sake of his wife and children. There is no way a salary earner can get N20m; civil servants are being owed.

The Ekiti Police Command spokesman, Alberto Adeyemi, said he was not aware of the incident but would contact his colleague in Edo state.

( Punch Nigeria )
Controversially popular Nollywood actor, Uche Maduagwu, has revealed his claim on how he predicted the allegedly crashed marriage of fellow actress Damilola Adegbite a while back.

Recall that immediately after the sudden breakup of Tonto Dike marriage with her ex-husband Oladunni Churchill, Uche Maduagwu had also predicted that three more celebrity marriages would crash soon.

Following the news making the rounds that Damilola and her Ghanaian husband, Chris Attoh had parted ways, the actor took to his Instagram to shame those who never believed his prophecy and also insisted that more marriages will go down the drain this year.

Attributing the latest to in-laws wahala, the actor warned Nigerian ladies to stick to Nigerian men, adding that whatever Ghanaian men could give, Nigerians will give double.

The controversial actor wrote, Another female celebrity marriage in Nigeria just crashed because of in-law wahala. I dont know why some in-laws like discriminating, must a good woman sacrifice her happiness just to please her in-laws? Hmmm, well, a few weeks ago, I told you all that there are going to be three other celebrity marriage breakups in Nigeria this year, but some of my celebrity friends didnt believe me, shame on all the bad belle people that doubted.

Anyways, it has happened oh. You see why I advice all these my female celebrity friends to always marry a Nigerian? The Devil you know is better than the angel you dont know dear. There is nothing a Ghanaian man can give to you in a relationship that a Nigerian man cant give to you! Anyways, I just hope you all will throw away the Ghana must Go bags of doubt buried in the temple of your heart, and embrace the reality.

I am not just a Popular actor in Nigeria, I pray a lot too, and when i say something you all should be thanking me for it, and not to doubt me, because what an elder sees sitting down, a child can never see it even if he climbed the highest mountain!

I can authoritatively tell you all that the next celebrity marriage breakup is going to happen within the next one or two months, the female celebrity involved had already, stopped picking her husbands call for like 2 to 3 weeks now, and she had already moved out of her matrimonial home, as she now stays with a friend in Lekki phase 1.

I pray for every single woman reading this now, may you get married before this year runs out, please say amen if you have enough faith oh. And please, dont let anyone force you into marriage, wait on God, and at the right and perfect time, God will connect you with your own future husband.

Photo Credit: Naijafamous.com
Popular Nigerian actress, film producer, television personality and media personality, Monalisa Chinda has taken to her social media account to celebrate her look-alike young daughter.

The ace actress daughter paid her a visit on set and the excited mum took to her Instagram page to praise her. She wrote Still filming.My twinny decided to come give me moral support. #Youandi #season3

See photo below:

Photo Credit: Gistmania
Details of the incident, which was said to have occurred at the Air Force Base in Makurdi, the Benue State capital are vague and but officials have yet to confirm it.

However,a friend of the deceased female Air Force official, known as Shomzy Shomzy to her colleagues, have taken to the Facebook page to express her shock over the incident.
Arsenal FC needed to get a fantastic win against Lincoln after such a disappointing result in the mid week against Bayern Munich at the Emirates.The Arsenal moved into the FA Cup semifinals with a 5-0 win against minnows Lincoln, while Manchester City joined the Gunners in the last four after a 2-0 victory at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud bagged Arsenals first two goals at the Emirates Stadium before Luke Waterfalls own goal.

Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey were also on the scoresheet as Arsenal sealed their place in next months semi-finals at Wembley.

For the second time in five days, Arsenal fans staged a pre-match protest march calling for Wenger to resign and the Frenchman could ill-afford what would have been the FA Cups greatest upset.

Fifth tier leaders Lincoln were the first non-league team to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals in 103 years after a shock win over top-flight side Burnley in the fifth round.

And although Lincoln are 87 places below Arsenal in the league pyramid, there was no sign of that vast gulf in class in the first half, with Nathan Arnold almost giving them a shock lead when his shot brought a fine save from Petr Cech.

The chastening 5-1 loss to Bayern was Arsenals fifth defeat in their seven games and they looked bereft of confidence for long periods.

Wengers luck finally took a turn for the better in first half stoppage-time when Walcotts shot took a large deflection off Lincolns Sam Habergham on its way into the net.

( Super Sports)
The Police and the military has increased their security in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue state, following an attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen, in which five people were killed in Mkovur and Tombo communities.

More security personnel including soldiers and the police have been deployed at the request of the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, to reinforce those on ground.

The Special Adviser to the governor on security, Colonel Edwin Jando (rtd), who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said the reinforcements have already arrived their destination.

According to Col. Jando, his office had received reports of the killing of five persons including a tax collector on Saturday, whose bodies have been recovered.

He also offered an assurance that security personnel have been deployed to logo, Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Tarka, Gwer, Gwer west and Agatu to embark on patrols and forestall an escalation of the crisis.

( Channels Television )
Malu Dreyer, Head of Bundestrat, the Upper Chamber of the German Parliament, has pledged Germanys support to Nigeria in its economic recovery efforts.

Dreyer, speaking at the weekend while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Senate led by its President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in Berlin said that Nigeria deserved the support of Germany to boost its economic recovery plans.

A statement by Sarakis Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, quoted Dreyer as saying that Germany will support the on-going economic recovery programme in the country,.

She said that the European country would look towards extending the special partnership and grassroots co-operation which it presently had with Rwanda to Nigeria, adding that more exchange programmes between the two countries should be initiated.

The partnership between Nigeria and Germany is very important and should be nurtured.

This partnership, at a very high level, can help the entire population in Nigeria. We have to do all that is necessary to support Africa to prevent internal crisis that would later plague Europe.

We should empower African nations to enable the people and their government take their fate into their own hands. We have a gain to make from this co-operation, she said.

Dreyer said that Germany would tackle the root cause of the refugee crises through helping countries to be stable and economically buoyant.

On renewable energy, Dreyer said Germany was ready to help Nigeria through technical aid and exchange programmes.

In his remarks, Saraki reiterated the need for Germany to partner Nigeria in the areas of economic co-operation, security and renewable energy.

He said that the Senate delegation was in Berlin to strengthen the existing relations between the two countries as represented by the visit of the German President to Nigeria last year in company of some German businessmen.

We appreciate the cordial relationship between Germany and Nigeria. We need German support as our government works hard through progressive policies and legislation aimed at overcoming our current challenges.

It may be true that we have economic challenges but the fundamentals remain good and even the prospects are better.

That is why we are seriously working to diversify the economy and move away from the dependence on oil.

We are moving into agriculture, mining of numerous mineral resources and manufacturing. These areas alongside energy production and funding of key infrastructural projects are areas that German business people can invest in, he said.

Saraki said power was one area where Nigeria required serious help as its inadequacy affected the success of businesses and limits the productive ability of the people.

Source: NAN
The Killings in Kaduna State is yet to come to a stop as two Fulani herdsmen were killed by unknown gun men at Unguwan Maiyashi village, Fantsuwam Chiefdom, in Jemaa Local Government of Kaduna State, while another was killed at the Madakiya community of Zangon Kataf LGA, both in southern Kaduna.

An indigene of Ungwar Miayasihi, told reporters that the incident occurred at about 4pm on Saturday, when the herdsmen were grazing with their cattle inside a bush.

He said that their corpses were later traced to a river by security agencies on Sunday morning.

However, the Kaduna State Police Command, Aliyu Usman confirmed the incident to Channels Television.

According to him, some suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.

He also added that more policemen have been drafted to the area to avert any form of reprisal or break down of law and order, adding that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

( Channels Television )
- By Holly LaFon





In the Why stage of our investment process, to understand the influences outside of fundamentals that impact prices of markets and currencies in the short- to medium-term, we borrow from game theory to help us get as much understanding of geopolitical situations into our investment decisions as possible. A long-standing, multi-player negotiation across both trade and security involves Asian countries as well as the United States. These negotiations have become intense enough for us to formally construct a game theater focused on Asia.





Within this game theory framework, we identify the major players, their objectives, and the powers they may wield to achieve these objectives. The goal is not necessarily to predict outcomes, but to understand and not be surprised by actions and reactions as negotiations develop. This helps us navigate short-term headwinds or tailwinds to the fundamental opportunities coming from the Where stage of our process.

Trade and Security Tensions Building

In a very interconnected region, two prominent, recent trade deals feature several Asian countries. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) includes several Asian countries but excludes both China and the United States, now that President Trump has formally withdrawn the U.S.'s consideration of the agreement. We've also been following the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which also features several Asian countries, including China, but again excluding the U.S.

There is also the potential for a larger, longer-term deal such as the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP), which would be broader (including China, U.S. and some other countries) and that could potentially absorb or replace TPP and RCEP.

Security issues in the Asian theater feature long-standing military alliances that in many cases focus on navigation of the seas. Currently, competing claims on islands in the East and South China Seas create macro risks because these seas represent security posts, physical shipping lanes, and claims on potential untapped natural resources.

Story continues

Beyond the seas, in response to North Korea's aggressive stance, the U.S. reiterated its commitment to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD)--a missile defense system off the coast of South Korea--later this year, despite China's strong opposition.

Interestingly, these trade and security issues often get intertwined in the negotiations. For example, the U.S. administration could potentially use security-related issues to ultimately negotiate trade deals across the region.

Who Are the Influential Players?

Our game theory analysis focuses on the six players with the greatest current influence. Other peripheral players, such as India, Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia, may also benefit from trade deals as well as from being out of the immediate crosshairs of some of the more prominent players.

We view the six influential players in three tiers:

Tier 1--China and U.S.: I refer to these countries as "the heavies," as they stand head and shoulders above the others in terms of their influence

Tier 2--Japan and South Korea: They are somewhere in the middle in terms of influence

Tier 3--Taiwan and Vietnam: They act a bit like small houses on a big block in that they're able to benefit when the big influencers--China and the U.S.--are both bidding for them. But they can also be harmed if the top players use them to make a point.

We assess all players' net influence based on four characteristics--endowment power, coalition power, risk tolerance, and salience--to help us determine their ability to influence negotiations. The chart below shows the current powers we attributed to the key players. Again, these geopolitical developments and related negotiations may drive the price of an investment toward or away from its fundamental value.

U.S. Assessment

While the new U.S. administration's policies are still taking shape, we believe the United States' objectives are to impose more consistent enforcement of trade rules and to establish a narrower, but more robust set of security commitments.

The U.S. benefits from a broader, multi-lateral set of coalition partners as well as very high endowment power, given the demand for goods and the leverage it has through naval technologies. The new administration shows a greater degree of risk tolerance than the U.S. previously exhibited in this region.

China Assessment

China's primary objective is to project stability and global leadership, expanding their strategic influence, especially ahead of the National Congress of the Communist Party of China meeting this fall.

Given China's long-term perspective, their endowment power is likely to increase if unchecked. But they tend to act more unilaterally instead of via coalitions. In addition, China's salience and risk tolerance are the highest in the region, despite their desire for stability.

Key Broad Implications

China and the United States will be jockeying for coalition partners, using carrots and sticks related to trade and security issues

The larger risk, albeit with a lower probability, is that the two dominant players will escalate their use of sticks against each other

Another potential risk is that one of the less influential players (South Korea, Taiwan, or others in the region) does something to prompt a strong response from the U.S. or China

Despite some potential sabre-rattling initially by the U.S., we don't expect meaningful escalations this year as a result of China's desire to pursue stability

Japan has an opportunistic role as a result of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushing for constitutional reform to beef up security and military influence

Investment Implications: Winner + Losers

We believe that Vietnamese, Philippine, and Malaysian markets and currencies will benefit from the current jockeying strategy of China and the U.S.

At the same time, we believe South Korean and Taiwan markets and currencies are more at risk from this same jockeying

Japan potentially benefits from sustained Abe leadership and the flexibility to pursue multi-country trade deals with either dominant power

The theater's influence on China and the U.S. is neutral--perhaps a slight positive for the Chinese yuan in the near term, and a medium-term risk for the U.S. IT sector

Our current currency positioning in our portfolio aligns with this geopolitical analysis. We're long Asian currencies, such as the Chinese yuan, Philippine peso, and Vietnamese dong, and we're slightly short the Taiwan dollar and flat the South Korean won.

On the market side, our bias in most instances is to be long Asian equity markets. We're long--and above fundamental valuation signals--in Vietnam, China, Taiwan, and India. And, we're long--but below fundamental signal--in South Korea. We are currently short both the Japanese equity market and the Japanese yen, in line with signals.

We will continue to monitor the key Asian players' powers, communications, and actions to help determine the potential investment risks and opportunities.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials have arrested a commercial bus driver by the name, David Agiri for driving with a stolen vehicle with number plate FKJ 875XC at Oshodi area of the State.

While attempting to escape arrest, almost ran over the vehicle of the Agencys General Manager, Mr Olawale Musa, as well as the bus of the monitoring team. Agiri, who has been on the wanted list of the Agency since February 23, 2017 for driving against traffic at Iyana Iba on Lagos- Badagry Express Way in contrast to the relevant sections of the Lagos State Traffic Laws which forbids driving in the direction of oncoming vehicles, had evaded arrest from the hands of the traffic personnel. However, in line with the policy of the Agency which forbids officers from pursuing fleeing vehicles, Agiri escaped arrest with the bus. But the long arm of the law later caught up with him when he was eventually arrested with the same vehicle last Thursday, March 9, 2017 at Oshodi.

Further investigation of vehicle papers by LASTMA officials revealed that the vehicle number plates did not correspond with the vehicle documents as the number plates belong to a Port Harcourt resident with a different name and type of vehicle.

In addition, Agiri who is a native of Badagry and a resident of Agbara town in Ogun State was said to be a well-known serial traffic offender with penchant for driving against traffic.

The general manager , Musa said the Agencys monitoring team on routine patrol of Lagos roads caught the driver of the unpainted commercial bus at Iyana-Iba driving against traffic and efforts to apprehend Agiri proved abortive as he mobilised social miscreants to attack the traffic officials. Agiri, who has been handed over to the Nigeria Police, Mosafejo Division for further investigation and appearances before the court of competent jurisdiction, confessed to flouting the traffic laws and also that the number plates found on the vehicle did not actually belong to him.

Speaking further, the LASTMA boss assured that the Agency would not relent in ensuring seamless flow of traffic in the State, adding that impunities by some motorists would also not be condoned.

According to Musa, the era of fragrant disobedience of traffic laws in the State was over for good. Musa further warned the commercial bus drivers not to constitute themselves into a nuisance in the State as anybody caught violating the law would be dealt with accordingly. It would be recalled that the Agency has begun series of monitoring and patrolling of major roads in the State in a bid to stem the activities of traffic law violators and maintain the existing orderliness and sanity being enjoyed by commuters in Lagos.
A former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bello Adoke, has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, imploring the nations number one law enforcement official to call the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to order.

Mr. Adoke, in a string of complaints sent to PREMIUM TIMES by email Sunday, said the anti-graft agency allegedly singled him out for persecution when other former high-level government officials, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, took some of the critical decisions that culminated in the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu transactions.

I believe it is your responsibility to explain to the public who are being sold a fiction that the transaction started from President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR under whose administration the Terms of Settlement were brokered with Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, as the then Attorney General who executed the Terms of Settlement before the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR who approved the final implementation of the Terms of Settlement and my humble self who executed the resolution agreements, Mr. Adoke said in the petition dated March 6.

This is more so as the Settlement and its implementation were situated in the Federal Ministry of Justice, he added.

The appeal was sent three days after Mr. Adoke accused the EFCC of lending itself to manipulation by powerful political interests, after the anti-graft agency slammed fresh charges of money laundering against him and one of his associates, Aliyu Abubakar, accusing them of sharing millions of dollars in fraudulent proceeds.

In the charges, filed at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, the EFCC alleged that Mr. Adoke exchanged more than $2.2 million in a bureau de change in Abuja as part of his share in the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu Oil deal.

Prosecutors believe Mr. Abubakar, a controversial owner of A.A. Oil Ltd., acted as middleman in the questionable deal.

The EFCC said in the court filings that Mr. Adoke took delivery of exactly $2,267,400 on September 16, 2013, and immediately enlisted the service of money changers to have it converted to the local currency.

Based on the prevailing exchange rate at the time, Mr. Adoke made N345, 200,000 after successfully converting the funds. He subsequently deposited all the money in a Unity Bank account to offset an outstanding overdraft of N300 million, court documents showed.

But Mr. Adoke swiftly denied the allegations at the time, saying the EFCC knew the facts of the case but was deliberately muddling them up to confuse gullible Nigerians and malign his image.

In his petition to Mr. Malami, the former AGF begged his successor to save him from unwarranted attacks and dehumanising treatment just because he chose to serve his fatherland.

He reminded Attorney-General about former government officials who took part in the controversial deal and approvals they allegedly gave.

It will be recalled that the Terms of Settlement encapsulating details of the Settlement between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited (Malabu) was executed on 30th November 2006.

The Terms of Settlement, which was later, reduced into a Consent Judgment of the Federal High Court; Abuja was brokered by our predecessor in office, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN and signed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria by the then Honourable Minister of State, for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Edmund Daukoru, during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.

He queried why the EFCC had not invited those officials, especially since they didnt deny their alleged roles.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comments Sunday night. His known telephone lines were switched off.

Mr. Adoke, again, absolved himself of any wrongdoing, saying he saved Nigeria more than $2 billion in damages that stemmed from arbitration claims instituted against the Nigerian government at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes over the OPL 245 block, which is believed to hold more than 9 billion barrels of crude oil and even more volumes of natural gas.

Mr. Adoke was instrumental to Nigerian governments involvement in the suspicious Malabu Oil deal, which saw Shell and Agip-Eni paying money into an escrow account of the Nigerian government to settle a firm with a questionable history.

Mr. Adoke authorised the transfer of the $1.1 billion paid by Shell and Eni into private accounts of Mr. Etete, who further transferred a large percentage to Mr. Abubakar. Investigations suggested that Mr. Abubakar might have acted as a front for officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, including Mr. Adoke. 

Shell, Agip-Eni, Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete, who initially approved the lease award of the OPL 245 while he was petroleum minister in 1998, have all denied wrongdoings.

But Italian prosecutors said late last year they had enough grounds to charge Shell, Agip-Eni, and their executives alongside other Nigerians involved in the controversial deal for fraud in Milan.

In separate charges filed late 2016, the EFCC accused Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete of defrauding Nigeria in the OPL 245 deal.

The Department of Petroleum Resources said last December that Mr. Adoke and other officials of the Jonathan administration who participated in the concession of the lucrative oil field to Shell and Agip-Eni did not follow due process.

Mr. Adoke, who is currently in the Netherlands for study, had maintained his innocence and pledged to make himself available for trial.

Source: PremiumTimes
Mr. Sam Ogbemudia Jr, the first son of the two-time ex-governor of defunct Midwest and Bendel States, Brigadier General Samuel Ogbemudia, retd, who died on Friday at the age of 84 has moan that his father had prepared his grave beside his ,Ogbemudia, late mothers grave, who died in 1968 before he died.

The revered leader of the both states which were later split into Edo and Delta States, died at a private hospital in Lagos shortly before midnight on Thursday. Journalists recall that the statesman was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, in November 2016 where he was later transferred to Lagos for treatment.

It was reliably learnt that the deceased had battled diabetes and High blood Pressure since 1970. These, eventually led to the partial stroke he suffered late last year. The news of Ogbemudias demise shocked Edo residents, who woke up to read it on the social media. Family members and friends thronged his Ihieya residence in Benin City to express sympathy.

Mr. Sam Ogbemudia Jr said he would miss everything about his father. He said:My father represents everything to me right from my child hood days. I dont know what to say. It is devastating. I learnt so much from him. He was a wonderful man. I will miss everything about him. I, and other persons, who have come in contact with him, have all learnt a great deal from him. He was a father, not just to his children, but to all.

He was a great man. He prepared his grave years ago because he said he will like to be buried beside the grave of his late mother. The family will need to meet and discuss including the government of both Edo and Delta states.

President Buhari in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity said the deceased diligently served the country. The statement said:  The President believes that the late Ogbemudia, who had a distinguished career as a military officer, administrator and Federal Minister, has left an impressive legacy of hardwork, discipline and commitment to communal, state, regional and national development.

We will take solace in his legaciesObaseki Obaseki said: It is with sadness but glory to God Almighty that the Government of Edo State announces the death, in the early hours of today, of Brigadier General (retd) Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia.

Saraki Saraki, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, described Ogbemudias death as a huge loss to the country. He noted that Ogbemudia was a dynamic administrator, focused gentleman and a leader par excellence, who served his country and people meritoriously. He was a political colossus.

Okowa Okowa described Ogbemudia as a quintessential Army General, adroit and sagacious administrator, elder statesman, an astute politician and patriot, who stamped his footprints in the sands of time by touching the lives of Nigerians, particularly the people of Edo and Delta states. He cared for welfare of citizensUduaghan Uduaghan said: He was a father figure at times of crisis. His advice and admonitions were valuable. Of course, one tried to emulate him in so many ways.

Pa Ogbemudia made indelible marks in the old Bendel State. We are forever grateful to him for his giant strides in helping to lay the foundation for the even development of our good, old Midwest State. As a military and later civilian governor, he left no one in doubt that he was an astute administrator, who exhibited the kind of courage only leaders who crave the welfare of citizens have.

The Bendel school system was serviced by its own central book acquisition centre, the Bendel Book Depot, and Ethiope Publishing Company and a Bendel Library whose trailers and boats went round the state twice a month taking books to borrowers in even the remotest parts of the state.
Nicki Minaj has taken to social media to further humiliate Remy Ma by sending her on a near impossible task. This came after roasting her New York rival and releasing three records in a flurry,

She is giving Remy 72 hours to drop a hit record.

And Ill give u half a million dollars if u can book ANY show or interview w/o mentioning the Queen name, she wrote in a scathing letter posted on her IG account.

The Pinkprint rapper unleashed No Fraud, Changed It and Regret In Yours on Remy Ma Thursday night. She said her bars are facts and continues to deny allegations her Bronx counterpart spit on shETHER. As for the delay in releasing her counter punches, Nicki referenced Queens rap legacy and said, The great took 3 months to respond to diss records.

Queens dont move on peasant time. Queens shut down Paris, then drop hits on #Queentime. Balls in your court Remy.
The Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) has disclosed that over 68,000 inmates are being held in prison facilities through the country as at March 2017.

The Controller General of Nigerian Prison Service, Jaafaru Ahmed, who made the disclosure in an interview with the Economic Confidential, said that the agency had reopened prison farm centres towards self-sufficiency in food production.

Amed said As at March 6, 2017, total inmates population stands at 68,259. Out of this number, 46,351 are awaiting trial persons, and the remaining 21,903 are convicted.

In terms of percentage, the convicted is 32 percent, while awaiting trial persons is 68 percent. Though the figures are not static as they go up and down.

He also disclosed that the Prison Service had commenced the rehabilitation of its various farming centers with the purchase of twenty-two tractors that would lead the service to specialize in food productions enough to feed the inmates and for sale to the general public.

In 2016 budget we purchased so many farm machineries like tractors and other kinds of implements. We have also dug so many boreholes, fish-farming and the rest of them. These would be used to reposition our farm centers.

What we intend to do when the budget for 2017 is passed is that we have picked three (3) out of fourteen farm centres. The idea is to make sure that we specialize in different farming processes. Like Kujama, we intend to set it up strictly for the production of maize.

We want to see the production of maize all year round, not only during the raining season but also during the dry season. We have budgeted some amount of money to sink boreholes for irrigation purposes to ensure the success of these programmes.

We have picked Lampushi farm center strictly for rice production and the possibility of producing rice during both raining season and dry season. We have also taken Ozalla for the production of palm oil. These are three pilot projects we intend to do this year to see the possibility of whether the prison can actually feed itself, he said.

Ahmed further canvassed for genuine collaboration among the three arms of the criminal justice system to enhance synergy so that the case of anybody brought to prison as awaiting trial will be determined as quickly as possible.

Source: Dailypost
The Police command in Imo State shot two suspected armed robbers dead at a bank robbery in Owerri, capital of the state.

According to Eyewitnesses reports,the three-man gang had attacked a customer who used the branch of Diamond Bank to withdraw an unspecified sum of money, when they encountered policemen attached to the Shell Camp 11 police division, who were on routine patrol in the state capital.

The spokesperson for the police in the state, Andrew Enwerem, confirmed the deaths of the two of the robbers, noting that the police had launched a manhunt for the other robber who escaped with injuries.

Enwerem said pistols, cartridges and other incriminating items were recovered from the gang.
According to in swings of reports coming in from the cabinet of the Presidency, reports have it that, President Muhammadu Buhari has concluded plans for a major overhaul of his administration, reliable sources in government told over the weekend.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, said the changes were going to be earth-shattering because a few of the Presidents powerful aides and prominent members of the administration would be affected.According to reports, it is more likely that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is likely to be affected by the changes.

A senior government official, who preferred anonymity said, In the next few weeks, we are entering the second half of this administration. I can tell you that a major cabinet reshuffle is on the way. Ministerial vacancies for Kogi and Gombe states would be filled, while there would also be an exchange of portfolios.

Some junior ministers, whose relationships with their senior counterparts are not smooth would also be redeployed.

A source within the administration, who is privy to the details of the planned changes, said the country would soon witness greater synergy between the President and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. The source added that under the new scheme of things, the President intended to assign more important national duties to Osinbajo.

Buhari, who will resume duty on Monday after a 49-day medical vacation in London, is said to have been very impressed by what a source in government described as the performance, competence and loyalty of the Vice President, who served as Acting President while he was away.

When asked why it took the President two years to synergise fully with his deputy, the source replied that both men had always been closer than the public knew.

The President and the Vice President have always been on the same page. They are close. He likes to delegate tasks to the VP. However, not much could be done in the past because of the interference of some people close to the President. The President is determined to remove those who interfere so that his administration can build on its recent strides, the source, who is a senior government official, said.

It was learnt on Saturday that besides filling vacancies in his cabinet, the President would redistribute some ministerial portfolios. He may also divest the former Governor of Lagos State and current Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, of one of his portfolios.

The senior government officials who spoke said there is no prove of the names of those likely to be affected by the changes. They said the President liked to keep such things close to his chest. However, independent findings by one of our correspondents revealed that those to be removed may include the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; and some ministers who have been adjudged as under-performing. A former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, is expected to join the cabinet.

The source explained the criteria the President would use in reshuffling his cabinet.

He said besides measuring the performance of each cabinet member, the President would also examine the relationship between senior and junior ministers.

Currently, two states, Kogi and Gombe, have no representatives in the Federal Executive Council.

Kogi States position became vacant following the death of a former Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mr. James Ocholi (SAN), in a road accident on March 6, 2016.

The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, who hails from Gombe, left the Federal Executive Council last month when she assumed duty as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

There has been speculation since late last year that the President would carry out a major cabinet reshuffle.

( Punch Nigeria )
Psquare half duo Paul Okoye has finally embraced his igbotic accent, calling out IG trolls and asking them how polished their cheque book is.

Paul Okoye, who made fun on by social media, states that when a French man speaks English with his accent, he is said to romantic, but when an Igbo man tries it, he is said to be Igbotic.

In an Instagram post, Paul said that hes proud to be an Igbo man and urges other to embrace their accent like him.

In a comic addition, he asked if all those who used to cover their exam papers in the past are now MDs in oil and banking sector.

He wrote,

But seriously I dont get itdo we actually think been educated is by speaking polished English ? You re a tv presenter ,hes an artiste , my sister how much is your salary? What language is your bank alert speaking? How polished is your cheque book ?compared to that igbotic artiste am a proud Igbo boy, and when I speak English I still have my fathers tongue rolling that is keeping it real not faking it shoutout to all my Igbo brothers and sisters out there keeping it real. when next they say u sound igbotic  pls be proud of it. #joke by the way those of you that use to cover your exam papers during exams back then , I hope by now you all are MDs in oil and banking sector or even a presidenthappy weekend#igbotic #proudlyigbo #yorubatic #hausatic #1love.

See screenshot of his post below:

Photo Credit: Naijapals
A 57-yr old Nigerian grandmother, Mrs. Odeyemi Omolara Morayo, has been caught by the operatives of the NDLEA with 1.595kg of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed Intl Airport in Lagos.

A 57-year-old grandmother and textile merchant at Balogun market in Lagos has been caught at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, in connection with cocaine smuggling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said.

Odeyemi Omolara claimed to be going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia when she was arrested, according to the agency.

Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, explained that the two parcels of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine were carefully concealed inside her luggage.

A female passenger, Odeyemi Omolara Morayo with a valid Egypt air ticket from Lagos to Saudi Arabia had been arrested with 1.595kg of cocaine, Mr. Garba said.

The cocaine which was concealed in a false bottom of her bag was discovered during routine check on passengers at the departure hall. We had to cut the bag open to recover the cocaine because of the way it was neatly concealed. She was immediately arrested and the case is currently under investigation.

In her statement, the suspect who hails from Ogun State said her friend and customer was the one that introduced her into drug trafficking.

I have two children and my daughter is married with children, she said.

Recently, I told my friend that I loved to go on pilgrimage this year and she promised to sponsor my trip. That was how she collected my international passport, processed my travel documents and bought return ticket on Egypt airline. The only favour she requested from me was that I should take a bag to Saudi.

She also told me that somebody will collect the bag from me at Jeddah. It was an empty bag so I kept my personal effects inside it. On getting to the airport, officers discovered cocaine inside the bag during search and I was arrested.

In his reaction, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Muhammad Abdallah, described the suspects action as condemnable. Smuggling cocaine to Saudi Arabia under any guise is condemnable, he said.

It is good that she was arrested here because drug trafficking attracts capital punishment in Saudi. Apart from saving her from execution in Saudi, the prompt arrest also protected our country from disrepute. The Agency will not relent in the fight against illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse.

The arrest came few days after Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court Abuja sentenced a 55-year-old female pilgrim, Binuyo Iyabo, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Ms. Binuyo was caught last September smuggling 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 931 grammes to Medina, Saudi Arabia.
In a new post on Instagram, Tonto Dikeh, who referred to Churchill as her ex, said that he is spreading scandalous and baseless lies about her. He has even resorted to some very intimidating tactics in a bid to discredit me and my story, she added.

Popular Nollywood actress, Tonto Dike in a bid to prove her claim of domestic violence by her ex husband, Oladunni Churchill, shared a photo of the bruise inflicted on her during their stay together. Recall that he and the Ghanaian Police had also recently accused her of physical violence (wrecking of properties).The troubled actress who also in recent times, granted interview claiming to be a victim of domestic violence, has also gone ahead to warn Churchill, to stop smearing her name and reputation as she has pictures and videos to prove all the allegations.

Tonto said: I/we must create the awareness of the wrongness of this act (Domestic Violence), with a view of solving this problem permanently.

She shared the photo below and wrote:

Domestic violence is a scourge in the world. In Africa especially,this evil is rampant. African traditions preach & teach the almost absolute submission of the wife to the husband or the husbands almost ownership of the wife. Hence, to the uninformed & uneducated woman, domestic violence is easily accepted as a norm.

This is precisely the reason why domestic violence is rampant in our society. It is therefore obvious that one of the most effective ways to curb this scourge is to inform and educate people. I/we must create the awareness of the wrongness of this act, with a view of solving this problem permanently. I dont take for granted that God has made me a voice. He has blessed me with means & a celebrity status. Most of all, I am a strong Christian. Our Christian faith encourages us to use the gifts given to us by God for the benefit of others. I also have come to learn & realise that God allows us to experience things so that on the long run we can help others avoid or survive similar experiences.It is for this reason that I shared my horrible experiences of wife battery,perhaps I might help someone; if I only succeed in helping one person,it would have been well worth it.

It has been brought to my attention my EX is spreading scandalous & baseless lies about me, he has even resorted to some very intimidating tactics in a bid to discredit me and my story. I would like to state for the avoidance of doubt, that everything I have shared is true. I went through those experiences and to the glory of God, I survived and I am a better person today. I would like to inform my antagonists that I have no problem with fighting back. I have said the truth and I have pictures and videos to back my story.

I will not hesitate to use them to vindicate myself. That I have not shared these strong evidence (to) date is borne out of respect that this man remains the father of my son.In the event that he will resort to lies in a bid to save face & further tarnish my image becomes unwarranted insult upon severe physical & mental injury.Let me reiterate,that my sole objective is (to) help people. Im not interested in smearing anybodys perceived image or good name. I strongly advise that you mr X be warned.
FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit.
Un ottobre da sogno per Antonio Conte: lex ct della Nazionale italiana, attualmente alla guida del Chelsea, nelle ultime quattro gare di Premier League ha collezionato solo successi, conditi da 11 reti segnate e addirittura nessuna incassata. Numeri da record che non sono certo passati inosservati alla Federazione inglese, la quale ha conferito al tecnico leccese lambito premio di Manager del mese.

Unavventura oltremanica iniziata in sordina, quella di Conte, pur a fronte di tre vittorie nelle prime tre gare di campionato. A far vacillare, anche se solo per un momento, le certezze del patron del club londinese, Roman Abramovich, i risultati conseguiti tra la 4a e la 6a giornata, coincisi con un pareggio sul campo dello Swansea City e, soprattutto, con le due pesanti sconfitte subite dal Liverpool, sul terreno casalingo di Stamford Bridge, e dallArsenal. In particolare, la debacle interna coi Reds, aveva irritato non poco il numero uno russo, poiche occorsa proprio nel giorno della sua 250esima partita da presidente della societa.

Come detto, solo un momento. Dopo lincontro dellEmirates, il tecnico salentino cambia modulo, adottando un piu equilibrato 3-4-3 e inserendo elementi di corsa come lo spagnolo Pedro. Una svolta totale perche, di li in poi, il Chelsea inanellera solo e soltanto vittorie: 2 gol allHull City e al Southampton in trasferta, 3 ai campioni dInghilterra del Leicester e 4 allo United in casa, con un meraviglioso numero zero nella casella delle reti subite. Un fantastico poker, ottenuto tra l1 e il 29 ottobre. Un cambio di marcia sbalorditivo, confermato dal 5 a 0 rifilato ai toffees dellEverton nel primo match di novembre, e una scalata che, man mano, ha portato i blues al secondo posto in classifica, a soli 2 punti dal Liverpool capolista.

E allora, non poteva mancare il riconoscimento di migliore allenatore del mese, ottenuto surclassando tecnici del calibro di Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) e Mark Hughes (Southampton). Tanta, ovviamente, la soddisfazione: E un grande onore e voglio condividerlo con i giocatori e con la societa  ha dichiarato Conte sul sito ufficiale della Premier League -. E la prima volta che lavoro in un altro Paese, con una cultura diversa, e portare la propria filosofia non e facile, ma ora sono contento di questa scelta.

A completare la festa, la premiazione del fantasista belga, Eden Hazard, come miglior giocatore di ottobre. Due risultati importanti per il club, ottimo incentivo per la rincorsa al trono dei campioni, occupato dal Leicester di Ranieri. Il prossimo appuntamento per l11 di Conte sara al Riverside Stadium, tana del Middlesborough neopromosso. Il tempo di festeggiare e gia finito.
What Is a Bicameral System?

A bicameral system describes a government that has a two-house legislative system, such as the House of Representatives and the Senate that make up the U.S. Congress. The word bicameral is derived from the Latin: "bi" (meaning two) and "camera" (meaning chamber). The British Parliament, a bicameral system, has been the model for most parliamentary systems around the world.



A bicameral system can be contrasted with a unicameral system, in which all members of the legislature deliberate and vote as a single group. The legislative branch of the U.S. federal government uses a bicameral system, in addition to all of the U.S. states, with the exception of Nebraska. U.S. cities, by contrast, commonly use the unicameral system.

Key Takeaways A bicameral system is a government style with two separate divisions within the legislative branch of government.

The U.S. bicameral system is divided into the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The majority of international governments use the unicameral systemwith a roughly 60/40 split between unicameral and bicameral.

Each house of the legislative branch has differing powers to ensure there are checks and balances within the system.

The more populous House of Representatives branch has less stringent requirements for members when it comes to age and citizenship length compared to the Senate.

How a Bicameral System Works

In a bicameral system, the two chambers of the legislative body can have different organizations, rules, methods of selecting members, and designated powers regarding the legislation and oversight of the other branches of the government. In the U.S., the other branches of the government are the executive branch and the judiciary branch.

There are both practical and historical reasons to have two houses of the legislature. A practical reason for a bicameral system is to function as part of the larger system of checks and balances that balance the power of different parts of a government or a society. By dividing power within the legislative branch, bicameralism helps prevent the legislative branch from having too much powera kind of intrabranch check. Within the legislative body, bicameralism has historically functioned to balance the power of different social classes or groups within a society.

The bicameral system arose in medieval Europe. Sharp class distinctions between the nobility, the clergy, and the commoners meant that these classes were represented by separate groups of representatives, which were charged with advising the king on matters related to and representing the interests of their respective social spheres. In England, these groups eventually developed into the House of Lords and the House of Commons. In the modern U.K., the House of Lords is still considered a more elite body, while the House of Commons represents a larger, more common class.

The U.S. bicameral system arose from a desire to have a balanced system within the legislative branch and to address a disagreement over how states would be allocated representation.

History of Bicameralism in the U.S.

The bicameral system in the U.S. consists of the House of Representatives and the Senatecollectively known as the U.S. Congress. Article 1, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution establishes that the U.S. Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

During the Constitutional Convention, Americas founders could not agree on whether the states should each have the same number of representatives or whether the number of representatives should be based on the population size. In an agreement known as the Great Compromise, the founders decided to incorporate both elements: the bicameral system was established.

Like the two houses of the English Parliament, the two chambers within the U.S. legislative were also intended to represent different stakeholders within the U.S. The Senate was designed to represent the interests of the States (Senators were originally appointed by the state legislatures, not elected), and the House of Representatives was intended to be elected by and represent the interests of the common people. This is also reflected in the powers delegated to each house by the Constitution, with the Senate given a more deliberative, advisory, and oversight role, while the House of Representatives was given primary authority over the taxation of their constituents.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives serve two-year terms. Two-year terms are meant to keep representatives responsive to voters needs. There are 435 representatives in total, with the number from each state being in proportion to that states population. This system is called proportional representation. Alabama, for example, has seven representatives, while California has 53. The seven least-populous statesAlaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyominghave only one representative each.

1341 The first instance of British bicameralism occurred in 1341. When the Commons met separately from the nobility and clergy for the first time, an Upper Chamber and a Lower Chamber were effectively created. The U.S. adopted a bicameral system after its founding.

State Governments

Each state also has two Senators (a system called equal representation) who are directly elected by voters and serve six-year terms. Before the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1913, the state legislatures got to choose Senators. These positions tended to be held by the elites.

Each house has different requirements to serve. To be a U.S. representative, you must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state you want to represent. To be a U.S. Senator, you must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, and a resident of the state you want to represent.

Each house also has unique powers. Only members of the House of Representatives can criminally indict (impeach) the President and other federal officials; the Senate then reviews the case. The House also decides presidential elections if no candidate wins a majority of electoral college votes. And any bill that increases taxes originates in the House, which is why the House of Representatives is said to have the "power of the purse." The Senate votes to confirm the appointment of more than 1,000 executive officers, and it can ratify treaties with a two-thirds vote.

Bicameralism vs. Unicameralism

Worldwide, about 41% of governments are bicameral and about 59% are unicameral. Other countries that have a bicameral system include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and the Czech Republic.

The size, term of office, and method of election (directly elected, indirectly elected, appointed, or other) for each chamber of a bicameral system will vary by country. Unicameral systems became more popular during the 20th century, and some countries, including Greece, New Zealand, and Peru, switched systems from bicameral to unicameral.

What Does Bicameral Mean? Bicameral literally means "two chambers," and in practice refers to a government structure involving two houses, or two legislative bodies, that are separate in deliberation from one another.

Why Did the U.S. Constitution Establish a Bicameral Legislature? The Founders of the U.S. established a bicameral legislature in order to create a separation of powers. At the constitutional convention, larger states (mostly in the South) and smaller states (in the North) began to quarrel over which should wield more power at the federal level. As a compromise (called "The Great Compromise," Roger Sherman, a delegate from the colony of Connecticut, proposed bicameralism. This way, smaller states got equal representation with larger states with each having two senators. At the same time, the house of representatives assigns members of congress proportional to the population.
Prayers will be held in Wicklow this afternoon for the victims of a fire at a domestic violence support facility in Dublin.

Annmarie O'Brien, 27, her two-year-old daughter Paris, and their cousins three-year-old Holly and four-year-old Jordan were killed in the blaze that broke out on Wednesday morning in Clondalkin.
An Irish social media star has launched a sex education initiative with a twist.

James Kavanagh, who has several thousand followers online, is giving weekly classes to his Snapchat followers.

He says it is to help people become more informed about sex and ask questions that have not been addressed in traditional settings.

Explaining how the idea came about, James said: "I started to talk about how bad my sex education was - then I started to get messages back from some people saying they dont get taught at all.

"Some teachers were messaging me saying their hands are tied by maybe a chaplain in the school that has a very limited sex education policy.

"Teenagers were getting in touch saying that all theyre taught is penis + womb = baby."
Donald Trump praised the US Secret Service for doing a "fantastic job" in apprehending a "troubled person" who climbed a fence at the White House while the president was inside the executive mansion.

It was the first known security breach at the White House since Mr Trump took office nearly two months ago.

Washington DC police identified the intruder as Jonathan Tran, 26, of Milpitas, California.

When approached by a Secret Service officer on the south grounds on Friday night and asked whether he had a pass authorising him to be in the restricted area, Tran replied: "No, I am a friend of the president. I have an appointment," the police report said.

Asked how he got there, he said he "jumped the fence".

The Secret Service said in a statement that the intruder, whom it did not identify, had climbed an outer perimeter fence near the Treasury Department and East Executive Avenue.

He was arrested without further incident and no hazardous materials were found in his backpack, the agency said.

Authorities found two cans of Mace on Tran, including one inside his jacket pocket, according to a criminal complaint filed in US District Court.

Tran was also carrying a US passport, an Apple laptop computer, a book written by Mr Trump and a letter he had written to the president, the complaint said.

"Secret Service did a fantastic job last night," Mr Trump said from his golf club in Northern Virginia.

He described the intruder as a "troubled person" and the situation as "very sad". Mr Trump was briefed on the matter on Friday night, said his spokesman, Sean Spicer.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was also briefed on the incident, the Secret Service said.

Mr Kelly was among several Cabinet secretaries and senior White House staff members who attended a working lunch with the president at the Trump National Golf Club.

In the letter found on Tran, he mentioned "Russian hackers" and said he had information of relevance, according to the criminal complaint.

He alleged that he had been followed, that his phone and email communications had been read by third parties, and that he has been called schizophrenic.

The Secret Service said a search of the north and south White House grounds found "nothing of concern to security operations". Standard practice is to turn intruders over to the local police department.

Video surveillance footage shows Tran jumping a fence near the Treasury Department adjacent to the White House security fence, the complaint said.

At one point, Tran is seen hiding behind a White House pillar before proceeding to the South Portico entrance.

Friday's security breach follows a series of similar lapses that took place during the eight years that Barack Obama was president.

An especially embarrassing breach came in September 2014 when an Army veteran with mental health issues scaled a fence on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House and made it deep inside the building, to the East Room, before the Secret Service could detain him.

The Obamas were not at home at the time. The incident was one of several breakdowns by the Secret Service that ultimately led to the resignation of the agency's director, Julia Pierson, the following month.

Mr Trump has to find someone new to lead the agency after Joseph Clancy, a former agent who came out of retirement to succeed Ms Pierson and stabilise the law enforcement agency, announced his second retirement last month.

Mr Trump said he brought the Cabinet secretaries, White House staff and some of their spouses to the club for a working lunch to discuss the military, the economy, health care and other issues.

Besides Mr Kelly, joining Mr Trump were Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Steve Bannon and Mr Spicer. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis was absent.

"We're having some great discussions," Mr Trump said.

"The economy is doing very, very well. Generally speaking we're doing very well."

He talked about inheriting "a mess" when he took office, but said everything would be "straightened out fast".
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AURELIUS  Wolf Scout Chipper Grennell, 8, said he felt good about the small gray car with plastic fire at the Cayuga County District Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, even though it wasn't going as fast as he hoped.

"I think my car in the end will get better at (the competition)" Grennell said.

Grennell explained why the scouts appealed to him.

"I just wanted to get outside more and get more active," Grennell said.

Varga was one of several scouts at the Cayuga County Youth Fair at the Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius on Saturday. The fair featured youth-focused groups like the local chapters of the Boy Scouts of America, Cub Scouts, Wolf Scouts, Girl Scouts of NYPENN and the Booker T. Washington Community Center, among others, with different activities in hopes of informing community members about their respective organizations.

The Cub Scouts featured the derby, in which over 50 different small carsincluding a vehicle looked like a partially unwrapped and eaten Hershey chocolate bar, a shark-themed car, and a car with the face of the famous Pokemon Pikachu on it,  that were painted and built by a scout raced in short elimination matches.

In addition to the derby, other activities included a bouncy house, community art, an Alumni Pinewood Derby and Scout Show, Girl Scout cookie sales and balloon animals.

Katie Moran, chairman of the Children and Family Task Group of the Human Services Coalition of Cayuga County, helped organize the fair.

"The idea is to give the agencies the opportunity to give people information about what they're doing," Moran said.

Brian Ahsmann, senior district executive for the Longhouse Council, which runs several different Boy Scouts of America district groups in central New York, said the racing is a major part of scouting, saying it helps teach members good sportsmanship whether they win or lose.

"(The racing) is one of the premier events for Cub Scouting in central New York, making and racing these cars," Ahsmann.

Ahsmann said the scouts helps teach youths how to be responsible, respectful members of society.

"The scouts teaches life lessons," Ahsmann said. "That's really what the parents like about it."

Madelyn Titus, 10, who was giving out free cookie samples dressed in a cookie costume with her friend and fellow scout Katherine Heckerman, 10, said she enjoyed giving out samples and has proper ways to entice people to try a snack.

"I don't really want to come off as awkward, like 'Buy my cookies!," Titus said as she briefly leaned with wide eyes and a mock-frenzied tone of voice.

Madelyn Titus' mom, Carrie Crandall-Titus, said she appreciates the organization's themes of courageousness, hard work and kindness.

"I like everything that the girl scouts represent," Carrie Crandall-Titus said.

Matthew Norton, who fidgeted nervously despite the determined look on his face while waiting in line to register his green Tyrannosaurus Rex-themed car for the race before the event , was ready to test his mettle.

"I like doing the pine racing," Matthew Norton said. "It's all about having fun."

His father, Fred Norton, nodded approvingly with a smile on his face.

"That's what I like to hear!" Fred Norton said.
Today

A mainly sunny sky. High around 80F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 58F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunshine and some clouds. High 78F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.
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Hello, friends. I hope youre having a great weekend, despite the cold temperatures across so much of the country. I thought Id throw together an Instagram roundup for today, and I also have information about a new app that allows you to shop my Instagram outfits without registering for LIKEtoKNOW.it.

But first, Im excited to tell you that registration for the next Adore Your Wardrobe course opens today!

Adore Your Wardrobe Registration Is Open!

If youre not familiar, Adore Your Wardobe is an eCourse run by Kelly of Redefined Mom, and if you feel like you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, this course is for you!

Kellys theory is that fashion isnt art so much as it is science, math, proportion, and balance; and she set out to demystify fashion for other women and transform the way we think about, buy, and put together outfits.

From taking this course, I learned SO much about dressing to flatter my individual body type. In fact, I learned straight away in Lesson 1 that I didnt even KNOW my own body type. All my life I thought I was rectangle or an inverted triangle, when in fact Im an hourglass. I had no idea.

To see what one of her lessons is like, click the link GET FREE EPISODE INSTANTLY to get her Rule of Four Episode for free. Rule of Four is stylists secret formula for how to make an outfit look put-together. Kelly teaches you how to use accessories, patterns, and layering to make your own Pinterest-worthy outfits. That episode alone changed how I get dressed every day, and my ability to put outfits together that fit and flatter has improved 10-fold since taking this course. You can get all the info about the prices and the different levels HERE.

I highly recommend the Designer Level. The personal help and encouragement you get in the Facebook Group is well worth the extra investment. I wouldnt have gotten nearly as much out of the class if Id done the coursework without the access to Kelly and her team in the group, plus you learn a lot from the other women in the group as they learn too.

Space is limited, so if you want to participate this time around, register soon!

Now on to the Instagram Roundup

Instagram Roundup 03.12.17

If this post doesnt give you whiplash, nothing will, ha! The weather has been INSANE around here lately. Its gone from winter to spring and back to winter so many times, Ive lost count.

I know it isnt officially spring until March 20, and I live in Pennsylvania so I really cant expect spring weather yet, but when your job revolves around fashion, youre always thinking about a half-season ahead, and it cant help but affect your psyche just a little bit! Sometimes I actually forget what season Im in.

I really wish I could tell you were having some lovely spring-like weather right now to go along with the spring fashions Im sharing with you, but alas, I cannot. Not only did a cold front come through over the weekend, we are actually expecting an epic snowstorm this week. Good times!

All that to say, my Instagram roundup is a mish-mosh of winter and spring outfits. While Im shooting spring outfits for my blog posts, my daily wear is more geared to our climate at the moment, which is pretty much still winter.

So with that lengthy preamble, lets get this party started!

Im going to include some of my non-outfit posts as well because, why not? This is a picture I took when I was in Nashville with Cyndi a few weeks ago. Nashville is such a pretty little city.

And here we are  me with my partner in crime fashion. We were so tired when we took this picture. We had already knocked out a photo shoot and then wed been shopping and trying on clothes for a while. Thus, the pretty filter! My green cashmere sweater is still marked down to $49, and while sizes are limited in the green, there are lots of other colors. Its a nice sweater for this time of year. My monogram necklace is the gold plated, size 3XL, and it has the 16 chain. This would make a nice Mothers Day gift, just sayin.

I snapped this from our very messy hotel room the morning we were leaving. All outfit details are in this blog post.

Airplane reading As you can see, I didnt travel in that outfit above. I was wearing it for a photo shoot. My Tory Burch travel flats were perfect for a long day of airport travel, and they fold up and fit in your bag if you want to wear a fancier shoe and bring them along for backup (not sure where youd put the dressier shoes, though, lol!) Im wearing CND Romantique over Cake Pop on my nails.

Back at home, I wore this one day to run errands and catch up on chores around the house. My Zella sweatshirt has sold out.

similar jeans (similar for less) // Converse Shoreline

This cozy twist-front top is such a great little piece for this in-between season, and its still fully stocked. Also, these aviators are $60. More pictures in this post.

twist front fleece pullover // white jeans (similar for less) // Chucks // perforated tote // alex and ani wire bangles // Quay mirrored aviators

This was another day at home and running errands. The sweater one of my favorites, and I wear it at least once a week. Unfortunately it sold out soon after I bought it. I believe it came from Trunk Club. I decided to brighten up this neutral outfit for spring with these coral perforated flats.

Sam Edelman Felicia Perforated Flats // AG Raw Hem Legging Ankle Jeans (these Sevens are under $200 and also really great jeans, and LOFT has a similar style for under $100) // three rings necklace c/o Hallmark

You can see more of this outfit in this post.

beaded hoops // pave necklace // floral v-neck top

I know this top isnt super flattering, but it may possibly be the softest thing I have ever worn, and I love it. I think its fun for a casual weekend look.

side split pullover // AG Raw Hem Legging Ankle Jeans (similar for less) // Converse Shoreline

More pictures of this outfit are in this post. LOVE these shoes in the blush suede, and they were just restocked. They run true to size.

linen scoop neck tee // J. Brand Distressed Crop Jeans (similar for less) // floral neck scarf // Marc Fisher Perforated Platform Wedges (similar for less) // kate spade new york mylie hobo in rose cloud (similar for less) // watch c/o kate spade new york // assorted Alex and Ani wire bangles (some c/o) // faux pearl earrings

For some reason, this picture got 599 likes on Instagram! (I average somewhere in the 200s per post.) I guess I should do these flat lays more often. No need to do my hair and makeup or anything! LOL! Also, it may look like a copout for a post, but I think I spent a half-hour getting this the way I wanted it. Its no wonder I dont do more of them!

ruffle sleeve tee // distressed jeans // lace-up flats ($38!) // tribal pendant

I wore this out to dinner with some friends for my husbands birthday.

Free People sweater (20% off) // AG raw hem ankle legging jeans // Stuart Weitzman booties // Clare V leopard clutch // choker (old)

Yes, I really love this outfit and the photos from the lovely Catherine Truman. I think Ive posted 3 different shots of it on Instagram. More details in this post.

hinge floral top // AG legging jeans // vince camuto booties (similar for less here and here) // kate spade new york mylie hobo in rose cloud (similar for less) // pave necklace // beaded hoop earrings // vachetta and gold smart watch c/o kate spade new york // assorted Alex and Ani wire bangles (some c/o)

This was just a casual weekday at home. Everything except the Lucky Brand lace-up flats are sold out, but they are only $38 and genuine leather  a great budget buy.

This was another one of Catherines photos from Nashville. More on this outfit in this post.

gingham sheath // tassel foldover clutch c/o Gigi New York (similar for less) // crossover block heel sandals c/o kate spade new york

SALE ALERT >> Save 50% on 5 full-price items at Banana Republic with code BRFAMILY. Ends 3/13/2017 at 11:59 PM ET.

I wore this to church one chilly Sunday.

Paige crop skinny jeans // kate spade new york mylie hobo in rose cloud (similar for less) // vince camuto booties (50% off) // monogram necklace: size 3XL, 16 chain

This spring work wear outfit was on the blog earlier this week.

fuchsia blouse // white blazer // slim bootcut suit pants // black pumps // black satchel // triad hoops// triple rings necklace c/o Hallmark // link bracelet // Ray-Bans

I wore this to a meeting at the elementary school and then to the mall to do a few errands simple, but I really like the proportions of this outfit and how each piece fits. There are little flecks of pink and green in the sweater, but you cant see it in this picture.

v-neck sweater (old) // DL1961 Emma Legging Jeans in Token wash (30% off at DL1961.com with code SPRINGBREAK) // similar pink flats // wishing necklace // celestial choker

SALE ALERT >> Take 30% off select denim at DL1961 with code SPRINGBREAK! This includes my favorite Emma and Florence styles, plus they have some really cute new styles that Im wanting to try out. I think Im going to order one of the Chrissy styles to see how I like those. Theyre a high rise skinny ankle jean.

More of this transitional spring outfit are in this post. I love this sweater so much, I am so tempted to buy it in another color.

Free People sweater (20% off at Zappos) // AG high rise skinnies (similar for less here and here) // vince camuto perforated peep toe booties (I also like these and these) // kate spade mylie hobo (similar for less here and here) // Stella & Dot tassel earrings and cuff bracelet

This might look familiar (see the flat lay above.) We actually photographed this outfit for the blog last Saturday, but by the time I get around to posting it, youre probably already going to be sick of seeing this top. LOL!

ruffle sleeve tee (size up!) // raw hem ankle legging jeans // lace-up flats ($38!) // charm pendant (old)

This dress was on the blog earlier this week. I kept it sporty with my Converse Shoreline kicks. More on that in this post.

striped shift dress ($22!) // Converse Shoreline // white denim jacket (similar for less) // saddle bag // triad hoops

I wore this to meet a friend for lunch on one of those mild days we had earlier this week. These jeans are only $34, and theyre selling out fast. Mine are the strawberry dust, but there are more color options here.

marled cardigan (on sale for $23) // perfect white tee (use code Jolynne10 for 10 percent OFF your order from ThirtySomethingTees) // mid-rise rockstar jeans (on sale for $34) // layered necklace // Tory Burch travel flats

In case you missed it, I posted this outfit to the blog yesterday.

ballet-back tee // favorite white jeans; similar for less // denim lace-up flats (30% off and SO comfy!) // faux leather crossbody ($29) // Alex and Ani wire bangles // kate spade two-tone watch // monogram necklace: gold plated 3XL with 16 chain

And I posted this mirror selfie to share this t-shirt dress because its so cute and such a good price. I felt like it was too similar to the grey stripe shift dress to do a full blog post on it, plus I would style it the same way  with my white denim jacket and Converse. It also comes in several colors, and because it is short-sleeved, it will carry you further into spring and summer. Its more form fitting than the grey, but its stretchy and comfortable. For size reference, I have the medium in both.

crewneck tee dress // Converse Shoreline

Finally, this is a preview of an outfit coming to the blog next week.

slim fit portofino shirt // white jeans (similar for less) // taupe sandals // perforated tote

Believe it or not, there are a few more Instagram posts that Im not including here, but theyre just other aspects of these outfits, and this post is long enough. Of course you can always follow along on Instagram and catch up over there at any time.

Shop My Instagram with Screenshot Technology

Now for my exciting news! For a while, youve been able to shop the Instagram posts of your favorite fashion bloggers from your email inbox by registering your email with LIKEtoKNOW.it and then liking the Instagram pictures with the @liketoknow.it affiliate links in them. If you have no idea what Im talking about, I explained it all here: What Is LIKEtoKNOW.it?

Now its even easier to shop your Instagram feed with the LTK app and a quick screenshot, and you dont even have to register your email.

You may have noticed the little heart icon on many of my pictures in todays post. That is the new LIKEtoKNOW.it logo, and when you see that in the bottom corner of an Instagram or Snapchat picture, youll know the picture is screenshot enabled, meaning you can actually shop those looks from Instagram or Snapchat with a screenshot.

All you have to do is download the LTK app and connect it to your Instagram, and voila! Youre in business! After that, any time you see the LTK logo in the bottom corner of an Instagram picture or the @liketoknow.it links in an Instagram post, you just take a screenshot. (All Instagram posts with the usual LTK links within the photo description are screenshot enabled; the influencer doesnt have to add the watermark to the photo.)

Within a few seconds, you will get a push notification at the top of your screen stating that Your screenshot by @jolynneshane is ready to shop! Click that to open the LTK app and shop the post!

All of the looks youve liked or screenshotted will be in the app, so you can go back and get info for them at any time.

You can delete the screenshots from your phone (so theyre not in your photo feed) and they will still be in the app for you to access at your convenience.

This video shows it all in action, but its pretty self explanatory once you start using it. I didnt find it to be much of a learning curve at all, but there is an FAQ page within the app that should answer any question you may have.

The only downside is, this app is only available for iPhone at the moment. I know, womp! womp! They are working on an Android version, but its much more complex to make Android apps so that will be a little while longer.

If youre on Android and you want to shop my Instagram feed without registering your email with LTK, I have linked my Shop MY IG blog page in my Instagram bio, and you can always go there to find the info about my Instagram outfits. That page is also linked in the menu bar at the top of my blog.

I hope all that makes sense. Im happy to answer any questions in the comments.

I know not all of you are on Instagram, but if you are, this is a really cool way to get the information you want, and it cuts down on the amount of questions I have to answer. Not that I dont love chatting with you all, and Im always happy to answer questions about fit and style, but LTK makes it super easy to find out where I got my outfits with either the app or ready-to-shop emails, and I always do my best to link everything and tag the retailers in my pictures. Plus the Shop MY IG link is always available in my IG bio and on the blog  no apps or signups needed!

In the interest of full disclosure, the LTK product links on Instagram are affiliate links. I do make a commission when purchase from my blog or my IG, and that helps offset the costs of running this site and allows me to do this blogging thing full time, which I love. As always, I appreciate your support!

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IFB Solutions, formerly Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, has been honored with a 2016 Employment Growth Award by the National Industries for the Blind for its efforts to increase employment retention, growth, and upward mobility for people who are blind. IFB Solutions has received this national award for the last 12 years, and is the largest employer of people who are blind or visually impaired in the United States. IFB Solutions has locations in Winston-Salem, Asheville, and Little Rock, Arkansas, and has more than 450 employees who are blind or visually impaired.

First Tennessee Bank received multiple awards for outstanding service for business banking from Greenwich Associates as part of the groups 2016 Greenwich Excellence Awards. In the Excellence in Middle Market Banking category, First Tennessee received eight national awards: Overall Satisfaction, Proactively Provides Advice, and in Cash Management; Overall Satisfaction, Customer Service, Digital Functionality, Ease of Product Implementation, Functionality and Range of Online Services, and Product Capabilities. First Tennessee also received two regional (South) awards for Overall Satisfaction and Cash Management Overall Satisfaction. In the Excellence in Small Business Banking category, First Tennessee received nine national awards: Overall Satisfaction, Proactively Provides Advice, Branch Satisfaction, Industry Expertise, Likelihood to Recommend, and in Cash Management; Overall Satisfaction, Accuracy of Operations, Customer Service, and Ease of Product Implementation. First Tennessee also received a regional (South) award for Proactively Provides Advice. First Tennessee also received top grades in the Phoenix-Hecht 2017 Treasury Management Quality Index for Middle Market Banking, which includes businesses with revenues between $20 million and $500 million.

The following Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Carolinas Realty sales associates have received the 2016 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Presidents Circle Award: Parker-Kleinmaier Team, Nancy Huber, Coram-Swain Team, Denise Hickman, Linda Helsabeck, Cindy Rosenberg, Stephanie Vestal, Paige Dillon, Julie Holland, Marsha Koufman, Lee Ross, George Munford, Susan Carter, and Judy Ricardo.

David K. Brindley, formerly of Winston-Salem, has been named vice president, business development officer at United Community Bank of Blairsville, Ga. He is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. Prior to joining UCB, he was with Yadkin / Vantage South Bank. Brindley will work with entrepreneurs on loans backed by the Small Business Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Piedmont HomeHealth of Winston-Salem has opened an office at 4900 Koger Blvd. in Greensboro. It is a state-licensed agency and provides in-home living assistance, basic nursing and personal care services. PHH specializes in providing care for people with dementia and Alzheimers disease.

Emily Averill has been promoted to director of member financial center operations at Truliant Federal Credit Union. She will oversee the operation of all Truliant Member Financial Centers, including policies, procedures, compliance, audit, security, safety and overall operational effectiveness. Averill has been with Truliant since October 2003 as a deposit representative. She served in other roles before being named manager of Truliants Clemmons location in 2009. In 2014, Averill became manager of the credit unions Truliant Way headquarters branch location.
Q: I have been on the Do Not Call list since 2005. I just had a call from someone I could hardly understand because of their accent. I took the name and telephone number. What do I do with it?

R.W.

Answer: After your number has been on the National Do Not Call Registry for 31 days, you can report unwanted calls at complaints.donotcall.gov or (888) 382-1222. By the way, your registration with them does not expire, and you dont need to sign back up again every few years.

It can be frustrating that even when youre on the registry you still get some unwanted calls. But reporting the calls you do still get helps them keep track of who is violating the registrys rules, so reporting those calls is an important step.

The Federal Trade Commission, which runs the Do Not Call Registry, has sued hundreds of companies and individuals who have placed unwanted calls, and says that those who violate the registry or place an illegal robocall can be fined up to $16,000 for each call.

Because of the volume of complaints the FTC cannot respond directly to every complaint, but says that they and other law enforcement agencies analyze complaints to spot trends and to identify and take action against the people responsible for these illegal calls.

Bear in mind that, even if your number is registered, some organizations can still call you, including charities, debt collectors, political organizations and telephone surveyors.

Also, as the FTC explains it, companies may still call if youve recently done business with the company, or if youve given the company written permission to call you. However, if you ask a company not to call you again, it must honor your request. Record the date of your request.

The FTC recommends you hang up on illegal sales calls immediately. If your number is on the registry and you get a sales call or a robocall, dont interact in any way. Dont press buttons to be taken off the call list or to talk to a live person. Doing so will probably lead to more unwanted calls, according to the FTC.

If you keep getting unwanted calls from one particular number, see if your phone company can block that number  but first make sure if there is a fee for that service.

Q: Is there a law against signalling other drivers of an upcoming police presence? I have benefited more than I care to admit from fellow drivers flashing their bright headlights at me to warn of a speed trap. I would like to reciprocate, but am worried that to do so might be illegal.

S.H.

Answer: It is not illegal, said Lt. Brian Dobey, a spokesman for the Winston-Salem Police Department.

As TrafficlawSC.com, a legal advice blog from a South Carolina attorneys office that specializes in traffic ticket matters, puts it, There are no laws on the books in either North Carolina or South Carolina that make it illegal for a driver to flash headlights or otherwise warn motorists. However, bear in mind that flashing your high beams too much could distract oncoming drivers and would be unsafe.
Lewisville Historical Society to meet

The Lewisville Historical Society will meet Monday at River Ridge Tap House, 1480 River Ridge Road, Clemmons. Dinner and a social hour will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dinner is available at the participants expense. If you plan to purchase a meal and eat with the group, register ahead by calling (336) 766-5842.

The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. The speaker will be Professor Eric Jones of Wake Forest University. His topic will be The History of the Native Americans of the Piedmont.

Battle of Shallow Ford DAR Chapter to meet

The Battle of Shallow Ford, Daughters of the American Revolution, will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the Lewisville Library, 6490 Shallowford Road, Lewisville. There will be a presentation on Genetically Modified Food by Madajah Hunter from Walkertown High School.

The program will be on the History of Military Working Dogs. Charlie Holder, a Vietnam veteran and handler of military dogs, will be the speaker.

Craft and other donations for the Crossnore School and Childrens Home will be collected. The Life Book demonstration and delivery of supplies will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the school, 1001 Reynolda Road.

Small toiletry items are being collected for the Homeless Veterans Program and will be delivered to the VA Clinic in Kernersville.

Anyone interested in the DAR chapter is invited to attend.

IFB Solutions seeking competition entrants

IFB Solutions, formerly Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, is accepting audio submissions for the 2017 Blind Idol singing competition. Audio submissions are due Monday with complete entry guidelines available at www.blindidol.com. The national competition is open to any adult, 18 years or older who is legally blind and a resident of the United States. Fifteen semi-finalists will be selected to perform a live audition on June 3 in Raleigh with the finale competition scheduled for Aug. 12 at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem.

Hospice needs volunteers

Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care needs volunteers to work with patients and their families at the new Yadkin County SECU Hospice Home. Volunteers who are military veterans, bilingual and teens ages 15 to 18 are particularly needed.

Prospective volunteers are required to attend a two-day training seminar which will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Training is free. Finger printing and criminal background checks will be conducted on all applicants and all volunteers must have had flu and TB shots.

To register, call Sherry Milholand-Gibson at (336) 679-2466. For more information, visit www.mtnvalleyhospice.org and click on Volunteer Services.

Military officers club to meet

The Military Officers Association of America will meet Tuesday at the Piedmont Club in the BB&T Building, 200 W. Second St. A social time with a cash bar will begin at 6:15 p.m. The cost is $20 and includes dinner.

For reservations, call Warren Boyer at (336) 407-2374.

Dr. Zev Harel will talk about his experiences growing up during World War II in Auschwitz and Ebensee concentration camps.

All active-duty military officers, former officers and Reserve and National Guard officers and retired officers, as well as guests, are invited.

Veterans coffee to be held this week

A veterans coffee will be held from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the PDQ Restaurant, 285 Harvey St., in the HanesTowne Village Shopping Center.

The veterans coffee events provide an opportunity for veterans, both men and women, to relax, connect with other veterans and enjoy free coffee, doughnuts and conversation.

Organizations with veteran-support programs are invited to attend.

For more information, call Don Timmons at (336) 331-1309.

Salvation Army store to have reopening

The Salvation Army of Greater Winston-Salem will hold a Grand ReOpening for its Family Store at 10 a.m. Friday at the store, 2688 Peters Creek Parkway.

The store has been completely remodeled and now features a larger selection of clothing items and larger aisles.

The Grand ReOpening will feature a ribbon cutting by Mayor Allen Joines and Salvation Army Area Commander Major Stan Colbert. There will also be St. Patricks Day themed refreshments and in-store specials.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Donations of gently used clothing, furniture, home decor, books, CDs and DVDs, working household appliances, and electronics, no tube TVs or computer monitors will be accepted. Pickup is available for large items by calling (336) 723-9552. Donations are tax deductible.

Salvation Army to have dinner fundraiser

The Salvation Army Washington Park Corps will hold its second annual spaghetti dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the corps building, 1411 S. Broad St. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children aged 3-10. Dinner includes salad, spaghetti, garlic bread, dessert and beverage. Dine in and carry out will be available.

Proceeds will benefit Youth and Womens Ministry programs at the church. Donations will also be accepted. For tickets and more information please call Lt. Teresa Bush at (336) 362-2635 or Lt. Karl Bush at (336) 399-2328.

Davie conservation group plans fundraiser

The Davie County chapter of Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation will hold its third annual fundraising banquet at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Davie County Senior Center, 278 Meroney St., Mocksville.

There will be a live auction, raffles, memberships and youth prizes.

Tickets are $65 for individuals and a membership included. Couple tickets are $90 including a membership. After March 10 or at the door, tickets are $75 and $100.

For additional information, contact Lanie Wall at (336) 751-3985 or Dustin Warlick at (704) 472-1520. Visit QUWF on Facebook (Davie County QUWF).

Volunteers sought for Literacy Project

The Augustine Literacy Project, a program of READWS, needs volunteers to serve as tutors to public-school students. An information session for people interested in learning more about the program will be held at 9:30 a.m. March 21 at the William G. White Jr. Family YMCA, 775 West End Blvd. Seven day training classes will begin Oct. 9, 2017 and Jan. 23, 2018. For more information or to register, email pam@readws.org or call (336) 723-4391, ext. 1509.

Womens body image group to meet

A Body Image Group for Women will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from March 21 to April 25 at CareNet Counseling, 403 S. Hawthorne Road. The cost for the course is $25.

The group will discuss, connect and experience how to explore and strengthen personal relationships with their bodies.

Specific practices that will be taught will include mindfulness-based practices, yoga and art.

For more information or to sign up for the course, call Erica Walecka at (336) 992-1793 or email ewalecka@wakehealth.edu.

The iCan House will hold workshop

The iCan House will hold an interactive workshop to provide tools for successfully parenting children with developmental and social differences. Brian King, the speaker, will explain his unique approach: The 4 Rs: Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Reciprocity and Resilience.

The workshop will be at 7 p.m. March 22 at Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, 2701 University Parkway.

The presentation is free for families and members of iCan House and is $20 per person or $30 per couple nonmembers.

For more information, call the iCan House at (336) 723-0050 or visit www.icanhouse.org.

ReadWS needs volunteers

ReadWS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping struggling readers, needs volunteers for its Reading Parties.

The parties are a parent-oriented seminar that teaches parents and children reading improvement strategies in a fun atmosphere. Parents can then use the strategies at home.

After a training session, scheduled for March 27, volunteers will help one to two times per month. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact Tonya Nealon at (336) 723-4391 Ext. 1507 or Tonya@readws.org.

Vietnam Veterans Day luncheon to be held

A lunch honoring Vietnam-era veterans will be held March 29 in Salisbury at the West End Plaza Event Center, 1935 Jake Alexander Blvd. The lunch is in observance of Vietnam Veterans Day. The lunch sponsors include Rowan Hospice & Palliative Care, Hospice & Palliative Care Center, BB&T and Novant. Doors will open at 11 a.m.

Veterans of all eras and the community are invited. Veterans and one guest will receive free lunches. Non-veterans are asked for a $10 donation.

For more information and to register, call Don Timmons, (336) 331-1309.
Imagine Burl Ives, in his role as Big Daddy from the movie Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Ives is standing in the Oval Office, surrounded by President Donald Trump and members of his administration.

Ives says: Whats that smell in this room? Didnt you notice it, Mr. President? Didnt you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room? There aint nothin more powerful than the odor of mendacity ... You can smell it. It smells like death.

Less than 60 days in office, the president and his administration have managed to permeate the White House with the powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity. It is not a matter of a difference of opinion; were talking about provable falsehoods.

During the campaign, the president famously stated, I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldnt lose voters. It now appears the presidents authoritarian proclamation could be put to the test.

Mendacity led to Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn being removed as national security advisor, and it has placed Attorney General Jeff Sessions in hot water.

Supporters of the president would like nothing more than to dismiss this as a tempest in a teapot, common to Washington politics, or reach for the hackneyed talking point that all politicians are untruthful.

If it is nothing, why lie? Why did Flynn mislead Vice President Mike Pence, who then went on Face the Nation, denying that Flynn had discussed sanctions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak? Why did Sessions, under oath, misrepresent something about which he was not asked?

During Sessions confirmation hearing, Sen. Al Franken asked, If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?

Sessions responded: Senator Franken, Im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate a time or two in that campaign and I didnt have  did not have communications with the Russians, and Im unable to comment on it.

Until The Washington Post reported that Sessions had met with the Russian ambassador on multiple occasions, the aforementioned comment seemed innocuous.

Frankens question was conditional, prompting Sessions to volunteer a falsehood about not having communicated with the Russians. Meeting with Russian officials per se does not violate any law, but perjury is problematic.

In matters big and small, prior presidents have been less than forthcoming. Notably, John Kennedy and his team were dishonest with the American people about the severity of his health, Lyndon Johnson was not honest about the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Bill Clinton had the Monica Lewinsky affair, and then there was Richard Nixon and Watergate. But the Trump administration is playing a different game, one where mendacity is an accepted form of payment.

The administration has also managed to create an impromptu civics lesson for the nation. With no time to prep for the appropriate talking point, the nation must leave its orthodoxy outside the classroom and answer the following: What should be ones perception of any presidential administration guilty of consistent false statements?

A) No perception, they are simply doing what their predecessors did.

B) It doesnt matter because I support the administration.

C) Unacceptable!

Any response other than C ought to be a nonstarter. Any other response is to become morally agnostic, where ones sense of right and wrong becomes inextricably linked to political support.

But we live in strange times. Many of us within the chattering class are aiding and abetting the presidents politically repugnant behavior. An early morning presidential tweet becomes media catnip, the bright shining object that dominates our attention span, sending us spinning gleefully into Obfuscationland.

The president of the United States can ill-afford to star in the latest adaptation of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. What happens, God forbid, if a national crisis occurs, and the president must use the moral credibility of his office to ask the American people to give him the benefit of the doubt? At this rate he would be morally bankrupt, with only the formal power of the office at his disposal  an option reserved only for authoritarians.

The pattern that the president is creating does not simply mar his administration, it taints America. Its not just a matter of being president, one must also be presidential. It represents the formal and informal correlatives required to lead.

Big Daddy is right. Mendacity smells like death  the death of the administrations moral credibility.
This is a story for our troubled times. As President Trump rolled out his revised immigration ban last week, Bernard Carpenter of Rural Hall told me about his family.

Carpenters maternal grandfather, Goetz Briefs, was a respected economics professor in Germany as Hitler rose to power in the early 1930s. Briefs, who was Catholic, was told to fire a Jewish man who worked for him. Briefs was an outspoken critic of Hitler and refused. His grandfather got in trouble with the Nazis, Carpenter told me.

Briefs sent his wife and their four children to Italy. Everybody who disagreed with Hitler saw that things were getting scary, Carpenter, 67, told me.

His grandfather liquidated his assets, then joined his family in Italy. The family immigrated to America in 1934. Their entry, fortunately, was relatively easy, in sharp and sad contrast to Jewish refugees trying to enter our country during the Hitler years.

The Briefs family eventually settled in the Washington area, where Briefs taught first at Catholic University, then at Georgetown.

Carpenters mother, Angela, was a girl when they arrived.

She later told her son that she remembered people picking on her family for their language as they struggled to learn English. Their family wasnt treated as harshly as the interned Japanese-Americans, but the Briefs family had their challenges. They were ridiculed about possible connections to Hitler, even though two of Goetz Briefs brothers worked for Intelligence with the U.S. Army in Germany, one interrogating German prisoners, the other doing dangerous scouting and recon, Carpenter said.

Some Americans were as suspicious and critical of this family as some Americans are suspicious and critical of immigrant families today.

But others welcomed them, just as many Americans welcome immigrants today.

Like so many immigrants, Goetz Briefs family assimilated. Briefs made it big as an economist and social philosopher. During World War II, Angela met a young American in the Army Air Corps, a pilot whod been injured in an airplane training accident, Frank Carpenter. They married. Frank, a research chemist, and Angela raised Bernard and his five siblings. They grew up with cousins whose parents had also come here from Germany, and they married and raised their own children.

Of the four siblings from Goetz Briefs, we had 22 cousins, Carpenter said. They were big into having babies, of course, right after the war.

Today, the family counts several members with good jobs, advanced degrees and grandchildren. Its a wide variety, but in general weve done fairly well, said Carpenter, a commercial photographer who moved to our area in 1978.

Some of them married other immigrants. I have a cousin who married a lady from Honduras, another that married a lady from Brazil, another that married a lady from Lebanon. Ive got a nephew about to propose to a girl from the Philippines.

Goetz Briefs would be proud.

There are many families in America today with similar stories. Many more immigrants waiting to get in could create their own good stories here.

Its likely that few of the Briefs descendants, and maybe none, of them would be alive now if their grandparents and great-grandparents had not been allowed into America. They were Catholic. But during the same time period, this country turned away far too many Jewish refugees from Europe, many of whom the Nazis killed. I wonder what their children might have accomplished.

Our country should have learned from that. In the tangled web of terrorism, our government should work all the harder to differentiate refugees fleeing violence from the violent terrorists theyre trying to escape. A country with a heart cant slam the door on these refugees.

Trumps revised ban on immigration doesnt keep out travelers who have visas or green cards and excludes Iraq, where we have troops, but still includes Syria and five other countries, ones that are predominantly Muslim. The order still temporarily bans refugees in general, despite the fact that a strong, long vetting program is already in effect.

The spirit of the travel ban is ridiculous, Carpenter said. Nobody from any of those countries has actively participated in terrorist acts in this country. It just seems like the bigger picture of Trump demonizing foreigners to play to his base. My upbringing brought me to be compassionate and inclusive. The only people who are entitled to be here are the Native Americans. All the rest of us, excluding the descendants of slaves, are immigrants who came here of our own free will.

And theres the wall Trump plans to build on our southern border 

In such times, the story of Carpenters family is a pragmatically patriotic one that says much about how opening our doors to immigrants, with reasonable vetting, enhances our American tapestry. Opening those doors is right. And its also practical. In a rapidly changing and violent world, our own children could find themselves seeking refuge in foreign lands someday.
Its hard to say for sure why North Carolina first became a leader in early childhood education. But theres not much doubt we have been for a long time. We required statewide kindergarten in the early 1970s. We launched Smart Start  a comprehensive set of early childhood services  in the early 1990s. We began offering pre-K to some 4-year-olds in the early 2000s. And, recently, we created measures designed to increase the number of children who are reading by third grade. On a local level, there have been numerous community-driven coalitions and activities during the past 25 years.

Maybe it was just because we had a soft spot in our hearts for our youngest North Carolinians. But at the recent Emerging Issues Focus Forum at N.C. State, business leaders, brain scientists, economists, and even corporate site selection experts agreed that there is also a rational economic reason to invest early: there appears to be a significant return on investment.

At the Forum, Kartik Athreya, director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, reminded the audience of one of our critical challenges  developing a workforce ready to face the challenges of a fast-changing world. He pointed to a large body of evidence suggesting that the persistently high premium earned by college graduates and the unprecedented sluggishness in overall educational attainment reflect a lack of college preparedness. Athreya noted that when combined with studies finding that preparedness  in hard and soft skills  is determined early in life, this indicates that the payoffs to early childhood education are likely to be high.

Two recent studies seem particularly compelling. One released late last year by Duke Universitys Ken Dodge of more than one million North Carolina students found that quality early childhood programs resulted in higher reading and math scores, as well as fewer students being placed in special education classes through at least fifth grade. Economist and Nobel Laureate James Heckman has calculated that every dollar invested in quality early childhood development can have as much as a 13 percent annual return on investment when you calculate improved salaries, decreased crime, improved health and other factors.

A coalition of organizations has organized around the goal of increasing the percentage of students who are good readers by the end of the third grade  right now just 38 percent of North Carolina students are deemed proficient on the 4th grade National Assessment Educational Progress test. The N.C. General Assembly has an early childhood caucus; a group of statewide business CEOs is focusing on improving data collection and increasing the number of students in pre-K programs; a group of stakeholders called NC Pathways to Grade-Level Reading is developing strategic recommendations; leading philanthropic organizations are planning strategic investments in evidence-based practices in North Carolina; and community groups in Charlotte, Greensboro and Winston-Salem are banding together to launch new multi-sector community strategies.

The Institute for Emerging Issues will be bringing together stakeholders on a state and local level to help find consensus for action that can result in more quality early childhood education being made available to more children in our state.

Early childhood education is attracting national attention as well. Next month, the Federal Reserve Community Development Research Conference will focus on the economic futures of children and communities, recognizing that children with strong cognitive and social foundations are better-equipped to manage their financial circumstances, succeed in the labor market, and contribute to society at large. The conference will explore investment returns based on quality; the importance of parental engagement; how to scale initiatives; and, match the risk profile of children served.

Planning for the specific skills needed for future jobs is uncertain and complex. What research shows is that investments made in human capital have the greatest impact and results when seeded in early childhood education. As Athreya told the Forum, learning begets learning. If we can bring more children more human capital investments from the start, there will be a strong future return.
A North Carolina bill working its way through the state House is part of a recent national trend that requires drivers education to teach students what to do in a traffic stop, The Associated Press reported earlier this week. Nothing but good can come of this.

HB21 would require the drivers license handbook to include a description of law enforcement procedures during traffic stops and the actions that a motorist should take during a traffic stop, including appropriate interactions with law enforcement officers, thus priming the pump for a less rancorous exchange than might otherwise ensue, especially when it involves inexperienced and startled drivers.

The bill had more than 35 House sponsors from both major parties by early last week.

I think all of us want to do anything we can to make the public safer out there, and to not put our officers in a situation where they might make the wrong decision, Republican state Rep. John Faircloth, a primary sponsor of the bill and a former High Point police chief, told the AP.

Hes right in his comments. Its unfortunate that some encounters between police officers and motorists have turned contentious and even deadly in recent times. Knowing what to expect might not resolve every situation, but its a good place to start.

The best of these bills work both ways, also requiring police to undergo training to make sure theyre holding up their end. Robert Dawkins, state organizer of the police accountability group SAFE Coalition NC, told the AP that the training could help young drivers control their emotions at traffic stops, but added that companion legislation is needed so that police officers can understand to control their emotions as well, the AP reported. That should be added to the House bill.

Illinois recently updated its Rules of the Road to include training for drivers and officers, saying, a driver is to be treated with dignity and respect by law enforcement officers, and that drivers should report what they consider to be inappropriate conduct to the officers superiors as soon as possible.

Anything that keeps the rancor and stupidness from going on inside of a car when there is a minor traffic violation, were all for, Allen Robinson, chief executive officer of the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association, told the AP. We agree. Young drivers should understand that being pulled over is not the worst thing that could happen, and might actually benefit them, especially if theres a safety issue at hand.

And officers should be aware  and most likely are  that kids arent always going to act the way they should.

The goal here is to reduce what could be a tense situation that can be very stressful on both sides, Dave Druker, with the Illinois Secretary of States Office, told the AP. His message is to use a common-sense approach and dont be confrontational.

Thats good advice for everyone involved.
A car races along a British motorway. The driver, Fran Stubbs, is gainfully employed in her 70s  an expert in her field  on her way to a conference on housing for the elderly.

She is speculating on how she will die, having read the obituary of an acquaintance who perished in a fire after smoking in bed. Fran doesnt think the acquaintance made such a bad exit compared with a friend who died in a hospital corridor in a wheelchair.

At least Stella had nobody to blame but herself, Fran thinks as she speeds ahead on the M1, and although the last minutes couldnt have been pleasant, neither had Birgits.

A vein of black humor pulses in Margaret Drabbles The Dark Flood Rises, which, thankfully, makes the novels reflections on how we age and die as entertaining as a conversation with a dear friend.

Fran is one of a cortege of mostly older characters whose thoughts on aging and death often provoke a laugh or at least a smile.

There is Josephine Drummond, who conducts research on an obscure genre of 19th-century literature, yet struggles with the workings of her phone and DVD recorder. There is Christopher Stubbs, Frans son, who isnt sure what to make of the fact that his girlfriend has died young and unexpectedly while making a human-rights documentary in the Canary Islands.

There is Teresa Quinn, who is dying of mesothelioma, yet happy to imagine her priest might enjoy performing her last rites; she wryly takes comfort in the fact that she is too old to die young.

Drabbles characters are literate, even scholarly, so they naturally attend a Samuel Beckett play or page through a heavy art book or ponder D.H. Lawrences awareness of his declining health. How do humans cope with, understand and distract themselves from the deterioration of sickness and old age? For these characters, even for religious Teresa, it is art that comforts by offering epiphanies that feel both familiar and edifying.

The novels title comes from The Ship of Death, a poem by Lawrence, who died young at 44. The poems next line after the dark flood rises is this: We are dying, we are dying, we are all of us dying.

Christopher returns to the Canaries to make sense of his girlfriends passing; Fran has a bit of an adventure while driving in a storm. The entangled story lines echo with ideas on the unknowable destination where we are all heading.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions [official profile] on Friday requested the resignation of 46 Obama-era federal prosecutors, including Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara [official website], who had been asked to stay on by then president-elect Donald Trump in November. Although federal prosecutors are political appointees, the sudden turnover announced by the Department of Justice [official website] came as a surprise. Most prosecutors were not informed of the impending cuts, with some finding out about their requested resignations through social media reports, Bharara refused to tender his resignation and was subsequently fired [Twitter] on Saturday. Until new prosecutors are appointed, career prosecutors in the impacted offices will oversee cases.

Jeff Sessions short time as Attorney General has been tumultuous. Earlier this week, Sessions sent a letter [JURIST report] to the Senate Judiciary Committee clarifying the responses the AG gave to Senator Al Frankens question in Sessions confirmation hearing regarding whether Sessions had any communications with Russia. Sessions stated he had no contact with Russia, which was later proved false. Shortly before, Sessions recused himself [JURIST report] from probes into Russian interference during the 2016 election. On March 1, Sessions controversially stated [JURIST report] that the US government should stop spending money to sue local police departments. In a speech to the National Association of Attorney Generals, Sessions stated that the government should focus its resources to help police combat crime.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) [official website] on Friday announced its decision to reject an application [text] to create an exchange-traded fund (ETF) [investopedia backgrounder] tied to the value of Bitcoin [website], a virtually currency. The fund, proposed by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss [Winklevoss capital], would have tracked an index of assets, but would have traded like a stock. The markets where Bitcoin is currently traded are largely unregulated, prompting the SEC to deny a Bitcoin ETF due to concerns about the potential for fraudulent or manipulative acts and practices in this market. The Winklevoss brothers have vowed to obtain SEC regulation for Bitcoin.

The creation and use of digital currencies have been a contentious issue across the globe. The digital currencies can be transferred anonymously, unlike most hard currencies created by governments. In December 2016, a federal judge ruled [JURIST report] that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can serve a John Doe summons to digital-currency-services company Coinbase seeking detailed information on their customers 2013-2015 transactions. The summons will allow the IRS to have access to the names of all taxpayers in a particular category. In October 2015 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled [JURIST report] that converting cash into Bitcoin should be exempt from value added tax within the 28-country bloc. In April 2014 then-US Attorney General Eric Holder expressed concern [JURIST report] before the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee with respect to the proliferation of virtual currencies, which, he asserts, have created new avenues for money laundering, drug trafficking and other illegal activity.
Volkswagen [VW] (corporate website) plead guilty [press release] to fraud, obstruction of justice, and falsifying statements on Friday as required by the $4.3 billion settlement agreement [PDF] between the German auto manufacturer and the US Department of Justice Department (DOJ) [official website]. The guilty plea [PDF] was accepted by US District Judge Sean Cox. In addition to various reforms and oversight the company must undergo under the pending plea agreement, the DOJ has levied charges against seven current and former VW executives for crimes related to the companys emissions testing.

The VW scandal began in September 2015 when it was leaked that VW had intentionally circumvented emissions tests through installing technology to determine when emissions testing would take place and alter the cars emissions during inspections. It was found that the practice took place for at least six years. Earlier this month VW agreed to plead not guilty and pay billions of dollars [JURIST report] to correct their 3.0 liter diesel engine vehicles. In December the EU decided to take action [JURIST report] against seven member states over the emissions scandal. A US judge approved [JURIST report] a $14.7 billion settlement in October between VW and the US Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the state of California and car owners who filed a class action lawsuit over the companys emissions scandal. In September the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission sued [JURIST report] VW and its local subsidiary for misleading customers. In August a district court in Germany ruled [JURIST report] that a collective complaint against VW may move forward. In July a judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of California gave preliminary approval [JURIST report] to a $15 billion settlement between VW and the US Environmental Protection Agency, California officials and consumers.
A federal judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin [official website] granted [PDF] a temporary restraining order against President Donald Trumps revised immigration ban on Friday to a Syrian asylum seeker and his family. The order is limited to the one man and his family, and will remain in effect only until the asylum request for his wife and child can be resolved. The judge found that returning to Aleppo while waiting for the outcome of the asylum request would pose, significant risk of irreparable harm for the man and his family. The man has been in the US since 2014 and was granted asylum in 2016.

President Donald Trumps [official bio] series of executive orders overhauling immigration in the name of protecting the borders from terrorist threats have led to a series of legal challenges. The revised immigration ban currently restricts immigration from six majority Muslim countries, including Syria. JURIST Guest Columnist Ali Khan of Washburn University School of Law discussed the effects of the original travel ban on the increased harassment [JURIST op-ed] at US airports by US Customs and Border Protection officials. In February JURIST Guest Columnist Victor Williams discussed how the travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration have tested the separation of powers [JURIST op-ed] between the executive and judicial branches of government.
FILE - A Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017 file photo of British Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, arriving at 10 Downing Street in London. Davis said Sunday, March 12, 2017 that lawmakers should let Prime Minister Theresa May "get on with the job" of quitting the bloc _ and the main opposition Brexit spokesman says he expects the divorce papers to be filed this week. Brexit Secretary David Davis said Sunday that lawmakers should pass a bill authorizing exit talks on Monday without amendments, and let the government enter divorce talks "with no string attached." (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, people inspect the damage to a parking lot at the site of an attack by twin explosions in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, March 11, 2017. Twin explosions Saturday near religious shrines frequented by Shiite pilgrims in the Syrian capital Damascus killed dozens of people, Arab media and activists report. (SANA via AP)
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I can do that?

During a recent morning practice session, a resident was presenting a patient who had had several episodes of syncope which culminated in a trip to the emergency room. She had a brief stay there, and on the discharge plan was written follow-up with PCP and with cardiology.

We went through her history and physical examination, we talked about how to further evaluate this problem, and started coming up with a plan. Since she had no telemetry monitoring in the emergency room, we figured wed start with a new EKG and a Holter monitor to see if she might have any significant arrhythmias contributing to her symptoms.

Interestingly, that is when the intern said, So Ill refer her to cardiology for that.

I asked him why he thought we needed to send the patient to cardiology for an arrhythmia monitor, and he replied that since this was a cardiology problem we were evaluating she should see a cardiologist. He thought that only they had the power to order this specialized continuous monitoring device. I told him that this was well within the range of something we can handle, both in the evaluation and possibly even the management of this patient.

We should be ordering these all the time, if needed. We can and do.

I needed to figure out how to get out of his head that there were these restrictions on what we could do as primary care doctors.

Interestingly, at our institution, we find that there are patients with a specialist or subspecialist for every health condition they have. A cardiologist follows them for their high blood pressure. A gastroenterologist follows them for their gastroesophageal reflux. A pulmonologist follows them for their asthma. An ENT for their allergies.

And often when we look at the care these patients are receiving for these fairly simple problems, it doesnt seem so special (or sub-special).

True, when a patient has refractory hypertension and we need some help, sending them on to the specialist for some help or an opinion makes sense. Sometimes they are able to tease out an answer or look at the problem in a different light, and overcome barriers we failed to recognize.

One patient we took care of years ago had blood pressure out of control on five medicines, and nothing anyone tried seemed to do the trick. Finally she saw a hypertension specialist, who removed all the medicines we had her on and put her on one she had tried and failed in the past.

Perfect.

Something about the TLC and attention she got made the difference.

And to us it just seemed like, No fair!

We also turn for help when patients have some medical condition the treatment of which is beyond our comfort zone. Surely then calling for help is the right thing to do for your patients.

Each provider has such a threshold, the level at which we decide were comfortable taking care of the condition, and weve decided to go no further. I will treat condition X with medication Y, but if they need medications and treatments PQRS and T in addition to Y, then maybe I need some help, some consultation, some reassurance that this is still an appropriate standard of care.

But for the most part, they should ultimately just come back to us, freeing up our specialist and subspecialist colleagues to continue to see fresh problems, new patients with new issues but that we and our patients need help with.

Most consultations should be one, or two, and off.

But it seems that were not doing enough when it comes to returning care to the primary care doctor. Our specialists and subspecialists seem overwhelmed with ongoing management of patients they have been asked to see for a consultation. In most cases those patients can and should return to the day-to-day care of their primary care team.

This will also have the added benefit of freeing up their schedules, so that when we need to find a gastroenterologist to see someone acutely we are not told that there is no one who has availability for three months.

If theyre returning the bread-and-butter, and even the croissants and baguettes, back to us for ongoing care, then we can save their finely tuned consultative skills for the mysteries that lie hidden in the future.

I told this resident that he could take the patients blood pressure and pulse, listen to their heart, and do an EKG, all no big surprise. Sure, that was all stuff we do every day here in our practice. If he wants to take it to the next step, he can get a Holter monitor, a long-term event monitor, an echocardiogram, a stress test, a CT angiogram. Whatever he thinks he needs. He was amazed to learn that he could send his patients directly to cardiac catheterization without the need for a separate consultation in a cardiologists office beforehand. I told him that if he and his supervising attending decide that a patient warrants the aggressive intervention of a cardiac catheterization, then he as a PCP can call up one of the interventional cardiologists and request the procedure directly, right to cardiac catheterization to get the answer they need.

I dont want him to start ordering cardiac caths on everybody, and we probably wont end up putting implantable loops recorders into patients in our practice or doing tilt tables or electrophysiology studies in the back office, but it helps to be able to expand the repertoire of things youre comfortable ordering and doing, and not just feel you have to send everything off to somebody else.

Many primary care practitioners are limited in what they can end up doing in their office because of time, space, and the pressure to see more patients. In the old days we used to do lumbar punctures in our practice, incision and drainage and suturing, injection of joints, paracenteses and thoracenteses. I even remember the days when all the residents got certified doing flexible sigmoidoscopies right here in our office.

Now, for the most part, those things go off to somebody else to handle.

As we change the health care system, we want to change things back so that it returns to us, we practice up to our license (and no further). I am licensed to practice medicine and surgery in the State of New York, and all that entails (although no one really wants me operating in the office despite what my license entitles me to).

Give us the resources, the infrastructure, the equipment, and the time, and we will do skin biopsies, we will drain joints and do bedside ultrasounds, we will extend our skills into areas that are currently being sent out for consultation.

While nobody, including me, wants me doing appendectomies or cholecystectomies in the office, many of our subspecialty colleagues think we are sending too much stuff their way, and many of our patients are frustrated with being referred away about things that used to be handled by the internist.

As we move our practice back to a more patient-centered model, and continue to evolve health care in the 21st-century, we need to think what we can capture back, provide services for patients without making them wait such a long time to get the answer to the things that are challenging their health.

Then we can say, We can do that.

Fred N. Pelzman is an associate professor of medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital and associate director, Weill Cornell Internal Medicine Associates, New York City, NY. He blogs at MedPage Todays Building the Patient-Centered Medical Home.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
* Petchems hit Saudi as oil plunges to 3-month low

* Bank Aljazira surges on share capital increase

* Insurer Sanad's liquidation plan dampens sector

* NBK down as shares go ex-dividend but Kuwait firms

* Egypt up but Juhayna slumps on Q4 earnings

By Celine Aswad

DUBAI, March 12 (Reuters) - Major Gulf stock market indexes mostly closed lower on Sunday after oil prices plunged at the end of last week to a three-month low, but shares in Dubai's Shuaa Capital and Saudi Arabia's Bank Aljazira surged in response to company-specific news.

Saudi Arabia's index dropped 1.2 percent as the share prices of all 14 listed petrochemical makers declined, with Saudi Kayan Petrochemical falling 3.1 percent.

Banque Saudi Fransi lost 2.1 percent after Credit Agricole , which owns 31 percent, said it was satisfied with the performance of the business and would not try to prevent rumours about the sale of its stake from circulating. .

Last week Reuters reported that the French bank has hired JP Morgan to advise it on a potential sale of the stake, valued at around $2.4 billion. Meanhile the share price of Bank Aljazira jumped by its 10 percent daily limit after proposing a three-for-10 bonus share issue. Insurance industry shares were mostly weak after a small player, Sanad Cooperative Insurance , said it was planning a voluntary liquidation after its accumulated losses reached 88 percent of its capital. When its shares last traded in 2014 it had a market capitalisation of 302 million riyals ($80 million), Thomson Reuters data showed.

Dubai's index fell 1.1 percent to 3,481 points, a fresh three-month low. The index is down almost 7 percent since this year's peak on Feb. 9. Sell orders accelerated in the final hour with Dubai Investments sinking 6.5 percent.

But Shuaa Capital jumped by its 15 percent daily limit after saying it had agreed to acquire Integrated Capital and Abu-Dhabi based brokerage Integrated Securities. The two targets are controlled by Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG), which last November bought 48.36 percent of Shuaa.

Also, local news provider MEED quoted ADFG chief executive Jassim Alseddiqi as saying Shuaa was in talks with a larger regional financial institution for a potential merger in a deal that could be worth billions of dirhams. He did not name the institution or give details; Shuaa and ADFG officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In Kuwait, National Bank of Kuwait fell 2.7 percent as trading in the shares went ex-dividend. However, the main market index firmed in the final hour of trade to close 0.5 percent higher.

Egypt's index added 0.5 percent in its eighth straight session of gains, mainly because of a 2.9 percent climb in the largest listed lender, Commercial International Bank ; losing stocks in the index outnumbered gainers 20 to eight.

Juhayna Food Industries tumbled 8.2 percent after reporting at the end of last week an 81 percent drop in full- year net profit to 53.7 million Egyptian pounds ($3.1 million).

Analysts at Cairo-based Prime Research said direct costs increased by 28.7 percent in 2016, faster than revenue growth of 18 percent, and net financing costs surged 73 percent because of currency factors.

SUNDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

SAUDI ARABIA

* The index fell 1.2 percent to 6,834 points.

DUBAI

* The index declined 1.1 percent to 3,481 points.

ABU DHABI

* The index edged down 0.5 percent to 4,436 points.

QATAR

* The index added 0.2 percent to 10,491 points.

KUWAIT

* The index rose 0.5 percent to 6,742 points.

EGYPT

* The index gained 0.5 percent to 12,920 points.

OMAN

* The index lost 0.9 percent to 5,741 points.

BAHRAIN

* The index added 0.9 percent to 1,366 points.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ OPEC in first joint oil cut with Russia since 2001, Saudis take "big hit" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Editing by Andrew Torchia, Greg Mahlich)
COXSACKIE  New York state police say a man is dead after he fled a traffic stop and drove off a boat launch ramp into the Hudson River.

The incident started Friday night in the town of Coxsackie when a trooper tried to stop a car driven by 48-year-old Jeffrey Dean.

Police say Dean assaulted the trooper and drove away.

They say Dean headed to the Hudson and intentionally drove off a ramp into the river.

Police say Dean got out of his car and tried to swim to shore but did not succeed.

Water rescue units from several departments searched for Dean and eventually found his body.

The Greene County coroner's office is conducting an autopsy.

Coxsackie is about 30 miles south of Albany.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High around 55F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 41F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph.
This file photo shows Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Hannam-dong, Seoul. The private museum canceled a major retrospective of Kim Whan-ki scheduled to open in April after its director Hong Ra-hee and deputy director Hong Ra-young resigned last week. / Courtesy of Leeum



Deputy director Hong Ra-young also steps down

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, one of the top private art museums in Korea, canceled two special exhibitions scheduled for this year after its director and deputy director stepped down last week.

The museum's deputy director Hong Ra-young, sister of former director and wife of Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, Hong Ra-hee, resigned March 8.

The news came days after Hong Ra-hee quit as director of Leeum and the Ho-Am Art Museum for personal reasons earlier last week.

When Hong Ra-hee stepped down, the museum said it would continue with its prearranged exhibitions, but the unexpected managerial vacuum led the museum to cancel the Kim Whan-ki retrospective scheduled for April and a Korean calligraphy exhibit in September. It is unusual for a major art museum to cancel a previously announced exhibit just a month ahead of its opening.

Kim Whan-ki (1913-1974) was a pioneer of Korean modern abstract art and his works are currently the most expensive in Korea. The retrospective was one of the most highly anticipated exhibitions of 2017.

According to the museum, although the special exhibitions have been called off, permanent exhibits of antiques and contemporary art will continue to be on view.

An official from the museum said, "There is nothing we can comment on about the museum's future direction as of now."

Hong Ra-hee's sudden resignation is likely to be related to the arrest of Lee Jae-yong, son of Hong and vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, on charges of bribery and other offenses in the Choi Soon-sil scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye.

Hong Ra-young operated the museum as a deputy director for about three years after her sister resigned from the post in 2008. It was expected Hong Ra-young would continue to manage the museum as she did before. However, she also stepped down from the post following her elder sister's move, leaving the museum's status unsure.

Hong Ra-hee has been named among the most influential figures on the Korean art scene since the opening of Leeum in 2004, which indicates the importance of the museum and its collection.

The collection, based on antiques collected by Samsung Group founder and Hong Ra-hee's father-in-law Lee Byung-chul, and modern art purchased by Hong Ra-hee, is one of the foremost art collections in Korea.

Former director Hong and the Samsung Foundation of Culture were big players not only in the Korean art market but internationally. Art insiders say they purchased around 10 billion won ($8.7 million) from Korean galleries a year and if they pull out from art collection, it will have a huge effect on the Korean art market.
By Nam Hyun-woo



Before the election of a new president in May, a lack of political leadership is feared to weigh heavily on the economy, which could be affected by a series of big events in the coming months.



After President Park Geun-hye's impeachment was upheld last week, pundits agree that the country had managed to remove political uncertainty. But they worry that without strong leadership a potential U.S. rate hike, possible designation of the country as a currency manipulator and China's retaliation over the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery will negatively impact the economy.



"The conclusion of the impeachment removes one important element of political uncertainty, allowing a new president to come in and focus on formulating reforms that address Korea's structural challenges," Moody's Investor Service Credit Officer Steffen Dyck said.



"However, upside risks to our growth forecast of 2.5 percent for 2017 are limited given that other domestic and external headwinds will affect Korea."



The U.S. Federal Reserve will most likely raise its key rate during its meeting scheduled this week. This will place the Bank of Korea in a dilemma  the central bank cannot follow suit of the U.S. due to the country's snowballing household debt amounting to 1,340 trillion won as of last year, but inaction might end up causing foreign capital flight.



Another potential hitch due next month is the U.S. Treasury's report on currency manipulation.



Experts say the likelihood of Korea being labeled as a manipulator is lower than other countries which were in the Treasury's monitoring list, but they also point out that Washington may threaten to do so to get the upper hand in disputes regarding any renegotiation of a trade deal with Korea.



On a more negative note, China is continuing to come up with retaliatory measures after Seoul agreed to deploy a U.S. missile defense system here, such as banning tour agencies from selling tours to Korea, which has jolted the already-weak consumption here.



Observers are concerned whether acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will be able to deal with the issues over the next two months.



"Korea is set to face many difficult situations, which could be too tough for the acting President. Worse, Prime Minister Hwang does not seems ready to take on the challenges. The lack of proper political leadership really poses a big risk," Prof. Lee Phil-sang at Seoul National University said.



Against this backdrop, experts say Deputy Prime Minister and Strategy and Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho's role will be critical. However, there are questions whether Yoo can concentrate on economic matters.



Hwang did not clearly rule out his running for the presidency. If he announces his presidential bid, Yoo will assume the role of acting President, taking charge of not only economic issues but also all state affairs.



One of key events for Yoo is the mid-March meeting of G20 finance ministers in Germany. The government is seeking meetings with Yoo's U.S. and Chinese counterparts.



In a meeting with economic ministers Sunday, Yoo stressed that "all economy-related ministries should maintain the government's policies while paying extra attention to risk management and economic recovery."




South Korea and the United States will begin the Key Resolve joint military exercise Monday amid heightening tensions following the North's recent missile test and the killing of its leader's half brother, the defense ministry said.

The computer-simulated command post exercise will be held until March 24.

During the period the ministry plans to heighten the level of alertness against the North's possible provocations.

The allies are also conducting Foal Eagle, a field training exercise involving ground, air and naval forces. It started May 1 and will run through the end of April.

North Korea denounced the joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion.

The ministry said the nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier will arrive in the southern port of Busan on Wednesday to take part in the exercises. (Yonhap)
A member of a civil organization in Daegu calling for former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment cries for joy after the Constitutional Court decided unanimously to impeach Park on Mar. 10. / Korea Times file



By Eom Da-sol

Citizens of Daegu, where former President Park Geun-hye began her political life in the late 1990s, celebrated her impeachment at Daegu Department Store square on Saturday.

After the Constitutional Court's impeachment announcement on Friday, 7,000 citizens in the square screamed with joy.

Some citizens wrote messages against the former president, such as "We do not have to come out on the streets anymore" and "Citizens have won."

A big whale balloon, which symbolizes the Sewol ferry disaster that claimed 304 lives in 2014, flew above the crowd.

Daegu had traditionally shown strong support for right-wing politicians, including Park. In the last presidential election in late 2011, 80.1 percent of the city's votes went to her.

But last November, when it was revealed she was involved in a corruption scandal, the city's support for Park plummeted to just 3 percent, according to Gallup Korea poll.

Many former supporters have since then turned their backs on Park. Candlelit protests were held every Saturday in the city.

Meanwhile, remaining Park supporters held a protest on Jan. 26 calling for nullification of the impeachment bill for which the parliament voted in December.

At the last anti-Park protest, Lee Yong-soo, a victim of sexual slavery by the Japanese military during the Japanese colonial period (1910-45), said, "Park was elected by us, and we dragged her down from the position."



'Citizens are the rulers of the nation. We should continue our best efforts so the (Park) situation is not repeated."
By Kim Rahn



Over 80 percent of the people believe it was proper for the Constitutional Court to rule in favor of former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment, a poll showed Sunday.



Most of the public also called for Park to accept the decision.



The poll conducted by Realmeter right after the court ruling Friday showed 86 percent of 1,008 people surveyed said the court did the right thing in ousting Park, while 12 percent said the decision was wrong.



Compared to the agency's earlier poll conducted two days before the decision, the ratio of people agreeing with her removal grew from 76.9 percent to 86 percent.



Also, 92 percent of respondents said Park should accept the court ruling. Only 6 percent said she should not.



While Park faces investigation by the prosecution into the alleged corruption involving her confidant Choi Soon-sil, 69.4 percent said she should be placed in detention while the investigation takes place, while 17.8 percent said detention was unnecessary. Only 9.6 percent said the prosecution should not investigate her.



Among various allegations in the corruption scandal, the people said the offering of bribes to Park and Choi by conglomerates should be the first thing to be investigated. Prosecutors also need to find out about former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo's alleged dereliction of duty and his suspicious links to Choi, as well as Park's activities on the day of the Sewol ferry sinking, according to the poll.



Park's ouster also further raises the chance for presidential contenders from the liberal bloc to win the election. Moon Jae-in, former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), consolidated his leading position, gaining support of 36 percent of respondents. South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung, also from the DPK, earned 14.5 percent, up from 12.9 percent.



By contrast, acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn's support fell from 14.2 percent to 10.1 percent, with his ranking also declining from second to fourth. Hwang has been the only candidate among conservative contenders to have double-digit support, although he has thus far been noncommittal about his presidential ambitions.



But 72.2 percent said they disagreed with Hwang running for the presidency, saying supervising the presidential election is the acting president's role.



The approval rating of the Liberty Korea Party, which is no longer the ruling party following Park's ouster, dropped from 13.5 percent to 6.9 percent, with its ranking also going down from second to fourth. The DPK maintained the top position.




By Kim Hyo-jin





Moon Jae-in, former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea

Moon Jae-in, former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), called on former President Park Geun-hye, Sunday, to accept the Constitutional Court's ruling upholding her impeachment.



"I believe it is Park's moral duty to express that she accepts the court's decision as soon as possible," he said during a press conference in Seoul.



In his statement issued two days after the court upheld the parliamentary impeachment of Park, the leading presidential contender said Park's acceptance would be the best way to bring national unity and help the nation move forward from conflicts and division caused by the impeachment process.



Hours after his call, however, Park issued a message that indicated she did not accept the court decision. Her message came while many of her disappointed supporters committed acts of violence during a rally. So far, three protesters have died.

Park has not left the presidential office yet using the excuse of renovation being done on her old house, further drawing criticism from the public.



"I heard her departure is being delayed for two to three days as her residence has not been made ready yet," Moon said, adding he can understand this delay for such a reason.













However, he raised concerns about the possibility of Park destroying state documents and other Cheong Wa Dae material related to the corruption scandal _ Park allegedly let her confidant Choi Soon-sil meddle in state affairs by giving her confidential documents regarding personnel management and Cabinet meetings.



"I'd like to point out that she must not destroy state documents or take any of them with her when she moves out," Moon said, reflecting public concern that papers containing evidence to prove Park's involvement in criminal activities could be destroyed by her as she now faces investigation by the prosecution as a private citizen.



Moon remained firm on the need to conduct an investigation into her part in the corruption scandal. "Some say the investigation should be postponed until the presidential election is concluded but I don't think there's a single reason to do that since she is not a presidential candidate," he said.



During the press conference, Moon renewed his call that the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery should be handed over to the next government.



"I'm not making a judgment on it yet," Moon said. "The new government can make a rational decision by seeking public consensus, parliamentary approval and diplomatic consultations with the U.S., China and Russia."



He agreed with the party's position that the Constitutional Court can deal with the THAAD deployment issue if the government keeps ignoring the process to get parliamentary approval.



DPK Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae said earlier that the party is considering asking the court to decide whether the government infringed on the National Assembly's authority by pushing ahead with the deployment.



"It's not like we are introducing a weapon on an existing U.S. army base. It's about offering our territory, which is expected to cost us as much as 100 billion won. So it should be under parliamentary control," she said.



Moon was critical of Beijing for unleashing economic retaliation against South Korean businesses to protest the THAAD battery.



"We fully understand China's concerns but it is the matter of our security and sovereignty. It is not right for China to put pressure on us beyond expressing its opposition," he said.
By Kim Bo-eun



The 20th and final weekly rally was held at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Saturday, to celebrate ousting President Park Geun-hye, over four months after the eruption of a widespread corruption and influence-peddling scandal implicating her.



A festive mood was prevalent at the rally attended by an estimated 650,000, where rock stars such as Jeon In-kwon and Han Young-ae performed, and fireworks lit up the skies of Gwanghwamun.



While sharing the joy over Park's impeachment, participants called for the completion of remaining tasks. These include the arrest of the former President for her involvement in the scandal, the trials of others involved in the scandal, and for acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is viewed as continuing the Park administration, to step down.



Organizers recited a declaration drawn up by citizens, which called for the existing system of politics and business to be reformed, the guarantee of basic rights in labor and social welfare, and an end to discrimination related to gender and social minorities.



"The candles we lit symbolized anger against a reality in which the principles of democracy and human rights were being violated by a minority who monopolized power," they said.



"The participants of the candlelit rallies know that impeachment of unjust power is not the end of the journey, but the start of another one toward a new order."



Organizers said another protest will be held on April 15, marking the third anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster. Park is suspected to have been absent from duty on the day of the tragedy, but this was excluded from the grounds of upholding her impeachment, which angered the public and bereaved family members. In addition, the government has yet to salvage the sunken ferry, which has been delayed despite calls from family members of victims who still remain unaccounted for.



An accumulated 16.58 million took part in the 20 weekly protests held since Oct. 29, when the scandal involving Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil erupted.




Crowds and police gather around former President Park Geun-hye's private home in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, Sunday. She will move to the house two days after the Constitutional Court ruled to dismiss her over a massive corruption scandal on Friday, a presidential official said Sunday. / Yonhap







Park Geun-hye

Former President Park Geun-hye will move to her private home in southern Seoul soon, two days after the Constitutional Court ruled to dismiss her over a massive corruption scandal, a presidential official said Sunday.

Park lived in her Samseong-dong house from 1990 to 2013. She moved to Cheong Wa Dae that year, shortly before her inauguration. The house was built in 1983.

The presidential office originally planned to remodel the house before she finished her term in office next February. But she will return home earlier than scheduled, with the remodeling work just beginning.

Park's aides said the repair work began immediately after the court ruling Friday. So far, the residential boiler at her home has been fixed and other home furnishings, such as wall papering, will likely be done by Sunday. A space where her security guards can stay is being created inside the residence, according to other sources.

As of 3 p.m., preparations for park's relocation appeared to be in the final stage.

Workers were spotted coming in and out of the home to lay new floor paper early in the morning. Trucks loaded with new heaters, home appliances as well as technicians from high-speed Internet services were seen coming into the house later.

But as rumors of Park's possible early return on Sunday spread, hundreds of her supporters gathered in front of the house with the national flags of South Korea and the United States in their hands.

Some 1,000-strong police forces are in place around the house to prevent possible attacks.

Drawing keen attention is whether she will issue a statement on the impeachment ruling before leaving Cheong Wa Dae.

Park has remained mum since the ruling was made. Still, it remains uncertain whether she will issue a message despite coming under mounting pressure from opposition parties to accept the dismissal as early as possible.

Some of Park's aides forecast that she would silently move to her home, asking, "What kind of message can she give in this situation?"

The office has come under fire for still describing Park as the president of the country on its official Website and Facebook and other SNS accounts.

As of 4 p.m., the website still had photos of Park presiding over government meetings and a section for refuting various allegations concerning the corruption scandal. Park's greetings starting with the sentence "I'm Park Geun-hye, the 18th president of the country" as well as her photo and profile remain unchanged.

Cheong Wa Dae plans to revamp its homepage soon, according to presidential officials.

The office took down the phoenix flag in front of its main building as soon as the Constitutional Court ruled to dismiss her on Friday. The flag symbolizing the president is raised when he or she is on duty at Cheong Wa Dae.

Other photos of Park hung on the walls of various buildings in the compound are also expected to be removed soon. (Yonhap)
Citizens participate in a candlelit rally in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, Saturday, to celebrate the Constitutional Court's ruling to uphold the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. / Korea Times photo by Kim Jong-jin



By Jun Ji-hye

The nation is facing perhaps the biggest challenge in its modern history after the Constitutional Court removed President Park Geun-hye from power, Friday.

Hundreds of thousands of people turned out in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, Saturday, to celebrate the ouster of Park.

This was the end of the scandalous Park regime, but at the same time the beginning of a new Korea.

The "candlelight revolution" mandates South Korea to rebuild the nation anew completely  from the elimination of corrupt ties between politics and business to the unity of a society divided between conservatives and liberals.

Analysts said that the nation should now focus on uniting the divided nation instead of fanning conflict following the historic ruling.

The existence of arguments for and against the court decision is natural in a democratic society but, as the ruling was final and unchallengeable, it is also important to completely accept the result, they said.

Bae Jong-chan, the chief director of pollster Research and Research, said that the whole country should work together to build a wholly new Korea.

He said people should bear in mind the unchangeable fact that both pro- and anti-Park sides are South Korean citizens.

And among others, Park's position at this point, is the most important, he said.

"She could have been totally shocked and thought that the court decision was unfair, but she should present her position to the people who are waiting for it," he said. "She should tell the nation not to be divided anymore and her supporters that it is time to accept the court decision."

Bae cited the case of former U.S. President Richard Nixon who resigned voluntarily before he was to face impeachment and prosecution in the 1974 Watergate scandal.

"At the time, Nixon said U.S. citizens and Congress should not waste time because of him," Bae said.

He said Park's acceptance of the court decision will be the first step toward rebuilding the nation, citing a Realmeter survey in which 92 percent of respondents said this was what she must do.

Bae added that a next president should also keep in mind, through the court ruling, that the people will not accept any leaders who do not communicate with the public.

Also, an increasing number of people are calling on the National Assembly and political parties to play their proper roles in resolving the crisis facing the country.

Rival parties have been criticized for frequent political strife and habitually boycotting parliamentary sessions.

Analysts say the parties should refrain from scoring points off each other and making inflammatory remarks to rally voters ahead of the early presidential election.

The election is expected to take place in early May, given the Constitution and the Election Law stipulate that it should be held within 60 days of an incumbent's ouster.

Choi Chang-ryul, a professor of political science at Yongin University, noted that a reconciliatory mood in the Assembly is now more important than ever.

"Even before the presidential election, rival parties should promptly handle pending bills that will help create more jobs and improve the lives of the people," he said. "Now, the parties should speak with one voice on controversial issues like the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery so that they can think of ways together to deal with China."

Regarding the ongoing street rallies, Hwang Do-su, a professor of law at Konkuk University, said any rallies should take place peacefully, regardless of being for or against Park's ouster, based on a mature sense of citizenship.

For his part, Park Jang-sun, an activist, said, that the impeachment was a victory for the people, who showed their distrust in politics.

"People used to be extremely doubtful about whether their actions could change things. This proved their actions mattered," he said. "What happened during the last couple of months was a wake-up call to the people, and they're now more enthusiastic about speaking out."

Julie Kim, an immigration lawyer based in San Francisco, said, "I'm not proud of the scandal that's brought our country down, but I'm proud that the people's voices have been heard and a proper democratic system has been implemented."

She said many non-Koreans have been exposed to the news surrounding Park's scandal and the Constitutional Court's ruling sets an ideal and proud example that Korea's democracy is functioning well.

Economic reform

Underneath the people's complaints against the Park administration were economic problems that have made their livelihoods harder and widened the division between the rich and poor.

"We can turn this crisis into an opportunity of improving the governance structures of our conglomerates so that similar misdeeds will not take place in the future," Prof. Ha Joon-kyung at Hanyang University said.

"Also included in other imminent issues is how to grapple with the widening gap between the haves and have-nots."

Prof. Sung Tae-yoon at Yonsei University said that the new administration, which will be in place in May, should focus on taking steps to boost sagging economic growth and keep snowballing household debt from further straining the economy.

"The incumbent economic officials should take care of macro-economic risks while containing the size of household debt so that they these do not surge amid the vacuum in the political leadership," he said.

"We must employ all the means available to reform the economic structure and revive economic optimism among the people. It will be tough but it's a challenge we must take on."

Koreans in US also in celebration

Korean residents in the U.S. have been vocal by staging anti-Park protests across the nation and they have also celebrated the removal of Park from office.

"Words can't express how thrilled I am to see that Korea's democracy and justice are alive and well," said Kim Jin-tae, 44, who attended numerous anti-Park protests held in the New York area since last summer. "Our number is few but we've worked hard for months to add our voice to all those back home. Despite the distance, we've achieved this result together."

Stella Kim, 38, a mother of two in Los Angeles, said with tears, "We've fought long."

Having attended more than a dozen anti-government protests throughout California since the Sewol ferry disaster in April 2014, Kim says the fight was long, but worth every second of it.

"We may live half way across the world from Korea, but we've been together from the beginning of this very long and tiring process," she said. "I'll do it all over again if, God forbid, I have to."

Kim Chang-joo, a member of the Korean American Coalition in Los Angeles, said, "It has been common for overseas Koreans to feel isolated from Korea's domestic politics and issues, but times have changed. Now that the world is more connected through various technology, Koreans living outside of Korea feel a lot closer to home even if they are physically far."

Kim Tae-gyu and Jane Han also contributed to this article.
By Kim Se-jeong





Lee Jung-mi

The Constitutional Court's ruling to remove Park Geun-hye from office made Lee Jung-mi, the court's acting president, an instant celebrity. It was the most important, most high-profile ruling for the justice who retires today.

"In regard to the protection of the Constitution, the benefits of removing her far outweigh those of keeping her in power, given the negative effects and seriousness of her actions," Lee said as she calmly read the verdict for 21 minutes that was watched intently on media.

But she was all over social media outlets from earlier that day, though.

Arriving at the court hours before the reading, she was seen with two pink hair rollers attached to her hair, apparently forgetting to remove them, drawing flashlights from photojournalists.

With little criticism, many viewed the forgotten hair rollers as a symbol of hardworking women in Korea. They said it showed her humble character of doing her own hair, despite being chief of the highest court in the nation. Others compared her to Park, who was found to have had her hair done by hairdressers on the day of the Sewol ferry disaster on April 16, 2014, killing more than 300 people.

At the candlelit rally in downtown Seoul Saturday, a participant showed up with the rollers, mimicking her. Cho Kuk, a law professor at the Seoul National University, called on people to gather in front of the court with hair rollers in support of her on Monday when she retires.

Lee, 55, is the youngest among the court's eight justices. The youngest played the role as the acting president after former President Park Han-chul retired Jan. 31.

The historic deliberation made her tolerate many inconveniences, according to her colleagues at the court.

She minimized her contact with outsiders, avoiding mingling with people during lunch, and gave up almost all weekends since December. Under threats from Park supporters, she also had to have bodyguards  she may continue to have them.

Lee joined the court on March 14, 2011, as the second woman to serve on the highest court. She took the acting president position briefly in 2013 as well.

Before that, she served as an appeals court judge in Busan and Daejeon. As a working mother, Lee seriously considered quitting her job because of the difficulties in gaining a balance between work and family life, according to news reports.

One of her noticeable rulings at the Constitutional Court was to uphold the dissolution of the far-left United Progressive Party in 2013  this led many to confirm her conservative orientation.

Little is known about her post-retirement plans. She is expected to be replaced by Lee Seon-ae, who is waiting for a confirmation hearing.
Park Geun-hye is greeted by several lawmakers in front of her private residence in southern Seoul, Sunday. / Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han



By Jun Ji-hye

Former President Park Geun-hye was welcomed by eight pro-Park lawmakers from the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and hundreds of her followers upon her return to her home in southern Seoul, Sunday.

Others who were waiting for her in front of the residence in Samseong-dong included her former chiefs of staff.

Around 1,000 police officers stood around the house to prevent possible violence.

As soon as she got out of a Hyundai luxury Equus limousine, Park shook hands with her core loyalists one by one with a smile and chatted with some of them.

Lawmakers present were Reps. Suh Chung-won, Choi Kyung-hwan, Yoon Sang-hyun, Cho Won-jin, Kim Jin-tae, Park Dae-chul, Lee Woo-hyun and Min Kyung-wook.

Among them, Reps. Suh, Choi and Yoon have been disciplined by the party's ethics committee for their alleged joint responsibility for the presidential corruption scandal _ Suh and Choi's party memberships were suspended for three years, and Yoon's for one year.












Former President Park Geun-hye smiles while being greeted by her supporters in front of her private residence in southern Seoul, Sunday, after leaving Cheong Wa Dae following the Constitutional Court's decision to unseat her. / Yonhap



Former President leaves Cheong Wa Dae saying truth will be revealed'



By Kim Rahn



Former President Park Geun-hye left Cheong Wa Dae and returned to her home in southern Seoul, Sunday, after leaving a message that she would not accept the Constitutional Court's ruling that ousted her.



The ex-head of state indicated she would not accept the court decision, saying, "the truth will be revealed without fail."



She left the presidential office at 7:16 p.m. Before her departure, she had tea with presidential secretaries to bid farewell, and said good-bye to some 500 staffers, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.



Escorted by police cars and motorcycles, Park's limousine departed the presidential office and headed to her private residence in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul. Vehicles of news outlets followed it on the street to record her journey back home.



Getting out of the car in front of the house, she was greeted by hundreds of supporters and eight lawmakers, with whom she exchanged greetings and shook hands.



Park did not look grim; rather she smiled to the people and waved to them. It was contrary to her earlier response to the court ruling conveyed by Cheong Wa Dae officials, who said that during a meeting with presidential secretaries right after the decision, she only said, "I have nothing to say."



She entered the house without making any comment. But minutes later, Rep. Min Kyung-wook, a former Cheong Wa Dae spokesman, read her stance on behalf of her: "I'm sorry for failing to fulfill my duty as president. I thank you for your support. I'll bear everything. I believe that the truth will be revealed without fail, although it will take time."



This was her first message announced after the court decision. It was also again against people's expectations and hopes  many expected Park would acknowledge the court ruling, because such a statement would help soothe her angry supporters and mend the national division between liberals and conservatives, stemming from the corruption scandal.



The message, which stressed "the truth," rather indicated she would not accept the unanimous court decision on her impeachment, as she has denied all allegations facing her in the corruption scandal involving her confidant Choi Soon-sil. It also seemed to show that she would deny all allegations during the upcoming investigation by the prosecution and defend herself actively in any criminal trial she will face.



The message is also likely to instigate more protests by her supporters, whose actions are becoming more violent. On her return, about 800 supporters gathered near her house and waved the Taegeukgi, the national flag, which they are using as an anti-impeachment symbol. They welcomed the unseated head of state, chanting slogans such as "Cancel the impeachment!"




The Airbnb headquarters in San Francisco / Courtesy of Airbnb



This is third in a series of articles on companies with innovative work cultures.  ED.



Airbnb employees work at home-like environment as hosts

By Yun Suh-young





The Airbnb headquarters in San Francisco / Courtesy of Airbnb The Airbnb headquarters in San Francisco / Courtesy of Airbnb The Airbnb Korea office in Itaewon, Seoul / Korea Times photo by Yun Suh-young

Every day, you wake up in the morning, get ready to go to work and take the bus, drive your car, or take a taxi to get to your office. You walk a little up or down the hills of Gyeongridan street and reach a small house with no sign post in front of it. In you enter, and this little house is where you begin your work day.

Just as Airbnb Korea employees work in a real house, this "home-to-home" transit is, in fact, what Airbnb employees go through every day across the world.

Home sharing service Airbnb's workplaces are in and of themselves "homes" or designed to look like an interior of a home. As much as the external environment speaks for itself as a symbol of the service it provides, the homey environment is also something the company hopes to provide internally to its employees so they would feel like they were working at home, where they feel most comfortable.

And in this home, they expect their employees to be "hosts," much like the hosts who are registered on its service as home providers.

Be a host

"Be a host" is the first of the four corporate values Airbnb promotes _ the other three are "embrace the adventure," "be a cereal entrepreneur," and "champion the mission."

"Think of it as inviting a guest to your house. You try to anticipate the needs of your guest. You become considerate of the person in front of you, instead of yourself. You try to empathize with the person. That's how Airbnb employees are expected to be to our clients and to each other," said Patrick Lee, Korea Country Manager, in an interview with The Korea Times.

"The reason why you like being at home is because it's comfortable and because you can be yourself. You don't have to be formal or pretentious. I think our members can be comfortable with the environment and with each other in this home-like space. And when you can be yourself, I believe you can expect the best results."

It is this comfortable environment that allows members to speak to each other more openly, he says.

"Empathy is really important within our company. So being a host means being empathetic. You become empathetic through communication. I think we're all very comfortable and open with each other, which is what makes the work culture of Airbnb Korea special," said Lee.

"When you try to hide your weaknesses, you start building walls and grow uncomfortable with each other. I've witnessed this vicious cycle throughout my career. So here, I encourage people to share their vulnerability and open up which is why we grew comfortable with each other."

To create the best synergy, Airbnb Korea doesn't have designated seats.

"When you're divided by function, you tend to focus on your own field of work. When you sit next to people who work in a completely different field, you can broaden your perspective. The most efficient way of working could be division by function, but the greatest synergy comes from collaboration," he said.

Unlike many companies that claim to be human-centered in their services but not with their internal environment, Airbnb is exemplary of a company that is human-centered to the core.

"If Google is a tech-based, process-driven company, Airbnb is a design-thinking based company with a focus on humans. What people think and feel are more important than the process itself," said Lee, who had worked at Google prior to joining Airbnb.

"What I found surprising here was that they state the vision and core values explicitly and these values are reflected in day to day activities.

"I have worked at many companies but usually when companies talk about work culture, they think of it separately to business operation. They didn't connect it to business performance. This was the first company that really believed work culture influenced business performance and screwing up the work culture could also screw up the business and doing financially well was meaningless without a good work culture."
The administration of President Donald Trump has announced a plan to cut nearly $20 billion from the $50 billion budget of the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Reducing the budget for diplomacy by 37 percent does not seem to reflect Trump's stated intention to increase America's stature in the world, in effect, "making America great again."



If carried out, the reduction in State and USAID wherewithal would cripple catastrophically those two agencies in carrying out their activities on behalf of America abroad. Their budgets are, in any case, a fraction of the overall U.S. government budget of around $3 trillion. The Department of Defense is reportedly scheduled to receive well over $600 billion, including a $54 billion increase it had not even asked for.



In particular, State plays a key role in advancing two issues of great interest to Trump  control of immigration and expanding markets for U.S. exports. Senior American military officers have made clear over the years that the defense and diplomacy functions of the U.S. government overseas are overlapping and fully complementary. Every nickel spent on diplomacy is one that needn't be spent on weaponry.



Apart from the damage to the functions of State and USAID of such drastic cuts  disproportionately more than any other department of government may be asked to bear  there is the current relative silence in expressions of policy from new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Part of that phenomenon is no doubt due to the fact that he has not yet been able to put in place his own team at State. Trump nixed a choice for deputy secretary of state, Elliott Abrams, on the grounds of Abrams' expressed opposition to him as a candidate during the campaign. That is fair enough, but the deputy slot is not one Tillerson can comfortably leave vacant, as are other key positions at the undersecretary and assistant secretary levels.



The world, for America, is out there and full of dangerous, simmering issues. North Korea's weapons mischief is one. European uncertainties about American defense and policy intentions are another. The Middle East and South Asia contain live wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, all involving U.S. forces. It is likely that none of them can be brought to an end useful to the United States except through negotiations. And, for that, the country needs its Department of State.



Tillerson, as a former CEO of Exxon Mobil, is no bureaucratic shrinking violet. Unless he wants to try to carry out his job with no money, he needs to get very busy quickly building support within the administration and in Congress for a healthy operating budget. He also needs to occupy himself with putting a team into place to support him in his mission. We continue to believe he can do both.







This editorial appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.




By Tong Kim





The implementation of THAAD deployment to South Korea casts a far-reaching impact on South Korea's politics after the Constitution Court's ruling to fire President Park Geun-hye. It creates difficulties for the next administration to reconsider the controversial deployment. It complicates Korea's relations with its neighbors. It could be a beginning of change to the existing security order in the Northeast region of Asia.

The rolling out of the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery is a first concrete step that the Trump administration has taken to strengthen the deterrent against the threats of North Korean nuclear-tipped missiles.

On the night of March 6, about 15 hours after North Korea test-launched four Scud-ERs simultaneously that flew over 1,000 kilometers into Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, two THAAD launch vehicles rolled off the C-17 aircraft at Osan U.S. Air Force Base.

The arrival of the first batch of THAAD components and the launching of DPRK missiles coincided on the same day. The C-17 carrying the equipment took off from Fort Bliss, Texas. Considering the C-17's speed and unrefueled flight range, the aircraft must have left Texas before the missile launch.

However, the public release of a video of disembarking provokes curiosity, since a deployment operation is carried out normally in secret. It may send a message that the deployment will be a done deal before a would-be political transition in South Korea.

The ROK defense ministry said such necessary requirements as an environmental impact survey, land grant procedures according the SOFA agreement, and site preparations for housing the THAAD battery will be completed in one or two months before the inauguration of a new president. There is opposition to the deployment from local residents and the political parties, one of which is likely to come into power within 60 days.

A heated controversy has resurfaced with respect to the system's effectiveness on North Korea and its political and economic cost. Critics highlight its limited capability to defend against a multitude of incoming missiles over the short deep of the Korean theater. Some view the issue in the context of a big power game between the U.S. and China, arguing that Korea should not become a part the U.S. missile defense system against China and Russia. Some even say that it is to defend Japan and the U.S., not South Korea.

China has begun imposing economic pressure on the South by closing South Korean business in China, restricting Chinese tourists to the South, and publicly expressing displeasure with Seoul. China even reveals an explicit military threat, by talking about targeting the THAAD base in the South. China and Russia argue that THAAD destroys the regional strategic balance. There is concern that China may become less interested in working with Seoul and Washington on the North Korean issue.

Proponents point to advancing nuclear and missile threats from the North, and they believe THAAD is the best system so far to deal with the enemy's ballistic missiles. They support Washington's position that the THAAD is a defensive system deployed only against North Korea, and it does not threaten China's security. If China had been more cooperative to reign in Pyongyang, the air defense system would not have been necessary. Some favor a conditional deployment: if the nuclear and missile issue were resolved, the deployment would be undone.

U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson will travel to Beijing after visiting Tokyo and Seoul beginning March 15. However, it will be difficult for him to change China's mind. The Chinese foreign minister on March 8 renewed Beijing's strong demand for suspension of THAAD deployment.

The undertaking of the system's deployment was not a surprise: the U.S. and the ROK had agreed to expedite it during Defense Secretary Mattis' visit to Seoul last month and during Trump's recent call to the acting South Korean president. On the other hand, the public exposure of the deployment in advance of the necessary preparations for basing the battery for operation was a surprise.

The Trump administration is still reviewing options on North Korea, including a preventive strike that Obama considered and ruled against, redeployment of tactical nukes to Korea, cyber attack, more sanctions, more deterrence, and any new options never considered before. Dialogue is still on the table, although Kim Jong-un created more obstacles to engagement. Can Trump turn the THAAD deployment into a proposition for The Art of the Deal on the North? What's your take?

Tong Kim is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Korean-American Studies. He can be contacted at tong.kim8@yahoo.com.
By Rick Ruffin





Brian Trautman has done a lot since leaving Seattle more than seven years ago.

Whether it means weathering 10 meter seas in the Indian Ocean, exploring the remotely populated Chagos Archipelago in the sea that goes by the same name, or watching and filming his brother Brady as he teaches the viewer how to make alcohol from sugar and yeast, Mr. Trautman has come a long way. And he has even farther to go.

With his girlfriend Karin from Stockholm, Sweden, brother Brady, and the current slew of adventurous young souls, Mr. Trautman defies the odds, bringing us adventure after adventure taking place in the most idyllic places the world has to offer, and all offered to the viewer through a heavy presence on social media.

Diving in Indonesia, fishing in the Bay of Carpentaria, getting charged by a barracuda somewhere in the Indian Ocean; exploring remote islands in northern Australia; chasing the bar scene in Phuket, Thailand; hanging out with wild animals in Cape Town, South Africa; feeling rich after plundering the ATM machines in Madagascar (about 10,000 Malagasy ariary equals $3); or just chilling as another day passes, SV Delos has it all.

SV Delos is the name of his boat, and the videos are on YouTube, or on Facebook and Instagram sites. This sailboat that has been making circumnavigations of the world now for more than seven years, and the crew often compete with each other to see who will come on board next.

When the former software engineer and captain of the SV Delos walked into Bellevue Public Library more than seven odd years ago, Trautman knew little  if anything  about sailing. Armed with a bunch of classic books for inspiration, such as "The Long Way" by Bernard Moitessier, "Three Years in a Twelve-foot Boat," (a chronicle of the author's discovery of South America) by Stephen G. Ladd, Robin Lee Graham's "Dove," and "The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising" by Beth Leonard and more, Trautman embarked on yet another journey, and never looked back. He bought a boat that could handle the waters of Puget Sound. His next purchase would be bigger. Eventually, he took to the high seas.

With more than one million past and potential followers, and a pervasive presence on social media, the former software engineer has proven that he and the crew of the SV Delos are unsurpassed when it comes to making videos documenting the beauty and wonders of the natural-and not so natural-world. The videos are now a full time job that require the editing skills of one or more of the crew and also serve as a much needed form of revenue for the crew, the boat, the supplies and more.

Just the cameras read as a list of all the best lenses and electronic circuitry the world has to offer. Add to this drones, those amazing flying machines that enable us all to view the sailors from the remote perspective of an eagle, or fish hawk. No, make that an albatross.

Lest we forget, this is a travel site. Taylor Steel reminds us that "Life is like a book, and those who do not travel read only the first page." But it is a travel site full of beauty, humor and inspiration. And the crew of the SV Delos are forever encouraging the viewers to follow in their tracks.

In this day and age where few people have time for anything but making money or dreaming about making money, SV Delos is a breath of fresh air. They are telling us to slow down, to enjoy life, to appreciate the natural beauty of things, to savor the moment, and to live in the present. If we do not have the present, after all, what do we have?

If you wish to vicariously experience some of the pleasures of life, until you have the resources and courage to lay it all on the line, I urge you to try fitting SV Delos into the search engine. You cannot go wrong.

Rick Ruffin is writing from Brazil. Write to rickruffin@yahoo.com.
By Park Jin





China's Xi Jinping government is expressing both hope and concern toward the Trump administration. The Trump administration's decision, in accordance with its "America First" policies, to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and shift away from Obama's "Pivot to Asia" policies, is considered as an opportunity for China to expand its status and influence in the Asia-Pacific region. To Beijing's relief, President Trump also accepts the long-held "One China" principle. But his criticism of China as a "grand champion of currency manipulation" will continue to strain U.S.-China relations.

The U.S. trade deficit in goods, without services, recorded over $734 billion last year. Among this, the deficit with China was $347 billion or close to 47% which is conspicuously high compared to deficits with Japan (9.3%), Germany (8.8%), Mexico (8.6%) and South Korea (3.3%).

With regard to the Korean Peninsula, Beijing is overtly opposed to the deployment of the THAAD missile defense battery in South Korea while engaging in a diplomatic tug-of-war with Seoul and Washington to cope with the worsening North Korea problem. As the U.S. quickened the process to deploy THAAD launchers in South Korea recently, China reacted vehemently by warning that South Korea (as a host country) was making a mistake and urging the Seoul government to halt the deployment. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to take up these trade and security issues with China in Beijing following his trip to Tokyo and Seoul for consultation.

Apparently, China has pursued its policy of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and problem-solving through dialogue and negotiation. China prefers the status quo to a radical change that could destabilize the Korean peninsula. This is because of the strategic values North Korea offers as a "buffer zone" to China to counter the U.S. influence on the Korean peninsula.

China remains North Korea's biggest trading partner and provides 90% of North Korea's energy and 45% of its food. 80% of the goods circulated in the North Korean commodity market come from China.

In theory, therefore, China can choose to exercise its economic leverage against North Korea to the full extent, which will contribute greatly to solving the North Korea nuclear problem.

If the Kim Jong-un regime succeeds in developing and deploying medium and long-range missiles mounted with nuclear warheads, thus practically becoming a "nuclear state", Beijing has no choice but to face this challenge as a serious national security threat. This will also undermine U.S.-China and ROK-China relations.

In practice, however, it may be unrealistic to expect Beijing to exert maximum economic and military pressure on Pyongyang to the point of inducing radical reactions from the North or causing a regime collapse.

China seems to believe that maintaining a friendly partnership with a nuclearized North Korea on a limited scale is more in its national interests than to confront a sudden regime collapse in the North and possible absorption by the South. For its part, North Korea's Kim Jong-un regime also seems to believe that acquiring independent nuclear capability guarantees its regime's survival more than any verbal or tangible support it receives from China.

It is encouraging that the Xi Jinping government has been participating in international sanctions based on the UN resolution 2321 in reaction to continued nuclear and missile provocations by the North. But China's intervention may not stretch enough to the extent that Pyongyang regime is imperiled by domestic instability.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently suggested a parallel approach of introducing a peace regime on the Korean peninsula while pursuing denuclearization at the same time, by resuming the Six Party Talks which have been stalled for more than 8 years.

This can be seen as a diplomatic effort to find an exit strategy to the growing dilemma faced by China regarding the North Korea problem. In that regard, it is noteworthy that the Beijing government has recently banned imports of North Korean coal as a clear sign of toughening its stance against North Korea. China's import boycott will substantially constrain the North Korean economy. North Korea conducts nearly 90% of its trade with China and coal is North Korea's number one export item, making up for 35% of the country's economy. There exists a growing disenchantment about North Korea's misbehavior both within the Chinese leadership and the public. China seems grossly offended by the brutal assassination of Kim Jong-nam, who had been protected by Beijing during his prolonged exile based in Macao. The sudden removal of Kim Jong-nam, a royal bloodline of the Kim family dynasty, signifies that Beijing would be unable to exercise its influence to provide an alternative leadership in Pyongyang in case of contingency.

Still, China would continue to argue that North Korea's nuclear issue is basically a problem to be resolved between Washington and Pyongyang. Also, Beijing has been putting increasing pressure on Seoul to renounce the scheduled deployment of THAAD missile battery. The irony, however, is that the stronger the Chinese intervention becomes, the greater the public resistance in Korea toward China grows. Furthermore, China's aggressive diplomacy regarding the THAAD issue has backfired by stimulating trilateral security cooperation among Korea, the U.S. and Japan.

From South Korea's perspective, China's role will nevertheless continue to be important to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue considering China's major economic leverage and ideological comradeship with North Korea. So, Seoul should implement a proactive diplomatic approach to engage in a strategic dialogue with Beijing while reminding the Chinese side that Pyongyang's escalating nuclear and missile threats will only help justify the case for deploying THAAD in South Korea as a necessary self-defensive measure. Plus, Seoul should point out that China's retaliatory cultural and economic measures, such as tourism ban and boycott of Korean products, will not only jeopardize the bilateral partnership but also undermine China's own interests. Meanwhile, a logical start to build a durable peace regime on the Korean peninsula would be to conclude a peace pact between the two Koreas, not between North Korea and the U.S.

Park Jin is the chairman of the Korean-American Association. Park wrote this column on the basis of The Korea Times Roundtable last week.
Leading presidential contender lacks Plan B, C



Moon Jae-in, a liberal frontrunner in the presidential election scheduled for May, disclosed views that would mark a great departure from nine years of conservative hard line policy, if he becomes president.



In a recent interview with the New York Times, Moon, former chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said Korea should learn to say no to the United States, Korea's ally that has served as bulwark against the North; recognize the North's young dictator; reopen the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, an inter-Korean joint venture; and reconsider the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, a U.S. missile interceptor.



As a successor to President Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, liberal leaders who propagated the sunshine policy of engaging the North, Moon would have every right to reset the course of the nation's most important diplomacy _ toward the North _ when and if he is elected.



What he has so far revealed sounds little changed from the two late presidents, whose successive terms, 10 years in total, ended in 2008.



Moon has not said how he would reopen dialogue with the North.



The North is a de facto nuclear state with a sizable arsenal and wants to be recognized as such, a likely precondition to resume talks. It is an open question whether Moon would do this to start inter-Korean talks. So far, Seoul and Washington have refused to do so.



Moon has not talked about the aim of nuclear talks with the North: standstill, reversal or dismantle.



If the first is taken as a goal, Moon has yet to reveal what incentives he would offer and how to verify whether the North is keeping its promise. For the second and third, Seoul should offer far more than the first.



If Moon objects to THAAD deployment, what protection can he offer the people?



After all, the North can hurl hundreds of missiles toward the South and we feel naked and vulnerable to that threat, leading to the decision to bring in the American anti-missile system.



Moon's suggestion of reversing the deployment also lacks a sense of realism.



THAAD is aimed at protecting Koreans and American GIs. If it is pulled out, it would violate the key rule of engagement for the U.S. that provides the best defenses available for its soldiers. That would certainly affect the alliance.



If China replaces U.S. as Korea's key ally, Moon may be logical. Beijing may be Korea's biggest trading partner, but it is not even a democracy and it does not respect human rights and freedom of speech as we do. China has made this clear during the ongoing THAAD spat, making an existential threat to Korea.



Becoming a regional "balancer" between the U.S. and China was the dream of Moon's friend and mentor, President Roh, but it did not work then and there is no guarantee that it will work this time. Moon should present a better plan to rally the nation behind his call.




Attaining unity is a key to avoiding Park's fate



With the impeached Park Geun-hye stripped of her presidency, the nation is plunging into the next stage of its ongoing saga: the election of a new president.



The success of the next president will be determined by the voters' efforts to find the best leader with the ability to bring unity to the divided nation. Failure to do so may subject the country to the unsavory fate of seeing the leader go down Park's path.



Voters should not repeat the same mistake of electing a leader such as Park, while the candidates should refrain from partisan demagoguery and offer a platform that unites the nation across political beliefs.



One big contributing factor to Park's election four years ago was voters' sympathy toward the former first daughter, who lost both of her parents under tragic circumstances. Being unmarried with no children also helped convince the sympathetic voters that she would not get entangled in corruption as many of her male predecessors did.



It turned out pure wishful thinking as Park relied on her confidant Choi Soon-sil like a close sibling and fell in the same trap by letting her share her presidential mandate by supporting Choi's influence-peddling.



This time, it is important for the voters to put aside their personal affiliations from hometown and school ties, or from melodramatic emotions. Rather, they should apply cool heads when deciding whom they choose.



Also, proactive political participation is equally important. The candlelit protests brought millions of people out to the streets, jolted the political circles out of their lethargy and led to the expulsion of a corrupt leader. The lesson is that power belongs to the people and the people should stay vigilant as if guarding their power against burglars.



The candidates also have parts to play by joining efforts to normalize the nation as soon as possible.



First of all, the candidates irrespective of their political persuasions should reveal their platforms of unity and put it under public scrutiny so that they won't end up with only empty political slogans for vote-getting purposes.



In the aftermath of Park's ouster, the nation remains deeply divided between those who backed it and those who opposed it. Whoever gets elected president _ currently the liberal candidates occupy the leaders' scoreboard with Moon Jae-in, former chief of staff of the late President Roh Moo-hyun, being the frontrunner, should offer an olive branch across the ideological spectrum.



Of course, the whole truth should be uncovered as to what had gone wrong with the Park government and those found accountable should be punished. That is justice.



However, if he fails to attain the understanding of the dissenters by pursuing a witch hunt, it would be a short cut to becoming a leader representing only half of the nation, and running the risk of inviting the crowds to chant "not my president."



Unless the cycle of political vendettas is severed, there can be no guarantee that the next president will be free from the fate of Park. The nation can least afford to have two impeached presidents in a row.




Samsung Electronics' award-winning interactive smart display



By Kang Seung-woo

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have been recognized for their excellent design at a prestigious international design award in Germany.

Samsung landed 49 awards at the International Forum (iF) Design Awards in Munich, becoming the most decorated company at this year's event. LG took home 32 awards.

Launched in 1953, the iF Design Award has been one of the three most prestigious global design awards together with the Reddot Design Award and the International Design Excellence Award.

It has seven categories: product, packaging, communication, interior design, professional concept, service design, and architecture. Companies from 59 countries submitted 5,500 products.

Among Samsung's 49 awards, including one gold prize, 35 awards for superior product design, four for professional concept design, seven for communication design, and three for packaging design.

Its sole gold came from the ArtPC Pulse, a premium desktop computer integrating a high-performance PC into a refined cylinder form. Its design includes minimalist styling on its fully metal body, with the buttons and port at the back.

Along with the desktop computer, the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge smartphones, the Gear S3 smartwatch and the Activewash laundry machine, were among others honored with awards in the product category.

"Upgrading a product is easy, but upgrading consumer lifestyle is difficult," said Yoon Boo-keun, head of Samsung Electronics corporate design center.

"We will continue to strive for design that entertains and fulfills the lives of our consumers."

LG won a gold award for its CordZero A7cordless vacuum cleaner, which boasts strong suction and quick charging.

"We were impressed by this user-friendly vacuum, in particular the way in which the auto moving function kept the device close at hand yet out of the way," the organization said in its statement.

LG's premium Signature OLED TV W7, ultra-lightweight laptop Gram and Bluetooth headset, LG Force, also made the list of award-winning products.

LG Signature Gallery won honors in the communication and interior design categories.
By Park Jae-hyuk





Lee Kyeong-hoo Lim Sang-min Hur Hee-soo

Leading food conglomerates in Korea, such as CJ, SPC and Daesang groups, have recently begun to bring young heirs in their 30s and 40s to the fore, as the chairmen of these groups enter their 60s and 70s.

CJ Group announced this week that Lee Kyeong-hoo, 32, the oldest daughter of Chairman Lee Jay-hyun, was promoted to deputy president of the group's office in Los Angeles, six years after she joined the conglomerate.

She is a great-granddaughter of the late Lee Byung-chul, the Samsung Group founder. Lee Kyeong-hoo has been working for CJ's global marketing businesses, along with her husband Jung Jhong-hwan, 37, who was also promoted to an executive position in the latest reshuffle.

SPC Group, another top-tier food firm famous for its Paris Baguette bakery brand, made Hur Jin-soo, 40, and Hur Hee-soo, 39, vice presidents in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The older son of CEO Hur Young-in is in charge of the group's global businesses and research and development, while the younger works for the group's domestic restaurant businesses and marketing.

The brothers are grandsons of the late Hur Chang-sung, who established a small confectionery outfit named Sangmidang in 1945. Both of them have been working for the group for more than 10 years.

Daesang Group, one of the nation's top 10 food conglomerates, advanced both Lim Se-ryung, 40, and Lim Sang-min, 37, from managing directors to senior managing directors last November. The sisters are granddaughters of the late Lim Dae-hong, who launched a seasoning manufacturer, Donga Hwaseong Industrial, in 1956.

The older daughter of honorary chairman Lim Chang-wook is in charge of marketing, while her younger sister works for business strategies.

The rapid advancement of the heirs has been regarded as a move by conglomerates to speed up their long-awaited generational successions. Industry officials expected the young executives will help their old companies keep up with the trend-conscious business environment.

However, the conglomerates denied the possibility of earlier successions, saying that the recent promotions were just planned procedures to teach management of the companies to their heirs.

"CEO Hur Young-in, who was born in 1949, is still young enough to lead our company," an SPC spokesman said.

A CJ spokeswoman said, "It is too soon to talk about the succession, considering Lee Kyeong-hoo holds less than a 1 percent share in the group's listed companies. Also, the chairman is expected to return to his position within the first half of this year."

Game of thrones

Although generational succession in family businesses has been widely seen among Korean chaebol, the oldest heir was not always the one who became the chief.

For example, Daesang chairman's second daughter Lim Sang-min attended a parliamentary audit last year as a representative of the company. Playing more important roles than her older sister, she is expected to become the next leader of the company. Currently, Lim Sang-min's share in the group is 16 percent points larger than that of Lim Se-ryung.

SPC, as another example, has recognized the chairman's second son Hur Hee-soo for his efforts to bring Shake Shack to Korea. The New York-based hamburger chain's founder Danny Meyer also praised him for successfully stabilizing its stores here.

Industry officials expect SPC CEO's two sons will inherit each of their specialized business units. But some analysts say that one of them may lead the group, noting that CEO Hur Young-in had acquired his older brother's bankrupted Samlip before.

Unlike the other two groups, CJ has yet to grant much power to its young heirs, ostensibly. Lee Kyeong-hoo holds less than a 1 percent share in the group's listed companies and her younger brother Lee Sun-ho, 27, holds no shares in those firms.

However, the two are expected to acquire the holding company's shares in the future, using their large number of shares in CJ Olive Networks. Analysts say the group's online retail unit will be listed or merged with the holding company, so that the young heirs can strengthen their power.
Xue Bing Yuan Su, a Chinese copycat of Korean dessert cafe chain Sulbing.



By Park Jae-hyuk

Chinese copycats of Korean brands have recently begun to change their strategies, as China's boycott on Korean firms has become fiercer amid Beijing's economic retaliation against the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.

Xue Bing Yuan Su, a Chinese copycat of the Korean dessert cafe chain Sulbing, announced on its official website last week that "We are a Chinese enterprise, so we are committed to the development of China's dessert business."

Xue Bing operates about 300 stores in China  about 10 times more than the original Sulbing which only runs 28 stores there.

Having applied for the related trademark right before Sulbing opened its first store in China in 2014, the copycat has pretended to be the original Korean brand, putting Korean language on signs and walls of its franchise stores.

Xue Bing promoted itself as "Korea's new concept dessert" in Korean, while the original Sulbing uses the phrase, "Korean dessert cafe." The Chinese brand had Korean language on its official website as well.

Such a strategy worked quite well thanks to the popularity of Korean food and culture in the world's most populous country. However, the Chinese business appears to have no choice but to confess its identity under the recent THAAD row.

"Against South Korea's deployment of the THAAD battery, Xue Bing made it clear that we firmly support the national security and interests of the Chinese people," Xue Bing noted. "In the future, we will bring you healthier and more delicious desserts. We hope you can always support us! Support Xue Bing in China!"

Until now, famous Korean franchises, including Sulbing and Hosigi Chicken, have suffered from Chinese copycats seeking to cash in on the Korean wave there. They have checked the viability of lawsuits against the imitators.

Consumer rights day

Korean brands in China also fear they might be easy targets of Chinese TV programs in time with Consumer Rights Day, which falls on March 15.

On that day, Chinese broadcasters tend to come up with programming accusing specific brands of selling defective products or providing poor after-sales service. Many corporations such as Apple, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volkswagen have fallen victim to the attacks of late.

Korean tire maker Kumho Tire became a target in 2011. The firm, which once fared well in the Chinese market, struggled to find its feet after it was attacked on TV.

Industry officials said Korean companies in cosmetics, food and beverage businesses will likely face accusations, because the TV programs mainly target goods related to end consumers.

Eyes are on Lotte, which is under fire in China for providing land for the THAAD battery. Already around a half of Lotte Mart outlets in China have had their operations suspended this year, which critics say is clear retaliation by China against the missile defense system.
In conventional 2D TVs, as shown in the top row, colors are reproduced with limited color coordinates so they cannot display top-quality brightness when rendering images. Their "inept color volume," mostly measuring 67 percent, is translated much better with 3D color presentation, shown in the bottom row, which renders brightness at full capacity with a wider range of color coordinates and perfect color volume. / Courtesy of Prain Global.



By Ko Dong-hwan

Color volume, a measure of color rendering capacity at different luminance levels, is the new yardstick to determine television display resolution quality.

Just as a green leaf's color can be depicted differently, from light green to deep green, depending on how it reflects light, color volume measures the varying brightness on a TV display at pinpoint levels.

Its predecessor  conventional 2D color presentation  only captured how colors are rendered on a flat screen. Color volume measures in three dimensions, capturing various color coordinates depending on different brightness levels.

Display experts at the AVS Forum in the United States said color volume is "a tool to present visuals more realistically." They said other critical factors include how to render colors more richly and how bright the rendering can go.

Color volume was introduced in 1976 by the International Commission on Illumination. But because the range of TV brightness levels was limited then, the term did not have much use.

The resolution of TVs has evolved. High-definition (HD) TVs have a picture made up of about 1 million pixels, while ultra-high-definition (UHD) TVs with 8.6 million pixels now dominate the market.

As these products spiked up brightness to unprecedented levels, demand for the new tool to measure performance has emerged.

High-quality TVs nowadays use high dynamic range (HDR), a technology that renders bright zones brighter and dark zones darker to maximize display contrast. To measure this resolution quality more precisely, color volume has started gaining attention.

With the color gamut of 2D TVs, when displays are turning bright or dark, color coordinates are rendered rather poorly, showing uneven color balance and low clarity. Their HDR levels were so low it was almost impossible to measure them.

But color volume, which broke through the conventional color gamut's boundary, can precisely measure HDR levels using a broader rendering spectrum, even when brightness levels are high.

TVs with higher color volume can thus effectively render HDR content that mostly uses luminance levels more than double those of their 2D predecessors. They can also perfectly realize the DCI-P3 color gamut  the content production standard adopted by many Hollywood film studios  reproducing content makers' ideal color schemes and grabbing viewer attention with fine color rendering.

Global TV industry experts at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January hailed the idea of color volume, saying it opened a new path to measuring TV display resolution.

SpectraCal, one of the leading display system providers in the U.S., said it will add a color volume measuring feature to its CalMan display calibration software. The software, popular with experts dedicated to analyzing and evaluating display quality, is expected to quickly make color volume the new measurement norm.

An industry insider said color volume is "a paradigm shift to measure display resolution that will become a new concept for next-generation TVs."

At the CES, Samsung Electronics introduced its QLED TV that uses new metal quantum dot material to provide a broader range of color coordinates. The premium TV is the world's first that can realize color volume 100 percent. Its 1500-2000 HDR nits, a measure of luminance, can express the optimal brightness and contrast rate, bringing a three-dimensional feel to all luminance levels.
Lack of citizenship education has led to Koreans having a negative view of their country, journalist says. / Yonhap



By Eom Da-sol

Korea needs stronger "citizenship education," which could strengthen patriotism and sense of citizenship, a Japanese journalist has suggested.

On Feb. 19, journalist Mu-keong Shin said on Yahoo Japan that Korea had low sense of citizenship compared to other countries.

The third generation Korean-Japanese said, "Clearly there is a need for citizenship education, but it is not taught in the schools yet."

According to the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Investigation, 18.4 percent of Korean elementary school students said they learned social rules from school and obeyed them. This rate is only a third of the number among students in the U.K. and France.

Shin wrote that lack of citizenship education was building Koreans' negative views of their country.

Shin compiled a survey on "the most favorable citizens in the world," conducted by JoongAng Ilbo and Kyunghee University in August 2015.

The researchers chose the adjective to explain the subjects' level of faithfulness and fondness toward their nations.

The survey showed Korean respondents considered German citizens as the most favorable. The respondents rated Germans highly because of their "mature citizenship."

Respondents placed Japanese second because of their "considerate attitude" and "the law-abiding spirit."

Korea was not in the top 10.

The journalist stressed that citizenship was one of the factors that decided the national identity.

"Appropriate citizenship education in school should be discussed seriously in Korean society," he said.
Its something of a miracle that Measure H, the Los Angeles County tax increase to improve services for the homeless, may be near voter approval.

True, some votes remain to be counted. Still, the Los Angeles countywide measure, raising the sales tax by a quarter of a cent, just made it above the two thirds vote required for victory in Tuesdays election. Absentee and provisional ballots could defeat the tax increase. But as Doug Smith wrote in the Los Angeles Times, if the majority holds up, a victory would constitute a wave of generosity by city and county votersgiving homeless services organizations the funds they say they need.

It would to add about $355 million annually for homeless programs over 10 years. The money would provide support services for the new housing in Los Angeles as well as rental subsidies and services for thousands more units around the county. The housing would be financed by a bond measure approved by Los Angeles city voters last November.

Even with victory not clinched, the results are still noteworthy and offer lessons to be learned. This is especially in the Trump era, where all we hear about are Republican efforts to wipe out government services they consider worthless. Among the lessons:

-People want results and self-interest is important. Looking at a Los Angeles Times map of the vote, its possible to trace support through a widespread area, many of whose residents once gave little thought to homelessness but now see encampments on sidewalks, parks and under freeways as a daily presence.

-Government can work. Measure H was the second element of a two- part Los Angeles city and county attack on homelessness that has zoomed out of control. The housing bond issue was the first. The countys Measure H would finance the hiring of social workers and mental health staff to go out on the streets and persuade the homeless to accept help and possibly move into the housing provided by the city bond issue. The city and county governments have been notorious for their feuding. The crisis brought together leaders in city hall and the county to come up with a solution that offers a chance of success but no guarantee. It took many meetings, immersion in detail and putting ego aside to agree on the plan.

-Unsung heroes deserve praise. While Angelenos watched in horror as homeless encampments sprung up on their neighborhood streets, social workers and volunteers went from tent to tent, talking to people afflicted with mental illness and substance abuse. Others worked in social service programs across the basin, seeking housing, finding space in overcrowded care facilities. Their numbers were small given the size of the problem. But the workers havent given up and Measure H would greatly increase their number.

-Newspapers still count. Most news media have focused in on homelessness, but the Los Angeles Times deserves special praise. Its reporting team, including columnist Steve Lopez, prowled the streets and talked to countless people to get the story. The Times powerful coverage was a great help in getting out the Measure H vote.
The wide-bodied Boeing 747 was once known as the queen of the skies, an instantly recognizable behemoth revered for its luxury and spaciousness.

As time passed, however, the original jumbo jet was outstripped by more efficient twin-engine planes.



For the record: A previous version of this story said the Airbus A340 was a twin engine plane that combined a wide body with greater fuel efficiency. That plane is the A330.

Now the 747s days as a passenger plane are numbered. Delta and United  the last two U.S. airlines that fly 747s  have said they will retire those planes from their fleet by the end of the year, 48 years after the jet first took flight.

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Today, Boeing Co. produces just six 747s a year. The Chicago-based aerospace giant says it is eyeing the cargo market for new customers.

The winding-down of 747 production is a reminder of Southern Californias diminished role as a builder of big planes and their parts. The most prominent local supplier is a fuselage-panel plant in Hawthorne that once employed thousands. Today, the factory has 300 employees.

The 747 was a fabulous airplane, said Scott Hamilton, founder of aviation consulting firm Leeham Co. LLC. But like any technology, it moves on.

At the time, the big jet represented a spectacular gamble for Boeing.

Up until the 747s debut, flying was a cramped  or more cramped  experience in narrow-body planes. When the plane rolled off an assembly line in the late 1960s, it was already larger and had longer range than later airbus aircraft, such as the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011.

1 / 15 On Sept. 30, 1968, the first Boeing 747 jumbo jet was rolled out of the Everett, Wash., assembly building before the worlds press and representatives of the 26 airlines that had ordered the plane, and first flight took place on Feb. 9, 1969. (AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 15 The first Boeing 747 jumbo jet, christened the City of Everett and largest transport plane in the world, departs on its first flight on Feb. 9, 1969, in Everett, Wash. (AFP/Getty Images) 3 / 15 A Pan Am air hostess serves champagne in the first-class cabin of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet in 1970. (Tim Graham / Getty Images) 4 / 15 The crew of the first commercial flight of the Boeing 747 from New York to London for Pan American poses for a photograph outside the aircraft before boarding, Jan. 21, 1970. (AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 15 Pan American Airways pilots are seen in the cockpit of the Boeing 747 at London Heathrow airport, on Jan. 22, 1970, after its first commercial flight. (AFP/Getty Images) 6 / 15 Two United Parcel Service Boeing 747 cargo aircraft on the tarmac of Hong Kongs Chek Lap Kok airport in 2003. (Peter Parks / AFP/Getty Images) 7 / 15 A British Airways Boeing 747 taxis at sunrise in 2010 at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images) 8 / 15 The new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental after landing at Le Bourget airport near Paris in June 2011. Boeings new long version of its famed jumbo jet landed outside Paris a day ahead of its debut outside the U.S. at the Paris International Air Show. (Eric Piermont / AFP/Getty Images) 9 / 15 A Boeing 747-8 at SeattleTacoma International Airport in 2011. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press) 10 / 15 Space shuttle Endeavour sits atop a Boeing 747 at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Sept. 17, 2012. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 15 Ellie Hong, 12, of Northridge, takes video for KidScoop Media as President Obama departs Los Angeles International Airport aboard Air Force One, a Boeing 747, on Oct. 25, 2016. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 15 A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac at Englands Manchester Airport in 2012. (Christopher Furlong / Getty Images) 13 / 15 A Cargolux Boeing 747 cargo aircraft lands at Payerne airport in Switzerland in 2015. (Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images) 14 / 15 A Qantas Boeing 747 flys over the Formula One Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in 2015. (William West / AFP/Getty Images) 15 / 15 An Atlas Air Boeing 747-47UF cargo airplane approaches Los Angeles International Airport after leaving Chicago on its way to Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 11, 2017. (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

Aspiring 747 pilots were specially trained to taxi the large aircraft by riding in a mock-up of the planes flight deck boosted on three-story-tall stilts in a moving truck. Pilots maneuvered the simulator by radioing directions down to the truck driver.

Boeing poured financial resources into the 747s development, which almost bankrupted the company as cost overruns were exacerbated by a recession that broke just as the plane made its debut, said Suresh Kotha, professor of management at the University of Washingtons Foster School of Business.

The company had to cut deals with suppliers to produce parts on their own dime. Production began while the massive Everett, Wash., assembly plant was still under construction; the plants construction alone cost $200 million, according to the book Boeing 747: A History.

Expected orders disappeared, and airlines that did buy the plane opted to install lounges in the 747s famous hump rather than fill the plane to its 400-seat capacity. American Airlines even placed a piano bar near the back of its planes.

It had unparalleled spaciousness, Hamilton said. The fliers of today are used to stepping on a 747 or 777 that has wide bodies. Back then, youd step onto the airplane and go, Wow.

At the time, commercial aerospace was still a major industry in Southern California.

Northrop Corp. won a Boeing subcontract to produce the planes fuselage panels in 1966. The companys Hawthorne plant made the basic fuselage assemblies, while another facility in Ventura built the structure that connected the fuselage skin with the wing. Plants in Anaheim and Long Beach produced the planes flooring.

In 1969, the Hawthorne plant employed 5,000 workers, as well as an additional 2,400 who were indirectly involved in 747 production.

Lockheed and Douglas later ceded the commercial market to Boeing, and the region focused more on space and defense, said Peter Westwick, adjunct professor of history at USC and editor of the book Blue Sky Metropolis: The Aerospace Century in Southern California.

Northrop ended up being the one to keep building these commercial aircraft, he said. And Northrop is not usually seen as one of the main players.

In 2005, Boeing rival Airbus unveiled its own jumbo jet, the 555-seat A380. Boeing tried to counter the move by announcing plans for updated versions of the 747, but airlines werent interested in what they saw as an outdated plane.

Boeing shifted its strategy and began promoting a future of more point-to-point travel to smaller airports, versus the old hub-and-spoke system that maximized huge planes, Kotha said.

More important, technology shifted to favor more fuel-efficient jets. Lighter engines were developed using more titanium and capable of generating more thrust, with more reliable turbine blades.

Twin-engine planes were eventually certified to fly over the ocean. Planes such as the Boeing 777 and 787, and Airbus A330 and 350, combined the perks of a wide body with greater fuel-efficiency.

A typical 290-seat Boeing 787-9 would use about 18,400 gallons of fuel to fly from Los Angeles International Airport to Londons Heathrow Airport, according to an analysis from Leeham Co. A 405-seat 747-8 passenger plane making the same trip would use about 33,000 gallons.

Now Airbus is facing a similar sales cliff with its massive A380. The company recorded no net orders last year and is working through a dwindling backlog of orders.

Boeing, meanwhile, is hoping to squeeze out some last years from the 747 as a cargo plane.

In October, UPS ordered 14 new 747-8 cargo jets for its air shipping service, with an option to purchase an additional 14.

Boeing spokeswoman Jessica Kowal said the UPS order indicates that customers still see value in the 747 for its carrying capacity and its hinged nose door for accommodating larger loads.

We continue building 747-8s, and there are no plans to discontinue that work, she said in a statement. While the previous economic downturn slowed the market, we are working with customers across the globe and expect activity to increase to match growth of the cargo market.

Analysts say the international air cargo market has grown, especially with the rise of e-commerce. But unless Boeing is able to secure additional orders beyond that of UPS, the plane could be out of production, Kotha said.

Also encountering some turbulence is the 747s most prestigious assignment  the heavily modified Air Force One plane that transports U.S. presidents. Boeing has initial contracts amounting to $170 million to develop a new version, based on the latest 747-8, but President Trump has challenged the jets price tag and the two sides have held discussions on possible cost savings.

Over time, the vast 747 supplier base in California has shrunk. In 1993, there were about 320 suppliers in the state; today, there are only 118 factories in California that support the program.

The planes fuselage panels are still produced in Hawthorne and transported via rail cars to Boeings facility in Washington. In 2000, Northrop Grumman sold its commercial aero-structures business, including the Hawthorne plant, to the Carlyle Group, a private investment firm. The plant was later purchased by Triumph Group.

At the current production rate, Triumph will be under contract with Boeing through the end of the decade, Boeing said.

The factorys neighborhood reflects the shifting focus of Southern Californias reinvigorated aerospace industry. Elon Musks SpaceX has moved in along Jack Northrop Ave.; at one end of the block, the first rocket booster the company landed back on Earth towers over nearby buildings. Large tubes for the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition run along most of the street.

Triumphs buildings are largely hidden behind a black fence, with the companys name and logo on a few modest signs.

Any future depends on whether UPS exercises options for ... another 14 [planes], Hamilton said. But basically once Air Force One is delivered, and once UPS is delivered, theres really no future left for the 747.

A brief history of the original jumbo jet

1966: Pan American places the first order for Boeings 747. The airline orders 25 planes.

1966: Northrop Corp. announces it was selected to build the fuselage of the 747 in Southern California.

1970: The Boeing 747 enters commercial service, taking passengers from New York to London on Pan American.

1974: NASA acquires a 747 jetliner from American Airlines and converts it into the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to carry the space shuttle back and forth across the country.

1990: Two 747-200s are modified to serve as Air Force One, replacing the Boeing VC-137s that had served as the presidential aircraft for almost 30 years.

2006: A modified 747-400 freighter debuts as the platform for the U.S. Air Forces Airborne Laser Program, which was intended to destroy ballistic missiles with a laser mounted in the planes nose. The plane is later designated YAL-1 but is eventually cancelled.

2007: Airbus jumbo jet, the A380, enters service. The double-deck plane seats 555 people.

2014: Boeing delivers its 1,500th 747.

2015: Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic says it will use a modified version of a 747 nicknamed Cosmic Girl to serve as the carrier aircraft for its satellite-launching rocket, LauncherOne.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga
The gig: Dan Rosenfeld, 64, is a real estate developer and public servant. He has worked at the upper levels of both the private and public sectors, building prominent structures such as the Del Mar Station apartment complex in Pasadena for profit and managing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of real estate for the state of California Department of General Services, where he led the revival of the historic core of downtown Los Angeles. Rosenfeld has also interrupted his private career to work for both the city and county of Los Angeles.

Formative years: Rosenfeld grew up in Portland, Ore., where he attended public school and became an Eagle Boy Scout. Three external events of his youth shaped him into the activist he became: the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and what he calls the shadow of the Holocaust on his Jewish family. The Vietnam conflict was particularly galvanizing, inspiring Rosenfeld to participate in many demonstrations against the war and live in an antiwar-themed commune while attending Stanford University.

Luck of the draw: Rosenfeld drew number 300 in the 1972 draft lottery, which was high enough to excuse him from having to decide between joining the military or evading service as many resisters did. Since then he has been committed to serving fellow citizens in other ways. I do feel that giving something back is a moral obligation we all own, he said.

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Career launch: Rosenfeld was working on a postgraduate architecture degree at Yale when he volunteered to help the school reduce energy costs, which leaped with skyrocketing oil prices in the mid-1970s. He and his colleagues were so successful that they started a business helping other nonprofits reduce their energy costs. Soon he decided to quit architecture classes and go to business school.

Surprise turn: Armed with a Harvard business degree, Rosenfeld went to work for Canada-based Cadillac Fairview Corp., the largest publicly-owned real estate company in North America, because he wanted to work for its top executive in the West, Martin Seaton. Get a mentor, not a job, he tells young people today. Rosenfeld was rising through the ranks and planned to spend his entire career at the company until Seaton announced in 1987 that the company was being sold. Soon after the sale, the real estate market tanked. Seatons decision to sell proved right and taught Rosenfeld the wisdom of career flexibility.

New trajectory: On impulse but with the support of his family, Rosenfeld accepted a job offer in Germany, where he helped develop what was then the tallest building in Europe. Incidentally, he said, We were there, back in Berlin, with our ancestors ghosts and with hammers and chisels and Champagne and Russian soldiers everywhere  when the Berlin Wall came down.

Home again: When Rosenfeld returned in 1992, the real estate market was in the dumps and he accepted a management job with the state government. I had a $400-million annual leasing budget and $1 billion of capital to invest every year, he said. I was suddenly the biggest developer in California.

To improve the governments real estate situation, Rosenfeld consolidated scattered state offices into new buildings or adapted historic structures in places where their presence could benefit the communities they served. Nowhere was this strategy more significant than it was in downtown L.A.

Legacy project: In the face of consternation and some bitter opposition from his fellow state employees, Rosenfeld opted to replace an obsolete state office building in the Civic Center in the 1990s by renovating an old department store in what was then a dodgy block of Broadway. People said, Why clean up a dirty old building when we can build a nice new one? 

Planted seeds: The renovation of the Broadway department store built in 1914 cost about a third as much as a new building would have, but just as importantly to Rosenfeld, it demonstrated the viability of reclaiming downtowns historic core right when city officials were writing a significant ordinance that would make it easier to reuse old buildings. Since then dozens of other historic structures have been renovated and thousands of residents have moved in.

City service: When Richard Riordan was mayor, he asked Rosenfeld to organize L.A.s real estate holdings. During his three years with the city, he successfully pushed to renovate seismically unsafe City Hall instead of building a new one and led the development of the Marvin Braude Constituent Service Center in Van Nuys.

Private again: Rosenfeld returned to private development, working with Ira Yellin and Paul Keller as Urban Partners. They focused on transit-oriented projects valued at $100 million or more, such as Del Mar Station and Wilshire/Vermont Station, which added apartments and stores to train stations. He sold his interest in the company after hearing an economic forecast in 2006 that predicted housing prices would soon fall. They did.

In real estate, timing is even more important than location, he said. Its like surfing. If you are between waves, dont stand up.

Path forward: Rosenfeld worked on economic development and transportation for L,.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas for four years. Today he works for developer SunCal seeking city approvals for a large mixed-use development downtown. In his spare time he assists nonprofit groups in South and Central Los Angeles with their real estate needs.

Family time: Rosenfeld lives in Beverly Hills and is married to Heidi Duckler, who heads a dance theater group that performs in nontraditional spaces such as a library, subway and L.A. City Hall. They have three grown children.

L.A.-centric: My mother and three of my grandparents were refugees who found shelter in America, so were really kind of new here, Rosenfeld said. L.A. is my adopted home and I have come to love its challenges and the talents of its people.

roger.vincent@latimes.com

Twitter: @rogervincent
Deaf West Theatre is back at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts after the companys heralded revival of Spring Awakening, which catapulted itself to Broadway after its Beverly Hills triumph.

After proving once again that a musical can be reinvented by a troupe of deaf and hearing actors blending American Sign Language with the original spoken and sung text, Deaf West might seem to be lowering the bar in taking on two one-act plays in which no dancing or crooning is required.

But Edward Albees At Home at the Zoo, which combines the playwrights 1959 breakthrough drama The Zoo Story with Homelife, the prequel he wrote more than four decades later, turns out to be a formidable challenge for a company that has to work around Albees most salient gift  his astringent language.

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The production, directed by Coy Middlebrook, begins with Homelife. The order makes sense narratively but raises other issues. Albee felt that Peter, the polite book publisher whose Central Park bench is invaded by Jerry, a frothing-at-the-mouth lost soul, needed some fleshing out. To right what he felt was the imbalance between the two characters, he wrote an accompanying one-act, set in Peters Upper East Side home just prior to the fateful Central Park outing, in which a tense exchange between Peter and his wife, Ann, clarifies the extent to which the animal has been bred out of this all-too-respectable husband.

The problem is that The Zoo Story, one of Albees greatest plays, doesnt need elaboration. The battle between Peter and Jerry is strengthened by the enigmatic nature of the confrontation. Albee has been grouped in the Theatre of the Absurd, and one of the characteristics of this otherwise disparate confederate of playwrights that includes Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco and Harold Pinter is that the stage metaphors around which their plays are built arent reducible to single interpretations.

Homelife narrows our understanding of The Zoo Story. By heightening our awareness of Peters overly domesticated nature, Albee transforms his classic into a much more straightforward clash between genteel repression and marginalized discontent.

If Homelife is the more satisfying of the two dramas in this Deaf West-Wallis co-production, it may have something to do with our curiosity about Ann, whose tantalizing psychology we have to work out for ourselves. Of course it helps that the strongest performance in the cast is by Amber Zion, who portrays this frustrated wife living with her politely distracted husband, two daughters and menagerie of pets in enviable Manhattan comfort.

The play begins with Peter (Troy Kotsur) poring over a manuscript of probably the most important boring book his company has ever published. His concentration is a fortress that initially blocks out Anns out-of-nowhere remark, We should talk  a sign if ever there was one that all is not well in this upper-middle-class paradise.

Or is it a prison? The set by Karyl Newman (who also designed the costumes) bookends the living room with bars to create the effect of a kind of high-end zoo. Outside this deluxe pen, Jake Eberle and Paige Lindsey White provide the voices of Peter and Ann. They speak as Kotsur and Zion play and sign the roles, in a division of labor that fails to find the synergy between listening and seeing that was achieved in Spring Awakening.

Kotsur lends Peter a middle-aged preppy distinctiveness, but his acting isnt able to preserve the subtlety of Albees writing. Peter and Ann, like the great majority of Albees characters, are fussbudgets when it comes to language. Kotsurs body language and facial expressions seem at times too large for such a self-editing character. The general outline is right but the fine points of Peter get lost in translation, especially for those in the audience not conversant with ASL.

Zions portrayal builds in emotional power as she reveals the desperation Ann feels for a marriage that grown stale and safe. She has no reason to complain about her cozy cage, but she can no longer ignore the longing for sexual abandon. When Zion screams, the sound is that of an animal crying out for the wilderness. Her performance rescues Homelife with its feral intensity.

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The Zoo Story picks up the action after Peter has left the apartment to read for pleasure in the park. His confrontation with Jerry, however, makes the standoff with Ann seem relatively tame. Early Albee is even harder on a character who willingly sacrifices his animal ferocity for the security and comfort of conventional routine.

The casting of Russell Harvard as Jerry sets up difficulties. (Tyrone Giordano takes over the role on March 16.) Harvards Jerry seems substantially younger than Kotsurs Peter, creating an odd dynamic between the characters. Jerrys relative youthfulness lends an Oedipal current to his antagonism toward Peter, undermining the class resentment that Albee stresses and banishing the subtle homoeroticism between them.

But the bigger issue is the flailing theatricality of Harvards performance. Jerry may be dangerous but Albee retains a tight grip on his words and deeds. Harvard plays the dramatic situation at the expense of the character. Kotsurs meek Peter isnt so much accosted by a stranger as overwhelmed by a cast member determined to leave a daredevil impression.

It doesnt help that the voices of Peter and Jerry are performed by actors (Eberle and Jeff Alan-Lee) who might as well be portraying other characters hanging around Central Park that afternoon. Their physical distinctiveness from their counterparts and their close proximity (theyre stationed at a nearby bench) blur the stage picture.

At Home at the Zoo makes The Zoo Story seem as though it isnt the main attraction when in fact its one of Albees unequivocal masterpieces. Deaf West has made a valiant attempt, but the production sheds only sporadic light on these most eloquent of bestial plays.

         

Edward Albees At Home at the Zoo

Where: Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Lovelace Studio Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills

When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Ends March 26

Tickets: $50-$60 (subject to change)

Information: (310) 746-4000 or www.TheWallis.org

Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

charles.mcnulty@latimes.com

Follow me @charlesmcnulty

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Hello! Im Mark Olsen, and welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

As this hits your inbox, I am with Jen Yamato in Austin, Texas, covering the South by Southwest Film Festival. I always find this festival to be a highlight of the year, a place both for discovering fresh new voices and for seeing off-center mainstream films that benefit from the raucous audiences and upbeat atmosphere.

Back in Los Angeles, we have two more exciting screenings coming up, with Marc Webbs Gifted on March 30 and James Grays The Lost City of Z on April 3. Exact details for the Q&As are still being worked out, but these should both make for great events. Keep on the lookout for updates at events.latimes.com.

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Michael Fassbender, from left, Bernice Marlohe, Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara at the Song to Song premiere on March 10, 2017, in Austin, Texas. (Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for SXSW)

South by Southwest Film Festival

South by Southwest is a real highlight of the annual calendar. This year, in particular, looks to be an exciting one, mixing films by fresh talent with new work from filmmakers like Edgar Wright and Terrence Malick. I filed a preview/overview of this years fest, and well be covering the big premiere titles and the new discoveries too.

Jen was at Fridays opening-night screening of Terrence Malicks Song to Song, starring Rooney Mara, Michael Fassbender and Ryan Gosling in a story of romantic complications set against the world of Austins music festivals.

Every day was different, Gosling said of Malicks unconventional style. Suddenly, Patti Smith was there, and shes with you for a few days and you get to hang out with her and watch her work.

And I was at Fridays night screening of Alien, with new footage from the upcoming Alien: Covenant.

I talked to Noel Wells about Mr. Roosevelt, which she wrote, directed and stars in. In the film she attacks the archetype of the quirky girl, and as a performer she shifts gears from a manic comic energy to something with more emotional depth with startling speed.

The trick that I have in my back pocket is that I am very OK with becoming very vulnerable really fast and just being incredibly honest, she said. Its the most interesting part of people, and the most interesting things about characters is when you get to see them flip.

Ill be dropping interviews with Frank Oz for Muppet Guys Talking  Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched, with Aaron Katz for Gemini and with Janicza Bravo and Brett Gelman for Lemon. Jen will have a story on musician Warren G and the doc G-Funk. And besides all the other work shell be doing, Jen is on a panel about film festival karaoke that should produce some of the finest videos of all time. Stay tuned.

Personal Shopper

The collaboration between filmmaker Olivier Assayas and actress Kristen Stewart seems to have paid off for a second time with Personal Shopper, the tale of a young woman in Paris attempting to connect with her dead brother. The film is part ghost story and part treatise on modern malaise.

In his review for The Times, Justin Chang called the film a quietly profound portrait of grief and loss, and perhaps Assayas most surprising attempt yet to grapple with the anxieties of modern life  a global condition in which strange new connections are forged and seemingly rigid boundaries are violated. He added of the film and its star, It is also, first and foremost, a testament to the eerie powers of Kristen Stewart, a movie star who has now twice pulled off the trick of chipping away at her celebrity and redefining the boundaries of her talent in the same instance.

Jen spoke to Stewart, who talked of the techniques to her live-wire performances. Rather than trying to show someone something, accidentally revealing something is so much more interesting, she explains. I always want to set myself up, to put myself within parameters so I can just completely lose it, so its always me. I cant bring anything other than myself.

Also in The Times, Akiva Gottlieb wrote an overview of Assayas work, noting its deep connection to the disassociations of modern life, saying, These films  which are being celebrated at Cinefamily this month, alongside the release of his latest film, Personal Shopper  are fluent in an international lexicon of cool. The best of them are restlessly modern, coolly erotic, obsessed by the communicatory possibilities of new technology.

In the New York Times, A.O. Scott compared Stewarts performance to that of Maggie Cheung in Assayas films Irma Vep and Clean in the way that Stewart exudes a quality of self-enclosed detachment that becomes its own peculiar form of intensity. She possesses an uncanny ability to turn her natural charisma into diffidence. You cant take your eyes off her, even as she seems to be making every effort to deflect your attention, to obscure her radiance, to disappear onscreen.

In Film Comment, Jonathan Romney wrote about the film, finding an unlikely connection, Personal Shopper is built around a disparity between the abstraction of the idea of contact with the dead and the quotidian familiarity of text messaging and Googling. That contrast is essential to a key idea in the film: that the realm of digital communication is to us what the supernatural was to past generations.

Julia Ducournau, director of Raw. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Raw

Among the most talked-about recent movies has been Julia Ducournaus French-language cannibal movie Raw. Besides a strong debut from Ducournau, it also features an impressive lead performance from Garance Marillier. Visceral, upsetting and with deeper issues on its mind, Raw arrives fully formed.

In his review for the Los Angeles Times, Chang wrote Ducournau is hardly the first filmmaker to mine the body-horror lexicon for ripe pubescent metaphors, but hers may be the most audacious and controlled spin on this particular tale to emerge in some time . Ducournau embraces the tenderness and the ferocity in her material (Jim Williams score amplifies the contradictions beautifully), and she cleverly uses the veterinary setting to collapse the assumed distinctions between woman and beast.

At Vulture, Emily Yoshida noted that following the recent boom in stories about zombies, Now cannibalism, one of humanitys greatest taboos, is having its moment in the spotlight. The time seems right: We seem to be bulldozing past all other niceties these days, why hold back from eating each other?

At the LA Weekly, April Wolfe said of the film Raw isnt derivative  its fresh, funny and grounded in reality. Underneath all the blood and guts, this is the story of a woman whose body demands love in extremity and the only person wholl ever understand her fully: her sister.

Email me if you have questions, comments or suggestions, and follow me on Twitter @IndieFocus.
Heather Slavey squinted as she stared into the badlands. She shook her head in awe of the natural montage  yellows, pinks, purples.

Wow, she said. It looks like something out of the Wizard of Oz.

Slavey, who does marketing for a law firm, and her husband, Robert, left their home in San Diego early Saturday morning, and drove toward Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Like thousands of others across the Southland, they made the pilgrimage into the desert this weekend to witness a once-in-a-decade wildflower super bloom  the aftereffect of heavy winter rains.

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It has a chance to be the biggest in 20 years, said botanist Jim Dice, who manages UC Irvines field research center in the park. Right now is peak time.

Since July 1, the start of the so-called rain year, the area has gotten more than seven inches of rain, Dice said, adding that  even with three months left to go  theyre well over the yearly average of five inches. It helped, too, that the area got gentle, even rains, he said, and not gully washers.

The university purchased the research center six years ago, and Dice said hes seen many flowers for the first time this year, such as Bigelows monkey flower, sand blazing star and purple mat.

In the field off Henderson Canyon Road that Slavey had explored with her husband, state park Ranger Steve Bier led a wildlife tour Saturday morning.

He told the group of 30 or so gathered that if they looked closely, they could probably spot 20 different flowers. Yellow desert dandelions, purple sand verbenas and white desert lilies  the crowd favorite.

As the visitors snapped photos on their cellphones, Bier spotted a ground beetle. He crouched in the sand to get a closer look at the bug.

 A wildflower super bloom is attracting thousands.

Now, he said, in a booming voice, I dont know if this is John, Paul or Ringo.

A few people in the crowd laughed. Bier smirked, pleased his joke had landed.

As the group walked toward the hills in the distance, a man shouted a question about the flowers: How long will this all last?

It depends, Bier said, on the heat, the wind and these guys.

He pointed at a black-and-green caterpillar, which before long would become a sphinx moth.

They can decimate this whole field in no time, Bier said, adding that he hadnt seen as many this year as in some years past.

As the crew continued walking, Bier froze in his tracks, pointing to a leafy green weed with dull yellow flowers.

This, he said, is the bane of our existence.

He wrapped his hand around the invasive weed called Sahara mustard and yanked, pulling the plants thick, white root resembling a daikon radish from the soil.

In recent years, Bier told the crowd, the coarse weed had killed off tons of wildflowers by sucking up water and nutrients. So volunteers and the chamber of commerce teamed up in 2010, starting a task force to tackle the weed. Local groups often gather and pull any Sahara mustard they see  its helped, Bier said, but the weed is persistent.

For Borrego Springs  the tiny town surrounded by the park  the super bloom has created a bit of pandemonium.

JoAnn Maiter, a part-time employee of the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce, said she couldnt remember how many phone calls shed answered Friday. Dozens and dozens.

Were swamped. You cant even get into our visitors center right now, she said, adding that nearly 300 people had already signed into the visitors log by noon on Friday. Theyre coming from everywhere  absolutely everywhere: Canada, Minnesota, Chicago.

Maiter said it was the biggest rush of people since at least 2008, when another round of evenly dispersed rains brought a desert floor blanketed with flowers.

And Saturday was even crazier.

Bier, the park ranger, said that by 6:30 a.m., hundreds of people had already gathered in the park looking for tips on where to find the best fields. Down the road, the Oasis Inn Borrego had a big sign on the front door: SORRY NO VACANCY.

And by 10 a.m.  as nearly everyones T-shirt had soaked through with sweat in the 92-degree heat  the line of cars snaking down the hill toward the park stretched for miles. One family with Utah plates gave up a couple miles from the visitors center, setting up a blanket in the shade of their SUV and eating crackers and ham sandwiches. They pointed at the pattern on their blanket  tiny flowers  and joked it was better than nothing.

The San Diego County Sheriffs Office issued a news alert Sunday asking people to consider visiting the bloom on weekdays. The crush of people racing to visit the park was causing hours-long traffic delays, in part because some travelers were stopping in the middle of roadways to look at the bloom, the alert said.

To Ana Garcia, who drove to the park from Escondido with her friends Saturday morning, the flowers were a bit underwhelming.

I was hoping to see purple waves, she said. Not dots of yellow.

Yeah, her friend added. This isnt what it looked like on social media.

Garcia shrugged. Still cool, she said.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

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Los Angeles firefighters discovered what may be a human skull while battling a brush fire near Sherman Oaks on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

Nearly 90 firefighters responded to a four-acre vegetation fire in the area of Fossil Ridge Park at about 4 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. It was not clear what started the blaze, which was knocked down over the course of two or three hours, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart.

As firefighters battled the blaze, they observed a possible human skull in a ravine near the 3500 block of N. Coy Drive and contacted police and Los Angeles County Coroners officials, according to Officer Mike Lopez, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman.

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Because of the location of the remains and the lack of daylight, police and coroners officials were not able to immediately examine the skull on Saturday, Lopez said.

No one was injured and no structures were damaged during the fire, Stewart said.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
UC San Diego may accelerate plans to preserve its climate data due to growing concerns among faculty members that the Trump administration could interfere with their work.

Campus officials intend to discuss what they should do during a March 21 meeting at the schools Scripps Institution of Oceanography, whose research has been used for decades to shape climate agreements.

The ideas include real-time storage and protection of data that Scripps collects around the world  from the Antarctic to the Indian Ocean to Californias coastline.

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The situation at UC San Diego resembles efforts by scientists, librarians, environmental activists and others across the country to preserve climate data housed at colleges and on government websites.

Representatives of the University of Michigan and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said theyre worried that President Trump and his team could suppress information thats central to policy discussions, international treaties and business regulations.

In the past two months, the Trump administration has scrubbed mentions of climate change from several White House web pages.

It also has removed a variety of data from federal websites, making them available only through specialized requests. And its aiming to impose double-digit cuts to a range of agencies, including those with deep involvement in climate science.

But theres no evidence that Trump and his assistants have destroyed any climate data, and they havent indicated any intention to do so.

The situation reflects how politicized climate-change discussions have become. As Trump uses his high profile to criticize the scientific communitys main findings on climate change, researchers increasingly ponder worst-case actions by his administration.

The president has repeatedly denied the existence of global warming or cast doubt on it. He has called climate change an expensive hoax and said, I am not a great believer in man-made climate change.

Scott Pruitt  head of the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal governments leading enforcer on climate-change issues  said last week that he doesnt believe carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to climate change.

The same remarks are fueling anxiety in research labs and stoking interest in political protests, including the March for Science, which is set to be held in Washington and other locations on April 22  Earth Day.

UC San Diego, one of the nations 10 largest research universities, sharpened its focus on climate data 18 months ago after learning that the federal government is trimming support for archiving such information.

But the apprehension about Trumps views on climate change have given a sense of urgency to that project, said those involved with the undertaking.

It is a reaction to the concerns of the scholarly community and the scientific research community about the effect that the new presidency has vis-a-vis climate change, vis-a-vis any other of a number of things, said Brian Schottlaender, the universitys head librarian. The stakes are up. The stakes are high. Theres more at risk now.

Margaret Leinen, the director of Scripps, said it would be incorrect to say that this effort began with a reaction to concerns about the new presidency. Concerns about this presidency amplified concerns that were already present about stewardship of the rich data legacy that our [Scripps] focus on observing the planet has left us.

Scripps has been a world leader on studying climate change since the 1950s, when Charles David Keeling began taking daily measurements of carbon dioxide in Earths atmosphere.

His data became known as the Keeling Curve because it showed the buildup of CO2 over time. That body of work helped lead to a consensus among most scientists that the rise in CO2  created by everything from factory operations to vehicle commuting  is a primary factor in man-made global warming.

Keelings findings and other landmark discoveries by Scripps helped to shape the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which is meant to repair damage to Earths ozone layer, and the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to get both developed and developing countries to reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions.

Some scientists believe that in the current political environment, such data could be suppressed or perhaps even destroyed, which in some cases could be illegal under federal law.

Theres a big difference between outright destroying of records and removing easy online access, said Anne Jefferson, a hydrologist at Kent State University who relies heavily on government data for her research. If you take the data sets offline, you can effectively make the request process so difficult that many people will give up.

A number of grass-roots campaigns are scrambling to harvest climate data from government websites, including those for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.These archiving efforts are being organized by The Libraries Network in coordination with the Data Refuge Project.

Theyre a mix of ongoing campaigns as well as special events, such as those at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MIT, Harvard University, UC Davis, UCLA and UC Berkeley.

Data Refuge grew out of a push started in 2014 at the University of Pennsylvania to organize and store information relevant to environmental studies, according to its website.

Since December, the projects website has been a hub for everyone from scholars to data nerds looking to volunteer their time at data rescue events.

I see these efforts as reflecting a broader and deeper concern about the future of climate science under the Trump administration, a fear that is well founded given the likely direction of federal funding for climate science, said David Victor, a professor of global politics at UC San Diego who has focused on climate change policy.

But he added: I doubt that the worst fears of some climate scientists will actually happen. I doubt federal climate data will be deleted since that would be illegal in most circumstances.

UC San Diego officials said they havent established a timeline for their universitys data preservation project.

Schottlaender, the librarian, said the project hasnt required special funding because the chancellor had already made financial investments to expand data storage capacity at the school.

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com

joshua.emersonsmith@sduniontribune.com
Pope Francis made headlines across the globe when he suggested he was open to the idea of ordaining married men as a way to alleviate priest shortages in remote areas.

Some raised their eyebrows and took note, whereas other Catholics shrugged, pointing out that paths, although they are narrow, already exist for married men to enter priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

Experts say as many as 120 Catholic priests in the U.S. are married.

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Thats largely because of a policy change made by Pope John Paul II in 1980, which offered a path for married Episcopal priests to continue their ministry after converting to Catholicism.

Under the pastoral provision, Father Paul Sullins, a former Episcopal priest, was ordained in the Catholic Church in 2002 after converting four years earlier.

Each diocese is allowed up to two active married priests, according to the Pastoral Provision Office, which facilitates the Vaticans policy. The restriction came several years ago after a number of dioceses sponsored four or five candidates, causing concerns that it might appear the discipline of celibacy was being relaxed.

As a married man with three grown children, Sullins said his parishioners at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hyattsville, Md., feel more comfortable coming to him with marital problems. He and his wife sometimes co-counsel couples together.

If I have some difficulties or struggles in my vocation, I can come home and have a sounding board thats going to give me honest advice, he said.

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez says a prayer over new Catholic priests during their ordination in 2014. The number of priests has dropped by more than 30% in the U.S. since 1965.. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Almost a decade after Sullins converted to Catholicism, the Vatican revised the policy to apply to other denominations with Anglican roots, not only the 2 million-member Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church has been rocked in recent years by divisions over doctrine and the role of gays and lesbians in church life.

Some dissatisfied congregations aligned themselves with Anglican bishops overseas, and others sought to leave Anglicanism entirely. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI established the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter for those groups of Anglicans in the U.S. seeking to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Many married Catholic priests in the U.S. are former Episcopalians, but there is another path for married men to work as priests in the Catholic Church.

Eastern Catholic Churches have allowed the ordination of married men as priests for centuries. In 2014, Francis quietly lifted a 114-year-old ban on married Eastern Catholic priests serving outside their rites home country, opening the door for them to serve in the U.S., according to Sullins book Keeping the Vow: The Untold Story of Married Catholic Priests.

The popes recent remarks came during an interview published Thursday with a German newspaper, Die Zeit, when Francis was asked about creating incentives to attract young men to the church.

Optional celibacy is not a solution, Francis said, ruling out a suggestion to allow ordained men to get married.

The interviewer then asked: What about the viri probati, those tried and tested men who are married but can be ordained to deacons because of their exemplary life according to Catholic standards?

We have to think about whether viri probati are a possibility, Francis replied. Then we must also determine what tasks they can take, for example, in remote communities.

The Latin phrase viri probati refers to proven men of exemplary faith. Often middle-aged, they are usually married, but sometimes widowed or celibate, according Father Allan Deck, a Catholic priest and Loyola Marymount University professor.

In the majority of cases, when you use the term viri probati, youre referring to good married men, men that have families, he said.

According to Vatican figures, between 1964 and 2004, 69,063 men left the priesthood worldwide, Sullins wrote. Thousands resigned because they wanted to marry.

But some came to regret their decisions, and 11,213 were allowed to return to priestly service. That included widows or men who had their marriages annulled, Sullins said.

The number of Catholic priests in the U.S. has dropped by more than 30% since 1965, when there were 58,632 priests, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. In 2016, there were 37,192.

But Latin America has the worst priest shortage. In Brazil, which has the worlds largest Catholic population, there were more than 10,000 Catholics per priest last year, Sullins said. In the U.S., there were more than 1,800 Catholics for every priest, he added.

Sullins has a different interpretation of the popes remarks to the German newspaper. He believes the pope was indicating that one solution to the priest shortage would lie in Canon 517 that allows deacons, who can get married, to oversee parishes when there is a lack of priests.

But others said Pope Francis signaled a willingness to consider ordaining married men in 2014, when he met with Erwin Krautler, the bishop of Xingu in the Brazilian rain forest. Krautler complained that in his diocese, which counted 700,000 faithful, he had only 27 priests.

He wouldnt do it unilaterally, Deck said of the popes consideration of ordaining married men. But he wanted bishops to come together and discuss it.

Having married men in the ranks of Catholic priests presents advantages, as well as drawbacks, Sullins said.

Married priests, Sullins said, are less mobile than celibate ones and therefore more difficult to reassign. Sullins said priests are reassigned every five to seven years on average.

Reassigning a married priest is harder, he said, noting that they may have children in school or own their homes. His children range in age from 19 to 37. We are more deeply embedded in our community  it would be harder for us to get up and move.

Sullins, who has served as associate pastor at the same church since his ordination, has seen four senior pastors rotate through his parish.

But Sullins also notes that having a partner in life provides extra guidance and encouragement for a clergyman to do his best.

If he gets a phone call in the middle of the night, he said, his wife would encourage him to get up and go, whereas a celibate priest may be tempted to roll over and go back to sleep.

All of us have married women who knew they were going to marry a man who was going to be a minster, he said. A married man gets an elbow in the side, Hey, hon, youre a priest. Get up and do your duty. Our wives actually encourage us to be better priests than we would otherwise.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @AleneTchek

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Marylands attorney general says he plans to use newfound power to sue the federal government by joining a Washington state lawsuit trying to upend President Trumps new travel ban.

The General Assembly granted Brian E. Frosh, a Democrat, sweeping authority last month to file lawsuits against the Trump administration without first securing Republican Gov. Larry Hogans approval. When Frosh joins Washingtons lawsuit on Monday, he will use that power for the first time.

Maryland will join New York, Oregon, Massachusetts and Minnesota in the suit, which contends that both of Trumps temporary travel bans for people from certain predominantly Muslim countries are unconstitutional.

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The president unveiled a more narrow executive order to replace the more expansive one, which was temporarily blocked by a court after Washington states initial lawsuit.

The more voices, the better, Frosh said in an interview. Its a Muslim ban. Its illegal; its unconstitutional; its un-American.

The Trump administration has said the travel restrictions are designed to bolster national security. The executive orders have been criticized as a potentially unconstitutional religious test.

The new, narrower order  it bans travel from six countries instead of seven and scales back other provisions  was designed to withstand legal challenges.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the administration felt very confident with how that was crafted and the input that was given.

Washingtons Democratic Atty. Gen. Bob Ferguson announced Thursday that he planned to challenge the constitutionality of the more narrow ban. Hawaiis attorney general, Democrat Doug Chin, was the first to announce a legal challenge to it.

Frosh said Marylands involvement would be handled by an assistant attorney general and the legal work would be spread out among the states involved.

Frosh unilaterally joining the suit is a departure from how Maryland has handled litigation in more than 150 years.

Until General Assembly Democrats pushed through a measure last month to let him bypass the governor, all such lawsuits required approval of the governor. Maryland was one of nine states that did not grant autonomy to the attorney general through common law.

Cox writes for the Baltimore Sun. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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During spring break, Canadian families used to pile the kids into a tour bus and head to New York to see the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center and other attractions. It was the start of the busy season for Comfort Tour, a Toronto-based firm that usually brought between 200 and 300 tourists to New York in March.

This year, 11 people have signed up for the tours.

Even white, Anglo-Saxon people, who are most of our customers, they are afraid of crossing the border, lamented Al Qanun, manager and part-owner of the travel agency. They dont want to end up in some prison.

The fallout from President Trumps executive orders limiting travel from some Middle Eastern and African countries is having far-reaching implications for U.S. tourism

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It is not just visitors from the countries targeted by the bans that are souring on U.S. travel; the seven countries included in Trumps original order in January account for 0.1% of incoming travelers. Rather, an atmosphere of fear at the nations airports  and well-publicized incidents of visitors being detained and interrogated  are scaring off people without the slightest connection to the Muslim world.

Think twice about visiting America if you dont want the Mem Fox treatment, read a recent headline in the letters column of the Australian magazine Traveller, referring to the childrens book author who swore she would never return to the United States after being questioned at Los Angeles International Airport on her way to a literary conference.

The Toronto Star newspaper in late January published a commentary calling on Canadians to forgo unnecessary trips to the U.S. until Trump is out of office.

Ana Teran, a 68-year-old essayist and short-story writer from Mexico City, used to make three or four trips per year to the U.S., where she lived and studied in the past.

On her last trip, a weekend visit in mid-February to see a friend whod had a heart attack, she said she was pulled out of a line at Washingtons Dulles International Airport and made to sit three hours before she was finally admitted. She was only briefly questioned and not given any explanation about why she was held, although she assumed it was because of her Mexican passport.

I was going to make another trip to Miami to visit my sister, who just bought an apartment there, said Teran. But not now. Not after what I went through.

An economic consulting firm that has crunched the numbers from various airline and travel booking websites projects that the U.S. will lose 6.3 million visits by the end of next year, which translates into $10.8 billion in spending. What the firm, Tourism Economics of Wayne, Pa., is calling Trump-induced losses could affect an estimated 90,000 Americans whose jobs are directly or indirectly dependent on tourism.

San Jose filmmaker Mohammed Ali, who immigrated to the U.S. from Somalia, says it used to be easy to come and go between the countries. But now, Everyone is confused. Somalia is on the banned list. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

It doesnt take very much uncertainty or antipathy to influence decisions away from a given travel destination, said Adam Sacks, the firms president. Ultimately, destinations and companies are in the business of building a brand and a message that is welcoming . All the America first rhetoric in various policy areas like trade, diplomacy and immigration is conveying the exact opposite.

Among the cities that stand to lose the most are New York, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco. New York expects to lose 300,000 foreign tourists this year, a big worry because it is foreigners who drop the big money, spending about four times as much as domestic tourists, according to officials.

The city recently rolled out a new campaign that  without mentioning Trumps name  tries to distance the city from its native son.

People know that New York is a city of immigrants, that we pride ourselves on diversity and tolerance. But Trump is also from New York, so who knows if that has created confusion, said Christopher Heywood, senior vice president of NYC & Co., the citys official tourism agency.

Heywood was speaking from Berlin, where a major travel trade show, ITB Berlin, is underway, with the U.S. political situation one of the main topics of discussion among participants.

It is a perception challenge, he said. People worry what will happen to them at the border. They worry if their cellphone will be searched, what [passwords for] websites they will be asked to jot down.

A survey released Wednesday by the Washington-based Global Business Travel Assn. found that 45% of European business travel professionals say they are less likely to schedule meetings or events in the U.S.

There is no doubt that these travel bans will have an impact on [economic activity] and jobs, said Michael McCormick, executive director of the association.

Trump issued a new order Monday that removed Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens are barred from entering the U.S. and clarified some of the confusion arising from his original order. Nevertheless, travelers horror stories are mounting, getting headlines that are giving many prospective tourists pause.

I felt like I had been physically assaulted, which is why, when I got to my hotel room, I completely collapsed and sobbed like a baby, author Fox told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. after her interrogation last month. And Im 70 years old.

Henry Rousso, a prominent French historian and Holocaust expert, and Muhammad Ali Jr., the son of the legendary boxer and a U.S. citizen, have also complained of aggressive airport questioning (twice, in Alis case).

A 30-year-old laboratory technician born in Canada to Indian immigrant parents was held for six hours last weekend and turned back when she tried to go with her friends to a spa weekend in Vermont. She told the Canadian press that her friends, who are white, were not challenged.

For Canadian tour bus operator Qanun, the difficulties at the border present a dilemma. If one passenger on a tour is refused entry, the entire bus is delayed, and the company is responsible for bringing the person back to Toronto and issuing a refund, he said.

In 10 years in business, we only had one case where a passenger was turned away. Now we are wary, Qanun said.

Are we supposed to look at the names of our customers and see who is Muslim? Do we refuse to take those customers? he asked hypothetically, since he has no intention of refusing any clients.

I know politics is politics, but whenever Trump opens his mouth, it shakes our business.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

barbara.demick@latimes.com

Twitter: @BarbaraDemick

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Did Preet Bharara resign or get fired?

He says it was the latter.

On Saturday, the outspoken U.S. attorney from the Southern District of New York said he was fired after refusing to resign, as requested a day earlier by Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Sessions sought the resignation of dozens of U.S. attorneys appointed by President Obama.

Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life, tweeted Bharara, who had served since 2009.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.  Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017

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In November, Bharara, 48, had visited with President-elect Donald Trump in New York. After the meeting, Bharara told reporters Trump had asked him to remain in his post under the new administration.

The president-elect asked, presumably because hes a New Yorker and is aware of the great work that our office has done over the past seven years, asked to meet with me to discuss whether or not Id be prepared to stay on as the United States attorney to do the work as we have done it, independently, without fear or favor for the last seven years, he said at the time.

Yet the order from Sessions on Friday affected 46 U.S. attorneys nationwide, including Bharara. (Forty-seven others have already stepped aside.) In total, 93 U.S. attorneys are the top federal prosecutors in 94 districts. (Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands share a federal prosecutor.)

The departure of Bharara was viewed as a loss by Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics czar and head of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW.

The White House was obviously concerned about the investigative power of the U.S. attorneys. I think they woke up to the fact that there are all of these independent U.S. attorneys with investigative powers and subpoena power and they saw that as a large potential threat, not just for Trump but for his staff who are riddled with conflicts of interest, Eisen said. Preet was the most influential U.S. attorney in the country, and the Trump Organization is in his district.

The call for the U.S. attorneys to resign came just two days after a trio of government watchdogs  including CREW  sent a letter to Bhararas office asking for an investigation of whether Trump was illegally receiving benefits from foreign governments.

We call on you as the United States attorney for the jurisdiction where the Trump Organization is located to exercise your responsibility to investigate and take appropriate action to ensure that the Trump Organization and related Trump business enterprises do not receive payments and financial benefits from foreign governments that benefit President Trump.

It is not unusual for a new administration to seek the dismissal of political appointees, particularly those of a different party.

A spokeswoman for Sessions, Sarah Isgur Flores, said in a statement that Sessions sought the resignations to ensure a smooth transition to the Trump administration.

In March 1993, then-Atty. Gen. Janet Reno sought the resignations of U.S. attorneys appointed by President George H.W. Bush, a move that sparked intense criticism from conservative commentators.

Still, attorneys general under Obama and President George W. Bush generally tried to stagger departures over a few months.

During his tenure, Bharara earned a reputation as a crusader against corruption.

In 2015, Bharara led the case against former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, who was convicted of charges that he traded favors in exchange for $5 million and then lied about it. Bharara and his team said Silver passed tax-abatement and rent-control legislation that favored developers while some of New Yorks biggest developers hired a small law firm that secretly sent $700,000 in fees to the then-speaker. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Last year, Bhararas office began investigating New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. The investigation centers on whether De Blasio or members of his administration traded beneficial city action for donations to his 2013 mayoral campaign. No charges have been filed.

Prior to becoming the U.S. attorney, Bharara served as an assistant U.S. attorney in New York, where he prosecuted a wide range of cases involving organized crime, racketeering, securities fraud, money laundering, and narcotics trafficking, according to the Justice Department website.

Bharara had a high profile in New York, but also obtained an odd fame in Turkey last year after announcing that a grand jury had indicted a controversial Turkish Iranian businessman on suspicion of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran. Shortly after the announcement, Bharara gained almost 250,000 followers on Twitter, most of them Turkish.

kurtis.lee@latimes.com

Twitter: @kurtisalee

barbara.demick@latimes.com

Twitter: @BarbaraDemick

Lee reported from Los Angeles and Demick from New York. Staff writer Del Quentin Wilber in Washington contributed to this report.

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Its nearing the last call  at least in Utah  for a definition of drunk driving thats become the unofficial national standard.

Lawmakers in the state passed a measure last week to lower the legal blood-alcohol concentration for driving from .08% to .05%.

Currently, all 50 states have a .08% cap. Utah would become the first state in the nation to adopt a more stringent standard and, traffic safety advocates hope, encourage other states to do the same.

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The National Transportation Safety Board has called on states for years to redefine what constitutes drunk driving. The legislation is expected to be signed by Republican Gov. Gary R. Herbert.

The time was long overdue for this, said state Rep. Norman Thurston, a Republican from Provo, who championed the legislation. This is about behavior and we hope that other states take a close look and move in a similar direction.

In Utah, which has long held a tense relationship with alcohol  Mormons make up 60% of the state population and are not supposed to drink booze  lawmakers this session addressed a handful of proposals focused on regulation. They include, among other things, the new blood-alcohol level and how beers and cocktails are prepared at restaurants.

For Thurston, lowering the blood-alcohol limit is about public safety.

The NTSB push to lower the threshold for drunk driving was highlighted in a 2013 report that noted that fatal crashes decreased 18% in Queensland and 8% in New South Wales after those Australian states changed their blood-alcohol limits.

The agency also called for other measures, such as expanding the use of devices that prevent impaired drivers from starting vehicles.

Deaths related to drunk driving nearly doubled in Utah between 2013 and 2014, increasing from 23 to 45. Conversely, drunk driving fatalities nationally have fallen by a third in the last three decades, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nationally, 28 people die every day in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver, according to the agency.

Still, some critics of the Utah legislation say it could harm the states tourism industry; they say other measures could better promote public safety.

Why not just make it a 0.00% limit? Im not sure this does much in terms of keeping the public safe, said state Sen. Luz Escamilla, a Democrat from Salt Lake City. We should be creating laws that have real impact  not just ones that are symbolic.

Escamilla said effective measures include a mandatory seat-belt law, which she helped sponsor for seven years and finally was able to get her colleagues to pass this legislative session.

About Thurstons measure, she added, If anything, it just keeps Utah in line with having a weird image toward alcohol.

Escamillas view is shared by groups such as the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Assn., which represents more than 100 establishments.

Its a terrible law, said Michele T. Corigliano, the groups executive director, who is lobbying Herbert to veto the measure. We feel that because .05% is so low its going to put a lot people in jail who should not be in jail. Its an extremely low-level  people who use too much mouthwash could be targeted.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates a blood-alcohol concentration of .05%  about three drinks in one hour for a 160-pound man  causes, among other things, altered coordination, reduced ability to track moving objects and difficulty steering a motor vehicle. Several European countries  such as France and Germany  have blood-alcohol limits of .05.

Utahs fraught relationship with alcohol stems from the states connection with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a faith that condemns its use.

Even so, annual liquor sales have increased, up from $367.2 million in 2014 to $396.4 million in 2015, according to the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. How liquor is prepared at restaurants is also an issue Utah lawmakers addressed in the 45-day legislative session that came to a close last week.

In 2009, a law was passed that required restaurants to erect a wall or partition  known as a Zion curtain to locals  at least 7 feet 2 inches high to shield patrons from seeing alcohol being mixed, poured or prepared. The law dismayed many in the restaurant industry.

Under a compromise proposal passed in recent weeks, restaurants would be allowed to stop using the Zion curtain if they set up a child-free buffer zone around their bar  either a 5-foot zone marked off by something similar to a railing or a 10-foot open area.

Herbert supports the new legislation.

Derek Monson, director of public policy at the Sutherland Institute, a conservative think tank based in Salt Lake City, says it comes down to keeping a clear distinction between a bar and a restaurant.

People go to restaurants to eat, enjoy others  drinking is not the sole reason, said Monson, whose group supports keeping the Zion curtain. But here there is some leeway and establishments can now choose what they want to implement.

Doug Hofeling, chief operating officer of Salt Lake Brewing Co., says his establishments will probably choose the buffer option.

Its a positive that this Zion curtain is going away, or at least not mandatory, Hofeling said, though he fears that losing seats in his restaurants to make space for the buffer zones will cost him business.

In the restaurant business, anytime youre losing seats, its never good, he said.

kurtis.lee@latimes.com

Twitter: @kurtisalee

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In the battle over public lands, House Republicans recently carried out a raid. In early January, the House approved a small change to the rules dictating how federal land can be transferred to state or local governments, doing away with a requirement that the value of offloaded land be offset in the federal budget.

Its a detail with far-reaching consequences. Calling the change outrageous and absurd, Arizona Rep. Raul M. Grijalva explained in a letter to fellow Democrats that the revision allows Congress to give away every single piece of property we own, for free, and pretend we have lost nothing of any value.

The legitimate concern here is that states are more likely than Washington to sell off public land to private parties. But the truth is that the federal government has been quietly trading away public land for decades  to corporations, developers and, increasingly, wealthy private citizens  through an innocuous-sounding process known as a land exchange.

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Land exchanges are swaps between federal agencies, or between federal agencies and a private landowner: Ill give you this tract if you give me that tract. In theory, exchanges must be in the public interest; a federal agency should agree to one only if it benefits the American people.

The federal government has been quietly trading away public land for decades...through an innocuous-sounding process known as a land exchange.

In recent decades, however, this bureaucratic tool has become a backdoor auction block for the 1%.

One such exchange is pending in Colorado. Leslie Wexner, the Ohio-based billionaire and CEO of the L Brands corporation, the parent company of Victorias Secret and Bath & Body Works, is trying to acquire 1,300 acres of public land that sit in the middle of his 4,000-acre estate near Aspen. In return, Wexner would give the public a 557-acre property near a popular recreation area and a 112-acre plot in a trail network used by mountain bikers.

By law, federal agencies must consider the market value of the lands involved before approving a swap. But Wexners proposal, as local activists have pointed out, appears to grossly undervalue the land Wexner would be getting, and fails to account for value that would be added to his estate by joining his various properties into one. Wexner has paid more than $15,000 per acre for nearby properties, whereas the proposal values the public land at only $2,500 per acre.

Besides, prior to the proposal, the land Wexner is offering was not on any government wish list, while the land hes seeking sits at the base of Mt. Sopris, a spectacular 13,000-foot peak.

How does it benefit American citizens if Colorado loses backcountry, and Wexner gets a contiguous estate? With the new land in his holdings, Wexner could turn around and sell the estate for a market-determined price and make a significant profit.

Not all land exchanges invite controversy. In fact, land swaps have long been the means by which public and private landowners consolidate property. They are particularly common in the West, where close to half of all land is public, and where 19th century settlement measures like the Homestead Act resulted in a sometimes illogical patchwork of public and private ownership. Railroad land grants, for instance, which gave railroads alternating square-mile plots along tracks, created an especially unfavorable pattern of ownership still known as the checkerboards.

Historically, most land swaps were initiated by the government  to return pockets of private land to the public domain, say, or to consolidate areas overseen by different agencies under the jurisdiction of one. Over time, however, the deals evolved to include large real-estate transactions, and now the majority of exchanges are initiated by private landowners, according to Western Lands Project, a nonprofit that bird-dogs the trades.

Dubious exchanges first made news in the 1990s. In a series titled Trading Away the West, the Seattle Times documented a rash of bad swaps across the Pacific Northwest, where, in an effort to consolidate the checkerboards, the Forest Service traded old-growth forest to timber companies in exchange for clear-cuts. Swaps done in the early 1990s in Nevada by the Bureau of Land Management later were found to be obviously disadvantageous. (According to an audit report released by the Interior Department, one trade gave 70 acres valued at $763,000 to a private party who flipped it for $4.6 million on the same day.)

Wexners deal represents the latest incarnation of the land exchange, in which wealthy citizens try to acquire vast tracts of public land for their private use. These swaps elicit strong local opposition. In the mid-1990s, a Salt Lake City entrepreneur sought 580 acres of Wyomings Targhee National Forest for a family retreat, and, as an opponent told the Seattle Times, people went ballistic. The public was similarly riled when, in 2002, an Oregon businessman tried to get 400 acres of the Deschutes National Forest, and in 2004, when an Arizona anesthesiologist sought 15,000 acres of the Prescott National Forest.

Colorado is arguably ground zero for this sort of overreach. One of the first known new-style land exchanges in Wexners valley was completed in 1995 by Sue Anschutz-Rodgers, the oil heiress and sister of Philip Anschutz. According to Bureau of Land Management records, Anschutz-Rodgers gave the agency 1,120 acres in exchange for 2,748 acres that sat between her two ranches.

South of Wexners estate in 2010, Bill Koch attempted a doozy of a land swap. The energy tycoon and lesser-known brother of the conservative activists David and Charles, Bill Koch tried to get 1,800 acres of public land that divide his 4,500-acre private estate, where he was building an entire Old West town  and he tried to get it quietly, with legislation in Washington. Then it came out that Koch had donated generously to one of the sponsors of his land-swap legislation, former Colorado Rep. John Salazar, and that Salazar had gone on a hunting trip on Kochs ranch. For these and other reasons, locals firmly opposed the exchange.

The deals sought by Koch and Wexner are the culmination of a singularly manipulative approach to federal land exchanges. Unlike timber companies, which ended up in checkerboard situations, Koch and Wexner appear to have purchased neighboring properties in order to create a buffer of private land around the public land in question. (Wexner spent more than $85 million on 12 different properties, effectively surrounding the public land.) Like Koch, Wexner initially attempted his swap with legislation  the stealthier route, because congressional trades do not require a public comment period. And both deals were brokered by the same well-connected consulting company, Western Land Group, whose exchanges and practices have been questioned in the past.

Three decades of inequitable land exchanges paved the way for the stunning idea implicit in the House Republicans rule change: That federal lands quite literally have no value. The private interests who try to acquire public lands through federal exchanges know that they do.

Abby Aguirre is an editor for Opinion. She previously wrote about federal land exchanges for the New Yorker.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook

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The battle in Congress over how to replace former President Obamas healthcare law is about much more than health insurance. Its the first legislative skirmish in a larger struggle over what Trumpism, Donald Trumps presidential agenda, will turn out to be in practice.

Can Trump succeed in remaking the Republican Party in his populist image? Or will the more traditional conservatives who lead the GOP majority in Congress domesticate the president and limit his agenda to the parts they like?

Trump ran for the White House with an ambitious list of promises that helped attract millions of middle-income voters who once supported Democrats.

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He pledged to boost economic growth with tax cuts and deregulation; revive manufacturing jobs with new trade restrictions; end illegal immigration; replace Obamacare with something better and cheaper; and do it all without cutting Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.

Some of those goals were shared by traditional conservatives, especially tax cuts and deregulation. Others were not; House Speaker Paul Ryan and most of his members have long maintained that balancing the federal budget requires reining in spending on Social Security and Medicare.

Trump has long boasted of his prowess as a negotiator, but hes never negotiated with House Republicans before.

Trump doesnt owe his election to the party establishment in Congress. He ran against it, and sometimes described Ryan as part of the problem. But the healthcare bill Ryan introduced last week does not reflect that reality.

Based on the repeal-and-replace bill Ryan drew up last year, before Trump was elected,the proposed legislation is not at all populist. It includes a big tax cut for wealthy investors. It breaks several promises Trump made in the campaign, including pledges not to touch Medicaid and to expand treatment for opioid addiction. It will reduce subsidies for older low-income workers, many of whom were Trump voters.

If Trump really wanted to turn the GOP into a workers party, as hes claimed, this might be an obvious place to start. Instead, eager to replace Obamacare at any cost, the president endorsed the bill and even began lobbying for it.

Thats one signal that GOP legislation under Trump wont always reflect Trumpist-populist rhetoric.

Heres another: Its fiscal conservatives, not moderates, who are most vocally opposed to Ryans plan. Members of the House Freedom Caucus, heirs of the tea party, think the bill is too expensive  too populist, in a sense. They want to speed up the process of cutting back federal subsidies for state-run Medicaid programs. Trump said hes willing to negotiate with the holdouts, potentially moving the bill even further from his initial promises.

Trump has long boasted of his prowess as a negotiator, but hes never negotiated with House Republicans before. If the Ryan bill gets stuck, Trumps image as a Man of Action will take a hit. If it passes, he may still look like a Man of Action, but certainly not like a Man of the People.

And this is only the first legislative battle of many.

Trumps populism will face a similar test when he seeks a tax reform bill, the centerpiece of his economic agenda.

His treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, has suggested a big tax cut for the middle class, with no net tax cut for the wealthy.

But thats not what most Republicans in Congress have in mind. Their draft tax bills include big cuts for the well-off, and much smaller cuts for low- and middle-income earners.

Well see the same dynamic again when Trump produces his infrastructure plan, now postponed until next year. Stephen K. Bannon, the White House aide who has championed infrastructure spending as a way to create jobs for construction workers, has suggested a $1-trillion bill including hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal coffers. Fiscal conservatives in Congress, however, would like to minimize those figures and focus the plan on tax incentives, not spending.

In each case, will Trump insist on getting his way, or settle for what the Ryan-led Congress gives him, as hes done with the Obamacare replacement?

Trump told his working-class voters that hed give them a new form of Republicanism  an activist government that would deliver on manufacturing jobs, infrastructure projects and better health insurance.

He can keep some of his promises without Congress, through executive action. But much of his agenda will need legislation to become real. So far, the GOP in Congress isnt falling in line; and Trump isnt cracking the whip. If thats the pattern for the next four years, Trumpism may not look much different from traditional conservatism  except for the tweets.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @DoyleMcManus

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TV ads target lawmakers on the fence over Gov. Jerry Browns plan to raise gas taxes to repair roads By Patrick McGreevy Gov. Jerry Brown talks to Steve Glazer in 2011, when Glazer was still an advisor to the governor and before he was elected to the Senate. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) With supporters of a road repair bill still counting votes, a coalition of business and labor leaders on Friday began running television and radio ads that target eight legislators who have not yet committed to vote for the measure. The Fix Our Roads Coalition is spending $1 million on a statewide, week-long ad blitz that urges legislators to vote next week for Senate Bill 1. The bill would raise gas taxes and vehicle fees to generate $52 billion the first 10 years to repair crumbling roads, highways and bridges, and expand mass transit. We are closer than ever to finally passing a transportation funding package to fix our long-neglected and crumbling roads, said Michael Quigley, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs, which is co-funding the commercials. These new ads are part of an all-out grassroots, earned media, advertising and social media campaign to support passage of this bill by next week. In addition to ads that call on legislators to support the bill, eight advertisements call on legislators by name to support the plan. Those targeted include Sens. Steve Glazer (D-Concord) and Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres), and moderate Democratic Assembly members Adam Gray of Merced, Rudy Salas of Bakersfield, Sabrina Cervantes of Corona, Sharon Quirk-Silva of Buena Park and Al Muratsuchi of Torrance, as well as Republican Catharine Baker of San Ramon. The bill needs a two-thirds vote in both houses, which would require all of the Democrats to support the measure. Cannella and Baker are being wooed by Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders to step in if one of the Democrats gets cold feet. Representatives of Cannella and Glazer said earlier this week that they were still weighing the issue. Brown and legislative leaders have called for the Legislature to act by Thursday, after which time the lawmakers head out on spring break. Facebook

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Former Assembly Speaker John A. Perezs views on the L.A. congressional race he dropped out of By Christine Mai-Duc (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Before he suddenly dropped out of the running citing health reasons, former Assembly Speaker John A. Perez was widely considered the favorite to replace Xavier Becerra in the 34th Congressional District. With Perez out, the race is wide open and isnt likely to be decided Tuesday, when 24 candidates compete in the primary. Instead, the top two vote-getters regardless of party are expected to advance to a June 6 election. (If any one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote Tuesday, its all over). Perez offered his thoughts on the race in an interview published Friday by Politico. Some of his major points: Perez said he thinks state Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez is significantly ahead of the pack and will make the runoff.

A cluster of candidates, including Alejandra Campoverdi, Wendy Carrillo, Arturo Carmona, Maria Cabildo and Robert Lee Ahn, are in a close enough race that any one of them could advance.

If Carrillo were to move forward, Perez says, the narrative in the runoff would be about which candidate is more progressive and whos an insider versus an outsider.

Perez says if he were the front runner, Campoverdi is the one Id be most concerned about running against due to her connections in Washington and her national profile, which could create a new level of viability. Facebook

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To fight against human trafficking, this state senator wants to train motel employees to spot signs of abuse By Jazmine Ulloa Former Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times) State Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) wants to increase services for human trafficking survivors and make it easier in court to put away their abusers. Flanked by prosecutors and hotel industry officials at a news conference Friday in San Diego, the former Assembly speaker announced new housing and mental health assistance for victims and introduced legislation that would require hotels and motels to train their employees to spot signs of human trafficking. Another of her proposals would expand the character evidence that prosecutors can bring forth at trial against defendants charged with selling victims for sex or labor. The bills are meant to attack a multibillion-dollar trade that has a wide sweep in California, home to three cities on the FBIs list of 13 top human trafficking destinations: San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles. National human trafficking hotline calls across California generated 1,323 cases in 2016  nearly twice as many as any other state. Atkins is among lawmakers pushing the issue at the Capitol, where legislation has focused on targeting traffickers, protecting victims and addressing what advocates say is a law enforcement culture in which child survivors sometimes are treated like criminals. But funding for victims services and programs has been an obstacle. A bill by Atkins to develop pilot projects in three counties to address the commercial sexual exploitation of youth sailed through the Legislature without opposition last year only to be vetoed by the governor. Her second bill for a statewide task force died in the Senate appropriations committee. Atkins latest proposal to provide training for motel employees follows a similar bill by Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). It failed in the last legislative session amid opposition over costs to businesses. That hasnt stopped Atkins from trying again. Hotels are ground zero for sex trafficking in this state, she said in a statement. Sex traffickers are exploiting some of the most vulnerable people in our society, including children. These victims are often hiding in plain sight, and traffickers take advantage of the fact that many hotel employees dont recognize the signs. Facebook

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State Controller Betty Yee says Californias tax collection agency has been mismanaged and needs a complete overhaul By Patrick McGreevy Citing a review that found widespread mismanagement at the state Board of Equalization, State Controller Betty T. Yee on Friday called for stripping the panel of responsibilities for tax administration and audit and compliance functions so it can focus on handling taxpayer appeals. Yees proposal came in response to an evaluation by the state Department of Finance that found board officials were improperly redirecting resources and employees to pet projects in their districts. In order to rebuild taxpayer trust, meaningful reform is essential, said Yee, who serves as an ex-officio member of the board. I urge the Legislature and the governor to strip the board members of all statutory functions and permanently move these duties and assigned staff to a separate new department under the governor. The Department of Finance review found the board had difficulty providing complete and accurate documentation in response to inquiries, and various levels of management were not aware of and could not speak to certain actions, including the informal establishment of a call center, creating an unofficial office location and inconsistent use of community liaisons. The evaluation said personnel records showed workers assigned to administrative jobs that they were not doing, having been transferred to help board members in their districts. Even though each elected board member has a $1.5-million budget to cover office costs, some members borrowed workers from the head office, taking them from jobs that involved bringing in tax money and having them instead reach out to board members constituents, the review found. The redirection of workers violated state budget rules. In addition, the reviewers said the board provided 11 different versions of its proposed sales and use tax allocation adjustment and the Department of Finance found errors and omissions throughout. Facebook

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Sen. Kamala Harris has opened a gubernatorial fundraising account  but she has no plans to run for governor, aide says By Seema Mehta (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) Sen. Kamala Harris opened a campaign fundraising account to run for governor in 2026, but that does not mean Californias newest U.S. senator has any plans to seek the office. Harris plans to use the account to store the $1 million in leftover funds from her successful 2014 reelection campaign for attorney general, said Sean Clegg, Harris political spokesman. Harris left her post as state attorney general mid-term when she was elected in November to the Senate seat opening created by the retirement of Barbara Boxer. She faced a March 31 deadline to shutter the attorney general account, and under election law cannot mingle money raised for state campaigns with funds raised to run for federal office. Its purely political bookkeeping, Clegg said. The 2026 date could raise eyebrows because after the 2018 gubernatorial election, that will likely be the next time the governors office is open because its occupant is termed out. But Clegg said Harris did not open an account for a lower office like lieutenant governor  as politicians in similar situations typically do  because, he said, we werent interested in being cute about it. So we designated the only potential future office one could conceivably contemplate, although were not contemplating it, he said. Were focused on the job were doing. Facebook

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This California lawmaker wants to crack down on toys and electronics that pick up conversations and personal information By Jazmine Ulloa State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), left (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press ) A California state senator wants to prevent companies from selling products that can listen in on conversations and collect personal information from unknowing consumers. Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) has filed legislation that would require manufacturers to equip their Internet-connected devices, including toys, clocks, kitchenware and electronics, with certain security and privacy features. Dubbed the Teddy Bear and Toaster Act, Senate Bill 327 takes aim at the so-called Internet of Things, the inter-networking of everyday devices that some tech and privacy experts say amounts to a growing industry with little oversight. The more we know and the more we learn about the Internet connection of all sorts of devices, many are realizing that we dont know the extent to which these devices are invading our lives, Jackson said. Under her proposal, companies would have to design their products so that they alert consumers  through visual, auditory or other cues  when they are gathering data. They would have to obtain user consent when they intend to transfer the information. And they would have to disclose at point of sale whether the devices are capable of sweeping up sensitive data, so that customers can take that into account while shopping. Most states, including California, have privacy breach laws to protect personal information. The proposal, which would extend those provisions to consumer devices, could be the first of its kind nationwide. But it is expected to garner wide opposition from retailers and manufacturers. A My Friend Cayla doll (AFP/Getty Images) Still, supporters point to growing privacy concerns. Some toys, like the My Friend Cayla doll banned in Germany, prompt children to give personal information, such as their parents names and their addresses, and their manufacturers reserve the right to target young buyers in direct marketing campaigns. Other smart devices lack the most basic security features that make them vulnerable to a hack or coordinated cyberattack. In a statement, James P. Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Kids Action, which is sponsoring the bill, said such toys and electronics can put consumers at risk. These products get rushed out to the market without the privacy issues being addressed in advance, and then consumers end up paying the price, he said. Facebook

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President Jerry Brown? Dont rule it out, governor quips By Patrick McGreevy Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislative leaders appealed Thursday for support for a proposed gas tax and vehicle fee increase to fix the states roads and bridges. (Patrick McGreevy / Los Angeles Times) In arguing for approval of a new transportation package on Thursday, Gov. Jerry Brown appeared to enjoy himself in refusing to shoot down a supporters suggestion that he run for president  even as he noted his 79th birthday is next week. Standing next to other elected officials and construction workers at the rally in in Concord, Brown argued that gas tax and vehicle fee increases are needed to address a backlog of much-needed repairs to Californias crumbling system of roads, highways and bridges. Im telling you the truth because why would I lie to you? Brown said. I dont think Im running for office. All Ive got left is lieutenant governor, treasurer and controller. Or president, someone in the crowd shouted. Brown responded that he would be 82 when the next presidential election comes around. But you know, dont rule it out, he quipped, drawing laughter and applause. Lest the comment turn into a national story, an aide later clarified the governors intentions: He was joking. Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown is making appeals to legislators for votes on his new transportation plan  one district at a time By Patrick McGreevy Gov. Jerry Brown stumps for the new transportation funding plan on Thursday in the Bay Area city of Concord. (Patrick McGreevy / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders on Thursday took their campaign for higher transportation taxes and fees to the Bay Area district of state Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Concord), one of the holdouts in the state Senate who has not yet committed to vote for the package. Surrounded by dozens of construction workers, Brown warned that if the transportation bill unveiled on Wednesday isnt approved this year, it may not happen in the foreseeable future. There is nothing more fundamental in the business of government than making sure the roads and bridges dont fall apart, and they are falling apart, Brown said. Glazer recently withheld his vote from a bill proposing a similar plan for repairing state bridges, roads and highways, and on Wednesday, a spokesman said he had still not committed to any plan but wanted to review the detailed proposal before taking a position. Construction workers at the rally held signs that pictured crumbling roads and said, Senator Glazer Fix This Now. Vote for SB 1. Brown said Glazer, his former senior advisor, does not disagree with the intent of the bill. He loves this plan, but he has another idea on his mind and he wants to marry the two and see if he can get some outcomes that I dont want to get into at this particular place, Brown told reporters. Sen. Jim Beall, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said Glazer wants the transportation funding bill to include a clause barring employees of Bay Area Rapid Transit from going on strike. Beall said that is a labor-relations issue that cannot be included in the bill raising taxes. You cant do that, Beall said. A spokesman for Glazer said the senator is still undecided on the bill. The senator is continuing to have conversations with the principals, said Steve Harmon, a spokesman for Glazer. He declined to comment on Bealls statement. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said there may be similar rallies in Los Angeles and Riverside in the coming days. Two other Democrats who have not yet committed to the plan are Riverside Sen. Richard Roth and Woodland Hills Sen. Henry Stern. Brown acknowledged that there is work to do to secure the two-thirds vote needed in both houses of the Legislature to raise the base excise tax on gasoline by 12 cents per gallon, to a total of 30 cents per gallon, and to create a new annual vehicle fee that would average $51 based on the value of the car or truck. Rendon said approval of the transportation bill would cost the average California motorist an extra $10 per month, which he said is a deal compared to the current cost of $720 in annual vehicle repair costs required because of running over potholes and other rough road conditions. Hoping to force a Senate vote on the package early next week, Brown was accompanied to the Concord news conference by Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). They urged lawmakers to support the bill, which would generate $5.2 billion annually for the first 10 years for road and bridge repairs, mass transit improvements and other projects to reduce congestion. Glazer, known as a maverick in the Legislature, was Browns campaign manager during the 2010 gubernatorial election and remained a senior advisor to the governor before running for the state Senate in a special election in 2015. ---- 1:23 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from a representative for state Sen. Steve Glazer. This article was originally published at 12:42 p.m. Facebook

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Who will be Californias next governor? New poll shows Newsom leads with 1 in 3 voters undecided By Seema Mehta (Nick Ut / Associated Press) In the race to replace termed-out Gov. Jerry Brown, the largest number of voters in a new statewide poll does not favor a candidate in the race. About 1 in 3 voters said they were undecided, according to the survey by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Among candidates who have entered the race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a strong lead with 28% of the vote, followed by Republican businessman John Cox with 18%, according to the poll, which was released Wednesday. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa clocks in at 11%, state Treasurer John Chiang at 8% and former state schools chief Delaine Eastin at 3%. Because the race is far away and public campaigning has not yet started in earnest, the poll could primarily be an indicator of name recognition. The field of candidates is also likely to grow. Newsom has several natural advantages: He was the first person to enter the race in 2015 and has a large fundraising edge. He has perhaps been the candidate most in the spotlight among the Democrats running, notably for his support of the marijuana legalization measure on the November ballot. Cox may have benefited from being the lone Republican in that version of the poll. Pollsters conducted a second version of the poll with five additional potential candidates, none of whom have announced a run for governor in 2018  San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon and former state Controller Steve Westly. Newsom still led the pack to come in at 24%. The two Republicans, Faulconer and Cox, tied at 11% each. Faulconer has said he does not plan to run for governor. Garcetti, Villaraigosa, Chiang, Steyer, De Leon, Westly and Eastin all placed in the single digits. Steyer and Westly have the personal wealth to self-fund a campaign, giving them time to decide whether to enter the race. Westly unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2006, losing in the Democratic primary to state Treasurer Phil Angelides. In the 2018 contest, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the June primary will move onto the November general election. The poll of 1,000 registered voters in California was conducted online in English and Spanish between March 13 and 20, and has a margin of error in either direction of 3.6%. Facebook

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California legislators team up to expand John Muir National Historic Site By Sarah D. Wire Californias senators and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) filed legislation Thursday to add 44 acres to the John Muir National Historic Site. The John Muir Heritage Land Trust has offered to donate the additional land to the National Park Service, which operates the site, and the bill would authorize the agency to accept the parcel. The time John Muir spent with his daughters at their scenic home and its neighboring property played a major role in launching the national parks movement. Expanding the existing park to preserve more of this history and beauty is a fitting tribute to Muirs legacy of protecting land for all to enjoy, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a statement. Located about 30 miles east of San Francisco, the John Muir National Historic Site consists of Muirs Alhambra Valley home and 325 acres outside of Martinez. DeSaulnier said in a statement that expanding the property is a fitting celebration of his legacy, and will offer nature-goers greater access to enjoy the beauty of the East Bay. DeSaulnier sponsored the same bill last year, which passed the House unanimously but was not considered by the Senate. Feinstein and former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) carried the Senate version, which died after a committee hearing. Such bills often take a few attempts to pass, even without major opposition. Muirs writings helped inspire the creation of the National Park Service, starting with his lobbying of Congress to protect the Yosemite Valley from dams. He also was a founding member of the Sierra Club. Californians owe him a debt of gratitude, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said in a statement. Facebook

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Californias attorney general could investigate local police shootings under new legislation By Liam Dillon Attorney John Burris, center, comforts Robert and Deborah Mann, family members of Joseph Mann, who was killed by Sacramento Police in July, after a news conference on Oct. 3, 2016. (Rich Pedroncelli / AP) Californias attorney general could investigate local police shootings under a new bill authored by a Sacramento lawmaker. Democratic Assemblyman Kevin McCartys Assembly Bill 284 would allow local police departments or district attorneys to ask Atty. Gen. Xavier Becceras office to independently investigate police shootings of civilians. The legislation was prompted by high-profile police killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Eric Garner in New York City and last summers police shooting of Joseph Mann, a mentally ill homeless man, in Sacramento, according to McCartys office. In all three cases, local prosecutors declined to charge the officers. There is a growing skepticism and a perceived conflict of interest, of the current process of local district attorneys investigating local police, said a fact sheet on the bill provided by McCartys office. Given that they work so closely, it is a valid question of whether this is the most transparent process for the public. There is a growing appetite, both at the national and local level, to create a better and more transparent system for [police shootings] that is fair to police, families, and the community in order to restore public trust. McCartys bill would make state investigations voluntary in these cases and would be implemented only if lawmakers also give Becceras office money to pay for the effort. In 2015, McCarty tried to pass legislation that would have made state investigations of local police shootings mandatory, but that bill failed to make it out of legislative committees. This year, lawmakers have generally scaled back prior efforts to change the states rules governing police discipline and transparency. Facebook

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Former offenders will help award millions in Proposition 47 grants to rehabilitate inmates By Jazmine Ulloa We have listened to law enforcement talk about how horrible Prop. 47 is, said Vonya Quarles, an advocate for the formerly incarcerated. Now we have a chance to help the people who are hurting. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)) California officials will begin the process this spring of awarding $103 million in grants to programs for inmates centered on rehabilitation, substance abuse and reentry into society. The efforts will be funded with dollars saved from prison spending under Proposition 47, the sweeping 2014 ballot measure that downgraded six drug and theft crimes to misdemeanors and allowed defendants to renegotiate their punishments. For the large coalition of criminal justice advocates that poured millions into getting the proposition passed and that has closely tracked its implementation, this is a long-awaited step. Other states have passed similar laws, but California is the only state to invest those savings into services meant to help people stay out of prison. On the executive committee helping award the grants are formerly incarcerated people who know the system from the inside. Read More Facebook

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What would single-payer healthcare look like in California? Lawmakers release new details By Melanie Mason Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A proposal in California for a single-payer healthcare system would dramatically expand the state governments presence in medical care and slash the role of insurance companies. New amendments released Thursday fill in some key details on the universal healthcare measure proposed by state Sens. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), although the biggest political question  how it would be paid for  remains unanswered. Under the proposal, which was announced in February, the state would cover all medical expenses for every resident regardless of their income or immigration status, including inpatient, outpatient, emergency services, dental, vision, mental health and nursing home care. Insurers would be prohibited from offering benefits that cover the same services as the state. The program would eliminate co-pays and deductibles, and patients would not need to get referrals to see eligible providers. The system would be administered by an unpaid nine-person board appointed by the governor and the Legislature. A universal healthcare system run by the government has long been a dream of liberals, with many rallying behind insurgent Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders proposal for Medicare for all in the 2016 race. After a GOP effort to replace Obamacare stalled last week, Sanders said he intends to introduce a nationwide single-payer bill in the U.S. Senate. Proponents in California, who are no longer playing defense to preserve the Affordable Care Act, also touted a broader healthcare plan. With Republicans failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Californians really get what is at stake with their healthcare, Lara said in a statement. We have the chance to make universal healthcare a reality now. Its time to talk about how we get to healthcare for all that covers more and costs less. The cost  sure to be the biggest hurdle for the measure  so far remains unknown. The authors say they intend to pay for the program through broad-based revenue, but details of a funding proposal have not been hashed out. Gov. Jerry Brown sounded wary of a sprawling single-payer plan while speaking to reporters last week on his trip to Washington D.C. Where do you get the extra money? This is the whole question, Brown said. The bill is sponsored by the California Nurses Assn., which already has been rallying its members in support of the bill, SB 562. There has been a seismic shift in our political system through grassroots activism; we have an inspired, motivated base that will make its voice heard, RoseAnn DeMoro, the labor groups president, said in a statement. Facebook

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California backs San Francisco court challenge of Trump administration threat to withhold funds from sanctuary cities By Patrick McGreevy Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Wednesday he has filed an amicus brief supporting San Franciscos court challenge to President Trumps order targeting so-called sanctuary cities and counties that refuse to enforce federal immigration laws. The move marks a half-dozen times the state has filed briefs supporting legal challenges to various Trump orders. Last week, Becerra filed papers supporting a lawsuit by Santa Clara County. That case and San Franciscos challenge the legality of the Trump administrations threats to withhold federal funds from states and local jurisdictions that the administration deems to be sanctuary jurisdictions. Becerras brief cites Californias interest in protecting state laws and policies that ensure public safety and protect the constitutional rights of its residents. Threatening to take away resources from sheriffs and police officers in order to promote misguided views on federal immigration policy is reckless and puts public safety at risk, Becerra said in a statement. It is the right and responsibility of California and each state under the Constitution to determine how it will provide for the safety and general welfare of its residents and to safeguard their constitutional rights. Facebook

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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti asks the federal government to define a sanctuary city By Sarah D. Wire View Instagram post Amid a new call from the Trump administration to cut off federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck had a question for the head of Homeland Security on Wednesday: What exactly is a sanctuary city? Garcetti and Beck joined a bipartisan handful of mayors and law enforcement leaders from across the country in Washington to air their concerns about President Trumps recent executive orders on immigration to Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly. Los Angeles is among the jurisdictions  often called sanctuary cities  that dont assist with federal immigration enforcement. State and local leaders in California have said they will continue to protect people in the country illegally despite the Trump administrations threats. After the closed-door meeting, mayors and police chiefs said their main request for Kelly was for a firm definition of what the federal government considers a sanctuary city. We think that as long as were complying with federal law then we shouldnt be labeled with whatever label intimates that were not, Beck said. Were looking for clarification; we are looking to be involved in the conversation so that decisions arent made that affect us without our input. Homeland Security spokesman Dave Lapan said the department is working on a definition but does not have a timeline for when it would be finalized. Although there is no legal definition of the term, the administration has seemed to define sanctuary jurisdictions as ones that dont comply when Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks them to detain prisoners after they have served their sentences so they can be picked up for deportation. Multiple federal courts have said the detainer orders differ from an official warrant and are not legal justification for holding someone who has served his or her sentence or is no longer under arrest. Los Angeles is one of several cities in California that does not hold people for immigration officials without a warrant, and Garcetti said that is going to continue. We see it as abiding by the Constitution, because there is case law that says we cant hold people for longer than permitted, Garcetti said after the meeting. Lapan said the Department of Homeland Security is working on ways to address concerns about the legality of holding someone for immigration officials, as well as the concerns of mayors of cities that have laws instructing law enforcement officers not to comply with immigration officials. Part of having this discussion is to find out, How can we get around this? Lapan said. If we are dealing with a criminal alien, somebody who is both in the country unlawfully and has committed crimes, the best place for us to take them into custody is in a jail or prison. Thats the safest for everyone, both our officers and the communities. Garcetti also disputes the administrations assertion that it can withhold federal funds from cities that dont comply with ICE orders. Garcetti pointed to a 2012 Supreme Court decision that said the government couldnt withhold Medicaid funds if states chose not to expand access to the program under the Affordable Care Act. I think we all feel on very strong constitutional and legal footing that it was decided in the Obama administration you cant put a legal gun to the head, a financial gun to the head of jurisdictions, whether its states or localities, and take their money if you dont agree with what they are doing in a different area, he said. Garcetti invited Kelly to visit Los Angeles. We need to make sure that we also are showing the perspectives of everyday people in cities like Los Angeles, he said. Garcetti also attended California congressional Democrats weekly lunch and met privately with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) before appearing on an immigration panel hosted by House Democrats. Facebook

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Anti-discrimination measure or blow to religious freedom? California bill sparks debate on employer codes of conduct By Melanie Mason Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A measure that would bar employers from firing workers for having an abortion or giving birth to a child out of wedlock is getting pushback from religious groups who say such a bill would prevent them from requiring employees to act in accordance with their faith. Under the bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego), employers would not be able to discipline or fire workers for any reproductive health decision, such as pregnancy, in-vitro fertilization or abortion. What this bill does is make sure that people can make the best healthcare decisions for themselves and for their families without the fear that theyll risk their livelihoods in doing so, Rebecca Griffin of NARAL Pro-Choice California, a sponsor of the measure, said at a Wednesday afternoon hearing at the Capitol. A teacher at a Christian college in San Diego was fired in 2012 for becoming pregnant while unmarried. The school said her pregnancy violated its employee code of conduct, which prohibited premarital sex. In 2015, San Francisco Archibishop Salvatore Cordileone sparked a backlash when he proposed a new morality clause in the faculty handbook and contract for local Catholic schools that opposed same-sex marriage and certain reproductive medical procedures. With employees being fired for code of conduct violations in other states, proponents said California should set an example for the country, Right now, while were facing a federal government that is attacking reproductive freedom at every turn and condoning the type of discrimination that this bill prohibits, we feel like this is the time for California to take a stand for our values and make sure that our workers have the best protections possible, Griffin said. But the proposal faces opposition from religious groups, who argue such codes of conduct are integral to the relationship with their workers. The bill would specifically deny religious employers our 1st Amendment protections to infuse our codes of conduct with the tenets of our faith, said Sandra Palacios of the California Catholic Conference. The reaction from religious groups was not uniformly negative. The Rev. Rick Schlosser, executive director of the California Council of Churches, which represents mainline Protestant and Orthodox denominations, pointed to the diverse positions on reproductive issues among his groups members to explain his support for the bill. Any legislation that limits peoples ability to make their own moral decisions is harmful to religious freedom, said Schlosser. But other religious groups said the measure threatened to undermine the very purpose of requiring their employees to abide by a code of conduct. An organization specifically chartered to support or oppose a specific set of beliefs or actions cannot fulfill its mission without requiring adherence to a code of conduct, wrote Jonathan Keller, president of the conservative California Family Council, in an opposition letter. Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) asked why such codes of conduct should govern a personal decision an employee makes out of the workplace. Our community covenant does say that our employees are required to uphold our biblical values, and that certainly is a round-the-clock priority for us, responded Phillip Escamilla, the public policy chair of William Jessup University, a Sacramento-area evangelical Christian college Gonzalez Fletcher, herself a practicing Catholic, said she was not trying to unfairly target religious institutions. But, she said, she was trying to combat an inherent sexism that comes with enforcing such codes of conduct. A female employees reproductive decisions  such as entering an abortion clinic or being pregnant out of wedlock  can be seen by her employer, Gonzalez Fletcher said. A males decisions to whether or not theyre going to abide by a conduct never rise to that level, she said. So that inherent difference in how women and men are treated with these types of decisions just show how little privacy women are able to maintain. The bill, AB 569, cleared the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, its first legislative threshold, on a 4-2 vote. Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown, legislative leaders propose raising $5.2 billion annually to repair Californias roads and bridges By Patrick McGreevy (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Acknowledging that the states transportation system has been neglected, Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders on Wednesday announced a proposal to raise gas taxes and vehicle fees to generate more than $5 billion annually for repairing Californias crumbling system of streets, highways and bridges, as well as to increase mass transit. It remains uncertain whether Brown will be able to muster the two-thirds vote in both houses of the Legislature needed to approve the new revenue sources, which include a 12-cent-per-gallon increase in the existing 18-cent base excise tax on gasoline. The package also includes a new, annual vehicle fee that would average about $48 based on the value of the car. The package was announced at a news conference on the Capitol steps attended by Brown, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). California has not approved an increase in the base excise tax on gas for 23 years, according to Brian Kelly, secretary of the California State Transportation Agency. As a result, the state faces a $130-billion backlog of repairs to state highways and bridges and local streets. There is sizable money here to make things better, Kelly said. People are going to get improved neighborhood streets. They are going to get improved highways and bridges, more faith that they are traveling on safe structures. And we are going to invest to improve the congestion into our trade corridors and congestion on their commute. Assembly and Senate Republicans released a joint statement opposing the plan. Californians already pay some of the highest gas taxes in the nation, the statement said. The transportation proposal announced by the Capitol Democrats is a costly and burdensome plan that forces ordinary Californians to bail out Sacramento for years of neglecting our roads. Brown has set a deadline of April 6, the day before the Legislature leaves on its spring break, to have the new package voted on by lawmakers. Because Republicans have generally opposed the tax increases, the package may need the vote of every Democrat to get the two-thirds majority for passage. Three Democratic senators had been holding off their support before the new plan was released. Read More Facebook

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Election officials say mistake on Korean language ballots substantially smaller than previously thought By Christine Mai-Duc (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County election officials say a mistake made on Korean-language sample ballots in the upcoming 34th Congressional District race likely affected fewer than 780 voters. The error, which listed the races 23 candidates in the wrong order on some Korean-language sample ballots, was discovered last week after Korean American voters pointed out their mail-in ballot materials looked different than English-language sample ballots sent to the same home or apartment building. Initially, election officials said they didnt know how widespread the problem was. As a precaution, they sent bilingual notices and corrected sample ballots to all 8,251 voters in the district who received Korean-language sample ballots. None of the sample ballots enclosed with actual mail-in ballots were affected, officials say. In a letter to election officials and L.A. County supervisors Tuesday, the Korean American Coalition called it a violation of federally protected voting rights. The letter asked officials to host a 24-hour hotline for Korean-speaking voters until election day, provide more information on the scope of the error and extend the mail-in voting deadline for those who had received the misprinted ballots. In a response sent Wednesday morning, County Registrar Dean Logan said the error was limited to a small number of sample ballots in a single print run of 777 sample ballots. Based on the agencys review, Logan wrote, it appears that substantially fewer than the 777 voters were affected. The registrars office says it is extending the hours of operation for its voter hotline and staffing it with Korean-speaking operators. Voters concerned that they may have been affected can call 1-800-815-2666 and select option 3 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend. Voters will also see additional signage at polls addressing the issue and Korean-speaking poll workers will be instructed to remind voters to check their ballots. Facebook

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Talks at Capitol focus on boosting California transportation funding by some $5.2 billion annually By Patrick McGreevy On Highway 1 in Big Sur, the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge has buckled, cutting off a community of hundreds from schools and isolating renowned businesses from customer traffic. (Robin Abcarian / Los Angeles Times) With a deadline looming, Gov. Jerry Brown is winding up negotiations with legislators in hopes of reaching an agreement on a plan that would provide at least $5.2 billion annually for a transportation backlog that includes repairing Californias aging and crumbling system of streets, highways and bridges, officials said Tuesday. Those close to the talks said an agreement on the package could be announced as early as Wednesday afternoon. The question remains whether Brown and leaders can muster the two-thirds vote needed to approve a phased-in gas tax increase of up to 12 cents by the April 6 deadline set by the governor. Key senators remained uncommitted to any plan as of Tuesday. And a new voter-approved rule requires a bill to be in print for 72 hours before it can be passed. The bill needs approval in both houses. Assembly Democrats were briefed on the evolving plan behind closed doors on Tuesday and some officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment, said talks are progressing on a plan that would provide the bulk of money to a fix-it first program of road repairs divided evenly between state projects and those of cities and counties. Money would also be dedicated to mass transit, bicycle, pedestrian and trucking routs for ports. The proposal also would include reforms proposed by lawmakers, including Republicans, that would hold officials accountable for proper use of the money, including a requirement for regular audits, creation of an inspector general position and a ballot measure requiring new money to be spent on transportation projects. Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) authored a bill that would put a measure on the ballot, saying Tuesday such guarantees are required given the urgency of the deferred maintenance backlog, and the additional burden we are asking Californias taxpayers to carry. John Myers contributed to this report. Facebook

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Watch: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director attends community meeting in Sacramento Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown calls for countermovement against Trumps colossal mistake on climate change By Evan Halper 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 countermovement, 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 change, 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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California and its allies hint at new legal battles over Clean Power Plan By Chris Megerian California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) President Trumps effort to roll back the Clean Power Plan could quickly run into legal challenges from California and its allies across the country. State Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and his counterparts from states including New York, Massachusetts and Oregon said they wont hesitate to protect those we serve  including by aggressively opposing [Trumps actions] in court. The joint statement was also issued by Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and other cities. Californias stance isnt surprising because the state joined Obama administration efforts to defend the Clean Power Plan in 2015. Further legal action could underscore the determination of local and state governments to push forward with fighting climate change even as Trump withdraws federal regulations. Read More Facebook

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Meeting climate change goals will require billions for transportation and housing improvements, reports say By Liam Dillon A major push to get Californians out of their cars and onto their feet, bikes and public transit is essential if the state wants to meet its aggressive goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, according to new reports from the state and UC Berkeley researchers. Californians will have to drive an average of 1.6 miles less a day  and regional government agencies believe it will cost billions of dollars to make the mass transit and housing improvements needed for that to happen. UC Berkeley researchers argue in a new study that a boom in dense housing across the state will bring major greenhouse gas reductions and economic growth. Read More Facebook

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California expects to be unscathed as Trump targets Clean Power Plan By Chris Megerian A solar farm in Kern County (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Although Californias leaders may protest President Trumps announcement Tuesday that hes scrapping the Clean Power Plan, his decision is expected to have little effect on a state already marching toward renewable energy. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation in the Golden State are already below what the federal government would have required by 2030, and theyre expected to drop even further. Rollback of the Clean Power Plan is pretty much irrelevant to California, said Frank Wolak, a Stanford University economist who has advised state leaders on climate regulations. The federal rules, enacted by former President Obama as part of his campaign against climate change, were intended to push states away from coal and toward cleaner energy sources. But that was already underway in California. Los Angeles, one of the last places in the state to rely on coal, was already planning to stop importing electricity from out-of-state coal plants by 2025. In addition, state law requires California to generate half of its electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind by 2030, and state Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) has suggested pushing even further. When it comes to fighting pollution and climate change, there are some areas where California relies on the federal government. For example, they share authority on regulating vehicle emissions, and Trumps preparation to roll back federal rules has caused alarm here. However, theres less of a concern when it comes to generating electricity. Trumps moves have caused some anxiety among California companies that are developing clean energy technologies and looking for new markets to sell them. Bob Keefe, executive director of Environmental Entrepreneurs, said the Clean Power Plan would have been a huge economic catalyst. President Trump is basically telling Californias more than 40,000 clean-energy businesses and the 500,000 workers they employ that they dont matter to him, he said. Rail cars filled with coal in Wyoming (Ryan Dorgan / Associated Press) Its an open question how Trump could affect various efforts for California to integrate its electricity grid with neighboring states, an idea that has failed to gain traction so far. Advocates of the concept say regional cooperation could expand the market for renewable energy, but the lack of federal pressure to cut emissions could dampen enthusiasm in places such as Utah and Wyoming, which rely on coal. They dont have the Clean Power Plan bearing down on them, said Don Furman, who directs the Fix the Grid campaign thats seeking closer relationships among West Coast states. Ralph Cavanagh, an attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said he doesnt expect changes to the Clean Power Plan to harm efforts to create a regional electricity grid, because of the falling cost of renewable energy. The rationale is stronger today than it was yesterday, he said. Facebook

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California GOP lawmakers introduce bills to boost healthcare and jobs for veterans By Liam Dillon Sen. Janet Nguyen (R-Garden Grove) speaks at a press conference introducing a package of bills aimed at helping California veterans. (Liam Dillon / Los Angeles Times) Republican state lawmakers unveiled a package of six bills Tuesday aimed at improving job training and healthcare services for California veterans. Our veterans have served this country bravely and it is only right for us to recognize their contribution and see that when they do come home they receive the care and assistance they deserve, said state Sen. Janet Nguyen of Garden Grove, who authored three of the measures. The six bills are: Senate Bill 410 from Nguyen and Assembly Bill 353 from Assemblyman Randy Voepel of Santee, which would expand hiring preferences. for veterans.

SB 409 from Nguyen and SB 485 from state Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber, which would increase mental health services and oversight at state veterans homes.

SB 411 from Nguyen, which would pay some military reservists $100 a month once they turn 50 if theyve served for 10 years or more.

SB 197 from Sen. Pat Bates of Laguna Niguel, which would waive state and local sales taxes for nonprofits that donate facilities to the U.S. Department of Defense  a measure aimed at helping construction of a mental health care facility at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. Facebook

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These Los Angeles girls went to Capitol Hill to ask the Senate to fight new immigration enforcement efforts By Sarah D. Wire Fatima, left, and Yuleni Avelica, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) during a news conference on Capitol Hill. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images) Fatima Avelica, 13, was training for the Los Angeles Marathon with her father before he was arrested by immigration agents last month after dropping Fatimas sister off at her Lincoln Heights school. Fatima had to pause repeatedly, pressing her fingers to her eyes, as she told the story to reporters at a news conference in the Capitol on Tuesday. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) handed handkerchiefs to Fatima and her sister Yuleni Avelica, 12. The girls had medals from completing the marathon dangling around their necks. Democratic senators held the news conference to urge their Senate colleagues to reject President Trumps request for $3 billion to hire thousands of new immigration agents, expand detention facilities and build a wall among the southern border as part of his pledge to deport millions of people in the country illegally. The White House has characterized the moves as necessary for public safety. Californias Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris said Trumps immigration enforcement orders are too broad, sweeping up nonviolent offenders or people accused of the civil offense of being in the country illegally. She called the executive orders, which vastly broadened who can be targeted for deportation and leaves a lot of discretion to local immigration officials misguided and misinformed. Its irresponsible to paint a whole population of people as racists and murderers and bad hombres, she said, referencing one of Trumps own lines about immigrants. Its actually ignorant and we cant afford to run our country that way. The girls father, Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, a Mexican citizen, has lived in the U.S. for 25 years. ICE officials cited two misdemeanor convictions as the reason for his arrest. His four daughters were all born in the U.S. Fatima said the family is waiting for word every day on whether he will be deported. Fatima said she now wants to become an immigration lawyer. Its like a new marathon for me, and I know I can finish it, Fatima said, tears welling up again. But, I need my coach there. I need my dad. Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo blast President Trump on climate change By Chris Megerian California Gov. Jerry Brown (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown joined with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday to criticize President Trumps pending announcement to roll back climate regulations and insist that their states will push forward anyway. Dismantling the Clean Power Plan and other critical climate programs is profoundly misguided and shockingly ignores basic science, they said in a joint statement. With this move, the Administration will endanger public health, our environment and our economic prosperity. Brown and Cuomo represent the two largest states with the most ambitious goals for fighting global warming, and theyve already set equivalent targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Theyre also pushing to generate half of all their electricity from renewable sources by 2030. With or without Washington, we will work with our partners throughout the world to aggressively fight climate change and protect our future, Brown and Cuomo said. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Facebook

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To stem rising prices, a California lawmaker is taking on how hospital chains craft their contracts By Melanie Mason Amid concern that sprawling hospital chains are leading to higher prices, a California state senator is trying to clamp down on how hospital networks craft their contracts to win market dominance. Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) is offering a measure that would prohibit hospitals from certain contracting practices he sees as anti-competitive, such as requiring health plans to contract with all affiliates of the hospital or mandating that health plans agree to binding arbitration for antitrust claims. Weve lost a level of transparency thats affected affordability and access and fairness, Monning said in an interview. Multi-hospital chains are becoming prominent throughout the country, with proponents saying such mergers make care more efficient and better coordinated. But a recent USC study found that while hospital prices in California have grown overall, the costs are higher in the states largest chains. Once you control a market, you can artificially increase costs, said Monning, adding those higher prices can spill over to neighboring hospitals, too. Competitors think if they can charge this much for a hip replacement, were going to as well, Monning said. Another study by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute found premiums in Northern California were 30% higher than those in Southern California, in part because of the dominance of a few healthcare systems in the north. Micah Weinberg, the institutes president, said hospital consolidation was a logical issue to look at, particularly because healthcare coverage expansion under the Affordable Care Act is now under less threat from Congress following the failure of the House Republicans replacement bill. We have to double down on the real work, which is getting people access to quality healthcare and affordable costs, said Weinberg. One of the biggest barriers to that is the lack of competition among healthcare providers. Weinberg said much of the question is a matter of federal antitrust enforcement. Its really difficult to do things at the state level that are effective here, he said. Still, consolidation has increasingly come under scrutiny in California. The state attorney generals office under Kamala Harris, now serving as U.S. senator, investigated consolidation of hospital and physician groups, and the effect on consumer prices. Last year, the healthcare trust for the United Food and Commercial Workers union, sued Sutter Health, alleging antitrust violations. The Pacific Business Group on Health, an organization that represents major companies such as Wells Fargo and Chevron, also raised alarms on Sutters requirement that firms use arbitration to resolve disputes--or face higher rates for Sutters healthcare services. The business group is a supporter of Monnings bill, as well as the California Labor Federation. The California Hospital Assn. has not taken a position on the bill. ------------ FOR THE RECORD March 29, 2017, 1:52 p.m.: A previous version of this article reported that the Pacific Group on Health sued Sutter Health. The United Food and Commercial Workers healthcare trust filed the suit. Facebook

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Los Angeles assemblyman returns to work in Sacramento after more than two-week absence By Melanie Mason Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) After more than two weeks away from the state Capitol, Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) was back at work Monday, with his staff blaming the absence on unspecified medical reasons. Im not going to comment on what the illness was, said his chief of staff, Darryl Lucien, who added that the legislator was feeling better Monday. Ridley-Thomas, 29, was not available for an interview to discuss his absence. He originally went on leave March 7. At the time, he did not specify an illness and so Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendons office considered him to be on personal leave. Under legislative rules, those absences did not allow him to receive per diem payments  a subsidy intended to offset the costs of traveling and living in Sacramento. On March 21, he informed Rendons office that he was on medical leave, thus becoming eligible for the $183 per diem. Lucien said the original personal leave request was an error and that all of Ridley-Thomas time away from work was for health reasons. Its medical leave, Lucien said. He has a doctors note that was submitted, excusing him for the time he was out. Ridley-Thomas was not entirely absent from legislative work during that time. While on leave, he yanked one high-profile piece of legislation  a measure that would exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products from sales tax  from a hearing in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation committee, which he chairs. The bills author, Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), said she spoke directly to Ridley-Thomas about a request to amend her bill days before that committee hearing. Lucien said Ridley-Thomas was working on a very limited basis, fielding calls from members to the extent he was able to speak with them. A fellow Democrat, Assemblyman Bill Quirk of Hayward, stepped in to chair the Revenue and Taxation panel during a March 13 hearing. A subsequent hearing on March 20 was canceled. Facebook

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Adam Schiff calls on Devin Nunes to remove himself from Russia investigation By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) on Monday urged fellow Californian Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) to remove himself from their investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Before late last week, Schiff had gone out of his way not to be critical of Nunes throughout the fledgling investigation. They have held the top positions on the House Intelligence Committee for two years, and have served in Congress together for more than a decade. This is not a recommendation I make lightly, as the Chairman and I have worked together well for several years; and I take this step with the knowledge of the solemn responsibility we have on the Intelligence Committee to provide oversight on all intelligence matters, not just to conduct the investigation, Schiff said in a statement. After much consideration I believe Chairman should recuse himself from involvement in investigation/oversight of Trump campaign & transition pic.twitter.com/jpfA1x80Si  Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 27, 2017 Nunes last week surprised many when he told reporters that conversations between Trump and his transition team may have been accidentally picked up during legal intelligence gathering. Nunes briefed the media and President Trump before informing his committee. A spokesman for Nunes, who was a member of Trumps transition team, said Monday he obtained the information from a source on White House grounds, which raised even more questions. Nearly a week after Nunes announcement, committee members still havent seen the evidence, Schiff said. There was no legitimate justification for bringing that information to the White House instead of the committee. That it was also obtained at the White House makes this departure all the more concerning, Schiff said. Nunes spokesman would not comment on calls for the chairman to recuse himself. House Democrats have called for an entirely independent investigation, but short of that were coalescing around the call for Nunes to step aside. Among others, Schiffs Intelligence Committee colleagues Reps. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) and Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) have also called for Nunes to step aside from the investigation. The House and Senate intelligence committees are both investigating allegations that Russia tried to interfere with the presidential election and what, if anything, the Trump campaign knew about it. So far, too many people in the White House and administration, and now the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, have betrayed their duty to conduct an independent, bipartisan inquiry into the Trump teams ties with Russia, Swalwell said in a statement. Chairman Nunes should no longer be anywhere near this investigation, let alone leading it. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said in a statement that Nunes had tarnished the chairmanship. She also said it was long overdue for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) to ask him to recuse himself from the investigation. Facebook

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Blasting federal action on immigration, Californias chief justice warns the rule of law is under threat By Patrick McGreevy California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye warned Monday that the rule of law in state is under threat. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye did not mention President Trump by name in her annual State of the Judiciary speech Monday, but she blasted federal actions on immigration and warned that the rule of law in the state is under threat. In addressing the Legislature, she also called on members to end years of underfunding of the state court system. The chief justice said the rule of law has failed repeatedly in the state, including when her husbands parents were among 120,000 Japanese Americans put in internment camps during World War II. Simply put, the rule of law means that we as a people are governed by laws and rules, not by a monarch, she said. People take the rule of law for granted until it is under threat, she added. I submit to you today that the rule of law is being challenged, she said. We are living in a time of civil rights unrest, eroding trust in our institutions, economic anxiety and unprecedented polarization. Cantil-Sakauye cited a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center that California was home to 79 ethnic hate groups  more than any other state. Our values and our rules and laws are being called into question, and all three branches of government and the free press are in the crosshairs, she said. Without naming Trump, the chief justice criticized recent federal enforcement of immigration laws in which agents have gone into courthouses to take immigrants into custody. She said it was concern over the rule of law that caused her to write to the U.S. attorney general and the Homeland Security secretary recently, asking them to refrain from conducting immigration raids at or near courthouses. When we hear of immigration arrests and the fear of immigration arrests in our state courthouses, I am concerned that that kind of information trickles down into the community, the schools, the churches. The families and people will no longer come to court to protect themselves or cooperate or bear witness, she said. I am afraid that will be the end of justice and communities will be less safe and victimization will continue. The chief justice also repeated her concerns about the lack of sufficient funding for the judiciary even as legislators are adding laws by the thousands. Since 2011 when I became chief justice, 6,408 bills have become law in California, while the judicial branch budget has been shrinking, Cantil-Sakauye said. I have said before that we are on the wrong side of justice when it comes to funding our courts. Facebook

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Its not just Berniecrats: Korean voters could also swing L.A.'s congressional race in a big way By Christine Mai-Duc Robert Lee Ahn, center, is the only Korean American candidate running in a field dominated by Latinos in the 34th Congressional District race. (Christine Mai-Duc / Los Angeles Times) The crowded race to replace Xavier Becerra in the 34th Congressional District, which includes most of Los Angeles Koreatown, appears to be bringing Korean American voters out in large numbers. Thats in part because in a field dominated by Latinos, Robert Lee Ahn has a shot at becoming the only Korean American in Congress and the first Korean American Democrat to be elected to the body. Ahn, a businessman and former L.A. city planning commissioner, has raised a formidable amount of money in a short period of time, much of it from donors in the Korean American community. His campaign spent weeks helping register voters at Koreatown malls and restaurants, and says they registered more than 600 new voters so far. Part of our campaign is to build awareness and get the community more civically engaged, Ahn said on a recent Friday morning as his campaign embarked on a 34-hour voter registration drive outside the BCD Tofu House restaurant. As a Korean American, obviously thats a natural base of mine. Inside, Ahn shook hands with supporters and navigated the lunchtime rush to ask for voters support table side. Some of it may be paying off. More than a quarter of the 10,841 mail-in ballots turned in for the race so far were cast by Korean American voters, according to an analysis of surnames, birthplace and translated ballot materials by Political Data. Koreans make up just 6% of registered voters in the district. Nearly half of Korean American voters who have already cast a ballot in the race did not vote in the March 7 city elections. Ahn, who has said hell bring a business sensibility and common sense to the office, says he has been running a campaign that reaches out to all kinds of voters. But the fact that there hasnt been a Korean American in Congress for more than 20 years means his candidacy has gotten plenty of attention from the Korean American press. I think people recognize the importance and historic nature of this election, Ahn said. I think theres a hunger for a voice ... and theres a palpable frustration of not being heard, not being properly represented, and I think thats what were seeing in the early returns. But the result of those early votes so far is unclear, particularly after elections officials disclosed that a number of Korean-language sample ballots had been misprinted with the candidates listed in the wrong order. Those who used the faulty sample ballots to cast their vote could have inadvertently voted for a candidate they didnt intend to support, and officials still dont know how widespread the problem is. Ahn isnt the only Korean American candidate to energize the community in recent years. David Ryu, the first Korean American elected to the L.A. City Council, rode to victory in 2015 with the help of a wave of support from Koreatown leaders. I believe a political awakening is occurring in the Korean American community all over the nation, but especially here in L.A., said Joon Bang, executive director of the Korean American Coalition. Our community is evolving and its beginning with understanding the power of their vote. Facebook

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Nothing short of blackmail: California Senate leader denounces plan to cut funding from sanctuary cities By Jazmine Ulloa California Senate Leader Kevin de Leon. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California Senate leader Kevin de Leon on Monday called U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions move to cut federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities nothing short of blackmail. In a statement, De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said Sessions and the Trump administration stuck to alternative facts when describing immigrants and sanctuary counties and cities, where local policies limit the cooperation of law enforcement agencies with federal authorities on immigration laws. Instead of making us safer, the Trump administration is spreading fear and promoting race-based scapegoating, he said. Their gun-to-the-head method to force resistant cities and counties to participate in Trumps inhumane and counterproductive mass-deportation is unconstitutional and will fail. De Leon was responding to an earlier announcement made by Sessions at a White House press briefing. Sessions urged all states and local jurisdictions to comply with federal immigration laws and said it would be a condition for receiving federal grants. Jeff Sessions: "countless Americans would be alive today. And countless loved ones would not be grieving" if sanctuary cities were ended. pic.twitter.com/sEgH3bvPwi  BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) March 27, 2017 State leaders are still calculating the fiscal impact of the move in California, where the Senate leader has filed a bill that would prevent state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources to enforce federal immigration laws. Data shows sanctuary counties have lower crime rates than comparable nonsanctuary counties #SB54 https://t.co/rKZDsB8x8E  Kevin de Len (@kdeleon) March 27, 2017 Facebook

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California National Guard official tells legislators forced bonus repayments will be resolved by mid-summer By Melanie Mason A top official for the California National Guard told state legislators Monday that he hopes lingering issues from the soldiers being forced to repay enlistment bonuses will be resolved by mid-summer. A Times investigation last year found that the Pentagon demanded thousands of soldiers repay enlistment bonuses up to a decade after going to war in Iraq or Afghanistan. The claw-back came after audits revealed vast overpayments of bonuses, due in part to mismanagement and pressure to hit enlistment targets. The Times story prompted outcry that soldiers, who were not at fault for accepting the bonuses, were now facing financial hardship. Matthew Beevers, the deputy adjutant for the California National Guard, told a joint hearing of the Senate and Assembly Veterans Affairs committees that just over 1,000 soldiers currently hold debt due to the bonus recoupment. Soldiers who are affected by the repayment demand must go through a federal waiver adjudication process, which Beevers described as unnecessarily long, complex and resource-intensive. He said the state-run Soldier Incentives Assistance Center was working with those who need to navigate the complex process to get those debts waived. "[If] you got a bonus and you completed your obligation and for some reason, you werent entitled to it, weve done everything we can do ensure that those soldiers get to keep those bonuses and we continue to do that today, Beevers said. Beevers said the state is trying to locate all soldiers who may be carrying debts due to the enlistment bonus. For those who complete the federal adjudication process, around 50% get their debts waived, he said. At the end of the day, there might be 600 or so soldiers out of 16,000 who might have to pay money, which is a very very small number, he said. Facebook

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Former California legislator Henry Perea will lobby for the oil industry in Sacramento By Chris Megerian (Tomas Ovalle / For The Times) As lawmakers debate the future of Californias climate policies, the oil industry is boosting its lobbying firepower with a former Democratic assemblyman from Fresno who has bedeviled environmentalists in the past. Henry Perea resigned his Assembly seat to work for a pharmaceutical group. Now hes jumping to the Western States Petroleum Assn. as a senior vice president, a role hes scheduled to start on May 1. Henry brings us unique expertise, said a statement from Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the associations president. He understands our state, our industry and how smart public policy can ensure Californias continued leadership in environmental protections while maintaining a diverse, vibrant economy. While serving in the Assembly, Perea led the so-called moderate caucus of business-friendly Democrats. He played a key role in stalling 2015 legislation that would have created tough new targets for reducing oil consumption. Environmentalists have made progress since then, successfully pushing through legislation to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Now these issues are being debated again as lawmakers consider whether to extend the states cap-and-trade program, which is intended to provide a financial incentive to reduce emissions. The oil industry supports extending the program, but its working to ensure favorable terms and to loosen the states other regulatory plans. Facebook

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Democrats out with ads targeting Rep. Mimi Walters for supporting GOP healthcare bill By Sarah D. Wire Republicans didnt vote on their plan to replace the Affordable Care Act on Friday, but Democrats already have ads out criticizing vulnerable GOP House members like Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine for backing the bill. The Internet ads, paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, will target 14 Republicans who voted for the bill in the House Budget, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce committees. The ads will run for at least a week on social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram. Walters knowingly voted for a bill to raise premiums and deductibles, slap an age tax on older folks, and rip insurance away from 24 million hardworking Americans. Its critical that voters in Californias 45th District know where Walters stood on this harmful legislation, DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan said in a statement. Walters, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, was one of the earliest supporters of the bill among the California Republican delegation. Rep. Walters is committed to improving and expanding healthcare choices, lowering costs and protecting taxpayers. Her votes in the House reflect those principles and she will not be deterred by campaign ads created in Washington, D.C., by Nancy Pelosis political committees, said her campaign consultant, Dave Gilliard. The DCCC has already announced plans to target Republican representatives of the seven California congressional districts that backed Hillary Clinton for president. Clinton won Walters Orange County district by 5 percentage points. Walters was elected for a second term with 58.6% of the vote. Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown says California wont be running to the courthouse every day to fight President Trump By John Myers With many of his fellow Democrats demanding multiple challenges to President Trumps proposals, Gov. Jerry Brown said this week he will continue to support a more measured approach. Were going to fight very hard. But were not going to bring stupid lawsuits or be running to the courthouse every day, Brown said during an appearance Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Were going to be careful. Well be strategic. The governors interview, taped on Thursday in Washington, came at the end of a four-day visit where he sought common ground on issues ranging from transportation to disaster relief. Brown also took aim in a visit to Capitol Hill at the now-failed Republican healthcare proposal. In the interview, Brown acknowledged that he is seeking a different path forward than Californias legislative leaders and other Democrats who are aggressively pushing back on a variety of Trump proposals. Well, if everythings a lawsuit, yeah, were in trouble here. I do curb the exuberance on either side, he said. People like to escalate. Republicans do that, and Democrats also do that. So Im there somewhat as the senior statesman now, and Im going to keep everything on an even keel. The governor used the national television interview to repeat recent suggestions that California has a number of projects that are ready to go should Trump make good on his promises to fund a major infrastructure effort. But Brown staunchly defended Californias acceptance of immigrants, including those who are in the U.S. illegally. He argued that immigration has been a major boon to the states economy and invoked the teachings of Christianity to criticize Trump and his fellow Republicans. Trumps supposed to be Mr. Religious Fellow, and I thought weve got to treat the least of these as we would treat the Lord, said Brown, who trained to become a Jesuit priest in his youth. So I hope he would reconnect with some of these conservative evangelicals, and theyll tell him that these are human beings, theyre children of God. They should be treated that way. The programs host, Chuck Todd, asked Brown whether he could offer national leadership for Democrats in the Trump era. The governor, who ran unsuccessfully for president three times, said he was willing to speak out in any way he could be helpful. Following last weeks historic defeat of a bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, Brown also offered Trump advice on how to help the economically struggling states whose voters put him in the White House. Its going to take some income support from the federal government, the governor said. Its going to take healthcare. Its going to take the kind of programs that the Republican Party traditionally doesnt like. So heres the dilemma. Yes, Obama was not able to help those people in the way they felt they had a right to. But Mr. Trump, now the burden is on you. And you better figure it out, or youre not going to be there again. Facebook

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Small donations play big role in the 34th Congressional District By Christine Mai-Duc Congressional candidate Kenneth Mejia raised 90% of his money from small donors in the most recent campaign finance filing. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) More than 17% of individual contributions to all candidates in the 34th Congressional District came in small donations of less than $200, according to the latest campaign finance reports. The reports, which cover fundraising and spending between Jan. 1 and March 15, show that more than $250,000 of the $1.4 million raised by the candidates in the race came from un-itemized small donors, or those who gave less than $200 and are not named in campaign finance reports. Three candidates who raised a significant chunk of money from small donations were Arturo Carmona, Wendy Carrillo and Kenneth Mejia, all of whom are vying for votes from supporters of former presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has preached the need to rid politics of special interest money. Many of the candidates have sent email pitches to supporters asking for donations of $10, $20 or $27, the amount made famous by Sanders, who often cited the number as the average donation given to his presidential campaign. Carmona, a former Sanders campaign advisor, raised the most in small donations, with $57,125, or 52% of his total. Small donors gave Carrillo $25,948, about 32% of her fundraising total and Mejia, an accountant and Green Party candidate, received nearly 90% of his total funds, or $31,957, in amounts of $200 or less. Federal law does not require candidates to itemize, or report the names of, donors who give below that amount. Alejandra Campoverdi raised $44,210 from small donors, who made up 28% of her haul, while Raymond Meza raised 48%, or $14,764 of his money from small-dollar contributions. UPDATE: 7:45 p.m. This post was updated to clarify that the numbers reported are based on un-itemized donations of $200 or less to candidates. Facebook

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Robert Lee Ahn raised the most money by far in latest campaign finance reports for L.A.'s congressional race By Christine Mai-Duc Robert Lee Ahn, left, and Vanessa Aramayo, second from left, join the other candidates for the 34th Congressional District. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles TImes) Congressional candidate Robert Lee Ahn far outstripped some of the top fundraisers in the 34th Congressional District, taking a surprise lead in campaign finance reports filed Thursday. The reports cover fundraising and spending between Jan. 1 and March 15 and will be the last numbers well have before the April 4 primary election, in which 24 candidates are running. Ahn, a former L.A. city planning commissioner, raised a whopping $338,702 in contributions and loaned himself an additional $295,000, bringing his total to more than $630,000 raised since January. Ahn, an attorney and the only Korean American candidate in the race for a district that includes Koreatown, got more than $100,000 in contributions from donors with Korean surnames. The closest behind Ahn was Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, who raised $244,766 over the same period, the majority of it from political action committees, including many donations from fellow legislators in Sacramento. Sara Hernandez, a former teacher and L.A. City Hall aide, was close behind Gomez with $224,783 raised. Alejandra Campoverdi, a former White House staffer and former Los Angeles Times employee, raised $156,432. Ahn has also spent the most money so far this year, at $352,538, and has $271,271 in the bank, more than any other candidate. Gomez ended the period with $274,830 cash on hand, while Hernandez and Campoverdi have $149,990 and $122,961 left to spend, respectively. Facebook

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Dispute in California Senate leads to ethics complaint against leader Kevin de Leon By Patrick McGreevy Then-state Sen. Isadore Hall III, left, talks with Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon in Sacramento last year. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Republican state Sen. Andy Vidak on Friday filed an ethics complaint asking for an investigation into whether Democratic Senate leader Kevin de Leon engaged in an improper cover-up of threats allegedly made by former state Sen. Isadore Hall III against a group of farmers. Anthony Reyes, a spokesman for De Leon, defended the decision not to investigate allegations against Hall. With due respect, the state Senate doesnt waste taxpayer resources investigating dubious hearsay accounts of private conversations held in hotel lobbies  and thats what Senator De Leon clearly and politely communicated to Senator Vidak, Reyes said. Any suggestion otherwise is patently ridiculous. Hall, a Democrat from Compton, was appointed in January to the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Gov. Jerry Brown. The appointment was opposed by farm industry groups, including the Western Growers Assn., which complained he received contributions from the United Farm Workers for his unsuccessful campaign for Congress last year. Vidak said that he had heard from multiple people that on Feb. 28, the evening before Halls confirmation hearing in the Rules Committee, Hall allegedly made threats in an obscenity-laced tirade in the lobby of the Sacramento Hyatt Hotel that he would get the farmers opposing his appointment, the senator wrote in a letter to the Senate Legislative Ethics Committee. The board is a quasi-judicial agency that rules on disputes between farm worker organizations and growers. The alleged threats were made to four farmers who are members of the California Fresh Fruit Assn., Vidak said. Vidak said he had formally asked De Leon, as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, to have the panel investigate the allegations and report the findings to the Senate. On Thursday, Vidak said, De Leon allegedly informed him that there would be no investigation. Senator De Leon told me yesterday that he and the leadership of the CFFA have worked things out so Hall wont be investigated,'" Vidak said in a statement Friday. Is this really how the Senate handles reports of threats and intimidation by someone pending a Senate confirmation vote? The association called the allegation that it worked out an agreement with De Leon baseless and false. The group said in a statement that Vidak did not talk to its members before he filed the complaint. If he did, he wouldve learned there is no agreement and that CFFA remains opposed to the confirmation of Senator Hall, the group said. Hall declined to comment on Vidaks complaint, said J. Antonio Barbosa, the boards executive secretary, responding on his behalf. Further, his testimony at his Senate Rules Committee confirmation hearing makes clear that he will be fair and impartial, make sound decisions, and speak to growers and farmworkers, Barbosa said. Reyes disputed Vidaks allegations. Chasing goofy conspiracy theories might fly on President Trumps Twitter feed, but it has no place in the California Legislature, Reyes said. In his letter to the ethics panel, Vidak says his complaint is that the Senates confirmation process of gubernatorial appointees may have been compromised in this situation. He asked for an investigation into whether credible information about potential criminal activity by an unconfirmed gubernatorial appointee has been intentionally ignored/withheld, and whether a member of the Senate Rules Committee is making arrangements with representatives of private organizations to bury investigations of gubernatorial appointees. Updated at 4:40 p.m. to include a comment from the California Fresh Fruit Assn. Facebook

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L.A.'s GOP congressman: It is hard to find a consensus on something that impacts more than 1/6th of our economy By Sarah D. Wire A handful of California Republicans had declined to take a position on the House GOPs healthcare bill, and now they wont have to. Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale), the only Republican who represents L.A. County, said he was conflicted up until the vote on the bill was canceled Friday afternoon. In the past two weeks my colleagues worked to build a consensus on how best to repair our flawed healthcare system and build a patient-centered system that works for the American people, Knight said in a statement after the vote. We learned that it is hard to find a consensus on something that impacts more than 1/6th of our economy and the lives of almost every American. Saying they didnt have enough votes to pass it, House Republican leaders canceled a vote on their healthcare bill minutes before vulnerable Republican members like Knight would have had to vote on the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Knights district is among seven Republican districts being targeted by Democrats in 2018, and several of the members who represent those districts never took a stance on the bill, saying they were worried about the effects on their districts and were still hearing from constituents. Experts estimated millions of Californians would have lost insurance under the bill. Just two of the targeted members, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) and Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine), said they would vote for the bill. Walters had no comment after the bill was pulled, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee came out swinging, with committee spokesperson Evan Lukaske saying, Walters now owns this until election day. Other targeted members seemed to brush off President Trumps plan to let Obamacare go its way for a little while. Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), who didnt take a stance on the bill, said afterward Congress needs to keep working on healthcare. Congress must come together to enact legislation to stabilize our healthcare market, reduce federal spending, and ensure we are able to maintain access to healthcare for Americas most vulnerable populations. Any potential solution must be thoughtfully considered, he said in a statement. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) flirted with voting against the bill, saying he was not yet prepared to support it, but never committed either way. The [GOP bill] was an imperfect approach and I believe that we can do better, he said in a statement. We will go back to the drawing board and get this right for each and every American concerned with high costs in their healthcare and ever-dwindling choices and access to care. Facebook

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Despite threat of legal battle with Trump, California stays the course on vehicle emission rules By Chris Megerian Electric cars charge at a San Diego utility. (Rob Nikolewski / San Diego Union-Tribune) California will keep pushing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, state regulators decided Friday, even though President Trump is preparing to roll back rules in Washington. The restrictions represent a key part of Californias battle against climate change, and theyre intended to force automakers to build cleaner cars and sell more electric vehicles. Environmentalists cheered Fridays decision from the Air Resources Board. Were very disappointed by what were seeing at the federal level, so today feels warm and welcoming, said the Sierra Clubs Kathryn Phillips. California has the unique ability to set tougher standards than the federal government, but Fridays decision could put the state on a collision course with Trump. Under the presidents direction, federal officials are examining whether to loosen vehicle rules that were finalized in the waning days of the Obama administration. The California Air Resources Board meeting in Riverside this week. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) At risk is the existence of a national standard on vehicle emissions, something the auto industry has prioritized to reduce the complexity of its manufacturing operations. We should all be getting back to work on this, said John Bozzella, who advocates for international car companies as head of the Assn. of Global Automakers. Mary Nichols, chair of the Air Resources Board, questioned the industrys commitment to higher standards given their request for Trump to review the rules. What were you thinking when you threw yourself upon the mercy of the Trump administration? she said. A dozen other states have adopted Californias standards as their own, and environmentalists hope Fridays decision will foster a broader market for electric cars. This agency has seen federal administrations come
For all of the intriguing ideas about improving California elections, there was one undeniable truth at a gathering last week of county officials and activists: The states 21st century voting will lean heavily on its greatest electoral innovation of 1864.

That would be the absentee ballot.

Call it reliable or anachronistic, but the do-it-yourself ballot is the foundation of voting reform in a state now on the cusp of 20 million registered voters. That revamping of elections begins next year in a handful of California counties, closing polling places in garages and schools while asking voters, like soldiers during the Civil War, to vote somewhere else.

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Voters are looking for a choice, said Neal Kelly, Orange Countys registrar at the event sponsored by the Future of California Elections, a nonprofit organization. And they are looking for voting on their own terms.

The 2016 law will allow counties to mail everyone a ballot, while closing neighborhood polling places in favor of a more limited number of multi-service vote centers. Elections officials say its a logical evolution for a state where almost six in 10 ballots were cast absentee last November.

You cant ignore that data, Kelly said.

He is a passionate believer in voting centers, in part, after experimenting with a few in Orange County last fall. Kelly argues the change may finally stop the meteoric rise in the casting of provisional ballots in California, because vote centers will have electronic poll books connected to the states voter registration database and will be able to quickly clear up questions about a voters status.

Voters are looking for a choice. And they are looking for voting on their own terms.  Neal Kelly, registrar of voters for Orange County, on moving away from polling place elections

Vote centers will also be open ahead of election day. And, in many cases, they will be set up to print a ballot for any voter who left the mailed version at home. The new law also mandates drop boxes for ballots in high visibility locations.

Political Road Map: Heres why it takes so long to count Californias ballots 

But with change come serious obstacles, too. Neighborhood polling places, researchers say, are popular with many Latino voters  a fast-growing part of the California electoral mosaic. Language barriers that used to be resolved by dispatching bilingual workers to particular neighborhood polling places could reappear if the more limited vote centers end up being too far from those communities.

Early preparation will be really critical, said Rosalind Gold, a voting rights expert with the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

Disability rights groups worry about voters who cant fill in ovals on paper ballots without assistance. They would require help under a do-it-yourself system, thus denying them the right to a secret vote. Others fear confusion. The optional law means adjoining counties could have very different rules, while voters who routinely cross county lines might receive the wrong election instructions.

The greatest challenge may be in Los Angeles County, home to 5 million voters. While other counties that sign on to the new voting system will have to immediately mail a ballot to every registered voter, the sheer size of the task necessitated an exception to that must-mail rule for 2018 in the county. The practical result is that some voters will not only lose their familiar polling place, they wont get a ballot in the mail. And to explain that will require the county to mount an aggressive education campaign.

And educating voters is the biggest challenge of all. Its worth noting that even with the huge popularity of absentee voting, some 6.1 million Californians still used a polling place last November. Thats more than the entire number of votes cast in Oregon, Arizona and Nevada combined. By the time of the next presidential election, its a choice many of them may no longer have.

john.myers@latimes.com

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Gov. Jerry Brown signs law allowing more absentee voting, fewer polling places

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Updates on California politics and government
Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones says he does not want his deputies to enforce immigration laws. But he is worried about a bill that seeks to turn California into a so-called sanctuary state.

At a news conference last week at the state Capitol, led by Republican lawmakers, he slammed the state Senate legislation, which would ban law enforcement agencies like his from using resources to enforce federal immigration laws.

If [Senate Bill] 54 passes, it will allow dangerous, violent career criminals to slip through the cracks and be released back into our communities, Jones said, standing next to a photo of a young man killed by a drunk driver who was in the U.S. illegally.

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Sheriffs across the state have echoed Jones opinions on the proposal. Some stand to lose millions of dollars in federal contracts to house immigrant detainees. But for other law enforcement agencies and associations, taking an official position has been far more complicated. They have found themselves torn on whether its provisions would help or harm public safety.

University and city police chiefs say they dont want to become embroiled in a political debate over immigration, or damage hard-earned trust in vulnerable communities where they need immigrants to come forward as crime victims and witnesses. And yet, some law enforcement officials say, the legislation as written could make their jobs harder by restricting the sharing of information and officers in joint investigations.

The proposal, introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies, including school police and security, from using resources to investigate, detain, report or arrest people for immigration enforcement. Within three months of its enactment, the state Department of Justice would publish policies on the limits in assistance to federal officials.

The legislation also aims to protect immigrants personal data, requiring state agencies to ensure that they are only collecting necessary information.

De Leon introduced the bill in response to President Trumps executive orders on immigration, one of which pledged to cut federal dollars from so-called sanctuary cities where policies limit the cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

The Senate leader has said his effort builds on the California Trust Act, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2013, which prevents law enforcement agencies from detaining immigrants longer than necessary for minor crimes, thereby helping federal immigration authorities take them into custody.

The bill, set for another legislative hearing Monday, has drawn a long list of supporters. Among them are city officials from sanctuary cities like Santa Ana and Berkeley, immigrant advocates and Democratic lawmakers, who point to low crime rates in immigrant communities. They are urging opponents of the bill to move away from Trumps rhetoric, which they say stereotypes immigrants as criminals.

At least one law enforcement association  the California College and University Police Chiefs Assn., whose members protect 3 million students and school employees across the state  has supported the bill from the beginning.

It is just axiomatic that if you intertwine immigration enforcement with front-line law enforcement, front-line law enforcement will suffer, lobbyist John Lovell, who represents the organization, said at the bills first hearing in January. Less people will come forward, and that is particularly aggravating for us in a campus situation.

But some law enforcement officials are concerned the limits on collaboration with federal immigration officials would negatively affect county jail budgets, hurt investigations involving policing departments at different levels of government and limit deputies from alerting federal authorities about the release dates of inmates who could be a danger to the public.

To address some of their concerns, De Leon has added new amendments that would allow local and state officers to participate in task forces, which can include investigators with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, so as long as their main purpose is not immigration enforcement.

Additions to the bill also would require the state parole board or state corrections department to give the FBI a 60-day advance notice of the release date of certain inmates who are in the U.S. illegally. Sheriffs would be able to provide the agency with the scheduled release date of anyone confined in county jail for a misdemeanor offense who also has a violent felony conviction.

After the changes, Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove), a 30-year law enforcement veteran and former captain of the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department, has since agreed to sign on as a principal co-author of the legislation.

Jennie Pasquarella, the immigrants rights director with the American Civil Liberties Union of California, said the amendments should be enough to assuage law enforcement concerns, as release information on all state and federal offenders is already publicly available.

The job of law enforcement in California is to enforce our criminal laws, and this bill is all about making that crystal clear, she said. We are not trying to get in the way of the federal government.

LAPD will not help deport immigrants under Trump, chief says 

But sheriffs say the changes dont address their concerns about requests for release notifications from federal immigration officials, or the potential loss of federal funding in counties that lease space to federal immigration agencies for detainees.

When it comes to use of our jails and prior expectations of communication, this bill precludes that, and that is a public safety problem, said Cory Salzillo, legislative director for the California State Sheriffs Assn.

City police chiefs are in a tighter spot. Many law enforcement agencies, including those in Los Angeles, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties, adopted policies similar to the Trust Act before it went into the effect. Many now operate in self-proclaimed sanctuary cities and have worked to distance themselves from federal immigration policies.

But the legislation raises questions about their involvement in task forces, where local and state officers can serve as translators for federal immigration officials, help carry out immigration arrests and leverage information on immigration status during interrogations.

Tensions flared in Santa Cruz last month between police and ICEs Homeland Security Investigations division over a series of joint raids on MS-13 gang members that instead resulted in immigration arrests of people in the country illegally. Law enforcement officials wonder whether their departments would be liable in such a scenario under the proposed sanctuary state bill.

For now, the California Police Chiefs Assn. does not have a position on the legislation. Clearly, there is a balance that needs to be struck  one that takes the focus away from those not posing a threat, but allows law enforcement to expend resources protecting our communities, Ventura Police Chief Ken Corney, its president, said.

jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com

Twitter: @jazmineulloa

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Dozens of people showed up early Saturday morning for the 3/1 Marines 5K Run and Walk to help raise money for Huntington Beachs adopted Third Battalion, First Marines.

The Marine Corps infantry battalion is based at Camp Pendleton, south of Orange County.

Runners and walkers took off at 8 a.m. from the parking lot at Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway, eventually making it to the pier and circling back.

A group of Huntington Beach firefighters served breakfast to the participants following the run.
Heres a travel website that helps you move from hostels to boutique hotels without breaking the bank.

Name: DorisandDicky.com

What it does: It offers a collection of 500-plus independent hotels packed with charm in cities across Europe and around the globe. Most properties have 20 rooms or fewer and a price tag of about $125 a night. Many properties cost less; a few are more but in those cases its aiming for value.

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Whats hot: It had me at best affordable boutique hotel spa breaks in Europe, with rooms from about $52 to $115 a night. There are valuable travel tips hidden within articles in the Blog/News section. Top 5 cheap weekend boutique city breaks in Europe led me to more generous on-the-ground travel information than a destination summary usually delivers. Its tips enticed me with an arts and crafts market in Seville, Spain, and a supper club in Lisbon. Doris & Dicky claims to be on the lookout for new hotels, so keep your finger near the refresh button on New hotels and recently reviewed properties, found on the home page. It aims to find something a little extra special in accommodations, be it spectacular views, a beachfront location, colorful character or cultural highlights.

Whats not: I might be dreaming, but with all the design elements these boutique hotel rooms have, Id like an accompanying shopping feature on this site where I could purchase pillows, art and more.
Regarding Letters, March 5: I have traveled to New Orleans many times, and I love poboys as much as anyone. However, I would ask readers to consider the assumption by the letter writer who brought the sandwich onto the plane that all passengers were appreciative of his food.

The stench of convenience food being brought on and consumed in the close quarters of an airplane cabin is considered insensitive at best, if not rude, by many air travelers. Its right up there with talking too loudly, body odor and fully reclining ones seat-back into the face of the passenger behind.

John Macdonald, Laguna Niguel

Youll find the airport, regardless

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Regarding Letters, March 5: I always find it amusing the things that bother folks. Most airport websites have a link to its location to help those unfamiliar with that particular airport. Names or three-digit identifiers seldom lead you to a location.

Our local airport (John Wayne/ Orange County/Santa Ana) could be one of the hardest to locate using its official designation of John Wayne.

Still, we honor a man who was an important resident for many years.

Paul Brown, Santa Ana

Resort fee? More nickeling-and-diming

Regarding Resort Fees Hiked at 10 Las Vegas Hotels by Jay Jones, Feb. 26: My wife and I used to visit Vegas four or so times a year. With the new, insulting resort and parking fees, no more.

Soon it will be, Oh, you wanted a key for your room? Thatll be a $10 key fee! And you want to use the bathroom? $5 per flush fee.

Its not so much about the money as it is the cynicism. As our old Aunt Gladys used to say, They can all pound sand.

Ambrose Bruce Terrence, Marina del Rey

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
Jeffrey E. Fowle, an American imprisoned in North Korea for six months, was freed Tuesday in an unexpected move that raised hope for the release of two other Americans.

Fowle, 56, an Ohio municipal worker who was arrested after leaving a Bible in a hotel, was turned over to U.S. officials by authorities in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. He boarded a U.S. government aircraft sent to retrieve him. A medical examination found him healthy, U.S. officials said.

Fowle reached his first stop, the U.S. military base on Guam, on Tuesday, but officials declined to say when he would arrive in his hometown of Miamisburg, north of Cincinnati.

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Obama administration officials said they were pressing for the release of the two other Americans detained in North Korea: Matthew Miller, 24, of Bakersfield and Kenneth Bae of Lynnwood, Wash., a suburb of Seattle.

Miller has been imprisoned since April and last month was sentenced to six years of hard labor. Bae, a Korean American missionary and tour operator who had visited North Korea several times, was jailed in November 2012 and sentenced six months later to 15 years of hard labor for proselytizing.

While this is a positive decision by [North Korea], we remain focused on the continued detention of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller, said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary.

The three cases pointed to the insular North Korean governments sensitivity to what it considers threats to its authority.

North Korea permits a certain level of tourism so as to generate hard currency, but it tries to strictly control visitors movements and exposure to North Koreans and has banned religious proselytizing.

North Korean officials had indicated they planned to put Fowle on trial for perpetrating hostile acts. Miller was convicted of a similar charge after he allegedly ripped up his tourist visa and sought asylum.

The detainees families, U.S. officials and Swedish diplomats, whose government acts as an intermediary for the United States with North Korea, had been pressing for the mens release. But Pyongyang had given little sign that it would grant the request.

When U.S. officials offered to send Robert King, a special envoy for human rights, to North Korea to discuss the cases, North Korean officials said they wanted a higher-level figure, such as former President Clinton.

The North Koreans basically werent picking up the phone, said Victor Cha, a Korea specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Georgetown University. So this is a surprise.

North Koreas next move is hard to predict, Cha said, because the government has been behaving erratically, which could indicate an internal struggle among the elite.

Pyongyang has exchanged fire with South Korea at one moment and appeared conciliatory with its neighbor the next. The recent monthlong absence of leader Kim Jong Un raised more unanswered questions about who is in control, Cha noted.

North Korea, in Chas view, was not seeking concessions in holding the three, but wanted instead to deter future intrusions.

Theyre worried that their system isnt as sealed off as theyd like it to be, he said.

U.S. officials, who declined to provide details of the diplomacy, acknowledged that they couldnt explain the timing of the release.

Fowle, who entered on a tourist visa, said in interviews in September that he had been allowed to contact his wife and three children, but had then not spoken with them for three weeks. He also said he had signed a confession and requested forgiveness from the government.

Fowles employer, the city of Moraine in Ohio, dismissed him from his job last month because of his prolonged absence and gave him a severance package worth $70,000, city officials said. But in a statement, the city manager said the city would now welcome him back.

He will have the opportunity to return to work with the city of Moraine at his former position, should that be his desire, City Manager David Hicks said.

Times staff writer Christine Mai-Duc in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Less than a week after North Korea test-launched four ballistic missiles that plunged into the Sea of Japan just 200 miles from Japans coastline, the isolated country appears to be readying its Punggye-ri nuclear site for a future test.

The threat posed by North Korea has neighboring Asian nations scrambling for a plan on how best to confront the defiant government of Kim Jong Un and slow its advance toward being able to launch a nuclear strike.

That topic will be at the forefront this week as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson takes his first trip in office to Asia, a six-day sweep through Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing. He will be faced with a range of options that include opening a dialogue with North Korea, adding new sanctions or even launching a preemptive strike on North Koreas facilities.

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Yet the most perplexing issue for Tillerson could be how to navigate the fractious relationships the Asian nations have with one another. South Korea and Japan struggle with deep-rooted political disagreements that go back generations, while both accuse China of shielding North Korea from significant punishment.

The Trump administrations actions in this region will be vital to determining whether the North Korea situation improves or continues to deteriorate, said Hideaki Kaneda, a retired Japanese vice admiral and fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs.

Its a very precarious situation, he said. The U.S. must try to bring together nations who are reluctant to put their faith in one another.

The U.S. would like to see all three Asian nations join with Washington to confront North Korea, but the tangled relationships among them make that difficult.

Japan wants a more active U.S. response to North Korea and is working to build pressure on Pyongyang. But Japan and South Korea remain locked in a standoff over bitter memories of World War II, especially the treatment of thousands of Korean women who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese occupation forces.

China remains North Koreas only major ally and trading partner, but has stepped up its economic pressure on Pyongyang in response to its nuclear tests. Relations between China and North Korea are at their worst in recent memory because of the repeated military tests. Yet the Chinese fear pushing too hard and causing North Korea to collapse.

China has called on North Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the U.S. and South Korea halting joint military exercises in South Korea. That offer fell flat. Washington refused to even consider what it said would be rewarding Pyongyangs bad behavior with cancellation of legitimate defensive exercises.

The relationship between China and North Korea is similar to that of a mother with a son who doesnt listen, said Akio Takahara, a professor at the University of Tokyo who specializes in Chinese affairs. You need the mother to reprimand the child.

Meanwhile, U.S. efforts to strengthen South Koreas defenses have angered the Chinese, who say that planned anti-missile systems could be used against them.

On Tuesday, the U.S. and South Korean militaries announced the deployment of elements of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, a missile-defense system for South Korea. Missile launchers and other equipment arrived in South Korea, but the system as a whole wont be operational until April at the earliest.

The U.S. insists THAAD is aimed at stopping North Korean missiles, but the deployment infuriated China, which sees the system as part of a U.S. strategy to contain its rising power. The Chinese have threatened to essentially sever diplomatic ties with Seoul and have already pulled back on economic ties.

Complicating matters further is the corruption scandal that led to South Korean President Park Geun-hyes ouster on Friday. The turmoil in South Koreas government almost certainly will make it more difficult for Tillerson to gain traction with the countrys politicians.

For more than a decade, the complicated mix of interests in east Asia has stymied repeated U.S. efforts to block North Korea from slowly but steadily developing nuclear weapons.

It remains to be seen what new ideas the Trump administration will bring.

What foreign policy can be implemented to make North Korea give up? asked Tsuneo Watanabe, foreign and security policy expert with the Tokyo Foundation think tank. So far we havent seen an American president step up with a meaningful plan.

The Obamas administrations policy of strategic patience with North Korea neither stopped the nations provocative acts nor ensured the safety of its neighbors. Japanese and South Korean officials derided the policy as an excuse for doing nothing.

That same tactic should not be replicated by Tillerson and the Trump administration, said Narushige Michishita, a foreign policy professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.

We cannot wait forever, he said. The situation is deteriorating, and the stakes are much too high.

Already, six sets of crippling U.N. sanctions have been slapped on Pyongyang since its first nuclear test in 2006. While the measures have cut North Korea off from much of the world economy, they have failed to halt the countrys advances.

North Koreas military launched an unprecedented 21 ballistic missiles in 2016 and two nuclear detonations. It has launched five missiles in the first 69 days of this year.

New commercial satellite imagery of the snow-covered Punggye-ri nuclear test site indicates that North Korea is preparing for a sixth nuclear test, according to the 38north.org website affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, which tracks North Korea.

The new activity comes after Mondays simultaneous launch of four ballistic missiles from the northwest corner of the country, which traveled 620 miles eastward before splashing in the sea between Japan and the Korean peninsula.

North Korea said it launched the missiles as a response to the annual U.S.-South Korea military exercise, which Pyongyang sees as preparation for war.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the U.N. Security Council recently that all options are on the table for the Trump administrations dealings with North Korea. Thus far, however, the Trump administration has not articulated a strategy.

All of the efforts that we have taken thus far to attempt to persuade North Korea to, again, engage in meaningful negotiations have fallen short, to be honest, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington last week. So we need to look at new ways to convince them, to persuade them that its in their interest to abandon nuclear ambitions.

william.hennigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @wjhenn

Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report.

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Slavery existed before the cotton field, and even though the cotton field masters liberated their slaves realizing that modern times absolutely would not tolerate such self servicing, disgusting abuse of other, it continued and bloomed in some parts of the world where slavery includes much more barbaric practices, child brides, child labor, child trafficking, sex slaves, and of course labour slavery, etc.. # 1 is India with an estimated 14.3 million people bound into slavery; next is China with 3.2 million slaves; 3rd is Pakistan 2.1 million; 4th Uzbekistan with 1.2 million and 5th is Russia with 1.0 Million, following these are a few African countries. These figures are from the 2014 Global Slavery Index. Walk - Free Foundation claims that slavery stands at 35.8 million worldwide.
A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was released Sunday after serving 20 years in prison.

Ahmed Daqamseh had opened fire on the eighth-graders while they were on a class trip to the scenic Island of Peace border post. Seven more girls were wounded. A Jordanian court later deemed Daqamseh mentally unstable and sentenced him to life in prison, rather than imposing the death penalty.

Daqamseh arrived before dawn Sunday in his home village of Ibdir in northern Jordan. Amateur video posted online showed him being surrounded by singing and dancing men, some kissing him on the cheek.

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Jordan had announced several days ago that Daqamseh would be released this week, after completing his term. In Jordan, life terms are not open-ended, and prisoners can be released after 20 years.

There was no immediate Israeli government reaction Sunday. In 2011, Israel had summoned Jordans ambassador to express anger after the kingdoms then-justice minister called for Daqamsehs early release.

Yisrael Fatihi, whose daughter Sivan was killed in the attack, told Israel Radio on Sunday that he had been informed by the Israeli embassy in Jordan last week that Daqamsehs release was imminent.

It is unfortunate, but this is the situation, Fatihi said.

After the shooting, Jordans King Hussein  the late father of the current king, Abdullah II  had rushed to Israel and paid condolence visits to the girls families, a gesture that touched many Israelis at the time. The girls were from the town of Beit Shemesh in central Israel.

Fatihi recalled Husseins condolence visit, saying he and his family had been sitting on the floor in mourning at the time and that the monarch knelt down next to them. We told him we really appreciated his visit, Fatihi said.

The 1997 attack came three years after Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty. The two countries cooperate closely on security matters, including in the battle against Islamic extremism, but the peace treaty remains widely unpopular in Jordan where many residents have Palestinian roots.

Jordan Soldier Who Killed Israeli Girls Freed After 20 Years https://t.co/YojeAbk5nj pic.twitter.com/PXidEFcjIo  The Voice of America (@VOANews) March 12, 2017

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Turkey and the Netherlands sharply escalated a dispute Saturday as the Dutch blocked campaign visits by two Turkish ministers, prompting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call them fascists and Nazi remnants.

From keeping Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing in the Netherlands in the morning to Turkish officials closing off the Dutch Embassy in the evening and calling the Dutch ambassador no longer welcome, relations between the NATO allies sank ever deeper in the diplomatic standoff over the right of Turkish government officials to speak about their political plans at rallies in Europe.

The Dutch first withdrew the landing rights of the foreign minister because of objections to his intention to rally in Rotterdam for a Turkish referendum on constitutional reforms to expand presidential powers, which the Dutch see as a step backward from democracy.

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And later, the Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was kept out of the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam after traveling from Germany, insisting that the Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter.

Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul that the Dutch do not know politics or international diplomacy. He compared them to Nazi remnants, they are fascists.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called it a crazy remark, of course. But I understand they are angry, but this is of course way out of line.

Erdogan had earlier this month already compared German policies to Nazi practices, after German municipalities canceled several campaign events by Turkish officials last weekend.

He told a rally in Istanbul Saturday: You can stop our foreign ministers plane all you want, lets see how your [diplomatic] planes will come to Turkey from now on. Cavusoglu also referred to possible sanctions, and Rutte said consultations under such threats were impossible, forcing him to bar the visit.

The government said it withdrew the permission because of risks to public order and security, causing Cavusoglu to say: so is the foreign minister of the Turkish republic a terrorist?

In the evening, a Turkish foreign ministry official who spoke on customary anonymity said the Dutch Embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul were closed off because of security reasons.

The official said entries and exits were closed to the two locations. Similar precautions were taken at the Dutch charge daffaires house and the ambassadors residence.

The Turkish foreign ministry also said it doesnt want to see the Dutch ambassador, who is out of the country, return to his post for some time because of the increasingly divisive dispute with the Netherlands.

Cavusoglu said he arrived in Metz, France, late Saturday, where he was expected to address crowds on Sunday. Turkish officials have been campaigning in various European cities before the April 16 referendum.

Around 100 people marched in Istanbul on Saturday afternoon to protest the Dutch decision, with demonstrators placing a black wreath in front of the Dutch Consulate amid a heavy police presence.

Demonstrators wave Turkish flags outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, March 11, 2017. (Peter Dejong / AP)

At dusk in Rotterdam, hundreds of pro-Turkish demonstrators had gathered outside the Turkish Consulate with flags in a peaceful protest following the acrimonious words between both governments.

The diplomatic row comes at a time when relations between Turkey and the European Union, of which the Netherlands is a member, have been steadily worsening, especially in the wake of Erdogans actions since last years failed coup. More than 41,000 people have been arrested and 100,000 civil servants fired from their jobs.

Cavusoglu said that unfortunately Europe and several countries in Europe, the Netherlands being in the first place, they are reminiscent of the Europe of World War II. The same racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, we see all the crimes against humanity in todays politics.

The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls in a March 15 election for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains.

After Wilders accused the government of a weak response to Turkish plans to send ministers to the Netherlands to campaign, he insisted it was his pressure which made the difference.

Great! Thanks to heavy PVV- pressure a few days before the Dutch elections our government did NOT allow the Turkish minister to land here!!, he said in a Twitter message, referring to his Party for Freedom. He later added I am tell all Turks in the Netherlands that agree with Erdogan: GO to Turkey and NEVER come back!!.

Earlier Saturday, Cavusoglu said Wilders is racist, fascist, Nazi, like a Nazi. Citing comments that Wilders wanted action against Muslims, Cavusoglu said: What are you going to do? Are you going to kill them, burn them or what?

The Dutch government said it does not object to meetings in the Netherlands to give information about the Turkish referendum, but these meetings should not add to tensions in our society and everybody who wants to organize a meeting must adhere to instructions from authorities so that public order and security can be guaranteed.

It said the Turkish government does not want to respect the rules in this matter.

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Two days after a South Korean court ousted Park Geun-hye from office, the embattled former leader left the presidential residence on Sunday night.

It took more than two days  and national speculation about when the public would get a tangible image that her presidency had ended  before Park vacated the complex, known as the Blue House.

The impeached former president, who hasnt addressed the public since the courts action, traveled about eight miles south to this citys Gangnam district, where she has kept a vacant personal residence over the years.

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Park left the presidential complex in a motorcade about 7:20 p.m., cloistered in a black limousine. Twenty minutes later, composed and smiling, Park politely greeted guests and waved to a rowdy crowd of supporters carrying national flags outside her personal residence on a narrow street lined with brick walls.

As she arrived the supporters chanted daetonglyeong  president in Korean.

Around the same time, Park released a statement through a political spokesman. It was her first public statement since a constitutional court unanimously removed her from office, upholding an impeachment vote by the National Assembly in December.

I apologize for not fulfilling my duties as president, the statement read. I thank people for trusting and protecting me. She said she would take full responsibility for what had happened, but added: Though it will take time, I believe the truth will be revealed.

South Korean prosecutors, who recently finished a massive investigation into corruption involving the upper echelons of South Korean politics and business, have alleged that Park became involved in a bribery scheme.

They claim she and a longtime confidant sought payments from Samsung Group, the nations largest conglomerate, in exchange for helping to ensure a merger between two of the tech giants affiliates.

More than two dozen people have been charged in the sprawling investigation, including several of the presidents aides and the de facto leader of Samsung Group, Lee Jae-yong.

1 / 15 South Koreans celebrate the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye at a rally in downtown Seoul. (Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA) 2 / 15 South Koreans celebrate the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye on Saturday in downtown Seoul. (Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA) 3 / 15 Workers move a bed from the presidential office to Park Geun-hyes private residence in Samseong-Dong in southern Seoul. (Yonhap / EPA) 4 / 15 Supporters of former South Korea President Park Geun-Hye wave national flags Saturday at a rally in Seoul. (Jung Yeon-je / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 15 Supporters of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye protest her impeachment. (Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA) 6 / 15 Supporters of South Koreas former President Park Geun-hye cry Saturday at a rally opposing her impeachment. (Jung Yeon-je / AFP/Getty Images) 7 / 15 A supporter of South Koreas impeached President Park Geun-Hye wears national-flag glasses at a rally Saturday in Seoul. (Jung Yeon-je / AFP/Getty Images) 8 / 15 Supporters of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye protest her impeachment at Seoul City Hall on Saturday. (Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA) 9 / 15 Supporters of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye march Saturday in Seoul to protest her impeachment. (Ahn Young-joon / Associated Press) 10 / 15 Anti-Park protesters rally Saturday in front of the Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul. (Yonhap / EPA) 11 / 15 Supporters of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye rally Saturday in Seoul. (Ahn Young-joon / Associated Press) 12 / 15 Supporters of Park Geun-hye clash with police in Seoul on March 10 after her removal from the presidency. (Jung Yeon-je / AFP/Getty Images) 13 / 15 People with lights attached to their clothing perform Friday at a rally calling for Park Geun-hyes arrest. (Lee Jin-man / Associated Press) 14 / 15 A woman celebrates Friday in Seoul after the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. (Jeon Heon-kyun / EPA) 15 / 15 A protester with lights attached to his clothing attends a rally Friday calling for Park Geun-hyes arrest. (Ahn Young-joon / AP)

Now that Park no longer enjoys presidential immunity, she too could face charges, many analysts believe.

The timing of Parks departure from the presidential Blue House  so named for its distinctly colored tiled roof  had been something of a mystery since Friday, after the courts decision. Questions and intrigue seemed to mount by the hour until her departure.

The ouster by the court immediately stripped Park of the title and trappings of power  and of the expected $10,000 monthly pension she would have received at the end of her term next year. Park, South Koreas first female president, was also the first removed by impeachment  so the legal framework for her move from the complex was unclear.

Parks aides and security officials presumably needed time to secure her private residence and allow protesters to clear central Seoul to allow safe travel. But her aides have remained circumspect about the plans, at least to foreign reporters.

Before leaving, Parks former foreign media spokesman, D.J. Kim, said she said goodbye to hundreds of presidential staffers from her office. About an hour before, she had a brief meeting over tea with her senior aides, he said.

The images of the former president leaving the complex as a private citizen were surely heartening to many of her critics.

The ruling set off a wave of reaction across South Korea among the millions of people who had sought her ouster during massive Saturday street rallies, week after week, since last fall. Those continued over the weekend, including a fireworks display.

While many people peacefully marched in favor of Parks removal, the former president also had her supporters. Their numbers were smaller, both on the streets and in opinion surveys, throughout the controversy.

They reacted to the news on Friday in some cases with violence, trying to smash through police barricades and tip police buses, among other aggressive actions. One smashed a metal ladder on the head of a news photographer. Three people died in the immediate aftermath of the decision, though the details of the incidents were still murky.

Hundreds of Parks supporters lined the streets outside her private home on Sunday night, shouting insults at the assembled media seeking to document her return. They raised large South Korean flags in an attempt to block cameras from recording the former presidents arrival.

Some viewed her removal Friday more soberly.

Mina Kim, 51, who lives in the Seoul suburbs and described herself as a stay-at-home mom, said the presidents fall didnt bring her joy or despair  but rather made her proud that her countrys relatively young democracy responded to the will of the people.

For me the news made me feel a sense of responsibility, said Kim, who attended at least one of the recent rallies. I should accept the situation with humility, taking the decisions of the younger generation seriously, and participate more actively so that this doesnt occur again.

Stiles is a special correspondent.

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UPDATES:

9:20 a.m.: Updates throughout with staff reporting.

4:20 a.m.: Updated with Parks statement.

This article was first published at 4 a.m.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drove his dispute with European nations to the hilt Sunday, claiming that Nazism is alive in the West after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands over the weekend.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage from his unusual actions, Erdogan made it clear during an address broadcast live that Turkey wouldnt be easily appeased.

He said Ankara would retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands in an unprecedented midnight standoff outside the countrys Rotterdam consulate between a high-level government official and police in full gear.

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Earlier in the day, the Netherlands had already denied Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

I said I thought Nazism was over, but I was wrong. In fact, Nazism is alive in the West, he said from Istanbul, reviving memories of Europes darkest past in remarks similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkeys president, Turkish cabinet ministers have been scheduling campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

However, some European nations say Turkey under Erdogan is slowly slipping toward dictatorial means, especially since an aborted coup of last summer. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands.

The proposed constitutional changes would usher in a presidential system with a weak parliament, no prime minister and a subservient judiciary. Erdogan, already in power for 14 years, would be head of his party, government and state  and would be eligible to run for two more five-year terms.

The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday.

In a neck-and-neck race, the parties of either Rutte or populist firebrand Geert Wilders could end up with the most votes.

Rutte said it was important for his government not to bow to Turkish pressure, especially, he said, after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept its ministers out.

Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation, Rutte said. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail.

Ruttes actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being Nazi remnants.

On Sunday, he further heaped on the criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch.

If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price, Erdogan warned.

Those who treat my foreign minister, my economy minister, our legislator friends in a shameless way, will pay the price. Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price, he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting protesters.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming.

Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz.

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said the rally presented no threat to public order and in the absence of such a risk, the rally was permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted the minister as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz with cheers of Turkey and God is Great.

The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenhood, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland.

The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to, Rutte said. These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey.

The prime minister added that his government will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate.

Turkeys family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday where she was to campaign for the upcoming referendum in Turkey.

After a tense standoff outside the consulate on Saturday night, she was escorted back to the German border.

Kaya, speaking to reporters Sunday at Istanbuls main airport, condemned Dutch authorities anti-democratic actions that she said trampled on freedom of expression and right to assembly.

We were subject to very rude and harsh treatment, she said.

Police in Rotterdam said they arrested 12 people as a demonstration outside the consulate devolved into rioting following Kayas ejection.

Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said the arrests, made on violence and public order offenses, came as protesters pelted police with bottles and rocks early Sunday. Police responded with baton charges and a water cannon.

Wessels says seven people were injured in the brief explosion of violence, including one police officer who suffered a broken hand.

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Nokia 8 June 2017 Release: New Flagship To Challenge Samsung Galaxy S8 Variants

staff@latinoshealth.com By Marnelle Joyce Mar 11, 2017 12:20 PM EST

HMD is currently working on two flagships of Nokia 8 that will be equipped with Qualcomms cutting-edge Snapdragon 835. This is a similar chip that possibly powers the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S8.

According to the Chinese news outlet, MyDrivers, Nokia will be launching an overall metal Nokia 8 sporting dual cameras and a Snapdragon 835. These are the same specs as the Samsung Galaxy S8 has and to every other Android handset of 2017.

The company's new flagships, Nokia 8 is similar to Samsung and Apple's style of releasing their devices, India Today reported. Nokia will be also presenting two variants of different screen sizes and slight variants in hardware. They were, likewise, speculated to be CNY 4,000 or more (around $578.32/Rs 38,700) and CNY 4,500 (around $650.61/Rs 43,500).

Nokia 8 is expected to run Android Nougat 7.0 pre-loaded. It is likely to arrive with a 23-megapixel rear camera, in which the bigger size version will feature a dual camera.

However, according to BGR, HMD cant utilize the Nokia PureView camera tech that popularized the company before. Therefore, Nokia 8s differentiation from other Android handsets is going to be difficult. It is not yet revealed who is going to produce the lenses and sensors of the Nokias new phones.

In fact, the only reason for buying a Nokias Lumia Android phones was the camera. But the trade name and skill were developed by Microsoft.

The smaller flagship of Nokia 8 will also obtain a Snapdragon processor accompanied by up to 6GB of RAM and a great camera setup. At this point, this device is going to have a unique identity, since Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 8 will feature a wider screen.

Meanwhile, Nokia 8 is said to be released sometime this June. Speculations also are circulating that the two Nokia devices will arrive to challenge Samsung Galaxy S8 variants.

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Panamanian Ex-Leader Noriega Suffered Hemorrhage After Brain Surgery, Situation Is Critical

staffreporter@latinoshealth.com By Paul Te Mar 11, 2017 09:03 PM EST

Panamanian Ex-Leader Noriega has been taken back to the operating room at the Santo Tomas Hospital in Panama City after suffering a brain hemorrhage from the first brain surgery. Doctors were successful in stopping the hemorrhage during the operation but the situation is still critical.

According to The Western Australian, Panamanian Ex-Leader Noriega, 83, was admitted to the operating room to undergo the first procedure in removing the tumor in his brain after he was transferred from the prison to house arrest last January 29 to prepare him for a brain surgery, which was originally scheduled for last month. However, doctors found hemorrhages after the operation that made them repeat the procedure hours later.

Panamanian Ex-Leader Noriega's lawyer Ezra Angel said that "Though the doctors stopped the hemorrhage, his condition is still critical after undergoing a second open brain surgery in less than eight hours." Angel also added that the former leader was taken to the intensive care unit and his condition has not improved nor it has worsened.

Brain tumors were detected months after his return to Panama in 2011 and were imprisoned for murders of his political opponents and his corruption in the government. He was confined to a wheelchair for having a vascular ailment.

Per Bio, during 1983, Manuel Noriega unified the armed forces into the Panamanian Defense forces. He then promoted himself to general and became a de facto leader of Panama. He ruled Panama with an iron first for several years.

In 1989 he canceled the presidential elections and attempted to rule through a puppet government. People raise against Panamanian Ex-Leader Noriega with a coup against his government but failed. As an ally for four decades, the United States took an action against the regime and invade Panama in the same year. The US ousted Manuel Noriega into power.

The Panamanian Ex-Leader Noriega surrendered in January 1990. He was convicted to in absentia in crimes carried out in his rule. And after serving his 20 years in prison, the US sent him to France where he was sentenced to seven years for money laundering and extradited again from France to Panama to serve his serve his sentence in 2011.

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For the "vile and evil" crime of fatally drugging and burning her daughter following a custody dispute, a Calgary judge sentenced Laura Coward, 50, to life in prison with no chance of parole for 18 years.Court of Queen's Bench Justice Scott Brooker said Coward's sentence must reflect "society's disgust and outrage.""Amber was completely vulnerable to and trusting of her mother," said Brooker. "It was the ultimate betrayal and breach of trust for Ms. Coward to kill her daughter."Amber's father, Duane Lucius, held back tears as he spoke outside the courtroom after his ex-wife was sentenced."No sentence will do justice for what has happened to Amber," said Lucius."As a father, I have had to bury my child and nothing will bring her back. I can only hope that other children are not being used as bargaining chips in a divorce or used to hurt the other parent."Coward was originally charged with first-degree murder but pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in February.Prosecutors Mac Vomberg and Jillian Pawlow had proposed a 20-year parole ineligibility, while defence lawyer Jim Lutz asked the judge to consider allowing Coward to apply for release after 10 to 12 years."There's no way you could ever put into numbers how significant the offence is," said Lutz after the sentence was handed down. "Everybody's pretty broken up about this."Three days before nine-year-old Amber Lucius was drugged and burned alive by Coward, her parents' divorce was finalized, confirming her father would have full custody.The girl had been visiting her mother on the Labour Day long weekend and was supposed to be returned to her father two days before her body was found.Coward told friends and her other daughter she was going to take Amber stargazing, but drove to a Tim Hortons and then to a rural property.There, Coward gave her daughter sleeping pills she had stolen from a friend before setting her SUV on fire with Amber inside.Amber's body was found in the SUV that had been parked on a rural road near Sundre, about 100 kilometres northwest of Calgary, in September 2014.In his 30 years as a prosecutor, Vomberg said, this is one of the most disturbing cases he's ever seen."Virtually everybody who's come close to this case has suffered," said Vomberg. "The damage done to virtually everybody involved is widespread and very traumatic."
Mar 12, 2017, 11:46am ET

Ferrari to rethink California T

\"The California has the hardest time of seeing itself as a full-blown Ferrari,\" says Marchionne.

Ferrari has big changes in store for the next generation of the California T, its entry-level model.

The news comes straight from company boss Sergio Marchionne. He explained the California T was a good idea on paper, but it wasn't very well executed and a recent facelift hasn't done much to help.

"The car I've had the most difficulty is the California. I bought two of them  I bought the first one and I liked the car very much but it's the one car that, from an identity standpoint, has the hardest time of seeing itself as a full-blown Ferrari," he explained during a press conference at the Geneva Auto Show.

Marchionne is most likely referring to the fact that the California T was initially designed as a Maserati, and given to Ferrari late in the development process when bean-counters realized it would be too expensive to sell profitably. He stopped short of revealing what he'd like to change about the convertible.

Some sources have speculated the California T won't be replaced, meaning the 488 GTB would become Ferrari's entry-level model. However, its future seems relatively safe because Marchionne told Australian website Motoring that there's space in the company's lineup for a California T-style vehicle.

The original California entered production in 2008, and it received a mid-cycle update in 2014. We expect a brand-new model will break cover before the end of the decade.
Mar 12, 2017, 9:30am ET

Mitsubishi could build two-door Eclipse Cross

A Ralliart-badged model is also possible.

Mitsubishi is eager to introduce additional variants of the Eclipse Cross that debuted just a few days ago at the Geneva Auto Show.

At launch, the Eclipse Cross lineup will only consist of the standard, four-door crossover (pictured). However, Mitsubishi executives are debating whether to build a sportier variant with just two doors in order to reach a new set of buyers.

Turning the Eclipse Cross into a coupe is expensive, so the company warns the project will only get the proverbial green light if the four-door model is a hit.

"The three-door version is interesting, that is my opinion," revealed Hiroshi Yamauchi, the program director of Mitsubishi's C- and D-segment cars, in an interview with Australian website Motoring. "But business-wise it is difficult due to small unit volume," he conceded.

Another possible off-shoot is a more powerful crossover that could revive the storied Ralliart nameplate. The model would get more horsepower, a stiffer suspension, and an aggressive-looking body kit. It would help fill the void left by the Lancer Evolution, though it wouldn't be extreme enough to be considered a direct replacement.

Yamauchi concluded it's still too early to decide what's next.

"I think [a Ralliart model] is one option, but first I want to get the feedback from the market and then I will decide which direction should be on the life-cycle management," he said.

Photo by Ronan Glon.
Mar 11, 2017, 5:01pm ET

Elon Musk promises solution to South Australian energy problems

\"100 days or it\'s free,\" said the Tesla founder.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk is famous for publicly making grand, world-saving proclamations, some successful, some not. This week, he made another promise to solve South Australia's energy problems, but will make it intersting, so to speak, with a wager: he'll do it in 100 days or it's free.

South Australia is experiencing a record heatwave, causing a spike in energy demands that have resulted in devastating blackouts, including one that lasted two weeks. As reported by Reuters, on Thursday billionaire software company cofounder Mike Cannon-Brookes reached out to Musk on social media, offering financial and political help.

Musk, who launched Tesla's Powerwall 2 solar roof in Australia this week, said his battery company could, for $25 million, which works out to $250 per kilowatt hour for 100 megawatt hour systems generated from 500 Powerpacks. Musk tweeted, "Tesla will get the system installed and working 100 days from contract signature or it is free. That serious enough for you?"

Cannon-Brookes responded, "You're on mate. Give me 7 days to try and sort out politics & funding." His phone "hasn't stopped buzzing," Cannon-Brookes told Reuters. "The support is flooding in, both from individuals in terms of 'Hell yes!' and from corporates who are asking: 'Can we buy power? Can we contribute dollars?'"

Tesla has recently supplied Powerpacks to both the Hawaiian island of Kauai and Ontario, California. The latter uses a 400-Powerpack system that Musk was able to get up and running in 90 days.
taxslave said: Do what Trump does to avoid paying bills. Declare bankruptcy. There is also a statute of limitations on collecting debt. Could be it is too late. Click to expand...

1. Nelson W. Aldrich, Republican "whip" in the Senate, Chairman of the National Monetary Commission, business associate of J.P. Morgan, father-in-law to John D. Rockefeller, Jr.;

2. Abraham Piatt Andrew, Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury;

3. Frank A. Vanderlip, president of the National City Bank of New York, the most powerful of the banks at that time,representing William Rockefeller and the international investment banking house of Kuhn, Loeb & Company;

4. Henry P. Davison, senior partner of the J.P Morgan Company;

5. Charles D. Norton, president of J.P. Morgan's First National Bank ofNew York;

6. Benjamin Strong, head of J.P. Morgan's Bankers Trust Company;and

7. Paul M. Warburg, a partner in Kuhn, Loeb & Company, a representative of the Rothschild banking dynasty in England and France, and brother to Max Warburg who was head of the Warburg banking consortium in Germany and the Netherlands.

The US has been in bankruptcy for many decades. Trump had a few business flop and many, many more that didn't so what's your point?? Beat a dead horse until it takes all your money??HINT: A LOT MORE HAPPENED THAN JUST THE CONFISCATION OF THE PEOPLES GOLD!Prior to 1933, we all were proud and peaceful Sovereign inhabitants of America. The Trading with the Enemy Act, the Confiscation Act and the Lieber Code obligated the military government to, peacefully interact with American citizens and prohibited them from provoking us or to act belligerently toward us [or] they forfeit their ability to profit and loot [or] to securitize our property, equity and credit being held in a Public Trust.How about Trump repeal the creation of the FED in 1913 and all the interest on the National deb that was paid to the Rothschild Bankers can be returned to the Citizens of the US where it belongs.From Chapter 1 & 10, The Creature from Jekyll Island by Edward Griffin and from The Secrets of the Federal Reserve by Eustace Mullins. (copy of the 1913 Federal Reserve Act below) In brief, the private banking cartel known as the Federal Reserve System was setup in 1913 at the same time that the 16th Amendment was introduced to force income taxes onto Americans. The 16th Amendment was not legally ratified and this is why people are challenging the legality of income taxes that go to pay the interest on the money created from nothing by the private Federal Reserve System. The FED owners have become immensely wealthy by creating money out of nothing and lending it to the tax payers. Owners of the Fed are listed further down. The same scam happens with the Bank of England and HSBC, both controlled by the Freemason/Illuminati Zionist families (Rothschild, etc.).The secret meeting on Jekyll Island (owned by J.P.Morgan) in Georgia (around 1910) at which the Federal Reserve was conceived and a roadmap was laid towards the birth of a banking cartel to protect its members from competition, and the strategy of how to convince Congress and the public that this cartel was an agency of the United States government. Seven men who represented an estimated one forth of the total wealth of the entire world were present at that meeting:These competitors colluded to create a banking cartel who collateral is the US taxpayer and all properties of the US government. In 1913, the same year that the Federal Reserve Act was passed into law, a subcommittee of the House Committee on Currency and Banking, under the chairmanship of Arsene Pujo of Louisiana, completed its investigation into the concentration of financial power in the United States. Pujo was considered to be a spokesman for the oil interests, part of the very group under investigation, and did everything possible to sabotage the hearings. In spite of his efforts, however, the final report of the committee at large was devastating. It stated: Your committee is satisfied from the proofs submitted, even in the absence of data from the banks, that there is an established and well defined identity and community of interest between a few leaders of finance...which has resulted in great and rapidly growing concentration of the control of money and credit in the hands of these few men... When we consider, also, in this connection that into these reservoirs of money and credit there flow a large part of the reserves of the banks of the country, that they are also the agents and correspondents of the out-of-town banks in the loaning of their surplus funds in the only public money market of the country, and that a small group of men and their partners and associates have now further strengthened their hold upon the resources of these institutions by acquiring large stock holdings therein, by representation on their boards and through valuable patronage, we begin to realize something of the extent to which this practical and effective domination and control over our greatest financial, railroad and industrial corporations has developed, largely within the past five years, and that it is fraught with peril to the welfare of the country.The purpose of this meeting on Jekyll Island was...to come to an agreement on the structure and operation of a banking cartel. The goal of the cartel, as is true with all of them, was to maximize profits by minimizing competition between members, to make it difficult for new competitors to enter the field, and to utilize the police power of government to enforce the cartel agreement.In more specific terms, the purpose and, indeed, the actual outcome of this meeting was to create the blueprint for the Federal Reserve System.On 23rd December 1913 the house of representatives had past the Federal Reserve Act, but it was still having difficulty getting it out of the senate. Most members of congress had gone home for the holidays, but unfortunately the senate had not adjourn sine dei (without day) so they were technically still in session. There were only three members still present. On a unanimous consent voice vote the 1913 Federal Reserve Act was passed. No objection was made, possibly because there was no one there to object.The first leak regarding this meeting found its way into print in 1916. It appeared in Leslie's Weekly and was written by a young financial reporter by the name of B.C. Forbes, who later founded Forbes Magazine. The article was primarily in praise of Paul Warburg, and it is likely that Warburg let the story out during conversations with the writer. At any rate, the opening paragraph contained a dramatic but highly accurate summary of both the nature and purpose of the meeting: Picture a party of the nation's greatest bankers stealing out of New York on a private railroad car under cover of darkness, stealthily hieing hundreds of miles South, embarking on a mysterious launch, sneaking on to an island deserted by all but a few servants, living there a full week under such rigid secrecy that the names of not one of them was once mentioned lest the servants learn the identity and disclose to the world this strangest, most secret expedition in the history of American finance.I am not romancing. I am giving to the world, for the first time, the real story of how the famous Aldrich currency report, the foundation of our new currency system, was written.In 1930, Paul Warburg wrote a massive book - 1750 pages in all - entitled "The Federal Reserve System, Its Origin and Growth". In this tome, he described the meeting and its purpose but did not mention either its location or the names of those who attended. But he did say: "The results of the conference were entirely confidential. Even the fact there had been a meeting was not permitted to become public." Then in a footnote he added: "Though eighteen years have since gone by, I do not feel free to give a description of this most interesting conference concerning which Senator Aldrich pledged all participants to secrecy."In the February 9, 1935, issue of the Saturday Evening Post, an article appeared written by Frank Vanderlip. In it he said: "Despite my views about the value to society of greater publicity for the affairs of corporations, there was an occasion, near the close of 1910, when I was as secretive - indeed, as furtive - as any conspirator....I do not feel it is any exaggeration to speak of our secret expedition to Jekyll Island as the occasion of the actual conception of what eventually became the Federal Reserve System....We were told to leave our last names behind us. We were told, further, that we should avoid dining together on the night of our departure. We were instructed to come one at a time and as unobtrusively as possible to the railroad terminal on the New Jersy littoral of the Hudson, where Senator Aldrich's private car would be in readiness, attached to the rear end of a train for the South....Once aboard the private car we began to observe the taboo that had been fixed on last names. We addressed one another as "Ben," "Paul," "Nelson," "Abe" - it is Abraham Piatt Andrew. Davison and I adopted even deeper disguises, abandoning our first names. On the theory that we were always right, he became Wilbur and I became Orville, after those two aviation pioneers, the Wright brothers....The servants and train crew may have known the identities of one or two of us, but they did not know all, and it was the names of all printed together that would have made our mysterious journey significant in Washington, in Wall Street, even in London. Discovery, we knew, simply must not happen, or else all our time and effort would be wasted.If it were to be exposed publicly that our particular group had got together and written a banking bill, that bill would have no chance whatever of passage by Congress.Holy f*ck, the numbers do not lie. $10B jump in 1918 and even bigger crimes to come. https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo1.htm 1750-1849 https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo2.htm 1850-1899 https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo3.htm 1900-1949 https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo4.htm 1950-1999 https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm 2000-2015
A Bethlehem homeowner walked outside to find a drunken thief stealing prescription drugs from his parked car, police said.

Charged is Jordan Ray Gutierrez, 20, of the 800 block of East Morton Street in the city.

The male victim at 10:53 p.m. Nov. 26 walked out of his garage and reported Gutierrez sitting in his parked 2000 Volkswagon Jetta. The car was parked on the west side of Hobart Street, facing south at Mechanic Street.

Gutierrez allegedly was stealing prescription drugs from the Volkswagon and placing them into a Spiderman knit hat, also stolen from the car.

An officer found Gutierrez seated on the ground with his head bobbing, police said. He had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol, according to police.

Gutierrez allegedly admitted to stealing a handful of Xanax, a prescription drug used to treat anxiety, and Adderall, which is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Police later found in Gutierrez's possession 58 Lorazepam pills and two Aplrazolam pills, which are both sedatives that can be used to treat anxiety.

"Those are mine. I paid for them," Gutierrez allegedly told police. But police said he didn't have a valid prescription for the medications.

Gutierrez is charged with public drunkenness, theft and possession of a controlled substance. He was arraigned last week before District Judge John Capobianco, who set bail at $5,000.

In lieu of bail, Gutierrez was sent to Northampton County Prison where he remained Sunday.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Whenever Kim Culver-Adams and her husband wanted an upscale, sit-down meal, it seemed like they were always driving to Allentown, Bethlehem or Easton.

Hellertown, closer to their Lower Saucon Township home, was replete with casual dining options, but Culver-Adams found herself thinking there was room along the small town's main drag for a refined dining experience with a menu geared toward locally sourced ingredients. When Ricardo's Original Tavern, the Mexican restaurant in the historic building at 605 Main St., started plotting its closure last year, she saw her chance.

1774 Grille & Tap, owned by Culver-Adams and her husband Richard Adams, opened in February in the location with an early colonial American theme and an impressive bar program. The decor highlights the 18th century building's historical feel, displaying vintage photos of the Lehigh Valley on television screens. The menu focuses on elevated tavern-style fare.

With no prior restaurant experience, Culver-Adams pulled together a team of experts to make her vision a reality. She found a general manager in Sarah Cohen, who owns the gluten-free food company Lil Miss Organic, formerly based at the Allentown Fairgrounds.

Culver-Adams hired Steve Brett, formerly the sous chef at Melt at the Promenade Shops, to craft the menu. Popular items include the local beef burger ($12), the braised short rib ($26 or $38 with a wine pairing), the seared scallops ($27 or $34 with a beer pairing) and the lamb osso buco ($28 or $40 with a pairing). The ingredients largely come from local vendors, she said.

"That's the way we eat, so we wanted to share that," Culver-Adams said.

Michael Claypool, a veteran of ROAR Social House (and its secret speakeasy) in Allentown and the Bookstore Speakeasy in Bethlehem, runs the bar, making his owns syrups, infusing liquor with flavors in-house, and making ginger beer himself.

Claypool said he's had the freedom to do, in his words, "weird stuff" with his cocktails -- the Man in Black, for one, features caramel walnut bourbon, chipotle-maple bacon syrup, coffee, aromatic bitters and candied bacon. He's been surprised to see how well it's gone over. He keeps the cocktail list as seasonal as possible, too, holding off ingredients like mint until the weather warms up.

The colonial theme comes through in the beer list -- Besides Miller Lite, Claypool is only stocking brews from the original 13 colonies. Once the nearby breweries Lost Tavern and Bonn Place Brewing get their distribution up and running, they're planning to stock their beers.

1774 Grille and Tap seats 52 people in the main dining room, 35 in the bar area and 30 in a side dining room, and the team is working on opening an al fresco patio soon. Art for sale lines the walls. For parking, valet will be available starting March 20 for $5. For now, the restaurant is using the nearby post office parking lot Fridays and Saturdays.

1774 Grille & Tap, 605 Main St. in Hellertown, is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The kitchen closes at 10 p.m.; a late night bar menu runs until 11 p.m.

Andrew Doerfler may be reached at adoerfler@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @adoerfler or on Facebook.
It's the little cultural differences that have surprised Adnan Ullah, a 27-year-old Pakistani who is studying for his emergency medical technician certification at Northampton Community College.

There's calling his instructors by name, for instance, rather than sir or ma'am. Or eating during class. Or music playing in the showers at the dorms on the Bethlehem Township campus.

Ullah is in the United States to learn about bigger differences, specifically how to improve emergency medicine in his home country once he returns in May.

"When I compare United States' emergency services to my country, it's like different," Ullah said Thursday in a garage bay at the Easton Emergency Squad, where he is volunteering. "We have same emergencies like here, but the main thing is that in the United States they have a lot of equipment. They have a lot of new procedures.

"Then I will implement these equipment and these procedures back into my country."

Adnan Ullah, who is from Pakistan, stands Thursday, March 9, 2017, in a garage bay at the Easton Emergency Squad station, where he is volunteering while he studies to become an emergency medical technician at Northampton County College. He is in the United States through the Community College Initiative Program. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Ullah is one of 16 students at Northampton through the Community College Initiative Program, joining others who hail from India, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey and the Dominican Republic, said Manuel Gonzalez, associate dean for the school's Center for International Education.

The Community College Initiative is an international exchange program of the U.S. Department of State and is administered by Northern Virginia Community College on behalf of the Community College Consortium, of which Northampton Community College is a partner, said Jason Haller, program coordinator at the Northampton Community College Center for International Education.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program has been in place since 2007 to bring students to the United States who may not otherwise have the chance to do so.

"They're not rich students," Gonzalez said, adding, however, that they are "academically gifted."

Northampton was a pioneer in the program, welcoming the first-ever Community College Initiative student 10 years ago. Since then, it's trained more than 100 students from around the world.

The program is very competitive, said Ullah. He applied for the Community College Initiative to the U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan, where after seven essays he was one of 80 students interviewed out of a field of 1,000 applicants. The program funded 40 to come to the United States for one year of non-degree study.

"Brace yourself," Ullah said he was told back home in Mardan, Pakistan: Americans are rude, and will not help you.

"You will do it yourself, everything," he recalled being told.

That preconception vanished almost immediately upon landing last July at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, when he found his luggage had been lost. A stranger helped him.

"In that time, my perception was changed," Ullah said. "I realized that, no, this is wrong. They are so good people."

At NCC, Ullah started out last summer with English-as-a-second-language classes, then studied incident command systems last fall. He started his EMT certification course on Wednesday, about two weeks after securing his needed volunteer internship at the Easton Emergency Squad.

Ullah knew of the squad through his instructors at NCC, and last month stopped in at the 908 Packer St. station on South Side Easton. EMT-Paramedic Christopher Ryland greeted him and welcomed him on board.

"It's very nice because we don't get the opportunity a lot to be able to work with somebody pre-EMT or learning in school," Ryland said last week. "So we got a chance to open him up, show him everything that we do here as far as the EMS side, administrative side, the trucks, going out on calls.

"And he's actually been very, very open to everything we've been showing him and teaching him, and he's been very aggressive in his approach in trying to get to everything that we can show him as often as possible."

Ambulances are seen Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at the Easton Emergency Squad station, 908 Packer St. on the city's South Side. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Ullah acknowledged that it is very difficult to get the chance to study in the United States, and to secure a scholarship.

The education goes both ways, said Northampton's Gonzalez. Prior to 2007, the community college had some international students, but they never integrated into the campus community, he said.

"Students that have come through the funded programs are exceptional people and exceptional students and they've really transformed our campus, and we've grown in that area because of these funded students," Gonzalez said. "Part of the mission of the community college is to globalize our students because our students are not going to work in companies anymore that are solely American-based, so the more exposure they have to people from other cultures, the more marketable they are."

"If they can have a roommate from another country or a friend, that can help them to develop these global competencies," he said.

At the Easton Emergency Squad, Ullah is gaining experience alongside 60 career EMTs and paramedics who handle both basic and advanced life support 24 hours a day for Easton, Williams Township and Glendon, said Joseph Cervenka, director of operations there.

"He's very, very involved, asking a lot of questions, very hands-on," Cervenka said. "He's very, very interested in how we do things here, and it's interesting to hear how they do everything out there."

Volunteering with the squad offers immeasurable experience outside the six-week EMT certification course.

And the help from his American hosts continues, including squad members voluntarily driving Ullah to and from campus.

"This is a really good opportunity for me," Ullah said. "I'm really lucky ... to come here in the United States."

"This is really important for me," he said.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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Theres a phrase that goes Be careful what you wish for. You might get it. I have sometimes said to Willie Rennie that I think hes being too safe and that he needs to take more risks. Hes taken a pretty big one this morning by saying in no uncertain terms that Liberal Democrat MPs at Westminster will vote against a Section 3o order, the mechanism that would allow the SNP to hold another Scottish independence referendum. Certainly, the Tories will no longer be able to say, as they have been falsely alleging for the past year or so, that we have gone soft on independence. Showing Scots that they have a progressive pro UK party prepared to stick by its word is a good thing.

So why is this a risk? Well, theres nothing more likely to get Scottish backs up than being told by Westminster that they cant do something. If that actually happened, it might drive people to support having another referendum, even if they didnt want to leave the UK. At the moment, though, every poll suggests an increasing number of Scots who dont want to go through the divisive trauma of 2014 all over again. Willies announcement is very much in keeping with both our principles and public opinion. Thats actually a point that the didnt make in his Sunday Politics Scotland interview, but worth pointing out.

Our party is and always has been a pro UK and pro EU party. We are against leaving the UK for all the same reasons that we are against leaving the EU  we believe in partnership and collaboration and see nationalism and isolationism as a recipe for disaster. We explicitly ruled out supporting another referendum on independence in our Holyrood manifesto last year and there is no way we could go back on that. Reneging on key manifesto promises has not gone so well for us before. Its therefore entirely logical and consistent that we would oppose independence at every opportunity to do so.

The Tories have resolutely not said what they would do in the event of the Scottish Parliament voting in favour of an independence referendum. We will probably not find out until it happens. By laying out what Lib Dem MPs would do now, Willie is taking a bold step, calmly leading rather than reacting to events.

This has all come about because Nick Clegg, in the midst of an excellent visit to the Conference, gave an interview to the Herald in which he said:

I think it would be very difficult for any government of any composition in London to try and impose a fatwa on any move towards a referendum, if that was something which was being pushed, however unwelcome that is.

At least Nick was clear that the referendum was a bad idea, unlike Jeremy Corbyn, who said that he was fine with the idea of Indyref 2. Honestly, we have the Leader of the Opposition not really giving a damn about keeping the UK together now after he so famously didnt give much of a damn about our place in the EU and actively voted against staying in the single market. I really do feel for my friends in the Scottish Labour Party, which is much more actively pro UK and pro EU when they are undermined like this.

So we had to say something. We could have waffled and prevaricated, but politics is conducted in primary colours with clear lines these days. What is there really to lose by being clear, especially when you are also being consistent with everything else you are saying?

There has been some super coverage of the Scottish Conference this weekend. Lib Dems job is to turn back the tide of division, said Holyrood magazine. His emotional case for the union was highlighted by the Scotsman. The BBCs Brian Taylor, after perhaps a longer than necessary introduction on curling, said:

But back to the Lib Dems. They too appear curiously content, as if they had spent a few valuable minutes on the rink rather than squabbling with their chums about the wording of a rule change in standing orders. They think they are relatively well placed in these troubled times, offering a combination of supporting both the UK and the EU. Those were, remember, the verdicts of the Scottish people in two plebiscites. Not content with these glories, they seem to be anticipating a rerun in both cases. With different degrees of fervour. Willie Rennie, he who leads the Scottish party, says that indyref2 is unwanted and unnecessary. Yet his speech was founded upon the presumption that such a ballot is coming reasonably soon. Perhaps he took his clue from the interview with me in which the first minister agreed that indyref2 was now all but inevitable. Or the many other interviews in which she has deployed comparable comments. Either way, Mr Rennie says his party is ready for the fight. The economic case for independence, he said, is now less impressive, particularly in the light of oil figures. But, he said, there was an emotional case for the Union too. He, Rennie W, was ready to deploy said argument. It was, he said, about family, community and destiny

Willie has made a pitch to be the standard bearer for the majority of the Scottish people, who favour being in the UK and the EU. We will have to wait and see whether that makes a difference to our still stubbornly low opinion poll ratings.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
It was a speech full of warmth, positivity and passion. Willie Rennie knows that a second referendum on Scottish independence needs the positive, emotionally resonant pro UK argument that was so lacking in 2014. He planted the Lib Dem flag in the progressive pro UK/pro EU space in Scotland, saying that we represented the views of the Scottish people. The challenge for the party is to turn that into votes. Watch his full speech here.

The text is below:

2017 is a year of anniversaries in the Rennie family.

My parents mark their 60 years of marriage next week.

Janet and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

And our first son, Alexander, was born 21 years ago.

And advanced warning: its my 50th birthday in September.

Janet and I set up our first home in a little village in Cornwall called Egloskerry.

Alexander was born in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

My father served his national service in Staffordshire.

My first proper job was in Cornwall.

My sons first job is at Butlins in Somerset.

Thats my family.

Our family story is like so many others in Scotland and in the rest of the United Kingdom. Our lives are intertwined, connected. We are one.

Our lives are intertwined, as well, with people from all across Europe who have set up home here. Europeans who live, work, pay their taxes, have married and brought up families here.

Like my Polish sister-in-law, Monika, living and working in Scotland for a decade and now choosing to make home with her new family in Scotland. We are one.

So the debate on the constitution is personal.

It is not a dry, dusty debate about government structures.

It is about family, community, destiny.

I want to bring communities and peoples together, not drive them apart.

That is why I will oppose erecting a barrier, any barrier, in the heart of my family just like I will oppose erecting a barrier, any barrier, in the heart of the United Kingdom or the European Union.

Because the United Kingdom is our family.

The European Union is our family.

And we stand with our family.

Erecting barriers and division with Independence  between us and the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland is just as objectionable as the division we are seeing with the people of Europe as a result of Brexit.

It upsets me when I hear Conservatives describing European people as takers not givers. That somehow they are only interested in what they can get from our welfare state and our NHS.

And it upsets me when I hear nationalists describe British people as quislings, the far right, selfish, mean spirited and insular.

Conservatives want me to choose my British family over my European family.

Nationalists want me to choose my European family over my British family.

My message to them both is clear: I choose my family over your division.

THE NEW CASE FOR THE UK

It looks as if the First Minister is determined to re-run the referendum of only 3 years ago.

It is not a battle I want after all the division of the last campaign. And we will not vote for it.

But if the nationalists think by asking the question over and over again they will beat us into submission then they need to think again.

And, by the way, it will take more than threatening to bring back Alex Salmond to make us change our mind too.

I will stand up for our United Kingdom family. We will lead the way on the kind of campaign for the United Kingdom that we want to see. We should set the terms.

There has been much talk about the economy.

I am sure some businesses may benefit from independence.

I have heard there is particular excitement at the prospect of an orders boom in the flag factories of Falkirk.

And the face painters of Arbroath  well they are over the moon.

But we know the economic case for independence is weaker than even in 2014, so I will not dwell on that today.

The new case for the United Kingdom is a positive, uplifting one that focuses on the ties that bind us rather than the differences some would use to divide us.

It is that emotional case. It is the Liberal case for unity. The compassionate case.

It goes to the heart of who we are.

Britain is full of people who care. We, together, care about the environment, poverty at home and abroad, the sick, the elderly, the young.

Our country is jammed full of people who want a better world.

The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief was a group of concerned citizens who first met in 1942 to relieve famine in Greece. We know it today as Oxfam.

In the wake of the First World War Eglantyne Jebb, and her sister Dorothy Buxton campaigned for children.

In the early twenties they filled a ship with 600 tons of aid bound for Russia to save the lives of 300,000 children and more than 350,000 adults.

Save the Children now helps over 17 million children every year.

Both charities born in the heart of Britain  showing compassion to the world

British people, with compassion and care, digging into their pockets.

We should celebrate our generosity and compassion.

It is a mark of who we are.

No Scottish nationalist will tell me that I should be ashamed of that.

I am proud of who we are.

That compassion has built some of the best public services too.

It is why we built the best health service in the world.

The second biggest aid budget in the world.

The welfare state to help people in need.

Public compassion has driven that state action.

Of course there are political differences within our country but so are there within Scotland. You just need to travel between Perth and Dundee to see those differences.

Think about this: there are ten times as many Remain voters in England as there are in Scotland.

Think about this: a majority of people in England did not vote for the Conservatives.

Just because some English people have repugnant views does not make the entirety of them repugnant.

Just as some Scottish people have offensive opinions does not make us all offensive either.

Nigel Farage  that tweed-clad xenophobe  is not representative of all English people.

Just as David Coburn  our MEP who has been banned from editing his own Wikipedia page  is not representative of all Scots.

I admire the great historical figures of progress from all parts of Britain:

Emmeline Pankhurst on votes for women,

William Wilberforce ending the slave trade,

William Beveridge building the welfare state.

Our United Kingdom is an uplifting, mutually beneficial partnership that we should cherish not trash.

So as we head into another referendum the responsibility on liberals is great. We must stand up and be counted for our values.

This is a battle of ideas and values, not of identities and flags.

We must stand up for our family whether in Britain or across Europe.

We must make the positive, open, internationalist case.

Tell our friends about how compassionate, tolerant and generous the United Kingdom is.

Send a message of hope that things can be better still.

We should be like Laura Muir, always willing to run another lap.

We can turn back the tide of division.

We can celebrate both our differences and the ties that bind us.

We can say no to independence and yes to partnership.

We can, once and for all, put an end to the claim that if you do not believe in independence you do not believe in Scotland.

So if our First Minister gambles with our country again I can tell you now that the Liberal Democrats will campaign for Scotlands partnership within the United Kingdom.

We will not just campaign with numbers on a spreadsheet but with smiles in our hearts.

I want all people who live in this country to rise up and say we stand with our neighbours;

that we cherish the compassion of British people;

and we value our partnership.

Our job is to turn back the tide of division.

CONSERVATIVE GAMBLE

The Conservatives have been gambling too.

Their EU referendum gamble put their party before our country.

Reckless on the economy.

Risking our security.

Threatening our environment.

Diminishing our place in the world.

Holding Donald Trumps tiny hand.

All to unite a fractured party more interested in reaching for the past than recognising the modern Britain we have become.

This is the biggest change of our international posture in a generation: from partnership through global organisations to a futile attempt to build our own power base in the world.

Theresa May knows the price of Brexit, Ruth Davidson knows the cost. But yet they both charge towards the cliff at an ever faster rate.

In the Budget the Chancellor had to create a war chest to fight off the effects of Brexit. It is a colossal 60billion.

Heriot Watt University has just told us they are cutting 100 jobs  and say Brexit is one of the reasons.

And prices in the shops are on the rise.

Energy prices are on the rise.

Jobs are being lost.

Thats the hard cost of a hard Conservative Brexit.

It is hitting us in our pockets and costing our country dear.

And we havent even left the European Union.

It turns out the Conservatives are building a wall and they are expecting us to pay for it.

Its reckless and we will oppose it.

Of course we must respect the referendum result. But political leaders have got a responsibility to lead.

And leadership is what this country is missing at one of the most significant periods in modern political times.

Labour has shown an astonishing level of indifference to the fate of our country. No challenge, no questions, just compliance.

They have turned the fine tradition of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition to Her Majestys Obedient Opposition.

Thats why it would only be right for the British people to take charge of the final say on whatever deal is agreed by the Conservative Government with the EU.

A Brexit deal referendum is the right and democratic thing to do.

When they look back at this time our grandchildren will be astonished that we did not take our time and ask ourselves whether we really wanted this.

When the Brexit deal proves to be so damaging why would we not ask the British people a new question?

I told this conference in the autumn that I will not give up on Europe. And I wont.

We can win the case. Public opinion can change.

We saw it with the invasion of Iraq.

From jeering our Charles Kennedy in the street at the start, people turned to oppose the Iraq war.

Political leadership is sometimes about persuading people, not just repeating what the last focus group told you. That is followership.

So when the jobs are lost, the mortgages rise, the prices in our shops increase, the foreign investment declines.

As the cost becomes ever more apparent the mood, the view, the opinion of the merit of Brexit will go into reverse.

Our job as Liberal Democrats will be to be there, to be the gathering place, to give the leadership, to win the cause.

That is our purpose and that is what we will do.

SNP AND EU

The Conservatives have abandoned the internationalist posture this country built over generations. The Labour party timidly accept that approach.

The SNP wish to compound the break-up of Europe with the break-up of the UK.

And this week we heard Jim Sillars say he wont back independence if it means being in the European Union.

He speaks for one in three independence supporters who also backed Brexit.

Mike Russell and the notoriously shy and retiring Alex Salmond have been unusually coy on the subject.

You havent heard any senior nationalist say the only way to keep Scotland in the EU is to have independence.

They used to say that all the time, didnt they? Now they never do.

They now say that their dissatisfaction with the UK Government transcends the issue of Europe.

So the evidence is mounting  the nationalists are preparing to sell out Europe in a desperate bid to win independence.

Some people have thought about whether, perhaps, Scottish independence is the best way to stay in the EU.

But its clear to me that if you trust the SNP on this then you are going to be disappointed.

So let me tell you of the fundamental risk that independence now poses.

It is to leave Scotland outside the UK and outside the EU.

The worst of all worlds.

What a disaster that would be.

No, I tell you there is a better way.

The best way for us to stay in the European Union is through the United Kingdom.

With the economic consequences of Brexit becoming clear.

People like John Major, Alan Johnston and Tony Blair backing a rethink.

Our victory in Richmond Park showing there is a momentum in the UK for change.

We had the nations eyes on us and we won.

Even Bob Geldof campaigned down Richmond High Street with me.

By the way it was a good job he came on a Wednesday because I am told he doesnt like Mondays.

Pro EU people should not fall for the nationalists trick.

They should back the only Pro-EU party

The party that will never use Europe for narrow ends.

The party that has always stood up for Europe.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats.

WE SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY

It is the Liberal Democrats that speak for the majority of people in our country.

A majority of people in Scotland voted for Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom  we stand with them.

And a majority of people in Scotland voted for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union  and we stand with them too.

No one else stands with the majority of Scotland  for the United Kingdom and for the European Union.

Liberal Democrats do.

And we will stand against the actions of the political fireraisers of our time.

A majority of people in Scotland want to keep the United Kingdom but the SNP want to burn it down. They do not speak for Scotland.

And a majority of people in Scotland want to keep the European Union but the Conservatives want to burn that down. They do not speak for Scotland.

They are each lighting the match in response to the actions of the others.

Determined to start fires that threaten our economy, security and our environment.

Scotland has had enough of their fire raising.

It is our job to put those fires out.

FEDERALISM

It doesnt have to be like this.

We can build a better future for the whole UK.

Last week Kezia Dugdale made the case for Federalism. Welcome Kez.

It makes a change to see Labour fighting the battles of 2017 not 1983.

Or 1917 Moscow in John McDonnells case.

We have the opportunity to build something bigger. To grow the movement for a federal UK.

Its federalism we have been advocating for one hundred years.

In the last twenty we have seen the idea develop.

Power is now shared around the UK more than ever before.

We can do more. Federalism is the long-term and viable future for the UK that saves us from the forces of perpetual division.

It would move us on from the Punch and Judy show of Westminster versus the rest.

So that is why I can tell you today that I have appointed Jeremy Purvis to lead a new group that will work with people from other parties and none to develop the case for Federalism in the United Kingdom.

More and more people from different parties and different parts of Britain are looking at federalism. We will be there to help bring them together.

If you are tired of division.

Tired of history repeating. And repeating. And repeating.

Fed up with the fires that destroy.

Then it is time to try something new.

Federalism is the stable, secure and respectful future that we can bring.

DOMESTIC

And while the SNP and Conservatives are busy lighting fires. They ignore the need to get on with the day job.

There is work to be done.

Scottish Education used to be one of the best in the world. It is now slipping down the international rankings. Reforms are chaotic and regressive.

On mental health, we once had a world leading mental health strategy but now dont even have one. The SNP let it rot.

During the Budget talks with the SNP we discovered that they are much further behind on mental health than we feared.

The SNP railed against the Council Tax for decades, describing it as evil and unfair. But now they have saved it from abolition.

They ignored their own independent Commission, forced through arbitrary increases and locked the Council Tax in place for another generation.

And then there is Keith Brown. Our economy secretary.

Not only is our economy lagging behind the rest of the UK with growth slower, employment lower and productivity still behind.

There was Amazon. He paid them millions of pounds in grants but didnt bother to check if they paid the proper living wage.

And then there was China. He got the First Minister to sign an agreement with Sinofortone and CR3 worth, we were told, a whopping 10billion.

But he didnt bother to check on their human rights record first. It was not good. One stands accused of corruption and abuse in Africa.

And he didnt bother to check if Sinofortone had any money to spend. Which it turns out they didnt. They run a pub in the Cotswolds.

No living wage, no human rights check and no money.

These people aspire to run an independent country but they could not run a human rights check in a china shop up the Amazon.

But it does not have to be like this.

Liberal Democrats engaged constructively with the Scottish Government to try to make big improvements to its budget.

Ours was a 400 million package for our economy through investing in people.

For mental health with support for early treatment and in primary care, the police and A&E departments.

For investment in colleges to bring back part time courses especially for women and mature students.

For a pupil premium in schools that has been proven to give poorer children the opportunity to be all they can be.

For more cash into our police to help them recover from the botched SNP centralisation.

This was a chance for the Scottish Parliament to use the new powers that we argued and campaigned for.

This was a chance to deliver a positive programme of reform to make our country the best again.

But this was a missed chance because the SNP just wouldnt do it, because they have their eye on their very different prize.

It is time to get on with the day job, to focus on our people, to make a difference for everyone.

This is not the time to divide our country once again with yet another independence debate.

COUNCIL

And we are six weeks away from our chance to send a message on all of this.

The council elections are a chance for us to show who we are.

We have a message of hope not division.

A Liberal Democrat councillor elected on May 4th will be an advocate for your community, not a cheerleader for independence.

They will be an advocate for better mental health.

For investment in education

For a stronger economy.

Against a Conservative hard Brexit.

For Scotland in the United Kingdom.

And for the end of the Council Tax.

Thats a positive plan of action in every part of Scotland.

I have been knocking doors and speaking with voters across the country.

I have joined some of our excellent new candidates who are leading the way. Carole Ford from Glasgow, Trish Robertson in Culloden, Hal Osler in Leith, Claire Graham from Musselburgh, Rosie ONeil from Bearsden.

Kevin Lang, Daniel Coleman, Ben Lawrie, Sarah Dickenson, Kris Chapman, Jane Ann Liston. Catriona Campbell.

I have been on the doors with Alex Cole-Hamilton and Mike Rumbles who have been working hard at Holyrood and then getting out to support local candidates in the evenings.

First class, dedicated advocates for their communities. All and every one.

We have a great team.

We need strong liberal voices for the challenges we all have ahead.

The optimistic forces. The Liberal case. The international posture. It needs standard bearers.

As we face the forces of division we have to ask ourselves who we are and what we will do.

The question that will be asked of us in years to come when people ask about this time is this.

What did you do?

When the world in 2016 and 17 faced Brexit, Trump, Le Pen in France and Wilders in the Netherlands, what did you do?

What did you do when our country of 300 years faced break up?

I dont just want to say that we mocked them for their terrible hair.

I want us to be able to say we stood strong for the international, liberal answer.

We stood with Justin Trudeau for refugees,

with Emmanuel Macron for social progress,

for D66 and Mark Rutte in the Netherlands for European values.

And for a positive future for the whole of the UK, free of the division of the SNP.

We will be able to say we stood for a better, open, positive world based on partnership, trust and generosity of spirit.

What did we do?

We did the liberal thing.

And we got back to winning again.
A RATHKEALE dairy farmer, John Moran, told Newcastle West court that he was kicked in the backside and threatened with a shovel when he went to talk to his neighbour, Donie Murphy about moving a pier or pillar.

Mr Moran was giving evidence in a case in which Donie Murphy, Ardlaman, Rathkeale was charged with assaulting Mr Moran at Ardlaman on July 9, 2015.

The pier, Mr Moran said, was at the entrance to a right-of-way to his farm and he offered to pay the cost of moving it in order to widen the access for a bigger milk collecting truck.

The gate pier, he said, was in any case protruding about 18 inches on to the right-of-way.

Mr Murphy agreed at first, Mr Moran explained but then changed his mind after an engineer had come to mark up the pier.

Mr Murphy had the mark wiped off and said he couldnt give me that much, Mr Moran said.

Mr Moran went to talk to Mr Murphy at his workshop on July 19, 2015, and was leaving when he got a kick up the behind from Mr Murphy.

Mr Murphy then grabbed a shovel and began flashing it across Mr Morans face.

I could find my cap moving, Mr Moran said adding that he knew if he turned his face he would get hit. Mr Murphys wife then came on the scene, Mr Moran continued, and got between them, roaring at her husband not to do it.

Mr Murphy said Mr Moran abused his, Murphys, family.

He spit down the ground and said that is all ye are, dirt. He told me my family were nothing but tinkers.

Mr Murphy sent the guards to me the week after, Mr Moran said.

Cross-examined by Mr Murphys solicitor Rossa McMahon, Mr Moran said he had been told by the Land Commission years ago that he could remove the pier whenever I wanted.

But he denied he had been hounding Mr Murphy on the matter and he hadnt gone to a solicitor because he didnt want to cause ructions I didnt want solicitors. I didnt want law, Mr Moran said.

Isnt it true he asked you repeatedly to leave? Mr McMahon asked.

He told me to leave and I did.

Mr McMahon also put it to him that Mr Murphy couldnt have done what he, Moran, claimed, as he had poor health. He did run at me, Mr Moran declared.

Garda John Ryan, in his evidence, said he went to see Mr Moran who told him he had been assaulted by Mr Murphy. He then called to Mr Murphy. He said he may have pushed Mr Moran.

He said Mr Murphy was agitated over the pier and that guards had been called to his shop.

When Donie Murphy took the stand, he testified to the conversation that had taken place between himself and Mr Moran that day.

I said you are getting no pier the way you are carrying on. He said I own half the pier, Mr Murphy said, adding that he told Mr Moran: If you want to find out what you own and dont own, go to your solicitor. Dont mind coming in here fighting with me.

Mr Moran, he said, had been in and out to him on the matter for six or eight weeks.

But he denied he kicked Mr Moran in the backside.

I pushed him. I shoved him.

He also denied running after him, as he had trouble with his leg.

I couldnt run down there, he claimed, pointing down the floor of the courthouse.

And he explained the shovel was keeping the door open. He picked up the shovel as he was about to close for his dinner when Mr Moran, who was about 20 feet away, came back again and said: Hit me now if you like. Hit me.

Mr Murphy also denied insulting Mr Morans family.

His family and myself are the best of friends. I said nothing. It is complete lies. That is the truth, that I may not get up out of here.

Mr Murphy said Mr Moran owned the land all about and could have moved one of his gates to let the milk truck through. But Mr Moran, he added, wouldnt go inside his own land.

Making the case for his client, Mr Murphy, Rossa McMahon said the pier was on Murphys land and he was under no obligation to accommodate Mr Moran.

He can be as unreasonable as he likes. If Mr Moran has a problem, he can go to a solicitor.

Instead, Mr Moran had kept badgering his client.

Mr Morans evidence is not reliable, Mr McMahon added, pointing out that there was no mention of Mr Murphys wife in Mr Morans statement. Mr Morans claim that Mr Murphy ran at him was not credible, he also argued.

This is going on a long time, Mr Moran has never had a solicitor to make any proper proposal with the result when he came in to my clients business property he was unreasonably aggressive.

Mr Murphy had admitted shoving Mr Moran, Mr McMahon continued, but he argued that assault is not assault if there is lawful excuse.

This is an ongoing campaign against Mr Murphy. Mr Moran feels entitled to do what he wants. I am seeking a dismiss.

Inspector Alan Cullen said Mr Murphy had acknowledged both to Garda Ryan and in his testimony that he had pushed Mr Moran. He also acknowledged he picked up the shovel, the inspector pointed out.

There is nothing like rural Ireland and disputes about land, Judge Mary Larkin said and it was a pity John B Keane was not there to write out the minutiae of what was said here.

She was satisfied, she said, that Mr Murphy has a short fuse. Whatever way Mr Moran went about things, she continued, he did rub Mr Murphy up the wrong way.

But she found that Mr Murphy did assault Mr Moran.

I have two ways of dealing with this, the judge continued.

She could convict or she could adjourn to allow the men to resolve the matter like gentlemen.

Mr McMahon pointed out that Mr Murphy had been dealing with this a long time and had told Mr Moran to go to his solicitor.

Judge Larkin convicted Mr Murphy of assault and fined him 500. But she fixed recognisance in the event of appeal.
A GROUP composed of Limerick-born professionals based in Dublin will explore opportunities for financial services firms in the region later this month.

Capital Limerick will host its second major event at 6.30pm on Wednesday, March 29, at the Westin Hotel in Dublins Westmoreland Street.

There, a panel discussion will take place, featuring top economics lecturer at the University of Limerick, Dr Stephen Kinsella, Eamonn Fallon, senior vice-president of Limerick-based firm Northern Trust and Carolanne Cunningham, of Bank of America leasing.

The evening discussion will be moderated by Donal ODonovan, business editor at the Irish Independent.

Capital Limerick spokesperson and founder Clair Hayes said: The Mid-West is home to domestic and international investment managers, leasing operators, banks, payment service providers and other financial services firms. With the help of our panel of experts, we want to explore the attractiveness of the Mid-West and to examine if Limerick and the Mid-West is, or can become, a viable alternative option to Dublins IFSC, particularly in a post-Brexit era.

Capital Limerick was established last year by a group of Limerick business and professional people based in Dublin.

They came together to promote and enhance Limericks profile and reputation in Dublin as one of the states prime economic and socio-cultural hubs and as a centre of excellence in leadership.

Its reaching out to the thousands of Limerick people living and working in Dublin, and who are united around that goal.

Among its membership are former Limerick Leader journalist Barry Duggan, Stephen OByrnes, MKC Communications, Seamus Hennessy of the STL Group and government advisor Patricia Ryan.

The event later this month is being sponsored by Northern Trust, Matheson and the Elder Healthcare Group.

While attendance is free, numbers are limited: to register, email hello@capitallimerick.com.
A BRIGHTER, more prosperous future beckons for Abbeyfeale if ambitious plans for the old, now unused, convent shape up.

The Abbeyfeale Community Council hopes to take over the building shortly and plans to transform it into a hub for new businesses and job creation, a community events hall and a visitor and heritage centre.

If the community councils plans come to full reality, it could create scores of new jobs in the town as well as boosting Abbeyfeales attraction for tourism.

The first step is securing the lease on the building, with a view to getting the freehold further down the line, the chairman of Abbeyfeale Community Council, Maurice OConnell told the Limerick Leader this week.

The community council has been in negotiation with the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) regarding the building for a number of months, he explained. We are pleased that they want to go into final negotations with us.

Mr OConnell said they hoped the lease agreement will be signed off within the next month or two. But he stressed their plans would protect and enhance the current building while incorporating a new, future use for it.

The plans for the building are focused on developing a business enterprise incubation centre, and they hope to attract a significant anchor tenant as well as start-up companies by working closely with Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and Innovate Limerick.

This project would never have gotten off the ground except that hi-fibre broadband is now in place directly outside the door, Mr OConnell said. And their hope and aim is to attract start-ups and businesses involved in technology. The businesses coming in will not displace other businesses in the town, he stressed. Rather, they will be adding to the town.

But crucially, there will also be a community arm to the convent transformatio. We want to provide a multi-functional community events hall that will deliver to the needs of all groups of all ages, Mr OConnell said.

The plan also includes a proposal to develop an interpretive cum heritage centre which would showcase Abbeyfeales unique heritage and cultural richness and which would attract both domestic and international visitors.

Commenting on the project, George OCallaghan, chief executive of LCETB said: We are very supportive of Abbeyfeale Community Councils plans for the old convent building. We look forward to the successful conclusion of those negotiations at the earliest opportunity in order to facilitate the community councils development plans.

We see this an an unique opportunity that will benefit the entrire Abbeyfeale community, Maurice OConnell added. The project will require the inclusion and support of all sections of the community along with support from the public and private sectors.

This project represents a new and positive chapter in the future of Abbeyfeale and its wider community.

The Sisters of Mercy first came to Abbeyfeale in 1871 and went on to develop a national school and a secondary school. In 2011, the secondary school Scoil Iosaf amalgamated with St Itas Secondary School and the Vocational School in a new college campus now known as Colaiste Ide agus Iosaf.

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KNOCKADERRYS Michael Dowling will make history this week when he becomes the first Limerickman to lead the St Patricks Day Parade in New York.

It is a wonderful honour to be able to lead the parade. I am excited about it, said the man who was selected last October to be grand marshal of the 255-year-old parade.

There will be a feeling of pride. I wish my parents were here. They would like this. They would appreciate it, said the son of Jack and Meg Dowling, who was born into a small cottage in Knockaderry but worked his way through school and college.

But Mr Dowling, who heads up Northwell, the third largest not-for-profit health care system in the US with over 61,000 employees and turnover of over $9b , will have plenty of Limerick people to support him in his historic role.

Mayor Kieran OHanlon will lead a delegation of three councillors and officials from Limerick City and County Council and there will also be a delegation of Garda officers as well as the Munster Rugby Supporters Choir.

Crucially, however, many of Mr Dowlings family and friends are travelling over for the occasion.

We are so proud. It is totally unbelievable. But looking back it is not surprising because he has worked so hard all through his life,  Mary Dowling Geaney, Michaels only sister, said at her home in Knockaderry this week. He has achieved so much. This is definitely the pinnacle. We are very very proud of him. His brothers Joe, Sean and Pat (now chief executive of Clare County Council) are also expected to march in the parade.

But Mr Dowling revealed that he doesnt make the decisions about the marching order. There are 200 marching groups, he pointed out. But, he continued, the 69th Fighting Irish regiment will be in the lead. I go next, he said, and he will be followed by various dignatories and then his family members, including his wife Kathy, daughter Elizabeth and son Brian. Then I believe it is Limerick, followed by Clare.

Lets hope the weather is going to be nice, Mr Dowling continued. He has been very busy in the run-up to the parade, attending ceremonies organised by various Irish associations and county associations.

There is a wonderful history there. Some of them go back 140/150 years, he explained. It has all been enjoyable.

He has also had to deal with a lot of media but says the issue of Irish illegals and Irish undocumented has not been raised with him by reporters.

Obviously people are concerned about the whole immigration issue, Mr Dowling said, pointing out there were an estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish in the US.

People are aware of that. People are working on that, he said.

But he continued: People have been good in trying to keep politics out of the parade.

However, he admitted, it has come up at some of the pre-parade events he has attended. I have mentioned it once or twice. But everybody is looking at the opportunity to celebrate the Irish heritage. That has been the primary focus.

But he is looking forward to the big day which begins early and includes Mass in St Patricks Cathedral before he leads the parade from 44th Street up Fifth Avenue to 79th Street and eventually ends with a Black Tie Gala Ball.
WILL someone please tell me where have all the saints gone? Ireland once had more saints per acre than any country in the western world and they all seemed to have had their own wells, with crystal clear water and curative properties to boot  all of which should be of some interest now to Irish Water.

But even this beleaguered body doesnt seem to want to have to resort to the saints.

Growing up in rural Ireland in the 1950s we were surrounded by saints: everyone was either a saint or a sinner, and nearly everyone I knew aspired to the status of the former. Now both species are more or less extinct and theres no value anymore in being a saint, whatever about a sinner.

Secular Ireland is now hell bent on wiping the title from all aspects of public life, in deference to the sensitivities of non-believers and those who profess other ideas about God. They now want to remove the word saint from the wards signage in our hospitals. No wonder the health service is in crisis!

St Bernadettes ward is no more in one public hospital. It is now plain Bernadettes, which wouldnt really instil much confidence in anyone praying for a cure. Even St Jude has lost his title, although I doubt very much if any hospital anywhere was ever rash enough to name one of its wards St Judes.

Anyhow, Im sick of all these sops to secular Ireland. Im sorry if atheists feel uncomfortable about being lodged in a hospital ward named after a saint they dont even acknowledge, but what about those of us who need the protection of the saints when were in trouble. The reality, of course, is that most of us would be too grateful to get off a trolley in the corridor and into a ward in the first place to be bothered about the sign on the door. But I, being afflicted with severe hypochondria, am inclined to storm heaven with prayers when Im hospitalised and I have to say that Id feel more secure if University Hospital Limerick had been called after a saint.

But things have changed since the saintly 50s when the nuns were in charge and nobody was ever left on a trolley.

In the primary school I attended, we were taught that Ireland really had only one canonised saint, and it wasnt St Patrick, but St Lawrence OToole, the patron saint of Dublin. The Pale mentality existed then too! Anyhow we paid no heed to that. We canonised our own local saints. St Odhran was patron of the parish, and St Conlan held sway in the adjoining parish while St Chiara had a nunnery in the parish at the other side.

As I said, they all had their own wells with cures for everything from sore eyes to sore throats, and as far as I can recall, there were no hospital crises.

Im writing this more or less on the eve of the feast day of St Patrick, now almost universally referred to by the derogatory title of Paddys Day. Is this another nod to the secularisation of Ireland or is it a deliberate ploy to make the national booze-up known as drowning the shamrock more acceptable. I suppose I shouldnt be quibbling because Patrick, with or without the title, may yet be the only saint to survive the secularisation of the Emerald Isle.

Meanwhile, the campaign continues. Traditional prayers are being abandoned at meetings of public bodies at the behest of trendy councillors who favour a moment of reflection. Are we codding ourselves? The only moments of reflection most of us ever have are when we glance in the mirror to see if were looking alright, or when we lift the phone to take a selfie.

I was born on St Patricks Day and named after him, so you could say that I have a personal interest in maintaining the feast day, as well as the faith.

The birthday doesnt interest me anymore. But I wouldnt want to see St Patrick dishonoured or secularised and Id like to point out that the reason why we honour him in the first place is because he brought us the faith, not because he helped out in 1916 or because he went on to establish the Irish drinks industry.

This years St Patricks Day, now only days away, is filling me with particular trepidation because we want our Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, to jet off to Washington, armed with the obligatory bowl of genetically modified shamrock, but without either a wing or a prayer. We want him to abandon all the graciousness and good manners that Patrick instilled in us, and square up to President Trump like the pagan prize fighter, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Anything less, according to some commentators would not only make Enda look like a lapdog, but would diminish the belligerent Irish who apparently dont kowtow to anyone anymore, not even a saint.

In the meantime, Im hoping someone might throw a spanner in the mounting secularisation of Ireland so that those of us who still believe that there is something far superior to ourselves in the universe and who are too modest to even harbour the suspicion that we might have made the world ourselves, would have our particular sensitivities acknowledged and deferred to, so that we can continue, without apologies to anyone, to recite the Litany of the Saints when were in trouble.
Mar 12, 2017, 5 AM

The winner of the nonphilatelic part of the February cartoon caption contest featuring the 1956 $5 Alexander Hamilton stamp is Rich Spector of Dublin, Ohio, who reflects on the fact that the Broadway musical Hamilton is so popular that it is sold out well

U.S. Stamp Notes  By John M. Hotchner

Tickets to the extremely popular Broadway musical Hamilton have gone through the roof, and that was the phenomenon addressed by most of the entries in the February cartoon caption contest featuring the 1956 $5 Hamilton stamp in the Liberty series.

For example, Gary Loew of Atlanta, Ga., brings in Hamiltons origins with Yikes! I can fly five round trips to Nevis, BWI for the cost of a ticket to see my own show!

Another tack was taken by Lisa Woodridge of San Francisco, Calif., with Im quite familiar with sticker shock!

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Hamiltons disagreements with Vice President Aaron Burr motivated another group of entries. The result of their rivalry was a duel July 11, 1804, in which Burr mortally wounded Hamilton.

Burr was not injured, but the event resulted in his being charged with murder in both New York and New Jersey. Though the charges were dropped in one state and he was acquitted in the other, his political career was ruined.

Marvin Feibusch of Bronx, N.Y., has Hamilton remarking, Another good argument for gun control!

A number of entries noted that Burr won the duel but Hamilton got the stamp. Jack Leonard of Hatboro, Pa., sent the line, I hope this isnt a duel issue!

Rich Spector of Dublin, Ohio, supplied the line that won the nonphilatelic part of the contest. His entry reflects on the fact that, despite high ticket prices, Hamilton is sold out for every performance well into the future.

On the philatelic side, John Hostetter of Lancaster, Pa., won with Ive arrived! Im on money. Im on stamps. And now Im on Broadway!

Both winners will receive Linns Stamp Identifier published by Amos Media Co., or a 13-week subscription to Linns (a new subscription or an extension). The book has a retail value of $12.99.

Here are the best of the runners-up.

Duel? I thought you said I was going to do a duet with Mr. Burr! from Steve Kotler of San Francisco, Calif.

In big hair we trust! by Jack Trammell of Mineral, Va.

Tell me  Just what is a postage stamp? sent by Simon Halburian of Saguache, Colo.

Now we would settle our differences with tweets not duels, from an anonymous Linns reader.

Would have bet 5 bucks that no one would ever sing my praises on Broadway! sent by Richard Thornton of Valparaiso, Ind.

Im off to Yorktown  Give my regards to Broadway! from Mildred Barylski of Warrenton, Va.

Thanks and a tip of the hat to all who entered.

The next cartoon caption contest will be announced in the April 10 Linns.
How Frog Hospital got its name

News and commentary by Fred Owens in LaConner, a small town in the Skagit Valley. The story behind the name: There was once a grocery store in a quonset hut, run by Mr. Grobschmidt. Clyde, an old drunk who lived out on the river, thought that Mr. Grobschmidt looked like a frog, so he took to calling the store the "Frog Hospital." Now the quonset hut, Mr. Grobschmidt, and Clyde are all gone -- only this blog survives to carry on the Frog Hospital tradition.


Turkish Riviera will soon welcome Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas currently operates 11 resorts and 29 spas in 20 countries under the brand names Six Senses, Evason and Six Senses Spas.

Canyon Ranch Wellness Resort at Kaplankaya, which opened its doors beginning of summer 2016, will be taken over by Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas on May 1, 2017. Over the next year, the design, environmental and wellness operations will be enhanced to bring the blessings of Six Senses to the beaches of Kaplankaya, said Bernhard Bohnenberger, president of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas.

Located near famed Aegean archaeological sites, the resort, which is owned by Capital Partners of Turkey, has a total of 141 guestrooms and suites in the main complex, plus 154 private residences located adjacent to the resort. Each well-appointed guest room has been designed to complement the landscape using natural and responsibly-sourced materials. Six Senses Kaplankayas world-class contemporary design will support a guest experience of serenity and well-being.

We welcome Six Senses to the Aegean Coast and look forward to their contribution towards the grand vision of Kaplankaya, as the worlds premier coastal living community, said Capital Partners Chief Executive Officer Erkan Erkek.

The resort reflects the broader development at Kaplankaya, which will include residential villas, resort accommodation, a 250-berth marina and yacht club, a retail precinct plus additional dining, sport and leisure facilities. The vision is to create a high-end, environmentally-sensitive destination that will create a positive economic and social impact while also preserving the natural surroundings and wealth of history in the local area.

History lovers will be well rewarded in their explorations, especially around the cities of Didim and Bodrum. Indeed, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus are both among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Milas-Bodrum International Airport (BJV) is just 10 minutes by helicopter, 30 minutes by boat and 50 minutes by car from the resort. The airport has scheduled services from Istanbul and other Turkey cities, plus seasonal services from many European cities such as Amsterdam, Baku, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Paris and St. Petersburg.
In 2016, two astronauts finished nearly a year of work on the International Space Station. NASA's Scott Kelly and Russia's Mikhail Kornienko were studied closely for changes in their physical and psychological health.

NASA touts the mission as part of its "Journey to Mars", in which it hopes to send humans to the Red Planet by the 2030s. But a recent paper published in the journal Space Policy argues that there are so many aspects to a Martian colony that it is all but impossible to simulate the parameters on Earth.

"We can not simulate the same physical and environmental conditions to reconstruct the Martian environment, I mean such traits like Martian microgravitation or radiation exposure," Konrad Szocik, a cognitive scientist at the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland and lead author of the paper, said in an e-mail. "Consequently, we cannot predict physical and biological effects of humans living on Mars."

He argues that "an awareness of the one-way journey and all possible dangers" cannot be simulated on the ISS, or even in Antarctica, one of the most remote places on Earth and a frequently cited zone in space analog studies. Szocik argues that people in Antarctica are not reliant on artificial life support to the degree that astronauts are.

RELATED: Martian Meteorites Could Reveal Wetter Past on the Red Planet Than Thought

Szocik suggest individuals acclimatized to living in harsh conditions would be best suited for exploration of Mars. So that's not to say that the space station or Antarctica wouldn't be useful locations for training. But, he argues, it may be necessary to go a step further  modify people's bodies and minds ahead of journeying to Mars.

He suggests possibly electronically enhancing the human senses or prescribing medication that might help diminish emotional reactions in a moment a crisis. Of course, how exactly to do this still lies mostly in science fiction.

Szocik says he is greatly concerned with how a Martian colony would function. While most discussions of colonies focus on the technological or financial challenges of constructing and maintaining it, there has been less study of the social aspects of putting people within a Martian colony.

"A human being is a social animal and he lives in a group," he said. "Group problems affect many challenges and troubles, and we should consider now how we can prevent such typical human problems like conflicts, wars, cheating, etc."

Szocik is also concerned about reproduction on Mars, which not only needs a technological and medical support system, but a large enough colony to avoid the risk of inbreeding. He suggests a population of at least 500 adults on the surface. Not only that, but medical officials would should consider how to reduce the likely mortality rate from disease, possible technological failures, and radiation from the Martian environment, among other factors, he said.

Szocik's previously written about how religion would function on Mars and how the human psyche might be impacted. first foray into predicting human behavior on Mars.

Originally published on Seeker.
Officials in Afghanistan southeastern province of Khost say three gunmen have attacked a military base.



Khosts provincial police spokesman, Faizullah Ghairat, said on March 11 that the attack was on a base close to the border with Pakistan.



Ghairat said one militant was killed, while the other two were still holding out late on March 11.



There was no immediate comment about the attack from the headquarters of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Kabul.



The attack came at the start of Afghanistans spring fighting season, when warmer weather brings increased operations by both militants and government forces.



Afghanistans Interior Ministry said on March 11 that security forces had killed 51 armed militants in operations across Afghanistan during the previous 24 hours.

With reporting by Reuters
If you go

McGuires on Elm Street

27 W. Elm St., Lodi; 209-339-4747

Corned beef and cabbage and reuben sandwiches will be available from 8 a.m. to midnight. $3 pints of green beer. The Stockton band AGENT will play a mix of rock music from the 70s, 80s and 90s from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Richmaid Restaurant

100 S. Cherokee Lane, Lodi; 209-368-4279

Corned beef hash breakfast, reuben sandwiches for lunch, corned beef and cabbage dinners, shamrock cake and green beer. Friday and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Corned beef and cabbage will be available starting at 11 a.m.

Rosas At Tower Park

14900 W. Highway 12, Lodi; 209-365-0131

Corned beef and cabbage dinners, plus drink specials. Make sure you wear your green! 4 p.m. to close Friday.

Stogies Cigar Lounge

230 W. Pine St., Lodi; 209-334-5764

Traditional corned beef and cabbage served at noon for as long as it lasts. Giveaways of tumblers, ashtrays, T-shirts and other prizes. Guinness on tap. Noon to midnight Friday.

Fitzgeralds Restoration Products

4646 Qantas Lane, Stockton; 209-969-8282

All in the automotive industry are invited to join to join the staff of Fitzgeralds Restoration Products from noon to 2 p.m. on St. Paddys Day for a free lunch of corned beef and cabbage. Reservations are required by Thursday, March 16.

First Congregational United Church of Christ

Corner of Church and Algiers streets, Murphys; 209-728-3141

Traditional Irish and Scottish music and more. 3 p.m. March 19. $12 at the door (suggested donation).
Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), a group formed by al Qaedas branch in Syria and several other organizations, has claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in Damascus yesterday. Dozens were killed and many more wounded when the bombers struck Shiite pilgrims visiting holy sites in the Syrian capital. Many of the victims were from neighboring Iraq.

HTS portrays the attacks as a retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed Shiite militias, which fight Sunnis in both Iraq and Syria. In its statement, HTS claims that one of the bombers struck Iranian militias and the second hit Assads forces. The statement could be read as an attempt to draw a distinction between civilians and supposedly legitimate military targets.

But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that approximately 8 children under the age of eighteen and 11 women or girls were killed. Twenty (20) members of the [Assad] regime forces and the militiamen loyal to them, including 16 members of [the] regimes police and gunmen loyal to them, are also among the dead. The death toll has steadily risen since the initial casualty reports. SOHR estimates 74 people perished.

SOHRs sources indicated that the blasts took place sequentially. One explosive device was detonated near a cemetery and then a second jihadist blew himself up as the visitors from 9 buses gathered afterward.

Al Qaeda generally avoids attacks on Shiite religious and civilian locations. Ayman al Zawahiri criticized such operations in a 2005 letter to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq. Zawahiri advised that the majority of Muslims dont comprehend the Sunni-Shiite conflict and possibly could not even imagine it. Therefore, many of Zarqawis Muslim admirers amongst the common folk are wondering about your attacks on the Shiites.

My opinion is that this matter wont be acceptable to the Muslim populace however much you have tried to explain it, and aversion to this will continue, Zawahiri wrote.

In his subsequent general guidelines for waging jihad, Zawahiri reiterated that the Sunni jihadists should only fight Shiites and other supposedly deviant sects of Muslims under certain circumstances. If they fight Sunnis, Zawahiri wrote, even then the response must be restricted to those parties amongst them who are directly engaged in the fight. The Sunni jihadists should make it clear that we are only defending ourselves. Moreover, Zawahiri continued, [t]hose from amongst them who do not participate in the fight against us and their families, should not be targeted in their homes, places of worship, their religious festivals and religious gatherings.

However, yesterdays bombings in Damascus deliberately targeted religious gatherings.

Al Qaedas rivals in the Islamic State have rejected Zawahiris approach to waging jihad. Abu Bakr al Baghdadis men frequently target Shiite civilians in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.

Al Qaedas arm in Syria was originally known as Al Nusrah Front. The organization claimed credit for a series of suicide bombings, including in Damascus, during the early years of the Syrian war. [See, for example, FDDs Long War Journal reports: Suicide bombings become commonplace in Syria and Al Nusrah Front claims yet another suicide attack in Syria.]

In Oct. 2015, Al Nusrah, Ahrar al Sham and a third group, Ajnad al Sham, created a joint operations room named Jund al Malahim (Soldiers of the Epics) to combine their military efforts in the countryside of Damascus.

In Feb. 2016, two small jihadist groups (Ansar al Sharia and Al Muntasir Billah) swore allegiance to Al Nusrah Fronts emir, Abu Muhammad al Julani. The jihadists pledged to fight the Russians, Shiites and Assad regime loyalists in and around Damascus.

In July 2016, Al Nusrah Front was relaunched as Jabhat Fath al Sham (JFS). Then, in January, JFS claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of Damascus. According to SOHR, at least 10 members and officers of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them died in the blasts.

JFS and four other organizations merged to form Hayat Tahrir al Sham (Assembly for the Liberation of Syria) in January. And it was in HTS name that the bombings in Damascus on Mar. 11 were carried out.

The Islamic State has launched suicide operations in Damascus as well. The so-called caliphate bombed a Shiite shrine in a suburb of Damascus last June. And in September, an Islamic State suicide bomber drove a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) into a Syrian army checkpoint west of Damascus.

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.
The Iranian-controlled, Iraqi militia Harakat al Nujaba this week announced the formation of its Golan Liberation Brigade. While it is not uncommon for entities to name themselves after areas they aim to liberate, the militias spokesman has said that the unit could assist the Syrian regime in taking the Golan Heights, a region in the Levant that has been controlled by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War.

If true, the unit would likely participate in a future offensive to capture territory from Syrian opposition in the part of the Golan Heights still controlled by Syria, before moving on to the much taller order of dislodging the Israelis across the border. This weeks announcement reflects Tehrans priorities in southern Syria since finally taking the fiercely contested city of Aleppo late last year: crush the Syrian opposition, and pose military threat to Israel from the Golan Heights. While the Islamic Republic is incapable of credibly challenging the Jewish states fortress in the Golan, reaffirming ideological commitment to fighting Israel signals defiance to a global audience amid a reportedly converging American-Arab-Israeli military alliance against Tehran.

Harakat al Nujaba, or Movement of the Noble, has sustained operations in the Syrian and Iraqi combat zones. An offshoot of the Iranian-backed militias Asaib Ahl al Haq and Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al Nujaba was formed in 2013 to fight in the Syrian Civil War as part of Iranian-led, Iraqi expeditionary forces. The militia joined the Popular Mobilization Forces, the umbrella organization of Iraqi militia, the following year, after the Islamic State incursion into Iraq. Operating as one of the largest Iraqi-Shiite militia contingents in Syria, the militia has claimed to field 10,000 forces. Harakat al Nujaba played an important role in assisting Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and pro-Syrian regime forces conquer Aleppo late last year.

The Iraqi militia functions as an extension of the Islamic Republic. Having sworn full allegiance to Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the militia promotes velayat-e faqih (guardianship of jurisprudence), the Islamic Republics founding ideology. Harakat al Nujaba takes direct orders from Major General Qassem Soleimani, the chief of the IRGC extraterritorial branch the Qods Force. Last year, the Iraqi militia, which is also known as Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba, proclaimed that it and Lebanese Hezbollah, Irans most powerful foreign militia, were the twins of resistance.

The militia leader Akram al Kabi is close to the top Iranian leadership, including the supreme leader. A co-founder of the Asaib Ahl al Haq  itself an offshoot of the Mahdi Army  Kabi was designated in September 2008 by the US Treasury as a terrorist for aiding Iraqi insurgents. In 2015, he openly said he would depose the Iraqi government if Khamenei issued the order. Last year, top Iranian officials close to Khamenei gave Kabi a highly publicized reception in Tehran, unprecedented in scope and scale for a militia leader. This past December, Harakat al Nujaba publicized Kabis meeting with Khamenei on the sidelines of a conference in Tehran.

Harakat al Nujaba has divulged some details about the Golan Liberation Brigade. The commander of the militias forces in Syria released a statement declaring the unit to be a synthesis of combat experiences gained in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The militias official spokesman confirmed the event at a press conference held on March in Tehran at the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, saying the unit was formed following recent victories (an implicit reference to Aleppo). He claimed the Golan unit is comprised of special forces.

Should the Syrian government make the request, we are ready to participate in the liberation of occupied Golan with our allies, the spokesman said. We will not permit the soil of Arab countries to remain in the grasps of occupiers.

Harakat al Nujaba also released a video promoting the Golan unit that showed fighters marching in columns and carrying a banner reading, Israel will be destroyed.

Tehrans goal of establishing a foothold in the Golan Heights is not a secret. Last year, the head of the Israeli foreign and defense legislative committee revealed without divulging details that Israel had repelled several Iran-directed attempts to move forces into Syrian Golan Heights.

Senior Iranian military commanders are known to operate in Syrian Golan. Last July, the then-commander of the IRGC Basij paramilitary publicized an inspection of Quneitra by the Israel border. In January 2015, an Israeli strike in the area killed several high-value targets including IRGC Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allah-Dadi and multiple Hezbollah operatives.

A chasm remains between the capabilities and ambitions of Harakat al Nujaba and the IRGC to retake the Golan from Israel. The combined forces of the Syrian regime and IRGC-led militias are no match for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and this disparity is expected to hold for the foreseeable future. Israel could also adopt a more proactive approach in Syria to foil IRGC encroachment by the Golan, for example by coordinating with Syrian rebels positioned in the area. Syrian Golans flat geography furthermore denies the IRGC suitable terrain to replicate the southern Lebanon model of concealing rocket launch sites dispersed across a widespread area, making it easier for the IDF to search and destroy weapons systems. For years, the IDF has been fortifying positions in the rocky plateau of Golan to face greater capabilities than the IRGC and its allies can muster.

Yet the claim to retake Israeli Golan underscores Harakat al Nujabas ideological commitment to Khameneis declared goal of destroying Israel. Khamenei and his top Guard generals have frequently spoken that the divine hand would aid the faithful who take steps towards divine-inspired ideological principles.

Brandishing the formation of the Golan unit also challenges Arab countries on the Palestinian issue, as Tehran has accused them of abandoning the cause in service of Israel. The Islamic Republic has slammed reported Arab-Israeli rapprochement and talks to form a US-brokered military coalition with the goal of countering Tehran, as covered in The Wall Street Journal. Last month, top Iranian government officials hosted another round of the Support of Palestinian Intifada Conference in a show of unity and defiance. This past week, Tehrans interim Friday prayer leader excoriated some leaders in Islamic countries who are with Zionists, calling them not human. Suffering from loss of legitimacy over support of Syrian President Bashar al Assad against a Sunni-Arab uprising and nervous over a converging Israeli-Arab alliance, the Islamic Republic is projecting to the globe and sell-outArab leaders a defiant commitment to fighting Israel.

The Iraqi militias Golan unit and IRGC-led expeditionary forces could help pro-Syrian regime forces take opposition-held areas in the south. In February 2015, IRGC-led forces launched a failed campaign in the Daraa and Quneitra. Since conquering Aleppo last year, the IRGC-led expeditionary forces and other pro-Syrian regime forces have been able to redirect their dwindling assets to several fronts in north, central, and south Syria. Pro-regime forces backed by Russian air power have been pounding Daraa in the south for more than a month to slow an opposition offensive, and have recently launched a new bid to capture it. An IRGC colonel was also killed last month in the area. A pro-Syrian regime propaganda outlet late last month reaffirmed the governments intention to retake all of Daraa and open a major border crossing with Jordan. Meanwhile, pro-regime forces have made progress in the northern pocket of Quneitra Governorate, located in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan.

The IRGCs goals in southern Syria are to crush Syrian opposition forces, and build the capability to open another front against Israel. The IRGC hopes a viable Golan foothold would serve as deterrence against Israel and US, and that it could activate in a future conflict, such as another Israel-Hezbollah war. For now, the IDFs fortified posture in the Golan remains a difficult, if not futile, target for the Guard and its allies. The IRGC nevertheless intends to project steadfast commitment to ideological principles and defiance of adversaries.

Amir Toumaj is a independent analyst and contributor to FDD's Long War Journal.

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Vice President Joe Bidens Cancer Moonshot is a personal mission, one hes forging ahead with after leaving office. A year after President Barack Obama took the South by Southwest stage, Biden and wife Dr. Jill Biden arrived in Austin to appeal to the festivals technology entrepreneurs, developers, and engineers: Youre the future, Biden said. You can make a gigantic impact. We need your ingenuity. We need you to help us reach people to change their behavior.

Bidens plea to techies, at times emotional when he spoke of his son Beaus battle with cancer, was blunt about the challenges that impede cancer research. Scientists, oncologists, radiologists, immunologists, and all of the hospitals and research institutions that study the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer are only just now beginning to share their data with one another.

You might think at a time when Facebook has an algorithm to tell if someone is exhibiting potentially suicidal tendencies, that medical centers might be able to detect if someone has a risk for cancer, Biden said. But they cant.

Electronic medical records have moved data from paper to the cloud, but if hospitals are using different systems, theres no way for a patients doctors at those hospitals to send health records to each other. Biden experienced that firsthand with his sons cancer treatment: Beau Bidens doctors used their cell phones to take photos of his CAT scans and send them to each other.

Thats not a cancer problem, Biden said. Its a technology one.

The Biden Foundations Cancer Initiative has already made strides in bringing various stakeholders to the table to work together. As part of the Moonshots work, the National Cancer Institute and the University of Chicago last year launched the Genonic Data Commons, a platform for collecting and storing more than 30,000 cancer patients genomic datasets. Biden said Amazon called to offer up free cloud storage for all that data.

The initiative also launched a tool where you can see every cancer trial in the U.S. and the criteria for the trial, in the hopes that more people will enroll in trials and more information can be collected.

The only bipartisan thing left in America is the fight against cancer.

The bulk of money for cancer research comes from the federal government, and Biden is hopeful that will continue with Donald Trump in the White House and a Republican-controlled Congress. He vowed to work with Trump to ensure cancer research remains a top priority.

The only bipartisan thing left in America is the fight against cancer, Biden said. It is my hope that this new administration, once it gets organizedand Im not being facetiouswill be able to focus on and be as committed and enthusiastic as we were in the goal of ending cancer as we know it. I pledge before you and all the world I will do everything in my power to work with the administration.

When Bidens appearance at SXSW was announced just prior to the festivals kickoff, people wondered why he wanted to talk about cancer to a ballroom full of entrepreneurs, investors, and creatives. Biden had a clear answer.

I have some of the most innovative minds in the world sitting in front of me, Biden said. I can take my cell phone and find out exactly what movie is playing across the country and what times. Why cant I do some of the things that need to be done in this fight? Our generation can be the first generation on earth that has a completely different understanding of cancer as a controllable and preventable disease rather than a death sentence.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Student Politics

There was politics even during the period when I was in college before partition. But it was not on communal lines as it is today. Then the enemy was the British and all were in the struggle to oust them. It was in the 1940s when Qaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah came to the Law College at Lahore and exhorted all of us to make a joint effort to drive out the British.

Subsequently, things came to such a pass that even water was divided into Hindu pitchers and Muslim pitchers. We, the students, were not contaminated at that time. We would eat together at the same table, ordering food from the Hindu kitchen as well as from the Muslim kitchen.

Today the polarisation has contaminated the Hindu community, dividing it into castes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not recognise this and recently talked about kabaristan and samshan bhoomi. He unnecessarily brought in the religion by asking why there was no power at samshan bhoomi while it was available at kabaristan.

State Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav corrected the Prime Minister and stated that Uttar Pradesh had electricity for 24 hours and both kabaristan and samshan bhoomi get constant power supply despite the fact that the State had been facing severe power cuts. The complaints the Muslims make is that there are fewer ATMs in their localities and they feel handicapped in withdrawing money.

This may be true. But the Muslims do not point out at the real reason. They lost their importance after the creation of Pakistan which was founded on the basis of religion. Congress leader Maulana Abul Kalam Azad fought a lonely battle against this thinking during the British period itself. He would say that if the Muslims felt unsafe or insecure in a large country like India, they would feel still more unsafe in a partitioned India because the Hindus would tell the Muslims to go to Pakistan after having taken their share.

This is precisely what happened. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who was able to stop the exodus. Along with Sardar Patel, who was not enthusiastic about Muslims staying back in India, he appealed to the Hindus by pointing out that Mahatma Gandhi, who had freed India from bondage, would emphasise Indias continuance as a country where there will be no distinction between Hindus and Muslims.

The Muslim community has lost its importance in government affairs after partition. They number about 17 crore in India but have no important portfolio in the Narendra Modi Cabinet. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was the lone Muslim face until M.J. Akbar was inducted as the second Minister of State. This does not, however, cover up the tilt towards Hindutva.

The scenario in UP only underlines Modis or, for that matter, the BJPs thinking. True, Hindus are in a preponderant majority in India but the country is ruled by the Constitution which gives voting rights to every individual without any distinction. When this clause was discussed at the Constituent Assembly, Sardar Patel was willing to give reservation to Muslims. But the community refused it on the ground that such thinking would again result in another division.

Nonetheless, the appeal to voters is still on the basis of caste and creed. Although the Election Commission has banned invoking the name of religion or community, the political leaders continue to use them so blatantly because they know that the Muslims did have a say when it came to elections.

We could see leaders of all hues and parties trying to woo the Muslim voters during the recent election campaigns in UP, without saying anything to ameliorate their conditions which are worse than those of the Dalits according to the Sachar Commission report. The offer of freebies, including electricity, and writing off loans to farmers are the routine traits adopted by all political parties. This once again goes on to prove how the Muslims are used as a vote-bank.

Unfortunately, all these last until the polling dates. Soon after, different parties go their own way and the elected government once again turns a blind eye towards the betterment of Muslims. The wishes and aspirations spelled out in the Constitution become only a mirage. The Muslims are pushed into the background to be brought back to the forefront before another set of elections.

I witnessed a similar scenario when I left my hometown Sialkot. There was no difference during those days and we lived as citizens, not as Hindus and Muslims. I had even got the Crescent tattooed at the bidding of my Muslim friends. However, none of them agreed to my plea that one of them should have a tattoo of Om. They said that they would be beaten up at their home if they did.

We have come a long way from that time. Today, the society is so polarised that the question of tattooing other religions symbol does not arise. He would be a brave man who dares the community by violating its code. Muslims prefer to live in a locality where their communitys people are concentrated. They do not feel safe in a mixed or secular habitation.

At the same time a Muslim does not get accommodation or think of buying property in a decent locality. They do not even agitate for it lest they should be misunderstood. But there are instances of Muslims having bought properties in a Hindu locality after the courts intervention. Of course, there are some misguided elements among Muslims throwing their weight about.

However, despite the Hindutva factor people in India are realising that they have to live together as they have done for centuries in the past. That is the idea of India and most people are clutching on to it.

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 > Panchayats, Women and Sustainable Development Goals

WOMENS WORLD

by Bidyut Mohanty

The following article is being published against the backdrop of the International Womens Day on March 8.

Abstract

The current century saw new concerns of the people of the world, such as gross inequality cutting across caste, class, ethnicity, and gender, conspicuous consumption and production, agricultural crisis, degradation of natural resources leading to greenhouse effects and extinction of other species at large, and various forms of conflicts throughout the world. World communities, as represented by UN bodies, became aware of the new disturbing trends and started thinking about the Millennium Develop-ment Goals (MDGs)2000, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)2016-30. Unlike at the time of formulation of the MDGs, this time the local governments may play an important role since a lot of bottom-up thinking has gone into formulating the SDGs, particularly at the level of setting the priorities, executing the plans, monitoring local firms and communities. The local governments being nearer to the ground realities, these institutions are better placed for such purposes.

It is important to realise that before the initiation of all the above goals, panchayats in India were already earmarked for the devolution of 29 subjectshaving in fact the rudiments of all the above goals. It is equally important to emphasise the fact that women in panchayats take keen interest in fulfilling the delivery of basic services including monitoring the PDS, low-cost shelter, drinking water, and other aspects which are necessary for fulfilling some of the vital SDGs.

In this paper we will not only compare and contrast the various MDGs and SDGs with 29 subjects but also deliberate upon the different gains and challenges the local government actors face while executing those. It is our contention that unless the local government system in general and the capabilities of elected panchayat women in particular are strengthened in terms of knowledge, financial power, administrative power and trust from the public; proper infor-mation to fulfil different targets to achieve the goals cant be collected nor can the goals be achieved within fifteen years. One ray of hope is the fact that the Fourteenth Finance Comm-ission has been relatively more liberal in allo-cating some additional funds recently. The Commission recommends not only to allocate 42 per cent of the Central pool, but also the State to give more power to the local bodies. Further, it also advises the latter to mobilise their own resources by raising local tax and other avenues.1 Based on that, the State of Kerala has already started preparing the bottom-up planning which is the need of the hour.

MDGs, SDGs and Panchayats

Most of goals assigned to eight MDGs2000-2015; 17 SDGs to be implemented thereafter by 2030; and 29 subjects listed in Schedule XI of the Constitution of India for devolution to the panchayats have a lot in common. (See Annexures 1, 2 and 3)

Goal number 1 no to poverty and Goal number 2 no to hunger of the SDGs are over-lapping and have a relatively wider meaning. The definition of poverty is wider as it involves ensuring equal rights to economic resources as well as access to basic services such as safe drinking water, education and shelter under target number 1.4 including implementation of social protection systems and measures.2 In order to fulfil Goal number 2 it is imperative to double the productivity of agriculture as well as the income of small farmers, women and indigenous people, among others, through equal access to land and other major inputs. In case of panchayats, on the other hand, it very much depends on improvement of agriculture, including land, minor irrigation, utilisation of minor forest produce, poverty alleviation programmes and public distribution scheme. Besides, the emphasis is also on creation of water harvesting structures, and deepening of traditional water bodies to enhance agriculture.

Kerala has taken the lead in the panchayats to start cooperative farming by the womens groups in order to give them dignified jobs locally. In addition, giving power to collect minor forest produce under the Pesa Act does contribute towards creating income. But without linking it with the market, and sustainable diversification of agriculture as well as manu-facturing value added agro-based product and not depending on the local produce retards the whole effort.3 Further alleviating hunger also means supervising the Public Distribution System, monitoring of the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) and Mid Day Meals (MDM), assurance of additional jobs through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Goal number 6 is akin to the panchayats role of ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation under points 11 and 23 out of the 29 subjects.

Similarly, one finds some sort of commonality between the aspects of reduce child mortality and improve maternal mortality of the MDGs (4 and 5) and good health and wellbeing of the SDGs (3) with the activities of health and sanitation, family welfare and tribal welfare (23, 24 and 27). Recently for panchayats more focus has been on the maternal health and reduction of infant mortality through the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) but the SDGs focus on the health of all age-groups and for male and female as well as on reduction in deaths due to infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Womens empowerment and gender equality of the MDGs and SDGs are at par with the women and child development programmes assigned to panchayats. Quality education of the SDGs and monitoring education as in the 29 subjects should be read together. The quality education can be assured when definite indicators are identified. The Right to Education Act2009 aims at achieving these objectives through the panchayats. Among the weaknesses of the present education system are its aversion to physical work and the system being devoid of human values. Education as a comprehensive attainment that respects all forms of labour has to be emphasised. Going beyond the universality of literacy and achieving quality education for all is a laudable objective under the SDG number 4. Goal 7 of sustainable growth requires, among others, creation of decent jobs which goes against the use of unsuitable technology for utilising the mineral resources leading to unnecessary destruction of forest and displacement of the tribals.4 The panchayats under environment protection can prevent this.

The SDG goals on environment and related issues, namely, 13, 14 and 15, are more compre-hensive compared to the MDGs since they aim at protecting the animals of sea, and those of land as also taking cognisance of the greenhouse impact in the case of the universe at large. However, both the tasks of local government and those of the SDGs will not bear fruit unless devolution of the three fs, namely, finance, function, functionaries, to the panchayats by the higher tiers of the government is done in letter and spirit and global partnership is ensured.

In other words, the Panchayati Raj Institutions as well as women in panchayats are more or less familiar with the above issues having their feet firmly on the ground confronting the whole world, but their effort has to be synergised with other sectors of the government. Only then perhaps we will be able to get accurate data from the field about the various needs of the people, such as diversification of agriculture, locally available nutritious food, dignified job as well as health, sanitation and safe water. In addition, prevalence and prevention or outbreak of various kinds infectious and other types of diseases have to be closely watched and their prevention and treatment planned along with the panchayats to take prompt action. The required amount of resources must be provided for meeting all the seventeen goals in every panchayat.

Uniqueness of SDGs

Undoubtedly, the MDGs and SDGs are more inclusive, universal and they require an effort on the global scale. The goals of the SDGs in particular are based on the principles of human rights, equality and sustainability and deal with five ps, that is, people, peace, prosperity, planet, and partnership. The goals can be achieved only when the people of the world have a shared commitmentunited will to end conflict, reduce conspicuous consumption and production, harness sustainable energy, care for every type of animals beyond anthropocene, promote all forms of equality in all spheres among individuals and groups.

Indeed the SDGs tasks are much more formidable for which there are 169 targets and numerous indicators and for which efforts are still under the process of finalisation. Besides, each target has many indicators for which data is lacking. Many people think that if India, having 1.2 billion people, can achieve some of the SDGs, the world will be better off. But would India be able to achieve the goals having myriads of problems at every level? First of all, the indicators require detailed data and synergies with all the line departments, NITI Aayog and, last but not the least, Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Secondly, to fulfil goals like gender inequality, the women not only need political represen-tation in higher tiers of government but also a change in the cultural attitude of the society. Finally, as mentioned above, the local govern-ments are more familiar with the goals than others and if these institutions can be trusted upon, then it would be easier to fulfil some of the goals with suitable data, policies and implementation. Secondly, the Fourteenth Finance Commission has allocated additional resources of Rs 85 lakhs for the panchayats which can be utilised to deliver the basic services. Based on that the State of Kerala has started formulating the bottom-up district planning.

Women in Panchayati Raj System

It is interesting to note that the Global Network of CitiesLocal and Regional Governments is of the opinion that local governments form an important bridge between the national govern-ment and communities and will have a central role in a new global partnership. In particular the local communities have a critical role in setting local priorities, and implementing those.

It is a well-known fact that the structure of the panchayats is saddled with various systemic problems. Women are subjected to various types of discriminations, such as caste, class and patriarchy. The caste leaders and bureaucracy try to dominate them at the institutional level, where the husbands also dont spare them.

Secondly, they work in such institutions where almost no power has been handed over to them. For example, except during the panchayat elections, the representatives are made to do many kinds of activities including record-keeping for the State Government. At best sometimes their work is to monitor the implementation of different developmental activities. Even there the government functionaries have taken over.

For instance, the pradhan/sarpanch of the panchayat used to notify about the availability of work in the gram sabha, identify labour, keep job cards and make payments under the MGNREGS. But now the Rozgar Sevak has taken charge of making the list of 100 labourers, identifying the work to be done without taking into confidence the gram sabha or pradhan. Secondly, the payment is done from the State Finance Department directly. Sometimes the payment takes months together and people are not opting for the MGNREGS work.

No doubt there were many irregularities leading to corruption in the previous mode of action. But instead of rectifying the system the State and Central governments tried to sideline the local government actors. In many areas, the Rozgar Sevak does not have any accountability to the local people as the pradhan used to have.

Similarly the Prime Minister always talks about Swachh Bharat but never mentions the role of the panchayats though the panchayats are supposed to be the nodal agency for this. One can multiply such examples. Besides, there is much evidence to show that despite reservation the upper-caste and middle-class families directly and indirectly manage to control the panchayat affairs. In some places, the Dalit and tribal communities are not allowed to function independently or are compelled to quit or face severe violence.

Elected women representatives face additional constraints since they are subjected to the patriarchal value system and are still double-burdened with domestic obligations and give relatively less time to the panchayat work. Besides, many State governments have put additional conditions such as two-child norm, minimum educational qualification etc., which exclude those who deserve to be included in the development process.

However, many new trends have emerged and like male pradhans, female pradhans also are becoming successful implementers of the developmental schemes and try to increase the productivity of land, regenerate social forestry and provide basic services such as food security, supply of safe drinking water, monitor food security, ensure presence of teachers and protect forest.5 The research journals are full of such success stories. The field studies conducted by the Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), New Delhi in the tribal areas of Odisha during the period of 2013-15 revealed how tribal women took advantage of new schemes and used the institution of panchayats to protect their rights. In many places, they have become part of the self-help groups and take the help of their husbands too but holding the rope of the decision-making firmly in their hands.6

In yet another survey report on their perception of violence, conducted among 260 elected women representatives from eleven States by the ISS, New Delhi, it was revealed that a significant percentage of women felt that the husbands beating for burning rice while being cooked is indeed a crime. Similarly they also were of the opinion that to beat up or scold for any offence committed by them should be considered a crime.

In 2013 another survey was conduced by the same Institute among 500 elected women representatives and it showed that most of the women knew about the role of the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and institutional delivery as well as the amount of remuneration. They were encouraging the other women to avail the opportunities. They were also aware of the Standing Committee of Health and Sanitation and tried to spend whatever money was given to them. But all of them said that the Line Department controlled the money part.7

In other words, elected women represen-tatives have a rising level of consciousness and are trying to bring forward gender equality and peace though on a limited scale. But unfortu-nately a very insignificant percentage of women said that female foeticide was an offence and it should be prevented. It was conducted in 2015.8

Thus the women in panchayats not only know about some aspects of the SDGs in their own way but are also fulfilling some of the objectives in spite of many hurdles. However, it should be pointed out that the tribal women sarpanches of Odisha, whom we interviewed in 2013-14, were not aware of the Millennium Development Goals though they knew all the aspects of the goals in their own way as their activities and needs of daily life.

Way Forward

The UN authorities have set the timeline for the SDGs to be fulfilled by 2030. Given the enormity of the complexities of the goals and lack of data as well as resources, the authorities of Niti Aayog express their helplessness. But the experience of grassroots democracy, as discussed above, gives a ray of hope of collecting data from the grassroots level.

At the same time it has to be remembered that most of the tribal elected representatives (both men and women) are still lagging behind in both knowledge and consciousness; and are not given a key role in the development process. The gram sabha is riddled with caste, class, ethnicity and is not trusted upon. The members of panchayats do not realise that they are accountable to the gram sabha and think themselves as the implementers of the welfare schemes and this may not always be suitable to the local conditions. They have to be more responsive to the total welfare of the downtrodden of the panchayats. Secondly, women mostly cherish the patriarchal values; hence they become insensitive to such crimes like faemale foeticide. The progressive educational curricula, gender sensitive media and even forward looking spiritual gurus can play an important role in reshaping the cultural values.

Finally, along with the financial resources, putting faith on the elected women represen-tatives as well as expanding their capabilities to think, plan and implement a sustainable development programme for the area would go a long way to fulfil some of the SDG goals.

Thus panchayats are uniquely placed at the grassroots level and have recently been given responsibility for implementing several right- based essential services. Therefore, they have a clear capacity to pursue the SDGs. Constitutionally mandated not less than one-third representation to women enables them to overcome many cultural constraints and create new consciousness among both men and women about their rights. No doubt despite such possibilities there are many limits because even now the political system does not treat the panchayats as the fulcrum of the socio-economic transformation but mainly as a mechanism of delivery service. With the coming of the SDGs there is a new context to reconsider panchayats as the critical democratic institutions with women playing a catalytic role.

Annexure-1

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

1. Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty.

2. Achieve universal education.

3. Promote gender equality.

4. Reduce child mortality.

5. Improve maternal health.

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

7. Ensure environmental sustainability.

8. Develop a global partnership for development.

Annexure-2

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

7. Ensure access to affordable reliable, sustainable modern energy for all.

8. Promote sustained inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.

10. Reduce inequality within and among the countries.

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production pattern.

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact.

14. Conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources, for sustainable development.

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forest, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt bio-diversity loss.

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

Annexure-3

In the Constitution, the following Schedule shall be added, namely,

ELEVENTH SCHEDULE

(Article 243G)

1. Agriculture, including agricultural extension.

2. Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation and soil conservation.

3. Minor irrigation, water management and watershed development.

4. Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry.

5. Fisheries.

6. Social forestry and farm forestry.

7. Minor forest produce.

8. Small scale industries, including food processing industries.

9. Khadi, village and cottage industries.

10. Rural housing.

11. Drinking water.

12. Fuel and fodder.

13. Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways and other means of communication.

14. Rural electrification, including distribution of electricity.

15. Non-conventional energy sources.

16. Poverty alleviation programme.

17. Education, including primary and secondary schools.

18. Technical training and vocational education.

19. Adult and non-formal education.

20. Libraries.

21. Cultural activities.

22. Markets and fairs.

23. Health and sanitation, including hospitals, primary health centres and dispensaries.

24. Family welfare.

25. Women and child development.

26. Social welfare, including welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded.

27. Welfare of the weaker sections, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

28. Public distribution system.

29. Maintenance of community assets.

Endnotes

1. http://iksa.in/gs3/14th-finance-commission-summary-of-recommendations/2044/

2. Interestingly even though it does involve in depending on subsidies which is just one of the targets but not the principal one unlike in the case of panchayats which heavily depend on PDS to alleviate poverty. Instead of that it takes recourse to the dignified job and improvement of agriculture.

3. In fact, the tribal area is full of highly valued forest produce such as jaw, bajra and ragi which are sought after by the middle-class people instead of wheat and rice but the tribals are thrust upon rice and wheat! Similarly different oilseeds, including Neem, ginjali and niger and turmeric, are used to protect the face of fashion-conscious women in the city. Besides the locally grown pineapple, orange and jackfruit are sold at a distress price by using appropriate technology just like in Himachal Pradesh. In other words, Smart India can start in the tribal areas using the young women and men by imparting them with some skill, instead of bringing them to the city. The local panchayat can be the store-house of the knowledge to facilitate the information.

4. That displacement propels women and men out of the secured livelihood to uncertain domestic workers class in the city having no workers rights.

5. Vani Kulkarni and Raghav Gaiha, Is Empowerment of Women willof the Wisp?, November 10, 2015. http://www.ipsnews.net/

6. The Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi, conducted intensive study of three blocks of Mayurbhanj and two blocks of Rayagada which have 55 per cent of the tribal population. Altogether we interviewed 44 female sarpanches and 18 male sarpanches constituting 10 per cent of the total sample. We also selected 12 case studies out of which four are male sarpanches and eight female ones. Both form of evaluation studies revealed that both men and women are taking the advantage of the Panchayati Raj System to fulfil the developmental goals even within limited authority!

7. Bidyut Mohanty, Report of Survey on National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).: To What Extent are the Panchayats Participating in Health Policy?, http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article4000.html

8. Bidyut Mohanty, How Do Women in Panchayats Perceive Violence? A Survey Report, http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/IMG/pdf/how_do_panchayat_women_perceive_violence_bidyut-mohanty_.pdf

The author is the Head, Womens Studies, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi. She can be contacted at e-mail: bidyutmohanty[at]issin.org
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Tribute to Rabi Ray

by S.N. Sahu

Rabi Ray is no more. He breathed his last on March 6, 2017 at Cuttack due to age-related ailments. He was more than an admirable and outstanding figure of Indias public life. He was the only public figure of Odisha who could be called a statesman and had the dignity, grace and stature of a pan-Indian leader deriving his strength from his value-based life. With liberal outlook and vision he commanded appreciation from all quarters cutting across political and party affiliations and enjoyed an exalted position high above electoral and power politics.

He hailed from a zamindar family and abhorred all that was associated with zamindari and other exploitative practices. Rebelling against his own family he granted land rights to the farmers who were tilling the land owned by his kith and kin perpetuating the culture of landlordism. Deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and Rammanohar Lohia he remained in the forefront of the socialist movement and engaged himself in the arduous struggle for reconstruction of the Indian society along socialist principles. It was he who unfurled the national flag in Ravenshaw College by bringing down the Union Jack in pre-independent India and became a hero for the youth of that era. Recently Professor Manoranjan Mohanty, while speaking at an event organised by the Ravenshaw University to commemorate its 150th anniversary, referred to this heroic act of Rabi Ray for the cause of nationalism.

He was the first public figure from Odisha to have become the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. His crowning achievement in getting unanimously chosen as the presiding officer of the Lower House of Indian Parliament immensely added to his shining profile which included his record of service as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha in the 1960s and Health Minister of India during the Janata Government (1977 to 1979). His assumption of the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker was an event of historic significance for our parliamentary democracy. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the decisions he took while discharging his responsibilities as the Speaker would go down in the history of our democracy as path-breaking and trend-setting enriching and revitalising the tradition of our representative democracy.

A product of our freedom struggle he was greatly shaped by its enduring values. Identi-fying himself with the struggle of the people of the erstwhile princely states of Odisha he actively mobilised them and championed their rights and liberties. He was one of the few Speakers in the annals of our parliamentary democracy whose worldview was shaped by the struggle for independence under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. He greatly enriched the legacy of the office of the Speaker by his dignified and gracious conduct. An admirable personality of our public life, he represented the elegance and simplicity of our civilisation and brought these to bear upon the office of the Speaker from the day he occupied that exalted position. His decision not to use the Mercedes car, which was the official car of his predecessor, instead preferring an ambassador car refreshingly conveyed the message to the whole nation that high offices and positions represent not only power and authority but also moral values the central aspects of which are simplicity, integrity, probity and plain-living.

A socialist by conviction and faith he wholesomely integrated with his ideology the essential teachings of Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Rammanohar Lohia, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. With such broad outlook he went beyond the routine aspects of the responsibilities he was called upon to take up at the national level and gave a much larger dimension to them.

It is well known that Parliament is the supreme legislative institution of our democracy invested with the power to legislate, deliberate issues and hold the executive to account. Rabi Ray as the Speaker of the Ninth Lok Sabha took the pioneering decision to establish Subject Commi-ttees which are now called the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees. These provide the fora to the Members of Parliament for examining the policies and programmes of the government and ensuring accountability of the executive to the legislature. It may be recalled that on assuming the office of the Speaker he addressed a press conference and stated that his priority, as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha would be to start the Subject Committees of Indian Parliament. Initially, he established four such Committees. In the history of Indian Parliament such a decision of Rabi Ray would go down as an extraordinary step in expanding the role of Parliament to fine-tune the process of governance. In fact, those Committees were first established in the House of Commons in 1979. Ten years later, when a review was done to assess the functioning of such Committees in Britain it was stated that the establishment of those Committees constituted the parliamentary innovation of the 20th century. Following the pattern of the House of Commons, Rabi Ray created such Committees which were later expanded in 1993 and the late Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, K.R. Narayanan, inaugurated them. While doing so, K.R. Narayanan acknowledged the role of Rabi Ray in starting such Committees and complimented him for his trend-setting step. If today the Reports of such Committees are being widely quoted for streamlining the policies and programmes of the Government of India and holding the bureaucracy to account, then the credit must go to Rabi Ray who became the founding father of such Committees of the Indian Parliament. He deserves rich tributes for strengthening parliamentary democracy and upholding the supremacy of Parliament for the cause of accountability and good governance.

Rabi Ray was an exemplary leader of India who was held in high esteem by political leaders cutting across party lines and ideological barriers. What actually heightened and added lustre to his stature was his honesty and integrity. Today, when so much is being talked about the rising levels of corruption gravely affecting the lives of common people and our national progress, it is extremely important to recall the life and work of Rabi Ray who upheld the high standards of conduct both in his private and public life. In fact one of the factors which led the Ninth Lok Sabha to unanimously choose him as its Speaker was his high moral character and uprightness. His impeccable record in remaining honest and his lifelong struggle against corruption defined his personality and made him an iconic figure in the politics and public life of India. Many decisions he took as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha flowed from his firm adherence to the basic and fundamental values of honesty and integrity. He was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha who took a strong stand against his own Secretary-General, Shri Subhash Kashyap, when he found him wanting. He gave extension to Shri Kashyap and yet took a firm step in terminating his services. It was a painful decision that he took and the leaders of all political parties stood by him. Even late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who was the leader of the Opposition in the Ninth Lok Sabha, came to him and told him that he was with the Speaker in endorsing his action against the Secretary-General. When Shri Kashyap made allegations against Rabi Ray in public he refused to join issue with his officer. Later he revised the termination order and allowed him to retire from service.

Rabi Ray took yet another remarkable and historic step in upholding honesty and integrity in the judiciary when he admitted an impeachment motion, on the last day of the Ninth Lok Sabha, against Justice Ramaswamy of the Supreme Court for his acts of omission and commission during his tenure as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. It was the first ever impeachment motion against a judge of the highest court of our country in the history of independent India. Today, when the society and government are seized of the issue of removing corruption from all institutions including the judiciary and when judicial accountability is a major theme in public discourse, the bold decision of Rabi Ray as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to admit the first ever impeachment motion against a judge of the highest judiciary assumes enormous significance. His decision was challenged in the Supreme Court on the ground that a motion admitted in the Lok Sabha would lapse with the dissolution of the House. It was argued that with the dissolution of the Ninth Lok Sabha the impeachment motion admitted by Rabi Ray had lapsed. However, the Supreme Court gave a historic judgement that the impeachment motion is a different motion and, therefore, it would not lapse with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. Eventually, his decision stood the test of judicial scrutiny and became a landmark in the history of parliamentary democracy for salvaging the judiciary from corruption and unethical practices. His motion was finally taken up by the Lok Sabha where it could not be passed by requisite majority because the Congress Party abstained from voting.

Almost 18 years later, when the Rajya Sabha Chairman, M. Hamid Ansari, admitted an impea-chment motion against a judge of the Kolkata High Court in 2010 and it was taken up for discussion and voting on the floor of the House, Rabi Rays decision to admit the impeachment motion against Justice Ramaswamy was recalled by many as a trend-setting decision in exercising the powers of the presiding officer to admit an impeachment motion against a sitting judge. In fact, Shri D. Raja, a Member of the Rajya Sabha, while participating in the discussion in the House on the impeachment motion against the judge of the Kolkata High Court, did say that Rabi Ray had admitted the first ever impeachment motion in the history of our Parliament. In this sense, Rabi Rays tenure as the Speaker would be remembered not only for upholding the dignity and authority of the House but also for his heroic action against corruption and sleaze in the higher judiciary. In fact he is the only Speaker whose name would be gratefully remembered for his courageous step against corruption and for the cause of honesty and integrity in the judiciary which is one of the key organs of governance.

It is well known that during his tenure as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha a decision was taken to unveil and install the portraits of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Dr Rammanohar Lohia in the Central Hall of Parliament. Such a decision of Rabi Ray was of great significance in remembering the stalwarts of Indias public life whose contributions to nation-building were enormous. It was rather sad that the portrait of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, did not find a place in the Central Hall of our Parliament where the Constituent Assembly met and framed the Constitution. It was Rabi Ray as the Speaker who took the decision to adorn the Central Hall with the portrait of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

A presiding officer is the repository of the dignity and authority of the House. Rabi Ray as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha amply demonstrated his power and authority to remain impartial and give appropriate ruling which commanded respect from leaders of all political parties. In this context, one may recall his historic ruling which he gave in January 1991 when some Members of the Janata Dal caused a split in the original party and some others defied the party whip while voting in the House and attracting the provisions of the Anti-Defection Law. In the annals of parliamentary democracy his ruling is cited for his neutrality and objectivity in understanding a complex situation arising out of split and defiance of whip. Rabi Rai declared 25 Members of the Janata Dal, who claimed to have split from the party, as unattached.

And later when 30 other Members of the same party joined them and claimed that they had also split from the party, Rabi Ray issued show-cause notices to them to explain as to why they would not be subjected to disqualification under the Anti-Defection Law. He also issued show-cause notices to seven other Members who had violated the whip while voting in the Lok Sabha in favour of the Chandra Shekhar Government. Some affected Members filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court praying for a stay of the Speakers action. When the Delhi High Court issued a notice to Speaker Rabi Rai, he refused to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the High Court and declined to accept the notice on the ground that he as the Speaker represented the supremacy of Parliament on such matters and no other authority could examine the decision of the Speaker. However, the High Court passed an order without staying the action of the Speaker and expressed the hope that the Speaker would not take any adverse action pending disposal of the writ petition. The then Law Minister, Subramaniam Swamy, while meeting Rabi Ray in the Speakers Chamber, asked him to withhold his ruling on disquali-fication of the Members who were issued show-cause notices by him. He also threatened to arrest Shri Ray in the event of his action to disqualify the Members. President R. Venkataraman in his memoirs My Presidential Years wrote that many Members of the Lok Sabha demanded on the floor of the House for the resignation of Shri Swamy for having threatened to arrest the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Rabi Ray showed rare magnanimity when he urged the House not to blow up the incident and requested everybody to forget it. However, the Members did not relent and when Shri Swamy wanted to speak and clarify, he was shouted down. Shri Swamy later informed President Venkataraman that he had only told the Speaker that any decision on his part to disqualify the Members when the matter was pending in the High Court would amount to contempt of the Court and the Speaker would be liable to be arrested. After hearing such an account from Shri Subramaniam Swamy President Venkataraman noted that pendency of a matter before the Court did not mean that the Court had given a stay on it and Shri Swamys understanding that the Speaker could be guilty of contempt of Court was untenable. Then President Venkataraman critically reflected on the Law Minister, Shri Subramaniam Swamy, and wrote in his memoir: It is a pity that a country which produced legal luminaries like Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, Ambedkar, Katju and Alladin should have a Law Minister without qualifications in law.

Later when the Delhi High Court formally stayed the action of the Speaker to proceed against 25 Members on the basis of the Anti-Defection Law, the entire Lok Sabha protested against the order of the High Court against the Speaker who informed the House that he was not submitting himself to the jurisdiction of the High Court and proceeding to examine the petitions for disqualification. Rajiv Gandhi took the stand that he and his party would stand by the Speakers decision in matters relating to defection and on the supremacy of Parliament. When the entire House (Lok Sabha) stood in favour of the Speaker the Delhi High Court withdrew its stay order against the Speaker and categorically accepted the final authority of the Speaker in such matters. Later the Speaker, Rabi Ray, gave a ruling recognising the Members as a separate formation and disqualified those Members who violated the whip to vote in favour of the Chandra Shekhar Government. Such a ruling was hailed by all concerned and President Venkataraman described it as a balanced ruling. The above narrative clearly brought out the courage of conviction of Rabi Ray as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha not to submit himself to the jurisdiction of any other authority in matters concerning Parliament. It was a rare example of a presiding officer who zealously safeguarded the authority of Parliament and his balanced and legally correct stand commanded respect even from the judiciary. It is worthwhile to note that when the successor of Rabi Ray gave a ruling concerning the split of a political party there emerged a controversy and all concerned referred to Rabi Rays ruling on the abovementioned similar matter to signify the importance and impartiality of the office of the Speaker.

It was understood from many news reports of the mid-1990s that Rabi Ray would have occupied the office of the Vice-President of India in 1997. But late I.K. Gujral, the then Prime Minister of India, along with Chandrababu Naidu, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, took the initiative in favour of Krishan Kant. On many occasions Rabi Ray shared with his close friends that Chandrababu Naidu had requested him to become the Governor of a State. However, Rabi Ray flatly refused to accept the offer. He also told many of us that when Mulayam Singh, as the Chief Minister of UP, wanted him to come as the Governor of Utttar Pradesh, he declined to occupy that post. He had told me that to assume the office of the Governor would mean to abide by the words of an official of the Home Ministry of the Union Government. It is indeed instructive that when leaders in public life prefer to be Governors of any State, Rabi Ray had the moral courage and stature to refuse it. All these testify to his impeccable credentials to remain high above any office.

He was one MP from Odisha who always spoke in Hindi in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in tune with the socialist philosophy which mandated every socialist leader to use the national language for communication and articulation as a representative of the people.

Even after occupying the high office of the Speaker Rabi Ray displayed in ample measure his common touch and feeling and reached out to the suffering people. I recall that whenever he used to get letters from the poor and deprived sections of society requesting for help, he used to send money from his own personal sources to mitigate their suffering. His compassion and concern for them was indeed so much that he went beyond his own capacity and rendered help to them. After demitting office he told me that in reaching out to such people to alleviate their sufferings he himself had to take money from others. It was indeed incredible that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha had to incur debt for serving those who had to face difficult financial sitiations. A leader of the masses, he was a fine example of a value-based person ever ready to serve and at the same time remain committed to the high principles of public life.

In his life, he always told the young people to read Mahatma Gandhis Collected Works. He persuaded me to read the writings of Mahatma Gandhi and I made a regular habit of going through the original writings of Gandhiji after joining late K.R. Narayanan when he was the Vice-President and President of India. In fact, when Rabi Ray was imprisoned during the Emergency and was put in Ambala Jail, he requested Krishan Kant,who later became the Vice-President of India, to provide him the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi so that he could read them in jail. It is indeed so refreshing and educative to note that a man who was in jail wanted to read Mahatma Gandhis writings and derive lessons from his life and work. When I came in contact with him and understood the intellectual and spiritual dimensions of his life, I found a person who was so distinct and distinguished for qualities and depth of understanding rooted in our culture, civilisation, freedom struggle and Constitution. It was indeed rare to find such a person in 21st century India. It is all the more rare to find such a person in the politics and public life of India. It is, therefore, appropriate that we document his life and work for the benefit of the future generations. Long Live Rabi Ray!

The author is a Joint Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. The views expressed here are personal.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Does Only One Person in India Have the Right to Mann ki Baat?

by Om Thanvi

In response to the rape threats issued on a public forum against Gurmehar Kaur, the government and its Ministers ought to have clearly come out in support of the young student. They did exactly the opposite.

Finally, they managed to silence Gurmehar Kaur. Amidst rape threats, Kaur announced she was pulling out (https://thewire.in/112596/as-students-protest-against-abvp-gurmehar-kaur-withdraws-from-campaign-after-threats/) of the Save DU Campaign which was initiated in protest against the violence of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on the campus.

The announcement she made is distressing. In a country where we need slogans of Beti Bachao to protect the girl child, where a girl does not have basic rights to life and education and is not allowed to speak her mind, Gurmehar Kaur has displayed extraordinary talent and courage. Last year, in a four-minute silent video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97yJsfddi4w), posted on social media, she used a series of placards to call for friendship between India and Pakistan and for Hindu-Muslim unity.

Gurmehar Kaurs father, Captain Mandeep Singh, was martyred during a counter-insurgency operation in the aftermath of the 1999 Kargil War. In her video, she recalled how she used to hate Pakistanis and Muslims but later, at her mothers urging, realised that her father was a victim of war, of hatred between nations. She learnt to let go of her hate and became a soldier of peace.

Kaurs determination to speak her mind was on display again soon after the violence at Ramjas College by the ABVP over the participation of JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid in a seminar on the campus. She posted a picture of herself on Facebook holding a placard that read: I am not afraid of ABVP.

The ABVP is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the BJP, and the rebellious attitude of this 20-year-old invited a hate-filled response from a section of this parivar. She received death threats and rape threats. Never before has student politics touched such a disgusting new low.

In response to the rape threats issued on a public forum, both the ABVPwho say they are upholders of knowledge and national honour and the government too ought to have clearly come out in support of the young student. More so, because Kaur is the daughter of a soldier who had laid down his life for this country. Gur-mehar does not need pity but surely she deserves the support of society and the government.

But instead of supporting her, the government issued statements which objectively favoured those who were threatening her. Union Minister for Home Kiren Rijiju asked in a tweet, (https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/836055440169525249), Whos polluting this young girls mind? Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, a former leader of the ABVP himself, painted the students protesting against the BJPs student wing as separatists. A BJP MP, Pratap Simha, accused Kaur of taking an anti-national stand and said she was worse than the underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim.

Telecoms and IT Minister Ravishankar Prasad conceded that the trolling of Gurmehar Kaur was not right. But he was quick to add that Rijiju had not said anything wrong.

Although Rijiju tried to defend his earlier statement by issuing a clarification, he has stirred the pot again by saying that he was merely speaking against (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/gurmeher-has-freedom-to-speak-her-mind-kiren-rijiju/articleshow/57390819.cms) the Leftists who celebrated when Indian Army soldiers were martyred in the 1962 (Indo-China) war, and raised anti-national slogans.

Whatever gloss they may try to put on their words now, it is clear that the aim of these Ministers and BJP leaders was precisely to target the students participating in the protest against the ABVPs violencemost of whom are not even Leftistsand brand them all anti-national. The tone is similar to that used by the ABVP during the JNU row last year, and again at Ramjas college when they attacked students as well as teachers. (https://thewire.in/111843/we-beat-teachers-too-true-confessions-of-an-abvp-footsoldier/)

This is the same so-called nationalism that the ABVP put on display at Hyderabad University last year when Rohith Vemula was pushed to commit suicide or when it unleashed its hatred and violence at other campuses across the country.

Have BJP leaders and the governments they lead ever given a thought to how promoting such behaviour on campuses is going to shape university education? What kind of India are they creating by stifling the open expression and exchange of ideas?

The strategy of branding every act of resis-tance as anti-national and using the police to protect those who resort to violence is clearly aimed at demoralising progressive students and strengthening the ABVP.

The Delhi Commission for Women has asked the police to file a case against those who issued rape threats to Gurmehar Kaur. The Home Minister also urged the police to take action, but the police is yet to act.

The reaction of Ministers has only encouraged various elements of the RSS. Gurmehar has now been subjected to further vilification. Allegations are being made about her links to a political party. Even if it were true, how does it matter? Why is political affiliation acceptable for supporters of one party but not for others?

The martyrdom of Kaurs father has also being dragged into the controversy. Trolls question whether he was really killed in Kargil, or was it in Kupwara. What purpose does this serve except causing extreme emotional trauma to Kaur and her mother?

Instead of going down this path, it would have been better had the government tried to create an atmosphere on college campuses whether the mutual expression of ideas and dialogue between opposing ideologies is possible. The goonsall those wreaking havoc on our campusesshould have been promptly rounded up. Those who issued murder and rape threats to Gurmehar Kaur should have been promptly identified and caught.

Unfortunately, it is futile to have such expectations of the current government. It identifies with the so-called nationalists who are breaking the law and are least interested in delivering good governance.

There can be no rule of law in a situation like this. Given its current policy and mentality, hate, violence and threats will rule.

As the saying goes, Saiyan bhaye kotwaal, ab dar kahe ka!When the police is in your pocket, theres nothing to fear.

[Courtesy: (http://thewirehindi.com/2529/what-is-bjp-s-idea-of-india-asks-om-thanvi/)]

[Translated from the original Hindi by Naushin Rahman]

OM Thanvi is a senior journalist who retired as editor in chief of Jansatta in 2016.
After retiring from her environmental law career, Mary Jo Sheeley spent much of her newfound free time volunteering for the Hillary Clinton campaign. Upset by President Donald Trumps victory and shaken by the feeling that what she believes in could no longer be taken for granted, she vowed to stay active.

She marched with hundreds of thousands of other women in D.C., then got together with small groups of other activists to talk about what to do next.

Its so clear what we need to do, Sheeley said. We need to look at what is going on locally. And we need to change the balance of power in the General Assembly.

Instead of making calls and knocking on doors for someone else, Sheeley, 61, is running for the Richmond-area 68th District House seat currently occupied by GOP Del. Manoli Loupassi .

Shes part of an unprecedented rush of candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates this year fueled largely by opposition to Trump.

Republicans hold a dominant 66-34 majority in the House, but Democrats hope the swell of anti-Trump activism in Virginia  the only southern state he lost  could lead to a 2017 wave in down-ticket House races as Virginians elect a governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

As of late last week, Democrats said they had candidates running in 43 of the 66 House districts that Republicans currently represent, more than double the 21 GOP districts Democrats contested in 2015. So far, Republicans have five challengers among the 34 Democratic-held districts.

Hoping to channel the energy of womens marches and Indivisible groups into an anti-Trump wave, Democrats have challengers in all 17 GOP-held districts that went for Clinton.

I have not seen this before, said Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, chairwoman of the House Democratic Caucus.

Sheeley, a former environmental lawyer for the state who retired from Dominion Energy, is hoping to go up against Del. G. Manoli Loupassi, a Richmond Republican whose 68th District is among the 17 that favored Clinton. First, Sheeley has to get past two other Democrats, Ben Pearson-Nelson and Dawn Adams, who want the same chance.

Theyre awakening parts of people that have always existed but they forgot, said Adams, a 52-year-old state health official who said she wants to start bringing some compassion to a political environment marked by extremism.

Roughly a dozen Republican districts have multiple Democratic candidates who will have to earn the right to try to flip a seat by winning their partys nomination. That is a previously rare scenario, occurring in just one or two districts per cycle, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

Republicans do not dispute the swell of activism on the other side, but they doubt it will easily translate to GOP incumbents being dislodged .

They have no clear message or clear reason for taking their frustrations out on Virginia Republicans, said Republican Party of Virginia Chairman John Whitbeck. It seems to be all driven by the national political scene. But I think theyre in for a rude awakening .

Even if the political playing field has shifted in response to Trump, General Assembly incumbents are notoriously difficult to beat. During the 2015 legislative races, 122 lawmakers sought re-election and not a single incumbent from either party lost, a statistic anti-gerrymandering advocates have used to argue that legislative lines are drawn to protect those already in power.

Republicans have pushed back on the notion that their majority rests on a rigged map. House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, a Colonial Heights Republican poised to become the next House speaker in 2018, said Republicans win because they know their districts.

They know their folks, and they serve them well. A lot of times in state-level and local-level elections, thats how people vote,  Cox said in an interview last month after being named the successor-in-waiting to retiring House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford. Despite Coxs status as the soon-to-be top Republican in the House, hes facing a Democratic challenge for the first time in decades from Katie Sponsler, a former park ranger turned stay-at-home mom

With two redistricting lawsuits pending in federal and state courts that could reshape the House map in Democrats favor, even small gains for the minority could precede bigger political shifts in the years ahead.Against the backdrop of Virginias closely watched governors race, both parties will be looking to energize voters wherever they can.

Democratic targets mostly in N.Va.

Though Democrats have said they are prioritizing the 17 GOP-held districts Clinton won, many observers feel that picking up five to six seats is a more attainable goal. The prime targets are mostly Northern Virginia suburbs, including the 2nd District seat coming open after Del. L. Mark Dudenhefer, R-Stafford, who won narrowly in 2015, announced he will not seek re-election this year. Another seat could open in the nearby 50th District if Del. Jackson H. Miller, R-Manassas, wins his bid for Prince William County clerk of court in an April 18 special election.

Virginia political analyst Bob Holsworth said Democratic challengers will face an uphill climb.

Democrats really believe that Trump will enable them not to have the kind of dropoff that normally occurs in participation in off-years, especially in Northern Virginia, Holsworth said.

Progressive groups working outside the traditional party/caucus structure are trying to focus attention on the House races and assist candidates who would not typically draw much party support.

Activate Virginia, an organization founded by a former Bernie Sanders delegate, has worked on its own to recruit candidates and provide basic guidance, connect Indivisible groups  the lefts emerging version of the grass-roots tea party movement  and offer basic guidance and logistical support.

Josh Stanfield, the 30-year-old Yorktown-based activist behind Activate Virginia, said hes essentially building a counter-caucus.

I saw that there was a real opening for normal people that were not connected, Stanfield said.

Richmond-area contests

Three of the 17 Clinton-friendly Republican House districts lie in the Richmond regions western suburbs.

I think November obviously shocked a lot of people, said Schuyler VanValkenburg, a 34-year-old government teacher at Glen Allen High School running against Del. Jimmie Massie, a Republican businessman who has represented western Henrico Countys 72nd District for nearly a decade.

In Henricos 73rd District, four Democrats are lining up for the chance to take on Del. John M. OBannon III, a Republican neurologist who has faced Democratic opposition just once since taking office in 2001.

I think this movement of people, especially women like me, is not just about resisting. Its about advancing, said Debra H. Rodman, a 44-year-old Randolph-Macon College professor running in OBannons district.

OBannons would-be challengers also include Chelsea Savage, a 46-year-old nurse; Sarah Smith, a 30-year-old state health worker; and Bill Coleman, a 38-year-old IT project manager.

Farther west of Richmond, another Republican seat has opened after Del. Peter F. Farrell, R-Henrico, announced that he will not seek re-election. Farrells 56th District is solidly Republican, but Democrat Lizzie Drucker-Basch is contesting the district for the first time since 2009.

Graven W. Craig, a Louisa County trial attorney and the county Republican chairman, announced for the GOP nomination several hours after Farrell disclosed Friday that he plans to retire.

Two Democrats have filed to challenge Del. Riley E. Ingram, R-Hopewell, in the 62nd District. Businesswoman Sheila Bynum-Coleman, who lost to Ingram in 2015, is seeking a rematch, but she will compete with Tavorise K. Marks, a police captain at Central State Hospital, for the Democratic nomination.

The burst of Democratic interest also may bring complications for some Democratic incumbents.

Alex Mejias, a 38-year-old business strategist at a Richmond web development firm, is mounting a primary challenge against Del. Delores L. McQuinn, a Richmond Democrat who has represented the East End-centered 70th District since 2009. He declined to comment on McQuinns representation of the district, but said the unusually energetic atmosphere of the Trump era is part of what inspired him to run.

I see competition as something that fuels creativity and innovation and is an essential part of our government working well, Mejias said. This campaign is meant to really engage the district.

Though the strength of the Democrat field is difficult to measure early in the cycle, party leaders say they feel good about what they are seeing.

We feel that were on the right track to run a record number of candidates, said Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker.

Whitbeck, the Republican Party chairman, said his party is taking the surge in enthusiasm by hard-core progressives seriously. But Virginia voters, he said, will expect more than a message that he said boils down to We hate Donald Trump.

Were definitely ready for the fight and are going to relish it, Whitbeck said. Its going to be the biggest battle the commonwealth has ever seen.
MARTINSVILLE  The concept of Martinsville legally becoming a town, or maybe even combining with Henry County to form one locality, is being discussed again as the City Council deals with an estimated $1 million budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year.

After the concepts came up during the councils strategic planning session Saturday morning, Mayor Gene Teague said he will send a note to county officials to find out if the Henry County Board of Supervisors is interested in jointly meeting with the council to discuss possibilities.

He doesnt think so, though, since past conversations about those concepts have failed to produce results, largely due to the countys resistance, he believes.

Councilwoman Sharon Brooks Hodge suggested broaching the joint meeting as a discussion of the implications of government in modern times, rather than initially mentioning reversion or merger.

If we talk about reversion, its going to raise the hair on their necks, Hodge said, referring to county officials.

The invitation to talk should mention, she said, terms such as working together, envisioning and brainstorming to find solutions to common problems.

Despite county resistance, the council itself voted 3-2 in December 2013 not to petition the states Local Government Commission for a reversion. The council had some different members at that time.

Under a revision, independent Martinsville would become a town in the county, which surrounds it. The county would take over responsibility for providing certain services, such as constitutional offices and  more than likely  schools to Martinsville residents. Martinsville then would save on expenses.

A study done several years ago indicated Martinsville could save up to $28 million yearly if it reverts.

A merger would involve the city and county forming one governmental unit. They already have close economic ties, with residents of one often shopping and doing business in the other.

The word merger was used during the planning session. Local officials previously have used the term consolidation more. But the words are synonyms.

City-county government mergers have occurred elsewhere. For instance, Louisville and surrounding Jefferson County in Kentucky consolidated in 2003. Jacksonville and adjoining Duval County in Florida consolidated in 1968.

Teague on Saturday initially resisted bringing up the R and M words again. Discussions about those concepts have arisen and stalled various times since the 1970s, he pointed out.

To have that conversation requires a willing partner, and Martinsvilles potential partner  the county  has been unwilling, Teague said.

And, to think that a partner is going to change its mind  those conversations are not going to bear fruit, he said.

Yet Im all for inviting them one more time to a discussion, he said later.

Hodge indicated that the countys positions on reversion or merger could change, considering the economics of local government operations have changed in recent years.

Its a different time now, she said.

Maybe the city needs to develop a strategy for changing our (potential) partners willingness to participate, she added.

Councilwoman Kathy Lawson, a former mayor, said the city perhaps could successfully petition the state to allow it to become a town without the county blessing it.

Stating that the citys first obligation is to its residents, Vice Mayor Chad Martin said he thinks we need to get our own affairs in order before we go to the county.

How can the city go to the county to discuss reverting or merging if city officials dont know if residents want that, he asked.

Martin said residents have a lot of misconceptions about reversion. He did not elaborate, but he said that residents should first be educated about what reversion or merger involves.

While they are being educated, such as in public meetings, if the county wants to come and listen, cool, he said.

Hodge said, however, that the city cant accurately answer questions that residents would have about what reversion or merger means without first finding out the countys side of the issue.

Councilwoman Jennifer Bowles made a similar comment.

Despite Martinsville and Henry County being linked economically, having two local governments isnt always bad, Teague said.

Exploring reversion or merger  call it consolidation if you want  would require an examination of how government services are provided to city and county residents, according to Teague.

Traditionally, cities have provided more services than counties, Teague said. While city residents expect more, they ultimately must pay more for those services, he said.

Mickey Powell reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at mickey.powell@martinsvillebulletin.com.
MARTINSVILLE-After a staffing cut, Virginia Museum of Natural History Executive Director Dr. Joe Keiper is hopeful that the museum will continue to offer the same services.

In a recent interview with the Martinsville Bulletin, Keiper said that the museum would be forced to cut several staff members due to the 7.5 percent state budget cut, which lowered the museums appropriation by $215,000, reducing it from $2.9 million to about $2.7 million.

Keiper said in that interview that the staff cuts would come prior to the new fiscal year  which begins July 1  because it would allow the museum to pay out part of the employee separation packages in the current fiscal year, which will increase the museums savings in the next fiscal year.

In a follow-up interview on Friday, Keiper said that the staffing cuts occurred Thursday. While he legally cannot discuss individual past employees, he said that the museum lost one member of its education staff, one member of its customer service staff, and three members of its exhibit staff.

In making the cuts, Keiper said that he had to weigh the amount of money the museum would receive from the state against the museums missions and purposes as outlined by the Code of Virginia.

Thats the rule, he said. You get a certain amount of money, and youve got to work with it and be responsible with it.  I worked to find the balance: The right sized staff with the right talent set to allow us to meet our mission and purposes in the Code of Virginia.

With no fat left to trim in the budget, Keiper said, there was no choice but to cut staff members in order to maintain the museums goals with the reduced budget.

However, he said, the hope is that the average museum attendee will not notice any change in the museums programming or operations.

We have made the commitment that we are going to serve as many children as we always have, he said. Well be doing as much outreach as we did before. Were going to stick to our exhibit schedule. And our curators will still be making new scientific contributions to their disciplines.

In order to accomplish that goal after a large reduction in full-time staff, the roles and job descriptions for remaining staff are going to evolve.

Were going to be short-staffed as far as full-time exhibit professionals, so were going to have to make some adjustments there, Keiper said. We have a talented set of scientists who can help there, and we also have other staffers whose roles will evolve somewhat. Theyre going to be given the opportunity to contribute in new ways. Theyll receive in-house training to learn how to handle specimens and artifacts, how to display them, and how to contribute overall as part of an exhibits team.  Instead of having people in their particular little categories of contribution at the museum, its going to be a lot of cross-pollination. Were all going to be helping each other out, and the ebb and flow of the work that goes on is going to involve larger groups of people.

The money saved through staffing cuts will also put the museum in a less vulnerable position next year than it would have been in otherwise.

For example, Keiper said, earlier this year a lightning strike damaged part of the museums HVAC system, which resulted in increased utility costs until the system could be repaired. When situations like that arise without warning, he said, it can wreak havoc on a tight budget.

Suddenly, youre having to make drastic changes on the fly to make sure that at the end of the fiscal year, you are within budget, he said. But now, we will be in a position where we wont be that vulnerable. Were doing this to protect the agency.

The odds of a significant change to the museums state budget allotment prior to July 1 are not realistic at this point, Keiper said.

Were hoping that  when we start the fiscal year for 2018/2019, that things will be in better shape, that well be stable or requesting funds to try to bring us back up, he said. We were around $3.3, $3.4 million just a short time ago. Now were down to $2.7 million at this point. We would like to see some of that come back, and we think we deserve it. We think the services we provide make a difference. It makes a difference in peoples education, and it makes a difference in their quality of life.

A total of 52 percent of visitors to the museum come from outside of Martinsville and Henry County, he added, and when they come to visit the area, they tend to leave some money behind. The museum is good for tourism, he said, but frustratingly, it has had to scale back its marketing efforts due to the reduced funding.

Again, were not trying to place blame, but when you have the budget cuts, somethings got to give, he said.

The five staff members who were cut will receive a separation package including a year of insurance, Keiper said.

However, he said, that hasnt made the situation any easier.

It is one thing, he said, when somebody loses their job for a good reason  perhaps they didnt do their job, or they did their job poorly. Even in situations like that, he said, its still painful to cut people, because it is still somebodys livelihood.

The recent situation at VMNH is much worse, Keiper said, because the five staff members who were cut were all excellent employees.

Change is hard, he said. Nobody likes change. The worst part here is that our change came about not because of performance or talent level or achievement. We lost talent, skill sets and institutional memory.

Keiper said that since the initial story ran in the Martinsville Bulletin, he has heard comments from the community that underscore how much the community values the services VMNH provides.

To those who are concerned, he offers the following assurance:

We are prepared to offer the same quality of service to the communities we already serve, Keiper said. Museum folks are rather ingenious people, and well find ways to continue to achieve.  There will be some areas of the museum that will be hard-pressed to meet all of their needs, but again, I really believe that with this strategy, our customers and members and participants wont feel the difference.

VMNH is not the only Martinsville institution facing a state budget reduction. New College Institute (NCI) faces a 5 percent reduction in its state budget allocation for the upcoming fiscal year. However, Sen. Bill Stanley  who is also the chairman of the NCI board  recently introduced an amendment to the budget that would increase NCIs state funding by $100,000, putting it at $3.59 million, for the biennium that runs through June 2018. That amendment has seen support from state lawmakers.
When Yvonne Lin of New York City was pregnant  both times  it was only women who gave her their seats on subways, never men.

You may have read about her in the news this past week. The 38-year-old designer told news sources that she noticed men werent as gallant as legend makes them out to be.

I was getting no seats from men, she said, as reported Tuesday on the blog This Is New York. If I finally get a seat from a guy then I have to celebrate this some way and make sure he knows hes appreciated.

No man ever gave up his seat for her during her first pregnancy, she said. She kept hoping, however.

During her second pregnancy, she carried around a 7-inch statue of the Incredible Hulk, just waiting for the right moment. It was on a plaque that read #1 DECENT DUDE. First man to offer subway seat to pregnant woman through Two Pregnancies.

She was eight months pregnant when the first man ever offered her a seat. She said he was super embarrassed when he realized she was pregnant, and he immediately got up for her. She didnt catch his name, but she posted his photo on a social media site.

The next day, the same blog reported that the man who gave the seat turned out to be 34-year-old actor, Army veteran and mixed martial artist Ricky Barksdale of Harlem.

He said he always feels its important to be extra considerate to pregnant women, elderly people and women with babies.

Its just a common courtesy thing I have no problem giving up a seat regardless of how tired I am, or where Im going, the blog quoted him as saying.

If there were subways in Martinsville and Henry County, that sure wouldnt have happened here. When I was expecting, strangers everywhere were super kind and helpful to me, and other women have told me they experienced the same.

Everyone offered to carry my packages from stores to the car. Many would let me get ahead in line at the register. It was appreciated, believe me. Pregnancy is tiring.

I had a thing for ice. I craved it and ate it all day long. When I had lunch at Arts Etc., the waitress brought me cups of ice without my even asking. It was great. She said she had the ice craving when she was pregnant and figured I would like some!

Ice was so important in those days that I knew exactly which gas station and store cooler had the best ice for chewing. One of those was at the gas station kitty-corner from the Leatherwood Food Lion. The manager there must have known about the ice thing too, because when I started going in for it, my huge belly leading the way, he never charged me for the bag. He told me to enjoy the ice and take care of myself.

People are much kinder and polite in MHC, Leslie Hervey said. When she was pregnant with twins, everyone stepped back and let me go first. And yes, they held the door, too.

Bettie Draper Bowles said she remembers being spoiled at Lowes Foods, which isnt here anymore. Even if I just bought a carton of ice cream (that was for my husband, not me), they would carry it to the car for me! she recalled.

While MHC probably wins the prize, and New York City with that subway seat fiasco would come in last place, theres plenty of courtesy elsewhere, too.

Alice Farmer still remembers an incident at a grocery store in Georgia. She was pregnant with her daughter Eleanor, and when she was in the checkout lane, Amanda, who was then 3, grabbed a candy bar from her seat in the buggy. Alice didnt notice it until they had started walking off.

I turned around, with pregnancy tears in my eyes, and the lady behind me said, Honey, I will pay for it. Go home and rest, Alice said. I looked down and Amanda had chocolate all over her face, put the Snickers bar up in my face and said, Momma wan some?

Betty J. Kanipe said she experienced the same kindnesses even over her little boy. When her late husband was in the Air Force, she used to travel by train from Boston with her young son to visit her parents.

Her son, who was just learning to talk, carried a large blue ball with him and would tell other travelers, Kick my ball game.

Naturally, they all thought he was cute and would retrieve his ball game for him, she said. Everyone was so helpful and polite, which really was a blessing when traveling with a toddler.
TODAYS WORD is sulk (suhlk). Example: After being told that he couldnt have a candy bar, the little boy sulked the entire ride home.

FRIDAYS WORD was profligate. It means utterly and shamelessly immoral; recklessly extravagant. Example: He knew he would never be able to afford a new car if he didnt find a way to curb his profligate spending.

Spring forward one hour

Did you enjoy that extra hour of sleep you got over the last few months? Sadly, were going the other way today. Daylight Savings Time took effect this morning at 2 a.m. Who do we have to blame for this? Benjamin Franklin. In 1784, Franklin wrote an essay called An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light to the editor of The Journal of Paris. He wrote in it that people could save money by starting work earlier in the day. That way, they didnt have to burn as many candles. The idea didnt actually catch on until 1916, when Germany adopted the practice. The United States was actually one of the last nations to adopt the idea, which happened in the 1970s because of the energy crisis. Because of skyrocketing gas prices, people were trying their best to conserve energy and this seemed like an easy way to help.

Building blocks

Have you ever wondered if your child is eating properly? Worried about how much food you should be feeding your child? The Martinsville library will host a program/playshop this coming Saturday. Itll start at 10 a.m. and youll have time to play with your child, as well as talk with Wyvette Dillard, a nutritionist from the Virginia Department of Health. Now they do have limited spots, so the library staff asks that people register by calling (276)-403-5444.

TODAY IS: National Girl Scout Day

Girl Scouting in the U.S. began March 12, 1912, when Juliette Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout Troop meeting in Savannah, Georgia. Low organized enrichment programs, service projects and outdoor activities for young women, planting a seed that would grow exponentially over time. In 1920, there were nearly 70,000 members of the Girl Scouts; in 2005, there were more than 3.7 million members. For more information on the Girl Scouts (or to find out where to buy their delicious cookies) go to girlscouts.org.

Fairy houses

How do you go about building a fairy house? Whats involved with making one? The Patrick County Extension agent, Vicki Waskoski, will help a class over at the Spencer-Penn Centre March 25 to learn all about them. The class will run from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with all the materials provided and youll get some help with the work. Now when the house is finished, people can head over to the Centres library, where Lynn Dudley, author of The Fairy Tea Party, will read her book. Shell also have fairy wings and tu-tus on hand if any kids want to dress up. Now because of the limited space, the staff just asks that you register by this coming Friday. The cost is $15 for Spencer-Penn members and $20 for non-members. Its open to anyone age 8 or older. The Centre is at 475 Spencer-Penn Road.

TRIVIA QUESTION: The three largest statues in the world all depict the same person. Who do they depict?

FRIDAYS TRIVIA ANSWER: Why was the Marx Brothers movie Duck Soup banned in Italy? Released in 1933, Duck Soup features Groucho Marx as Rufus T. Firefly, who becomes the leader of the bankrupt nation of Freedonia. The film is a satire of erratic, thin-skinned dictators, and it hit a little too close to home for erratic, thin-skinned dictator Benito Mussolini, who banned the film in Italy.
brennans.jpg

Brennan's Place on 173 High St. in Holyoke is along the parade route.

(The Republican file photo)



Pubs can have many charms, but their heartbeat is the people inside.



Those who have been to the Emerald Isle know that there's nothing quite like an Irish pub. From the ambience, to the energy - be a lively or quiet - to the old-school feel to the music and conversation, be out in a sphere inside many Irish pubs is irreplicable.



Part of this, of course, stems from the fact that Ireland itself is a unique place with its own vibe, tradition, and culture. But that doesn't mean that the Celtic spirit is confined to the shores of the Emerald Isle.

Plenty of stateside publicans have worked hard to replicate the magical ether of an Irish pub, and while they may capture it to varying degrees of accuracy, it again usually comes down to the people inside the walls, not what is hanging on them.



So if you seek a welcoming pub to have your St. Patrick's Day pint, or just a place to celebrate Irish heritage with like-minded folks, here is a list of some Western Massachusetts watering holes that may fit the bill:



Since the big parade is in Holyoke, Brennan's Place on173 High St. is a must for those along the route. The venue is former Nick O'Neils and is situated near the end point of the parade. You'll always get a great pint of Guinness there.



Not far away from Brennan's is Francie's Tavern at 108 Maple St., which sits near the start of the parade route. This renowned pub opened in 1933 and is named after its original owner, Francie O'Connor, who also tended bar there up until his death (while tending bar) in 1962.



If you're planning on making a toast, why not head to the place with a toast as its name? Slainte is the Irish word for "health" and often used as a toast in Eire, it's also a popular bar and a restaurant at 80 Jarvis Dr. The name is a tip of the hat to what Holyoke was originally called: Ireland Parish.

In Westfield, the Sons of Erin Club is located at 22 William St. It is open daily, noon to 2 a.m.



Just up the road in Northampton, McLadden's Irish Public House on 27 Pleasant St. showcases an authentic Irish pub atmosphere with its decor and wide range of Irish and British beers on tap. The venue also has a great selection of Irish whiskeys.

Across the river in Amherst, The Harp at 163 Sunderland Road is an award-winning Irish pub that is know for its great Irish music sessions and selection of whiskey.



Heading south to Springfield, you can have a pint downtown at McCaffrey's Public House (1171 Main St.) On the east side of town, we find Donovan's Irish Pub (1655 Boston Road) and New O'Briens Corner (1082 Page Blvd.)



Of course, the most Irish of all Springfield venues is the famed John Boyle O'Reilly Club on 33 Progress Ave.












Yevgeny Kutik

Yevgeny Kutik

(Kevin Sprague photo)

Following their tribute to the music of Ireland on March 5, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra set their sights on the bonnie braes, rushing rills and roaring sea-caves of Scotland as the next stop on their musical itinerary Saturday evening.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the concert was an absolutely stunning performance of Max Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46" by violinist Yevgeny Kutik.

Kutik, who astonished SSO concert-goers in 2014 with a stunning account of Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, is a potent and poetic player with a vast palette of color and expression at his fingertips.

On Saturday, he both demanded and commanded our attention. Aggressive attacks and heroic exits were balanced by dreamy, vibrato-less entrances and filmy, tapered diminuendos. Capable of unabashedly old-fashioned romantic playing when it was called for, Kutik could have been channeling Jascha Heifetz (who, like Kutik, moved from Russia to the U.S. as a youth), swaying from foot to foot, tearing the most impassioned story imaginable from the strings of his violin.

Kutik delivered the delicious melodies of Bruch's opening movement, cast in the decidedly un-violinistic key of E-flat minor moving to E-flat major, with soulful elegance. His double-stops were perfectly tuned, and his playing so exquisitely nuanced as to project myriad shades of meaning in a single repeated pitch.

The Scherzo presented Kutik with a scrubby fiddle tune, shamelessly virtuosic, and thrown into garrulous conversation with the orchestra at full throttle. Maestro Kevin Rhodes and Kutik appeared to enjoy their repartee immensely. The Andante that followed, with its simple, melancholy tune, showed Kutik at his most songful, yet grew in urgency and power until the sound appeared to burst from his violin.

Kutik really turned up the heat for the Finale, a set of bravura variations on a warlike tune referencing the Battle of Bannockburn. He tore through the score, fingers flying across the fingerboard, bow slashing in a hair-raising tour-de-force that catapulted his audience of 1323 to their feet cheering.

Rhode surrounded the Bruch concerto with two works by Felix Mendelssohn, both influenced by a visit he made to Scotland as a twenty-year-old. The concert opened with his "Hebrides Overture," also known as "Fingal's Cave" (a sea-cave in the basalt rocks of Staffa Island). The musicians gave in willingly to the swells and decrescendos necessary to turn Mendelssohn's dark, descending tune into the turbulent ebb and flow of the ocean. Rhodes's relish for and execution of the composer's abrupt dynamic and dramatic shifts made for an exciting performance, and one which evinced the wildness, beauty, and danger of the islands.

Storminess must have persisted in Mendelssohn's memory of his Scottish tour, as he infused his "Scottish" Symphony with it 13 years later. The orchestra gave a superb performance of the demanding score, featuring excellent solo work by principal woodwinds Ann Bobo (flute), Karen Hosmer (oboe), Michael Sussman (clarinet) and Shotaro Mori (bassoon). The First Violin section gave a glorious account of the opening melody in the third movement Adagio. Rhodes took the Vivace at a thrilling pace, testing the mettle of his brass players, who rose admirably to the challenge. The Finale's heroic modulation to a regal gallop in sunny A Major brought the evening to a close in a blaze of glory.

The SSO's next stop in their classical journey brings them to Spain on April 8 and a brief pass through England (via the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams) before returning to Vienna for Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on April 29.
A 24-year-old Massachusetts man is facing sex trafficking charges after he repeatedly sold a teen for sex through advertisements he posted on Backpage.com, prosecutors say.

A federal grand jury in Providence has returned a four-count indictment charging Andrew "Andy" J. Joseph, of Brockton with trafficking a 15-year-old girl across state lines for the purpose of criminal sexual activity.

The indictment, announced Friday by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha, charges Joseph with one count each of sex trafficking a child and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and two counts of traveling in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Joseph, who had been chatting with the 15-year-old online, met the teen in Rhode Island on June 15, 2016, before driving her to a hotel in Seekonk, where he took pictures he'd later use in advertisements offering her up for sex on Backpage.com, federal prosecutors said.

Between the day he met her and Aug. 13, Joseph arranged for sexual encounters involving the girl and kept all or most of the money for himself, according to prosecutors.

Joseph has been in federal custody since he was arrested by Homeland Security agents and Pawtucket cops Dec. 1. His public defender, Olin W. Thompson, did not return a call.

Sex trafficking a child and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity are punishable by 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by up to lifetime supervised release. Traveling in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity is punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment, also followed by up to lifetime supervised release.

Lisa Goldblatt Grace, co-founder and director of My Life My Choice, a Boston-based group that works to end commercial sexual exploitation of children, called the case "incredibly emblematic of what we regularly see."

The average age the girls the group serves were when they were first exploited is 14, Goldblatt Grace said, and many of them were lured online and sold on Backpage.com, which has shut down its erotic services advertising section under pressure from authorities and victims' advocates, only to migrate the ads to its dating section.

-- Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald
Boston-suspect.jpg

Boston police are searching for Desmond Tahatdil, 55, who is believed to have stabbed his son to death on Tuesday.

(Boston Police Department photo)

BOSTON - Police are searching for a Boston man who is suspected of being responsible for the violent death of his own son.

55-year-old Desmond Tahatdil is believed to have stabbed his son, 35-year-old Brendan Tahatdil, multiple times during an incident in Dorchester on Tuesday.

Police were called to the area of 66 Hartford Street at approximately 7:45 a.m., where they found Brendan Tahatdil suffering from stab wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Details of how or why the crime occurred have not been released at this time.

Tahatdil is described as a black male, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall, and weighing approximately 175 lbs.

Anyone who believes they may have information regarding this case has been encouraged to contact the Boston Police Department's homicide detectives at (617) 343-4470.
Montanas Libertarian Party has picked Mark Wicks to be its candidate in the May 25 special election to fill the states vacant congressional seat.

The 46-year-old cattle rancher and writer from Inverness will be contending against Democrat Rob Quist and Republican Greg Gianforte, who unsuccessfully ran for governor last fall.

Full Story: http://helenair.com/news/local/libertarians-pick-rancher-mark-wicks-to-run-for-us-house/article_28cbade0-80b1-5089-b3a5-7d9ff351565b.html
The "extra life" was a fixture of early video games, a reward for skilled players that was imbued with the language of reincarnation. Players would not say they earned additional time to play, or a bonus turn, upon reaching a certain score. They were bestowed an extra life, a new chance at existence.

Death is not so frivolous in "That Dragon, Cancer," http://www.thatdragoncancer.com/#home a video game about Joel Green, a terminally ill 5-year-old, and his parents, Ryan and Amy. It is a game about a single life  one that ends and then is gone forever.

By CHRIS SUELLENTROP

Full Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/06/arts/that-dragon-cancer-video-game-will-break-your-heart.html

***

CBS Sunday Morning Video  That Dragon, Cancer: A game for Joel

A GAME FOR JOEL is a different sort of video game  its one familys heartfelt tribute to a lost son, and a reminder of how far the fight against cancer has yet to go. Heres Ben Tracy: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/that-dragon-cancer-a-game-for-joel/
The New York Stock Exchange requires that the boards of all publicly traded corporations conduct a self-evaluation at least annually to determine whether they are functioning effectively.

The purpose of the exercise is to ensure that boards are staffed and led appropriately, that board members are effective in fulfilling their obligations, and that reliable processes are in place to satisfy important oversight requirements.

David Larcker, Taylor Griffin, Brian Tayan, Stephen Miles

Full Story: https://hbr.org/2017/03/how-boards-should-evaluate-their-own-performance?referral=00563&cm_mmc=email-_-newsletter-_-daily_alert-_-alert_date&utm_source=newsletter_daily_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert_date&spMailingID=16676342&spUserID=MTM4NDQ0NTA1NTkS1&spJobID=980075419&spReportId=OTgwMDc1NDE5S0
A North Carolina Ku Klux Klan group has announced on its website that it will hold a rally and cross burning in May in Asheboro.

The event was scheduled by The Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which is based in Pelham  an unincorporated community about 45 minutes north of Burlington, near the Virginia line. Details of the rally are scarce, but the website said the event will feature speeches, dinner and a cross burning at dark.

The group has held other events, including a parade through Roxboro in December. The parade, to celebrate Donald Trumps presidential election victory, drew more than 100 participants.

The KKKs official newspaper, The Crusader, and former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke embraced Trump, the Republican candidate in last years presidential campaign.

Two Klan leaders, who organized a White Lives Matter rally that turned violent in Anaheim, Calif., in 2016, were arrested in North Carolina in December in connection with a stabbing before a Klan parade, according to a New York Times story. The Times said the men  William Hagen, grand dragon of the Loyal White Knights, and Chris Baker  were accused of stabbing a third Klan member.

The group was also behind a rally in South Carolina in 2015 protesting the removal of the Confederate flag from the state Capitol grounds.

According to the groups website, the Asheboro rally will be held May 6. The KKK has not announced an exact location or time for the rally, but its flier touts free parking as well as no drinking, drugs or weapons.
TOETERVILLE | Camp Dogg, a dog boarding facility in Toeterville, is looking to expand.

Im adding on here in the summer, owner Jodi Schrupp said.

Schrupp purchased the camp and the house next door from Mindy Trettin, founder of Camp Dogg, in 2015. Camp Dogg was founded in 2008.

This has always been a dream of mine, Schrupp said.

Schrupps love of dogs led her to work for a veterinarian before purchasing the business.

I love dogs. Ive worked with a veterinarian off and on for six years, Schrupp said. Before that I worked with cattle, baby cows.

Schrupp is working on remodeling and replacing the floors at Camp Dogg, which can house 25 to 30 dogs.

I try never to go over 25 because it gets a little squishy in here, Schrupp said. But if I have more little dogs than big dogs, Im okay. Space is more limited for larger dogs.

Schrupp has four dogs of her own and occasionally watches her sons two dogs.

Right now I have my dogs and my granddogs, Schrupp said as she laughed.

There are several single and multi-dog kennels, which are options for those boarding several dogs. Camp Dogg is available for day care, long-term and short-term stays.

Each dog in gets a comfy cot and blankets. Owners may bring whatever items they wish to make the kennel more like home for their stay at the "camp."

I had some dogs stay because of a house fire, so they were here for four months, Schrupp said. It all depends on if its vacation or people having surgery or whatever.

In back there is a spacious fenced in play area for the dogs with tires and toys.

In the summer, I put two to three pools out here, Schrupp said. I get them up in the morning and I leave the doors open so they have three rooms to walk in and out here.

Camp Dogg focuses on the social aspect for dogs while also separating some who have more anxiety or who are territorial.

I do socialize all the dogs together, Schrupp said. If a dog doesnt get along, then I let them out separately.

Schrupp said the dogs are out of their kennels six to eight hours per day. Camp Dogg has four employees who help with feeding and playtime.

The expansion would include a separate space for more anxious dogs and those with health conditions requiring more attention.

What Im doing for expansion is putting a foster/special needs room on, Schrupp said. Ill have a separate play yard for them. Ill be expanding the current play yard and Im adding four more kennels.

There are many times throughout the year when the camp fills up and Schrupp makes a waiting list.

Though there are set pick up and drop off windows, Schrupp prides herself on being accommodating, convenient and helpful in many situations.

My door is always open for pickups, Schrupp said.
LIVERMORE | The Rev. Patricia Connor, age 61, of Livermore passed away Jan. 26, 2017, at the Paula J. Baber Hospice House in Fort Dodge.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, March 18, at 11 a.m. at Faith United Methodist Church in Livermore. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Eagle Grove. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Lentz Funeral Home in Livermore.
MASON CITY | Mark Suby, a retired longtime city employee told state legislators Saturday he was against privatization of IPERS  the Iowa public employees retirement system.

"IPERS is a great thing. I would like to reinvest in it. I think a lot of people would. If they did, the money wouldn't have to go to Wall Street," he said.

Suby was one of many people who spoke and asked questions at a legislative forum held by State Sen. Amanda Ragan and State Rep. Sharon Steckman, both Mason City Democrats.

About 30 people attended the forum at the Mason City Public Library and touched on subjects such as gun legislation, worker compensation, health care, water quality and voter IDs.

Steckman, a former teacher, said she saw no need to make changes in IPERS. "It's doing just fine the way it is," she said.

Ragan, who was one of the leaders in the fight against privatizing Medicaid, said the program is experiencing problems. AmeriHealth, one of the managed care providers, has lost $293 million and is cutting people and services.

"This is already having an impact on our area," she said. "Iowans are better than this. We need to take care of our people."

The legislators are against proposals to change the state's worker compensation laws. Current law requires 80 percent of their pay to workers. A provision being discussed would change it to 80 percent of the state average pay. Another provision would end payments when a worker reached age 67.

"If you're a little too old or a little too fat, you can be eliminated," said Steckman.

Ragan said, "The thing I don't like about it is it does nothing to eliminate fraud."

Pending gun legislation will make it easier for people to carry guns. "I can't bring a poster into the House chamber but I can bring a gun," said Steckman.

She was referring to a recent House rule prohibiting legislators from using visual aids in their presentations without prior approval of House leadership.

Another provision in the proposed legislation would be for there to be no age limit on someone having a gun.

There was lengthy discussion about the minimum wage which Steckman, Ragan and most Democrats want raised.

Steckman said several cities and counties in Iowa have raised the minimum wage, but a bill in the legislature would make that illegal.

Ragan said a recent study showed that in Cerro Gordo County, for example, the minimum wage should be $8.25 an hour, based on all the variables considered in the study.

"This really shows a disregard for home rule," she said.
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Every year, March 8 marks the International Womens Day, commemorating womens rights and celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. However, whats the use of celebrating it on one particular day, when the rest of the year witnesses some women getting harassed and exploited at the hands of some miscreants. Be it the New Years Eve at Bengaluru that turned into a mass molestation, a girl being raped in a moving bus in Delhi or women being attacked by acid just because they didnt give in to the molesters requests  women have had to learn about the societys harsh truth the hard way.

 Reuters

Acid attacks on women have been on constant rise and the mental, physical and psychological trauma they go through is painful to even imagine. On one hand where the society sets certain standards for beauty, the acid attack survivors are left with scars that are unbearably agonizing. However, an NGO called ActionAid is helping these women regain confidence by trying to challenge the conventional beauty standards and unchaining them from the societal taboos and stereotypes.

 Reuters

On the eve of International Womens Day, Bangladesh set a great example for the world to follow when some acid attack survivors walked or should we say owned the runway with style, as a part of the show called Beauty Redefined organized by ActionAid. Fashion designer and former model, Bibi Russell planned the entire show which was attended by activists, diplomats and fashion lovers. We are sure that this would have been a truly empowering experience for all the models who participated in the show.

 Reuters

The models were dancing, singing, walking the catwalk and showcasing woven handloom Bangladeshi designs. Reportedly, the organizers wanted to bring to notice the fact that acid attack survivors too are a significant part of our society and shouldnt be left on the sidelines. Bangladesh is said to have struggled with acid attacks for quite some time now and has in fact introduced cruel punishments against the people behind it. Reportedly in 2016, over 40 cases of acid attacks were reported in Bangladesh.

 Reuters

People are taught to respect each others decisions and choices, yet it seems that women arent considered to be eligible for this right. Maybe thats why some spurned lovers think that if a woman doesnt comply with their advances, they can burn her face with acid to teach her a lesson. If one truly believes in celebrating womens day and wants them to flourish in the world, these cruel acts need to stop.

Source: Independent
MASON CITY | City Councilman Brett Schoneman said Saturday the Gatehouse Capital hotel plan is a great proposal but it will not work in Mason City.

He said he and Mayor Eric Bookmeyer and City Administrator Brent Trout met with Gatehouse personnel not long after the deal with G8 Development fell through.

Gatehouse had ideas for a project but no specific plans, he said. He chose not take part in any future meetings with Gatehouse and didn't know about its proposal until Tuesday night when packets were distributed to council members.

He said Gatehouse's requirement to use city money for "gap financing"  filling the financial gap between owner's equity and bank financing and the developer's cost  is a deal breaker for him.

City officials estimate that cost to be $3-$3.5 million.

"I don't believe the citizens would go for it. I love their plan and I love that it could help the Music Man Square," he said. "But the bonding piece eliminates Gatehouse, in my opinion. I don't think it would be palatable to the citizens of Mason City."

Schoneman said he hopes the community will get behind the only other proposal, the one from G8 Development.
DES MOINES  The local officials who run Iowas elections say some of the changes proposed by Iowas secretary of state  in particular a requirement that voters provide state-approved identification at the polls  are unnecessary to address the rare voting issues that occur.

The Republican-led Iowa House last week approved legislation that would establish multiple changes to Iowas elections.

Secretary of State Paul Pate proposed the changes, which he said are necessary to protect the integrity of the states election system and update election technology.

Pate and other proponents of the proposal concede Iowa has relatively clean elections with very few instances of fraud. Pate, however, also has given examples of various voting issues that may have affected dozens, if not hundreds of votes cast in recent Iowa elections. And state legislator Ken Rizer, a Republican from Cedar Rapids who shepherded the bill through the House, said more safeguards are needed to ensure voter confidence in election integrity.

Im very happy about where were at today in regards to Iowas role in elections. We are, by far, one of the leading states in any way you want to review it, Pate told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier earlier this year. Having said that, there are things that go on.

In pushing for stronger election oversight, Pate has cited multiple voting issues in recent statewide elections, including 17 complaints involving double voting, improper registration and allegations of non-citizens voting; roughly a dozen absentee ballots that allegedly were cast in the wrong name; 41 convicted felons whose voting rights had not been restored and who filled out ballots, five of which were counted before being caught; and 250 unreturned confirmations by people who registered to vote on Election Day.

Pates proposal attempts to address those issues with various provisions, but perhaps the most unpopular  the voter identification requirement  is not needed to supplement safeguards already in place, according to county auditors across the state.

Some of those elections officials join critics and opponents of the proposal in expressing concern that it will depress voter turnout among the elderly, college students and minorities who do not already possess what would be approved identification.

The Iowa State Association of County Auditors is registered in opposition to the bill.

Secretary Pates bill has many salutary aspects; however, I feel it errs in calling for voter identification at the polls, Karen Showalter, elections manager for Black Hawk County, wrote in an email. Virtually no problems resulting from voter impersonation have been recorded, so any effect this can have in improving election integrity is negated a thousand-fold by the effect it will have of jeopardizing the voting rights of populations whose access to the required identification is chronically or occasionally problematic.

Roland Caldwell, with the Scott County Auditors Office, said requiring an identification card to vote is not necessary in order to cure registration irregularities, nor would it prevent all cases of double voting, which he said most often happens via absentee ballot and typically is caught by the current system.

All of the voters in Scott (County) who have cast two ballots were caught prior to counting the ballots, their cases were investigated by our county attorney and sheriff offices and all of them had mild dementia or other memory impairments, Caldwell wrote in an email. "None had an intent to vote twice."

Caldwell said he thinks requiring identification to vote and requiring some ballots cast by voters who register on Election Day at polling locations without electronic poll books that can verify their registration is an overly burdensome way to attempt to address issues such as felons illegally casting ballots, given the low number of such incidents.

This seems like a lot of effort and inconvenience to non-felon voters to find the (miniscule percentage) of voters who are also felons, Caldwell said.

The most frequent issue noted by Pate was the number of voters who had not yet confirmed their Election Day registration with the county auditors offices. Pate and local elections officials said those irregularities typically do not indicate fraud, but rather an innocent mistake or individuals unaware of the responsibility.

Our experience is that we have a very mobile population in Scott County and that people ignore their mail, Caldwell said. When the county attorney and sheriff have investigated those who have not returned their verifications, they have found that voters claim to have not received the notice or threw it out because they did not know what it was.

Rizer said there is a perception among some voters that Iowas elections are not fair, and in defense of the proposal, he produced a letter from the League of Women Voters, which also is registered in opposition to the bill, that also expressed concern for a lack of voter confidence in Iowas elections.

But Iowa had the nations fourth-highest electoral integrity rating in a 2016 survey of national elections experts conducted by the Electoral Integrity Project, an independent academic project based at Harvard University and the University of Sydney.

Rizer said he was not sure where Iowa voters lack of confidence comes from.

Thats a good question, Rizer said.

Election integrity became a national topic of conversation during the 2016 presidential election, when then-candidate Donald Trump repeatedly made allegations of a rigged election system, and since winning, he has claimed without evidence that 3 million to 5 million votes were cast illegally.

Pate acknowledged fraud is rare but said more oversight is justified.

I dont know what the number is that people want to hear before it rises to the level of, Should we do more? In theory, one is too many, Pate said. And in fairness, we have had quite a few state legislative races that were won or lost by 50 votes. We have many school board and city council elections where you flip a coin. So, theyre pretty close.
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he Romanian Secretary of State for Political Bilateral and Strategic Affairs, George Ciamba, concluded a working visit with Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis today, Friday 10 March, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the course of the meeting, which was conducted in a positive atmosphere, the multilateral cooperation between the two countries was emphasized by both sides, with the goal of stability and growth in Southeast Europe and the Black Sea region, also through participation in regional fora and Organizations such as the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), as well as the Trilateral Cooperation Romania-Bulgaria-Greece and the similar quadrilateral Bulgaria-Romania-Croatia-Greece configuration.

Deputy Foreign Minister Amanatidis made the reminder that Greece remains among the main investors in Romania, where Greek businesses boast a shining and dynamic presence, while also noting that Greece has traditionally been a fervent supporter of Romania in European issues, including Romanias very accession to the EU.

Mr. Ciamba expressed the appreciation of the Romanian Government for our countrys continued support of Romania and referred to the usefulness of bilateral coordination on issues of a regional and broader international nature in regard to which the two nations share common interests and a common vision.

Additionally, they exchanged views pertaining to issues of cultural/educational and religious diplomacy, which fall within Deputy Minister Amantidis portfolio.

More specifically, Deputy Foreign Minister Amanatidis expressed his delight at the fact that the Greek language is presently being taught in many Romanian Universities, while the discussion also carried over to specific ways to further strengthen and intensify bilateral cooperation in the fields in question.
Iowans have long understood the importance of soil and water conservation. Farmers who employ appropriate techniques for cultivating their land help preserve these crucial resources and thereby make a vital contribution to the long-term viability of the Hawkeye State's agricultural economy.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation recognize the importance of conservation to the state's future. Consequently, each year they sponsor a search for a farmer who "has a proven track record of excellence in soil conservation and water quality improvements and is committed to continuing efforts that continuously improve the land and water." The individual identified as deserving special recognition is designated as the Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year. This year the winner of this prestigious honor will be announced July 17 at the Iowa Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners Annual Conference in Altoona. The honoree will receive free use of a John Deere 6E Series utility tractor, for up to 12 months or 200 hours of use.

"Iowa farmers continue to take on the challenge of better protecting their soil and improving water quality," Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said in a call for nominations issued by his department. "This award is an opportunity to highlight and recognize a farmer that has gone above and beyond in their conservation efforts and serves as a model of land stewardship in their community and across the state."

IFBF President Craig Hill echoed Northey's enthusiasm for this award program.

"Leading by example is so important, because everyone has a role to play in protecting our soil and water quality," he said. "Over the years we've proudly honored incredible Iowans who lead by example and have made incredible progress in conservation and their efforts encourage others to step up to the plate. Our role as farmers is to do more than grow food; we must all work towards leaving the land and watershed better for the next generation."

According to the contest's sponsors, a farmer can apply or be nominated for the award by sending a brief letter summarizing the nominee's conservation efforts to the local Soil and Water Conservation District by May 1. Each SDWCD will choose one nomination to advance for consideration for a regional award. The nine regional award winners then compete for the overall award.

The Messenger urges readers to help identify worthy candidates for this important award. Since 1952, it has helped build public awareness of the crucial work those who care for Iowa's farmlands and waterways perform.

This editorial appeared in the March 3 edition of the Fort Dodge Messenger.
Deputy Foreign Minister Terens Quick met today with the Romanian Secretary of State for Political Bilateral and Strategic Affairs, George Ciamba, with whom he discussed issues that fall within his area of competency, and particularly matters relating to the Greek Diaspora in Romania.



Mr. Ciamba extended an invitation to the Deputy Foreign of Minster on behalf of Romanian Minister Andreea Pastarnac, in charge of citizens living abroad, to visit Romania, which Mr. Quick accepted.
I read it on the internet isnt necessarily the same as I read it on the internet so it must be true. The real truth is that its becoming increasingly difficult to know whats true and whats not.

Were flooded with information, which makes it difficult to distinguish between what is factual as opposed to an opinion. Too often, a source that appears to be official or authoritative emanates from a person or organization that has a political goal or is biased in some way.

Weve been hearing a lot lately about fake news, and most of us have, at one time or another, believed that news was accurate, only to learn later that it was false. Many of us, and especially young people, go to Google when we want information, but how can we be reasonably certain that the information posted online is accurate or, in some cases, either deliberately misleading, or an opinion rather than fact?

As citizens and consumers, we have a need for reliable information. Rather than instantly accepting what we read, it is important to consider the source. Does the information come from an industry association or a person or organization that is completely unfamiliar? Or is the source a professional journalist whose job involves providing the public with unbiased objective information?

One of the tools used by journalists is a law that generally requires that government records be made available to the public. There is a federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that applies to federal government records, and every state has enacted its own version of an FOI law. In New York, its called the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). Under the federal Act and in most states, it doesnt matter who you are, where you live, or even why you want them  anyone can request government records.

Most FOI laws are based on a presumption that government records are available. Unless the government can justifiably rely on an exception to rights of access appearing in the law, records must be disclosed. Usually the exceptions relate to the possibility that disclosure would result in some sort of harm. For example, typical is an exception intended to protect personal privacy. If I request your social security number from a government agency, the agency has to deny access. That item can be used as a connection to a variety of other information about all of us thats nobodys business. If the police are investigating a crime, and disclosure would interfere with the investigation, the government can deny access.

But when were trying to learn the truth, the government is required to disclose statistics and facts. If politician tells us that the water we drink is safe and you want to know if thats true, you can obtain the latest tests from a local health department or water authority to find out whats in the water. Its also important to know whether the politician is trustworthy and deserves your support. If youre having trouble with math and want to find out whether your teacher is certified to teach that subject, FOIL gives you the right to request and obtain the record indicating that the teacher is qualified (or not). You can and need to be informed in order to make your own judgment.

Government records, more often than not, are based on the facts and are accurate. When you use FOIL to obtain records from a government agency, whether its your county, city, town or school district, you know the source and can feel with certainty that their content is real  not fake.
Santa Fe, March 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Quarter expansion with EPIC Consulting Group, Inc. so far has started off with a bang. Fabian CDeVaca has spear headed that expansion by completing our management training program just in time for the beginning of the year. Nine months ago Fabian started as a new sales rep in our office, now as a result of hard work, dedication, and perseverance April 1, 2017 Fabian will be cutting the ribbon and running his own business in Santa Fe, New Mexico.



Fabulous Solutions, Inc. is Fabians company name and he has goals of taking New Mexico by storm. Fabulous Solutions, Inc. is a name Fabian created and envisioned while he was an account manager here at EPIC Consulting Group. His company is partnered with several of the top retailers, electronics, and home service providers in the country. We are very proud of Fabian and his recent accomplishments, and are very confident he will do extremely well.

We are excited about finishing the first quarter strong as we embark on 2017 from a growth standpoint. Several individuals are slated to follow in Fabians footsteps.

Will you be next?
HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bermuda Premier Michael Dunkley will speak about Bermudas historic US ties and the islands global economic impact as part of a new Executive Leadership Track to debut at the RIMS 2017 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Philadelphia next month, Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) announced today.

The Premier will join four other Bermuda-related speakers April 2326 at RIMS 2017, the insurance industrys biggest yearly event, expected to attract 10,000 risk-management professionals, service providers, senior executives and other decision-makers from a range of industries, plus 400 exhibitors.

I feel very privileged to represent Bermuda so prominently at an industry event that has been very significant to our island over many decades, said Premier Dunkley, one of 10 executive speakers on the new trackincluding Brad Kading, President and Executive Director of the Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers (ABIR), and Stephen Catlin, Executive Deputy Chairman of Bermuda-headquartered XL Catlin and Chair of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF).

The government is grateful to RIMS for the opportunity to highlight Bermudas unique and substantial role as a world-respected international financial centre, the Premier added. The evolution of Bermudas highly respected market, our top-tier regulatory environment, our role in facilitating globalisation and covering losses from the worlds worst disastersthese are topics that should be interesting and relevant to the RIMS audience.

It marks the first time a Bermuda Premier has delivered an official session at the conference. RIMS organisers invited Premier Dunkley to be a guest speaker after the BDA successfully submitted two other session proposals on behalf of Bermuda-based industry stakeholders.

Were delighted to see Bermuda represented so strongly at RIMS 2017, especially via the new Executive Leadership sessions, said Ross Webber, CEO of the BDA, which has coordinated Bermudas presence at the prestigious event for the past four years.

There have been very few, if any, Bermuda speakers at RIMS in recent years, Webber noted. Given the prominence of our island in the global insurance industry, this seemed like an anomaly we needed to address, so the BDA drove an effort to encourage Bermudas inclusion. Its a fitting way to highlight the world-class talent in our jurisdiction, along with the innovation and global impact that have been hallmarks of Bermudas risk industry for the past half-century.

The Premier is scheduled to deliver his hour-long presentation, Small Wonder: Bermudas Supersized Impact on the World of Risk, on the afternoon of Monday, April 24. It will coincide with a session on captive insurance at the same time, featuring Bermudas Brian Quinn, Founding Director of Granite Management, and Al Gier, President of Bermuda Captive Owners Association (BCOA) and Global Director of Corporate Risk Management & Insurance at General Motors. Quinn and Gier will talk on the topic, Cutting-Edge Captives: How to Combat Hail, Hackers and Non-Human Drivers.

The following day, Tuesday, April 25, another Executive Leadership presentation will feature a moderated panel on the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), moderated by ABIRs Kading. The panel will include the IDFs Stephen Catlin, along with Joaquim Levy, Managing Director and CFO of the World Bank Group, and a representative from the United Nations Development Program. The panel will discuss the industry-led initiative created last year to close the Protection Gap and increase insurance penetration in emerging markets.

RIMS continues to find ways to energise its annual conference and deliver impactful educational programming that empowers attendees to better serve their organisations and advance professionally, said RIMS Vice President, Events and Education, Stuart Ruff-Lyon. The Executive Leadership Track gives our attendees access to world business leaders and the strategies they use to achieve greatness. We are proud to add this feature to the RIMS 2017 experience.

Bermuda plays an important part in the insurance industry and has been a long-time supporter of RIMS initiatives, Ruff-Lyon continued. Bermudas Premier is a great addition to the RIMS Executive Leadership Track. He brings a wealth of knowledge and is a well-respected leader who will provide attendees with a unique perspective on the countrys very large impact on the worlds economy.

CONNECTING BUSINESS

The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Our goal? To make doing business in Bermuda smooth and beneficial
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...
PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI - The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is preemptively offering a reward for information, should a fire at a Pittsfield Township mosque be ruled arson.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the fire, reported at 4:59 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at a mosque at 5909 W. Michigan Ave. The address appears to be the Islamic Center of Ypsilanti, which also serves as a mosque, and Pittsfield Township detectives and fire investigators are assisting in the investigation.

Pittsfield Township Fire Chief Sean Gleason said Sunday there was no clear indication either way of whether the fire had a suspicious cause. Given the building's use as a mosque, the department called ATF.

The Michigan chapter of the non-profit civil rights and advocacy group, CAIR-MI, is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction of a perpetrator, if the fire is ruled to be arson, Dawud Walid, executive director of the chapter, announced Sunday.

"Given the rash of mosque burnings that have taken place across the country since January, we are concerned and suspicious that the incident may be arson," Walid said.

Media reports indicate that four mosques in the U.S. went up in flames in the first two months of 2017, with three of the incidents confirmed as arson.

In a release, CAIR-MI stated there has been an unprecedented spike in hate incidents targeting Muslims and other minority groups since the 2016 U.S. elections.

"The Muslim community in Michigan, in general, is concerned about the anti-Muslim sentiment that has increased across America," Walid said. It's particularly concerning with the high number of practicing Muslims in Michigan, he said.

Walid said there are heightened suspicions in the Pittsfield Township incident, because the township previously denied plans for an Islamic school - a move which led to settlements in 2016 in separate lawsuits filed by the U.S. Justice Department and Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Walid said the council is demanding, if the incident is ruled arson and the motive is determined to be bias, that the FBI and the Department of Justice investigate and bring federal hate crime charges.

CAIR-MI asks that anyone with information about the fire or anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area prior to 5 p.m. Saturday, contact local authorities as well as CAIR-MI.

Pittsfield Township police can be reached on their tip line at 734-822-4958 and CAIR-MI can be reached at 248-559-2247.
Sydni Williams.jpg

University of Michigan sophomore Sydni Williams was named the IES Abroad Global Citizen of the Year for her work in Madrid, Spain. (Provided photo | Elizabeth Hillfrank, IES Abroad student)

(Provided photo)

ANN ARBOR, MI - Though she's thousands of miles from her home in Detroit, University of Michigan student Sydni Williams found similarities between the Motor City and her new temporary home in Madrid, Spain.

Williams, a UM sophomore studying neuroscience and Spanish, realized that like many children in Detroit, low-income children in Madrid also have limited access to quality education. As part of her study abroad experience in the 2016-17 academic year, Williams tutored and mentored low-income children at the Social Services Center of Los Yebenes in Madrid.

Her work there earned her the inaugural Global Citizen of the Year Award from IES Abroad, a nonprofit organization that provides more than 125 study abroad and internship programs in 35 cities around the world.

"The problem is not that (the students) are incapable of learning or that they don't want to, but that the obstacles that they are faced with daily sometimes distract them from their education," Williams said in a press release. "I may have only worked with 20 kids in Madrid (during the fall 2016 semester), but I have positively impacted their entire world. These students can go on to be the world's next doctors, brain surgeons, teachers, firemen, soup kitchen volunteers and global citizens who will use what I have taught them to shape the world of tomorrow."

Williams was selected for the Global Citizen of the Year award based on her impact in her community abroad, what she learned about herself through cross-cultural interactions and how she's applying what she learned abroad to bring global perspectives to her academic, social and professional communities.

She beat out 53 other submissions from students representing more than 40 different U.S. colleges, including Occidental College and Harvard University.

"Students like Sydni Williams are the future leaders of this global economy, and it's imperative that we encourage them to embrace cultures distinct from their own so they may learn adaptability, as well as the ability to view the world through a different lens," said Mary M. Dwyer, president and CEO of IES Abroad. "We are a student-focused, mission-driven organization, and The Global Citizen of the Year Award brings attention to the positive impact our globally-minded students are making, and the achievements they're capable of in the future."

IES Abroad also named three finalists and three honorable mentions for Global Citizen of the Year. Williams will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

Williams will return to the U.S. this summer to be an intern with the Children's Defense Fund Freedom School. Taking from her experiences abroad, she plans to continue to help inner-city youth.

"Ultimately, I hope to start a nonprofit organization that will give youth who've made mistakes, youth who have faced criminal charges, a second chance," she said.
BAY CITY, MI -- Nearly two years after claiming a stranger snatched her laptop and some cash from her car, an area woman is charged with filing a false police report.

Kristina M. McDonald (also known by the surnames Bissonnette and Lamblin) on Aug. 22, 2015, called 911 to report she was the victim of a crime in the parking lot of the Walgreen's at 416 S. Euclid Ave. in Bangor Township. McDonald told dispatchers she saw a man reach into her parked car's open window and yank her laptop and a roll of cash, then drive away in a truck. She provided dispatchers with the truck's license plate number, court records show.

Police identified the owner of the truck with the license and went to his Hampton Township residence. The man told officers he is a computer repair technician and had been hired by McDonald to fix her laptop. He agreed to meet McDonald at Walgreen's, as she was demanding the return of her laptop, though he'd not yet completed work on it, he said.

The man said he arrived at the lot but never left his truck. McDonald handed him $100, but she was $20 short and he told her he wasn't accepting anything less than the full amount. He tried returning the $100, but she grew angry, yelled at him, and drove away, though the man hadn't handed her the laptop, court records show.

The man provided police with an invoice for McDonald's services, showing her phone number and address in Saginaw County.

Dispatchers called McDonald, who maintained a stranger had stolen her property. Still, she agreed to meet with police at the computer technician's home to clear up the matter. She never showed, police reports state.

Police later spoke with McDonald over the phone. She said she stopped at Walgreen's so her son could use the restroom. She was steadfast in asserting her account was honest, and volunteered that she was home on leave from the U.S. Navy.

Authorities issued a warrant for McDonald's arrest on Sept. 10, 2015. By March 2, 2016, she was in police custody and appeared in Bay County District Court for arraignment on one count of false report of a felony. The charge is itself a four-year felony.

McDonald, 42, is to appear for a preliminary examination before District Judge Timothy J. Kelly at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14.
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Insurance regulator Irdai today said it is yet to make listing of insurance companies mandatory as the industry is not ready for it.

As of now, ICICI Prudential Life is the only listed insurer, while New India and GIC Re are likely to be the first two state-owned insurance firms to get listed some time soon after the government recently said it wanted all the state-run non-life players to merge and be publicly traded.

The regulator had come out with a discussion paper on mandatory listing of insurance companies which have been in operations for 10 years, last August.

"We have not made it mandatory as yet. It's still in the form of a draft," Irdai chairman TS Vijayan told reporters while speaking on the sidelines of an Insurance Brokers Association event here.

"The industry is not too happy making it compulsory.

So for the time being, it will not be mandatory," he added.

As of now, there are 55 insurance firms in the country, of which 24 are in the life insurance business and the rest 31 are non-life players.

Meanwhile, after suggesting a steep hike in third party motor premium, the regulator today said there is room for a premium hike in the group health insurance segment as well to make the industry more viable.

Yesterday, Vijayan had said "Irdai has already come up with an exposure draft on this for which we are seeking opinion from various stakeholders. Hike in the third-party motor premium is inevitable. The quantum of the increase depends on what feedback we receive from the stakeholders." PTI KD BEN RMT .
By Samar Srivastava

Forbes India

When Ajay Trehan was running a business outsourcing company based in Gurugram in 2005, his overseas clients would often ask him if hed done a background check on his employees. He hadnt, and neither had most others. But the entrepreneur realised the business opportunity he could tap into.

Image: Amit Verma

More than a decade later, AuthBridge, the background screening company Trehan, 45, set up in 2005, is on its way to becoming one of the largest homegrown players in an industry that is dominated by a few large players, including global majors such as First Advantage, and KMPG.

A wide range of businessesfrom private corporations to banks disbursing loansare realising the need for background checks. It is not uncommon for prospective employees to include false information on their resumes; loan applicants, too, create fake identities.

Read more stories from Forbes India

AuthBridge estimates that although the market is small, at Rs 250 crore (there are no independent industry numbers available), the widespread issuance of Aadhaar cards, and the willingness of companies to share employee data, are making things easier.

AuthBridge, like other players in the industry, can access Aadhaar-related information to verify a persons identity (the person has to sign a consent form for AuthBridge to access the data), with their photograph, date of birth, and fathers name. Such information is usually requested by banks to issue loans, and large-scale employers such as pizza delivery services.

Accessing the Aadhaar database is a service AuthBridge started in May 2016. In the last six months, since AuthBridge rolled out this service, we have seen inquiries rise from zero to 70,000 a month, says Trehan, founder and CEO.

But verifying employment claims is as important as verifying a persons identity. When AuthBridge started functioning in 2005, its employees would call up companies and educational institutes mentioned by the people who they were checking up on, and ask for information. It was an inefficient and time-consuming process, prone to mistakes.

AuthBridge decided to automate this process, and rolled out WorkAttest in January 2016, a proprietary platform where employers voluntarily share (after signing an agreement with AuthBridge) information about their employees.

Fifteen companies, including US-based HR consulting firm ManpowerGroup, and Indian insurance firms such as ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, DHFL Pramerica, and Max Life Insurance, have agreed to share their employee data; discussions are on with 40 more companies. Firms agree to share this information with the long-term prospect of gaining access to the same database for investigating potential hires in future. Once a critical mass of companies come on board, AuthBridge plans to monetise the WorkAttest platform by allowing companies to access the database themselves.

Trehan is reticent about discussing numbers. All he says is that his company has a 25 percent share of the market (which amounts to Rs 62.5 crore) with a high rate of profitability. We hope to maintain the 60 percent growth rate we had last year for each of the next five years, he says.

This article was first published by Forbes India
Awards and honors

The team at Wolf & Associates, including Russell Wolf, Denise Wolf and Lisa Schlosser, was named AAA MountainWest Platinum Sales Excellence award winners for the highest annual production in the Mountain West region for 2016. In addition, they were honored by qualifying for the Presidents Trip awarded to the top 5 percent of AAA Mountain West Group salespeople. The team at Wolf & Associated has a combined 40 years of experience in the industry. They can be reached 443-0111.

Cindy Larson was awarded the Sales Excellence Award for being a top insurance producer with AAA MountainWest in 2016. Larson specializes in auto, home and life insurance at AAA MountainWest, located at 2100 11th Ave., and has more than 18 years of experience. Larson can be reached at 447-8146.

Kendra Charlton was awarded the 2016 Sales Excellence Award for the highest membership sales in the Montana, Wyoming and Alaska regions. Charlton is a member service specialist for AAA MountainWest. This is the second consecutive year she has been won the top sales award. She can be reached at 447-8170.

Jackie Sept was recognized as a Top Producer in Travel Sales for 2016. Sept brings more than 15 years of experience to the job as a travel agent at AAA MountainWest. Sept can be reached at 447-8106.

Stauna OReilly was recognized as a Top Producer for Travel Administrator Sales in 2016. OReilly is a travel agent at AAA MountainWest and has seven years of experience in the field. She can be reached at 447-8169.

Bev Easton and Susan Alvey received the 2016 Service Excellence awards at AAA MountainWest, Inc. Easton has served AAA members for 27 years and Alvey for 13 years. Easton and Alvey can be reached at 447-8136.

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Rocky Mountain Healthcare receives award

Rocky Mountain Healthcare Community, a Helena-based provider of post-acute care, announced that they are the recipient of Pinnacle Quality Insights 2017 Customer Experience Award in the category of Dignity and Respect.

Over the course of 2016, a sampling of Rocky Mountain Healthcare Communitys customers and their families have participated in monthly telephone interviews that include open-ended questions, as well the opportunity to rate Rocky Mountain Healthcare Community in specific categories.

Every month, Rocky Mountain Healthcare Community has gathered its real-time survey results in order to gain a better understanding of the residents needs and make improvements when necessary.

By qualifying for the award, Rocky Mountain Healthcare Community has satisfied the demand of scoring in the top 15 percent of the nation across a 12-month average.

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Century 21 associate earns honor

Parker Heller, broker/owner of Century 21 Heritage Realty has announced that Tobie McDonnell, sales associate, has been presented with the Century 21 Presidents Producer Award. The annual award is bestowed upon those Century 21 System 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 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-Oct. 31, with an average survey score of at least 95 percentage or better for two consecutive years.

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Names and faces

Mountain-Pacific Quality Health CEO Sara Medley will serve on the board of directors for the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI), an organization that aims to enhance patient experiences, reduce per-capita costs and improve population health. NRHI convenes health care providers, payers, consumers and other stakeholders to bring innovations and improvements to heath care quality, value and payment systems. Medley has spent her career in health care and quality improvement, including nearly 40 years with Mountain-Pacific. Mountain-Pacific is headquartered in Helena, and has offices in Casper, Wyo.; Anchorage, Alaska; Honolulu, Hawaii, and on the island of Guam.

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News and notes

MWBC hiring for marketing internship

The Montana Wheat and Barley Committee (MWBC) is seeking applicants for its summer Marketing Assistant Internship. The MWBC is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, and the position will assist with marketing efforts celebrating the anniversary, while also working with wheat and barley buyers from around the world.

The intern will be responsible for digital media and content design, social media, ad monitoring, web updates, blog posts and interviews focusing on the history of the MWBC. The internship will take place throughout Summer 2017, with flexibility around start and end dates. There will be opportunities to attend field days and help with international trade teams, so schedule availability must be flexible.

Visit http://bit.ly/2miHNA7 to view necessary qualifications and to apply for the position. The closing date for this position is March 24.

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.
India's skilled manpower and Finland's high-end tech prowess should be leveraged under the 'Make in India' initiative for an efficient and cost-effective business framework, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.

The minister was speaking at the first meeting of 'Indo-Finnish Business Working Group on Energy & Mining' organised by FICCI and Embassy of Finland, New Delhi, according to a FICCI statement.

This meeting was a follow-up after the high-level visit of Goyal to Finland in November 2016, responded by the Finnish delegation visiting India.

The Union minister said in the statement it was commendable that Indian and Finnish companies had come together in just three months to step up the bilateral relations in sectors such as waste-to-energy, solar, bio-energy, electric mobility, smart grids, coal and mining.

He said India had surplus electricity and the technology of converting waste to energy was in use in the country. Thus, India needed technology to transform waste to other forms such as bio-energy, Goyal added.

Finland with its small population had made great strides in the field of innovation, technology and research, and India could learn from such Finnish endeavors, Goyal noted.

The minister said that Finnish companies could help India to scale up technology and fruitful partnerships could be built between the two nations if Finland could align its processes and technology to make them efficient and cost effective for India.

Goyal said that Finnish companies could partner with their Indian counterparts under various government initiatives such as 'Make in India'.

Finnish technologies should be leveraged to improve processes in India, he said, adding Indian private sector should play a proactive role towards forging alliances with their Finnish counterparts.

Finnish companies were already working in various sectors in India and had the capacity to scale up its technology and processes for India and were competitive, said Nina Vaskunlahti, Ambassador, Embassy of Finland, New Delhi.

She said Finland would like to contribute to the Government of India's initiative 'Make in India' and look forward to favourable tariffs.

Vaskunlahti said the aim of the working group was to enhance business prospects between Finland and India. With the support of Finnish and Indian industry the platform had become active in three months of Goyal's visit to Finland which exhibits the keen interest of the two sides in augmenting bilateral relation.
Ubers defiance of the US President Donald Trumps travel ban policies, its CEO Travis Kalanick stepping down from business council and the move to defy the ban with Karnataka government has a common thread.

Often open defiance of governments laws may be good for brand positioning, market share and sales. It makes complete economic sense. Heres how:

Ubers open defiance of repeated bans in Delhi and Karnataka, even by Courts, has led it to capture significant market share - both from existing taxi players such as Meru, Mega Cabs and local app based aggregator - Ola.

Had it complied with the ban and waited for judgements to turn in its favour, it would have lost out a lot of market share and thus on valuation of its business. It also points to a certain fact - which legislators should understand - laws will always lag technology around the world.





Just because something is written in a Constitution or legal framework of a country may not mean it remains relevant for its citizens spread across generations. A new service, technology, innovation or change in dynamics and culture of markets often make laws redundant.

Unless some entrepreneurs, thought leaders and companies revolt against existing laws even if it threatens security of their businesses, laws dont change.

A growing army of lawyers, lobbyists and a strong technology backend is a foundation on which Uber is able to pick up fights with various state governments even as its CEO hobnobs with Presidents and Prime Ministers of the same governments.





(Source: Tracxn)



Ubers recent India hire of Madhu Kannan, the former Public Affairs head at USD 100 billion Tata Group, is a testament to its growing need for strong public affairs teams.

Technology is also core to Uber. So much so that when Delhis Government wrote to Centres Ministry of IT asking for a ban the IP address of Ubers - it was unable to do so technically.

Pacifying the Chinese and the Saudis by distancing from Trump

Uber also played to the gallery with its CEO stepping down the Trumps Economic Council.

The stepping down of Travis Kalanick from Trumps economic council will signal a distancing from the Administration policies to global investors and the Silicon Valley community, upon whom Uber is largely dependent to raise funds.





Source: CrunchBase

Ubers large investors include foreign funds led by Chinese major Baidu as well as Muslim nation Saudi Arabias public investment firm that invested USD 3.5 billion in it. Trump has picked up fights both with China and Muslim nations around the world a few days within his presidency.

Its imperative for American tech entrepreneurs to keep the Saudis happy. Saudi billionaire Prince al-Waleed bin Talal is an investor in Uber rival Lyft, as well as Apple and Twitter. Its imperative to note that Saudi Arabia - a major source of funds to terror groups was not mentioned in the travel ban.

Trumps travel ban on seven nations also led to protests by Silicon Valley CEOs. Major among them was Sergey Brin, who stood in protest at the San Francisco Airport. His firm - Googles investment arm Google Ventures is a major investor in Uber.

Its no secret that taxi industry is largely dominated by immigrants in any city in the world. Its one of the easiest skill to pick up and requires little investment.

This is what Uber CEO Travis Kalanick wrote in a post addressing and assuring drivers of compensation. Drivers who are citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen and live in the US but have left the country, will not be able to return for 90 days. This means they wont be able to earn money and support their families during this period.



Not only this step makes Ubers brand stand out in defiance of Trump, it also will make it attract drivers from rivals who will be assured of earnings in case of more immigrant bans going forward.

Of course, it also stops people from uninstalling Ubers app. Over 200,000 people are reported to have [deleted Uber from their smartphones via a Twitter campaign.

The developments by Uber show that sometimes refuting the governments in democracies can be good for topline.



(This is an opinion piece)
Weak economic recovery, coupled with lower-than-expected quarterly earnings, slow growth in consumption space and likely slowdown in GST collections are some of the hurdles to clear before we see any earnings upgrade.
Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity
Gov. Steve Bullock and more than 30 outdoor recreation business leaders discussed how to grow the industry during a summit Thursday at the Capitol.

The governor's office gave presentations on the state of public lands, opportunities and resources provided by the Department of Commerce and Department of Labor, and an update on key state legislation. With manufacturing being the fastest growing industry in the state for the past five years, the governors office wants to understand how to support existing businesses and attract new manufacturers to Montana.

Outdoor Retailer Show

Although not the focus of Thursday's summit, the group discussed the possibility of Montana hosting the Outdoor Retailer Show, a major trade expo leaving Utah after threats to the states public lands. Held in Salt Lake City twice a year for the past 20 years, the weeklong show attracts 50,000 visitors and an estimated $45 million a year.

Over the past couple of months, major sponsors including Patagonia, REI and The North Face pulled out of the event to protest an effort to transfer federal lands to the state of Utah, including a request from Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, to reverse the establishment of Bears Ear National Monument. Former President Barack Obama helped establish the 1.3 million-acre piece of land last December.

At the end of February, Bullock wrote a letter to the Outdoor Industry Association, asking them to consider Montana as an option to host the trade show. He said the states strong protection of public lands, access to streams and rivers and a business climate without a sales tax qualifies the state to host the show.

The letter didnt mention the logistics of hosting the show. Ken Fichtler, director of Economic Development in the governors office, said the show requires approximately 500,000 square feet of exhibit space and 300,000 square feet of meeting space.

Montana would be hard pressed to come up with that, Fichtler said. While that would be a very tall order for the state, I can say well likely be the most creative response.

Fichtlersaid trying to come up with a proposal to host Outdoor Retailers would force the state to determine what kind of trade show could be successful. Fichtler asked the table which shows they attend in hopes to eventually reach out and encourage hosts to consider Montana.

Ronja Abel, a spokesperson for the governor, said Bullock is seriously interested in hosting Outdoor Retailer and other outdoor trade shows.

We acknowledge the state does not have adequate infrastructure to host Outdoor Retailer in the form it has been held in the past, she said in a statement. But if Montana was afforded opportunity to respond to an RFP (a proposal made through a bidding process) we would submit a very creative and innovative bid to host the show.

Some attendees at the expo on Thursday said they didnt think Montana would be a good fit to host the show no matter the proposal.

Dana Gleason, owner of Mystery Ranch Backpacks in Bozeman, said he thinks Outdoor Retailer is unaffordable for small manufacturers and those who do attend dont book enough orders. He said the show has proven to be too large for Salt Lake City and wouldnt function well in Montana.

Its a bigger thing than we can deal with, he said, adding 20,000 people is tough for one week.

Instead, Gleason suggested courting a smaller trade show, like the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, which costs $250 to enter and is scheduled at a strategic time in manufacturers' buying cycle.

Colorado and Oregon have also been mentioned as possible locations for Outdoor Retailer.

Helping Montana businesses

While discussing trade show opportunities throughout the day, most of the expo was dedicated to helping Montana businesses, which spanned manufacturers of bicycles, hunting equipment and camping gear, to grow and utilize state resources.

Bullock said it makes sense to commit resources to expanding the outdoor manufacturing industry. Montana has 30 million acres of public land and hosts 12 million visitors annually. As a result, the industry sustains 64,000 jobs and draws $6 billion in consumer spending each year.

Manufacturing is a hold in Montana, he said. How do we jump start that growth?

Commissioner of Labor Pam Bucy said her department publishes quarterly data on job and other economic projections to help businesses plan for growth. She also invited the table to contact any of the six economists who work at the Department of Labor if theyre looking for specific data.

Bucy said there are workforce development programs and customized training programs to help address an inevitable workforce shortage in the state. In the past, people graduating high school were encouraged to go into higher education, rather than immediately entering the workforce in a skilled job. Bucy said manufacturing jobs are the largest growing sector in the state, but people are instead spending years in higher education.

Theres a lot of ways to get to good jobs, Bucy said. We are trying to figure out as many ways as possible to combine classroom learning and on the job training to speed up getting people in the workforce.

One strategy is to implement customized training programs and provide people with credentials for the training they complete. Bucy said businesses experience less employee turnover when their staff sees a meaningful career pathway.

Heidi Sturm and her Husband own GearPods, a company based out of Polson making adventure and survival gear. She said they are struggling to afford manufacturing their products in Montana.

The governors office said they are trying to mitigate some of those issues for small businesses with legislation such as House Bill 226, which would have provided a higher tax abatement to lower business equipment taxes and all property taxes for new and expanding industries. That bill passed the House but was tabled in a Senate committee.

Abel said the governor is committed to expanding manufacturing in Montana despite HB226 being tabled.

After hearing presentations, the 30 business owners and entrepreneurs came up with strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats for to the outdoor manufacturing industry in the state.

Most people agreed if they networked better and helped promote each others products, they could see substantial growth in the state. Some said if they manufacture a backpack, theyd be happy to provide a link on their website to a relevant product, like a survival kit made by GearPods.

If someone wants to go to Glacier, well youre going to need a Mystery Ranch backpack and youre going to need GearPods, so why couldnt there be a state website to let us sell the Montana Adventure, Sturm said.

George Gaines, owner of Chilton Skis based in Missoula, said he was thankful for organizations like the Blackstone LaunchPad, a campus based program supporting and mentoring students, staff and alumni with business ideas.

Thats an invaluable service they provide, he said. Ensuring that continues to be available to small startups with no financial standing, its critical.

By the end of the meeting, people had mostly met each other and established a connection to collaborate in the future. They left the governors office with ideas for growth and said the biggest obstacles to growth were low wages in the state, high shipping costs and not enough access to methods of cost effective manufacturing.
Shahid Haque-Hausrath's work helping people immigrate to Montana is seemingly simple. His clients want to live in the state he chose to call home.

But, the mountains of paperwork and sometimes years of hearings are complex and require tenacity. Immigration law is a specialized field, which he anticipates will grow more difficult to negotiate within the current political climate.

"I've always felt there is no wrong side to allowing someone to live in our state and contribute to our diversity," he said. "You're never on the wrong side."

Through the last decade, Haque-Hausrath has assisted upwards of 1,500 immigrants through his Border Crossing Law Firm, which is based in Helena.

"I made that my life mission, basically," he said. Haque-Hausrath, the son of immigrants from Pakistan, began working with asylum seekers while in law school.

Although he's proud of this success rate, it's the ones the lawyer couldn't help that he thought of recently when he accepted an award for his work from the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana.

"I'd like to dedicate this award to all the undocumented people who have no path to alleviate their fears and are waiting and biding their time for laws to change, who live their lives here knowing that they stick out and that all it will take is one bad cop or one vindictive neighbor to risk being separated from their families. These people who check in with me every time they hear about a new policy designed to make them even more afraid, even less secure. They have been bearing this burden for far, far too long, but they are doing it with so much more grace than I could ever muster," Haque-Hausrath said during his acceptance speech for the 2017 Jeannette Rankin Civil Liberties Award last week.

"This year, more than any other year, immigrants in Montana are scared. They are going to need your support, in whatever form you can give it," he added.

While the acknowledgment served as somewhat of a shock to Haque-Hausrath, those who chose him for the honor said the selection was an easy one. He was chosen unanimously.

Caitlin Borgmann, the executive director of ACLU of Montana, said the timing of the award couldn't have been more important as immigrant rights are under attack and are one of the organization's main priorities right now. Haque-Hausrath's dedication to giving voice to the stories and concerns of refugees and immigrants is vital, she said.

"It's hard to overstate the dedication he has for his clients," Borgmann said.

Haque-Hausrath said in addition to drawing upon his law knowledge, sometimes his clients need someone to listen.

"I'm their lawyer and their person. I've been part counselor in a lot of respects," he said.

Borgmann said Haque-Hausrath shows such compassion for the people he works with that sometimes she can see the toll the job takes.

"I'm so happy we could in some small way acknowledge the burden he carries," she said.

Those chosen to receive the award, named after the ACLU's first vice president, are dedicated advocates.

"He's the perfect embodiment of the award," Borgmann said.

Receiving the acknowledgement, Haque-Hausrath said, has helped to renew his dedication to his passion.

"It definitely revitalized my drive to keep doing this," he said.
WTGS hots Diamondback manager

Members of the West Texas Geological Society will meet March 14 in the upstairs ballroom at Midland Country Club beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Dave Cannon, exploration manager for Diamondback Energy, will present Shifting Kerogen Trends in the Midland Basin and What It Means For Well Productivity.

Cost is $25 in advance, $35 at the door, including lunch. Reservations may be made by calling 683-1573 or e-mail at wtgs@wtgs.org. Online registration is also available at www.wtgs.org and clicking on the Events tab.

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SIPES to discuss mesh size and fractures

The Midland chapter, Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES) will meet March 15 in the upstairs ballroom at Midland Country Club beginning with a reception at 11:15 a.m.

Speaker Hannah Chittenden, team lead, Acquisition and Processing, Global Energy Services will speak on The Influence of Mesh Size on Fracture Network Growth.

There is no charge for members, $20 for guests.

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PBS-SEPM to present core workshop

The Permian Basin section, SEPM will be hosting a Core Workshop and Short Course over Rock-Based Integrated Reservoir Characterization from March 15 to March 17 at the Center for Energy and Economic Diversificatino, 1310 FM 1788.

Dr. Robert Lindsay, Lindsay Consulting LLC, will present How to Describe a Core and How to Build a Sequence Stratigraphic Model.

Cost is $500 for members and $550 for non-members. Lunch and supplies (hand lenses and handouts) are included. Registration is available by calling 279-1360 or e-mail at info@pbs-sepm.org. Online registration is also available at www.pbs-sepm.org and clicking on the Workshops tab.

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Hart Energy offers Permian outlook

Hart Energy will host a special breakfast briefing on the Permian Basin outlook March 22 at Midland Country Club. Registration and check-in opens at 7 a.m.

Hart will be joined by Stratas Advisors, its consulting arm, in presenting the outlook, which will range from a price outlook to midstream issues to a service and supply outlook. Presentations will be given by John Paisie, executive vice president, Stratas Advisors, Greg Haas, director, Stratas Advisors, and Richard Mason, chief technical director, Hart Energy.

Registration is available at https://www.hartenergyconferences.com/breakfast

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Canyon Creek Energy, Vortus team on Oklahoma assets

TULSA  Canyon Creek Energy - Arkoma LLC has partnered with an investor group led by Fort Worth-based Vortus Investment Advisors LLC, which also includes management and other private industry investors. Based in Tulsa, CCEA currently focuses on acquiring, leasing and developing oil and natural gas assets in Oklahoma.

This is the third successful startup for the Canyon Creek brand which has been active in Oklahoma since 2012.

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Canyon Midstream announces STACK system

HOUSTON  Canyon Midstream Partners II LLC has commenced construction of a new natural gas processing facility in Woodward County, Oklahoma  the Redcliff Plant  and an extensive gas gathering system in Woodward, Dewey, Blaine and Canadian counties  the Redcliff Gathering System. The new gathering and processing system will serve producers in Oklahoma's STACK play.

When completed in the first quarter of 2018, the Redcliff Plant will provide its customers with 200 million cubic feet per day of GSP cryogenic gas processing capacity and access to premium residue gas markets on ANR and Southern Star Central. The Redcliff Gathering System will initially consist of 70 miles of 20 steel trunkline, multiple field compression stations and low-pressure gathering pipelines to deliver gas from producer locations to the Redcliff Plant. The Redcliff Plant will be built to accommodate future expansions which would bring the site's total gas processing capacity to 400 MMcf/d.
Apache Corp.s announcement last fall of the Alpine High discovery in Reeves County sent shockwaves throughout the region.

Not only among the companys fellow operators but residents living near Apaches find and environmentalists concerned about its impact, particularly on the areas water resources such as the San Solomon Spring Group. The question arose: Can oil and water mix?

That was the title of George Venis recent presentation to the Environmental Study Group of the Society of Petroleum Geologists in Midland.

I deliberately chose a provocative title to attract an audience, Veni, executive director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, said in a phone from his Carlsbad, New Mexico, office.

Indeed, an estimated 50 people attended his presentation at Midland Colleges Petroleum Professional Development Center.

Oil and water dont mix when it comes to drinking water and public health, and on the business side, from losing production and the extra expense in cleaning up, he said.

The focus of his presentation was on the vulnerability of karst aquifers, or as theyre sometimes known, cavernous aquifers. These aquifers are the most vulnerable to pollution, Veni said, noting that the San Solomon Spring Group that apparently underlies the Alpine High play is a karst aquifer.

What we have to see, and havent seen, are maps showing specifically the extent of the play. But based on leases and a map of those leases, the boundaries of the spring approximate the boundaries of the oil play, he said.

Veni said there is some overlap of the drainage area of the spring and the Alpine High, and estimated that overlap at 20 percent. That water must be carefully protected because it is home to several endangered species, and it is critical for human use and agricultural use, he said.

More information is needed to fully understand the extent of the overlap and to define where the drainage basin exists, Veni said.

Recent studies have progressed our knowledge in assessing where the source waters are from, and where the ultimate downgradient path ends, but much more needs to be done, said Gil Van Deventer, partner, project manager and senior hydrogeologist at Trident Environmental.

While pumpage along the flow path from the source waters to the springs may well affect base flow at the springs, diminishing flows at Phantom Lake Spring were already occurring before heavy groundwater use was reported, Van Deventer said. Like many other spring systems, their flow rates are on a decline in large part due to natural hydrogeological processes.

For instance, sufficient reduction of recharge during drought or historical climate patterns causes overall decreases in recharge to the system. So, more studies are needed to quantify the natural decline and what amount of safe yield is available to mankinds demand for irrigation, municipal or other beneficial uses, he said.

Veni said that a drainage delineation study is required and recommends using dye tracers.

These tracers would help researchers detail how fast the water is moving and how much it is dispersed, (and) if something happens whether its related to a release from oil and gas operations or another reason like a truck flipping over and spilling its contents, he said.

Such information will provide a useful planning tool for Apache or other operators, Veni said.

They can be as cautious as they can, but there may be some areas where they need to be extra cautious because theyre more vulnerable, Veni said. You dont want a release ever, but there may be some areas where contaminants would move more slowly and predictably and can be more easily remedied, he said.

But karst aquifers have flow paths that are unpredictable and quite rapid and recovering contaminants is nearly impossible, he said. Knowing what youre dealing with is invaluable in planning operations.

However, such delineation research is costly, and there are questions about who should pay for it. Also, it can be limited because some areas limit or prohibit human exploration.

Veni likened himself to a plumber except with natures plumbing. The best possible understanding of the plumbing system will mean areas that are too vulnerable to contamination can be avoided, or oil operators can drill horizontally deep under those areas, he said.

It can be good for both the water source and oil reserves, Veni said.

My job is to quantify the issue and as best I possibly can, the risks, he said. Right now we have very little information, which is why I encourage aggressive studies like dye tracers, which are the best tool for unambiguously defining the risk areas.

Van Deventer said Veni never answered the question in his title, Can Oil & Water Mix?

More studies are needed, but certainly the expectations for all stakeholders is that the answer is yes as long as fair compromises are made to protect their well-being, he said.
Laura Bush encourages to always help others

I recently had the great pleasure of hearing former first lady, Laura Bush, speak at the Bynum Blooms fundraising luncheon. As a guest of the Midland County Public Library, I would like to personally thank Vicky and Javaid Anwar and Rosalind Redfern Grover for providing me with this fantastic opportunity.

Laura Bush is an inspiring and important figure for me. From her roots in Midland to her time teaching in poverty-stricken schools, she is an ethical role model, whom we would all benefit from emulating. One particular takeaway I took to heart is her belief that all we know we have is now. She encouraged me to live every day to the fullest, always help others and constantly better myself.

Most significantly, Mrs. Bush stressed the importance of literacy, when she said that literacy is a founding principle of our democracy. In these politically charged times, we cannot lose sight of the importance of education to the future success of our country.

Thank you again to these donors, who provide our community with such inspiring opportunities.

Claire Nelson

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Laura Bushs passion for reading is inspiring

Last week we had the privilege of attending a luncheon on behalf of Bynum School which featured Laura Bush as the guest speaker. Midland County Public Library invited the University of Texas of the Permian Basins First 5 Permian Basin to attend because of our support and leadership in the area of early literacy.

It is always inspiring to hear Mrs. Bush talk about her passion and commitment for reading. We specifically want to thank Vicky and Javaid Anwar and Rosalind Redfern Grover, who made it possible for us to attend due to their gracious donations.

Beth Meyerson, First 5 Permian Basin director

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Laura Bush is committed to children, community

As a guest of the Midland County Public Library, I had the honor of attending the Bynum School celebration luncheon with speaker Laura Bush. It was such a pleasure to see that Bynum School had met its goals for the new Bynum School facility.

It is exciting that many more special-needs students will be provided outstanding learning opportunities, and I look forward to the day when the Bynum School students will enter the doors of their new school building.

Seeing our community dedicated to Bynum School students is inspiring. It is always very special when Laura Bush visits because of her commitment to children and community. I am grateful to Midland County Public Library, Vicky and Javaid Anwar and Rosalind Redfern Grover for allowing me to attend this luncheon and be a part of this inspiring occasion.

Tonya Eckert

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Need to Read proud to be part of Bush event

Every now and then I am reminded how special Midland is. Over the years, local nonprofits have welcomed some very special people into our community -- celebrities from all walks of life who are typically featured at exclusive fundraising events. It was wonderful to see the Midland County Public Library and Bynum School partner to bring Laura Bush to Midland for a private fundraiser.

Following the event, a public book signing was held at the Centennial branch. Thanks to the support of Rosalind Redfern Grover and Vicky and Javaid Anwar, our entire community had the opportunity to meet Laura Bush and take home a copy of her new book. Midland Need to Read was proud to be a part of the days events.

Patci A. Lewis executive director, Midland Need to Read

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LWV urges NRC to deny WCS permit

On April 28, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission received a license application for Waste Control Specialists LLC. By this application, WCS requested authorization to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel at its facility in Andrews County. The NRC is preparing an environmental impact statement to document the potential environmental result from the proposed action. As part of the EIS development process, the NRC is seeking comments on the scope of its environmental review.

If approved and licensed, the CISF would store up to 5,000 metric tons of uranium for a 40 years. The WCS has expressed intent to store up to eight times that amount in the CISF. The WCS site is located on Texas Highway 176 West, approximately 32 miles west of Andrews and only 5 miles east of Eunice, New Mexico.

The League of Women Voters urges the NRC to deny the permit to have high-level radioactive waste, the most dangerous of all radioactive materials, transported and stored in Texas. Our position on nuclear waste promotes the maximum protection of public health and safety and the environment. LWV does not support high-level radioactive waste transported and stored in Texas, and we urge the NRC to deny the permit to have high-level radioactive waste transported and stored in our state.

The League of Women Voters urges you to make your voice heard. Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0231 when providing scoping comments or contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. To submit scoping comments, go to www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2016-0231. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher, 301-415-3463 or Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov.

Karmen Bryant, LWV Midland president

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Brand is affirmation, not information

The Reporter-Telegram editorial of Feb. 28 was self-serving, yet revealing. The text states that the opinion page is put together to make [the reader] think about issues of the day, local and otherwise, yet the heading states that our duty is to provide an opinion page representative of our community. So which of these statements is correct? The latter, of course.

It has been said that the duty of a free press is to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. Instead, the Reporter-Telegram apparently subscribes to a finger-in-the-wind brand of journalism, which takes its bold and principled stand on important issues  based on whatever 7 out of 10 Midland County voters believe. Clearly, you are not really interested in making your readers think. Your brand is affirmation -- not information.

Woody Leverett

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Transgender individuals should be treated with compassion

I am deeply concerned about the paternalistic and discriminatory so-called bathroom bill proposed by Dan Patrick. The proponents of the bill suggest that its purpose is to protect women from men who might take advantage of our current lack of bathroom legislation by dressing as women in order to slyly insinuate themselves into womens restrooms.

Of course, these lawmakers provide no evidence that this is modus operandi has ever been employed in an actual sexual assault. While there appears no data (or even anecdotes) about women being harassed or assaulted by predatory men dressed as women in womens bathrooms, there is evidence that trans men and women are harassed in bathrooms (see: http://www.ustranssurvey.org/) on a regular basis. This kind of legislation emboldens those who would harass trans or non-gender-conforming folk attempting to use public services.

Proponents of the bathroom bill also say they fear for children in public school locker rooms. This is absurd. Private areas exist for girls and boys in locker rooms. Further, the people who are anxious and fearful in school locker rooms are not majority members -- confident in their gender identity -- but minority members. We should allow young people autonomy to make decisions about their gender identity and which bathroom they want to use.

More importantly, people who are transgender do not choose to be a different gender. If one considers the costs associated with being transgender, one would realize that no one would voluntary choose to risk rejection from their peers and family, one would not choose to be stigmatized by their culture, and no one would choose to undergo an expensive and time-intensive process to change ones sex. No one would choose stress, anxiety and risk ostracism. But we, as citizens, can choose how to treat people. And I think we should choose to treat others, and especially people who are transgender, with compassion.

Jamie Hughes

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Tweets indicate truth is not sacred to Trump

I was a Trump supporter. I cringed at the antics, tactics and strategies of the campaign, but I appreciated the agenda Trump promised and his willingness to loosen the hold the establishment had on government. I heaved a great sigh as Trump took the oath. I sympathized with the magnitude and ferocity of the opposition. I wondered why Flynn felt the need to mislead Pence and the incidents that caused Trump to lose confidence in Flynn. I was puzzled at the conception, roll out, implementation, and judicial objection to the travel pause. I felt allegations of campaign collusion with Russia and Sessions involvement unfounded. In short, I have been well-invested and informed in the Trump Movement.

However, things changed with Trumps tweets on March 4. Trump alleged the Obama administration wire-tapped Trump Tower during the campaign. In my view, this is a very serious allegation, and Trump should not be making this allegation unless he is willing to produce the evidence for the American people to review. Trumps credibility at times has been damaged by the truth, and for him -- out of pride and arrogance -- to feel people should accept this based just on his word is totally unacceptable.

These tweets also point to poor judgment, poor management and poor leadership. No one in the Trump administration knew Trump was tweeting the allegations. Thus, everyone was put in the position of defending the indefensible. Another black cloud was placed over the intelligence communities where leaks have been rampant. Trump did not take responsibility for his tweets, but instead pushed the issue into congressional investigations.

Trump crucifies the media for not doing their homework to assure they are reporting the truth. Yet, the tweets are another example that Trump does not hold the truth sacred, either. Failure to be credible leads to a lack of trust. I feel I should be able to have a high degree of confidence in what the president says. But Trump feels he is obliged to distort and violate the truth to his advantage. I feel about Trump the way he must have felt about Flynn.

Carlton Sanderson

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Earned income tax credit should be expanded

As a volunteer tax preparer in the collaborative effort among United Way, Casa de Amigos and Midland College, I have helped prepare many tax returns and connected many lower-income families to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) -- one of our nations strongest tools to help working families become financially stable and self-sufficient.

But the EITC is largely unavailable to workers who arent raising children, even though they are working hard and struggling to get by on low wages. The EITC shouldnt exclude these workers, and our new president should work with Congress to fix this problem.

When I help working men and women file their taxes, I hear that the extra tax credit could mean fixing the car so they can get to work, paying the heating bill in winter or taking a class at Midland College so they are better positioned for a promotion and a raise.

I hope youll join me in encouraging Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Michael Conaway to expand the EITC to include workers who are not raising children so that we can help workers in Midland succeed.

Gabrielle Paulo

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Letters policy

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Letters must be submitted to letters@mrt.com.

Deadline is noon Thursdays for the following Sunday.

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Letter-writers should include phone number and address. Failure to do so could delay letters publication.
Today is a day to celebrate sunshine, and were not talking about daylight saving time.

March 12-18 is recognized as Sunshine Week, a national initiative intended to celebrate open government and freedom of information and bring attention to anything that threatens that.

With limited exceptions, the United States and state of Montana both grant people the ability to participate in meetings held by and inspect documents in the possession of their governing bodies. We enjoy some of the strongest government transparency laws in the world, which is part of the reason our representative democracy has remained strong for hundreds of years while others around the globe have crumbled.

But there is still much work to be done at the national, state and even local level. And that might not happen until freedom-loving Americans rise up and demand it.

At the national level, an Associated Press analysis found the Obama administration set a new record in 2014 for censoring government files or denying access to them under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. And while its too early to tell whether the Trump administration will continue Obamas legacy of secrecy, the presidents transparency record so far doesnt give us much hope.

At the state level, we have seen many of the problems with Montanas sunshine laws firsthand in our role as information gatherers and disseminators. Though the state Constitution gives citizens the right to inspect public writings of the state, it doesnt give government officials much of an incentive to provide them.

As weve said many times, Montana law doesnt specify how quickly those public writings must be produced, which allows government officials to intentionally drag their feet. Nor does the state impose any criminal penalties for those who fail to comply, allowing officials to break the law without much fear of repercussions.

Montana law also allows officials to arbitrarily decide whether public documents contain too much private information for the public to see, and it gives them the ability to hide public records in private email accounts where nobody can find them.

As a result of these issues, you dont always get to see how your elected representatives are representing you.

We want to dispel the misconception that sunshine laws exist just for the news media, because they dont. Though we use them routinely in the course of our work, these laws give everyone the right to observe government deliberations and inspect government documents whether they are making headlines or not.

The bottom line is government officials do not own the information they hold. That belongs to the public, and we all have a duty to ensure they arent withholding information from the people who pay their salaries.
Musician Aaron Carter's twin sister, Angel Carter ConradShe has broken her silence about the death of her brother, with whom she had a turbulent relationship in the last years of his life. The former child singer was found dead at his home
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 []
New York state's Freedom of Information Law and Open Meetings Law have the same underlying purpose of ensuring the public has unfettered access to information about how governments operate. Both establish the foundation that unless covered by a list of specific exemptions, records and meetings are to be accessible and open.

But in the Cayuga County area and throughout the state, these laws are routinely ignored or blatantly violated. And unless someone is willing or able to either publicly shame the violating entity into complying or spend the money to take that entity to court, there's little recourse for the victims of such violations. And those victims are residents who are kept in the dark about what their government officials are doing and how their tax dollars are being used.

As we enter the nationwide Sunshine Week public transparency education campaign, we join good government groups and other news organizations around the state calling for reforms to New York's well-intentioned but ultimately flawed sunshine statutes.

Ultimately, we'd like to see these laws given a true enforcement component. Empower a state agency to investigate and issue citations to governmental bodies for violations of FOIL and Open Meetings Law. That exists in other states, such as in Pennsylvania where prosecutors can probe violations and press charges.

Robert Freeman: Fake news and finding the truth (Sunshine Week column) I read it on the internet isnt necessarily the same as I read it on the internet so it m

New York, unfortunately, appears several steps away from that kind of reform. In the interests of promoting realistic reform in 2017, we think an excellent step in the right direction would be for the passage of Assembly Bill 2750A/Senate Bill 2392A  and doing so this week with a quick sign-off by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

This legislation makes it easier for parties recover legal costs when they successfully use the court system to compel a government to release information that it had tried to keep secret.

A huge flaw in FOIL that many governments use to their advantage is that it requires individual parties to file lawsuits if they believe the law is being violated and want it to be enforced. That's daunting to many information seekers, a fact that many governments know. And even if someone is willing to sue for information, the court process can slow things down to the point that stonewalling has been effectively achieved.

A measure that would actively discourage such abuse of FOIL provisions is needed, and this proposed legislation is a good solution. We call upon all our legislators representing the Cayuga County area  state Sens. John DeFrancisco, James Seward and Pam Helming and Assemblymen Gary Finch and Robert Oaks  to support these measures and actively work to get them passed and signed into law.
WASHINGTON -- President Trump, during the campaign, famously said he gets his military advice from "the shows."

He wasn't kidding. Now, as leader of the free world, he gets up in the morning and, long before receiving his intelligence briefing (if he receives one at all), he flips on cable news and starts tweeting. His comments are in the style of a guy in a La-Z-Boy shouting at the television, except the guy in the La-Z-Boy has 26 million Twitter followers and controls a nuclear arsenal that could destroy the world many times over.

Fox News' morning show flashes a graphic alleging that 122 released "Gitmo prisoners re-engaged in terrorism." Within an hour, Trump tweets from the White House: "122 vicious prisoners, released by the Obama administration from Gitmo, have returned to the battlefield. Just another terrible decision!" (As The Washington Post's Jenna Johnson pointed out, 113 of the 122 were released during the George W. Bush administration.)

A "Fox & Friends" host calls for Trump to block federal funding to universities that try to "silence conservative voices," after violent protests at the University of California at Berkeley over a speech by conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. Half an hour later, Trump tweets: "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view -- NO FEDERAL FUNDS?"

Fox News' "O'Reilly Factor" cites statistics about crime in Chicago. An hour later, Trump tweets the same statistics: "If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible 'carnage' going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!"

Fox News labels Chelsea Manning an "ungrateful traitor" who had called President Barack Obama a "weak leader." Fourteen minutes later, CNN's Brian Stelter notes, Trump tweets: "Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!"

Fox News' Tucker Carlson airs a report alleging that Sweden has been trying to "cover up" an outburst of violence caused by Muslim immigrants. The next day, Trump tells a crowd in Florida: "You look at what's happening last night in Sweden. Sweden? Who would believe this?"

Swedes have no idea what Trump is talking about; an international incident ensues.

Trump's virtual shouts at the television aren't limited to Fox News (NBC, MSNBC and CNN have fired him up, too), and they have been about everything from Russia to Obamacare to flag burning.

Clearly we are not going to get Trump to turn off the idiot box and do his homework. But perhaps somebody could change the channel in the residence? This way, Trump could still get his frustrations out, La-Z-Boy-style -- and the republic would not have to fear that the commander in chief might at any moment start World War III because of something he just heard on Fox News.

With some guidance from Hank Stuever, the Post's TV critic, I searched the proverbial dial for shows that might prove useful distractions for Trump. Following, with the necessary SPOILER ALERT, are examples of how Trump could be occupied with fictional drama to prevent him from creating real crises.

Instead of dire warnings of terrorist threats, he could tweet about Showtime's "Homeland": "Ungrateful TRAITOR Carrie Mathison, whose law firm helps Radical Islamic Terrorists, has daughter taken away. We are already winning again, America!"

He could channel personal animosity not at Democrats but at the contestants of Discovery's "Naked and Afraid": "CHOKER Jason, highly overrated with 6.8 PSR, drops out on Day 11 because of 'parasites.' Weak! Too much pixelation covering Lacey. Sad."

His unnerving rants about crime and violence could find an outlet in recent actions on CMT's "Nashville": "Rayna escapes knife attack but then killed after car crash. Carnage stops right now!"

He might direct his conspiracy theories about rigged elections into demanding an investigation into how crooked Blake Shelton won five of 11 seasons on "The Voice." His curious fondness for Russia could find a healthy outlet by watching FX's "The Americans"; everybody roots for Russian spies Philip and Elizabeth. And he could work through his issues with women and minorities by focusing them on HBO's "Girls": "Shocker! Total zero Lena Dunham gets pregnant by the foreign Muslim, Riz Ahmed."

And -- who knows? -- maybe watching the Weather Channel now and then might get him to reconsider climate change: "Winter Storm Reggie coming followed by 2 more storms -- and 49 Midwest tornadoes. I INHERITED A MESS!"

Who wouldn't retweet that?

Dana Milbank is a columnist for The Washington Post.
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Sister Marianne Cope answered a call to minister to lepers and never looked back. Elizabeth Ann Seton founded the first Catholic school in the U.S., while Sister Maria Faustyna Kowalska followed her visions as she promoted the divine mercy of God.



These women have since been canonized as saints in the Catholic church, and local parishioners can view and venerate their relics, and the relics of many other saints.



The saint is seen in Catholic churches as the person who should be an example to the faithful, said the Rev. Edward Ziemnicki of St. Stanislaus Church in Meriden. I try to always talk about the saints and bring them together when we have devotion.



The church holds relics of St. Faustina, the stylized name of Sister Faustyna, as well as St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony, St. Andrea Bobola and St. Stanislaus. According to Catholic lore, relics are the sacred remains of a saint. Most commonly, they are a piece of a saints body, often a fragment of skin or bone. Objects the saint once touched, such as clothing, can also be made into relics but are considered of a lesser degree.



Relics are mounted into a theca and then displayed in a reliquary, which decoratively displays the relic and identifies the saint. The relics are stored in various places in a church  where exactly is sometimes known only by the pastor. They are often only displayed on saints days.



Theres also a relic inside the altar of every church. According to the Rev. Nicholas Melo of St. Thomas Church in Southington, a relic is embedded into the altar when a new church is dedicated. The blood of saints, as physically manifested in the relic, is seen as the seed for the future church.



Its what makes the altar a very holy and sacred item, he said.



Melo said Catholics turn to saints for intercession but dont worship them in the same manner as God.



Some people  misinterpret Catholics views of the saints, he said. They were human beings, like you and me, but they led very holy lives, and so we believe they can intercede for us with God to help us to be faithful to our journey to get to Heaven.



Melo has two personal relics: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Nicholas of Tolentine.



Its difficult to say which relics are embedded in church altars in the region. Churches didnt keep close records of what relics were embedded in altars, and many churches in the Archdiocese of Hartford were built more than 150 years ago, leaving no chance of a living witness who may know.



At St. Rose of Lima Church in Meriden, the Rev. Joseph Devine has firsthand experience with obtaining a relic. At the base of St. Roses altar is a small dish of dirt from the grave of St. Marianne Cope, laid into the floor and secured by a glass tile.



Devine said the Sisters of St. Francis in Syracuse, New York, St. Mariannes former convent, gave him the relic about four years ago.



He said a relic contains the saints DNA. Like a piece of clothing that contains sweat, the dirt is directly connected to the person, to the body, of the holy individual.



The Rev. Ron Zepecki, of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Wallingford, said churches can request to receive a new relic, or have relics handed down by priests or lay people.



Zepecki has a personal collection of about 20 relics, many of which were given to him, but he traveled to Poland to receive a relic of St. Faustina.



He said he had to present to the church authorities in Poland who he was by way of letter and state how he was going to use the relic. Another way for a priest to receive a relic is to make a request of the Vatican or the Apostolic Delegate in Washington, D.C.



Relics arent easy to obtain. Currently only priests can request relics, but at one time, anyone could, including lay people, a practice that ended with Pope John Paul II.



Authenticating relics is easier today than in the past, when one had to take it on faith. To be authentic, the relic must have accompanying papers from the Vatican to verify its origin.



The Rev. Adam Subocz, of Immaculate Conception Church in Southington, has a relic of St. Faustina.



Sometimes parishioners show interest, but our society is not that much into relics, he said.



Its much less (common) than it used to be, he added. People are more into this mystical faith.



He hypothesized that for older folks, God was like a human being, you could touch God, whereas younger people really accept it to be a spirit, without a form.



Some rare relics were scheduled to be on display during the Relics of the Passion presentation today at St. Marys in Portland, including a relic of the True Cross, pieces of table or room of the Last Supper and a piece of the Crown of Thorns. According to the Apostolate for Holy Relic website, these relics otherwise can be seen in collections in Rome or the Holy Land.



LTakores@record-journal.com 203-317-2212 Twitter: @LCTakores














HARTFORD  Two proposals for a paid family and medical leave program cleared a key legislative committee this week.



The Labor and Public Employees committee approved a House bill by an 8 to 5 vote. Sen. Craig Miner, R-Litchfield, committee co-chairman, was the lone Republican vote in favor of the proposal.



Miner said he voted to get the bill out of committee because Republican leaders have expressed a desire to work on a bipartisan compromise with Democrats, who have made a bigger push for paid leave than in past sessions. Bills for a paid leave program have cleared the labor committee each of the past two years, but have failed to get a vote in either chamber. Miner said the bill provides the framework...to allow that to continue, but also predicted he didnt see himself supporting the final product. He voted against a Senate version, which passed the committee with a 7-6 party-line vote, that had in essence the same language.



Each bill proposes the creation of a trust fund that would collect a percentage of employees paychecks, although the amount isnt yet specified. A study last year by the Womens Policy Research Institute suggested collecting 0.54 percent of earnings from eligible employees, which would generate on average $430 annually, but critics questioned if that would be sufficient.



The program, which would be administered by the state Department of Labor, would pay 100 percent of wages, up to $1,000 weekly, for employees who take off up to 12 weeks from work due to the birth of a child or to care for a sick relative.



Sen. Catherine A. Osten, D-Sprague, said the creation of a paid family and medical leave program would bring Connecticut in-line with other developed nations.



The U.S. is the only one of 41 developed countries that doesnt mandate a paid parental leave program, according to Pew Research.



So far six states have required paid family and medical leave, but still only 12 percent of employees in the private sector and 17 percent in the public sector have worked-offered paid leave, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.



Republicans said the program would make Connecticut less attractive to business at a time when the state continues to struggle with its recovery from the 2008 recession. The state Department of Labor reported Friday that Connecticut lost 200 jobs in 2016, meaning the state still hasnt regained all of the jobs lost in the 2008 recession.



If businesses want to do this voluntarily and set this up...theyre certainly welcome to do so, but to now put another mandate on our businesses  what are we saying to them? said Rep. Richard Smith, R-New Fairfield.



Other Republicans said they supported the intent, but agreed the states economy is not strong enough.



Osten said the program wouldnt create additional financial burdens because employers would need to hire temporary replacements for workers who take leave regardless of whether the program exists. Federal law allows for employees to take up to 12 weeks, but doesnt guarantee payment. Osten also said the bill will particularly help women, who are often the ones who need to take time off from work to care for sick relatives.



The Connecticut Business and Industry Association remains opposed to the bill. CBIA said during a public hearing last month that it would increase taxes because of the DOLs responsibilities.



msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino






Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Image

An Antioch drug dealer who crashed a stolen BMW while fleeing police in the wrong direction on a highway was sentenced to more than eight years in prison Friday, the US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California announced.

The man, 34-year-old Ricky Keith Barnette, will serve 100 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to a release from the attorneys office. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2016.
SAN ANTONIO  Teachers will have the chance to see matinee showings for movies at no cost during the next 11 days at Alamo Drafthouse locations in San Antonio, New Braunfels and Laredo.

The promotion, running from March 14 to March 24 for shows before 6 p.m., is available for teachers and staff with ID showing proof of employment at any San Antonio, New Braunfels or Laredo schools, according to a news release issued Monday.
Two Liberty County sheriff's deputies narrowly avoided injury Friday night when their parked cruiser was hit from behind.

According to Liberty County Sheriff Bobby Rader and Capt. Ken DeFoor, the two deputies were assisting a motorist along the six-mile stretch of US 90 between Liberty and Dayton. The motorist had veered off the roadway and became stranded in the grass. The deputies pulled their vehicles behind the motorist and had their lights flashing.
One of two victims wounded in a brazen shooting last week on Interstate 80 in Richmond has died, officials said Sunday.

The 24-year-old driver, who was identified only as a Pinole man, had been in grave condition after he and a 24-year-old San Pablo woman were shot around 3:40 p.m. Thursday, California Highway Patrol officials said.
Local Cub Scouts recently built a nesting platform they hope will entice a pair of ospreys away from using an electric utility pole for their nest site.

I asked my nephews who are members of Cub Scout Troop 3600 from the Breckenridge area if they and their scouting friends would be interested in helping give ospreys a safe place to nest, said Darrel OBoyle, low voltage distribution designer for Consumers Energy. About five of the scouts finished making the nesting platform in about three hours.

The scouts made the 3-feet square cedar platform plus a perch for the ospreys, which have nested on a pole that supported electric lines in the Big Rapids area.

Consumers Energy is donating the pole for the platform, and its crews will erect the platform in a safer nesting site on Michigan Department of Transportation right-of-way about 100 feet from the electric lines. The energy company is coordinating the nest relocation project with MDOT and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

During installation, the crews will remove the nesting material from the previous nest and place it on the platform built by the scouts to make the new site more attractive to the ospreys. Vertical boards scouts installed on the platform floor are designed to help the birds weave material into their nest.

New poles being installed in an electric system upgrade in the area are being configured to deter the birds from attempting to re-establish a nest near the electric lines.

Consumers Energy crews will erect the platform before April, when ospreys typically return to Michigan to nest.

Participating in the project qualifies each scout for the Conservation Good Turn certificate.

I cant say enough about these dedicated scouts. Were hoping the ospreys are as impressed as I am with the finished project and find their new home to their liking, said OBoyle, an Eagle Scout. The birds should also appreciate their new, more expansive, view  their old nest was on top of a 45-foot pole; were using a 65-foot pole for their new site.
DECATUR -- The Illinois budget crisis has resulted in cash-strapped Macon County not receiving thousands of dollars for autopsies performed on state inmates over the past two years.

None of those prisoners are from the area, and several were not being held within the county. Two were brought on a 45-mile trip from correctional centers in Lincoln and another traveled more than an hour from the Jacksonville Correctional Center, records show.

According to documents obtained through the state Freedom of Information Act, the county is owed $9,266 for the five autopsies done by Macon County. Since the documents were obtained, an autopsy was completed on a sixth inmate, which county Coroner Michael Day said will push the amount owed by the state to over $10,000. That does not include the time investment necessary to perform autopsies and other administrative costs.

The low five-figure owed to the county for the autopsies may not seem like much, but it comes at a time when the county officials have cut their department budgets nearly 7 percent to offset a declining population and tax base. More cuts and even layoffs are possible for next years budget.

Before this, the autopsy thing was never an issue to us, county board Chairman Jay Dunn said. But things changed when we stopped getting paid for it and with our own financial situation.

The state documents received by the Herald & Review show two of the inmates were from Chicago, while another was born in Chicago but had a current address in Nashville, Tenn. The other three were from Aurora, Loves Park and Franklin County in Southern Illinois. Their names are not being released.

The three inmates from out of the county, as well as two of those held at the Decatur Correctional Center, died at Decatur Memorial Hospital. Why they ended up in Decatur, despite other hospitals being closer to the correctional center, is not known to local officials.

The sixth died at the Decatur Correctional Center, a minimum-security women's prison on East Mound Road.

Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Nicole Wilson did not respond to several messages seeking information.

Under state law, an autopsy must be done on any inmates who die in custody, generally with the local coroners office performing the forensic examination. Regardless of how sick or terminally ill the inmate was at the time of death, an autopsy must be performed.

These are some of the last people that I would autopsy, Day said. The inmates are some of the more terminally ill people Ive seen.

Serious illnesses were found to have contributed to the deaths of five inmates whose final autopsy records were available. They suffered from lung cancer that had spread to the brain; bilateral pneumonia and HIV; end-stage cirrhosis of the liver; and two had metastatic breast cancer.

Katie Anderson, vice president of legal affairs and corporate compliance for DMH, said she was unaware of the decision-making process on where inmates are sent for treatment. She said the state contracts with managed care companies for the treatment of inmates, and those companies then contract with medical providers. DMH currently contracts with at least one of these companies, Anderson said.

We cannot turn away patients based on their status of being an inmate, she said. The care we provide is dictated by the terms of the agreement we have with these companies.

It is not written in state statute that local coroners be reimbursed for the cost, but Day said it was a "gentleman agreement" with the Illinois Department of Corrections that the state help local officials. In his 23-year career as Macon County coroner, the agreement was upheld every time.

That informal agreement has ended though in 2015, as the state has gone nearly two years without passing a budget. Illinois has amassed more than $11 billion in overdue bills to state vendors and contractors because of impasse. Spending for prisons and other essential services continues under court order or state statute.

Illinois does not have a statewide medical examiner, relying instead on local county coroners to investigate sudden or unexpected deaths.

The Macon County Coroner's Office, based in downtown Decatur, has a budget of $250,921 for the current fiscal year, with $54,430 dedicated to autopsies. Twice last year, money had to be taken out of the countys general fund to help cover the cost of autopsies, in large part due to the lack of state reimbursements.

Day said he has heard similar criticisms from his colleagues about the lack of state reimbursements. In recent months, Dunn said he has spoken with state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, about ways the state can address the issue, possibly by reimbursing Macon and other counties owed for performing autopsies.

Manar did not respond to a request for comment.

For now, Day said his office will continue to perform its state-mandated autopsies in hopes that they will be reimbursed for them at some point.

I understand completely the intent and necessity of doing them, except financially the burden now is all on the coroners budget, Day said. Just have to hope we do not have anymore in the imminent future.
A Houston-based nonprofit is calling out the "villains" it says stole a book trailer earlier this month.

Avian Kingdom, a literacy group that delivers books to kids across the state, launched a GoFundMe campaign and posted surveillance video after some sticky-fingers stole the Teaching Trailer on March 3.
Mildred Annette Green King called her daughter, got dressed, mopped up the water she used to put out the fire and was ready to go the hospital by the time her daughter arrived.

We think she reached over the burner and caught her clothing on fire, daughter Vickie King White said.

King, 92 at the time, suffered second- and third-degree burns and needed five surgeries. Months later, she was released from the hospital.

The strength she showed in her healing was the same strength she displayed in life, White said.

Four years later, King died at home in her bed, just as she wanted her last day to be, surrounded by her family, her daughter said.

She was 96.

Kings first day began July 4, 1920, in Waelder.

Raised by her grandparents, she picked cotton in her grandfathers field and rode in the familys Model T to visit San Antonio relatives.

The family was well-known, White said about her grandparents, because of the achievements they made as African-Americans.

Kings mother, born in 1899, went to college, and her grandfather was a professor.

As a teenager, King worked at a grocery store owned by Sam Kelley, a prominent African-American in the community. Later she worked at the Kelley Funeral home as a bookkeeper.

More Information Mildred Annette Green King Born: July 4, 1920, Waelder Died: March 3, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Fletcher Green and Beauty Lamkin; husband Elmer V. King; grandparents Professor William Lamkin and Maggie Cunningham Lamkin; sister Marguerite Beverly; brothers Charles F. Green and William King. Survived by: Daughter Vickie King White and son-in-law Joseph White, two grandchildren and numerous friends and family. Services: Visitation 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Porter Loring, 1101 McCullough Ave., followed by a 4-8 p.m. visitation at St. Stephen Baptist Church, 2011 E. Carson St. Funeral 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Friendship Baptist Church, 935 Iowa St. Burial in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. See More Collapse

She left Waelder to finish high school in San Antonio, where she met Elmer King, a soldier in the Army Air Corps in the early 1940s. They married on Sept. 7, 1948. While World War II raged, King worked at Kelly Field.

I admire her strong work ethic, White said about her mother, who after the war worked as a housekeeper for 50 years. She worked from sunup to sundown, was home when I got out of school and had dinner ready for Dad when he got home, she said.

King worked for the Miller, Haas and Merrill families.

They never treated my mother as a subordinate; they always treated her as part of the family, White said.

Faith was another priority for King. She became the first female trustee at Friendship Baptist Church.
According to the military hardware experts at BGA-Aeroweb, the average flyaway cost on a Boeing (NYSE: BA) F/A-18-E/F Super Hornet fighter jet is $60.9 million. Upgrade that warbird to an electronic warfare specialist like Boeing's EA-18G Growler, and you can expect to pay much more -- $80.4 million per copy.

But has Boeing got a deal for you! And by "you," I mean the U.S. taxpayer.

Boeing's (hopefully not) going-out-of business sale

Late last month, in its daily digest of contracts awarded to its favorite defense contractors, the U.S. Pentagon announced that it has just placed an order with Boeing to deliver to the U.S. Navy "seven Lot 40 EA-18G aircraft and associated airborne electronic attack kits and five F/A-18E aircraft." Going by BGA's prices, you might expect an order of this size to set the Pentagon back a good $867.3 million. But in fact, the Pentagon says this entire order for 12 brand new fighter jets is going to cost it only $678.7 million -- a $188.6 million savings on the sticker price.

That's a big savings for the taxpayer -- about 22% below list. Indeed, even on the off chance the Pentagon forgot to include the $119.4 million cost of the 24 F414-GE-400 engines manufactured by General Electric (NYSE: GE), which are essential to the operation of the planes, that price would still be $69.2 million below the price you'd ordinarily expect these planes to cost, based on the price Boeing quoted. Even in the unlikely scenario where the Pentagon is ordering airplanes from Boeing in one contract and their essential engines from General Electric in another, Boeing would still be giving the Pentagon a not inconsiderable 8% discount off of its list prices.

Why would Boeing do something crazy like that?

"Crazy Boeing's discount fighter jets -- our prices are so low, it's insane!"

The answer should be obvious to anyone who's been following President Donald Trump's Twitter rants against the high cost of military aircraft produced by Boeing and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT).

In January, Trump boasted proudly of how he had negotiated a $600 million discount off the cost of 90 new F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. Presto chango... all of a sudden, an airplane that candidate Trump had derided as "not very good" has morphed into a "fantastic new F-35 jet fighter," praised by the President in his recent address before Congress. Not to put too fine a point on it, but all of a sudden, Trump has stopped talking about getting Boeing to build him a "comparable F-18 Super Hornet," and started talking up Lockheed Martin's F-35, instead.

This means that Boeing needs to act fast if it's to capitalize on delays in production of the F-35 by selling the Pentagon more F/A-18s and EA-18Gs to fill the fighter gap in naval aviation and deny Lockheed F-35 sales down the road. One way to sweeten the deal and encourage the Navy to buy its planes, instead of Lockheed's, of course, is to offer the Navy a big discount for buying its Super Hornets and Growlers today, rather than wait for Lockheed Martin to ramp up production of the F-35 tomorrow.

And that's just what Boeing is doing.

What it means to investors

Why is Boeing doing this? I see two reasons. First and foremost, a fighter jet sale in the hand is worth two in the bush. While Boeing would certainly prefer to maintain its historical 9.8% profit margin in fighter jets (which are more than twice as profitable as its commercial airplane revenues), it may be better to take a hit on profit margin than to get no sales -- and profits -- from selling no fighters at all. Second, even sold at a lower margin, Boeing can hope to "make up the difference" later on from as it maintains, services, and upgrades the planes in the years after sale.

That is, after all, a big part of the defense refocus that Boeing defense head Leanne Caret laid out for investors last year. And now, Boeing has 12 more planes in the pipeline, working to feed maintenance, servicing, and upgrades work into this revenue stream.

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Larry LeBlancs recent column (House cats and wildlife dont mix, March 1) contained a number of statements that are likely to undermine chances for reasonable discussions on the subject of outdoor cats, thereby hampering efforts to craft sound public policy.

LeBlanc refers, for example, to an unwritten law in Southeast Texas that cats discovered loose and roaming in the woods are to be eliminated.

In fact, the states anti-cruelty statutes have protected feral cats explicitly since 2007 and more generally, as domestic animals, long before that.

Another matter of law that warrants clarification is LeBlancs reference to Montgomery Countys ordinance. Hes correct that the same provisions requiring dogs to be restrained also apply to owned cats, but its a different matter for unowned cats. Indeed, community cats, as theyre called in the ordinance, are exempt from a number of the codes provisions once they are sterilized and vaccinated against rabies as part of a trap-neuter-vaccinate-return, or TNVR, program.

The law is clear that TNVR is the preferred method for controlling the community cat population and mandates that animal control agencies shall prioritize (TNVR) as the preferred outcome for community cats.

LeBlancs rationale for confinement (of pets) and elimination (of unowned cats)  the wanton killing by our undisciplined feline population  is also troubling. The research LeBlanc refers to, now more than 20 years old, was long ago discredited, along with a number of more recent pseudoscience campaigns to sway public opinion against outdoor cats. In fact, the only evidence that cats have had a negative impact on wildlife populations comes from very small, isolated islands, and even there the cats are typically just one of many factors.

To be clear: Best Friends Animal Society shares LeBlancs concern for wildlife. Indeed, there is considerable common ground between the animal welfare and conservation communities on this issue. Its generally recognized, for example, that the traditional approach to managing community cats  i.e., impoundment followed, in most cases, by lethal injection, which has been used for more than 100 years in this country  has failed to produce any long-term population reduction. Its also wildly unpopular and costly, the poster child for failed public policy.

Targeted TNVR programs, on the other hand, offer a humane, effective and economical alternative.

Best Friends operates more large-scale TNVR programs than any other organization in the country. As such, we are in a unique position to comment on the positive impact such programs have not only on the cats but on animal shelters and the communities they serve.

And the successes weve seen, in our own programs and others, echo the findings of research studies demonstrating both the effectiveness of targeted sterilization programs to stabilize and reduce the population of cats at a local level, and the broad public support such programs enjoy. (San Antonio Animal Care Services, a Best Friends Network Partner with whom we collaborated for one of our first large-scale TNVR partnerships, continues to operate this very successful program today.)

TNVR programs also provide a significant public health benefit, vaccinating thousands of cats that would have remained largely under the radar. The resulting herd immunity protects the cats, of course, but also provides a barrier between wildlife and the community. And because TNVR programs can reduce the number of community cats in an area, theyre generally the most effective way to reduce the risk of wildlife predation. No wonder such programs are becoming increasingly popular across the country.

Community cats are already out there in our neighborhoods, found virtually anywhere humans are found. TNVR programs are simply the most humane, effective and economical response to this reality.

Peter J. Wolf is a cat initiatives analyst for the Best Friends Animal Society.
GOOD HEALTH CARE NEEDED

To: U.S. Rep. Brian Babin,

Golden Triangle Indivisible held a town hall held Friday night, Feb. 24 - without you. You never even replied to our pleas. If you had the courage to face us, you would know that we are not paid professional organizers. We are the ones who pay you to represent us in Congress.

In your district alone, more than 20,000 constituents risk losing their health care. We spoke of the dread that so many will lose benefits under the Affordable Care Act. We are nurses, counselors, teachers and ministers, people who have first-hand experience with those who are marginalized.

Repeal of the ACA is NOT an option. I'm not denying that there are problems with it. Admittedly, there are some things that need to be fixed. Fix them. Don't throw away the entire plan! We all need health care.

Golden Triangle Indivisible is gaining in size and strength daily, and we will not go away. This is a formal request for a person-to-person real town hall meeting with you during your next recess in April. Can we count on that? Otherwise, we will be obliged to have another, larger and louder town hall - without you - in April.

Shelby Smith, Spurger, Golden Triangle Indivisible

-------------------

IMMIGRANTS DEFENDED

Immigration Day set one of your letter-writer's nose out of joint last Sunday. He spouted the cliched "America is a nation of laws." Montgomery, Ala., was a "city of laws." Rosa Parks ignored one such, and was arrested. The resulting bus boycott had an impact, started sit-ins, freedom riders. the movement which ended with oppressive laws being shoved down the throats of neo-Confederate governments.

He seeks to school us in the law. News flash! People cannot be "illegal"; only actions can. Further, those who are not of an age of responsibility can't be liable. We don't prosecute minor girls in statutory rape cases. Suppose a policeman pulls over a driver, for a seat belt violation, because his wife is in the passenger seat and she's feeding her baby. Does the toddler get the ticket? Statute of limitations: Most crimes have such. And yet a Vietnam veteran who has been in the country 60 years, since childhood, is deported?

In any case, courts can take short cuts in deportation hearings because "illegal immigration" is a civil offense, rather than criminal.

I am not impressed with America being "a nation of laws." I would prefer it to be a nation of justice.

Thomas C. Watson, Bridge City

-----------------

MUSLIMS REACH OUT

Today, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in their 70 chapters will head to their respective cities in order to narrow the gap in intimacy that exists between too many Americans and Muslims. Members of the Texas chapter will also be participating by spreading out in various locations and holding up signs that say, "Meet A Muslim! Ask Me Anything!"

I implore you to ask one of us, "Does Islam actually denigrate women to a lower status than men?" You are likely to hear about a number of Quranic verses recited to you that exhorts the equity of women and men such as, "Whoso acts righteously, whether male or female ... we will surely bestow on such their reward according to the best of their works" (16:98).

Or you might listen to a number of recorded Ahadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) like "The best among you is the one who is best in the treatment of his wife" or "Paradise lies at the feet of the mother."

You might learn that it was actually two Muslim women who founded the world's first university (Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, in 859 AD).

Anzil Salam, Houston

-----------------------------------

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Total Wine & More may not sell four-leaf clovers, but youll feel like youve found a pot of gold when you shop our selection of Irish whiskeys. As the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick deserves a worthy toast on March 17, and we have dozens of Irish whiskeys from which you can choose.

Kavanagh Irish Whiskey is a Total Wine & More favorite. Earning a 90-point rating from Wine Enthusiast, the whiskey is matured for four years in Bourbon barrels, which imbue it with a unique character and flavor that will appeal to the most discerning Irish-whiskey drinkers. Its extraordinary quality was recognized at the San Francisco Spirits Competition, where it earned the Double Gold Medal.
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Your eyes would probably gloss over looking at all of the figures Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) puts up. From adjusted earnings to Zyrtec sales, the healthcare giant generates a massive volume of statistics in managing its global operations.

Of all the numbers key for Johnson & Johnson, though, a few are particularly critical for the company at this point. Here are the three most important numbers for J&J -- and its investors.

$7 billion

Johnson & Johnson reported $7 billion in Remicade sales for 2016. Why is this number important for the company? There are two reasons.

First, it represents 9.7% of J&J's total revenue for the year, making Remicade by far the company's top-selling product. Second, the sales figure is at risk of falling significantly.

The U.S. patent for Remicade technically doesn't expire until September 2018. However, both the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and a federal court have ruled the patent invalid. Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) is now marketing a biosimilar to Remicade in the U.S., although J&J is challenging the adverse decisions through litigation.

It remains to be seen just how much damage Pfizer's biosimilar, Inflectra, will do to Remicade sales. Pfizer priced Inflectra only 15% below the wholesale cost of Remicade. J&J should be able to fight back to some extent by discounting and using other promotional strategies even if it loses in court.

However, the market dynamics could change if Merck and partner Samsung Bioepis win Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of another Remicade biosimilar. A decision is expected relatively soon. The introduction of a second biosimilar to the U.S. market could cause prices to drop. If that happens, J&J could take a bigger hit than initially expected with only Pfizer's product on the market.

The company definitely needs to replace the revenue that will be lost -- whatever amount it ends up being. I suspect J&J's management had the looming sales decline for Remicade in mind when they pulled the trigger on acquiring Actelion.

$218 million

Although Johnson & Johnson's pharmaceutical segment must deal with the Remicade scenario, at least the business is growing. That's not the case for J&J's consumer and medical devices units. The two segments saw combined sales drop $218 million in 2016 from the previous year.

We've already seen the company take some steps to try to restore growth for these businesses. J&J completed an acquisition of Abbott Labs' medical optics business in February. The company also recently announced an acquisition of privately held Torax Medical. J&J's consumer segment also picked up additional brands via acquisition in 2016, including the Vogue line of premium hair products and Rhinocort allergy spray.

Both the consumer and medical devices segments remain very profitable and create solid cash flows. And they're both achieving operational growth, which doesn't include currency fluctuations.

Still, though, it's not good when overall growth for the company depends so much on one segment. Johnson & Johnson's stock won't gain as much as it could (and should) until the company gets momentum going for all three of its business segments.

54

Another number that undoubtedly factors heavily into Johnson & Johnson's decision-making process is 54. That's the number of consecutive years that the company has increased its dividend. The company must make capital allocations only after ensuring that it will be able to keep the extraordinary dividend hike streak going.

This number is tremendously important to shareholders, too. J&J's dividend is an important component to the overall investing thesis for the stock. There are other stocks with faster growth, but few can boast of a dividend track record like Johnson & Johnson can.

One figure that binds them all

While these are three very important numbers for Johnson & Johnson, there's one other figure that binds them all together in a sense: $18.7 billion. This is the amount of operating cash flow the company reported last year.

It's this strong cash flow that will enable Johnson & Johnson to advance pipeline candidates and make acquisitions to offset potential Remicade losses. This cash flow will fund the acquisitions, research, and marketing campaigns needed to jump-start growth for the consumer and medical devices segments. Perhaps most importantly, J&J's cash flow will allow the company to keep paying (and increasing) those dividends that investors love so much.

10 stocks we like better than Johnson and Johnson

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Keith Speights owns shares of Pfizer. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Johnson and Johnson. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
IF Hollywood directors were to come to Zimbabwe to pick comic stories to make movies, they would definitely make a perfect movie out of the following tale of some married women from Makore Village in Gutu who reportedly staged a demo against kachasu brewing in the area, claiming the illicit brew was behind the dwindling bedroom performance of their husbands.

The story was reportedly a bombshell as se x-starved women allegedly besieged the homestead of a man only indentified as Fambi and who was well known in the area for brewing the illicit and dangerous brew also known as tototo.

They were reportedly saying their husbands were failing to perform their conju gal roles because of the illicit brew he was selling to them.

So bad was the situation that the protesting women claimed only a handful of newly married women got knocked up by their husbands.

In the ensuing melee, they were also baying for the kachasu brew master (Fambi)s blood.

Although, Chief Makore whose jurisdiction the area falls under, could not be reached for comment a source from the area who spoke to B-Metro and claimed to have inti mate details of the incident said excessive drinking of the illicit brew, was causing men to become useless in bed and that subsequently courted the anger of their wives.

The source said the women were also complaining that the high levels of tototo consumption was not only worsening bedroom performances but was also causing men to abandon their families.

Fambi had to run for his dear life after a group of women stormed his homestead claiming their husbands were se_xually starving them because of kachasu which he was selling to them. They blamed him for the dwindling bedroom performance of their husbands.

Fambi has been earning a living by manufacturing the illicit brew which he would sell to villagers for between $1 and $2, said the source who preferred not to be named.

The source further said the enraged women later approached Chief Makore begging him to take action against Fambi for brewing the illegal liquor which they blamed for the dismal performance of their men between the sheets.

zzas

Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe kachasu or tototo is prohibited and it is criminalised by the Harmful Liquids Act as it is dangerous to both humans and animals.

Police are also on record warning people to desist from brewing and drinking kachasu whose ingredients sometimes include ammonium nitrate (fertiliser) and sugar as well as other unspecified additives.

Stories of demonstrations by women after husbands failed to rise to the occasion in their bedroom responsibilities have been reported online in the past two years in Kenyas Limuru area, Kiambu County and South Africa.

The women said the trend was worsened by high levels of alcohol consumption which saw many men abandon their families. In South Africa, women in Kwazulu Natal, Dumazulu ward were last year reported to have said their drunkard husbands were unable to make them pregnant and they may look elsewhere for sober and potent bed mates.

They said according to online reports, their men had abandoned their homes because of drinking too much alcohol.

The women spoke during a protest in KwaZulu Natal where they said younger women were the worst affected as younger men were unproductive.

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Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
A writer who grew up in Clonmel is launching his debut novel at the town's library next week.

The Fractured Life of Jimmy Dice, by Ronan Ryan, will be launched at 7pm on Thursday evening, March 16th.

The book, which has received favourable reviews, tells the story of Jimmy Dice, the loss of whose twin at birth is just the beginning of his turbulent life.

Attacked by vicious dogs, pursued by gangsters and falling for a woman who isnt quite what she seems, Jimmy, a willful young man with heart and belief, is unafraid to let any of these obstacles stand in his way; and yet he seems to find trouble at every turn.

Meanwhile unseen, someone is bearing witness to his life, closer than anyone, including Jimmy, could know.

36 year-old Ronan Ryan is son of Geraldine and Ken Ryan.

He grew up on the Fethard Road in Boherduff and attended the Presentation School for First and Second Infants and St. Mary's CBS for Primary School.

He attended the High School for First Year but didn't get to complete the year as the family moved to Nagoya, Japan in the spring of 1994.

His father Ken worked as a chemical engineer for Merck, Sharp, and Dohme at Ballydine from 1974 to 1994, when the move to Japan was followed by spells in the United States, Singapore and Holland before he retired in 2008.

Ken and Geraldine and their daughter Carolyn now live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, while Ronan is based in the Christchurch area of Dublin.

Ronan has an MSc in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in English Literature from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

He was prompted to write at the age of 19 when he lost his soulmate, a French girl called Anne-Laure, in an accident in her home city of Paris.

He went to a cafe to write down a few memories of her and found it such a release that he decided to concentrate on writing full time.

The Fractured Life of Jimmy Dice was published by Tinder Press on January 26th.
Cashel Lions Club were represented by Seamus J. King and Paul Monks at the 48th annual convention of the Irish Lions held at the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge over the weekend.

It was an historic occasion for the Lions because it was the last occasion for the members of 105I to meet, the name of the District to which the Irish Lions have belonged, since the first club was found in Dublin in 1955. District 105I was part of the Multiple District 105, which comprised the Lions of England, Scotland and Wales, as well as Ireland.

From next July 105I will no longer exist as the Irish Lions will now form the independent District of 133.

There was another reason for the Lions to celebrate. This year marks the centenary of of the foundation of Lions International, which was set up in Chicago in 1917. An Post will recognise this event in July when they issue a special commemorative stamp.

The Cashel Club was founded in 1961 and was the fourth club to be established on the island of Ireland, after Dublin, Cork and Belfast.

The Cashel Lions Club were especially recognised over the weekend. Club entrants won two of the major District Awards during the year. Chelsea Gibson, of Cashel Community School, won the Young Ambassador Award, which recognises community endeavour among teenagers. Grace Moloney, a student at St. John the Baptist Girls School won the peace Poster competition.

Both winners were introduced to the delegates at convention and Chelsea addressed the meeting on her community work, especially with Cashel Youth Club and the Order of Malta. She received a standing ovation after her presentation.

The Cashel Club were also recognised when Seamus King was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of the club's involvement in District projects.
(Natural News) The U.K. National Health Service is facing a lawsuit from the devastated family of a woman who died after a botched routine operation.

The NHS is the countrys socialized, government-run healthcare delivery system.

In a horrific scenario, doctors reportedly inserted a replacement heart valve upside down into great grandmother Sheila Hynes, 71, who suffered massive internal bleeding on the operating table.

A second operation to restore her heart function reportedly was unsuccessful, and she tragically died in the intensive care unit a week later after never regaining consciousness.

Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has admitted the error, the BBC reported, although the family claims the hospital patronized and demeaned them in a series of sit-downs with management.

A sympathetic nurse advised the family to leave no stone unturned in the court case.

The surgeon in question still works at the hospital and has apparently yet to be subjected to discipline, however. While expressing condolences to the family, the NHS facility indicated that it was unable to comment further because of a pending inquest into the heart valve surgical procedure gone horribly wrong.

Mrs. Hynes, a widow described as extremely active and the picture of health, leaves behind seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, and was assured that the operation, among the most common performed by NHS doctors, would improve her breathing and circulation, the Daily Mail noted.

About a week before the operation, she had returned from a trip to Tenerife in the Canary Islands with family members, including her (now deceased) sister who sadly had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Hospital officials reportedly waited three days before informing the Hynes family of complications in the operation.

The alleged and/or apparent malpractice occurred in April 2015, but is just now emerging in the U.K. media. Said the family lawyer, This is an absolutely shocking caseThe heart valve was placed in an inverted manner, preventing the blood from being able to flow out of the heart as it should, there was therefore distension and tearing of the left ventricle, the Independent of London detailed.

The attorney added that the grievous error was apparently discovered by another doctor rather than the attending surgeon, and that she plans to pursue legal action under the countrys Human Rights Act.

Disturbingly, the NHS has a subpar safety record, according to the Daily Mail. [T]here are around six so-called never events every week. These potentially fatal mistakes include removing kidneys instead of ovaries and leaving scalpels inside patients. Never events are medical mistakes so egregious that they should never happen in any hospital.

The NHS was responsible for 1,000-plus serious medical mistakes in the 2012-2015 time frame, Natural News reported about a year ago.

This tragic situation with Mrs. Hynes (and other patients injured in British hospitals) should  but wont  serve as a cautionary note for the left in America, including Bernie Sanders and his disciples, who favor a NHS-style single-payer system that would provide so-called universal healthcare for free.

In addition to errors in treatment methods, the financially struggling NHS is fraught with rationed care and long waiting lists and a culture of inefficiency, indifference, and waste. Once held up as a shining example of how a rich, Western nation can provide socialized, medicine, the National Health Service in Britain is deteriorating, and quickly, Natural News explained about a year ago. While there appears to be a shortage of doctors and nurses especially given the massive, caseload, NHS presides over a bloated bureaucracy of non-medical paper shufflers.

Yet for Democrats in the U.S., the endgame for the failed Obamacare program is or was presumably a 100-percent government takeover similar to what is in play in Britain. As part of the pending Obamacare repeal and replace effort, it remains to be seen if the Republicans can get their act together and restore free-market principles to Americas healthcare system. (RELATED: Read more about regulatory overreach at BigGovernment.news.)

My life has been destroyed by what happened to my mother, said Sheila Hynes daughter Jan Hopper said.

Sources:

BBC.com

DailyMail.co.uk

Independent.co.uk
(Natural News) School officials in Paris, KY are attempting to overstep their boundaries by conducting unannounced visits to homeschooling families. According to the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), these visits are a clear violation of a state-wide agreement that was implemented to protect a familys constitutional right to privacy.

The school officials claim they are only there to help the parents, but part of their plan to help involves demanding information from parents about attendance records and curriculum. They have even asked to meet the children to question them in some instances. One home school parent, Jenny Griffith, who received one of these visits said I got the impression that district staff could become more difficult if I didnt cooperate in answering their questions or bring out my child to meet them. I tried to handle the situation as civilly as possible, without adding any threat to them. The officials also told her that the district intends on visiting every homeschooling family three times a year.

After being alerted of these visits, the HSLDA quickly got involved and warned parents of this threat to their fourth amendment rights. On the HSLDA website, they spell out for their members what their rights are and how they should handle the situation. According to Kentucky laws, a homeschool program operates as a private school. While private schools are required to keep attendance and scholarship records (i.e. report cards) in the same manner as the local public school, homeschooling parents do not need to open their homes and present these documents simply because a school official comes knocking

TJ Schmidt, a contact attorney for Kentucky through the HSLDA, also said that unless school officials receive some report or have some evidence that the parents are not educating their children, no further inquiry should be made. This agreement, known as the Best Practices Document, has been in place for more than 20 years. Schmidt also assured families that he and Cindy West, a local CHEK representative and veteran homeschooling mom in Bourbon County, have contacted the Paris Independent School District and are objecting to the visits on behalf of the parents. They expect the visits to cease but promise to monitor the situation. (RELATED: Get all the news Google is trying to hide at Censored.news.)

This is not the first time that the HSLDA has had to step in when dealing with a Kentucky school district. In 2015 homeschooling families in Gallatin County, KY received a packet from Roxann Booth, the director of pupil personnel, letting them know county officials would visit the home of every homeschool program through the coming school year. The packet also contained forms that requested detailed information not required by state law.

When the HSLDA was alerted about this violation Schmidt wrote a letter to Ms. Booth on behalf of the families informing her that the information requested went well beyond what is required under Kentucky law. And because home visits would violate each homeschooling individuals privacy rights the HSLDA would legally challenge any attempt to carry out these visits. Within two weeks, every homeschooling family received a follow-up letter from Ms. Booth apologizing for the demands for additional information and the challenge to the legitimacy of their homeschool programs.

Public schools do not want any challenge to their plans to turn all of our children into politically correct social justice warriors with no ability to think for themselves. As we see from these examples, they know very well where the lines are but are more than willing to cross them until someone is brave enough to stand up and tell them that they refuse to conform.

Sources:

HSLDA.org

HSLDA.org

Offthegridnews.com
Love him or hate him, President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress last week received generally positive reviews -- and from some surprising sources. On the left, The Washington Post termed it "surprisingly presidential." On the right, the National Review deadpanned that it was "halfway decent." And in the middle, even CNN admitted the speech "boosted optimism" (whatever that means).

Punditry aside, though, what exactly did Trump have to say that was of interest to investors?

Well, there was the promise to enact "historic tax reform," for one. Many experts believe this will result in lower taxes -- and therefore higher profits -- for businesses. Obamacare is apparently on the way out, and that means further turbulence for investors in healthcare. Meanwhile, commodities investors should be heartened by the president's call to spend $1 trillion on rebuilding American infrastructure, which promises to boost the fortunes of companies selling everything from steel to cement.

And for defense investors? President Trump actually touched on the subject of defense several times. For example:

I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS. ... We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

No mincing of words here. The president clearly doesn't like ISIS, and he's promising to spend a lot of money on bombs and missiles to put an end to the terrorist group.

How much might that cost? It's hard to estimate, but we know that the early stages of the air war against ISIS cost the U.S. Air Force several million dollars per day to sustain. And if you keep a close eye on Pentagon contract announcements (as we do), you've doubtless seen multiple instances over the past few years, in which the Pentagon has placed big orders (sometimes $1 billion and up) for new bombs and missiles to replenish stockpiles depleted in the air war.

An intensified fight against ISIS is bound to result in more such purchases, and more money for such key munitions suppliers as Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) and Boeing (NYSE: BA).

I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.

For defense investors, this was probably the most important line of the night. The president is asking Congress to allocate an additional $54 billion in defense spending to the U.S. military -- a 10% increase over fiscal 2016 funding.

In particular, Trump has called for the creation of a 350-ship navy, urged an expansion of the nuclear arsenal, and expressed enthusiasm for Boeing's development of a new fighter jet "comparable" to Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT) F-35 stealth fighter.

Translation: More money for military shipbuilders (Huntington Ingalls (NYSE: HII) and General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) are our two biggest), for nuclear-missile makers (that's Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE: AJRD)), and of course for Lockheed Martin and Boeing (again).

We've saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter.

Speaking of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, candidate Donald Trump was an outspoken critic of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet, calling it "not very good." President Trump circa January 2017 wasn't much of a fan, either, suggesting it should be replaced by Boeing's plane. But President Trump circa March 2017?

He loves the F-35 -- simply adores this "fantastic new" plane. And that sounds like good news for LockMart.

We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific -- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.

Our final Trump quote today is a bit of a wild card, because there are two ways of looking at this statement: First, from an "America first" perspective, the president has clearly had it up to here with allies who pawn off to the U.S. their responsibilities to maintain global security.

Trump has spoken several times already about his desire for NATO countries, in particular, to live up to their stated objective of spending at least 2% of national GDP on defense. Currently, only five countries within the 28-nation alliance do so -- Estonia, Greece, Poland, the United Kingdom, and... us. So what happens if he continues to press on this issue?

Logically, increased defense spending by other nations within the alliance would reduce the need for the U.S. to spend more -- which might sound like bad news for U.S. defense contractors. On the other hand, there's every possibility that those other nations, in spending more on defense, will buy their weapons from U.S. defense companies (or at least, local subsidiaries of U.S. defense companies).

Whether it's heads we spend big on defense, or tails our NATO allies do -- either way, chances are good that American defense contractors will still "get paid" in the end.

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Alec Baldwin returned to "Saturday Night Live" this week to play President Donald Trump (though he may not continue to do so for much longer, according to his recent announcement.) And as usual, the show opened with a skewering of the commander in chief's latest governing hiccups and persistent personality quirks.

But this week's most pointed political commentary went beyond the cold open, which featured Trump (Baldwin) reluctantly leading a war against extraterrestrial invaders.

Rather, it was the short, pre-taped commercial spoof for a fictional women's fragrance hocked by first daughter Ivanka Trump (played by fifth-time "SNL" host Scarlett Johansson) that took a firm stance.

"All eyes are on her. She's...Ivanka," a voiceover purrs over b-roll of the elegantly dressed first daughter sauntering through fancy social environs. "And a woman like her deserves a fragrance all her own. A scent made just for her. Because she's beautiful. She's powerful. She's...Complicit."

Ivanka is a woman who "knows what she wants" and "knows what she's doing," the ad continues.

"She doesn't crave the spotlight, but, we see her," we hear as Ivanka turns her gaze toward a full-length mirror to apply lipstick. Cut to a view of the mirror, and who is reflected back to the world but the president (Baldwin) himself. Because, can someone in Ivanka's unique position remain publicly reticent without effectively becoming a mouthpiece for her father?

Earlier this season, "SNL" portrayed Ivanka, along with Melania, top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway and former "Apprentice" star Omarosa, as a somewhat reluctant, or at least self-reflective, participant in the Trump campaign. But this latest sketch appears to send a message that the show won't be letting her off the hook any longer.

"A feminist. An advocate. A champion for women," we hear as Ivanka tosses her shimmering blond hair. Cut to the group of three confused-looking women standing nearby: "Like, how?"

"Also," the increasingly critical voiceover continues, "I bet when she watches 'Titanic,' she thinks she's Rose. Sorry girl  you're Billy Zane."

And of course, Complicit is also available as a cologne "for Jared," Ivanka's husband and top Trump aide Jared Kushner.

Later in the episode, "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che welcomed fellow cast member Pete Davidson, who recently returned to social media after a hiatus to announce that he is "happy and sober" for the first time in eight years, to give his first impressions of the Trump administration.

The show also welcomed the return of Attorney General Jeff Sessions (Kate McKinnon, with impressive hair, makeup and wardrobe) after last week's Forrest Gump-inspired cold open featured the former Alabama senator on a bus stop bench, peppering his life musings with confessions that he'd concealed his relationships with Russian officials. In this week's appearance, Sessions and Democratic Sen. (and IRL "SNL" alum) Al Franken (played by Alex Moffat) revisit their exchange that took place during the attorney general's confirmation hearing.

This past Wednesday was designated by activists as a "Day Without a Woman," a call for women to demonstrate their economic importance by not working for a day. While many women instead wore red to work in solidarity, rather than risk their employment status by not showing up, apparently two of the male "SNL" writers took it upon themselves to give their female coworkers a break and take on writing a "Day Without a Woman" sketch for all the women in the cast.

Musical guest Lorde performed her songs "Green Light" and "Liability."

"Access Hollywood" is owned and distributed by NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News, MSNBC, and this station.
Revelations of a Navy contractors mishandling of soil samples and falsification of radiation data at the Hunters Point Shipyard have delayed land transfers and raised concerns by some in the community.

Last year, the Navy hired a team of consultants to review the companys data and identify potential areas of concern.

NBC Bay Area has learned that one of the companies selected to perform the work made a mistake on the Hunters Point project a decade ago.

The land developer hired CH2M Hill, a multi-national environmental and engineering consultant, to conduct asbestos dust monitoring on the area of the shipyard that is now home to condos.

In the spring of 2006, CH2M Hill reported that it detected no asbestos dust at the site, but discovered months later in August that it couldnt confirm any of those results. The mishap led to a half million dollar fine against the developer by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

The 2006 incident was an isolated issue involving a monitoring lapse, Lorrie Paul Crum, CH2M Hills vice president of corporate communications wrote in a statement. As soon as we discovered it, we came forward, self-reported and corrected the problem.

NBC Bay Area first exposed that another contractor on the site, one testing the soil, falsified radiation data in 2012. The Navy hired CH2M Hill along with four other companies to evaluate radiation data submitted by that company.

It appears city leaders arent happy about the Navys choice. In an internal draft memo written in December by a staffer from the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure, its noted that city staff have repeatedly raised concerns about CH2M Hill.

Staff remain extremely concerned in the Navys selection given CH2M Hills past performance and the communitys distrust relating to dust and asbestos, the staffer writes.

The memo details conversations between city leaders and state and federal environmental regulators who met to discuss cleanup concerns at the shipyard.

I did raise the concerns to the Navy, said Supervisor Malia Cohen, whose district includes Hunters Point. I was assured that they do share the same concerns, and that CH2M Hill had made a break with the way they did business 11 years ago in the direction they are moving now.

Longtime Hunters Point residents remember the decade-old dustup.

Maurice Campbell chaired several Hunters Point community boards at the time, when a frequent topic of discussion centered on the importance of clean air in a place where asthma rates are sky high.

The air at Hunters Point has not been fine and consequently when someone is given a contract and monies to monitor something and they find out they are not monitoring  it's a problem, Campbell said.

Cohen said she understands that the Navys choice may erode trust in the community, but she said shes encouraged that the company is only one of five consultants brought on to review the data at Hunters Point.

The city of San Francisco will not accept land that doesnt meet standards, Cohen said.

There are many entities that are in place that are helping us evaluate all the information on the highest and most stringent level, Cohen said, so that when this land is transferred we are not skipping over anything.

Federal, state and city regulators have come together to discuss outstanding radiological cleanup concerns. According to the memo, the Navy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the states Department of Toxic Substances Control are among the government agencies that met in November.

Its a very large and dense team thats come together to let them know we are paying attention and wont let anything slide, Cohen said.

Greenaction, a local environmental justice organization, wants the public to be involved in conversations about the shipyard.

Late Friday night, the organization sent a letter to the Navy, demanding community participation in closed door meetings among government agencies and the shipyards developer.

The Navy did not respond to NBC Bay Areas requests for comment.

If you have a tip for the Investigative Unit email theunit@nbcbayarea.com or call 888-996-TIPS. Follow Liz on Facebook and Twitter.
A federal judge overrode a California state law on Friday to help combat a growing problem of inmates dying from drug overdoses.

U.S. Judge Thelton Henderson of San Francisco approved waiving state law to allow licensed vocational nurses to administer the overdose antidote naloxone, which can reverse respiratory failures from opioid overdoses.

Drug overdoses are among the leading causes of deaths in California state prisons, killing an average of 17 inmates each year, federal receiver J. Clark Kelso said in asking for the override.

That's triple the national prison drug overdose death rate, according to an analysis of California prison deaths released in September. The rate has generally been rising from 2005 through 2015, the period covered in the report.

California law allows registered nurses but not licensed vocational nurses to administer the antidote without getting permission from a doctor.

"Precious time can thereby be lost and unnecessary injury, and even death, may result," Kelso wrote. He said it would take too long to wait for state lawmakers to change the law.

The prison system employs about 2,000 registered nurses and about 1,800 licensed vocational nurses.

Licensed vocational nurses "are predominantly our first responders for health care services in the prison system," Kelso spokeswoman Joyce Hayhoe said. "The LVNs really function as our EMTs and paramedics in the prison system, so that's why we needed them to be able to administer these lifesaving drugs."

The state and the nonprofit Prison Law Office, which represents sick inmates in a long-running federal lawsuit, both agreed with Kelso's request.

Kelso has rarely asked to override state laws during the nine years he has been the court-appointed receiver, though it was more common after Henderson first seized control of the prison medical system in 2006. Henderson acted after he found that too many inmates were dying of medical neglect and malpractice
Iftikhar Khan, donning a white T-shirt with an American flag imprinted on it, graced the streets of San Jose on Saturday to teach the public about one topic: Islam.

"The vast majority of Americans don't know a Muslim and a lot of Americans are afraid of Muslims," he said. "I can understand why. There are a lot of negative things that a very, very, very small percentage of Muslims across the world are doing and the rest of us (Muslims) are not speaking out and so that's what I'm here to do today, to educate my fellow Americans."

Khan's plan unfolded as part of the the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association's inaugural #MeetAMuslim Day, which featured hundreds of Muslims answering questions about their faith in several cities across the county.

As terrorist attacks across the Middle East and Europe dominate the headlines and some ordinary citizens associate the religion of Islam with the bloodshed, Khan and others remain committed to teaching people about the religion's true principles.

"The vast majority of the 1.6 billion Muslims, like 99.9 percent, are peaceful," he said. "Islam means peace."

Khan added that Islam preaches respect for one's neighbor and instructs followers to live one's life to the highest moral standard. The associated connection between terrorism and Islam comes when people misinterpret the religion's teachings and then convince "ignorant people to follow their agenda." That agenda could be one person or group promoting violence in order to assume power. But as Khan emphatically noted, living by that thinking is simply not the way of Islam.

"Terrorism has nothing to do with our religion," he said.

In order to break the bond that links violence with Islam, Khan helped create a website coined TrueIslam.com to help educate outsiders about the religion's key principles as well as key misinterpretations.

"There is not a contradiction between being a proud American and a proud Muslim," Khan said. "I think there is a perception that you have to choose one or the other. You don't."

Khan put his work on the website into physical action Saturday by speaking with strangers in the South Bay. He may have only reached a few people, but that feat is better than nothing.

"Through this process, at least we'll meet 10 people today and now, at least, now they know a Muslim," he said. "And now they know that, you know what, I've met a Muslim and that Muslim was logical. That Muslim loved America and, you know what, wasn't that different from me. Cause I'm not that different from you. I'm really not."

Aside from terrorists attacks being a focal point of media coverage for several years now, President Donald Trump's recent executive orders pertaining to travel have put the spotlight back on people hailing from countries in the Middle East where Islam is the primary religion. Khan is taking the time to understand both sides of the travel ban discussion.

"The people that support the travel ban, I understand why they do," he said. "They don't know Muslims. They are worried. They are genuinely worried about their families and their safety. I'm out here to try and revert some of that fear."
A Milpitas man accused of scaling a fence to get onto the White House grounds claimed to be friends with President Donald Trump, a U.S. Secret Service officer told police.

Jonathan Tran, 26, was arrested Friday in the first known White House security breach since Trump took office in January, according to the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

The incident began at about 11:40 p.m. Friday when a Secret Service officer stationed on the south grounds noticed Tran in a restricted part of the executive mansion, according to police.

The officer approached Tran, and asked if he had a pass to be on White House grounds, according to the police report. "No, I am a friend of the President. I have an appointment," Tran replied.

"I jumped the fence," Tran said when asked by the officer how he got on the grounds, the report states.

The Secret Service officer verified that Tran did not have outstanding warrants or prior convictions, but also confirmed that the president, who was in the White House at the time, was not expecting him. Tran was taken into custody without incident, according to police.

Surveillance footage showed that Tran climbed a Treasury Building fence, which is next to the White House security fence, the report said.

Accomplishing such a stunt came as a surprise to Michael Broussard, one of Tran's neighbors.

"That's actually crazy to know that somebody would scale the White House fence and be so close to me," he said.

A charging document later revealed that Tran was carrying a letter for Trump in which he claimed to have information about "Russian Hackers," NBC News reported.

He also complained that he had "been called schizophrenic" and his "phone and email communications [had been] read by third parties," the charging document stated.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. Secret Service did a "phenomenal job" apprehending a "troubled person."

No hazardous materials were found during a search of a backpack that Tran carried over the fence, the agency said, but they did discover two cans of mace and his passport, according to NBC News.

The Secret Service also said a search of the north and south White House grounds found "nothing of concern to security operations."

Tran was arraigned in D.C. Superior Court on Saturday, NBC News reported. He faces charges of entering or remaining in restricted grounds with a weapon.

Having deemed him a flight risk, a judge has remanded him to custody through Monday, according to NBC News. Then he must face a magistrate in D.C. District Court.

Tran's alleged breach forced officials to temporarily raise the White House security level to "orange"  among the highest.

Attorney information for Tran was not immediately available. NBC Bay Area attempted to talk to Tran's parents in Milpitas, but they did not answer the door of what is believed to be their home.
A fugitive wanted in the killing of a marijuana grower in California was arrested Saturday, New Jersey state police said.

Gary Blank III, 34, was arrested at his home in Red Bank and brought to the Mercer County Jail where he is awaiting extradition.

Blank was wanted in the November death of Jeffrey Quinn Settler, who owned a commerical marijuana growing operation in northern California's Mendocino County.

A group of Settler's employees went to the pot farm in the middle of the night intending to steal marijuana, police said.

Settler slept in the same building where the processed marijuana was stored. The group beat him to death, police said.

Six others were already arrested, police said.
A Sacramento man pleaded guilty Friday to stabbing a U.S. airman who weeks earlier was hailed as a hero for helping thwart a terror attack aboard a French train.

James Tran, 29, faces a nine-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to attempted murder under a plea agreement, said Shelly Orio, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County district attorney's office.

He admitted knifing former Air Force Staff Sgt. Spencer Stone in October 2015 during a fight near a Sacramento bar.

Stone is one of three Sacramento men who tackled a gunman with ties to radical Islam on a Paris-bound passenger train in August 2015. Stone left the military last November as a staff sergeant assigned to Travis Air Force Base, said Staff Sgt. Scott Taylor, a spokesman at the base near Sacramento.

Tran pleaded guilty less than a week before he was to go on trial. He also pleaded guilty to enhancements including causing great bodily injury and using a deadly weapon, Orio said.

"I thought he got off kind of easy, but at the end of the day I've kind of moved on with my life," Stone said by telephone. "We all make dumb decisions and we've got to pay for those decisions. I forgive the guy and hope he can grow from it...and kind of make it a positive thing in his life when he gets out."

Tran's attorney, Donald Masuda, did not return telephone and emailed messages from The Associated Press.

Tran is set for sentencing May 12.

Sacramento police have said Tran was the instigator in a confrontation that led to the stabbing.

Stone was with three women and another man when an argument with Tran's group escalated into a fight that spread down a Sacramento street. Police said Tran and his group did not know who Stone was until they saw news reports later.

Stone's mother, Joyce Eskel, has said that her son was stabbed four times. Doctors had to repair lacerations to his heart and liver and a collapsed lung.

She also said her son was "very, very fortunate to be alive."

It was the second time that Stone was knifed within a matter of weeks. He was cut on the neck and thumb when he and two childhood friends from Sacramento stopped the attempted terror attack.

Stone, Anthony Sadler and Oregon National Guardsman Alex Skarlatos were later awarded France's Legion of Honor.
The Illinois House adopted a resolution last month designating October of this year as Zombie Preparedness Month.

The living-dead-legislation, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, encourages Illinoisans to learn about natural disasters and take steps toward stockpiling three days worth of emergency rations.

I am told that if you are prepared for zombies, then you would be prepared to deal with a natural disaster like tornadoes, blizzards, natural disasters of any kind, Welch said on the House floor in February. You would have proper food storage, you wouldve identified a place where you would go for shelter and youd be prepared for a natural disaster.

Before opening the floor up to other lawmakers, Rep. Lou Lang noted that the resolution awakened various zombies in the chamber.

State Rep. Steven Andersson jokingly asked Welch which zombies the state is defending against, citing monsters from a pair of television shows. Andersson noted that zombies from Z Nation are fast and smart, while zombies from The Walking Dead are slow, but overpowering.

Im talking about preparation for all zombies, Welch responded. If youre prepared for all zombies, youre prepared for a natural disaster."

Rep. Grant Wehrli, one of the bills co-sponsors, said he appreciates the resolution's good humor and aim, noting that the measure is a good thing.

Its not when things go well that we need a plan, its when things go off the rails, Wehrli said.

Additionally, Rep. William Davis asked why the state was equating natural disasters to a zombie apocalypse, which typically means a cataclysmic, end of the world event. He pressed the resolution's sponsor on whether this was a fair comparison.

In response, Welch said the goal was to use the allusion to grab and direct Illinoisans' attention to a worthy cause.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jeanne Ives slammed members of the Illinois House for focusing on fun and games, instead of the states ongoing budget impasse.

This bill is incredibly misplaced at a time when our budget is in such dire straits, Ives said, pointing to the states struggling economy.

This may sound like fun, but if youre really concerned about disaster, the natural disaster thats happening in Illinois is all economic and its all our doing," she added. And actually with the right policies in places, we can change this disaster into a real benefit. So lets get to work on the real stuff instead of bills like this."

At the end of the floor debate, Welch also called for budget action, stressing the importance of his resolution.

If we need to do something like Zombie Preparedness Month to get peoples attention to an important issue like preparing for a natural disaster, then so be it, he said.

The Illinois House adopted a resolution Thursday designating October of this year as Zombie Preparedness Month.

The measure, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, encourages Illinoisans to learn about natural disasters and take steps toward stockpiling three days worth of emergency rations.

I am told that if you are prepared for zombies, then you would be prepared to deal with a natural disaster like tornadoes, blizzards, natural disasters of any kind, Welch said on the House floor Thursday. You would have proper food storage, you wouldve identifeid a place where you would go for shelter and youd be prepared for a natural disaster.

Before opening the floor up to other lawmaker Thursday, Rep. Lou Lang noted that the resolution awakened various zombies in the chamber.

State Rep. Steven Andersson jokingly asked Welch which zombies the state is defending against, citing monsters from a pair of television shows. Andersson noted that zombies from Z Nation are fast and smart, while zombies from The Walking Dead are slow, but overpowering.

Im talking about preparation for all zombies, Welch responded. If youre prepared for all zombies, youre prepared for a natural disaster."

Rep. Grant Wehrli, one of the bills co-sponsors, said he appreciates the resolution's good humor and aim, noting that the measure is a good thing.

Its not when things go well that we need a plan, its when things go off the rails, Wehrli said Tuesday.

Additionally, Rep. William Davis asked why the state was equating natural disasters to a zombie apocalypse, which typically means a cataclysmic, end of the world event. He pressed the resolution's sponsor on whether this was a fair comparison.

in response, Welch said the goal was to use the allusion to grab and direct Illinoisans' attention to a worthy cause.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jeanne Ives slammed members of the Illinois House Thursday for focusing on fun and games, instead of the states ongoing budget impasse.

This bill is incredibly misplaced at a time when our budget is in such dire straits, Ives said, pointing to the states struggling economy.

This may sound like fun, but if youre really concerned about disaster, the natural disaster thats happening in Illinois is all economic and its all our doing," she added. And actually with the right policies in places, we can change this disaster into a real benefit. So lets get to work on the real stuff instead of bills like this."

At the end of the floor debate, Welch also called for budget action, stressing the importance of his resolution.

If we need to do something like Zombie Preparedness Month to get peoples attention to an important issue like preparing for a natural disaster, then so be it, he sa
Faced with aggressive on-air questioning about the president's wiretapping claims, Sarah Huckabee Sanders didn't flinch; she went folksy.

Speaking to George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America," she pulled out a version of an old line from President Lyndon Johnson: "If the president walked across the Potomac, the media would be reporting that he could not swim."

The 34-year-old spokeswoman for President Donald Trump was schooled in hardscrabble politics  and down-home rhetoric  from a young age by her father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Her way with a zinger  and her unshakable loyalty to an often unpredictable boss  are big reasons why the deputy press secretary is a rising star in Trump's orbit.

In recent weeks, Sanders has taken on a notably more prominent role in selling Trump's agenda, including on television and at White House press briefings. As White House press secretary Sean Spicer's public profile has fluctuated in recent weeks amid criticism of his performance, Sanders has increasingly become a chief defender of Trump in some of his toughest moments.

Sanders' rise has fueled speculation that she's becoming the president's favored articulator, a notion she disputes. "It's hard for any one person to maintain a schedule of being the singular face all day every day," she said. She argued that more than one press aide spoke for President Barack Obama.

"When Eric Schultz went on TV did anybody say Josh Earnest is getting fired?" Sanders asked. "Was that story ever written?"

Spicer echoed that message: "My goal is to use other key folks in the administration and the White House to do the shows."

Indeed, speaking on behalf of this president is a challenging and consuming job.

Trump often presents his own thoughts directly on Twitter in the early hours of the morning and is known to closely follow his surrogates on television, assessing their performances. He has been happy with Sanders' advocacy, said Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to the president.

"She understands America. She understands the president. And she understands how to connect the two," said Conway, who noted that Sanders had appeared on television throughout the campaign as well. "The president has a great deal of trust in Sarah."

On some days recently Sanders has been the administration's messenger of choice, even when news outlets aren't thrilled. Last Sunday, NBC's Chuck Todd said on-air that "Meet the Press" had sought a "senior administration official or a Cabinet secretary," but that the "White House offered a deputy press secretary. And so we declined."

Sanders credits her larger-than-life dad with helping her learn how to deliver a message. Huckabee, a frequent political commentator, has long been famed for his pithy rhetoric. The two speak most mornings before 6 a.m.

"I'll call and say, 'What do you think if I say this?' He'll say, 'That's really good. You might try to say it a little bit more like X,'" she said.

On advocating for the unconventional Trump, Sanders admits that even in the press office, they don't always get a heads up before Trump tweets. But she says part of Trump's appeal is that he "directly communicates with the American people on a regular basis."

Arkansas-raised, Sanders moved her young family to Washington to be part of the administration. She is married to a Republican consultant and they have three young children. She joined the Trump campaign not long after her father's second presidential bid  which she managed  fizzled out in the 2016 Iowa caucuses. She said she was drawn to Trump's message of economic populism and his outsider attitude.

"One of the big things my dad was running on was changing Washington, breaking that cycle," Sanders said. "I felt like the outsider component was important and I thought he had the ability to actually win and defeat Hillary."

She also said she was drawn to the Trump family's close involvement in the campaign, "having kind of been in the same scenario for my dad's campaign."

Being part of an effort to defeat Hillary Clinton had extra significance for Sanders, whose father followed Bill Clinton into the Arkansas governor's mansion and who shared advisers and friends in the state. Sanders said at times it was difficult to be aggressive, but she "so disagreed" with Hillary Clinton's policies, that she kept on.

Sanders entered politics young, helping with her father's campaigns as a child and then working her way up the ranks until she had the top job in 2016. In 2008, she moved to Iowa to run her father's operation in the leadoff caucus state, where he was the surprise winner. She has also served in the Education Department under President George W. Bush and worked on a number of Senate and presidential campaigns.

Mike Huckabee said his daughter was always a natural.

"When most kids at 7 or 8 are jumping rope, she's sitting at the kitchen table listening to Dick Morris doing cross tabs on statewide polls," said Huckabee, referring to the adviser-turned-adversary to President Bill Clinton.

Those Arkansas ties continue to hold strong. Sanders has consulted with friends from the state about her new role, including Mack McLarty, the former Clinton chief of staff, who she said counseled her to appreciate the "historic opportunity" to work in the White House.

Her rising profile has come with ups and downs. Sanders says she is turning off social media alerts because she has been flooded with criticism. For now, she has not been treated to a portrayal on "Saturday Night Live"  like Spicer and Conway (though she did get a mention this week in cast member Pete Davidson's "Weekend Update" commentary.) But her dad says that if that comes next, she should roll with it.

"One of the great honors of life is to be parodied," Huckabee said. "It's kind of an indication that you've arrived at a place of real power."
A Massachusetts prisoner is in custody after escaping Friday in Framingham, authorities confirm.

The Middlesex County Sheriff's Office says 28-year-old Christian James Horne of Framingham was apprehended after he fled Framingham District Court.

According to the sheriff's office, Horne got away while he was being escorted from the courthouse.

Massachusetts State Police, who assisted Framingham police with the search, said the the man had been arrested on domestic assault and battery charges.

After the incident Friday, the sheriff's office says Horne was returned to Middlesex Jail and House of Correction to face an added charge of escape.
Well, Im back home from vacation. Yes, it was wonderful, thank you very much. I wish I could partake more often.

Wait a minute. Im retired. Im living a life of six Saturdays and a Sunday, as my friend Cal aptly describes it. Vacations for moi mean taking my new daily routine to exotic locales. Apparently, I can nap just about anywhere I want in this big ol world, without raising a blister. This does not protect me from the vagaries of existence, however. In fact, in some ways those vagaries are intensified. I present a case in point.

When I travel, I am uncertain whether to suspend delivery of the newspapers to which I subscribe, including this august publication spread before you on your kitchen table and littered with toast crumbs and tiny dabs of butter (if you read, as I do, while breaking my fast).

In the past, the caregiver to our felines has dutifully stacked newspapers on the coffee table for my delayed perusal. Working forward from the oldest edition to the most recent, I chug through recent history to the immediate past as the human drama is revealed as life in Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona, the United States of America, the planet earth, and depending on who you ask, the tin-foil hat dimensions; all of that, and my horoscope.

For this trip, I suspended my subscriptions for the duration of my travels. There was no leaning tower of newspapers to greet me when I got home, just the cats, who crept cautiously downstairs to see whether the lady who feeds them had stopped by a second time. Sadly, for them, it was just yours truly and the missus arriving home at 2:00 a.m.; both of us road crazy and focused elsewhere than on the supper dish within which, in case you are wondering, the pivot point of the universe has purchase. According to cats, that is.

Once we were unpacked and reconstituted as human beings wearing their favorite pajamas and sipping cups of tea in our living room, I realized the harsh reality attending suspended newspaper deliveries.

I havent read my horoscope in 10 days. I have no way of knowing whether what happened to me was what was supposed to happen. In my case, two horoscopes apply. I am on the cusp. Depending on which astrologer you follow, I am either a Scorpio or a Sagittarius. Call it double coverage, but I peruse both to get a bead on whats ahead for Tommy. When Ive had back issues to review, I can see the trends that led me to the present and I am comforted. Otherwise, its a crapshoot, isnt it?

Somehow, I managed to thwart catastrophe without the mathematical science and interpretive art of astrology provided by my guide and newsprint colleague, Eugenia Last.

So, scoff if you wish  that is a benefit newspapers provide. A hearty scoff is de rigueur these days, and the only exercise some of us get.

I shall not suspend my subscriptions again.
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One man was killed and two others were wounded in a shooting early Sunday in the Edgewater neighborhood on Chicago's North Side, according to police.

Two men, ages 27 and 32, were standing outside at 12:34 a.m. on the sidewalk in the 6300 block of N. Broadway Ave. when someone in a dark-colored SUV opened fire, authorities said.

The younger man was shot in the head and taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead, according to police. The Cook County medical examiners office did not immediately provide information on the fatality.

The older man suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg and was also taken to Saint Francis, where his condition was stabilized, officials said.

Approximately 40 minutes later, a 22-year-old man showed up at Community First Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the left side of his torso, authorities said. He had been sitting in the back seat of a vehicle when he heard shots and felt pain, according to police, who later determined that he was a third victim from Edgewater shooting.

He was transferred to Illinois Masonic Medical Center and was listed in critical condition, officials said.

The shooting occurred near Loyola University's Lake Shore Campus, and the school issued an alert Sunday morning stating that those involved were not affiliated with Loyola.

No one is in custody in connection with the shooting and authorities continue to investigate.
Two men were ordered held in lieu of $2 million bail Friday for a fatal drive-by shooting on Chicago's Northwest Side late last year, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

The heavily tattooed Santo Lozoya and Jose Martinez were arrested Wednesday at Lozoyas home, in the 900 block of North Homan Avenue, Assistant Cook County States Attorney Joseph Carlson said.

Crispin Coliz, who had attended the Chicago Bulls game with several others Dec. 16, was shot that night after his two killers confronted him at a convenience store at Grace and Harlem, Carlson said.

When 28-year-old Coliz went into the store with two of his friends, Martinez made movements toward his waist implying he had a gun, Carlson said.

Then, Lozoya pulled out a weapon and racked the slide back, Carlson said.

When Coliz left the store because he forgot his wallet, Martinez asked Coliz and his two friends about their gang affiliations, saying, Whats up? Carlson said.

The group ignored Martinez, of the 4400 block of West Altgeld, and went back into the store to make their purchases, Carlson said.

Coliz drove off with four others in his car. At that point, Martinez and Lozoya and the vehicle they were in were gone, Carlson said.

Coliz had turned off Harlem onto Grace as a second car with three more of his friends followed; thats when he noticed the white Jeep with Martinez and Lozoya in it, Carlson said.

Eventually 19-year-old Lozoya, who was driving, pulled up to Colizs car, Carlson said, and four or five shots were fired at Colizs vehicle, Carlson said.

Colizs friend in the other vehicle saw an arm stick out of the passenger side window of the Jeep Lozoya was driving, Carlson said.

Coliz was hit in the temple and his car crashed. Residents heard the wreck and called 911.

Coliz, of southwest suburban Cherry Hill, died at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

His 29th birthday was the next day, according to a police report.

Police recovered two shell casings at the crime scene, Carlson said: one .45-caliber, and one .40-caliber.

Lozoya and Martinez, 23, allegedly admitted their roles in Colizs murder and a woman who let Lozoya borrow her car the day of the murder had the same make, model and color of vehicle that the witnesses described, Carlson said.

After Lozoya and Martinez were arrested, a blue-steel semi-automatic 9mm handgun, loaded with 15 rounds, was recovered from Lozoyas home, Carlson said. That gun was previously reported stolen from Barrington, Carlson told Judge Donald Panarese Jr.
Authorities have released the identities of three people who were fatally shot in St. Charles on Friday, as the west suburban community mourns their deaths.

Around 5:12 p.m., officers responded to several reports of shots fired, as well as a 911 call from inside a residence in the 400 block of S. 1st St., according to St. Charles police.

A man and two teenage girls were found shot inside an apartment and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. A 46-year-old woman who had also been shot was taken to Delnor Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition Saturday afternoon.

The girls were identified as twin sisters Tiffany and Brittany Coffland, both 16 years old, according to the Kane County Coroners office. The man was identified as their father, 48-year-old Randall Coffland. All three lived in the apartment where the shooting took place, according to police.

Officials said a preliminary investigation suggested that the shooting was an incident of domestic violence, and there was no danger to the public.

The woman who was shot was identified as the girls mother and Randall Cofflands wife, according to police, who said the couple was married but living at separate addresses.

A review of department records showed that officers responded to a report of domestic trouble at the womans home in the 100 block of S. 5th Ave. on Feb. 9, police said in a release, though the report indicated nothing physical happened during that incident. [[415958033, C]]

This is a very difficult scene for the first responders to work with, Deputy St. Charles Police Chief David Kintz said at a news conference Friday night. Our thoughts and prayers go out to family members who are left to deal with this tragic situation.

Fridays shooting marked the citys first homicide since 2008, Kintz said. Crisis teams were available to counsel grieving community members at St. Charles East High School on Saturday, where the girls were juniors, according to District 303.

Among those impacted by the deaths were Brittanys coworkers at Blue Goose Market, a local grocery store.

The shooting in St. Charles last night touched the Blue Goose community very painfully, Blue Goose owner Paul Lencioni wrote on the stores Facebook page. One of the young women who was shot and killed worked in our bakery department. Brittany was a vibrant part of our team and a loving part of our family. We are beyond sad. We are confused and devastated and mad and hurt. We feel helpless. But we are not helpless and we are not alone.

We will hold each other. We will listen to each other. And we will be stronger together for all the days to come after this one. If you see someone in pain, comfort them. If you see someone in need, help them. And please, if you are hurting, trust that there are people in your life who care about you, people who will support you and love you and provide comfort and help for you when you are in need. St. Charles is not just where we live, it is our home, it is our family. It is where we will heal together. We love you Brittany. You will be with us always, the post continued.

The citys mayor issued a statement on Saturday as well, expressing gratitude for the first responders efforts and calling the incident unspeakable.

The City of St. Charles experienced a horrific personal tragedy last night, St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina said. Being the close-knit community we are, an incident of this nature has impact beyond the immediate family--we think about and pray for the extended family which includes relatives, high school students and other friends. We also pray for the greater community, all of us, that we will stand tall and provide calm and peace at such a tragic moment.
Mementos of a southern Illinois couple's wedding and engagement have been found nearly 50 miles away after a tornado tore their home from its foundation.

A bag containing an engagement picture, wedding day invitations and a bride's garter was whisked from Charlie and Kim Jacobs' home in Crossville, Illinois, when the tornado hit around 10 p.m. on Feb. 28. The bag was later found intact  on Tracy Vinson's farm in Hazleton, Indiana, according to WFIE-TV.

"I was like, 'I've got to find these people,'" Vinson told the television station. "This might be the one thing they have left from their home."

She posted photos on Facebook  and was able to track the couple down about 90 minutes later, thanks to dozens of comments and the post being shared.

"I was like, in tears, and I haven't even met these people yet," Vinson said. "I could imagine, if it happened to me, I would definitely want someone to."

Charlie and Kim Jacobs say they're amazed the photos and other mementos traveled so far. Vinson and the couple plan to meet this week.

The tornado was on the ground for more than 50 minutes in the area between Carmi, Illinois, and Oakland City, Indiana. Forecasters estimated the maximum wind speed at more than 150 mph.
The annual New Haven St. Patricks Day Parade will go on as planned Sunday afternoon, even with temperatures expected to be in the 20s and a wind chill making it feel even worse.

The parade has drawn crowds of as many as 300,000 people in the past. With the cold weather its unlikely theyll be breaking any records Sunday, but that hasnt stopped spectators from coming out to show their Irish pride.

Unfortunately the cold did slow down crews preparing for the parade, who were unable to repaint the famous green line that guides marchers because the equipment kept freezing up. The shamrocks were done by hand.

Workers said the parade has gone on in all weather.

The Saint Patricks Day parade has been a tradition for many many years and the Irish are a hearty people, said Donald Iannuzzi, New Haven Parks & Recreation.

Weve done snow, rain, everything. So, the cold is not going to stop us, explained Stanley Johnson, also of New Haven Parks & Recreation.

The parade begins at 1:30 p.m. from Chapel Street at Sherman Avenue, winding around toward the New Haven Green. It ends on Grove and Orange Streets.

New Haven police urged the thousands of people descending on downtown to bundle up from head to toe earlier in the week.

You kind of get wrapped up in the music and the marchers and the floats and you may not realize that your toes are starting to turn to icicles, NHPD spokesperson David Hartman said.

Marchers and spectators should watch out for black ice, Hartman added.

There are certainly going to be patches of it, he said. We cant dry the streets.

Police have a warning for people planning to celebrate with a couple Guinness pints or shots of Jameson.

Youre as, if not more, vulnerable because of thinner blood to be susceptible to serious cold temperatures, Hartman said.

Police suggest putting on boots and a warm pair of socks or two if you plan to watch the parade.

In addition to 180 New Haven Police officers, there will be several AMR ambulances along the parade route.
New London police have arrested a woman accused of stabbing someone with a samurai sword.

Juanita Bentley, 51, of New London, faces charges of first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree breach of peace.

Police said that around 11:45 p.m. Friday they responded to 70 Farmington Avenue for a reported disturbance. When they arrived the victim, who was not identified, told police that he and Bentley were having an argument and Bentley told the victim to leave. When the victim didnt move fast enough, Bentley took a decorative Samurai sword from the wall and stabbed the victim as he left.

The victim ran away and called 911.

The victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries to the back and arms at the hospital.

Bentley was held on a $10,000 bond.
The search for a missing retired Dallas firefighter in Hunt County now includes the FBI and Texas Rangers.

Michael Chambers, 70, has been missing since Friday.

On Monday afternoon, the Hunt County Sheriff's Office revealed that a small amount of blood was found inside Chambers's shop next to his Quinlan house.

However, there is no sign of a struggle in the shop or in the house.

It is also not known at this time if the blood found belongs to Chambers. It is being tested.

His family attended a press conference late Monday afternoon with Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks, pleading for help.

"This is absolutely unlike him. He's not a person who just disappears," said daughter Cheri Haynes. "Someone knows something, and we plead if that person is you, call the Hunt County Sheriff's Department."

The Hunt County Sheriff's Office holds a news conference with the family of missing Dallas Fire-Rescue retiree Michael Chambers, who was last heard from on Friday, March 10.

Based on the investigation, detectives believe Chambers was in his shop at some point on Friday.

Chambers spoke with his wife on the phone Friday morning.

When she returned home that evening just before 7 p.m., he was gone.

Meeks told reporters that there is surveillance video of Chambers at the Quinlan Wal-Mart store at about 11 a.m. Friday.

He says Chambers was alone and was not followed out of the parking lot.

Meeks did not elaborate on what exactly Chambers purchased at the store.

Detectives believe whatever happened to Chambers, it happened between noon and 3 p.m. Friday.

"It is unclear at this time if Mr. Chambers somehow became injured and walked away from the location looking for help, or if he was taken against his will," Meeks said.

Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks is asking for the public's help in locating a missing Dallas Fire-Rescue retiree.

Some items, including cash, were taken from his home, the sheriff said. His pickup truck was not taken, but Chambers's cell phone is missing.

Meeks said investigators were able to get a ping off the cell phone, but declined to elaborate.

"I'm really torn because we don't have any answers, and we've just followed every lead we can possibly follow and we're just coming up with nothing. And it's just tearing us apart," Meeks said.

The Texas Rangers are now assisting in the search for Chambers, and the FBI has also been alerted to this case.

A search Friday night that included trained a K-9 team and a Department of Public Safety helicopter with heat-sensing technology turned up no sign of Michael Chambers, the sheriff's office said.

The Hunt County Sheriff's Office now says 70-year-old Michael Chambers, a retired Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighter, may have been taken from his home.

Chambers is 6-feet 3-inches tall and 225 pounds and has balding, gray hair. He does not have any medical or mental disabilities, according to the sheriff's office.

Chambers was a Dallas firefighter for 36 years, according to family.

"Michael Chambers is my dad, beloved husband, dedicated grandfather, great-grandfather, healthy, hearty civil servant," said Haynes.

Meeks told reporters he is a personal friend of Chambers.

"I was a Sunday school teacher for several years. I've never known a more devout Christian man than Michael Chambers," said an emotional Meeks. "I trust him with my life. He's a great family man, he loved his wife dearly and I don't know if somehow he was protecting her."

If you have any information about this case, call the Hunt County Sheriff's Office at 903-453-6800.

NBC 5's Ashleigh Barry contributed to this report.
President Donald Trumps eldest son and Sen. Ted Cruz rallied Dallas County Republicans on Saturday evening at a fundraiser held at the Omni Dallas Hotel.

Donald Trump Jr. spoke for about 15 minutes, thanking Texans for their support.

About 1,000 people filled the ballroom at the Omni for the 2017 Reagan Day Dinner, which is the Dallas County Republican Partys largest fundraiser.

The partys chairman told the crowd that President Trump has re-energized the party, saying hes shaking up Washington, D.C. and keeping his campaign promises.

Party leaders also called on voters to rally for the 2018 midterm elections to re-elect officials like Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

Trump Jr. told supporters he likes to hunt and fish in Texas.

He thanked supporters, like businessman Tommy Hicks, and spoke about the impact Texas made to get Mr. Trump elected  with votes and money.

"Texas gave us the funds to go over and win states, all those states we weren't supposed to win," he said. "I was told that we actually raised more money in Texas than we did in New York and California combined."

A couple dozen protesters, who called their coalition "Yes Liberation," gathered near the entrance to the Omni as guests arrived earlier in the evening.

One organizer said they wanted to protest both Trump Jr. and Cruz.

"We have a right to exist. We have the right to be here as well, and this is our country too, said protester Isaac Davis. "And its important that were here tonight to show them that were here to stand up to what we feel are the hateful policies that they represent."

Demonstrators held signs condemning mass incarceration, large-scale deportations and limiting access to health care.

The Dallas County Republican Party announced the dinner raised half a million dollars.
Police are searching for answers after finding two men shot to death in a Dallas apartment Saturday.

Officers responded to the complex in the 3100 block of Simpson Stuart Road at 10:30 a.m. and discovered a father and his son dead from gunshot wounds, according to Dallas Police.

They were identified as 69-year-old Irby Walton Sr. and his son, 41-year-old Irby Walton Jr.

Dallas Police are investigating the case as a double homicide and are asking anyone with information to contact them.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
A teacher's assistant at David W. Carter High School was arrested early Saturday morning for allegedly having an improper relationship with a 16-year-old female student, police say.

Mickey Paul Jones, 38, was arrested at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a Dallas Police Department news release.

Jones' bail was set at $50,000.

Police said they're still investigating and ask anyone with information to come forward. Police have also asked any other potential victims to contact Detective Valentine at (214) 275-1300.
An Uber and Lyft driver said his nose and leg were broken on Wednesday when he was beaten by up to 15 motorcycle riders on Highway 101 in San Francisco.

The Modesto Bee says Alex Quintana was in fair condition Friday. Pins were placed in his left leg, which was run over during Wednesday's attack, part of which was captured on video.

The 35-year-old man says he was heading to pick up a passenger when he tried to inch around the dirt bikers, who were doing stunts and blocking southbound traffic near the Cesar Chavez exit. The move appeared to anger one biker.

"For some reason, he thought I was going to try and run into him and somehow that got relayed to his friends," Quintana said in an exclusive interview with NBC Bay Area.

Quintana said one biker punched his side mirror. Another biker broke his second side mirror.

Quintana said he was forced to pull over because his car was damaged, but that's when a biker broke his passenger window and things escalated.

"Shards of glass started flying at me and thats when I got out of the car," he said, admitting that "probably wasnt the brightest thing" to do.

Quintana said he was simply trying to prevent the bikers from causing any more damage, but "As I got out, they started kicking and vandalizing my car," he said.

When he got out to confront them, Quintana was beaten and kicked. Before leaving him in the middle of the freeway, one of the bikers drove over Quintana's leg and broke it in three places, Quintana said.

Witnesses, including an off-duty firefighter, came to Quintana's aid.

Quintana, who supports a 3-month-old son, says he'll be hospitalized at least 10 more days. So far, he has undergone one surgery on his leg, but thinks he may need to have more, he said.

That time away from work is creating nothing but stress for his family.

"My girlfriend is terribly missing me and worried about all the bills cause she solely relied on me to have money for our baby," he said.

Admitting that he feared for his life, Quintana said he is struggling with a feeling of vulnerability, but that has also emboldened him to speak out.

"It was definitely life threatening," he said. "I didn't know if they were going to stab me or gang up on me or shoot me or anything."

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident. No arrests have been made so far. The bikes did not have license plates, according to Quintana.
The City of Miami Police Department arrested one of their own officers Saturday.

Officer Jose R. Acosta was arrested following an internal affairs investigation. The investigation began following complaints from witnesses that Acosta allegedly robbed victims during traffic stops.

It is disheartening when one of our own betrays the oath they took. Along with FDLE we have arrested one of our officers. Statement at 6PM pic.twitter.com/PX6HZv29Os  Miami PD (@MiamiPD) March 11, 2017

City of Miami Deputy Chief of Police Luis Cabrera confirmed the arrest on Saturday.

City of Miami Police Department conducted a joint investigation with Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office on Friday which resulted in Acosta's arrest, Chief Cabrera said at a briefing Saturday afternoon.

Statement by Deputy Chief Cabrera reference arrest of MPD officer https://t.co/9DeP0OZwU7  Miami PD (@MiamiPD) March 11, 2017

Acosta was charged with one count of Armed Burglary of a Conveyance and one count of Armed Grand Theft, said Cabrera. Acosta was hired in May 2016; he is now "relieved of duty without pay, pending termination," Cabrera continued.

All participating agencies in the arrest will be holding a full news conference on Monday at 2 p.m.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling on New York State police to investigate a bomb threat against the Jewish Community Center in Rochester.

The Rochester JCC received multiple elmailed threats stating that there was a bomb in the facility around 10 a.m., said Brighton Police Chief Mark Henderson said at a press conference Sunday. The center was closed and evacuated Sunday morning while authorities cleared it. It was to reopen at 3 p.m.

Police say about 300 people were inside the Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester when the emailed threat was received.

Cuomo said he was "profoundly disturbed and disgusted" by the threat, and said he's ordered a joint investigation into the matter by state police, federal and local law enforcement.

"The new bomb threate against the Brighton Jewish Community Center is a despicable and cowardly act that will not be tolerated in New York," he said in a statement. "It is especially repugnant that this latest act of anti-Semitism took place on Purim, a day that we celebrate the resiliencey of the Jewish people."

The governor also reinforced the city's zero-tolerance policy regarding anti-Semitism.

"As New Yorkers, we will not stand by silently as some seek to sow hate and division," he said. "New York is one family, and an attack on one is an attack on all."

Sen. Charles Schumer also denounced the threat, calling it "despicable" to target an organization that opened its doors to those in need.

Rochester JCC opened their doors to care for wind storm victims this wk & just received 2nd bomb threat in less than 1 wk. Despicable.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 12, 2017

"Rochester JCC opened their doors to care for wind storm victims this wk & just received 2nd bomb threat in less than 1 wk," he tweeted. "Despicable."

Several other JCCs across the coruntry received emailed bomb threats Sunday, including the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in Houston. Officials said the facility has been checked by Houston police and has been cleared to continue its regular business hours.

An evacuation was ordered at the Jewish Children's Museum in Brooklyn Thursday morning as police investigated a bomb threat, officials said.



Police responded to the museum on Eastern Parkway after getting a call around 9:30 a.m. The nature of the call to police wasn't clear, but state Sen. Jesse Hamilton, who represents Crown Heights and other neighborhoods in the area, said the museum had received a bomb threat.



Gov. Cuomo also confirmed the threat, adding that it came via email. He spoke to reporters alongside Devorah Halberstam, the mother of Ari Halberstam, whose death at age 16 in a 1994 terror attack inspired the museum's creation. The museum is dedicated in his honor.

Top Tri-State News Photos

Authorities have been looking into more than 120 bomb threats called into nearly 100 JCC schools, child care and other similar facilities across the nation since January. No injuries have been reported in any of the cases and no devices have been found. The FBI is assisting in the probe.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, there have been 152 threats this year against Jewish institutions in 37 states and two Canadian provinces.

[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More
Police say they found a 2-month-old baby girl dead inside an apartment in East Harlem.

Officers responded to a call about an unconscious infant at 1350 Fifth Ave. just before 9:50 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Upon arrival, cops found little Kourtny Williams unconscious and unresponsive inside an apartment at the building.

Authorities said paramedics rushed her to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The New York City medical examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation is ongoing.
President Donald Trumps new executive order on foreign nationals entering the U.S. says more than 300 refugees in the United States are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations. Attorney General Jeff Sessions repeated that figure in his remarks on the new order. But it is a statistic without any context.

The White House and Department of Justice have declined to provide the total number of counterterrorism investigations underway or how it defines the term counterterrorism investigation. Thats important context, because FBI guidelines allow three levels of investigation to address a potential threat to national security, beginning with assessments  which do not require any particular factual predication, as explained in a 2014 inspectors general report.

In recent years, the F.B.I. has averaged 10,000 assessments annually, and 7,000 to 10,000 preliminary or full investigations involving international terrorism, the New York Times reported last year.

On the same day that Trump signed the executive order, Reuters reported, The FBI is investigating 300 people who were admitted into the United States as refugees as part of 1,000 counterterrorism investigations involving Islamic State or individuals inspired by the militant group, congressional sources told Reuters on Monday, citing senior administration officials. But a federal law enforcement official told us that report is not accurate and advised us to avoid the 300 out of 1,000 construct.

The law enforcement official, who asked to remain anonymous, said in FBI parlance investigations, as used in the executive order, means full investigations. The official would not say how many full investigations involving terrorism are underway, but referred us to the Times article that said the FBI averages 7,000 to 10,000 preliminary or full investigations a year.

If so, then that would mean that refugees are not 30 percent of counterterrorism investigations  as reported by Reuters and repeated by some news outlets  but rather somewhere between 3 percent and 4.3 percent. But we dont know for sure, because the administration wont say.

What we do know is that few terrorism investigations result in prosecutions. We also know that no refugees were involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and no refugees have been responsible for any terrorism-related deaths in the U.S. since 9/11, as we have written before.

Refugees a Threat to National Security?

We began asking the Trump administration for information about counterterrorism investigations involving refugees on March 6, when the president signed a new executive order on foreign terrorist entry. The new order revokes and replaces an earlier version  executive order 13769  that was blocked by the federal courts.

The new order imposes a 90-day travel ban on the citizens of six predominately Muslim countries (Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen) who do not have valid visas, and suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days. The order said the delay is needed to improve screening and vetting procedures.

Refugees undergo the highest degree of screening of any traveler to the U.S., according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. That screening process takes 18 months to two years and includes fingerprinting and checking records against databases maintained by the National Counterterrorism Center, the Pentagon, the FBI and Interpol, as we have previously written.

The order justifies the revised restrictions on entry into the U.S. by declaring that foreign-born nationals, including refugees, have proved to be threats to our national security.

As we also have reported, the U.S. has accepted more than 3 million refugees since 1975, but few of them attempted terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. A 2016 report by the libertarian Cato Institute called Terrorism and Immigration identified 154 foreign-born people, including 20 refugees, who were convicted of carrying out or attempting to carry out a terrorist attack in the U.S. over a 40-year period, from 1975 to 2015.

Three refugees were responsible for three terrorism-related deaths  all in the 1970s, according to the Cato report.

Separately, Kathleen Newland of the Migration Policy Institute came to a similar conclusion in 2015, when she looked at the number of terrorism-related prosecutions involving refugees since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. No one in the U.S. has been killed in a terrorist incident by a resettled refugee since 9/11, Newland told us in an email for this story.

Unlike the first executive order, the new order included new language about current counterterrorism investigations involving refugees.

Executive Order, March 6: The Attorney General has reported to me that more than 300 persons who entered the United States as refugees are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Sessions, the attorney general, made a similar statement in remarks on the day the new executive order was signed.

Sessions, March 6: We also know that people seeking to support or commit terrorist attacks here will try to enter through our refugee program. In fact, today more than 300 people who came here as refugees are under FBI investigation for potential terrorism-related activities.

We repeatedly sent emails to the White House, the Justice Department and the FBI, seeking information on the current investigations. Specifically, we asked if the more than 300 refugees are under full investigation, preliminary investigation, or are they at the assessment level. The White House referred us to the Justice Department, which told us it would provide no additional information.

Context is important. Knowing that there are more than 300 refugees under investigation without any other information reminds us of the late comedian George Carlins gag about sportscasters who referred to games in progress as partial scores. Carlin would joke, Heres a partial score: Notre Dame 6.

FBI Terror Investigations

After the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, the FBI adopted guidelines that greatly expanded its investigative powers.

In December 2008, then-Attorney General Mike Mukasey changed the FBIs Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide that gave the FBI more leeway to engage in proactive investigative work without the level of evidence required by preliminary or full investigations, according to an April 2013 report, The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Terrorism Investigations, by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

CRS, April 24, 2013: The most prominent changes in the Mukasey Guidelines and the DIOG concern assessments. Agents and analysts may now use assessments outside of the more traditional preliminary and full investigations, which require some level of factual predication. Preliminary investigations can be opened with any allegation or information indicative of possible criminal activity or threats to the national security. Opening a full investigation requires an articulable factual basis of possible criminal or national threat activity. On the other hand, opening an assessment does not require particular factual predication.

The investigative methods used during the assessment stage are generally those of relatively low intrusiveness, such as obtaining publicly available information, checking government records, and requesting information from members of the public, according to the FBI. CRS says that includes public surveillance and the use of confidential informants to penetrate conspiracies.

As a result of the so-called Mukasey guidelines, the number of people under FBI surveillance sharply increased. CRS said that the FBI in a three-month period from December 2008 to March 2009 initiated 11,667 assessments, although only 427 of them advanced to preliminary or full investigations. Officials noted that about one-third of the assessments resulted from vague tips, CRS said.

Over a two-year period, from March 25, 2009, to March 31, 2011, the FBI opened 42,888 assessments of people or groups to see whether they were terrorists or spies, according to government data obtained by the New York Times under a FOIA request.

Information gathered by agents during those assessments had led to 1,986 preliminary or full investigations, the Times wrote in that Aug. 23, 2011, story.

We dont know if the counterterrorism investigations cited in the executive order are assessments, preliminary or full investigations. As we said earlier, the federal law enforcement official we contacted for this story told us they refer to full investigations and referred us to last years New York Times article that said the FBI in recent years has averaged 7,000 to 10,000 preliminary or full investigations a year. That Times story also said, Most investigations never end in prosecution.

Its silly for them to cite investigations, most of which will never lead to convictions or even charges being filed, to support a public policy like this, Alex Nowrasteh, author of the Cato report on terrorism and immigration, told us an email.

David Bier, an immigration policy analyst at Cato, wrote in a March 8 blog that the U.S. averaged 27 terrorism convictions per year in the five years from 2010 to 2014, which was based on a database of terrorism and terrorism-related convictions compiled by the DOJs National Security Division. Citing the New York Times article from last year for the number of FBI preliminary and full investigations, Bier estimated that about 0.3 percent of all terrorism investigations result in convictions.

Taking the middle of the 7,000 to 10,000 range for the number of new FBI investigations (8,500) would mean that only about 0.3 percent of all terrorism investigations end in terrorism convictions, Bier wrote.

Of course, there are incidents of refugees who have attempted terrorist attacks in the U.S., just as there have been incidents involving U.S. citizens, green-card holders and visa holders. Trumps executive order mentions two terrorism cases involving refugees  including the conviction of Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a native of Somalia who had been brought to the United States as a child refugee.

As we have written before, Mohamud was charged in an undercover sting operation with attempting to set off a fake bomb supplied by undercover FBI agents at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Portland. He was sentenced in October 2014 to 30 years in prison.

Mohamud was only 5 years old when he entered the U.S., so it is not clear if anyone that young would have been denied entry under more extreme vetting, as Trump has advocated.

The executive order also referenced the convictions of Iraqi refugees Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi. The U.S. was unaware when Alwan entered the country in 2009 that he was involved in planting and detonating IEDs against U.S. troops in Iraq. After learning of Alwans criminal past, the FBI set up a sting operation that led to the arrest of Alwan and Hammadi on multiple terrorism charges related to a conspiracy to kill Americans overseas. They were sentenced in January 2013, as we have written before.

The case involving the two Iraqi refugees  which Kellyanne Conway, Trumps counselor, mistakenly referred to as the Bowling Green massacre  did not result in any deaths. But it did lead to a tightening of the vetting process at the time.

It is understandable that the Trump administration has sought to justify the need for its new executive order. After all, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the first order in part because the administration failed to present evidence to explain the need for the Executive Order. For this reason, perhaps, the new order cited ongoing counterterrorism investigations of more than 300 refugees. But the administration renders that number meaningless by failing to provide any other information.

FactCheck.org is a non-partisan non-profit organization that will hold candidates and key figures accountable during the 2016 presidential campaign. FactCheck.org will check facts of speeches, advertisements and more for NBC.
Criss Angel was hospitalized and his Mindfreak Live! show at the Luxor in Las Vegas was cut short Friday after he appeared to lose consciousness in the middle of a dangerous stunt.

"During Friday evening's performance, while attempting his famed upside down straitjacket escape while suspended by his feet, he lost consciousness," a rep for the celebrity illusionist told People Saturday. "He was lowered to the stage and rushed to the hospital where he was evaluated and released early this morning."

The rep said that Angel was undergoing additional testing Saturday.

Scores of the magician's fans expressed shock and support for the star online.

"He is grateful for the outpouring of love and concern from his fans around the world," Angel's rep said.

The rep also said that Angel and his son had to cancel a scheduled appearance at a Southern Nevada fundraiser Saturday morning.

"Due to Friday's events, Criss and his son Johnny Crisstopher were unable to attend a previously scheduled appearance at a fundraiser for MakeAWish of Southern Nevada Saturday morning. In his absence, a representative of HELP, the nonprofit Criss created to find a cure for pediatric cancer, presented MakeAWish with a $100,000 donation."

Ouch! Injured Celebs

Witnesses had described the incident on social media.

"10 mins into the show, Criss Angel was doing his upside down straitjacket stunt and was almost out after spinning for 2 mins and then they let him down," Peter Sehl wrote on Facebook. "He stopped moving, curtain down. Break for 15 mins. Now show cancelled. Hope he is ok!! Didn't appreciated peoples comments as they were leaving."

"Went to a @CrissAngel show and I think he almost died," one user wrote on Twitter. "They had to cancel the show after like 15 mins. hope he's cool though."

"At the Criss Angel Show. Something went wrong when he tried to escape from a jacket while suspended," Ryan Perez tweeted. "Show has been cancelled."

He said that after customers complained, full refunds were issued.

In 2013, Angel severely injured his shoulder and bicep while performing a similar stunt in Times Square in New York City. His Cirque du Soleil show "Believe" at the Luxor was halted temporarily for months while he recovered.
Thousands of customers who were impacted by a fire at a PECO substation Tuesday lost power again Saturday due to the bitter cold temperatures.

Officials say Saturday's temperatures caused generators to malfunction for residents in the Hunting Park section of the city and other North Philadelphia neighborhoods. In all, 11,598 PECO customers lost power Saturday. That number was reduced to 1,553 as of 10:30 p.m.

The generators were being used by residents who lost power Tuesday when an electrical fire spread through the Westmoreland substation on 2634 W. Westmoreland Street. Around 36,000 customers were without power at the peak of the fire.

Traffic lights at surrounding intersections throughout North Philadelphia were out due to the fire. Generators and stop signs were placed in impacted intersections from Broad to 33rd streets and in the Hunting Park section of the city. Police also assisted at the busier intersections.

PECO crews continue to work to restore power for those impacted by the outages Tuesday and Saturday.
President Donald Trump sends Congress a proposed budget this week that will sharply test Republicans' ability to keep long-standing promises to bolster the military, making politically painful cuts to a lengthy list of popular domestic programs.

The Republican president will ask his adopted political party, which runs Capitol Hill, to cut domestic agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, along with grants to state and local governments and community development projects. The spending plan, set for release Thursday, would make the Pentagon the big winner with a $54 billion boost to defense spending.

Trump has promised to "do a lot more with less," but his blueprint faces a reality test with Republicans, many of whom are already protesting.

Republicans have groused about some of the preliminary plans, including elimination of the $3 billion community development block grant program that's popular among local GOP officials, a 25 percent cut to the EPA and elimination of 3,000 jobs, and essentially scuttling a $300 million per-year program to clean up the Great Lakes.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is joining with Democrats to push back on that last proposed reduction. Cuts to the Coast Guard are meeting Republican resistance. Trump's plan to eliminate community development block grants was dismissed on Capitol Hill by those who remember how a modest cut to the program sank a spending bill not long ago.

"Unfortunately, we have no alternative but to reinvest in our military and make ourselves a military power once again," White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said on "Fox News Sunday."

The United States, however, already spends more than half trillion dollars on defense, more than the next seven countries combined.

Cohn defended the spending cuts elsewhere as necessary to balance the budget. "These are tough decisions, but the president has shown he is ready, willing and able to make these tough decisions," he said Sunday.

Democrats are unlikely to support the cuts, and Republican defections raise the possibility of a congressional train wreck and a potential government shutdown when the 2018 budget year begins Oct. 1.

Preliminary reports on the budget show some domestic Cabinet agencies, such as the departments of Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs, would see increases, including $3 billion for Trump's promised wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump said repeatedly during the campaign that Mexico would pay for that project, but Mexico has said no.

Those intended spending increases, however, would mean deeper cuts elsewhere.

People familiar with the budget who spoke on condition of anonymity in advance of the public release say the White House is seeking a 30 percent cut from an Energy Department office that promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy. The office has funded research on projects such as LED light bulbs, electric trucks, advanced batteries and biofuels.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is targeted for at least $700 million in cuts from its current $2.1 billion budget, said Scott Sklar, chairman of the steering committee of the Sustainable Energy Coalition.

The Energy Department could see steep cuts for its 17 national laboratories, which conduct cutting-edge research on topics from nuclear power to advanced materials for energy generation, storage and use.

Trump's preliminary budget, delivered in secret to agencies last month, proposes a 37 percent cut to the State Department and foreign aid budgets. Those cuts and others were subject to revision in the back and forth that the White House had with agencies leading up to the coming release this week.

Trump's submission won't tell the complete story. It will be limited to the discretionary, $1 trillion-plus portion of the $4 trillion annual federal budget that pays for Cabinet agencies and departments.

These annually appropriated programs have been squeezed in recent years while the costs of mandatory programs such as Medicare and Social Security have risen each year, mostly unchecked.

The remainder of Trump's budget  proposals on taxes, mandatory spending and deficits and projections on the economy  won't come out until May. That document is sure to upset members of the GOP's once-proud and large band of deficit hawks, because Trump's full plans are sure to show large, permanent budget deficits, even with all of the tricks and tools available to the White House Budget office.

The government ran a $587 billion deficit last year that required it to borrow 15 cents of every dollar it spent. Looking ahead, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the government is on track for accumulated deficits of more than $9 trillion over the coming decade.

CBO Director Keith Hall warns that such huge deficits are putting the government on a long-term path that "would have serious negative consequences for the budget and the nation, including an increased risk of fiscal crisis."

But Trump is promising to leave the government's two largest programs, Medicare and Social Security, virtually untouched. He's also promising $1 trillion in infrastructure spending, even as pressure is building to finance tax cuts with borrowed money.

Trump's budget options are already being hemmed in by decisions on health care. The Trump-endorsed House bill cuts taxes by $1 trillion over the coming decade while devoting hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts toward a new GOP subsidy.

"They're going to have a hell of a hard time passing a budget that balances  even fabricating a budget that balances," said Kentucky Rep. John Yarmuth, the top Democrat on the House Budget committee. "This health care bill is going to make their budget very tricky."
Ten people have been displaced after a fire broke out at a two-story Paradise Hills home, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Monica Munoz said.

The fire broke out Sunday morning just before 9 a.m. on the 3000 block of Dardaina Drive.

Fire officials do not have details on how the fire started.

Three adults and seven kids were displaced.

No one was injured other than smoke inhalation. The people refused transport to the hospital.

There is no damage estimate yet.

An investigation is underway.

No other information was available.
It was a somber morning Saturday for the friends and family of U.S. Army Specialist Chase Simmons, who was laid to rest in Ramona.

Simmons, 23, suffered major injuries from a gruesome accident in December of 2015, when Simmons car collided with a semi-truck on State Route 67. He took the full impact of the crash to his head.

Simmons was home visiting from working in Seoul, South Korea. He was an Army behavior specialist who worked with soldiers suffering from PTSD.

His mother, Vicki Simmons, recalled how her son's death happened in the middle of his holiday leave.

Emotions turned quickly - from the joy of celebrating the holidays with her son to rushing by his side at the hospital.

You get really excited. You want family time, you want to enjoy every second of every day, she told NBC 7.

Vicki Simmons said she was on Facebook when she first saw reports of the crash on SR-67.

I was calling him and texting him to tell him not to drive home on the 67 because I knew he would get caught up in it, she said.

Vicki Simmons then recalled getting the phone call that every parent fears.

A woman called my phone and I didnt know who she was so I didnt respond. Then, Chases [picture] came up on my phone. I knew it was him. The same woman used Chases phone to call me, she said. "Thats the ultimate, worst phone call you could ever get in your life.

Simmons was transported to the hospital where doctors told the family he would only have 48 hours to live. Thats when his mother said she put her foot down and prepared to fight for her sons life.

Im a fighter, his dad is a fighter, and were fighting. We fought for a year and two months to get him back on his feet, she says. I got another year with my son. I was by his bedside almost every day  never left his side.

While Simmons bodily injuries were healing, his brain was deteriorating. He died March 2.

The loss of Chase Simmons was deeply felt by the San Diego community, who supported and prayed for him during his recovery.

His memory will live on through the lives he impacted. According to his mother, there were many.

He was just one of those guys who didnt follow a crowd, he liked everybody and he was nice to everybody. He accepted everybody, and just his heart weighed everything, Vicki Simmons told NBC 7.

The part of him that always wanted to serve, protect, and care for other people was one of the most amazing things that I loved about my son. Im very honored to call him mine, she said.
The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has lifted a water contact closure for the Imperial Beach shoreline following the recent Tijuana River sewage spill.

Last month, millions of gallons of raw sewage spilled in Tijuana and leaked into the Imperial Beach region, making the river and parts of the coast unsafe.

The shoreline was closed because of sewage-contaminated flows from the river as it entered the U.S.

Recent water testing found the Tijuana River flows are no longer having an impact on the Imperial Beach shoreline. The water quality now meets State standards, the DEH said.

The section now open includes the beach-line from the south end of Seacoast Drive to Carnation Avenue - as well as Camp Surf - to Imperial Beach.

The shoreline from the International Border to the south end of Seacoast Drive will be closed until sampling confirms the areas are safe for contact.

For more information on the Tijuana River, please call the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission at 619-662-7600.
U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-50th District) greeted a loud, and at times, rowdy crowd inside the Ramona Main Stage Saturday morning, for his first public forum since President Donald Trump took office.

50th congressional district constituents arrived as early as 6 a.m. to secure a seat inside for the 90 minute question and answer session.

The Main Stage, located on Main Street in the heart of Ramona, supports a crowd of only around 300 people, which meant hundreds of people wanting to get inside could not.

Critics and supporters lined the streets outside with signs showing their differences of political opinions leading to numerous arguments, but the event remained peaceful overall according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Hunter took the stage shortly after 10 a.m. immediately praising President Trump.

"I'm ecstatic to have Donald Trump as President" said Hunter prompting a loud mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd.

Conservatives and liberals hoping to hear more about the representative's view on everything from military to immigration submitted questions, which were then dumped into a giant tub and pulled randomly by a volunteer.

Juanita Takeda of Escondido arrived around 6 am to get a front row seat with hopes of getting Hunter's attention on health care.

"Everybody is not going to get covered, they don't know how much it costs yet," she said.

Hunter told the crowd 'everyone who wants coverage will be covered' and bashed Obamacare as a flawed product of big government.

"Frankly, Obamacare is destroying itself" said Hunter. "I would like a full 100% repeal. 100 percent."

Hunter promised to hold another similar town hall in a larger venue, but when pressed by a woman upset with the small venue, would not commit to doing it by summer.
U.S. Darrell Issa (R- 49th District) held a town hall Saturday in Oceanside to meet with constituents over rising concerns regarding immigration and health care.

Hundreds of people packed Junior Seau Recreation Center in Oceanside to hear Issa answer questions.

Questions were selected by raffle. Most of the questions involved health care coverage and the GOP's aim to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act known as "ObamaCare."

Halley Lewis of Rancho Santa Fe told the crowd she turns out at his Vista office on Tuesday morning and that she's not a paid protestor. She wanted to know where Issa stands on building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

"A wall doesn't work nearly as well as two fences that the Border Patrol is able to drive in between," Issa said, adding that a fence around his own home provides some protection.

Ultimate, Issa said, "We need to work with Mexico." He also suggested we work with the Department of Homeland Security to give them the tools they need to secure our borders.

Issa received applause from the crowd when he said he doesn't support defunding the EPA and when he said he supports an investigation into meddling in the presidential election.

U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (D- 53rd District) and U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R - 50th District) planned separate town hall events Saturday.

Recently, Issa faced protesters outside his Vista office who were upset with the GOP's plan to replace the Affordable Care Act.

During a joint town hall, Davis and U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D - 52nd District) faced angry residents, demanding more outrage from their lawmakers amid happenings in our nation's capitol under the new President and GOP-led Congress.

This Saturday, town hall events for Davis, Issa and Hunter are either completely booked or are expected to fill up quickly.

Issa will hold two sessions at the Junior Seau Recreation Center in Oceanside.

NBC 7's Alex Presha is in Oceanside where police are preparing for a large turnout and possible protests.
Joining forces with hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the state, the San Diego County Sheriffs Department took part in a Shoulder Tap Operation Saturday to keep kids from getting alcohol in stores.

After conducting the sweep between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in San Marcos, a decoy pretending to be a minor trying to get alcohol from someone going into a store made 37 contacts with people resulting in three citations. The decoy visited eight stores during the operation.

NBC 7

If convicted of selling or buying alcohol for a minor, a person can spend up to six months in jail and be fined a minimum of $1,000.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 4,300 people under 21 die in alcohol-related incidents each year, and in 2015, 31 teenage drivers were killed in DUI crashes, according to the latest Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) statistics.

The programs goal is to reduce the availability of alcohol for minors. It was conducted with help from a $100,000 grant from ABC.

The grant money will also be used to fight alcohol-related crimes and to educate ABC-licensed businesses on how to make communities safer.

So far, 410 people have been arrested statewide.
Malaysia's foreign minister said Saturday that the government hopes to begin formal talks with North Korea in the "next few days" on solving a diplomatic dispute that has seen the two countries bar each other's citizens from leaving.

The dispute stems from the mysterious poisoning death of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur's airport. Malaysia says Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent, but North Korea  which is widely suspected to be behind the attack  rejects the findings.

Relations have steadily deteriorated, with each country expelling the other's ambassador. On Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a "fair settlement" of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said Saturday that communication was ongoing with the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and that both sides were ready for formal talks. He said many countries offered to help, but "we don't need a third party's help for the time being and hopefully will never need them."

"We are ready ... they (also) want to start talking. We hope (to begin) in the next few days," Anifah told reporters after meeting with the families of the nine Malaysians still stranded in North Korea. "The safety of our people is our paramount concern and we are doing everything possible."

He said the nine Malaysians  three embassy workers and their family members  were safe and allowed to move freely.

About 1,000 North Koreans are believed to be in Malaysia.

Anifah said the return of Kim's body would be part of the talks' agenda. "We don't want to keep the body more than what is necessary," he said. "Eventually we have to surrender the body to someone, whether to the government or next-of-kin."

North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysia's autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked in a crowded airport terminal.

On Friday, Malaysian police confirmed that Kim Chol and Kim Jong Nam was the same person, but refused to say how they identified Kim. Malaysian authorities have asked for Kim's immediate family to provide DNA samples to identify the body, but nobody has come forward. Malaysia's prime minister has said they may be too scared.

Although Malaysia has never directly accused North Korea of being behind the attack, many speculate that Pyongyang must have orchestrated it. Experts say the VX nerve agent used to kill Kim was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons.

Four of the seven North Korean suspects being sought by Malaysia are believed to have left the country the day Kim was killed. Police say the other three suspects, including a North Korean diplomat, are believed to be in hiding at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

The attack was caught on surveillance video that shows two women going up to Kim and apparently smearing something on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes, authorities say. Two women  one Indonesian, one Vietnamese  have been charged with murder but say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.
The Massachusetts man who assaulted his Uber driver then proceeded to steal his car is now under arrest.

Just after 2:30 a.m. on Saturday Medford police received report of an Uber driver in need of assistance.

The driver told the officers he picked up four people in Boston and during the ride the passengers started to get rowdy. He pulled over onto Salem Street in Medford and asked the riders to get out of his car. Two of the riders complied, but the other two did not listen.

One of the passengers assaulted the driver and stole his car.

After speaking with the other riders, police were able to identify 33-year-old Nicholas Fabrizio from Lynn as the man responsible for the assault and carjacking.

Fabrizio eventually turned himself in at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. The stolen vehicle was recovered in Malden.

Following the assault the Uber driver was taken to the hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries. He has since been released and is expected to recover.
If you packed away your parka, it looks like its time to pull it back out. An arctic chill is hitting New England and potentially historic March blizzard is on the way.

People throughout the Commonwealth are rushing to grocery stores, trying to grab as much as they can ahead of Tuesdays storm.

The manager at the Trucchis in Abington says like always it is bread, milk, and eggs selling out the quickest.

Anne Marie Moczulewski from Dorchester, a self-described winter person, says she prefers the cold snap to the heat and humidity of August.

But many residents are not happy about the freezing temperatures and another round of snow.

The wind chill is crazy. I think when I looked this morning it said -8 or -17 out, and it definitely feels like that with this crazy wind, said Bostonian Finley Hines.

Some New Englanders are used to the cold, but most say they just want consistency.

Its taking a toll on me, said Mark Rogers from Rockland. I cant wait for spring.

Esteban Guevara, another local, added, It just doesnt seem right for this time of year.

Many find it hard to believe that such severe weather is on the way after Boston saw record high temperatures just last month.

But for now, blizzard and winter storm watches are in effect.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agencys warning issued a statement warning residents of a potential 14-18 inches of heavy snow, with 2-4 inches falling per hour.

Doctors call the snowfall expected on Tuesday heart attack snow. Wet and heavy snow is what raises concern for physicians. Shoveling snow can lead to chest pains and shortness of breath for a lot of people.

Anybody who has poor blood flow to any part of the heart, when they exert themselves its like a stress test, says Dr. Andrew Liteplo from Massachusetts General Hospital.

MEMA advises limiting any time spent outside and keeping a close eye on pets.
New Hampshire Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen are planning a roundtable discussion on Monday to address the American Health Care Act and its potential effects on the state.

Senator Hassan has been very vocal about her dissatisfaction with the new healthcare policies proposed by the Trump Administration that would repeal both the Affordable Care Act and New Hampshires Medicaid expansion plan. Additionally, both public health and substance misuse treatment experts have commented that the AHCA could intensify the opioid crisis.Both Hassan and Shaheen believe the American Health Care Act will have a detrimental effect on New Hampshire and will stifle both senators efforts in fighting against fentanyl, heroin, and opioid addiction.

Hassan and Shaheen are working alongside the Laconia Police Chief Chris Adams, Laconia Fire Deputy Chief Shawn Riley, and other local recovery and treatment providers to battle the opioid crisis. Together they will hold a press conference to discuss the future of the state of New Hampshire.
This is the political cartoon that led to the coining of the term gerrymander. The district depicted in the cartoon was created by the Massachusetts legislature to favor the incumbents of Gov. Elbridge Gerry's party in 1812.


Norwich Bishop's Songs of Praise move warning Norwich Bishop's Songs of Praise move warning

The Bishop of Norwich has warned that the BBC losing the right to make Songs of Praise could be another nail in the coffin of the religious literacy of the nation.
Welcome to the first opening of The Gearhead Toolbox. There are so many really amazing tools and services appearing these days Im going to start regularly posting a selection from the Toolbox to make sure you know whats hot. In this, the first installment, we focus on static web site generators and hosting.

StaticGen, choosing a static web site generator

There are lots of web publishing frameworks and a design thats become extremely popular is static web sites. The rationale for sites built this way is that they are simple to host (theres little or no server side configuration required) and compared to products like WordPress they present no attack surface making it trivially easy to secure your content from hackers. On top of that, without the overhead of running databases and tons of supporting backend code, static web sites are really fast so youll get better SEO ratings!

If a static web site sounds like a good solution for your online content you have a problem: Which one to choose because there are, literally, hundreds available. StaticGen, run by the static web site hosting company, Netlify, tracks open source static web site generators. If its a static web site generator with a GitHub repo, youll find it on StaticGen and you can filter the projects by language then sort by star ratings, forks, issues, or titles. This is a really good place to start selecting your next web content platform.

Punch, a static web site generator

Written in JavaScript and running under Node.js, Punch is a static web site framework that uses the Mustache templating engine and stores your content in JSON. You can create content using Markdown, CoffeeScript, and Less . Punch provides boilerplates, inheritable layouts, and partials and supports minification, asset bundling, and on-the-fly previewing. Punch is open source software available under the MIT License.

Netlify, hosting a static web site

Whether youre using Punch, Jekyl, or some other static site generator, youre going to want to host your web site somewhere to make it publicly visible. While there are endless traditional hosting choices available, Netlify is one of the big players in the specialist world of static web hosting. With Netlify you can deploy a folder of static content by just dragging it onto the browser window, set up continuous deployment with Github and netlify will run your build command installing dependencies from any Gemfile, package.json, bower.json or requirements.txt in the root of your repository, and deploy the result whenever you push to Github.

Pricing starts in the best way: Free for prototypes and experiments with a free custom domain secured with a Lets Encrypt TLS certificate and supports continuous deployment. The lowest paid plan, Basic, costs $9 per site per month and includes pre-rendering, API proxying, and built-in form submissions. CDN services are available with their top-end Global plan that costs $349 per site per month.

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Kirsten Lloyd and Judith Marcham are nominated for the roles

THE Newbury and District Agricultural Society has announced the names of this years Royal County of Berkshire Show president and chairwoman.

Show president will be Kirsten Lloyd, who grew up in Woolley, near Wantage.

Her A-level education in London was followed by an extended trip to Australia where she worked on a sheep and cattle station for a year.

The country life made her realise she didnt want to go back to the urban life she led in London and so, upon her return to the UK, she attended Cirencester Agricultural College for a year and, during her time there, bought some mule ewes, which she kept on the family farm at South Fawley.

Ms Lloyd is very involved with the farm and said: Its a great honour to have been asked to become this years president and it is hard to pick out any single thing I am looking forward to.

Show chairwoman Judith Marcham grew up in Kent and worked on a number of farms in Kent, Surrey and Sussex as a freelance farm secretary before moving to Berkshire in 1988.

She and her family have always been connected to farming and agricultural shows  her grandfather was a founding member of the Edenbridge and Oxted Show.

Ms Marcham first became involved with the Royal County of Berkshire Show in 1993 and spent most of her time in the cattle area, becoming its chairwoman in 2004.

In that time, she saw cattle entries grow to record numbers and introduced more breeds before stepping down in 2015 to concentrate on her vice-chairwoman role.

She said: Its a great honour to be chairman of the show this year and I am looking forward to my year with huge excitement.

We have some wonderful outings to look forward to throughout the summer, as well as the very exciting programme for the show.

I know Kirsten and I will have great fun working together and meeting as many people as we can.
M Rajendran By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Inadequacy in Indian Cyber law and Cyber security provisions pose big challenges for all, especially corporate lawyers. These, say cyber-law experts, have to deal with cases on disputes in a nascent digital environment.

This inadequacy has become more critical post-demonetisation and the governments current thrust on a cashless economy, including the latest directive to make available mobile banking services to all by March 31.

Companies need to come up with out of the box thinking and creative legal approaches while dealing with Cyberlaw and challenges in cybersecurity laws post-demonetisation, Pavan Duggal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India and expert on Cyberlaw told Express.

He also stressed the need for companies to comply with statutory provisions under Indian Cyberlaw, as also with new notifications from the Government of India when dealing with Cybersecurity breaches.

Awareness in corporate management about digital cash is still in the learning phase. There is a need to correct the disconnect in digital compliance, Rajesh Uppal, Executive Director, IT and CIO, Maruti Suzuki said.

Corporate lawyers are also concerned about the growing the need for companies to ensure due diligence while exercising their duties as stipulated under the law in a digitised environment, while dealing with cashless money.

An increase in cyber threats, especially with insiders breaching cybersecurity, has reached a massive inflection point. On the issue of cybersecurity, managements are still in a reactive mode, pointed out Harsh Marwah, Country Manager, Verizon Enterprise Solutions.

Anoop Bose, Legal Advisor to several top-shot corporates like TCS, agreed. There is an intrinsic problem that lawyers and the judiciary face while dealing with corporate and financial matters in this new digital ecosystem.

Legal experts also agree that a lot of work needs to be done on cyber law.

The RBI requires inputs from industry to find out the latest challenges and trends, while the legal framework needs to catch up with reality, says Kum Kum Budgujjar, Legal advisor, RBI. Corporate lawyers and industry experts observe that there is, currently, an absence of a nation-wide industry platform to represent the cumulative interest of intermediaries.

Meanwhile technology companies have become innovators and disruptors who are ushering in new technological developments. At a recent conference, we urged the Government to give far more support and encouragement to intermediaries as innovators and technological disruptors, as these companies will further help the pace of adoption of cashless digital economy in India, said Duggal.

NEW DELHI: Inadequacy in Indian Cyber law and Cyber security provisions pose big challenges for all, especially corporate lawyers. These, say cyber-law experts, have to deal with cases on disputes in a nascent digital environment. This inadequacy has become more critical post-demonetisation and the governments current thrust on a cashless economy, including the latest directive to make available mobile banking services to all by March 31. Companies need to come up with out of the box thinking and creative legal approaches while dealing with Cyberlaw and challenges in cybersecurity laws post-demonetisation, Pavan Duggal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India and expert on Cyberlaw told Express. He also stressed the need for companies to comply with statutory provisions under Indian Cyberlaw, as also with new notifications from the Government of India when dealing with Cybersecurity breaches. Awareness in corporate management about digital cash is still in the learning phase. There is a need to correct the disconnect in digital compliance, Rajesh Uppal, Executive Director, IT and CIO, Maruti Suzuki said. Corporate lawyers are also concerned about the growing the need for companies to ensure due diligence while exercising their duties as stipulated under the law in a digitised environment, while dealing with cashless money. An increase in cyber threats, especially with insiders breaching cybersecurity, has reached a massive inflection point. On the issue of cybersecurity, managements are still in a reactive mode, pointed out Harsh Marwah, Country Manager, Verizon Enterprise Solutions. Anoop Bose, Legal Advisor to several top-shot corporates like TCS, agreed. There is an intrinsic problem that lawyers and the judiciary face while dealing with corporate and financial matters in this new digital ecosystem. Legal experts also agree that a lot of work needs to be done on cyber law. The RBI requires inputs from industry to find out the latest challenges and trends, while the legal framework needs to catch up with reality, says Kum Kum Budgujjar, Legal advisor, RBI. Corporate lawyers and industry experts observe that there is, currently, an absence of a nation-wide industry platform to represent the cumulative interest of intermediaries. Meanwhile technology companies have become innovators and disruptors who are ushering in new technological developments. At a recent conference, we urged the Government to give far more support and encouragement to intermediaries as innovators and technological disruptors, as these companies will further help the pace of adoption of cashless digital economy in India, said Duggal.
Pramod Thomas By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Six years ago V-Guard group founder Kochouseph Chittilappilly redefined the word charity by donating his own kidney to a truck driver he do not know. The gesture created a chain reaction, not only in the state, but across the nation and created awareness about organ donation. In his book The Gift, published recently, Kochouseph describes how he gave away a kidney and got richer at heart.

In one chapter he says, Thats the way life worked. It threw new ideas and adventures on our path every day. It was a matter of picking and choosing what you wanted.

The company was started in 1977 at a cheap lodge in Kochi with `1 lakh that Chittilappilly borrowed from his father. Now it is a Rs 1,750 crore national establishment with a decent presence in global markets.

A physics post graduate, he wanted a job at ISRO or BARC but never succeeded, ending up at Telex Limited, an electric firm. I spent three years there as a supervisor. Then I realised that there is no growth for the company and my future had become a question mark, Chittilappilly recalled.

Now, the group boasts amusement park chain Wonderla, Veegaland Developers and V-Star. Kochouseph is fully occupied with Veegaland Developers. When my sons Arun and Mithun grew up, they started to looking after Wonderla and V-Guard. Then, I became unemployed. I started Veegaland Developers to be engaged. Now, I am fully involved with the day to day affairs of the company, smiles Chittilappilly.

A versatile human being, the man is not only a hugely successful entrepreneur but is also a writer (with five books under his belt so farthree in English and two in Malayalam), a mentor and motivational speaker, an organ donation campaigner, a leader of the Stray-Dog-Free Movement in Kerala and a lot more besides.

An ardent reader, Kochouseph says he reads newspapers and books in the morning (he wakes up at 5.30 am everyday ever since his college days) and spends an hour on exercise. When going through newspapers I note down points on a book. Later I develop it into an article and post on social media. Mainly issues related to society, he explains.

Even though Chittilappilly is an avid news guzzler, he is also a fan of National Geography, Animal Planet, Discovery and History channels. He says he likes to read biographies and self-help books, reading more than one at a time.

His another interest is traveling. The idea of Wonderla, he points out, struck him when they visited Disney Land and Universal studios. It isnt suprising, when taking his TV preferences into consideration, that safaris in Tanzania and Kenya are another passion of his.

But nothing beats his passion for social work. My social activities are part of my social commitment. When I started business too, I was socially responsible, I paid my taxes with great transparency. I brought only `1 lakh from my home. The rest was given by the society. I respect that, Kochouseph signs off.

KOCHI: Six years ago V-Guard group founder Kochouseph Chittilappilly redefined the word charity by donating his own kidney to a truck driver he do not know. The gesture created a chain reaction, not only in the state, but across the nation and created awareness about organ donation. In his book The Gift, published recently, Kochouseph describes how he gave away a kidney and got richer at heart. In one chapter he says, Thats the way life worked. It threw new ideas and adventures on our path every day. It was a matter of picking and choosing what you wanted. The company was started in 1977 at a cheap lodge in Kochi with `1 lakh that Chittilappilly borrowed from his father. Now it is a Rs 1,750 crore national establishment with a decent presence in global markets. A physics post graduate, he wanted a job at ISRO or BARC but never succeeded, ending up at Telex Limited, an electric firm. I spent three years there as a supervisor. Then I realised that there is no growth for the company and my future had become a question mark, Chittilappilly recalled. Now, the group boasts amusement park chain Wonderla, Veegaland Developers and V-Star. Kochouseph is fully occupied with Veegaland Developers. When my sons Arun and Mithun grew up, they started to looking after Wonderla and V-Guard. Then, I became unemployed. I started Veegaland Developers to be engaged. Now, I am fully involved with the day to day affairs of the company, smiles Chittilappilly. A versatile human being, the man is not only a hugely successful entrepreneur but is also a writer (with five books under his belt so farthree in English and two in Malayalam), a mentor and motivational speaker, an organ donation campaigner, a leader of the Stray-Dog-Free Movement in Kerala and a lot more besides. An ardent reader, Kochouseph says he reads newspapers and books in the morning (he wakes up at 5.30 am everyday ever since his college days) and spends an hour on exercise. When going through newspapers I note down points on a book. Later I develop it into an article and post on social media. Mainly issues related to society, he explains. Even though Chittilappilly is an avid news guzzler, he is also a fan of National Geography, Animal Planet, Discovery and History channels. He says he likes to read biographies and self-help books, reading more than one at a time. His another interest is traveling. The idea of Wonderla, he points out, struck him when they visited Disney Land and Universal studios. It isnt suprising, when taking his TV preferences into consideration, that safaris in Tanzania and Kenya are another passion of his. But nothing beats his passion for social work. My social activities are part of my social commitment. When I started business too, I was socially responsible, I paid my taxes with great transparency. I brought only `1 lakh from my home. The rest was given by the society. I respect that, Kochouseph signs off.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Five trucks loaded with debris that entered Bangalore Universitys Jnana Bharathi campus were seized by the university authorities on Saturday.

After seizing the vehicles, Prof K N Ningegowda, Registrar administration, filed a complaint at Jnana Bharathi police station seeking an investigation to know details of the person who sent the trucks.

Ningegowda said, While I was going for lunch on Saturday I heard something being dumped inside the campus. When I checked, I found debris was being dumped from the trucks. We seized them and filed a police complaint.

Nowadays, the public started dumping garbage inside the campus. Mostly people dump the garbage when they come for their morning walk. Though we have put up boards the public is not bothering. This is the reason why we are stressing for banning public entry into the campus, he said.

Meanwhile, BU authorities also suspect role of insiders. If they do not have support from insiders, how can those five big trucks enter the campus freely despite full security at all the gates? asked Gowda.

BENGALURU: Five trucks loaded with debris that entered Bangalore Universitys Jnana Bharathi campus were seized by the university authorities on Saturday. After seizing the vehicles, Prof K N Ningegowda, Registrar administration, filed a complaint at Jnana Bharathi police station seeking an investigation to know details of the person who sent the trucks. Ningegowda said, While I was going for lunch on Saturday I heard something being dumped inside the campus. When I checked, I found debris was being dumped from the trucks. We seized them and filed a police complaint. Nowadays, the public started dumping garbage inside the campus. Mostly people dump the garbage when they come for their morning walk. Though we have put up boards the public is not bothering. This is the reason why we are stressing for banning public entry into the campus, he said. Meanwhile, BU authorities also suspect role of insiders. If they do not have support from insiders, how can those five big trucks enter the campus freely despite full security at all the gates? asked Gowda.
Kiran Parashar K M By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: A city court on Saturday issued arrest warrants against three management representatives of Ramky Infrastructure, including an assistant general manager, in the case related to the deaths of three people in a manhole on Monday last.

The city police have named the management representatives of the Hyderabad-based infrastructure company as accused in the case.

A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (IPC Section 304) was registered against Ramky and BWSSB officials. Having obtained the courts permission, the Byappanahalli police also booked a case under Section 8 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

A police source said, In the updated FIR copy, names of three people have been mentioned -- Anjaneyalu, Babu Reddy and another management representative of Ramky.

DCP (East) Ajay Hillori confirmed that arrest warrants have been issued against three people. He said, The key accused in the case is Babu Reddy, Assistant General Manager of Ramky. He looked after the companys operations in and around Bengaluru.

Police said, BWSSB had mentioned that the works were being carried out by Ramky Infrastructure Ltd, who had not informed BWSSB officials about the incident.

Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Hemant Nimbalkar said, Arrest warrants have been issued against the management representatives and people who are supposed to supervise the work.

Anjaneya Reddy (34), Dantha Yarrayya (35) and Thatta Thavitayya (40) died inside a manhole on Monday midnight in C V Raman Nagar. Reddy worked as a supervisor for Ramky Infrastructure Ltd. Yarrayya and Thavitayya were labourers. All hailed from Andhra Pradesh.

BENGALURU: A city court on Saturday issued arrest warrants against three management representatives of Ramky Infrastructure, including an assistant general manager, in the case related to the deaths of three people in a manhole on Monday last. The city police have named the management representatives of the Hyderabad-based infrastructure company as accused in the case. A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (IPC Section 304) was registered against Ramky and BWSSB officials. Having obtained the courts permission, the Byappanahalli police also booked a case under Section 8 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. A police source said, In the updated FIR copy, names of three people have been mentioned -- Anjaneyalu, Babu Reddy and another management representative of Ramky. DCP (East) Ajay Hillori confirmed that arrest warrants have been issued against three people. He said, The key accused in the case is Babu Reddy, Assistant General Manager of Ramky. He looked after the companys operations in and around Bengaluru. Police said, BWSSB had mentioned that the works were being carried out by Ramky Infrastructure Ltd, who had not informed BWSSB officials about the incident. Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Hemant Nimbalkar said, Arrest warrants have been issued against the management representatives and people who are supposed to supervise the work. Anjaneya Reddy (34), Dantha Yarrayya (35) and Thatta Thavitayya (40) died inside a manhole on Monday midnight in C V Raman Nagar. Reddy worked as a supervisor for Ramky Infrastructure Ltd. Yarrayya and Thavitayya were labourers. All hailed from Andhra Pradesh.
SV Krishna Chaitanya By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A day after NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced rediscovery of Indias first interplanetary spacecraft Chandrayaan-1, which lost contact in 2009, scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said the spacecraft identity was confirmed based on ISROs model predictions.



ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar told Express that NASA officials had contacted the national space agency after their radar system picked-up an unknown object moving around the moon in lunar orbit.



When we lost contact of Chandrayaan-1 during a technical snag in 2009, we knew exactly its orbit. Based on our knowledge, we have run models that will predict the spacecraft trajectory as on date and were able to say with conviction that the unknown object which NASA referred was Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.

It was a corroborated information. Without our inputs, it was impossible for NASA to confirm the identity since there is no information coming directly from the object. Our models can predict the location of the spacecraft at any given point of time after 10 years or even 100 years, Kiran Kumar said.



He further said the spacecraft will continue to move around in the same object for hundreds of years until the natural decaying process of the orbit kicks-in and spacecraft makes impact on to the surface of the moon.



When asked what it means for ISRO, Kumar said the spotting of Chandrayaan-1 does not bring anything new to the table. It does not have any significance because there is nothing that can be done to reestablish contact with the spacecraft. There is no power in it. Some of the solar panels that provide input to other systems onboard have snapped. So, it is just as good as any moving object in space, he said.



The space agency is now concentrating on Chandrayaan-2 mission, which is slated for launch in 2018. ISRO Propulsion Complex Director P V Venkitakrishnan said Chandrayaan-2 project was progressing well and the throttling of engine, which is a crucial technology for soft landing of the rover, will commence in Mahendragiri from May.



Indian scientists said finding a derelict spacecraft at lunar distance that has not been tracked for years is tricky as the moon is riddled with mascons (regions with higher-than-average gravitational pull) that can affect a spacecrafts orbit over time, and cause it to have crashed into moon.

The JPLs orbital calculations said Chandrayaan-1 is still circling 124 miles (200 km) above the lunar surface.

CHENNAI: A day after NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced rediscovery of Indias first interplanetary spacecraft Chandrayaan-1, which lost contact in 2009, scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said the spacecraft identity was confirmed based on ISROs model predictions. ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar told Express that NASA officials had contacted the national space agency after their radar system picked-up an unknown object moving around the moon in lunar orbit. When we lost contact of Chandrayaan-1 during a technical snag in 2009, we knew exactly its orbit. Based on our knowledge, we have run models that will predict the spacecraft trajectory as on date and were able to say with conviction that the unknown object which NASA referred was Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. It was a corroborated information. Without our inputs, it was impossible for NASA to confirm the identity since there is no information coming directly from the object. Our models can predict the location of the spacecraft at any given point of time after 10 years or even 100 years, Kiran Kumar said. He further said the spacecraft will continue to move around in the same object for hundreds of years until the natural decaying process of the orbit kicks-in and spacecraft makes impact on to the surface of the moon. When asked what it means for ISRO, Kumar said the spotting of Chandrayaan-1 does not bring anything new to the table. It does not have any significance because there is nothing that can be done to reestablish contact with the spacecraft. There is no power in it. Some of the solar panels that provide input to other systems onboard have snapped. So, it is just as good as any moving object in space, he said. The space agency is now concentrating on Chandrayaan-2 mission, which is slated for launch in 2018. ISRO Propulsion Complex Director P V Venkitakrishnan said Chandrayaan-2 project was progressing well and the throttling of engine, which is a crucial technology for soft landing of the rover, will commence in Mahendragiri from May. Indian scientists said finding a derelict spacecraft at lunar distance that has not been tracked for years is tricky as the moon is riddled with mascons (regions with higher-than-average gravitational pull) that can affect a spacecrafts orbit over time, and cause it to have crashed into moon. The JPLs orbital calculations said Chandrayaan-1 is still circling 124 miles (200 km) above the lunar surface.
Abhijit Mulye By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: BJP president Amit Shah is learnt to have held a meeting with senior RSS leaders in Mumbai on Friday. On the background of an upbeat mood within the BJP after exit polls in five states, the urgent and secret meeting has led to several speculations in political circles.

Shah is learnt to have met RSS Sarkaryawah (General Secretary) Bhaiyaji Joshi and Sah-Sarkaryawah (Joint General Secretary) Dr. Krishna Gopal at Yashwant Bhavan office of the RSS located at Parel in central Mumbai.

Though, sources within BJP confirmed Sahas visit, they were tightlipped about the details of the meeting.

According to sources Shah landed at Mumbai airport at around 10 in the morning. He was accompanied by his wife. Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar received Shah at the airport, from where they left for the meeting while Shahs wife preferred to visit the Siddhivinayak temple. Shahs meeting lasted only for about half an hour and he flew back to Delhi at around 12 noon.

With possibilities of BJP forming government in four states after Saturdays results, Shah might have flown in to discuss possible names for Chief Ministerial candidates, a senior state BJP functionary told the Express.

Chief Ministers in BJP-ruled states in the past couple of years have distinct RSS mark on them. They are either former RSS pracharaks or close to the RSS. Shah might have come with a list of probable candidates for chief ministers for final approval, the BJP leader said.

Joshi, who is in Mumbai for the past few days to prepare for the annual Pratinidhi Sabha (General Body Meeting) of the RSS to be held at Coimbatore next week was joined by Dr Krishna Gopal on Thursday night, sources within the RSS told the Express.



MUMBAI: BJP president Amit Shah is learnt to have held a meeting with senior RSS leaders in Mumbai on Friday. On the background of an upbeat mood within the BJP after exit polls in five states, the urgent and secret meeting has led to several speculations in political circles. Shah is learnt to have met RSS Sarkaryawah (General Secretary) Bhaiyaji Joshi and Sah-Sarkaryawah (Joint General Secretary) Dr. Krishna Gopal at Yashwant Bhavan office of the RSS located at Parel in central Mumbai. Though, sources within BJP confirmed Sahas visit, they were tightlipped about the details of the meeting. According to sources Shah landed at Mumbai airport at around 10 in the morning. He was accompanied by his wife. Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar received Shah at the airport, from where they left for the meeting while Shahs wife preferred to visit the Siddhivinayak temple. Shahs meeting lasted only for about half an hour and he flew back to Delhi at around 12 noon. With possibilities of BJP forming government in four states after Saturdays results, Shah might have flown in to discuss possible names for Chief Ministerial candidates, a senior state BJP functionary told the Express. Chief Ministers in BJP-ruled states in the past couple of years have distinct RSS mark on them. They are either former RSS pracharaks or close to the RSS. Shah might have come with a list of probable candidates for chief ministers for final approval, the BJP leader said. Joshi, who is in Mumbai for the past few days to prepare for the annual Pratinidhi Sabha (General Body Meeting) of the RSS to be held at Coimbatore next week was joined by Dr Krishna Gopal on Thursday night, sources within the RSS told the Express.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: A newly-elected Manipur MLA, who could tip the scale either way, was untraceable on Sunday evening and the Congress alleged he was abducted by the BJP.

Independent MLA, Ashab Uddin, had landed at Imphals Tulihal airport from Guwahati. Soon after landing, he was allegedly detained by the CISF personnel on duty.

When asked by The New Indian Express, a CISF inspector at the airport first refused to give any comments saying we have been given instructions (by top officials) not to talk on the issue. On being pressed, he said the MLA was not detained and that the allegation was false. Later, the Congress alleged the MLA was abducted and taken to Kolkata by the BJP.

The party said Ashab Uddin had come from Guwahati along with the States agriculture minister Md. Abdul Nashir in the same flight. They alleged that he had remained incommunicado since then. The MLAs mobile phone has been switched off for hours.

Ashab Uddin had come along with our agriculture minister. When the two of them were coming out, the CISF segregated him and took him to a room. Later, when some people wanted to meet him, they were denied entry by the CISF, Congress MLA Yengkhom Surchandra Singh told The New Indian Express.

The BJP is playing such dirty games to wrest power. They are using the CISF to meet their political ends, he alleged.

Surchandra claimed Ashab Uddin had on Saturday committed his support to the Congress over phone. After landing in Imphal he was to meet our leaders to pledge his support, Surchandra said.

He alleged that the BJP was also trying to poach the lone Trinamool Congress MLA, Tongbram Robindro Singh. The BJP leaders in the State were not available for comments, and calls made to several of them went unanswered.

The Congress had bagged 28 of the States 60 seats, three less than the magic figure of 31 as against BJPs 21. The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) and the National Peoples Party (NPP) won four seats each while the Lokjanshakti Party (LJP) and the Trinamool Congress bagged one seat each. Ashab Uddin was the lone Independent among winners.

While Congress needs three more seats, BJP needs just one to be able to form the government. Together with the support of allies NPF, NPP and LJP, the BJPs tally is 30, one short of 31. So, if Ashab Uddin lends his support, the BJP will be able to form the government.

The Congress has not lost hopes. Surchandra disclosed that the Congress was in touch with the NPP, the party from Meghalaya.

The NPPs Manipur leadership has already extended support to us. Even Meghalaya legislator James Sangma (son of former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma) met chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh at his official bungalow on Saturday and extended support. But on Sunday the NPP held a meeting and we dont know what transpired there. (Lok Sabha MP and brother of James) Conrad Sangma might have been lured by BJP Central leadership with cabinet berths etc, Surchandra said.

The NPP is a bitter rival of the Congress in Meghalaya. With Assembly elections there due next year, it looks unlikely that the NPP will risk its prospects by aligning with the Congress in Manipur. The NPF and the LJP have committed their support to the BJP. But in the politically-unstable Northeast, there have been numerous instances when MLAs went against party decisions to realise individual aspirations.

Meanwhile, sources said the BJP would meet Manipur governor Najma Heptulla on Sunday night to stake its claim. Ibobi was on Sunday elected the leader of Congress Legislature Party. With 28 seats, the Congress emerged as the single largest party but BJPs vote share was more than that of the Congress.



GUWAHATI: A newly-elected Manipur MLA, who could tip the scale either way, was untraceable on Sunday evening and the Congress alleged he was abducted by the BJP. Independent MLA, Ashab Uddin, had landed at Imphals Tulihal airport from Guwahati. Soon after landing, he was allegedly detained by the CISF personnel on duty. When asked by The New Indian Express, a CISF inspector at the airport first refused to give any comments saying we have been given instructions (by top officials) not to talk on the issue. On being pressed, he said the MLA was not detained and that the allegation was false. Later, the Congress alleged the MLA was abducted and taken to Kolkata by the BJP. The party said Ashab Uddin had come from Guwahati along with the States agriculture minister Md. Abdul Nashir in the same flight. They alleged that he had remained incommunicado since then. The MLAs mobile phone has been switched off for hours. Ashab Uddin had come along with our agriculture minister. When the two of them were coming out, the CISF segregated him and took him to a room. Later, when some people wanted to meet him, they were denied entry by the CISF, Congress MLA Yengkhom Surchandra Singh told The New Indian Express. The BJP is playing such dirty games to wrest power. They are using the CISF to meet their political ends, he alleged. Surchandra claimed Ashab Uddin had on Saturday committed his support to the Congress over phone. After landing in Imphal he was to meet our leaders to pledge his support, Surchandra said. He alleged that the BJP was also trying to poach the lone Trinamool Congress MLA, Tongbram Robindro Singh. The BJP leaders in the State were not available for comments, and calls made to several of them went unanswered. The Congress had bagged 28 of the States 60 seats, three less than the magic figure of 31 as against BJPs 21. The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) and the National Peoples Party (NPP) won four seats each while the Lokjanshakti Party (LJP) and the Trinamool Congress bagged one seat each. Ashab Uddin was the lone Independent among winners. While Congress needs three more seats, BJP needs just one to be able to form the government. Together with the support of allies NPF, NPP and LJP, the BJPs tally is 30, one short of 31. So, if Ashab Uddin lends his support, the BJP will be able to form the government. The Congress has not lost hopes. Surchandra disclosed that the Congress was in touch with the NPP, the party from Meghalaya. The NPPs Manipur leadership has already extended support to us. Even Meghalaya legislator James Sangma (son of former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma) met chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh at his official bungalow on Saturday and extended support. But on Sunday the NPP held a meeting and we dont know what transpired there. (Lok Sabha MP and brother of James) Conrad Sangma might have been lured by BJP Central leadership with cabinet berths etc, Surchandra said. The NPP is a bitter rival of the Congress in Meghalaya. With Assembly elections there due next year, it looks unlikely that the NPP will risk its prospects by aligning with the Congress in Manipur. The NPF and the LJP have committed their support to the BJP. But in the politically-unstable Northeast, there have been numerous instances when MLAs went against party decisions to realise individual aspirations. Meanwhile, sources said the BJP would meet Manipur governor Najma Heptulla on Sunday night to stake its claim. Ibobi was on Sunday elected the leader of Congress Legislature Party. With 28 seats, the Congress emerged as the single largest party but BJPs vote share was more than that of the Congress.
By ANI

IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was on Sunday elected as the Congress legislature party leader.

The 68-year-old politician, who had earlier made a record of running three successful governments from 2002-2017 in the insurgency-hit border state, led from the front and helped the Congress to emerge as the single largest party.

The Chief Minister won from the Thoubal Assembly seat by a margin of 10,400 votes. Rights activist Irom Sharmila, making her poll debut, was relegated to the fourth position.

Manipur witnessed a nail-biting contest between the BJP and Congress. The Congress won 28 seats to the BJP's 21 in the 60-member Manipur Assembly.

Out of the 60 assembly constituencies, a party has to win 31 seats to form the government in Manipur. In 2012, the Congress led by Ibobi Singh registered victory by winning 42 seats. Manipur has had 16 different CMs so far and not one has been from BJP.

IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was on Sunday elected as the Congress legislature party leader. The 68-year-old politician, who had earlier made a record of running three successful governments from 2002-2017 in the insurgency-hit border state, led from the front and helped the Congress to emerge as the single largest party. The Chief Minister won from the Thoubal Assembly seat by a margin of 10,400 votes. Rights activist Irom Sharmila, making her poll debut, was relegated to the fourth position. Manipur witnessed a nail-biting contest between the BJP and Congress. The Congress won 28 seats to the BJP's 21 in the 60-member Manipur Assembly. Out of the 60 assembly constituencies, a party has to win 31 seats to form the government in Manipur. In 2012, the Congress led by Ibobi Singh registered victory by winning 42 seats. Manipur has had 16 different CMs so far and not one has been from BJP.
Vikram Sharma By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Prashant Kishor, the man who persuaded the Congress leadership to enter the doomed alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh must be an unhappy man.

Kishor hit the headlines after he scripted Narendra Modis spectacular win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. A year later, he helped forge the alliance between Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Congress and other assorted partiesa Mahagathbandhan that routed the BJP in the October-November Assembly elections. Impressed by his record, he was hired by the Congress to help with the 2017 Assembly polls.

He was the man who mediated the SP-Congress alliance in UPand coined catchy slogans like UP Ke Ladke and UP ko yeh saath pasand hain which adorned campaign posters of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi standing next to each other. But this saath did not go down well with the voters in UP.

In fact, even SP stalwarts like Mulayam Singh opposed the tie up. Rahul Gandhi is using this gathbandhan to project himself as a national leader and more than winning or losing, he tried to make it a he versus Modi campaign, which failed miserably as Rahul, however he may try, cannot match the stature of Narendra Modi. Early on, Congress knew where it stood and therefore, tried to make something out of nothing, says AK Shrivastav, a Lucknow-based political analyst.

His strategy to exploit the bromance to the advantage of SP-Congress did nothing to capture the imagination of voters. For example, nearly 72 per cent of people supported PM Modis demonetisation move, of which nearly 37 per cent were youth (aged between 18 and 35). Less than 30 per cent supported the SP-Congress alliance, said RP Pathak, a political observer.

LUCKNOW: Prashant Kishor, the man who persuaded the Congress leadership to enter the doomed alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh must be an unhappy man. Kishor hit the headlines after he scripted Narendra Modis spectacular win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. A year later, he helped forge the alliance between Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Congress and other assorted partiesa Mahagathbandhan that routed the BJP in the October-November Assembly elections. Impressed by his record, he was hired by the Congress to help with the 2017 Assembly polls. He was the man who mediated the SP-Congress alliance in UPand coined catchy slogans like UP Ke Ladke and UP ko yeh saath pasand hain which adorned campaign posters of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi standing next to each other. But this saath did not go down well with the voters in UP. In fact, even SP stalwarts like Mulayam Singh opposed the tie up. Rahul Gandhi is using this gathbandhan to project himself as a national leader and more than winning or losing, he tried to make it a he versus Modi campaign, which failed miserably as Rahul, however he may try, cannot match the stature of Narendra Modi. Early on, Congress knew where it stood and therefore, tried to make something out of nothing, says AK Shrivastav, a Lucknow-based political analyst. His strategy to exploit the bromance to the advantage of SP-Congress did nothing to capture the imagination of voters. For example, nearly 72 per cent of people supported PM Modis demonetisation move, of which nearly 37 per cent were youth (aged between 18 and 35). Less than 30 per cent supported the SP-Congress alliance, said RP Pathak, a political observer.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The reverberations of BJP's electoral victory yesterday will be felt far beyond Uttar Pradesh--in the hallowed halls of Rajya Sabha and the grand old Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Along the way, the political career of maverick BSP leader Mayawati, whose party could clinch a measly 19 of the 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, also looks like having received a shock.

The party's victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has ensured that its share in the electoral college, which would elect the next President, goes up significantly.

The term of President Pranab Mukherjee is coming to an end on July 24 this year.

The notification for the Presidential election could be issued sometime in June.

The electoral college which elects the President through the system of proportional representation comprises of elected MPs and members of state legislative assemblies -- a total of 4896 voters including 4120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs.

While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, two nominated members from the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and 12 nominated MPs in the Rajya Sabha cannot.

The value of an MLA's vote depends on the size of the state he or she represents. But the value of the vote of a MP is the same and does not vary.

The total value of the electoral college is 10,98,882.

Before the assembly polls, the NDA was short of 75,076 votes in terms of value. But after BJP's astounding performance in UP, Uttarakhand and Manipur, the gap will narrow down to 20,000 votes, an official in the Election Commission explained.

If it is able to get the support of parties like AIADMK with 134 MLAs and BJD with 117 MLAs, it can place the person of its choice in the Rashtrapati Bhawan easily.

In the 243-member Rajya Sabha, the BJP as of now has 56 members, while the Congress with 59 is the single largest party. With yesterday's win, the BJP is set to emerge as the single largest party in the Rajya Sabha too next year and the NDA's tally would be close to 100. It would, however, still be short of a majority in the upper house.

Mayawati's BSP, which finished a poor third with a tally of just 19 seats, will not be in a position to send her to Rajya Sabha again when her current term ends next year.

NEW DELHI: The reverberations of BJP's electoral victory yesterday will be felt far beyond Uttar Pradesh--in the hallowed halls of Rajya Sabha and the grand old Rashtrapati Bhavan. Along the way, the political career of maverick BSP leader Mayawati, whose party could clinch a measly 19 of the 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, also looks like having received a shock. The party's victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has ensured that its share in the electoral college, which would elect the next President, goes up significantly. The term of President Pranab Mukherjee is coming to an end on July 24 this year. The notification for the Presidential election could be issued sometime in June. The electoral college which elects the President through the system of proportional representation comprises of elected MPs and members of state legislative assemblies -- a total of 4896 voters including 4120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs. While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, two nominated members from the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and 12 nominated MPs in the Rajya Sabha cannot. The value of an MLA's vote depends on the size of the state he or she represents. But the value of the vote of a MP is the same and does not vary. The total value of the electoral college is 10,98,882. Before the assembly polls, the NDA was short of 75,076 votes in terms of value. But after BJP's astounding performance in UP, Uttarakhand and Manipur, the gap will narrow down to 20,000 votes, an official in the Election Commission explained. If it is able to get the support of parties like AIADMK with 134 MLAs and BJD with 117 MLAs, it can place the person of its choice in the Rashtrapati Bhawan easily. In the 243-member Rajya Sabha, the BJP as of now has 56 members, while the Congress with 59 is the single largest party. With yesterday's win, the BJP is set to emerge as the single largest party in the Rajya Sabha too next year and the NDA's tally would be close to 100. It would, however, still be short of a majority in the upper house. Mayawati's BSP, which finished a poor third with a tally of just 19 seats, will not be in a position to send her to Rajya Sabha again when her current term ends next year.
The USSR-Finland Winter War ended on this day in 1940. The Finns, though outnumbered, fought the Red Army valiantly for months before finally accepting the USSRs harsh terms for peace

Communisms new clothes

The World War II had started in Sep. 1939. So why did the Nazis not oppose Soviet Unions imperialism? The Germans and USSR had signed a Non-Aggression Pact in Aug. 1939. And in it was a secret additional protocol whose contents became known only after the WWII with the capture of the secret German archives

Hitler-Stalin secret pact

Once again Germany and Russia, as in the days of the German kings and Russian emperors, had agreed to partition Poland, writes journalist William Shirer in The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. And in return, Hitler had given Stalin a free hand in Finland and the Baltic

But Finland had won independence from the USSR thanks to the intervention of German troops in 1918. So, when, the Soviets attacked Finland on Nov. 30, 1939, Hitler was placed in a most humiliating position for he had to condone Russias unprovoked attack on a little country with close ties to Germany

Stalins cynical and secret deal with Hitler to divide up Poland and to obtain a free hand to gobble up Latvia, Estonia and Finland was not known outside Berlin and Moscow, but it would soon become evident from Soviet acts, and would shock most of the world even at this late date ... the USSR had built up a certain moral force as the champion of peace and the leading opponent of fascist aggression. Now that moral capital had been utterly dissipated

William Shirer,

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

The USSR-Finland Winter War ended on this day in 1940. The Finns, though outnumbered, fought the Red Army valiantly for months before finally accepting the USSRs harsh terms for peace Communisms new clothes The World War II had started in Sep. 1939. So why did the Nazis not oppose Soviet Unions imperialism? The Germans and USSR had signed a Non-Aggression Pact in Aug. 1939. And in it was a secret additional protocol whose contents became known only after the WWII with the capture of the secret German archives Hitler-Stalin secret pact Once again Germany and Russia, as in the days of the German kings and Russian emperors, had agreed to partition Poland, writes journalist William Shirer in The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. And in return, Hitler had given Stalin a free hand in Finland and the Baltic But Finland had won independence from the USSR thanks to the intervention of German troops in 1918. So, when, the Soviets attacked Finland on Nov. 30, 1939, Hitler was placed in a most humiliating position for he had to condone Russias unprovoked attack on a little country with close ties to Germany Stalins cynical and secret deal with Hitler to divide up Poland and to obtain a free hand to gobble up Latvia, Estonia and Finland was not known outside Berlin and Moscow, but it would soon become evident from Soviet acts, and would shock most of the world even at this late date ... the USSR had built up a certain moral force as the champion of peace and the leading opponent of fascist aggression. Now that moral capital had been utterly dissipated William Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
If any further proof was needed of Indias diversity, it came on Saturday. In Delhi, my journalist friends sat glued to TV and Twitter, determined not to miss a single moment of the vote counting. I entered my office to hear the canteen manager interpreting Modis victory in Uttar Pradesh as crucial for the country to the guard who, incidentally, reads Competition Success in his free time. At lunch at India International Centre, the older lotmany with pinched facesdiscussed the polls. In the background, the pundits talked.

Pundit 1: As I predicted, Modi has done it. Hes here till 2024, easily.

Wide-eyed niece: But Chachu, last week you said Akhilesh would win. That even Benaras was not going to vote for Modi.

Pundit 1: When did I say that? Dont make up stories.

Insistent niece: After your trip to UP last fortnight.

Pundit 2: Dont embarrass your uncle, beta. He always gets it wrong. I knew from the beginning that Amit Shah would pull it off. His demonetisation move was sheer genius.

Embarrassingly-honest niece: Now youre lying, uncle. You hate notebandi, and say it hasnt achieved anything....

The evening took me to a party (of the non-political kind) in South Delhi. The Modi fans did a few high-fives but stopped once the more serious conversation about the long weekend got underway. Half the group had apparently already left for Goa; this lot was flying out on Sunday. Talking of Goa, had any of them given AAP a chance there at all? Arre, stop with the elections. Who cares who wins in Goa, as long as the winner doesnt do something crazy like impose prohibition, said Partyman 1. They would never risk that. Too many of us from Delhi and Mumbai have big properties there, responded Pompous Partyman 2. I opened my mouth to question the logic when a friend butted in with Never mind, and pulled me out of the room.

Quite confused by now about peoples priorities, I called my family in Kolkata. Bongs love politics, I told myself. They must be interested in the elections. My elderly uncle answered and immediately started barking questions about EVMs and whether they were actually faulty. Thrilled by his interest, I began to hold forth when my aunt grabbed the phone and began complaining about how warm Kolkata had become, and how her plants were suffering. I tried to steer the conversation back to the polls when she told me Id become another Mamata and abruptly disconnected.

Not yet ready to give up, my next call was to an aunt-in-law in Thiruvananthapuram. She picked up the phone with Its crazy out here. I can imagine, I said, and was going to launch into my analysis of the poll results, when she added: How sweet of you to remember and call to wish me. Er, remember what? I knew it wasnt her birthday so I ran to Google Kerala events. Aah. Happy Attukal Pongala, if thats the right way to say it, I said. Did you also cook prasad, I asked as I saw online pictures of women doing just that. Actually, I.., she began to explain. I kicked off my shoes and sat down to listen. Maybe the aunts know best. Maybe its better to stay with plants and prasad, and leave the polls to the political pundits...

If any further proof was needed of Indias diversity, it came on Saturday. In Delhi, my journalist friends sat glued to TV and Twitter, determined not to miss a single moment of the vote counting. I entered my office to hear the canteen manager interpreting Modis victory in Uttar Pradesh as crucial for the country to the guard who, incidentally, reads Competition Success in his free time. At lunch at India International Centre, the older lotmany with pinched facesdiscussed the polls. In the background, the pundits talked. Pundit 1: As I predicted, Modi has done it. Hes here till 2024, easily. Wide-eyed niece: But Chachu, last week you said Akhilesh would win. That even Benaras was not going to vote for Modi. Pundit 1: When did I say that? Dont make up stories. Insistent niece: After your trip to UP last fortnight. Pundit 2: Dont embarrass your uncle, beta. He always gets it wrong. I knew from the beginning that Amit Shah would pull it off. His demonetisation move was sheer genius. Embarrassingly-honest niece: Now youre lying, uncle. You hate notebandi, and say it hasnt achieved anything.... The evening took me to a party (of the non-political kind) in South Delhi. The Modi fans did a few high-fives but stopped once the more serious conversation about the long weekend got underway. Half the group had apparently already left for Goa; this lot was flying out on Sunday. Talking of Goa, had any of them given AAP a chance there at all? Arre, stop with the elections. Who cares who wins in Goa, as long as the winner doesnt do something crazy like impose prohibition, said Partyman 1. They would never risk that. Too many of us from Delhi and Mumbai have big properties there, responded Pompous Partyman 2. I opened my mouth to question the logic when a friend butted in with Never mind, and pulled me out of the room. Quite confused by now about peoples priorities, I called my family in Kolkata. Bongs love politics, I told myself. They must be interested in the elections. My elderly uncle answered and immediately started barking questions about EVMs and whether they were actually faulty. Thrilled by his interest, I began to hold forth when my aunt grabbed the phone and began complaining about how warm Kolkata had become, and how her plants were suffering. I tried to steer the conversation back to the polls when she told me Id become another Mamata and abruptly disconnected. Not yet ready to give up, my next call was to an aunt-in-law in Thiruvananthapuram. She picked up the phone with Its crazy out here. I can imagine, I said, and was going to launch into my analysis of the poll results, when she added: How sweet of you to remember and call to wish me. Er, remember what? I knew it wasnt her birthday so I ran to Google Kerala events. Aah. Happy Attukal Pongala, if thats the right way to say it, I said. Did you also cook prasad, I asked as I saw online pictures of women doing just that. Actually, I.., she began to explain. I kicked off my shoes and sat down to listen. Maybe the aunts know best. Maybe its better to stay with plants and prasad, and leave the polls to the political pundits...
Shankkar Aiyar By

It is springtimethe metaphor for change. This week a new regime will take charge in Uttar Pradesh. Will poll promises get converted, will hope triumph over history? In governance, size does matter and the odds, given the size, are stacked against the state.



The crux of the issue is capacity and embedded complexity. Consider the administrative set-up in Uttar Pradesh. Governance in rural areas flows via 75 districts, 822 blocks and 52,021 gram panchayats. In urban areas, that is over 650 towns and cities, governance is under 15 municipal corporations, 13 cantonment boards, 197 municipal boards, 267 census towns, 424 nagar panchayats.



There is no escaping from the harsh fact that Uttar Pradesh is too big to succeed. The state needs to be split into more manageable smaller states to enable 215 million people a shot at a better future. Historically, smaller states have done better. And the promise of the possibility is reflected in the indicators of Uttarakhand which was spliced from UP in November 2000per capita income of Uttarakhand has risen from `18,636 in 2001 to `1,51,219 in 2015-16, while that of UP has languished at `48,520.



The creation of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, too, delivered dividends for the new statesand the mother states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. It has been argued that size is not a panacea. True. Outcomes demand the confluence of necessary and sufficient conditions. And the creation of smaller states is a necessary condition for better governance.



The scale of the challenge in Uttar Pradesh is boggling. The state tops the population chart with over 215 million personsnearly twice that of Maharashtra, ranked second in population, and more than Bihar and West Bengal put together.

Indeed, Uttar Pradesh would rank fifth on the list of the most populous countries. Look at the landscape. India has 640,867 villages, of which 97,814 inhabited villages are in Uttar Pradesh. Quite simply nearly every sixth village in India is in Uttar Pradeshmore villages than in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu put together.



Democracy demands more than just election of representatives. It calls for a dialogue between the sovereign, which is the people, and the agents which would be the elected members. Intent apart, there is no denying the challenge presented by the scale. Imagine, an enthusiastic rural development or agriculture minister choosing to visit 10 per cent of the villages or if the urban development minister chooses to visit 10 per cent of the towns. Try the math!



The consequence of poor governance is visible across indicators. Of the 75 districts, 35 have been on the list of Indias most backward districts since 1960, and 41 are on the list of educationally backward districts. At `48,520, its per capita income is less than half the national average. Barely three out of 100 pay any tax and seven out of 10 households earn around `5,000 per month. The consequence of deprivation is reflected in human development indicesit trails a decade behind India in literacy, tops the fertility rate, and has the highest malnutrition and maternal mortality.



For decades caste politics has been blamed for the many failures that pockmark the political economy of Uttar Pradesh. Caste does dominate the political landscape of India. But the domination of Jats in Haryana, Marathas in Maharashtra or Thevars in Tamil Nadu has not detained urbanisation, growth and development.

The other alibi is that domination of regional parties has wrecked governance. The generalisation militates against experience elsewheresay Tamil Nadu which has been ruled by regional parties since 1967. The rule of regional parties in Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka hasnt derailed delivery of basic services.



Remember the state has not lacked political representation nine of the 14 prime ministers of India have been from or elected from the state. In Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) the state has over 100 MPs and the bicameral system elects over 500 legislators.



Representation, though, has been poor. Uttar Pradesh has been haunted by lawlessness and poor education standards. Despite this, over 3.5 lakh posts of teachers and police personnel are vacant. The 600-plus representatives have failed to hold governments accountable. The politicians of Uttar Pradesh have much to answer for but the many deficits are fundamentally the consequences of scale, density and complexity.



The idea for smaller states does enjoy political support. The Congress has seasonally argued for smaller states and during UPA II split Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana. Chaudhary Charan Singhs RLD, now led by Ajit Singh, has campaigned for it. In 2011, the Mayawati-led BSP government pushed through a resolution in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly for it to be split into four statesPurvanchal, Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Awadh Pradeshand has promised to do so if elected in 2017.



The BJP, too, has consistently argued the case for smaller states. It was the Vajpayee regime that oversaw the creation of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh out of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. In fact, its stand is acknowledged and reiterated in its 2014 manifesto, which states: BJP has always stood for greater decentralisation through smaller states. The division of Uttar Pradesh is an idea pending for decades.



And it is not just about governancethere is a strategic political rationale backing smaller states. This was most eloquently articulated by B R Ambedkar in 1955 in his treatise Thoughts on Linguistic States. He argued that allowing one state to have such preponderating influence in the Centre is a dangerous thing. He then observed:

The Commission in designing linguistic States has created a consolidation of the North and balkanisation of the South. Intentionally or unintentionally the fact is there. Its evil consequences are also clear. It is therefore necessary that this situation must be rectified. The only way is to divide the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.



There has been rectification even if partialin the division of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Critically, Ambedkars prescience is visible in outcomes post the division of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Now, Uttar Pradesh awaits redemption.

shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com

It is springtimethe metaphor for change. This week a new regime will take charge in Uttar Pradesh. Will poll promises get converted, will hope triumph over history? In governance, size does matter and the odds, given the size, are stacked against the state. The crux of the issue is capacity and embedded complexity. Consider the administrative set-up in Uttar Pradesh. Governance in rural areas flows via 75 districts, 822 blocks and 52,021 gram panchayats. In urban areas, that is over 650 towns and cities, governance is under 15 municipal corporations, 13 cantonment boards, 197 municipal boards, 267 census towns, 424 nagar panchayats. There is no escaping from the harsh fact that Uttar Pradesh is too big to succeed. The state needs to be split into more manageable smaller states to enable 215 million people a shot at a better future. Historically, smaller states have done better. And the promise of the possibility is reflected in the indicators of Uttarakhand which was spliced from UP in November 2000per capita income of Uttarakhand has risen from `18,636 in 2001 to `1,51,219 in 2015-16, while that of UP has languished at `48,520. The creation of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, too, delivered dividends for the new statesand the mother states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. It has been argued that size is not a panacea. True. Outcomes demand the confluence of necessary and sufficient conditions. And the creation of smaller states is a necessary condition for better governance. The scale of the challenge in Uttar Pradesh is boggling. The state tops the population chart with over 215 million personsnearly twice that of Maharashtra, ranked second in population, and more than Bihar and West Bengal put together. Indeed, Uttar Pradesh would rank fifth on the list of the most populous countries. Look at the landscape. India has 640,867 villages, of which 97,814 inhabited villages are in Uttar Pradesh. Quite simply nearly every sixth village in India is in Uttar Pradeshmore villages than in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu put together. Democracy demands more than just election of representatives. It calls for a dialogue between the sovereign, which is the people, and the agents which would be the elected members. Intent apart, there is no denying the challenge presented by the scale. Imagine, an enthusiastic rural development or agriculture minister choosing to visit 10 per cent of the villages or if the urban development minister chooses to visit 10 per cent of the towns. Try the math! The consequence of poor governance is visible across indicators. Of the 75 districts, 35 have been on the list of Indias most backward districts since 1960, and 41 are on the list of educationally backward districts. At `48,520, its per capita income is less than half the national average. Barely three out of 100 pay any tax and seven out of 10 households earn around `5,000 per month. The consequence of deprivation is reflected in human development indicesit trails a decade behind India in literacy, tops the fertility rate, and has the highest malnutrition and maternal mortality. For decades caste politics has been blamed for the many failures that pockmark the political economy of Uttar Pradesh. Caste does dominate the political landscape of India. But the domination of Jats in Haryana, Marathas in Maharashtra or Thevars in Tamil Nadu has not detained urbanisation, growth and development. The other alibi is that domination of regional parties has wrecked governance. The generalisation militates against experience elsewheresay Tamil Nadu which has been ruled by regional parties since 1967. The rule of regional parties in Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka hasnt derailed delivery of basic services. Remember the state has not lacked political representation nine of the 14 prime ministers of India have been from or elected from the state. In Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) the state has over 100 MPs and the bicameral system elects over 500 legislators. Representation, though, has been poor. Uttar Pradesh has been haunted by lawlessness and poor education standards. Despite this, over 3.5 lakh posts of teachers and police personnel are vacant. The 600-plus representatives have failed to hold governments accountable. The politicians of Uttar Pradesh have much to answer for but the many deficits are fundamentally the consequences of scale, density and complexity. The idea for smaller states does enjoy political support. The Congress has seasonally argued for smaller states and during UPA II split Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana. Chaudhary Charan Singhs RLD, now led by Ajit Singh, has campaigned for it. In 2011, the Mayawati-led BSP government pushed through a resolution in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly for it to be split into four statesPurvanchal, Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Awadh Pradeshand has promised to do so if elected in 2017. The BJP, too, has consistently argued the case for smaller states. It was the Vajpayee regime that oversaw the creation of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh out of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. In fact, its stand is acknowledged and reiterated in its 2014 manifesto, which states: BJP has always stood for greater decentralisation through smaller states. The division of Uttar Pradesh is an idea pending for decades. And it is not just about governancethere is a strategic political rationale backing smaller states. This was most eloquently articulated by B R Ambedkar in 1955 in his treatise Thoughts on Linguistic States. He argued that allowing one state to have such preponderating influence in the Centre is a dangerous thing. He then observed: The Commission in designing linguistic States has created a consolidation of the North and balkanisation of the South. Intentionally or unintentionally the fact is there. Its evil consequences are also clear. It is therefore necessary that this situation must be rectified. The only way is to divide the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. There has been rectification even if partialin the division of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Critically, Ambedkars prescience is visible in outcomes post the division of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Now, Uttar Pradesh awaits redemption. shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: The all new swanky Gannavaram Airport is on the path of development and it is moving forward by striking deals with both national and international airline companies.

Mumbai-based airlines Zoom Air is all set to operate their services from Vijayawada airport from May 22. Vijayawada is going to have a direct flight to the financial capital of India, Mumbai from May 22. Zoom Air will operate the services in Vijayawada- Mumbai- Surat route with a fare starting from `4,000 on a daily basis. The flight would start at 1.30 pm from Vijayawada and reach Mumbai at 3.30 pm. After a halt of 30 minutes, the flight will take off to Surat.

Meanwhile, the officials are also planning to rope in international airlines to improve international connectivity. As the first step, 2,728 Haj pilgrims from AP would travel by a direct flight to Saudi Arabia from Gannavaram. We are asking Air India to ferry Haj pilgrims this year, as AP is planning to send Haj pilgrims from Vijayawada, said Madhusudhan Rao.

VIJAYAWADA: The all new swanky Gannavaram Airport is on the path of development and it is moving forward by striking deals with both national and international airline companies. Mumbai-based airlines Zoom Air is all set to operate their services from Vijayawada airport from May 22. Vijayawada is going to have a direct flight to the financial capital of India, Mumbai from May 22. Zoom Air will operate the services in Vijayawada- Mumbai- Surat route with a fare starting from `4,000 on a daily basis. The flight would start at 1.30 pm from Vijayawada and reach Mumbai at 3.30 pm. After a halt of 30 minutes, the flight will take off to Surat. Meanwhile, the officials are also planning to rope in international airlines to improve international connectivity. As the first step, 2,728 Haj pilgrims from AP would travel by a direct flight to Saudi Arabia from Gannavaram. We are asking Air India to ferry Haj pilgrims this year, as AP is planning to send Haj pilgrims from Vijayawada, said Madhusudhan Rao.
By Express News Service

RAMANATHAPURAM, SIVAGANGA:Thangachimadam seethed on the sixth day of protests on Sunday, but with a different kind of energy. Differences of opinion cropped up between the organisers and some youth after a decision to withdraw protests was announced following a meeting between the representatives and Ministers of State Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan.

Talking to the media, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala said, Within two hours of knowing about the shootout, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern to the Lankan Ambassador in India and asked the latter to convey it to his President. Even the island nation has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The Centre will find the right diplomatic channel to proceed against the Lankan Navy personnel, against whom an FIR was registered by the Coastal Security Guard, she said, adding that her visit to the fishing hamlet was by the Prime Ministers order.

On Sunday, over 3,000 people participated in protests at Thangachimadam, the native place of deceased fisherman H K Britjo. Many, including State Ministers, have been visiting the spot, offering condolences to the family.

Speaking to Express, J Justin, Britjos uncle, said Nirmala had assured that the Central government will take action to prosecute Britjos killers and also to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future.

She also promised to help the protesters arrange a meeting with the External Affairs Ministry authorities, he said.

During the extensive talks, Nirmala is learnt to have appealed to the representatives to call off the protest.

The leaders later announced that the protest could be withdrawn by Sunday evening, when Britjos body may be received for last rites.

However, many youth in the area did not agree with the decision saying a real solution had not emerged yet.

Navies, fishermen should talk, says Sri Lanka Minister

In order to resolve the fishermen issue between Sri Lanka and India, fishermen and navy personnel from both the countries should participate in a meeting, said Arumugam Thondaman, Sri Lankan Minister for Livestock and Rural Community Development, at Pattamangalam in Sivaganga district on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a temple festival, Thondaman said the death of Britjo is saddening. Thosebehind the shooting of the fisherman should be punished, he said, condemning the attack.

The Sri Lankan government had declared that the countrys naval personnel were not involve in the incident.

Thondaman said he had met Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera and urged him to take appropriate action against those behind the attack.

RAMANATHAPURAM, SIVAGANGA:Thangachimadam seethed on the sixth day of protests on Sunday, but with a different kind of energy. Differences of opinion cropped up between the organisers and some youth after a decision to withdraw protests was announced following a meeting between the representatives and Ministers of State Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan. Talking to the media, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala said, Within two hours of knowing about the shootout, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern to the Lankan Ambassador in India and asked the latter to convey it to his President. Even the island nation has ordered an inquiry into the incident. The Centre will find the right diplomatic channel to proceed against the Lankan Navy personnel, against whom an FIR was registered by the Coastal Security Guard, she said, adding that her visit to the fishing hamlet was by the Prime Ministers order. On Sunday, over 3,000 people participated in protests at Thangachimadam, the native place of deceased fisherman H K Britjo. Many, including State Ministers, have been visiting the spot, offering condolences to the family. Speaking to Express, J Justin, Britjos uncle, said Nirmala had assured that the Central government will take action to prosecute Britjos killers and also to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future. She also promised to help the protesters arrange a meeting with the External Affairs Ministry authorities, he said. During the extensive talks, Nirmala is learnt to have appealed to the representatives to call off the protest. The leaders later announced that the protest could be withdrawn by Sunday evening, when Britjos body may be received for last rites. However, many youth in the area did not agree with the decision saying a real solution had not emerged yet. Navies, fishermen should talk, says Sri Lanka Minister In order to resolve the fishermen issue between Sri Lanka and India, fishermen and navy personnel from both the countries should participate in a meeting, said Arumugam Thondaman, Sri Lankan Minister for Livestock and Rural Community Development, at Pattamangalam in Sivaganga district on Sunday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a temple festival, Thondaman said the death of Britjo is saddening. Thosebehind the shooting of the fisherman should be punished, he said, condemning the attack. The Sri Lankan government had declared that the countrys naval personnel were not involve in the incident. Thondaman said he had met Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera and urged him to take appropriate action against those behind the attack.
SV Krishna Chaitanya By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: After taking electricity to remote villages in various corners of the country, IIT Madras is gearing up for a pan-India commercial launch of its solar-powered microgrid technology by this year-end.

Microgrids are small power supply networks set up in remote villages, which obviate the massive investment needed to provide electricity to inaccessible and difficult terrains.

This first-of-its-kind grid supplies direct current (DC), improves the energy efficiency of household appliances threefold, claimed its makers. The technology developed by IIT Madras also won the IEEE (Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Spectrum Technology in the Service of Society Award for 2017.

The system has already been put in place in 4,000 off-grid homes in remote villages in Rajasthans Jodhpur, Assams Lakhimpur, Bihars Sasaram and some villages in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Its installation is under way in another 7,200 homes in several districts of Assam.

So far, we did it in villages that are off-grid and never seen electricity in their life. Today, their homes are lit with LED lights, fans, TV, air-cooler and mixer. We took the initiative with government support, and now the time is ripe to extend the benefits of the technology to every household in the country, said the IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi on the sidelines of a recent event.

IIT Madras is collaborating with 11 companies, including four starts-up incubated in-house, to evolve a distribution mechanism to ensure there is no logistics problem after commercial launch. Ramamurthi was confident that this solar-DC inverterless system will sweep the markets in the next five years, considering the huge economic benefits in terms of energy efficiency, safety and overall cost reduction.

The institute has even written to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to officially recognise the technology as an alternative under Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plants Programme, the budget of which has been scaled up during the 12th Five Year Plan to `5,000 crore under National Solar Mission (NSM).

If MNRE recognises our technology, it will be a huge boost and the off-take will increase substantially. We are currently looking at where the demand exists. By the year end, we should be able to drive the markets, said Krishna Vasudevan, professor, Department of Electrical Engineering.

Already the review panel set up by MNRE and the Bureau of Standards has given a positive report on the solar-DC technology. We are hoping that MNRE will officially recognise it as soon as possible, he said.

CHENNAI: After taking electricity to remote villages in various corners of the country, IIT Madras is gearing up for a pan-India commercial launch of its solar-powered microgrid technology by this year-end. Microgrids are small power supply networks set up in remote villages, which obviate the massive investment needed to provide electricity to inaccessible and difficult terrains. This first-of-its-kind grid supplies direct current (DC), improves the energy efficiency of household appliances threefold, claimed its makers. The technology developed by IIT Madras also won the IEEE (Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Spectrum Technology in the Service of Society Award for 2017. The system has already been put in place in 4,000 off-grid homes in remote villages in Rajasthans Jodhpur, Assams Lakhimpur, Bihars Sasaram and some villages in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Its installation is under way in another 7,200 homes in several districts of Assam. So far, we did it in villages that are off-grid and never seen electricity in their life. Today, their homes are lit with LED lights, fans, TV, air-cooler and mixer. We took the initiative with government support, and now the time is ripe to extend the benefits of the technology to every household in the country, said the IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi on the sidelines of a recent event. IIT Madras is collaborating with 11 companies, including four starts-up incubated in-house, to evolve a distribution mechanism to ensure there is no logistics problem after commercial launch. Ramamurthi was confident that this solar-DC inverterless system will sweep the markets in the next five years, considering the huge economic benefits in terms of energy efficiency, safety and overall cost reduction. The institute has even written to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to officially recognise the technology as an alternative under Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plants Programme, the budget of which has been scaled up during the 12th Five Year Plan to `5,000 crore under National Solar Mission (NSM). If MNRE recognises our technology, it will be a huge boost and the off-take will increase substantially. We are currently looking at where the demand exists. By the year end, we should be able to drive the markets, said Krishna Vasudevan, professor, Department of Electrical Engineering. Already the review panel set up by MNRE and the Bureau of Standards has given a positive report on the solar-DC technology. We are hoping that MNRE will officially recognise it as soon as possible, he said.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The first day of the Budget session of Telangana State Assembly on Saturday saw the suspension of two TTDP MLAs from the House for the remainder of the session for obstructing the Governors speech on Friday. Opposition parties - Congress, BJP and the Left then staged a walkout against the suspension of TDP members.

When the session commenced for the debate on motion of thanks to the Governors address, Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao moved the resolution suspending TDP MLAs - A Revanth Reddy and Sandra Venkata Veeraiah. The resolution was adopted and the members were suspended for the remainder of the Budget session. Protesting the suspension of TDP members, the main Opposition Congress party, BJP and CPM members staged a walkout from the House.

Opposition leader K Jana Reddy demanded that the Assembly Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary review the decision. BJP MLA G Kishan Reddy said that termed the suspension as unfair. With no response from the Chair on revoking the suspension of the members, the Congress, BJP and Left parties staged a walkout for the day.

Harish Rao recalled that the Speaker requested the MLAs to maintain decorum during the Governors address. The Speaker even called up those two members recently and personally made a request not to disturb Governors speech. Despite this, the members gave a running commentary during Governors speech, Rao said.

Meanwhile, the CM talked tough against the opposition parties, alleging that they had made wild allegations. The state government has decided to come out with a new Act. The government will bring Prove or Perish Act soon, he said replying to the debate on motion of thanks to Governors address. We will take legal action, against those who failed to substantiate their allegations. We will bring Prove or Perish Act soon to control the wild allegations, the CM said.

HYDERABAD: The first day of the Budget session of Telangana State Assembly on Saturday saw the suspension of two TTDP MLAs from the House for the remainder of the session for obstructing the Governors speech on Friday. Opposition parties - Congress, BJP and the Left then staged a walkout against the suspension of TDP members. When the session commenced for the debate on motion of thanks to the Governors address, Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao moved the resolution suspending TDP MLAs - A Revanth Reddy and Sandra Venkata Veeraiah. The resolution was adopted and the members were suspended for the remainder of the Budget session. Protesting the suspension of TDP members, the main Opposition Congress party, BJP and CPM members staged a walkout from the House. Opposition leader K Jana Reddy demanded that the Assembly Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary review the decision. BJP MLA G Kishan Reddy said that termed the suspension as unfair. With no response from the Chair on revoking the suspension of the members, the Congress, BJP and Left parties staged a walkout for the day. Harish Rao recalled that the Speaker requested the MLAs to maintain decorum during the Governors address. The Speaker even called up those two members recently and personally made a request not to disturb Governors speech. Despite this, the members gave a running commentary during Governors speech, Rao said. Meanwhile, the CM talked tough against the opposition parties, alleging that they had made wild allegations. The state government has decided to come out with a new Act. The government will bring Prove or Perish Act soon, he said replying to the debate on motion of thanks to Governors address. We will take legal action, against those who failed to substantiate their allegations. We will bring Prove or Perish Act soon to control the wild allegations, the CM said.
The message Steve Sobiek shared with Portage Area Chamber of Commerce members went beyond business growth and new jobs.

Portage, the citys director of business development and planning said, is seeing more ridership on Amtrak, its home to an island that might soon attract campers and hikers, its appeared recently on shows like Great American Railroad Journeys and Hawaii Five-0. It even has a shoe named after it.

There is so much neat and different stuff happening that people dont even know about, Sobiek told the group Tuesday. Portage is turning a new leaf, a new page. Were looking into the future, and I think tomorrows Portage will be vastly improved, a very different Portage than we even see today.

The Portage Amtrak station on its Empire Builder line saw a 27 percent increase in ridership from 2015 to 2016, far exceeding the states average increase of 1 percent ridership. A lot of that is due to geography, Sobiek said, but more people are coming to Portage, the impetus for discussions between the city and Amtrak about possibly expanding or moving the depot to better accommodate more users.

Such talks are related to the fact Wisconsin and Minnesota are seriously looking at adding another train in each direction to the Empire Builder line, Sobiek said, one which would drastically increase people coming to Portage.

Thats huge. That could be a game changer, Sobiek said of Empire Builder, which runs between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest.

(People) can see Portage is on the move.

City and Chamber officials have also been meeting with the Bureau of Land Management regarding development of campsites and a trail system on the 188-acre island visible from Riverside Park to West Edgewater Street. The island, he added, is a bird sanctuary, a wilderness island that contains one of the last vestiges of old Wisconsin savannah. Nature lovers could journey there by canoe or boat to hike trails through the entire length of the island.

Discussions between city leaders and BLM about the islands development remain active. Its very cool  its very exciting.

Marianne Hanson, the Chambers executive director, said that at a recent meeting about the island, people were seeing its potential for tourism as comparable to the Horicon Marsh, a site visited by people from all over the world. Chamber leaders will tour the island this spring, she added.

Accomplishments Sobiek noted for the group assembled at Dinos Restaurant demonstrate the momentum the city is gaining since being named one of Americas Best Communities by Frontier Communications. The Weinbrenner Shoe Company, known for its Thorogood work boots, is releasing boots named after Portage in its 1892 Wisconsin Collection. The city last month found national and international audiences, appearing on Great American Railroad Journeys, a show that airs on BBC Two, as well as on CBSs Hawaii Five-0.

According to episode summaries found online, the BBC travel documentary, which aired Feb. 9, details the history of the portage between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, while the Hawaii Five-0 episode that aired Feb. 17 brought the shows main characters to Columbia Correctional Institute to interrogate a serial killer.

Were creating jobs and were filling them, Sobiek said. New businesses or business expansions in Portage constitutes a list that goes on and on. Some of those include the new Aldis grocery store, Saint-Gobains $11.5 million expansion, Culvers $1 million expansion, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, BonBon and Bordeaux, ShipRec Logistics, Lifekeepers and the incredible addition of Divine Savior Healthcares La Vita wellness center.

Were growing, and our new job-creation numbers far surpass any of the other cities in the entire region, Sobiek said. Within the past year, Sobiek said, according to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation website, Portage has seen a 1.5 percent for new jobs, surpassing neighboring cities like Baraboo, Beaver Dam and Reedsburg  all of the other cities in the region, this occurring at a time when the state, overall, has a huge worker shortage.

City officials are working hard to keep workers in the area, he said, but we have to do a better job. Sobiek commended local worker training programs, like that of the Portage Enterprise Center, as well as efforts of the Chamber and school district in targeting young workers with facility tours and job fairs.

The city is working with several developers and interested businesses for future opportunities, Sobiek said. If I had a crystal ball Id say well have more developments like Aldis, Sobiek said. He reminded attendees that projects like Aldis typically take three years from the early conversations to the store opening.

Thats how things happen. Unfortunately we cant wave a magic wand, like some of the larger communities can.
Kumar Vikram By

NEW DELHI: Chai pe Charcha, Narendra Modis popular outreach drive during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that contributed to the remarkable victory of the BJP, will be back in Delhi MCD polls slated for April. Sources with the Delhi BJP unit said the party will conduct the mass connect programme and leaders from different states will be deployed in the city to target voters from their region living in Delhi.

BJP, buoyant after the performance in the just-concluded state polls, will leave no stone unturned to counter the two-term anti-incumbency that the party is facing in the civic bodies. Last week, party general secretary Ram Lal held a meeting with state leaders, including state party chief Manoj Tiwari, to chalk out the poll strategies.

Chai pe Charcha turned out to be very successful during 2014 Lok Sabha elections. And, we will replicate this in MCD polls as well... The main purpose is to connect with maximum number of voters, said a senior Delhi BJP leader.

He said the party is aiming at a marginal rise in vote swing to secure victory. BJP has a vote share of around 31-32 per cent in Delhi civic bodies. We are quite sure that it will always be with us. A vote swing of 4-5 per cent will be enough to counter the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)s entry in the municipal bodies.

For this, the BJP need to make a dent in the vote bank of the Congress, most of which has now shifted to the AAP, he added.

To connect with people of different states living in Delhi, the BJP has planned to deploy popular leaders from these states. There will be leaders from Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand as there is a major chunk of Poorvanchali voters. Similarly, there will be leaders from Odisha, West Bengal and other states. They will visit colonies across the city to discuss their problems and issues, he added.

The party is also planning to strengthen its cadre base in Delhi and for this, it has organised a major workers meeting at Ramlila Ground on March 19 to kick-start the poll preparations. It has identified five workers from every booth, who have been named as Panch Parmeshwar. The list will be prepared after scrutiny and it will be with party chief Amit Shah. He would also meet the workers while sounding the poll bugle, said another BJP leader.

The party is expecting over 70,000 party workers at the Ramlila Ground, who would congregate to get poll tricks from Shah.

NEW DELHI: Chai pe Charcha, Narendra Modis popular outreach drive during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that contributed to the remarkable victory of the BJP, will be back in Delhi MCD polls slated for April. Sources with the Delhi BJP unit said the party will conduct the mass connect programme and leaders from different states will be deployed in the city to target voters from their region living in Delhi. BJP, buoyant after the performance in the just-concluded state polls, will leave no stone unturned to counter the two-term anti-incumbency that the party is facing in the civic bodies. Last week, party general secretary Ram Lal held a meeting with state leaders, including state party chief Manoj Tiwari, to chalk out the poll strategies. Chai pe Charcha turned out to be very successful during 2014 Lok Sabha elections. And, we will replicate this in MCD polls as well... The main purpose is to connect with maximum number of voters, said a senior Delhi BJP leader. He said the party is aiming at a marginal rise in vote swing to secure victory. BJP has a vote share of around 31-32 per cent in Delhi civic bodies. We are quite sure that it will always be with us. A vote swing of 4-5 per cent will be enough to counter the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)s entry in the municipal bodies. For this, the BJP need to make a dent in the vote bank of the Congress, most of which has now shifted to the AAP, he added. To connect with people of different states living in Delhi, the BJP has planned to deploy popular leaders from these states. There will be leaders from Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand as there is a major chunk of Poorvanchali voters. Similarly, there will be leaders from Odisha, West Bengal and other states. They will visit colonies across the city to discuss their problems and issues, he added. The party is also planning to strengthen its cadre base in Delhi and for this, it has organised a major workers meeting at Ramlila Ground on March 19 to kick-start the poll preparations. It has identified five workers from every booth, who have been named as Panch Parmeshwar. The list will be prepared after scrutiny and it will be with party chief Amit Shah. He would also meet the workers while sounding the poll bugle, said another BJP leader. The party is expecting over 70,000 party workers at the Ramlila Ground, who would congregate to get poll tricks from Shah.
Ritu Sharma By

Afghanistan Ambassador to India Dr Shaida M Abdali talks to Ritu Sharma about Indias firm presence in peace-building mechanisms in the conflict-riddled country, the change in government in the US and the need for bringing back Afghan Hindus and Sikhs. Excerpts:

How will the changing political situation in the US affect peace-building in Afghanistan?

The war against terrorism began 15-16 years ago by the US. Sanctuaries for terrorists still exist, and so do their support networks. Their 16-year war has not brought us the right results. We hope they will rethink their entire approach towards the war against terrorism.

We are trying to make sure

that Chabahar does not

remain a beneficiary factor

Recently Russia, Pakistan and China had a dialogue and India and Afghanistan were left out.

Some may, no doubt, be trying to single out India. But when it comes to Afghanistan, it wants India to be always there to support us, because we believe in Indias sincerity against war on terrorism. We will never agree to any mechanism when it comes to-peace building in Afghanistan where India does

not exist.

SAARC has failed to take off and other South Asian countries have got together to be part of BIMSTEC. Does Afghanistan feel left out?

We want SAARC to function. We have always backed mechanisms in the region that are aimed at unity, economic cooperation, regional peace and stability. Afghanistan will continue to support SAARC, and at the same time, Afghans will always be looking at other mechanisms where Afghanistan has its interest.



What about Chabahar Port?

Luckily after 13 years of efforts the Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement on Chabahar was recently signed. We are trying our best to make sure that Chabahar does not remain a beneficiary factor only for the three countries but for the rest of the region.



Afghanistan Ambassador to India Dr Shaida M Abdali talks to Ritu Sharma about Indias firm presence in peace-building mechanisms in the conflict-riddled country, the change in government in the US and the need for bringing back Afghan Hindus and Sikhs. Excerpts: How will the changing political situation in the US affect peace-building in Afghanistan? The war against terrorism began 15-16 years ago by the US. Sanctuaries for terrorists still exist, and so do their support networks. Their 16-year war has not brought us the right results. We hope they will rethink their entire approach towards the war against terrorism. We are trying to make sure that Chabahar does not remain a beneficiary factorRecently Russia, Pakistan and China had a dialogue and India and Afghanistan were left out. Some may, no doubt, be trying to single out India. But when it comes to Afghanistan, it wants India to be always there to support us, because we believe in Indias sincerity against war on terrorism. We will never agree to any mechanism when it comes to-peace building in Afghanistan where India does not exist. SAARC has failed to take off and other South Asian countries have got together to be part of BIMSTEC. Does Afghanistan feel left out? We want SAARC to function. We have always backed mechanisms in the region that are aimed at unity, economic cooperation, regional peace and stability. Afghanistan will continue to support SAARC, and at the same time, Afghans will always be looking at other mechanisms where Afghanistan has its interest. What about Chabahar Port? Luckily after 13 years of efforts the Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement on Chabahar was recently signed. We are trying our best to make sure that Chabahar does not remain a beneficiary factor only for the three countries but for the rest of the region.
Express News Service By

CHENNAI: After becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami has perhaps got his first chance to become the great Tamil saviour.

Reminding Prime Minister Narendra Modi that protecting the life and liberty of fishermen from Tamil Nadu is the duty of the governments they headed, Palaniswami said the present escalation in the Palk Strait, in which a fisherman from Ramanathapuram was shot dead allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, should not be ignored or tolerated under any circumstance.

Such inhuman and barbaric tactics by the Sri Lankan side completely nullifies the diplomatic efforts that have been undertaken, including the understanding reached in several meetings between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of India, as well as the recently-concluded Joint Working Group meeting in New Delhi and Ministerial Level Meeting in Colombo, in which it was clearly agreed not to use force against bona fide fishermen at sea, Palaniswami said in a letter to Modi last week.

According to information, five fishermen, who set off from Rameswaram fishing base in Ramanathapuram district, were fishing within their traditional waters when they were surrounded by four Lankan Navy vessels around 9.30 pm last week.

The personnel on the boats opened fire on the unarmed fishermen, indiscriminately and without any provocation, he said.

In the attack, Britjo Hemeles (21) sustained fatal injuries to his neck and died before he could be brought to the shore. Another fisherman, Jeron Dhasan (31), had his arm hurt, and is undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital, Ramanathapuram.

The Sri Lankan Navy is resorting to tactics involving greater cruelty and unnecessary use of force in an attempt to scare away our fishermen from exercising their traditional rights. In no circumstances can such unprovoked violence from the Sri Lankan side be tolerated.

It is the duty of the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu to protect the interests, and above all life and liberty of our citizens, said the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, the Coastal Security Group registered an FIR against the Lankan navy for killing K Britjo and injuring Jeron.

The fishermen have decided to boycott the annual festival at St Anthonys Church on Katchatheevu. The festival was scheduled for March 11 and 12. However, the Prime Minister is yet to respond to Palaniswamis letter.

CHENNAI: After becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami has perhaps got his first chance to become the great Tamil saviour. Reminding Prime Minister Narendra Modi that protecting the life and liberty of fishermen from Tamil Nadu is the duty of the governments they headed, Palaniswami said the present escalation in the Palk Strait, in which a fisherman from Ramanathapuram was shot dead allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, should not be ignored or tolerated under any circumstance. Such inhuman and barbaric tactics by the Sri Lankan side completely nullifies the diplomatic efforts that have been undertaken, including the understanding reached in several meetings between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of India, as well as the recently-concluded Joint Working Group meeting in New Delhi and Ministerial Level Meeting in Colombo, in which it was clearly agreed not to use force against bona fide fishermen at sea, Palaniswami said in a letter to Modi last week. According to information, five fishermen, who set off from Rameswaram fishing base in Ramanathapuram district, were fishing within their traditional waters when they were surrounded by four Lankan Navy vessels around 9.30 pm last week. The personnel on the boats opened fire on the unarmed fishermen, indiscriminately and without any provocation, he said. In the attack, Britjo Hemeles (21) sustained fatal injuries to his neck and died before he could be brought to the shore. Another fisherman, Jeron Dhasan (31), had his arm hurt, and is undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital, Ramanathapuram. The Sri Lankan Navy is resorting to tactics involving greater cruelty and unnecessary use of force in an attempt to scare away our fishermen from exercising their traditional rights. In no circumstances can such unprovoked violence from the Sri Lankan side be tolerated. It is the duty of the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu to protect the interests, and above all life and liberty of our citizens, said the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, the Coastal Security Group registered an FIR against the Lankan navy for killing K Britjo and injuring Jeron. The fishermen have decided to boycott the annual festival at St Anthonys Church on Katchatheevu. The festival was scheduled for March 11 and 12. However, the Prime Minister is yet to respond to Palaniswamis letter.
By AFP

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA: At least 46 people died and dozens more were hurt in a giant landslide at Ethiopia's largest rubbish dump outside Addis Ababa, a tragedy squatters living there blamed on a biogas plant being built nearby.

Saturday's landslide flattened dozens of homes of people living in the Koshe dump when part of the largest pile of rubbish collapsed, an AFP journalist said.

Dagmawit Moges, head of the city communications bureau, said 46 people had died -- 32 female and 14 male, including some children.

Many of the victims were squatters who scavenged for a living in the 30-hectare (74-acre) dump, she said.

Musa Suleiman Abdulah, who lost his wooden shack topped with plastic sheeting in the disaster, said when it happened, he heard "a big sound".

"When we came out, something like a tornado is rushing to us. We started to collect family members" and escape, he said. "People helped. My child and family left before the destruction happened."

The streets in the neighbourhood below were filled with women sobbing and wailing.

Bystanders said there were still people trapped under collapsed mounds of rubbish, but police were preventing locals from getting close to the site.

Just six people were seen digging through the rubbish on Sunday looking for survivors and bodies.

Ibrahim Mohammed, a day labourer living at the landfill whose house was narrowly spared destruction, said the disaster happened in "three minutes".

He estimated that more than 300 people live on the landfill.

Construction materials, wooden sticks and plastic sheeting could be seen in the wreckage, the AFP journalist said.

- Rampant poverty -

For more than 40 years, the Koshe site has been the main garbage dump for Addis Ababa, a rapidly growing city of some four million people.

According to local residents, some 50 houses with about seven people living in each of them were built on the trash.

People had built the houses about two to three years ago, said Berhanu Degefe, a rubbish collector who lives at the dump but whose home was not destroyed.

"Their livelihood depends on the trash. They collect from here and they live here," Degefe said, referring to the victims and other squatters.

"This part, all of it went down," he said, gesturing at a huge chunk of the hill that suddenly slid. "A lot of people died last night."

Degefe blamed the collapse on a new biogas plant being constructed on top of the hill.

The AFP journalist saw bulldozers on top of the hill pushing piles of rubbish around.

Degefe said they were levelling ground for the plant, increasing pressure on the hillside and causing the collapse.

Mohammed also blamed the biogas plant construction for the tragedy, saying trash had been compressed and the landslide happened "because a lot of garbage is dumped on the top level" and "pressed... down".

The journalist also saw cracks in the ground at the top of the hill, suggesting that more of the pile could slide.

Koshe, whose name means "dirt" in local slang, was closed last year by city authorities who asked people to move to a new dump site outside Addis Ababa.

But the community there did not want the landfill, and so the garbage collectors moved back.

Poverty and food insecurity are sensitive issues in Ethiopia, which was hit by a famine in 1984-85 after extreme drought.

In recent years, the country has been one of Africa's top-performing economies and a magnet for foreign investment, with growth in near-double digits and huge infrastructure investment.

Still, nearly 20 million Ethiopians live below the poverty line set by the World Bank.

Critics have hit out at the government's economic policies saying they have a limited trickle-down effect from the elite down to the majority of the people.

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA: At least 46 people died and dozens more were hurt in a giant landslide at Ethiopia's largest rubbish dump outside Addis Ababa, a tragedy squatters living there blamed on a biogas plant being built nearby. Saturday's landslide flattened dozens of homes of people living in the Koshe dump when part of the largest pile of rubbish collapsed, an AFP journalist said. Dagmawit Moges, head of the city communications bureau, said 46 people had died -- 32 female and 14 male, including some children. Many of the victims were squatters who scavenged for a living in the 30-hectare (74-acre) dump, she said. Musa Suleiman Abdulah, who lost his wooden shack topped with plastic sheeting in the disaster, said when it happened, he heard "a big sound". "When we came out, something like a tornado is rushing to us. We started to collect family members" and escape, he said. "People helped. My child and family left before the destruction happened." The streets in the neighbourhood below were filled with women sobbing and wailing. Bystanders said there were still people trapped under collapsed mounds of rubbish, but police were preventing locals from getting close to the site. Just six people were seen digging through the rubbish on Sunday looking for survivors and bodies. Ibrahim Mohammed, a day labourer living at the landfill whose house was narrowly spared destruction, said the disaster happened in "three minutes". He estimated that more than 300 people live on the landfill. Construction materials, wooden sticks and plastic sheeting could be seen in the wreckage, the AFP journalist said. - Rampant poverty - For more than 40 years, the Koshe site has been the main garbage dump for Addis Ababa, a rapidly growing city of some four million people. According to local residents, some 50 houses with about seven people living in each of them were built on the trash. People had built the houses about two to three years ago, said Berhanu Degefe, a rubbish collector who lives at the dump but whose home was not destroyed. "Their livelihood depends on the trash. They collect from here and they live here," Degefe said, referring to the victims and other squatters. "This part, all of it went down," he said, gesturing at a huge chunk of the hill that suddenly slid. "A lot of people died last night." Degefe blamed the collapse on a new biogas plant being constructed on top of the hill. The AFP journalist saw bulldozers on top of the hill pushing piles of rubbish around. Degefe said they were levelling ground for the plant, increasing pressure on the hillside and causing the collapse. Mohammed also blamed the biogas plant construction for the tragedy, saying trash had been compressed and the landslide happened "because a lot of garbage is dumped on the top level" and "pressed... down". The journalist also saw cracks in the ground at the top of the hill, suggesting that more of the pile could slide. Koshe, whose name means "dirt" in local slang, was closed last year by city authorities who asked people to move to a new dump site outside Addis Ababa. But the community there did not want the landfill, and so the garbage collectors moved back. Poverty and food insecurity are sensitive issues in Ethiopia, which was hit by a famine in 1984-85 after extreme drought. In recent years, the country has been one of Africa's top-performing economies and a magnet for foreign investment, with growth in near-double digits and huge infrastructure investment. Still, nearly 20 million Ethiopians live below the poverty line set by the World Bank. Critics have hit out at the government's economic policies saying they have a limited trickle-down effect from the elite down to the majority of the people.
By PTI

BEIJING: China's Supreme Court has extended its maritime jurisdiction to cover all seas under the country's 'sovereign control', as Beijing firmed up its hold over the disputed South China Sea.

China will resolutely safeguard maritime rights and interests, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) submitted to the country's legislature the National People's Congress (NPC) today said.

China's maritime jurisdiction extends to cover all jurisdictional seas, a regulation contributed to China's strategy of becoming a major maritime power, Supreme Court Chief Justice Zhou Qiang said in his report, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the regulation in effect since last August, jurisdictional seas not only include inland waters and territorial seas, but also cover regions, including contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, continental shelves, and other sea areas under China's jurisdiction.

Chinese citizens or foreigners will be pursued for criminal liability if they engage in illegal hunting or fishing or killing endangered wildlife in China's jurisdictional seas, Zhou's report said.

China asserts sovereign claims over almost all of the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area.

Last year, China has rejected an international tribunal verdict quashing its claims over the South China Sea over a petition filed by the Philippines.

Beijing however subsequently worked out a deal with Philippines to the dispute on backburner in lieu of heavy Chinese investments.

Last August China's Supreme Court issued a regulation of judicial interpretation to clarify China's jurisdiction over its territorial seas to nullify the international tribunal's verdict on the South China Sea.

The judicial explanation provided clear legal basis for China to safeguard maritime order, marine safety and interests and to exercise integrated management over the country's jurisdictional seas, the court said.

China also claims the disputed islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan.

Coast Guard vessels of both the countries patrol the waters around the islands to assert their claims.

Zhou's report also said China's courts tried and concluded 6,899 cases involving foreign businesses and more than 16,000 maritime cases in 2016.

In 2017, China's courts will step up trials of foreignrelated business and maritime cases to serve the Belt and Road Initiative (Silk Road) and the strategy of building China into a major maritime power, the report said.

BEIJING: China's Supreme Court has extended its maritime jurisdiction to cover all seas under the country's 'sovereign control', as Beijing firmed up its hold over the disputed South China Sea. China will resolutely safeguard maritime rights and interests, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) submitted to the country's legislature the National People's Congress (NPC) today said. China's maritime jurisdiction extends to cover all jurisdictional seas, a regulation contributed to China's strategy of becoming a major maritime power, Supreme Court Chief Justice Zhou Qiang said in his report, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. According to the regulation in effect since last August, jurisdictional seas not only include inland waters and territorial seas, but also cover regions, including contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, continental shelves, and other sea areas under China's jurisdiction. Chinese citizens or foreigners will be pursued for criminal liability if they engage in illegal hunting or fishing or killing endangered wildlife in China's jurisdictional seas, Zhou's report said. China asserts sovereign claims over almost all of the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. Last year, China has rejected an international tribunal verdict quashing its claims over the South China Sea over a petition filed by the Philippines. Beijing however subsequently worked out a deal with Philippines to the dispute on backburner in lieu of heavy Chinese investments. Last August China's Supreme Court issued a regulation of judicial interpretation to clarify China's jurisdiction over its territorial seas to nullify the international tribunal's verdict on the South China Sea. The judicial explanation provided clear legal basis for China to safeguard maritime order, marine safety and interests and to exercise integrated management over the country's jurisdictional seas, the court said. China also claims the disputed islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan. Coast Guard vessels of both the countries patrol the waters around the islands to assert their claims. Zhou's report also said China's courts tried and concluded 6,899 cases involving foreign businesses and more than 16,000 maritime cases in 2016. In 2017, China's courts will step up trials of foreignrelated business and maritime cases to serve the Belt and Road Initiative (Silk Road) and the strategy of building China into a major maritime power, the report said.
By AFP

SWEDEN: Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Sunday called on his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim to delay a visit planned for later this month because of "tensions" between Ankara and the Netherlands.

"Such a visit could not take place in light of the current attacks by Turkey against the Netherlands. Therefore I proposed to my Turkish colleague to postpone our meeting," Rasmussen said in a statement.

"In normal circumstances, it would be a pleasure to welcome (Yildirim) with whom I had a frank and constructive dialogue on December 10 in Ankara," he added.

Yildirim's visit had been planned for March 20, according to Danish radio station DR.

Rasmussen said Denmark "was following with serious concern the events Turkey, where democratic principles are under great pressure".

A diplomatic row has erupted between Turkey and the Netherlands after the Dutch prevented top Turkish ministers from holding rallies ahead of a referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

Erdogan accused the Netherlands -- which was occupied by the Germans in World War II -- of behaving like the Nazis.

SWEDEN: Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Sunday called on his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim to delay a visit planned for later this month because of "tensions" between Ankara and the Netherlands. "Such a visit could not take place in light of the current attacks by Turkey against the Netherlands. Therefore I proposed to my Turkish colleague to postpone our meeting," Rasmussen said in a statement. "In normal circumstances, it would be a pleasure to welcome (Yildirim) with whom I had a frank and constructive dialogue on December 10 in Ankara," he added. Yildirim's visit had been planned for March 20, according to Danish radio station DR. Rasmussen said Denmark "was following with serious concern the events Turkey, where democratic principles are under great pressure". A diplomatic row has erupted between Turkey and the Netherlands after the Dutch prevented top Turkish ministers from holding rallies ahead of a referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers. Erdogan accused the Netherlands -- which was occupied by the Germans in World War II -- of behaving like the Nazis.
By IANS

TEHRAN: At least seven people were killed in the northwestern Iranian province of Ardabil in a firework blast, media reported on Saturday.



The explosion occurred in a residential building in a district in Ardabil a few days before the Chaharshanbe Suri -- the Iranian festival of fire, Xinhua cited Press TV that quoted Ardabil's chief prosecutor, Nasser Atabati, as saying.



The explosion happened due to the carelessness of a teenager while he was producing handmade fireworks and explosives inside the residential building.



Some materials used for the production of explosives were found beneath the rubble, Atabati said.



The teenager and six other family members were killed and four others were injured.



Chaharshanbe Suri is an Iranian festival celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Iranian new year or Nowruz.



During the Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations, Iranians traditionally jump over bonfires and set off firework.



This year's Nowruz falls on March 21

TEHRAN: At least seven people were killed in the northwestern Iranian province of Ardabil in a firework blast, media reported on Saturday. The explosion occurred in a residential building in a district in Ardabil a few days before the Chaharshanbe Suri -- the Iranian festival of fire, Xinhua cited Press TV that quoted Ardabil's chief prosecutor, Nasser Atabati, as saying. The explosion happened due to the carelessness of a teenager while he was producing handmade fireworks and explosives inside the residential building. Some materials used for the production of explosives were found beneath the rubble, Atabati said. The teenager and six other family members were killed and four others were injured. Chaharshanbe Suri is an Iranian festival celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Iranian new year or Nowruz. During the Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations, Iranians traditionally jump over bonfires and set off firework. This year's Nowruz falls on March 21
By PTI

ESSEN: German police have sealed off a major shopping centre in the central city of Essen, citing the threat of a terror attack, with media reports suggesting a link to the Islamic State group.

The country is on high alert following scenes of carnage at a Christmas market in Berlin in December, when an IS jihadist rammed a truck into a crowd of pedestrians, killing 12 people. The German domestic security agency BfV believes the IS group was "almost definitely" behind the threat, local media reported. According to the Bild daily, IS called for an attack and got a message to Syrian supporters in the Essen region to attack a shopping centre yesterday. Security services quoted by Bild described the threat as a potential multiple suicide bombing at the mall, one of the biggest in the country.

"The shopping centre will be closed all Saturday due to security concerns. The police have concrete information regarding a possible attack," local police said in a statement published on social media. Local car parks and the underground train station were also closed. Though there was no announcement of arms or explosives being found, police said two men had been picked up for questioning. Both men were arrested in the town of Oberhausen near Essen but later police said in a statement that the pair "are not suspects" in the case. "Many agents are deployed onsite.

This is a major operation," a local police spokesman told AFP, indicating the lockdown included the 200-store Limbecker Platz in downtown Essen, nearby parking garages and an underground rail station. Sniffer dogs were also been deployed at the site. Essen, which is in the industrial Ruhr region, has a population of approximately 500,000. The police said they had been alerted to the threat by "another department" but no German agency has confirmed if it was involved.

ESSEN: German police have sealed off a major shopping centre in the central city of Essen, citing the threat of a terror attack, with media reports suggesting a link to the Islamic State group. The country is on high alert following scenes of carnage at a Christmas market in Berlin in December, when an IS jihadist rammed a truck into a crowd of pedestrians, killing 12 people. The German domestic security agency BfV believes the IS group was "almost definitely" behind the threat, local media reported. According to the Bild daily, IS called for an attack and got a message to Syrian supporters in the Essen region to attack a shopping centre yesterday. Security services quoted by Bild described the threat as a potential multiple suicide bombing at the mall, one of the biggest in the country. "The shopping centre will be closed all Saturday due to security concerns. The police have concrete information regarding a possible attack," local police said in a statement published on social media. Local car parks and the underground train station were also closed. Though there was no announcement of arms or explosives being found, police said two men had been picked up for questioning. Both men were arrested in the town of Oberhausen near Essen but later police said in a statement that the pair "are not suspects" in the case. "Many agents are deployed onsite. This is a major operation," a local police spokesman told AFP, indicating the lockdown included the 200-store Limbecker Platz in downtown Essen, nearby parking garages and an underground rail station. Sniffer dogs were also been deployed at the site. Essen, which is in the industrial Ruhr region, has a population of approximately 500,000. The police said they had been alerted to the threat by "another department" but no German agency has confirmed if it was involved.
By AFP

MOSUL: Iraqi forces seized a third of west Mosul and trapped Islamic State group fighters inside as they made further gains in their battle to retake the city, officials said on Sunday.

Fierce fighting has shaken Mosul in recent days as thousands of US-backed Iraqi soldiers and police battle to reclaim the country's second city.

A renewed push against the jihadists launched last Sunday has seen IS forced from several neighbourhoods and key sites, including the main local government headquarters and the famed Mosul museum.

By Sunday, Iraqi forces were tightening the noose.

"ISIS is trapped. Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division... cut off the last road out of Mosul," the US envoy to the anti-IS coalition, Brett McGurk, told journalists in Baghdad.

"Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there," he said. "We are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys cannot escape."

Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service told AFP that "more than a third" of west Mosul was now under the control of security forces.

CTS forces were battling IS inside the Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawat areas on Sunday, he said.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said that forces from the Rapid Response Division, another special forces unit, and the federal police were also attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of Mosul's Old City.

"The battle is not easy... we are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens," the JOC's spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, told AFP.

IS resistance "has begun to weaken in a big way", he added.

IS seized Mosul in mid-2014 and swept across areas north and west of Baghdad, taking control of swathes of territory and declaring a "caliphate" straddling the border with Syria.

- Mass grave -

Backed by a US-led air strikes and other support, Iraqi forces have since retaken much of the territory they lost.

The operation to recapture Mosul -- then the last Iraqi city under IS control -- was launched in October.

After recapturing the east of the city, Iraqi forces last month set their sites on the west, where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped.

Northwest of Mosul, Iraqi forces on Saturday announced they had uncovered a mass grave containing the remains of hundreds of people executed by IS inside the infamous Badush prison, taken this week.

The Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary forces found "a large mass grave containing the remains of around 500 civilian prisoners in (Badush) prison who were executed by (IS) gangs," the military said.

According to Human Rights Watch, IS gunmen executed up to 600 inmates from the prison in June 2014, forcing them to kneel along a nearby ravine and then shooting them with assault rifles.

The US-led coalition launched air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq in 2014 and is providing a range of support to allied forces in both countries.

In Syria, the coalition is backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that is pushing towards the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa.

On Sunday, the SDF fought fierce battles with IS jihadists east of Raqa, around the village of Khas Ajil, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

SDF forces took control of five villages as they continued a slow advance, the monitoring group said, and several coalition air strikes hit the outskirts of Raqa early on Sunday.

Turkish-backed rebels are also advancing against IS in northern Syria, as are government troops supported by Russia.

- Toll rises in Damascus bombings -

The Britain-based Observatory also reported fighting on Sunday in eastern Aleppo province where the jihadists forced regime troops to fall back from the outskirts of the Jarrah military airport.

Russian and Syrian strikes hit IS-held areas in the province, Observatory said, with eight civilians, mostly from the same family, killed in a strike on the village of Maskanah.

Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front meanwhile said Sunday it was behind twin bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims in the centre of Damascus that killed 74 people.

"On Saturday... a twin attack was carried out by two heroes of Islam... in the centre of the capital Damascus, killing and wounding dozens," a statement said.

The Observatory said 43 Iraqi pilgrims were among those killed when a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Ban al-Saghir area of Damascus's famed Old City and a suicide bomber blew himself up.

The attack also killed 11 Syrian civilians and 20 members of pro-government security forces, it said.

Shiite shrines have been a frequent target of attack for Sunni extremists of IS and Al-Qaeda during Syria's devastating six-year war.

MOSUL: Iraqi forces seized a third of west Mosul and trapped Islamic State group fighters inside as they made further gains in their battle to retake the city, officials said on Sunday. Fierce fighting has shaken Mosul in recent days as thousands of US-backed Iraqi soldiers and police battle to reclaim the country's second city. A renewed push against the jihadists launched last Sunday has seen IS forced from several neighbourhoods and key sites, including the main local government headquarters and the famed Mosul museum. By Sunday, Iraqi forces were tightening the noose. "ISIS is trapped. Just last night, the 9th Iraqi army division... cut off the last road out of Mosul," the US envoy to the anti-IS coalition, Brett McGurk, told journalists in Baghdad. "Any of the fighters who are left in Mosul, they're going to die there," he said. "We are very committed to not just defeating them in Mosul, but making sure these guys cannot escape." Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service told AFP that "more than a third" of west Mosul was now under the control of security forces. CTS forces were battling IS inside the Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawat areas on Sunday, he said. Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said that forces from the Rapid Response Division, another special forces unit, and the federal police were also attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of Mosul's Old City. "The battle is not easy... we are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens," the JOC's spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, told AFP. IS resistance "has begun to weaken in a big way", he added. IS seized Mosul in mid-2014 and swept across areas north and west of Baghdad, taking control of swathes of territory and declaring a "caliphate" straddling the border with Syria. - Mass grave - Backed by a US-led air strikes and other support, Iraqi forces have since retaken much of the territory they lost. The operation to recapture Mosul -- then the last Iraqi city under IS control -- was launched in October. After recapturing the east of the city, Iraqi forces last month set their sites on the west, where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped. Northwest of Mosul, Iraqi forces on Saturday announced they had uncovered a mass grave containing the remains of hundreds of people executed by IS inside the infamous Badush prison, taken this week. The Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary forces found "a large mass grave containing the remains of around 500 civilian prisoners in (Badush) prison who were executed by (IS) gangs," the military said. According to Human Rights Watch, IS gunmen executed up to 600 inmates from the prison in June 2014, forcing them to kneel along a nearby ravine and then shooting them with assault rifles. The US-led coalition launched air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq in 2014 and is providing a range of support to allied forces in both countries. In Syria, the coalition is backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that is pushing towards the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa. On Sunday, the SDF fought fierce battles with IS jihadists east of Raqa, around the village of Khas Ajil, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. SDF forces took control of five villages as they continued a slow advance, the monitoring group said, and several coalition air strikes hit the outskirts of Raqa early on Sunday. Turkish-backed rebels are also advancing against IS in northern Syria, as are government troops supported by Russia. - Toll rises in Damascus bombings - The Britain-based Observatory also reported fighting on Sunday in eastern Aleppo province where the jihadists forced regime troops to fall back from the outskirts of the Jarrah military airport. Russian and Syrian strikes hit IS-held areas in the province, Observatory said, with eight civilians, mostly from the same family, killed in a strike on the village of Maskanah. Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front meanwhile said Sunday it was behind twin bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims in the centre of Damascus that killed 74 people. "On Saturday... a twin attack was carried out by two heroes of Islam... in the centre of the capital Damascus, killing and wounding dozens," a statement said. The Observatory said 43 Iraqi pilgrims were among those killed when a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Ban al-Saghir area of Damascus's famed Old City and a suicide bomber blew himself up. The attack also killed 11 Syrian civilians and 20 members of pro-government security forces, it said. Shiite shrines have been a frequent target of attack for Sunni extremists of IS and Al-Qaeda during Syria's devastating six-year war.
By PTI

COLOMBO: None of the Indian pilgrims have attended the annual festival at a famous church in Sri Lanka's Katchatheevu island amid tensions between both the countries following the killing of an Indian fisherman allegedly by the Lankan navy.

The two-day event which began yesterday was significant for the navy as it had completed building the new St Anthony's church.

Sri Lanka's Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne said that no Indian devotees were present. "This is due to the killing of an Indian fishermen recently where they charged the navy of firing. The navy was not responsible for firing," Wijegunaratne said. He said the navy only arrest poaching fishing boats in Sri Lankan waters and never fire at them. "They can't open fire without approval from the Navy Commander and I did not give firing orders," Wijegunaratne said.

He said the navy had launched an investigation. "We have asked India to provide us with Global Positioning System (GPS) location data of the boat in question. This will help us to investigate," Wijegunaratne said. He also said following a request from the Bishop of Jaffna last year, the navy began constructing the new church at the site which has now been completed.

Nearly 7,000 Sri Lankan devotees were present. Sri Lanka and India on Wednesday agreed to release fishermen held in each other's custody after a high-level discussion here in a bid to defuse the tension following the killing of the 22-year-old Indian fisherman. The fisherman from Tamil Nadu was killed and another injured on March 6 allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy.

COLOMBO: None of the Indian pilgrims have attended the annual festival at a famous church in Sri Lanka's Katchatheevu island amid tensions between both the countries following the killing of an Indian fisherman allegedly by the Lankan navy. The two-day event which began yesterday was significant for the navy as it had completed building the new St Anthony's church. Sri Lanka's Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne said that no Indian devotees were present. "This is due to the killing of an Indian fishermen recently where they charged the navy of firing. The navy was not responsible for firing," Wijegunaratne said. He said the navy only arrest poaching fishing boats in Sri Lankan waters and never fire at them. "They can't open fire without approval from the Navy Commander and I did not give firing orders," Wijegunaratne said. He said the navy had launched an investigation. "We have asked India to provide us with Global Positioning System (GPS) location data of the boat in question. This will help us to investigate," Wijegunaratne said. He also said following a request from the Bishop of Jaffna last year, the navy began constructing the new church at the site which has now been completed. Nearly 7,000 Sri Lankan devotees were present. Sri Lanka and India on Wednesday agreed to release fishermen held in each other's custody after a high-level discussion here in a bid to defuse the tension following the killing of the 22-year-old Indian fisherman. The fisherman from Tamil Nadu was killed and another injured on March 6 allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy.
By PTI

Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro has said it plans to vaccinate the state's entire population against yellow fever in response to an outbreak that has killed at least 113 people around Brazil. Although Rio has not registered any cases, it is close to where the disease has taken hold in neighboring Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Sao Paulo states.

The aim is "to expand the strategy of vaccination as a preventative measure," the Rio health department said in a statement yesterday. The state government said it's aiming to vaccinate the whole population by the end of the year.

A total of 12 million doses will be required, with three million already ordered, the statement said. Brazil's health ministry says that yellow fever, which is carried by mosquitoes, has been confirmed in 352 cases, with another 915 under investigation in an unusually severe outbreak. So far 113 deaths have been confirmed from the disease, with 104 more under investigation.

Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro has said it plans to vaccinate the state's entire population against yellow fever in response to an outbreak that has killed at least 113 people around Brazil. Although Rio has not registered any cases, it is close to where the disease has taken hold in neighboring Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Sao Paulo states. The aim is "to expand the strategy of vaccination as a preventative measure," the Rio health department said in a statement yesterday. The state government said it's aiming to vaccinate the whole population by the end of the year. A total of 12 million doses will be required, with three million already ordered, the statement said. Brazil's health ministry says that yellow fever, which is carried by mosquitoes, has been confirmed in 352 cases, with another 915 under investigation in an unusually severe outbreak. So far 113 deaths have been confirmed from the disease, with 104 more under investigation.
Express News Service

COLOMBO: A draft Sino-Sri Lankan agreement on the controversial Hambantota port says that the Sri Lankan government has the sole right to decide whether or not, at any given point of time, the port can be used for a military purpose.

According to the Colombo-based Sunday Times, the joint venture agreement to be signed by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the state-owned Chinese enterprise, the China Merchant Port Holdings Company (CMPort), says: There can be no activities of military nature whatsoever, whether on land, air or in sea, onshore or offshore within the territory of Sri Lanka, including and not limited to bringing in, berthing, of warships, submarines, storing, warehousing of any military equipment and machinery, installation of communication networks/facilities, bringing in or keeping any form of military or paramilitary forces, irrespective whether [sic] such activity is inimical to the national security or not, and the GOSL (Government of Sri Lanka) shall have the sole power and be the sole authority over such activities,

Thus, the draft agreement does not completely rule out the use of the Hambantota port for military purposes. It only says that the decision in regard to any kind of military use will be the prerogative of the Government of Sri Lanka.

In fact, there is already a Sri Lankan naval base there, which, according to the agreement, will become a property of the joint venture company.

In Line With Indias Wish

The proposed arrangement is in line with Indias wish, as New Delhi has been asking Sri Lanka to keep its ports, including the Hambantota port, under its control, and has been worried by Colombos moves to hand over a section of the Colombo port and the Hambantota port to China, which had constructed the installations with Chinese funds.

In November 2014, a Chinese nuclear submarine had allegedly berthed at a container terminal in Colombo constructed by the Chinese, raising the hackles in New Delhi. And by an earlier proposal, CMPPort was to take 80% stake in the Hambantota port for US$ 1.1 billion and get full control of it for 99 years with little or no Sri Lankan control over security.

As per the latest drft agreement, an Oversight Committee comprising representatives of the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police, SLPA and the Secretary to the Ministry of Strategic Development and International Trade will control the national security of the Hambantota port. Internal security will however be the task of the joint venture company but that too will be monitored by the Oversight Committee.

The joint venture company shall be capitalized with an amount of US$ 1.4 billion (transaction value). CMPort will invest a maximum of US$ 1.12 billion (investment value) by itself or through its affiliate, by subscribing or purchasing 80 percent of issued share capital of the company. The balance 20 percent will come from the SLPA.

CMPorts money will be paid in three tranches within six months, subject to fulfillment of conditions. A security payment of US$ 5 million has already been deposited. The deal will give CMPort sway, not only over Phases I and II, but over the proposed Phase III, which is still just a concept. The total land to be leased out is 1,235 acres (5 sq km) together with a man-made, 46.2-hectare (114-acre) island.

The joint venture company will get all movable property and port infrastructure within that area including the naval bases which are established within the Port Property as at the date of execution of this Agreement.

The SLPA will transfer the port on a 99-year lease, free of any liabilities, including loans, tax, litigation, claims, environmental liability or other statutory liabilities. The site lease agreement will be reviewed 15 years after its first execution and thereafter at five-year intervals.

The joint venture company will be entitled to set and revise port tariffs and take the benefits and revenues of all port services and activities defined in the agreement. It will operate as an independent, profit-oriented enterprise. Any arbitration under the agreement shall be held in Sri Lanka.

The joint venture company reserves the right to conduct any project within the leased area without offering such project to any third (non- Sri Lankan or non-Chinese) party.

COLOMBO: A draft Sino-Sri Lankan agreement on the controversial Hambantota port says that the Sri Lankan government has the sole right to decide whether or not, at any given point of time, the port can be used for a military purpose. According to the Colombo-based Sunday Times, the joint venture agreement to be signed by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the state-owned Chinese enterprise, the China Merchant Port Holdings Company (CMPort), says: There can be no activities of military nature whatsoever, whether on land, air or in sea, onshore or offshore within the territory of Sri Lanka, including and not limited to bringing in, berthing, of warships, submarines, storing, warehousing of any military equipment and machinery, installation of communication networks/facilities, bringing in or keeping any form of military or paramilitary forces, irrespective whether [sic] such activity is inimical to the national security or not, and the GOSL (Government of Sri Lanka) shall have the sole power and be the sole authority over such activities, Thus, the draft agreement does not completely rule out the use of the Hambantota port for military purposes. It only says that the decision in regard to any kind of military use will be the prerogative of the Government of Sri Lanka. In fact, there is already a Sri Lankan naval base there, which, according to the agreement, will become a property of the joint venture company. In Line With Indias Wish The proposed arrangement is in line with Indias wish, as New Delhi has been asking Sri Lanka to keep its ports, including the Hambantota port, under its control, and has been worried by Colombos moves to hand over a section of the Colombo port and the Hambantota port to China, which had constructed the installations with Chinese funds. In November 2014, a Chinese nuclear submarine had allegedly berthed at a container terminal in Colombo constructed by the Chinese, raising the hackles in New Delhi. And by an earlier proposal, CMPPort was to take 80% stake in the Hambantota port for US$ 1.1 billion and get full control of it for 99 years with little or no Sri Lankan control over security. As per the latest drft agreement, an Oversight Committee comprising representatives of the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police, SLPA and the Secretary to the Ministry of Strategic Development and International Trade will control the national security of the Hambantota port. Internal security will however be the task of the joint venture company but that too will be monitored by the Oversight Committee. The joint venture company shall be capitalized with an amount of US$ 1.4 billion (transaction value). CMPort will invest a maximum of US$ 1.12 billion (investment value) by itself or through its affiliate, by subscribing or purchasing 80 percent of issued share capital of the company. The balance 20 percent will come from the SLPA. CMPorts money will be paid in three tranches within six months, subject to fulfillment of conditions. A security payment of US$ 5 million has already been deposited. The deal will give CMPort sway, not only over Phases I and II, but over the proposed Phase III, which is still just a concept. The total land to be leased out is 1,235 acres (5 sq km) together with a man-made, 46.2-hectare (114-acre) island. The joint venture company will get all movable property and port infrastructure within that area including the naval bases which are established within the Port Property as at the date of execution of this Agreement. The SLPA will transfer the port on a 99-year lease, free of any liabilities, including loans, tax, litigation, claims, environmental liability or other statutory liabilities. The site lease agreement will be reviewed 15 years after its first execution and thereafter at five-year intervals. The joint venture company will be entitled to set and revise port tariffs and take the benefits and revenues of all port services and activities defined in the agreement. It will operate as an independent, profit-oriented enterprise. Any arbitration under the agreement shall be held in Sri Lanka. The joint venture company reserves the right to conduct any project within the leased area without offering such project to any third (non- Sri Lankan or non-Chinese) party.
By Associated Press

ROTTERDAM: The escalating dispute between NATO allies Turkey and the Netherlands hit a new low Sunday, with a Turkish minister escorted out of the country less than a day after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call the Dutch "Nazi remnants."

The diplomatic clash was over plans by Turkish government officials to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum back home. Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had arrived in the country from Germany but was prevented from entering Turkey's diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up a standoff with armed police. She was later sent under escort back to Germany.

As she was approaching the German border, Kaya wrote that "the whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such a treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted."

The Dutch were equally angry and Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogan's Nazi comment "a crazy remark," while Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said the Turkish consul general was guilty of a "scandalous deception" after he allegedly denied that the minister was coming despite government warnings to stay away.

"He lied to us and didn't tell the truth," the mayor said. "The deception worsened when they drove in different columns to Rotterdam" to try to fool Dutch authorities.

Hundreds of pro-Turkey protesters scuffled with police into the night in Rotterdam.

The diplomatic clash with Kaya came after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands on Saturday and Turkish officials closed off the Dutch Embassy and called its ambassador no longer welcome.

The Dutch barred Cavusoglu from entering because of objections to his intention to attend a rally in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional reforms to expand Erdogan's powers, which the Dutch see as a step backward from democracy. Turkish officials have been campaigning in various European cities with Turkish populations before the April 16 vote.

The Dutch government said it withdrew landing permission because of "risks to public order and security," leading Cavusoglu to say: "So is the foreign minister of the Turkish republic a terrorist?"

Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul that the Dutch "do not know politics or international diplomacy." He compared them to "Nazi remnants, they are fascists."

Erdogan had earlier this month already compared German policies to "Nazi practices," after German municipalities canceled several campaign events by Turkish officials last weekend.

He told a rally in Istanbul Saturday: "You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your (diplomatic) planes will come to Turkey from now on."

In the evening, a Turkish foreign ministry official who spoke on customary anonymity said the Dutch Embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul were closed off because of security reasons.

The official said entries and exits were closed to the two locations. Similar precautions were taken at the Dutch charge d'affaires' house and the ambassador's residence.

The Turkish foreign ministry also said that it doesn't want to see the Dutch ambassador, who is out of the country, return to his post for some time because of the increasingly divisive dispute with the Netherlands.

In a written statement early Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country will strongly respond to the Dutch actions.

"There will be a stronger reprisal against the unacceptable treatment toward Turkey and ministers who have diplomatic immunity," Yildirim said.

Cavusoglu said he arrived in Metz, France, late Saturday, where he was expected to address crowds on Sunday.

The diplomatic row comes at a time when relations between Turkey and the European Union, of which the Netherlands is a member, have been steadily worsening, especially in the wake of Erdogan's actions since last year's failed coup. More than 41,000 people have been arrested and 100,000 civil servants fired from their jobs.

Cavusoglu said that "unfortunately Europe and several countries in Europe, the Netherlands being in the first place, they are reminiscent of the Europe of World War II. The same racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, we see all the crimes against humanity in today's politics."

The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls next Wednesday for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains.

Earlier Saturday, Cavusoglu said "Wilders is racist, fascist, Nazi, like a Nazi." Citing comments that Wilders wanted action against Muslims, Cavusoglu said: "What are you going to do? Are you going to kill them, burn them or what?"

ROTTERDAM: The escalating dispute between NATO allies Turkey and the Netherlands hit a new low Sunday, with a Turkish minister escorted out of the country less than a day after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call the Dutch "Nazi remnants." The diplomatic clash was over plans by Turkish government officials to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum back home. Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had arrived in the country from Germany but was prevented from entering Turkey's diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up a standoff with armed police. She was later sent under escort back to Germany. As she was approaching the German border, Kaya wrote that "the whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such a treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted." The Dutch were equally angry and Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogan's Nazi comment "a crazy remark," while Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said the Turkish consul general was guilty of a "scandalous deception" after he allegedly denied that the minister was coming despite government warnings to stay away. "He lied to us and didn't tell the truth," the mayor said. "The deception worsened when they drove in different columns to Rotterdam" to try to fool Dutch authorities. Hundreds of pro-Turkey protesters scuffled with police into the night in Rotterdam. The diplomatic clash with Kaya came after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands on Saturday and Turkish officials closed off the Dutch Embassy and called its ambassador no longer welcome. The Dutch barred Cavusoglu from entering because of objections to his intention to attend a rally in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional reforms to expand Erdogan's powers, which the Dutch see as a step backward from democracy. Turkish officials have been campaigning in various European cities with Turkish populations before the April 16 vote. The Dutch government said it withdrew landing permission because of "risks to public order and security," leading Cavusoglu to say: "So is the foreign minister of the Turkish republic a terrorist?" Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul that the Dutch "do not know politics or international diplomacy." He compared them to "Nazi remnants, they are fascists." Erdogan had earlier this month already compared German policies to "Nazi practices," after German municipalities canceled several campaign events by Turkish officials last weekend. He told a rally in Istanbul Saturday: "You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your (diplomatic) planes will come to Turkey from now on." In the evening, a Turkish foreign ministry official who spoke on customary anonymity said the Dutch Embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul were closed off because of security reasons. The official said entries and exits were closed to the two locations. Similar precautions were taken at the Dutch charge d'affaires' house and the ambassador's residence. The Turkish foreign ministry also said that it doesn't want to see the Dutch ambassador, who is out of the country, return to his post for some time because of the increasingly divisive dispute with the Netherlands. In a written statement early Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country will strongly respond to the Dutch actions. "There will be a stronger reprisal against the unacceptable treatment toward Turkey and ministers who have diplomatic immunity," Yildirim said. Cavusoglu said he arrived in Metz, France, late Saturday, where he was expected to address crowds on Sunday. The diplomatic row comes at a time when relations between Turkey and the European Union, of which the Netherlands is a member, have been steadily worsening, especially in the wake of Erdogan's actions since last year's failed coup. More than 41,000 people have been arrested and 100,000 civil servants fired from their jobs. Cavusoglu said that "unfortunately Europe and several countries in Europe, the Netherlands being in the first place, they are reminiscent of the Europe of World War II. The same racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, we see all the crimes against humanity in today's politics." The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls next Wednesday for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains. Earlier Saturday, Cavusoglu said "Wilders is racist, fascist, Nazi, like a Nazi." Citing comments that Wilders wanted action against Muslims, Cavusoglu said: "What are you going to do? Are you going to kill them, burn them or what?"
By IANS

BAGHDAD: The ongoing operations to free the western side of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) terrorists have pushed up to 100,000 civilians to flee their homes, the Iraqi government said on Sunday.



"The latest statistics of the Iraqi ministry of migration shows 99,852 displaced people since the launch of operations to free the neighbourhoods of Mosul's right bank (western side)," Xinhua quoted a statement by Jassim Mohammed al-Jaf, Minister of Migration and Displaced.



On Sunday, teams affiliated to the ministry received 10,607 civilians who left their homes from the battleground of the neighbourhoods of western Mosul, Jaf said.



The migration ministry prepared appropriate places to shelter the displaced people and provided emergency supplies, including food and medicine, Jaf added.



The announcement came as the Iraqi security forces were pushing deeper into the IS-held western side of Mosul, locally known as right bank of Tigris River, which bisects the city.



The troops dislodged IS terrorists from several neighbourhoods in the southern part of Mosul's western side, including the main government buildings in the old city centre.



BAGHDAD: The ongoing operations to free the western side of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) terrorists have pushed up to 100,000 civilians to flee their homes, the Iraqi government said on Sunday. "The latest statistics of the Iraqi ministry of migration shows 99,852 displaced people since the launch of operations to free the neighbourhoods of Mosul's right bank (western side)," Xinhua quoted a statement by Jassim Mohammed al-Jaf, Minister of Migration and Displaced. On Sunday, teams affiliated to the ministry received 10,607 civilians who left their homes from the battleground of the neighbourhoods of western Mosul, Jaf said. The migration ministry prepared appropriate places to shelter the displaced people and provided emergency supplies, including food and medicine, Jaf added. The announcement came as the Iraqi security forces were pushing deeper into the IS-held western side of Mosul, locally known as right bank of Tigris River, which bisects the city. The troops dislodged IS terrorists from several neighbourhoods in the southern part of Mosul's western side, including the main government buildings in the old city centre.
By AFP

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday warned the Netherlands would pay a price for preventing his ministers from holding rallies to win support in a referendum on expanding his powers, as a crisis escalated with Turkey's key EU partners.

Erdogan also repeated hugely controversial accusations that the Netherlands -- occupied by Nazi Germany in World War II -- was behaving like fascists in its treatment of Turkish ministers.

Analysts are predicting a tight outcome to the April 16 referendum on a new constitution and key Turkish ministers have planned major rallies in key EU cities to win votes from millions of Turks residing abroad.

But Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled after being prevented from addressing a rally in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam.

Also this weekend, The Hague refused to allow Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane to land ahead of a planned rally.

"Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price," an angry Erdogan told a ceremony in Istanbul, referring to the March 15 election in Turkey's NATO ally.

"They will learn what diplomacy is," he growled, adding that what happened "cannot remain unanswered."

Erdogan reaffirmed his accusations from Saturday that the Dutch behaviour over the Turkish visits was "Nazism, fascism".

Speaking at a rally in the French city of Metz -- which was allowed to go ahead -- Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism".

- 'West shows true face' -

Faced with an upsurge in support for the far-right, European governments have come under pressure to take a hard line on Erdogan, who is accused by critics of seeking one-man rule in the constitutional changes.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke on Sunday called on his Turkish counterpart Binali Yilirim to delay a planned March visit because of the "tensions".

Police clashed with pro-Erdogan demonstrators in the Netherlands overnight while in Istanbul on Sunday a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate and replaced the Dutch flag with a Turkish flag.

The flag was later taken down and Turkish officials insisted the consulate had not been entered from the outside and "consular officials" had hoisted the flag on their own initiative. The consulate declined to comment.

A Dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP that the situation "remains unclear" and the Netherlands had "protested to the Turkish authorities" over the incident.

The latest row came after NATO allies Turkey and Germany sparred over the cancellation of a series of referendum campaign events there.

"The West has clearly shown its true face in the last couple of days," Erdogan said.

"What we have seen is a clear manifestation of Islamophobia," he added.

The president indicated that he himself plans to travel to Europe for rallies, a move that could potentially create an even greater row.

Erdogan said: "I can go to any country I want if I have a diplomatic passport."

In Metz, Cavusoglu was welcomed by some 800 flag-waving Turks. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a statement there was "no reason to prohibit this gathering".

"I thank France. France was not deceived by such games," Erdogan said.

In a later speech outside Istanbul, Erdogan called on "all international organisations" to impose sanctions on the Netherlands, who he said was behaving "like a banana republic".

- 'Rough treatment' -

Kaya, who was stopped just outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam by Dutch police and, after several hours of negotiations, escorted back to the German border, received a hero's welcome upon return to Turkey.

Arriving at Istanbul airport, Kaya was met by a crowd waving Turkish flags and said she and her entourage had been subjected to "rude and tough treatment".

The diplomatic row triggered clashes in Rotterdam, where after several hours of calm demonstrations, police moved in early Sunday to disperse over 1,000 people gathered near the Turkish consulate, charging the crowd on horseback and using dogs to regain control.

Protesters hit back, throwing rocks at riot police, while hundreds of cars jammed the streets blaring their horns and revving their engines.

The Dutch government said Kaya was "irresponsible" for attempting to visit after being told she was not welcome, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said "it was undesirable that she was here."

The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin while Germany has 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey -- the fourth-largest electoral base after the cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

In Wednesday's polls Rutte faces a strong challenge from the party of far-right anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders.

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday warned the Netherlands would pay a price for preventing his ministers from holding rallies to win support in a referendum on expanding his powers, as a crisis escalated with Turkey's key EU partners. Erdogan also repeated hugely controversial accusations that the Netherlands -- occupied by Nazi Germany in World War II -- was behaving like fascists in its treatment of Turkish ministers. Analysts are predicting a tight outcome to the April 16 referendum on a new constitution and key Turkish ministers have planned major rallies in key EU cities to win votes from millions of Turks residing abroad. But Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled after being prevented from addressing a rally in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. Also this weekend, The Hague refused to allow Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's plane to land ahead of a planned rally. "Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price," an angry Erdogan told a ceremony in Istanbul, referring to the March 15 election in Turkey's NATO ally. "They will learn what diplomacy is," he growled, adding that what happened "cannot remain unanswered." Erdogan reaffirmed his accusations from Saturday that the Dutch behaviour over the Turkish visits was "Nazism, fascism". Speaking at a rally in the French city of Metz -- which was allowed to go ahead -- Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism". - 'West shows true face' - Faced with an upsurge in support for the far-right, European governments have come under pressure to take a hard line on Erdogan, who is accused by critics of seeking one-man rule in the constitutional changes. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke on Sunday called on his Turkish counterpart Binali Yilirim to delay a planned March visit because of the "tensions". Police clashed with pro-Erdogan demonstrators in the Netherlands overnight while in Istanbul on Sunday a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate and replaced the Dutch flag with a Turkish flag. The flag was later taken down and Turkish officials insisted the consulate had not been entered from the outside and "consular officials" had hoisted the flag on their own initiative. The consulate declined to comment. A Dutch foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP that the situation "remains unclear" and the Netherlands had "protested to the Turkish authorities" over the incident. The latest row came after NATO allies Turkey and Germany sparred over the cancellation of a series of referendum campaign events there. "The West has clearly shown its true face in the last couple of days," Erdogan said. "What we have seen is a clear manifestation of Islamophobia," he added. The president indicated that he himself plans to travel to Europe for rallies, a move that could potentially create an even greater row. Erdogan said: "I can go to any country I want if I have a diplomatic passport." In Metz, Cavusoglu was welcomed by some 800 flag-waving Turks. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a statement there was "no reason to prohibit this gathering". "I thank France. France was not deceived by such games," Erdogan said. In a later speech outside Istanbul, Erdogan called on "all international organisations" to impose sanctions on the Netherlands, who he said was behaving "like a banana republic". - 'Rough treatment' - Kaya, who was stopped just outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam by Dutch police and, after several hours of negotiations, escorted back to the German border, received a hero's welcome upon return to Turkey. Arriving at Istanbul airport, Kaya was met by a crowd waving Turkish flags and said she and her entourage had been subjected to "rude and tough treatment". The diplomatic row triggered clashes in Rotterdam, where after several hours of calm demonstrations, police moved in early Sunday to disperse over 1,000 people gathered near the Turkish consulate, charging the crowd on horseback and using dogs to regain control. Protesters hit back, throwing rocks at riot police, while hundreds of cars jammed the streets blaring their horns and revving their engines. The Dutch government said Kaya was "irresponsible" for attempting to visit after being told she was not welcome, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said "it was undesirable that she was here." The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin while Germany has 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey -- the fourth-largest electoral base after the cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. In Wednesday's polls Rutte faces a strong challenge from the party of far-right anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders.
FORT ATKINSON  Dave Young had a grand vision for one of this citys most prominent and spacious buildings.

In the early 2000s, Young, who skipped college and fashioned cowboy boots and motorcycles, spent $8 million to renovate the Creamery Package Manufacturing Co. facility in the heart of Fort Atkinsons downtown. Young moved the corporate offices of his VyMac Corp. to the fifth floor, leased part of the ground floor to a Verlo Mattress store and had plans to use other floors in the building for more offices and to revive a high-end mattress brand that dated back to the 1850s.

But in 2012, Young, who was 45, was killed in an accident while working on one of his vehicles. VyMacs corporate offices moved out of the Creamery Building the following year and later the company, which provided mattress parts and kits to Verlo stores, was purchased by A. Lava & Son Co., a Chicago manufacturer and distributor of bedding components.

Youngs plans to revitalize the creamery building, energize the citys downtown and fill the historic brick structure with employees, however, are being realized.

Mike Herl, a Dane County-based real estate broker and developer, and Adel Salameh, who has owned the Verlo store in the building since 2004, purchased the Creamery Building in late 2015. Over the past 17 months the duo has gradually begun to fill the spaces that for decades were used to make milk tanks and other equipment for the dairy industry.

This is very special, said Salameh. When VyMac left the building I was the only tenant in the building. The building was so quiet. Its nice to see it alive again.

The tenants include nearly 60 employees on the fifth floor from AC Business Media, a construction trades publication company. There are 80 employees on the fourth floor for RateWatch, a financial data company owned by the TheStreet, and Salamehs Verlo store, which is undergoing a renovation on the first floor. What had been an adjacent warehouse for the creamery factory has been split in half for CrossFit Fort Atkinson, a fitness gym and a Mr. Brews Tap House that will open in a few weeks.

The project is being supported by the city, which approved $80,000 in tax incremental financing for improvements to the parking lots and $300,000 in the form of a revolving loan. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. has also awarded a $250,000 grant to the city to help with further development on the site, which is adjacent to the Glacial Heritage Trail.

Its a catalyst project for the downtown, said Matt Trebatoski, Fort Atkinsons city manager for the past three years. Its definitely a welcome thing to the community.

The improvements to the building attracted Meg Zechel and her husband, Jeb Simmons, who in December moved their fitness center to a 5,700-square-foot space. It features 30-foot ceilings and an overhead door that can be opened during warmer weather to create even more of an open feel for the gyms 250 members. The previous facility was only 4,000 square feet and lacked space and atmosphere.

Our other (location) was more like a storage unit. It was just your basic warehouse, Zechel said. This is leaps and bounds better, and its really bringing life to the downtown.

The second and third floors of the main building remain vacant, but Herl and Salameh are confident they will ultimately find more companies who want a big-city feel for about half of what it would cost for similar space in Milwaukee or Madison. Any additions would further boost other downtown businesses like bars, restaurants, jewelry stores, a bike shop, a florist, pharmacies and the tailor shop across the street.

Whats really cool about whats happened here is that youve got all these people here now and now theyre frequenting all of these businesses, said Herl, managing broker and partner of Madison Commercial in Fitchburg. Its small town meets corporate America. Ive always been a big thinker, but its calculated risk.

Unique histories

The Creamery Building was built in 1920 at the corner of North Main Street and Sherman Avenue, just a block north of the Rock River. The company had moved to Fort Atkinson from Chicago in 1898 after purchasing Cornish Curtis & Greene, another creamery equipment manufacturer, according to the Hoard Historical Museum.

Creamery Package grew into one of the largest manufacturers in the world for equipment for creameries, cheese factories, dairies and ice cream plants, but the Fort Atkinson facility was closed in 1967 in favor of larger quarters in Lake Mills.

Young, whose company bought the building in 2001, renovated it, a project that included spending $500,000 to replace more than 300 floor-to-ceiling windows with thermal-pane energy-efficient windows. Old window frames were sandblasted and given new glass for use as office dividers on the fifth floor.

There was not much done in the way of caring for the building over the 80 years or so that is has existed, Young told the State Journal in 2006. But she speaks to me now, and I like what she has to say. Once we peeled back the years (of) partitions, drop ceilings and paint, we began to uncover a wonderful industrial designed structure.

And now its up to Herl and Salameh to ensure the lady can live another 100 years.

Herl, 53, a Colorado native, went to college in Arizona but in 1986 went on tour doing security for hard rock band Judas Priest. After three years he did tour management for Cheap Trick, which brought him to Madison, where the band had its tour office. He later spent four years with Motley Crue.

Herl got out of the band business after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and entered the world of real estate, a profession he described as not all that different from dealing with pretentious, demanding musicians.

Landlords and developers are just as egotistical as a rock star, Herl said while riding the corner glass elevator of the Creamery Building.

Salameh emigrated from Jordan in 1981, finished high school in the Milwaukee suburb of Franklin and then worked in Chicago shoe stores, where he worked his way up to management. In 1995, nine years after becoming a U.S. citizen, he opened Verlo Mattress stores in Racine and Kenosha. He moved to Fort Atkinson in 2004.

Im living the American dream, said Salameh, who is married with two adult children. As a retailer I want to see more people walking the streets. We want to bring more people downtown.

A welcoming work space

Herl had been hired to market the building by Dale Williams, the former owner and co-founder of VyMac. But when Herl began getting inquiries from potential tenants who wanted to lease space, he and Salameh, who was concerned about losing his lease to a new owner, bought the building themselves for $2 million after Williams declined to consider lease agreements.

RateWatch moved into its 16,000-square-foot space in February 2016 after signing a 10-year lease. The floor is covered with cubicles and a large server room, with natural light flooding the work spaces. Rochelle Zorn, president of the company founded in 1989 to provide data on deposits, loans and fees for financial institutions, said the new space is a vast improvement over its previous location in an industrial park. The Creamery Building allows quick access to the bike path, river and other downtown amenities. She also has seen a decline in employees calling in sick.

Just the idea of windows, light and fresh air in the middle of the day has made a big difference, Zorn said. Ive always had my eyes on this place. I just love it.

The newest tenant will not only bring 20 to 24 more employees to the downtown area but provide another spot for a beer and a burger. Cindy Milanovich is scheduled to open Mr. Brews Taphouse the week of March 20. It will feature 48 draft beers, 80 seats, an outdoor deck and is part of a rapid expansion plan for the Middleton-based franchise founded in 2013 that has 10 locations and is in the midst of a national expansion plan that includes at least four more locations this year, according to its website.

Its a great building, said Milanovich. This brick has a history of its own.

JoAnne Breuchel, chief financial officer for AC Business Media, said her company, spun off from Cygnus Business Media, moved into the building in November 2014. Publications are targeted at the construction industry with titles like Asphalt Contractor, Equipment Today and Concrete Contractor. The office has an urban feel with sweeping views of the city.

Its a unique space and a creative space, Breuchel said. Having a great environment never hurts.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 58F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 38F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.
Scott Kelly isnt quite ready to step away from his business, but when he is, he knows the company will endure well into the future.

Kelly recently closed a deal to sell his company, Kelly Financial of Madison, to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. of Itasca, Illinois. Kelly and his staff of 10 will remain with the business founded by his father, though at some point yet to be determined, Kelly will step aside.

A big part of the insurance business is succession planning, said Kelly, 59. Ive come to realize that I always was frustrated when I saw good companies that struggled with succession planning and didnt do their succession planning.

Kelly has no children to whom to pass his business and in recent years concluded it was time to come up with a plan to ensure the business future and keep its staff employed. About a year ago, Kelly said, a friend introduced him to a representative from Gallagher.

He appreciated the companys approach of looking for businesses interested in selling only if current leadership and staff stayed on after the purchase.

I liked the idea that they wanted the entrepreneur to stay and help them to continue to grow the business but with the idea that I would step aside sometime down the road, Kelly said. Thats a lot different than selling it and then turning it over right away.

It ensures continuity and allows Kelly and his team to continue working with existing customers, while also introducing them to Gallagher.

Kelly said the toughest part for entrepreneurs when they sell their business is giving up control.

A lot of effort and thought goes into selling a company, and it takes time away from being productive and growing the business, he said. But now that is taken care of, and I feel its safe to say everyone here at Kelly Financial can look forward knowing that whenever Scott decides to hang it up, they still will have a place to work.

Gallagher looks forward to working with Kelly Financial.

Scott has built a phenomenal team that is highly regarded for their expertise, which strengthens and expands our retirement consulting services across the Great Lakes region and state of Wisconsin, said J. Patrick Gallagher, chairman, president and CEO of the financial giant that has offices in 33 countries.

Kelly said Gallaghers resources and services also will provide additional products for his team to market to current and prospective clients.

Succession planning

While Kelly faced few hurdles in deciding to sell his company, it isnt always the case with a family-owned business.

Family dynamics can complicate matters when transitioning a family-owned company from one generation to the next, said Sherry Herwig, director of the Family Business Center at UW-Madison.

Sometimes its difficult for a company founder to just step aside and hand over control of something they built, even if its to another family member, Herwig said. This is why developing a succession plan often is delayed.

The more time put into succession planning the better, Herwig said.

The benefit of starting the process sooner is you have time to groom and train someone and prepare them to take over, she said.

Generally a first step in succession planning, especially with a family-owned business, is for family members to discuss the future of the business.

When the family just sits down, sometimes the answers you get may surprise you, or the process goes smoothly, Herwig said. Then as planning gets more involved, trusted advisers including legal counsel can guide and formalize the process.

Succession planning is a process, and while some legal documents may be created, its really not the end result, she said. (Conversations) will be ongoing.

Deep Madison roots

Scott Kelly has a strong connection to the insurance business. His grandfather Lou McGann sold insurance for National Guardian Life in Madison.

Kelly Financial evolved from an insurance business launched in Madison by Scotts father, John, in 1957. John Kelly, 84, remained active in the insurance business until the mid-1990s.

Despite his family connection to the industry, Scott Kelly was uncertain whether hed also get into the insurance business. When he graduated from the University of Montana in 1981, Kelly had other career options.

Kelly had interned for Oscar Mayer for two summers while in college and did a yearlong internship with IBM, where he was assigned a sales territory selling electric typewriters.

My dad was thrilled that I had these opportunities with these large corporations, Kelly recalled. In the end, working for large conglomerates wasnt for him.

I remember talking with my dad and telling him how I didnt think I wanted to work for a big company and really liked the small office environment of his business, Kelly said.

But Kelly wasnt handed a job. Kellys father owned his business but those who worked in his office were sole proprietors or independent agents. Scott Kelly also became an independent agent and was assigned a place to work in his fathers office.

It was a great arrangement, he said.

I wasnt relying on my father for income and he wasnt making judgments on how I spent my time, he said. We could just be father and son and could just support one another.

As with any other business, growth meant looking for new opportunities. From personal and business insurance, John Kelly began offering group health insurance plans, which was a new service for insurance businesses in the 1980s.

A new era

Scott Kellys career took a big step in the mid-1990s when his father decided it was time for him to start winding down his career. In 1994, Scott Kelly incorporated the company and renamed it Kelly Financial.

That same year, he acquired another Madison-based insurance and financial services business owned by Stan Mintz. Kelly said that acquisition opened the door to retirement planning and helping companies set up 401(k) plans, which at that time was still in its infancy.

The merged businesses operated for about five years as Mintz Kelly and Associates and was later changed back to Kelly Financial.

By that time, Scott Kelly was the business owner and his father was the independent agent working for him.

In 1999, Kelly built a new office at 120 E. Lakeside St., near John Nolen Drive, where the company is housed today.

Kelly said when he got into the insurance business, transactions with clients were conducted in their homes, usually at the kitchen table. These days, clients either come to his office or he visits clients where they work.

Personal contact with clients remains a constant with insurance sales and financial services, Kelly said.

Some things have changed but its still people dealing with people, he said. If it still wasnt about that, it wouldnt be any fun.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid out the vision for a new India where the poor and the downtrodden would take charge of their own lives and declared 2022 as the year this new India would rise and shine, when the country marks 75th anniversary of Independence.



In an emotional speech at the BJP HQ thanking the BJP workers in five states, who delivered a resounding victory for the party in the Assembly elections, Modi said the poll results have laid out the foundation for the new India of his mind.



Throughout the 35-minute speech, the PM played the role of a statesman appealing to all sections of society cutting across socio-political divides. The governments we form will be for those who voted for us and those who did not vote us. It will be also for those who stood against us. The government and the BJP has no right to discriminate, he said.



But the core of his speech was reserved for laying out the roadmap for a new India that will go beyond slogan and rhetoric and realise the potential of its 1.2 billion citizens, of which 65% are under 35 years old.



India can prosper only when the poor get an opportunity to study, work and earn. The poor of this country are its strength. The middle class is burdened today. They have to pay more taxes, follow all the rules, bear a huge financial burden. This burden should lessen Even the poor want to be self-reliant in this new India, he said.







The PM said the target for this new India should be 2022, asserting he is not bothered by electoral calculations. I dont live by election calculations. My target is 2022, not 2019. 2022 will mark 75 years of Indias Independence, he said.



The PM tied it all with the historic mandate the BJP received in UP, which he said was a classic case of new aspirations where people put development above differences. Elections have seen waves before, but that was for emotional reasons. This one is for development, he said.



Its a good thing that polling percentage is increasing in the country. Political pundits are forced to think as to how landmark verdicts are delivered after huge polling, he said.










Our designer jegan came up with this idea.

Couldnt help but tweet, though unscheduled.



The boy he raised

The man he killed... #Baahubali2 pic.twitter.com/hMV4YN5hVn  rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) March 11, 2017

New poster of Baahubali 2 has been released and it features the most important question every fan wants an answer to- Why did Katappa killed Baahubali?The new poster has Katappa holding a baby and below, him killing Baahubali while walking on a hill. Film's director SS Rajampuli shared the poster on his twitter and wrote, "The boy he raised The man he killed.."Karan Johar also shared the poster revealing the trailer date.The much awaited theatrical trailer of Baahubali 2 will be released on March 16. Later, in a Facebook chat, Rajamouli, and producer Shobu Yarlagadda confirmed the trailer will be released between 9 am. to 10 am. on in theaters across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and at 5 pm online."This is the same fashion we followed for the trailer of the first part. We had released it across theatres in Andhra and Telangana. We are following the same approach for the second part as well," Rajamouli said.The makers also confirmed that the film will hit the screens worldwide on April 28.Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah Bhatia, Anushka Shetty, Ramya Krishnan and Sathyaraj, the second part will have a simultaneous release in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.(With Inputs From IANS)
Age was catching up with Len Mattioli until he discovered a bicycle with an electric motor.

Now hes in better shape, has a store full of the battery-powered rides and is in the midst of an expansion when most people his age  74  would be thinking of retirement. Retail, enthusiasm and passion are in the DNA of Mattioli who spent nearly four decades selling us televisions, stereos and dishwashers at the now-defunct American TV & Appliance.

Four years after launching what he thought would be a part-time gig selling a couple dozen bikes a month has turned into a full-blown job for Mattioli. His Crazy Lennys E-Bikes has blossomed into a thriving business that sells electric bikes to customers around the country and even abroad.

I really enjoy coming to work, Mattioli said last week. This is the best product Ive ever seen since someone walked into my old, old store in 1970 with a microwave oven.

And just as most kitchens now have a microwave, Mattioli believes e-bikes could someday be as common as the standard bicycle as prices become more on par with those for non-electric bikes. E-bikes are easily charged with a regular outlet, have a battery life range of between 22 and 100 miles and range in price from under $800 to over $5,000, much like non-electric models. They also have pedals that allow the rider to pedal with or without the electric motor and a digital monitor that shows speed and battery life.

On Wednesday, Mattioli is scheduled to open a 12,000-square-foot showroom and service center at 6017 Odana Road. The new location is next to the bike path, has room outside for a mountain bike test path and is just a few hundred feet from his original 4,000-square-foot store. That location is jammed with over 120 bikes, leaving little room for customers or service space.

The new store, formerly occupied by the Pink Poodle resale shop that moved to Market Square Shopping Center, will allow ample room to display a wide range of e-bikes and provide space for three service technicians. The store was still being set up last week but Mattioli plans on having elevated islands throughout the showroom that each display a different style of bike. They include commuter, road, mountain, comfort cruisers and specialty bikes like cargo, folding and trikes. He even has a tandem, three-wheel bike where riders sit side-by-side, with a set of pedals for each.

Mattioli says that despite the electric motor, an e-bike still helps his customers get in shape, enjoy the outdoors and take trips they normally would not have taken with a regular bicycle. The e-bikes can also eliminate overexertion that can be experienced on large hills and other challenging terrain.

Mattioli took over American TV & Appliance from his ailing brother in 1970 and built the business into a retail empire before retiring and selling the business in 2009. In 2014, the business closed its 11 stores in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa, plus a warehouse and distribution center in Pewaukee.

Mattioli, who lives on 10 acres in Fitchburg, came out of retirement in 2013 to open what he initially called Lens Electric Bikes.

Since that time he has sold more than 4,300 bikes at what he says is a lower profit margin than his competitors, against the recommendation of the manufacturers.

I think its grossly unfair to determine the price of a bike based on (what the) manufacturer wants and then sell it to me saying I can make a 40 percent markup and the other guys only 38 percent, Mattioli said. Its all arbitrary. The selling price of a bike is what the customer is willing to pay for it and what that products margin of utility is compared to other bikes.

That philosophy has meant lower margins for Mattioli, but clearly the plan is working. About 30 percent of his sales are from bargain-hunting customers outside of Wisconsin, but Mattioli is also looking forward to Wednesday when a new chapter opens on his e-bike business.

Itll be a lot more fun for my staff and I to wait on customers and show bikes, Mattioli said. It wont be as overwhelming for people.

Stoughton Wal-Mart

to open

After years of debate that divided the city of Stoughton, a 153,000-square-foot Wal-Mart is scheduled to open on Wednesday.

The store is part of Kettle Park West, a 140-acre mixed-use development at the intersection of highways 138 and 51 on the southwest edge of town. The project also includes a proposed Kwik Trip, Tru by Hilton hotel, Dunkin Donuts, McFarland State Bank, 42 single-family homes, senior housing, apartments and a 13-acre park. The Wal-Mart, which includes a full grocery store, replaces a smaller Wal-Mart in the city and comes after a failed 2003 proposal by the company to replace the smaller store with a Supercenter.

In January 2014, the City Council approved a developers agreement for the new mixed-use project but was harshly criticized by many in the city for providing tax assistance to a project that included one of the wealthiest retailers in the world. In April 2015 a series of advisory referendum questions also showed opposition, and the controversy shook up the council.

The council ultimately agreed to provide $4.8 million in TIF assistance for road and sewer and other infrastructure improvements for the development. A month after the election, Verona-based Forward Development Group secured commitments from McFarland State Bank to provide financing for the non-public aspects of the project and a letter of credit for the public portion. Dane County is home to five Wal-Mart stores, including two in Madison and one each in Monona and Sun Prairie.

Trampoline park

coming near Beltline

Sky Zone Trampoline Park has announced that it will open a 25,000-square-foot indoor facility in April.

The business will be located at 2134 W. Beltline near Culvers, in the same shopping center as Steinhafels, Pet World and Northern Tool. The company is advertising for 80 employees to work as cashiers, sky guards, event hosts and event assistants. The facility includes trampolines, a warrior course, warped wall and climbing wall.

Founded in 2004, Sky Zone has more than 134 franchises across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Madison is also home to Rockin Jump, a 30,000-square-foot trampoline park that opened in late 2015 at 2700 Novation Parkway just off Rimrock Road near the Beltline and Highway 14.
Amarinder earlier held an official meeting with Governor V P Singh Badnore for staking claims to form the new government in the state.

"A road-map has been prepared to end the source of drugs," he said.

: After guiding Congress to a thumping victory in the state Assembly polls, senior party leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab on March 16.Talking to media outside Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh on Sunday, he said that he will go to Delhi on March 14 to meet Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and discuss formation of the new government.The oath taking ceremony will take place on March 16, he said.However, the scion of erstwhile Patiala Royal family refused to comment on the number of ministers who will be part of the new cabinet. He said the Congress government will be accountable to the people of the state.He was also unanimously elected as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader by the newly-elected party MLAs in a meeting held at party office in Chandigarh on Sunday.Navjot Singh Sidhu (Amritsar East), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantt), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar East) were some of the newly-elected MLAs present at the meeting. Congress ended the SAD-BJP combine's ten year regime by registering a thumping win by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-third majority.Rookie Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) managed to get 20 seats, while SAD-BJP won 18 seats in the state polls. Two seats went into the kitty of AAP's ally lok Insaf Party (LIP). The winning margin of Amarinder from Patiala seat was the highest in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. He won convincingly with a margin of 52,407 votes after defeating his nearest rival AAP candidate Balbir Singh.Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka, who won from Amritsar West (SC), said the Congress government's priority will be to end the state's drug menace which "flourished under the 10-year long regime of SAD-BJP."He added that false cases were registered under the Akali regime against politicians belonging to Opposition party under the garb of ending drug menace.To a question on Badal offering support to new Congress government, Verka said the party did not want Badals' support as they were already rejected by the people for their atrocities and scams.Congress MLA from Dera Baba Nanak, Sukhjidner Randhwa said the schemes started by the SAD-BJP regime would continue, adding that "politicisation" of state police would be put to an end.He added that Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) will not be constructed at any cost.
: With the BJPs sweep in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the silver lining for the Congress was its thumping majority in Punjab and status as the single largest party in Goa. With 17 seats in the 40-member legislative assembly, Congress is closest to the magic figure of 21 MLAs needed to form the government. It is just four members short of a majority.The Congress partys celebrations, however, may prove to be short-lived. The Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP), with three MLAs each, on Sunday, threw their support behind the BJP.Sudhin Dhavlikar, the leader of the MGP, even went as far as to say their support to the BJP was for the development of Goa. The BJP, which had formed the government in 2012, faced severe losses this year. Six of the eight cabinet ministers, including outgoing Chief Minister Laxminkant Parsekar, lost their own seats in the election.Also Read: Despite Numbers, Congress May Not Get to Form Goa Govt; BJP MLAs Want Manohar Parrikar Back The Congress took this opportunity to lash out at its arch rival and said that the people of Goa had rejected the BJP. Things, however, changed on Sunday after the Goa BJP unit passed a resolution, asking defense minister Manohar Parrikar to return to his home state as Chief Minister. Sources also suggest that the partys Goa MLAs may also fly out to Delhi to meet the Prime Minister.Also Read: After Sad-BJP Rout, Punjab CM Parkash Badal Tenders his Resignation Meanwhile, the Congress hit back at Parrikar, claiming he, too, was rejected by the people of Goa. The Congress said that Parrikar would even resign from the Modi cabinet if he has any morals.While support from the MGP and GFP put the BJP ahead of Congress by two MLAs, it would still fall short of a majority. Political posturing in Goa is far from over.
Mumbai: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said PM Narendra Modi has emerged as the "most dominant political figure" after the assembly polls, while seeking to differ that the election results are a referendum on note ban.



The results will increase the BJP's tally in the Upper House and a majority there will make it possible for the NDA government to start radical reforms during its remaining term to accelerate the economic growth, the Congress leader said on Saturday.



"The elections today have clearly established that the most dominant political figure in India is Prime Minister Modi. And he has a pan-India appeal," Chidambaram told a gathering at Indian Merchants Chamber here.



Stating that the BJP tally in Rajya Sabha will increase, he said the government will enjoy a majority in both houses which will enable it to "pass virtually any Bill" as the political obstacles go off.



This climate will help accelerate the GDP growth to 8 percent, which is a prerequisite to make India a prosperous and rich society, he said adding the current 7 per cent expansion does not help create new jobs.



"The political conditions are present for that today, but I don't know whether they have identified the other things which have to be done to make that happen," he said.



The former finance minister stressed that for the real reform, the conditions like stopping gratuitous intervention in markets by the government, reconstructing bureaucracy and creating an ethical and equitable society are also necessary.



"In remaining 24-27 months (of the government), given the political conditions at present, we can identify and accelerate the new reforms that will take us back to the 8 per cent growth. I think these obstacles are removable," he said, claiming that the UPA regimes too had introduced reforms despite the lack of numbers between 1991-96 and 2004-14.



On demonetisation, to which he has been very critical, Chidambaram said it would be a "simplistic conclusion" to attribute the note ban to the runaway BJP win in UP.



A variety of other factors were at play during the polls and it was not a "referendum" on the surprise move to ban the high value notes, he said.



Chidambaram also dismissed the talks that all caste equations have vanished.



"I don't think the caste equations have been obliterated forever," he said adding the single-leader mandates in 1971, 1980 and 1984 too had led to the similar talks.



"What happened in UP was that one leader seemed to have complete sway over the electorate (and) seemingly swept away all the divisions," added the Congress leader.



Chidambaram also said the small businesses have suffered a big blow due to demonetisation with "units across clusters" in the country are shutting down as a result of it.



SME credit growth slipping down to a negative 5.3 per cent is indicative of the stress in the sector which produces maximum employment, he said.



He said in his assessment the Goods and Services Tax, the most radical tax reform in the country's history, can only be introduced from October 1.



He said a lot of steps, including the bureaucracy's training, testing and proving the GST network and making the industry and trade understand the new framework are yet to be completed for the purpose.



Chidambaram, however, rued that not sufficient work has happened on other major reform proposals including the Direct Tax Code and implementing the proposals of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC).



Chidambaram said the DTC is on the "back-burner" while only limited work has happened on the FSLRC suggestions on a "crawling pace," and added that the deconstruction of bureaucracy too is a must.



To remove the stark inequalities from the society, Chidambaram said the minimum wages will have to be increased and universal basic income will have to be eventually introduced.



Equity also needs to be taken care of in a "hopelessly fractured society" like ours, he said.



The former finance minister said the country's income tax base can at best be pulled up to 10 per cent from the present 3 per cent, pointing out that incomes of over Rs 2.5 lakh is taxable as against present per capita income of Rs 1 lakh.



However, ending tax evasion can help bolster the taxation revenues, he said.



Even as an increasing number of countries have started looking inward, Chidambaram said we should not worry and never resort to the protectionist policies and called it a "bane" which restricted our progress for the first 40 years after the independence.



The US will also continue to moderate its stance on protectionism as the time passes, he said.



Chidambaram also supported the idea of bank recapitalisation, saying the lenders cannot deliver credit for the benefit of the economy otherwise.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday termed the BJP's big win in state polls as people's endorsement of demonetisation and asserted that it was seen as pro-poor, reformist and the sole defender of the nationalist constituency in the country.



He also slammed the Congress for its "historic" blunders including opposing demonetisation and identifying with anti-national activities like the one in JNU which wanted to break the country.



Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's extensive campaign in Uttar Pradesh gave the party "cutting edge", Jaitley also termed the Manipur result as historic as the party advanced from having no seats to a possibility of forming a government.



"Lotus of development blooms in Manipur. Congratulations to BJP Karyakartas & people of Manipur on a historic win in the assembly elections," he tweeted.



He, however, admitted that in Punjab, the two-term anti-incumbency had taken its toll.



"Historic victory of BJP in UP & Uttarakhand assembly elections shows people's support for development agenda of PM," he tweeted.



Talking about Congress's two blunders, Jaitley said that the first one was to oppose demonetisation as by doing so, it made sure that the poor as an electoral constituency shift to the BJP.



He said the second blunder was when symbols of anti-national activities in the country was seen like the JNU slogans, one found the tallest Congress leader going and identifying with them.



"So BJP became the sole defender of the nationalist constituency and in the run up to the election, we are seen as pro-poor, we are seen as economically a reformist and a sole defender of the nationalist constituency of the country," he said.



"Congress conceded that advantage to us in the run up to the election," Jaitley said.



"BJP's landslide victory in assembly elections has again established that people of India want development as pushed by PM," he said in his tweet.



Noting that Prime Minister's extensive campaign in UP gave the party a cutting edge, Jaitley said in the last two phases where Modi campaigned three days in a row, out of the 89 seats, BJP won close to 70.



The policies of the government in the last three years have been endorsed. The poor have shifted towards BJP in a big way, Jaitley said.



He pointed out that this shifting of poor was because the benefits of economic growth, larger revenue and policies like Jan Dhan, money into their bank accounts, free gas connections or demonetisation were directed towards the poor.



He said that non-payment of taxes creates an unjust enrichment in the favour of tax evaders and this money would actually be used for poor and for the country.
"The people want Parrikar to come back to Goa. Now it will depend on the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. If they support us, we will form the government in the state," BJP legislator Michael Lobo told reporters outside party headquarters in Panaji.

Is this a party of morals? They've been defeated & doing horse-trading, promising ministries like distributing sweets: D.Singh on BJP #Goa pic.twitter.com/q75rSovOh1  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Goa after votes polled in the Assembly election were counted on Saturday. The party, however, may not get to form the government in the coastal state as the Nationalist Congress Party (one seat), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (3) and the Goa Forward Party (3) seem inclined to support the BJP.Election results of the tiny state may also effect a change in the Modi cabinet with chorus for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's return to the state growing. Michael Lobo, who won from Calangute constituency, said BJP MLAs have passed a resolution seeking BJP chief Amit Shah's nod to elect Parrikar as the state legislature party leader.Sources in the BJP told CNN-News18 that it has received support from the three parties. With seven seats from these three parties, the BJP, which won 13 seats, has 20 seats in hand. It will need the support of one of the three Independent MLAs to reach the majority mark of 21 in the 40-seat Assembly. Independent MLA Govind Gawade, who was backed by the party during the election from Priol constituency, is expected to back the BJP. The Congress has 17 seats.Sources told CNN-News18 that the NCP, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party also want Parrikar back as Goa CM.Outgoing CM Laxmikant Parsekar lost the election from Mandrem and had anyway not been projected as the CM face before elections. Party leaders had earlier indicated that Parrikar may return to Goa as the CM. The final call will be taken by the BJP's central leadership.Another BJP legislator Pramod Sawant, who got re-elected from Sankhalim constituency on party ticket for the second time, said the state government under Parrikar's leadership can deliver better. "People have seen the kind of development that the state witnessed under his guidance. We do not want the state to suffer for next five years," PTI quoted Sawant as saying.On Sunday, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said he was confident of the numbers. "We are in touch with non-BJP MLAs," he said. He, however, added that his party was ready to sit in the Opposition and accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading."Go ahead if you (BJP) have the support of more than 21 (MLAs). We are ready to sit in Opposition, but its a coup against people's mandate," he said.(With PTI inputs)
Akhilesh Yadavs nomination as the chief minister after an emphatic victory by Samajwadi Party in 2012 was somewhat surprising. No one expected patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to let go off the reins of Lucknow just like that. A decision he later regretted.



Uttar Pradeshs youngest chief minister ever went through a difficult four years, till he decided enough is enough. He rebelled against the power centres that were forcing his hand: Uncle Shivpal Yadav, step mother Sadhna Yadav, Amar Singh, even his own father Mulayam.



Political opponents had referred to SP government as having Four and a half Chief ministers': the CMs being Mulayam singh, Shivpal, Uncle Ram Gopal, and party heavy weight Azam Khan. The Half CM was Akhilesh himself.



But then as this writer recalls, the unease about hands being tied up, was often evident in Akhilesh's words. Slowly this clash for complete hold of power was also evident in actions and decisions often taken by the Young CM.



As early as 2013, Akhileshs discomfort to several decisions of the party and top leaders was evident. He began to lock horns with his father and uncle over induction of tainted leaders like Pandit Singh or Raja Bhaiyya, and in the appointment of some top bureaucrats, including those in the CM's secretariat itself



However the watershed moment in Samajwadi party's internal power dynamics came in 2014 as the party was reduced to just 5 seats in Lok Sabha. Many including Mulauam and Shivpal put the blame entirely on Akhilesh for the poll debacle. Sources say a serious effort was also made by Shivpal to convince Mulayam in replacing Akhilesh as the CM in wake of the Lok Sabha polls.



It was then that Akhilesh decided enoughis enough. Political observers point out how his decisions became more and more independent.



While Akhilesh moved ahead charting out the strategy for crucial 2017 polls, trying to steer the party away from old notions of caste and the infamous tag of SP being hand-in-gloves with goons.



At the peak of the Samajwadi family war that erupted, Akhilesh sacked his own uncle Shivpal and many other MSY loyalists from his cabinet. He forced the party to call off the merger of Mukhtar Ansari's Qaumi Akta Dal with SP. From there on it was no looking back for Akhilesh.



Choices were given to all either fall in line behind the Chief Minister or get lost in oblivion. Dissent had no space. From just being a son to Neta ji, Akhilesh had arrived to be the ultimate Neta for the party, which his father had formed in early 90s. The climax came on January 2nd this year, when at a hurriedly conducted national convention, the party replaced Mulayam with Akhilesh as the new national president of the Samajwadi party.



With the likes of Amar Singh thrown out of the party and Shivpal sacked from post of state president, the coup against the old guards was near-complete. From then on, there was no more challenge, with leaders tall and small falling in line declaring faith in Akhilesh's leadership.



A a senior leader then reminded this writer of what Janeshwar Mishra, the late socialist icon had once said about Akhilesh. It was in year 2000 when Akhilesh in his mid -20's was gearing up to enter the political arena as the SP candidate for Kannauj Loks Sabha by polls. The seat was being vacated by Mulayam. With charges of nepotism flying thick and hard, it was Janeshwar Mishra who had defended Akhilesh. Mishra had said: It was not politics of nepotism but nepotism of struggle.



As a Lok Sabha MP in 2000, Akhilesh more or less remained out of the scene in Lucknow for more than a decade. It was only since 2011 when the party was fighting it out on streets in Uttar Pradesh against the Mayawati rule that Akhilesh slowly gained prominence. The period since then had definitely been of a son rise for him.



Until 2017 when under Akhilesh the party suffered its worst electoral drubbing ever in Uttar Pradesh. And suddenly, his political acumen, spirit of struggle and intention to redefine the narrative of the party is under serious question. With Mulayam himself blaming Akhilesh's arrogance' as the reason for defeat, the young leader now cuts a sorry figure. Rebellion against him from within the party is bound to happen and first salvos have already been fired



So can Tipu  his childhood nick name  really look forward to be Sultan again?. Well a lot will depend upon how he fights his opponents in the party, some being from his own family to begin with. Mulayam is known for turning crisis into opportunity. Does the son have it in him to do that? Watch this space.


Partners Samajwadi Party and Congress were engaged in friendly fights in at least a dozen seats and in at least five of them that cost the alliance dearly.Here are the seats where the Bharatiya Janata Party was able to steal a march though the Samajwadi Party and Congress together totalled more.BJP on Saturday swept Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections defying all predictions of a tight three-cornered with SP-Congress alliance and BSP.
That case of re-opening the investigation of conspiracy charges against BJP leaders is not related to temple construction at all, said the VHP spokesperson.

With the BJP sweeping the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, the focus is now on one of its important poll promises  building the Ram temple in Ayodhya. And if the spokesperson for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is to be believed, then just like the government brought in an Ordinance to save (bull- Jallikattu, the same thing will be happening for the Ram Temple.With legal hurdles looming over the issue, Dr. Surendra Kumar Jain, International Joint General Secretary and VHP spokesperson, said the BJP's victory will ensure the temple is built "very soon".There will be no legal hurdles to the construction of the temple because a temple is already there in existence. To put it more precisely, what the nation witnessed during Jallikattu is an important precedent here. We have always demanded that a legislation be brought in Parliament just like in the Shah Bano case to facilitate the construction of the temple. If an Ordinance can be brought in to save Jallikattu, then a similar Ordinance can help in the construction of the temple. I am sure that with the BJP in power now, this is happening, Jain told News18.com.Jain also believes that Ved Prakash Gupta, the BJP candidate, who won the Ayodhya seat will now be under pressure to deliver on the temple promise. But if recent court orders are anything to go by, the promise seems difficult to achieve.Earlier this month, the Supreme Court decided it would want the CBI to restore conspiracy charges against BJP and RSS members. The apex court said senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti should be investigated for conspiracy charges, a charge which a lower court had exonerated them of around seven years ago. The bench also expressed its desire to conduct the trial in a speedy manner and asked the two pending cases in Lucknow and Rae Bareli to be heard together.The apex court was hearing an appeal by the CBI against the Allahabad High Court verdict of 2010 in which the courts Lucknow bench ordered that the conspiracy charges against Advani and others be dropped.However, Jain allayed any such concern and said it was a non-issue in this case.Apart from re-opening the conspiracy charges, there lies another suit pending in the Supreme Court. It is an appeal against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict directing the three-way division of 2.77 acres. In 2010, the Allahabad High Court had ruled that the disputed land be divided between the Hindus, the Muslims, and the Nirmohi Akhara. Hindu and Muslim organisations, including the Sunni Central Wakf Board, Nirmohi Akhara, All-India Hindu Mahasabha and Bhagwan Shri Ram Virajman had appealed against the order.In May 2011, it was felt that the case is gaining momentum. But Justice Aftab Alam in 2013 ordered status quo at the site and as Justice Alam has retired, the case has not been heard effectively yet.However, during an interview with News18, Ranjana Agnihotri, counsel for Ram Lalla Virajman, said that there were notices from the SC registrar in November 2016, stating that the case might come up for hearing, but the case has not been listed as yet.But Jain told News18.com that even this suit will have no bearing on the construction and an Ordinance could soon pave the way for a temple as the Supreme Court will also surely note the same thing as what the High Court did and order for the construction of the temple.High Court has earlier ruled that there was never any Islamic structure in the place of Babri Masjid and our demand always was to build the temple on the birthplace of Lord Ram. The issue of dividing the land into equal parts was not prayed for and hence was stayed by the Supreme Court. I am sure the Supreme Court would rule in our favour and then the secular mafias will oppose the verdict, but in any case, the construction will happen very soon, said Jain.Now, March 22 is set as the next date of hearing at the Supreme Court when the court will decide whether to revive the conspiracy charges or not. But unless the primary question of land dispute is solved, the issue continues to remain sub-judice.
He knows about Anti Defection Law, even then he has supported BJP: Himanta Biswa Sarma on Congress MLA Shyamkumar Singh. pic.twitter.com/43pjX8nTVf  ANI (@ANI_news) 12 March 2017

BJP MLAs and its supporting MLAs meet Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla pic.twitter.com/b0SWrcFVnV  ANI (@ANI_news) 12 March 2017

: After Manipur Congress MLA T Shyam Kumar pledged his loyalty to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, the prospects of forming a BJP-led government in the hilly state appear to be bright.Shyam Kumar, the Congress MLA from Andro constituency, will resign and contest on a BJP ticket which means he will be disqualified, bringing down the total number of Manipur Assembly to 59. Thus, the effective majority now will go down to 30, allowing the BJP to form the next government comfortably.Apart from Shyam Kumar, MC MLA Rabindro on Sunday also joined the BJP-led alliance. With Rabindro's joining, the strength of BJP has gone up to 32 (31+1).The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won 21 seats in the assembly elections held earlier this month, achieved the vaunted 31-seat mark earlier in the day with the support of its ally Naga People's Front (NPF) (4 seats), and the NPP (4 seats), LJP (1) and one Independent.On Sunday, the BJP-led alliance met with Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla to stake claim to form the new government in the state with the support of the NPP and the LJP.The ruling Congress finished as the single-largest party, but three short of a majority in a hung Manipur Assembly on Saturday, with the BJP, for the first time, emerging the second largest outfit in the northeastern state where smaller parties and an independent lawmaker now hold the key to government formation.With all results of the 60-member house declared, the Congress got 28 seats, seven more than the BJP (21), after a day-long see-saw battle for the top slot between the two outfits.
And not just his party workers and colleagues or Lutyens' Delhi, but his political rivals, his voters, and the rest of the country will keenly be waiting to hear from the man whose stature today is unmatched by any other political figure.

Following their meeting in Delhi, more rounds of legislature party meetings are expected to be held in Lucknow and Dehradun later during the coming week.

The victories in both the states, who together send 34 members of Rajya Sabha, will also give the party a huge moral boost in Parliament where their bills and motions have often been successfully opposed by a Congress-led opposition.

: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having ended what the BJP often described in its campaign as '14 saal ka vanvaas', will appear in public for the first time since his party's landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.All the party leaders, who're lined up at 11 Ashoka Road at this moment, owe their gratitude and future political security of the party to Narendra Modi, who staked his own image and emerged triumphant by leading the party to an astonishing victory in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh.According to some reports, Modi could travel in his convoy till the Le Meridien hotel from where he could take the 100 m walk down to his party headquarters, where party workers, lined up on both sides of the Ashoka Road, are expected to greet him.After Saturday's result, the Prime Minister has proven that he is the tallest leader in the country at the moment and his stature is complemented by his own party man and BJP president Amit Shah.Both will later during the day, in the party's parliamentary committee meeting, anoint the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and decide the future course for Goa, where they are likely to form government. In Manipur, the battle is getting more interesting by the minute.Keshav Prasad Maurya, the current state BJP president, with his large appeal among backward castes and history with the RSS is being considered a solid contender for UP CM's choice. As is Manoj Sinha, from the Bumihar caste, who is considered close to Modi and Shah. Among other names, Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma is being considered a dark horse. He is also known to be close to Modi-Shah and is the national Vice President in-charge of Gujarat. A formal announcement in this regard is expected to be made only after Holi.On Saturday, the party registered its biggest ever victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Not only did BJP not confine regional powers like BSP and SP to historic low, the Modi led juggernaut did not allow Congress, who once ruled UP with huge successive mandates, to score in double digits.Although there are still a few years left for BJP to secure majority in Rajya Sabha as well, the party knows that at this pace would have decimated opposition in both houses of the Parliament. Wins in the two populous states also allows the party to appoint a President of its choice and has laid a firm ground for its 2019 campaign.
A big "thank you" to our representative in Washington, Senator Jeff Flake, for holding his "virtual" town hall meeting. It was his way of reaching out to his constituents, to let them know he is doing his job as our senator.

I was invited to participate after responding to a telephone survey conducted by his office prior to last Sunday's "town hall" in Flagstaff (without Flake). I thought the survey questions were fair and not the usual carefully crafted questions that are meaningless. As I am an independent who registered as a Democrat, and did not vote for President Trump or Senator Flake, I did not expect to be asked to take part in the meeting.

So I was very surprised when I received a call last evening inviting me to take part - in a meeting right then! I was connected to a meeting that was "in progress." There was no mention of when it had started, or why I was connected to a meeting that was already underway.

Senator Flake was calling on individuals by first name and place and taking their questions. He made the same old canned responses that we have heard before, thanked the person for participating, and then moved on.

After listening for a while I left, having learned one thing - I am being represented by someone who is afraid to meet his constituents face-to-face and answer them. Too bad we can't throw virtual tomatoes because that's all this town hall meeting was worth.

LINDA WEBB

Flagstaff
WAUWATOSA  Many entrepreneurs, especially those who are millennials or younger, focus on products or services designed for people like themselves. The list includes software applications of all descriptions, grab-and-go food and drink, wearables and athleisure products, to name a few.

That makes market sense given there are 75 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 34, and they arent often shy about spending on consumer goods and services.

But Americans 50 and older are a much larger market, with about 111 million people in that graying group. They also happen to hold nearly two-thirds of the nations financial assets and spend an estimated $3.2 trillion annually. Thats a figure greater than the gross national product of France or Brazil.

If seniors command so much financial clout, why arent more entrepreneurs looking to create products or services that cater to their changing health needs and lifestyles?

That question flowed through a Tech Council Innovation Network discussion Thursday at the UW-Milwaukee Innovation Campus, where about 70 people heard from an entrepreneur, an investor and the director of one of the nations largest senior care innovation centers.

We should make Milwaukee the nations premiere location for senior startups, said Melinda Caughill, co-founder of i65, a company that has developed Medicare enrollment guidance software for financial planners, health care professionals and others who must navigate the Medicare signup process.

That cluster may already be emerging, judging by the number of young companies on hand to talk about their ideas for serving the senior market. Those products ranged from devices to counter swallowing problems often found in older people to devices to better connect the elderly to their families and caregivers. Some of the entrepreneurs were seniors themselves, explaining it helps to know what others like them want.

Perhaps more significant is the market pull from companies such as Milwaukee-based Direct Supply, the nations leading provider of products, services and technology to the senior-care market. It has launched an Innovation and Technology Center to work closely with startups and academic institutions to identify and adapt emerging technologies in senior care.

Were very much committed to attracting and creating innovation in the senior care space, and we think Milwaukee is a great place to do that, said Tom Paprocki, the managing director for Direct Supplys Innovation and Technology Center.

Located in a historic, neo-Gothic building across the street from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, the 50,000-square-foot center is home to six startups. It is engaged in 12 university partnerships and is working with 28 startups from around the world. Some 1,400 startups have been vetted in about two years, a sign of growing activity in the senior products and services sector.

Major areas of interest for the Direct Supply center include virtual and augmented reality, telemedicine, remote monitoring, passive fall prevention, social robotics, artificial intelligence and staff efficiency. Many of those technologies will be applied in health care.

The Direct Supply tech center is not alone nationally in accelerating ideas tied to senior living. Aging 2.0 in San Francisco and Innovate LTC in Louisville, Kentucky, are among other examples, especially on the consumer products side.

Investors are paying attention, said Katie Schmitz, senior vice president for Ziegler, a leading health-care investment bank. Zieglers portfolio includes many companies with products or services aimed at seniors. The Ziegler Link-Age Longevity Fund is a $27 million arm that invests in health information technologies and other services tied to the longevity economy.

People 50 and older are already the largest single group of Americans, and their needs and habits are redefining everything from health care to consumerism. For entrepreneurs who are looking to market their ideas, it makes sense to pay attention not just to millennials, but baby boomers and beyond.
: The BJP's landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh is a vote for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, RSS ideologue M G Vaidya has said.The BJP's election manifesto talked about building a Ram temple in Ayodhya and the popular verdictcan be termed as a public endorsement of it, he told PTI on Sunday.Also Read: Will BJP Act on Its Ram Mandir Promise Even After UP Win? Vaidya said the Allahabad High Court has held that a temple existed at the disputed site and its remains were found during excavation.He said the NDA Government should bring a law for Ram Temple construction in the UP town if the Supreme Court fails to resolve the issue."The BJP's win in Uttar Pradesh reflects backing by the votersof the state for building a Ram temple," he told a news channel yesterday.
On the one hand of this alliance was UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, also SP national president. On the other was Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi together with his sister Priyanka Gandhi. Priyanka was projected as the architect of this alliance. Playing the role of emissaries between the two sides were poll strategists like Prashant Kishor.

As the party feud unfolded within the SP, there was change in Congress' behaviour. The party's slogan, '27 Saal UP Behal', went out of vogue. The tone of senior leaders, from party general secretary and UP incharge, Gulam Nabi Azad, to party state president Raj Babbar, also changed.

Also, how and why did Akhilesh overlook the fact that 'Anti-Congressism' had been in the DNA of the socialist politics, right since the days of emergency? After all, Mulayam had faced all odds fighting the Congress, while he tirelessly tried to build the SP in the 80s and the 90s.

So while Akhilesh went campaigning for Gayatri Prajapati in Amethi, Rahul was also seen seeking votes for Amita Singh on the same seat. Difference of opinion was also reflected in the joint press conferences held by Rahul and Akhilesh.

: Elections in Uttar Pradesh are now over. BJP came out with flying colours, with a majority not even imagined by many of its top strategists. But while BJP dominated the electoral battle, the narrative would be incomplete without talking about the losers, in this case the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance.Till recently, the alliance was being described as the biggest and most crucial political move this season.Defined by its catchy slogan 'UP ko yeh sath pasand hai', it was a deal which emerged not from any actual synthesis between the political workers on the ground, but sheer electoral opportunism conceived at the highest level of the two parties.This was exposed by the manner in which the alliance was rejected by people of Uttar Pradesh.The question which arose then and is more important now is this: why was Akhilesh so eager for the alliance, despite opposition from party patriarch and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav? SP Sources say that sometime around September 2016, battered by an internal feud within the party, Akhilesh and his closest political advisor, uncle and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav, started considering the idea of having an alliance which could ensure a second term in power for the then chief minister. Senior leaders within the party, who were also worst critics of Akhilesh, got the sense of these intentions which brought the situation to a head.By Mid- December 2016, as the power struggle within the SP intensified, there was no doubt left that Akhilesh was not just planning a coup against his own father and uncle, but also warming up to the idea of a pre-poll alliance with 'secular' parties including the Congress and the RLD.Babbar, while talking to, even praised Samajwadi party. SP is a secular party and all secular forces need to work together against the BJP, he had said.CNN-News18 first broke the news that the Congress and the SP had worked out an alliance in mid-December 2016. At this time, Akhilesh was working to get a firm grip on his party. Finally, on January 2nd, at a hurriedly called national convention of the SP Mulayam Singh was ousted from the post of national president and appointed Akhilesh as the new president of the party.Days following the move saw hectic parleys for the execution of the alliance. What started with offer of just 75-80 seats to the Congress, soon rose up to more than 100 seats. This, for a party which till recently was seen as virtually non-existent in the political arena of Uttar Pradesh.The obvious question here is why Akhilesh had been so benevolent? So liberal for the party which not only had no significant clout in UP but also had been one of the worst critics of the Samajwadi party and its politics for long.Sources attribute it to Akhilesh's nervousness. Nervousness stemming from the fact that his own party was deeply divided. Some of Akhilesh's close associates have indicated that it was also partly because of his desire to script a new political narrative. A narrative which was defined by opposing the far bigger political threat, a new aggressive BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah.For the Congress, it was however a reason to smile. If sources are to be believed despite some serious efforts for political assertion in the state in the initial days of build up to the elections, Congress was always keen for an alliance. Many say the first choice was the BSP. But with BSP showing no interest, they shifted to the SP.But despite the alliance being worked out and being projected as secular to galvanise the minority vote bank, the cracks in it were clearly visible. With SP-Congress candidates locking horns against each other on 22 seats, including 4 in Amethi and Raebareli, there was no doubt that at the ground level, the alliance had failed to materialise.While there was no clear reply despite repeated questions about longevity of the alliance, Rahul further embarrassed Akhilesh by giving a certificate of credibility to BSP and its president Mayawati.BSP and Mayawatiji's ideology is not a threat to the nation, like that of BJP and RSS, Rahul had said.Clearly, despite being on the same boat, SP and Congress seem to be testing different waters. Brought together only by their immediate concern to stop BJP from winning Uttar Pradesh.It was this political opportunism, lack of any real inner connect and the fact that alliance only went on to help BJP by ensuring division of minority votes, that assisted BJP's spectacular success and near wipeout of the Congress and leaving the SP almost shattered. While Akhilesh's opponents in the SP have already started questioning the rationale behind the alliance, Akhilesh himself is not ready to call off the alliance.
BJP now misusing CISF & Airport authorities to detain & abduct Independent MLA, Asabuddin at Imphal, Airport and take him to Calcutta. 1/n  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 12, 2017

2/n ModiGovt is playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy & abducting MLA's by misusing CISF at Imphal Airport despite electoral loss  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 12, 2017

3/n Independent MLA,Asabuddin is travelling with Minister, Sh. Nasir. Federalism & rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by ModiGovt.  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 12, 2017

The great muddle in Manipur continued for the second day on Sunday, with a dramatic twist. Even as both national parties are within striking distance of forming the next government, Randeep Surjewala of the Congress alleged that the BJP had abducted an independent MLA and taken him to Kolkata.Surjewala posted a series of tweets alleging that the BJP had abducted the lone independent MLA Asabuddin from Imphal airport and had taken him to Kolkata. BJP now misusing CISF and Airport authorities to detain and abduct Independent MLA, Asabuddin at Imphal, Airport and take him to Calcutta, Surjewala tweeted.Asabuddin, who is the lone independent MLA in the Manipur House, was being flown in from Guwahati by Congress minister Nasser and was reportedly 'intercepted' at Imphal airport. Sources told News18 that the exact sequence of events or what happened to him was not clear, but he claims he is now going to Delhi. A possible attempt by the BJP to win him over cannot be ruled out.The swiftly changing political actions in Manipur come a day after the Congress finished as the single-largest party with 28 seats in the 60-seat Assembly. The BJP emerged as the second-largest party with 21 MLAs, a first for the party in this northeastern state. The Congress is still three seats short of a simple majority. This is where the role of smaller parties and Independents becomes crucial for government formation in the hung Assembly. Together, they hold about 11 seats.A mandate to govern will ensure only a wafer thin majority for whoever forms the government. News18 spoke to sources in various political camps to piece together the possible permutations The Congress needs 3 MLAs to get simple majority. The BJP has 21 MLAs and needs at least 10 to form the government. Naga People's Front (NPF) has written a letter to the Governor stating that their four MLAs will not support any Congress government. Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) has one MLA and has decided to go with the BJP. National People's Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma is in a huddle with his four MLAs to decide whom to support. Conrad Sangma's main rival in Meghalaya is the Congress and he is part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance. The Trinamool MLA, it is widely believed, will go with whoever forms the government. As he is the lone legislator, the party doesn't have much control over him. The Congress has elected Okram Ibobi Singh as the leader of its Legislature Party and may stake claim to form the government soon. The Congress is looking for the support of Asabuddin and the Trinamool MLA. This takes their tally to 30. The LJP decides to go with BJP, so the only non-aligned group left is NPP. Congress tries to induce the Naga Peoples Front MLAs to force the leadership to let them support Congress. If they can manage this, the Congress is home and dry. But thats a big 'if'. BJP needs 10 more MLAs. Naga Peoples Front has already pledged support to non-Congress government. Lok Janshakti Party has assured support to BJP. This brings their tally to 26. If the National People's Party lends supports they will reach 30, two more than Congress, and can stake claim to form the government. Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, a BJP appointee, may then call the BJP to form the government. Once the government is formed, the BJP believes it will not be difficult for them to win over at least one of two MLAs.But, whoever forms the government will have a wafer thin majority of one or two MLAs.The BJP, going into the elections had said they will not align with the Naga Peoples Front. Some feel there could be resentment in the valley if BJP ties up with them. But some top leaders of the BJP feel this resentment can be smoothed over if they are able to keep their poll promise of removing the economic blockade of the valley once in power.Even 24 hours after the results, both Congress and BJP government appear equally possible. But a strong BJP government at the Centre gives them a definite edge.
"The victory is a stamp of approval on Prime Minister's work," Shah said addressing party workers and supporters at the BJP's national headquarter at 11, Ashoka Road in New Delhi.

"After independence, Narendra Modi is the leader who has not just talked about the poor, but worked for them. He is the most popular leader," Shah added.

: Terming the BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls as "unprecedented", party chief Amit Shah said the win is a stamp of approval on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's work.Shah said the party would win the 2019 Lok Sabha poll with a bigger mandate than 2014."It is after a long time that a party is getting two-thirds majority in Uttar Pradesh. This victory is unprecedented in many ways," Shah said.He said demonetisation, free cooking gas connections to the poor, mission on toilets under the Clean India programme and Jan Dhan accounts worked in favour of the BJP."This is two steps ahead of our victory of 2014. In the coming days, we will also spread to eastern and western states. We will get a bigger mandate in 2019 under the leadership of Narendra Modi," he said.
"Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed, has officially been made head of JuD in the wake of house arrest of Saeed," a JuD official told PTI on Sunday.

Asked about reports that Saeed is still running the JuD from his house (which is declared sub-jail by the Punjab government) in Lahore, the JuD official denied. "Makki sahib is looking after all affairs of the organisation," he said.

Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who carries a $2 million bounty on his head, has been given the charge of heading the Jamaat-ud-Dawah after the Mumbai terror attack mastermind was put under house arrest by Pakistan's Punjab government.Makki was the second in command of JuD and he took over the reins of the group soon after Saeed's detention, he said.Makki has led over half-a-dozen rallies in Lahore and elsewhere since the detention of Saeed.The Punjab government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF)under house arrest for a period of 90 days in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE(1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997.Various offices of both JuD and FIF were closed following the house arrest of Saeed. Both organisations were also put on observation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.ALSO READ | 26/11 Mumbai Attacks by Pakistan-Based Terror Group, Says Ex-Pak NSA JuD has rebranded under the new name of 'Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir', just days after Saeed's house arrest. Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Council's resolutions.The names of Saeed and 37 other members of JuD and FIF have also been placed on exit control list, preventing them from leaving the country.As Saeed, the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack, carrying a US bounty of $10 million on his head, Makki has also $2 million on his head.In a statement issued here on Saturday, Makki demanded immediate release of Saeed.
New York: India-born US attorney Preet Bharara was on Sunday "fired" by the Trump administration after he refused to quit following orders to the 46 Obama administration-appointed attorneys to resign immediately.



"I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life," Bharara tweeted from his personal verified Twitter account, making a reference to his jurisdiction the Southern District of New York.



Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusading against public corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general yesterday to immediately submit resignations.



Earlier, sources close to Bharara had said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a show down with President Donald Trump.



The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bharara's office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on in his administration.



Bharara had met Trump in the Trump Towers in Manhattan shortly after the Republican nominee had won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and had agreed to do so.



CNN quoted a statement Saturday from Senator Chuck Schumer saying he was "troubled" to learn of the Trump administration's request for Bharara's and other US attorneys' resignations, adding that the President initiated a call to him in November "and assured me he wanted Mr Bharara to continue to serve as US Attorney for the Southern District.



"While it's true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for US attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesn't put ongoing investigations at risk," the New York Democrat said. "They ask for letters of resignation, but the attorneys are allowed to stay on the job until their successor is confirmed."



Bharara has made a national and international mark for himself with many high-profile cases and investigations including foreign countries, insider trading and those involving US politicians. It was under his prosecution that India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was convicted for insider trading in 2012.



Bharara has served 7 years as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a jurisdiction that includes Trump Tower.


Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Urban affairs, investigations, consumer help ("SOS") Follow Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

A final piece of the Tony Robinson police-shooting case was put to bed last month when Robinsons family agreed to a $3.35 million settlement with Madisons insurer.

Like the rest of the Robinson saga, the settlement provides little certainty.

The white police officer who shot and killed the black and unarmed, but intoxicated and reportedly aggressive, 19-year-old has been cleared of criminal and procedural wrongdoing and was not required to admit fault as part of the settlement. The city had already been dismissed from the suit. The Robinson familys attorney presented a theory of the case that will never be rebutted in a court or ruled on by a jury.

The Madison City Council, meanwhile, remains in no hurry to equip its police with the technology that could help make such divisive, heartbreaking and expensive uncertainty less likely.

Madison first started formally considering police body cameras four months before Robinsons March 6, 2015, death, when it voted to have the police department prepare a report on the cameras. That report was done in December 2014, and in February 2015 the council punted the body cam issue to an ad hoc citizens committee.

The Community Policing and Body Camera Ad Hoc Committee didnt get to work until June 2015, after Matt Kenny fatally shot Robinson in an apartment house stairwell, out of view of any witnesses and mostly out of the view of a police dashboard camera.

With Robinson dead, only Kenny remained to tell the story of those few seconds in the stairwell. Kenny obviously had motive to soft-pedal his culpability, and even if he had no intention of soft-pedaling, he remains an imperfect narrator because the stress and concussion he reportedly suffered during the incident may have affected his recollection.

Despite all this, in September 2015, the ad hoc committee recommended the city not adopt body cameras out of fears they could be abused and wouldnt improve trust in police in minority communities.

The routine application of video to law enforcement was going on long before Tony Robinsons death or the Madison City Council started taking up the issue.

Madison police started using in-car cameras in 1999 as part of an effort to improve relations with minorities. In fact, the Robinson family attorneys used police dashcam video to make their case. The city started putting up security cameras about 10 years ago and now has 658 of them around town, according to city IT director Paul Kronberger. Police have access to all of them.

The Rialto, California, police department might have been the first American police department to adopt body cameras, in 2012, two years before the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

In 1995, the state Department of Corrections started videotaping cell extractions  where an uncooperative or dangerous inmate has to be physically removed from a cell, according to DOC spokesman Tristan Cook.

Once the inmates learned that the cell extractions were being videotaped and could be played for the court, the number of excessive force lawsuits dropped drastically, Greg Smith, a former DOC assistant legal counsel, told me. Of course, the taping also made sure the correctional officers conformed their actions to those sanctioned by their training.

Similarly, research by the U.S. Department of Justice and others has found body cameras are associated with fewer citizen complaints about police.

Its not clear whether thats because police behave better when wearing body cameras, citizens on camera are less likely to file frivolous complaints or some combination of the two. But if youre a legislative body deliberating whether to equip your police with body cams, does it even matter?

Ald. Paul Skidmore, a proponent of body cameras, told me the cameras have been on the back burner for me recently, due to the organized opposition by (Ald.) Shiva (Bidar-Sielaff) and several others.

He noted, however, that former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, who is black, has come out in favor of the cameras. Given that, Skidmore said he will be raising the issue again and that momentum is building in the city and in the country for the proper use of body-worn cameras.

Ald. Barbara Harrington-McKinney, who initiated a discussion last year of using the cameras in limited areas, did not respond to requests for comment. Bidar-Sielaff declined to tell me her current position on the cameras.

For now, the public is left to choose between two conflicting explanations in Robinsons death.

Either the Dane County district attorney, acting on an investigation by the state Department of Justice, is right and Kenny was justified in using deadly force.

Or experts paid for by the Robinson family cast enough doubt on that official version of events to convince the citys insurer it was better to settle the case for a record amount rather than take its chances at trial.

Either might be satisfying, depending on the way you feel about police, race, Robinson and lots of other things. But its not possible to say either is true.

A third explanation, by way of video, would have been helpful in that regard.
President Trumps budget for the fiscal year that begins in October likely will include a $54 billion hike in defense spending and drastic cuts in the State Department and foreign aid to pay for it.

But its far from a sure thing. The presidents budget is a proposal or starting point. Congress has the final word and will begin work on the budget later this month.

Americans believe we spend too much on foreign aid, polls show, although people have misconceptions about whats called soft power  humanitarian relief, economic development and anti-poverty programs, among others.

Think you know foreign aid? Before the debate begins, test your smarts with our 10-question quiz. Answers are below. Good luck!

(1) How much of the federal budget goes to foreign aid?

A. 31 percent

B. 26 percent

C. 15 percent

D. 1 percent

(2) Roughly how much will the United States spend this year on foreign assistance?

A. $100.5 billion

B. $75 billion

C. $36.5 billion

D. $20 million

(3) How many countries around the world receive U.S. foreign aid?

A. 50

B. 75

C. More than 100

D. More than 200

(4) Which country receives the most foreign assistance from the United States?

A. Iraq

B. Afghanistan

C. Egypt

D. Israel

(5) The United States provides more foreign aid than any other nation. How much of the worlds development assistance comes from the United States?

A. 24 percent

B. 30 percent

C. 50 percent

D. 65 percent

(6) The United States hasnt always been the No. 1 donor. Which country provided more foreign aid between the years of 1989 and 2001?

A. United Arab Emirates

B. Japan

C. Saudi Arabia

D. Qatar

(7) Where does the money go? Pick the largest program category.

A. Peace and security

B. Humanitarian assistance

C. Health

D. Economic development

(8) Where else? Which of these smaller categories distributes the most money?

A. Environment

B. Education and social services

C. Democracy, human rights and governance

(9) The State Department and USAID are two of the federal agencies involved in foreign aid. How many agencies in total provide foreign assistance?

A. 10

B. 20

C. 25

(10) Name that tweeter: 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.

A. Hillary Clinton

B. Marco Rubio

C. Barack Obama

D. Mitt Romney

ANSWERS:

(1) D. Foreign assistance was 1.3 percent of federal budget authority in fiscal 2015, the Congressional Research Service reported in June. Americans average guess is 31 percent, a Kaiser Family Foundation poll found last year. Only about three people in 100 knew foreign aid is about 1 percent.

(2) C. Tallies vary from $31.3 billion to $39.9 billion, depending on the kinds of assistance included and how the calculations are made, according to PolitiFact. The $36.5 billion figure comes from foreignassistance.gov, a federal site that collects data from federal agencies involved in foreign aid.

(4) D. Israel  $3.1 billion this year, increasing to $3.8 billion after 2017, followed by Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq. (foreignassistance.gov)

(5) A. 24 percent in 2014 (Congressional Research Service)

(6) B. Japan took the lead when foreign aid spending by the United States declined after the Cold War ended. United States spending rose after 9/11, surpassing Japan. (Congressional Research Service)

(7) C. Health at $9.3 billion in 2017, followed by Peace and Security at $8.3 billion, Humanitarian Assistance at $6.0 billion, and Economic Development at $3.7 billion (foreignassistance.gov)

(8) C. Democracy at $2.7 billion, followed by Environment at $1.3 billion and Education at $1.1 billion (foreignassistance.gov)

(9) B. These include the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury as well as such independent agencies as the Peace Corps and Millenium Challenge Corporation.

(10) B. Sen. Rubio of Florida on Feb. 28, 2017.

For more, check out www.foreignassistance.gov.

Mercer writes from Washington. Email her at marsha.mercer@yahoo.com.  2017 Marsha Mercer. All rights reserved.
One hundred years ago next month, President Woodrow Wilson went before Congress and asked for a declaration of war against Imperial Germany. Six months earlier he campaigned for reelection by claiming he kept the country out of war. What had changed?

The first factor was Germanys resumption of submarine warfare in the Atlantic. This threatened U.S. shipping to Europe, especially to Britain which faced isolation and potential starvation. A second factor was a revolution in Russia that forced the ouster of its czarist regime and ended its war with Germany. This permitted German armies to be sent to the Western front where French and British forces had suffered massive casualties in nearly three years of warfare.

A third and perhaps decisive factor in Wilsons call for war was discovery of a secret German plan to enlist Mexico in its war effort by pledging to support Mexicos hope to recover territories lost to the United States in the Mexican American War of 1848. This large territory included New Mexico, Arizona and California. Knowledge of the German plot caused Wilson to decide that Europes war vitally affected the U.S. homeland.

Anti-Americanism was endemic in Mexico in 1917. In that year, a revolution overthrew an entrenched system that included the aristocracy and Roman Catholic Church. Since then, Mexico has been governed by a constitutional system that includes a president limited to one six-year term, a legislature and courts. In reality, Mexican presidents have limited powers to act, and corruption in the society is massive by American standards. The current president, Enrique Pena Nieto, lacks public support at home, and he is challenged by a charismatic anti-American opposition leader, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

NAFTAs impact

The North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994, among the United States, Canada, and Mexico, was an outgrowth of a 1988 free trade agreement between Canada and America. It was negotiated by President Ronald Reagan and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and greatly expanded trade relations between the two neighbors.

In the early 1990s, Washington and Ottawa concluded that globalization in trade was an excellent means to expand international trade, to the benefit of economies and consumers in all countries, especially undeveloped ones. Mexico was one of these, and the Clinton administration believed that Americas strategic interests included trying to bring Mexico into better alignment with U.S. foreign policy. However, Mexicos historical mistrust of Washington made it desirable that another major trading country, Canada, be part of the North American trading partnership.

The terms of the NAFTA agreement proved to be highly advantageous to Mexico because it enabled exporters to send products duty-free into the United States. It was also beneficial when many U.S. companies closed manufacturing plants in the United States and moved them to low-cost labor sites in Mexico, many just over the U.S. border. During the U.S. presidential campaign of 1992, a third-party candidate, Ross Perot, warned that NAFTA would produce a huge sucking sound as jobs moved to Mexico. His opposition cost George H.W. Bush re-election and brought Bill Clinton to the White House in 1993.

Renegotiating NAFTA

Donald Trump pledged during the 2016 campaign to scrap NAFTA because it had caused a huge drain in American jobs. His negative comments about Mexico after he entered the White House sounded hostile to this southern neighbor, including his pledge that Mexico would pay to build a border wall to stop illegal entry. President Pena Nieto cancelled a planned visit to Washington for discussions on NAFTA when Trump continued to criticize his country, which Mexicans view as insulting.

Political observers suggest Trump was simply bolstering his negotiating position before holding negotiations on NAFTA with Canadian and Mexican officials to reduce large trade imbalances. Legislation to tax imports from Mexico while exempting exports is under consideration in the House of Representatives.

Trumps strong criticism of Mexico runs the risk of turning the countrys politics against the U.S. and opening the way for an anti-American leftist leader, Mr. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, to emerge as Mexicos president 2018. That clearly would not be in Americas national interest.

Nuechterlein is a political scientist and author who resides near Charlottesville. Email him at nuechtd@cstone.net.
Writer: Trump's plans harm his backers

If Donald Trumps blue collar supporters wanted to get shafted on jobs, wages and health care, their trifecta dream has come true. The anti-labor, anti-wage Cabinet appointees were the coffin and the hammer and now the new GOP Trumpcare bill will be the nail.

While 50-65-year-old, middle-income people will get royally screwed, the working poor get the shaft even worse. But those are nothing compared to the new Medicaid benefits for the most vulnerable as those will rival Third World countries. And maybe in the most ironic twist of all, if you listened to the GOP and opted not to get any health insurance the past few years, you will have the privilege of paying an extra 30 percent penalty, to the insurance company, on top of your premium for having a lapse in coverage. Those crazy conservatives know how to turn a buck dont they!

However never fear, the insurance companies and the wealthy and healthy make out like bandits. Thank goodness Rep. Bob Goodlatte and his cronies remain untouched and on the public dole with full benefits intact, too!

Without a doubt, Obamacare is not a perfect solution  something President Obama acknowledged from the beginning by the way  but another GOP rich get richer and poor get poorer scheme is not an acceptable answer. Many right wing conservatives want to skew it even further towards the wealthy.

So explain to me again why you thought this billionaire shyster was the guy who has your back? Fake America Great Again.

WALTER DANIELS

Lynchburg

Theres no free lunch

The new Republican administration is rapidly moving ahead towards repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Promises are being made that the new plan will cost less, offer more personal choice in coverage and replace government control with personal responsibility.

There is no free lunch. For a health care plan to cost less, it must offer less coverage and/or have larger deductibles. Personal choice really comes down to deciding between unaffordable premiums or running the risk of serious illness without insurance.

Going back almost 50 years, Congress has taken the side of the health care industry and drug companies to resist providing universal health coverage at a reasonable price, while most other developed countries have passed us by with better overall healthcare outcomes at much less cost. Obamacare passed Congress in spite of severe opposition but was hampered by compromises, including a mandate penalty set too low and no effective way to expand Medicaid coverage nationwide.

The plan proposed in Congress would transfer much of Medicaid cost to the states in the form of block grants that provide much less than the actual cost of health care, putting the onus on each state to decide whom to cover. In addition, the proposed personal tax credit is also much less than any actual insurance premium, leaving most middle income families unable to afford premiums.

Without a requirement that every adult purchase health insurance (a mandate), we will continue to have inequitable and unaffordable health insurance. There is no free lunch.

DR. FRED OCHSNER

Coleman Falls

A womans right

When most people think of abortion, they see the partial-birth abortions, which are the most horrible things that I can think of. There are other abortions which are the ones most women have.

How many people have seen an abortion first hand? I have, though it was not my choice, God gave me several. Between eight and ten weeks of pregnancy is not like partial-birth, there is no baby, no tissue, no skin, and no bone, on a mess.

I do not advocate abortion, but I do advocate a womans right to chose. After counseling if a woman feels that she can live with her choice, I think it should be her choice, period.

I believe in freedom of choice for all people.

BARBARA HARE

Forest
Four candidates, including one incumbent, are seeking three seats on the Cross Plains Village Board in the April 4 election. A fifth candidate, incumbent Steve Schunk, has dropped out of the race although his name will still be on the ballot. Incumbent Clifford Zander declined to respond. The terms are for two years.

EA Bud Busch

Age: 62

Address: 1701 Ludden Drive

Family: Married, 42 years, with two adult sons

Job: Senior project designer, Industrial Division, Affiliated Engineers

Political experience: None

Other public service: Treasurer, LIFE Foundation, a health-based nonprofit

Education: Licensed designer of engineering systems, state of Wisconsin LEED certified

Email or website: bbusch@chorus.net

Sarah Francois

Age: 40

Address: 1721 Ludden Drive

Family: Married to Brian for 10 years; two sons attending Park Elementary (2nd, kindergarten)

Job: Clinical social worker, Department of Veterans Affairs

Political experience: None

Other public service: Federal civil service, Milwaukee County civil service, Dane County nonprofit community mental health, Planning Committee member Kaboom! Wirth Court Park rebuild, Madison (2011)

Education: Masters degree in social work from UW-Milwaukee, 2003; bachelors degree in sociology and language arts/French, University of Dayton, 1998

Email or website: sarahfrancois4cp@gmail.com or on Facebook at Sarah Francois for Cross Plains village board

Michael Pomykalski

Age: 43

Address: 3047 Melody Parkway

Family: Single

Job: Self-employed

Political experience: None

Other public service: None

Education: Masters and bachelors degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Email or website: (none noted)

Q&A

List three of your top priorities

Busch: 1.) Economic growth  I support promoting business growth, both tourist-based to bring in revenue and light business, which is environmentally conscious; 2.) Recreation  I support a local environment of parks, conservancies, trails and quality recreation programs to encourage healthy physical activity for all; 3.) Communication  I support fostering a high level of communication with the village residents. We need their input via surveys and town meetings. Cross Plains people have good ideas, we need to listen. In return, we need to be a source of reputable information via the news, our website and social media.

Francois: First, I want to be a voice for young families in our village. I want to carefully consider the impacts of growth on some of the things that make this such a fantastic place for families, like the high quality of our schools and cherished landscape. Second, I wish to preserve Cross Plains small town character. We can strike a balance of catering to the needs of our residents, while also bringing in new amenities that appeal to visitors who enjoy recreation in our area. Third, I want to preserve natural resources and the natural environment. Our beautiful landscape is a priceless and irreplaceable gift.

Pomykalski: Livability, aesthetics and fiscal responsibility. This includes keeping the parks, pool and conservancy areas well maintained and attractive so that the residents of Cross Plains can use them and enjoy living in the beautiful village of Cross Plains.

If you could reverse one village action, what would that be?

Busch: The village of Cross Plains needs to work more towards sustainability of its leaders. We need to foster an environment of public service. Many have led this community to achieve great things such as our library and at one time our pool. We need to mentor and develop our future generations to lead and serve to continue to be a sustainable autonomous community. We need a strategic plan that looks ahead and it should include our mission and what we envision Cross Plains to look like in the future. Plan first, or as the Boy Scouts say, Be prepared.

Francois: The village has recently allowed some developments that dilute, rather than enhance, Cross Plains unique character. Id like to see some of those decisions reversed, but, failing that, I feel its vital that future decisions take into account our natural resources, our small-town feel and the needs and priorities of the families already making their homes here, and how to support homegrown businesses. I would like to see developments that are dynamic in aesthetic appeal. Furthermore, the amount of new dwellings in the past two years makes me cautious.

Pomykalski: I appreciate all the work that has been done in the past, and rather than focus on it I am optimistic for the future of the village of Cross Plains.

How would you change the way the village handles development?

Busch: Recently, in part, thanks to the re-development of the downtown Highway 14 project, we have seen a growth in housing development. Single-unit and multi-unit housing has been and continues to be created. To support that I would encourage more business development. Economic stability is key and we want the village to maintain its identity and not become just a bedroom community. Also, we need to be conscious of environmental development. Protecting our resources is our responsibility. We must be good stewards of the land.

Francois: I think we can articulate some common standards around aesthetics and density with an architectural control board that will give us a way to quantify the impact of potential new developments on our small-town character. Such a board could facilitate integration of key priorities and perspectives: environmental impacts, consequences for our schools and feedback from local businesses and residents to foster a holistic approach to planning and development. Finally, Id support proposals to enhance all neighborhoods rather than in one concentrated area.
It May Not Be the Time

You Think It Is
President Trump's travel ban and immigration policies could cost the US billions in lost tourist dollars, Bloomberg reports. The news came as the US is already smarting from a strong dollar that lowers exchange rates for visitors. The US can expect to see 4.3 million fewer foreign visitors this year, and a loss of the $7.4 billion they would have spent, says Adam Sacks of Tourism Economics. International tourists spent $250 billion in the US in 2016. Sacks' prediction was based on data from ForwardKeys.com that showed a 14% drop in US bookings from Western Europe between Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 when compared with 2016. Mideast bookings plummeted 38%. The company says it sent its findings to the White House on March 3, prior to the release of Trump's revised travel ban.

Although a federal court halted the original Jan. 27 executive order, the travel industry has warned the action will scare away tourists. "Its the presidents America First rhetoric, the trade protectionism, the Mexican wall," Sacks tells Bloomberg. New York, the country's top tourist destination for overseas visitors, is expecting a 2% dip in total visitors, among them 300,000 fewer foreign travelers, costing the city about $900 million. Flight searches from the UK to Miami, the second most-visited city for overseas travelers, were down 52% last month compared to a year ago, per online booker Kayak. LA could lose 800,000 visitors, most of them from Mexico, and $736 million in revenue, the city's tourism chief tells Bloomberg. Business travel bookings are down $185 million since January, the Independent reported last week. (Read more tourism stories.)
A Republican bill that passed out of committee this week would allow employers to penalize employees who don't submit to genetic testing and hand over the results, STAT reports. According to the New York Times, the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act would also give employers access to the genetic information of employees' families and children, as well. Supporters of the bill say it's needed to streamline increasingly popular workplace wellness programs. Employees who voluntarily participate in these programs are eligible for health insurance discounts worth potentially thousands of dollars, and employers say the programs encourage their employees to live healthier lives.

Opponents of the billincluding AARP, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Diabetes Associationsay employers shouldn't have access to employees' genetic information that doesn't impact their ability to do their job. The bill would take away protections from health-based discrimination because employees technically volunteered the information to save money on health insurance. Critics say this is more like coercion. If the bill passes, employers would be able to increase discounts for participating in wellness programsand therefore, critics say, punishments for not participating. It would also allow the outside companies that run wellness programs to share employees' genetic information, as they already do with other health info. (Read more genetic testing stories.)
Authorities say a 64-year-old Florida man tried to burn down a convenience store Friday because he thought it was owned by Muslims. It wasn't. The Palm Beach Post reports sheriff's deputies were called to a Met Mart in St. Lucie for reports of a suspicious person. Deputies say Richard Lloyd had rolled a dumpster in front of the store's doors and set it on fire, according to WPTV. He surrendered without incident, and deputies put out the fire.

Lloyd, who has been charged with arson, says he went to the Met Mart a few days earlier and became mad because there was a Muslim working there and also because the store didn't sell orange pineapple juice, TC Palm reports. According to authorities, Lloyd said he wanted to burn the store down to "run the Arabs out of our country" and do "his part for America." The sheriff's office says the store owners are actually "of Indian descent." It's unclear at this point if Lloyd will face hate crime charges. The store was closed at the time of the incident but suffered some smoke damage. (Read more Islamophobia stories.)
A Kansas City woman missing for two months has been found in her car at the bottom of the Missouri River, reports the Kansas City Star. "We just got the newstheres a body in her car," said Liz Anderson, mother of 20-year-old Toni Anderson, on Friday evening. "There is somebody inside." Toni Anderson went missing on January 15 after leaving her job at a bar at 4am; she was pulled over by a police officer, then disappeared on her way to get gas.

"We have searched for her by land, air, sonar, water," says a KC police rep. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Toni Andersons family this evening." Anderson's car was found near Platte Landing Park, and the Star notes that foul play is not suspected. "I just dont know how she got there," says Anderson's mom. "It doesnt make sense, one bit." (Read more missing person stories.)
The state has fewer people enforcing environmental standards and is seeking fewer fines against polluters.

Twenty-two hospitals across Wisconsin havent offered emergency contraception to rape victims, as required by law.

Administrators were slow to disclose a hazardous liquid oxygen spill at the King Veterans Home near Waupaca and lied about providing a report on the incident to a concerned citizen.

The State Journal reported that news and so much more over the last year by filing open records requests with various units of government.

Its a reminder of how vital transparency rules are to keeping elected officials and bureaucracy open, honest and accountable for their actions and spending.

Today is the start of Sunshine Week, when journalists across the country celebrate the publics right to know what government is doing. Well be highlighting the importance of Wisconsins open records and meetings law, as well as the federal governments Freedom of Information Act.

President Donald Trump is calling the free press an enemy of the American people. Hes outraged by the leaks and disclosures of information that he had praised when someone else was in the White House.

Being president isnt a perk for the privileged. Its a huge responsibility that demands integrity, dignity and discipline. Open government laws arent optional. Along with a free press, they are absolutely essential to democracy.

And you dont have to be a journalist to find out whats going on. Anyone can file a request for documents or attend a public meeting. A sample open records request can be viewed at go.madison.com/recordsrequest.

The good news is that state agencies in Wisconsin are responding more quickly to public requests since Gov. Scott Walker ordered improvements a year ago, according to todays front-page article by State Journal reporter Matthew DeFour.

That trend must continue, with governments at all levels  including the president being forthright about the peoples business.
Richard Gere has lashed out at Israel over its settlements in territory that Palestinians want for a state. The Pretty Woman star came to Jerusalem for the local premiere of a new film by Israeli writer-director Joseph Cedar in which he stars, reports the AP. A story in Sunday's Haaretz quoted the actor as saying "settlements are such an absurd provocation ... and they are certainly not part of the program of someone who wants a genuine peace process." "Obviously," he said, "this occupation is destroying everyone."

Gere said he struggled with the question of whether to make an appearance in Israel. "I had people on all sidesthose who have been close friends and people I barely knewtelling me not to come," he said. "I had people living here who told me, Look, no good will come of this. The bad guys will use youbad guys meaning the policy-makers of this government. It was a complex month of going back and forth: 'Im coming  Im not coming.'" Gere is currently starring in Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, The international community mostly considers settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says settlements along with other core issues like security should be resolved in peace talks. (Read more Richard Gere stories.)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drove his dispute with European nations to the hilt Sunday, boldly claiming that "Nazism is alive in the West" and calling on international organizations to "raise their voices" and enact sanctions against the Netherlands after it escorted a minister out of the country and prevented another one from landing in the country. Erdogan reiterated that the Netherlands would be "made to pay" for its treatment of its ministers, adding there would be no reconciliation with the NATO ally until then. He didn't elaborate, reports the AP. He wasn't alone, as Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told hundreds of supporters in the French city of Metz that the Dutch would be asked to "account" for their decision regardless of an apology. He called the Netherlands the "capital of fascism." Germany last week condemned Turkey for trotting out the Nazi comparison.

Cavusoglu was in Metz as part of a campaign through European cities with high numbers of Turkish expatriates in favor of a set of constitutional reforms that would increase the powers of the Turkish presidency. The reforms need to be approved by the public in an April 16 vote. However, some European nations claim that Turkey under Erdogan is slowly slipping toward dictatorial means, especially since the aborted coup of last summer. Dutch PM Mark Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands. "Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail," said Rutte. Still, added the prime minister, his government "will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate." (Read more Recep Tayyip Erdogan stories.)
In a letter to lawmakers on Wednesday, the American Hospital Association expressed its concern that the GOP's new health care bill "could lead to tremendous instability for those seeking affordable coverage." In a Sunday appearance on Meet the Press, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price insisted the affordable part wouldn't change. "I firmly believe that nobody will be worse off financially in the process that we're going through," he said, reports NBC News. "There's cost that needs to come down, and we believe we're going to be able to do that through this system. There's coverage that's going to go up."

Politico reports he addressed that "up" part, too, waving off a Brookings Institution report that posits the Congressional Budget Office will report that some 15 million Americans would lose their coverage under the American Health Care Act by 2026. "The plan that we've laid out here will not leave that number of individuals uncovered," said Price. "In fact, I believe, again, that well have more individuals covered." Paul Ryan tackled the repeal and replace effort, too, in his appearance on CBS' Face the Nation. When asked about the prospects of getting the bill through Congress, he said "I believe we can get 51 votes out of the Senate," per Politico. (Read more American Health Care Act stories.)
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Goa/New Delhi:

The counting of votes for all 40 seats concluded on Saturday evening with Congress emerging as the single largest party in the state with 17 seats. While BJP finished closely with 13 seats. Other parties got 10 seats.

Missing the magic majority mark of 21 seats, Congress would be hoping to form the government in the state with the support of other parties. While BJP can pull out surprise support and claim stake to form the government.

Initially, at the start of counting on Saturday, Congress trailed behind BJP in early trends. Looking at the mandate after the result, it seems like anti-incumbency votes were cast in the state. Another surprise came in the form of AAP- which failed to open its account in the seat tally.

Before the results, the main fight for the 40-member assembly, which went to polls on February 4 and recorded an impressive turnout of 83 per cent, was between the BJP and the Congress.

As it happened | Election Results 2017: Uttarakhand | Punjab | UP| Manipur |

As it happened:

#6:56 PM

BJP leader Manohar Parrikar on Goa Election Results: We don't try to pass on the buck; we all responsible for fractured mandate. Party will stake claim if it gets enough support.

#5:32 PM

Latest updates: Congress ahead on the tally with 17 seats, BJP catching up with 13 seats. 'Others' to be crucial for making government.

#5:08 PM

Latest update: Congress increases its win tally to 14, leading on 3 seats. BJP not too far behind with 12 seats with lead on 1 seat.

#4:32 PM

One is BJP & weve been against them;other is Cong that has setting with BJP. Will think on alliance partner-Vijay Sardesia,GoaForwardParty

#3:48 PM

Congress heading to emerge as single largest party in Goa, with 14 seats in kitty, the party is giving a tough fight to BJP.

#3:42 PM

BJP still leads on 2 seats, Congress ahead on 1 seat. Another independent candidate leading on 1 seat.

#3:40 PM

Congress wins 13 seats, while BJP victorious at 12 constituencies. Close fight going on with others getting 9 seats.

#3:10 pm

"Parsekar is to be blamed for the defeat. BJP- MGP together could bag 25 seats' Sudin Dhavalikar qouted by The Indian Express

#3:05pm

In Thivim, Congress Nilkant Halarnkar defeats BJPs sitting MLA Kiran Kandolkar

#3:00pm

Congress leading in 16 seats, BJP in 14, Others leading in 8seats

#2:50pm

Carlos Almeida of BJP is leading in Vasco, Hemant Golatkar leading in St. Cruz

#2:35pm

'We accept our defeat, ready for tomorrow': Kapil Mishra

#2:30pm

Sidharth Sripad Kuncalienker of BJP is leading from Panaji

#2:25pm

We are disappointed with the results. We will introspect on the reasons behind the (poor) performance: AAP leader Ashutosh

#2:20pm

aa aaa aa aaaaa aa

aaaa aaaaaaaaaa aa,

aaaa aaa aaa aaaa aaa aaa

aaaasaa aaaa aaaaa aaa,

aaaaaa aa aa aa aaaa,

aa aa aaa aa aa aaaY  Dr Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) March 11, 2017

#2:00pm

Ravi Naik of the Congress has won from Ponda

#1:50pm

Congress takes lead in 16 seats, BJP leading in 12, Oothers 8

#1:45pm

Former Goa CM Digambar Kamat of the Congress wins from Margao

#1:40pm

Congress' Ravi Naik is leading in Ponda. BJP's Sunil Desai is trailing.

#1:30pm

BJP takes lead over congress in 13 constituencies

#1:25pm

Cumbarjua seats goes to BJPs Pandurang Madkaikar with 12,225 votes

#1:20pm

BJP takes back lead, ahead in 11 seats while Congress is leading in 10 seats

#1:10pm

In Marcaim, Sudin Dhavalikar of the MGP is leading over Pradeep Shet of the BJP. MGP will hold the key to which party forms government if it ends up in a hung assembly.

#1:00pm

Congress leader and former CM Digambar Kamat is leading in Margao

#12:55pm

Congress takes lead in 14 seats, BJP ahead in 10

#12:40pm

Rajendra Arlekar of the BJP is trailing. MGPs Manohar Trimbak Ajgaonkar is leading

#12:35pm

With BJP and Congress neck-and-neck, the real test begins now as counting for the remaining 20 constituencies has begun.

#12:30pm

Sudin Dhavalikar of MGP is leading in Marcaim

#12:16pm

Congress is leading in 13 seats, BJP in 9 while others leading in 6 seats

#12:00pm

AAP CM candidate for Goa Elvis Gomes loses from Conculim

#11:45am

Former Goa CM and Congress leader Pratapsingh Rane wins from Poriem constituency

#11:39v

Francis D Souza of BJP wins from Mapusa

#11:28am

BJP CM Laxmikant Parsekar has lost the election in Goa

#11:20am

BJP leads reaches double digit, ahead in 10 seats

#11:12am

BJP CM Laxmikant Parsekar trails Congress candidate Dayanand Sopte by 3,826 votes in Mandrem constituency.

#11:01am

AAP CM candidate for Goa Elvis Gomes currently at third position in Cuncolim, Congress' Clafasio Dias is leading

#10:55am Jennifer Atanasio Monserrate of Congress is leading from Taleigao

#10:50am

Goa trends (25/40): Congress+ leads in 11, BJP+ leads in 7, AAP 0, Others 4

#10:44am

Congress has now taken lead in 12 seats trailing BJP behind 4 seats

#10:30am

AAP's CM candidate for the state, Elvis Gomes, is trailing in Cuncolim constituency

#10:05am

Its a neck to neck between Cong and BJP in Goa, Cong ahead in 9 seats while BJP leads in 7

#9:55am

No signs of AAP in Goa, Cong and BJP leading on 8 seats each



#9:40am

No signs of AAP in Goa, Congress leading in 8 seats, BJP in 6 seats, joining in Others leading in 3 seats

#9:35am

Early trends show Congress leading in 8 seats, BJP ahead in 5



#9:30am

Congress leading in 8 seats, BJP+ in 3, Others in 2 seats



#9:24am

Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar trailing by 1000+ votes, Congress leading from Mandrem



#9:22am

AAP no where in Goa, early trends give Congress lead in 4 seats



#9:18am

AAP no where in Goa, early trends show Congress leading in 4 seats, BJP in 2



#9:12am

Initial trends show Congress leading in 4, BJP in 2 seats



#9:09am

Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane of Congress leading from Valpoi seat in Goa



#9:08am

Congress' Francisco Manuel Silveira leading in St. Andre seat

#09:07am

Wilfred D Sa of Congress leading from Nuvem seat



#9:00am

Early trends till 9am show congress leading in 2 seats, BJP in 1 seat

#8:51am

Initial trends give Congress lead in 2, BJP ahead on 1 seat



#8:39am

Initial trends in, BJP ahead on one seat

#8:29am

Counting underway at two centres in Panaji and Margao



#8:00am

Counting on all 40 seats in Goa assembly begins

#7:45am

EVM votes counting will start after half hour of postal ballots counting

#7:35am

Counting to begin at 8am and Postal ballots would be counted first

#6:30am

Heavy police security outside counting centres in Panaji

CVoter exit poll has predicted a close-fought battle between the Congress and the BJP to gain control of Goa, with both parties unlikely to gain a clear majority in the 40-member state assembly. Axis exit polls prediction is cautiously hopeful of BJP coming back to power, bagging 18 to 22 seats. It estimates Congress will get between 9 and 13 seats, while AAP is predicted to be at the bottom of the table, with a maximum of two seats.





The key candidates are BJP's Laxmikant Parsekar, Congress' Luizinho Faleiro and AAP's Elvis Gomes

The BJP's poll campaign was led by Parrikar, which fuelled speculation that he may be chosen as chief minister if the the party returns to power in the state.

Incumbent Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar is also in the fray.

Though the BJP leadership has not come out with an official statement on the leadership issue, some senior party leaders said during campaigning that the chief ministerial nominee would be chosen by the elected legislators.

The Congress, the main opposition in the state, has fielded its nominees in 37 seats and backed the candidates of the United Goan, Goa Forward and an Independent in the rest.

The outcome will also decide the fate of the alliance between Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) and the Shiv Sena.

The MGP, one of the oldest regional outfits, broke alliance with the BJP before the elections, while the GSM was floated by RSS rebel Subhash Velingkar.

The combine, according to political analysts, could harm the BJP more than the Congress and the NCP.

A new entrant to the electoral scene in the coastal state, the AAP has contested in 39 seats and the leaders who campaigned for the party included Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Keenly watched constituencies in the state include Mandrem in North Goa from where Parsekar is seeking re-election and Panaji, which was represented by Parrikar before he moved to the Centre.

In 2012, the BJP had come to power in Goa with 21 seats, The Congress had got 9 seats, MGP 3, Goa Vikas Party 2 and Independents 5.

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New Delhi:

The BJP was on Saturday on course for a landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the party was locked in a close contest with Congress in Goa and Manipur.

According to trends and results available after six hours of counting of votes in the Assembly polls in the five states, the BJP, which did not have a chief ministerial face in UP, was ahead in 300 out of 403 constituencies in a stunning showing which party leaders credited to a 'Modi wave'.

As the opposition meltdown continues and Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps driving more electoral success for BJP across the country, the experts and even the strong opposition leaders have silently agreed that indeed Modi wave exists and continues to strive.

Read | Election Results 2017: BJP sweeps Uttar Pradesh with Modi wave; Mayawati alleges voting machines were tampered

National Conference's Omar Abdullah tweeted on Saturday: "How the hell did almost all the experts/analysts miss this wave in UP? It's a tsunami not a ripple in a small pond."

In a series of tweets Abdullah expressed his opinion and suggestions for the opposition parties in India.

In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi & the BJP in 2019.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

At this rate we might as well forget 2019 & start planning/hoping for 2024.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

Punjab, Goa & Manipur would certainly suggest that the BJP isn't unbeatable but strategy needs to shift from criticism to positive alternate  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

I've said this before & I'll say it again the voter needs to be given an alternative agenda that is based on what we will do better.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

Criticising the PM will only take us so far. The voter needs to know there is an option available to them that has a clear +ve road map.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

How the hell did almost all the experts/analysts miss this wave in UP? It's a tsunami not a ripple in a small pond.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

Positives for BJP - obviously UP & Uttarakhand & the overwhelming mandate. Implications for Rajya Sabha & President V/President elections.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

Positives for Congress - Punjab & at this stage they have their nose ahead in Manipur & Goa. Big positive AAP has not emerged as alternative  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

Positives for AAP - they have emerged as a player in states outside Delhi but they were believed to be winning Punjab at this time last year  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

The phenomenon of Modi wave originated during the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and it was meant for just that and as soon as elections were over, the critics started challenging whether the Modi-wave will continue to give mileage to the BJP.

But, except Delhi and Bihar, the BJP kept on winning elections after elections across the country right from civic body polls to the magical victory in Uttar Pradesh.

Critics say that Modi has been a polarising figure and he believes in divisive politics. But the thing Modi does well is that he keeps his focus on his voters and followers only with talks about development and corruption. He doesnt do anything that disappoints his fan base. He would rather play silent and even encourage his haters to bark more. And by this strategy his gains both ways.

Read | UP election results 2017: Modi wave resurrects, BJP heads towards clear majority

In his speechs, he talks about himself and his government, and his opponents also talk about him and his government to criticise him. And this may the biggest reason why the opposition leaders fail to get support during elections.

The Opposition needs to understand that Modi doesnt lose heart with hate speeches against him as he just loves to retaliate with phrase like 'jitna kichhad uchhaloge, kamal utna hi kamal khilega' (the more you throw mud, more the lotus will grow).

There is a list of leaders who have launched personal attacks on Modi, and by doing that they played the most significant role in the making of the Modi-wave, which is just refusing to fade even since he has spent almost three years in the central government.

One important thing which goes in Modi's favour is that he always talk about corruption-free India and development, and there is not a single charge of corruption against him till now.

Read | Uttarakhand Results 2017: BJP to form goverment with clear majority

His opponents come together to just one thing  blame Modi and deny that any Modi wave exists.

From Akhilesh to Rahul Gandhi and from Sonia Gandhi to Mulayam Singh, all of them accuse Modi for being communal, but the voters have stopped believing in them it seems.

One big thing which people like about Modi is he focuses more on giving a bigger picture to people  the need for development and economic growth.

Modi's opponents do blame him saying he believes in marketing strategy only. There's nothing wrong if his marketing has shown excellence.

Assembly Election Results 2017: Full Coverage

Marketing strategy works only when it doesn't get support from the leader's excellence. Aab ki baar Modi sarkar and Achhe din phrases were two biggest examples of marketing which clicked for Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. That marketing wouldnt have worked if Modi was not loved by people.

The faith people of India have, however, gets reciprocated by Modi's words and action in government  which is why there is a Modi TsuNaMo.

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Lucknow:

The BJP on Saturday stormed back to power in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand securing landslide wins while the Congress achieved a similar feat in Punjab and emerged as the single largest party in Goa and Manipur which threw up a hung Assembly.

Anchored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, the BJP juggernaut rolled on in UP and in the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand, bagging three-fourth majority. The popular Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat lost both seats that he contested in the hill state.

The BJP is returning to power in the politically crucial state of UP after a gap of 15 years during which regional parties such as the SP and the BSP held sway.

Election Results 2017 | Move past Hindu-Muslim, a voter is a voter; politics of development should take precedence: Amit Shah

As the Assembly elections in the five states turned into a virtual referendum on Modis popularity and demonetisation, the BJP decimated the ruling SP, its alliance partner Congress and Mayawatis BSP in UP.

After a hiatus of 10 years, Congress led by former chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh stormed to power in Punjab getting 77 seats, falling just one seat short of two-third majority.

It was a birthday present for Amarinder who turned 75 today as the Congress routed the SAD-BJP combine and dashed hopes of Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, which was confident of sweeping the Assembly polls on its debut.

BJP leaders hailed the spectacular victories of BJP as a vindication of Modis popularity and his pro-poor policies with some calling it a tsunami.

Shah, who crafted and conducted the election strategy in UP, said the results have catapulted Modi to the stature of the tallest leader since independence.

Election Results 2017 | Amarinder-led Congress storms to power riding strong anti-incumbency wave against ruling SAD-BJP

The only factor for the win is the performance of the Modi government, Shah told a press conference in Delhi. The outcome has shown the faith the poor have reposed in Modi... Even his political rivals will have to admit that he has emerged as the tallest leader in the country since independence, he said.

This is the victory of the corruption-free rule and pro-poor policies under the leadership of Modi, he tweeted earlier.

At the end of vote counting, the BJP bagged 312 seats on its own with a nearly 40 per cent vote share and with allies Apna Dal (Soneylal Patel) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) their strength goes up to 324 in a House of 403. The BJP had just 47 seats in the outgoing House.

The previous best showing by BJP in UP was in 1991, at the height of Ram Janam Bhoomi movement, when it got majority on its own winning 221 seats out of 425 in an undivided state.

The highest number of seats bagged by a single party in the UP assembly polls was in 1977 when Janata Party got 352 seats when Uttarakhand was part of the state.

BJP had not put forward any chief ministerial candidate in UP where it also did not put up any muslim candidate.

The UP chief minister will be selected tomorrow by the BJP parliamentary board and the legislature party in the state.

FOR FULL COVERAGE: ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS 2017

The ruling SP whose campaign was steered by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on development agenda received a severe drubbing getting only 47 seats as against its previous tally of 224 while alliance partner Congress was reduced to single digits(7), down by 21 seats.

SP received a major jolt in Lucknow Cantt seat where its patron Mulayam Singh Yadavs daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav lost to BJPs Rita Bahujuna Joshi, who left Congress ahead of the elections. BSP could garner only 19 seats in a huge slump from the previous tally of 80.

Assembly Election Results 2017: Full Coverage

UP Assembly Election Results 2017: Full Coverage

Uttarakhand Assembly Election Results 2017: Full Coverage

Punjab Assembly Election Results 2017: Full Coverage

Goa Assembly Election Results 2017: Full Coverage

Manipur Assembly Election Results 2017: Full Coverage

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New Delhi:

A massive fire broke out at furniture market near Delhi's Mata Sundari College in wee hours of Sunday morning.A

According to agency reports, at least 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot and were successful in dousing the blaze.A

The fire near Mata Sundri College, which broke out at Mata Sundri College at 4:30am on Sunday, has been doused, but cooling operations are underway, a reportA said.A

More details are awaited.A

Delhi: Fire broke out at furniture market near Mata Sundari College in early morning hours; 30 fire tenders have doused the flames pic.twitter.com/OphKOZq8sk a ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

A
New Delhi :

In a bizarre incident, a woman from Delhi's Pandav Nagar East district has reported the incident of gang rape with her.

The East district police station received a PCR call early in the morning on 5:45 AM about the alleged gang rape. The victim, who jumped from the first floor alleged that she was raped by some boys.

She called for Police help after which a police team reached the spot and took the woman for medical examination to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Mayur Vihar.

Reportedly the woman, who is a mother of two, sustained injuries on her leg.

Meanwhile, taking a quick action, the Police have arrested 5 suspected person in the incident. According to the sources all the five suspects work in BPO. All of the five accused have been sent to judicial custody.

Reportedly the woman was picked up by two of the alleged accused from Munirka.
New Delhi:

Pakistani actress Veena Malik, who is known for her stint in popular reality show Bigg Boss season 4, has called off her wedding with husband Asad Bashir Khan Khattak, who is a businessman.

The diva was married to Asad for three years. While their divorce came as a shock to everyone, the reason behind their divorce was surprising as well.

The media reports suggest that the couple had an argument over Veena's comeback in showbiz industry.

Reportedly, Veena, who has been missing from the limelight post her wedding, wants to return to her profession. However, Asad and his family had issues with Veena's decision which led to an argument. Malik, apparently, chose career over marriage and ended the marriage.

Also Read: Vishal Dadlani files divorce with estranged wife Priyali

She filed a khula (divorce) application in a family court in Lahore, which ruled out in her favour after non-pursuance of the case by Khan.

As per the media reports, Veena will have to return 25 percent of the haq mehr (dower money) to Asad as she had filed the divorce.

According to the media reports, the actress had filed the plea in the first week of January and had been living separately since then.

The court had summoned Asad but he neither appeared nor filed a reply. Subsequently, the court accepted Veena's plea and issued a decree last month validating the divorce between the couple, the official said.

The couple had kept the news of their divorce under the wraps.

In fact, despite the divorce proceedings, Asad was seen posting love messages for Veena on micro-blogging site Twitter.

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." I LOVE U my world @iVeenaKhan YYYaiaiai pic.twitter.com/KYJ66kKSTG  Asad Bashir Khan (@Asadbashirr) March 2, 2017

Special thanks to an angel who changed my life, you truly made my life bliss! Happy birthday my love, my world... @iVeenaKhan ... !! pic.twitter.com/U15PTzQxSm  Asad Bashir Khan (@Asadbashirr) February 26, 2017

Veena and Asad got married in December 2013 and have two children - two years old son Abram and one-year-old daughter Amal.

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New Delhi:

Bharatiya Janata Party, riding high on Modi wave, swept across Uttar Pradesh. Winning over a three-fourth majority in the political powerhouse of India is an unprecedented achievement in recent history, and the credit goes to Brand Narendra Modi. PM Modis achievement has left even his Opposition awestruck.



But what if BJP had failed to win Uttar Pradesh? What if Modi wave had failed to weave its magic in the hearts of UP people? Let us have a look at the 10 possible attacks by Opposition on PM Modi-Amit Shah duo would have faced if BJP had lost UP elections.

Read | BJP blooms in Assembly elections 2017: Graphics to round up polls results in UP, UKhand, Manipur, Punjab and Goa



1. Modi wave is fading: PM Modi has single-handedly led BJP to victory not only in 2014 Lok Sabha elections but also in seven state elections post assuming the post of prime minister. But every time he enters the campaign area ahead of polls, his critics question the longevity of his charisma. If he had failed to win BJP majority in UP, the first remark would have been  Modi wave is fading now.



2. Demonetisation effect: Currency ban was a major financial and political gamble played by PM Modi. While the ban on 87 per cent of liquid currency at the time created a huge amount of trouble for people in general, PM Modi held steadfast in claiming that it was a move to root out corruption and black money from Indian economy. A claim that paid off in the end. But if it hadnt, Opposition would have seen BJP loss in UP as validation of demon-etisation.



3. Time for Amit Shah to quit: BJP President came under heavy criticism when the party lost elections in Delhi assembly elections in 2015 and subsequently in Bihar later that year. He was held responsible for faulty campaigns and lack for a face in party promotion. But nevertheless, it seems that no CM-candidate pre-result policy continues to pay off. And as for Amit Shah, it seems highly unlikely that he is going anywhere anytime soon.

Read | Modi's BJP blooms in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur as saffron surge sweeps nation



4. PM Modi should conduct roadshows: Modis intense roadshow and rally schedule in Varanasi was criticised heavily by Opposition as well as some faction of his own party. Many termed such an elaborate campaign by a prime minister a waste of public time and money and others termed his speeches too below the belt and low in content in view of his office. But a win at ballot has silenced all allegations and opinions in a smooth strike.



5. No CM face in UP: BJP maintained the party strategy of not floating any CM candidate before results are declared. This strategy runs risk but has paid off most of the time. With at least 14 cabinet ministers from UP, BJP has had many major faces to choose from. But now that elections are over, BJP seems to be inclining to choose between Rajnath Singh, Yogi Adityanath or Keshav Maurya.

Read | BJP sweeps Uttar Pradesh: Rajnath, Adityanath or Maurya- who will be the next CM?



6. Hindu polarisation: PM Modis comment on graveyards and cemeteries in UP villages drew flak from all parties in the fray. Opposition parties, including SP and BSP, criticised Modi for deliberating polarising the campaign in favour of Hindu population and marginalising the Muslims. But the BJP has proved all critics wrong by winning a majority at Muslim-dominated seats in UP assembly.



7. Youth fans of Modi fading away: Outgoing chief minister Akhilesh Yadav won last election largely on the promise of a young CM and a vibrant government. But the youth vote turned in the favour of development-oriented Modi govt in 2014 general elections. In 2017, youth voters had to choose between Modi and Akhilesh and it seems they chose to go to with Modi. If BJP had lost, political pundits would have said that Modi is not the favourite of UPs youth anymore.



8. Pack your bags for 2019: Uttar Pradesh polls are always sighted as an indicator for next Lok Sabha elections. If BJP had lost the UP polls, Opposition would have seen it as a sign that BJP and with it PM Modi will be overthrown in 2019. Instead, now that BJP has swept the state, Opposition leaders like Omar Abdullah and Chidambaram have accepted that parties should now look to 2024 for any hope instead.

Read | Unstoppable Brand Modi, not just wave it's 'TsuNamo'; here is why Modi's charisma gets wings to fly high

9. Outsiders not allowed in UP: BJP may have 14 cabinet ministers from Uttara Pradesh but it barely has enough faces to compete with Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party in the state. With Gujarati PM Modi at the helm of the campaign, a defeat in Assembly elections would have drawn comments like outsiders not allowed. But PM Modi not only ensured a victory in all eight seats of his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi but also ensured saffron victory all over. UP seems to have accepted PM Modi as one of its own.



10. Mahagathbandhan key to defeating BJP: An alliance of RLD, JDU and Congress proved key to beating Modi wave in Bihar in 2016. But the same formula failed to replicate the effect in Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party and Congress alliance have done more damage than good to both Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav.

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New Delhi:

Election Commission is due to decide whether to disqualify 21 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs  who were appointed parliamentary secretaries  for taking an office of profit. An unfavourable decision would be a major jolt for Arvind Kejriwal, especially after Saturday's poll verdict.

AAP failed to repeat its Delhi Assembly Polls as it won low 20 from 117 constituencies in Punjab and zero in Goa. These results hampered AAPs national ambitions and things dont seem to improve for in its home base.

Delhi has been AAPs stronghold as Arvind Kejriwal-led party received a thumping mandate in its electoral debut in 2013 Assembly Elections. But pending EC decision hangs a sword on the heads of 21 incumbent MLAs. However, any decision would not affect Kejriwal's majority in the assembly as it requires 36 MLAs to stay in government in a house of 70 and currently it has 67.

Although the EC verdict affects party's future in Delhi as Municipal Corporation of Delhi are going to polls very soon and ECs decision has been much awaited by both its rivals BJP and Congress.

The Election Commission of India will hear the final arguments on the possible disqualification of the MLAs on March 16, and the signs received by an English Daily, dont look good for the AAP. The issue, pending since December 2016, has been held up due to the assembly elections in five states that kept the EC busy.

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New Delhi:

The BJP has stormed back to power in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand securing landslide wins while the Congress achieved a similar feat in Punjab and emerged as the single largest party in Goa and Manipur which threw up a hung Assembly.



Anchored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, the BJP juggernaut rolled on in UP and in the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand, bagging three-fourth majority. The popular Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat lost both seats that he contested in the hill state.

Saffron Surge



BJP leaders hailed the spectacular victories of BJP as a vindication of Modis popularity and his pro-poor policies with some calling it a tsunami.



Shah, who crafted and conducted the election strategy in UP, said the results have catapulted Modi to the stature of the tallest leader since independence.



The only factor for the win is the performance of the Modi government, Shah told a press conference in Delhi. The outcome has shown the faith the poor have reposed in Modi... Even his political rivals will have to admit that he has emerged as the tallest leader in the country since independence, he said.



This is the victory of the corruption-free rule and pro-poor policies under the leadership of Modi, he tweeted earlier.

Uttar Pradesh



The BJP is returning to power in the politically crucial state of UP after a gap of 15 years during which regional parties such as the SP and the BSP held sway.



As the Assembly elections in the five states turned into a virtual referendum on Modias popularity and demonetisation, the BJP decimated the ruling SP, its alliance partner Congress and Mayawatias BSP in UP.



At the end of vote counting, the BJP bagged 312 seats on its own with a nearly 40 per cent vote share and with allies Apna Dal (Soneylal Patel) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) their strength goes up to 324 in a House of 403. The BJP had just 47 seats in the outgoing House.



The previous best showing by BJP in UP was in 1991, at the height of Ram Janam Bhoomi movement, when it got majority on its own winning 221 seats out of 425 in an undivided state.



The highest number of seats bagged by a single party in the UP assembly polls was in 1977 when Janata Party got 352 seats when Uttarakhand was part of the state.



BJP had not put forward any chief ministerial candidate in UP where it also did not put up any muslim candidate.



The UP chief minister will be selected on Sunday by the BJP parliamentary board and the legislature party in the state.



The ruling SP whose campaign was steered by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on development agenda received a severe drubbing getting only 47 seats as against its previous tally of 224 while alliance partner Congress was reduced to single digits(7), down by 21 seats.



SP received a major jolt in Lucknow Cantt seat where its patron Mulayam Singh Yadavas daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav lost to BJPas Rita Bahujuna Joshi, who left Congress ahead of the elections.



BSP could garner only 19 seats in a huge slump from the previous tally of 80.

Uttarakhand



In Uttarakhand, BJP bagged 56 out of 70 seats at stake in the state to storm to power reducing Congress to just 11 seats.



It is for the first time in the 16-year history of Uttarakhand that a party has emerged with an impressive tally like that recorded by the BJP.

Goa



BJP suffered reverses in Goa where its tally was reduced to 13 from 21 in the 40-member house as the poll results threw up a hung assembly where opposition Congress emerged the single largest party with 17 seats.



Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Goa Forward and Independents won three each and NCP bagged one seat. The majority mark is 21 seats.



Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar bit the dust in Mandrem.



Four former Congress chief ministers - Digambar Kamat, Pratapsinh Rane, Ravi Naik and Luiznho Falerio - emerged victorious.



Apart from humiliating defeat of Parsekar, who lost by over 7,000 votes, six ministers of BJP also fell by the wayside.



The verdict would give smaller parties like newly formed Goa Forward and MGP with a role in ministry formation.



The poor showing of the BJP, which had won 21 seats last time, is also seen as a setback for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who had led the campaign from the front, fuelling speculation he may return to his home state as chief minister.



Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which hit the state with a big fanfare, drew a blank.



Congress sources said that as the single largest party, it would stake claim to form the next government and was confident of getting support from independents and others.



Shortly after the results were out, Parrikar said that the BJP remains in the race for forming the government.



aIt is a fractured mandate. We are awaiting the response of smaller parties,a he told reporters in Panaji.

Manipur



Like in Goa, it was a hung House in Manipur with ruling Congress bagging 28 out of the total 60 seats and BJP getting 21.



Congress, which had won 42 seats in the 2012 assembly poll, suffered a jolt as it managed to capture only 28 seats this time but is in the race for government formation as it emerged as a single largest party.



BJP, on the other hand, took a giant leap forward capturing 21 seats as the party had none in the outgoing House.



BJPas vote share of 36 per cent is higher than 34.7 per cent secured by Congress.



Three-time Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh romped home from Thoubal constituency defeating his nearest BJP rival L Basanta Singh by 10,400 votes.



Human rights activist Irom Sharmila who had contested against Ibobi Singh, secured only 90 votes and was relegated to the fourth position.



Manipur PCC President T N Haokip said that his party would form the next government with the help of alike-minded secular and regional parties.a

Punjab



After a hiatus of 10 years, Congress led by former chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh stormed to power in Punjab getting 77 seats, falling just one seat short of two-third majority.



It was a birthday present for Amarinder who turned 75 today as the Congress routed the SAD-BJP combine and dashed hopes of Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, which was confident of sweeping the Assembly polls on its debut.



Winning 77 of the 117 assembly seats, Congress stormed back to power in Punjab riding a strong anti-incumbency wave against the ruling SAD-BJP combine and warding off a spirited challenge by newcomer AAP.



The party put up its second best performance in the state. In the 1992 state elections, it had won 87 seats. With 77 MLAs it just one seat short of a two-third majority. The Congress had 46 seats in the outgoing House.



In addition, Congress also won the bypoll to the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat.



The SAD-BJP alliance finished at number three spot in the state polls, behind AAP, which emerged as the largest opposition party with 20 seats.



However, the number fell way short of Arvind Kejriwalas claim that AAP will win 100 seats.



The Prakash Singh Badal-led SAD won 15 seats, down from its earlier tally of 56 seats while ally BJP bagged three seats against the 12 it had won in 2012.



At a packed press conference in Chandigarh, a beaming Amarinder Singh, who was the Congressa chief ministerial face, hit out at the SAD claiming it had brought the state adown to its kneesa and mocked Kejriwal, saying he was like a asummer storm that had come and gonea.

Credit: PTI Graphics
Imphal:

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said the party will muster support to have the numbers required to form the government in Manipur.

The BJP has already got some support and hopes for co-operation of others as well to get the numbers required to form the government in Manipur, he said in Imphal.

He said the election results were a clear mandate against the Congress and the Ibobi Singh government.

Madhav, the man behind the BJPs turnaround in Manipur and Assam last year, said all political parties which have secured votes have an obligation toward the people.

He hoped that all elected representatives will come together and support the BJP to help it form the government in the northeastern state.

Manipur on Saturday threw up a hung assembly with the ruling Congress bagging 28 of the 60 seats and the BJP winning 21.

The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) and the National Peoples Party (NPP) bagged four seats each. The Lokjanshakti Party, Trinamool Congress and an Independent candidate won one seat each.

The Congress had won 42 seats in the 2012 assembly. The BJP, on the other hand, had no members in the outgoing House.

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Panaji:

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar could again become the coastal state's CM as Goa BJP passed a resolution to make him the CM face after getting support of two regional parties.

Denying reports, Manohar Parrikar said that he has not resigned yet from Defence Minister position as he leaves Governor House in Goa.

With Goa polls throwing up a fractured verdict, both the BJP and the Congress legislature parties are meeting on Sunday to decide their respective leaders and work out strategies to form government in the state.

aThe BJP legislature party will meet in the afternoon. We will explore the possibility of forming the next government,a partyas state general secretary Sadanand Tanawade told PTI on Sunday.

Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is expected to attend the meeting, sources said.

The Congress Legislature Party will also meet on Sunday.

Following the meeting, the party is expected to stake claim to form government as it has the won the maximum 17 seats in the state Assembly elections, All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar said.

In the 40-member House, the BJP bagged 13 seats. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the independents won three seats each, while the NCP bagged one.

The stand of regional parties the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party is likely to play a decisive role in the formation of the next government. Three of the BJPas newly elected MLAs on Sunday rooted for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to take the lead to formA governmentA in Goa, if the smaller parties back it.

Here are the updates:

#A I have not resigned yet, says Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

If government is formed then Manohar Parrikar ji should be in the Govt. If requested, I will resign: Michael Lobo, BJP #Goa pic.twitter.com/PRYYHpxOSb a ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

A

It all depends on Goa Forward Party & MGP. If they give us letter of support then we will form the Govt: Michael Lobo, BJP pic.twitter.com/yQ259dGnVr a ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

A

If government is formed then Manohar Parrikar ji should be in the Govt. If requested, I will resign: Michael Lobo, BJP #Goa pic.twitter.com/PRYYHpxOSb a ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

aThe people want Parrikar to come back to Goa. Now it will depend on the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. If they support us, we will form the government in the state,a BJP legislator Michael Lobo, who got elected from Calangute constituency, told reporters outside the party headquarters.

In the last polls, the BJP had won 21 seats and the Congress nine. The GFP, which has not revealed its strategy so far, will also be meeting today to discuss the situation, its spokesman Durgadas Kamat said.

Both the Congress and the BJP are expected to woo the regional forces to get the required numbers to form theA government in the tourist state where the majority mark is 21.

Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte, backed by the Congress, won in Porvorim seat taking the partyas tally to 18.

The party is now short of three legislators to stake claim to rule the state. The BJPas tally stands at 14 as Independent candidate Govind Gawade, supported by the party, won in Priol seat.

The party needs support of seven more MLAs to retain power in the coastal state. The NCPas lone legislator Churchill Alemao is expected to go with the Congress, party sources said.A

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh A said that his party wasA in touch with non-BJP MLAs, and was confident we have number on our side/

He lashed out on BJP as he questioned party's morals. They've been defeated & doing horse-trading, promising ministries like distributing sweets, said Digvijay Singh.

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Jammu:

Pakistani troops fired mortars along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, prompting the army to retaliate.

There was no casualty on the Indian side.

There was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Krishna Ghati Sector in Poonch district from 1200 hours, using 82 mm mortars and automatic weapons, a defence spokesman said.

Army took positions and gave a befitting response. Intermittent firing is going on, he said.

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Hyderabad:

Ostrich, the flightless bird native to Africa, inhabited India about 25,000 years ago, a study conducted by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) here has found.

Though it is native to Africa, several geologists and archaeologists have over the time found ostrich egg shell pieces in India, mostly in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

A DNA study of some partly fossilised ostrich egg shells was recently conducted at the

"We have successfully analysed the ostrich egg shells in our 'ancient DNA' facility and established that the egg shells (found in India) are genetically similar to the African ostrich," CCMB's senior principal scientist Kumarasamy Thangaraj had said recently.

"The carbon dating (of the ostrich egg shells) to determine the age shows that they are at least 25,000 years old," Thangaraj had said.

The study was conducted jointly by the scientists of CCMB, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee and others.

The findings of the research have been published in the March 9, 2017 issue of science journal PLOS ONE.

The origin and evolution of ostrich is widely attributed to the continental drifting of Gondwanaland or Gondwana.

Around 150 million years ago, Gondwana was a super-continent comprising South America, Arabia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, India and Madagascar of the present times, an official release had said.

An initial break-up of this super-continent (during the Early Cretaceous period - 130 to 100 million years ago) separated Africa and Indo-Madagascar.

This bio-geographical dispersion eventually led to hopping of ostriches in Africa through Eurasia (the combined continental landmass of Europe and Asia), via land route around 20 million years ago.

However, the continental drift theory for the existence of ostriches in India was not proven scientifically, the release had said.

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Chandigarh :

After guiding Congress to a thumping victory in the state Assembly polls, senior party leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab on March 16.

Talking to media outside Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh on Sunday, he said that he will go to Delhi on March 14 to meet Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and discuss formation of the new government.

The oath-taking ceremony will take place on March 16, he said.

However, the scion of erstwhile Patiala Royal family refused to comment on the number of ministers who will be part of the new cabinet. He said the Congress government will be accountable to the people of the state.

Also read | Election Results 2017: Amarinder-led Congress storms to power riding strong anti-incumbency wave against ruling SAD-BJP

Amarinder earlier held an official meeting with Governor V P Singh Badnore for staking claims to form the new government in the state.

He was also unanimously elected as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader by the newly-elected party MLAs in a meeting held at party office in Chandigarh.

Navjot Singh Sidhu (Amritsar East), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantt), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar East) were some of the newly-elected MLAs present at the meeting.

Congress ended the SAD-BJP combines ten year regime by registering a thumping win by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-third majority.

Rookie Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) managed to get 20 seats, while SAD-BJP won 18 seats in the state polls. Two seats went into the kitty of AAPs ally lok Insaf Party (LIP).

The winning margin of Amarinder from Patiala seat was the highest in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. He won convincingly with a margin of 52,407 votes after defeating his nearest rival AAP candidate Balbir Singh.

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New Delhi/Chandigarh:

Shrimoni Akali Dal patriarch and Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday submitted his resignation to state Governor, as his party lost miserably to Congress in assembly elections 2017.



The Badals party, in alliance with BJP, ruled the state for straight ten years, creating a massive anti-incumbency wave. Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress won 77 seats in Punjab assembly, while new entrant Aam Aadmi Party managed majority on 20 seats, leaving SAD-BJP with only 18 seats.



Speaking to media on Sunday, winner and states next chief minister Amarinder Singh thanked Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and PM Narendra Modi for congratulations on his win.



Yesterday (Saturday) Prime Minister talked to me. He said whatever you require for Punjab I will be all willing to help, said Amarinder Singh.

On the issue of major issues ahead in state regime, Captain said that health and education take precedence over drug menace: Psychiatrists needed to tackle drug menace. Two issues require major attention one is health other is education.



No vendetta politics no victimisation, if name comes in investigation we'll see, Amarinder Singh on if there'll be action on Bikram Majithia.

Capt Amarinder Singh will be sworn in as the next Chief Minister of Punjab on March 16 at Raj Bhawan.

Whatever they (Congress) will do will come in front of you: Parkash Singh Badal after tendering his resignation pic.twitter.com/qHWQgDihKL  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

As responsible opposition we'll support all matters related to Punjab. Congratulate Captain sahab & his party: Sukhbir Singh Badal #Punjab pic.twitter.com/vr99Q0koRf  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

Also read:

Only 6 women legislators make entry into Punjab Assembly

Congress 'revives' with huge victory, AAP comes second



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Nagpur:

RSS ideologue M G Vaidya has said that the BJPs massive victory in Uttar Pradesh is a vote for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. The BJPs election manifesto talked about building a Ram temple in Ayodhya and the popular verdict can be termed as a public endorsement of it, he told PTI on Sunday.

Vaidya said the Allahabad High Court has held that a temple existed at the disputed site and its remains were found during excavation. He said the NDA Government should bring a law for Ram Temple construction in the UP town if the Supreme Court fails to resolve the issue. The BJPs win in Uttar Pradesh reflects backing by the voters of the state for building a Ram temple, he told a news channel on Saturday.

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Kolkata :

Holi is around the corner and the eastern state of Bengal is also gearing up for the beautiful festival of colours.

Its the time of the year when a new enthusiasm takes over our mind with a peak of different colours, Gulal, Bhaang and music. With new innovation every day, people are experimenting with colours and giving it a new definition to the festival of colours.

In the same direction, a Kolkata-based designer has created her own brand and has established herself in a different manner. Young designer Namrata Manot is creating headlines in the Indian fashion horizon with her unique and environment-friendly collection.

Organic and natural dyed fabrics got her into designing for other people. Maonots USP is that she uses herbal colours to print her clothes.

She works with printing techniques like tie and dye, batik, and block in everything she designs with herbal colours. These colours have been extracted from different herbs which are renowned for their medical values and are a gift of nature.

Tt was a common practice in ancient India, which was historically done by hand, although on a small but useful scale.

The owner of Kolkata-based brand BIOME explained that ingredients like Haritaki, turmeric, indigo, madder, pomegranate, and onion are the famous herbs which are being used to make herbal colours.

I believe that environment is ours and if it is degraded in the process of embracing fashion, we need to see if there are other options, Manot said.

Some people, in fact, told me that doing this work would be like going to the moon, Designers even refused to use these fabrics because it would increase their cost of production, but I took this challenge, Manot added.

Namrata Manot further said, Today, I see more aware customers than when I started. People have loved my designs, and they are in love with the comfort. Today my work is growing the good mouth of words.

In another instance, a 70-year-old man, Asim Chatterjee who has been associated with Kolkatas Jadavpur University for a long period of time now is making herbal colours for Holi.

All these colours are flowers based, these are not very bright in colours but definitely, these colours have no side effects. Years back flower farmers came to Jadavpur University with the problem of excess flowers which they were unable to sell in the market and then researchers started the research.

After 10 years of research, they came out with the idea of herbal colours, from then Jadavpur University students started making herbal colours from the flower extracts.

Mr Chatterjee was the key man for that task but after his retirement, University students stopped making it and now Chatterjee himself is doing at his home.

I dont use any chemical in it, they are all 100 natural product. I use flowers and then I mix talcum with it. Whatever Holi colours are available in the market are all chemical products and those are very dangerous for our skin and eyes, Chatterjee said.

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Lahore:

Hafiz Saeeds brother-in-law, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who carries a USD 2 million bounty on his head, has been given the charge of the head of Jamaat-ud-Dawah. The decision was taken after the Mumbai terror attack mastermind was put under house arrest by Pakistans Punjab government.

Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed, has officially been made head of JuD in the wake of house arrest of Saeed, a JuD official told PTI.

Makki was the second in command of JuD and he took over the reins of the group soon after Saeeds detention, he said. Asked about reports that Saeed is still running the JuD from his house (which is declared sub-jail by the Punjab government) in Lahore, the JuD official denied.

Makki sahib is looking after all affairs of the organisation, he said. Makki has led over half-a-dozen rallies in Lahore and elsewhere since the detention of Saeed.The Punjab government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest for a period of 90 days in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE (1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997.

Various offices of both JuD and FIF were closed following the house arrest of Hafiz Saeed. Both organisations were also put on observation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. JuD has rebranded under the new name of Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir, just days after Saeeds house arrest.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Councils resolutions.

The names of Saeed and 37 other members of JuD and FIF have also been placed on exit control list, preventing them from leaving the country.

As Saeed, the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack, carrying a US bounty of USD 10 million on his head, Makki has also USD 2 million on his head. In a statement issued at Lahore on Saturday, Makki demanded immediate release of Saeed.

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New York:

India-born US attorney Preet Bharara was on Saturday fired by the Trump administration after he refused to quit following orders to the 46 Obama administration-appointed attorneys to resign immediately.



I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life, Bharara tweeted from his personal verified Twitter account, making a reference to his jurisdiction the Southern District of New York.



Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusading against public corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general yesterday to immediately submit resignations.



Earlier, sources close to Bharara had said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a showdown with President Donald Trump.



The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bhararas office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on in his administration.



Bharara had met Trump in the Trump Towers in Manhattan shortly after the Republican nominee had won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and had agreed to do so.



CNN quoted a statement Saturday from Senator Chuck Schumer saying he was troubled to learn of the Trump administrations request for Bhararas and other US attorneys resignations, adding that the President initiated a call to him in November and assured me he wanted Mr Bharara to continue to serve as US Attorney for the Southern District.



While its true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for US attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesnt put ongoing investigations at risk, the New York Democrat said. They ask for letters of resignation, but the attorneys are allowed to stay on the job until their successor is confirmed.



Bharara has made a national and international mark for himself with many high-profile cases and investigations including foreign countries, insider trading and those involving US politicians. It was under his prosecution that India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was convicted for insider trading in 2012.



Bharara has served 7 years as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a jurisdiction that includes Trump Tower.

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Beijing:

India should not fall into the trap of the US and Japan who are trying to use it to contain China, the official media said, underlining that such a move may make New Delhi face more risks.

Washington hopes to use New Delhi to contain China in the Indian Ocean. Tokyo wishes to counter-balance China in the Pacific Ocean with the help of New Delhi, an editorial in the Chinese version of the state-run Global Times said.

All these seem to be strategic opportunities for India, but they are actually nothing more than traps. Once India falls into them, the country will become a pawn for the US and Japan and will lose numerous opportunities while facing more risks, it said.

As a nation which sees itself as a major power, if India relies on external forces for its security, it will become more self-abased. The best path for Indias development is to be more open to its neighbours and join regional development programmes such as the Belt and Road (Silk Road) initiative, it said.

The Asia-Pacific security pattern seems to have entered a phase of uncertainty as the US seems to be increasing its military presence in the region though President Donald Trumps strategy for the region is yet to be made clear, it said.

Nevertheless, it wont stop Chinas rise. Both China and India have the potential to play bigger roles in Asia-Pacific security, it said.

Referring to reports that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in their phone conversations have agreed to intensify defence and security cooperation, the editorial said that India seems to be wary about enlarging gap with China.

In addition, with the enlarging gap in its competition with China, New Delhi seems to be increasingly wary of Beijings development. With Chinese railways, ports and hydroelectric projects extending to Indias periphery, the country is haunted by its self-surmised Chinas besiegement, it said.

Mutual trust between China and India is not only about how they perceive each other, but more about how they view themselves. Only when a country becomes more confident in its development and strength, and more active in providing the periphery with more opportunities, would it have broader strategic horizons, it said.

Quite a few projects that China is involved in right now, including a number of initiatives in the Indian Ocean, are what a major power is obliged to do in order to integrate into economic globalisation, it said, adding they are based on mutual benefit.

If India changes its perspective, it will discover more opportunities rather than threats, it said.

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Washington:

US President Donald Trumps revised travel ban has been denounced by more than 130 US foreign policy experts. The experts claim that the ban undermines Americas national security and interests as much as the original order which barred travellers from some Muslim-majority countries and refugees.

To Muslimsincluding those victimized by or fighting against ISIS (Islamic State) -- it will send a message that reinforces the propaganda... that falsely claim the United States is at war with Islam, read the letter by former government officials and experts.

Welcoming Muslim refugees and travelers, by contrast, exposes the lies of terrorists and counters their warped vision, added the document dated Friday. Among the 134 signatories were some who served in either or both Republican and Democratic administrations including former senior diplomat Nicholas Burns, ex-National Security Council counter-terrorism director Richard Clarke and ex-undersecretary of defense Michele Flournoy.

Most served under Democratic presidents, including former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, former Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, ex-national security advisor Susan Rice and ex-National Counter terrorism director Matthew Olsen.

Their comments echo those being made in court by US states claiming the modified measures discriminate against Muslims and are detrimental to US interests.

Bans like those included in this order are harmful to US national security and beneath the dignity of our great nation, the letter read. The executive order weakens this countrys ability to provide global leadership and jeopardizes our national security interests by failing to support the stability of our allies that are struggling to host large numbers of refugees, it added.

The letter was also sent to Trumps Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Homeland Security chief John Kelly and Acting Director of National Intelligence Michael Dempsey.

The revised directive temporarily closes US borders to all refugees and citizens from six mainly-Muslim countries. It denies US entry to all refugees for 120 days and halts for 90 days the granting of visas to nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The new order, unveiled on Monday, is due to go into effect March 16 and replaces the previous Trump directive that was blocked in federal court. The blocked order included an indefinite Syrian refugee travel ban and its blacklist of barred countries included Iraq.

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Rotterdam:

A Turkish minister was expelled from The Netherlands and escorted back to Germany by Dutch police after being prevented from addressing a Rotterdam rally, the citys mayor said early on Saturday.



Turkeys Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, who had arrived late on Friday, was on the way from Rotterdam to Germany, mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told reporters.



She has been expelled back to the country she came from, he said, saying she was being taken to the border.



After several hours of negotiations, it had proven impossible to find a solution.



Dutch authorities had repeatedly told Turkish officials that Kaya was not welcome. But nevertheless she decided to travel, he said.



Aboutaleb also angrily denounced Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans criticism of the Dutch authorities as the vestiges of the Nazis.



Dont they know that I am the mayor in a land that was bombed by the Nazis? he asked.



Large parts of Rotterdam were destroyed by the Luftwaffe in 1940. And the country was then occupied by the Nazis.

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DANBURY - A Bronx woman was accused of identity theft at the Danbury Fair Mall Saturday evening.

Police said Ingrid Simmons, 53, opened an account at Lord & Taylor under a different name and spent hundreds of dollars.

Store security told police that employees were suspicious when they said Simmons constantly looked down at her phone as she filled out her name and birthday on a form to apply for an account at the store. After her account was approved, Simmons spent $438, police said.

Security called the name and phone number listed on the account, but the person who answered the phone said she was at home in New York, according to police.

Security then found three drivers licenses on Simmons, according to police.

Police arrived and charged Simmons with larceny in the fifth degree, criminal attempt/identity theft in the first degree and identity theft in the third degree.

She was released on a $10,000 bond.
Every town and city in Connecticut is in the midst of putting together a budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Its a perennial tug between needs  especially education  and the pressure to keep tax increases low.

What is different this year is that municipalities are working through the process practically blindfolded. How much revenue might  or might not  come from the state is wildly unpredictable right now. Many towns and cities will have adopted their budgets before the state has firm numbers.

If it all seems more nerve-wracking and iffy than usual  it is. Two parts, in particular, of Gov. Dannel P. Malloys budget proposed last month could have massive effects on local budgets. The governor wants to shift 30 percent of the cost of teachers pensions to the districts, suddenly adding millions of dollars to local budgets. And his revisions to the Education Cost Sharing grant formula would substantially siphon aid from wealthy suburbs to struggling inner cities.

No question, both the byzantine education formula and the untenable pension system need reform. Whether Malloy has the answers is up for debate. The point is that the combined measures are throwing municipal budget-making awry.

If local leaders cross their fingers and hope the General Assembly restores some money cut by Malloy, then they could end up quite short. Keep in mind, the state has an estimated $1.3 billion hole in the upcoming budget so there is not a lot of wiggle room.

But if local leaders craft a budget using the worst-case scenario, then they could overestimate and unnecessarily raise property taxes. Imagine the howl from taxpayers.

Clearly, the state has to help sort out the mess. We are disappointed, however, that recent attempts have devolved into political bickering.

The governor proposed last week that towns and cities be allowed to delay their budget adoption date to June 30. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, which represents a majority of the 169 towns and cities in the state, was cautiously optimistic.

The 36-member state Senate debated this reprieve for local budgets for 90 minutes Wednesday before Democrats tabled it and blamed Republicans for filibustering.

Republican Senate and House leaders the same day called on the state to instead adjust its budget timeline, not the towns. They suggested that the key committees finish a state budget by May 5, instead of at the end of the session in June. As they pointed out, in 2011 the state adopted a budget in May so it can be done.

Competing proposals are not necessarily bad. Thats how democracy works.

Malloy responded to the Republicans suggestion in a brief letter Thursday challenging them to come up with their balanced budget proposal very soon. The same day, Republican leadership responded with a letter saying thanks for the obviously politically charged and partisan letter and challenged Malloy to urge his fellow Democrats in the Legislature to adopt the May 5 deadline.

Enough. Whether the state moves up its budget deadline or municipalities move back theirs, politics has to take a back seat for any reasonable resolution to happen. Taxpayers deserve as much.
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New quantum technology will enable the following:

A bathing cap that can watch individual neurons, allowing others to monitor the wearers mind.

A sensor that can spot hidden nuclear submarines.

A computer that can discover new drugs, revolutionise securities trading and design new materials.

A global network of communication links whose security is underwritten by unbreakable physical laws.

Exploiting superposition and entanglement enables devices that vastly outperform existing onesand accomplish things once thought to be impossible.

Improving atomic clocks by incorporating entanglement, for example, makes them more accurate than those used today in satellite positioning. That could improve navigational precision by orders of magnitude, which would make self-driving cars safer and more reliable. And because the strength of the local gravitational field affects the flow of time (according to general relativity, another immensely successful but counter-intuitive theory), such clocks would also be able to measure tiny variations in gravity. That could be used to spot underground pipes without having to dig up the road, or track submarines far below the waves.

Rather than scale devices down, quantum technologies employ the unusual behaviors of single atoms and particles and scale them up.

After decades of work in the laboratory, a raft of different devices and approaches relying on quantum-mechanical effects are now nearing market-readiness. It has taken so long mainly because the components that make them up had to be developed first: ever-better lasers, semiconductors, control electronics and techniques to achieve the low temperatures at which many quantum systems perform best.

RSK, an environmental consultancy involved in cleaning up brownfield sites and the like, reckons that a third of construction projects overrun by up to a month, and another third by two months or more, and that half of these delays arise because of underground surprises. The company is collaborating with the University of Birmingham in Britain on fieldworthy quantum gravity sensors, in the hope of deploying them in big infrastructure projects. Other efforts to develop cheap sensors have drawn interest from companies such as Schlumberger, an oilfield-services giant, and Bridgeporth, a surveying firm.

Military types are interested, too. You cant shield gravity, says David Delpy, who leads the Defence Scientific Advisory Council in Britains defence ministry. Improved gravity sensors would be able to spot moving masses under water, such as submarines or torpedoes, which could wipe out the deterrent effect of French and British nuclear submarines. Quantum gravimeters could precisely map geological features from the gravitational force they induce. That would help with getting around in places where satellite-navigation signals are not availablea kind of Google Maps for gravitation, as Dr Delpy puts it.

And gravity, the theory of relativity also says, is just one manifestation of acceleration: a good gravimeter is a good accelerometer. And a good accelerometer is a good vibration sensor. Once they are small enough and good enough, all these high-precision devices will be of great interest to carmakers, and in particular to the autonomous-vehicle industry, the success of which will depend on accurate sensing of the movements of cars and their surroundings. Bosch, a German firm that is the worlds largest maker of automotive components and a supplier to many other industries, already has its eye on quantum-technological enhancements to its products.

Other aspects of quantum theory permit messaging without worries about eavesdroppers. Signals encoded using either superposed or entangled particles cannot be intercepted, duplicated and passed on. That has obvious appeal to companies and governments the world over. China has already launched a satellite that can receive and reroute such signals; a global, unhackable network could eventually follow.

The advantageous interplay between odd quantum effects reaches its zenith in quantum computers. Rather than the 0s and 1s of standard computing, a quantum computers bits are in superpositions of both, and each qubit is entangled with every other. Using algorithms that recast problems in quantum-amenable forms, such computers will be able to chomp their way through calculations that would take todays best supercomputers millennia. Even as high-security quantum networks are being developed, a countervailing worry is that quantum computers will eventually render obsolete todays cryptographic techniques, which are based on hard mathematical problems.

SOURCEs- Economist, McKinsey
A possible venue for big announcements is for the One Belt, One Road summit of more than 20 leaders in May. It will be hosted in Beijing by President Xi to showcase his most important foreign policy innovation to date.

The Belt is supposed to consist of three land-based silk roads. The One Road, actually, is on water, which is a Maritime Silk Road.

Chinas push to create new trade and infrastructure links through its One Belt, One Road initiative will be hampered by Beijings reluctance to open up investment for foreign companies, according to experts.

The strategy spearheaded by President Xi Jinping seemed to be incompatible with Chinas preference for one-way globalisation and assertive policies in Southeast Asia, particularly on maritime routes in the South China Sea, experts said at the Oxford China Forum held in the University of Oxford over the weekend.

Spanning over 60 countries, this massive project will spread an interconnected network of rail lines, highways, pipelines and logistics zones from China to Europe, covering a potential market that includes more than half of the population, 75 per cent of the known energy resources, and 40 per cent of gross domestic product in the world.

It has been estimated that this emerging network could be pumping out upwards of US$2.5 trillion of annual trade value by 2025.

As of 2015, China announced that over one trillion yuan ($160 billion US) of infrastructure projects were in planning or construction. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has an authorized capital of $100 billion, 75% of which will come from Asian and Oceanian countries. The Silk Road fund has 40 billion USD.

Since the middle of last year, close observation showed that new officials are being promoted within China. Xi is repositioning loyalists and those who will become loyal to him so as to govern with a firmer hand in his second five-year term in office.
[March 11, 2017] LegalShield Honors Its Top Independent Associates with Lady of Justice Awards at Annual LevelUp Convention

LegalShield, one of North America's leading providers of affordable legal plans and the IDShield identity theft solution for individuals, families and small businesses, is holding its annual LevelUp Convention this week at the Cox (News - Alert) Convention Center in Oklahoma City. Every year, LegalShield's experienced, new and aspiring Independent Sales Associates from all 50 states and Canada come together to engage with motivating speakers, get specialized professional development training and benefit from rare networking opportunities. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170311005016/en/ LegalShield honors its top producing Independent Associates with the Lady of Justice award at the company's LevelUp Convention in Oklahoma City. (Photo: Business Wire) "We are proud to count so many enthusiastic associates among the LegalShield family. They play a crucial role in the success of the company, and we are thrilled to recognize them for their dedication and hard work," said Jeff Bell, CEO of LegalShield. "Each year at the LevelUp convention, we take time to present our best Independent Associates with awards in several key categories." The top 10 Associates in each category will receive the crystal Top Producer and Top Recruiter awards. The No. 1 in each category receives the unique and coveted Lady of Justice award, so named to remind recipients of the reason LegalShield was formed: to make justice accessible to everyone by offering affordable legal counsel when they need it. This year's recipients are listed below. Top Recruiter, Personal: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who have secured the most new recruits during the calendar year. Michael Colella, recipient of the Lady of Justice award

Michael Fedick

Alex Shahid

Joshua Lockhart

Geoff Cragg & Diane Kephart

Emma & Gregory Itkes

Kenny & Tabatha Spurlock

Elayne Whitfield

Millie L Baker

Jeffrey Jansen Top Recruiter, Power Team: This category recognizes the Top 10 associates who, as Power Team organizations, have secured the most new recruits during the calendar year. Brian Carruthers, recipient of the Lady of Justice award

Brad & Moira Roberts

Sean & Loren Mikael

Dave & Beverly Savula

Eddie & Varnessa Bails

Mike Humes (News - Alert)

Ross & Cindy Chantrel

Timmer Halligan

Frank & Theresa Aucoin

Craig Hepner Top Recruiter Growth, Personal: This category recognizes the Top 10 associates who have personally achieved the highest percentage of recruiting growth year over year. Michael Colella

Jeffrey W Jansen, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Patrick Legrand

Charlie Fowler

Candida Dorsey

Kadie Karcher

Kimberlee D Thorne

Claudia Day

Aj And Lisa Diliberto

Veronica Barnett Top Recruiter Growth, Power Team: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who, as Power Team organizations, have achieved the highest percentage of recruiting growth year over year. Fran Alexander

Ron Chambers, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Emma & Gregory Itkes

Cleve & Dulcie Pickens

Frank & Theresa Aucoin

Terri Piazza

Bob & Denny Sappington

Dave Spangler

Bill Guyther

Lisa Bass Top Producer: This award is presented to Associates who are in the field every day working to build their LegalShield business. The Top Producer category recognizes the Top 10 Associates in five distinct categories: Legal, IDShield, Group, Small Business, and Broker/General Agents. Top Ten, Legal Plan: Walter And Stephanie Crider, recipients of the Lady of Justice Award

Jenifer Willifor

Tj Citta

Randy & Pam Wells

William & Miriam Anderson

Natalie Gutierrez

Scott & Ronda Ferguson

Keith & Emilia Wann

Jerome & Erika Clarke

Lewis & Joan Boyle



Tj Citta, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Anthony Clinkscales

William & Miriam Anderson

Naomi & David Golnitz

Jerome & Erika Clarke

Reinhard & Marianne Stamminger

Marcia Salem

Alan & Sheila Plummer

Bert Calhoun & Fatima Salaam

David T Sheehan Top Ten, Group Plan:

Jason & Kacy Lavender, recipients of the Lady of Justice Award

Alan Roman

Paul & Robin Dagostino

John & Lisa Schiller

Brian & Abby Parker

Brielle N Hoffman (News - Alert)

Marty Gilano

Christa Aufdemberg

Jimmy & Sherry Parrish

Steve Baker Top Producer, Small Business Plan: Milliardaire J Griffin, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Sandy English

Cecilia Delarosa

Jerome & Erika Clarke

Eddie & Janelle Cobbinah

Susie Smith

Vicky Methven

Bob & Susan Joseph

Kadie Karcher

Diane English Top Producer, Broker/General Agents: Benefit Controls Of S.C. Inc (Thomas Gantt)

Bb&T Insurance Services (Randal Dickens)

Phillip M Ernest

Katie Akers

First Financial Cap Corp (Pervis Cooper, Tom Brick)

Lynn Ball

Barry J Olfern, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Brian Minyard

Christopher Kelly

Michelle Leckliter Rank Advance, Personal: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who have personally had the most level advances. Michael Fedick, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Mark & Carla Elkhill

Michael Colell

Alex G Shahid

Elayne Whitfield

Lynn Geistweidt

Benjamin M Notini

Emma & Gregory Itkes

Kenny & Tabatha Spurlock

Jim Tanner Rank Advance, Power Team Volume: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who, as Power Team organizations, have had the most level advances in volume. Brian Carruthers

Mike Humes, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Dave & Beverly Savula

Sean Mikael

Mikal & Christa Mekki

Eddie & Varnessa Bails

Frank & Theresa Aucoin

Brad & Moira Roberts

Ross & Cindy Chantrel

Fran Alexander Rank Advance, Power Team Percentage: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who, as Power Team organizations, have had the most level advances in percentage. Karen Beverly, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Craig Hepner

Jim Tanner

Jaya & James Crawford

Fard & Hannah Bell

Diane Clines

Jerry & Sallie Hasson

Paul Braoudakis

Inger Lemke

Ken Smith & Patti Davison Smith Production Growth, Personal: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who have personally raised the bar with their efforts on increasing their percentage of member sales. Melvin & Sharon Larry, recipients of the Lady of Justice Award

Linda Pitt

Brian & Abby Parker

Rhonda Gibson

Pete Katsaros

Paul & Robin Dagostino

Ernest H Shipman

John Millen

Kimberly B Berger Grooms

Tj Citta Production Growth, Power Team: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who, as Power Team organizations, have raised the bar with their efforts on increasing their percentage of member sales. Herman & Temeka Davis III, recipients of the Lady of Justice Award

Mike & Mary Bakken

Sherry & Thomas Branda

Timber C Mosley

Morgan & Marla Sharp (News - Alert)

Alex Shahid

Emma & Gregory Itkes

Mark & Elizabeth Seguin

Linda Masoli

Jayme & Kirsten Doucette Retention, Personal: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who have personally achieved the highest active membership rate. Linda Pitt, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Lynn Duncan

Emily & Bennie Neal

John & Tiffany Sullivan

Paulette H Ladach

Paul & Robin Dagostino

Brielle N Hoffman

Mike Riches

Pete Katsaros

Pam Comstock Retention Power Team: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who, as Power Team organizations, have achieved the highest active membership rate. Ali C Sanders, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Mike Riches

Ross & Cindy Chantrel

Christa Aufdemberg

Jack Mattson

Nathan J Bourne

Inger Molver Lemke

Mark & Jennifer Riches

Gene L Leider

Linda Bowden & Alex Gardner Fast Start Qualification, Personal: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who have personally achieved the highest percentage of recruits that Fast Start Qualify. John & Tiffany Sullivan, recipients of the Lady of Justice Award

Cristin Nicole

Terri Piazza

Patricia Lapena

Christine & Pat Manning

Brandon Williams

Mark N Chernobelsky

Paula A Londono

Bayan Reed

Alex Shahid Fast Start Qualification, Power Team: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who have, as Power Team organizations, achieved the highest percentage of recruits that Fast Start Qualify. Joel & Kathy Davisson, recipients of the Lady of Justice Award

Timber C Mosley

Mark & Jennifer Riches

Joe & Gale Lovejoy - Shannon

Max & Racquel Pilet

Christine & Pat Manning

Obinna & Belinda Ndu

Bill Guyther

Tanisha Morgan

Mike Riches Go Walk Your Community, Small Group: This category recognizes the Top 10 Associates who open the most small group (5-99 employees). Marty Gilano, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Christa Aufdemberg

Beth & Ron Fincher

Jason & Kacy Lavender

Brielle Hoffman

Adam Thompson

Laura Selken

Jayme & Kirsten Doucette

Brian & Abby Parker

Terry Solimeo Go Walk Your Community, Large Group: This category recognizes the Top 10 associates who open the most large groups (100+ employees). Marty Gilano

Kimberly R Royal, recipient of the Lady of Justice Award

Kenny & Tabatha Spurlock

Shobi Raj

Nakeeta Tucker

Paul Archuleta

William & Miriam Anderson

John & Lisa Schiller

Brian Minyard

Tyler Wildman About LegalShield LegalShield is one of North America's leading providers of legal safeguards for individuals, families and small businesses. The company also offers one of the industry's most affordable and comprehensive identity theft plans, IDShield. LegalShield plans provide protection to more than 4.2 million individuals, and IDShield provides identity monitoring and restoration services to more than 1.5 million individuals across North America. In addition, LegalShield and IDShield serve more than 141,000 businesses. For as low as $17.95 per month, LegalShield members get access to attorneys with an average of 19 years of experience in areas such as family matters, estate planning, financial and business issues, consumer protection, tax, real estate, benefits disputes and auto/driving issues. Unlike other legal plans or do-it-yourself websites, LegalShield has dedicated law firms in 50 states and four provinces in Canada that members can call for help without having to worry about high hourly rates. For more information, visit http://www.LegalShield.com or http://www.IDShield.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170311005016/en/

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[March 12, 2017] U.S. Senator Marco Rubio's Legislative Correspondent Contacts National Car Rental Fraud Victim David Howe

SubscriberWise, the nation's largest issuing CRA for the communications industry and the leading provider of big data, advanced-analytics, and business-rules technology, confirmed today that company founder and child protector David Howe has been contacted by United States Senator Marco Rubio's Legislative Correspondent Celia Glassman. "Following a highly productive meeting in Tampa last week with Shauna Johnson, Senator Rubio's staff assistant, I received a warm introduction and invitation from Ms. Celia Glassman, Legislative Correspondent for U.S. Senator Marco Rubio," confirmed David Howe, crime-victim consumer advocate and survivor. "Today I want Ms. Glassman to know how much I appreciate her courteous and prompt communication. In particular, I want Ms. Glassman to know how much I value the invitation and opportunity to share her time and conversation with me. "I also want to again express my sincere gratitude to Senator Rubio for availing his staff and Congressional resources, following the so called 'human error' by National Car Rental at the SW FL Fort Myers International Airport last October (http://www.winknews.com/2017/02/22/fort-myers-mans-complaint-among-many-against-rental-car-firm/). Yes, I'm talking about the same 'ding and dent' scam that has plagued so many victims that consumer advocate and journalist Christopher Elliott has lost count: http://elliott.org/blog/enterprise-determines-damaged-rental/.



"The photographic evidence of criminal fraud -- including the whistleblower 'conjecture' from a National Car Rental manager exposing the possibility of an off-site garage where cars are criminally damaged and subsequently reported against the victim -- is under the jurisdiction and investigation of the Lee County Port Authority police detectives. "One day after the police launched their crime investigation, the 6-week rental car nightmare and financial extortion attempt came to an immediate and abrupt end. A National regional manager called to apologize for the 'human error'," Howe confirmed. "The letter relieving me of the $502.80 liability was also received that same day.

Related: Verizon VTEXT Server Technology Instrumental for National Car Rental Crime Victim and U.S. Credit Czar David Howe "In February, I executed a contractual agreement with a legal consideration and review of racketeering, class-action, civil theft, negligence, and punitive damages with the Wilbur Smith Firm, Ft. Myers, Florida," added Howe. "In addition to the comprehensive and detailed evidence, which I previously provided during a 90-minute in-depth presentation to senior investigators -- including Director Victoria Butler -- at the Florida Attorney General's Office, I look forward to continuing the discussion with Ms. Glassman, and hopefully, Senator Rubio and the U.S. Congress. "In fact, I intend to include circumstances from my frequent rental encounters to advocate for consumers everywhere. The primary goals for Senator Rubio and his Congressional colleagues are predictable and uniform federal standards which are so desperately needed to end the predatory and even criminal behavior that has financially and emotionally harmed far too many for far too long," concluded Howe. Related: Rent a Car Whistleblowers About SubscriberWise SubscriberWise launched as the first issuing consumer reporting agency exclusively for the cable industry one decade ago. The company filed extensive documentation and end-user agreements to access TransUnion's consumer database. TransUnion approved the request as part of a pilot project in 2007. In 2009, SubscriberWise and TransUnion announced a joint marketing agreement for the benefit of America's cable operators. Today SubscriberWise is a risk management preferred-solutions provider for the National Cable Television Cooperative. SubscriberWise contributions to telecom are quantified in the billions of dollars annually. SubscriberWise is a U.S.A. federally registered trademark of the SubscriberWise Limited Liability Co. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170312005035/en/

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Still Standing: Four the Moments legacy honoured at Nova Scotia Music Week

When a quartet of Halifax women began singing together a cappella in the name of social justice in 1982, there was little in the way of a music industry at play in Atlantic Canada. And even if there had been, its likely that Four the Moment would ...




Apostle Johnson Suleman, the controversial Nigerian pastor at the center of an adultery scandal gave a $76,000 brand-new Mercedes-Benz 450 GL to Nollywood star Daniella Okeke in 2016, an official Lagos State website shows.Ms. Okeke was previously named by Stephanie Otobo, Apostle Sulemans estranged lover, as being one of the other women in his life.For her part, the actress in 2016 proudly displayed the Mercedes-Benz SUV GL 450 on her Instagram page in front of a brand-new house where she parked it.After her name was revealed by Ms. Otobo at a press conference, some Nigerians invaded Ms. Okekes Instagram questioning the source of her wealth given that she has not featured in any prominent movies in recent years.The more inquisitive among them took advantage of a new website for vehicle registration in Lagos State which unveils the ownership of any vehicles by its number due to a bug on the webpage, and discovered that one of Ms. Okekes most prized possessions, the posh Mercedes-Benz car, is registered to Apostle Suleman Johnson.This discovery is the second window into the pastors private life following the one opened by Ms. Otobo, but he has vigorously denied the amorous relationship she claims to have had with him.
Jacob Zuma South Africa-led government may have pulled a massive shocker to African nations after announcing an immediate ban to all citizens from Southern Africa, Live Monitor report says.The news medium reports that with immediate effect, citizens from these countries will no longer be allowed in South Africa in what Zuma called a temporary freeze: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.The news was greeted with resistance from various stakeholders and diplomats from the affected countries are said to have called an emergency meeting. Speaking form the parliament, Jacob Zuma said the countries in Southern Africa are responsible for the rampant job loss among local South Africans. I want South Africans to have jobs before others but its the other way round. Why should my child suffer while my neighbors child eats in my field?, Zuma reportedly said.Another reason that Zuma highlighted was the alarming crime rates. He said foreigners from neighboring countries commit crimes and run away from their countries, mostly illegals. All foreigners currently in South Africa from the affected countries will be vetted and if found to have contravened, they will be sent home immediately, he announced. There was no word on how the affected countries would respond to Zumas shock announcement.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday remained indoors inside his official residence, 24 hours after he returned to the country from a 49-day medical vacation.Buhari returned to the country in the early hours of Friday from London, United Kingdom, where he had been on medical sojourn since January 19.Shortly after meeting some state governors and top government officials led by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the First Lady Conference Hall, Buhari retired into his official residence.The President, who was conspicuously absent at the Jumat service held inside the mosque close to his office later in the day, has not been seen in public since then.According to reports, that Buhari remained indoors throughout the day.The President is indoors. He is spending time with his family members. You know he has been away for a long time. There is the need for them to catch up on some issues since he travelled, a source said.The Presidential Villa was devoid of heavy vehicular movement that always characterises the visits of prominent politicians and top government officials.A security source said but for a few family members and close friends, Buhari has not been receiving visitors since he returned on Friday.The President had shortly after returning to the country urged those who might be considering sending delegations to welcome him to stay back and continue to pray for the country.His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, had said the President would on Monday transmit a letter to the National Assembly formally informing the federal lawmakers of his return from vacation.
The Nigerian Army has rescued 211 civilians held captive by the Boko Haram terrorists at Cingal Murye and Maja villages in Northern Borno on Saturday.Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director Army Public Relations, said in a statement on Sunday that troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Operation Lafiya Dole, rescued the victims during an operation in the villages.The statement said that one terrorist was neutralised while 11 bicycles were recovered from the fleeing terrorists.In addition, the patrol team escorted two heavy duty trucks and 18 pickup vans to recover Internally Displaced Persons food stuff from Mala Maja, it added.
Security operatives and members of Civilian JTF volunteer group have intercepted a pregnant suicide bomber and another woman in Borno St...

Security operatives and members of Civilian JTF volunteer group have intercepted a pregnant suicide bomber and another woman in Borno State.The two female suicide bombers were subdued when they refused to surrender and attempted to attack a security post. A statement by the spokesman of the Police Command in Borno, Victor Isuku, confirmed that the bombers were shot when they attempted to enter Maiduguri through the Umarari in Molai, near Damboa road.On Saturday at about 20:45hrs, two female suspected suicide bombers, of about 18 years of age, attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General Area which is about 9 Kilometres to the township. They were sighted by local vigilantes- the Civilian JTF- and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty at the area, it said. The incident occurred in Ummarari village along Mulai axis of Maiduguri Damboa road at the outskirts of Maiduguri.The spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in North-East, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said that the rescue workers have evacuated the bodies of the suicide bombers.When we got the alert on the incident, the NEMA emergency workers in collaboration with other stakeholders moved to the scene and evacuated the bodies, Ibrahim stated. The police Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team was mobilised to the scene to render the unexploded improvised explosive device safe, while normalcy has been restored to the area, the police said. A civilian member of the JTF was injured during the incident.
President Muhammadu Buhari will tomorrow write the leaderships of the two chambers of the National Assembly to formally notify them o...

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina confirmed the resumption on Sunday when Vanguard contacted him on the issue. He had twitted last Friday of the development.PMB will Monday transmit letter to NAssembly on his return to the country. That makes his return to work formal, and constitutional, he twitted It will be recall that President Buhari on January 19 transmitted a letter to the National Assembly informing them of his 10 days vacation in London.He also transmitted the powers of his office to his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo according to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).The President however failed to return after the 10 days which elapsed on February 6. He later wrote another letter to the Parliament, extending his leave, informing them of his doctors advise to stay put abroad and run a series of medical tests. The extension was indefinite as no date of his return was given.The President however returned to the country last week Friday after spending 51 days in the United Kingdom to attend to his health. Meanwhile, Adesina has denied knowledge of an impending cabinet reshuffling. The same was the case with the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu. Both men who spoke to Vanguard on the phone Sunday evening said they were not in the picture of any cabinet changes.While Adesina responded thus: The President has not discussed that with me. I report what he says, Shehu said I am not aware of that.
HAMILTON TWP. -- Police arrested three teenagers Sunday for robbing a taxi cab driver at gunpoint early Sunday, authorities said.

The cab driver picked up the three teens around 1:45 a.m. in Pleasantville and drove them to Mays Landing, police said. Once they reached the destination, one of the teens pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the driver's head, demanding money, police said.

The driver ran from the taxi and the teens drove off in the car, police said.

Shortly after the alleged carjacking, police found the taxi and were able to locate three teens matching the description of the suspects. Two of the teens were found with items belonging to the taxi driver, police said. Police said they also found a loaded revolver near where the teens were arrested.

Police identified the alleged carjackers as two 15-year-old boys from Pleasantville and a 16-year-old boy from Atlantic City.

All three were charged with armed robbery, carjacking, weapons possession, conspiracy and theft. They were held in the Harborfields Youth Detention Center in Egg Harbor City.

Police asked anyone with information about the incident to call the Hamilton Police Department at 609-625-2700 ext. 542.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
RIDGEFIELD PARK -- Two men were arrested on drug-related charges after police allegedly found thousands of dollars and suspected heroin on their property.

Yair Gutierrez, 43 of Linden, left, and Alexander Garcia, 44 of Westfield, right

Yair Gutierrez, 43 of Linden, and Alexander Garcia, 44 of Westfield, were arrested without incident and charged with a number of drug-related charges, according to a news release from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

After a two-month investigation, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force searched a Silver 2005 Chevrolet Equinox Thursday owned by Gutierrez as well as a property, Emporium Auto Sales in Elizabeth, owned by both Gutierrez and Garcia.

Police allegedly found one and one-half kilograms of suspected heroin, more than $10,000 believed to be from criminal activity, a kilogram press machine, digital scales and kilogram wrappers.

They were both held at the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in the Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.
MOUNT LAUREL -- A man was killed early Sunday while attempting to cross a busy roadway, according to a police.

The crash occurred on Route 73, near the Fellowship Road intersection, in Mount Laurel. The man was crossing the road Sunday at 3:20 a.m. when a Chevrolet Trailblazer struck him.

Mount Laurel Police Department identified the man as Brian Paoletta, 43, of Moncks Corner, South Carolina. Paoletta was attempting to cross Route 73 with a group of people when he was struck.

Authorities transported the man to Virtua Hospital in Marlton, where he was pronounced dead.

The crash remains under investigation and no charges are expected to be filed against the driver, police said.

There have been a flurry of fatal pedestrian strikes in New Jersey this month, with the Mount Laurel incident now at least the 10th in the past week-plus.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
LUMBERTON -- Police have arrested a 20-year-old township resident in connection with a local bank robbery earlier this week, according to officials.

Nicholas Cavaliero, 20, of Lumberton

Nicholas Cavaliero was arrested Saturday at his Lumberton residence without incident at 5:45 p.m., police said in a release.

Police have accused Cavaliero of robbing the PNC Bank on Eayerstown Road on Tuesday afternoon.

Cavaliero was charged with robbery and taken to Burlington County Correctional Facility in Mt. Holly, according to the release.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
GLOUCESTER TWP. -- Police are warning residents about a man who attempted to lure a girl into his car Saturday afternoon.

The juvenile was walking in the area of Stonebridge and Keats drives when a middle-aged man drove up and asked repeatedly if she needed a ride, according to the Gloucester Township Police Department. The car then drove off on Sicklerville Road, toward Garwood Road.

Authorities described the man as a white male with brown eyes and facial hair on his chin. He is either in his late 40s or early 50s. He was driving an older model white sedan. Either a stripe or molding was wrapped around the car.

Anyone with information about the luring incident or knowledge of similar incidents is asked to call 911, Gloucester Township Police Department at 856-228-4500 or the anonymous tip line at 856-842-5560.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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.
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Local health care officials are watching development of the Republican health care plan carefully.

The American Health Care Act, as it is called, was introduced Monday and has passed in two committees of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill is expected to reach the House floor by the end of the month.

The biggest concern I have right now with the proposed legislation is the impact on Medicaid expansion and the federal government funding their share of the Medicaid program in the future, said Steve Baumert, president and CEO at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital.

Republican leaders have talked about capping Medicaid funding at a certain amount per patient. Baumert said to accomplish that, the bill may not provide funding or coverage for the as many people as it currently does.

Roughly 70 percent of Iowas Medicaid funds go to elderly and disabled people, and about 18 percent goes to children, Baumert said.

Youre going to impact children, the aged and the disabled, he said.

The federal government currently funds about 90 percent of the care for Medicaid enrollees who qualified through the Medicaid expansion allowed under the Affordable Care Act, Baumert said.

Theyll pay less of that cost for people who qualified under expansion rules, he said. All of this has the potential to push patients back to emergency rooms, where care is the most expensive, least coordinated and go back to pushing up the cost of our charity care.

Hospitals are already settling for less money on Medicare, Baumert said.

The industry, when ACA was rolled out, agreed to significant cuts in Medicare payments to hospitals, he said. In return, there would be expansion of Medicaid and mandated coverage on certain services known as the 10 essential benefits.

Now, if funding for the expansion is reduced, hospitals would have the lower reimbursements but also the higher cost from charity care, he said.

That could endanger some hospitals, Baumert said. In addition, it could force hospitals to eliminate non-essential services, such as providing free transportation to elderly and disabled patients.

Officials at All Care Health Center are also concerned about the bills effect on Medicaid.

Right now, 40 percent of our patients have Medicaid, said Kristen Hendershot, director of access services.

But if the federal government just provided block grants and reduced or capped per-patient funding, states would have to find ways to cut costs, Hendershot said.

The cost per Medicaid patient is 24 percent lower for community health center patients than for other patients, she said.

Placing limits on reimbursements would not encourage high-quality care, said Bill Wypyski, executive director at All Care.

If Medicaid is cut or capped, some patients might not get the specialty care they need, Hendershot said.

Prior to Medicaid expansion, we had to rely heavily on hospital charity care to refer patients to specialists, she said.

The GOP plan would continue some popular Affordable Care Act features, including allowing children to stay on their parents insurance plans until they reached age 26 and requiring insurance companies to accept people with pre-existing conditions.

Choices have been narrowing and premiums rising under the ACA, but federal subsidies have helped to keep plans affordable, Hendershot said.

Virtually all the patients weve helped apply for insurance through the marketplace have received subsidies to make monthly premiums affordable, she said. Going forward, we would like to see patients have more options in the marketplace.

If the income-based subsidies are changed to age-based tax credits, it could make insurance hard to buy for young, lower-income people, Hendershot said.

At the same time, if insurance companies are allowed to charge seniors five times as much as young people for premiums, as has been proposed, that could make plans hard for seniors to afford, Wypyski added.

Our concern is just trying to keep access open to everyone, Wypyski said.

Regardless of what happens, Hendershot said the clnic will continue to provide care to the underserved.

Wypyski said the American Health Care Act is still in the early states in Congress, so health care officials are waiting for further details to emerge.

A lot of this comes back to how best can we afford this care? and we appreciate that, he said. Thats why were proud to offer care at a lower cost.
Just as the skies were dismal looking on Saturday morning, so will be the Iowa economy in the near future, according to local lawmakers.

Revenue projections that guide lawmakers for funding state programs like education were weak in December and March projections due this week will probably be the same, these lawmakers said at Saturdays legislative coffee.

The signs are ominous, said Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, who serves central and southern Council Bluffs. The economy is not progressing, not advancing as we hoped. We will probably have to dip into our reserves.

State Sen. Tom Shipley, who serves eastern Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County, agreed with his fellow Republicans assessment.

Its not going to be pleasant, he said. Well have to dip into our cash reserves.

Obviously, fewer funds will stop or delay proposed new programs like education savings accounts in which every Iowa student would be eligible to receive a grant equal to a portion of the state per-pupil funding that they could use for educational expenses such as private school tuition, textbooks, tutoring and online learning.

There isnt going to be any legislation on that, Hanusa said of ESAs. There was no bill in the House, and there was a Senate bill that did not survive the funnel. Money was a big factor.

Last week, a legislative funnel culled out bills that had not advanced through a committee in either the House or Senate. Those bills are dead this session, although they could be brought back again in the future by lawmakers or legislative leadership.

On another issue, the Senate is expected to approve a gun bill thats the same or similar to the Houses version that was passed out of that chamber this past week.

One aspect of that House bill wold allow a citizen to sue a local government that imposes weapons restrictions.

That bothered Rep. Charles McConkey, the areas lone Democrat.

It takes away local control, said McConkey, who represents Carter Lake and western Council Bluffs. I believe in home rule.

Republican State Sen. Dan Dawson disagrees with McConkeys view, arguing the bill doesnt diminish local control, adding that he expects the Senate will pass similar legislation.

Finally, all of the lawmakers present indicated they are not current members of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a nonprofit organization of conservative state legislators and private sector representatives that drafts and shares model state-level legislation for distribution among state governments in the United States.

ALEC has drawn opposition from liberal activities who believe the group forces conservative legislation onto states. The group provides model language for bills, which individual statehouses consider and can amend, reject or approve as they see fit.
The bench trial lawsuit filed against a former Council Bluffs doctor accused of shifting funds to avoid paying compensation to his victims is set for Tuesday, March 21.

The suit, filed by Council Bluffs attorney Randy Shanks on behalf of 16 plaintiffs, alleges Dennis Jones transferred assets worth more than $1 million to an account in the name of his wife, Marianne, after his arrest in 2013 on sexual abuse and child pornography charges.

The first alleged transfer occurred in June 2013. In February 2015, Dennis Jones allegedly transferred real estate holdings worth $400,000 to his wife.

The suit names both Dennis and Marianne Jones and calls the transfers fraudulent, claiming Dennis Jones transferred the assets to avoid paying damages to his victims.

During an investigation into sexual abuse charges against Dennis Jones, authorities found a cache of child pornography on the then-doctors computer, including videos of patients taken secretly during appointments at Methodist Physicians Clinic in Council Bluffs.

A litany of civil suits have been filed against Dennis Jones and Physicians Clinic for damages inflicted upon those patients.

In an affidavit filed by Dennis Jones on March 6, he said he has primarily been responsible for handling finances between he and his wife. He maintained his innocence.

My wife and I feared that in the event I was convicted, she would need to know more about our finances and be able to handle them, Dennis Jones said. In order to simplify things and establish a credit history in her name and to reassure her, transfers of funds were conducted.

Jones goes on to say the thought of civil lawsuits never entered their thoughts when the financial transactions took place. The transfers were done to relieve worry and to provide security for his wife, he said.

After his conviction, the Jones were notified by their carrier that their house would no longer be insured because of his felony conviction, he said. It was necessary, according to Dennis Jones, to transfer the property to his wife so she could obtain homeowners insurance.

Neither my wife nor I had given any thought to being sued civilly by anyone until the lawsuit was filed, he said.

In April 2016, a jury awarded a Council Bluffs family $325,000 in the first case to go to trial. A jury found Dennis Jones culpable but did not order the clinic to pay damages.

Shanks said the suit will ask a jury to essentially make those transferred assets available to victims as the civil trials progress.

The suit also asks for punitive damages in an amount that will punish the defendants and discourage them and others from acting in a similar manner.

The plaintiffs in the first civil suit, who were awarded $325,000, are also part of the new suit.

Iowa online court records show Jones has filed a number of motions, including asking for a new trial.
Its a little the worse for wear after more than three decades of steady use, but its been a godsend for tens of thousands of southwest Iowans.

The thought of surgery, especially if its a major procedure, is intimidating for most everyone. For a small child, even the simplest procedure can be downright frightening.

While it is not a panacea, Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospitals little red wagon has helped ease the pre-surgical nervousness for thousands of kids.

How many? No one is sure of the exact number, but, based on averages, the total is likely in excess of 30,000.

Its great for relieving anxiety, said Marsha Joens, Jennie Edmundsons director of surgery.

The history of the wagon  the current version and an earlier, smaller wagon that it replaced  along with the name or names of whomever suggested using a wagon rather than the traditional hospital gurney to move children to surgery is lost in the fog of time.

Back in late 1983, when the current wagon was presented to Jennie Edmundson by Omaha Standard and its employees, Ceci Kiefer was the director of patient care for the hospitals Pediatrics Department.

Kiefer told The Nonpareil about the success of the initial, smaller wagon.

A smaller wagon carried thousands of small patients over the past 10 years, but for many it just wasnt big enough, Kiefer said. It did fine for the younger ones, but 5- and 6-year-olds needed a longer wagon. We average six to 10 trips to surgery with pediatric patients each week.

Surgerys old wagon was only 34 inches by 13 inches, and some youngsters had to curl themselves into a ball to fit, Kiefer continued. The (then) new wagon measures 48 inches by 15 inches and was donated by Omaha Standard except for wheels and hubcaps donated by George Thompson, a volunteer surgical department coordinator.

In addition to surgical patients, the wagon is also used to transport patients to X-ray, especially those with casts, Kiefer added.

Ken Bermel, Omaha Standards plant engineer in the late 1980s, designed the wagon that is still carrying Jennie Edmundsons younger patients after 33 years of service. Max Smelser, then Omaha Standards plant supervisor, designed the wagons front axle and helped the company employees who donated time and labor to built it.

Information published in The Nonpareil on Jan. 1, 1984, said Omaha Standard workers took about 20 hours to assemble and paint the special wagon.

Smelser, who retired from Omaha Standard in 2006 after 40 years with the company, said he does not recall what prompted Omaha Standard to build the wagon and donate it to Jennie Edmundson. He said he could not remember if the wagon was an outgrowth of an earlier effort by Omaha Standard employees to provide toys to children who might otherwise not get gifts for Christmas.

In the early 80s, Omaha Standard, a manufacturer of hoists and bodies for farm trucks, was, like a lot of businesses, facing tough times. The companys work force of about 140 had been pared to 70, and the 70 who remained were working short weeks.

In the fall of 1981, someone started thinking about Christmas and what might be done to help those in need. On Fridays and Saturdays, furloughed workers who wanted something to do and wanted to help gathered in Omaha Standards wood shop to transform scrap lumber into toys for needy children.

Smelser agreed to head up that operation  an effort that continued for about three years, producing about 500 toys to be distributed annually.

Nonpareil records indicate that the first patient to ride in the new wagon was Jennifer Porter, the 6-year-old daughter of Randy and Pam Jones of Council Bluffs. Max Smelser was on hand to see that first patient try out the then-new wagon.

And he was at Jennie Edmundson last week to once again see the fruits of the effort by the volunteers he worked with.

The paints a little worn in places, but our wagon has stood the test of time, Smelser said. It brings back a lot of memories.

Thats likely the case for thousands of children who have ridden in it.
Its Sunshine Week.

While we hope the weather warms back up, the moniker refers to the celebration of access to public information held to coincide with the March 16 birthday of James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution and a key advocate of the Bill of Rights.

The American Society of Newspaper Editors launched the first national Sunshine Week in 2005. This year, ASNE (now the American Society of News Editors), the Associated Press and the Associated Press Media Editors, a group representing AP-affiliated news organizations, are teaming up to mark the importance of press freedoms for Sunshine Week and beyond.

An open and transparent society is key to a democracy. Our institutions must be open about their actions, and willing to take criticism and respond with facts and reasoning, not angry Tweets.

According to a recent Pew survey, nearly 90 percent of respondents favored fair and open elections while more than 80 percent value the system of government checks and balances. But around two-thirds called it vital for the media to have the right to criticize government leaders; only half of Republicans were in support.

A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that Americans, by a margin of 53-37, trust the media over Trump to tell the truth about important issues; among Republicans, 78 percent favored Trump.

Were clearly in a particularly polarizing moment, although this is something weve been building to for a very long time, Kyle Pope, editor in chief and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review, told Associated Press writer Hillel Italie.

I think one of the mistakes the press made is we became perceived as part of the establishment, Pope continued. One of the silver linings of the moment were in is that we have a renewed sense of what our mission is and where we stand in the pecking order, and that is on the outside, where we belong.

As Sunshine Week begins we encourage you to seek out pieces of journalism that shine a light on corruption and crime, but that also highlight the good in the world.

As much people complain that the news is always negative, look no further than the front page of todays Nonpareil to see the heartwarming story of Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospitals little red wagon, which has helped ease pre-surgical nervousness for thousands of kids.

While youre here, search our website for a number of stories celebrating Sunshine Week.

The ongoing collaboration between the ASNE, the AP and the APME helps the public understand the necessity of a free press, the importance of a transparent government and the role that a free flow of news and information play in a well-informed citizenry.
Views of Nebraska will be on display at the Prairie Arts Center this month, but from a different perspective: Each of the 24 pieces in the Passing Through the Plains collection are from residents at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City.

Applicants from all over the world apply for residencies at the institute, which allows each artist his or her own studio space in three disciplines: visual, writing and composition.

An anonymous group selects 75 applicants each year, and abut 5 percent of those artists come from Nebraska. Ive done everything but threaten their jobs that I want that to be higher, said Ernie Weyeneth, CEO of the Kimmel Foundation.

Weyeneth said that most of the Nebraska artists who receive residencies come from the eastern part of the state. Originally from the McCook area, Weyeneth would like residencies to expand to western Nebraska artists as well.

Weyeneth served as Richard and Laurine Kimmels broker, but he became close to the couple, known for founding Kimmel Orchard near Nebraska City. The couple always had interest in art, as Laurine was an artist herself, he said.

In 2001, Weyeneth established the residency program. Its now given a residency to 725 artists. Weyeneth has also been a yearslong friend of Dr. Gary Conell and his wife Brenda, and Weyeneth named the cost-free gallery in honor of the couple.

Weyeneth said one selling point of the residency is its location, which has become known as a popular destination to artists. He cited a 2014 Smithsonian article that named Nebraska City as No. 9 in the 20 best small towns to visit.

In the gallery, Nebraska views range from a backyard to the State Capitol, with featured artists from places like England and Lincoln, said Holly Carlini, executive director of the Prairie Arts Center.

Carlini said that the arts center and the Kimmel Foundation hope to continue their professional relationship. She hopes the gallery will give the foundation more exposure, while the foundation has already planned to help the arts center with grant funding in childrens programs.
Superintendent raises $3,725 for cause, more than $2,000 from murder mystery night

It took a little convincing, but Jason Tonsfeldt, superintendent at Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, decided he would be a contestant for Mr. Habitat, hosted by North Platte Area Habitat for Humanity.

After he decided to compete in the fundraising competition, Tonsfeldt, Mr. Government, raised $3,725  more than $2,000 of which came from a murder mystery he planned at Scouts Rest Ranch on March 4. At a ceremony Saturday night at Quality Inn and Suites, Tonsfeldt was crowned with a tool belt, hard hat and hammer.

At Saturdays pageant, other contestants from the community, such as Mr. Media and Mr. Education, participated in a question-and-answer ceremony with emcee Tony Lama, an on-air personality at Eagle Radio.

We were studying all day, Tonsfeldt said after he was crowned. But the top honor was decided by how many dollars were raised for the organizations general fund. Tonsfeldt said he spent about a month fundraising for the pageant, but he cared more about the cause than the title.

Since moving to North Platte for his career more than three years ago, Tonsfeldt has wanted to become involved with Habitat for Humanity, he said. After planning last weeks murder mystery with the Buffalo Bill State Historical Parks collections manager Ali Abler, he hopes to begin helping with home construction for the organization.

Dalene Skates, executive director at North Platte Area Habitat for Humanity, told Saturday nights crowd that each guy really took ownership of their own fundraising.

Other contestants received awards such as most calendars sold and Mr. Congeniality. They did this as soon as I explained what Congeniality meant, Skates told the crowd.

A grand total of funds raised was unavailable Saturday night.
Canberra Raiders forward Iosia Soliola has been charged with grade one dangerous contact after a late hit on Cronulla Sharks five-eighth James Maloney.

Maloney was in the process of kicking the ball downfield when he was challenged by Soliola.

The base penalty for grade one dangerous contact is 100 points, and as Soliola has no prior offences in the past two years he can avoid suspension by taking an early guilty plea. Soliola would then have 75 carryover points from this charge.

Judiciary points and fines table

NYC Charges from Round 2 of the Holden Cup:
WASHINGTON  Caterpillar, a week after its headquarters and other facilities were raided by a number of federal agencies including the Internal Revenue Service, denied that it had broken any federal tax laws.

"The IRS has challenged Caterpillar's taxes for years 2007 - 2012," the company said Friday. "We disagree with the IRS' position, have cooperated for requests for information, and believe that we are compliant with tax laws and stand by our financial reporting."

Caterpillar has been challenged for some time by federal agencies in regard to its accounting practices and last week the company said that the raids may have been related to a Swiss business, called CSARL.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month, Caterpillar said that the IRS had informed the company that it owed $2 billion in additional taxes for the years 2010 to 2012 because of profits from that Swiss unit.

"Caterpillar takes very seriously its obligation to follow tax law and pay what it owes," the company said Friday.

Caterpillar is one of the world's largest makers of construction and other heavy equipment and had revenue of $38.54 billion last year.

The raids came two days after the New York Times cited a report by Dartmouth College accounting professor Leslie A. Robinson, which stated that Caterpillar "did not comply with either U.S. tax law or U.S. financial reporting rules."

The Times said the report was commissioned by the government but it's not clear which agency wanted it, and the report has not been made public.

Caterpillar had not been furnished with a copy of the report until Thursday morning, it said, a week after the raids and more than a week after the New York Times story was published.

Officials at Dartmouth would not discuss the report or release it officially to The Associated Press.

Other than the IRS, the agencies involved in raids on three properties where Caterpillar operates included the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s office of inspector general.
Highland Clerk-Treasurer Michael Griffin described his outlook on government and public finance this year as "mixed, slightly up."

Federal spending sequesters remain in place while the deficit is at its lowest in years. Meanwhile, as Congress prepares to begin the effort to craft a budget, it will first need to address the federal debt ceiling, which will be reached in April.

"That will be the first test of the new leadership," Griffin said of President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in Congress.

In Indiana, the state's fiscal reserves have sunk below $2 billion, but a portion of that was used as seed money for the Community Crossings matching grant program, which provided 50 percent of the funding for some local road projects last year.

"That is an amazing parternship with the state," Griffin said.

Cash positions are in good shape in most municipalities, but while local officials are good at managing the "inputs" and "outputs" of local government, they need to begin using metrics that evaluate "quality of place," Griffin said.

The basic mission remains "How do we improve the general welfare of the people we're serving?"
Oil broke to a three-month low on Friday, dropping under $49 per barrel as the market struggles with oversupply. Prices are falling as U.S. shale oil drillers have increased production while U.S. imports of oil rose as well, swelling U.S. oil stockpiles to record highs.

Shockingly, oil prices are dropping even as OPEC has maintained its production cuts and geopolitical threats swirl around the world. Under normal conditions, the recent missile tests from North Korea and Iran would spark a major oil rally, but the tests of the past two weeks were received as duds by oil traders.

Crudes collapse also worried stock market investors and triggered a sell-off on Wall Street, leading to the first weekly decline for U.S. stock markets in over a month.

If oil prices continue dropping, many analysts expect U.S. production to decline, eventually hurting oil-producing communities from Texas to North Dakota, as many drillers need $50 per barrel to turn a profit.

USDA report crushes beans

Soybeans tumbled this week after the USDA raised its expectations for Brazils bean crop. Brazil is the worlds second-largest soybean grower and is Americas primary rival for soy exports onto the global market. As Brazils crop grows and exports rise, U.S. farmers are forced to lower prices to keep up with our southern competitors.

These concerns knocked beans to near the lowest price of the year, trading down to $9.93 per bushel Friday morning. This price drop comes at a critical time for U.S. farmers who are preparing to plant a record-breaking number of soybean acres this coming season. If prices keep dropping and producers havent protected their crop values, some could end up working all year just to lose money.

Data in the report added downward pressure to corn prices also as the Brazilian and Argentinian crops would add to large world supplies. Corn traded to a one-month low on Friday near $3.56 per bushel.
Starting in mid-February, Facebook users in the U.S. and Canada could search for and apply for jobs directly from the social media platform.

Companies post job openings at no cost along with other updates on their company business page. (So far, companies are not able to boost job posts to target select audiences with sponsored news feed ads.) Job listings also appear on a new aggregated Jobs page, searchable by city, company type and manner of employment, full-time or otherwise.

The lure for companies: easy, virtually instant communication with a huge applicant pool. Some 40 percent of small businesses in the U.S. report that filling jobs was more difficult than they expected, according to Facebook.

Facebook says the new tool "will take the work out of hiring" and speed the process.

Wendy Gahn noticed the new Jobs link pop up in the navigation of her company Facebook page just as she began to search for help staffing two-year-old Lakeview Kitchen & Market, a rental space in Chicago.

"It was great because it was easy," said Gahn, who was featured in a Facebook video introducing the service. "Three minutes to fill out the information on the app and put it out there, and then somebody walks through my door saying 'Hey are you still hiring somebody, I saw your post,' and we talked and it was done."

Not all Facebook Jobs applications are likely to zip from submit to "You're hired" with such speed. However the listings (access them by clicking Jobs on the left rail of your home page) offer amazing immediacy to the world of work for those accustomed to connecting to the world via smart phones.

"It was such a great experience and I did it all on my phone, which was great, too," said Ashley Bob, a makeup artist and job applicant who was featured in a Facebook promotion. "It was a lot easier than other places."

Bob said she had spent a lot of time looking for a job, "But I had no contacts so it was a little hard getting through to people." Someone in her Facebook group tipped her off to a job listing. She clicked on the company page, found the application, applied via Facebook and was hired.

Since the service went live, there has been speculation that Facebook Jobs would be dominated by low-pay, temporary positions and non-professional jobs, and that the new service would not challenge LinkedIn, Microsoft's business-focused job search platform.

A spot check of listings on Facebook Jobs in late February turned up a remarkable variety of available positions, many of them full-time. Among them: cleaning technician/crew leader in Charleston, S.C. ($35,000); personal assistant/house manager in San Francisco ($150,000); legal secretary at a Kansas City law firm; police officer for the Merriam, Kansas, Police Department ($42,556); graphic designer in St. Louis, financial services manager in New York City; and software engineers, user experience designers and product designers in San Francisco.
By the end of World War I, Northwest Indiana was becoming a hub of manufacturing, a distinction it would carry for decades to come.

What had been swampland in the northwestern corner of the Region was now home to a meat packing dynasty, an oil refinery and steel mills.

Hammond, Whiting and the newest city, Gary, were bustling. To the east, Michigan City was the home of a shipping port and one of the largest railroad car manufacturers in the world.

Crown Point, Valparaiso and LaPorte were busy county seats, rapidly growing retail centers.

Communities like Portage and Merrillville were yet to be born.

And to the south, throughout Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties was farmland. While a few communities dotted the landscape, the areas were then, and for a big part today, continue to be part of the country's bread basket.

Industries and the jobs they brought defined Northwest Indiana through the good times and the bad times and, according to experts, will likely continue to define the Region. They created boom towns and ghost towns. They brought the diversity that is known throughout the Region of race, religion and ethnicity. As they changed, we changed.

"It was the steel mills and their support industries that economically, physically and politically dominated the Region in 1920," wrote Mark Vargas in the 1986 edition of "Steel Shavings, Life in the Calumet Region." "In Gary alone about 25,000 persons (one-half the entire population of the Region in 1900) worked in heavy industry, earning average wages of $1,440."

Who were the workers?

Those who took the jobs in the refineries, steel mills and other heavy manufacturers in the early 1900s were certainly all men. While women manned the assembly lines during WWI, when the men came home, they took back their jobs. If women ventured to work, they may have served as clerks or secretaries to industry officials.

Workers were most likely not from here, and there was little, if any, training required to land a manufacturing or assembly line job. The opening of manufacturing in the Region opened the flood gates to immigrants, particularly from Eastern Europe, Mexico and the southern United States.

"In the 1910s, there is a great migration of blacks from the South," said Michael McGerr, associate professor of history at Indiana University Bloomington in a 1999 Times Media publication, "Times Capsule," which looked at the Region during the previous century.

The number of blacks employed at the U.S. Steel Gary Works increased nearly 60 percent, from 1,295 in 1918 to 2,060 in 1920, according to late local historian Powell Moore in the same publication.

Mills, in particular Inland Steel, recruited Mexicans to relocate to Northwest Indiana for work, according to Powell. At Inland alone, the number of Mexicans increased from 90 in 1918 to 945 in 1919.

The steel strike of 1919 accelerated the recruitment of both African-Americans and Mexicans to work in the mills, said former Indiana University Northwest history professor and author James Lane, adding neither group was treated well before, during or after the lengthy and violent strike.

In addition, an uncounted number of people from Eastern Europe and a lesser number from Western Europe immigrated to the United States, finding their way to the Region to work in the increasing number of manufacturing industries.

A second, lesser wave of immigrants came some 40 years later when Bethlehem Steel and National Steel announced the construction of mills along Porter County's Lake Michigan shore line and Indiana began to move on the construction of the Port of Indiana in Portage. The opening of the two new mills and the industries that were attracted to the fresh water port caused a mini migration from southern states and from the east, particularly Pennsylvania, Bethlehem's home state.

The next half century

Industry in the Region continued to grow, provide jobs and mold what the Region was becoming.

Between 1900 and 1970 the population of Northwest Indiana grew twice as fast as the nation and three times as fast as the state, said Micah Pollak, assistant professor of economics at Indiana University Northwest. It had survived the Great Depression, the steel strike of 1959 and other economic ups and downs.

The Region boomed. Subdivisions began to sprawl from city cores. Retail malls and strip centers popped up almost overnight. Town borders touched. Farmland became big-box stores.

In 1970, the population of Lake County peaked at 546,253 people; Porter County stood at 87,114. and LaPorte County at 105,535. From then, Lake County's population began to decline, particularly in the three northern cities of Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. By 2010, it dropped to 496,005 while Porter County nearly doubled to 164,343 and LaPorte County stayed near the same at 111,404.

"Following the peak of the American steel industry in 1970, the precipitous decline that followed let to a mass exodus of people from the traditional urban and manufacturing core cities in Northwest Indiana," Pollak said.

Globalization was the key factor in the change in the steel industry, Pollak said.

The good-paying, low-skilled jobs began to disappear, not so much because of a lack of demand for steel, but because of the move toward globalization and the change in technology, said Pollak, adding the loss of those jobs affected so many others.

"You use to have high-paying jobs supporting several low-level jobs. When the pay goes down, it affects the low paying jobs as well," Pollak said.

The 1980s continued to see a loss in good-paying jobs as people battled through a recession. Steel mills downsized or went bankrupt.

According to the "Times Capsule," U.S. Steel's Gary Works employed 21,377 people in 1978. That number dropped to 7,290. The total number of steel mill jobs fell from 66,600 in 1979 to 38,300 in 1985. In 1982, the Region's unemployment rate was 16 percent.

Chicken or the egg?

Greg Carmack, precision machining instructor at the Porter County Career and Technical Center, has prospective employers knocking at his door, wanting a chance to hire his students.

The reason is the skills gap, said Carmack, a 16-year instructor who worked in the manufacturing/machining field for more than 20 years.

"Northwest Indiana is a perfect example of a skills gap. It is very evident in machining. Even when there was 15 percent unemployment, there were still opening for 3 million machinists," he said, adding there are concerns among industries who will be losing up to one-third of their workforce in the coming decade without having skilled tradespeople to fill the vacancies.

"There has been a push to go to college mentality, that someone can't be highly successful without a college degree," he said, adding, that while there are some professions that do and always will require a college education, there is a high demand for high-paying jobs for people with the right skills. It isn't only in his subject matter, but throughout the trades. Those jobs can be acquired with certifications or two-year degrees.

Linda Woloshansky, director for the Center for Workforce Innovation, agrees.

"Even in the '70s we didn't require skills. Mechanics, millwrights, crane operators, the vast majority began as laborers and worked their way up. Now the attention in the industry is that you really need the technical skills, the math skills," she said. "Everywhere I go there is a need for MTEs, technicians with mechanical skills and electrical skills."

"Technology has been the driver with computers and automation. That is the future," she said.

Pollak also believes there is a need for additional training in the Region to bring in the high-paying jobs.

He said it is a "chicken and the egg thing." To attract high-paying employers, the Region needs to have highly skilled workers to fill the jobs. Without the availability of workers, prospective employers may pass Northwest Indiana by, or, as has happened in the past, encourage outsiders with the skills to immigrate to the Region. On the other side, he added, it is difficult to know what to train students for without knowing what industry may locate in the area.

"We have to look at the high-paying jobs of the future and we have to have the companies who have these jobs locate here," Pollak said.
One of the biggest problems in the restaurant industry is turnover. Some local restaurants, however, have overcome this obstacle. And it seems to boil down to one word: family.

Not that every employee is in the same family that runs the business, although these restaurants are all family-oriented. It's about treating employees, whether they're the busboys or top line chefs, as family.

At Gamba's Ristorante in Merrillville, among the longtime employees are two who have been with owner Benito Gamba since he opened his first restaurant, Cafe Venezia, in 1988.

"They have grown into being someone who just worked for us to working with us and experiencing the growth and has grown with us along the way, said Krystle Gamba, a manager at the restaurant and Benito Gamba's daughter. "A lot of loyalty goes both ways. Especially with Mr. Gamba. Loyalty doesn't just mean what it means to most restaurants. We have grown with the staff that comes in."

One of those employees is Joseph Flores, a chef at Gamba who said he is "treated like family."

"When I leave my home and get to Gamba, I feel like I'm at home there, too," he said.

Flores said Benito Gamba's daughters, Krystle and Michaelle, who is also a manger, call him "Uncle Joe."

Flores said he started "at the bottom" when he joined Benito Gamba's first venture.

"With Benny, I like to be loyal to him," he said.

Scott Crawley has been a server for Gamba at all three of his restaurants.

"It's easygoing and relaxed," he said. "They treat me well."

Raymundo Garcia, who runs El Taco Real, the Hammond institution his parents started in 1974, said the secret to retaining employees is to not be so capitalistic.

"Capitalism is a great economic engine model for making money, but that's all it does," he said. "It doesn't take into consideration anything else. What I've learned over the years is that my staff is an asset. It's part of what I have to make money with. I have to take care of it. I have to make sure it is happy. I have to make sure its needs are being met. It's like a piece of machinery, but it's a human being.

"The bottom line is you have to respect your staff. And care for them as if they were your family. That's really the secret."

Raquel Hernandez begin working at El Taco Real as a teenager in 1976 busing tables. She didn't speak English and wanted to help her family in Mexico. Today she's one of Garcia's prime managers.

"She is the perfect example of what I'm talking about," Garcia said.

Hernandez said the reason she stays at the restaurant along with others she works with is because "the owners are beautiful."

"It's such a pleasure to come to work," she said. "I really love it here. It's my second home."

Garcia said respect pays high dividends and the respect he gives them is returned to him.

"If you don't give your staff that kind of respect, then frankly management is going to struggle," he said. "And the restaurant or business is going to be less than it could have been."

Glenwood Oaks Rib & Chop House General Manager Mark LeRose said they have six employees who have been with the restaurant for more than 30 years.

"I think that comes from loyalty," he said. "We respect them and show them respect before they respect us. That makes them feel good about their job."

LeRose said they treat employees like family, which can be a good and bad thing.

"When we hurt, they hurt, when they hurt, we hurt," he said.

LeRose said he likes to have employees who come aboard into an entry-level position, like a busser, to have a positive experience.

"I try to explain to them about good work ethics and I make sure the managers praise the kids when they do a good job in public," he said. "That makes the kids enjoy their first job."

LeRose said he also gives kids time off if they have bad grades.

"Parents have called me to thank me for working schedules around school and sports," he said.

As he was speaking, LeRose spotted one of the chefs, who was hired at the restaurant by LeRose's grandfather in 1977.

"He gave him a job as a dishwasher," LeRose said. "It's the only place he's ever worked. Maybe that's why we're still open."
craigslist: thailand jobs, apartments, for sale, services, community, and events

craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, services, local community, and events
CROWN POINT  Local college students who prepare early for the job hunt may face less stress come graduation.

Career experts at local colleges said the search for work should begin before a student's final year at school, and networking with employers, classmates and instructors remained a vital tool.

Though job prospects remain positive for recent college graduates, there will also be more competition.

The projected number of college degrees conferred in the United States is expected to continue to grow between academic year 2012-13 and academic year 2024-25, according to the most recent annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics.

The total number of associate's degrees conferred nationally increased 78 percent between 1999-2000 and 2012-13, and is projected to increase 14 percent between 2012-13 and 2024-25, the report states.

The total number of bachelor's degrees conferred increased 49 percent during that same period, and is projected to increase an additional 10 percent between 2012-13 and 2024-25.

Lisa Shaffer, vice chancellor of enrollment, marketing and communication at Ivy Tech Community College, said Monday the nation's 4.7 percent unemployment rate, down from almost 8 percent in 2012, boded well for recent two-year college graduates.

Natalie Connors, director of career services at Purdue University Northwest, said most students with whom she consults are optimistic about their job prospects.

Students have a reason to be optimistic. Employers plan to hire 5.8 percent more new graduates during academic year 2016-17 than they did in the past academic year, according to the annual job outlooks survey by the National Association of College and Employers.

Midwestern employers reported the largest expected hiring increase in 2017 at 7.1 percent.

The top three bachelor's degrees in demand for the Class of 2017 are finance, accounting and business administration/management, with computer science degrees falling to fourth from second highest in demand last year.

Connors said students should begin their job hunt at the start of senior year, which means first contacting the campus career center, creating a LinkedIn profile and gathering resume materials.

"Where (students) really struggle is the initial shock that, it took a little bit longer and I should have started sooner," Connors said.

In October, Ivy Tech implemented the Workforce Excellence Program, an online program consisting of four modules that help students develop the soft skills, such as collaboration and problem solving, that will assist them in the workforce.

Shaffer said the opt-in program was designed to be flexible.

"Before technology, students had to go through a program on our time  a class on resume writing, or something like that," Shaffer said. "With our student body, the chance to get all of them together is pretty low, because of job and family obligations."

Mike Slocum, executive director of student and career development at Ivy Tech, said in an email recently that 99 students in Northwest Indiana have watched more than 250 skills videos since the program launched.

Both Connors and Shaffer said students can prepare for their careers before their final year in school by building networks with other students and instructors.

"I think the most important thing graduates overlook, and I've done this presentation before, but you often overlook the guy sitting next to you in the class who may know someone in your field," Shaffer said.

Connors recommended students attend career fairs in their freshman and sophomore years, both to learn about what careers are available in their field of interest and to become comfortable talking about themselves with employers.

Jodi Daw, who graduated from Ivy Tech Community College in May with a technical certificate in medical assisting, said it was an "externship," or workplace training program, that helped her find a job.

Daw, 41, of Hobart, said she joined the college's medical assistance program in 2014 after spending her entire adult life working in the medical field, first as an emergency medical technician and then as a respiratory therapist.

The mother of two children said she searched online job boards as soon as she began classes.

I was always looking at different websites, to see who was hiring and for what, (and) to see what qualifications were needed, Daw said. I saw there was a demand the whole time I was in school, so I wasn't too worried.

Daw said she also benefited from advice from classmates and her instructor, Viki Van Sickle, who placed Daw in an eight-week workplace training program at Portage Medical Group.

Upon graduation, she was offered a full-time position as a medical assistant with the medical group.

I was very lucky, Daw said.
GRIFFITH  Being a chef means hard work, long hours and continuous training and learning new things. That's just what Justin Cunningham loves about his job as executive chef at New Oberpfalz Brewing.

The Griffith restaurant opened in 2015, but this is the start of Cunningham's second year as chef there.

"After doing a trial run for the position, I was hired right around their anniversary," he said.

"Being a chef means long-term work training, and most importantly the crave for continuous learning," he said. "In the past, the longest shift Ive worked in the kitchen was almost 17 hours with the average workday being about 10 hours. I dont mind the long hours or challenges that come my way because this is something that I love."

As chef his duties include prep, cooking items to quality standards, inventory, recipe testing, training staff, inspecting ingredients, and handing any other food issue related to the kitchen. Keeping a kitchen clean is also very important, so cleaning the entire kitchen and storage areas is a daily task for Cunningham.

"I also enjoy chatting with guests when I can because that what makes a great chef, connecting with your customers," Cunningham said. "Its not every day that you see the chef of a restaurant deliver your food or ask how you enjoyed your meal. Its the connection with guests that brings another level of experience to dining out. I enjoy the positive feedback and put my heart and soul into serving the best quality food from my kitchen."

How he got the job

Cunningham graduated with a bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue University Calumet. And he then went on to complete his master's degree in the same field at Rochester Institute of Technology In New York. Why RIT? Because it is host to the National Technical School for the Deaf and Cunningham is deaf.

"I don't think being deaf has made my career any more challenging," Cunningham said. "Every chef faces challenges within their career. In order to overcome any challenges you need to think differently."

Cunningham made the decision to move back to Indiana from New York about October 2015.

"I moved right after I was done with my master studies in December 2015. I had a job interview lined up before my move with Purdue North Central and didn't earn the position of banquet chef. I was jobless for a month until finally landing the chef position at NOZ Brewing, I didn't give up and kept job searching."

Job skills

"Generally in the kitchen you need good communication skills, but there are so many different ways to communicate. You don't need ears to cook," he said.

Cunningham feels being a great chef comes from the food itself and not the form of communication used. He has a Cochlear implant that helps ease the difficulties that come with one form of communication.

"But in the kitchen we rely on the other four senses the most: touch, smell, sight and taste," he said. "Being that I work in a smaller kitchen it allows me to work in creative ways along side the kitchen assistant. I tend to use what we have on hand and incorporate several items into new dishes while keeping new ingredients to a minimum."

Cunningham is multiversed in communication but can speak to others like any other hearing person, but he can also sign.

Andrew Oltmanns, taproom manager at the restaurant, said Cunningham's duties basically include handling everything on the kitchen side, including prep, menu and cooking.

"Basically the kitchen is his domain," Oltmanns said. "He cooks mainly pizzas, hamburgers, small plate items, wings, meats and cheeses."

Oltmanns said Cunningham has a good work ethic. "He has a master's degree and he knows how to run a kitchen. He is always on top of his game."

Expected job growth

Employment of chefs and head cooks is projected to grow 9 percent to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Most job opportunities for chefs and head cooks are expected to be in food services, including restaurants. Job opportunities also will result from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. Candidates can expect strong competition for jobs at upscale restaurants, hotels, and casinos, where the pay is typically highest.
GRIFFITH  Whether he is looking for cracks in Chicago skyscrapers that need repair, helping Griffith businesses get grants to improve their appearance or organizing cleanup drives in the town, leaving this world a better place for future generations has been Richard Lebers goal.

A native of Hammond, Leber graduated from Hammond High School and went into the construction trades, becoming a member of Local 52 of the Tuckpointers Union in Chicago, where he earned his journeyman stripes. After 14 years working out of the union hall, he went to work for a structural engineering company as an expert technician.

I went into tall buildings and surveyed them to draw up a scope of work for repairs, Leber said. I did the project oversight for the repairs, whether it was working in concrete, terra cotta or brick, replacing anything that was deficient.

In 2012, the firm he was working for split up, and he decided to start his own company, Leber Construction Consulting, in collaboration with one of the previous partners. He has an office in Griffith, and has lived in the town since 1998 with his wife, Cindy. The couple has a son, Richard, 14, and much of Lebers spare time is taken up with volunteering.

With my job, I have no set hours. I go from 6 a.m. to whenever, and Ive expanded from Chicago to work in Missouri and Kansas City and in Michigan. When Im not working or spending time with my family, I work with Imagine Griffith.

Imagine Griffith organizes volunteers to help people in the community, especially the elderly and the handicapped, who need help keeping their home or property properly maintained. He also just finished a four-year term on the towns Redevelopment Commission, during which most of the effort was in administering facade grants for businesses to improve their appearance and to attract other businesses to town.

A couple of years ago, he worked with the Griffith Family YMCA to organize a community cleanup day. The first year he got 90 volunteers to help clean up the towns bike trails. In 2016, working with the Y, Imagine Griffith, the Griffith Community Initiative and the Griffith churches, the cleanup day drew about 250 volunteers for cutting weeds, spreading mulch and other activities to spruce up the trails and the town parks.

I like to do it before school is out and the people head off for vacations, so it usually is held in mid-May, Leber said of the cleanup day. I dont like to sit back. I want to be involved in the town and improving it for the next generation.

He also is active with his church, Ridge United Methodist Church in Munster. Every six or eight weeks, the Lebers and several other families from the church prepare food and take it to a homeless shelter in Hammond to serve to the residents there. Even the kids are involved in the project to show there are people having hard times.

Shawn Graham, whose known Leber for four years, called him the king of volunteers in Griffith.

Hes involved in anything to help the community, Graham said. Hes a community advocate and volunteers at the Y and with the program that helps with housing projects. I dont know how he has the time to do it and have time to live a life. Hes everywhere.

Carl Zurbriggen, executive director of the Y, met Leber when the Y opened in 2012 and said, Right away you get the idea he is a worthy person. Hes always the first to volunteer his time and talent to worthy causes, the Y being one of them. Hes always willing to help out with time, expertise and financially, if he can. Hes not one to look for recognition, and actually prefers not to.

Zurbriggen said Leber put in countless hours organizing the cleanup day, even arranging with the police and the railroad to make sure volunteers were safe working near the tracks. The volunteers used their own tools and saved the town thousands of dollars. After the work was done, Leber arranged to have a band and food for the volunteers by getting donations from local businesses.

That was something he was passionate about, and it had a huge impact, Zurbriggen said. When you talk about making the Region work, it is about getting people together to accomplish a goal. He got people together who had not done it before. Hes a very goodhearted person, and hes always trying to make someone smile. Its good when you are trying to accomplish something that you have someone with a big personality, and hes definitely got it.

Leber said, Im kind of a people person. I try to help people. I just try to do my little part.
An Indiana University MBA graduate went from working at a big bank to overseeing operations at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor.

David Sena serves as manager of operations and technology for steel producing at the mill in Porter County. Sena, who won American Metal Markets Rising Star Award in 2015, started in finance at ArcelorMittal and worked his way up over the last decade to a managerial position where hes trained employees on new operating procedures as new technology is introduced.

In his role, he oversees a team of about 12 engineers who make sure the mill is running as well and efficiently as possible.

Theyre Ph.D.s in electrical mechanical, just smart guys, he said.

They collaborate on various projects, including continuously improving steelmaking processes.

While his team is based on site at the steel shop at the mill in Burns Harbor, it doesnt deal so much with breakdowns and fixing equipment as studying why the equipment failed and how it is being operated. The engineers look at how to best optimize day-to-day processes at the mill.

An average workday can last 10 to 12 hours, depending on the day. It always begins with a morning meeting where he reviews key performance metrics. In the mid-day, they have another meeting on safety.

One of our major core values is keeping the place safe, Sena said. Its a highly industrialized workplace. There are inherent hazards. But you can understand and recognize them to keep hazards controlled while producing a high-quality product.

Typically, Sena leaves a little later than his team, using the time alone at the end of the day to assess how well the department did at achieving its goals.

Functionally, teams are built with a diversity of different people vying toward a common goal, he said.

Each engineer Sena manages tackles three to four projects at the same time  so that's about 30 to 40 in all for the team.

In the project world, they ebb and flow, he said. Theyre not all running hot at the same time. It can still be an intense amount of work. Each year we align our projects with the strategic goals of the plant manager and division managers.

Projects can come and go, but ArcelorMittal always focuses on main, core goals of safety, quality and environmental friendliness, Sena said. His team also has had to help get costs down to compete with the rising tide of imports.

Its been challenging with the difficulties in the market for a few years, he said. Theres competition from imports from overseas. And were always striving to make steel lighter weight when its going up against aluminum and plastics.

Sena has worked on major projects, for instance upgrading a caster mold so it can produce an extra 230,000 tons a year. They were able to bring the volume up without additional costs.

Were always coming up with new ideas and innovations trying to improve on the current ways we do things, he said.

How he got the job

After graduating with a finance degree from Indiana University-Bloomington, Sena worked for Bank of America. But then he decided he wanted a change of environment and to work somewhere that made tangible products.

I was looking for something that would build something that would make tomorrow or the future better in some way, he said.

At the time, ArcelorMittal was buying up steel mills around Lake Michigan and was hiring. Sena joined as a financial analyst and was able to familiarize himself with operations.

When working on a $65 million improvement project in 2009, he got the chance to transition to operations. Now hes in a key managerial position in a department that produces 10-inch slabs weighing 22 to 23 tons that are used for automotive, construction, appliances and machinery.

Sena constantly reads up on technical manuals and developments in the industry.

Its been really challenging and rewarding, he said. Nothing is ever rocket science, unless it is. If someone wants to advance in the steel industry, dont let the traditional boundaries hold you back. Its a challenging industry where you can get dirty and work a lot of midnights, but thats where people get the chance to shine.

Expected job growth

The United States currently employs 173,400 industrial production managers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That number is expected to shrink by 4 percent by 2024, a decline of 6,300 jobs.
Oak Partners has welcomed Charlie Greiner to its advisory team providing comprehensive investment consulting services. He joins the firm from Stifel, Nicolaus & Company. He holds a B.A. in Economics from San Diego State University and also holds a Series 7 as well as the series 63.

1st Source Bank has promoted Valerie C. (Hines) Weis to the post of vice president. She was program manager of the 1st Source Asset Advisors group. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Loyola University Chicago and has obtained her Certified Financial Planner certification.

Lakhpat G. Chandnani has established a new consulting business, LGC Structural Engineers, LLC in Schererville, Indiana. He was with Superior Engineering, in Hammond, for 16 years as civil/structural engineering manager. LGC Structural Engineers provides structural engineering services and structural evaluation reports.

The Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative (AWLI) has selected Richard Chambers of Hammond as its Ford Motor Company Fund Graduate Intern for 2017. He will be assisting with the day-to-day operation of AWLI.

Valuation analyst Gregory M. Clark, CPA, and a senior manager at CLH, LLC, has successfully completed the certification process with the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts to earn the Certified Valuation Analyst credential. CLH is a Michigan City-based full-service CPA firm.
HAMMOND  Speros A. Batistatos, president and CEO of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, has been elected to his first two-year term as an at-large director of the United States Travel Association.

USTA is the biggest, most vocal and influential organization in our industry, said Batistatos, adding that the South Shore CVA is the only travel organization representing Indiana as well as the entire Midwest on this board.

Election of the 2017 USTA officers and at-large directors took place Feb. 22, and the 19 directors-elect will gather for the first time at the spring board meeting on March 30 at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Batistatos said his election is extremely humbling for me and a recognition of our (the SSCVAs) work in the area. We have an incredibly talented board of directors.

Being recognized by peers from both private and public sectors indicates that the USTA wants the ideas and innovations offered by the SSCVA around the table, he said.

A resident of Cedar Lake, Batistatos has served a total of 25 years with the SSCVA during two separate tours of duty.

When he attends the USTA meeting in Washington, D.C., Batistatos said he plans to talk with U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville; U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly; and hopefully U.S. Sen. Todd Young, Indianas newly-elected Republican U.S. senator.

The USTA sustains interest in a variety of issues that affect travel throughout the United States including aviation, surface transportation infrastructure, visa reform, emergency response, travel promotion and public lands, according to its website at https://www.ustravel.org/.

What is of vital importance to us at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority is the nomination and confirmation of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Batistatos said. We have a huge national park in our backyard.

Although international travelers dont visit the Calumet Region every day, we do have international travelers and we are clearly linked to Chicago, Batistatos said. We are that organization that is trying to promote Northwest Indiana to bring spending up and employment up.

Whats needed to help with that effort is local investment in convention centers, he said.

Another area of concern for the SSCVA involves surface transportation since 99.9 percent of what comes to us is by way of our highway infrastructure, Batistatos said. Understanding these issues has a direct correlation to the Region.

Emergency response comprises another vital issue given the Regions industrial concentration, he said, especially in terms of public spaces.

Batistatos said thats especially brought home when he recalls the terrorist attacks on New York Citys World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

He was president and CEO of the Atlantic City (New Jersey) Convention and Visitors Authority at the time.

We all wondered Whats the next target? he said.

Learning how other experts handle these issues will be beneficial for the Calumet Region as he joins the USTA board of directors, Batistatos said.

This is a very transferrable skill that will help us here, he said.
SCHERERVILLE  Funding for roads and the South Shore extension dominated discussions at Saturday mornings town hall meeting co-hosted by state Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, and state Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville.

Niemeyer and Slager met with dozens of constituents at the St. John Township Center to talk about the 2017 legislative session and gather input.

We are just past half-time in the legislature, said Slager, who represents House District 15 including a portion of Lake County. The House and Senate do their own work (separately on bills), then we flip bills.

During this next portion of the legislative session, the 100 members of the House of Representatives will consider bills that passed in the Indiana Senate. Likewise, the 50 Senate members will conduct hearings regarding bills passed by the House, said Niemeyer, who represents Senate District 6 including portions of Lake County and Benton and Newton counties.

Changes to the bills will be ironed out during the conference committee session, Niemeyer said.

The 2017 legislative session, which ends April 22, is also working on the states next two-year $16 billion budget, Slager said.

Dyer Town Council member Mary Tanis asked about funding for road replacement and maintenance in that budget.

Slager said theres currently an estimated $1.2 billion shortfall in the budget to maintain what we have and build what we need including $700 million locally.

Three-quarters of the budget goes to fund education and Medicaid, he explained, leaving 25 percent for everything else.

The 7 cents-per gallon gas tax thats part of a House bill will help road maintenance and construction Slager said.

Niemeyer said a hearing on this gas tax bill begins Tuesday in the Senate.

There will be a lot of testimony, Niemeyer said. I dont like all these tax increases, but I agree with Hal. With user tax increases, everyone pays when they come into the state.

Information about the budget sparked a lengthy debate between some audience members and the legislators about House Bill 1144, which deals with the South Shore extension. Some audience members repeated accusations that funding for the rail line will take money away from schools and public safety.

Slager said this bill which has gone now to the Senate gives the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority the tools necessary to promote and manage private investments with Transit Development Districts centered on at least eight rail stops.

The bill will allow the RDA to borrow funds, using tax increment financing totaling $12 million a year, to develop areas with a half-mile radius of the stations, he said, adding local governments will have planning and zoning authority over what goes into those TDDs.

Funding will come from new development, which will create increased assessed value and property taxes, Slager said. New developments will generate more development and attract young families. These are dollars that dont exist today.
VALPARAISO  Grace Jones dreamed she would win the regional spelling bee. She also had to choose between spelling and dancing, as she could have also participated in the state pom and dance competition.

Jones choice has earned her trip to for the nations capital.

Jones, a seventh-grader at New Prairie Middle School in New Carlisle, claimed the Kankakee Valley REMC Regional Spelling Bee Saturday at Wheeler High School.

I was really focused, said Jones, 12. Academically, I knew I should be here. I chose the spelling bee, and it turned out great.

A regional spelling bee competitor since fourth grade, Jones took second at the regional last year and third in 2015. She and a guardian receive an all-expense-paid trip near Washington, D.C. for the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.

Bee Week 2017 is May 28 to June 3, with the national finals in National Harbor, Maryland.

Kate Nevers, 14, an eighth-grader from Chesterton Middle School, finished second. Carter Meece, 13, an eighth-grader at St. Johns Lutheran School in LaPorte, placed third. The top three finishers each received a trophy. All 20 regional participants received medallions.

With three finalists remaining, Meece missed the word Sicily and Nevers missed purblind. After correctly spelling sauciness, Jones then spelled magnific, meaning imposing in size, for first place.

The competition drew contestants up to eighth grade from Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties. After seven of the 20 competitors were eliminated in the first round, the bee went to 11 rounds before Jones won the title.

Its really just about studying, said Jones, a member of her schools Spell Bowl and cross country teams. I made a lot of sacrifices, studying after school.

After that tough first round, Jones said, I felt kinda scared, but I just wanted to do my best  think of the origin of the word and use the spelling tips we had on the list.

Each competitor received a list of words to be used in the first two rounds, after which other words were used.

A key for Jones, she said, was mentally spelling out the word if she was unsure.

The national qualifier is the daughter of Chris Jones and Deborah Gordon. Chris Jones, who quizzed his daughter at home, counseled her, Listen to the pronunciation, then dissect the word as it is pronounced.
An article published by the Crains Chicago Business discusses the opioid crisis happening nationwide. It cites the need for alternative forms of pain management, specifically the spinal cord stimulator. Stimulators have become invaluable when treating patients experiencing chronic pain. Patients at APAC, a pain management service, have reported 50 percent pain relief from spinal cord stimulators.

APAC continues to fight the opioid epidemic and limit the amount of narcotics we prescribe using multi-faceted treatments, including non-narcotic medications, injections, physical therapy, stimulators and acupuncture. As management specialists, we face more scrutiny from insurance companies than any other specialty often having to jump through hoops to prove that patients get appropriate treatments approved.

APAC Centers for Pain Management is proud to say we are changing patients lives and fighting opioid abuse.

Migdalia Santos, Dyer
Authorities in northern Illinois say a man accused of threatening to shoot people had high-powered and assault-style rifles, shotguns, pistols and ammunition seized from his home. The Lake County Sheriff's Office says in a news release Saturday that the 49-year-old man was taken into custody during a traffic stop Friday night. Deputies were responding to a report from the man's relatives that he threatened to shoot them and anyone who attempted to remove him from his home. A sheriff's office dog bit the man on his arm as he reached into his clothing when deputies told him he was under arrest. The man was treated for the bite and then taken to jail.
In the 21/2 years since Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old, was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, the explosive case has been parsed in detail. Witnesses offered varying descriptions of the fatal encounter. Investigators examined bloodstain evidence on the street where Brown died. And the police released a security video from a nearby store that showed Brown pushing a worker and taking cigarillos minutes before the shooting.

But a second, previously unreported video from that same convenience store included in a new documentary is raising new questions about what happened in the hours before the shooting Aug. 9, 2014.

The footage shows Brown entering the store, Ferguson Market and Liquor, shortly after 1 a.m. on the day he died. He approaches the counter, hands over an item that appears to be a small bag and takes a shopping sack filled with cigarillos. Brown is shown walking toward the door with the sack, then turning around and handing the cigarillos back across the counter before exiting.

Jason Pollock, a documentary filmmaker who acquired the new video, says the footage challenges the police narrative that Brown committed a strong-armed robbery when he returned to the store around noon that day. Instead, Pollock believes that the new video shows Brown giving a small bag of marijuana to store employees and receiving cigarillos in return as part of a negotiated deal. Pollock said Brown left the cigarillos behind the counter for safekeeping.

There was some type of exchange, for one thing, for another, Lesley McSpadden, Browns mother, says in Pollocks documentary, Stranger Fruit, which premiered Saturday at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, and examines the shooting from the familys perspective.

But Jay Kanzler, a lawyer for the convenience store and its employees, strongly disputes that version of events and said the new footage is unrelated to Browns later visit to the store.

There was no transaction, Kanzler said. There was no understanding. No agreement. Those folks didnt sell him cigarillos for pot. The reason he gave it back is he was walking out the door with unpaid merchandise and they wanted it back.

Regardless of what happened at the store in the early-morning hours, the new footage does not resolve long-simmering questions about Browns encounter with Officer Darren Wilson along a Ferguson street that day. Wilson, who claimed he had feared for his life and been assaulted by Brown, was cleared of criminal wrongdoing by a county grand jury and federal civil rights investigators. He resigned from the Police Department.

Browns death and the sometimes violent protests that followed raised broad questions about how police officers treat black people, both in the St. Louis area and across the country, and many remain steadfast in their belief that Brown was murdered.

Protesters were particularly offended by the Ferguson Police Departments decision to release the video that showed Brown shoving the store clerk, perceiving it as part of an effort to defame and demonize the young man. McSpadden, who also spells her first name as Lezley, questioned why that video was released publicly while her sons earlier visit to the store had been kept quiet.

They destroyed Michaels character with the tape, and they didnt show us what actually happened, said Pollock, who spent more than two years in Ferguson conducting research for his documentary and who questions the decision to not charge Wilson. So this shows their intention to make him look bad. And shows suppression of evidence.

The St. Louis County Police Department briefly mentioned Browns early-morning visit to the store in a lengthy report on the case, which tipped Pollock off to the existence of an additional video.

Sgt. Shawn McGuire, a spokesman for the county police, said in an email Saturday that footage of the earlier encounter had not been released because it was not relevant to the investigation.

Spokesmen for the city of Ferguson and the St. Louis County prosecutors office did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.

Browns parents have filed a federal lawsuit against Wilson, the city of Ferguson and the former Ferguson police chief. A trial is scheduled to start next year.
CBRE Group has brokered the sale of a 144,000-square-foot industrial building in Anaheim to American Technologies for $16.6 million. CBREs Carol Trapani, Ben Seybold and Sean Ward represented the seller, Doyle Properties LLC, and CBREs Brad Bierbaum represented the buyer, an owner/user in this transaction. The property, at 3360 East La Palma Avenue, includes 85,000 square feet of warehouse space and 48,900 square feet of office space. American Technologies plans to rehab the facility, last purchased 30 years ago, according to CBRE. The building is located within Anaheims Canyon Business Center.

Also from CBRE, the firm has sold Olive Street Apartments to an undisclosed private investor in Anaheim for approximately $4.19 million to an undisclosed private investor. CBREs Dan Blackwell represented the seller and the buyer, who bought the property in a 1031-exchange. The building, at 129 South Olive St. and in proximity to Downtown Anaheim and the Anaheim Packing District, is a 14-unit apartment complex that features two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhome floorplans. Each unit is more than 1,000 square feet with vaulted ceilings and patios and balconies. Building amenities include a secured gated entry, 32 subterranean garage spaces and an on-site laundry facility.

People in Real Estate

Taylor Design, an architecture, environments and strategies firm, added John Gresko, Todd Yamanouchi, and Alesha Arp to its leadership team in Irvine. Gresko is the firms new senior project manager. Yamanouchi joins Taylor Design as architect. Arp is the firms new senior strategist. She most recently served as UX research / analyst for DealerSocket in San Clemente.

Milestones

Betsey Dougherty and Brian Dougherty of Dougherty & Dougherty Architects in Costa Mesa have received a collaborative lifetime achievement award from the American Institute of Architects California Council (AIACC).

NAIOP SoCal and the Center for Real Estate at UC Irvines Paul Merage School of Business have awarded Brian J. Ortwein, TRI Pointe Homes project manager, the 2016-17 NAIOP SoCal-CRE Fellowship. The fellowship offers a combined learning experience, where awardees have the opportunity to attend NAIOP SoCal board meetings and also enhance their formal education through a $7,500 financial award designed to develop and prepare future real estate industry leaders. Ortwein plans to apply his award to his studies at the Merage School where he is enrolled in the FEMBA program, class of 2019.

Benjamin Kasdan a director of design at KTGY Architecture & Planning in Irvine is the recipient of the 2017 AIA Young Architects Award by the American Institute of Architects. Kasdan, focusing on the sustainable design of multifamily, mixed-use and infill-housing development, is a team leader at the firm. He is also the 2016-17 vice president of AIA California Councils Academy for Emerging Professionals, a volunteer leadership group.

Irvine-based Antis Roofing & Waterproofing has won the CNA and the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) Community Involvement Award. Antis received a $7,500 monetary donation from CNA. The company is giving the funds to OneOC, which supports nonprofits with volunteers, training, consulting and fiscal sponsorship.

Coming up

Stanfield Real Estate of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach based HOM Sothebys International Realty will host a seminar on investing in small apartments Saturday March 25 at the Ayres Hotel, 325 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. Topics include: benefits and risks; financing options and more. The event is free. To register, call 714-442-0736.

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.
Confronting a financial disaster they helped create, Santa Ana teachers union leaders did Tuesday what theyve done for years: They blamed someone else.

In a newsletter they sent to all Santa Ana teachers, union leaders blamed me for the declining enrollment in the districts schools.

In short, they say my work to provide parents with alternatives to underperforming schools led to an exodus of children from district schools.

Its true that more and more Santa Ana parents are choosing public charter schools over poor-performing union-run schools. But student enrollment in Santa Ana has been falling for years. I first heard about it in a March 2015 school board meeting when the districts assistant superintendent gave us the Facilities Master Plan, a document showing that the number of students in our district had been falling since 2002, and would continue to decline about 2 percent per year through at least 2018.

Despite that long-term decline, teachers union leaders continued to lobby for higher teacher pay every year. In any other business, a decline in customers would lead to cost-savings measures. But not in Santa Ana Unified. Since 2013, union leaders worked overtime to sell their members, and my colleagues, on a myth: that teacher pay can rise even as the student population  and the associated state and federal funding  declines.

Three times in three years, union leaders Susan Mercer and Barbara Pearson peddled that myth. Every year, my fellow trustees took the path of least resistance and caved in. In the end, teacher pay jumped a total of 16 percent over three years.

The most recent increase, a 10 percent pay raise approved 4-1 in 2015, now costs the district $32 million annually. I voted against that increase because it failed to grasp the reality of declining enrollment.

On Tuesday night, we reached the dead end of the unions logic. That night, my colleagues on the school board  the same board members who voted for the pay raises  acknowledged that we are confronting a financial crisis. They voted to save $28 million by pink-slipping 287 teachers. Mine was the lone dissenting vote.

Those 287 teachers wont be terminated because theyre bad teachers. Theyll be terminated only because theyre new  because the union leaders who led our teachers into a financial dead end also insisted that their contract include whats called the LIFO (last in, first out) clause, so that in a budget crisis the most recently hired are the first to go.

Releasing those 287 teachers means that Santa Ana students will be moved into larger classes. It means that our remaining teachers will shoulder the additional work of those larger classes.

I want to speak directly to those 287 teachers who may be laid off: Im sorry. You no doubt started your work here with great enthusiasm for the mission of educating Santa Anas young people. You likely knew the challenges and rewards of working here, and celebrated your new job with calls to friends and family, telling them that you were ready to embark on your teaching career with energy, courage and creativity.

You had no reason to expect that the leaders of your own union would betray you. But they did. And you had every reason to expect that our school board would protect you from the union leaderships destructive, single-minded push for higher wages. But they didnt.

The union leaderships choke hold on the district  the destructive influence of union money poured into the political campaigns of my fellow trustees  confused my colleagues. They came to believe that they owed their positions to union leaders, rather than to the education of our children, the promotion of great teachers and service to our parents.

You young teachers deserved better. Our students and their families deserved better.

Cecilia Ceci Iglesias is a Santa Ana Unified School District board member, and community relations director for the California Policy Centers education initiative.
CERRITOS A motorist in one car and a passenger in another vehicle were killed early Saturday in a six-vehicle crash on the 605 Freeway, where three other people were also injured.

The California Highway Patrol identified Gabriela Hernandez of Huntington Beach, 24, a passenger in a 2007 Honda, as one of those killed in the crash. Hernandez was taken to an area hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

The other fatality was a man who had been driving a 1999 Saturn. He died at the scene, the CHP reported. It was not immediately known if he was the lone occupant inside his car.

The crash occurred just after 1:10 a.m. on the northbound freeway at the 91 Freeway, said California Highway Patrol Officer Peter Nicholson.

The man driving the 2007 Honda, a 32-year-old resident of Huntington Beach, suffered moderate injuries in the crash, the CHP reported. Another passenger in the 2007 Honda, a 30-year-old woman from Huntington Beach, suffered major injuries, as well as a 36-year-old woman from Lakewood, who was driving a 2016 Honda.

The CHPs Santa Fe Springs office asked anyone with any information regarding the crash to call them at 562-868-0503.
A Maine lawmaker recently proposed a bill that would require dogs to be harnessed or tethered in moving vehicles.

In other words: No more dogs joyously hanging out the window, jowls and ears flapping in the breeze. No more small pooches perched on drivers laps like mini co-pilots.

If comments on local news stories about the idea are any guide, this proposal did not go over particularly well.

My dogs going to be so pissed when he finds out, Andrew Hesselbart wrote on the Facebook page of the Portland Press Herald. Stop trying to control everyone, wrote Jeremy Collison. Opioids destroying lives across the state and these people are wasting time on legislation like this? Robert Alan Parry asked.

On Wednesday, one day after the newspapers story on the bill ran, state Democratic Rep. Jim Handy withdrew the bill he had sponsored, which was soberly titled An Act Concerning the Transporting of Dogs in Passenger Vehicles. In a statement, Handy said the constituent who had suggested it had changed his mind.

Handy, for his part, seemed pretty lukewarm on the idea from the start. He told the New England Cable Network that he wanted pets to have the freedom to stick their head out of the window, and that his own dog loves the fresh air coming into his face.

As a dog owner myself, I had reservations about whether thats a good idea from the beginning, but its my job as a legislator to hear and represent the concerns of my constituents, Handy said in his statement on withdrawing the bill.

Had it progressed, the measure would have made Maine a pioneer in pet seat-belt legislation. Some states have laws that restrict unsecured dogs in open pickup truck beds, and others allow police to charge dog-holding drivers under distracted driving laws. Only Hawaii explicitly prohibits driving with a dog on your lap and letting an animal roam loose in a vehicle.

New Jersey has a law restricting the improper transport of animals, and in 2012, a state-sponsored event about pet safety in vehicles seemed to suggest that authorities would be keeping an eye out for dogs hanging out windows  and ticketing their owners.

You wouldnt put your child in the car unrestrained so you shouldnt put your pet in the car unrestrained either. What people come to realize only too late is that animals act like flying missiles in an impact and cannot only hurt themselves but hurt their human family members too, Col. Frank Rizzo, superintendent of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which co-sponsored the event, said at the time. A dog traveling on a drivers lap is bad, but so are dogs hanging their heads out of windows, birds traveling on a drivers shoulder or cats resting on a dashboard.

Cats resting on a dashboard?

Matt Stanton, a spokesman for the NJSPCA, said in an email Friday that the 2012 event spiraled out of control in the media and caused a great deal of confusion. The intent was to highlight pet safety in vehicles, he said, but at no point were the organizations 50 or so law enforcement officers patrolling for violations of the law, which he added was aimed at overloaded livestock carriers.

In the summer, officers do patrol the Jersey Shore for dogs locked in hot cars, and if they see a loose dog in the back of a pickup or on a drivers lap, theyeducate them about the dangers, Stanton said.

We are not running around giving tickets for dogs without seat belts, he said.

But lets say all this has made you wonder how to travel with your pooch safely. Whats the best way?

Unfortunately, theres no great answer. Two-thirds of respondents to a 2011 survey by AAA and Kurgo, a pet travel products company, said theyd engaged in distracting behavior  including petting, feeding and playing  while driving with their dogs. AAA recommends restraining dogs in the back seat, where air bags cant harm them. So does the American Veterinary Medical Association.

And there are plenty of strappy doggy seat belts on the market. But tests of harnesses by the Center for Pet Safety and Subaru resulted in only one being crash-test certified by the center; similarly, just one brands pet travel carriers, which can be strapped to car seats, earned certification. A pilot study of special pet seats, which are kind of like kids car seats, concluded that they may offer distraction prevention, but it will likely not offer crash protection.

One things for sure: For now, no one in Maine  or pretty much any other state  will be required to buy these products.
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands  The escalating dispute between NATO allies Turkey and the Netherlands hit a new low Sunday, with a Turkish minister escorted out of the country less than a day after Turkeys foreign minister was denied entry, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call the Dutch Nazi remnants.

The diplomatic clash was over plans by Turkish government officials to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum back home. Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had arrived in the country from Germany but was prevented from entering Turkeys diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up a standoff with armed police. She was later sent under escort back to Germany.

As she was approaching the German border, Kaya wrote that the whole world must take action against this fascist practice! Such a treatment against a woman minister cannot be accepted.

The Dutch were equally angry and Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogans Nazi comment a crazy remark, while Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said the Turkish consul general was guilty of a scandalous deception after he allegedly denied that the minister was coming despite government warnings to stay away.

He lied to us and didnt tell the truth, the mayor said. The deception worsened when they drove in different columns to Rotterdam to try to fool Dutch authorities.

Hundreds of pro-Turkey protesters scuffled with police into the night in Rotterdam.

The diplomatic clash with Kaya came after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands on Saturday and Turkish officials closed off the Dutch Embassy and called its ambassador no longer welcome.

The Dutch barred Cavusoglu from entering because of objections to his intention to attend a rally in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional reforms to expand Erdogans powers, which the Dutch see as a step backward from democracy. Turkish officials have been campaigning in various European cities with Turkish populations before the April 16 vote.

The Dutch government said it withdrew landing permission because of risks to public order and security, leading Cavusoglu to say: So is the foreign minister of the Turkish republic a terrorist?

Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul that the Dutch do not know politics or international diplomacy. He compared them to Nazi remnants, they are fascists.

Erdogan had earlier this month already compared German policies to Nazi practices, after German municipalities canceled several campaign events by Turkish officials last weekend.

He told a rally in Istanbul Saturday: You can stop our foreign ministers plane all you want, lets see how your (diplomatic) planes will come to Turkey from now on.

In the evening, a Turkish foreign ministry official who spoke on customary anonymity said the Dutch Embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul were closed off because of security reasons.

The official said entries and exits were closed to the two locations. Similar precautions were taken at the Dutch charge daffaires house and the ambassadors residence.

The Turkish foreign ministry also said that it doesnt want to see the Dutch ambassador, who is out of the country, return to his post for some time because of the increasingly divisive dispute with the Netherlands.

In a written statement early Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country will strongly respond to the Dutch actions.

There will be a stronger reprisal against the unacceptable treatment toward Turkey and ministers who have diplomatic immunity, Yildirim said.

Cavusoglu said he arrived in Metz, France, late Saturday, where he was expected to address crowds on Sunday.

The diplomatic row comes at a time when relations between Turkey and the European Union, of which the Netherlands is a member, have been steadily worsening, especially in the wake of Erdogans actions since last years failed coup. More than 41,000 people have been arrested and 100,000 civil servants fired from their jobs.

Cavusoglu said that unfortunately Europe and several countries in Europe, the Netherlands being in the first place, they are reminiscent of the Europe of World War II. The same racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, we see all the crimes against humanity in todays politics.

The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls next Wednesday for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains.

Earlier Saturday, Cavusoglu said Wilders is racist, fascist, Nazi, like a Nazi. Citing comments that Wilders wanted action against Muslims, Cavusoglu said: What are you going to do? Are you going to kill them, burn them or what?



Zeynep Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul.
Why sit home because you dont want to spend any money? Here are five things you can do this week that cost nothing at all.

Sunday, March 12

Sunday, March 12, is the last day of the annual Dana Point Festival of Whales, with activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. including an outdoor concert at Mariners Village, a mobile marine mammal museum set up at Doheny Beach, kids fun fair, art in the park and more. Theres a free park-and-ride shuttle, too. Learn more and see the full schedule at FestivalofWhales.com

Tuesday, March 14

Join the Laguna Niguel book club at 10:30 a.m. for a lively discussion of Erik Larsons Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. Books are available at the librarys service desk. Location: 30341 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel. Learn more: 949-249-5252

Thursday, March 16

The newly renovated Richard Nixon Presidential Library, including the museum and birthplace in Yorba Linda, will be free to visit in honor of the late First Lady Pat Nixons 105th birthday. There will be an historical impression of Mrs. Nixon at 11 a.m. by a longtime family friend. Regular adult admission is $16. Location: 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd. Yorba Linda, Ca 92886 Learn more and RSVP here: 714-993-5075 or nixonfoundation.org.

This sounds interesting. Enjoy a free 7:30 p.m. staged reading of Tumbledown, a world premiere play by award-winning Western poet and playwright Red Shuttleworth in the Saddleback College McKinney Theatre. There will be a wine-and-cheese reception at 6 p.m. where you can meet the playwright. Shuttleworth imagined a rawhide-tough, weathered and lean desert rat who has been on a desert peregrination for a long, long time  a man pulling a small wagon with a mounted coyote fixed upon that wagon. Free parking in Saddleback College lots 10 and 12.

Saturday, March 18 (and Sunday, March 19)

Woo-woo! Ride the rails of the miniature Goat Hill Junction Railroad on a five-mile track through Costa Mesas lovely Fairview Park, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the third weekend of each month. Kids must be old enough to walk. Free, but donations and volunteers are welcome. 2525 Placentia Ave., Costa Mesa.ocmetrains.org

Know a great free event coming up? Email me at mfisher@scng.com and tell me about it.

Contact the writer: mfisher@scng.com or 714-796-7994
BRUSSELS  Belgiums Parliament has quietly passed legislation giving the government extraordinary powers to deport legal residents on the mere suspicion of engagement in terrorist activities, or for presenting a risk to public order or national security, without a criminal conviction or the involvement of a judge.

The law applies only to foreign residents, not to Belgian nationals or refugees, part of a toughening of domestic security laws that has begun to worry human rights groups and ordinary citizens as a threat to civil liberties.

Amid fears of terrorism, some other European countries have also introduced stricter immigration policies. But the Belgian legislation stands out for its vague language, which grants unprecedented powers to the government to interpret and enforce the law as it sees fit, critics said.

Last week, about 70 groups representing civil rights advocates, minorities, labor and the arts signed an open letter in protest of the new law. At least two rights groups are preparing to fight the law in the Constitutional Court.

The law was first presented by Belgiums secretary for asylum and migration, Theo Francken, a Flemish nationalist and a member of the center-right government, in July in the wake of the Brussels terrorist attacks that killed 32 people.

On Feb. 9, Francken managed to slip an amendment to the countrys Foreigners Law before Parliament without much of a public debate, let alone opposition. Since then, Francken has been increasingly on the defensive over the measure.

I am not going to put someone out of the country, who has lived here all of his life and has children here and so forth, just because he got two speeding tickets, Francken said in a telephone interview. This is about 20 cases of terrorism and 50 cases of heavy criminality. Its about simplifying the procedures of orders for leaving the territory.

But a month after the law passed, some members of Parliament and civil society groups are growing worried about the powers that it granted to the executive branch.

Belgium has worked hard this past year to prevent further attacks, but its law and policy responses have been undermined by their overbroad and sometimes abusive nature, said Letta Tayler, a senior terrorism researcher at Human Rights Watch.
Pot vs. kettle

Re: [Media to blame, Letters, March 10]: I found it utterly hilarious that letter-writer Mike Rodgick took the Register to task for media bias, for its headline, Trumps war with media divides nation.

Considering that the bulk of the Registers editorial writers spend more time taking the Democratic Party to task than anything else, their bias is hardly left-leaning.

Moreover, Mr. Rodgicks assertion that the mainstream media consists entirely of liberal propagandists whom the president is right to blame and ban is, using his word, absurd.

Mr. Trump has taken on the media since day one, branding any outlet that publishes information he doesnt like as fake. Both he and the letter-writer slight media credibility for the sin of reporting what Trump has actually said.

In a world where our chief executive rails at reporters, refuses their questions, conducts press conferences as if they were popularly contestants and tweets cranky commentary about Saturday Night Live parodies in the early morning hours, calling the media petulant children is a classic case of pot vs. kettle.

If he were only being childish it would be concern enough, but now he is accusing the former administration of wiretapping in his 140-characters-or-less stream of little consciousness blurbs. His source? An alt-right media site which got it from a talk show host. Lack of care, lack of filter and lack of restraint is childish, indeed, but it is also reckless.

If he is going to say it, the media should report it. Calling the people who dare to report what you say is fake does not make it any less true. Banning them is heading down the road to totalitarianism.

 Elise A. Power, Garden Grove

Egregious accusations

Leave it to Dean Chemerinsky [Special prosecutor a must for White House probe, Opinion, March 9] to parse the original question from Sen. Al Franken of Have you had any contacts with the Russians in connection to the 2016 campaign? and changing it to Have you had any contacts with the Russians? and then accuse Mr. Sessions of lying!

What the dean conveniently omits is the fact that one meeting was at a convention where some 100 foreign ambassadors were present, and the second was with members of his staff. Thus, neither of the meetings were secret, and no one has produced any evidence of the collusion that the political left keeps insinuating.

This accusation becomes even more egregious when you notice that the overriding criticism of Trumps accusation of phones in Trump Tower being bugged rests upon the supposed lack of evidence to level such a charge. Actually, considering the fact that the Russian ambassador probably had his phone tapped, and that Michael Flynn was on the other end of the conversation, and that Flynns office was in Trump Tower, theres at least circumstantial evidence to support President Trumps claim. Thats a lot more than has been produced with regard to the insinuated collusion charge.

Maybe one day the dean will actually address the glaring errors in his opinions that many have pointed out in these pages. For someone whos argued for civil dialog on a number of issues, hes remarkably silent in response, thus engaging in nothing more than an ideological monologue, not a dialog.

 Daniel Bartkowski, La Mirada

News or opinion?

When you reprint Associated Press staff writers saying that the proposed new health care plan will likely leave more Americans uninsured, it is the kind of wording a political news commentator would use [GOP offers Obamacare replacement, News, March 7]. A credible and unbiased news journalist would instead write: some lawmakers think it could leave more Americans uninsured. Is this journalistic distinction not taught, or required, anymore?

This front-page news article from AP, as well as others I see from the New York Times, continue to appear in the OC Register, despite the promos you are currently running promising us readers no more fake news. Doesnt an opinion piece masquerading as a legitimate news story belong in the commentary pages?

When a reporters piece reveals a side theyre leaning toward, it is no longer good, clean reporting, and instead is a big part of why so many Americans are labeling our news media as fake  or, at the very least, unfair.

 Laura Maddy, Anaheim

Quality health care for me but not for thee

Has anyone ever wondered why the House and the Senate have a much different Social Security package and health care program than that of the American taxpayer?

How do they get away with that? When did it start? Why cant the American people have the same programs as them?

Just asking.

 Robert Hughes, Santa Ana

Simple health care solution

I am now convinced, after seeing our congressmen struggle with replacing the Affordable Care Act, that imbedded in their DNA is a gene that makes them create confusion and consternation in all issues before them.

Providing health care for all Americans must be a birthright. Paying for it? Its not all that complicated: All Americans must pay 7.5 percent of their gross income, and their employers contribute an additional 7.5 percent to a government health care fund. Self-employed citizens must contribute 15 percent of their gross income.

The health care fund then pays the health insurance companies, who then, in turn, pay their doctors, hospitals and health providers.

This plan covers all citizens from birth to death. Medicare could then be terminated.

Kelley Hoskins, Brea

Peacefully protesting against injustice

I am a proud member of UNITE HERE Local 11. I work as a housekeeper at the Embassy Suites Irvine and I live in Anaheim.

The op-ed you printed by Michael Saltsman calling my union the most divisive union in California was inaccurate and cynical [The regions most divisive union, Opinion, March 3].

As you may know, Mr. Saltsman is employed by a front group for the notorious PR firm, Berman & Co. He makes his living writing op-eds for a think tank that attacks workers rights, and argues against raising wages. Local news outlets like the Register should be transparent to their readership, not mouthpieces for Washington lobbyists.

More than any other role in a hotel, the job of us housekeepers can be literally back-breaking. For eight hours every day, we lift, bend, crouch, change more than 20 beds and clean more than a dozen bathrooms. And we often work too hard for too little.

Workers at the Westin and Renaissance hotels in Long Beach, and at the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, exercised their rights and united to improve these working conditions. Management retaliated against them with harassment, threats and even firing. We are proudly marching and boycotting against this retaliation and disrespect so injustice cant hide in silence.

Mr. Saltsman may not like our peaceful protests, but such actions have marked some of the most admirable moments in American history.

 Argelia Rico, Anaheim

Unconstitutional prohibition on pot

When Donald Trump set out to fulfill his campaign promises and drain the swamp, he not only misfired wildly and badly, but, apparently, overlooked several huge pieces of sewage  including our seemingly endless and highly unconstitutional prohibition on pot. And now it looks as if his infamous appointee, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, is planning a new and improved war on weed  assuming that he doesnt get thrown into jail first for his alleged felony of lying to congress [Marijuana crackdown is so yesterday, Opinion, March 10].

What are we to expect when criminals are running the roost?

Maybe we need to scrap Trumps plan to build that multibillion-dollar wall that we cant afford, and that Mexico will never pay for. Or, better yet, shun Sessions proposed Reefer Madness-inspired witch hunts on legitimate businesses in Colorado and elsewhere.

We should focus instead on a real cleanup job in Washington, and on removing some of the crooks who, with their insatiable addictions to power, are steadily turning us into the worlds laughingstock.

 Gordon Wilson, Laguna Niguel
COSTA MESA  Police are investigating a fatal stabbing early Saturday morning as a homicide, officials said.

Costa Mesa police and fire officials responded to multiple calls regarding a possible stabbing around 5:20 a.m. in the 600 block of Shasta Lane, according to a statement issued by the Costa Mesa Police Department.

When officers arrived, they were directed by several individuals to a two-story apartment complex. When they entered the home, officers found an unresponsive man in his 30s with severe injuries. The caller, described as a female acquaintance of the victim was in an upstairs bedroom.

The weapon that was used was recovered inside the home. Officers arrested a woman in the residence, but her name has not been released because of an ongoing investigation.

Officials also said they could not confirm the relationship between the male victim and the woman who was arrested.

The victims name has not been released pending notification of his family members.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@scng.com
The Trump administrations proposed $54 billion boost in military spending, fulfilling the presidents pledge to build up the military, offers, along with a proposed space buildup, a unique opportunity for Southern California to recover its economic mojo. This kind of spending tends to produce the very thing Southern California needs most desperately  large numbers of high-paid jobs that span everything from literal rocket scientists to skilled blue-collar technicians.

On the surface, we should be well-positioned to get some of this business. Although only a fraction of its former scale, Southern California retains a large high-tech aerospace legacy. In the coming potential space boom, some important new players, notably Elon Musks SpaceX and a new Virgin Galactic facility in Long Beach, also could play a big role.

Across the Southland, defense and aerospace firms still account for about $20 billion in economic activity annually in Los Angeles County, $3 billion in Orange County and about $1 billion each in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. L.A. County has about 56,000 jobs in the aerospace and defense industry, while firms in the Inland Empire employ another 40,000. In Orange County, the number is at least 23,000. Many of these jobs pay well above the regional median, with wages 45 percent higher than the average manufacturing wage.

In our local industry, the emphasis has shifted from airplane parts to the production of guided missiles and space vehicles. Other shifts in defense technology, including cyberwarfare, could favor the Southland. Theres question if anyone will build new aircraft factories in California, notes former Rockwell CEO and current venture capitalist Don Beall. But some of the high-tech intensive work is being done in California.

What can go wrong?

In a word, and not for the only time, politics. Jerry Browns assumed role as the Subcomandante Zero of the anti-Trump resistance is no great selling point. The states decision to register as resistance central  taking such steps as hiring former Attorney General Eric Holder to serve asconsigliereagainst the bestiality of the new president  makes pitching for contracts problematic.

In contrast, delegations in pro-Trump states with big defense-aerospace industries  think Texas or Ohio  should have an inside track with Defense Secretary James Mathis. Even firms engaged in cyberwarfare technology, which is a natural strength for the state, could end up pre-empted by well-nurtured industries rising in military-friendly places like San Antonio and the defense-rich areas around Washington, D.C.

Overall, Californias ultrablue politics constrains our ability to gain economically from a defense or space buildup in other ways. The states increasingly draconian greenhouse gas policies will make it difficult for any business that actually makes things  and, in space or the battlefield, you sometimes need to make a product, however sophisticated.

Making things generates greenhouses gases. The fact that making them in Texas, with its hot summers, or in Ohio, with cold winters, causes more GHGs seems not to matter to our green autocrats. The priority in Sacramento is to preen and claim the moral high ground, not create good-paying jobs that could go not only to coastal areas but job-hungry, more affordable areas like the Inland Empire or the Central Valley.

Finally, state policies threaten any potential new supply of middle-class-friendly housing and undermine any notion that we can build aerospace capacity in anything outside of those tasks that can be done by already established workers, particularly on the coast. Like Nestle, Occidental and Toyota, large aerospace companies may decide that its too expensive to lure middle- and working-class employees here, and instead look for more accommodating regions.

Do we even want these jobs?

At the end of the Cold War, the majority of the nations largest aerospace firms called Southern California home. But when the peace dividend came, many merged or moved away. Southern Californias economy took a heavy blow from the decline of aerospace and defense jobs, which dropped by nearly 50 percent between 1990 and 1996. Yet, remarkably, many of the areas politicians simply did not want to lobby to retain these often unionized and usually high-paying war-related jobs for political reasons.

They told us they didnt want these kinds of jobs, the late James Rheins, the former mayor of Villa Park and a longtime Northrup executive, told me last year. And these were really good jobs.

A 2014 study of the California aerospace sector by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearny found California well behind other states in supporting the industry, citing political indifference toward the industry within Californias state government. The fact that defense exports are one area where America is the undisputed leader makes little difference, apparently. Aerospace firms like Boeing might grow, but perhaps predominately in lower-cost, lesser-hassle red states like South Carolina or Texas.

So, sadly, history could be repeating itself. It is difficult to imagine progressive resisters like our new senator, Kamala Harris, or Jerry Brown working effectively to bring Trumpian bacon back to the state. Yet, what is not often noticed is that defense and space spending help nurture the very core of todays high-tech industry, including semiconductors and the internet itself.

Donald Trump, as awful as he may seem, is offering Southern California a chance to revive something of one of our great signature industries. Lets not blow it again.

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).
c.2017 New York Times News Service

NEW DELHI  Prime Minister Narendra Modi led his party to a landslide victory in Indias largest state on Saturday, consolidating his power and putting him in a strong position to win re-election in 2019.

The scale of the victory in Uttar Pradeshs legislative elections was all the more stunning because it followed Modis politically risky decision to eliminate most of Indias cash. The vote was seen as a referendum on the prime minister, who campaigned vigorously in recent days in Uttar Pradesh, which, with a population of more than 200 million, would be the worlds sixth largest country if it were independent.

This is a stupendous achievement, said Ashok Malik, a fellow with the Observer Research Foundation, based in New Delhi. Here you had a prime minister making himself the face of the election in the absence of a local leader and stitching together a coalition across the state.

The margin of victory in Uttar Pradesh was the largest seen by any party in more than 30 years. It gives Modi a significant advantage in the national elections in 2019, which in turn would bring him closer to his long-term goal of becoming a leader of historic significance, steering India away from its more socialist, secular past.

Modis Bharatiya Janata Party, commonly called the BJP, also won at least one of four other state elections in which ballots were being counted Saturday. The weakening India National Congress party, which once dominated the nations politics, won in Punjab, a powerful farming state, and remained in contention in two smaller states, showing that it was still a factor nationally, though less so than in years past.

The Aam Aadmi Party, born of the anti-corruption movement that has arisen in India in recent years, failed to win any state, suggesting that it was not yet ready to take over from the Congress party as the main opposition to Modi.

Modi said on Twitter that his partys victories were humbling and overwhelming.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission of India said the Bharatiya Janata Party had won or was leading in voting for 308 of the 403 seats in the state legislature, decimating the last-minute anti-Modi coalition cobbled together by Congress and the local governing party, the Samajwadi Party. By Saturday afternoon, that coalition had garnered only 57 seats.

The coalition had appeared to be gaining steam after it was formed early this year, led by the dynamic, relatively young leader of the Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav, 43, whose father founded the party and presided over it for decades.

That party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, commonly known as the BSP, have taken turns governing Uttar Pradesh in recent decades, in each case putting together coalitions that consisted mainly of the party leaders caste group along with Muslims. But on Saturday afternoon, the BSP, led by Kumari Mayawati, a leader of the Dalit caste, won or was leading in only 20 seats, the election commission said.

The scale of the Bharatiya Janata Partys victory suggested that it had bridged such caste allegiances, some experts said, although it had yet to cross religious lines to attract large numbers of Muslims. While Modi has largely steered clear of divisive language on religion as prime minister, his party has a Hindu nationalist philosophy, and he was accused of complicity in anti-Muslim violence as the leader of his home state of Gujarat.

This is the beginning of a new chapter in the history of India, Jitendra Singh, a minister of state in Modis office, told the television station Times Now. The Indian voter has learned to rise above caste and creed and vote for development and the future of India.

In fact, although Modi won the 2014 national elections on a platform of jobs and development, his economic record is mixed. He has lured more foreign investment and is close to achieving a long-delayed tax overhaul, but new job creation has been slow and domestic private investment remains stagnant.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

The International Monetary Fund this year cut its projected growth rate for India by 1 percentage point, to 6.6 percent, in large part because of Modis sudden ban on the countrys largest currency notes in November.

Saturdays results come less than four months after Modis Nov. 8 announcement that Indias largest notes, which made up 86 percent of the currency, would be banned starting the next day in a bid to fight corruption. A cash shortfall persisted for weeks as the government rushed to print enough new notes to replace the banned ones, slowing many of the countrys cash-based businesses and leaving many poor people struggling to make ends meet.

As the cash crunch persisted, with millions waiting in line for notes, Modi faced criticism that his policy had hurt lower-income people, and many predicted that voters would punish him at the polls.

But his big win in Uttar Pradesh  coupled with victory in another state, Uttarakhand, and gains in the eastern state of Manipur, where his party had not been a contender in the recent past  suggests that despite the pain the currency ban caused, voters believed Modi when he said it was needed to reduce corruption, some experts said.

The narrative became less about whether it was right or wrong on economics, but more about the political narrative, the way Modi was able to shape it, said Harsh Pant, a professor of international relations specializing in India at Kings College in London.

He said, I am a crusader against corruption, and you have to rise above your mundane economic realities and support me. And people did, Pant said.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Votes were still being counted in the smaller states of Goa and Manipur on Saturday, and the margins were so close that it was not clear who would form the state governments.

Experts said Modis win in Uttar Pradesh meant his party would be able to take control of the upper house of Indias parliament next year. They expected him to have a freer hand in making the economic policy overhauls that he has long sought to spur development, including changes in the law to make it easier for companies to acquire farmland and to fire workers.

But many experts cautioned that it was unlikely Modi would make major changes before the 2019 election. When he previously tried to ease land acquisition rules, he found himself pilloried as the suit boot prime minister, or guardian of the corporate class, the experts noted.

Hell have the space, but hell also be concerned about re-election, Malik said. The prime minister may tinker with the laws, perhaps allowing states to change some labor laws to attract industry, but hes not suddenly going to shift gears in terms of policies, Malik said.
Is the Southern California facing a shortage of qualified workers?

Fresh employment data shows a slowing pace of hiring across the region, no less the state. Remember, thats simply less hiring, not large-scale layoffs.

But at the same time, pay hikes jumped significantly in the third quarter after some attempts by bosses at controlling labor costs in 2016s first six months.

I like to watch these quarterly jobs reports with data derived primarily from employer unemployment insurance filings. Yes, this set of jobs data is a bit old, but its far more detailed and nuanced than the monthly stats that come from surveys or bosses and households.

This new data suggests to me that bosses were faced with a limited supply of skilled workers to choose from last summer. To keep up with expanding business opportunities, many bosses chose to pay up to attract and retain employees.

Just look at steep year-over-year upswings in average weekly wages around the region as the annualized hiring pace cooled:

 San Bernardino County: Pay was up 8 percent in a year, biggest jump in the region. Thats up from 1.8 percent raises in the first half, and it was the largest spike in at least 16 years. Job growth of 2.4 percent in June was the slowest since June 2013.

 Riverside County: Pay up 7.8 percent in a year, a turnabout from a 3.4 percent dip in the first half and the biggest jump in five quarters. Job growth of 4 percent in July and August was the slowest since July 2013.

 Orange County: Pay up 6.8 percent in a year, a reversal from a 2.4 percent dip in the first half and biggest third-quarter jump since 2008. Job growth of 2.4 percent in June and August was the slowest since September 2014.

 Los Angeles County: Pay up 5.4 percent in a year, up from 2 percent dip in the first half and biggest third-quarter jump since 2005. Job growth of 2.1 percent in June was the slowest in 15 months.

 Statewide: Pay up 6.7 percent in a year, up from 1 percent dip in the first half and biggest third-quarter jump since 2005. Job growth of 2.4 percent in the third quarter was off from a 2.8 percent average the previous four years.

Bosses also appear to be facing more competition. The number of employers grew in the year ended in the third quarter across the regions four counties and statewide: Riverside, up 7.8 percent; San Bernardino, up 5.7 percent; Orange County, up 4.7 percent; Los Angeles, up 4.1 percent; and California, up 5 percent.

In addition, employers are fishing through a thinning supply of readily available workers. One hint: The number of jobless Californians and workers statewide filing for unemployment benefits last year hit nine-year lows.

And dont forget the rising minimum wage, which rose $1 last year to $10 an hour in California. The Economic Policy Institute estimates wages of the lowest-paid workers nationwide rose 5.2 percent in 2016 in states that upped their minimums compared with just 2.5 percent in states that did not.

It all adds up to pay hikes and extra job opportunities, which are a welcome relief for large numbers of workers. Yes, a weakness of tracking average weekly wages is that its data that can be skewed by large movements at the extreme ends of the pay spectrum. So, not every worker bee is feeling financially flush or wanted, career-wise.

With rising pay levels pushing total worker wages to record levels, however, you know employers are nervous about thinning profits.

Many businesses are trying to pass the labor costs along by upping prices charged to customers  actions that push the cost of living higher. That can impact everyone, worker or not. Southern Californias Consumer Price Index rose 1.9 percent in 2016, the biggest jump in the cost-of-living yardstick in four years.

As 2017 progresses, watch for more signs of possible worker shortages.

Other sets of jobs data suggest the local hiring pace remained moderate as 2016 ended and this year began.

As for pay, increases in the Southern California employment cost index, which measures compensation in another manner, topped the nations leading job markets for the first three quarters of 2016. However, the local rate of hikes cooled at years end.

Economists love to debate when the economy reaches full employment, no less what that concept actually means. To my math, its simple: Full employment is when bosses are forced to significantly up your pay.

Contact the writer: jlansner@scng.com
SANTA ANA A 12-year-old girl reported missing since Friday afternoon was found around 8 p.m. Saturday, Santa Ana police officials said.

Police were searching Saturday night for Kimberly Del Villar, who was last seen by her siblings near Garfield Elementary School, said Santa Ana Police Cmdr. Matt Sorenson.

Police got the word out about the girl through the Orange County Sheriffs Department helicopters public address system, Sorenson said.

He said Kimberly was located near the area of 4th Street and Grand Avenue and returned safely to her family.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@scng.com
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., called Sunday for President Donald Trump to either prove his claim that President Barack Obama tapped the phones in Trump Tower during last years election campaign or drop the accusation.

The president has one of two choices, either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve, McCain said in an interview on CNNs State of the Union. I have no reason to believe that the charge is true, but I also believe that the president of the United States could clear this up in a minute.

The House Intelligence Committee also requested evidence by Monday in a letter sent to the Justice Department by the House committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and the panels ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a senior congressional aide said Saturday. The aide wasnt authorized to discuss the request by name and requested anonymity.

McCain is one of several top lawmakers in Congress to call on Trump to provide evidence of his unsubstantiated claim that Obama ordered Trumps communications monitored. The senators call for more information follows a request from two leading members of the Senate Judiciary Committee for copies of any warrant applications and court orders  redacted as necessary  related to wiretaps of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower.

Sens. Lindsey O. Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., formally requested the information last week in a letter to FBI Director James B. Comey and acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente. Trump administration officials have not provided any evidence to back up the presidents claim from earlier this month.

McCain avoided directly criticizing Trump for using Twitter to spread unverified information, but the senator said a serious charge, such as accusing a former president of illegal wiretapping, should not be handled lightly.

If the allegation is left out there, it undermines the confidence the American people have in the entire way that the government does business, McCain said.

Several lawmakers, including McCain and Senate Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt, R-Mo., have pointed out that Trump could directly ask intelligence officials to corroborate his claim but instead has asked Congress to investigate.

The president actually could himself ask that question, Blunt said on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures.

Not all Republicans have been so quick to put the burden of proof on Trump. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., agreed with Trump that Congress should take control of the investigation to safeguard sensitive intelligence.

President Trump said last weekend that he wanted the intelligence committees in the Senate and the House to take up this matter as part of a broader inquiry into Russias activities in our political system last year. Were going to do that, Cotton said Sunday on ABCs This Week.

Through a deliberate and careful process of examining all the intelligence at issue here, and then determining with the executive branch what we can declassify, I think the intelligence committees are in the best position to make those decisions, the senator added.
posted by , ,





Last week, I joined the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS). I can now add the MNCS acronym to my name. Unfortunately, it was not enough to register with Federal Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC). They would only accept membership of a professional body that is backed by a Federal Government Act. Not even my telling them that I found NCS on their registration page online as part of the professional bodies to join as requirement for registering with FRC changed anything in my favour.





They coldly told me to go join CPN or NIM. CPN is like the COREN for computer professionals and it stands for Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria. NIM is Nigerian Institute of Management.





I gave gave them both a call. Took a lot of online digging around to find phone numbers to call that got through and got picked. The CPN folks were more direct: "N10,000 for form. N80,000 for some training program and N97,000 for induction conference." The NIM folks were less transparent: "Just go pay for the form and we will evaluate what category you fall under and whether you would need to do an exam or not." All my "how much" questions got dribbled.





So I decided to go with CPN. The fees are unreasonably high to me but it seems like a general thing among all the bodies that have an enabling Act. And when you compare their requirements with that of ICAN and COREN, they look like a bargain. I have already paid for the form, filled it and would be going to submit it tomorrow. It is a burden the law has saddled us with.





Now I know why they say running a business is not cheap. There are too many overheads. Rent, tax, regulatory fees, annual fillings, and now professional bodies registration and annual fees. Next time someone prices our services ridiculously low, I am officially going to flare up.





I am still battling the tax people. They don't want to agree that we made operational losses in the first two years of our business. It's really difficult for people who have not run a business before to understand that there is an ocean of difference between revenue and profit. I had to pour my life savings into the business in the first year and put back a large portion of salary due me back into the business in the second year. It was last year that the business generated net profit. But for them, it is "you can't tell me that you are not making money.". Are we CBN? And is revenue same as profit? I think they should all take a foundational course on business finance.





Anyway, I have kickstarted the FRC registration. I had to beg them to give me more time to register with CPN. They suggested I hold off the registration till I had registered with the appropriate professional body but I knew better with government agencies. The song changes super fast. If they told me that what I read on their website is not valid, I can be sure that my registration fee would soon be invalid if I hold off submission of the forms till I get CPN registration.





I have already spent about N38,500 to join NCS. Spent N10,000 on FRC registration form. Spent another N10,000 on CPN registration form. NCS still requires me to pay some N50,000 soon for the induction conference in Abuja. And since I am expected to be there in person and for five days, I can add the airfare to Abuja and hotel and feeding cost to that bill. Then CPN is expecting me to fork out N177,000 more. I only hope that their own induction conference would hold in Lagos.





I am almost tempted to say it's a crazy world for entrepreneurs.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.  The No. 13 Nebraska womens gymnastics team clinched a share of the Big Ten regular season title with a first-place finish at the Big Five meet on Saturday at the State Farm Center.

Jennie Laeng led the way for NU, winning the all-around title with a career-high score of 39.400. Grace Williams had a career-high-tying 9.95 to win the title on the beams, while Ashley Lambert and Sienna Crouse shared the vault title with a duo from Ohio State with scores of 9.85.
Former President Barack Obama popped into Omaha to dine on taco salad with Warren and Susie Buffett at Happy Hollow Club on Sunday. Yes, Warren Buffett picked up the tab.

The lunch lasted about two and a half hours and was Obamas only stop while in Omaha.

Unlike previous visits, Sundays was a low-key affair.

Seated with Obama in a private room at the country club, the Buffetts had Thunderbird salads. Warren Buffett is a member of Happy Hollow.

Susie Buffett declined to comment on the purpose of the get-together, other to say it was not a fundraiser.

Im not going to talk about the meeting, she said. The three of us ate lunch.

Since leaving office, Obama has been raising money for his presidential library, but its not clear whether that project was discussed Sunday.

Warren Buffett and Obama have a long-standing relationship that has included campaign support and economic policy advice. In 2011, Obama awarded Buffett the nations highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Sundays quiet visit involved no press corps, no protesters and no hordes of supporters waving welcome to Obamaha signs.

Thats in stark contrast to then-President Obamas last trip to Omaha in January 2016. Days after he delivered his final State of the Union address, Obama spoke at the University of Nebraska at Omahas Baxter Arena to a crowd estimated at 11,000. He also went to the home of a Papillion teacher.

This time around, Obama encountered no such fanfare.

He was escorted to and from the country club by a small motorcade  just four Omaha police cars and four other vehicles. The Omaha stopover was not announced, and there were no public events or living room conversations in Papillion.

Only a handful of Omahans who got wind of the lunch gathered outside the country club to glimpse the former president.

Sandy Griffin, an 18-year-old freshman at UNO, waited in the cold for about an hour.

She said Obama waved and smiled to the group of about 10 people as he left.

They drove right past us, she said. It was really cool.

Obama was in town about three hours total. Flight logs indicate that he stopped in Omaha on his way from Washington, D.C., to San Jose, California.

The private jet that carried him was an Embraer Legacy 600/650 and belongs to Fly Eagle LLC, a business jet rental company based in Houston. It can hold up to 14 passengers.

The sky was gray and the wind howled when Obamas motorcade returned to the small airport building that serves private jets on the eastern edge of Eppley Airfield.

Obama spared little time for the harsh Nebraska wind and hustled up the steps of the private jet.

Just after 3:31 p.m., the plane was airborne.

Obama out.

World-Herald staff writers Robynn Tysver and Steve Jordon contributed to this account.
And then there were two.

Jane Stavem, one of three finalists for the Omaha Public Schools superintendent position, withdrew her candidacy Saturday.

After going through the interview process and giving the position some really careful consideration, I just determined its not the right fit, she said Saturday in an interview. Im going to continue in my current position in Lincoln. I wish the board well as they make their final selection.

School board President Lacey Merica said the board will move forward with its two remaining superintendent candidates: Paul Gausman, the superintendent of Sioux City Community Schools in Iowa, and Khalid Mumin, the superintendent of Reading School District in Pennsylvania.

Both candidates have indicated they are still interested in OPSs top job, Merica said.

We liked her qualifications and background and thought she was a good person to consider for the superintendent position, and were disappointed and sad to see shes withdrawn from consideration, Merica said of Stavem.

The board plans to meet March 20 to discuss and choose the districts next superintendent. Current Superintendent Mark Evans is retiring at the end of the school year.

It is disappointing that we wont get to have the whole discussion regarding all three candidates, Merica said. But well keep moving along, trying to meet our original timeline.

The boards goal is to hire a superintendent by the end of March, giving Evans successor a few months to transition to the role before Evans steps down in June.

Stavem, 49, is associate superintendent of instruction for Lincoln Public Schools, second in size only to OPS in Nebraska.

In interviews, she touted her knowledge of the states education system and experience working in a district with similar demographics to OPS.

Last week, all three candidates toured schools; spoke at meet-and-greet sessions attended by parents, staff and community members; and fielded questions from board members at public interviews.

The OPS board received 33 applications total and winnowed the candidates down to three last month. The board hired consultant McPherson & Jacobson to lead the superintendent search.

But Stavem said Saturday that the interview process didnt play out quite like she expected.

Some of the key stakeholder groups I thought would have been a part of that process were not, she said. That also plays into the decision-making when trying to determine if it was the right fit.

Stavem said during typical superintendent searches, finalists might meet with different groups, including the districts executive team, teachers union and principals, to ask them questions and learn more about the district from the people on the ground.

That wasnt part of this particular process, she said. Thats not what I was expecting going into (the process). Part of determining that fit is the opportunity to ask some key questions and find out information thats important in looking at the role.

Thomas Jacobson, the CEO and owner of the McPherson & Jacobson search firm, said Stavem told him she was waffling on the OPS job after the public interview and meet-and-greets last week.

She just didnt feel good about her interview and where it was going and didnt think she was going to be a good fit, he said. As I work with candidates around the country ... I tell them, dont take a job that doesnt feel right to you.

Jacobson said the search process has been proceeding smoothly. Sometimes candidates do drop out because they dont feel the job is the right match or because they received a better offer.

We worked real hard to not have that happen, he said.

I think this was a great opportunity, and thats the spirit that I entered into the search, Stavem said. I have a great job in a great district, and Im going to continue in that role.
The top federal law enforcement official in Nebraska retired Friday, immediately after she was called by a senior Justice Department prosecutor and told that she and other U.S. attorneys across the country should resign.

U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg said in an interview Saturday that although she had planned to retire, and it is customary for U.S. attorneys to leave their positions after a new president takes office, the timing was abrupt.

There had been no prior notification at all, she said, before the telephone direction from Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente.

Gilg said she took part in a Wednesday conference call with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and he did not raise the topic.

Robert Stuart, the first assistant U.S. attorney in Nebraska, will lead the office until the White House selects a permanent successor.

State Treasurer Don Stenberg, a former state attorney general, and J.L. Spray, an attorney at a Lincoln firm who is a former chairman of the Nebraska Republican Party, have been mentioned in legal and political circles as potential successors.

Stenberg, 68, confirmed his interest on Saturday and said he had been in touch with Republican Sens. Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer and had answered their questions. Spray, when reached earlier, declined to comment.

Typically the White House shows deference to a states senators on appointments to the position. U.S. attorneys guide the prosecutions of drug trafficking, white-collar fraud and other crimes.

Mark Martinez, the U.S. marshal in Nebraska, also is expected to be replaced under the new administration, although on Saturday he said he was sitting tight.

As far as I know, Im U.S. marshal for the District of Nebraska, said Martinez, who was a member of the Omaha Police Department before his appointment.

Among names being mentioned for the marshal post are Deputy Chief Dave Baker and possibly other commanders in the Omaha Police Department and Bellevue Police Chief Mark Elbert. Metropolitan Community College Police Chief Dave Friend said he had sent application materials to Fischers office and to the White House, but received an email from Fischer that said he was not under consideration.

Gilg, a Democrat, was the first female U.S. attorney in Nebraska when she was confirmed in September 2009. The Omaha native served as Keith County attorney from 1987 to 2002.

She led the U.S. Attorneys Office in Nebraska when indictments were returned in a significant rural methamphetamine case that led to arrests across central and western Nebraska and in Colorado. The methamphetamine being sold by the midlevel dealers came from Arizona, Oklahoma, Colorado and Utah, but could be traced to the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, Gilg said at the time.

The 2016 case was the largest bust of its kind in Nebraskas history. In January 2016, Gilgs office indicted six Omaha street gang members in a racketeering conspiracy case. The defendants, 40th and 44th Avenue Crips gang members, sold crack cocaine, intimidated witnesses and shot adversaries, the indictments alleged. Prosecutors would for the first time in Nebraska prove that gang members were acting as part of a criminal enterprise, Gilg said.

On Saturday she praised the prosecutors in her office, saying they had done remarkable work.

Gilg, who is 65, suggested that her legal career may have come to an end. Reached by phone as she played with her grandchildren, she said she planned to take some time off before making a final decision.

Sessions on Friday sought the resignations of 46 U.S. attorneys who were appointed during prior presidential administrations.

Many of the federal prosecutors who were nominated by then-President Barack Obama have already left their positions, but Gilg and the nearly four dozen others who stayed on in the first weeks of the Trump administration were asked to leave in order to ensure a uniform transition, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said.

Until the new U.S. attorneys are confirmed, the dedicated career prosecutors in our U.S. attorneys offices will continue the great work of the department in investigating, prosecuting and deterring the most violent offenders, she said in a statement.

Another Justice Department spokesman, Peter Carr, said President Donald Trump has asked Rod Rosenstein of Maryland, who was appointed by President George W. Bush and remained on the job for the entire Obama administration, and Boente, who has served as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to stay on.

This report includes material from the Associated Press.
Ann Ferlic Ashford is thinking about following in her husbands congressional footsteps.

Ashford, 56, is mulling over a bid for the congressional seat once held by Brad Ashford. The Democrat was defeated last fall by Republican Don Bacon after serving a single term in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District.

Ashford said she has long wanted to run for Congress but would never have challenged her husband. However, she said, the door suddenly opened for her own congressional bid earlier this year when Brad Ashford decided he would not attempt a comeback bid against Bacon.

Ashford readily acknowledges that her possible political bid may strike some as unorthodox, but the Omaha attorney said she was confident she could prove to voters that it will be a serious bid by an independent woman.

Simply because I am married to (Ashford) shouldnt disqualify me from pursuing something I want to. And simply because I am married to him shouldnt qualify me either, Ashford said.

I need to be looked at as my own individual person, because I am my own individual person, she said.

She plans to make a final decision later this spring.

Ashford is a lifelong Omahan and, until recently, a lifelong Republican. Her father is Randy Ferlic, a staunch Republican and retired physician who served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

She said she has long been interested in politics, noting this is not her first foray into the fray. Ashford ran unsuccessfully in 2011 for her departing fathers Board of Regents seat but lost to former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub.

Ashford is a newcomer to the Democratic Party. She has been a registered Republican for most of her life, but said she decided last year that her party had changed. That realization came, in part, with the nomination and election of Donald Trump.

Ashford voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton.

I finally reached the point where I realized the old-fashioned Republican Party that I could hold my head up high and be proud of no longer existed, said Ashford, who registered as a Democrat in December.

Ashford graduated from Westside High School in 1978, then attended the University of Notre Dame and Creighton University School of Law.

Ashford said her husband thought long and hard about attempting to win back the 2nd District congressional seat. He lost by 1 percent to Bacon, a retired general with the U.S. Air Force.

However, at the end of the day, Ann Ashford said her husband decided he was more interested in working for a nonprofit company in Omaha that is attempting to develop a streetcar in the midtown area.

Ashford said there is little doubt she will rely upon her husband for political advice, but, she said with a laugh, Brad Ashford knows that she would run her own campaign and would be her own woman if elected to Congress.

Were independent people, hed be happy to tell you, she said.
When he was Ronald Reagans secretary of state, George Shultz was once asked about the CIAs disavowal of involvement in a mysterious recent bombing in Lebanon. Replied Shultz: If the CIA denies something, its denied.

Has there ever been a more dry, more wry, more ironic verdict on the world of espionage? Within it, there is admission and denial, smoke and mirrors, impenetrable fog and deliberate obfuscation. Truth? Ask the next guy.

Which is why my default view of espionage is to never believe anyone because everyone is trained in deception. This is not a value judgment; its a job description.

We learn, for example, from Tuesdays spectacular WikiLeaks dump that among the CIAs various and nefarious cybertools is the capacity to simulate intrusion by a foreign power, the equivalent of planting phony fingerprints on a smoking gun.

Who are you going to believe now? I can assure you that some enterprising Trumpite will use this revelation to claim that the whole storyline pointing to Russian interference in the U.S. election was a fabrication.

Hard to do with Washington caught up in one of its periodic conspiracy frenzies. Actually, two. One, anti-Donald Trump, is that he and his campaign colluded with Russian intelligence. The other, anti-Barack Obama-CIA-deep state, is that Obama wiretapped Trump Tower to ensnare candidate Trump.

The odd thing is that, as of late last week, there is no evidence for either charge. That wont, of course, stop the launch of multiple, all-consuming investigations.

 Collusion: James Clapper, Obamas director of national intelligence, who has been deeply and publicly at odds with Trump, unequivocally states that he has seen zero evidence of any Trump campaign collusion with Russia. Nor has anyone else.

The contrary suspicion arises because its hard to explain why Michael Flynn falsely denied discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador and why Jeff Sessions falsely denied having any contacts at all. That suggests concealment.

Suspicion, nonetheless, is far short of assertion  and a fairly thin basis for a major investigation, let alone for a special prosecutor. To prosecute what, exactly?

 Wiretap: The other storyline is simply fantastical. Congressional Republicans have uniformly run away from Trumps Obama-wiretap accusation. Clapper denies it. FBI Director James Comey denies it. Not a single member of Trumps own administration is willing to say its true.

The bugging story is less plausible than a zombie invasion. Nevertheless, one could spin a milder  and more plausible  scenario of executive abuse. It goes like this:

The intelligence agencies are allowed to listen in on foreigners. But if any Americans are swept up in the conversation, their part of it is supposed to be redacted or concealed to protect their identity.

According to the New York Times, however, the Obama administration appears to have gone out of its way to make sure that information picked up about Trump associates contacts with Russians was widely disseminated.

Under Obama, did the agencies deliberately abuse the right to listen in on foreigners as a way to listen in, improperly, on Americans?

We are headed down a rabbit hole. An enormous amount of heat and energy will be expended, ending  my guess  roughly where we started.

What a waste. There is a major national agenda waiting to be debated and enacted. North Korea keeps testing missiles as practice for attacking U.S. bases in Japan. Meanwhile, we are scrambling to install an antimissile shield in South Korea as early as next month. Fuses are burning.

When the detonations begin, wed better not be in the rabbit hole.
The Nebraska Legislature is engaged in a serious, public-spirited debate about the future of state funding for local K-12 schools.

This debate includes discussions of how much public money each school district or student should receive and whether state money should follow each child, regardless of which public or private school they attend. Nebraskas discussions are part of a national debate on school choice, school funding and support for public schools.

Those debating these issue should note the recent World-Herald reporting on Omahas troubled-but-improving Nathan Hale Middle School, where welcome progress is being made to overcome student behavior issues, although plenty of work remains.

Nathan Hales story offers an example of why state lawmakers should tread carefully when tweaking state funding formulas for troubled local schools. Some proposed changes to state law on school choice and school funding, if adopted, could reduce public funds for struggling schools, creating the unintended consequence of leaving public school districts less able to address such shortcomings.

The Nathan Hale example shows that struggling schools can improve. But districts such as Omaha Public Schools and others across the state that educate impoverished students and students learning English need adequate staffing, time and tax dollars to do so.

This year, 88 percent of Nathan Hales students receive free or reduced-price lunch. After enrollment jumped this year from 320 to 580 with the addition of sixth graders, student behavior at the school deteriorated, with hallway fights, classroom dust-ups and lunchroom disruptions.

Administrators and neighborhood groups responded with intense, sustained strategies to improve the schools safety outlook and learning environment.

Among the efforts that helped were sending in a steady influx of additional adults to help calm the hallways, the lunchroom and the playground. The volunteers were a mix of the districts administrative staff and members of community organizations such as 100 Black Men and 100 Black Women.

Getting Nathan Hale moving in the right direction also prompted new behavior management training of teachers and staff and a beefed-up staff. Added were two deans of students, a social worker, a long-term substitute teacher, another security guard, an additional special education teacher, an extra supervisor for a student discipline room and an extra cafeteria worker, all of which cost taxpayer funds.

It may be months, or even years, before those investments fully pay off. But they set the stage for better learning. This approach rightly focuses on boosting student, parent and staff accountability. Staff and volunteers are teaching children about personal responsibility, appropriate behavior and healthy coping strategies.

Already, as The World-Herald recently reported, people in and around the school see a difference.

I havent had the stories coming home like they used to: Mom, guess what happened today at school,  said Lanesa Ballew, the mother of an eighth-grade girl and president of the Nathan Hale parent-teacher organization.

The changes are most evident in the schools hallways and classrooms. Thats where additional paid staff and volunteers keep kids focused on the job at hand. Students are back to learning.

Theyre also connecting with involved neighbors, including a woman many call Grandma: the Rev. Portia Cavitt of Clair Memorial United Methodist Church. Cavitt speaks with students about showing respect for themselves and others. Many of the youths share stories with her about difficult home lives and how they would like to improve their school.

Money alone cant solve what ails Nathan Hale and similarly situated schools. Its hard to fight intergenerational poverty.

But real improvements can be made with the infusion of additional staffing, focused teacher training and community buy-in. As state lawmakers consider reconfiguring state aid and other K-12 funding, they would be wise to remember the example of Nathan Hale and make it a priority to avoid instituting policy changes that would restrict local school districts ability to improve struggling schools.
The writer is a farmer from Central City, where he produces corn, popcorn and pork. He also serves as first vice president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Concerned. That one word best describes the tone of a recent U.S. Grains Council meeting I attended in Panama as a representative of Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Founded in 1960, the U.S. Grains Council is a private, nonprofit corporation whose membership includes both farm organizations and agribusinesses committed to developing export markets for U.S. agriculture commodities, including those produced in Nebraska, such as barley, corn, grain sorghum and other products such as ethanol and distillers dried grains.

The sense of unease from those in attendance was tied directly to President Donald Trumps recent actions on U.S. trade policy and the uncertainties about where future policies are headed.

Fulfilling a campaign promise, the president had already pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The administration was also fresh off announcing it was contemplating implementation of a 20 percent tariff on products imported from Mexico into the United States.

Piling on was talk the president would begin the process of renegotiating terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as dicussions to pull the U.S. out of the World Trade Organization.

Individually, those actions make agricultural interests very uneasy. Collectively, theyre enough to warrant a push on the panic button.

When it comes to international trade, the stakes are high, and not just for farmers and ranchers, but also for the citizens of states with economies closely tied to agriculture, especially Nebraska.

Roughly 25 percent of Nebraskas workforce is employed by agriculture and agriculture-related businesses. More than one-fourth of Nebraskas entire economy is attributable to agriculture as a whole.

You dont have to look any further to feel its impact than Nebraskas state budget shortfalls resulting from the ongoing downturn in the agriculture economy.

As agriculture boosts Nebraskas economy, international trade boosts the agriculture sector. Today, more than 30 percent of gross cash income in agriculture is attributable to exports.

Eroding global trade opportunities is a recipe for disaster for agriculture and Nebraska. According to American Farm Bureau Federation analysis, the Trans-Pacific Partnership was estimated to annually boost Nebraska agriculture cash receipts by $378 million and Nebraska agriculture exports by $229 million, once fully implemented.

Those are significant dollars that could have been pushed through Nebraskas economy at a time when farm income is off in a major way.

According to the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture projections, 2017 U.S. net farm income will be down nearly 9 percent from last year. All told, that reflects a 50 percent decline in net farm income from the high points reached in 2013.

That alone makes the prospects of reconfiguring NAFTA and potentially alienating our trade partners in Canada and Mexico a dicey proposition. Consider this: Canada and Mexico are Nebraskas top two markets in terms of the value of agriculture exports. In 2015, Nebraska exported more than $1.4 billion in goods to Canada and nearly $1.3 billion to Mexico.

While the loss of Trans-Pacific Partnership opportunities is piercing, the loss of NAFTA would be debilitating. For scale, NAFTA today is worth nine times the export value to the U.S. of what the Trans-Pacific Partnership would have been when fully implemented.

Theres no denying that free-trade agreements have been good for Nebraska. In 2015, exports to countries with free-trade agreements accounted for 53 percent of Nebraskas exports, including trade though agreements with Korea, Australia, Israel, the Central American trade agreement and NAFTA.

Not only are these agreements important, but they also present opportunities for sustained expansion. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, exports from Nebraska to free-trade agreement markets grew 104 percent from 2005 to 2015, with growth in NAFTA trade far outpacing that with other trade partners.

As the president searches for better deals, it becomes even more critical the administration understands the full implications of how any missteps in trade policy could be damaging for Nebraskans and others across the heartland. The stakes are too high for anything less.
P Chidambaram accuses BJP of using 7 phase poll in UP to polarise voters

Highest number of women MLAs in UP since Independence

How the numbers add up in UP: This is what BJP's win percentage was

Amit Shah calls UP an unprecedented win

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, March 12: Terming the BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls as "unprecedented", party chief Amit Shah said the win is a stamp of approval on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's work.

Shah said the party would win the 2019 Lok Sabha poll with a bigger mandate than 2014.

"The victory is a stamp of approval on Prime Minister's work," Shah said addressing party workers and supporters at the BJP's national headquarter at 11, Ashoka Road here.

"It is after a long time that a party is getting two-thirds majority in Uttar Pradesh. This victory is unprecedented in many ways," Shah said.

"After independence, Narendra Modi is the leader who has not just talked about the poor, but worked for them. He is the most popular leader," Shah added.

He said demonetisation, free cooking gas connections to the poor, mission on toilets under the Clean India programme and Jan Dhan accounts worked in favour of the BJP.

"This is two steps ahead of our victory of 2014. In the coming days, we will also spread to eastern and western states. We will get a bigger mandate in 2019 under the leadership of Narendra Modi," he said.

IANS
At 1.2 per cent, Goa used the NOTA option most

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

It was Goa that used the None of the Above button on the EVM machine the most. 1.2 per cent of the voters used the option to say that they did not want any of the candidates to win the elections.

Goa was followed by Uttarakhand with 1 per cent and Uttar Pradesh with 0.9 per cent. In Punjab it was 0.7 per cent while in Manipur it was 0.5 per cent. In Goa, the elections threw up a hung verdict. The Congress however has a slight edge in Goa.

In UP, 0.9 per cent or 11,22,07 have exercised this option. The total number of voters in Uttar Pradesh is 134,351,297. The state has a total of 403 constituencies. Prior to the elections there were reports that the power of the NOTA was being underestimated in the state of UP.

NOTA is a ballot option that a voter can chose instead of giving their vote to any of the candidates. In the year 2009, the Election Commission of India had asked the Supreme Court to offer this option on the EVMs. The government had however opposed the same. But the SC ruled that every voter must have the right to register a NOTA. The option has been available since 2013.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, March 12, 2017, 9:53 [IST]
BJP appoints observers to decide on CM candidates for UP, Uttarakhand and Manipur

India

oi-Lisa

New Delhi, March 12: Union health minister JP Nadda addressed a press conference after Parliamentary Board meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party ended. He began by stating that board first paid tribute to the 12 CRPF jawans who were martyred in Chhattisgarh in the Maoist attack.

He then said that board and the party members thanked the people of the country for their continued support to the BJP. Talking about the post assembly election results scenario he said that for UP Venkaiah Naidu and Bhupendra Yadav have been appointed as observers. He added that for Uttarakhand Narendra Tomar and Saroj Pandey will be the observers, while for Manipur Piyush Goyal and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe will be the observers.

Addressed Press Conference after Parliamentary Board meeting of @BJP4India .https://t.co/tzk8NAYjhw  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) March 12, 2017

The observers will meet the elected members of the legislative assemblies and submit the report to party chief Amit Shah. Based on the report submitted by the observers party will make decision about the Chief Ministerial candidates for UP, Uttarakhand and Manipur.

He said, "Amit Shah ji has been authorised by parliamentary board to make final decision on the Chief Ministerial candidate after observers submit their respective reports."

He said that the verdict of the people shows that people have shown faith in the schemes and programmes launched by the government especially those that are to benefit poor, farmers, women and youth.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the beginning of the meeting thanked party president Amit Shah and lakhs of BJP members thanks to whose efforts the party got huge success in recently concluded assembly elections.

OneIndia News
Embattled FBI Director James Comey Pulls Out Of SXSW Appearance

FBI director James Comey has announced that he's canceling a planned address at SXSW, citing scheduling conflicts. Comey had been slated to be interviewed at the festival by Newseum CEO Jeffrey Herbst.

Stepping into replace Comey at the event will be former FBI General Counsel James Baker.

Comey has been front and center in American politics in the last year, first with the politically charged investigation of former Sec. of State and 2016 Democratic Presidential nominee Hilary Clinton's private email usage. Then, in October, Comey threw a wrench into the election when he raised questions about Clinton's email again, apparently without any justification. Now, after the election, he's been pulled into the debate about President Trump's apparently baseless charges that former US president Barack Obama wiretapped Trump's campaign.

Media reports have stated that Comey has privately asked the U.S. Justice Department to dispute Trump's claims.

via Celebrity Access

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Congress accuses Modi government of subverting democracy in Manipur

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, March 12: The Congress on Sunday cried foul as the BJP was set to form the government in Manipur with the support from three small NDA constituents, a Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator, taking its tally to 32.

"As per the Constitution and norms, the single largest party is always invited to form the government. The Modi government through the Governors, who are acting as its stooges, is subverting the law and democracy," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said here.

"Federalism and the rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by the Modi Government," he alleged. He also alleged the BJP was misusing the CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct an Independent MLA travelling with an outgoing Congress minister from Imphal to Kolkata.

"The BJP is now misusing CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct Independent MLA (Jiribam seat) Ashab Uddin at Imphal airport," he said, adding that the legislator was travelling with outgoing minister Abdul Nasir. Congress general secretary C P Joshi, who is in charge of party affairs in Manipur, has been camping in the state.

The BJP on Sunday bagged support from three NDA constituents -- the National People's Party, the Lok Janshakti Party and the Naga People's Front. Besides, one Congress MLA and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator extended support to the BJP in evening. The BJP was the second largest party in Manipur with 21 seats, after the Congress (28 seats), in the 60-member assembly. The NPP and the NPF has won four seats each, while the LJP has bagged one seat.

PTI
Congress says BJP murdering democracy in Goa

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, March 12: The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP of murdering democracy in Goa and dubbed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as villain after the saffron party stole march on it.

Winning 17 seats, the Congress had yesterday emerged as the single largest party in the Goa Assembly polls, which threw up a hung verdict. However, the BJP, which was relegated to the second position with 13 seats, has staked claim to form government in the state with support of other parties.

"We were in a position to form government in Goa after people favoured us and were in the process of doing so. But what the BJP did there is unthinkable and murder of democracy. Parrikar is the villain behind what has transpired," Congress secretary Shantaram Naik told PTI.

Naik said the developments took place while the Congress MLAs were busy electing their legislature leader. "Even (Union Minister) Shripad Naik had yesterday said they (BJP) will not form government (in Goa) due to inadequate numbers. But what has happened is unthinkable in democracy, we condemn it," he said.

Parrikar today staked claim to form the next government in the state with the support from three members, each of Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomkantak Party, two Independents and lone NCP MLA, taking the tally of the coalition to 22. With this, the BJP has cobbled up the requisite number needed to reach the magic figure in the 40-member House.

PTI
Does UP victory make Modi's return in 2019 smooth?

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, March 11: With the BJP sweeping Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and making major inroads into the north east with a strong showing in Manipur, the prospects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi returning to power at the Centre have become more evident, say experts.

While the majority of experts say the 2019 election should be smooth sailing for Modi, there are a few who maintain that a lot could happen over the next two years.

Praveen Rai, political analyst at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, called the assembly elections in the five states "a mid-term appraisal for the Central government". "After this mandate, it is now going to be a cakewalk for the BJP, not only to retain what they won in 2014, but to even improve on that," Rai said.

On the other hand, political analyst Ashok Malik sounded a note of caution. He said the return to power in 2019 will not be as easy as it seems. "There will be serious challenges before the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to fulfil the major promises it made to people, including loan waiver to the farmers. In addition, it has to look after the promises it made earlier (during Lok Sabha election in 2014). So coming back to power in 2019 will not be easy," Malik said.

Political commentator and columnist Neerja Chowdhury asserted that the latest poll results have improved Modi's chances as "his credibility and image are as strong - may be even stronger - as they were in 2014". At the same time, she maintained, there were still two years to go during which a lot could happen.

Chowdhury pointed out that the opposition was not able to withstand the momentum of the Modi juggernaut in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"If you go by the Bihar story, two major parties buried their differences and came together to fight the BJP... Opposition will have to close ranks in state after state and find a common leader if they want to take on Modi," she said. Chowdhury added that if BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had come together in Uttar Pradesh, they may have been able to give the BJP a tough fight.

Maintaining that the demonetisation issue clicked big time with the voters of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Rai said it would be difficult for the opposition to regroup against the BJP to open a front against it in the next two years, before the Lok Sabha election.

"With this (assembly election) result, the opposition has no issue left. Now all parties opposed to the BJP will have to form a 'mahagathbandan' (grand alliance). However, till that happens, BJP will gain more momentum," Rai said.

Echoing Rai, Chowdhury said the BJP had managed to reach areas where it did not exist. "It is making inroads in north east India.. Manipur is a big success story for the BJP. I do not know whether they will form a government there but they have a great showing," Chowdhury said.

The BJP swept Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand while it was in a neck-and-neck fight with the Congress in Manipur and Goa. However, the BJP has staked its claim to form governments in all four states. In Punjab, the party, which is in alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal, suffered a humiliating defeat.

IANS
Goa: BJP Catholic MLAs appeal to regional parties to support in government formation

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Panaji, March 12: Seven Catholic MLAs of the BJP on Sunday made a public plea to regional parties and Independent legislators to support the party in government formation in Goa.

Speaking to reporters in Panaji, BJP MLA Michael Lobo said: "We seven members of minority are appealing to Goa Forward, MGP and Independents to support us and form a stable government in Goa".

For the first time, the number of Catholic legislators in the BJP has outnumbered Hindus, with seven legislators elected to the assembly in the February 4 election.

Both the Congress, which has emerged as the single largest party with 17 MLAs, and the BJP, with 13 MLAs, are in the process of speaking to regional parties and Independents in a bid to take power. The magic number mark in the 40-member Goa assembly is 21.

Regional parties Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward have won three seats each while three independents have also been elected. The Nationalist Congress party has won one seat.

IANS
FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K

Has BJP's win in UP humbled rivals and allies in J&K?

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Jammu, March 12: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ruffled many a feather by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landslide in Uttar Pradesh had shattered the opposition hopes of unseating him soon.

Abdullah was in fact making a rational analysis that suited his own National Conference.

He tweeted that with the political balance tilting in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition should forget the Lok Sabha election of 2019 and aim at the 2024 general election to take power in New Delhi.

His views have ruffled the Congress, Abdullah's former ally.

But the predicament of a regional leader who cast his lot with the Congress when his party formed a coalition in Jammu and Kashmir after the 2008 assembly election has simply been overlooked by the Congress.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti felicitated the BJP for its landslide win in Uttar Pradesh by saying it was an endorsement of Prime Minister Modi's agenda of development and progress.

She was, however, quick to assert her party's regional niche by asking Modi to start the peace process so that a permanent solution to the problems faced by the people in the state was found.

Mufti also said the people's endorsement of Modi's developmental agenda had proved right the decision of her father, the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, to ally with an ideologically divergent party like the BJP.

Coalition compulsions for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have come to fore many times during the last two years it has ruled the state with the BJP.

On issues like the establishment of separate colonies for migrant Pandits, Sainik Colonies, West Pakistan refugees and even rationalisation of state administrative cadres like the KAS and KPS, the BJP and the PDP have found themselves on two sides of the river.

As the BJP gets stronger, the PDP will have to put together its regional act fast since most of its political ground in the Muslim-majority Valley has been eroded due to the unrest of 2016.

A silver lining to the dark cloud for the PDP is that its falling scores with Kashmiris have not benefitted the National Conference so far.

But in Jammu and Kashmir elections as elsewhere in the country, voters rarely vote parties to power as strongly as they do to throw them out of it.

The impact of the BJP victory will definitely help its rank and file in the Hindu-majority Jammu region.

The anger in the Jammu region against the BJP will at worst now zero on its ministers, not the party high command.

For the PDP, the same is not true in the Valley.

The biggest challenge the PDP now faces is to regain its lost ground by retaining the two Lok Sabha seats of Anantnag and Srinagar which go to the polls on April 9 and 12 respectively.

The seats fell vacant after Mufti vacated the Anantnag seat by taking over as Chief Minister and Tariq Hameed Karra resigned the Srinagar seat after parting ways with the PDP.

If the PDP wins both seats, it would have walked away with a political jackpot.

But if it loses both or one of the two seats, it will stand humbled before its BJP ally.

IANS
Won't leave any stone unturned for New India says Modi

India

oi-Anusha

New Delhi, March 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried out a victory drive to celebrate the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The drive concluded at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

He received a warm welcome at the party headquarters. BJP president Amit Shah and BJP parliamentary committee members felicitated him. Amit Shah talked about how PM has worked towards the benefit of poor and he said that the mandate that people have given to BJP this time is two steps ahead of the 2014 election mandate.

"I see a new India, an India of the dream of the youth. A new India of empowered women and their dreams. A new India that looks to contribute and not just to take. The India that seeks opportunities to grow" said Prime Minister Modi in his speech at the BJP headquarters on Sunday. Narendra Modi, amid cheers from the party cadre said that no stone will be left unturned for a new India. The BJP parliamentary committee welcomed the Prime Minister is an elaborate celebration, congratulating him for the massive Uttar Pradesh win.

First and foremost, let me wish you all a very happy Holi: PM @narendramodi begins his speech at the BJP HQ in Delhi  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 12, 2017

"It doesn't matter to me that we defeated any party. I respect the people's mandate and we want to fulfil the people's aspirations. We have found ourselves successful in the path of dedicating ourselves for the welfare of the people," he said.

Development is always a central issue during every election. But, earlier parties were scared to fight elections on development: PM  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 12, 2017

"With these wins, we have the responsibility of being humble. Power is not about posts. Power is an opportunity to serve," said the Prime Minister. Narendra Modi said that the BJP government will work for not just those who voted for the party but also for those who didn't. "The government is formed with majority votes but should run with everyone's acceptance. Our government will work for those who walk with us but also for those who stand in opposition," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

With these wins we have the responsibility of being humble. Power is not about posts. Power is an opportunity to serve: PM @narendramodi  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 12, 2017

PM on the power of the poor

The Prime Minister said India had shunned appeasement politics and now looked at opportunities to prove themselves and better themselves, contributing to nation building.

The more the poor of this country get the opportunity, the more the country will move forward. If the poor get the opportunity, they will work for the country. They are our country's strength," said the PM. He added that the middle class had a lot of burdens to carry in the country. "The middle class pays taxes, follows the law, they carry the burden of the economy but their burden should be reduced. The day the poor of the country is able to carry his or her own burden, the burden on the middle class will reduce automatically. The strength of the poor and the aspirations of the middle class will take India to new heights," the Prime Minister added.

Generations of individuals have given their lives to build this party. They travelled all over India to make the party strong: PM  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 12, 2017

Victory for development, says Prime Minister

While thanking Amit Shah and the party workers for the massive victory in Uttar Pradesh, Modi also said that he sees and appreciates the people's active participation in recent years in the process of nation building.

"It is important in a country like India for people to participate in Nation building and not limit themselves just to casting votes. The way people are coming out and voting in India these days, I believe it is a good sign that people are participating in the process of nation building. This is also a new India," the Prime Minister said.

Through the membership drive, the BJP has been able to become the largest political party in the world: PM @narendramodi  narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) March 12, 2017

"Food for thought for political pundits"

The win, Prime Minister Modi said, was indicative of how parties can also win on the agenda of development and not necessarily ride an emotive wave, a clear dig at the sympathy wave that Congress rode in general elections after Indira Gandhi's assassination.

"There are many reasons for winning an election but the massive voting that led to this massive win has become a food for thought for political pundits. I have been speaking to many political pundits and in this country, we have seen emotive issues create a wave and affect the results of an elections. No party has managed to attempt a win with development as an agenda but without an emotive issue at hand, we have received this mandate for development," Narendra Modi said.

He claimed that the win in Uttar Pradesh this year was an emotional issue for the BJP since it is the birth centenary year of Pundit Deen Dayal Upadhya.

Modi's 2022 mission

Reiterating his vision for a New India, the Prime Minister said that the party's target was 2022. The Prime minister while maintaining that elections do not matter to him, told party workers that their next target is 2022. "We have five more years for 2022. It marks 75 years since Independence, a landmark moment for India. I encourage the people of this country to personally dedicate themselves to the vision of a better India. We have pledged to work for the welfare of the country and the society and we will create a new India by 2022," he said.

He also said that the BJP is new to governance but won't does anything with ill-intentions. He concluded by thanking the people of all five states and promised to work for a better India.

OneIndia News
India summons Pakistan Deputy HC over ceasefire violations

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, March 11: India on Saturday summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah to conveyed its "grave concern and strong protest" at the continuing incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan side at the LoC and International Border.

"The government registered its strong protest at the fatal casualty of an Indian soldier in unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces on March 9, 2017," said a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement.

"The Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan was conveyed the government's expectation that Pakistan will not take any step detrimental to peace along the LoC and IB and to the security of India," it added.

On Friday night, Pakistan had summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh to express concern over the acquittal of RSS leader Swami Aseemanand in the 2007 Ajmer Sharif blast case, Dawn news reported.

-IANS
'Shaurya Diwas': Rajnath Singh says J&K entered new era of peace & prosperity after Article 370 abrogation

Pak committing atrocities against people in PoK, will have to bear consequences: Rajnath Singh

India's defence a notch higher with launch of 75 vital BRO projects in 6 states and 2 UTs, including J&K

Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh

Despite BJP's massive win, here is why Rajnath Singh will not celebrate Holi

India

oi-Madhuri

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that he will not celebrate Holi in view of Sukma Maoist attack that claimed lives of 12 Central Reserve Police Force jawans.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to not celebrate Holi in view of Sukma Maoist attack, that claimed lives of 12 CRPF jawans (file pic) pic.twitter.com/bUSiQG7ubW  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

Singh arrived on Saturday to assess the situation and met the four jawans injured in the Maoist attack. The injured jawans were being treated at a private hospital in the state capital.

The home minister said that the government has decided that the compensation to kin of martyred soldiers shouldn't be less than Rs 1 crore under any circumstances.

On Saturday morning, 12 CRPF personnel were killed and four injured in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, when they were ambushed by the rebels during a road opening operation between Bhejji and Kottacheru villages. The Maoists also looted 11 rifles from the jawans killed in the two-hour long gunfight.

OneIndia News (with IANS inputs)
Nirmala Seetharaman requests TN fishermen to give up stir

India

pti-PTI

Rameswaram, March 12: Union Minister Nirmala Seetharaman on Sunday visited fishermen who are on an agitation here over the killing of their colleague, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, and urged them to give up their stir.

She also requested the mother of the deceased fisherman Bridgo and his colleagues to receive his body, now kept in the mortuary here, and make arrangements for the funeral. The minister told the fishermen that their grievances over such attacks would be conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "who will find a permanent solution to the issue".

The fishermen told the minister that they would not give up the stir as they wanted a permanent solution to the problem of such frequent attacks. Speaking to reporters after meeting the fishermen, she said the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo had taken up the matter with Sri Lanka within two hours of Bridgo being killed.

She said the island nation had not kept its promise during the tripartite talks that Indian fishermen crossing the International Maritime boundary line would not be harmed, and only arrested. The minister said the killing of the fisherman would be raised by the Indian High Commission Secretary at the March 16 tripartite talks.

She said investigation was on into the killing after which suitable steps will be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Seetharaman said the Centre would take steps to see that those who opened fire on the fisherman were brought to justice. Discussions were also on with Sri Lanka to release the 136 boats seized by the island nation, she said.

The minister said the BJP government had taken various steps since coming to power in 2011 to address issues of the fishermen. Five fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan prisons since November 6, 2011 had been saved from the gallows. Since 2014 till December 2016, a total of 1,753 fishermen detained by Sri Lanka had been released. The government had also introduced various welfare schemes for the fishermen, she said.

Referring to the fishermen's charge that government was discriminating against fishermen from Tamil Nadu while it had promptly arrested Italian marines for the killing of two Kerala fishermen, she said both were different incidents and should not be compared. Union Minister Pon Radhakrishan was also present during the meeting.

PTI
Fact Check: Old images of Imran Khan shared as ones from recent shooting incident

Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot

This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how

J&K: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Karmara sector of Poonch

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Jammu, March 12: The Pakistan Army on Sunday resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing on Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, authorities said.

Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta told IANS that the Pakistanis used 82 mm mortars and automatics to target Indian positions at Krishna Ghati sector on the Line of Control.

"The shelling and firing started at 12 a.m. and our troops have responded befittingly," he said. "Intermittent firing exchanges are still going on." The official said no casualty or damage was reported on the Indian side.

-IANS


How the numbers add up in UP: This is what BJP's win percentage was

Shivpal Yadav says defeat is of arrogance not SP

India

pti-PTI

Lucknow, March 12: Sidelined SP leader Shivpal Yadav, who won from his seat in Uttar Pradesh where his party suffered a rout, has vowed to fight back in the state.

A day after winning the Jaswant Nagar seat, the warring uncle of Akhilesh Yadav tweeted a 41-second video captioned "Hum phir ladkar jeetenge" (We will fight again to win). The video shows the leader with Mulayam and also Akhilesh in party meetings. The 61-year-old SP veteran won the party stronghold Jaswantnagar defeating his nearest BJP rival Manish Yadav Patre by a margin of 52,616 votes.

Though Yadav had been making all out effort to surpass his previous showing, there was a minor drop in the votes polled in his favour. Last time he had got 1,33,563 votes and his margin stood at 81,084, but this time he polled 1,26,678 votes. The win was a consolation for Shivpal who was fighting to redeem his lost pride in his native constituency.

"This defeat is neither that of Samajwadi Party nor that of Samajwadis but of arrogance," Shivpal had said on Saturday while commenting on the bad showing by his party in the state indicating the bad treatment given to party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and he himself at the hands of the new leadership in the party.

But for the support of Mulayam Singh who had addressed two rallies for him here, Shivpal had walked all alone throughout the campaigning and there were also reports of a concerted move by vested interests in the party to ensure his defeat.

Jaswantnagar, part of Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, was represented by Mulayam who had won the seat first time in 1967. Winning it for eight terms  he lost on two occasions  he left it for Shivpal, who has won it continuously since 1996.

PTI
Uttarakhand BJP to elect its leader in a couple of days

India

pti-PTI

Dehradun, March 12: BJP, which scored a landslide victory in Uttarakhand, on Sunday said the state legislature party will meet in a couple of days to elect a leader after the parliamentary board takes a final call in the matter.

With four former chief ministers -- Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Vijay Bahuguna -- waiting im the wings, the choice of leader in Uttarakhand could be a tricky affair.

"A meeting of the state legislature party will be held in a day or two with permission from the central leadership to elect a leader and a final call in the matter will be taken by the party's Parliamentary Board," state BJP chief Ajay Bhatt told reporters at his first press conference after the party's massive victory in the assembly election.

BJP won a record 56 out of a total of 70 seats in Uttarakhand yesterday reducing ruling Congress to a meagre 11 seats. Though denying he was in the race for any post, Bhatt said he was ready for any responsibility which the party deems fit to assign him. However, Bhatt said BJP was a very disciplined party and whoever gets the stamp of approval of the partys Parliamentary Board will be the chief minister.

Bhatt thanked people of the state for voting overwhelmingly in favour of the BJP and powering it to a historic win. Crediting the party's victory to the faith reposed in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, he said they inspired the people of Uttarakhand to vote for BJP.

He also attributed it to the hard work of its cadres and an eagerness among people to get rid of a non-performing and corrupt government. Bhatt said as the main opposition, the party had fulfilled its responsibility of keeping a watch and exposing everything that was wrong about the previous government.

"We worked as watchmen and always exposed the truth which seems to have paid off," he said. On Congress' rout which saw even chief minister Harish Rawat and a number of his cabinet colleagues losing their seats, he said it was their total rejection by the people of the state.

PTI
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by  Graham Pierrepoint



Its hard to believe that it has been over a year since the music world lost the immeasurable David Bowie, who passed away from cancer at the age of 69  yet here we are in 2017, with many of us still reeling from one of the most shocking passings of recent years. The groundbreaking rock star knew of his mortality all too well, having recorded his last album, Blackstar, along with a music video for the lead track Lazarus, both of which seemed to hint at impending death. It was revealed that Bowie knew of his terminal state months ahead of his passing, which perhaps made for an all the more fitting, though no less devastating, final LP. Thankfully, though, there are many recordings and rarities yet to be unearthed  huge stars such as Bowie thankfully do not record by halves, and in a similar situation to Prince and Michael Jackson, there are recordings set to make their way into public airplay for the first time in decades.

To celebrate Record Store Day on April 22nd, limited editions of two new Bowie collections will be unveiled and available for public purchase. These albums are Cracked Actor (Live in Los Angeles 1974) and Bowpromo. Cracked Actor is an unreleased LP comprising of three albums recorded and played during the stars 1974 Philly Dogs Tour, with alternative musicians and recordings to those found on existing live albums. This, in particular, may be of interest to Bowie completionists  however, Bowpromo could be set to appeal to a whole different type of fan.

Bowpromo is exactly as it sounds  a promo collection from 1971 that went under the radar and is finally seeing the light of day under wider release. The original album featured recordings from Dana Gillespie  but the new collection will feature only songs recorded by the Thin White Duke.

Both collections will be available for purchase on vinyl to help celebrate Record Store Day, a worldwide event that encourages listeners to discover their local independent music store and to try out new music and vinyls that they may not be aware of. Vinyl is making a huge comeback as of late, and while many will blame this on hipster culture, its long been thought that a scratchy record was always the best way to listen to music  and with Bowie rarities due out on black vinyl disc later this year, theres never been a better time to get acquainted with the format.
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Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - Pipeline Review, H1 2017

https://www.reportsworldwide.com/enquiry?report_id=3601

https://www.reportsworldwide.com/report/water--wastewater-market-in-india--projects-database-2017

ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - Pipeline Review, H1 2017 to its growing collection of premium market research reports.Global Markets Direct's latest Pharmaceutical and Healthcare disease pipeline guide Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - Pipeline Review, H1 2017, provides an overview of the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular) pipeline landscape.Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a type of high blood pressure that occurs in the right side of the heart and in the arteries that supply blood to the lungs. Symptoms include chest pain, fatigue, passing out suddenly, and swelling of the legs (edema). Risk factors include family history, age, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea and other diseases, including congenital heart disease, lung disease, liver disease and connective tissue disorders like scleroderma and lupus. Treatment includes sildenafil, prostanoids and calcium channel blockers.To Enquire about this Report please visit @Scope of the Research Report- The pipeline guide provides a snapshot of the global therapeutic landscape of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular).- The pipeline guide reviews pipeline therapeutics for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular) by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources.- The pipeline guide covers pipeline products based on several stages of development ranging from pre-registration till discovery and undisclosed stages.- The pipeline guide features descriptive drug profiles for the pipeline products which comprise, product description, descriptive licensing and collaboration details, R&D brief, MoA & other developmental activities.- The pipeline guide reviews key companies involved in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular) therapeutics and enlists all their major and minor projects.- The pipeline guide evaluates Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular) therapeutics based on mechanism of action (MoA), drug target, route of administration (RoA) and molecule type.- The pipeline guide encapsulates all the dormant and discontinued pipeline projects.- The pipeline guide reviews latest news related to pipeline therapeutics for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular)To view a detailed description and Table of Contents please visit:Reasons to buy- Procure strategically important competitor information, analysis, and insights to formulate effective R&D strategies.- Recognize emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage.- Find and recognize significant and varied types of therapeutics under development for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular).- Classify potential new clients or partners in the target demographic.- Develop tactical initiatives by understanding the focus areas of leading companies.- Plan mergers and acquisitions meritoriously by identifying key players and its most promising pipeline therapeutics.- Formulate corrective measures for pipeline projects by understanding Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Cardiovascular) pipeline depth and focus of Indication therapeutics.- Develop and design in-licensing and out-licensing strategies by identifying prospective partners with the most attractive projects to enhance and expand business potential and scope.- Adjust the therapeutic portfolio by recognizing discontinued projects and understand from the know-how what drove them from pipeline.About ReportsWorldwide.comReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch StreetBoston, MA 02110USPhone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com
Getting a drink at a good bar. It's one of life's great pleasures.

But there are right and wrong ways to go about it. Jim Meehan, co-founder of PDT (Please Don't Tell), the Manhattan hideaway that crystalized the modern speakeasy trend and won World's Best Bar in the process, has strong feelings about how to behave when you're getting a cocktail-at least at those places that don't specialize in body shots or florescent drinks. Following are Meehan's rules on being a bar pro.

1. Asking the bartender what's good.

Did you come to the bar to have a shot of Fernet and a can of High Life? Well then, asking bartenders what they like to drink does not help. At any reputable bar their job is to fix a drink based on your preference, not theirs. Most will answer by asking a variation of the question: "What do you like to drink?" This is your chance to give them something to work with: "I like tequila," or "Something tropical." If there are spirits or cocktails you don't like, tell them up front-just don't make it a five-minute debate.

2. Adhering to your no-added-sugar diet.

Here's the way it works when a professional mixes a drink: Any cocktail that includes citrus or some kind of acidic ingredient needs a sweetener for balance. It's what every bartender strives for, a balance among strong, sweet, and sour, and to completely cut out one of the pillars will create something you will not want to drink. Trust me. In the event that you are especially sensitive to sweetness or don't want any sugar in your cocktail, say, "I take my drinks very dry" or order a highball, such as whisky soda or a gin rickey. Or a shot.

3. Substituting your favorite spirit.

If you prefer a Beefeater Martini or a Wild Turkey Manhattan, you're more than welcome to request one-and I recommend it-in a classic cocktail. But "house" cocktails created by the bar staff are a different matter. That bartender specifically chose the gin, rum, mezcal, etc., for their creation. Asking the bartender to substitute your favorite bottle is the equivalent of a hasty move in a game of Jenga: It has the potential to topple the stack and ruin the drink. The one exception: If your last name is Beam or Daniels.

4. Sending back half-empty drinks.

You have every right to enjoy your $15 (and maybe $15+) cocktail. If it's flawed in a way that will diminish your experience, you should ask for a replacement. Any good bar will respect your choice.

But there's a right time and way to do this-as soon as you've tasted the drink, and by making eye contact with your server or bartender when they're in your vicinity. It's never fun to have a drink you mixed sent back, so be nice when you ask for something else, and don't yell across any distance to get someone's attention. If you take this route, order something you know you like, so there's no repeat performance. No one wants to hear you didn't like your cocktail twice in a row, or after you've finished half of it, which is the universal sign that it was satisfactory.

5. Dissing the server.

Nothing is more demeaning to people who take pride in their work than assuming they don't know the product they're working with. If you have a technical question about a spirit, cocktail, or anything related, first ask the person who's taking care of you. Many top cocktail bars, including mine, rotate their bar staff on and off the floor. If you're at PDT, chances are you're being served by a bartender. Remember the hashtag #respect.

6. Tipping $1 tip per drink.

Tipping is personal, so I'm not going to tell you how much-or even if-you should tip. But I will say that the amount of elbow grease that goes into the juices, syrups, infusions, and preparation of your $15 Gin Gin Mule is significantly more than the bottle of Stella someone opened at your local. Most guests tip 20 percent for fancy cocktails. You don't have to, but you should know what's standard.

7. Guilt ordering a cocktail.

I stock four delicious craft beers and three local wines at PDT, and I take pride in making nonalcoholic cocktails. I even stock a German nonalcoholic beer that I'll happily drink. More and more cocktail bars are upping their wine and beer games; if they aren't, feel free to hold it against them. If you do want to drink booze but don't see anything to your liking on the cocktail menu, don't feel bad about requesting a classic that's not on the menu, such as a Negroni or an Old-Fashioned, Daiquiri, or Manahttan. The bartender is there to give you what you want. Just remember Rule No. 1.

8. Overstaying your welcome.

Especially in high-rent cities such as New York and London, your seat at a popular bar or restaurant is a commodity with high overhead costs. Operators will be grateful if you treat it that way, which is best demonstrated by eating and drinking (i.e. spending money) while you're occupying it and vacating within 20 minutes of finishing your drinks. If you'd like more time, you can always ask. Keep track: Three drinks per person, 30 minutes apart, is a good rule of thumb for a good night out.

9. Being that guy.

If you're wondering whether you've had too much to drink, you probably have. Many states hold bars and bartenders legally responsible for the safety of their guests after they leave the bar. If you sense you're about to be cut off, avoid a fight you're not going to win.
Before spring arrives and our attention turns to blue sky, dancing daffodils, and why the corn planters GPS isnt working, lets take a few minutes to lock in key numbers that will dominate the still-young farm and ranch year.

For example, as of March 8, Congress had 66 legislative days remaining until its lengthy August break.

Thats 66 days to debate and hopefully pass all or parts of promised Obamacare reforms; complete an overhaul of the complex federal tax code; design and fund the presidents $1 trillion infrastructure spending plan; tackle the White Houses proposed, multi-billion-dollar border wall with Mexico; and, if farmers and ranchers have their way, outline the essential elements of a 2018 farm bill.

All this Herculean lifting, however, still excludes raising the federal debt ceiling by March 31, tackling the very unbalanced Trump budget plan by Oct. 1, and conducting investigations into alleged Russian connections to current White House and former Trump campaign staff.

Other important numbers to keep in mind this year are contained in the Feb. 13 U.S Department of Agricultures Net Farm Income Forecast. Most are, predictably, bleak.

According to USDA, 2017 net farm income will be $62.3 billion, down 8.7 percent from 2016, the fourth consecutive year of decline, and the lowest since 2002 that, coincidentally, was another farm bill-writing year.

Even more worrisome, 2017 farm asset values will drop $32 billion nationwide, farm debt will increase 5.2 percent, or a modest $20 billion, and farm equity will decline another $51 billion after a $61 billion decline the year before.

USDAs 2017 crop acreage and production forecast, released Feb. 24, confirms the income numbers. Big acres and big crops, barring weather disasters, are seen for both corn and soybeans. Projected 2017-18 prices are anything but big; $3.70 for corn and $9.60 for soybeans are just a dime taller than 2016 average prices for both.

The real surprise contained in the number-packed report was 2017 wheat acreage. USDA pegs it at a shockingly small 46 million. Thats 10 million acres less than just three years ago and a collapse of nearly 30 million acres since peak plantings in 1981.

The drop-off is due to two causes, explains USDA:  declining returns compared with other crops and changes in government programs that allow farmers more planting flexibility.

Thats the official line. Unofficially, climate change and todays crop insurance-based farm bill are the key reasons higher valued corn and soybean acres continue to replace lower-return wheat in Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Some other numbers are just as revealing as the wheat data.

For example, two weeks ago the White House proposed cutting the 2018 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget by nearly 25 percent. Few rose to defend the agency but EPAs current budget is, in fact, surprisingly small  $8.1 billion, or just under 0.25 percent of all annual federal spending.

By comparison, direct government program payments paid to U.S. farmers this year will hit $12.5 billion, or 50 percent more than all EPA spending and six times the proposed EPA budget cuts.

Despite the slow U.S. ag economy, the Australian ag sector is poised to enjoy its fourth record-setting year in row. The bullishness spurred one Aussie mining baron and a partner to pay $294 million (U.S.) for the nations biggest cattle ranch, S. Kidman & Co., last December.

Just how big is big by Down Under standards?

Big. The ranch includes 19.2 million deeded acres and leases for another 24.9 million acres. Combined, leased and owned acres are equal in size to North Dakota. The new owners will need it: they have a combined cattle herd of 300,000 head.
LEXINGTON  Hiking at the Merwin Nature Preserve west of Lexington is a treat any time of the year.

Soon, the preserve's lowlands along the Mackinaw River will be a carpet of Virginia bluebells and other wildflowers will dot the woodlands. Colorful warblers will sing as they pass through on their spring migration.

From April to October, wildflowers will bloom in the restored prairie. If you listen closely, you might hear the splash of an otter in the Mackinaw River or hear an owl hoot at dusk.

In fall, the trees burst into color. You can hear the leaves crunch beneath your feet or sit on a bench overlooking the river and valley.

In winter, the snow-covered pathways reveal the tracks of deer, raccoons and other critters.

But it all could have been nothing more than another housing subdivision if not for the ParkLands Foundation, notes one of the foundation's founding members, Guy Fraker.

A half-century ago, Pantagraph publisher Loring Merwin brought together a diverse group of people to form the ParkLands Foundation.

The original idea was to acquire property worth preserving as natural areas and then turn them over to an appropriate government entity, said Fraker.

But after one of the original land transfers didn't meet the group's expectations for how it would be managed, Fraker said the group decided to retain the roles of land owner and manager.

ParkLands Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization, but its preserves are open to the public. And its holdings include more than just the Merwin preserve.

One board member describes the ParkLands Foundation as a public resource that is privately owned and maintained, said its current president, Dan Deneen.

And that's one reason why the foundation is inviting the public to join in its yearlong 50th birthday celebration.

We'd like to have more people come out and hike our trails, said Deneen.

With more than 3,000 acres under its management, ParkLands has more public recreational land than any other entity in McLean County, according to Deneen.

The two preserves developed for public use with trails and parking are the Merwin Nature Preserve, near the intersection of PJ Keller Highway and North 1925 East Road (also known at the Gridley Blacktop), and the Lexington Preserve, near Timber Ridge Road and Douglas Drive on the southwest edge of Lexington.

For more detailed directions, go to www.parklandsfoundation.org.

The amount of natural habitat left in McLean County is extremely low, said Angelo Capparella, a foundation board member and wildlife biology professor at Illinois State University. What we're trying to do is preserve what we have left.

The Merwin Preserve is part of the success story.

The foundation was able to restore one part of the preserve to an oak-hickory savannah, a once-common, now-endangered habitat in Illinois. It received state designation as a nature preserve, but that is not its only seal of approval.

We're seeing red-headed woodpeckers nesting, Capparella said. That's one species telling us we're doing something right.

The ParkLands property looks like a necklace of pearls when you look at our preserve sites. What we're trying to do is complete the necklace, said Capparella. We're trying to knit them back together into a functioning whole.

That's being done through purchases and gifts of land as well as conservation easements. With the latter, the private property owner retains title to the land  and gets a tax break  while the land is maintained in its natural state.

Capparella encourages people to get involved as volunteers. Global issues can cause a person to get overwhelmed and discouraged, he said, But you can come out here and get your hands dirty and know you're making a difference.
NORMAL  Once upon a war, the art of swaying public opinion into patriotic fervor was literally just that: bold, graphic, illustrative.

Oft-times it took the form of an eye-catching poster.

The result might materialize on a bus station wall or a storefront window.

And it could take the tone of a Norman Rockwell-worthy bit of painterly Americana  say, three children on a summer-green lawn, straight off the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.

One child clasps a doll.

One brandishes a toy fighter plane, with eyes on the sky.

One waves an American flag on a makeshift pole.

It's wartime, and it all fits.

Right down to the folded newspaper cap worn by the smallest, with portions of the dire headlines of the day peeking out between the folds.

Transforming the image from pastoral Rockwell reverie into ominous doomsday portent: the children are snared in the spidery black shadow of a Nazi swastika, whose disturbing aerial origins are left to the imagination.

Below this image of innocence defiled is the warning: "Don't let that shadow touch them: BUY WAR BONDS."

In a pre-digital universe, it was up to the existing analogue mass media of the time to shape our thoughts on the history-making situations at hand.

A trip to the second floor of Illinois State University's Milner Library is currently offering a flashback into the era of vividly designed and illustrated posters aimed for mass consumption in public spaces, including the disturbing one just described.

"Propaganda on All Fronts: United States and International Posters 1917-1945," on view through June 5, amasses 47 posters and related materials from three historic collections in Milner's "Government Documents World War Poster Collection."

According to exhibit curator Angela Bonnell, "These items illustrate how governments across the globe sought to influence public opinion to those on the homefront and frontlines."

The exhibit takes no sides.

We get the carefully calculated flag-waving propaganda expertise of both Uncle Sam and Germany, book-ended by both World Wars.

They range broadly in tone and intent, beginning on the upside end of the spectrum with those promoting upbeat patriotic themes.

One celebrates the work of the YMCA ("His Home Over There," as a well-lit cabin in a snowbound woods beckons for soldiers to come hither), while another merges fashion and duty in a poster for the women who've gone to work in the factory ("Jenny on the job wears styles designed for victory").

At the other end of the spectrum, the mood gets sterner, even downright apocalyptic, mirroring some of the rhetoric we now hear emanating from high places in the 21st century.

One poster emphasizes homeland and military security with a visualization of a soldier with a literal zipper for lips, illustrating the old "loose lips sink ships," as a caricature of a perplexed Hitler glowers in the background.

The theme is also addressed in another bizarre warning, sporting a swastika-imprinted egg that has just hatched a green serpentine creature whose snake-lie body twists into the word "rumor."

Below the image, in blood red letters: KILL IT!

Also a part of the exhibit are display cases with covers from government-issued documents, whose in-your-face artwork employs such pop culture icons of the World War II era as Donald Duck on the "What Is Propaganda?" booklet, railing like a feathered Hitler into a microphone, and a Dr. Seuss-designed cover of a coquettish mosquito, bearing the inscription, "this is Ann ... she's DYING to meet you.

These visual artifacts "share the common goal of communicating with, and influencing, a mass audience in public, civic spaces," says Bonnell.

For the record, the Milner collections being tapped are:

"Answering the Call," which houses more than 108 World War I United States posters from federal agencies and national organizations after the U.S. entered the war in 1917.

"German Propaganda: The 1936 Berlin Olympics," a 72-page German-created Nazi propaganda piece called "America Illustrated News," targeted for international spectators and press of the XIth Olympiad.

"Art of Persuasion," home to more than 500 U.S. and international World War II posters created by government agencies, organizations and companies from 1941 to 1945.

Tying the exhibit directly to how Illinois State (Normal) University played an integral role in World War I is a portion of the exhibit featuring the names of 728 ISNU alums known to have served, along with photographs, biographical and audio recordings of letters written during the war.

We have Milner Library's namesake, Ange Milner, to thank for the continued existence of the earliest World War I-era posters, says Bonnell, as well as the letters written to her by former students.

"She received them (the posters) through the federal government with the hope that she would hang them around the campus so that the campus would do their bit for the homefront," she notes.

"They were meant to be hung, then thrown away. She didn't; she saved them."

During the World War II era, Milner's successor, Eleanor Welch "emulated what Ange did, and went out of her way to collect what they were getting," Bonnell says.

Because of the propagandistic fervor of some of the posters, especially those from the Hitler era, and the prevailing mood of the world we currently live in, "we felt we needed a lot more context," says Bonnell.
BLOOMINGTON  Bloomington aldermen spent Saturday trying to decide what to include and what to cut from the city's proposed $213.8 million budget.

"We just heard all of the directors come through and say, 'Our resources are stretched. We need more people,'" said Ward 7 Alderman Scott Black.

But Ward 2 Alderman David Sage said the council first should talk about how the city can reduce or eliminate some services and reallocate those savings.

"I find it hard to make the jump to say we're going to hire more people and do more things and continue to grow the budget without having a legitimate conversation about how we reallocate and move existing dollars," Sage said. "We talk about that but the problem is we've never done anything with that."

The city's 12 department heads listed their needs during a 90-minute presentation. The city already has cut $2.7 million from the proposed department budgets, saving money by reducing supplies, materials and training. The savings will help pay for four new full-time employees: an additional 911 supervisor, a facilities custodian, an assistant city planner and a traffic engineer.

In 2015, Sage led a citizens task force that examined ways to reduce a $7.5 million deficit. The hole was closed, in part, by using money from a sales tax increase to pay for general fund operating expenses.

The fiscal year begins May 1. A 3 percent increase  about $6.2 million  in added spending next year would be covered in part by drawing from various funds that have accumulated reserves. The proposed budget includes $24 million in infrastructure spending and other capital projects, including $5 million for street resurfacing, according to Finance Director Patti-Lynn Silva.

The general fund, which is the city's main operating fund and makes up 49 percent of the budget, is expected to increase $635,391  a less than 1 percent  to $105.4 million next year.

"We've asked the staff to do as much as they can to make significant cuts," Black said after the work session. "I think we have a budget that is very similar to what we've seen in years past, but residents are demanding more for less, and we need to find ways to make that happen."

The city has 100 fewer full-time employees than it it did in 2009, "so I can understand some of the department heads asking for more resources," said Mayor Tari Renner. "The thing is, we have to pay for them and we have to have a balanced budget. So this was us trying to talk about some of the priorities in moving forward."

Ward 1 Alderman Kevin Lower, who is challenging Renner in the April 4 mayoral election, wants spending to focus on basic services such as public safety, water, sewer and garbage.

"If the users of the (Miller Park) zoo ... and library demand expanding, let them pay for that," Lower said.

"Would you charge them to go into the library?" asked Renner.

"Well, no ... but we've got to find new and innovative ways to pay for those," Lower responded.

A public hearing on the budget is set for March 27. The council must adopt a budget by April 30.
BLOOMINGTON  Illinois' largest health care system is opposed to the proposed Affordable Care Act replacement, while other health care organizations with operations in McLean County are expressing concerns and worry that recent coverage gains could be reversed.

"Advocate (Health Care) is opposed to the American Health Care Act in its current form," Meghan Woltman, Advocate vice president of government and community relations, said in an email to The Pantagraph on Friday. The American Health Care Act is the proposed Affordable Care Act replacement being debated in Congress.

While based in the Chicago area, Advocate includes Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal, Advocate Eureka Hospital in Eureka and Advocate Medical Group offices throughout Central Illinois.

"We are particularly concerned that this bill will significantly reduce coverage for the 21 million Americans who became insured through the Affordable Care Act (ACA)," Woltman said.

Meanwhile, Central Illinois Republican congressmen supported the legislation while Illinois' two Democratic senators and left-leaning activists criticized the bill.

The legislation would keep the ACA, also known as Obamacare, protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions looking to buy insurance and would allow young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26.

But it would repeal the requirement that people must buy health insurance or face fines.

The bill also would get rid of tax credits that many low- and middle-income Illinoisans used to help buy insurance on the exchange. The amount of the tax credit depended on a person's income. The new bill would give people tax credits based on their ages.

The bill would also no longer provide a federal match for people on Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor and disabled that is paid for by state and federal money. Instead, the bill calls for giving states limited amounts of money. The plan also would allow people who gained coverage through Medicaid expansion  a part of the ACA  to keep that coverage through 2020.

Of the Medicaid changes, Woltman said, "In Illinois alone, the coverage of more than one million Illinoisans is in jeopardy."

"Our message to Congress is clear," Woltman said. "Our first priority is to protect access to coverage for Illinoisans. If the bill does not achieve that, we must recover the funds to be able to care for patients who will otherwise be uninsured."

"My reaction is mixed," said Cathy Coverston Anderson, interim director of the McLean County Health Department. While she appreciates that people with pre-existing conditions and young adults would continue to be covered, reducing the tax credits would mean that fewer low- and middle-income families would be able to get the health insurance they need, Coverston Anderson said.

Medicaid changes would also reduce the number of Medicaid beneficiaries.

"Due to ACA provisions allowing Medicaid expansion, 4,499 more McLean County individuals gained Medicaid coverage in 2014," said Coverston Anderson. That's one of the reasons the number of McLean County residents without health insurance dropped from 21 percent in 2013 to 8 percent in 2015, she said.

"From a public health point of view, we want people to have access to health care for prevention and treatment," Coverston Anderson said.

The bill also cuts public health prevention funding, which could affect programs combating obesity, tobacco use and infectious disease outbreaks, she said.

OSF HealthCare CEO Kevin Schoeplein said OSF did not have sufficient information to offer a position on the bill. But OSF referred to information provided in January that included an acknowledgement that the ACA, despite its flaws, provided greater access to those who could least afford health care.

While Chestnut Health Systems has taken no position on the bill, "the statewide trade associations that we engage (with) have expressed great concern about the proposal as drafted, believing that it will diminish access to both primary medical and behavior health services for low-income individuals served by organizations such as Chestnut," Chief Operating Officer Alan Sender said.

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, said, "There is no question that Obamacare is failing  We, as legislators, have an obligation to the American people to repeal and replace this failed law with a patient-centered system that allows for more competition and provides better access to care at lower costs."

The draft of the American Health Care Act is "a step in the right direction," LaHood said.

U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, also supported the legislation.

But U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats, said the bill would cost millions of Americans their health insurance while increasing costs for middle-class Americans.

"It gives big tax breaks to the wealthy and cuts benefits for lower-income people," said Linda Unterman of the Stand Up for Social Justice group.

"I see it as a failure," said Jodie Slothower of Voices for Reason. "It would benefit 0.1 percent of the population who would get tax breaks rather than the millions of people who need health care."
TEDx speaker and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was interviewed this week by the UK's Channel 4 News about her views on feminism. Adichie, whose talk "We Should All Be Feminists" was sampled in Beyonce's song "***Flawless," is now coming under fire for her answer to the question of whether being a transgender woman makes you "any less of a real woman."

Adichie responded that transgender women and "women" have different life experiences when it comes to societal oppression and therefore cannot be equated.

"I think that trans women are trans women," Adichie said in the interview. "I think the whole problem of gender in the world is about our experiences. It's not about how we wear our hair or whether we have a vagina or penis, it's about the way the world treats us.



"And I think if you've lived in the world as a man, with the privileges that the world accords to men, and then sort of changed, switched gender, it's difficult for me to accept that then we can equate your experience with the experience of a woman who has lived from the beginning in the world as a woman, and who has not been accorded those privileges that men have."





Adichie's wording tripped up many online who said trans woman can be accepted as women without equating them to cis women. "Woman" is an umbrella term, some argued, that doesn't require certain experiences.





We should all be feminists, indeed. And in doing so, Ms. Adichie, not use a woman's plumbing to assess her identity. https://t.co/XTpuBWsebe pic.twitter.com/D68qyZFNM0

 Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) March 11, 2017





Chimamanda Adichie said:



I understand that you passed the entrance exam and we are now in the same class.



But you can't sit with us.

 Adnan aeckae.esq (@aeckay) March 11, 2017





Now, thanks to Chimamanda, the jig is up. It's time for trans women talk about our male privilege. #Maleprivilegediaries

 Aaryn Lang (@AarynLang) March 11, 2017





Others, like transgender activist Raquel Willis, said Adichie shouldn't have been asked about trans women since she isn't one. Willis went on to explain how dangerous Adichie's language can be for transwomen in reinforcing society's perception that they aren't "real women."





Chimamanda being asked about trans women is like Lena Dunham being asked about Black women. It doesn't work. We can speak for ourselves.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





We know exactly what you mean when you say, Trans women are trans women," but can't simply say, "trans women are women."

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





When you ostracize and devalue trans women and their womanhood, you are operating as a tool of the patriarchy.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





Trans women aren't saying their experiences are just like cis women, just as queer women don't claim theirs are just like straight women.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





Yes, folks raised as girls are plagued with oppression in a different way than people not raised as girls. No one denies that.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





That doesn't negate threats of violence, harassment or oppression in a patriarchal society  things trans women of any age also face.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





This convo falls apart with more and more trans folks coming out at younger ages. It also conveniently leaves out transmasculine folks.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





Do we tell a cis woman she's less of a woman if she says she's never experienced harassment or violence or overt discrimination? No.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





Trans women have been hypersexualized in the media, exploited for our bodies, paid less, denied healthcare and told our voices are invalid.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





It's nonsensical and *privileged* to require trans women to experience certain instances of oppression to prove their womanhood.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017





We don't need public debates on trans women. We need trans women elevated and allowed to speak for themselves.

 Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 11, 2017

Since the interview Adichie has posted a response on her Facebook page in which she acknowledges that transwomen have a place in feminism while reiterating the points she made in her interview.





[facebook https://www.facebook.com/chimamandaadichie/photos/a.469824145943.278768.40389960943/10154887462650944/?type=3&theater expand=1]

Header photo via Facebook/Channel 4
Parents of fifth graders at a New Jersey school grew upset over a slave auction poster assignment. They slammed the school on social media and also insisted on meeting with the teachers to discuss the project.

The posters were part of the students' lessons about Colonial America at the South Mountain Elementary School. This was in the curriculum for at least a decade. The school asked the kids to create different advertisements in relation to the colonial period and one of the suggestions included the slave auction posters.

One poster had a drawing of a 12-year-old girl named Anne, depicted as a "fine housegirl." Another poster advertised about slaves in exchange for cash.

The school displayed the posters in the hallways, according to ABC7 New York. Following the parents' criticisms, however, the school decided to take down the said posters from the school premises.

"Educating young students on the harsh realities of slavery is of course not the issue here, but the medium for said education is grossly insensitive and negligent," a parent wrote on Facebook. The post received over a hundred comments from mostly appalled parents.

Superintendent John J. Ramos Sr. of the South Orange Maplewood School District (SOMSD) emailed the school about the complaints from parents. As advised by an anti-bias expert who was consulted on the matter, Ramos said teaching the students about the "uglier parts" of America's history was important. Only, the school failed to put up an explanation when it displayed the posters in public, as per Tapinto.

School principal Alyna Jacobs issued an apology to the parents for "any unintended pain, anger or offense caused by the assignment," BBC reported. The school district will still deliberate over removing or retaining this project from the curriculum for the next batches of students. The school will also set up a town hall meeting with the parents.
Patna: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) getting a much-needed shot in the arm with convincing victory in both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly polls, party leaders in Bihar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership while also putting the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav in their crosshair.

Former BJP state President Mangal Pandey, at a celebration event at the party's state headquarters in Patna on Saturday, said that the impressive victory in Uttar Pradesh once again confirmed that people had trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his vision for India.

"Some people were critical of the Prime Minister for campaigning in Uttar Pradesh. It will be amusing to know how they feel about it now," Pandey said hinting at party MP and former actor Shatrughan Sinha and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) leader and a BJP ally Upendra Kushwaha who had been openly critical of the Prime Minister for conducting a road show in Varanasi.

Turning his attention towards RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, the BJP leader said that as recent as yesterday, the former Chief Minister of Bihar was lampooning Prime Minister Modi and all the exit polls but with the crushing defeat of the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress alliance in UP, the opponents of the Prime Minister were ducking for cover to avoid their embarrassment.

"Yesterday he was saying that the BJP would meet the same fate in UP as it did in Bihar in 2015. He said all the exit polls were wrong. He also said that the Prime Minister's 56" chest will deflate into 32" after the poll results were announced in UP. So where is Mr. Yadav now? Does he still believe all the exit polls were wrong? The good people of Uttar Pradesh have proven these people wrong by sending the message of peace and development" Pandey asked.
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Facebook makes me despise many of my friends and Twitter makes me hate the rest of the world, Gawker founder Nick Denton said.

The publishing pioneer, who connected with fellow bloggers at South by Southwest in the early days of web publishing, returned to the festival Sunday to reflect on the demise of his company and what lies ahead for the internet in the years after Donald Trumps presidential election. The future isnt Facebook or Twitter, where fake news and trolls abound. Instead, its rooted in Redditor at least something like Reddit, Denton said.

Denton, whose Gawker Media Group portfolio included sites like Gizmodo, Jezebel, and Kotaku in addition to the namesake, was a champion of commenting platforms. Many people read Gawker and its sibling sites for the comments alone. Gawker Media Group was sold to Univision and rebranded as Gizmodo Media Group after Denton and the company were sued into bankruptcy by Hulk Hogan.

[Reddit] involves the community and involves the readers, Denton said in a Sunday conversation on-stage at SXSW with advertising executive Jeff Goodby. You may not like many subbreddits, but theres a vitality to it and theres a model for what [media] could be.

Denton also believes in news institutions like the New York Times, he said. Until recently, he found ways to stay under the Times paywall cap, which lets you read 10 free articles per month per device. Hes now paying for a subscription, though he said the social news curation service Nuzzel is his main news experience. The only problem is its full of nothing but Trump news.

Life after Gawker

Denton spoke calmly about the demise of his flagship site and the involvement of billionare tech investor Peter Thiel, who helped fund the lawsuit against him. He wouldnt say whether or not he would publish Hogans sex tape again, but did say it failed in its attempt at social commentary.

If youre going to expose somebody to mockery, there should be a point to it, he said. Its very easy for us to blame a media outlet or a Facebook algorithm or somebody else instead of our habits. It was a little too sophisticated a point to be making in a couple lines. Maybe [the post] required a little more essay and a little less video for that to have worked as a point. The meta point is worth making, but I dont know if that form was the right one.

A post about a celebrity led to Gawkers downfall, but there are other stories that are far more detrimental to a journalistic enterprise. Giving a product a negative review, for example, could lead to a significant loss of ad revenue.

An honest review of the Samsung Galaxy Note is a dangerous proposition, Denton said. There will be no drama, you just wont see any advertising from Samsung for the next two years. Thatll be the salaries of 10 or 20 journalists that go up in smoke.

Caitlin McGarry Nick Denton sat down with ad exec Jeff Goodby to discuss life after Gawker at South by Southwest on March 12, 2017.

Fake news, trolls, and harassment proliferate on social networks and across forums. America feels like a nation of people who dont understand themselves, let alone each other. News organizations struggle to publish quality journalism and make money at the same time. The internet played a huge role in this crisis, but despite it all, Denton thinks the web can be the solution to the problems it created.

On Google Hangouts chats or iMessage you can exchange quotes, links, stories, media, he said. Thats a delightful, engaging media experience. The next phase of media is going to come out of the idea of authentic, chill conversation about things that matter.

Even if were full of despair over what the internet has become, its good to remind yourself when youre falling down some Wikipedia hole or having a great conversation with somebody onlineits an amazing thing, he added. In the habits that we enjoy, there are the seeds for the future. Thats where the good internet will rise up again.

Perhaps Denton will be around to help build it.
Motorists driving a stretch of Bundy Canyon Road at Wildomars border with Menifee will have to endure construction delays for a few more weeks.

They can take solace, however, in the fact that the work requiring partial road closures on weekdays is for the greater good of a community that went without clean water for years.

The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District is installing a nearly mile-long water pipeline underground along the north side of the road, a heavily traveled connection between Interstate 15 in Wildomar and Interstate 215 in Menifee.

The installation is the districts share of a joint project with the Eastern Municipal Water District to hook up about 140 households to the permanent potable water system serving the region.

Eastern completed its contribution to the $6 million project last year, and Elsinore Valley should wrap up its portion by mid-April, assuming the weather cooperates, Project Manager Amy Czajkowski said.

I think its gone very smoothly from the construction standpoint, she said while observing crews digging a path for the pipeline Wednesday. Coordination has been a challenge, but not as difficult as I thought in the beginning.

From the start, extending modern water infrastructure to the rural enclave straddling the two cities border on the north side of Bundy Canyon has been convoluted.

For years, the community coped with poor well water and erratic service provided by a small private firm. County health officials warned residents long ago not to drink the water because of a dangerously high level of nitrates.

As the system deteriorated, the owners abandoned their wells and agreed to relinquish control to Riverside County in a receivership, as Elsinore Valley and Eastern prepared to take over water delivery.

The process, however, encountered bureaucratic obstacles. Though the state agreed to fund the project with a grant, both districts agreed they could not proceed without guarantees that they could not be sued for the problems caused by the prior owners.

Ultimately, the state Legislature passed a bill providing that legal protection.

The first phase of the project ensued with the placement of a temporary emergency line extending from Elsinore Valleys reservoir west of Raciti Road eastward to the neighborhood.

Called the high line because it is above ground, that segment was completed in November 2014, to the delight of residents.

Its a marvelous, wonderful day, said resident Luisa Castillo on the day that clean drinking water began flowing into her homes faucets. I could jump for happiness.

A major side benefit of the emergency line is that the system now had adequate pressure to propel water through fire hydrants.

There was no capability for fire service at all, Czajkowski said of the situation before the emergency connection.

She said she was not aware of any problems with the emergency system.

Ever since the high line was set up, Ive heard nothing but good things, she said. Its been consistent and a good source of drinking water.

Laying the groundwork for the permanent line resulted in residents being further inconvenienced with temporary shutoffs, but there was no resistance, Elsinore Valley spokeswoman Bonnie Woodrome said.

The residents were so patient and understanding that the water would be shut down temporarily, she said. I think now theyre noticing a difference and this is just making our final connection.

Resident Lyndsey Amagrande said in an email that she is looking forward to the pipelines completion.

I think the permanent water pipe is more relieving than exciting, she said. Last summer,  our water was hot because of the black temporary pipeline on top of the ground. This summer, we wont have to deal with that. It will be good to know this whole water issue is behind us.

The last chore in the project will be Elsinore Valleys construction of a nearby pump station, but the road obstructions necessitated by the pipeline work will end with its completion next month.

The city of Wildomar has been very helpful with traffic control because this is a very busy road, Czajkowski said. I think (the residents) all know this is a temporary situation.

WATER PIPE WORK

What: Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District is installing a permanent water pipeline to serve a neighborhood straddling the border of Wildomar and Menifee

When: Now through mid-April

Where: Between the districts reservoir near Chico Hills Road to the west and Palm Avenue near Wildomars eastern border

Effect: From 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, the work may require road closures, traffic controls, increased truck and equipment traffic, noise, dust, odors and vibrations.

Contact: evmwd.com or 951-674-3146
SAN BERNARDINO >> San Bernardino City Manager Mark Scotts public interview Wednesday to be city manager of Reno, Nev., didnt take long, opening with his endorsement of the other candidate.

I have a dramatic announcement, Scott said in his opening statement, after Assistant Clark County Manager Sabra Smith Newby had been interviewed for an hour. I think youve already met your future city manager, and it is she.

Scott said no city manager should take a job on a 4-3 vote, and he didnt want to put Reno in that position.

The withdrawal opens up the possibility Scott  by most accounts a popular city manager who is operating on a month-to-month contract  will continue working for San Bernardino in the long term.

I will talk to the council about how we might make it work now that I am having to drive 130 miles (round trip from Cathedral City) a day, Scott said by email Wednesday. I need to see if I can do that.

It was to be Scotts second and final public interview with the Reno City Council, with the first selecting him and Newby as finalists and a series of private, one-on-one interviews with council members following.

Tuesday was his first opportunity to meet with Reno staff and council members, which is when he decided he wasnt sold on the position being right for him, Scott said.

His initial one-year contract in San Bernardino ended in February. In January, he applied for the position in Reno. Under Nevada law, his application was a public record once he was chosen for an interview, and interviews with the full council were public  something potentially damaging the credibility of applicants, Scott told the Reno council.

He had hinted during Mondays San Bernardino City Council meeting, at which his month-to-month contract with the city was approved, that he might not accept the Reno post if offered.

But it was only a hint  Dont say that on TV, he told Councilman Fred Shorett when Shorett tried to clarify Scotts comment  and he flew into Reno for a community event Tuesday and the interview Wednesday.

Scott also hedged when asked Monday if he would commit to San Bernardino.

From a professional standpoint, this year has been more rewarding for me than any other, said Scott, who took over in February 2016 and has overseen the citys exit from bankruptcy. But Im a 67-year-old man whos been living separate from my 43-year wife for three of the last five years. I cant do that forever.

Scott said he moved out of his San Bernardino apartment last week, and instead has been commuting daily from Cathedral City.

Im not reluctant to end up the loser in this situation  thats not what this is about, Scott told the Reno City Council in a meeting broadcast live online.

But he wanted to tell them in person, he said.

The Reno City Council then voted unanimously to negotiate a contract with Newby.

Members of the public and City council members praised Scott on Monday, and several said the in-person withdrawal only improved their opinion.

I hear nothing but good things about his leadership, Councilman Henry Nickel said Wednesday. I think wed be well off if he were to stay with the city. I know our residents really appreciate his candor and his willingness to speak with them and to be available to them.

Personally, Im sure this was a sacrifice for him, but I was very impressed by his comments (to the Reno and San Bernardino councils), his professionalism and the commitment he made.

After Scotts initial contract expired, the City Council voted Feb. 21 to extend his contract for only two weeks, saying they were wary about tying themselves to an administrator with one foot out the door.

Monday, just before that two weeks expired, the council voted unanimously to give Scott the month-to-month contract hed asked for. The $248,076 yearly contract allows either Scott or the city to terminate the contract with 30 days notice, or less if both parties agree.

The council also began a performance evaluation Monday.

And officials said they now recognize the need to establish a clearer transition.

Scott said he, too, had recognized the need since taking the job.

Ive been trying to prepare SB ever since I got here since we only assumed a one-year commitment, he wrote. Now, however  I want more because I am happy with what we are doing.

Turnover at the top

Years of turnover preceded Scotts tenure.

Consultant Management Partners calculated in 2015 that the city has experienced 24 percent executive turnover since 2004, including five city managers, police chiefs and public works directors.

In recent memory, City Manager Charles McNeely  a former Reno city manager  resigned in 2012, months before the city filed for bankruptcy.

Then, in 2013, acting City Manager Andrea Travis-Miller left to become executive director of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. (She returned to San Bernardino as assistant city manager in 2016.)

Her replacement, Allen Parker, was forced into a negotiated resignation, with his last official day being Dec. 31, 2015.

Thats when Scott, who had just resigned from Burbank, applied for the San Bernardino job.

The City Council quickly chose him, with Police Chief Jarrod Burguan filling in until Scott could start.In short, as Scott put it in his cover letter to Reno, San Bernardino had had a nearly complete breakdown in both its governance and management operations.

No one capable would apply, Scott wrote  a conclusion he repeated Monday to the City Council, which gave no indication it disagreed.

Scott, as well as Management Partners and others who have studied the city, attribute much of that breakdown to the citys peculiar city charter. Without charter change, Scott said, he would have to leave because it was impossible to succeed.

Voters changed the charter in November, which among other things clarified and strengthened the city managers role relative to the mayor and City Council.

The new charter states that the mayor and City Council  not the mayor, as under the prior charter  are responsible for choosing a city manager who then serves as chief executive officer.

That makes it all the more vital to ensure someone qualified is always in the role, Nickel said.

We have an obligation to make sure that position is properly filled, that theres continuity in that position, Nickel said. To me, under our new charter, that is really our primary role, to make sure that position is filled by someone who brings the expertise, the contacts, the resources to ensure that our city is progressing.
A rumbling generator, whirring drills, pounding hammers and scraping shovels were among the sounds generated by a crew of about 250 volunteers building a playground from the ground up in a Jurupa Valley park Saturday, March 11.

The 2,500-square-foot playground at Veterans Memorial Park on Riverview Drive was designed by Washington, D.C.,-based playground manufacturer KaBOOM!  which sought the advice of experts.

I came and talked to the kids because they know play better than anyone else, said project manager Amy Larson.

Project leaders asked neighborhood children to draw their dream playgrounds and their ideas were used to decide which features to install.

They include swing sets, a climbing wall, slides, a play fire truck, seesaws, travel bars and a swirling slide.

The site also will feature a drum panel, bells and other sensory-stimulating items.

Another nearly 2,000-square-foot area is being created for games for older age groups.

I think this design is great because it highlights opportunities for all kids, ages 2 to 12, Larson said.

The majority of the volunteers on hand Saturday, as well as the playgrounds funding, came from the East Coast insurance firm Travelers.

Many Travelers employees on Saturday carpooled from Irvine to Jurupa Valley to pitch in.

My boss was over there drilling holes in the wood  God bless her, said Travelers employee Art Pedroza.

The idea of the playground was launched by Jurupa Valley Adopt a Family in conjunction with the Jurupa Area Recreation and Park District, which manages the park.

As for the inspiration for the park, Adopt a Family founder Angel Sanchez credited diabetes.

We learned  that we had skyrocketing diabetes rates, even among youth, he said. That led us to recognize that we needed more physical activities for our youth.

A playground promoting high energy exercise sounded like a perfect fit.

Marlene Ibsen, Travelers vice president of community relations, said her firm is spending more than a half million dollars on six playgrounds around the country; she could not say how much was being spent in Jurupa Valley.

Community members seemed to appreciate the playground.

Were so excited, I cant even describe it, said park district board member Kim Jarrell Johnson. Its going to be so wonderful for this park.

While the red-shirted Travelers volunteers formed most of the group, others assisted as well.

Cal State San Bernardino students Cassandra Partida and Marilyn Lua were painting a series of interlocking circles in primary colors on a concrete ramp, a design resembling a caterpillar.

Partida and Lua said they felt compelled to participate when they heard about the project.

Its just (the idea) that the whole community was going to get together to build a playground for kids, Partida said. That way they have somewhere to play and stay off the street.
The San Jacinto Mountains foothills communities of Poppet Flats and Twin Pines have had local fire service for more than four decades.

Services were provided mostly by paid-call volunteers at first. More recently, though, full-time paid Cal Fire staff have been employed.

But word that Station 63 in the area might be on the chopping block to help close a Riverside County Fire Department budget shortfall has prompted a flurry of activity, including a hastily called community meeting, a petition signing movement and a trip to Riverside last week to tell county supervisors about the importance of the station.

Some residents are cautiously encouraged by statements, including by supervisors Marion Ashley and Chuck Washington, that a solution will be found to keep some form of service in the area.

I would definitely hate to see it leave, said Carol Campbell, who was a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician for almost 30 years. She lived in Poppet Flats until last year.

Campbell noted that most of the calls in the area were medical aids, often to Silent Valley, a membership camping resort off Poppet Flats Road. With about 850 spaces on 460 acres, the population swells into the thousands in peak season, according to Patrick Buhrer, the park director.

Campbell said crews responded to a variety of calls, from bee stings and those suffering from the effects of altitude to heart attacks.

If they have a delayed response (due to Station 63 closing), its going to make a difference, she said.

The next closest station to the area is 11 miles north on Highway 243 in Banning. The drive would take at least 20 minutes by car and likely longer by a fire engine rig.

Fires are infrequent. Retired school teacher Ernest Wright recalled the last house fire was about five years ago.

Yet that incident showed him the downside of engines responding from outside the area  some drivers followed GPS directions which misdirected them to a dead end road.

Wildfires have hit the area. Residents vividly remember the 2013 Silver Fire and the 2006 arson-caused Esperanza fire where five firefighters were killed and homes destroyed.

Campbell remembers calling out volunteers for Esperanza at 2 a.m. and calling residents to tell them to evacuate.

While residents wait to see what alternatives the county will consider before June budget adoption, Wright said, We need to keep them aware by sending letters about the importance of keeping the station open.

Kohl Hetrick, who moved to Twin Pines about two years ago, expressed concern about longer response times from other stations and suggested supervisors at least consider a medic patrol option proposed in a few other rural areas as a cost-savings move.

If we are going to decrease the service in Poppet Flats, its all the more important to provide initial community aid to help both the firefighters and the community, Hetrick said.

Community members also have suggested a return to the use of volunteer paid-call firefighters.

Residents pay a state structure fire protection fee, and long-time resident Ann Clemens suggested the area deserved to get some nearby fire service in return. She also noted that the community helped fund the station.

Decades ago, a family donated land for a community social group called the Rancho Encino Mountain Club. By the early 1980s, residents got permission to donate part of the property for construction of a county fire station.

Clemens said they sought grant funding for help building the station, which was completed by the early 1990s.

RELATED:

Riverside County could make cuts to fire service

How Riverside County supervisors reacted to proposed fire service cuts
Editors note: This is Part 1 of a three-day series on the lives of Ryan Morris and Ronald Moore. Read Part 2 here and Part 3 here.

Ryan Morris and Ronald Moore began life as one.

Identical twins start as a single embryo that collapses in on itself, creating two balls of cells where once there was one. They grow into two genetically identical human beings.

Twenty-three years later, Ryan and Ronald could scarcely be more different.

Consigned to separate childhoods by the state of California shortly after their birth, their disparate lives stand in stark contrast to their identical genes.

Ronald drives a pickup, works as a client-relations and facility manager for an imaging company and practices mixed martial arts. He enjoys making art in different mediums and says family is No. 1.

Ryan suffers from a long list of maladies requiring powerful medications. He has the intellectual capacity of a kindergartener. He cant make his own medical decisions and requires a legal guardian to protect him.

Ryan also is married to that guardian, Sean Spicer. He is a truck driver 18 years Ryans senior.

Despite their differences, one piece of twin lore seems to hold true for Ryan and Ronald. After long separations, reunited twins often report a profound and intense intimacy that one researcher described as being as close to the coordinated, harmonious relations for which we all strive as two human beings are likely to get.

When Ryan and Ronald finally saw one another at a Temecula courthouse after more than a dozen years apart, they threw their arms around one another in a powerful embrace captured in family photos and video. Onlookers wept as the twins clung to one another, rocking slowly from side to side. In court, Ryan refused to let go of Ronalds hand.

All I know, and have ever known, is that I love my identical twin brother and want so much to see him, Ronald would later argue in a petition to Riverside Superior Court, seeking to be appointed one of Ryans legal guardians.

I want to hug him, talk to him, play with him, and let him know that he matters to me and the rest of the family. I want a stable relationship with my twin brother, and to be involved and active in his life, as a brother and friend.

Its a battle Ronald and his biological family have been waging for nearly two decades  one that has made headlines in years past and is scheduled for a hearing this week that could force a pivotal legal decision in a case that raises uncomfortable questions.

Those questions go beyond whether identical twins should be raised together or apart, or even how much power the state can wield over families.

Can a man with cognitive disabilities so serious that he cant think abstractly, manage money or care for himself give informed consent to a marriage and intimate relationship?

And does the equation change if that disabled person marries someone of normal intelligence, who then becomes his court-appointed caretaker, empowered to make the most fundamental life decisions?

Disability-rights advocates approached such questions cautiously. Relationships between the cognitively disabled and those of regular intelligence are rare, but activists have fought to secure the rights of disabled people to marry and fully express their sexuality. The goal has been to give individuals more freedom, not less.

People with developmental disabilities  particularly intellectual disabilities  have been marginalized, said Katie Hornberger, director of Clients Rights Advocacy for the nonprofit Disability Rights California. People treat them as giant children. If they have the intellectual capacity of a 5-year-old, well, thats how they scored on a test.

But theres a lot of knowledge that comes from existing in this world, Hornberger said. I need help to ride a city bus, but my clients with intellectual disabilities do that every day of their lives. Whos smarter?

The right to control marriage and sexual contact are just such fundamental human rights, she added. They should not be proscribed.

Robert D. Dinerstein, director of the Disability Rights Law Clinic at American Universitys Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., said a person under a full conservatorship can consent to a marriage or a sexual relationship, but court tests might be necessary.

The decision is contextual and requires examining a number of factors, including whether the person has a sufficient understanding, perhaps with the support of others, of the relationship he or she is about to enter, Dinerstein said. Also important is determining whether he or she can weigh the pros and cons of the choice involved, and somewhat more controversially whether he or she can appreciate the nature of the decision (and its broader implications).

And, of course, one would want to make sure that no one was coercing the person to engage in the relationship against the persons will, Dinerstein said.

Something in the balance of power between Ryan and his husband profoundly disturbs his twin brother, sister, aunts and grandmother. They have grave concerns, voiced in court filings, that Ryans husband may be sexually abusing and controlling him, causing irreparable harm.

Spicer, Ryans husband and legal conservator, said thats untrue. Hes doing his best to take good care of Ryan, he told the court, and Ryan wants him to remain as conservator. Does he get a say in this matter? the husband asked.

Indeed, Ryan does have a say, a Riverside County judge said. But the judge ordered the Public Guardians Office to investigate the situation nonetheless, and explain why a neutral party, such as the Public Guardians office itself, shouldnt step in as Ryans guardian.

The unusual case has complex legal and emotional crosscurrents, and those officially charged with assessing Ryans well-being have come to opposite conclusions.

The publicly funded attorney appointed to represent Ryan says Ryan is happy living with his husband, and favors the status quo. Under no circumstances does Ryan want his family members as conservators, because he believes they are trying to break up his marriage and are engaged in heavy-handed harassment against his chosen life partner, Ryans attorney argued in court documents.

The state investigator who recently conducted the judges court-ordered review questioned Ryans comprehension of his wedding, and gave a positive review to Ryans biological family, concluding it could offer a genuinely viable alternative to naming the state as Ryans legal guardian.

Indeed, every person and every agency that has ever had influence over Ryans life  government social workers, the court system, his biological family, the foster mother who adopted him and now Ryans husband  insist that they only want whats best for Ryan, and are striving to give him the freedom he deserves.

But they have very different ideas about what that means.

TWO BIRTHDAYS

Ronald and Ryan were born three months early at Huntington Beach Hospital, as tiny and frail as baby birds. Ronald, the healthy twin, came late in the evening on Jan. 9, 1994; Ryan followed 2 hours later, after midnight on Jan. 10.

The infants were swept immediately into county custody. Their mother had a history of mental illness and had not received prenatal care, according to a social workers report at the time.

Grandmother Tamara Mukai Mazzei said she sat vigil most every night for six months as the babies struggled in intensive care, heading to work at a San Clemente beauty salon the next day, bleary-eyed. Mukai Mazzei had been in similar circumstances before: She was raising her troubled daughters two older children, and intended to take the boys as soon as they were strong enough to come home.

Mukai Mazzei, an intense Italian immigrant with startling green eyes and shimmering red hair, thought it was only logical that the twins grow up with their big sisters, Jamie and Krystal, and all the aunts and uncles and cousins in their big, extended family.

When the twins were about 16 months old, Mukai Mazzei got half her wish. Ronald was healthy enough to come home. Ryan wasnt.

Ryan had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, asthma and other maladies, according to court records. His motor skills and speech were impaired. He was prone to seizures. He required care 24/7, much more specialized care than Mukai Mazzei could give, officials told her.

Mukai Mazzei told social workers that shed be happy to learn whatever skills were necessary. But Ryan was placed in one specialized foster home after another for the first few years of his life  care that cost the county some $5,000 per month. At the time, the state would only provide such financial support to foster care and institutional programs, not to families of patients.

Mukai Mazzei, Ronald and the sisters visited Ryan weekly and often took him home for overnight visits. Ronalds bedroom was yellow, brimming with books and toys, and optimistically furnished with two beds  one for each twin. We used to play, go to the beach, sing songs and watch the trains pass in San Clemente, sister Jamie Moore said in court documents. I always remembered how Ryan loved the train  he would smile, point and say, CHOO CHOO!

The bond between the brothers was obvious, Jamie said. Sometimes they would just go on and on, mimicking each other and laughing, that they forgot anyone else was even there.

Family members never gave up hope theyd bring Ryan home for good. Then, as the twins approached their fourth birthday, Ryan was transferred to a foster home in the Tustin foothills that catered to severely disabled children. Most could not walk or speak. Mukai Mazzei worried Ryan would become isolated and lonely, living with children so much more disabled than he.

Who will he play with? Mukai Mazzei wondered.

IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE

The Tustin foster home was run by Michelle Morris, whod worked in the past for Los Angeles County as an adoption social worker. Shed also written If I Should Die Before I Wake, a disturbing 1982 novel about father-daughter incest. It was based on a friends experience, she said, and she hoped to raise awareness about sexual abuse.

The book evolved into an off-Broadway play, and Morris became a regular at benefits for abused children, she told the Orange County Register more than a decade ago. At a Costa Mesa home for medically fragile children, she met a lanky 7-year-old with cerebral palsy who stole her heart. Learning to love the child taught Morris a great deal: If youre a religious person  you feel closer to God, she told the Los Angeles Times in 1992. These children call out the best in us.

Morris declined to be interviewed for this story. But in a 2004 interview with the Register, she said that as disabled children in foster care grow up, theyre often moved to different homes. You need a home all your life, not just when youre little and cute, she said.

Morris and her husband, Larry Kerin, formed the Lifeplan Childrens Services nonprofit in the 1990s and opened the Michelle Morris Family Home for disabled children. She was licensed by the state to care for six severely disabled children. The beds filled up quickly.

Clean, good condition, concluded the first annual review conducted by the Orange County Regional Center, a quasi-governmental organization that contracts with the state to provide services for the disabled. Pass with flying colors. Additional staff are on board to provide services above and beyond the call of duty. Good job!

Some parents who placed disabled children in Morris and Kerins home praised the couple as a godsend, saying they finally had peace of mind that their children were being well cared-for.

But there were complaints, too, ranging from neglect and lack of supervision to improper record-keeping, according to state records. In 1997  the year that Ryan arrived  state investigators said Morris husband left a 9-year-old, nonverbal child at a Social Services office in frustration after the state failed to pay for the childs care for two consecutive months. Kerin apologized, according to state records, but regulators declared his presence a threat to the health and safety of the children. He was forbidden to enter Morris foster home. No charges were filed, and he was later granted permission to return.

ADOPTED

Ryans grandmother and Morris quickly clashed. Mukai Mazzei feared Ryan wasnt getting enough positive role models in a home with such severely disabled children. She felt Morris was motivated by the $5,000 a month she received for his care, and that Morris overstated Ryans problems to get more money, according to court documents filed in 2000 by Mukai Mazzei as part of the custody fight over Ryan.

Morris argued that Mukai Mazzei was in denial about Ryans disabilities and didnt supervise him adequately when he spent nights at Mukai Mazzeis house. Morris also alleged that Mukai Mazzei didnt follow Ryans medical regimen correctly and that he would return to Morris foster home with scrapes and bruises. Visits with his siblings overstimulated him and made him prone to dangerous seizures, Morris said in court documents.

Mukai Mazzei said that scrapes and bruises happen when children are finally free to run and play, but officials concluded that she was in denial about the severity of Ryans disabilities. The biological familys visits with Ryan were curtailed. When Ryan was 5, Morris declared her intention to adopt him, prompting an all-out war over the little boy with the wire-rim glasses.

There are so many children out there that need a loving home, why are you going to steal a child from a family that wants him, especially a twin? asked the twins aunt, Monica Mukai.

Generally, the law awards custody to family members, but not when a child has been in long-term foster care. Then, the burden is on the biological family to prove that the foster placement  the stable thing in his life  is harmful.

In Juvenile Court, county social workers again sided with Morris. Grandmother Mukai didnt have an adequate understanding of Ryans special needs and couldnt provide the level of one-on-one, 24-hour supervision that Morris could, a social workers report said. Ryan also had forged a strong bond with Morris and made great developmental strides in her care, Morris attorney argued  progress that would be jeopardized if Ryan went to his biological family.

They said I did it for the money, Morris told the Register at the time. Thats a joke. I did it because we love him.

The adoption was finalized in 2002. Ryans biological family had visitation rights as long as it was in Ryans best interest.

Morris concluded it wasnt, claiming Ryans biological relatives were trying to turn him against his adoptive family. Communication ceased.

I was not even allowed to say goodbye, Mukai Mazzei said. To him, Grandma just disappeared.

The twins were 8 that first Christmas after the adoption, when Ronald wrote a letter to Ryan that was turned away by Morris, according to the grandmother. Two smiling stick figures stood tall on a hill. I miss you, the letter said. I would like to see you again. I love you. We are brothers forever and ever.

Ronald did not see Ryan again until 2015, after their 22nd birthday. Ronald would be surprised to learn he had a brother-in-law.

Contact the writer: tsforza@scng.com



Twins divided, Part 2: Disabled brothers wedding renews biological familys legal fight

Twins divided, Part 3: How disabled brothers families ended up back in court
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has described as shocking the rating of Ghana as the 6th fake drug producer.



Speaking in an interview on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, Mr. James Lartey Public Relations Officer (PRO), for the FDA said, honestly we were shocked at the FDA. I am saying this because; it will very difficult to rate Ghana so high.



According to him, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognize the FDA to the extent that they bring individuals from Kenya, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and some other countries for Ghana FDA to train them in regulation and improved market activities to be able to deal with fake products on the market. Aside that FDA has been ranked highly in the sub-Saharan African as a consortium in monitoring drugs.



He explained, Ghana has an ISO certified lab and internationally the lab is so much recognised. We have the widest range of products in Africa, he added.



The World Health Organization Report estimated that each year, over 800,000 people, most of them from Ghana and other parts of Africa, die because of fake drugs as they are less expensive and more accessible than the original ones.fake drug producer.



Substances like rat poison and anti-freeze have been found in fake pills and serums because they mimic the look and the taste of the real products. Ghana has been ranked the sixth producer of fake drugs by the European Union in 2013.



But Mr. James Lartey indicated that the information published by the media cannot be true and misconstrued.



He said with how Ghana is ranked, there is no way the EU or WHO will rank us as 6th fake producer of drugs. Thats impossible.



Ghana he added has the challenge of fake drugs however, the FDA is doing their best to ensure that Ghanaians are safe with the drugs they take.

Source: rainbowradioonline.com









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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.
Over 500 aggrieved customers of Care for Humanity International have called for the immediate arrest of Martin Delle who also doubles as CEO of DKM Microfinance.



It follows several failed attempts to get their locked up investments from the firm. Mr Delle is reported to be at large after the DKM saga in the Brong Ahafo region.



The spokesperson of the aggrieved Customers Aninganigu Anieba told Starr Business President Akufo-Addo must intervene.



He operated a company here by name Care for Humanity Fun Club International. He was able to mobilise a total of Ghc52, 610,329 this is the amount Martin took and signed documents with his wife and took away these monies, he said.



And when you ask him for the money he tells us the liquidator will pay, this is what they have been deceiving us with all the time and when we contacted the liquidator they told us that they were liquidating DKM as a micro-finance and not as care for humanity fun club and we were not part of it.



Anieba added: We think it is high time government intervened, the president gave us a promise that when he is given the nod as president he will try to investigate the matter and find out where the monies went to. So before government comes in we also conducted our investigations and we have been able to arrest the Manager, we arrested Botwe and now its left with Martin.



This man is in Ghana and hiding, we have used all Police intervention and its not working and we think government must step in to arrest this particular individual who has cost a mess in Brong Ahafo region

Source: starrfmonline.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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Lawyers of Bishop Daniel Obinim, Founder of International Gods Way Church accused of flogging two teenagers of his church over fornication, say the complainant is in the case to seek popularity.



In the view of Ralph Poku Adusei, the complainant and private legal practitioner Irene Aborchie, had dragged the man of God before the court in order to be famous.



He stated that the lawyer of seven years experience had initiated the action against his client just to make herself relevant in the legal profession.



Bishop Obinim, who prefers to be called Angel Obinim, is in court for unlawfully and physically abusing one Elliasu Obinim, 16, and Gyesiwaah Obinim, 14  his adopted children  before his congregation for engaging in fornication.



Bishop Obinim is in the dock with his two other pastors  Kingsley Baah and Solomon Abraham  who had been charged for abetting their senior pastor to abuse the two victims.



Under cross-examination in an Accra Domestic Violence and Gender-Based court presided over by Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, Ralph was emphatic that through the said popularity stunt, Irene was also advertising herself to the public.



Ralph stated that the followers of Obinim were over 50,000 and that the lawyer, by pursuing the case, was making herself popular to the said number of congregants, as well as their extended families.



Obinims lawyer, who among others said the witness was not credible and has not been truthful to the court, accused the witness of being highly commercially motivated.



But Irene, in an answer, said the reason for the action was for justice to prevail in the matter and not for any supposed popularity, insisting that she had done more popular cases than the instant one.



She argued that although she appreciates the theory of Ralph, she is not the picture he (Ralph) is trying to paint.



Irene explained that she had not also established a radio or television station which she uses to project herself for attention or money.



Hearing continues on March 23, 2017.



The accused persons are currently on a GH10,000 bail each with one surety, one to be justified.



Earlier DSP Abraham Annor said the complainant is a resident of Community 17 at Lashibi, a suburb of Accra.



He said the victims live with Bishop Obinim in his residence in Accra and that on the day of the incident, the Accra branch of the church had a service where the man of God claimed that he had a revelation from God and that the two were engaged in pre-marital sex, resulting in Gyesiwaah becoming pregnant.



The police officer stated that Obinim further indicated that he was directed by the Holy Spirit to chastise them in front of the general congregation and subjected them to serious beatings with his black waist leather belt in the full glare of the congregation.



The prosecutor stated that Obinim was assisted by Kingsley and Solomon.



He argued that Kingsley held Gyesiwaah and prevented her from running away while the bishop continued beating her, adding that the girl, in the process, could not bear the pain and therefore sought refuge with the wife of Obinim, Florence Obinim, but her husband ordered the wife to stay aside, which she did.



DSP Annor contended that Solomon then brought back Gyesiwaah for his master to continue beating her.

Source: Daily Guide









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James Kwabena Bomfeh, a member of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), has filed a writ at the Supreme Court challenging governments decision to build a national cathedral.



In the writ, dated March 10, Mr Bomfeh, also known as Kabila, indicated he was seeking a declaration that the decision of the Government of Ghana to purposely endorse, assist, aid, partly sponsor, and/or support the construction of a National Cathedral near the State House of Ghana, for Christian interdenominational church services amounts to an excessive entanglement of the Republic of Ghana and religion and therefore unconstitutional.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction of the chapel to mark the 60th Anniversary of the country.



The President cut the sod on the morning of the 60th Independence Day at the National Scholarship Secretariat in Accra but Mr Bomfeh does not believe it is the place of government to undertake such projects.



For him, government has no business to meddle in religious affairs in such manner and also wants the Hajj Board, constituted by government, to be declared illegal.



He has, therefore, sought a declaration that the setting up of a Hajj Board by the Government of the Republic of Ghana for the purpose of coordinating, supporting and/or aiding Ghanaian Muslims to embark on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca is unconstitutional.







Source: classfmonline.com









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A high powered delegation of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has left Accra on Friday March 10, 2017 for Ouagadougou to participate in the National Congress of the governing Movement for Peoples Progress (MPP), Party.



Asiedu Nketia, who has just been elected for a four year term as a Vice President of the Socialist International (SI), is accompanied by, Honourable Sophia Ackuaku, NDC MP for Obom-Domeabra, Ms Vida Addae, Deputy National Treasurer, Sidii Abubakar, National Youth Organiser, and Peter Boamah Otokunor, Deputy Director of Research.



The delegation which is expected back by Monday March 13, 2017 will also meet the President of Burkina Faso after the Congress.



Asiedu Nketia is also representing the Socialists International as its vice president.









Source: starrfmonline.com









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The Member of Parliament for Akwatia in the Eastern region, Mercy Ama Sey is disappointed after she was subjected to public ridicule over her rendition of the English language



According to her, speaking good English cannot equate performance thus should not be the yardstick for people to judge her.



The first time MP who beat National Democratic Congress (NDC) Baba Jamal in the December 2016 parliamentary election was ridiculed in the media following her address to mark Ghanas 60th anniversary celebration in her constituency.



It is believed that Mr Jamal who was also the Deputy Minister for Employment & Labour Relations is the one fueling such ridicule considering how the two slugged it out during the campaign.



Mr. Jamal polled 15,905 votes while Ama Sey whom he described as a hairdresser garnered 21,433 of the total valid votes cast.



This generated controversy with Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba condemning the act in no uncertain terms.



She has launched a new gender campaign dubbed: He For She and has made Baba Jamal the lead campaigner.



Madam Djaba is convinced once he bears the title of an Honourable for being a former MP; he would make a good ambassador to push the campaign.



In an interview on Adom News, Madam Ama Sey said she is not bothered about the public ridicule since English is not her mother tongue.



She noted that being a form 4 leaver and a hairdresser is not be an excuse not to improve on herself especially being in Parliament but it should not be the yardstick for her performance.



I wonder why people are ridiculing me on social media. If you are fluent in the queens language correct me dont laugh at me she bemoaned.



However, Ama Sey promised the next time she mounts the podium to address students and people in her constituency, I will speak fluent English to shame critics.





Source: adomonline.com









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The managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has criticised President Akufo Addo for firing back at critics who claim that his Independence Day speech was full of distortions.



According to him, if President Akufo Addo sees young critics as unqualified to criticise him as far as the countrys history is concerned, then he (Akufo Addo) should not have read his speech at all; unless he (Akufo Addo) was born in 1771



President Akufo Addo said at the Ghana: 60 Years On Unity Ball 2017 that this has been a very strange week. On Monday, I made a speech to the country which I tried to speak about how we became Ghana. And like everything I say, it has ended up in controversy. But that is how it should be. A politician who doesnt generate controversy is a dull politicianThe amusing part of it is that the people who did not live through the independence era  young people who came much after  claim that I distorted the history of Ghana and belittled the role of Kwame Nkrumah. The one man there who actually lived through the era, who was here in Ghana at the time, embraced me as having enhanced the image of Kwame Nkrumah. And that tells you everything about Ghanaian politics. That is President Mugabe. He gave me a big hug,



In response, Kwesi Pratt said: if that were the case, what was President Akufo Addo doing talking about the bond of 1844. If people who did not live through the independence struggle have no right to appreciate history and to comment on history, then what was President Akufo Addo doing commenting on the bond of 1844 or the Aborigines right protection society? Perhaps unknown to all of us, our president was born in 1771 because if you accept this logic, then only a person born in perhaps 1771 could have read the speech that he read. In appreciating history, you dont have to be a methuselah to be able to do that. And this jibe at young people is very interesting



The renowned journalist was contributing to a panel discussion on Radio Gold's Alhaji and Alhaji.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Nearly 150 people were nabbed by the cops carrying illicit substances at the Days Like This music festival in Sydney over the weekend, translating to roughly 1 in 50 of the 5,000 attendees.

The festival, which took place on Saturday in the eastern suburb of Randwick and featured sets from artists like Dixon, Toro Y Moi and John Talabot, is just the latest festival at which punters have reported an extremely tough police presence.

Police report that two people were charged with drug supply, and 97 were hit with drug possession charges.

In nearby Moore Park, where two other events were being held, cops and drug dogs were also present, hitting 38 attendees for possession. Police say theyre disappointed that people keep trying to bring drugs into music festivals  you know, as if its difficult to imagine why someone might think it was worth it.

With 1 in 50 punters being nailed at a festival, maybe its time we start listening to those pill testing guys  just a thought.

Source: ABC.

Photo: Facebook / Days Like This.
Life comes at you fast.

Three days after making the balls-to-the-wall bet that Tesla could install a battery farm in South Australia within 100 days of pen being put to paper  or the entire operation would be free  Elon Musk has had a chinwag about his energy storing proposal with none other than Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Taking to Twitter to, uh, publically thank the dude for the discussion, Turnbull said it was pretty dang nice to talk to someone who claims to have the solution to the states energy woes.

Thanks @elonmusk for a great in depth discussion today about energy storage and its role in delivering affordable & reliable electricity  Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) March 12, 2017

That vibe was reciprocated by Musk, and you can bet Turnbull was keen to use the opportunity to spruik his governments supposed focus on power storage.

Youre most welcome. Very exciting to discuss the future of electricity. Renewables + storage arguably biggest disruption since DC to AC. https://t.co/7uXoUQf29f  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 12, 2017

Thanks Elon. Thats why I asked our clean energy finance agencies to focus on storage  vital now w generation more distributed & variable. https://t.co/T81Zi7CSo4  Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) March 12, 2017

That discussion followed another one between South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, who has inserted himself as an intermediary into this whole deal.

@mcannonbrookes Just spoke with @JayWeatherill, Premier of South Australia. Very impressed. Govt is clearly committed to a smart, quick solution.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2017

While it still seems quite wild that SA could have a tenable solution to its blackout-susceptible power supply within a few months, the upshot is quite impressive.

Similar Tesla systems have been installed in California and Hawaii to supply power to the grid when demand is exceptionally high, and the prospect of SA, yknow, not being plunged into darkness at the next inopportune moment seems mighty fine.

This is all happening very bloody quickly, but well keep you posted if Turnbull, Weatherill and Musk sort something out.

Source: ABC.

Photo: Tesla / Facebook.
Im not sure whos the bigger gronk out of a far-right Liberal MP who thinks I shouldnt be allowed to marry my partner of ten years and someone who drinks light beer for fun. Now, thanks to Coopers Brewery and the Bible Society of Australia, I no longer have to choose!

This weekend, Coopers released the first in a planned series of #sponcon videos called Keeping It Light, in which public figures discuss controversial topics over lukewarm brews. This one features Liberal MPs Tim Wilson (a self-described agnostic) and Andrew Hastie (a Christian conservative) talking about marriage equality on the lawn of Parliament House.

In the proud tradition of that awkward government recruitment video, the MPs try to look natural as they clink their Coopers Premium Light bottles together, cheers one another and pretend that they are the best of mates.

Per the Bible Societys website:

Australias national conversation has become fraught with shallowness and contempt for those who have a differing opinion. From yelling matches on ABCs Q&A to [screeds] on Twitter, we just dont seem to be able to talk anymore. And the more important the topic, the less we actually hear each other.

To speak into this, Bible Society Australia has teamed up with Coopers Premium Light to ask Australians to try Keeping it Light  a creative campaign to reach even more Australians with Gods word  and this time were doing so in a rather unexpected way.

Being told to keep it light may or may not come as cold comfort to the many Australians who are still being treated like second-class citizens because Turnbull is terrified of the ultra-conservative wing of his own party. Hey, at least its nice to know that our federal parliamentarians are courageous enough to continue treading lightly around marriage equality.

The videos are part of a broader collaboration between Coopers and the Bible Society, as laid out on the Keeping It Light website:

As part of this partnership Bible Society Australia has accepted a Bicentenary tribute from Coopers Brewery who have produced 10-thousand cases of limited edition Premium Light beer that feature a happy birthday message to Bible Society from Coopers and Bible verses on the carton packaging.



Each special edition can of the low-alcohol beer will display Bible Societys Bicentenary logo, while each carton will display different Bible verses.

If nothing else, at least the Bible Society and I can claw our way towards some common ground and agree that Q&A is fucking terrible.

Source: Fairfax.

Photo: Keeping It Light.
As a publication which obsesses over pop-culture, its part of our M.O. to explain exactly why yall should get excited about the news we bring you. We understand that every shred of context adds to the efficacy of our content.

That being said, theres only one sentence this article needs: the first trailer for Edgar Wrights new heist film Baby Driver has just dropped. No more. No less. If that sentence doesnt get you hyped to hell and back, we quite simply dont know what to tell you.

Well Thats a lie, cause there are a fair few facts to add to the overall excellence of this news.

Wright, perhaps best known for his work on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and the fabled Cornetto Trilogy of Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and The Worlds End, has enlisted Ansel Elgort to play the eponymous Baby  a getaway driver who cant operate a whip without his tunes.

Badness / dankness ensues, and Baby finds himself wrapped up in a shady underworld populated by Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Eiza Gonzalez, Jon Bernthal, and a Twin Peaks-lookin Lily James.

The flick just debuted at SXSW, and immediate impressions are super goddamn positive. Like youd even need to catch the whole thing to know that director, that concept, and that cast would deliver an absolute cracker.

Theres no Aussie release date for this one  yet  but well provide you with that precious context when it becomes available.

Source: Collider.

Photo: comicbook.com / YouTube.
More than a year after reports of combusting hoverboards first made headlines, the controversial technology is now being blamed for a "devastating" chain of events that played out in Harrisburg on Friday.

According to earlier reports, a charging hoverboard is believed to have started a blaze inside a Lexington Street row house shortly before 8 p.m. Before the night was over, three children would be left in critical condition and two other individuals would be treated for smoke inhalation. One of the children would later die.

A firefighter responding to the home would also be gravely injured in a car crash police say was caused by a 19-year-old woman driving a stolen vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance.

In total, six people would be hospitalized and familiar criticism of the hoverboard itself renewed.

This after a string of hoverboard fires drew international headlines in the last year, prompting a federal probe, lawsuits and a number of collegiate bans across the country, including in Pennsylvania.

"Recent information has revealed that the batteries in the devices are dangerous and prone to explosion," read a January 2016 letter to Millersville University students announcing such a ban.

"The devices present an unacceptable safety and fire risk, and due to the current safety concerns of this item, we have made the decision not to allow them in the residence halls for the Spring 2016 term."

In a December 2015 interview with NPR, Jay Whitacre, a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, said it was the powerful and sometimes poorly constructed batteries inside hoverboards that made some models a fire risk.

Whitacre added that while most hoverboards are made safely, some were more prone to the inherent fire risks posed by all lithium-ion batteries -- batteries present in everything from laptops to cellphones -- due to the sheer size of those needed to propel hoverboards forward and a lack of safeguards present in certain examples of the nascent technology.

"These things have more lithium-ion batteries in them than most things because they're used to move you around. It takes more batteries to get you the power energy to do that and as such there's just more energy in a small space and so if something does go wrong, it's a bit more catastrophic," Whitacre explained.

Irregularly sized lithium-ion batteries were also blamed for a rash of fires seen with Samsung's rollout of its Note 7 phone last year.

But experts say the causes of hoverboard fires -- of which there were at least 60 reportedly responsible for an estimated $2 million in property damage as of last July -- have been harder to pin down. A July 2016 CNET report said in some cases the hoverboards exploded while charging, while others caught fire while riding and one caught fire while it was simply sitting near a kiosk in a Washington state shopping mall.

Some have theorized that it might be the rough-and-tumble use of hoverboards that left the thin sheet of plastic separating the positive and negative sides of the battery susceptible to puncturing and then primed to explode.

Hoverboard fires have been blamed for burns to the neck, legs or arms of consumers, but rarely have they been fatal.

Inefficient charging leading to overheating was another possible cause, as was faulty wiring, Quartz Media reported.

It has been suggested that hoverboard owners monitor the charging process or purchase an external universal charger if the board they have doesn't come from a reputable vendor. It has also been suggested that users take extra caution to avoid puncturing the batteries by avoiding dropping, kicking, hitting or excessively jarring their device.

But a lack of concrete answers and continuing reports of hoverboard fires left officials in both the public and private sectors erring on the side of caution.

In 2015, a number of airlines banned the boards from planes, while retailers like Amazon and Toys R' Us eventually stopped carrying them.

Since then, sales of hoverboards -- the "it" item of the 2015 holiday season, and with a slew of celebrity endorsements to boot -- largely dried up.

There was also the U.S. government's ban on hoverboard imports, although not for safety reasons, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's conclusion that no hoverboard on the market met its safety standards.

Then, in 2016, more than 500,000 hoverboards were recalled because of the risk of fire or explosions.

And while the Consumer Product Safety Commission went so far as to suggest that those models not included in the recalls also be discarded for consumers' safety, it's likely that many of the devices remain in use and in homes across the country.

Homes like that on Lexington Street in Harrisburg, where officials said a charging hoverboard was the suspected cause of Friday's fatal blaze. The fire was ultimately ruled accidental.

Officials later said that three young girls were inside the home at the time, with one of them forced to jump from a second floor porch roof to safety and the other two rescued by firefighters. It was announced on Saturday that one of the girls, a four-year-old, later died.

The girls' father and a teenage boy were also treated for smoke inhalation. Meanwhile, the firefighter injured en route to the scene was also hospitalized and listed in critical condition.

In a press conference on Saturday afternoon, city fire Chief Brian Enterline described it as an "extremely devastating night."
A 28-year-old woman was arrested after police in Lebanon County say she set fire to a house.

Stephan Toledo-Valetin, of Annville, is facing charges that include arson after a Saturday-night fire, according to the Annville Township Police Department.

Police Chief Bernard G. Dugan said an on-duty officer spotted a structure fire at a residence on the first block of South Mill Street, Annville, around 10:43 p.m. Saturday.

Investigators soon determined the fire had been intentionally set, leading them to arrest Toledo-Valetin, police say.

In addition to arson, she is also facing charges of recklessly endangering others, terroristic threats and criminal mischief.

The fire remains under investigation.
All Pennsylvania flags at the Capitol Complex will fly at half-staff to commemorate a fallen firefighter.

Gov. Tom Wolf issued this order on Sunday in honor of Harrisburg firefighter Lt. Dennis DeVoe.

Lt. Dennis DeVoe.

The Stewartstown resident was a 21-year member of the Harrisburg fire department and was killed after his car was struck by another car as he was responding to the scene of a fire on Friday.

The driver of the other car, Khanyae Kendall, 19, is facing charges.

DeVoe was responding to a fire on the 2500 block of Lexington Street in which a 4-year-old girl died and two other children were hospitalized.
One by one, first responders pulled three people--a man and two young girls--from the smoke and the flames that lit up the night sky over uptown Harrisburg on Friday.

Grainy camera phone video documented the horrible tableau: a police officer cradles a girl in his arms as he dashes into the street. EMTs converge on the pair to begin their work amid screams of terror and disbelief from neighbors and family members forced behind yellow caution tape.

Across town, up on Allison Hill, an 18-year-old driving a stolen car under the influence fled what Police Capt. Gabriel Olivera described as "a horrific scene." The force of the crash sent Fire Lt. Dennis DeVoe's vehicle across the intersection at 14th and Walnut and into a vacant lot.

Lt. Dennis DeVoe

DeVoe was a few short blocks from the fire station where he would have picked up his turnout gear and joined his compatriots uptown. Instead, he followed other victims from the row house to Hershey Medical Center.

DeVoe died of his injuries on Saturday. So did a 4-year-old girl from the row home who fell as she tried to escape from the second story of the home in the 2500 block of Lexington Street. The two other young girls, who were pulled from the conflagration, remained in critical condition at the Lehigh Valley Health Network's Regional Burn Center. A teenage boy and an adult man, the girl's father, were treated and released for smoke inhalation.

"And it's all because of a hoverboard--just a hoverboard," lamented Charles Dominick, who said his brother was "in a bad position right now" having lost one daughter and with others fighting for their lives. "A family as good as them, they don't deserve this. They really don't."

Fire Chief Brian Enterline, his voice cracking from exhaustion and grief as he talked about DeVoe, warned about the dangers associated with such seemingly innocuous toys.

"We would ask if you are using these things and they are knock-off brands, please not use them," he said, at a press conference Saturday. "We've seen too many fires and too many fire fatalities as a result of these hoverboards."

Enterline said a rechargeable hoverboard plugged into a first-floor electrical outlet was identified as the cause of the blaze. The family, whose names have not been released by the authorities, was on the first floor when it started, he said.

"They heard some sizzling and crackling in the hoverboard and, shortly thereafter, it exploded in flames," he said.

A rash of hoverboard fires prompted a federal probe, lawsuits and a number of bans from colleges across the country, including in Pennsylvania. A number of airlines also banned the boards from flights while retailers like Amazon and Toys R' Us eventually stopped carrying them.

"Recent information has revealed that the batteries in the devices are dangerous and prone to explosion," read a January 2016 letter to Millersville University students announcing such a ban.

"The devices present an unacceptable safety and fire risk, and due to the current safety concerns of this item, we have made the decision not to allow them in the residence halls for the Spring 2016 term."

In a December 2015 interview with NPR, Jay Whitacre, a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, said it was the powerful and sometimes poorly constructed batteries inside hoverboards that made some models a fire risk.

"These things have more lithium-ion batteries in them than most things because they're used to move you around," he said, adding: "There's just more energy in a small space and so if something does go wrong, it's a bit more catastrophic."

Irregularly sized lithium-ion batteries were also blamed for a rash of fires seen with Samsung's rollout of its Note 7 phone last year.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's concluded that no hoverboard on the market met its safety standards. Then, in 2016, more than 500,000 hoverboards were recalled because of the risk of fire or explosions.

It remained unclear Saturday what brand or variety of hoverboard caused the Harrisburg fire but the fallout was readily apparent.

The Red Cross of Central Pennsylvania helped 21 people who were displaced from the row home where the fire started and two adjacent units.

Residents and fire officials sifted through the rubble Saturday, treading cautiously across charred floorboards frozen solid with ice. The first floor of the unit where the fire began was gutted, with rust-colored icicles suspended from the blackened roof beams like stalactites in a cave.

The responders were visibly shaken from what Enterline described as "an extremely devastating night." Many, including DeVoe, had been attending a funeral service for a colleague who recently died of cancer when the call came in.

"It's a long night," Enterline said. "We haven't been home since yesterday at 7 o'clock in the morning, so we're going without sleep right now. Just please keep the troops in your thoughts and prayers. These guys go above and beyond every day of the week for the citizens of our great city."

With so many officers responding to the uptown blaze, Olivera said units from neighboring townships were called to the crash at 14th and Walnut.

Witnesses told investigators that DeVoe was driving westbound on Walnut Street at normal speed when the vehicle driven by Khanyae Kendall went through a stop sign while traveling south on 14th Street, Olivera said. Both cars came to rest in an open lot on the northwest corner of the intersection.

Khanyae Kendall

Kendall, who allegedly fled the scene, later arrived at Harrisburg Hospital. While there, Olivera said, she "indicated she was in a minor accident and just wanted to get checked." She denied any involvement with the crash.

DeVoe died late Saturday.

Olivera said investigators, however, determined that Kendall was responsible for the crash and that she had been driving a stolen vehicle. She also failed a field sobriety test, he said, although it wasn't clear what substance she had allegedly taken.

Kendall was charged with aggravated assault by motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, driving under the influence, driving without a license and a number of other traffic offenses.

In addition to the two girls who remained in the hospital, Enterline said a teenage boy and an adult male, the victims' father, were treated and released from Hershey Medical Center for smoke inhalation.

A number of people drove or walked past the scene at Lexington Street on Saturday but no one was willing to speak publicly. One noticed the fire hydrant directly in front of the three-story row home and struggled to fathom how it could have gone up so fast.

Dominick, still coping with his family's loss, shared a common concern about the police's seeming preoccupation with crowd control. Camera phone video from Friday evening showed police ushering onlookers back away from the scene, a part of the protocol for such incidents.

The police's approach, Dominick said, was "crowd control or you're going to jail." This came after family members helped the first fire crews on the scene put up the ladders they would eventually use to rescue those trapped inside.

"I can't believe this happened," he said. "It's unreal."

Staff writers Colin Deppen, Joe Elias and David Wenner and photographer Daniel Zampogna contributed to this report.

This article was updated to include news of DeVoe's death.
Harrisburg Squad 8 station

Harrisburg Bureau of Fire's Squad 8 station is draped in black in memory of Lt. Dennis DeVoe, who died Saturday from injuries sustain while en route to a fatal fire on Lexington Street on Friday night.

(Steve Marroni | smarroni@pennlive.com)

Lt. Dennis DeVoe

The firefighter struck by a driver charged with DUI on his way to Friday's deadly fire in Harrisburg has died.

Chief Brian Enterline said Dennis DeVoe, a 21-year member of Harrisburg fire service, passed away this evening from injuries suffered Friday night while responding to the fire in the 2500 block of Lexington Street.

A 4-year-old girl died of her injuries suffered in the fire, and two other children remain in Lehigh Valley Burn Center. The girl's father and a teenage boy were released after treatment.

DeVoe, of Stewartstown, was on his way to pick up his gear at Mt. Pleasant Station 8 near 13th and Market streets when his car was T-boned at 14th and Walnut streets.

"Denny was a leader in our department and the fire service as a whole. His passion for the fire service made each of us strive to be better in all we do. Our department and the City of Harrisburg are better because of his service," said a statement from Enterline.

"Our hearts are broken and we grieve for the loss of our brother. Our resolve is strong and our will unwavering as we move forward with our service to the City of Harrisburg just as Denny would have said is a must," Enterline said.

The driver who struck DeVoe was Khanyae Kendall, 19, who was driving a stolen vehicle, Harrisburg police said. She was arrested after she fled the scene and showed up at a local emergency room, police said, and was charged with with driving under the influence, receiving stolen property, aggravated assault by vehicle, making false reports to law enforcement and other charges.

DeVoe graduated from the 14th fire academy at HACC in 1996. A graduate of Kennard-Dale High School, he also studied automotive technology at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.

Like most firefighters, DeVoe would probably say he always wanted to be a firefighter, and that he felt a duty to serve, said Lt. Will Skinner of Squad 8.

DeVoe is also a member of Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue, and a state fire instructor at HACC and York County fire school.

Only a month ago, DeVoe was one of two firefighters who pulled a man from a burning house in the 1200 block of Kittatinny Street.

Afterward, DeVoe chalked it up to just another day on the job. "It's what we signed up for," he said. "I'd want someone to do that if it were one of my family members."

Dennis DeVoe and his wife Amy are the parents of four children, Skinner said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for DeVoe. About $2,500 had been raised by 4 p.m. Saturday. The goal is to raise $25,000.
StormTotalSnowWeb.png

March 13-14, 2017 forecast.

(NWS)

March 11, 2017 forecast map

We're in store for the biggest snow of the winter Monday into Tuesday, with 6-12 inches predicted.

A winter storm watch is in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday evening, said the National Weather Service at State College, with the potential for 6 or more inches of heavy and possibly blowing and drifting snow.

Conditions will deteriorate Monday night, with a difficult commute Tuesday morning due to snow, said Aaron Tyburski, meteorologist with NWS. The snow should taper off during the day Tuesday.

"A widespread snowfall of 6 inches is likely with localized amounts over 12 inches in the Northeast," said Brett Anderson, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.

The nor'easter could shut down travel up and down the mid-Atlantic, with snow extending from northwestern Virginia to Maine, AccuWeather said.

The storm will develop in the Delmarva area off the Chesapeake Bay, Tyburski said, and will intensify and move up and off the New England coast.

If the storm develops further east than expected, the midstate could see less snow.

If it developers further west, there would be rain and sleet mixing in.

"Right now, the most likely track gives us snow, but there's always a potential for a 50-mile swing either way that could make a big difference," Tyburski said, in terms of snow.

The worst case is the track they're looking at now, with 6-12 inches, and Tyburski said they should have a better handle on a more exact forecast Sunday.

AccuWeather said rain is likely for southeastern Virginia, southeastern Maryland, southern Delaware, southern New Jersey, eastern Long Island and Cape Cod, Mass. Should the storm track farther to the east, then heavy snow could fall in these areas.

If the storm tracks further west, there could be more rain for the I-95 corridor, and a foot or more of snow could fall along and just east of the Appalachians.

Here is the forecast for the coming week:

Tonight: Partly cloudy; low of 18.

Sunday: Partly sunny; high of 33.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy; low of 17.

Monday: Mostly sunny; high of 35.

Monday night: 90 percent chance of snow after 8 p.m. Low of 26.

Tuesday: 90 percent chance of snow. High of 34.

Tuesday night: 70 percent chance of precipitation - snow likely - before 8 p.m. Low of 23.

Wednesday: 30 percent chance of snow before 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy; high of 30.

Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy; low of 17.

Thursday: Mostly sunny; high of 34.

Thursday night: Partly cloudy; low of 19.

Friday: Mostly sunny; high of 39.

Friday night: 30 percent chance of snow showers; low of 25.

Saturday: 40 percent chance of snow showers; high of 43.

For the latest forecasts, visit PennLive's weather page.

You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below.

Tweet us at @pennlive with photos of inclement weather at your place, incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com.

END COPY OF CODE HERE
A man was shot at the Iron Horse Tavern in McConnellsburg, Fulton County, early Saturday morning, state police say.

Pennsylvania State Police.

The victim was shot in the abdomen at 1:50 a.m. in the tavern at 513 Lincoln Way East, police said. The male victim was flown to York Hospital for treatment. The shooter has been identified, police said.

State police said the incident is described as a reckless endangerment incident, and there is no danger to the public.

Anyone with information is asked to call state police in McConnellsburg at 717-485-3131.
A York County man accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl was arrested by U.S. Marshals this week.

Jesse Roros

Jesse Zacariah Roros, 36, formerly of Mechanicsburg, was picked up by marshals in Newburg, Mo. March 9. He initially provided false identification but ultimately admitted his name, and was detained pending extradition to Pennsylvania, officials said.

Roros was charged Jan. 11 by Carroll Township police in York County with statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors. He was on parole for a 2007 conviction of involuntary deviate sexual Intercourse with a minor victim in Perry County, and a warrant was also issued for parole violations.

After police in central Pennsylvania were unable to find him, U.S. Marshals were enlisted to apprehend him. They learned he fled the area in early January and investigators pursued leads in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
accuweather.brightspotcdn.jpg

(Accuweather)

The National Weather Service in State College has issued a winter storm warning in effect from 8 p.m. Monday to 8 a.m. Wednesday.

This takes the place of the winter storm watch issued earlier today.

The warning is in effect throughout central Pennsylvania, with between 10 to 18 inches of snow expected in the midstate.

The storm, dubbed Winter Storm Stella, is expected to move into central Pennsylvania on Monday evening and cover the entire area before midnight. The weather service says the heaviest snow will occur through noon Tuesday.

Winds are expected between 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. Forecasters say the snow will make many roads impassable and could lead to widespread power outages.

Visit PennLive.com/weather for your latest weather updates.

You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below.
Paul Ryan,Steve Scalise,Cathy McMorris Rodgers,Kevin McCarthy

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin speaks during a news conference at the Republican National Committee Headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, March 8, 2017.

(J. Scott Applewhite / AP)

By Charlie Gerow

Most Democrats now admit that there are some serious problems with Obamacare. How badly flawed they'll say depends on which Democrat you ask.

Republican strategist Charlie Gerow (PennLive file)

Bill Clinton, in a moment of candor, said, "So you've got this crazy system where all of a sudden 25 million people have health care and then the people out there who are busting it, sometimes 60 hours a week, wind up with their premiums doubled and their coverage cut in half. It's the craziest thing in the world."

About the same time, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, Mark Dayton, was lamenting that Obamacare is, "...no longer affordable for increasing numbers of people."

Most Republicans are much more adamant in their denunciation of Barack Obama's signature piece of legislation. "An unmitigated disaster" is a phrase you'll most likely hear somewhere in their descriptions.

They'll point out that under Obamacare deductibles are skyrocketing (into five figures in some cases), companies are fleeing, premiums have exploded and the promised choice of doctors and plans has been illusory.

President Donald Trump ran on a pledge to "repeal and replace" Obamacare, which he repeatedly called "a disaster."

Congressional Republicans had been calling for the same since Obama rammed through the original package on Christmas Eve, 2009, utilizing plenty of back room deals (remember the "Cornhusker Kickback"?) but without a single Republican vote.

Republicans in Congress never deviated much from their position, repealing all or part of Obamacare more than 60 times during the Obama Administration.

With a Republican president came their opportunity to actually repeal Obamacare and replace it with a free and functioning health care system where individuals are empowered to make their own, more affordable health care choices.

Last week, congressional Republicans, backed by the Trump administration, rolled out their replacement for Obamacare which they will finally repeal.

Its promoters say the bill, christened "The American Health Care Act," goes beyond repealing Obamacare and all of its mandates and spending.

It reforms Medicaid, strengthens Health Saving Accounts, equalizes tax treatment of health care, de-funds Planned Parenthood, and returns power to states, doctors and patients.

The Wall Street Journal said that it, "would be the most consequential GOP social-policy reform since the welfare overhaul of 1996" because "it starts to correct many of the government-created dysfunctions..."

START is the operative word.

Many conservative Republicans are dismayed that the plan, presumably seven years in the making, is underwhelming. Former U.S. Rep. David McIntosh called the new plan "a warmed over substitute for government run healthcare."

Trump, while voicing strong support for the plan, promised to "listen to other ideas" a clear signal that he knows the plan doesn't have the votes among congressional Republicans without significant strengthening.

Of particular concern is how fully the new plan repeals Obamacare, as it keeps some of the taxes (in particular merely delaying the "Cadillac tax" and leaving the excision tax on medical device manufacturers, many of them small businesses in Pennsylvania) and Medicaid expansion, and doesn't totally eliminate the individual mandate or fully encourage competition by allowing purchase of plans across state lines.

The Republicans plan takes more than 2,000 pages of legislation and hundreds more of regulations and reduces it to 66. That's an important start.

The key question that must now be answered is how much better Congress can make the initial proposal.

The bill needs to be changed. It needs to provide solutions based on the understanding that bureaucrats on the Potomac are not better suited to run healthcare.

Competitiveness in private health insurance markets is good for patients and good for the nation. Acknowledging that health care should not primarily be the responsibility of the federal government provides a context for real reform and lasting benefits for all.

The new plan has not yet been "scored" by the Congressional Budget Office, determining, among other things, the net impact on the federal budget.

That will come this week. In the meantime Congress continues the "markup" of the bill, a serious of negotiations and revisions to the original proposal.

The Obamacare replacement bill is a good start.

There's still a lot to be done. Will Congress effectively tackle all the taxes and mandates tucked into that gigantic piece of legislation we were famously told needed to be passed so we could know what was in it? If they do, their good start will be a better finish.
PHILADELPHIA -- As lions dens go, Bob Casey picked a decidedly declawed one: a university campus in Pennsylvania's most liberal city.

But for 90 minutes on Sunday afternoon, Pennsylvania's senior United States senator honed the more aggressive persona he's been cultivating since President Donald Trump's election last November.

"I don't call it repeal and replace," he scoffed at one point, referring to to the Republican-backed Obamacare alternative that debuted on Capitol Hill last week. "I call it repeal and decimate."

After two terms in Washington where Casey has mostly flown below the national radar, the Scranton Democrat has suddenly discovered his inner angry guy.

Well, as much as Bob Casey gets angry anyway. For instance, he said "fight like hell" a lot and his voice actually rose.

And, like a certain 45th chief executive of the United States, Casey has given voice to his inner angry guy on Twitter, where he's been unsparing in his criticism of Trump and his policies.

"Bring it on," he snarled in a tweet on Saturday in response to a Washington Post report on Trump stumping on behalf of the Republican-backed Obamacare replacement that's struggling to gain ground among some Capitol Hill conservatives.

Three words: Bring it on. https://t.co/jsWSIw1AQ5  Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) March 11, 2017

I posted 67 tweets, one for each PA County, proving this just isnt true for older Pennsylvanians. https://t.co/vK5eoddnn0 https://t.co/wd6Wlpwvcq  Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) March 10, 2017

So what gives?

The fact that Casey is running for re-election in 2018 probably has a bit to do with it.

The energized audience - one that could help Democrats retake the Senate in 2018 -- didn't hurt either.

Unlike the angry crowds who have faced down Casey's Senate colleague, Republican Pat Toomey, the crowd that packed into the University of Pennsylvania Museum laughed at Casey's jokes and frequently interrupted his remarks with applause.

And, like him, they were angry too. From Trump's business and political ties to Russia and the Obamacare repeal to school choice and last year's Democratic implosion, Casey's constituents had plenty on their minds.

"Just keep doing what you're doing," Casey told one audience member who asked him how voters can more effectively hold elected officials' feet to the fire.

"I've never seen this kind of engagement," he said of the emerging "resistance" movement. Those activists are "sustaining" their involvement.

"It's not slowing down," he said. "If anything, it's growing."

A few highlights from the Town Hall:

On the Trump/Russia Connection: Casey sketched out what he described as a "four lane approach" that included probes by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, a special counsel, and an "independent commission" similar to the 9/11 Commission.

"I would hope the president would be as tough on Vladimir Putin as he is on some Americans," he said.

On the Obamacare Repeal: With tens of millions of Americans receiving insurance coverage through the Medicaid expansion included in the law, Casey stressed the need for a vigorous opposition to the GOP-spearheaded repeal push.

"We're going to fight like hell," against the repeal effort, he said.

On Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court: Casey said he's withholding full judgment on Gorsuch, a judge of the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, until after his confirmation hearing, now slated to begin on March 20.

But based on a meeting and his inspection of Gorsuch's record, Casey said he had "real" and "substantial" concerns about elevating him to the nation's highest court. Gorsuch, Casey said, could take the high court in a "more corporate" direction.

On any push to privatize medical care for veterans: Casey was pretty unequivocal in his opposition.

"We're not going to privatize VA care and anyone who tries that should be defeated from office," he said.

On what he could do to encourage the growth of clean energy: This is where the Senator from Coal Country got his only grumbles. After a constituent complained about pipelines and said the country should be doing more to encourage clean energy development, Casey said "I think we can do both. We have to do both."

On senior Trump White House adviser Stephen K. Bannon: "This president decided to put him on the NSC. He shouldn't be [there]. We need security professionals, not a person with a political agenda," Casey said.

On protecting LGBTQ Americans: Casey said Congress needed to pass the equivalent of a Civil Rights Act for the nation's LGBTQ population. He also said he planned to reintroduce legislation that would crack down on bullying in the nation's public schools, noting that LGBTQ students are among those on the receiving end of such bullying.
FILE- In this Sept. 17, 2015 file photo, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara speaks during a news conference in New York. On Wednesday, March 8, 2017, two days before Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave dozens of the country's top federal prosecutors just hours to resign and clean out their desks, Sessions gave those political appointees a pep talk during a conference call. Bharara said on Saturday, March 11, 2017, that he was fired after refusing to resign. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Former Obama White House press secretary Josh Earnest talks to the Associated Press reporter at the Public Diplomacy & Government Communication Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Ernest said Sunday he believes more will come to light regarding ties between Russia and aides to President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
A group of Turks protest outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, Sunday, March 12, 2017. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he appropriately accused the Dutch government of "Nazism and fascism," saying only those types of regimes would bar foreign ministers from traveling within their countries. Erdogan also said during a live televised address on Sunday that the Netherlands would "pay the price" for sacrificing its ties with a NATO ally to upcoming elections there. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
JoBurg girls' cross country captures school's first state championship

After falling just short of a regional title last Saturday, the JoBurg girls responded by claiming the ultimate prize at MIS this past weekend.
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The same analyst who predicted a week ago (and they are) that the least convenient facts in American political history were about to hit Trump went on a twitter rant Saturday telling everyone to calm the heck down.

Yes, its true your Republican Congress is not doing their job, strategic analyst for businesses and government agencies Eric Garland wrote, but the Trump Russia and Trump emoluments clause violations are being handled.

These things take time. Oh, and to be clear, the man who has spent 18 years in the business of competitive intelligence and strategy wrote, This isnt what *nothing* looks like. Its what a professional rollup of a massive counterintelligence op looks like with a madman as POTUS.

Read and enjoy the rest of your Saturday:

I'm fatigued of it. Guys: This is screaming forward, and now we're SOLIDLY in the territory of knowing that Laws Have Been Broken.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

There was NO Constitutional backup to prosecute the Trump Admin in the transition. Transitions are tradition, not law, it turns out.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

But now that their in the Constitutionally-guided position? Oh, everyone is totally screwed, it's coming out, and they cannot escape easily.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

Yesterdays revelation that Donald Trump gave paid foreign agent Michael Flynn top access to our secrets and put him in charge of our National Security was not a small deal:

Trump intentionally gave a paid foreign agent access to our secrets AS PRESIDENT. Trump's businesses are illegally competing against firms.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

Trump's businesses now produce cash flows *during his presidency* that amount to emoluments. Not theoretical. Not "ethics." EVIDENCE.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

Its true when you look at how long things took with former President Nixon the drops are fast and furious on Trump.

Congress is getting briefings of increasing depth and importance about a *sitting* president. Not POTUSE, POTUS. Like in the Constitution.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

And every week brings evidence of new investigations, new OFFICIAL GOV'T committees, and increasing evidence that will PLAY. IN. COURT.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

It's also increasingly evident that Mr. Comey, for a guy "trying to swing the election for Trump," actual runs a LOT of investigations.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

The intelligence drops keep coming:

This isn't what *nothing* looks like. It's what a professional rollup of a massive counterintelligence op looks like with a madman as POTUS.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

Said it December 11. People are doing their jobs and doing them well (except for the GOP Congress and ICE and Border Patrol obviously.)  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

We'll still have the issue of how this all happened. It's a goddamned mess. But for now, hysteria isn't helpful or insightful.  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

Anxious? Garland says to call your Congressional representatives and tell them respectfully to do their jobs (I would suggest sending them an American flag as a big hint as well, but thats just me):

If you're worried "nothing" is happening, don't tweet. Call your Congressional rep and respectfully tell them to do their job. </THREAD>  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017

Channel the hysteria, which frankly is understandable with our country under assault by a hostile foreign government with an agenda to undermine western Democracy. But we need to keep our eyes on the ball.

Right now one ball is stuck in Congress, with Republicans failing to stand up for their country. Focus on them. Write letters, show up at town halls, demand answers. Wave a Russian flag.

But also, have some faith in what we are seeing. When Congress failed us, our intelligence communities and media stepped up. They are doing their jobs. These things take time. Stay engaged, stay insistent, but most of all, stay hopeful.

Breathe deeply the free air, and use your energy wisely to resist.

Garland added after reading this:

They're not *handled* yet. But yeah. Let's bring this home. https://t.co/m4K4ocWur5  Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 11, 2017
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By Mark Hosenball and Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of New York said on Saturday he had been fired after he defied a Justice Department request to resign as the Trump administration cleared out federal prosecutors who served under former President Barack Obama.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired, Bharara wrote on Twitter.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

Bharara, whose jurisdiction as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York included Manhattan, has handled a string of high-profile corruption and white-collar criminal cases. He was one of 46 Obama administration holdovers who were asked to resign by the Justice Department on Friday.

Like all of the nations 93 U.S. attorneys, Bharara is a political appointee who is typically replaced when a new president takes office.

Bharara told reporters in November that Trump had asked him to stay on, and a source familiar with the situation told Reuters that he was confused by the Justice Departments request that he step down.

Bhararas office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision to replace so many sitting attorneys at once has raised questions about whether that would hinder the Trump administrations ability to enforce the nations laws. Career attorneys will carry on that work until new U.S. attorneys are put in place, the Justice Department said.

Bhararas Manhattan office, which also has jurisdiction over the New York City borough of the Bronx, neighboring Westchester County and some other counties in the state, handles some of the most critical business and criminal cases passing through the federal judicial system. He has been overseeing a probe into New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios fundraising.

Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life, Bharara wrote on Twitter.

After he was appointed by Obama in 2009, Bharara built a reputation as an aggressive prosecutor who was not afraid to take on complex cases.

He won a $1.8 billion insider-trading settlement against SAC Capital Advisors, the largest in history, which forced the hedge fund to shut down, and he forced JPMorgan Chase to pay $1.7 billion to settle charges related to its role in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme.

Bharara won a lifetime sentence against the Times Square bomber, Faisal Shahzad, and a 25-year sentence for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. He has successfully prosecuted state and local politicians for corruption, including former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Trump has asked two U.S. prosecutors to remain on the job, according to the Justice Department.

U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein of Maryland has been asked to stay on as the Senate considers his nomination to serve as the No. 2 Justice Department official, and U.S. Attorney Dana Boente of Virginia, who is temporarily serving in that position, has also been asked to remain.

A White House spokeswoman said she did not know whether other U.S. attorneys would be asked to remain in office.

(Additional reporting by Emily Stephenson; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Diane Craft and Leslie Adler)
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As if liberal genocide and deportation of Jews wasnt enough, self-proclaimed revivalist and visionary Lou Engle wants God to convert or kill liberal members of the Supreme Court who uphold Roe v. Wade.

Engle gave vent to his authoritarian rejection of dissent at a meeting of the group POTUS Shield in Ohio at the church of Frank Amedia. Amedia, you may remember, was Donald Trump campaigns volunteer liaison of Christian policy, and who claims he has power over tsunamis.

Imagining you have power over tsunamis is one thing, but Engle managed to actually trump his fellow pastors delusions of grandeur by confusing about Lord of the Rings and the Bible.

At PFAWs Peter Montgomery explains,

Engle said that during a recent five-day fast, he had a dream about women gathering to hear the book of Esther taught. Someone in the dream said that there are two words in the book of Esther that mean Nazgul, which Engle stated is the name of the Witch King of the ringwraiths in the Lord of the Rings, the most powerful being of darkness and death who could be killed by no man, but who is defeated by the Kings daughter as she proclaimed, I am no man. Engle said the dream means that God is raising up an Esther movement of conservative women. We decree it, shouted Engle. The voice of Esther is coming to take out the Nazgul, the principalities of witchcraft and death that demand bloodshed for the fueling of the agenda of darkness.

Yeah. There is no way to make that sound sane. Pretty sure I wont be able to find that in my copy of the Bible. See if you can find it in yours.

This bizarre mixture of incompatible mythologies left Engle praying,

God sweep away the judges. Sweep away the Nazgul, the Haman spirit of death. We decree, God, the sweeping of the Supreme Court.

Yes. Liberal supreme court justices are Nazgul. Just like Tolkien intended, apparently.

We declare the reversal of the decree of 73, Roe v Wade  We declare the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The powers of Nazgul, witchcraft and death are being reversed now over this nation.

Clearly, Engle no more understands how the Constitution and Democracy work than does Trump.

Engle closed his bizarre session with a prayer in which he seems to think God is somebody he can command to carry out his agenda:

I want to stand with authority to declare the shifting of these judges, and the shifting of the federal judges of America. We declare it in the name of Jesus. We stand before the courtroom of heaven, presiding God in Canfield on earth, and around the throne in heaven. We stretch forth your rod and rule in the midst of your enemies. We decree a massive shift over the federal courts and the Supreme Court, in the name of Jesus, from the Supreme Court of heaven.

Thats not how this works, obviously. Its a shame Engle is so busy seeing Nazgul in his Bible that he cant be bothered to peruse the United States Constitution, or he might understand that political power derives not from his god, but from the will of the people.

And that there is no provision in that Constitution for smiting Supreme Court Justices because you disagree with them.
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By Joseph Ax

NEW YORK (Reuters)  The American Civil Liberties Union is launching what it bills as the first grassroots mobilization effort in its nearly 100-year history, as it seeks to harness a surge of energy among left-leaning activists since the November election of Republican Donald Trump as U.S. president.

The campaign, known as PeoplePower, kicks off on Saturday with a town hall-style event in Miami featuring resistance training that will be streamed live at more than 2,300 local gatherings nationwide.

It will focus on free speech, reproductive rights and immigration and include presentations from legal experts, ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero and Top Chef television star Padma Lakshmi.

Membership in the civil rights organization, which was founded in 1920, has tripled to more than 1 million since Trumps election, the group says.

As activists have marched in streets, demonstrated at airports and confronted U.S. lawmakers regularly since election day, progressive groups like MoveOn and the newly formed Indivisible have sought ways to translate that frustration into local action.

That is the idea behind PeoplePower, which represents a major strategic shift for an organization that has traditionally focused on courtroom litigation, Romero said in a phone interview on Friday. Approximately 135,000 people have signed up for the campaign.

Before, our membership was largely older and much smaller, he said. Our members would provide us with money so we could file the cases and do the advocacy. Whats clear with the Trump election is that our new members are engaged and want to be deployed.

For example, the Miami event will encourage individuals to engage local officials in conversations about immigrant policies in their town or city. The ACLU has prepared model ordinances ensuring the protection of immigrant rights that supporters can press legislators to adopt, part of a campaign to create freedom cities, according to ACLU political director Faiz Shakir.

Suggested tactics, like the use of text messages as a mass mobilization tool, will mirror some of those employed by the insurgent presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who mounted a surprisingly robust challenge to Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

Its completely unprecedented, Romero said of the response since Trumps victory. People are wide awake right now and have been since the night of the election.

(Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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
With fall in the air, cyclamen start peeking through the leaf litter, giving the woodland garden a splash of color when most plants have finished blooming. As those pink, white or magenta blooms unfurl and appear, it is a memorable sight to see. Read moreFall charmers and winter wonders
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
For citizens to use drivers licenses and non-driver identification cards for official purposes, the license must comply with the requirements of the REAL ID Act. Minnesota is one of very few states that has yet to fall into line with the requirements of the act. The requirement for compliant licenses becomes effective on January 22, 2018. As of that date, Minnesota citizens without compliant licenses will be required to use another form of acceptable identification. DHS has posted answers to Frequently Asked Questions here.

Last month the Minnesota House passed a bill that would bring the state into compliance with the requirements of the act last month and that would prevent issuance of licenses to illegal immigrants as a matter of law. This past Monday the bill failed in the Senate, where Republicans hold a one-vote majority, when a few GOP votes peeled off and Democrats opposed the bill without a provision authorizing issuance of licenses to illegal immigrants.

Senate Democrats followed the lead of Governor Dayton, who asked them to oppose the bill without a provision authorizing licenses for illegal immigrants. The Star Tribune reported on the bills failure here.

The Duluth News Tribune has condemned Governor Daytons insidious role in the defeat of the bill in a good editorial. The Star Tribune reprints the editorial today here.

The News Tribune actually has the temerity to say out loud: [T]hose who choose to be here illegally ought to be encouraged to follow proper channels and obtain citizenship. Their place outside the law shouldnt be accommodated with things like state-issued drivers licenses. The editors of the Star Tribune supported the bill in issue, but they are neither so reasonable nor so blunt.

The Democrats have their priorities and Mark Dayton is a specimen Democrat. Democrats treat illegal immigrants as a critical component of their base.
Shortly after the election, and after Trump had made some of his public remarks critical of the intelligence community, I happened to lunch with Herbert Meyer, who many readers will know was assistant to CIA director William Casey in the Reagan Administration, and vice chair of the National Intelligence Council. He remarked that Trump was running a large risk with the intelligence community, as they have ways of making a presidents life miserable.

Herb has returned to this subject with a recent lecture for Hillsdale College, just published in their Imprimus series under the title How Intelligence Works (When It Does). Worth reading the whole thingit is not long, and Herbs writing is always vivid and clearbut here are a few relevant highlights:

The performance of our countrys intelligence service is the latest example of an issue exploding into the headlines and becoming a shouting match, while failing to clarify anything about the issue itself. This explosion was ignited last fall by allegations that the Russians hacked into Hillary Clintons campaign to help Donald Trump win the election. The blast radius expanded after the election, when rumors surfaced that the Russians had deployed their nasty tactic of kompromat to undermine President Trumps credibility by spreading rumors about his private behavior while in Moscow years ago. All this, on top of failures that had already wreaked havoc at the CIA and our other intelligence agenciesthe 9/11 attacks themselves, the mess over weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the weird 2007 National Intelligence Estimate whose key judgment was that Iran had abandoned its nuclear bomb program, Edward Snowdens NSA espionage activitieshas kept the issue of our intelligence service in the headlines. . . Back in January, when U.S. intelligence chiefs released an unclassified version of the briefing they gave to President-Elect Trump about Russian efforts to influence the November election, Americans learned a phrase thats unique to the world of intelligence: key judgment. It was a key judgment that Russia had hacked into John Podestas email server, and a key judgment that Vladimir Putin preferred Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton. Since these key judgments understandably erupted into a nasty political brawl, lets take a moment to understand what a key judgment really is. Simply put, its the conclusion reached by our most senior intelligence officials, based not only on the evidence they were able to collect, but also on the insights it enabled them to reach based on their knowledge and experience. A key judgment isnt the same as a jury verdict. A jury verdict is based solely on the evidence presented to it. In a murder trial, unless the prosecutors can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty, you must vote for acquittal. But in a National Intelligence Estimate, you reach a key judgment by starting with the evidence, then combining it with your own knowledge and experience to reach a conclusion. . .
A new book has been released on the life of the General Overseer Worldwide of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Enoch Adeboye.

Compiled to read like a biography by an author and journalist, Bisi Daniels, Stories of Pastor E. A. Adeboye is the story of the amazing transformation of the man fondly called Daddy G.O. from poverty into a man revered by millions of people across the world.

The 350-page book, which shows for the first time the house in which Mr. Adeboye was born and the primary school he attended in Ifewara, Osun State, was released last week to mark his 75th birthday.

Mr. Adeboye is a great believer in the power of testimony and is considered a living testimony of the power of God. His sermons always contain stories about how people have experienced the power of Jesus Christ in their lives. This book is a collection of those testimonies, which reads like his biography right from his birth in Ifewara in strange circumstances to the present moment.

According to Mr. Daniels, the story of Mr. Adeboye is a compelling read, revealing how he broke free from poverty in his family to become a university lecturer living in a palatial home, and then abandoned all that for a one-bedroom apartment in Mushin, Lagos, when he accepted to become the General Overseer of RCCG.

Daddy G.O. confesses that at that point he was scared but God assured him of his support. Instructively, it was at that point that God promised him a city, which has turned out to be the now famous Redemption Camp along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.

Gods response to me was, Son, dont ask for house because I have decided to build you a city, he said.

That response was beyond what I could comprehend. After this encounter, I began to dream of a city where everybody would be a Christian; a city where there would be no molestation; a city where there would be no power failure or water shortages. God began to stretch my mind to see a city where His praises would fill every mouth.

The church had only 40 parishes when Mr. Adeboye assumed its leadership but now has over 32,000 parishes in Nigeria, over 700 parishes in the United Kingdom, and many more spread across over 196 countries, including Samoa, Fiji, Serbia, Pakistan, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.

The subjects covered in the book dedicated to Mr. Adeboye and his wife, Folu Adeboye, who stood by him during his most difficult times, include: The RCCG and testimonies on faith, Salvation, Miracles, Marriage, Fruit of the womb, Temptation, Unforgiveness, the dark world of power and principalities amongst many others. Mixed in with these is the fascinating story of how, having been born again, Mr. Adeboye rose from debilitating deprivation to become the famous leader of the RCCG.

In a testimony about Mrs. Adeboye, fondly called Mummy G.O, Mr. Adeboye revealed how he won her love, even when he was her least qualified suitor.

There were many of us contesting for the hand of my wife. I wanted to marry a beautiful princess but I was the least qualified among the many suitors. Out of the number, three of us were in the forefront. But I was a student, while one of us was a lawyer who owned a car. All I had was a foot wagon (move around on foot). I decided to let her know my financial status

I said to her, Please listen. I have nothing, no money, no house, no influence, nothing. I told her that if I had anything at all, it was the little brain God gave to me.

I have nothing to offer you except myself. If you will marry me, you will have me to yourself completely, I said.

Surprisingly, she replied, Because you are so honest, I will marry you.

Mr. Daniels feels privileged and honoured to work on this great book of a very great man of God; a rare person of our times, who so many people around the world are grateful to be alive to see at work for God.

He adds: I have written many books but this is the most important and most impactful of them all, with the promise to touch lives of many people around the world.

Sometimes I get the sense that I was specifically prepared by the circumstances of my life in the last nine years to write this particular book.

He says working on the book has transformed him, gotten him closer to God, and equipped him with greater understanding of the spiritual realm, particularly the less understood dark part, where mothers kill children they carried nine months in their own womb, and cried in the labour room to deliver, to drink their blood and eat their flesh; where some mothers make their daughters barren or make it impossible for them to be married; where fathers cause their sons to lose jobs, and where wives gleefully turn their husbands to destitute and husbands use their wives for rituals.

In the foreword of the book he wrote just before he was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo recommended the book highly.

He noted that, the sharing of what he calls stories is an integral part of the sermons of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

Most of Daddys stories are indeed miracles, used to illustrate his sermons and show the power of God, rather than his own achievements.

Having been a member of the church for many years and now a pastor, I have seen the efficacy of this style of preaching.

Testimonies not only enhance the faith of others but also honour God. This book of some of the testimonies of one of the greatest servants of God in this generation is worth reading and learning from, he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A graduate of the University of Ghana, Mr. Daniels started work as a trained teacher before switching to journalism. He was the Business Editor of two of Nigerias most influential newspapers, The Guardian and THISDAY, between 1993 and 1996. For some time within this period, he worked briefly as a Speech Writer in Aso Rock to the Head of State.

He joined Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited in 1996 as Media Relations Manager. A year later, he moved to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria as Corporate Communications Manager. His job included media relations and speech writing.

After some 12 years in the oil industry, he returned to journalism. Until recently he was the Chairman of the Editorial Board of THISDAY Newspapers and was also the Executive Editor, Business Desk.

He has written over 20 books, including 5 children books; seven novels; a textbook on economics for secondary schools; inspirational books; and plays. Three of his novels were published in London, and one of his inspirational books in the United States. In the last two years, he has written eight literacy story books on finance, road safety, and the oil industry for schools.

He is also a columnist with ThisDay and The Sun Newspapers.

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A Hausa musician and staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rarara, has released a new song titled Baba Ya dawo meaning Baba has returned.

Rarara is known for releasing various songs for the APC during the 2015 electioneering campaign.

In his 13 minutes new song for the president, he celebrated Mr. Buharis return to Nigeria after 50 days in the UK for medical vacation.

On his return on Friday, the president thanked Nigerians for praying for his recovery.

I am deeply grateful to all Nigerians, Muslims and Christians alike who have prayed and have continued to pray for my good health.

This is a testimony that in spite of the hardship being experienced, Nigerians support the government in its effort to tackle our countrys challenges, the president said.

He said his health had improved significantly, following the medical attention he received during his vacation in London.

The best way for me to repay you is to rededicate myself to serving you, protecting your interest and keeping your trust. I thank you very much.

I am feeling much better now. There may, however, be need for further follow up within some weeks, the president said.

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, is facing the allegation of conspiring with a property development firm against electricity consumers who pay as much as N150,000 monthly for power in Abuja.

Residents of Emerald Court, a housing estate in Gudu District of Abuja, accuse UAC Property Development Company, UPDC, of illegal generation of electricity, overbilling, disconnection of residents, and failure to separate the public electricity supply from residents private lines.

They also accuse the company of violating the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act, EPSRA, 2005, and doing so with the support of the regulator, NERC.

The residents say NERC has refused to sanction UPDC almost a year after clear illegalities committed by the company were reported to it.

At the core of the controversy is that UPDC installed and operated in the estate electricity generating sets with combined capacity of over 1,015 KVA, without an operating license.

As part of its services, UPDC has been distributing the generated electricity to the estate and levying residents arbitrarily bills without providing meters to determine consumption, said Odilim Enwegbara, a resident of the estate.

Each of the 42 flats and five service apartments in the high rise section of the estate are required to deposit N1 million every year to take care of electricity bills, subject to a minimum charge of N150,000 every month, irrespective of consumption, Mr. Enwegbara said who sent a petition to NERC.

UPDC replicates the same practice in all the over 16 residential and commercial properties it currently owns and operates in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

NERC wades in

Part IV, Section 62 of the EPSR Act 2005, which sets up NERC, prohibits the generation, distribution and trading in electricity by any person, except in accordance with a licence issued by commission.

Sub-section 62(2) specifically states: , a person may construct, own or operate an undertaking for generating electricity not exceeding one megawatt in aggregate at a site or an undertaking for distribution for electricity with a capacity not exceeding 100 kilowatts in aggregate at a site, or such other capacity as the Commission may determine from time to time, without licence.

Section 62 (5) stipulates: any person who contravenes any of these provision commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand Naira, or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years , or to both such fine and imprisonment.

NERC waded in after it received a petition from Mr. Enwegbara, and on March 10, 2016, its officials visited the estate to confirm the allegations.

On April 11, 2016, General Manager (Legal, Licensing and Enforcement Division), Olufunke Dinneh, wrote to UPDC management on NERCs findings during its visit to the estate.

NERCs findings, Mrs. Dinneh said, confirmed the allegations against UPDC. Apart from operating two electricity generating units with combined capacity in excess of the one megawatt limit set in the Act, NERC also found UPDCs electricity distribution within the estate was above 100 KW.

Besides, Mrs. Dinneh said documents reviewed from residents during the visit also revealed the companys billing system did not conform to NERCs regulation.

Mrs. Dinneh said an analysis of what UPDC levied Mr. Enwegbara for January 2014 to January 2015 showed grid supply at N32,123.60, generator supply (N178,914.73); VAT (N100,289.97) and service charge (N496,030.96).

An appraisal of facts from our investigation, vis-a-vis the provisions of the Act, brings us to no other conclusions than that you are clearly in violation of the Act, Mrs. Dinneh said in her letter to UPDC.

On May 6, 2016, NERC sent a letter to UPDC directing it to desist from its illegal activities and maintain status quo, by collecting only recognised tariff and refrain from illegally disconnecting residents, pending the final determination of the complaint.

Meanwhile, UPDC was served notice to commence enforcement of its rules for violating the Act if within seven days of the receipt of the letter it did not respond to all the issues.

On May 13, 2016, NERC said UPDC requested a meeting with it and the petitioner. At the meeting, UPDC was directed to replace bulk metering with AEDC individual meters to residents within 30 days and report progress to the Commission.

The meeting resolved to carry residents along by copying them in all correspondences between NERC and UPDC till the matter was settled.

On May 27, 2016, NERC said UPDC wrote to request that enforcement action should not commence against it, as it had commenced the process of obtaining a captive generation permit, while a consultant would advise on the separation of grid from private electricity supply.

Curiously, contrary to its resolution during the meeting, Mr. Enwegbara said NERC deliberately refused to inform residents about UPDCs moves and its decision to grant a six-month extension for the company to comply with its directive.

NERC said during the extension, UPDC would obtain a valid captive power generation permit, provide detailed work plan with specific timelines, stop disconnecting residents and separate public electricity power supply from others.

The fact that NERC kept residents in the dark about what UPDC was doing only confirms it was more interested in defending and protecting it, to continue defrauding unsuspecting residents of Emerald Court, Mr. Enwegbara said.

Let NERC produce a letter it sent jointly with UPDC to Emerald Court residents and the evidence they agreed that extending the timeline would be in their best interest, while stopping the illegal captive electricity generation and distribution would hurt them, Mr. Enwegbara noted.

He told PREMIUM TIMES residents have good reason to suspect NERC officials compromised their job.

If NERC officials were not compromised, how come they failed to sanction UPDC for violating the law? Apart from the N500, 000 fine stipulated in the Act for offenders like UPDC, why did NERC not demand the refund of all payments by residents in excess of the legal electricity bills?

Clearly, NERC allowed UPDC to get away with the fraud, not only in our estate, but in all properties the company runs across the country, Mr. Enwegbara said.

Mr. Enwegbara, on July 18, 2016, protested against NERCs decision to grant UPDC operating license.

My greatest disbelief is that NERC, which as a regulator, should be protecting public interest from the illegal and exploitative activities by private companies like UPDC, is not only (failing) to do so, but in fact providing such public exploiters all the backdoor support to legitimize their exploitation of the unsuspecting public, Mr. Enwegbara said in a letter to the Commission.

Why is NERC biased and in a hurry to grant UPDC captive license to legitimize its illegal trading in electricity, but reluctant in stopping UPDC from defrauding its unsuspecting residents, he added.

He gave NERC seven days to respond or risk legal action. A copy of the protest was sent to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Tunde Fashola. The Minister is yet to respond to the letter.

However, UPDC in a letter to all residents last December said the estate was connected to the national grid with a dedicated transformer and skipper panel meter for reading the total power consumption in kilowatts from the electricity distribution company.

To carry out NERCs directives, UPDC said the 650 KVA generator would be replaced with a 400 KVA generator to avoid violating the law and reduce its total power generation capacity to about 765 KVA, less than one megawatt limit.

The company said the cost of connecting each generating unit to the national grid and each unit having two meters for public and generator power consumption would be borne by each resident.

In its response to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry last Thursday, NERC said over 90 per cent of the work on the installation of dual tariff meters had been completed by UPDC, with the entire work to be completed in March.

No changes

However, residents told PREMIUM TIMES during a visit to the estate that UPDC had continued to act in defiance of its agreement with NERC.

Although bulk supply meters have been installed about a month ago, the company is yet to connect them to individual premises as directed. Yet, they have continued to levy residents arbitrarily. Those who refuse to pay up are disconnected instantly from public supply.

The so-called meters were only brought in late last month, while the old fraudulent billing system continues to date. Its almost one year since the petition was sent to NERC, March 7, 2016. Yet, all the delays have been carefully orchestrated to benefit UPDC, since it continues to send residents the illegal bills, Mr. Enwegbara said.

When contacted, UPDC representative, Yemi Ejidiran, told PREMIUM TIMES the company had complied fully to NERCs directives on the issues.

Asked about reports by residents that bulk meters installed at the estate were yet to be connected to individual premises, Mr. Ejidiran said he was not permitted to comment further as the matter was in court.

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Two teenage female suicide bombers were on Saturday night shot dead by troops as they made a futile attempt to sneak into Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, wearing explosive vests hidden under their clothes, officials said.

A top military official informed PREMIUM TIMES that the deafening explosion that resonated in most part of Maiduguri at about 9 p.m. on Saturday was as a result of the safe detonation of the explosive vests retrieved from the bodies of the dead girls. They were both in their late teens.

It happened at about 8.45 p.m., when two female suicide bombers, about 18 years of age, attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General area about 9km to Maiduguri township, said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

They were sighted by the Civilian-JTF and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty at the area.

No other loss of life or injury was recorded. The police EOD (explosive ordinance department) team was mobilized to the scene to render the unexploded IED safe, while normalcy has been restored to the area.

Hours before the interception of the two suicide bombers, troops of the Nigeria Army had gunned down a Boko Haram kingpin during an operation that led to the rescue of 211 civilian captives from a Boko Haram den.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Army, Sani Usman, confirmed the development in a statement he sent to the media.

Following reported sighting of Boko Haram terrorists scavenging in some villages in northern Borno State, troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Operation LAFIYA DOLE in conjunction with Civilian JTF, on Saturday embarked on fighting patrol to Cingal, Murye and Mala Maja villages and cleared them of the terrorists, the brigadier general said.

During an encounter, the troops neutralised one Boko Haram terrorist and recovered 11 bicycles. The patrol team also rescued 211 civilians held captive by Boko Haram terrorists at Murye and Mala Maja village.

In addition, the patrol team escorted 2 heavy duty trucks and 18 pickup vans to recover Internally Displaced Persons foodstuff from Mala Maja.

The rescued persons are currently being screened.

Suicide bombing by teenage girls has been a major strategy of the Boko for about two years. Over 200 such teenage girls have lost their lives helping Boko Haram convey their lethal weapons to attack both military and civil populations around north-east Nigeria. Sadly, less than ten of them survived the deadly mission.

It has also been observed that most the female suicide bombers were deployed in twos.

One of the girls that recently reneged on the mission by refusing to detonate her explosive told security operatives that they were made to believe that the explosives would not harm them. She said they were told that they would disappear to a safe haven where they would be married to handsome husbands of their choice and then live an eternal life of bliss and happiness.

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In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Ifediorah Orakwe, a retired Controller of Prisons (Planning, Research, and Statistics) Nigerian Prisons Service, spoke about the countrys overcrowded prisons, challenges, and the way out.

PREMIUM TIMES: You were in the Nigeria Prisons Service for over three decades. What has changed over the years?



Mr. Orakwe: I was in the service for 34 years; so much has changed. I joined the Prison Service in 1982 when, if you come into the prison, if the population is 2,000, 1,800 or thereabout will be convicted prisoners, so we put to various vocations. Although, the vocations were not very funded but you could see some prisoners go to woodwork, to carpentry, to metalwork and learn vocations. Those who could go to school go to school.

But over time the face of the prison has changed; now instead of getting convicted persons, everywhere you go you find awaiting trial. And that awaiting trial in the prison does not enable us to do the job we used to do before. What we now do is manage awaiting trial. But before, if you come to the office, somebody will tell you, Take care of these prisoners, mentor and monitor their development and their transformation.

They assign you some prisoners, you are their care-giver, you are their monitor, you are their mentor. You will be interested in their progress from the day they come in until the day they come out, and at the end of their time you do some assessment and say, Yes out of this number of prisoners committed to my care, this number actually did very well. And that time, too, we used to honour them with after care rewards. Some of them will go even as far as passing Trade Test certificates in various vocations.

But these days now it has been progressive. since 1985 So many prison officers who are 25 years and below will not be condemned if all they know is how to manage awaiting trial, because like you saw in the chart, awaiting trial numbers were increasing, the convicts were deceasing. So you come into the prison now all they need to do is to contain prisoners in their various cells and that is not what the prison is, that is not what a standard prison is outside the shores of this country and until we get to terms with that we are not getting it right.

PT: At what point did things begin to go bad with the prison system?

Mr. Orakwe: I said 1985 was the kind of although it was difficult to bridge, but it was 1985. But you could say 84 when so many politicians were brought into the prison by the corrective regime of Idiagbon/Buhari. So by 1985 too, throughout that period of trial, they were released. Since then we noticed progressive increase in the number of people who are awaiting trial in prison. And now it has degenerated to the level where awaiting trials are all over the place.

PT: What do you think is responsible for the difficulty in going back to what we used to have?

Mr. Orakwe: The court systems are not functioning, the prosecution, theyre all at fault. The prosecution and adjudication have a problem; the moment they remand, they forget. Somebody said yesterday that the policemen said theyre no longer extracting confession; that shouldnt be the end. Police investigation should be so proactive; they should be innovative. In some of these countries where they dont use coercion, they bust crime, they bust cases, so we could do like that.

PT: You faulted former president Obasanjos approach of decongesting the prisons when he was in government, 

Mr. Orakwe: (Cuts in) Its not Obasanjo alone. It is a general approach. They see it as a way of decongesting the prison. But my take is, it is wrong. Let us set the prosecutional and adjudicatory mechanism, let us restore them so that anybody that finds his way into the prison will pass through the process and go home if hes innocent, or be sentenced if hes guilty. But to begin to say go home, you will release poison into the society and thats why we are having pervasive crimes now.

PT: Some people have argued that executing condemned prisoners is one way of decongesting the prisons. What do you think?

Mr. Orakwe: Well, like I said, one of these people I think The Sun did a story on it recently, I dont know why the governorssentencing somebody to death and keeping that person under the sentence of death for this length of time is double jeopardy. If we were to carry the case to the private council, those death sentences could be quashed. If the governors are afraid to sign death warrants, they should at least commute what we are saying, decongest the condemned convict cell. If you think you cant shed anybodys blood like some of them will say, commute it to life so that they can leave that place and have hope of rejoining the society in future. Commute the death sentence to life, that the governor has the power to do. That the governors are not doing that, is suspicious and questionable.

PT: What do you think is a better solution? Building more prisons or expanding existing ones?

Mr. Orakwe: Expand the one you have. See, if you must control crime and preserve society, we must have prison. Because as a matter of must, in every society there must be people who will commit crimes and such people when they commit crime they will go into the prison more as punishment because they will be separated from their kith and kin. So in the prison they have the opportunity of self-assessment and change before they come back. And there are others ones that have graduated to the level of being pathological criminals that should be kept in prison for a longer time; these are done else everywhere. But when you release them and theyre running about, you find them doing so many things. Its not as if Im an advocate of imprisonment, but anywhere a complex society like Nigeria exists, and wants to control crime, then surely they must have prisons.

PT: What do you think about private individuals building and owning prisons to complement government-owned ones?

Mr. Orakwe: No. No. They have tried it in South Africa, they tried it in Mozambique, they tried it in the UK, it failed. Listen, criminal justice is government business. Government says that its directive principle of state policy is to provide national security, to provide for security of its citizens, and so it is government business. Criminal justice from arrest, to prosecution, to judgement is government business, it shouldnt be done by anybody. When the government has failed to do it, its failing the fundamental policy, the state policy theyve sworn to in the Constitution. Its government business. No private individual can provide court, no private individual can provide police, no private individual can provide prison; no, its government business. If government says it is not its business, it is abdication of responsibility.

PT: Earlier you spoke about your Namibian experience. How can Nigeria learn from it?

Mr. Orakwe: Thats what am telling you, thats why Nigerians should learn because in Namibia they also have a complex system like we do but the government came out and said anybody who is arrested for any matter, the case must be finished between three months and six months. Otherwise, release the person. And the government is also watching. So it has made the Police Force to become innovative. When there is a crime, they go to the root, the evidence they get to prosecute you is not by extraction, its not by coercion. You will be surprised a police man will go into the community non-descript, gather every available fact about a particular person, use it to prosecute the person in court. You just have to have capacity, you have to have a professional Police Force and, of course, you have to have judges who have the capacity for that work. Not judges appointed on ethnic or tribal sentiments but because of their skill. You know in those days they used to appoint very successful private legal practitioners as judges, they were called gladiators. When they climb to the bench there, all they want to do is to show expertise and skill in the application of law, I think we may go back to that.

PT: When you look at Nigerias prison population as a ratio of the total population of the country, do you think its low?

Mr. Orakwe: Its very low, very low, and it is as a result of the criminal justice system that is not performing. And thats why you have criminals everywhere because if the criminal justice becomes dynamic and functional we will have close to 300,000 in prison, to match our population. As we begin to interact, Ill begin to give you comparative figures from other crimes. Nigeria is the least lucky and its not symptomatic of. When you see a population of 180 million in this modern world with a prison population of 68,000, it would have indicated one thing, that this place is without crime. I leave you to judge whether we are without crime or not.

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Two Fulani herdsmen were killed Saturday afternoon in Southern Kaduna sparking fresh fears of renewed violence in the area.

The herdsmen were reportedly shot while herding cattle in Anguwan Yashi village in Jemaa local government area.

The National Assistant Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Ibrahim Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone those killed are Anas Shuaibu, 20, and Yahaya Musa, 14.

Mr. Abdullahi however called on the Fulani community in the area not to take the laws into their hands and allow the security agencies do their job.

He also appealed to the attackers to please give peace a chance.

The spokesperson of the police in the state, Aliyu Othman, confirmed the incident and said nine persons have already been arrested in connection with the killing.

He said the police was proceeding with investigation of the murder.

Over 200 people have been killed in the last few months in Southern Kaduna in clashes between herdsmen and largely farming communities.

The Kaduna State Government has embarked on several peace initiatives to help check the violence while the federal government has also agreed to establish two army bases in the area to maintain peace.

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The Consumer Protection Council, CPC, has disclosed that the Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, will flag off the commemoration of the 2017 World Consumer Rights Day in Abuja on Wednesday to further stimulate the countrys crusade against consumer right abuses in the digital age.

The Council, which made this known in a statement over the weekend in Abuja, disclosed that the wife of the president will be performing the ceremony in her capacity as the Consumer Ambassador of Nigeria.

According to the statement, Mrs. Buhari will flag off the Days commemoration with the inspection of exhibition stands of businesses involved in the use of digital systems, such as banks, e-commerce providers, satellite television providers, manufacturers/providers of computer hardware, telecommunications providers, among others.

CPC disclosed that the investiture of Mrs Buhari as the Consumer Ambassador of Nigeria will be performed on the World Consumer Rights Day, and that soon after the investiture, the Presidents wife will conduct an inspection of exhibition stands of businesses mounted to educate consumers on various concerns relating to products and services involved in the use of digital systems.

The Council hinted that the commemoration, whose theme is Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust, would involve a two-day programme, consisting of the investiture of the presidents wife, a stakeholders workshop and consumers inspection of exhibition stands of businesses.

The agency said the stakeholders workshop, which is scheduled for Thursday, March 16, 2017, will feature presentations from Google, Microsoft, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, among others.

It will be recalled that CPC on July 15, 2016, named Mrs. Buhari as the Consumer Ambassador of Nigeria, while flagging off its nationwide grassroots consumer awareness programme with the countrys womenfolk as part of its strategies at stemming consumer abuses in Nigeria.

CPCs Director General, Dupe Atoki, made public the Councils decision with respect to the wife of the President while addressing the National Convention of the National Council of Womens Societies (NCWS) on July 15, 2016 at the Women Development Centre in Abuja

Mrs. Atoki, while extolling the virtues of the presidents wife at the event, said the Councils initiative to ensure Nigerian women know their rights can find no better personality to identify with its cause than Her Excellency, Hajia Aisha Buhari.

She referred to the committed efforts of Mrs. Buhari in taking on the plight of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), who are predominantly women and children, by raising funds to meet the needs of the IDPs outside government resources as exemplary, expressing her conviction that such commitment would safeguard Nigerian women from malpractices of unscrupulous businesses.

The director general added that CPC as the apex agency for the protection of Nigerian consumers has respectfully sought the consent of Her Excellency, and she has graciously agreed to serve as Nigerian Consumer Ambassador, stating that we are indeed very grateful to Her Excellency, who we trust will assist in taking consumer protection to another level under her watch as Nigerian Consumer Ambassador.

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Nigeria could save $1.5 billion yearly  UNFPA

The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, said Nigeria would be saving $1.5 billion annually by investing in maternal health.

The Deputy Representative of UNFPA, Eugene Kongnyuy, said investing in maternal health is a smart investment as it will translate to reducing the number of women dying.

He said more than 55 per cent of pregnant women still gave birth without any assistance from a skilled health worker and only 12 per cent of pregnant women who needed emergency obstetric care services received them.

He said the costs of not taking action now would mean that poverty eradication efforts would be undermined, economic growth affected, inequalities sustained and countries will miss out on a vast source of human capital needed to take sustainable development forward in the 21st century.

1.7 million child deaths

The World Health Organization has attributed more than one in every four deaths of children under the age of five to unhealthy environments.

Recent health reports show that 1.7 million children under the age of five die every year due to environmental risks such as indoor and outdoor pollution, second-degree smoke, unsafe water, lack of sanitation and inadequate hygiene which are preventable by interventions known to reduce environmental risks.

The agency called for reduction in air pollution, improved safe water and sanitation, improved hygiene and building safer environments.

Community loses pregnant women monthly

A community in Jemaa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, says it loses not less than five pregnant women monthly due to lack of access to healthcare services.

Danlami Barde, the District Head of Jagindi Tasha of Godogodo Chiefdom, said at an event by the National Orientation Agency, NOA, and UNICEF that five women died in January on their way to Kafanchan General Hospital for delivery.

The area has only a clinic with no qualified health officer to ensure safe delivery. As a result, pregnant women from the community lose their lives while struggling to access nearby Kafanchan general hospital which happens to be more than 35 kilometres from Jagindi Tasha.

Abuja Airport: Five hospitals for emergencies

Ahead of the closure of the Abuja International Airport to pave way for the maintenance of the runway, the Federal government has selected five hospitals to treat serious accident victims and provide other emergency healthcare services.

Three of the hospitals are in Kaduna State while the other two are in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. First Aid Centres and Primary Health Care Centres along the Abuja-Kaduna highway are also being upgraded to take care of minor injuries.

The five hospitals are the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base Hospital, 44 Army Brigade Hospital, and St. Geralds Catholic Hospital located in Kaduna metropolis, as well as the National Hospital, Abuja and the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.

Increased disease rate in Nigeria

The change in lifestyle of people and the economic recession has been pointed as reasons for increasing rate of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer and hypertension in the country

The President of Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Olusegun Elegbede, said there is evidence that non-communicable diseases are undermining the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals. He also said the World Economic Forum has reported it as a leading macro-economic risk at global level.

U.S envoy commends Nigerias fight against Hiv/Aids

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, commended the federal government and agencies involved in the provision of care and treatment for HIV/AIDS patients.

The envoy gave the commendation after inspecting a laboratory and other equipment donated by the U.S to the Aids Prevention Initiative Nigeria (APIN), a Public Health Initiative in Jos, Plateau State.

The Nigerian government as well as other donor agencies have been involved in providing care and treatment to HIV and AIDS patients in collaboration with the American Presidential Emergency Plan for aids relief since 2004.

Abuja hospitals get accreditation

Three general hospital owned by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) located in Maitama, Wuse and Asokoro have secured full accreditation from the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria and West African College of Physicians for post graduate residency.

The FCT Acting Secretary of Health, Grace Achu-Odey, said that the hospitals were accorded full accreditation for residency training in obstetrics and gynaecology for five years with effect from July, 2016.

This means that we would have our doctors carrying out their training within our facilities, while providing services to the populace of Abuja, she said.

One million women infected with HIV annually

The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said a million women and girls became newly infected with HIV per annum, and 470,000 women and girls died of AIDS-related illnesses.

A new report released to commemorate the International Womens Day said that there was an urgent need to scale up HIV prevention and treatment services for women and girls.

Nearly one million women are becoming infected with HIV every year and only half of all women living with HIV have access to lifesaving treatment. It makes AIDS now the leading cause of death worldwide among women between the ages of 30 and 49, the agency said.

Nigeria launched mobile health education

The Federal Government has launched a programme to use mobile phones in informing pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers across the country about health and nutrition issues.

The programme, mNutrition, is using mobile technology to send text messages to Nigerians with a view to expanding access to health and nutrition services.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, said the programme was a step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC)and fight malnutrition. He said malnutrition slows economic growth and perpetuates poverty by reducing childrens brain development, their ability to learn and be productive citizens during their adult years.

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The Head of Bundestrat, the upper chamber of the German Parliament, Malu Dreyer, has pledged Germanys support to Nigeria in its economic recovery effort.

Ms. Dreyer, who spoke at the weekend while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Senate led by its President, Bukola Saraki, in Berlin said that Nigeria deserved the support of Germany to boost its economic recovery plans.

A statement by Mr. Sarakis Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, quoted Ms. Dreyer as saying that Germany will support the on-going economic recovery programme in the country.

She said that her country would look towards extending the special partnership and grassroots co-operation which it presently had with Rwanda to Nigeria, adding that more exchange programmes between the two countries should be initiated.

The partnership between Nigeria and Germany is very important and should be nurtured.

This partnership, at a very high level, can help the entire population in Nigeria. We have to do all that is necessary to support Africa to prevent internal crisis that would later plague Europe.

We should empower African nations to enable the people and their government take their fate into their own hands. We have a gain to make from this co-operation, she said.

Ms. Dreyer said that Germany would tackle the root cause of refugee situation through helping countries to be stable and economically buoyant.

On renewable energy, Ms. Dreyer said Germany was ready to help Nigeria through exchange of technical information and exchange programmes.

In his remarks, Mr. Saraki reiterated the need for Germany to partner Nigeria in the areas of economic co-operation, security and renewable energy.

He said that the Senate delegation was in Berlin to strengthen the existing relations between both countries as represented by the visit of the German President to Nigeria last year in company of some German businessmen.

We appreciate the cordial relationship between Germany and Nigeria. We need German support as our government works hard through progressive policies and legislation aimed at overcoming our current challenges.

It may be true that we have economic challenges but the fundamentals remain good and even the prospects are better.

That is why we are seriously working to diversify the economy and move away from the dependence on oil.

We are moving into agriculture, mining of numerous mineral resources and manufacturing. These areas alongside energy production and funding of key infrastructural projects are areas that German business people can invest in, he said.

Mr. Saraki said power was one area where Nigeria required serious help as its inadequacy affected the success of businesses and limits the productive ability of the people.

(NAN)

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The Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, has called for the reinstatement of a whistle-blower in the Police Service Commission, PSC, Aaron Kaase.

In a petition sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and signed by CSNACs chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the coalition urged Mr. Lawal to urgently beam searchlight on the report of the whistle-blower in the commission.

Mr. Suraju, in the petition, also called for the suspension of the commissions indicted Director of Admin and Finance, Emmanuel Ibe.

According to the petition, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, had on February 22 arraigned Mr. Ibe before Justice C.N. Oji of an Abuja high court on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged N11.75 million fraud.

Mr Ibe, the petition said, was alleged to have paid N11.750 million to some staff of PSC in March 2015 as airfare and airport taxi allowance to travel to seven states within Nigeria on official duties even while there were no connecting flights from Abuja to these states, thereby contravening Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other offences Act 2000.

But CSNAC noted that, despite the allegations levelled against him, Mr. Ibe is still at his official desk, a situation that may enable him use his office to interfere with investigation and destroy evidences.

CSNAC, however, noted that the whistle-blower, Mr. Kaase, who alerted the government to the fraud, has remained on suspension since May 2015 without pay, even as his efforts facilitated the ICPC investigations that prompted the PSC to refund N133m to government coffers.

The anti-graft coalition, therefore, called for the immediate interdiction of Mr. Ibe from work as Director Administration and Finance of PSC to enable ICPC carry out unhindered investigation and prosecution. It also called for the prosecution of others indicted by the ICPC report, particularly Mike Okiro, the Chairman of the Commission.

In the same vein, CSNAC also called for the reinstatement of the whistle-blower, Mr. Kaase, stressing that all his outstanding salaries, allowances and other benefits due to him be paid.

Another group, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, AFRICMIL, also called for an immediate end to the reported persecution of Mr. Kaase.

A statement by the centres coordinator, Chido Onumah, disclosed that not only had Mr. Kaase been on suspension without pay since May 2015, he is currently being arraigned in court on some dubious charges manufactured by some top officials of PSC.

A whistle-blower deserves full protection and not victimisation or persecution in any form, Mr. Onumah said.

Otherwise, potential whistle-blowers will feel disinclined to reporting fraud and that will sound a death knell to the whistle-blower policy in its infancy, and the anti-corruption war in the long run, he added.

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A former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bello Adoke, has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, imploring the nations number one law enforcement official to call the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to order.

Mr. Adoke, in a string of complaints sent to PREMIUM TIMES by email Sunday, said the anti-graft agency allegedly singled him out for persecution when other former high-level government officials, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, took some of the critical decisions that culminated in the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu transactions.

I believe it is your responsibility to explain to the public who are being sold a fiction that the transaction started from President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR under whose administration the Terms of Settlement were brokered with Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, as the then Attorney General who executed the Terms of Settlement before the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR who approved the final implementation of the Terms of Settlement and my humble self who executed the resolution agreements, Mr. Adoke said in the petition dated March 6.

This is more so as the Settlement and its implementation were situated in the Federal Ministry of Justice, he added.

The appeal was sent three days after Mr. Adoke accused the EFCC of lending itself to manipulation by powerful political interests, after the anti-graft agency slammed fresh charges of money laundering against him and one of his associates, Aliyu Abubakar, accusing them of sharing millions of dollars in fraudulent proceeds.

In the charges, filed at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, the EFCC alleged that Mr. Adoke exchanged more than $2.2 million in a bureau de change in Abuja as part of his share in the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu Oil deal.

Prosecutors believe Mr. Abubakar, a controversial owner of A.A. Oil Ltd., acted as middleman in the questionable deal.

The EFCC said in the court filings that Mr. Adoke took delivery of exactly $2,267,400 on September 16, 2013, and immediately enlisted the service of money changers to have it converted to the local currency.

Based on the prevailing exchange rate at the time, Mr. Adoke made N345, 200,000 after successfully converting the funds. He subsequently deposited all the money in a Unity Bank account to offset an outstanding overdraft of N300 million, court documents showed.

But Mr. Adoke swiftly denied the allegations at the time, saying the EFCC knew the facts of the case but was deliberately muddling them up to confuse gullible Nigerians and malign his image.

In his petition to Mr. Malami, the former AGF begged his successor to save him from unwarranted attacks and dehumanising treatment just because he chose to serve his fatherland.

He reminded Attorney-General about former government officials who took part in the controversial deal and approvals they allegedly gave.

It will be recalled that the Terms of Settlement encapsulating details of the Settlement between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited (Malabu) was executed on 30th November 2006.

The Terms of Settlement, which was later, reduced into a Consent Judgment of the Federal High Court; Abuja was brokered by our predecessor in office, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN and signed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria by the then Honourable Minister of State, for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Edmund Daukoru, during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.

He queried why the EFCC had not invited those officials, especially since they didnt deny their alleged roles.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comments Sunday night. His known telephone lines were switched off.

Mr. Adoke, again, absolved himself of any wrongdoing, saying he saved Nigeria more than $2 billion in damages that stemmed from arbitration claims instituted against the Nigerian government at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes over the OPL 245 block, which is believed to hold more than 9 billion barrels of crude oil and even more volumes of natural gas.

Mr. Adoke was instrumental to Nigerian governments involvement in the suspicious Malabu Oil deal, which saw Shell and Agip-Eni paying money into an escrow account of the Nigerian government to settle a firm with a questionable history.

Mr. Adoke authorised the transfer of the $1.1 billion paid by Shell and Eni into private accounts of Mr. Etete, who further transferred a large percentage to Mr. Abubakar. Investigations suggested that Mr. Abubakar might have acted as a front for officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, including Mr. Adoke. 

Shell, Agip-Eni, Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete, who initially approved the lease award of the OPL 245 while he was petroleum minister in 1998, have all denied wrongdoings.

But Italian prosecutors said late last year they had enough grounds to charge Shell, Agip-Eni, and their executives alongside other Nigerians involved in the controversial deal for fraud in Milan.

In separate charges filed late 2016, the EFCC accused Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete of defrauding Nigeria in the OPL 245 deal.

The Department of Petroleum Resources said last December that Mr. Adoke and other officials of the Jonathan administration who participated in the concession of the lucrative oil field to Shell and Agip-Eni did not follow due process.

Mr. Adoke, who is currently in the Netherlands for study, had maintained his innocence and pledged to make himself available for trial.

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The Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has advocated for the inclusion of the history of slave trade in Nigerian schools curriculum.

Mr. Sani spoke on Saturday during a visit to some historic sites in Badagry, Lagos.

I would say this in clear terms, that the best we can do for the memories of those who perished along these very lines, to this journey to the unknown, I think the most we can do is to constantly remind ourselves, Mr. Sani said.

We must teach the history of slavery to our young ones in primary schools and secondary schools. It is distressful and disappointing to see our young people in our schools, in our country, being taught history according to how Europeans wrote it. I think the best thing we should now is we must inculcate the lessons and the lectures and experiences of slavery in our curriculum.

Mr. Sanis bill at the National Assembly, the Historic Sites Preservation and Protection Bill, has passed the first reading at the Upper House.

His visit to Badagry came months after he climbed the historical Kufena rock in Zaria, and promised to sponsor a bill that will promote tourism in the country.

He said the bill is aimed at drawing the attention of the federal government on the need to protect and preserve historic places that have formed part of Nigerias memory and history.

My visit to the slave port here is in that very process. And since I have gone round, I have seen a number of things. I have seen treasures of our history, Ive seen treasures of our memory, Ive seen well preserved artefacts, documents, and facts that form the component of where we came from and where we are today, said Mr. Sani.

My bill was informed by the fact that many historic places are now facing serious danger of being eroded, either they were neglected, ignored, or they were threatened by modern developmental activities.

Mr. Sanis visit took him to several heritage sites in Badagry.

At the Badagry Heritage Museum, he was shown a receptacle where slaves drank water from, their hands chained behind their back.

At the First Storey Building in Nigeria, which was built in 1845, he saw the room where Ajayi Crowther slept in, as well as the bibles he used in translating the English Book to a Yoruba version.

He also visited the High Chief Mobee Slave Relics Museum and the Slave Route (Point of No Return) in Gberefu island.

This very place must be well preserved and must be well funded, and I believe theres no better way to do that than to have a bill that will ensure that, said Mr. Sani.

The current bill on historic places was established almost about 4-5 decades ago. It has lost its relevance, it has lost its value and it cannot play very much in todays Nigeria.

With the very fact that oil era is coming to an end, and government is working hard towards diversification, tourism is one important area that should receive the necessary attention it deserves.

He also said his visit to Badagry had given him a practical experience of what those who passed through the slave route experienced.

And I believe that the communities here in Badagry deserve all the support they need from the federal government, he added.

For the very fact that they have been able to eke out from the little they have to keep this piece of our history that could have easily been lost. The danger of this country not coming to the aid of the people of Badagry in this kind of project is that we will tend to lose it.

Mr. Sani advocated that the developed world pay reparation to Africa and the people of African descent that are in the United States, Caribbean, and also Latin America.

Its sad and unfortunate that since the death of Chief MKO Abiola, the campaign for reparations has lost its vigour and virility; we must constantly remind those whose wealth was founded from the seed of Slave Labour that theres an eternal dividend to pay, he said.

The ideology of racism, apartheid, colonialism and neo-colonialism has its roots in the master-slave experience while it lasted. Without slavery there could not have been colonialism. Today racists whether Caucasians, Arabs, Indians or Chinese use the history of slavery to scorn Africans or black people.

Peter Mesewaku, the Curator of Badagry Heritage Museum, said Mr. Sanis visit would enable the senator make the right judgment towards pushing his Bill in the National Assembly.

I feel very happy because we are in the industry and we know how it feels, and we are not too happy looking at the way some of those sites are, said Mr. Mesewaku, who has worked as a curator for 15 years.

Although, the Lagos State government is trying its best but at least the federal government should as well show interest. Because now that we are looking at diversifying, I want to believe that we have enough to stamp our authority in the tourism industry.

Menu Toyon II, a traditional ruler in Badagry, described the senators visit as unquantifiable.

He came at the right time, the time Badagry was clamouring for change, for tourism, for anything that can make our economy to come up, the monarch said.

The bill will give Badagry a very big name, and it will change our economic potentials, and it will turn Badagry to a tourist haven because from what I heard from him, I know hes a man that talks and maintain his speech.

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A 57-year-old grandmother and textile merchant at Balogun market in Lagos has been caught at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, in connection with cocaine smuggling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said.

Odeyemi Omolara claimed to be going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia when she was arrested, according to the agency.

Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, explained that the two parcels of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine were carefully concealed inside her luggage.

A female passenger, Odeyemi Omolara Morayo with a valid Egypt air ticket from Lagos to Saudi Arabia had been arrested with 1.595kg of cocaine, Mr. Garba said.

The cocaine which was concealed in a false bottom of her bag was discovered during routine check on passengers at the departure hall. We had to cut the bag open to recover the cocaine because of the way it was neatly concealed. She was immediately arrested and the case is currently under investigation.

In her statement, the suspect who hails from Ogun State said her friend and customer was the one that introduced her into drug trafficking.

I have two children and my daughter is married with children, she said.

Recently, I told my friend that I loved to go on pilgrimage this year and she promised to sponsor my trip. That was how she collected my international passport, processed my travel documents and bought return ticket on Egypt airline. The only favour she requested from me was that I should take a bag to Saudi.

She also told me that somebody will collect the bag from me at Jeddah. It was an empty bag so I kept my personal effects inside it. On getting to the airport, officers discovered cocaine inside the bag during search and I was arrested.

In his reaction, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Muhammad Abdallah, described the suspects action as condemnable.

Smuggling cocaine to Saudi Arabia under any guise is condemnable, he said.

It is good that she was arrested here because drug trafficking attracts capital punishment in Saudi. Apart from saving her from execution in Saudi, the prompt arrest also protected our country from disrepute. The Agency will not relent in the fight against illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse.

The arrest came few days after Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court Abuja sentenced a 55-year-old female pilgrim, Binuyo Iyabo, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Ms. Binuyo was caught last September smuggling 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 931 grammes to Medina, Saudi Arabia.

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Two Nigerian civic groups have called for the reinstatement of Ntia Thompson, a whistle-blower at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One of the groups, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, said it is giving the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, a seven-day ultimatum to recall Mr. Thompson who was sacked after exposing a $229,000 fraud.

In an open letter sent to Mr. Onyeama, SERAP requested the minister to use his position to facilitate the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of Mr. Thompson.

Mr. Thompson was fired after sending a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, asking it to probe an allegation of fraud involving some top officials of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, DTCA.

Mr. Thompson, an assistant director with the DTCA in charge of the SERVICOM Unit, who blew the lid on how $229,000 and N800, 000 were allegedly diverted, was sacked on February 7.

The move came just two months after the Buhari administration, through the Executive Council of the Federation, approved the whistle-blowing policy, promising full protection and restitution for any informant against harassment, intimidation or victimisation.

SERAP in its letter signed by its deputy director, Timothy Adewale, said, By sacking Mr Thompson, your ministry would seem to shield information on the alleged fraud that the public has a right to know.

Therefore, should you fail and/or neglect to act as requested within seven days after the receipt and/or publication of this letter, SERAP will be compelled to pursue appropriate legal action against your ministry to challenge the unfair treatment and victimisation of Mr Thompson.

The letter, copied to Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB, reads in part: We also urge you to act swiftly to identify those involved in the alleged fraud and hand them over to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for further investigation and prosecution, as well as recover any stolen public funds.

Impunity for reprisals against Mr Thompson would send a message to all potential whistle-blowers that your ministry lacks the commitment to their protection.

SERAP argued that Mr Thompsons treatment by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a fundamental violation of his right to freedom of expression and breach of President Buharis whistle-blowing policy, stressing that the allegations of fraud should never be supressed or withheld as a matter of public interest, transparency and respect for the rule of law.

The NTCF is a trust fund domiciled with the African Development Bank, AfDB, but jointly managed by the bank and the agency on behalf of the Federal Government.

Information revealed that officials of the DTCA allegedly withdrew the money for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the NTCF, for which $36,852.00 was allocated. The amount was also meant for the monitoring of various projects executed from the Trust Fund across Africa.

About N800,000 was also allegedly spent for SERVICOM sensitisation seminar in the Directorate.

Amid concerns the funds may have been diverted, Mr. Thompson petitioned the EFCC to investigate the allegation. He also petitioned the Police Inspector General, Ibrahim Idris, expressing concerns about his safety.

The anti-graft agency launched an investigation into the petition, but its effort only resulted in compelling the officials to refund about N800,000, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Shortly after, the DTCA management issued Mr. Thompson a query, accusing him of leaking official information to the Commission and thus subjecting the agency to public ridicule and embarrassment.

On December 19, 2016, Mr. Thompson was served a suspension letter and, after two months on suspension, he was sacked on February 7, 2017.

Another civic group, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, AFRICMIL, also condemned the victimisation of Mr. Thompson.

In a statement signed by the coordinator of the centre, Chido Onumah, AFRICMIL said it views the action of the ministry not only as most unconscionable but also as another devastating blow to the war against corruption under the current administration.

Mr. Onumah noted that the sacking of Mr. Thompson shows that some top government officials are planning to ensure that the governments whistle-blower policy and the fight against corruption, do not gain any meaningful traction.

Clearly, the Minister of State and other key officials of the Ministry were thoroughly embarrassed by the whistleblowers revelation and the only way to respond was through his illegal dismissal from service, Mr. Onumah said.

The civil society group, therefore, urged the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, not to approve the dismissal of Mr. Thompson.

It also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Police to properly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

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The police in Kaduna on Sunday denied being responsible for the arrest and incarceration of Audu Maikori, CEO of Chocolate City Entertainment, who has been at loggerheads with the Kaduna State government for alleged incitement to violence.

Were not aware of his arrest, Kaduna police spokesperson, Aliyu Usman, told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday afternoon.

The disclosure, which was made after two days of repeated enquiries from this newspaper, marked the first public statement by the police since Mr. Maikori was arrested on Friday morning for the second time in a month.

It came hours after Mr. Maikoris lawyer told PREMIUM TIMES that the Kaduna State government had concluded plans to arraign him before a court on Monday morning.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the label executive was arrested by the police and subsequently taken to Kaduna, based on information provided by his lawyers.

I am aware that the police in Abuja are taking Audu to Kaduna, Mark Jacobs, Mr. Maikoris lawyer, told PREMIUM TIMES Friday afternoon.

Reports over the weekend, including tweets by the National Human Rights Commission, said police in Kaduna were holding Mr. Maikori at the State Criminal Investigation Department.

This evening, @policeNG detained @Audu at State CID, Taiwo Road, Kaduna. Thx to ur voice, 1 lawyer finally got access to see him briefly  RightsAfrica (@chairmanNHRC) March 10, 2017

To be arraigned Monday Lawyers

Similarly, John Danfulani, an associate of Mr. Maikori who is also standing in as one of his legal representatives, said he met the embattled label executive in a police facility along Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna.

I was with Audu on Friday night. Left him at 8:30 p.m. in Ibrahim Taiwo Road cell, Mr. Danfulani said.

Mr. Danfulani, a former lecturer at the Kaduna State University who is facing separate charges of incitement also brought against him by the Kaduna State government, said his friend will be arraigned on Monday.

He will appear in court tomorrow, Mr. Danfulani said.

Although the police vehemently denied playing any role in detaining Mr. Maikori, a highly-placed source within the organisation said other law enforcement agencies, especially the State Security Service, might be responsible.

Other government agencies, like the SSS, might have arrested him and placed him in a police cell, the source told PREMIUM TIMES in Abuja on Sunday.

PREMIUM TIMES could not independently confirm that SSS executed Mr. Maikoris arrest. The agencys refusal to appoint a spokesperson running close to two years made it impossible to get clarification.

Threats of prosecution

Mr. Maikoris latest ordeal comes about a week after Governor Nasir El-Rufai pledged to ensure his thorough prosecution for allegedly circulating inflammatory materials capable of exacerbating the deadly conflict in Southern Kaduna.

What he posted may have led to killings and we are trying to link the dates of the posting to attacks that may have happened the next day on Fulanis and if we are able to establish that causation, as lawyers, we know what it means,Mr.El-Rufai said in Lagos March 4. It is totally irresponsible to do that.

The governors spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, did not pick or return calls seeking to clarify if the governor ordered Mr. Maikoris latest arrest.

Mr. Maikori, 41, was first arrested in Lagos in the afternoon of February 17 for allegedly trying to incite the public. He was subsequently transferred to Force Headquarters in Abuja for interrogations.

Mr. Jacobs said the arrest was in connection with a series of tweets posted by Mr. Maikori about seven weeks ago in which he alleged the killing of some Southern Kaduna students by Fulani herdsmen.

But details of the tweets, which Mr. Maikori said were obtained from his driver, turned out to be false, earning him vicious social media backlash.

Mr. Maikori later retracted and apologised for the false information.

A magistrate in Kaduna issued a warrant for his arrest, his lawyer said.

He was released on bail February 18, but the police said he will be charged to court promptly.

Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, told PREMIUM TIMES investigations were underway and Mr. Maikori will be arraigned after preliminary findings.

You know investigation is a scientific approach to actually tell the court that this is the person that committed so, so and so offence. So theres no timeline for conclusion of investigation, he said at the time.

On Sunday, Mr. Jacobs told PREMIUM TIMES that his client was released because the police found nothing substantial to warrant prosecution.

Over 200 have been killed and thousands more displaced in the latest violence between Fulani herdsmen and southern Kaduna residents, according to official estimates.

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Another corpse said to be that of a Fulani herdsman has been found in Southern Kaduna.

The Kaduna State chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, said in a statement on Sunday that the corpse was discovered in Madakiya, Bajju Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area.

The group had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that two herdsmen who were grazing their cows were murdered in Fantsuwam chiefdom of Jemaa Local Government Area.

The two victims were identified as Anas Shuaibu, 20, and Yahaya Musa, 14.

The police confirmed the killings and said it had arrested some suspects.

MACBAN said it condemns the cowardly attacks by the blood thirsty youths and calls on the security agencies to fish the culprits out and bring them to book.

The Association in a statement signed by Ibrahim Abdullahi on behalf of the national office and Haruna Usman for Kaduna chapter, however, commended the efforts of the youth leader of the community who, it said, supported the security agencies in fishing out the suspected killers.

It therefore, called on all the Fulani people in the area to exercise restraint and remain law abiding as the relevant authorities are working round the clock to ensure that justice is done.

The association also called on the media to always report these aggressions rather than reporting only one side.

We observed that when Fulanis are attacked, the press will be silent but when there is reprisal or retaliation, it is blown out of proportion thereby portraying the aggrieved as the aggressors, the statement said.

The association reaffirmed its support for dialogue as the only option for achieving lasting peace and reconciliation and called on all parties to forgive the past and embrace peace without which there will no development.

Over 200 people have been killed in recent months in the violence in Southern Kaduna mainly between nomadic herdsmen and farmers.

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Following the release of 2019 general elections timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Osita Okechukwu, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, has called on the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, to be more pragmatic, strategic and introspective in advancing the interest of the hard working, enterprising and itinerant Ndigbo.

Mr. Okechukwu agreed that there are fault lines, but said it should not warrant abuses and stone throwing when President Muhammadu Buhari had congratulated Nwodo and offered an olive branch.

Entertaining questions from journalists in Enugu at the weekend, Mr. Okechukwu explained that Mr. Nwodo should have compiled all the grievances of Ndigbo and take a date with President Buhari for discussion, rather than resorting to name calling and abuses.

Is this how to regain lost grounds? Chief Nwodo wants to repeat the costly mistake of Dr Joe Nworgu and the former president who up to date had not replied the letter Buhari wrote to Ohaneze on 7th November, 2014, requesting for a meeting before the 2015 presidential election.

I pleaded with them to simply, or even with courtesy reply him and set a meeting where the checklist of Ndigbo will be discussed. A strategic meeting which could be the decider of whether to support Buhari or Jonathan, Mr. Okechukwu said.

Mr. Okechukwu however re-affirmed the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari towards fulfilment of his promise to revamp Enugu coal, which has potentials of creating employment on a large scale in the South-East.

He equally dismissed as baseless and unfounded claims by former Central Bank Governor, Charles Soludo, that Buhari made the countrys already bad economy worse.

He asked Mr. Soludo to explain to Nigerians while under his watch, CBN ran an economic policy that made banks owned by less than one per cent of Nigerians grow astronomically while 99 percent of the people nosedived into abject poverty.

Reiterating his position on the debate over whether Ndigbo should contest for presidency in 2019 or 2023, Mr. Okechukwu said the best thing for Ndigbo is to vote for Buhari in 2019 and then rely on the zoning convention to harvest the benefits in 2013 presidency.

Mr. Okechukwu said Ndigbo did not vote for President Buhari in 2015 and payback time has come again for them to reciprocate the North by voting him in 2019 and then reap the benefits in 2023.

There are two contending issues in the political domain. One is the law with its legal teeth. It is written. It can pull down any mountain. The other one is the convention. It is not written but with its moral weight, it can also pull down mountains. 1999 to 2007 is eight years. Forget that something happened with the death of Umaru Musa YarAdua, otherwise it would have been another eight years by the North. So, there is a convention.

So, for Igbo presidency to be germane, we must key into the convention. So that we could harvest the goodwill on our side because we have done a small analysis; when you come to Lagos and ask any indigene of Lagos to stay on one side and the next ethnic group, it is the Igbos. When you come to Kano, you tell the truly Kano indigenes to stay one side, the next group is where? Ndigbo.

We are only third in four states  Edo, Kwara, Niger, Kaduna is contentious between Yorubas or Ndigbo! We are one of the most acceptable groups in the country. So, the country is waiting for us.

The convention has weight and mark you, like I told some Northern friends, the Igbo president will be a win-win situation because the Igboman will accommodate all sections.

And he will bring the entrepreneurship to bear on the economy and the growth of the country. I told them that it is going to be useful to the whole country if a proper Igboman becomes President, not a lackey. We should look for the best within our crowd.

So, my position is that my people might be in a hurry, yes. But at my age, 62 years, one will not jump in on sentiments. I dont have foresight. That is why I rely on hindsight. Hindsight in the sense that the NADECO struggle consequent on MKO Abiola annulled mandate made the Northern political elite to say, If we dont go south, there might be no country. Let us go south, especially the South-West, which was the foundation of the rotation convention.

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It was tragedy in Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area, on Saturday following the electrocution of an ad-hoc staff of the Ondo Business District of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC.

The incident occurred at the Government Reserve Area, GRA, located at Itanla along the Ondo/Akure highway, while he was trying to connect a wire from an electric pole.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the middle-aged man, whose name was given simply as Kola, was in charge of the area on behalf of BEDC and was attempting to connect a wire from the pole to a new building nearby, when he was electrocuted.

As soon the incident occurred, residents rushed to the scene to watch Kolas lifeless body stuck to the pole.

The motorcycle he rode to the place was seen packed under a mango tree.

Officials from the BEDC later arrived the scene in their branded vehicle, in company of police officers from the Igba Divisional Police Station to remove the body from the pole.

The Business Manager of the Ondo Business District of BEDC, Chris Enuamaka, while confirming the incident, noted that Kola was on an illegal duty at the time of the electrocution.

Mr. Enuamaka said the company would issue a formal statement once investigations were fully conducted.

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The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has declared fasting and prayers for three days to restore peace and harmony to Ile-Ife.

Oba Ogunwusi made the declaration through his Deputy, Idowu Adediwura, the Obalufe of Ife kingdom, on Sunday in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Mr. Adediwura said that the monarch, who travelled to London on Saturday, sent him to deliver the message.

According to him, the fasting and prayers will hold from March 13 to Wednesday, March 15.

The Ooni, who said he believed that with God, all things are possible, noted that one tree cannot make a forest and urged his subjects to eschew violence.

He also appealed to all indigenes and non-indigenes in Ile-Ife to cooperate with him to restore peace to the land.

Ife is the cradle of Yoruba, Niger Deltans, Urobos and other tribes that live in Ile-Ife and in the diaspora; we are all Nigerians and should not forget our origin, Mr. Adediwura quoted the Ooni as saying.

At least five people are believed to have died and scores injured in clashes largely between Yorubas and Hausas in a part of Ile-Ife.

Properties worth millions of Naira were also damaged during the violence while more security operatives were deployed to the area.

(NAN)

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Workers in Ondo State have started receiving their February salaries.

PREMIUM TIMES, however, learnt that the payment which began on Friday last week, is yet to go round, as some workers are yet to get payment alerts from their banks.

Although there has been no official word from the government, many civil servants confirmed they had received the payments for February.

The workers are being owed about seven months salaries despite claims by the immediate past governor, Olusegun Mimiko, that he left N20 billion in the coffers of the state.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had set up a committee headed by the Accountant General of the state, Albert Akindolie, on how to liquidate the salary arrears owed the workers.

The plan by the governor is to start paying the salaries of the workers from February when he took office, while developing a separate process for gradually reducing the salary indebtedness.

Segun Adekunle, a civil servant, told PREMIUM TIMES that while some workers had confirmed that they had been paid, others were expecting the payments on Monday.

We are expecting that the payment will go round by Monday, he said.

The governor had promised at his inauguration that he would ensure the payment of workers salaries and arrears owed.

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FOLSOM  It took four years and hours of practice, but Alexandria Ciurlino, 13, a seventh-grader at St. Vincent de Paul School in Mays Landing, won the 2017 South Jersey Spelling Bee, held Saturday at Folsom Elementary School.

Ciurlino will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland starting May 28.

Ciurlino burst into tears after spelling congregation to win the competition in the 25th round. She beat students from 41 schools in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.

Second-place winner Emily Chau, of Galloway Township Middle School, missed motley.

Third place went to Paarth Verma, of Roland Rogers School in Galloway Township, who misspelled brevity.

Ciurlino first competed in fourth grade, and she came in seventh last year. She said she practices every day.

Her father, Robert, said she will also compete in the Camden Diocese spelling bee Sunday. He estimated her last word list had 1,100 words on it. But Ciurlino admitted she wasnt sure of a couple of words until the judges told her she was correct.

Several students dropped out in each of the early rounds. By round 12 just four students remained, the three winners and Sarah Ramos, 14, a Northfield Community School eighth-grader.

The four battled it out for seven more rounds until Ramos missed ipecac in round 18.

Verma, who placed fifth last year, said his third place finish made him happy. A fifth grader, he still has a couple more chances to come back.

This years bee was coordinated by Folsom School language arts teacher Tiffany Hathaway. Charles Wray, of Atlantic Cape Community College, was the announcer. Richard Russell, of Atlantic Cape, and Jeanne DelColle, of Stockton University, judged the contest.

This is an opportunity for students to showcase their academic talents, Hathaway said. At the school level, it is primarily memorization.

But at the national level, which has a bank of some 470,000 words, they will also have to apply rules, concepts and patterns of spelling.

The winner gets an all-expense paid trip to the finals. The primary sponsor of the local bee is South Jersey Gas, along with NJ Manufacturers, Lunch with Lynch and Atlantic Sweetener.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  The Pinelands Short Course is a long day of learning about New Jerseys most famous woods, everything from the music to the soil to the critters to the rivers to the legends of the Pinelands.

The 28th annual edition of the event was Saturday at Stockton University, although some of the people who attended left to take guided tours of the Pinelands that crossed at least two county lines.

The New Jersey Pinelands Commission runs the short course along with Stockton, and the commissions Joel Mott estimated this years attendance at 570 people. That makes it the biggest one since the short course made the move back to Stockton four years ago, he said.

The day is broken up into 52 sessions run by 38 different presenters who teach a wide variety of subjects.

Andrew Hov, from a group called the Children of the Earth Foundation, taught a three-hour lesson on survival in the Pinelands  or in any wild area. One of the keys to survival is water, and Hov said one way to be safe is to carry a good filter. He tested his own with a bottle of very murky-looking water.

Its taking a while, he said, pouring a slug of it. But it should take a long time for water to pass through your filter.

In a separate room, Brian Regal taught a lesson on one of historys most famous Pinelands residents, the Jersey Devil. Meanwhile, two busloads of people had just left for a tour of the Mullica River arranged and led by Pinelands Adventures, an arm of the nonprofit Pinelands Preservation Alliance.

John Sheffield, of Turnersville, was joining that tour. He has been to the short course at least seven times, and he recommends it to anybody who lives in or cares about South Jersey.

You learn a lot about history, you learn about ecology, you learn a lot about the Pinelands, he said. You learn a lot of things you might not otherwise know.
When Darryl Fuqua was fatally shot last month, his family and law-enforcement watchdogs demanded to know the identity of the Bridgeton police officer who killed him with repeated blasts from his service weapon.

Bridgeton authorities said only that the officer was a five-year veteran of the Police Department and was assigned to the departments Criminal Investigation Bureau.

The death of 23-year-old Fuqua further spurs a longstanding debate between New Jersey law-enforcement agencies and watchdog groups and the media about when and whether to identify officers who kill in the line of duty. Arguments range from the need to protect officers from retaliation to the need for government transparency, especially where it concerns government employees allowed to, under certain circumstances, take a life in the performance of their taxpayer-funded jobs.

The state Attorney Generals Office has no official guidelines on whether law-enforcement agencies can identify officers responsible for shootings. Those guidelines also dont exist in neighboring states such as Delaware and Pennsylvania.

The Attorney Generals Shooting Response Team, which investigates shootings by police officers, doesnt release an officers name unless charges are filed.

The policy is intended to protect the safety of the officers involved and preserve the integrity of our investigation, said Peter Aseltine, an Attorney Generals Office spokesman. Most agencies are aware of our policy, and most also decline to identify officers involved in shootings unless an officer faces charges.

The Attorney Generals Office declined further comment.

Others disagree.

Its being transparent with the community, said Walter Hudson. These are public servants. The taxpayers should know whats going on in their municipal police departments.

Hudson leads the Salem County-based National Awareness Alliance, an organization that has protested shootings by police in South Jersey. Hudsons organization has met with Fuquas family, and he has asked the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office to identify the officer who shot Fuqua, which witnesses said occurred as Fuqua was running from police in the 200 block of South Avenue.

If theres nothing to hide, if the officers are just doing their jobs properly, why cant we have the names and the background of these officers? Hudson said.

Law-enforcement agencies such as the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office side with the Attorney Generals Office.

There are legitimate reasons not to release police officers names when an investigation by the Prosecutors Office concludes, and the deliberation of a grand jury composed of private citizens concludes, that the officer is cleared of criminal wrongdoing, said acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton.

The same lack of identification applies to civilians who may be suspects in a crime but arent charged because of a lack of evidence, she said.

The police officer is entitled to the same privacy, fairness and protection as any other citizen, Ruberton said.

When Atlantic City Police Officer Joshlee Vadell was shot by a gunman during an attempted robbery Sept. 3, Vadells partner, Officer Thomas McCabe, returned fire and killed the gunman, 25-year-old Jerome Damon. Authorities never released McCabes name, and his identity became known only when he was awarded a bulletproof vest during a ceremony in February. A grand jury had cleared McCabe of wrongdoing a month earlier.

Those who support identifying officers in police shootings say its a matter of public trust. The New Jersey Press Association argues for as much transparency as possible.

As public servants, these are individuals who are allowed to use deadly force, and  citizens have the right to know whats going on, said George White, the associations executive director. Thats our position. NJPA supports the release of (the officers identity) unless there is a specific threat (against the officer) that can be identified.

There was at least one attempt by the Legislature last year to require, in a timely manner, the identification of officers who fatally shoot civilians. That requirement was eventually dropped from a bill that proposed special prosecutors at the state level investigate every fatal shooting by police.

While no government agency specifically tracks the identification of officers in fatal shootings, a report last year by The Washington Post indicates identification is a nationwide issue.

According to the report, officers in 210 of 990 fatal shootings by police in 2015 were never publicly identified.

Police departments involved in 145 of those 210 incidents cited pending investigations, state or federal laws, union agreements and department policies as reasons for not identifying officers. The newspaper further reported that police departments responsible for the other 65 fatal shootings didnt respond to multiple requests for information.

There is also some support to claims that identifying officers could put them in danger.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported in August that members of three gangs met to discuss retaliation for the fatal police shooting of an 18-year-old suspected carjacker.
LOWER TOWNSHIP  More than 70 years ago, 23-year-old Andrew P. Hamilton died after his plane crashed during training at Naval Air Station Wildwood.

He was one of 42 men who died at the air station, which trained dive bombers who were sent to the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Later this month, exactly 72 years after Hamiltons death, several members of his family will travel to the site of the crash to commemorate his life. A sign will be unveiled near the spot where Hamilton crashed, and his family will visit the air stations museum.

Nobody from our family has ever visited the crash site, said Bob Hamilton, 68, who lives near Louisville, Kentucky, and is Andrew Hamiltons nephew.

Family will be coming from Kentucky, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire to mark the occasion, but Bob Hamilton said his father, whos almost 90, probably wont make it to the event marking his brothers death.

He doesnt know if hes emotionally ready to do this, Hamilton said during a phone interview. Im not sure hell ever be ready.

Ensign Andrew Hamilton had just married his 19-year-old wife four months before the crash, according to Bob Donaghue, the familys historian.

Hamilton took off for nighttime flight training about 7 p.m. March 30, 1945, but his planes engine quit not long after takeoff and crashed just south of the end of the runway, near Breakwater Road in Lower Township, Donaghue said. He died the next day.

It was a tragically common occurrence at the Naval Air Station, which was in operation between 1943 and 1945 and, despite its name, was located in Lower Township. Forty-two men died, mostly after their planes crashed into nearby marshes or the Delaware Bay.

Training is dangerous, said Joseph Salvatore, who runs the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum. Its as dangerous as combat.

The museum, which is located in the air stations restored Hangar #1, includes a room dedicated to the men who died in training. It contains a plaque with all 42 names and a few pieces of debris from fatal crashes that occurred at the air station.

Salvatore said there were a total of 129 crashes during the air stations two-year period of operation.

The planes were fairly untested, the pilots inexperienced and the tactic they were learning  dive bombing  particularly treacherous, Salvatore said.

Practice targets were set up along the Delaware Bay and Atlantic coastlines, and pilots in training would make a steep dive toward the target and release bombs in the hope of getting a direct hit.

Guys were 18, 19 and 20. That means you dont feel like youre ever going to die, Salvatore said.

Salvatore, who was a boy during the height of the war, remembers seeing the planes dart around the sky above Cape May County. He wasnt aware of the danger the servicemen faced.

When I was a little boy growing up in Wildwood, I thought this place was fantastic, he said.

Donaghue, 66, of Methuen, Massachusetts, found out about the museum during his research into Andrew Hamiltons life.

The family didnt know about that, he said, adding the trip picked up steam after the family learned of the museum.

Nowadays, we recognize it as very common for the family to go to the site of the crash, Bob Hamilton said.

Donaghue said the family will arrive in South Jersey on March 30 and stay for March 31, the day of Andrew Hamiltons death. Donaghue is in the process of making a scale model of the plane Hamilton was flying, which he plans to donate to the museum.

As for Bob Hamiltons father  the 89-year-old brother of Andrew  the memory might be just too difficult to revisit.

I have no way to know how he feels, Bob Hamilton said. Even 72 years later, he still has trouble with it.
At Jims Lunch in Millville, the cheeseburger with everything is king.

But theres a chance another iconic New Jersey sandwich muscles in on what diners at Jims and other eateries in the state prefer on a bun.

Two bills in the Legislature would make the pork-roll-and-cheese sandwich New Jerseys official state sandwich. Two bills apparently are required because of the states geography  the meat product is called pork roll in South Jersey and Taylor ham in parts of North Jersey.

I think its stupid, said Nikki Maul as she flipped burgers and Texas wieners on the grill in the front window at Jims Lunch.

Still, theres no doubt the pork-roll-and-cheese sandwich is a staple on boardwalks and in diners, restaurants, convenience stores and kitchens throughout New Jersey, where it has strong roots.

Pork roll was first mass produced by Taylor Provisions Inc. in Trenton in the late 19th century.

State lore contends pork roll may have helped win the Revolutionary War. Continental troops reportedly carried pork roll, or a version of it, in their rations when they attacked Trenton in January 1777.

The bills to make pork-roll-and-cheese the state sandwich have gone nowhere since landing in the Assemblys State and Local Government Committee in April.

Some customers at Jims Lunch said Friday thats fine with them.

Waste of time, Gerry Torpey, of Galloway Township, said between bites of his tuna-salad sandwich.

For Torpey, it might just be a matter of taste.

When asked if he likes pork roll, Torpey said, Not really. Its OK.

Sitting next to Torpey was Millville resident Tom Bacon, who contends the push for a state sandwich is just more nonsense by legislators.

Is that all they have to do? he asked, adding it costs taxpayers every time a bill is introduced.

Karen Heck, of Toms River, said shes devoted to pork-roll consumption, but making it the state sandwich is silly.

We have much more to worry about in the state, she said.

Still, there are die-hard pork roll advocates.

The alternative rock band Ween released a song, Pork Roll Egg and Cheese, in 1991. The delicacy is mentioned in the chorus, after lyrics that reference breathing and a mega-wedge.

So, Mom, if you please, pass me the pork roll, egg and cheese, if you please. On a kaiser bun, part of the chorus goes.

Ween was based in New Hope, Pennsylvania, across the Delaware River.

Millville resident Noel Jacquet seemed to be only person in Jims Lunch who thought pork roll and cheese worthy to be a state sandwich.

Awesome, she said. There are places you go where you cant get it.

Jacquet said she has never seen anyone turn down a state sandwich.

In the end, its something Jims Lunch customers dont have to worry about.

Jims serves pork roll only with eggs and potatoes for breakfast.
The Jersey Shore boating economy  including marinas, fishing, private docks, boat sales and rentals  was stronger before environmental regulations made much of it prohibitively expensive or outright impossible.

Now, some restrictions seen to be baseless or excessive are being removed, promising a new golden age for boating and related activities.

Waterways where boats are kept, docked or connect to channels need to be dredged occasionally to keep them functional. That was banned during the best five months for it in the offseason, when boats and tourists arent in the way. After encouragement from commercial fishing firms and marinas to review the basis for the ban  the protection of spawning winter flounder  Rutgers researchers found those fish dont spawn in the waters of Atlantic and Cape May counties and the ban was lifted in 2015.

In January, state Sen. Jim Whelan told our editorial board that one of his priorities this year, his last as senator, would be to help restore the shores boating culture. In mid-February, his bill to remove another misguided dredging restriction passed the Senate 36-0. Bipartisan support for it includes sponsorship by Democrats and Republicans in Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties.

The bill would allow marinas and water-dependent uses such as piers, ramps and docks to do the dredging needed to stay functional without complying with state Department of Environmental Protection shellfish habitat rules.

Protecting shellfish habitat is good, but its quite an overreach to consider the bay bottom under a marina or adjacent to a dock or boat ramp to be such habitat. Yet thats exactly what existing regulation does by extending protections to any area that has or could potentially have some shellfish. Margates solicitor said the overly broad application of the rule drives up the cost to the point it is impossible to dredge.

The bill, now before the Assembly, wisely exempts boating-essential waters of marinas, docks and other water-dependent uses up to 10 years prior to enactment of the legislation. For some of those, the inability to dredge was a significant factor in ceasing to function or going out of business.

The Assembly should pass this measure and the governor should sign it. Then another big step is needed: DEP approval of its apparently successful new method of disposing of dredge materials.

Since 2014, the state has been running increasingly large tests of spraying suitable dredge materials onto marshes. This not only provides an environmentally sound placement for the materials, it helps address the problem of sinking and disappearing coastal lands. Preserving these wetlands supports wildlife of the land, sea and air, while reducing flood damage.

With these and perhaps a few other encouragements, the Jersey Shore soon could have a renewed and vibrant boating culture and economy.
It was before the beginning of holi, but in Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh, it's Bhagoriya festivity which marks the celebration. It starts almost fortnight or ten days before holi, after harvesting. It is held in the villages on various market (Haat) days.

This writer was at village Valmur to see Bhagoriya celebrations. This village is around 450 km from Bhopal. Alirajpur district was earlier capital of former princely state of Ali Rajpur and the name is derived from Ali (The fortress and the former capital of the princely state) and Rajpur (The latter capital).

It is tribal district and Bhils and Bhillals are main tribes which live in this district. Bhagoriya is haat festival which is marked in Dhar, Jhabua, Alirajpur districts wherein people dressed up in their best, visit haat market, dance and sing.

In Alirajpur and Jhabua it was famous for elopement when boy used to apply gulal (colour) to girl and if girl likes the boy she will not remove the colour which meant they could elope and marry. But if she removes colour, meaning she is not interested.

Though things have changed with times, but we did see many young boys applying colour to girls, which they were quickly removing.

It is here I met Nand and Gainda, who have seen Bhagoriya festivity for years. They now have grown up children. They had got married from this Bhagoriya festival of valmur village, when Nand had eloped with Gainda and married her.

Earlier boys used to dress up in tribal dress while girls in traditional Gaghra Choli, would adorn themselves with silver coloured traditional jewellery.

Though for young men, jeans, t shirts, goggles have replaced the tribal dress, for some girls it is new styled suits, with silver colour hair clips.

For some still traditional remain. Fascinating was to see that girls and women from one village in one colour of Ghagra Choli.

One could see vibrancy of brown, red, blue, black, purple colours, with veil till, and hands beautifully covered with silver coloured jewellery.

While we had colours of Gullal and mud in air, noise of dhols, (drums) boys and men dancing to the tunes with their traditional decorated spears. This haat had around 50 drummers. Tadi, locally brewed liquor, is like icing and satkar in this part, is easily available as one travels to the village.

We could see many women, men selling tadi outside their homes and also locally brewed beer. Haat had make shifts phot studios where families, couples and girls were posing, and getting instant print from cannon printer which costed them around 20 rupees.

And off course you cant have festive haat during holi without vendors selling sugar cane juice, and burk ga gola (crushed ice) with vibrant colours which are added on the top of this crushed ice, packed by hands, makes it yummier for all !

But not to be discounted are men and women, selling tamarind, bangles, toys for kids and the famous Jhula (small version of giant wheel) made of locally available wood.

(Loveleen Gulati writes on travel, food and social issues. She tweets from @dilsepostnews)
Road, bridge work slow

There is a lack of progress on South Jersey road projects. Roads are shut down or slow moving for months with little to no improvement.

There is a bridge on Mays Landing-Somers Point Road restricted to one lane serving both directions. The only progress is the passable lane was shifted from one side of the bridge to the other. And there are no construction vehicles or evidence of work being done, just two traffic light trailers and a ton of cones.

Another bridge on that road was closed for a long period as well; it was damaged during Tropical Storm Irene. It only reopened last year, a full four years since the storm.

The areas road projects are way too slow for the results they yield, for reasons not apparent to me.

Anthony D. Luciano

Mays Landing

Support Trumps efforts

The country has inherited a real mess from some irresponsible, ignorant Democrats who have ruled the country for many years. Now, it is not only the Democrats but the news media that are making it hard for the new government by over-criticizing.

I think people should look at the bright side of the new administration. I do not believe the new president is there for the money because he is not accepting a salary, but rather is volunteering his service to the public.

He is not there for the prestige; he doesnt need it. He is in office to serve people and the country as a whole. We, as good citizens, should give him full moral support and should give him time to clean up the inherited mess, which is not going to be accomplished in one day.

I am sure we will be glad and proud of him after he brings this country back to the top of the world as in previous years.

Aju Puri

Winslow Township

The wall, migrant workers

All through his candidacy, Donald Trump promised that Mexico would pay for his proposed border wall. A Feb. 25 article about the border wall said, Its unclear how soon Congress would provide funding and how much. Congress (meaning taxpayers) will pay for this wall.

Trump has applied for special visas for immigrant workers, both at his Mar-A-Lago estate and for his vineyard in Virginia. I guess if he had been honest, more people would not have voted for him. This is not fake news. These are just Trumps alternative facts.

Jody Vaughn

Beesleys Point

Peaceful transition?

During the presidential campaign we heard ad nauseam, The peaceful transition of power following a democratic election is the ultimate American tradition. This was shouted by candidate Hillary Clinton along with numerous senators and, of course, the media.

Where are these individuals now? The adult thing to do would be to calm the Trump haters instead of inciting them.

I recently heard two veterans from Massachusetts voicing their concern that their senator, Elizabeth Warren, was more concerned about the rights of illegal immigrants than she was about the rights of the veterans who fought for Americans freedoms. Her speeches about illegal immigrants are inciting fear into those individuals and causing near riots.

If we had an unbiased free press, the country would be less divided. There truly is a right and a wrong. And, its not that one is Democrat and the other Republican.

We are all Americans. Remember what President Kennedy said, Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. Todays citizens seem to think in reverse  it is a whats in it for me mentality.

Annamarie Donley

Egg Harbor Township

Must learn English

President Trump worries about the immigrants from Muslim countries coming over and settling down in the U.S., but at least they learn the language. People from all over the world come and learn the language. If they dont, they should get out.

Arnie Milberg

Egg Harbor Township
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.




GENEVA, March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Brussel's based South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) organized on March 10, 2017 a conference on the sidelines of the 34th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on the topic "Cross Border Terrorism in South Asia". The panel of speakers included Jacob Perry, Member of Parliament, Israel; Fulvio Martusciello and Alberto Cirio, both Members of the European Parliament (MEP); Mehran Marri, Baluch Representative to the EU and UN; and Paulo Casaca, Executive Director, SADF. Tarek Fatah, Executive Director, Baluchistan House, moderated the event.

Paulo Casaca, while thanking all the participants for attending the seminar, informed the audience about recent research by SADF on cross border terrorism in South Asia. He stated that after field visits to areas affected by terrorism in India in 2016, SADF had gathered enough evidence on Pakistani state sponsorship of terrorism. He also stated that Pakistan's policy of fomenting terrorism in order to promote its political agenda needed to stop.

In his speech, Fulvio Martusciello, MEP mentioned that Europe had now woken up to the threats of cross border terrorism originating from Pakistan and the Middle East, adding that the European Union member countries were realising that terror threats at home were not just a result of home grown terror but also from cross border terrorism. In this context, he gave instances in the last one year of Pakistani nationals who had been arrested in Europe, including in Italy, France and Spain, on charges ranging from spreading of radical Islamic ideology to planning terror attacks.

Alberto Cirio, MEP, spoke on how cross border terrorism originating largely from Pakistan had emerged as the biggest threat to the peace and prosperity of the South Asia region. He stated that support by successive Pakistani governments and the Army to fundamentalist Islamic groups had over the years taken the form of a multiple headed hydra that was now not only pushing the country to the medieval ages, but also threatening the security of the world.

Separately, Alberto Cirio assured the Baloch nationalists that he would continue to raise the issue of human rights violations in Balochistan in the European Parliament.

Mehran Baluch, in his speech, opined that Pakistan had a permanent policy of fomenting terrorism, which was used against its own citizens, if they protested against the government, or to target countries for strategic reasons. He was of the view that after the killing of the five UAE diplomats in Afghanistan, by a Pakistani intelligence agency linked- terror group, it was evident that Pakistan could not be trusted by any country.

Israeli MP Jacob Perry, while highlighting Israel's long battle against the menace of cross border terrorism, endorsed the fact that terrorist groups based in Pakistan were expanding their area of attack, thereby threatening the security and stability of the entire South Asia region and beyond. He called for all responsible countries in South Asia and elsewhere to take a united stand to fight terror emanating from Pakistan. He added that the international community needed to send a strong message to those countries that supported terrorism, that they would have no place in the UN.

Media Contact

Laura Berlingozzi

Media Coordinator

South Asia Democratic Forum

laura@sadf.eu

Tel: +32 2 808 42 08



SOURCE South Asia Democratic Forum
New Delhi/Kolkata, Mar 12 (IBNS): Amid shades of different hues and happiness, West Bengal on Sunday celebrated the spring festival of Holi, which signifies the victory of good over evil.

People of all ages smeared each other with gulal and colours to usher in happiness and express compassion.

West Bengal celebrates Holi as the 'Dol Jatra'.

Here the people celebrate this day by placing the idols of Krishna and Radha on a Palki (Palinquin) and they carry them around and play with Abir (Gulal).

It is a ritual on this day for young people to seek blessings from elders by touching their feet with colours.

The Basanta Ustav, as the people of Bengal call it, generally witnesses several cultural programmes on this day in Kolkata and outskirts.



Girls and boys decked in beautiful attires celebrates the festival of colour with free spirit.

The Basanta Utsav is celebrated in a special way, in Santiniketan and Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the places which resided the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. This festival in every which way is related to the his sonnets, songs, dance forms and literature.

Like all other festivals, food plays an important role in Holi too. In fact, specific platter of sweets are prepared for this particular occasion like Gujiya, Kheer and Thandai.

The entire country will mark the celebrations of Holi on Monday though festivities start a day before, with 'Holika Dahan', a bonfire that marks the burning away of the evil.

The story of this festival dates back to mythological India, as the word Holi comes from the name 'Holika', the sister of king Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyakashipu was adorned with special powers and he thought himself to be inevitable.

Hiranyakashipu's son Prahlada was a devotee of Vishnu and did not believe in his father's rantings. Hiranyakashipu was angered and he tricked Prahlada to sit on the lap of his equally evil sister Holika and ignited the pyre.

Holika was supposed to be immune to the fire but the fire burnt her and encased Prahlada as he prayed to Vishnu. Prahlada lived on.

Next to the Holika dahan, comes the day of Holi, when people gather in huge numbers and play with powdered colours (gulal), water guns and water balloons. Children enjoy the most on this day.

Also, the history of Holi takes us to the Rangpanchami, a 16 days celebration in the Brij region of North India, the birth place of Krishna. Holi festivities mark the mythological union of Krishna with Radha.

image: Avishek Mitra
DUBAI, UAE, March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Showcases array of investment opportunities across asset classes

COO Morgan Parker highlights Dubai 's role as a leader in shaping modern cityscapes and enhancing urban experiences

Jumeirah Central, Dubai's new urban mixed-use district, will make its international debut at MIPIM 2017, the annual gathering of the world's most influential international property players. Master planned by Dubai Holding, the global investment holding company, Jumeirah Central is already attracting significant interest from international institutional investors looking to access Dubai's fast growing market.

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/477660/Dubai_Holding_Jumeirah_Central.jpg )



At MIPIM, Jumeirah Central will be showcasing its complete masterplan at Stand C16.A and presenting investment opportunities in a bouquet of products including premium, Grade A international-style office buildings.

Comprising 4.4 million sq. m of gross floor area (GFA), Jumeirah Central will become the most accessible, functional and valuable real estate in Dubai, and introduce innovative urban planning and quality of life concepts to the region. The landmark development includes 278 individual buildings, and is planned as a vibrant network of 75 walkable city blocks that have been designed to a human scale to create a permeable and intuitive urban fabric.

Morgan Parker, Chief Operating Officer, Jumeirah Central, said: "By benchmarking against the most successful cities globally, we combine proven fundamentals with the latest innovations to create high-value real estate that will stimulate inbound, international institutional investment into the region. Dubai Holding has worked closely with government entities so that Jumeirah Central can serve as a blueprint for how cities can improve the quality of life for residents. As the industry's most influential platform to access these players, MIPIM is an ideal location to connect with forward-looking investors who share this priority."

Jumeirah Central's primary consideration is the strategic, operational, financial and legal requirements of global institutional investors. Its key value proposition is the site's strategic location in the heart of Dubai, its multi-modal connectivity and the economic resiliency it will enjoy being a vibrant blend of mixed uses coupled with an extensive network of parks and public spaces. Jumeirah Central offers institutional investors an opportunity to create geographic diversification, especially in growing regions like the Middle East and is creating assets at an ideal deal size to suits their requirements.

Jumeirah Central is promoting a greater understanding of the requirements of institutional capital among local banking and finance sector and collaborating with available legal infrastructure in Dubai to create an environment that is most conducive to attracting inbound institutional investment.

Morgan Parker will speak at a panel discussion, "How can Real Estate investment strategies foster a better life for people?" In this discussion, Mr Parker will highlight Dubai's role as a leader in shaping modern cityscapes and enhancing urban experiences:

Commenting on this important theme, Mr Parker said: "Today, cities in the Gulf region are relatively small and young, and are thus ideally positioned to meet the changing social needs of rising urbanisation. The opportunity exists for cities like Dubai, to take a leadership role in responding to increasing urbanisation and to promote urban cohesion. Real estate developers in these cities are shaping the way communities evolve by introducing more mixed-use development, greater access to multi-modal transportation networks, encouraging more walking and increasing social interaction. In order to maximise the opportunities of urbanisation, Gulf cities will focus on the public over the private, and the shared over the individually owned."

The first phase of Jumeirah Central, located opposite Mall of the Emirates on Sheikh Zayed Road, the main artery of the UAE, will comprise 67 mixed-use projects and 1,488,800 sq. m, including 2,500 residential units, 16 hotels, 13 office buildings and a mall development, along with community facilities such as parks, hospital and school.

SOURCE Dubai Holding
DALLAS, March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2007, not long after fulfilling her dream of living in Paris, France, Karla Baptiste was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer at the age of 34.She had just received her MBA and, like most new graduates, she was on top of the world and thinking 'The best is yet to come!' "I could not have been more optimistic. I never would have thought I would be battling breast cancer the following year!" she said. The cancer diagnosis was a shocker to say the least but she took solace in knowing that if her life were to end soon she had no regrets. She had followed her dream and lived it up in Paris like it was her last chance.

Dig in Your Heels: The Glamorous (and Not So Glamorous) Life of a Young Breast Cancer Survivor

Another dream of Baptiste's was to become an author. When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, she began reading breast cancer memoirs which only took the reader through treatment. Baptiste was always left wondering 'what happened next?'. This inspired Baptiste to publish her own story. She started writing her memoir, Dig in Your Heels: The Glamorous (and Not So) Glamorous Life of a Young Breast Cancer Survivor, a couple of years after being diagnosed. She was hoping to tell her story from diagnosis to reaching the coveted five-year cancer-free anniversary. Fortunately, she is part of the 72% of women who survive beyond five years after a stage III breast cancer diagnosis. However, in July 2014, as Baptiste was preparing to publish her memoir, she discovered that her cancer had returned to her spine making it stage IV. Determined more than ever to share her message of hope, Baptiste turned to crowdfunding to raise money to publish her memoir. Her goal was $10,000 but she raised over $13,000 in two months!

During the months of February and March, Baptiste will use her book and her crowdfunding chops to help raise money to establish an oncology center in her father's birthplace, St. Vincent and the Grenadines an island country in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. Baptiste had always intended to use her memoir to give back. Typically, ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of Dig in Your Heels goes to breast cancer research and outreach. However, upon learning that cancer patients in her fatherland often forgo treatment and die because there isn't a treatment center on the island, she wanted to give in a bigger way. The closest place to receive treatment for Vincentians is Trinidad making the cost and inconvenience of travel a hindrance to receiving care. In February, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Medical Association launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise money for the new oncology center. Their goal is $250,000. "When I heard about the goal, I wished that I had sold more books so that I could fund the entire center myself. But after I thought about it, I realized that I could give 100% of my net proceeds now. Maybe my commitment to be 'all in' would inspire others to give big too," said Baptiste. "I know what it's like to go through a cancer battle and it's important to receive care close to your loved ones and not have to worry about added expenses. Having cancer is burden enough."

Dig in Your Heels: The Glamorous (and Not So) Glamorous Life of a Young Breast Cancer Survivor can be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to establish the oncology center in St. Vincent. For more information about the book and the oncology center, visit www.diginyourheels.com.

About the Author

Karla Antoinette Baptiste was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She has a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington and a Master of International Business from Schiller International University - Paris, France. When Baptiste was first diagnosed with breast cancer she was living in the San Francisco Bay Area and was treated at Diablo Valley Oncology. Upon moving to the Dallas, TX area in December of 2013, Baptiste was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer and sought treatment at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, IL. Baptiste is an ambassador for the Stanford Cancer Institute Community Partnership Program, which aims to reduce breast cancer disparities among African-American women. She is also a Cancer Fighters ambassador for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America and a member of Sisters Network, Inc. Baptiste works in sales for a major Food and Beverage manufacturer and lives near Dallas, TX with her dog, Armani.

Media Contact: Edna Baptiste

Contact Phone: (214) 434-5445

Contact Email: [email protected]

Antiste Publishing, LLC, 445 FM 1382, Suite 3-380, Cedar Hill, TX 75104

www.diginyourheels.com

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This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Antiste Publishing

Related Links

http://www.diginyourheels.com


FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today asked local, state and federal fire investigators and law enforcement authorities to probe a mosque fire in Pittsfield Township as a possible act of arson.

The Islamic Center of Ypsilanti burned down late yesterday afternoon in what is being termed a "suspicious" fire. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is on the scene.

SEE: Crews Work to Put Out Fire at Islamic Center of Ypsilanti (WDIV)

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/crews-work-to-put-out-fire-at-islamic-center-of-ypsilanti

ATF Investigating Fire at Mosque Near Ypsilanti

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2017/03/atf_investigating_fire_at_mosq.html

"We urge state and federal agencies to use their full resources to investigate this fire to determine a cause and, if it is determined to be arson, a possible motive," said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. "Anyone who has information about this fire, or saw anything suspicious at the time of the blaze, should immediately contact law enforcement authorities."

He added that CAIR-MI is offering a $1,000 award for any information given to law enforcement authorities that leads to an arrest and conviction of the perpetrator if the fire is ruled to be arson.

Walid also said that suspicions about the fire are heightened due to anti-Muslim community opposition to an Islamic school in the area. A lawsuit over school was settled late last year.

SEE: Islamic School Settling with Pittsfield Twp. for $1.7M (Detroit News)

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/09/29/islamic-school-settles-pittsfield-twp/91270546/

On Friday, CAIR's Texas office welcomed an arrest of a man suspected of setting fire to the Islamic Center of Victoria in Victoria, Texas, in January. That suspect is reported to harbor "an apparent hatred of Muslims" and is described as a "right-wing extremist."

SEE: CAIR Welcomes Arrest in Arson Attack on Texas Mosque

https://www.cair.com/press-center/14179-cair-welcomes-arrest-in-arson-attack-on-texas-mosque.html

CAIR-Texas is also monitoring the investigation of a fire at a mosque under construction in Travis County. Officials now say they may never know the exact source of that fire, even though arson is one of several possible causes.

SEE: CAIR-Austin to Monitor Probe of Fire at Mosque Under Construction, Work with Community Leaders

http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/13994-cair-austin-to-monitor-probe-of-fire-at-mosque-under-construction-work-with-community-leaders.html

Travis Co. Mosque Fire Case May Never Be Solved

http://www.khou.com/news/local/texas/travis-co-mosque-fire-case-may-never-be-solved/420720650

A soon-to-be-published CAIR report on Islamophobia in America is expected to show that 2016 was the worst year on record for incidents in which mosques were targets of bias.

CAIR-Kentucky: What It Feels Like When a Mosque Is Threatened (New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/09/opinion/what-it-feels-like-when-a-mosque-is-threatened.html

CAIR is asking American Muslims and Islamic institutions to take extra security precautions and is offering Muslim community leaders free copies of its booklet, "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety." The booklet may be requested through CAIR's website: http://www.cair.com/mosque-safety-guide.html

CAIR's national headquarters in Washington, D.C., has noted an unprecedented spike in hate incidents targeting Muslims and other minority groups since the November 8 election.

The Washington-based civil rights and advocacy organization urges community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La mision de CAIR es mejorar la comprension del Islam, fomentar el dialogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprension mutua.

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational

Subscribe to CAIR's Email List

http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe

Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed

http://twitter.com/cairnational

Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/cairtv

CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Related Links

http://www.cair.com


GENEVA, March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Brussel's based South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) organized on March 10, 2017 a conference on the sidelines of the 34th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on the topic "Cross Border Terrorism in South Asia". The panel of speakers included Jacob Perry, Member of Parliament, Israel; Fulvio Martusciello and Alberto Cirio, both Members of the European Parliament (MEP); Mehran Marri, Baluch Representative to the EU and UN; and Paulo Casaca, Executive Director, SADF. Tarek Fatah, Executive Director, Baluchistan House, moderated the event.

Paulo Casaca, while thanking all the participants for attending the seminar, informed the audience about recent research by SADF on cross border terrorism in South Asia. He stated that after field visits to areas affected by terrorism in India in 2016, SADF had gathered enough evidence on Pakistani state sponsorship of terrorism. He also stated that Pakistan's policy of fomenting terrorism in order to promote its political agenda needed to stop.

In his speech, Fulvio Martusciello, MEP mentioned that Europe had now woken up to the threats of cross border terrorism originating from Pakistan and the Middle East, adding that the European Union member countries were realising that terror threats at home were not just a result of home grown terror but also from cross border terrorism. In this context, he gave instances in the last one year of Pakistani nationals who had been arrested in Europe, including in Italy, France and Spain, on charges ranging from spreading of radical Islamic ideology to planning terror attacks.

Alberto Cirio, MEP, spoke on how cross border terrorism originating largely from Pakistan had emerged as the biggest threat to the peace and prosperity of the South Asia region. He stated that support by successive Pakistani governments and the Army to fundamentalist Islamic groups had over the years taken the form of a multiple headed hydra that was now not only pushing the country to the medieval ages, but also threatening the security of the world.

Separately, Alberto Cirio assured the Baloch nationalists that he would continue to raise the issue of human rights violations in Balochistan in the European Parliament.

Mehran Baluch, in his speech, opined that Pakistan had a permanent policy of fomenting terrorism, which was used against its own citizens, if they protested against the government, or to target countries for strategic reasons. He was of the view that after the killing of the five UAE diplomats in Afghanistan, by a Pakistani intelligence agency linked- terror group, it was evident that Pakistan could not be trusted by any country.

Israeli MP Jacob Perry, while highlighting Israel's long battle against the menace of cross border terrorism, endorsed the fact that terrorist groups based in Pakistan were expanding their area of attack, thereby threatening the security and stability of the entire South Asia region and beyond. He called for all responsible countries in South Asia and elsewhere to take a united stand to fight terror emanating from Pakistan. He added that the international community needed to send a strong message to those countries that supported terrorism, that they would have no place in the UN.

Media Contact

Laura Berlingozzi

Media Coordinator

South Asia Democratic Forum

[email protected]

Tel: +32 2 808 42 08



SOURCE South Asia Democratic Forum
The panelists of GeekPark's 'China Gathering' came together on Saturday, March 11 to discuss China's advancement into a new age of innovation. The China Gathering event celebrated the country's top technology representatives, products and brands.

"Working with the SXSW team, we are thrilled to bring these exhibitors to a global audience at the world's premier celebration of interactive technology," said Peng Zhang, founder and CEO of GeekPark.

GeekPark's SXSW presence has been recognized by SXSW officials as an international expansion for the future of the interactive track of the convention.

"GeekPark has been incredibly helpful in recruiting many of the start-ups and companies for the China Gathering, making this event the biggest Chinese-related delegation ever in the 31-year history of SXSW. We hope to make this bridge even stronger in future years," said Hugh Forrest, Chief Program Officer of SXSW.

Stationed at the JW Marriott hotel in Salon C, the China Gathering included three talks from the following GeekPark members and partners:

Peng Zhang , Founder and CEO of GeekPark

, Founder and CEO of GeekPark Yuan Zhou, Founder and CEO of Zhihu

Xiaojie Huang , CEO of Baofeng Mojing

, CEO of Baofeng Mojing Yin Zhang , Co-founder and CTO of Philm

, Co-founder and CTO of Philm Lei Chen, CEO of OneThing Technology

Mengqiu Wang, Founder and CEO of Zero Zero Robotics

Ying Zhou , General Manager, North America for Mobvoi

, General Manager, for Mobvoi Weiwei Hu , Founder and CEO of Mobike

The panel topics focused on how Chinese technology influences and creates new trends and innovations. The latest developments from China are not limited to their native country, but are a part of the global technology community. With China Gathering, just a handful of China's very best technology ambassadors can share this trend with the world's premier interactive audience.

GeekPark is the pioneer technology community bridging the gap between China and the international stage.

"GeekPark is not only translating languages from one to the other, but bringing all people onto the same page, breaking invisible walls and barriers, and seeking a real mutual understanding," said Mr. Peng Zhang. "With more and more Chinese companies going global, GeekPark aims to raise visibility and recognition of the growth and impact of technology, products and innovations from China on the worldwide community."

Of these speaking companies, six of them were represented on the SXSW show floor from March 12th to March 15th: GeekPark, Zhihu, Baofeng Mojing, Philm, OneThing Technology, and Mobvoi.

Full press kit for exhibiting companies: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mqxr8ye461wye6e/AABsLL56kCf8-UL2ZpLfOGspa?dl=0

For more information about GeekPark's China Gathering panels, please contact Ashley Zheng at [email protected]

About GeekPark, Inc.

Founded in 2010, GeekPark is one of China's largest internet and technology innovation communities. The organization was founded to introduce the concept of "Geek Culture" to China. GeekPark is devoted to discovering, inspiring, and enlightening more innovators through insightful media production, frequent community events, professional business strategy consulting and systematic start-up services.

Over the past seven years, GeekPark has fostered the growth of China's top-ranked technology companies and the innovators behind them, creating a community of trend-setting Chinese leaders. GeekPark's annual events such as the GeekPark Innovation Festival in January and Singularity Innovators Summit in July have become stages to attract top innovators across the world.

For further information, please visit: http://www.geekpark.net/

SOURCE GeekPark
WASHINGTON, March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Service members have relied on canine comrades since the beginning of organized warfare, but it wasn't until March 13, 1942, when the United States Army began training dogs for the newly established War Dog Program, or "K-9 Corps" that they became a critical part of the armed forces. To commemorate the original launch of the K-9 Corps program, this Monday, March 13, the country will celebrate National K9 Veterans Day.

An annual tribute to honor the service and sacrifice that these dogs have made for their country, National K9 Veterans Day pays tribute to military dogs and countless other canines serving our nationfrom police dogs, to border patrol dogs, and so many more.

American Humane, the country's first national humane organization, which has worked to support the U.S. Military and our human and animal warriors for more than 100 years, is proud to recognize the heroic contributions of these brave service animals on National K9 Veterans Day, and every day. With the support of internationally renowned philanthropist and veterans' advocate Lois Pope, the organization champions efforts to support military heroes at both ends of the leash through its Lois Pope LIFE Center for Military Affairs. The center helps reunite retired military dogs with their former handlers, provide veterans struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress with lifesaving service dogs, arranges free veterinary care for retired four-legged service members, and drives legislation that supports military dogs and their human counterparts. In 2016, American Humane successfully lobbied for a provision to the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would ensure that military dogs are returned to American soil after their retirements. Prior to the passage of the 2016 NDAA, military working dogs were not guaranteed retirement on the home front, and some were retired overseas, making them civilians and rendering them ineligible for transportation home on military aircraft.

American Humane also works to honor retired military dogs who demonstrate exceptional valor in serving our country. The annual American Humane Lois Pope LIFE K-9 Medal of Courage awards, which are held each July on Capitol Hill, are the nation's highest honor for military dogs.

American Humane is currently seeking nominations of retired military dogs who have worked overseas for the 2017 American Humane Lois Pope LIFE K-9 Medal of Courage awards. Please direct inquiries and nominations to Tara Loveland at 202-677-4220 or [email protected].

About American Humane

American Humane is the country's first national humane organization, founded in 1877. They began working with the American military in 1916 when the U.S. Secretary of War requested they help rescue wounded war horses on the battlefields of World War I Europe. Following World War II, American Humane helped pioneer the use of animal-assisted therapy to aid returning veterans. Today, through its Lois Pope LIFE Center for Military Affairs, the organization works to help active-duty members of the military, military families, and military animals. For more information, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org.

SOURCE American Humane

Related Links

http://www.americanhumane.org


NEWARK, N.J., March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, United Airlines employees, union representatives and members of Congress rallied at Newark Liberty International Airport to support U.S. aviation jobs in the face of Emirates Airline's new daily service between Newark and Athens, Greece  the latest example of massive Gulf subsidies undermining the domestic airline industry. Subsidy-enabled flights supported by the governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar violate international aviation agreements, distort the market and undermine competition, threatening hundreds of thousands of U.S. aviation workers in the process.

Since 2004, the governments of the UAE and Qatar have provided over $50 billion of unfair subsidies to grow their flag carriers  Emirates Airline, Ethiad Airways and Qatar Airways - forcing U.S. carriers to cancel long-haul international service. Emirates Airline's new daily flight from Newark to Athens is the latest example of how these massive government subsidies are undermining the U.S domestic airline industry. United offers flights from Newark to Athens only during the summer because the market demand does not support year-round service.

"Each time a U.S. carrier is forced to cut one of these long-haul international routes, American jobs are at risk," said Rick Hoefling, vice president of United's Newark hub. "That translates into fewer jobs for pilots, ground crew, flight attendants and all of those who make our domestic aviation sector one of the best around the world. We look to the new administration to enforce our international aviation agreements and stand up for all U.S. aviation workers."

At Newark Liberty today, Hoelfing was joined by uniformed United employees; U.S. Representatives Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5); Ken Diaz, president of United's Master Executive Council of the Association of Flight Attendants; and United Captain Glenn Johnson, Council 5 chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association to stand up for airline employees in the New Jersey/New York area against the subsidy-fueled expansion by the Gulf carriers.

More information on United's efforts to ensure legitimate and healthy competition among domestic and international carriers can be found at openandfairskies.com/united.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate more than 4,500 flights a day to 339 airports across five continents. In 2016, United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 143 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 737 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express partners operate 483 regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL".

SOURCE United Airlines

Related Links

http://www.united.com


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Shimla, March 12 : This highly elusive wildcat fed on food and good wishes of the locals after he strayed into a Himachal Pradesh helmet in the trans-Himalayas before he made his final exit from this world.

The aging, highly-endangered snow leopard found in his death the same glory that is associated with his life. The villagers, as a mark of respect, gave him a grand farewell.

Wildlife officials are elated over this man-animal bondage. They say this revived bond is helping the survival of the snow leopard in the Spiti Valley, which lies in the state's northernmost part, despite its dependence on their livestock, especially during the winter.

"For the last 10 days, a male snow leopard, which was unable to hunt owing to his old age, came close to Kibber village. Locals accepted his presence as a mark of respect and didn't retaliate," Wildlife Ranger Office Devinder Chauhan, who is posted in Spiti, told IANS.

He said the snow leopard had died of old age on February 21. For six months, his sighting was frequent near the human habitats of the area. (The average age of a snow leopard in the wild is 15 to 18 years.)

At his cremation, the entire villagers gathered to see him off and pay their last respects. The area is dominated by Buddhists, who are mostly vegetarians.

The locals, who mostly grow peas, have adapted themselves to co-exist with the wild animals.

"In order to minimise human-wild animal conflicts, the local communities were sensitised through conservation awareness programmes and this really helped them understand more about how the animals live among people and thus reduce retaliatory killings," Chauhan said.

The state Wildlife Department is monitoring snow leopards in the Spiti Valley, which falls in the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, through a satellite-based system to study the reasons for their straying into human habitation, their behavior and population.

Jagdish Bodh, a local, said every day people of the area used to visit the cliff where the snow leopard spent his last days.

"Almost every day we used to gather at the cliff to see the ailing leopard. He hardly looked at us but his eyes conveyed a message to leave him alone," he said.

Bodh said even a carcass was offered by a villager so that it could survive longer. "It barely moved from that spot. When the news about his death circulated, scores of villagers gathered to bid him farewell."

The Wildlife Department cremated the snow leopard -- a Schedule 1 animal under the Wildlife Protection Act of India -- after an autopsy.

Legendary field biologist George Schaller, who has worked for nearly two decades on studying endemic wildlife in the Tibetan Plateau, told IANS in a recent interview that the snow leopard needs protection from pastoral communities.

"They are beautiful and majestic animals that rarely attack humans. They attack only when the villagers attack them with sticks. I have spent nights in their habitat and they passed my sleeping bag.

"Man-animal conflicts are more a social issue. For the conservation of wildlife, you need cooperation of the local communities," he said.

According to Schaller, for conserving the snow leopard there is need to maintain a sizeable population of its prey species like the Asiatic ibex -- a wild goat -- and the Himalayan blue sheep.

Schaller's photograph of a snow leopard, taken in Pakistan in 1970, is the first recorded image of the wild cat.

Apart from the Spiti Valley, the state's Pin Valley National Park, the Great Himalayan National Park and the Pangi and Bharmour areas of Chamba district have a sizable population of snow leopards.

The central government-funded Rs 5.15 crore ($758,000) Snow Leopard Conservation Project is underway in the Spiti Valley, which runs parallel to Tibet.

The programme takes care of restoring the snow leopard's habitat.

Studies by the Wildlife Department show the presence of one snow leopard per 100 sq km in the Spiti Valley.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
Lucknow, March 12 : For all the focus on Muslims in the Uttar Pradesh elections -- demonised by the BJP and actively wooed by the BSP as well as the Congress-SP combine -- the number of people from the community in the 17th Vidhan Sabha has touched a historic low of 25.

This is far short of the 68 members the community had in the 403-member assembly after the 2012 election which saw the Samajwadi Party (SP) romp home with 224 seats.

That was the best-ever showing for Muslims - comprising almost 19 per cent of the state's 22 crore population -- who have been sending, on average, about 40 legislators to the house in every election.

The poor showing this time around, many Muslim leaders here feel, does not augur well as it implies that a "sizeable population is being kept away from mainstream politics".

Former Chief Minister Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), who saw the community as key to her electoral success, had fielded more than 100 candidates this time round, and a large number of Muslim outfits and groups had exhorted the community to vote for the party.

The BSP, however, finished a poor third with just 19 seats - six of whom are Muslims.

The community was also seen as crucial for the Congress-Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance and received a fair share of tickets from the combine. The alliance, however, returned with just 54 legislators, of whom 19 are Muslim -- 17 from the SP and two from the Congress.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Apna Dal - which together won a whopping 321 seats - did not field a single Muslim candidate and were also accused of communalising the campaign in a bid to polarise Hindu votes.

The BSP and SP wooing has left some in the community disenchanted. As in the past, welfare measures for a community that fares poorly on practically all social indices did not go beyond handing out tickets to us, says Ali Zafar, a prominent Muslim voice in the state.

He also slammed the SP, BSP and Congress for their "aggressive outreach for the Muslim vote, so much so that it antagonised the majority Hindus".

There are as many as 143 seats in Uttar Pradesh where it has traditionally been believed that Muslims can make or mar the fortunes of political parties. Of these, in 70 seats Muslims have 20-25 per cent presence, and in the remaining 73, they account for 30 per cent or more of the population.

Political observers here say there are many reasons why Muslims fared so poorly this time despite such significant presence in so many seats.

For one, the community sought to send Muslim candidates to the assembly, irrespective of political affiliations. This split the vote between the Congress-SP and the BSP. As Rizwan, a BSP worker in Indiranagar, Lucknow, put it: "There was no coherence in the Muslim pattern of voting this time."

The result is there for all to see - just 25 legislators at a time when recent elections had seen a rising trend in elected Muslims. The numbers had been steadily rising in last five elections: 28 legislators in 1993, to 38 in 1996, 46 in 2002, 56 in 2007 and, of course, as many as 68 in 2012.

There has also been talk of some Muslims, especially the youth and women, having voted for the BJP, after the triple talaq stand taken by the party. While this is difficult to corroborate, but in the celebrations at the BJP state headquarters here after the landslide win on Saturday, many burqa-clad women were seen dancing and raising "Modi, Modi" slogans.

Yunus Parvez, a student at a polytechnic here, believes there has been a certain churning in the Muslim populace, if not in favour of the BJP, then against the political parties that have "used us as mere vote banks", adding that the "community will have to think beyond narrow issues".

The students union of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) had, before the elections, appealed to the community to shun all political parties and instead use the None Of The Above, or NOTA option on the polling machines.

The BJP has been unapologetic about not giving tickets to Muslims. Its state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya reiterated on Saturday that the party would not give tickets to Muslims in the 2019 general election or the 2022 assembly election. He said the party believed in giving tickets to candidates depending on their "winnability" and not to appease any particular community.

Clearly, pushed to the fringes of the mainstream and rendered largely irrelevant, the community will need to strategise anew on the best way to once again emerge as a relevant electoral force. It will also need to battle the perception - used cleverly by the BJP to consolidate Hindu votes in the just-concluded elections - that the community votes tactically and en bloc, though there is little evidence to support this.

(Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in)
New Delhi, Mar 12 (IBNS): Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari on Sunday greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Holi.

In a message, he said that the colourful festival of Holi marks the onset of warmer season and celebrates the victory of good over evil.

I extend my warm greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of Holi  the festival of colours," Ansari said.

He said, "Celebrated with traditional fervor and enthusiasm throughout the country, the colourful festival of Holi marks the onset of warmer season and celebrates the victory of good over evil. "

"May this festival bring peace, harmony, prosperity and happiness in our lives, the Vice President greeted.
ThoughtFocus delivered a successful SAP S/4HANA implementation within tight time constraints that helps keep pace on next rollouts across our plants to keep moving our business forward.

REV Group is the largest manufacturer of specialty vehicles with 16 manufacturing plants across America producing over 26 leading brands in RVs, Ambulances, Buses, and Fire Trucks. When the company decided to bring about a transformational change in its business, it chose SAP S/4HANA to deliver the uniformity and efficiency across its diverse operations. REV also chose ThoughtFocus as the technology partner to drive the multiple SAP implementations across its various locations.

ThoughtFocus today announced two successful rollouts of SAP S/4HANA at the Parts and the Bus divisions of REV. These deployments are part of a series of rollouts scheduled over the next two years. This success marks a significant milestone, since REV is the first greenfield implementation of SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management in North America.

S/4HANA was the platform of choice for REV Group as it is best suited to meet the demands of a high velocity business enterprise. The multi-phase project began with a fast-start implementation of SAP S/4HANA at REVs fiberglass manufacturing plant in mid-2016 followed by REVs Parts organization that integrated GenSuite eCommerce solution.

Earlier this month, ThoughtFocus successfully completed an implementation at REVs Champion brand of buses. This implementation transitions all the Champion business processes from the legacy system to SAP, including sales, production, purchasing and logistics, warehouse management, quality inspections, and finance and accounting. The solution uses elements of the SAP Vehicle Management System (VMS) and SAP Variant Configuration (VC) while leveraging standard SAP functionality and best practices throughout the end-to-end process.

Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of REV Group, said ThoughtFocus delivered a successful SAP S/4HANA implementation within tight time constraints that helps keep pace on next rollouts across our plants to keep moving our business forward.

Stephan Engler, REV Groups CIO said, Were thrilled about these initial successes in the implementations and hope to bring about a transformational change in REVs operations. It was especially challenging knowing that we were in virgin territory with SAP S/4HANA. Were happy to have ThoughtFocus as our technology partner driving these SAP implementations. They are one of the few leading firms with experience in implementing SAP S/4HANA in a greenfield environment.

Prashanth Sharma, Vice President for Manufacturing Solutions at ThoughtFocus, said, As REV Groups strategic partner for SAP S/4HANA implementation, we are pleased with our initial successful rollouts of the program. It is a landmark achievement in the SAP landscape as the S/4HANA solution continues to evolve year after year. REV brought together a diverse set of manufacturers with a mandate to bring uniformity in operations while delivering transformational efficiency, all on a record schedule. I am proud of ThoughtFocus exceptional SAP S/4HANA team that is pioneering in its work on SAP. Its a pleasure working closely with IT and business teams from REV and SAP as we continue with next rollouts at REV.

About ThoughtFocus

ThoughtFocus is a privately held global company providing IT Consulting and Software Engineering services. It is a premier provider of SAP services to the Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and other manufacturing industries. ThoughtFocus is a valued partner to SAP and one of only a few distinguished companies with experience in SAP S/4HANA greenfield implementations. Its clients are some of most recognized names in manufacturing. With a workforce of over 1,300 professionals, ThoughtFocus is one of the fastest growing technology companies in the US.

ThoughtFocus is funded by the private equity giant, Blackstone.

About REV Group, Inc.

REV is a leading manufacturer of motor vehicles for bus, emergency, specialty and recreation markets worldwide. REVs lineup of products includes ambulances, fire trucks, shuttle buses, transit buses, terminal trucks, street sweepers, luxury motorhomes and wheelchair accessible vans. REV owns 26 brands, employs more than 6,000 people in 16 different plants in the U.S. and produces more than 20,000 specialty vehicles annually. REV Group recently moved its corporate headquarters from Orlando, Fla., to Milwaukee, Wis. For more information about REV Group, visit http://www.revgroup.com.
Congratulations to these emerging nurse researchers. I look forward to learning from each of them about all they have achieved early in their careers and the tremendous impact their work will have on health and nursing worldwide.

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) will recognize the Emerging Nurse Researchers at STTIs 28th International Nursing Research Congress in Dublin, Ireland, 27-31 July 2017. On Friday, 28 July 2017, these three individuals  representing Ghana, the United Kingdom, and the United States  will be presented with the Emerging Nurse Researcher award.

Created in 2015, the Emerging Nurse Researcher award recognizes one nurse researcher from each of the STTI global regions who has received his/her PhD within the last five years and whose research has impacted the profession and the people it serves.

Congratulations to these emerging nurse researchers, said STTI President Cathy Catrambone, PhD, RN, FAAN. I look forward to learning from each of them about all they have achieved early in their careers and the tremendous impact their work will have on health and nursing worldwide.

STTIs annual international nursing research congress attracts nearly 1,000 nurse researchers, students, clinicians, and leaders, who learn from evidence-based research presentations. The theme for the 28th congress is Influencing Global Health Through the Advancement of Nursing Scholarship. To view details or register for the event, visit http://www.nursingsociety.org/congress.

2017 Emerging Nurse Researcher Honorees

Parveen Azam Ali, PhD, MScN, RN, RN, SFHEA, FRSA

Lecturer

University of Sheffield

Phi Mu Chapter #490

United Kingdom

Lydia Aziato, PHD, MPhil, FWACN, FFGCNM, BA, RN, ONC

Senior Lecturer

University of Ghana

Chi Omicron Chapter #517

Ghana

Ryan J. Shaw, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor

Duke University School of Nursing

Beta Epsilon Chapter #051

USA

###

About the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI)

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. Founded in 1922, STTI has more than 135,000 active members in more than 90 countries and territories. Members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and others. STTIs 520 chapters are located at more than 700 institutions of higher education throughout Armenia, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, the United States, and Wales. Learn more at http://www.nursingsociety.org.
Randy Shumway, 2017 Utah Business CEO of the Year "He built Cicero Group from a scrappy startup into an industry leader in just a few short years, setting us on a long-term trajectory of success. This CEO of the Year honor recognizes the scale of his contribution to Cicero and to the state of Utah.

Cicero Group (http://www.cicerogroup.com), a premier data-driven strategy firm, announced that Founder and Chairman Randy Shumway will be named as the 2017 Utah Business CEO of the Year on Thursday, March 16th at the annual Utah Business Awards Ceremony in downtown Salt Lake City.

In 2001, Randy Shumway founded Cicero Group on the belief that business consulting could be accomplished better. By concentrating first on data to craft evidence-based strategies, and then on effective implementation of those strategies, Cicero would ensure organizations experienced the maximum benefit of recommendations.

And this focus has paid off. Cicero has grown over 30% annually since its inception and prides itself on driving transformative value for Fortune 2000 companies all over the world. Randys vision has not only benefited clients all over the world, but has turned the company he started into an innovative powerhouse widely recognized as an industry leader.

In early 2017, Randy Shumway announced he would step down as CEO of Cicero Group, remaining as the Chair of the companys Board of Directors and as an actively engaged partner in the firm. This planned transfer of power reflects the selfless ethic of leadership still guiding Cicero Group today. Randy has shaped the way Cicero treats clients and employees, says new Cicero CEO Dr. Trent Kaufman. We talk a lot about The Cicero Way here at the companyover deliver, ease others burdens, be solution-firstbut in reality, its the Randy Shumway Way. He built Cicero Group from a scrappy startup into an industry leader in just a few short years, setting us on a long-term trajectory of success. This CEO of the Year honor recognizes the scale of his contribution to Cicero and to the state of Utah.

About Cicero Group

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Cicero Group is one of the worlds premier data-driven strategy consulting firms. With over 350 employees, Cicero provides data-driven management consulting in 47 different countries and in 14 unique languages. Ciceros clients include some of the worlds fastest growing and successful companies. These organizations rely on Ciceros ability to quickly capture and analyze internal, secondary, and primary data about their customers, competitors and potential new opportunities in order to solve critical business questions. For additional information, visit http://www.cicerogroup.com or call 801-456-6700.
The American Water Resources Association (AWRA) and the Water Research Center at Tel Aviv University are pleased to announce a joint international conference "Cutting Edge Solutions to Wicked Water Problems," to be hosted by Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Conference Co-Chairs Sharon Megdal, director of the Water Resources Research Center at The University of Arizona and Professor Dror Avisar, director of the Water Research Center, School of Earth Sciences at Tel Aviv University, invite all interested to submit abstracts for oral presentation consideration. Deadline for abstract submission is April 17, 2017.

The focus of this two-day conference (see topics) is to present scientific results and to demonstrate real-world experiences on innovative research about, and workable solutions to, various global water problems. Both local and international participants will benefit from this conference's dialogue on developing ways to address and avoid water crises due to an imbalance between water supply and demand, changing climate, population growth, urbanization, water scarcity and water quality problems. More information can be found on the Conference website.

Why come to Israel for this conference?

Located in a semi-arid region characterized by chronic water scarcity, Israel has become a global leader in developing and applying innovative water solutions and technologies. Tel Aviv provides an ideal location for exchanging information, knowledge and data among researchers, practitioners, and water officials. In addition, conference attendees have the option of attending WATEC 2017, Israel's biennial Water Technology and Environmental Control Exhibition & Conference, which will be held in Tel Aviv immediately following this conference.

About AWRA

Since 1964, American Water Resources Association (AWRA) has been dedicated to the advancement of water resources management, research and education, as well as a balanced approach toward solving water resources challenges. AWRAs membership is comprised of professionals who share a common interest in working and learning across a wide range of disciplines focused on water resources policy, practice and education. Visit the AWRA website.

About Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University is a public research university with over 30,000 students located in the neighborhood of Ramat Aviv in Tel Aviv, Israel's most dynamic & diverse city. As the largest university in the country, TAU offers a first-rate education, award winning professors and opportunities for meaningful social involvement. Visit the TAU website.
Guwahati, Mar 12 (IBNS): Smaller parties Conard Sangma led National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) and the lone Independent MLA have emerged as the big players in Manipur to decide who will form the next government in the state-Congress or BJP.

The ruling Congress and the BJP are both claiming victory in Manipur.

In the 60-member Manipur assembly, the Congress has again emerged as the leading political party with 28 seats, while the saffron party had captured 21 seats.

Both parties are now trying to manage the magic number with the help of smaller parties.

Apart from Congress and BJP, NPP and NPF have secured 4 seats each, while LJP, AITMC and Independent won one seat each.

The NPF, who is also an ally party in NDA, has already announced support for a non-Congress coalition government.

On the other hand, NPP leader Conard Sangma said that, his party will support to form a non-Congress government.

Top BJP leaders including its national general secretary Ram Madhav and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma had attended a crucial meeting with the NPP leaders in Imphal on Sunday evening, following the assembly polls results out.

Meanwhile, Manipur BJP spokesperson Nongthombam Biren said, his party will form the next government.

"Despite Congress being ahead of BJP in numerical numbers, our party will form the next ministry and working is going on to show majority," Biren said.

"People of Manipur given their mandates against corruption and all are wanting a corruption free and development oriented government in Manipur," Biren said.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who was elected to the Manipur assembly for consecutive fourth term, said that, people of the state want peace and protection of territorial integrity.

After securing 28 seats, Congress has tried to rope the MLAs of AITMC, Independent MLA and LJP to retain in power.

Political analytics said that, following the results, it is indicating that the lone Independent MLA will decide actually who will form the next ministry in Manipur.

"Both Congress and BJP will try to rope the lone Independent candidate for their side," Utpal Baruah, Editor of the Assamese news daily Dainik Janambhumi said.

BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said that, his will stake claims to form the next government in the state.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


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Guwahati, Mar 12 (IBNS): A National Integration tour for the children of Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh as part of OP SAMARITAN 2016-17 was flagged off from Khonsa.

Komhima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said that, the aim of the tour is to acquaint the children of far-flung area with the vast and rich cultural heritage of our country.

"23 children and 3 teachers from Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh are participating in the tour which will visit various places of historic interest in Delhi March 16, Agra from March 16-17 and Lucknow from March 18-20. The Students will also interact with President Pranab Mukherjee, Union MoS Home Kiren Rijiju and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat during the stay at Delhi," Konwer said.

The event will go a long way in not only widening the intellectual horizon of the young minds but also further solidify the spirit of National integration.

The tour was flagged off by Commander, 117 Mountain Brigade and DC, Tirap District.

The ceremony was attended by various dignitaries and officials of civil administration, parents of participating children and locals of Khonsa.

The children were overwhelmed with the joy and full of enthusiasm,many of whom have never be outside Tirap District.

The locals have expressed their partisan support to the initiative of the Army.



(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
The report card is in, and the nation's infrastructure is nearly failing.

On Thursday, the American Society of Civil Engineers released its 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, giving the nation's overall infrastructure a grade of D+.

Even the $1 trillion President Donald Trump proposed spending on infrastructure in his Feb. 28 address to Congress isn't enough over the next several years, the ASCE said.

Illinois and Iowa fared a bit better, earning a C- from the ASCE. But there's no question that improving, replacing and better maintaining roads, dams, bridges, rail lines, public transportation and other local infrastructure is sorely needed.

The Bi-State Regional Commission keeps and updates a four-year Transportation Improvement Plan, which includes projects that have funding identified, said planning director Gena McCullough said. Those projects are first listed in the Quad Cities Metro Long Range Transportation Plan which identified needs decades into the future.

The replacement of the Interstate 74 bridge, widening John Deere Road and an upcoming replacement of the interchange with I-74 are among major projects are either underway or on the books.

But what will be the next major project?

Planners are looking at the Mississippi River, specifically lock and dam upgrades, as well as more bridge repairs and replacements.

"One of the things we did in this planning process, we said, 'Well, what happens when we finish I-74; what's our next big project?'" Ms. McCullough said. Bi-State planners and the elected officials who work with them "collectively agreed we would like to see us do another major investment study of our Mississippi River corridors," she said.

Overhauls of the lock and dam system have been on wish lists for some time. The desired work includes upgrading the aging structures and enlarging the locks to move grain and other freight along the Mississippi River with fewer costly delays.

Bridges over the river are aging as well. The next on the docket for replacement likely will be the I-80 bridge between Rapid City and LeClaire. In Bi-State's long range plan, the Illinois Department of Transportation says the bridge "is not sufficient" to carry the average of 34,000 vehicles daily that use the span.

The I-80 span needs more and wider lanes, the report states. It also states that replacement of the span is estimated to cost $490 million "in the long-range window."

IDOT spokeswoman Kelsea Gurski on Thursday said a preliminary bridge replacement study has been completed by one of its consultants to see if the current substructure could be used in a partial replacement.

"At this time, funding has not been identified for engineering or construction of the bridge," she said. "But it remains one of many major river crossings that are being evaluated for funding on a statewide basis."

The area's two railroad bridges -- the Crescent Bridge and the upper level of the Government Bridge -- are also concerns, Ms. McCullough said. Both are more than a century old.

"Right now, that's a pinch point on the national freight network when trains have to slow down because they're at a certain weight limit," she said. "They have to slow down to a certain speed to cross over" both bridges, she said.

Lawmakers and local elected officials say they are aware of the needs and are working on more infrastructure funding.

"I'm going to work very, very hard to make sure there is funding to support locks and dams," said U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.

"The locks need to be larger," she said. "Right now, the barges -- especially when they are two-barge (combinations) -- have to be broken down to transit the locks, and that slows down the flow of our produce and goods down the Mississippi."

Sen. Duckworth also said levee upgrades are needed for flood protection.

Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch and the mayors of 17 other Mississippi River communities traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to share their concerns. In addition to talking with lawmakers, the members of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative met with representatives from the Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies.

Initiative members are lobbying for a $7.93 billion investment in lock and dam upgrades, floodplain and ecosystem restoration, clean water initiatives and other needs. According to Mayor Klipsch, much of the funding is "already in existence."

"We're not necessarily asking for a lot more money," he said. "It's the current money that should be funneled into most efficiently maximizing resources to get a lot of those initiatives done."
Guwahati, Mar 12 (IBNS): Security forces apprehended two militants of NSCN (R) and NSCN (K) in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday evening, officials said on Sunday.

Based on intelligence input the Changlang Battalion and Khonsa Battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of DAO division conducted operations at Jungmaisung and Nogna village and nabbed the militant duo.

Komhima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said that, Wangdi Tailong, a Self Styled Private of NSCN(R) was apprehended based on specific intelligence about presence of one cadre trying to terrorize and attempting forced extortion in Jungmaisung village.

The Changlang battalion swiftly launched an operation and apprehended the Self Styled Private with a pistol and live ammunition.

Post spot interrogation he admitted allegiance to NSCN(R). He further divulged that he has been an active part of the outfit since August 2016 and had also undergone training in a NSCN camp in Nagaland for three months as an active cadre.

In another operation, based on specific intelligence about presence of cadres trying to terrorize and attempting forced extortion in Nogna village.

The Khonsa battalion swiftly launched an operation resulting in destruction of a hideout of NSCN(K).

The security personnel has been carrying out aggressive operations in South Arunachal Pradesh and this apprehension has struck a blow to the extortion activities being carried out by the underground cadres of the group in the area.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


IRIN, March 6, 2017

By Christine Monaghan

An Afghan father recently described how his 15-year-old son lost both feet after stepping on a mine. He couldnt get proper care in Kunduz City  the only trauma centre there had been destroyed  so he took a taxi more than 200 miles to Kabul. By the time his son received treatment, it was too late.

Both of his legs had to be cut off from just below the waist, because the bones were ruined and he had a serious infection, the boys father said. "For one week, he was ok, but then, from the infection, he went into a coma. Ten days later, he died in the hospital."

This is one of the many brutal stories I heard during a trip to Afghanistan, where I travelled in November to research the impact that targeted attacks on medical facilities have on childrens health. Children and their parents, health workers and humanitarian staff repeatedly told my colleagues and I how these attacks have compromised access to critical healthcare and devastated childrens lives. In a country already among the worlds most dangerous for aid workers, clinics have become battlegrounds and medical professionals are on the front lines of the conflict.

New report

Over the last two years, the Taliban, Afghan government forces and other groups have committed more than 240 attacks on medical facilities. These violate humanitarian laws and erode an already extremely fragile health system. In a report released today, we show how these unlawful attacks have damaged or destroyed clinics and hospitals, and killed or injured many health professionals. Others have been forced to leave their jobs or flee, and many patients have been afraid to seek care. Children have suffered greatly: casualties have increased, along with rates of malnutrition, diarrhoeal disease and vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and polio.



Injured Afghan children are attended to by medical personel as they are taken to hospital from the scene of a bomb blast which killed at least 15 people, mostly children, in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, 06 January 2004. A large bomb ripped through a crowd of onlookers, mostly children, who had gathered after a smaller device exploded 20 minutes earlier some 100 metres away without causing casualties. (Photo: Maqsood Ghayal/AFP) Injured Afghan children are attended to by medical personel as they are taken to hospital from the scene of a bomb blast which killed at least 15 people, mostly children, in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, 06 January 2004. A large bomb ripped through a crowd of onlookers, mostly children, who had gathered after a smaller device exploded 20 minutes earlier some 100 metres away without causing casualties. (Photo: Maqsood Ghayal/AFP)

Instead of places of healing, clinics and hospitals have become targets in Afghanistans escalating conflict. Attacks have been so frequent that one health director told us that many go unreported. Attacks have taken place in at least 20 of the countrys 34 provinces, making it difficult, if not impossible, to access healthcare in many areas. In one case, a 15-year-old girl suffering from meningitis took a week to reach a hospital. She died shortly after getting treatment.

Warring parties have also closed medical facilities, and stolen medical supplies and ambulances. They have threatened, detained and killed medical personnel. A health vaccinator told us that when the Taliban caught him administering polio vaccines, they warned him they would kill him if he continued. He felt threatened again when fighters with the so-called Islamic State entered the area, and he later left his job.

I have seen with my own eyes, in an area of 100 metres there are three kinds of leaders: Taliban, IS and government, he said. Our clinic was in the middle of the conflict, so even though it is my job, I had to stop, otherwise I thought either the IS or Taliban would kill me.

Such cases of threats and extortions are far from unique. In February 2015, a group of unidentified men shot and killed a social mobiliser for a polio programme run by UNICEF. In August 2016, Taliban fighters abducted a staffer of a NGO overseeing a polio vaccination programme.

Impact

The impact of these systematic assaults on the healthcare system and health professionals has been profound. The World Health Organization reported 169 measles outbreaks in 2015  a staggering 141 percent increase from 2014. More than one million of Afghanistans children now suffer from acute malnutrition, an increase of more than 40 percent since January 2015, according to WHO.

In Afghanistan, clinics and hospitals are the only places where children can be treated for malnutrition (unlike in Yemen, for example, where there are standalone nutrition centres). When medical facilities are occupied or forced to close, children lose access to treatment for malnutrition as well as other preventable illnesses, such as acute respiratory infections and diarrhoeal disease. These diseases are easily treated if there's access to healthcare, but become deadly without access. When vaccinators cannot immunise children, disease rates also go up.

In 2016, armed opposition groups carried out 95 attacks on healthcare, while Afghan forces were responsible for 23 attacks, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. At Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, we are calling on all parties to immediately stop these attacks. Were asking the UN secretary-general to name, for the first time, the Afghan forces among those responsible for the attacks (only Taliban forces have been cited for attacks on hospitals until now). Parties listed in the secretary-general's annual report must enter into an action plan with the UN to be de-listed. Action plans include concrete steps regarding preventing attacks, responding to attacks when they occur, as well as showing that attacks have decreased or stopped altogether.

The Afghan government must establish a permanent and dedicated body to investigate these incidents. The government can help stop these attacks by training troops, investigating any incidents and holding government troops accountable. Even during wartime, basic elements of humanity must prevail, and few are more important than ensuring sick and injured children can get medical care.
IWPR, March 8, 2017

By Mina Habib

Leeda stood waiting at a Kabul bus stop, braced for a daily commute that she said inevitably involved sexual comments and snide remarks from male passers-by.

The young woman said she knew about recent legislation that would make such harassment a crime under Afghan law for the first time. However, she did not have high hopes for it.

Making laws is very easy in Afghanistan, but implementing them is impossible, she explained, smiling. I face many problems and am disrespected and pestered every day during my journey.

Told that the law would mean that she could make a formal complaint to the police about such harassment, she smiled again.

That would make me happy, she said. But what would really be a big help is if the policemen themselves didnt harass me.

Opinions are divided over new Afghan legislation banning the harassment of women and children that was passed by parliament on November 9, 2016.

Supporters hail the move as a landmark moment in the fight for gender rights in Afghanistan, while others say it is unlikely to ever be implemented.

The law encompasses what it terms illegitimate demands such as verbal abuse, sexual requests or inappropriate physical contact as well as harassment over the phone or via social media.

In addition, the ministry of interior is supposed to provide a special contact number so that women can report violations.

Those convicted of harassment in public places or vehicles can be fined between 80 to 150 dollars, while similar behaviour in the workplace or educational or healthcare centres can be punished with a fine of between 150 to 300 dollars. Repeat offenders are liable for a custodial sentence.

Although there have been major improvements in the field of womens rights in Afghanistan over the last 15 years, particularly in access to education, conservative social traditions mean that progress remains extremely slow.

The entire judicial system remains riven by corruption and operates under extreme pressure amid an ongoing insurgency.

Despite repeated requests, IWPR was unable to find a police official who was willing to be interviewed on this subject.

And although the latest legislation has been approved by parliament, it has yet to be signed into law by the president.

Activists note that they have prior experience with apparently groundbreaking gender rights legislation that has failed to have any impact.

The Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, enacted by presidential decree in 2009, prohibited a range of abuses from assault and rape to marriages that are coercive, involve minors or amount to a transaction between the two families. However, this law was rejected by parliament in May 2013, and has been shelved ever since.

Even legislators themselves are dubious about the degree of difference the legislation might make.

Lawmaker Nazifa Zaki was one of the laws backers and told IWPR that while she was happy it had been approved, she was far from sure it would actually be applied.

Many laws have been made to protect the rights of women in Afghanistan, but in practice these laws were never implemented. People need to put pressure on the government so that it enforces the law, she said, adding, Its our responsibility to monitor the enforcement of this law and others.

Abdul Hai Akhundzada, who represents Helmand in the Wolesi Jirga, also said that the law was unlikely to be put into practice.

When the constitution, which is considered the mother of all laws, is not enforced, how will people believe that this law will be put into practice? he said.

Akhundzada said that simply enforcing Sharia law would be a more effective way of reducing harassment.

I think that the contents of this law are too weak, he continued. Is it logical that a person who harasses women or children physically or verbally should be fined [only] 80 to 150 dollars?

Some rights defenders noted that administrative corruption had become so extensive that laws of this kind were open to abuse.

The fines that are part of the anti-harassment law could serve as a good excuse for police to illegally boost their incomes, said Lal Gul, chairman of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). Maybe police will start harassing and fining innocent people in order to increase their arrest rate.

He continued, When high-ranking government officials and authorities violate the laws, we cant expect the common people to respect the laws of the country. Justice will be served only if the law is implemented on every single member of society equally, without impunity.

Yet despite the obstacles, others are more upbeat about the laws possible effect.

Qadriya Yazan, head of womens rights at the (AIHRC) said the legislation marked a milestone in the fight to protect women and children.

The law sent an important message to the public about acceptable behavior in Afghanistan, she continued, even if putting it into practice would take time.

Yazan continued, I am sure that as levels of insecurity decrease, our countrys judicial system will advance and become more active.

She stressed that getting the law through parliament was only the first step of a long process.

The AIHRC along with the Afghan parliament should monitor the laws implementation and also put pressure on the countrys judicial institutions to enact it, Yazan said, adding, It will be even more effective if sermons in mosques [addressed the topic] and if the ministry of education began public awareness campaigns about the laws details.

The ministry could also launch school programmes to inform students about the articles of this law.

Parwin Khaliqi, head of legislation at the ministry of womens affairs, said they were also planning outreach campaigns.

We plan to launch seminars and conferences to explain the contents of this law to all the women of Afghanistan, she said, adding, We are really optimistic about this law and we are sure that the level of harassment of children and women will decrease after its implementation.

It takes a long time for a law to be enacted in Afghanistan but we are sure that implementation will start gradually.

The first challenge may be to convince women that it is worth their while to come forward and report incidents of harassment.

I dont believe that men who pester women will be prosecuted and punished, said one woman, Shabnam, adding that she was subject to persistent workplace harassment at a state-run news agency in Kabul.

Although she knew about the new law, she too had little faith it would help her.

My boss pesters me all the time, so who will listen to me if I lodge a complaint about harassment? she asked. Im sure that no one would listen and that if I lodged a complaint Id either be dismissed or transferred to other office.

The problems were too deep-rooted to be affected by one new law, Shabnam continued.

Afghan culture is male-dominated and women cant get really get ahead within this kind of society, she said, adding, The harassment of women on the street and at work has only increased. If conditions at my work continue as they are, I will just have to leave my job.
The Killid Group, March 12, 2017

By Habib Viqar

There is nothing new here: Maternal mortality levels have shown little improvement. The majority of deliveries are at home in the absence of medical facilities. There are few female doctors and an acute shortage of mid-wives.

Among the provinces with the worst records is Uruzgan. Hamid Agha, a resident of its Charchino district, says 10 women have died in child birth over a few months. "Clinics don't exist in most districts in our province," he says. "If there are they are just in name; no female doctor is appointed. In an emergency we take the patient, even a woman in labour, to Tirinkoot (provincial capital)."

Agha adds that few women can survive the journey. "Most of them die on the way. More than 10 died during delivery in villages around mine. We have repeatedly complained to the government but no one is prepared to work in an area where security cannot be guaranteed."



Afghanistan is the second worse place to become a mother. (Photo: IRIN) Afghanistan is the second worse place to become a mother. (Photo: IRIN)

"We urge the government to provide security and send female doctors to our clinics," he appeals.

Meanwhile, from Uruzgan's Choora district, Rahmatgul Popal shares similar concerns with Killid. "My uncle's wife died due to delivery complications a few days back. She left behind children," he says. "Roads are bad, and security does not exist. Most of our patients cannot reach a hospital; there are many cases of maternal death (especially since) many births are at home."

There is urgent need for female doctors and midwives in Paktika province also, say Baseer Haidakhil, a resident of Katawaz district. "We ask the government to pay attention  it must establish schools for our girls because if we have schools and high schools our own girls would become doctors so we would not need to take them from Kabul and other provinces."

Are provincial officials taking note? Aghakhan Miakhil, head of public health presidency in Paktika, mentions 14 students who have graduated as midwives in the province. "We are very happy that 14 midwives and 27 female pharmacists graduated after two years of studies. They would serve the people at the province level and would be able to decrease the mortality of mother and child a lot."

Nangarhar

The province has 30 freshly-graduated midwives. Speaking at their graduation on Jan 25, 2017, Najib Kamawal, head of Nangarhar public health presidency, said they would be encouraged to join health centres in Laghman, Nuristan and Kunar. "We have at least one female doctor or midwife in all health clinics. That is a big achievement," he says.

Paktia

Thirty six midwives have graduated from Paktia health sciences institute in November 2016. Provincial authorities say the girls had promised to return to their own areas and work after graduating. Dr Sher Mohammad Naqshbandi, head of the public health department, thinks that this will boost health services in even remote parts of the province.

Provincial council members also see the graduation of midwives as a big achievement. Allahmir Bahramzai, a member says, "God is kind that we have fresh graduate midwives. We are sure that these 36 will work with love for their people and the problems of the province would be solved to some extent."

Khost

Efforts have started in earnest to stop the high death rate of mother and child. Following an entrance exam, 50 female students were selected out of 220 for admission to a course in nursing and midwifery. They have promised to fulfill their part of the agreement and work in rural areas,'' says Dr Gul Mohammad Mohammadi, head of public health of Khost.

Dr (Miss) Khadija Safi, responsible for nursing says, "We will absorb the class (of graduates), and depute them in areas that don't have nurses and midwives. We want to solve the problem of problem villages."

Laghman

In November 2016, some 25 girls graduated from midwifery in the province. Abdul Jabar Nayimi, the governor, while speaking at their graduation, said they could be sent to remote areas to work. He asked for financial help for the graduation of a new batch of 25 students.

Paktika

Dr Waligul, head of public health department in the province, asks all people in Paktika to encourage their daughters to study "because we cannot build a community without studies". Mohammad Elyas Wahdat, the provincial governor, says that they would try to build up the profession of midwives to ensure that no unassisted deliveries take place. "I ask honourably the entire nation to send their girls to the schools so that they can serve their sisters."

For all Afghans

The Ministry of Public Health has risen to the challenge and increased nationwide efforts to train midwives. Najia Tareq, a deputy minister of public health, says that the ministry is trying to encourage all families to take pregnant women to hospitals for the delivery. "Only 32 percent of the deliveries take place in hospitals although the facilities in hospitals have increased."
Kaj Leers is the election campaign analyst for Dutch daily de Volkskrant. Follow him on Twitter @kajleers. The views expressed here are the author's own. After the election of Donald Trump in the United States and the Brexit referendum in Great Britain, eyes now turn to a slew of elections taking place in Europe. The Dutch vote first, on March 15. The Netherlands is often seen as a bellwether for broader European political sentiment. This is the third installment in a series on the Dutch election.

The Dutch nation-state as it exists today came into being in 1815 when the royal house of Orange was installed after the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Before that, the country was in many ways an experiment in statehood. Before the 80 Years War of independence (1568-1648), the territory now known as the Netherlands was always part of someone elses empire, the last of them being the Spanish Habsburgs. After a long guerilla war the territory was ruled by a tumultuous succession of regents, stadtholders, and loose republics, only to end as a failed kingdom until the French rode in.

Dependent on trade

With the west of the country being basically a collection of river deltas, and with little in the way of natural resources, the Netherlands has always relied on trade -- and it still does. In 2015, exports accounted for 32.4 percent of gross domestic product, according to the Netherlands official statistics bureau.

This reality limits voters choices during elections. Retreat to a nationalist bulwark is hardly an option for a country that relies so heavily on exports, international trade, and cooperation. During the economic crisis of 2009-2012, and in all economic downturns before that, it was exports that kept the countrys economic engine running.

Exports made the Netherlands rich. These also include exports of abundant natural gas discovered in the 1950s. The resulting wealth helped postwar coalition governments run by Christian-democrats, social-democrats, and liberals (a term that in Europe refers to supporters of free markets and small government) establish an intricate redistributionist welfare system that is still regarded as one of the worlds best in terms of happiness creation, health care, education, infrastructure, and welfare.

Against this background, Dutch voters are concerned not so much about the current state of affairs, but about what they may stand to lose in the future.

There Is No Alternative

The dependency on international cooperation shared by all political parties in Parliament for decades enforced a kind of There Is No Alternative thinking in politics against which part of the population now rebels.

The strongest opponent of this cooperative internationalism is Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party. Wilders wants the Netherlands to leave the euro currency and the European Union altogether. He promises a Nexit referendum in imitation of the Brexit referendum that will take the United Kingdom out of the European Union.

Yet although questions about national and cultural identity are certainly an issue in the election campaign, all polls show a large combined majority for the parties with a more internationalist agenda. This is consistent with other polls that show a large majority of Dutch who prefer to stay in the European Union and in the euro.

In the elections of March 15, Wilders is expected to garner between 13 and 17 percent of the vote. The other votes will be going to the other parties.

Pressing issues

Dutch voters overall have more pressing concerns. First on their list is health care. The countrys population is graying quickly, making health care increasingly expensive. The government picks up part of the bill, paid for by taxes, while citizens also pay health care premiums to insurers. Those who are on lower incomes can apply for a premium subsidy.

A vast majority of voters want this system to remain in place. They would rather see the government go into debt than reform the existing system. Hence, almost all political parties competing for votes in this campaign either want to keep the health care system as it is, or spend even more money on it, not less. Either way, many voters want a new government to roll back some of the reforms the current governing coalition has made over the past four years.

The second-most important issue according to polls is social security; voters are especially concerned about the retirement age, which was raised to 67 from 65 and which many voters want lowered again. These concerns are followed by the fight against terrorism, and investments in education.

A normal election

In short, this election campaign is not turning out to be all that unique. Instead of the upheaval of populism that many outside observers expected to witness, moderate parties such as Groenlinks (an amalgam of former Communists and Greens) and D66 (a leftist-liberal party) are gaining in the polls, while the CDA (Christian-democrats) are also making up ground they lost in the last elections.

One reason for this is that the two parties leading the current coalition -- the social-democratic Partij van de Arbeid (Labor Party) and the free market-conservative VVD -- are shedding support because of unpopular reforms they undertook in the health care and social security sectors.

Meanwhile, the VVD -- itself considered a right-wing party -- has sought to turn the election into a two-way battle with Geert Wilders, who is decidedly on the right. Until this election, the VVD would pick a fight with a leftist party to draw in strategic votes from all other right-wing parties. In this campaign, the VVD has refused to pick a battle with a major left-wing party, and as such has given left-leaning voters no single party around which to rally.

As a result, voters on the left and the right are voting according to their political conscience. If current polls are any guide, the general election wont be where most of the excitement happens. The real drama will play out as the next government coalition is formed: More than four parties will be needed to assemble a majority of 76 seats in the 150-seat Parliament.
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Chandigarh, Mar 12 (IBNS): Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh, who will supposedly take over as the Chief Minister of Punjab, said there should be no speculations over the role Navjot Singh Sidhu unless he meets party Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

"No speculation... Can't comment on Sidhu. Things will be decided when I meet Rahul Gandhi," Singh told the media this morning.

The Congress in Punjab has bagged 77 of the 117 seats, surging much ahead of the halfway figure of 59.

The Aam Aadmi Party has taken the second spot and the ruling Akali Dal- BJP combine third, respectively leading in 22 and 18 seats.

Elections of all states were held in phases and the last phase of election ended on March 8.


Adel Amer, the Imam of the Al Huda Islamic Center, speaks to members of the mosque and pleads that they stay late in the night and early in the morning to get the most out of this Ramadan. Shot in Athens, Georgia, on June 29, 2016. (Photo: Henry Taylor/htaylor@uga.edu)
The crosswalk on South Finley Street between Creswell and Russell Hall has might be in need of some added safety measures according to a few University of Georgia students. Photo: Ashlyn Webb
New Delhi, Mar 12 (IBNS) Basking in the stupendous performance of the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh elections and overall performance in other states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said a new India is emerging powered by the skills and changing mindset of crores of Indians.

"A new India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength and skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development," he said addressing the BJP workers at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

The BJP has won 312 of the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh alone while with allies its tally is at 325 decimating the opposition.

Amid chants of Modi and after showering of flower petals, Modi said: "When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud."

"Even the poorest of poor voting in the elections is indication of a new India. The results of Uttar Pradesh shows a new direction and a new India is emerging.

"A new Indian of youth who are below 35 and their dreams is emerging. A new India of the women. A new India is emerging where the poor instead of seeking something is trying to contribute. The poor is saying that he will work hard and move forward and chart his own path if there are opportunities," said Modi.

"I am not thinking about who won and who lost. Poll victory is only an order from the people to fulfil their wishes. We have to make full use of our abilities to fulfil the wishes of the people," said Modi who also recalled the contributions of four generations of leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani and who took the party forward.

He said the power and resolve of the middle class and the poor of India would take India forward.

He said the popularity and support of India only increased with each poll.
You'll be shocked to know how far the festival of colours has spread around the world.



If you think that Holi is celebrated only in India, you'll be sadly mistaken.

Scroll down to see how people world over are adding a dash of colour in their lives.

Thailand

IMAGE: Revellers take part in the annual Holi Rangotsav Festival organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad Association at a university in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Songkran Festival in Thailand, which falls on the Thai New Year (April 13), is celebrated in a similar fashion too! During the three-day festival, you'll see adults and children walking around with huge water guns, splashing water on each other.

Photograph: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters

Bulgaria

IMAGE: People react as they are daubed with coloured powder during Holi Festival of Colours in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The Holi Festival of Colours took place for the first time in 2013 in Bulgaria. In 2016, it took place at the Akademic Stadium in Sofia. It is usually held in the month of June.

Since then people have been religiously coming together to celebrate with music, street theatre and cultural workshops. Approximately 20,000 people attend this festival every year.

Photograph: Pierre Marsaut/Reuters

Spain

IMAGE: Revellers of the Monsoon Holi Madrid festival dance covered in coloured powders in Madrid, Spain. However this festival takes place in the month of August.

Conducted in an open-air venue, the Monsoon Holi Madrid is an explosion of colours.

Photograph: Paul Hanna/Reuters

Belarus

IMAGE: A man covers a woman with coloured powder during the ColorFest in Minsk, Belarus.

It is the biggest summer festival in Belarus and is attended by over 20,000 participants.

Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters

Britain

IMAGE: T he Holi Festival in London, Britain. Given the large number of Indians residing in London, it is but obvious that the festival of colours is celebrated in a grand way here. The Holi Festival kicks off in the month of July, with people participating in colourful parades.

The celebrations start a week in advance, with restaurants organising special Holi menu for patrons.

Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters

Lebanon

IMAGE: A participant covered in coloured powder attends the Saida in Color event, part of the Sidon International Festival, southern Lebanon. The festival runs for four days and combines culture, art, travel, with some musical and fun activities.

Photograph: Ali Hashisho/Reuters

Greece

IMAGE: The annual Colour Day Festival in Thermi, near the northern port city of Thessaloniki, Greece. One of the most famous festivals in Greece, the locals here celebrate with colour and music. Started in 2015, the festival witnesses over 40,000 attendees.

Photograph: Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

Palestine

IMAGE: A Palestinian reveller takes part in a colours festival organised by Palestinian activists in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The festival started in 2015 and it was a huge success.

Photograph: Mohamad Torokman/Reuters

Ukraine
BJPs overwhelming win in UP shows that 2014 was no fluke, says R Jagannathan.

Image: BJP workers carry a giant cut-out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they celebrate the partys victory in the UP and Uttarakhand assembly elections, at the party headquarters in New Delhi on March 11, 2017. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo.

There is always a tendency to read too much, or too little, into poll verdicts. But even with this caveat, it is difficult to not be swayed by the scale and sweep of the Bharatiya Janata Partys victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, its spectacular rise in Manipur, and its ability to stay in the fight in Goa despite splitting from its erstwhile partners and an internal revolt.

In Punjab, where the defeat of the Akali-BJP coalition was foretold, the development worth noting is not the Congresss thumping victory, but the underwhelming performance of the Aam Aadmi Party.

In terms of popular vote, the Akali-BJP combo was streets ahead of the AAP, despite coming a cropper in terms of seats.

The implications of the verdict are the following.

Narendra Modi retains a strong hold on the popular imagination, and his party is the primary pole of Indian politics, at least till 2019 proves us otherwise.

The Congress is a declining force, and the Gandhi family is clearly not up to the challenge.

If the BJP has to be humbled, it can only be through an all-encompassing alliance of other major parties, as we saw in Bihar, but not quite in UP. Reason: Modi has broken through the clutter of caste, class and community, and overlaid it with the logic of broad aspiration.

Demonetisation, which alienated a core BJP constituency (traders), has ensured a larger base among the poor, who saw in it a demonstration of Modis commitment to go after the corrupt rich.

Modi is now backed by a broader coalition of aspirational castes, a kind of mild Hindu vote consolidation. This is the only thing that can explain the total eclipse of Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party, not once, but twice -- in 2014 and now.

But even as we look at the larger meaning of the verdict, a quick summary of the mandate in each state would be useful.

By far the big message is from Uttar Pradesh, which was the biggest contributor to the BJPs victory in 2014.

The state has always played a large role in national politics by virtue of its contribution of 80 seats to the Lok Sabha.

By winning a three-quarters majority in the assembly, the BJP has demonstrated that the 2014 win was no fluke.

The state is probably tired of playing second fiddle in national politics, with regional parties frittering away their energies in narrow caste and communal politics.

This time the state voted for a national party with a vengeance -- and UP is back to the centre-stage of national politics.

The question is, how did Modi and Amit Shah do it?

The answer is complex and needs elaboration. It combines two opposites -- the politics of exclusion and inclusion in UP.

The MY (Muslim-Yadav) formula of the Samajwadi Party and the Dalit-Brahmin combo of the Bahujan Samaj Party (in 2007) are essentially exclusionary in nature, since they eliminate other castes from a share in power.

Since you dont need more than 30 per cent of the vote to win power in a multi-horse race under a first-past-the-post system, two or three large groups can hijack the state to the exclusion of the rest.

The BJP-led coalition this time included the excluded OBC castes. Not surprisingly, it aggregated nearly 40 per cent of the vote.

Contrast that with the Samajwadi Partys majority in 2012 with less than 30 per cent of the vote.

But the BJP currently excludes Muslims. For a sustainable future in UP, the party needs to fix this gap as soon as possible.

If it does that, it will be the dominant party of India for the foreseeable future.

If it does not do that, it is not difficult to predict a Bihar-style Mahagathbandhan seeking to defeat it in 2019.

Uttarakhand needs no elaborate analysis. A simple mix of anti-incumbency and the Modi magic has worked wonders.

The fact that the state provides a disproportionate share of soldiers to the Indian armed forces helped. The surgical strikes were a matter of pride here, and so was OROP (One Rank One Pension) -- which has benefited more retired soldiers than it has upset.

Even in Punjab, what needs elaboration, is not the Congresss victory, but AAPs abject meltdown. The scale of the Congresss win is exaggerated by seat count, but the underlying reality is that the vote was not only against the Akali-BJP government (anti-incumbency) but also against AAP in some way.

The exit polls gave AAP near parity with the Congress but in the final seat count, its seat tally is in the low-20s, less than a third of what Amarinder Singh got for the Congress.

This outcome can only be explained by the possibility that a chunk of the Akali-BJP base voted tactically for the Congress to keep AAP out, once they realised that their own parties werent going to make it.

This is also obvious from the vote share, where Congress got around 38 per cent, Akalis 25 per cent, BJP five per cent and AAP 24 per cent. AAP was No. 2 in the vote count despite fielding candidates almost everywhere. Arvind Kejriwal needs to analyse why his ship foundered so close to the shore.

The BJP has reasons to worry about Goa, which has given a hung verdict, and its chief minister was humbled by being defeated in his constituency. Clearly, in smaller states, leadership counts as much as the overall popularity of the party.

But the party remains a viable force.

Kejriwal should worry more. His party came fifth in terms of vote share, with just over six per cent.

In Manipur, once again, while the results show a hung assembly, the point worth underscoring is that the BJP is a rising force in the north-east, with Manipur being only the latest exhibit. It was No. 1 in vote share.

Overall, 2017 gives us an answer about 2019 too.

Till now, the big question was: How will BJP win in 2019, when it is impossible to repeat its overwhelming win in UP, which contributed a fourth of its Lok Sabha seats?

Its thundering win in UP now shows that while the NDA may not get 73 seats from UP, it will not fall far short either.

Not when it is gaining elsewhere, including the north-east.

The author is editorial director of Swarajya magazine.
'...because the party is based on the Constitution.'

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Kapil Sibal questions the government's gross domestic product data of 7.1 per cent.

He tells Amit Agnihotri that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came out with the figures to gain in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls (This interview was conducted before the assembly election results).

The government has come out with data showing GDP growth this financial year would be 7.1 per cent in contradiction to the Congress' stand that demonetisation will hit the economy. Whats your take?

The Central Statistical Organisation has given the 7.1 per cent GDP figure, but has also said the real picture would emerge only after a year when more data would be available.

As it is, data on the rural sector is not collected where cash transactions are the highest.

How can the government then claim a figure of 7.1 per cent GDP?

Why do you think the government would do that?

To win elections in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh.

I think the government has come out with this GDP data keeping in mind the assembly polls in UP.

But let me state that the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today is the most cash-rich party.

And this can be seen and felt by touring UP where BJP candidates are spending money like anything.

It seems as if demonetisation had no impact in UP.

Would this impact the CSO's reputation in any way?

See, after demonetisation people have started doubting the Reserve Bank of India.

Now they will find it difficult to trust the CSO as well.

If the government cannot collect correct data, its policies cannot be right. That is the basic thing the government must understand.

Why are you dead opposed to the note ban?

First, because it is the biggest scam in the history of independent India.

We know that Rs 15.45 lakh crore was washed out as a result of the note ban.

We also know through media reports that around Rs 14.97 lakh crore has come back into the banks.

What happened to the government's claim of curbing black money then or curbing the generation of such unaccounted money?

We know that when the common man was standing in long queues outside banks to withdraw his own money, certain influential people had bundles of new currency notes.

We know that money changed hands after the note ban and banks obliged some people on the instructions of their political masters.

We know that anyone seeking to convert his old currency could do so by paying a commission ranging from 20 to 50 per cent to brokers.

I think nothing short of a joint parliamentary committee probe would clear the air about the entire demonetisation issue.

What in your view are the ill-effects of note ban?

It turned the poor poorer.

I would like to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if the note ban was such a great thing why he is silent during the campaigning in UP.

Why does he not tell people about the great work that he did?

The note ban hit the tourism and mining industry in Goa and the results of the assembly polls on March 11 will show the impact of demonetisation.

Similarly, small industry was hit in the industrial belts of UP such as Kanpur and Moradabad, and Ludhiana in Punjab.

The PM has been spreading a series of lies since coming to power in 2014.

We will correct the situation in 2019.

Do you think the government has handled the economy well?

The best indicator of an economy's growth is the creation of jobs.

The PM promised 20 million jobs a year, but labour department figures show that only 135,000 jobs have been created.

This reflects the failure of the economy after demonetisation.

The government is citing higher tax collections to sell the growth story, but did not think twice before hiking prices of non-subsidised gas cylinders.

They are showing collection from ordinary people by increasing their tax as India's growth story.

This is the most myopic vision of the economy.

The PM talks about the poor on one hand. On the other hand, he proceeds to increase the price of LPG cylinders by Rs 86 per cylinder in one stroke, which is unprecedented in India's history.

In September 2016, a non-subsidised gas cylinder cost Rs 466, it now costs Rs 737.

There is an increase of Rs 271 or nearly 58 per cent six times by the Modi government.

Is this the way you are going to treat India's poor?

But Modi countered reputed economists on the impact of the note ban saying his hard work had paid off. Your comment.

By targeting known economists, Modi cannot hide the truth.

He mocked critics of demonetisation, including Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen.

The truth is that incompetence and malgovernance have become hallmarks of his style of functioning.

What is your take on the recent conflict between student groups over freedom of speech in Delhi University?

I believe our universities and colleges are oases of learning.

Such issues will turn them into barren deserts.

I think the BJP is patronising the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) to instigate violence across campuses in the country.

We have seen that in JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) earlier, and now in a DU college.

The PM often refers to the BJP's Congress-free agenda. Is that a threat?

India can never be Congress-mukt (Congress-free) because the party is based on the Constitution.

The Congress ideology is based on the basics of the Constitution.

An inclusive and secular India is the base of the Constitution.

This is in fact the BJP's divisive agenda, which means a non-secular India, an intolerant India, where nobody else has any relevance.

The PM has been making personal attacks on Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati. Is that fair in an election campaign?

I don't think so. He is the PM of the country and should not stoop low to target political rivals, because people take his words seriously.

He should rather make larger political points, which will help improve the level of political discourse in the country.

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IMAGE: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, left, with Captain Amarinder Singh at an election rally in Jalalabad, Fazilka district, February 2, 2017. Photograph: PTI Photo
'If he is sensible, he will keep the fringe elements in control.'

'If he allows them to run amok, then 2019 may not be possible, provided the Opposition also does something wrong.'

Few thinkers know Uttar Pradesh politics the way Sudha Pai does.

The professor, who has written several books on Uttar Pradesh politics, discusses the BJP's electoral triumph with Rediff.com's Archana Masih.

How much stronger has the prime minister emerged and where does he go from here?

Obviously, he has emerged stronger because UP is a strong state.

It is the consolidation of majoritarian democracy.

In that he is stronger and the right wing forces have become stronger.

This might help him perhaps in 2019.

You are saying it 'might' help him when many believe that this victory has paved the way for another term for the prime minister?

There is time between now and then.

The Congress can make changes if they really try because they have not done badly in Punjab, Goa or in Manipur.

The word 'perhaps' is quite sensible because no one knows in politics.

What are the changes that the Congress need to make urgently?

They need to make leadership changes.

They need to recognise that Rahul Gandhi has not delivered.

It is quite evident that wherever there is space for local leaders like in Punjab, the party has performed much better.

A large number of younger leaders who have been sidelined.

They need to be given space. They were not allowed to campaign.

Rahul Gandhi was the only one campaigning which gives the idea that there is no such party behind him.

They need to broaden the top base of the party, bring in more people who make decisions and not just keep everything in Rahul Gandhi's hand.

This also proves that the Gandhis' can no longer bring votes for the party?

Yes, it proves that they no longer are vote winners.

The younger generation which has not seen Nehru, the national movement and the Congress as it was earlier -- they see it as just another party led by somebody who is not very capable.

From that point of view they are no longer vote gatherers and not seen as very capable.

You mentioned the consolidation of the Hindu vote earlier, how will it impact the country?

It will impact Hindu-Muslim relations. It already has after 2014.

The victory of the party is not due to just Modi's campaign, but a long term mobilisation to bring the Hindus together.

The prime minister's communal remarks about kabrastan etc were not so much an attack on the Muslim as an attempt to consolidate the Hindu vote.

I think it did help because the Jats, OBCs voted for the BJP.

There is an attempt to consolidate the Hindu vote and culturally to make the Muslims fall in line and recognise the fact that they are a minority and follow certain values -- like not eating beef.

It will be more difficult for minority communities after this.

What political narrative will Opposition parties have to present if they have to counter Narendra Modi?

I think they should stop criticising him and offer some alternative.

If you remember anti-Congressism didn't help the Opposition either.

All that Opposition parties are doing is negative campaigning. They are not saying what they will do if they come to power.

The Congress has no ideology, no programme -- Rahul Gandhi has not put forward a single substantial idea.

They need to first introspect and look at themselves before they criticise Modi.

Whatever it is, Modi has taken a number of risks, like demonetisation itself or Swacch Bharat, whether he has implemented it successfully or not, he has put forward ideas and people recognise that.

In Akhilesh, what people saw was the fight with his father.

Mulayam not coming out to campaign also went against him.

So Akhilesh's expressways and bridges don't seem to have got him votes?

How many of the really poor in rural areas would have used the metros?

You need to create jobs, and schemes that give people opportunities.

People are not asking for welfare, they are asking for quality education, jobs and rapid development.

Akhilesh also tolerated Muzaffarnagar.

He has the image of belonging to a party which has a feudal outlook, connections to mafia dons like in the past to Mukhtar Ansari, Gayatri Prajapati.

They have to change their image. That is the tragedy, it's not that Narendra Modi is so great or charismatic, but there is nobody else (to counter him).

What does Mayawati need to do reshape or redefine BSP to be relevant again?

In the 2000s, identity politics has weakened.

Both the younger generation of Dalits and Muslims is no longer attracted towards only identity. They want something more.

She must try and bring caste and development together.

She must make it into a party that may have a Dalit core, but also takes other people along.

I think she will be able to do it. I wouldn't write off Mayawati.

But she has lost two elections in a row and is in perhaps in the worst political situation she has ever been in?

One other thing that has worked against the BSP is that in the 2000s, it has been more concerned with capturing power and has stopped being a movement.

The BSP represented a kind of democratic revolution which went lower and lower, but that has stopped.

The Pasis, Khatiks in Eastern UP are no longer connected with the BSP like they were earlier.

The radical promise of the 1990s is not there.

It has become like any other party and Dalits feel why should we vote for her?

That edge has gone and that is true of Mulayam Singh as well because they have both given up the main plank of being a Socialist, backward party in the pursuit of social justice.

This win shows that there is no challenger to Mr Modi in the current scenario. How does that reinforce his image and position?

If he is sensible, he will keep the fringe elements in control.

If he allows them to run amok, then 2019 may not be possible, provided the Opposition also does something wrong.

The Hindu middle class is prepared to put up little here and there, but I don't think it likes riots and an active anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Ram Janmabhoomi backfired on them (the BJP) and they declined in UP.

He will have to stay on the path of development, reform and see that fringe elements don't go beyond a certain point.

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Independent MLA Govind Gawde reveals to Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will move to Panaji soon.

With just 13 MLAs in its kitty, the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa is gearing up to form the next government with support from the Goa Forward Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three Independent MLAs, several MLAs involved with the move told Rediff.com over the telephone from Goa.

The GFP and MGP, which, ironically, fought against the BJP and defeated some of its outgoing ministers, are likely to extend their support to the BJP to help it cross the halfway mark in the Goa assembly.

Govind Gawde, an Independent MLA from Goa's Priol constituency confirmed to Rediff.com that Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has agreed to become chief minister, even as the chorus to bring Parrikar back as CM grows among the 13 BJP legislators, as well as the MGP.

The MGP with three MLAs, two of whom, Manohar Asgaonkar and Dipak Pauskar, won the Pernem and Sanvordem seats by defeating BJP minister Rajendra Arlekar and BJP sitting MLA Ganesh Gaonkar, respectively, fought against the BJP, but supportS the party now to form the next government "for the benefit and development of Goa," MGP President Dipak Dhavalikar said.

"I think it is happening. I think it is happening," Gawde, who held closed door parleys with the defence minister on Saturday and Sunday, told this correspondent.

"I met him yesterday (March 11). Today (March 12) also I had a dialogue with him and he said that he is going to become the chief minister of Goa," Gawde said.

Interestingly, the GFP, with three MLAs, is yet to come out openly in support of the BJP or Manohar Parrikar.

While efforts to reach out to the three GFP MLAs -- Vijai Sardesai (Fatorda), Vinod Paliencar (Siolim) and Jayesh Salgaonkar (Saligao) -- did not elicit much response.

Both Sardesai and Paliencar refused to commit or deny their support to the BJP before hanging up and switching off their phones.

GFP President Prabhakar Timble has reportedly said that his party has not yet decided to go with the BJP in forming the next Goa government.

Dr Pramod Sawant, the BJP MLA from Saligaon, told Rediff.com that both the MGP, GFP and three Independents have agreed to support the BJP.

"The BJP is forming the next government," Dr Sawant said over the phone.

"Both MGP and GFP and three Independent MLAs are also supporting us."

"Prasad Gaonkar (Sanguem) and Govind Gawde have decided to support us," Dr Sawant said.

"The third MLA is being finalised, but with the help of even two Independents we reach the figure of 21 with three MLAs each from the MGP and GFP," Dr Sawant, one of the three BJP legislators in the vanguard of the movement to bring back Parrikar back to Goa, said.

When asked to confirm Gawde's claim that he spoke to the defence minister and the latter agreed to come back to Goa as chief minister, Dr Sawant said, "In that case he will surely come."

Dipak Dhavalikar, the MGP president who lost the Priol seat to Gawde, said, "We will support the BJP form a government only if Manohar Parrikar comes back to Goa."

"Without Parrikar a BJP government is not possible in Goa," he warned.

At the time of speaking with this correspondent MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, who won Goa's Madkai seat, was meeting state Governor Mridula Sinha with a letter of support to the BJP.

"Sudin is meeting the governor right now with a letter of support in favour of the BJP," MGP President Dhavalikar said.
Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who carries a USD 2 million bounty on his head, has been given the charge of the head of Jamaat-ud-Dawah after the Mumbai terror attack mastermind was put under the house arrest by Pakistan's Punjab government.

"Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed, has officially been made head of JuD in the wake of house arrest of Saeed," a JuD official told PTI.

Makki was the second in command of JuD and he took over the reins of the group soon after Saeed's detention, he said.

Asked about reports that Saeed is still running the JuD from his house (which is declared sub-jail by the Punjab government) in Lahore, the JuD official denied.

"Makki sahib is looking after all affairs of the organisation," he said.

Makki has led over half-a-dozen rallies in Lahore and elsewhere since the detention of Saeed.

The Punjab government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat under house arrest for a period of 90 days in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE(1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997.

Various offices of both JuD and FIF were closed following the house arrest of Saeed. Both organisations were also put on observation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The JuD has rebranded under the new name of 'Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir', just days after Saeed's house arrest.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Council's resolutions.

The names of Saeed and 37 other members of JuD and FIF have also been placed on exit control list, preventing them from leaving the country.

As Saeed, the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack, carrying a US bounty of USD 10 million on his head, Makki has also USD 2 million on his head.

In a statement issued in Lahore on Saturday, Makki demanded immediate release of Saeed.
Will Akhilesh ask Azam Khan to lead the SP legislature party?

Amit Agnihotri finds out.

A drubbing in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls is unlikely to cast a cloud over Akhilesh Yadav's leadership in the Samajwadi Party.

Akhilesh, who emerged from the shadow of his father, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, just a few months ago and was appointed the SP's national president, will continue to hold the post, sources said.

That means more of an advisory role for Mulayam Singh who backed his son, but doubts still remain over the future of Mulayam's brother Shivpal Singh Yadav who was locked in a bitter power struggle with Akhilesh till recently and may have rocked the SP boat from within.

Party sources claimed that as most office bearers, party MLAs and MPs sided with Akhilesh before the assembly polls, the former CM is unlikely to face any threats to his leadership in the coming days.

The challenge for him would be to present the party as an effective Opposition, both within and outside the assembly.

The SP's 47 elected lawmakers will meet soon to decide the legislative party leader. However, whether Akhilesh entrusts veteran Azam Khan with the key responsibility or not remains to be seen, they said.

With a subdued Bahujan Samaj Party and a feeble Congress, the challenge to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party government will rest solely with the SP.

Sources said once the government formation is over in Lucknow, the party will convene a national executive to ponder over the causes for the poll results and decide on the future course of action.

Akhilesh is young and has long years ahead of him even though his friendship with Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi did not help him in terms of electoral gains, said the sources.

The two leaders, who outlined a new vision for UP's development and tried to work out a template for the 2019 national elections, may continue with their pact.

In fact, at one point when the Yadav family feud was at its peak and a split in the SP seemed imminent, Rahul was inclined only to join hands with the Akhilesh faction, as the young CM had carved out an image of a clean and pro-development politician for himself as many in the state were wary of Shivpal calling the shots in the party.

However, a disgruntled Shivpal, who was somehow convinced by Mulayam Singh to accept Akhilesh's ascension as SP chief, may choose to part ways in the comings days.

That event, if it happens, is unlikely to weaken the party, said SP sources.

In contrast, Mulayam's cousin Ram Gopal Yadav, who backed Akhilesh in the power struggle, will continue to lead the party in the Rajya Sabha.

Party leaders said they will remind the voters about the work done by the Akhilesh government but acknowledged that dealing with the BJP's brute majority may not be easy.

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Fresh from Bharatiya Janata Party's landslide win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand after a bitter and often divisive campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday talked about inclusivity and pitched for building a 'new India' by 2022 that would have made the nation's founding fathers proud.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses supporters at the party headquarters in New Delhi to celebrate victory in assembly elections. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo

Accepting felicitations from party leaders and supporters at BJP headquarters, Modi said he saw the election results, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, as the "foundation of the new India".

"I see this victory as the foundation of a new India where 65 per cent of the population will be of young people below 35 years of age... a new India of unprecedently vigilant women.

"A new India where the poor do not want anything by way of charity, but seek opportunity to chart out their own course. I see this change happening," he told the gathering which lapped up every word he said, amid repeated chants of 'Modi! Modi! Modi!'

Earlier in the day, Modi tweeted, "India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development."

Modi, whose 'crematorium and graveyard' remark at an election rally in UP was seen as intended to polarise voters along communal lines, in a statement on his website Narendramodi.in said," India is transforming, powered by the strength of each and every citizen of India.

"An India that is driven by innovation, hard work and creativity; an India characterized by peace, unity and brotherhood; and an India free from corruption, terrorism, black money and dirt."

The theme of development ran through his felicitation speech too.

IMAGE: BJP President Amit Shah greets PM Modi. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo

"Beyond the emotive issues, political parties fought shy of going to elections on the issue of development. Development is a difficult subject. In these elections, there was a lack of emotive issues, but the huge voter turnout after the campaign based on development shows the transition that his happening towards creation of a new India," he said.

These elections must be evaluated as people have voted heavily despite the absence of any emotional issue. The poor have voted in large numbers on the topic of development, he said.

Modi, who was accused by his rivals of playing caste and religion politics during the campaign, said that the BJP-led dispensation will will take everybody along as "in democracy governments are formed with a majority but run with consensus".

Noting that the government has no right to discriminate against anybody, Modi said, "This government is of those who have voted for it and also those who have not. Of those who have walked along, and also of those who have not."

"Everybody will join in the making of a new India," he said.

IMAGE: PM Modi with BJP President Shah, Union ministers Ananth Kumar, Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu at the party headquarters. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo

Having shown his characteristic aggression while stumping, Modi made a fervent pitch for humility.

"As fruits grow on a tree, no matter how big it is, it starts bending. Nature inspires us. As the fruits of victory cover this tree call BJP, it becomes our responsibility to bend, to become more humble," he said.

Referring to the generations of Jana Sangh and BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Kushabhau Thakre and Jana Krishnamrrthi who "gave their youth and life" for raising "this banyan tree", Modi said power was "not an instrument to rule but a tool of service to people".

Talking about the concept of 'Antyodaya' of Jana Sangh ideologue and one of its founders Deendayal Upadhyaya for the uplift of the last man, Modi said," The poor have to be made capable of carrying their own burden to lessen that of the middle class, encumbered by taxes."

He lauded BJP chief Amit Shah, the party's central and state leadership, and workers for the party's presence in "every geographical area" of the country". "Today, a BJP worker can proudly say he is a member of an organisation which is the largest political party in the world," he said.

Modi wrapped up his address with throaty chants of 'Vande Mataram'.

IMAGE: PM Modi being welcomed with rose petals. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Earlier, Modi, who took electoral campaigning to aggressive new levels, holding road shows three days in a row at the peak of electioneering in Varanasi, his constituency, did a brief encore, walking down the Ashok Road, smiling broadly and waving to jubilant supporters who lined the boulevard.

Amid a steady shower of flower petals, a triumphant Modi walked into the BJP headquarters surrounded by SPG commandos where he was received by Amit Shah.

Before taking the stage with Shah and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and others ahead of a meeting of BJP's Parliamentary Board to discuss the party's performance in the assembly polls in five states, he garlanded the bust of Deendayal Upadhyaya.

"When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud," Modi said in a tweet earlier in the day.

n a statement on his website Narendramodi.in, the Prime Minister said, Together, let us build the India of our dreams so that when we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we have an India that will make Gandhiji, Sardar Patel and Babasaheb Ambedkar proud.

IMAGE: Modi pays floral tribute at the statue of Deen Dayal Upadhyay at the party headquarters Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

He said, India is transforming, powered by the strength of each and every citizen of India; an India that is driven by innovation, hard work and creativity; an India characterized by peace, unity and brotherhood; and an India free from corruption, terrorism, black money and dirt.

He also listed out a set of pledges which he wanted the countrymen to take.

Modi wanted the countrymen to pledge that they stand for a corruption-free India, that they will undertake cashless transactions, that they will dedicatedly work towards a Swachh Bharat, that they will ensure a drugs-free India.

The Prime Minister also wanted the people to pledge that they will support and encourage women-led development, that they extend complete support to an accessible India, that they will stand for an India of peace, unity and harmony and that they will be job creators, not job seekers.

This came a day after the BJP, powered by a spirited campaign by Modi, posted landslide victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, decimating the rivals.
After guiding the Congress to a thumping victory in the state assembly polls, senior party leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to take oath as the chief minister of Punjab on March 16.

Talking to media outside Punjab Raj Bhavan in Chandigarah on Sunday, he said that he will go to Delhi on March 14 to meet Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and discuss formation of the new government.

The oath taking ceremony will take place on March 16, he said.

However, the scion of erstwhile Patiala Royal family refused to comment on the number of ministers who will be part of the new cabinet. He said the Congress government will be accountable to the people of the state.

Amarinder earlier held an official meeting with Governor V P Singh Badnore for staking claims to form the new government in the state.

He was also unanimously elected as Congress Legislature Party leader by the newly-elected party MLAs in a meeting held at party office.

Navjot Singh Sidhu (Amritsar East), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantt), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar East) were some of the newly-elected MLAs present at the meeting.

Congress ended the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine's ten year regime by registering a thumping win by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-third majority.

Rookie Aam Aadmi Party managed to get 20 seats, while SAD-BJP won 18 seats in the state polls. Two seats went into the kitty of AAP's ally Lok Insaf Party.

The winning margin of Amarinder from Patiala seat was the highest in the 117-member Punjab assembly. He won convincingly with a margin of 52,407 votes after defeating his nearest rival AAP candidate Balbir Singh.

Earlier, Singh asserted that his government will form a 'Special Task Force' to curb the drug menace in Punjab, while making the state more investor-friendly.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him full cooperation for the development of the state.

On the vexed issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, Amarinder said it was important to see the quantum of water available with Punjab.

"When Punjab does not have enough water, the question of giving it to other states does not arise," he said.

He said that Punjab has 60 per cent of agrarian land with just eight MAF (million acre-feet) water, while Haryana with 40 per cent of agriculture land has 12 MAF water.

"The Congress-led state government will create an investor-friendly environment in the state. We will make the state's industrial policy more liberal," he asserted, adding many top industrialists were in touch with him to set up their units in Punjab.

He said a Special Task Force will be set up to tackle the state's drug problem.

Amarinder maintained that there was a new wave in favour of Congress in the country.

Commenting on newcomer AAP's showing in the state polls, the senior Congress leader said, "AAP's bubble has burst".

"There was no wave of AAP in Punjab. The party's hype was only on social media," he said.

The senior Congress leader also pointed out the "absence of a regional figure in AAP", adding that it was the reason behind its drubbing in the state polls.

Calling for a "bigger role for regional leaders in states", Amarinder said it was vital to project a regional face who could identify with the people.

On being asked whether his party would indulge in political vendetta against the Badals, he said, "We will not work with political vendetta against opponents."

Amarinder also promised to bring reforms in the state police department.

"There is a financial problem in Punjab, but we are not afraid...we will ensure that poll promises are fulfilled. We will work day and night to bring Punjab back on track," he said.

On being quizzed about the party's 'poor' performance in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Amarinder said that he spoke to Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday night and that they discussed how the Congress had the chance of a comeback in the politically-crucial state, just as it did in Punjab.

He said that the Congress' winning performance in three of the five states that went to polls showed that the "party's overall standing had improved."

On the 'Captain Smart Connect' programme launched ahead of the Punjab assembly polls, he said global tenders would soon be floated to procure smartphones as promised under the scheme.

Amarinder along with his newly elected MLAs will hold a meeting at Chandigrah later in the day following which he will meet Governor V P Singh Badnore to stake claim to form the government in the state.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal submitted his resignation to Governor V P Singh Badnore following his party's defeat in the assembly polls. The senior Akali leader said that he will support the Congress government for the development of Punjab.

Lok Insaf Party members Simarjeet Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains also announced their support to the Congress for the development of the state.

IMAGE: Captain Amarinder Singh meets Governor V P Singh Badnore at Punjab Raj Bhavan in Chandigarah. Photograph: Amarinder Singh/Facebook
Except drubbing in Delhi and Bihar, the BJP president has had a good record since he took over the reins of the party in June 2014, says Archis Mohan.

His closest aides say Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah transformed the work culture at the partys national headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road.

If earlier party office- bearers were selected for their ability to perform parikrama, literally circumambulation but denoting sycophancy, of the then party presidents, now people are rewarded for their parakram, or performance.

Shah is known to keep a track of the days party office bearers attend office, whether they are punctual and the time they devote to meet party workers who come to the party headquarters from across the country. Party office bearers are also required to make frequent visits to the states that they are responsible for.

In ensuring BJP's victories, Shah has had a good record since he took over the reins of the BJPs organisation in June 2014. His two blemishes have been the setbacks the party suffered in Delhi and Bihar assembly polls in 2015.

However, Shah learnt quickly from both, particularly from Bihar where local leaders had complained that they were kept out of the loop and central leaders had done all the decision-making. The party was careful not to repeat these mistakes in Uttar Pradesh.

Shah, ably supported by Uttar Pradesh state unit general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal, stitched a patchwork of non-Yadav OBC and non-Jatav Dalit castes, to lead the BJP to a splendid victory in Uttar Pradesh. He has also overseen a transformation of partys district unit leaderships by appointing leaders from these castes to perform key roles.

The 52-year-old has also kept the workers galvanised to organise community and caste specific outreach and to take Modi governments pro-poor schemes to the people.

There has been speculation that Shah would prefer to return to Gujarat as the chief minister, particularly since the Gujarat polls are scheduled by the end of this year. But Shah is important to the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts to win the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

IMAGE: BJP president Amit Shah shows a victory sign after addressing a press conference following partys victory in the assembly elections, at the party head quarters in New Delhi on Saturday, March 11, 2017. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/ PTI Photo
Panjim, Mar 12 (IBNS) Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar may return as the Chief Minister of Goa, said reports with the BJP likely to form the government in the state despite coming second in the polls.

BJP might form the government with the support of small regional parties in Goa.

He has already me the Goa governor and thanked the BJP legislators and the party leaders for showing faith in him.

BJP leader Nitin Gadkari said "we will give the coastal state a stable government."

Of the total 40 seats, the Congress won 17 but four short of the magic figure of 21. The BJP has won 13.



Image: Wikipedia
After the historic win of Bhartiya Janta Partyin Uttar Pradesh elections on Saturday, the talk about the face of chief minister candidate is the next question.

IMAGE: UP BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya flashes victory sign as he celebrates the partys victory in the assembly elections at the party office in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

If Kalyan Singh became the Bharatiya Janata Party backward caste icon in the 1991 assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh in the wake of the Mandal-Kamandal discourse, the partys choice fell upon Keshav Prasad Maurya to fill that space for the 2017 polls.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, the BJP found support among non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav Dalits in Uttar Pradesh. For 2017, it went about consolidating this support by giving more representation to these castes, particularly the non-Yadav OBCs, in the leadership.

Maurya, a Lok Sabha member from Phulpur, was made the UP state unit chief in April 2016. Subsequently, the party appointed non-Yadav OBCs as chiefs of several district units. The objective was to consolidate castes such as Kushwaha, Kurmi, Shakya, Patel and others to complem-ent the BJPs core support base among the upper castes.

Maurya, 48, has been a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh volunteer and served in leadership roles in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in UP. He has also served as regional president of the partys Backward Classes cell in the Kashi region. There were murmurs in the party about criminal cases pending in courts of law against Maurya but these were brushed aside.

I got inspired to do social service and educated myself during childhood while selling tea, Maurya says.

Working up the ladder

IMAGE: Manoj Sinha is a Bhumihar, a caste group preponderant in neighbouring Bihar but numerically insignificant in Uttar Pradesh, which could work in Sinhas favour. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo

Manoj Sinha is a three-time Lok Sabha member and telecom minister in the Narendra Modi government. He is a Bhumihar, a caste group preponderant in neighbouring Bihar but numerically insignificant in Uttar Pradesh. This could work in Sinhas favour when caste groups within the Bharatiya Janata Party compete to have one of their own ascend the chief ministerial post in Lucknow.

Sinha, 57, is a civil engineer from Banaras Hindu University. He was also a student leader and president of the Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya Students Union in 1982-83. Sinha was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996.

As minister of state for railways, he had started trains to connect eastern UPs towns and cities, including the prime ministers constituency of Varanasi. Deputy to minister Suresh Prabhu, Sinha had impressed Modi as efficient and was promoted to manage the telecom ministry with independent charge in a July 2016 reshuffle. An MP from Ghazipur, Sinha was entrusted with delivering the seven assembly segments in his parliamentary constituency. The challenge was enormous as the party won none of these in 2012. And, in the Samajwadi Party government, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav appointed four of the partys legislators from Ghazipur in his council of ministers.
Muslim voters in Uttar Pradesh could have voted in significant numbers for the BJP, endorsing its stand on issues like womens rights, reports N Sundaresha Subramanian.

IMAGE: Muslim women line up at a polling booth to cast their vote in the final phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: PTI Photo

Mayawati cant believe it, many political pundits misread it, but the theory that Muslims dont vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party or that they vote against it en masse, which was seriously tested in 2014, stands busted with Saturdays election results.

Take the case of Deoband. According to the 2011 census, the city had a Muslim population of 71 per cent. Yet, BJP candidate Brijesh garnered over 102,000 votes with a lead of nearly 30,000 over Bahujan Samaj Partys Majid Ali.

Similarly in Aligarh, BJPs Sanjeev Raja was leading against two Muslim candidates fielded by Samajwadi party and BSP. Raja won with a lead of about 15,000 votes over Samajwadi Partys Zafar Alam.

Winning a three-fourths majority in the state seemed mathematically impossible without reasonable support from a community that forms about a fifth of the electorate. Yet, BJP had made its stand clear. It not only did not field any Muslim candidate, but even had among its poll promises the shutting down of illegal slaughter houses and mechanised abattoirs. The community which has a significant presence in the meat industry did not seem happy about it.

Most votes in Muslim majority constituencies have gone to BJP. It makes it evident that voting machines were manipulated, Mayawati alleged at a press conference soon after the results became clear.

-- Do Muslims have a future under a BJP government?

There seem to be other factors at work though.

BJP sources suggested that the women in the community were fed up of triple talaq and had voted for the party banking on its promise to end the practice. Some community leaders had subscribed to this idea. It is quite likely that Muslims have voted for BJP. Considering the fact that they took the stand for Muslim women rights, I wont be surprised if some sections have shown favour with the party, Shaista Amber, president All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board, was quoted saying on Saturday.

The idea of so-called Muslim vote stands busted, said Bilal Zaidi, former television journalist founder of portal crowdnewsing.com. A 10-city survey conducted by CrowdNewsing showed the Muslim voter was anything but strategic in the three-way contest between the BJP, BSP and the SP-Congress alliance.

According to this survey, 55 per cent of the respondents voted for the Congress-SP alliance, 36 per cent for BSP and the remaining for smaller parties. BJP bagged just 2 per cent of the Muslim vote.

Zaidi admits the sample size of his survey was small, but it is the best anyone has got at this point. He says there was no evidence yet that Muslims had voted for BJP. He feels the vote against triple-talaq is a nice rhetoric, but based on his survey only about two per cent of the Muslim respondents were worried about it. About 44 per cent of the voters were keen on power, roads and other such development issues.

-- 5 state assembly elections 2017
India-born top United States prosecutor Preet Bharara, known for his crusade against corruption, has been "fired" by the Trump administration after he refused to resign.

Bharara and 45 other US prosecutors appointed by former President Barack Obama had been asked by the Trump administration to resign immediately.

"I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life," Bharara tweeted, making a reference to his jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York.

Bharara, 48, one of the most high-profile federal prosecutors in the US known for crusade against corruption, had been asked by the acting deputy attorney general a day earlier to immediately submit his resignation.

In a statement later in the day, Bharara said, "Serving my country as US Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live."

"One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served. I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice," said Bharara, who in 2013 was at the centre of the controversy related to the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.

"They (SDNY officials) will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H Kim, the current Deputy US Attorney, who will serve as Acting US Attorney," he said.

The New York Times reported that Bharara was contacted by President Donald Trump's office a day before he along with 45 other attorneys were asked to resign.

President Trump's assistant had called Bharara's office on Thursday asking the United States attorney in Manhattan to "please call back".

Bharara, however, did not immediately return the call.

He first called attorney general Jeff Sessions's chief of staff Jody Hunt to alert the Justice Department to the call from the president's office and expressed concern about contacts between the President and federal prosecutors, the report said.

Bharara then called Trump's assistant to say he could not speak with the President, citing protocols governing a president's direct contact with federal prosecutors.

The following day, Bharara was among the 46 attorneys asked to resign and immediately clean out their offices.

Sources close to Bharara said that the Manhattan federal prosecutor had refused to submit his resignation, in effect preparing for a showdown with President Trump.

The order by acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente asking the 46 remaining federal attorneys to resign was met with shock by Bharara's office since Trump had last year in November asked him to stay on under his administration.

Bharara had met Trump at the Trump Towers in Manhattan shortly after the Republican won the presidential elections. Talking to reporters following his meeting with Trump, Bharara had said that he was asked by Trump to remain in his current post at the meeting and he had agreed to do so.

Charles Schumer, Senate Minority leader, condemned the move, hailing Bharara as "an exemplary US attorney".

"His relentless drive to root out public corruption, lock up terrorists, take on Wall Street, and stand up for what is right should serve as a model for all US attorneys across the country. He will be sorely missed," Schumer said.

Schumer was quoted by as saying that he was "troubled" to learn of the Trump administration's request for Bharara's and other US attorneys' resignations.

"While it's true that presidents from both parties made their own choices for US attorney positions across the country, they have always done so in an orderly fashion that doesn't put ongoing investigations at risk," the New York Democrat said.

"They ask for letters of resignation, but the attorneys are allowed to stay on the job until their successor is confirmed," Schumer said.

Senator Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cast aspersions over the independence of the Justice Department.

"The abrupt, Friday night firing of all remaining US Attorneys -- including Preet Bharara, a well respected, tough prosecutor who the President promised could stay -- is another reminder that the independence of the Justice Department is at risk under this administration," he said.

Leahy noted that the President and Attorney General demanded resignations immediately, not even allowing them to remain until successors are nominated and confirmed.

"The Senate will now have to carefully evaluate the President's selected replacements," Leahy said.

"They will have a high bar to prove they have the necessary courage and fidelity to the law, like Sally Yates, to say 'no' to a President who will need to hear it regularly," he said.

Bharara's firing from office also attracted criticism from the South Asian Bar Association.

The New York Times report said, "It was unclear whether the president's call on Thursday was an effort to explain his change of heart about keeping Bharara or to discuss another matter." the report said.

Two White House officials were quoted as saying that the promise to keep Bharara on was a product of a chaotic transition process and Trump's desire at the time to try to work with Senator Schumer with whom Bharara is close.

However, the relationship between Trump and Schumer, the Senate minority leader, has since soured, the report said.

Bharara has made a national and international mark for himself with many high-profile cases and investigations including foreign countries, insider trading and those involving US politicians. It was under his prosecution that India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was convicted for insider trading in 2012.

Bharara has served seven years as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a jurisdiction that includes the Trump Tower.
Toronto, Mar 12 (IBNS): Two generous donors announced earlier this week a total of $15 million in gifts that would make the future of Jewish education more affordable in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) for the next generation, media reports said.

The Anne & Max Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (TanenbaumCHAT) and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto made the announcement.

Adam Minsky, President & CEO, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and Bruce Leboff, Board Chair, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto were both amazed at the generosity of the donations and said these gifts will assist the countless parents -- for whom high cost of tuition fees had earlier been a barrier -- in pursuing education for their children.

They also hoped this philanthropic leadership would be an inspiration for others.

TanenbaumCHAT is North Americas largest Jewish community high school, offering academic excellence in both Jewish and general studies, as well as a wide range of extra-curricular activities and sports.

To resolve the issues of decreasing enrolment and enable students to have to access the broadest range of courses and extra-curricular activities, the Board of Directors of TanenbaumCHAT had decided to merge the school into a single campus in the Wilmington location effective September, 2017.

Rabbi Lee Buckman, TanenbaumCHATs Head of School appreciated this decision and said it will enhance our programming, particularly by expanding course offerings and extra-curricular opportunities for all students...ensuring students emerge with a strong, substantive, and proud Jewish identity, JewishToronto.com reports said.

Registration for TanenbaumCHATs 2017/18 academic year had been re-opened with waiving of the late fees. For more detailed information about a TanenbaumCHAT education one should contact Laurie Wasser at 416-636-5984 x 291 or visit www.tanenbaumchat.org

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj, Image: jewishtoronto.com)


Captain's predecessor Parkash Singh Badal has left a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and every resident of once 'golden Punjab' has a debt of Rs 38,536 hanging over his or her head.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Senior Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh is all set to be the new Punjab Chief Minister, but the development is nothing more than a 'crown of thorns' in financial terms. Captain's predecessor Parkash Singh Badal has left a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and every resident of once 'golden Punjab' has a debt of Rs 38,536 hanging over his or her head.

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Even after getting the majority votes, running a government with empty coffers will not only create the roadblock in Punjab, but will also make it difficult to fulfill the poll promises which the party had made in its poll manifesto.

The debt trap may compel the Maharaja of Patiala and Chief Minister-designate Captain Amarinder Singh to 'beg' from the BJP-led Union government.

Captain is, however, optimistic about getting the financial support from the Modi government and said he would be meeting NaMo soon to discuss the things.

"I had faced no problems in working with the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during my previous chief ministerial tenure. I would be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon to discuss various development projects for the state," Captain Amarinder Singh said.

The biggest financial requirement before the Captain government will be to manage funds to waive off the bad farmer community debts which was a key poll promise which the party had made in its poll manifesto besides others.

Fulfilling other promises like government job to each household and 50 lakh 4G enabled smart phones will be a Herculean task. It is worth mentioning here that the party had promised 50 lakh smart phones to state's youth with one-year of free data and calling under the "Captain Smart Connect" scheme. The smart phones will be delivered in a phased manner during the five years. The offer was for the Punjab residents in the age group of 18-35, who are Class 10 pass and with annual household income less than Rs 6 lakh. 30 lakh people have already registered online to get the phones.

"I am fully committed to implement the same and would ensure that adequate funds are raised for it. Global tenders would soon be floated to procure smart phones, as promised under the Captain Smart Connect programme launched ahead of the polls," Captain Amarinder Singh said.

Captain Amarinder further assured the people of Punjab of early execution of all the election promises, including elimination of the drugs menace, which he said would be wiped out within four weeks through the establishment of a special task force. He underlined the importance of setting up more rehabilitation and de-addiction centres, as well as appointment of more psychiatrists, to tackle the drugs problem.

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On his promise of revival of industries, he said the industrial policy of the state would be liberalized to check the flight of industries and make Punjab an attractive destination for them.

Captain also said that several leading industrialists had been in touch with him and evinced interest in investing in Punjab.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

Also read:

Punjab election 2017: Captain Amarinder Singh to be sworn in Chief Minister on March 16

Post election results, Captain Amarinder Singh shows he means business

--- ENDS ---
A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017
A senior Vatican official said Monday there are still difficulties in reestablishing firm diplomatic ties with Vietnam after talks with officials from Hanoi, while Catholics in the officially atheist country fumed over a recent violent crackdown.



Monsignor Barnabe Nguyen Van Phuong, the Asian affairs chief of the Vaticans Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, did not elaborate on the difficulties in last weeks talks with the delegation from the Vietnamese governments Committee for Religious Affairs, saying only that the problems were from the Vietnamese side.



But Vatican analysts said the talksaimed at establishing warmer ties between the two governments which have no formal diplomatic relationswere dogged by the Sept. 4 crackdown on parishioners at the My Yen church of the Vinh diocese in Nghe An province.



The official Vatican news agency reported on Thursday near the end of the Sept. 15-20 talks that dialogue between the two sides continues on a path of good relations and cooperation.



But it said Vatican officials had raised the issue of tension in the diocese of Vinh, which they said merits further investigation.



Phuong said the Vaticans representative in Vietnam, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, would be closely probing the incident, in which police fired gunshots and lobbed grenades to disperse hundreds of demonstrators demanding the release of two parishioners arrested months earlier.



The Vaticans representative in Vietnam will report to the Vatican about the incident, he said.



He has the responsibility to find out in detail what happened. We need to hear from the priests and Catholics who were involved in this incident.



We have heard about it from the government of Vietnam, but we have not heard the opinions of the Vietnamese Catholic Church.



Sensitive timing



The talks were led on the Vietnamese side by Minister of Home Affairs Pham Dung and on the Vatican side by its Under-Secretary for Relations with States Antoine Camilleri and Under-Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Tadeusz Wojda.



They were the fourth round since 2009 and come after Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was granted a rare private audience with the former Pope Benedict XVI in January.



Analyst Nguyen Dan Truc, formerly a professor of Catholic theology at the University of Strasbourg in France, said that although last weeks round of talks were not high-level, they were key as they came at a sensitive time in the wake of the crackdown and the naming of the Vaticans new secretary of state Archbishop Pietro Parolin.



There were some new developments that made people pay attention to this tripthe new foreign minister that the Vatican got at the beginning of September and the tensions in Vinh diocese, especially the religious repression, he told RFA.



Vietnamese state media reported last week that the Vatican had expressed its wish to strengthen relations with Vietnam and called on Vietnamese parishioners to abide by the countrys laws.



They said the Vatican told Catholics in Vietnam to respect the law. That makes people think the Vinh crackdown was mentioned during the trip, Truc said.



Crackdown denounced



At least seven people were injured in the crackdown, which came as hundreds of demonstrators demanded the promised release of Ngo Van Khoi and Nguyen Van Hai, who were taken away in June by suspected government security agents and have remained in detention without trial.



Some 180 priests and Catholic leaders from three provinces who met in the Trai Gao church on Sept. 16 to discuss the incident issued a statement denouncing police action and rejecting government and media accusations that parishioners had provoked police into attacking them.



The statement is based on the truththat is, that the government cracked down on people violentlywhile all the [domestic] media accuse our leaders without any evidence, vice chairman of the Vinh Presbyterial Council the Rev. Nguyen Van Vinh told RFA this week.



In their statement the leaders denounced the crackdown as an inhuman and illegal act directed and implemented by the Nghe An police.



We strongly condemn this violence against the civilians, it said.



It said the government had through the media and through an official Sept. 8 statement from the Nghe An Peoples Committee sought to "cover up the truth, vilify our archbishop and priests, tell lies to the public, and make dialogue between the Vinh diocese and Nghe An government more difficult.



They also demanded the release of Ngo Van Khoi and Nguyen Van Hai and said the government must take full responsibility for the crackdown.



Vietnam and the Holy Seethe government of the Catholic Church have not had formal diplomatic relations since Vietnams communist government took over in 1975, but have been working toward closer ties since resuming dialogue in 2007, establishing a Joint Working Group to discuss the restart of full ties.



Since 2011, the Vatican has had a nonresidential representative in Vietnam, and last year a bilateral meeting was held in Hanoi.



Religious activity is closely monitored in the communist Vietnamese state, which is home to some 6 million Catholics, the most of any country in Southeast Asia after the Philippines.



Reported by An Nguyen for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink.
Protesters in the Belarusian cities of Babruysk and Vorsha condemned a controversial government-backed unemployment tax on March 12. In Vorsha, authorities tried to disrupt the rally with music from loudspeakers installed at the site. Also in Vorsha, police detained a group of opposition leaders and at least three journalists. The demonstrations were the latest in a series of rallies against a 2015 tax that authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said was needed to fight what he called "social parasitism." (RFE/RL's Belarus Service)
At least 31 Taliban militants, including a local commander, have been killed and nine others injured in a military operation carried by security forces in southern Afghanistan, government officials said.

The operation took place in the province of Helmand during the past 24 hours, the provincial government's media office said in a statement on March 12.

The statement said that the ground troops backed by the Afghan air forces cleared several areas near the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. Air strikes targeted militants in Nad-e-Ali and Garamser districts, it added.

Local Taliban leader Mullah Ewaz was among those killed by air strikes in Garamser's Hussainabad area, the statement said.

The operation came at the start of Afghanistan's spring fighting season, when warmer weather brings increased operations by both militants and government forces.

The Afghan Interior Ministry said on March 11 that security forces had killed 51 armed militants in operations across Afghanistan during the previous 24 hours.

Based on reporting by tolonews.com and khama.com


At least 21 police and protesters were injured in the Georgian Black Sea port of Batumi after a disagreement over a parking fine turned violent.

Local media reported on March 12 that police moved in with tear gas and rubber bullets to battle hundreds of stone-throwing rioters, mostly young people.

The violence broke out after a man refused to accept a fine for parking in the wrong location, the Georgia-based Democracy & Freedom Watch website reported.

The man argued with police and was detained, the report said.

The website showed video of hundreds of protesters throwing stones in the darkness of the Batumi streets.

Zaal Mikeladze, the regional medical minister, told reporters that 11 police officers and 10 demonstrators were hospitalized with injuries and from the effects of tear gas.

Several people were arrested, but Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili said he ordered those arrested to be released in an effort to calm tensions.

The Rustavi-2 TV network reported some protesters tried to storm a police station and set fire to police cars.

Batumi is the country's second-largest city and a popular tourist destination.

Media reports quoted opposition politicians as saying the public in Batumi had been angered by what they see as disproportionately high fines by police for minor traffic offenses.

Based on reporting by AFP and Democracy & Freedom Watch
VORSHA, Belarus -- Police have detained a group of opposition leaders and at least three journalists during the latest in a series of charged protests over a controversial government-backed unemployment tax.

The March 12 arrests occurred in the eastern city of Vorsha, during a rally that featured several hundred people chanting antigovernment and anti-tax slogans. Paval Sevyarynets, a well-known opposition figure, was among those detained, as was a reporter with RFE/RLs Belarusian Service.

The target of the protests, which also occurred in two other eastern cities, is a 2015 tax that authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said was needed to fight what he called "social parasitism."

The roughly $200 tax is aimed at those who work less than six months a year and fail to register in the country's labor bureaus.

Implementation of the tax had been delayed since the law passed. Once it took effect, however, it sparked weeks of protests across the nation of 10 million, in what has turned into one of the biggest challenges to Lukashenka in his more than two decades in power.

Lukashenka recently announced that he would be suspending the tax for a year in order to "correct" it, but that has failed to quell the outrage.

Lukashenka has ruled Belarus with an iron grip since 1994, quashing political dissent, independent media, and civil society groups.

Often dubbed "Europes last dictator," he has tried to seek greater engagement with the West, while also trying to avoid upsetting his country's closest ally, Russia.

WATCH: Vox Pop -- Protesters In Babruysk

The country has seen opposition protests in the past, mainly after elections that the West deemed neither fair nor free. But those protests were limited to the capital Minsk and larger cities.

Political observers have pointed to the fact that the antitax protests are occurring in more provincial towns and cities as being indicative of larger social unrest and unhappiness with Lukashenka's government.

Belarus' economy is centralized and state-controlled, but the government earns badly needed revenue from things such as exported refined-petroleum products, using cheaper crude imports from Russia. World oil prices have helped depress those revenues.

Moreover, Belarus's economy, which is also reliant on trade with Russia, has also been pinched by the Western sanctions imposed on Moscow for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula in 2014.
Arnold Schwarzenegger opened up on US President Donald Trump's fixation on him.

By India Today Web Desk: The Terminator actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and US President Donald Trump have been involved in a very public fallout. Ever since Schwarzenegger took over as the host of The Celebrity Apprentice from Trump, the latter has been criticising him for the show's poor ratings.

In fact, when the actor announced that he will not return as the host for a second season, Trump tweeted, "Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't voluntarily leaving the Apprentice, he was fired by his bad (pathetic) ratings, not by me. Sad end to great show."

Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't voluntarily leaving the Apprentice, he was fired by his bad (pathetic) ratings, not by me. Sad end to great show- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

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When Schwarzenegger was on the radio show, The Michael Smerconish Program, why the president is so fixated on him, the actor replied, "I think he's in love with me."

Apart from the 69-year-old actor, Trump has also taken on a host of other Hollywood celebrities, including Meryl Streep and Kristen Stewart.

ALSO READ | Trump responds to Streep's Golden Globes speech: She is a Hillary lover

ALSO READ | Twilight actor Kristen Stewart: Donald Trump was really obsessed with me

ALSO WATCH | Donald Trump signs revised immigration order, leaves out Iraq from list

--- ENDS ---
Local officials say voter turnout has exceeded 50 percent in all districts of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region, which is choosing a new legislature for the unrecognized, Russian-supported area.

Abkhazia election officials late March 12 said the turnout represented a five percentage point rise over the 2012 elections.

Elections in the region are considered valid if more than 25 percent of registered voters take part, local officials said.

Preliminary results are expected March 13.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry assailed the elections, saying they were yet another attempt to legitimize the ethnic purge, military intervention,

occupation, and results of Russian aggression being carried out against Georgian statehood."

"Under international law, any so-called elections or referendum held in occupied territories are illegal and will have no legal result," the ministry said.

Election officials say 137 candidates from four political parties took part in the vote to fill the 35-seat Peoples Assembly.

Should a winning candidate not receive more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will be scheduled within two weeks, officials said.

The Black Sea region has a population of slightly under 250,000, and is struggling with economic stagnation and infrastructure decay compounded by lack of investment; high unemployment; and rising crime and drug addiction.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and another separatist region, South Ossetia, as independent countries after fighting a brief war against Georgia in 2008.

The United States and most other countries consider Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be parts of Georgia and do not recognize the results of elections held in the two regions.

Based on reporting by ria.ru and TASS
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 the country's 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 agreed 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 Washington'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
At least 17 children have died and thousands more have been infected since September 2016 in an outbreak of measles in Romania, the Health Ministry says.

Health Minister Florian Bodog on March 11 said some 3,400 people had contracted the disease since the outbreak began last year.

He added that none of the children who died from the virus had been vaccinated. The latest victim was a 1-year-old girl in the city of Satu Mare.

The World Health Organization has recommended two doses of vaccination, with the initial one coming by a child's first birthday.

Bodog said only 80 percent of Romanians receive the first dose and just 50 percent receive the second.

It "is the only effective way to prevent the disease," he said.

Authorities say most of the cases have been reported in the western and southwestern parts of the country.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control warned that there was a high risk of measles spreading from Romania to nearby countries.

Based in reporting by AP and AFP
Moldovan President Igor Dodon says he will look to strengthen relations with Moscow when he travels to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin on March 16-18.

Dodon on March 11 told Russian state news agency TASS he would look to counter the pro-European policies of Moldovas coalition government, which he said have hurt relations between the two countries.

I am convinced that the current state of affairs of Russian-Moldovan relations runs counter to the two countries' interests, he said in the interview.

He blamed the deterioration of relations on the ruling coalition's attempts to pursue a rapprochement with the European Union.

As a result, we have actually lost our traditional Russian markets and failed to obtain new ones."

The Moldovan presidency is a largely symbolic position.

But Dodon's position has been strengthened by the fact he was elected in a direct popular vote -- the first president of the country to win office through such an election since 1997.

His visit to Moscow comes at a delicate time in Moldovan domestic politics.

The Moldovan coalition government is made up of officials from pro-Western parties, while Dodon is the head of the pro-Russian Socialist Party.

The government has expressed desires to join the EU and NATO. Dodon has opposed membership and is looking to move closer to Moscow.

On March 9, Prime Minister Pavel Filips government warned its officials not to travel to Russia, citing what it calls abuse and harassment by officials from Moscow's security apparatus.

It said the humiliating" actions are in retaliation for Chisinau's investigation into an alleged $22 billion scheme to launder Russian money through Moldova's banking system.

Dodon immediately denounced the travel warning as "abnormal."

This will be Dodons second official visit to Moscow. He traveled to Russia after his November 13 election on a stated mission of reestablishing a strategic partnership with Moscow, encompassing economic, social, and political cooperation.

Since that meeting, he told TASS, Moldovan manufacturers have received green light to go into the Russian market and the amnesty process has been launched for Moldovan labor migrants, most of whom work in Russia."

There are an estimated 500,000 Moldovans working in Russia.

Dodon also said he would look for ways to resolve the Transdniester crisis in his meetings.

Transdniester, a Russian-speaking region in Moldova's east, declared independence from Chisinau in 1990.

A war broke out between Moldova and Transdniester in 1992, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

With reporting by TASS and RFE/RL's Moldovan Service
Iraqi security forces have recaptured more than a third of west Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) militant group since launching a military operation in the area last month, an army general said on March 12.

General Maan al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying: "Around more than a third of [west Mosul] is under the control of our units."

Saadi said CTS forces were battling IS inside the Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawat areas in west Mosul on March 12.

The general said he expected the fighting there to be completed in the coming hours.

The operation to recapture west Mosul began on February 19. Eastern Mosul was liberated by government forces in January.

The operation is part of a larger military offensive to liberate Mosul from IS, which overran the city in 2014.

Iraqi government forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen, and Shi'a militiamen backed by US-led air strikes are involved in the military offensive, which was launched in October 2016.

Based on reporting by AFP and the BBC
New Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyaev made his first official foreign visit as Uzbekistan's leader on March 6-7. Mirziyaev said Central Asian regional relations would be one his priorities and he followed through, visiting Turkmenistan with plans to travel to Kazakhstan later in March.

Qishloq Ovozi recently looked at Mirziyaev's first six months in office, not excluding foreign policy but focusing more on the domestic policy changes, or lack thereof.

Our regular Majlis, or panel discussion, decided to flip that and concentrate on Mirziyaev's regional foreign policy during his first months as president. There was mention of domestic policies as well.

Moderating the discussion was RFE/RL Media Relations Manager Muhammad Tahir.From Washington, Alex Melikishvili, senior Central Asia analyst at IHS Markit Country Risk, joined the talk. From Prague, Alisher Sidikov, director of RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, known locally as Ozodlik, took part. And since I just wrote a paper on this and gave a presentation on the topic (Thank you George Washington University!), I sat in on the discussion.

'Less Baggage' Than Karimov

Mirziyaev was Uzbekistan's prime minister from 2003 to 2016 so he is more familiar with domestic politics than he is with foreign policy.

In terms of his regional policy, Sidikov said Mirziyaev "doesn't have this baggage of President Karimov, being [the] oldest in the region, or thinking he is [the] smartest in the region, or having some personal rows so for him it's much easier to start everything from the clean page."

That is certain. It was not only that Karimov did not like many of the other Central Asian leaders, he also occasionally mocked them in public comments. When the leaders of neighboring countries implemented decisions that displeased Karimov, he closed his border to them [and Uzbekistan borders every other Central Asian state], suspended railway transit through Uzbekistan to these countries, or turned off gas supplies.

Mirziyaev's choice of Turkmenistan for his first visit was interesting. Karimov did not get along with Turkmenistan's first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, but Uzbek-Turkmen ties improved greatly after Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov came to power after Niyazov's death at the end of 2006. Uzbekistan's ties with Turkmenistan were probably better than with any other Central Asian country over the last decade.

'Safe Choice'

Melikishvili pointed out that it was "a safe choice because Turkmenistan is officially a neutral country."

There were also practical reasons for going to Turkmenistan. Melikishvili explained that "joint transportation projects and regional transportation projects" are necessary for Uzbekistan, which like all the other Central Asian countries is in the midst of a deep economic crisis at the moment.

It was mentioned that Uzbekistan is also one of the world's only double landlocked countries, meaning there are at least two countries between Uzbekistan and any access to the world's oceans.

Melikishvili noted, "Berdymukhammedov promised Uzbek companies unfettered access to the port infrastructure that is being built as we speak, on the Caspian shore."

Access to the landlocked Caspian Sea would help a bit in connecting Uzbekistan to the Caucasus countries and possibly farther westward and could boost trade modestly.

Trade Interests

Sidikov said Berdymukhammedov's is at least partially driven by trade interests, including something Uzbekistan desperately requires at the moment. "They need cheap gas and oil, which they can use in the neighboring Bukhara refinery, one of the biggest in Central Asia," Sidikov said.

Uzbekistan does have oil and natural gas, but in recent years there have been shortages of both, something noticed by segments of the population living in cold flats during the winter and observed by motorists who face regular shortages of petroleum at filling stations.

Turkmenistan has an abundance of both commodities and a severe lack of customers at the moment.

Melikishvili added that maybe the most important reason Mirziyaev needed to go to Turkmenistan was to "explain why Uzbekistan and China decided to postpone the construction of Line D of [the] Central Asia-China gas pipeline network."

That decision has huge repercussions for Turkmenistan and was examined in a recent Qishloq Ovozi.

'Kazakh Investments'

Sidikov commented on Mirziyaev's upcoming trip to Kazakhstan, saying some of the talks with President Nursultan Nazarbaev would undoubtedly involve "Kazakh investments" particularly "into property in the [Uzbek] capital Tashkent."

And Melikishvili recalled that an auto plant to assemble Uzbek cars was due to open in the northern Kazakh city of Kustanay about the time Mirziyaev comes to Kazakhstan.

Sidikov mentioned progress made in Uzbekistan's ties with Kyrgyzstan to the east. Uzbek-Kyrgyz relations have been, to put it very mildly, bad for many years.

Sidikov said part of the reason ties are suddenly improving is a renewed desire from Mirziyaev's government to "connect the Osh [Kyrgyzstan]-Andijon [Uzbekistan] region and China, and from China to South Korean ports."

There is a railway planned from Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan to China but Sidikov suggested the Uzbek government would like to see a road route opened as soon as possible.

'Lucrative Opportunity' For Russia

Mirziyaev is scheduled to make his first visit as Uzbekistan's president to Russia in April.

"It will be interesting to see how far Russian-Uzbek cooperation in the military and security area advances," Melikishvili said. "In particular, I'm referring to the fact Uzbekistan needs to overhaul its military and Russia will see a very lucrative opportunity in this in terms of selling weapons and equipment, military equipment to Uzbekistan."

As for Uzbekistan's relations with the West, Sidikov explained, "The things that he [Mirziyaev] doesn't understand he tries not [to] touch at this point, so that's why issues like talking to the West [are] primarily under [the chairman of the Senate Committee for Foreign Affairs, also twice Foreign Minister Sadyk] Safayev and [current Foreign Minister Abdulaziz] Kamilov."

One of the big topics of the Majlis was some debate about how much control Mirziyaev really has over decision-making.

Convertible Currency?

Mirziyaev has made some promises, such as easing the visa regime for come countries, only to later postpone the implementation of these plans.

The announcement just before Uzbekistan's December 4 presidential election that the country would start moving in 2017 to make the national currency (the som) convertible was the last thing heard about that issue.

Melikishvili said another promise from Mirziyaev, this one to cancel requirements for an exit visa, was coming up later this year and would provide the outside world with another opportunity to see if the new Uzbek president can do the things he says he will.

The Majlis looked at all these topics in greater detail, talked about Uzbek-Tajik relations, and delved into some other matters concerning Mirziyaev's time as Uzbekistan's leader.

An audio recording of the discussion can be heard here:

Listen to or download the Majlis podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes.
A Russian woman convicted of high treason for a text message she sent a friend in Georgia during the 2008 war has been released from prison, her lawyer says.

Oksana Sevastidi "has just been released from prison. We will decide now where to head next," defense lawyer Yevgeny Smirnov said on March 12.

The news comes after a decree from President Vladimir Putin pardoning Sevastidi was posted on the Russian government's official legal website on March 7.

Sevastidi's lawyers welcomed Putin's clemency decree and vowed to work on her full exoneration and the revocation of her verdict.

Sevastidi, 46, was sentenced to seven years in prison in March 2016 for texting in 2008 about a Russian train full of military equipment heading toward the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia during the short war between Russia and Georgia.

Human rights activists have said the case was politically motivated.

Sevastidi's amnesty came a day after the release of Yevgenia Chudnovets, a Russia kindergarten teacher jailed for reposting an online child-abuse video in order to raise awareness of the case with the public and with Russian authorities.

Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS
The Kremlin's main spokesman has said Moscow is frustrated with President Donald Trump's administration and a lack of progress in improving relations.

Dmitry Peskov said in an interview broadcast on CNN on March 12 that Trump had indicated during last year's election campaign that he wanted better ties and more cooperation with Moscow.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a better understanding of when this dialogue can begin," Peskov was quoted as saying.

Trump's administration has been dogged by intelligence reports of Russia's alleged meddling in the election campaign, and FBI investigations of Trump's aides.

Trump's national security adviser resigned after he acknowledged misleading White House officials about his communications with Russia's ambassador.

Five different congressional committees are also conducting Russia-related inquires.

Peskov criticized what he said was "hysteria" in the United States over Russia now.

"We consider it a real danger for the future of our bilateral relationship and we sincerely want to see this hysteria coming to its logic[al] end," he said.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP
State suppression of unofficial Islam, the humiliation of having to work as migrant laborers abroad, and a former special-forces commander flipping to the Islamic State group: these are the main factors behind why Tajikistan finds itself the world's leading exporter of suicide bombers to Islamic State (IS) battlefields.

Experts singled out these factors when assessing how the impoverished Central Asian state came out on top in a recent report listing the origins of suicide bombers sent to Iraq and Syria, on whose territory IS's diminishing so-called caliphate stands.

The report by The Hague-based International Center for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) claimed that 27 Tajiks had carried out suicide operations in Iraq and Syria from December 2015 to November 2016, the highest among all foreign individuals whose country of origin had been identified.

The report -- War by Suicide: A Statistical Analysis of the Islamic State's Martyrdom Industry -- has put the spotlight on Tajikistan's struggle against extremism and why Tajiks would be so significantly represented among IS suicide bombers.

As if to underscore the findings, the IS's Aamaq news agency has claimed that two Tajiks were among those responsible for the suicide bombing and gun attack on a military hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on March 8 that killed at least 49 people. The claim from the extremist group, which has made inroads in Afghanistan since 2015, has not been verified by either Tajik or Afghan authorities.

'Disproportionality' Of Tajiks

Tajik's Interior Ministry said in January that around 1,100 of its citizens were fighting in Syria and Iraq. At least 300 of them have reportedly been killed there, according to Dushanbe, while more than 60 have returned home voluntarily and been pardoned by the authorities under a blanket amnesty.

Charlie Winter, the author of the ICCT report, says Tajiks are "disproportionally represented" on the list of suicide bombers -- the number of Tajiks joining IS pales in comparison to that of citizens of some other countries. For example, 6,500 Tunisians and 2,500 Saudis are estimated to have joined IS.

Winter says that the statistics suggest that "Tajiks were being singled out for use in suicide attacks at least in part because of their nationality."

Flipping To Islamic State

Analysts say the case of a high-ranking, U.S.-trained, Tajik special-forces commander who vacated his post and defected to IS in Syria could help answer the question as to why so many Tajiks are being used as suicide bombers.

Colonel Gulmurod Halimov, the former commander of the Tajik Interior Ministry's special forces known as the OMON, reportedly joined the IS extremist group in 2015. Counterterrorism experts believe Halimov has risen through the ranks to become the top IS military commander.

"Why Tajiks have been used so frequently could be because Halimov is reported to be the IS supreme military commander," says Edward Lemon, a fellow at Colombia University who researches Tajikistan. "It is possible that Halimov is behind the move to use Tajiks more frequently by persuading them to volunteer."

Halimov, dressed in black IS garb, appeared in an online propaganda video in May 2015 saying he had joined the extremist group to protest the Tajik government's ban on Islamic dress in schools and offices, and limitations on public prayer.

Under Pressure

Analysts also suggest pressure exerted by Tajikistan's government on Islamic political and religious groups and unsanctioned Islam has played into the hands of IS recruiters.

As part of the peace deal ending the country's 1992-97 civil war, the united Tajik opposition was guaranteed a place in government. That gave the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), the dominant opposition force and the lone Islamic component, a prominent role in Tajikistan.

The inclusion of the IRPT, the first officially recognized Islamic party in Central Asia, was seen as a sign of openness on the part of Dushanbe and as giving moderates the upper hand within the party itself.

But over the years the Tajik authorities increased their control on all things relating to Islam, supporting only state-approved mosques and Islamic leaders, and shutting down hundreds of unregistered mosques across the country. In 2015 it banned the IRPT altogether and arrested its leadership.

The effort to deter citizens from Islam not in keeping with the official line, analysts note, may have pushed some believers to more dangerous streams of the religion.

"When the IRPT was part of the [government] one of their main tasks was to educate people not to go to IS," says Sophie Roche, a researcher at the University of Heidelberg, in Germany. "Once [the party] was forbidden we had an enormous increase [of Tajiks joining IS] -- students and, in one case, 40 people from one village."

Migrant Humiliation

Analyst Lemon says IS recruiters often target individuals who are socially isolated or have experienced some form of trauma or personal crisis.

He adds that the vast majority of recruitment takes place in Russia, where millions of Tajik citizens work as migrant laborers.

Researcher Roche says the sense of "humiliation" they feel over their situation plays an important role in recruitment in Russia, where migrant workers often perform menial jobs and are often targeted for abuse and harassment.

"Most of the migrants do work which is very post-colonial and they have a loss of status in that country," says Roche, who has researched Tajik migrants in Russia.

"If you fail in Russia because you don't have a job or you don't earn enough to really build a status you turn toward religion to gain respect," says Roche, although she adds that few who turn to Islam join the ranks of IS militants.


The finance minister suffered the injury while boarding a chopper. Doctors said his health is fine.

By India Today Web Desk: Arun Jaitley today suffered a minor injury while boarding a helicopter in Haridwar. The finance minister had gone to the Uttarakhand city to visit Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Food Park.

The Minister "is perfectly all right and has returned to New Delhi by the same chopper," Haridwar SSP Krishna Kumar VK told the news agency PTI.

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Jaitley hurt his head, but Patanjali doctors who examined Jaitley said that the injury was extremely minor.

TV visuals showed Jaitley being attended to by a medic as he sat near the chopper after the mishap, flanked by Ramdev and others.

He was cleared to fly and reached New Delhi later in the evening.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who had a minor injury while boarding a chopper in Haridwar, reaches Delhi. His health is fine. pic.twitter.com/eDmqjo5gdX- ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

ALSO READ | Arun Jaitley: Mayawati lost UP because of wrong policies, not rigged EVMs

ALSO WATCH | Assembly election results 2017: We knew we would win in UP, says Arun Jaitley

--- ENDS ---
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that the Netherlands would "pay the price" after expelling a Turkish minister and preventing Ankara's top diplomat from landing ahead of planned political rallies.

During a live televised address on March 12, Erdogan reiterated his earlier comments, accusing the Dutch government of "Nazism and fascism," saying only those types of governments would bar foreign ministers from travelling within their countries.

"I thought Nazism was dead, but I was wrong. Nazism is still widespread in the West," he said. "The West has shown its true face," Erdogan said at an awards ceremony in Istanbul.

Erdogan thanked France, which allowed Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to address Turkish citizens at a rally in the city of Metz on March 12.

On March 11, the Dutch government barred the aircraft carrying Cavusoglu from landing, saying it had withdrawn permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by Cavusoglu's proposed visit to the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

Later on the day, Turkish Family Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled from the Netherlands after being barred from entering the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam.

The two ministers had planned to address rallies in support of a Turkish referendum planned next month that would give Erdogan increased presidential powers.

European Diaspora

The Netherlands, along with several major European cities, has banned rallies by senior Turkish politicians to promote the referendum among members of Turkey's European diaspora.

The incidents sparked protests in both countries and angry reactions by Turkish officials.Early on March 12, police used dogs and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam.

Some threw bottles and stones at riot police and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons. Officers carried out charges on horseback.

In Turkey, a protester entered the Dutch Consulate's premises in Istanbul on March 12 and replaced the country's flag with the Turkish flag, the DHA news agency reported. The Dutch flag has since been returned to its original place, the report said.

Erdogan reacted angrily to the blocking of the foreign minister's plane, threatening to respond in kind against Dutch diplomats and describing the Dutch as "Nazi remnants" and "fascists."

It was the second time in a week that Erdogan has used the word "Nazi" in criticism about one of Turkey's NATO allies, having accused Germany on March 5 of "Nazi practices" for withdrawing authorizations for Turkish campaign rallies.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte responded, telling reporters that Erdogan had made "a crazy remark," which was "way out of line."

However, Rutte said on March 12 said he would do everything to "de-escalate" the tensions, which he described as the worst the Netherlands had experienced in years.

But Rutte said the idea of apologizing to Turkey was "bizarre." Rutte was referring to a comment by the Turkish foreign minister, who said the Netherlands should apologize over the incidents.

"This is a man who yesterday made us out for fascists and a country of Nazis. I'm going to de-escalate, but not by offering apologies. Are you nuts?" Rutte told a morning talk show on March 12.

Other Rallies Canceled

Austria and Switzerland have also canceled Turkish rallies. On March 12, the owner of a venue in Sweden where a senior official from Turkey's ruling party had been due to hold a rally cancelled the rental contract, Turkish media reported.

Through the rallies, Turkish politicians seek to attract the votes of the Turkish community in Europe ahead of the April 16 vote on whether to boost Erdogan's powers.

The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin, while Germany is home to 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey -- the fourth-largest electoral base after the cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

Relations between Turkey and the European Union have deteriorated in recent months, with Erdogan angry at criticism from EU members for waging a mass crackdown on opponents since he saw off a coup attempt last July.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters
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Satveer Gurjar, two time MLA from Dadri said the Saffron Party managed to polarise people on the basis of religion and hence garnered their votes.

By Abhishek Anand: A day after Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, former BSP MLA from communally-sensitive Dadri area Satveer Gurjar said the voters were polarised.

Satveer Gurjar, two time MLA from Dadri said the Saffron Party managed to polarise people on the basis of religion and hence garnered their votes.

"I was doing fantastic work. We were hopeful for the return of BSP government since the sentiment of the people was with our party. However, the landslide victory shows that the BJP succeeded in their tactics of polarisation. They have managed all the votes as a result of communal divide, fear and hatred which they openly flaunted in their rallies," said Gurjar.

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Fourteen youth from Bisada village of Dadri are in jail for allegedly lynching local resident Mohammad Ikhlaq and grievously injuring his son Danish in September 2015, over allegations of slaughtering a cow and storing its meat for consumption on Bakrid. The incident had triggered a massive outrage across the country on intolerance with many prominent figures returning their awards to the government.

Prior to the elections, BJP candidate from the area Tejpal Nagar, who registered a victory with a margin of 80,000 votes, had openly said that some youth who are lodged in jail on charges of lynching are innocent and shall be freed. After winning the seat, Nagar maintained that he condemns the lynching but 'some' of the youth are innocent.

"We will do everything to ensure that no innocent shall be put behind the bars," said Nagar. Union home minister Rajnath Singh had also hold a rally at Bisada village prior to the elections.

ALSO READ | UP Assembly election: In Dadri, polarisation is hard to ignore

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election Results 2017: How political colours have changed in UP over 5 years

--- ENDS ---
Two major efforts to improve services for people and pets in Goochland County have received major gifts toward the construction of new buildings.

The Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services has received $250,000 from the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation for its project to combine 11 critical assistance programs in a single location.

With the project at more than 80 percent of its goal, site work is expected to begin Monday, said Sally Graham, executive director. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for March 21.

Goochland Pet Lovers has received commitments of $542,992 toward a $1.5 million campaign to expand the Goochland Animal Shelter.

Big donations so far include $200,000 from FLAG, the former animal rescue group that dissolved last year and donated its balance to the new shelter. Goochland County donated $150,000; Justin Verlander and fiancee Kate Upton, $25,000; and the Becky Dickson Memorial Fund, $22,500. Other donations from private individuals totaled $252,500.

Goochland Pet Lovers, the nonprofit arm of Goochland Animal Shelter, has launched a communitywide effort to complete its campaign.

The animal shelter expansion will transform it into a state-of-the-art adoption and rescue center, said Wayne Dementi, Pet Lovers president, in announcing the campaign. With Goochland Pet Lovers support, the animal shelter will be able to add features to promote more adoptions within the no-kill shelter.

At Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, the Reynolds gift will help fund a new facility that combines medical and dental clinics, food pantry and Clothes Closet in one location, instead of three.

The Goochland Free Clinic is one of the most effective organizations in this area. All of us at the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation are strongly supportive of its work and pleased to be able to give some assistance to that work especially now that so many members of the family live in the county, said Richard S. Reynolds III, president of the foundation.

Were really excited that we are at this point this quickly, Graham said. We kicked off with the board and staff campaign last January. The community has been great.

Lisa Luck, campaign chair for the Goochland clinic, said she was grateful to the foundation for its monetary support and for understanding our vision to provide the highest quality of services and to prepare to meet our communitys needs  now and in the future.

Steamboat Era Museum gets funds for work, exhibit

The Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington has begun restoring its largest artifact, the pilothouse from the steamboat Potomac, thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Nettie Lokey Wiley and Charles L. Wiley Foundation.

Marshall Orr, a longtime museum supporter, also issued a $25,000 challenge grant for the project.

Shipwright John Morgenthaler has moved the pilothouse to his property and removed the shrink-wrap that has covered it since 2010. One of the aft cabins will be demolished to shorten the structure by 16 feet and provide materials for restoration.

Installation in the museum is scheduled for the 2018 season. The entire project, including a redesign of museum exhibits to accommodate the pilothouse, will require $350,000.

The museum also received $5,000 from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation to develop an exhibition on Hansford Bayton, a black steamboat captain.

Dr. J.H. Sullivan documented the story of Bayton, his great-grandfather, who became the captain and owner of five excursion and mail delivery steamboats traveling between the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula to Baltimore, Norfolk and Washington.

The exhibit, opening in May, will include Bayton family letters, photographs, personal artifacts and period newspaper accounts.

Delta Dental foundation gives to Mission of Mercy

Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation has awarded $15,000 to the Virginia Dental Association Foundation for its Mission of Mercy program across the state.

The dental missions have served more than 62,000 patients over the past 17 years with free dental services valued at more than $41 million. The grant will help buy supplies and replace or repair mobile dental equipment.

Studies have shown that dental health can be an indicator of overall health, said George Levicki, president of the Delta foundation. By working with the VDAF to support Mission of Mercy, we can help those in need get access to dental care and, in turn, positively impact overall health.

Tara Quinn, VDAF executive director, welcomed the support to help keep this critically important oral health program operating to assist thousands of the underserved in Virginia.

Worthy of note

Comcast Foundation has awarded a total of $35,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond and to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Richmond & Tri Cities.

Boys & Girls Clubs will use its $20,000 to support the My.Future technology program, which uses hands-on technology training to teach skills needed to compete in a 21st-century economy.

Big Brothers Big Sisters will use its $15,000 to support the organizations mentoring program.
Sherman Shiffletts father was a true mountain man: rugged, resourceful and resilient.

Born in a log cabin on top of a mountain in Rockingham County, Harvey Shifflett wasnt what youd call book smart  he didnt attend school past the second grade and he could barely sign his name  but he was plenty sharp. He could do math without pencil and paper, and he kept his family fed, even in the leanest times. He was brainy in the ways of living, and when he put his mind to it he could figure out how to do just about anything.

However, he could never quite come to grips with living off the mountain.

His was among the hundreds of families forced from their homes in the 1930s to make way for Shenandoah National Park as state authorities used eminent domain to acquire private property that would be turned over to the federal government for the park. After leaving Rockingham in 1933, the Shiffletts settled in the foothills of Albemarle County, but Harvey Shiffletts heart never relocated.

Decades later, still bitter at the way his family had been treated and still longing for his mountain home, he would have his children drive him to the park on weekend mornings where he would sit for hours on one of the stone walls along Skyline Drive  not far from his old home place. The old man spent the time whittling, watching the tourists drive by and soaking in the beauty that once was his.

My dad wasnt upset about the money. He was upset about the way they were treated; he said they were treated real shabbily,  said Sherman Shifflett, 74, who was born after the family moved to Albemarle, though his four oldest siblings were born on the mountain. Shiffletts father was told later their home had been burned to the ground, a common practice to discourage former residents from returning or squatters from settling in.

Several generations had been up there on top of the mountain, said Shifflett, now retired after a career in teaching and administration at Louisa High School, old family photographs scattered about his kitchen table during an interview at his Louisa home. They were fiercely independent. They worked hard. They eked out a living.

My dad never stopped talking about it. He was really hurt. He never got the mountains out of his system.

***

The story of the people who lost their homes in the creation of Shenandoah National Park was largely untold or poorly told for years and is now fading from view altogether as the youngest of those forced from the mountains are well into their 80s. The Blue Ridge Heritage Project is breathing new life into the story of displacement  although Sherman Shifflett says his father never used the term displaced to describe his experience, believing evicted better captured the feeling  by promoting the development of a monument site in each of the eight counties where land was acquired. The monuments will recognize those who were displaced and educate visitors about the lives and culture of the people who dwelled in the mountains.

The first monuments went up in Albemarle and Madison counties. The Rappahannock monument will be dedicated in April, while ones in Page and Greene are in the works with Augusta, Rockingham and Warren to come. The monuments are being developed by committees within each county that will oversee site selection, design and fundraising. The monuments will differ slightly in terms of materials and construction, but the focal points of each will be a stone chimney. The symbolism is quite intentional, said Bill Henry, who founded the nonprofit Blue Ridge Heritage Project.

If you go up in the park today, youll find quite a few chimneys still standing, Henry said. The first chimney I came across in the backcountry was a very powerful experience. I didnt know the whole story back then. It was like, Wow, somebody lived here.

Once I learned about the people being evicted and the houses being burned  the chimneys left standing really had a lot of meaning to me. The chimneys show the determination and spirit of the mountain people.

Henry, a retired school teacher, has no personal connection to the displaced people. He became interested in their story when he began attending meetings of The Children of Shenandoah, a group of descendants of the displaced that was formed in 1994. Their mission was to preserve the heritage of their ancestors, in part, by encouraging the park to more fully tell their story to visitors in a way that wasnt demeaning, which they felt was the tone of earlier narratives.

Henry, who grew up in Fairfax County and regularly visited the park with his family, went to the meetings because he was interested in learning about the parks history.

I started going to hear the speakers, and then I got to wondering why all these people were so damn angry, he recalled.

***

Lisa Custalow, who co-founded the descendants group with her husband, Curtis King Custalow, acknowledged there was considerable anger. Her mother was born on High Top Mountain and she was not even school age when her family had to leave their home. Custalows grandparents rented their home, so they werent compensated for their trouble.

I remember as a young child I would ask my mom, Why did you have to leave the mountain?  recalled Custalow, who grew up in Charlottesville and still lives there. She would become quiet. She would have tears in her eyes, and she would say, When the government tells you you have to go, you have to go.

That was my signal to be quiet because you dont want to make Mama sad.

As she grew older, Custalow would stop at the Harry F. Byrd Visitor Center, where the exhibits put the most positive spin on the story of how the park was created, but in doing so cast a negative light on the mountain people.

What we were angry about was the truth wasnt being told, Custalow said. You cant take the park back. We could never move back. But at least we wanted the truth to be told about our families and how they lived.

The Children of Shenandoah got the attention of park officials, and the two entities worked to revamp the exhibits and videos, focusing considerable attention on the experiences of the people who were displaced. Depending on your perspective, those who developed the park might not come off looking so swell. Claire Comer, an interpretive specialist for the park assigned to the visual media department, said The Children of Shenandoah was a fantastic partner for us to get that perspective. The collaboration, she said, was part of an ongoing effort by the park to tell the story very comprehensively and objectively.

We wanted to just present the facts  and let people draw their own conclusions, Comer said. Its made for wonderful discussion for school groups and visitors alike: What is the greater good? What about eminent domain? Is it a good or bad thing? Is the end result of the park worth the heartache of those people who were displaced?

This is really a story of colliding passions, she said, noting that on one side were those who wanted to preserve the beauty of the area while establishing a viable economy that was not an extracting industry, namely tourism, while on the other were the people who called the mountains home.

Comer brings an empathy to the story as her family also was touched  though in not such a dramatic way: Her great-grandfather had to sell his mountain land that he used for grazing cattle in the summer. He had to give up a cabin, though not his family farm, which was nearby but not on land that became part of the park. Still, she understands the sense of place and loss that infuses the feelings of descendants of the displaced. Thats why she considers her work incorporating a more complete account a really fulfilling part of my career. Having come from the local area, it was really a great thing for me to have the opportunity to tell that story, she said.

Custalow is extremely pleased with how the park responded, but said her groups biggest accomplishment might have been inspiring Henry  someone without a personal stake in the issue  to take an interest in their efforts and carry it forward.

***

Having sensed the pain that was still palpable among descendants, Henry thought more could be done to honor the displaced. He began working on the idea for the Blue Ridge Heritage Project in 2012  asking Custalow to serve on the board  and eventually proposed a single site with eight monuments. Later, a monument in each county was suggested, making the logistics more complicated but the final result more compelling, he said.

One of the things Ive learned is its not just one story, but its thousands of stories, Henry said during an interview on a cold, blustery day at the Madison monument next to the now-closed Criglersville Elementary School on Old Blue Ridge Turnpike, which in the days before the park was a main thoroughfare over the mountains to the Shenandoah Valley. They had different experiences, and they had different ways of dealing with it. Everybodys family saw their part of it, and quite often they dont know how big this was, which is one thing thats really great about having eight counties with eight sites.

Jim Lillard led the effort for the Madison monument, having picked out the fieldstones that went into the building of the chimney. His family goes back centuries in the area, several of his ancestors having fought in the American Revolution, and his grandfather had to abandon his 154-acre farm. It made Lillard feel better when he searched the records and discovered his grandfather had been offered $1,700 by the state, held out for $2,117 and wound up buying a 216-acre farm with a two-story house elsewhere in Madison for $2,000.

Asked if he was gratified to have the first monument in Madison, he replied, I surely am.

***

As one of the first national parks in the East when it was established in 1926, Shenandoah presented challenges the park system had not encountered in the open spaces of the West on land already owned by the government  namely residents. It wasnt entirely the park systems fault. It had been led somewhat astray by local promoters of the notion of a national park in the Blue Ridge, including a local businessman who operated the Skyland Resort (in what is now the park). Park advocates submitted a questionnaire to the search committee scouting out possible locations that described the mountain land as pristine and uninhabited.

Though not crowded, the area was far from uninhabited. A census taken in 1934 showed approximately 435 families needed to be relocated before the park was dedicated in 1936, but the NPSs Comer said no one is sure of the total number of people who were displaced in the decade between when it was authorized and when it was dedicated.

County records show landowners who were paid for their property, but those who were tenant farmers or migrant workers or simply didnt have a legal deed  as those who had lived for generations in a remote area might certainly not have  were not compensated at all. Some sold willingly, while others resisted to the end. A few older residents were given life rights to live out their days in their homes. Everyone else was ushered out, sometimes with eviction notices and a visit from local law enforcement.

The people scattered. Some traveled a few miles into the foothills to settle, while others relocated in far-away places such as Baltimore, where jobs were more plentiful. The government established resettlement communities in several counties for those with no place in particular to go, charging a monthly rent in a sort of rent-to-own arrangement.

Larry Lamb, who helped get the Albemarle monument constructed and also serves on the Greene monument committee, has family ties to residents displaced in four counties. The Blue Ridge Heritage Project is important, he said, because most people who visit the park today have no understanding of how it was created or the lives it adversely affected.

It lets people know that part of the story, he said.

Lamb, 65, who retired as a service engineer in the University of Virginia radiology department and lives in Albemarle, said he harbors no hard feelings toward the park, which hes been visiting since he was a child. Ive always loved it, he said.

He has hiked into the backcountry, visiting family gravesites and the remains of a log building at the farm where his great-great-grandparents lived.

When you get up there, its unbelievably beautiful, he said. Those mountain people knew how to pick sites to build their homes. They were very smart.
Three men of the 24 people charged in New York in a gun-running conspiracy remain fugitives in Virginia.

U.S. Marshals in the Richmond area are still searching for Cameron Fobbs, 20, of Richmond and Antwan Twan Walker, 21, of Highland Springs and, in Norfolk, Marshals are looking for Dwayne Lamont Rawlings, 30, of Hampton.

Walker was listed as one of the alleged traffickers who brought 217 guns purchased in Virginia to Brooklyn and sold them to an undercover cop over the eight-month investigation. He was caught on police wiretaps bragging about trafficking and Virginias lax gun laws.

Fobbs, who was identified by New York authorities as an alleged straw purchaser in the gun ring, evaded Marshals last week by jumping from a second-story apartment window in Richmond and escaping on foot, according to Supervisory Inspector Kevin Connolly.

Rawlings was a supplier, according to the Brooklyn District Attorneys office.

If anyone has information about Fobbs, Walker or Rawlings, call the U.S. Marshals tip line at 1-877-WANTED-2 (1-877-926-8332). There could be a cash reward for information leading to their arrests.

Five others who were reported as fugitives in online court records were captured by U.S. Marshals last week.
Kumar linked the BJP's UP, Uttarakhand wins to demonetisation, saying the poor felt content the move has hurt the rich.

By India Today Web Desk: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar posted a message online commending the parties that won the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.

Kumar went on to analyze the BJP's phenomenal wins in UP and Uttarakhand, saying that the backward classes have endorsed the Bharatiya Janata Party in the election results. "Furthermore, the non-BJP parties did not try to consolidate these classes," Nitish said.

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The Bihar chief minister, who has largely support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation gambit, then went on to link the note ban to the BJP's wins. The Opposition should not have raised such a hue and cry over the controversial move, Kumar opined, adding that the poor felt content that the exercise had hurt the rich.

Nitish also indicated that the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party failed partly because they were unable to form a Bihar-style grand alliance in UP.

In two sentences, Nitish also congratulated the Congress for its strong win in Punjab and for emerging as the leading party in Manipur and Goa.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY?

Goa, meanwhile, is seeing a pitched battle between the BJP and Congress. Neither of the parties was able to win a majority on its own and both of them are scarmbling to win support from state parties.

Both the Congress and BJP have asserted that they will be able to form the government in the coastal state with their respective mandates.

In Punjab, Congress is all set to form the government, with the victorious Captain Amarinder Singh planning to meet the governor later today to stake his claim to the chief minister's chair.

For UP and Uttarakhand, the BJP parliamentary board will meet today to decide the chief ministers of these states. In Manipur, where no party emerged with a clear majority, the BJP is negotiating with state parties to get enough support to form government.

ALSO READ | Is Parrikar returning as Goa CM? BJP MLAs pass resolution; MGP, GFP onboard

ALSO READ | Post election results, Captain Amarinder Singh shows he means business

ALSO WATCH | Bihar CM Nitish Kumar backs govt's demonetisation scheme

--- ENDS ---
A fire has displaced 11 people in eastern Henrico County.

The fire occurred about 7:15 p.m. Saturday in the 6400 block of Charles City Road. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Seven adults and four children were displaced. Nobody was injured.

Damage from the fire was limited to the building's basement, with some smoke damage occurring on the first floor.

The American Red Cross is addressing the needs of the people displaced by the fire.

The Henrico Division of Fire encouraged the public to change their smoke detector batteries and replace any alarm that is more than 10 years old. Alarms can be provided free of charge to those who can't afford them.
WISE  Jack Kennedy drove to the Lonesome Pine Airport earlier this year, shining his headlights through a wire fence and onto a grass field that he said witnessed history not so long ago.

This is where the first sanctioned U.S. drone delivery took place in 2015. Kennedy was the one who made sure it happened in his rural hometown, a community in search of an economic savior. Kennedy and others are targeting the high-tech drone industry for the former coalfields of Southwest Virginia.

Remote controlled quadcopters are mostly reserved for hobbyists today, but the technology is rapidly entering the mainstream. Kennedy imagines a day when drones will offer a wide range of blue collar-style jobs, from remotely checking power lines to gathering water samples from streams.

Companies such as Amazon, Google and Facebook, with big drone ambitions, need to test their new capabilities over communities that are sparsely populated enough for the work to be safe and open-minded enough to embrace the technology.

Wise County is both.

Thats the future of the area, Kennedy said before throwing his SUV into reverse and heading toward one of the most visible signs of the countys past.

He turned left onto Old Hurricane Road, winding through hills misshapen from generations of mining but desolate today. The vehicle lurched to a stop at another fence, this one topped with barbed wire and no trespassing signs.

Kennedys headlights exposed mining equipment, rusted and almost unrecognizable. Pushers and crushers previously used in underground mines sat in neat rows stretched across an 11-acre field.

The equipment once supported thousands of high-paying jobs in Wise, where Alpha Natural Resources reigned. After the mines shut down and the coal company filed for bankruptcy in 2015, Kennedy said, locals started noticing the rows of machines.

Grass has grown up around the equipment and tires have sunken into the mud. Kennedy estimated the machines worth in the millions of dollars.

No one is buying.

Its a graveyard, Kennedy said.

These are the stakes for Wise: Adapt or die.

Asked about the feasibility of turning old coal jobs into new drone jobs, neither Kennedy nor anyone else involved in the regions economic development balked. They cant afford to look back.

That limits our future and the future of our children and grandchildren, as well as ourselves. Were better people than that, Kennedy said. Weve got to convince, No. 1, ourselves that we can do it. And, No. 2, show others throughout Virginia that were capable and competent to do it.

***

Wise has ridden the coal industry through generations of booms and busts, but this downturn feels different, county officials said.

Even if the industry bounces back, much of the easily extractable coal has been mined.

Coal and gas severance taxes, which are paid in proportion to the amount extracted from the region, accounted for 17.5 percent of Wises total revenue in 2010, according to data from county Finance Administrator David Cox.

Those revenues fell from $13 million in 2011 to $3 million in 2015.

(Past leaders) didnt focus on the time when coal would not be part of our economy because times were good, money was flowing, Cox said. They spent the coal severance.

Cox, who was a mining industry employee before going to work for the county, said the error is abundantly clear today. But its too late.

For the upcoming year, hes budgeted coal severance tax revenues of $2 million, all of which he hopes to see invested in economic development efforts.

Meanwhile, county schools are being consolidated, theres a county hiring freeze and no end in sight for the cutbacks.

The coal industry that employed 1,851 people in Wise in 2005 shrank to 527 jobs by 2015, according to the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.

County Administrator Shannon Scott said the largest employers are now local schools, hospitals and banks and commercial retail.

Walmart and other retailers now employ more people than coal, he said.

Carl Snodgrass, who has led county economic development efforts for decades, spoke of the current situation with realistic optimism. Coal took the biggest chunk out of the economy, but he also has seen declines in manufacturing, textiles, timber and agriculture.

Were about out of options as far as the current economy is concerned, Snodgrass said, explaining why locals are now turning to high-tech. Were just trying to do whatever we can to salvage the population, retain families with school-aged children. Its tough.

Kennedy is Wise's circuit court clerk. But the lifelong space enthusiast and former state lawmaker has a hand in all corners of local government  especially economic development.

He acknowledges that the drone industry wont grow large enough to replace all the jobs lost in the downturn. But its a start, he said.

He said he wants to see a plan rolled out in three phases.

First, Kennedy said, the county needs to train a small army of drone pilots so they can pass Federal Aviation Administration certification tests, part of a relatively new system that offers a first-movers advantage.

Once Wise has a sizable group of trained drone pilots and mechanics, Kennedy said, the county can recruit companies to take advantage of that expertise, along with the regions sparsely populated lands.

Wise would have a lot going for it, Kennedy said. Some of the most attractive features might be the type of open airspace where one still can see the Milky Way at night, and a local government that is willing to try anything.

It might never make sense for Google to launch a commercial drone delivery service in Wise, Kennedy said. But maybe this is where the company could come to perfect the technology before a nationwide rollout.

Half of Wise County is national forest, 10 percent is state forest and another 25 percent is mined land, Kennedy said. As a result, theres a lot of room for error.

The final step of Kennedys plan is to convert that drone industry cluster into jobs.

Wise will have to wait for one of the applications tested here to take off. By then, Kennedy said, the area would be the most natural place for more permanent operations, such as engineering offices and manufacturing facilities.

We want to develop that niche, and do it well, Kennedy said. If we develop human capital, they will come. Its not about building the infrastructure. Its educating the human.

***

The plan has received support locally and across the state. Gov. Terry McAuliffe has made stops in Wise to discuss the potential of the drone industry to revitalize former coal communities.

We have a huge opportunity, especially in Southwest and Southside Virginia with some of the hardest-working folks in America, great skill sets, McAuliffe said. This is a new economy. I dont care where you live in Virginia, I can find a job for you.

The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, a state organization focusing on revitalizing coal-producing communities, recently designated the drone industry as a targeted business sector. Spokeswoman Susan Copeland said its still early, but shes begun attending drone trade shows to get a better idea of what the industry is seeking.

Bob Adkins, chairman of the Wise Board of Supervisors, said he wouldnt know a drone from a turtle shell. But hes backing the efforts nonetheless.

We dont have a lot going for us since coal left, Adkins said. We are very supportive of any rumor or any hint or any indication of economic development partner coming.

Fred Coeburn, who has begun teaching some of Virginias first drone classes at nearby Mountain Empire Community College, said his father and grandfather were coal miners. He knows well the stereotypes and the tendency people have to balk at the idea of retraining coal workers to become high-tech drone pilots.

Those are the people who dont know what coal mining is. They dont know how high-tech it has become, Coeburn said.

Virginia Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson agreed.

She said the state has been investing heavily in attracting the drone industry since at least 2013, when the FAA named Virginia Tech as one of six certified drone test sites. Jackson said Wise since has established itself as a state leader.

They understand and are willing to make the commitment that this is something they want to investigate, invest in and really become by building an ecosystem, Jackson said.

So part of it is not just the fact that its a nice fit from a topography and geography standpoint. Its also the fact that you have a willingness and belief by the people there that its possible. When you couple those two together, thats a pretty good combination.

The county continues to celebrate smaller wins that locals say are steps in the right direction.

It was the site of the first drone delivery, which made national news and is known locally as the regions own Kitty Hawk moment, a reference to the North Carolina town where the Wright brothers launched the first controlled powered airplane flights.

Local economic development groups have received millions of dollars in government grants to promote the industry, and Manassas-based Aurora Flight Sciences has decided to leave one of its Centaur optionally piloted aircraft at the countys airport for testing around Wise.
STUART  A total of 36 people linked to drug activity in Patrick County were arrested Thursday, part of a manhunt organized by the sheriffs office.

All total, the department had been searching for 98 people named in 340 sealed indictments. As the indictments remain sealed, those names have not yet been released. Those indictments were handed down Monday by a Patrick County grand jury.

Sheriff Dan Smith said this is the largest narcotics operation his office has ever conducted. Martinsville police officers and Henry County deputies helped in the effort, along with people from the Carroll County Sheriffs Office, the Grayson County Sheriffs Office, Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Surry County, NC Sheriffs Office and Stokes County NC Sheriffs Office. They also received federal help from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Work started in the early morning hours and by 4:30 p.m. Thursday, the operation had located and arrested 36 suspects. Smith said that the group found several of those named in the indictments were either locked up on other charges elsewhere or are living in North Carolina.

Over the past eight years, we have arrested and successfully prosecuted more than 400 people who chose to sell drugs in Patrick County, Smith said in a statement. If you are selling and havent been caught yet, your day is coming.

Thursdays manhunt was the product of an 18 month investigation, led by Patrick County Sgt. Eric OConnell and Investigator Nicholas Pendleton. In addition to finding the 36 suspects, officials also uncovered portions of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, Ecstacy, marijuana and a number of prescription pills yet to be identified. Some of the material seized was sent to the state lab for testing, so a final total in terms of the amount cant be determined at this time.

Out of the 98 suspects named in the indictments, about half of them are not Patrick County residents. All of the indictments will be released by the Patrick County Circuit Court on Monday.

Our community will not tolerate this, Smith said. Our county is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, and this office is committed to keeping it that way.

Smith said the operation will continue until all of those on the list have either been identified in prison elsewhere or arrested. He thanked the other departments for their support, as well as Circuit Court Clerk Susan Gasparini and Commonwealths Attorney Stephanie Vipperman for their work to prepare and organize the indictments.
Bear with me.

Four years ago, on Oct. 1, the federal government went dark for 15 days because of a standoff over spending between Democratic President Barack Obama and the Republican Congress. The shutdown added insult to injury, coming shortly after across-the-board spending cuts  sequestration  erased jobs throughout Virginia, among the most ravenous consumers of federal cash.

The Democratic nominee for governor, Terry McAuliffe, jumped on the shutdown as a sign that Republicans  in running government  run it into the ground.

McAuliffe said Virginians could expect such things in Richmond if GOP opponent Ken Cuccinelli  the heartthrob of the hard right  became governor.

Democrats loved it. But this embarrassment for Republicans apparently flared too soon for Democrats to fully capitalize on it. Thats because the Republicans got a break that allowed them to rally their conservative base, the strength of which is magnified in lower-turnout gubernatorial elections.

About a week after the bureaucracy was running again  generating more than a dollar for every four pumped through the Virginia economy and restoring paychecks for some 170,000 federal civilian employees who live in the state  the Obama administration bungled the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

On Oct. 24, a hissing match erupted between the government and contractors over procedures for signing up for health insurance through the Obamacare website. Three days later, the website crashed.

Marilyn Tavenner, the Virginian heading the federal Medicare-Medicaid agency at the time, assured Congress on Oct. 29 that everything would be OK. Not two days passed before the website failed a second time.

Republicans loved it. But this embarrassment for Democrats apparently flared too soon for Republicans to fully capitalize on it. Thats because the Democrats lopsided money advantage allowed them to shout louder and longer in the final four days until the election, mobilizing more of their voters.

Apologies for this rambling tick-tock of events in 2013  events irrefutably national that undoubtedly shaped a statewide campaign.

It was proof positive of a feature of Virginia politics more evident this year, the first of the Donald Trump era: The line separating national and state politics is blurring, if not disappearing altogether.

This year will be crucial for Trump and congressional Republicans. They must do the heaviest lifting in 2017  substituting Trumpcare for Obamacare, slashing and shifting spending, implementing tax cuts  to have something to run on in midterm elections in 2018, when, as history shows, the party in power usually loses seats.

This means national politics could be a decisive backdrop to the Virginia election.

In a state that comfortably fell to Hillary Clinton  and before that, twice to Obama  the recoil to Trump has been immediate and sustained. It is concentrated in the regions of Virginia that are the least Virginian: the eastern cities and suburbs that are hives of non-native voters and the center-left impulse that peaks in presidential years.

It is fueling Tom Perriellos surprise challenge from the left to the supposedly anointed Ralph Northam for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and a burst of Democratic candidacies for Republican-held seats in the House of Delegates.

Democrats say at least 43 GOP districts will be contested, including 17 carried by Clinton.

Youll need a calendar to keep track of the opportunities between now and the June primaries and, beyond that, the November elections, for Trump  intentionally or unintentionally  to shape the Virginia campaign and for members of both parties to work themselves into a lather or retreat to a defensive crouch.

And that doesnt include the surprises.

Starting with Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20 and his Cabinet roll-out, the staccato of events has kept Democrats angry and engaged  in my grill, as U.S. Rep Dave Brat, R-7th, the Eric Cantor-crushing conservative, put it when pestered by Democrats to take, in real time and real life rather than online, their questions and concerns about the health care makeover that the Urban Institute says could strip coverage from 685,000 Virginians.

Every Tuesday since Trumps swearing-in, at least 100 Democratic activists from across deep-blue Northern Virginia have descended on U.S. Sen. Mark Warners Tysons Corner constituent office to protest the new presidents policies and to plot ways to mobilize voters.

Warner  suddenly relevant again, this time as lead Democrat in the Intelligence Committee investigation of Russias suspected hack of the 2016 election  even secured vacant space in the building for the gang each week to reprise its rave.

As early as tomorrow, the Congressional Budget Office could release its price tag for Trumpcare, perhaps reviving the debate between McAuliffe and the GOP over its refusal to expand Medicaid to cover up to 400,000 uninsured Virginians. Trumpcare would freeze enrollment in Medicaid  an idea on which, polls show, the state is closely divided.

Trump this week is expected to submit his budget to Congress. Its rough outline has alarmed Democrats and Republicans.

More money for defense would mean more Navy shipbuilding at Newport News, though apparently at the expense of construction for the Coast Guard. The Chesapeake Bay cleanup program could be hollowed out.

Federal layoffs appear likely, injecting into the 2017 race economic uncertainty  and the accompanying fury  already abundant in government enclaves where hostility to Trump is acute, most notably Northern Virginia.

Trumps do-over Muslim travel ban takes effect Thursday. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, who succeeded in stopping the first version in federal court as an unconstitutional religious test, is ready to return  giving him and other Democrats an opportunity to reach to a fast-growing Asian and Hispanic vote alarmed by GOP nativism.

On March 20, confirmation hearings begin for Trumps nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch. Ignoring demands from Virginia Republicans, Warner and the states junior senator, Tim Kaine, are not saying whether they will support Gorsuch.

Assuming Gorsuch is seated before the courts next term begins in October, he might prove the swing vote on issues that could mold the Virginia campaign in its closing month  much as the courts assault on abortion rights did in 1989, handing Democrat Doug Wilder an issue that excited his base and resonated as well with centrist Republicans.

And sometime before the end of April, Congress and the White House must agree on new authority for the federal government to borrow money. That could trigger a Republican-versus-Republican brawl between spending hawks and the business class that could rattle markets  or worse.

Then, theres Trumps Twitter feed.
A University of Virginia graduate is firing back at allegations from Virginias Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control that he hasnt been forthcoming in answering questions related to their upcoming battle in court.

A month ago, two agents from the ABC filed a motion in Charlottesvilles federal courthouse, claiming that U.Va. alumnus Martese Johnson had failed to fully answer questions or turn over documents related to the $3 million lawsuit Johnson filed against them in October 2015.

Johnson recently shot back with an opposition motion asking the court to deny the defendants motion, saying the agents were seeking information that went far beyond the narrow issues involved in the case, including his text messages and credit card statements.

In the same week that he filed his opposition motion, Johnsons counsel filed its own motion to compel further responses from ABC law enforcement officer Shawn P. Walker, whom Johnson accused of refusing to produce any documents related to the claim that Walker failed to train his officers and condoned their pattern or practice of excessive force.

The suit stems from Johnsons arrest in March 2015 at the hands of three agents. Then a 20-year-old, third-year student, Johnson was apprehended by the agents after being turned away from a crowded Corner bar by a bouncer in the early-morning hours after St. Patricks Day.

The interaction between Johnson, who is black, and the agents, who are white, quickly escalated and ended with Johnson being taken to the ground. He was arrested and charged with public intoxication and obstruction of justice. Photos and videos of the arrest, depicting Johnson on the ground with a bloodied face and the agents standing over him, generated criticism and controversy.

In the wake of his arrest, Johnsons supporters hurled accusations of police brutality and racial profiling at the ABC, prompting calls from state legislators to reform the law enforcement branch of the department.

The charges against Johnson were dropped, and the following October he filed a multimillion-dollar suit against the three officers, the department and Walker, accusing the officers of false arrest, excessive force, gross negligence and assault and battery, and the department and Walker of failure to train and supervise the agents, and Walker of negligent supervision of the agents.

Last December, a judge dismissed substantial portions of the claim, dropping the ABC and one of the agents as defendants and excluding the charges of excessive force and negligence.

The remaining agents, Thomas Custer and Jared Miller, filed a motion in mid-February asking the court to compel Johnsons cooperation in the case. They specifically alleged that Johnson had given only a limited number of responses to their requests while objecting to all Interrogatories and (Requests for Production of Documents), producing zero documents and furnishing inadequate answers to what limited Interrogatories for which a written response was offered.

In his late-February motion, Johnson lambasted the agents characterization of his refusals, objected to what he characterized as overreaching requests and asserted that the vast majority of requests sought irrelevant information  and thus imposed an undue burden upon him.

Specifically, the motion decries requests for text messages and emails Johnson sent and received about his arrest over the past two years, requests for his complete academic file from U.Va., his credit card activity between March 16 and March 19 in 2015 and communications he may have had with Trinity Irish Pub, the bar from which he was turned away.

The motion also calls out other requests that Johnson believes to be fishing expeditions on the part of the defense, including requests for his application to U.Va., receipts for purchases of toiletries and other items of a highly personal or sensitive nature and text messages sent by Johnson asking about illnesses of friends or relatives.
President Trumps proposed budget includes grand plans to reinvigorate an underfunded military and to build a mighty wall across much of the U.S.-Mexico border. To fund these initiatives, the administration is considering cuts of $2.7 billion to Homeland Security. Of that departments agencies, the Coast Guard would suffer the deepest cut: a $1.3 billion reduction in an operating budget of $9 billion.

The proposed cuts make little sense. The U.S. Coast Guard, in addition to its primary mission of ensuring the nations maritime safety, security and stewardship, has played a huge role in drug and illegal migrant interdiction. In 2016 alone, the service seized more than 200 metric tons of cocaine at sea  more than three times the amount of cocaine seized at our borders and within the country combined. And ironically, the Coast Guard is now required to perform the additional costly task of conducting safety operations and monitoring coastal waters near Mar-a-Lago when the president is there.

The proposed cuts would also affect the Coast Guards presence in the Arctic at a time when Russia has been rapidly expanding its presence in the area by building new installations and holding large-scale exercises. The Coast Guard is charged with ensuring the U.S.s continuing access to the region via its operations of Americas icebreaking cutters. Currently, Russia has 40 icebreakers; the U.S. Coast Guard has two. The presidents budget would also scuttle a contract for an additional cutter.

The drafted budget plans are not sitting well with many members of Congress. In a letter sent to Trump, California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter wrote, Such a drastic reduction in Coast Guard funding would not only diminish the Coast Guards standing and mission . . . (it) would severely undermine U.S. national security. Mississippi Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson says the cuts would reduce our readiness and effectiveness in preventing potential attacks and responding to disasters.
From labelling Congress as "Bhasmasur (a mythological demon who turns into ashes whoever he puts his hand on)," to calling Shivpal Yadav a traitor, supporters are conveniently shifting the blame.

By Mail Today: The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party may have suffered a humiliating defeat in the state Assembly elections, but a lot of voters in the city commiserate with the outgoing chief minister for trying to change the party image from a Yadav outfit to a progressive political party. In the generosity, the blame for the electoral reverses is conveniently shifted to the Congress and "traitor" Shivpal.

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"The Congress turned out to be the hand of Bhasmasur (a mythological demon who turns into ashes whoever he puts his hand on)," says Ramcharan Yadav, a sullen activist outside the party office at the broad, metaled Vikramaditya Marg in Lucknow.

Long faces greet you inside the office. Party activists in starch-laden kurtas, green stoles and dark red caps look bored and brooding. However, they put up a brave face in their interaction with the media, initially.

"Only two-three rounds of results have come in. We are confident that SP is going to form the government under Akhilesh Yadav," says one of them before the cameras. Another party worker goes to the extent of blaming faulty EVMs. They reiterate their faith in the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav, who is locked inside his residence a few paces from the office. But Akhilesh's rivals in politics and his own party do not mince words in mocking his "inexperience". "The decision to cede 100 seats to the Congress before the polls and making gestures to arch-rival Mayawati after the exit polls, clearly indicate that he knew the Samajwadi Party was incapable of taking on the rising popularity of the BJP under Prime Minster Narendra Modi," state BJP spokesperson Dr Chandra Mohan told Mail Today.

The burden of "inexperience" is admitted by several SP workers, although grudgingly. "Do anubhav-heen neta mil gaye (Two inexperienced leaders came together)," said a disgruntled SP activist at the party office on Saturday, in his reaction to the alliance between Gandhi and Yadav scions.

The activists from the Shivpal camp are more brutal. "Neta ji said it earlier that wearing a red cap does not a politician make. When you disrespect your elders, what message are you trying to send to your loyal supporters? Behaviour bolta hai," said an anonymous party worker sitting outside Shivpal Yadav's Lucknow residence, referring to Akhilesh's poll slogan "Kaam bolta hai". Shivpal who had left for his ancestral village, Saifai, a day earlier, must be feeling vindicated. The first major fallout of the defeat will be that the feud between Shivpal and Akhilesh will only grow bitterer. As the day wore on, bringing in little respite for the Samajwadi Party, the Akhilesh camp at the party office openly foul-mouthed the "traitor" for working against the party nominees at the hustings. A formal split in party is bigger possibility now.

For, the goodwill generated by the young Yadav leader for launching reforms in the party is pitched sharply against his political inexperience and open defiance of seniors.

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The second main fallout is that the chances of an alliance between the SP and Congress for the 2019 general election stand blown away. For, the party supporters are quick and resilient in laying the (orphaned) defeat at the Congress door and a repeat of such an experiment will be fraught with disaster for Akhilesh Yadav.

Also read: Uttar Pradesh election results 2017: Where Akhilesh got his cycle punctured

Also read: Uttar Pradesh election results 2017: Why Akhilesh, Rahul did not stand a chance

Also watch:

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I knew when I set the alarm for 4:30 a.m. it was unnecessary. Still, I didnt want to take a chance. We were headed to Mexico, the whole family. We couldnt risk missing our flight.

Any number of stressors can keep one from sleep, an early meeting, a big presentation, finances or concern over whether you have the right flies for a trip. The last item, in this case, would get me up, I was certain.

Having spoken with Rhett Schober, who wrote the book Fly-Fishing the Yucatan, several days before, I felt assured I knew where to go when we got to Tulum and that I had the necessary tackle, specifically the fly selection. Four-inch, white-on-white clousers is what Schober had told me. Sure killers for the Jacks and snook that I should find prowling the edge of the beach where the river dumps into the ocean near Boca Paila.

I had a box full of those. I didnt even bother checking. When I started packing my gear the evening before the trip, I was a little miffed to find most of my clousers were probably only 2 to 3 inches long. The rational mind would tell you, No problem, they will work just fine, but the neurotic, fly fishing mind wouldnt let me sleep.

It was a restless evening. I checked and checked the clock. Finally at 3:34, I slid out of bed, turned on the coffee and made my way to the basement. After rummaging through a couple of drawers, I had everything I needed. In 20 minutes, I had three, fresh 4-inch clousers with plenty of time for the glue to dry on the heads before I added them to the box and stuffed them into the bag.

Back in the day, I would board the plane, dreaming of grand slams on the Yucatan Peninsula, readying myself for days, searching the shallow waters for shots bonefish, permit or tarpon.

Now, while you can be sure I have a fly rod or two stuffed in the bag on any family vacation with enough flies for about any scenario that could arise, realistically I am hoping to slip away for a few hours here and there for a little fishing at a time that I wont necessarily be missed. Dawn is generally the best bet.

When my wife suggested Yucatan for a family trip, I didnt hesitate with my response. I knew there was fishing to be had.

After a long day of travel, I walked out to the beach. The wind was howling. Whitecaps dominated the horizon as far as I could see. The kite-surfing community clearly was thrilled as dozens ripped across the surface and launched from the faces of the waves. Very cool to watch. Unfortunately, if I am watching kite-surfers on the beach, its because its too windy to fish.

I suppose they say the same thing when they are relegated to watching anglers try their luck in the surf. At least someone is happy in either case.

On the third day of our trip, we visited the Mayan ruins in Tulum. We stopped at the top of the bluff to take a family photo; the wind was blowing my daughters hair across her face, making the shot nearly impossible. I looked down at the sign along the path. Temple Dios Del Viento. My Spanish has gotten a bit rusty over the years, but I knew this. The Temple of the God of Wind. Seemed fitting. I offered a quick suggestion. Call it a prayer.

Ultimately, I did make it to the river mouth toward the end of the week. The wind had laid down just enough to give it a shot. I had been there before, some 20 years ago when a few guiding buddies and I had come down to fish three days on the flats. We caught jacks and tarpon there in the evenings. We never saw another angler.

When I emerged from the path, there were four spin fishermen lined up in a prime looking spot and two guys rigging fly gear. I fished for a while and talked to a nice younger guy from Calgary, Ian. I gave him some flies in case he went around the backside looking for bonefish. I kept the three clousers. They will come in handy when the stripers start showing up in a few weeks.

There wasnt a breath of wind on the final morning when we got up to leave. The surf broke gently and clear. Surely the fishing was on at the river mouth as I stuffed my fly rods back in the bag for the trip home.
A noreaster will dump significant snow from Northern Virginia to New England between Monday night and Tuesday, but most of the precipitation should fall in the form of rain in the immediate Richmond area.

The bulk of the snow chance  and amounts  will set up to the north and northwest of Richmond, but that doesnt mean we would entirely avoid seeing snowflakes. The rain could change over to some snow early on Tuesday before the system departs.

Details usually become clearer as a storm draws closer. Unfortunately, the all or nothing nature of the rain/snow line is the root of continued low forecast confidence for cities like Charlottesville, Fredericksburg and Washington, where snow amounts could range from a nuisance coating of slush to several inches.

High confidence in overall trends: A strong low will develop along the North Carolina coast and track just off the Virginia coast. As it approaches, it will spread precipitation all across Virginia between late Monday and Tuesday morning.

The departing noreaster will reinforce colder air on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a general drying trend. Lingering snow showers cant be ruled out, though.

The system wont totally miss the Richmond area  there will be plenty of rain  but its very unlikely that well be in the worst part of the snow chance.

Snow accumulations are more of a possibility just off to the north and northwest of the metro area, and very unlikely for points south and southeast.

Timeline: Monday will start out dry, but increasing clouds will be a signal that moisture will gradually return to the region.

As precipitation starts falling into the cold, dry air on Monday afternoon, it could be as a mixture of light rain with some snowflakes. This would be the earliest opportunity to see some snow, but its unlikely to cause problems. As the intensity of the rain picks up Monday evening, the precipitation type is most likely to be rain in Richmond.

The system will bring roughly 1 inch of precipitation to Richmond, and most of that will fall between Monday evening and daybreak on Tuesday. Most of that moisture will fall as rain, but some of it could be in the form of wet snow.

The dividing line between rain and snow will be rather close to the Richmond area  but likely just off to the northwest  for most of Monday night. The storm is likely to bring several inches of snow to western and northern portions of the state, possibly 4 or 5 inches as close as Charlottesville and Fredericksburg. Theres a potential for up to a foot of snow in the northern Shenandoah Valley and toward the western suburbs of Washington.

For much of Monday night, Richmond will have winds from the east off of the moderately warm Atlantic Ocean. As the noreaster continues to crank north along the Mid-Atlantic coastline on Tuesday morning, it will sweep colder winds from the northwest across Virginia.

This would provide an opportunity for the departing precipitation to switch from rain to snow in Richmond. The duration and intensity of any snow chance is still in question: It could be just an hour or two of snow yielding a light coating, or a few inches of slushy snow at the very most.

The timing of that changeover would be centered around the Tuesday morning commute, so the potential even for some light snow will bear watching. Be aware of the likelihood for greater travel disruption along Interstate 64 west of Louisa County and Interstate 95 north of Fredericksburg.

Theres also a reasonably good chance to see occasional snowflakes in Richmond on Tuesday and Wednesday as showers wrap around the departing noreaster. By that point, the air over Virginia wont have enough moisture for heavy precipitation, so any snow showers would not be likely to provide significant accumulations. At the most, those snow showers could put a dusting on the ground.

More importantly, Tuesday and Wednesday will be gusty and unseasonably cold.

Expect temperatures ranging from the lower 30s to mid-40s on Tuesday, with gusts from the northwest up to 30 mph.

On Wednesday, that cold northwest breeze will continue. Morning lows in the mid-20s will feel like mid-teens when the wind chill is taken into account. The afternoon high will only reach the upper 30s, which is 20 degrees colder than normal for mid-March.

Unseasonably cold weather will continue on Thursday and Friday, but the wind will diminish.
PULASKI  A three-year-old agricultural organization hopes to spur economic development in Southwest Virginia through sheep and goat farming.

We might not be at the top of the list to get an Intel plant or a microchip plant, said Cecil King, president of the New River Valley Sheep and Goat Club. But we sure do have the topography [for sheep and goats] and were close to the people that really like lamb.

We could fill these mountains here in Southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia, King said. And we could add a lot to the economic development.

This area is about seven hours drive from the New Holland Livestock Market, the largest of its kind in the eastern U.S., according to King. Last year more than 140,000 sheep and 108,000 goats were sold there.

The club helps its more than 300 members by organizing transport for large lots of local animals to be sold. This reduces the hauling costs from about $15 per animal to less than $10 and increasing profits, according to King.

Sheep, depending on the breed, can produce wool, meat and milk products for sale. Goats also can provide meat and milk, or can be sold as pets.

King, who runs about 400 black-faced ewes in Pulaski County, said he focuses on providing lambs for Muslim holiday meals and feasts, especially during Ramadan, when demand for lamb is high. If all goes well, the lambs being born on his farm this month will fetch about $200 each in September, he said. So far this season, his sheep have produced more than 150 lambs with more on the way.

Jennifer McClellan, owner of Nolley Wood Farm in Montgomery County, said she raises some hair sheep lambs for the ethnic market, but mostly does direct sales in the Roanoke and New River valleys. Hair sheep shed their coats naturally and dont have to be sheared  a major expense for farmers. McClellan said she runs about 80 ewes on her land, as well as growing beef cattle, hogs and laying hens.

McClellan said she sells most of her meat products at farmers markets and to local restaurants and grocery stores, as well as directly to customers.

King said other local producers raise goats, including myotonic, or fainting goats, which can be grown as pets or for meat. When startled, these goats go stiff and fall over for a few seconds before recovering  making them stars on YouTube and in social media memes.

Virginias sheep and goat numbers have declined slightly from 2013, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture figures. In 2013, there were 87,000 sheep and lambs in the commonwealth and 52,000 goats. This year, there are 80,000 and 45,000 respectively, according to USDA.

King said the club hopes to spread the message that small animal husbandry can boost incomes across the region. To help with that, the club provides education, market research and networking, as well as other services to its dues-paying members.

McClellan said shes found these services invaluable in the three years shes been involved.

Some members of the club, including McClellan, are working together to solve another problem for local meat producers.

Finding affordable USDA-inspected processing facilities is a major challenge, so McClellan said she and a small group are working to bring a facility to the area.

The NRV Meat Coalition, as this group is known, is working on finding land for such a facility, and is working with local governments on zoning law changes to help.

We can serve our local farmer, our small farmer, our community and this can be a good thing for everybody, she said.

There are USDA-inspected processing facilities in the region, from Rich Creek to Lexington to North Carolina, according to McClellan.

But transporting small groups of animals can be expensive and time-consuming, eating into profits.

The meat coalition is working on a design for an animal welfare-approved facility that could also include a retail store front and a community kitchen to give farmers flexibility.

With such a facility, McClellan said customers would have convenient access to fresh, local meats and farmers could develop value-added products from their meats, such as stews and other products.

For more information on the New River Valley Sheep and Goat Club, visit https://www.facebook.com/thesheepgoatclub.

For more information on the New River Valley Sheep and Goat Club, visit https://www.facebook.com/thesheepgoatclub.
The Roanoke River needs love, understanding and attention and not a new source of sediment.

So says Bill Tanger, chairman of Friends of the Roanoke River.

Sediment is now the biggest problem on the upper Roanoke River, said Tanger, who is also a member of the Upper Roanoke River Roundtable.

Dwayne DArdenne, storm water utility manager for the city of Roanoke, agreed that sediment already is a worry for the upper river. Sediment that settles in streams can smother aquatic life and can transport bacteria and industrial pollutants like PCBs, he said.

Enter the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline. Although the pipelines current route does not pass through the city of Roanoke, city officials recently acknowledged concerns about how erosion and sediment linked to the infrastructure project could affect the Roanoke River as the waterway winds through the jurisdiction.

The 42-inch diameter, 303-mile buried pipeline would pass through the Roanoke Rivers watershed in Montgomery and Roanoke counties as it transports natural gas at high pressure from Wetzel County, West Virginia, to another pipeline in Pittsylvania County.

It would cross the river itself about 1.2 miles upstream from the intake for the Spring Hollow Reservoir, a regional source of drinking water whose withdrawals from the river are suspended when sediment levels are high.

The Western Virginia Water Authority operates the 3.2 billion-gallon reservoir, which stores water before it is treated for drinking. The authority has remained neutral about the pipeline, but it has voiced concerns about the projects potential to precipitate erosion and add sediment.

Sediment in the river has a direct impact on the number of days we can pump out of the Roanoke River, and we do not want to reduce the number of days that we can pump, said Sarah Baumgardner, a spokeswoman for the authority.

While the screens on the intake pumps minimize sediments coming into the reservoir, sediment can transport contaminants and bacteria and ultimately collect in the reservoir, she said.

No one disputes that the Mountain Valley project, if approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, will add sediment to the Roanoke River watershed.

That will be especially true during project construction.

First, a 125-foot wide construction right-of-way will be cleared of trees and other vegetation that serves to reduce runoff into the creeks that feed the north and south forks of the Roanoke River at its headwaters.

The relatively dense tree canopy in the headwater areas intercepts rainfall so that it gently penetrates the ground as groundwater rather than flowing overland as runoff, wrote Pamela Dodds, a geologist whose report about the pipelines potential impacts on watersheds in Roanoke County was submitted by the county to FERC in comments about the commissions draft environmental impact statement for the project.

As construction proceeds, there will be trenching to a depth of about 10 feet. There will be blasting. Heavy equipment will compact soils. The pipelines route will take it up and down steep slopes where soil cover is already susceptible to erosion.

The pipeline itself, or new or altered roads designed to provide access to the pipeline, will cross Roanoke River tributaries, including high-quality streams like Bottom Creek on Bent Mountain.

According to a report by Environmental Solutions & Innovations, or ESI, a consultant hired by the pipeline company, increased sediment loads associated with project construction are likely to continue downstream [in the Roanoke River] until the sediment is arrested behind the first dam (i.e. Niagara Dam) or is deposited into Smith Mountain Lake.

Mountain Valley plans to bury the pipeline five feet beneath the bottom of the Roanoke River after diverting water and cutting an open trench across the riverbed.

From the pipelines crossing in the upper Roanoke River to the Niagara Dam is a distance of about 20 miles, Tanger said.

The ESI report analyzed potential watershed sedimentation tied to the Mountain Valley Pipelines crossing of a total of about 3.4 miles of the Jefferson National Forest.

The Forest Service criticized the report when it was first released in June 2016, suggesting it understated how long erosion from the pipeline project would contribute added sediment loads and overstated how much sediment would be diverted or captured by erosion control barriers or structures.

Mountain Valley recently submitted to FERC a revised report by ESI that acknowledges sediment loads will remain elevated for several years after pipeline construction ends. The report notes that it is expected that sediment loads and yields will reach a new sediment equilibrium approximately four to five years from the start of the project.

Tanger is among a host of others who worry that erosion and other sources of sediment tied to the pipeline threaten the ongoing recovery of the Roanoke River from abuses past.

In December, Rupert Cutler and Diana Christopulos  two residents of the region long recognized as knowledgeable environmental watchdogs  advised members of the Roanoke City Council that the pipeline could be a significant source of sediment for the Roanoke River.

Cutler said sediment from the pipeline could be a setback for expensive efforts to control storm water runoff and reduce contamination of the river. He said the sediment also could diminish the Roanoke Rivers appeal for canoeists and kayakers as the region continues to promote itself as a mecca for outdoors recreation.

The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission recently received a $5,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corp. to help promote the Roanoke River Blueway.

Cutler was a member of the city council when it helped create the regional water authority and was a member of the authoritys original board of directors. He served as an assistant secretary of agriculture during the administration of President Jimmy Carter and provided policy direction for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, now the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Christopulos, president of both the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition and Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club, emphasized that the pipelines ascent and descent of steep slopes could yield an enormous amount of erosion.

And she encouraged members of the city council to learn more about the project. In February, City Manager Chris Morrill provided the council a preliminary report.

Morrill noted that the pipelines traverse of steep slopes in Roanoke County suggests there is a significant risk for erosion and described as legitimate the concern of increased sediment flowing downstream into the city.

He said increased sediment could impact the citys ability to achieve progress in reducing sediment, bacteria and PCBs in the river.

James Golden, director for operations for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, said the department is well aware that the Mountain Valley Pipeline project has the potential to be a significant source of erosion and sediment along its route in Virginia.

He said the department anticipates that Mountain Valley will soon submit detailed erosion and sediment plans for the project. Natalie Cox, a spokeswoman for the pipeline company, suggested the same.

MVP has been working with the Virginia DEQ to develop erosion and sediment control plans that meet the requirements of their regulatory program, Cox said.

Golden said Mountain Valley has agreed to pay for additional staff or consultants that DEQ might need to review the erosion and sediment plans and to have inspectors in the field if and when construction launches in Virginia.

He said the erosion and sediment plans will be posted online for public review.

Cutler said government officials must be vigilant watchdogs.

The protection of the quality of the water in the Roanoke River is a fundamental responsibility of government  protecting health, safety and welfare, he said.

FERC is working on a final environmental impact statement for the pipeline. Mountain Valley hopes to begin construction later this year.
WISE  Jack Kennedy drove to the Lonesome Pine Airport earlier this year, shining his headlights through a wire fence and onto a grass field that he said witnessed history not so long ago.

This is where the first sanctioned U.S. drone delivery took place in 2015. Kennedy was the one who made sure it happened in his rural hometown, a community in search of an economic savior. Kennedy and others are targeting the high-tech drone industry for the former coalfields of Southwest Virginia.

Remote controlled quadcopters are mostly reserved for hobbyists today, but the technology is rapidly entering the mainstream. Kennedy imagines a day when drones will offer a wide range of blue collar style jobs, from remotely checking power lines to gathering water samples from streams.

Companies such as Amazon, Google and Facebook, with big drone ambitions, need to test their new capabilities over communities that are sparsely populated enough for the work to be safe and open-minded enough to embrace the technology.

Wise County is both.

Thats the future of the area, Kennedy said before throwing his SUV into reverse and heading toward one of the most visible signs of the countys past.

He turned left onto Old Hurricane Road, winding through hills misshapen from generations of mining but desolate now. The vehicle lurched to a stop at another fence, this one topped with barbed wire and no trespassing signs.

Kennedys headlights exposed mining equipment, rusted and almost unrecognizable. Pushers and crushers previously used in underground mines sat in neat rows stretched across an 11-acre field.

The equipment once supported thousands of high-paying jobs in Wise County, where Alpha Natural Resources reigned. After the mines shut down and the coal company filed for bankruptcy in 2015, Kennedy said, locals started noticing the rows of machines.

Grass has grown up around the equipment and tires have sunken into the mud. Kennedy estimated the machines worth in the millions of dollars. Yet no one is buying.

Its a graveyard, Kennedy said.

These are the stakes for Wise County: Adapt or die.

Asked about the feasibility of turning old coal jobs into new drone jobs, neither Kennedy nor anyone else involved in the regions economic development balked. They cant afford to look back.

That limits our future and the future of our children and grandchildren, as well as ourselves. Were better people than that, Kennedy said. Weve got to convince, No. 1, ourselves that we can do it. And, No. 2, show others throughout Virginia that were capable and competent to do it.

  

Wise County has ridden the coal industry through generations of booms and busts, but this downturn feels different, county officials said.

Even if the industry bounces back, much of the easily extractable coal has been mined already.

Coal and gas severance taxes, which are paid in proportion to the amount extracted from the region, accounted for 17.5 percent of Wise Countys total revenue in 2010, according to data from county finance administrator David Cox.

Those revenues fell from $13 million in 2011 to $3 million in 2015.

[Past leaders] didnt focus on the time when coal would not be part of our economy because times were good, money was flowing, Cox said. They spent the coal severance.

Cox, who was a mining industry employee before going to work for the county, said the error is abundantly clear today. But its too late to correct.

For the upcoming year, hes budgeted coal severance tax revenues of $2 million, all of which he hopes to see invested in economic development efforts.

Meanwhile, county schools are being consolidated, theres a county hiring freeze and no end in sight for the cutbacks.

The coal industry that employed 1,851 people in Wise County in 2005 shrank to 527 jobs by 2015, according to the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.

County Administrator Shannon Scott said the largest employers are now local schools, hospitals, banks and commercial retail.

Wal-Mart and other retailers now employ more people than coal, he said: Sad.

Carl Snodgrass, who has led county economic development efforts for decades, spoke of the current situation with realistic optimism. Coal took the biggest chunk out of the economy, but he also has seen declines in manufacturing, textiles, timber and agriculture.

Were about out of options as far as the current economy is concerned, Snodgrass said, explaining why locals are now turning to high-tech. Were just trying to do whatever we can to salvage the population, retain families with school-aged children. Its tough.

  

Kennedy is Wise Countys elected circuit court clerk. But the lifelong space enthusiast and former state lawmaker has a hand in all corners of local government  especially economic development.

He acknowledges that the drone industry wont grow large enough to replace all the jobs lost in the downturn.

But its a start, he said.

He said he wants to see a plan rolled out in three phases.

First, Kennedy said, the county needs to train a small army of drone pilots so they can pass Federal Aviation Administration certification tests, part of a relatively new system that offers a first-movers advantage.

Once Wise County has a sizable group of trained drone pilots and mechanics, Kennedy said, the county can recruit companies to take advantage of that expertise, along with the regions sparsely populated acreage.

Wise would have a lot going for it, Kennedy said. Some of the most attractive features might be the type of open airspace where one still can see the Milky Way at night, and a local government that is willing to try anything.

It might never make sense for Google to launch a commercial drone delivery service in Wise County, Kennedy said. But maybe this is where the company could come to perfect the technology before a nation-wide rollout.

Half of Wise County is national forest, 10 percent is state forest and another 25 percent is mined land, Kennedy said. As a result, theres a lot of room for error.

The final step of Kennedys plan is to convert that drone industry cluster into jobs.

Wise County will have to wait for one of the applications tested here to take off. By then, Kennedy said, the area would be the most natural place for more permanent operations, such as engineering offices and manufacturing facilities.

We want to develop that niche, and do it well, Kennedy said. If we develop human capital, they will come. Its not about building the infrastructure. Its educating the human.

  

The plan has received support locally and across the state. Gov. Terry McAuliffe has made stops in Wise to discuss the potential of the drone industry to revitalize former coal communities.

We have a huge opportunity, especially in Southwest and Southside Virginia with some of the hardest working folks in America, great skill sets, McAuliffe told The Roanoke Times. This is a new economy. I dont care where you live in Virginia, I can find a job for you.

The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, a state organization focusing on revitalizing coal-producing communities, recently designated the drone industry as a targeted business sector. Spokeswoman Susan Copeland said its still early, but shes begun attending drone trade shows to get a better idea of what the industry is seeking.

Wise County supervisors Chairman Bob Adkins said he wouldnt know a drone from a turtle shell. But hes backing the efforts nonetheless.

We dont have a lot going for us since coal left, Adkins said. We are very supportive of any rumor or any hint or any indication of economic development partner coming.

Fred Coeburn, who has begun teaching some of Virginias first drone classes at nearby Mountain Empire Community College, said his father and grandfather were coal miners. He knows well the stereotypes and the tendency people have to balk at the idea of retraining coal workers to become high-tech drone pilots.

Those are the people who dont know what coal mining is. They dont know how high-tech it has become, Coeburn said. When coal is mined, its done with a remote control, just like this [drone]. A drone operator is someone who is dedicated to accomplishing their mission, has hand-eye motor skills and knows how to run a machine. Coal miners fit this bill.

Virginia Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson agreed.

She said the state has been investing heavily in attracting the drone industry since at least 2013, when the FAA named Virginia Tech as one of six certified drone test sites. Jackson said Wise County since has established itself as a state leader.

They understand and are willing to make the commitment that this is something they want to investigate, invest in and really become by building an ecosystem, Jackson said. So part of it is not just the fact that its a nice fit from a topography and geography standpoint. Its also the fact that you have a willingness and belief by the people there that its possible. When you couple those two together, thats a pretty good combination.

  

The county continues to celebrate smaller wins that locals say are steps in the right direction.

It was the site of the first drone delivery, which made national news and is known locally as the regions own Kitty Hawk moment, a references to the North Carolina coastal town where the Wright brothers launched the first controlled powered airplane flights.

Local economic development groups have received millions of dollars in government grants to promote the industry, and Manassas-based Aurora Flight Sciences has decided to leave one of its Centaur optionally piloted aircraft at the countys airport for testing around Wise.

Kennedy said hes discussed with drone industry leaders the possibility of experiments around Wise. A group of Israeli companies is scheduled to tour the area later this month.

Coeburn has been offering his drone classes for two years now, ushering through about 45 students.

The courses previously did not count toward a degree or certification. But Coeburn this year received permission to create a new course prefix (UMS, which stands for unmanned systems) just for drone classes. Students can take a series of courses toward a certificate from Mountain Empire Community College. Other colleges can use the prefix to offer their own curriculum.

As far as replacing every coal mining job thats been lost in the five years in this area with drones, thats not going to happen. We dont even dream like that  but we can try, Coeburn said. Every single job in this area counts. When you see someone leave this [classroom] door saying, I got a job and you can see the smile on their face  thats all that matters.
Bank of Botetourt (OTCPK: BORT) announced today its consolidated financial results and performance for the fiscal period that ended Dec. 31, 2016.

For the year that ended Dec. 31, Bank of Botetourt reported net income of $2.25 million, compared to $2.66 million for the same time period in 2015, a decrease of 15.4%. While net income declined, the bank surpassed budget expectations by 1.33%. Earnings for the year resulted in a return on average assets of 0.7% and a return on average equity of 6.8%, compared to prior year ratios of 0.8% and 8.5%, respectively. Both basic and diluted earnings per share decreased $0.30 per share from $1.88 in 2015 to $1.58 in 2016. Book value of the Bank's stock increased $0.95 from $22.71 at Dec. 31, 2015 to $23.66 at Dec. 31, 2016.

As a result of the continued positive financial performance, the dividend increased 16.7% from $0.12 per share to $0.14 per share in Feb. 2017. CEO G. Lyn Hayth, III states "This action shows our Board of Directors' commitment to providing a return to shareholders as one of its top priorities. Our Board and Management deem that earnings and capital level trends have been sustained over time and another increase in dividend payment is warranted."

On Dec. 31, 2016, total assets amounted to $346,335,000, an increase of 7.6% from the same time period of 2015 of $321,796,000. Total deposits for the year-end 2016 amounted to $309,863,000, compared to $287,123,000 for the prior year, an increase of 7.9%. Net loans grew 7.3%, to $289,416,000 in 2016 from $269,775,000 in 2015.

The BASEL III conservation buffer became effective for the Bank in 2016, requiring even more capital to meet regulatory expectations. Bank of Botetourt remains well-capitalized as we report consolidated total capital to risk-weighted assets at 12.9%, consolidated tier 1 to risk-weighted assets and consolidated tier one common equity capital of 11.9%, respectively, and tier 1 leverage capital to average assets of 9.8% at year-end 2016.

Shareholders continue to take advantage of the Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan. This plan gives shareholders the opportunity to increase their investment in an efficient, cost effective manner while providing the Bank the opportunity to maintain capital at appropriate levels. Participation in the plan surpassed another all-time high in 2016.

Bank of Botetourt was chartered in 1899 and operates twelve retail offices in Botetourt, Rockbridge, Roanoke and Franklin counties and the City of Salem and operates a mortgage division, Virginia Mountain Mortgage.

Submitted by Mary Ann Miller
BJP's poll victory in India's most populous state is also being viewed as vindication of the PM's sudden decision in November to outlaw high-denomination banknotes in a bid to curb corruption.

By Rajat Rai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi led his party to a historic electoral victory in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, bolstering his ability to push through key reforms at the Centre and putting him in a strong position to win a re-election in 2019. While the BJP and its allies won 324 of the state's 403 assembly seats, the Congress got just seven and its ally Samajwadi Party led by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav bagged 47. The margin of victory was the largest seen by any party in more than three decades. The BJP ended up with 312 seats on its own.

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Modi said he was "overjoyed" with what he described as unprecedented support from all sections of the society.

"Thank you. Long live democracy!" he wrote in response to a congratulatory tweet from Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

Celebrations erupted outside the BJP offices in state capital Lucknow and its headquarters in Delhi with party workers dancing and splashing each other with paint as Holi came early.

Modi spearheaded his party's campaign in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP had a sweeping win during the 2014 parliamentary elections with 71 of the state's 80 Lok Sabha seats. He addressed two dozen rallies as the BJP chose to canvass without picking a chief ministerial candidate and banked solely on his popularity and development agenda in the state.

The poll victory in India's most populous state is also being viewed as vindication of the PM's sudden decision in November to outlaw high-denomination banknotes in a bid to curb corruption.

A visibly unmoved and smiling Akhilesh Yadav reached the Raj Bhavan in the evening and handed over his resignation to governor Ram Naik. The governor asked him to continue as chief minister until the next government is formed.

"In the entire elections, there were massive crowds in my rallies," he told the media. "I did not expect such a thing will happen. I hope the next government will work better than the SP government. The people might not have liked my expressway and they voted for the bullet train."

BSP chief Mayawati, whose party was decimated in the polls and got 19 seats, accused the BJP of tampering with electronic voting machines.

"It is a matter of common discussion here that even if a button is pressed for any other party, vote will be polled in favour of BJP," she said at a press conference in Lucknow.

The BJP was quick to hit back. "The Bua and Bhatija (Mayawati and Akhilesh) should accept the verdict of the people and should not humiliate it by raising questions," party state president Keshav Prasad Maurya told reporters.

Also read: After Uttar Pradesh declared its faith in BJP, who will Modi-Shah pick to represent the state?

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Also read: BJP leader's prophecy comes true, Lotus blossoms in muddy waters of Uttar Pradesh

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The words said in jest turned prophetic as the counting of votes began. When polling trends began flashing on TV screens, a party leader even described the situation as "Vanvaas poora ho gaya (The exile is over)".

By Pankaj Sharma Molekhi: A day before the counting of votes began in Lucknow, a BJP leader pointed at the rains that had lashed the state capital on Friday. "The muddy waters are an indication that the lotus will blossom now," he said. In the next few hours, this line was doing the rounds on social media platforms, from WhatsApp to Twitter and Facebook.

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The words said in jest turned prophetic the following day. On Saturday, as the polling trends began flashing on TV screens, rush at the BJP office in Lucknow grew thicker. Drum beats louder. Never the one to lose an opportunity to draw religious imagery, a party leader described the situation thus: "Vanvaas poora ho gaya (The exile is over)."

The BJP's return to power in the state after more than 14 years being linked to lord Ram was not lost on the audience.

The state party leadership clearly had an idea of things to come up a day in advance. That is why, Lucknow office executive Bharat Dixit on Friday evening placed an order of 120 kg of sweets to one of their traditional sweet suppliers - Parampara Sweets.

By afternoon, it was difficult to use the road where the party office is located. The outdoor broadcast (OB) vans from various media channels, parked on both sides of the road, left only a thin strip for the moving vehicles. Holi came two days in advance for the party workers as the courtyard was a riot of colours.

The two recurring slogans were 'Modi-Modi' and 'Jai Shri Ram' and every time the cameras rolled on, the pitch went shrill. Inside the newly-renovated Lucknow BJP office with shiny tiles, portraits of ideologues and flat-screen TVs, there was no leader of importance. "Sab TV channels par hain, (they are all in media studios)," said a few familiar faces. Each time a BJP candidate's win flashed on the screens, there would be all-round clapping.

So, who will be the CM? While there have been speculations on this issue, party activists were too happy to deliberate on this. "Jo Modi ji ka aadesh hoga (Whatever Modi says, goes)," was the sentiment across the crowd.

Clearly, every one knew that the party owed the unprecedented success to none other than PM Modi.

Also read: Kaam, KaSaB, Kabristan and Caste: What worked for BJP in Uttar Pradesh

Also read: Assembly Election Results 2017: All you need to know

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When cops searched Karthikeyan's house, they were shocked to find a woman's dead body, which was partially decayed, inside a coffin. The body was covered with a cloth and traces of tantric poojas being conducted on it was visible.

By Pramod Madhav: A man, who practiced black magic, was arrested not for sorcery but for using a dead body at his home in Perambalur, Tamil Nadu to teach the dark arts. Karthikeyan, a known black magic offender, had sourced the body from two men in Chennai by paying them Rs 20,000.

Rajaraghavan alias Karthikeyan, 33, was constantly accused by his neighbours of practicing black magic, but this time they called in the police after a foul odour emanated from his house.

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When cops searched Karthikeyan's house, they were shocked to find a woman's dead body, which was partially decayed, inside a coffin. The body was covered with a cloth and traces of tantric poojas being conducted on it was visible.

When questioned, Karthikeyan said that he stayed at the house with his wife Nasima, 27, and that he had been practicing black magic for a number of clients, including politicians.

On further interrogation, Karhtikeyan revealed that he would get the dead bodies of young women from Mylapore cemetery in Chennai, and that the body currently in his possession was of Abhirami, 21, a resident of Teynampet, who committed suicide on January 18.

Vinothkumar, another accused in the case, had allegedly dug out Abhirami's body and brought it all the way from Chennai to Perambalur in Karhtikeyan's car. Karthikeyan admitted that he used the body to conduct Agori poojas and that he was planning to put an advertisement in the papers stating that he was willing to teach black magic.

Based on his statement, police arrested Vijayakumar and Manimaran, who were employed with Mylapore cemetery. A case has been filed and Karthikeyan along with his wife Nasima have been placed under judicial remand for 15 days.

Watch Video: Black magic teacher arrested for using dead bodies stolen from cemetery to teach

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December 2014, New York Post: Synthetic diamonds have the same composition, color and clarity as traditional ones and they cost up to 50 percent less.

June 2015, Daily Telegraph: Lab-grown diamonds can cost up to 50 percent less.

June 2016, CNBC: Synthetic diamonds can cost 30 percent less than mined diamonds.

November 2016, WSJ: Synthetic diamonds are 25 percent cheaper than natural diamonds.

January 2017, FOX43: Millennials are particularly fond of lab-diamonds because of the 20 to 30 percent price break.

February 2017, WEAR: Lab created diamonds traditionally cost 20 to 25 percent less.

What can you say, looking at these quotes (except that the Internet preserves everything and the author of this article is notable for being a tremendous bore)? Manufacturers of synthetic diamonds keep saying that their products are much cheaper than natural diamonds. A low price is considered the most obvious advantage of synthetics, and it is much more understandable for the consumer than some connection with conflicts or ecological production.

However, look at how rapidly the numbers are changing in the above mass media statements. Back in 2015, we were told that synthetics cost half as much as natural stones, while in winter 2017 it is cheaper by only 20%. This means that prices for synthetic diamonds have risen by 250% in a matter of only two years, while prices for natural diamonds fell by about 15% during the same period.

But 20% is still a significant advantage in price, isn't it? No, it is not. Dont be surprised: advertising is more often than not apt to omit something very important. And if the cost of producing synthetics is noticeably lower than the cost of mining natural diamonds, this does not mean that you will feel this difference in the jewelry store.

Let us imagine an engagement affair with the most modest budget. For her, we would have come up with a standard solitaire ring of 14-carat white gold graced with one 0.5-carat diamond having reasonably good characteristics in terms of clarity and color  VS2/G.

If we try to pick up such a ring on the Internet, we'll see this:

Strange, isnt it?

But, maybe we just chose a wrong size and wrong grades for diamonds to be compared? And we also should admit that a half-a-carat diamond for such a serious event as engagement may be too small. According to Edahn Golan, the most popular choice for American consumers are diamonds weighing 1-1.04 carats (they account for about 10% of sales) in the color/clarity range of H-I/SI1-SI2.

Well, let's try to find a solitaire ring in white gold with a one-carat diamond of I color and SI1 clarity.

This looks more like what we are told about the cheapness of synthetic stones. However, the figures still do not converge: the average price of synthetic diamonds is lower than that of natural diamonds by 12%, not by 20%. And the prices per se, as you can see, vary considerably depending on the store. For $ 4000, you can buy an artificial diamond at Brilliant Earth or a very much similar, but natural diamond at Blue Nile.

It is worth noting that during this research I faced one difficulty: by far not all stores provide an opportunity to choose a diamond with specific characteristics of color and clarity. Often you have to choose from the already available assortment of finished goods, which may not be what you are looking for.

This prompted me to another and the most interesting experiment. It is believed that the American consumer is inclined to choose stones of larger sizes, but of lower quality. What if we try to find the cheapest one-carater in the assortments offered by jewelry retailers? Not for a betrothal, but for myself! Let it have low characteristics, if only it were a large sparkler to the envy of all my friends!

Twenty-five percent. It is exactly by that amount you will pay less for a mass-consumption natural diamond ring compared with minimum prices offered by vendors of synthetics. Natural stones are cheaper than synthetic stones, and not vice versa.

Moreover, prices for natural diamonds offered by some retailers could be even lower, if they sold diamonds of lower quality grades. But, for example, Blue Nile and Brilliant Earth terminate their assortments at SI1-SI2 and do not sell stones of the I clarity grade. On average, all the above diamonds have their color in the range of I-K and clarity in the range of I1-I3.

Pricing for synthetic diamond rings turned out to be quite a curious thing (which still needs to be studied in more detail). In some cases, prices for artificial diamonds were comparable with prices for natural diamonds. In other cases, some stones were cheaper, but their setting cost was prohibitively expensive. For comparison, the simplest and cheapest solitaire mounting in 14-carat gold from Blue Nile costs $ 210, while Diamond Foundry sells it at $ 500 (and this is not the limit!).

No doubt, the prime cost of synthetic stones is lower than that of natural stones. In order to grow a synthetic stone, you do not need to dig a deep mine, build a dressing mill, pay a salary to thousands of workers and build schools for their families. The consumer may listen to this and rejoice: buying an artificial stone, he will not only save, but also avoid financing pollution by unscrupulous diamond-mining cartels. But it turns out that all this is nothing more than advertising slogans. In reality, the consumer will not see any difference in price. Taking advantage of trustworthy consumers, who still believe in the attractiveness of diamonds, synthetics vendors will charge them to the full extent, putting the difference in their pockets. This is, apparently, what is now called the new standards of ethical jewelry and responsible supply chain.

PS: While researching jewelry retail, I made several other important observations.

Observation # 1: Play it safe with your wallet. In one and the same store you can find two diamonds of the same size and characteristics, but one of them will be much more expensive than the other. For a one-carater of the I color and I2 clarity you may be asked to pay $ 2000 and $ 8000. Such a malady affects absolutely all stores that sell diamonds of various price categories, both natural and synthetic. Probably (and even most likely!), a helpful sales assistant will be able to explain to you this difference in price and even provide some rationale as to why it is worth buying the stone with the larger price tag. But for now, it just looks like a test for attentiveness, where win those who are attentive while reading all the descriptions.

Observation # 2: Not to tempt customers to be meticulous, some stores (especially in the mass market segment) do not bother at all to specify exact characteristics of diamonds they sell. They indicate the whole price of a diamond ring pointing out in its description that its color and clarity range is within H-J/S1-S2. For them its a trifle that the difference between H/S1 and J/S2 on the Rapaport price list may reach $ 1500 per carat! And it is doubtful that this is a display of great generosity, in which expensive diamonds are sold cheaper. It is much more likely that lower quality stones bear higher price tags.

It is precisely due to such "maneuvers" of jewelry retail, that synthetics vendors have an opportunity to declare that their goods are significantly cheaper than natural stones. To come up with a beautiful advertising slogan, it is not necessary to compare really comparable things. It is quite sufficient to compare the cheapest synthetic one-carater and the most expensive natural diamond of the same weight from the above described assortment.

Elena Levina for Rough&Polished




Award-winning designer Sarah Ho, was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Macau before moving to London to enrich her skills in design and gemmology.

Sarahs inspirational designs are a sentimental reflection of the different chapters in her life and her family heritage. Each collection has a story told through her love of colour, flowing elegant lines and lacework in precious metals that harmonise seamlessly with precious stones.

The companys birth became a reality in 2006, thrusting the young designer into the world where the beauty of high jewellery first caught her eye.

Sarah Ho has kindly agreed to answer the questions from Rough&Polished.

How did you come to the jeweller's art?

I began my studies in fashion, incorporating the stonework with gemstones into my work, while my love of the arts helped me find the exciting colour combinations, contrasting textures that complimented each other, while the femininity of ceramics formed my refined silhouettes.







Amaryllis Full Ring in 18ct white gold and diamonds





At the end of each term, I found an overabundance of research into stonework, gemstones, and the Art Deco period which seemed to take precedence over my faltering interest into the archives of ateliers in Paris. It was here that the seed for my love of jewellery design began to grow, and where I found my true voice in the language of creativity.

I finished my fashion course and travelled to Antwerp to study to be a gemologist. It was here that my platform of creative expression became clear to me, while the realm of high jewellery revealed the world in which I aspired to be a part of, a place where I could create my own story written through my jewellery design, a home where I could share my mothers' and grandmothers' love of fine jewellery, which continues to fascinate me since my childhood.







Paradis Earrings in platinum, 18ct rose gold, brilliant cut diamonds and conch pearls





Do you produce only diamond studded jewellery?

Diamonds play a key role in my work, allowing my passion for collecting precious gemstones that have a unique shape, colour, or story to shine in my pieces.

What is your view of lab-grown diamonds?

I feel that disclosure is paramount when working or purchasing a lab-grown near gem which I am yet to work with.

For me, I like to create a story within my work that reflects a chapter, a memory, a sentiment, or symbolism in some form and feel that a mined diamond can bring an extra depth to the significance of a jewellery piece.







Fancy Diamond Numerati Ring No 2





The lab-grown diamond has evolved in recent years, bringing with it an array of shapes, colours and sizes which act as an alternative for the consumer working within the constraints of a budget, an area which I would be very happy to work within to fulfil my clients' desire for that special piece.

With gold prices on the rise, is silver the new gold at present?

As consumers flutter between Silver and Gold, the expanding Middle has become more present in the marketplace, creating a situation where we are all waiting to see which metal will reign triumphant.





Suki Yellow gold ring





I have recently moved my business away from silver to focus fully on gold, and have found within the realms of high/fine jewellery that the demand by consumers has slightly shifted but is still very present as they seek the story, that unique factor which separates it from the rest in terms of investment.

Is there any overseas market you would like to cater to in the future?

I have been growing my business in Asia for the last year and would like to continue this expansion by venturing into the middle eastern market next.

Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels




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By Press Trust of India: New Delhi Mar 12 (PTI) In the third accident in a week involving a luxury car, a BMW allegedly driven by an inebriated man rammed into an Uber cab and an auto, injuring four persons in south Delhis RK Puram area this morning.

Police said that the incident was reported on Major Somnath Sharma Marg in sector 9 at 8:30 AM, when a BMW car travelling on the wrong side of the road allegedly rammed in a Swift Dzire car and then an auto.

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The vehicle only stopped after breaking the boundary wall of a residential area.

"The driver of the car has been arrested and it is suspected that he was under the influence of alcohol. A liquor bottle has been recovered from his car," said a senior police officer.

The driver of the silver-coloured BMW, Rajat Prabhakar, is a resident of Karol Bagh and was allegedly inebriated at the time of the accident, he said.

The Swift Dzire car was a cab driven by Pradeep (35). He was dropping a married couple, Munni Dutta (28) and her husband Bitoo Pal (32), to the airport.

They are both critically injured and doctors had not declared them stable till evening.

Police said that the couple belongs to Assam and is currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS trauma centre, along with others who were injured in the accident.

The autorickshaw was parked on the side and the driver Ram Chander (60) was inside.

"The driver of the BMW was coming from the wrong side and had a head on collision with the cab and auto," said the officer.

Police said they have informed family members of the couple, both of whom work at private companies in Noida.

Chanders wife Ramvati said that her husband had been driving auto since the last 40 years but had never had an accident until Sunday.

The auto driver was reading a newspaper in the auto when the BMW hit his vehicle.

The accused helps his father in their business.

Last week, a Mercedes had killed a teen biker in outer Delhis Paschim Vihar area, following which two men were arrested.

In another incident, a 50-year-old labourer was injured in south Delhis Moti Bagh area when he was hit by a Mercedes car. PTI SLB KUN

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Blink-182 have reportedly signed on for a headlining performance at the upcoming Fyre Festival. The event is set to take place in the Bahamas and the band will join an impressive lineup including Lil Yachty and Migos.

"We are very excited that The Exumas have been selected as the home of Fyre Festival," the Bahamas' minister of tourism, the Honorable Obediah H. Wilchombe, M.P., says in a statement. "This music festival will bring to The Bahamas one of the largest events ever hosted in our destination, and we are delighted to welcome all attendees to our island."

The festival will take place over two weekends, running between April 28-30 and May 5-7. General admission tickets for the fest have already sold out but there are some VIP and experience passes still available through the fest's official website.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Entertainment News
Japan will on Monday release January figures for machine orders, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Machine orders were up 6.7 percent both on month and on year in December.

Japan also will see January results for the tertiary industry index and February numbers for producer prices. The tertiary industry index in December was down 0.4 percent on month.

Producer prices are expected to add 0.2 percent on month and 1.0 percent on year after rising 0.6 percent on month and 0.5 percent on year in January.

Australia will see January figures for credit card purchases and balances; in December, they were at A$27.7 billion and A$52.8 billion, respectively.

Hong Kong will provide Q4 data for industrial production and producer prices; in the third quarter, industrial production fell 1.3 percent on quarter and 0.1 percent on year, while producer prices jumped an annual 3.9 percent.

The Philippines will release Q4 numbers for current account; in the third quarter, the current account surplus was $979 million.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
By Press Trust of India: Raipur, Mar 12 (PTI) A top official in the Union Home Ministry and acting DG of CRPF Sudeep Lakhtakia today visited Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, where12 paramilitary personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush, and reviewed the anti-Naxal operations.

Senior Security Advisor in the Union Home Ministry K Vijay Kumar,Lakhtakia and other officials visited the spot of the attack and took stock of the situation, a senior police official told PTI.

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"The two top officials took stock of the situation and reviewed the anti-Maoist operations in Sukma," he said.

They were accompanied by Inspector General of Police (in-charge) Bastar Range P Sundarraj, Sukma Superintendent of Police Abhishek Meena and other paramilitary officials, he added.

A Court of Inquiry (COI) has been ordered by the force into the incident to find out how it happened in the area which is close to the camp of a paramilitary force.

Besides, the CoI has been ordered to find out lapses and shortcomings if any, the official said.

Meanwhile, local police has been directed to trace local janmilitia members (of Maoists), who play a key role as informant for the Naxalguerrillasbefore they execute such major attacks, he said, adding some suspects will soon be interrogated in this connection.

In one of the deadliest attacks on security forces, 12 CRPF personnel were yesterday killed and their arms looted whenNaxalsambushed their patrol party in the Maoist hotbed of Sukma inChhattisgarh. PTI TKP NRB IKA

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By Press Trust of India: circumstances

Fatehgarh Sahib (Pb), Mar 12 (PTI) An inmate of a civil hospitals drug de-addiction centre here was found dead today under mysterious circumstances, police said.

Varinderpal Singh was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his room in the hospital, where he was admitted for treatment for alcohol abuse on March 10, they said, adding a police team reached the hospital after receiving information.

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The incident occurred when his father had gone to the hospitals canteen, at around 11 am, to arrange for tea and breakfast. He found the door of the victims room locked when he returned, police said.

When no one opened the door after repeated knocking, the hospital staff broke it. They found the victims body hanging from the fan, police said, adding Singh was declared brought by doctors of the hospitals emergency ward.

Hospital staff said Singh had come to the centre for a check-up in the first week of March. He was diagnosed as a "high risk" case, police said.

Two of his family members were with him but he allegedly committed suicide when they went to the canteen, they said.

Fatehgarh Sahib Civil Surgeon Harinder Kaur said an inquiry will be conducted and action will be taken if anyone from the health department was found guilty.

Police said the case is being investigated and people, including hospital staff, are being questioned. PTI CORR VJ ANB

--- ENDS ---
By SA Commercial Prop News

The Competition Commission has been called on to address exclusivity clauses in shopping-mall leases that may be anti-competitive and restrain economic growth



A call for the Competition Commission to address exclusivity clauses in shopping-mall leases that may be anticompetitive and restrain economic growth has been made by the South African Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) Association.

Exclusivity clauses have been historically signed between landlords and the largest tenant shops to prevent direct competitors from opening stores at the same malls.



The association is of the opinion that grocery retailers are using these clauses in their fight to restrict each other in market share, the association said on Friday.



The Reit Association represents SAs listed Reit sector and includes many owners of shopping centres.



It comprises all SAs property companies which abide by certain tax rules and pay out at least 90% of their income to unitholders each year. The associations members represent about R250bn worth of real estate assets.



It said shopping-centre owners are caught between contractual obligations with their supermarket tenants and providing a variety of grocery retailers to their customers to the detriment of SAs consumers.



It considered exclusivity clauses undesirable and was looking to the Competition Commission to intervene. The association confirms its members side with consumers on this issue and support upholding free market principles.



OBC Chicken added its voice to the associations complaint, saying it is often prevented from opening branches at certain malls. OBC sells chicken products predominantly in township areas and around train stations and taxi ranks.



When positive negotiations with landlords are suddenly reneged on for no reason whatsoever, one becomes concerned, said MD Tony da Fonseca.



The franchise group is concerned that malls opening in its traditional areas of business often practise the blocking of sites by the anchor tenants who obviously have a greater say in the tenant mix of shopping centres, said Mr da Fonseca. This is perpetrated by many of the big players in the retail supermarket arena who have discovered the potential of trading in high-density black areas, he said.



In 2009 the Competition Commission investigated the exclusivity clauses of lease agreements of shopping malls. It concluded the investigation two years later, without prosecuting any of the parties.



But it noted that its the new landlords or acquiring partys responsibility to use its best endeavour to negotiate with their supermarket tenants the removal of exclusivity clauses from their leases.



The association said property owners had been unable to get the retailers to remove exclusivity clauses from the lease agreements.



SAs third-biggest Reit, Hyprop Investments, said this week it had exclusivity clauses at some malls. Its major malls include Clearwater Mall, Hyde Park Corner, Woodlands and Canal Walk.
Uncertainty looms large on government formation in Manipur although the ruling Congress is the single largest party in the new assembly with 28 seats.

Independent candidate Ashab Uddin, who is yet to announce his support for any party, is likely to play a vital role in the formation of the new government.

Ashab Uddin won from Jiribam defeating Thoudam Debendra Singh of the Congress by 1,650 votes.

Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy said on Sunday that his party would support the Congress.

In the results declared on Saturday, the Congress got 28 seats in the 60-member assembly while 21 seats went to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Until now, the BJP had just two seats.

The Naga People's Front (NPF), the National People's Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) are constituents of the BJP-led alliance and are most likely to support the BJP in government formation.

If they do that, the BJP grouping's tally will go up to 30, just one short for a simple majority.

Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu said in Kohima that his NPF, which has four legislators, would support the BJP. The NPF has sent a letter to the Governor.

The NPP also has four members and the LJP one member.

The Congress is three seats short of a majority.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, in charge of the Northeast, is camping in Imphal to supervise the numbers game.

Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had a brief meeting on Saturday night with the Governor.

Ram Madhav contended that the verdict of the people was against the Congress and that with the support of the like-minded smaller parties the BJP would form the next ministry.

He, however, declined to give a time frame saying the party shall stake claim as and when it has "enough numbers".

Congress sources said Ibobi was in touch with the National People's Party. While the Congress needs just three MLAs to stake claim to power, the BJP needs at least 10 MLAs.

According to party sources, Congress leaders will again call on Governor Najma Heptulla soon to stake claim to form the government.

"Being the single largest party, the Congress should be given the first chance," a Congress leader said.

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders do not agree.

Party spokesperson Nongthombam Biren Singh, being considered as the Chief Ministerial candidate, said: "Democracy is a game of numbers. We have the majority with the support of like-minded parties. We will stake claim shortly."

Nongthombam Biren Singh won from Heingang defeating Trinamool Congress' Pangeijam Saratchandra Singh.

In the just concluded election, the BJP got 36.3 per cent of valid votes while the Congress secured 35.1 per cent.
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday said the BJP's landslide electoral wins in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand showed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "is the most dominant political leader".

"The victories in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Uttarakhand have re-confirmed that Mr Narendra Modi is the most dominant political leader," said Chidambaram on his official Twitter account.

The BJP, powered by an aggressive campaign spearheaded by Modi, won a whopping 312 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly -- an unprecedented showing by any party in the country's most populous state -- and 57 seats in the 70-member Uttarakhand assembly.
The Congress, which swept the Punjab assembly elections, on Sunday formally elected Amarinder Singh as the head of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Amarinder later met Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore and stalked claim to form the next government in the state.

"We have staked claim to form the next government. The swearing in will take place on March 16," Amarinder told media after his meeting with the Governor.

This is the second time that Amarinder will become Chief Minister of the state. He had remained Chief Minister from 2002-2007.

Amarinder said that a few cabinet members will also take oath of office along with him, but did not give any details.

The newly elected Congress legislators met here on Sunday to elect the CLP leader. After the meeting authorised Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi to take a decision on the new leader, Congress general secretary Asha Kumari called up Rahul to apprise him.

She later informed the MLAs that Rahul Gandhi had proposed the name of Amarinder Singh as the new CLP leader and the Congress MLAs subsequently unanimously elected Amarinder as their leader by a show of hands.

Outgoing Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal earlier in the day submitted his resignation to the Governor after the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance lost in the assembly elections.

The Governor asked Badal to continue as caretaker Chief Minister till the new government was sworn-in.
Former President Park Geun-hye apologised to the nation after she left the presidential complex on Sunday, two days after the Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment.

Ending some four years' stay in the presidential mansion, Park headed back to her private residence in Samseong neighbourhood of southern Seoul, Yonhap news agency reported.

In a statement read out by her former spokesman, she vowed to clarify the truth behind the corruption allegations that led to her ouster.

"I would like to express my apology for failing to fulfill my duty to the end," Park said. "Although it may take time, I believe the truth will eventually be revealed," she added.

Park was ferried to her private residence in a black limousine, chased by journalists on motorbikes. When she arrived, she waved to cheering supporters, smiling broadly, and shook hands with political allies.

Hundreds of supporters were waiting for her arrival at home, chanting "Park Geu-hye, the President!" and "Cancel the impeachment!"

Pro-Park lawmakers from the Liberty Korea Party also greeted the former leader upon her arrival.

The Constitutional Court on Friday upheld Park's impeachment over a corruption scandal.

But she had stayed on in the presidential complex while keeping silent on the ruling, prompting rivals to criticise her for behaving as if she won't accept the result.

As rumours of Park's possible early return spread in the afternoon, hundreds of her supporters gathered in front of the house, where she lived from 1990 to 2013 before moving into the presidential office.

Some 1,000-strong police force was deployed around the house to prevent possible violence.

Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is loyal to Park, is now the acting president.

The country's Election Commission said a "free and fair" vote will be held by May 9 at the latest.

The early frontrunner, human rights lawyer Moon Jae-in, of the Democratic Party, warned Park that she "must not destroy or take the national records outside" the presidential complex, also known as the Blue House.
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 to defend their national championship this past season.
By Press Trust of India: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Mar 12 (PTI) China, which is believed to be conducting the highest number of executions in the world, said today that it has given death penalty to an "extremely small number" of criminals for serious offences in the last 10 years.

In a work report delivered to National Peoples Congress today, Chief Justice of Chinas Supreme Court Zhou Qiang said the capital punishment had been strictly controlled and applied prudently since 2007.

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In a major judicial reform in SPC reserved the right to review all death penalty decisions handed out by lower courts.

The report however did not give an exact number of cases where death sentences had been applied.

It said courts had strengthened efforts to protect human rights in judicial practice.

Rights groups like Amnesty International in the past accused China of committing highest number of executions of prisoners whose organs were also made available for the needy.

In 2011, China dropped thedeathpenaltyfor 13 economic- related non-violentcrimesm,including smuggling cultural relics, gold and silver; carrying out fraud related to financial bills; forging or selling forged exclusive value-added tax invoices; teaching criminal methods; and robbing ancient cultural ruins.

Later in 2014 China had removed capital punishment for ninemore crimes, including smuggling weapons, ammunition, nuclear materials or counterfeit currencies, raising funds by means of fraud, forcing people into prostitution, obstructing police and military officials, fabricating rumours during wartime.

Instead of the death penalty, those convicted will face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the new law said.

In 2015, China had banned the harvesting oforgansfrom executedprisonersfororgantransplantsand orderedall hospitals stop usingorgansfromdeath-rowprisoners.

The ban came amid criticism over the high rate of executions to cater to the heavy demand for organs. PTI KJV AMS

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Dear Editor,

Now, if not ever is the right time for our leader, Prime Minister Tuilaepa, to step up and make a righteous stand for the people of Samoa.

The proposal to make gambling in casinos open to all residents of Samoa has to be on of the most morally and socially reprehensible suggestions I have ever heard!

The idea of trying to promote and encourage Samoan citizens to spend more money at the casino is so ill conceived it begs one to question the intellect and foresight of these supposed leaders and pillars of our society.

Hearing such comments as Not enough people (using the Casino) means we are not earning enough money from it or  I truly believe that if we allow locals to go and play there, it will keep them from going overseas to spend their money are just plain ludicrous.

Have the existing casinos actively added any real value proposition to our tourism industry?

Where are all the high rolling Asian punters and their entourages purportedly flying in droves to Samoa to place their bets on our casinos? Have they been streaming into Samoa throwing their expendable mounds of money into our economy? I think not.

Most serious and financially equipped gamblers will invariably spend their money at the tables and slot machines - not at the accommodation providers or the many associated tourism providers in and around the vicinity of the casino.

We have a dedicated Tourism Authority charged with promoting Samoa for all the splendid and virtuous qualities this country has to offer. Do we really need to stoop so low as to pretend gambling will somehow be the magical solution?

To make the assumption that gambling will somehow entice and provide our fledging tourism industry with increased revenue is at best a immature and misguided though process. Ask yourself what the prospect of an open gambling regime will deliver and how it will provide any real positive achievement for the people of Samoa? Really, ask yourself this, and if you feel it IS warranted, please then explain to me and the people of Samoa what real benefits this misinformed and ill thought idea can offer?

It is already evident that the problems Samoa faces with unemployment, poverty, obligations of financial support to the many churches and the dependency of remittances for income are a real struggle for the average citizen of this country. To suddenly present the (statistically) forlorn hope of winning the big one or at the very least breaking even with the limited family purse that most survive on is downright insensitive and irresponsible to say the least. Cmon people, we already have lotto and bingo to do that! Why the need for more??

The lure of easy money manifests itself in many forms. How will those opportunistic and sometimes desperate folk support the newly presented opportunity to chance their luck?

Theft, burglaries and fraudulent behaviour in the workplace will invariable increase to sate the money required to fund those punters, This can and probably will have the potential to lead to an unhealthy disruption of the family dynamic, an equally unhealthy break up of the many relationships will ensue. Depression and suicide rates may very well increase. Domestic violence too will succumb to this.

I dont mean to paint the most negative picture here, but seriouslywe already have enough pressure with trying to make ends meet and to support not only our immediate families and children let alone our churches (bingo nights & tithing) and faalavelaves.

To promote the added temptation of spending an already limited budget on a game of chance is for me and example of total disregard for the people one is supposed to represent and genuinely care for.

To those MPs who are making a claim for open gambling in Casinos a reality in Samoa, shame on you! Either you have no conscience towards your constituencies and the families within in them or God forbid, you have an ulterior (self serving) motive to even suggest such a despicable notion.

Back to our leader. Mr Prime Minister - please sir, stop this ridiculous notion and pull your ranks back into order before its too late!

You have the power to steer this nation into becoming a self sufficient and health country.

Please do what is right.

Tony Callaghan
As a nurse, Karen Shultz has always been drawn toward helping other people, so it wasnt a much different path to begin the work of training assistance dogs as a volunteer with Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs in 2004. The local non-profit works with volunteers to train dogs that are later placed with individuals with disabilities to help people gain more independence.

I have always had dogs and cats  and with being a nurse, the mitigating of a disability that a dog is able to be trained to do fit very nicely and was very exciting for me. It quickly became my passion, she says. After training my first service dog in 2004, who was placed with a gentleman who was a quadriplegic, and seeing how much a dog could do to give him independence and a fuller life, I was hooked.

She went on to serve as interim executive director of the organization until earlier this year and is currently president of the board of directors, where she guides their organizational priorities, strategic planning, development and oversees financial operations.

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Shultz, 72, lives in Rancho Santa Fe with her husband, Earl, and they have two children and two grandchildren. (She also has an identical twin sister who works with horses.) She took some time to talk about the non-profits programs training dogs for children with autism, for wounded veterans, and the POOCH program that trains inmates at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility and Mule Creek State Prison to train service dogs that are later placed with families and individuals.

Q: Tell us about Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs.

A: It began as an all-volunteer organization by the original founders with a goal to train service dogs for those seeking a fuller, more independent life. In 2007, we received international accreditation from Assistance Dogs International, the umbrella organization over service dog groups. Responding to the needs of our changing world, we now endeavor to focus on training service dogs in two specific arenas: In 2008, the Leash-on-Life program started to train dogs for individuals and families impacted by autism; and in 2010, the At Ease program was started to assist our countrys wounded warriors with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain Injury, and/or mobility limitations. Within these two programs, we also train facility dogs that work in clinics and schools and provide canine assisted therapy for several individuals. In 2014, the POOCH (Prisoners Overcoming Obstacles and Creating Hope) program was introduced as a pilot to evaluate feasibility and a way to meet the ever-growing need for trained service dogs. The program officially launched in two prisons in 2016 (Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility and the Mule Creek State Prison).

Q: What compelled you to start training dogs for children with autism?

A: In 2007, I attended a conference in Maryland and a mother spoke of her son with autism and the help provided by his service dog. She was told to institutionalize her 3-year-old son and medicate him daily, which she refused and instead consulted a service dog organization nearby. She then showed a film of her son walking into high school with his dog, who was then mainstreamed into regular classrooms. Our director of training and I spent three weeks in Canada with this organization that summer to learn their technique and realized we could easily create this program.

Q: What did you know about whether/how dogs could help children with autism?

A: I learned that children with autism see in pictures and so do dogs. And I have read many Temple Grandin books to learn more about autism. An autism dog needs to be very stable and work well with children, around loud noises and the rapid movements of a child on the spectrum. The family needs to be totally on board to learn about the training and be able to work the dog as a third party handler, which is a commitment to their already busy days. An autism service dog can provide safety, social, communication and adaptive skills, which leads to greater independence for the entire family. A child will usually respond to a dog and imitate its behavior more readily than a humans example, like putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, sitting quietly on their mat at story time or crawling at physical therapy.

What I love about Rancho Santa Fe ...

I love the rustic and natural beauty, great weather and quietness of the neighborhood. I love being close to the ocean to enjoy its beauty. I find I can be as busy and involved as I would like with others, or accomplish a lot in the quietness of my home and surroundings when Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs is growing so nicely.

Q: How is a dog trained differently for a child with autism than one trained for other children or adults?

A: An autism service dog needs to be very gentle-mouthed, be able to tolerate rapid movements and sudden loud noises. It needs to be able to lay calmly beside a child having a meltdown while the parent attends to the child, be able to lay on top of a child that needs deep pressure therapy for calming, to stop and lay down immediately to stop a child that is leashed to the dogs vest and takes off running, to assist by placing its head in a childs lap to help them tolerate a car ride, to lay under the childs feet at the dinner table so they remain in their seat by the child rubbing their feet on the dogs back, to interact in games with the child, and sleep in the childs room to notify the parents of the childs night wandering, if necessary. These are only a few of the tasks that are custom trained for each unique childs needs.

Q: You also have the At Ease Program for wounded veterans?

A: We train and place service dogs with wounded warriors with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and/or mobility issues in order to help mitigate their disability and reintegrate them back into the community and their families. About 50 percent of our dogs are placed with wounded veterans who apply through our website or via their medical professionals referral. The tasks often trained for an At Ease dog is leaning into the clients leg when the leg is tapped, as a calming mechanism, whereby the individual reaches down and touches the dogs head, takes a deep breath and walks out of a situation in a controlled fashion. The dog can stand in front of the individual to keep others from getting too close, or behind them when in a line to keep people off their back. The dog can notify the client when someone enters the room, awaken them during a nightmare, turn on lights, open doors, lay across their feet in a meeting, help them get up from a fall, remind them to take medications, retrieve items  this list goes on depending on the individuals needs.

Q: Tell us about the POOCH program at the prisons.

A: In 2014, it became apparent that the two-year commitment needed from volunteers to raise and train the service dogs in their homes was too hard for most volunteers to meet. This left us with the challenge of finding a new way to get these dogs trained and led to the POOCH program. After researching, we decided to approach the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility and the warden there was very excited about the possibility. The program allows us to increase the number of service dogs available to those in need, while lowering our costs, and providing an opportunity for self- and community improvement within the prison system through the experience of training a dog using only positive reinforcement techniques.

Q: How does POOCH work?

A: Inmates apply for the program and if they meet the minimum requirements, such as a certain custody level and at least 12 months free of disciplinary action, they are recommended by prison staff. The inmates meet with our instructors twice a week to learn about behavior theory and training techniques, and once theyve completed the coursework and demonstrated proficiency in dog handling, theyre grouped into handler teams of a minimum of two inmates per dog. The dog lives in the cell with the inmates and has opportunities for furlough visits with program volunteers that are employees of the prison. The inmates must maintain a disciplinary-free status in order to remain in the program. Institution staff is given information on the program and procedures to follow in order to keep the dogs safe. The inmates learn to teach the dogs basic foundation cues as well as the advanced service dog cues. Once a dog graduates, the inmates have the opportunity to start training a new dog.

Q: Whats been rewarding about this work?

A: I am rewarded by working with service dogs and helping those who had no idea how much their life could change with a custom-trained dog by their side. I love seeing the dogs talents and the clients needs, and then figuring out how to best make this team work to its highest capabilities. Giving added abilities to someone with very few of them is a monstrous gift and is my daily goal in placing our dogs.

Q: What is the best advice youve ever received?

A: I was once told by a longtime donor that I needed to be more like a Marine at times and make harder decisions than I would like to, and found him to be right on since my tendency is to mediate most of the time and not make harsh decisions and cut losses.

Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?

A: That I am basically shy and a behind-the-scenes person, not a born leader. And I love fly fishing.

Q: Describe your ideal San Diego weekend.

A: Having a quiet dinner with friends while sitting on the patio by the stream at home, with a glass of wine in the evening, thinking about the day and the future with my family and a dog at my side.

Email: lisa.deaderick@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @lisadeaderick
After its landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, BJP is all set to sweep Delhi during the upcoming civil polls. The party has coined a "Mission 202" strategy which is an aim to get minimum 202 seats out of 272 in the civic polls.

By Arpan Rai: After its sweeping victory in Uttar Pradesh, BJP is aiming to sweep Delhi by coining a "Mission 202" strategy for the upcoming civic polls.

Talking to Mail Today , BJP MP and state unit chief Manoj Tiwari said, "The party is all set to roll out a strategy. We are aiming for a minimum 202 seats out of 272 in the civic polls."

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"BJP stands a good chance in Delhi and today's verdict will attest our claim," Tiwari said.

Commenting on AAP's dismal performance, Tiwari said that lying to the people of Delhi did not help the case of Aam Aadmi Party and the party should have instead focussed on strengthening its performance in Capital.

"There are so many pipelines that need to be laid and tankers required to fulfil the need of people of Delhi but instead Kejriwal lied. There is no doubt that AAP should have focussed on Delhi instead of eyeing Goa and Punjab," Tiwari added.

"The people of Delhi know how AAP has misused crores of state government fund in placing all its bets in Punjab and Goa. Now how will they bring this money back to Delhi," the BJP MP from North East Delhi asked.

Jumping on the bandwagon, debut contender in the Municipal elections and Yogendra Yadav-led Swaraj India's National spokesperson Anupam also ripped the party of the "wave of change and hope" AAP came riding on and won 67 seats in the Vidhan Sabha elections.

The former AAP member said that winning elections in Punjab for an entrant was a cakewalk. "There was evident hatred for the Badal government and incumbency against Congress and yet AAP lost because they did not do any work on the ground," Anupam told Mail Today.

He also added that AAP does not stand any chance in Delhi because of the anger against the party in the capital.

"Akin to the anger against Akalis in Punjab, there is a lot of anger against AAP. They claim that they do not have sufficient funds to pay corporation workers but they also give five pages of advertisement," he said.

Even Yogendra Yadav had told Mail Today that he witnessed a lot of anger against Arvind Kejriwal during his door-to-door campaigning in Delhi. "People will show Arvind Kejriwal their anger in the MCD elections because they feel cheated and lied to. Arvind Kejriwal has no interest in serving the people of Delhi."

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Also read: Goa Election Results: BJP wins 13 seats, claims support of nine MLAs

Also read: Kaam, KaSaB, Kabristan and Caste: What worked for BJP in Uttar Pradesh

Also watch:

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Five homicide victims whose bodies were found in a rooming house near the U.S. border in Tijuanas Zona Norte were members of a neighborhood drug gang, police said Sunday.

The victims, who were not identified, had criminal records including deprivation of liberty and fighting, according a statement by Tijuana Municipal Police.

Officers arrived at the scene at about 2 p.m. Saturday after receiving a report of a man with gunshot wounds lying outside the rooming house, located on Avenida Miguel F. Martinez between Coahuila and Baja California streets. They found five more victims inside the rooming house, who were declared dead at the scene by paramedics from the Red Cross.

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The police statement said that that the department had learned that the five dead individuals as well as the injured man belong to a group of neighborhood drug dealers that operate in the Zona Norte.

Tijuana registered a record 916 homicides last year, which officials attribute in large measure to in-fighting among gangs focused on the local drug trade. The killings have been continuing this year, with more than 200 homicide in January and February alone.

sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com

@sandradibble
Congressmen Darrell Issa and Duncan Hunter were confronted by rowdy protesters Saturday at separate back-to-back town hall meetings.

It was the first time the North County Republicans held forums with their constituents since Donald Trump became president, and in San Diego, like many parts of the country, the congressmen were met by opponents of the new administrations agenda.

Healthcare was a major topic of concern at both town halls.

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In Oceanside, before taking the stage in front of a crowd of 500 constituents, Issa spoke with a few people, including a 10-year-old Orange County boy who asked whether Issa would guarantee that he would have affordable healthcare.

Issa told the boy hed asked the question exactly the right way, noting that the child used the word affordable. He promised healthcare would be a topic of discussion at future town halls.

Outside the auditorium where Issa spoke, 100-plus people waved signs and chanted, This is what democracy looks like.

Most were concerned about a proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act and other Trump administration policies. Inside the sometimes raucous meeting, when Issa referred to the healthcare act as Obamacare, the crowd jeered and some yelled its official name.

Its not affordable, Issa responded.

At one point, when Issa referenced the situation with Russia, in which the country interfered in last years elections, some in the audience chanted, Do your job!

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) speaks at a town hall meeting to discuss healthcare reform in Oceanside on Saturday. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

The first town hall ran about an hour. The second, with Hunter, was longer and noisier.

Healthcare was still the common thread during the 90-minute discussion in Ramona, in which attendees sometimes shouted at each other and exchanged insults.

Crowd estimates ranged from 300 to 400 at the Ramona Mainstage, and hundreds more lined up outside, most of whom were protesting Hunter as well as Trump. The Sheriffs Department estimated about 1,000 people total at the event.

Hunter said he isnt completely satisfied with the new American Health Care Act, which was introduced earlier in the week. But he said generally supports the replacement plan because he thinks it will make insurance cheaper, and therefore, more accessible, than the Affordable Care Act.

We know it is going to disrupt the market, Hunter said. I dont believe in guaranteed healthcare. I believe in guaranteed access to healthcare that people can afford.

But he sometimes antagonized the crowd. When people booed one of Trumps policies, Hunter sang a line from Queens hit We are the Champions in response.

Answering a question from the galley, he said he would not support an independent investigation into Russian interference in last years elections, but he said he does back various investigations by Congress.

The intelligence community, Hunter said, is filled with seditious Obama folks who hate Donald Trump as much as you do and are trying to undermine the administration.

I would think you would be for freedom and liberty, not for an Orwellian government, which is what we have right now, he said.

He said he believes that Trumps emails and communications were intercepted when Obama was in office, but when questioned by a reporter, he later said he has no proof of that claim.

In a tweet earlier this month, Trump said Obama had wiretapped his phone. The White House has not provided any explanation or support for the claim, which Obama and his intelligence officials have denied.

Sheriffs Deputy Jerry Hartman said an extra 14 deputies were brought in to help manage the crowd and traffic, but there were no arrests, despite some heated tempers.

The congressmans father, former Rep. Duncan Hunter, spoke with people waiting outside. He said the protesters were upset about the outcome of the democratic process and werent being fair to the new administration.

Youre seeing folks who were on the losing side who have decided to protest rather than give the president a chance, he said. To some degree, they are disrespecting democracy.

A push for the town halls has been brewing. Every Tuesday for the last few months, a couple of hundred people have gathered outside Issas Vista office, demanding the congressman meet with them.

Less intense crowds have appeared outside Hunters offices in Temecula and El Cajon.

About two weeks ago, Issa surprised the protesters by making an appearance outside his office. For about 90 minutes, he took questions from the crowd, which included about six dozen Trump supporters.

The unexpected event came hours before a town hall organized by activists who wanted Issa to address their concerns about promised changes to the Affordable Care Act. Issa was invited but did not attend that event, citing a scheduling conflict.

Figueroa and Stewart write for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

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What are the chances?

Its the coldly calculating question an actuary, or a bookie, would pose.

But its what flies to mind when an admirable person like Catherine Kennedy is struck down by a coincidence with longer odds than any lottery.

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The chances of Kennedy, a 55-year-old mother, dying from gang-related gunfire as she drove home from her Escondido church Tuesday were astronomical, millions-to-one.

And yet thats what apparently happened.

The bullet that killed Kennedy could have missed her in countless ways. It could have been fired a second later or sooner, a foot wider or higher. A near-miss.

But in a cruel conspiracy of fate, the worst thing imaginable happened to her.

On an emotional level, North County swings between grief for Kennedys family and friends and anger over violence on the streets.

Against this sad backdrop, todays roses and raspberries are reminders that, chances are, life goes on fairly predictably.

Until, suddenly, it doesnt.

A thorny rose  the More the Hairier award  to Mike Levin, a 39-year-old Orange County environmental attorney whos announced that hes joining fellow Democrat Doug Applegate in challenging Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, in the 2018 midterm election.

For Democrats, the good news is that two reasonably capable candidates will be in the primary field, raising money and double-teaming Issa and his ties to President Trump.

The bad news, of course, is that two reasonably capable candidates will be in the field, raising money and tearing each other down because, lets face it, only one will make it through the primary to face wealthy incumbent Issa in the November general election.

On the positive side, the two candidates for the 49th District congressional seat offer some stark contrasts. They may excite for different reasons, drawing different sectors of voters to the polls.

Applegate, a retired Marine colonel who came within a whisker of defeating Issa in 2016 (and actually beat him in North County), emphasizes his interest in foreign affairs and his military experience, which sells well in North County. A messy divorce will remain a problem, as will his problems with campaign fund accounting. But hes a proven performer on the stump.

Levin, on the other hand, will be banking on his youth, his connections to OC (where Issa outperformed Applegate) and the Clinton family (Levin went to Stanford at the same time Chelsea Clinton did), and his environmental credentials, which also have an appeal, particularly in a district concerned about the danger posed by the shuttered San Onofre nuclear plant (see raspberry below).

So its an open question if Democrats increase or decrease their chances of knocking off Issa by double-teaming the primary.

At the very least, however, the Democratic rivalry makes the race potentially richer in roses and raspberries.

Never a bad thing.

A raspberry the What a Glowing Waste award  to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for taking sides in a lawsuit that cries out for neutrality.

In a court filing, Becerra supported the Coastal Commissions permit allowing the long-term storage of 3.6 million pounds of nuclear waste at the closed San Onofre nuclear plant.

Look, Im not a lawyer.

There may be a good argument that the commission was acting well within its purview to OK the storage of spent fuel in steel canisters within concrete bunkers.

Nevertheless, how in the world could the attorney general not look at the facts on the sandy ground and concede that the storage may be legal in a fine sense but, in a broad sense, its practically insane.

At most, the AG should have declared his neutrality and let a judge decide if Citizens Oversight, the group represented by former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre, has a case, the argument of which boils down to this:

Who in the hell stores millions of pounds of radioactive waste on an oceanfront cliff in the middle of a metropolitan area!

Granted, denying a Coastal Commission permit would trigger a cascade of all sorts of issues requiring solution.

Where, for example, should the waste be shipped  and how do you do it?

Decades have been wasted addressing the problem. A judicial deadline may be the only spur to action.

Becerras brief in support of the Coastal Commission amounts to kicking a radioactive can down the road, a bowing to a status quo that cannot be defended with a straight face.

A rose  the Breakfast of Champions award  to Kaitlin Rose, the 30-year-old proprietor of Rosies Cafe, better known by locals as Champions, the old-school diner on Escondidos Grand Avenue that a year ago served up its last steaming helping of corned beef hash.

To her credit, Annette Champion decided to sell the family business, but only to a worthy successor who would respect the restaurants aromatic brand.

It took awhile, but young Rose, a budding entrepreneur, fit the demanding bill.

Its comforting, on the culinary as well as the heritage level, that the spirit of Champions has been resurrected with the same basic American menu, the same down-home vibe.

Too bad we dont see more such resurrections of landmark mom-and-pop businesses that give North County its unique flavors.

logan.jenkins@sduniontribune.com
The attorney representing a University of San Diego student who alleges administrators did not properly respond after she reported she was raped said he is preparing to file a second lawsuit on behalf of another student with a similar claim.

Attorney Daniel Gilleon said since he filed the lawsuit against USD in March, several other women have contacted him about the school response to their reports of sexual assaults. He said he expects to file the second lawsuit as soon as next week.

The original lawsuit names as defendants USD and two male students accused of raping his client, a law student who still is attending the school. Gilleon said it is important for victims to come forward and sue their assailants in civil court even though the defendants usually have little assets.

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If nothing else, my lawsuit is going to get the attention of every guy at USD and make them pause for a second and say, You know what, maybe I cant get away with these, Gilleon said about the message the lawsuit could send.

University officials have said they cannot comment on lawsuits, but take allegations about sexual assaults seriously.

Gilleon said both women he represents were student athletes.

Both were treated similarly by USD, who basically ignored them and almost blamed them, he said.

Gilleon said the men accused of rape in both cases are still students at the school. The client in his first case left but later returned to school, and the client in his upcoming case left and did not come back.

I dont know if thats their end game, to fix a problem by making the victim leave, but thats what happened to my client, he said.

Gilleon said the newest case is from a February 2014 incident that was more violent than the first. He said the victim went to the hospital for treatment after being attacked in her dorm room.

Gilleon said both students filed claims that USD had violated Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination on campuses, but were dismissed because they were told they didnt prove their case.

In the first lawsuit, the victim said she was raped by two fellow law students at one of the mens apartments in May 2013.

The woman in that case said a university official advised her against going to the police.

In both cases, Gilleon faults how USD investigated the allegations and said the school did not follow its own policy of working with the San Diego Police Department.

Theres a memorandum of understanding between the police department and USD, he said. Its the police department, not USD, that is supposed to be the primary reporting and investigating agency. Specifically, the 1999 memorandum he referred to states the San Diego Police Department is the primary reporting and investigating agency for all violent crimes, including rape, on USD property.

Gilleon said that while the woman who was raped last year was in the hospital, a USD public safety officer went to her dorm room and found her assailant still there, nude.

The man ran off after the public safety officer began talking to him about the rape, he said.

The most important thing for the police is to contact the rapist cold, without him knowing whats going on, Gilleon said. What happens is, public safety goes in, tips them off, tells them theres an allegation against them, and then the investigation falls apart.

Gilleon noted that the universitys own online advice for students who have been assaulted does not list contacting the police as an option.

He was referring to the Campus Assault Resources and Education page, which lists reporting options. Those options include contacting a CARE advocate, a person described on the website as specially trained to provide support to USD students who are impacted by sexual misconduct or relationship violence.

The two other options are to contact the universitys Public Safety Department or the schools Title IX coordinator.

All together, Gilleon said he has been contacted by five women who said they had similar complaints about USD after being sexually assaulted.

Gilleon said he may file a lawsuit on behalf of one woman who said she was sexually assaulted in 2006, although the age of the case could be an obstacle.

Two women with similar complaints about USD also contacted U-T San Diego following an article about Gilleons lawsuit. One of the women is the same one who told Gilleon she was sexually assaulted in 2006.

The other woman wrote in an email that in 2013 she was raped on campus and later attempted suicide.

In her email, she said students are told to call public safety officers instead of the police, and she wrote that she felt threatened rather than supported by administrators during her ordeal. She also described the CARE advocate assigned to her as unqualified and undertrained to help victims.

Before Gilleon filed the first lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights had been investigating the complaint from the student he represents. Gilleon said he was notified by the office that the investigation has been dropped because it would duplicate the effort of his lawsuit.

In March, Pamela Payton, assistant vice president of media and digital communications at USD, wrote in an email to U-T San Diego that the school could not say much about Gilleons lawsuit.

The University of San Diego is limited in its ability to discuss the specifics of the lawsuit, she wrote. We respect the privacy of all of our students, especially related to sensitive issues of this nature, and we do not discuss student matters like this publicly.

However, we take claims of sexual assault very seriously, she continued. For many years, USD has had processes in place to encourage reports to be made and to proactively respond, with care and concern for those involved, when complaints are received. We regularly review and update what we are doing to ensure that we are supporting the needs of our students and our campus community.
You might easily get lost in the numbers when lawmakers in Washington discuss replacing Obamacare subsidies with tax credits and changing the payment structures for Medicaid.

To see more clearly whats at stake in the sometimes mind-numbing debate about whether to overhaul or outright scrap the Affordable Care Act, look around San Diego County.

For example, those federal subsidies covered nearly two-thirds of the premiums that local residents enrolled in Obamacare health exchanges paid last year. Thats an average of $440 per month going toward health coverage for each of the more than 106,000 people scattered across the region.

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The expansion of the Medicaid program, called Medi-Cal in California, added 264,295 mostly single and low-income San Diegans to the insurance rolls in recent years, according to the state Department of Health Care Services.

These significant jumps in the number of people with insurance coverage spurred substantial investments from health-care providers.

Scripps Health and Sharp HealthCare, for example, each increased its payroll by the equivalent of more than 1,000 employees since 2013, the year before Obamacares health insurance mandate took effect, according to the health networks annual financial disclosures. Meanwhile, community clinics have experienced a building boom using millions in federal health grants to open new satellite facilities. Theyve also tapped that funding to hire hundreds more employees.

Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that the health-care industry is lobbying hard against the GOP leaderships current repeal and replace bill, which would end the Affordable Care Acts requirement to buy health insurance or pay a penalty.

The legislation gained early approvals from several House committees this week and is scheduled to continue its path toward congressional approval with more committee meetings next week. An all-important cost score from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is also expected next week; some see it as a make-or-break moment for the measure, which was introduced Monday.

Mike Murphy and Chris Van Gorder, the chief executives of Sharp and Scripps, respectively, said this week that they know if anything major happens in Washington, D.C., with Obamacare, especially if it involves changes to the subsidies, will have direct impact on their organizations.

House Speaker Paul Ryan discusses the American Health Care Act, the GOP leaderships bill to overhaul Obamacare, on March 9, 2017 in Washington, D.C. (Gabriella Demczuk / New York Times)

If lower federal assistance is coupled with the demise of Obamacares requirement to buy insurance or pay a penalty, many health-industry experts have predicted the result will be a large drop in the number of insured Americans. That would likely mean cutbacks for hospitals, clinics and other medical providers as well.

We always staff to patient volume. If volume drops, we will reduce our staffing. We always do, and our employees know that, Van Gorder said.

Murphy said likewise: If volume changes, then staffing would change accordingly. And I think that would be true in all health-care organizations.

Both executives noted that while cutting Obamacare coverage mandates and subsidies could reduce the ranks of the currently insured, that doesnt mean hospitals would be able to remove certain services from their budgets. Because they are required to treat all comers, a reduction in demand for primary care in doctors offices could mean an increase in other areas like hospital emergency rooms.

And while the current GOP proposal offers subsidies that are generally less generous than those offered by Obamacare, they dont roll back reductions to Medicare provider fees that are estimated to have cut annual increases to hospitals expense reimbursement by $260 billion over 10 years.

Murphy said failing to roll back the Medicare adjustment will cost Sharp about $300 million in a decade. Van Gorder didnt specify a number, but said he considers it the biggest issue that hospitals and health networks will have to deal with in the coming months.

Roughly 60 percent of our revenue, and this is true for most hospitals, comes from government-sponsored programs like Medicare and Medicaid. So that creates a lot of anxiety, Van Gorder said.

The executive said he has really started to feel that anxiety in his daily visits to Scripps facilities.

This is an anxious time for people. Probably the first question I get asked anywhere I go is, What will the impact on Scripps be? Van Gorder said.

Murphy said he is urging his staff to keep calm. He stressed that there are not enough details yet to truly believe the GOP leaders health bill will move forward as currently written. One big issue with the current wording, he noted, is that the tax increases that support Obamacare subsidies would expire at the end of this year, but the subsidies themselves would continue until 2020. That creates a big financial gap, a sign to Murphy said the entire overhaul plan needs significant fleshing out.

There is a long way from here to regulation, Murphy said. Were in the beginning of 2017. There is a bill that is not law yet and, just as we adjusted to the ACA, should this become law, then well have to make adjustments.

Anxiety is also being felt by people who currently or recently enrolled in an Obamacare plan.

Deborah Lessard of Spring Valley got her insurance from Covered California, the Obamacare health exchange in this state, for three straight years. She just left her 2017 plan this month after turning 65 and qualifying for Medicare coverage.

Lessard said she watched her as her share of premiums increased each year. But every step of the way, she said, her low income qualified her for a significant subsidy from the government. Last year, the government paid $633 of her total monthly premium of $834.

Under the GOP leaderships new proposal, she would receive a subsidy of $4,000 per year, which would break down to $333 per month. That amount would not come close to equaling what she received under Obamacare.

Yet Lessard said she can see both sides of the debate. She never felt completely comfortable with receiving so much taxpayer money for her premiums, but she also appreciated the opportunity to get insurance coverage that she could finally afford.

Also, she was forced to switch insurance carriers this year due to a large price hike from the company whose policy she had bought in previous years. That situation, she said, along with the requirement that she be covered for maternity care and, in the first year, pediatric dental coverage  two things she clearly didnt need  left her believing the entire system needed fixing.

I am conflicted. I was thrilled that Obamacare was helping people, but now I see that there was a price to pay, Lessard said.

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
A nurse who has spent nearly two decades on the board of a health care district has announced she will run against Rep. Duncan Hunter in the House of Representatives.

Because of your corruption, I am going to run against you, Gloria Chadwick, a Democrat, told Hunter at a town hall meeting in Ramona on Saturday.

Issa, Hunter face raucous anti-Trump crowds at town hall meetings

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A member of the Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Trustees for 18 years, Chadwick said she decided to run after attending President Donald Trumps inauguration and the Womens March the following day. When she returned home, she said she was further motivated after reading another report of Hunters questionable use of campaign funds and decided to run.

I have to say that as my representative, I am startled by the corrupt nature of it, she said to Hunter.

The incumbents response to her candidacy was brief.

Thanks for being here, he said after Saturdays forum.

Chadwick is the second Democrat to enter the race, joining Hunters opponent from 2016, Patrick Malloy, who is running again.

Malloy said he has built a strong relationship with constituents across the political spectrum during his now year-plus campaign, and that he believes he can relate to more people than any of his opponents. But considering Union-Tribune reports about Hunters campaign finances and the political climate, Malloy said he expects more Democrats as well as some Republican to enter the race.

After the (Federal Election Commission) scandal, all gloves are off, he said.

The 50th Congressional District is one of the most conservative in the state, and Republicans represent 43.1 percent of voters, while another 27.3 percent are Democrats and 23.8 percent are unaffiliated.

It stretches from Jamul, through Santee and El Cajon and Escondido across the county line into Temecula, and east nearly until the Salton Sea, to southeast of Julian.

Chadwick, who spent most of her career as a psychiatric nurse working for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said she is concerned about the possible passage of the American Health Care Act, the Republican replacement of the Obama Administrations Affordable Care Act.

I do not want to go back to the dark ages where people do not have adequate health care, or any health care, she said.

She said she also feels like she needs to keep Hunter, a Republican with a significant party advantage, on his toes and she hopes her challenge will force him to be more responsive to his constituents.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
San Diego city school Superintendent Cindy Marten and the board of trustees have presented a unified, if grim, front in support of sweeping layoffs to close a big budget gap.

Thats a hard thing to do. But things might actually get tougher for Marten  if the financial picture improves.

The San Diego Unified School District has a $124 million hole in its estimated $1.3 billion operations budget.

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Marten and a unanimous board have agreed to fill it by eliminating the equivalent of 977 full-time positions, which includes hundreds of teachers.

At least that was their latest number. The figures have been evolving, changing and clarified several times. Whatever the final tally, it appears that in the neighborhood of 1,500 employees, some apparently part-time, could be affected.

The cuts will be deep, and the cuts will be significant, Marten told the Union-Tribune editorial board last week.

Because Gov. Jerry Browns preliminary budget included less for schools than state budget analysts expected, theres the potential his revised spending plan could crank that upward. Under one scenario, according to school officials, that could mean perhaps $20 million more for the district.

Marten pledges not to use that money, if it comes, to give some of the pink-slipped employees a reprieve. She said the district has long had a structural problem that often results in a budget shortfall of around $100 million. A real fix is needed, she said, and the problem cant continually be papered over with short-term measures like one-time land sales.

The 977 or so positions, she said, must go regardless of what Brown does because a budget gap of $50 million already has emerged in the 2018-19 budget  even with these cuts.

But if theres money on the table, the pressure to buy back some of those jobs will be enormous.

Theres the basic, gut rationale that if theres money that could keep people employed and lessen the effect of the budget cuts on students, why wouldnt you do that now and worry about next year then?

Further, all five-members of the Board of Trustees got there with backing of the influential San Diego Education Association. Teacher union leaders wont stand for some of their people being show the door if theres money that, in their view, is available.

Marten has almost always seemed to be in sync with her bosses on the board. But if shes determined to make this structural change, and the trustees want to use that money now, will she be able to stand up to them?

She said holding the line for the longer-term is going to take the kind of fiscal restraint thats necessary.

San Diego Unified has gone down this path before, raining pink slips down on hundreds of employees only to withdraw most and sometimes all of the layoff threats.

Sometimes the state has come through with more money, other times the district administration with support of the board finds enough chewing gum and bailing wire to hold things together for another year.

Unifieds financial acumen over the years is certainly open to question, but the district also is hampered by a lousy process not of its making.

If layoffs are in the forecast, affected employees must be notified by March 15. Yet trustees and superintendents wont have a good handle on what state money theyll get until the governors budget revision in May at the earliest. Further, they dont know how many people will take early retirement packages or otherwise leave the district.

If they undershoot on pink slips theyre in big trouble because of the difficulty of laying off people after the notice deadline. To be conservative, they always over estimate and hope state funds and other maneuvers can make most or all of it go away. But that would only make things worse next year.

Marten says not this time  and she has drawn a 1,000-job line in the sand. Well see if the trustees cross it later this spring.

Waiting on Papa Dougs ambassadorship

Word has been circulating for weeks that developer Doug Manchester will be the next ambassador to the Bahamas.

CNN reported that Manchester had been telling people the deal was done. Meanwhile, people who know Manchester say theyve been contacted by State Department officials doing a background check.

But no official word so far.

The developer, the former owner of the Union-Tribune, hasnt responded to the U-Ts inquiry about whether hes becoming a diplomat for the President Donald Trump. Manchester raised money for and made substantial personal contributions to Trump during last years campaign.

Its been a while since the first local report about the possibility that Manchester might become Trumps man in the Bahamas. The Reader relayed that an online entity called BahamasPress.com speculated about the appointment in December and noted that Manchester has a house in the Bahamas.

Supplying support

John Cox is the Rancho Santa Fe venture capitalist whos running for governor and pushing a sweeping political overhaul initiative to create a Neighborhood Legislature.

The latter received support from a party not heard from much these days: Arthur Laffer, who was an economic adviser to President Ronald Reagan and famously advocated supply side economics.

I really like the idea, Laffer is quoted saying in a release from the Neighborhood Legislature campaign. It makes voters relevant again.

The Neighborhood Legislature is a concept that Cox has been pushing for a few years: Each of the current 120 legislative districts would be divided into 100 neighborhoods, each with its own elected representative, the release notes.

Thats 12,000 elected people if youre keeping count. Because the 80 Assembly districts overlap with the 40 Senate district, it seems the number would be less. But lets not quibble.

Boosters of the idea say it will allow for very low-cost campaigns and most of those elected will stay home. The 100 local reps in each district choose one of their own to go to Sacramento and legislate.

Tweet of the Week

Goes to Dave Rolland (@drolland), aide to state Sen. Toni Atkins and former editor of San Diego CityBeat.

I gather local news stories every day. Let me just say that there is a ton of journalism happening in San Diego.
A 20-year-old man from Lancaster took a bullet to the shoulder during a freeway shooting in La Mesa early Sunday, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

The man was riding in a 2005 Infiniti Q45 heading east on Interstate 8 near Fletcher Parkway when a vehicle pulled up alongside it about 4 a.m., CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein said.

A person or people in the second vehicle then started shooting. At least five rounds were fired, Pearlstein said.

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The driver of the Infinity veered into a center divider wall and the suspects vehicle sped off.

The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries that werent life-threatening. Three other people in the car  a San Diego man, 20, who was driving, an El Cajon woman, 20, and a San Diego woman, 23  were not hurt.

Pearlstein said the victims werent able to describe the the shooter or shooters or the other car involved.

Officers determined the victims had been in a parking lot at a Dennys Restaurant off 70th Street trying to fix a broken window before getting onto the freeway. The freeway was shut down for several hours while investigators looked for evidence.

Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to contact the CHP at (619) 401-2000.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
Regarding San Diego Unified School District is looking to cut the equivalent of 977 full time positions (March 9): Will anybody who thinks the teachers union might consider rolling back that last pay raise to save some of these jobs please raise your hand?

No? Of course not. They just need more money. After all, its for the children.

Jeff Mellquist

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Tierrasanta

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Californias priorities have gone off the rails

Why are we laying off teachers and our very dumb governor is spending $64 billion for his legacy in building a high-speed rail from Los Angeles to San Francisco?

Are the Democrats that dumb that they continue to elect people like Brown that is just like his father when he was governor, spending money in the wrong areas?

It is just hard to understand why Brown would spend $64 billion while we lose teachers.

Rich Savinda

Escondido

Raises make it harder to pay property taxes

As I was paying my exorbitant property taxes this morning addressed to San Diego County treasurer-tax collector, I was reminded once again of the nice pay increase the county supervisors voted for themselves recently.

And now we read almost daily of shortfalls in budgets, including layoffs of school personnel. Shame on them.

Jan Rochon

Hillcrest

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
By Press Trust of India: Panaji, Mar 12 (PTI) The Congress today claimed it has the numbers to form the government in Goa and alleged that the BJP was indulging in "horse-trading" to reach the majority mark.

"The BJP has been involved in horse-trading, promising sums, ministries, corporations and SUVs to the non-BJP MLAs to get their support," Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh alleged.

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"I have never seen in any other state where a political party which has been rejected outright, where the CM has lost, six ministers have lost, yet they are staking claim to form the government," he told reporters here.

"The BJPshould accept the defeat. The people of Goa have defeated the BJP," said Singh who is here in Goa to oversee the partys affairs after counting of votes.

Notably, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar bit the dust in Mandrem and submitted his resignation to Governor Mridula Sinha after his party finished way behind the simple majority mark.

Besides the humiliating defeat of Parsekar, who lost by over 7,000 votes, six BJP ministers too were trounced.

Singh said the Congress party is in touch with "the non-BJP MLAs to form the government."

"We are also in touch with non-BJP MLAs and we are absolutely sure that we have the numbers on our side. We will definitely have over 21 MLAs with us," he said.

On attempts by BJP to retain power by cobbling up an alliance with smaller parties, Singh said he is surprised at the "hunger for power" of (Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar and BJP.

"I appreciate Parrikars deep commitment and love for the soil of Goa, but he should be sporting enough to accept the fact that the BJP has received drubbing under his leadership," he said.

"BJP was always claiming to be a party of morals and characters. Is this the moral and character of any political party?" he asked.

Parrikar had said yesterday, "In the situation of a fractured mandate, everyone is in the race to form the government. We are also there. If BJP acts like a core group and brings together smaller parties, we can still give a stable government."

The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 17 seats while the BJP bagged 13.

Both the Congress and the BJP are trying to woo the smaller parties to form government in the 40-member House, where the majority mark is 21.

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The MGP, the Goa Forward Party and the independents won three seats each while the NCP bagged one seat in the state. PTI RPS GK RAX

--- ENDS ---
Indicative of the highly charged political climate, the Union-Tribune has received feedback disputing coverage of the rallies and town halls that are being held frequently nowadays.

One person emailed contending the U-T erased the wording on a sign that appeared in a picture, and two other emails questioned the accuracy of crowd count numbers at two events.

The main photo on A1 Sunday, Feb. 19, drew a vehement response from a reader who accused the U-T of blatant censorship.

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The picture was a five-column-wide shot of participants in the March for Solidarity with Immigrants, San Diego, on Feb. 18. The photo shows people, many holding homemade signs, congregating at the County Administration Center. You could read the wording on most of the signs. But one in the upper left of the frame appeared white, as if it were blank.That drew allegations from a reader whose friends had attended the event that the U-T had digitally erased the sign. He argued the poster board was unglossed white, and the lettering was done in three colors  red, blue and green  that should have appeared distinctly given that other signs were legible.

He emailed a picture of the sign, which read, The only minority hurting America is the rich. The lines of the lettering appeared to be the width you would get from a typical Magic Marker.

Although it has happened in mainstream journalism, doctoring a news photo is forbidden. Its grounds for immediate termination. Pictures must remain true as a matter of record. In more than 30 years in journalism, I have never known a photographer to change a news image.

John McCutchen, the U-Ts director of photography and video, examined the photo and explained to the reader why the poster appeared the way it did on newsprint. The relatively narrow width of the letters, the lack of saturation of colors in the sign and the placard facing the sun resulted in a washed-out image. The explanation convinced the reader that no monkey business had occurred.

It should be noted that U-T publishing software adjusts contrast and saturation in photos to optimize the quality in newsprint, but it was not enough to overcome the reproduction of the signs lettering.

On the crowd-size complaints, estimating numbers at rallies can be tough. Nevertheless, reporters try to find an estimate to give readers some context.

A story published on the U-Ts website Feb. 21 on a town hall meeting held at Vistas Brengle Terrace Park community center drew a response from Charles Langley, executive director of the group Public Watchdogs. He said a board members description of the crowd didnt jibe with the story. The board member, Nina Babiarz, attended to speak on radioactive nuclear waste being buried at San Ononfre State Beach park. She told the Readers Rep on Wednesday that the crowd was very large, unprecedented.

Langley said the story said several hundred attended, but he heard it was in the thousands.

Melanie Marshall, the editor on the story, said the piece in the first paragraph reported several hundred attending, but farther down in the article it reported that up to 1,000 were outside the community center. We went by what our reporter, photographer and fire officials estimated as the crowd size, she said.

A story last Sunday on A3 mentioned a rally held in Ocean Beach. It included a photo taken from a drone that showed the participants spelling out with their bodies Impeach! The story said an estimated 500 protesters attended.

A person who was there emailed, disputing the numbers. He said people were counted individually. The count was 679 when it passed him with another third to go, he said.

Kristina Davis, the articles editor, said the events organizer told her 500 to 600 people attended. She also said she did a rough count using the drone photograph and came up with about 500.

It appears that political gatherings will continue, and the newsroom will have to deal with crowd-size estimates, which, as you see, can be contentious (remember President Donald Trumps inauguration?)

Last week four events were planned: a rally Tuesday outside Rep. Darrell Issas office over the Affordable Care Act; a town hall meeting by Issa on Saturday in Oceanside; and meetings Saturday by Reps. Duncan Hunter and Susan Davis.

Reporters try to use multiple sources in estimating crowd sizes: themselves, organizers, public safety officials and participants. It wont be exact, but should be in the ballpark. I believe reporters and editors must be clear with readers in attributing the information.

I thought U-T reporter Phil Diehl handled it well in writing about the event Tuesday: There appeared to be roughly 200 people at the gathering, though organizers estimated the crowd at nearly double that, and a Sheriffs Department spokesman said the crowd was closer to 100.
Does law enforcements quest for safety infringe on peoples civil liberties?

Thats the question privacy advocates are asking as technology continues to make it easier for police agencies to monitor citizens.

From radar devices that can see through walls to a network of microphones that reports shootings to officers, here are eight ways the police can keep an eye on you, and why some groups find them alarming.

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1. Range-R

What it is: The Range-R looks like a high-tech stud-finder, but it pinpoints people. The radar device uses radio waves to see through walls to locate people inside a structure. It can pick up on movements as slight as human breathing to detect the location of a person up to 50 feet away, but it doesnt provide an image of whats inside. The device was devised for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and its been used by U.S. law enforcement agencies since at least 2012. A unit costs about $6,000.

Why youll care: Privacy advocates have concerns about use of the device without a search warrant. A Kansas federal appeals court brought the issue to light in December. A deputy U.S. Marshal  who had a warrant for a parolees arrest but no search warrant  used the Range-R to determine if anyone was inside a Wichita home where authorities suspected the felon lived. The parolees defense attorney tried to get a charge thrown out because of the radars use. While the charges were upheld, the courts ruling said the governments warrantless use of such a powerful tool to search inside homes poses grave Fourth Amendment questions.

2. Stingray

What it is: The Stingray masquerades as a cellphone tower, forcing all nearby cellphones to connect to it. Its usually mounted in a law enforcement vehicle. Coupled with an antenna, police can use the Stingray to determine where a mobile phone is in real time. Phones also stream data to the device, including the phone and identification numbers, which can be used to get past call and text data and any dialed numbers. The technology was initially developed for military and spy agencies and can cost as much as $400,000.

Why youll care: Law enforcement agencies, including local ones, have been extremely secretive about whether and how they use Stingray technology. A civil-rights group is suing the San Diego Police Department for its refusal to turn over information about the device. Police in other parts of the country have admitted using the technology without a warrant, which advocacy organizations argue is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Civil groups are also concerned that many cellphones, not just the cellphone being targeted, connect to the device, and want to know what safeguards are in place to protect information gathered from innocent citizens.

3. Body Cameras

What it is: Police departments have rolled out a variety of body cameras that attach to an officers chest, shoulder or sunglasses. Police officers are responsible for turning the cameras on during interactions with the public. Many believe they de-escalate conflict between police and the public, and increase law enforcement transparency. A study done several months ago by the San Diego Police Department showed officers have used less force and members of the public have complained about officers less since the department rolled out the cameras.

Why youll care: Lawmakers, police departments and civil advocacy organizations generally agree body cameras are a useful tool, but there is much debate on the policies that govern how theyre used. Where will body camera videos be stored and for how long? Who has the ability to view footage? Should officers record all encounters? Recently, controversy erupted when a San Diego officer didnt turn on his camera before fatally shooting a man in the Midway District. The department revised its body camera policy following the shooting, but it sparked renewed debate about the effectiveness of the devices.

Related: Shooting raises cop camera questions

4. Facial Recognition Software

What it is: Facial recognition software analyzes aspects of a persons face  the space between someones eyes or how long a persons nose is  and creates a template. That template is then compared to a database of photographs, which could include images from surveillance video or mug shots, to identify a person. Recently, the FBI launched the Next Generation Identification system, which will house more than 50 million photographs that law enforcement can access to verify someones identity.

Why youll care: Several organizations argue facial recognition software simply doesnt work. The system can be fooled by facial hair, weight loss, aging  even a big smile. But there are privacy concerns as well. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has sued the government for more information about the FBIs system and argued the software is among the most alarming new developments, because Americans cannot easily take precautions against the covert, remote, and mass capture of their images.

5. License plate readers

What it is: A license plate reader scans a vehicles license plate and stores the plate number and the time, date and GPS location from when it was photographed. Data may be stored for days, months or years depending on the jurisdiction. Scanned license plate numbers can be checked against a list of vehicles that are stolen or wanted. The technology wasnt widely used until the 90s, when software became more affordable and more capable. License plate readers are used to enforce road rules and can be found on roadways, atop streetlights and attached to law enforcement vehicles.

Why youll care: While license plate information can help criminal investigations, civil liberties groups argue those instances account for a very small portion of the plates that are cataloged. Most often, license plate information belongs to innocent people, and privacy advocates argue storing such information is very invasive. Several organizations that have requested information associated with license plate scans were able to ascertain where members of the public spent much of their time, including their homes and workplaces. There are also concerns that private companies use license plate readers with little to no oversight.

6. Drones

What it is: Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, come in many sizes and can be self guided or controlled remotely by a human. Predator B drones, which were used for a time by Customs and Border Protection, have a wingspan of about 65 feet. Others are much smaller, like the Nano Hummingbird, which weighs less than a AA battery. Drones can be outfitted with a variety of gadgets, from weapons to surveillance technology. Common uses include law enforcement, firefighting, border patrol, disaster relief, search and rescue, military training, and other government operational missions. Drone legislation had been introduced in about three dozen states as of 2014.

Why youll care: Police departments are becoming increasingly interested in drone technology as the technology becomes more affordable and easier to use. While many groups agree there are positive uses, privacy advocates and law makers are calling for clear regulations to protect privacy. If drones are used for surveillance work, for example, a warrant should be required. Civil rights organizations have also argued that images taken by drones shouldnt be stored, unless they pertain to an ongoing investigation.

Related: Police chiefs group offers drone-use policy

In this file photo taken July 16, 2008, workers are seen at the construction of a cellular telephone antenna tower in Lakewood, N.J.. A Long Island township has imposed restrictions on the placement of new cell towers that are among the toughest in the country, and one phone company said, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, it effectively bans new construction. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File) ( / AP)

7. Cellphone tower dumps

What it is: A cellphone tower dump is when a law enforcement agency requests information sent from cellphones to a cellphone tower during a given period. Cellphone towers, equipped with antennas and electrical equipment, enable GPS and allow phones to make calls and send texts. Phones are constantly searching for a tower to connect to, and they send over information even when they arent in use. That data, saved by phone companies for months or years, can include location information, call history, sent texts, even search terms typed into phone browsers. Law enforcement agencies can request cellphone companies to fork over some of that information to further an investigation.

Why youll care: Hundreds of millions of people use cellphones, creating digital trails of calls, texts and website visits that cellphone carriers store for a variety of reasons. Law agencies can use tower dumps to zero in on bad guys, but a lot of innocent peoples data are swept up in the process. Privacy advocates want a clearer understanding of where that data goes, how long its stored and who has access to it. Also, investigators dont always need a warrant to initiate a cellphone tower dump, which a number of organizations object to. Additionally, the Supreme Court has ruled that some information sent from cellphone users to cellphone providers, like numbers dialed, is not protected by the Fourth Amendment. Civil rights groups and lawyers have argued privacy considerations surrounding digital data should be revisited.

8. Shotspotter

What it is: Shotspotter is a system that uses audio sensors to determine when and where shootings take place. The location is then sent to police departments so officers can investigate. Once the sensors triangulate where the gunfire came from, the sound is sent to a review center where a person determines if it was really gunshots. If it is, the information is forwarded to police. Officers get a map of where the shots were fired, the time of the shooting, how many shots were fired, and if the shooter was moving, in what direction they were headed.

Why youll care: Many agree the ability to better figure out where and when shootings happen is a good thing, but the technology might have unintended and invasive side effects. The sensors constantly pick up on sound, but only noise 2 seconds before gunshots and 4 seconds after is sent over for review. Still, there have been instances where conversations immediately following shootings have been used in court. In one case, a victims dying words were used as evidence against a man suspected of shooting the Oakland resident to death. Microphones placed close to private property are also raising concerns.
By Press Trust of India: Palanpur (Guj), Mar 12 (PTI) Wheat and rice, worth Rs 15.8 lakh, allegedly being diverted to be sold in black market, were seized near here today, a district official said.

"We got a tip-off that two trucks, which started from a tehsil-level stock point with sacks full of wheat and rice had taken a different route and went to Lakhani village. We raided a place near the private godown in Lakhani village and seized the grains," said chief inspector, Food and Civil Supply Department, Banaskantha, Kalaji Thakor.

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The two trucks were carrying 127 quintal sacks of wheat and 303 sacks with 50 kg rice each from a government godown in Deesa town in the Banaskantha district worth Rs 15.8 lakh to be supplied to ration shops under public distribution system, he said.

However, instead of its designated route, the trucks diverted their way and went to Lakhani village when the department officials received complaint and raided a place near a private go-down and seized the grains, Thakor added.

The officer said an inquiry has been initiated into the matter. PTI KA NRB

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The accused confessed that he wanted to run the Arabs out of the US so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St Lucie store and set the contents on fire.

By India Today Web Desk: The incidents of hate crime have been showing a dangerous growth in the United States with another attack on a convenience store owned by Indian-Americans. A man in Florida tried to set the store on fire assuming it was owned by 'Muslims'.

A 64-year-old man tried to set the store on fire because he thought the owners were Muslim, St Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said, reports CNN.

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The accused Richard Lloyd confessed that he wanted to run the Arabs out of the US so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St Lucie store and set the contents on fire.

CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE ARSON

Lloyd has been charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond. He told detectives he assumed the store owner was Muslim which made him livid because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," Mascara said.

"It's unfortunate that Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," Mascara said.

The sheriff noted that Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime.

'DOING MY PART FOR AMERICA'

Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn the building because he "was doing his part for America."

According to Mascara, when deputies arrived on Friday morning and saw the store on fire, a man in front of the store put his hands behind his back and told officers to "take me away."

The string of attacks on Indians started with the killing of an Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kansas. It too was an alleged hate crime, as the gunman shot him dead thinking he was an 'Iranian'.

With inputs from ANI

ALSO READ | Third attack on an Indian in 10 days in US: All you need to know about 'climate of hate'

Sikh man shooting in US: Kent Police calls it hate crime, offers USD 6,000 bounty on shooter

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By Press Trust of India: Bhubaneswar, Mar 12 (PTI) The ruling BJD today suspended the partys Koraput district president and former MP Jayram Pangi on charge of anti-party activities.

Party president Naveen Patnaik took this step following a clash between two groups of BJD workers over selection of candidate for the chairpersons post in Koraput.

"Pangi has been suspended from the party on charge of anti-party activities," BJD secretary Priyadarshi Mishra said in a statement.

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Earlier, Pangi had suspended BJDs elected Zilla Parishad member Dumuri Khila from the party, for abstaining from voting for the ZP chairman post held today.

Khila, who was aspiring to become chairman of the Zilla Parishad from Koraput district, and his supporters allegedly burnt BJDs flag after Prabhu Jali was chosen as the partys ZP chairman candidate in Koraput.

Khila alleged that the partys district president (Pangi) made Jali as the candidate for the Zilla Parishad chairman though Jali had joined the party only some days ago.

On this, Pangi said that the BJD district leadership has been kept in the dark on the partys ZP chairman candidate decision. PTI AAM NN

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GFP chief Prabhakar Timble resigned as president after the party extended its support to the BJP.

By Mayuresh Ganapatye: Immediately after the Goa poll results were announced, cracks within the Goa Forward party (GFP) have started to emerge. A few hours after the party extended its support to the BJP, GFP chief Prabhakar Timble resigned as president.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Timble himself confirmed he was stepping down.

"We had our whole campaign against BJP but our 3 legislators have decided to extend the support to BJP. Now I don't want to be the face of the party, thus I have resigned from post of party president." said Timble.

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GFP'S SUPPORT FOR BJP A COUNTER-ATTACK ON CONGRESS

The GFP was not at all happy after the Congress fielded its candidate against them in all 3 seats.

To counter-attack the Congress, the GFP decided to support Parrikar at the last moment. But now, a lot of questions will be raised against the party, which won by defeating 3 BJP candidates.

Sources said that initially, the Congress offered the GFP the deputy CM post. But as soon as the GFP heard the BJP's proposal of 3 cabinet berths, the party felt it was the perfect chance to take revenge and decided to support the saffron party.

"Vijai Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte must resign as MLAs for betraying the trust reposed on them by the people of Goa. After having vowed not to ever align with the corrupt and communal BJP, they have now with vested interest and for the greed of power overnight decided to go to bed with the saffron party. All this despite the mandate of the people having been against the BJP." wrote social activist Adv Aries Rodriguez in a post published on a social media website.

ALSO READ | Parrikar returns to Goa as BJP stakes claim to form government

WATCH VIDEO | Assembly election results 2017: How counting day unfolded in Goa

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Goa governor has appointed Manohar Parrikar as chief minister and has asked him to prove majority in 15 days

By India Today Web Desk: Goa Governor Mridula Sinha today appointed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister of Goa. Parrikar has been asked to prove majority within 15 days after taking oath.

Parrikar will resign from his post and stake claim of the government. Swearing-in ceremony likely to be held on Tuesday.

Earlier, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed that Parrikar was the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Goa in a tweet. Parrikar, however, told the news agency ANI that he hadn't resigned yet.

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Parrikar said that once the BJP received an invitation, it would consult with its colleagues and pick a date for the swearing-in.

Governor's letter

On his tenure as Defence Minister, he said it was difficult since it was a new department, but added he was happy no corruption allegations were levelled against the government, ANI reported.

BJP GARNERS SUPPORT FROM SMALLER PARTIES, INDEPENDENTS

The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party with 17 MLAs in yesterday's election result, was hoping that the nine non-BJP MLAs would offer it support but that was not to be. But BJP with just 13 was quick to gather support of the smaller parties and the independents.

In the 40-seat Goa Assembly, a party or coalition requires support of 21 MLAs to form government. Congress has 17 MLAs and BJP only 13 but the latter cobbled together a coalition with nine out of the other 10 MLAs.

GFP, MGP AND INDEPENDENT MLAs OFFER SUPPORT

Three Goa Forward Party, three Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and all three independent MLAs met BJP leaders today evening and offered their letters of support.Goa Forward Party president Vijay Sardesai came out of the meeting and announced that they had decided to support BJP to form the government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar. With Vijai Sardesai were Rohan Khaunte and Sudin. Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and Manohar Parrikar successfully persuaded them to support BJP.

The Congress was confident that the independents and smaller Goa parties will come together to support a Congress government since the mandate in Goa went against the previous government. The outgoing government was a BJP government earlier led by Manohar Parrikar.

Laxmikant Parsekar had replaced Parrikar as the latter was called by Narendra Modi to become the country's defence minister. Parsekar's popularity dipped soon and the party got a drubbing in the election in which Parsekar lost his own seat.

BJP with the support of MGP, GFP & others have stake claim to form the Government in the state of Goa pic.twitter.com/FNyiEQygWF- Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 12, 2017

PARRIKAR: A POPULAR FIGURE IN GOA

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Manohar Parrikar, an IIT graduate, is popular in Goa and enjoys a clean image. He leads a simple life and people believe he is an honest politician where politicians are notoriously corrupt. Parrikar had earlier too expressed his desire to return to Goa because he did not like Delhi, particularly its food didn't agree to his palate used to Goan fish recipes.

Congress's Digvijaya Singh called it a political coup and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of horse-trading. The BJP rubbished the allegations saying the independent MLAs and those of smaller parties did not wish to support the Congress.

PARRIKAR'S CABINET

Sources say all Goa Forward Party and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party MLAs will be made ministers in the government. At least two independent MLAs including Rohan Khaunte would also get ministerial berths. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

(Inputs from ANI)

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WATCH VIDEO | Manohar Parrikar to be chief minister of Goa

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Press Release

March 11, 2017 Gatchalian to Palace: Defend Benham Rise Senator Win Gatchalian on Thursday urged the Duterte administration to aggressively defend the Benham rise in the face of reported Chinese intrusions into the area. "We are now only beginning to discover the true potential of the Benham Rise to make unique contributions to our country's ecological and economic prospects. The government must take immediate action to defend our exclusive sovereignty over the Benham Rise to ensure that this potential will be developed and utilized to benefit the Filipino people," Gatchalian said. Earlier the week the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Gatchalian, manifested it's support for the creation of a multi-agency authority to develop a long-term policy framework on how to tap and manage the resources of Benham Rise and solidify the country's interest in the underwater landmass at the panel's hearing on Senate Bill No. 312. SBN 312, authored by Senator Sonny Angara, seeks the creation of a Benham Rise Development Authority (BRDA), to be an attached agency of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), in order to spearhead intensive scientific research and exploration in Benham Rise, identify its economic potential, and take the lead in formulating and implementing a development roadmap aligned with the country's Philippine Development Plan. Among other things, the senator stressed the importance of the conduct of deep-sea explorations to determine the Benham Rise's potential as an energy source, noting reports that it has vast natural gas deposits and mineral resources, like manganese. In addition, Gatchalian said there is a need for government, in partnership with private organizations, to conduct more studies on Benham Rise to discover its full economic potential. Benham Rise is a 13 million-hectare underwater landmass that is about 250 kilometers off the coastline of Aurora province. It was discovered in 1933 and officially became part of the Philippines in 2012 when the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf ruled that under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Benham Rise area was contiguous with the country's continental shelf and fell under its exclusive economic zone. It stressed that Benham Rise is undisputedly part of Philippine territory.
Press Release

March 11, 2017 Villar opens training program for 2nd batch of drug surrenderees Sen. Cynthia Villar led the opening of the training program to help recovering drug addicts lead a productive life after rehabilitation. Aside from Las Pinas, the second batch of drug surrenderees who will undergo training on farming and was also composed of surrenderees from Cavite and Paranaque at the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite. "As drug surrenderees transition from addiction to recovery, we are offering this training program that will help them move forward to a productive life and not go back to their addictive ways," Villar said. Under the program "Sagip Bukas: A Drug Rehabilitation Training Program," Villar partnered with the Office of the Mayor, Las Pinas City; Office of the Mayor, Paranaque; Office of the Mayor, Bacoor; Las Pinas General Hospital (LPGH), Las Pinas Health Office, Philippine National Police PNP), Las Pinas Hall of Justice, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health, and Allied Botanical Corporation. 'Sagip-Bukas,' a 12-week drug rehabilitation training program, includes free trainings on urban farming to be given by the Allied Botanical Corporation. Lectures on health and wellness will also be given by Las Pinas General Hospital. Personnel from the Las Pinas Hall of Justice will explain the ethico legal aspects of substance abuse while the Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life will handle topics on values formation. The program also entails involvement in environmental protection activities such as coastal clean-up and mangrove planting with environment advocates like Villar and the DENR. Participants will also do physical training and dance exercises. The second batch is composed of 100 surrenderees from Las Pinas, 50 from Cavite, and 50 from Paranaque. These are surrenderees who were able to finish at least three sessions of values formation in their respective barangays. Participants also had free medical check-ups, X-rays and urinalysis at the LPGH. They were also assessed and screened by the Las Pinas City Health Office and Department of Health-accredited doctors. All activities are being coordinated and monitored by the PNP. The rehabilitation training program is in line with the government's goal of helping former users of illegal drugs to go back to their normal lives and become productive citizens.
Press Release

March 12, 2017 Recto bats for Benham Rise protection strategy Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto today called on the executive department to immediately craft a comprehensive strategy aimed at protecting Benham Rise, a 13-million-hectare underwater plateau off the coast of Aurora, from foreign incursion. "No ifs or buts. The government must have a 'Benham Rise Protection Strategy'. A comprehensive strategy - military, diplomatic, economic - in holding on to and developing Benham Rise," Recto said. "We cannot be caught unaware. There should be no Pearl Harbor moment that will surprise us that other countries have installed themselves on what by law is part of our territory," he added. Recto issued the statement following reports that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has sent a note verbale to the Chinese embassy to clarify the reported presence of a Chinese survey ship near Benham Rise. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had reported the Chinese survey ship was seen plying the waters of Benham Rise for around 3 months. Without a protection strategy, Recto said the Benham Rise may easily fall prey not only to poachers but foreign countries interested in exploring the plateau's marine and mineral resources. "We have practically lost the seas west and north of us. We cannot be encircled. The Eastern side of the country should be defended as well," the senator said. Recto, however, was quick to explain that "I am not referring to one country." "I am not singling out China. But this goes out to all countries who might be tempted by the riches underneath the Benham Rise," he added. Aside from diverse marine life, Benham Rise is also believed to be a rich source of manganese and natural gas. "We should not allow that area to be partitioned like a frontier homestead. Or cut up into blocks to be controlled and exploited by others," Recto said. "That area is crucial to our future. If there are gas deposits, it will power our future. It is a fishing area too. With large swaths of our western seas now declared a no catch zone to our fishermen, this will provide an alternative venue," he pointed out. Recto said the government must also focus its attention not only on Benham Rise, but other areas on the Pacific side of the country which have lagged economically. "The Pacific side has always been the unattended portion of our archipelago. Maraming lugar diyan na underdeveloped. It is time for us to pivot," he stressed. Recto said the Senate, for its part, should consider expediting a bill filed by Sen. Sonny Angara providing for the creation of a Benham Rise Development Authority - the lead agency that will be mandated to conduct scientific research and exploration in the plateau. Once equipped with such information, the BRDA shall take the lead in formulating and implementing a development roadmap for Benham Rise, ensuring that it is aligned with the Philippine Development Plan.
The BJP claimed to have the support of 22 MLAs. NCP's Churchill Alemao has lent his support along with the MGP, the GFP and 2 independents. A letter of support from Rohan Khaunte (Independent from Porvorim), whom the Congress had backed, is awaited.

By Rohini Swamy: Even when the Congress won 17 seats in the coastal state of Goa, forming a government seems to be a difficult job. In the Assembly election results on Saturday, the BJP got 13 seats and the Congress clinched 17 of the 40 seats to emerge as the single largest party in Goa.

The BJP, however, seems to have managed to get the support of local parties to form the government in the state. The BJP claimed to have the support of 22 MLAs. NCP's Churchill Alemao has lent his support along with the MGP, the GFP and 2 independents. A letter of support from Rohan Khaunte (Independent from Porvorim), whom the Congress had backed, is awaited. Khaunte would take BJP's tally to 23.

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Reacting to the developments in the state, Congress General Secretary and MP, Digvijaya Singh on Sunday said that if the BJP has the "letter of support" from regional political parties, they were ready to seat in the Opposition.

The senior party leader said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi would take a call on the leader of the legislative party in the state. "Will individually hold talks with all our MLA's later this evening to appoint our Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in Goa. Singh told media after CLP meet in Goa.

The CLP held it first meeting today where two resolution were passed. In the first resolution, the Congress thanked people of Goa for reposing their confidence in the party. Singh said, "In the second resolution we have thanked our leadership for having led the campaign and under their guidance we have been elected in 17 segments."

The CLP unanimously requested the Congress president and vice-president to advise on electing the leader of the party.

"In the meantime, we are also in touch with non-BJP MLAs. We are absolutely confident of getting the numbers to to form the government. We are surprised at the way how Parrikar and the BJP are displaying their hunger to be in power."

Singh commenting on the development that Manohar Parrikar might be made the CM of Goa, said, "I appreciate the deep love of Parrikar with the soul of Goa, but he should be sporting enough to understand that the people of Goa have rejected the BJP."

Also read: Is Manohar Parrikar returning as Goa CM? BJP MLAs pass resolution; MGP, GFP onboard

Also read: Goa Election Results: BJP wins 13 seats, claims support of nine MLAs

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Harry How / Getty Images

MESA, Ariz. - The As had their second round of cuts from big-league camp Sunday and utility infielder Max Muncy was among them.

Muncy, who has been a semi-regular on the big-league roster, wasnt anticipated to make the Opening Day roster after the As acquired Adam Rosales during the offseason. He was designated for assignment during the winter and cleared waivers.
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Heres hoping restaurateur George Chens ambitious and highly hyped $20 million-plus China Live food emporium on Broadway in the heart of Chinatown turns out better than the equally lavish venture he attempted at San Francisco International Airport  which left taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars.

Chens Restaurant Qi and Water Bar was one of more than 15 restaurants selected to add luster to the airports new International Terminal when it opened in 2000.

At the time, Chen had eight restaurants in the Bay Area, including such well-known spots as Shanghai 1930 and Betelnut. He told us he put in a bid for a noodle shop  only to be picked for a fine dining spot he really didnt want.

He says he was pushed by an airport leasing agent to sign on as an anchor tenant  knowing he was eligible for a low-interest, city-backed loan intended to encourage minority-owned businesses to locate there.

I felt proud to be selected, Chen said in a recent interview with us. I shouldnt have co-signed (for the loan), but I was a dummy.

From the start, the upscale Japanese-French restaurant  behind the check-in counters, in an area outside the security zone  didnt pull in enough diners.

By Chens account, he was hemorrhaging $100,000 a month before he pulled the plug in March 2001, after less than a year.

That one deal took my whole company down  it ruined me, Chen said.

He said he lost $300,000 of his own money and his investors lost $1.2 million.

But it was San Francisco that took took the biggest hit  $4.8 million, to be precise.

The city co-signed the $3 million bank loan for Chen as part of the effort to encourage minority entrepreneurship at the new airport terminal. It gave him another $1.8 million in tenant improvement money to help him build his 7,000-square-foot restaurant. He couldnt pay any of it back.

The city attorneys office sued Chens GQC Holdings in 2001 for breach of contract and fraud, saying he had inflated the costs of construction and submitted false documentation supporting the work.

But when Chen later filed for bankruptcy protection, the city found itself far down the list of creditors seeking to be repaid, said John Cote, spokesman for San Franciscos city attorney.

The city settled four years later for $186,000. As part of the deal, Chen was barred from any future business contracts with the city until he repaid the rest of the $1.8 million in construction costs.

That prohibition is still in place, said Cote, who added: We pursued this case aggressively and recovered what we could.

For his part, Chen tells us he met his financial obligations under the settlement, and that claims of overinflating the construction costs were never proven. At any rate, he said, he has no interest in doing any more business with the city, and that he has no obligation to pay back the rest of the construction money.

Airport officials said Chen was the only tenant who defaulted after borrowing money under the now-defunct minority loan program.

In 2003, with Chens restaurant defunct and his reputation in tatters, he left for Shanghai. He and his wife, Cindy Wong-Chen, spent the next 13 years in the restaurant business there, but they continued to be dogged by lawyers in San Francisco.

In 2009, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court ruled that they had failed to disclose some of their restaurant assets amid the airport debacle. They were ordered to pay an additional $800,000 to creditors.

It was a train wreck that kept going on, Chen said.

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.

Chen said he scraped together most of the money from his earlier sale of Betelnut and by borrowing from family and friends. He finally resolved the case in 2014.

By then, Chen and his wife had begun making trips back to San Francisco and planning China Live.

It hasnt been easy. China Live was originally budgeted for $8.5 million, but the project fell two years behind schedule  and after Chen doubled the size of the venue, costs ballooned to more than $20 million. Now, the 30,000-square-foot project at 644 Broadway is being opened in phases.

Chen said there are no public dollars involved this time. However, he was able to raise $4 million in construction money from foreign investors who, in return, will receive U.S. visas under a little-known federal program called EB-5. It grants entry to the U.S. to people who put at least $500,000 into projects that are built in areas of high unemployment  in this case, Chinatown.

As for the source of the rest of his money? Chen says he is being backed by a Singapore hospitality group, which he wont identify but says is highly reputable.

To hear Chen tell it, China Live is his redemption. Everyone should be given a chance to ... pick yourself up again, he said.

A number of elected officials apparently agree. Among those attending China Lives big opening party the other night were state Sen. Scott Wiener, Assemblymen David Chiu and Phil Ting, Supervisor Aaron Peskin and City Attorney Dennis Herrera.

Since then, Chen says, he and his staff have been in overdrive to keep up with the nightly lines out the door.

For someone to come back to do this, Chen said, I dont want to say Im courageous  but maybe a little crazy.

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
Which side are you on  President Trumps oligarchy or the deep state? If you answered, None of the above, score one for democracy. Neither side has the interest of the American people at heart  only its own power. They are behemoths bloated on their own ego and entitlement, and like the mighty showdown between Godzilla and Mothra, its impossible to cheer for either one, because democracy could be crushed beneath their monstrous, scaly feet in the process.

The battle between these titanic forces reached a new fever pitch last week, starting with Trumps explosive Twitter charges that President Barack Obama wiretapped his phones and spiraling into another round of counter-allegations about a Trump-Vladimir Putin plot to steal democracy.

I happen to think there is some truth to both sides charges. Despite the outraged denials from the Obama camp, Trump might indeed have been tapped during the presidential campaign. On the eve of the November election, an intriguing national security blogger named Louise Mensch  a former Conservative Party member of British Parliament with strong intelligence ties  reported that the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which authorizes government spying, had granted a warrant for the FBI to conduct surveillance of certain Americans as part of the bureaus investigation into possible links between Russian banks and Trumps corporate empire.

That story was later picked up by the BBC and the Guardian in London, and more recently by the McClatchy news agency. So its unclear why most media outlets keep insisting there is no evidence to back up Trumps allegations, which as usual were cartoonishly worded but still might contain a kernel of validity.

Likewise, despite the Trump camps sound and fury, its clear there were numerous contacts between his campaign and Russian officials  and at least in Lt. Gen. Michael Flynns case, they were dodgy enough to cause his hurried exit from the administration.

So theres some truth on both sides in this Washington smackdown. And theres plenty of distortion, disinformation and outright lies. After all, thats how both sides roll. Trumps entire presidency is built on fakery  from Obama birther conspiracy-mongering to bogeymen immigrants to magical health care solutions.

And the national security agencies at war with Trump? Well, lets just say their own credibility  from Saddam Husseins missing weapons of mass destruction to the latest WikiLeaks revelations about CIA hacking of consumer technology  is not exactly solid. There were waves of laughter across the land when the agency responded to last weeks embarrassing document dump by claiming it never spies on Americans.

Most of us here in deep-blue California believe just about any accusation, no matter how sleazy or criminal, that is made against Trump. We are awash in leaks and tweets these days, a tsunami of headlines that the American people have no way of independently verifying. Which stories are fake news? Who knows? The media are providing little insight or guidance.

Nearly the entire media circus  from the New York Times to BuzzFeed  has been caught up in the shadow war between Trump and the national security establishment. And much of the media reporting on this beat is closely aligned with the security agencies. If the Deep State can rid us of the blighted presidency of Donald Trump, all I can say is Go, State, go, merrily wrote Vanity Fair columnist James Wolcott.

MSNBC has turned its nightly news lineup into a propaganda arm of the national security state, with a constant parade of former spooks and armchair generals foaming about the Russian connection and how Trump has handed our nation to the Kremlin. In todays strange looking-glass world, the liberals have become the new red-hunters, sniffing for traitors everywhere from Trump Tower to alt-left media (as Wolcott calls it) such as Glenn Greenwalds online publication, the Intercept.

Its understandable why the Hillary Clinton wing of the Democratic Party wants to blame its humiliation on scheming Russians, instead of faulting its own clueless campaigning and corporatist politics. Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, was quick to jump on the anti-Putin bandwagon, warning in a recent Guardian opinion essay that the Mad Genius of Moscow was out to destroy every democracy in the world. Cue mad cackle.

Democrats obsessive focus on the Russian menace wildly exaggerates Moscows impact on the presidential election. Even if the Putin regime did hack the Democratic National Committee, the relatively unsurprising email revelations about Clinton and her associates should not have been enough to sink her campaign, particularly in comparison with the grotesque stories that were made public about Trump.

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.

When it comes to sabotaging democracies, Russia is a rank amateur compared with the U.S. Just ask the people of Iran, Guatemala, Indonesia, Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua, Honduras  and even France, where the CIA backed a right-wing military coup attempt in 1961 to overthrow President Charles de Gaulle, a national hero.

The Democrats Russian fixation has also hijacked our democracy. Its become a massive distraction as Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan go about dismantling the health care system, civil rights, environmental protections and just about everything else in Washington that maintains some decency in American life. During the 2016 campaign, the media were all about Trumps latest outburst, real or not  now theyre all about Putins latest chess move, real or not. Lost in all of this are the urgent issues of American decline and planetary crisis raised by leaders like Bernie Sanders. Remember him?

The American people need to maintain a healthy skepticism as we are bombarded with allegations from both sides of the Trump-deep state divide. We need to remind ourselves that the first casualty of war is truth. And make no mistake about it  America is at war with itself.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist David Talbot appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Email: dtalbot@sfchronicle.com
When the president made good on a key campaign promise Tuesday to roll back federal environmental rules on wetlands, cheers went up across farmlands. The acronym meant little to city dwellers, but the promise to repeal WOTUS  a staple at Trump rallies  had secured much of the rural vote for Trump. Fearing rollbacks would weaken environmental protections for a state that has led the nation in environmental protections, Democratic legislators in Sacramento preemptively introduced a suite of legislation to preserve California.

WOTUS, or waters of the U.S., refers to a rule intended to clarify the scope of the 1972 federal Clean Water Act, which tries to keep pollutants out of drinking water and wetlands wet. The rule was developed after years of public comment and a lawsuit that went to the Supreme Court. In 2015, the Obama administration finalized the rule, which defined the extent of federal jurisdiction over small streams and tributaries.

The rule is particularly tricky to interpret in California because many streams and wetlands are ephemeral  they flow or are wet only immediately after it rains. Think arroyos in Southern California and vernal pools  seasonal ponds in small depressions with distinct plant and animal life  that dot the Central Valley.

Farmers and ranchers, of course, are not against clean water. But they object to rules that they say are impossible to interpret and that interfere with agricultural practices. The California Farm Bureau stepped in and has led the charge to roll back the rule.

The rhetoric on both sides has been escalating since long before the final rule was issued, particularly on the opposed side, after San Joaquin Valley farmer John Duarte was accused in 2012 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of damaging vernal pools when he plowed to plant wheat.

To fight the promised Trump rollback, California Democrats borrowed a move straight from the playbook of Scott Pruitt, who had sued the U.S. EPA 13 times and called for its destruction before Trump named him EPA administrator. State Senate Democratic leader Kevin de Leon of Los Angeles has introduced Senate Bill 49, which would use existing federal environmental law as the baseline for state law so we can preserve the state we know and love, regardless of what happens in Washington.

The California Farm Bureau welcomed the presidents executive order Wednesday as a rollback of confusing federal rules.

The chest bumping is good political theater, but California has the power to exert its authority over wetlands. The state already uses federal environmental law as a template for state law. And federal law largely leaves authority to the state.

The state needs to invest in institutional muscle at the State Water Resources Control Board to enforce rules that protect the environment from those who would fill wetlands and dump pollutants into streams or seasonal streambeds.

Californians know the value of wetlands in flood control and wildlife habitat. We all want clean water. If these are the priority state leaders say they are, the state should step up.
On Saturday last weekend, Donald Trump alleged in a series of tweets that former President Barack Obama orchestrated a Nixon/Watergate plot to tap Trumps 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!

Last Sunday morning, Trumps White House called for a congressional investigation.

Trump cited no evidence for his accusation.

Folks, weve got a huge problem on our hands. Either:

1 Trump is more nuts than we suspected  a true delusional paranoid. Trumps outburst was seemingly triggered by commentary March 3 in the alt-right publication Breitbart News, which reported an assertion made the night before by right-wing talk-radio host Mark Levin suggesting that Obama and his administration used police state tactics last fall to monitor the Trump teams dealings with Russian operatives.

If this was the case, weve 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. Which means Trump shouldnt 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.

2 The second 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, Trump was likely to have committed a very serious crime, possibly treason.

No president can order a wiretap on his own. For federal agents to obtain a wiretap on Trump, 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.

In which case we have someone occupying the Oval Office who shouldnt be making decisions that could endanger America or the world.

3 The third possible explanation for Trumps rant is that hes trying to divert public attention from the Jeff Sessions imbroglio and multiple investigations of Trump associates already found to have been in contact with Russian agents during the election, at a time when Russian operatives interfered with the election on Trumps behalf.

Maybe hes trying to build a case that the entire Russia story is a plot concocted by the Obama administration  along with the intelligence agencies and the mainstream media  to bring Trump down. That way, he can inoculate himself against more damaging evidence to come.

But if its all a big show to divert attention and undermine the credibility of the intelligence agencies and the media, Trump is willing to do anything to keep his job  even if it means further dividing America, undermining trust in our governing institutions, and destroying the fabric of our democracy.

So there you have it. Whatever the reason for Trumps rant, America is in deep trouble. We have a president who is either a dangerous paranoid whos making judgments based on right-wing crackpots, or has in all likelihood committed treason, or is willing to sacrifice public trust in our basic institutions to further his selfish goals.

Each of these possible reasons is as terrifying as the other.

But for Democrats to be the only ones sounding the alarm risks turning it into a new normal of partisanship. For Obama himself to respond to Trumps latest rant would only dignify it.

So the responsibility falls to Republican leaders. They must stand up and call this what it is: dangerous demagoguery.

We are depending on former Republican Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, former Republican senators and members of Congress, and current Republican senators and members of Congress, to have the courage and decency to stop this outrage.

We are in a serious crisis of governance, and their voices are critical.

 2017 Robert Reich

Robert Reich, a former U.S. Secretary of Labor, is professor of public policy at UC Berkeley. His daily blog is at www.facebook.com/RBReich/. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at http://bit.ly/SFChronicleletters.
All you need for each coming day is the hope of something good  that is, something to look forward to.

At the 73 lakes across the greater Bay Area region, that hope will peak this spring with the highest water levels since 2006.

Whatever sets you free to boat, fish, hike, bike or observe wildlife, you can find it here.

At the same time, when you review the prospects, you may also find a number of lakes that fall short of your hopes. For those in San Francisco, Marin and on the Peninsula, you may need to venture outside the 10-mile bubble in which so many live.

Of the 73 lakes in the region, some form of boating, even if sharply limited, will be permitted this spring at 35. Access for hiking or mountain biking in the surrounding watershed lands is permitted at 56. Roughly 30-plus provide some form of fishing.

Only nine lakes have fishing programs, all in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, where the East Bay Regional Park District or lake concessionaires offer a daily fishing permit, with the money going to buy bonus plants.

On the flip side, no boating of any kind, not even kayaks, is allowed at 38 lakes. No access of any kind, not even hiking, is allowed in the surrounding watershed lands at 17 lakes.

Of the 30 or so lakes with fishing, the Department of Fish and Wildlife provides light trout plants, not enough to sustain interest, at 15. In addition, no fishing programs are implemented by park districts at any of the lakes in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, Solano, Sonoma or Santa Cruz counties.

Another oddity is the lack of campgrounds at lakes in the region. Only four  Coyote near Gilroy, Del Valle (still closed by storm damage) near Livermore, Spring Lake near Santa Rosa and giant Berryessa east of Napa  have campsites within close range of the water.

Compared with other regions across America, the range of rules for recreation at lakes in the Bay Area is one of the strangest anomalies imaginable. The one thing all the lakes do have, though, is water. There is plenty of that.

Here is a county-by-county forecast for spring. Note that for lakes listed that allow boating, the rules can vary wildly. They often forbid motors and require inspections for invasive mussels, or allow only boats from their rental fleets.

Alameda County

Boating: Del Valle Reservoir, Lake Chabot, Aquatic Park, Bethany Reservoir, Elizabeth, Merritt, Quarry, Shadow Cliffs.

Fishing: Del Valle, Chabot, Bethany, Quarry, Shadow Cliffs, Elizabeth (with fishing programs at Del Valle, Chabot, Shadow Cliffs, Quarry).

No boating: Anza, Cull Canyon, Don Castro, Jordan Pond, Shinn Pond, Temescal.

No access: Upper San Leandro (by permit from East Bay Municipal Utility District only), San Antonio.

Closed by storm damage: Del Valle, no date to reopen.

Contra Costa County

Boating: Contra Loma, Lafayette, Los Vaqueros, San Pablo.

Fishing: Contra Loma, Lafayette, Los Vaqueros, San Pablo, with fishing programs at all, and rare Department of Fish and Wildlife trout stocks at Heather Farms Pond.

No boating: Briones.

No access: Antioch Municipal Reservoir, Clifton Court Forebay.

Marin

Fishing: Bon Tempe, Lagunitas, Kent, Phoenix, Stafford, Soulajule. No fishing programs.

No boating: Alpine, Bon Tempe, Lagunitas, Kent, Phoenix, Nicasio, Stafford and Soulajule.

Closed by storm damage: Bolinas-Fairfax Road to Alpine Dam, no date to reopen.

Napa County

Boating: Lake Berryessa, Lake Hennessey (Conn Dam).

Fishing: Lake Berryessa, Lake Hennessey (with fishing program at Berryessa).

No access: Lake Curry, Milliken and Rector.

San Francisco

Boating: Lake Merced North, Lake Merced South, Stow Lake.

Fishing: Lake Merced North. No fishing program.

San Mateo County

Boating: No boating is permitted.

Fishing: No fishing is permitted.

No access: Upper Crystal Springs, Lower Crystal Springs, San Andreas Lake, Pilarcitos Lake.

Santa Clara County

Boating: Calero, Lexington, Shoreline Sailing Lake. Temporary closures to boating at Anderson, Coyote and Stevens Creek.

No boating: Almaden, Arastradero, Campbell Perc Ponds, Guadalupe, Chesbro, Cottonwood, Cunningham, Sandy Wool, Uvas, Vasona.

Fishing: Anderson, Calero, Chesbro, Coyote, Lexington, Sandy Wool, Stevens Creek, Uvas. No fishing programs.

No access: Boronda Lake (Palo Alto residents only), Calaveras Reservoir, Lake Elsman, Felt Lake.

Santa Cruz County

Boating: Loch Lomond Reservoir, Pinto Lake.

Fishing: Loch Lomond, Pinto. No fishing programs.

Solano County

Boating: Chabot Reservoir, Lake Solano.

Fishing: Lake Solano, with limited fishing program by regulation.

No access: Lake Madigan.

Sonoma County

Boating: Spring, Ralphine.

Fishing: Spring, Ralphine. No fishing programs.

No access: Laguna Lake.

Tom Stienstra is The Chronicles outdoor writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom

Lake bests

Lakes with kayak rentals: Lake Chabot, Del Valle, Merritt, Elizabeth, Shadow Cliffs in Alameda County; San Pablo, Contra Loma in Contra Costa County; Lake Cunningham in San Jose.

Lakes with powerboat access: Aquatic Park, Del Valle (temporary closure), Bethany in Alameda County; San Pablo in Contra Costa County; Berryessa and Hennessey in Napa County; Calero, Anderson (temporary closure) in Santa Clara County.

Lakes with campgrounds: Lake Berryessa, Napa; Del Valle, Livermore; Coyote, Gilroy; Spring, Santa Rosa.

Fishing records: 39-pound catfish, Shadow Cliffs Lake; 23.1-pound rainbow trout, Del Valle Reservoir; 18-pound, 11-ounce largemouth bass, San Pablo Reservoir.

Contacts

East Bay Regional Park District: Headquarters, (888) 327-2757, www.ebayparks.org.

San Pablo Reservoir: San Pablo Main Rec, (510) 223-1661, www.rockymountainrec.com.

Marin watershed: Marin Municipal Water District, (415) 945-1195; Sky Oaks Ranger Station, (415) 945-1181, www.marinwater.org.

East Bay Municipal Utility District: (866) 403-2683, www.ebmud.com  click on recreation.

Contra Costa Water District: Los Vaqueros Marina, (925) 371-2628; watershed information, www.ccwater.com/losvaqueros.

San Francisco Water Department: Customer Services, S.F. Public Utilities Commission, (415) 551-3000, www.sfwater.org.

Santa Clara County parks: Headquarters, (408) 355-2200 (general information), www.parkhere.org (portal to Santa Clara County government site).

Solano County parks: (707) 784-6765, http://solanocounty.com
What youll see: For some, nature is their church. Steep Ravine, nestled in a canyon on the flank of Mount Tamalpais, can be your temple. At the center of the canyon, gorgeous Webb Creek flows in a series of pools and drops en route to a small waterfall. A cathedral of redwoods and Douglas firs tower s above.

Location: The trailhead for Steep Ravine is at the west end of the parking area for the Pantoll staging area, perched on the west flank of Mount Tamalpais along the Panoramic Highway.

The trail: The trip starts with a descent via a series of wooden steps into the canyon to Webb Creek, recharged by 80 inches of rain this winter. The trail then leads down the canyon along Webb Creek, crossing the creek 11 times on wooden bridges. A towering forest canopy and fern understory give this place a feel like nowhere else in the Bay Area, what I call the power of place. Its a 1,000-foot descent over 1.7 miles to a small waterfall. 3.4-mile round trip.

Want more? Most venture to the waterfall and back, stopping at the bridges to take in the canyon views up and down the creek. But from the waterfall, the route can be extended down the canyon, then with a right turn on the Dipsea Trail. You will break out of the woods for ocean views en route to Stinson Beach. 5.6-mile round trip, with a steady 1,500-foot climb on the way back.

Want even more? In Stinson Beach at Belvedere Avenue, take the Matt Davis Trail back to Pantoll. 8.5-mile round trip.

Cost: $8 for parking per vehicle.

Camping: $25 per night, 16 walk-in tent sites at Pantoll, first come, first served.

Maps: Map/brochure available at Pantoll kiosk; trail map: Mount Tam, $10.95, www.tomharrisonmaps.com.

Contacts: Mount Tamalpais State Park, (415) 388-2070, parks.ca.gov.

How to get there

From San Francisco: From the Golden Gate Bridge take Highway 101 north 4 miles to the exit for Highway 1/Stinson Beach. Take that exit and continue west for 1 mile to the stoplight at the T intersection for Shoreline Highway/Highway 1. Turn left on Shoreline Highway and drive 2.6 miles to Panoramic Highway. Bear right on Panoramic Highway and drive (continuing straight at junction) 5.3 miles to Pantoll on the left.

Driving notes/escape hatch: At the junction of Highway 1 and Panoramic Highway, Highway 1 is barricaded and closed, and you must turn right on Panoramic Highway. Parking at Pantoll and other parking lots along Panoramic Highway and nearby at Bootjack, Rock Spring and pullouts along the roads shoulder fill up on Sunday mornings; arrive early. For a side trip or to salvage a late trip with no parking left, parking is usually available at the Mount Tamalpais summit, visitor center and trailhead.

Distances: 10 miles from Larkspur, 13 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge, 24 miles from Richmond, 29 miles from Berkeley, 30 miles from Pacifica, 38 miles from San Mateo, 46 miles from Walnut Creek.

 Tom Stienstra
Manohar Parrikar, who has served as PM Narendra Modi's defence minister, has been appointed the chief minister of Goa.

By Reema Parashar, Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Manohar Parrikar was today appointed the chief minister of Goa by the state's Governor, Mridula Sinha. Parrikar will step down from the post of Defence Minister.

After garnering support from independent candidates and small parties, the BJP now claims the support of a total of 22 MLAs in Goa.

The Maharashtra Gomantak Party (MGP), one of the kingmakers in Goa after election results were announced, had said that it would extend support to the BJP only if Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was brought back to the state as Chief Minister.

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Latest Developments:

Manohar Parrikar is appointed the chief minister of Goa by Governor Mridula Sinha, and is given 15 days to prove majority support.

Manohar Parrikar will be the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Goa, tweets Nitin Gadkari. He adds that the BJP has staked a claim to form the next Goa government with the support of MGP, GFP and others.

Goa Forward Party president Prabhakar Timble resigns from party after GFP extends support to BJP

Parrikar says he's expecting the Governor's invitation.

We met the Governor, expecting an invitation.Once we receive it,we will consult our colleagues and decide the date for swearing in: Parrikar pic.twitter.com/r3mpCAMLdp- ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

On his tenure as Defence Minister, Parrikar says it was difficult as it was a new department, but adds he's happy there are no corruption allegations against the government.

We thank Sudin Dhawalikar and Vijai Sardesai for their support. We have support of 21 MLAs...We have met the governor and have submitted signatures and letters of support...Parrikar will have to resign as the defence minister before being sworn in: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to ANI as he leaves Governor House in Goa: I have not resigned yet

Some like minded parties met me to form government. They said that if Manohar Parrikar is made the CM they will support: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

Parrikar's role as Defence has been excellent...Parrikar said whatever the party decides, I will be okay: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

BJP government formula finalised : Goa forward will get 3 cabinet berths, MGP will get 2 cabinet berths, Govind Gaude and Rohan Khaunte will be ministers. There will be 4 BJP ministers of BJP. The Speaker and deputy speaker will be from the BJP.

BJP claims to have the support of 22 MLAs. NCP's Churchill Alemao has lent his support along with the MGP, the GFP and 2 independents. A letter of support from Rohan Khaunte (Independent from Porvorim), whom the Congress had backed, is awaited. Khaunte would take BJP's tally to 23

Goa BJP legislature party met today and the MLAs passed a resolution to make Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister.

The MLAs have also shot off a letter to BJP president Amit Shah requesting him to send Parrikar back to Goa.

BJP sources have said that the party will stake claim to form government in Goa tomorrow.

The BJP sources claimed to have got support of Goa Forward Party, which has three MLAs and MGM, which also has three MLAs.

The BJP sources further said that the three Independent MLAs were also ready to extend support to the party in Goa Assembly.

With support of nine MLAs, the BJP will cross the majority mark in Goa Assembly.

The BJP is likely to make formal announcement in the evening.

Sources also said that in all likelihood Manohar Parrikar will lead the Goa government.

Meanwhile, chorus is growing within the BJP to bring back Parrikar as Chief Minister.

The BJP MLA from Calangute Michael Lobo has told India Today that he wants Parrikar as the Goa CM.

Michael Lobo confirmed to India Today in Panaji that both MGP and GFP want Parrikar as Chief Minister.

BJP HAS A PLAN?

With some votes still to be counted, BJP president Amit Shah announced in New Delhi yesterday that the BJP was in a position to form government in Goa. This gave an idea that the BJP has a plan for Goa.

READ| Goa Assembly Election 2017 Detailed Result

When the final tally was known, the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats in the 40-member Goa Assembly. The ruling BJP secured 13 seats, eight less than the 2012 Goa Assembly election.

Chief Minister Lakshmikant Parsekar lost to Congress candidate Dayanand Sopte, who visited party office as a 'giant killer'.

But, the BJP still claimed that it was in a position to form government. How?

Sources in the BJP and political observers, both, are of the view that the answer lies in Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

WHY PARRIKAR AGAIN?

In the 40-seat Goa Assembly, a party or coalition requires support of 21 MLAs to form government. Chief Minister Parsekar has lost the election. He was anyway considered a weak candidate than his predecessor Parrikar.

The final tally has 10 seats under the belt of non-BJP, non-Congress parties. The Maharashtra Gomantak Party has been a former ally of the BJP and during Parrikar's regime the two parties worked in harmony.

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Speaking to India Today MGP leader Sudin Dhawalikar said, "We have passed a resolution to support the BJP only if Manohar Parrikar is made the Chief Minister."

WATCH| Assembly election results 2017: How counting day unfolded in Goa

Dhawalikar also said, "We have written a letter to (BJP president) Amit Shah to consider our request."

Quite interestingly Dhawalikar claimed that other non-Congress players are also ready to support the BJP with Parrikar as CM.

"I have also spoken to Goa Forward party and they too will support if Parrikar is made the Chief Minister. The NCP too is willing to join us," Dhawalikar told India Today.

IS PARRIKAR WILLING?

Late last night after the results were announced, Parrikar said, "In the situation of a fractured mandate, everyone is in the run to form the government. We are also there. If the BJP acts like a core group and brings together smaller parties, we can still give a stable government."

Parrikar said exactly on the same lines as the MGP leader would tell India Today some 12 hours later.

Parrikar went on to add, "BJP is in the best position to form the government. I am confident of getting necessary support."

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This morning support is pouring for Parrikar.

Earlier, responding to a query about his possible return to Goa and his willingness for the Chief Minister's job, Parrikar had said, "I have lost 4kg in Delhi because of the food. I like Goan food. You can interpret this the way you want."

THE NUMBERS: GOA ELECTION RESULTS

Party Seats Congress 17 BJP 13 MGP 3 GPF 3 NCP 1 Independent 3 Total 40

--- ENDS ---
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening in the next few weeks.

Monday

Postcard party: Part of 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.

Tuesday

Anti-Trump rally: Members of the tech community are expected to rally on Pi Day, March 14, in protest of President Trump. The rally is from 2 to 6 p.m. at 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto.

Wednesday

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, San Francisco.

Postcard party: An opportunity for people to write postcards to elected officials on issues of concern from 6 to 8 p.m. at Pier 23 Cafe on the Embarcadero, San Francisco.

Friday

Community forum: A conversation on civic engagement with elected officials, business leaders and community activists, hosted by Golden Gate University. The event is from 5 to 8 p.m. at 536 Mission St., San Francisco. Purchase tickets: http://bit.ly/2n3L87U

March 19

Community conversation: Sierra Club leader Arthur Feinstein leads a discussion on local and statewide environmental issues. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Northern Police Station Community Room, 1125 Fillmore St., San Francisco. RSVP: www.sierraclub.org/san-francisco-bay/activities

March 20

Political discussion: A panel discussion on how to be involved at the local, state and federal level, hosted by the United Democratic Club. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 6 union, 55 Fillmore St., San Francisco.

March 26

Womens rally and march: A Walk for Equality from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Rinconada Park, 777 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto.

March 29

Panel: A discussion with immigration attorneys on sanctuary cities hosted by the United Democratic Club. The panel begins at 6:30 p.m. at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 6 union, 55 Fillmore St., San Francisco.
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Around 40 protesters rallied Saturday afternoon outside the San Francisco home of Peter Thiel, a billionaire businessman and adviser to President Trump, over fears his data analytics company would partner with the administration to facilitate mass deportations.

Carrying signs with slogans like Make America Mexico Again, and No wall no ban no surveillance state, the group gathered around 3 p.m at the steps of Thiels Pacific Heights home on Broadway.

Former Supervisor David Campos was among those protesting, and addressed the group with a megaphone as he lambasted Thiel as complicit with what Trump wants to do.

The concept of mass deportation is completely un-American, Campos said. We want Peter Thiel to know and his neighbors to know that they are living next to someone who does not represent the values of this city. And Peter Thiel should be ashamed of himself. Shame on you Peter Thiel, shame on you.

The Intercept reported March 2 that technology from Palantir, the data analytics company Thiel co-founded, could help Immigrations and Customs Enforcement carry out raids on unauthorized immigrants.

A $41.6 million contract to provide ICE with an intelligence system by September could provide agents with more extensive information on subjects for deportation, according to The Intercept.

Lisa Weissman-Ward, supervising attorney with the Stanford Law School Immigrants' Rights Clinic, stood outside Thiels home denouncing ICE programs that she said pushes people underground.

We will not stand for bigotry, whether overt or subtle, Weissman-Ward said. Surveillance does not make our community safer. It makes it less safe.

Two San Francisco Police Department Patrol cars parked outside Thiels house to monitor the demonstration. By 5:30 p.m. officers left as the rally wound down.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
BOSTON  Organizers of Bostons St. Patricks Day parade reversed course and said they will allow a group of gay veterans to march in this years parade.

The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council announced on the parades Twitter account late Friday that it had signed an acceptance letter that would clear the way for OutVets to participate.

A lawyer for OutVets said the group looked forward to marching proudly and representing LGBTQ veterans.

We are honored and humbled by all the outpouring of support that has been displayed for our LGBTQ veterans  who are one of the most unrepresented demographics in our veterans community, said lawyer said Dee Dee Edmondson.

An earlier vote by the council to bar OutVets from marching drew immediate condemnation from high-profile politicians, some of whom said they would not march if the gay veterans were excluded. It caused some sponsors to back out and stirred up a furor on social media.

South Boston Allied War Veterans Council member Edward Flynn said Friday night he was proud the group invited OutVets to be part of the parade. South Boston is an inclusive community, and with this development, we are one step closer to a parade that reflects that spirit, he said.

Earlier Friday, OutVets executive director Bryan Bishop said the vets had been told the original decision to bar them was because of their rainbow symbols.

Bishop said the council offered to allow the group to march if its members did not display the rainbow flag, a symbol of gay pride, which is on their banner and their jackets. The group said no.

I almost fell out of the chair at that point, said, You gotta be kidding me, Bishop said.

Edmondson, the OutVets lawyer, described the acceptance letter as generic and said it did not make fully clear whether the gay group would be allowed to display its banner.

Mark Pratt is an Associated Press writer.
A federal judge in Seattle has declined to declare immediately that his freeze of President Trumps original travel ban applied to the new executive order, saying he could not do so until the state filed an amended complaint challenging the new directive head on.

The decision Friday from U.S. District Judge James Robart is a modest blow to the state of Washington, which had sued over the ban, because the quickest path to success would have been getting the judge to declare that Trumps new order was affected by the freeze he imposed previously. But Robart declined to do that for procedural reasons and did not address the merits of any arguments.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Vice President Mike Pence appealed for total GOP congressional support for a White House-backed health overhaul during a visit Saturday to Kentucky, where the Republican governor and junior senator are among the plans skeptics.

This is going to be a battle in Washington, D.C. And for us to seize this opportunity to repeal and replace Obamacare once and for all, we need every Republican in Congress, and were counting on Kentucky, Pence said at an energy company where business leaders had gathered.

He said President Trump would lean on House Republicans  including two Kentucky lawmakers in the audience, Reps. Andy Barr and Brett Guthrie  to vote to replace former President Barack Obamas law.

Pences trip was part of an effort to reassure conservatives who have raised objections to the House plan. In a sign of the high stakes, Pences motorcade passed a long line of demonstrators who chanted, Save our care.

Almost at the time Pence landed in Louisville, Trump tweeted: We are making great progress with health care. ObamaCare is imploding and will only get worse. Republicans coming together to get job done!

The former Indiana governor has been the chief salesman for Trumps push to jettison the Affordable Care Act. The House is expected to vote on the bill in less than two weeks, but faces resistance from critics within the GOP, including Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who has called the initial draft Obamacare Lite.

GOP Gov. Matt Bevin has said his state cannot afford to pay for a growing Medicaid program, which has cost Kentucky millions more than initially expected and now covers more than 25 percent of the states population. He has dismantled Kentuckys state-based exchange but indicated he would not favor eliminating the federal health insurance exchange.

Bevin told reporters Friday that, like Paul, he was not impressed with the initial proposal in the House. But on Saturday he said that while there were different views on how to change the law, ultimately these differences of opinion will be rectified.

Now I know that not every politician in Kentucky supports our plan, Pence said, mentioning former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear but neither Paul nor Bevin.

Democrats have praised Beshears use of the health care law to drive down the states uninsured rate and his smooth rollout of kynect, the state-run exchange, even while Obama struggled with the national release of healthcare.gov.

The event at the Harshaw Trane energy center was in the hometown of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., whom Pence praised as a true friend. McConnell, however, did not attend due to a scheduling conflict.

Ken Thomas is an Associated Press writer.
NEW YORK  Robert James Waller, whose best-selling, bittersweet 1992 romance novel The Bridges of Madison County was turned into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood and later into a soaring Broadway musical, has died in Texas, according to a longtime friend. He was 77.

Scott Cawelti, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, told the Associated Press that Mr. Waller died Friday at his home in Fredericksburg, Texas. He had been fighting multiple myeloma, a form of cancer.

In Bridges, a literary phenomenon that Mr. Waller famously wrote in 11 days, the roving National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid spends four days taking pictures of bridges and also romancing Francesca Johnson, a war bride from Italy married to a no-nonsense Iowa farmer. One famous line from the book reads: The old dreams were good dreams; they didnt work out but Im glad I had them.

Mr. Wallers novel reached No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list and stayed on it for over three years, longer than any work of fiction since The Robe, a novel about Jesus crucifixion published in the early 1950s. The Eastwood-directed 1995 movie grossed $182 million worldwide.

Many critics made fun of Bridges, calling it sappy and cliche-ridden. The Independent newspaper said of the central romantic pair it is hard to believe in, or to like, either of them. (Publishers Weekly was more charitable, calling the book, quietly powerful and thoroughly credible.)

The New York Times was dismissive: Waller depicts their mating dance in plodding detail, but he fails to develop them as believable characters, reviewer Eils Lotozo wrote. Instead, we get a lot of quasi-mystical business about the shaman-like photographer who overwhelms the shy, bookish Francesca with his sheer emotional and physical power.

Readers, however, bought more than 12 million copies in 40 languages. Bridges turned the unknown writer into a multimillionaire and made Madison County, Iowa, an international tourist attraction.

I really do have a small ego, Mr. Waller told the New York Times in 2002. I am open to rational discussion. If you dont like the book and can say why, I am willing to listen. But the criticism turned to nastiness. ... I was stunned.

The novel prompted couples across the world to marry on Madison Countys covered bridges. Around the town of Winterset, population 4,200, tourists arrived by the busloads, buying Bridges T-shirts, perfume and postcards. Thousands signed in at the Chamber of Commerce office, where they could use restrooms marked Roberts and Francescas.

After the novels success, Mr. Waller left Iowa, where he had grown up, and moved to a ranch in Alpine, Texas, 50 miles from the nearest town. He also divorced his wife of 36 years, Georgia, with whom he had a daughter, and found a new partner in Linda Bow, who worked as a landscaper.

Mr. Wallers seven books include Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend, which unseated Bridges on the best-seller list, Border Music, Puerto Vallarta Squeeze and A Thousand County Roads: An Epilogue to The Bridges of Madison County.

Mark Kennedy is an Associated Press writer.
By Press Trust of India: Ahmedabad, Mar 12 (PTI)The Gujarat government will enact a harsher law providing for life term for those found involved in cow-slaughtering and transportation of beef, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said today.

Addressing a gathering at Swaminarayan Gurukul in Vanthali town of Junagadh district, Rupani said the BJP government had earlier brought the law in 2011 to save cows.

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"We fought the case till the Supreme Court to bring a law in Gujarat to save cows. Now, we want to make this law more strict, for which we will introduce a Bill in the ongoing Budget session of the Gujarat assembly during next week," said Rupani.

With Narendra Modi as the state chief minister, the Gujarat government had in 2011 imposed a complete ban on cow-slaughter, transportation and selling of cow-beef by amending the erstwhile Gujarat Animal Preservation Act of 1954.

Since then, the crimes related to cow slaughter in Gujarat are covered under the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act of 2011.

Under this Act, the people found involved in cow-slaughtering and related crimes are penalised with Rs 50,000 fine and a jail term up to seven years.

Rupani now has announced to make the present Act more stringent with harsher punishment.

"In the Bill, we will make a provision wherein people found involved in cow-slaughtering as well transportation of beef will be punished with life imprisonment. Their vehicles too will be seized permanently," said the chief minister. PTI PJT PD NRB RAX

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This story originally appeared on Hoodline.

Purim is one of the happiest days on the Jewish calendar. In many ways it's the Jewish equivalent of Halloween. Jews around the world celebrate Purim to commemorate the failure of Haman, a prime minister under King Ahashverosh, to exterminate all Jewish people in ancient Persia.

Purim includes the reading of the Megillah (or the book of Esther), the ancient Hebraic tract that recounts the story of how Mordechai, the leader of the Jews, and Queen Esther saved their people from Haman. During Megillah readings, typically held at temples, it's customary to stamp your feet in unison whenever Haman's name is mentioned.

Purim is also a time to party. Jews are encouraged to wear costumes, drink wine, partake in sweet pastries and dance. If you like a good party, then Purim is the Jewish holiday you've been waiting for.

Here are a few parties happening around San Francisco this weekend to help Jews and non-Jews of all ages commemorate this year's Purim celebration right.

Congregation Sha'ar Zahav

Purim will no doubt be a drag in more ways than one when San Francisco's LGBT and allies synagogue Congregation Sha'ar Zahav throws its annual bash at 290 Dolores St.

The fun starts at 5pm Saturday with the making of mishloah manot (gift baskets), which can be distributed to family members and friends. Dinner will be served at 5:30pm. Instead of being charged for dinner, partygoers are encouraged to purchase Safeway and Target gift cards that will then be donated to LGBTQ refugees who are settling in the Bay Area.

The costume parade begins at 6:20pm, followed by the Megillah reading. And if you stick around after that, the real partying will begin.

"Crazy Purim" At Codeword

If you prefer more radical celebrations, you can always join nice Jewish boy Stuart Schuffman, aka Broke Ass Stuart, for Crazy Purim this Saturday night at SoMa's Codeword nightclub (917 Folsom St).

Promising "the best Purim party ever" for both Jews and non-Jews, Schuffman says the purpose of this holiday is simple: Someone tried to kill us, they failed, so lets celebrate.

Crazy Purim will include "killer disco tunes" by the Go BANG! DJs and mini pizzas shaped like hamentashen, the traditional Purim pastry that's meant to represent Haman's ears.

The craziness runs from 9pm-1am.

Congregation Emanu-El

Congregation Emanu-El, at 2 Lake St., has big plans for the holiday this weekend.

The celebration kicks off at 4pm Saturday with a family carnival. From 6-7pm thecongregation will perform "Hamiltoshin: A Purim Musical." The show will no doubt turn the hit musical "Hamilton" on it's head.

After 7pm, youngsters are ushered home and the 21+ after party ensues.

Come 10am Sunday, the celebration continues with a reading of the Megillah at Golden Bear Trading Company (1401 6th Ave).

Haunted Haman House

Zehut, the local community group for young Jewish adults, is taking the holiday's Halloween comparison to its limits with Haunted Haman House at Haas-Lilienthal House (2007 Franklin St).

For $20-$25 a head, the party will include Megillah readings on the hour, live DJs, an open bar and hamentashen from 8:30pm to midnight. All are encouraged to "dress to scare."

"Purim Unmasked" At The Jewish Community Center

The JCCSF celebrates Purim on Sunday afternoon with Purim Unmasked, a free party open to all that will combine old-fashioned family friendly fun with a dose of social justice.

From 11am-2pm, the JCC invites the community to 3200 California St. for face painting, stilt walking, music, storytelling and more.

At the same time, the organization will help people sign up to volunteer with Glide Memorial Church's homeless outreach and food service programs. The JCC will also accept donations to the San Francisco Food Bankit's a mitzvah (a good deed in the eyes of God).

Italian ices and deli snacks will be served, and you can also make your own hamantashen.

Happy Purim!
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Ivanka Trump's products weren't always the hottest items online.

In January, for instance, the first daughter's fashion line ranked No. 550 based on the number of orders from Lyst, the biggest fashion e-commerce website in the world, according to Forbes.

That changed dramatically the following month.

Sales of Trump's products skyrocketed in early February, making her Lyst's 11th most popular brand. The biggest spike, according to Lyst, came on Feb. 9, when sales jumped by 219 percent from the day before.

Yes, Feb. 9 - the same day that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway promoted Trump's clothing and jewelry line on "Fox & Friends."

"Go buy Ivanka's stuff is what I would tell you," Conway said. "I'm going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody."

And viewers did, apparently.

Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand, said in a statement that "the beginning of February" shows "the best performing weeks in the history of the brand."

"For several different retailers, Ivanka Trump was a top performer online, and in some of the categories it was the best performance ever," Klem said.

More for you The list of retailers dropping Ivanka Trump's line

Sarah Tanner, Lyst's spokeswoman, said increases in sales are usually tied to current events. For instance, interest in pantsuits went up by 460 percent last year because of Hillary Clinton's affinity for the style, she said. Sales of the first daughter's products went up by 86 percent in November, when her father won the presidential election, according to the company.

But the brand was "largely featured" in the news in February, Tanner said. Conway gave her on-air endorsement of Ivanka Trump's brand after President Trump had complained on Twitter that his daughter had "been treated so unfairly" by the department store Nordstrom, which dropped her clothing line over slow sales.

"It would not be a surprise to us if it resulted in the increase in sales," Tanner said of Conway's Fox interview. "I think that's one of the reasons the brand was largely in the news and could have attributed to this increase."

Conway did not respond to an email requesting comment. Her promotion of the fashion line appeared to violate an ethics rule barring federal employees from using their public office to endorse products and immediately drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said Conway's comments were "absolutely wrong, wrong, wrong" and "clearly over the line," The Washington Post reported.

The White House later said that Conway had been "counseled." But concerns about her comments remain.

On Thursday, the government's top ethics official criticized the White House for not disciplining Conway, The Post reported. Walter Shaub, director of the Office of Government Ethics, had urged officials last month to reprimand the White House counsel but was rebuffed. On Thursday he wrote to Stefan C. Passantino, who handles White House ethics issues as the president's deputy counsel.

"When an employee's conduct violates, disciplinary action serves to deter future misconduct," Shaub wrote. "Not taking disciplinary action against a senior official under such circumstances risks undermining the ethics program."

Last month, a group of law professors filed a professional misconduct complaint against Conway - a law school graduate and member of the District of Columbia Bar - partly because of her on-air endorsement of Trump's products.

According to Lyst, February drew unusually large numbers of orders across many Ivanka Trump-branded products, including dresses, shoes, pants, coats, knitwear and tops. Heels were the bestsellers, followed by dresses.

"We've never seen such a large uptick," Tanner said. "Typically, she's not in our top 100 sellers."

Comparing February's numbers with last year's average number of orders of Ivanka Trump products shows a difference of 557 percent. (Tanner said company policy prohibits her from sharing the actual numbers of online sales.)

The excitement on the brand, however, may be slumping. The company's numbers show sales were gradually tapering off toward the end of February. March does not appear to be as remarkable, but sales are still on track to be about eight percent better than they were in January, according to Lyst.

The Ivanka Trump brand also appears to have weathered an aggressive boycott campaign called Grab Your Wallet, which began in October and encouraged shoppers to avoid retailers that stock Trump-branded products.

Some retailers have partially or completely distanced themselves from the Trump brand. Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Belk have stopped selling Trump's branded line of clothing, shoes and jewelry. T.J. Maxx and Marshalls have instructed employees to stop promoting Trump products in stores and to move Trump clothing into general merchandise racks. Sears Holdings and subsidiary Kmart discontinued online sales of 31 items from the Trump Home collection last month, though their websites still contain items sold by third-party sellers. The collection includes living room and bedroom furniture, lamps and chandeliers.

The companies attributed their decisions to product performance. Nordstrom, for instance, said sales of the brand have steadily declined, particularly in the last half of 2016.

Still, despite the boycott, Trump's line of fragrances enjoyed top spots in Amazon's best-selling list last month, The Post reported. The Ivanka Trump Eau de Parfum spray was the top-selling item in the "Perfumes & Fragrances" category.
"Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed, has officially been made head of JuD in the wake of house arrest of Saeed," a JuD official said.

By Press Trust of India: Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who carries a USD 2 million bounty on his head, has been given the charge of the head of Jamaat-ud-Dawah after the Mumbai terror attack mastermind was put under the house arrest by Pakistan's Punjab government.

"Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed, has officially been made head of JuD in the wake of house arrest of Saeed," a JuD official told PTI on Sunday.

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Makki was the second in command of JuD and he took over the reins of the group soon after Saeed's detention, he said.

Asked about reports that Saeed is still running the JuD from his house (which is declared sub-jail by the Punjab government) in Lahore, the JuD official denied.

"Makki sahib is looking after all affairs of the organisation," he said.

Makki has led over half-a-dozen rallies in Lahore and elsewhere since the detention of Saeed.

The Punjab government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest for a period of 90 days in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE(1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997.

Various offices of both JuD and FIF were closed following the house arrest of Saeed. Both organisations were also put on observation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

JuD has rebranded under the new name of 'Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir', just days after Saeed's house arrest.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Council's resolutions.

The names of Saeed and 37 other members of JuD and FIF have also been placed on exit control list, preventing them from leaving the country.

As Saeed, the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack, carrying a US bounty of USD 10 million on his head, Makki has also USD 2 million on his head.

In a statement issued here Saturday, Makki demanded immediate release of Saeed.

Also read:

After Hafiz Saeed 'arrest', China sends top counterterror official to Pakistan

Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed placed on Pak's Exit Control List

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It's a well-known fact around here that iconic thriller film director Alfred Hitchcock had a special bond with the Bay Area.

He even set or filmed several of the most famous cinematic works in or near the city, including 1940's "Rebecca" (shot in part at Point Lobos State Reserve), 1963's "The Birds" (filmed in San Francisco and Bodega Bay), 1943's "Shadow of a Doubt" (filmed in Santa Rosa), and of course, 1958's San Francisco-set "Vertigo."
Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan were spotted having a day out with their kids Hrehaan and Hridhaan.

By India Today Web Desk: Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan might be divorced but the love between them is still intact, more so because of their children Hrehaan and Hridhaan.

The couple divorced in 2014 but they have repeatedly come together to celebrate important occasions with their children. In fact, they kicked off the New Year celebrations together in Dubai.

A very beautiful day..?????????? #happysoulsareprettiest #familiasagrada #dublife A post shared by Sussanne Khan (@suzkr) on Dec 28, 2016 at 7:44am PST

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All of this dates back to May 1 in 2015 when the couple was seen together publicly for the first time after their divorce, celebrating the birthday of the youngest, Hridhaan.

Now recently, the couple was clicked together again along with their children plus actor Kunal Kapoor. The gang was walking out of a theatre after having watched a film.

Have a look at the snaps!

Photo: Viral Bhayani

Photo: Viral Bhayani

Photo: Viral Bhayani

(All photos by Viral Bhayani)

ALSO READ: We are loving friends, Hrithik opens up on relationship with ex-wife Sussanne

ALSO READ: Revisiting the Hrithik-Sussanne relationship; the ex-couple still going strong

WATCH: I am fine with both truths and lies, says Hrithik on stories about his personal life

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By Indo-Asian News Service: He was sceptical about doing a daily soap, but later on ended up starring in Life OK's Ghulaam. Now actor Param Singh says he will follow the 'never say never' ideology and might also appear in a reality show.

Param, who came into limelight through his portrayal of Randhir in Channel V's Sadda Haq, is currently seen as Rangeela in Ghulaam.

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"While doing Sadda Haq, I used to keep saying that I will not take up daily soaps. But I found Ghulaam such an interesting concept," Param said in a statement.

Also read: When Ghulaam actor Param Singh refused to slap Niti Taylor for a scene

"It is an amazing experience to work on this one, as I am working on a new dialect, a totally different body language and look. It is regressive in some ways and many people thought that my role will be similar to that of Shah Rukh Khan's character in Koyla -- but this is not true."

"Although, after taking up this daily soap, it is appropriate to 'never say never'. I keep saying no to reality shows as well, but now I think I shouldn't because who knows, tomorrow I may end up participating in one," he added.

Ghulaam, aired on Life OK, also features Vikkas Manaktala.

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HOUSTON  Texas State Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, filed a bill Friday that would penalize men for "unregulated masturbatory emissions."

The satirical House Bill 4260 would encourage men to remain "fully abstinent" and only allow the "occasional masturbatory emissions inside health care and medical facilities," which are described in the legislation as the best way to ensure men's health.

Farrar said she created the bill after feeling fed up with the various legislative bills introduced by men addressing women's healthcare.

"A lot of people find the bill funny," Farrar said in a phone interview. "What's not funny are the obstacles that Texas women face every day, that were placed there by legislatures making it very difficult for them to access healthcare."

A man would face a $100 penalty for each emission made outside of a vagina or medical facility. Such an emission would be considered "an act against an unborn child, and failing to preserve the sanctity of life," according to the legislation.

HEALTH CARE: Texas lawmakers using tricks to avoid special session over 'Obamacare'

The money would benefit children in the care of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

A registry would be created of non-profit organizations and hospitals that provide "fully-abstinent encouragement counseling, supervising physicians for masturbatory emissions, and storage for the semen."

Farrar is currently serving her 11th term as state representative for District 148. She works on issues that include women's health, sexual assault, reproductive rights, discrimination, juvenile justice and domestic violence.

She recently spoke out this week against the fetal remains bill, which would require hospitals to bury or cremate fetal remains, tweeting "The fetal remains bill imposes state-sponsored moral beliefs on women, affecting their ability to make personal decisions with their doctor."

BATHROOM BILL: Lawmakers revise proposal in attempt to garner support

Her latest bill also seeks to provide men with a safe and healthy environment during vasectomies, Viagra uses and colonoscopies by creating "A Man's Right to Know" booklet that should "exactly follow the rules and procedures of the informational booklet "A Woman's Right To Know," required to be given of women terminating pregnancies.

During the consultation, the physician would verbally review the booklet with men and would be required to "administer a medically-unnecessary digital rectal exam and magnetic resonance imagining of the rectum," according to the bill.

Farrar said she included this part of the bill to mimic the trans-vaginal ultrasound woman have when they are seeking an abortion. She also described the doctor reading the "Woman's Right To Know" pamphlet as a "guilt mechanism."

"It's to show how invasive this medically unnecessary procedure is," She said. "When a woman has to have a trans-vaginal ultrasound, it has nothing to do with her healthcare. One of the state's objectives is to guilt her into changing her mind."

A doctor would also have the right to "to invoke their personal, moralistic, or religious beliefs" if they refuse to perform a vasectomy or prescribe Viagra.

CONSTITUTIONAL REWRITE: Texas Senate embraces Convention of the States legislation

After reviewing the booklet, consent will be given to the man only after 24 hours have passed since the initial consultation.

"I'm pretty sure this is going to be a famous bill," tweeted Ross Ramsey, executive editor of the Texas Tribune.

Reporter Teddy Wilson from College Station tweeted: "@JFarrarDist148 expertly trolls #txlege with #HB4260: "occasional masturbatory emissions."

And @michaelwalling of Fort Worth tweeted: "My wife wants to invite Jessica Farrar over for dinner."

The Houston representative hopes men will realize the obstacles women face trying to access healthcare through her bill.

"If the state's going to step in to the arena of women's healthcare, lets look to the best practices of the doctors, not bad science, not political agendas and not votes in a Republican primary," She said.

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see the key players in the ongoing legislative session as well as the long history Texas has with the issue of abortion
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 12 (PTI) Telecom operator Idea Cellular today announced free incoming calls on domestic roaming and unveiled international roaming value packs that, it claimed, would prevent "bill shocks" to those travelling abroad.

The offers come on the heels of the larger rival Bharti Airtel announcing removal of all roaming charges for outgoing and incoming calls as well as SMSes and data usage within India, to take on competition from newcomer Reliance Jio.

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"Effective April 1, 2017, Ideas 200 million customers will enjoy free incoming calls while roaming on companys 2G, 3G and 4G network across 400,000 towns and villages in the country. Idea customers will be able to make outgoing calls, SMS freely at affordable rates while roaming anywhere in India," an Idea release said.

It further said mobile data tariffs and data pack benefits of home circle will be available while roaming within India at no extra charge.

The facility of free incoming calls on domestic roaming will be extended to both prepaid and postpaid customers.

For international travellers, the company is offering international roaming value packs with free bundled usage of up to 400 outgoing minutes, 100 SMSes per day, 3GB bundled data and unlimited incoming calls for Rs 2,499 for Asia, and Rs 5,999 for Europe for 30 days validity.

"These international roaming packs also come bundled with free 1GB/2GB/3GB data and overage charges as low as Rs 3 per MB to avoid bill shock to travelling customers," Idea said.

The company said it has done a study of customer?s travel destinations, usage patterns and bill shock complaints to design a new range of value packs for select destinations across Europe, Asia, America, UK and Middle East.

"For value conscious customers, the packs start at Rs 1,199 for 10 days validity and go up to Rs 5,999 for 30 days validity, giving up to 85 per cent savings on international roaming charges," it said.

"...Idea is now set to enable over 200 million customers to use their mobile phones freely, without having to worry about roaming charges, while they travel anywhere in the country," Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer of Idea Cellular said.

On February 27, Bharti Airtel had removed domestic roaming charges on calls and data, and said international call rates will be cut by up to 90 per cent to as low as Rs 3 per minute and data charges by up to 99 per cent to Rs 3 per MB across popular roaming destinations.

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In a press statement, Airtel Declares War on Roaming, the company had then said the move will lead to "death of National Roaming" from April 1. PTI MBI ADI MKJ

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Jagged peaks, sinuous waves, bold intersecting lines  ancient Hawaiians used relatively few designs to adorn a wide variety of objects, from humble household goods to royal capes and fans, as well as human skin. At the same time, the Hawaiian words associated with these patterns have multiple definitions, sometimes creating mysterious associations.

Hulia Ano: Inspired Patterns, opening Saturday, March 18, at the Bishop Museum, draws on the Honolulu museums vast collection of cultural and natural specimens to showcase the Hawaiian legacy of vivid designs as well the Hawaiian languages layers of meanings.

One such striking pattern is the zigzag, seen on the brim of a stylishly woven hat, kapa (bark cloth) beaters and makaloa mats, which the exhibition pairs with similarly patterned shells and ferns. The Hawaiian word for zigzag, kikeekee (pronounced key-keh-eh-keh-eh), can also be connected to the movement of fresh water, or representative of teeth, said cultural adviser Marques Hanalei Marzan, who helped design the exhibition. It all depends on the association and context in how those patterns are used, on kapa versus a feathered cloak or helmet, versus a carving,

Among other aesthetic-linguistic concepts, the show also explores pea (peh-ah), which can mean a starfish, the Hawaiian hoary bat or an X shape, Marzan said. What is connecting all these seemingly different things with the one word? We give one explanation to the visitors, but then have them make their own connections from what they can see, to look at it from a Hawaiian lens.

Aiding that process will be interactive stations allowing patrons to create take-home patterns with ink and stamps, and to design virtual quilts and decorated gourds. Visitors will also be able to compare ancient perspectives with that of five modern artists  known for kapa, cordage, lauhala plaiting, feather work or murals  who created works for this exhibition after viewing the museums collections.

When Polynesians first came to Hawaii, they observed their world and created patterns and designs relevant to that period. Later generations saw new things in the environment, and their interactions with other people on the islands, and the introduction of new materials and Western ideas, also created new observations and patterns, Marzan noted.

The contemporary artists bring that whole understanding to the present  designs are still being created today based off the things we see today.

Hulia Ano: Inspired Patterns: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Saturday, March 18-Oct. 17. $23 adults, $20 seniors, $15 ages 4 to 12 (younger free). Bishop Museum, Honolulu. (808) 847-3511. www.bishopmuseum.org
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Roy Yamaguchis career-defining personality trait showed up early in life. Just-for-fun potato sack races, for instance, revealed a level of grit not normally seen in grade-schoolers. Growing up on a military base outside of Tokyo, the future chef would also go AWOL, so to speak, in search of a more authentic ramen experience. When he left home at 17, it was to earn money moving military supplies  in those days, lunch was as much mayonnaise as possible on white bread because it was cheaper than rice.

Ive always had a lot of determination, says Yamaguchi, who has stratospherically exceeded the mayo-sandwich era. Although most of his namesake Hawaiian fusion restaurants on the mainland are separately owned and operated, his culinary empire in the Pacific currently numbers 10 restaurants across four Hawaiian islands. Coming later this year are a yet-to-be-determined concept in Kailua on Oahus Windward Coast and separate fine-dining and sushi establishments on the 4,140-passenger MSC Seaside cruise ship.

His latest venture, Humble Market Kitchin, debuted at Marriotts Wailea Beach Resort on Maui in late December. Part of the oceanfront propertys $100 million renovation, the restaurant takes over the space formerly occupied by Sheldon Simeons Migrant Lounge. In a completely refurbished open-air dining room with elegant elements of wood and stone, Yamaguchi dishes up food inspired by his grandfather, who owned a general store and tavern in Wailuku, a blue-collar town in central Maui.

There, a young Yamaguchi spent his summers working in the shop, observing his grandfather and unwittingly collecting inspiration for his future restaurant in a luxury resort on one of the poshest parts of the island.

A lot of my cooking is based on childhood memories, says Yamaguchi of such Humble Market Kitchin menu items as claypot black cod with Chinese sausage and Yamaguchi-style ramen with pork belly, shrimp dumplings and a thick sesame broth. Hearty, rich and intensely flavorful, these internationally inflected dishes epitomize Hawaiian comfort food.

Its also easy to spot working-class origins in such plates as the crispy whole fish served with garlic rice and the Szechuan-spiced baby back ribs, though perhaps more difficult to recognize in the spoon-tender Bourguignon short rib. The Honolulu chef claims it can be traced back to a family recipe for beef stew, though the stylings of his French culinary idols Paul Bocuse and Roger Verge are more evident.

Yamaguchis culinary trajectory started picking up speed when he famously signed up for a home-economics class in high school just to meet girls, but instead discovered a love of cooking. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York in 1976 before training in French cuisine at such prestigious (and long-shuttered) Beverly Hills restaurants as LEscoffier and LErmitage. While at the latter, he cooked a lobster cassoulet with a life-changing sherry-cream sauce. There is no better source of knowledge for cooking than the understanding of stocks and sauces, he says.

In 1988, Yamaguchi combined his French gastronomy with his island roots to open his first signature restaurant, Roys, in Honolulus Hawaii Kai neighborhood. There are now 26 of these upscale spots across the nation, including one in SoMa in San Francisco.

To varying degrees, all of Yamaguchis restaurants authentically honor the rich culinary traditions of Hawaiis population of immigrants  the sugarcane and pineapple plantation workers of yore who hailed from Portugal, the Philippines, China, Korea and Japan. His Eating House 1849 concept, which debuted on Kauai in 2015 and recently added Oahu branches in Waikiki and Kapolei, features the likes of pork-and-tofu lumpia and a kalbi-style rib-eye.

Yamaguchis reverence for the people who work the land extends to Hawaiis farmers, ranchers and fishermen, particularly Dean Okimoto of Nalo Farms and Brooks Takenaka at the Honolulu Fish Auction. Theyre the ones who are up early, who get their hands really dirty and worry about how they can provide us with great ingredients, says Yamaguchi, who also opened the open-air Roys Beach House at Oahus Turtle Bay Resort last August.

His desire to show off the islands native bounty  which includes taro, breadfruit, opakapaka (Hawaiian pink snapper) and local grass-fed beef  has further inspired him to write three cookbooks, compete on Top Chef Masters and, along with his wife, Denise, establish the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival.

(The festival) showcases the wonderful products that Hawaii has to offer as well as tells a story about the people of Hawaii, said Michelle Karr-Ueoka, pastry chef at MW in Honolulu and previous participant with husband and chef Wade Ueoka.

Now in its seventh year, the autumn event, which takes place across multiple islands, has hosted such culinary headliners as Nancy Silverton, Josiah Citrin and Charles Phan of San Franciscos Slanted Door. They come here, cook with our ingredients, and then they go home and spread the gospel about our food and culture, says Yamaguchi. The festival is really just a ploy to get more good ambassadors for Hawaii.

Leilani Marie Labong writes frequently about Hawaii for The Chronicles Island Style section.

Dining a la Roy

Heres a sampling of where to taste Roy Yamaguchis latest approaches to island-inspired cuisine:

Humble Market Kitchin Marriotts Wailea Beach Resort, Maui. (808) 8799-4655, http://hmkmaui.com.

Eating House 1849, International Market Place Waikiki, Oahu; (808) 924-1849. The Shops at Kukuiula, Koloa, Kauai; (808) 742-5000, www.eatinghouse1849.com.

Hawaii Food & Wine Festival Oct. 20-Nov. 5. Events on the Big Island, Maui and Oahu. www.hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.

For classic Roys, see www.royshawaii.com
Hundreds of people gathered to welcome the 22-year-old Chandu Babulal Chouhan, who was held captive by Pakistani army after mistakenly crossing LoC.

By Pankaj P. Khelkar: Indian Army soldier Chandu Babulal Chouhan, 22, finally returned to his native village Borvir 6 months later after he mistakenly crossed LoC and entered Pakistan occupied Kashmir has finally.

Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday afternoon at Dhule district's Shivaji Chowk in Maharashtra to get a glimpse of the soldier

Chouhan, soldier from 37 Rashtriya Rifles, had crossed LoC on September 29,2016 and then he was held captive by Pakistani army at an unknown location. Untiring efforts made by Dr Subhash Bhambre, Minister of State for Defence, made Chandu's return in a short notice possible.

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Villagers danced when they saw Chandu entering the village as they felt their prayers had been answered.

"I still cannot believe that I am back, thanks to Modi government and Defence Minister for getting me back. I am unable to speak any more", told an overwhelmed Chandu to India Today.

The Army officer was having difficulty in speaking and was continuously holding his head as if something was irritating him. But he had the support of his family and friends who had arranged a music evening for him.

Chandu is on leave for a month and after completion will resume his duty.

Also read: Efforts on to secure release of captured Indian soldier in Pakistan: Manohar Parrikar

Also read: Pakistan returns Indian soldier Chandu Babulal Chavan as goodwill gesture

Also watch:

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Even before he was of legal drinking age, as a teenager working at a liquor store and restaurant chain in Kailua, Oahu, Micah Suderman found the local beer scene rather limited.

Bud Light and a bucket of ice was the standard drink for most people, recalls Suderman, 34, now a sommelier and general manager of the Royal Hawaiians signature restaurant, Azure. There was this fierce loyalty you had to your one beer, or maybe two  one high end and one low end  and the high-end one here was Heineken.

But while he was learning to appreciate wine and food pairings under the tutelage of the owner of Kalapawai Market and Zias restaurants, the first wave of island craft brewing began to swell, with Kona Brewing Co. among the survivors today.

And by the time Suderman was pursuing sommelier certification in 2013, while working as an account manager for the distributor Southern Wine and Spirits Hawaii, a second wave was rolling in, bringing with it greater access to mainland specialty beers and new local brewers.

I dont think Ive bought the same beer twice in years, says Suderman. Its all about that new frontier, that new exploration. People are willing to spend more on beer and more willing to try something that theyve never had before. Thats the exact opposite of what beer culture has had before.

Since joining Waikikis iconic Royal Hawaiian late last year, Suderman has expanded Azures wine-by-the-glass choices from nine to 30 and created innovative pairings for Executive Chef Colin Hazamas new Epicurean Journey dinner series, starting this month. He plans to renovate the restaurants beer program so patrons have similar access to local, Mainland and Japanese craft brews.

Im excited because I think beer is wonderful with food, Suderman says. It complements it to a high degree, especially when it has this polish and refinement, like some nice wines as well. You have these beautiful effervescent bubbles, when its naturally done, that really clean your palate for the next bite, which only Champagne and sparkling wines have.

Some of Sudermans craft brew discoveries come from tastings at Honolulu pubs Pint and Jigger and Brewd, the latter offering wine-style vertical flights from a variety of craft brews. But others come direct from the islands, such as two favorites from Big Island Brewhaus.

Golden Sabbath is a Belgian ale made with seasonal Big Island honey and has these nice citrus characteristics, Suderman says. I love citrus in a lot of my beverages because we have so much seafood in Hawaii; just like you would squeeze a lemon on your fish, it acts the same.

Big Island Brewhaus Holy Humulus is one of my favorite seasonal IPAs, he adds. Its hopped with full-corn hops that brewer Tom Kerns ships in, and I really enjoy the resiny aromatics that come off it. Its just perfectly seasoned.

Suderman also recommends Kona Brewing Co.s seasonal Guava Saison, only available on tap, and Maui Brewing Co.s Lemongrass Saison as refreshing, crisp, low-alcohol alternatives to stronger brews. The high acidity and taste of sweetness blends so well with local foods we like to consume, like ahi poke and seaweed salad, he notes.

Maui Brewing Co. recently opened a pub across Kalakaua Avenue from the Royal Hawaiian, with plans to open one next year in Kailua  already home to Lanikai Brewing Co.

My favorite beer of theirs is the Pillbox Porter, Suderman says of the latter. Its really light in terms of body and concentration. You get nice faint notes of cocoa and chocolate and a nice rich malt, which doesnt finish bitter.

Although Lanikai has a way to go before rivaling other island breweries, the beautiful thing about beer is that its totally controllable, not like a vineyard where youre subjected to seasons and all these climatic issues, Suderman says. If someone wants to make Chardonnay in Lodi, theres almost no hope, but for breweries, these guys can adjust and grow.

Jeanne Cooper is a freelance writer. Email: travel@sfchronicle.com
1 Yemen fighting: A Houthi rebel news agency reported Saturday that the death toll from an air strike on a market by the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition in western Yemen has risen to 22 civilians. SABA said eight people were also wounded Friday in the bombing of Khokha market in the province of Hodeida. Earlier, the Associated Press reported that at least a dozen civilians were killed. The Saudi-led coalition began a campaign against the rebels in March 2015 in support of Yemens internationally recognized government.

2 India violence: Maoist rebels shot and killed at least 11 paramilitary soldiers Saturday in an ambush in central India, police said. The attack also left three soldiers wounded in the Sukma forest area in Chattisgarh state, police said. The Press Trust of India news agency said the attack targeted more than 100 soldiers who had gone to the area to clear a road blocked by the insurgents. The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting for more than three decades in central and eastern India to press their demand for a greater share of wealth and more jobs.
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drove his dispute with European nations to the hilt Sunday, saying that Nazism is alive in the West after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands over the weekend.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage from his unusual actions, Erdogan made it clear during an address broadcast live that Turkey will not be easily appeased.

He said Ankara will retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands in an unprecedented midnight standoff outside the countrys Rotterdam consulate between a high-level government official and police in full gear.

Earlier in the day, the Netherlands denied Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

I said I thought Nazism was over, but I was wrong. In fact, Nazism is alive in the West, Erdogan said from Istanbul, reviving memories of Europes darkest past in remarks similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkeys president, Turkish Cabinet ministers have been scheduling campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

But some European nations say that Turkey under Erdogan is slowly slipping toward authoritarianism, especially since the aborted coup of last summer. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands.

The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with immigrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election Wednesday.

In a neck-and-neck race, the parties of either Rutte or populist firebrand Geert Wilders could end up with the most votes.

Rutte said it is important for his government not to bow to Turkish pressure, especially, he said, after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept its ministers out.

Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail, Rutte said.

Ruttes actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being Nazi remnants.

On Sunday, he further heaped on the criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch.

If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price, Erdogan warned.

Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz. About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted the minister.

Mike Corder, Cinar Kiper and Raf Casert are Associated Press writers.
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Entrepreneurs are being encouraged to chase global markets if they want to win backing for their early stage ventures, with investors having their eye firmly set on international markets with little regard for domestic sales.

Massey University Master of Management student Hattaf Ansari worked with the university's start-up incubator - the ecentre - to investigate the criteria of investors in early stage ventures in New Zealand and compared that with similar US data.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment data show small businesses are an integral component of New Zealand's economy, accounting for 97 percent of all enterprise, 29 percent of all employees and an estimated 26 percent of total gross domestic product. However, capital for early stage ventures is not as readily available compared to other western economies, Ansari said. Against that backdrop, the study aims to give entrepreneurs a better understanding of how to present a startup that's attractive to investors in New Zealand.

The research - the first of its kind - was based on a survey of the New Zealand early stage capital market and obtained responses from 88 investors who had invested in New Zealand ventures in the past 48 months. This sample comprised of angel investors, private investors, venture capitalists, members of crowd-funding platforms and members of professional angel groups. The responses were then compared with US research.

"We found that investors' priorities were heavily influenced by their culture, as well as the characteristics of the market," Ansari said.

He noted both US and New Zealand investors identified trustworthiness and enthusiasm of entrepreneurs among their most important criteria. However, potential for international sales was ranked as the fifth most important criteria whereas potential for domestic sales was ranked as the least important criteria for New Zealand investors. This is in contrast to the results from US investors, he said.

"Most New Zealand investors look for ventures that have international reach and are easy to scale," said Ansari. "While US investors like to see potential in the market where they are based."

He noted New Zealand investors ranked liking the entrepreneur at first meeting as the 16th most important criteria while US investors ranked it as the fifth. The findings suggested this was because New Zealand investors are more cautious when building relationships and take a longer time in getting to know the founders.

Local investors ranked expertise of the entrepreneur as the ninth most important criteria while US investors ranked it as the fourth most important criteria. According to Ansari, New Zealand has fewer investors with start-up experience so there is a preference for teams who have been involved with a start-up before. Investor involvement was also less important for New Zealand investors compared to US investors.

Given the findings of the study, Ansari said entrepreneurs should target international sales to stand a better chance of raising capital from New Zealand investors and shouldn't be discouraged if investors do not immediately express a favourable opinion about the venture after the first pitch.

"New Zealand investors take time in getting to know the entrepreneur and forming relationships. The most important criteria for New Zealand investors was building trust and this takes time," he said. Also, he recommends founders should attract experienced people to their teams to stand a better chance of raising capital from New Zealand investors if they themselves do not have adequate experience.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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Master Chef India finalist Dinesh Patel shares two recipes from his masterclass session at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Agra.

By Mail Today: Agra Petha Savoury Salad

1. Boil the Agra petha for 2 -3 minutes and allow sugar to dissolve a bit.

2. Chop the petha finely and caramelise it with one two table spoons of butter until its slightly crisp.

3. To marinate the chicken, first, make perforations in the chicken breast.

4. Mix chaat masala, yogurt, fresh coriander, dried coriander powder, red chili powder, green chili, garlic and garam masala. Marinate the chicken in it for around 10-15 minutes.

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5. Sear a pan with butter and cook the chicken until charcoal grilled. Also toss the sesame seeds and peanuts.

6. Add lemon, cucumber and onion and a French dressing made from black pepper, eggs, oil and French mustard.

7. For the dressing, take 3- 4 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of French mustard and add oil very slowly whisking all the time.

8. Add salt and black pepper.

9. To assemble the salad, mix the toasted sesame seeds and peanuts with the caramelised Agra petha. Add juliennes of cucumber, sliced onions, lemons, fresh coriander, a pinch of chaat masala, salt and pepper.

10. By now, the chicken will be cooked--allow it to rest for 5-6 minutes.

11. Slice the chicken very thinly and add to the salad.

12. Mix the slices of lemon, cucumber and onion to the tossed sesame seeds and peanuts and add two tablespoon of the French dressing to it. Now add the salad leaves.

13. Add a little fresh lemon and fresh coriander and half of the shredded chicken.

14.Mix thoroughly.

15. While serving, garnish it with more chicken on top, sesame seeds, fresh coriander and a touch of lemon, edible flowers just for the colour and to make it tempting.

Also Read:Holi is incomplete without this simple and sweet gujiya

Photo: Mail Today

Shahi Tukra Summer Pudding

1. Take stale bread--that is one or two days old. Cut into triangles.

2. Fry the bread in salted butter until it turns golden and crisp on both sides.

3. Dip the bread into a syrup made of 2 parts sugar, 1 part water--the syrup should not be too thick.

4. Once it is dipped, leave that on the side.

5. Now for the mousse, take whipped cream--around 2 or 3 cups of it.

6. To that, add 2 or 3 cups of rabri . made very simply by just reducing the milk .it has elaichi, nutmeg and sugar.

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7. Fold the rabri into the cream until it develops a soft texture--don't get rid of the lumps, it will give a textural difference.

8. Into the mousse, add nutmeg powder, ginger powder, cinnamon powder and elaichi powder just for taste--you can start off with around a quarter tea spoon of each but you can adjust this as per your taste.

9. Once the mousse is mixed, move on to the compote which is made of strawberries.

10. Take around 300-400 grams of strawberries and add 3-4 table spoons of water, 1 table spoon of sugar and a squeeze of half a lemon into that. Allow that to cook down until it reaches a jam like consistency but not dry at all.

11. Let the pieces of strawberries remain intact--you can let that cook a little.

12. Once that is done, leave this on the side as well and let it go completely cold.

13. Now you are ready to assemble.

14. Serve this in a glass, so first arrange a little mousse layer.

15. On the sides, add the smaller triangles of the fried bread that was prepared which by now will be nicely soaked.

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16. In the middle, add the strawberry compote and repeat--the mousse, bread, compote and finally finish with the mousse.

17. On top, you can garnish with fresh pistachios which are slivered, almonds if you wish, edible flowers and the silver varakh for a traditional touch.

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The father of a minor girl who was allegedly raped by a Kerala priest said he lied about raping his daughter to protect her aggressor, a media report said.

By India Today Web Desk: The father of a minor girl who was allegedly raped and impregnated by a Catholic priest in a Kerala parish, has said he lied about raping his daughter to protect her aggressor and the Church, the Indian Express reported on Saturday.

The victim, a 17-year old student in eleventh grade, gave birth to a baby last month.

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Her father said he turned in the priest, 48-year old Father Robin Vaddakumchiryil, after being taken into custody and told he would be behind bars for a long time, the Indian Express report said.

He said the priest "wanted someone to take responsibility" for the baby's birth, the report added.

Meanwhile, the girl's mother told the Indian Express that she and her husband remain "faithfully loyal" to the Church, and their daughter "is determined to fight back by focusing on her studies."

PRIEST CONFESSES, ARRESTED

The alleged crime came to light when the victim made an anonymous complaint on a telephone helpline for children in distress, which was relayed to the police.

Father Vaddakumchiryil, who's the bishop of St Sebastian church and the manager of the school where the victim studies, has confessed to his crime.

He was arrested last month, and charged under provisions of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) and the Indian Penal Code.

(Inputs from Revathi Rajeevan)

ALSO READ | Kerala priest arrested for raping 17-year-old, survivor delivered a child last week

ALSO WATCH | Women wearing jeans, T-shirts should be drowned, says Kerala catholic priest in sermon

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While Jill Hynes should be making plans to celebrate her 49th birthday next month, she is making plans to have surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus.

Hynes said that while she will incur some out-of-pocket expenses for the surgery, her entire hospital stay will be completely covered by Medicaid. But that could change, she worries, as plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act are discussed nationwide.

"Any surgery is a risk, but now I have the added pressure of wondering if anything is going to change in my insurance. I'm rushing to have it now...He (President Trump) is making my healthcare decision in a way. It's just unnerving," said Hynes, an Oakwood resident who has Medicaid.

This week, the House Republicans unveiled the American Health Care Act, their long-promised plan to replace Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Ways and Means Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Republicans' new health care bill, which will roll back Obamacare's Medicaid expansion, remove subsidies for low income people, remove the employer mandate and the individual mandate, and undo nearly all the ACA taxes.

The pending legislation would also provide annual tax credits for those not receiving insurance through their employers or through a government program.

MANY COULD BE IMPACTED

In January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo noted that if the repeal of the ACA is enacted, an estimated 2.7 million New Yorkers could lose coverage, including 56,882 Staten Islanders.

That number, according to the governor's office, includes those enrolled in Medicaid, as well as those enrolled in qualified health plans (QHPs) -- insurance plans that are certified by the Health Insurance Marketplace and meet ACA requirements.

CHANGES TO MEDICAID

Hynes, a single parent since her boys were little, said she is worried about what she will now have to pay for coverage if the ACA is dismantled.

"Anything I have ever needed medically, my sons and myself have been covered," said Hynes, a receptionist and writer who works two jobs and says she couldn't afford big medical bills. "It has been very good to us."

Many Staten Islanders, who have attended health care at rallies and town hall meetings in recent weeks, voice their concerns regarding changes to the ACA's Medicaid expansion program.

Nurse Patricia Kane is one of them. "New York State always had a very vibrant Medicaid program and through that a lot of people have been lifted up and received care...through the ACA, it was expanded further. We could potentially be losing millions of dollars in funding to take care of those folks," said Kane, treasurer of the board of directors of the New York State Nurses Association.

The Republican replacement to the ACA does away with the Medicaid expansion that gave coverage to people earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

The GOP proposal would bring coverage under the low-income health care entitlement program back down to the pre-Obamacare level of those making 100 percent of the poverty level or less.

This wouldn't happen immediately -- current Medicaid enrollees would be grandfathered in. The bill would phase out the expansion of Medicaid by 2020.

PENALTY FOR LAPSE IN COVERAGE

Another aspect of the bill Kane said she finds alarming is that the legislation requires insurers to charge a 30 percent increase in premiums for consumers who allow their health care coverage to lapse.

Kane noted that when she gave birth to her son, her coverage lapsed for a short period.

"There's all kinds of things that can make you have a gap in coverage," said Kane, noting many people can't afford to pay for COBRA, which gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances.

The American Medical Association (AMA) said in a letter to Congressional leaders on Wednesday that they could not support the American Health Care Act as drafted. The AMA outlined provisions of the act that would have an adverse impact on patients and the health of the nation.

"As drafted, the AHCA would result in millions of Americans losing coverage and benefits. By replacing income-based premium subsidies with age-based tax credits, the AHCA will also make coverage more expensive - if not out of reach - for poor and sick Americans."

WILL YOUNG ADULTS BE 'AGED OUT'?

The ACA ensured that many young adults were protected, as children could stay on their parent's plan until age 26. The GOP replacement proposes to maintain coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and keep younger people on their parents' insurance plans.

Staten Islanders hope that aspect of the bill doesn't change -- as it's helped so many individuals.

Teresa Caliari's son, who was healthy, in good shape and a non-smoker, had a gall bladder attack at the age of 25.

In addition to being hospitalized, Alex Olya needed his gall bladder removed.

Thankfully, Caliari said, there was the ACA.

"My son had terrible coverage at his job. I said, 'Don't take your plan, take my plan,' " she said. "He was young, fit...who would think he would need a gall bladder operation at the age of 25?"

The Bulls Head resident said that all of the costs, which were quite considerable, were covered through her health plan.

Caliari noted there are many parents like her whose children would have "aged out" of her health care coverage before the ACA.

"Caring for everyone -- this to me just seems to be a basic human right that you shouldn't have to think about," said Caliari, organizer of Staten Islanders for Change (a local chapter of Organizing for Action), who has attended several local forums and meetings regarding health care.

A LOT AT STAKE

Anayeli, an undocumented immigrant from New Dorp who is having a baby within the next week, said she worries about the impact of a repeal on ACA on her growing family, including her 2 1/2-year-old daughter and husband.

"Medicaid covers the basic things I need," she said, "It covers regular visits to make sure I have a healthy pregnancy, dental costs."

Anayeli, who requested that her last name not be used, noted that her newborn child will need vaccines and well-visits -- things that would be difficult for her to pay without Medicaid.

"I want to make sure the baby will have insurance," she said.

Becca Telzak, who works with Anayeli and other families through Make the Road New York, said her organization has seen the "huge impact" the ACA has had on families, especially children, who have had access to all the programs that came out of the ACA.

"We've seen firsthand stories like these of people who have been impacted by it and have a lot to lose if the ACA goes away," said Telzak, director of Health Programs for Make the Road New York, an organization that fights to ensure respect and dignity for immigrant, poor, and working class New Yorkers.. "There's a lot of children who have benefited from Medicaid."
nws broadway stages.png

Photos of settings in buildings and on the grounds of the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility are included on a website of filming sites maintained by Broadway Stages.

(Screenshot from bwaylocations.com)

CITY HALL -- Productions linked to Broadway Stages have been filming at the old Arthur Kill prison for months even though the company isn't allowed to buy the site from the state yet.

Not owning the prison yet hasn't stopped Broadway Stages from promoting dozens of settings to film there.

Between 20 and 22 shows have filmed inside the prison or on the grounds through Tuesday since 2014, according to a company spokesman. That's when the state selected Broadway Stages to turn the prison into a film and production studio.

This week and next, five shows are filming there, including "The Blacklist" and "Blindspot" on NBC. Broadway Stages said shows from every network and Netflix have filmed there.

All those shows were also filming at other Broadway Stages facilities, though any production company can request to use the prison. Broadway Stages wasn't aware of any shows that have attempted to film there that are unaffiliated with the company.

"So far, there are only productions that are filming at other Broadway Stages sound stages as well," Broadway Stages spokesman Juda Engelmayer said. "Because it's a state facility, it's not a private facility, if any show wants to petition to, wants to send a permit request in, to film there and they get approved, then they can film there as well. There's no lock out of anybody."

'THEY'RE NOT HIDING IT'

Broadway Stages maintains an online list of various filming sites the company owns and operates, noting at the top "Locations throughout Brooklyn and Queens." But the list also includes a "correctional facility" -- Staten Island's Arthur Kill prison. Dozens of photos inside the prison and around the grounds are advertised.

"Everything that they're doing is in concert with what the state regulations allow them to do. They're not sneaking around, they're not hiding it," Engelmayer said. "They operate that facility and it's available and there are several productions that make use of it, so why not list it as some place they operate?"

The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision allows access to the prison at the request of companies in the interest of maintaining Gov. Andrew Cuomo's commitment to attracting more film and TV production to New York, according to the agency.

The department said many production companies have used the space for filming. After a company reaches out, the state coordinates production dates and times and a location agreement is signed. Companies have to pay for state staff to be present during the time the facility is used as part of this agreement.

'IT HAS EXPLODED'

Right now Broadway Stages pays thousands every month for the security, management and maintenance at the prison. The company also paid for electricity to be restored in facilities there.

Productions were filmed on the prison grounds while Broadway Stages worked with ConEd to restore electricity, since 2014. Filming inside the prison's buildings began when electricity was turned back on in mid-2016.

"Since the electricity has been back it has exploded," Broadway Stages spokesman Warren Cohn said.

Between five and 10 Broadway Stages employees are present during filming.

"Broadway Stages, in general, just provides equipment and space," Engelmayer said. "They're not a film studio."

THE STALLED LAND DEAL

After purchasing the prison site for $7 million, Broadway Stages plans to spend $20 million to build five sound stages on the 69-acre property and open a new film and television studio there.

But three years after the state chose the company to develop the land, the sale was rejected. Concerns have been raised over political contributions, tax issues, business integrity and the property's value.

The office of State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli returned the sale contract to state agencies unapproved for "lingering vendor responsibility issues" and questions over the public's investment in the land deal.

The $7 million sale price may be as much as $45 million below market value.

Charlotte Davis, the comptroller's director of contracts, detailed reasons for rejecting the sale in a letter to Frank Pallante of the state Office of General Services on Dec. 21, 2016.

"As discussed," Davis wrote, "Broadway Stages and its owner and president, Gina Argento, appear to be involved parties in State and Federal investigations into campaign contributions to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio."

De Blasio has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

OPENING TBD

The state can resubmit the contract. Empire State Development, a state agency overseeing the project, said the contract hadn't been resubmitted to the comptroller's office as of Thursday.

Exactly when the new studio will open is still unclear.

"This facility will keep adding jobs, supporting the local businesses and economies as well, and help bring news sources of revenues to the State; and it helps keep New York continually growing its television and film industry -- it benefits the City, State and the people of Staten Island, and keeps New York's competitive edge," Engelmayer said.

Filming could effectively stop at the prison should the sale fall through and another company is selected to develop the site. Broadway Stages would stop paying for security and maintenance there if that happens.

"Whether it's a development project or a mall, who knows...if that's the case there won't be need for us," Engelmayer said. "Why provide services for something that's not there?"
Mayor calls for 6-cent penalty on plastic bags

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the launch of the New York State Plastic Bag Task Force on Sunday. (Staten Island Advance / Jan Somma-Hammel)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the launch of the New York State Plastic Bag Task Force on Sunday.

"The costly and negative impact of plastic bags on New York's natural resources is a statewide issue that demands a statewide solution," Cuomo said in a statement.

Basil Seggos, Commissioner at Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and co-chairs Senator Thomas O'Mara and Assemblyman Steve Englebright will lead the task force.

Seggos, O'Mara, and Englebright will be in charge of developing a report and proposed legislation to address the detrimental impact of plastic bags on the state's environment.

"New York has led the nation by taking bold action to protect our environment - and this task force marks another step forward in that effort," Cuomo said.

Back in February, Gov. Cuomo signed into law a bill that creates a moratorium on New York City's plan to charge customers 5 cents per plastic or paper bag.

This, however, created confusion and there were reports of retailers already charging the 5-cent fee for bags.

Across New York, residents use 23 billion plastic bags annually, according to the Governor's office.

The New York City Department of Sanitation currently estimates that it collects an average of 1,700 tons of plastic bags per week, costing $12.5 million per year in disposal expenses, the press release reads.

A significant number of these bags make their way into the environment causing litter and damaging wildlife, which can be seen within our waterways, along our streets and in our oceans and lakes.

"This diverse coalition of experts will bring the experience and knowledge necessary to tackle this problem and safeguard New York's environment for future generations," Cuomo said.
By Press Trust of India: From Aditi Khanna

London, Mar 12 (PTI)Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner and education activist Malala Yousafzai may be on her way to study at the prestigious Oxford University if she gets the required AAA grades.

19-year-old Malala, who survived a shot to the head by the Taliban after being airlifted to the UK for life-saving surgery,is likely to take up a place on the popular Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) course at the university.

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"Im studying right now, Im in year 13 and I have my A Level exams coming and I have received a conditional offer which is three As so I need to get the three As, that is my focus right now," she told head teachers at the Association of School and College Lecturers annual conference in Birmingham yesterday.

"I have applied to study PPE so for the next three years I will be studying that. But other than that I want to stay focused on my Malala Fund work," she said.

The Nobel Peace Prize winnerdid not specify which college she had received the offer from, but has said in the past that she would be applying to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, whose alumni include former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ? one of the politicians she admires.

She was invited to the college, which was the first in Oxford University to admit women,in December 2016 for an interview which she later termed"the hardest interview of my life".

"I just get scared when I think of the interview," she had said.

Yousafzai had also applied tothe London School of Economics (LSE), Durham and Warwick universities.

However, as the entry requirement to study PPE at Oxford is three As, the other institutions all require an A* and two As the speculation is that she is likely to end up in Oxford University.

"My goal is to make sure every child, a girl and a boy, they get the opportunity to go to school. It is their basic human right, so I will be working on that and I will never stop until I see the last child going to school," she said at the conference. PTI AK MRJ

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By Press Trust of India: Washington, Mar 12 (PTI) A 64-year-old man attempted to burn down a convenience store owned by the Indian-Americans in Florida as he mistakenly thought it was owned by Muslims.

Richard Lloyd, who wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country", pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St Lucie store and set the contents on fire on Friday.

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The store was not open at the time of the incident and firefighters quickly extinguished the fire without it causing any property damage.

"Its unfortunate that Mr Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," St Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said.

Mascara said Lloyds mental health will be evaluated and the state attorneys office will decide if this was a hate crime.

Lloyd told investigators he tried to buy a bottle of juice at the store a few days ago but was told they did not have any. He was also upset because he assumed the store employee was Muslim, CNN affiliate WPEC reported.

He said he was angry with what followers of Islam "are doing in the Middle East" and thought the store owners were Muslims.

Lloyd was charged with first degree arson and remained at the St Lucie County Jail in lieu of a USD 30,000 bond as of late yesterday, the news channel reported.

He told investigators he "was doing my part for America," and planned to burn the entire building.

Hate crimes against Muslims increased by over 65 per cent in 2015, according to the FBI statistics.

Some religious leaders attribute the crime spike to the rise of President Donald Trump, who critics say fuelled Islamophobia and racism as a candidate. PTI MRJ MRJ

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Tittle believes that if she had discovered her child's illness earlier in her pregnancy, the baby might have been saved. She doesn't fault doctors for failing to notice the infection in time. But she does fear that a new bill introduced in the Texas Senate could lead to more unborn babies like her own dying unnecessarily.
"I do not find anything to disagree with in what he said: we don't know how much of recent warming can be attributed to humans," recently retired Georgia Tech climate scientist Judith Curry, who herself has questioned the extent of the role humans play in global warming, wrote on her blog. "In my opinion, this is correct and is a healthy position for both the science and policy debates."
Operations manager at Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium Renee Osterloh said Mary is now a vital member of the international breeding program for sun bears. Iggy the Green Iguana. Credit:Rohan Thomson "To have a sun bear with these stereotypical behaviour issues and create a safe sanctuary for her to feel comfortable enough to raise a cub is rare," she said. Unfortunately, not every baby-making pursuit had been so successful. While the zoo had luck with ring-tailed lemurs, zebras, red pandas and giraffes, there had also been many disappointments. Ms Osterloh's voice was thick with tears as she described the sudden death of Berani the Sumatran tiger in 2015. The zoo was at the tail end of a meticulously planned 18-month courtship process with Berani and Rhani, when Berani died of kidney failure.

"We had tried for so long to get them used to each other slowly, with the female at her last estrous cycle which we believed would have been successful," she said. "It was a huge shock to everyone. It really is devastating when you are so close to achieving something and then that happens." There are an estimated 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world. It was equally frustrating when the zoo failed to breed African serval cats for more than six years - until for unexplained reasons they finally bred 18 months ago. Mr Tindale said that sometimes all the science in the world just can't make love blossom.

"You put two lions together they will breed straight away," he said. "Tigers are a bit fussier. I've seen situations where because tigers are critically endangered an international stud book will make the decision all the way to Poland and they will say you will mate this one with this one and it just doesn't happen." "It can be extremely disappointing when the future of the species depends on it." The decision of which animals will mate is not one for individual zoos. They are at the bottom of the decision-making hierarchy of the Zoo and Aquarium Association, which co-ordinates breeding programs for 94 Australasian zoos. An international species manager decides which zoos animals are sent to and who their partner will be, until a security population is released into the wild. Breeding is carefully controlled to increase the genetic diversity of each species. The difference of 1 per cent in a genetic make-up could be the difference between inbreeding and outbreeding.

"Twelve years ago we along with other zoos had to put money in to redo the whole system to ensure its accuracy," Mr Tindale said. "The program cost a collective $US38 million just to rewrite. It's a very complicated process." Genetics aside, there are several logistical challenges that come with transferring animals between zoos. When Shaba the Giraffe moved from Mogo Zoo to Canberra, the journey was planned down to the height of each branch. Ms Osterloh said understanding the complex process of captive breeding was crucial to knowing what the expansion will mean for endangered wildlife. The zoo's new focus on open-range exhibits aims to lead to more successful breeding efforts, as it phases out the least endangered species.

"Giraffes will do best through the expansion, with the larger space and the breeding facilities that we have," Ms Osterloh said. "We need to stimulate natural behaviour as much as possible by having more space for the animals to feel happy and relaxed in the environments, which has a knock-on effect. We will have several larger animals, such as our three new rhinos, who we are hoping will successfully breed now that they have a larger space." Animal rights activists argue that despite the move towards open-range exhibits, it is virtually impossible to replicate natural conditions in a zoo. Ms Osterloh said she agreed with those statements but said staff were committed to learning about natural habitats to create the best environment possible. She also pointed to continuous funding for in-the-field conservation efforts. She became emotional when asked about the belief that zoos prioritise profit over animal welfare.

"That's telling someone who knows the entire situation and dedicates their lives to the going out and learning more about their natural habitat that what they're doing is wrong," she said. "Zoos in Australia have evolved and we have changed our ways and practices." Mr Tindale expressed pride at the zoo's expansion and hope for the future of conservation. "Everybody has different opinions about our bigger exhibits, from people who think tiny cages are best so they can get up close to not entertaining captivity at all," he said. "Somewhere in the middle is where we stand. We believe animals should be in captivity because they have to be to save the species."
The Congress won as many as 28 out of the 60 seats up for grabs in the Manipur Assembly elections. The BJP came second, winning 21.

By Indrajit Kundu: Manipur Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh today met Governor Najma Heptulla to stake a claim to form the next state government.

The Congress won as many as 28 out of the 60 seats up for grabs in the Manipur Assembly elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came second, winning 21.

The party has also claimed the National People's Party wrote to Governor Heptulla to support its bid to form a government, even though NPP MLAs joined BJP legislators when they paid the Governor a visit earlier in the day.

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The letter, signed by the party's National General Secretary Vivekraj Wangkhem and State President Thangminlien Kipgen, says NPP has the "honour" of supporting the largest single party in the Manipur Assembly elections.

NPP's letter of support to form Congress-led government.

Reacting to the letter, BJP said that it was a fake letter as it did not have the official letter head of the party.

BJP'S INFORMAL SHOW OF STRENGTH

Earlier, the BJP met the governor in an informal show of strength and claimed that it will be able to prove a majority in the state. The party's national general secretary Ram Madhav had said in Imphal that the BJP has the numbers to form a government.

"Robindra from TMC and Shyam Kumar from Congress has come onboard. Many more are on their way tomorrow. We are well aware of the law (anti-defection) and yet have chosen to support. You all were asking if we have 31 MLA's but we have shown you 32 here. Tomorrow BJP legislators will chose their leader and then he will come and stake claim", said NEDA Convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"We have staked claim. Congress party is the single largest party and first chance should be given to us. BJP does not have a pre-poll alliance and it must be decided by the Governor", said Manipur Deputy CM Gaigkhangam Gangme.

BJP had won 21 seats in Manipur, seven less than the Congress's tally. The party, however, got the support of the National Peoples' Party and the Naga People's Front, both which won four seats each in the 2017 Assembly election. The BJP also has the support of the Lok Janshakti Party's one MLA.

As well, one Congress MLA has defected to the BJP, but the his party has said he was abducted. And what's more, sources said over half a dozen more Congress MLAs are ready to switch over to the saffron party. The MLAs are in talks with the state BJP.

Also read:

Manipur: Over 6 Congress MLAs ready to switch to BJP, say sources

Also watch:

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It certainly promises to be a big week from a macroeconomic perspective and there really is something for everyone, be it economic data, political risks or potential central bank action.

US rates: The highlight of the week is naturally Thursday's (at 5am AEDT) Federal Open Market Committee meeting, where a very commendable non-farm payrolls report (238,000 jobs created in February) has removed any elements of doubt that the Fed will hike rates this week. Political moves: There should also be some real colour on Obamacare legislation, while the US debt ceiling suspension expires mid-week and this could get some focus, as will the Trump administration, which is set to release its budget proposals for the 2018 fiscal year. We get the Dutch elections on Wednesday, but we are unlikely to get any clarity on the outcome due to Holland's proportional representation system and there may be a messy process of trying to cobble a government together. A negative outcome for markets seems unlikely as anti-EU candidate Geert Wilders will struggle to form any sort of alliance. Perhaps the other focal point will be whether the UK pulls the trigger on Article 50 on Tuesday as speculated, while there are rising tensions between Holland and Turkey and we shall watch to see if this in any way becomes a markets story. Economic data: Investors will also be watching China industrial production (among other data points) and central bank meetings from the Bank of Japan and Bank of England. Locally, the big economic data release is Thursday's February employment report (consensus 16,500 jobs), although we have our own political stories in the minds of investors with Labor now favourites to take the next Australian Federal election, with bookies paying $1.60 relative to the Liberals on $2.25. Obviously, there is a lot of water to flow under this bridge and there will no doubt be a number of twists to this story. Volatility: So the scene is set for a big week, but will it drive an increase in volatility? I am still happy to be a seller of volatility on any spikes, although I am cognisant that high yield credit spreads are widening (a big negative for equities). We saw a sizeable $1.3 billion outflow last week out of the S&P 500 ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) and commodities, such as oil and iron ore, are heading lower and this could have a strong impact on markets and economic expectations. Interest rates: All the while we can see financial conditions tightening. Short-term interest and money market rates are headed higher as investors and traders alike sense tightening from the US Federal Reserve this week and now a 58 per cent chance of another hike in June. Here in Australia, the market is now pricing in 19 basis points of hikes over 12 months  the most since November 2013. In Europe, and perhaps most interestingly, there has been a huge steepening of the fixed income yield curve, where we can see the yield spread between 30-year German bunds over two-year bunds increasing to 2.08 per cent, from 0.96 per cent in July. Headlines on Friday caused the euro to rally with talk that the European Central Bank are discussing whether interest rates can rise before its bond-buying program ends. The market now feels they could hike in early 2018. This is not just a US, Australia and European issue, it is more widespread, but the point is the investment landscape is changing from one where extremely accommodative central bank support is now replaced by a perception of tighter monetary policy and what the ramifications of these actions could mean. We can already see mortgage rates in the US are moving higher and this will be the case in Australia too, but I do think it is imperative to watch credit spreads from here. In times like this equities ALWAYS follow credit. Local equities: For now though, we are staring at a positive open in Australia feeding off the 0.3 per cent gain in the S&P 500 on Friday. Our opening call for the ASX 200 sits at 5780 (+0.4%), so we should see a slight extension of the 0.8 per cent rally the index etched out last week and again the big target for the week is to test and close above the January and February double top at 5830. That would be a significant development and show the bulls have wrestled back control in a big way. Commodities: In terms of influence, BHP's American depository receipt suggests a flat open, although oil closed 1.6 per cent lower at $US48.49 (extended to a five-day losing streak). Elsewhere, spot iron ore was largely unchanged, however, iron ore, steel and coking coal futures closed down 2.1 per cent, 1.1 per cent and 2 per cent respectively. Banks could find buying easier to come by, but the real trade, if you want bank exposure right now is to be long European banks as they are flying. Market highlights:

SPI futures up 3 points or 0.1% to 5782
There's nothing like the prospect of a stoush between a major multinational, and our home grown Tax Office, to get the pulse racing. So CBD was delighted when we heard of a courtroom battle brawl between Anglo American Investments Pty Ltd and the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation.

Tax officials conducted an investigation into Anglo American and its related entities and obtained information from the authorities in the tax haven Cayman Islands.

Judging by the court documents obtained by CBD, it proved fruitful.

It refers to the issue of a tax notice by the Tax Office and Anglo American "resisted the debt recovery claim in its defence".
Like moths drawn irresistibly to light, the surge in the price of cobalt over the past few months has sponsored a couple of quick sharemarket floats and a rush of explorers hoping to latch onto the latest signs of life among some of the more exotic metals. Just as lithium has won a lot of speculative investor support on the back of the prospects of rising demand with increased battery usage thanks to electric cars, even though any demand from this source is a decade away, at the very least, now it is cobalt's turn. Diggers gather at the Tilwezembe cobalt mine outside Kolwezi. Miners make an average of $2 or $3 a day. Credit:Michael Robinson Chavez Also giving cobalt a lift was the criticism of Apple Computer for sourcing its supplies of the material from uncontrolled mines in Congo, along with security issues in parts of that country that have raised additional questions over the security of supply. Apple has said it will tighten control over its purchases of cobalt to avoid both child labour and harsh working conditions, although it has also said it wants to avoid causing too much disruption to the miners who need the income from supplying the high-tech giant.

In the process, the price of cobalt has surged around 40 per cent over the past few months to more than $50,000 a tonne, with the speed of the rally catching may in the market by surprise. So, for a material that has been mostly an unwanted byproduct of nickel or copper mines, with usually very little value, the surge in its price has raised the prospect that standalone cobalt mines could be developed if the price rise proves to be sustained. Geoff Hill, long-time investment banker and corporate adviser, initially to John Spalvins who spun a tug boat operator in Adelaide to a sprawling conglomerate owning breweries and department stores last century, was quick out of the blocks, launching a $10 million raising for Cobalt Blue. It was issuing shares at 20 in February that are now trading at more than 30. Ditto for Ardea Resources, which also issued shares last month at 20 which are trading at more than 50 a piece after a recent run to more than 90. It was spun out of Heron Resources, and it is already touting a pre-feasibility study on some cobalt-nickel acreage near Kalgoorlie, which it is calling the "largest resource in the developed world". A host of others have figured out that pegging cobalt acreage might just give their share price sufficient lift to justify a quick fund-raising so they can eke out another few months of life. Last Tuesday, it was Latin American Resources disclosing acreage in Argentina and later in the week Cohiba Minerals was updating the market on some acreage it is looking at.
New WA Premier Mark McGowan has promised to get straight to work after leading Labor to one of the state's biggest election victories, as voters swept aside a Liberal-National coalition blamed for squandering the state's resources boom and racking up record debt.

Labor leader Mark McGowan, 49, replaces 66-year-old Premier Colin Barnett, inheriting a state economy weighed down by the nation's highest jobless rate and stuttering growth.

Western Power's possible sale is likely to be off the agenda with the change of government.

Labor, which has pledged to create 50,000 jobs and boost public transport and services, faces a daunting task in turning around the economy of the resources-rich state that's born the brunt of a downturn in commodity prices. Mr McGowan has said erasing a debt mountain  forecast to reach $33.8 billion in June and rise 13 per cent next year  will take decades, and is instead focused on boosting growth that's plunged from 9.1 per cent to 1.9 per cent in the past five years.

Efforts by Mr McGowan, a former navy officer who has been a lawmaker for more than two decades, to rein in debt and reclaim the state's AAA credit rating will be complicated by his pledge to block the planned sale of a 51 per cent stake in energy provider Western Power.
Nearly one in three Australians on newly sealed wage deals are now receiving superannuation above the legal minimum, while employee pay rises are hitting record lows.

A Fairfax Media analysis of federal government statistics on workplace agreements has found at least 378 of the 1212 struck last year  covering half a million workers  provided superannuation above the minimum 9.5 per cent required by law.

The average super rate for the deals struck during the period was 10.1 per cent, once the results were weighted to take account of the number of employees covered, showing that bigger corporations were more likely to offer above the base rate.

And for companies offering super above the minimum 9.5 per cent of salary, the average on offer was 12.1 per cent, the figures reveal. The rise in superannuation is in stark contrast to Australians' record-low wage growth, which continues to slide. The data was provided by the Department for Employment and Workplace Relations which captures key metrics from every enterprise bargaining agreement approved by the Fair Work Commission.
Donald Trump has signed a second executive order to close America's borders to nations with large Muslim populations. Many Australians think we should follow suit, with a Newspoll finding that 44 per cent (or 52 per cent of Coalition voters) supporting such a move. The idea has also been backed by prominent politicians including government MP George Christensen.

Australia has a long history of discriminatory refugee and immigration policies. The year that we became a nation, the new Federal Parliament enacted the Immigration Restriction Act 1901. It prohibited the immigration into Australia of any person who, when asked by an officer, was unable to "write out at dictation and sign in the presence of the officer a passage of 50 words in length in a European language directed by the officer".

As President Donald Trump's latest executive order to close America's borders to nations with large Muslim populations shows, people can be targeted on national security grounds. Credit:AP

The test appeared to be neutral and fair in that it made no reference to nationality, race or religion. However, this was no more than a fig leaf, as the exam introduced the white Australia policy. Non-European migrants, particularly those from China, were subjected to the dictation test in a language they did not understand. This enabled the federal government to prevent "undesirable" migration to Australia.

This dictation test was even administered to political activists. Left-wing Czech novelist Egon Kisch arrived in 1934 to speak at a left-wing anti-war conference. He was taken to a police station and subjected to a dictation test in Scottish Gaelic, which he failed. He then outwitted the authorities in the High Court. Scottish Gaelic was held not to be a "European language" because it was an "ancient form of speech spoken by a remnant of people inhabiting the remoter portion of the British Isles".






As the Ides of March approaches, John Bryson, of Pymble, wonders if any C8PhD can explain why the Ides is on the 15th of March but on the 13th of most other months? "The correct answer could have saved Julius Caesar's life." Any Ides ideas?

Vivienne Potter, of Gowrie, believes we have moved on from smashed avocado. "I came across a recipe for Smashed Pork Burgers  form pork mince into a ball, put on hot plate and press down." Simply smashing.

David Peach, of Armidale, spotted this sign in a bakery: "1. One Coffee $6.00, One Coffee, please $4.80, Hello, I'd like a coffee please $3.70. 2. We realise your calls are important, so we won't interrupt by serving you while you are on the phone."

The job reference debate (C8) reminded Peter Maker, of Toowoomba, of "anyone who can get John Smith to work for them is very lucky". Richard Stewart, of Pearl Beach, pitches in: "John attended this office for three months after which he left", and "as to his contribution to the firm during the time, I'm afraid I am lost for words".

Using a pedestrian crossing in Taipei is fun, writes Craig Lilienthal, of Wollstonecraft. "The 'walk' sign has a little green man with a hat who swings his arms and legs. With about 10 seconds to go before the change he almost runs, to emphasise the need to get a move on."



On treats for blood donors (C8), Denis Foster, of Terrigal, says as a soldier in the 1950s he was rewarded with a coffee, biscuit and a nip of brandy in Germany, and a fridge full of beers in Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. "Getting young soldiers to donate blood was never a problem!" Alanah Jeffries, of Newington, says in Belfast in the 1960s, Guinness advertised: "We'll give you a pint of ours for a pint of yours."
Yes, superannuation funds have a share in some of the companies that are reaping in the profits and yes, this is a way of spreading benefits to the general population. But it's not enough. The business community's focus on increasing profits and driving down costs is the major reason for disquiet around the world. Low wage growth and job insecurity is all the evidence we need to know that the impact is being felt here in Australia. The lack of consideration for the workforce is evident across the board. BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto management choose to introduce driverless trucks to shift ore because it benefits shareholders. With increasing unemployment in Western Australia, they choose not to employ truck drivers.

This process of automation has been going on for decades but as long as it only affected blue collar workers in factories, warehouses or on the waterfront it did not bother most middle class commentators who wrote about the economy. The technological change hit my industry, newspapers, in the late 1970s. In 1978 I joined a small number of colleagues to produce a booklet Computers vs Journalists  Who wins? which was prompted by the automation at Fairfax's Sydney operations that cost about 400 printers' jobs. In the pamphlet we tackled the employers' argument that journalists should be pleased with the automation because the new technology would "guarantee" job security for journalists. "Help get rid of the printers and you've got a job for life," they said. "The increased profits we make will ensure the long term viability for newspapers and jobs for journalists will be secure." We now know now how true that claim was.

Today even financial journalists who have spent most of their career arguing on behalf of business recognise the danger posed by automation. In a recent article in The Australian business writer Alan Kohler suggested that we tackle the coming problem by having a Universal Basic Income funded by taxes on robots. ".. it simply won't cut it," he said, "to say that the first Industrial Revolution turned out OK  that the Luddites worried too much. The common line that economic growth in the 19th century meant that those who were displaced by mechanical looms and steam power eventually got jobs is rubbish. They just died  poor and young, mostly from the lack of sanitary and medical technology." He's right about the industrial revolution but I can't say I agree with his Universal Basic Income proposal. Paying people to do nothing has all sorts of negative effects. Job sharing must be part of the solution.

So too progressive taxation, with worldwide action to shut down tax havens and close tax loopholes. And we must also amend the legislation which states that company directors' primary duty is to their shareholders. Companies must earn a profit but it's time that directors thought beyond the bottom line. If they don't, others are likely to come up with unwelcome proposals. The mining industry fiercely resisted the Labor government's super profit tax. Now they face Western Australian National Party leader Brendon Grylls' much simpler proposal to hit them with a $5 per tonne iron ore tax.

Having proposed a similar levy myself, when the mining industry refused to see reason and accept a super profits tax, I must say that they deserve what they get. But the state Labor opposition seems reluctant to take up the proposal, even as a bargaining position. Meanwhile the federal government and the corporate sector are taking us in the wrong direction, arguing that we need to cut corporate taxes to make Australian business internationally competitive and quietly rejoicing that the poorest sections of the workforce will have their penalty rates cut. Labor is out to exploit the Fair Work Commission's decision on penalty rates for all its worth, but there's little in its policy prescriptions to convince us that it has a solution to the coming employment threat. In a speech last week, shadow treasurer Chris Bowen quoted The Economist, saying that the most important thing to do was devise policies that spread the benefits of globalisation more widely, and also the New Statesman. saying that growth had not been shared fairly.
Pauline Hanson's hypocrisy as populist outsider doing a preference deal with the establishment Liberals in WA shows that allegations of hypocrisy mean little, if anything, in politics.

There is little, if anything, appealing about Hanson the politician and her odious One Nation party. She revels in ignorance. She stokes prejudice. I once heard her sing a duet of I Am Australian in a Tamworth pub, and sing she cannot.

Yet hypocrisy shouldn't be the slur it still pretends to be, given how widespread it is in Australian life and how necessary it is to political productivity. The practice of saying one thing and doing or voting for another is endemic, in politics and life, yet there is both good and bad hypocrisy. We'd be much better off having people explain the contradiction rather than refuse to take a different position based on different considerations. Better be called a hypocrite than make a bad decision in fear of it.

Rather than hypocrisy, Hanson's preference deal is better seen as just dumb politics, with the numbers from the WA election proving it.
Public health experts have welcomed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's renewed vaccinations push, which could see unvaccinated children barred from childcare and preschool facilities across Australia.

While NSW, Victoria and Queensland already have restrictions in place, all other states and territories allow children to be enrolled in facilities when they are not immunised. Mr Turnbull has called for the next meeting of federal and state governments to adopt a nationally consistent approach.

Dr Stephen Duckett, health program director at the Grattan Institute and former head of the Department of Health, said the existing state measures already covered a large majority of the population and "extending it to the other states and territories is a good thing".

"It has proved to be something that has widespread community acceptance," he told Fairfax Media.
By Press Trust of India: Jammu, Mar 12 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Minister Priya Sethi today said the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed by the Parliament would ensure better health and wellbeing of mother and child.

The increase in maternity leaves is a welcome provision that will protect the employment of women, the J-K Minister of State for Education, Culture and Tourism said.

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"Once the President gives his assent to the Bill, all working women in every establishment, public or private, will be entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave. This will pave the way for healthy and secure motherhood, and wellbeing of the child," she said.

Woman who adopt a child of below three months age will also be given 12 weeks leave from the day the child is handed over to her, the BJP leader said.

Hailing it as an "historic" step by the Centre, Sethi said the decision to make creches mandatory in etablishments with 50 or more employees will help mothers take good care of their children while they are at work.

Describing the passage of the Bill as a "landmark" moment in BJPs efforts towards women-led development, Sethi said "the children of working mothers, who used to get neglected, will now get better care".

"With this, India will take a big leap in ensuring maternity benefits to working women," she said. PTI AB ANB

--- ENDS ---
The disappearance of Richard Simmons has sparked a bevy of conspiracy theories. PJ Vogt, the host of Reply All, a popular podcast that explores the internet, said Missing Richard Simmons was well served by a narrator so close to its subject. "More so than in other media, podcast reporting is really filtered through the person doing the reporting," Vogt said. "Their relationship to the story feels very inescapable." Taberski spoke about the podcast in a recent telephone interview. This conversation has been edited and condensed. Q: How did you find out that Simmons had stopped showing up at Slimmons?

A: Richard and I were still friendly. We were still calling and emailing. He stopped returning my emails. I just thought: "Bummer. I guess, he's not interested anymore." Then I realised that he had stopped returning everybody's calls. Then it was just a gradual process of talking to people and reading the odd one-line news report and realising that he had disappeared. Q: How did the idea to do a podcast come together? A: Richard and I were talking about doing a documentary from the very first day we met. We met at Slimmons. I asked him if he would ever do a documentary with me. Q: Did you go to the class to work out? Or to pitch the documentary? Or both? A: I went to the class because I heard you could. I thought, "Well, I have to do this." I thought he was amazing, and I couldn't believe he was still teaching a class for $12 a class. But I was a producer for 15 years, and I was looking to do a feature documentary, and the minute I took the class, I knew that was something I wanted to pursue with him. And so we started talking about it right away.

Q: What made you decide to shift from the original intent of doing a documentary to going into the podcast realm? A: I didn't want to do a first-person documentary. I think it's really hard to pull those off without them being self-indulgent. It just didn't feel right. But a podcast is superflexible as a format, and it needs a narrator. It needs somebody to tell the story. And so it was a way for me to show that it was coming from a place of love and coming from a place of real concern, and show my point of view without making it about me. It's still about Richard. Q: The four theories of his disappearance: 1. He is being held hostage by his housekeeper. 2. He is recovering from knee surgery. 3. The death of his dog sent him into a depression. 4. He just wants out of public life. Anything I'm missing? A: The podcast explores all the possible reasons Richard Simmons would stop being Richard Simmons. And some of them are outlandish. Some of them make total sense. And some of them are a little sad. Q: What do you think is going on?

A: I'm not limited to those four. The podcast is us exploring many theories of what they are. I have my own theory, but we get to that toward the end. And it's not really something that people have discussed, and it speaks less to this sort of weird mystery that nobody ever wanted in the first place. Q: What have Simmons' representatives said? A: Richard's people say very little. But what they do say is that he's fine. Q: One theory, pushed by Simmons' former masseur, is that he is being held hostage by his housekeeper. Tom Estey, his representative, forcefully denied this claim. Is he correct? A: It's possible, for sure. I think our skepticism of the more outlandish parts of that theory are clear in that episode. It had been reported before, and others who know Richard didn't dismiss it out of hand, so we clearly needed to raise it.

But I also think Richard's friends are genuinely, deeply concerned for Richard and the eerie wall of silence around him. That is very real. And Richard's rep pretending that everything is normal - "nothing to see here" - feels a little false, too. Q: Why do you think people are so intrigued by Simmons and the podcast? A: It's people who have been reminded or are being just told for the first time that Richard Simmons is a special, important and fascinating person. And I think people feel for him. I think he's always been this way. He just exudes kindness and genuineness. Q: If Simmons truly wants to be out of the spotlight, as he told the Today show a year ago, then should you just leave him be? A: The concern is that he is not just taking time off. He's not just retired. He's not just stepping away from the spotlight. The concern is that he's cut off every person he knows. It's impossible not to be concerned about that. And every person I've talked to, every friend who's known him for years, everybody is concerned.
Musician Luke Escombe was about to tour overseas when he had a flare-up of the disease that has plagued him half his life.

Instead of living his dreams, he "spent 11 nights in a hospital room surrounded by old men with noisy bowel conditions".

Diagnosed at 14 with Crohn's disease, a chronic and often debilitating inflammation of the bowel, at various times he was hospitalised, housebound and on disability support. Connecting with others who had the disease helped him feel less isolated.

Mr Escombe said that for emotional and psychological support, "the best people to talk to when you have a chronic illness are other people that have that chronic illness".
The brother of an international safecracker has debunked claims his sibling had no involvement in a catastrophic people smuggling operation, revealing he was smuggled out of a war-ravaged nation with his help.

Aniello Vinciguerra, 37, is awaiting sentence for his involvement in a gang that carried out lucrative ATM raids carried out across NSW in 2014.

Aniello Vinciguerra, also known as Bekim Zogaj, with his sister Blerina Zogaj.

The modus operandi involved disabling alarms and severing communication lines in shopping centres before targeting various ATMs under the cover of darkness.

At one raid at the St Andrews Shopping Centre, near Liverpool, the offenders cut into a roof and smashed through a wall in a toilet block to get into an ATM bunker, getting away with $98,900 in cash
A police sergeant sacked for allegedly not reporting senior officers had eaten hash cookies during a drug-fuelled "boys' weekend" will keep his job after a second attempt to kick him out of the force failed.

The Full Bench of the Industrial Relations Commission last week rejected a bid by the NSW Police Commissioner to appeal against the reinstatement of Sergeant Roderick Morris, a 24-year veteran of the force.

Sergeant Roderick Morris was sacked for failing to report drug use by colleagues including former Inspector Shane Diehm, who is pictured here. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Sergeant Morris joined a group of former and serving police officers who had played with the NSW Police rugby league team for a weekend away on the Gold Coast in 2010.

Hidden cameras had been installed in the Broadbeach unit before the event in a joint operation by NSW and Queensland anti-corruption authorities.
New apartments are being bought in Sydney purely for letting via online holiday rental agencies such as Airbnb, rather than as residential homes, a NSW Liberal MP has claimed.

Strata owners should be able to ban holiday lets from their buildings, said Damien Tudehope, the member for Epping.

Some apartments are being bought just for Airbnb, an MP has claimed. Credit:Michele Mossop

Mr Tudehope said in a speech in Parliament last week that "anecdotally there are now residential properties being built in Sydney's most sought-after suburbs solely for the purpose of servicing tourists through the Airbnb market rather than being offered as a home."

However, evidence for this claim appears to be thin on the ground and, when questioned by Fairfax Media, Mr Tudehope explained he had not intended to suggest entire unit blocks were being purpose-built for Airbnb lets.
Controversial Sydney businessman Savas Guven is being sued for $1 million, accused of misleading and deceptive conduct after a falling out over a major Sydney apartment development.

The court case comes after the collapse of a stunning deal that would have seen him receive $8.3 million for a Botany site he had obtained just four weeks earlier for $1.9 million.

The case now threatens to derail a new and even more profitable $8.5 million deal for the same site that Mr Guven sealed late last year with another buyer.

It is the latest development in what has been a tumultuous few months for the 38-year-old chief executive, who served time in jail for a violent armed robbery in the early 2000s.
John Zakhariev with his father, Svetlomir Zakhariev, a former UN diplomat who died earlier this year. Mr Zakhariev, the son of a Vietnamese-Australian mother and a Bulgarian-Australian father, grew up in Sydney's inner west and graduated from Waverley College in 2012. His 82-year-old father Svetlomir, a former UN diplomat, had been helping his son through the ordeal but died two weeks ago. Mohammad Ali Baryalei, centre, with members of the Street Dawah movement that Mr Zakhariev was a part of. In an interview aired on Bulgarian television last year, Mr Zakhariev said he converted to Islam in high school but reverted to Christianity in mid-2016.

"When I became a Muslim it was a very emotional time in my life," he said. "I just broke up with a girlfriend and I had problems with my family ... And it seemed to me at the time that Islam offered something which I really wanted which was companionship and friendship. I have to admit I never really fully believed in Islam." Mr Zakhariev's mother, Anne Ngo, pictured at home in Balmain, visited her son in prison earlier this year despite being treated for stage four cancer. Credit:Steven Siewert His lawyer, Hristo Botev, told Fairfax Media his client joined the Street Dawah proselytising group in Sydney in 2013, led by Mohammad Ali Baryalei, who went on to become a high-ranking Islamic State recruiter. With the help of Mohamed Zuhbi, another Dawah member who was later killed in Syria, he flew from Sydney to Turkey via South Korea and was escorted over the border. Mohammed Zuhbi, another member of the Street Dawah movement, helped Mr Zakhariev to cross the border into Syria.

"I was very distressed seeing the images coming out of Syria and the stories," Mr Zakhariev said in his TV interview. "I wanted to go to see what the situation was, to see what I could do to help the Syrian people." He stayed in a house controlled by Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar, not a proscribed terror group at the time, but said he left after eight days after witnessing the jihadists' brutality. John Zakhariev graduated from Waverley College in 2012. Credit:Waverley College He said he continued on a planned holiday across Europe before returning home to a sociology degree at the University of Sydney. He tried to travel to Bulgaria in 2015 but was stopped at Sydney Airport and questioned by ASIO. His passport was taken off him but returned two weeks later.

John Zakhariev travelled through Europe and North Africa after a trip to Syria and said he left the war-torn country after eight days. He then travelled to Bulgaria in 2016 to obtain a Bulgarian passport and to help his father, who was moving back to his homeland to retire, to settle in. He said he visited a legal shooting range in Sofia but there was nothing sinister in it and he wanted a Bulgarian passport so he could travel and work in the EU. His older sister, Nevena Zakhariev, a 25-year-old arts teacher, said her brother had already made plans to enrol in tourism studies in Canada or the US. However, four months later, he was arrested.

"At first, I just thought it was a big misunderstanding, we laughed it off thinking he'd be home in a couple of weeks because he's done nothing wrong," she told Fairfax Media. "But as months and months passed, it became more serious. My fear is that the government wants to make an example out of him and he'll go to jail for something he didn't do." Mr Botev said the allegations that he was training to join Islamic State were "absurd" and came at a time of huge counter-terrorism spending in Bulgaria. "I firmly believe this is a poorly attempted entrapment operation by the police in order to justify the millions they have received from [the EU in] Brussels to fight against terrorism," he said. Compounding the family's distress, Ms Zakhariev said the Australian government had been unhelpful, only sending infrequent reports to say he is in good health when, in reality, her brother told her he had been assaulted in prison.

"Everything I ask them, they tell me to go through his solicitor. Even small things like, how can I visit my brother?" She questioned why her brother, whom she described as a deep thinker interested in world affairs, was only arrested three years after the trip to Syria and despite witnesses coming forward to corroborate his version of events. His mother, Anne Ngo, visited him in Sofia Central Prison in February despite struggling with stage four cancer. "He'd said he was doing OK because he had Dad and Jock there but now Dad's died, he's worried," Ms Zakhariev said. The Australian Federal Police said it would not comment on individuals and a DFAT spokesman would only confirm it was providing "consular assistance to an Australian detained in Bulgaria, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter".
Police hope footage of a missing Brisbane man whose car was found abandoned in northern NSW might spark new leads in an increasingly desperate search for him.

Investigators hold grave fears for the safety of 22-year-old Samuel Thompson, who was last seen leaving his home at Albion in Brisbane last Tuesday in his distinctive orange 2016 Ford Mustang.

The vehicle was spotted in the car park of the Deep Water Bend Reserve at Bald Hills just after midnight on Wednesday, and was seen again at Wooyung in NSW about 7.30pm that night. Police found it abandoned at the same spot on Thursday.

Officers leading the search for Mr Thompson have released security camera footage of his last known movements, hoping it might prompt anyone with information to come forwards.
The future can have its driverless cars.

Out on the Seymour line in central Victoria the trains are still run by a signalling system that hasn't changed since the 1870s.

It's as old as Edison's electric light bulb and, like that invention, it still works, although actual working examples are hard to find these days.

Called double line block signalling, this arcane system of bells, levers and wooden boxes has been used to safely run trains between Melbourne and Seymour since 1876.
A man has been charged with assaulting police after an early-morning fight in central Melbourne.

Two police officers were taken to hospital with injuries including knee and arm wounds, and a broken finger.

A man subdued by police and arrested after a fight in Collins Street. Credit:Deborah Gough

The 29-year-old Keilor man has been charged with 15 offences, including assaulting police, following an incident in Collins Street just after 6am on Sunday.

Ten police cars were called to the scene, near the intersection with King Street.
Archived Results for Sunday, March 12th, 2017

Older Page 1
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed gathering at BJP victory event ahead of the BJP parliamentary board meet on Sunday evening.

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a victory march in New Delhi a day after Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) astounding victory in the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly elections. He walked from Le Meridien to the BJP headquarters on Ashoka Road.

PM Modi also attended the BJP parliamentary meet. Chief ministerial candidates for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will be finalised on March 16.

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Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that a "new India" is emerging and it stands for development.Here are the latest updates:

Government is for everyone and we will make new India together: PM Modi

I would like to thank the voters of the five states, want to assure them that we will leave no stone unturned for the betterment: PM Modi

I had said that we are new, have less experience and can make mistakes, but wont do anything with wrong intention: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/KoOLhx8icC- ANI (@ANI_news) 12 March 2017 I am the only prime minister who has been asked why he works so much: PM Modi

This golden moment was not achieved easily, but with hard work and perseverance: PM Modi

I sincerely thank voters of all the five states: PM Modi

When India turns 75 in 2022, BJP will bring in a new India: PM Modi

With these wins we have the responsibility of being humble. Power is not about posts, it is an opportunity to serve: PM Modi

These elections are an emotional issue for us. They come when we mark the centenary celebrations of Pandit Deen Dayal Ji: PM Modi

If poor are educated and looked after, they will serve the society in a better way: PM Modi

I recognise the power of poor in the country: PM Modi

Uttarakhand mandate is also an emotional issue for us: PM Modi

There are many reasons for a win but such an empathetic win after such a record turnout is special and makes everyone think: PM Modi

Massive victory has forced political pundits to retrospect: PM Modi

PM Modi extends Holi wishes to the gathering at BJP's victory event.

Modi is the most popular PM since Independence who has been working for the poor: Amit Shah

The mandate given by the people this time is two steps ahead of the 2014 election mandate: BJP President Amit Shah

Amit Shah welcomes the gathering with chants of 'Bharat mata ki jai'.

After the short walk, Modi arrives at the party's headquarters.

PM Narendra Modi at BJP HQ in Delhi, party President Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh also present pic.twitter.com/k7RTcbADT8- ANI (@ANI_news) 12 March 2017 PM Mod walks along Ashoka road on his way to BJP's headquarters.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has arrived at the BJP headquarters.

PM Narendra Modi offers tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay at BJP Headquarter in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/4UE9vMTFMy- ANI (@ANI_news) 12 March 2017 Party workers and supporters gather outside BJP headquarters.

Visuals from BJP headquarter in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrive shortly. #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/DuSnRF8FAR- ANI (@ANI_news) 12 March 2017 Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Ravi Shankar Prasad reach party headquarters.

BJP leaders have credited PM Modi for the astounding victory.

Tight security arrangements have been made as Delhi Police have erected barricades at various places along the route, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take to reach the BJP headquarters.

Large number of BJP workers and supporters are present at Ashoka Road in New Delhi.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi from New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency is also present at the victory march.

BJP supporters from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are on the Ashoka Road in New Delhi.

PM Narendra Modi to visit to BJP HQ in Delhi #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/9BdobWGumW- ANI (@ANI_news) 12 March 2017 PM Modi plans to travel from Le Meridien in New Delhi to the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters.

The BJP has planned a special felicitation for Prime Minister Modi, whom several party leaders including Shah credited for the electoral gains in these assembly polls.

Earlier, PM Modi also asked the people to take a pledge and express their commitment on his Narendra Modi Mobile App towards building a new India. "A new India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength and skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development," Modi tweeted.

"When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud," he added.

These tweets came a day after the BJP got astonishing poll results in Uttar Pradesh where it stormed to power with three-fourths majority, decimating the rivals SP-Congress combine and the BSP. BJP also scored a massive victory in Uttarakhand winning 56 of the 70 seats in the state to storm to power, reducing Congress to minuscule minority in the state Assembly with a poor tally of 11 seats.

Watch the video here:

Also read:

Post results, who will be UP CM? Crucial BJP parliamentary board meet scheduled for today

Assembly Election Results 2017: Potential chief ministerial candidates in 5 states

--- ENDS ---

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Actor Samuel Johnson certainly didn't disappoint by coming out of retirement to take on one of his sought-after roles: star of Melbourne's Birdman Rally.

The Secret Life of Us and Rush actor, who announced his retirement last year, took out the top prize at the annual Moomba Festival competition on Sunday before an excited crowd.

"I've wanted to do this since I was a kid," he said moments before his successful leap into the murky waters of the Yarra River.

Johnson, 38, donned a colourful costume in the event, but bailed on carrying his glider made of bras as he dove off the platform in a forward somersault.
What happens when Uber drivers go on strike?

Melbourne could find out on Tuesday, after a group called Ride Share Drivers United put out a city-wide call for disgruntled Uber drivers to "log off" all day in a protest against claimed poor pay and working conditions.

A group called Ride Share Drivers United says Uber drivers are increasingly squeezed financially. Credit:AP

The group argued in a statement that Uber drivers are increasingly squeezed financially and that the "contractor" arrangement Uber employs them by strips them of any bargaining power.

A published list of demands includes an increase in minimum rates of pay, a limit to the hours a driver can work in a shift, and a softening of the deactivation policy that bans low-rated drivers from using the ride-share app.
The Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed Perth's extended summer is set to come to an end, with severe thunderstorms and cool temperatures predicted in the coming week.

Lightning struck at several places around the state, with trees going up in flames in Noranda and Wanneroo. East Cannington resident Bill captured incredible footage of a bird narrowly missed by a lightning bolt hitting the power pole it was sitting on.

Perth's summer took a while to kick off in 2017, with record levels of rainfall and state-wide flooding- but the beginning of March offered a blissful relief with its warmer temperature.

But Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster James Crow said next week's forecast is just the beginning.
Prominent Perth lawyer John Hammond says now that the WA Labor party has taken over the state in a landslide win and vowed to scrap the controversial Roe 8 project, charges laid against protesters at the wetlands building site should be dropped.

The soon-to-be scuttled Roe 8 project was the first stage of the $1.9 billion Perth Freight Link, which would extend Roe Highway through the Beeliar Wetlands.

The Barnett government's decision to push ahead with the project prompted strong public backlash and heated protests by community and environmental groups.

WA Police made hundreds of arrests over the course of the project. Hammond said he was aware of at least four individuals who were facing charges of obstructing police.
Bangkok: A radical monk who for years has fanned the flames of religious chauvinism in Myanmar has been banned from giving sermons for a year by the country's top Buddhist body.

The rare sanction against Wirathu, who has led calls for restrictions on Myanmar's Muslim minority, comes amid deepening religious tensions in the Buddhist-majority country.

Myanmar's most senior monks, sitting on the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, said it imposed the ban because Wirathu "had delivered hate speech against religions to cause communal strife and hinder efforts to uphold the rule of law".

The council added Wirathu would face "action under the rule of law" for any breach of the order.
Ankara: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad.

Mr Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

In a speech in France, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" as it joined other European countries in stopping Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities.

The Dutch government barred Mr Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her out of the country to Germany.
Washington: Senior Republican John McCain has called on US President Donald Trump to either prove his claim that former president Barack Obama tapped the phones at Trump Tower during last year's election campaign or to retract the accusation.

"The president has one of two choices, either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve," Mr McCain, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in an interview on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday.

"I have no reason to believe that the charge is true, but I also believe that the president of the United States could clear this up in a minute."

Mr McCain is one of several top lawmakers in Congress calling on Mr Trump to provide evidence of his unsubstantiated claim that Mr Obama ordered Mr Trump's communications to be monitored.
PHILIPSBURG:--- In the context of the 22nd Meeting of the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Association of Caribbean States Minister Rafael Boasman was the guest of honor at a luncheon hosted by the Dutch Ambassador in Havana Alexandra Valkenburg for Caribbean Ambassadors.

Minister Boasman reminded the gathering of St. Maarten's application for Associate Membership within CARICOM and asked the diplomatic representations for the support of their respective governments.

Minister Boasman also echoed Prime Minister William Marlin's call for increased regional cooperation made during his visit to Havana in June 2016 for the 7th Summit of the Heads of State/Government of the Association of Caribbean States.

Boasman, in his capacity as Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs, highlighted his interests in cooperating in those areas and noted the upcoming visit of the Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs in the area of Education cooperation with Cuba at the end of the month.

In addition, support for St. Maarten's position as a Small Island Developing State, particularly with regards to funding opportunities was briefly discussed. Minister Boasman was supported by Patrice Gumbs Jr, Senior Policy Advisor for Foreign Relations.
Claim: A soldier returning from deployment discovered his wife had died during his absence, and their children had starved to death. Rating: About this rating True

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The harrowing tale of a military father's anguished discovery (as reproduced in the examples above) travels in military circles, where it serves to express one of the greatest fears experienced by those separated from their loved ones by postings to distant lands. The dread of all parents that they might not be present when their children need them most is given voice in this legend about a serviceman's horrifying homecoming from an absence that inadvertently escalated a tragedy and provided a cause for lifelong guilt.

In the most common form of legend, a hitherto undiagnosed medical infirmity (heart condition, asthma) or accident is responsible for the wife's passing, while it's the serviceman's absence that proves fatal to the children. Invariably, there are two kids (always described as babies or small children), they die of starvation, and their father is the one to discover their bodies.

Although we don't know whether the incident was the basis for commonly circulated form of this legend, it is true that 24-year-old Sgt. Gregory Voelcker of the U.S. Air Force, who was stationed at Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) Mildenhall base, returned home from a temporary duty assignment in Greece in June 1991 to discover his wife and children dead in their home. Autopsies of the deceased revealed Lorraine Voelcker (27) had died of natural causes, while the couple's two children (two-year-old Galen and 16-month-old Elizabeth) had perished of dehydration, likely ten days after their mother had passed away.

No one noticed the absence of Mrs. Voelcker and the children because the family inhabited a remote cottage outside the small village of Kirtling (which itself is 60 miles northeast of London). The Air Force has a "contact policy" whereby it keeps in touch with the families of servicemen on duty outside the country, and the squadron had last spoken with Mrs. Voelcker on June 12. During that call, she assured those checking in with her that she and the children were "absolutely fine" and mentioned she was planning to take the children on a trip with their grandfather in the north. When the squadron made a routine call a week later, they were not surprised to find there was no reply at the cottage, thinking the family was away.

The story contains elements of two venerable urban legends: In the "Baby high chair death" tale, parents who've entrusted their child to a sitter while on vacation return home to find their now-dead infant still strapped in his chair where they'd left him because the sitter hadn't shown up and the child starved. In the "Climax of Horrors" legend, a man's homecoming is marred by the discovery of the many calamities that have taken place in his absence.

As a military legend, the story speaks to the sacrifices those serving their country are called upon to make. Theirs are lives of continual absences from home, often including lengthy periods when they are unable to be in touch with spouses and children. But in a larger sense the legend showcases the fear family members in any line of work have when away from home for extended amounts of time. During their absences, bad things may be taking place, and it is this awareness that fuels a lurking sense of guilt  were they home, they'd be able to safeguard their families from harm.
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Mar 11 (PTI) A Nigerian national was arrested from here for allegedly possessing cocaine "with an intention to sell it to customers", police said today.

Gabriel Aja O was apprehended in a joint operation by the Commissioner Taskforce and Marredpally Police yesterday, said a press release issued by the city police.

The police seized 20 grams of cocaine, two cell phones and a car from the possession of the accused. He is selling the drug for Rs 4,500-Rs 5,000 per gram, it said.

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Aja O has been staying in India on a business visa and involved in garment export business, the release said, adding hunt is on for another Nigerian involved in the case. PTI GDK NRB

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Powerball numbers for Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022

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By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Mar 12 (PTI) Ostrich, the flightless bird native to Africa, inhabited India about 25,000 years ago, a study conducted by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) here has found.

Though it is native to Africa, several geologists and archaeologists have over the time found ostrich egg shell pieces in India, mostly in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

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A DNA study of some partly fossilised ostrich egg shells was recently conducted at the

"We have successfully analysed the ostrich egg shells in our ancient DNA facility and established that the egg shells (found in India) are genetically similar to the African ostrich," CCMBs senior principal scientist Kumarasamy Thangaraj had said recently.

"The carbon dating (of the ostrich egg shells) to determine the age shows that they are at least 25,000 years old," Thangaraj had said.

The study was conducted jointly by the scientists of CCMB, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee and others.

The findings of the research have been published in the March 9, 2017 issue of science journal PLOS ONE.

The origin and evolution of ostrich is widely attributed to the continental drifting of Gondwanaland or Gondwana.

Around 150 million years ago, Gondwana was a super-continent comprising South America, Arabia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, India and Madagascar of the present times, an official release had said.

An initial break-up of this super-continent (during the Early Cretaceous period - 130 to 100 million years ago) separated Africa and Indo-Madagascar.

This bio-geographical dispersion eventually led to hopping of ostriches in Africa through Eurasia (the combined continental landmass of Europe and Asia), via land route around 20 million years ago.

However, the continental drift theory for the existence of ostriches in India was not proven scientifically, the release had said.

Over the time, several geologists and archaeologists discovered ostrich egg shell pieces, mainly in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

However, only morphological pattern of the fragile egg shell pieces is not sufficient to prove the existence of ostrich in India.

The researchers thus analysed the mitochondrial DNA to come to the conclusion about the existence of ostriches in India, the release had said.

Phylogenetic (relating to the evolutionary development and diversification of a species or group of organisms, or of a particular feature of an organism) analysis of the DNA sequence revealed a 92 per cent identity of the fossil egg shells to the African ostrich species - Struthio camelus, it had further said. PTI SJR DIP

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By Press Trust of India: From Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Mar 12 (PTI) Pakistan is set to conduct its first national census in 19 years for which it will deploy nearly 200,000 troops.

Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor and Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb addressed a joint conference about preparation for the sixth census, which will be conducted in two phases and will be completed on May 25.

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The national census will be conducted from Wednesday.

"The census would be conducted with the assistance of over 200,000 troops," Ghafoor said.

He said at least one soldier will accompany each civilian enumerator going from house to house to enlist the number of households and individuals living there.

The soldiers will not only provide security but help in verification of data collected by the enumerators.

Aurangzeb said that administrative and security arrangements have been made for the population and housing census.

"The number of the civilian staff taking part in the census is 118,918. They are all government servants from various departments and thoroughly trained for the job," Aurangzeb said.

She said that the first phase will start from March 15 and conclude on April 15. After a ten-day gap the second phase will start from April 25 and conclude on May 25.

She said that Rs 18.5 billion have been allocated for the census.

The Minister of State said the holding of the census will help appropriate allocation of funds and other resources at right places.

Aurangzeb said that there will be imprisonment of six months and Rs 50,000 fine if wrong information is given.

Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time. PTI SH UZM

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A suspected attempted arson attack was carried out on a car and house.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident in The Mews, Port Talbot.

It is believed a man poured petrol over the front of a property in the new housing development and also over a car parked outside.

Officers said he was disturbed and ran-off before the fuel could be ignited.

Officers said a man carrying a petrol can was seen acting suspiciously in the same area some 90 minutes before the incident, and they have issued a description of a man they want to speak to.

He is described as being white, in his mid-20s, around 5ft 8in tall and of a slim build and with mousy blonde hair.

He was wearing "large" black-rimmed glasses, a black hooded top and dark grey jeans.

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A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "Police are conducting an investigation into an attempted arson which occurred in The Mews, Port Talbot, on Monday, March 6.

"A person reported seeing a male pouring petrol over a parked unattended vehicle, and the front of a house in The Mews.

"Fortunately the suspect was disturbed so had no opportunity to set the petrol alight.

"If you have any information, or were in the area at the time and saw any suspicious activity, please call police."

Can you help? Call South Wales Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 quoting reference 1700085688.
WASHINGTON  The United States must be prepared to lose satellites in the event of a conflict, but smallsats and dispersed systems can help ensure key capabilities remain operational.

"Space dominance, if it ever existed, is not in our future," said Dale Hayden, senior researcher at the Air Force's Air University, noting the proliferation of anti-satellite technology worldwide.

"In a conflict, it will be impossible to defend of all the space assets in totality," Hayden said, speaking at the Satellite 2017 conference here. "Losses must be expected. It will be important to fight through those losses, just as we must in other domains. Small satellites and disaggregation make this a reality." [The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Ever]

One of the ways to deter an attack is to increase how much that attack might cost an adversary. Military officers hope that spreading systems across multiple satellites makes it economically and logistically infeasible for adversaries to attack U.S. capabilities. Rather than having to shoot down one satellite to destroy a capability, an enemy would now have to shoot down dozens or hundreds of satellites.

The Air Force's Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is testing out ways to quickly and cheaply build and deploy satellites.

Not only would it drive down the cost of space programs to U.S. taxpayers, and allow the military to update constellations more frequently, it would also allow the Defense Department to quickly replace any satellites that might be destroyed in an attack, said Air Force Col. Shahnaz Punjani, ORS director.

"We're looking at ways to provide minimum threshold capability in a timeline of need, and the small satellites and this disaggregated architecture is the smartest way to go, at least from an ORS position," she said.

The office is preparing to launch its next satellite, ORS-5, in July for a space situational awareness mission.

"The launch, ground, and space system itself [cost] less than $100 million in a three-year program," Punjani said.

ORS-6 is set to launch in November carrying a weather-detection payload. It will also test out the Modular Open Systems Architecture Space Vehicle, or MSV, which ORS hopes will serve as a standardized bus that can quickly be loaded with urgent systems.

"Once space qualified, the MSV architecture will enable the ORS Office to rapidly develop and integrate space vehicles to meet Joint Force commanders' urgent needs with payloads utilizing a standard interface," a statement from the office said.

Shahnaz said she doesn't see many limits for the use of smallsats the military, noting that critical capabilities such as nuclear command and control can be placed on a constellation of many small spacecraft.

"You can make smallsats highly robust," the colonel said. "[The military] will not accept nuclear strategic communication that doesn't have high reliability, high mission assurance .You can take a small satellite  what we use at ORS mostly is Class C payloads that are single string, no redundancies  and you can make them very expensive and still make them able to provide that strategic element. I would say smallsats are very flexible in that regards."

Peter Wegner, the chief technology officer for Spaceflight Industries at BlackSky Global, said he could foresee a future where constellations of smallsats in low Earth orbit start to replace larger satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

"The only reason you go to GEO is for persistence," he said, referring to the geostationary belt some 36,000 kilometers above the equator . "If you can build a satellite at about a twentieth of the cost in low Earth orbit, it actually gets to be cheaper to do persistence from LEO than to do it from GEO."

"I call it the LEO eats GEO future," he continued. "I think it's possible that essentially all of the missions that we think about doing in GEO today will get disrupted by these networked constellations in LEO."

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
The total solar eclipse of March 7, 1970, ran along the East Coast of the United States and was rigorously observed as well as televised.

As this year's "Great American Total Solar Eclipse" approaches, NASA scientists commemorate the total solar eclipse of March 7, 1970, when 32 sounding rockets were pointed to the skies to study the spectacular celestial event.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the moon will completely cover the sun and darken skies all the way from Oregon to South Carolina along a stretch of land about 70 miles (113 kilometers) wide. This will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the United States mainland since 1979.

The total solar eclipse of 1970 also crossed over the United States, and it provided a unique opportunity for scientists to study the skies before, during and after the event. [Total Solar Eclipse 2017: When, Where and How to See It (Safely)]

The total solar eclipse of March 7, 1970, ran along the East Coast of the United States and was rigorously observed as well as televised. (Image credit: NASA)

The eclipse, also known as the "eclipse of the century," ran along nearly the entire East Coast and passed directly over NASA's Wallops Station (now Wallops Flight Facility), where researchers launched 32 sounding rockets, also known as suborbital rockets, to "conduct meteorology, ionospheric and solar physics experiments surrounding the solar eclipse event," NASA officials said in a statement.

This campaign required eight different launch vehicles, including ARCAS, Nike-Apache, Nike-Cajun, Nike-Tomahawk, Nike-Iroquois, Aerobee 150, Aerobee 170 and Javelin. Nike-Cajun led off the campaign with its launch on March 6 at 4:30 a.m. EST to measure Earth's ozone layer and water vapor. Subsequent rocket launches followed on March 6 through March 8.

NASA launched 32 sounding rockets, some of them seen on rail launchers here, from the Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia to study the total solar eclipse of March 7, 1970. (Image credit: NASA)

In addition to the rockets launched from Wallops, NASA scientists also collected data from two sounding rockets launched from the White Sands Mission Range in New Mexico (outside of where the sun was fully covered, called the eclipse's path of totality), the Mariner 6 spacecraft, six Earth-orbiting satellites and ground-based observers in Virginia and Mexico. Scientists compared observations of the eclipse and its effects from all the different locations.

"While the eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, may not provide the opportunity for a rocket spectacle such as that provided on March 7, 1970, NASA is gearing up to support a wide range of science observations," NASA officials said in the statement.

Thousands of spectators flocked to Virginia's Eastern Shore near NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island on March 7, 1970 to witness a total solar eclipse as NASA launched sounding rockets. (Image credit: NASA)

In fact, the 2017 eclipse is expected to be the most observed and documented eclipse in human history, scientists have said.

"The 2017 eclipse will take around an hour and a half to cross from Oregon to South Carolina, providing ample time for repeated measurements across the nation: Atmospheric and solar measurements will be gathered with satellites, aircraft, ground-based instruments and weather balloons," officials said in the statement.

Editor's Note: If you take a great photo of the 2017 solar eclipse or any other celestial sight you'd like to share with us and our news partners for a possible story or image gallery, send images and comments in to managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.

Follow Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Nobel Laureate John Mather and Northrop Grumman engineer Scott Willoughby talk to a crowd gathered around a model of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope at South by Southwest on March 9, 2013.

An interactive exhibit on NASA's next flagship observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, has landed at the 2017 South by Southwest (SXSW) celebration in Austin, Texas.

NASA, the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and the Northrop Grumman Corporation are hosting the space telescope exhibit from today through Saturday (March 12-18), NASA officials said in an announcement. SXSW visitors can find the exhibit at the Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez Street in Austin. [In Images: Building the James Webb Space Telscope]

"The Webb telescope is NASA's top science program in development that will allow scientists to peer ever farther into the cosmos, seeing things no previous telescope has been able to see and explore the formation of the first stars and galaxies," NASA officials said in the announcement.

The $8.8 billion James Webb Space Telescope will launch in 2018. At the exhibit, visitors have the chance to speak with the scientists and engineers behind the mission and the science it will perform.

"The James Webb Space Telescope exhibit at SXSW will feature an augmented reality version of the telescope, an infrared camera demonstration, 3-D animation of the Telescopes deployment and some of the unique materials used to construct the Webb telescope," NASA officials said.

On Tuesday (March 14) at 12:30 p.m. CDT, JWST scientists will present panel on the space telescope entitled "New Eyes on Our Home System: NASA's Next Telescope." (Location details here.)

"They will discuss the innovative technologies behind and fascinating science expected from the Webb telescope that will push the boundaries of what is capable for spacecraft," NASA officials wrote. "Panel topics will address the unique telescope's infrared capabilities to measure varying conditions and atmospheres of other planets."

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+.
Liu Kui, of the Naval Equipment Research Institute of the PLA Navy, said that the recent decommissioning of INS Viraat, which left India with one aircraft carrier, had shown that India's long-time strategy to dominate the Indian Ocean with three aircraft carriers was "falling flat".

By Ananth Krishnan: A Chinese military strategist at a People's Liberation Army Navy think-tank has dubbed India's aircraft carrier strategy a failure, calling for China to expand its own carrier programme as the PLA Navy readies its aircraft second carrier.

Liu Kui, of the Naval Equipment Research Institute of the PLA Navy, said that the recent decommissioning of INS Viraat, which left India with one aircraft carrier, had shown that India's long-time strategy to dominate the Indian Ocean with three aircraft carriers was "falling flat".

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"The Indian Navy's dream of having three aircraft carriers has fallen flat because it overestimated its R&D capability and the country's overall strength, and undertook an excessively massive strategy that eventually got stranded," said Liu, in an article published on the PLA's official website, in Chinese and in English.

"To achieve the goal of three aircraft carriers, India, while extending the INS Viraat's service time, invested a lot of money to modify the INS Vikramaditya and carried on with the INS Vikrant development, but the seemingly efficient 'three-pronged' approach didn't go as successfully as expected," he said.

"The INS Vikramaditya has cost so much money that the new INS Vikrant that should have been commissioned in 2014 won't be completed until 2018, and whether India can meet that deadline is still uncertain."

Lessons for China

He said there were "lessons" for China from India's experience, and that it should carry on with its aircraft carrier programme as well as enhance civilian-military integration to boost capabilities.

His comments came as Chinese military officials signalled that China's second aircraft carrier - its first home-grown one after the refitted Liaoning - would be ready for sea trials by 2019. At the on-going session of China's National People's Congress or Parliament, which announced a 7 per cent hike in defence spending, several military experts have called for a boost to the Navy's funding and to expand the aircraft carrier programme.

PLA Navy Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo, who is also a member of parliament, said 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."

In the article, the PLA Navy expert, Liu Kui, said that Indian navy strategists had envisaged "two aircraft carriers in order to 'dominate' the Indian Ocean and control the Bay of Bengal east of India and the Arabian Sea" and "a third aircraft carrier as a mobile force to provide quick aid or sail to other sea areas critical for its interests."

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India's ocean strategy

"However, in comparison to India's ocean strategy, its aircraft carrier development hasn't been a plain sailing," he said. "First, India isn't capable of independent ship R&D and modification. Second, India's strategic layout isn't consistent with its overall national strength."

He also said India had a "carrier complex" and "mistook the deterrence of aircraft carrier for combat capability". "It is imperative to develop aircraft carriers, but it cannot be hurried through. Not all carrier-borne aircraft can be put into combat, but India insisted on increasing the number of aircraft carriers under such circumstances."

He concluded there were lessons for China, starting with providing "continuous support to the development of aircraft carriers."

Indian Navy continuously growing in strength

"Although no large-scale warfare broke out in the Indian Ocean in the past few decades, the Indian Navy is continuously growing in strength, and the existence of aircraft carrier especially deters other countries along the Indian Ocean from violating India's marginal islands. In peacetime, an aircraft carrier is an effective naval vessel that displays deterrence and protects regional and world peace."He said China should also "continue to reinforce its innovation and R&D capability" rather than, as in India's case, rely on imports, and also "make steady progress with combat capability as the top priority" rather than "in haste".

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He also called for further civilian-military integration, which has enabled China to build a domestic military industrial complex.

"A major obstacle in India's development of aircraft carriers is the inadequate overall national strength, which makes it unable to afford the operation and R&D of three aircraft carriers all at once," he concluded. "The future war isn't just about the military, but concerns the whole nation. China should promote and implement the military-civilian strategy in depth and advance national and military development in parallel.

Also read:

China hikes defence budget to $150 billion, to step up Indian Ocean missions INS Viraat, Indian Navy's Grand Old Lady, to retire after 30-year service

INS Viraat: Bought for USD 465 million, world's oldest warship is value for money

WATCH THE VIDEO:

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Manipur has given a fractured mandate. But, after the election results were announced, the BJP was more enthusiastic than the Congress, which emerged as the single largest party. The BJP got greater vote-share than the Congress.

Prime Minister Naredra Modi with local BJP leaders at an election rally in Manipur. (Photo: PTI)

By Prabhash K Dutta: Manipur election has thrown up a hung Assembly. The Congress fell three short of majority, what could have been a record fourth time in a row.

And the BJP, which drew a naught in 2012 Manipur Assembly election has come second in terms of number of seats won.

The smaller parties have emerged as kingmakers in Manipur after the election results were announced.

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Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party has sought time from Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla to stake claim to form government.BJP: MOST POPULAR PARTY IN MANIPUR

Despite not emerging as the single largest party, the BJP can ethically stake claim to form the next government, if it manages to secure support from the kingmakers, as the party has surpassed the Congress in terms of vote-share.

The BJP recorded over 36.3 per cent votes, higher than the Congress with about 35.1 per cent vote. The BJP is obviously the popular choice in terms of votes.

The credit to make this turnaround in Manipur goes to BJP general secretary Ram Madhav and Assam Health Minister and an old hand in northeast politics Himanta Biswa Sarma. The two have worked tirelessly to increase BJP's support base in Manipur.

The vote-share gave Sarma and Madhav confidence to claim that the BJP would form government in Manipur.

BJP: PAN-MANIPUR PRESENCE

The BJP was not expected to do well in the Imphal valley after the Naga accord, which was seen by many as a move to challenge the territorial integrity of the state.

But, contrary to the expectations, the BJP won a significant number of seats in the valley. While the Congress won 19 compared to 28 seats last time, the BJP emerged winner in 16 of the 40 Assembly constituencies in the Imphal valley.

Two significant winners for the BJP from valley region are Nongthombam Biren Singh from Heingang Assembly constituency and T Biswajit Singh from Thongju Assembly seat.

Biren Singh and Biswajit Singh are said to be in race for the Chief Minister's office if the BJP secures enough support in the Manipur Assembly.

BJP leader N Biren Singh is front-runner for Manipur CM if party manages majority support. (Photo: Facebook)

THE NUMBERS: MANIPUR ELECTION RESULTS

A look at the final tally of Manipur election results shows that there are more than one key player.

Party Seats Congress 28 BJP 21 NPP 4 NPF 4 LJP 1 TMC 1 Independent 1

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WHO MAY SUPPORT BJP?

The National People's Party and the Naga People's Front have shown their inclination towards the BJP than to the hitherto ruling Congress.

This takes the BJP-plus tally to 29.

The LJP is in coalition with the BJP as NDA partner at the Centre. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan has shown his readiness to support the BJP. He does not want to be seen with the Congress when he is a minister in the Modi government.

This takes the BJP-plus tally to 30. Now, the BJP is talking to both TMC MLA and the Independent member of the Manipur Assembly.

Himant Biswam Sarma has already said that by Monday, the BJP should be in a position to stake claim to form government. Ram Madhav is there in Manipur.

Ram Madhav has already stitched a difficult alliance in another frontier state, Jammu and Kashmir. Doing a Valley in another valley seems to be the strength of Ram Madhav.

ALSO READ|

Manipur Election Results 2017: All you need to know

ALSO WATCH| Assembly election results 2017: How counting day unfolded in Manipur

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Wilaya of Samara (Refugee Camps), March 12, 2017 (SPS) - The people and authorities in the Wilaya of Smara, Sahrawi refugee camps, received Saturday an Algerian military delegation led by General Major Said Chengriha, Commander of the 3rd Region.

The delegation, which was accompanied by Commander of the Auxiliary Brigade, Mohamed-Lamin EL-Bihali, and their counterparts in Sahrawi People's Liberation Army, was received by Minister of Interior Mustafa Mohamed-Ali, and Wali of Smara, Abda Sheikh, who welcomed the delegation and expressed gratitude for the position of Algeria in support of the just struggle of the Sahrawi people.

Commander of the 3rd Region expressed his admiration of the struggle of the Sahrawi people and their adherence to their identity, pledging support of Algeria until the Sahrawi people achieve their goals of self-determination and independence. (SPS)

062/090/TRA




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NEW MILFORD  Chad Yonker sees the power in giving back to the community.

He believes in it so much he donates half the profits of his company to community organizations. At the same time, Yonker does not take a salary or other compensation for running GoodWorks Insurance.

We love this business model. We think its a great way to operate in this business, Yonker said. We use GoodWorks as a platform to give back to the community.

Yonker said many people put off donating to charity because they are unsure of the best time to do so. It becomes a Catch 22 situation, he said. The more they donate, the less money they have to grow additional wealth. If they grow that wealth, however, they would have more to donate.

People say Ill donate next year when I have more money. But they say that over and over, said Yonker, a former hedge fund manager who continues to work as a professional investor and entrepreneur.

Purchasing insurance through GoodWorks offers a solution in that people or businesses buy something they need anyway and donations are made to the community. Clients can choose which agencies receive donations, giving their favorite charity an added revenue stream. GoodWorks gives to organizations in education; health care and safety.

GoodWorks gives back on a regimented basis, Yonker said.

Should an office struggle during a year and not turn a profit, GoodWorks will still donate a minimum of $15,000 to the community.

GoodWorks has offices throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, and is looking to expand into other states. GoodWorks took over New Milford Insurance in 2012. James Kick, who owned New Milford Insurance and is now a senior vice president with GoodWorks, said the offices in Connecticut and Massachusetts are interconnected and can service policies from other locations.

New Milford has grown fairly substantially since it became part of GoodWorks, Yonker said. People are getting more comfortable with us doing what we say we are going to do.

Kick has embraced the social business model said he would not have sold his business to anyone other than Yonker. GoodWorks retained Kick, as well as longtime employees Cindy Tyrseck and Susan Poulter. Tyrseck and Poulter have worked together for more than 15 years.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for my employees and (Yonker) came in with contracts for everyone, Kick said. I absolutely support GoodWorks and the model and what they do for nonprofits. Its a unique program and the real deal.

New Milford Visiting Nurse Association is a major beneficiary of the local GoodWorks office.

Another beneficiary of the insurance companys business model is Reset, a Glastonbury-based nonprofit agency that supports entrepreneurship and shares a similar social philosophy with GoodWorks. Reset specializes in social enterprise and supporting entrepreneurs in helping to solve community challenges.

GoodWorks presented Reset with a $5,000 grant in unrestricted funding last summer.

Theyre a great example of a company thats doing so much more than turning a profit, Ojala Naeem, Reset managing director, said. Theyre committed to supporting the next generation of businesses.

Like any company, however, it takes customers to grow and thrive. Yonker realizes that just because GoodWorks has a unique, community-based model, that doesnt mean customers will automatically come through the door.

I think it gets us into the conversation we otherwise wouldnt be in, Yonker said. But we still have to compete on a fundamental basis and we do that extremely well. We still have a local feel, but we work with big national insurance companies.

GoodWorks offers a variety of insurance coverages, such as home, auto, motorcycle, boat, life and commercial. It is also branching out into employee benefits and investments.

It only works to the degree that the community wants to get behind it, Yonker said. If people are behind it, it will be successful and help the community. If not, then this type of business model wont work.

Joseph Grachmal founded GoodWorks in 2006 with two offices and a charity-first philosophy. Yonker got involved with the company in 2008 as an investor and board members. After GoodWorks started to struggle as a company, Yonker took over the business in 2011.

Yonkers investment company put a significant amount of capital into GoodWorks and revived the company to the point that it is becoming one of the largest independent insurance providers in the Northeast. Revenues for the company are up 200 percent since 2011.

Yonker said hed like to see other companies adopt a similar business model. He understands how that would be difficult for existing companies as they are used to reaping 100 percent of the profits and its difficult to go backwards.

New businesses, however, can be formed with social issues and the community as a major focus. Social entrepreneurship is a growing trend throughout the U.S.

Weve been purpose-driven from the beginning, Yonker said. We like the model and see a great future for it.

cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338
A plan to offer Spanish to Brookfields youngest elementary school students is on hold until at least next year  the latest casualty of the statewide shortage of language teachers.

Even in Danbury, with its large immigrant population, the district can meet its staffing needs only by the most strenuous efforts.

The district not only posts jobs online and recruits at area colleges, but grooms its students to become foreign-language teachers, makes inquiries at embassies about newcomers to the area who might be interested in teaching and uses social media to search for candidates. The districts Mandarin teacher, for example, was found on LinkedIn.

We have to be exceptionally aggressive and creative with a limited market, said Deputy Superintendent William Glass. It has to be a mosaic approach. Theres no one solution.

James Wildman, president of the Connecticut Council of Language Teachers, said the state classified world-language teachers was a shortage area a decade ago, when he was starting as a Spanish teacher.

Most Connecticut students take a world language during their K-12 careers, Wildman said, but few pursue degrees and even fewer become teachers.

We dont always sell the nice things about being a language teacher, like connecting students to different cultures, he said. We need to have people who promote the profession.

Connecticut isnt the only state in this predicament.

Its a critical issue for 44 states in the country and the District of Columbia, said Marty Abbott, executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

She said the shortage has been exacerbated by the efforts of school systems to offer a broader selection of languages and to begin teaching students at younger and younger ages, while the pool of qualified teachers has remained static.

With the globalization of business and other fields, Abbott said, speakers of foreign languages have other options besides teaching. A report found the number of non-teaching jobs needing bilingual skills  many jobs higher-paying than teaching  had doubled since 2010.

Theres such a demand for language skills in all fields," Abbott said.

Her organization is piloting a program for high school language students to teach younger kids. She plans to launch it officially in the fall,

Research shows that around the age of 15, students start to crystallize an interest in what they want to pursue as a career, she said. We want to capitalize on that.

In 2006, the National Security Agency launched STARTALK to increase the number of U.S. citizens learning, speaking, and teaching languages. The program administers grants to school districts to teach students and teachers less common languages during the summer.

Other efforts are underway in Connecticut to expand the pool of teachers, such as making it easier for native speakers of foreign languages to obtain teaching certifications.

We have a lot of folks in the area who are bilingual and trilingual, but we cant employ them because they arent certified, Brookfield Assistant Superintendent Maureen Ruby told the school board during a meeting last month devoted to the issue. Certification for world-language teachers is kind of a roadblock.

Wildman said this is less of an obstacle than it used to be since the state stopped requiring native speakers to pass math and English exams as part of the certification process. The candidates often knew the material, he said, but struggled with the unfamiliar testing format.

The state encourages American-born students who graduate with a language degree, as well as native speakers who earn degrees in other fields, to add the appropriate teaching certification, Wildman said. Finally, the state has developed partnerships with authorities in Spain, China and other countries to bring native speakers to fill vacant teaching jobs.

Even teachers a class or two away from earning their certification may be able to start teaching while they complete those requirements, Wildman said.

Not every effort works, however. Several years ago, Danbury officials visited Puerto Rico to recruit native Spanish speakers, and persuaded some to move to Connecticut. Then winter hit, and some of the recruits went home.

It was a valiant effort, but the climate was too harsh," Glass said.

Danbury is part of a pipeline program with Western Connecticut State University that encourages Danbury students to pursue teaching degrees and return to the district after graduation. This has been effective with minority candidates as well as bilingual and world-language students.

Despite the efforts being made to address the shortage of language teachers, officials expect the problem to persist as the demand for language skills grows.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences published a study last month that found relying on English alone would not meet the nations needs in a shrinking world.

If nothing else, Abbott added, knowing how to speak and teach a foreign language is a more or less surefire way of finding employment.

Anyone with language skills with an interest in teaching is not going to have trouble finding a job, she said.
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STAMFORD  Former high school principal Donna Valentine wont have to return  at least for now  the unemployment benefits she collected last year after she was fired.

The state Department of Labors Appeals Division has denied the Board of Educations latest attempt to reopen the unemployment case against Valentine, who lost her job over her mishandling of a 2014 sexual misconduct case at Stamford High School.

Stamford officials sought to challenge the labor departments decision to grant her unemployment compensation, arguing she was fired for willful misconduct, but then didnt show up to an appeals hearing.

The appeals division has ruled the boards attorneys failed to establish good cause for missing the hearing last spring.

The labor department found Valentine eligible for unemployment benefits on Feb. 10, 2016, and later agreed to hear the school boards appeal. But the school boards attorney failed to appear for a May appeal hearing.

According to a decision memorandum obtained by The Advocate on Friday, Board of Education agent Renee Blanco apparently thought the hearing had been postponed. However, she could not provide evidence the postponement was granted or ever requested, the decision said.

Attorney Ryan ONeill, who represents Valentine, said the decision was not a victory, but an affirmation his client received what is rightfully hers.

Hopefully, this will put the chapter to rest, he said.

Stamford could still file an appeal with the labor departments review board. The school district did not return a request for comment and the city declined to comment.

Its not clear how much Valentine received in unemployment compensation, but the state pays as much as $616 a week up to six months, according to the labor department.

If the labor department had ruled against Valentine after she received months of unemployment benefits, she would have had to return the money to the state, ONeill said.

Valentine was arrested in 2014 on a charge of failing to report an illicit sexual affair between a 17-year-old student and English teacher Danielle Watkins, whos serving a five-year jail sentence. The criminal charges against Valentine were dismissed last fall after she completed two years of accelerated rehabilitation, a probationary program for first-time offenders.

The former principal is also suing the school board to get her job back. She filed an appeal just weeks after the school panel sided with a hearing officer calling for her ouster.

noliveira@stamfordadvocate.

com; 203-964-2265; @olivnelson
Congress came to power in Punjab after a decade and the party practically trounced its opposition, winning 77 out of 117 seats, leaving the SAD-BJP combine and AAP far behind. There is one man who deserves the credit, soon-to-be CM Amarinder Singh.

By Manjeet Sehgal: It was a captain's knock by Amarinder Singh as he led the Congress to power in Punjab after a decade, notwithstanding its dismal performance in subsequent elections across the country.

The Congress practically trounced its opposition, winning 77 out of 117 seats, leaving the SAD-BJP combine and AAP far behind. The results came as a birthday gift to Singh, the chief ministerial candidate, who turned 75 on Saturday, and had told voters that it will be his last election. AAP, which left no stone unturned to snatch power, finished second with 20 seats. Though the Akali Dal, by winning 15 seats, failed some exit polls, it came third.

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"I am grateful to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and every other member of the Congress who have contributed to the exceptional electoral performance of the party," Singh said.

He added he would soon meet Rahul Gandhi to submit his recommendations on cabinet formation. In response to a question, he said the issue of deputy CM would also be decided by the party vice-president.

Singh, who is set to don the CM cap for the second time, promised that his government would take more than 100 critical decisions, with no financial implications, in its first cabinet meet.

He reiterated his poll promise of wiping out the drug menace in four weeks and bringing to book every person found guilty of perpetuating it. Describing the result as a mandate for stability, progress and good governance, Singh listed education and health as two areas of immediate concern.

Political experts believe AAP lost mainly due to the presence of outsiders in the party, which was not accepted by voters. SAD and Congress campaigned throughout that by voting AAP, they were handing over Punjab to outsiders.

Kejriwal's 'not-so-successful' run in Delhi, allegations of hobnobbing with Khalistani radicals, and accusations of selling tickets to moneyed people turned out to be major factors that prevented it from becoming a formidable contender, say political observors.

This helped the Congress pocket a major chunk of anti-incumbency votes. The issue of Dera Sacha Sauda support to the SAD-BJP alliance also led to a counter mobilisation in favour of Congress. "I had always maintained that voters of Punjab are very sensible and had seen through the farce named AAP. The AAP bubble has burst with their outright rejection by voters. The Bathinda blast, coupled with alleged extremist links, also worked against it," Singh said. Reacting to the defeat, the AAP expressed confidence that they will bounce back. State AAP convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich said that the party will receive feedback from volunteers and analyse reasons for the defeat. "AAP's fight for raising the voice of the people and for changing the kind of politics in the country will continue," he said.

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Waraich thanked volunteers and supporters for 'making the party so strong in such a short span of time that it could take on established parties' and 'making it the principal opposition party in the state'.

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said that he will hold talks with party workers to find the cause of defeat. He will be submitting his resignation to the Governor on Sunday.

Also read: Punjab election results 2017: Amarinder Singh is King as Congress storms back to power

Also read: Punjab Election Results 2017: Kejriwal's AAP no match for birthday boy Amarinder Singh

Also watch:

--- ENDS ---
Editors note: Christopher Shays delivered the following speech to the to the Harvard Model Congress in Boston on Feb. 26. The event included more than 1,500 high school students working under the direction of Harvard University students. Shays, a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy Schools Institute of Politics, served as a Republican representative for the Fourth District from 1987 to 2009.

I served in elective office for 34 years, and loved almost every bit of it.

Every day I learned something new. I met people I never would have otherwise, and because of my committee assignments, I traveled to all parts of the world.

I got to influence public policy through law, regulation, oversight, and sometimes just by speaking out. And I got to help countless organizations and people in need.

The job of an elected official requires you to listen, learn, help, teach and lead ... and then listen again. It is very satisfying to be a good listener, and it is very empowering as well. You are always on duty, but if you do your job properly, the work load is not just intense, it is exciting and rich.

A humbling experience

Being a member of Congress is like going to a large university and being required to take every course, and get a passing grade. Just think of the countless issues you must address. There is agriculture, commerce, national defense, spending, taxes, science, environment, education, transportation, health care, and then think of all the different elements, within each broad issue.

So members of Congress end up knowing a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things. Leaning a lot about a few things is generated by the issues constituents care about, by what the members care about, and by those issues that their committee work requires them to know in depth.

Being a member of Congress is a humbling experience because every one of your constituents, no matter how young, knows something you dont know.

Trump is the pilot

I am not a partisan politician, I dont think or act that way, but I want to be very candid about Donald Trump. Too much of what you are seeing in President Trump is not typical, or admirable conduct. You should not want to emulate him.

Donald Trumps conduct is everything my parents taught me not to be, and everything we taught our daughter not to be.

But Donald Trump is our president. For better or worse, he won the election, and as Gov. John Kasich, of Ohio, who ran for president and lost, pointed out, When you are flying on an airplane, you pray for the pilot. Donald Trump is the pilot, and we are on that plane.

True leaders

Unlike Donald Trump, there are leaders you can appreciate, and want to emulate:

Abraham Lincoln, who kept our nation whole, ended slavery, and never stop embracing all Americans, whether they were in Union blue, or Confederate gray.

Mahatma Gandhi, who freed his country from centuries of colonial rule, and in spite of immeasurable obstacles, sought with every fiber of his being to bring Muslims and Hindus together.

Martin Luther King, who helped end segregation, and inspire his fellow Americans to respect each other, and live up to the words in our Declaration of Independence.

Nelson Mandela, who ended apartheid in South Africa, prevented deadly retribution, and brought healing to his people by forgiving his own tormentors, and appealing to mans better nature. ...

Great leaders dont divide. They inspire and unite, and speak to our better natures. Lincoln, Gandhi, King, Mandela and our Founding Fathers have lots to teach us. We are a nation under the U.S. Constitution, which was designed to guide and motivate a diverse people, to find common ground through good will and compromise.

I got to live my dream

... When I was in elementary school I became a voracious reader, consuming every kids version of great Americans, and felt from that point on I wanted to be part of our government and its glorious history.

In middle school, the 1960 presidential campaign of John F Kennedy, his championing of the Peace Corps, and his famous words, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country only increased my enthusiasm, but it was not until I was in high school, that I thought part of my government service might include running for public office.

Two years in the Peace Corps with my wife Betsi; 18 months as a mayors aide; 13 years as a state representative; 21 years as a Congressman; and two years chairing the Commission on Wartime Contracting; were the result of my heartfelt desire, nurtured by devoted teachers, and a caring wife and parents. I got to live my dream, and I hope you get to as well.

Hey you

Serving in elected office, and campaigning for office, are interrelated. You dont mix them, but they are connected. Ideally you learn while campaigning, how you should serve in office. The people you meet, are the very people you will serve when elected.

You learn things on the campaign trail you dont learn while serving. Your constituents treat you differently when you are out campaigning. As a Congressman they show such respect for your office that sometimes it inhibits meaningful dialogue.

When serving in office you are referred to as Congressman, but the moment you are out asking for votes, the dialogue is a bit raw. The title of Congressman gets replaced with a form of Hey you, which has its purpose, since you get a clearer picture of what your constituents truly want you to know.

And when you are done, if re-elected, you naturally and comfortably modify some of your positions. You are never quite the same person, with exactly the same views, after an election, than before, because of what you have learn. You see things a bit differently. Thats why in every election, I took a number of my congressional staff off the government payroll, and got them out on the campaign trail with me. I wanted them to learn what I was learning.

On duty 24/7

As a Congressman you are on duty 24/7. You work hard, you are honest and straightforward, hopefully you are courageous, but not stupid, and have a positive and joyful spirit. It helps if you are intelligent and smart, but if you are not caring, and do not possess empathy in abundance, it will be difficult to truly represent your constituents.

You need to be able to walk in your constituents shoes, and understand who they are, and why. You not only need to be able to do this, you need to want to do it.

When you are willing to listen, learn, help, teach and lead, and then listen again, and feel genuine empathy for those you represent, and the joy that comes with it, you are headed in the right direction. When you are willing to be shaped by your constituents, thats when you know you are truly representing them.
A Muslim detective who was awarded an MBE by the Queen is suing the Metropolitan Police over claims of racism.

Detective Constable Nighat Hubbard is also claiming she was a victim of sexism while serving in the force.

She alleges she was held back while white colleagues were allowed to work more complex investigations, according to The Sunday Times.

The serving officer also says in her claims, which date between 2013 and 2014, that male colleagues made discriminatory comments to her and other women officers, the paper reported.

An employment tribunal will be heard this year.

Det Con Hubbard is reportedly the first Muslim policewoman to be honoured by the Queen / PA Archive/PA Images

Det Con Hubbard was presented with an MBE in 2014 for her charity work, reportedly making her the first Muslim policewoman to be honoured by the Queen.

A Met Police spokesman said: "We are aware of an employment tribunal claim brought by Det Con Nighat Hubbard against the Metropolitan Police Service alleging race and sex discrimination.

"We are unable to discuss further while proceedings are ongoing."
A crowd of more than 20 people began to panic after they became trapped in a lift suspended over a busy London train station.

Rail passengers at St Pancras International began to bang on the windows and young children burst into tears after the lift broke down on Sunday evening.

Michael Wicks, who was one of the people trapped in the lift, told the Standard: We were 90 per cent of the way to the top floor and there was a massive thud.

Then we realised we weren't moving.

25 minutes in people were  understandably - freaking out about being in a small confined space without huge amounts of oxygen.

Bird's eye: The view from the passengers stuck in the lift. / Michael Wicks

He said some tourists from Poland were panicking about missing their flight home and said: Ill be fired if I dont go to work tomorrow.

Young children who were in the lift also started crying and some people began banging on the lift doors and windows, added Mr Wicks, who is from St Albans but commutes to London for work.

He added it was hot and said that for a while the control room had stopped answering the alarm button.

He claimed the group pressed the alarm button several times before being left without knowing what was going on.

Eventually the group were rescued at 7.10pm by fire fighters, police and a lift engineer from the station, 45 minutes after the lift first broke down at 6.25pm.

A spokeswoman from London Fire Brigade told the Standard they were called at 6.43pm and released the group of people from the lift.

Network Rail have been contacted for comment.
P eckham Rye station is to be restored to its Victorian grandeur as architects prepare to open up a hidden room which was lost to the public for 50 years.

The local team of architects have spent 10 years on a string of extensive restoration projects to return the busy south London station to how it looked in its striking 19th and 20th century heyday.

Work has already begun on the teams most recent effort to open up a secret and abandoned Old Waiting Room on the upper floor of the station, which was bricked up in the 1960s and left to decay.

The beautiful hall was once considered one of Londons grandest waiting rooms and used as a popular south London billiard hall in the 1920s.

Heyday: The long-lost waiting hall is set to be restored and opened for the community to use. / Benedict O'Looney architects

It was left unseen for 50 years after being closed off in 1961 but is now set to be opened up for the community to use.

Benedict OLooney, who leads the team at his Peckham-based architects, told the Standard the latest stage of the project is to renovate the original iron staircase linking the Grade II-listed station with the upper floor waiting room so people can access it.

He said: Peckham Rye Station was built in 1866, however in 1962 at the time of the Beeching Cuts much of this Victorian station was bricked up and left to decay leaving only the ticket hall and platforms in use.

Restoration work: The cast iron staircase which is to be restored to its original style. / Benedict O'Looney architects

He said when work started to unbrick the windows they discovered all these remarkable rooms and features.

The architect practice has raised money thanks to the local community council, the Railway Heritage Trust and landlord Network Rail to carry out the gradual work to open up more and more of the station.

We have done about four or five projects at the station these last 10 years, slowly transforming a building which had a lot of abandoned rooms in it, Mr OLooney said.

Decay: Inside the upstairs waiting hall. / Benedict O'Looney architects

Although we are a small Peckham practice, we have done it in a lot of small stages, he said.

We havent made money doing it but its great fun. Its also fun to be part of the local community here, we are local community architects.

We started by unbricking the windows so people could see into these space, we began to illuminate the interiors, and now we are building a stair to access the Old Waiting Room which we hope to open up to the local community later this year.

Built in 1866: Peckham Rye station as seen from the platform. / Benedict O'Looney architects

The next stage will be to restore the roof and bring back the original iron cresting which lines the top of the station roof  meaning the impressive Victorian station splendour will be seen by all travellers who use it.

The work coincides with Southwark Councils approved plan to develop the narrow and dimly-lit passageways outside the station into a public square.

Malcolm Wood of the Railway Heritage Trust, which gives grants for work on historic buildings, said the work which has been done so far at Peckham Rye is particularly good.

Work has begun to restore the staircase and waiting room. / Benedict O'Looney architects

Its important to get use out of historic buildings, he told the Standard. They can be given something to earn their keep.

We have supported work in Peckham Rye, we gave funding to help restore its heritage and opening it up to get use of the building.

The station was designed by Charles Henry Driver, the architect also behind several of Londons sewerage system pumping stations and many other British stations.

A spokesman for Network Rail said they were supporting Benedict OLooneys project and were happy for the work to go ahead.
T his Londoner joins the ranks of Britain's most eccentric hobbyists with her love of the capital's bollards.

Maggie Jones, 63, tours the city taking pictures of streetscapes, but is particularly fond of bollards of all shapes and sizes, taking hundreds of photographs of them.

Ms Jones, a retired nurse, today urged people to "open their eyes" to the joys of bollards and their history.

The Putney resident told the Standard today that her obsession began after she moved from Swansea in 2002 and fell in love with the history of London.

I dont think Londoners appreciate what theyve got. Ive lived here for 15 years and it feels like home.

Working as a nurse, Ive always been on the side of the underdog.

Keen photographer: Maggie Jones / Maggie Jones

When I see craftsmanship, it reminds me of some Victorian chap struggling to make pennies who is overlooked because the local big wigs get the credit.

She said her favourite bollard is situated outside St Helens church on Bishopsgate.

Over six million people have looked at her photos and she has already been approached by publishers interested in book deals with her.

I didnt think this is what retirement would be like, I love it, Ms Jones said.

She writes a blog about her urban adventures and has posted over 37,000 photos on her Flickr page.

She said: I dont like the grand side of London; I prefer the east of the city like Spitalfields, Wapping and Limehouse.

Theres a whole workforce of hidden people and a lot of working class history going back centuries.
T ory rebel Michael Heseltine has launched a scathing attack on the Prime Ministers handling of Brexit and accused her of leaving many party members feeling "appalled and betrayed".

The Conservative former deputy prime minister dismissed comments made by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson suggesting it would be fine for the UK to crash out of the EU without a deal as "rubbish".

And Lord Heseltine - who was last week sacked as a Government adviser for rebelling over Brexit - insisted he will stay in his party "and fight".

Speaking to ITV's Peston on Sunday, he said Zac Goldsmith's defeat in the Richmond by-election last year is far more significant than the Conservative Party's "fluky" win in Copeland, where Labour suffered an historic defeat.

Heseltine: The former advisor said he would stay in his party and fight / PA

He said: "My postbag is from that very, very large minority - almost half - many of whom are bitterly disappointed with the Tory Party.

"You shouldn't be talking about a fluky by-election on the nuclear industry in the north of England, you should be talking about Richmond. See what happened there, where Europe was the central issue.

"And the fact is that a huge number of Conservatives are appalled, they feel they have been betrayed by what is going on now.

"Those of us in politics, those who care, we are not performing fleas where the ringmaster says 'jump' and we all turn hands up over ourselves. We are not like that.

"We happen to believe, for all sorts of very powerful reasons, that British self-interest was inextricably interwoven with those of our European allies."

Pressed on whether he would ever resign from the Tory Party, the former Cabinet minister said he will stay "and fight".

He told the show: "I remember this phrase I think - pick your party, damn your principles. Well I hope I don't damn my principles but I won't leave my party."

Brexit: Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis / PA

The Brexit Secretary David Davis had earlier revealed that the Government is drafting emergency contingency plans in case Britain crashes out of the European Union without a deal.

Mr Davis told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show that he had briefed the Cabinet on contingency plans and that the country would be ready if the negotiations "go wrong.

"The aim is to get a good outcome and I'm confident I'll get a good outcome.

"One of the reasons we don't talk about the contingency plan too much is we don't want people to think this is what we are trying to do."

But the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said there was real possibility the talks could end with no deal and added it had seen no evidence of serious contingency planning by Government.

Brexit row: Boris Johnson said it would be 'ok' for the UK to not secure a deal / PA

It said ministers should order all Whitehall departments to draw up a "no deal plan", warning that failure to prepare for such an outcome would be a "serious dereliction of duty".

Boris Johnson said it is "excessively pessimistic" of the select committee to suggest there is a real possibility Britain will tumble out of the EU with no deal and revert to World Trade Organisation rules.

But he said that if this did happen it would not be "apocalyptic" and the UK would continue to thrive.

Theresa May: Heseltine said the PM had left some Tories feeling 'appalled' / REUTERS

Speaking on ITV's Peston on Sunday, the Foreign Secretary said a deal is a "very likely" outcome, stressing that the UK has a "robust" economy and a confident negotiating team.

"I think that actually, as it happens, we would be perfectly OK if we weren't able to get an agreement, but I'm sure that we will, for the reasons that I gave", he said.

"I don't think that the consequences of no deal are by any means as apocalyptic as some people like to pretend."
A n American Cocker Spaniel named Afterglow Miami Ink has been crowned Best in Show at this year's Crufts.

Judge Jeff Horswell picked the two-year-old pup from Blackpool, who won Saturday's Gundog group and was handled by owner Jason Lynn.

Handler Mr Lynn praised the breed for its merry temperature and told presenter Clare Balding: "He's pretty special and honestly I'm speechless. I'm absolutely shocked and thrilled.

"This is kind of a special place to be and being here a few years ago prepared me for all the noise and excitement.

The winner of the Best in Show competition at the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham. / AFP/Getty Images

"Temperament is probably the hallmark of the breed - his happy, wagging tail and his charisma."

In reserve was the elegant and stylish Miniature Poodle called Frankie.

Owner Melanie Harwood congratulated the winner and said of her Crufts award: "It's a fantastic result - it was a wonderful line-up of dogs and I'm thrilled for Jason. To get reserve, I'm speechless."

Afterglow Miami Ink and the legs of handler Jason Lynn. / AFP/Getty Images

Competitors in this year's Best In Show included a Yorkshire Terrier from Japan, a Lakeland Terrier, and crowd favourite the Old English Sheepdog, who won Sunday's Pastoral group competition.

More than 22,000 dogs have taken part in the 2017 competition, with the most popular entry among Labrador Retrievers.

Around 160,000 dog owners and lovers are estimated to have packed out the Birmingham NEC arena over the four-day competition.

Sunday's Best in Show final brought to an end the world's largest dog competition which saw entries from 56 countries.

Now in its 126th year, the competition is host to hundreds of breeds and crossbreeds who are ranked by their agility, obedience and heelwork to music ability, among other competitions.

Reporting by Press Association.
S pies at GCHQ have called emergency meetings with British politicians warning them of the risk of Russian hackers disrupting future general elections.

Security bosses are reportedly prioritising the risk foreign hackers pose to democracy following concerns they could leak voter data or internal emails.

Seminars will be held to educate politicians on how to tighten their cyber-security and protect themselves against attacks.

The intervention comes after Kremlin spies were accused of carrying out cyber-attacks to tamper with US and German elections.

Accusations: There have been suspicions that hackers were involved in Trump's election victory / Jeff Kowalsky/ Getty Images

They were accused of leaking 20,000 emails from the US Democratic Party in the 2016 election and infiltrating the German parliaments IT network in 2015.

According to The Sunday Times, Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of all the main political parties to offer advice on how to withstand attacks.

In the letter, he said: "You will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system.

Warning: NCSC chief executive Ciaran Martin has written to the leaders of political parties / Getty

"This is not just about the network security of political parties' own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts."

In February, Mr Martin warned that 188 high-level cyber-attacks, "many of which threatened national security", had struck Britain in the previous three months.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, a former defence and foreign secretary, also said the NCSC had been blocking "potential attacks" on Government departments and the public at a rate of around 200 hacks a day.

US intelligence services have accused the Kremlin of breaching Democratic National Committee computers in an attempt to interfere with the presidential election won by Donald Trump.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency warned in December that Russia was trying to influence the upcoming federal elections with "increasingly aggressive cyber espionage".

Political party databases store voter information such as family details and policy interests which is used to recruit supporters.


A bortion should be decriminalised up to 24 weeks to prevent vulnerable women from being handed life sentences for seeking terminations, an MP has claimed.

Former shadow health minister Diana Johnson wants to get rid of "Victorian" abortion laws which contain criminal sanctions for both women and doctors if they do not meet certain requirements.

Rape survivors or domestic abuse victims might end up facing lengthy prison sentences for buying illegal abortion pills online because they were too afraid to seek help from a clinic, she warned.

Under current laws, it is illegal for a woman to have an abortion after 24 weeks for non-medical reasons and each procedure must be signed off by two doctors before it can go ahead.

Ms Johnson will be given time to introduce her Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill in the Commons on Monday, which would remove criminal sanctions in England and Wales and place regulation with professional bodies, as with other medical procedures.

Diana Johnson: The MP is preparing to propose her bill in the Commons / PA Archive/PA Images

The Bill, which has cross-party support, does not seek to deregulate abortion or to remove the 24-week limit, she said.

Ms Johnson, MP for Kingston upon Hull North, told the Press Association: "If you have a young woman who has been raped and she doesn't have anyone who she can turn to, if she went on to the internet to buy pills then she could be facing life in prison.

"I don't think society would say we want to criminalise these women.

"There may be questions about buying these pills off the internet that we need to ask but this is about saying they are criminals in that way."

Some 645 abortion pills were intercepted in England, Wales and Scotland between 2015 and 2016, compared with only five in 2013, according to figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency obtained by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) charity.

The Labour MP warned that the threat of prosecution could also be preventing doctors from wanting to work in the field, as abortion is the only medical procedure that requires such strict legal authorisation.

She said: "It is putting off doctors from going into this area as it is the only area of medicine where you have that criminal element.

"It's that fear for doctors that they could end up facing a prison sentence."

Ms Johnson added: "What I want is for women to be able to access abortion services as early as possible and get the right care as early as possible.

"Anything we can do to improve that is important. What we all want is for people to be safe."

Additional reporting from Press Association.
P rincess Dianas former lover James Hewitt has denied long-standing rumours he could have been Prince Harrys real father.

Speaking out about the affair, the former cavalry officer said speculation had continued because it sells papers.

It was in an interview with BBC Panorama in 1995 that Diana confessed she and Mr Hewitt had had an affair.

The Princess of Wales had separated with Prince Charles in 1992 and divorced four years later.

Princess Diana in 1996. / PA Wire/PA Images

In an interview with Channel Seven's Sunday Night in Australia, the former Life Guards officer was asked: "Are you Harry's father?"

He replied: "No, I'm not."

The host asked him: "Why does that keep being repeated?" and Mr Hewitt replied: "It sells papers".

Princess Diana and Prince Charles on their wedding day at Buckingham Palace. / PA

Hewitt has previously described the couple's five-year relationship as "exciting and sexy".

In a magazine interview he said: "The situation that Princess Diana and I were in made it exciting and sexy because it was risky.

"The danger spiced it up a bit, if you know what I mean."

He published a book in 1999 about their romantic liaison, and was criticised for saying he would sell love letters Diana wrote to him - more than 60 penned between 1989 and 1991 - during their affair.

Reporting by Press Association.
Captain Amarinder Singh, the Congress's Chief Minister designate, will take oath as CM on March 16

By Manjeet Sehgal: Captain Amarinder Singh, the Congress's Chief Minister designate, will take oath as CM on March 16. The swearing-in ceremony will take place in Chandigarh on Thursday at 10 AM.

"A few cabinet members will also take their oath of office along with me," Amarinder said, refusing to say who will be inducted as ministers.

Amarinder - accompanied by some senior Congress leaders - on Sunday went to Raj Bhawan to meet Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore and formally staked his claim to form the next government in the state.

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The Governor congratulated Amarinder on the Congress' victory and has formally invited him to form the next government in the state.

RAHUL GANDHI PROPOSES AMARINDER'S NAME AS CLP LEADER

Earlier, Captain Amarinder Singh, who is the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), was unanimously elected the new leader of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in Punjab.Rahul Gandhi had proposed his name as the new CLP leader.

"The election of Captain Amarinder as the CLP leader took place at the Congress Bhawan, where all the newly elected MLAs passed a one-line resolution authorizing AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi to take a decision on the new CLP leader. I called up Rahul to apprise him of the CLP decision. The Congress MLAs then unanimously elected Captain Amarinder as their leader by a show of hands," AICC secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs, Asha Kumari said.

Apart from Asha Kumari, other AICC leaders present at the CLP meeting were Ashok Gehlot (head of the Congress screening committee for Punjab elections) and Harish Chaudhary (AICC secretary).

At the meeting, outgoing CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi read out a statement thanking the people of Punjab for their stupendous support in the just concluded state assembly elections.

PUNJAB GOVERNOR DISSOLVES ASSEMBLY

Meanwhile, with Captain Amarinder set to take over from the Shiromani Akali Dal's Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore dissolved the state Assembly today. Here's the announcement.

ALSO READ | Post election results, Captain Amarinder Singh shows he means business

ALSO WATCH | Punjab: Will form task force to curtail drug menace, says Amarinder Singh

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A desperate father who struggled to afford a plane ticket for his daughter was left dumbfounded after a kind stranger stepped in to pay the fare.

The generous stranger, a high-flying company co-founder, overheard airport staff tell the dad his two-year-old daughter was too old to qualify for a free plane ticket.

The confused father told airport stuff he was under the impression she could fly for free and said he could not afford to rebook the flight or get a ticket at short notice.

In a heart-warming twist which has now been read by hundreds of thousands of people on Facebook, the Good Samaritan bought the $749 flight for the toddler.

Although the mystery woman did not want to be named, her identity was later revealed as Debbie Bolton, the Global Chief Sales officer at home cleaning product firm Norwex.

The post, shared on online page Love What Matters, reads: This woman needs to be commended.

A gentleman was checking in for his flight when the agent asked how old his daughter was. He said she had recently turned two.

The agent then asked if she had a ticket. The man was confused because he was under the impression she could ride for free.

When he booked the ticket, she was one but her birthday was in January.

He was hit with emotion. He mentioned he couldn't afford to rebook this flight or get her the ticket with such short notice.

He stepped aside and tried to make a few calls. Hugging his daughter and grabbing his head, you could tell he was heartbroken.

This woman next to him at the front counter heard the whole thing. She walked over to him and asked what was wrong. After they talked for a bit they walked up to the counter together.

She pointed back at his daughter and said, 'I wanna buy her ticket.'

The agent said 'You know how much this ticket costs right?' The woman responded '$700 something?' '$749, the agent said.

The woman said 'that's fine' and pulled out her credit card.

The person who shared the story, Kevin Leslie, said the airport worker had goosebumps while the man hugged the woman and asked for her name so he could repay her.

But the woman repeated: Dont worry about it.

Ms Bolton, who is based in Dallas, Texas for cleaning company Norwex, was reportedly returning from a work trip in Nebraska when the exchange happened.

She was identified after people named her on Facebook, calling her a giving soul and an inspiration.


C hannel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman has thanked a "quick-thinking" off-duty firefighter for saving her uncle's life after he suffered a heart attack at Euston station.

The firefighter administered CPR after the man collapsed at the busy north London hub station on Saturday morning.

Expressing her gratitude, she tweeted: "To the off-duty firefighter who helped treat my uncle at Euston station today: a sincere thank you. You saved his life."

The 42-year-old presenter also urged the firefighter to get in contact in a Tweet, saying: "If you're the firefighter who saved my uncle's life please get in touch - his family would love to thank you personally."

British Transport Police were also on the scene and reported the incident on Twitter, stating: "Male having a heart attack & luckily quick thinking off duty @LondonFire firefighter, @BTPEuston & @BTPNetworkResp gave life saving treatment".

Ms Newman today said her uncle is "not out of the woods yet" but is being "well looked after" at St Bartholomew's hospital in central London.

Tweeting to her 135,000 followers, she also thanked well-wishers hoping for his speedy recovery.

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) praised the firefighter, saying it was fortunate that he or she "happened to be there at the right time".
Party MLAs and the Captain will be meeting with Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, and he will then head to Delhi to meet with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on March 14.

By Supriya Bhardwaj: Congress party has hit the ground running in Punjab, holding a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) today afternoon Chandigarh. The losing SAD- BJP alliance's Parkash Singh Badal, who was the chief minister in Punjab, handed over his resignation letter to Governor VP Singh Badnore earlier in the day.

Led by chief ministerial candidate Captain Amarinder Singh, party MLAs met Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore today. Following the meet, Amarinder said that he will take oath at as the chief minister of Punjab on March 16.

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On the issue of who will be the deputy chief minister, Amarinder said, "It is party's vice president who will decide who will be the deputy CM of the state and also the other cabinet ministers. Will go and meet him on March 14 in Delhi.

Meanwhile, sources tell India Today that Captain Amarinder Singh, who will be the Punjab chief minister, is most likely to pick Manpreet Singh Badal, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Brahm Mahindra, Rana Gurjit, Charanjit Channi, Vijay Inder Singla, Amarinder Singh Warring (Youth Congress President), Kuljit Nagar, Rakesh Pandey, Aruna Chaudhary, Razia Sultan, Rana KP and Trupt Rajinder Bajwa in his cabinet.

The Patiala MLA gave clear signals that this time as CM he means business.

"This is my last election as CM. This time whatever I thought in the realm of possibility I will do. I had already said that in 4 weeks I will ensure that the backbone of this dangerous drugs called 'Chitta' is broken," said Captain Amarinder giving a clear signal what his priorities as CM are.

Keeping its manifesto in mind, Punjab Congress is planning a massive crackdown on drug menace. Apart from that, Congress plans to roll out police reforms to improve the state's law and order situation, which is in complete doldrums as a result of the criminal links and the stranglehold of the ruling party leaders. The party also plans to come out with a series of new bills.

PROPOSED BILLS Right to Education Act NRI Marriage Regulation Act Child Labour Act NRI Property Safeguard Act Whistleblower Safeguard Legislation Cable Authority Act Confiscation of Drug Dealers' Property Act The Conflict of Interest Act (unseating of MPs/MLAs if found to have business interest in official capacity)

The party will also introduce several important police reforms in line with Supreme Court directives and centred on zero tolerance for political interference at any level.

The Congress government will also review the territorial restructuring of police stations done by the Badal government and will abolish the Halqa in-charge system introduced by previous regime.

"The reforms will aim at ensuring that there are no human rights violations and no unfair detentions. New training programmes will be initiated to train the police to tackle new crimes and situations facing Punjab, especially drug menace and cyber crime," said a senior Congress leader.

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A new police welfare fund will be set up to provide housing to lower ranking police personnel and education for their children. Also, modernisation of police infrastructure is on the cards.

Resolving SYL canal issue with Haryana is also a priority for the new government. Party also plans to bring in many reforms to improve the environment situation in the state.

Watch video here:

Also Read:Punjab Assembly election 2017: Captain Amarinder Singh leads Congress to power after a decade Punjab Election Results 2017: Kejriwal's AAP no match for birthday boy Amarinder Singh

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Justice Karnan of Calcutta High Court has alleged the Indian judiciary is corrupt. Justice Karnan has sought prosecution of seven Supreme Court judges for initiating contempt proceedings against him.

By India Today Web Desk: In an open letter, senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani has lambasted Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan for calling the judiciary corrupt.

Jethmalani has written the letter after Justice Karnan termed the bailable warrant issued against him as "unconstitutional and a deliberate attempt to ruin my life" as he was a Dalit judge.

Jethmalani said, "... I am convinced you have lost your mind. Your behaviour is that of a lunatic and some day that may be the only defence available to you though with no bright chance of success."

JETHMALANI SLAMS JUSTICE KARNAN: 10 THINGS TO KNOW In January this year, Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan had named 20 judges calling them "corrupt" and sought probe against them to curb "high corruption" in the Indian judiciary. Justice Karnan had openly said, "I admit the Indian Judiciary is corrupt." The Supreme Court took a suo motu notice of the statement of Justice Karnan and issued notice asking him to appear before it. On March 10, after Justice Karnan refused to appear before the Supreme Court, a seven-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar issued a bailable warrant in the contempt case against him. The other judges on the bench were Justices Dipak Misra, J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur, Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Kurian Joseph. Justice Karnan later stated in Calcutta that he had passed an order asking the President of India to stay the proceedings against him in the Supreme Court. Justice Karnan did not stop here. He demanded resignation and prosecution of all the seven judges, who were on the Supreme Court bench that issued bailable warrant against him. Ram Jethmalani has taken exception to the behaviour of the Calcutta High Court judge and wrote an open letter today. Jethmalani writes in his letter, "If you don't know the enormity of your madness do meet me and I might put some sense in your head." "In this corruption-dominated country our judiciary is the only protection. Do not destroy it or even weaken it," Jethmalani said. Ram Jethmalani's open letter to Justice CS Karnan. Asking Justice Karnan to apologise, Jethmalani wrote, "As a senior member of the Bar and living in the departure lounge of God's airport I am advising you to withdraw every word that you have uttered and humbly pray for pardon for every stupid action you have so far indulged in."

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ALSO READ| Supreme Court issues bailable warrant against Calcutta HC judge CS Karnan for contempt

WATCH|

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SCOTTSBLUFF  While in Scottsbluff Thursday morning, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts toured the Western Sugar Cooperative facility where he received a first-hand lesson on the beet sugar industry from local producers and processors.

Luke Rust, Westerns plant manager, and Kendall Busch, president of the Nebraska Beet Growers Association, along with Nick Lapaseotes, chairman of Westerns board of directors, participated in the tour, and answered questions.

Ricketts said he was impressed with the industry and its representatives.

Its more complicated than I thought, he said of the process, following the meeting and tour. He also noted that Nebraska is one of the few states that produces its own sugar.

The connection between the sugar industry and livestock production also made an impression on Ricketts. He noted the benefit to the cattle feeders of the beet pulp produced during the sugar making process, as an example.

During a discussion prior to the tour, Lapaseotes and Busch, along with Western employees, explained some of the issues facing the sugar beet industry. Among them is the GMO label restriction, which has resulted in financial losses to the beet growers.

According to Busch, cane sugar is now worth about $5 more than beet sugar, because cane sugar is not a genetically modified crop.

Agriculturist Michael Ann Relka told of the difficulty of convincing people that beet sugar is just as safe as cane sugar.

Busch also noted the impact on the economy when sugar factories close, as recently happened in Hawaii.

However, on the local scene, Busch said the sugar beet industry contributes $125 million to the Nebraska economy, and $33.5 million to eastern Wyoming. It is a $370 million economic boost to the companys four-state growing area: Colorado, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming.

In spite of the difficulties facing todays sugar beet growers, the group has a positive outlook, as expressed by Lapaseotes who said, One thing is for sure. Were here to stay.

Following the meeting and tour, Lapaseotes said he was glad the governor had visited the sugar factory and met with growers and processors.

Before this, he didnt understand how important this industry is to us out here, Lapaseotes said. Luke did an excellent job of taking the governor through the process of making sugar. And Craig (Spencer, agriculturist) and Michael Ann explained the harvest end of it.

Hopefully, hell back in the fall to see it from harvest through to the sugar.

One thing is for sure, were here to stay, he declared.

Busch echoed Lapaseotes enthusiasm for the visit and its potential influence on the governors future decisions.

The governor asked good questions and took an interest in Western Sugar and the industry as a whole, Busch said after the meeting. He seems to be a hands-on person, and hes always been a strong advocate for agriculture.

According to Busch, it is important to continue bringing state and federal representatives to the area where they can see the industrys impact and learn from the local business people and sugar beet producers.
The weekly "Front Row" political panel program on UNC-TV features a regular segment on "who's up" and "who's down" in state and national politics.During a recent appearance, this panelist raised some eyebrows by assigning the "who's up" label to John Dinan.John Dinan? The Wake Forest University political scientist? He holds no office. Nor is he running for one. Why single him out for special attention?The reason is linked to his area of academic expertise: state constitutions. Given the number of current N.C. political disputes that feature contrasting readings of the North Carolina Constitution, special knowledge of the state's governing document is bound to come in handy throughout the next couple of years.Dinan's expertise isn't unique, but his insights will prove useful as the rest of us attempt to make sense of various ongoing clashes involving all three branches of state government.Dinan told an audience of N.C. legislative staffers Feb. 23. He then proceeded to highlight the constitutional provisions that interest him most.Dinan said.Still, it's Article III, dealing with executive power, that attracts the most interest from Dinan today.he said.Some debate focuses on Article III's first section. It specifies that the "executive power of the State shall be vested in the Governor." While that might sound like "boilerplate language" inserted before the "main event" of describing the governor's duties, Dinan notes that the very notion of "executive power" can generate differences among competing political actors.he said.Also up for discussion in a current court battle is Article III, Section 5(8). It spells out the governor's appointment power . Included is the requirement of the "advice and consent of a majority of the Senators" for the appointment of government "officers."Dinan asked. A series of court decisions clarified that this "advice and consent" provision did not apply to the rest of North Carolina's elected Council of State, such as the secretary of state and attorney general.Dinan added.Dinan's assessment, by the way, said nothing about whether it's a good idea for senators to confirm gubernatorial appointments. That value judgment is distinct from the constitutional question.Just because the Senate has not chosen to use that "advice and consent" power for previous governors, the power doesn't disappear, Dinan said.Dinan doesn't believe that argument will hold up to scrutiny. Theprovisionhe said.Political partisans spent many hours late last year focusing on Article IV, Section 6's description of the N.C. Supreme Court. That section permits the General Assembly to add up to two new associate justices to the court.Dinan said.North Carolina legislators chose not to exercise that option in the wake of the 2016 election, but they are not alone in considering substantive changes to their high court's composition.Along with ongoing disputes, Dinan's expertise could prove useful as legislators consider possible constitutional amendments. As he reminded his Feb. 23 audience, Article V, Section 6 already sets an upper limit on state income taxes. The current debate involves whether to lower that existing constitutional limit from 10 percent to 5.5 percent.Most of us spend little time each day pondering the power of the N.C. Constitution. But the number of those who follow Dinan's lead, by delving into the details, is bound to grow in the weeks and months ahead.
The Ministry of Women and Child development's initial plans of opening up one-stop centres to provide a sanctuary to women who have suffered sexual violence along with mental counselling, legal assistance and rehabilitation have hit a roadblock. The proposal for this was made following the Nirbhaya rape in December 2012 and much publicised in media and public domain.

By Arpan Rai: At least six women are raped every day in the national Capital, but there is not a single one-stop centre in Delhi that a sexual violence survivor can approach for legal and mental assistance.

The Ministry of Women and Child development's initial plans of opening up one-stop centres to provide a sanctuary to women who have suffered sexual violence along with mental counselling, legal assistance and rehabilitation have hit a roadblock.

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The proposal for this was made following the Nirbhaya rape in December 2012 and much publicised in media and public domain. Worse, the national Capital under the AAP-led government has proved to be a spoiler for such women in distress and trauma. It is learnt that the Delhi Commission for Women has not been able to provide even a single functional One Stop Centre.

"We have not received any proposal for setting up any Sakhi centre from Delhi Commission for Women so far," confirmed WCD ministry's spokesperson.

According to the WCD ministry officials, 1,143 women were assisted in 83 one-stop centres across the country, barring Delhi within a year of its inception.

"The need for one-stop centre in Delhi is a desperate one. We do not have enough centres or counsellors in Delhi who can help women abused at an alarming rate. DCW staff has redirected rape victims to child helpline when they run out of people on their help desk," a WCD ministry official told Mail Today.

The one-stop centre has come to the rescue of several women who have been exploited and abused in their marital life, 15-year-old abandoned girl child, elderly women sexually assaulted by a minor among many cases.

In a list provided by the WCD ministry officials exclusively to Mail Today, 121 functional Sakhi one-stop centres have sprung up till March 8, 2017, including ones in far-flung cities like Port Blair, 13 in Andhra Pradesh, 27 in Chhattisgarh, seven in Haryana and 18 in MP.

Providing aid to women along the north-eastern belt in India, the one stop centres have come to the redefined the life of a 19-year-old Chandni (name changed) in Nagaland who was abused in a marriage forced on her in which she later opted for divorce and was helped by one-stop centre in Dimapur.

Talking to Mail Today, the WCD ministry officials said, "The purpose of these One Stop centres is a rather different and indispensable one. They are temporary habitats for domestic abuse survivors where cases can be followed up to deliver justice."

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CHEYENNE, Wyo.  This education (agriculture literacy) is so important whether you are in agriculture or not it is important to have an appreciation of where your food comes from, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead stated during a meeting with Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation members. When you look at the big picture agriculture is important and critical for national security. It really is something I hope our country focuses on.

Recognizing the importance of Wyoming agriculture and educating school children through reading, the week of March 6th was designated by Governor Mead as Wyoming Agricultural Literacy Week.

Educating Wyoming school children about agriculture is the goal of the Wyoming Farm Bureau (WyFB) Young Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) Committee Ag Books for Kids project. 2017 marks the thirteenth year of the project. The WyFB YF&R Committee organizes the project and the county Farm Bureaus across the state donate agriculture books each year to Wyoming elementary school libraries.

During the proclamation signing, the Governor emphasized the importance of educating about agriculture through literacy.

It is a hopeful message that kids have the opportunity to learn about agriculture so for Farm Bureau to make this happen is much appreciated, Governor Mead stated.

If people dont understand where their food comes from then they also wont understand the importance of water, access to public lands for grazing and more. Then you start seeing bad policies and that is a trend I dont like to see, he continued.

Mead explained that the National Governors Association has formed an agriculture council. The first agenda item is why agriculture is important in America, Mead explained. It sounds simplistic, but for a lot of people that arent raised in agriculture, they know they like food, but they dont have an idea of what it takes to raise food.

When policymakers in Washington, D.C. dont understand where our food comes from then we see policies that hurt us in terms of being able to grow food, he continued.

Its exciting that the Wyoming Agriculture Literacy Proclamation has become a tradition and that we get to be a part of encouraging agriculture literacy in the state of Wyoming, said WyFB YF&R State Chair Stacy Berger.

Wyoming students and teachers are encouraged to visit their schools elementary library to check out the 2017 book Big Tractors by Holly Dufek. Next, visit www.wyfb.org and click on the education tab for contest rules and details. The county contest deadline is April 7.
The Bean Commission is comprised of six members initially appointed by the governor. Four members are growers, and two members are handlers with facilities located in Wyoming. One member must reside in Laramie, Platte or Goshen County, Wyoming. The Bean Commission is funded through assessments collected on dry bean sales and is housed within the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. The commission will meet no less than two times each year and will keep a permanent record of its proceedings and report its activities to the governor and joint agriculture, state and public lands, and water resources interim committee. Along with this, the commission may conduct or contract scientific research, disseminate information on dry edible beans based on research, study state and federal legislation with respect to matters concerning the dry edible bean industry, appoint advisory groups, make grants to research agencies for financing special or emergency studies, and a variety of other activates.
There were animals with a lot of different injuries at the Teddy Bear Clinic on March 11 at the Riverside Discovery Center.

Valerie Beraun, fourth semester nursing student at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)  College of Nursing, said a few children said their animals fell on the playground so they need Band-Aids or their animals might need Bands-Aids because of the shots they were given.

Its been really fun. I wanted to do it last year but I wasnt able to so I really tried hard to come, Beraun said.

Children brought their stuffed animals and they were able to give them a shot, put Band-Aids on their animals, and do overall health assessments.

DOVES came out this year so people were able to make cards for the program and donate stuffed animals.

The families who came were able to talk to Scottsbluff firefighters, police officers and paramedics. They were also able to get into their vehicles and see all the equipment that they use.

This was the first Teddy Bear Clinic organized by Jennifer Mitchell, Riverside Discovery Center education curator. Mitchell said the College of Nursing approached them to do the event.

We were excited to do it and felt like it was a good outreach for the community, Mitchell said. Everyone always seems to enjoy it so we wanted to bring it back.

Mitchell said it is important to be part of the community and something that people think of for education in the community.

We want to be helpful to kids and their families, Mitchell said.

Chad Hazen was at the event with his 7-year-old daughter, Rylee Hazen.

For Rylee, it was a chance to check up on her baby and not a stuffed animal. Hazen said they have a membership to Riverside Discovery Center so they come a lot.

Chad said it is something to do and Rylee said her favorite part is looking at the tigers.

Wendy Wells, UNMC College of Nursing instructor, said the event gives the students an opportunity to share what they are going to school for and practice their skills with stuffed animals.

They get to practice how they relate to kids and parents, Wells said.

Wells said the event helps the students adjust to different types of people who will have different concerns. She said it also helps children not be afraid of the exams and different procedures that could happen with doctors.

Beraun said the students were really open to interacting with the assessments. Its also about the children being comfortable around the equipment and knowing what they do.

They comfort their animals so it makes them feel more comfortable as well, Beraun said.

There were seven different UNMC students who participated in the event as well as Wells sons, who were volunteering for the National Honor Society volunteer hours.

Priya Maillacheruvu, third year medical student with UNMC, said the event is really fun and she enjoys working with them.

I enjoy pediatrics so its just a fun event for them and for us, Maillacheruvu said.
Repolling was ordered after the EVMs stopped displaying results due to some technical problem prompting authorities to stop counting, the state election office said.

By Press Trust of India: The Election Commission has ordered repolling in one of the booths of Lohaghat Assembly seat in Uttarakhand where electronic voting machines (EVMs) malfunctioned, forcing the counting to be stopped midway.

Repolling in booth number 128, Government Inter College at Karankarayat, was ordered after the EVMs stopped displaying results due to some technical problem prompting authorities to stop counting, the state election office said on Saturday night.

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Polling will be held afresh on March 15. Counting will undertaken and the results will be declared the same evening, it said.

The poll panel has asked its state representatives to keep the documents pertaining to Saturday's counting for the Assembly seat sealed till the announcement of the booths results.

When the EVMs stopped, BJP's Puran Singh Fartyal was ahead of his nearest rival, Congress Khushal Singh by 450 votes.

BJP scored a massive victory in Uttarakhand winning 56 of the 70 seats in the state to storm to power, reducing Congress to minuscule minority in the state Assembly with a poor tally of 11 seats.

ALSO READ | Uttarakhand Assembly election: BJP wins comfortably, Congress concedes defeat

What results of 2017 Assembly polls say about future of electoral politics

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With one hand holding a bottle of champagne and the other an oversized certificate declaring him the winner of $1 million from Publishers Clearing House, Bruce Saunders stood on the front porch of his western Davie County Monday and rattled off a list of things he plans spend his spend money on  medical bills, fixing his lawnmower and helping family members.
RadioShack is rapidly winding down operations at hundreds of locations, including at least three in the St. Louis area.

The electronics retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in just over two years Wednesday and is seeking court approval to close anywhere from roughly a third to "substantially all" of its stores, according to bankruptcy court filings.

In a bankruptcy filing late last week, General Wireless, which does business as RadioShack, listed 174 locations where liquidation sales will begin as soon as Monday and conclude by March 28.

This group of properties, where General Wireless is the primary tenant, include stores in Poplar Bluff, Columbia, Lee's Summit and Kansas City. In Illinois, nine locations are included in this group: Crystal Lake, DeKalb, Des Plaines, Frankfort, LaGrange, Moline, Round Lake Beach, Schaumburg and Willowbrook.

At another 365 locations, where Sprint is the primary tenant, RadioShack says it plans to liquidate its inventory and vacate by April 4.

Included in that second group are three RadioShack locations in the St. Louis area: Florissant (8218 North Lindbergh Blvd.), Brentwood (2518 South Brentwood Blvd.) and Belleville (5791 Belleville Crossing).

Four other St. Louis area stores, for now, remain open: Belleville (48 Carlyle Plaza), Waterloo (925 North Illinois Route 3), Troy (195 East Highway 47), and O'Fallon, Mo. (514 South Main).

RadioShack said it is still considering its options for its remaining roughly 1,000 stores.

The store closings will affect about 1,850 of RadioShack's 5,900 employees, USA Today reported.
By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Mar 12 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wants to develop his country like India and get rid of terrorism, but the powerful army and the ISI does not let him do it, an Indian-American Republican donor has said.

"Nawaz Sharif is trying to take Pakistan in the right direction. I do not know for sure, but it seems like that if it was just him they would get rid of the big disease terrorism. They would really like to develop like India. But ISI and military does not let him do it," said Shalabh Shalli Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition.

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Kumar, the top Indian-American donor to Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, was here last week to meet with Congressman Ted Poe who has introduced a legislation in the House of Representatives, which if passed would push the Trump administration to declare Pakistan a State sponsor of terrorism or give a justification for not doing so.

Now spending time in both India and the US, Kumar said the ISIs and Pakistan Armys support to terrorism and opposition to India is not because of any ideological philosophy but because of the financial benefits coming to their top officials through such an approach.

"They are doing this not because of a philosophy, but because they make a lot of money because of the conflict. If the conflict was to go away, they would lose out financially," he told Indian reporters.

The Congressional passage of the bill, HR 1449, the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Act of 2017, "will actually help the Pakistani people and Prime Minister Sharif," he said, adding that it would result in a lot more pressure on the ISI and the powerful military to react positively.

Trump already had a major effect on Pakistans policy, when they arrested JuD chief Hafeez Saeed.

"It is pretty very clear that President Trump is not going to put up a two faced Pakistan," said Kumar, who had organised a major rally for Trump last year to address the Indian-American community wherein terrorism was a major focus.

"So, in a way it is good. Lets strengthen the hand of Prime Minister Sharif. If terrorist activities gets rooted out, world becomes safer. India and Pakistan will have a better relationship. That would be a great situation," he said.

As the Trump administration completed 50 days in office, Kumar said India-US relationship is moving smoothly in a positive direction and their ties are now headed for a great relationship.

"It is time to make America-India great again," he said in response to a question.

He praised Trump for mentioning Kansas shooting in his joint address to the US Congress and the condemnation coming from the Trump administration.

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At the same time, he acknowledged that there is a general sense of anxiety among Indian-Americans in the aftermath of a series of attacks against them in recent weeks.

"It is essentially the work of some greedy people, opportunistic people and planted left-wing media and Democrats. It is a combination of all these who have created this sense of anxiety and concerns among the Indian-American community," he added. PTI LKJ ZH

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Who says all the important TV is on cable or a streaming network?

Beginning its third season Sunday on ABC, American Crime is not just important and intelligent but also completely absorbing. It demands our full attention (put down the magazine and ignore Facebook) and in return gives us plenty to think about.

Credit creator John Ridley, who won the Oscar for his screenplay for 2013s 12 Years a Slave and then tackled television, helping to elevate the medium in the process.

In the first season of American Crime, home-invasion killings exposed racial and economic divisions in a California community. The second season turned on accusations of sexual assault involving students at two Midwestern high schools. Season 3, set in North Carolina, shines a light on raw issues of farming, immigration and heroin.

American Crime is a true anthology series, with a core cast returning each season in new roles. Its not present-day TVs first anthology series (Ryan Murphy has made them his specialty on FX), but the broadcast networks had pretty much given up on anthologies, believing they wouldnt engage viewers.

Ridley scored both with his bold storytelling and with his sometimes against-type casting. Felicity Huffman has been a regular on all three seasons, first playing a bereaved mother (and bitter racist) in Season 1 and then the ambitious head of an exclusive high school in Season 2. In Season 3, shes Jeanette Hesby, who married into a farm family struggling to stay afloat by whatever means necessary.

Also back for Season 3 is Regina King, who won supporting actress Emmys in both Seasons 1 and 2. This season, she looks likely to be nominated in the lead category as Kimara Walters, a social worker who puts aside her own hopes to attempt to help young people who face desperate futures of drugs and prostitution.

Benito Martinez, who was prominent in Season 1, returns to play Luis Salazar, a migrant worker from Mexico. Through Luis, we see the hopeless trap into which these undocumented workers fall, winding up in servitude, debt and danger and unable to complain because of their illegal status.

Cherry Jones is Laurie Ann Hesby, whose family farm (including sons JD and Carson, played by Tim DeKay and Dallas Roberts) is fighting a seemingly impossible battle against corporate competition. The rest of the big cast includes Connor Jessup as Coy Henson, a young drug addict; Richard Cabral as Isaac Castillo, head of the farm crew; and Janel Moloney as Huffmans troubled sister, Raelyn.

As you can tell, American Crime is not a series that proceeds in a straight line. Each season tells several stories in which social issues overlap and converge.

Asked about his strategy in framing a season, Ridley says he tries each time to address overlooked issues and individuals.

There are so many voices out there that normally are not given any kind of a platform, Ridley said when ABC introduced Season 3 to TV critics meeting in Los Angeles in January.

The process, he said, is to look at the work that weve done, to actually look back and to try to identify spaces in the social system (that) oftentimes were not even aware of ourselves.

Especially, he said, the goal of American Crime is to represent a cascade effect between the things we do and the people that we may not know but whom we affect ... and do it in a way that is representative of the country that we live in.

Asked what he wanted viewers to take away from the new season, Ridley said thats the same that Ive wanted from Season 1, that we are connected ... and we need to stop thinking about ourselves as isolated individuals.

Even people who dont seem to have much in common share family, he said, and one of the big things about American Crime this year again is family. Almost every one of the dynamics that you see represented here is parents and children, (or) people who are creating connections in absence of family. Thats very important. That plays around the world.

What American Crime  3 stars out of four  When 9 p.m. Sunday  Where ABC  More info abc.go.com/shows/american-crime
The seeds of a changing St. Louis were sprouting last May in the cafeteria of a Catholic grade school in one of the citys most historic neighborhoods.

At St. Ambrose on the Hill, more than 100 neighbors were gathered to listen to a proposal by developer Doug Sansone and his Chicago partners to tear down a long vacant warehouse and manufacturing building that had long been an eyesore in this Italian-American residential neighborhood known for its great restaurants, shotgun houses and tight-knit community.

There was an undercurrent of tension at the meeting between some of the older residents of the Hill, who had urged their alderman, Joe Vollmer, to block previous development proposals at the site, and the next generation of younger families, who want to see growth and a new era of vibrancy.

Last Monday, the day before a city primary election, Sansone announced he had closed on the deal.

The next day, the old guard of St. Louis politics won the Democratic primary, with Alderman Lyda Krewson barely holding on against Treasurer Tishaura Jones, who was supported by the citys growing population of young progressives.

It was a last stand of sorts, and the Hill is in some ways a perfect place to examine how the changing electoral math goes hand-in-hand with what it will take to improve the economic prospects in a city that has seen better days.

Flashback to four years ago. Mayor Francis Slay won 81 percent of Vollmers 10th Ward, which takes in the eastern edge of the Hill down to portions of Tower Grove South to the east and south. Last Tuesday, Krewson won 49 percent of the ward, with a majority of voters actually choosing other candidates, including Jones, Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed and Alderman Antonio French.

Vollmer stood at Krewsons right side the night of the victory party. Most of the old guard was there, as Krewson was backed by Slay. There was restaurateur Kim Tucci, and lobbyist Lou Hamilton. Former Mayor Vince Schoemel was there, and labor leader Jeff Aboussie. But in winning only 32 percent of the vote, and young progressives picking off another aldermanic seat, Krewson faces a different landscape than Slay ever did.

Her challenge in building coalitions will be similar to the difficulty of getting an old warehouse torn down in a historic neighborhood, and replaced with an apartment and condo complex sure to bring younger residents  and lots of them  to a forever changed landscape.

Tenth Ward resident Andrew Arkills believes the change that is coming will be good for the city.

He sat through some of the meetings over the Sansone development over the past year, and said the generational split was very evident.

Arkills, 30, is the president of the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association. He sees that area and its generally younger residents gaining in political power in the ward, most of which traditionally rested on the Hill.

Arkills, a consistent critic of how the city hands out tax subsidies, was a Jones supporter. He believes that younger voters like him are ready to take the mantle from the generation that still clings to power.

There is a reluctance overall in this city to do anything that isnt the St. Louis Way, he says. Were very insular.

He sees the growth that will come from the proposed Sansone development as a necessary melding of old and new in St. Louis. The city is attractive to millennials in part because of the charm of its older neighborhoods and architecture, but it needs an influx of population  specifically young families  if businesses are going to locate here and grow the economy. Sansone plans to target graduate students and young professionals who will appreciate the walkable neighborhood and closeness to St. Louis University and Washington Universitys medical complex.

Thats why Jeff Proctor, president of the Hill 2000 neighborhood association, said so many of the younger Hill families, many, like his, the next generation of Italian-Americans to love the neighborhood, were so much in favor of finding a workable development of the old, decrepit warehouse complex that was a blight on the area.

Proctor doesnt see a battle between young and old but rather a passing of the torch from one generation to the next.

In some ways, even with Krewson winning, thats what Tuesdays election felt like.

The old St. Louis political division of black and white was replaced by young and old, and the young voters served notice: Theyre here to stay.
UPDATED at noon Sunday with reaction from a co-owner of the Ferguson Market and Liquor. See further updates here.

ST. LOUIS  Citing previously unseen surveillance footage, a documentary that debuted Saturday at a popular film festival in Austin, Texas, claims that Michael Brown didnt rob a Ferguson convenience store moments before he was fatally shot by police Aug. 9, 2014.

It instead asserts that Browns altercation with the shop was part of a misunderstanding tied to a possible drug transaction he had with store employees on a prior visit.

The new surveillance video used in the film, Stranger Fruit, suggests Brown first showed up at Ferguson Market and Liquor about 1 a.m., many hours before he and police faced off.

Filmmaker Jason Pollock argues that Brown first exchanged a small amount of marijuana with store clerks for two boxes of cigarillos in his early morning visit that day, according to a clip of the documentary included in a story by the New York Times.

At the last second before leaving the store, Brown gave the cigarillos back to the store clerks who put them behind the counter, according to the clip. The documentary asserts that Brown left the merchandise at the store to retrieve at a later point.

After Brown was shot by then- Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson later that day near Canfield Green Apartments, police released video of Brown strong arming his way out of the same store with cigarillos. His encounter with Wilson soon followed.

Mike did not rob the store, says the film narrator.

It was a misunderstanding, Browns mother, Lezley McSpadden, adds.

On Sunday, Ferguson Market co-owner And Patel disputed part of the documentary's account. He said he wasn't working the night the newly released footage was shot. If some kind of transaction or exchange occurred then, Patel said, he isn't aware of it.

But Patel, 59, said that during the later encounter at the store, Brown "grabbed the cigarillos and stole them."

Patel is the man being grabbed and shoved by Brown in the previously released video recorded minutes before Browns fatal encounter with Wilson.

During that Aug. 9 encounter, Patel said, Brown grabbed the cigarillos, knocking some of them to the ground. Patel says he came around from behind the register to the front of the counter and demanded payment from Brown for the cigarillos. That is when Brown grabbed him and shoved him backward into a display of snacks, Patel said. A customer then called 911, Patel said.

Business was brisk outside the market on Sunday with a steady stream of customers coming and going. Numerous customers said they were unaware of the newly released video and hadn't seen it.

Jay Kanzler, an attorney for the convenience store and its employees, told the New York Times that his clients dispute the films version of events.

There was no transaction, Kanzler told the newspaper. There was no understanding. No agreement. Those folks didnt sell him cigarillos for pot. The reason he gave it back is he was walking out the door with unpaid merchandise and they wanted it back.

Its unclear from the footage included from the documentary clip whats contained in the small package that Brown handed to store clerks. But the footage appears to show clerks holding the contents to their noses to smell.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said in an interview Saturday that the fact that Brown was in the store earlier that day was news to me, but not necessarily surprising because the Ferguson Market was frequented by many people in the community.

But he said St. Louis County Police primarily focused on investigating the shooting, with Ferguson police handling the incident at the store.

Former Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson said in an interview that he hadnt seen the earlier surveillance video. He said it was unfair to connect the Ferguson Market to a drug transaction.

According to the New York Times, Pollock was alerted to the surveillance when he saw Browns earlier visit to the store mentioned in police records. Pollock later obtained the footage, though its not clear how.

The film was screened Saturday at the South by Southwest Film Festival.

David Carson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report
On March 3, 23-year-old Jonathan Morales, a student at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, died when he fell from a fourth-floor balcony after drinking with friends to celebrate a student tradition known as Unofficial St. Patricks Day. He probably would be alive today, instead of being mourned by his family, had a culture of binge drinking not been allowed to flourish, virtually unchallenged, across Americas campuses.

Some 40 percent of college students acknowledge that they binge drink, frequently to the point of blacking out. Many say they arrive at college with established drinking habits that are then exacerbated by the environment. The combination of alcohol familiarity and social pressure to drink as a way of loosening inhibitions is taking a heavy toll on the intellectual and social lives of students.

The National Institute on Alcohol, Abuse and Alcoholism provides some frightening annual statistics regarding drinking and college students ages 18 to 24. The research shows:

 About 1,825 college students die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes.

 Some 696,000 students are assaulted by other students who have been drinking.

 Nearly 100,000 students report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

More students than ever before say they drink to get drunk, choose hard liquor over beer and drink before social events. Many acknowledge their goal is to black out. With a wealth of information about the dangers of excessive drinking, and strategies for successful intervention and prevention, why has campus drinking escalated into a public health crisis?

Lack of enforcement is a major part of the problem. Many colleges refuse to crack down on students easy access to cheap alcohol or change lenient attitudes toward underage drinking. Administrators are reluctant to tangle with university boosters and alumni who defend rituals where drinking easily gets out of control. They also dont have established relationships with local politicians, bar owners and law enforcement to enlist them to enforce existing laws and end the culture of impunity.

In the wake of Morales death, University of Illinois officials are working with local law enforcement to end the Unofficial St. Patricks Day celebration, which many recognize as an excuse for students to get drunk on a day other than March 17, which historically falls during the schools break.

The event attracts students from across the country. Public- and private-sector employees say they cant do much to discourage legal-age adults from drinking when and where they want. Thats a tired excuse.

Most communities have laws about outdoor drinking, keeping open liquor bottles in cars and over-serving customers. Though business owners might object, its clearly time to enforce the law. Stop the weeknight bar specials and giveaways that attract business by encouraging students to get an early start on weekend booze-guzzling.

The college experience should be remembered, not mourned.
While Madison, Wis., is 430 miles north and slightly east of Jefferson City, be assured thats not too far for a bad idea to travel. The Badger States Republican governor and erstwhile presidential contender, Scott Walker, has introduced a budget plan that cuts the states parole agency from eight employees to one.

Missouris Republican governor, Eric Greitens, insisted throughout his campaign that he would be tough on crime, particularly after his wife was robbed at gunpoint in the Central West End in December. His temptation might be to mimic Walkers message: If you are convicted, dont plan on getting out of prison until your entire sentence is served.

That would be an expensive mistake, as Walker soon will discover. Greitens predecessor, Democrat Jay Nixon, also claimed a tough law-and-order mandate and allowed the states seven-member parole board to languish with two unfilled seats for years until prompted by public attention and criticism to fill them in 2015.

Missouris corrections department oversees an average of 32,000 inmates a year. Short-staffing the parole commission, which considers parole applications and supervises about 40,000 felony probationers and 15,000 parolees, would send the wrong message to people who are trying to get their lives back on track. It would raise prison costs and could dramatically increase the bill for taxpayers if a shortage of beds forces the state to build new prisons.

When an inmate leaves prison on parole, authorities keep track of him through much cheaper drug screening, anger management and substance abuse programs. The most expensive but, in many cases, less corrective route is to keep them in prison.

Wisconsin has around 23,000 inmates in state jails or prisons, with about 46,000 adults on probation and 19,500 on parole. Walker says abolishing the parole commission will add efficiency to a sluggish system. But families and corrections experts are wary and say they suspect it is intended to make qualifying for parole more difficult.

Walker has killed an early-release program and refuses to issue pardons. As a state lawmaker in 1998, he spearheaded a truth in sentencing law that abolished parole for most prisoners.

In Missouri, Greitens inherited a broken corrections department with officers struggling in a culture of harassment and neglect. Greitens has named a new corrections director, Anne Precythe, to head the troubled department.

Precythe is a former parole officer who was the director of community corrections in North Carolina. She supervised more than 100,000 offenders on probation or post-release supervision. Precythe can be relied upon to help professionalize a system of accountability.

While inmates are not entitled to parole, they have a legal right to a fair assessment of their case. The state is obliged to hear them out while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used in the most efficient manner possible.
Shraddha Kapoor paying a visit to Aamir Khan has sparked speculation that she has been finalised for his upcoming film, Thugs of Hindostan.

By India Today Web Desk: Aamir Khan's upcoming film Thugs of Hindostan is already a hot topic, thanks to the speculation surrounding the leading lady. While some reports suggested that Alia Bhatt or Vaani Kapoor may be finalised for the film, a section of the media said that Shraddha Kapoor had been finalised. Shraddha further fuelled the speculation when she was clicked outside Aamir's house on Saturday night.

Photo: Yogen Shah

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Shraddha reportedly headed to the Dangal actor's house straight from the airport. She returned after her holiday in Europe, where she had gone to celebrate her 30th birthday.

Thugs of Hindostan, which will be directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya (of Tashan and Dhoom 3 fame), will also have Amitabh Bachchan as the other lead. The film is an action adventure set in pre-independence India and is reportedly an adaptation of the 1839 novel Confessions of a Thug by Philip Meadows Taylor. It is a eyeing a Diwali 2018 release.

ALSO READ: Is Aamir Khan fighting with Aditya Chopra over Alia Bhatt?

ALSO WATCH Ranveer tells Aamir: During Bajirao Mastani, I collapsed, blacked out for 3 hours

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Akbar had nine jewels who adorned his court, so does Delhi's street food universe. The city's walking chronicler Anubhav Sapra shares nine new favourites you can't afford to ignore.

By Sourish Bhattacharyya: Anubhav Sapra, who moved to Delhi in 1999 as a student of Political Science at Ramjas College, turned his passion into business when he began organising 'food walks' in 2011, while still working for former IAS officer Harsh Mandher's NGO, Centre for Equity Studies.

He could have stuck to the done and dusted trails crisscrossing the historic bylanes of the Chandni Chowk-Jama Masjid neighbourhoods, but as you'd expect from a quintessentially curious traveller, he has continually been extending his orbit and discovering hidden street food gems across the city. No one, at least to my knowledge, knows Delhi better than Sapra, and luckily for him, the city's food lovers seem to be more than ever keen to dive into their culinary heritage.

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Delhi is a city of an everyday wave of migrants and many of the new vegetarian foodie pit stops listed here reflect that fact. Jain Poha Wala of Laxmi Nagar, the gateway to the Delhi beyond the drain that used to be the Yamuna, is one such instance. Operating out of Mangal Bazar Road, the pohawallah, selling the delicacy associated in the public imagination with Indore's 'Khau Gali', owes his success to his discovery by a generation of migrant students in the late 1990s.

Today, Jain's poha is as popular among a new generation of students, as he's with those of his old admirers who have grown up, got jobs and moved to other parts of Delhi-NCR. His story is similar to that of Fateh ki kachori on Raj Niwas Marg, which successive generations of Xaverians grew up on.

Also Read:The hot Punjabi Pindi chana-bhature recipe we all need for Holi

The same is true of Vikas Biswas, whose jhalmoori, a Bengali delicacy made with puffed rice that goes best with lemon tea, brings back memories of Kolkata in Chittaranjan Park. Biswas's day job is that of a cook in people's homes, but he's well-known locally for his jhalmoori, which he starts tossing up in the evening.

The 'aloo subzi' at Dariba Kalan's Sharma Kachori is so famous that it is eaten more than the 'kachori' it is supposed to accompany. Photo: Mail Today The 'aloo subzi' at Dariba Kalan's Sharma Kachori is so famous that it is eaten more than the 'kachori' it is supposed to accompany. Photo: Mail Today

Then there are the real undiscovered jewels, such as Krishna Sweets at Ram Nagar Extension (Shahdara), which is better known locally as Lala Mithanlal Halwai. The shop's lauki ki lauz (barfis made with bottle gourd) and doodh ki mithai, whose kalakand-like texture has a committed fan following.

Another go-to place in this category is Hakikat Nagar's dal kachoriwallah - the man who established the legacy more than 30 years ago, Jugal, is no more, but his son carries forward the tradition of making crispy khasta kachoris stuffed with a soft filling of moong dal boiled with just turmeric and salt. Look out for the kachoriwallah opposite Gate No. 2 of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar Metro station.

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Let's move to Kamala Nagar, the backyard of North Campus, Delhi University. The place to check out there is the Trishul Chaat Bhandar, a khomcha-turned-push car turned almirah-sized-shop near the local post office, that's been famous for its matra-kachori and chhole-kulcha for 70-plus years.

The matra-kulcha gets its distinctive taste, according to Sapra, because of its present owners Krishan Lal and his son Pawan's refusal to use thinly sliced onions, tomatoes and radish as garnishcum-taste enhancers. A helping of chhole, says Sapra, is mixed with masalas, saunth, green chutney, roasted jeera, ginger and coriander to be served with buttered kulcha.

My idea of a day begun on the right note is a breakfast of piping hot doodh and crunch jalebis dripping sugar syrup. And no one does this better than Makhan Lal Tika Ram, which has been operating close to the old St Stephen's College in Kashmiri Gate since 1923. The shop is also famous for the Old Delhi favourite, bedmi-poori.

Now, should you just stop going to Chandni Chowk because you think you've been there done that? No way, says Sapra, at least not until you checked out the following:

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1. The aloo subzi, accompanying the kachoris, served by Sharmaji, who sets up his corner stall at 7:30 pm at the point where Dariba Kalan intersects Kinari Bazar.

2. The toffee-like milk cake sold at Hemchand Ladli Prashad at Kucha Ghasi Ram, the narrow lane next to the Fatehpuri Masjid, Chandni Chowk.

3. The daulat ki chaat at the only permanent shop in the city selling the cloud-like dessert at Gali Arya Samaj, Chawri Bazar.

Vikash Biswas, the go-to 'jhaalmooriwallah' of Chittaranjan Park. Photo: Mail Today

4.And the flavourful fruit cream at Deepak Diwan's cart parked at Gali Piaowali, Dariba Kalan.

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The Maoist attack claimed lives of 12 CRPF jawans in south Bastar region on Saturday when 112 personnel of 219th battalion were out for a road opening task.

By India Today Web Desk: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will not celebrate Holi in view of Saturday's Sukma Maoist attack that claimed lives of 12 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.

The incident occurred in the dense forests near Kottacheru village under Bhejji police station, around 450 kms away from the state capital, at 9.15 am when 112 personnel of CRPF's 219th battalion were out for a road opening task.

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The Bhejji area in south Bastar region of the state is notorious for Naxal attacks and many security personnel have been killed here in the past.

The Naxals also looted ten weapons including INSAS and AK series assault rifles and two radio sets from the killed men, officials said.

RS 1 CRORE AS COMPENSATION TO KIN OF JAWANS

Rajnath expressed condolences to the bereaved families and announced Rs 1 crore as compensation to the kin of the jawans killed in the attack.

Describing the Naxal attack on CRPF personnel as a "cowardly act", he said that the sacrifices of jawans will not go in vain.

"It is an unfortunate and sad attack on security personnel. I salute their martyrdom," Rajnath told reporters at the headquarters of the 4th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force in Mana Camp area.

He also assured that the country would not let the soldier's sacrifice go in vain and said that a heavy retaliation would be given to the Maoists.

At least 12 personnel of the 219-battalion from the CRPF were killed and six others critically injured in the Maoist attack.

ALSO READ | Chattisgarh: Maoists kill 12 CRPF officials in Sukma, loot weapons, radio sets

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A deluge of heavy rain in the weekend caused flooding and evacuation in the Bay of Plenty and Hauraki areas.

At the peak of the deluge across Auckland, Waikato and into Rotorua the Fire Service was receiving a 111 call every 24 seconds.

Roads in Rotorua turned into streams and the Utuhina River burst its banks.

The army was called in to help hundreds of people to safety when floods hit the Sundaise Festival near Waihi on Friday night.

NIWA says Auckland rainfall typically ranges from 75mm to 110mm in March but some places, such as Albany and Mangere, recorded more than 100mm within 24 hours.

The downpour included 27.6mm of rainfall between 5pm and 6pm on Friday to equal Aucklands wettest March hour since records began in 1965.

So why all the rain in such a short period of time?

NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll, who dubbed the weather tha Tasman Tempest, says an autumn trifecta for meteorologically induced misery: strong and slowing moving low pressure, deep tropical moisture, and a blocking ridge of high pressure to the south.

Strong and slow moving low pressure: The driving force behind all of the adverse weather.

Deep tropical moisture: An atmospheric moisture source from the Indian Ocean, Coral Sea, and Pacific Islandsthis is known as an atmospheric river.

Tasman tempest meteorology [Image:NIWA. Background satellite source: Japanese Meteorological Agency]

Blocking ridge of high pressure: High pressure building to the south and east of New Zealand encourages slow movement of the Tasman Tempest, effectively preventing it from moving over the next several days.

These three factors are causing a weather traffic jam, he says.

Think Auckland at 7.30am on a Monday in March.

After the Tempest

The weather is expected to slowly settle across most of New Zealand by the middle stages of next week. By late week and into next weekend, high pressure may be the dominant weather player across the country, bringing plenty of dry weather and gradually warmer temperatures.

Warm and dry beach-type weather may actually be the flavour into late March as well: which will be much deserved after the extreme weather that Tasman Tempest brings.
The weekends wild weather proved too much for some drivers, with 14 crashes attended by police across the two days.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion says the high number was probably to be expected due to the poor weather conditions.

It was a contributing factor in some of the crashes.

Only two occurred on the state highway network, and while 14 crashes is obviously 14 too many, there were no serious injuries.

Among the accidents yesterday was a car flipping onto its roof while travelling along Kaitemako Road.

The four occupants of the vehicle were reportedly taken to hospital with minor to moderate injuries.

The conditions were certainly adverse. Drivers would have noticed the variable message sign boards for the Western Bay were activated, warning drivers to slow down and take care, says Ian.

The variable speed limit signs on the Kaimai Ranges were activated, with speed reduced to 60km/h.

His advice for drivers in this sort of weather is, actually, to stay off the roads completely.

In these sort of conditions, if you can put travel off, then do so. But if you have to use the road, then keep your speeds well down, respect following distances, and dont allow distractions to creep in.
We live in stressful times. And because of the constant pressures of life, this stress often spills over into our personal and professional relationships.

With this in mind, Meditation for Modern Life Tauranga is inviting the community to a workshop to explain how meditation can be used effectively to improve your relationships both at home and at work.

Spokesperson Steve Morgan says Aucklands Kadampa Meditation Centre resident teacher Gen Kelsang Togden will be delivering the workshop at Macys Motor Inn and Conference Centre in Tauranga on March 25.

Gen Kelsang Togden has been a Buddhist monk for more than 20 years, whos helped many people and is a greatly admired teacher known for his inspirational presentation of Buddhadharma.

Everyone is welcome, and because Gen Togden teaches meditation in a very accessible method, which anyone can integrate in their everyday life, no previous experience is required.

Gen Togden was a close disciple of meditation master and author Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who bestowed upon him the title Gen, which indicates hes a senior teacher of the New Kadampa Tradition.

An internationally-renowned teacher, who has taught Buddhist meditation in five continents, Gen Togden has helped establish Dharma Centres in Canada, the United States, South America and Portugal.

The Meditation for Relationships workshop is at Macys Motor Inn and Conference Centre in Tauranga on March 25 from 2pm-5.30pm. Registration costs $28.

To register or for more information, visit: meditateintauranga.org

The SunMedia has one double pass to give away to one lucky reader who can tell us what the title Gen indicates?

Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the competition section. All entries must be received by Wednesday, March 15.
Picasso was 13 years old when he painted 'Portrait of Lola'. In fact, he finished it on 1 December 1894. It has never been confirmed that the picture is of his sister, but his family environment constantly featured in the imagination of this artist from Malaga throughout his artistic career. This oil on canvas will be waiting to welcome visitors in the first room of the remodelled permanent collection at the Picasso Museum, which is due to be inaugurated on 13 March. The portrait reflects a different setting, a new stage in the existence of the museum which opened 14 years ago and has become the most-visited museum in Andalucia: it has decided to tell its visitors even more about Picasso.

In the new agreements between the Junta de Andalucia and the Fundacion Almine y Bernard Ruiz Picasso para el Arte (FABA), 38 of the 43 pieces which had been on loan from the family institution will no longer be on display. These include some which have become icons such as 'Olga Khokhlova with mantilla' (1917), 'Paul on a donkey' (1923) and 'Susanna and the elders' (1955). For the new story which the rooms at the Buenavista Palace are about to tell, the foundation is lending 48 paintings, 19 sculptures, 26 ceramics, 13 drawings, 13 graphic works and a sketchbook, in addition to the 233 pieces which Christine and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, the artist's daughter-in-law and grandson, donated initially. The permanent collection will now be renewed every three years and the graphic work every three months.

What, then, will the Picasso Museum of Malaga be telling us about the artist from the 13th of this month? "The story of Picasso," says Jose Lebrero, the director, but this is a difficult challenge bearing in mind that the story covers an important part of the history of 20th century art. We are talking about one of the most influential and most prolific (over 20,000 works) artists of the 20th century, and 75 years of creative activity. This is a major creative adventure, a unique artistic journey.

The new permanent collection is arranged chronologically to highlight Picasso's great versatility and diverse techniques. Between the first and last of the 11 rooms "a whole life passes," as Jose Lebrero says. "Between one point and the other lies an important chapter in the history of art in the 20th century."

He is aware that the chronological arrangement is likely to cause controversy, but says it makes the exhibition no less interesting. "Over such a long period of time you can see in some periods that certain things return, that they have been there before. It gives an idea of a versatile permanence, and I think that is very 21st century," he explains.

Painter, sculptor, engraver, sketcher, ceramic artist: Picasso broke away from the academic tradition at which he excelled and so admired. The extraordinary creative adventure into the best and most complete 20th century artist culminates in Room 11 of the museum with his final works. The room has been named 'Painting the Golden Century'. More than 70 years have passed since he painted 'Portrait of Lola'. There are six pictures in the room, three of which which featured in the previous permanent collection: 'Bather' (1971), 'Man'(1970) and 'Man, woman and child' (1971). The others have not been seen before: 'Boy with a spade.' (1970), 'Motherhood' (1970) and 'Bust of man' (1971). From 1965, Picasso became interested in Rembrandt's works and Shakespeare's poetry. Even when he was a young man living in Barcelona, he would travel to Madrid to see the Prado Museum and discover the works of Velazquez, Murillo and El Greco. In his later years, however, he remained an unconventional artist.

"You can see that from the works in this room; he was still exploring colour, the way of constructing the picture, on themes which may have been of no interest to anybody else," says Lebrero. "Why would a man of his age paint a boy with a spade? Maybe older people just like to recall their pleasant childhood memories. He liked to remember spending days on the beach with his children, Paloma and Claude. Picasso was a family painter, he didn't need models. His family and the people around him were his models and were almost always in his studio."

These 11 rooms of the Picasso Museum in Malaga are now designed as a new look at the story of this artistic genius, who has left us the biggest and richest personal creative legacy in the history of art.
Officials used bikes over Mine Proof Vehicle (MPV) to avoid risk of being a target of IEDs often used by the insurgents to target forces.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Internal Security Advisor K. Vijay Kumar was amongst eight top guns who travelled by bike to visit Bheji ambush site in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district where Maoist attacked the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel killing 12 and injuring 2.

In Maoist-infested area, officials used bikes over Mine Proof Vehicle (MPV) to avoid risk of being a target of IEDs often used by the insurgents to target forces.

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Besides Kumar, the others included DG CRPF Sudeep Lakhtakia, IG operations Sadanand Dante, Joint Director IB, Bastar's Inspector General of Police P. Sunder Raj, Sukma's Superintendent of Police Abhishek Meena, and Deputy Inspector General Upadhyay.

Officials landed at Bheji at 1130 hours by chopper and visited the site by bikes and returned to Raipur at 1615 hours.

All the CRPF personnel are from the 219-battalion.

Also read:

Sukma ambush: Death toll in Maoist attack on CRPF rises to 12, Rajnath Singh to visit site

Rajnath Singh won't celebrate Holi in view of Maoist attack on CRPF jawans in Sukma

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newcigs

Betsy L. Dahlin, Kyle D. Morrison, Jessica A. Winthrop, Joshua R. Wood

(Submitted photo)

BALDWINSVILLE, NY - Four people have been arrested and charged with third-degree grand larceny in connection with the theft of 32 cartons of cigarettes from the Red-Kap gas station in Baldwinsville, according to New York state police.

The cigarettes, valued at $3,435, were taken from the Red-Kap Gas Station at 3000 Belgium Road in Baldwinsville between Jan. 11 and Jan. 13, 2017, police said. The cigarettes were not recovered, police said.

The four charged are:

Kyle D. Morrison, 30, of Phoenix;

Jessica A. Winthrop, 27, of Altmar;

Joshua R. Wood, 34, of Pennellville; and

Betsy L. Dahlin, 36, of Baldwinsville.
2011-05-26-dn-police.JPG

Manlius Police Department car. Dennis Nett/The Post-Standard

(Dennis Nett)

MANLIUS, NY - Town of Manlius Police Chief Francis Marlowe, who has led the department since 2002, is retiring, Manlius police announced in a Facebook post.

Marlowe, 69, was hospitalized in January, and Capt. Kevin Schafter has been handling daily operations since that time.

Marlowe joined the village of Manlius police department in 1968, and the town of Manlius police department in 1985. He became chief in 2002.

Marlowe's wife, Sandra, confirmed her husband's retirement. She said he declines comment at this time.
CONSTANTIA, N.Y. -- A man who robbed an Oswego County bank of $56,000 late last year was sentenced this week to more than half a decade in state prison.

Calyx A. Estep

Calyx A. Estep, 19, of Cleveland, was sentenced Tuesday in Oswego County Court to 5 1/2 years in prison and five years post-release supervision. He pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery in January.

Around 11:40 a.m. on Nov. 28, Estep and another man robbed the Fulton Savings Bank at 45 Redfield St. in Constantia.

Estep, who was 18 at the time, entered the bank wearing a mask and approached a teller. He displayed a weapon and demanded money before fleeing with his accomplice and the cash, authorities said at the time.

The New York State Police arrested Estep and his accomplice -- Jordan T. Garrett, 21, of West Monroe -- a day after the robbery.

The Oswego County District Attorney's Office said this week that the public had provided information that helped the state police identify Estep as the robber and that much of the stolen cash was eventually recovered.

District Attorney Greg Oakes said that the weapon Estep used in the robbery was actually a BB gun that looked like a real pistol.
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Mar 11 (PTI) Two members of Opposition TDP were today suspended from the Telangana Legislative Assembly for the remainder of the Budget session for allegedly interrupting the Governors address to the State Legislature.

The main Opposition Congress, BJP and CPI(M) walked out in protest after their appeals for reconsidering the suspension of TDP members-- A Revanth Reddy and S Venkata Veeraiah--was not accepted.

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Governor E S L Narasimhan addressed a joint sitting of the Legislature yesterday on the first day of the Budget session. His speech was allegedly disrupted due to sloganeering by these two legislators.

As the House met for the day, Speaker S Madhusudanachary said he had appealed to the members to follow high standards of dignity and decorum and that there are rules to this effect as well.

It is not good on the part of the TDP members to conduct themselves otherwise, he said.

Noting that it was decided in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) to run the House as per good traditions of Parliamentary practices, and that the Speaker had also made an appeal, Legislative Affairs minister T Harish Rao said it is painful that the two TDP members raised slogans during the Governors address.

He then moved the motion for suspension of the two TDP members which was announced by the Speaker.

Calling the suspension "undemocratic", Leader of Opposition (Congress) K Jana Reddy appealed for reconsidering the suspension of the TDP members.

Observing that the TDP members expressed themselves by sitting in their chairs and also that it (protest) was peaceful as compared to previous instances, BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy also appealed for reconsidering the decision to suspend the TDP members.

The Legislative Affars minister said the suspended members should apologise for their action. PTI SJR DK DK BAS

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Need a good date night? From reggae funk at the Westcott to Broadway extravagance at the Landmark, there's a fun variety of concerts and speakers to see this week in Central New York.

1. Chris Bohjalian

The Rosamond Gifford Lecture Series will host a talk from Chris Bohjalian, the author of 18 books published in 30+ languages. Bohjalian writes about global issues like sex trafficking, mental health, trauma and the Armenian Genocide. Many of his books have become New York Times bestsellers.

Where: John H. Mulroy Civic Center at 421 Montgomery St.

When: Tuesday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.

How much: Tickets are $35.

2. 'Wicked' at the Landmark

"Wicked" returns to the Landmark Theatre to tell the origin story of the witches from the classic "Wizard of Oz" stories by L. Frank Baum. The powerful score includes the hits "Popular," "For Good" and "Defying Gravity." The Broadway sensation has rightfully been hailed the "defining musical of the decade."

Where: Landmark Theatre at 362 S. Salina St., Syracuse.

When: Wednesday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 16 at 2 p.m., Thursday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 17 at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 18 at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday, March 19 at 1 p.m. Shows will continue next week.

How much: Tickets range from $29 to $129.

Holly Bowling(Provided photo)

3. Holly Bowling at Funk 'n Waffles

San Francisco-based classically trained pianist Holly Bowling infuses jam band music with her technically advanced, agile style. Bowling works her magic on the songs of Phish and Grateful Dead and has performed with Bob Weir, Phil Lesh and Branford Marsalis. This event is for those 18 and over.

Where: Funk 'n Waffles Downtown at 307 S. Clinton St.

When: Thursday, March 16 at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m.

How much: Tickets range from $12 to $17.

4. The Slambovian Circus of Dreams

Featured Concert

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams creates moody but uplifting Americana sound with an extensive instrumental arsenal (accordion, cello, mandolin, theremin). The band's melodic avant-folk taps a broad palette of styles ranging from dusty Americana ballads to Pink Floydesque cinematic anthems. This show is presented as part of the Folkus Project.

Where: May Memorial UU Society at 3800 E. Genesee St.

When: Friday, March 17 at 8 p.m.

How much: General admission tickets are $18. Member tickets are $15.

5. Boogie Low at Westcott Theater

The Syracuse-based acid-reggae funk band Boogie Low will celebrate their new album release with a night of jamming and dancing. The reggae-rockers of Barroom Philosophers will open the show with their high-energy mix of soul, funk and blues.

Where: Westcott Theater at 524 Westcott St.

When: Saturday, March 18 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.

How much: Tickets are $10.

Katrina Tulloch writes music and culture stories for Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact her: Email | Twitter | Facebook
Andrew Cuomo

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces his plan for free college tuition during one of his State of the State addresses at SUNY Purchase in Purchase, N.Y., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017.

(Seth Wenig / AP)

You could come up with a million arguments against Gov. Andrew Cuomo's free college tuition plan, but they would not outweigh the three best arguments for it:



Post-secondary education is necessary to thrive in the 21st century knowledge economy. Every New York student who wants a college diploma or certificate should have the opportunity to earn one, without having to take on crippling debt. The word "free" will be a powerful draw for students who don't apply to college because they think they can't afford it.



Cuomo's proposed Excelsior Scholarship would cover the difference between the cost of community college, SUNY or CUNY tuition and financial aid for which the student already qualifies. It would target middle-class families earning between $50,000 and $125,000, since families with income below $50,000 already qualify for enough financial aid to cover the $6,470 annual cost of SUNY tuition. (The scholarship doesn't cover room and board, so students will still have to borrow.) The money runs out after four years; students will need to bring some discipline to the table.



The average New Yorker graduates from college with more than $32,000 in student loans, according to the state Comptroller's Office. Student loan debt has doubled in a decade, to $82 billion. Rising debt tracks with the rising cost to attend college. Tuition, fees and room and board prices at both public and private colleges in New York rose more than 50 percent from 2005 to 2015, the comptroller said.



By providing the "last dollar" a student needs to cover tuition, the cost of the Excelsior Scholarship is a relatively cheap $163 million a year. (To put that number in context, New York spends $420 million a year subsidizing TV and movie productions.) Of the 1 million families eligible for the scholarship, the Cuomo administration estimates 32,000 students would take advantage of it, after subtracting low-income students who already attend public colleges for free, students who choose to attend private or out-of-state colleges, and those who choose not to attend college at all. The Legislature and the higher education establishment are skeptical of the stated cost. Lawmakers should interrogate it thoroughly before committing to the program.



Other risks bear watching. The Cuomo administration says there is more than enough capacity in the community colleges and SUNY to handle an influx of students. If enrollment spikes, the state must be prepared to provide for sufficient staff and facilities to maintain the value of a SUNY degree. New York also must do a better job ensuring students coming out of the K-12 system are prepared for college.



Cuomo's proposal worries New York's private, nonprofit colleges, who see the state program as limiting choice for students. Private schools would rather see the state's $1 billion Tuition Assistance Program expanded with higher income caps and bigger awards. The Senate's Independent Democratic Conference embraces this approach, along with proposals for student debt relief. That may help students cope with rising tuition but will not keep tuition from rising.



Private schools fear they may take an enrollment hit as students choose a "free" public education over a more expensive private one. To compete, they will have to persuade New York students that what they offer - in terms of ethos, class size, degree programs, campus life, job placement -- is worth the money. For most Excelsior recipients, we suspect the choice they face is not private vs. public but college vs. no college. The promise of free tuition may be the push they need.



Of all the ways New York spends your money, broadening access to a public college education could have the biggest payoff -- a workforce better equipped to compete, innovate and provide for their families through a lifetime of higher earnings.
More than 200 students gathered at St. Johns Old Divinity School on 27 February for a public panel entitled Six Years On: The Syrian Revolution. Organised by the Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF)  a non-partisan student group officially registered with the University  the event was advertised on Facebook as a high-level panel discussion on the future of the Syrian Conflict. Speakers originally scheduled to appear at the event included two unidentified Syrian Opposition Insiders  one from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and another from the Syrian National Coalition (SNC)  as well as Thaer Al-Hajji, a Syrian Kurdish activist, and Nir Boms, a fellow at the International Centre for Counter-terrorism in Herzliya.

Though promoted as an incredible chance to hear from and talk to the real Syrian Opposition the event that took place was misleadingly different from the one described online. Far from being an objective forum for dialogue on the Syrian conflict, the MENAF panel was instead co-opted by the veiled propagation of special interests. Speaker cancellations, which were not communicated to ticket holders ahead of time or discussed at the event, meant that Boms was the only originally scheduled speaker to appear. He was joined by the publicly discredited Syrian oppositionist Issam Zeitoun, and their colleague (name omitted)*, an Israeli-American of Syrian descent who described himself as being involved in Israeli government activities.

The panel unfolded without any substantial discussion of the Syrian revolution, save for Zeitouns remarks on the brutality of the Assad regime, which were cut short due to time constraints. There was little explanation, for example, about how or why the conflict began, about the key actors and groups involved, or about the potential path forward for the Syrian people. Instead, two of the three panelists focused disproportionately on the topic of Israel and its humanitarian activities in Syria. This included Boms half-hour presentation entitled Forbidden Aid: The Case of Israeli Humanitarian Diplomacy in Syria. Those familiar with the well-documented challenges surrounding aid in Syria might expect that a presentation of this kind would detail the structural challenges or political complexities of delivering life-saving relief to Syrians in need. What transpired, however, was an aggrandizing presentation of Israels good deeds.

Championing Israel before academic audiences is not a new undertaking for Boms. He is the former Vice President of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), a Washington D.C. think-tank and offshoot of the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET). The latter organisation describes itself as having an unabashedly [] pro-Israel stance, and works to lobby the US congress on matters relating to Israeli security. Among the various political activities that Boms oversaw as VP at the EMET-backed FDD were free tours of Israel for American academics. According to a Slate interview with Robert Farley, tour participant and political scientist at the University of Kentucky, the goal of the trip was to inculcate a particular view of the Israeli security situation and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict It was understood that the military occupation of the West Bank was necessary to prevent a terrorist campaign against Israel..

The political calculus underlying Boms presentation was not countered by the other speakers, despite MENAFs espoused commitment to organising objective events that give voice and platform to diverse viewpoints. This includes the remarks by Syrian oppositionist Zeitoun, who works with Boms to organise aid activities inside Syria. The pair have spoken together publicly about their humanitarian efforts in the past, including at a June 2016 conference in Herzliya, Israel, where Zeitoun was described as a foreign relations representative of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). This sparked condemnation from the FSAs official delegation, who responded with a public statement distancing themselves from Zeitoun: Issam Zeitoun falsely claims to represent the Free Syrian Army and he has participated in meetings in occupied Palestine. We write to assert unequivocally that we [] have no knowledge or affiliations with him. The Syrian revolution against dictatorship is part and parcel of peoples struggles for self-determination and this includes the struggle of our Palestinian brothers and sisters [].

Zeitoun, who has been living outside of Syria since the 1990s, clarified his role as an independent oppositionist in the days following the conference, and apologised for what he said was an error made by the conference organisers. Nonetheless, he was again featured on a panel discussion in January of this year at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he appeared as a liaison for the Free Syrian Army with the international community, according to The Times of Israel. Similar confusions about Zeitouns affiliations appear to have clouded the MENAF panel, as it was never clarified if Zeitoun was the unidentified FSA member alluded to in the event advertisement.

The opaque character of Zeitouns background raises serious questions about his credibility and the interests he represents, especially considering his unlikely working relationship with Boms. If comments made by Zeitoun in interviews with conservative American media outlets are any indication, then the extent to which his opinions and perspectives can be seen as representative of the Syrian resistance is limited at best. This includes comments made to Breitbart news such as Palestinians dont even realise they live in paradiseeven Gaza is better than Syria ever was, and Israel is a superpower in the region they built a country where the Arabs failed".

A closer examination of MENAF and its off-campus affiliations offers some insight into the composition of Mondays panel. This includes MENAFs relationship with the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA), a self-described media-monitoring, research and membership organisation [with] an unshakeable belief in the causes of Zionism and Israel. Together with EMET, CAMERA runs a college campus initiative and fellowship program that provides university students with training, resources, and financial support to bravely and publicly defend Israel against hostility and distortions on campus. EMET-CAMERA student fellows receive $1,000 a year personally, as well as up to $4,000 of funding for campus events and activities. MENAF is listed as an official CAMERA-EMET group on the organisation's website, alongside the name of a MENAF co-founder, who is a registered CAMERA Fellow.

Despite claiming to be an apolitical student initiative, previous MENAF events reveal a strong pro-Israel stance that is indicative of CAMERA groups elsewhere. MENAFs inaugural event in Michaelmas Term, for example, was a one-on-one discussion between Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev and a Cambridge professor Glen Rangwala. Three pro-Israel advocacy organisations  CAMERA, StandWithUs, and the American Jewish Committee  sponsored the event. In February, MENAF invited several speakers to discuss Security Challenges in the Modern Middle East, including former Israel Defense Forces General Elazar Stern. According to the chairman of his political party, Stern was sent to London [in February] to fight BDS, or the movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. Less than 24 hours before MENAFs event was scheduled to take place, a human rights organisation in the UK called for the arrest of General Stern in connection with alleged war crimes. The two other speakers scheduled to participate withdrew soon after, ostensibly to avoid being associated with an alleged war criminal. MENAF hosted the event anyway.

In their defence, not all MENAF activities have strayed from the groups discursive ambit in such a way that has facilitated overt pro-Israeli grandstanding. Nevertheless, a significant number of events have displayed partisanship incompatible with claims to neutrality. How is it possible, then, that MENAF is funded and groomed by Israeli interest groups, and consistently organises high-profile campus events that show a strong partiality towards the Israel cause, yet also claims to be objective? Why is it that out of the 60-plus campus clubs supported by CAMERA and EMET globally, MENAF is one of the only student groups that does not explicitly use the word Israel in its name? And is it realistic to expect that the MENAF Syria panel, even if carried out as originally planned, could have been an objective forum for debate about the Syrian Civil War?

While we value and respect the Universitys core principles of freedom of thought and opinion, we also believe that honesty and transparency are crucial for maintaining the integrity of public discourse on campus. The Six Years On event was not a panel about the Syrian revolution, nor was it an incredible opportunity to hear directly from Syrian activists or members of the FSA. Though we appreciate that MENAF issued a brief apology to its club members following the event, the statement was not sent to electronically-registered ticket holders (many of whom were not MENAF members), nor was it publicly circulated online. Further, by failing to make clear the affiliations and agendas of the speakers present on Monday night from the onset of the event, MENAF facilitated the political masquerading of special interest groups in the name of the Syrian revolution. In doing so, it misled its audience, demeaned its claims to political neutrality, and undermined its stated mission to foster objective dialogue on campus. Most unfortunate of all, however, MENAF wasted an important opportunity to raise awareness and engagement at Cambridge regarding the conflict in Syria.

At her talk on campus last month, celebrated Syrian novelist Samar Yazbek was asked what the international community could do to help Syrians. Yazbek responded that students, researchers, and journalists should not underestimate the power of small acts, or the power of truth and the written word, to support the Syrian resistance: Through telling stories honestly, through spreading the truth about the situation in Syria we can give voice to the victims of this war, and we can render justice possible.

Authors disclosure: We acknowledge that this event was originally advertised as off the record and closed to the press due to security concerns. To this end, we have only shared information about the panel and speakers that is publicly available elsewhere, including from advertisements, interviews and articles about nearly-identical public lectures given by Boms and Zeitoun in both Israel and the U.K.

With solidarity and support from:

Ahmed Abdelbaky, Secretary, Cambridge University Arab Society

Beth Jamal, President, Cambridge University Palestine Society

Catriona Spaven-Donn, Co-President of Cambridge Student Action for Refugees

Dina Tahboub, Vice President, Cambridge University Arab Society

Hogai Aryoubi, Co-President, Cambridge University Afghan Society

Hunadda Sabbagh, Publicity Officer, Cambridge University Arab Society

Isobel Houston, Co-President of Cambridge Student Action for Refugees

Parwana Fayyaz, Co-President, Cambridge University Afghan Society

Abdulla Zaman, Department of History, Cambridge University

Alice Markham, Cambridge University Palestine Society

Amin Alhussain, Department of Medicine, Cambridge University

Amina Shareef, Faculty of Education, Cambridge University

Annie Hamill, Centre of Development Studies, Cambridge University

Arthur Bickersteth, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Cambridge University

Aya Helmy, Cambridge University Palestine Society

Barzan Sadiq, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Cambridge University

Bilal Abou El Ela Bourquin, Cambridge University Arab Society

Blandine Benezit, Department of Development Studies, Cambridge University

Carys Goodwin, Department of Politics and International Studies, Cambridge University

Clover Godsal, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Cambridge University

Dena Qaddumi, Department of Architecture, Cambridge University

Dilar Dirik, Department of Sociology, Cambridge University

Ed McNally, Cambridge Defend Education

Eliran Bar-El, Department of Sociology, Cambridge University

Dr. Felix Stein, Department of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University

Hakan Sandal, Centre for Gender Studies, Cambridge University

Inez Daltrop, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Cambridge University

Jason Okundaye, Human, Social, and Political Sciences, Cambridge University

Jose Ciro Martinez, Department of Politics and International Studies, Cambridge University

Josh Ivinson, Cambridge University Palestine Society

Julia Erdelmann, Department of Education, Cambridge University

Mahvish Ahmad, Department of Sociology, Cambridge University

Maria Khwaja, Department of Education, Cambridge University

Mohammed Uzair Belgami, Department of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University

Nabila Idris, Centre of Development Studies, Cambridge University

Nimrah Malik, Cambridge University Palestine Society

Safieh Grace Kabir, Cambridge Defend Education

Sahil Shah, Critical Theory and Practice Seminar

Sophia Kakarala, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Cambridge University

Surer Mohamed, Cambridge University Somali Society

Talin Ghazarian, Department of Archaeology, Cambridge University

Thilal Halimah, Department of Education, Cambridge University

Vanessa McKay, Department of History, Cambridge University

Dr. Waseem Yaqoob, Faculty of History, University of Cambridge

William James, Department of Education, University of Cambridge

William Liebrecht, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Cambridge University

Zeyana Yussuf, Human, Social, and Political Sciences, Cambridge University



Garrett Rubin and Adam Streeter are MPhil students at the University of Cambridge, studying International Development Education and International Politics respectively. Prior to Cambridge, both Rubin and Streeter lived and worked in the Middle East for several years.
By Karishma Kuenzang: THE CEO Who Lost His Head (Pan Macmillan; Rs 299), senior journalist Aditya Sinha's first fiction work, is everything one needs to read to get a peek into the newsroom, and then some. Although Sinha insists that the characters are fictional, it didn't stop people from calling him to complain about the plot.

"Since the book's based in Mumbai, people have put two and two together and made it a guessing game. I have received calls from former colleagues and people I've met in my career of 30 years in the print industry - some were angry, and some were just grateful that they weren't included in the book," he laughs, adding that he only sees this as a form of feedback.

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"Every author wants feedback. When I brought out a biography of a terrorist in 2000, the book didn't get much attention or feedback. So, I'm glad people are at least calling about that."

Emphasising that the plot is not based on any facts, he adds, "I started my career in 1987 as a crime reporter in Delhi, so these are the characters I've met in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. I know the newsroom, so that's a natural setting for me," he elaborates.

The plot revolves around the death of Buster Das, the CEO of a newspaper publication in Mumbai, who is found murdered one morning. The narrative is through the perception of the police, which includes a female Sub-Inspector - Mona Ramteke - as the lead character.

Also Read:This Is Not Your Story: Savi Sharma's new book inspires one to re-write the narrative of life

The book also brings up the topic of sexual harassment at work, rape and, of course, the viability of print media. "In the last 30 years, there has been a deliberate effort to bring down the editorial and get the marketing team to the same level in publications. I know people who've stopped subscribing newspapers and even the younger lot is keen on the web," he says, explaining the evident tussle between the content and money involved in newspapers today.

Speaking about the sexual harassment angle, the author says, "It's power play. Men in power think that it's okay to grab a girl's butt and I've seen this happen almost everywhere I've worked. A person who worked at the HR department of a news agency once told me that they get sexual harassment complaints every other day."

But crime fiction, his chosen genre for his fiction debut, is something he hopes to see more of in the near future. "Indian publishing has grown since 2011, but high-brow books aren't the ones that are selling as much. It's the rom-com based on some campus that most people read these days."

Sinha is currently working on a sequel with Mona Ramteke at the helm of the plot, this Aditya Sinha's book is based in Mumbai. time set in Chennai.

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Password rules are bullshit Of the many, many, many bad things about passwords, you know what the worst is? Password rules. The world is absolutely awash in terrible password rules... But I don't need to tell you this. The more likely you are to use a truly random password generation tool, like us uber-geeks are supposed to, the more likely you have suffered mightily - and daily - under this regime. We can certainly debate whether "correct horse battery staple" is a viable password strategy or not, but the argument here is mostly that length matters. Coding Horror

Nearly 200,000 WiFi cameras open to hacking right now What started as an analysis of a simple security flaw in a random wireless IP camera turned into seven vulnerabilities that affect over 1,250 camera models and expose nearly 200,000 cameras to hacking. The flaws affect a generically named product called Wireless IP Camera (P2P) WIFICAM, manufactured by a (currently unnamed) Chinese company, who sells it as a white-label product to several other camera vendors. Bleeping Computer (also, Dahua, Hikvision IoT devices under siege)

The little-known iPhone feature that lets blind people see with their fingers A few years ago, backstage at a conference, I spotted a blind woman using her phone. The phone was speaking everything her finger touched on the screen, allowing her to tear through her apps. My jaw hit the floor. After years of practice, she had cranked the voice's speed so high, I couldn't understand a word it was saying. And here's the kicker: She could do all of this with the screen turned off. Her phone's battery lasted forever. Yahoo

The designers of Dishonored, Bioshock 2 and Deus Ex swap stories about making PC's most complex games Deus Ex. System Shock 2. Dishonored. Some of the PC's most celebrated games belong to a genre called the immersive sim, which emphasizes creating a complex world with tons of player freedom. They're some of our favorite games to talk about, and at the 2017 Game Developer's Conference we were lucky enough to do just that. PC Gamer

Microsoft pledges to use ARM server chips, threatening Intel's dominance In the never-ending quest to improve computing technology, IBM has just taken a big step smaller: It's found a way to store data on a single atom. A hard drive today takes about 100,000 atoms to store a single bit of data -- a 1 or 0. The IBM Research results announced Wednesday show how much more densely it might someday be possible to cram information. Bloomberg

Backscatter your own fm pirate radio station If you live in a city, you're constantly swimming in a thick soup of radio-frequency energy. FM radio stations put out hundreds of kilowatts into the air. Students at the University of Washington, [Anran Wang] and [Vikram Iyer], asked themselves if they could harness this background radiation to transmit their own FM radio station, if only locally. The answer was an amazing yes. Hackaday

Cloudflare's next big business? Protecting your car from hackers With multiple proven attacks on modern vehicles, the biggest car makers in the world are asking the question: How best to protect fleets from hackers? Cloudflare, the San Francisco company that provides security and content delivery for 6 million websites, thinks it has the answer. It's planning to make waves in the burgeoning vehicular cybersecurity market in the coming years, says CEO Matthew Prince... Forbes

Bring the power of your apps into Gmail with Add-ons Few things are as satisfying as completing a task. But at work, it's not always so easy. The days are short and packed with to-dos, like following up on sales leads, logging support tickets or sending invoices. And while great apps exists to tackle these workstreams, most users have to flip between them and their inbox because email is still "central command" for task management. Google

Writing good code: how to reduce the cognitive load of your code Low bug count, good performance, easy modification. Good code is high-impact, and is perhaps the main reason behind the existence of the proverbial 10x developer. And yet, despite it's importance, it eludes new developers. Literature on the subject usually amounts to disconnected collections of tips. How can a new developer just memorize all that stuff? "Code Complete", the greatest exponent in this matter, is 960 pages long! Chris Maioli Mackeprang

Our new (mixed) reality: Early adopters have become HoloLens believers at work It's been roughly two years since Microsoft unveiled its augmented/mixed reality (AR/MR) HoloLens headset and about one year since the first publicly available dev kits went on sale. But ever since launching this impressive piece of tech, Microsoft has instead seemed content with letting Virtual Reality (VR) take the limelight. Ars Technica

Flappy Bird running on my home build BASIC computer In 2014 BASIC became a 50 year old programming language, to celebrate that event I started writing my own BASIC interpreter. How hard could that be? Just a few evenings of work and I would have coded my own... Well, 3 years later I can say I have hit a certain milestone, I can now play flappy bird, written in my own version of BASIC running on my home build computer. vandenbran.de

Preinstalled malware targeting mobile users The Check Point Mobile Threat Prevention has recently detected a severe infection in 38 Android devices, belonging to a large telecommunications company and a multinational technology company. While this is not unusual, one detail of the attacks stands out. In all instances, the malware was not downloaded to the device as a result of the users' use, it arrived with it. Check Point

An interactive chronology of every Star Wars game Late last year, I attended a PAX Australia panel titled X-wings and TIE-ins[1], which advertised itself as "A brief history of very bad (and some not so bad) Star Wars games." The panel was enjoyable and seemed well pitched toward its audience, but it didn't dive as deeply into the chronology of Star Wars titles as I had hoped. Cheese Talks

SK telecom exec talks 5G tech, 2017 trials Around the globe, telecom companies are placing bets on which technologies will define 5G, the next generation of wireless and cellular networks. Many have already published results from early lab tests and field trials. Now, executives are eager to move into real-world pilots and, gradually, to commercial deployments. IEEE Spectrum

Mossberg: Tech's ruling class casts a big shadow Back in 2011, I was talking with Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, backstage at our D9 conference, when he made a casual reference to a "Gang of Four" companies that he believed ruled the consumer tech industry. Once on stage, I asked him about that term. The Verge

What is the best thermal paste 2017? - Thermal paste comparison Following on from our previous 'Which is the best thermal paste' article and testing we did back in 2015, I decided to create another; this time with a current-gen Intel Core i7-7700K processor and with a couple more thermal pastes added into the mix. Play3r
WikiLeaks recently uploaded what it calls Vault 7, which is a series of documents that allegedly expose the hacking tools developed by the Central Intelligence Agency.

The first part of the collection consisting of 8,761 documents that were said to have been acquired from the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence in Virginia reveals that different kinds of consumer electronics have been targeted by the agency's hacking efforts.

CIA Hacks Against Vehicles

The alleged hacking tools of the CIA include software for compromising smartphones computers and even internet-connect TVs, though Apple has since claimed that the vulnerabilities of the iOS mentioned in the documents have already been patched in the latest version of the mobile operating system.

Among the thousands of documents uploaded to Vault 7 is the information that the CIA has studied the possibility of hacking into the control systems of vehicles. According to WikiLeaks, the CIA can use such attacks to carry out assassinations that are almost undetectable. It is not difficult to come up with the conclusion that this means that the CIA can take over the vehicle and cause it to crash and kill its passengers, which is a dangerous capability if it is actually true.

Car Tech Vulnerability Should Not Come As A Surprise

The vulnerability of modern automobile technology should not come as a surprise, especially as security researchers have warned for several years on how fitting cars with the latest technologies open them up to hackers.

Despite the warnings, almost all current vehicle models have no means of detection against malicious activity in their networks, with nearly no way to respond to hacks that may be carried out against them.

"I think it's a legitimate concern considering all of the computers being added to cars," said Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney Kit Walsh, adding that the risk is even greater for self-driving vehicles.

The possibility of hackers hijacking the control systems of a vehicle is not even that farfetched, as back in 2015, researchers showed that they were able to take over and disable a Jeep Cherokee through its infotainment system.

Should The Public Worry Over The CIA's Hacking Tools?

One of the other notable tools mentioned in Vault 7 is known as the Weeping Angel, which is a hack that was created by the CIA to compromise Samsung Smart TVs. Once the hack is activated, when the TV is shut down, it will appear to be off but will actually still be running. The TV can then function as a bug for the CIA, recording conversations and then sending the audio files online to a CIA server.

Does this mean that owners of connected vehicles, Samsung Smart TVs, and all other electronic devices should worry that they have been victimized by the tools mentioned in Vault 7?

There is no need to panic just yet. While the documents appear to be legitimate, there is no proof that the hacking tools have actually been used by the United States government. In addition, the cost of using these tools maybe so high that the government will likely not use it on ordinary citizens.

Nevertheless, it is a good idea to stay protected amid privacy concerns, as WikiLeaks calls upon tech companies such as Apple, Google, and Samsung to come together against the claimed unethical activities of the CIA.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google's self-driving unit, now called Waymo, is going after Uber, and it's making it clear. It's stepping up its legal attack on the popular ride-hailing company, most recently by asking a court to block Uber from leveraging technology, which it allegedly stole from Waymo to get ahead in the race for driverless cars.

Waymo's Uber Lawsuit

The two, both Silicon Valley companies, are duking it out over a type of automobile technology that's seen as the future of transportation. Last month, Waymo sued Uber over allegations that a former employee pocketed more than 14,000 confidential files, bringing along specific details on technology such as light detection and ranging sensor technology known as LiDAR.

LiDAR systems, for the uninitiated, work similarly with radar, shooting light beams to accurately map out a specific street or environment for purposes of nonhuman-aided navigation. LiDAR is a crucial element of driverless cars, according to Reuters.

The lawsuit was filed before a California court, outlining how Anthony Levandowski, founder of Otto, and Uber's current driverless division head, allegedly downloaded the pertinent documents. Levandowski, a former Google engineer who worked on Google's self-driving car Waymo  back when it still wasn't named as such  left Google's moonshot labs and founded Otto, a startup focused on the development of self-driving kits that could be retrofitted into trucks.

In a New York Times interview, Lewandowski said that his exit was prompted by his desire to commercialize driverless technology. Otto would soon be acquired by Uber, and Uber would soon leverage that acquisition to start field testing a fleet of driverless cars in some U.S. cities as part of its ride-hailing service.

Back to the lawsuit, Waymo claims that Levandowski was able to download said documents by developing a specialized software that enabled him to breach the design server. He was eventually able to download 9.7 GB worth of data, along with it trade secrets, blueprints, and testing documentation.

The Race To Finish First In A Driverless Era

In a piece penned by The Atlantic's Adrienne Lafrance titled "Car Wars," the argument is that driverless technology might actually belong in that rare category of innovations that might actually change the world. So much  from public transportation to vehicle-related accidents to traffic woes  could see a significant shift in direction once the technology is perfected and implemented in a large scale.

There's also a lot of money at stake, according to the article. A lot  like billions of dollars in potential profit a lot, maybe even more. The Atlantic argues all the participants in the driverless technology race know this, and each one is intending to outpunch everyone else.

It's no wonder that many companies are jostling with each other to hold the torch that finally lights the technology up once and for all. At present, there are just tiny flames keeping the progress lit, thanks to Google, Elon Musk's Tesla, Intel, and a handful of other companies in the commercial automobile industry. Safe to say that the stakes are high, a notion Uber CEO Travis Kalanick himself agrees with.

Uber Wants To Be First

In its complaint, Waymo cited Kalanick's comments about pioneering driverless technology in an article by Business Insider.

"If we are not tied for first, then the person who is in first, or the entity that's in first, then rolls out a ride-sharing network that is far cheaper or far higher-quality than Uber's, then Uber is no longer a thing," he said.

Waymo filed the lawsuit on Feb. 23, and it wants the court to move rapidly, just before Uber is gearing for a driverless service test bed in Nevada using LiDAR technology that the company believes was stolen from it. It argues that it simply isn't just the unlawful acquisition of the files that warrants an injunction, but the utilization of it for "a system that is apparently now fully developed and being deployed (or about to be deployed) in self-driving vehicles."

Google's Waymo fighting off Uber is poised to be the first major tussle over intellectual property between two proponents of driverless technology.

If Waymo is successful in its attempt to backpedal Uber's progress in the driverless era, an attempt given ample weight by the legal basis underpinning its argument, then it could very well lend itself a boost in the race and tromp Uber possibly once and for all, with Uber potentially being forced to halt its driverless tests unless it develops a technology conceptually different from LiDAR.

On the other hand, Waymo's challenge in order to come out on top is to introduce the idea of driverless technology at a scale never before seen. Uber already has a head start in this department, having deployed a driverless service to test the technology.

But as The Atlantic's article notes, if history has taught humans anything, it's that the originators of a technology doesn't always come out on top. A similar situation might occur in the autonomous era.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Thanks to a new radar technique employed by NASA, India's first lunar probe that went missing about eight years ago has finally been found.

Chandrayaan-1

The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its first moon probe Chandrayaan-1 in October 2008 but less than a year after the spacecraft successfully entered lunar orbit, technical problems started to emerge. By August 2009, controllers lost contact with the spacecraft.

After about eight years, however, NASA found the probe again. The spacecraft was detected maintaining a lunar orbit 124 miles above the moon surface. The long-lost Indian probe was found using powerful radar beamed from Earth.

Scientists used antenna at NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex to beam microwaves toward the lunar orb. They also used the Green Bank Telescope to study the radar echoes that bounced back to Earth, as well as observations from the Arecibo Observatory.

What made the discovery of the lost lunar probe more interesting is the size of Chandrayaan-1. It is tiny, measuring only 5 feet wide.

Besides Chandrayaan-1, scientists also found the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter using the the new radar technique - not necessarily because it was lost, but as a proof of concept since the LRO is an active spacecraft.

"We have been able to detect NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft in lunar orbit with ground-based radar," said Marina Brozovic, a radar scientist from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the test project's chief investigator.

STEREO-B Spacecraft

It is not the first time that a missing spacecraft was found. In Aug. 21, the U.S. space agency announced that it was able to re-establish contact with the STEREO-B spacecraft, which was lost in October 2014. The probe was one of the two nearly identical spacecraft NASA launched to orbit the sun.

The team behind the solar observation mission attempted to re-establish contact with the spacecraft for 22 months. Finally, with a monthly recovery operation that tapped NASA's Deep Space Network, or DSN, that tracks and communicates with space missions, scientists were finally able to re-establish communication with the probe.

Beagle 2 Lander

In 2015, A NASA spacecraft also found the European Space Agency's Beagle 2 lander, which lost contact after it set down on the red planet in December 2003. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which was designed to conduct reconnaissance and exploration of the red planet from orbit, spotted the remains of the long-lost spacecraft from space. The missing lander was found lying with its solar panels partially deployed and 3 miles away from its intended landing site.

Philae Lander

Most recently, ESA's Philae lander also went missing after it made a historic landing on a comet. It was found by the camera aboard the Rosetta probe, its mothership, that was orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The spacecraft was found wedged into a dark crack on the surface of the comet.

"While most candidates could be discarded from analysis of the imagery and other techniques, evidence continued to build toward one particular target, which is now confirmed in images taken unprecedentedly close to the surface of the comet," ESA said after the missing lander was found.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A new Congress bill could make it harder for workers to prevent employers from accessing their personal genetic and medical information. The bill could also increase the financial penalties for individuals who opt out of workplace wellness programs.

The bill, proposed by Republicans, suggests that companies should gather genetic data from workers and their families more easily, and it was introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Companies Could Gain Access To Employees' Genetic Data

While still under review by other House committees, the bill was already met with fierce opposition from different entities, among which were consumer, privacy advocacy, and health groups. Additionally, Democrats collectively opposed it.

The bill was criticized for many reasons, among which is that it undermines existing laws that aim to protect personal medical information, preventing employers from using it.

Currently, employers are not allowed to access genetic information. This kind of power is prohibited by a 2008 genetic privacy and nondiscrimination law, popular under the name of GINA. However, the new bill manages to avoid the legislation in force, saying that it doesn't apply when it comes to genetic tests that are part of a "workplace wellness" program.

The bill, HR 1313, was approved by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on March 8. All 22 Republicans supported it, and all 17 Democrats opposed. As much of the media focus has fallen on the Affordable Care Act, this bill was relatively unobserved.

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the collection of information about the manifested disease or disorder of a family member shall not be considered an unlawful acquisition of genetic information with respect to another family member as part of a workplace wellness program described in paragraph (1) or (2) offered by an employer," noted the bill.

As wellness programs are more used across the corporate world, employees are being asked by companies to undergo health screenings, as well as medical assessments. However, employees can currently opt out of these programs, as personal information specific to an individual should not be shared with a company directly to prevent people from being discriminated against or fired when suffering from a certain serious medical condition.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has strongly opposed companies' use of employees' personal medical information, claiming some of the employers have used wellness programs in an inappropriate way. However, the courts have largely approved of the employers' arguments.

In May 2016, the commission issued final rules concerning the regulations, after companies had complained these were vague and confusing.

Obamacare And Employees' Obligations

At the same time, employers were favored during the Obama administration. As part of the Affordable Care Act, employers had the ability to charge their employees 30 percent, and even up to 50 percent, for health insurance should they refuse to take part in voluntary programs. The programs often involved screenings for cholesterol and other general health information. Questionnaires were also handed out to employees in order to gather data about their health status, including plans of getting pregnant.

Should the bill be passed, employers would be allowed to offer higher incentives. They could modify the cost to cover the family up to 30 percent, as opposed to 30 percent for individual coverage, as it is now.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
By Press Trust of India: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Mar 11 (PTI) China today warned Donald Trump that any trade war between the two countries will bring nothing but harm amid concerns that the US President may go through with his polls promise of hiking tariffs against Chinese goods.

A trade war between China and the United States is not in line with the interests of the two countries and will bring nothing but harm, Chinas Commerce Minister Zhong Shan told reporters here on the sidelines of the Parliament session.

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Cooperation is the "only right choice" and the two countries should work to enhance cooperation and manage differences, Zhong said, stressing that the role of economic and trade cooperation as a "ballast" and "propeller" in bilateral relations.

China is now concerned whetherTrumpwould also act on his polls promise of rising 45 per cent tariffs against Chinese goods and declare Beijing as a currency manipulator.

He has also accused China of trying to reap more benefits from its overUSD400billion exports to the US.

The US exports aroundUSD100billionworth of goods toChina.

Zhong said the two countries, whose interests are closely interwoven, have seen their economic and trade relations on the right path since they forged diplomatic ties.

"Any form of protectionism is not in line with the interests of the two countries," he said.

Zhong said he looks forward to meeting his US counterpart Wilbur Ross, who became secretary of commerce under the US new administration late last month.

He expressed the belief that the two countries leaders and governments will make the right judgement on bilateral trade ties, pledging efforts to guide China-US economic and trade ties in the right direction.

Zhong was appointed commerce minister to replace Gao Hucheng last month. PTI KJV ASK AKJ ASK

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The president emphasized that people are voting for Nicaragua and by doing so they are also voting for peace. | Read More
With the Midterm Elections less than one week away: What do you consider the top issues that you will be voting on to be corrected by your better representation?

Education Crime Big Government getting Bigger Biden /Democrat controlled Spike in Energy Cost Inflation created by Legislation of Majority in Power Gender Reassignment Corrupted Bureaucratic /Service (DOJ, FBI, etc.) Institutions Abortion Discredited Legacy Media Ending the Corruption of Dishonest Politicians Corruptive Influence of Social Media Wide Open Southern Border
Sasural Simar Ka actor Manish Raisinghan might be the new Parth in Dil Se Dil Tak.

By India Today Web Desk: Popular TV actor Sidharth Shukla, who's currently playing the lead in Colors' Dil Se Dil Tak, might not be a part of the show anymore. The production house has apparently roped in Manish Raisinghan of Sasural Simar Ka fame to play Parth in the show.

According to reports, the actor had been throwing tantrums while shooting, that didn't go down well with the makers. The production house had apparently informed the channel that they were looking for a new face to replace Sidharth. Apart from Manish, TV actors Mrunal Jain and Himanshu Malhotra had also auditioned for it but Manish bagged the role.

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Also read: Exclusive: It's always fun to be around Rashami and Jasmin on the sets, says Sidharth Shukla

Hardly a month old, the show has failed to attract viewers despite having big names like Rashami Desai and Sidharth Shukla. Let's see if Manish's introduction can save the show.

Manish will soon begin shooting for the show.

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By India Today Web Desk: After giving a speech at the BJP victory event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the BJP Parliamentary board meet.

The party discussed the probable names for the post of chief minister in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where it has won comfortable majority in the assembly elections.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda in a press conference after the board meet said that Venkaiah Naidu and Bhupendra Yadav have been appointed as Uttar Pradesh observers.

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Narendra Tomar and Saroj Pandey have been named the observers for Uttarakhand. Nadda said that Amit Shah has been authorised to make the final decision on chief ministers after observers submit their respective reports.

Piyush Goyal and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe have been named observers for Manipur.

BJP AIMS TO FORM GOVERNMENT IN FOUR STATES

BJP's parliamentary board meeting comes even as the BJP pulls out all stops to get ahead of the Congress in Goa.

No party won a majority in the coastal state, but the Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed support of nine MLAs and both Congress and the BJP will fight to win the support of the MGP and GFP.

In Uttarakhand, meanwhile, Satpal Maharaj is among the front-runners. He reached New Delhi early morning to meet senior BJP leaders. Former chief minister BC Khanduri is also considered to be in the running in the list of BJP leaders who could be nominated to become the chief minister.

In UP, on the other hand, the BJP could choose between state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Before the elections, Rajnath didn't dismiss the possibility of returning to state politics when questioned about whether he could be the UP chief minister candidate.

ALSO READ | Assembly Election Results 2017: Potential chief ministerial candidates in 5 states

Uttar Pradesh election results 2017: It was a referendum on demonetisation move and PM Modi has won it

ALSO WATCH | Assembly election results 2017: Who will become Uttar Pradesh's chief minister?

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Hundreds of Avoyelles Parish residents, jury summonses in hand, will begin gathering Monday morning in the parish courthouse in Marksville for the second-degree murder trial of Derrick Stafford, the first of the two former deputy city marshals charged in the fatal 2015 shooting of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis.

The shooting, which rocked the small city, came after Stafford, 33, and fellow deputy marshal Norris Greenhouse Jr., 25, chased Mardis' father, Christopher Few, for more than two miles on the night of Nov. 3, 2015. Few, who was also shot several times, survived and is expected to testify at Stafford's trial.

But the central piece of evidence is almost certain to be graphic video from a Marksville policeman's body camera, which at least partially captured the shooting as well as the grim aftermath of the scene. At a press conference announcing the arrests of Stafford and Greenhouse three days after the shooting, State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson called the footage "the most disturbing thing I've seen."

His comments were carried live on national television networks and spurred press coverage that went international, drawing an unprecedented degree of attention to the Avoyelles Parish city of less than 6,000 residents.

Although the shooting did not capture the same degree of national attention as other fatal police shootings in recent years  including the July killing of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge  it still threw the community into turmoil.

Reporters for national newspapers, British tabloids and cable news networks filled rooms at the local casino's hotel and focused scrutiny on long-running political disputes, including a feud between the town's mayor and the judge in charge of the local city court that played a background role in the incident.

State District Court Judge William Bennett, who is presiding over the murder case, has so far resisted requests to move the trial to another parish because of the publicity surrounding the shooting. But he could do so if attorneys for both sides can't find enough impartial jurors from among the parish's roughly 24,000 registered voters.

Defense lawyers and prosecutors both said they anticipate jury selection to to be a lengthy process. Jurors will be sequestered throughout the trial.

Stafford's attorneys, Jonathan Goins and Christopher LaCour, said in an interview on Thursday that Edmonsons remarks and press accounts unfairly portrayed Stafford and Greenhouse as killers without considering what they contend are crucial other facts in the case.

Goins said the body camera video doesn't capture key details surrounding the incident, including what the defense alleges were Few's attempts to ram the officers with his small SUV.

According to Goins, another deputy marshal at the scene who hasn't been charged, Jason Brouillette, has told investigators he thought Few posed a threat to the officers.

Goins also said a ballistics diagram of the scene produced by the State Police suggests that the Marksville officer who captured the shooting on video, Kenneth Parnell, also fired his weapon  an allegation that contradicts Parnell's written statement to investigators and that was strongly denied by prosecutors.

"We know of no evidence to support the claim that a third officer shot," said Ruth Wisher, spokeswoman for the Louisiana Attorney General's Office. "We are focused on prosecuting the cases against the two officers indicted by the Avoyelles Parish Grand Jury."

The state Attorney General's Office stepped in to handle the case because Greenhouse's father, Norris Greenhouse Sr., is a longtime prosecutor in Avoyelles Parish District Attorney Charles Riddle III's office.

Few, Mardis' father who survived the shooting, may also come under close scrutiny in the case. In court filings, Stafford's attorneys contended that tests in the hospital where Few was being treated for his wounds showed he was drunk and tested positive for amphetamines and benzodiazepines (Xanax or Valium).

But Stafford's attorneys said the prime goal would be to show that Few posed an imminent threat and that Stafford and Greenhouse acted reasonably in shooting at the car, firing at least 18 rounds combined, according to the state.

Their case may be a difficult one. Bennett, the judge in the case, said at a Sept. 28 hearing at which the body camera footage was publicly shown for the first time that Few's car "was not being used as a deadly weapon" when the officers opened fire.

"I daresay it was not even close to being used as a deadly weapon at that time," Bennett said.

Goins contrasted the case with other high-profile fatal police shootings in recent years, arguing that authorities moved far too quickly in arresting his client.

"When you look at other police shootings from around the country, there was a deliberate fact-finding mission before there was a judgment called in each case," Goins said. "Here, there was simply a rush to judgment."

The Marksville case sharply differs from most of the fatal police shootings that have become the focus of national debate and demonstrations in recent years. The young age of the victim  an autistic child who died while still strapped into his carseat  and the speed with which State Police investigators arrested the officers involved set it apart from many other cases.

The case also inverted the racial narrative of many of the most controversial shootings. The accused officers, both of whom were moonlighting at the time of the shooting for the Marksville Ward Marshal, are black. The father and son they shot were white.

Goins, Stafford's attorney, said race played an unavoidable role in the case. Officials with State Police, which investigated the shooting and arrested Stafford and Greenhouse, have strenuously denied that and said the strength of the physical evidence in the case  including the video  led them to move quickly.

The reverberations from the fatal shooting have also been felt in the town's political scene, where many residents and officials say the feud over funding for Marksville's city court helped set the stage for the shooting.

Ward Marshal Floyd Voinche Sr., whose office historically has served court paperwork and warrants, purchased two used Crown Victoria police cars and began writing tickets and patrolling the streets after tickets written by local police plunged amid a funding dispute between Marksville Mayor John Lemoine and City Court Judge Angelo Piazza III.

Both Stafford, a lieutenant at the Marksville Police Department, and Greenhouse, who also worked as an Alexandria city marshal, were moonlighting for Voinche when they began chasing Few, eventually cornering Few's car near the gates of the shuttered Marksville State Historic Site.

Voinche, a part-time school bus driver who has served in the elected position for more than a decade, said he's struggled to recruit part-time officers to work for him since the shooting.

Voinche said his part-time deputies work no more than 17 hours a month because of a state law capping their compensation at no more than Voinche's. They have full arrest powers but the marshal said they've pretty much stopped writing tickets or doing other work beyond serving warrants and papers.

Riddle, a former state lawmaker who has been the parish's district attorney for the past 15 years, said the case has exacerbated divisions in the town and stirred up anti-police sentiment in town.

Riddle said he's seen more criminal defendants in unrelated cases "trying to blame things on the police department using this as an example of why they think the police are wrong."

The hundreds of local residents summoned for jury duty this week will take the first steps toward resolving the case.

Both officers have remained free on $1 million property bonds as they've awaited their trial dates, which have been repeatedly delayed. Greenhouse, the younger of the two officers at 25, is currently scheduled to go on trial June 12.
The parliamentary board meeting was expected to name the leader who would be UP chief minister but the suspense will stay here for another three days.

By India Today Web Desk: Who will be the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh? The question will remain a question until March 16. The Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentary board met in New Delhi today evening and announced Venkaiah Naidu and Bhupendra Yadav as observers to BJP legislative party meeting convened on March 16. The parliamentary board meeting was expected to name the leader who would be UP chief minister but the suspense will stay here for another three days.

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The BJP won with a massive majority in this Assembly election with 325 of the 403 seats going into its kitty. There are many contenders for the post and speculation rife in political circles.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, UP BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya, firebrand Hindutva face Yogi Adityanath and another central minister Manoj Sinha are frontrunners but any announcement will be a surprise even to them. The decision rests with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

An hour before the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a gathering of supporters at the BJP headquarters that a "new India" was emerging and it stood for development.

He struck a reconciliatory note after a very divisive and aggressive election campaign in Uttar Pradesh when he said government was of those who voted for the BJP and also of those who did not. Putting behind the acrimony of the political campaign, PM Modi said the BJP leaders and workers were humbled by the defeat. He said when a tree bears fruit, the branches hang lower and the being trusted with power by the people should make the party act more responsibly.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

Also read:

PM Modi ends victory speech with a vow to bring in new India by 2022

Keshav Prasad Maurya: Another chai wallah rising as BJP discusses next UP CM

BJP parliamentary board meet underway: Decision on next UP, Uttarakhand CMs likely

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According to the Federal Election Commission, in 2015-16, Betsy DeVos and eight members of her husbands family, through their Amway Government Affairs political action committee, contributed a total of $70,200 to U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy. A good investment for DeVos, it turns out.

Roughly a year and a half later, despite the fact that DeVos had no qualifications whatsoever, Cassidy was a vocal proponent of DeVos in her drive to become the U.S. secretary of education, voting to advance her nomination out of committee and then to confirm her in the full Senate.

Cassidy will naturally deny any connection between her contribution and his endorsement. Nevertheless, it would not be unreasonable for one to assume that Cassidys support for DeVos was somewhat less than coincidental, that it might actually have been purchased for the low, low price of $70,200.

Of course, there is the possibility (however unlikely that possibility might be in todays politics) that a politician would cast a vote on principle and not on the venal basis of self-interest. Whichever is the case, the flavor and aroma of this exchange of reciprocal support cannot help but cast doubt on all of Cassidys votes. Mike Flynn may not be the only one in Trump Land whos compromised.

Michael Russo

librarian

Baton Rouge
Is it possible that Medicaid expansion will save the Affordable Care Act?

Could be.

True, the long-awaited repeal/replace plan that the House's GOP leadership introduced last week and quickly rammed through two committees faces a long list of criticisms, from both right and left, over an even longer list of shortcomings.

But the plan's proposal to severely roll back coverage for the working poor over time may be enough on its own to sink the hastily contrived proposal that Republicans had years to craft, but instead threw together on the fly. Specifically, the proposal would end enrollment in the expanded program three years from now. It would also change the funding structure so that the federal government would pay a defined amount per person. As it stands now, Medicaid pays a percentage of the actual costs, and doesn't carry a per-patient cap.

Some of the criticism comes from the conservatives, who want benefits to start tapering off before 2020, a date that seems specifically chosen to avoid repercussions in the next presidential election. But the more potent opposition  both morally and politically  comes from a group of four Senate Republicans who quickly drew a line in the sand.

All four come from states that have expanded Medicaid availability, a key part of the original law made optional by a later U.S. Supreme Court decision. All four said in a joint statement that they remain opposed to the ACA, but argued that following the House blueprint would simply cause too much harm.

"We are concerned that any poorly implemented or poorly timed change in the current funding structure in Medicaid could result in a reduction in access to lifesaving health care service," wrote U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, in a statement that was co-signed by Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Cory Gardner of Colorado. The senators went on to acknowledge that many Medicaid beneficiaries cycle on and off the program due to "frequent changes in income, family situations, and living environments," and that nearly a third of those covered have either a mental health or substance abuse disorder.

That's a strong statement, but even stronger is the fact that there are four GOP senators who subscribe to it. Republicans hold 52 of 100 seats in the Senate, so that's more votes than they can lose and still get a repeal bill through on a simple majority vote.

All this is music to Gov. John Bel Edwards' ears.

Edwards quickly accepted the expansion package after his predecessor Bobby Jindal had refused to do so, and he considers it one of his major successes. The governor regularly touts the number of working poor Louisianans who now have insurance who didn't before  405,000 at last count  as well as the number who've had life-threatening conditions identified and treated because they now have access to preventive care. He also touts the financial benefits of tapping into a program that's largely federally funded, and notes that other states with fewer needs had been doing just that for several years before Louisiana finally signed up.

The key figures in the conversation, though, are likely to be the Republicans who understand the benefits as well as Edwards does, and who are hearing from frightened constituents and from government and health care officials in their own states.

Here in Louisiana, we got a preview of this particular debate during the 2015 governor's race. While Jindal, who was busy planning his presidential bid, aligned himself with movement conservatives, the three Republicans who ran to replace him  even hard-line conservative David Vitter  all suggested they'd change course and accept the expansion. That's what happens when you start to think about actual governance rather than political posturing.

So good for those who are up in Washington doing just that. Wouldn't it be nice if some of the Louisiana congressional Republicans who represent the same people Edwards does would join them?
The Civil War was only a year old when New Orleans fell, to remain under union occupation until the South gave up the ghost in 1865.

Long after hostilities concluded, the city adopted the mantle of a Confederate bastion, erecting statues of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and P.G.T. Beauregard.

The imminent removal of those statues has been denounced as an attempt to rewrite history. But the history they stand for might be regarded as revisionist itself.

Robert E. Lee, has stood atop his column since 1884, but the Civil War was an even more distant memory by the time the statues of Davis and Beauregard were dedicated in 1908 and 1915 respectively.

The coalition that sued to keep the statues in place vows to fight on, although last week's ruling from the federal appeals court strongly suggests that further resistance is pointless. The statues will be squirreled away and, perhaps, re-erected later off the beaten track where they cannot catch the eye and offend the sensibilities of casual passers-by.

Of the three CSA heroes about to disappear from the streets, Beauregard is the odd man out, not only because he was from here, the pride of the Creoles, but because he became a champion of racial reconciliation during Reconstruction. Beauregard was not only leader of the Unification Movement, but enjoyed such a reputation for integrity that he was hired to preside over drawings of the Louisiana lottery to counter suspicions of corruptions that were to prove well justified.

+5 New Orleans' Battle of Liberty Place monument can come down, judge says New Orleans can take down a monument to a white supremacist militia that fought against Loui

Alexander Doyle's fine equestrian statue of Beauregard stands in the intersection between the top of Esplanade Avenue, main thoroughfare in the neighborhood that belonged to the Creoles, and the entrance to City Park. Whether it adorns the cityscape, or constitutes an affront, is a question on which opinion is split largely on racial lines.

If there had been a case for sparing any of the statues, Beauregard's might have gotten the vote. But his brazen likeness does not honor his efforts to introduce racial equality. He sits there as the general who led the assault on Fort Sumter that precipitated the Civil War.

Also slated for removal from public display, thanks to a separate court ruling, is the Liberty Monument, the obelisk erected in 1891 to celebrate the White League's bloody but short-lived 1874 victory over a Reconstruction force in the streets of New Orleans. But that monument has been consigned in recent years to an obscure location. In any case, it honors bloodshed in a racist and treasonous cause, and we will be well rid of it.

There is no shortage of black people who think the same applies to the statues of Beauregard, Lee and Davis, and the City Council voted 6-1 to go along with Mayor Mitch Landrieu's demand to get rid of the whole caboodle. There is no shortage of white people who think their heritage has been betrayed. Either way, the cityscape everyone grew up with will be radically altered.

The question now becomes how much further we go in obliterating the relics of the Old South. Old Hickory, for instance, went down in history as the victor in the Battle of New Orleans, but he was also responsible for the Trail of Tears, and there has therefore been some agitation to bring a removal crew into Jackson Square.

Meanwhile the city still has a park and a street named for Benjamin Palmer, the firebrand preacher who was against the old Louisiana lottery, but also on the opposite side to Beauregard over racial reconciliation. Palmer remained an apologist for slavery until his death early in the 20th century.

Landrieu suggests that once Beauregard, Lee, Davis and the Liberty Monument are gone, we will have the opportunity to join together and select new unifying symbols that truly reflect who we are today.

History does not suggest that reaching agreement on whom to honor will be an easy task. Indeed, the moment Landrieu announced his plans for the monuments, it was clear that the racial divide remains in place. We'll have to hope he isn't just whistling Dixie.

Note. Thursday's column, in some subsequent references to the Southern Poverty Law Center, transposed letters in its acronym. SPLC it is, not SLPC.
"Dayashankar Singh's remarks are not acceptable, therefore we have removed him from all party posts," BJP chief in Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya had said while expelling him.

By India Today Web Desk: Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya has revoked the expulsion of Dayashankar Singh who had compared Mayawati to a prostitute. The update comes just a day after the assembly election results were announced.

Maurya, who is in the running to be the next UP chief minister, had sacked Singh from the party in July last year. The comment, made while speaking to media persons, had caused a political storm back then.

HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED While speaking to reporters, Dayashankar Singh said, "Even a prostitute fulfils her commitment to a man after she is paid. But Mayawati, such a big leader in UP, sells party tickets to anyone who pays her the highest amount. If someone gives her Rs 1 crore for a ticket, she will give it to the other person who is offering Rs 2 crores. The comment was made in July 2016 and Singh was then the vice president of the BJP's UP unit. Singh repeatedly used the Hindi word for prostitute - veshya - during his interaction with reporters. An angry Mayawati responded saying, "The country will not forgive the BJP for the statement. The BJP has the audacity to make such a comment even as Dalits are protesting in Gujarat over the atrocities." Soon after the comment was made, Keshav Prasad Maurya took action, first removing Dayashankar Singh from the party's organisational posts and then expelling him from the party. According to party rules, his expulsion was to stay in effect for six months. Dayashankar Singh's remarks are not acceptable, therefore we have removed him from all party posts," BJP chief in Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya had said while expelling him. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also personally apologised, telling the Rajya Sabha, "I am personally hurt that a BJP party person used such derogatory words against Mayawati. I should tell Mayawati ji that the party shares her grief over this issue, I will look into this matter. We stand with her. Dayashanker Singh later expressed "regret" for the remark. "I am extending my apology to Mayawati ji and her followers," he said hours after making the comment, adding that he is "ready" to go to jail "if Mayawati wants so".

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ALSO READ | BJP expels Dayashankar Singh who compared Mayawati to a prostitute

ALSO READ | Mayawati slur rocks Parliament, opposition tears into 'anti-women, anti-Dalit' BJP

--- ENDS ---
As if the news cycle doesn't feel fast enough already, a new automated online media monitoring service is launching in Australia this week.

The new product also throws some light onto the dark arts of political and corporate media advisers, who are responsible for ensuring their bosses get the right kind of headlines.

Media coverage during an election campaign is like free advertising and particularly valuable if seen in the right electorate. Credit:Andrew Meares

Antoine Sabourin and Elgar Welch will on Wednesday officially launch their new product Streem, which was developed over three years and delivers real-time alerts of any mention of a topic, person or company online, on radio, on television and on social media.

However, unlike existing services it does not use humans to read, analyse and judge stories.
He has trashed one of the long-standing pillars of Australia's economic and social harmony  an independent industrial arbiter. He declared before the last election he would respect the decision of the umpire on the pending examination of penalty rates. When he did not like the decision, he dishonoured his word, and launched a pretty dishonest campaign to have the community believe Mr Turnbull is responsible for the decision. He clearly is not. The assertion is a flimsy misrepresentation, but is seen by many as unimpeachable politics.

Thou shalt not bear false witness. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Shorten, seemingly in contrast with being a champion of the worker, led the Australian Workers' Union when it traded away penalty rates. But he decries Mr Turnbull's non-existent assault on penalty rates. He neglects to mention it was Labor's biggest private sector affiliate, the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees (SDA) that traded away on a massive scale their members' penalty rates. Mr Shorten's former government appointed the commission's five members. It's hardly an organisation with a set against workers.

The penalty rates decision was handed down by commission chair Iain Ross, formerly one of the highest ranking officials of the ACTU. Mr Shorten was instrumental in initiating the commission's review of penalty rates. He neglects to mention the decision applies to only four of the 122 awards overseen by the commission or that workers will still receive the bulk of their substantial penalty rates. Further, the commission wants to offset the effect of this by making the change gradual, so that general wage rises kick in along the way. Our progressive welfare system will also help offset the impact on existing workers. Mr Turnbull supports such amelioration. Mr Shorten neglects to mention he does not have the numbers, so can not introduce legislation to emasculate the independent umpire. Were he to win government in two years, it might well be impractical or even impossible to reverse the decision. Were Mr Shorten fair dinkum about protecting workers, wouldn't he he would come up with a policy to police and prevent the widespread underpayment of employees revealed in the past few years by Fairfax Media. Mr Turnbull should, too.

It is understandable people are upset and angry some low-paid workers will ostensibly have their wages cut - the extent of the effect remains to be seen and there are lots of unsubstantiated numbers out there. But the commission's decision was reasonable and moderate, and if the implementation is properly staged, might well not lead to much of a change at all for existing workers.

What it is likely to do is create employment for some of the three-quarters of a million unemployed people. As revealed by Fairfax Media over the last few years, the SDA has already traded away penalty rates for those employed by big retailers, primarily Coles and Woolworths, and franchises including McDonald's. Paying double wages on Sundays mostly affects small businesses, and they are the ones most likely to add hours and service on a Sunday. The commission said in its ruling that it expects the changes to stimulate employment. You might have thought Mr Shorten would be pleased about that.
I don't know if I can agree. The boring choice isn't always the best choice. Of course, if you only live for today, you could wind up broke and miserable tomorrow. But if you only focus on maximising tomorrow, what happens if tomorrow never comes? Surely, it's a trade-off. Being a responsible adult and achieving a good life is about balancing immediate gratification with deferred pleasure. It's a highly personal decision whether retiring earlier is worth sacrificing a bit of comfort in old age, or whether you can stick at it and satisfy your itch to leave work with proper holidays and weekend hobbies. Generally I'm a believer in carpe diem, or seize the day. The 1989 film Dead Poets Society was a formative movie of my early teen years, and not just because I thought Robert Sean Leonard was cute.

This is why I was intrigued when I saw a different perspective on retirement from financial planning firm Tribeca Financial. Tribeca chief executive Ryan Watson emphasises life goals rather than maximising financial outcomes, and believes retirement could be the best option for many people. The rule of thumb is usually that people should aim to save enough superannuation to retire on 70 per cent of their working life income. But Tribeca's analysis suggest most people live comfortably on half their income, if you consider that's what's left after tax and the cost of full-time work. As an example, an $80,000 per year income would realistically be about $61,000 after tax. Minus a further 25 per cent, or $15,000, on work-related, non-tax deductible expenses, and there would be about $46,000 to live on.

You could further reduce the sum required if you were paying a mortgage as a working person, but retire debt free. A recent ING Direct study revealed that Australians spend about $39 billion a year on work-related expenses. Non-tax deductible work expenses might include the cost of commuting, maintaining a work wardrobe, and work lunches. Watson says for some, retirement may well a better option than going to work full-time, but they simply didn't realise it. "I always encourage people to consider what makes them happy, and what they actually need for wellbeing," Watson says. "For many people it's a lot closer than they think. Going to work is actually really expensive, but we don't tend to look at it that way  it's ingrained in us that we need to work to build a future and then retire." Tribeca's model for full retirement still relies on a pool of assets such as property, shares and cash to generate the replacement income. But Watson says it can be achieved with as little as $250,000 in savings, depending on circumstances. Downsizing the family home can be one strategy.

I know in my own life I could live a lot more simply if I were not working. It's not just the work expenses, but also the mentality of spending money to relieve stress or to reward myself for effort. It's the "because I'm worth it" mindset. I also love my job so retirement would be a long way off for me even if I owned my home outright and had anywhere near the quarter of a million in savings, which would have to be outside the super system given my age. Yet it's a good reminder to remember to enjoy the simple things. And to try to build a kitty outside super in case at some point in the future I want to or need to work less. You might want to take time out to write a novel or travel around Australia, or less happily to care for a sick relative or because you lost your job and cannot find another. Anything could happen. There are differing views about how much is needed in retirement.
One of the country's most notorious crime figures, bikie boss Felix Lyle, is fighting an order that he be deported to New Zealand.

The former boss of the Hells Angels has been in the Villawood detention centre since February 8 after serving a four-year prison term for fraud, supplying a large commercial quantity of drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Felix Lyle, Tony Vincent jnr and Lyle's son Dallas Fitzgerald at the Downing Centre in 2010. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Lyle, or "Big F" as he is known, became head of a Sydney chapter of the Hells Angels after his predecessor was deposed in the fallout from a vicious bikie brawl at Sydney airport.

Big F's elevation to the top job at the Hells Angels followed his expulsion from rival outlaw bikie gang the Bandidos for not being of good character.
William Stubbs - using online surveys to gauge how Australia and the world is feeling to tackle mental health issues and depression. Credit:Tony Moore His business has partnered with the company, Free To Shine, which raises money to tackle sex trafficking and keeps them in school. They sell a book he has written called Amplify, which encourages young people to look for opportunity. The Capital, Brisbane. Where the ideas begin. Credit:Tony Moore "Each book sold will keep a child in school for a week," Mr Vaz said.

Amplify, the book, will be launched next month. Three years ago he was running a Portugese and Indian fusion restaurant at the Gabba called Goa Doodle Do. It failed, the landlord changed the locks and Mr Vaz walked away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debts. "I could have fought it," he said with a laugh. "But I would probably still be fighting it.

"I've got a master's degree in software engineering and an MBA but I think the restaurant taught me more than both those two degrees together." Today he runs Amplify. "We harness the power of conversation," Mr Vaz explains in his opening. One client is a law firm where mediation and keeping couples in a conciliatory tone can be frequent struggle. Amplify has been assisting the firm in unique ways. "We created a podcast called the 'Happy Lawyer, Happy Life' podcast. We went to the College of Law and learned that depression is a major problem for lawyers. And we tackled it from the other way," Mr Vaz said.

"If lawyers are happy, they think of different ways of helping their clients." 2 Meet Garry Thomas. Garry Thomas runs a company called Deftec, which is using the type of technology seen in video games to identify and fix problems in mines. Mr Thomas is an engineering consultant and he is developing what engineers called control systems. He is developing a new system that he has called Perspectiv. Perspectiv is the blend of gaming technology and 3-D modelling, he said.

"It is something that I always been interested in, but I like that way the two can now cross paths," he said. "Previously you were presented with very basic two-dimensional interfaces." "And they all had to be custom engineered in to building and maintain them. "Imagine a mine site presented to you as a full 3D model where you can browse around and move through. "You can see all the live equipment actually running in real time.

"And then do things like 'What-If' analysis and statistical planning." In other words, you can literally watch the "inputs" as issues emerge and identify them. "If there is an incident, you can replay and event and play the captured event. You can make future projections, or work out downtime. How close is Mr Thomas to having his 3D mine-site control room ready?

"That's probably next year but I want to get the early-release (beta) model out pretty soon." Perspectiv can also help the rural sector, he said. "It could also be used on farms and for livestock management," Mr Thomas says. "So they are our two primary focuses at the moment." 3 Meet William Stubbs.

William Stubbs is one of the founders of Spur Projects, a not-for-profit site that was founded six years ago. It is described as the world largest online mental health survey. "It has the specific aim to eliminate male suicide in Australia," Mr Stubbs. "And it has definitely been the most rewarding thing and the most challenging thing I have ever done." Mr Stubbs went through hard times himself as a teenager and was taken to meet someone who talked him through those moments of depression.

Spur Projects had been through several incantations of websites that speak to young men about depression, mental health and suicide, before settling on a model called How Is Australia Feeling? They were against asking people in retrospect how they were feeling. They wanted an instant online poll of exactly how people were feeling, right then right now. "We had this idea, 'What if we could interview everyone in Australia at the same time using an iPhone or an Android app?'" And they tried in 2014 and repeated it in October 2016.

"How Is the World Feeling? was launched officially in October 2016. "We had 105 countries partake, we had 11,000 people in nine different languages and we had 60,000 submissions in a week." Mr Stubbs said while it is not as many people as they hoped it was "pretty spectacular". "It can't tell you anything about one person," he said. "But if I wanted to know about how one city felt, or how a suburb was feeling, it can do that.
Sonia Lear was cradling their newborn when her partner declared he wanted to quit engineering to make pizza on the side of the road for a living.

Her initial reaction was complete exasperation. "The timing was terrible and I told him there was no way. We were living in India at the time. We relocated to Melbourne, but the pizza dream was still very real for him."

Sonia Lear and her husband Remi Pham own Happy Camper Pizza. Credit:Shannon Morris

Happy Camper Pizza

Then one day, her partner Remi Pham, came home with a wood-fired oven kit and added wheels to make it "mobile" in an attempt to demonstrate that he meant business.
A lack of police numbers in Melbourne's suburbs is preventing officers from doing vital early intervention work that would help thwart violent outbreaks in the CBD, the police union says.

Victoria's Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said more police were needed in outer suburban areas to tackle youth crime and avoid ugly eruptions seen at the Moomba festival on the weekend.

Police confiscated a range of weapons, deployed capsicum spray and lined city streets in large numbers on the weekend.

Yet small brawls still broke out at Federation Square.
Scout was Scout till the end: stubborn, contrary, doing things his way and driven as always by a lingering suspicion that I was up to no good. (In this case you could hardly blame him.)

An accidental comedian till the end. He got up and walked out on his own death scene.

Neil McMahon farewells his beloved best friend and companion, Scout. Credit:Meredith O'Shea

For 30 minutes he romped and played and barked and bumbled about on his favourite corner of Port Melbourne beach, a patch of sand he has been to almost every day for the last four years.

It was his first visit to the beach since he went blind  literally overnight a few days ago, a consequence of his debilitating six-month battle with the double whammy of diabetes and Cushing's disease  but he was determined to make the most of it.
Shoppers in Melbourne's western suburbs have been warned about measles after a Big W employee contracted the infectious disease during a holiday in Bali.

The casual employee had worked four days in a row at the Big W store in Werribee Plaza, from March 3 to 6, before being diagnosed, Victoria's acting Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton said.

"We are concerned that more people may have been infected through contact with this individual in the community," Dr Sutton said.

Measles has an incubation period of up to 18 days, he said, so it is possible there are more cases of infected people yet to seek treatment or develop symptoms.
Political parties around Australia will be eyeing off the Liberals' disastrous result in the WA election and be thinking one thing: disrespect your supporters at your own peril.

The Liberal party was obliterated in the polls and could lose as many as 20 seats to Labor.

The Liberals' primary vote looks like dropping a staggering 16 per cent and the party could be left holding just 16 seats.

At least four Liberal ministers  Environment minister Albert Jacob (Burns Beach), Local Government minister Paul Miles (Wanneroo) Health minister John Day (Kalamunda ) and Mental Health minister Andrea Mitchell (Kingsley) have lost their seats.
However, despite his party's poor show in the election, which just managed to win 47 seats, Shivpal Yadav celebrated his victory singing Holi song.

By Jitendra Bahadur Singh: Senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav today said he is responsible for party's crushing defeat in the Assembly election and not Akhilesh Yadav.

However, despite his party's poor show in the election, which just managed to win 47 seats, Shivpal Yadav celebrated his victory singing Holi song.

The 61-year-old Samajwadi Party veteran won the party stronghold Jaswantnagar defeating BJP leader Manish Yadav Patre by a margin of 52,616 votes.

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Talking about the defeat, he said, "We are ourselves responsible for the defeat and will not blame anyone. We were with Netaji's struggle and we will together take the party where it belongs."

He also added that the party has reached from where it rose and that's the reason why the party has got 47 seats.

While in Saifai, Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger brother Abhay Ram Yadav said that whatever has happened, has happened and we will not comment on that.

The BJP won 325 seats in 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly while the SP-Congress alliance got 54 seats.

The BJP returned to power in Uttar Pradesh after 14 years.

Also read:

As Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party loses election, supporters blame Congress and 'traitor' Shivpal

Post results, who will be UP CM? Crucial BJP parliamentary board meet scheduled for today

Kaam, KaSaB, Kabristan and Caste: What worked for BJP in Uttar Pradesh

WATCH THE VIDEO:

--- ENDS ---
WA Police were kept busy overnight due to a spate of suspicious house and car fires across Perth suburbs.

At around 11.15pm on Saturday evening, police were called to a house fire on Newhaven Crescent in Nollamara.

GENERIC fire pics. Photo Elesa Kurtz Credit:Elesa Kurtz

An elderly man was pulled to safety from the residence by emergency services, and police were later able to identify a man who had been seen acting suspiciously near the residence.

At around 3.40am, police were again called to attend to a separate vehicle fire in Nollamara.
Venlo, Netherlands: He warns about the perils of Muslim immigrants. A single well-lobbed tweet can ignite his nation's political scene for days. And in a time of relative prosperity, he has succeeded in focusing dark fears about what is happening in mosques across his land.

The peroxide-blond Dutch politician Geert Wilders was executing the Trump playbook long before the US President started his insurgent campaign for the White House. And in Dutch elections on Wednesday, Wilders has a strong chance to come out on top, cementing the influence of a politician who wants to ban the Koran, shut down mosques and upend his nation's sleepy political scene.

Nervous leaders across Europe are looking to the Netherlands this week for clues about elections this year in France and Germany. There, anti-Islam, anti-European Union candidates also are capitalising on fears about a wave of mostly Muslim refugees and migrants who have surged over their borders in recent years.

Even if Mr Wilders is barred from power by the wide range of parties that are refusing to co-operate with him, he already has tugged his nation's political discourse toward a far harder line on immigrants. Anxious to capture Wilders voters, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said that immigrants needed to work harder to fit into Dutch society or they should leave - a stark departure from a centuries-old Dutch tradition of acceptance.
Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi...
1. Understand the risks

IPOs can range from multi-billion-dollar privatisations, such as CBA, Telstra Corporation and Medibank Private, to a junior mining company that seeks to raise $4 million. But all IPOs have an added layer of risk because most have no history as a listed company. That extra risk needs to be factored into the valuation.

2. Get in the IPO loop

Prospective IPO investors can be frustrated when stock is hard to get or the IPO opens and closes in the blink. The ASX Upcoming Listings page has information on companies that have applied for official admission to ASX.

For information on companies that are proposing an IPO or are testing their offer with institutional investors, read the Street Talk column in the Australian Financial Review or the business pages of The Australian. Identify which broking firms are most active in the floats you prefer and consider opening an account with them and building a relationship.

3. Read the prospectus

Novice investors can be put off by IPO prospectuses, which sometime resemble mini telephone books. Granted, they are not the easiest document to read but it is well worth the effort. You will learn more about the company and its industry in the prospectus than in any other piece of corporate communication.

Read the IPOs supplementary or replacement prospectuses if the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) deems additional or revised information is required.

4. Do you understand the company?

As with any investment, if you dont understand an IPO, dont buy it. After reading the prospectus you should be able to form a view on how the company makes money, its industry position and the key drivers of its earnings.

For a pre-revenue company, such as a mining explorer or emerging technology company, you should understand the pathway towards commercialisation and the key risks.

5. Management

Few things tell you more about the quality of an IPO than its management. Assessing the executive team is especially important with smaller IPOs that rely heavily on a few key people to create long-term, sustainable wealth for shareholders.

Consider the executive teams past achievements. Have they made money for previous shareholders? Are they experienced and well-regarded in their industry? Is there sufficient depth in the executive team or does it rely mostly on the CEO?

Most of all, read the executive remuneration policy outlined in the prospectus. Are managements financial incentives appropriately aligned with shareholders? How does the CEOs pay compare to others who run similar entities? Is too much of the CEOs pay guaranteed through fixed payments, such as cash salary?

6. Skin in the game

In addition to executive pay levels, how much does the executive team have invested in the business? How many shares do they own? Is a large part of their pay delivered through long-term incentives, such as options plans? What targets must be achieved before options or other performance incentives are granted? Are their shares escrowed, thus cannot be sold for a certain period?

Some investors prefer CEOs who are strongly locked into the IPO through high share ownership or long-term pay incentives. They believe these CEOs think more like owner-managers. Thats not to say professional managers, who own fewer shares, cannot add great value to an IPO. But ask what the CEO loses if the IPO fails.

7. Board

Boards are sometime overlooked in IPO analysis. Most focus is on the CEO, but the boards biggest task is to choose the right CEO, give them appropriate incentives and monitor their performance. A high-performing executive team usually starts with a good board.

Consider the strength of the IPOs board. How experienced are its directors? Is there a good mix of skills? Do directors own shares in the IPO and if so, how many? How independent is the board from the executive team? High-quality boards typically do a lot of due diligence on an organisation before agreeing to govern it.

8. Where is the money going?

Some vendors use IPOs as an exit strategy to enable founding shareholders to sell all or part their shares. Others use the IPO to raise capital that is reinvested in the business and potentially quicken its growth.

Every company is different, but I prefer IPOs that reinvest all or most capital raised into the business. It means the founding shareholders have greater incentive to grow the organisation for the long term and better alignment of interests with new shareholders. Also, some newly listed companies struggle when the founders retire and new management takes over.

9. Capital structure

Understand what the IPOs capital structure would look like if all options granted to executives or investors were exercised. Or what happens when restructured securities are available to be sold in a year or two after listing. And how much debt is involved?

Excessive share issuance can dilute existing shareholders and weigh on the organisations earnings per share and return on equity. It may not be an issue if the executive team has to meet tough return hurdles to achieve their performance-related shares or options, but always form a view on the capital structure.

10. Follow the aftermarket

Investors can give up on an IPO when they cannot secure a stock allocation, and the market can have an unforgiving attitude to floats that disappoint on listing; an IPO that attracted plenty of attention before listing suddenly has a lower profile.

Sometimes the best IPO opportunities are in the secondary market, soon after listing. An IPOs share price falls because it was a touch overvalued at listing or because there is high turnover in its stock as the share register settles. Or an undervalued stock at listing rallies on debut, before making new highs in coming months.

The point is: do not feel you have missed out if you cannot secure stock in a float. The best opportunities often come to patient investors who watch and wait for better value, when the initial promotion for an IPO subsides.

11. Do your homework

As mentioned, IPOs have an added layer or risk as the company transitions to a life as a listed company. So read up on the IPO, study its prospectus and compare it to similar listed companies to form a view on its valuation.

Consider using a full-service broker if you intend to be active in the IPO market. Some online brokers offer excellent IPO resources and can secure stock allocations for clients. But a relationship with a broker who knows the IPO market and works for a firm that is active in this space, is valuable.

>> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter

Tony Featherstone is a former managing editor of BRW and Shares magazines. The information in this article should not be considered personal advice. The article has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on the information in this article you should consider its appropriateness, regarding your objectives, financial situation and needs. Do further research of your own or seek personal financial advice from a licensed adviser before making any financial or investment decisions based on this article. All prices and analysis at March 8, 2017.
Australians everywhere breathed a collective sigh of relief when the GDP figures for the December Quarter came in at 1.1%, beating expectations. GDP for Calendar Year 2016 came in at 2.4%. Negative GDP of 0.5% reported for the September Quarter ignited fears of recession. The surprising rebound in some commodity prices boosted the contribution of our beloved miners; but it was another sector that led in contributing to GDP by a wide margin  Agriculture. The following table breaks down GDP contribution by sector.



Farm production for the December quarter grew by 8.3%, with the biggest increases coming from grain, cotton, and livestock, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Agriculture is one of those highly touted long term mega trends where experts of all types urge Aussie investors to look for opportunities. The Australian Governments Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) expects our agriculture sector to benefit from five key mega-trends over the next 15 to 20 years. From the RIRDC website here are the research findings from an August of 2015 study:

1. A hungrier world: by 2050, there will be 70 per cent or 2.3 to 2.4 billion more people on earth, who will need 60 to 70 per cent more food than whats currently available.

2. A wealthier world: increasingly wealthier consumers in developing economies will drive demand for more and diverse foods. In Asia alone, with over 1 billion people expected to move out of poverty as average incomes rise from US$12,000 to US$44,000 per person by 2060, beef consumption is predicted to rise 120 per cent, while dairy consumption will double by 2050.

3. Fussier customers: empowered by information, the consumers of 2050 are likely to expect food to be nothing less than healthy, nutritional, clean, green and ethically produced. 4. Transformative technologies: advanced digital, genetic and materials science technologies will enable farmers to improve how they produce food and fibre products, while innovative sensory systems and data analytics will create highly integrated farm to fork supply chains. Farmers will be able to make better decisions and manage risk more effectively, while consumers will have greater access to trace the origins of their food, putting production methods under the spotlight.

5. Bumpier ride: Australian rural industries can expect a changed risk profile, which will call for new and deeper levels of resilience to withstand shocks associated with climate change, environmental change and globalisation.

Note that of the five trends highlighted; only the fifth  bumpier ride due to environmental changes and globalisation  can be considered as headwinds. And even globalisation works in our favor due to our proximity to the area of the world where the greatest change in consumer behavior is expected to occur  Asia.

Within the broader ASX Agricultural sector there are six stocks with operations in grain, cotton, and livestock.



With the exception of Graincorp Limited (GNC) the two year earnings growth forecasts serve as a reminder of an inherent risk in all agriculture stocks the mega-trend prophets sometimes forget  near-term risks frequently outweigh long-term potential in the minds of many share market participants.

Agriculture stocks are subject to the economic risk of declining soft commodity prices as well as to the most unpredictable of non-controllable factors  weather; droughts, floods, and unseasonable heat or cold, to name a few.

For those with a long term view companies whose operations focus on a particular agricultural market, such as beef, grain, or cotton, would seem to be at more risk than those that provide services to a wide array of agricultural producers. In reality all the stocks in our table are diversified within their sector to varying degrees, but a strong case could be made for Rural Funds Group Limited (RFF) as having the most diversified customer base.

Rural Funds Group is a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust); the only agricultural REIT listed on the ASX. The Group owns and leases out farm properties to a broad array of agricultural producers, including ASX listed wine producer Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) and almond producer Select Harvest (SHV). Rural Funds farm property portfolio also boasts leasing contracts with cotton growers, and beef and poultry producers. The following chart from the company website shows the RFF FY 2017 revenue forecast broken down by product offering.



The biggest contributor is expected to be RFM Poultry, listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange under the CODE RFP. For the Full Year 2016 RFF reported a rise in net income from $21.7 million to $26.5 million while net profit more than tripled from $10.2 million to $34.8 million.

Rural Funds also owns water entitlements near its poultry producers and plant and equipment processing for its almond producers. The companys current dividend yield is 5.2% which is forecasted to increase by 7.6% over the next two years. The company is relatively new to the ASX, listing in February of 2014. Here is a price movement chart for RFF since it came on the ASX.



In mid-2014 Elders Limited (ELD)  in business for close to 175 years  was floundering and speculation regarding takeover bids abounded. The stock price hovered around $0.22 before management initiated a cost cutting program and a 10 for 1 share consolidation, lifting the share price to around $2.15. The recovery continued, with the share price reaching an all-time high of $4.48 on 7 March of this year.

Elders offers a highly diversified range of services to agricultural producers, primarily those operating in wool, livestock, and grain. Services offered include financial planning; real estate; insurance; home loans; and Elders Rural Services offering farm supplies; a mobile app for keeping up to date with the price of agricultural commodities and the local weather; and feedlots and supply chain management for beef producers. Elders began exiting its live cattle exporting business in mid-2016.

Between FY 2015 and FY 2016 Elders increased revenue 9% with profit increasing 35%. Although Elders has not paid a dividend for some time, there is speculation the company will reinstate dividend payments in FY 2017.

Australian Agricultural Company (AAC) has a long history of disappointing investors. The company has a book value per share of $1.75 (most recent quarter or MRQ) while its share price is about 30 cents lower. A highly valued asset base is relatively meaningless if the company does not produce adequate returns from those assets. AAC in fact has a negative rate of ROA (Return on Assets) -7.4%. The companys share price has yet to recover from the GFC. Here is a price movement chart for AAC since it began trading on the ASX.



Australian Agricultural posted a strong showing for FY 2016, with revenues increasing from $347 million to $495 million and profit rising from $9.6million to $68 million. The profit mark was a record high, sending the share price to its highest level since 2009.

Australian Agricultural Companys only diversification beyond its vast herds of cattle is the property it owns on which the cattle grazing and breeding takes place; and a processing operation in Darwin. However, its beef operations extend from breeding to processing to exporting to sales of branded meat products.

The upsides to taking a chance on AAC include improved trade agreements with China and its relatively recent entry into the processing and selling of branded beef.

Graincorp Limited (GNC) operates internationally, buying, storing, marketing, selling, and distributing grain and grain processed products. The grains on which the company focuses its operations include wheat, barley, and canola. Graincorp Malt division has multiple subsidiary companies around the world providing malt to local brewers and distillers. Graincorp Oils refines edible oils into food products for humans and animals as well as for use in biofuels.

The companys substantial earnings growth forecast may reflect the jump in grain production seen in the GDP release. In 2013 investors were treated to a roller coaster ride amidst the ultimately unsuccessful takeover bid from US based Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE:ADM).

Ridley Corporation Limited (RLC) provides animal nutrition products; including animal food in a variety of forms and nutritional supplements. Ridleys clients include producers of poultry, pigs, dairy and beef cattle, horses, domestic pets, and research laboratories using specialised product.

Ridleys presence across virtually the entire range of livestock puts it in a unique position to benefit not only from rising demand for livestock, but also by protection from falling livestock prices in a given segment. In the unlikely event the price of all forms of livestock drops, the animals still need to be fed and producers generally wait before cutting back on animal production.

Naomi Cotton (NAM) is a small company with a market cap just short of $50 million and scant investor interest. The three month average daily trading volume is 17,885 shares per day. In contrast, shares of Graincorp  with a market cap of $2 billion  has traded an average of 833,438 shares per day over the last three months.

Despite its size and relative anonymity, the company has a solid track record of total shareholder return over the last three years. Naomi is a co-operative, meaning it operates on co-operative principles with its grower members according to rules registered with the government.

The company has 13 operational cotton gins; as well as seed processing facilities and packing facilities for cotton seed, wheat, chickpeas, and other grains with port delivery services included. Naomis Half Year 2017 Results released last August showed a 27% increase in revenue and an 82% rise in net profit.

Ruralco Holdings (RHL) is another agricultural stock to consider, although it has less exposure to livestock and grain and no exposure to cotton. The company operates 500 outlets across rural Australia serving farmers with branded products from animal feed to livestock and wool marketing services to a network of real estate agents to water management and financial services.

Ruralco is arguably the most diversified agricultural stock on the ASX with its outreach to more than forty different business segments serving virtually every agricultural operation imaginable. The current share price is $2.82, down 18% year over year. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.054 for FY2016 which by some estimates is expected to grow to $0.24 by FY 2018. Ruralcos FY 2016 dividend payment was $0.098 per share, which is forecasted to rise to $0.11 per share by FY 2018.

Australian investment house Washington H Soul Pattinson & Co Ltd (SOL) has a 20% interest in Ruralco.

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By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Mar 12 (PTI) The new Trump administration understands the importance of strong Indo-US ties but should not adopt any kind of "transactional approach" when it comes to this relationship, a top Indian-American official in the previous government has said.

"This administration, like the past administration understands and sees the value and the importance of strong ties between the United States and India," former Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal told PTI.

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Under the Obama Administration, India-US relationship made a lot of progress, in particularly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, she said.

"I think we made a lot of progress in that direction, but theres more to be done by both sides. By the United States, in creating a clear, unequivocal and irreversible set of commitments to India in terms of our investment in Indias capabilities. And by India, in creating a clear and long-term commitment to working together on those issues," Biswal said, as she cautioned against adopting a transactional approach to such an important relationship.

"A transactional approach would be just about what you can acquire commercially at what time period for, with no real commitments on either side to do anything more. But, the kinds of capabilities that were talking about are not short-term, one off capabilities. They are actually part of comprehensive and complex systems," she said.

"If youre going to create a system, you want to create the kind of overall doctrine that will then guide that system," she said in response to a question.

The recent visit of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar went quite well, said Biswal, who was Obamas point person for South and Central Asia.

Jaishankar was here last week for a few days during which he met the Secretary of State, the Commerce Secretary, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the National Security Advisor to US President Donald Trump.

"It (the visit) was well received. He had very high-level meetings and they were very warm and cordial and receptive and responsive to the issues the Foreign Secretary wanted to discuss," Biswal said, hoping that the visit would certainly create new opportunities to do things and strengthen the relationship.

However, she noted that the structure, shape and the scope of the relationship will depend in many ways on how the administration itself comes together on the contours of its foreign policy priorities and approaches.

"That, I think is still too early to tell because so many of the institutions and the individuals that are part of a broad-based and comprehensive partnership," Biswal said.

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"So many of those institutions are still finding their footing in the new administration. So many of the key positions for managing those ties are still vacant. And many of the inter agency processes and bilateral dialogues have yet to really take shape," Biswal said. PTI LKJ ASK ASK

--- ENDS ---
Treasure hunts are funespecially when conducted within the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New Yorks SoHo.

The museum, co-founded as a non-profit in 1987 by Charles W. Leslie and Fritz Lohman, has just reopened after a massive renovation, increasing its exhibition space from 3,300 square feet to 5,600 square feet.

Under the aegis of newly installed director Gonzalo Casals, formerly Vice President of Programs and Community Engagement at Friends of the High Line, the museum is celebrating its expansion by exhibiting 240 works of art from its collection of more than 30,000 objectsmany unseen until now.

Taken together, these works tell in their compositions, meanings, messages, and themes a wider LGBT historyof times pre- and post-liberation; of HIV and AIDS and its devastating impact; love and loss; togetherness and loneliness; angry and vibrant politics, and moments of silent repose.

One may well ask that the point of an LGBT art museum issurely most galleries willingly carry the work of LGBT artistsbut the Leslie-Lohmans collection is not scattered or up on the walls one month and down the next. It is concentrated and diverse; what distinguishes it are the many representations of same-sex desire.

Branden Wallace, head of the Leslie-Lohmans collections department and co-curator of the inaugural show in the renovated space, Expanded Visions: Fifty Years of Collecting, showed a reporter some of the most prize pieces during a recent visit, including a collection of Robert Mapplethorpe pictures showing a male couple enjoying what looked like a bondage session.

Black and white, the pictures held romance, menace, and made artas Mapplethorpe was famous for doingout of the images, sensuality, and accoutrements of BDSM.

Next to the pictures is a beautiful black and white image of a mans face getting splashed with water. Wallace noted that Gerhard Pohls 1970 image predated Mapplethorpes similarly styled, much more famous images, by around five years.

What we wanted to show is how so many artists are, either meaning to be or without meaning to be, in conversation with each other, he said.

An image from Andy Warhols Sex Parts series is exhibited alongside a wonderful Catherine Opie print of performance artist Ron Athey, and a Keith Haring picture of a figure being pleasured from behind and the front.

Other images are less overt, while freighted with implication. Ernesto Pujols Gullivers Travels is two large photographs: one of a male figure bound, the other of his feet bound. It recalls both Gulliver as giant, but alsoin the context of AIDSthe notion of a body being occupied by a virus. David Wojnarowiczs Seven Miles Per Second is a comic strip story around love, desire, and HIV.

Alongside it, Edward Hochschilds wooden cross, studded with vials, is another artistic story of AIDS: inside the vials are elements of a day of his life, including blood, cat food, and the AZT he was taking as medicine in the early 1990s. And the cross is also a cross, a symbol of Jesus crucifixion, of religionand ambivalently representing both the prejudices of the time, but also, perhaps, personal beliefs and spirituality. John Thomas Paradisos pink and grey camouflage bed headboard features a crucifixion scene in its center.

In another part of the gallery is a particular emphasis on lesbian photography, featuring such innovators as Donna Gottschalk, Joan E. Biren (search out her image of parts of two bodies caught in an intimate moment), and Meg Turner, famed for her stunning images of Courtney Webster.

On another wall is a Jez Dolans photograph of a floral wreath spelling out Nancy. Is this a funeral wreath for an old British insult for homosexual, or a playful celebration of the same? You will find that many of the 240 works come with questions that make you look twice, and maybe more than twice. Such is the skillful curation of the Leslie-Lohman as it celebrates both its expansion and its valuable longevity.

Expanded Visions: Fifty Years of Collecting is on show until May 21 at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, 26 Wooster Street, NYC.
An Iraq-based news report is that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, aka Ibrahim al-Badri, is no longer camped in the besieged Mosul and is somewhere along the Syrian border between al Hajinn in Syria and al Baaaj in Iraq.

By any measure, the manhunt is underway, and it is useful to weigh what is to be done with al-Badri, an Iraqi national outlaw, who is also the head of a mass-murdering gang of what the Trump Administration declares to be radical Islamic terrorism.

Speaking recently with Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka, I learned there is room to entertain the possibility that al-Badri, if located, may well fall into the hands of the US and its allies in the region, such as the Kurdish forces known as the YPG.

Do we want al-Badri alive? I asked.

Unlike the Obama administration, were not going to second guess the theater commanders, Gorka explained. Were not going to have the eight thousand mile screwdriver that literally was the last eight years. We will leave those decisions to how you effectively neutralize an HVT, a high value target, to the people who are there on the front line.

Gorka then posited out loud about al-Badri in captivity, using the analogy of the nine-year pursuit and US-sanctioned killing of the surrounded Al Qaeda chieftain Osama Bin Laden in 2011.

If I had my druthers, Ive always said, in the last 16 years, it would have been superlative to have had Osama Bin Laden in an orange jumpsuit in the dock in a federal court. Not just from the treasure trove of intelligence that could have been gleaned from him from interrogations, but simply the psychological warfare aspect. The great leader of the global jihad is standing in a dock shackled to his waist by a chain. So thats just my druthers.

I agree with this measure and have corresponded with several of my colleagues, such as the Johns Hopkins historian Michael Vlahos, about the historical models for how an empire can manage a condemned outlaw and his followers.

The Spartacus rebellion in the Gladiator War was answered by Rome with the spectacular ruthlessness of crucifying six thousand of the defeated slave army long the Appian Way. Spartacus himself was never found. Two thousand years later, this theater of cruelty has continued on through the 20th and 21st centuries; from the Armenian massacre nearly a century ago to ISIS today. Therefore it is a method without any credibility for a coalition that includes the U.S.

There have been other methods for dealing with an outlaw. The sadistic public execution of William Wallace was typical of the Medieval and Renaissance answer to a warlord rebellion. Even the Sun King, Louis XIV, creator of the pinnacle of divine right civilization at Versailles, vouchsafed torture and burning of outlaws such as witches and poisoners. However, after the political scandal of waterboarding for the Bush administration, it is not imaginable that al-Badri or his lieutenants will be tortured in custody.

American history offers grim examples of how our Constitutional authority has handled those regarded as the leaders of threats to civil order, such as the Boston Corbett shooting of the surrounded and defeated John Wilkes Booth, or such as the killing of the tricked and cornered Oglala chief Crazy Horse.

For America and its modern allies, the Nuremberg trials, 1945-1949, offer a likely model for what to do if al-Badri is captured along with thousands of his followers.

However the notion of Nuremberg as a complete answer to mass-murder can be misleading. I learned from Andrew Nagorski, in conversation about his book, The Nazi Hunters, that the Allies were overwhelmed both by the scale of the crimes and the numbers of the murderers.

To kill millions, you need millions, Nagorski explained. Or at least hundreds of thousands. And as a result of this, the Allies wanted to make an example of some of the top people, and some of the people who ran the concentration camps, but there was no way to try everybody, and then very quickly the Cold War sets in.

What this meant was that, in the fresh aftermath of the war, 1945-46, the worst of the worst, such as Martin Borman or Joachim von Ribbentrop, were condemned and executed by hanging (not in public); and yet tens of thousands of Hitlerites who participated actively in the industrial slaughter escaped justice. Unavailable or deceased witnesses, incomplete investigations, exhausted resources, bald chance, geopolitical crises such as the Cold War beginning 1948, made thorough retribution impractical.

It is easy to presume that, in the event of the capture of al-Badri and his leadership, and the vanquishing of the ISIS multitudes, tens of thousands of scattered killers and their accomplices will change their stripes in order to blend into the ongoing turmoil of the unstable Middle East and troubled Europe. Only sturdy, peaceful Arab states and a confident, modern Islamic culture can confront, rehabilitate or solve the killers who get away.

Yes, the chained al-Badri in an orange jumpsuit inside a bulletproof glass booth on global television, if it comes, will provide a political advantage to the US and its allies for a few seasons.

However, the homicidal fury that drives the cutthroats will continue until the modernists of Islam are victorious jot and tittle.
The Republican Party has long been a comfortable home for anti-Europeanism, from the "America First" opponents of U.S. participation in World War II to the "let them eat Freedom Fries" movement responsible for renaming French fries in congressional cafeterias during the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003.

But as far-right political parties gain power and prominence on the Continent, many members of the Grand Old Party are cozying up to European politicos with unprecedented enthusiasmwell, nearly unprecedented.

Among the most fawning of the newly Europositive wing of the Republican party: Rep. Steve King (R-IA), a nativist hawk from the heartland with a long and unapologetic history of making incendiary statements regarding immigrants, Islam, and racial "sub-groups." On Sunday, however, King surprised even his sharpest critics by tweeting what amounts to an endorsement of Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, founder and leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom who is days away from his potential election as prime minister of the Netherlands.

"Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny," King tweeted. "We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies."

King's tweet linked to a tweet from Voice of Europe, a Twitter account which describes itself as anti-European Union, with a cartoon version of Wilders depicted as poking his finger in a leaking dike holding back the toxic floodwaters of Islam.

Even for King, whose eight terms in Congress have been studded with numerous controversial statements on race and "civilization," the apparent endorsement of Wilders is remarkable. Wilders, whose party currently leads numerous polls in the Dutch general election to be held on Wednesday, has built his political career on virulent anti-Islamic statements and policies that make even the most aggressive statements of President Donald Trumpof whom Wilders is an avid fanseem moderate.

Over the years, Wilders has called for banning the Quran in the Netherlands, proposed a 1,000 "Head-Rag Tax" on Muslim women who wear hijabs in public, and called for a moratorium on the founding of new mosques in his 2006 political manifesto Klare Wijn ("Clear Wine").

Inquiries to King's congressional office on Sunday regarding the Iowa congressman's stance on these and other statements by Wilders went unanswered.

King's embrace of Wilders is the latest indicator of a newfound chumminess with the European far-right and its political leaders. King has indicated support for, among others, France's Marine Le Pen, Austria's Norbert Hofer, and Germany's Frauke Petry, each of whom espouses similar views on immigration, Islam, and cultural "purity"views that King himself as frequently expressed stateside.

During the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last year, King declared during a discussion about the Republican Party's difficulties in winning over non-white voters that whites had contributed more to civilization than other "sub-groups," particularly in the United States, Western Europe and "every place where the footprint of Christianity settled the world."

Three years ago, King dismissed immigrant children who hoped to achieve legal status in the United States a drug-smuggling criminals. For everyone whos a valedictorian, theres another hundred out there," king said. "They weigh 130 pounds and theyve got calves the size of cantaloupes because theyre hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.

During a debate on then-proposed reform of America's immigration system, King even brought a replica of a proposed border fence onto the floor of the House of Representatives, complete with wire that, he said, would be charged with an electrical current.

"We do that with livestock all the time," King said.
America is currently experiencing an explosion of analysis and commentary, trying to make sense of the astonishing events since November 8. I suspect there is no skeleton key that unlocks the secret of the elections outcome, no single factor to ground some grand unified theory for this act of political self-harm of a great nation.

But having spent the past five years researching and writing on the shadowy and often surprising role that drugs play in human history, I was intrigued when psycho-active substances began to emerge as a factor in this election, tooan elusive counterpoint dancing around more prominent themes of nationalist status anxiety and racial animus. Social scientists pointed out unmistakable correlations. Counties most affected by the opiate epidemic (as measured by drug overdose rates, among other indicators) backed Donald Trump more enthusiastically than they had Mitt Romney four years earlier. And those counties with the highest number of clandestine meth lab busts, which describe a veritable Meth Belt, overwhelmingly chose Trump over Hillary Clinton.

Drugs flourish in these areas as symptoms of deeper troubles, signifying the hollowing-out of communities after factories close and jobs evaporate. Crystal Meth has become the canary in the coal mine, the visible sign of larger macro-economic trends that are having more difficult-to-grasp and intangible effects everywhere in the country. As I found myself wondering whether the U.S. might be just one more example in a long historical pattern of societies looking to addictive drugs when the bottom drops outeither for fuel or as an escape mechanismI heard echoes of another time, eight decades ago, when the West feverishly looked toward Germany for signs of what its new, unpredictable leader might do. Would he perhaps start a devastating war? Would he make good on his sinister promise to get rid of unwanted minorities?

Anyone who was still skeptical about the danger of the disease that was National Socialism could have focused less on what Hitler said or did during those years preceding the great tragedy of World War II. They could instead have considered a popular product at the time, the Hildebrand boxed chocolates spiked with nothing less than methamphetamine.Ads with a pleased looking German housewife, a meth candy in her manicured fingers, were being exhibited all over Berlin and other German towns. A good 14 milligrams of meth was included in each portiona large dose, comparable to a line of street meth today. Hildebrand chocolates are always a delight read the slogan of the potent confectionery. The recommendation was to eat between three and nine of those, with the indication that they were, unlike caffeine, perfectly safe. The housework would be done in a trice, and this unusual tidbit would even melt the pounds away, since meth, a slimming agent, also curbed the appetite.

The stuff was not only pleasing to German frauleins. During the late 30s, meth became a popular everyday supplement in Nazi Germany, wherever you looked. It was perfectly legal, and cheap, too. Just walk into any chemists shop and buy as much as you liked. The successful product had been put on the market by the pharmaceutical company Temmler under the brand name Pervitin.

Whether it was secretaries typing faster, actors refreshing themselves before they went on stage, writers using the stimulation of methamphetamine for all-nighters at the desk, or hopped-up workers on conveyor belts at Volkswagen raising their outputPervitin spread among all circles. Night watchmen stopped sleeping on the job, and long-distance truck-drivers bombed down freshly constructed Autobahns completing their trips in record time. Doctors treated themselves with it, businessmen who had to rush from meeting to meeting pepped themselves up; Nazi Party members did the same, and so did the SS. Meth eased stress, increased sexual appetite, and artificially enhanced motivation. The powerful pharmaceutical industry, it seemed, had finally found a panacea. People didnt take meth to cure a specific disease but rather to cope with the spirit, the challenges of modern times. Pervitin became a symptom of the developing performance society. No one outside of Germany noticed this.

National Socialism was toxic, in the truest sense of the word. It gave the world a chemical legacy that still affects us today: a poison that refuses to disappear. In present day America, the wave of de-industrialization leaves a secondary industry in place, fueled by meth. This is not a coincidence.

In Herculaneum, Missouri, the last American lead smelter shut down in 2013, leaving behind a territory and a population poisoned by lead. Although it would be impossible to prove, its tempting to make a correlation, says Jason Pine, an anthropologist at SUNY Purchase who researched meth production in eastern Missouri for over five years, and is finishing a book on the subject, between lead exposure and the extraordinarily high incidence of small-scale meth labs in the area. Lead poisoning is linked to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. An approved and widely prescribed medicine for ADHD is Adderall, mixed amphetamine salts, one of the most profitable drugs in Shire Pharmaceuticals portfolio. However, many unemployed or underemployed people in de-industrializing areas across the country are not able to acquire controlled substances like Adderall either because they are undiagnosed, lack health insurance or are unable to get a prescription from a doctor. People with ADHD are therefore often drawn to illegal stimulants. In rural Missouri and other places like it, methamphetamine is the most potent and most accessible of these, easily produced with a Shake-and-Bake lab.

This home-cooking method, which requires nothing more than a 2-liter soda bottle and a few ingredients you can get at any Walmart, is very different from the high tech methods Temmler used in its Berlin lab. Yet the Shake-and-Bake recipe produces Crystal Meth of such quality that even Breaking Bads Walter White would give an approving nod.

The people I got to know were not necessarily getting high to withdraw from the world, says Pine. To the contrary: Many took meth in order to work longer hours at their jobs in roofing, cement work, factory work, or trucking so they can make ends meet. Many labor hard but still dont get paid enough to lead a decent, fearless existence.

When Pine studied life in an eastern Missouri county that for years was nicknamed the Meth Capital of the World (a label produced by policing, reporting), he encountered people with familiar feelings and desires. There are not enough new businesses to create decent paying jobs that replace what was lost through deindustrialization. People earn so little that if they make just one mistake, or have one small misfortune, like when their car breaks down or they get sick, they might lose their job. Many of the people I met make and use meth to always stay on track and, tragically, to keep things from falling apart.

The picture Pine paints is that of individuals craving to keep busy, not disappearing off the grid into the abyss of utter meaninglessness. Meth offers a treacherous shortcut to re-connect to society, and possible success. It enhances your entrepreneurial spirit, says Pine. Each use, each click in the synaptic gaps of the frontal lobe creates new excitement: an expectation that something good will come, something rewarding. Meth offers anticipatory pleasure rather than satiation, says Pine. You feel thrilled because you anticipate rewards to come. You look to the future. This perfectly describes hope.

And hope, of course, is Americas heart juice. The fake hope that meth promises functions as a performance enhancerbut only at first glance. It is experienced not as an escape but rather as a new way of living now that the old one, firmly rooted in the industrial process, has disappeared. The meth users Pine has met do not cocoon, rather they become more active, happy to keep up with the taskslike the German Frauleins eating Pervitin chocolate.

Meth creates a feeling of productivity, says Pine. You get busy. You start projects. And youre alert the entire time, wide awake. Its a great feeling when you dont have a job or youre underemployed. The American dream simply does not come true anymore in large areas of the country. You work hard to make a life, a good life, but it never comes. You stop believing in a better future. When you take meth, you feel good about the future again.In the absence of real opportunity, meth allows its users to respond to that fundamental American injunction to be productive, useful, and positiveat any cost. But meth never delivers on its promises. Trump voters soon might feel that it shares this quality with their new president, who makes pledges but consistently evades fulfilling them. In this sense, the paradox of Trump will be familiar to any junkie. He betrays his followers dreams by vowing that he can realize them.

So what is the cure? Are the drugs that a society chooses merely a sign of that worlds underlying pathology, or can drugs also heal? On a recent visit to New York to see my American publishers, I also met Neal M. Goldsmith, Ph.D., psychologist and author of Psychedelic Healing: The Promise of Entheogens for Psychotherapy and Spiritual Development. He is optimistic: We are seeing a significant increase in psychedelic research all over the Western world. Let the scientific chips fall where they may. The people running the drug administration have changed in the last decades. Back in the 70s, those in charge had never taken drugs themselves, and had a clean-cut negative attitude towards them. Nowadays the heads of the DEA or other drug regulating bodies might not have taken drugs themselves, but they certainly know that their former college buddy took them, who is today a successful lawyer, or a rich investment banker.

Goldsmiths comments reminded me that the Nazis were war-on-drugs innovators. Hitlers regime was the first to impose strict anti-drug laws, throwing users into concentration camps. Before, during the Weimar Republic, Germany had been a liberal country, down to the freedom to design ones own neuronal make-up. But repressed feelings have a way of bursting to the surface. The Nazis framework of prohibition produced a glaring hypocrisy, in that an addictive substance, methamphetamine, could become the Volksdroge, the peoples drug.

For Goldsmith, it is important to make a clear distinction between addictive drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, speed, and heroin, and entheogens or empathogens: LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, or MDMA.

Addictive drugs are impossible to take successfully, Goldsmith says. They come with a too high bodily cost. The edge of the cliff is too hard to navigate: the constant battle between not experiencing a strong enough effect and taking too much. It is a battle that our neurotransmitter system has to fight out, and results in a borrowing from the future, and paying back later with painfully high interest. Certainly a draining process. You spike up high, build up tolerance, then you crash. It is a jagged path and constant struggle against withdrawal. The ultimate result is decline. In contrast to these addictive substances with their borrowing-from-tomorrow downward spiral are the non-addictive drugs, in particular psychedelics, which can be beneficially and sustainably integrated into society. Therefore we should label the latter less as drugs but more as medicine.

Goldsmith hopes that contemporary society will find a different way dealing with drugs. This is not about being careless, he says, but rather about creating clear rules and thoughtful regulations on how to use substances which have cure potential. The War on Drugs, the old school concept, is losing steam, and is basically lost. More and more countries take a different approach. Former U.S. drug war allies are dropping like flies. Some U.S. states have also joined the process by decriminalizing marijuana. Psychedelics are being treated favorable all over the news these days. There has been a shift. Within five to ten years, some of these medicines will be re-classified. We will have physicians trained to use non-addictive drugs with patients.

In the way that drug abuse points to deeper sicknesses, Trump is not the disease of today, but the symptom. The life-threatening danger is this: he is an addictive leader, promising fake hope like a quick fix. In that specific sense, he is truly comparable to Hitler. Both led people away from healthy democratic process. It lies in the nature of the dictator to make people dependent, resulting in a strenuous borrowing from the future, without the intent to ever pay back. The root cause for this style of conducting politics is fear: Fear of the other, fear of oneself, fear of death, and fear of change. This fear eats away soul, as German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder once put it.

The toxins of National Socialismboth chemical and ideologicalare still with us. Time to cleanse. Time to look more closely on how psycho-active substances shape our history. Time to stop making war on drugs but instead make America healthy again.

Norman Ohler is an award-winning German novelist, screenwriter, and journalist. He spent five years researching Blitzed in numerous archives in Germany and the United States, and spoke to eye-witnesses, military historians, and doctors. He is also the author of the novels Die Quotenmaschine (the worlds first hypertext novel), Mitte, and Stadt des Goldes (translated into English as Ponte City). He was co-writer of the script for Wim Wenderss film Palermo Shooting.
The USS Porter was patrolling international waters in the Black Sea last month when four Russian military aircraft buzzed the guided missile destroyer as close as 200 yards. The captain and crew had seconds to decide whether to fire on them and provoke an international incident, or just watch them fly by, over and over.

As Americans stateside focused on the first draft of the travel ban and the devolving fate of now-former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Russia was sending a good old-fashioned Cold-War-style hello to the Trump administration.

The message is, we see this as our space signaling we don't think you should be here, said four-star Admiral Michelle Howard, who commands Naval Forces Europe and Africa, based at Allied Joint Force Command Naples.

Were in international waters were a member of NATO So we're going to be there, she said in an interview with The Daily Beast of such incidents.

That spells more interesting times ahead, and challenges the notion that a more Moscow-friendly Trump administration can dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from his mission to return to superpower status.

For Howard, its back to the future, coming full circle from the Cold War era when she first went to sea as a young ensign after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. Our forces were bigger so there was a lot more interaction, but the principles for these intentional close encounters at sea remain the same, she said.

You look at the different assets coming at you then you make a determination: is it actually headed at me, and then who is it, and then, is it threatening?

Sensors work overtime to figure out, if the vessel or plane approaching is armed with weapons? Does it have its targeting radar systems on?

You work your way through, looking at the asset with all of your sensors down to even sometimes the lookout on the deck, and then [ask], What angle are they coming at you, how fast are they coming at you, she said. Then you make a determination as a commander, Is an actual threat or is it someone trying to be provocative?

The challenge now versus the 1980s? Everythings faster.

That generally has to happen in secondswith the speed today, Howard said.

Back in the 1960s, these type of incidents were commonplace. Both the Russian and the U.S. navies were larger, and the tension higher, with flybys by hot-dog pilots a common harassment tactic. Howard said that after a Russian pilot was killed after crashing his own jet during such a dangerous maneuver, the two sides decided they were not only needlessly risking livesbut also risking the possibility of triggering nuclear war.

The two sides negotiated something called the Incidents at Sea Agreement in 1972, which requires them to follow international rules of the sea when interacting with each other and meet once a year to discuss alleged infractions.

That Cold War relic is still going. Admiral Howard will be hosting the next INCSEA meeting at her headquarters some time this spring, though Russian embassy officials in Washington, D.C., could not immediately confirm that the annual meeting would take place.

The American side is still compiling its list, including incidents like the USS Porters Black Sea encounter; a Russian fighter aircraft buzzing a U.S. P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft last September; and a Russian frigate coming within 150 yards of the Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group, aiming for it, then quickly turning away, among other close encounters that month.

Howard is looking forward to laying out the American point of view in her direct, no-nonsense manner, knowing that shell likely be one of the few senior women officers in the room. Shes used to that. Howard was the first African-American woman to command a ship in the U.S. Navy, the first African-American female four-star in the Navy, and the first woman Vice Chief of the Navy, among other firsts.

She was in Washington, D.C., to speak to the United States Institute of Peace about the role of women at war, and the U.S. militarys evolving efforts to take advantage of womens skills on the battlefield - such as their unique ability as part of female engagement teams in Afghanistan to communicate with half the population that normally goes unconsulted because its a cultural and religious affront for male soldiers to approach Afghan women.

She said the U.S. military still hadnt quite figured out how to include gender as a tool when planning a military campaign, by identifying that there might be situations where re-constituting such female engagement teams might help gather intelligence and ground truth an all-male cadre couldnt access.

But however lagging the U.S. military might be on gender integration, Russia is further behind.

One of her earlier encounters with Russians was during a peacekeeping deployment off the coast of Albania in 1996, during a warmer period of U.S.-Russian relations just a few years after the Soviet Union was dissolved. Russia was celebrating its 200th anniversary of the Russian Navy and the Russian aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov was also patrolling the area. The American and Russian commanders arranged to tour each others ships.

Ill never forget when the Russiansin their dress uniforms, stepped off the Hind (helicopter), she said, recalling the history-making encounter. Part of our flight deck crew was female. They literally stopped, like what?

Howard was the second in commandthe XO or executive officer of the shipand gave some of the visiting Russians a tour.

There was this one officer, oh my gosh he just kept quizzing me: Are you really the number two? he kept asking in disbelief through an interpreter. Its like they thought the women were some sort of Potemkin village of gender integration.

Yes, I am the XO of the ship shed reply, but the Russian kept shaking his head, and rolling his eyes. She decided there was one sure way to prove it.

I finally said would you like to see my cabin? Because for ships, the one thing thats common for navies is that the more real estate you have, the more important you are, she said. And hes like da! So I take him and the interpreter up to my cabin, a spacious spread for a ship of perhaps 12 by 20 feet or more.

He looks around, theres a picture of me and my husband on my deskAll of sudden he speaks English. Very big room! You are XO!

And with that, they started speaking in English about his family and his life at sea. It was great! she said.

Its one of those friendlier encounters at sea with Russians more recently that gives the four-star hope. She last met Russian commanders at sea was during a NATO naval exercise in 2010, where she got to meet a young Russian captain and tour his ship.

He said some things I found remarkable but I found him to be sincere, she said. He told her, I think it's important for Russia and the U.S to have a good relationship and talked about being a father and having peace for his sons.

The American admiral couldnt agree more.

Youve got to remember, we're not at war, she said, adding that Russia and the U.S. do share at least one common goal. We want to eliminate ISIS. So we all have to be able to operate in the same area.

This article was corrected to reflect that Vice Admiral Chris Grady commands U.S. Sixth Fleet and reports to Admiral Howard who commands Naval Forces Europe and Africa, and to correct the date Admiral Howard met the young Russian Captain at BALTOPS from 2009 to 2010.
ROMEThe most confusing detail about Pope Francis opening the door to married priests, as he did in a widely publicized interview with a German newspaper Die Zeit last week, is that it really doesnt mean that priests can get married.

Instead, when asked what to do about the global shortage of priests, the pope said he would consider the study of whether older men who are already married and heavily involved in liturgical duties in certain diocese, could actually be ordained as priests so they could deliver the sacraments. These married men priests, he said, might be considered in rural areas of the world where there simply arent enough priests for every parish and where Catholics are underserved.

It should be noted that there is a big, big difference between priests courting, dating, marrying and honeymooning with new brides and older married men being ordained as priests.

In the wide ranging interview, Francis said, We need to consider if 'viri probati' could be a possibility. If so, we would need to determine what duties they could undertake, for example, in remote communities.

For the record, married priests already exist. Back in the 1980s, Pope John Paul II lifted the celibacy rule for married Anglican, Lutheran and Protestant priests who converted and were ordained as Catholic priests. Writing in Crux, Father Dwight Longenecker, a married Catholic priest in South Carolina who was an Anglican priest before being allowed to become a Catholic priest under Pope Benedict XVI, explains what is involved.

One of the biggest issues is also surprising: jealousy. Apparently, it is hard for priests wives to compete against God. It takes a strong, independently-minded woman to be a priests wife, Longenecker writes. Furthermore, the close pastoral relationships that develop between a priest and his people can lead to jealousy, extramarital affairs and divorce. Those who advocate for married priests had better be prepared for unhappy priests wives, marriage breakdown and how to provide for priests and their wives when the marriage ends in divorce.

Another concern is financial. Many priests take the vow of poverty, which isnt always realistic in families. Consider as well that priestly accommodations and expenses are paid for by local parishes. How that would work with a big Catholic family (remember, married priests wouldnt be allowed to use birth control) remains unclear.

When most Catholics hear I am married they say, Its about time. I think all our priests should be married. Thats when I remind them that a married man with a family will require not only a large house, but school fees, orthodontics, college and other expenses, Longnecker writes. You want married priests? Are you willing to pay an extra twenty five dollars a week to help support him?

In fact, it was the finances that partially led the way to celibacy and non-married priests in the first place. For the first thousand years of the Roman Catholic Church, priests could be married in certain circumstances. But then priests started leaving their money and possessions to their children and not to the Church, which led Pope Gregory VII to issue a decree of celibacy in the 11th Century. For nearly a thousand years a patchwork of rules applied in various places, some allowing married men to be ordained, but only if they agreed to abstain from relations with their wives, and so on, according to an explainer on the website catholic.org. It wasn't until the medieval period that the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church began to require priestly celibacy. In the 11th century, Pope Gregory VII issued a decree requiring all priests to be celibate and he expected his bishops to enforce it. The decree stuck and celibacy has been the norm ever since in the Latin Rite.

Still, if Francis is so desperate to fill the vocation void, why doesnt he consider ordaining women? There are scores of devout Catholic women who demand clerical equality.

Kate McElwee, co-executive director of the Womens Ordination Conference, says that while she supports the idea of married priests, she thinks it takes away from the discussion of womens roles in the Church. A married priesthood would be a great step for heterosexual men, and another attempt to obscure the urgency for women's full equality in our Church, she told The Daily Beast. We know that many people in loving relationships would be and are wonderful ministers and we welcome changes that include more people in ordained ministries. However, this conversation simply does not go far enough, and at worst, ensures that women are the last priority.

Last year, Francis created a commission to study whether women could become deacons, which many saw as the first step towards ordaining women as full-fledged priests. When asked about that in the Die Ziet interview, he said he would personally follow up on the commissions work when they meet this month.

Changing the rules to allow the ordination of women is apparently far more complicated than changing the rules that allow married men to become priests. Women arent allowed to be priests in the eyes of the Church because, according to the Catholic Catechism, priests act in the image of the male Jesus Christ, and women can never fulfill that role. Celibacy, on the other hand, is a discipline and not a matter of Church dogma, meaning that a sitting pope could change the rules to essentially make celibacy a thing of the past.
Sometimes a story grabs hold of you and wont let go. President Reagans valiant fight against Alzheimers disease is in that category for me. I wasnt a fan of Reagans policies, but there was something about the man, and the way he played the role of a lifetime. A visitor to his Century City office after he left the White House told the story of reminding Reagan that he was once President, and he asked, Howd I do?

Newsweek did a cover story on the long goodbye in the fall of 1995 when Reagan was still in the earlier stages of the disease that would take his life a decade later, in 2004. During the course of my reporting the story, Mrs. Reagan told me that one of the things that gave her husband pleasure was teaching the newest addition to the family how to swim in the heated pool at their Bel-Air home.

Rita is a real water baby, thanks to our pool and my husband, Mrs. Reagan wrote in a written response to questions, describing then 10-year-old Rita Mirembe Revell, the child that her stepdaughter, Maureen Reagan, and her husband Dennis Revell, had adopted from Uganda. Newsweek asked for photos. We didnt get them, but I always wondered what happened to Rita.
This is the first in a three-part series looking at a single sexual assault that became a viral sensation in Mexicoand its many surprising results.

TIJUANA, MexicoJust over a year ago, on International Womens Day, as it happened, I was sexually assaulted in broad daylight in Mexico City.

That day I officially became The Victim.

What happened on March 8, 2016, sparked a shocking and bizarre series of events that would threaten to destroy my career, my reputation, and everything Id worked so hard to build. It would force me to flee the country I called home, and alienate me from Mexican society. At times it left me feeling ungrounded in reality.

But it also helped spark a revolution of sorts.

Ive spent the last few months wondering how to tell this story, and debating whether I even should. Truth be told, Id like nothing more than to never revisit this, for the country to forget, and for me to finally move on with my life.

Now, however, a year after The Incident, Ive decided that the only way to really explain what happened is to lay it all out, once and for alland the only way to tell this story is to start at the beginning.

***

I walked past tree-lined streets in the upmarket Condesa neighborhoodan area sometimes called Mexico Citys Williamsburga posh, eclectic community of young professionals, creative types, hipsters, and entitled twenty-somethings.

Life, for the residents here, has little in common with the lives led by millions in Mexicolike those who are stricken by poverty, lack of education, or unending violence. This is an area of privilege. Yet even in this presumably safe neighborhood, I had fallen into a routine where I left my apartment as little as possibleusually only for work or for groceries.

A few years earlier, a mugger smashed my face into a concrete post on a pedestrian bridge in the border city of Tijuana, leaving me with a cracked orbital bone, bits of green paint and concrete pebbles lodged inside my upper lip, and blood gushing down my face. But that incident, long past, was not something I thought about often.

Then, six months before The Incident, three men had pulled knives on me while I walked through Mexico Citys historic downtown area, making off with everything but my house keys.That mugging, in the middle of the afternoon on Mexican Independence Day, left mephysicallyunharmed. But I spent the next few months unable to shake what had happened, and somewhat plagued by the residual fear that comes with being violently attacked from behind in the middle of the afternoon by strange men with knives.

Perhaps, I think now, I was already a walking PTSD case. But I felt reasonably fine.

Then, last year, while walking through the upmarket Condesa neighborhood, it happenedThe Incident.

I became The Victim once more, quite literally as I was shrugging off the baggage Id been carrying since the last time I was assaulted. Whenever someone brings it up now, they usually refer to it as the thing with your underwear.

He came up from behind, and I didnt hear him coming. It took only a second for him to flip up my skirt and half-pull them down.

I let out a self-deafening scream and dropped to the floora reflex learned the last time I was assaulted, when a hand from behind put a knife to my throat. Then, I arranged my clothes as I pirouetted on one foot, scanning behind me while bracing myself for whoever else was coming.

But there was no one there.

I realized it was over, and I wasnt being mugged again. But those three seconds would end up derailing my life for six months.

Watching the man bolt around the corner of one of the most heavily surveilled streets in the neighborhood, I regretted wearing heelsnot that I would have chased him anyway. I was furious and disgusted. But noticed a surveillance camera, and wasnt going to let this one slide.

Tweeting out what had happened, I wrote, I plan to file a report. Even though I know there will be total impunity. I knew better, then, than to expect the police to catch the predator. They almost never do, but whats worse is that they almost never really try either.

Two separate cameras had recorded the incident in its entirety. The building manager gave me access to the tapes, but after trying, and failing, to extract the video through a broken USB port, I had to settle for recording the footage from the monitor with my cellphone.

Back home, I picked the clearest of two videos recorded from two different angles, and uploaded one to Twitter. If someone recognizes this idiot please identify him, I wrote, in Spanish, noting with a certain irony that it was International Womens Day.

I spent the rest of the evening and the following morning arguing with, and fending off, dozens of online trolls who applauded the attacker. They told me that men shouldnt respect women who dress like sluts, and that women were born to clean floors and get raped.

I know better now than to feed the trolls, butat least in the beginningthe trolls seemed like real humans with real opinions, and I felt compelled to attempt to change their minds.

This was the second time in just a week that I had had an unfortunate encounter, I tweeted. Seven days ago a man followed me home, pulled out his penis, and ejaculated on my door, which Id slammed in his face. In retrospect, the fact that I had not felt more molested by the homeless masturbator seems ludicrous, but sometimes you just get used to the way things are and dont fuss about them.

Within hours of The Incident, my name began trending on Twitter in the city. But by the next day it would be trending nationally.

A former co-worker noticed and was disgusted by the incoming tweets, so she posted the footage in a Buzzfeed article, adding screen-captures, the second video, and some of the responses. I hope I find the bastard, to give the anonymous hero a cape and a prize, reads one tweet she screen-captured. You deserved rape.

There was an immediate outpouring of support from friends and colleagues and strangers. And I thanked my friend for helping to spread the culprits picture.

I want to be super clear, I wrote, sharing the post on Facebook, this is the LEAST of the abuses that women in Mexico suffer through every day.

Yesterday hundreds of women were abused, raped, or murdered in Mexico by their husbands, members of their own family, strangers in the street, members of organized crime, and Mexican government authorities, I said, synthesizing what I knew to be true from the dozens of stories Id seen unfold in Mexico in the past.

I had planned to file a police report that day, and ask the authorities to find The Incident within their footage. Mexico Citys elaborate Ciudad Segura, or safe city program, a tangle of sophisticated surveillance infrastructure that the government hypes at every opportunity, features more than 15,000 specialized cameras at intersections across the city, and is touted as the worlds most advanced urban security system.

I hoped to post a clearer image of the suspect online, and let that be the end of it. Maybe, I thought, by some stroke of luck a neighbor would recognize him.

Then came another article. And then another. Then dozens more.

The video had gone completely viral. And the more it spread, the more online messages I received. Rape and death threats came streaming in, along with messages of support and indignation in response.

Three days after The Incident, it would be international news, and Vice News, my former employer, would issue a statement in Mexico in response.

Its possible for me to piece every detail of this story together, retrospectively, as it exists on the Internet in a thousand fragments, now and almost certainly forever.

Online, there are audio and video clips; TV, radio, and web interviews; op-eds and petitions; letters to various government agencies filed on my behalf; the minutes of government meetings and hearings; and my own Twitter and Facebook feeds.

But, offline, a different story occupies nearly 500 pages of police documents, which recount the analog timeline of what happened away from the public eyein real life (IRL).

And thats where the story of The Incident begins to get really messy.

***

In Mexico, almost no one goes to the police on purpose.

The countrys so-called dark figure, or number of crimes that were either not reported or were officially ignored, is a staggering 92.8 percent, according to government figures. This is true for any crime in Mexico. But when it comes to rape and sexual assault, which has been called the darkest of the dark figure of crime, the urge to stay silent usually wins.

In Mexico, even when crimes are reportedcommon assaults, muggings, burglariesthey are almost never solved. The math is depressing: If you attempt to climb Mount Everest, you are more than fifty times more likely to succeed than the police in Mexico are to solve a common crime.

The odds favor impunity, and they are stacked high against Mexicos victims.

Its common knowledge in Mexico that victims face an arduous and often nonsensical process, but I could not have imagined just how surreal and taxing an undertaking my simple request could be, until I experienced it firsthand.

I knew better than to engage with the system, but I managed to get sucked into it anyway.

Although I know that it is foolish to compare anything that happens in the U.S. to the way crimes are handled in Mexico, one random article serves to perfectly encapsulate the two countries very different approaches to solving crimes.

Following an investigation, police have arrested a man suspected of groping a seven-year-old in a grocery store, reads the opening line of a Gothamist article about a Williamsburg crime. Police released video footage of the suspect following the incident, in the hopes that the public could help them identify the groper.

And it worked, obviously. The incident occurred on a Monday. The girls father reported it the following day, and by Wednesday the suspect was in custody, facing five criminal counts.

GOT EM!, tweeted NYPD commanding officer William Gardner, thanking the online community and the Special Victims Unit for their partnershipan expeditious job well done.

But my experience would be nothing like this. The clock began ticking to recover the footage, as I had been told that the videos are reset every seven days. By then there were thousands of people paying attention, and if there were ever a time to release the suspects image this was it.

Shareable videos were being made by news outlets, and were quickly making the rounds. I was hit with a barrage of interview requests, and was, initially, more than willing to share my two cents on the matter: The authorities had to begin to take action against the rampant, epidemic violence affecting people in Mexicoespecially women. It could no longer be ignored, I insisted.

I was speaking both from personal experience, as evidenced by the hateful messages I was receiving, but also from my work as a journalist, which had led me to follow and cover the far too frequent stories of dead colleagues and murdered womencases that were more often than not met with official impunity.

I was somewhat embarrassed by the attention focused on my specific case, when there were so many other women whose stories would never be heard. And I was also acutely aware of my privilege as a white, foreign journalist with friends in the media, and the luxury of having enough cash in my pocket to take some time away from working to even deal with any of this, as I said in early interviews.

***

By the time I made it in to file my police report, the afternoon after The Incident, the story was everywhere, and the press were waiting for me outside the bunker, a city-block-long building that houses various specialized prosecutors offices, and the cybercrime division of the investigative police.

As the media and online citizens demanded that the authorities take action, several government officials contacted me on Twitter and asked me to appear, tweeting out the address of where I should go.

It was a circus, I later tweeted, after my first visit with the authorities, during which a half-dozen officials from various agencies would usher me through the building. While inside the building, they would tweet that I was on the premises, being attended to.

When I arrived at the reception area for the special victims unit on sex crimes, I noticed a teenager seated at a nearby desk, surrounded by family members. She spoke with an agent and cried. But when the agent who was attending her case saw me come in, she paused to come meet with me. I said she should get back to work, and that Id wait. But she said she wasnt busy.

I felt awful and sick. And overwhelmed by the spectacle. And was concerned about taking valuable resources away from other victims of far more serious crimes.

Seated at a desk, surrounded by a half-dozen officials and agents from various departments and a government spokesperson, I recounted what had happened, what the videos show happened, while an agent slowly typed out what I wrote, struggling as her extra-long, painted acrylic fingernails slipped off the keys, again and again.

Toward the end, she would settle for writing most of it out using only her right index fingerthe finger that had lost its nail.

The victim, the ensuing report reads, claims suspect does fondling of buttocks, noting that the specific crime was labelled sexual abuse.

Page one of the investigative folder that would eventually balloon to roughly 500 pages is printed. It is 5:04 p.m., the day after The Incident.

Page two is a notice Ive been informed of [my] constitutional rights; granted access to justice; attended by personnel of the same sex; offered emergency medical and psychological help and free judicial assistance; treated with respect and dignity; provided with protection if at risk; given a translator, migration assistance, access to the investigation files, 

My declaration as typed is rambling, unpunctuated, riddled with typos, and in all caps.

A cleaned-up portion reads as follows: It has been explained to me that I have to proceed to the areas of investigative police, psychology and medical, but at this moment I do not accept since I do not have enough time to complete these. ...

I signed each page on the margin, leaving my right thumb print in blue ink, and printing: I have received the simple copy of my interview free of charge, being in full agreement with its content after having read it, and without having any complaints about the personnel of this prosecutors office.

This took four hours, and I was informed that the authorities could not collect the surveillance footage until I sat down for an interview with investigative police, met the in-house medic for a physical exam, met with the in-house psychologist to determine if the victim of sexual aggression presents symptoms, in accordance with the events in the complaint, and described the suspect in detail to a forensic artist who would create a police sketchof a man whom I had seen only briefly and from behind, and whose image was captured on a half-dozen private security cameras, and at least two that belonged to the city.

I wanted nothing to do with this process. But I wanted the videos. I wanted to try to prove a point: Perhaps when the authorities really try, in the face of public pressure, they can solve a case? And if they could do so for me they could it for others, too.

The following morning, at 7:21 a.m. the head of investigative police was ordered to find and locate the victim for a follow-up interview, and medical and psychological evaluation.

By now I am trending on Twitter, and live on TV for an interview that is being simultaneously broadcast on one of the most popular morning radio news shows, telling the reporter that I am going to go back into the bunker after we speak.

The previous day, Id been tweeted at by prosecutors office, DMd by various government bodies, and personally telephoned by city government officials. Yet, today, they were unable to locate the victim.

The then-30-page-long investigation folder does not contain the address of the victim, nor telephone, nor any other data or information on her whereabouts.

This would be the least of the authorities incompetencies, but a foreshadowing of things to come. If the investigative unit couldnt find me, how were they to find my aggressor?

That week, I would spend about 40 hours with the authorities, complying with every demand, following them back to the scene to point out and gather security footage, and request that they backup their own government footage before it was too late. I would grow increasingly haggard, and lose my voice.

I would be asked to reiterate and repeat my statement, explaining over and over again something that the videos clearly show, and would sit for the exams, and answer the questions they would use to make the police sketch. But all I wanted was the videos.

While standing in the in-house doctors office, I write out on a form, page 43: I do not accept a medical evaluation to search for lesions, because I do not present any.

In the conclusion box, the physician types that measuring weight and height was not possible due to lack of equipment, but notes that I am awake, aware of my surroundings, coherent in speech, with unimpaired motor function, normal pupils, unremarkable breath, and determines that I am clinically not intoxicated.

A forensic artist drafts a police sketch, based on my description of the man who I repeatedly said, and the videos show, I had only seen briefly and mostly from behind. It would look nothing like the suspect.

The following day, I would return for the the psychological exam, thinking this would be the last step in the process. I am led to a lower level of the bunker, to the in-house evaluation site.

There are two doors to choose from. The open door on the right is marked minors and looks like an asylum for disturbed children: the walls hand-painted with smiling figuresplants, animals, astral bodiesthe shocking blue vinyl couch, and a single orange ball stationary on the bright green floor.

I take the door on the left, the one marked adultos.

The battery of pseudo-scientific exams include Rorschachs and a 30-point questionnaire to measure cognitive impairment. I was asked to adlib words into sentences, and told to draw shapes, pictures of trees, families, houses, people standing in the rain, and then write stories about my drawings.

It took seven hours to complete.

Here I was, just trying to get a clearer picture of the guy. And there were the authorities, just trying to get a clearer picture of me.

I asked for a recess halfway through, so that they could thoroughly assure me that whatever I say will be reserved and my privacy guaranteed. It wouldnt. But they would begin using only my initials from that point on. I would become A.N.T.

I agreed to answer each question honestly, not self-censor, and see what would come of itperhaps as an act of subversion, of professional curiosity about what other women are subjected to.

The resulting report, which I wouldnt obtain until weeks later, begins with a series of assertions: I, the victim, am in adequate condition of hygiene and personal array; and I am wearing casual clothinga euphemism, which here means not dressed like a whore.

It goes on to summarize and paraphrase my answers to questions ranging from my earliest memories, to my relationship with my father, sexual history and orientation, number of sex partners, education, perceived shortcomings and failures, personal interests, past traumas, drug history 

At one point they note I am terrorized by people claiming they will sodomize me, and rip out my intestines, and that I like to eat pizza with friends.

They note that I appear to have no cerebral dysfunction that would keep me from functioning optimally, but that my cognitive ability tends to diminish when faced with pressure, tension or emotional conflict.

They decide that I have feelings of inferiority and insecurity, and low self-esteem, and have difficulty establishing personal relationships due to my lack of abilities to relate adequately and interact with others.

According to the evaluation, I dont derive satisfaction from relating to other people on a personal, emotional, or sexual level, due to my mistrust and fear of rejection, which keeps me in isolation.

Words like schizophrenia and bisexual jump off the page. And the report concludes that I should be channeled to Psychiatrics for a corresponding evaluation to confirm or deny the existence of a Mental or Personality Disorder.

This was still just the first week of what would become a months-long ordeal.

The prosecutors cybernetic police division was ordered to conduct an exhaustive investigation in order to obtain the origin of the video that appears on YouTubethe video that I had brought to them and shown them, telling them that I recorded it with my very own cellphone, while asking them if they could please help me extract the originals, and then personally accompanying them to the scene of The Incident.

It is NOT possible to determine the origin of the videos, the ensuing report reads. Yet, I, the creator was standing in front of them all, taking the credit.

***

As I told the media from day one, I just wanted to file a police report so that the crime could be registered, so the statistics can begin to reflect the reality in Mexico, mathematically. And, I insisted, I wanted the city surveillance footage.

I was acutely aware of the privilege that had caused The Incident to immediately garner so much attention. But I knew that, beyond my privilege and foreign status, the thing that had most helped make an impact was the undeniable video evidence.

Even with proof of assault, however, many did not believe it.

Some news outlets and then social media users alleged the video had been staged on International Womens Day as a way to raise awareness for feminist issues. They argued that because I had previously written about being a victim of violence in Mexico and the authorities inaction, it was unfathomable that I would denounce similar violencenot once, but twice.

The former vice president of the major Mexican newspaper El Universal, journalist and author Roberto Rock, following a series of articles from his news outlet, alleged that I was not complying with the authorities demands, publishing a slanderous piece about me on the site he founded, La Silla Rota, in which one of the only true facts is that my name is spelled correctly.

She lies, he lied, three weeks after The Incident. This is a verifiable fact.

He criticized a reporter who covered The Incident for denouncing unverified events, and condemning the online attacks suffered by the journalistwhose beauty he alludes to to elicit more sympathy.

It was gross, and I called their work officialist garbage. After a major backlash, he was forced to censor the public, deleting dozens of comments that disputed his claims. But he would not issue a retraction.

Three days after The Incident, a columnist at SDP Noticias published claims that were even less defensible, including the idea that I was somehow too confident and not victim-ey enoughreal victims need to act disturbed and upset he argued.

He was later very publicly fired after calling me a feminazi dyke, while retweeting and encouraging dozens of rape, sodomy, and death threats.

Who is a bigger whore, that disgusting bitch Noel or First Lady Angelica Rivera? read one of dozens of tweets.

The head of the news outlet apologized to me. But he had given the known troll a publishing platform for years, despite previous complaints about his misogyny against other female journalists, and empowered him to become a full-blown permanent Twitter troll, who has spent the last year on a rampage.

Both La Silla Rota and SDP Noticias toe the officialist line and often veer toward propaganda. And the latter uses hundreds of online bots to promote its clickbait.

But the bots did not affect me. It was the trolls that began to get the best of me.

The death and rape threats were flooding in by the thousands, one after another, faster than I could scroll.

I had initially assumed that they were coming from just a few angry social media users, but by then it had reached a fever pace.

One very concerning tweet came as I accompanied the police to where The Incident happened to help point out all of the security cameras that would have recorded the attacker, one of two hours-long visits to the site I made with the authorities, helping to collect the videos, which would later be kept from me.

Shes here at the scene in case anyone wants to come finish her off, one user tweeted, before adding in a second tweet, Nevermind. Shes with the police.

***

Over the course of that week, I barely slept. I had never seen so much hatred in my life, and was was being overwhelmed on all fronts: social media, the authorities, and the press.

But I had been handling it alright, considering.

Then, six days after the assault, which by then seemed so distant and minor in comparison to what had happened afterward, the slew of threats seemed to come out of cyberspace and into my living space.

I sat in my living room at my computer with a friend I hadnt seen for years. From outside my window, I noticed someone was pointing a laser at my head. It seemed to be coming from the back seat of a white BMW.

I bolted from the window, and told my friend to get down, and the laser followed me across the room, before abruptly disappearing.

Im not saying I believed that someone was going to kill me, but it did feel like a threat, like a We Know Where You Live message. This was last year, mind you, the deadliest year on record for journalists in Mexico since the start of the now decade-long drug war. In a country where journalists frequently are murdered, sometimes after being warned, but often without, it seemed reasonable to be concerned.

I called the police. I had been told I was under their official protection, which would be efficient, continuous, and permanent because there existed a real and imminent danger that the aggravated person may be attacked in reprisal for denouncing the sexual violence she was subject to.

But the cops never came. So I checked into a hotel.

The following day, after speaking with several press freedom organizations and my then-editor, I was encouraged to leave the countryat least until the heat dissipated. I thought it would be for only a few days.

My friend would text me the following night: The police are outside looking for you. They didnt say why. They were throwing rocks at the windows. That was the protection mechanism in action, making a scene outside my house while I had already told them Id left the country.

I thought the storm would die down, but even outside the country it did not.

My name would continue to be a trending topic in Mexico more than a dozen times, and the death threats continued to come in an unending stream, along with thousands of messages of support.

* * *

Almost immediately after I posted The Incident online, hundreds of social media users had begun pointing their fingers at suspects, and publicly I had remained silent on this point.

But, behind closed doors, the prosecutors office had taken note, and so had I.

Online, the case had come to serve as a call to arms in a larger ideological battlemachismo vs. feminismo. It was a declaration of war, with both sides insatiably bloodthirsty.

Against all odds, my public plea for someone to ID the perp had produced a result: the cooperative Internet had delivered a suspect.

And the war-cry would be clearbring us his head on a stick.
1

Impeached S. Korean Leader Leaves Palace

OVER AND OUT
RSS ideologue M G Vaidya has said the BJP's big win in Uttar Pradesh is a vote for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

By India Today Web Desk: The BJP's spectacular victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is a vote for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue M G Vaidya has said.

The BJP's election manifesto talked about building a Ram temple in Ayodhya and the popular verdict can be termed as a public endorsement of it, he added.

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Vaidya said the Allahabad High Court has held that a temple existed at the disputed site and its remains were found during excavation.

He said the NDA Government should bring a law for Ram Temple construction in the UP town if the Supreme Court fails to resolve the issue.

"The BJP's win in Uttar Pradesh reflects backing by the voters of the state for building a Ram temple," he told a news channel yesterday.

Vaidya's comments come a day after the BJP won as many as 325 seats in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The party is set to return to power in India's most populous state after a hiatus of 14 years.

BJP President Amit Shah said yesterday that the party's performance in the Assembly elections was a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

(Inputs from PTI)

ALSO READ

Post results, who will be UP CM? Crucial BJP parliamentary board meet scheduled for today

All forgiven post UP results: BJP revokes suspension of leader who compared Mayawati to prostitute

ALSO WATCH | Assembly Election Results 2017: Full video of BJP President Amit Shah's press conference

--- ENDS ---
1

Trump Jr.: I Have No Contact With Dad

IF YOU SAY SO
One state which is likely to be affected by the UP election result - with regard to the realignment of forces - is neighbouring Bihar.

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: The BJP's landslide victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election will impact the electoral politics of the entire nation, be it the presidential and vice presidential elections, Assembly polls in states such as Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, municipal elections in Delhi and other states, or even the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

However, one state which is likely to be affected not in terms of elections - at least in the near future - but with regard to the realignment of forces, is neighbouring Bihar.

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Bihar cannot remain untouched by the historic mandate the BJP has received in UP for a number of reasons. The UP Assembly election has divided the 'grand alliance' in Bihar. Of the three parties of this 'mahagathbandhan', Congress joined hands with ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) in UP. Lalu Prasad led RJD lent its support to the SP-Congress alliance.

NITISH KUMAR'S NEUTRAL STAND IN UP

However, Bihar Chief Minister led JD (U) chose to remain neutral in UP. It neither fielded its candidates nor campaigned for - or against - any party or alliance.

This move by Nitish Kumar was seen as tacit support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The mutual admiration between Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi isn't a new phenomenon.

Soon after the 2015 Bihar Assembly election, both the senior leaders buried the hatchet and returned to a normal relation which should be maintained between the chief minister of a state and the country's prime minister. This is in stark contrast to the bitterness harboured by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee.

BONHOMIE BETWEEN PM MODI AND NITISH KUMAR

Both PM Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar have praised one another on a number of occasions. The most recent proof of bonhomie between the two was evident during the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in Patna City.

Modi thanked Nitish for the arrangement at the Parkash Parv and also for the strict implementation of prohibition in the state. On his part, Nitish lauded PM Modi's efforts in successfully implementing liquor ban in Gujarat for 12 years as chief minister.

Whatever the provocation, the two leaders have maintained civility, and have refrained from launching personal attacks on each other.

CONSTANT NAGGING BY RJD LEADERS

On the other hand, Nitish Kumar is facing tough challenges from the JD(U)'s key alliance partner RJD. Senior RJD leaders such as Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Mohammad Taslimuddin have been attacking Nitish quite often on several issues, including prohibition and, ironically, even law and order.

At the same time, Lalu and his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi have been demanding that their younger son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav replace Nitish as the chief minister.

Just in February, Rabri had backed the demand of RJD MLAs to anoint Tejashwi as the state CM, though she backtracked a day later. This is not the first time that such a demand has come from within RJD. Even on a number of occasions in the past, party leaders have raised the demand.

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This must be irritating Nitish Kumar. The grand alliance is over a year old. It has to smoothly continue for another four years. But it seems unlikely in the given situation.

PROBABILITIES OF REALIGNMENT

With 71 MLAs in the 243 seat Bihar Assembly, JD (U) is the junior partner in the grand alliance. RJD has the maximum 80 MLAs while Congress has 21.

However, JD (U) and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) can together form the government in the state. The NDA has 59 MLAs. Together, JD (U) and the NDA enjoy majority. The two had ruled Bihar together from 2005 for eight years before parting ways in 2013.

Moreover, Nitish Kumar has more traits in common with PM Modi than with Lalu. For instance, both Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi enjoy a clean image and both are known to pursue development agenda with gusto.

Lalu's reputation is exactly the opposite to what the Bihar CM and the PM enjoy. The former Bihar CM is a convict in the infamous fodder scam. He has spent months in jail and has been debarred from contesting elections. Moreover, RJD's 15-year-rule is known for lawlessness and for having earned the Jungle Raj tag.

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Egged on by a strong BJP, a stronger Narendra Modi and the constant nagging from RJD, the two can come together again.

ALSO READ | Nitish Kumar's post poll gyan: Opposition shouldn't have raised such a hue and cry on note ban

ALSO WATCH | Assembly election results 2017: Narendra Modi, the undisputed Shah of Uttar Pradesh

--- ENDS ---
Love old or unusual movies but never know when they're on? Here are several I recommend:

Christopher Strong (1933): So, you think you're a hard-core Katharine Hepburn fan, huh? Then you'll want to see this odd curio of a movie from early in her career. Hepburn plays a globe-trotting aviatrix who's got no time for love until she meets a happily married politician (Colin Clive). She begins an affair with him that's got disaster written all over it. The movie features Billie Burke as the wronged wife, lots of racy pre-Code dialog and a silver flying getup on Kate that simply has to be seen to be believed.

Turner Classic Movies, 5:15 a.m. Monday.

Without Love (1945): Here's a Tracy/Hepburn movie you may have missed. Based on a play by Philip Barry (the same guy who cooked up The Philadelphia Story and Holiday for Hepburn), it tells the story of a scientist (Tracy) who's working hard on an invention for the war effort. He meets a single woman (Hepburn) who has a big empty house that would be perfect for use as a laboratory, and before you can say "Remember Pearl Harbor" the two agree to a platonic marriage of patriotic convenience. I'm sure nothing will happen to complicate the arrangement, aren't you? Keenan Wynn and Lucille Ball also star in this unlikely romance.

Turner Classic Movies, 1:30 p.m. Monday

Soapdish (1991): If you've never seen this fall-down funny send-up of life on a network soap opera, you're in a for a huge, catty treat. Sally Field stars as the spoiled daytime star whose life is greatly disrupted when her ex-husband (Kevin Kline) and her niece (Elizabeth Shue) join the cast of her show the same week. Other actors have a field day with the juicy script, including Carrie Fisher as the casting director, Whoopi Goldberg as the writer, Cathy Moriarty and Teri Hatcher as two other actresses and Garry Marshall as the network executive. People forget how great Field is at comedy, and this movie is a wonderful showcase for her.

Now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016): Believe it or not. The sequel is even funnier (and smarter) than the 2014 original. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne return as a couple who think they have solved the problem of the loud fraternity next door, only to learn their new problem is, you guessed it, a new sorority. It's fun to see Chloe Grace Moretz do broad comedy, and a special shout-out needs to go to Liz Cackowski, who kills it as the couple's hilarious realtor. But the movie really belongs to Zac Efron, who really grows his man-child character from the first film into something perilously close to poignant in this outrageous, raunchy romp.

Now streaming on Netflix.

Trivia Question #676: Can you remember the name of short-lived ESP-themed Sally Field sitcom?

Answer to Trivia Question #674: The only color film Alfred Hitchcock received a Directing Oscar nomination for was Rear Window.

Bryan native Ray Ivey is a writer and movie fan in Hollywood, Calif. He would love to hear from you at rayivey@ca.rr.com. You can also visit his blog at www.starkravingray.com.
The Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo is famous for appointing surprisingly new faces to the post as has become evident since the party taking power in Maharashtra and Haryana in 2014. Who will be next pick?

By Siddhartha Rai: Now that Uttar Pradesh's electorate has answered resoundingly the question of who will govern the state, the next crucial matter to be settled is who will be the chief minister.

The question assumes paramount significance for two reasons: the BJP high command, in particular the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo, is now famous for appointing surprisingly new faces to the post as has become evident since the party taking power in Maharashtra and Haryana in 2014. The second reason is that the party has come to power after an absence of 14 years, being equated to Lord Ram's 'vanvaas' (forest exile), and the stakes and expectations are soaring to unprecedented levels.

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The BJP won in Maharashtra and Haryana in the name of Modi and two extremely low-profile leaders - Devendra Fadnavis and Manohar Lal Khattar, were installed as chief ministers.

The situation is just the same in UP, party functionaries from both the state and Centre told Mail Today . "The logic is straight. The party had so far been imagining two scenarios: if the 300 mark was not breached, probables could stake their claims and the party would have had to think it over. But now that we have gone past the 300 mark, the high command can even appoint me or you," said a BJP functionary, underscoring the fact that the Modi-Shah duo was dominant enough to appoint any leader, discounting any opposition from within.

Given the scenario, there are a number of possible choices in front of the party. According to sources, the most obvious names are of MoS railways Manoj Sinha, union home minister Rajnath Singh, Thakur leader and hardliner Yogi Adityanath, Lucknow mayor and Modi-Shah confidante Dinesh Sharma, OBC leader Santosh Gangwar and, last but not the least, UP BJP chief and another OBC leader Keshav Prasad Maurya. Sources said union minister Mahesh Sharma was out of the race.

Sinha fits in Modi's development agenda, has been in politics since his days as a student leader from the right-wing ABVP in UP's Banaras Hindu University, and is seen as someone who is without any baggage and is also highly educated since he's an IIT alumnus. He is viewed as a no-no-nonsense person, credited for being efficient and a good administrator.

Yogi Adityanath, on the other hand, is the face of Hindutva in the state and is rumoured to be getting the support of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Some quarters claimed that the RSS wanted Yogi as the basis of BJP's support and earlier rule under Kalyan Singh was largely its Hindutva appeal.

On the OBC issue, party leaders said Maurya was a more complete package as he could be the replacement to the long-lost dynamics of Kalyan Singh days. The fact that BJP's victory is being ascribed to stitching back the coalition of non-Yadav OBCs and EBCs gives Maurya strong footing. Also, the credit for the victory largely goes to him almost by default as he is the reigning party chief in the state.

Another name being bandied about is of Sidharth Nath Singh, who carries the legacy of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri, whom PM Modi celebrated in Varanasi during campaigning.

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Also read: UP Election 2017 Results: Narendra Modi leads BJP's landslide win after 14 years

Also read: Uttar Pradesh loss hurts, need to take hard decisions: Congress

Also watch:

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June 10, 1932 - February 13, 2017

Dr. Kamal El-Zik passed away peacefully on February 13, 2017 in California, after a long illness. Following Kamal's passing his brother in-law, Christopher Economides, observed, "An honest, good man, modest and humble lies at rest. The friend of man, the friend of truth, the friend of age, and the guide of youth, lives in bliss in the other world."

Kamal was born in Cairo, Egypt on June 10, 1932 and was raised in Alexandria, where he graduated from High School. Subsequently he earned both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters degree in Agronomy at Alexandria University. Along the way in 1950, he met the love of his life Daphne, eventually sharing more than sixty-five wonderful years together.

In 1962, Kamal and Daphne came to the United States, first to Louisiana State University and then to Texas A&M University where Kamal pursued a doctorate in Plant Pathology and Genetics, earning the PhD degree in 1967.

After five years in the industry working for a commercial seed company, Kamal returned to academia for five years at the University of California at Davis. In 1980, he was appointed to a position as Professor in the College of Agriculture at Texas A&M University, where he remained until his retirement as Emeritus Professor in 2001.

During his academic career with more than two decades of outstanding service at TAMU, Dr El-Zik built a state-of-the art research and teaching program in cotton pathology and genetics. Kamal authored and co-authored 244 research papers published in leading international journals. In addition to being coauthor of a major textbook, he also contributed 16 chapters to other books.

As "the guide of youth" Kamal loved teaching and his students loved him. As one measure of his international reputation and wide recognition he hosted, trained and mentored 42 international students from 15 different countries. During his retirement his former students never forgot the debt they owed Kamal, and many maintained frequent communication for years after their time at TAMU.

The practical impact of his work was extremely significant worldwide. Kamal was responsible for the development of 67 new elite cotton varieties that were superior to what was available before. Characteristically modest by nature, Kamal did not name these different cotton varieties for himself, but chose ancient names such as "Sphinx" and "Luxor" derived from ancient Egypt. This pioneering highly innovative work earned him invitations to visit and share his unique perspectives with others across the world, including for example, visits to Egypt, Australia, Brazil, China, and Spain.

Kamal's discoveries also brought many prestigious awards, for example the Miles Cotton Recognition Award in 1993, the Cotton Genetics Award also in 1993 and the Texas Seed Association Distinguished Service Award in 2001.

At one point in the late 1970's Kamal was invited to return to Egypt to provide leadership as Minister of Agriculture  a high honor indeed but one which he declined. Those who knew Kamal well understood that his decision had much to do with his love for his adopted country, the United States, for Texas, and especially for his teaching and research at Texas A&M University.

He is survived by Daphne, his loving spouse; and three brothers, Youssef, Tawfik and David.

Dr Kamal El-Zik's life and service at Texas A&M were a classic illustration of the role a scholar teacher, constantly searching for new knowledge that both benefits society, and enriches student's educational experience.
The Supreme Court of Texas, known as one of the most conservative courts in the country, has been working hard to grant easy public access to civil legal cases filed in Texas.

If some people in the Texas Legislature -- including our own state Rep. John Raney -- have their way, the court's efforts will be halted, and there is no good reason why.

The Texas Supreme Court is the highest court for civil matters in Texas. The court and the state's Office for Court Administration have been working for some time to make civil court records available online, first to attorneys and judges and, before long, to the general public. There is no reason why they shouldn't be.

In Texas, all court records are filed with district or county clerks. Electronic copies of those records must be e-filed in all 254 counties and become part of the state's centralized online court records system. In other words, the records already are online and should be easy to access.

Federal court records already are available online through the Pacer system, which charges 10 cents per page up to $3 per document. That is a small -- and reasonable -- price to pay for such electronic access.

In Texas, the reSearchTX system has been created along the lines of the federal system. Originally, judges had access to the reSearchTX system to view and review documents filed in cases assigned to their court. Then, district and county clerks were granted access to cases filed in their offices and attorneys could see court files in cases in which they were involved. In the coming months, judges, attorneys and clerks would have online access to any civil case filed in Texas.

The final step in the Supreme Court's plan is to allow the public the same access, no questions asked. Revenue generated by such online access would go to the district or county clerk's office in which the case originally was filed. Clerks already are required to maintain the paper copies of each court document filed and can charge $1 a page for hard copies. Of course, the cost for such copies is greater because clerk office workers have to fetch the court files and make the copies, all of which takes time.

District and county clerks have been working with the Texas Supreme Court to make the e-filed documents available. Their offices would make less money for such online copies, but no staff time and effort would be required to provide them. They may come out ahead in the long run.

People still needing official copies of court documents still would have to get them from clerks' offices and pay the $1 per page fee.

It seems like a win-win for everyone, right. Not to some of our state lawmakers.

House Bill 1258 if approved would stop public online access in its tracks. Why? Because lawmakers can and apparently they certainly don't want to make it easy for their constituents to access what already is public information. Can't have that now, can we?

The bill says, in part:

"A person, including a governmental entity, who establishes, maintains, or operates an electronic court record database may not allow public access to any court document electronically filed with a county court, statutory county court, or district court in this state unless:

"(1) the clerk of the court enters into a written agreement with the person authorizing public access to the document through the database; and

"(2) the commissioners court of the county in which the court is located approves the agreement described in Subdivision (1)."

Further, the bill says the Supreme Court may not adopt rules that counter the measure. We somehow suspect court justices may take a dim view of that provision if the proposed law comes before them.

If two-thirds of both houses approve the bill, it would take place immediately. If it passes with a lower majority, it would take effect on Sept. 1.

It is hard to understand why so many of our lawmakers each session want to make it harder for Texans to obtain government records to which they clearly are entitled. It's almost as if they don't trust the people who elect them.
By Press Trust of India: firms

From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Mar 12 (PTI) Vertical integration of public sector oil companies will enhance the financial power of Indian oil firms to get acquisitions overseas and discussions on the issue will begin soon, a top official of a Navratna oil firm has said.

"It (vertical integration of public sector oil companies) will increase the financial power of a company to get acquisitions overseas. I think this is one of the main reasons," Utpal Bora, Chairman and Managing Director of Oil India Limited, told PTI.

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"I understand that discussions in this regard would be held soon," said Bora who was here last week to attend the annual CERAWeek 2017 in Houston, the top gathering of whos who from the global oil and gas sector.

Bora refrained from giving any further details on the nature, scope and timeline of such a merger.

"The only thing I know so for that it was announced in the budget. This is a good idea which would help Indias oil and energy sector, but details are yet to be chalked out," he said in response to a question.

Noting that the "pros and cons" of such a move are yet to be discussed, Bora said that the business model and culture of all the public-sector oil companies in India are different.

"So I think, it will have to be a very well thought out process," he said, adding that a lot of things need to be taken into consideration to ensure seamless merger of Indian oil companies.

"Its a good idea," he said, adding that in the 21st century financial power of companies are very important.

"If two or three companies merge, we will have more financial powers to acquire overseas," he said emphasising that this is very important for energy security.

In recent years, Oil India Limited (OIL) has invested in acquiring properties overseas including the one in the US, Myanmar, Russia, Mozambique, Gabon and Nigeria.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the investment of USD 1.2 billion in Mozambique has not yielded expected results so far, he said.

In the US, OIL has 20 per cent stake in Houston-based Carrizo Oil.

OIL, which contributes around eight per cent of the countrys oil production, and 10 per cent of the gas, Bora said it is important to sustain the production, if not increase it given that its oil well are very old. Its based mostly out of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

"Recently we succeeded in arresting the decline in oil production," he said, adding that OIL is planning to develop its property in Rajasthan to add to the countrys oil and gas production. PTI LKJ AMS ASK AMS

--- ENDS ---

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JOLIET  Dan Burmeister has held on to 140 acres of farmland southwest of Joliet for decades, and now hes ready to develop.

Hes just hoping the people in the small town on a busy Carbon County highway are ready to grow with him.

Burmeister, a Big Timber resident and former economic development director, is proposing a multi-use residential development for more than 200 single-family homes, apartment complexes and a commercial strip along Highway 212.

The land sits just west of the Joliet elementary and high school complex, stretching behind the homes on the west side of the highway going through town. Its footprint extends up into the foothills surrounding town, an ideal place for rural Montana life, Burmeister said. Homes would range from below $200,000 to larger styles on one-acre lots, he said.

The growth potential has always been there, Burmeister said.

Burmeister is working with a Laurel brokerage, A Haus of Realty, to market the homes.

He said hes got the financing to start this summer building a couple early pieces of the multi-phase, potentially decade-long development. They include two townhouses near the highway and the commercial strip, which would include space for a convenience store, restaurants and other possible shopping areas.

However, much of the project lies outside town limits, and Burmeister said he is planning to ask Joliet to annex the subdivision so he can hook into the water system and newly improved sewer system.

Officials in Joliet say the project is intriguing, but they worry it would place burdens on cash-strapped local governments and crowd local schools.

Were interested, yeah. Its a good project for Joliet, but the money has to come from somewhere, said Gary Gray, Joliets newly appointed mayor.

Last fall, Joliet, which has about 650 people, completed a roughly million-dollar sewer system upgrade, which included installing super augers to grind waste, aerators and other improvements. With the upgrade, the sewer system could accommodate twice Joliets current population, Gray said.

Allison Evertz, superintendent of Joliet schools, said she sees good potential with the project but is also wary of potential impacts.

Shes concerned about the safety of kids with growing traffic around the school, and she wants Joliet to maintain its small classrooms where kids get more time with teachers. Enrollment is 113 in the high school, 52 in grades seven and eight and 175 in kindergarten through sixth grade, she said.

At the same time, higher enrollment would give Joliet access to more funding and expose students to more programs, she said. The Joliet School District is growing, having moved up to a Class B school about eight years ago.

Its exciting, and it kind of sets my teeth on edge in other ways, she said.

If Burmeisters pitch sounds familiar, its because hes made it before. In 1997, he announced a similar plan to develop the land and held a public meeting.

Several locals raised concerns then about the perils of growth, and Burmeister said he put the plan back on the shelf because he felt the timing wasnt right.

Now, he said, the market is different. Joliet is increasingly a bedroom community for Billings, where the housing market remains strong, Burmeister said.

According to the Billings Association of Realtors, available inventory has tightened in the Billings region since the Bakken boom at the beginning of the decade.

This typically means greater competition to find a home, which pushes prices upward, real estate experts say.

Other factors are driving the timing of the project, including the ongoing $46.8 million project to widen and improve Highway 212 from Laurel to Rockvale, according to Burmeister.

Workers for the Montana Department of Transportation have already replaced the antiquated, dangerous two-lane underpass south of Laurel and redesigned the intersection of Highways 212 and 310 at Rockvale. The final phase will include a new 10-mile, four-lane stretch of road that transportation officials say will improve safety on a dangerous road.

For Burmeister, who studied traffic patterns a few years ago, the project will make travel easier along the Highway 212 corridor and entice more people to drive from Joliet to Billings.

The patterns, the numbers were just phenomenal, he said.

Burmeister is an industrial engineer by trade. He worked for big companies such as Hughes Aircraft and General Motors before coming back to Montana in 1992. His firm, Burmeister Enterprises, also has investments in Big Timber and Laurel.

He said hes got a lot of skin in the Joliet project, which will include public developments such as pocket parks, roads and space for town water storage, if needed.

He last appeared at a Joliet Town Council meeting in November to discuss the project. He missed the next three monthly meetings, saying he was snowed in, but plans to come back for updates.

Evertz, the school superintendent for the past two years, said she hasnt met Burmeister yet and has only heard about the project second-hand. She said shed like to hear more from him.

We just want to feel included, so we dont feel alienated in that process, she said.

Gray, who owns the downtown Joliet Bar and Grill and has served on the town council for about eight years, said he recognizes some Joliet residents are happy with the town as it is, but he thinks it cant stay that way forever.

If you stay the way you are, youre going to die. They always talk about beautifying Joliet, and the only way to do that is to grow, Gray said.
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Last weekend, it was reported that several of the IRGCs fast-attack boats had positioned themselves approximately 600 yards away from a US Navy surveillance ship and three accompanying British ships. The initial reports indicated that the Western vessels had changed course to avoid a closer confrontation. And US Navy officials described the Iranian actions as unprofessional, but stopped short of calling them dangerous.

The same muted response could not be given to earlier IRGC provocations, however, as some of them involved the same types of fast-attack boats approaching US Navy ships at a high rate of speed and refusing to change course until after warning shots had been fired. IRGC activities reportedly became both more frequent and more provocative in the wake of the July 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, but also have not diminished since President Donald Trump put the Islamic Republic on notice over its missile tests and other malign behaviors.

Military demonstrations by the IRGC and by the separate Iranian military forces have apparently been aimed at presenting an image of readiness for war against traditional adversaries like the United States. But in order to justify an ongoing military buildup, these same forces have evidently been trying to portray Iran as being under a serious threat of war from the US and its allies.

The recent IRGC statement was indicative of this trend. The IRGCs own news website, Sepah, asserted that instead of changing course to avoid a confrontation last weekend, the American and British vessels actually changed course in the direction of the IRGC boats. Hashemi, the IRGC official, was quoted as saying that the US and UK have harmful, illegitimate and provocative objectives. He went on to say, Not only do they not want stability and security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, but they seek to create tensions and a crisis.

Such claims have clear propaganda value for the Islamic Republic, and this propaganda is directed not only at a domestic audience but also at actual or potential allies in the region who share the Iranian regimes perception of Tehran as the center of Islamic resistance against Western interference in the region. Whats more, a recent Bloomberg report suggests that this propaganda narrative has been successful among Shiite minority populations in various areas of the Middle East and Africa.

The report uses Nigeria as a representative example, noting that sectarian conflict there has surged ever since the Iran-backed cleric Ibrahim El-Zakzaky founded the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, in the 1990s. More recently, that movement was accused of attempting to assassinate the chief of staff of the Nigerian Army, leading to reprisals and Zakzakys arrest.

Bloomberg compares both the IMNs domestic network and its rhetoric to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite paramilitary that is directed by Tehran and has come to maintain a sort of parallel state structure within the country. The report notes that the leadership of both groups has explicitly expressed allegiance to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and it quotes IMN member Bashir Mohammad as saying, if Khamenei says everyone who finds an American in their country should kill him, we will kill him.

This is only one indicator that Shiites in places like Nigeria have eagerly latched onto the Iranian narrative of the US as a purely aggressive force in the Muslim world, with Iran as its leading adversary. And Bloomberg notes that Nigeria is only one example of the unexpected places in which Iranian influence has been growing in recent years.

This is a threat not only to Western interests, but also to traditional American allies like Saudi Arabia and Israel, who are also named in the rhetoric that is shared among the IRGC, the IMN, Hezbollah, and other Iranian proxies. The Bloomberg report also makes mention of the keen interest that some of these American allies have shown in countering the trend of Iranian imperialism.

That imperialism has been a driving force behind the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen. And Saudi Arabia has been leading a coalition of Arab nations seeking to beat back the Iran-backed Shiite militants that have secured a foothold on the Arabian Peninsula. The Saudis and the other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council also took the unprecedented step last year of formally designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, thereby further angering Tehran.

The anxiety over Irans regional influence has led to even more unprecedented signs of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and possibly also between these powers and the Turkish government that until recently had been enjoying improved ties to the Islamic Republic. Each of these powers contributed to what was widely viewed as a major turning point in international attitudes toward Iran, at last months Munich Security Conference. The event saw numerous public statements decrying Irans regional influence and describing it as the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism.

Now there are clearly efforts underway to counter Irans ongoing acquisition of non-state allies by highlighting to other national governments the threat that this poses. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Moscow specifically to carry this message to the Russia government, which has been closely allied with Iran in the context of the Syrian Civil War despite also having traditionally strong relations with Israel, which Iran has repeatedly sworn to destroy.

The Washington Post reported that Netanyahu had urged Russia to block the Iranian power corridor in Syria, which would otherwise promise to secure a permanent foothold for Hezbollah and other Iranian proxy forces in the Golan Heights, just across the border from Israel. Netanyahu also warned the Russians that there focus on helping Iran to preserve the Assad government in Syria would ultimately run the replacing ISIL terrorists in the region with another network of terrorists loyal to Iran.

This is a threat that was also highlighted by Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, in remarks delivered to the international body on Wednesday. Reuters described Haley as voicing the Trump administrations commitment to removing Iran and its proxies from Syria. Her remarks made no mention of the Assad regime, suggesting that countering Irans influence had become a higher priority than the very issues that sparked the Syrian Civil War in the first place.

This sense of urgency is certainly shared by a number of governments in the Middle East and beyond, even though some of them have contrasting visions for the future of Syria. But although the political situation may remain fraught for some time, many international observers have determined that Iran alone is the main threat to the successful enforcement of a long-term ceasefire.

Iran-backed forces in Syria have been seen to violate previous ceasefires, including that which followed the capture of Aleppo by forces loyal to the Assad government. In that case, Iran evidently refused to allow evacuees to proceed past a checkpoint until Shiites had been released from rebel-held areas. This underlines a widely-recognized Iranian project of partitioning the region into Shiite and Sunni enclaves, with an eye toward creating a region-wide Shiite crescent with its capital in Iran and with a mission of unified combat against Western interests.
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NORWALK  Edwin Gutierrez does not think twice about telling people Norwalk Community College played an instrumental role in his life.

Gutierrez lives legally in the U.S., working as a successful investigator where he collects evidence for state and federal cases. Though he knows it took a lot of hard work and dedication in his behalf, he acknowledges the experience he gained while at NCC positioned him for success.

But getting to that point came with its challenges.

At just 10 years old Gutierrez moved with his mother to the U.S. from Colombia. As an undocumented kid growing up in Norwalk it did not often occur to him that he was different from most of his friends who were born in Connecticut.

I grew up very much feeling like a regular American, Gutierrez said. I didnt feel like I wasnt from here, but I do realize what kind of situation I was in  its a double standard in your life that you always have to deal with.

But the difference between citizen and non-citizen status made itself far more apparent later in life when Gutierrez started looking for employment. Instead of taking low-paying, labor-based jobs that many undocumented people are forced to take, Gutierrez aspired for more.

He wanted to study criminal justice and despite his immigration status, Norwalk Community College allowed him to do just that  without feelings of alienation or fears of deportation.

More Information Protocol with respect to Immigration and Customs Enforcement on CSCU campuses 1. If an ICE agent approaches a CSCU campus seeking student information or access to a student, faculty or staff that agent should be referred directly and only to the President of the institution 2. The President should request from the agent the reason for the visit, evidence of authorization, and whether the sensitive locations policy has been followed. 3. Upon acquiring the information, the president should immediately contact CSCU Legal Counsel. 4. No action, i.e. providing any information or providing access to the person in question, should be taken prior to consultation with CSCU Legal Counsel. 5. If the ICE agent presents a warrant, the warrant must be provided to CSCU Legal Counsel for verification of the scope of the warrant. 6. In any instance where ICE is physically present on campus or requests information it should be reported to the campus President and CSCU Legal Counsel. 7. If CSCU Legal Counsel verifies the warrant, the president of the institution should be the only person responsible for providing information to the ICE agents. See More Collapse

Having gone to NCC as opposed to working regular jobs and possibly meeting the wrong people  Gutierrez said. I can credit my experience there for a lot of my success.

Thats why Gutierrez is applauding a memo sent out late last month by Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Mark Ojakian, after President Donald Trumps executive orders, reminding school leaders that campuses are a sensitive location, meaning they should not be the focus of Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions.

Ojakian said colleges should do everything they have to do to remain within compliance of federal law, but do no more.

He added that federal agents who seek information about a student on campus should be referred to the school president. The memo goes on to remind campus security officers that they may not ask about a persons immigration status, detain a person solely because of immigration status or make arrests based on warrants issued by ICE.

The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities is strong because of its diversity. Our campuses thrive when people from different races, ages, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender expressions, nationalities, physical abilities and political perspectives have a forum for sharing their beliefs and ideas while learning together, Ojakian said in his memo. This is a critical value of higher education. CSCU is committed to social justice, to celebrating our diversity, and fostering a climate of inclusion and respect for one another.

Norwalk Community College President David Levinson expressed his support to the ideals put forth by Ojakian and said he would follow through with the protocol.

Over the past few weeks, I have heard from many members of the NCC community who have expressed concern for our undocumented students or those whose immigration status has changed, Levinson said in a statement. While it is difficult to predict what lies ahead, I can assure you that NCC is and remains committed to providing a safe campus, support services and resources to all students.

Gutierrez said he is thankful for Levinsons support, with the hope that it will enable other undocumented students in Norwalk and beyond to reach their own success.

Allowing the college to be a safe zone for people who want to do something with their life is amazing, he said. Its great.

Although the specific number of undocumented students at NCC was not available from the college, Gutierrez said there is a known large amount of students that attend who dont have legal status at the moment.

He said it was common enough that when he applied to the school and could not provide a Social Security number, school officials were able to walk him through the process of obtaining a tax identification number and continue on with the admissions process.

In 2011, the General Assembly passed a law offering undocumented students residing in Connecticut in-state tuition at the states public institutions of higher education. That law was expanded in 2015, reducing the requirement for Connecticut high school attendance from four years to two. Students must have graduated from a Connecticut high school.

Undocumented students do not qualify for state grants, scholarships or federal financial aid  though scholarship opportunities are available from private sources.

The Norwalk Community College Foundation offers the Dream Transfer Scholarship Program, which provides high-achieving NCC graduates pursuing a bachelors degree with financial assistance to a four-year college or university of their choice. Applicants for that program must be immigrants who attended and graduated from U.S. high schools, but are not yet U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Gutierrez attended NCC from 2008-12. He said as an undocumented student he had to pay for his tuition out of pocket and was not always able to afford the price tag, prolonging his time at the school.

He sees allowing undocumented immigrants the opportunity to earn an education in an environment free from the fear of ICE activity as important because, he said, it allows them the opportunity to be a better contributor to society

I just feel like you want educated people whether they are undocumented or not, Gutierrez said. If they are willing to stay in this country and are willing to have some allegiance to this country, why wouldnt you want them educated?

More personally, Gutierrez said if he was not allowed to start and attend school without fear of ICE when he was undocumented  he became fully documented in 2010  he most likely would not have the job or status he has today.

That all wouldnt have happened if I couldnt have gotten my education.

KSchultz@thehour.com; 203-354-1049; @kevinedschultz
NORWALK  The Al-Madany Islamic Center of Norwalk invites the community to an open house at 1 Union Park South from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, March 18.

It is the first open house the center has planned, and is a chance for people to tour the newly renovated facility, meet the congregation, and enjoy tea and snacks. There will Quran recitations, henna, Arabic calligraphy, kids activities and more.
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NORWALK  In the wake of several immigration-related executive orders from President Donald Trump, U.S. Congressman Jim Himes and a host of Fairfield County immigration experts met at Norwalk Community College to address the communitys concerns.

The objective of the panel, Himes told the crowd of nearly 20 people, was to disseminate as much information to the community about the ever-changing policies, bans and questions around a variety of different topics on immigration policy.

In addition to talking policies, panelists also made a point to address what they described as fear that has been stoked by the presidents rhetoric and policies.

In some sense, the actual policy is only part of the story. There is a great deal of fear and anxiety that is already changing a lot of behaviors, said immigration attorney and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Associations Connecticut branch, Doug Penn, who joined Himes in the discussion.

The only way to truly combat this climate of fear and anxiety, panelists continued, is to know the law, and to know your rights in respect to those laws.

While Penn said that it is always a good idea to keep your identification papers on you, he also acknowledged that police officers have no right to demand anyones papers or proof of citizenship while in the United States, unless you are crossing the U.S. border or they have probable cause.

We are all trained to cooperate, but this is one of the instances where our training probably isnt right, Penn said.

Penn explained that officers may ask people their names, but beyond that, anyone provoked with probable cause should request to see a lawyer immediately. In case of this event, Penn recommended contacting CT-AILA to find a lawyer specializing in immigration law.

Its never a bad idea to talk to a lawyer, Penn said.

Misinformation is also one of the largest problems facing immigrants, panelists pointed out.

Sharing information is absolutely critical right now, and in many ways, its about us taking the information to where people are. Thats one thing that were trying to do, said Claudia Connor, the CEO of the International Institute of Connecticut.

Farhan Memon, chairperson of Connecticuts chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, has been a focal point for disseminating information on immigrant rights throughout the community. Since Trumps travel restrictions were first enacted, Memon has organized numerous Know Your Rights forums in conjunction with the Yale Law School in Norwalk and in New London.

Memon has also worked with Yale to pursue anti-bullying measures in schools throughout the state.

We are working on legislation that we are going to advocate, so that kids in school are protected from religion-based bullying, Memon said.

According to Catalina Horak, executive director of Building One Community (formerly known as Neighborhood Links), immigrant communities around the country have grown more hesitant to approach their local police departments or pick up their children at school for fear of deportation.

We have people all the time saying we dont want to go the schools. Im afraid of going to the bus stop with my children. They are not reporting crimes because they are scared to go to police. Their perception is that they are not trusting the system, Horak said.

Horak implored immigrants and others to have faith in their local police and school systems, who have been guided under executive orders signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to not take action that is solely to enforce federal immigration law.

I worked with the Norwalk Police Department for 41 years, and never once did we involve or engage ourselves in enforcing immigration laws. Thats not our job, said Mayor Harry Rilling, who is retired from the force. We want to make sure that people are comfortable coming to the department, and if we give them the fear that we are going to enforce immigration laws then theyll be hesitant to report to us when theyve been a victim of a crime.

Horak also urged undocumented parents to have an emergency plan in place in the event that they are deported. One such method, Horak said, was developing a temporary standby guardianship.

Last, and perhaps most importantly, Penn urged immigrants to go about their daily lives as normal and to not become consumed by their worrying.

Dont be afraid if you have Connecticut drive-only drivers license. Dont be afraid to file your tax returns, Penn said.

ptomlinson@hearstmediact.com; 203-354-1046; Twitter: @Tomlinson_PE
Those whose intellectual heritage lies in the Enlightenment find in the contemporary world the furthest reach of an inexorable progress against forces of primitive and reactionary religious belief. What is religious liberty to them but a sanction for oppression?

Rod Drehers new book, The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation, is not due to be released until March 14, but it has already been generating considerable attention. On February 17, for example, the Wall Street Journals weekend Review section had a feature on Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey in Hulbert, Oklahomaits example of Mr. Drehers point that small, traditional communities, deliberately cutting themselves off from the larger world, are the future of Christianity in an increasingly post-Christian world.

Wyoming Catholic College has frequently been associated with the Benedict Option, perhaps for good reason, perhaps not. We have several current students who came to us from the Clear Creek community, and at least one of our graduates has taken vows at the Abbey. We are a small College, in some ways distinctly counter-cultural; we are faithful to the Magisterium, traditional in our educational emphasis on the Great Books, and so deeply centered in the good of community that we prohibit cell phones on campus.

But the question is whether we have accepted the fundamental premise of Mr. Drehers Benedict Option, which he bases on St. Benedicts withdrawal from the larger world after the fall of Rome at the beginning of the Dark Ages. Is it true that Christians today must read the signs of the times, abandon hope for a political solution to our civilizations problems, and turn their attention to creating resilient spiritual centers that can survive the coming storm? Is that in fact what WCC is doing?

Certainly, we are creating a center of genuine spiritual, intellectual, and physical hardiness, but our work is not so much a defensive hoarding of resources as a gathering of powers. Our aim is intentional coherence, as one of our new Board members recently commented; most colleges and universities make no attempt at coherence. Our students experience the transformative effect of a real educationnot indoctrination in current notions, not job-training, but active engagement with the central questions of being human and knowing God. Our integrated curriculum gives them the means, not to withdraw from the cultural fight, but to reconstitute community in the contemporary world.

But, as I have written before, we are engaged in the long game. Contemporary thought did not come about overnight, and it will not be changed in a generation. In fact, where we are now is the result of a major cultural change that first took on real strength in the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, which typically emphasized freedom of thought and action without reference to religious and other traditional authority, proposed a deistic understanding of the universe, [and] insisted on a rationalist and scientific approach to the understanding of human society, as the Oxford English Dictionary puts it.

Those whose intellectual heritage lies in the Enlightenment find in the contemporary world the furthest reachgay marriage, transgender rightsof an inexorable progress against forces of primitive and reactionary religious belief. What is religious liberty to them but a sanction for oppression? Across a great abyss from their position, those of us who find our center precisely in religious belief, which is neither primitive nor reactionary but full of light and charity, find it hard to believe how much, with such arrogant forgetfulness of the past, the culture has darkened.

Are the culture wars over? Some would say so. But if the contemporary world were simply a lost cause, the education at WCC would have a diminished merit. Even if our whole civilization is teetering on the brink of a new Dark Ages (this time with smartphones), there must be those who know a better way, and we are doing our best to educate them. The point is not abandonment of the world but finding the lost and feeding the hungry. And when in our nations history have there been so many who are intellectually malnourished and spiritually astray?

One final note: In a recent book about the speed of change in todays technological society, the authors write that students who go to college to major in the field that offers the most jobs when they enter are often the very ones who lose out. By the time they graduate, the market has been glutted, and the real opportunities are elsewhere. Better, they say, to pick something few are doing and to get in on it in its early stages. When it comes to the real needs of the world, isnt that exactly where our students are?

Republished with gracious permission from Wyoming Catholic Colleges Weekly Bulletin (March 2017).

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politicswe approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.
But Iran News Update also pointed out that these developments have not coincided with a shift in Irans overall policy toward the internet and social media. Rather, the growing acceptance of Twitter seems to be a begrudging compromise, based on the fact that widespread, systematic violations of the ban had allowed it to nonetheless achieve mainstream status.

But that trend toward the mainstream also seems to have led to Twitter becoming less and less prominent as a tool of free speech and activist organizing. This, in turn, has made it easier for regime authorities to soften their restrictions while also joining the service in order to turn more of its content toward pro-regime communications and propaganda.

Meanwhile, activists and dissidents have shifted their attention toward less prominent, alternative websites and social networks, and these continue to be subject to aggressive oppression by the Ministry of Intelligence, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and its Basij civilian militia. Prominent among those alternatives is the Telegram instant messaging app, which became popular among progressive Iranians because of reports that it was comparatively more secure than familiar social networks.

While this may be true, it has certainly not prevented the Iranian regime from finding persons to prosecute over its use. It was recently reported that one unnamed Telegram administrator had been arrested and would face charges over thousands of supposedly obscene pictures and videos that had been exchanged on the service. In announcing the arrest, the Iranian judiciary boasted of the constant internet monitoring apparently being carried out by Basij volunteers, suggesting that more arrests would be forthcoming.

But as the regime continues to clamp down on existing websites and social networks, developers both inside and outside of Iran continue to introduce new tools on the expectation that activists, dissidents, and advocates for a secular society will have opportunities to use those resources to organize before the regime catches onto the latest trends and finds way to combat them.

In one example of this phenomenon, The Sun reported on Wednesday that a service called Hamdam had been developed by Silicon Valley experts and introduced to Iranian women as a way of tracking their individual menstrual cycles. But the app doubles as a womens rights resource, conveying both medical and legal information in a covert way, in order to empower them to navigate a hardline Islamic system that is increasingly depriving women of access to contraception and enforcing highly discriminatory religious laws.

Other new technologies aim to provide similar empowerment to different marginalized groups in the Islamic Republic. Among these are ethnic and religious minorities like the Bahai faith community, which originated in Iran but is considered by the regime to be a threat to the regimes Islamic identity.

As part of a broader effort to put pressure on Bahais to convert, the Islamic Republic systematically denies them access to higher education and employment opportunities. This has led to the creation of alternative educational infrastructure for the Bahai, but teachers in such institutions have been targeted for arrest and prosecuted for crimes like acting against national security.

Now, the Iranian publics widespread skill at avoiding internet restrictions shows the potential for online learning to help circumvent the ban on education for Bahais. On Monday, CNN profiled an Iranian-born programmer named Shakib Zabihian, who fled religious persecution in his home country in 2013, and now lives and works in Los Angeles.

Zairian was unable to obtain a formal education in Iran and utilized the underground university system as well as a course of independent study to develop the skills he would need. Now passionate about education, Zabihian has developed a app to connect students with expert tutors. Though currently limited to the US, the geographic reach of the Toot app is expected to grow, and it is easy to imagine it or a similar system becoming another weapon in the culture war being waged on the battleground of the Iranian internet.
Gannon Travel honored by Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises has presented Gannon Travel Associates a Princess Cruises Award for being one of the top producing agencies in North America for 2016.

The award, which is based on revenue volume, places Gannon Travel in a limited group of travel agencies. This is the seventh straight year that it has qualified for this award.

John Chernesky, vice president of North American sales for Princess, said the company greatly values its partnership with Gannon Travel.

Gannon Travel Associates is a full-service travel agency and tour company that employs six individuals in Grand Island. The company is owned by Gary and Connie Gannon.

Shopko partners with Lions Club to provide eyecare for children in need

Shopko is again working with the Lions Club for Project Eyecare, a program that provides complimentary eye examinations and eyewear to children in need.

For each Shopko store, the local Lions Club chapter identifies up to five qualified children who receive complimentary eye exams and eyeglasses from Shopko and its doctors of optometry. Doctors donate their services and Shopko Eyecare Centers provide materials at no cost to the patient.

Since starting Project Eyecare in 1999, Shopko has helped thousands of children.
The Center for Rural Affairs honored several area women entrepreneurs on Friday in York.

Along with Ana Gonzalez of Grand Island, who chosen as Latino Business Center Entrepreneur of the Year, Linda Horner of Ord was named the 2016 Womens Business Center Entrepreneur of the Year.

Linda is a true entrepreneur willing to take a chance starting a new business, expanding that business, making the change to a larger facility and overcoming many obstacles, all while maintaining a positive attitude, said Monica Braun, Rural Entrepreneurship Assistance Project Womens Business Center director.

Horner owns Lindas Preschool and Discovery Center in Ord. Horner and her husband, Paul, received an initial loan from a bank in 2003. A REAP loan provided gap financing to purchase a building and convert it into a day care.

Services include preschool education, child care and after-school programs. Horner is looking at adding services for infants.

Sandra Barrera of Grand Island was chosen as the 2016 Latino Business Center Partner of the Year.

Barrera is a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educator in Hall County and an entrepreneur herself.

Sandra is a great partner in sponsoring and promoting training opportunities to the community, said Juan Sandoval, REAP Latino Business Center director. She understands the importance of access to resources.

She helped start Coffee Tables, a monthly training for entrepreneurs in Grand Island, and refers clients to REAP for financing options.

Barreras support helped start 23 businesses in the Grand Island area in 2016.

Aida Olivas of Hastings received the 2016 Bob Steffen Pioneer Award.

Aidas main goal in her community is to make sure everyone has what they need and knows how to access the services they require, said Kathie Starkweather, Center for Rural Affairs Farm and Community Program director. She goes above and beyond to be a resource for migrant workers and new Americans on everything from where to get water and food to how to open a business.

Olivas serves on the migrant staff at Head Start in Hastings. She arrived in Hastings from Mexico more than 20 years ago with two young children and worked to overcome the challenges of learning the language and navigating the culture.

With Olivas help, a team of community leaders was formed in Hastings to promote the values of intercultural understanding and inclusion. The team regularly meets to encourage inclusive practices, identify existing barriers to inclusion and promote easy and straightforward access to city services and programs.

Olivas recently ran for the Hastings school board. She was unsuccessful but will continue to pursue elected office.
Throughout its years of existence, the Salvation Army has helped hundreds of men through its programs, but a shortage of funds may prove a barrier in continuing those programs.

Maj. Chuck Yockey said the Salvation Army is looking for $250,000 to keep the mens shelter open.

We need a long-term investment in this program that would pay dividends, he said.

Yockey said the organization aims to focus on what the mens shelter does well and sell the program for what its worth.

According to statistics provided by Shelter Director Deny Cacy, the Salvation Army served 376 men in 2016. Of those, 280 were unduplicated and brand new faces. He added the organization served 44 veterans in 2016. The shelter serves only men and has 24 beds.

As of Feb. 28, Cacy said, the shelter has served 87 people this year. On Wednesday, 19 men were planning to spend the night at the shelter.

Yockey said the public misconception is the shelter is just a place where men can sleep and leave. However, he said, its more than that.

While they are here, we work with them to get their documentation, Cacy said. That could be a drivers license, state ID, a Social Security card or a birth certificate or anything that would be needed for them to take that next step to get themselves back on their feet.

But Cacy added the Salvation Armys work does not stop there. He said the organization works to help men find employment, and will help them with clothing for job interviews or for daily living. It partners with agencies such as the Hall County Housing Authority and Goodwill to find them housing locally. The shelter also works to help the men apply for food stamps, Medicaid and disability.

Cacy said the employment rate when he arrived at the shelter a year and a half ago was 1 percent to 2 percent, but now its 85 percent to 90 percent among men leaving the shelter.

The ultimate goal, Cacy said, is to get the men to be self-sufficient and make them productive members of the community. He added they have chores and learn basic living skills while living at the shelter.

We give them the opportunity to do their laundry while theyre here, which is another area because a lot of guys honestly dont know how to wash their clothes, Cacy said. We make sure they have the basic living skills to make it back up.

When the men enter the shelter, Cacy said, they are down on their luck and lower than the floor. But in the time they are at the shelter, he sees the mens self-esteem and self-confidence grow.

By the time they leave, they are just on top of the world because theyve been employed, theyve been able to save money, pay off whatever they need to pay off, move into a new apartment and dont have to rely on anybody to do it for them.

Yockey said he wants the men to become productive citizens of Grand Island when they leave the Salvation Army. He added that, if they do this, it will benefit the community, which is why people should continue to invest in the Salvation Army.

The investment people are making in our program is paying off big time if it has worked right, Yockey said. We cannot afford to let it go.

Yockey added that, after a TV station aired a story on the Salvation Armys shortage of funds, a woman came forward with a $10,000 check for the organization. He called the donation a wonderful blessing for us and said the Salvation Army will take any amount of money it can get.

Yockey said the Salvation Army is also in the process of partnering with Buffalo Wild Wings to get 10 percent of non-alcoholic sales generated from open to close one day a month donated to the organization.

While the Salvation Army would continue to operate its other programs not related to the mens shelter, it may be put in a position where it cannot continue to operate the shelter if $250,000 isnt raised by the end of September.

If the shelter closes, it will have a negative impact on their lives and, in turn, its going to have a negative impact on the community, Yockey said. The last thing I want to do is scare people, but we are in a tough situation.

Those interested in making a donation to the Salvation Army can do so by visiting www.givesalvationarmy.com or by calling (308) 382-4855.
President Trump has revised his travel ban on immigrants and refugees and tacitly admitted that three federal courts were correct. The part of his initial order that blocked immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries was unconstitutional, violating principles that protect due process and prohibit religious discrimination.

Thats a small victory for sanity and the authority of the federal judiciary. But another part of Trumps order has gone largely unnoticed and unrevised: a 120-day ban on all refugees, and a drastic reduction in the total number of refugees admitted to the U.S. annually, from 110,000 to 50,000.

Unfortunately, these rules are not subject to legal challenge, since the president clearly has the authority to set refugee policy. But just because Trumps order is legal doesnt make it right. A president who says he wants to make America great again is doing exactly the opposite, diminishing our stature and demeaning our values. His policy is misguided for many reasons, starting with morality.

Virtually every faith-based organization in the country has denounced the refugee order. A coalition of 37 Protestant and Orthodox Christian groups issued a statement calling it unjust and immoral and saying it undermines the values we as people of faith hold dear: to welcome the stranger and assist those most in need.

The obligation to welcome the stranger is reinforced by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which reports that around the globe, we are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record. The U.N. agency counts 21.3 million refugees in the world today, over half of whom are children under 18. Even if the U.S. accepted 110,000 a year, the impact would be small; 50,000 marks a disastrous retreat from our international obligations.

Trump justifies his policy by arguing that its vital to protecting national security, but just about every expert who studies the issues disagrees. Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief, an evangelical agency that resettles refugees, says: The actions mandated by this executive order are inconsistent with the security record established by the refugee program since its inception and even since 9/11.

The White House adds that the policy is necessary to permit extreme vetting of refugees. But that already happens. Every applicant for refugee status undergoes a battery of exhaustive tests, and the process can take up to two years.

The administration also claims that 300 refugees are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations, but it refuses to give any details or supporting evidence. The Washington Post examined the argument in detail and concluded it was irresponsible and highly misleading.

For one thing, the Post points out, refugee admissions have averaged about 83,000 a year since 1980. So even if all 300 suspects were admitted in the same year, they would amount to less than 1 percent of the total number of refugees admitted.

Put another way: the State Department told the Post last year that since 9/11, only about a dozen refugees ... have been arrested or removed from the U.S. due to terrorism concerns.

The New America think tank studied the same numbers and concluded: Far from being foreign infiltrators, the large majority of jihadist terrorists in the United states have been American citizens or legal residents. Not refugees.

At times, Trump has also made an economic argument against refugees, saying they drain public services and resources. And while economists acknowledge there can be short-term costs associated with resettling refugees, they quickly become an economic asset to any country that accepts them.

A study last year of the European refugee experience concluded, Welcoming refugees is not only a humanitarian and legal obligation: It is an investment that can yield significant economic dividends. Ruma Bose of the Tent Foundation, which conducted the study, added: Policymakers should acknowledge the remarkable talents, energy and dedication of so many fleeing violence and conflict, and appreciate them as the workers, taxpayers, entrepreneurs, and innovators they will one day become.

The Wall Street Journal recently visited Erie, Pa., a town of 100,000, where refugees make up 18 percent of the population, and heard similar arguments. Sterling Technologies, a plastics-molding company, says about a quarter of its workforce are refugees. Company president Cary Quigley, who voted for Trump, told the Journal, We have been blessed with immigrants who have come, worked and added value to the company.

Refugees dont just add value to a company or a community; they add value to the country. From every viewpoint  morality, economy, security  Trumps order reducing their numbers is dead wrong.
The last installment of pesticide training dates is scheduled for the next two weeks for anyone in the Hall, Buffalo and Dawson county areas.

The dates and sites are:

-- Hall County  Thursday, March 23, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Hall County Extension Office, Grand Island.

-- Buffalo County  Thursday, March 16, 9 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 4 p.m.; Tuesday, March 21, same times. Meetings on both dates will be held at the Buffalo County Extension Office in Kearney.

-- Dawson County  Wednesday, March 22, 9 a.m. to noon, Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center, Gothenburg.

To pre-register for any of these trainings, contact the respective Extension office. These dates will complete all of the private applicator pesticide trainings in Hall, Buffalo and Dawson counties in 2017.

There are still private pesticide trainings held across the state in case you need to renew or obtain an applicators license in 2017. Access a complete list of training dates in Nebraska online at http://pested.unl.edu/.

If you miss one of these dates and cannot attend another session, stop in at your local Extension office, pick up a self-study manual, and complete the test for a fee. Questions about the certification process as a private applicator can be directed to your local office or to me at sarah.schlund@unl.edu.

Chemigation training

If you need to chemigate in 2017 for the first time, or if your license has expired, consider attending one of these in-person training sessions in March or April.

Chemigation training is quickly winding down for 2017. If you need to certify or re-certify, here are a few upcoming dates in our area:

-- March 16, Hastings, Adams County Fairgrounds, 1:30 p.m.; contact Ron Seymour at (402) 461-7209.

-- March 28, Holdrege, Ag Center, Fairgrounds, 1:30 p.m.; contact Todd Whitney at (308) 995-4222.

-- April 4, North Platte, West Central Research and Extension Center, 1 p.m.; contact Chuck Burr at (308) 696-6783.

Additional dates, times and locations can be found online at http://go.unl.edu/f9re. If you plan to attend, RSVP to the respective educator listed under the Host Educator Contact Office.

The growing season is right around the corner, and some producers may not have enough time to make one of these trainings between field prep, fixing equipment and calving. If you have never chemigated before and need to get a license, you must attend an in-person training if you wish to obtain a license in 2017.

This is the only option available for first-time chemigators. If you miss these training dates in 2017, you will have to wait until next year. Those who need to re-certify have another option available if they cannot attend an in-person training. Re-certifying applicators can complete an online training and the required paperwork, and take the exam at one of our online chemigation testing sites.

An exam is required to obtain a license. Questions? Go online to http://water.unl.edu/cropswater/chemigation.

Weed preparation

Warmer temperatures over the last couple weeks have allowed weeds to start germinating. I have seen henbit, mares-tail, kochia, dandelion and field pennycress seedlings in the local area.

Farmers will need to get out soon and start making burndown herbicide applications. Many weeds actually emerge during the fall, overwinter as a seedling, and grow rapidly when temperatures spike.

However, this is a small number compared to the weeds that emerge in the spring and summer months. Throughout the growing season, I will be updating readers about weeds to keep an eye out for in fields and pastures.

Rodrigo Werle, Extension specialist in North Platte, wrote an excellent article on CropWatch about effectively controlling winter annual weeds, like kochia. I would highly encourage you to check out the article if kochia is an issue in your operation.

Sarah Schlund is the Dawson County Extension educator in crops and water, and serves Dawson, Buffalo and Hall counties. Contact her at (308) 324-5501 or by email at sschlund2@unl.edu or sarah.schlund@unl.edu.
A major crisis faces Muslims today, unlike any other theyve met in modern history: their reputation has been tarnished. Large numbers of people now consider Muslims a danger to security, on a political and cultural level. There are public calls to clamp down on Muslims and consider them as an undesirable community.

Because restlessness is a hallmark of racist people, their success in what they are doing to Muslims will encourage them to torment and marginalize others, creating a crisis much larger than what we are witnessing now.

Abdulrahman al-Rashed, former General Manager of Al Arabiya News Channel, and internationally acclaimed journalist, writes in an article for Al Arabiya, In my opinion, it is wrong to disregard the image that has emerged of Islam and Muslims, as well as the anger against them. It is also wrong to label it as racism; instead, we should try to understand its origins and deal with it. Before that, it is necessary to stop denying the problem within the Muslim communities and we should stop considering that the reactions to Islam and Muslim are just racist. Of course, this does not negate the role of racist and opportunist people in fueling the bad image and hatred against Islam.

The problem began with the Iranian revolution, al-Rashed believes. Using violence, mobilization, and plots, the revolution claimed to defend Islam and Muslims around the world. He says, Prior to all that, Muslims were only minding their own affairs and were dealing with other communities in peace; they were only following their doctrines and practicing their religion. However, the Tehran regime wanted to exploit Islam and Muslims in the world. They started to chant Allahu Akbar with their bands on their heads, on which religious and political slogans like I am at your service Khomeini were written.

This new Islam has nothing to do with Muslims. These people have taken this new title for a different Islam and new Muslims. They created problems that would serve their political conflicts, like converting an unknown story that was published in Britain, and using it to fuel the hatred Britain by Muslims. This, despite the fact that Iran has printed books and novels that are more blaspheming against Muslim beliefs as well as other religions. They put out a financial reward to kill author Salman Rushdie. This was a political act, plotted by the Iranian regime.

Consequentially, oppression of intellectuals, cartoonists and leaders of other religions began, and has gone on for many years now. Claiming that it is defending their religion, causes, communities and cultures, Tehran has been leading Muslims like sheep. Now, al-Qaeda has risen, and has followed Tehrans lead.

This is how they distorted Islam and generated a bad image about Islam that is now hated by the whole world, writes al-Rashed. He says further, We have been dragged into a big hole dug by a group of extremists in Iran and elsewhere. This is not our Islam and we should not be defending their Islam, their ideas and their cases.

According to al-Rased, there are two forms Islam in the world. The Islam of Iran and other extremists has nothing to do with the other, the moderate Islam and Muslims. He says, We should stand with those who are against the tarnished Islam and extremist Muslims because we (moderate Muslims) are the first to be affected by this Islam and Islamic regimes and groups.

Denouncing the Islam of Iran, al-Qaeda, ISIS and the organizations that are forcibly involving religion in politics for the sake of the true Islam, individual faith, and all the Muslims in different countries, is necessary now.

The political conflicts of the world and its governments have nothing to do with religion. Governments who want to intellectually exploit Muslims should not be supported. They do not care about the relations between nations, or about what is happening to the majority and minority of peaceful Muslims in their countries.

They only want to emerge victorious from the ashes of chaos. They know that they will lose once peace and moderation prevails, al-Rashed concludes.
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Linkedin Ary Hermawan (The Jakarta Post)  Sun, March 12, 2017

We should not belittle the significance of Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Sauds royal visit to Indonesia.

Regardless of how much money the worlds richest Islamic kingdom brings to Indonesia, the visit marks a new chapter in the history of Jakartas relations with Riyadh.

Indonesia is an important Muslim-majority nation the Sunni kingdom must court in the battle for hegemony in the Islamic world against Iran, its regional archenemy that has won the hearts of top local Muslim figures despite rising pogroms against Shiism, the strain of Islam espoused by Tehran, in the Southeast Asian country.

And it is safe to say the visit has been a success  for both sides.

King Salman may not be the Pope of Sunni Islam, but more Indonesians now recognize him as the guardian of the two holy cities [Mecca and Medina], which is kind of a big deal for millions of Indonesians who are required to face Mecca when they pray.

As for President Joko Jokowi Widodo, the kings visit has certainly improved his credentials as both a nationalist and Islamic leader. That he managed to have the king talk with leaders of Indonesias major religions in a cordial, Indonesia-esque interfaith meeting, during which he praised Indonesias tolerance, is laudable.

Given his authority as leader of a major Sunni Islam kingdom, King Salman legitimizing Jokowis pro-pluralism campaign at a time when his administration is struggling to contain the rise of right-wing, populist opposition is surely a win for Jokowi.

But, sadly, all this is mere politics and diplomacy. Both countries may have scored political and diplomatic points, but the reality of religious life in both countries is grimmer than what you would believe from listening to the platitudes Saudi and Indonesian diplomats regularly deliver.

Saudi Arabia calling for moderation in practicing religion will strike pro-democracy Muslims as counterintuitive, if not outright hypocritical. Human rights groups have repeatedly lashed out at Riyadh for its blatant disregard of civil liberties. The kingdom executes Muslims for renouncing their faith, bans non-Muslims from practicing their faith openly and puts a ban on female drivers.

Two years ago, Indonesian Muslim clerics began advocating the concept of Islam Nusantara, in an apparent attempt to stem the tide of Salafization of Indonesian Islam.

The argument for this campaign is that Indonesians have their own take on Islam, on how to implement it in their daily lives, which is in many ways different from Salafism, the brand of Islam espoused by the Saudi kingdom and several other Gulf countries.

A number of foreign media outlets have already run stories about the growing clout of Saudi Arabia in Indonesia, going as far as suggesting that the kings visit will redefine Indonesian Islam, which has long been known to be inclusive and diverse.

Foreign journalists may have overstated the influence of Saudi Salafism in Indonesia, but there is no denying Salafi movements are thriving in the country and this could pose a problem.

Radio stations spreading Salafi teachings are mushrooming in Indonesia, according to research by the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM). Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has also decided to expand its Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies (LIPIA), known as a leading Salafist educational institution in Jakarta.

To be clear, it is a mistake to equate Salafism with terrorism as many Salafists are apolitical, denouncing terrorists as takfiris who have strayed from the true path of Islam.

But Salafists, even the quietists, are generally absolutists who are ideologically incapable of managing differences, which could undermine Indonesias pluralism and democracy. It is also a fact that for some people, Salafism could serve as a bridge, instead of deterrent, to radicalism, with local militants supporting the Islamic State (IS) claiming to be Salafists.

Local IS ideologue Aman Abdurrahman, for example, is an alumni of LIPIA.

Scholars call Aman and other IS or al-Qaeda supporters Salafijihadists as they blend the apolitical but extreme ideology of Salafism with the political militancy of the Muslim Brotherhood, particularly the political theology of the groups martyred ideologue, Sayid Qutb.

The Indonesian government, which supports the Islam Nusantara campaign and the rationale behind it, is aware of the elephant in the room and has understandably avoided mentioning the issue during this milestone event in Jakarta-Riyadh relations.

But then the event somehow turned religious, with the Saudi king meeting Islamic and interfaith leaders to talk about the importance of religious harmony. In his speech at the House of Representatives, the king called for a united front against terrorism, but on the same day government officials were telling reporters that Jakarta and Riyadh had agreed to campaign for religious moderation.

It is not clear what has been agreed upon between the two countries, which have totally different political systems, approaches in managing interfaith relations and, more importantly, interpretations of what constitutes religious moderation.

At the end of the day, Jokowi only wanted to turn the royal visit into another bit of political theatre to weaken his opposition, which now has the backing of the so-called Islamic populist movement.

It is hard to overlook the banality of the governments propluralism rhetoric during the kings visit.

Saudi Arabia, after all, is not the only country with a poor record in religious freedom. Indonesia, too, has its own iniquities, with religious minorities such as the Shia and Ahmadi communities still besieged by discriminatory regulations.

It is no surprise that during the meeting between the king and local Islamic leaders, where they called for religious tolerance and moderation, Ahmadi and Shia leaders were absent.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 12, 2017 10:58 2066 a291276806121264c0bd211cde44989f 4 Lifestyle Owl-Village,owl,cafe,#cafe,animal-rights,restaurant,#restaurant,animals,Japan Free

Cat cafes, puppy cafes, and even rabbit cafes, have been popping up all over the world as the demand for animal cafes increases, particularly in Japan. But Owl Village, a Japanese owl cafe, leaves some animal rights activists concerned.

Some say the brightly lit cafes and constant flow of people disrupt the owls natural nocturnal sleep cycles, and that tying their feet to perches to keep them from flying -- as many cafes do -- can potentially be counted as animal abuse.

When they think of animal abuse, people think of kicking or hitting animals, but it isnt limited to that, Chihiro Okada from Tokyos Animal Rights Center told Reuters. Confining an animal to a small space is certainly a form of abuse. Showing them off like products is also a stressful situation. They cant move and drink freely.

Read also: Dog cafe in Kyoto exclusively for pugs and humans

A post shared by Serena (@who8mymnms) on Jan 26, 2017 at 8:10am PST

We were particularly shocked to learn that seven owls died in one year at an owl cafe, Okada added.

Aya Matsuda, who manages the frequently fully booked Owl Village, said they try to keep the birds free of stress with frequent breaks and by ensuring that staff is there to help guide guest-owl interactions.

In our cafe, staff are able to enter the owl room with customers and explain how to play with them, and when the owls look tired, they can rest, she said.

But if the cafe remembers to put the birds first, there should be no problems, said veterinarian Nobumoto Izawa. Most importantly, we need to make sure the birds are happy and not stressed. (sul/kes)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, March 11 2017

The stories of the tragic fates of South Korean leaders, including the latest developments involving Park Geun-hye, are always fascinating for Indonesians dreaming of imposing similar harsh punishments on their abusive and corrupt leaders. They believe Indonesia would be much more prosperous if the same system was adopted here.

The impeachment of president Park Geun-hye by South Koreas Constitutional Court on Friday shows that nearly all the countrys presidents, or their families and most trusted aides, have been dragged down by scandals and tragedies.

The list includes her own father, Park Chung-hee, as well as Roh Tae-woo, Kim Young-sam, Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun and Lee Myung-bak, but Park is the first democratically elected president who was forced to abruptly end her term.

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Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Rotterdam  Sun, March 12, 2017

Police in Rotterdam say they arrested 12 protesters as a demonstration outside the Turkish consulate devolved into rioting, amid diplomatic tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands.

Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said the arrests were made for violence and public order offenses as Dutch-Turkish protesters pelted police with bottles and rocks early Sunday.

Police responded with batons and a water cannon.

Wessels says seven people were injured in the brief explosion of violence, including a police officer who suffered a broken hand.

The confrontation came at the end of a long standoff in which Dutch authorities refused to allow Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya into her country's consulate in downtown Rotterdam.

A small number of protesters reacted angrily when they heard that Dutch police were driving the minister to the German border.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says he was forced to keep two Turkish ministers from traveling within the Netherlands and to bar them from campaigning among Turkish voters because Ankara had threatened sanctions against his government.

Rutte said Sunday, "We can never do business under this kind of blackmail."

The prime minister says he was shocked to see one of the ministers try to get to a Rotterdam rally by car after the government had made clear she was not welcome.

Turkey's minister of family affairs was escorted back to the German border after a long standoff outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Earlier, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights of the plane carrying Turkey's foreign minister.

The ministers planned to urge Turkish expatriates to back the referendum, which would expand the president's powers.

Rutte says: "We drew a red line."
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Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi  Sun, March 12, 2017

Following a riot and fire on Thursday in Jambi prison, on Saturday 60 inmates of the correctional facility were transferred to the narcotics penitentiary in Muara Sabak, East Tanjungjabung regency.

The head of the Law and Human Rights Ministrys Jambi provincial office, Bambang Palasara, however, said that the transfer had nothing to do with the recent riot. He said it was done to reduce the number of the inmates in Jambi prison, which is considered to have been overcrowded.

This is just a routine activity conducted by the Jambi prison, Bambang said, Saturday, adding that the transfer of inmates from one prison to another was normal.

(Read also: Prison riot erupts in Jambi)

He said in an overcrowded prison, the correctional process would not be able to run well. The transfer, therefore, was done to ensure the counseling and security ran well.

He said Jambi prison had the capacity for only 360 inmates, but currently held more than 1,700.

The conditions can trigger many problems, which is why the transfer is necessary, he said. (wit)
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Linkedin N. Adri (The Jakarta Post) Balikpapan  Sun, March 12, 2017

Two estuarine crocodiles and a honey bear have been handed over alive to Region III of the Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in East Kalimantan on Friday.

One of the crocodiles was 70 centimeters long and was estimated to be 7 or 8 months old, while the other was 30 centimeters in length and was estimated to be 2 to 3 months old.

An attempt was being made to smuggle both to Makassar [South Sulawesi], said the head of the agencys conservation section, Suriawati Halim.

The head of Balikpapan fish quarantine, quality control and fishery product security, Muhammad Burlian, handed over the two crocodiles to the agency after his men foiled the smuggling attempt at Sepinggan Airports cargo unit on Thursday.

Burlian said the crocodiles were packed in plastic buckets, covered with cloth and wrapped in gift paper. They were declared to be snacks, but an X-ray scan showed that they did not look like snacks.

The animals were being sent by someone only identified as M in Samarinda to a recipient, R, in Makassar.

The airport officers contacted us. It turned out to be two crocodiles when we opened it, Burlian said, adding that estuarine crocodiles were protected animals and that only a limited number of bred ones could be traded. (wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 12, 2017

In an effort to protect the country's border areas against foreign territorial claims, the government has declared 111 outer islands, which include some previously not stated as border areas.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti welcomed Presidential Decree No. 6/2017 on outermost islands, the new regulation signed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, which revises a 2005 decree that only named 92 islands.

The newly mentioned islands include Bintan and Berakit in the province of Riau Islands and Nusa Penida in Bali.

The enactment of these [111] islands is to prevent issues of occupation or claims of possession by other nations, said Susi on Saturday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

(Read also: Indonesia to secure ownership of 111 islets)

The latest government move comes after several disputes over peripheral islands with neighboring countries Malaysia and Singapore.

Last year, Indonesia was also involved in a spat with China over fishing activities in waters near Natuna Island.

(Read also: Jokowi inaugurates new airport terminal in Natuna)

The government, according to Susi, will keep close watch over the 111 islands to prevent activities like drug smuggling, human trafficking and illegal fishing.

The minister also expressed her hope that natural resources in the outermost and remote islands could be utilized in the interest of the local people and the government. (mrc/wit)
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 12, 2017

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Sunday that President Joko Jokowi Widodo had called Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on the phone to extend his farewell greetings and emphasize bilateral commitments between the two countries.

The President made time to call King Salman to bid farewell and [convey] the most important message, which is hoping that [the two countries] can immediately follow up all the results of the official visit. The Kings visit is a historical moment, but in the end, its the implementation of the cooperation that is more important, Retno said.

(Read also: The elephant in the room in Saudi kings visit)

The King spent three days on an official visit in Jakarta, during which he held meetings with Jokowi and a number of ministers and signed 11 memorandums of understanding on projects worth at least US$1 billion. The MoUs mostly concern Saudi funding for various infrastructure and industrial development projects, but also in sectors such as health and fisheries.

Retno said the King was very excited to say that both governments needed to visit each other more to be able to immediately implement the cooperation. Thus, in the phone call, the President said that in two months, he would send several economy-related ministers to meet their Saudi counterparts to discuss the details of implementing [the agreements], Retno said. (wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Seoul  Sun, March 12, 2017

Hundreds of police officers, reporters and supporters of ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye have gathered near her Seoul home in anticipation of her return from the presidential palace.

An official from the presidential Blue House said Sunday that there was a possibility that Park would leave in the evening, two days after the country's Constitutional Court removed her from office over a corruption scandal.

Workers were seen carrying a television, washing machine, bed and other household items into Park's private home.

The court on Friday unseated Park amid suspicions that she colluded with a confidante to extort money and favors from companies and allowed the friend to secretly manipulate state affairs.

The country now has to elect a new president by early May.
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Linkedin Jim Gomez (Associated Press) Manila  Sun, March 12, 2017

The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said Sunday.

Government and rebel negotiators will resume talks early next month and discuss the terms of a broader cease-fire, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said. Norway, which has been brokering the negotiations, hosted two days of informal talks in the Netherlands that led to a decision to resume the negotiations on ending one of Asia's longest rebellions.

Just three days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to unleash an all-out war against the New People's Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another in an ambush in southern Davao del Sur province.

"I'm ready for all-out war, another 50 years," Duterte said Thursday at the policemen's wake. "I can assure you that the armed forces and the Philippine National Police would respond. This time I'm using everything ... rockets and bombs."

The military welcomed news of the breakthrough but said it would await formal notice from government negotiators and Duterte's instructions. "Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state," the military said in a statement.

Founded in 1968, the rural-based guerrilla group has unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with five Philippine presidents before Duterte. Battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting have weakened the rebel group, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and remains a major Philippine security threat.

The rebels and the government declared separate cease-fires last year as they resumed peace talks. That allowed the government to withdraw troops from battlefields to focus on an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim extremist groups in the country's south.

In a joint statement with the rebels, the Philippines also agreed to release a rebel consultant to the talks and reinstate immunities from arrest for other guerrilla consultants. It pledged to release soon four other consultants and 19 detainees the guerrillas regard as political prisoners.
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Linkedin Hotli Simanjuntak and Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Banda Aceh/Jakarta  Mon, March 13 2017

A prosecutor in Aceh province has claimed that two Buddhists voluntarily chose to be punished under sharia after being found guilty of gambling.

On March 9, hundreds of people in Aceh Besar regency, Aceh, witnessed the first instance of Buddhists being caned for violating sharia, which is implemented across the province.

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Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 13, 2017

The government is seeking a bilateral agreement with Iran to establish a direct payment method in trade deals without having to use the banking services of the third countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Malaysia.



"The payment method is the main problem," Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto said in a statement recently..

The government, therefore, expects the country's financial regulators, Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority [OJK], to make an agreement with Iran's banking sector to simplify the payment method for import-export activities between the two countries.

(Read also: Indonesia, Iran pledge to improve cooperation)



Airlangga said Iran could be a hub to facilitate the penetration of Indonesian products into markets in Central Asia and the Middle East. Indonesia sells natural rubber, palm oil, paper, tires and chemical products to Iran.

"Indonesian imports steel, petrochemicals, minerals and raw materials for synthetic fiber, from Iran," the minister said, adding that the trade volume between the two countries reached US$330 million in 2016, a jump from $270 million in the previous year. (dan)
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Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 13 2017

A large-scale corruption case pertaining to a national electronic identity card (e-ID) project has robbed Indonesians of the chance to enjoy quality public services, President Joko Jokowi Widodo has said.

Everything is messy now. All because the budget for the e-ID procurement was swindled, Jokowi told reporters after visiting a furniture fair in Central Jakarta on Saturday.

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Linkedin Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 13 2017

A book opens up a new discussion on the myriad of problems faced by refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia.

I know a mysterious place, a place where nothing and everything is possible  in one way or another, a place where a drop of tear destroys a day-long laughter.

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Linkedin Evan A. Laksmana (The Jakarta Post) Seattle, Washington  Mon, March 13 2017

In an interview with The Australian shortly before his visit to Sydney on Feb. 26 and 27, President Joko Jokowi Widodo reportedly opened the door for Indonesia and Australia to jointly patrol the South China Sea.

This notion, however, never made its way to the joint statement or the Joint Declaration on Maritime Cooperation issued at the end of the visit. Subsequently, on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Summit in Jakarta last week, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull downplayed the idea further.

Similarly, Indonesian officials never confirmed specific plans for a joint patrol as such. Instead, they reiterated the shared strategic interest with Australia and the cooperative opportunities in the broader maritime domain.

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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 13 2017

State Owned banks and an infrastructure financing firm are gearing up to provide financing for the capitals light rail transit (LRT) project amid a lack of state funds.

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno recently said the ministry had talked with PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI) about the funding issue.

So [SMI], along with state lenders, will fund the LRT, she said, adding that the funding requirement would be divided equally between SMI and the banks.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, March 12, 2017 10:07 2066 a291276806121264c0bd211cde447075 4 News Hotel,#hotel,Japan,#Japan,destination,#destination,theme-park,Huis-Ten-Bosch Free

Ever fancied the idea of an underwater capsule restaurant? Consider raising the stakes by visiting Japan and staying in a capsule that floats freely on the sea.

Huis Ten Bosch, a Japanese Dutch-themed park, plans to build two-story capsules that can accommodate up to four guests. The capsules will be left to float overnight to a 39,000-square-meter island owned by the park that is home to attractions the guests can explore once they arrive on the island.

(Read also: Banksy's art in West Bank hotel with world's 'worst view')

A post shared by  HuisTenBosch (@huistenbosch_official) on Feb 4, 2017 at 4:05am PST

A night in the capsule could cost anywhere between US$260 and $350, according to The Japan Times.

Not all are in love with the idea, though. I am afraid that it [will float] off to the Pacific Ocean," said a commenter on Naver's Matome News.

Imagine waking up in the morning and finding yourself in North Korea, said another. (sul/kes)
Having to awkwardly greet the person delivering your takeaway food when youre hungover and still in your pyjamas at 5pm could soon be a thing of the past.

US company Postmates have launched their first fully robotic food delivery service based in Washington DC  and there are plans to launch it across Europe.

(Postmates)

Built by Estonian based Starship Technologies, the robots transport food from the restaurant to your home.

You order a meal using the companys app, and then the robot goes on a little trip to pick up your food using their nifty sensors. But, we know, we know  you have some burning questions.

How does it cope with traffic lights? How does it not get lost? How does it not crash? Well, the robot can read electronic signs, plus it has cameras which help it find its way to your home successfully. Nifty, hey?

The service is currently only a thing in Washington DC, but keep your eyes out for these on a street near you soon.
Located on the banks of the River Mersey, the city of Liverpool has been transformed into a buzzing cultural hub, boasting beautiful architecture, an abundance of museums, the oldest Chinatown in Europe and an unrivaled nightlife scene.

Many people know Liverpool as the birthplace of The Beatles and Cilla Black, but the city has so much more to offer. Here are some things you can do on a budget.

The Museum of Liverpool

The majority of museums in the city offer free entry to visitors, but if you only have time for one let it be the Museum of Liverpool. It's the largest newly-built museum for more than a century, and the first in the world dedicated to the history of a regional city. The museum reveals the city's heritage through interesting artefacts, photos and film screenings. Situated on the stunning Royal Albert Dock, it's an essential stop on your tour.

Sefton Park

Hidden away a couple of miles south of the centre you'll find the impressive Sefton Park. Here you can take a peaceful walk around the lake, take a look at the famous Palm House venue, or bring a picnic and simply watch the world go by. All of the park's 235 acres are shared by dog-walkers, joggers, the elderly and students alike. The best part? It's accessible 24 hours a day all year round.

Crosby Beach

Crosby beach is an absolute must-see on any trip to Liverpool. British sculptor Antony Gormley - famous for creating The Angel of the North - completely spruced up the Merseyside coastline with 'Another Place', a project which features 100 life size statues made of iron casts of his own body.

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

Looking a little bit like it's just fallen from outer space, the Metropolitan is the largest Catholic Cathedral in England, and is a conveniently placed stop of your tour of the city, being positioned in between two of Liverpool's universities. Not only can you take a tour inside, but you can also be blown away by some pretty amazing panoramic views from the top.

The Baltic Triangle

Finishing proudly above Manchester's esteemed Northern Quarter in 'Travel Supermarket's Hip Hang-Out Neighbourhood Index', Liverpool's Baltic Triangle is a recently developed creative hideout, and can be discovered only a five-minute walk from both Chinatown and the Echo Arena.

The area is available to visit any time; during daylight hours there are an almost overwhelming amount of independent restaurants, bars and vintage shops, but come nightfall the place comes alive - streets lined with renovated warehouses and open spaces offer a number of cool, alternative bars and clubs, where partygoers flock from all around. If you're looking for a night filled with fun and partying, or a day sampling some delicious delacacies, don't miss out a visit to the Baltic Triangle.
Mary Harrod, University of Warwick

The long-awaited sixth and final season of HBOs Girls is currently gracing our screens. But grace may not be the first word youd associate with the series creator and showrunner, Lena Dunham.

Sky Atlantic

As the series draws to a close, it will leave in its wake controversy and debate: over its mainstreaming of  gross-out  femininity; its intermittent and sometimes cack-handed attempts to comment on contemporary issues such as race relations or lack of opportunities for young people; and especially the problems for social engagement posed by its ethnically homogeneous , middle-class Brooklyn milieu.

Theres no denying that Dunhams choice to tell stories connected to her own experience as a white, female, millennial New Yorker limits the scope of the shows potential in some ways. She makes no bones about the autobiographical nature of all her work, any more than does her Girls character Hannah when she attends a prestigious creative writing programme in season four. Like many of Girls critics, classmates dismiss Dunhams/Hannahs art as nothing more than the stories of a privileged girl.

Indeed, the echoes between Girls, Dunhams earlier low-budget films such as Tiny Furniture and her bestselling collection of personal essays Not That Kind of Girl are so loud that spotting them could get fans through a world without Girls.

Sky Atlantic

Its apt, then, that season six opens by focusing on Dunhams controlling presence, zooming in on Hannahs hands and facial features as she types a story.

Girl problems

Certainly, the shows representation of non-normative identities leaves something to be desired. Although its gay character Elijah (Andrew Rannells) has evolved from catty best friend stereotype to emotionally vulnerable protagonist by season five, early episodes of season six suggest a backwards move. And watch out for the second episode, where the issue of opioid addiction and associated domestic violence are reduced to a horror movie parody (think The Shining framed by giggling girls).

Then there are the dislikeable, self-serving characters and the wistful, not to say self-indulgent aesthetics  including a whiny teen-angst score. Even Dunham admits Hannah is a version of herself who has yet to mature.

But Dunhams very active Twitter feed suggests that she takes critiques of Girls on board and has broadened its repertoire. For instance, the inclusion of Hannahs African-American boyfriend in the first two episodes of season two appears to attempt  inadequately but genuinely  to, as scholars Meredith Nash and Ruby Grant note , reveal the difficulty of initiating an honest discourse on race, even if it is between two educated metropolitan twenty-somethings amidst a presumed post-racial America.

Fans of Girls have meanwhile hailed it precisely for its rejection of the inanely slick sensibility of its predecessor series Sex and the City, whose trailblazing installation of a variety of idiosyncratic female characters on international screens it mimics. While the girls friendships in Dunhams show may be far from problem-free, these relationships get more air time than is customary for much mainstream television.

Sky Atlantic

And theres an appealing honesty to the imperfect characterisation of the leads. As Hannah puts it to Marnie (Allison Williams) in season sixs second episode: it can be pretty hard to have observations about other people when youre only thinking about yourself  I would know.

Girls offers a rare combination of physical and verbal comedy with a serious undertone. At its best, it is unparalleled on contemporary television in its attention to human rhythms, its virtuoso casting, direction of actors and skewering of outdated social mores.

Gross out

Fear of the female body is first and foremost among the latter, as hostile reactions to the appearance of Dunhams imperfect body on screen only demonstrate in spades. The shows main characters engage in grotesque activities such as masturbation, urination or leaving snot in the bathtub. And who can forget Hannah threatening to pollute her hostile, dysfunctional, buttoned-up cousin Rebecca with her  chachie hands , or blithely to spread her underwear-less crotch all over a chair in the apartment she shares with Elijah?

If you dont like it, Dunham tells viewers loud and clear, the problems all yours. Even more bravely, the third episode of season six offers a reflection on the difficult issue of sexual coercion that is as subtle and thought-provoking as the much discussed narration of possible college date rape experienced by Dunham in her memoir Not that Kind of Girl

Critics may write off the achievement of Girls as mere fiddling while Rome burns  some even credit Dunham, who campaigned for Clinton, with an unwitting role in establishing a new order based on the mistrust of progressive politics as defined by an elite group. But, in a fast-changing world, the show speaks best to those issues closest to its creators heart.
The San Francisco Monastery in Cochabamba, Bolivia, has welcomed its newest monk  an adorable pup called Carmelo.

The dog used to be a stray but the local monks took him in  being a monastery named after the patron of animals St Francis, how could they not?

Hes now a much-loved member of the team with duties including running around, looking cute, having fun and, most importantly, preaching to the fish.

Carmelo has even earned himself the new title of Friar Bigoton (which is Spanish for moustache) which he pulls off along with his personalised habit with ease.
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Kate Jenni can joke about it now.

But earlier this week life was a little scary. Her newborn baby, just three weeks old, was having trouble breathing. Jenni and her husband, Scott Jenni, decided to rush the baby boy to the emergency room in Lewistown.

"It's a little terrifying, it turns out, to be a parent," Kate Jenni said with a laugh. She and Scott are first-time parents.

Liam, their son, was diagnosed with RSV and rushed to Billings. RSV, the abbreviated name for respiratory syncytial virus, is an illness that infects the lungs and respiratory tract. It's especially dangerous for infants, who are particularly susceptible to the virus.

Newborns and infants are still developing and strengthening their respiratory systems during that first year of life. RSV gums up the lungs and airway, and it can dangerously impact an infant's ability to breathe and get needed oxygen.

"Kids less than 2 months struggle the worst with it," said Menard Barruga, a pediatric intensivist doctor at St. Vincent Healthcare.

Cases of RSV in the area are up this winter. St. Vincent Healthcare treated 40 cases alone in February. Billings Clinic saw 26 cases in February and has treated five more so far in March.

"This year has been particularly heavy," Barruga said.

St. Vincent tends to see more RSV cases because the hospital has a dedicated pediatric intensive care unit.

Part of what makes RSV troublesome is that it can be hard to spot; it looks a lot like a cold.

The Jennis attest to that. Going into the weekend last week, Liam started sneezing and sounded a little congested, Scott Jenni said.

"It seemed like he had a little cold," Kate Jenni added.

By Sunday he was struggling to breathe, so they packed Liam up and headed to the emergency room. They figured it was probably no big deal, but they're still new parents and didn't want to take any chances.

In the emergency room, staff acted quickly, diagnosing the virus and hooking Liam up to monitors and oxygen.

"It kind of startled everybody," Scott Jenni said.

They learned Liam would need intensive care and so they were rushed down to St. Vincent.

"We didn't get much sleep that first night," Scott Jenni said.

Barruga said it's important for parents of young children to monitor closely cold-like symptoms. If the child appears to have labored breathing with the other symptoms, it's best to take them to a doctor.

Newborns and infants typically get sick about once a month as their immune systems develop resistance to common bugs and viruses, Barruga said.

"It's just part of growing up," he said.

The danger comes when an infant contracts something like RSV, which is why it's important for parents to be vigilant, he said.
As sea gypsies win their land battle, others use them for marketing

Ahoy Me Hearties! Un-heard of in my history fishing out of Phuket are these February squalls, to my mind, just another pointer to the climatic changes going on around us, and for the most part being ignored. Just another sad chapter in the annals of human obstinacy!

tourismeconomicsmarine

By Jimmy Stewart

Sunday 12 March 2017, 12:00PM

The Rawai Sea Gypsy market prior to the takeover.

I remember reading that, although the government was aware of worlds rising sea levels, they would like to assure the people that this would not affect the Gulf of Thailand. Must have been a Trump supporter!

So now to stop me prattling on about the weather, how about the guys who introduced me the Andaman Sea? The Rawai Sea Gypsies.

It seems strange to me that such a valuable asset to Phukets tourist industry should be better protected or at the very least compensated for their sub-standard living conditions, especially as so many others profit from there meagre existence.

Yes my friends, the gypsies look to have won the battle against big business even when they did bring in the muscle and the threats. But now the village is being infested by tourists arriving on road-choking buses while the logistics of taking advantage of these mostly Chinese Greenhorns means  there is a very sizeable population of Thais, Indians, Chinese just working on emptying the tourist wallets  while the Gypsy Village gets invaded on a daily basis by rubberneckers and these freeloading carpetbaggers who live off the backs of the gypsys reputation.

I used to drive my car right through to the back of the village, now non-gypsies are telling me no cars while they are selling fish at inflated prices, as people believe they were caught by the gypsies and therefore by buying fish we are helping them, while the exact opposite is the case.

The improved infrastructure of the village looks modern enough as you walk in but its all facade and f all else.

The gypsies, who had little sanitation or drainage, now find their village overrun by commercial interests and all its disgusting side effects which only compound the previous problems and highlights the inadequacies of the authorities, who historically have been as beneficial to the gypsies as a morale officer on a pirate ship.

Are we to be witnessing the demise of the gypsies as another insidious form of takeover unceremoniously digests them into a corrupt, profit led system they neither need, want nor understand, or is the department in charge the same one that said, The tide will not rise in the Gulf Of Thailand?

Tight lines

Jimmy
Boat Avenue's newest restaurant is a 'Cut' above

Cut Grill & Lounge is one of the latest additions to the trendy Boat Avenue street mall in Cherng Talay. It takes full advantage of its prime location, overlooking the lake near the entrance to Laguna, with its spacious and breezy al fresco dining area that feels relaxed and welcoming.



By Mark Knowles

Sunday 12 March 2017, 12:00PM

They even have a pool for those hot days. Photo: Supplied

Your steaks are cooked in the open kitchen's grill. Photo: Supplied

Battered deep-fried prawns were part of our 'Metre of Tapas' Photo: Mark Knowles

The enormous Tomahawk steak is one of the most popular menu items at Cut Grill & Lounge.

Overseeing the dining area are co-managers Arthur and Christian who are super-friendly and more than happy to recommend some dishes if you are having trouble making up your mind with the extensive menu.

Given this was our first visit, Christian recommended we try Cuts signature starter  the meter of finger food.

Served on a long wooden board, this selection of the chefs favourite tapas changes regularly depending on his whims and the freshest ingredients available that day.

But you are likely to get at least a few crowd-pleasers like crispy battered prawns with wasabi mayo, croquettes of bacala (salted cod) with creamy tomato dipping sauce and bruschetta with fresh tomato and Serrano ham.

There is quite a lot to eat and its best shared between two to four people so as to leave room for mains.

Not surprisingly, given its name, Cut specialises in steak and other succulent cuts of meat which are flame grilled in the open kitchen in view of salivating diners.

Cut says it takes care to source the best available meat, with its beef coming from Australia and the chicken and pork sourced in Thailand from local chicken farmer Wichit Sonjai and Sloans artisan charcuterie in Bangkok respectively.

Most of their organic vegetables are sourced from a royal project farm in Chiang Mai.

Judging from the numerous nearby tables that had ordered it, Cuts signature Tomahawk steak  1.5 kilograms of premium Aussie Black Angus beef on the bone  is a stand-out hit with diners, but again, best shared with at least two people.

Despite temptation, I declined to order the Tomahawk and settled on the more manageable 250 gram tenderloin with pepper sauce and a side of truffled potatoes and a green salad.

My companion decided on the half farmers chicken with confit potatoes  another speciality of Executive Chef Jeriko Van Der Wolf, whose passion for the humble roast chicken is legendary.

Before long my steak came, grilled to a perfect medium rare, bolstered by the flavour-packed truffle mashed potatoes.

This was paired perfectly with a glass of bold French red from the short but well-curated wine list.

A taste of my companions jealously guarded chicken confirmed that is was indeed juicy and subtly flavoured with Chef Jerikos secret marinade.

While the grill is the centrepiece of Cuts culinary offerings, there is also plenty more to choose from, including pizza  from the simple margarita to a more adventurous Norwegian with smoked salmon on a creamy base and tipped with mozzarella and a squeeze of lemon.

Pastas are also a popular choice, with lobster linguine as the attention-grabber. For a lighter choice there are your standard Caesar and Nicoise salads, or for something a bit more tropical, the pineapple prawn salad.

Manager Christian recommended we try the tiramisu, and it was plain to see this was an easy sell.

The immaculately presented flower-like dessert was a symphony of coffee soaked cake and fresh cream sprinkled with crunchy chocolate crumbs.

The overall experience of Cut was friendly and relaxed, fancy but not formal, with attentive staff and a great view to boot.

There is also a swimming pool sprawling out toward the lake for those who want to cool off, which give Cut a decidedly beachclub-like feel  Ill have to bring my shorts next time.

For more information visit: http://cut-phuket.com/
Forced into monthly exile

NEPAL: The small thatched hut in western Nepal has no walls to keep out the cold. Inside is a raised platform where Pabitra Giri sleeps during her period, banished from her home by a centuries-old Hindu ritual.

culturesexreligionconstruction

By AFP

Sunday 12 March 2017, 11:00AM

Nepalese women Pabitra Giri (left) and Yum Kumari Giri (right) sit by a fire as they live in a chhaupadi hut during their menstruation period in Surkhet District, some 520km west of Kathmandu. Photo: AFP

Below the hut, known as a chhau goth, Giri lights a small fire to keep her warm. The smoke rises up to the small cramped area where she sleeps, making her eyes water.

We think that if we dont follow chhaupadi bad things will happen and if we do, it (the gods) will favour us. I feel it does good, so I follow it during my periods, Giri, 23, explained.

Now I am used to it. I used to be afraid in the beginning because I was away from my family during dark nights and the place is like this, Giri said gesturing around her.

The practice is linked to Hinduism and considers women untouchable when they menstruate.

They are banished from the home  barred from touching food, religious icons, cattle and men  and forced into a monthly exile sleeping in basic huts.

In some areas, women are also made to spend up to a month in the chhau goth after they have given birth.

Two women recently died while following chhaupadi  one of smoke inhalation after she lit a fire for warmth, while the other death is unexplained. These incidents have spurred fresh impetus to end the practice.

Chhaupadi was banned a decade ago, but new legislation currently before parliament will criminalise the practice, making it an imprisonable offence to force women to follow the ritual.

Women were accepting chhaupadi as tradition. After defining chhaupadi an offence by law the tradition will be discouraged saving rights and lives of many women, Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, a lawmaker pushing the bill, said.

But previous attempts to stop chhaupadi have failed to address the deep superstitious beliefs that underpin it.

Even in the capital Kathmandu, three in four homes practise some form of restriction on women during their periods, usually banning them from the kitchen and prayer room, said Pema Lhaki, a womens right activist who has campaigned for years to end chhaupadi.

Most attempts to end the ritual have focused on destroying the chhau goths but that hasnt stopped women being banned from their homes  instead, in some areas, it has seen women forced to sleep in even more rudimentary huts or even outside, Lhaki said.

Until we make the woman herself make the decision, the destruction of menstrual huts is more for external purposes. The menstrual huts should remain. Success is when they remain but they dont go into them, she said, accusing the government of encouraging the chhau goth to be destroyed to meet quotas set by international donors.

In a village a few miles from where Giri lives, Khagisara Regmi is considering building a chhau goth.

After her husband died eight years ago, the 40-year-old found it too difficult to follow chhaupadi  which would bar her from cooking or touching her son when she was menstruating  while bringing up her four young children.

But a few years ago, her only son started having fits. When a nearby hospital failed to cure them, Regmi turned to the local shaman who told her that her sons seizures where because she hadnt followed the ancient ritual.

Because I didnt observe purity the gods were displeased. It wasnt favourable for my son, she said.

It is often the village shamans  who fill a void left by woefully poor medical services in rural Nepal  and the elderly who are the guardians of the ritual.

Sabitra Giri, 70, defiantly said that the Maoists during Nepals brutal civil war tried to end chhaupadi as part of an anti-religion drive  but failed.

You can cut me but while Im alive this practice will continue, she said.

At a house on the edge of the village, shaman Keshar Giri, clad head to toe in white, explained that many illnesses were caused by women not following chhaupadi.

He often counselled women to follow the ritual if they came to him with problems, he said.

It is not about individuals but the gods that we worship who ask women to not be near for those few days, he said.

Its for the sake of the gods.
Phuket Opinion: Getting fat feeding the fishes

PHUKET: Olga Smirnova, the 53-year-old Russian woman arrested for feeding fish at Koh Racha Yai, who was subsequently held in police cells for two days until a good Samaritan posted the B100,000 bail for her release, must be deeply bitter about her ill treatment at the hands of Thai officials.

opinionRussianpolicecrimecorruptionenvironmentnatural-resourcesmarinetourism

By The Phuket News

Sunday 12 March 2017, 09:00AM

A tourist feeds fish at Koh Racha. Photo: Khanchit Klingklip

The paltry fine of B1,000 that was eventually handed down must have only served to further rub salt into her wounds. The fact that she was locked up and her passport confiscated for this misdemeanour is a travesty of justice and only serves to highlight the capricious nature of law enforcement in Thailand.

It seems likely that her arrest was a routine shakedown by police. It is also likely that many tourists have been arrested for feeding fish and threatened with jail and massive fines if they didnt cough up a fine on the spot to make it all go away.

It appears that Mrs Smirnova either didnt have the money, or refused to pay  forcing the polices hand out of the cookie jar and dragging this case into the courts and therefore the media spotlight. As a result the case has highlighted the obtrusive use of Thailands legal system and the shabby treatment of foreigners unlucky enough to be caught up in it.

It seems when a foreigner is charged, and the case is in the news, the government suddenly has to demonstrate it is doing everything by the book. This stands in stark contrast to the business-as-usual approach of letting murderously negligent drivers off with a slap on the wrist, transferring trigger-happy killer cops to another province without a hint of punishment and turning a blind eye to egregious violations of environmental laws by businesses which discharge untreated wastewater into the sea  the list goes on.

Let it be clear that The Phuket News does support the enforcement of environmental laws, and other laws, most of which if enforced fairly and uniformly would make Thailand a better place for both Thais and foreigners. But it is extremely difficult to respect authorities who use the law as a tool to intimidate and extort foreigners one moment and then ignore it at their convenience the next.

An argument could be made that such cases serve to set an example to others that a law exists and must be obeyed. However, if you wish to employ this argument with any credibility and fairness, then taking a stand on fish-feeding laws, and not negligent driving causing death, seems a strange place to draw a line in the sand.
Nacogdoches, TX (75962)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
The risky decision of demonetisation  which many thought would go wrong  actually seems to have paid off for the BJP. The note ban did cause chaos in the initial weeks, but later things smoothened and generally the electorate didn't mind it as is evident from the results, say experts.

After the demonetisation move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was attacked vehemently by the major political parties like the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the issue but the decision clicked big time with the voters of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, they said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s phenomenal success in the two states came close on the heels of its victory in the civic polls in Odisha, Maharashtra and Chandigarh, where the elections were held soon after the note ban.

"There were sections unhappy with demonetisation, but there were a large number of poorer people who felt that Modi was dealing with corruption, hitting at the rich," said Neerja Chowdhury, political commentator and columnist.

Chowdhury said that the people bought the argument that the move, in the long run, would do good for them, and that Modi would prove to be a messiah for the poor.

"The verdict shows that people are willing to give him time," she said,

During the campaign in these five states, the Congress, SP, BSP and other opposition parties had alleged that the government's ban on high-denomination bank notes led to hardships for the poor, and hoped that the people would give their verdict in the polls.

"This election has been fought with demonetisation issue. There was a lot of debate going on how it will impact the elections. But demonetisation has clicked big time with the voters of UP and Uttarakhand," said Praveen Rai, political analyst at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.

Rai added: "The kind of victory we see for the BJP is unparalleled. Modi magic, which people thought had declined after Delhi and Bihar, has resurfaced and is almost like a resurrection for the party."

On November 8 last year, the Prime Minister had announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, saying that the move would curtail the shadow economy and crackdown on the illicit and counterfeit cash used to fund illegal activities and terrorism.

The decision led to long queues outside banks and ATMs to withdraw cash.

Alok Rai, Professor at Institute of Management Studies at Banaras Hindu University, felt that demonetisation had a huge political impact.

"Lower classes of the society perceived the decision to be in their favour and against the rich. The BJP, especially the Prime Minister, succeeded to convince the voters about the decision," Rai said.

"Negative campaigning by the opposition parties paid rich dividends to Modi and the BJP," he added.

During the election campaign, the BJP leaders also raked up the issue, saying the opposition parties should take the results as a referendum on demonetisation.

Modi and BJP President Amit Shah targeted the opposition parties many a time during their election campaign, saying demonetisation had given sleepless nights to opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Babua (Akhilesh Yadav) and Bua (Mayawati).
As the Goa Assembly elections delivered a fractured verdict, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress legislature parties held meetings on Sunday to decide their respective leaders to form government in the state.

BJP top leaders Nitin Gadkari and Manohar Parrikar are currently holding talks at a five-star hotel in Goa. The BJP, in need of seven seats to form the government, has sought an appointment with the state Governor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

We are waiting for the final two letters. We are meeting the Governor today, the BJP said.

We are waiting for the prime minister to give us time by evening. We are taking all the MLAs with us to meet him. We are looking at an appointment for around 8 pm," the party stated.

The BJP Parliamentary board meeting on Sunday at 6 pm is likely to decide if Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is to take over as the state Chief Minister. If Parrikar is to become the Chief Minister, he will have to resign as the Defence Minister of the country.

Meanwhile, the meeting of Congress MLAs headed by party leader Digvijaya Singh was underway in Panaji.

The BJP won 14 seats in the 40-member Goa assembly while the Congress won 18 seats, closest to majority. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the independents secured three seats each, while the NCP managed to win one.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board will meet in New Delhi on Sunday to decide the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where it won majority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the meeting after his victory rally in the capital. Both Amit Shah and PM Modi addressed party workers in the rally, which started at Le Meredien and ended at the BJP headquaters in New Delhi.

Party president Amit Shah on Sunday said that the chief ministers will be selected based on their merits and capability.

The BJP registered a historic win of almost 80 per cent by scoring 312 seats out of 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh by any political party since Indira Gandhi led the Congress to 309 seats in 1980 while in Uttarakhand, the BJP scored 57 seats in the 70-member Assembly.
In the wake of BJP's landslide victory in UP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took off a victory roadshow in Delhi on Sunday. The rally started at Le Meridien and ended at the BJP headquaters in the capital. At 6.40 pm, Amit Shah started addressing party workers. He was followed by PM Modi. The prime minister started his speech by congratulating party workers and greeting them on holi. He also said that the BJP has the potential to become the largest party in the world through its membership drive.

BJP's performance in the Assembly election 2017, has been largely credited to a Modi wave spreading across the country. The Party crossed the 300 mark in UP for the first time in history, and also rose victorious in Uttarakhand with 57 seats. Goa, which is currently facing a hung assembly, saw BJP clinch 13 seats.

Here are the updates from the modi rally:

7.20 pm: The prime ministers speech ends.

7.10 pm: Our intentions are never wrong although we can make mistakes: PM Modi

7 pm: The BJP can become the most prominent party in the world through the membership drive, says PM Modi.

6 45 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts his address to party members. He greets people on the occasion of Holi. "I congratulate party workers for the BJP win in UP. Elections are integral to strengthening democracy."

6.40 pm: Amit Shah starts his speech amid Modi chants. "We have repeated 2014 magic in UP," says Amit Shah, "It is a historic win for the party." On Demonetisation he says," Notebandi has brought people closer to the Modi government."

6.20 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts his victory rally from Windsor place. He is gheroed by supporters as he kickstarts the victory march. He will address party workers shortly.Amit Shah too will address the workers.

6.15 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at Windsor place from where he is expected to start his victory rally.

6.12 pm: BJP party leaders have started reaching the BJP headquaters in the capital. Shiv Raj Singh and Amit Shah are among the ones to are said to have reached.

6 pm: Excitement reach fever pitch as supporter chant " Modi Modi". Multi-layer security is expected to reach anytime. " I am from Jaipur. I am here to support Modiji," a supporter at the BJP rally was quoted as saying to a news channel.

5.42 pm: BJP chief Amit Shah also expected to address party workers on assembly elections victory.

4.55 pm: Celebrations are on in the BJP headquaters. PM Modi is expected to address party workers in the headquater.
Pakistani troops on Sunday engaged in unprovoked firing at Indian pickets in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch district of Jammu.

According to a spokesman of the Northern Command of the army, ceasefire violation was being done by Pakistan army in the Krishana Ghati sector from 12 noon. They were firing 82 mm mortars, and also using automatic weapons.

The Pakistani firing was being responded by our troops befittingly, the spokesman said.

He added that no casualty on the Indian side has been reported.
India looked forward to the first official visit here by King Salman of Saudi Arabia to further deepen the strategic ties between both countries, an official said on Sunday.

"We are looking forward to the visit of the King of Saudi Arabia later this year," External Affairs Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha, said at an event here organised by the Saudi petrochemicals giant SABIC.

"Our historical and deep relations have been growing rapidly over the last couple of years. Both countries have intensified joint production and investment and are looking at new investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and pooling of technical resources and skills," he added.

Salman was crowned the new king in January 2015, following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah.

SABIC, which has a major presence in India, including an advanced R&D facility in Bengaluru, announced its CSR activity to test the eyesight of over 100,000 government-aided school children in Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Vadodara, Chennai and Mumbai.

In his address, Saudi Ambassador Saud Al-Sati invited India to play a key role in the kingdom's economic transformation as it seeks to reduce its dependence on oil exports following a long period of decline in crude prices and emergence of new fuels by diversifying its sources of income and attracting foreign investment.

Al-Sati said the Kingdom's Vision 2030 plan aims to free the Saudi economy from dependence on oil by diversifying its sources of income, attract foreign investment and make Saudi Arabia a manufacturing hub.

Bilateral trade in 2015 was worth nearly $40 billion, with India importing a fifth of its oil needs from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, King Salman began a four-day visit to Japan on Sunday, marking the first trip to the country by a Saudi king in 46 years. Saudi Arabia is Japan's largest supplier of crude oil.

Last month, the Saudi monarch went to Indonesia on his first trip outside the Middle East and North Africa since he visited the US in 2015.

Asian banks and companies are expected to play a major role in Saudi Arabia's plans to develop its non-oil sectors and expand its international investments.
The Supreme Court on Sunday dismissed a PIL seeking an SIT probe into the role of media in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case, saying it is an "attack" on media's independence.

"We will not direct any investigation against the media unless there is a direct involvement," a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said, while rejecting the PIL filed by veteran journalist Hari Jaisingh.

It seems there is a disguised attempt to curtail independence and freedom of media, the bench said, adding "this is an attack on media. We will not entertain this."

"We cannot curtail the right of the media in this manner.

Media has been given an independent status in our democratic polity. Why should we entertain this," said the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and Mohan M Shantanagoudar.

The court, however, clarified that if the investigative agencies come across evidence with regard to involvement of certain individuals then they are free to probe.

However, there cannot be an investigation into the role of media as a whole, it said.

Senior advocate Geeta Luthra, appearing for Singh, alleged that some members of the media were bribed by the offshore chopper firm to influence the decision making authority in favour of the VVIP helicopter deal.

"I am seeking a direction to the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to also investigate the role of media persons in the case," she said.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, sought dimissal of the plea at the threshold saying how can there be an investigation into the role of media when there is an allegation that two persons entered into the "media management agreement".

Considering the arguments, the bench asked, "Is this agreement registered. What is the admissibility of the agreement as evidence."

"Freedom of media is going to be curtailed and smothered. We will not entertain this."

The journalist in his PIL alleged that some media persons were bribed and extended unwarranted benefits in exchange for favouring the VVIP chopper deal.

It was also alleged that certain journalist were sent to Italy along with their families by the company in question.
John Lithgow is back on TV, and he has a Nebraska-born actor with him.

An Emmy winner for 3rd Rock from the Sun and Dexter, Lithgow stars in the NBC comedy Trial & Error as a bit of a kook poetry professor accused of killing his wife. The sitcom premieres with back-to-back episodes at 9 p.m. Tuesday, using the ratings-grabber The Voice as its lead-in.

"Trial & Error's" ensemble cast includes Omaha-born-and-raised Nicholas DAgosto, who most recently was seen as Harvey Dent on Foxs Gotham. Here he plays New York attorney Josh Segal, who travels to a small Southern town to defend Lithgows Larry Henderson.

Like in 3rd Rock, Lithgow plays his kooky professor for all its worth. Nobody -- outside of, maybe, the late Robin William -- brings as much energy to a character as Lithgow does. Thats why its so fun to watch him work. He such a ham that you tend to miss him when hes not on the screen.

Fortunately, the ensemble is strong and generates laughs with or without Lithgow. That includes DAgosto, Steven Boyer as dim lead investigator, Sherri Shepherd as the ailing office assistant, Krysta Rodriguez as Henderson's daughter and Jayma Mays as the prosecutor.

The humor is a combination of sight gags, slapstick and wordplay. And, again, nobody does it better than Lithgow in all three phases. Grade: B+

Also premiering this week:

American Crime, 9 p.m. Sunday, ABC. John Ridleys riveting crime series and social commentary returns for its third season on a new night. The latest story is set in Alamance County, North Carolina, and explores issues of forced labor, sex trafficking, immigration, socioeconomic divides and individual rights.

Regina King, as a social worker, and Benito Martinez, as an illegal farm laborer, are among those returning for the third go-round.

Ridley never pulls punches with American Crime, and the third installment is no different. Its stark, harsh and sometimes difficult to watch. Its also some of the best-made television, dramatizing real-life issues that are as eye-opening as a slap across the face. Grade: A

Two other new shows of note this week are:

Snatch, releases 3 a.m. Thursday, Crackle (crackle.com) -- The free streaming service drops all 10 first-season episodes of the crime drama loosely based on Guy Ritchies 2000 film starring Brad Pitt and Benicio del Toro. Rupert Grint (Ron in the Harry Potter films) stars in and executive produces the story about a bunch of 20-something hustlers who become thrust into the world of organized crime.

Iron Fist, releases 3 a.m. Friday, Netflix -- Finn Jones stars as the kung-fu master possessing a mystical force in the streaming services latest Marvel offering, following on the heels of Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. All four characters will come together later this year on Netflix in Marvels The Defenders.
Theresa May told us that Britain will celebrate the centenary of the Balfour Declaration this summer with pride. This was predictable. A British prime minister who would fawn to the head-chopping Arab autocrats of the Gulf in the hope of selling them more missiles  and then hold the hand of the insane new anti-Muslim president of the United States  was bound, I suppose, to feel pride in the most mendacious, deceitful and hypocritical document in modern British history.

As a woman who has set her heart against immigrants, it was also inevitable that May would display her most venal characteristics to foreigners  to wealthy Arab potentates, and to an American president whose momentary love of Britain might produce a life-saving post-Brexit trade agreement. It was to an audience of British lobbyists for Israel a couple of months ago that she expressed her pride in a century-old declaration which created millions of refugees. But to burnish the 1917 document which promised Britains support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine but which would ultimately create that very refugee population  refugees being the target of her own anti-immigration policies  is little short of iniquitous.

The Balfour Declarations intrinsic lie  that while Britain supported a Jewish homeland, nothing would be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine  is matched today by the equally dishonest response of Balfours lamentable successor at the Foreign Office. Boris Johnson wrote quite accurately two years ago that the Balfour Declaration was bizarre, a tragicomically incoherent document, an exquisite piece of Foreign Office fudgerama. But in a subsequent visit to Israel, the profit-hunting Mayor of London suddenly discovered that the Balfour Declaration was a great thing that reflected a great tide of history. No doubt we shall hear more of this same nonsense from Johnson later this year.

Although the Declaration itself has been parsed, desemanticised, romanticised, decrypted, decried, cursed and adored for 100 years, its fraud is easy to detect: it made two promises which were fundamentally opposed to each other  and thus one of them, to the Arabs (aka the existing non-Jewish communities), would be broken. The descendants of these victims, the Palestinian Arabs, are now threatening to sue the British government over this pernicious piece of paper, a hopeless and childish response to history. The Czechs might equally sue the British for Chamberlains Munich agreement, which allowed Hitler to destroy their country. The Palestinians would also like an apology  since the British have always found apologies cheaper than law courts. The British have grown used to apologising  for the British empire, for the slave trade, for the Irish famine. So why not for Balfour? Yes, but.Theresa May needs the Israelis far more than she needs the Palestinians.

Balfours 1917 declaration, of course, was an attempt to avoid disaster in the First World War by encouraging the Jews of Russia and America to support the Allies against Germany. Balfour wanted to avoid defeat just as Chamberlain later wanted to avoid war. But  and this is the point  Munich was resolved by the destruction of Hitler. Balfour initiated a policy of British support for Israel which continues to this very day, to the detriment of the occupied Palestinians of the West Bank and the five million Palestinian refugees living largely in warrens of poverty around the Middle East, including Israelibesieged Gaza.

This is the theme of perhaps the most dramatic centenary account of the Balfour Declaration, to be published this summer by David Cronin (in his book Balfours Shadow: A Century of British Support for Zionism and Israel), an Irish journalist and author living in Brussels whose previous investigation of the European Unions craven support for Israels military distinguished him from the work of more emotional (and thus more inaccurate) writers. Cronin has no time for Holocaust deniers or anti-Semites. While rightly dismissing the silly idea that the Palestinian Grand Mufti, Haj Amin al Husseini, inspired the Holocaust of the Jews of Europe, he does not duck Haj Amins poisonous alliance with Hitler. Israels post-war creation as a nation state, as one Israeli historian observed, may not have been just  but it was legal. And Israel does legally exist within the borders acknowledged by the rest of the world.

There lies the present crisis for us all: for the outrageous right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu is speeding on with the mass colonisation of Arab land in territory which is not part of Israel, and on property which has been stolen from its Arab owners. These owners are the descendants of the non-Jewish communities whose rights, according to Balfour, should not be prejudiced by the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. But Balfours own prejudice was perfectly clear. The Jewish people would have a national home  i.e, a nation  in Palestine, while the Arabs, according to his declaration, were mere communities. And as Balfour wrote to his successor Curzon two years later, Zionism  is  of far profounder import than the desires and prejudices [sic] of 700,000 Arabs who now inhabit that ancient land. Cronins short book, however, shows just how we have connived in this racism ever since. He outlines the mass British repression of Arabs in the 1930s  including extra-judicial executions and torture by the British army  when the Arabs feared, with good reason, that they would ultimately be dispossessed of their lands by Jewish immigrants. As Arthur Wauchope, the Palestine High Commissioner, would write, the subject that fills the minds of all Arabs today is  the dread that in time to come they will be a subject race living on sufferance in Palestine, with the Jews dominant in every sphere, land, trade and political life. How right they were.

Even before Britains retreat from Palestine, Attlee and his Cabinet colleagues were discussing a plan which would mean the ethnic cleansing of tens of thousands of Palestinians from their land. In 1944, a Labour Party statement had talked thus of Jewish immigration: Let the Arabs be encouraged to move out as the Jews move in. By 1948, Labour, now in government, was announcing it had no power to prevent money being channelled from London to Jewish groups who would, within a year, accomplish their own ethnic cleansing, a phrase in common usage for this period since Israeli historian Illan Pappe (now, predictably, an exile from his own land) included it in the title of his best-known work. The massacre of hundreds of Palestinian civilians at Deir Yassin was committed while thousands of British troops were still in the country. Cronins investigation of Colonial Office files show that the British military lied about the cleansing of Haifa, offering no protection to the Arabs, a policy largely followed across Palestine save for the courage of Major Derek Cooper and his soldiers, whose defence of Arab civilians in Jaffa won him the Military Cross (although David Cronin does not mention this). Cooper, whom I got to know when he was caring for wounded Palestinians in Beirut in 1982, never forgave his own government for its dishonesty at the end of the Palestine Mandate.

Cronins value, however, lies in his further research into British support for Israel, its constant arms re-supplies to Israel, its 1956 connivance with the Israelis over Suez  during which Israeli troops massacred in the Gaza camp of Khan Younis, according to a UN report, 275 Palestinian civilians, of whom 140 were refugees from the 1948 catastrophe. Many UN-employed Palestinians, an American military officer noted at the time, are believed to have been executed by the Israelis. Britains subsequent export of submarines and hundreds of Centurion tanks to Israel was shrugged off with the same weasel-like excuses that British governments have ever since used to sell trillions of dollars of weapons to Israelis and Arabs alike: that if Britain didnt arm them, others would.

In opposition in 1972, Harold Wilson claimed it was utterly unreal to call for an Israeli withdrawal from land occupied in the 1967 war, adding that Israels reaction is natural and proper in refusing to accept the Palestinians as a nation. When the Palestinians first demanded a secular one-state solution to Palestine, they were denounced by a British diplomat (Anthony Parsons) who said that a multinational, secular state would be wholly incompatible with our attitude toward Israel. Indeed it would. When the PLO opposed Britains Falklands conflict, the Foreign Office haughtily admonished the Palestinians  it was far removed from their legitimate concerns, it noted  although it chose not to reveal that Argentine air force Skyhawk jets supplied by Israel were used to attack UK forces, and that Israels military supplies to Argentina continued during the war.

A year later, Margaret Thatcher, according to a note by Douglas Hurd, included armed action against military targets of the occupying power as a definition of terrorism. So the Palestinians could not even resist their direct occupiers without being criminals.

On an official visit to Israel in 1986, Thatcher said that she regarded discussion of Jerusalem as internal politics. In 2001, Tony Blairs government granted 90 arms exports licences to Israel for defensive weapons  including torpedoes, armoured vehicles, bombs and missiles. There is much, much more of this in Cronins book, including Blairs useless and disgraceful period as peace envoy to the Middle East and the growing business contracts between British companies and Israeli arms providers  to the extent that the British army ended up deploying Israeli-made drones in the skies of Afghanistan and Iraq. Outside the EU, Theresa Mays Britain will maintain its close relations with Israel as a priority; hence Mays stated desire less than a month ago to sign a bilateral free trade agreement with Israel. This coincided with an Israeli attack on Gaza and a Knesset vote to confiscate  ie, steal  yet more lands from Palestinians in the West Bank. From the day that Herbert Samuel, deputy leader of the Liberal Party and former (Jewish) High Commissioner for Palestine, said in the House of Commons in 1930 that Arabs do migrate easily, it seems that Britain has faithfully followed Balfours policies. More than 750,000 Palestinians were uprooted in their catastrophe, Cronin writes. Generations of dispossessed would grow up in the camps. Today, there are around five million registered Palestinian refugees. Britain was the midwife of that expulsion.

And this summer, we shall again be exhorted by Theresa May to remember the Balfour Declaration with pride.
Indias immediate reaction to the Sri Lankan Navys shooting dead one fisherman and injuring two in the Palk Strait off the coast of Rameswaram last Monday was to apprehend a Sri Lankan trawler registered in Trincomalee fishing off the coast of Nagapattinam on Tuesday, arrest its crew numbering 10, and have the Coast Guard seize the boat. When the Rameswaram fishermen surrounded by the Sri Lankan Navy sent a distress call to the Coast Guard station, there was no response, according to P Sesuraja, president of the Rameswaram Fishermens Association. During Mahenda Rajapaksas presidentship of Sri Lanka and when the Eelam war was on, his Navy was in the habit of shooting at fishing boats from Tamil Nadu without let or hindrance. More than 600 Indian fishermen had fallen victim with hardly any adequate response from New Delhi. While the reformist government of Maithripala Sirisena put an end to shooting of Tamil Nadu fishermen by his Navy, his Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had publicly defended their governments right to shoot at Indian fishermen poaching in their territorial waters. It is to Wickremesinghe that the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo made a representation expressing New Delhis deep concern at the killing of the Tamil Nadu fisherman, the first since the new Sri Lanka government assumed office in January 2015. Wickremesinghe admitted authorising the Navy to counter poaching activities of fishermen from Tamil Nadu by arresting them and seizing their boats, but maintained it was not authorised to open fire on them.

Only on 2 January both India and Sri Lanka agreed to prevent physical harm to fishermen found poaching in each others territorial waters and to open a hotline for quick discussion and response to crises. Such measures are not going to solve the problem. What is needed immediately is for New Delhi to read out the text of the 1974 treaty under which India ceded a part of Rameswaram district, the uninhabited tiny islet of Kachchathivu, to Sri Lanka, with full authority to fishermen from Tamil Nadu to fish in and around its waters in perpetuity and to use its land to dry their nets. This right was not negated by the subsequent 1976 agreement redrawing the maritime boundary between the two countries under which much of the Palk Strait, where Kachchathivu is located, comes under Sri Lanka. The reiteration of Tamil Nadu fishermens rights in waters around the islet in the preamble of the 1976 agreement indicates Sri Lankas right is not absolute. The cession of Kachchathivu has been challenged in the Supreme Court of India as the government of the day violated Article 3 of the Constitution by not seeking approval of Parliament. J Jayalalithaa, the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, won the 1991 Assembly election on the promise of, among other things, taking back Kachchathivu from Sri Lanka.
Spies at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) have called an emergency summit with Britains political parties after warning them that the next general election is vulnerable to cyber attacks by the Russians.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of all the main political parties offering expert help to strengthen network security, reported the Sunday Times.

In his letter, Martin said: "You will be aware of the coverage of evnts in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system."

He called a "technical seminar" on cyber-security for politicians.

"This is not just about the network security of political parties' own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on Parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts," Martin said.

Experts at GCHQ have made protecting the political system from foreign hackers as "priority work".

They fear that Kremlin-backed hackers could steal and leak internal emails or publish private databases of voters' political views in an attempt to damage the standing of political parties with the public, according to the report.

A senior government source said GCHQ would help with the security of "personal datasets, including the electoral roll and voter identification data".

Security officials stepped in after Russia was accused of helping Donald Trump win the US presidential election by hacking and publishing 20,000 emails from the rival Democratic Party.

Russia was also accused of infiltrating the German Parliament's computer network in 2015.
Cindy Lange-Kubick Columnist Cindy Lange-Kubick has loved writing columns about life in her hometown since 1994. She had hoped to become a people person by now, nonetheless she would love to hear your tales of fascinating neighbors and interesting places. Follow Cindy Lange-Kubick Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Mary Alice Riley has long been a reader.

So when she heard about the Nebraska 150 Challenge, a statewide read-books-by-Nebraska-authors endeavor, she said, why not?

One could read six books, or 12, or 42, Mary Alice said last week. And I read 42.

And then the retired music teacher went one step further.

I wrote 42 summations and handed them to the woman who works at the Heritage Room at the library.

Hoist your Nebraska flag (right side up) if youve read 42 books by Nebraska authors in the past six months. Or in your entire born-and-raised-in-Nebraska lifetime.

I didnt think so.

Meet Mary Alice from Michigan, who has. Discovering John Neihardt and Ted Kooser, reveling in Willa Cather and Tillie Olsen, delighting in the words of Paul Johnsgard and Mary Pipher, inspired by Joe Staritas tale of Standing Bear and Malcolm Xs autobiography.

A woman who introduced her summaries  tucked into a black binder complete with corollary news clippings  this way: This is a state to be held priceless and treasured  I am so pleased to help honor my new state ...

A sharp-eyed reader who did not mince words in her two-sentence summaries. (Lets just say someone hates you, Old Jules. Poor chickasaw, you are an ugly little bird. The 40 Nebraska poets in that anthology? Ten of you make the grade.)

Mary Alice arrived here from Florida in May, where she and her now-late husband had moved after he retired 16 years ago. The harpist and piano teacher finally retired herself last year and landed in the Saratoga Building at Eastmont Towers on O Street  happy to be in the same city as her only son and his family.

Ive lived in six other states, she says. And there is no state like this. My neighbors are all so engaged and I was so impressed with everyone knowing so much about the state  and loving their poetry.

And it happened that one of those neighbors was participating in the Nebraska 150 Challenge.

I gave up after six, Jan Jewett said. But Mary Alice was really inspired, I think.

The new-to-Nebraska resident bought books and borrowed books and drove to Bennett Martin Library downtown to read the hard-to-find and not-to-be-checked-out childrens book, Sister Sweet Ella, by Rosekrans Hoffman.

And bit by bit, she began learning about this place and its people.

I never knew about George Norris.

I hadnt known much about Malcolm X, and that book changed me.

Hectors Bliss, about black homesteaders at Goose Lake, that was my favorite. It was gorgeous writing, just gorgeous.

She loved A Cycle of the West by Neihardt. And The Swan Gondola by Timothy Schaffert. The Meaning of Names by Karen Gettert Shoemaker. And every word Kooser wrote.

There were four books that I checked out a second time, she says. Because there was just so much information.

When she got to her final book, she began reading aloud, so she could savor every word.

Mary Alice's son, Mark Riley, remembers his mother mentioning her wordy goal during one of her Sunday night supper visits.

We thought if she got halfway through, that would be quite an accomplishment.

But every Sunday shed return, having read another book, sometimes two, raving about the poets and early settlers' life on the Plains.

One night my wife, Jill, and I looked at each other and thought, Shes going to make it.

His mother had always read, her son says. Tackling massive tomes like Michener and always stressing the importance of learning.

She approached the challenge as a way to learn more about Nebraska. Shed not spent much time here besides visiting me and my family.

And now she knows more than most.

She would come in here and read, said Erin Willis, curator of the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room. She was just thrilled with the opportunity to learn more about Nebraska literature.

Only 33 readers in the state completed all 42 books, the curator said, and Mary Alices name was not drawn from the prize basket March 1. (Congratulations, Anne Komar of Omaha!)

But in the end, she did it for the joy of it all.

And she had help, Mary Alice said. She was inspired by the Eastmont Towers librarian. By her neighbors who loaned books and encouragement  many of them once teachers and professors, all of them interesting and intellectually stimulating.

One of those neighbors, Betty Hofstad, took it upon herself to call the newspaper with a story tip about her reading neighbor.

We are all just very impressed, Betty said. Shes just quite a remarkable person.

And somewhere in her apartment, that remarkable person has that longer reading list from which the 42 were chosen  150 books in honor of the 150th anniversary of Nebraska, her newly adopted state.

She plans to throw it away.

My next goal is to explore, she said. I havent even walked into the Capitol yet.
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On her one month trip around Asia, 23-year-old Lily from Switzerland visited Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire, 7.2 km north of Siem Reap, and 1.7 km north of the entrance to Angkor Wat.

After visiting Phnom Penh and the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum, said Lily, Angkor was definitely a way to calm down from all those shocking impressions.

It was always my big dream to meet an elephant face-to-face, and it finally happened in Angkor Thom.
The C&AG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) on Friday released a report looking into the last four years financial track records of the national carrier Air India. Based on its findings the apex audit body said that Air India may have underreported losses to show it turned up an operating profit of Rs 105 crore in its books just two years back.

Air India significantly understated its losses during the four-year period under audit (2012-15). The understatement of losses was to the tune of Rs1,455.8 crore in 2012-13, Rs2,966.66 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 1,992.77 crore in 2014-15, the CAG report said.

The alleged 'under-reporting' amounts to Rs 6,800 cr during 2012-13 and 2015-16, said deputy C&AG H Pradeep Rao, while releasing the 197- page government audit report titled 'Turnaround Plan and Financial Restructuring of Air India Ltd' that was tabled before Parliament earlier.

Pradeep Rao, Deputy C&AG said in a news conference that while Air India has said that it has reported an operating profit in fiscal 2016, based on observation of statutory auditors and subsequently by the CAG the airline has not made provisions it should have as per the standard accounting procedures, resulting in underreporting of the loss.

He further said the airline had made inadequate financial provisioning for payment of various liabilities including outstandings to the Airports Authority of India, payment of liability to employees en-cashing leave and also made excess valuation of one of the two properties that it has in Delhi.

Air India is on a Rs 42,280 cr life line (turnaround plan) provided by the UPA government in 2012 to rescue the debt-laden airline. This includes equity infusion by the government between 2011-12 and 2031-32. Air India also missed the Rs 5,000 crore target for monetisaation of its assets as was projected between 2012-13 and 2015-16.

As per C&AG, the deficit in recovery of total costs on international operations for Air India was Rs 3,755 crore in 2015-16 vis-a-vis Rs 1,759 crore loss incurred for domestic operations.

The airline operated 68 international service, 154 domestic services. Contribution of services to the USA was the highest in international segment. Air India, however, lost Rs 6,685 cr in FY2016 alone for carrying out its long haul direct service flights to various destinations in US.

Underlining some other transactions on which Air India bled to losses the C& AG pointed out that Air India lost money on sale of five older planes, and could not meet most performance targets set under the restructuring plan.

"Its short term credit levels were three times the allowed limit under the restructuring plan," said Rao.
A whopping 322 of the 403 new lawmakers elected to the Uttar Pradesh assembly are 'crorepatis' (multi-millionaires) while as many as 143 have criminal cases, including of murder, pending against them.

According to a report by the National Election Watch, the list of multi-millionaires elected members is headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party's Ajay Pratap Singh elected from Colonelganj constituency in Gonda.

Singh, who in his poll affidavit declares himself as a farmer, possesses properties worth over Rs 49 crore. That includes 60 kg of gold, seven vehicles and six guns, three each in his name and his wife's.

As many as 1,455 multi-millionaires contested the assembly polls, the results of which were declared on Saturday.

Of the 143 new legislaors who have declared pending criminal cases against them, 107 face serious charges including of murder and crimes against women.

Mafia-don-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari of the Bahujan Samaj Party leads the pack of new legislators with criminal antecedents. Elected from Mau, Ansari has 16 criminal cases against him, and that includes five charges of murder.

Of the total 4,853 candidates who contested the polls, 860 had declared that criminal cases were pending in courts against them.

On the gender side, among the newly elected legislators only 40 are female. Of the total 4,853 contestants, only 479 were womenless than 10 per cent.

Nearly 72 per cent or 290 of the legislators are graduates or more educated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday carried out a victory march to the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi to mark the party's massive mandate in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Modi, flanked by prominent party leaders, walked some distance to the party office on Ashoka Road waving to thousands of party activists and supporters gathered on the way.

Later addressing party workers, the prime minister said he was seeing a change as development had become a massive issue. "I am witnessing a new India. New India for 65 percent of population below 35, new India for women, new India for the aspirational poor," he said.

"I was listening to and reading a few political pundits. Waves have been witnessed on emotional issues in the past, but development being the reason for a wave is unprecedented. It's a new issue for them to study," Modi said.

The prime minister called for humility among party workers after the victory and recalled work done by leaders like A.B. Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. It was a golden time for the BJP, he said.

"Elections also serve as educative process for democracy. The way percentage of voting is increasing, I consider it as a good omen," Modi said at the party headquarters.

BJP president Amit Shah, considered to be the main strategist behind the victory, credited Modi's appeal for the success.

"Electorate of five states have given even better mandate than 2014, thus putting a stamp of Modi's work. It's an unprecedented victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Even our performance has been good in Manipur and Goa," Shah said.

"PM had said his government was of poor, marginalised, tribals and dalits. He has proved it. Even noteban has been accepted by people," Shah said.

BJP's victory march will now pass through Gujarat, Himachal, Karnataka, other southern and north eastern states where the BJP will get even a bigger mandate in 2019, Shah said.

Modi, in his speech, assured that elected MLAs would try to rise to the expectations.

"This government is for those who voted and even those who didn't vote. BJP government does not discriminate. Uttar Pradesh government will be for everyone. It has to take everyone along," he added.
A Crete Police Department officer has been named the 2016 American Legion Department of Nebraska Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Dawn Jonas, a senior patrol officer and school resource officer, found out she won the award in December.

I was actually pretty surprised," she said. "I figured there were probably a lot of people more deserving."

Jonas joined the Crete Police Department in 2003, following a stint in the Marines from 1988 to 1991.

Jonas supervisor, Lt. Gary Young Jr., said the military background is part of what led Crete Police Chief Steve Henzel, a U.S. Army veteran, to nominate Jonas.

Our chief does not hand out awards lightly, he said. We believe in hard work and earning what you get, and he felt in this case that this was a fairly easy decision to nominate Dawn.

A mother of eight, Jonas said her work with Crete Public Schools, St. James Catholic School and Doane University is similar to her role as a parent.

Im just getting paid to do what I do at home; I just go to work and parent, she said. Its actually pretty enjoyable.

Young said Jonas commitment to her work has shined through the years, both at the school and elsewhere.

About five years ago, Young said there was an incident where there was a man armed with a weapon and a child was standing in the middle of the street nearby.

She exposed herself to the guy in the street to get the child to safety, he said.

Young said Jonas displays the same level of dedication to the job at Crete's schools.

Shes done a phenomenal job, he said. Theres just an amazing set of accomplishments shes done.

Jonas work at Crete Public Schools has been so well-received the school offered to keep paying for her services once the grant funding her position ran out.

Jonas accepted the award in January, and said receiving an award as a police officer from a veterans organization was an honor.

Those are two very important things in my life, she said.

Jonas said she couldnt do the work she does without her husband or her co-workers.

I might have gotten the award, but it takes the work from my department for me to do the work that got me the award, she said. It was a team effort  . Without my department and without (my husband), I wouldnt be able to accomplish the things that I do.
In yet another incident highlighting the dangerously growing trend of racist attacks in the United States, a man in Florida tried to burn down a convenience store owned by Indian-Americans, thinking they were 'Muslims'.

A 64-year-old man tried to set the store on fire because he thought the owners were Muslim, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said, reports CNN.

The accused named Richard Lloyd confessed that he wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country" so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store and set the contents on fire.

Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.

Lloyd told detectives he assumed the owner was Muslim and that made him livid because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," Mascara said.

"It's unfortunate that Mr. Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," Mascara said.

The sheriff also noted that Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime.

Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn the building because he "was doing his part for America."

Mascara further informed that when deputies arrived Friday morning and found the fire, a man in front of the store put his hands behind his back and told officers to "take me away."

Last month, Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed in an alleged hate crime in Kansas, as the gunman shot him dead thinking he was an "Iranian'.
Jane Stavem, one of Lincoln Public Schools' top executives, has withdrawn as one of the finalists for the superintendent job at Omaha Public Schools.

Stavem, 49, has been associate superintendent of instruction at LPS since 2012. Hired by Superintendent Steve Joel, Stavem replaced longtime associate superintendent Marilyn Moore.

The other two finalists to replace OPS Superintendent Mark Evans, who is retiring, are Khalid Mumin, the superintendent of Reading School District in Reading, Pennsylvania, and Paul Gausman, superintendent of Sioux City Community School District in Iowa.

The Omaha Public Schools board held public interviews with the candidates last week. The finalists were chosen from 33 people from 19 states who applied for the job.

Stavem said she was interested in exploring the opportunity but after going through the process decided it wasn't a good fit.

"I have work to do here in Lincoln," she said. "I'm happy to stay in Lincoln and continue the work."

Stavem was superintendent at Blair Community Schools for three years before Joel hired her  the first of four new members of his executive team he would hire over the next year.

She earned her undergraduate and masters degrees from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and got her first teaching job in the same city as an elementary school teacher. She later became a gifted facilitator and curriculum coordinator.

She came to Nebraska in 2001 and spent six years at Columbus Public Schools as a principal and then executive director of curriculum and instruction. She earned her educational doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2008.
One of the most important mitzvos of Purim can sometimes be shrouded in mystery. Those who ask gedolim for guidance as to where to give have gotten a clear answer:

It is my custom now for several years to give Matanos Levyonim to Kupat Hair immediately after Megillah reading, and through this I have fulfilled my requirement (of Tzedaka for Purim day)

 Rav Chaim Kanievsky

Dont forget to join the gedolim today in Kupat HaIrs historic matanos levyonim campaign. At Rav Chaim Kanievsky himselfs request, 4,000 poverty-stricken families in Eretz Yisroel have been selected as being in especially dire need.

Rav Kanievsky will also daven for all those who donate, and gave a bracha to donors: That they should have a home blessed by Hashem, have healthiness and a long life, be spared from troubles, and see yeshuos.

4,000 poor families in Israel need help now. Now is the time to send Rav Chaim as your shaliach.

GIVE NOW BEFORE YOU MISS YOUR CHANCE.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL CAMPAIGN
[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]
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the U.S. president on Friday invited him to visit the White House to discuss resuming peace talks, the first contact between the two leaders since Donald Trump took office in January.

Spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh said Abbas received a very important call from Trump in which he was invited to the White House, and that he would attend very soon.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer confirmed the invitation to Abbas.

We are ready to deal with President Trump and the Israeli government to resume the negotiations, Abu Rdeneh said. If the Israelis are ready, President Abbas has committed himself to a peaceful deal with President Trump.

Abu Rdeneh added that President Trump is a very honest man, very courageous man, looking for a deal, a just deal.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli government.

The last round of U.S.-mediated peace talks collapsed in 2014.

Fridays call was the first between Trump and Abbas since Trump took office.

In his efforts to secure Palestinian statehood, Abbas has spent many hours on the phone and in meetings with U.S. presidents and secretaries of state over the past decade, but has been unsuccessful when reaching out to Trump  until now.

Trump is unpopular among Palestinians because he appeared to break from his predecessor and adopt friendlier positions toward the Israeli government; ambivalence has marked his position toward a two-state solution to the conflict, hes considering to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and has adopted a more lenient approach to Israel building settlements.

However, Trumps administration last week warned Israel against annexing parts of the occupied West Bank, saying it would trigger an immediate crisis between the two allies.

The move suggested Trump may be returning to more traditional U.S. policy and will not give Israel free rein to expand its control over the West Bank and sideline the Palestinians, as Israeli nationalists had hoped.

(AP)
An outspoken Manhattan federal prosecutor known for fighting public corruption was fired Saturday afternoon.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara tweeted that he did not resign and added, Moments ago, I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.

One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served. I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice, Bharara said in a statement. They will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H. Kim, the current Deputy U.S. Attorney, who will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney.

A senior administration official, however, told Fox News that Bharara may be using this event for political gain. Bharara has long been speculated as a potential candidate for public office in New York.

The word fired was never used toward Bharara, accoding to the senior administration official, who added: Preet is trying to make this into a thing. But it is not really a thing.

The senior administration official also noted that everyone was treated the same, meaning that all of the Obama-appointed US attorney were asked to step down.

A person with knowledge of U.S. Attorney Preet Bhararas actions said earlier Saturday that he was taking President Trump up on his word that he can remain in his post. The person, who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to comment publicly, said Bharara was remaining in his post after receiving assurances last year from Trump and Sessions that they wanted him to stay on.

However, a senior administration official told Fox News later Saturday night that Bhararas account of his meeting with Trump and Jeff Sessions at Trump Tower  where he informed the press afterward that he was invited to stay on indefinitely as U.S. attorney  was never confirmed by Trumps transition team but was solely an account from Bharara himself.

It was previously reported by the Associated Press that Bharara was not complying with Attorney General Jeff Sessions request to resign along with other prosecutors appointed by former President Barack Obama.

Preet Bharara has been an exemplary U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. His relentless drive to root out public corruption, lock up terrorists, take on Wall Street, and stand up for what is right should serve as a model for all U.S. attorneys across the country. He will be sorely missed, said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, in a statement.

Spokespeople for Bhararas office declined comment after word Friday that Bhararas name was included on Sessions list.

The Justice Department declined comment early Saturday.

The department said Friday that some U.S. attorneys, as in prior transitions, already had left the department. Now, the Attorney General has now asked the remaining 46 presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys to tender their resignations, a spokeswoman said.

Until the new U.S. Attorneys are confirmed, the dedicated career prosecutors in our U.S. Attorneys Offices will continue the great work of the Department in investigating, prosecuting, and deterring the most violent offenders, the statement added.

Department of Justice spokesperson Peter Carr told Fox News late Friday night: The President called Dana Boente and Rod Rosenstein tonight to inform them that he has declined to accept their resignation, and they will remain in their current positions.

It is customary, though not automatic, for the countrys 93 U.S. attorneys to leave their positions once a new president is in office. Incoming administrations over the past several decades typically have replaced most U.S. attorneys during the first year or two.

The Obama administration allowed political appointees of President George W. Bush to serve until their replacement had been nominated and confirmed. One U.S. attorney appointed by Bush, Rod Rosenstein of Maryland, remained on the job for the entire Obama administration and is the current nominee for deputy attorney general.

But Sessions actions are being closely scrutinized by Democrats after a rocky start to the attorney generals time at the Justice Department.

Weeks after his tight confirmation vote on Feb. 8, it emerged that Sessions had met twice with the Russian ambassador last year  despite testifying during his confirmation hearing he had no communications with the Russians. Sessions later clarified his testimony, while recusing himself from any investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 campaign.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, issued a statement late Friday saying: Im surprised to hear that President Trump and Attorney General Sessions have abruptly fired all 46 remaining U.S. attorneys. 

(Fox News / AP)
Sunny days and T-shirt-wearing temperatures made it appear winter had made an early exit. But its not finished with us yet  at least in the Northeast where a powerful storm with high winds and up to a foot of snow is expected next week.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service said Saturday theres a blizzard watch for coastal regions including New York City and Boston for Monday night into Tuesday. There also is a winter storm watch for a larger area that includes much of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, upstate New York and New England.

The severe weather comes just a week after the region saw temperatures climb into the 60s in what looked like a sign of balmy spring. The chilly weather and snow some areas got on Friday was just a teaser.

Its a noticeable difference. Its going to be a cold week, said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist at the weather services Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

Hurley said the forecast for severe weather is mostly confined to the eastern U.S., north of Washington, D.C.

The blizzard watch for the New York metro area encompasses New York City along with Long Island, coastal Connecticut and southern Westchester County.

Carlie Buccola, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island, said a snowfall of 12 to 18 inches is predicted for the area along with sustained winds up to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. Visibility could be a quarter mile or less, Buccola said.

Other areas, including the lower Hudson Valley and northeastern New Jersey, also could get 12 to 18 inches of snow, she said. Those areas are not under a blizzard watch because high winds and low visibility are not expected.

Those blizzard conditions are possible in southern Rhode Island and coastal Massachusetts from Boston to Plymouth.

Washington is not officially under a winter storm watch but Hurley said its possible the city could get 4 to 8 inches of snow.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Tags: New Jersey, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Washington, D.C.

(AP)
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

You dont have to be an actuary to realize that Purim is 30 days before Pesach (SO to LS). And with that realization there are some ramifications.

THIRTY DAYS BEFORE

1. Rav Chaim Kanievsky writes (Shoneh Halachos 695:12) that before we start the Purim Seudah, we should learn the halachos of both Purim, and believe it or not  Pesach! Rav Menachem Mendel of Vishiva brings an allusion to this from Parshas Nitzavim  The verse states, mchotev aitzecha ad shoev maimecha  that the laws of drawing water (mayim shelanu for Matzah baking) must be studied from Purim  where the tree was prepared.

Moshe Rabbeinu enacted that we must study the halachos of Pesach 30 days before it begins as well as on Pesach itself. A minority view (Ran and Rashba) has understood this to mean that if two students pose questions, one on Pesach laws and the other on another law, we answer the one on Pesach first  but there is no obligation to actually study the halachos 30 days before Pesach. This view has been rejected by the majority of poskim who rule that indeed we must actually study the halachos of Pesach  both 30 days before it begins as well as on Pesach itself (SA 429:1 and MB #2). There is even a view (Pnei Yehoshua Psachim 6a Vamar Rabbi Yehudah) that the obligation of studying thirty days before the Yom Tov is actually a biblical requirement!

The Mishna Brurah also writes (436:32) that within the thirty day period before Pesach one must be careful in anything that one does not to leave Chometz there in a manner that it will not be cleaned easily. When one cleans out Chometz within the thirty day period before Pesach one fulfills the Mitzvah of Tashbisu removing Chometz (MB 445:8). It, therefore, makes sense to do the cleaning within this time period as opposed to starting earlier because one gets a Mitzvah. According to the Pnei Yehoshua one would be fulfilling a Torah Mitzvah. If, however, it will not be possible to fully clean within the thirty days then one should start earlier.

WHY WE OBSERVE MITZVOS AND PESACH

2. The main reason that we observe mitzvos is because it is the Retzon Hashem. Nonetheless, it is important to understand and appreciate some of the reasons that are brought down that explain the mitzvos. The Rambam writes that this is, in fact, an obligation.

Pesach is known as the Rosh Hashanah of emunah  the New Year for faith and belief in Hashem. Chazal tell us that it was solely on account of our emunah in Hashem that we were redeemed from Egypt, and that it will be solely on account of emunah in Hashem that we will be redeemed in the times of Mashiach.

Since this is the essence of the Yom Tov of Pesach, one of the three main positive mitzvos of Pesach is to plant and entrench emunah  belief in Hashem. The emunah is planted within ourselves and within others through the mitzvah called sipur yetzias Mitzrayim  the retelling of the Exodus from Egypt, as it states, Vhigadeta lvincha  And you shall relate it to your son.

Our Sages further tell us that kol hamarbeh lsaperharei zeh meshubach  the more we discuss the Exodus or the mitzvah, the more praiseworthy we are. Why is this so? In regard to all other mitzvos, once the mitzvah has been fulfilled, that is it  it ends. Here, however, the mitzvah continues. Reb Shalom Noach Berzovsky, ztl, the Slonimer Rebbe, explains that the mitzvah is a continuous one precisely because it is the means of imbuing the heart of each and every Jew with emunah throughout the year.

No matter who the person is, the mitzvah never ends: Afilu kulanu chachamim, kulanu nevonimthe greatest of Sages are also obligated in this ever-continuous mitzvah because they, too, need the boost in emunah that is obtained from Pesach.

There are infinite depths to emunah  thus the means of instilling this emunah is also infinite.

What is emunah? The Nesivos Shalom describes three separate areas:

1) Belief in Hashem as Creator of the world, which the righteous gentiles of the world also believe.

2) Belief in Hashems hashgachah pratis (Divine Providence)  that Hashem takes the time and effort to involve Himself in the details of our lives here on earth.

3) The fact that we, Klal Yisrael, have been chosen for a unique and Divine role and mission.

All three aspects of emunah are part of the Pesach experience.

1) All the nissim we experienced point to Hashem as the Creator of the world.

2) The 10 makkos show that there is hashgachah pratis.

3) Yetzias Mitzrayim itself, and the subsequent revelation of the Torah to the Children of Israel, indicate Israels unique role and mission.

We should utilize this special Yom Tov to increase our emunah in all three areas. We must also remember that the Gemara tells us (Sotah 11a) that it was in the merit of the righteous women that the Jewish people were redeemed. What did they do? They demonstrated remarkable emunah and continued having children.

The other two positive mitzvos are to get rid of all chametz on the 14th of Nissan and to eat matzah on the night of Pesach, the 15th of Nissan.

Chametz figuratively represents the yetzer hara. The yetzer hara tries to take us away from HaKadosh Baruch Hu and undermine our emunah. We should therefore get rid of anything within us that undermines emunah. This is one of the reasons suggested as to why chametz is prohibited bmashehu  in any tiny amount. Rashi tells us that Chazal forbade chametz in any amount because the prohibition of eating it involves an issur kareis.

Matzah is described by the Zohar (Vol. II, 183b) as a michlah dmehemnusah  a food of emunah.

We therefore see that all three positive mitzvos of Pesach deal directly with emunah.

MONTH OF NISSAN

3. During the month of Nissan, we do not fast  not even for the yahrtzeit of a parent. We do not recite the prayer of Tachanun nor do we deliver eulogies at funerals. Also, the special funeral Kaddish is not said  only the regular Kaddish. All this is because most of the month is filled with days of kedushah  holiness. It may also be because the month of Nissan is when Mashiach will come.

There is an obligation that begins in the month of Nissan to ensure that all other members of our community have funds so that they can purchase matzah or flour for matzah. This obligation goes back to the time of the Gemara. Whoever does not give to this is considered as if he has spilled blood. According to the Mishnah Berurah, the Rema adds that there is a minhag to give them the flour itself. This minhag is to make obtaining matzah for them even easier. If one knows that his or her relative is poor, the relative is given funds before anyone else. This is called Maos Chittim or Kimcha dPischa.

Figuratively, since matzah increases emunah, we should look to ensure that all other members of the community have what they need to increase their emunah.

During the month of Nissan, the blessing on fruit trees is recited. The blessing is: BAH EMH shelo chaser beOlamo klum uvarah vo brios tovos vilanos tovos lehanos bahem bnei adam. It may be recited on Shabbos or Yom Tov. Women recite this berachah, too. Ideally, it should be said in the company of two other people because of brov am hadras Melech and ideally it should be said before two trees. However, neither of these requirements is absolutely necessary.

There is a minhag not to eat matzah from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until Pesach itself. This refers only to kosher lPesach matzos. Chametz matzos are permitted. Some have the minhag not to eat matzah from 30 days before Pesach until the Yom Tov. All people, however, are forbidden to eat matzah on the day of Erev Pesach itself.

Shabbos HaGadol is the Shabbos that comes before Pesach. It is a minhag in Klal Yisrael to attend a shiur on this Shabbos that reviews the halachos of Pesach so that the holiday will be observed properly. The main reason that it is called Shabbos HaGadol is because of the great miracle that occurred then. We had the sheep which the Mitzrim worshipped. We were going to offer the sheep as a korban, and that Shabbos the Egyptians said nothing. This was a tremendous neis.

The Gemara in Bava Metzia 32a discusses the passuk that if one sees a friend with a heavy load, one should surely help him. Certainly then, morally and philosophically, if you see your parents cleaning for Pesach, you should certainly help them.

WHERE TO SEARCH

4. Chazal ordained that on the 14th of Nissan a search be conducted in all the chorim usedakim  all the holes and cracks. Figuratively, since Chometz represents the Yetzer HaRah, we should also look to eliminate any presence of the Yetzer HaRah within the holes and cracks of ourselves. This means, not just the obvious places, but even deep within our neshamos.

The Gemorah discusses the concept of Mapoles (Psachim 8b)  a dangerous wreckage, where there is no obligation to search for Chometz. It is said in the name of Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky ztl, that there is no obligation to move a heavy item in order to search for Chometz, just like the case of Mapoles.

From the strict halachic point of view there is no obligation to search for perurim  crumbs of chometz. However, Yisroel Kedoshim Haim  Jews are holy  and they clean their homes of all Chometz (MB 442:28).

There is no obligation to clean the back or front yard of your house because there is an assumption that the birds will eat the Chometz (MB 433:27). Even though this is a debate in the Poskim, we are lenient. However, if it is already the 14th if Nissan and the Chometz is still there, it should be cleaned.

The laundry room and stairwell of an apartment house or shared dwelling must be searched for Chometz. The obligation is incumbent upon all the tenants. Arrangements should be made that it be done in a thorough and fair manner.

Cars must be thoroughly cleaned and searched for Chametz as well. If one has cleaned the car completely before the night of the 14th, then some are of the opinion that one can skip the inspection on the night of the 14th. Others hold that there is still a requirement to inspect the car, however, a blessing is not recited on it. Rabbi Yaakov Breish ztl (Chok Yaakov 436:17) explains that the essential enactment was only made on the dwelling. It is possible, however, that it was included in the enactment, it is therefore best to have the car in mind or, if one is not at home, to have someone who is reciting the blessing have you in mind.

If he is planning not to be in the office the entire Pesach, then one should include the office in the sale of Chometz to the gentile. If he is going in the office during Chl HaMoed, then it should also be searched on the night of the 14th. If, however, this is impractical because of distance he should search his office on the night of the 13th.

Rav Sheinberg ztl ruled that if it is very difficult to clean and search an area, it is possible to pour or spray ammonia on the area rendering any food that might be there as unfit for the consumption of a dog.

Dormitory students who live in in a dorm (pnimiah) are obligated in searching their dorm room on the night of the 14th. They can do so by appointing a shliach  a messenger. Alternatively, they can do the search on the night before they leave the dormitory room.

The search should be done at nightfall on the night of the 14th. It should be done immediately after Maariv. If one is still at work at this time then one should begin as soon as possible, but if at all possible, one should leave work early.

It is the minhag in Klal Yisroel for someone other than the person performing the search to hide ten pieces of Chometz in the house. The pieces should be less than a kezayis in size, and should be covered in plastic so that the ten pieces will not create crumbs. There are many incidences where the ten pieces were actually lost. Ideally, one should therefore write down the location of the ten pieces.

There is a prohibition in involving oneself in any activity within 30 minutes before the time for the Bedikah begins. If one had begun that activity before the 30 minute period, one may continue until nightfall itself. Although one can drink within the 30 minute period before nightfall, one may not eat more than a Kbaiya of Mezonos.

Ideally, the search should be conducted by the homeowner. If there are assistants helping him, they should hear the bracha from the homeowner.

The person should have in that he is fulfilling his Torah obligation to destroy his Chometz and that the Mitzvah will continue until the next day. One may not speak between the bracha and the beginning of the search. If one did speak the bracha must be repeated. Indeed, even during the search one should avoid saying anything that does not have to do with the actual search.

The Kol Chamira, annulling all the Chometz that one owns, should be recited immediately after the search is over, and then again in the morning before the zman. Although the Kol Chamira is written in Aramaic, it is imperative that the person reciting it understand what is said in his or her native language. If a person forgot to recite the blessing at night he may recite it in the morning before the Chometz is burned.

THE PROHIBITIONS OF CHAMETZ

5. There are five separate negative prohibitions regarding chametz on Pesach. Each of these prohibitions has its own unique passuk. They are:

1) Not to eat chametz from the designated time on the 14th of Nissan

2) Not to eat chametz throughout the holiday of Pesach

3) Not to eat even a mixture of chametz throughout the holiday of Pesach

4) Not to see any of your own chametz on Pesach (bal yiraeh).

5) Not to find any of your chametz on Pesach (bal yematzeh).

One should likewise treat all issues that undermine our emunah in the same manner as we treat chametz: namely, 1) we should rid ourselves of all issues that undermine emunah before Pesach, 2) throughout Pesach, 3) even mixtures of it, 4) not see anything that undermines emunah, 5) nor find anything that undermines it.

By Torah law we may rid ourselves of chametz either by nullifying it (bitul chametz) or by destroying it (biur chametz). The Rabbis, however, enacted that both methods be employed.

 Bitul chametz is the declaration that all chametz that we own is declared to be ownerless.

 Biur chametz is where we search out and set aside to burn any chametz that we find.

In the past few centuries, we have arranged for gentiles to purchase chametz that we have. The sale is conducted with six different types of kinyanim, because there is debate among the Rishonim as to what types of transactions are effective under these circumstances. Some people question this procedure since the gentile does not actually remove the chametz from the Jews home; he just rents space there. Many have the minhag not to sell real chametz, but only items that do not really have a hechsher for Pesach  unless it would entail a huge loss.

KASHERING

6. There is no need for special Pesach table cloths. The same is true with hand towels. Washing them well in a washing machine is sufficient. Some have the custom to have special Pesach bibs for children.

High chairs should be cleaned well, bleached or rinsed with ammonia. They should then be covered in a manner that will last all of Yom Tov.

In regard to koshering an oven that has not been used for 24 hours, Rav Aharon Kotler ztl held that the inside and outside of the oven should be cleaned with an oven cleaner (such as Shunamit or Easy-Off) and then put on the highest temperature for two hours. This works for everything (the oven and the oven racks) but a broiler tray according to Rav Aharon ztl. Rav Moshe Feinstein ztl was of the opinion that our ovens require a Libun Gamur, a red hot flame, which can only be achieved with a blow torch or with coals. When using Libun gamur, there is no need to wait 24 hours.

The knobs of the oven should ideally be covered with foil or replaced with knobs used exclusively for Pesach. Alternatively, but less ideal, they should be cleaned and soaked or sprayed with ammonia or bleach.

Most Poskim permit koshering through a self cleaning oven. One should clean it beforehand so there will not be excessive smoke. Some say the racks of the electric oven could be left in for 15 minutes.

BAKING MATZOS

7. Baking matzos is a complex procedure. It requires removing everything that was used in making the dough, that sat for more than 18 minutes, and thoroughly cleansing it. The water that is used in the dough must be drawn earlier and left overnight. This is called mayim shelanu  water that slept.

EREV PESACH

8. Erev Pesach has numerous halachos associated with it. On the night before Pesach we perform the bedikas chametz. We do so immediately upon nightfall  generally 50 minutes after Shekiyah, although some wait 42 and some wait 72 minutes.

One may eat chametz until the end of the 4th halachic hour of the day. A halachic hour is 1/12th of the daylight hours (total minutes from sunrise to sunset divided by 12). It is the custom of Klal Yisrael to stop eating chametz at the earliest calculation of the 4th hour of the dayaccording to the Magen Avrahams time (the Magen Avraham calculates it from dawn until three stars come out, not from sunrise to sunset). Generally speaking, for Krias Shema during the day most people observe the later calculation of the Vilna Gaon (sunrise to sunset).

One must dispose of chametz either by selling it or by burning it by the end of the 5th hour of the day. The head of the household then recites the Kol Chamira. After the Kol Chamira is recited, even if done so earlier, no one in the house may eat chametz. This is a little-known fact.

It is the custom for firstborn men to fast on Erev Pesach or attend a siyum. The reason for the fast is to publicize the fact that the Jewish firstborn were saved during the plague of the firstborn. If the firstborn of a family is still under the age of bar mitzvah, it is the custom for his father to fast for him. If a person cannot get to a siyum, he may eat before dawn on that day.

Matzah may not be eaten on Erev Pesach nor may products containing baked matzah meal be eaten. Cooked matzah meal products may be eaten until 3 halachic hours before sunset, however.

We do our Seder preparations on Erev Pesach, too, in order to minimize any melachah to be performed on Yom Tov. This includes:

1) roasting the zroa meat,

2) cooking, then roasting, the egg

3) mixing the salt water

4) preparing the charoses,

5) grating the horseradish, and

6) checking lettuce for bugs.

There is a special mitzvah of simchah on Pesach. This is on account of the passuk that states, Vhayisa ach sameiach. Fathers should therefore get their children and wife something special for Yom Tov. For wives and teen-age daughters, an article of clothing (the Mishnah Berurah writes: at least new shoes); and for younger children, nosh.

There is a relatively little-known and little-observed mitzvah to give the children nosh on the first night of Pesach. The Gemara (Pesachim 109a) states that the reason is so that they will not fall asleep and will ask. The Shulchan Aruch, however, adds the words (472:16), so that they will see a difference and ask. There is a machlokes whether this should be done immediately before the Seder (Rav Shulchan Aruch 472:31; Kaf HaChaim 472:96) or immediately after Kiddush (Minhagei Chasam Sofer 10:16). There is no need for the nosh to be eaten while leaning.

BENTCHING THE CHILDREN

9. When the father comes home from shul, there is a special inyan to bless the children since Yaakov was blessed on this night by Yitzchak. This minhag is important.

THE MITZVOS OF THE SEDER NIGHT

10. The Five Mitzvos of the seder are as follows:

 Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim  Biblical nowadays

 Eating Matzah  Biblical nowadays

 Drinking the Four Cups in Order  Rabbinic always

 Eating Marror  Rabbinic nowadays (because there is no Korban Pesach anymore)

 Hallel  Rabbinic always

MAGGID  SIPPUR YETZIAS MITZRAYIM

11. Just as there is a mitzvah of vhigadeta lvincha for a son, there is an obligation to do so for a daughter, as well. There is also a mitzvah to say it to ones grandchildren: boznei bincha uven bincha.

The Haggadah was instituted by the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah. The Mishnah tells us: One must mention pesach, matzah umaror at a minimum to fulfill the mitzvah.

Mention in this context means it has to be explained. The mitzvah refers to the Haggadah according to most meforshim. Some say it refers to each of the individual three. It may be heard, and not necessarily said, because of the concept of shomeia koneh  hearing is like saying.

Chazal established the Hagaddah in question and answer form because this is the best manner in which to teach and carry on the mesorah.

EATING MATZAH

12. As explained earlier, Matzah is described by the Zohar (Vol. II, 183b) as a michlah dmehemnusah  a food of emunah. We eat Matzah three times during the seder. We eat it at Motzi Matzah, Korech, and at achilas Afikoman. The first time we eat it, at Motzi Matzah, is when we fulfill the Torah obligation. It is important to eat the Matzah within the proper period of time, this is called, bchdei achilas pras.

FOUR CUPS OF WINE

13. The Mitzvah of drinking four cups of wine in the order of the Haggada is a Rabbinic obligation during the night of the seder. Chazal enacted this obligation to correspond to the four expressions of redemption in regard to the exodus from Egypt. The four expressions are found in Sefer Shmos (6:6-7.) They are: vhotzeisi, vhitzalti, vgaalti, and vlakachti.

The Vilna Gaon, however, holds that vlakachti is actually an error that has crept into our editions of the Talmud Yerushalmi and that the true fourth expression is vgaalti once again. Although it is a time-bound mitzvah to drink wine at the seder, women are obligated in it. The reason is because they too were redeemed. Not only that, but it was in the merit of the Jewish women that the Jewish nation was redeemed. It was the women who encouraged their husbands to continue having children notwithstanding the extraordinary difficulties of slavery.

EATING MARROR

14. Nowadays, when we no longer have the Korban Pesach, the eating of Marror is only Rabbinic. The purpose is to remind us of the bitter life that we had in Mitzrayim which Hashem redeemed us from.

The Mishna lists five different vegetables which may be used for Marror. Rav Aharon Kotler ztl used to use a type of lettuce, as some people question whether horseradish root, although it is valid to use, was one of the original types considered in the Mishna. Whatever is used may not be cooked or marinated (Kavush). It is important to make sure that the marror is insect-free.

One must eat a kzayis of marror. The marror should be dipped in the charoses and shaken off before consuming it.

HALLEL

15. We recite Hallel at the seder and it is broken up into two parts, before the meal and after the meal. This is not an actual hefsek because on Pesach, the eating of the meal itself is considered praise of Hashem and is part of Hallel.

The Mishna Brurah rules that ideally, even the Hallel should be recited before Chatzos  midnight. When there are three or more people present, the Hallel should be said responsively in the sections where it is done thus in shul.

HESEIBA (LEANING)

16. During the time of the Gemara, it was the way of free men to lean. The Rambam (Laws of Chametz UMatzah 7:67) implies that in leaning we fulfill the Biblical mitzvah in the Torah of Vzacharta ki eved hayisa  And you shall remember that you were a slave. It is a question as to whether the mitzvah of heseiba is a condition in the fulfillment of the other mitzvos of the night or perhaps its very own mitzvah. Women are exempt from this mitzvah, but many Sephardic women do perform it, nonetheless.

For men, however, there is an obligation to lean during matzah, drinking of the wine, korech, afikomen, and  if it is not too difficult  during the meal itself. There is no leaning for karpas and maror.

17. YaKNHaZ

This acronym stands for Yayin Kiddush Ner Havdalah Zman. This is the order that we do things when Pesach falls on Motzaei Shabbos. [When it falls during the week, leave out the N & H]. If, by accident, one ended off with Bein Kodesh lChol and not Bein Kodesh LKodesh, he has to recite Kiddush again since he changed the manner in which Chazal enacted it. Besamim are not used on Yom Tov because we also have a neshamah yeseirah on Yom Tov and there is no need to reinvigorate ourselves (Rashbam Pesachim 102b).

KARPAS

18. Since there is a machlokes whether to recite Borei Nefashos on karpas, we do not eat more than a kzayis. Some, however, do have a kzayis. Nonetheless, a separate Berachah Acharonah is not said. The prevailing minhag is to dip it in salt water, not to dip it in other things. One should have in mind to be motzi the maror also with the HaAdamah. One should also have in mind that one will be going back and forth in the house (to and from the kitchen, upstairs and downstairs, etc.) whenever they want in between the karpas and maror.

THE HALACHOS OF THE SECOND NIGHT

19. On the second night of Pesach, we light candles with a berachah including the Shehecheyanu. We do not make any preparations for the Seder until nightfall. If one forgot to say Shehecheyanu in Kiddush, one goes back and says it whenever it is remembered until Yom Tov is over.

SEFIRAS HAOMER

20. The mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer starts on the second night of Pesach. Let us not forget that this was when we were redeemed on Purim. Each night of the sefirah, according to Kabbalah, is when the seven sefiros correspond to the seven subdivisions of sefirah. The first night is chessed shebchessed. This is especially appropriate for the redemption of Klal Yisrael on Purim  it was a chessed of chessed. The Mishnah Berurah (490:2) quotes the Acharonim (see MA citing the Shelah) that a special zecher to the seudah of Esther should be made in the day meal of the second day. It seems this can be a song, a tune, a siman, or a food. Do not have a chametzdike hamantash!

EREV PESACH THAT FALLS ON SHABBOS

21. In case you were curious, Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos approximately once every 9 years. It also occurs as frequently as every 3 years and as infrequently as every 20 years. It did not occur between 1954 and 1974.

FINDING CHOMETZ OVER PESACH

22. Whether in a drawer that wasnt checked properly, a sofa cushion that had something underneath, or a compartment in a toy that went unnoticed before, each year there are numerous stories where Chometz is found over Pesach. And the incidences happen both on Yom Tov and on Chol HaMoed.

23. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 446:1), of course, tells us what to do. If it is found on Yom Tov  it must be covered with a vessel so that the Chometz not be seen. It cannot be moved, of course, because of the issue of Muktzah. At night, after Yom Tov, it must be burned.

This is based upon the Gemorah (Psachim 7a), that tells us that if one finds Chometz on Yom Tov one must cover it with a vessel, and when Yom Tov is over one should burn it. The reason for this is that there would be no biblical Mitzvah to burn it over Yom Tov, and the burning would constitute a burning shelo ltzorech for no Yom Tov need. Why is this so? Because, presumably, he had already recited the formula for the Bitul, the negation of ownership of all Chometz big and small, hidden or revealed that he may own. Since he had already recited this Bitul formula, the Mitzvah of burning the Chometz does not set aside the laws of Yom Tov. [The Mishna Brurah rules according to the opinion of the Ran that burning it on Yom Tov would be biblically prohibited.]

WHEN ONE DID NOT SAY THE BITUL

24. There are two opinions, however, in a case where the person did not recite the Bitul formula. The Vilna Gaon rules that the halacha of the Shulchan Aruch applies across the board, and one may not destroy it or move it on Yom Tov. Other Poskim (Rashi, Rashba, SmaG, Ohr Zaruah), however, hold that when the Bitul was not recited, one may flush it down the toilet, throw it in a river, or scatter it in the wind. Which view do we follow? The Mishna Brurah states that the custom is like the first view, however, in a community where the custom is to flush it down the toilet through a gentile then one should not negate a custom in Israel.

IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES

25. The Shulchan Aruch ruled that, aside from issues of Yom Tov, if found  the Chometz should be burned even if one did recite the Bitul. However, things may have changed since then  in light of how we sell the Chometz in contemporary times. In our times, the forms in which we sell the Chometz include all Chometz that we own, known and unknown. What are the implications of this development? The Chometz that we find therefore belongs to the gentile! If that is the case, is it then permitted to burn the gentiles Chometz?

This issue has been addressed by contemporary Poskim  Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank ztl held (Mikrai Kodesh Vol. I Pesach #74) to the position that the Chometz should be placed in the Goys section. Rav Shternbuch and Rav Wosner (Shaivet HaLevi Vol. IX #116) both hold that it is permitted to burn it. Rav Shternbuch bases his view on a Shach (CM 358:1) that if one is completely sure that his friend would be amenable to it, one may consume fruits without the permission of the owner. In our case, since the one who finds the Chometz is completely sure that the gentile would be amenable to the burning of the Chometz that was found, and that he would not have to pay for the balance of it after Pesach, it would be permitted. It seems that this is the contemporary custom.

DID HE INADVERTENTLY SIN?

26. Is it considered as a sin, however? If one ended up finding Chometz over Pesach is it something that counts against us? It seems from the Mogain Avrohoms quote of the Tur (OC 434:5) that he is in violation (but only if it is a significant piece of Chometz  not crumbs). From the wording of the Rambam it seems that it is not considered as even an inadvertent sin.

HANDLING THE CHOMETZ

27. May one handle Chometz that is to be burned or should it be kicked to the site that one will burn it in? The Shulchan Aruch rules (446:3) that if a gentiles Chometz blew onto the roof of a Jew, he should move it with a stick but not handle it with ones hands. The reason is that when one handles things with the hands it is likely that one can come to eat it.

The answer is that one may touch it. The Mishna Brurah 446:10 states that since one is burning it one may handle it by hand if it is for a short period of time. It is a good idea, however, to say out loud that one is not acquiring the Chometz. This is based on a responsa of the Rivash cited in the Biur Halacha. Why is this so? Because a persons hand acquires items for him even if he does not have in mind that he is acquiring it.

Hopefully, however, most of us will have done a good job eliminating the Chometz before Pesach has started and there will be no need to be doing so on Pesach itself.

Although our homes are thoroughly cleaned before Pesach, one should do bedikas chametz (search for chametz) in every place in which chametz might have been brought. This includes all rooms into which it is likely that one brought chametz deliberately or into which one likely walked during a meal or snack. Closets, shelves and drawers into which there is no reason to imagine that chametz was brought do not require bedikah. If small children walk around the house carrying chametz, one must check any area (even drawers) accessible to them. After rooms have been cleaned for Pesach, children should not be permitted to walk around with chametz. One may give them egg-matzos, rice cakes or Pesach macaroons, even from a hechsher (Kashrus supervision) that one would not use on Pesach.

Since our homes are large and difficult to check properly in one night, one may begin bedikas chametz several nights earlier, checking a room or two each night without a brachah. One may use an electric flashlight then. At least one room must be left to be checked on the night before Pesach, and the brachah is recited only then. Other members of the family, i.e., responsible adults, may assist in the bedikah, each checking a room or more. The baal habayis recites the brachah and all those assisting must listen to his brachah. They should (preferably) answer Amen, but not Baruch Hu uvaruch Shemo.

The custom is to place ten pieces of chametz around the house. They should not be placed by minors since they are liable to forget where they placed the pieces. One may appoint a slightly older child to remember where the pieces were placed. Each piece should be less than a kzayis (olive size), and preferably wrapped in a tissue plastic wrap, and sealed with tape. Collectively, the pieces should add up to at least the size of a kzayis. Children should be told not to put the pieces in unusual places that do not require bedikah.

When cleaning for Pesach, one is not required to move heavy appliances such as a refrigerator or washing machine (unless it is easy to do so; e.g., they are on wheels); one merely cleans and vacuums under and around them as best as possible. If it is possible to remove the bottom drawer of the oven or the bottom panel of the refrigerator and clean underneath, one should do so.

One who will be away during Pesach must nevertheless do bedikas chametz and must, therefore, clean ones home. If doing such is difficult, one may sell the entire house to the non-Jew to whom one is selling ones chametz. One should discuss this with the Rav through whom one sells the chametz. However, even if the house no longer requires bedikah, one is required to somehow fulfill the mitzvah of bedikah. One should discuss with ones Rav whether to exclude one room in the house from the sale to the non-Jew and do bedikah on that room, or/and do bedikah in ones hotel room on the night before Pesach.

Many couples leave their homes to spend Pesach in a hotel. However, they should seriously consider whether to avail themselves of the leniency stated above. They should bear in mind that although there are circumstances when a woman is burdened with children and other housework and unable to clean properly for Pesach, nevertheless, the scrupulous cleaning and worry about any chametz being present in the house and the warnings about entering a room that was cleaned for Pesach create in our children an atmosphere of Yiras Shamayim (fear of Heaven) and zhirus bmitzvos (careful observance of mitzvos) that is sorely needed today. In addition, the atmosphere of a seder and Pesach at home cannot be replicated in a hotel environment.

Burning the chametz: One should dispose of most of ones chametz before Erev Pesach. Only a small amount of chametz should be kept for burning. One should not attempt to burn flour, vacuum cleaner bags or macaroni, since these are difficult to burn and may not be completely consumed by the fire. Such items, if remaining, should be thrown into a public garbage pail.

Although one may not eat matzah on Erev Pesach, one may eat Pesach kneidlech (matzah balls) until the end of the ninth proportional hour.[1] There is a difference of opinion whether one may eat matzah-meal cakes on Erev Pesach.

There are different standards regarding the matzos one uses on Pesach. Lechatchilah (preferably/initially), however, one should eat only hand-baked shmurah matzos for the seder. Some have the custom, however, to use machine matzos even for the seder; the matzos must be machine-shmurah matzos. There is a worthwhile chumrah (stringency) to eat only shmurah matzah the entire Pesach. Those who use non-shmurah matzos for the remainder of Pesach should try to use only 18-minute matzos with a reliable hechsher (Kashrus supervision). One should note that all products containing matzah meal or cake meal should be of the same standard as the matzos that one uses. Most Pesach cakes, snacks and cereals that contain matzah-meal are not made from 18-minute matzos.

The Seder

28. It is preferable to use red wine for the four kosos (cups of wine at the Pesach Seder). However, one who dislikes red wine may drink white wine. One may mix white wine with red wine to give it a red color, first pouring the red wine into the cup and then the white wine, to avoid the problem of tzovea (coloring) on Yom Tov.

On years that the first seder is on Friday night, one should be strict in the size of the first kos, as it serves also as Friday night Kiddush, which is deoraysa (of Biblical origin). According to Rav Moshe Feinstein, the kos should contain 4.2 ounces; the other kosos need contain only 3.3 ounces.

29. One should preferably not dilute the wine for the kosos with water. Drinking the four kosos should not be a problem for most people. One who has difficulty drinking wine may use a cup (except for the first kos; see above) that contains only 3.3 oz. One is not required to drink more than a majority of each kos (after the last kos, one should listen to the birkas al hagefen of one who drank the whole kos). Thus, the total wine intake need be only slightly more than 7 oz. There are many low alcohol wines available today. One who must dilute the wine should do so with grape juice rather than water. One who has difficulty drinking even a small amount of wine may use grape juice without hesitation.

As noted above, one who eats machine matzos during Pesach should preferably use 18 minute matzos only and preferably use hand matzos for the seder.

It is difficult to give exact measurements for the kzayis of matzos mitzvah. One who uses machine matzos should eat approximately  of a matzah for the achilas matzah and close to half a matzah for koreich (matzah/maror sandwich). One should try to eat  of a matzah or, at least, close to half a matzah for afikoman. One who eats hand matzah should eat between a  and a half a matzah for achilas matzah and approximately a  of a matzah for koreich and, if possible, the larger amount for afikoman. The matzah should be eaten within four minutes, but preferably within two minutes. One who has difficulty eating the matzah may drink water while chewing.

Although the maror is dipped into charoses, the charoses should be shaken off before eating the maror.

One should begin training children to drink four kosos when they reach approximately the age of six. However, they need not drink more than their cheek-full for each kos. Younger children are given a token amount of grape juice. Children below the age of nine or ten are not required to lean on their side while drinking the kosos and eating matzah.

30. The hagadah should be recited with great enthusiasm and joy to experience a feeling of personal redemption from slavery and to instill this enthusiasm and joy into the children. One should speak to the children about the ten makkos and the geulah (redemption) from Mitzrayim (Ancient Egypt). The explanations that the children read from their school notebooks should be used as a springboard for further discussion. The mitzvah of hagadah is from father to son, not son to father.

On the first night of Pesach, one recites only krias shema and hamapil, not the rest of krias shema al hamitah.

The author can be reached at [email protected]
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

They come to the door collecting for their Yeshivos. Should one offer them a drink? Yes. But nothing alcoholic  Snapple does the trick as well.

Let us, with this in mind, remember the words of the Nesivus Shalom regarding drinking on Purim. He writes that the word wine is absent in the formulation of the Shulchan Aruch. Chayav adam libsumei bePuraya ad delo yada.

The reason is clear. We must become inebriated with the concept of Purim and not with wine. The concept of Purim is that Hashem is very close and that we can achieve remarkable Dveikus Bashem at this time.No matter how distant we are  even if we are Arur Haman in terms of our general distance from Hashem we can become, at this particular time of Purim, as close as Boruch Mordechai.

Aside from this, the Mitzvah of drinking is only at the Seudah. And there are numerous interpretations which seem more in line with what the guidelines that the Torah requires of us.

One pshat is that ad de lo yada  means ad velo ad bichlal  never get to that point. Rav Avigdor Miller ztl held that way. The Aruch haShulchan (695:3) states that it means to reach a point where one would be unable to recite an ancient poem with the stanzas cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai.

The Remah writes that one is merely required to drink a little more than usual on Purim which would cause one to fall asleep.

Another explanation (See Mogain Avrohom 695:3) is that one should drink to the point where one is unable to calculate the gematrias of cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai.

The baal haMaor writes that the reason that the Gemorah tells us the story of Rabba killing Rabbi Zeira was to show us why we should not be drinking on Purim.

There is a fascinating Gemorah that backs up this idea. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Tractate Shabbos 8:1) explains that Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai would only drink wine from Pesach to Pesach. The implication is that Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai did not drink wine on Purim. The Talmud Bavli has a similar statement in Nedarim (49b).

There are three possible understandings of this passage of the Yerushalmi. The first is that indeed, this is the case, but the halacha is not in accordance with Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai. The second possibility is that we are misreading the import and implication of this Yerushalmi. The third possibility is that Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai had a perfectly valid reason not to consume wine on Purim and was in complete accordance with our statement in the Gemorah which is cited by the Shulchan Aruch.

The Shaarei Teshuva (695:2) writes clearly that we should interpret the Yerushalmi in this third method. This third understanding of the Yerushalmi understands that Rabbi Yehuda Ben Illai had a weaker constitution and that drinking wine would actually damage his health, body or general welfare.

WE ARE ALL LIKE RABBI YEHUDAH BAR ILLAI

A very good argument can be made that in contemporary times we all share the status of Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai.

How so?

According to the National Institute of Health [See http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body ], drinking too much  even on a single occasion, can take a serious toll on your health. Heres how alcohol can affect your body:

Brain:

Alcohol interferes with the brains communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. This is even on a single occasion.

Heart:

Drinking a lot, even on a single occasion, can damage the heart, causing problems including:

Cardiomyopathy  Stretching and drooping of heart muscle

Arrhythmias  Irregular heart beat

Stroke

High blood pressure

Liver:

Heavy drinking, over time, can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including:

Steatosis, or fatty liver

Alcoholic hepatitis (single occasion)

Fibrosis

Cirrhosis

Pancreas:

Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion.

Cancer:

Drinking too much alcohol can, over time, increase the risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the:

Mouth

Esophagus

Throat

Liver

Immune System:

Drinking too much can weaken the immune system, making it a much easier target for disease. Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your bodys ability to ward off infections  even up to 24 hours after getting drunk.

According to Alcohol Use and Abuse, a Harvard Health Publication, the use of alcohol nowadays is fraught with danger, and is often quite damaging to the body. Among the effects are:

Alcohol has some very harmful and permanent effects on developing brains and bodies.

For adolescents ages 15 to 20, alcohol is implicated in more than a third of driver fatalities resulting from automobile accidents and about two-fifths of drowning, rl.

Drinking interferes with good judgment, leading young people into risky behavior and making them vulnerable to all sorts of other problems.

Teenagers who use alcohol and tobacco are at greater risk of using other drugs.

Teenagers who drink are more likely to develop behavioral problems, including stealing, fighting, and skipping school.

Underage drinking is illegal, and there are and have been some serious consequences and repercussions of arrests.

OTHERS CERTAINLY ARE IN THE RAV YEHUDAH BAR ILLAI STATUS

Let us not make the tragic error that we are above any of these problems. They exist in our communities and often under our very noses. Even if it was not true that alcohol consumption constitutes a Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai risk to a particular individual, the very fact that new and more dangerous technologies have developed in the past century that can greatly increase dangers to other around us, the status of Rabbi Yehudah Ben Illai would apply to others around us. Automobiles did not exist in previous times and cars plus alcohol endanger the welfare of others. In our communities, not one year has gone by in recent years where alcohol consumption did not cause a major tragedy or accident.

As far as the Mitzvah itself is concerned, the opinion of the Ravya (564) and the Mordechai (Megillah Chapter 2) and the response of the Maharil (#56) is that even back in the time of Chazal it was not obligatory, rather it is a Mitzvah balmah  an ideal that is no way obligatory. The Ramah cites these views as halacha.

Some will invariably make the argument that drinking large amounts of alcohol was always the practice. How can we now, all of a sudden, assume that it is a health risk and declare that we all share the status of Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai?

The answer to this question rests within an answer to yet another question. According to the National Vital Statistic Reports of 2004 (52 #14), the life span of Americans has nearly doubled since 1900. What modern innovation contributed the most to the increase in human longevity? The answer is most likely, the refrigerator and the decline in the use of salt as a preservative. Salt kills. We have lowered our consumption of it and now we live longer. The same is true with alcohol.

It has been said that the Shaarei Teshuvahs understanding of the Yerushalmi is the one that is halachically most cogent as it does not posit a contradiction of sources. It is also clear that many people fall within the rubric of the exemption of Rabbi Yehudah Bar Illai, and should not drink to the point of anywhere near drunkenness  even according to the Poskim that do not agree with the Ramahs reading.

So the next time singing Yeshiva boys come to the door for Tzedaka for their Yeshiva, reach for the checkbook and the Snapple.

The author can be reach at [email protected]
WASHINGTON -- When he was Ronald Reagan's secretary of state, George Shultz was once asked about the CIA's disavowal of involvement in a mysterious recent bombing in Lebanon. Replied Shultz: "If the CIA denies something, it's denied."

Has there ever been a more dry, more wry, more ironic verdict on the world of espionage? Within it, there is admission and denial, smoke and mirrors, impenetrable fog and deliberate obfuscation. Truth? Ask the next guy.

Which is why my default view of espionage is to never believe anyone because everyone is trained in deception. This is not a value judgment; it's a job description.

We learn, for example, from Tuesday's spectacular WikiLeaks dump that among the CIA's various and nefarious cybertools is the capacity to simulate intrusion by a foreign power, the equivalent of planting phony fingerprints on a smoking gun.

Who are you going to believe now? I can assure you that some enterprising Trumpite will use this revelation to claim that the whole storyline pointing to Russian interference in the U.S. election was a fabrication. And who was behind that? There is no end to this hall of mirrors. My rule, therefore, is: Stay away.

Hard to do with Washington caught up in one of its periodic conspiracy frenzies. Actually, two. One, anti-Donald Trump, is that he and his campaign colluded with Russian intelligence. The other, anti-Barack Obama-CIA-"deep state," is that Obama wiretapped Trump Tower to ensnare candidate Trump.

The odd thing is that, as of today, there is no evidence for either charge. That won't, of course, stop the launch of multiple all-consuming investigations.

(1) Collusion:

James Clapper, Obama's director of national intelligence, who has been deeply and publicly at odds with Trump, unequivocally states that he has seen zero evidence of any Trump campaign collusion with Russia. Nor has anyone else.

The contrary suspicion arises because it's hard to explain why Michael Flynn falsely denied discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador and why Jeff Sessions falsely denied having any contacts at all. That suggests concealment. But there was nothing inherently inappropriate with either behavior. So why conceal?

(2) Wiretap:

The other storyline is simply fantastical. Congressional Republicans have uniformly run away from Trump's Obama-wiretap accusation. Clapper denies it. FBI Director James Comey denies it. Not a single member of Trump's own administration is willing to say it's true.

Loopier still is to demand that Congress find the truth when the president could just pick up the phone and instruct the FBI, CIA and DNI to declare on the record whether this ever occurred. And if there really was an October 2016 FISA court order to wiretap Trump, the president could unilaterally declassify the information yesterday.

The bugging story is less plausible than a zombie invasion. Nevertheless, one could spin a milder -- and more plausible -- scenario of executive abuse. It goes like this:

The intelligence agencies are allowed to listen in on foreigners. But if any Americans are swept up in the conversation, their part of it is supposed to be redacted or concealed to protect their identity.

Under Obama, did the agencies deliberately abuse the right to listen in on foreigners as a way to listen in, improperly, on Americans?

If they did, we will find out. But for now, all of this is mere conjuring. There is no evidence for either the collusion or the wiretap charge. We are headed down a rabbit hole. An enormous amount of heat and energy will be expended, ending -- my guess -- roughly where we started.

What a waste. Self-created crisis can leave us distracted, spent and unprepared when the real thing hits.

It's unquiet out there. North Korea keeps testing missiles as practice for attacking U.S. bases in Japan. Meanwhile, we are scrambling to install an antimissile shield in South Korea as early as next month. Fuses are burning. When the detonations begin, we'd better not be in the rabbit hole.
It did not take long for critics to launch into the contents of Philip Hammond's debut Budget.

Here, The Mail on Sunday's award-winning Personal Finance team looks at the implications for the self-employed, savers, consumers and households.

Self-employed

The UK's 4.8 million-strong army of self-employed workers and contractors  ranging from builders, plumbers, independent retailers to taxi drivers and musicians  are counting the cost of a Budget bent on raiding the pockets of hard-working entrepreneurs.

The incomes of millions of self-employed workers will be dented by up to 400 a year from April 2018

Despite belonging to the party of enterprise, with Margaret Thatcher once the fiercest supporter of the nation's risk-takers, Chancellor Philip Hammond will push up the rate of Class 4 National Insurance contributions by 1 percentage point to 10 per cent from April next year, with a further one point rise in 2019.

The move will result in an extra 800 tax bill for the self-employed by 2019.

The Chancellor defended the tax assault  even condemned by many Conservative MPs  as a step towards aligning the taxation of the self-employed with the 85 per cent of workers who are employees.

It is essentially a payback, he says, for entrepreneurs now having access to the 155.65-a-week flat rate state pension on retirement.

Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, has attacked the 'tax grab on middle-income, self-employed people' and accuses the Chancellor of ignoring the difference between entrepreneurs and employees.

He says: 'The self-employed are the risk-takers that spearhead growth and productivity in our economy.'

'It's a slap in the face for those who work so hard' Small business owners interviewed yesterday by The Mail on Sunday in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, were outraged by the Government's plan to hit them with higher National Insurance bills. Rosario Rospo, 51, has been running a family flower stall for 27 years in the bustling town. He believes the tax hike for the self-employed is an act of treachery. 'Treachery': Self-employed flower seller Rosario Rospo hardly ever takes a day off He says: 'This is a slap in the face for the self-employed, people who usually have to work harder than others just to survive. We do not get all the fringe benefits of being an employee, such as a pension, paid holiday or sick leave.' Rosario gets up at 4am every working day and often does not get home until 7.30pm. He says: 'I love hard graft but I cannot afford to take a day off sick and only snatch the odd day off as holiday. Perhaps the Chancellor should reflect on this when he is enjoying his long summer break paid for by us taxpayers.' Carol Segal, 55, owner of boutique Carol's Lingerie Specialist, is stunned the Chancellor is penalising millions of self-employed people. She says: 'Small businesses like mine are vital to the future of communities like Bishop's Stortford. Online giants such as Amazon suck dry the high street and escape being taxed. We are easy targets.' Barber Steve Holleyman, owner of Holleymans Barber Shop, says: 'The problem with the pen-pushers in Whitehall is they enjoy a cushy life in a bubble with no idea what it is like in the real world.'

How bills will rise

The incomes of millions of self-employed workers will be dented by up to 400 a year from April 2018, when the Class 4 rate rises to 10 per cent, according to Mark Groom, employment tax expert at accountancy firm Deloitte.

Their earnings will be squeezed by a further 400 a year when the rate rises to 11 per cent in April 2019.

Who is affected?

Class 4 contributions of 9 per cent currently apply to annual incomes of between 8,060 and 43,000 and 2 per cent above that.

From April 2018, those earning less than 16,250 a year will be a few pounds better off under the new regime, accounting for 60 per cent of self-employed, according to the Treasury.

The incomes of millions of self-employed workers will be dented by up to 400 a year from April 2018

For example, someone on 15,000 a year will pay 770 in National Insurance in the tax year ending April 5, 2017.

But in the tax year starting April 6, 2018, the bill will fall by 7 to 763, as Class 2 National Insurance contributions are scrapped. And it will fall to 675 in the tax year starting April 6, 2019.

But those on higher incomes will be hit hard. A taxi driver, for example, earning 25,000 a year currently pays 1,670 in National Insurance.

But in the tax year starting April 6, 2019, that will rise by 173 to an estimated 1,843.

A builder on 50,000 a year currently pays 3,430, but will see that leap by 911 to 4,341 in the tax year starting April 2019.

And an IT consultant earning 100,000 will pay 5,341, some 1,010 a year more.

The self-employed may be disappointed to have to pay more in NI contributions but they need to focus on other risks to their income

Dividend Squeeze

Entrepreneurs who set up as limited companies and take income in the form of dividends will also lose out with a planned cut in the tax-free dividend allowance from 5,000 to 2,000 from April 6, 2018.

But they should not despair, as cuts to corporation tax from 20 per cent to 19 per cent next month and then to 17 per cent by 2020, will help offset this newest tax grab.

What you can do

Do not panic. There are practical steps you can take, so you should not just grin and bear it.

Seek professional help

Emma Jones, the founder of membership organisation Enterprise Nation, says: 'Our members got hammered in this Budget, but their resilience and hard work means they will carry on regardless.

'The self-employed or small business owner is too busy to go out and barricade Westminster.

So we always suggest when there are any adverse changes like this to consult an accountant who can advise how to mitigate the impact and give tips on how to rein in costs.'

Try free consultation

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales provides a business advice service that offers an initial meeting with a local accountant free of charge. To arrange an appointment visit businessadviceservice.com.

'Protecting your income is vital'

Join forces

Sign up with a small business organisation. Membership of Enterprise Nation, IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed), and the Federation of Small Businesses can stimulate ideas and offer fresh opportunities to boost sales  the best way to beat higher bills.

Get protected

The self-employed do not have the same safety net to fall back on if disaster strikes, so should ensure their income is protected if they cannot work. Sean McCann, chartered financial planner at insurer NFU Mutual, says:

'The self-employed may be disappointed to have to pay more in National Insurance contributions but they need to focus on other risks to their income.

'While someone who is ill and employed may get paid by their employer for a limited time, an accident or illness for a self- employed person could mean dipping into their savings as soon as work stops.

'With most household savings a paltry 3,000 at most, this makes income protection cover vital for the self-employed.'

Income protection cover, offered by most mainstream insurance companies, provides a monthly tax-free income in the event of serious illness or injury. Try a broker such as LifeSearch or Highclere Financial Services.

Save for retirement

Entrepreneurs often say their business is their pension. But there is no guarantee. This makes pension saving a must.

Deloitte's Groom says: 'Pensions should a be a priority. Small business owners may be losing on National Insurance, but the Chancellor left the current tax relief on pension contributions alone for now.

So they should maximise these savings while they can, plus make the most of Isa annual allowances.'

Find an independent financial adviser who specialises in pensions by visiting unbiased.co.uk or financialplanning.org.uk.

Read part two of our budget special: The good, the bad and the ugly for investors and savers
The fast-growing website silversurfers.com, which targets the over-50s with discounts and services, has struck a deal with major insurers as it takes a swipe at the Saga market.

The website has launched a range of products in partnership with insurers Allianz Global Assistance, A-Plan and Free Spirit. These include motor, home and life insurance.

Silversurfers is run by co-founder and chief executive Martin Lock who was pivotal in setting up BA.com for British Airways in the 1990s.

Target: Silversurfers.com has struck a deal with major insurers to offer services to over 50s

Lock said: 'This is a major development for us. We know Saga makes about 75 per cent of its revenue from selling insurance so this seemed to be a natural thing for us to do.

'This was the strategy from day one. We just needed the right partners.'

The website was launched in December 2013 and has already raised 2 million for growth from private investors. Saga floated in 2014 with a value of 2.5 billion.

Silversurfers also operates a discount card.
Efforts to attract more women into engineering in the motor industry are falling flat  and that's partly down to outdated or inappropriate images being used to portray the role, says Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Britain's biggest car firm.

It joined forces with top photo agency Getty Images on International Women's Day this week to create 'a more realistic visual representation of female engineers' .

Forget boiler suits, hard hats and oily rags, most of the jobs are in computers and robotics.

Imogen Pierce and Maria Vasquez Caroprese are both a more realistic visual representation of female engineers.

Fiona Pargeter, JLR's global director of communications, says: 'Outdated images don't reflect today's exciting and varied roles.'

The project aims to improve the outdated visual perceptions of women working in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths  the so-called STEM careers - and to encourage more females to think about pursuing a job in these areas.

The new images aim to truly reflect what it is to be a modern female engineer.

A spokeswoman said: The updated visuals will showcase some of the incredible women working for JLR in roles from cyber to aerodynamics and audio.

They are intended to encourage more women to apply for these jobs by accurately portraying the modern workplace.

Over the past year online searches for "women + STEM" have risen by 526%, said Jaguar Land Rover:

Step ahead: Jaguar Land Rover is also calling for other leading manufacturers to join them in reassessing and updating their visual portrayal of women in STEM careers

Yet results are often out-dated and dont reflect todays exciting and varied roles. This partnership aims to change that. So this could not be more timely.

Jaguar Land Rover is also calling for other leading manufacturers to join them in reassessing and updating their visual portrayal of women in STEM careers.

Jaguar Land Rover communications chief Fiona Pargeter added: Our own female workforce has grown from nine to 11 per cent over the past four years due to our focused STEM initiatives.

But this is still far too low  businesses being proactive about using realistic imagery is one of the many ways that we can attract the bright minds we need into STEM careers.

Rebecca Swift, director of creative insight at Getty Images, said: We are a passionate advocate for the realistic representation of women through imagery and are proud to be leading the visual industry in the creation and promotion of powerful, relevant imagery which celebrates diversity and authenticity in every area of life. 

Jaguar Land Rover needs the diversity of skills that women bring to ensure we thrive and maintain our competitive edge for years to come

Over the last year we have seen a dramatic spike in interest for imagery showing female engineers at work. Images have the power to make and break gender cliches so the demand for these images is both indicative and important.

We have an opportunity to change the visual language around STEM for the better.

Michelle Mortiboys, vehicle line director a Jaguar Land Rovers Special Vehicle Operations dividion said: Here at Jaguar Land Rover we need the diversity of skills that women bring to ensure we thrive and maintain our competitive edge for years to come.

She said: It is well known that gender diversification in business is not just healthy culturally but also propels progressiveness and innovation.

Our partnership with Getty Images is not just about recruiting women into engineering, its a small part of the work that needs to be done to upscale female employees in the automotive sector as a whole.

Jaguar Land Rovers school own STEM education programme provides an interactive and practical approach to learning across all stages of the national curriculum as well as bespoke careers programmes.

In 2016, 300,000 young people across the UK participated in the programme including 21,000 young people who visited Jaguar Land Rovers six UK Education Business Partnership Centres.

Further details at: www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com
The ailing Co-operative Bank has been ordered by the Bank of England to hasten plans to split up the 10 billion pension scheme it shares with its former parent the Co-operative Group.

The Co-op Bank admitted last week that the immense difficulties over the pension scheme split could scupper any sale or capital raising  essential if the struggling business is to stay afloat.

Dividing the scheme could also land Co-op Bank with a further bill. The pension trustee could require it to pump millions of pounds into the scheme, which has 89,000 members, at a time when its finances are already under huge pressure.

Struggling: The Co-op Bank admitted last week that the immense difficulties over the pension scheme split could scupper any sale or capital raising

The Co-op Bank has already said it needs to raise a further 750 million of capital to hit existing Bank of England targets.

The troubled bank is hoping to find a buyer, but will try to agree a deal with bondholders to wipe out debts if it is unsuccessful.

Last week, it announced losses of 477 million for 2016.

The Prudential Regulation Authority  the regulatory arm of the Bank of England  has said it 'expects the Bank to seek to advance negotiations' on the scheme.

Control of the bank was surrendered by the Co-op Group, which runs the main supermarket business, three years ago amid a financial crisis, but the two were left sharing a single pension scheme.

Experts say a pension split could take years. Former Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann said: 'It can be incredibly complicated.

Experts say a pension split could take years. Former Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann said: 'It can be incredibly complicated.

Trustees of the existing scheme have to carefully analyse what the implications are for the new separate schemes and make sure there's enough funding for both.'

Altmann said trustees might force the group and the bank to both pump money into the pension scheme when it splits. The scheme has a deficit of 300 million.

The Co-op Bank is yet to agree what its share could be but it said in 2014  after its split from the group  that it would pay 20 per cent of scheme contributions.

The two parties are wrangling over whether employees of the group's insurance business will belong to the group scheme or to the bank scheme.

It has separately emerged that the bank is involved in a new dispute with its former parent over the term 'The Co-op Bank'. It wants to trademark the shorter version but the group is objecting.

A bank spokesman said of the pension talks: 'The trustee, the Co-op Group and the Co-operative Bank are working closely together with members' interests at the forefront.

'These interests remain well protected in a scheme that is relatively well funded.'
At last, BT and Ofcom have reached a deal for the telecoms giant to separate its Openreach division into a separate company  albeit one still owned by the parent BT group.

In theory, this will mean the part of BT that provides broadband connections (including for rival companies such as Sky or TalkTalk) will not be run so closely by BT.

But it is not a complete split and critics argue that it is inevitable that BT will have a continuing indirect influence over Openreach.

Roaring: BT and Ofcom have reached a deal for the telecoms giant to separate its Openreach division into a separate company

They may well be right and Ofcom is going to have to keep a close eye on how this split works in practice.

But while this half-hearted deal is not the ideal solution, it is the best one to fit the realities.

Splitting off Openreach into a fully separate business would have faced complex hurdles, not least how to separate the vast (and hugely in deficit) BT pension fund.

And pushing Openreach through a sale process, which could last months, is not the best idea if what is needed right now is faster roll-out of broadband.

This outcome is the one most likely to deliver what really matters  a more accountable and effective Openreach.

Decisions: There were good reasons for the Chancellor's National Insurance raid on the self-employed.

Self-employed raid

There were good reasons for the Chancellor's National Insurance raid on the self-employed. But that does not make it the right decision.

What it does do is help build the case for scrapping National Insurance altogether, rolling it into a single simpler income tax system.

Hammond acted to raise NI on the self-employed because it threatened to undermine tax revenues, as the Treasury reaps lower tax income from these workers. He is right to recognise the problem, but he acted too hastily.

A major study of self-employment  the Taylor Review  is due to report later this year.

Faced with a backbench rebellion, the Government has now said the decision on the NI changes will not be put to a vote of MPs until after the Taylor review reports.

But why on earth the Chancellor would act before that report is complete is baffling.

Short and medium-term solutions will be needed to raise taxation from the self-employed but hopefully without squeezing those on modest incomes.

However, in the long run National Insurance has surely had its day. To all practical purposes it is simply another tax on earnings.

It is not in any sense set aside to pay for pensions or benefits, it simply rolls into the Treasury coffers alongside everything else. Its major contribution to British life is to add to bureaucracy and provide Chancellors with a sneaky way to raise money.
Culture Secretary Karen Bradley is expected to refer 21st Century Fox's 11.7 billion bid to buy the 61 per cent of Sky it does not own to media regulator Ofcom on public interest grounds this week, despite a dispute with Fox over Rupert Murdoch's influence.

A Government letter to Fox last week explaining why Bradley was 'minded' to refer the bid to Ofcom contained information Fox said was false.

The letter claimed the Murdoch Family Trust 'has a 15 per cent shareholding in Sky... which owns Sky News'.

Battle: Takeover target Sky is home to Game Of Thrones

But Fox pointed out that, while the trust owns 39 per cent of Fox, which itself has a 39 per cent stake in Sky  home to Game Of Thrones  it does not have any direct shareholding in Sky.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport declined to say if it still stood by its claim.

The Government also said it had received a report from the Media Reform Coalition and Avaaz pressure groups, on which its decision was partly based.

But Fox also disputes that report's view that 'the merged entity would effectively become the largest newspaper provider... and the second largest provider of radio news'.

The DCMS said it would make an announcement on the deal this week.
David Campbell's publishing venture all began above a sex shop in Soho.

That business, The Everyman's Library, is now widely regarded as the definitive library of classic literature with 600 titles and 18 million copies sold. It has not only survived the e-book revolution, it has thrived.

Campbell, 68, is a picture book publisher with tousled grey hair, a knitted tie and a lifetime of anecdotes. He recalls the times when he bought and relaunched the ailing Everyman business in 1990.

'I rented three floors of a little Georgian house above a sex shop in a side street in Soho. It did not occur to me to ask if there was electricity in every room and there wasn't, so we were sending out notes by a guttering candle,' he says.

Empire: It would be easy to dismiss Campbell as a technology refusenik, were it not for the success of Everyman's Library and for his other small private business

The business was eventually bought by Random House and, after a series of wider takeovers in publishing, is now part of the vast German publishing empire of Bertelsmann.

But Campbell is still in charge of his corner of the empire, pursuing his belief in quality hardback books, with stitched binding and paper that lasts.

Campbell has since graduated from the offices above a sex shop. He now works from a small office on the top floor of a Mayfair townhouse shared by a number of publishing-related businesses.

The house was once home of John Murray, publisher of Jane Austen and Lord Byron.

'We are up 6 per cent in the last 12 months in the UK and US. A lot of publishers are flatlining but we have definitely increased in turnover,' he says, adding that the business is profitable.

Campbell claims never to have doubted that books would last.

'There was a dodgy time five or six years ago when our turnover went down, but I never thought the e-book was going to replace what we were doing. In fact, our sales are now up and the e-book has helped us.

The Everyman's Library, is now widely regarded as the definitive library of classic literature with 600 titles and 18 million copies sold

People are buying less mass market paperbacks. They buy e-books and they buy decently printed books.

'Television did not replace radio. Cinema did not replace theatre. The e-book is wonderful, but there are a whole raft of books where even if you have read it on your iPad, it does not replace the book itself. If you love F. Scott Fitzgerald, you probably want a nice edition to revisit.

'I think we are through the worst. I always thought the book would continue.

The only thing any of us should be worrying about is whether there are enough bookshops.'

Waterstones, of course, is one of his biggest customers though Amazon may just be slightly larger, he says. Perhaps surprisingly, Campbell is 'pro-Amazon', with some qualification.

'I don't want to see them take over everything. I think it is incredibly important that independent bookshops exist. You can't browse Amazon in the same way you can browse in a bookshop.'

'I think it is incredibly important that independent bookshops exist. You can't browse Amazon in the same way you can browse in a bookshop.'

Campbell's conversation is unpretentiously littered with famous names he has known  from Isaiah Berlin to Salman Rushdie and Mick Jagger. He is impeccably part of the literary establishment.

Educated at Oxford, he then spent a year travelling in Asia and Europe in the febrile atmosphere of 1968  and then went back to his university to seek career advice.

'I went to the Oxford appointments board and because I spoke a few languages and I had been in Prague in 1968 when the Russians invaded, they wanted to make me a spy. I said, 'But I want to be a publisher!'

Wine merchant: Campbell created the online wine seller from vineyardsdirect.com, which he set up in 2006 with Esme Johnstone, the co-founder of Majestic Wine.

'They told me not to tell anybody that they had approached me to be a spy, so I went straight out to the Kings Arms and told everybody.'

Campbell's early career was in French publishing and he rose to become a board member at publishing group Hachette. 'I've been a corporate boardroom honcho,' he says.

But while in France he developed an attachment to Pleiade  the French series of classics, cloth bound with beautiful typeface.

He conceived the idea of a similar venture in English and decided the Everyman's Library  by then a tired and unfashionable name  was the perfect vehicle. An initial attempt to buy the company was rejected.

The next chance came years later when Everyman was bought by one of publishing's biggest names, George Weidenfeld. 'I thought that was the death of my dream, and that George would do something amazing with it.

Then I heard on the grapevine that George had a bit of a cashflow hiccup. We had coffee and he said to me, 'When can you let me have the money?' Of course, at that moment I did not have any money. I had to borrow well over 1 million.'

Incredibly, Campbell was also able to secure the hardback rights to a vast array of classic authors.

'Everyone thought I was bonkers because all the action was in paperbacks. I was able to buy everything from Marquez to Orwell, relatively affordably.

I voted Remain but much of Brussels is quite ghastly  and they needed a bloody nose

A lot of business is about timing and I was extremely lucky to be doing this in the early 90s before anybody even thought of the e-book or the hardback revival.'

'On price I had to be within spitting distance of paperback prices and I think our first books were between 6.99 and 10.99, so we were 10 or 15 per cent more than a paperback. But with beautiful typography, copious notes, the definitive edition.'

American publisher Knopf and its European parent Random House were early partners, providing warehousing and sales and eventually Random House bought Everyman in 2003.

'I can't remember the exact figure, but we sold for a few million,' says Campbell coyly.

With such Gallic professional links and an international parent group, what does Campbell makes of Brexit?

'I voted Remain, though I am reasonably agnostic. Much of Brussels is quite ghastly and they needed a bloody nose, though not necessarily Brexit.

We should return to the concept of a Common market.'

Campbell, married with two grown-up children, divides his time between a Pimlico flat and a house in the Highlands.

It would be easy to dismiss Campbell as a technology refusenik, were it not for the success of Everyman's Library and for his other small private business  the online wine seller from vineyardsdirect.com, which he set up in 2006 with Esme Johnstone, the co-founder of Majestic Wine.

'I thought the internet was a way of informing people more about wine and being like Amazon, a bit cheaper than a wine merchant.'

Wine merchants, who perhaps think browsing the cellar is an essential part of wine buying, may see some irony.
At age 76, Lena Jones (not her real name) came to Tabitha Village, a HUD subsidized independent living senior community. Back in 2008 she was able to live independently, but over the next several years, Lenas memory and overall health declined.

One day, a Meals on Wheels volunteer found her after she had fallen and didnt answer the door. She was transferred to a local hospital and later recuperated at Tabitha Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, utilizing her skilled Medicare benefit during her rehabilitation. While she gained strength and independence, it became clear that she would no longer be able to safely return to her apartment.

Lena needed to live in a long-term care facility for her safety and well-being, but she did not have a sufficient income to afford that level of care and her family was unable to help. She would need to depend on Medicaid (a health care subsidy for those who have outlived their resources) to cover the cost of her care.

Medicaid is the most important financial resource available for older adults requiring help to cover the cost of care, whether in their homes and communities or in nursing homes.

As of Jan. 30, there were 12,251 older Nebraskans depending on nursing facilities to provide a home. Of that number, more than 50 percent of them rely on Medicaid.

Last month, Gov. Pete Ricketts released his budget, which included a 3 percent cut for Medicaid providers across the state. In this case, assisted living, nursing home and adult day service providers who serve Nebraskas most vulnerable seniors are once again being asked to contract with the State of Nebraska and provide services at a rate less (far less) than the cost of providing them. The Nebraska Medicaid benefit already reimburses nursing homes an average of $30 per day LESS than the cost of care of each elder in need.

This is bad news for aging services providers struggling to balance their own budgets in an increasingly uncertain health care landscape. A 3 percent cut would be devastating to Tabitha and LeadingAge Nebraska members who represent the body of not-for-profit providers across the state. Tabitha estimates that this cut would cost the organization more than $300,000 annually, on top of the over $1.5 million Tabitha subsidized in last year's budget as a commitment to serve those who have come before us and outlived their resources.

We applaud the Appropriations Committee, who, in its preliminary report on the biennial budget, recommended adjustment of the Governors cuts to 0 percent change for assisted living facilities and plus-1 percent for nursing facilities.

This, however, was quickly followed by news from the Economic Forecasting Board projecting reduced tax collections over the next two years which would create an even greater budget shortfall.

Vulnerable elders, their family members and care providers find themselves on tenterhooks, fearful that access to care is in peril. And, in fact, the siege has already begun.

In Nebraska, we are seeing fewer nursing homes accepting Medicaid as a payer source and many are reducing the number of beds they will dedicate to Medicaid. This is a direct result of declining Medicaid reimbursements, and the proposed cuts will only exacerbate this.

At a time when our aging population is rapidly growing, and the cost to care for them is increasing, the proposed cuts in the Governors budget are in stark contrast to the needs of older adults. It will soon become unsustainable to provide care for this underserved segment of our society when the costs of regulatory compliance keep rising and reimbursements keep falling. Nursing homes will have no option but to shut their doors. Where will Nebraskas most vulnerable elders go?

Nebraska needs to pay providers a fair rate, so providers can keep the doors open. We need creative solutions instead of targeted cuts that hurt this vulnerable population. We need to work together to ensure that people like Lena Jones live out all of their days with the dignity and respect they have rightly earned because Lena represents someone you know, your grandmother, your aunt, your neighbor or best friend. In fact, Lena could be you.
The Government is poised for a major clash with chain stores over plans to ease the burden of business rates by levying a 'digital tax' on internet sales.

Chancellor Philip Hammond gave fresh life to the idea in his Budget speech last week, but sources said the proposal had met with 'intense lobbying' from big business.

The issue appears to have split retailers, with many small shopkeepers believing that a digital levy on the likes of Amazon would level the playing field and help revive battered high streets.

The Government is poised for a major clash with chain stores over plans to ease the burden of business rates by levying a 'digital tax' on internet sales.

The online retailer pays a slim fraction of the rates of high street-based groups.

However, last night, the British Retail Consortium, the lobby group for large and small shops, set itself against a levy on internet sales. It said in a statement:

'An online sales tax is not the answer. That makes no sense when so many retailers are online or want to move online.'

Last month, the consortium hosted a meeting between Business Minister Greg Clark and some of its most powerful members, including Amazon, online fashion giant Asos and Tesco.

It said its focus was not to 'pitch online commerce against shops, but to bring business taxation in line with the changing nature of business in a modern economy'.

The prospect of a digital tax has gathered momentum after years of complaints about how business rates are determined on the basis of property value.

Poll Would a digital tax help High Street shops? Yes No Would a digital tax help High Street shops? Yes 5 votes

No 9 votes Now share your opinion





The debate has intensified in recent weeks after a revaluation raised the prospect of big rate rises for some firms. The last revaluation was in 2010, soon after the global economic crisis, which depressed property prices.

The Chancellor said of business rates that he 'cannot abolish them, as some have suggested'. But he said Britain had 'to find a better way of taxing the digital part of the economy  the part that does not use bricks and mortar'.

A raft of retailers including Theo Paphitis, owner of hardware chain Robert Dyas, stationer Ryman and lingerie shops Boux Avenue, called this weekend for a digital tax.

But the BRC  whose complex membership structure includes global online firms, supermarket giants and high street stores  seems to be driving a rift through the sector.

Last night, Paphitis, a former judge on BBC2's Dragons' Den, said: 'The Exchequer needs to find some way to receive income from digital business, otherwise this just doesn't work.

Streets apart: Amazon stands to lose from an online levy, while Josh Turner says it might persuade his socks firm to open stores

I'm expected to pay more in rates in my shops even where fewer people are coming in. Around 15 per cent of my shops now pay more in rates than rent.'

Smaller retailers also backed the idea of a digital tax. Josh Turner, founder of Stand4Socks, said: 'Although we are a mainly online business, we do sell offline at pop-up shops.

If there were a tax for online shops it would make a stronger case for us to focus more on the high street and in the future probably open our own stores.'

Retailers pay about a quarter of England and Wales's 25 billion-a-year business rates bill. Paphitis said: 'I've seen calculations which show that with a small amount of sales tax we could reduce the rates bill for retail quite tremendously and keep the Treasury happy.

'It would also mean we could keep the social fabric of our high streets and town centres together  which so many politicians talk about as being important. But their actions are not matching the talk.'

Amazon will see the total business rates bill for its nine main distribution centres in England and Wales cut by 148,000 to 11.3 million a year, according to rating specialist CVS, despite posting annual sales in excess of 6 billion.

Other online groups, including Asos, AO and Shop Direct, which owns Very, have all seen bills drop by 2 per cent on their warehouses. The cut is paid for by increases in areas where property values have soared to keep the overall total the same.

The Mail on Sunday has long campaigned for business rates reform. Last week, we revealed the Government planned to scrap a block on the appeals process, which would have forced firms to pay bills even if they were wrong.

The Government announced a U-turn on that policy soon after Wednesday's Budget.

John Webber, head of ratings at property advisor Colliers, said: 'It's a victory. I can only imagine some HMRC mandarin thought this was a great idea.

However, if the business rates system was more transparent in the first place people wouldn't have to put in so many appeals. At the moment we are still rearranging the deck chairs. The whole thing needs change.'
Google is seeking to give its artificial intelligence system a key role in controlling Britains power network.

The tech giants machine learning business DeepMind has reportedly been in talks with the National Grid over plugging into the UKs electrical systems.

It aims to improve efficiency, with the firms algorithm able to analyse everything from TV viewing patterns to the weather as it predicts peaks and troughs in energy demand.

Google's machine learning business DeepMind has reportedly been in talks with the National Grid

Theres huge potential for predictive machine-learning technology to help energy systems reduce their environmental impact, a DeepMind spokesman said.

One really interesting possibility is whether we could help the National Grid maximise the use of renewables through using machine learning to predict peaks and demand in supply.

Googles holding company Alphabet uses the algorithm to cut power consumption at its huge data centres, allowing it to slash the energy required to keep them cool by 40 per cent.
SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq  This most liberal of Iraqi cities, nestled in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, is a perfect place from which to ponder the impact of the upcoming military defeat of the Islamic State  on Iraq and the world.

Suli (its nickname), a low-rise city with a population of around 2 million is home to the American University of Iraq, Sulaymaniyah (AUIS), a modern, private co-ed campus, where young men and women (most with hair uncovered) argue unimpeded with their professors in a manner light years away from the rote learning of so many Arab universities.

AUIS also hosts the annual Sulaimani Forum, a high-level gathering of Arab, Kurdish, and Western scholars and experts that is wrestling this year with a billion-dollar question: How can a fractured country and region prevent a new jihadi upsurge after the Islamic State is defeated?

Iraqi troops are moving toward the center of Mosul city, which is on the verge of being totally liberated, said Jabar Yawar, spokesman for the Kurdish Ministry of Peshmerga, at the jam-packed gathering. However, he added ominously, Daesh (an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State) wont be ended militarily or internationally after Mosul is liberated.

However weary Americans are of Iraq, they cant afford to ignore Yawars warning. Not if they want to avoid the arrival of the Islamic State 2.0.

Before I explain what that means, let me give you the good news.

One year ago, when I visited Iraq, skeptics doubted that the Iraqi military could crush the jihadis. That military, whose professional officer corps had been undermined by a corrupt government, had collapsed in the face of the Islamic States surprise 2014 invasion from its redoubts in Syria. But having regrouped (with U.S. help), those Iraqi and Kurdish forces have steadily pushed the Islamic State out of key parts of the country.

And now, spearheaded by the U.S.-trained Counter Terrorism Service (CTS)  the Iraqi military has pushed well into Mosul, the economic heart of the Islamic States so-called caliphate.

ISIS considers the (territorial) caliphate at the center of their movement, and its fall means the collapse of the movement, the burly CTS commander, Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati, told the conferees, using another name for the Islamic State. Iraqi forces, and their U.S. air support, have carefully avoided using the kind of heavy fire that would cause civilian casualties. (Compare that with the deliberate bombing and shelling of civilians used by the Russian and Syrian militaries in Aleppo.) And the general spoke of strict punishment for revenge-seeking troops.

We provide a live example of competence to civilians, Shaghati said proudly. His force, which includes a broad ethnic and religious mix, is a stunning example of how patriotism can unite the complex fabric of Iraqi society. Indeed, at the military level, the fight to vanquish the Islamic State has acted like a glue  enabling cooperation among frequent antagonists.

What happens when the fighting stops?

Most Iraqis worry that the same grievances that allowed the Islamic State to flourish will enable jihadi cells to regroup and reemerge. The history is there: Sunni anger at being marginalized by the U.S. invasion and by the sectarian Shiite-led governments produced al-Qaida in Iraq in the mid-2000s, and its successor group, the Islamic State.

Today, Sunni cities lie in ruins, their infrastructure deliberately destroyed by the jihadis or damaged by fighting. The Sunni community is divided between backers and supporters of the Islamic State, and all fear vengeance by Shiite militias.If the country splinters further, if Iranian mischief precludes reconciliation, watch out.

Here is where the United States comes in. While many Iraqis have written off the USA as isolationist (early excitement at the Trump victory has faded), there is still a yearning for a U.S. presence, including military trainers. I was told repeatedly that this presence is vital to balance Iran and to help mediate sectarian disputes. Washington can also play a critical role in rallying international aid for rebuilding.

The cost of fighting the Islamic State has been too high to permit another jihadi movement to take root. Having broken Iraqi in 2003, the United States cannot afford to ignore it.
The number of outfitters on the upper Bitterroot River, including the West Fork, would be capped at last years levels under a proposal agreed upon Monday by a committee addressing the issue of crowding on the popular river.

The 16-member Bitterroot River Recreation Advisory Committee made a number of tweaks to an alternative that will be offered to the Montana Fish and Game Commission later this spring.

Before the meeting began, FWPs regional fisheries manager Pat Saffel reminded the group that their proposal was the first step in a process that will include additional input from the public.

Dont get too married to your proposal," Saffel said. "This is just the first step. There is a lot of room for change and further public input.

The committees proposed alternative uses a plan similar to whats already in place on the Big Hole River. It will provide local anglers opportunity to fish different sections of the river without competing with professionally guided trips.

The alternative divides the river starting at Painted Rocks Dam down to the Wally Crawford fishing access site north of Darby into four sections.

If the proposal is accepted as written, each one of the sections would be closed one day a week to outfitters and guides between June 1 to Sept. 15.

On Monday, the committee tweaked the length of the reaches to make them as equal as possible.

The sections include:

 Painted Rocks Dam to Applebury (11 miles). This section would be closed to all floaters from July 1 to Sept. 15 to provide opportunity for wade fishermen. The section would be closed to commercial use on Fridays.

 Applebury to Trapper Creek Job Corps (8 miles) closed to commercial use Saturdays.

 Trapper Creek Job Corps to Hannon fishing access site (8 miles) closed to commercial use Sundays.

 Hannon to Wally Crawford fishing access site (9 miles) closed to commercial use Mondays.

Under the proposal, outfitters would be allowed to launch only two commercial floats per section on any one day.

The biggest change came with the decision to establish a cap on the number of outfitters that would be allowed to use the upper section of the river.

The committee had earlier proposed requiring all outfitters using any portion of the Bitterroot River to obtain a special recreation permit that would require them to provide a report on the number of anglers they served and which sections of the river they used.

The permits required a set fee and a percentage of an outfitters gross revenues to pay for administration with the idea that it would eventually provide the information the state needed to set a cap on outfitter numbers for the river.

Similar permits have been in place for some time on the Blackfoot and Madison rivers. There have not been caps set on either of those rivers.

Outfitters on the committee expressed concerns that establishing a special recreation permit now would create a gold rush of outfitters from other locations hoping to establish use on the river in order to be included in a future cap.

The decision was made Monday to ditch the idea of a special-use permit.

In its place, the proposal calls for implementing a cap on the current number of outfitters using the river between Painted Rocks and Wally Crawford. In order to obtain a permit under the new cap, outfitters would be required to voluntarily provide their logs to FWP to show historical use between Jan. 1, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2016.

Outfitters would be required to report annually to remain under the cap.

The new permits  which would be free to outfitters  would be transferable and therefore could be sold.

Outfitters using fishing access sites on the West Fork of the Bitterroot that are located on the Bitterroot National Forest are also required to obtain a permit to launch their boats from national forest lands.

West Fork District Ranger Ryan Domsalla said its permit system is not transferable. Outfitters are not allowed to sell those permits to someone else.

Domsalla said the two systems would be different.

We would be the gatekeepers and they would be the road masters, Domsalla said.

The Forest Service requires outfitters to provide numbers as part of its permitting system. According to those figures, outfitters reported 1,300 user days in 2014, 1,659 in 2015 and 1,536 in 2016.

A user day is considered one fisherman. Most guided trips have two fishermen in a raft or boat.

Those numbers are only applicable to the West Fork where boats are launched from national forest lands, said FWP recreation manager Christine Oschell.

We dont know who or how many have launched from Hannon down, she said.

For the second time, the committee offered consensus Monday on its proposed alternative.

From here, well starting working toward preparing an EA using the committees preferred alternative, Oschell said.

As early as June, the department will present the state Fish and Game Commission with the environmental analysis. If the commission accepts the document, the department will ask for public input.

Following a public comment period, which will include public meetings, the department will make whatever changes are required before taking the matter before the commission again. That could happen as early as October.

Oschell said she was pleased the committee didnt opt to make any monumental changes Monday night.

It felt like they made the changes that we were expecting, Oschell said. The changes they made addressed many of the same concerns that we have heard since their last meeting on Feb. 15th  I was pleased that it didnt go any further. It showed us that group was really in agreement.

The diverse group that represented both the public and outfitting interests developed its alternative over four eight-hour-day meetings earlier this year.
Organizations that hide the identity of their donors are the low-life cowards of the political world.

Its time to drag them into the sunlight. Thats the aim of a campaign finance bill introduced by state Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue.

Trouble is, it might be more difficult for her to round up support for the bill than it should be. Thats because some of the senators in the chamber were elected due to falsehoods and distortions peddled to unsuspecting voters by anonymous contributors.

Today in Nebraska politics, outside groups using dollars that could have come from far outside the states borders play an outsized role. Voter understanding has not yet caught up with the reality of todays dirty politics.

Two victims of attack ads that spread outright fabrications told of their experiences at a legislative hearing on Crawfords LB252.

Former Sen. Les Seiler of Hastings was a capable and respected legislator, voted chair of the Judiciary Committee by his colleagues.

Then he was ambushed by anonymous donors hiding their identities under the names of groups like Americans for Prosperity and Trees of Liberty. The Trees falsely claimed in an ad that Seiler missed committee hearings 75 percent of the time.

That. Was. A. Lie.

According to the official records filed with the Clerk of the Legislature, Seiler missed only two of 17 hearings before the Judiciary Committee, and chaired all 14 of its executive sessions. Seiler also attended all 11 public hearings and all nine executive sessions of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee.

Its true, of course, that the lying ads were only one factor in the election. Seilers support for repealing the death penalty and for raising the gas tax no doubt were important factors.

But the point of Crawfords bill is to help keep politics honest by requiring those who fund ads to identify themselves.

Its disappointing that Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, who styles himself as a conservative, testified against the bill, arguing that it might deter people from voicing unpopular opinions and political views.

Compare Hilgers' view with that of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, an icon to the right.

Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed, Scalia wrote in an opinion in 2010.

And, Scalia noted, There are laws against threats and intimidation; and harsh criticism, short of unlawful action, is a price our people have traditionally been willing to pay for self-governance.

Crawfords bill would require disclosure of those who donate and direct funds to specific ads that identify candidates by name and the amount spent. It deserves to pass -- if America is to continue to be the Home of the Brave.
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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New York

The call to Preet Bharara's office from President Donald Trump's assistant came Thursday. Would Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, please call back? He did not.

The following day, Bharara was one of 46 U.S. attorneys appointed by President Barack Obama asked to resign  and to immediately clean out their offices. The request took many in his office by surprise because, in a meeting in November, Bharara was asked by the then-president-elect to stay on.

Bharara refused to resign. On Saturday, he announced on Twitter that he had been fired.

It was unclear whether the president's call Thursday was an effort to explain his change of heart about keeping Bharara or to discuss another matter. The White House would not comment Saturday.

However, there are protocols governing a president's direct contact with federal prosecutors. According to two people with knowledge of the events who were not authorized to discuss sensitive conversations publicly, Bharara notified an adviser to the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, that the president had tried to contact him and that he would not respond because of those protocols.

Bharara, who had held the job more than seven years, pursued several high-profile cases involving Wall Street, and he was in the midst of investigating fundraising by Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York, and former top aides to the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, who are both Democrats. It was not clear how his departure would affect those cases.

Bharara stayed quiet until Saturday afternoon. Then, on his personal Twitter feed, he wrote: "I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired."

Peter Carr, a Justice Department spokesman, declined to characterize Bharara's departure that way, saying only, "I can confirm that Mr. Bharara is no longer the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York."

All presidents choose their own appointees for U.S. attorney positions and almost always ask those appointed by their predecessors to leave. But the process under Trump was unusually abrupt.

White House officials have said little about the timing of the mass push for resignations, other than insisting it had not been a response to a call for a purge on Fox News.
TROY  Eloquent yet conversational, existential as well as carnal, Marc Maron is a thinking person's comic. Though his subject matter may at times broadly resemble that of many other middle-aged male comedians  relationships, politics, senior parents, feeling out of sorts with technology and current pop culture  the specific form and content are distinctively Maron's, refracted in the prism of his searching intelligence.

Maron, now 53, opened his show Saturday night before a three-quarters-full crowd at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall with about 10 minutes of political material, which came with a warning: "Maybe there's some Trump people in here  not your night." Judging by the laughter and the apparent departure of only one patron, the self-selecting audience was in the right place.

More Information Comedy Marc Maron with Marina Franklin When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, State and Second streets, Troy Length: Maron, 100 minutes; Franklin, 20 minutes The crowd: About 900, vocally appreciative and clearly attuned to their headliner See More Collapse

"I'm afraid of my phone," Maron said. Alarming news out of Washington comes so frequently that, he said, "Refreshing the browser ... (is like) having your abusive stepfather kick your door in and shout, 'I'm burning down the house,' and then locking you in." He aptly speculated about a presidential tweet that might result from such observations, guessing it would say, "Never heard of Marc Maron. Heard he's not funny. Sad." The extremity of the Trump administration's positions, political appointments and determination to dismantle previous accomplishments is such that, Maron said, he wouldn't be surprised if the Grand Canyon became a landfill and zoos began to offer the chance to hunt.

He finished the segment, just a fraction of the 100-minute show, with this: "If this president does anything remotely good, ... I would admit it. ... If he really is worse than we ever imagined, I'm going to need the people who voted for him to apologize."

For the remainder of the performance Maron ranged widely, covering casual racism, sex with the lights on, age-related health scares, museums and broad segments on music, including an unparaphrasable joke about Indian music, anxiety about seeing the septuagenarian Rolling Stones live ("What if it's sad?") and the Dave Matthews Band. Regarding the latter he said, "I've tried to listen to Dave Matthews. It created a type of boredom that was active: ... aggravated boredom."

Stitching together longer stories with unrelated, almost throwaway comments and semijokes, Maron was never less than remarkably articulate, managing to make mouth-filling sentences sound like everyday speech. Though he doesn't ever plan to kill himself, he said knowing suicide is an option is, for religious nonbelievers, "the spiritual reprieve of the faithless." One of the Post-It notes on which he scribbles material, often while driving, reads, "The monster I created to protect the kid inside is hard to manage." Stifling the urge to express his emotions may keep his current romantic relationship intact, he said, but "I personally think (it) gives me cancer," causing "tumors to sprout inside me with my parents' faces etched into them."

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After devoting more than half his life to stand-up, plus recent years' successes in his eponymous TV series and podcast interviews, Maron is utterly in command on stage, able to return to the main arc of the show after detours into falling-down barns in Columbia County, conversations with audience members and a startling bit of spontaneity when dropping his notebook and Post-Its occasioned a riff back to his museum story from 45 minutes earlier and an assessment of his own skills: "That was some multi-improvisation, (mo-fos)." Maron laughed, mimed playing a trumpet and said, "That's the universal symbol for improvisation." He laughed at himself again, a consummate and polished comic still brilliantly responsive to the moment.

Maron's friend Marina Franklin opened with 20 minutes of low-key humor that had occasional barbs, as when she joked she'd dated a man who was 11 years her junior. She said, "He was 12. ... That's a sad joke about me preferring to be a pedophile than telling you my actual age."

sbarnes@timesunion.com  518-454-5489  @Tablehopping http://facebook.com/SteveBarnesFoodCritic
Kudos to Cindy Lange-Kubick! In a recent column, she called out reporting "fake news" ("Fake news from the enemy," Feb. 21). She confesses to not double-checking "each and every fact" which produced a minor error in her story. While she took steps to fix the error, she also wrote a column bringing awareness to fake news. She defends journalists against a tweet from Trump saying, "the media was the enemy of the American people," and reminds us that we shouldn't confuse honest mistakes with purposefully printed lies that create real-life consequences.

We mustnt believe everything we read on the internet will be true. The real "enemy of the American people" is the American people when we allow narrow-mindedness and ignorance to prevail when it comes to sharing stories that are untrue. When we take a stance on an issue, declare it to the world via social media, based on fabricated news, we look uneducated and lose credibility and power to motivate change.

Instead of contributing to the problem, let us begin with ourselves. Fact check your sources. Research your topic thoroughly. Educate yourself on writing styles. Social media sites are not news sites. Be open-minded to all sides of the issue to accurately express your opinions. Our world is full of misinformation. Let's use our brains and common sense when we participate in sharing our beliefs and opinions. Like Lange-Kubick, take responsibility for actions and consequences of what we share with the world.

Lana S. Lauritsen, Lincoln
The impact of voter disenfranchisement on our most vulnerable communities is indisputable, whether we look at historic impediments like poll taxes and literacy tests or current impediments like voter ID laws and strategically distributed misinformation on voting procedures. A lesser-talked about barrier, which nonetheless affected over 7,000 people in Nebraska in 2016, limits the voting rights of citizens who have served time for felonies. Compared to white citizens, African-American and Latino citizens are policed at much higher rates and then, once inside the court system, given disproportionately harsh sentences. The barriers then faced by citizens returning from prison are high: it is hard to get a job and it is hard to find a place to live. It should not be hard to vote.
While farmers might be experiencing some heartburn over the future of the federal Renewable Fuels Standard, Nebraskas corn and ethanol leaders say theyre optimistic President Donald Trump and Congress will support ethanol, an important pillar of the states agricultural industry.

Several years of bin-busting harvests have driven row-crop prices below the break-even mark for farmers, and corn stocks have reached a 30-year high of 12.4 billion bushels as of December, according to the most-recent U.S. Department of Agriculture figures.

Government forecasters expect net farm income will roll in at $62 million in 2017, which is nearly half what Americas farmers made in 2013.

Now imagine what Nebraskas farm economy would look like without an ethanol industry to buy up to 40 percent of its corn crop and turn the kernels into fuel, oil and a nutritious feed for animals known as distillers grain, Todd Sneller, administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, said in a recent interview.

One of the public-policy drivers that is a very real deal right now is making sure that agriculture has a chance to compete and stay healthy. The ethanol sector is one way to make sure that happens, Sneller said.

Several issues with the potential to massively impact ethanol have the industry abuzz as the Trump administration and Scott Pruitt, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, begin to mold ethanols future.

When an administration changes, I think were always looking at how do we continue to play to our strengths? How do we identify what the public policies are that are most important to that administration? How do we make the case that we need to support these policies, Sneller said.

Mixing it up

Confusion and outcry erupted in recent weeks when Bloomberg and other media outlets reported billionaire investor Carl Icahn and the Renewable Fuels Association, the nations largest biofuel trade group, negotiated a deal presented to the Trump administration that would shift who is responsible for mixing renewables into fuels in exchange for allowing E15 gas to be sold year-round instead of only in the winter.

The news prompted an immediate response from Fuels America, a coalition that includes the likes of Archer Daniels Midland and Monsanto, which cut ties with the Renewable Fuels Association over the controversy.

Despite our opposition, the Renewable Fuels Association has elected to lend its support to Mr. Icahns efforts. Accordingly, RFAs position is no longer aligned with Americas biofuel industry, and the Fuels America coalition has resolved to sever ties with the group, Fuels America said in a statement.

The White House later said no executive order on the issue would be forthcoming.

Despite that, the ethanol industry hasnt seen the end of discussions over who is responsible for blending renewables into Americas fuel supply, Sneller said.

Several organizations last year asked the EPA to shift the responsibility for blending  known as the point of obligation  from refineries and importers of fuel to the businesses that hold it just prior to sale at the pumps.

The EPA under President Barack Obama proposed denying the requests but also took comments from the public, a process that has pushed the final decision, which has yet to be made, into the Trump administration.

Its going to be an ongoing debate. Its really in the hands of the Environmental Protection Agency, Sneller said.

Renewable Fuels Nebraska, formerly the Association of Nebraska Ethanol Producers, has issued a statement opposing the change.

Since its inception in 2005, the Renewable Fuels Standard has been a pillar of our domestic-energy policy, Renewable Fuels Nebraska Executive Director Mark Palmer said in the statement.

RFN remains strongly opposed to any change in the Point of Obligation if it would undermine the integrity of that important program.

Growth and E15

President Trump in February issued a letter of support for ethanol and reiterated his campaign promise to reform regulations that impede growth or increase consumer costs without sufficient environmental or public health benefit.

Rest assured that your president and this administration values the importance of renewable fuels to Americas economy and to our energy independence. As I emphasized throughout my campaign, renewable fuels are essential to Americas energy strategy, Trumps letter said.

As important as ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard are to rural economies, I also know that your industry has suffered from overzealous, job-killing regulation. I am committed to reducing the regulatory burden on all businesses.

Trumps promise to do away with job-killing regulations could work in ethanols favor, Sneller said.

Ethanol supporters have renewed a push to change EPA regulations to allow E15 to be sold during the summer.

Reps. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, recently reintroduced legislation in the House that would allow gas stations to sell E15 blends year-round.

In the Senate, Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., teamed with Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to introduce similar legislation  the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act.

Advocates say it would increase market access for higher blends of ethanol year-round, increasing regulatory certainty and make it easier to market the product by eliminating confusion that happens when it disappears from pumps several months out of the year.

Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, said other avenues to grow ethanol and support agriculture also are being pursued.

Our hope is that the Renewable Fuels Standard is really a floor  and not a ceiling  we can continue to build off of and that building could come domestically in markets or it could come internationally in markets, Brunkhorst said.

The United States in 2016 exported more than 1 billion gallons of ethanol and 11.5 million metric tons of dried distillers grain.

Brunkhorst said state governments and countries around the world are considering renewable energy or clean-air plans, and ethanol supporters must make sure the fuel is part of those discussions.

2022 guidelines

Nationally last year, 200 plants in 28 states  including 20 in Nebraska  produced a record 15.3 billion gallons of ethanol, supporting 74,420 direct jobs and 264,756 indirect and induced jobs, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. If the industry continues its pattern of production annualized rate for this year, it would reach 16.1 billion gallons, making 2017 the fifth straight year of growth.

That success was built on the back of targets set by Congress in 2007, known as the Renewable Fuels Standard, for how much renewable fuel must be mixed into the nation's fuel supply.

Congress set volume guidelines through 2022, after which requirements will be in the hands of the EPA, which will set them in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Agriculture.

In politics, 2023 is a long time away, with a presidential and midterm elections between now and then.

But for businesses looking to plan for the future, its all too soon.

We need to start having those conversations as an industry and also get a sense of where we expect to be at that point, Palmer of Renewable Fuels Nebraska said in a recent interview.

This program has worked and will continue to work. If we continue to have something that works .... Its a pretty easy sell.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen, at the February National Ethanol Conference, called for the ethanol industry to be an active participant in that debate over future transition.

"I dont know about you, but Im not necessarily comfortable leaving the industrys fate in the hands of what has been an unaccountable bureaucracy that has not always appreciated the importance or benefits of corn ethanol, he said, according to a transcript of his state of the industry speech.
"Todays anti-choice Democrats are the product of Roman Catholic influence in the party, that partys traditional reluctance to champion reproductive rights in the state, and moderate Methodist Republicans backing their churchs efforts to remove abortion from criminal codes. Understanding political and religious alignments in Kansasand particularly how they shifted from the 1960s to the 1980scan help explain this strong contingent of Democrats who oppose abortion. They will become even more important political players in coming legislative debates about SB 98 and HB 2319, two versions of a bill that requires doctors to detail their medical credentials, malpractice insurance, and past disciplinary action to clients seeking abortions."

THERE'S NO REASON THAT SMART DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONTENDERS NEED TO EMBRACE ABORTION BABY MURDER!!!

An important read for Sunday . . . Check this great primer on the debate over baby-killing in the Sunflower State and how the wedge issue has essentially been used to undermine the Democratic Party.Take a look:Money line . . .Accordingly . . .Letting Republicans dictate the terms of this debate has led to ruin and the future of Democratic Party . . . If there is one, involves standing up to their own party as well as calling out the GOP for their chest thumping but lack of action on this wedge issue.You decide . . .
KANSAS CITY FAKE NEWS IS ON LOCK DOWN REGARDING THE TRAGIC DEETS OF THE TONI ANDERSON KILLING!!! ONLY A FOOL WOULD BELIEVE THAT SHE WASN'T MURDERED!!!

whilst

POLICE DON'T RESPECT KANSAS CITY MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND DON'T SEEM TO THINK SHARING THE DEETS OF THIS MURDER IS IMPORTANT!!!

IN 2013 WE NOTICED THIS SAME TYPE OF MEDIA CRACKDOWN AND FAKE NEWS WHEN A SERIAL KILLER MURDERED A GREAT MANY KANSAS CITY HOOKERS WITH VERY LITTLE MSM MENTION OR DEETS FROM AUTHORITIES!!!

that same kind of

ANY SOURCE CLAIMING TONI ANDERSON WASN'T MURDERED IS NOTHING MORE THAN FAKE NEWS DISTRIBUTING PROPAGANDA!!!

The search near English Landing Park by friends and family at the outset of the Toni Anderson disappearance myth-busts the contention that her corpse was drudged up NEAR THAT VERY SAME LOCATION is some strange coincidence.

IS A HORRIFIC MURDER THAT THREATENS ALL OF KANSAS CITY

















Let's start with a warning . . . This post might offend more timid souls so those who can't handle stress or deets regardingin Kansas City . . . Stop reading now. Braver souls are welcomed to continue . . .Moreover, this is an even better place to start . . .Keyboard theorists claim that she might have driven into the lakedrunk . . . However,remind us that she was pulled over by a police officer and given a warning before her phone went offline so it's unlikely that she was sloshed or just started drinking at the witching hour.Similarly . . . Shame on the irresponsible, horrible and mostly drug-addled prostitute friends of Toni Anderson who have the gall to implicate police in her demise and rage against authorities via social media . . . Or anyone who dares to call out their despicable role in leading this young woman to her tragic fate.As for driving conditions on the night of her disappearance . . . Kansas City didn't have a winter this year and the streets haven't been very icy nor was there much in the way of fog or road hazards during the weekend when Toni Anderson was declared missing.However, those claiming that she simply drove off the road without offering any context of what she was doing in the area not only insult the intelligence of the public but also the memory of Toni Anderson.Moreover . . .It's Sunday so let's be honest . . .Frankly, I can see their point . . . There's a homicide just about every few days in Kansas City and most reporters don't really care about this fact. As we noted previously,. . . And so, we can respect that the KCPD have their hands full and this killing shouldn't be any more important than any other . . . Given that they're all important.Now here's where things get tricky and increasingly sordid . . .is an American serial killer, who raped and killed at least seven women in Kansas City, Missouri.Reality . . . He probably killed closer to 20 but, unforgivably, nobody really seemed to care or remember because most of his victims were Black and Latina women in the urban core.By contrast, Toni Anderson was a beautiful but troubled young woman caught in dangerous lifestyle and the circumstances of her demise confound local news which is aimed at prudish suburbanites and their phony middle-class manners.Sadly, so many keyboard warriors rage against "snowflakes" and political correctness but it'sclassic "Kansas City nice" which keeps media from revealing so many more facts in this case as they've done before (and not so long ago) when a serial killer threatened the public.Let's make it plain, dismiss with pretend 101 "journalism" parlor games and share something from the soul . . .Another key detail . . .Still so many sources are regularly played by authorities because the news is just a crappy job to most of these folks.Like it or not, TKC is invested in Kansas City . . . I'm neck deep in this wicked little town. This is my home and that's why I blog andwhen corporate hacks can't or won't do as much.To wit . . .What we know for sure is that Toni Anderson is dead, her car was found and thisthat local media and authorities don't really want to discuss in the midst of an ongoing investigation.You decide . . .
Amec Foster Wheeler said it has been awarded a contract by Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC), for the integration project between its Olefins III, Aromatics II and Zour Refinery in Kuwait.



The contract covers front-end engineering design (Feed) leading to project management consultancy (PMC) for the project.



The six-year contract builds on Amec Foster Wheeler's significant expertise in petrochemicals and refinery integration, alongside the impressive track record of delivering PMC services to KPC companies in Kuwait.



The new petrochemical facility will be integrated with the new Al Zour 615,000-barrels-per-day refinery, which will be one of the largest refineries in the region.



The company also clinched a major contract from Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) for the rejuvenation of assets in Brunei, said the statement from Amec Foster Wheeler.



The work includes concept, Feed, detailed design, construction, completions and commissioning, marine management, fabrication management, procurement, and project management.



John Pearson, Amec Foster Wheeler's president for Oil, Gas & Chemicals, said: "These award reflects our expertise, as well as our successful track record in large, complex Feeds, and project management. It is directly aligned to our strategy of extending from Feed into later phase scopes in downstream, and to building on our existing strength in chemicals."



"I am also delighted that this adds to our existing portfolio of work we are delivering for KPC's group of companies, with multiple PMC contracts underway," he added.



On the BSP contract, Pearson said: "We are bringing together Amec Foster Wheeler's unique combination of brownfield expertise, 'More 4 Less' methodology, global capabilities, and long-term customer relationships to maximise the value of Brunei Shell Petroleum's assets in Brunei."



The contract will run for five years from March 2017, with two one-year options to extend, and includes Brunei Shell Petroleum's oil and gas assets in the South China Sea, he added.-TradreArabia News Service
Jumeirah Central, Dubai's new urban mixed-use district, will make its international debut at Mipim 2017, the annual gathering of the world's most influential international property players, which kicks off in Cannes, France, on March 14.



Master planned by Dubai Holding, the global investment holding company, Jumeirah Central is already attracting significant interest from international institutional investors looking to access Dubai's fast growing market.



At Mipim, Jumeirah Central will be showcasing its complete masterplan at its stand and also presenting investment opportunities in a bouquet of products including premium, Grade A international-style office buildings.



Comprising 4.4 million sq m of gross floor area (GFA), Jumeirah Central will become the most accessible, functional and valuable real estate in Dubai, and introduce innovative urban planning and quality of life concepts to the region.



The landmark development includes 278 individual buildings, and is planned as a vibrant network of 75 walkable city blocks that have been designed to a human scale to create a permeable and intuitive urban fabric.



Morgan Parker, the chief operating officer of Jumeirah Central, said: "By benchmarking against the most successful cities globally, we combine proven fundamentals with the latest innovations to create high-value real estate that will stimulate inbound, international institutional investment into the region."



"Dubai Holding has worked closely with government entities so that Jumeirah Central can serve as a blueprint for how cities can improve the quality of life for residents. As the industry's most influential platform to access these players, Mipim is an ideal location to connect with forward-looking investors who share this priority," stated Parker.



Jumeirah Central's primary consideration is the strategic, operational, financial and legal requirements of global institutional investors.



Its key value proposition is the site's strategic location in the heart of Dubai, its multi-modal connectivity and the economic resiliency it will enjoy being a vibrant blend of mixed uses coupled with an extensive network of parks and public spaces.



According to Parker, Jumeirah Central offers institutional investors an opportunity to create geographic diversification, especially in growing regions like the Middle East and is creating assets at an ideal deal size to suits their requirements.



Jumeirah Central is promoting a greater understanding of the requirements of institutional capital among local banking and finance sector and collaborating with available legal infrastructure in Dubai to create an environment that is most conducive to attracting inbound institutional investment.



Parker will speak at a panel discussion, "How can Real Estate investment strategies foster a better life for people?"



In this discussion, he will highlight Dubai's role as a leader in shaping modern cityscapes and enhancing urban experiences.



"Today, cities in the Gulf region are relatively small and young, and are thus ideally positioned to meet the changing social needs of rising urbanisation. The opportunity exists for cities like Dubai, to take a leadership role in responding to increasing urbanisation and to promote urban cohesion," remarked Parker.



"Real estate developers in these cities are shaping the way communities evolve by introducing more mixed-use development, greater access to multi-modal transportation networks, encouraging more walking and increasing social interaction. In order to maximise the opportunities of urbanisation, Gulf cities will focus on the public over the private, and the shared over the individually owned," he added.



The first phase of Jumeirah Central, located opposite Mall of the Emirates on Sheikh Zayed Road, the main artery of the UAE, will comprise 67 mixed-use projects.



Spread over a 1.48 million sq m, the development will boast 2,500 residential units, 16 hotels, 13 office buildings and a mall development, along with community facilities such as parks, hospital and school.-TradeArabia News Service
Dubai won the bid to host the World Congress of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Health 2018, after competing with countries and cities that include Cape Town, Singapore and Korea.



Humaid Al Qatami, chairman of the Board and director general of the DHA made the announcement during a press conference held on Wednesday at the DHA headquarters in the presence of officials, doctors and specialists.



The congress, which will take place on December 5-8, 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Center, is a global interactive event that aims to promote cardiovascular health by uniting cardiovascular disease specialists with other disciplines to network, share knowledge and build innovative solutions for patients and populations.



Al Qatami said that winning the bid to host the congress is a confirmation to the global status of Dubai especially in the field of the health.



Al Qatami added that Dubai won the bid to host the event not only due to the world-class health services it offers and its geographical location but also the notable advancements and developments of health care in the city and the substantial number of international accreditation its facilities has gained.



The President of the World Heart Federation Professor David Wood said: The 2018 congress will focus on prevention with the global objective of reducing premature mortality by reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases by 25 per cent by 2020.



The event is expected be attended by 8,000 to 10,000 specialists and will see more than 200 scientific sessions on cardiovascular health and cardiology practices.



The World Congress of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Health 2018 will also provide an interactive programme designed to respond to the needs of professionals.



Issam Kazim, chief executive officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said: Dubai proved to be a successful host of the World Congress of Cardiology in 2012, and it is a testament to the emirates reputation as a strong business events destination that the congress is returning so soon. The event will bring thousands of additional visitors to Dubai and further enhance its status as a knowledge hub. Dubai Business Events, the citys official convention bureau, will assist the World Heart Federation, Dubai Health Authority and other key stakeholders in planning for the event in 2018 and ensuring it leaves a strong legacy.



Dr Fahad Baslaib, the director of the cardiovascular department in Rashid Hospital said that the conference is going to be organised by DHA, Emirates Cardiac Association and Gulf Heart Association with the support of the Dubai Government and Emirates Medical Association. - TradeArabia News Service
The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) has announced a strategic tie-up with Chinas leading trade and investment body, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.



The move is aimed at generating business opportunities for global manufacturers in the worlds largest manufacturing nation and second largest economy, said a Wam news agency report.



A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit is designed to encourage further trade and increased foreign investment between China and global manufacturers, as the sector evolves at rapid pace with the proliferation of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies.



According to Unctad, in 2014 China became the worlds leading manufacturing nation, taking the mantle from the US. Its manufacturing output was the highest in the world at $1.9 trillion, accounting for 28 per cent of national output and almost a fifth (19 per cent) of global output. The manufacturing sector continues to grow in China, driven both by exports and by domestic needs, spurred by a housing boom and government investment in infrastructure.



However, nation may lead in terms of scale, there are still significant opportunities for its manufacturers to evolve in terms of technology, with the Fourth Industrial Revolution requiring new technological skills and innovation. Equally there are clear prospects for other nations to explore partnerships with China, as 4IR technologies and fast-developing global value chains create new opportunities for both local and global businesses.



CCPIT was established by the Chinese government in 1952 to promote trade and develop Chinas international economic relations with investment organisations in foreign countries. The agency, whose personnel is comprised of enterprises and organisations representing Chinas economic and trade sectors, is funded and sponsored by the Chinese government under the authority of its State Council.



Zhang Wei, vice chairman of the CCPIT, said: "As representatives of Chinese industry, we are always seeking platforms to promote our countrys potential for investment and partnership. GMIS is a platform where we can deepen our relationships with the global manufacturing community and the worlds policymakers and explore joint working opportunities to continue to develop our sustainable industrial base. This will ensure we maintain our global leadership in terms of output, but also continue to increase the value of the sector per capita, using emerging technologies and advanced skills as a driver for this growth."



He added: "Working with global organisations on innovative partnerships, evolving industrial processes and outputs, and upskilling the labour force are all necessities for success in tomorrows global economy. As industries evolve in line with 4IR technologies and innovations, Chinese companies will be at the forefront of showcasing efficiencies and new business models. Given our position as the worlds leading manufacturing country, China can serve as an exemplary nation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, setting a clear precedence for other countries to follow."



The inaugural Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit will be held at the Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, UAE, from March 27 to 30. A joint initiative by the UAE Ministry of Economy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido), and co-hosted with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the Summit will be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.



The summit is the worlds first global gathering for the manufacturing community, bringing together leaders in business, government and civil society to shape a vision for the sectors future.



Badr Al-Olama, chief executive officer, Strata Manufacturing, and head of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit organising committee, said: "The strategic partnership with CCPIT has the potential to create opportunity of enormous scale. There are clear opportunities to create mutually beneficial alliances with businesses in what is also the worlds second largest economy. Attended by decision makers from all around the world, GMIS is the ideal platform to explore and build new networks that can ignite these opportunities. With manufacturers seeking to unlock new value through innovation that exploits the disruptive opportunities created by digital convergence, the worlds economy and society stand to gain from this approaching wave of transformation ."



Among other core topics that affect the manufacturing industry today, summit attendees will focus on learning about the latest manufacturing capabilities and promoting global value chains in ways that foster sustainable practices and job creation.
Kharafi Global, a leading developer and operator of multiple food outlets throughout Kuwait and the GCC, has deployed communications solutions from Avaya to deliver superior customer experiences, increase staff productivity and support business growth.



Founded in 1996, Kharafi Global owns and operates food service businesses in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai including Nino, Johnny Rockets, Leila Min Libnan, Bredz Factory, Posh cafe, Figs and Baker & Spice.



With future expansion planned for Jordan, Lebanon and Oman, Kharafi Global wanted to unify communications, making it easier for customers to engage with different outlets and allowing staff to operate more efficiently, said a statement.



Middle East Telecommunications Company (Metco), one of the leading regional ICT integrators, Avayas diamond partner, helped Kharafi Global to digitally transform its operations, in a turnkey project that included supply, installation, testing, acceptance and support services.



Avayas customer and team engagement solutions help Kharafi Global automate, anticipate and accelerate customer interactions, helping to increase customer lifetime value and revenue, while real-time customer service monitoring enhances quality of service and agent efficiency.



The solution combines historic as well as real-time contextual customer information to help improve the quality of interactions, optimize agent utilisation and productivity, and enhance supervisor performance with complete visibility over agent interactions and customer feedback. Additionally, business analytics captures data and intelligence and addresses staff resourcing requirements in advance, it said.



Maher Megaly, Call Centre operation manager,Kharafi Global, said: With our range of brands and geographical presence, we required a solution to centralise our communications and ensure that our customers have a consistently positive and seamless interaction experience with all of our brands, whether in restaurants or when they contact us. Metco partnered with us to understand our requirements and deliver the right Avaya solution that created the best mix of streamlined communications and business efficiency. Avayas technology also delivers the solutions over a virtualized environment, helping to reduce costs drastically compared with traditional PABX hardware boxes. We believe that this scalable solution will serve our immediate plans as well as our future growth and expansion.



Faten Halabi, regional sales leader for Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and Pakistan, Avaya, said: Businesses need to keep up with their tech-savvy customers and deliver a consistent and seamless experience, often across channels that customers prefer. Our Contact Centre Select solution is uniquely designed to create an ideal environment that addresses two key business concerns  customer experience satisfaction and employee productivity. We are confident that our solution, delivered effectively by METCO, will prove to be a major competitive differentiator for Kharafi Global.



Krikor Tutunjian, general manager, METCO said: We are excited to be working with Kharafi Global, supporting their vision of a leading food service company in GCC. The deployment will enable them to increase efficiency of call taker, gain flexibility for the business, and improve agent productivity with the use of the Avaya team engagement solution portfolio. Our Avaya experts have provided a complete project, helping Kharafi Global to drive improvements to the customer experience.  TradeArabia News Service


Careem, a leading app-based car service in the region, has announced the appointment of Ramy Kato as the head of its operations in Egypt in addition to his current role as vice president of Careem Care.



In his new position, Kato will be responsible for managing all Careem operations in Egypt including overlooking its expansion plans in the local market, government relations and day-to-day business operations.



Joining Careem last year as VP of Careems call centre Careem Care, Kato brings over 21 years of experience in operations, care, general management and business development to his new post. With a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the American University in Cairo and an EMBA from the University of ESC Rennes in France, Kato has worked in various industries, from the energy sector to the telecommunications industry, where he spent most of his career working with Vodafone and Orascom Telecom.



He also participated in the launch of 'Djezzy' where he built the first call centre in Algeria. Before joining Careem, Ramy was the CEO of Xceed, where he was responsible for overseeing the full operations of the call center structure in Egypt. He achieved remarkable results and managed to grow Xceed by creating the first call center in Upper Egypt and growing the Morcco Xceed affiliate.



With the expansion of Careems network in Egypt to include seven cities and the newly upgraded product offering, this is an exciting time for Careem in Egypt. said Mudassir Sheikha CEO and co-founder, Careem. With the introduction of GO and GO+ to standardize affordable transportation, Ramy will now help drive business growth for each of the cities as well as support with strategic partnerships, R&D, the creation of jobs and economic prosperity for all captains. - TradeArabia News Service


German luxury hotel company Steigenberger has unveiled plans to set up a new hotel in Muscat near the ministerial district in Al Khuwair, said a report.



Announced by the group during the ongoing ITB Berlin, construction on the new 285-room InterCity hotel project is set to begin in the second quarter of 2017, said a report in Oman Observer.



The InterCity hotel opened in Salalah last year was the first project of the group in Oman with eight floors, 70 rooms along with facilities such as a roof-top swimming pool.



Speaking at the conclusion of the ITB Berlin, the sultanates Ambassador to Germany, Lyutha bint Sultan al Mughairiyah, said: The German people love tourism in Oman and such expos present an opportunity for the sultanate to promote its tourism industry and showcase its huge tourism potentials."
OMAHA  Former President Barack Obama stopped in Omaha briefly on Sunday to have lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett.

Obama landed in Omaha Sunday afternoon and was driven to Happy Hollow Club.

Susie Buffett said she and her father spent about 2 hours together with the former president in a private room at the country club where her father is a member.

Susie Buffett declined to say what the three discussed during the lunch except that she said the meal wasn't a fundraiser. The Buffetts both had Thunderbird salads and Obama had a taco salad.

The last time Obama visited Omaha was in January 2016 as part of a series of speeches he gave after his final State of the Union address.
1877: Lincoln Mayor Robert D. Silver vetoed a $50 grant to the City Library, claiming the city couldn't afford it.

A prairie fire threatened the Midland Pacific depot in Lincoln.

There was triweekly mail service from Kearney to Deadwood, Dakota Territory.

1887: Nebraska Wesleyan University trustees were considering plans for the first building on the University Place campus site.

The Legislature declared Lincoln a city of the first class.

Gov. John M. Thayer commissioned William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody a colonel in the state militia.

1897: Bitterness over a constitutional amendment recount and other partisan issues marked the final days of the Legislature.

Lincoln's new charter was signed by Gov. Silas Holcomb.

1907: The U.S. Interior Department awarded a $217,850 contract for the Whalen diversion dam in the North Platte irrigation project.

1917: Lincoln suffragettes organized a school of public speaking to prepare for the next round of the woman suffrage battle.

U.S. Sen. George W. Norris, R-Neb., said he was willing to submit to a special recall election. He was being criticized for opposing the bill to permit merchant ships to be armed to defend themselves against German submarines.

1927: The Legislature's Finance Committee proposed that the state sell Whitehall, its home for dependent children in University Place. The home was not suited to the purpose, the committee said.

1937: The Legislature killed a bill to legalize slot machines.

1947: At the suggestion of Lt. Gov. Robert Crosby, a bill was introduced in the Legislature to abolish the lieutenant governorship.

Nebraska Daughters of the American Revolution demanded continuation of immigration quotas.

1957: A severe drought was ended by the worst March snowstorm in 50 years. Two lives were lost. Snow was as much as 12 inches deep in parts of the state.

National Republican Chairman Meade Alcron briefed 500 Nebraska Republicans on the "New Republicanism" being touted by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

1967: The Legislature's Easter vacation interrupted debate on LB377, the sales-income tax bill.

Temperatures hit the low 80s, and the drought continued.

The National Farmers Organization was promoting a holding action -- refusal to sell milk to processors -- in an attempt to raise the price paid the farmer. Some Nebraska farmers dumped milk but producers said there was plenty.

1977: The University of Nebraska conducted two biological warfare projects in the 1950s under contract to the Army, according to a controversial report entitled "U.S. Army Activity in the U.S. Biological Warfare Programs."

1987: Nearly 2,300 members of Local 22 of the United Food and Commercial Workers union in South Sioux City voted to go on strike against IBP Inc., the fifth strike against the beef-packing plant in 17 years.

Lancaster County Deputy Sheriff Craig Dodge was shot in the face and killed while answering a domestic dispute call in Hickman. Terry Reynolds was sentenced to life in prison for the death.

1997: Malcolm residents rejected a $5.6 million school bond issue on a 376-318 vote.

Kenneth C. Stephan was sworn in as a Nebraska Supreme Court judge, replacing Judge Dale Fahrnbruch.

The cost for a pay phone call in Lincoln increased a dime to 35 cents, the first pay phone rate change since 1989.

2007: A 47-year-old Cuming County man died after his cow attacked and pinned him in a pen in the presence of his 8-year-old son. The cow attacked for no apparent reason. The mans son drove the family pickup three miles to his uncles house for help. When the uncle arrived at the pen, the cow tried to attack him as well.
Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Badal, March 11

All roads leading to Badal village today wore a deserted look after the results of the Assembly elections were declared.

Not many supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal turned up outside the residence of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as compared to other days despite winning Lambi and Jalalabad Assembly seats. These two seats were considered hot seats as Captain Amarinder Singh contested from Lambi on the Congress ticket and Bhagwant Mann contested on the Aam Aadmi Party ticket from Jalalabad against Sukhbir Singh Badal.

However, Congress workers were seen celebrating the partys victory in the state. They burst crackers, played Holi and took out a roadshow outside the residence of Parkash Singh Badal.

It was for the first time in the past 10 years, when Parkash Singh Badals residence at Badal village remained low profile and did not witness much activity of supporters on the result day.

Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal are in Delhi and did not come here to avoid media interaction.

Parkash Singh Badal was alone at his residence with his some close aides. Anxiety could be seen among SAD leaders. They were seen discussing the results of various seats and the reason behind poll debacle with each other.

One of the SAD leaders on the condition of anonymity said, We have been asked not to celebration yet. We lost the elections due to the functioning of some of the close aides of the Badal family, who were given more powers than us.
Harish Khare

A simple question: why did the Modi magic work in the old Uttar Pradesh so gloriously, but failed so conspicuously to cast its charm in Punjab, Goa and Manipur? If the Bharatiya Janata Party is the new pan-India party and if Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only pan-Indian leader, as was loudly claimed after the civic polls in Maharashtra, then why have the party and the leader failed to click beyond the old UP?

The answer is simple: the Hindu vote bank has been cobbled together and sustained because the old UP has a sizeable Muslim population, against whom ancient prejudices and new resentments could be stimulated. This is the bottom line of an otherwise complicated electoral contest.

The Modi crowd can be expected to reject any suggestion of a Hindu vote-bank and the secular parties and leaders may also refuse to acknowledge it, but there is only one way to read the UP vote: the Hindu vote stands consecrated. The process that was initiated prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha campaign was never allowed to fade away. The Muzaffarnagar violence and its memory were assiduously kept alive. Even Kabir's famous verse ...Rahimin dhaga prem ka... got to be cited to remind one and all of the knotted connection that had come to define the Hindu-Muslim ties in village after village.

It may be instructive to remind ourselves that the BJP and its allies had not fielded a single Muslim candidate in Uttar Pradesh. It had contested 380 seats and left 23 for its allies. This exclusion was a matter of conscious choice, a part of an unsentimental, unconfused strategy. It had worked so well in 2014 when for the first time since 1952 Uttar Pradesh did not elect a single Muslim to the Lok Sabha. In 2014, a message was successfully transmitted that the majority community was under siege and that the BJP, under Modi's leadership, was the only party that could see to it that the community's interests were defended and its values preserved.

It has been suggested that the UP verdict is a vote on demonetisation, as well as an endorsement of the 'surgical strikes'. The suggestion is that the voters were happy to put up with all the notebandi-centric dislocations and disruptions because it had put the terrorists out of business and that Pakistan's dirty designs had been put to a naught. But, then, why should this nationalistic messaging be confined to the old UP? No one can argue that the voters in Punjab, Goa and Manipur lack in patriotism; Punjab being the border state has every reason to be receptive to any anti-Pakistan sales-pitch. Yet, the BJP lost even the Pathankot, Dinanagar, Gurdaspur assembly seats in the area of the terror-attacks under Modi's watch. In fact, the BJP contested 23 seats and managed to win only three. Similarly, Goa has the honour of being the home state of our Hon'ble Defence Minister, who single-handed instigated a muscular anti-Pakistani narrative. Modi campaigned in all the other three states, though not in every galli as he did in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Yet the electorate remained immune to the Modi charm, as also to the presumed curative power of his leadership.

The Modi magic worked in Uttar Pradesh because of a very sizeable Muslim presence, and, therefore, it was easy to inject effortlessly zero-sum sentimentality into the election-time discourse. This is not the first time a Hindu consolidation has been attempted. It has been working rather well in Gujarat since 2002. It worked in UP in 2017 perfectly because of three convergences. First, the Hindus could be made to feel aggrieved. The BJP's two principal rivals -the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party ---could be portrayed as being too solicitous and too eager to court the Muslim voter. A certain kind of moral authority was grafted around the Hindus' perceived sense of grievances. In particular, the upper castes and the non-Yadav OBCs could be made to feel the threat of being deprived of their legitimate share in the power arrangements because both the BSP and the SP (along with the old culprit, the Congress) were pandering to the Muslims. Because Behn Mayawati's BSP was openly basing its electoral pitch on a Dalit-Muslim axis, the BJP rhetoric and tactics seemed morally justified to the upper castes . A kind of moral equivalence was manufactured about speaking up for the Hindus.

Second, the Hindus in UP could be summoned to a kind of solidarity because the anti-Muslim sentiment was served up with an anti-Pakistani dressing. The Prime Minister's reference to the Kanpur rail accident and to the "conspirators" sitting across the borders was not at all an innocent invocation. The trick has always been as how to make the Hindus see a connection between the Muslims and Pakistan. This was made when the BJP president used the acronym KASAB to make the point  and the connection.

Third, Modi is an authentic salesman for the "Hindu cause." At the core of Modi's appeal, since 2002, is a political persona that is unapologetically committed to securing the majority community's interests. He does not suffer from any secular squeamishness. His Fatehpur speech, on February 23, was a classic: "If you create kabristan in a village, then a shamshaan should also be created. If electricity is given uninterrupted during Ramzan, then it should also be during Deepavali without a break. Bhedbhaav nahin hona chahiye [there should be no discrimination]."

Pitch perfect. Modi's BJP has won a famous victory in Uttar Pradesh on a stupendous scale that eluded the party during Atal Behari Vajpayee's heyday. The 'Modi wave' has eclipsed the 'Ram wave' of the 1990s. For now, Corporate India will be expected to shed its reluctance to invest, just as the foreign investor would also feel emboldened to take a few risks.

The Indian polity stands re-jigged. First after 2014, and now after 2017, the message is clear: the Muslim votes are not needed to capture power in India because a Hindu vote-bank has come into existence and it will not be allowed to disintegrate. A kind of politics of exclusion would inevitably assert itself.

The votes have been counted, a mandate procured, and Narendra Modi's unchallenged leadership established. What next? Will a renewed Modi do a better job of protecting and securing our best national interest? The primary responsibility of a leader, anywhere and at any time in any society, is to establish and deepen social harmony and trust among communities and citizens. That task has just become a little complicated. At the moment of his resounding success, Modi has also incurred a fault-line for the Indian State.
The Uttar Pradesh outcome has come as a surprise, even for the BJP's most optimistic lot. Last time the party stormed into power in UP was in the early nineties when it secured 221 seats. That was in the heat of the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation. By comparison the party's performance this time is definitely astounding and lays the ground for 2019. In the BJP's evolving culture second- and third-rank leaders vie with one another in crediting Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for the resounding win. Getting 325 seats in a 403-member House is no mean achievement and this in a state as vast, complicated and divided as UP. The BJP and its leadership fully deserve their moment in the sun. Even in this hour of victory when others are busy celebrating or counting their losses, Modi and Amit Shah are said to be looking forward to Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, their next targets, which go to the polls later this year.

From a pro-trader, pro-rich party concentrated in select urban pockets the BJP has come a long way to have a pan-India presence. The saffron party has now spread its footprint in 14 states. For some two decades Uttar Pradesh had remained a fiefdom of alternately ruling two regional outfits - the Smajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. Caste, religion, muscle and money power have played a role in influencing elections. However, the BJP spin doctors would like everyone to believe that Modi's performance at the Centre had led people to rise above caste and class considerations and repose their faith in his leadership. "It's the end of politics of caste and creed. People have accepted and endorsed policies and good governance philosophy of Narendra Modi," said a BJP leader. What the BJP did was to tactfully employ the caste arithmetic in ticket distribution and effectively use caste divide and communal polarisation as per electoral requirements. At the lower level the party had unleashed the likes of Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj. The latter wanted Muslims to cremate bodies as there was no space for burial grounds left in Uttar Pradesh. The Election Commission looked the other way as violations of the Supreme Court ruling on the use of religion and caste in polls happened repeatedly.

After a setback in Delhi and Bihar, the BJP leadership had resorted to strong measures to divert attention and mend the bruised Modi image. Seldom before was an Army action against terrorists used to boost a political party's chances in an election. When 86 per cent of the country's currency was suddenly withdrawn, it created a storm and drew sharp criticism. However, it goes to Modi's and the BJP's credit that they turned 'notebandi' into an anti-rich measure, which seems to have enthused the poor and middle classes. As election after election has testified, people gladly suffered the devastating financial dislocation, genuinely believing Modi was after the holders of black money. In elections, perception matters more than cold logic.

The successive municipal and panchayat elections created a favourable environment for the BJP while it was preparing for the five state elections. Barring Punjab, the electoral response to the BJP strategy, crafted by Amit Shah and Modi, has been by and large positive. After Assam, the BJP entry into the North-East stands consolidated with Manipur welcoming its presence now. The party has captured Uttarakhand and remained in the reckoning in Goa despite anti-incumbency, unlike Punjab where it has been reduced to one of its lowest scores because of its being a silent party to Akali misrule. The BJP's rise under Narendra Modi has been as swift as the corresponding Congress decline. Punjab has saved the Congress from utter disgrace.

The capture of Uttar Pradesh will help the BJP face the challenges - internal as well as external -- from a position of greater strength. It will be more confident of having its way in Parliament as well as the upcoming Presidential election. The Modi dispensation will also be able to increase its strength in the Rajya Sabha when the next round of polls takes place sometime next year. An emboldened Prime Minister may carry forward his legislative and administrative agenda, unafraid of opposition from within or outside the party, or caring little for parliamentary scrutiny, if any at all. This does not augur well for a vibrant democracy.
Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 12

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar emphasised on considering work as a dharam. Each and every person is involved in different types of profession which vary according to their work and they should consider their work to be their religion to excel and make society a better place, he said, while chairing the concluding ceremony of the Virat Sarv Dharma Sangam at Shri Atam Manohar Jain Aradhana Mandir here today.

Khattar said: All religions have their own scriptures but the teachings in all are same which consider everyone equal.

He appealed the gathering to learn from the teachings of the religious gurus, so that society remained away from the evil of casteism and would work in tandem of brotherhood.

The CM said that the convention conveyed the message of brotherhood and unity. He said that it was most crucial work to make a discipline society.

Earlier, Governor Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki also hailed the contribution of the saints for giving teachings to society to make India a global leader. Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat asked the gathering to behave in the manner in which they expect others to behave with them.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also stressed upon the need of such convention to avert any confrontation of religions and castes and for spreading the message of brotherhood.

Senior RSS leader and convener of the convention Indresh Kumar, Karnal MP Ashwini Chopra, Minister of State Karan Dev Kamboj, HAFED Chairman Harvinder Kalyan, former speaker Kuldeep Sharma and several preachers from various religions and faiths, asked society to work against various social evils, including female foeticide, corruption and others. Indresh Kumar said that a person should not be staunch follower but instead should be polite and noble.

After the convention, Khattar hailed the victory of the BJP in UP and Uttarakhand and said that it was an acceptance of policies of the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the people and the results had refuted the negative politics of opposition parties to face a humiliating defeat.

On the SYL canal issue, he said that the change of guard in Punjab would not affect the construction of canal as the Supreme Court had already given its verdict for the construction of the canal and the issue now was its implementation.
Join in Family Fun Day at the Nebraska History Museum and youll see and hear Tales From Wales from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday (March 18).

Stories and song abound. We even have a bona fide bard in Martha Davies of Lincoln who will debut a new Welsh history movie as part of the program. There will be tea and tea cakes (of course), make-and-take crafts and informational displays. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

Tales From Wales is a collaboration of the St. Davids Welsh Society of Nebraska and the Nebraska History Museum. The day begins at 1 p.m. in the auditorium with an annual review of the programs and events of the Nebraska Welsh and plans for the coming months.

At 1:30 p.m., a presentation titled From Malibu to the Gorsedd features Martha Davies' tale of her induction as a Bard at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, plus, the Lincoln debut of Pobl y Paith / People of the Prairie: the Welsh in Nebraska, a video produced in celebration of Nebraskas 150th Birthday by The Great Plains Welsh Heritage Project with support from The Cooper Foundation, Humanities Nebraska and friends of the project.

From 2 to 4 p.m., enjoy live music from Ozark Soul, create a Welsh-themed craft, sample Welsh tea and tea cakes and learn more about the Welsh in Nebraska  then and now. The collection of Legacy of Nebraska paintings by Central City native and fine artist, Todd Williams, is at the museum.

The Nebraska History Museum is located at 131 Centennial Mall North in downtown Lincoln.
Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, March 12

The war of words between politicians in Haryana and Punjab can get shriller over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue after the victory of the Congress led by Capt Amarinder Singh.

Leader of Opposition in Haryana Abhay Chautala, who has been aggressively taking up the issue, said here today that they would chalk out their strategy on the SYL canal issue on March 15, when the party will hold a one-day dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

After the verdict of the Supreme Court, it is the responsibility of the Centre to complete the remaining work on the canal. We will exert pressure on the Centre by a gherao of Parliament on March 15, Chautala said while addressing workers of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) here today.

Chautala stated that they would serve an ultimatum on the Prime Minister after staging the dharna in New Delhi. He did not make any reference to Capt Amarinder Singh, whose government had adopted the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act.

Targeting Congress MLA Randeep Singh Surjewala, Chautala alleged that he had endorsed the Punjab Congress stand of opposing the SYL canal waters for Haryana. INLD MLAs had opposed Surjewala when he went to attend the Assembly session on Thursday, which led to ruckus in the House.

Chautala alleged that both the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been trying to gain political mileage from the SYL issue, especially during the elections, at the cost of interests of the farmers of Haryana.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had announced that he would not campaign for the Congress in Punjab until Haryana got its share of the SYL waters with the construction of the canal. Hooda had not officially congratulated Capt Amarinder Singh for his win till now.

BJP leaders stated that since the SYL canal issue had been conclusively decided by the apex court in favour of Haryana, it would be constructed soon to carry Haryanas share of waters.

Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu, who was made co-incharge of Punjab affairs during the elections, had opted out of the Punjab campaign to avoid any controversy over the emotive SYL canal issue.
Ashok Raina

President Pranab Mukherjee conferred Visitors Award on Dr Deepak Pant, Dean and head, environmental science, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, for developing a reactor that can covert waste plastic into LPG. The award was presented to him by the President on March 6 at Rashtrapati Bhawan in presence of Union Minister for HRD Prakash Javdekar. Dr Pant, a recipient of different national-level awards, has proposed a novel idea in which plastic is put into his reactor module , which converts it into LPG. The procedure can be performed in households. While the average household consumption of plastic is typically 120 g per day, the proposed reactor is capable of producing 100 g of LPG per day, which is enough to meet the requirements of an average family.

Dr Upadhaya honoured

Dr Gitanjali Upadhaya, assistant professor, School of Business and Management Studies, CUHP, presented a paper titled Wisdom from the Gita for spiritual leadership in business at the International Conference on Spirituality and Skill for Leadership and Sustainable Management on February 18 and 19 organised by the School of Management Sciences, Varanasi (UP).

Literary discourses important

A two-day international seminar on literary discourse across cultures was held on March 8 and 9 at CUHP, in which Dr RL Sharma, convener, said literary discourses across cultures in the current context was an integral part of academic growth, as it not only suggested presence of various ideologies, but also implied that a healthy atmosphere where debates and discussions could be held was possible. The seminar was organised by the department of English. Prof Manuel Broncano from A and M International University, USA, was the key speaker and spoke on the relationship between art and imitation. He also explained how various art forms were interdependent. Prof Gurupdesh Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Prof Rajesh Kumar Sharma of Panjabi University, Patiala; and Prof Swaraj Raj of Guru Gobind Singh World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, were the other resource persons present on the occasion.

Poem recitation marks Womens Day

International Womens Day was celebrated at the Sharda girls hostel, where Rangoli, poster making, collage making and poem recitation competitions were held. In the collage-making competition, Krishma and Dipashi stood first, Kajal and Yukti bagged the second prize, Preetika and Pooja stood third and Tamanna and Neha received consolation prizes. In poem recitation, Jailalita got the first prize, Aditi stood second and Kajal received consolation prize.
DK Sudan

Poonch, March 12

Pakistani troops today violated the truce pact by targeting forward posts, LoC Trade Centre and civilian areas in Poonch district. The Indian Army also retaliated effectively.

Defence sources said the Pakistan troops resorted to unprovoked firing in the Gulpur and Krishna Ghati sectors of Poonch district on Sunday morning. Violating the ceasefire, the Pakistani troops targeted forward posts along the LoC in the Gulpur sector with mortars and small arms fire at 10:30 am. There was also a report of ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in the Krishna Ghati sector at 12 noon, a defence spokesman said.

The Indian troops guarding the LoC retaliated, he said, adding that no one was injured in the ceasefire violation. The firing stopped at 2:10 pm.

The Pakistani troops fired 82 mm and 120 mm mortar bombs on the LoC Trade Centre at Chakan da Bagh, targeting its administrative block. Over five shells were fired on the trade centre, a defence source said. The compound wall of the administrative block has been badly damaged, the source added.

This is the second ceasefire violation along the LoC in Gulpur sector in the last four days. On March 9, Pakistani troops had fired on an Army post along the LoC in the Gulpur sector, killing Sepoy Deepak Jagannath Ghadge of the 15 Maratha Light Infantry.
Imphal, March 12

The BJP in Manipur tonight claimed to have secured the support of 32 MLAs after getting the backing of NDA constituents and two other MLAs. It said it would elect its legislature party leader tomorrow.

The BJP has 21 MLAs and it secured the support of 11 others adding up to 32 legislators. Thirty-one MLAs are needed to form the government in the 60-member Assembly, Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said after meeting Governor Najma Heptullah.

A delegation of the BJP and parties supporting it called on the Governor but it was not clear what transpired at the meeting. Sarma said the legislature party leader would be elected tomorrow.

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Shyamkumar, one of the 28 Congress MLAs who won from Andro constituency, and the lone All-India Trinamool Congress legislator Robindro joined the BJP taking the partys numbers to 32, Sarma said.

Meanwhile, state Congress president TN Haokip said, We are exploring possibilities to tie up with like-minded parties and will soon stake a claim to form the next government in the state.   PTI
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 12

As controversial judge of Calcutta High Court, Justice CS Karnan refuses to appear before the Supreme Court to respond to a contempt notice, veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani has advised him to withdraw his utterances against judges and apologise to the court.

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In a letter addressed to Justice Karnan, Jethmalani wrote: I am sorry to tell you that I am convinced that you have lost your mind. Your behavior is that of a lunatic and some day that may be the only defence available to you though with no bright chance of success.

As a senior member of the Bar and living in the departure lounge of Gods airport, I am advising you to withdraw every word that you have uttered and humbly pray for pardon for every stupid action you have so far indulged in, the former Law Minister wrote.

If you do not know the enormity of your madness do meet me and might put some sense in your head, read the letter dated March 11.

In a first, the Supreme Court had on Friday issued a bailable warrant against Justice Karnan after he failed to appear before it for the second time to answer a contempt notice.

A seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar had ordered West Bengal Director General of Police to execute the warrant to secure the presence of Justice Karnan before the top court on March 31. He has been ordered to furnish a personal bail bond of Rs 10,000.

The bench had said there was no other alternative left as despite having been served notice, justice Karnan neither appeared in person nor through his counsel.

If Justice Karnan fails to appear on March 31, the bench might issue a non-bailable warrant against him.

The contempt proceedings have been initiated against Justice Karnan for writing letters to various authorities, including the Prime Minister, accusing several judges of corruption.

Jethmalani wrote that in this corruption-dominated country judiciary was the only protection. Do not destroy it or even weaken it, he advised Justice Karnan.

As a lawyer I have worked all my life for the backward classes and I have great concern and sympathy for them. But you are out to cause the greatest damage to their interests. Please listen to sensible advice of an old man who has hardly any concern other than the service to the nation, including the backward classes, the nonagenarian lawyer wrote.

After the top courts order, Justice Karnan had described the bailable warrant against him as unconstitutional.

Talking to the media in Kolkata, Justice Karnan had said: I am being targeted as I am a Dalit. This is a caste issue. The order has been deliberately issued against me. This is an attempt to ruin my life. The warrant is unconstitutional.

In an unprecedented order, a seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar had on February 8 issued contempt notice to Justice Karnan and ordered him to forthwith refrain from discharging any judicial or administrative functions and return all files. It had asked him to appear before it on February 13.

As he failed to appear on February 13, the top court gave him 25 days to respond to the contempt notice and asked him to appear on March 10 but he didnt show up.
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, March 12

Backed by the smaller outfits and Independents, the BJP on Sunday staked claim to form next government in Goa under the leadership of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Parrikar's associates told The Tribune in the evening that he has resigned as Defence Minister.

However, addressing the media later, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is BJP's election in-charge for Goa, said Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister after the party gets an invite from the Governor to form government.

Earlier, newly-elected BJP MLAs unanimously backed Parrikar as the state legislature party leader, even as the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) said it will support a government led by Parrikar.

The BJP, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward leaders met Governor Mridula Sinha at Raj Bhavan and staked the claim to form government.

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Addressing the media after meeting the Governor, Gadkari said, We have handed over letters of support from 21 MLAs to the Governor.

We met the Governor, expecting an invitation. Once we receive it, we will consult our colleagues and decide the date for swearing-in, said Parrikar who was sitting beside Gadkari.

This is a mandate given by the people, though we fell short of majority. Together we have completed the magic figure of 21: Manohar Parrikar pic.twitter.com/2dIy4ANPng  ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017

The BJP is set now to form the government in the coastal state despite emerging as the second largest party behind the Congress.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar resigned from his post after the BJP legislature party voted to bring him back as Chief Minister, according to sources in Goa. Parrikar held the top job before being reluctantly moved to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

It is, however, not clear whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted his resignation.

The BJP has bagged the support of the Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party which have three seats in the 40-member state assembly. The BJP, which has 13 members, has managed to obtain the support of two Independent MLAs giving it a wafer-thin majority.

The BJP is also wooing Churchill Alemao, the lone NCP MLA and the third Independent, to shore up its numbers.

The Congress won 17 seats in the state assembly elections.

All through the day, the Congress and the BJP were wooing Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party in order to form a coalition government.

The MGP was the first to come on board by adopting a resolution that it would support a BJP-led government in Goa provided it was headed by Parrikar.

Goa Forward MLA Vijai Sardessai also praised Parrikar for his leadership skills.

The BJP also aggressively played its minority card with its seven Catholic MLAs seeking the support of the secular Goa Forward on the grounds that the BJP has more MLAs from the minority community for the first time.

"We seven members of minority are appealing to Goa Forward, MGP and Independents to support us and form a stable government in Goa," BJP MLA Michael Lobo told reporters in Panjim.

Meanwhile, infighting broke out in the Congress camp with GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro coming under fire for alienating Vijai Sardessai of Goa Forward. Congress MLAs want Luizinho sacked.
Panaji, March 12

Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday appointed BJP legislature party leader Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister after he staked claim to form the government. She told him to prove majority on the floor of the House within 15 days of taking the oath.

Governor Mridula Sinha has appointed Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister of Goa, Rupesh Kumar Thakur, Secretary to Governor, stated in a press note issued here tonight.

Parrikar has submitted evidence as regards support of 13 MLAs of the BJP, three of the MGP, three of the Goa Forward Party and two Independents, thus having a total strength of 21 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly, it added.

The Governor has asked Parrikar to prove majority in the Assembly within 15 days after the administration of oath of office, it said.

Though the BJP has also claimed support of the NCP MLA Churchill Alemao, he is yet to provide the letter of support. State unit BJP president had said Alemao is expected to submit the letter tomorrow.

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The strength of the coalition stands exactly at 21, the magic figure.

Earlier, despite emerging as the second largest party behind the Congress, the BJP pulled off a coup and staked claim to form the next government under the leadership of Parrikar.

Parrikar had said, Though the BJP fell short of the numbers required to form the government, the magical figure of 21 seats has been achieved with the help of alliance partners. I promise that we will give a stable government that will work towards the development of the state.

Congress cries foul

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh has accused Parrikar of indulging in horse trading and hijacking the popular mandate that was in favour of the Congress. He said, Parrikar has brought down the morality of politics. His act of indulging in horse-trading has affected the morale of Goan politicians.  PTI
Panaji, March 12

The Goa Forward Party (GFP), which is emerging as a key player in the formation of the next government in the coastal state, on Sunday said it is waiting for a formal proposal from the BJP or the Congress to decide their next move.

We have not given any letter of support to anyone.

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Informal talks are going on with the Congress and the BJP. The leaders of both the parties are in touch with us, GFP president Prabhakar Timble said.

The GFP, which won three seats in the 40-member Assembly, has become a crucial player in the state politics as without its support BJP cant form government, while the Congress too will require support of either GFP or Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to stake claim to form the next government.

We need a formal proposal and a common minimum programme from the parties which are vying for our support.

Without that we will not be able to decide anything, said Timble.

He said his party is not in a hurry to form the government.

We have no problem in sitting in the Opposition as a guardian of Goa and Goanness, Timble added.

GFPs Vijai Sardesai (Fatorda), Vinod Palyekar (Siolim) and Jayesh Salgaoncar (Saligao) emerged winners in the Assembly polls, results of which were declared on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday told Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar not to fish in the states troubled waters.

Singh, who is expected to oversee a meeting of newly elected Congress legislators and finalise an alliance before submitting a list of MLAs to Governor Mridular Sinha, also said that the Congress will not compromise on core issues while making a bid for power.

My sympathies for Manohar Parrikar. But give him credit for his never say die spirit. In spite of losing badly he is still fishing in troubled waters! Come on Parrikarji, now relax in Delhi and prove to be a good Defence Minister. Who knows if you play your cards well, you may replace Modi! Digvijaya said on his Facebook account.

As we have a fractured mandate we are seeking support from all non-BJP MLAs without compromising on core promises made in our manifesto. We have learnt our lesson: corruption shall not be tolerated.

We shall sincerely work for Goa and Goans. The Congress should also understand that the people of Goa have given us the last chance to perform or else perish. May God help us, Singh added.  Agencies
Manas Dasgupta

The security agencies for the first time made public the presence of the ISIS network in Gujarat with the arrest of the Ramodiya brothers, Waseem and Naeem, from the Saurashtra cities of Rajkot and Bhavnagar last week, though the Gujarat Police claimed the presence of ISIS suspects in the state was known to them for a long time.

The Ramodiya brothers were under police surveillance for the last year-and-a-half and the police moved only after confirmed information that they were planning to trigger a blast in a temple atop the Chotila hills in a day or two and may also plant some bombs in Rajkot city.

Not only Waseem and Naeem, for the first time the police sources also disclosed that there were about 40 youths on the police radar for propagating ISIS ideology through the social media while nine were in touch with the Ramodiya brothers. An ATS official indicated that more arrests of ISIS activists were likely in Gujarat, known as the BJPs Hindutva laboratory. Some of the suspects, he said, were from Ahmedabad and the police was verifying the degree of their involvement before making any further move.

The Gujarat Police were also in touch with their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and West Bengal, the states where the presence of Islamic State sympathisers was already known, to verify the IP addresses used

by the local IS suspects to log in to the social media platforms.

The Gujarat ATS had also quietly de-radicalised at least 15 youths who were on the verge of joining the ISIS ranks under the influence of Mufti Kasim of UP, one of the best-known ISIS faces in India. The counselling was done in the presence of their parents so no finger was raised against the police. Some of the de-radicalised youths were from Ahmedabads walled areas.

It was the same Mufti who reportedly initiated the Ramodiya brothers into radicalism. They told the police that they had often visited Ahmedabad to listen to his speeches and once had a personal meeting. The police found 173 pieces of conversations and speeches of Mufti in their laptops and mobile phones. The two brothers were also regular listeners of Mumbai-based preacher Zakir Naik.

Waseem was keen to escape to Turkey and from there on to Syria to join the radical army along with his wife Shehjeen. In some recorded telephonic conversations, she could be heard encouraging Waseem to take the attack to its logical end keeping his brother with him. It was believed that his Indian handler had promised some hefty amount to foot their bills for going to Turkey and Syria if he could successfully fashion some attacks.

Despite the 2002 communal frenzy that virtually changed the image of Gujarat from a peace-loving state to a communal cauldron which was suspected to have given rise to terror activities to take revenge, no serious incidents of terror attacks were recorded in the state barring the Akshardham temple attack in September 2002, in which 33 people were killed, and the serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad in July 2008, in which 53 people were killed. But the detection of the ISIS network in the state give an indication that the discontent among a section of the minorities, maybe very miniscule in size, has not totally died down and may erupt again if vigilance slackened.

In the first two years after the 2002 riots, besides some tiffin bomb blasts in buses in Ahmedabad, there were a series of alleged fake encounters that the Gujarat police claimed were of terrorists targeting the then chief minister Narendra Modi, now the Prime Minister, but in most of the cases the veracity of their terror backgrounds continues to throw up questions.

Dalit atrocities rise

The brutal murder of a young Dalit sarpanch in the Saurashtra region has again brought to fore the rising caste conflict, with police records showing that 2016 by far was the worst year of Dalit atrocities in the state.

According to RTI information obtained by a citizen, Manjulaben Kaushik, the recorded incidents of alleged atrocities on Dalits rose to 1,355 in 2016 from 1,046 the previous year. The number was 962 in 2005 and 1,009 in 2010. Incidents of rape of Dalit women rose from nine in 2001 to 80 last year. Unfortunately, the number has been progressively rising from 25 in 2005 to 39 in 2010 and 73 in 2015. The incidents of murder of Dalits rose from 17 in 2015 to 32 last year, but it was a high 21 in 2001.

There are innumerable other cases where the police even refused to register a complaint like the infamous Una flogging in which they initially threw the complainants out of the police station but were forced to register an FIR after the flogging of the four Dalit youths shook the nations conscience, said Jignesh Mevani, convener of the Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, which was set up after the Una flogging.
KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 12

Taking forward the growing engagement between India and Saudi Arabia, both countries are in talks for joint production in various fields, including petroleum, new technology and defence industry.

As India prepares itself for the visit of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud later this year, Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha, at an event today, said India-Saudi Arabia relations were growing rapidly beyond the field of energy with both countries in talks to explore joint production. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Kingdom last year in April and New Delhi is working out dates with Riyadh for the Kings visit.

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SaudiIndian relationships can be furthered by more successful partnerships between companies which understand each others cultures and society deeply, Secretary Sinha said gracing a function by SABIC, a Saudi-based global leader in diversified chemicals, that is undertaking social work in India.

On his part, Saudi Ambassador Saud bin Mohammed Al-Sati touched upon the strategic partnership between the two countries in areas of research, including with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in Chemicals and Plastics.

He said with Saudi Arabia embarking upon an economic restructuring programme under its Vision 2030 diversifying the countrys dependence on oil to sustain the economy, the country sees India as a major partner in the Make in India initiative.

As India and Saudi Arabia depend on imports to cater to is growing defence needs, both countries see a great potential in joint production in the defence industry. Saudi Arabia is Indias fourth largest trade partner and the country imports around 19 per cent of its crude oil requirement from Saudi. During 2015-16, the value of bilateral trade stood at $ 26.71 billion, a 32 per cent fall from $32.97 billion the previous year due to lower prices of petroleum.

Saudi Arabia is the eighth largest market in the world for Indian exports and is destination to more than 2.4 per cent of Indias global exports while Saudi Arabia is the source of 5.34 per cent of Indias global imports.

As part of its corporate social responsibility, SABIC recently achieved a milestone of scanning 1 lakh government schoolchildren in Delhi and Gurgaon providing eye care, including spectacles, besides undertaking other works in Bengaluru, Vadodora and Mumbai, SABIC vice-president Janardhana Ramanujalu said.
Harish Khare

Harish Khare

Punjab has opted for change, stability and coherence. The Badals Akali Dal stands comprehensively rejected; Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party has been spurned, and Capt Amarinder Singhs Congress has been voted in with a decisive majority.

The change was inevitable; the Akalis had been asking to be kicked out. Top leaders individual wins apart, the vote is a massive rebuff to the Akali leaderships cocky assertion of having written the blue book of managing elections, as also a definite snub to all the deras and babas whose last-minute intervention was sought to override public disenchantment with the ruling party.

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A subtext to the vote is easily discernible: humongous dislike, bordering on near-hatred of the Badal family members and their arrogant commissars, known as halqa in-charges, who became synonymous with arrogance and corruption and represented an organised subversion of the conventional governing arrangements. Punjab could not possibly bear the burden of the Badals misrule for another five years.

Many citizens had prayed that AAP would be the party to deliver Punjab from the Badals. Its appeal was anchored in its promise of subversion of the status quo. AAP did produce a subaltern alliance of the extreme left and the extreme right, and that, in the end, proved to be its undoing. The voters were not sure of AAPs ability to first create anarchy and then carve a working order out of the chaos. Punjab had lost its taste for anarchy once for all after the militancy was defanged.

It is a vote for stability and purposeful governance. The faction-ridden Congress has too many prima donnas; but the old Congress culture should not be allowed to hobble Amarinder Singh, whom the party was rather reluctant to name as its chief-ministerial face. Admittedly, Amarinder Singh is a tired and aged man, but he should feel doubly invigorated by the very idea of showcasing Punjab as a model Congress state. It would be counterproductive for the new government to get lured by vendetta and vengeance; the voters did not approve of AAP leaders threat to send everyone to jail. Too much preoccupation with corruption produces neither sound administration nor jobs. The 2017 mandate clearly enjoins the Congress to give Punjab a firm and fair government.
Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 12

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday tendered his resignation from the post following the defeat of the SAD-BJP alliance in the state Assembly elections.

Accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and eight other ministers, Badal submitted his resignation to Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore at the Raj Bhavan here.

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Only two of four BJP ministers  Madan Mohan Mittal and Sujit Kumar Jiyani  were present. Prominent losers in the Cabinet  Sikandar Singh Maluka and Adaish Pratap Kairon  were also absent.

The SAD patriarch said he accepted peoples verdict and that he would continue to work for Punjab.

Earlier in the morning, Badal chaired his last Cabinet meeting.

Badnore later dissolved the state Assembly.

"In pursuance of powers conferred upon me by sub clause (b) of clause (2) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, I, V P Singh Badnore, Governor of the state of Punjab, hereby dissolve the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha with effect from the afternoon of 12th March 2017," he said in the order.

Badal, a five-time Chief Minister, retained his Lambi Assembly seat defeating Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh. However, Amarinder retained his traditional bastion Patiala seat.

The SAD-BJP alliance finished a poor third at the hustings with the combine managing just 18 seats in the 117-member House. SAD won 15 seats while its ally BJP won three. New entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 20 seats.

The Congress by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-thirds majority, swept Punjab and ended the ten-year regime of the Badals. (With inputs from PTI)
Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 11

Winning 77 of the 117 Assembly seats, just one short of a two-third majority, the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress today stormed to power in Punjab, riding a strong anti-incumbency wave against the SAD-BJP and warding off a fiery challenge by AAP.

The PPCC chief, who turned 75 today, said he could not have got a better birthday gift.

Capt Amarinder Singh has convened a meeting of party MLAs tomorrow to elect the leader of the Congress legislature party in the presence of party observers. After meeting the Governor to stake claim to form the government, he is likely to leave for Delhi to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. With all three regions  Malwa, Majha and Doaba - having sent Congress candidates to the Assembly, he would have to strike a fine balance while forming his Cabinet.

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The Congress put up its second-best performance in the state  it had won 87 seats in 1992. The party also won the byelection to the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat with GS Aujla defeating RS Chhina of the BJP by 1,99,189 votes.

The SAD-BJP alliance was relegated to the third spot (18 seats) behind AAP in the state polls, which emerged as the largest Opposition party with 20 seats. AAPs ally Lok Insaaf Party, that contested five seats, won two.

The BJP bagged three of the 23 seats it contested. The party tally in 2012 was 12.

A beaming CM-designate Capt Amarinder Singh, said tackling the drug menace would be his governments top priority. He announced that various promises made in the party manifesto would be implemented right away.

Hitting out at SAD, Capt Amarinder blamed the party for bringing the state down to its knees and mocked AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, likening him to a summer storm that had come and gone. Capt Amarinder lost the Lambi seat to CM Parkash Singh Badal but won from Patiala, trouncing SAD's Gen (retd) JJ Singh whose deposit was forfeited.

AAP had pinned high hopes on the Punjab polls, a state where it won four seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It expected major gains in Malwa but was disappointed.
Chandigarh/Patiala, March 12

Congress Chief Minister-designate Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday met Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore to stake claim to form the government a day after his party recorded a resounding victory with 77 of 117 seats in the state Assembly.

Just met with the #Punjab Governor to formally stake claim for govt formation, will take oath as Chief Minister at 10 am on Thursday.  Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) March 12, 2017

Immensely grateful to Sonia Gandhi ji and Rahul Gandhi ji for reposing faith in me, with their guidance will work hard for a better #Punjab.  Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) March 12, 2017

Amarinder will take oath of office as the new Chief Minister on March 16.

He, however, refused to say who his ministers would be, nor how many he would have in his Cabinet.

Amarinder also asserted that his government will form a special task force to curb the drug menace in Punjab, while making the state more investor-friendly.

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He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him full cooperation for the development of the state.

Winning 77 of the 117 state Assembly seats, the Amarinder Singh-led Congress on Saturday stormed to power in Punjab riding a strong anti-incumbency wave against the ruling SAD-BJP combine and warding off a spirited challenge by newcomer AAP.

On the vexed issue of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Amarinder said it was important to see the quantum of water available with Punjab.

When Punjab does not have enough water, the question of giving it to other states does not arise, he said.

He said Punjab has 60 per cent of agrarian land with just eight MAF (million acre-feet) water, while Haryana with 40 per cent of agriculture land has 12 MAF water.

The Congress chief ministerial candidate said he was committed to fulfil all the promises made by the party in its election manifesto.

The Congress-led state government will create an investor-friendly environment in the state. We will make the states industrial policy more liberal, he asserted, adding many top industrialists were in touch with him to set up their units in Punjab.

He said a Special Task Force (STF) will be set up to tackle the states drug problem.

Amarinder maintained that there was a new wave in favour of Congress in the country.

Commenting on newcomer AAPs showing in the state polls, the senior Congress leader said, AAPs bubble has burst.

There was no wave of the AAP in Punjab. The partys hype was only on social media, he said.

The senior Congress leader also pointed out the absence of a regional figure in the AAP, adding that it was the reason behind its drubbing in the state polls.

Calling for a bigger role for regional leaders in states, Amarinder said it was vital to project a regional face who could identify with the people.

On being asked whether his party would indulge in political vendetta against the Badals, he said, We will not work with political vendetta against opponents.  Amarinder also promised to bring reforms in the state police department.

There is a financial problem in Punjab, but we are not afraid...we will ensure that poll promises are fulfilled. We will work day and night to bring Punjab back on track, he said.

On being quizzed about the partys poor performance in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Amarinder said that he spoke to Priyanka Gandhi last night and that they discussed how Congress had the chance of a comeback in the politically-crucial state, just as it did in Punjab.

He said Congress winning performance in three of the five states that went to polls showed that the partys overall standing had improved.

On the Captain Smart Connect programme launched ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, he said global tenders would soon be floated to procure smartphones as promised under the scheme.

Amarinder along with his newly elected MLAs will hold a meeting at Chandigrah later in the day, following which he will meet Governor VP Singh Badnore to stake claim to form the government in the state.

Amarinder will leave for Delhi on March 14 for a meeting with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to shortlist names for his Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday submitted his resignation to Governor V P Singh Badnore following his partys defeat in the assembly polls. The senior Akali leader said that he will support the Congress government for the development of Punjab.

Lok Insaf Party (LIP) members Simarjeet Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains also announced their support to the Congress for the development of the state.  TNS/ PTI
Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Badal, March 11

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, talking to mediapersons at his residence here today, refused to hold anyone responsible for the partys defeat in the Assembly elections. I accept the verdict. I will tender my resignation to the Governor in Chandigarh tomorrow. I congratulate the winners and advise the losers to work hard the next time. I have never challenged anyone, he said, promising to cooperate with the new government on the SYL issue.

To a query, he claimed the drug issue was played up out of proportion. On accusations against SADs local leaders in Lambi, he said: I have won with a huge margin. This shows the charges are wrong. He did not say if he would congratulate his estranged nephew Manpreet Singh Badal for winning the Bathinda (Urban) seat and refused to speak on the SAD having elicited the support of Dera Sacha Sauda in the elections.

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Asked, whether it was his last election, Badal replied: I have never said so. Rejecting the suggestion that the PMs visits had failed to turn the tide in the SAD-BJP favour, he pointed out, Modi came only twice during electioneering. Both Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Badal were in Delhi today.

There were no celebrations at the Badal residence. None of the SAD-BJP winners visited the SAD patriarch.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 12

Outgoing Chief Minister Harish Rawat today backed BSP supremo Mayawati for a probe into the working of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Rawat addressed a press conference today after suffering a humiliating defeat in the state Assembly elections yesterday.

He said BSP leader Mayawati, who was a senior politician, had cast doubts over the working of the EVMs and the matter needed to be probed. It was in the interest of the democracy that transparency was maintained in the voting system. He also favoured a social alliance of like-minded public representatives and other public figures, he said.

Rawat said he took the moral responsibility of the Congress debacle in the poll. I was the one who led the party and thus I take moral responsibility for the defeat.

The people had given the Congress a mandate to sit in the Opposition and the party would abide by the peoples decision. The Congress would play the role of a positive Opposition, he added.

State Congress president Kishore Upadhyay also accused the BJP of using rampant money in the Assembly poll. He described the Assembly elections as one of most controversial elections in the state.

Congress leader Pritam Singh, who won from Chakrata Assembly, was also present at the news conference.
Seoul, March 12

Disgraced South Korean leader Park Geun-hye left the presidential Blue House on Sunday, two days after a court dismissed her over a corruption scandal, facing life as a private citizen and the possibility of jail.

Park struck a defiant tone upon arriving at her private home in the Gangnam district of the capital, Seoul, after leaving the Blue House compound in a motorcade of fast-driving black cars, flanked by police motorbikes.

I feel sorry that I could not finish the mandate given to me as President, a spokesman for Park quoted her as saying. It will take time, but I believe the truth will be revealed, Park said in her first public comments since her dismissal.

She accepted responsibility for the events that culminated in the Constitutional Court on Friday upholding a parliamentary impeachment vote over an influence-peddling scandal that has shaken the political and business elite. I take responsibility for the outcome of all this, Min quoted her as saying.

Park, 65, is South Koreas first democratically elected leader to be forced from office. A snap presidential election will be held by May 9.

Throngs of flag-waving supporters crowded the street outside Parks home as she arrived there about 30 minutes after leaving the presidential palace. She waved through her cars tinted window as it inched its way down the street, with security men in suits walking alongside. She stepped out smiling, the publics first glimpse of her since her dismissal, and greeted supporters.

Parks ouster marked a dramatic fall from grace for South Koreas first woman president and daughter of Cold War military dictator Park Chung-hee.

Now, having lost presidential immunity, she could face criminal charges over bribery, extortion and abuse of power in connection with allegations of conspiring with her friend, Choi Soon-sil. Both women denied wrongdoing.

The liberal politician likely to become the next President, Moon Jae-in, promised to work for justice and common sense. We still have a long way to go. We have to make this a country of justice, of common sense through regime change, Moon, who advocates reconciliation with North, said.  Reuters
Racine Neighborhood Watch Inc. is hosting its sixth annual Take a Taste Out of Crime event from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, March 31, at a new venue, Roma Lodge, 7130 Spring St.

This fundraiser supports Racine Neighborhood Watch in its mission to assist residents in creating safe, friendly and attractive neighborhoods throughout the Racine community.

Racine Neighborhood Watch organizes and empowers residents to take responsibility for the neighborhoods in which they live by building positive and productive community-law enforcement relationships through local Neighborhood Watch meetings, programming and events. Racine Neighborhood Watch educates residents, helps to beautify neighborhoods and connects local community resources for the well-being of the community.

This popular, cant miss fundraising event will feature a wide array of wine and beer to sample, Wisconsin cheeses to taste, hot hors doeuvres, and the music of jazz band CSQ. A cash bar also will be available.

More than 100 items will be displayed for raffles or silent auctions. Event-goers can bid on a wide selection of articles including sporting goods and event tickets, theme baskets, household and home decor pieces, and gift certificates from many local area businesses.

Green Bay Packer standout Andre Rison will make a special appearance from 5-7 p.m. (paid event ticket required; must be 21 or older). Rison will autograph your special memorabilia or any item available for purchase at the event. Autograph fees go to special charities.

Tickets cost $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Tickets are available at Racine Neighborhood Watch, 800 Center St., Room 316; Malickis Piggly Wiggly on Washington Avenue; Piggly Wiggly on Erie Street, or online at www.racinenw.com/about_tatooc.html.
Amman, March 12

A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli school girls during a class trip to his country was released on Sunday, after serving 20 years in prison, an official said.

Ahmed Daqamseh had killed the eighth graders in a 1997 shooting rampage at the scenic Island of Peace border post where he was stationed. Seven other girls were wounded at the time.

The release could raise tensions between Israel and Jordan. In 2011, Israel summoned Jordans ambassador to express anger after the kingdoms justice minister at the time called for Daqamsehs release.

Amer Sartawi, a spokesman for Jordans Public Security Directorate, said Daqamseh was freed early today.

A military court deemed him mentally unstable at the time and sentenced him to life in prison, which in Jordan typically means 25 years. Jordanian lawmakers had lobbied for his early release.

After the shooting, Jordans King Hussein, the late father of the current king, Abdullah II, rushed to Israel and paid condolence visits to the girls families, a gesture that touched many Israelis at the time.

The shooting came three years after Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty.  AP
Amman, March 12

A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 was released today after serving 20 years in prison, his family said. Ahmad Dakamseh was freed today around 1 am.

In March 1997, he fired an automatic weapon at Israeli schoolgirls on a trip to the Jordan-Israel border, killing seven of them and wounding five others and a teacher. He had been sentenced to life imprisonment, which in Jordan is equivalent to 20 years.

His motives were never entirely clear, but he told the national security court at the time that he fired his weapon at the schoolgirls after they mocked him while he was praying.  AFP
Ankara/Rotterdam, March 12

The Netherlands barred Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam on Saturday in a row over Ankaras political campaigning among Turkish emigres, leading President Tayyip Erdogan to brand its fellow NATO member a Nazi remnant.

The dispute escalated into a major diplomatic incident in the evening, as Turkeys family minister was prevented by police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister.

Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd, which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. They carried out charges on horseback, while officers advanced on foot with shields and armoured vans.

Less than a day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkeys family minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she was being escorted back to Germany.

The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accepted, she said. The Rotterdam mayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to the German border.

The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and the Netherlands could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands.

The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Ruttes decision to ban the visits.

Turkeys foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return from leave for some time.

Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action.

Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigre Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute.

Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote yes to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders.

The Dutch government had banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally on Saturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there anyway, saying Europe must be rid of its boss-like attitude.

Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting in Hamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkish consulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkish citizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from Ankara.

If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want, he added hours before his planned flight to Rotterdam was banned.

Sanctions threat

Cavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threats proved decisive for the Netherlands government.

It cited public order and security concerns in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglus flight and said the threat of sanctions made the search for a reasonable solution impossible.

This decision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way.

It does not abide by diplomatic practices, Cavusoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening.

Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling second ahead of Wednesdays elections, said in a tweet on Saturday: To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!

Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: This morning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear he was threatening the Netherlands with sanctions and we can never negotiate with the Turks under such threats. So we decided ... in a conference call it was better for him not to come.

Nazi remnants, fascists

Addressing a rally of supporters, Erdogan retaliated against the decision to prevent the Turkish foreign minister from visiting Rotterdam.

Listen Netherlands, youll jump once, youll jump twice, but my people will thwart your game, he said. You can cancel our foreign ministers flight as much as you want, but lets see how your flights will come to Turkey now. They dont know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists, he said.

Rutte called Erdogans reference to Nazis and Fascists a crazy remark. He added: I understand theyre angry but this is of course way out of line.

Erdogan chafes at Western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him.

He maintains it is clear the West begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a no vote in the referendum.

Barred from the Netherlands, Cavusoglu arrived in France on Saturday ahead of a planned speech to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz on Sunday, a Reuters witness said.

Earlier, an official at the Moselle regional prefecture told Reuters there were currently no plans to prevent the meeting from going ahead.

A member of the Union of European Turkish Democrats also said on Saturday via a Facebook post that the Turkish foreign minister would no longer come to Switzerland for a planned event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue.

Zurichs security department, which had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglus appearance, said in a statement on Saturday evening it was relieved the event had been cancelled.  Reuters
WASHINGTON  The IRS strikes back: The tax agency reports that the number of identity theft victims plummeted last year after agents struggled for years to combat what has become a multibillion-dollar industry.

The number of victims dropped by 46 percent, to 376,000, the IRS said. These taxpayers had their identities stolen by criminals who used their Social Security numbers and birthdates to obtain fraudulent tax refunds.

The IRS stopped nearly 1 million fraudulent refunds from being issued last year. They totaled almost $6.6 billion, the agency said.

Its a much more challenging time for the cybercrooks, said Mark Ciaramitaro, vice president for retail tax products and services at H&R Block. All of the easy paths have been closed.

Identity theft exploded from 2010 to 2012, and for a time overwhelmed law enforcement and the IRS, said John Dalrymple, deputy IRS commissioner for services and enforcement.

At the IRS, it peaked in 2014, when the agency identified more than 766,000 victims. That same year, the IRS blocked 1.8 million in fraudulent refunds from being issued. They totaled $10.8 billion.

Weve driven a lot of the fraud out of the system, Dalrymple said.

The IRS is a popular target for sophisticated identity thieves because the agency issues more than $300 billion in tax refunds each year.

Several years ago, it was as simple as using another persons Social Security number and birthdate to fill out a fake tax return claiming a big refund. If thieves filed the return early in the tax filing season  before the legitimate taxpayer  they could get refunds before the IRS received verifying financial information from employers, banks and brokers.

To make it easier, thieves can get fraudulent refunds on prepaid debit cards that are not linked to bank accounts.

I think everybody got caught by surprise by how inventive the criminals were here, Dalrymple said. I dont think it was just the IRS. I think in general, the whole idea of identity theft caught everybody by surprise.

Criminals can steal victims personal information from hospitals, doctors offices, universities, prisons  any entity that collects Social Security numbers and birthdates.

In 2015, federal authorities broke up a massive identity theft ring in Alabama and Georgia that netted $10 million in fraudulent refunds. Among the victims: Soldiers injured in Afghanistan who were being treated at Fort Bennings hospital.

Last year, authorities broke up a ring in the District of Columbia that tried to obtain more than $20 million in fraudulent tax refunds. Among the victims: people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and prison inmates.

In recent years, the IRS has beefed up its computer filters to identity potential fake tax returns. If there are dramatic differences in a taxpayers return from year to year, it might get flagged for additional review.

Two years ago, the IRS also teamed up with major tax preparers and state tax agencies to share information and improve security.

Identity theft is the No. 1 issue that the IRS talks to us about, said Brian Ashcraft, director of tax compliance at Liberty Tax. Its been a huge focus.

Online tax preparers are working to better confirm the identity of their customers through stronger passwords and by using more than one way to verify them, said Julie Miller of Intuit Inc., which owns Turbo Tax. For example, after online customers enter a password, they might receive a text from the company with an additional code to enter.

Congress has also given the IRS more tools to prevent criminals from getting fraudulent tax refunds.

This year, employers are required to report wage information to the IRS by Jan. 31. In the past, most employers had until the end of March to report wage information, often long after refunds had been issued.

Also, the IRS is now required to hold refunds until Feb. 15 for families claiming the earned income tax credit or the additional child tax credit. These credits are available in the form of payments to people who dont make enough money to owe any federal income taxes, which makes them attractive to identity thieves.

The provision, however, delays tax refunds for millions of low-income families.

Tax preparers and the IRS said identity theft is still a major threat as criminals become more sophisticated. To combat it, they regularly share information about new threats and scams, especially during tax season.

This is not a time to celebrate, said Ciaramitaro of H&R Block. Its not fixed but I think that cooperation has led to measurable improvement.
A bill proposing cuts to county attorney budgets across the state if changes to the criminal code are not made has Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito feeling threatened.

The bill would stop state contributions to county attorney budgets, effectively cutting Twito's budget in half, he said.

The drafted bill, supported by Rep. Randy Brodehl, R-Kalispell, who was involved with the bill's creation, would only be put into effect if House Bill 133 does not pass. Twito has helped to organize opposition to the HB133 due to it's wide reaching changes to the criminal code and reduction of penalties for property crimes.

To make HB133 work, it requires collaboration from all parts of the justice system stakeholders, Brodehl said. If county attorneys won't get behind the bill, then the money that could be saved from it should come from their budgets, Brodehl, who chairs section D of Appropriations, said.

HB133 is set to go before the Appropriations committee Monday.

Reducing costs, overcrowding

A bipartisan commission was assembled by the 2015 Legislature to examine the sentencing policies of Montana.

Yellowstone County District Court Judge Ingrid Gustafson was one of 15 people who sat on the commission.

The goal of the commission was to explore ways of avoiding the cost of building more jails and prisons, while maintaining public safety, Gustafson said.

The sentencing commission heard from experts for almost two years about how the state could solve the problem, Gustafson said. A consensus was reached between everyone on the committee, including tribal leaders, legislators, public defenders and former Department of Corrections Director Mike Batista.

From the recommendations of the commission, written up with the help of former Hill County Attorney Kris Hansen, HB133 was created.

This bill fulfills one of the promises made by the Legislature this year, which was to eliminate the exception allowing sex offenders to avoid mandatory minimums and go to treatment rather than prison.

HB133 sponsor, Rep. Nate McConnell, D-Missoula, said the bill seeks to better focus the limited resources of the criminal justice system. Many of the recommendations would save the state money and combat the problem of overcrowding in Montana's jails and prisons, McConnell said.

But, part of the solution to overcrowding means reducing the number of crimes that require jail time, including things like driving with a suspended license and first offense property crimes. This created a great deal of resistance from the Montana Retail Association, Brad Griffin said. Griffin is the associations president and lobbyist. When he read the bill his first instinct was to try to kill it.

First-time offenders of theft, issuing a bad check, deceptive practices and identity theft, who steal under $1,500 in property, will no longer face jail time. First-time offenders will face a $500 fine, reduced from $1,500 fine. Second-time offenders will now face six months jail time and a $500 fine. However, a third or subsequent offender of these crimes would face up to a year in jail, as opposed to the six months they face under current law.

Griffin reached out to Twito for help in working on opposition to HB133.

The bill would take some of the burden off the Office of the State Public Defender, who must represent these first time offenders in court, by removing the possibility of jail time, McConnell said.

Griffin isnt concerned about the jail time. The reality is, a first time offender wont go to jail for a theft offense, he said. But without getting booked into jail, Griffin is concerned there will not be a record of the arrest, he said. This would make it difficult to track the arrests of individuals.

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the bill, McConnell said. Whenever there is a conviction, there is a record of it, even if there is no jail time, McConnell said.

Shoplifting is a huge concern for retailers, who lose millions in revenue each year to theft, Griffin said.

Thats under current law, Griffin said.

In an email to his staff, Twito asked his attorneys to send their thoughts on the bill.

I will be coordinating with several entities to oppose many sections of this bill, Twito said in the email.

Two strike system

The bill would change multiple parts of the criminal code, and because of the length and far-reaching nature of the bill, Twito is frustrated that meaningful debate cant happen on each of the issues. He also doesnt believe it is right that the budget he uses to maintain the public safety of Yellowstone County should be threatened because he opposes a bill that would affect his office.

Twito's frustration from the bill doesn't just align with the interests of the Montana Retail Association. The bill would also change the persistent felony offender designation, something the county attorneys use to not only lock up violent offenders, but also as a bargaining tool in plea agreements for lower level offenders.

Montana law states that felony offenders who commit a second felony offense within five years of completing the term of a sentence from a previous felony, can be designated a persistent felony offender. The persistent offender designation allows attorneys to sentence the offender to anywhere from five to 100 years in prison.

HB133 would increase the number of felonies from two to four, meaning the "persistent felony offender" designation will not be implemented until a fourth conviction.

The designation is used by Twitos office to help negotiate plea agreements with offenders, he said. Without the designation, more offenders might take multiple cases to trial, costing the county more money, Twito said. The office used the designation this year to prevent Todd Michael Johnson, an offender with multiple convictions for partner or family member assault from taking six assault cases to trial.

Sen. Cynthia Wolken, D-Missoula, who sat on the sentencing commission and supports HB133, said the designation was meant for violent offenders like Johnson. It is not being used that way by county attorneys, she said. The commission was very concerned about coercion by county attorneys. Wolken would be willing to consider keeping the current law, if it was narrowed to violent offenders and not used to bully second time theft offenders with the fear they will be sentenced to 100 years.

Criminal Endangerment

Twito takes issue with the language the bill would add to the criminal endangerment law. If HB133 passes, the law would prohibit prosecutors from using the criminal endangerment charge just because the evidence shows a person was driving with a high blood-alcohol content.

Criminal endangerment is a catch-all, Twito said. Montana has a simple criminal code, and criminal endangerment is used by his office to prosecute things like driving the wrong way on the interstate while drunk or crashing a car into a home while drunk, he said.

It can also be used for firing a weapon in a public area, he said. The bill would not prevent Twito from using the law for that purpose.

Raising a misdemeanor DUI to a felony case was not the intent of the criminal endangerment law, Wolken said. The intent of the law was to prevent people from putting metal spikes into trees, which was a form of protest done to prevent logging, Wolken said. It was not supposed to be a catch-all, she said.

The bill better addresses the causes of crime, McConnell said. It gets rid of education courses as opposed to treatment. It eliminates drug mandatory minimums, something Twito has said he doesn't have a problem with. It gives judges more sentencing discretion, McConnell said.

The ultimate goal of the bill was to be smart on crime and save taxpayer money, McConnell said.

But, if state contributions are cut from Twito's budget, he said he would no longer allow his prosecutors to work on state cases for the Attorney General's office. This will cost the state far more than it would save by implementing HB133, he said.
When Simon Jankowsky built his five-story Palace Clothiers store at Fourth and Main streets in 1913, fellow retailers scoffed that it would be folly to build so far south from town.

Fourth Street was a dirt road, and beyond that was considered out in the country.

He built it anyway, and the Palace Building became one of Tulsas first skyscrapers.

Like many immigrants, Jankowsky rose from humble beginnings.

Born in Russia, Jankowsky arrived in New York aboard the S.S. Westphalia in 1882 at age 16 and found work as a cigar maker, according to his grandson, Malcolm Milsten of Tulsa.

Milsten worked in the shipping and receiving department of the family business during college vacations and recalls watching parades from the vantage point of the metal awning on the front of the building.

Jankowsky became an American citizen in 1888 and headed West to make his fortune.

In Joplin, Missouri, he married his wife, Hedwig, and the couple headed for Indian Territory, landing in Tulsa by way of McAlester. The couple eventually had four children and were one of the first Jewish families in Tulsa.

Oil had been found in Red Fork, a new toll bridge across the Arkansas River had just replaced the ferry, and Tulsa was ripe for a clothing store.

In 1904, the resolute retailer founded Palace Clothiers in a one-room building at 110 S. Main St. It was anything but palatial.

Nevertheless, Jankowsky stocked it with high-quality mens apparel and rugged clothing fit for cowboys and oil field workers. The business was an immediate success, aided by Tulsas explosive population growth.

Encouraged, Jankowsky disregarded warnings of naysayers and (together with his brother and business partner Mose) constructed his new store, a handsome steel and concrete building faced with Oklahoma limestone, at 324 S. Main St.

The clothing business filled the first two floors and the basement. Offices in the upper floors were soon occupied by businessmen, including future scions of the oil industry such as:

 Harry Sinclair, who would later build his own downtown headquarters for Sinclair Oil & Gas Co.

 Josh Cosden, who earned and lost two fortunes and built a west Tulsa refinery and the Cosden Building, which became the Mid-Continent Tower.

 C.J. Wrightsman, who was credited with devising the oil depletion allowance.

The Palace was so successful that Jankowsky added four stories in 1917, providing the Texas Co., one of his most important tenants, with additional office space. Early-day oilmen credited him with assuring that Texas Co. (later Texaco) would keep its refining headquarters in Tulsa.

When Jankowsky died in 1943 at age 78, a newspaper obituary said, His body will be buried Tuesday. His spirit, like those of other pioneers, now belongs to the history of Tulsa.

He was described as a quiet man, with a shock of snow-white hair and a placid, introspective face. Shrewd and persevering, he had a dry wit, explaining his habit of never wearing a hat this way:

I sell hats to make money; I save money by not wearing a hat which I might sell.

He made numerous charitable contributions on the condition that they be given no publicity and donated hundreds of maple saplings to beautify city parks.

Jankowsky once told friends that while it is true that God made the country, men built its cities.
Jesus Christ couldnt change my vote.

 Oklahoma state Rep. Bill Bradley, D-Waurika, ERA opponent

For 10 years, members of the Oklahoma Legislature were pushed and pulled, lobbied, threatened, bullied and harangued over one of the most emotional issues ever to come before them.

The battle was fought from 1972 to 1982 over the Equal Rights Amendment.

The amendment itself is quite simple:

Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex, reads Section 1.

The second section gives Congress the power to enforce the measure and the third section states that it will take effect two years after ratification.

Thats it.

At first, it seemed the ERA would pass easily, but over time, opponents led by Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly would out-organize and outmaneuver proponents and emerge triumphant.

Congress passed the ERA by the required two-thirds majority 45 years ago this month on March 22, 1972, and sent it to the states for ratification. Only 35 of the required 38 states ratified the amendment by the deadline of June 30, 1982.

Womens libbers

The Oklahoma Senate approved the ERA on a voice vote in 1972, but it failed in the House. That was as close as it got in Oklahoma.

Tulsa legislator Penny Williams agreed to serve on a committee formed to pass the ERA in 1978.

I thought it would be a snap, Williams told John Erling in a Voices of Oklahoma interview in 2012. David Boren and Henry Bellmon co-chairing the committee? Come on. So, it wasnt a snap at all. There was a lot of resistance to it.

Joan Johnson was one of the founders of the Tulsa Eagle Forum chapter. Her brother was Jim Inhofe, then Tulsa mayor and currently U.S. senator.

Johnson criticized womens libbers who want to change our lifestyle  demanding homosexual rights, reproductive freedom, federal day care centers and the ERA, in a 1979 interview with The Tulsa Tribunes Caroline Johnson.

The Stop-ERA forces seemingly were not intimidated by high-profile ERA supporters, who included the leaders of both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature, Gov. George Nigh, bishops of the state Catholic, Episcopal and Methodist churches, Betty Ford and President Jimmy Carter. Two statewide polls showed Oklahomans favored the ERA.

Talking down to us

Actor Alan Alda was among celebrities who visited the state in support of the ERA. He pointed out that in 1982, a woman earned 59 cents for every dollar a man earned, but she doesnt get a discount at the butcher shop for being a woman.

Lobbying efforts by Maureen Reagan, daughter of future President Ronald Reagan, backfired with GOP lawmakers.

Were not used to people talking down to us, Tulsa Republican Rep. Joan Hastings told Reagan.

I dont know why youre being so nasty, Reagan retorted.

The final battle was waged on Jan. 13, 1982.

Opponent Sen. John Young, D-Sapulpa, provoked groans of dismay when he said, there is a divine order of things and that woman was created to be a helpmate for a man, wrote Tulsa Tribune reporter Marilyn Duck. Young warned that passage would result in women being drafted for military combat.

The Senates only woman member, Bernice Shedrick, D-Stillwater, said she and her husband had a saying: A man of quality is never threatened by a woman of equality.

The only way to protect women is to give them their rights, pleaded Senate President Pro Tem Marvin York, who had shepherded the proposal through the divisive and tempestuous legislative process.

The amendment failed, 21-27, with all 21 yes votes cast by Democrats. Eleven Senate Republicans and 16 Democrats voted no. York would say later that the ERAs defeat was his biggest regret as pro tem.

Ann Patterson, leader of the Stop-ERA group, said the vote was super. Were giving the glory and the victory to God.

One of the ERAs most ardent supporters was state Rep. Cleta Deatherage, D-Norman, who had lobbied for the amendment even before being elected to the Legislature.

Fighting back tears, she told Tulsa World reporter Chuck Ervin that she had just watched a dream of 10 years turn to ashes, but she wasnt giving up hope.

Well win some day, she said. The thing people have to understand is that this issue is not going to go away  You just have to keep going, and we will.

Since the ERA failed, the U.S. military has opened all combat roles to women, and gay and lesbian couples can marry and adopt children in all 50 states. However, women still earn only 80 cents for every dollar men are paid (in Oklahoma, its 73 cents).
Correction: This story originally contained an incorrect spelling of the last name of Don Millican, chief financial official of Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. It has been corrected.

Tulsa will be making the case for early childhood programs with two of four people set to testify in a congressional hearing on Thursday representing local organizations.

Featured on the panel will be Steven Dow, executive director of the Community Action Project of Tulsa, which administers the federal Head Start grant, and Don Millican, chief financial official of Kaiser-Francis Oil Co., who will speak on behalf of the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., will oversee the hearing as chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. It is responsible for making decisions on the allocations to those agencies.

These hearings allow for agency secretaries and people outside the agencies affected by the policies and decisions to speak to lawmakers. It is a way for elected officials to gather information.

Actress Jennifer Garner, of televisions Alias and films such a Juno and Dallas Buyers Club, will be talking about her work with Save the Children.

The other expert set to testify is Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, professor of child development and education at Columbia University.

I am honored to have the opportunity to share with members of Congress how we in Tulsa have made education of very young, at-risk children a top community priority, Dow said.

Through a combined effort of many people, the prudent use of federal, state and local taxpayer dollars, and the extraordinary generosity of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Tulsa has developed a reputation as a national leader in preparing very young children with the skills they need to succeed in school and life.

During the past 20 years, Tulsa has developed a unique model for early education programs for low-income families, led in large part by philanthropists and nonprofits.

When the state education department in the 1990s expanded volunteer 4-year-old programs in public schools, Tulsas Head Start arranged partnerships with local school districts to leverage funding. This allows for more children to be served in those pre-K programs with more resources.

The goal is to eliminate duplication of services and provide what families need in one location.

At the same time, philanthropist George Kaiser led the effort to build Educare Centers to offer comprehensive early education programs as a poverty intervention. These centers start at infancy and include parent self-sufficiency supports.

Both programs include a mix of federal Head Start grants, federal department of agriculture free- and reduced meals programs, state funding and private donations.

The University of Oklahoma-Tulsa launched its Early Childhood Education Institute a decade ago to promote research in the field, evaluate the programs and prepare professionals for the field.

All of these aspects work together to form Tulsa early childhood education community.

The initial  and continuing  support has come from the business community, which has championed many of the initiatives to prepare for a better workforce.

The fact that Steven Dow and I are being asked to appear before the House Committee on Appropriations is evidence of the reputation Oklahoma, and particularly Tulsa, has developed nationally in the field of early childhood education, Millican said.

Our success in combining federal, state and private funding to give children born into poverty a chance to succeed in life in an excellent model for other communities to pattern. And, this story is one Ill be privileged to tell next week in Washington.

Outcomes of Tulsas programs have been studied in research through Georgetown University, OU-Tulsas Early Childhood Education Institute and other university researchers.

It is common for Tulsas Head Start and Educare programs to host tours for groups interested in replicating the model in other cities. It has been highlighted in national and international publications.

Part of the testimony will likely focus on the necessity for more funding because the need far exceeds what the grant allows.

However, we will also be communities that the demand for high quality early childhood education for low-income children is much greater than our current capacity, both locally and nationally.
A Tulsa man was sentenced Friday to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in a 2009 shooting in north Tulsa despite his claims his identical twin might have been responsible.

Jurors deliberated for roughly four hours Friday before concluding that Pedro Gaeta, 25, killed Alvaro DeLeon at his home in the 1000 block of North Troost Avenue on Nov. 21, 2009. Gaeta waived his right to have a sentencing hearing on another day after the verdict, and District Judge Kelly Greenough upheld the jurys sentencing recommendation.

Although Gaeta was charged in 2009, he wasnt arrested until authorities said they apprehended him at the U.S.-Mexico border in California in February 2015. He was booked into the Tulsa Jail on Feb. 18, 2015, records show.

Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray said in closing arguments that multiple people identified Gaeta, not his twin brother Pablo Gaeta, to police as the person who shot DeLeon. Just before the shooting, Pedro Gaeta accused DeLeon of breaking the windows of a home that belonged to Pablo Gaeta, which the witnesses said DeLeon denied.

The vandalism, according to witness testimony, occurred after Pablo Gaeta attacked DeLeons sister. They reported DeLeons brother-in-law broke the windows before DeLeon drove the two of them back to the home on Troost Avenue. Pedro Gaeta, they said, arrived at the residence 10 to 15 minutes later and confronted DeLeon about the property damage before hitting him in the head and shooting him.

This was supposed to be a family gathering, Gray told jurors of DeLeons expectations that day. People sitting (in the courtroom gallery) thought they were going over there eight years ago to eat dinner. Pedro Gaeta decided to ruin the family cookout.

But Pedro Gaetas attorney, Julie Ball, said the states case relied almost entirely on witness identification of her client. She said such testimony is often unreliable, noting successful exonerations due to incorrect identification, and pointed to inconsistencies in at least one witness testimony relating to how she knew which Gaeta brother was which.

That witness, Sandra Orozco, said she knew the shooter was Pedro Gaeta because of distinguishing scars on his face and the style of his beard. She also said he responded in apparent recognition when she called his name that day.

Sometimes (witnesses) lie, but sometimes theyre just mistaken, Ball said. Fifty-fifty is not the standard to send someone to prison for the rest of their life.

Pedro Gaeta will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence, or 38 years and three months, before becoming eligible for parole.
Tonight Australian Story puts a human face to the ongoing issue of asylum-seekers and shows how a school community continues to rally around a young woman, but who still faces an uncertain future.

When Australian Story first told of the challenges faced by young Iranian asylum-seeker Mojgan Shamsalipoor, in July last year, she was in immigration detention with no prospect of release.

However, in September the 23-year-old student received a temporary reprieve when immigration minister Peter Dutton granted her a bridging visa, under which she was released from detention and allowed to return to live with her husband and his family in Brisbane.

I get goosebumps still. When they opened the door and they said, youre free to go  it was like a miracle.  Mojgan Shamsalipoor, asylum-seeker

She wanted to surprise me. I could have died by this news!  Milad Jafari, husband

But Mojgans future remains uncertain, with her temporary visa due to expire this month.

While we welcome the decision  the minister has not gone far enough to grant her certainty over her future in Australia. Mojgan is still effectively in limbo.  Kevin Kadirgamar, solicitor

Its not the end of the journey because shes still not free. Shes living in our community, but its on borrowed time.  Jessica Walker, teacher and deputy principal

Mojgan came to Australia in 2012, aged 17, after fleeing terrible abuse and trauma in Iran and undertaking a risky sea voyage to Christmas Island. She was temporarily allowed to live in the community while her application for a protection visa was assessed.

At a youth camp she met and fell in love with another young Iranian, refugee Milad Jafari, and with his help she was accepted as a student at Yeronga State High School in Brisbane.

With support from teachers and students, she regained her self-confidence and became a very popular member of the community. Despite her apparent good fortune, Australias Refugee Tribunal decided in 2015 that her case for asylum was not legitimate, so Mojgan was returned to detention and faced likely deportation.

The Yeronga school community continued to campaign tirelessly for Mojgan to be accepted as a refugee and her former teachers kept her education on track while she was in detention. After her release on the bridging visa last September, the school organized a delayed Year 12 school graduation ceremony for her.

Now, Mojgan has returned to her studies while she, Milad and their supporters await the immigration ministers next decision on her future.

8pm Monday, 13 March 2017
This week on SBS, Dateline looks at Japan six years after its earthquake and tsunami.

Coming Home to a Nuclear Wasteland is by reporters Amos Roberts.

Six years after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that triggered a nuclear disaster, radiation levels inside the Fukushima power plant are at an all-time high.

On 31 March 2017, the small town of Namie  just 11km away  will reopen, and former residents will be faced with an agonising decision.

Do they return and rebuild their community, or stay away; giving up the subsidies they receive as nuclear evacuees? Datelines Amos Roberts meets two Namie families struggling with this difficult choice.

Former resident Yoshiko, whose husband once worked at the power plant, tells Amos: [Translated] Its a contaminated town. We think about our children like every family with children. When I think about their future you wouldnt want to go back.

Amos meets a man determined to return and rebuild his life. Hisao Sasakis family has lived in Namie for generations and he cant imagine his future anywhere else. He enthusiastically renovates his house and grows vegetables in readiness for his permanent move home, despite the invisible threat of radiation.

[Translated] Its the house that our ancestors built, my father built. If we let it go, thats it, so I cant let that happen. As long as I live here, we have to keep it going, Hisao says.

Namie Mayor Tamotsu Baba, one of the key people driving the re-opening of this prior exclusion zone, says: [Translated] Our ultimate goal is to restore Namie to be more like it was in the past. We have the responsibility to hand the town to the next generation.

It is estimated there are 80,000 nuclear evacuees from the entire Fukushima region.

Around 50% of Namies former residents say theyll never return and 30% are still undecided. For those that do go back, theyll have a challenging and uncertain road ahead.

Tuesday 14 March at 9.30pm on SBS.
No matter who we are, where we are, or how old we are, death comes for all of us. Sometimes its sneaky and we arent able to anticipate. Death leaves us no room to prepare or find closure. Accidental deaths, especially, can happen in ways that are entirely unexpected and for reasons that are quite trivial and commonplace. At times, deaths happen so suddenly that, if we were unlucky enough to bear witness to them, they are so jaw-dropping that we struggle to gather our wits enough to do something. Here is a small list of some such unusual deaths that are both bizarre and unbelievable.

1 John of Bohemia, after being blind for 10 years, fought in the Battle of Crecy. He wanted to take part in the battle despite being blind, so he asked two of his knights to tie his horse to theirs to be directed to the enemy. All three of them died.

John the Blind was the Count of Luxembourg up until 1309. He then ascended to be the King of Bohemia from 1310 and just a year later the King of Poland. He lost his sight when he was thirty-nine or forty years old due to an inflammation of the eyes which began in 1336 while he was crusading in Lithuania. He was treated by a famous physician named Guy de Chauliac, but the treatment was unsuccessful. With the coming of the Hundred Years War in 1337, he allied with King Philip VI of France. Ten years later in 1346 during the Battle of Crecy, he controlled Philips advanced guard and the troops of Charles II of Alencon, and those of Louis I, Count of Flanders.

According to the medieval historian, Jean Froissart, even though he was blind, John wanted to fight in the battle and so commanded his knights to take him forward so that he can strike with his own sword. They tied all their reins together and charged forward. It is said that he did manage to deliver a few strokes as he wished, though not surprisingly he was killed. The next day he and his men were all found dead with their horses tied to each other.(1, 2)

2 Clement Vallandigham, a lawyer and politician, died after accidentally shooting himself while demonstrating how the victim might have shot himself in the process of drawing his weapon.

In 1871, Vallandigham was representing Thomas McGehan, who was charged with murdering a man during a barroom brawl in Hamilton, Ohio. In his hotel room at the Lebanon House, now Golden Lamb Inn, he was showing his fellow defense attorneys how he would demonstrate what really happened while pleading his case in the court. He selected a pistol that he thought was unloaded, put it in his pocket, and started enacting the events that might have happened during the brawl. During the reenactment, he snagged the gun in his clothing at which point the loaded gun discharged a bullet into his belly. As he proved his point, McGehan, his client, was acquitted and released only to be shot to death four years later. Vallandigham received a fatal wound and the surgeons were unable to remove the bullet from his body. He died the next day due to the bullet wound.(source)



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3 Frank Hayes, a jockey, had a heart attack and died in the middle of a horse race. His horse won the race with his body still on the saddle making him the first and the only jockey to have won a race after death.

Although he sometimes raced, Hayes was actually a horse trainer by profession and never won any race in his lifetime. The name of the horse he was riding that day, ironically, was Sweet Kiss and was owned by a Miss A.M. Frayling. A thirty-five-year-old, Hayes had apparently died of heart attack while still on the saddle in the middle of the race on June 4, 1923. Sweet Kiss won the race by a head. Nobody knew he died until Miss Frayling and the race officials came to congratulate him. It is said that Hayes had to reduce his weight from 142 pounds to 130 pounds in a very short time in order to fit the weight requirements for the race that day. That stress combined with the excitement of racing were thought to have given him a heart attack. After the incident, Sweet Kiss never raced again and was claimed to have been nicknamed the Sweet Kiss of Death for the rest of her life.(source)

4 Isadora Duncan, an American dancer, died when her long scarf got caught in the wheel and axle of the car she was riding in and broke her neck.

Angela Isadora Duncan was an acclaimed dancer who performed throughout Europe and was known for developing a dance technique that involved free and natural movements. She lived an eventful, yet tragic life. She lost three of her children and her personal and professional life declined putting her in financial difficulties. On the night of September 14, 1927, she wore a long, flowing, silk hand-painted scarf gifted to her by a friend on a carriage ride with him. He urged her to also wear a cape because she was going to ride in the open air in cold weather. Duncan, however, agreed to wear only the scarf which became entangled in the open-spoke wheel and axle, hurling her out of the car and breaking her neck.(source)



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5 Mary Hardy Reeser, 67, was found totally cremated. Even though this would have required extremely high temperatures of over 2,500 F for three to four hours, yet her apartment showed little evidence of fire.

On July 2, 1951, Reesers landlady went to her apartment to deliver a telegram and found that the doorknob was hot, She immediately called the police. Reesers remains, mostly ashes except for her spine and left foot was found along with the remains of the chair in which she had been sitting. Her skull was found shrunken, which is unusual, as skulls had either expanded or exploded during other suspected spontaneous human combustion incidents.

It also puzzled the FBI that the rest of the apartment was unharmed except for melted plastic objects which had been setting only a little away from her body, It takes temperatures between 2,500 F (1,370 C) and 3,000 F (1,650 C) for three to four hours to cremate a body so thoroughly. It was hypothesized that Reeser, a known user of sleeping pills, fell asleep while smoking and set fire to her nightclothes. The FBI eventually declared that the fat and other fuels in her body underwent combustion with her clothes acting as a wick.(source)
MEXICO CITY  The bodies of nine men and two women turned up one morning last week on the outskirts of Veracruz, a major port city on Mexicos Gulf coast. Nude or partially clothed and bound at the ankles, the corpses showed the scars of torture and were accompanied by a sign: You want a war, youll get a war.

Authorities have not said whether they believe the bloodied bodies discovered Tuesday night were a warning from one drug cartel to another, or a taunt aimed at the Mexican government, which the same day had announced it was sending more federal troops to the state of Veracruz to combat a recent increase in killings there.

One thing is clear, however. More than a decade after then-President Felipe Calderon launched a crusade against drug cartels _ dispatching tens of thousands of soldiers onto local streets to battle gangs _ a drug war still rages, and the murder rate is once again rising rapidly.

Last year, there were 20,792 homicides in Mexico _ a 22 percent increase over 2015, and a 35 percent jump over 2014.

This year has seen an unprecedented uptick in violence, with federal statistics showing nearly 2,000 people killed in the first month of 2017 _ more than in any January since federal officials began releasing crime data in the 1990s. The Mexican government does not distinguish which deaths were tied to the cartels, but some crime experts have estimated that narco-violence could account for up to half of the overall numbers.

The surge in homicides has called into question Mexicos military-led drug war strategy, as well as the United States prominent role in the fight.

Since 2008, the U.S. government has appropriated more than $2.6 billion for the Merida Initiative, a partnership with the Mexican government aimed at disrupting organized crime and reforming Mexicos ailing police and justice systems.

Under the program, which was based on the principle that the illicit drug trade is a shared problem in need of a shared solution, the U.S. has sent Mexico more than half a billion dollars in new planes, helicopters and drug-sniffing dogs and has trained law enforcement in fields including firearms and forensics.

That support now appears to be in jeopardy, as President Donald Trump seeks to slash foreign aid in order to increase U.S. military spending and looks for creative ways to pay for construction of a border wall.

Mexican leaders, who have bristled at Trumps boast that Mexico will pay to build the wall, have indicated that they are willing to live without U.S. aid, which represents a sliver of Mexicos total security budget.

Mexican Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong recently told a local journalist that the aid is not very significant, and said, We really do not have any problems with its withdrawal. In the 10 years since the U.S. and Mexico began the Merida Initiative, he said, Mexico has changed, grown, is more developed and stronger.

But the homicide rates portray a country still embroiled in an endless fight against organized crime that has left more than 175,000 people dead over the last 10 years.

Mexico first deployed soldiers, marines and federal police officers against increasingly powerful cartels because local and state police forces were viewed as too weak to do it themselves. In some cases, cartels had infiltrated police forces, with mayors and other officials in collusion, too.

The federal forces executed a kingpin strategy that targeted the cartel leaders, and one by one, powerful drug lords, including Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, were taken into custody or killed.

While many security analysts agree that federal forces helped stop Mexico from becoming a narco state, the strategy also unwittingly unleashed a wave of violence as would-be kingpins fought for control of the cartels.

In 2011, the most violent year in modern Mexicos history, 22,852 people were killed. Mexican officials sought to assuage concerns about the bloodshed, saying most of the victims were gangsters.

The homicide rate began to dip after that, dropping to 14,353 in 2014. Officials including Osorio Chong and President Enrique Pena Nieto heralded the statistics, saying they showed tide shifting in the governments favor.

But if the new uptick in killings holds steady, 2017 could be the deadliest year since the drug war began.

Osorio Chong has blamed the increase on elections last summer that unsettled the status quo when new governors took office in a dozen states, but an analysis of statistics show an escalation of killings nationwide.

Murders rose in 25 out Mexicos 31 states in January compared with the same month last year, with the worst violence concentrated in Guerrero, Baja California Sur and Colima.

Colima, a state of just 700,000 people along a strategic drug route on the Pacific coast, had a murder rate of 116 per 100,000 people in January. That included the dozen bodies, some of them headless, that were discovered in one weekend in the seaside resort of Manzanillo.

By comparison, the homicide rate last year in Chicago, which Trump has likened to a war zone, was 28 per 100,000. For the United States, it was five.

The city of Veracruz, where the 11 bodies were discovered last week, also has been beset by violence, as the Zetas cartel battles for turf with the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which rose to prominence several years ago amid a power vacuum created when the Mexican government killed a leader of the Sinaloa cartel.

Decapitating criminal organizations has been shown, again and again, to exacerbate the violence, said law professor Catalina Perez Correa, citing a recent study that found that public shootouts involving the military increase the number of homicides in that municipality in both the short and long term.

Death and violence, perpetuated by criminal groups or by the state, have become part of our daily lives, Perez lamented in a recent column in El Universal newspaper.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis highlighted the U.S. commitment to NATO today, stressing the alliance's importance in regional and global security while calling on nations to meet their military funding commitments.

February 15, 2017 - Defense Secretary Jim Mattis (right) talks with Britain's Defense Secretary Michael Fallon during a North Atlantic Council meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley) "For seven decades the world has watched NATO become the most successful and powerful military alliance in modern history," Mattis said in prepared remarks to a NATO defense ministerial meeting in Brussels.



He told the assembled defense leaders that NATO, with its members shared commitment, will remain what President Dwight D. Eisenhower described as a "valuable, necessary, and constructive force."



Evolving Security Challenges



Mattis, who as a Marine Corps general served as NATO's supreme allied commander for transformation, noted how the security landscape has changed in recent years, to include threats from Russia as well as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.



"The year 2014 awakened us to a new reality: Russia used force to alter the borders of one of its sovereign neighbors, and on Turkey's border ISIS emerged and introduced a ruthless breed of terror, intent on seizing territory and establishing a caliphate," he said.



While some in the 28-member alliance "have looked away in denial of what is happening," he said, NATO needs to adapt to meet the changing security situations.



"For despite the threats from the east and south, we have failed to fill gaps in our NATO Response Force or to adapt to modem threats, or increase the readiness of much of our force structure," he said.



The transatlantic alliance is built on the common defense of its members, Mattis pointed out. It arose out of strategic necessity and now must now evolve for that same reason, he said.



"Our community of nations is under threat on multiple fronts as the arc of insecurity builds on NATO's periphery and beyond," he said. "We must act in the interests of our 'democratic islands of stability' if we are to live up to our responsibilities as guardians for our nations and sentinels watching for threats."



The transatlantic bond is "essential to countering Islamic extremism, to blocking Russia's efforts to weaken democracies, and to addressing a more assertive China," he said.



NATO, he said, must tighten its decision cycle both in determining the actions of the alliance and in resourcing those decisions with robust and interoperable capabilities, he said.



Balancing Collaboration and Confrontation: Russia



How the alliance responds to threats and provocation is "not lost on any nation, not least the nation to our east, nor on its leader," Mattis said.



"While the United States and the alliance seek to engage Russia, we must at the same time defend ourselves if Russia chooses to act contrary to international law," he said.



The United States, the defense secretary said, remains willing to keep open political channels of cooperation and de-escalate tensions.



"We remain open to opportunities to restore a cooperative relationship with Moscow, while being realistic in our expectations and ensuring our diplomats negotiate from a position of strength," Mattis said.



"We are not willing, however, to surrender the values of this alliance nor let Russia, through its actions, speak louder than anyone in this room," he said.



The United States will stand firm against the threats, the defense secretary said. "We will buttress this alliance and defend ourselves, even as we watch for a Russia that lives up to its commitments in the NATO-Russia Founding Act," Mattis said.



He added, "Balancing collaboration and confrontation is admittedly an uncomfortable strategic equation."



Meeting Two Percent Defense Target



Mattis called on alliance members to meet the goal of spending two percent of their respective country's GDP on defense. Only Britain, Estonia, Greece, Poland and the United States have done so, the defense secretary said.



The American taxpayer must not continue to carry a "disproportionate share of the defense of Western values," Mattis said.



"Americans cannot care more for your children's future security than you do," he said. "Disregard for military readiness demonstrates a lack of respect for ourselves, for the alliance, and for the freedoms we inherited, which are now clearly threatened."



Immediate and steady progress toward the goal of meeting the two-percent target must become a reality, if NATO is to remain a credible alliance and able to adequately defend itself, the defense secretary said.



US Commitment in Europe



The United States under U.S. Operation Atlantic Resolve, he pointed out, is moving armored units into the Baltic States, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria to support and supplement NATO's commitment to deterrence.



The United States will soon join the Britain, Canada and Germany in leading combined and enhanced forward presence defensive forces in Poland and the Baltic States, the defense secretary said.



"In so doing our nations are demonstrating the trans-Atlantic bond, standing up for our values, and recognizing that the freedoms we hold dear are worth defending," Mattis said. By Lisa Ferdinando

DOD News

Copyright 2017 Comment on this article
RACINE  Since her Lou Gehrigs disease diagnosis in 2015, former teacher Leslie Sobota, 71, has done a lot of things.

Shes been skydiving, shot a gun, went on an Italian gondola ride, visited Michelangeos David statue in Florence and the Colosseum in Rome and has plans to go zip-lining this spring.

But one item is still missing from her bucket list  a reunion with her former fifth-grade students.

Her previous students, now adults, are willing to oblige. The students of St. Josephs Schools fifth-grade classes of 1985 to 1999 will host an open house reunion honoring Sobota and the impact shes had on them.

The open house reunion will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 18, in St. Josephs School cafeteria, 1525 Erie St. There will be refreshments provided, but attendees are asked to bring a small dish to pass.

The diagnosis

Sobota began manifesting physical symptoms  Lou Gehrigs disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, attacks motor neurons, cells that control the muscles  during the winter of 2014, and shes been dealing with the illness ever since.

It takes a while to get diagnosed, said Drew Sobota, 72, Leslies husband of nearly 50 years. This might explain why Leslie wasnt diagnosed until mid-2015.

Leslies speech is affected and she cannot walk without assistance. Shes been homebound pretty much, except for going out to events and doctors appointments, Drew said.

That wasnt always the case, as a student in Sobotas 1995-96 fifth-grade class, Donielle Witynski, remembers. She remembers Sobota as energetic and spunky.

What I liked most about her was that she was like me, kind of weird and eccentric, and she made class fun, said Witynski, 32. She still has so much to do, but her body is shutting down faster than she can do it.

School days

Witynski was one of Sobotas students who struggled to fit in.

I was loud, free-spirited and had a ton of energy which, when combined, made me the weird kid in class, being asked to sit in the hall for talking too much," she said. Then, I met Mrs. Sobota.

This woman had the patience of a saint. She supported me when I was picked on. She made me feel OK with my weird self. Her love and support continued through the rest of my time at St. Joes, into my mid-20s.

One of the most memorable things both Witynski and Leslie Sobota look back on were the overnight trips at SC Johnsons Armstrong Park, 3901 Highway 31, Caledonia. Leslie planned the outings for her students, having them earn their way through the completion of academic and physical accomplishments, including learning all 50 states.

I made them label them on the map, Sobota said.

When the Sobotas leave the house, they are reminded of the mark Leslies teaching left on former students. We always run into people and former students, Drew said. She was invariably well thought of as a teacher.

For more information about the reunion, a Facebook event page has been set up. It can be found by searching for St. Joes 5th Grade Student Reunion for Mrs. Sobota.
It is a website so racist, with language so vile, we couldnt possibly show it unaltered in this space. But Shanta White saw it all, including the pictures mocking her daughter.

How would you attack somebodys dead daughter, she asks. Why would you attack somebodys family because of the color of their skin?

In 2015 Samirria White was shot in the head by her boyfriend in her Saint Paul apartment while holding her three-month-old daughter.

And then to have this, says Shante White, her voice trailing off.

Whites sister discovered Samirras photos on chimpmania.com while doing a Google search of Samirria.

When White called out the racist website on her Facebook page, the website lifted her Facebook photos and posted those to the site too.

This is my cousins, this is my sons, my granddaughter, my niece and my nephew, White said in disbelief. How do you get to hurt them? How do you get to call them monkeys and gorillas and chimps?

Robin Phillips, executive director of The Advocates for Human Rights, says we're seeing a large increase in hate crimes, hate speech, in harassment.

Phillips says producers of such material hide behind the first amendment, but deserve no cover. It's irresponsible, it's horrifying, it violates principles of human rights and decency, and I think the more people who stand up and say this is unacceptable the more that people who are targeted by this can feel protected.

Domain records suggest chimpmania.com is registered to a post office box in Kirkland, Washington. In 2014 a Dallas mother attempted to get the site taken down after the website mocked her daughter who had lost all four of her limbs to sepsis.

Nearly 30,000 people have signed change.org petition to have the website taken down - but it's still up. And still spewing hate.

White is now raising her granddaughter, left motherless by Samirrias murder.

I'm trying to do the best thing I can for her, and make sure she becomes the best woman she can be, she says.

It was already too much. Before this.
ASHTON  There were plenty of cooks in the kitchen Friday but not too many.

Don Marty and Marion Hellenbrand used an attachment on the front of an industrial mixer to chop cabbage for coleslaw. A few feet away, Beth Spahn and Jackie Hellenbrand stood before a pile of potatoes and wrapped each with a 9-inch-by-10-inch piece of precut aluminum foil.

Some packed coleslaw into five-and-a-half-ounce plastic cups, others worked at slicing loaves of homemade white bread and a few cut one-pound bricks of Alcam butter into quarters, placing each onto a small saucer.

At the sink, a team of six worked on the main course for the fish fry at St. Peters Catholic Church in the basement below the 151-year-old parish school. This is where they pried apart loins of cod before slicing the fish into three-and-half-inch long cutlets and sorting the chunks by thickness to ensure consistency at cooking time.

There was also plenty of good-natured ribbing, sips from cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Bud Light and a work ethic that has helped define this rural German enclave northwest of Middleton, whether it be in a field, barn or church kitchen during Lent while preparing the fixings for a Wisconsin tradition.

Its almost like an ant colony. Everybodys got their purpose, said Charlotte Wagner, 71, a 1959 graduate of the school who spent part of Friday placing forks and knives at each of the 200 place settings. It makes everyone happy but you have to work hard.

And work it is. Eight times a school year between October and Good Friday, which this year is April 14. Theres also a dinner on March 24.

In a good year, the event raises nearly $60,000 for the church and the school that requires a considerable time investment by parish families and more than a ton of food.

The supply list for each dinner includes more than 1,200 pounds of fish, 48 pounds (prior to adding water) of batter mix, 250 pounds of potatoes, 420 pounds of french fries, 360 pounds of cabbage and 500 cups of coffee as well as 95 loaves of bread and 60 9-by-13-inch cakes that are baked at church members homes.

Each Friday fish fry requires 120 volunteers and draws between 1,000 and 1,200 diners who pay $12 each to eat family-style in groups of 10 around banquet tables. They pass around platters and bowls filled with golden-fried fish, baked potatoes, french fries and green beans. Theres also a takeout counter where Styrofoam containers are filled and stacked into brown paper Pick n Save bags. A two-piece dinner is $9.50 and a four-piece is $12. Each includes two slices of bread and a dessert.

Its quite the operation, said the Rev. Tait Schroeder as he surveyed the busy kitchen. Theres a real dedication to it.

St. Peters isnt alone when it comes to nonprofit fish fries. Scores of churches throughout the state have similar versions.

Just in the Madison area on Friday there were 11 others listed on the calendar posted on the website of the Catholic Diocese of Madison.

They included dinners at St. James and Maria Goretti in Madison, St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo, Our Lady of the Assumption in Beloit and St. Mary in Fennimore. St. Patrick School in Janesville will hold a fish fry this coming Friday while the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic mens group, is in the midst of 12 fish fries in a row, with the finale on Good Friday.

The Knights of Columbus dinners are held at the Round Table, 1611 N. Bristol St., Sun Prairie, and include baked or deep-fried cod, shrimp and chicken tenders. Each fish fry benefits youth groups in the Sun Prairie area.

The Knights do the cooking but each organization helps with set up, serving, cleaning and promotion. The benefactors over the past 15 years have included Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts; softball, swim and bowling teams; and the high school drama department. Groups typically get between $1,000 to $2,600, depending on turnout.

In a five-hour time frame, thats a pretty good fundraising event, said Bret Clostermery, who oversees finances for the Knights. To get a good turnout, the groups need to put in the effort.

St. Peters fish fry was the brainchild of Carrie Meier and Evelyn Acker, and began in the fall of 1977 to raise money for the church and school. Meiers daughter, Jan Barman, is now in charge of the event, which has grown over the years into a tasty staple of the parish.

You just show up and everybody does their job. We have a few glitches here and there but overall its good, said Barman, who spent part of Friday mixing vinegar and oil into coleslaw. This is a community get together. Everything works out good with God and hard work.

The schools kitchen was built years before the first fish fry and has been retrofitted to accommodate three ovens, four deep fryers that each hold 10 gallons of oil and two smaller fryers used for french fries.

Earlier this year, when one of the ovens malfunctioned, the oven in the rectory where Schroeder lives was commandeered to help bake potatoes.

The bulk of the nearly 20 volunteers who do the prep work arrive around 12:30 p.m. on the day of a fish fry. Most of the fish frys remaining volunteers arrive around 4 p.m.

Volunteers are divided into two teams of 120 and alternate fish fries. They do the same job each time they volunteer, which improves efficiency.

Volunteers will typically do multiple jobs in an afternoon. Some who cut fish later ran deep fryers for french fries or helped shuttle fried fish into warming containers. Those on coleslaw duty switched to filling tarter sauce while Don Marty, one of the few Swiss in the room, started out shredding cabbage and then helped out mixing batter.

The secret is you have people that show up, said Marty, a professional baker for more than 40 years. But you cant say anything bad about anybody because 90 percent of them are related. Its a very close-knit community.

The parish advertises that the dining room is open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Friday, Lori Meinholz placed the first piece of battered cod into a deep fryer at 4:01 p.m.

By 4:30 p.m., more than 60 people were seated and eating. By 5 p.m. the main parking lot of the church and school was nearly full and a line had formed up the steps.

Maryellen Frey offered up $2.50 cans of beer and $1 sodas from a pair of coolers at the bottom of the steps at the entrance to the dining room while her husband, Roger, manned a fish deep fryer.

Other volunteers picked up the pace to shuttle food from fryers and ovens into bowls and platters and ultimately to tables where crosses with purple cloth served as centerpieces and a reminder of the Lenten season.

We must be doing something right because people keep coming back, Meinholz said as she covered pieces of cod with a light batter. Its all about the camaraderie with the people.


Internationally-renowned model and rising Aussie DJ, Brooke Evers, rocked the turntables at award winning gentlemens club Crazy Horse III, celebrating the clubs Spring Break Strip Down parties on Friday night in Las Vegas (Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.j3photo.net).

Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.j3photo.net.

The sexy blonde bombshell arrived around 2:30 a.m. with a group of close friends, greeted by excited guests as she headed to the DJ booth. Wearing a Minimal Animale black two piece, denim thigh high boots, fishnet tights and a homemade denim jacket around her waist, Evers appeared to be full of energy, dancing and spinning some of her new club mixes.

Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.j3photo.net.

Evers partied late into the night, sipping on coconut water between shots of 70th Anniversary Don Julio Anejo in the company of several of Crazy Horse IIIs gorgeous dancers.

Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / www.j3photo.net.

Ive been working on some new stuff in the studio, so its fun to debut these things for spring break said Evers, when asked about her set. Ill be touring all over the world for the next few weeks, celebrating spring break everywhere, so Crazy Horse III in Vegas is a good place to kick things off.

Evers has performed at the club before and is a fan-favorite, consistently keeping the high-energy crowd entertained with her party anthems. Evers gained popularity quickly throughout the past few years as an international model, television personality and DJ, jumping into the music scene with her own style of R&B and electro-house.

Crazy Horse III is consistently named the top gentlemens club in Las Vegas, with recognition from Maxim, Cigar Aficionado and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, among others.
By: Dezan Shira & Associates

Over the next six months, Vietnam will adjust nearly all of its area codes within the country. First announced in 2016, under the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) Decision No. 2036/QD-BTTT, gradual implementation of these changes come as part of a concerted effort by Vietnamese authorities to enhance cohesion with global best practices set out by the International Telecommunications Union.

Currently, Vietnamese area codes range from one to three digits and lack in a clearly defined system of organization. Under the updated structure, all area codes outside of Vietnams capital, Hanoi, and its financial hub, Ho Chi Minh City, will be standardized to three digits in length. Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi will be shifted to area codes of two digits, away from their current one digit codes. In addition to standardizing length, all area codes will now start with the number two, opposed to the prevailing area code classification which allows for any number.

For those living or traveling in Vietnam, or Vietnamese based investors routinely coordinating with partners outside of Vietnam over the phone, it will be important to understand how and when area codes will change and the correct number at which differing parties may be reached.

RELATED: Pre-Investment Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Understanding the rollout of area code adjustments

The rollout for adjustments will be split into three stages. The first of these, impacting smaller provinces throughout the country, was started on 11 February and will continue through 14 April. During the first 30 days from 11 February, both the new area code and the old area code will work interchangeably with existing phone numbers. Following the first 30 days, callers will no longer be able to call using old numbers but instead will be prompted to use new area codes via a prerecorded message.

The second and third stages of the rollout will begin on 15 April and 17 June respectively and will follow the same structure as the first stage outlined above. For the majority of foreign investors, situated in Vietnams capital or Ho Chi Minh City, the third stage, running from 17 June to 31 August, will be the stage which will impact their cities.

During all periods, local officials will be actively monitoring the rollout, in conjunction with the Ministry of Information and Communication, and will be available should any parties have questions or concerns.

The full list of area code adjustments to be implemented in Vietnam

Under the MICs Decision, a full list of areas to be impacted by adjustments has been released. Please see below for a stage by state timetable covering all of these jurisdictions:



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Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2017 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam. Compiled by Dezan Shira & Associates, a specialist foreign direct investment practice, this guide explains the basics of company establishment, annual compliance, taxation, human resources, payroll, and social insurance in this dynamic country.



Managing Contracts and Severance in Vietnam

In this issue of Vietnam Briefing, we discuss the prevailing state of labor pools in Vietnam and outline key considerations for those seeking to staff and retain workers in the country. We highlight the increasing demand for skilled labor, provide in depth coverage of existing contract options, and showcase severance liabilities that may arise if workers or employers choose to terminate their contracts.
HCM City plans to become a smart city, and the task requires concerted efforts by the administration and information technology community, a top city leader has said. Photo hanoimoi.com.vn

Speaking at a meeting yesterday with information technology executives, Tran Vinh Tuyen, deputy chairman of the city Peoples Committee, said: Information technology is the most important factor in successfully building a smart city, and the city would like to seek solutions and contributions from information technology companies.

Nguyen Quoc Cuong, deputy director of the Department of Information and Communications, said the city is drafting a master plan to build a smart city in 2017-20 that seeks to ensure a high quality of living and working and sustainability.

The project should appraise the current digital capability, identify priority fields and then come up with a detailed roadmap to create the smart city.

The smart citys central mission will be the convenience of local residents, create an open playing field for all companies and take advantage of all international and domestic resources, and this will need close co-operation between research institutes, scientists, technology companies, and financial organisations.

City authorities should pledge to support the task and the achievements should be measured based on international standards and the citys peculiar conditions.

The city has already begun to work on the smart city programme, creating a common city-wide database with an open eco-system and conceiving links between the smart city and its long-cherished administrative autonomy plans.

The smart city will comprise three technical aspects -- a data collection system with cameras, censors, and devices for the Internet of Things and information technology system, a database system, and an analysis system.

To operate a smart city will require professional managers and staff, Cuong said.

Authorities would guide universities and research institutes in training requirements, he said.

The smart city will not depend on any [particular] suppliers and have a unified architecture and easy connectivity between all levels of authorities, from city to commune.

At the meeting, the IT business executives displayed many solutions for a smart city.
John Vaudreuil, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin based in Madison, will submit his resignation Monday after Attorney General Jeff Sessions called for him and 45 other U.S. attorneys to leave their jobs.

Vaudreuil, 62, said first assistant Jeffrey Anderson will lead the districts office until the U.S. Senate confirms a nominee.

The Justice Department announced Friday that Sessions asked for the attorneys immediate resignations, saying it is a right of any presidential administration in order to ensure a uniform transition.

Vaudreuil said Saturday that he expected to resign during President Donald Trumps administration, since it isnt uncommon for all 93 U.S. attorneys to leave their positions under a new president. He didnt foresee the sudden call from the Justice Department, though.

I did not expect any call (Friday), thats for sure, Vaudreuil said. But while I didnt expect it, as I told the deputy U.S. attorney, I understood that its the presidents right.

A native of Rice Lake, Vaudreuil was appointed in 2010 by former President Barack Obama. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1979, Vaudreuil became an assistant U.S. attorney in Wisconsins Western District. It was his first and only job as a lawyer before his appointment as U.S. attorney for the district.

As U.S. attorney, it was Vaudreuils role to prosecute federal offenders in the 44 counties of Wisconsins Western District based on the priorities of the federal government. The attorney general creates priorities for the country, but Vaudreuil said it was his job to use those priorities to determine which charges should be brought against alleged offenders in his district.

Im the person who signs all the indictments when theyre brought to the grand jury, Vaudreuil said. While he made the final decision, he added, he relied on recommendations from attorneys in his office.

Under Obama, former Attorneys General Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch prioritized broad subjects, Vaudreuil said, including terrorism against Americans, financial crimes and human trafficking. Vaudreuil focused those priorities on protecting residents from hate crimes and prosecuting people who exploit children, including for child pornography.

In addition to his prosecutions, Vaudreuil said a point of pride is the community outreach achieved through his time at the helm.

What Im most proud of is the strengthening of our bond with, first, our law enforcement officers, and second, what Im going to call the communities that are most likely to be targets of hate crimes, he said.

Vaudreuil said the district office, which encompasses the western two-thirds of the state, spent time engaging Muslim, Native American and Latino communities throughout the region.

To me it was very important to build a relationship with those communities before any (hate crimes) happened, so when we come in, they could put a face on it and build trust, Vaudreuil said.

Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said Vaudreuil will be missed in the city and throughout Dane County, where he was committed to working with law enforcement agencies to address crime involving gun violence and drugs.

Those are the things, quite frankly, that put the community at greatest risk, Koval said. It has helped to have a swift and unequivocal response in the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Vaudreuil also worked with the Madison Police Department on deterrence and re-entry efforts for repeat violent offenders, partnering in a program that combines support in areas such as housing, education and employment with zero tolerance for the commission of new crimes.

Wisconsin isnt the only place that has benefited from Vaudreuils expertise. Vaudreuil has also been a part of an outreach program to nations around the world. Since 2001, he has gone on teaching trips to Albania, Uganda, Indonesia and many other countries to educate prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges.

Hes been an incredible asset to not only this community but criminal justice around the world, said Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, who has worked with Vaudreuil on criminal cases that overlap their jurisdictions since also taking office in 2010.

As for what hell do next, Vaudreuil said he has some ideas but nothing was set in stone yet.

Ive been at this (almost) 40 years, so Im in no rush out the door to get a job, he said, adding that he hopes to continue his outreach efforts.

Ive put in a lot of time to get out and tell people what its like to be a prosecutor in a free country, Vaudreuil said.
The White House must promptly produce any evidence it has to substantiate President Donald Trumps charge that his phones were wiretapped last year at the behest of former President Barack Obama. Thats the message from key U.S. lawmakers, Republican and Democratic, before hearings on Capitol Hill probing charges of Russian meddling in American elections. VOAs Michael Bowman reports.
The death toll from twin bombings on a religious shrine in the capital Damascus has risen to 74, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Most of the dead were Iraqi Shi'ite pilgrims.

Images from the scene showed several wrecked tourist buses, with eyeglasses, shoes, cellphones and a mangled wheelchair scattered in the blood-stained wreckage.

An al-Qaida-linked alliance claimed responsibility for the blasts.

Syrian authorities and monitors cited conflicting reports about the cause of the blasts. State television said bombs had been planted in the Syrian capital's Bab al-Saghir cemetery, which includes a shrine where Shi'ites venerate some of the early figures of their faith. The Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah, however, said suicide bombers carried explosives to the shrine, which marks one of the seven gates to the Old City of Damascus.

All accounts agreed that the two explosions were detonated 10 to 15 minutes apart, which meant many casualties occurred when the crowds rushed to the blast scene to offer help, and the second bomb exploded.

In a separate development Saturday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed that his army will continue an offensive against Islamic State all the way to the extremists' de-facto capital, Raqqa, even as a rival, U.S.-coordinated Kurdish force prepares an all-out assault on the same extremist stronghold.

Assad spoke in an interview aired Saturday by Hong Kong-based satellite Phoenix television.

Asked about the deployment of 500 U.S. troops last week at Manbij, Assad said "any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation ... are invaders."

Three rival anti-jihadist armies are now converging on the area northwest of Raqqa: a Turkish force and allied Sunni fighters; Assad's largely Shi'ite army, backed by Russia and Shi'ite militias that Iran supplies; and the U.S.-backed Kurdish force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The close proximity of those forces has prompted warnings that longstanding antipathy between Turkey and Kurdish fighters in the SDF could boil over into conflict ahead of any combined assault on Raqqa.

The Pentagon described the U.S. deployment this week as a precautionary move aimed at keeping the rival forces in and near Manbij from attacking each other.
A former White House spokesman during the Obama administration said Sunday he believes more will come to light regarding ties between Russia and aides to President Donald Trump.

Josh Earnest pointed in part to political consultant Roger Stone's communication with an individual involved in hacking Democratic National Committee emails. And when asked about Trump's claim, made without evidence on Twitter, that Obama ordered a wiretap on him, Earnest simply said: "The bigger the scandal, the more outrageous the tweet."

"It's undeniable that there's a lot of really good unanswered questions about why senior Trump officials are, at best, not being forthcoming about their interactions with Russians," Earnest told The Associated Press. Stone "is somebody that we know, that President Trump has acknowledged, that he relies on for political advice."

"These are questions that need answered and it's not particularly surprising to me that President Trump is looking for some colorful ways to distract from that line of questioning," he said.

Earnest, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, served through all eight years of the Obama administration and became his press secretary in May 2014. In that role, he famously had tough words for Trump, once describing his campaign as having a "dustbin of history-like quality" before speaking about White House worries about Russian meddling in the November election.

Earnest said Trump took office pledging to "break the China ... and he's looking for ways to conspicuously make good on that promise." That includes the more-hostile approach Trump and officials in his administration have taken in relation to the press, he said.

But that also comes as a way to distract from questions surrounding his campaign's contacts with Russia, like those of Stone, Earnest said. Stone told The Washington Times in an interview that he had a "perfunctory, brief and banal" private Twitter exchange with "Guccifer 2.0," the online persona that posted the DNC emails online.

The U.S. government later concluded that the Russian government directed the DNC hack in an attempt to influence the outcome of the presidential election. Stone's acknowledgement could pose a new headache for the White House as the FBI and the House and Senate intelligence committees investigate Russia's interference ahead of the vote.

"There's a lot more to this story to be written," Earnest said.

Earnest was in Dubai to attend the government-sponsored Public Diplomacy & Government Communication Forum. He said while he received questions about Trump, he hadn't been questioned yet about the nuclear deal with Iran.

Gulf Arab nations like the United Arab Emirates are incredibly skeptical of the deal, worried about Iranian influence spreading amid the war against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Earnest said the deal and its requirement of ongoing verification "enhanced the national security of our partners here in the Gulf."

"While our strategy may have been different than what was prioritized here, our goals were the same," he said.

Earnest spoke Sunday morning to a closed-door meeting of Emirati officials and others on "crafting key messages and holding statements." While acknowledging "the norms and traditions for political journalism are different in the UAE than they are in the United States," he said his visit and events like the forum could only help.

"It's an opportunity to talk to people here about how much our country benefits from government communication professionals being interested in engaging with independent journalists," he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, making his first trip to Japan, South Korea and China as the top United States diplomat this week, is expected to expand the effort to find new options for dealing with North Korea and the nuclear and military threat it poses to the region and to the world.

Pyongyang's provocative gestures, such as firing multiple missiles into the Sea of Japan this month, have been so strident that Washington said it is moving farther away from considering the option of a direct engagement with the North Koreans and their mercurial young leader, Kim Jong-Un.

Other factors complicating the secretary of state's discussions in Seoul and Beijing are the complex political situation in South Korea, which has just impeached its president, and China's resentment about the deployment in South Korea of a controversial U.S. defensive missile system.



Following President Park Guen-hye's departure from the Blue House in Seoul, Tillerson will meet for the first time with South Korea's acting president, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is obliged to call new elections within 60 days.

Close partners in South Korea

A senior State Department official told reporters in an advance briefing the United States will continue to work with Hwang for the remainder of his tenure, and added that Tillerson would not be meeting with opposition factions in Seoul.



What were seeing play out now is a manifestation of the democratic process in South Korea. This is the kind of institution that makes us such close partners, and friends with people in South Korea, the senior official said.



The United States continues to be a steadfast ally, friend, and partner to the ROK (South Korea). The U.S.-ROK alliance will continue to be a linchpin of regional stability and security," she added.



'Reach out to all sides'



Tillerson should make every effort to reach out to all sides in South Korea that have a vested interested in a strong ROK-U.S. alliance, Harry Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest told VOA.



This is the only way to ensure that if Seoul in the near future does seek a detente with Pyongyang, which is very possible under a more leftist government, America and South Korea can work together to coordinate policy and take some sort of joint approach, he added.



The United States has also become embroiled in a dispute with China over the deployment of a controversial American missile-defense system in South Korea.



The first elements of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system, known as THAAD, arrived in South Korea last week, one day after North Korea launched at least four ballistic missiles in rapid succession, sending the rockets over the Sea of Japan, within 350 kilometers of Japanese territory.

US: THAAD is no threat to China

Washington said the proximity of those events demonstrated the U.S. action was defensive in nature, and intended exclusively to counter the threat from Pyongyang.

Weve been very clear in our conversations with China that this is not meant to be a threat. Not a threat to them or any other power in the region. It is a defensive system, Mark Toner, the State Department's acting spokesperson, has told reporters.

Nevertheless, Beijing has strongly opposed deployment of the advanced U.S. weapons system near its borders, declaring THAAD is an unnecessary and provocative military escalation. The basis of China's opposition is its military leaders' belief the powerful radar the U.S. system uses to track missiles launched by North can also look deep into China.

I believe that they will sustain this pressures during the next few months, in the hope the new leader of South Korea can be convinced to reverse the decision, said Dennis Wilder, an adviser to former President George W. Bush and currently a senior fellow at Georgetown University's U.S.-China Initiative.

Groundwork for Xi's trip to US



In China, where Tillerson will meet with President Xi Jinping, one of his primary tasks is preparing for a visit to the United States by the Chinese leader expected later this year.

Washington is intent on pursuing a constructive relationship with China, while remaining determined to ensuring that China abides by international rules, and that trade between the two countries is conducted on a so-called level playing field - under conditions that favor neither side unfairly.



Wilder of Georgetown's U.S.-China Initiative told VOA that Chinese officials will be looking for indications of how seriously President Trump will pursue economic issues such as redressing the trade balance and seeking more opportunities for U.S. firms to export goods and services to China.
A powerful storm could bring blizzard conditions and more than a foot of snow to some parts of the Northeast, proving that winter is not done yet.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch from late Monday night through Tuesday evening for New York City and parts of northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut, while winter storm warnings and watches were issued for the remainder of the Northeast.

Meteorologists said the storm could dump 12 to 18 inches of snow on New York City with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph.

Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and help keep the roads clear for sanitation crews and first responders.

"We're preparing for a significant storm on Tuesday, and New Yorkers should also prepare for snow and dangerous road conditions," de Blasio said.

Light snow is expected to begin late Monday night and intensify overnight into early Tuesday morning. The heaviest snowfall is expected Tuesday morning through the afternoon, with snowfall rates of as much as 2 to 4 inches per hour.

"This would certainly be the biggest snowstorm of the 2017 winter season in New York City," said Faye Barthold, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island.

Boston also could get 12 to 18 inches, with isolated amounts of up to 2 feet across northeastern Massachusetts.

In Philadelphia, crews began treating some area roadways on Sunday. The city could see 6 to 12 inches of snow. The weather service said there is a chance the snow could change over to a wintry mix or rain for a time Tuesday morning, which could limit total snowfall amounts.

Farther south, in the nation's capital, where the National Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled to start Wednesday, snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are expected.

Winter's last hurrah arrives just a week after the region saw temperatures climb in the 60s.
At least 38 people were killed and about a dozen injured in northern Haiti late on Saturday after a bus drove into a parade of pedestrians while fleeing from an accident, civil protection authorities said on Sunday.

The bus, which was traveling from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au-Prince, initially hit two people in a town outside Gonaives in northern Haiti, killing one, said Joseph Faustin, civil protection head in the Artibonite department.

The bus driver then fled and crashed into three "rara" parades in Mapou, about 5 km (3 miles) away, Faustin said.

Rara parades, which usually take place around Easter, are groupings of musicians playing traditional instruments who are often joined by passers-by.

In total, 34 people were killed at the scene and an another four people died in hospital, said Fred Henry, the area's deputy representative, who added that the incident had occurred around 4 a.m.

"Usually the drivers involved in such accidents don't stop because they are afraid they might be killed [in reprisal]," Henry said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident.

The driver and passengers on the bus were taken to the police station, said Patrick Cherilus, a Civil Protection spokesman for Artibonite.

They have since been released and the bus driver has fled, said Jean Bazlais Bornelus, the police chief for the area.

After the accident, other musicians and people in the parade began hurling rocks at the bus and passing vehicles, injuring other people, said Albert Moulion, the Ministry of the Interior's spokesman.

Haitian roads are dangerous and chaotic, with few rules observed by pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers.

President Jovenel Moise called for an investigation into the incident.

"The head of state sends ... sincere condolences to the victims' families and loved ones," he added.
Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, also known as Carlos the Jackal, is due to go on trial Monday for a deadly attack in a Paris' shopping mall decades ago, the oldest one blamed on the former public enemy of France and probably the last one to come to court.

The Venezuelan-born Ramirez Sanchez, one of the most notorious political terrorists of the 1970s and `80s, is serving a life sentence in France for a series of murders and attacks he perpetrated or organized in the country on behalf of the Palestinian cause or communist revolution.



He first was convicted by a French court 20 years ago, and again in 2011 and 2013. If convicted on first-degree murder charges in the latest trial, he could get a third life sentence.



Ramirez Sanchez, 67, is scheduled to appear in a Paris court for allegedly throwing a hand grenade from a mezzanine restaurant onto a shopping arcade in the French capital's Latin Quarter in September 1974. Two people were killed and dozens injured.



At the time of the attack, Ramirez Sanchez had not yet been dubbed "Carlos the Jackal" or become one of the world's most wanted fugitives. He was 24 years old and already had joined the organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.



When police arrived, they found a devastated mall with all the windows shattered, multiple bloodstains and a hole in the marble slab of the ground floor where the grenade fell. The two men who died were hit by metal chips that perforated vital organs and caused large internal bleeding, according to court documents.



Carlos has pleaded innocent and denied involvement in the case. His long-time lawyer and fiance, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, claims that none of the witnesses from the trendy Drugstore Publicis restaurant had described a man resembling her client, and that the whole case was trumped-up.



Yet an Arab language news magazine in France, Al-Watan Al-Arabi, published a long interview with a man it identified as Ramirez Sanchez five years after the attack. He allegedly claimed he had personally thrown the grenade into the restaurant, described the full details of the operation and explained why it was carried out. Carlos later disputed he had given the interview.



In the 1979 article, the man said to be Carlos said he attacked the Drugstore Publicis to pressure for the release of a Japanese activist arrested in France two months earlier. The attack, he said, came as a backup operation for a hostage-taking that was then ongoing at the French Embassy in the Netherlands.



It was in the name of the Palestinian cause that he subsequently became the military chief of the PFLP in Europe, claiming the "operational and political responsibility" for all the operations of the group on the continent and also for "all the wounded and all the dead," according to court documents.



"I am a hero of the Palestinian resistance, and I am the only survivor of [the group's] professional executives in Europe because I used to shoot first," he told investigators.



Carlos was arrested in Sudan by the French intelligence services in 1994, 20 years after the first attack blamed on him in France.



The case took so long to go to trial because it was first dismissed for lack of evidence before being reopened when Carlos was arrested and imprisoned in France. His lawyers introduced challenges at every stage of the proceedings.



The case will be heard by a special court made up of professional judges and with no jurors, as is the custom with terrorism trials in France.



During one interrogation, Carlos allegedly told investigators that "in 1974 it was obviously an attack. A grenade was thrown." He added: "I don't think the person who did this wanted to hurt the poor people who were present."


Aliza Kaplan

Amy Saack

Abstract

This Article argues that criminal convictions in state courts should be subject to the same unanimity requirements that the Sixth Amendment imposes on federal criminal convictions. Part I of this Article provides an overview of the U.S. Supreme Courts jurisprudence on jury size and nonunanimity. Part I includes a discussion of Apodaca v. Oregon and Johnson v. Louisiana, the Courts 1972 decisions holding that the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments did not require jury unanimity in state court criminal jury trials even though federal law requires that federal juries must reach criminal verdicts unanimously. This is followed by a summary of many of the recently denied certiorari petitions that have pressed the Court to reconsider the jury unanimity issue in light of changing Sixth Amendment jurisprudence and social science evidence. Part II explains how the Courts recent jurisprudence contradicts its 1972 Apodaca and Johnson rulings under the doctrine of incorporation. Specifically, applying the Courts 2010 McDonald v. City of Chicago incorporation approach to Oregons and Louisianas nonunanimous jury law signifies that overturning Apodaca should be easy, and in fact indicates that the Court should incorporate the few unincorporated provisions of the Bill of Rights. In addition to the incorporation doctrine, Part III argues that nonunanimous verdicts undermine the reasonable doubt requirement of the right to a jury trial and that the Courts own case law prior to and since Apodaca and Johnson confirms this right to unanimity, which ensures that the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt as a component has been met. Part IV sets forth the current research that shows that unanimity is essential to the purposes of the fair cross section and complete deliberation requirements of the Sixth Amendment. Part V addresses how nonunanimous verdicts contribute to convicting innocent defendants, and Part VI discusses how nonunanimous verdicts disproportionally affect both minority jurors and minority defendants in Oregon. Finally, this Article concludes by recommending that the Supreme Court overturn Apodaca v. Oregon, as the law and current research supports that unanimous juries should be required in all criminal cases. Moreover, even if the Supreme Court does not act, Oregons citizenry and Legislature should support amending the state constitution to abolish majority verdicts in all criminal cases. Such an amendment would serve to protect innocent defendants and end a rule that was founded to silence minority viewpoints.
As the battle is nearing to recapture the Syrian city of Raqqa - the de facto capital of Islamic State - more civilians are reported fleeing their homes to seek safety in areas outside the control of the terror group.

Every day, dozens of local residents embark on a dangerous journey to get out of the city, and are paying large amounts of money to smugglers to facilitate their escape, according to local activists and military officials.

Smugglers charge up to $700 for each individual who wants to flee the city, said Hussam Eesa, a founding member of Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, a group that reports on IS activities in Raqqa and elsewhere.

The fleeing of civilians has continued despite a decree issued by IS last month requiring residents of Raqqa to get permission from IS's security offices before traveling between villages under the group's control.

Eesa told VOA that those who are caught by IS while attempting to flee are either jailed or publicly executed.

IS on the verge of isolation



U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have made major advances against IS in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces, as part of their offensive to isolate Islamic State in Raqqa.

Last week, SDF forces cut off the main highway that links Raqqa to Deir Ezzor, adding more pressure on the militant group inside the city.

IS is estimated to have around 4,000 fighters inside Raqqa.

Most civilians escaping IS rule in Raqqa end up at camps run by anti-IS forces in the northern parts of Raqqa, activist Eesa added.

We receive many of them every day, an SDF commander, who insisted on anonymity, told VOA. First we screen them thoroughly to make certain that they are not linked [to IS], and then settle them at the camp in Ayn Issa [in northern Raqqa]."

The commander said that so far hundreds of Raqqa residents have been resettled at the SDF-sponsored camp in Ayn Issa.

Saeed Shlash, a Syrian journalist who lives in Turkey said IS has an interest in keeping the civilians inside the city.

Islamic State wants to keep civilians in Raqqa to use them as human shields when anti-IS forces bring the battle into the city, Shlash said.



Loss of border region weakened IS

After being ousted from the border regions with Turkey, IS no longer has the advantage to generate revenue through smuggling oil and other goods in and out of Turkey.

U.S.-led coalition airstrikes have targeted many IS oil facilities, including tankers and refineries across Syria and Iraq, dealing a major blow to ISs once flourishing black market economy.

Some analysts believe ISs deteriorating financial situation has pushed some of its low-ranking members to get involved with smugglers in an effort to generate revenue. IS members reportedly provide safe passage to smugglers in exchange for money.

IS has lost most of its sources of revenue, and this has affected its ability to pay high salaries to its fighters, said Sadradeen Kinno, a Syrian researcher who closely follows militant groups in the country.

So some of their fighters and even some of their local commanders resort to human trafficking and other types of smuggling, he added.

But the group has intensified its crackdown on smugglers facilitating people's escape. The group executed two men in late February for allegedly trafficking people out of Raqqa.

Local sources estimate that more than 200,000 people live under IS rule in Raqqa, including thousands forcibly relocated there by IS from Iraq's Mosul and the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Sunday that Turkey will retaliate in the harshest ways and respond in kind to this unacceptable behavior after the Netherlands refused to allow a Turkish minister into the country and expelled another one.

In addition, Turkish officials have sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and have said the Dutch ambassador is not welcome in the country.

Earlier Sunday, Dutch riot police on horseback clashed with hundreds of Turkish government supporters in Rotterdam who were protesting the moves against the Turkish ministers.

Before clashes broke out, about 2,000 protesters had gathered outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, the countrys second largest city, to show their support for the Ankara government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is trying to push through a referendum next month to expand his powers.

Shortly after midnight, police began forcing demonstrators away from the area near the consulate. Riot police, on foot and on horseback, used force to push back the crowd, the French news agency reported.

Erdogans angry reaction

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands Saturday because of growing opposition to Turkeys referendum campaigning throughout the European Union. Erdogan condemned the action and denounced the Netherlands, which is Turkeys partner in the NATO alliance, as a Nazi remnant.

After his rebuff by the Dutch, Cavusoglu said Turkey would take all necessary measures against the Netherlands. Earlier, he had threatened harsh economic and political sanctions.

After Cavusoglu was turned away and Erdogans angry reaction, Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency said that another member of the government, Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had entered the Netherlands from Germany, even though the events at which she intended to speak had been canceled.

Turkish minister unable to enter consulate

The dispute escalated late Saturday when police barred Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam in the midst of hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags and demanding to see her.

We have been stopped 30 meters from our Rotterdam consulate and we are not allowed to enter, Kaya wrote on Twitter.

Dutch officials escorted the minister back to the German border. The French news agency quotes Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb saying Kaya has been expelled back to the country she came from.

After being denied entry to the Netherlands, Turkeys Foreign Minister Cavusoglu headed to France, where he is scheduled to speak Sunday to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz. French officials said Saturday they had no plans to prevent his appearance.

Many European Union member states object to visits by Turkish ministers calling for Turkish nationals to vote for the upcoming referendum to change Turkeys constitution, because of domestic tensions the campaigning has caused. Ankara wants to drum up support among millions of Turks who live and work in Europe to give Erdogan more power, which could see him remain in office until 2029.

The owner of a venue in Swedens capital where a senior official from Turkeys ruling party was to hold a rally Sunday canceled the rental contract, Turkeys private Dogan news agency reported.

The news agency said the owner had not given a reason for the decision.

Dutch right-winger speaks out

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders waded into the debate this week ahead of a planned rally in The Hague, the Dutch capital.

We are in Holland here, not in Turkey, and a Turkish minister has no room here to lobby for somebody like Erdogan, who is a mere dictator, Wilders said.

On Saturday, Wilders said in a tweet: To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!

Ankara contends there is growing fascism in Europe, and that Europe leaders are trying to influence the outcome of its April 16 referendum.

Analyst Kamran Matin of the University of Sussex in England says Turkey has sought to exploit the rift.

It was really stemming from the German authorities concern for the German-Kurdish relation within Germany, because a large number of Turkish citizens living there are of Kurdish origin, Matin said. But I think the Turkish government and Recep Tayyip Erdogan especially, they very quickly seized on this and rechanneled it toward their campaign for changing the structure of the state.

Analyst: Europe needs Turkey

Europe has made clear its concerns over the path of the Turkish government, which has detained more than 40,000 people since a failed coup attempt last July against Erdogan. A German journalist based in Turkey was among those arrested last month.

As for the Turkish referendum, the EU fears giving Erdogan even more sweeping powers would further undermine democracy. Matin, however, says Europe  and especially Germany  needs to keep Turkey on their side.

The refugee deal [the Turks] have with the EU, and especially with respect to Germany, is crucial leverage, he said. If the refugee agreement with Turkey is upset and a vast tide of immigrants once again begins heading into Western Europe, he adds, such developments would have an immediate impact in German domestic politics.

The British-based analyst said, Turkey is such a geopolitically important state and actor, for not only European countries, but the entire Western bloc, especially facing the resurgence of Russia.

Berlin has voiced hope that diplomatic relations with Turkey will improve after the referendum.

Henry Ridgwell in London contributed to this report.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the Netherlands Sunday it would "pay a price" for refusing to allow Ankara's foreign minister into the country and expelling another minister Saturday to keep them from holding rallies with Turkish immigrants.

Erdogan accused the Dutch government, a NATO ally, of "nazism and fascism," saying only a repressive regime would block Ankara's officials from traveling to the Netherlands.

Both of the Ankara officials were trying to rally Turkish immigrants with Turkish voting rights to support Erdogan's bid to win a referendum next month to give him sweeping new powers.

The Dutch government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, facing a tough re-election contest on Wednesday against the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders, barred Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam. It then blocked Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish embassy in the port city before escorting her out of the country to Germany.

An angry Erdogan told a ceremony in Istanbul, "Hey Holland! If you are sacrificing Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake of the elections on Wednesday, you will pay a price."

Retaliation threats



Earlier Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a statement that Turkey would retaliate against Amsterdam in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behavior."

Ankara barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey, with Cavusoglu saying, "We have other steps in mind. We've already begun planning them. We will certainly take those steps and more." Turkish officials sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara.

Dutch leader Rutte called Erdogan's Nazi claim "a crazy remark."

"Turkey is a proud nation; the Netherlands is a proud nation," Rutte said. "We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail."

But Rutte said his government "will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate."

Protesters arrested



Police in Rotterdam arrested 12 protesters outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam after Dutch-Turkish demonstrators early Sunday pelted police on horseback with rocks and bottles. Police responded with batons and a water cannon. The clash erupted after protesters learned that Dutch police were escorting Kaya to Germany.

Before clashes broke out, about 2,000 protesters had gathered outside the consulate in Rotterdam, the country's second largest city, to show their support for Erdogan's government.

Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands because of growing opposition to Turkey's referendum campaigning throughout the European Union.

After Cavusoglu was turned away, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said Kaya had entered the Netherlands from Germany, even though events at which she intended to speak already had been canceled.

Hours later, after arriving back in Istanbul, where she was welcomed by a flag-waving crowd Sunday, Kaya told reporters, "We were subjected to rude and tough treatment ... Treating a female minister this way is very ugly."

Protesters have taken down the Dutch flag at the Istanbul consulate and replaced it with a Turkish flag.

After being denied entry to the Netherlands, Cavusoglu spoke to more than a hundred Turkish emigres in the northern French city of Metz. French officials had said Saturday they had no plans to prevent his appearance.

Many European Union member states object to visits by Turkish ministers calling for Turkish nationals to vote for the upcoming referendum to change Turkey's constitution, because of domestic tensions the campaigning has caused. Ankara wants to drum up support among millions of Turks who live and work in Europe to give Erdogan more powers, which could see him remain in office until 2029.

Dutch far-right leader Wilders waded into the debate this week ahead of a planned rally in The Hague, where the Dutch parliament is located.

We are in Holland here, not in Turkey, and a Turkish minister has no room here to lobby for somebody like Erdogan, who is a mere dictator," Wilders said.

On Saturday, Wilders said in a tweet: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!"
France's troubled conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon has apologized for his party's anti-Semitic tweet of rival Emmanuel Macron.

"The political battle is tough enough, but it must remain dignified," Fillon said Sunday. "I will not tolerate my party publishing caricatures that use the codes of anti-Semitic propaganda."

Fillon said he has always fought against such thinking and has asked Republican party officials to take action against whomever was responsible.

The image tweeted Friday shows Macron with a hooked nose, a top hot, and cutting a cigar with a red sickle.

France's Vichy government which collaborated with the Nazis were notorious for using such cartoons during World War II.

Allegations of anti-Semitism is the latest of Fillon's problems.

He was once favored to win the French presidency, but now trials Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

His once thriving campaign has been damaged by a financial scandal in which he is accused of paying his wife huge sums of public money for a phony job as a parliamentary assistant.

Fillon has denied wrongdoing.

The French newspaper Journal du Dimanche also reports Fillon accepted a gift of two suits from an exclusive French clothing shop which far exceeds the legal limit of donations for presidential candidates.

The first round of the election is set for April 23, followed by a runoff for the top two finishers two weeks later.
U.S.-backed Iraqi forces are pushing deeper into western Mosul Sunday to take positions still held by Islamic State militants.

Iraqi Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi told the French news agency that around more than a third of western Mosul is under the control of Iraqi units.

Large plumes of smoke could be seen Sunday above the citys skyline as a series of explosions was heard.

Since the governments initial push into the western side of the city began February 19, U.S. and Iraqi commanders have described fierce IS resistance as the extremist force seeks to hold its last significant urban area in the war-ravaged country.

U.S.-led coalition troops, officially deployed as trainers and advisers, have assisted the Iraqi force in the Mosul offensive.

Iraqi forces retook the eastern part of the city earlier this year after an offensive began October 17.

Large numbers of civilians have fled the fighting.
A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was released Sunday, after serving 20 years in prison.

Ahmed Daqamseh had opened fire on the eighth graders while they were on a class trip to the scenic ``Island of Peace'' border post, also wounding seven girls. A Jordanian court later deemed Daqamseh mentally unstable and sentenced him to life in prison, rather than imposing the death penalty.



Daqamseh arrived before dawn Sunday in his home village of Ibdir in northern Jordan. Amateur video posted online showed him being surrounded by singing and dancing men, some kissing him on the cheek.



Jordan had announced several days ago that Daqamseh would be released this week, after completing his term. In Jordan, life terms are not open-ended, and prisoners can be released after 20 years.



There was no immediate Israeli government reaction Sunday. In 2011, Israel had summoned Jordan's ambassador to express anger after the kingdom's then-justice minister called for Daqamseh's early release.



Yisrael Fatihi, whose daughter Sivan had been killed in the attack, told Israel Radio on Sunday that he had been informed by the Israeli embassy in Jordan last week that Daqamseh's release was imminent.



"It is unfortunate, but this is the situation," Fatihi said.



After the shooting, Jordan's King Hussein  the late father of the current king, Abdullah II  had rushed to Israel and paid condolence visits to the girls' families, a gesture that touched many Israelis at the time. The girls were from the town of Beit Shemesh in central Israel.



Fatihi recalled Hussein's condolence visit, saying he and his family had been sitting on the floor in mourning at the time and that the monarch knelt down next to them. "We told him we really appreciated his visit," Fatihi said.



The 1997 attack came three years after Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty. The two countries cooperate closely on security matters, including in the battle against Islamic extremism, but the peace treaty remains widely unpopular in Jordan where many residents have Palestinian roots.
Malaysia's deputy prime minister said Sunday that 315 North Koreans are in the country and barred from leaving amid a diplomatic dispute over the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half brother.



The figure is lower than an estimate previously given by a government official, who had told The Associated Press that some 1,000 North Koreans were believed to be in Malaysia.



Malaysia says Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13, but North Korea - which is widely suspected to be behind the attack - rejects the findings.



Relations have steadily deteriorated, with each country expelling the other's ambassador. On Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a "fair settlement" of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil.



Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told local media on Sunday that 2,453 North Koreans came to Malaysia from 2014 to 2017, but that the latest record showed only 315 remained.



Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said Saturday that the government hopes to begin formal talks with North Korea in the "next few days" on the release of the nine Malaysians who are in Pyongyang, comprising three embassy workers and their family members.



Anifah also said the return of Kim's body would be part of the talks' agenda.



North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysia's autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked in a crowded airport terminal.



On Friday, Malaysian police confirmed that Kim Chol and Kim Jong Nam was the same person, but refused to say how they identified Kim.



Although Malaysia has never directly accused North Korea of being behind the attack, many speculate that Pyongyang must have orchestrated it. Experts say the VX nerve agent used to kill Kim was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons.



Four of the seven North Korean suspects being sought by Malaysia are believed to have left the country the day Kim was killed. Police say the other three suspects, including a North Korean diplomat, are believed to be in hiding at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.



The attack was caught on surveillance video that shows two women going up to Kim and apparently smearing something on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes, authorities say. Two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - have been charged with murder but say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.
Shi'ite-dominated Iraqi paramilitaries fighting alongside Baghdad government forces to liberate the city of Mosul from Islamic State extremists say they have found a mass grave at a prison containing the remains of hundreds of people executed by the jihadists in 2014.

The discovery Saturday came three days after the Kurdish news agency Rudaw first reported the capture of Badush prison by an Iraqi armored division and fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi militia. The prison is about 10 kilometers northwest of Mosul.

The slaughter of an estimated 600 prisoners at Badush on June 10, 2014, was documented by Human Rights Watch and exposed to the world in a searing report published four months later, based on survivors' and witnesses' accounts.

Guards abandoned prison

Islamic State fighters entered the prison the same day they captured Mosul, the report said, and found Iraqi guards had abandoned the site, leaving all the inmates locked in their cells. The extremists herded about 1,500 prisoners onto trucks that took them about two kilometers to a remote part of the surrounding desert.

Witnesses said squads of IS gunmen separated several hundred Sunni Muslims and Christians from the larger group and sent them to another location.

The prisoners who remained were then marched to the edge of a desert ravine, told to kneel and given numbers. Each man was ordered to read his number aloud. Executioners standing some distance behind them then opened fire with machine guns and automatic weapons.

Most were killed immediately but several dozen men tumbled into the ravine still alive. They managed to survive when they were shielded by the bodies of other victims falling on them, Human Rights Watch reported.

One gravely wounded survivor said the shooting stopped only when the Islamic State gunmen ran out of ammunition.

Islamic State caliphate

Islamic State seized large swaths of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014, with plans to establish a caliphate with the Syrian city of Raqqa as its headquarters.

Iraqi and Kurdish fighters launched a counteroffensive earlier this year aimed at taking back control of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, while a loosely knit alliance of anti-jihadists in Syria is preparing to march on Raqqa later this year.

Iraqi government forces dislodged IS fighters from eastern Mosul in January, and on February 19 launched an offensive to retake districts west of the Tigris River.

The offensive has displaced tens of thousands of civilians and has faced stiff IS resistance. Days of heavy rain also slowed the government advance.

State television Friday said about half of western Mosul had been recaptured. It said the remaining jihadists were holed up in the center of Mosul's old city and in districts north of the city.
Sunny days and T-shirt-wearing temperatures made it appear winter had made an early exit. But its not finished yet  at least in the Northeast, where a powerful storm with high winds and up to a foot of snow is expected next week.



Forecasters at the National Weather Service said Saturday theres a blizzard watch for coastal regions including New York City and Boston for Monday night into Tuesday. There also is a winter storm watch for a larger area that includes much of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, upstate New York and New England.



The severe weather comes just a week after the region saw temperatures climb into the 60s in what looked like a sign of balmy spring. The chilly weather and snow some areas got on Friday was just a teaser.





Its a noticeable difference. Its going to be a cold week, said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist at the weather services Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.



Hurley said the forecast for severe weather is mostly confined to the eastern U.S., north of Washington.



The blizzard watch for the New York metro area encompasses New York City along with Long Island, coastal Connecticut and southern Westchester County.



Carlie Buccola, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island, said a snowfall of 12 to 18 inches is predicted for the area along with sustained winds up to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. Visibility could be a quarter mile or less, Buccola said.



Other areas, including the lower Hudson Valley and northeastern New Jersey, also could get 12 to 18 inches of snow, she said. Those areas are not under a blizzard watch because high winds and low visibility are not expected.



Those blizzard conditions are possible in southern Rhode Island and coastal Massachusetts from Boston to Plymouth.



Washington is not officially under a winter storm watch but Hurley said its possible the city could get 4 to 8 inches of snow.
Officials in Pakistan say that arrangements are in place to conduct a national census for the first time in 19 years starting Wednesday, and more than 200,000 troops will assist civilian enumerators in collecting the data.

Information minister Maryam Aurangzeb told a news conferences in Islamabad Sunday the 70-day door-to-door campaign will be concluded in two phases at a financial cost of around $185-million.







The minister explained that nearly 120,000 specially trained government workers have been deployed to undertake the much-needed census. She called on citizens to cooperate with the counters and warned against willfully giving false information, saying those found guilty would face a six-month jail term and a financial penalty of around $500.

Pakistan is ready for the sixth housing and population survey ... As we all know it has been after 19 years that we are going into this census process. We all know how distribution of resources, evidence-based legislation and policy-making are important for policy of the country for social service provisions, she said.

Army spokesman Major-General Asif Ghafoor told reporters that his institutions has been tasked to provide security and ensure the census is conducted in a smooth and transparent manner.

A solider will accompany every civil enumerator and will also collect his own data during the door-to-door campaign. We have put in place a system to immediately verify the information, Ghafoor said. He added that more than 200,000 soldiers involved in the activity have undergone special training sessions.

Pakistans population has exploded since its first consensus in 1951, when it had around 34 million inhabitants.

The World Bank estimated in 2015 the countrys population at 190 million, but Pakistani officials still use the figure of 134.7 million from the census conducted in 1998 for planning development programs. An estimated 60 percent of Pakistanis are under the age of 30.

Activists blame the lack of census, among major factors, for depleting health and education services, increasing malnutrition and stunting and pressure on scarce water resources.

Pakistan has been battling an Islamic militancy for more than 13 years that officials cite as a major reason for the long delay in holding the census.

The population census is also used to assign electoral seats in Pakistans parliament.

Critics say mainstream and regional political parties have influenced previous census exercises in the country, leading to over-representations of some regions in the parliament.

Officials say that around three million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees in Pakistan will also be counted in the census.

The decision has outraged leaders, particularly in southwestern Baluchistan province where the ethnic Baluch population fears it would turn them into a minority in their native region.

Parities in southern Sindh province, particularly in its capital, Karachi, have also opposed the inclusion of Afghans and have demanded the census be postponed until all the refugees return to their country.

But government officials have dismissed those concerns as unfounded and politically-motivated.

Pakistans transgender community would also be included in the census for the first time in the countrys history. Officials say the U.N. Population Fund has agreed to assign international observers to oversee the administration of the census.
The U.S. House Intelligence Committee has given President Donald Trump until Monday to provide evidence on his so-far unfounded claim that his phones at Trump Tower in New York were wiretapped during last year's presidential campaign.

Last week, the president wrote on Twitter that former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, had the phones at Trump headquarters tapped, but the Republican Trump has offered no evidence. The president tweeted, "Terrible. Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism."

Committee chairman Devin Nunes, a Republican, and Adam Schiff, the committee's ranking Democrat, sent a letter to Trump requesting the evidence to support his wiretap claim.

An Obama spokesman has said Trump's charges are "simply false." Trump has not commented on the wiretaps since the tweets.

McCain on wiretap claim



On Sunday, Senator John McCain of Arizona told CNN, "The president has one of two choices: Either retract or provide the information that the American people deserve. Because if his predecessor violated the law, President Obama violated the law, weve got a serious issue here, to say the least.

McCain said he has "no reason to believe the charges are true."

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, such as if he were suspected of criminal wrongdoing. The White House said last week that Trump is not under criminal investigation.

The wiretap charges are part of congressional investigations into the details behind the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Russia meddled in the presidential election to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials before and after the November vote.

U.S. intelligence 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 that showed embarrassing behind-the-scenes efforts by Democratic operatives to help Clinton win the party's presidential nomination.

McCain, the losing 2008 Republican presidential nominee, said "there's a lot of shoes to drop" about information between Trump associates and Russia.

McCain said he was troubled why his own party removed a provision from its political platform last year calling for a U.S. dispatch of defensive weapons to Ukraine to help in Kyiv's fight against pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Clearly, it was not the will of most Republicans, McCain said. Theres a lot of aspects with this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, and so far I dont think the American people have gotten all the answers."
Joni Sledge. Photo: Gary Wolstenholme/Redferns via Getty Images

Joni Sledge, who performed with her sisters as Sister Sledge, was found dead Friday at the age of 60. The bands publicist, Biff Warren, said that Sledge was discovered dead in her Phoenix, Arizona, home, but no cause of death is currently clear. According to Warren, she had not been knowingly ill. A family statement shares, On yesterday, numbness fell upon our family. We welcome your prayers as we weep the loss of our sister, mother, aunt, niece and cousin. Joni Sledge formed Sister Sledge with sisters Debbie, Kim, and Kathy in 1971. The group didnt hit it big until 1979, however, when they recorded the iconic We Are Family. Other notable songs covered by the sisters include Hes the Greatest Dancer and My Guy. While the enduring legacy of We Are Family was singular for Sister Sledge, the group (minus Kathy) never stopped performing, playing a concert as recently as October.
Michelle Obama and Yara Shahidi. Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Glamour

College-application season is just about done much to the imminent relief of a specific breed of teens with well-plotted career goals, joiner mentalities, and a hearty stomach for creative exaggeration. And, as any properly panicked applicant knows, students today need unique interests to separate them from a pack of similarly high-achieving data-entry experts. Yara Shahidi clearly read the relevant message boards, because the Black-ish actress has Michelle Obama in her back pocket. Shahidi revealed to W Magazine that Michelle Obama wrote her a letter of recommendation for college. And the mentorship is real, because the former FLOTUS went far beyond your average overworked high-school guidance counselor, also giving Shahidi a go get em, tiger back-rub as encouragement for Shahidis AP exams. Shahidi previously shared plans to apply to Harvard and other top schools, so with Obamas endorsement, whos to say? She might just have a shot.
566 motorcycles face action for traffic rule violations during Holi

At least 566 motorcycles faced action for various traffic rule violations during Holi festival in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts inside the Valley on Sunday, informed Kathmandu Valley traffic police office.
You know what? Zorblatt 9 sounds pretty good right now. Alec Baldwins Donald Trump  really start savoring his appearances now, people  popped up again on the Saturday Night Live stage to see how he would handle an alien invasion, and if you guessed not particularly well at all, bingo! But at least we can witness how he would handle it if some intergalactic visitors with advanced weaponized technology did indeed invade the planet, and it involves talking about the popular vote, citing facts from Infowars, and fawning over This Is Us. So, not surprising, really.


Capital to get its first aviation museum by July

After thunderous success of an aircraft museum in Dhangadi, Bed Upreti Trust has announced it will launch second such museum in Sinamangal, Kathmandu, by July.
HELENA - More than a dozen Dawson Community College leaders, students and alumni took turns behind the lectern last week, trying to convince members of the House Appropriations Committee not to close their 75-year-old campus.

A week earlier, Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock had suggested that budget cuts to higher education proposed by the Legislature would be deep enough that he might need to close a college  a statement he later walked back since the authority to do so lies with the Board of Regents for university-affiliated campuses and with separate local boards for community colleges. The regents and board leaders have said they have no plans to do so, but have warned that the proposed cuts will result in tuition increases and impact programs.

But Glendive-area leaders say the threat remains and the closure of Dawson Community College could still be forced by legislators budget decisions.

Unlike the seven campuses managed by the regents, the Legislature has the power to decide which community colleges to fund and at what level. Following a recommendation from the governor, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education had proposed reducing the states share of the cost to educate a resident student from the 50.8 percent it has been for a decade to 47.05 percent. The full committee reversed some of those cuts on Friday. Although local taxes and tuition also support community college programs and pay for any construction, leaders say the states appropriation for educational programs are a critical piece of their budgets.

As the 2018-19 state budget is finalized in the next two months, legislators also could decide not to fund a particular campus at all.

Rep. Donald Jones, the Billings Republican who chairs the education subcommittee, has said Dawson Community College spends too much per student after years of enrollment declines. Across all of Montanas campuses, the states higher education spending amounts to an average of about $7,000 per student. Dawson spent $12,514 per student in 2016, in part because resident enrollment has plummeted from 380 in 2010 to 154 in 2016. It has climbed some this year.

Jones noted that Montana State University Northern also spends more than he would like per-student  about $10,000 in recent years  but the Legislature does not have authority over that campus. It is up to the Regents to manage their own lump sum appropriation from the state.

On Friday, Jones and the majority of the Appropriations committee amended the states core budget bill to cap how much per-student the state will fund community colleges at $9,518 per student. Any costs beyond that would have to be picked up by local taxpayers. He is carrying a companion bill to amend the funding formula in state law to support that appropriation level.

But removing state funding for Dawson altogether remains an option, Jones said.

He recalled conversations he and Rep. Randy Brodehl, R-Kalispell, had with Dawson and Miles City community colleges in 2013 about their high per-student costs, telling the two campuses within 70 miles of each other that if youre not going to get your numbers up  you need to start putting a plan together to shut down.

Weve been telling them theyve got to do something serious here, Jones said. At some point, you have to say is it really viable? Is it a good use of state money?

It is unclear how many legislators would support such a proposal, although some members have said they are more focused on finding a way to reduce Dawsons operating costs or boost enrollment rather than closing it.

Republican Rep. Alan Doane wore a sticker on his left lapel with the colleges red-and-black logo as he testified before his colleagues Wednesday.

I graduated from DCHS in 1983. In 1984, I took a horseshoeing class at Dawson Community College. In 2006, I graduated from DCCs farm and ranch management program, he said. If that hadnt been right down the road, I wouldnt have done any of those opportunities. If I hadnt of done that, I probably wouldnt be up here representing Dawson and Wibaux counties today. I didnt even know how to turn on a computer when I took that class. Try imagining doing this job we do up here without being computer literate. I know you have a hard job to do, but take a good hard look at this one for me, if you would.

The crowd that filled the House Appropriations hearing room on Wednesday wanted to make sure legislators know they would fight any proposal to defund Dawson Community College.

If you were to have this meeting today in Glendive, there would be hundreds in attendance and wed be in the auditorium at the college or at a high school. At a community meeting just this last Friday, there were over 130 attendees in support of DCC, Glendive Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Director Christine Whitlatch said, comparing the campus recent financial and enrollment struggles to the ranches and farms that surround the rural college. You make it over the ebbs and flows over the cost of grain and cattle  its pretty low right now. You dont make it unless youre in it for the long haul. If you really look at the history of our communitys commitment to this campus, to the education of our children, other Montana children, you will really see that we will weather the storm and we are making really good strides to move forward.

Dont throw away an over-75-year investment to solve a temporary problem we have right now in Montana, she said.
Dutch police break up pro-Erdogan protest

Dutch riot police have broken up a rally in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hours after a minister was refused entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.
If past trips are any indication, business will mix with pleasure when the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce leads a delegation of business leaders and city officials to the State Capitol Wednesday. Lets hope the delegation cuts through the pleasantries to make clear they mean business about local control.

More and more, the once-cherished concept of local control  as in policies set and ordinances passed by locally elected officials closest to the people they govern  is under attack in Austin. Some of the same state legislators bemoaning federal overreach are themselves guilty of intrusion into and micro-managing of local entities, including passing along unfunded mandates.

Last week, Shanna Igo, deputy executive director of the Texas Municipal League, informed the Waco City Council that of some 4,600 state bills filed this session, some 1,200 could impact cities, often adversely.

In the many years Ive been at the Texas Municipal League, there is more anti-city hostility than I have ever witnessed, she told the council. The words local control used to be great and what [legislators] ran for office on. That was their campaign mantra. Now its a dirty word. Local control means nothing. Its [all about] liberty. They say cities take away your liberty because we regulate. They dont like any type of regulation.

Igo discussed various state bills, including those that would restrict annexation powers and diminish cities zoning rights. While some residents might think they dislike all regulations, many like them when they ensure theyre not living next to a pig farm or a party house, she said. Most vexing: a bill requiring local governments to get voter approval to hike property taxes more than 4 percent, down from the current 8 percent. Fueled by high property-tax bills, Senate Bill 2 obscures the fact property-tax burdens most heavily involve school taxes, not city and county taxes.

One reason property taxes are rising is because of our states broken school finance system. Legislators have quietly allowed their share of public school funding to slip, heaping more of the burden on property owners who, unwittingly, then blame school boards for steep property-tax bills.

In fact, for all their grandstanding, state lawmakers have plenty to gain in property values rising so that local taxpayers can assume even more of the burden of paying for public schools. Councilman John Kinnaird, who chairs the local (and oft-embattled) appraisal district board, noted that property owners quick to also blame appraisers for hiking property values (and thus tax bills) should recognize that the state comptroller bears at least some of the blame:

One thing thats been brought to light that we didnt fully realize is that the comptroller pulls properties every other year, does a statistical sampling, then tells each county appraisal district, Heres the range in which your values can fall on the basis of each school district. And if the appraisal district evaluation for each school district doesnt measure up, if its too low, then the comptroller reports that to the Texas Education Agency and funding is cut to the schools till the appraisal district gets the values in the school district high enough within that [state-determined] range.

That, Kinnaird says, is why some property owners in Waco Independent School District might soon see a 10 percent hike in values. But his frustration doesnt end there.

I mean, our state ranks near dead last in terms of state support to cities, Kinnaird said. Were required to generate our own funding, were accountable to our own citizens, we get no support financially from the state and yet they are working very diligently to take away what latitude we do have to fund our public safety and our infrastructure and the things our citizens demand and require and expect us to do.

The chamber delegation will likely come face to face with part of this Austin mindset. Among those embracing the view that cities and counties are political subdivisions subservient to the state, at least judging from past statements: Sen. Brian Birdwell, whose district includes Waco. And by Wednesday the delegation will have more evidence by which to judge him, based on Tuesdays public hearing on Senate Bill 2.

As Igo quite accurately noted, many city officials were ridiculed and bullied by state legislators during property-tax relief hearings last year. One possible outcome: Some locals may decide theyve had enough and take on domineering lawmakers  by running against them in coming elections.
As a longtime supporter of progressive causes, I understand the anger at the Republicans mistreatment of Judge Merrick Garland after he was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Obama. Partisan advantage reigned over fairness of process and an exceptionally fine jurist was treated shabbily.

But as Judge Neil Gorsuch  President Trumps choice for the court seat that Garland would have filled  approaches his confirmation hearings, I fear the lingering resentments of the past year will cloak a fair consideration of him as a nominee. Gorsuch  my former law partner and longtime friend  is brilliant, diligent, open-minded and thoughtful. He was the only Supreme Court candidate considered by this administration that I could support. The Senate should confirm him because there is no principled reason to vote no.

As a private-sector attorney, Gorsuch could have practiced with any large corporate law firm in the United States, but he instead chose a small firm in its very early days  a riskier path, to be sure. Over the course of his career, he has represented both plaintiffs and defendants. He has defended large corporations but also sued them. He has advocated for the Chamber of Commerce but also filed (and prevailed with) class actions on behalf of consumers. We should applaud such independence of mind and spirit in our Supreme Court nominees.

As a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, Gorsuch has not been the reflexive, hard-edged conservative that many depict him to be. He has ruled for plaintiffs and for defendants; for those accused of crimes as well as for law enforcement; for those who entered the country illegally; and for those harmed by environmental damage.

Anyone who sees Gorsuch as pro-corporation should talk to the officers at Rockwell International and Dow Chemical, against whom he reinstated a $920 million jury verdict for environmental contamination at the Rocky Flats nuclear facility. Executives at U.S. Tobacco Company might also be wringing their hands at the moment, given that Gorsuch, as an attorney, helped to attain one of the largest antitrust verdicts in history against the company.

Some years ago, Gorsuch called me about a case he had reviewed on the 10th Circuits motions docket involving an Arab Muslim incarcerated in a state prison. The guards allegedly called the inmate 9/11 and mistreated him during his confinement. The district court had rejected the inmates claim that his constitutional rights had been violated and dismissed his lawsuit.

Over the phone, though, Gorsuch explained he thought the plaintiff prisoner might have a valid claim but couldnt tell for sure. He asked our law firm to represent the inmate, which I agreed to do so long as a younger colleague could be the principal lawyer on the case and argue under my supervision.

Gorsuch agreed, then recused himself from the case to avoid an appearance of conflict.

I have no doubt that I will disagree with some decisions that Gorsuch might render as a Supreme Court justice. Yet my hope is to have justices on the bench such as Gorsuch and Garland who approach cases with fairness and intellectual rigor, and who care about precedent and the limits of their roles as judges. The Supreme Courts work is complex and varied, and we need those qualities of mind and judicial temperament for all cases.

David C. Frederick is a lawyer at the firm Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick who specializes in Supreme Court and appellate practice.
We witnessed only some of the 13 or so hours of testimony at last weeks Texas Senate State Affairs Committee hearing on Sen. Lois Kolkhorsts Senate Bill 6, which would restrict transgender people to restrooms in public schools, government buildings and public universities matching how their birth certificates list their gender. Yet it was enough to leave us shaking our heads at the increasingly wayward focus of some state leadership these days.

In the other chamber, state lawmakers under House Speaker Joe Straus were busy making meaningful strides in fixing school finance, crafting a responsible budget and reforming Child Protective Services. Reflecting healthy pro-business concerns, Straus has indicated that his House colleagues have serious priorities eclipsing Kolkhorsts bathroom bill. Thank goodness.

In support of her bill, Sen. Kolkhorst stressed at the outset it was all about privacy, safety and security in the most vulnerable place a woman finds herself. Yet as testimony proceeded, it became obvious that the sexual predators in accounts offered up for committee consideration were not transgenders but heterosexual males seeking out victims.

Veteran Sen. Jose Rodriguez asked a witness if the culprit who recorded her through a hidden camera in a restroom proved to be a transgender when he was caught. She acknowledged he was not. Yet laws already on the books are sufficient to address such predators. Rodriguez stressed the need to get the facts as to what extent there is violence in womens bathrooms committed by transgender people. I have not seen any report or any data or statistics that indicate that this is a problem.

A pastor last week informed us that God would never make such a mistake as placing the characteristics of one sex in the body of another sex, as if transgenders are predators in disguise, seeking access to womens restrooms. Yet a local man of science with a background in developmental disabilities last week outlined for us how powerful hormones in shifting proportions can turn sexual orientation on its head. Indeed, how can anyone with a knowledge of medicine simply deny the influence of such factors?

While many of us do not understand the transgender world, we should closely question those who precipitously assign malevolent motives to all transgenders without documented evidence to support such claims. If legions of transgenders are truly seeking to assault women and children in bathrooms, let us fully contemplate the evidence if it exists.

But if evidence does not demonstrate this, let us brand this legislation for what it is: political pandering of the most disgraceful sort.

If legislators want to address a serious problem claiming women and children as victims, why not a rush to focus on Sen. Kirk Watsons legislation attacking the scourge of sexual assaults that infects many universities and colleges in Texas, including Baylor University? While we dont agree with all of Watsons proposals, his legislation has the benefit of trying to solve a real problem instead of presuming the guilt of those whom we dont always recognize and understand.
Eastern Sugar Mill clears dues of sugarcane farmers

After series of protests, Eastern Sugar Mill located in Biratnagar has finally cleared the dues of sugarcane farmers of the last fiscal year.
Two colleagues debating marriage equality over a couple of beers is not unusual. Throw in a Bible, TV camera and a parliamentary lawn, and things start getting a little, well, strange.

Federal Liberal MPs Tim Wilson and Andrew Hastie are the unlikely stars of a debate sponsored by the Bible Society of Australia and Coopers Brewery.

The moderated debate was shot in the grounds of Canberra's Parliament House, and shows Mr Wilson, an openly gay agnostic, and Mr Hastie, a Christian conservative, debating marriage equality while drinking Coopers Premium Light beer.

Titled "Keeping it Light", the video is part of a joint campaign between the Adelaide brewer and Bible Society Australia "to reach even more Australians with God's word".
In the end, One Nation's assault on WA was a complete and utter shambles.

And despite Pauline Hanson putting the boots into their new preference pals the Liberals for their abysmal showing in the WA election, One Nation have only themselves to blame.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson declared the party's election result was "fantastic", despite falling well short of predictions. Credit:Tony McDonough

The infighting, the poorly vetting of candidates, the sacking of long-time One Nation members and candidates quitting or being sacked weeks out from the election saw the party implode.

With 67 per cent of the vote counting on Saturday night, One Nation's primary vote was a dismal 4.7 per cent. The party may still pick up two seats in the upper house, but has fallen well short of the 13 per cent primary vote some polls were showing only three weeks out from the election.
"You deserve good government, and with my team I am committed to delivering just that ... we will govern in the interests of all West Australians." - New WA premier Mark McGowan

"I thank Colin Barnett and his wife Lyn for their long service to the state of WA." - Mr McGowan

"I achieved a life-time ambition during this campaign. I had a beer with Bob Hawke." - Mr McGowan

"We ran, in my view, a great campaign, there were a lot of factors out there, but at the end of the day, time was probably the factor," - Outgoing premier Colin Barnett
The Greens say they will hold Labor to account on key promises made this election campaign.

The Greens campaign manager Andrew Beaton said the Greens would hold Labor to their promise to keep Western Power in public hands and to stop the Roe Highway extension.

Mr Beaton said people wanted an alternative to 'business-as-usual-politics'.

"We held our numbers, and increased them in many places, in an election with massive swing against an incumbent government," he said.

Mr Beaton said his party had been influential in removing an 'environmentally destructive' government and stopping the momentum of controversial party One Nation.


Rotterdam: The Netherlands has thwarted two Turkish ministers' efforts to campaign in Rotterdam as a row over foreign rallies in support of a referendum in Turkey heated up.

The row between Turkey and the Netherlands escalated as a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied permission to land on Saturday and Family Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was prevented from entering her country's mission in Rotterdam.

The controversy over rallies aimed at Turkish citizens living in European Union countries has taxed already strained ties between Europe and Ankara that could threaten an EU deal with Ankara to stem the flow of migrants - a critical issue in Germany, where more than 1 million asylum seekers have arrived over the past two years.

Turkish government officials are trying to whip up support among citizens living abroad for an upcoming referendum on April 16 aimed at vastly expanding the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ko Ni, an adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi, was shot dead at an airport. Credit:Facebook Ko Ni, a Muslim in the majority-Buddhist country, had received threats but pushed ahead with his work, often arriving home after midnight and ignoring concerns for his own safety. "He always said that lawyers are forever worrying, and never wanted to pass those worries on to his family," Yin Nwe Khine said. A Buddhist monk holds a portrait of Ko Ni, who spoke out about how the constitution stacked power in the hands of the military and was inconsistent with democracy. Credit:AP Melissa Crouch, a friend of Ko Ni's from the University of New South Wales and an expert on Myanmar's constitution, remembers him expressing particular concern about the situation in his country in a phone call in August last year.

"I had never heard him talk in such pessimistic tones before  he showed concern for people's safety, human rights and security," Crouch says. Tin Tin Aye, second right, mother of Ko Ni, cries as she attends his funeral. Credit:AP "He warned that it was not safe for locals to be talking in public forums about constitutional issues but encouraged foreigners to continue to do so." Police claim the plot to kill Ko Ni was hatched in a tea shop in April last year by a group of men who held a personal grudge against him. A Myanmar police officer looks at photos and records of assassination of Ko Ni, prominent legal adviser to the government, displayed during a press conference in Yangon, Myanmar. Credit:AP

Whether that is true or not  and many observers doubt the police account  it is clear he was targeted in a brazen and well-planned political assassination on January 29. At least three other co-conspirators are believed to have watched at the airport as Kyi Lin, the 53-year-old gunman, tried to run away after firing a single shot from a Myanmar-made 9-millimetre pistol. People carry the coffin of Ko Ni to his final resting place. Credit:AP What they didn't count on was the bravery of airport taxi drivers, who saw the shooting and gave chase. Kyi Lin, a criminal and former soldier who was reportedly paid the equivalent of $US71,500 ($95,000) to carry out the hit, turned and shot dead one of the pursuing drivers, before others managed to overpower him and hold him for police.

Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi arrives to attend a memorial ceremony to mark one month from the killing of Ko Ni and taxi driver Ne Win. Credit:AP On February 26, more than four weeks after the killing, Myanmar's Office of the President distributed a photo of him and announced in a brief statement the killing was ordered by 45-year-old Aung Win Khine, who was still at large. The statement did not mention that Aung Win Khine was a former lieutenant-colonel who retired from Myanmar's army in 2014. Aung San Suu Kyi remained silent for weeks and was absent from Ko Ni's funeral, prompting criticisms about her inability or unwillingness to speak out on many issues. Credit:AP Also arrested was another former soldier, Aung Win Khine's 46-year-old brother Aung Win Zaw.

The military denies any involvement in the plot. Myanmar Police Chief Officer Zaw Win - officers claim the plot to kill Ko Ni was hatched in a tea shop in April last year by a group of men who held a personal grudge against him. Credit:AP But Myanmar experts sitting on a panel at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand painted a picture of a military leadership with a bunker mentality obsessed with the belief that only generals can rule the country and keep it united, and who had the most to benefit from Ko Ni's death. Larry Jagan, a commentator and analyst living in Myanmar who has been following the country for 40 years, quoted military sources telling him last year that the military saw Ko Ni as its most serious threat because he was leading the push for constitutional change, although he believes the order for the assassination did not come from the military's top ranks. He said as a result of the death those in the NLD who had wanted to move quietly and not push the military on constitutional reform now hold sway.

Asked about this, Crouch said she didn't think the reform push had ended but "it may require a change of tactics and patience". Anthony Davis, a security consultant and analyst with defence publisher Jane's, said the military organised a fraudulent constitution in 2008 that allowed it to effectively continue to operate as a state within the state, maintaining its grip despite all the talk of a transformed Myanmar ruled by a democratically elected government. Davis said the military wanted to be seen as moving towards democracy because it had no choice in today's world, but generals always saw it as a "disciplined" or "guided" democracy, where they still dominated all aspects of Burmese society in much the same way they have for more than 50 years. "Even before the 2015 election, but especially in the days after, there has been a facile, childlike enthusiasm for democratic change, a belief the country was being transformed and was on the right track," he said. "But basically if you set that vision of where the military has come from and where it is today, it disappears in a puff of smoke."

Analysts say Ko Ni's death is a pivotal point in the history of the country, rekindling deep concerns about its future. "The bullet was not only for Ko Ni. It was for the NLD and the people who want to amend and replace the 2008 Constitution and support the peace process," said Thein Than Oo, a human rights lawyer in Mandalay. The killing stunned the NLD. But for weeks Aung San Suu Kyi remained inexplicably silent. She was absent from Ko Ni's funeral, prompting further criticisms about her inability or unwillingness to speak out on many issues, including military offensives against ethnic armies in border areas and atrocities against Rohingyas in western Rakhine state, which the UN has described as ethnic cleansing and "very likely" crimes against humanity. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said the military is "more than happy to have Aung San Suu Kyi as their international flak-catcher" while its business conglomerate reaps the rewards of the lifting of economic sanctions by Western nations, which she recommended. Davis, who has deep knowledge of Myanmar's army, believes the country's future is "looking pretty bleak" now that the NLD has lost Ko Ni.

He envisages the military, which under the constitution controls the ministries of defence, home and interior, and is automatically allocated 25 per cent of seats in parliament, will want to see Suu Kyi remain in place for years while keeping her powerless on a wide range of issues. He said the Nobel laureate will be 75 at the time of the next elections in 2020 and given the NLD's weak leadership in its first year in office, her party may even struggle to retain office. Crouch said Ko Ni's death was seen as a personal attack on members of the NLD while for lawyers it was seen as an outrageous attack on their profession. "However, I would suggest his death has been felt hardest for Muslims," Crouch said, pointing out that there was an increase in online hate speech against Muslims in the days after the killing. Ashin Wirathu, a radical Buddhist monk, even praised the killers.
Patrick Norman Pat Chapman is a 34-year-old, Caucasian male who was last known to be in Piedmont which is near the area of Greenville, Missouri on May 10, 2020.

Pat had stayed the night with a friend and his wife at their home. In the early morning when the friend woke to go to work.

Pat was gone in his own Burgundy color 1995 Ford Escort. That is the last anyone was known to have seen him. The vehicle was later recovered on May 29, 2020 in Mill Spring, Missouri.
Govt committed treason by granting tax amnesty to Ncell: Bhattarai

Former Prime Minister and Naya Shakti Nepal Chairman Baburam Bhattarai has said the government has committed a treason by deciding to grant clean chit to mobile network operator Ncell over its capital gains tax.
Historical channel

Nepal has been conducting entrepot trade across the Himalaya since ancient times
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Astros take World Series title over Phillies in six games
By WestKyStar and LOMS Staff Mar. 11, 2017 | 09:04 AM | PADUCAH, KY

The KIND Foundation and the Making Caring Common Project at Harvard University are hosting the contest as a way to engage student groups to address barriers to kindness within their schools. The goal is to empower and mobilize students to step outside of themselves and their immediate social circles to create kinder, more inclusive school communities.





The winning project wins $1,500 and will be publicly featured as a model of promoting kindness in schools across the country.



Morgan Guess, an eighth grader at LOMS and a member of the Harvard Youth Advisory Council, submitted a proposal and met with school officials for support. Guess selected four students to join her team: Caroline Sivills, sixth grade; Jackson Storms, seventh grade; and Madelyn Thompson, seventh grade. Leigh Powers, seventh grade reading and writing teacher, is the school leader.





Operation Gratitude began at the start of March and will continue through the end of the month. All nine language arts teachers engage all 800 kids every day. The team must present their findings and evidence by April 24 with a winner announced in May.





Morgan and her mom read research about the power gratitude has on kindness and believed it could be both impactful and simple enough to duplicate in any school.





I have come to believe that kindness begins with how we see ourselves and our world, said Morgan. I also believe it begins with gratitude and that doesnt come naturally to teens. But I do believe gratitude can change lives. It can take us from depression and darkness into a world of possibility and light. So, our idea was to set aside time at our school every day for students to write down 3 things they are thankful for. We spend 5 minutes focused on the good in our lives and we start our day with a focus on the positive. The hope is that we can prove that when practiced daily, gratitude can change attitudes and behaviors.





Powers was Morgans choice to be the teacher leader because of her positive attitude and commitment to kindness but Morgan was quick to say all of the teachers have been supportive and a critical part of the team. Our school is committed and focused on providing a positive school climate for all of our students, said Powers. We are proud to be selected as a finalist and hope we can be a positive example and inspire students and schools across our nation.



Guess says this project brings her bullying experience full circle.



"Six years ago when I was bullied, our community wasn't talking much about this issue. I have learned that we all have a responsibility to stand up and speak out to the injustices of the world and I have been grateful for those who have supported my work. I am especially proud that is it my school that is being nationally recognized for their commitment to kindness."



Lone Oak Middle School is one of 10 schools in the United States selected as finalists in the KIND School Challenge.
Holi festival in Basantapur (Photo feature)

Fagu Purnima (Holi), the festival of colours, is being celebrated in hilly districts including Kathmandu valley on Sunday.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/03/2017 (2067 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A bus driver was assaulted and three more were threatened Friday, the transit unions head said at a public forum on the dangers of using public transit.

There were three more death threats and another operator was assaulted last night, punched in the face, John Callahan told a packed room Saturday at the forum organized by the Council of Women of Winnipeg, an advocacy group. Callahan is president of the Amalgamated Transit Union local 1505, which represents Winnipeg Transit workers.

The account was greeted with audible gasps from the 40-plus people in the audience.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Coun. Cindy Gilroy believes it is time to start putting measures in place to prevent the number of hostile incident on transit vehicles such as busses and taxicabs.

The latest attack follows an incident earlier this month in which police arrested a man carrying an axe on a Winnipeg Transit bus. Passengers were credited for stopping the armed man from attacking other people.

On Valentines Day, veteran bus driver Irvine Jubal Fraser was killed when a passenger attacked him with a knife. Police arrested a suspect shortly afterward and charged him with second-degree murder.

Callahan also presented the group with a tally of assaults against bus drivers over the past two years: there were 62 assaults reported in 2015, 45 in 2016 and 20 so far this year.

In an interview, Callahan said the bus driver who was punched in the face Friday reported the incident to Transit authorities, who passed the details on to him.

The driver was driving on Selkirk Avenue in the North End at about 8:30 p.m. when a group of four men  who had boarded the bus earlier and hadnt paid their fares  exited together.

The driver let the skipped fares slide and the assault appeared to be unprovoked.

As they exited, three of them cussed the driver and the last one punched him in the face, Callahan said.

As for the three death threats, two riders flat-out told the driver of a bus they were riding, Ill kill you, Callahan said. The third death threat was a gesture  a rider stared at a driver and passed his finger across his neck, a sign for slitting someones throat.

The incidents are all over the city. I believe one of the threats was on Henderson (Highway) and Im not sure about the other ones, but typically, its all over, Callahan said.

Callahan said bus drivers feel hamstrung by Winnipeg Transit policies that prevent them from intervening in physical confrontations that erupt on buses. Regulations call for them to stay in their seats. At other times, when they can help, a bus can be a safe place, the union president said.

Callahan said a bus driver pulled over a week or two ago when he spotted a young boy being chased by a group of other boys, all of them armed with bats and boards.

He saw what was going one and put two and two together He pulled over, said, Hop on, and the kid said, Thanks. That was fantastic.

The audience at Saturdays forum consisted of mostly women who, in turn, recounted their own stories of feeling unsafe or being threatened, verbally abused in city cabs or being pushed by rude riders on transit buses.

Eva Beaudoin, who uses a cane to get around and relies on Transit buses, said disabled passengers are compelled to move when someone with a baby stroller boards a bus and demands a seat up front.

Im disabled and other passengers are rude to people with disabilities, she said.

Beaudoin recounted one incident in which a female passenger pushed her over in her seat during one ride.

I was assaulted, she said.

Bonni Book demonstrated a loud alarm she carries in her purse to ward off potential threats.

When I use one of these services, I dont need to be verbally abused, I dont need to be insulted and I dont need anyone swearing at me, she said.

Diane Watson said her son, an RCMP officer in British Columbia, told her the best defence for women who feel vulnerable anywhere is a powerful LED flashlight.

There are special ones you can get that blind someone when you turn them on they put their hands up and that gives you a chance to get away. My son said hes bringing me one the next time he visits.

The forum hosted a panel of speakers, including taxicab community complaint advocate Pamela Davis from the Southern Chiefs Organization and Manitoba Taxicab Board president Randy Williams. Christine Brouzes, an administrator for the Facebook group IKWE  a safe-ride service set up by indigenous women last year after a number stepped forward with accounts of cab drivers propositioning them  was also among the speakers.

The taxicab board, which regulates cab companies, has no tolerance for abuse, Williams said. He noted cab driver themselves are victims of assaults and robberies from passengers.

The board is looking at a new rule that would require passengers to pay their fares upfront between midnight and 6 a.m., Williams said.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), who was scheduled to address the forum in the afternoon, praised the womens council for hosting a forum that gets a public conversation started.

We need to start talking about some of the measures we can put in place to start dealing with this stuff, Gilroy said.

Im here as the co-chair of the UN Safe Cities Initiative that looks at violence, including sexual violence, against women in public spaces, so we know there is an issue, she said.

We share a lot of concerns with our bus drivers who are out there. We ask them to do a lot when theyre navigating through our city, and they fear for their safety, and as women, we know that transportation is an issue, where we dont feel necessarily safe, whether its in a cab, waiting for a bus  those are issues we fear.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
India elections: Decisive victory for Modi's BJP in Uttar Pradesh

Narendra Modi's party has won a landslide victory in one of India's key states, a boost for the prime minister halfway through his first term.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/03/2017 (2066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Staying silent isnt something Ron East is very good at, especially after a bomb threat last Thursday at the Rady Jewish Community Centre.

So East quickly organized a rally in front of the Rady centre on Sunday in protest of recent acts against Rady and other Jewish community clubs in North America.

You dont stay quiet, you dont hide, you dont cower, said East, whose family emigrated from Israel in 1982. Were going to stand up to hatred and bigotry together.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS About 20 people joined the rally in front of the Rady Jewish Community Centre Sunday.

About 20 people showed up for the rally on a chilly Sunday afternoon. Some people waved Israeli flags, and some had them draped over their shoulders like a wrap.

The rally was held on the same day as the Jewish holiday Purim, a celebration of a time when Jewish people in Persia were saved from extermination.

There have been no arrests in last Thursday evenings bomb threat. The Rady centre was closed and evacuated for about two hours. No bomb was found.

Mosques have been targeted with acts of violence and vandalism in recent months but acts of anti-Semitism have also started to surface recently.

East was asked if he found it ironic that Jews and Muslims, who have not been able to strike peace in the Middle East, have taken lead roles in rallying against intolerance in North America.

You know, sometimes its the differences in people that brings them together, like a marriage, he said.

East thought the wave of intolerance may have been triggered by U.S. President Donald Trumps policies and statements against Muslims.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Ron East carries an Israeli flag during the rally at the Rady Jewish Community Centre Sunday.

Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) joined the rally to express solidarity.

Its a sign of hope that we all get together regardless of what religion youre from, he said.

The rally was an effort to cut off a disturbing trend of prejudice before it goes any further, said Matthew Ostrove. It started off in the U.S. and its spreading into Canada, he said.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/03/2017 (2066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadas prime minister takes pride in welcoming refugees but some are wondering if Justin Trudeaus government is willing to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to their successful integration.

In January, the prime minister made headlines around the world with the tweet: To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength.

This month, resettlement agencies are facing significant cuts to federal funding that helps newcomers learn English and successfully resettle.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Duaa Almaslmani (left) and Ahmed El Ahmar play a game identifying pictures with English words during the Living English program, a program for parents and children at the downtown Red River College campus.

In Winnipeg, the cuts are killing the Living English program, said Grace Eidse, executive director of Altered Minds Inc., the non-profit agency that also runs the Entry Program orientation classes for newcomers.

We had to cut the Living English program, said Eidse. The summer school for newcomer families was launched last year. It included classes for adults and kids and provided child care for preschoolers. That enabled many parents to participate in language instruction for the first time since arriving in Canada. Living English had 370 participants  nearly half of whom were Syrian refugees  and operated out of Red River Colleges downtown campus.

Eidse said her non-profit agencys contribution agreement with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was cut by 23 per cent in Year 1, an additional five per cent in Year 2, and an additional 10 per cent in Year 3. She said other agencies are facing similar cuts. And the federal government is no longer funding language classes for stage two instruction that goes beyond the basics.

About 800 students in the province will be affected by those cuts  not including those in lower-level classes who were hoping to advance to the next stage of English language instruction, says the non-profit Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations umbrella group.

We know that language is one of the key indicators of successful integration for all immigrants and refugees and an integral component of employment, a statement issued by MANSO said Friday. For highly skilled newcomers and those who move to Manitoba needing to re-credential in order to return to their primary profession, (advanced) language classes are often absolutely essential.

The head of the umbrella group says theyll keep a close eye on the March 22 federal budget and what impact it may have on settlement services for newcomers.

Long-term, stable funding for settlement providing organizations is critical in enabling all newcomers to Manitoba to play a full role in our economy and our community, Vicki Sinclair, executive director of MANSO, said Friday.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has asked the federal government to revisit its recently announced reductions in funding for English language assistance.

Our government has added transitional funding supports, but this is a national challenge and it requires an immediate and co-ordinated national response, Pallister said in a press release Thursday. Manitobans have always been a compassionate, tolerant and welcoming society, but we cannot address this situation alone. We are seeking additional support from the federal government and hope that our requests will be responded to with generosity.

The federal government says its providing more than $900 million in resettlement support for newcomers and refugees outside of Quebec, and in pre-arrival services while newcomers are still abroad. The bulk of that funding goes toward language training, followed by information and orientation as well as community connections programming to help newcomers get to know people in their community, said IRCC spokeswoman Julie Lafortune.

It is inaccurate to say that IRCC is cutting support of higher language levels, she said in an email Friday. Contribution agreements are negotiated with each organization based on their own merits and the services they are providing based on the needs of the community, Lafortune said. Her department is always adjusting programming for settlement, including language training, to ensure that we are able (to) assist the most vulnerable.

Over the past year, it increased the number of language training spots at literacy and basic levels where the need is greatest, with child minding to allow parents to participate, Lafortune said.

The department continues to work closely with service providers across the country to identify and address demand (and) to ensure that the needs of newcomers to Canada are being met. 

Federally funded settlement services are often complemented by provincial and territorial programs, said Lafortune. She said theyre working with officials who run those programs to assess whats needed and to make sure needs are satisfactorily addressed, Lafortune said.

As negotiations related to this matter are ongoing, for privacy reasons we cannot comment further.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/03/2017 (2066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Friday was U.S. President Donald Trumps 50th day in office. Since his inauguration, he has governed in a way that poses a unique threat to the integrity of American democracy.

Democracy is bigger than partisanship. Therefore, this is not a critique of Trumps policy proposals. Rather, its a sober assessment of American democracy at a pivotal moment and a call for people of all political stripes to press all politicians to agree, at minimum, on preserving the bedrock principles that make the United States a democracy.

The call is urgent. In just 50 days, Trumps presidency has already threatened American democracy in six fundamental ways:

1. Trump has attacked the integrity of voting, the foundation of all democratic systems. Without any evidence, Trump has repeatedly claimed millions of people voted illegally in 2016. This claim is not true. Every serious study that has assessed voter fraud, including studies conducted by Republican presidents, has concluded the scale of the problem is negligible.

Nonetheless, on his sixth day in office, Trump called for a major investigation into voter fraud  now largely forgotten by many. Unfortunately, his assertion has not been forgotten by a large swath of Trumps base. Tens of millions likely now believe Trumps claim, which will certainly prove an important alternative fact when, in the future, attempts are inevitably made to make it harder for certain Americans to vote.

2. After attacking the integrity of his own election, Trump has also undermined the credibility of his own office. Democracy will not function if Americans cannot be sure the presidents claims are at least grounded in evidence-based reality. And yet, in just 50 days, Trump made at least 194 false or misleading claims  an average of about four daily.

Recently, Trumps early morning tweet-storm alleging former president Barack Obama personally ordered a wiretap of Trump Tower has not been backed up by a shred of evidence. Key Republican senators and representatives have expressed their bafflement at the accusation. Yet there have been no consequences for the president baselessly accusing his predecessor of criminal action. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) went so far as to chide reporters for asking questions about the wiretap claim, saying, I think a lot of the things he says, I think you guys sometimes take literally. How can democracy function when people cant take the president literally?

3. Trumps administration has repeatedly flouted ethics guidelines without consequence. When Trump failed to discipline Kellyanne Conway for brazenly giving a commercial for Ivanka Trumps jewelry and clothing line, the Office of Government Ethics had to send an extraordinary letter reminding Trump that ethics rules apply to the executive branch. Trump has also failed to meaningfully separate himself from his business interests. Most recently, Trump received 38 lucrative trademarks from China, not just a likely violation of the constitutions emoluments clause but also a benefit that will call into question whether Trumps foreign policy will pursue what is best for the American people or what is best for his profits. That conflict of interest is precisely why democracies set ethics guidelines  and why it threatens democracy to violate them.

4. Trump has attacked the independent judiciary. When U.S. District Judge James Robart defied Trumps travel ban, Trump called him a so-called judge and insinuated he would lay blame for a terrorist attack squarely at the feet of the judiciary. American presidents routinely object to individual court decisions, but it threatens democracy to go one step further and demonize any judge who dares cross the president. After all, the judiciary is charged with upholding the law and the constitution, not blindly affirming the presidents worldview.

5. Crucially, Trump has accelerated a long-term trend, prodding millions to further lose faith in basic institutions of American government. Any experts in federal agencies are now the deep state. Trumps team has begun suggesting the non-partisan, independent Congressional Budget Office  a trusted authority for Democrats and Republicans since 1974  is simply a group of hacks. There is virtually no authority trusted by both Democrats and Republicans anymore. Instead, the opposing sides are all too inclined to view government as captured by evil partisans rather than disagreeing patriots. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) made this view explicit, recently calling for a purge of leftists from government in an astonishingly totalitarian tweet. Public trust is part of the lifeblood of democracy, and it is draining faster than ever.

6. Finally, Trump has attacked a cornerstone of every democracy: the free press. He has called legitimate media organizations fake news no fewer than 22 times on Twitter in the first 50 days  and many more times in speeches. Worse, Trump called the press the enemy of the American people, language that echoes Mao Zedong and Josef Stalin rather than Ronald Reagan or John F. Kennedy.

Trump only views the media as a legitimate player in American democracy insofar as it is willing to affirm his narrative. To Trump, negative polls are fake. Unfortunately, his attacks are working. A recent Quinnipiac poll showed 81 per cent of Republicans agree the media is the enemy of the American people. Eighty-six per cent of Republicans trust Trump to tell the truth rather than the media (up from 78 per cent just two weeks earlier). Throughout history, the blurring of the line between fact and fiction has been a critical precursor to the breakdown of democracy and the creeping advance of authoritarianism.

Whether these six attacks are a deliberate long-term strategy to erode American democracy, or simply a political ploy to poison the electorates view against anyone who is willing to defy the president, remains to be seen. Certainly, Trump is not fully to blame; he is capitalizing on long-term divisions and a long-term erosion of American institutions. But he has accelerated those trends.

The constitution and checks and balances are not magical guardians. Documents dont save democracy  people do. American democratic institutions are only as strong as those who fight for them in times of duress. This is one of those times, and this is just the beginning. It will be a long fight. To win it, Democrats and Republicans must set aside policy divides and unite in the defence of democracy.

BrianKlaas is a fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics and author of The Despots Accomplice: How the West is Aiding and Abetting the Decline of Democracy. Twitter: @brianklaas.

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MINNEAPOLIS  Roy Cato is dying. But that hasnt stopped him or his caregivers from finding a way to keep laughing.

Whether its jokes about enemas (the enemy, Cato calls them) or his long-term planning (I need a calendar), he has embraced humor as a necessary part of life  even as he nears the end of his own.

Ive always kept it light my whole life, so why would I stop now? he said, resting recently in his Minneapolis living room adorned with yellow smiley faces.

On this particular morning, he was joined by a few friends and by a hospice worker who shares his take on the power of humor to help cope with serious illness and to enjoy life at all stages.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, laughter is a useful and often used tool in hospice care, said Niels Billund, a registered nurse and case manager for Fairview Home Care and Hospice, who visits Cato at least once a week. In between checking blood pressure and asking medical questions, he chats up his patients, using his quick wit to engage them and, hopefully, induce a smile, too.

People really want you to do what you do, but they certainly want you to see who they are, he said. Most of us like a good joke, a good laugh.

The therapeutic humor movement is catching on.

Last year, the Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care, which serves Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota, closed its annual conference with a session from a humorist. And this year, the conference will open with a session on laughter yoga.

Laughter, of course, is a healthy thing, said Susan Marschalk, the networks executive director. Its certainly good for people who are caregivers. Its really good for hospice providers and the people who are working with patients who witness people dying every day. They need laughter.

The connection between humor and health also is recognized by the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. Based in Illinois, the group was started by a registered nurse and has members in Minnesota from various professions  including scholars, psychologists, nurses and doctors.

Therapeutic humor is any intervention that promotes health and wellness by stimulating a playful discovery, expression or appreciation of the absurdity or incongruity of lifes situations, the groups website says.

There is a very close relationship between laughter and tears, said Mary Kay Morrison, president of the association and a self-described neurohumorist. Laughter is a relief. When you laugh so hard that you cry, there is a close connection there. Its something that brings relief from the stress and anxiety.

Even in hospice, I believe when someone is able to laugh about the situation, you know they are starting to accept it and starting to cope with it, she said.

Her personal experience sitting in hospice with her mother, who was dying from Alzheimers, taught Morrison how to grieve while still laughing.

We did use humor to cope, she said. I think humor is a coping skill that is critical for people who are going through any type of difficult situation. My mother was able to still laugh and find humor in certain things. Even toward the end of life, once in a while she could.

Keeping perspective

But there are limits to when humor is appropriate.

Its always a balancing act, depending on the patient and the family and what is important to them, Marschalk said. Part of this is you have to find the right people who can make that balance work. They have to understand it and have done some of their own work to really understand what humor might look like. So it isnt slapstick or silly and ridiculous.

Its also best not to force it, Morrison said.

If you have someone in hospice who is very angry or who is not willing to talk or laugh, you absolutely need to honor that, she said. It depends on the person. Humor is definitely appropriate when you have confidence that your impact is not going to be harmful.

As any comedian knows, timing is everything. Billund understands this, too.

I just lost a patient, Rhonda. I will miss her, he said, his voice growing quieter. We just had so much fun. We would goof off and then wed get serious. We would cry and talk and then have fun again.

Humor isnt something that he plans for on his patient visits. It comes up in the moment, he said. I have a lot of lightness of being in me.

By all accounts, so does Cato. He was found to have cancer in August, and he has been in and out of the hospital.

When you get old, thats where you meet, Cato joked, referring to his friends. You say, Ill meet you at the hospital.

With the cancer progressing fast, hes receiving hospice care at home. His friends and family visit him often, filling up the living room.

Its a special time, Cato, 66, an artist, said. Somehow I still feel lucky in all of this mess. I cant believe how many people are out there that care about me and support me.

When visiting with his caregivers, he said, theres more laughter than tears.

He added, I think youve got to keep laughing.
Leader Khanal bats for UML leadership for social transformation

CPN-UML senior leader Jhalanath Khanal has said that it is imperative for the UML to assume leadership of the government for effective social changes in the country.
Over the past few decades, the median age of individuals when they get married has risen by 7 years.
From Americans' opinions about finding and keeping the perfect partner, to the statistics showing how many people are currently hitched, here'
Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers. The company also provides mobile voice and data services to consumers and business customers; sells mobile devices and other hardware products; and sells mobile services to resellers and to companies that purchases and markets network services to third parties, such as mobile virtual network operators. In addition, it offers internet services; internet-based TV products and services; and information and communication technology systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions with an infrastructure of data centers and networks under the T-Systems brand, as well as call center services. The company has 242 million mobile customers and 22 million broadband customers, as well as 27 million fixed-network lines. Deutsche Telekom AG has a collaboration with VMware, Inc. on cloud-based open and intelligent virtual RAN platform to bring agility to radio access networks for existing LTE and future 5G networks; and partnership with Microsoft to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany.
Leading by example

In the southern plains of the Tarai that run along Nepals border with northern India, a lack of economic opportunity and fulfilment through work often drives the youth elsewhere to pursue their dreams.




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Lets work together

Civic space is an environment where the freedom to engage, communicate and organise to shape the existing norms and realities is not restricted.
Pontus Tidemand led WRC 2 at Rally Guanajuato Mexico on Saturday night after a thrilling battle with Eric Camilli.

The pair traded tenths of a second all day on gravel mountain roads near Leon before the Swede [above] took a slender 2.0sec advantage in his Skoda Fabia R5 in the final few kilometres through the citys streets.



Tidemand led after the first full day of action, but Camilli [below] scored a commanding victory in this mornings opening test in a Ford Fiesta R5 to slash the deficit to just 6.3sec.



Three more stage wins promoted the Frenchman into a narrow lead before Tidemand struck back tonight with three consecutive victories.



Its good for both us that we have a rally like this, Im really enjoying it, said Tidemand. Its been good experience. Well see what the team strategy is for tomorrow. We may try to push for the win but its easy to make a mistake. Camilli has done a fantastic job today.



Mexican hero Benito Guerra was third in another Fabia R5, 6min 05.2sec behind Camilli after a troubled day. Brake problems combined with a spin and puncture cost valuable time.



Pedro Heller retired his Fiesta R5 for a second day after crashing into a wall while Hubert Ptaszek did not restart this morning after yesterdays crash damaged the engine of his Fabia R5.



Head to WRC+ to see the latest onboard and video reports from Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

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Kris Meeke strengthened his lead over Sebastien Ogier at Rally Guanajuato Mexico on Saturday to take a commanding 30.9sec advantage into tomorrows short final leg.

The Briton [main picture] won just one of the nine speed tests, most on dirt roads in the mountains near Leon, but it was a decisive victory. While Meeke carried out a planned attack to perfection, Ogier spun and a deficit of just over 20sec became almost twice that.



The duo traded seconds through the opening four special stages before Meeke pounced in his Citroen C3. Ogier promised this morning it would not be an all or nothing day, and after pirouetting at a hairpin bend, he signalled his challenge was over.



It has been a perfect weekend so far. That was going to be the defining loop of the rally. I had to make it stick on this loop and it worked, said Meeke, who gambled with hard compound Michelin tyres despite the threat of rain. Fortunately for him it stayed dry.



Ogier won two tests in his Ford Fiesta and ended 39.6sec clear of Thierry Neuville, who also won a stage. The misfire which slowed Neuvilles Hyundai i20 Coupe last night, along with team-mates Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo, was traced to a blocked fuel filter and all three cars ran cleanly today.



Neuville regretted opting for soft tyres this afternoon when forecast rain failed to arrive, but with a large gap in front and behind, an error-free day kept him on course for strong points.

Ogier holds the runner-up spot ahead of the rally's final day.

Ott Tanak was fourth in a Fiesta. The Estonian struggled for confidence in his cars set-up this morning but headed a frustrated Hayden Paddon. The Kiwi punctured after hitting a rock and experimented with new settings in a bid to find his pace.



Jari-Matti Latvala overhauled Toyota Yaris team-mate Juho Hanninen for sixth in the penultimate stage. Latvala overcame morning brake problems and punctured after hitting the same rock as Paddon.



Just finishing was a victory for Hanninen. Struck down by sickness, he persevered and by the days end his health was improving.



Dani Sordo was eighth. The Spaniard won the first two stages and came within 0.9sec of a clean sweep of the morning tests. His fortunes looked even brighter after a 10-minute penalty imposed last night was removed, but a puncture on the liaison section after SS12 meant he tackled the following test with his cars boot open after a hurried change!



Elfyn Evans and WRC 2 leader Pontus Tidemand completed the leaderboard, Evans winning two asphalt stages late in the day.



Stephane Lefebvre crashed his C3 out of sixth while Lorenzo Bertelli rolled his Ford Fiesta. He continued but well down the order.



Yesterdays overheating problems were a thing of the past as cooler air temperatures and teams using more tolerant engine settings ensured there was no repeat.



Sundays final leg comprises two tests. After a mid-morning start, crews drive the 32.96km La Calera ahead of the 21.94km Derramadero live TV Power Stage, which offers bonus points for the fastest five drivers.



Head to WRC+ to see the latest onboard and video reports from Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

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Commonwealth Flag to Fly in Wrexham

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Mar 12th, 2017

The Commonwealth Flag will once again be flown in Wrexham to mark Commonwealth Day.

The flag, which will be flown on March 13th, will be one of over 950 flags flown in locations throughout the Commonwealth.

The Mayor, Cllr John Pritchard, said: Commonwealth Day recognises commitment of member states to democracy, development and respect for diversity.

In Wrexham we will be proud to fly the flag in celebration and support of these values.

The international charity supported by the event for the next five years is the Make a Wish UK which grants magical wishes to enrich the lives of children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions.
Wrexham Graduate Lands Job With Leading Technology Company

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Mar 12th, 2017

A research scientist says the support he received at Wrexham Glyndwr University helped him secure a job at one of the worlds leading technology companies.

Business alumnus Elliot Jones is now a graduate research scientist with Dyson  best known for its pioneering vacuum cleaners, lighting and heaters  having graduated in 2014.

Elliot, from Wrexham, left the University with a 2:1 in Consumer Psychology and Marketing and now works on a variety of different machines at different stages in their development at the firms Wiltshire headquarters.

The 22 year-old cites Wrexham Glyndwr as having a major impact on his choice of career, notably the helping hand given to him by staff and lecturers during his time at the institution.

The best thing about studying at North Wales Business School (NWBS) was definitely the support I received, said Elliot.

Whether I was knocking on an office door, calling, emailing or skyping there was always someone who was happy to answer my questions or fix my data when Id done something wrong.

Thats the great thing about the NWBS, youre a name rather than a number, lecturers stop and say hello and actually know who you are.

I have friends in other universities that managed to do entire modules unable to get the support they needed because they were just a number to their lecturer  it wasnt like that at Wrexham Glyndwr.

The unique Consumer Psychology aspect of the course  renamed Business Marketing and Consumer Behaviour  is what attracted Elliot to study in his home town.

The degree was of instant interest to me; I had found hundreds of Marketing degrees and hundreds of Psychology degrees but this was different.

Its the only course in the UK I could find that had Consumer Psychology at undergraduate level and thats the sort of USP I wanted.

That USP helped him gain the role at Dyson, where he sits within the Research Development and Design (RDD) department as part of the Product Mechanistic team.

Our aim as a team is to amplify technology potential and drive new technology definitions through maximised product experiences and proven and measurable benefit profiling, he said.

What that means is we get involved with a wide variety of different products at various stages of their development life by directly applying consumer science to product development, using a wide variety of techniques including experiments and questionnaires to focus groups and rapid response panels.

Knowledge is key and Dyson is all about not being afraid of making mistakes; theres a reason the first bag-less vacuum cleaner took 5127 prototypes before being put into production.

More information about about the North Wales Business School can be found on the Wrexham Glyndwr University website.
Wrexhams WASPI Campaign Brought to Westminster

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Mar 12th, 2017

A group of pension campaigners from Wrexham have been welcomed to Westminster by the towns MP.



The WASPI campaigners -Women Against State Pension Inequality  are campaigning for the Government to take action to help the thousands of women affected by changes to the state pension. The Wrexham campaigners were joined by other groups from across the country and took part in a Budget day demonstration in London calling for action from Government.

The current changes to the state pension mean that a group of women are set to lose out when women and men have their retirement age equalised by 2020.

Campaigners want the Government to consider transitional arrangements to help those women who will miss out because of the changes.

Women affected by the changes in the area have set up a local campaigning group and have met with Mr Lucas and the MP for Clwyd South, Susan Elan Jones  both of whom spoke with campaigners in Parliament yesterday.

Mr Lucas said: WASPI campaigners from Wrexham are part of a much wider group of women calling on the Government to act.

The Budget day demonstration brought campaigners to London to make their case to Government. I have been working alongside our Wrexham women and they have had some notable successes  working with Wrexhams Labour group, they persuaded Wrexham Council to pass a motion backing the campaign.

What was striking is the sheer number of women who had come from all parts of the country to Westminster. The Government may not have wanted to talk about them in yesterdays Budget  but WASPI women are not going away.
Having never sponsored a tax bill in my 12 years as a state legislator, I find myself in a new strange place. However as I watched nearly $90 million in services for senior citizens and people who have disabilities, including children, being cut from the state budget I had to do something.

Fortunately we have a mechanism to help restore these programs and positively impact the health and welfare of Montanans. Through my bill called the SAVE Act, we will increase the tobacco tax by $1.50 a pack. I fully understand that this may be considered excessive, but know it will take a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, a band aid wont do.

As a state legislator, I am very aware that Montana is a graying state. I can see it on the faces of my constituents and I confront the needs of our aging population every day in my committees. For years Ive heard from Montanans about the desperate shortage of direct-care workers due to low pay and the long waiting list for in-home care. Caring for an elder or a child who has a significant health condition is a huge challenge for families.

Its disturbing that in this legislative session the budget for long-term care services serving seniors and people with disabilities has been cut $90 million over the next two years. These cuts make no sense when the number of people aged 65 and over in Montana is projected to rise 55 percent over the next 15 years. It is the norm and expectation by people who have disabilities that they will be fully integrated in the community. Working, going to school, raising families, attending local churches, like everybody. With supports, people will avoid segregated settings and enjoy opportunities like everybody else.

The proposed budget cuts will hit Montana communities hard. If implemented, these cuts will make it even harder for families to find someone to care for their loved ones, risk putting rural nursing homes out of business, and make life next to impossible for people who need our support.

These budget cuts have driven me to sponsor the SAVE Act: a long-delayed increase in the states tobacco tax that will save critical health services, save young people from the perils of smoking, save health care dollars, and save lives which might have been lost as a result of tobacco use.

I do not take increasing a tax lightly. However, after evaluating all the evidence, I see this proposal as a win-win for Montana. The continued economic toll of tobacco use and addiction cost our state more than $440 million in health care spending each year. Every Montana household contributes over $700 a year as a result of tobacco use.

This tax will cover all tobacco products and electronic cigarettes. Empirical evidence proves that a tobacco tax increase is one of the most effective ways to encourage users to quit and prevent young people from starting. This evidence would suggest that the SAVE Act would decrease youth use by 15.8 percent, which is so important considering that 90 percent of all adult smokers started when they were kids. Finally, perhaps the most compelling statistic is that we can prevent an estimated 3,900 tobacco-related deaths.

Please call your legislators at 406-444-4800 and ask them to support the SAVE Act.
West Seti Hydropower Project: NEA rejects proposal to revise down capacity

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has turned down China Three Gorges Corporations (CTGC) proposal to revise down the installed capacity of West Seti Hydropower Project to 600MW from 750MW.
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NRB to float foreign employment bonds worth Rs250 million

The Nepal Rastra Bank, on behalf of the government, is floating foreign employment saving bonds worth Rs250 million on Wednesday, in a bid to pool savings of Nepalis working abroad to finance various development projects in the country.
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The "Bins of Light" public art was scheduled for installation on the Lincoln Avenue underpass in Yakima this fall. It has been delayed, likely until spring. (Submitted photo)
The escalating dispute between NATO allies Turkey and the Netherlands hit a new low Sunday, with a Turkish minister escorted out of the country as persona non grata, less than a day after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call the Dutch "Nazi remnants."

The diplomatic standoff was over plans by Turkish government officials to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum back home. Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had arrived in the country from Germany but was prevented from entering Turkey's diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up an extraordinary standoff with armed police. She was later sent under escort back to Germany.
The escalating dispute between NATO allies Turkey and the Netherlands hit a new low Sunday, with a Turkish minister escorted out of the country as persona non grata, less than a day after Turkey's foreign minister was denied entry, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call the Dutch "Nazi remnants."

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The diplomatic standoff was over plans by Turkish government officials to campaign in the Netherlands for a referendum back home. Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya had arrived in the country from Germany but was prevented from entering Turkey's diplomatic compound in Rotterdam, setting up an extraordinary standoff with armed police. She was later sent under escort back to Germany.

Pro-Erdogan protest in Rotterdam (Photo: Reuters)

Photo: Reuters

Photo: Reuters

Photo: Reuters

Photo: Reuters

The Dutch were equally angry and Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Erdogan's Nazi comment "a crazy remark," while Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said the Turkish consul general was guilty of a "scandalous deception" after he allegedly denied that the minister was coming despite government warnings to stay away.

Security forces surrounding Turkey's Family and Social Policies Minister (Photo: NOS)

"He lied to us and didn't tell the truth," the mayor said. "The deception worsened when they drove in different columns to Rotterdam" to try to fool Dutch authorities.

The diplomatic clash with Kaya, came after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was barred from landing in the Netherlands on Saturday and Turkish officials closed off the Dutch Embassy and called its ambassador no longer welcome.

The Dutch first withdrew the landing rights of the foreign minister because of objections to his intention to attend a rally in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional reforms to expand Erdogan' powers, which the Dutch see as a step backward from democracy. Turkish officials have been campaigning in various European cities with Turkish populations before the April 16 referendum.

Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul that the Dutch "do not know politics or international diplomacy." He compared them to "Nazi remnants, they are fascists."

Erdogan in Istanbul, Saturday (Photo: AP)

Erdogan had earlier this month already compared German policies to "Nazi practices," after German municipalities canceled several campaign events by Turkish officials last weekend.

He told a rally in Istanbul Saturday: "You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want, let's see how your (diplomatic) planes will come to Turkey from now on." Cavusoglu also referred to possible sanctions.

The Dutch government said it withdrew the permission because of "risks to public order and security," leading Cavusoglu to say: "So is the foreign minister of the Turkish republic a terrorist?"

In the evening, a Turkish foreign ministry official who spoke on customary anonymity said the Dutch Embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul were closed off because of security reasons.





Demonstration against the Netherlands in Istanbul (Photo: EPA)

Photo: EPA

The official said entries and exits were closed to the two locations. Similar precautions were taken at the Dutch charge d'affaires' house and the ambassador's residence.

The Turkish foreign ministry also said that it doesn't want to see the Dutch ambassador, who is out of the country, return to his post for some time because of the increasingly divisive dispute with the Netherlands.

In a written statement early Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country will strongly respond to the Dutch actions.

"There will be a stronger reprisal against the unacceptable treatment toward Turkey and ministers who have diplomatic immunity," Yildirim said.

Cavusoglu said he arrived in Metz, France, late Saturday, where he was expected to address crowds on Sunday.

Around 100 people marched in Istanbul Saturday afternoon to protest the Dutch decision, with demonstrators placing a black wreath in front of the Dutch Consulate amid a heavy police presence.

The diplomatic row comes at a time when relations between Turkey and the European Union, of which the Netherlands is a member, have been steadily worsening, especially in the wake of Erdogan's actions since last year's failed coup. More than 41,000 people have been arrested and 100,000 civil servants fired from their jobs.

Cavusoglu said that "unfortunately Europe and several countries in Europe, the Netherlands being in the first place, they are reminiscent of the Europe of World War II. The same racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, we see all the crimes against humanity in today's politics."

Geert Wilders taking a picture with a supporter (Photo: MCT)

The dispute also comes just days before the Netherlands goes to the polls next Wednesday for the lower house of Parliament. The campaign has been dominated by issues of identity, with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders set to make strong gains.

Earlier Saturday, Cavusoglu said "Wilders is racist, fascist, like a Nazi." Citing comments that Wilders wanted action against Muslims, Cavusoglu said: "What are you going to do? Are you going to kill them, burn them or what?"
US President Donald Trump is mulling the option to hold a peace conference in the Middle East in an effort to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after speaking on Friday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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Friday's 10-minute phone call was the first between Trump and Abbas since the former took office.

"The president emphasized his personal belief that peace is possible and that the time has come to make a deal," the White House said. Trump underscored that such a peace agreement must be negotiated directly between the two parties and that the United States will work closely with Palestinian and Israeli leadership to make progress toward that goal, the statement said.

From left to right: Palestinian President Abbas, US President Trump and Israeli PM Netanyahu (Photo: AFP)

The White House said in a statement that the two leaders on Friday discussed ways to advance peace throughout the Middle East, including a comprehensive agreement that would end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The president noted that such a deal would not only give Israelis and Palestinians the peace and security they deserve, but that it would reverberate positively throughout the region and the world," the White House clarified.

In a statement made by the Palestinian authority, Trump is stated to have said that "it is time we end the suffering which lasted for 70 years." Abbas responded that they are "committed to peace, as a strategic achievement in an overall effort to found a Palestinian state alongside Israel."

"We are ready to deal with President Trump and the Israeli government to resume the negotiations," said Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh. "If the Israelis are ready, President Abbas has committed himself to a peaceful deal with President Trump." He added that they are pleased with the call and its results.

At the end of the call, Trump invited Abbas to the White House to discuss resuming peace talks. Rudeineh said Mr Abbas would travel "very soon," though he didnt give a specific date.

According to White House sources, Trump told his advisors that if preparations are made and the conference's purpose is made clear to not just be for show, then he is willing to participate in it. The White House is checking the possibility of holding the conference in Jordan or Egypt and is trying to even incorporate Saudi Arabia in it, which the president sees as an important ally.

Trump advisor to Israel Jason Greenblatt (Photo: gettyimages)

Trump has repeatedly described brokering peace between the Palestinians and Israel as "the ultimate deal" and has stated his eagerness to achieve this. To this end, Trump's advisor on Israel Jason Greenblatt is due to arrive in Israel this week.

Greenblatt, a lawyer and Trump's advisor to Israel, is set to begin talks this week with both Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank. If progress is made, Trump plans to send his son-in-law, Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, to accompany Greenblatt.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its anger that the regional German daily newspaper Hamburger Morgenpost included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a list of "The Seven Craziest Leaders in the World."

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The Israeli premier featured along with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Khamenei North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, the Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Russia's President Vladimir Putin, with whom Netanyahu met on Thursday in Moscow

The text accompanying Netanyahu's picture says that he is promoting settlement policies and that he tried to convince former US President Barack Obama to attack Iran.

Hamburger Morgenpost's article

Hamburger Morgenpost has left-wing editorial positions. Two years ago, it published a caricature of the Islamic religious figure Mohammed.

Netanyahu and Putin, both on the list (Photo: EPA)

The Israeli Embassy in Germany criticized the paper: "The fact that they put an elected prime minister of a democratic Western country, which has been fighting for its life since its founding, alongside some of the worst dictators in the world, reveals more than anything the newspaper's level of understanding of what is happening today in the world, or something much worst, which was already supposed to have disappeared from the world: anti-Semitism."

Following Israeli and internal German objections, the newspaper apologized for including Israel's prime minister in the list. "Including Netanyahu in a the list was a mistake, and we apologize for it," the newspaper announced on Saturday night.
Reconstruction impasse

Almost 23 months have passed since the earthquake of April 25, 2015; yet many victims are still living under tarpaulins and temporary shelters.
An anonymous donor offered last weekend to donate a million dollars to fund added beds for the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department of the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem to end the crisis worrying dozens of parents and children.

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The donor, a known businessman who requested to remain anonymous, offered to donate a million shekels. After Hadassah's management claimed that they needed more than that to add the necessary number of beds to allow the ward to keep operating, the donor agreed to donate a million dollars instead.

Hadassah Medical Center (Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)

The donor's only condition was that the doctors who filed their resignation last week will keep their positions.

This proposal by the donor to the hospital and the resigning doctors is mediated by MK Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin (Zionist Union). The offer, and its following negotiations, is set to be deliberated today or tomorrow.

MK Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

This conflict started after six senior doctors at the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department at the Hadassah hospital tended their resignation in protest of a decision by the hospital director to perform bone marrow transplants for children at another department for adults.

Hadassah Medical Center Director General Prof. Zeev Rotstein claimed that the resignations were part of "internal politics," adding that "as far as the professional matter is concerned, I'm confident about the treatment the children are receiving, both at the pediatric department and at the bone marrow transplantation department."

Hadassah Medical Center Director General Prof. Zeev Rotstein (Photo: Yaron Brener)

The doctors believe the decision is fundamentally wrong and does not allow them to provide patients with the best care. Despite talks between the sides, the doctors and the hospital's administration failed to reach an agreement to resolve the crisis.

The donor's proposal aims to bridge between the two sides by eliminating the problem altogether.

"I hope the current proposal will come to fruition so that we could help the children," said MK Nahmias-Verbin Saturday. "This proposal was aimed to provide an answer for an all-too-common distress, and I'm hoping that the doctors will agree to stay for the children's sake."

Head of the Hematology Department Prof. Eliezer A. Rachmilewitz confirmed the details of the donation Saturday, saying that "a known man called me, saying he is shocked by the story. According to him, if this is merely a budgetary problem he is willing to donate in order to solve it."
Police in Rotterdam say they arrested 12 protesters as a demonstration outside the Turkish consulate devolved into rioting.

Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said the arrests were made for violence and public order offenses as Dutch-Turkish protesters pelted police with bottles and rocks early Sunday.

Police responded with batons and a water cannon.

Wessels says seven people were injured in the brief explosion of violence, including a police officer who suffered a broken hand.
Here are two quick conclusions drawn from the first phone call between US President Donald Trump and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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The first conclusion: The new US administration managed to exasperate Abbas. The Palestinian Authority insisted on keeping score: 49 days since entering the White House, Trump has called Netanyahu twice and warmly welcomed him to Washington , with the two of them looking like a couple of lovebirds. Trump has also called all of the other players in the region, who are keeping the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at arm's length: Jordan's King Abdullah II, with whom the American president also met , Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Saudi King Salman and the three rulers of the Persian Gulf kingdoms. Abbas found himself last on the list.

Trump also made sure to declare that he didn't care if the Palestinian issue would be resolved with one state or two states , but warned Netanyahuin a message received by Lieberman as wellto calm down with settlement construction. And if that wasn't enough, Trump insisted on appointing the hawkish ambassador David Friedman , but didfor nowdrop his plans to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem

Trump and Abbas (Photos: AFP)

The second conclusion: Until further notice, we can expect only meaningless platitudes. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer confirmed reports that Trump invited Abbas to Washington very soon. Meanwhile Palestinian officials described the phone call as "excellent" and "serious and pleasant," while the Palestinian leader said he was looking forward to work with the new president.

This was only a short phone call, with both sides saying only what is expected of them: Trump claims he made a decision to restart the talks without trying to impose solutions, while Abbas stressed he would be committed to any effort that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.

In other words: Trump kicked the ball to Ramallah's court. Abbas wants a Palestinian state? Ahlan Wasahlan, no problem. Come to Washington, you'll be welcomed with a red carpet, and we'll think together how to restart the process. This, on the condition you realize in advance that not all of your demands will be met. Just don't try to sell me tales about the Palestinian public opinion.

We must not forget that Trump is coming into this with insights from the business world. He has been warned that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a quagmire, that his predecessors invested precious efforts and time in finding a creative solution by forming work teams and spending dozens of millions and dollars. We also must not forget that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not at the top of Trump's priorities when it comes to our neighborhood. It's much more important to him to catch ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and get rid of ISIS in general.

So when Trump informs Abbas that it is time to end 70 years of suffering for the Palestinians, he means: If you really are committed, stop running around international institutions, do your part, and I'll handle Netanyahu.

Like a couple of lovebirds: Netanyahu and Trump (Photo: AFP)

The statements coming out of Washington and Ramallah show Trump's advisors have done their homework. From Abbas's point of view, the White House's treatment of Netanyahu appears too friendly, done at his expense. Trump's team advised the president to have Abbas in Washington even before the Arab League's summit convenes in Jordan at the end of the month to give him support.

From Abbas's point of view, a lot is riding on his meeting with Trump at the White House. It would be a rare opportunity for him to give Trump the Palestinian version, the facts and data the American president did not get from Netanyahu.

He has already started laying the groundwork with the new American administration by sending the head of the Palestinian intelligence service, Majid Faraj, to brief his counterparts in Washington on just how deep the PA's security cooperation with Israel is, as proof Ramallah wasn't encouraging terror attacks.

Now, it is Trump envoy Jason Greenblatt's turn to skip between Jerusalem and Ramallah.

After all, the mystery of what Trump really wants, what his goals are, and how much is he really willing to invest, has yet to be revealed.
Relatives of the seven Israeli girls who were murdered in the 1997 Naharayim massacre expressed their difficult feelings Sunday over the release from prison of its perpetrator, Ahmad Daqamseh.

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Hezi Cohen, father of Nirit Cohen who was one of the victims of the incident, said Sunday morning that "we knew that it's going to be today; we kept track of the date. This morning takes me back 20 years, back to that damned day.

Welcomed back with cheers

Ahmad Daqamseh after his release

Cohen then added, "He should have felt the pain that he caused us to experience in every moment of our lives. I relieve it every day, thinking 'If Nirit were alive today, what would she have been?' It happens mainly when I encounter her friends, see them grown and start realizing what I missed. I want to send a message to the prime minister and the defense minister: Our children's lives are not to be forfeited. You should have faced Jordan to prevent his release at any cost."

Nirit Cohen, 13, when she died

Orit Cohen, sister of Karen Cohen who was also murdered in the attack, said Sunday morning, "I grew up with her, and we slept in the same room until she died. I miss her a lot and coping is not simple at all. The murder took place around Purim, and now, 20 years later, they release him on Purim, when we should celebrate a holiday emphasizing joy and celebration. In my opinion it's just like releasing Hamas terrorists from prison."

"Who says tomorrow he isnt going to commit another terrorist attack, killing more Israeli children?" Orit asked, bringing to mind that Daqamseh still takes pride in his actions. "Our circle of loss just keeps getting wider. What is Purim celebrated for? For surviving after enemies tried to annihilate us. And precisely the one who tried and succeeded is released today, in Purim.

"We live in the shadow of that memory. The time around this holiday is the most difficult, and now his release added to that difficulty. We would have addressed the government about it, but we know it will be to no avail."

Karen Cohen, 14 when she died

Yisrael Fatihi, father of the late Sivan Fatihi, said that he did not expect that the Israeli government would be able to prevent Daqamseh's release.

In an interview with Ynet, he said that "in the last remembrance ceremony for the victims of the massacre, we met with the Israeli ambassador to Jordan, who told us that a life sentence there is 20 years in prison. Last week they even called us to make sure we won't be surprised by his release."

Nirit Fatihi's mother holding up her picture (Photo: Haim Zach)

On Daqamseh's release celebrations, Fatihi commented, "His family called him a hero. Even the Jordanian parliament called him a hero at the time of the incident. If that's what the parliament said, what else can be expected of his own family?

"I always say that the peace with Jordan is with Jordan's royalty, not with its people or with its parliament. This did not open any old wound for me, I know what the other side is thinking. For all I care, let the murderer be buried at home."

On March 13, 1997, Daqamsehwho at the time was a 26-year-old soldier in the Jordanian armyopened fire at a group of 7th and 8th grade schoolgirls the AMIT Fuerst School in Beit Shemesh, who were on a class field trip, killing seven and wounding 6 more.
Israelis celebrated the Jewish holiday of Purim on Sunday, with the grandest festivities taking place in Holon, as has become the norm, with 200,000 revelers taking part.

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Holon's carnival (:  ) X

Pictures from Herzliya

The Moscowitz family, Holon residents, came all together, with the father, Shai, having taken a day off work to participate. "I came with my three daughters to see the parade together, and later we'll split up, and they'll continue with their school friends."

Pictures from Holon

Trump float

Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh (and a smaller version)

MK Oren Hazan (R)

The IDF announced earlier in the day that the military closure imposed on the West Bank had been extended to noon.

Tens of thousands also came to celebrate in Ramat Gan and in Herzliya. The carnival in the latter had the theme of Bible stories. 2,500 children came dressed as biblical characters.

Pictures from Ramat Gan

In Hebron, the traditional parade took place without incident, ending at the Cave of the Patriarchs. Amongst those who took part were right-wing activists Itamar Ben Gvir, who came dressed as Elor Azaria, and Bentzi Gopstein, leader of the group Lehava . That carnival took place under heavy security provided by Israeli security forces.

Pictures from Hebron

Gopstein as Trump and Ben Gvir as Azaria

Some 3,000 came to the central celebration in Eilat, which is suffering from especially bad air pollution due to dust and sand storms. The Ministry for Environmental Protection updated its warning on Sunday that air pollution would be from medium to high throughout the country, especially in the south from the afternoon. In the Center of the country, the air pollution is to be from high to very high, and in the North, the pollution will be high.

Pictures from Eilat

The air quality is to improve starting in the evening.

Itay Blumental, Elisha Ben Kimon and Meir Ohayon contributed to this report.
After an unprecedented diplomatic fight between the Netherlands and Turkey, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Sunday he would seek to control the damage caused by the weekend incidents when he prevented two Turkish ministers from campaigning in the Netherlands.

Rutte's actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being "Nazi remnants."
Security forces revealed on Sunday that they uncovered several cells of Hamas in Judea and Samaria in recent weeks. Among the arrested were members of the gang from Biddu, Jerusalem, who allegedly planted explosive devices and threw Molotov cocktails against IDF forces, and were also involved in a 2015 shooting incident in Har Adar.

Two other youths, from Hebron and Jamma'in in Samaria, were arrested on suspicion planning to commit a shooting terrorist attack against civilian and IDF vehicles.

Several students from Birzeit University were also arrested for allegedly being members of Hamas, and for holding rallies and activism projects to raise funds for the organization.
A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was unrepentant after his release from prison Sunday, lashing out at Israelis with harshly derogatory remarks.

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Ahmed Daqamseh, who had spent 20 years in prison, was given a rousing welcome in his home village in northern Jordan after his release. He was greeted by chanting supporters who kissed him on the cheek and raised a photo of him with the caption, "Welcome to the hero Daqamseh."

Ahmed Daqamseh (Photo: EPA)

Daqamseh opened fire on a group of Israeli students at the scenic "Island of Peace" border post in March 1997, killing seven and wounding seven.

A Jordanian military court deemed Daqamseh mentally unstable and sentenced him to life in prison, rather than imposing the death penalty. Jordan had announced several days ago that Daqamseh would be released this week, after completing his term. In Jordan, life terms are not open-ended, and prisoners can be released after 20 years.

Upon arriving in his hometown, Daqamseh expressed no regrets, telling a reporter that Israelis are "human garbage."

Israel's government had no comment Sunday.

Israel and Jordan cooperate closely on security matters, including in the battle against Islamic extremism, even if their 1994 peace treaty remains widely unpopular in Jordan, where many residents have Palestinian roots.

Yisrael Fatihi, whose 13-year-old daughter Sivan was killed in the attack, told Israel Radio on Sunday that he had been informed by the Israeli embassy in Jordan last week that Daqamseh's release was imminent.

Daqamseh greeted by celebrations in Jordan upon his release

"It is unfortunate, but this is the situation," Fatihi said.

After the shooting, Jordan's King Husseinthe late father of the current king, Abdullah IIrushed to Israel and paid condolence visits to the girls' families, a gesture that touched many Israelis at the time.

Fatihi recalled Hussein's condolence visit, saying he and his family had been sitting on the floor in mourning at the time and that the monarch knelt down next to them. "We told him we really appreciated his visit," Fatihi said.

Nurit, his wife,said that her daughter was a "very happy" child who "took everything easily." She said she misses "her laughter, her smile, her joy of life."

"Despite the murder we are for peace," she said.

Daqamseh was released from prison before dawn Sunday.

By Sunday afternoon, he was receiving well-wishers in his clan's meeting hall in the village of Ibdir, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital of Amman.

Jordanian security forces set up checkpoints along the access road to the village, preventing journalists from entering with cameras.

In comments broadcast on the Al Jazeera satellite TV channel, Daqamseh appeared to be unrepentant. He said that those who criticized him for killing young girls were "hired pens" and admonished them to "fear God."

Standing in a street dressed in a suit and tie, he said, "Palestine needs every single Arab and Muslim."

Asked by the Al Jazeera reporter about a purported Israeli plot to kill him, Daqamseh said: "They (Israelis) are human garbage that other peoples got rid of by dumping them in Palestine, the most sacred place after Mecca."

"This garbage should be burned or buried," he added. "This will happen, if not in our generation, then in other generations."

In a videotaped statement posted online, Daqamseh urged Jordanians not to believe what he called "the lie of normalization with Israel" and the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Keren Ofri Mizrachi, one of the girls Daqamseh shot and wounded in the attack, said his release from prison is a difficult day for her.

She told Israel's Channel 10 TV how she was hit while trying to run away from the carnage.

"I saw the look of murder in his eyes," she said, adding that his release had brought memories flooding back. It feels like being "wounded again."

"I have chosen to live. I won't allow anybody or anything in the world to break me. I am strong, I am a proud Jew. I have a family and children, they are my strength," she said.
The smog that spread over Israel's skies Sunday came from the Sinai Peninsula and is only growing heavier, causing heavy air pollution in most parts of the country and disruption of air traffic.

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An Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna to Ben Gurion Airport turned around over the Mediterranean resort town of Marmaris, re-landing in Vienna. Representatives of the airline in Israel told Ynet that "the airplane returned to Vienna following the abnormal amount of dust in the air."

Tel Aviv (Photo: Yaron Brenner)

(Photo: Yaron Brenner)

(Photo: Yaron Brenner)

On the backdrop of Purim (Photo: Yaron Brenner)

(Photo: Yaron Brenner)

Particle concentration data demonstrated a surge in air pollution in the afternoon hours. Until early morning, air pollution was relatively tolerable, but it was around noon that exceedingly high pollution levels were registered in the south and in the center. The peak was recorded at 2:00pm in Be'er Sheva5 times the daily average. Ashkelon, Ashdod, Rehovot and Modi'in registered particularly high air pollution in the afternoon as well.

Netanya (Photo: Ido Erez)

(Photo: Ido Erez)

Jerusalem (Photo: Ofer Meir)

The thick pollution is expected to last into the night. The particle concentration should significantly drop once it starts raining, which is expected to happen overnight.

Ashkelon (Photo: Roee Idan)

The Ministry of Environmental Protection issued a warning following the afternoon heavy air pollution spreading from the south to the center and up north.

It is highly recommended for people with heart or lung diseases, the elderly, children and pregnant women to avoid strenuous physical activity, and spending unnecessary time outside. The healthy population should also avoid strenuous physical activity outdoors.
Three boys fell from a height of 6 meters in Nazareth. Two of them, aged 13 and 16 were seriously injured. A MDA helicopter was dispatched to the scene, evacuating them to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Another 13 year old boy was lightly injured, and taken to the Nazareth English Hospital.

Police said that preliminary examination indicates that the three had probably been sitting on a glass ceiling that cracked underneath their weight.
Turkey referendum: Dutch expel Erdogan's minister amid protests

Dutch riot police have used water cannons and horses to disperse protesters outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, as the city expelled a Turkish minister.
While the Oscars drew much attention last week, Maysaloun Hamoud, the Arab director and writer of the film In Between (Bar Bahr), recently received a different type of recognition, of the negative sort, for her film work. The 35-year old film director had a fatwa issued against her debut film, In Between, released in Israeli theaters back in January.

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The film tells the story of Nur, a conservative Muslim woman from Umm al-Fahm who moves in with two secular, partying Arab flat mates in hipster Tel Aviv and rebels against her traditions. Upon its release, it was heavily criticized in Umm al-Fahm, including by the citys mayor.

In Between (Photo: Yaniv Berman)

Located in northern Israel, Umm al-Fahm is one of the countrys largest Arab cities with around 50,000 residents and serves as a stronghold for the Islamic Movement. The film was banned from screening in the city.

Right after the film was first screened in Israel, the mayor of Umm al-Fahm Sheikh Khaled Hamdan called Hamoud a heretic during a speech delivered in a mosque in January. Soon after, the Higher Islamic Council issued a fatwa, a religious Islamic ruling that determined that Hamoud was harming Islam and that the film was sinful.

For the first two weeks there was a lot of craziness. Im not saying that I was scared or frightened, but the violence that was in the air from the fundamentalists was so strong, Mahmoud told The Hollywood Reporter, which reported that Hamoud and the films actresses have been the targets of several death threats.

(Photo: Itay Gross)

The Umm al-Fahm city hall also sought a countrywide ban on In Between, and wrote a letter to the Israeli Ministry of Culture demanding that the film be removed from all Israeli theaters, describing it offensive to the religion of Islam and to the residents of Umm al-Fahm in particular.

I didnt know from the beginning or even during production that it would be like this kind of mess. But of course I knew that we were going to ruffle feathers. I think it was one of the purposes  to shake the system, Hamoud commented to The Hollywood Reporter.

Hamoud was born in Budapest and returned to her familys native Galilee village of Deir Hanna when she was two. She studied Film at the Minshar Film School in Tel Aviv University.

In Between, which was produced by actor Shlomi Elkabetz, has already received awards in film festivals around the world.
Elad Cooper, 20, form Or Yehuda, was found dead in a hotel in the city of Pokhara in Nepal. The Foreign Ministry confirmed the fact of his death, and the Israeli Embassy in Kathmandu and the Department of Israelis abroad are helping the family in returning his body to Israel.

Cooper was absent over the last week. According to local media reports in Nepal, he spent 113 days at the hotel where his body was found.
Since the beginning of 2017, 223 shooting events have been carried out within the Arab community, taking the lives of 13 people. 62 people were reported to have been murdered within the Arab sector in 930 shooting occasions over 2016, and 58 people were murdered in 712 events in 2015.

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One such shooting was carried out on Saturday evening in the northern district of Umm al-Fahm. A father residing there recorded his three-year-old son crying and shaking after he heard people opening fire nearby. The father is heard in the video attempting to calm his son by saying, "Why are you crying? They're pigs. Calm down, dear."

A toddler at Umm al-Fahm bursts into tears due to shooting

X

A resident of Umm al-Fahm stated that the shootings may become worse. "Unfortunately, not a day goes by without criminals bothering us with these shooting. It's become a competition, where whoever shoots the most is considered a hero. The children are very scared and don't sleep at night due to the shooting. We don't know how to fight this phenomenon; the shooting could hurt people and create disasters. If illegal weapons continue to be freely available, the ramifications could become more severe."

A toddler from Umm al-Fahm bursts into tears due to nearby shooting

"Sometimes I feel like I'm at war because of the shooting," said a young man living in Umm al-Fahm. "The shooters are not considerate and go on with their endless shooting. I personally don't sleep at night and have a hard time waking up for school in the morning. If I do end up going to school, I feel groggy and have a hard time functioning. The shooting is hurting our future."

On a separate occasion over the weekend, unknown individuals shot at the home of the imam of a mosque located in the central city of Tayibe. Residents reported that the imam, Sheikh Mohannad Shikh Yousef, has been rumored to be "working for the eradication of violence, and that due to his direct approach it was decided to shoot at his house." Al Mohamadia, a non-profit focused on aiding families in need, issued a condemnation following the event, saying that these actions "have crossed all red lines."

The police responded to the shootings by saying that "the Israel Police and Ministry of Internal Affairs are hard at work to reinforce police services in an effort to eradicate this phenomenon from within the Arab community." The police statement added that thanks to these efforts, "more than a thousand indictments were filed in this matter in 2016.

"That said, we would like to stress that Israel Police cannot bring about a beneficial change on its own, and therefore it is necessary to have the cooperation of the Arab leadership and authorities. Israel Police will continue to adamantly minimize the possession of illegal weapons and hold a zero tolerance policy with suspects unlawfully using weapons and those involved in arms trade."
Equipped with Russian-made tanks (via the Syrian army), Iranian rockets and operating as an elite unit trained by the Islamic Republic, a brigade formed by the Iraqi Shiite militia declared that its target is to liberate the Golan. This brigade is the reason behind the message Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed in Russia, according to which Israel will not tolerate permanent Iranian presence in Syria.

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"The declaration regarding the formation of the liberation of the Golan brigade is not only a media campaign, but the real goal of the movement," said the secretary general of the militia, Akram al-Kabi.

Golan Liberation Brigade

X

So who is this militia? Intelligence researcher Ronen Solomon, owner of the Intel Times blog, traced this significant branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Soleimani and al-Kabi (Photo: Ronon Solomon's blog)

"The militia's name first surfaced in 2013 when it deployed its divisions in Syria, in the areas of Sayyidah Zaynab of the Damascus suburbs (which is sacred to the Shiites), Idlib, Aleppo, Homs, Al-Klmon near the Lebanese border, and Iraq under the auspices of the Revolutionary Guard," Solomon explained.

"That same year, the militia released a series of videos that expressed loyalty to the commander of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, and even adopted the resistance symbols of Hezbollah," continued Solomon.

The organization in question is an extension of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq that includes several Shiite militias who are perceived as controversial due to their religious zeal.

The organization, according to Solomon's analysis, is one of the Shiite militias deployed to Syria by Iran to help Hezbollah and the Syrian army in securing the Shiite holy places, but also to conquer the strategic city of Aleppo, in addition to reinforcing Hezbollah's defense in the Al-Klmon Mountains. "All activity is coordinated with Russia, who has been providing the forces with aerial backup and assisting in transferring weapons of their production."

Shiite Golan liberation brigade (Photo: Ronon Solomon's log)

Solomon claimed that the Iraqi militia has an elite unit trained by Iran, which operates in similar fashion to Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force. "Iran provided the militia with multi barrel rocket launchers and even though the rockets are not precise, they hold deadly impact, which has proven itself in Iraq against American bases and now, in pounding rebel outposts in northern Syria."

In recent months, there have been records of the Syrian militia fighters equipped with Russian T-90 tanks, which they probably received indirectly from Russia through the Syrian army, according to Solomon's assessment. He noted that "the fighting in Iraq and Syria has made them proficient in guerrilla warfare and urban warfare."

Solomon also linked between this militia and the reports concerning an attempt by the Quds Force to use an Iraqi citizen with a Norwegian citizenship against Israel from Jordan territory in July 2015. Jordan arrested the citizen, who was captured with 45 kilograms of powerful explosives.

Sheikh al-Kabi, who heads the militia, occasionally exchanges his traditional garb with a military uniform: "He wanders back and forth on the IraqIran axis, Syria and Lebanon  and holds meetings with security officials working from the Iranian government, and even visits in Lebanon with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah."

Iraqi Shiite militia

X

In September 2015, Al-Kabi gave a speech to his fighters in Aleppo, going so far as to directly accuse Israel of attacking his organization, a claim which to this day remains unproven. Al-Kabi neglected to specify where and where Israel had allegedly attacked, but this accusation is a first of its kind.

Usually, the attacks attributed to Israel in Syria are meant to prevent arms shipments from being transferred to Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, on the backdrop of the formation of this brigade along with Netanyahu's quicksilver visit to Russia, it is quite possible that one day, Israel will find itself in conflict with this Shiite militia.
The value of home loan approvals rose 1.5% to $39.91bn in January, according to seasonally adjusted figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This rise was driven entirely by the value of investor loans increasing 4.2% in the month, as loans for owner-occupied housing fell 0.2%.

Economists from Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) said growth in investor borrowing was a key concern for the Reserve Bank and APRA.

APRA has made it clear it wants banks to limit growth in loans to investors to 10%.

At least for the time being, the benchmarks that we communicated  including the 10 per cent benchmark for annual growth in investor lending  remain in place and lenders that choose to operate beyond these benchmarks are under no illusions that supervisory intervention is a possible consequence, Wayne Byres, ARPA chairman, told the A50 Australian Economic Forum in Sydney in February.

As noted by Matthew Hassan, senior economist at Westpac, with investor loan growth running at 6.6% in the year to January, banks or the APRA might soon need to take further action.

Lenders will either have to start reining in growth in investor loan approvals back to a sub-10 per cent annual pace in coming months or run the risk of sanctions from the regulator, he said.

Related stories:

Strong Property Investor Loan Growth Is Worrying Banking Regulators

Forecast: The Official Cash Rate Will Fall To 1% This Year
The off-the-plan apartments market is now the worst I have seen in the last 10 years, Li Ming, co-director of real estate company Aussiehome, told The Australian.

Chinese investors are being hampered by Beijings recent crackdown on capital outflows leaving the PRC, including those being funnelled to Australia to pay for property investment. These restrictions, along with tighter lending criteria from Chinese financial institutions for property investment overseas, may be impacting investments in Australia.

Chinese investors also appear to be shifting their interest to other types of property. We are seeing a shift in inquiries from apartments to house-and-land, where they have risen 30 per cent overall in the last six months, said Esther Yong, director of Chinese-language real estate website ACproperty.

Real estate agents based in mainland China like house-and-land deals, said Yong, because settlement, and thus their receipt of commission, is usually much shorter, whereas receipt of commission for apartments often takes two to three years.

Chinese buyers are still active in the established property market, but they would like to extend the settlement periods in their contracts out to as far as 12 months, betting on changes within China that might lead to a loosening of lending policies and of the barriers to taking money out, Li said.

It is becoming more complicated, but I dont think the rules are stopping anyone  theyre just slowing down the entire process. The major issue is not so much moving money, as the financing itself, Yong said.

Wealthier investors prefer to keep a low profile, according to Li, as they do not want to attract too much attention. In Melbourne, many prefer to buy homes in Camberwell, Kew, Canterbury, Hawthorn, and Box Hill for $1.8m to $3.5m. The more conspicuous mansions of Toorak are now largely shunned by this group.

Chinese investors still believe that Melbourne properties are worth buying compared with Beijing and Shanghai, if they can get their money out of China, Li said.

Demand remains strong, and house prices in Melbournes eastern and southeastern suburbs should continue to rise this year by 10%-15%, according to Li. Demand would be boosted by a desire to be close to exclusive schools and universities.

In a research note released in September, Ivan Colhoun, chief markets economist at NAB, noted that the presence of a large numbers of foreign investors complicated not only the outlook for prices, but also settlement risks.

Recent trends and reports suggest there has been a modest increase in delays in settlement rather than outright non-settlement. And it is typically foreign buyers that are now finding it somewhat harder to access finance and/or expatriate finance, the latter largely from China, Colhoun said.

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Bhopal gas tragedy is back in the news again nearly 26 years after this ghastly incident took place. Over 20,000 people were killed within days and people continue to suffer till today. Everybody is appalled at the verdict because it seems that the incident has been treated like a road accident. <br><br> Every media channel, whether online or offline, is abuzz with discussions about the tragedy. Media is leaving no stone unturned to blame the government for its inaction. But, a closer look and the media would realize that it is a failure on its part as well. How? The kind of media attention that this incident is getting now could have been given earlier also. Media is very powerful. Had it kept the issue alive, then the government could have been pressurized to act earlier and faster. This has happened in the past in cases of Jessica Lal, Nitish Kataria, 26/11, tiger conservation, Rouvanjit Rawla etc. It is widely known that had the media not followed these incidents, these too would have died their natural death. <br><br> There is no written rulebook for media coverage for such incidents but, it is the medias moral responsibility to act on such issues. Unfortunately, media too is driven by TRPs. That is why some channels prefer to give more coverage to Amitabh Bachchans religious pilgrimages, Shilpa Shettys wedding shopping, the Ambanis handshake etc. <br><br> It is not that the media has not given coverage to the incident but, the focus is event driven. The focus has shifted back to the Bhopal gas tragedy because of the recent verdict. A few weeks down the line, this issue would again fade away. After all, the law of diminishing returns applies to them as well. <br><br> Back in the eighties, media was not so powerful but, now that it is, it can act as a catalyst in bringing a change in our society. After all, well done is better than well said. What has happened in the past cannot be changed, but going forward the media can learn from the same and make sure that this issue does not die down till it reaches its rightful conclusion. It is not the light that we need but, the fire.
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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YEREVAN, MARCH 10, ARMENPRESS. The Council of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) approved the application of Armenias candidacy for the EITI on March 9 in Bogota, and the Republic of Armenia was granted the status of EITI candidate country, press service of Armenias Government told Armenpress.

Thus, Armenia became 52nd country installing the EITI standard.

The installation of the EITI will lead to ensuring transparency in the mining field and increasing the accountability before the public. These factors play a key role for improvement of the business atmosphere in the country. Good management of extraction of natural resources can be beneficial for the citizens, and the EITI is a relevant tool to reach that goal. The significant information will be available for all stakeholders through the EITI. And the most valuable part of the process is that the sustainable involvement of interested parties will strengthen the mutual trust and cooperation between all involved sides, Davit Harutyunyan  Minister-Chief of the Staff of the Government, said.

The EITI creates a platform in Armenia for the mutual cooperation of the Government, extractive companies and civil society which aims at raising the financial accountability of the extractive sector.

Armenias delegation took part in the EITI international council session in Colombia.
YEREVAN, MARCH 10, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a congratulatory message to Donald Tusk on reelection of the President of European Council.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, the letter particularly states,

I cordially congratulate you on the reelection of the high position of the President of the European Council which is the best appreciation of your huge work done for the sake of stable Europe and the demonstration of great confidence in you.

I highly assess the warm, sincere and constructive dialogue between us during your previous mandate which greatly contributed to the progress of Armenia-EU relations. Not only Armenia-EU bilateral partnership but also cooperation in the sidelines of the Eastern Partnership substantially deepened.

Of course, I recall my last visit to Brussels, our meaningful discussions as well as your open hearted reception with particular warmth. I am convinced the completion of negotiation over Armenia-EU new framework agreement, as well as its coming into force in the future will open a new page in the history of our bilateral relations, raising them to a new qualitative level.

We are committed to bring into life all the agreements, since cooperation with the European Union significantly promotes reform process in Armenias efficient governance, democracy, human rights, rule of law and other spheres to which we attach great importance.

Once again congratulating you, I wish you working years full of achievements and victories for the sake of our greater region, unity of Europe. Armenia is ready to contribute to that task in the limits of its capacities.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest respects.
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan made a working visit to Syunik province, the governments press service told ARMENPRESS.

The PM visited the Wings of Tatev ropeway area, where the representatives of the Armenias development initiatives foundation briefed Karapetyan on the Gates of Tatev investment program. Under the project, it is planned to build the Gates of Tatev complex in the surrounding area of the Halidzor station of the ropeway, which will include information, leisure and service infrastructures and services, contributing to tourism, increase in types of services and improvement of quality.

The program plans over 95 million USD investments in 6 strategic directions, creating around 1500 jobs, and tripling the tourism flow to the region. The PM welcomed the project and proposed to finalize it and discuss it in the Cabinet.

Afterwards the PM visited the Armenian-French cardiology center in Goris, toured the facility and reviewed the medical services and conditions. The center, established in 2013, has a regional significance  servicing the population of Syunik, Vayots Dzor and Artsakh. The modern center admits 1500 people on an average basis annually and carries out 500 surgeries. The PM chatted with the patients, who expressed their satisfaction and gratitude for the medical services and service quality. Speaking on the state-order medical treatment distribution for the people, the PM said the Government plans to revise the policy in that field and carry out systematic reforms.

Karen Karapetyan also visited the #1 elementary school of Tegh village, toured the Armath engineering lab, where students of the community, as well as from the surrounding locations, will receive free of charge technological education. The students will learn the basics of robotics and programming in the facility.

The Armath engineering labs operate in over 200 schools of Armenia and Artsakh, with more than 5000 students enrolled in its programs.

Karen Karapetyan highlighted the continuous development of technological education in the country and stressed that the IT sector may become the moving force of the economy of Armenia.
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. The negotiations process over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement has moved from the deadlock, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair from France Stephane Visconti told reporters in Baku, according to APA.

He said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev will meet his French counterpart on March 14.

The Co-Chair stressed that the US, Russia and France will continue joint efforts.

Of course this is a difficult issue. As you know, there is tension in the line of contact of the troops. However the sides want to achieve progress. I think this is very important, he said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. The Dutch government on Saturday withdrew landing permission for the Turkish foreign ministers aircraft, The Washington Post reported.

The Dutch government said in a statement it had withdrawn the permission because of risks to public order and security caused by the proposed visit of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to Rotterdam.

Earlier Saturday, in an interview with private broadcaster CNN Turk, Cavusoglu said: If the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy.

He also repeated the governments charges that bans on rallies are fascist practices.
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan branded the Netherlands "Nazi remnants, fascists" on Saturday after the Dutch government withdrew permission for his Foreign Minister to land there, Reuters reports.

Rotterdam city authorities had on Friday withdrawn permission for him to attend a meeting to rally support for President Tayyip Erdogan's plans for extended powers, to be put to a referendum next month. Several other European cities have banned such meetings to be attended by Turkish officials.

According to BBC, Turkey has now summoned the Dutch charge d'affaires to the foreign ministry in Ankara for an explanation.

"Ban our foreign minister from flying however much you like, but from now on, let's see how your flights will land in Turkey," President Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul as quoted by BBC.

Cavusoglu also warned Turkey would impose heavy sanctions if his visit were blocked.
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. At least 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded in an attack by two suicide bombers in Damascus on Saturday, Hezbollah's al-Manar TV reported, in an attack the Syrian Observatory said targeted Shi'ite pilgrims, Reuters reported.

The attack took place near the Old City of Damascus. Al-Mayadeen, a Lebanon-based TV station, said the bombings targeted buses transporting pilgrims to the Bab al-Saghir cemetery near one of the seven gates of the Old City of Damascus.

Syrian state news agency SANA said the attack had caused fatalities but gave no toll. It said the explosions were caused by "two terrorist bombs".
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's interior minister said police had stopped a possible attack at a shopping center in the western city of Essen on Saturday and there were indications of a link to Islamic State militants. Germany is on high alert following deadly militant attacks in France and Belgium and after a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December, killing 12 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack. Police closed one of Germany's biggest shopping malls on Saturday after security agencies warned of a possible attack and questioned two men in connection with the threat. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said there could have been an attack at the shopping center. "That was stopped," he told public broadcaster ARD on Sunday, adding there was a connection to someone pulling the strings in Islamic State. "There were indications or orders from someone who had traveled to the region (Syria) from Germany. That shows how close the connection is. So it is good that the federal and regional security authorities were vigilant," said de Maiziere. Security sources told Reuters that the threat appeared to follow a call for violence by a German militant loyal to Islamic State who is currently based in a region of Syria controlled by the militant group. He reiterated that the danger of a terrorist attack in Germany remained high. Officials are worried that Islamist radicals will return from Syria or Iraq to stage attacks on German soil. Just over six months before an election, Chancellor Angela Merkel's political foes say her open-door migrant policy may have raised the risks. Separately, German police said on Sunday they were questioning a man in his early 20s who was detained after an overnight operation in the southwestern town of Offenburg, near the French border, following a security threat. Police said they believed one target of a potential attack was a night club. They added that no weapons were found during the operation and a second man who was arrested was later released. (Additional reporting by Reuters Television and Sabine Siebold; Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Richard Lough and Stephen Powell)
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - A Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls has been freed after serving 20 years in prison, with many Jordanians celebrating his release and calling him a national hero, witnesses and family sources said on Sunday. Ahmad Daqamseh, 45, was taken to his family home in the village of Ibdir near the city of Irbid in northern Jordan where dozens of relatives and wellwishers gave him a rousing welcome. Jordanian security services set up checkpoints around the village to restrict access as people flocked to see him. In July 1997, a five-member Jordanian military tribunal found Daqamseh guilty of opening fire on a group of Israeli schoolchildren and killing seven of them before soldiers seized him and rushed to help the victims. Daqamseh became a hero to many Jordanians and was embraced as a figurehead by a strong opposition movement led by Islamists and nationalists vehemently opposed to the country's peace treaty with Israel. During the trial, Daqamseh said the girls had mocked him while he was performing Muslim prayers in a border area returned to Jordanian sovereignty under the 1994 peace treaty. He would have faced the death penalty but the tribunal ruled he was mentally unstable and sentenced him to life imprisonment, which is equivalent to 20 years under Jordanian law. A few days after the incident, the late King Hussein personally apologized for the incident, traveling to Israel to visit and pay his respects to the girls' families. Many lawmakers welcomed his release. Neither the Jordanian nor the Israeli government made any comment. "The release of this hero has cheered us. Israel has committed crimes against many Jordanians that were never accounted for," Saleh Armouti, a leading parliamentarian, said. One Israeli survivor, Keren Mizrahi, said Daqamseh's release revived painful memories and he had served a light sentence. "My feeling is that it's like I'm being wounded again, mentally and physically, as if a knife is turned inside my heart," she was quoted as saying on Israeli Channel 10 TV. A defiant Daqamseh told Al Jazeera he did not recognize Israel, saying Arabs could not have normal ties with what he termed "the Zionist entity". Jordan's biggest political opposition group, the Islamic Action Front, which is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, hailed his release. "We congratulate Jordan and the family of the hero Ahmad al Daqmaseh his release from prison," it said in a statement. Many lawmakers and politicians had lobbied to set him free in a kingdom where hostility toward Israel runs deep. Many Jordanians see Israel as an occupier state which has driven them from their land. Palestinians originally from Jordan make up a large proportion of the country's population. (Editing by Louise Ireland)
Picture this hypothetical scenario: it's mid-January and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travels to the U.K. without any fanfare.

Officials in Ottawa announce in a press release that he has left for a 10-day holiday, and while in London he'll "undergo routine medical checkups."

No one sees or hears from him, but it's common knowledge he's staying at the Canadian high commissioner's official residence.

Trudeau's spokespeople say he's well and there's nothing to worry about.

They ignore questions about why he's gone abroad to get treatment and how much it's costing taxpayers.

But ten days becomes seven weeks. Canadians only ever see the head of their government in stage-managed photographs published on Twitter.

Senior government figures who travelled to London return to Canada and unanimously insist the prime minister is in top form and all use the same phrase  "hale and hearty."

Rumours abound

None of this happened with Trudeau, of course. But it's exactly what happened with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

He left Nigeria in mid-January, with the country deep in recession and famine warnings in parts of the northeast.

His spokespeople in the capital Abuja insisted all is fine and the 74-year-old just needed some rest.

But the reassurances proved increasingly ineffective as rumours swirled, particularly on social media.

On Friday, Buhari went some way to disproving at least two of the theories  that he was dead or in a coma  by returning to Nigeria.

A Nigerian air force plane touched down at 7:40 a.m. in the northern city of Kaduna, as Abuja airport is closed for at least six weeks to repair the runway  work that was supposed to have been done 15 years ago.

Buhari was ferried by helicopter back to the presidential villa, Aso Rock, in Abuja, where he was met by his deputy, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, and senior officials.

Ordinarily, that would be the end of the matter. But things are never quite so straightforward in Nigeria.

Story continues

Buhari said he "couldn't recall being so sick" and revealed he'd had a blood transfusion, but offered no more detail.

He also said he wasn't resuming his position immediately and Osinbajo would continue as acting president while he had some more rest.

That news sparked further confusion  and presumably a check of the constitution by Buhari's team, who later revealed a formal letter will be written on Monday to inform parliament that Buhari is officially back in charge.

Until that happens, the rumours are likely to continue spreading.

'Exacerbate instability'

Why does all this matter?

Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation, a leading oil producer and widely viewed as the powerhouse of West Africa. Political instability in Nigeria bodes well for no one.

Elizabeth Donnelly, deputy head of the Africa program at London's Chatham House think-tank, believes the current economic, security and political contexts in Nigeria all help explain why Buhari's team hasn't provided any details about his health.

"Nigeria is under severe economic strain and is managing multiple security threats or local violent conflicts," she told CBC News. "I suspect the assessment by advisers was that suggesting the president was ill and weakened would exacerbate instability in some places and cause uncertainty, which would affect the economy."

Nor would his advisers want to "feed further factionalism" and potential challengers, she said.

History lesson

There's also the fear of history repeating itself. In late 2009, Nigerian President Musa Yar'Adua went to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment and was never seen in public again. His death was officially declared in May 2010.

It left a dangerous power vacuum in a country where there have been six successful military coups since independence from Britain in 1960.

Many Nigerians fear another Yar'Adua scenario with Buhari. But Donnelly believes this situation is different, particularly since Buhari officially made Osinbajo acting president before he left for London.

"That the acting president will continue in this role sends a clear signal to Nigerians of what is going on," she said. "So although messaging  denial for much of the time  around the circumstances of the president's absence echo that time to some degree, the process is being managed differently."

The cause of Buhari's illness will likely remain a mystery, but for now, Nigeria's missing president is back and resting.
Canada extended its military training mission in Ukraine this week, but the country needs more help to help ease the escalating humanitarian crisis, say an MP and a human rights advocate who just returned from the country.

Ontario Conservative MP Tony Clement travelled to Kyiv last week to meet with government officials and others and was surprised to learn of the huge scale of the crisis caused by the four-year conflict.

"This is a hot war, not a cold war, in Eastern Ukraine," Clement told CBC News. "There are casualties every day, soldiers and civilians. A lot of the world's attention is focused on Mosul, Syria and Iraq, but this war is a war, as well, and there are many people affected."

According to UN figures, at least 10,000 people have been killed, including 2,000 civilians, and another 23,000 injured in the fighting between the Ukrainian military and the combined Russian-separatist forces in Eastern Ukraine. Another estimated two million people have been affected, many of whom were forced to flee their homes and are now living with limited access to water, food, heat and electricity.

Calling the situation "dire," Clement said Ukraine is no longer front of mind for most Canadians and others in the West, even though it's a war taking place within Europe.

"I think that's the way Putin wants it," he said. "This is where it gets very dangerous for the sovereignty of Ukraine and the order in Europe, which, of course, Putin wants to disrupt. So, it fits in to his geopolitical game."

Clement hopes to meet with Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland to relay his findings and make recommendations on how Canada could best help.

'A heartbreaking situation'

While the needs are great both for immediate supplies and long-term institution-building, he said rampant corruption is a huge barrier. Many civilians are left without health and social services as the Ukraine government spends its limited funds on weapons and ammunition to fight the Russia-backed rebels in the east of the country.

Story continues

The war in Eastern Ukraine began in early spring of 2014 after the popular uprising that ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Soon after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in March of that year, it began sending troops and military equipment across the border into Eastern Ukraine to support pro-Russia separatists in the region.

Clement and Saskatchewan Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall travelled to see the impact of the conflict as observers with the non-governmental organization One Free World International.

Founder and president Majed El Shafie said the trip's goal was to raise awareness within Parliament and among the public about escalating violence and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region.

"The sad reality is that nobody cares about Ukraine any more," he said in an interview. "Ukraine only comes when there is a conflict [reported] in the media. The truth and reality is that everybody is focused on the Middle East, and nobody cares about the refugees in Ukraine, and they are in a very desperate situation.

"It's a heartbreaking situation, and for the Western media, it's out of sight, out of mind."

Corruption diverting aid

El Shafie said making sure much-needed aid reaches the people instead of the black market is a challenge because of widespread corruption.

Since the onset of the crisis, Canada has provided more than $27 million in humanitarian assistance funding to help those affected by the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

A government official told CBC that the funding goes toward things such as "emergency basic health services, food assistance, protection services, emergency shelters and essential relief items."

"We continue to monitor the situation to ensure humanitarian needs are met, and we remain prepared to respond further, as appropriate," the official said.

El Shafie said some people he spoke with in Ukraine consider Canada to be in a much better position to help than the U.S. because of the suspicions around the U.S. administration's alleged communication with and possible ties to Russia. Ukrainians are feeling increasingly more distant from the West, he said.

Extending military mission

Freeland and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced this week that Canada's military training mission in Ukraine will extend to March 2019. The UNIFIER operation is providing military instruction and capacity building and helping with small team training, explosive ordnance disposal, military policing, medical training and modernizing logistics.

Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) wrapped up his own five-day visit to Ukraine Friday, and expressed "alarm" with the living conditions of large masses of people affected by the fighting in the east.

"Hundreds of thousands of people are living under the perpetual threat of shelling, shooting, and landmines," Maurer said in a statement. "Their access to basics like food, water and electrical power has been dramatically curtailed."

The Donetsk water filtration station, which tens of thousands of people depend on, has been repeatedly disrupted because of the fighting. He repeated the ICRC's call to establish a series of safe zones to better protect critical water, gas and electricity installations on the front line.
When Surrey-based MMA fighter Jeremy "JBC" Kennedy steps into the cage on Saturday night, he'll be a long way from home.

The undefeated fighter is making his sophomore appearance inside the world-famous UFC octagon. But this time, he won't be fighting in front of his hometown crowd. He'll be squaring off in Fortaleza, Brazil  and he couldn't be more excited.

"I'm feeling great," the 24-year-old fighter told CBC News. "I got the call [to fight] about seven weeks ago and I was pumped."

Kennedy's first outing in the UFC was against fellow Canadian Alessandro Ricci inside Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The B.C.-born fighter had home court advantage and ultimately earned a hard-fought victory over an older and experienced opponent.

Hostile territory

But now 'JBC' finds himself on the other side of the cage: he'll be squaring off with Rony Jason, a popular Brazilian fighter and longtime UFC veteran who has come to be a crowd favourite.

Kennedy says the passion of Brazilian fans, known for their raucous boos and chants meant to bring down foreign foes, will be on full display at the 21,000 seat arena.

"He's definitely going to be getting the cheers  but that hasn't fazed me. It'll all just be noise when I get in there," he said. "I don't speak the language, so I won't know what they're saying."

Kennedy hopes to launch his own name off the popularity of Jason. He says a victory would be the biggest win of his career.

"This is for sure my most important fight  I think every fight from here on out will be," he said. "[The fights] will get bigger, with more exposure and tougher opponents."

Kennedy is undefeated in his professional career, a unique feat in a sport where the threat of a loss constantly lingers in your opponent's fist.

But he hopes his perfect record will remain intact come Sunday morning, after he makes his debut in the league's featherweight division  the same weight class that thrust Conor McGregor into super-stardom.

"It will be a great win and a great way to introduce myself to the division."
By Aukkarapon Niyomyat and Patpicha Tanakasempipat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai police ended their search of Thailand's biggest temple on Friday after laying siege to it for more than three weeks without finding the former abbot, who is wanted for suspected money-laundering. The standoff at the Dhammakaya temple between thousands of police and saffron-robed monks has posed one of the greatest challenges to the military government since it took power in 2014 and largely neutralized opposition. The influential Phra Dhammachayo, 72, is wanted for questioning over suspected money-laundering and numerous charges of building on land without authorization. But there are deeper roots to a confrontation between the military-led and royalist establishment and a scandal-hit temple whose practices jar with conservatives and which is widely seen as having had links to an ousted populist movement. Paisit Wongmuang, director-general of the police Department of Special Investigation, told reporters after another day of searching on Friday that the authorities would still try to track down Phra Dhammachayo. But restrictions on the temple area would be lifted "when everything returns to normal". The government used the emergency law Article 44 to allow police to enter the temple. "We are glad there is a sign of peaceful resolution but cannot rest assured until Article 44 is revoked," senior monk Phra Pasura Dantamano told Reuters. The temple - 10 times the area of the Vatican City and topped by a UFO-shaped gold dome - dwarfs Thailand's 40,000 or so other temples in wealth as well as size. It claims millions of followers, although still a small minority of Thai Buddhists. Phra Dhammachayo helped found the temple and remains influential. Aides say they have not seen him for months and that he is too sick for questioning. They say the charges against him are politically motivated. STALEMATE The situation was a stalemate, said Kan Yuenyong of the Siam Intelligence Unit think-tank. "Nobody wins or loses," he said. As the search was ending, Thailand's top religious body gave a green light for the first step in a process that could lead to the disrobing of the monk. Phra Dhammachayo has been stripped of his monastic rank by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, but secular authorities have no power to remove the protection afforded by his monk's robes. The head of the National Office of Buddhism, Pongporn Pramsaneh, told reporters that the top religious body, the Sangha Supreme Council, acknowledged the case against Phra Dhammachayo at a meeting on Friday. The government would now forward the case to a senior governing monk who might proceed with steps that could lead to his disrobing even if he can't be found. "This is the first step, and the last step will be the disrobing of Phra Dhammachayo," Pongporn said. Traditionalist Buddhists accuse the temple of commercialism and say it has put Nirvana up for sale. It says it is just as dedicated to Theravada Buddhism as them and its money is only to do good works. Although it rejects any suggestion of political links, it is widely seen as having had ties to the populist movement of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, overthrown in 2006, and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, who led the government that was ousted in the most recent coup in 2014. (Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Nick Macfie)
BEIJING  The convictions of a prominent defense attorney and his associates were among the countrys top legal achievements last year, Chinas chief justice said Sunday, highlighting a case that has been criticized by Western governments and rights groups.



In a report to the national legislature, Zhou Qiang also said that China, which is believed to execute more people than the rest of the world combined, gave the death penalty to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely serious offenses in the past 10 years.





The actual number of executions in China is a state secret. A 2007 decision that all death sentences must be reviewed by the Supreme Peoples Court is believed to have reduced the number of executions dramatically.





Zhou praised courts for severely punishing crimes against state security and violent terrorism, and said the trend will continue in order to resolutely safeguard the countrys political security.





The only case of subverting state power he highlighted was that of Zhou Shifeng, director of a law firm that used to be one of the countrys best-known advocates for human rights. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in August for attempting to manipulate public opinion and harm national security.





Rights groups and Western governments including the U.S. had urged China to release Zhou and other activists and lawyers detained in a sweeping crackdown that began in 2015. Critics say its about the ruling Communist Party silencing opponents.





Death row inmates are escorted off the trial site to the execution ground. The chief justices report didnt say how many people were prosecuted or convicted of such offences, or how many cases were handled. The chief justices report didnt say how many people were prosecuted or convicted of such offences, or how many cases were handled.





Hundreds of people have been killed in recent years in attacks in the northwestern Xinjiang region, which Beijing blames on Islamic militants and separatists from the Uighur minority. Activists say repressive government policies have exacerbated tensions and radicalized local youth.





For the past four years, China has also carried out a crackdown on corruption intended to net officials at all levels. Chief Justice Zhou said that Chinese courts dealt with 45,000 cases of graft involving 63,000 people last year, an increase from 2015. A total of 35 were at or above ministerial or provincial level, he said.





In a separate report to the assembly, Chinas top prosecutor, Cao Jianming, said that the government last year initiated investigations against 47,650 people for taking advantage of their official posts. He said 48 officials above the rank of minister were prosecuted, including Ling Jihua, a former chief of staff to ex-President Hu Jintao who was sentenced to life in prison in July for taking bribes, illegally obtaining state secrets and abusing power.





Dui Hua, a U.S.-based rights group, estimated that about 2,400 people were executed in China in 2013, one-tenth the number in 1983. It said that according to its sources, the number of annual executions remained largely unchanged in 2014 and 2015.





China typically hands out death sentences in cases of murder, rape, robbery and drug offenses.





Sources: Associated Press, Washington Post, Louise Watt, March 12, 2017





Related content: The final 12 hours of Chinese women on death row, Right before June 26, 2003, which is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the lives of four female drug dealers incarcerated in a detention center in Wuhai were coming to an end. On the night of June 24, 2003, a photographer, with permission and consent from the relevant department and news subjects, walked into the No.1 Detention Center of Wuhai and documented their last night spent there... Ministry of Tofu , November 29, 2011.





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Being a member of both Montana State University President's Advisory Council and the State Workforce Innovation Board, I am writing in support of funding the MSU Billings Yellowstone Science and Allied Health, renovations to MSU Bozemans Romney Hall and keeping in-state tuition affordable.

The time for Romney Hall renovation is now:

Veterans services will be moved to a central, high-profile location on campus, a much needed change.

MSU enrollment increased over 4,000 students in the past 10 years.

Projected cost is below recent new-construction cost of similar classroom space.

Renovating Romney Hall will add more than 1,000 needed classroom seats.

The Yellowstone Science and Allied Health building will help prepare our health care, energy and agriculture workforces that are so vital to Billings economy.

I understand the budget challenges from reduced revenues coupled with the reluctance to bond infrastructure. That said, I also know that workforce availability will fall far short of expected demand for qualified workers in coming years, especially in Billings.

The MSUB science building should be a forefront project in the quest for balance. Montana is a low per capita income state with many of the challenges that come with that status. Starving facilities, cutting programs and raising tuition while facing future workforce shortages in our wage environment will only make the situation worse for future legislatures.

Paul Gatzemeier

Billings
The two ministers were blocked from addressing Turkish expatriates in Rotterdam on Saturday, with one of them escorted to the German border, Joinfo.com reports with reference to the BBC.

The Dutch government said such rallies would stoke tensions days before the Netherlands general election.

Turkeys ties with several EU countries have become strained over the rallies.

The rallies aim to increase support among expatriate voters for a referendum on expanding Turkish presidential powers.

Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, Turkeys family minister, had arrived in Rotterdam by road on Saturday, but was denied entry to the consulate and taken to the German border by Dutch police.

Capital of fascism

Several EU countries have been drawn into the row over the rallies:

Mr Cavusoglu called the Netherlands the capital of fascism after he was refused entry

Mr Erdogan accused Germany of Nazi practices after similar rallies there were cancelled  words Chancellor Angela Merkel described as unacceptable

Denmarks Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen postponed a planned meeting with Turkeys prime minister, saying he was concerned that democratic principles are under great pressure in Turkey

Local French officials have allowed a Turkish rally in Metz, saying it does not pose a public order threat  while Frances foreign ministry has urged Turkey to avoid provocations

Mr Erdogan accused countries in the West of Islamophobia and demanded international organisations impose sanctions on the Netherlands.

I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that I was wrong. Nazism is alive in the West, he said.

He thanked France for allowing Mr Cavusoglu to travel to Metz to address a rally.

The Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte has demanded Mr Erdogan apologise for likening the Dutch to Nazi fascists.

This country was bombed during the Second World War by Nazis. Its totally unacceptable to talk in this way.

Mr Erdogans comments were completely unacceptable, and the Netherlands would have to consider its response if Turkey continued on its current path, he added.

The Dutch government is facing a severe electoral challenge from the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in its election on Wednesday.

Reports say the owner of a venue in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, has also cancelled a pro-Erdogan rally on Sunday that was to have been attended by Turkeys agriculture minister.

Swedens foreign ministry said it was not involved in the decision and that the event could take place elsewhere.

What is the row about?

Turkey is holding a referendum on 16 April on whether to turn from a parliamentary to a presidential republic, more akin to the United States.

If successful, it would give sweeping new powers to the president, allowing him or her to appoint ministers, prepare the budget, choose the majority of senior judges and enact certain laws by decree.

Whats more, the president alone would be able to announce a state of emergency and dismiss parliament.

There are 5.5 million Turks living outside the country, with 1.4 million eligible voters in Germany alone  and the Yes campaign is keen to get them on side.

So a number of rallies have been planned for countries with large numbers of expat voters, including Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

Why are countries trying to prevent the rallies?

Many of the countries, including Germany, have cited security concerns as the official reason.

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said Mr Erdogan was not welcome to hold rallies as this could increase friction and hinder integration.

Many European nations have also expressed deep disquiet about Turkeys response to the July coup attempt and the countrys perceived slide towards authoritarianism under President Erdogan.

Germany in particular has been critical of the mass arrests and purges that followed  with nearly 100,000 civil servants removed from their posts.
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 ...
The ANC Youth League in the Free State wants former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng to take up the position of Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform.

According to a report by the Sunday Times, the ANCYL said Motsoenengs skills were too valuable to be wasted. The body has formally nominated Motsoeneng to fill a post in parliament.

The league said Motsoeneng is best placed to deal with land issues.

Motsoeneng said he has not made a decision on his future yet, and it was not only the ANCYL which wanted him to take up a role in government.

It is many South Africans. Many South Africans know what I stand for, he said in the report.

The news comes after the Western Cape High Court dismissed the SABCs leave to appeal a ruling against Motsoeneng.

Motsoenengs appointment as group executive for corporate affairs at the SABC was set aside by the court, following an application by the DA.

The court ruled in December 2016 that Motsoeneng could not go to work in any capacity at the SABC, pending the findings of a disciplinary inquiry.

He was previously the COO of the SABC, but was removed from the position after a separate court ruling stated that his appointment was irrational.

Motsoeneng was found to have lied about his qualifications when joining the SABC by former public protector Thuli Madonsela.

He was also found to have received large salary increases and bonuses while working at the SABC, despite its poor financial performance.
IT company Tasima is demanding that the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) pay it R122 million in management fees and staff payments, the Sunday Times reported.

Tasima was awarded the contract to manage the Electronic National Traffic Information System (eNatis), but it was declared invalid by the Constitutional Court in November.

This followed a December 2015 ruling where the Supreme Court of Appeal halted the transfer of the system from Tasima to the RTMC.

Former Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele and former director-general George Mahlalela were implicated in the irregular and unlawful awarding of the contract.

Ndebele, Mahlalela, Tasima, and six others are facing criminal charges, the report stated.

Mahlalela reportedly awarded the contract in 2010 without a tender process and without funds being budgeted for it.

Tasima was ordered to hand over eNatis to the RTMC within 30 days, but the company has refused. It has also refused to vacate the eNatis offices in Pretoria.

The RTMC told the newspaper that Tasima has deliberately delayed the handover.

Tasima hit back, stating that the RTMC and the government were at fault, and that these issues may have to be dealt with in fresh court proceedings.

The R122 million Tasima is demanding is for services rendered.
Uber will begin testing UberRUSH, its package delivery service, in South Africa within the next six months, the Sunday Times reported.

The UberRUSH API was launched in July 2016 after the transport company tested it with a handful of companies in the US.

UberRUSH has been offered since 2014, when Uber launched it as a messenger service in New York City.

General manager for Uber in sub-Saharan Africa, Alon Lits, told the Sunday Times they will complement, not compete, with courier services.

The aim of UberRUSH is to fast-track the last leg of a delivery, he said.
Japan to exterminate 150 thousand chickens because of bird flu outbreak

Armenia informational online platform for promoting highly qualified specialists engagement is launched

South Korea's president apologizes for crush in downtown Seoul

Documento: Greek PM Mitsotakis used intelligence services to spy on dozens of people

Close to $98M to be allocated from Armenia state budget for agricultural projects in 2023

Man who set self on fire near Armenia government mansion is in severe condition

Anti-Iranian action to take place in Baku

UN promises to lift restrictions on Russian grain exports in near future

Fighter jet crashes in Saudi Arabia

About $770M to be assigned to Armenia territorial administration, infrastructure ministry next year

Armenia parliament vice-speaker: There is very important note in Sochi statement

Copper falls in price

New York bank robberies up 42% this year

Armenia President to attend climate change convention in Egypt

Gold prices change slightly

World oil prices falling

Mirzoyan, Blinken, Bayramov to meet in Washington today

How long will it take to know US midterm elections results?

Iranian Armenian MP: Iran-Armenia trade is expected to reach $1B

U.S. National Park Service urges against licking the Sonora desert toad

Azerbaijan army units open fire in direction of Armenia positions

Minister: Britain's government faces tough decisions

Pashinyan: Teachers in Armenia must get 800,000, 1,000,000 and 1,200,000 drams wages

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

U.S. arms sales in Europe are soaring

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

Iranian Parliament Speaker's visit to Azerbaijan postponed

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

Civilian exploded on mine in Artsakh

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

Jake Sullivan arrives in Kyiv on unannounced visit

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
YEREVAN.  The Armenian government plans to invest $109 million in Vayots Dzor province, PM Karen Karapetyan said during Sunday campaign rally in Yeghegnadzor.

At the moment, the Republican Party is considering an investment of $ 3.2 billion in the entire territory of Armenia. In 2017, 830-840 million will be invested with 109 million of invested in Vayots Dzor, which means that 2,450 jobs will be created, he said.

Karen Karapetyan also did not rule out possibility of private investment. PM pointed out four areas that have to be considered: agriculture, milk and cheese production, viticulture, wine and mineral water production, and business tourism. The Prime Minister assured that special programs are being developed for each sector.

Incumbent PM Karen Karapetyan is conducting a campaign of the Republican Party of Armenia, although he is not included in the proportional list of the party. Moreover, Karapetyan is not heading the campaign headquarters. Karapetyan was joined by Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan, Justice Minister Arpine Hovhannisyan and Culture Minister Armen Amiryan.
The firing of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara marks the exit of a high-profile Wall Street enforcer.

Bharara, appointed to become U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of New York by former President Barack Obama in 2009, said in a tweet on Saturday that he had been fired from his post. On Friday, the Trump administration asked remaining U.S. attorneys appointed by Obama to resign, which Bharara refused, resulting in his forced ouster. Throughout his tenure, Bharara developed a reputation for overseeing high-profile Wall Street cases.

"Part of what the office has always focused on is not just the bringing of cases but the promotion of legality," said Daniel Richman, professor of law at Columbia Law School and former federal prosecutor. "Preet across the board made an effort to advance legal norms."

"He was fair but tough," said Barry Mandel, former head of litigation at Merrill Lynch and branch chief of the SEC Enforcement Division.

Bharara made a name for himself in financial circles with his efforts on insider trading. Among his most headline-grabbing cases were the 2011 conviction of Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam, for which Rajaratnam is serving an 11-year sentence, and 2013 civil and criminal charges against Steven Cohen's SAC Capital Advisors LP, which resulted in a $1.8 billion settlement.

Bharara's office successfully tried 85 successful insider trading cases before losing its first in 2014.

"I believe illegal insider trading is extremely significant and should be to everyone who cares about the protection of confidential information and the integrity of the markets," Bharara said in a speech delivered at the New York City Bar Association in 2010. "Insider trading involving a tipper and a tippee is both a theft and a fraud, and it is intolerable."

Insider trading cases out of his office slowed in recent months, due to a couple of factors--one, the deterrent effect of previous cases, and two, lack of clarity tied to matters in the Supreme Court.

Bharara's office also secured major settlements with some of the country's biggest banks, including Citibank (C) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) . In 2014, it reached a $1.2 billion agreement with Toyota (TM) over unintended acceleration by its cars.

Time Magazine ran a cover of him reading "This Man is Busting Wall Street" in 2012.

To be sure, not all of Bharara's casework was successful. A U.S. appeals court's 2014 decision that overturned two insider-trading convictions forced his office to drop some cases and rethink others. Last year, a court reversed a $1.2 billion penalty against Bank of America (BAC) -Countrywide over violations of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA).

Bharara was at times criticized for what some considered a failure on his part to take on the institutions and individuals responsible for the financial crisis aggressively. Observers say such a characterization is not necessarily fair.

"It was a little regrettable that the insider trading cases were taken as somehow being a substitute for or even connected to the financial collapse possibilities," Richman said. "I don't think that's an appropriate criticism given at least what it sounds like we know about the collapse."

"Sometimes people on Wall Street are overrated. It's not that they're criminals, it's that they're not always as smart as they think they are and sometimes make bad business decisions," Mandel said. "He's taken some heat for not prosecuting executives, that's easy to do from the outside."

Bharara's office is also preparing a corruption and fraud case against former aides and associates of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. It has been investigating New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's campaign fundraising activities.

"Preet was an effective and principled prosecutor, a dedicated public servant, and a great boss," said Matthew Schwartz, partner at the law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner and a former prosecutor under Bharara, in an email. "Whoever President Trump appoints to fill that seat has a tough act to follow."

Bharara met with Trump at Trump Tower in Manhattan in November and at the time told reporters he had agreed to stay on per Trump's request. It is unclear why the administration has since changed his tune.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman commended Bharara for his "integrity, tenacity and commitment to rooting out wrongdoing" in a statement. He also hit the Trump administration for its handling of the matter.

"President Trump's abrupt and unexplained decision to summarily remove over 40 U.S. Attorneys has once again caused chaos in the federal government and led to questions about whether the Justice Department's vital and non-partisan work will continue under Attorney General Sessions, as it must," he said.

A Department of Justice spokeswoman declined to comment on Bharara but confirmed he is no longer U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The U.S. Southern District of New York could potentially deal with Trump-tied cases and matters in New York, as the office's vision of its jurisdiction has always been expansive.

While many on Wall Street aren't exactly sad to see Bharara go, they may not be breathing a sigh of relief either as his successor could very well follow in his footsteps.

"If they're breathing a sigh of relief, they're going to be disappointed, because it's important that the head of the office really has a profile that promotes deterrents," Richman said. "The office will continue to do cases of the very sort it was doing before, and I assume with the same sort of zeal."

"His departure leaves a hole at the top, but the dedicated career prosecutors in the office will make sure that ongoing investigations continue uninterrupted," Schwartz said. "Things will change under a new U.S. Attorney, as they always do, but this isn't a time for anyone to get too comfortable."

Bharara in a statement on Saturday said serving as U.S. Attorney will "forever be the greatest honor of my professional life" and emphasized the importance of "absolute independence" as a hallmark of justice. Joon Kim, Deputy U.S. Attorney, will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney until a permanent replacement is put in place.

Updated from Saturday with Bharara statement.

Action Alerts PLUS, which Cramer manages as a charitable trust, is long C.
"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is brought to you by Miller Brewing Company, calling Milwaukee home since 1855. For the entire month of March, we're serving up fun articles on bars, clubs and beverages  including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!

For the fourth straight year, the battle for best local product  whether it be a beer, bitters, a brandy old fashioned or some other boozy libation  has ended with Lakefront Brewery's Riverwest Stein coming away the king. And once again, it wasn't much of a contest, as Riverwest Stein nearly tripled the amount of voters for its next closest competition, the repeating respectable second place finisher Rehorst Vodka.

Lakefront's flagship beer is named after the Riverwest neighborhood where the brewery was founded, with the amber lager delivering a hint of sweetness that was made to complement German delicacies like schnitzel and rouladen. Riverwest Stein is available on tap or in a bottle at most Milwaukee bars and clubs, as well as available in packs at most liquor stores.

Milwaukee Brewing Co.'s Louie's Demise, Bittercube bitters and SoulBoxer Brandy Old Fashioned  the winner in the OnMilwaukee editors' hearts  rounded out the rest of the top five in this category.

OnMilwaukee editors' pick: SoulBoxer Brandy Old Fashioned

Runners up:

2. Rehorst Vodka

3. Milwaukee Brewing Co.'s Louie's Demise

4. Bittercube Bitters

5. SoulBoxer Brandy Old Fashioned

This year we also asked a variety of prominent Milwaukeeans to weigh in on their pick for specific categories. For this category, we consulted Gene Mueller, weekday morning show host on 620 WTMJ.

Mueller's pick: Lakefront Brewery's Riverwest Stein

As a lifelong macro-beer drinker who dabbled in craft alternatives only when there was nothing else in a friend's cooler, Lakefront's Riverwest Stein is my gateway grog to this new, wonderful world. Full-flavored but far from overpowering, it's easy on the taste buds with barley and malt to open with a light hop finish that's just enough, not too much. Unlike too many micros, it's easy to find most anywhere in Milwaukee  almost all enlightened joints have it on tap.
Editors note: This article is one of an occasional Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service series profiling the 15 finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs). The Innovations and Wellness Commons is a finalist for the State Farm Building Blocks Award, which recognizes a real estate project that advances the community.

On days he is off work, Lindsay Heights resident Antonio Patterson, 41, stops at the Juice Kitchen to grab a drink, sometimes even three times.

"This is what weve been needing around here,"said Patterson, pointing to the Juice Kitchen.

Owned by Maanaan Sabir and his wife JoAnne, the Juice Kitchen is a locally sourced juicing company housed within the Innovations and Wellness Commons, 1615 W. North Ave. Many of the mixed vegetable and fruit concoctions were created to help patrons improve specific aspects of their wellness, including drinks promoting muscle gain, increased energy or body cleansing, and even fighting cancer.

The stores location in the heart of the Lindsay Heights neighborhood, where healthy food options are outnumbered by fast food joints and corner stores that peddle snacks, is an anomaly, said Sabir.

The business is one of several located at the Commons that promote healthier lifestyles and food in Lindsay Heights, according to Fran Dawson, acting executive director of Walnut Way Conservation Corp. The Commons, a project of Walnut Way, is now in its second phase. The first phase was completed in late 2015 and featured the rehabilitation of a historic building into a multi-use commercial space that also houses Outpost Foods, Fondy Food Center and a 5,000-foot commercial kitchen operated by the Milwaukee Center For Independence (MCFI), which provides housing and employment assistance to individuals and families with special needs.

Operating out of the Commons was a natural fit for MCFI, according to Heidi Chada, vice president of employment and commercial services. The 53205 ZIP code area where the Commons is located has one of the highest rates in the city for unemployment and recidivism, and most childhood health statistics there are bleak, said Chada. For her, that meant it was an area in need of the fresh and healthy meals MCFI serves, and also where the organization could develop and implement Level Up, its eight-week culinary training program.

"With transportation being a major barrier, we knew that it was important that we be in close proximity to the individuals who will be trained and to kids who will benefit from the meals," Chada said.

Level Up participants are funneled into the program through partnerships with other organizations, including Project Return Milwaukee, a faith-based re-entry program for men and women. Kiel Simmons, 31, was referred through Project Return, and is in his fifth week of training at MCFI.

"I love it because Im helping to provide nutritional meals to kids that might not eat another meal the whole day," Simmons said.

He described cooking as a passion that he intends to turn into a career with the help of the training hes receiving at MCFI. The lessons include hot and cold food preparation, using kitchen equipment, food safety, portion control and nutrition facts, as well as classroom lessons that teach soft skills such as how to speak with potential employers and communicate with co-workers, said Darryl Anderson, executive chef and director of food quality at MCFI.

About 4,500 meals a day are cooked in the commercial kitchen at the Commons and distributed around the city, including to schools and day care centers, several of which are in Lindsay Heights, Anderson added. On the menu this day were barbecued chicken, green beans and cornbread.

MCFI has created the equivalent of 11 full-time positions as a result of opening the commercial kitchen in the Commons, said Chada, who added that the organization also runs a summer meal program.

Dawson, a longtime Lindsay Heights resident, said creating a healthy food hub and jobs was essential to realizing the goals of the Quality of Life Plan for Lindsay Heights, which was developed through resident input. Increased access to healthy foods was one of the plans main objectives.

"The Commons has been a catalyst in the neighborhood, and we will continue to encourage the creation and growth of health-conscious businesses in this area," Dawson said.

In general, there was a need for commercial vitality along North Avenue and in Lindsay Heights, where about half of commercial properties are vacant, said Juli Kaufmann, president of Fix Development. Fix Development has been working with Walnut Way and other organizations to develop the Commons, which cost $2.9 million for the first phase. Phase II will include construction of a new building adjacent to the current building, which will house physical, educational and economic development programming.

"We believe the project will contribute to the overall wellness in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood and continue to shift the developmental focus in the community on empowering, wellness-focused investments," Kaufmann said.

But offering healthier food options and health programming in a community that has long lacked it is only half the battle, noted Walnut Way Board President LaVonda Graham, whos lived in Lindsay Heights for more than 40 years.

"When you introduce something to a community that has not had it in the past, you have to prepare (people). You cannot just expect it to be there and them to patronize it," said Graham. Though the Juice Kitchen appears to be thriving, the satellite location for Outpost, which offered natural and organic groceries, struggled. Outpost still utilizes the site as an Event and Learning Center, providing programming for residents and produce for other Commons tenants, but no longer runs a retail store there.

On the top floor of the Commons sits the Fondy Food Center, an organization that works to connect Milwaukee residents to local, fresh food, and support local farmers, according to Jennifer Casey, executive director. One of Fondys initiatives is the Milwaukee Farmers Market Connection, which is funded by the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program. The projects goal is to increase access to farmers markets in low-income communities.

Part of that effort included teaching farmers at the Fondy Farmers Market how to leverage state and federal food benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and FoodShare. As a result, the market has seen increased business in recent years, Casey said.

According to Casey, farmers sold $67,000 via SNAP and FoodShare in 2016, which meant residents were buying more fruits and vegetables. "Thats public health in action," she said.

Its the type of improvement Patterson said hes been waiting decades for. Increased access to healthy foods is one of the best things that can happen in a neighborhood, he said.

"Eating healthy will prolong your life. Theres no substitute for that."
A picture released by the Italian police (Polizia di Stato) of fugitive mobster Giulio Perrone

A fugitive Italian mobster who had been living in Mexico under a false identity was behind bars Saturday after being tracked down on Facebook, police said.

Giulio Perrone, who is in his mid-sixties, had been a fugitive since 1998, when his lawyers failed in a final appeal against a 22-year prison sentence for links to the Naples mafia, the Camorra, and international drug trafficking.

He was first charged in 1993 after he and his wife were arrested while trying to import 16 kilos (35 pounds) of cocaine.

Perrone disappeared the following year and had been unheard of until Italian police established, through Facebook, that he was living as Saverio Garcia Galiero, in Tampico, in the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico.

The police did not reveal details of how they traced him through the social media site.

Under the extensive powers Italian investigators enjoy when involved in anti-mafia cases, they could have been monitoring the online activity of associates of Perrone in Italy.

Or they may have come across a picture of him by using image-recognition software, which is an increasingly useful tool for detectives tracking fugitives.

Perrone, who had remarried and had Mexican children, was described by police as a prominent figure in Italy's drug trade in the 1980s and early 1990s, acting as a wholesale supplier to Camorra clans.

He was arrested earlier this month at his Mexican home and deported, arriving late Friday in Rome.

Giulio Perrone had been a fugitive since 1998

 2017 AFP
- The push for Biafra Republic will meet with very stiff opposition from the international circuit

- France has said it sees no future for the Biafra movement

- The French government says it is working with Nigeria and supporting it as a country

- Denys Gauer says France is working with the country in its fight against insurgency

France Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer has said that there is no future for the achievement of Biafra.

There is no future for Biafra - France

The ambassador said there is no support for those agitating for the secession of any part of Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Buhari remembers Igbo people who were abandoned by past administrations - Madu

Gauer told the Guardian, that his home country would not in anyway work with any group agitating for the division of the nation.

He said France was working with Nigeria and supporting it as a country.

He said: We are working with Nigeria and we are supporting it as the only country.

This is absolutely clear and I dont think there is any kind of future for Biafra. They are part of Nigeria and Nigeria has to remain as the only country.

According to Gauer, France was working with the country in its fight against insurgency, adding that the fight against insurgency had brought Nigeria and France together, more than before.

I can confirm to you that we are now very close allies to the Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against Boko Haram.

We have no restrictions on that, we can sell any kind of equipment to the Nigerian government without any restrictions, he added.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on Legit.ng News App

The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has said its drive for the restoration of Biafra cannot be deterred by the threat of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Buratai.

Buratai had recently warned that not during his life time will Nigeria disintegrate.

Buratai had insisted that the agitation for the state of Biafra would not be successful in the present era and not even in the four millennia to come.

Reacting to Buratais comment, the Uchenna Madu led group maintained that such statement credited to the Army chief cannot stop its seccession drive.

In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Comrade Ibem Ugwuoke Ibem, MASSOB likened Buratais comments to what the leaders of India said before tbe country broke up leading to the creation of Pakistan.

The separatist group urged Hausa  Fulani apologists like Buratai to refrain from speaking against the emergence of Biafra.

Source: Legit.ng
- MASSOB says the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Buratai cannot stop the Biafra movement

- The pro-Biafra group's defying statement comes on the heels of a recent warning dished out by the COAS

- Buratai said Biafra will not be achieved in his life time

- The COAS insists that the agitation for the state of Biafra would not be successful

Following his warning that Biafra will not be achieved in his life time, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has said its drive for the restoration of Biafra cannot be deterred by the threat of Lt Gen Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Buratai cannot stop Biafra - MASSOB

Buratai had recently warned that not during his life time will Nigeria disintegrate.

The COAS had insisted that the agitation for the state of Biafra would not be successful in the present era and not even in the four millennia to come.

Reacting to Buratais comment, the Uchenna Madu led group maintained that such statement credited to the Army chief cannot stop its seccession drive.

In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Comrade Ibem Ugwuoke Ibem, MASSOB likened Buratais comments to what the leaders of India said before tbe country broke up leading to the creation of Pakistan.

The separatist group urged Hausa  Fulani apologists like Buratai to refrain from speaking against the emergence of Biafra.

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Ibem said: The comments of Buratai and his cohorts cannot stop us. We are already in the match. Nothing can deter us.

What does one expect from one employed by ones master? Buratai overzealousness to satisfy his master (The Presidency) wills always overshadow him.

I can liken Buratais comments to those spoken by leaders of Indonesia before their country broke into two and East Timor was created.

 I still maintain that Biafra will soon emerge out of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, France Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer has said that there is no future for the achievement of Biafra.

The ambassador said there is no support for those agitating for the secession of any part of Nigeria.

Gauer told the Guardian, that his home country would not in anyway work with any group agitating for the division of the nation.

He said France was working with Nigeria and supporting it as a country.

Source: Legit.ng
Former governor of Zamfara state, Alhaji Mamuda Shinkafi, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Shinkafi defected on Sunday, March 12.

BREAKING: Pressure as ex-governor of Zamfara defects to APC

The former governor who became the state governor in 2007 on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2008.

He, however lost to the APC in 2011 and had since then remained in the opposition.

READ ALSO: Ibori blocks opposition in Delta, endorses Okowa for 2019

According to The Guardian, Shinkafi announced his decision to join the APC at a ceremony in Gusau, the state capital.

He said his decision is the outcome of a long negotiation between me and stakeholders who have faith in me and my leadership qualities.

He told all his supporters to join him as he strove to make the APC stronger.

According to Daily Post, Shinkafo also disclosed that all his former cabinet members, including his former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Mamman Bawa, had joined him into the APC.

Alhaji Muntari Anka, who served as a deputy governor, had similarly defected to the APC in Anka Local Government a few days ago.

Source: Legit.ng
Europe's most powerful leader, Angela Merkel, meets for the first time next week America's flamboyant President Donald Trump whose arrival in the White House has sent shockwaves across the Atlantic. While former US president Barack Obama had labelled Merkel his "closest international partner", there has been little known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office. Trump's criticism of Germany over issues ranging from its record trade surplus to Merkel's liberal refugee stance, as well as his backing for Britain to leave the European Union, have not gone unnoticed in Berlin. A month after US Vice President Mike Pence delivered a message to Europe underscoring the importance of transatlantic ties, Tuesday's meeting will be scrutinised for clues on whether Trump fully endorses that message. The reserved German leader herself underlined that she is travelling to Washington not only as Germany's leader, but also as an envoy of the EU. "I will of course point out that for us, our country and our membership in the European Union are two sides of the same coin," Merkel said in Brussels ahead of the visit. The Washington meeting would also allow for "an exchange of bilateral and international topics, and transatlantic ties, as we have always stressed, are very important," added Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer. As in other similar tours, Merkel will be accompanied by an army of business leaders, but this time the delegation faces an uncertain reception as Trump preaches an "America First" policy. Siemens boss Joe Kaeser and BMW's Harald Krueger will be part of the group, according to news weekly Der Spiegel, and both will likely be trumpeting the thousands of jobs linked to their investments in the US. Krueger will also be keen to persuade Trump, who has singled out BMW for hefty tariffs if it built a factory in Mexico, to reconsider the threat. But "if the government is serious about its new tax, the chancellery has already prepared a series of retaliatory measures," said Der Spiegel. Juergen Hardt, the German government's US coordinator, said Merkel will sound a clear warning against protectionism, and press Washington to keep working towards a free trade deal with the EU. - Leader of the free world? - The meeting will also be closely watched for the dynamics between the two leaders who appear to stand far apart on content and style. While Merkel is a firm believer in the European Union and globalisation, Trump cheers Britain's departure from the EU and scrapped the TPP free trade deal in his first days in office. The two also differ on immigration policies -- she slammed his ban on citizens from mainly-Muslim countries, while he criticised as "catastrophic" her liberal refugee stance that led more than a million asylum-seekers into Germany. And while Merkel, a trained physicist, rarely makes public statements deviating from a thoroughly researched text, Trump does not hold back on announcing US policy upheavals in 140-character Twitter messages. Merkel had already set the tone from the beginning, when in their first phone conversation, she reminded Trump of democratic values while offering cooperation. That phone call had led some to speculate that she may have taken on the mantel of the "leader of the free world", a title usually reserved for US presidents. With Trump's latest bid to temporarily close US borders to refugees and citizens from six mainly-Muslim countries, expectations will be high for Merkel to raise human rights issues. Asked if that is on the chancellor's list, Demmer refused to be drawn. Washington meanwhile suggested that the talks will be focused on what both sides have in common than their differences. A senior administration official skirted a question on Trump's criticism of Merkel over her stance on refugees, saying "those are German government decisions". "The discussions that they will have on this will focus on the areas where we can cooperate," the official said, adding that Trump will reiterate a demand already driven home by Pence for NATO allies to boost defence spending. The US president will also be "very interested in hearing her insights on what it's like to deal with the Russians" and Merkel's views on resolving the Ukraine conflict, added the official.
Kong Hee (), 52, is one of the most famous and charismatic pastors in Singapore. He is the founder and senior pastor of City Harvest Church, one of the richest and most popular new age churches that preaches prosperity gospel.

Prosperity gospel is a religious belief among some Christians, who hold that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase ones material wealth. In other words, the more you donate to your pastor and your church, the more likely you will be blessed and become rich.

On 20 November 2015, Kong Hee was convicted for the misuse of church funds and received a sentence of 8 years in prison. He was said to be the key man behind the illegal use of $24 million of church funds while misusing another $26 million in a cover-up. Five other church members were convicted with him, with Kong Hee receiving the heaviest sentence.

Despite the scandal, Kong Hee still has a sizeable following and many loyal fans, including over 120,000 fans on his Facebook page alone. Recently, Kong Hee is attracting a lot of attention from the public from a video he posted on his Facebook page. In the video, he can be seen blessing a large amount of olive oil packed in small bottles, likely to be sold to his congregation:

He wrote: I believe these bottles of anointing oil, coupled with your effective, fervent prayer will avail much in bringing healing & deliverance!

If you are interested to get your hands on a bottle of olive oil blessed by Pastor Kong Hee, make sure to contact your nearest City Harvest Church representative authorised reseller. Be careful not to buy them from second-hand dealers from Carousell or other marketplace to make sure you got the real deal and not pirated versions.

This is not the first time the controversial pastor had captivated the public with his strange antics. In 2009, there was a video which depicted Kong Hee apparently curing cancer. The video has since been taken down.

Story continues

Again in 2009, Kong Hee explained the relationship between Christianity and Ancient China (no, it has nothing to do with his wife, Sun Hos China Wine), connecting many commonly used Chinese words to christianity:

In 2012, Kong Hee quoted from the Bible in a video and shared ten reasons why he thinks Jesus was very rich:

Last but not least, everyones favourite Kong Hee moment got to be in 2013 when God allegedly said this to Pastor Kong Hee: My son, Kong, thank you. Thank you for going through this. I need you to go through this alone so that you and City Harvest Church can be the man and the ministry I call it to be. I am so sorry, but you need to go through this by yourself, to bring a change to your generation.

Yes, God said sorry to Kong Hee  according to Kong Hee.

Wow.

Take a minute and let it sink in.

China Wine anyone?

The post Best Kong Hee moments  from blessing oil to having God apologise to him 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. 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
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
Recently, scientists at the US space agency NASA announced that they are aiming to send a rover to the Jupiter moon Europa in search of life and now they have given a formal name: Europa Clipper to the mission which aims to investigate the habitability of the icy moon.

Scientists named mission as clipper because clipper ships were fast trailing ships of the middle third of the 19th century. They were generally narrow but lenghty, and could carry limited amount of weight. These ships were streamlined, three-masted sailing vessels renowned for their grace and swiftness. These ships rapidly shuttled tea and other goods back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean and around globe.

Similar to the clipper ship, Europa Clipper would also sail past oceans on the Jupiters icy moon. The rover would sail very fast and would complete revolution withing two weeks. According to the updates, scientists are planning to include 40 to 45 flybys in the mission which enable them to several high-resolution images and map the constituents and structure of the moon.

Experts believe that Europa holds liquid water beneath its icy crust and oceans on Europa are twice larger than on Earth. Therefore, many scientists argue that Europa has all the necessary ingredients to hold life even if it is in microbial form.

The ultimate aim of Europa Clipper is to determine if Europa is habitable, possessing all three of the ingredients necessary for life: liquid water, chemical ingredients, and energy sources sufficient to enable biology.

During each orbit, the spacecraft spends only a short time within the challenging radiation environment near Europa. It speeds past, gathers a huge amount of science data, then sails on out of there, said Robert Pappalardo, Europa Clipper project scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Previously, when the mission was still in the conceptual phase, it was sometimes informally called Europa Clipper, but NASA has now adopted that name as the former title for the mission.

The mission is being planned for launch in the 2020s, arriving in the Jupiter system after a journey of several years. The lander is expected to take off in the early 2020s and it will take six to seven years to reach the destination. After reaching, its work will be to examine the surface by digging 10 centimetres into the surface, look for the possibility of life, and bring at least 10 samples back to the Earth for testing and record environmental factors suitable for the next lander, as it wont last long on Europa, reason being the extreme radiation coming from its planet, Jupiter, which not only kills microbes of the moon but will also damage the components of the lander, if it stays for more than 20 days.

Therefore, the maximum time that it will make its stay possible on the moon is 20 days.

The report provided by NASA gives all the details of their study that they were doing, stating their motive of sending a robotic mission to such a destination where no other mission has been performed yet, along with this they have informed about the instruments that the lander will contain such as retrorockets and sky crane, this information is contained in a total of 264 pages.

JPL manages the mission for the agencys Science Mission Directorate in Washington
earthrise apollo nasa AS8 14 2383HR

NASA

It seems like the world has caught a case of moon fever.

On February 27, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk announced that two unnamed people are paying his rocket company, SpaceX, to send them on an auto-piloted trip around the moon in 2018. Later The Washington Post revealed that Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and his own rocket company, Blue Origin, had circulated a 2020 moon colonization plan around Capitol Hill.

But it's not just a gaggle of billionaires who've set their sights on Luna. On Tuesday, Congress passed its first big NASA budget in nearly 7 years. The bill calls on NASA to reach the moon by 2021.

To bring everything back to Earth a little, we called up Jim Lovell: an astronaut who visited the moon twice, once during Apollo 8 (the first crewed lunar mission) and again on Apollo 13 (which required a storied effort to rescue from disaster).

During a wide-ranging interview, we asked Lovell if there was a moment on Apollo 8 that he wished he spoke more about  and his response floored us.

james jim lovell astronaut apollo 13 nasa

NASABut first, a little setup.

Apollo 8, which launched aboard a gigantic Saturn V rocket on December 21, 1968, took off during what Lovell called "a hilarious time" for the planet.

"There was the Vietnam War going on, it was not a popular war, especially with the younger people," Lovell told Business Insider. "There were riots, there were two assassinations of prominent people during that period, and so things were looking kind of bad in this country."

And yet at the end of the year, he said, NASA was working toward its commitment, made in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, to send people to the moon before the end of that decade.

"And it happened. So in the last few weeks or days of 1968 we accomplished something that we set out to do that was favorable and approved by just about every body in this country," he said.

However, Lovell said that he and his two crewmates, Frank Borman and Bill Anders, soon realized it was more than "just" a spaceflight.

Story continues

"You have to remember we brought back a picture of the Earth as it is 240,000 miles away. And the fact is, it gives you a different perspective of the Earth when you see it as three-dimensional between the sun and the moon, and you begin to realize how small and how significant the body is," he said. "When I put my thumb up to the window I could completely hide it, and then I realized that behind my thumb that I'm hiding this Earth, and there are about 6 billion people that are all striving to live there."

Lovell said this moment was a seed being planted, and one that would germinate into full blossom once he was back on Earth.

"You have to really kind of think about our own existence here in the universe. You realize that people often say, 'I hope to go to heaven when I die,'" he said. "In reality, if you think about it, you go to heaven when you're born."

By this Lovell meant the remarkable situation we find ourselves in: floating on a cozy rock that is drifting through the seemingly endless void of space.

moon earth space china cast

Chinese National Space Administration/Xinhuanet

"You arrive on a planet that has the proper mass, has the gravity to contain water and an atmosphere, which are the very essentials for life," he said. "And you arrive on this planet that's orbiting a star just at the right distance  not too far to be too cold, or too close to be too hot  and just at the right distance to absorb that star's energy and then, with that energy, cause life to evolve here in the first place."

"In reality, you know, God has really given us a stage, just looking at where we were around the moon, a stage on which we perform. And how that play turns out is up to us, I guess," he said.

Trapped on a cosmic stage together, and at a time when the US is again painfully divided, Lovell's words are ones we could all take to heart.

Disclosure: Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post and is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.

NOW WATCH: Listen to the haunting sounds astronauts heard on the far side of the moon

See Also:
Killeen, TX (76540)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Rain in the morning. Scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 64F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian police arrested nine suspected militants on the island of Sulawesi, a police spokesman said on Saturday, in an operation that media reported had targeted a group with affiliations to Islamic State. With investigations continuing, police spokesman Martinus Sitompul declined to give further details, but media reported police had also seized bomb-making materials meant for use in attacks on police and official buildings. The suspects were all members of Mujahidin Indonesia Timur, a group that had been controlled until last year by one of the first Indonesian militants to pledge loyalty to Islamic State. Santoso had been the country's most-wanted men before he was killed in a gunbattle with police and military forces last July, and security officials have been expecting reprisal attacks. Some members of his group were believed to be still hiding in Sulawesi's dense jungles. Security experts say that Indonesia, an officially secular state with the world's largest Muslim population, faces a growing threat from supporters of Islamic State. Last month, police killed a militant after he detonated a small bomb in the city of Bandung. Authorities said they were investigating whether he had links to a radical network sympathetic to Islamic State. (Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Polands prime minister was given a heros welcome on her return from Brussels. The President said she had defended the Polish cause, after Beata Sydlo had tried and failed to block the summits conclusions. It came in retaliation to the re-appointment of Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, as EU Council president. At the end of the summit she hit out at Western member states, saying: Some European leaders from the old part of the European Union still have this conviction that they should be always right and the rest should listen to them and accept their solutions. That is not how it is going to be. The snub could be a glimpse of a future multi-speed Europe, where certain countries can group together on specific projects, although Poland denounced different speeds as a way to leave some countries behind. The show of disunity comes at a critical moment, with Brexit on the horizon. The Commission President preferred to accentuate the positive. A Brexit is not the end of the European Union, nor the end of all our developments, nor the end of our continental ambitions. I had the impression, when talking privately to colleagues and listening to the debate we had in the room, that by the contrary the Brexit issue is encouraging the others to continue. Unfortunately without the British. London has battles to fight on home turf before it heads towards the exit. MPs are to debate the Brexit bill on Monday, with some analysts saying the prime minister could announce the triggering of Article 50 as early as Tuesday.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said Sunday.

Government and rebel negotiators will resume talks early next month and discuss the terms of a broader cease-fire, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said. Norway, which has been brokering the negotiations, hosted two days of informal talks in the Netherlands that led to a decision to resume the negotiations on ending one of Asia's longest-running rebellions.

Just three days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to unleash an all-out war against the New People's Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another in an ambush in southern Davao del Sur province.

"I'm ready for all-out war, another 50 years," Duterte said Thursday at the policemen's wake. "I can assure you that the armed forces and the Philippine National Police would respond. This time I'm using everything ... rockets and bombs."

Duterte did not mention the talks' resumption in his speech at the annual graduation of cadets at the Philippine Military Academy Sunday in northern Baguio city, where he instead condoled with the families of government troops who died in combat. He promised better and more weapons for soldiers and thanked "those who risked their lives and limbs to defend this country's sovereignty as well as those who continue to offer their sweat and blood to fortify the pillars of a great nation that we are presently trying to build."

The military welcomed news of the breakthrough but said it would await formal notice from government negotiators and Duterte's instructions. "Pending this, all military operations will continue and remain at current state," the military said in a statement.

The Maoist guerrillas said they would remain vigilant because of continuing military and police counterinsurgency operations but added they were optimistic with the talks' resumption.

Story continues

"Instead of putting the lives of millions of people in harm's way, such as Duterte's all-out-war declaration, better yet we try to settle our differences on the negotiating table," said the rebels' Melito Glor command, which has a presence in the mountainous provinces south of Manila.

Founded in 1968, the rural-based guerrilla group has unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with five Philippine presidents before Duterte. Battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting have weakened the rebel group, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and remains a major Philippine security threat.

The rebels and the government declared separate cease-fires last year as they resumed peace talks. That allowed the government to withdraw troops from battlefields to focus on an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and other Muslim extremist groups in the country's south.

In a joint statement with the rebels, the Philippines also agreed to release a rebel consultant to the talks and reinstate immunities from arrest for other guerrilla consultants. It pledged to release soon four other consultants and 19 detainees the guerrillas regard as political prisoners.
A man who has spent the last 30 years in prison convicted of murder may get a new chance at life thanks to a program at the University of New Mexico.

Those involved with UNM School of Laws Innocence and Justice Project have been working to prove that Jacob Duran is innocent of the crime for which he was convicted, citing new DNA evidence. Gordon Rahn, director of the project, said the program started at UNM in 2001 as a student organization. It was able to launch to the next level with a grant in 2010 that allowed the school to hire Rahn, a staff attorney and a paralegal.

There are innocence projects around the country, some of which are housed in universities and others that operate as nonprofit organizations. More advanced technology, especially more refined DNA testing, has made it possible to revisit old cases and free those who were wrongly convicted.

At UNM, students provide the labor that keeps the program going. The program is offered as a yearlong seminar course with space for 10 law students. Rahn said during that time, students work on cases the program has decided to accept. Students review all the documents related to the case, including witness statements, autopsy reports, ballistic reports, trial transcripts, tapes, videos and investigation notes. This helps them determine whether the case has any merit and should be taken back to court.

There has to be clear and convincing evidence that there would be no reasonable juror who would have convicted this individual, Rahn said.

The staff chooses the cases from those submitted by prisoners or their family members. The screening process includes a 20-page online questionnaire prisoners must fill out in order to have their case considered. Questions include details about the crime, whether the person has a way to prove his or her alibi or if they are aware of new evidence not presented at the first trial. Sara Escobedo, the projects paralegal, said she receives 12 to 20 applications a month and the program can be working on up to 32 cases at a time.

Student involvement

Law student Margaret Kennedy is on track to graduate from the law school in 2018. Kennedy attended the University of San Francisco for her undergraduate degree in International Studies and she knew no matter where she attended law school, she wanted to be involved in an innocence project.

I could not morally turn a blind eye to the fact that people are sitting in prison for a crime that they did not commit, she said.  I was shocked to hear the numerous stories of innocent people still being convicted.

Sean Dolan said the program was a key factor in his decision to attend law school at UNM. He said he has learned how easy it is for someone to be wrongly convicted.

I cannot think of a larger injustice than to be convicted of a crime you did not commit, he said. The convicted person has had their liberty taken away due to circumstance beyond their control.

Dolan was assigned a case involving a double homicide. The course, he said, helped him learn his way around the court system. He called the class an invaluable experience in his law school education. He said most classes are theoretical and deal in hypotheticals, offering very little real-world experience.

No other class provides students with this sort of hands-on knowledge, he said. Prior to this class, I had no idea how to get this information from the court. I also had no idea what to do with the documents once I had them.

The future of the program faces an uncertain future with the end of its funding and no new funding source on the immediate horizon.

Rahn said the program grant ends May 31. UNM partnered with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety on the grant. The school uses the Public Safety Departments lab for DNA testing. Rahn said the school is actively looking for a new grant to keep the program afloat.

Right now there is no money for the program, he said. We are trying to find donors to keep it going while we look for money.

Current case

One of the projects highest profile cases is that of Duran, who was convicted of murder in the late 1980s.

It was five days before Christmas in 1986 when Anita Bush discovered the body of her mother, Teofilia Gradi, on the kitchen floor of the elderly womans North Valley home. Several gunshots to the head had ended the 64-year-old womans life. Robbery appeared to be the motive as jewelry was missing from her body and money she kept at the home.

Duran, who had done work for the elderly woman, emerged as the main suspect. A witness said Duran looked similar to the person he had seen jumping Gradis wall that night. Also, blood found under the victims fingernails matched Durans blood type. He was convicted in August 1987 of first-degree murder and armed robbery.

Rahn had that same blood retested for DNA and the results excluded Duran as a match, meaning it was not his blood under her fingernails. In light of the results, Rahn filed a petition in district court Feb. 8 to have the case dismissed or to grant Duran a new trial.

Kennedy said she would be heartbroken to see the class end because it offers students a one-of-a-kind learning environment and provides a necessary service to the wrongly convicted.

In addition, this class means the end of options for people to appeal their conviction based on innocence, she said. This is the only entity in the state of New Mexico who accepts and solely works on claims of innocence pro bono.
NEW MEXICO BOOK NOTES

AT BOOKWORKS: Tina Carlson will read from Ground, Wind, This Body at 3 today.

This debut collection explores the vestiges of war and the effects they can have on a family.

Carlson is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless.

Dos Gatos Press publisher and editor Scott Wiggerman and David Meischen will present their free monthly poetry writing workshop with prompts from their anthology Wingbeats at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 14. Please bring writing materials.

Layli Long Soldier will read from her new book of poetry, Whereas, at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 16.

Whereas confronts the coercive language of the U.S. government in its responses, treaties, and apologies to Native American peoples and tribes.

Rachel Bate will sign Desert Bliss at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 18.

Meet a calico kitten who decides to go on a very dangerous journey.

Bookworks is at 4022 Rio Grande NW. Call 344-8139.

AT COLLECTED WORKS: Journey Santa Fe will present former New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alan Webber at 11 a.m. today.

The Santa Fe Opera Guild Book Club Presents: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson at 6 p.m. Monday, March 13.

Rick Marcum will sign West Texas Crude from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 18.

Collected Works is at 202 Galisteo St. in Santa Fe. Call 505-988-4226.

AT THE MAIN SANTA FE PUBLIC LIBRARY: Award-winning author Loretta Hall will talk about New Mexicos contributions to space history at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 18. Her book Out of This World won Best Book in the New Mexico Book Awards. Her new book is the Space Buffs Bucket List book. She is set to release a new childrens book on the New Mexico Spaceport.

The Main Santa Fe Public Library is at 145 Washington Ave. Call 505-955-6781.
A series of black spiral notebooks brims with lists, thought bubbles and doodles, the daily petroglyphs of a mind in motion.

The journals belong to Monique Fragua, (Jemez Pueblo), the director of Albuquerques Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and a lightning bolt of passion and energy.

My mom liked to tell people I was born in the hallway of the hospital, she said. I was always on the way out.

At Jemez, people say, Youre like youre on fire. Im a for-profit girl in a nonprofit world.

Once a depository for rubber tomahawks and corn necklaces, today the Shumakalowa Native Arts gift shop sells works by internationally renowned artists. Although the museum itself once snaked strictly chronologically through a length of basement, today it tells pueblo stories on the main floor through interactive pueblo voices, including its five languages: Towa, Tewa, Tiwa, Zuni and Keres. Tragedies such as the Spanish Conquest and the boarding school legacy are touched on, but the museum emphasizes the peoples resilience. The input of Fragua, a distant cousin to famed sculptor Cliff Fragua, has been critical to the museums development, said Michael Canfield (Laguna Pueblo), president and CEO of the cultural center.

Her dedication and commitment to pueblo culture is a top priority, he said. Its usually represented from an outsiders opinion or point of view. She made it clear and upfront to everyone that this had to be our own perspective from our own point of view.

Fraguas entrepreneurial skills began when she was a child when she sold card tricks and her unwanted Halloween candy to her brothers and sisters. Her mother, Marlene Gapuchin, moved the family from Bernalillo to Jemez Pueblo when she was 13 to be closer to family. She worked five jobs to support the family before finding steady employment in security and surveillance at Santa Ana Star Casino. But her daughter felt isolated.

For me, it was a problem, because I was a teenager, Fragua said. I wanted to be at the beach. I wanted to be a cool teenager.

Fragua has straddled life within both the dominant and pueblo culture ever since.

When you see another Jemez person, you take the time to stop and say hello and see how they are, she said. In Albuquerque, everythings so fast you dont take the time to hold the door open. Im one of those people who was in a dual world.

Her mothers parenting style fell solidly under the tough love category. Although it sometimes seemed harsh, it forged the woman she would become. Gapuchin died about a year ago.

She would say, No daughter of mine is going to be average,  Fragua said. When my sister and I would bring home a C or a D, she would say, Anybody can do that. 

Just when her daughter was getting comfortable at the pueblo, Gapuchin sent her to St. Catherines Indian School in Santa Fe for a better education. Fragua honed her business skills again, canvassing the galleries for fundraising donations.

I always tried to be a leader, she said. My mom said I had to be. One of my favorite things she said was, Dont talk about it  do it. 

She spent seven years working at Jemez and studying at New Mexico Highlands Rio Rancho campus earning her bachelors degree. She made a New Years Eve resolution to pursue a masters degree.

When I told my mom, she was like, Whats stopping you? 

At Jemez, she ran five businesses: the Walatowa timber initiative, the visitor center/museum, convenience store and the environmental consulting company. She slept two to three hours a night. In 2011, she earned her masters in business administration in one year.

By 2012, IPCC board members had heard about her.

She had a reputation of being a solid person up at Jemez, Canfield said. We knew of all the good things she was doing there. It was a natural.

Fragua catapulted from being the operations director to museum director a year ago.

Monique is an example of a contemporary pueblo woman, said Dwayne Virgint, IPCC executive vice president and chief operating officer of the cultural center. Shes made a commitment to personal and professional growth while holding her traditional values.

Fragua considers the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center the gateway to all 19 New Mexico pueblos.

Its about cultural tourism, she said. We dont want to create distance. We dont want to create an us versus them mentality.

Im not going to take it with me, so I want to share it and pass it on.

Its not even work, she added. I get to come here and do what I like every day.
A Belen man pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to conspiracy to distribute heroin while locked up at the Sandoval County Detention Center.

Ismael Vargas, 29, faces up to 41 months in federal prison to be followed by supervised release, under his plea agreement, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release.

During the court proceedings in Albuquerque, Vargas admitted that on Aug. 2, 2015, while he was an inmate at the Sandoval County Detention Center, he arranged for heroin to be delivered to the jail, according to the news release. He also admitted that he facilitated the payment of money to a corrections officer to get the heroin into the jail. Vargas remains in custody until a sentencing hearing, which hasnt been scheduled.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said former Sandoval County Detention Center corrections officer Christopher Gonzales, 20, of Rio Rancho, and Fabrienne Rosalinda Morales, 39, of Peralta, were arrested in January 2016 on a five-count indictment charging them with conspiracy. The indictment also charged Gonzales with possession of heroin and suboxone with intent to distribute, and Morales with distribution of heroin and suboxone. Vargas was added to the indictment on Feb. 9, 2016, charging him with conspiracy. According to the superseding indictment, the three committed the crimes on Aug. 2, 2015.

Last month, on Feb. 28, Gonzales pled guilty to possessing heroin with intent to distribute. Gonzales admitted that on Aug. 2, 2015, while he was working as an officer at the Sandoval County Detention Center, he brought heroin to the detention center with the intention of delivering it to an inmate, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. A sentencing hearing for Gonzales is set for May 31.

Earlier this year, on Jan. 13, Morales pleaded guilty to distributing heroin, admitting that on Aug. 2, 2015, she smuggled heroin into the Sandoval County jail and gave it to a corrections officer, the news release reads. Under the terms of her plea agreement, Morales will be sentenced to not more than 24 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 17.
U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Damon Martinez has tendered his resignation after Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked 46 U.S. attorneys from around the country to resign.

Martinez was sworn in as U.S. attorney for New Mexico in May 2014. He has been a federal prosecutor since 2000, when he started in the Las Cruces Branch Office as a special assistant U.S. attorney.

The U.S. Attorneys Office confirms that, at the request of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Damon P. Martinez tendered his resignation as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico on the afternoon of March 10, 2017, Elizabeth Martinez, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Mexico, said in a statement Saturday.

She said First Assistant U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney until a new U.S. Attorney is nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate.

Martinez led the local U.S. Attorneys Office during the Department of Justices investigation and settlement agreement with the city of Albuquerque over the Albuquerque Police Department. The DOJ found that the police department had a pattern of excessive force, and the police are now proceeding with a years-long reform effort that is being overseen by a federal judge.

Also under Martinez, federal prosecutors in Albuquerque focused efforts on targeting the states Worst of the Worst offenders with federal prosecutions. Federal authorities work alongside state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to identify the most dangerous repeat criminals in various communities. Law enforcement officials then work to build federal cases, such as felon in possession of a firearm charges, against those suspects because certain crimes carry much longer prison sentences in federal, as opposed to state, courts.

Martinez was also the U.S. attorney when the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education Initiative, also known as HOPE, was launched.

As part of that program, federal prosecutors target heroin and opioid trafficking suspects due to the high number of opioid-related deaths in the state.

Martinez was one of 46 U.S. attorneys  holdovers from the Obama administration  who were asked to resign on Friday.

There are 93 U.S. attorneys throughout the country. The president appoints the prosecutors.
SANTA FE  In an unusual floor session Saturday, New Mexico senators lashed out at Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and unanimously recalled a bill they had passed four days earlier at the request of her administration.

The anger focused on a failure to notify lawmakers about campaign contributions from the owners of a property that was the subject of the legislation, a lease extension for state offices in Albuquerque.

Owners of the property have made campaign contributions to Martinez or her political committee, senators said, and the legislation her administration sought would have waived some procurement rules to allow the state to continue leasing the contributors property.

Two cabinet secretaries under Martinez said Saturday that they had simply failed to find the contributions when they searched campaign records and that they informed the Senate as soon as they realized their mistake.

And they said the deal was a good one for the state. It was evaluated on its own merits, with no pressure from the governor, they said.

A spokesman for Martinez said the lease predates not only her administration but her predecessors, too. And the campaign donations were properly reported online, spokesman Michael Lonergan said.

The idea that we would try to hide information that the governor has publicly reported and disclosed and is readily available to the public on a government website is absurd, he said.

Republican Sen. Steven Neville of Aztec, in any case, asked the Senate to recall the legislation, Senate Bill 430  a request that was approved without opposition. He apologized to his colleagues on the Senate floor.

I found out the information I was given early on was not accurate  that there were campaign contributions I wasnt aware of, Neville said in an interview.

Once the bill is retrieved from the House, he said, he will ask senators to permanently table it. The measure had been approved 30-10 on Tuesday and sent to the House for further consideration.

Democrats accused Martinez and her administration on Saturday of misleading the Senate.

Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales, called it a sweetheart deal.

Some Democrats demanded an apology from the governor and noted the Senate has subpoena power to examine the proposed lease deal. They made it clear they didnt blame their colleague, Neville, for carrying the bill.

But they didnt hold back on the governor. They said the administration knew senators wanted to know about the possibility of campaign contributions from property owners involved in the deal, but the Senate was given incorrect information.

Were being lied to, Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, said on the floor. This is despicable.

People connected to the property appear to have donated more than $20,000 to Martinez or her political action committee, according to a Journal review of campaign reports.

Republicans on the floor didnt come to the governors defense.

Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, noted that a senator resigned two years ago and now faces public corruption charges. He was referring to Phil Griego, a Democrat who is contesting the charges.

We have to deal with these conflicts of interest and sweetheart deals that happen, Moores said.

The legislation sought to exempt a property on San Mateo Boulevard in Albuquerque from a state-imposed limit on the length of lease agreements.

The state Children, Youth and Families Department had tried and failed to find another suitable property, according to the bill. But it couldnt continue renting its property near San Mateo and Central because it was approaching the states 20-year limit on lease agreements for private property.

That meant the department might have to close or reduce some of its services to abused and neglected children, the bill said.

Ed Burckle, secretary of the state General Services Department, told reporters that the failure to tell senators about all of the campaign contributions was an honest mistake.

But he also said the proposed lease was a good deal.

We were evaluating it strictly on its merits, Burckle said. I felt it is a good deal for the taxpayers of New Mexico.

Monique Jacobson, secretary of the Children, Youth and Families Department, agreed.

It would be at no additional cost, she said of the proposal, and over a seven-year period it would bring cost savings to the state.

Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, said he has asked repeatedly about the possibility of campaign contributions and didnt get accurate responses.

This is a very serious matter, Padilla said. To be doing something like this on the backs of the children, and backing a deal like this, it stinks.

The Martinez administration, in turn, said the campaign donors at issue have also contributed to the campaigns of Democrats.

If Democrat senators want to have a debate on ethics and conflicts of interest in state government, Lonergan said, we are more than happy to have that debate, though they probably want to wait until after their latest indicted colleague finishes his pending trial.

Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd contributed to this article.
SANTA FE New Mexicos jails and prisons would face new limits on the use of solitary confinement for inmates under a bill approved 38-22 by the state House late Saturday.

The proposal now heads to the Senate, as the legislative session moves into its final week.

House Bill 175 would prohibit solitary confinement for inmates who are pregnant or under 18 years old.

Inmates with a serious mental disability could be held in solitary confinement for up to 48 hours, but only if theres an imminent threat of physical harm to the inmate or another person.

The corrections administrator would have to notify medical staff and prepare a written plan to transition the inmate out of isolated confinement.

Theres also an exception that would allow solitary confinement when an inmate first enters a jail or prison.

The bill defines solitary confinement as restricted housing  keeping an inmate confined to a cell for 22 hours a day or more without meaningful human interaction.

House Bill 175 is sponsored by Democratic Reps. Antonio MoeMaestas of Albuquerque and Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup.

Maestas said its inhumane to put someone struggling with a serious mental illness in solitary confinement.

Prisons and jails would also have to provide quarterly reports with demographic data and explanations for inmates kept in isolated confinement.

If they throw someone in the hole, Maestas said, they need to document it. They need to tell us.

Opponents said some of the language was too broad and would be burdensome to carry out.
Each and every one of us is made in the image and likeness of God. We are created good, and we are precious in Gods sight. Yet young lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are often told that who they are is bad and that they need to change  or face a life of rejection by their family, their faith and God.

When a family is in crisis because a child questions his or her sexual orientation or gender identity, parents often seek help from their faith community. As a pastor, I have two duties. The first is to the child, to assure him or her that s/he is loved and accepted as a child of God and that s/he is safe. My second duty is to the family, to support them as they try to grow in their understanding, love and acceptance of one another.

Protecting the child and healing the family are made more difficult when unscrupulous professionals prey on families in crisis and attempt to sell them a cure for what is not a disease under the false framework of conversion therapy. Most therapists understand that trying to change a young persons sexual orientation or gender identity is harmful, wrong and abusive. But in every state, including New Mexico, some mental health professionals and companies continue to market, sell and perform so-called conversion therapy, deceiving parents and causing LGBTQ children to suffer lasting trauma.

The New Mexico Senate has passed SB 121, which would protect young LGBTQ people from the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy. It is imperative that the House and the governor also support this legislation.

New Mexicos children, youth and families have a right to expect that a therapist practicing under a license from the state will not put them at risk of severe harm, including depression, substance abuse and suicide. And we have the opportunity to make such protection a reality for our families this legislative season by banning the types of practices and harmful conduct that have been discredited by all the countrys leading medical and mental health organizations  including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. All these bodies have warned about the dangers of these practices, which pose serious health risks, including depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness and social withdrawal, which can lead to suicide.

We in New Mexico love our kids, and we have many laws that protect them from known dangers, including child abuse and neglect, purchasing alcohol and tobacco, and bullying. We also have laws that protect all consumers from ineffective and unregulated medical treatments. In order to protect all of our youth and families, we need to outlaw a medical practice that uses false, misleading and deceptive claims at the expense of consumers health, safety and well-being.

This is not a measure that can be left for the next legislative session. One in 10 people are LGBTQ, and that means one in 10 of our youth are at risk of being subjected to an unscientific and discredited therapy that uses rejection, shame, verbal abuse, psychological abuse and even aversion techniques like electric shocks. These practices are known to be extremely dangerous and can lead to depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse and even suicide.

We cannot afford to lose one more youth to suicide. In 2013, according to the New Mexico Department of Health, our state had the seventh-highest youth suicide rate in the country, and it has ranked among the top 10 states since 1995.

We have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all of our children and youth, including those who identify as LGBTQ. Its time to protect our kids by ending the harmful practice of conversion therapy in New Mexico.
To the numerous New Mexico communities hosting small, public colleges and universities, consolidation might as well be a four-letter word.

Those campuses bring not only students, but decent-paying jobs, infrastructure, an economic boost and the cachet of being a college town. So any talk of consolidation, streamlining or anything else that even hints at a potential loss of revenue or autonomy at those campuses inevitably triggers a strong political backlash. Perhaps thats why New Mexico, with a population of just over 2 million, now has 31 college campuses and numerous offshoot facilities.

Still, with declining enrollments, rising costs and a sluggish state economy that is causing multimillion-dollar budget deficits, state officials can no longer defer to tender higher education ears that dont want to hear about the streamlining concept in any four-letter combination, be it blend or fuse or pool or meld.

First, because the state has a budget to balance every year, and every year it gets harder. State colleges and universities are again facing budget cuts as a smaller pie is expected to feed the same number of mouths.

And second, because offering quantity over quality means New Mexicans get less bang for their higher ed buck.

Between the 2011 fall semester and the 2015 fall semester, enrollment in the states universities and colleges has fallen 11 percent overall, according to the higher ed department, and that trend is likely to continue despite recruitment efforts. Some universities have enrollments of a few thousand students, not much bigger than an Albuquerque high school.

Meanwhile, the states higher education appropriation rose from $716 million in fiscal 2012 to a high of $843 million in fiscal 2016. That number dropped sharply in 2017 to $787 million, or about a 6.6 percent decrease from the peak, but is still significantly higher than 2012 levels.

The Legislative Finance Committee noted in its 2018 state budget recommendations that with fewer students and declining revenue, the current number of access points for higher education may become more difficult to maintain. Access points include universities, colleges, community colleges, tribal colleges, specialty schools and branches of branch colleges, also known as twigs.

Last year Jose Z. Garcia, a former New Mexico secretary for higher education, pointed out in an op-ed that while New Mexico spends $1,833 more per full-time college student than the national average  sixth-highest in the nation and a higher proportion of the budget than every state save Wyoming  we rank 47th in the six-year graduation rate for a Bachelor of Arts degree. A Legislative Finance Committee report from 2015 puts the states six-year graduation rate at 41 percent, meaning six out of 10 students likely got debt instead of a degree. UNMs four-year graduation rate was roughly 20 percent; its six-year rate was about 50 percent.

It all underlines a point made by Chaouki Abdallah, acting president at the University of New Mexico. He says unabashedly that the states current system is unsustainable. Hes not alone in that assertion. He also acknowledges that any changes to the higher education system as a whole could probably disrupt local economies in the short term, though they would be beneficial to the state in the long run.

Barbara Damron, secretary of the state Department of Higher Education, offers a more nuanced characterization of the higher education system, saying it doesnt have too many schools but too many independent systems.

Many of the states 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. And while the Higher Education Department has some oversight of the budgets of schools in the state and collects data on enrollment, retention and graduation rates, college and university boards hire their own presidents and make their own spending and policy decisions.

For now, Damron says her department is working for commonality among the colleges and universities, such as ensuring all English 101 courses offered statewide have the same course number and content. That, in turn, would make credits among schools more easily transferable. Establishing such uniformities that support graduation should be a no-brainer.

And so should two legislative memorials calling for a review of the states higher education system: House Joint Memorial 12, sponsored by Rep. Bill McCamley, D-Mesilla Park; and Senate Joint Memorial 8, sponsored by Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales. If adopted, the memorials  which lack the force of law but are a formal expression of the Legislatures desire  could provide some needed insight into changes in the higher ed system that would benefit New Mexico.

Those efforts should move forward, because not only is the current system unsustainable, but New Mexico students, university employees and taxpayers deserve one that delivers quality higher education across the board, and they need the data to get there.

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.
FIRST OF TWO PARTS

Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

At the age of 91, Mary Louise Terry was getting by on food stamps and monthly Social Security checks, living under the care of her son in her home of 11 years on Belens main street.

But a $100,000 insurance windfall Terry inherited after that son died in May 2015 marked the beginning of the end of her stable family life.

Terry, who has dementia, is now under a guardianship approved by a Valencia County district court judge. She is in her fourth nursing home in six months despite the fact she has three sons and a daughter-in-law willing to care for her.

Terry  who had two other sons die within three months of each other in 2015  was assaulted last month by another nursing home resident and has since been moved to a different long-term facility in Albuquerque.

Her Belen house is gone, sold by the guardian/conservator who by law can be paid out of an incapacitated persons assets. The state of her finances is unclear. And family members in New Mexico say court-appointed professionals rejected their offer to take care of Terry in their own homes.

Mother should have been allowed to live whatever years she has left the way she wanted to. Like all the rest of us want to, daughter-in-law Lois Painter of Albuquerque said last week.

None of us wants to live like she has been living  Shuffled from one place to another, beat up, etc. No one, right mind or not, would want this happening to them or their loved ones. What would you think if this happened to your family?

Secret process

Court records show that in December 2015, Terrys daughter who lives in Texas filed a petition seeking appointment of a professional guardian/conservator to oversee her mothers finances and health care  all under a secret legal process thats supposed to be a last resort to protect an incapacitated person.

Now, most if not all the $100,000 insurance proceeds are gone, other family members say.

They say the guardian/conservator firm, which handles all of the Terrys finances, took control of her $753-a-month Social Security checks, which had previously been automatically deposited.

The New Mexico family complains that the guardian never closed her bank account, so hundreds of dollars of still-unpaid overdraft charges have been assessed. Late payment fees and disconnect charges accrued when the utility bills at the Belen home hadnt been paid by the professional guardian. Her homeowners insurance also lapsed, Painter told the Journal.

Last fall, the guardian notified the family that Terry, now 93, had to move from her Belen house to a $5,500-a-month assisted living home. Just two months later, the family was told Terry was being evicted because her money had run out. Terry has lived in three other homes since then, but family members arent sure how those bills are getting paid.

Theres been no accounting of money to us at all. None. All that was told is, Mary doesnt have any more money, Painter said.

Guardians have authority over the personal health and welfare of the individual adult deemed incapacitated by a court.

But family members say that, in the past year, the assigned professional guardian never shows up when issues with Terrys care arise and consistently asks Terrys son to respond to emergencies.

Roxanna Gates, owner of the guardianship company, CNRAG, Inc., declined to respond to questions from the Journal, citing confidentiality surrounding guardianship matters.

Painter said last month that CNRAG sold Terrys Belen house for about $82,000, which Painter said was $40,000 under the appraised value. How much of that money will go to the guardian or other bills isnt information that is furnished to her New Mexico family  only to the court.

Terrys family members in New Mexico say Terry has had to foot the entire bill for the guardian/conservatorship, and thats not fair.

She wants to go home and there is no more home, Painter told the Journal. So what do you tell her?

Tragic events

Terrys life changed dramatically after her son, David Stout, died in May 2015. At the same time her son Jimmy, Painters husband of 30 years, was dying of cancer.

So another of Terrys sons, Donald Stout, asked their sister, Peggy Hunter, to come to New Mexico from her home in Odessa, Texas, to help take care of their mother while Jimmy was in his final months. He died July 14, 2015.

Hunters arrival unleashed a series of legal actions that Painter says was never anticipated.

Within weeks, Hunter took her mother back to Texas where Terry executed a power of attorney giving her daughter the right to make decisions on her behalf.

Hunter paid the remaining $34,000 left on her mothers home mortgage out of the insurance proceeds from Davids death, but family members here allege that Hunter, who declined comment, also took unexplained cash withdrawals from their mothers bank account.

Unbeknownst to the New Mexico siblings, a will was drafted in Texas and later filed in Valencia County, making Hunter the sole beneficiary of Terrys estate. Valencia County records also show a quitclaim deed was filed in July 2015 to give Peggy Hunter co-ownership of Terrys home.

When he learned what was happening, records show Terrys son Donald Stout went to an attorney, who drew up a codicil to the will so Terrys assets would be split equally among her children, except for Peggy, who would get $1. Records show that in October 2015, Stout and his wife filed a quitclaim deed adding their names to the house and reserving the home for Terry as a life estate unto herself.

But the tension between Hunter and her New Mexico family mounted. Belen police were called out. Stout, on behalf of his mother, filed a restraining order against his sister. A court commissioner found no domestic abuse but admonished Peggy that her mother didnt want any contact with her, records show.

By December of 2015, Hunter had an attorney file a petition seeking to appoint the outside guardian and conservator. The petition asked the judge to appoint the firm, CNRAG, Inc. of Fairacres, N.M., near Las Cruces, as the guardian and conservator.

To advise the judge on whether Terry should be declared incapacitated and have a professional guardian appointed, Hunters petition also provided the judge the names of three people  all of whom are familiar New Mexico guardian industry insiders. The trio consisted of an attorney who acted as a guardian ad litem to represent Terry in the matter, along with a court visitor and a mental health professional.

Ms. Terry is unable to express her wishes for medical care, nor is she able to manage her property or affairs effectively and such property may be wasted or dissipated unless proper management is provided, the petition stated. The petition stated that Terrys bank accounts at that time totaled about $32,000.

Hunter contended in the court document that her brother, Donald Stout, was placing undue influence on Ms. Terry and exploiting her.

But it took District Judge Allen R. Smith of Los Lunas four months to hold a hearing on the petition.

At that time, in an April 2016 hearing closed to the public, the judge received reports from the court visitor, guardian ad litem and mental health evaluator he had already appointed at Hunters request. He then found Terry to be incapacitated and appointed CNRAG.

At the time, Mary Terry was still living in her Belen home with her son, Donald Stout. And Stout, who lives in Albuquerque with his wife, took care of his mother at her Belen home for another four months after the guardianship was approved.

Then, last August, the guardian informed the family that Terry was to be sent to a nursing home. Records show that both Hunter and Stout on Aug. 31 of last year filed paperwork to return ownership of the house to Terry and ultimately her guardian, CNRAG, Inc.

Asked about the guardianship, Hunter told the Journal,I have nothing to say to you. She also said she knew of no issues with the guardianship company.

Back in November 2015, Hunter filed a written statement responding to the restraining order request. She stated that she loved her mother and fully intend to have Mother back in my care because she is not safe with him, referring to her brother, Donald.

Hunter currently lives in Texas, Painter said.

Better off at home?

No one disputes that Mary Terry has dementia, but her son Donald Stout and daughter-in-law Painter say they believe she would be better off living with them at their homes.

Painter said she believes that when the proceeds from the sale of Terrys home run out, the state Medicaid program will likely be footing the bill for her nursing home care.

The guardian and the court system have taken her money and squandered it, she added. That means us taxpayers will be picking up Mothers tab.

Before CNRAG, Inc., was appointed, Painter said she met with Terrys appointed guardian ad litem Barbara Buck and was told she couldnt be appointed Terrys guardian/conservator because she had an IRS tax lien dating back to 2009.

I was in business for myself, and I didnt do my tax returns in a timely fashion, Painter told the Journal . She said she ended up owing no money, and within six months, the liens were released.

Yet records show that Terrys court-appointed private guardianship conservatorship, CNRAG, Inc., is owned by Gates, who filed for personal bankruptcy in the Western District of Oklahoma in 2004.

The CNRAG employee acting as Mary Terrys guardian in Albuquerque is Robert J. Mendez. Records show that Mendez filed for Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy in 2012 in New Mexico. He didnt return a Journal email requesting comment, referring questions to Gates.

Buck didnt return a Journal phone call or an email asking whether she was aware of the bankruptcies.

Painter told the Journal that she and other family members were particularly offended by Mendezs public Facebook page, which up until Thursday afternoon had stated under the Intro Live for the moment, dont dwell in the past and f em if they cant take a joke.

Shortly after the Journal contacted Mendez about his Facebook photo, Mendezs Facebook page was altered and the posting under the Intro section was removed. The phrase still appears elsewhere on Mendezs site.

Gates and Mendez are both nationally certified by the Center for Guardianship Certification, in Harrisburg, Pa., and state records show they have passed criminal background checks.

New Mexico requires an annual report by an appointed-guardian/conservator. That report, due next month, is confidential by law. Painter says that document is off limits even to Terrys New Mexico family.

Painter said she still doesnt know exactly why Terry was removed from her Belen home.

Theres nothing we can do, Painter said. We dont have the money for an attorney. And Mothers in a nursing home. We cant do anything about that.

Editors note: Last year, the Journal published a six-part investigative report, Whos Guarding the Guardians, chronicling families complaints about the states system of court-appointed guardianships for the elderly. Next, the Journal looks at another family caught in the system:
Where in the world is Bill Richardson?

Its a question Ive pondered from time to time  both literally and figuratively  since the globe-trotting former governor exited the political stage six years ago. After writing last week about my Taos ski adventure with another former New Mexico governor, Gary Johnson, I decided to catch up with Richardson by phone.

The former congressman, U.N. ambassador, U.S. energy secretary and presidential candidate, who served as Democratic governor of New Mexico from 2003 until 2011, has been keeping a fairly low profile in recent years. But during a half-hour conversation Wednesday, I wasnt surprised to learn that Richardson is also keeping busy in international affairs.

Since founding the Santa Fe-based Richardson Center for Global Engagement after leaving the Governors Office, Richardson said, he has worked for the release of American political prisoners abroad, raised money for endangered chimpanzees and elephants in Africa and helped to train the next generation of political leaders in such places as Malaysia.

Richardson has a long history of helping Americans imprisoned in Third World countries, and he has become a go-to guy for anguished American families hoping to get their loved ones out of a dangerous international jam.

In February, the family of Fanta Jawara, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Frederick, Md., thanked the Richardson Center publicly for its help in securing her release from a three-year prison term in Gambia after she was arrested during an anti-government protest in that country last April.

After serving nearly a year of a prison term that reportedly included beatings, Jawara returned home to Maryland last month.

Richardson is also working on several other cases, including that of a similar  and seemingly more intractable  situation in North Korea.

You may remember the case of Otto Warmbier, a young man from Ohio who was arrested almost 15 months ago at the Pyongyang airport after visiting the country with a tour group. As he was preparing to fly out, Warmbier was arrested and charged with subversion for stealing a North Korean propaganda poster from a hotel wall.

The 22-year-old is, by most accounts, a well-liked  and believe it or not, smart  guy who made a very dumb mistake. His lapse in judgment resulted in a prison sentence of 15 years of hard labor in a North Korean prison camp.

Over the years, Richardson has traveled to North Korea multiple times as an ad hoc mediator on weapons and other issues, and he helped negotiate the release of another American imprisoned in the Communist country two decades ago. Richardson met with North Koreas U.N. representatives in New York shortly before Warmbier was sentenced in January 2016, and he continues to work for the young Ohioans release.

The problem for Otto is that this leader from North Korea is so unpredictable, Richardson told me, referring to Kim Jong Un, the mercurial, short-tempered son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. In the old days with his father, you could make a deal. Now, were kind of in a stalemate.

He (Warmbier) is a bargaining chip, but its unclear what North Korea wants in return, and they have the whole Asian peninsula in turmoil, Richardson said, adding that he is seeking meetings with North Korean officials in their country on the issue but hasnt gotten an official green light yet.

I think they are waiting for the Trump administration to make a move, Richardson said. Ive been very critical of Trumps foreign policy, but so far with North Korea hes been cautious, he has not overreacted, is weighing his options, and I think thats the right policy right now.

But eventually we are going to have to engage North Korea in some capacity, either through China or a new set of six-party talks, he added. Its going to involve a diplomatic deal of some kind. Maybe in exchange for stopping the missile tests, they get humanitarian assistance. We have to engage in a way that lessens tensions in the region.

Some conservatives have suggested that the U.S. withhold its contributions to the U.N. Development Program that provides humanitarian assistance to help feed North Koreas impoverished population. Richardson said that would be a cruel move.

The only thing that goes to North Korea from the U.N. is the food program, Richardson said. Taking that away would hurt a lot of people in North Korea. A lot of the country is starving, and I dont think that is a source of leverage. I think we should consider additional sanctions, but not taking money away from the food program. I think that would be a mistake.

Richardson also reminded me of the high stakes for the U.S. in its long-standing conflict with North Korea, and the need for a cool-headed and deliberate strategy.

We have to remember that we have 28,000 U.S. troops in South Korea and 50,000 troops in Japan, he said. We dont want to have a human error cause a trip-wire effect that engages us there.

UpFront is a regular Journal news and opinion column. Comment directly to Michael Coleman at mcoleman@abqjournal.com. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters to submit a letter to the editor.
Nine New Mexico schools have scheduled Kick Butts Day events Wednesday in coordination with a national day of action advocating for tobacco-free schools.

The objective is to get their schools to prohibit all tobacco use 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on their campuses, according to a news release.

Students who are part of Evolvement, a youth movement promoting a tobacco-free New Mexico, are organizing the events. Evolvement New Mexico is a program of the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program at the New Mexico Department of Health.

Schools are places where kids learn, inside and outside the classroom, and its important for New Mexico schools to send the right message about tobacco use, organizers said in a statement. Preventing the use, possession and distribution of all tobacco products by all persons, anywhere on school property and at off-site school-sponsored events, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is essential to a healthy school environment.

Schools planning Kick Butt events, generally around the noon hour, include: Atrisco Heritage Academy in Albuquerque, Gadsden High School in Anthony, Navajo Prep in Farmington, Arrowhead Park Early College High School in Las Cruces, Los Alamos High School, Los Lunas High School, V. Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, Roswell High School and Tucumcari High School.

Students participating in the Evolvement program plan to engage students, staff and visitors about their tobacco policy. Participants will take on-site surveys, sign an interactive banner, and take photo pledges to show their support for tobacco-free schools.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.
The U.S. Attorney Generals recent comments against police reform projects alarmed advocates for the ongoing efforts like the one underway in Albuquerque.

But city officials said that despite a change in the countrys leadership, they dont expect the ongoing changes within the Albuquerque Police Department to be affected.

We signed on to that agreement, and we will fulfill our commitments as long as Im mayor, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry said in an interview last week.

Albuquerque is one of about 20 law enforcement agencies throughout the country that are operating under settlement agreements or consent decrees between the local governments and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The contracts aim to correct systemic problems within the agencies. But Attorney General Jeff Sessions has publicly questioned the validity of those probes.

We need to help police departments get better, not diminish their effectiveness, and Im afraid we have done some of that, Sessions said recently. So were going to pull back on this.

Those comments concerned many local advocates, said Peter Simonson, the executive director of the ACLU in New Mexico and a member of APD Forward, a coalition of community groups calling for changes to Albuquerque police.

His comments were very alarming and it put our organization, and the organizations that make up APD Forward, on high alert, he said. This is an adversarial process and if the adversary (DOJ) is weakly prosecuting the case or representing the communitys concerns, I dont see how reform is sustainable.

Unlike some cities whose police departments have evoked federal attention, the city of Albuquerque and the DOJ have already reached a settlement in their case. The settlement, filed in U.S. District Court in November 2014, was reached after a DOJ investigation found Albuquerque police had a pattern or practice of using excessive force, which included police shootings.

The agreement outlines a series of reforms, policy changes and mandatory training that police need to complete over several years.

Berry said he met last week with city and police officials to discuss the reform effort, and he said its his understanding that there will not be changes to Albuquerques settlement agreement.

We think (the agreement) is one of the best in the country, and weve done a lot of the heavy lifting already, Berry said.

Albuquerque police Chief Gorden Eden said the department is committed to the reforms, which he said have benefited the departments officers.

The settlement agreement is an agreement with the people we proudly serve, he said in a statement. Our team will continue with the reforms and the substantial progress we have made.

Shaun Willoughby, president of the Albuquerque Police Officers Association, said there has been no indication that the DOJ will back off on the Albuquerque police process.

Its business as usual, full-steam ahead for Albuquerque police reform, he said.

The police union has pushed back against some of the changes required of Albuquerque police, especially the time it takes to train officers, then hold them accountable to new policies. Willoughby described the process as relentless.

The process is relentless for any entity that goes through it, he said. The process is dynamic, its huge, theres a lot of moving pieces and its bureaucracy at its finest.

Officials from the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Mexico declined to comment.
Mary Louise Terrys case was one of 415 filed statewide in 2016 seeking court approval to place an adult under guardianship or conservatorship or both, according to a spokesman for the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts.

Her case exemplifies the unwritten practice in New Mexico that critics say stacks the deck in favor of the family members or others who go to court to try to have a person declared incapacitated and placed under a guardianship/conservatorship.

In New Mexico, the person who files the petition for guardianship/conservatorship can nominate the three people who will advise the judge on whether to issue a guardianship. The services of those three advisers and the guardianship company are typically paid out of the assets of the incapacitated person.

To get what you want, you know exactly who to nominate, said one critic of the system.

Thats not the case elsewhere. In California, for example, independent probate court investigators who are court employees first gather facts on whether a conservatorship is in the best interest of an alleged incapacitated person, then make a recommendation to the judge.

New Mexico probate law doesnt require a petitioner to nominate the group of ostensibly objective advisers. But most often, judges in New Mexico agree to appoint the people who are recommended.

At least one judge in Albuquerque is known for selecting his own panel of advisers, who by law are to include a guardian ad litem attorney representing the alleged incapacitated person; a qualified health care professional; and a court visitor. The visitor is supposed to evaluate the needs of the alleged incapacitated person and the appropriateness of the proposed guardian or conservator.

In Mary Terrys case, her daughter-in-law, Lois Painter, asked Valencia County district judge Allen R. Smith to appoint a different guardian ad litem attorney for Terry.

Painter said Terrys family in New Mexico didnt think that Albuquerque attorney Barbara Buck was acting in Mothers best interest. Painter said her request was denied.

Buck last week didnt return Journal calls seeking comment.

Bucks role in the case ended after the judge in April 2016 agreed to appoint CNRAG, Inc., a professional company, to perform guardianship/conservatorship duties.

Buck wasnt involved in the subsequent financial oversight and other actions of CNRAG, Inc., that have been criticized by some of Terrys New Mexico family.

By contrast, in California, guardian ad litem attorneys are appointed only on a case-by-case basis.

We appoint the next GAL in line on our appointment list, and do not accept recommendations from the parties, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Steven M. Gevercer said in an email.

Without the research by his probate court investigators, Gevercer told the Journal, the Court would not be presented with all relevant information and the quality of decision-making would suffer. The California court charges a fee for investigators services for court users who have the ability to pay, he added.
The same inquisitive nature and sense of curiosity that made the late Peter Mygatt such a great newsman, also made him an extraordinary amateur paleontologist who helped discover what would become known as the Mygatt-Moore Quarry in Rabbit Valley, Colo.

He and his wife, Marilyn Kniseley Mygatt, along with family friends J.D. and Vanetta Moore were on a fossil-hunting outing in 1981 west of Grand Junction, Colo., when they uncovered the astonishingly rich late Jurassic find that now bears their names.

The quarry is believed to have been a large pond where dinosaurs gathered and fed  sometimes on each other. Since that initial find, more than 5,000 specimens have been unearthed, including 20 individual dinosaurs, said Kay Fredette, a fossil preparator at the Museum of the West in Fruita, Colo.

It was a significant find because of the diversity of species in the quarry and the numbers, she said. Peter recognized that they were dinosaur bones, but that the quarry would turn out to be so prolific was not initially obvious at all.

Mygatt also dug mastodon bones from the Gay Mine on the Blackfoot Indian Reservation in Idaho, netted hundreds of fossil fish from the 55 million-year-old limestone quarries of Kemmerer, Wyo., and was accepted as a member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Peter Mygatt, a former long-time New Mexican, died Feb. 23 at his home in Boise, Idaho. He was 90.

Born in New York City, Mygatt as a child lived in Connecticut and California before his parents settled in Taos. He graduated from Taos High School and then attended the University of Nevada in Reno, where he received his bachelors degree in journalism.

While in high school, Mygatt worked in a gold mine in northern New Mexico, and then worked his way through college as a field hand in the oil fields of the West and as a forest firefighter in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War-era, putting his journalism degree to use in the Air Forces office of public affairs. Post military, he was a stringer for the New York Times, worked at the Reno Evening Gazette, the Los Angeles Examiner, the Ely (Nev.) Daily Times and then the Santa Fe New Mexican, where he was news editor. Mygatt also taught journalism at the College of Santa Fe.

During his newspaper career he won multiple awards for writing, layout, photography, and was twice honored by the Associated Press for top 10 stories of the year.

Mygatt moved on to public information jobs with Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, the federal Atomic Energy Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Daughter Wendy Jordan said her father loved to learn new things and always had a dictionary by his side. While many older people are reluctant to hone their computer skills, her father embraced the technology, and found it a useful resource. If he didnt know how to do something, hed learn how to do it, she said.

Her father loved his country and loved the great outdoors. He flew the American flag in front of his home, and he always saw the beauty around him and never took it for granted.

Son Matt Mygatt, a former Associated Press writer in Albuquerque, said growing up with his father was an adventure. He truly liked to take the roads less traveled, and when wed go camping we never knew where wed end up, but we always felt very safe with him. He loved the outdoors and he could sniff out fossilized bones better than anyone Ive ever known.

His father was also pure poetry on a horse, he said, and when you saw him riding it was just like they were one.

Peter Mygatt is survived by his wife Marilyn of the family home in Idaho; brother Robin Bright of California; and children Matt and Tony Mygatt of California, Amy Ashman of Colorado, and Wendy Jordan and Scott Ackleson of Idaho.
A Florida man who attempted to set fire to a convenience store told deputies that he assumed the owner was Muslim and that he wanted to run the Arabs out of our country, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriff later said the store owners are actually Indian, appearing to make this the latest in a string of incidents targeting South Asians mistaken for people of Arab descent.

Around 7:40 a.m. Friday, police received calls that a white male was acting suspiciously in front of the Met Mart convenience store in Port St. Lucie, officials said.

Deputies arrived to find the store closed, with its security shutters intact  as well as a 64-year-old man named Richard Leslie Lloyd near a flaming dumpster.

When the deputies arrived, they noticed the dumpster had been rolled in front of the doors and the contents were lit on fire, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a statement posted on Facebook. Upon seeing our deputies, the man put his hands behind his back and said take me away.'

Lloyd told deputies that he pushed the dumpster to the front of the building, tore down signs posted to the outside of the store and lit the contents of the dumpster on fire to run the Arabs out of our country,  Mascara said.

Lloyd also stated that he assumed the Met Mart owner was Muslim and that it angered him due to what they are doing in the Middle East, the sheriff said.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, authorities said.

Lloyd was arrested Friday and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond. His mental health will be evaluated, and the state attorneys office will decide whether the incident was a hate crime, according to the sheriff.

Its unfortunate that Mr. Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent, Mascara said. Regardless, we will not tolerate violence based on age, race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, mental or physical disability.

The sheriff also thanked those who called 911 when they noticed Lloyd in front of the store.

A message left with Met Mart on Sunday morning did not receive a response.

The incident appears to be the latest crime targeting people of South Asian descent. In its most recent report, the nonprofit group South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) noted there were 207 documented incidents of hate violence and xenophobic political rhetoric aimed at South Asian, Muslim Sikh, Hindu, Middle Eastern, and Arab communities from late December 2015 through Nov. 15, 2016, one week after the presidential election. That represented a 34 percent increase in incidents in less than a third of the period covered in SAALTs 2014 report.

An astounding 95 percent of incidents were motivated by anti-Muslim sentiment, according to the group. Notably President Trump was responsible for 21% of the xenophobic political rhetoric we tracked, it said.

The group held a vigil on the steps of Congress on Friday.

At a time when South Asian, Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, and Arab community members are facing hate violence and harassment on nearly a daily basis, we need real leadership from Washington to stem the tide of injustice, Suman Raghunathan, the groups executive director, said in a statement. Waiting nearly a week before commenting on a deadly shooting in Kansas wont do it. Issuing a second toxic Muslim Ban wont do it. We need direct action from this administration to forge inclusion, justice, and hope in this quintessential nation of immigrants.

Last month, a man reportedly yelled at two Indian men to get out of my country before opening fire at a bar in Kansas. One of those men, 32-year-old Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed, while another, 32-year-old Alok Madasani, was injured. A man who tried to intervene, 24-year-old Ian Grillot, was injured.

Adam W. Purinton, 51, a Navy veteran, was later arrested at a bar in Missouri, where he reportedly bragged about killing two Middle Eastern men, according to the Kansas City Star. Purinton has since been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. The FBI has said it is investigating the shooting as a hate crime.

Kuchibhotla and Madasani were from India but living in the United States and working as engineers for Garmin, the technology company. After the shooting, their relatives said they worried that the United States was no longer safe for Indians, citing what they called an increasingly xenophobic atmosphere.

There is a kind of hysteria spreading that is not good because so many of our beloved children live there, Venu Madhav, a relative of Kuchibhotla, told The Washington Post then. Such hatred is not good for people.

Kuchibhotlas widow told reporters two days after her husbands death that she had told him many times that they should go back to India but that Kuchibhotla was not afraid of staying.

He always assured me good things will happen to good people, Sunayana Dumala said then.

Madasanis father told the Hindustan Times that there was an increasingly hate-filled atmosphere in the United States and that it was linked to the election.

The situation seems to be pretty bad after Trump took over as the U.S. president, the father said, according to the newspaper. I appeal to all the parents in India not to send their children to the United States in the present circumstances.

The White House said linking the crimes to Trumps rhetoric was absurd, according to Reuters.

After being roundly criticized for not speaking out forcefully about the issue, Trump addressed the Kansas shooting in his speech to Congress a week later.

As Sangay K. Mishra, author of Desis Divided: The Political Lives of South Asian Americans, wrote for The Post last week, the South Asian community has suffered from security racializing since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, in which all immigrants from across a broad region are treated as potential terrorists.

The people I spoke with came from different religions, nationalities and cultures  but found themselves treated as similarly foreign and dangerous, Mishra wrote. In public spaces like bars and airports, strangers and law enforcement officials were suspicious of their brown bodies. A number of young South Asians in Los Angeles and New York told me that in the months and years after 9/11, they were uncomfortable going to a bar alone. They feared being yelled at, called racial slurs or even physically attacked  which, in some cases, had indeed happened.
The disturbance at the Middle Eastern restaurant was bizarre at first, but within minutes it morphed into a violent, one-sided assault.

Jason Kendall was walking down State Street about 3 p.m. Saturday when he saw a woman standing inside Al Aqsa Restaurant in Salem, Oregon, according to Fox affiliate KPTV. The Mediterranean food joint is a few blocks from the state Capitol and Willamette University.

Kendall said he thought the woman was being held hostage, because of the type of shirt she was wearing, the news station reported. He would later tell police that holding women hostage was what Arabs do.

So he walked into the restaurant and told the woman that she was free to leave, according to KPTV.

Then he started yelling because he saw a Saddam Hussein-looking guy inside the restaurant, according to the Salem Statesman Journal.

Go back to your country, terrorist, he told the man. Get out of America (expletive).

Local media said employees were able to get Kendall to leave, but not for long.

He returned a few minutes later with a pipe  he told officers that it was his Horn of Gabriel and that he was walking a warriors path  and started beating the Hussein doppelganger in the head.

Police arrived and arrested Kendall, charging him with assault, unlawful use of a weapon and intimidation. He remained in jail on Sunday with bail set at $65,000.

According to the Statesman Journal, the intimidation charge stems from Kendalls alleged threat to inflict injury based on his perception of the race or national origin of the employee.

Lt. Dave Okada told the newspaper that police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

These crimes dont happen very often in our community, Okada told the newspaper. Our community really does come together and supports each other.

Kendall is scheduled to appear before a judge on Friday. The alleged crime is one of four suspected hate crimes that have occurred in Salem since Donald Trump was elected president, the Statesman Journal reported.

In the month after the election, the Southern Poverty Law Center recorded 1,094 bias-related incidents. Of those, 42 were in Oregon. The SPLC said reports peaked after the election, then tapered.

In his address to Congress last month, Trump condemned an attack in Kansas City, Kansas, in which two Indians were shot, one fatally, by a man targeting Muslims.

Recent threats targeting Jewish community centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last weeks shooting in Kansas City, remind 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, he said.
PHOENIX  A majority of homeowners along a Phoenix street with a name that many people consider derogatory toward Native American women are pushing back against Mayor Greg Stantons plan to change the street name.

Sixteen of the 21 homeowners signed a petition that was presented to the City Council last month asking Stanton not to rename Squaw Peak Drive.

The street is at the base of a mountain that had its name changed from Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak more than a decade ago in honor of American Indian soldier Lori Piestewa, who died in the Iraq war. Some say the street should also be named after Piestewa.

Stanton has spoken out in favor of changing the name and first asked city staff last fall to start the process.

The current street name is derogatory and offensive to many, especially Native Americans, Stanton said in a statement Friday. Per my request, staff is looking to change it in a manner thats least inconvenient to people living near Piestewa Peak.

Stanton appears to be moving forward with the plan despite the residents petition.

Under city policy, doing away with Squaw Peak Drive would require 75 percent of property owners in the area to sign a petition in support of the effort. However, city councilors could vote to make a change without the homeowners support.

Glenda Strickland, who lives on the street, urged Councilman Sal DiCiccio in an email to stop Stantons plan.

Ms. Piestewa has already been honored, Strickland wrote. The expense would be excessive and unnecessary in all ways.

But to many others, the street name is a constant reminder of the historical trauma that indigenous people, especially women, have faced, said Phoenix resident Amanda Blackhorse.

She said members of the Native American community view the word as equivalent to expletives used to refer to women or racial minorities.

We call it the S-word,' Blackhorse said. That was used as a tool, as a weapon to make us less than human. You should never, ever refer to Native women that way.

A spokeswoman for the city said it would cost Phoenix about $2,000 to change signage along the street.
A Navajo Nation Police Department officer shot while responding to a domestic violence call in rural McKinley County died Sunday, according to the FBI.

Officer Houston Largo, 27, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition following the shooting near Prewitt, FBI spokesman Frank Fisher said in a news release.

Fisher said a suspect is in custody, but he did not release the persons name. The shooting remains under investigation by the FBI, New Mexico State Police and the McKinley County Sheriffs Office, Fisher said.

Largo was a decorated officer with five years of service, Fisher said.

Lt. James Maiorano of the McKinley County Sheriffs Office said that deputies from his office were dispatched to an address on County Road 19 late Saturday in reference to a Navajo police officer possibly being shot.

Its believed that Navajo Police Department officer Houston Largo had responded to some sort of a dispute at that address, made contact with two subjects in a vehicle, Maiorano said. While detaining the driver, the passenger fled on foot.

Maiorano said its not clear what led to the shooting or whether the driver or passenger was responsible. He said that deputies believe a passerby found Largo or noticed his police unit after the shooting and called Crownpoint dispatch for help.

Prewitt is located on the Navajo Nation west of Grants. Maiorano said the shooting took place about nine miles north of Prewitt.

Largo is the first law enforcement officer killed this year in New Mexico.

The shooting captured the attention of Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye, who visited UNM-H on Sunday, according to a social media post. He said the officers death was one of the most trying times he has had as president.

He said officer lives are precious. They are the ones who stand guard over our nation and protect us.

Begaye said Largo died around 3 p.m. Sunday. He was from Thoreau and had served in the Navajo Nation Police Departments Crownpoint District.

Gov. Susana Martinez said in a statement that the news reinforces the dangers our police officers face every day.

Fisher said more information will be released as the investigation continues.
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations Sunday, claiming that Nazism is alive in the West after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would pay the price for their unusual action.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased.

He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police in riot gear from entering her countrys consulate in Rotterdam.

That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

The Dutch prime minster said it was important for his government not to bow to pressure from Turkey, especially after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept Turkish ministers out.

Turkey is a proud nation. The Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail, said Mark Rutte, whose party is locked in a neck-and-neck race with populist firebrand Geert Wilders.

To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkeys president, Turkish cabinet ministers have scheduled campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

However, some European nations have complained that Turkey under Erdogan is slipping toward authoritarian practices, especially since last summers aborted coup. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands.

The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday.

Ruttes actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being Nazi remnants.

On Sunday, he heaped on more criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch.

If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price, Erdogan warned.

Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price, he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting pro-Erdogan protesters who gathered outside the consulate.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming.

Addressing crowds at a campaign rally later, Erdogan called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands and urged the European Union to speak out against the Dutch.

What took place in the Netherlands was the trampling of diplomacy, international law, practice, decency. Is there a peep coming out of Europe? No. Why? Because they wont bite one another. They are all the same. The Netherlands did not behave like a European Union member state governed by the rule of law, but like a banana republic.

Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz a day after he was banned from speaking in the Netherlands. He told hundreds of supporters there that the Dutch would be forced to account regardless of an apology and called the Netherlands the capital of fascism.

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said the rally presented no threat to public order and was permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

Frances foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, called for the calming of tensions between some European countries and Turkey. He also urged Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations.

About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted Cavusoglu as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz.

I am disappointed by Holland because they speak of democracy and freedom but it is not the case. To not allow a speech, its sad. We are all disappointed, said Beatrice Bozkus, a Metz resident who attended the rally.

The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenship, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland.

The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to, Rutte said. These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey.

Still, added the prime minister, his government will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate.

On Saturday, Turkeys family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, where she was to campaign for the upcoming referendum in Turkey.

After a tense standoff outside the consulate, she was escorted back to the German border.

Speaking to reporters Sunday at Istanbuls main airport, Kaya condemned Dutch authorities anti-democratic actions which trampled on freedom of expression and right to assembly.

We were subject to very rude and harsh treatment, she said.

Earlier, a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate in Istanbul and replaced the Netherlands flag with the Turkish one.

Television footage showed a man standing on the roof of the building shouting Allahu akbar, Arabic for God is great. A small group of men holding Turkish flags were seen outside the consulate shouting Damn Holland and Racist Holland.

The private Dogan news agency reported that the consulate later took down Turkeys flag and put the Dutch flag back up.

In Rotterdam, police arrested 12 people early Sunday at a demonstration outside the consulate after police were hit by bottles and rocks.

___

Kiper reported from Istanbul. Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Dominique Soguel in Metz, France, also contributed to this report.
We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain.
YEREVAN, MARCH 10, ARMENPRESS. Within the framework of an ongoing probe, the Investigative Committees General Department of Investigations revealed a grand theft case, the Investigative Committee told ARMENPRESS.

A Cuban citizen Gomez, currently in Yerevan, contacted Armenian law enforcement agencies in 2016 and notified that he had given large amounts of money to somebody in order to organize a permanent residency for him and his family, overall 6 people, in the United States, however the departure wasnt organized and neither did he receive his money back.

Based on the Cuban citizens report the Investigative Committee launched a probe. Amid large scale investigative actions it was revealed that a woman identified as Barbara, promised Gomez, while the latter was living in Cuba, to organize a permanent residency for him and his family in the United States in Armenia.

Based on the agreement, the 6 family members had arrived in Armenia on the Havana-Moscow-Yerevan flight. In Armenia, two other Cuban nationals met with them and, based on initial information, took 36,300 USD and 2000 Euros from them, with the pretext of organizing the residency issue documents in the US.

The investigation revealed the identity of Barbara and the circle of the criminals.

The Cuban national, IDd only as Barbara, was charged on March 4 with fraud. She was remanded in custody.

Law enforcement agencies are currently taking all measures to discover others involved in the crime.

According to the investigation, other Cuban citizens were victims of Barbara and her accomplices actions.

Victims of the fraud are requested to contact the General Department of Investigation of the Investigative Committee  011 880-089, 011 880-007, address  46/5 Mamikonyants Street, Yerevan, Armenia.

Notice  Suspect is innocent until proven guilty by the Court of Law.
YEREVAN, MARCH 10, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received on March 10 the Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic Nikos Kotzias who is on an official visit in Armenia.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, greeting the guest, the President of the Republic stressed that Armenian-Greek interactions have a history of millennia, and this history is full of numerous demonstrations of friendship based on which the two states established close friendly relations during the 25 years of Armenias independence.

President Sargsyan noted that Armenia wishes to further deepen and expand the existing partnership with Greece, to activate political dialogue, and give a new impetus to economic relations to match the current high level political relations.

Greek Foreign Minister Kotzias noted that he fully shares President Serzh Sargsyans opinion in that regard and thinks that the deep fillings of friendship between the Armenian and Greek peoples should be reinforced in all the spheres by developing cooperation and assured that Greece possesses the political will to do that for which a legal ground exists  over three dozens of agreements and contracts.

The interlocutors mutually highlighted carrying our consistent works to continue cooperation in education, particularly military education, culture, economy, transport, tourism and a number of other spheres.

Minister Nikos Kotzias stated that all opportunities exist for establishing strategic relations and partnership between Armenia and Greece.
It all started in a small factory in Maranello, Italy, when the first car to bear the Ferrari name, the 125 S, was first fired up and left the facility on March 12, 1947. Enzo Ferrari, the racing driver that started the company, was at the wheel of the car that had his name on its back.Ferrari has decided to mark this special anniversary with a series of events to commemorate the creation of its first car. They have even made a special video that features the re-enactment of the first car to have the Cavallino Rampante on its hood. If you have not figured out what that means, it stands for Prancing Horse in Italian, naturally.The Italian brand will have the 125 S drive through the factory gates on Via Abetone Inferiore, and it will symbolically hand over the baton of the companys legacy to the LaFerrari Aperta.Ferraris first model, the 125 S, had a 12 cylinder engine that was developed by Gioacchino Colombo, Luigi Bazzi, and Giuseppe Busso. The latter is also tied with the history of Alfa Romeo, where there was a line of V6 engines that are affectionately carrying his name.Less than three months after it left the factory, the Ferrari 125 S won its first race, on May 20, 1947, with Franco Cortese at the wheel. He won the Rome Grand Prix with an average speed of 88.5 km/h. Other five victories followed in the same year, and the most notable of them had Tazio Nuvolari at the wheel during the Parma Grand Prix.Over the course of this year, Ferrari will celebrate its 70th Anniversary with the LaFerrari Aperta , which will be present in over 60 countries. Various events will be organized under the motto of Driven by Emotion.The company has created a dedicated website, www.ferrari70.com , which went online today, to celebrate the pivotal moments and individuals that helped Ferrari establish its position.
Why did Trump insiders instantly know that the "Sheriff of Wall Street," Preet Bharara of Manhattan, would be fired when he resisted President Trump's resignation order to all the holdover U.S. attorneys?

There's a school of thought that the whole purge was about Preet in the first place: He's a maverick, his Southern District of New York is powerful, U.S. attorneys have significant independence, and he has jurisdiction over Trump Tower. And he recently launched a personal Twitter feed.

If Preet ever flexed his muscles to undermine Trump, he'd be hard to stop. Better to ax him when you can.

After news reports yesterday that the prosecutor was resisting, Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente gave him a buzz. An administration official tattles that Preet "refused to admit that this applied to him."

"As we talked to him and tried to reinforce that it did, he basically said: 'I'm interpreting that to mean you're firing me.'"

Preet then tweeted: "I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired."

The N.Y. Times' Maggie Haberman and Charlie Savage later popped the tantalizing scoop that Trump's office had phoned Preet on Thursday. But the prosecutor hadn't called back because of "protocols governing a president's direct contact with federal prosecutors."

Questions for next week ... Matt Miller of the strategic advisory firm Vianovo, who was a top aide to Attorney General Eric Holder, told me that it's "the manner with which the White House did this that, like so many other things, makes people suspicious about their motives":

"It seems pretty clear they weren't planning to fire them on Thursday, since Sessions held a call with all the U.S. attorneys across the country and wished them 'happy hunting' on cases. So what changed between that call on Thursday and them being all told to clean out their desks by the end of the day on Friday?"

they weren't planning to fire them on Thursday, since Sessions held a call with all the U.S. attorneys across the country and wished them 'happy hunting' on cases. So what changed between that call on Thursday and them being all told to clean out their desks by the end of the day on Friday?" "Maybe it's the White House's paranoia that holdovers and civil servants are out to get them  Trump just finally snapped and ordered them all fired immediately. ... [T]hey took something that could have been handled the way past administrations handled it and instead chose chaos and put their actions under another cloud of suspicion."

the White House's paranoia that holdovers and civil servants are out to get them  Trump just finally snapped and ordered them all fired immediately. ... [T]hey took something that could have been handled the way past administrations handled it and instead chose chaos and put their actions under another cloud of suspicion." "It goes back to the fundamental question about so many things from this White House: What percentage of this mess is due to incompetence and what percentage is due to malfeasance? No idea, but you will have DOJ reporters and Democrats on the Hill digging hard into the question."

As for Preet's future: There's a lot of buzz about him running for New York mayor or some other office: He'd be a great campaigner, and do well in the boroughs. But insiders remind us that he lives in Westchester County ...
Several hundred experts, industry leaders and officials, and media representatives gathered at Boston College on March 8 for the first Boston Conference on Cyber Security, organized through a partnership between the FBI and the Cybersecurity Policy & Governance masters degree program at the Universitys Woods College of Advancing Studies.

The daylong conference, which organizers hope will become an annual event, featured a keynote address by FBI Director James B. Comey, whose remarks centered on the cyber threat landscape, what the FBI is doing to stay ahead of the threat, and the importance of strong private sector partnerships.

"The cyber-threats we face are enormous," Comey said. "We need to ensure that cybersecurity is a priority for every enterprise in the United States at all levels; we need to get better and faster at sharing information in appropriate ways; we need to make sure we have the right people on board to help us fight that threat, and we need to build trust between the government and the private sector; but most of all, we need to work this together."



"Boston College is a leader in thinking and educating on these incredibly important issues, so this is a great place to have this; I hope you'll have it many more times," he said. (Read more about his remarks in this FBI news release or view the video of his speech here.)
The people of Montana have only had one person working for them in Congress this year: Sen. Jon Tester. Tester has opposed many of Trumps nominees, but not all. I appreciate the fact that he thinks independently, even though I sometimes disagree with his decisions. Sen. Steve Daines seems to think that he works for the Trump administration and not the people of this great state of Montana. He has forgotten that many of the same people who voted for a Republican for president also voted for a Democrat for governor.
Crystal Cruises will be back in the Holy Land later this year for the 2017 President's Cruise aboard the Crystal Symphony, featuring Chairman and CEO of Crystal Cruises, President Edie Rodriguez.

The ship sails from Rome on Nov. 4, calling in Limassol, Cyprus; Haifa and Ashdod, Israel; Aqaba, Jordan; and Salalah and Muscat, Oman, and transit of the Mediterranean, Red and Arabian Seas and the Suez Canal.

For the 18-day sailing, Rodriguez and her husband, Tom, will join guests for receptions and parties, according to a prepared statement from the luxury cruise line.

This incredible event is something I am greatly looking forward to sharing with our guests, as I know, like me, they relish eye-opening experiences that showcase cultures and historic sites, said Rodriguez.

As this years Presidents Cruise will be my first visit to Jordan, it will be my pleasure to discover this fascinating region alongside our guests.

There will also be a Presidents Excursion from Aqaba into the desert of Wadi Rum and a glimpse into the regions Bedouin tribes during a dinner feast.






We become more generous if we do not feel (too) pressured to donate

"If you give a donation within three days, an anonymous contributor will donate an additional DKK 10."

This was the message that researchers from the Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus BSS - Aarhus University, sent out via email and text message on behalf of DanChurchAid to approximately 53,000 Danes who had previously donated money.

The deadline given to trigger the additional donation from the anonymous contributor varied. For one group of email recipients, the deadline was three days. For others it was 10 days, and a third group was given until the first day of the following month. The text message gave slightly shorter deadlines.

The results showed that the donations increased when the deadline was longer.

We don't like pressure when donating

"We know from other studies that people don't like pressure when donating money, so we interpret the results to mean that if you pressure people with a short deadline, it creates a sort of give-and-take mindset in the recipient: "Alright, I'll agree to donate quickly, but you're not getting as much."

So explains Mette Trier Damgaard from the Department of Economics and Business Economics at Aarhus BSS, who is behind the study together with Christina Gravert from the University of Gothenburg. The study was published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics.

Deadlines have no effect in and of themselves

According to the theory on deadlines and people's tendency to postpone actions to a later time (procrastinate), the number of donations should increase significantly just before the deadline.

However, in this study, the researchers found that the various deadlines had no effect on the number of donations. No matter the deadline, almost all donations occurred within the first two to three days after the email and text message were sent. Mette Trier Damgaard calls it the "now or never" effect and points to two possible explanations:

"The recipients might be aware that if they don't donate right away, they'll forget. Another possibility is that they donate quickly to avoid having to be asked again. We know from other studies that people will literally go far to avoid the pressure of being asked."

Do deadlines make sense?

The new research contains interesting aspects for charities around the world. In Denmark alone, we donate around DKK 2 billion to charity each year.

However, the researchers are reluctant to draw any conclusions with respect to other industries. Because in many other situations, deadlines can have a positive effect in relation to preventing people from procrastinating and postponing things.

"With our study, we want to provide a more nuanced picture and a greater understanding of where, when and how deadlines work," says Mette Trier Damgaard.

Facts about the research

1) Emails and text messages were sent to approximately 53,000 Danes who had donated money to DanChurchAid at least once within the past six years.

2) For the approximately 20,300 email recipients, the deadline was three days, ten days or until the first day of the following month respectively.

3)For the approximately 33,000 text message recipients, the deadline was shorter - midnight on the following day, three days or until the first day of the following month respectively.

4) The deadlines were not mentioned in the subject field of the email, but were included in the heading when the email was opened.

5) The email itself was written and designed by DanChurchAid.

6) Read the full research article: "Now or never! The effect of deadlines on charitable giving" in Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics

###

Further information

Mette Trier Damgaard

Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus BSS

Email: mdamgaard@econ.au.dk

Tel: +45 42729276
A Holyrood report has said agriculture is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases but has one of the lowest climate change targets.

It said the agricultural sector, along with the transport sector, needed to make a greater contribution than laid out in the Scottish government's climate plan.

Four Holyrood committees have been scrutinising the draft plan which will be debated by MSPs next week.

The report, by the Scottish parliaments Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee said, for example, that transport accounts for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions but has weaker targets compared with other sectors in Scotland.

Graeme Dey MSP and Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee Convener said: Our committee feels that it is crucial for all of Scotlands sectors to play their part in reducing emissions.

Specifically transport and agriculture  which are the biggest contributors in terms of creating harmful carbon emissions  must, in the opinion of the committee, be required to make a greater contribution in tackling climate change.

In order for Scotland to truly be a world leader, the Scottish government needs to ensure all sectors are equally challenged in creating a climate-friendly, low-carbon Scotland.

The growth of AD

However, the agricultural sector has been making big strides in its effort to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

A report, launched in December, emphasised the growth and development of the UK's anaerobic digestion sector, which consequently improves sustainability in farming.

The report shows that the total number of AD plants in live operation has risen from 424 a year ago to 540 today, giving the UK more capacity to recycle food waste, creating more sustainable farming practices and waste water treatment, more low-carbon baseload electricity, and more green gas in the UK's grid.

AD has also already reduced UK greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 1% annually.

In November, twenty-two farmers from across the UK featured in a brochure titled 'Delivering Britains Clean Energy from the Land' at the UN's Climate Change conference which celebrated Farmers Day.

The report celebrated the work of farmers from across all four UK farming unions in tackling climate change by installing renewable energy systems on their farm and producing low carbon energy.

And the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) President Glyn Roberts said the UK leaving the EU provides a 'significant opportunity' to improve agri-environmental scheme designs in a way which better meets the needs of both farming and the environment.
A larger, longer-living population is going to drive demand for medicine higher, and if so, then adding top pharmaceuticals stocks Pfizer Inc. (PFE 1.40%), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY 0.38%), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ 0.45%) to your 401(k) could be smart. All three of these companies are developing game-changing drugs that could revolutionize patient treatment, and they all have the added benefit of offering investors a steady stream of shareholder-friendly dividend payments.

No. 1: A turning tide

Pfizer's revenue took a big dip when the company lost patent protection on its $13 billion-per-year cholesterol drug Lipitor, but sales are stabilizing, its balance sheet is rock solid, and it has intriguing revenue drivers that could propel a return back to growth.

After seeing sales drop from over $65 billion to a low of less than $50 billion in the past 10 years, Pfizer's sales inched higher in 2016, and they're expected to increase again this year.

Organic growth stemming from the launch of new medicine, including the breast-cancer drug Ibrance and the anticoagulant Eliquis, which it co-markets with Bristol-Myers Squibb, is a big reason Pfizer's getting back on track. Ibrance's sales jumped to $2.1 billion last year from $723 million in 2015, while Eliquis sales soared 80% higher to $3.3 billion.

Pfizer's also done a good job of controlling its expenses, and that's helped it build up an impressive balance sheet. The company sold-off non-core assets, such as Zoetis, earlier this decade, and as a percentage of revenue, its selling, general, and administrative expenses have fallen from over 30% at Lipitor's height to about 28%. Exiting December, the company reported having $25 billion in cash and investments on hand, and with $16 billion in annual operating cash flowing in, there's plenty of wiggle room for Pfizer to pay its bills, and invest in its future.

Pfizer's already been doing just that. In addition to spending $7.9 billion on R&D last year, it's also been acquiring peers with intriguing assets. For example, its $17 billion acquisition of Hospira instantly made it a leader in the emerging market for generic alternatives to biologic drugs, and its $14 billion purchase of Medivation landed it rights to $50 of the multibillion-dollar prostate cancer drug Xtandi.

With fast-growing drugs on the market, plenty of financial firepower, and opportunities to grow organically and via acquisition, adding Pfizer to your 401(k), and pocketing its 3.7% dividend yield, could pay off.

No. 2: Investing in immuno-oncology

Perhaps the biggest advance in cancer treatment lately has been the development of immunotherapies that supercharge a patient's immune system so that it can detect and destroy cancer cells, and of these immunotherapies, Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo is one of the brightest shining stars.

Opdivo belongs to a new class of PD-1-inhibiting drugs called checkpoint inhibitors. Opdivo targets PD-1 proteins that cancer cells use to skirt detection by the immune system. By inhibiting PD-1, Opdivo disarms one of cancer's best defense systems.

After impressing in clinical trials, Opdivo has won FDA approval for use in various cancers, but it's probably best known for its use in advanced lung cancer and melanoma patients. Because of its success in those cancers, Opdivo has become one of the world's best-selling drugs. In Q4 alone, it racked up $1.3 billion in sales. Trials that could expand Opdivo's addressable market are under way, and industry analysts think Opdivo's peak annual sales could approach $10 billion someday.

It's anyone guess if Opdivo will deliver on those projections, but even if it doesn't, the company has other drugs that can pick up any slack. For instance, it shares in Eliquis' success with Pfizer, and its multiple myeloma drug Empliciti, which won FDA approval in 2015, is gaining traction, with annualized sales of $188 million in Q4.

Bristol-Myers Squibb is also developing new drugs that could one day contribute growth. The company's studying 11 immuno-oncology therapies, and early stage data will be available soon to help it determine their potential. It's also pursuing clinical-stage compounds that target lupus, non-alcoholic steteohepatitis (an increasingly common cause of liver transplant), and psoriasis, a mutlibillion-dollar market.

Competition is going to increase in PD-1 this year, and that will cause sales growth to slow. But management still thinks it can deliver single digit revenue growth, and while tepid guidance for EPS of between $2.70 and $2.90 (roughly in line with 2016) isn't exciting, worries over slowing has arguably put this company's shares on sale. In the past year the company's lost about $30 billion in market cap value, and given that declining shares have boosted its dividend yield to 2.7%, I think stashing Bristol-Myers Squibb's stock in 401(k)s now makes sense.

No. 3: A cornerstone for your portfolio

Johnson & Johnson is one of healthcare's biggest bellwether stocks, and while it's so big that it's unlikely to generate double-digit growth in the future, its steady-Eddy nature makes it a cornerstone-type stock worth owning in a 401(k).

The company's best known for consumer brands such as Band-Aid and Listerine, but it makes most of its money selling prescription medicine and medical equipment. Last year, it generated $13.3 billion in revenue selling consumer goods, $25.1 billion selling medical equipment, and $33.5 billion selling pharmaceuticals.

While consumer-goods sales provide revenue consistency, new drug launches provide long-term growth opportunities. Johnson & Johnson's drugs are some of the most commonly used to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and cardiovascular disease.

Its fastest-growing drugs include the blood cancer drug Imbruvica, which grew sales by more than 80% last year, and the multiple myeloma drug Darzalex, which racked up sales of over $500 million in its first full year on the market. Sales of its psoriasis drug Stelara jumped 30% to $3.2 billion, and revenue from the schizophrenia drug Invega Sustenna climbed 21% to $2.2 billion in 2016. Some of its other notable drugs are the anticoagulant Xarelto, which saw sales climb 22% to $2.3 billion and the diabetes drug Invokana, which posted sales of $1.4 billion last year.

Strong sales growth for existing drugs, plus a stream of potential new drugs in its pipeline, has me thinking that Johnson & Johnson will be able to navigate any headwinds, including threats to its best-selling drug, Remicade. That drug began facing off against Pfizer's biosimilar, Inflectra, late last year, and while that's going to be a drag on sales, I think Johnson & Johnson's track record warrants giving it the benefit of the doubt that it will be able manage the decline.

Overall, when it comes to dividend increases, this company's one of the best. It's increased its dividend payment in 54 consecutive years, and since investors don't pay taxes on dividends in 401(k)s until that money is withdrawn, a track record like that is very retirement friendly.
Singapore WiFi Advertising & Marketing AirBnb Style Partner Solution Launched

Dubbed the AirBnB of WiFi, the newly launched JoinWASP a unique WiFi advertising concept enables venues to use of under-utilized WiFi by renting this out to businesses. As a division of Singapore-based Innova Advertising, JoinWASP connects people in any location to everything via sustainable methods.

--

Innova Advertising, an innovative marketing firm based in Singapore, launched JoinWASP, a unique advertising concept, dubbed the AirBnB of WiFi, which allows venues in locations around the world to rent out their idle or unused WiFi to businesses and advertisers. These venues include cafes, day spas, shopping malls, hotels, motels and other places of business that large groups of people frequent. Overall, JoinWASP is promoting a sharing economy and helping to reduce the carbon footprint by lessening the need for paper-based marketing.

For more information visit http://joinwasp.com.

Launched in February 2017, JoinWASP uses the growing WiFi trend to its advantage. Recent research suggests wired data is slowly becoming redundant, with WiFi data downloads predicted to surpass old hard wired technology by 2018.

Subsequently, JoinWASP created a winning WiFi solution for venues and businesses. Venues benefit by making the most of their under-utilized WiFi, and businesses gain greater exposure and don't waste precious paper resources. Plus, they can track their marketing success with greater efficiency.

The JoinWASP medium uses images and video, as well as lead generation techniques to convey messages. Also, WASP is 100% digital so businesses can enhance user experience to engage and encourage action. These ads are also changeable and include hyper-location targeting so businesses can specify where ads appear.

As a division of Innova Advertising, JoinWASP shares the common vision of connecting people everywhere to everything via a WiFi partnership. As such, both companies seek to enhance user experiences by providing engaging software that is effective and sustainable.

When asked why they have launched the JoinWASP free WiFi concept CEO Lee KamFai said, "We believe that Asia is a booming travel region and that means an increase in travellers who'll want WiFi access. Coupled with the fact that mobile data consumption is ever increasing with video downloads, AR and VR on the rise there's no better way to capture attention by giving away Internet access in exchange for seeing a few ads."

To find out more about JoinWASP and the free WiFi solution visit http://joinwasp.com.

Contact Info:

Name: Kevin Dam

Email: kevin@joinwasp.com

Organization: JoinWASP

Address: 30 Toh Guan Road #07-04A, Singapore 608840



For more information, please visit http://joinwasp.com/

Source: PressCable

Release ID: 176178

For more information visit r



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At the conference hosted by the World Sindhi Congress (WSC) at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on 6 March, participants had strong words to say about the treatment of Sindhi Hindus in Pakistan.

Rubina Greenwood, Chair of the WSC, opened the conference, titled Erosion of Sindhi Culture in Pakistan, with reference to the terrorist attack last month by Islamic fundamentalist forces on the Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar at Sehwan in Sindh province of Pakistan. She said the attack, which killed at least 80 people, was a severe blow to Sindhi culture, and charged Pakistan of systematically forcing the migration of Sindhi Hindus, whose share of the population in Sindh province has dropped significantly from 25 per cent to a mere 6-8 per cent.

Secretary General Lakhu Luhana spoke of the cultural genocide in Sindh, citing Article 7 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He called for an end to this genocide and pressed for the need to respect Sindhs land, its natural resources and values.

Other participants included Paulo Casaca, Executive Director of South Asia Democratic Forum, and Viorica Dancila, member of the European Parliament. All speakers called on the international community to pay attention to this serious human rights violation against the Sindhi people, who were faced with a threat to their very identity in Pakistan.

Source : Swarajya
About Webcast

Parental leave and perks can make a huge impact on your employees happiness, but it can be difficult to figure out the balance between generosity and cost to your business. The government doesnt offer much guidance on what parental leave policies to offer your employees. In fact, the United States doesnt require that companies offer paid parental leave to its employees at all (with very few local exceptions). At the same time, in todays hyper-competitive recruiting environment, were seeing a radical shift in HR. The worlds top companies, like Google, Spotify, and Amazon, are competing to recruit and retain top talent with generous parental leave policies and perks. Some of these policies include four to six months of unpaid leave; Netflix offers unlimited time off for parents within the first year of the childs life.



For most of us, offering unlimited time off isnt an option. So, how do you design a parental leave policy that benefits your employees, attracts new talent to join your organization, is fair and inclusive to all, yet practical for running a business?



Jessica Pfisterer recently built the Parental Leave and Perks program from the ground up at Greenhouse. In this webinar, Jessica shares an exclusive look into how she built a parental leave policy that serves as a selling point for recruiting and a tool for employee engagement, while answering the critical question, How does a business figure out how long it can manage with people out on leave? She will also touch on how the Greenhouse People Team uses the same methodology to roll out other HR programs.



What Youll Learn:



- How Jessica chose the right policy for Greenhouse based on size, growth, and market data, and how you can use this method to do the same at your company.

- An overview of industry best practices and some innovative ideas for perks for parents that go beyond PTO.

- How this approach can be used to inform planning for all perks, not just parental leave.

By registering for this webcast you will receive email communications and notifications from the sponsor(s).
Shields vs. City of Vallejo

On March 11, 2017, videos were uploaded to social media showing police in Vallejo, California brutalizing an individual who may have been experiencing mental health issues. The incident took place Friday, March 10 on Fairgrounds Drive in front of the Valero gas station. The Vallejo police officer captured on video punching and bashing with a flashlight has been identified as Spencer Bottomley, an ex-Marine. He graduated from the Napa Valley Police Academy on June 13, 2015. The officer was recognized for his leadership, problem solving and communication skills.Spencer Bottomley was named in another brutality case, Derrick Lamoris Shields vs. City of Vallejo , for an incident on the night of April 11, 2016. The statement of claims from that night in 2016 is strikingly similar to the brutality captured on video during the day in 2017. According to the statement of claims in, a group of five Vallejo police officers "violated Plaintiff's rights under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution and California State law, when they subjected Plaintiff to excessive and/deadly force and assault and battery." The actions of all five officers is described, including those of officer Bottomley, "Defendant Spencer Bottomley struck Plaintiff with his flashlight all over Plaintiff's body."recalls, "Vallejo Police got away with over 10 murders in the year 2012, and are known to surveil and harass family members of victims, and members of the local Copwatch project.", a reporter on surveillance, privacy and criminal justice notes, "Vallejo PD have a sky high rate of police shootings. Far surpasses any other Bay Area city PD on a per capita basis.", Bay Area born and raised, observed, "This is my city. To anyone that lives here, unfortunately this isn't shocking."Foreshadowing the future, on June 26, 2015wrote, "Vallejo Police has hired three ex-Marines to patrol the streets. Time will show if these three will treat their new settings as a war zone, with the People as potential enemies." Vallejo Police Officer who murdered Mario Romero has been identified (2012) | Indybay Refuses to Bow to Demand to Remove Vallejo Copwatch Post (2012) | Vigil and March for Angel Ramos, Murdered by Vallejo police
Burma Mon Women Urge Strong and United Voice for Equality

Women gather for Mon Womens Day in Moulmein, Mon State. / Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy

MOULMEIN, Mon State  Several hundred Mon women from across Mon State gathered in the state capital Moulmein (Mawlamyine) on Thursday for the 12th Mon Womens Day, encouraging local women to take a greater role in leading their communities.

In a statement released Thursday, the Mon Womens Organization (MWO) urged the government and all state and non-state armed groups to take responsibility for the lack of women actively participating in the peace process, in building a federal state, and in the development of the rule of law in the country.

Mon women stand united with other ethnic minority women in Burmaparticularly in conflict areasto halt human rights violations against women and children, the statement said.

The event has been organized annually by the Mon Womens Networkwhich the MWO operates underfor the last 12 years on the birthday of the 14th century Mon Queen Mi Jao Bu (or Shin Saw Pu).

Although it is 700 years since the time of Queen Mi Jao Bu, she was not publicly honored until the 21st century. Mon women launched the Mon Womens Day in 2006.

We are proud of our ancient queen and we honor her, but before commemorating her birthday as womens day, we consulted the Mon elders in the state for approval, said vice chairwoman of the MWO Mi Kun Chan Nom.

She was awarded the N-Peace Award by the N-Peace Network in 2014 in recognition of her efforts to advance the rights of ethnic minority women in Burma.

The event takes place on a different date each year as the MWO use the traditional Mon calendar, which is different from both the Roman and Burmese calendars.

The MWO share the demands of other female activists fighting for equality in Burmato have at least 30 percent female participation in political leadership and the peace building process.

A strong and united voice of women is needed for Burmas political transition to be a success, the MWO statement said.

Mi Lawi Han, the chairwoman of the MWO, urged women to be a strength in Mon national affairs as well as in building a federal union. Womens strength is key to achieve the equality that all the ethnic minorities want, she added.

Women need to try harder in working towards peace and securitytaking Queen Mi Jao Bu as a model that women have the ability, she said.

The Mon Womens Network is a strong civil society network in Mon State with members in most of the states ten townships.

The network is dedicated to raising community awareness for the betterment of womens rights, prevention of violence against women, and the participation of women in leadership roles within society.

It was delightful to see more Mon women and men take part in celebrating Mon Womens Day than ever before, said Daw Tin Win, a local woman from Ye Township, who also volunteers with vulnerable women.

It was the result of public events highlighting issues to communities, especially with regards to empowering women, she proudly said.

Like other cities in Burma, Moulmein hosted an International Womens Day event on Wednesday, organized by the department of social welfare and attended by Mon State social welfare minister U Htein Lin, other government staff, and members of local civil society organizations.

Daw Khin Than Htwe, chairwoman of local CSO Mon State Women and Children Upgrade Conduct Team, said the CSOs participated in Wednesdays event to show solidarity with local and international women.

She said that all people, regardless of gender, must empower women to secure leadership roles in order to achieve the UNs target of having a 50-50 planet by 2030.
Guest Column They Call It a Crime: Being Born Non-Bamar in a Conflict Zone

Activists hold flowers as they march in Rangoon on Nov. 23, 2014, protesting against a Burma Army artillery attack on a Kachin Independence Army training center in Laiza, which killed 23 cadets. / Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

On a winter night on the China-Burma border, I sat cramped in a small house with two dozen people, members of five Kachin families who had recently been displaced by fighting in Mong Ko, also on the border in northern Shan State. The purpose of my trip was to research and document the impact of conflict in the region; I stayed up late into the night listening to the stories of the displaced.

The following day I was taken to meet more members of the Kachin community in other internally displaced peoples (IDP) camps in the surrounding area. Even in the face of tragedy, the individuals I met were accommodating and kind, and invited me to visit them in Mong Ko someday, under better circumstances.

Kachin Baptist Convention Members Arrested

Weeks later, I was informed that two of the men who were staying in the house that night65-year-old Dumdaw Nawng Lat and 35-year-old Langjaw Gam Seng, a pastor and youth leader, respectively, from the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC)had been detained by the Burma Army.

They were charged under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act, accused of providing support to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed wing of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).

Community members speculated that the two men had been arrested on December 24 because they took a group of Burmese journalists to visit the site of a church recently destroyed by rockets fired from a Burma Army fighter jet. In doing so, they had revealed what the state-run media had tried to cover up in Mong Ko: that the Burma Army had attacked a religious compound.

Just as it has been documented that women from ethnic areas have been targeted by institutionalized sexual violence, with rape used as a weapon of war in conflict zones, Article 17(1) has often been used against male members of ethnic communities as a form of collective punishment. The law states that those who are found to be members or supporters of an organization deemed unlawful can be sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison.

Since the Burma Army broke its 17-year ceasefire with the KIA in June 2011, the number of Kachin people charged under 17(1) has been steadily increasing.

A Special Dossier distributed in 2013 by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Asian Legal Resource Centre documented 36 cases in which Article 17(1) was used to charge Kachin men in Kachin State, during 2011 and 2012.

The Kachin Lawyers Network reported 50 such cases between 2011 and 2014.

In 2016, more than 50 people were arrested and charged under the statute, including 49 youthssix of whom were womenwho were returning from attending an agricultural training in Mai Ja Yang, an education hub for civilians living in the KIO-administered area. In the November 2016 report A Far Cry From Peace, the Kachin Womens Association Thailand said that 116 Kachin individuals had been arbitrarily detained and tortured by the Burma Army over previous year, suspected of having links to armed groups like the KIA. Given the isolation of the rural northern regions, one could argue that these numbers might, in fact, be even higher, as gathering information in a conflict zone is an ever-difficult task.

Recently, All-Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) member U Min Htay, whose group signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the government in 2015an act though to have ended his own organizations unlawful statuswas detained for associating with the KIO.

The Unlawful Association Act originated in the India Act XIV of 1908. Drafted by the British, this colonial-era law is now benefitting the Burma Army in its effort to delegitimize and undermine political demands made by ethnic armed organizations by outlawing these entities as enemies of the state.

Once charged, a persons sentence always is accompanied by the possibility of extension, due to a corrupt and nontransparent legal procedure still largely controlled by the institution of the military.

One of the most well known cases is that of Lahpai Gam, a Kachin man detained after being accused of being a KIA major responsible for several bomb blasts. Over a four-year detention period, before he was sentenced to 21 years in prison in 2016, he was subjected to degradation, which included severe beatings and sexual abuse. The elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government was not responsive to calls from rights groups and the United Nations to free him.

After calls from local and international rights organizations demanding the whereabouts of the two men from the KBC, Burmas Presidents Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay responded on January 10 to media that it was the KIA who had taken them, and not the Burma Army. As the calls grew louder, on January 19 the military publicly acknowledged the arrest of the two men, under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act.

Effects on the Kachin Community

In Kachin and northern Shan states, many of the men targeted by Article 17(1) have resided in rural areas and have had access only to primary school education, according to the AHRCs Special Dossier report. These men have been displaced multiple times, and often their arrests occur at IDP camps or while performing menial jobs near these camps.

As the sole providers for their families, their detention puts a particular strain on their dependents. Many families of those arrested under 17(1) have exhausted their savings or accumulated debt fighting the charges through multiple court appointments. In their report, the AHRC describes how the wife of one accused man had attended nine court dates in less than two months while living in an IDP camp. She was forced into debt in order to pay for the legal process.

As we speak, the KBCs Dumdaw Nawng Lat and Langjaw Gam Seng, as well as the 49 youths studying agriculture in Mai Ja Yang, are awaiting access to legal assistance to defend themselves against charges of unlawful association with the KIA. We must ensure that they receive reparations for the injustices that they continue to suffer.

Those of us who envision a peaceful Burma must put pressure on the authoritiesboth the government and Burma Armyto immediately repeal the Unlawful Association Act. The newly created terrorist label, which can be assigned through the statute, is a tool to exclude ethnic armed organizations from the countrys peace process, effectively undermining the building of trust with these groups. Furthermore, the Act victimizes individuals based on their ethnicity, gender or religious associationparticularly those living in conflict zones. As long as Article 17(1) remains on the books, it will allow Burma Army troops to continue carrying out violations of fundamental human rights in ethnic states, and to do so with impunity.

Stella Naw is an advocate for democratic federalism in Burma, with a special interest in reconciliation and the rights of ethnic and indigenous peoples.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned Saturday that the globe is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II.

2016 set post-war records in misery.

* More than 76 mn persons from 31 countries needed assistance.

* More than 51 mn persons were displaced (i.e. kicked out of their homes and made homeless). That is the highest number since WW II.

*There were more than 400 natural disasters in the most recent year for which there is a full count (2014)

* In these 400 disasters, 17,000 people died

* The disasters caused $82 bn in damages.

Thats in general. There were 6 Level 3 emergencies in particular countries. Level 3 is the most severe category the UN has, implying large-scale humanitarian crises.

In 2016 the Level 3 emergencies were: Iraq, Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Philippines, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

What strikes me is how up to its neck the United States is in creating these crises.

Iraqs death spiral was kicked off when George W. Bush invaded and occupied it under false pretences. From 2003 to the present, Iraq has never had a chance to get back to normal. The US invasion led to 4 million people being displaced. Likely hundreds of thousands died.

Then the US is up to its neck in the Yemen War, wherein Washington supports the mad Saudi-led bombing raids on backward little Yemen. It helps the jet fighters refuel and the Pentagon even helps choose targets for the forces of the coalition, which is mostly led by Saudi Arabia.

The US has prolonged the Syrian Civil War by strongly backing, via the Saudis and Turkey, one side the fundamentalist rebels. Half of the 22 million Syrians are displaced.

The US pushed for the secession of South Sudan from Sudan, but then appears, typically, to have done nothing about nation-building. Tribal feuds that have riven the new country. In the old days, the Khartoum regime could at least intervene to broker a deal but now it is irrelevant and the US hasnt substituted.

As for the Philippines, its crisis is because of unusually powerful typhoons, which are caused by the Pacific Ocean becoming warmer. The US, by putting billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, has created the possibility of climate change on steroids.

So at the very time when the Trump administration wants to turn its back on the worlds migrants, the globes worst crises have accelerated.

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Related video added by Juan Cole:

Euronews: UN warning about largest humanitarian crisis since its creation
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Maan News Agency |  

JERUSALEM (Maan)  Israeli forces detained Palestinian writer Khalida Ghusheh on Saturday morning after raiding her home in the neighborhood of Beit Hanina in occupied East Jerusalem.

Ghushehs manager, Amani Abd al-Karim, said that Israeli police had raided Ghushehs home, before detaining her and transporting her to a police station in the illegal Israeli settlement of Neve Yaqoub in the Beit Hanina.

Al-Karim added that Ghusheh called her after arriving to the interrogation center, informing her that she was in need of a lawyer and said that the reason for her detention was related to her novel scheduled to be published in October. The novel, titled The Jackals Trap, explores Palestinian collaborators with the Israeli occupation.

An Israeli police spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on the case.

A picture of the novels cover

Scores of Palestinians have been detained in recent months for expressing their opinions on the Israeli occupation, particularly through social media, in a crackdown that rights groups have said is aimed to stifle Palestinian freedom of speech.

Israeli forces detained Palestinian poet Dareen Tartour , a citizen of Israel, in Oct. 2015 and charged her with incitement to violence for posts she made on Facebook and a video clip of her poem Qawim ya shaabi, qawimhum (Resist my people, resist them). She was facing up to eight years in prison and had already spent months in detention and house arrest.

Israeli authorities have claimed that a wave of violence that first erupted in Oct. 2015 was caused largely by incitement among Palestinians through social media.
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TeleSur |  

More drone and airstrikes have rained on Yemen in the past week than in any year of Barack Obamas administration, with dozens of U.S. coalition airstrikes hitting schools, hospitals, markets and private homes.

The strikes have reportedly targeted Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, yet also killed civilians, including at least two children. U.S. operations in Yemen, where it has not yet declared a war, have killed at least 1,700 people, many of them civilians, since 2009.

Almost 50,000 people have been displaced in the past six weeks, and the country teeters on famine with hundreds of thousands of children suffering from malnutrition.

Donald Trumps administration has marked a notable shift in how it executes attacks, reported Foreign Policy, no longer relying on the deliberation and debates of Obamas Pentagon.

Decisions, instead, are made quickly and mostly under the judgment of military personnel, which has thinned following his mass firing of Obama-appointed officials.

Still, Trumps policy is largely inherited from his predecessor, who mapped out how to escalate operations in Yemen when he left office. While the previous administration spoke more of humanitarian aid, failed peace talks, and suspending arms sales to Saudi Arabia due to human rights concerns, it also acknowledged in December that it had made limited use of British-made cluster bombs and became notorious for its deadly drone operations.

The State Department has already approved the sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. partner in Yemen and contributor to AQAPs rapid rise in the region as it took advantage of wartime vacuums and grievances, reported Foreign Policy.

Trump has escalated U.S. presence throughout the Middle East, from deploying troops in Syria to suggesting operations ahead in Afghanistan and Yemen.

Via TeleSur

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Related video added by Juan Cole:

RT: Millions displaced by humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, more than 80% relying on aid HRW to RT
The South Korean Army plans to study ways to introduce "swarming warfare" in its tactical operations, which uses scores of drones equipped with high explosive bombs, a military official here said Sunday.

"We're planning to make a full-fledged research on applying military swarming, which is already in operational use in the United States, China and Russia, to our ground and naval operations," the official said.

Military swarming is a battlefield tactic designed to make dispersed combat units intensively attack designated targets all at once.

The research is intended to determine the possibility of the military use of AI-based drones and realize the concept of Korean-style swarming warfare by reflecting current science and technology, the official said.

If the outcome of the research, due later this year, is positive, the Army will reportedly weaponize drones in the long term.

The research will focus first on analyzing the effects of drone swarming on naval operations, including port defense, attacking, search and rescue, and lighting, according to the official.

In January, the U.S. Defense Department said it successfully conducted an operational test, in which 103 Perdix drones were dropped from three F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets. Perdix are a mere 16 centimeters long.

China also disclosed an image of the flight of scores of mini-drones in November, and Russia is also known to be studying ways for fighter-drone joint operations.

The South Korean Army thinks that drones similar with the specifications of the Coyote drone, developed by Raytheon, a leading U.S. defense contractor, and successfully tested by the U.S. Navy in 2015, can be fully used in operations. The American drone, which can carry up to a 1-kilogram load, can fly for up to 1 1/2 hours at a maximum speed of about 100 kilometers per hour.

Military experts here said that chances exist that North Korea might also fly similar drones, targeting South Korea. (Yonhap)
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kang Ho-in delivers the opening speech at a conference on drones at the Federation of Korean Industries Head Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on Mar. 10. / Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan

The South Korean Army is considering using drones equipped with explosives, an army official said Sunday.

The army plans to carry out extensive research into "military swarming, which is already in operational use in the U.S., China and Russia, to our ground and naval operations," the official said.

The battlefield tactic uses dispersed combat units to attack designated targets at once.

The research will focus on the possibility using AI-based drones, and on ways to develop techniques based on Korea's advanced science and technology.

The military will analyze the effects of drone swarming on naval operations, including port defense, attacks, search and rescue, and lighting.

If the research results  due within this year  are positive, the Army will begin arming military drones.

In January, the U.S. Defense Department said it successfully tested 103 Perdix drones  each 16 centimeters long  released from three F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets.

In November, China released an image of scores of mini-drones in flight, while Russia is reportedly studying fighter-drone joint operations.

The South Korean military said it could use the similar Coyote drone, developed by leading U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and successfully tested by the U.S. Navy in 2015, in combat exercises.

The drones can carry up to a one kilogram and can fly for up to 90 minutes at up to about 100 kilometers per hour.

North Korea may already be using drones capable of targeting South Korea, according to the South's military experts.
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Nevada, Tenneco Automotive India Private Limited, Tenneco Automotive Italia S.r.l., Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc., Tenneco Automotive Polska Sp. z.o.o., Tenneco Automotive Port Elizabeth (Proprietary) Limited, Tenneco Automotive Portugal  Componentes Para Automovel Unipessoal LDA., Tenneco Automotive RSA Company, Tenneco Automotive Second RSA Company, Tenneco Automotive Services Societe Par Actions Simplifiee, Tenneco Automotive Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Tenneco Automotive Trading Company, Tenneco Automotive UK Limited, Tenneco Automotive Volga LLC, Tenneco Automotive Walker Inc., Tenneco Brake Inc., Tenneco CA Czech Republic s.r.o., Tenneco CA Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Tenneco CA Netherlands BV, Tenneco Canada Inc., Tenneco Clean Air Argentina S.A.I.C., Tenneco Clean Air India Private Limited, Tenneco Clean Air Spain S.L.U., Tenneco Clean Air US Inc., Tenneco Deutschland Holdinggesellschaft mbH, Tenneco Eastern European Holdings S.a.r.l., Tenneco Eberspaecher (Beijing) Exhaust System Co. 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After six days of touring the country, the Citi FM Heritage Caravan has returned to Accra.

The Second edition of the Heritage Caravan, saw over ninety tourists embark on a road trip to discover the rich and lovely story of Ghana embedded in different parts of the country.

This year the Caravan started its tour from the Greater Accra Region, to the Ashanti, Northern, Upper East, Brong Ahafo, Western and Central Regions.

Great sponsors

The 2017 trip was sponsored by Vodafone Cash, HFC Susu Plus Account and Top Oil.

Day one

The Heritage Caravan's first tour was Ga Mashie, where patrons took a view of the capital from the top of the Jamestown Lighthouse.

The colonial-era lighthouse was built in the 1930s and sits in the fishing communities of this area.

The light house, which is 34 metres (112 ft) above sea level, has a visibility of 16 nautical miles (30 km).

Day two

Day two of the Heritage Caravan took us to Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region. In Kumasi, the team had a night of music and Karaoke at the plush Anita hotel.

After spending the night there, the caravan toured the Kwame Nkrumah Sword Site and the Kumasi Fort/Military Museum.

Day three

On the third day, the caravan set of to Tamale, the Northern Regional capital from Kumasi via the Brong Ahafo Region.

This journey made patrons see towns like Offinso, Akumadan, Techiman, Kintampo, Buipe among others.

Other key sites that was also spotted along the route included the Offin, White Volta, and the Black Volta. On arrival in Tamale, the Northern Regional Minster, Salifu Saeed welcomed us with a surprise cocktail.

The caravan then lodged at the Modern City Hotel in Tamale for two nights.

Activities for Day three begun in the Northern expedition. Through popular towns like Walewale, Savelugu, Bolgatanga and Navrongo, The Heritage Caravan made its first stop in Paga, in the Upper East region where new sign post was mounted by Citi FM for the Paga Crocodile pond.

Participants visited the Paga Crocodile pond, a short tour and crossed over Ghana/Burkina Faso border.

Day four

The second night of the #HeritageCaravan in Tamale, was spectacular.

Two remarkable things happened: The Chief Executive Officer of Citi FM, Samuel Atta-Mensah was enskinned as a sub-chief by the Chief of Tamale, Dakpema Naa Dawuni Alhassan, at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Tamale.

This was followed by a spectacular gesture from the Chief of Tamale, Naa Dakpema, the cultural night and mini durbar at the forecourt of his palace.

The team was treated to good music, dance, food and rich Northern culture. The cultural night again was exciting like that of the first edition of the Heritage Caravan organised in 2016.

The adventures in the north continued on day four in the Mole National Park.

The Mole trip took the Heritage Caravan through Damongo to Larabanga, where participants saw and and were told about the famous Larabanga Mosque  one of Ghana's architectural masterpieces.

At Mole, patrons took an early morning safari, and were lucky to see Elephants, Crocodiles, Antelopes, Deer, Monkeys and some other animals.

The team departed from the Northern region after lunch on day four and headed to the Brong Ahafo region via the Fulfulso-Sawla road, through Bole, Banda Nkwanta, across the Black Volta at Bamboi, drove through Wenchi, Chiraa and arrived in Sunyani, the capital of the Brong Ahafo region.

Patrons were hosted at the plush four star Eusbett Hotel.

The night in Sunyani was another spectacular one. After the sumptuous buffet dinner the team had an array of activities to help them relax. While others were treated to a movie night, others had a pool party.

Day five

On Day five the team made its longest journey ever, from Sunyani to the Western Region. Whiles at it the caravan stopped at the Assin Manso Slave River.

We lodged at the luxurious Busua Beach Resort in Agona in the Western Region.

On first night in the region, patrons were treated to a bonfire night amidst story telling, and array of dance formations including the electric dance.

While enjoying the natural scenery of the beach, with some live performances from, the African Soul artiste, Nene Narh, poet, Apiokor Ashong, Adepa, Fremah, reggae artist Hush Mular, and some story telling by Kojo Akoto Boateng, co-host of the Citi Breakfast Show, the fire kept them warm.

The following day, still in the Western Region, the caravan took the team to the famous stilt village of Nzulenzu.

That night patrons were treated to some good hi-life music by the Mighty Band.

The surprise for the night was the spectacular performance of Ghana's Rap Music Doctor, Okyeame Kwame.

Climaxing activities for the night was the Masked party and the Barbecue, which run late into the night.

Day six

And on the sixth day the Caravan brought the team safely back to Accra from the Western region after makinga brief stop at the Elmina Castle in the Central Region.



By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Photos by: Nii Darku Otoo

Videos by: Philip Kofi Ashon
The Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo, has been dragged before the Supreme court by a member of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh over government's decision to build a national cathedral.

According to Mr Bomfeh, a government must not be engaged in religious affairs within the country and therefore it is assistance to Muslim pilgrims through the hajj board must be declared unconstitutional and illegal.

In his writ, he is seeking a declaration that the decision of the Government of Ghana to purposely endorse, assist, aid, partly sponsor, and/or support the construction of a National Cathedral near the State House of Ghana, for Christian interdenominational church services amounts to an excessive entanglement of the Republic of Ghana and religion and therefore unconstitutional.

James Kwabena Bomfeh

He is also seeking, a declaration that the setting up of a Hajj Board by the Government of the Republic of Ghana for the purpose of coordinating, supporting and/or aiding Ghanaian Muslims to embark on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca, as unconstitutional.

President Akufo-Addo recently cut the sod for the construction of a national non-denominational Christian worship centre.

The activity was to mark the 60th Anniversary of the country.

According to Akufo-Addo, the lack of such infrastructure in the country prompted him to take the initiative which he said will serve a very important purpose for the Christian community in the country.

Some Ghanaians have raised concerns over the president's decision to undertake the project which will be funded by the Christian community in the country.

They say the government must not be seen to be bothering itself over religious activities and projects but concentrate on its secular mandate of political governance for which it was elected to office.

These complaints have however not deterred the government from carrying out some religion-based activities including facilitating the pilgrimage of Muslim's in Ghana to Mecca in South Arabia.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is confident of increased trade and investments from Mauritius following the signing of a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) between the two countries.

The agreement, which was signed by ahead of Mauritius' Independence Anniversary celebration on 12th March, 2017 protects businesses from being taxed twice for operating in the same category in either countries.

Ghana's Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey signed the agreement on behalf of Ghana, while Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade signed on behalf of Mauritius.

Dr. Bawumiah stated that the development is in line with government's plan to ease the burden on private businesses and also attract more collaboration.

Ghana-Mauritius sign Double Taxation Agreement

The prime minister has talked about the various areas that were covered in the discussion at the joint commission to include the special economic zone, the technology, power, sugar industry and so on. We have seen the manifestation of the first fruit of the joint permanent commission with the signing of the history double taxation agreement between Ghana and Mauritius, and we believe this will provide a platform to give confidence to investors both in Ghana and Mauritius to undertake investments in our respective countries and not be taxed twice by our respective countries.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister for Mauritius, His Excellency Anerood Jugnauth has revealed that the country has entered into other key agreements and partnerships with the government of Ghana.

We have also agreed to pursue consolidation on two project proposals submitted by Mauritius namely, the setting up of a solar energy power generation and a tourism and hospitality project providing for the construction of a coastal resort in Ghana.

With the solar energy project, we believe that this south-south cooperation will be a good opportunity to tap into concessionary financing from various climate funds.

 we have also agreed on the promotion of gold and jewelry sector in Mauritius especially in the context of the setting up of the Mauritius International Derivatives And Commodities Index (MINDEX) project and the Utility Regulatory Authority in Mauritius and Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission in Ghana, the conclusion of an agreement between the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the purpose of setting up a business.

Anerood Jugnauth further revealed that his government had received a request from Ghana for the recruitment of Mauritian health workers to complement the efforts of their counterparts in Ghana.

He also added that the countries were considering a program to allow for the sharing of knowledge in the handicraft sector.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Parents aiming to secure admission for their wards at Adisadel College in the Central Region this year may be disappointed following the school's decision to cut down on admissions by half.

According to the management of the school, they have had to take that decision because of inadequate accommodation facilities.

The headmaster of Adisadel College, William Kusi Yeboah explained that accommodation facilities served as a guide for the 2016/2017 SHS 1 admissions and shall remain so for the years ahead till accommodation facilities in our College improve.

Speaking at the School's 107th anniversary and Speech and prize given day, the headmaster further warned that they would continue to reject potential students if the situation persists.

This goes to explain the earlier decision by stakeholders, that in year 2017, if the accommodation facilities remain unchanged, another temporary House  New House 2  will be dissolved to claim back those classrooms for use as such, he added.

The College reduced its intake from 920 students in the 2015/2016 academic year to 423 for the 2016/2017 academic year.

More schools threaten to reject students

Reports in the media indicate that some schools including the Ghana National College, Academy of Christ The King, Wesley Girls High Schools have all threatened to turn away students if facilities on their campuses are not expanded.

Only 60% of BECE candidates make it to SHS

A research conduced by the Ghana Education Service (GES) revealed that only about 60 percent of students who write the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) make it into Senior High Schools (SHS).

The remaining 40 percent either go into informal vocational or technical training or learn a trade while others simply idle.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA

Cape Coast, March 12, GNA - The Adisadel College (ADISCO) in Cape Coast, has celebrated 107 years of blazing the trail of academic excellence and extra curricula achievements in the country.

The week-long celebration, which was sponsored by the 1992-year group, was climaxed with a speech and prize giving and Founder's Day on Saturday.

It was on the theme: 'Securing the future of the child through holistic development: the Adisadel College Spirit'.

The celebration brought together people from all walks of lives including eminent old boys, present students and staff and other distinguished personalities from across the country.

Speaking on the theme, the Guest Speaker for the occasion, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, Minister of Works and Housing, noted that providing real leadership was an indispensable factor in securing the future of the child through holistic development.

He indicated that it was imperative for parents, teachers and the national leadership to provide 'real leadership' to the child, starting from the home through schools and eventually translating into national policies and governance.

According to him, it is only through 'real leadership' that the light could be illuminated on the nation to facilitate human capital development as top most priority for accelerated growth.

Mr Atta Akyea, an old boy of the 1981 year group, said the foundation of self discipline and character was non-negotiable in the holistic development of the child,

He urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the free Senor High School initiative to educate their wards adding that, 'it is the educated mind at every level of the society that will ultimately drive GDP of the country upwards'.

He advised the students to take their books serious because it was their rigorous and discipline learning that would determine their glorious future.

He asked them to demystify the notion that they were learning for their parents.

Mr Atta Akyea admonished the students to take advantage of the available technology to improve upon their learning rather than using it to engage in watching pornographic materials.

He encouraged the students to be confident and display boldness with good manners, show what was outrageous and evil and live by the Adisadel spirit.

The Headmaster, Mr William Kusi-Yeboah in his report, indicated that discipline had improved drastically in the School.

He said the Adisadel College which was established in 1910 with 29 boys currently had a student population of 2,150.

He said the School scored 98.8 per cent in the 2016 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSE) and remained optimistic that the school would secure 100 per cent in the 2017 WASSCE.

Mr Kusi-Yeboah said the school admitted a little more than 900 students in 2015 but could only admit 400 students in 2016 due to inadequate dormitory facilities.

He expressed concern that a number of GETFUND projects had been abandoned and mentioned poor road network, inadequate security as some of the major challenges faced by the School.

He said the School had over the years produced men with outstanding qualities, serving in the field of education, politics, religion, medicine, law and business in Ghana, Africa and the world at large.

Aside sponsoring the anniversary, the 1992 group also remodelled and expanded the assembly hall to ease the congestion during dinning period.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Vice President of the year group, Cyril Kojo Ganson explained that they were not happy with the situation where students went to dinning in batches because the hall could not accommodate the population.

Awards were giving to deserving students, teachers and non-teaching staff.

GNA
By A.B. Kafui Kanyi, GNA

Kpando, March 12, GNA - The 1992/1994 Year Group of Kpando Old Students Association (KOSA) has handed over a 24-seater water closet facility to the girls' dormitory of the Kpando Senior High School (KPASEC).

The facility, estimated at GH 215,000 comes with a hand washing equipment and replaced a dilapidated KVIP.

Mr Cornelius Komlaga, President, KOSA 1992/1994 Group, said the initiative was to give a decent place of convenience to the female students and improve sanitation in the school.

"As proud products of this school, we learnt of the insanitary condition of the KVIP and pooled resources to address the situation," he said.

Mr Komlaga said his Year Group had taken notice of other challenges of the School and appealed to other Year Groups to join "Mother KOSA" to make their alma mater the best.

Mama Klomateng II, Headmistress of the School said the facility would serve about 1,000 female students and described it as timely.

She appealed for new classroom blocks, dining hall, assembly hall and library to accommodate the growing student population.

Mr John Teku, former Director of Education, Kpando, commended the Old Students for the gesture and said the "Ghana Education Service is grateful to you for dignifying your alma mater."

In a related development, the KPASEC installed Mr Eric S. Kutortse, an Entrepreneur, as the Development Chief of the School.

The honour was in appreciation of Mr Kutortse's contribution to the infrastructural and academic progress of the School.

Mr Kutortse, a former student of the had provided bitumen surfacing to roads in the School and offered full scholarship to 37 students.

GNA
By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA

Koforidua, March 12, GNA - Political meddling of the leadership of most State owned commercial establishments continue to be the bane of the country's economic and growth woes.

There is therefore the need to dilute the top management positions in corporations such the Ghana Cocoa Board, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Tema Oil Refinery, devoid of politically appointed heads to save the country's purse.

Dr Steve Manteaw, a member of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) said this during a workshop by PIAC-IFEJ on "Interrogating the 2016 Semi Annual PIAC report in Koforidua.

He said excessive interference by government in the operations of these state owned commercial establishments must critically be looked at and the practice stopped with immediate effect.

He said this would ensure that these business entities ceased to become the playing fields for party foot soldiers and coffers for political activities to the detriment of the State.

Dr Manteaw said the Public Services Commission must rather be allowed to interview prospective candidates with the requisite management certification.

He said an agreed tenure of office should also be given to such candidates or leaders in order to gain the needed confidence and security to transact businesses devoid of fear or favour.

On the privatisation of ECG, Dr Manteaw said he was not enthused about the move by government but rather suggested that the Executive should government float shares in that company to revive it and ensure effectives management.

He expressed wonder why as a country 'we should sign agreements which have some clauses over riding the laws of the land and the interest of the country'.

Dr Manteaw said, "the term strategic investors has not done any magic for the country's economic advancement...look at what happened with Ghana Airways, Acqua Vitens Rand".

He said there were other economic decisions that had proven to be the best and in the overall interest of the country adding, " look at Ghana Commercial Bank now...when all hopes were lost ...the stock market brought it back to its feet".

On Hedging of Ghana's of Oil, he noted that there was no need currently to do so and compared the practice to gambling where one could lose or win depending how the bell swung.

He rather asked the government to tighten the bolts and nuts on transfer prices in the industry to avoid tax evasion.

Dr Manteaw called for sanctions on players who were currently flouting the one month royalty payment agreement.

Mr Kwame Jantuah, Vice Chair of PIAC who presented the half year 2016 report, said crude oil production from the Jubilee field declined by 40 per cent, from 19.08 million barrels in mid year 2015 to 11.44 million barrels over the same period in 2016.

The situation, he attributed to the schedule shutdown of the FPSO for maintenance and faulty turret, which suspended production for 50 days.

Mr Jantuah said revenues from the sector in mid 2016 amounted to 126.41 million dollars, which translated to 55 per cent reduction in revenues collected in mid 2015, which stood at 274.47 million.

Also a total of 9,349 mmscf of wet gas was exported to the Atuabo Gas plant for processing into lean gas, LPG and condensates.

The report said for the first time, the disbursement to GNPC of 22.77 million dollars could only cover 77 per cent of the jubilee financing cost of 29.51 million dollars.

An amount of 45.07 million dollars was allocated to the annual budget funding allocation meanwhile no allocation was made to the Expenditure and Amortisation of Loans for oil and gas.

This was because GNPC was expected to assume the responsibility of paying the China Development Bank loan.

The PIAC expressed worry about the ever growing indebtedness of GNPC and other State institutions such as the Volta River Authority, which was driving the much needed flows to the Petroleum Holding Fund to start the amortisation of one billion loan facility for the gas processing plant.

The committee also reiterated the need for GNPC to desist from the spending of its allocation on non core business areas.

Mr Jantuah charged the public to get copies of the report and read for effective engagement.

The media was also tasked to play its watchdog role more effectively to ensure that oil revenues were better protected so that the country did not lose out like in the mining sector.

Dr John Gatsi, who spoke on level of compliance on the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, said there was still much room for improvement on the part of industry players to realise the content of the Act.

GNA
The General Overseer of the Makers House Chapel International (TMHCI) Dr Michael Boadi Nyamekye has condemned the practice by some modern day men of God who have adopted the practice of engaging in profiteering businesses using their church platforms.

He alluded to practices where some pastors and churches bought items at relatively low prices and sold them at exorbitant prices to non-suspecting members in the name of God.

He posited that if such men of God could buy olive oil at a price of GHa10 and after claiming to have prayed and therefore, added value to it, sold it at GHa100, then they equally ought to pay value added tax on such transactions to the state.

Merchandising in Gods house

Delivering a sermon at the Destiny Arena of TMHCI off Kwabenya Point One in Accra today, Dr Nyamekye emphasised that you cannot turn the house of God into a place where you sell. You cannot sell in the house of God. It is not right no matter how you look at it.

According to him, God is not pleased with us as a church that would go into selling, that would go into the buying and selling of things in church. God is saying He is not pleased with it.

He said there had often been excuses that the church bought the items and was selling them saying If that was the case, then it would be appropriate to sell such items at the cost at which they were originally bought.

Dr Nyamekye said if there was oil selling at cost, then there could be the safe assumption that the church was not into a profit-making venture but in the situation where you buy oil for GHa10 and sell it to congregants at GHa100, you have converted the gospel into merchandise.

He was emphatic that If God gave a vision about his children to a man of God, he cannot use it to enrich himself by saying that if the person who the vision was about did not pay so much he would not pray for him.

Dont use your gift to manipulate

You cannot use your prophetic gift to manipulate Gods people. You cannot use your healing gift to manipulate Gods people. You cannot use your deliverance gift to manipulate Gods people. Freely have you received, freely give, he maintained.

God, he said, was not pleased with the 21st Century church because we have turned the house of God into a place of merchandise yet we are supposed to sell the gospel freely because the bible says we received from God freely and ought to give out freely.

He said God was looking for people who would know that His house, was a house of divine transactions where people came to when they were dejected and broken-hearted and a place where people sought refuge in the name of the Lord.

Stop exploiting the vulnerable

Dr Nyamekye recounted that there were stories where people who were vulnerable, broken and distressed had attended churches where the pastors had taken advantage of the same people who were running from the world and coming to seek refuge in the name of God.

When you are given a role of leadership in a church, it is not an opportunity to enrich yourself or do things your own way but you ought to be mindful that the things you do must bring glory to God, he urged.

Dr Nyamekye, therefore, encouraged pastors to be bold in telling members of the church when they fail to play by godly standards that they either comply or leave but we must not put a veneer of piety on their actions just because we do not want to lose them.
Four final year students at the Sunyani-Tanoso Nursing Training College in the Brong Ahafo Region met their untimely death just after midnight on Sunday after the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree.

According to the Police the driver of the Nissan Primera car with registration number A 486 13, was heading towards Tanoso from Sunyani when the incident occurred.

The Police said the driver lost control of the steering wheel and as a result the car veered off the road and hit a tree. .

As a result of the impact the vehicle somersaulted and entered into a ditch with the four tyres facing upwards, Head of the Brong Ahafo Regional MTTD, Superintendent Daniel Oppong Asirifi told Citi News in an interview.

There were reports in the media that the four ladies were returning from the VGMA nominees jam held in Sunyani on Saturday when the accident occurred, but, the Police were unable to establish such information to Citi News.

Superintendent Asirifi noted that the four ladies who were aged between 23 and 25 died when they were rushed to the Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital in Sunyani but added that the driver is alive and is currently receiving treatment.

Around 12:30 today the Police had information that there had been an accident on the Sunyani Abesim road. The Police proceeded to the scene and found a Nissan Primera private car with registration number, A 486-13 having been involved in an accident. We found the car in a resultant position with all the four tyres facing upwards. So with support from those around, we managed to rescue the occupants.

There were four females in the car and a driver. They all sustained various degrees of injuries and they were rushed to the regional hospital for admission. In the course of being attended to, the four females passed on, leaving the driver who is currently an admission at the regional hospital. Currently the bodies have been deposited at the Regional hospital morgue awaiting autopsy, he added.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Tricia Obazele has emerged as the best graduating student of Veritas University Abuja few years after suffering a setback in her education.

Obazele, who was forced to start school all over again, after Covenant University expelled her in 300 level, took to Instagram page to share her story.

Aside also being awarded as the best graduating student of Veritas University, she also picked up the award as the best graduating student in the Department of Accounting and best graduating student in College of Medicine Sciences.

Source: Legit.ng
Former Governor James Ibori of Delta state who just returned from London prison has endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for second term come 2019 general elections.

Ibori gave the endorsement weekend during a ceremony put together at Oghara, his country home by Delta central PDP to welcome him home after spending years in the UK custody.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa

Ibori called on Delta people to line behind Okowa and support him for second term, noting that Delta North would support the Urhobos when its time for the zone to produce the governor immediately after the expiration of Okowas second term in 2023.

Ibori, who is seen as a demigod in Delta and the political godfather of the state, expressed happiness over the reception organized for him.

He told the people that he would give them to follow, assuring the people that he would not disappoint them as they all queue behind to support Okowa.

READ ALSO: Massive defection hits APC as 1000 people join PDP in Delta (Photos)

He said: I am still resting and watching the moment. You shouldnt worry, dont panic, there is no trouble. After my rest, we will see. People have said a lot of things. There is no fear, the day of reckoning in politics is coming.

Some of the political bigwigs who spoke at the event eulogized Ibori, describing him as the leader of the state and the one to follow.

Source: Legit.ng
- Professor Femi Williams said the president's revelation that he had blood transfusion suggests he is anaemic

- He said this should serve as a call to Nigerians to stop over the counter medication

- President Buhari admitted he has never been this sick

Professor Femi Williams who is a certified physician in Anatomic Pathology from London and Ireland has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari is suffering from anaemia.

The president returned to the country on Friday, March 10 after an extended medical vacation in London and Professor Williams, in an interview with The Nation, said the presidents blood transfusion was an indication that he was anaemic.

He said: We now have a pretty good idea of diagnosis, which is now comprehensive or good enough to say that the diagnosis of President Buharis illness is anaemia.

READ ALSO: Professor Williams analyses of President Buhari's health through his recent photos

You cannot be transfused if you dont have anaemia.

The negative clinical findings on the president that was published in The Nation on Feb 26, 2017 has been confirmed by the disclosure that the President was transfused with whole blood.

In a previous photo of his hands prior to transfusion his nail beds were very pale indicative of clinical anaemia. The subsequent photograph of his hands that was analyzed showed that he was no longer clinically anaemic.

The clinical history given by Mr. President that for the past 18 months he had been lethargic and feeling tired prior to his vacation is consistent with tiredness due to anaemia.

Regaining his strength after transfusions that facilitated his return home suggests that the anaemia had been corrected successfully.

There is therefore a preliminary diagnosis of anaemia meaning insufficient blood in the circulation.

When this happens many organs including the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and lungs are starved of oxygen that is carried by blood to all parts of the body for efficient functioning of the person. Sudden loss of blood as in road traffic accidents could be fatal. In this case the anaemia has been insidious and gradual over time.

Continuing, Prof Williams said: The question that arises in the absence of information, which is understandable, is the cause of the anaemia.

READ ALSO: Jubilation in Buhari's hometown, Daura, after his return

The only information that can be gleaned from the Presidents history on arrival is his admonition against self medication. By so doing is he giving us some more relevant information that he had been told in London?

This is the first time that a President advises that all citizens should trust their doctors and refrain from self medication. Is it possible that his anaemia is drug induced or drug related and that investigations in London revealed this? We do not know. If this is true common pain relieving drugs like Panadol may cause kidney damage and give rise to anaemia for which he received transfusions.

Alternatively certain drugs also cause liver damage and anaemia but this is unlikely in his case since he was not jaundiced.

There are so many other causes of anaemia that cannot be dealt with here.

Of relevance to our last observation is the possibility that this may be anaemia related to some type of cancer that must be ruled out. Looking at the photos on arrival there is one suspicious positive finding and that his loss of muscle mass on the face in the area of the zygomatic arch below the ears.

This is either due to some cancer somewhere or due to aging.

The professor noted that the presidents disclosure might be a wake-up call to Nigerians to avoid over the counter medication.

Protection of privacy is an extremely important feature in a democracy, he said, adding: however we, the people, have elected the President and are paying his salary and upkeep.

We are therefore entitled to be concerned and to know that he has a sound mind in a sound body to govern us appropriately and effectively.

There is really no need for secrecy because we are all mortals destined for the departure lounge en route to the other side called Heaven.

The unfortunate aspect of the Nigerian life and society is that any health challenge can be exploited for political reasons, and may be used and abused by aspirants to high office. This is an unhealthy trend that must be discouraged in our national polity.

Protection of privacy is an extremely important feature in a democracy, however we, the people, have elected the President and are paying his salary and upkeep.

We are therefore entitled to be concerned and to know that he has a sound mind in a sound body to govern us appropriately and effectively.

There is really no need for secrecy because we are all mortals destined for the departure lounge en route to the other side called Heaven.

The unfortunate aspect of the Nigerian life and society is that any health challenge can be exploited for political reasons, and may be used and abused by aspirants to high office. This is an unhealthy trend that must be discouraged in our national polity.

Source: Legit.ng
Members of the Indiana Medical Device Manufacturers Council, including representatives from Zimmer Biomet, Johnson & Johnson/DePuy Synthes, Boston Scientific, Roche Diagnostics, Cook Medical and Genesis Plastics Molding, meet with U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-3rd, during a trip to Washington, D.C., on March 1.
- A former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bello Adoke, has indicted former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he authorised first agreement in Malabu deal

- Adoke said the anti-graft agency allegedly singled him out for persecution when other former high-level government officials, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo

A former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bello Adoke, has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, imploring the nations number one law enforcement official to call the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to order.

Premium Times reports that Adoke said the anti-graft agency allegedly singled him out for persecution when other former high-level government officials, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, took some of the critical decisions that culminated in the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu transactions.

READ ALSO: Church must be the training ground for leadership  Obasanjo

I believe it is your responsibility to explain to the public who are being sold a fiction that the transaction started from President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR under whose administration the Terms of Settlement were brokered with Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, as the then Attorney General who executed the Terms of Settlement before the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR who approved the final implementation of the Terms of Settlement and my humble self who executed the resolution agreements, Mr Adoke said in the petition dated March 6.

This is more so as the Settlement and its implementation were situated in the Federal Ministry of Justice, he added.

The appeal was sent three days after Mr Adoke accused the EFCC of lending itself to manipulation by powerful political interests, after the anti-graft agency slammed fresh charges of money laundering against him and one of his associates, Aliyu Abubakar, accusing them of sharing millions of dollars in fraudulent proceeds.

He queried why the EFCC had not invited those officials, especially since they didnt deny their alleged roles.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comments Sunday night. His known telephone lines were switched off.

Mr Adoke, again, absolved himself of any wrongdoing, saying he saved Nigeria more than $2 billion in damages that stemmed from arbitration claims instituted against the Nigerian government at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes over the OPL 245 block, which is believed to hold more than 9 billion barrels of crude oil and even more volumes of natural gas.

Mr Adoke was instrumental to Nigerian governments involvement in the suspicious Malabu Oil deal, which saw Shell and Agip-Eni paying money into an escrow account of the Nigerian government to settle a firm with a questionable history.

Mr Adoke authorised the transfer of the $1.1 billion paid by Shell and Eni into private accounts of Mr. Etete, who further transferred a large percentage to Mr. Abubakar. Investigations suggested that Mr. Abubakar might have acted as a front for officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, including Mr. Adoke. 

Shell, Agip-Eni, Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete, who initially approved the lease award of the OPL 245 while he was petroleum minister in 1998, have all denied wrongdoings.

But Italian prosecutors said late last year they had enough grounds to charge Shell, Agip-Eni, and their executives alongside other Nigerians involved in the controversial deal for fraud in Milan.

In separate charges filed late 2016, the EFCC accused Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete of defrauding Nigeria in the OPL 245 deal.

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The Department of Petroleum Resources said last December that Mr. Adoke and other officials of the Jonathan administration who participated in the concession of the lucrative oil field to Shell and Agip-Eni did not follow due process.

Mr. Adoke, who is currently in the Netherlands for study, had maintained his innocence and pledged to make himself available for trial.

Source: Legit.ng
It would definitely be unfair for us to let this slide without bringing an act of benevolence of this forme president to your notice.

Most world leaders are more concerned about looting the country's funds and building empires for themselves. They do not care about the poor neither do they think about their subjects who voted them in. Most of these leaders only have their own interests and that of their families at heart. They enjoy being treated as first class citizens and do not joke with the luxuries their positions offer them.

READ ALSO: Amazing health benefits of dates

Jose Alberto 'Pepe' Mujica Cordano, Uruguayan former president is a highly respected man in Uruguay. He was the former world's poorest president as he served his country between 2010 and 2015 as the fortieth president of Uruguay.

What made Mujica different and unique when compared to the other presidents that have served was his act of benevolence. His austerity made people refer to him as the world's poorest president. He chose to live on a farm despite having access to the presidential mansion. He decided to live in a simple house located in a rural area outside Montevideo.

The lifestyle of Mujica is an interesting one as he prefers to live simply despite being paid an amount equivalent to twelve thousand US dollars per month. The intriguing part of this is that about ninety percent of his earning goes to the poor and small-scale entrepreneurs.

After giving out ninety percent of his salary, Mujica is left with an amount that is equivalent to an average Uruguay's earning per month. Despite his act of charity, he does not feel poor and enjoys his life on the farm.

It is quite possible for Mujica to embrace this life of solitude due to the time he spent in jail. His past revealed that he was the former leader of some guerilla group called Tupemaros.

This group was a violent one that used a Robin Hood-like strategy to fight for the poor. Fourteen years in confinement remolded him and changed his way of life.

His political views are unsettling considering the fact that he supports the same-sex marriage, abortion rights and the legalization of marijuana. While assessing his way of life and the things he does, people feel he does not act like a president but he is no doubt someone the poor relates with.

READ ALSO: Read what liquid from boiled lemon will do to you

His leadership style is living by example; his choices clearly reflect that. He does not see himself as someone who lacks the basic things of life as he embraces this lifestyle. In addition to living on a farm, his official car is a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.

He has lived like that all his life and is happy with what he has. His perspective about his life is an interesting one.

Source: Legit.ng
Tricky Clues

This puzzle was replete with chestnut fillers like LEI, ODER, ERNO, IWO, ALAI, ITER and so on, and beyond that, a good sampling of conventional clues, but for some reason I had misfills scratched out all over the map.

 28A: I did not know there was a Big Guava! It comes as no surprise that there is one, nor that its TAMPA, in Florida. I get the Big Apple, since our city streets are lined with well-tended trees dripping all sorts of apples (and some neighborhoods in Manhattan are even used by Cornells agriculture college as hybridizing grounds, leading to the popular Red Rat apple and the up-and-coming Pigeon Poop apple, with its uniquely speckled skin). I figured maybe there was some guava speculation, maybe coupled with some bandwagon jumping-on, involved here and wasnt so far off. Theres also Big Pineapple (Honolulu), Big Orange (Los Angeles), Big Tomato (Sacramento), Big Peach (Atlanta), and loads of others. Theres lots of Littles too. People like nicknames, except sometimes for themselves  see 32A.

 32A: This was one of the theme clues: What a male babysitter may sport? After getting some of the starter letters I got fixated on the recent term MANNY, for nannies who happen to be guys, which I thought was a clever little neologism. After a fearsome bushwhack into the world of the male babysitter I learned of some negative interpretations of this term, and finally arrived at NANNY GOATEE. Tip him with beard cream, but dont call him a manny unless thats his name!

 96A: Are you puttering around and bothering someone? I guess that makes a POTHER, defined here as a commotion. The word has appeared in the crossword a few times, and its familiar enough that I accepted it once Id determined that UPTIGHT was at 89D. But Im sure I wasnt alone with B in that spot for a while.

 7D: Curtain fabric first solved as linen, then nylon. I had never heard of NINON, which is defined as a type of weave rather than material and can be silk, rayon or nylon, and I know my way around a crossword grid and a fabric store. The pronunciation appears to be from the French, Knee-no, and it looks to be more of a vintage fabric, at least from a perfunctory Google search and quick stop into New York Elegant Fabrics on West 40th Street, where it wasnt.
But what she found, to her surprise, was a transformative sense of resilience.

These women, theyre incredible, Ms. Zehbrauskas said. Their routines are so intense, so difficult, that I felt I had to work 20 hours a day to do justice to their stories.

Far from shying away from the spotlight, many of the women profiled in the article were eager, in the end, to share their experiences  though it often took several visits to gain their trust.

There was a lot of press a year ago, and many women got a lot of financial help  people would send donations, Ms. Zehbrauskas explained. But people dont talk about Zika like they used to. Many families now feel that theyre facing this alone.

Pam Belluck, who wrote todays article, also felt a poignant sense of hope throughout her time in Brazil. Ms. Belluck, after all, has two daughters who are close in age to one of the women, Iris Adriane do Nascimento Santos, profiled in the piece. (Iris gave birth, at age 14, to a daughter who exhibits microcephaly and a range of other complications, including seizures.)

Heres this girl, whos the same age as my kids, and whos had to give up on her schooling and completely change her life for a future thats so different than what youd want for any teenager, Ms. Belluck said. Im full of admiration for how strong she is, and how self-assured she seems to be about her babys treatment  asking question after question, getting up at dawn and going to four appointments a day.
Richard Simmons is not being tormented by black magic  or so says Mr. Simmons, the fitness guru, whose disappearance from public view three years ago has at least one close friend fearing he is under the spell of a witch.

He is not being held hostage inside his Hollywood Hills mansion, he and his publicist insist, contrary to suspicions of several longtime associates.

He is not transitioning and becoming a softly spoken woman named Fiona, as the National Enquirer claimed last summer and Mr. Simmons rebutted on Facebook.

So what happened to the most loquacious, flamboyant, visible and rambunctious exercise evangelist this world has ever seen? Why did Mr. Simmons, now 68, suddenly drop out of sight without warning, baffling his friends and colleagues and disappointing his many fans? Those are the questions that Dan Taberski, a former producer of The Daily Show and a friend of Mr. Simmons, has turned into a cultural phenomenon with his podcast, Missing Richard Simmons, which is currently the most downloaded podcast on iTunes.
Sure, Saturday Night Live has offered ample criticism of President Trump and his young administration. But in its latest episode, the program expressed confidence that hell be in office until at least 2018, long enough to see America decimated by an alien invasion force from the planet Zorblatt 9.

After a palpable absence last week, Alec Baldwin returned to play Mr. Trump in the S.N.L. cold open, which imagined him in a future year, visiting a military base and trying to dispense words of inspiration while the United States battles with an extraterrestrial adversary. It was an opportunity for a rousing Independence Day-type speech. So how did he start?

Mr. Baldwin  who, outside of S.N.L., has recently been hinting that he does not plan to play Mr. Trump in perpetuity  began by asking, Who here loves Trump?
TULSA, Okla.  On a particularly windy day in the Crutchfield neighborhood here, the writer S. E. Hinton was touring the renovations of the future Outsiders House museum. The rundown Craftsman bungalow was where the Curtis brothers  Darry, Sodapop and Ponyboy  lived in the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola movie based on Ms. Hintons book The Outsiders.

The book, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this month, was arguably one of the most influential young adult books of its time, and leading this tour was the self-described fanboy Danny OConnor, 48, who made his own contribution to pop-culture history as a member of the 1990s hip-hop group House of Pain.

Mr. OConnor, who lives in Beverly Hills, Calif., bought the Outsiders House for $15,000 in 2016, determined to turn it into a museum. During the recent tour, Mr. OConnor was showing Ms. Hinton a first-edition hard cover of The Outsiders, pointing out a wide paper sash wrapped around the jacket that read in bright orange, A remarkable novel about teenagers, for teenagers, by a teenager.

Mr. OConnor has been on a quest to find artifacts to include in the museum, amassing a collection of memorabilia from the movie, vintage photographs and hard-to-find editions of the book. Next on his search list, he told Ms. Hinton, 68, was a claw-foot tub like the one 18-year-old Rob Lowe (Sodapop Curtis in the movie) stepped out of with just a towel wrapped around his waist.
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Lloyd H. Conover, a chemist whose breakthrough invention of one of the most effective and widely prescribed antibiotics, tetracycline, led to a whole new approach to developing such drugs, died on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla. He was 93.

His death was confirmed by his son Craig.

Dr. Conover started his research at Pfizer in Brooklyn in 1950, when pharmaceutical companies, spurred by the success of penicillin against battlefield infections during World War II, were racing to find new antibiotics. Most early antibiotics were naturally occurring chemicals produced by microorganisms that lived in soil or on decaying fruit; the strain of penicillin used to protect wounded soldiers came from a moldy melon.

Few scientists at the time thought it was possible to improve on antibiotics, which they viewed as a result of an evolutionary process that had equipped microorganisms with the ultimate chemical weapons to survive.

Dr. Conover, however, became intrigued with two naturally occurring antibiotics that, except for two atoms, were chemically identical. To Dr. Conover, the atoms seemed out of place. Each antibiotic had a chlorine or oxygen atom where he expected to find a hydrogen atom. Would swapping in hydrogen improve the potency of the drugs?
Aliza Ann Stern and Ian Dov Grossman are to be married March 12 at the Schoolhouse at Cannondale, a restaurant in Wilton, Conn. Rabbi Colin Brodie is to perform the ceremony at Temple Bnai Torah in Trumbull, Conn.

The bride, 40, is the associate director of clinical education at the Boston University physician assistant program, as well as a physician assistant in dermatology at Boston Medical Center. She graduated from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., and received a masters degree in medical science from Yale.

She is a daughter of J. Victor Stern and Edna R. Stern of Trumbull.

The groom, 41, is a general manager and partner at Smoke Shop BBQ in Cambridge, Mass. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., where he also received an associate of occupational studies degree in culinary arts.

He is a son of Abbie L. Ghini of Miami, N.M., and Bennett Grossman of Chicago.

The couple met in January 2016 at a fund-raising event in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Dr. Caitlin Mary Miller and Jared Edward Dolan were married March 10. Msgr. William Dever, a Roman Catholic priest and the great-uncle of the bride, performed the ceremony at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Naples, Fla.

The bride, 30, is a dentist at CitiDentalGroup in New York. She graduated from Notre Dame and received a doctorate of dental surgery from Marquette.

She is the daughter of Kathleen G. Miller and Edward T. Miller of Naples.

The groom, 32, is a vice president for business development in the New York office of Winton Capital, an investment management firm based in London. He graduated from Holy Cross.

He is the son of Susan K. Dolan and Edward C. Dolan of North Reading, Mass.

The couple met in 2013 through mutual friends at a Kentucky Derby party.
Dr. Julia Blair Powell and James Erskine Love IV were married March 11 at the Figure Eight Island Yacht Club in Wilmington, N.C. The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, officiated.

The bride, 27, is taking her husbands name. She is a general dentistry resident at the Philadelphia V.A. Medical Center. She graduated with distinction and as a Morehead-Cain Scholar from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, from which she also received a doctor of dental surgery degree.

She is a daughter of Nan Stutzman Powell and William Douglas Powell Jr. of Wilmington. The brides father is the chief financial officer of D & L Shipping, a freight shipping company in Wilmington. Her mother is a librarian at Blair Elementary School, also in Wilmington.

The groom, 28, is studying for an M.B.A. at the University of Pennsylvania. He was until 2015 an associate at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a New York investment firm. He graduated from Duke.
Sarah Crommelin Melby and Jochem Philip Zijp were married March 11 at the Meridian House, an event space in Washington. Alexandra Melby Farnum, the brides sister, received permission from the Marriage Bureau of the District of Columbia Courts to officiate.

Mrs. Zijp, 34, works in Washington as an event planner for restaurants and bars in Washington, Maryland and Virginia operated by the Neighborhood Restaurant Group in Alexandria, Va. Until last year, she was the director of catering at the Sulgrave Club in Washington. She graduated from Dickinson College.

She is a daughter of Pamela Tripp-Melby and Eric D. K. Melby of Bethesda, Md. The brides father is a founder of the Scowcroft Group, an international business advisory firm in Washington. He is on the board of International Student House, a nonprofit provider of housing to international graduate students, interns and visiting scholars in Washington. Her mother is the director of the National Library of Education at the United States Department of Education, also in Washington.

Mr. Zijp, 35, is a sommelier who works in Washington at Ripple, a restaurant and wine bar, and runs Cellar Brix, a wine consultancy for restaurants. He graduated from Capilano University in North Vancouver, British Columbia. He has masters degrees in hospitality and tourism from the University of Brighton in England and the Ecole de Management de Normandie in Le Havre, France.
Melissa Weisz, a working actress in Manhattan, did not exactly grow up a drama club kid.

As a Hasidic Jew, she spent her childhood with eight siblings in the Yiddish-speaking and largely insular Satmar sect in Borough Park, Brooklyn. She had little knowledge of secular theater, film and television, which are frowned upon as sacrilegious.

At 19, Ms. Weisz entered into an arranged marriage, but she opted for divorce after four years because of her increasing differences with the strict Hasidic way of life. She stunned her family and friends by leaving her Hasidic community to seek more opportunity. She attended college and eventually became an actress.

Lately, she has found herself among other Hasidic exiles, speaking Yiddish and struggling with the strict rules of Orthodox Judaism.

They are part of the cast of God of Vengeance, Sholem Aschs 1907 play, which is being revived by the New Yiddish Repertory Company. The Off Broadway production will open Tuesday at the Theater at St. Clements Church in Manhattan.
The headstone was made in 1915 for a wife and mother named Fannie who lived to be 54 years old. And last weekend, 102 years later, police officers stood around it in Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn, looking beyond the name and dates for other kinds of clues.

The stone and dozens like it, no longer standing, were lying flat on the grass. The police were investigating whether someone had climbed the fence and knocked them over.

If true, it would have been a crime that amounts to much more than simple vandalism. Washington is a large and predominantly Jewish cemetery, and many of its headstones bear Hebrew script. The discovery of those fallen stones thrust the cemetery squarely into the spotlight during a rise in anti-Semitic crimes across New York City and the country. Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed those crimes last week.

This is a moment in time, a moment in history, where forces of hate have been unleashed, he said.

The question of whether Washington Cemetery was part of this moment in history began on March 4, when a passer-by noticed the fallen stones and called the Shomrim, the Orthodox Jewish patrol society. The next morning, Jewish leaders, including Assemblyman Dov Hikind and Councilman David G. Greenfield, who both represent the area, stood outside the fence in the cold and peered inside.
COPENHAGEN  Anti-Muslim nationalism is blazing in Denmark. Parliament has discussed banning prayer rooms in schools and universities. The right-wing and nationalist Danish Peoples Party, now the second-largest party in Parliament, is calling for immigrants to celebrate Christmas to prove their Danishness. To reinforce Danish culture and custom, the town of Randers has asked cafeterias in public schools to serve pork.

Most recently, a man was charged last month with blasphemy for posting a video of a burning Quran on Facebook back in 2015  a charge that hadnt been prosecuted since 1971.

This case in particular is emblematic of how misguided the debate about Islam here has become. Everyones behavior in this story is problematic: the man who burned the Quran, the prosecutor who charged him with blasphemy and the free-speech advocates railing against the charges.

Denmark is not alone in experiencing a rise in nativism; the current runs throughout Europe and America. Denmark has suffered comparatively little from Islamist terrorism, and a vast majority of Danes report feeling safe. But discomfort with Islam has run deep for over a decade, especially after the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2005, triggering a violent backlash in several countries.
In presenting the Nobel to Dr. Olah in 1994, Salo Gronowitz, of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said, Olahs discovery resulted in a complete revolution for scientific studies of carbocations, and his contributions occupy a prominent place in all modern textbooks of organic chemistry.

Along the way, Dr. Olah overturned scientific dogma that held that, in organic compounds, a carbon atom could bind to no more than four other atoms. He showed that in carbocations, a carbon atom could bond with five, six or seven neighbors, Dr. Prakash said.

These are weak bonds, but theyre still held together, he said. All of his ideas prevailed.

George Andrew Olah was born on May 22, 1927, in Budapest, the son of Julius Olah, a lawyer, and the former Magda Krasznai. He attended what he described as one of the best schools in Budapest run by the Piarist Fathers, a Roman Catholic order.

He never described himself as Jewish, but in his autobiography, A Life of Magic Chemistry, he referred to that heritage in recalling World War II. I do not want to relive here in any detail some of my very difficult, even horrifying, experiences of this period, hiding out the last months of the war in Budapest, he wrote. Suffice it to say that my parents and I survived.

After the war, he attended the Technical University of Budapest, obtaining masters and doctoral degrees. He was an assistant professor of organic chemistry at the university and then appointed deputy director at the Central Research Institute of Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

In 1949 he married Judith Lengyel, a technical secretary at the university, whom he had known from his early youth. She went on to study chemistry, as well.

In fleeing Hungary after the 1956 uprising, Dr. Olah and his family made brief stops in Vienna and London, where his wife had relatives, before moving to Montreal, where his mother-in-law lived.
He was an enslaved teenager on a Jesuit plantation in Maryland on the night that the stars fell. It was November 1833, and meteor showers set the sky ablaze.

His name was Frank Campbell. He would hold tight to that memory for decades, even when he was an old man living hundreds of miles away from his birthplace. In 1838, he was shipped to a sugar plantation in Louisiana with dozens of other slaves from Maryland. They had been sold by the nations most prominent Jesuit priests to raise money to help save the Jesuit college now known as Georgetown University.

Mr. Campbell would survive slavery and the Civil War. He would live to see freedom and the dawning of the 20th century. Like many of his contemporaries from Maryland, he would marry and have children and grandchildren. But in one respect, he was singular: His image has survived, offering us the first look at one of the 272 slaves sold to help keep Georgetown afloat.
MINNEAPOLIS  Saru Jayaraman, director of the Food Labor Research Center at the University of California at Berkeley, advocates abolishing restaurant tipping in favor of a $15-an-hour minimum wage as the best way to economically uplift the working poor.

She recently spoke to about 200 labor activists, students, restaurant owners and others at the University of Minnesota business school. She said that tipping is rooted in a time when women and minorities were not entitled to fair wages and relied on the gratitude of customers.

Employers should pay workers, not customers, said Jayaraman, a Yale Law graduate who worked in restaurants as a student and gained renown for a 2014 book, Behind the Kitchen Door. Restaurant industry workers reject this feudal system.

Holly Hatch-Surisook, a Minneapolis restaurant owner, said she agrees but doesnt like a sledgehammer approach. And she cant afford $15 an hour yet.

Hatch-Surisook is co-owner with her husband, Joe, of the Sen Yai Sen Lek Thai restaurant. They mortgaged their nearby house to open the restaurant in 2008. Hatch-Surisook quit a job as an academic adviser at the University of Minnesota to be an entrepreneur in a resurgent part of the city.

Making employees rely on tips for fair wages should be changed, but I also feel strongly that we must  at the same time  address the vast pay inequities that a tipping system creates between those who carefully prepare the food we eat, and those who serve it, Hatch-Surisook said. All staff should be compensated fairly for their work, and a tipping system takes away an employers ability to structure pay equitably.

The Hatch-Surisooks are business and community builders. Their kids go to local public schools.

Sen Yai Sen Lek employs 25 and generates $1 million in annual revenue.

The business pays all workers at least $10.50 an hour starting wage except for servers, who make $9.50 minimum wage plus tips.

The servers share a percentage of tips with kitchen staff. Takeout-related tips are given to the kitchen staff, which amounts to $1-plus per hour. And there is profit-sharing, mostly to the kitchen staff, of several hundred dollars a year.

There is so little turnover among the staff, that Hatch-Surisook just hired her first new worker in two years.

We hire you at $10.50 and I will pay you for as many sick days as (you) need, she said. Everyone who works for us works hard. Yet someone with fantastic cooking skills and years of service may never get to make what a 21-year-old part-time server will who gets a lot of tips.

The drive for $15 an hour in the Twin Cities has stimulated an ongoing discussion about fairness and economic competitive between Minneapolis and St. Paul, which are considering their own minimum wages, and the restaurant industry association.

The best restaurateurs are paying more in a good, employee-hungry economy and encouraging servers to share tips.

Tom Vogel, marketing director at Seward Co-op and its remodeled Seward Co-op Creamery Cafe in Minneapolis, likes its no-tip policy.

The resulting higher prices do present a challenge, he said. Our patrons seem to accept moderately higher prices in order to pay a living wage for staff, which we have done at our co-op grocery stores for 10 years. The beginning wages ranges from about $10.28 to $11.57.

Customers who want to leave something in appreciation of good service goes in a jar that amounted to $6,000 for local nonprofits last year.

Other restaurateurs who are abandoning tipping will put out a jar for donations that will be shared with all employees.

The restaurant-food service industry is the single biggest employer of near-minimum-wage workers, with 3.75 million people, or about 18 percent of workers, followed by grocery stores with fewer than 1 million, according to the Pew Research Center.

All staff should be compensated fairly for their work, and a tipping system takes away an employers ability to structure pay equitably. Holly Hatch-Surisook,

a Minneapolis restaurant owner
In the vast majority of cases, Mr. Trumps administration has not even begun the lengthy screening process  which can take several weeks to as long as two months  that nominees must complete before their confirmations can be considered by the Senate. According to data obtained by The New York Times, the Office of Government Ethics, the independent agency that conducts financial reviews of every presidential nominee, had received only 63 disclosure reports for prospective Trump administration nominees as of March 5, less than a third of the 228 that Mr. Obamas team had submitted by that date in 2009.

At the State Department, both deputy-level jobs remain unfilled, along with the posts of six under secretaries and 22 assistant secretaries. At the Treasury Department, Mr. Trump has yet to name a deputy secretary, general counsel or chief financial officer, or any of the three under secretaries and nine assistant secretaries. At the Department of Homeland Security, one of three agencies for which the president has nominated a deputy, he has yet to name any of the four under secretaries, three assistant secretaries or other crucial players like a chief of Citizenship and Immigration Services or a commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

Ms. Walters, the White House spokeswoman, denied any substantial delay in staffing the government, saying that there is no holdup. But she added that the administration was now screening a large pool of prospective nominees  a senior White House official put the number at about 130  whom it would soon name for crucial positions.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to detail internal deliberations, said that since Inauguration Day, the White House had set a pace for filling positions that rivaled the rate of previous administrations, and was now moving as quickly as the meticulous personnel process would allow. Mr. Trumps presidential campaign was a compact operation, so he did not have the potentially thousands of political aides that other new presidents have rewarded with plum jobs, the official added.

The staffing delays appear to reflect Mr. Trumps lack of experience in government and his deep suspicion of anyone with such a background  two significant factors in his flawed transition. Another challenge has been the presidents attempt to apply to the sprawling federal bureaucracy the same mode of leadership he has used for decades in his business, where he placed exclusive trust in a small, insular team.

What we consider before using anonymous sources. Do the sources know the information? Whats their motivation for telling us? Have they proved reliable in the past? Can we corroborate the information? Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. Learn more about our process.

The approach that the president took as a businessman and a candidate is simply not scalable to the challenge of filling out the rest of the government leadership, said Max Stier, the president of the Center for Presidential Transition.
WASHINGTON  President Trump has vowed a hiring surge of 10,000 immigration and customs officers to accelerate the deportation of unauthorized immigrants. But the aggressive pace he has laid out risks adding to the ranks of rogue agents who have been charged with abusing immigrants.

Over the past decade, dozens of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and contract guards responsible for the detention and removal of undocumented immigrants have been arrested and charged with beating people, smuggling drugs into detention centers, having sex with detainees and accepting bribes to delay or stop deportations, agency documents and court records show.

One agent took pictures of himself having sex with a minor in a foreign country after dropping off deportees. In another case, an ICE lawyer pretending to be an immigration judge took bribes to remove official documents from the files of people awaiting deportation.

These officials make up a small fraction of the work force at the agency, now comprising almost 20,000 people, but former Homeland Security officials and human rights workers say that even a few bad officers can be a problem because they hold such power over a vulnerable population.
Image The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Me. Credit... Tristan Spinski for The New York Times

When you look at the geography, we certainly line up more with the Atlantic time zone, Ms. Donoghue said. Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and parts of Canada including Nova Scotia are on Atlantic Standard Time now.

Experts say the plan seems unlikely to come to fruition. Even if state legislatures passed these bills  and, so far, only New Hampshires House has  it would require either a regulatory action by the federal Department of Transportation, or an act of Congress. The governors of Massachusetts and Rhode Island have expressed reservations about making such a break.

But the debate has renewed musings about why, exactly, this part of the country is part of a time zone that may better serve cities to its west, and whether the region ought to boldly step away from its neighbors  maybe even on principle.

Why do we essentially torture ourselves  in the spring in particular  and keep changing the clocks and messing everybody up? asked Donna Bailey, a Democratic state representative from Saco, Me., who filed a bill on the matter this year. Under the current form of the bill, she said, Maine would have a referendum on the issue if both Massachusetts and New Hampshire made the switch.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia  A landslide swept through an enormous garbage dump here on the outskirts of Ethiopias capital late on Saturday, killing at least 35 people and leaving several dozen missing, residents said, as officials vowed to relocate those who called the landfill home.

Most of the dead were women and children, and more bodies were expected to be found in the coming hours on Sunday, said Dagmawit Moges, a spokeswoman for the Addis Ababa city government.

It was not immediately clear what caused the landslide at the Koshe Garbage Landfill, which buried several makeshift homes and concrete buildings. The landfill has been a dumping ground for the capitals garbage for more than 50 years.

About 150 people were there when the landslide occurred, said Assefa Teklemahimanot, a resident. Mayor Diriba Kuma said 37 people had been rescued and were receiving medical treatment. Two had serious injuries.
NEW DELHI  Maoist rebels killed 11 Indian police officers and seized their automatic weapons and ammunition after ambushing a foot patrol on Saturday morning in the eastern state of Chattisgarh, according to a police official.

The rebels first set off explosives and then unleashed a barrage of gunfire that lasted for more than an hour, Jitendra Shukla, the additional superintendent of the Sukma district police, said by phone.

The officers returned fire, he said, but the rebel casualties were unknown.

The attack took place in a remote forested area that is a traditional Maoist rebel stronghold. Its road and communication networks are poor, and three wounded officers were evacuated by helicopter, the same method used to remove the bodies of the dead.

Extra police officers had been deployed to the area on Saturday, which is a market day and brings out larger crowds and more vehicles. The patrol was attacked when it was deployed to check a road for planted explosives, Mr. Shukla said.
SEOUL, South Korea  For months, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have gathered almost weekly near the presidential Blue House in Seoul, calling for the departure of Park Geun-hye as South Koreas leader.

On Sunday, two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office on charges of corruption and abuse of power, they got their wish, as Ms. Park left quietly in a motorcade that whisked her to her two-story red brick house in the southern part of the capital.

Ms. Park became the first South Korean leader to be forced out of office in response to popular pressure since the countrys founding president, Syngman Rhee, fled into exile in Hawaii in 1960 after protests against his corrupt, authoritarian rule.

I am sorry that I could not finish the presidential duty that was entrusted to me, Ms. Park said in a brief statement read by one of her former aides to reporters outside her home. I will bear with me all the consequences.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  A bus driver fleeing the scene of an accident drove into crowds of people in northern Haiti early on Sunday, killing at least 38 and injuring about a dozen more, the authorities said.

The bus, which was traveling from Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince, the capital, initially hit two people at a bus stop outside Gonaives in the northern part of the country, according to Joseph Faustin, the head of civil protection for the Artibonite department. One of the two pedestrians was killed, he said.

The bus driver then tried to drive away, but when he reached Mapou, about three miles away, he crashed the bus into three rara parades, Mr. Faustin said.

The parades, which usually take place around Easter, involve groups of musicians playing traditional instruments in the street, often joined by crowds of passers-by.
The F.B.I. has long been stymied in its efforts to get Russian cybercriminals. For a time, the bureau had high hopes that its agents and Russian investigators with the F.S.B. would work together to target Russian thieves who had made a specialty of stealing Americans credit card information and breaking into their bank accounts. Heres to great investigations, F.B.I. and F.S.B. agents would toast each other at Manhattan steakhouses during periodic trust-building visits, Mr. Berglas said.

But help rarely seemed to materialize. After a while, agents began to worry that the Russian authorities were recruiting the very suspects that the F.B.I. was pursuing. The joke among Justice Department officials was the Russians were more likely to pin a medal on a suspected criminal hacker than help the F.B.I. nab him.

Almost all the hackers who have been announced by the U.S. government through indictments are immediately tracked by the Russian government, said Arkady Bukh, a New York-based lawyer who often represents Russian hackers arrested in the United States. All the time theyre asked to provide logistical and technical support.

While it was a widely held suspicion, it is tough to prove the connection between cyberthieves and Russian intelligence. But in one case, Mr. Berglas said, F.B.I. agents monitoring an infected computer were surprised to see a hacker who was the target of their investigation share a copy of his passport with a person the F.B.I. believed to be a Russian intelligence agent  a likely signal that the suspect was being recruited or protected. That was the closest we ever came, he said.

Fishing for Top Secrets

Mr. Bogachevs hacking career began well over a decade ago, leading to the creation of a malicious software program called GameOver ZeuS, which he managed with the help of about a half-dozen close associates who called themselves the Business Club, according to the F.B.I. and security researchers. Working around the clock, his criminal gang infected an ever-growing network of computers. It was able to bypass the most advanced banking security measures to quickly empty accounts and transfer the money abroad through a web of intermediaries called money mules. F.B.I. officials said it was the most sophisticated online larceny scheme they had encountered  and for years, it was impenetrable.

Mr. Bogachev became extremely wealthy. At one point, he owned two villas in France and kept a fleet of cars parked around Europe so he would never have to rent a vehicle while on vacation, according to a Ukrainian law enforcement official with knowledge of the Bogachev case, who requested anonymity to discuss the continuing investigation. Officials say he had three Russian passports with different aliases allowing him to travel undercover.
BERLIN  He was skinny in his trim, dark suit, an almost lupine figure, nervous and unexpectedly youthful for a president of Russia. Taking the lectern beneath the dome of the restored Reichstag, Vladimir V. Putin soon shifted to German, with a fluency that startled the German lawmakers and a pro-West message that reassured them. The Cold War seemed over.

It was 2001, just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, and Mr. Putin pledged solidarity with America while also sketching a vision of Russias European destiny. He was the first Russian leader to address the German Parliament, and lawmakers jumped to their feet, applauding, as many deputies marveled that he could speak their language so well.

Except for Angela Merkel, then the relatively untested leader of the opposition. She joined the standing ovation but turned to say something to a lawmaker who had grown up in the formerly Communist East, as she had. She knew how Mr. Putins German had gotten so good.

Thanks to the Stasi, Ms. Merkel said, a reference to the East German secret police Mr. Putin had worked alongside when he was a young K.G.B. officer in Dresden.
JERUSALEM  The fragile treaty between the two former enemies was not even three years old when a Jordanian soldier went on a shooting rampage and killed seven Israeli schoolgirls visiting a park in a border area known as the Island of Peace.

On Sunday, almost 20 years after that March 13, 1997, attack, the Jordanian authorities released the soldier, Ahmed Daqamseh, a former corporal, after he effectively completed his term.

Amid the grief and outrage over what became known as the Island of Peace massacre, King Hussein, then the ruler of Jordan, managed to salvage the spirit of reconciliation and provide some balm.

The king paid a rare visit to Israel and made condolence calls to each of the bereaved families. Kneeling to speak with them as they sat on the floor in their homes as part of the Jewish mourning custom of shiva, he apologized and said: Your daughter is like my daughter. Your loss is my loss.
MISSOULA 

Sheila Stearns, interim president at the University of Montana, holds a doctoral degree, an Ed.D. in educational leadership.

Former UM President Royce Engstrom, her predecessor, holds a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry.

The late George Dennison led UM before Engstrom, and he earned a Ph.D. in history and received honorary doctorates, too.

The leaders of the Montana flagship achieved the highest degrees possible at an institution of higher education before leading one.

But the next UM president may not have as many letters after her name  or more likely, his name, according to data on university presidents from the American Council on Education.

The draft position advertisement for UM  still being vetted by search committee members  identifies an "earned doctorate/terminal degree from an accredited institution of higher education" as a "preferred" attribute. It is not a requirement.

"It makes me bristle at the faculty level to think of somebody who may not have done the necessary advanced study and research and scholarship" leading UM," said John DeBoer, chair of the UM Faculty Senate and member of the search committee.

DeBoer, whose terminal degree is an MFA, said he wants to be sure UM's next president understands the life of a university and won't become mired in data points for accreditors. But selecting a president is a nuanced undertaking, he said, and he is open to being persuaded based on a person's qualifications.

"My ideal would be somebody who understands the world of doctoral research and understands what it takes to be successful in the classroom and to be a colleague at a university," DeBoer said.

"And for the most part, that requires a terminal degree."

But leading a post-secondary institution is getting more difficult, according to the American Council on Education.

And these days, some schools are breaking the mold.

In 2013, Purdue University brought on Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels as president. Daniels holds a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and is a former CEO.

Just last month, Metropolitan State University in Denver hired as president Janine Davidson, the 32nd undersecretary for the U.S. Navy, according to the Denver Post.

Davidson, who holds a doctoral degree, also taught national security policy and political science at Georgetown University. The Metro trustee chair said Davidson rose to the top of qualified candidates as the "hybrid" candidate  adept inside and outside academia.

A life in academia

According to the American Council on Education, which represents some 1,800 college and university presidents and related executives, the majority of college presidents have spent their careers in higher education. But the council's most recent study of U.S. college presidents also identified a shift.

"The share of presidents whose immediate prior position was outside higher education has increased since 2006 from 13 percent to 20 percent," according to the 2012 report, "The American College President Study"; a current survey is underway for the 2016-2017 report.

At the same time, the report noted presidents for the most part still have served as faculty members, although the number slipped a hair: "The share of presidents who have been full-time faculty members remained virtually unchanged between 2011 (70 percent) and 1986 (75 percent)."

James McCormick, guiding the recruitment at UM as a consultant with AGB Search, said the majority of applicants likely will have a doctorate. AGB Search doesn't necessarily promote candidates outside academia, he said, but it does encourage casting a wide net in the beginning of a recruitment.

"We recommend it: Keep the funnel a little bit open for that rare individual that might be a little non-traditional," McCormick said.

Then, search committee members can narrow the field with applications in hand.

Experience wanted

At Purdue, faculty members weren't keen on bringing the state governor to take the reins, said Ralph Webb, faculty ombudsperson.

"Some said (Daniels) probably wouldn't even have been hired as a faculty member at a major university with his credentials," said Webb, also a communications professor.

"But he came in to be our president, and that was a concern. There's no doubt about it."

Several years later, faculty members have moderated their views somewhat, Webb said. Faculty members still express concerns at times about the administration's lack of understanding when it comes to academic functions, but he said the hire has turned out to be neutral from a faculty perspective.

"From other perspectives, it's turned out to be positive," Webb said.

Daniels froze tuition when no one else had the courage to do it, and his outreach to the state leaders, the business community and alumni has been a success, Webb said. If given the chance, he believes the faculty would vote to retain Daniels, albeit not unanimously.

"He is viewed as a tremendous fundraiser, and his ties to the community beyond Purdue are very strong and positive," Webb said.

As he sees it, university presidents need to know how to raise money, and he would advise a search committee to consider a candidate's ability to draw donations, be innovative and attract business relationships.

"You have to have a person in control who knows how to raise money," Webb said. "And that means business or politics has to be part and parcel of the individual's background, and you can't take a professor in some academic unit and make that person the president of a university and expect the university to grow and develop. It just won't happen."

Leadership skills

The American Association of University Professors has a longstanding position that a university president "should be equally qualified to serve both as the executive officer of the governing board and as the chief academic officer of the institution and the faculty."

"I would actually interpret this to go far beyond simply having a terminal degree," said Hans-Joerg Tiede, with the American Association of University Professors.

The educational world is different than the business world, and it needs to be, Tiede said. For one thing, the governance model at a university, with some decision-making delegated to faculty, differs from the often top-down model in business.

Plus, he said, people coming from the business side aren't always familiar with the concepts of academic freedom and tenure and the reasons they're important in higher education.

"Those are not things one learns in the business world, necessarily," Tiede said. "It would just tremendously increase the learning curve when taking such an important position."

In fact, McCormick said it can take leaders from outside academia awhile to grasp the concept of shared governance, a long tradition in higher education. It's hard to generalize, he said, but the business world and the military don't operate that way.

"Sometimes, the people from business don't always do very well, don't last very long," McCormick said.

On the other hand, he said, a visionary and inclusive leader can come from a variety of fields, and he's pleased the committee at UM isn't excluding candidates from the outset.

"I think the most important thing is excellent leadership can come from a variety of sources, and this is about leadership," McCormick said.

The committee hopes to bring finalists to campus for public presentations in the fall.
Owners Cheryl Dennison and Kelley Becker are adding to the number of vendors at their The Craft & Vendor Marketplace, which opened March 1 at its new, much larger location at 511 Main St. in downtown La Crosse.

The business had been at 125 S. Sixth St. since it first opened in August 2015. There, it shared a storefront with Kathys Cookie Co., which remains in business.

The marketplaces two owners plan to hold a grand reopening celebration during Downtown Mainstreet Inc.s Spring Fling open house on April 21.

At its new first-floor and mezzanine-level location, the marketplace sells the creations of local artists and crafters, as well as direct sales products.

Dennison sells Avon products, and Becker sells Young Living Essential Oils, and both product lines are available at the marketplace. Becker also makes and sells crocheted items such as scarves, hats, purses and beverage koozies.

We outgrew our space at the Sixth Street location, Becker said. And the new location has better visibility, she added.

We had about 28 vendors on average in a 600-square-foot space at the original location, Dennison said. At Christmas time we had about 40 vendors, but we had every nook and cranny filled. It was tight.

At the new Main Street location, the market has more than 3,000 square feet of display area. Becker said thats enough for about 75 vendors, and about 45 already have moved in.

With more space, the marketplace also for the first time has enough room for larger merchandise, such as repurposed furniture.

Some of the other merchandise for sale in the marketplace includes rosemaling items, greeting cards, signs, jewelry, pet collars, pet beds, pet clothing, aprons, socks, childrens apparel, etched glassware and rustic decor.

Were looking to get (vendors who have) specialty food items like candy, jams and jellies, honey and maple syrup, Becker said. Coon Valley Candy Co. fudge is expected to be available at the marketplace in April.

Becker and Dennison also are looking for vendors who make and sell such things as handmade soap and lotions.

In their new, larger quarters, they said, there is room for vendors who might be interested in a space where they can both make and sell their products. And theres a space where vendors could give classes on such things as painting, knitting or basket weaving. Were open to new ideas, Dennison said.

Everybodys booth complements everybody elses booth, Becker said. Customers can shop at the marketplace for unique items that arent found in large stores, the two owners said.

They became friends about five years ago, when both were selling Avon products.

They were selling at area craft shows before they decided to start the marketplace.

It was a lot of work for one day, Becker said of selling at craft shows. We decided it would be easier if we were selling in a store. A lot of our vendors are telling us the same thing.

Theres a lot of packing and unpacking involved in selling at a craft show, Dennison said. And some of the craft shows can be so far away.

Dennison also said downtown La Crosse seemed like a good place to open the marketplace. Downtown La Crosse has been changing so much, with new businesses opening, she said.

Im a true believer that everything happens for a reason, Dennison said of moving the business to its current larger location. We love this space. It has so much character.
The Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act was released early last week, and it has already marched through consideration in two important committees. Yet members of Congress debated the policy details without essential information: The bill had not yet been scored by the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan group of budget analysts and economists whose job is to forecast the bills consequences over the next decade or so.

That score is expected this week, and its estimates could make or break the Republicans plan. (The White House has pre-emptively cast doubt on the C.B.O. report.)

We asked experts from both parties  health economists, consultants and people who led the C.B.O.  to provide some plausible estimates for the reports most important questions. Their answers provide a useful background for understanding the bounds of the possible in the report and why theres so much uncertainty around its estimates. Were displaying each experts high and low estimate separately.

What will the long-term cost be?

Estimated 10-year impact on the federal deficit

Republicans are passing their health reform package through a special budget process called reconciliation. For the bill to qualify, the C.B.O. will need to say that the bill would save the federal budget at least $2 billion over 10 years. That is a relatively small amount in federal budget terms, but most of our panelists thought there was at least a chance the plan would fall short. If it does, Republicans will need to make changes before the bill can proceed.

More broadly, finding some savings in the bill may be important to sell it politically. Republicans have long railed against Obamacare as expensive and unsustainable. But Democrats balanced out the Affordable Care Acts new spending with new taxes and cuts to Medicare. The Republican plan would spend less on providing health insurance to the poor, but it also eliminates all the Obamacare taxes, reducing the revenue coming into the federal government.

How many people will lose their health insurance?

Increase in the number of uninsured people in 2026, compared with current projections

President Trump has promised that his plan will cover everybody. This legislation wont do that. Forecasts from our experts ranged widely, but all of them thought that the bill would result in more Americans becoming uninsured. House Speaker Paul Ryan has also acknowledged that the Republican bill would cover fewer Americans than Obamacare. But the size of the coverage losses is what matters: Some senators who would be comfortable voting on a bill that causes five million people to lose their insurance might be less comfortable endorsing it if it would lead to losses of 20 million.

An earlier Republican plan, which would have simply repealed Obamacares major coverage provisions, was expected to cause 32 million people to lose health insurance by the end of the decade. If the numbers for this bill start looking close to those numbers, some conservatives who prefer the simpler repeal bill may be less enthusiastic about this one.

How much will premiums change?

Change in premium cost of a Silver plan (or its equivalent) for a 40-year-old in 2026, compared with current projections

Premium cost is a major complaint among Republicans, who have argued that Obamacare made insurance too unaffordable to be attractive to many Americans. But several of our experts think the result of the reform bill will be to raise, not lower, insurance premiums. The Republican plan doesnt change many of the regulations that critics say made Obamacare plans expensive, like its requirements that insurers charge the same prices to healthy and sick people, or its rule that every health plan cover a set of minimum benefits.

Many economists believe that the laws tax credits will not be generous enough to bring as many poor, healthy people into the market as the Obamacare tax credits did. And it does away with the individual mandate, a provision of the law some experts think encourages healthy customers to sign up. The result could be a smaller pool of people who are sicker and more expensive to insure. The plan does make some changes that would tend to lower insurance prices, which is why some of our experts think prices could be a little lower under the new plan.

How many people will lose Medicaid coverage?

Decrease in number of Medicaid recipients in 2026, compared with current projections

The Republican bill makes two major changes to Medicaid, both of which are likely to depress enrollment in the program. Thats why all of our experts estimate substantial reductions in the number of Americans in the program.

Obamacare allowed states to expand Medicaid to cover more poor adults without children. The bill lets that expansion stand, but would cut the funding the federal government would give states to provide care to that population. The law also reduces the long-term funding the federal government will give states to cover all Medicaid beneficiaries, even those who were in the program before Obamacare. The C.B.O.s calculations on the effects may depend more on political predictions than the budget analysis, since it will have to estimate how states will respond to these changes.

How will employer-based insurance change?

Change in recipients of employer-sponsored coverage in 2026, compared with current projections

Far more Americans get their insurance from work than buy it directly, and many people with work-based insurance are happy with what they have. That means that any prediction that the policy will lead people to lose their work-based coverage could be unwelcome news for Republicans.

The Republican bill eliminates an Obamacare provision that fines employers that dont cover their workers. It also offers more generous tax credits to higher earners, who currently tend to get insurance through work. Employers of middle-class workers who would be reluctant to drop coverage and leave workers empty-handed might feel differently under this system. That mix of policies could lead more employers to drop coverage than they would under the current law.
Millions of Americans may be worse off under the House Republican bill to replace the Affordable Care Act. But some, particularly those who are wealthier, may actually fare better.

Below are some examples of how the proposals effects could play out.

Better under new plan

You are a 50-year-old single man in Illinois who owns a plumbing business and makes $75,000 a year.

You would get more in tax credits under the Republican plan.

You would qualify for $3,500 in tax credits to help pay your insurance premium; at your income, you would have gotten no financial help from Obamacare.

The Republican plan, named the American Health Care Act, offers tax credits based on age for people earning that kind of income or less. Obamacare cuts off financial assistance for upper-middle-class people. The Republican plan offers more help further up the income scale.

Better under Obamacare

You are 35 and do intermittent construction work in Indiana. You have been insured through Medicaid since your state expanded eligibility.

Theres a chance you may eventually lose Medicaid coverage.

You didnt have health insurance before Obamacare. Before Indiana extended Medicaid to adults earning up to 138 percent of the poverty level, about $16,000 for a single person like you, you could never afford insurance with your earnings.

Under the Republican plan, you may be able to keep this coverage, but because federal funding to states will be substantially reduced in 2020, you will eventually be at the mercy of the state budget. Indiana may stop offering Medicaid to people like you, or may pare back the medical services it offers.

The new plan gives you another option: If you lose Medicaid, you will qualify for a $2,500 tax credit to buy your own insurance based on your age. But it may not cover enough of the cost of your insurance premium. And you also could not get additional help with deductibles or co-payments. In general, the Republican plan is much less generous to people like you who are lower on the income scale.

Better under Obamacare

You are a 28-year-old who was recently laid off from a higher-paying job, and now make $20,000 as a barista in California.

You would receive less in tax subsidies and could be penalized for having a lapse in coverage.

If you were a little younger, you might be able to go on your parents health plan. Obamacare allows adult children to stay in a family plan until age 26, and the Republican plan wouldnt take that away.

But since you are 28, you could instead get $2,000 toward your insurance premium under the Republican plan. Thats substantially less than what youd receive under Obamacare; your low income would qualify you for substantially more assistance.

Under Obamacare, you would qualify not just for help buying insurance, but also for additional subsidies to lower your co-payments and deductible. The Republican proposal would eliminate that second kind of financial help.

You would need to find a way to pay for insurance soon, because you could be penalized for a gap in coverage of longer than two months. Anyone who drops coverage would be charged 30 percent more, for up to a year, compared with someone who never had a coverage lapse.

Better under new plan

You are a 40-year-old lawyer with two children who makes $250,000 a year at a New York City law firm.

You would be able to save more money tax-free.

You have very generous employer health coverage. The Republican plan would postpone enactment of a looming tax on health plans like yours, making it less likely your employer would cut back. It would also allow you to save twice as much money each year, tax-free, in a health savings account  up to $13,100 starting in 2018.

Youd also get a tax break on your wages and on any investment income. The Republican plan is much better than Obamacare for high-income people with employer-based coverage.

Better under Obamacare

You are a 45-year-old assistant store manager earning $34,000 at a retailer that provides health insurance in Washington State.

Your employer may stop offering coverage.

You currently have health insurance through work, in part because Obamacare required larger companies to provide affordable insurance or face penalties.

But the Republican plan would eliminate the penalties, which means that your company may be less likely to keep providing health insurance. Retail is an industry in which employers may be more likely to drop coverage, because labor costs are high and margins tend to be small.

If your employer dropped your coverage, you would qualify for a $3,000 tax credit to buy your own insurance. But youd probably have to pay a lot more out of your own pocket for the entire premium than you pay now through your employer.

Outcome unclear

You are a 64-year-old married accountant with diabetes in Texas. Your household income is about $65,000, and you buy your own health insurance.

You would get more in tax credits but would most likely pay higher premiums.

Because you and your wife are both over 60, you will receive $8,000 in tax credits to pay your premiums. Under Obamacare, you qualified for a small subsidy because of your income, but the new plan offers you more financial help.

Nevertheless, you may not fare better over all under the Republican plan, because the price of your insurance would be substantially higher than it is under Obamacare.

Obamacare lets insurance companies charge 64-year-old customers like you only three times as much as the youngest customers. But the Republican plan would allow insurers to charge you five times the price for young adults. That means that only a small fraction of insurance shoppers in their 60s  only those in markets with unusually low premiums  will be better off.

Better under Obamacare

You are a single mother in Utah earning $47,000 a year. Your 6-year-old son has cerebral palsy and gets health insurance through Medicaid.

Your son risks losing services he needs through Medicaid.

Your son needs a lot of health services, and Medicaid picks up a lot of the bills. Utah did not expand Medicaid under Obamacare, but your son already qualified for services under the programs provisions for persons with disabilities.

The Republican plan would change the way the program is financed for patients like your son. Beginning in 2020, the federal government would start paying fixed sums to the state every year, instead of a set percentage of your sons medical bills.
Students from area schools will participate in a Wisconsin School Music Association sanctioned District Solo & Ensemble Music Festival hosted at Tomah High School Saturday, March 18. During the festival, which is free and open to the public, students will perform vocal and instrumental solos, duets, trios and small ensembles before an adjudicator.

WSMA music festivals annually attract thousands of students from middle, junior high and high schools throughout Wisconsin. The festival will draw students from a number of area schools, including Black River Falls High School, Black River Falls Middle School, Sparta High School and Tomah High School.

Charles OBrien, music director from Tomah High School, will be serving as the festival manager.

WSMA enjoys a long tradition of providing quality music education experiences to over 100,000 students annually. Festivals provide students with an opportunity to enrich their musical abilities and understandings as they perform and receive feedback from qualified adjudicators, and as they observe and listen to the performances of their peers, said WSMA executive director Timothy Schaid.

Schaid said WSMA music festivals support school music programs as part of a comprehensive education by encouraging the study of quality music literature, motivating students to prepare and perform to the best of their abilities, improving students understanding of music literature and concepts (performance through understanding) and providing a performance assessment to improve individual and group achievement.
This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.





The "Wahhabi" ideology, instrumentalized by the West and its allies to grow terrorism, is the polar opposite to the religion of Islam as practiced and taught, for example, by Syria's Grand Mufti, or by Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, political and media advisor to President Assad, who asserts that "(t)hose who kill in the name of Islam, those who destroy in the name of Islam, are not Muslims at all."

Whereas "Wahhabism" is exploited to create hate and intolerance, Islam is a religion of love and peace.

Canada's sectarian terrorist proxies in Syria -- "moderates" do not exist, and never did -- commit genocide and all manner of horrific crimes in the name of Islam, but they are in fact anti-Islamic.

When the Canadian government presents itself as opposing Islamophobia, it is being willfully duplicitous, since Canada supports and nurtures the Saudi Arabian-style "Wahhabism" and sectarianism in Syria and beyond. And it is this toxic ideology that creates fertile ground for Islamophobia, not the genuine Islam as taught and practiced in Syria.

Canadians are misled to believe, in the first instance, that we oppose sectarianism in Syria -- which is a Big Lie -- and in the second instance, that we support secular, democratic governance, and pluralism in Syria -- another Big Lie.

If the Canadian government supported secular governance and pluralism in Syria, as opposed to hatred, intolerance, and Sharia law, then it would be supporting, rather than trying to destroy, Syria's legitimate government.

Before the West's pre-planned, dirty/government-change war against Syria, the country was blessed with a secular government, and a diverse, tolerant population, where Mosques and Christian churches stood side by side in peace and harmony. And this is still the case in government-secured territories -- which include most of Syria now.

But imperialists need to generate lies and hatred to advance their country-destroying agendas, and this is what the Canadian government and its supine agencies, including the corporate fake media, have done, and continue to do.

The Nuttall/Korody synthetic-terror case, for example, was engineered to create, rather than to suppress, Islamophobia.

The demonization of Syria's elected president, Bashar al-Assad, also serves to create Islamophobia, since fake media conflates his government with Islam and Muslims, when in fact it is a secular government. Even the demonization of Russia creates Islamophobia, since it is common knowledge (or at least it should be) that Russia is waging a successful war against sectarian terrorism in Syria, even as Canada and its allies support the aforementioned terrorists. Mainstream media "perception managers" would have us believe that the sectarian terrorists are "moderate", or that they represent a civilized alternative to Syria's elected government, and that Russia is therefore "bad" for destroying the terrorists. So, in its words and deeds, Canada is tacitly presenting sectarian terrorists as representative of "Islam" or "Muslims", which is an inversion of the truth. The terrorists in Syria are anti-Islamic.

Terrorists who commit genocide, who deal in sex slaves, who commit torture and mass beheadings, who engage in organ harvesting and traffic in drugs, are in no way Islamic.

Canada's deeds in Syria, and its false messaging about Syria, create and sustain Islamophobia. Empty words from hollow politicians simply disguise the truth.

The original source of this article is Global Research

Copyright Mark Taliano, Global Research, 2017
"Financial records obtained by The Times show that, as Celerity's CEO, [Vielka McFarlane] paid for many of these expenses with a credit card belonging to her charter schools, which receive the bulk of their funding from the state. "

- Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2017



(Image by Carl Petersen) Details DMCA

denied two Celerity charter renewals in October LAUSD Charter School Division (CSD) Director Jose' Cole-Gutie'rrez was quoted as saying that they had "severe concerns with regard to their lack of transparency. We are not even clear who the board members are." Since then, the FBI and other federal agents have raided the offices of Celerity Educational Group "collecting laptops and copying data from computers". The Los Angeles Times has also written two exposes on the publicly funded private schools that included charges that Celerity provided "few school supplies but [held] a lavish party" and the CEO, who was paid $471,842, paid for extravagant "expenses with a credit card belonging to her charter schools". All this was not enough to stop the district from offering Celerity co-location space at Arminta Street Elementary School under Proposition 39.

At a parent meeting on Thursday morning to discuss this proposed co-location, Cole-Gutie'rrez explained away his department's offering of the site by claiming that the law does not allow him to use the existence of the investigation to reject Celerity's request for space. However, this ignores the fact that the CSD has already used information that it has collected to recommend against the approval of two new Celerity charters along with the renewals that were rejected in October. In all of these cases, the concerns extended beyond the individual school sites to include the charter-management organization that runs them. Since all of the Celerity run schools are tainted, it is clear that instead of working to find Celerity new facilities, the district should have been putting its efforts into shutting these charters down.

The parents of Arminta have organized themselves to fight the co-location at their public school and were well prepared for the meeting. They pushed to find out how much work the CSD had put into verifying that Celerity actually had enough potential students to meet the need for additional co-located space but they were not given the information that they requested. During his presentation, Cole-Gutie'rrez did say that the fact that Celerity was already operating under the same charter at Sun Valley Middle School met the requirement for presenting "meaningfully interested students." However, these estimates were presented in November, before the FBI raids or the stories in the Times, which are likely to severely affect new enrollments. Parents also seemed dissatisfied with the District's answer to how Celerity can operate at two different school sites that are more than a mile apart and still be considered one school operating under a single charter.



(Image by Carl Petersen) Details DMCA



The one piece of good news to come out of the meeting was that Celerity is not currently interested in accepting the LAUSD's offer of space. However, this will only give the school a respite for a year. Since the district has determined that the school has "available space", this community may find itself battling another parasite next year.

____________________________________________

Carl Petersen is a parent and special education advocate and was a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race.

He was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action and

Diane Ravitch called him a "

." His past blogs can be found at

.
From Consortium News

Civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart, who died March 7 from cancer, saw her condition worsen while she was in prison as a result of her legal representation of Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, an Egyptian cleric who was convicted of planning terror attacks. The U.S. government then won a conviction against Stewart for passing on messages to the Sheikh's friends and supporters.

Journalist Chris Hedges wrote about Stewart in 2014 after Stewart was released having served four years of a 10-year sentence. Suffering from terminal cancer, she received a compassionate release after thousands protested and signed petitions against her continued incarceration.

Hedges wrote: "The lynching and disbarring of civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart, who because she has terminal cancer was recently released from prison after serving four years of a 10-year sentence, is a window into the collapse of the American legal system. Stewart -- who has stood up to state power for more than three decades in order to give a voice to those whom authorities seek to crush, who has spent her life defending the poor and the marginalized, who wept in court when one of her clients was barred from presenting a credible defense -- is everything a lawyer should be in an open society. But we no longer live in an open society. The persecution of Stewart is the persecution of us all."

Stewart upheld the tradition of the people's lawyer as embodied in the work of Clarence Darrow and William Kunstler. Like them, she deeply believed that all people deserved a vigorous defense.

I interviewed Stewart for the Flashpoints show on Pacifica Radio, along with her husband, Ralph Poynter, in 2014, right after her release from Maximum Security prison in New York.

Dennis Bernstein: Why do you think they put you in jail? Is it because for a zillion years you represented the poorest of the poor, the people who really had the right to be represented, but not the money?

Lynne Stewart: Well, I think it's a combination really of wanting to send a warning shot, as we say, to ice the zeal of lawyers who represent such people. I mean, the fact of the matter is that I was the stalking horse, and they wanted to let lawyers know they could represent controversial people but they had to do so within the bounds set by the government: "Do it our way." Don't do it the way, you and the client, I mean which is traditional thing. You sit with the client, you decide on a strategy and you do it. But, no, they wanted to make it, "You have to do it within the parameters we suggest." And that, of course, is a terrible incursion on the attorney/client privilege, and the relationship.

DB: How thoroughly were you and your clients bugged?

LS: Well, we didn't know it, at the time. But, it was visits, in a prison setting, and they recorded everything. They had audio and visual. And it was very funny because they couldn't put it like where we would be seeing a camera or anything, so they mounted it above our heads. So you see these hands moving across a table. The Sheikh's hands, my hands, my interpreter's... really showing nothing. But they liked that, they liked that, just everything they could get.

DB: And where are we? Here we are, 2014, where we're seeing endless revelations about the level of national security activities that undermine all the core aspects of free speech. How would you evaluate where we are now, in that world of first amendment free speech? Do we have any left?

LS: Well, I tell you, it was interesting. You know, of course, we raised that as an issue for the case, when I was indicted. That their intrusion in 6th amendment sacred precincts should preclude them from being able to prosecute. However, by that time, the Patriot Act had been passed, in the interim between the time they did it, and the time that we raised this. And it was more or less to say, well, under the Patriot Act they could do it, so what's the problem?

Even though it was not done under the Patriot Act. But it's the halo effect of the Patriot Act that allowed them to do it. And I think that that covers a lot of situations nowadays. Now they want to be able to take someone's cell phone, which is really a mini-computer. And if you're arrested they can get any information off there, including medical information, including any information that's private and confidential. So the fact of the matter is, I think we all have to say ourselves [...] "What would I say, freewheeling. They're out there, they can get anything they want, whenever they want it." And we act accordingly.

DB: Lynne Stewart in the studio, she's free, she's with us. What's the advice [for lawyers]? Should they take on these tough clients? Should they be afraid?

LS: Well, [...] I was being interviewed today by an AP reporter from New York, who was doing a thing on how people who represent difficult clients are punished personally and professionally. And so we were talking about this very point and he said, "Do you see anybody coming along that's going to take your place, that could do what you did?" And I said, "There are some folks, I count my own son as one of them, although he does it in a very low key way without publicity, etc."

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From Down With Tyranny

Yesterday, the Washington Post published what everyone in DC is thinking, namely that "Trump enters week seven of his presidency the same as the six before it: enmeshed in controversy while struggling to make good on his campaign promises. At a time when the White House had sought to ride the momentum from Trump's speech to Congress and begin advancing its agenda on Capitol Hill, the administration finds itself beset yet again by disorder and suspicion.

At the center of the turmoil is an impatient president increasingly frustrated by his administration's inability to erase the impression that his campaign was engaged with Russia, to stem leaks about both national security matters and internal discord and to implement any signature achievements... That angst over what many in the White House call the "deep state" is fermenting daily, fueled by rumors and tidbits picked up by Trump allies within the intelligence community and by unconfirmed allegations that have been made by right-wing commentators. The "deep state" is a phrase popular on the right for describing entrenched networks hostile to Trump... Funny, I always thought the Deep State described entrenched networks hostile to progressives and to anyone fighting against what Trump stands for.

And Bannon and his faction, now clearly dominant in the White House, are making certain all the blame for the chaos and disorder falls on the hapless Reince Priebus, a kind of Insider who's an outsider among the neo-Nazi true-believers surrounding and manipulating Trump. Friday morning's Trump meltdown over Jeff Sessions recusing himself has everyone buzzing that someone's going to be fired. Alex Isenstadt is always a good source for well-sourced Beltway gossip and he wrote yesterday that "With the White House struggling to gain its footing almost two months into Donald Trump's presidency, administration officials are increasingly putting the blame on one person: Reince Priebus."

Isenstadt's sources all blame poor Reince, an ally of the hated Paul Ryan, who White House sources describe disdainfully as "a micro-manager who sprints from one West Wing meeting to another, inserting himself into conversations big and small and leaving many staffers feeling as if he's trying to block their access to Trump. They vented about his determination to fill the administration with his political allies. And they expressed alarm at what they say are directionless morning staff meetings Priebus oversees that could otherwise be used to rigorously set the day's agenda and counterbalance the president's own unpredictability.

The finger-pointing further complicates life in an already turmoil-filled West Wing, one that has been hobbled by dueling power centers and unclear lines of command... Trump is said to be unhappy that Priebus tries to keep Putin stooges like Corey Lewandowski away from the White House -- for Trump's own good -- and the so-called president goes out of his way to circumvent his chief of staff and invite the Putin squad in for secret meetings that Priebus doesn't get asked to sit in on.

"There's a real frustration among many -- including from the president -- that things aren't going as smoothly as one had hoped," said one senior administration official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. "Reince, fairly or not, is likely to take the blame and take the fault for that."



"It's sheer incompetence," said another White House official. "There's a lack of management, and a lack of strategy."



The White House vigorously disputed the notion that Priebus is losing the confidence of senior West Wing staff. Senior officials say the president respects the chief of staff for his deep relationships on Capitol Hill, and that no staff shakeup is expected in the immediate future.



...It is unfair to finger Priebus alone for the administration's missteps. Much of the fault can be assigned to the president himself -- a notoriously unpredictable figure who relishes drama. Priebus himself has been caught off guard by a number of controversies -- the latest on Saturday, when he awoke to a series of Trump tweets, some of which accused former President Barack Obama, without evidence, of wiretapping Trump Tower phone lines.



The staff scrambled throughout the day to craft a statement that didn't anger the president but also didn't create any further headaches. Priebus has frequently lamented that he can't control the president's comments and spends much of his time in damage-control mode.



And despite the scrutiny focused on him, Priebus has won credit inside the White House for helping to engineer the roll-out of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and playing a central role in overseeing Trump's well-received congressional address last week.



The focus on Priebus comes at a time of growing distress for the president, who has taken to asking Cabinet members and White House officials for their thoughts on how his chief of staff is performing. Priebus did not accompany Trump on a trip this weekend to Florida, an absence that left many wondering whether Trump, who complained loudly to top aides during a tense Oval Office meeting on Friday over how things in his White House were going, had put his chief of staff in the doghouse.



Some contended that, in such a free-wheeling atmosphere, Priebus has struggled to provide structure. Several aides expressed unhappiness with the daily 8 a.m. senior staff meeting that he runs out of his office. With three flat-screen TVs usually on, the agenda is sometimes driven by that day's news programs. The gatherings, which often last only 15 to 20 minutes, are typically organized round-robin style, with department heads giving 30-second updates on whatever it is they're working on.





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Imagine if the U.S. Constitution barred the EPA and Department of Education from existing. All union protections are dead, there are no more federal workplace safety standards, and even child-labor laws are struck down, along with a national minimum wage.

Imagine that the Constitution makes it illegal for the federal government to protect you from big polluters, big banks and even big food and pharma -- all are free to rip you off or poison you all they want, and your only remedy is in state courts and legislatures, because the Constitution prevents Congress from doing anything about any of it. The federal government can't even enforce voting or civil rights laws.

To add injury to insult, the federal government has to shut down Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, because all of these programs (along with food stamps, housing supports and any programs that help the middle class, the less fortunate or disabled) are "beyond the reach" of what the federal government can do.

A few years ago, it would have been a thought experiment; now it's nearly reality. Billionaires and the groups they fund are working to rewrite our Constitution to provide corporations and the rich with more and more protections and benefits, and chop away at anything smelling of "socialism" like Social Security or child labor laws.

The fact is that they're just a few states away from meeting their goal, and have already held dress rehearsals in Washington D.C. -- with representatives from all 50 states -- for a Constitutional Convention that would change America forever.

The Constitution (arguably) provides for three ways to change or amend itself. The first is that Congress can propose a constitutional amendment, pass it with a super-majority in both houses, and have three-quarters of the states ratify it. This is the way it's been done for every one of the existing 27 amendments.

The second strategy is done by using Article 5 of the Constitution and driving the process up from the states. The easiest way to do this is for three-quarters of the states to legislatively approve (with majority votes in each state) an amendment, in which case Congress is unnecessary and upon ratification by the 38th state, it becomes a permanent amendment to the Constitution.

While this strategy has never been used, it's why many of the good government groups like Move To Amend and Public Citizen are pushing for a "Corporations are not people, and money is not speech" amendment.

The third -- and incredibly dangerous -- strategy to amend the Constitution is to simply call a "Convention of the States," again using Article 5, and open the entire document itself up to rewriting and tinkering through the brute-force method of multiple amendments that can effectively rewrite any part of the Constitution.

This third strategy is the one being used right now, as you're reading these words, in a very well-funded effort by right-wing oligarchs. If they can pull it off in the states (where it's cheaper to buy politicians), then Congress, the president and even the courts would have no say over it.

Their goal appears to be to put into the Constitution specific prohibitions against any programs (from Social Security to Medicare to food stamps) that they've always viewed as "unconstitutional socialism," and to permanently enshrine in the Constitution the "right" of corporations and billionaires to own politicians and spend unlimited monies to influence elections and ballot measures. It would effectively turn America into a feudal state owned by the people FDR called the "economic royalists."

The group leading this charge is called Citizens for Self-Governance, which SourceWatch.org says, "is a right-wing political organization tied to Eric O'Keefe that is campaigning for an Article V convention to amend the U.S. Constitution. Through its 'Convention of States' project, CSG promotes an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution pursuant to Article V, which provides that thirty-four states (two-thirds) can trigger a convention to propose an amendment, which must then be ratified by 38 states (three-fourths)."

They add, "CSG director Eric O'Keefe has deep ties to Charles and David Koch and has been a founder and funder of numerous right-wing groups including Wisconsin Club for Growth," and the CSG, "through its Convention of States project, is pushing for a constitutional convention in order to severely restrict federal power, for example by redefining the Commerce Clause to prohibit Congress from enacting child labor or anti-discrimination laws, or by adding a balanced budget requirement."

And they're actually doing it. As Wikipedia notes,

"In December 2013, nearly 100 legislators from 32 states met at Mount Vernon to talk about how to call a convention of states. ... In February 2014, U.S. Senator Tom Coburn announced that after his retirement from Congress, he would focus on promoting the Convention of States to state legislatures.

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At least six U.S. states are challenging President Donald Trump's Muslim Ban 2.0 executive order that bars new visas for people from six Muslim countries and temporarily shuts down the U.S. refugee program.

On March 8, the state of Hawaii filed suit, arguing the new federal order will harm Muslims living in the state. As of March 10, five other states have joined together in a combined challenge to the latest order from Trump.

The West Coast state of Washington, which played a leading role in resisting the Muslim Ban 1.0 order, asked a federal judge in Seattle to affirm that a court order suspending enforcement of Trump's January 27 edict also applies to the new version released by the White House on March 6.

The states of Oregon, Minnesota, and New York have joined Washington State's legal action, and Massachusetts announced Thursday that it, too, will take part when an amended complaint is filed next week.

Bob Ferguson, Washington State's Attorney General, said the states have a solid legal argument. The president's new immigration order is "narrower" than the original version, Ferguson said, but "that does not mean that it's cured its constitutional problems."

California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia too have filed briefs supporting Washington's initial lawsuit.

Interestingly, a federal judge in Seattle who issued a nationwide halt to Trump's original travel restrictions denied a motion to have the same ruling apply to the modified measures, saying at least one of the parties must first file additional court papers.

New order to take effect March 16

Trump signed a new executive order on March 6 barring citizens from six countries -- Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen -- from traveling to the United States for three months, and suspended for four months a U.S. refugee-resettlement program.

Foreign travelers who received visas to the United States before January 22, or who already are legal permanent residents of the U.S. are exempted from the new order.

The revised order removed Iraq from the list of countries whose nationals were to be barred from entering the United States, and also clarified the exempt status of "green card" holders -- legal permanent residents.

A federal judge will hold a hearing on Hawaii's lawsuit on Wednesday, March 15, one day before the new ban is to take effect. A federal judge in Maryland, Theodore Chuang, has also scheduled a hearing in the case for March 15.

A religious leader's mother-in-law living in Syria is playing a large part in Hawaii's lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's travel ban.

Imam Ismail Elshikh of the Muslim Association of Hawaii is a plaintiff in the state's challenge. He says the ban will prevent his Syrian mother-in-law from visiting him.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin says people like Elshikh's mother-in-law have fewer rights than U.S. citizens. But Chin says the imam is a U.S. citizen, has rights and would be prevented from seeing his mother-in-law.

The mother-in-law is awaiting approval of a visa to see her relatives in Hawaii. Chin says the woman and others have become victims because of the ban's "standardless set of waivers and exceptions that weren't set by Congress."

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This is one of those rare occasions when I dont have much to say. Thats not true. I have plenty to say, it just doesnt want to come out in any semblance of coherency, logic or even the Queens English.

So Im going to dive right into the recipes.

Today we have a sauerkraut soup recipe for Loretta Nockels of La Crosse, who requested sauerkraut soup with pork and dumplings. I found it online at tasteofhomem.com. It was published initially in one of Taste of Homes sister magazines in 1994. The home cook who shared it with Taste of Home explained My mother used to make this soup quite often while I was growing up on a farm in Warwick, Alberta. Her mothers recipe didnt include the smoked sausage or bacon, but she says I added my own touch  spicing it up a bit with the bacon and smoked sausage. I really enjoy the zesty flavor that they add. I think I would prefer just the pork.

This recipe did not include dumplings, but I found a recipe for Bavarian dumplings, that I think would go nicely with the soup. You could skip the mushroom sauce. Im anxious to try this sauerkraut soup and just as anxious to try the dumplings. When I make onion or chicken soup with dumplings, I usually have to make a triple or quadruple batch of dumplings, but the pictures that I found of Bavarian dumplings show them to be large, about two to three times the size of meatballs, so you might want to make them once before you decide to do any doubling.

As anyone with a drop of Irish blood is no doubt already aware, Friday is St. Patricks Day. I remember St. Patricks Day falling on a Friday twice before, and since Fridays in Lent are supposed to be meatless, it makes for a bit of a quandary, at least for the Catholics  one Bishop made an allowance for St. Patricks Day, and one did not. But the corned beef and cabbage or as in our case, the Reuben sandwiches, will taste just as good on Thursday or Saturday.

Green beer is okay on Friday, but in moderation (which as we all know is not a problem for those of us with our roots in the old sod).

In celebration of St. Patricks Day, I found a couple of interesting Irish recipes for you to try. The first is likely to make the most unique nachos youll ever come across.

The second recipe is for a crunchy cabbage casserole, which might make a nice alternative side dish, instead of boiled cabbage with your corned beef.

Heres a bit of Irish trivia: Slainte! Weve all heard this term many times, but what does it really mean? Good health! It is an ancient Irish expression derived from the word slan, meaning safe. According to irishcentral.com, a reader survey determined that slainte is the most used Irish expression in America. You raise your glass and salute each others good health before taking your first sip.

Well keep looking for sauerkraut soup recipes. I have a few more tiramisu recipes for Dean, our physical therapist buddy. And I have received a few recipes for gluten free cookies.

Slainte!

German Sauerkraut Soup Recipe

2 pounds pork spareribs

3 quarts water

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes

2 carrots. diced

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1 pound smoked sausage, cut in 1-inch slices

5 bacon strips, diced

1 large onion, chopped

In a Dutch oven cook ribs in water until tender, about 1 hours. Skim off foam. Remove ribs from broth; strain broth and skim fat. Return broth to heat. Add potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper; simmer until vegetables are tender. Remove meat from bones and add to broth with sauerkraut and sausage. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Cook onion in drippings until tender. Add to soup; cook 20 to 30 minutes longer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with bacon. Yield: 12 (1-cup) servings: 325 calories; 23g fat; 72mg chol; 10g carbs; 2g fiber; 18g protein (Originally published as Sauerkraut Soup in Country Extra January 1994; tasteofhome.com)

Bavarian Dumplings with Mushroom Sauce

Dumplings:

1 pound French bread, cubed

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

2 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup half and half

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings: Warm milk in small saucepan. Add bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Once milk reaches a boil, remove from heat; pour over bread. Stir until bread is coated; let sit for 15 minutes. In large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onions; saute 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in parsley. Pour mixture onto soaked bread. Add eggs, salt and ground pepper to bowl. Using your hands, mash and squeeze bread until smooth. Fill a large pot with 4-inches of water. Bring water to a boil. Form dough into small balls and drop into water. Simmer 20 minutes and remove from heat. Sauce: Warm  cup butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms; cook until tender. Add  cup parsley and flour. Stir until sauce has thickened. Slowly stir in half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until ingredients are well-blended and sauce is thick. Pour over dumplings and serve. (Taylor Friedle; betterrecipes.com)

Irish Nachos

1 (20- to 24-ounce) bag waffle fries

Olive oil flavored spray

1 pound deli-sliced corned beef, chopped

1 small onion, thinly sliced

 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup light beer

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange fries on baking sheet; bake according to package directions, adding about 10 minutes to baking time to make them extra crisp. When fries have 10 minutes left, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat; spray with nonstick spray. Add corned beef to skillet; saute until light golden brown and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions and cabbage; cook until onions are soft and cabbage has wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm. While veggies are cooking, place saucepan over medium-high heat; melt butter. Add flour; cook for about a minute. Whisk in beer; whisk chicken stock into pan and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes; remove from heat and stir in cheese to melt. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange waffle fries on platter; top with corned beef mixture and cheese sauce. Yields: 4 to 6 snack servings.

Crunchy Cheddar Cabbage Casserole

2 cups coarsely crushed cornflakes

 cup butter or margarine, melted

4 cups shredded cabbage

 cup chopped onion

 teaspoon salt

 teaspoon pepper

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

1 cup milk

 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat or fat free wont work well in this recipe)

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss cornflakes and butter; sprinkle half into a greased or sprayed 9-x13-inch baking dish. Layer with cabbage, onion, salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine soup, milk and mayonnaise (*reduced-fat or fat-free mayonnaise is not recommended for this recipe) until smooth. Spoon over cabbage; sprinkle with cheese and remaining cornflake mixture. Bake, uncovered, 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.
From Reader Supported News

The New York Times said this week that President Trump's insistence that former president Barack Obama tapped his phone and that the CIA and FBI are leaking information to embarrass him and his administration is evidence that Trump believes there is a "deep state" within the U.S. government working against his presidency.

The tone of the article is mocking, and the Times dutifully interviews the likes of former NSA and CIA director Michael Hayden and a handful of think tank nobodies who served in the Obama and Bush White Houses. Indeed the Times also says that the term "deep state" is used frequently by Breitbart, the alt-right "news" site run by presidential counselor Steve Bannon, and by other right-wing media sites.

But is it so hard to believe that there are elements of the government that don't like the fact that Trump is rocking their boat or not allowing them primacy in policy-making, a status they enjoyed under both Obama and Bush? As Intercept columnist Glenn Greenwald noted, disliking and distrusting Trump and disliking and distrusting the CIA are not mutually exclusive. It's not a zero-sum game. Same with the FBI. It's possible to have a scenario with no good guy.

First, what is a "deep state?" It is generally defined, according to the Times, as "a shadowy network of agency or military officials who secretly conspire to influence government policy. It is more often used to describe countries like Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan, where authoritarian elements band together to undercut democratically-elected leaders." I think that description is a gross generalization. And I think the CIA, NSA, and FBI are far more sophisticated than to be so obvious as to invite comparisons to Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan.

One of the things that most observers don't understand is that the CIA will do anything -- anything -- to survive. All CIA officers are taught to lie. They lie all the time, about everything, to everybody. And they justify it by trying to convince themselves that they are doing it in the national interest, for national security. From my very first day in the CIA, it was drilled into me, as it is into every other employee, that "the primary mission is to protect the Agency." That was the mantra. Couple that with the CIA's ability to intercept and take over virtually any communications device, and you have a Frankenstein monster. Is it really hard to believe that such an organization would resist a president who challenged it? Is it hard to believe that it would do so surreptitiously? I don't think so.

We can say pretty much the same things about the NSA. Thanks to Ed Snowden, and despite NSA protestations to the contrary, that agency has been spying on American citizens at least since the September 11 attacks. Again, is it so hard to believe that if NSA officials didn't like a new president or his politics that they would spy on that new president, whom they may believe was a threat to their continued work?

And then there's the FBI, an organization that has the power to utterly ruin anybody it wants just by initiating an investigation or leaking that somebody is a "person of interest," whatever that means. The FBI is or can be the deep state's secret police. After the Hoover years, COINTELPRO, spying on American peace and civil rights activists, are we just supposed to let them go about their business without wondering if, perhaps, they are part of a movement to undermine our democracy?

Even that bastion of conservatism, The Wall Street Journal, said on Friday that James Comey, the FBI's director, has to go. The Journal editorial board said, "Mr. Comey seems to regard himself as the last independent man in Washington, whose duty is to stand his ground amid undeserved slings from the Democrats and arrows from the Republicans. And especially so now amid the controversy over allegations of Russian intervention in the 2016 election. Something larger is at stake here than Mr. Comey completing his tenure. The decisions he made as director during the election damaged the credibility of the FBI in the eyes of the American public. The bureau's institutional integrity needs to be repaired. He should step down now so that the nation does not have to wait 6-1/2 years to begin the process of getting unstuck from the Comey years."

This is not a traditional conservative/liberal, Republican/Democrat issue. Again, it's possible to believe one side while not necessarily liking him or it and vice versa. James Carafano of the conservative Heritage Foundation probably encapsulated it best. He told the Times, "Just because you see things like leaks and interference and obstruction doesn't necessarily mean there's a deep state. That's something we've seen before, historically, and it's nothing new. What would be different is if there were folks from the previous administration that were consciously orchestrating, in a serious way, inside opposition to the president. It's hard to know: is this Trump using some strong political rhetoric or an actual thing?"

And there's the rub. It very well could be an actual thing. There very well could be a deep state. We certainly have the infrastructure for one. And there's no easy response to it. With the president himself apparently worried about a deep state, complaining to our elected officials will likely get us nowhere. There's no easy way to resist it, although we must.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.
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From Consortium News

The March 1 report by the United Nations' "Independent International Commission of Inquiry" asserted that the bloody attack on a humanitarian aid convoy west of Aleppo City on Sept. 19, 2016, was an airstrike by Syrian government planes. But an analysis of the U.N. panel's report shows that it was based on an account of the attack from the pro-rebel Syrian "White Helmets" civil defense organization that was full of internal contradictions.

The U.N. account also was not supported by either the photographic evidence that the White Helmets provided or by satellite imagery that was available to the commission, according to independent experts. Further undermining the U.N. report's credibility, the White Helmets now acknowledge that rockets they photographed were not fired from Russian or Syrian planes but from the ground.

Like last December's summary of the U.N.'s Headquarters Board of Inquiry report on the same incident, the Commission's report described the attack as having begun with "barrel bombs" dropped by Syrian helicopters, followed by further bombing by fixed-wing planes and, finally, strafing by machine guns from the air.

The March 1 report did not identify any specific source for its narrative, citing only "[c]ommunications from governments and non-government organizations." But in fact the U.N. investigators accepted the version of events provided by the White Helmets chief in Aleppo province as well as specific evidence that the White Helmets had made public.

The White Helmets, which are heavily funded by Western governments and operate only in rebel-controlled areas, are famous for using social media to upload videos purporting to show injured children and other civilian victims of the war.

Last year, a well-organized campaign pushed the group's nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize and a Netflix film about the group won an Oscar last month. The United Nations and the mainstream Western news media have frequently relied on White Helmets accounts from war zones that are not accessible to outsiders. But the White Helmets' officials have pursued an obvious political agenda in support of opposition forces in Al Qaeda-dominated zones in Aleppo and Idlib where they have operated.

On Sept. 19, immediately after the attack on the aid convoy, the chief of the White Helmets organization in the Aleppo governorate, Ammar al-Selmo, presented a dramatic narrative of a Russian-Syrian air attack, but it was marked by obvious internal contradictions.

At first, Selmo claimed in an interview that he had been more than a kilometer away from the warehouses where the attack occurred and had seen Syrian helicopters dropping "barrel bombs" on the site. But his eyewitness account would have been impossible because it was already dark by the time he said the attack began at about 7:15 p.m. He changed his story in a later interview, claiming that he had been right across the street at the moment of the attack and had heard the "barrel bombs" being dropped rather than seeing them.

Selmo insisted in a video filmed that night that the attack began with Syrian helicopters dropping eight "barrel bombs ," which are described as large, crudely constructed bombs weighing from 250 kg to 500 kg or even more. Citing a box-shaped indentation in the rubble, Selmo said the video is showing "the box of the barrel bomb," but the indentation is far too small to be a crater from such a bomb.

Selmo continued the account, "Then the regime also target this place with cluster bombs two times, and also the aircraft of the Russians target this place with C-5 and with bullets," apparently referring to Soviet-era S-5 rockets. The White Helmets photographed two such rockets and sent it to media outlets, including the Washington Post, which published the picture in the Post story with credit to the White Helmets.

Story Contradictions

But Hussein Badawi, apparently the White Helmet official in charge of the Urum al Kubrah area, contradicted Selmo's story . In a separate interview, Badawi said the attack had begun not with "barrel bombs" but with "four consecutive rockets" that he said had been launched by government forces from their defense plant in Aleppo province -- meaning that it was a ground-launched attack rather than an air attack.

In an email response to a query from me, Selmo retracted his own original claim about the S-5 rockets. "[B]efore aircraft's attack on the area," he wrote, "many land to land missiles attacked the place coming from the defense factories which [are] located in eastern Aleppo [east of] the city, regime controlled area. [T]hen aircraft came and attacked the place."

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While it has been mildly entertaining to watch Trump's healthcare plan slammed by liberals and conservatives, that's only a thin silver lining to the unconscionable piece of garbage that has been named the American Health Care Act. While conservatives have been concerned that the tax credits for insurance premiums are simply one more entitlement programs for the poor (which in of itself is confusing as tax-funded vouchers for private schools have been a longstanding strategy for the Republicans), the reality is that the bill is actually an entitlement program for the already rich and powerful.

Healthcare analysts estimate that 10 to 20 million Americans will lose their health insurance under this plan. The populations that stand to lose the most? Low-income Americans, our elders, and women. What's going unsaid is that rich men stand to gain the most.

The American Health Care Act touts the same fiscal bullshit that has never helped the average American: deregulation and tax cuts. The fact is that tax cuts to the wealthy never "trickle down." It's so crazy that we even tout "trickle down" as a reasonable option. Why would we think that under-resourced Americans with the cards stacked against them should get a trickle?!

The same criticism applies to Medicaid block funding, another part of the Republican plan. Not only does Trump want to repeal the Medicaid expansion that was part of the Affordable Care Act; he wants to move to block funding of that program too. That means that states will get a hunk of money without any guidance or regulation on how it must be spent. Legislators will have free rein to redefine who qualifies for Medicaid without any accountability to make sure that our most disenfranchised communities get the coverage. People of color, women, those who suffer from mental illness, are all groups that have never gotten what they deserve when getting it depends upon the goodwill of those in power.

The bottom line is that deregulation always benefits those in power. For those white, middle-class Americans who voted for Trump because they wanted to "drain the swamp"? This is the opposite and it's just proving what the rest of us knew all along: Donald Trump is a rich, white man and the definition of the swamp. In fact, that swamp used to be a beautiful pond until people like Trump polluted it in order to amass their fortunes.

Healthcare costs continue to be a major cause of bankruptcy. Under the Affordable Care Act, the credit amount that citizens got towards buying insurance was based on the actual cost of insurance in their local market. Under Trump's new plan, everybody gets a flat-rate voucher that is a pittance compared to actual premium costs. The result? Americans can't afford health insurance and that only exacerbates the bankruptcy problem.

Furthermore, the Republicans are abusing their power in the most fiscally unethical way possible. When it will benefit them to deregulate, they do. But where's their precious deregulation when it comes to women's health? Republicans don't like Planned Parenthood, so bam! Like the bully on the elementary-school playground, they've banned ALL funding to Planned Parenthood despite the fact that most Planned Parenthood operations don't even perform abortions.

But I won't waste my breath citing facts. Our current presidential administration has no regard for them and freely synthesizes "alternative facts" in the blink of an eye. We elected a ruthless businessman to lead a corrupt military-industrial-congressional complex. It's no surprise that the result is a healthcare plan that won't actually improve the health of the average American.

JESS GUH, MD, is a member of ThisCantBeHappening!, the independent, uncompromised, five-time Project Censored Award-winning online alternative news site. Her work, and that of colleagues JOHN GRANT, DAVE LINDORFF, GARY LINDORFF, ALFREDO LOPEZ, LINN WASHINGTON, JR., and the late CHARLES M. YOUNG, can be found at www.thiscantbehappening.net.
Located at the North of Portugal, close to the Spanish border, Ponte de Lima is an old and typical Portuguese Village.With great mountains and landscapes around the Village, all the conditions were gathered to invest in the first Bike Park in Portugal, that is open to public since 2011: http://www.bikeparkpontedelima.com/ After 4 years of great success with the bike park, the idea of building a pumptrack in the center of the village got stronger and with the City Council plans of a new city park, it was a great opportunity to take action.In 2015 ProRide was contacted by the Ponte de Lima Council and by the PTL Bike Park direction and after some meetings and drawings the concept of the track was defined and the construction began at the end of that year.After a couple of weeks to build everything with dirt, the first testing was made, but then winter came and since we had to wait until all the city park was built, we decided to take a break for 3 months.The beggining of the construction.With the good weather back, it was time for some more testing and changes and finally, the put the concrete.The view of part of the city parkSandro Silva one of the best Portuguese dirt jumpers with a toboggan at the doubles.Pedro Santo builder and designer of the track, here having some fun on is creation.Hugo Couto with a one-foot can-can at the doublesAfter everything ready at the pumptrack we still have to wait some more months until all of the structures of the City park were ready and open to the public, which happened by the end on of 2016.Since then the pumptrack has been busy with local kids on bikes, skates, roller skates, and scooters, but also it's been a great place to practice for expert bikes from Portugal and Spain.The pumptrack is often used by skateboarders
Life is Dulce

We call it the dolce far niente. It means the sweetness of doing nothing. You may have heard this while scrolling through Instagram or T Read moreThe benefits of doing nothing
Its been a long wait. First announced back in January 2016, the TVS Apache RTR 200 with FI has finally been launched in India. Price of the TVS Apache 200 FI starts from Rs 107,005/- Ex-Showroom (Delhi). It is only available in select cities across India. TVS has not released the list of cities where the new 200 FI is available. You can call your local TVS dealer and find out if the 200 FI is available in your city or not.

Sadly, the fully loaded variant with FI and dual channel ABS (with optional Pirelli tyres) is not launched yet. We expect this to be launched by 1st April 2018, which is when it is mandatory to have ABS in new motorcycles. Standard features aboard the 200 FI include front and rear disc brakes, fully digital instrument console, clip-on handle bars, LED pilot lamps, LED taillights and split seats.

TVS Apache RTR 200 is powered by a 197.75 cc single-cylinder 4-V engine which is mated to a 5-speed transmission. The carb version delivers 20.5 PS at 8,500 rpm and 18.1 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm. The fuel injected variant makes 21 PS at 8,500 rpm while the torque output is identical to that of the carb variant.

Though the difference in output figures is meagre on paper, the FI-equipped engine is smoother and more responsive in real world conditions. It has a better acceleration, and a much smoother performance. In numbers, the Apache 200 with FI does 0-60 kmph in 3.9 seconds, while the one with Carb does it in 3.95 second. 0-100 kmph is achieved in 12 seconds by both motorcycles. The motorcycle targets young riders who are looking for an affordable set of wheels that can handle commuting and touring equally well.

TVS Apache 200 FI Specs
The problem in American parenting is the 1960s. Among other things that defined that very interesting (ref. ancient Chinese curse) decade was the replacement of rationality by emotionality. It was during the 1960s that the media, various self-appointed spiritual gurus, and the mental health professional community urged people to get in touch with their feelings. And it was during the 1960s that parents were told by mental health professionals that children had a right to express their feelings freely.

I was in graduate school at the time. My professors taught that (a) feelings  especially childrens feelings  held deep meaning, (b) therapy was all about helping people recover the feelings their parents had made them repress, and (c) getting in touch with ones feelings was the key to happiness. To be polite about it, a crock if there ever was one.

I now know  and beyond a shadow of doubt  that with rare exception, ones feelings are more apt to deceive than promote good decisions. I also know that pre-psychological (pre-1960s) parents insisted that their children control the expression of emotion for the good of those children (as well as the good of everyone who was ever in contact with those children). I also know that people who are ruled by their emotions  people who cannot think straight, in other words  are not happy people. In their own enslaved minds, they are perpetual victims. Furthermore, the undisciplined nature of their emotions is destructive both to themselves and others. Undisciplined emotions destroy relationships, property and spiritual health.

Fifty years later, America is paying a terrible price for having ever believed that when it came to children (and most other things), mental health professionals knew what they were talking about. They claimed, without evidence, that insisting upon emotional control was repressive and authoritarian (and therefore harmful). They claimed, without evidence, that enforcing shame upon a child who had behaved anti-socially  they named it shame-based parenting  would result in psychological problems (when the opposite is true).

Granted, shame can be taken to extremes, but shame is essential to the formation of a conscience, which is essential to responsible self-government. Children are not naturally disposed to shame. It must be trained into them by loving parents who are not supposed to enjoy what they must do. A child so trained is destined to become a compassionate, responsible human being, not an emotional basket case.

Happiness is not a matter of letting it all hang out. Quite the contrary, it is all about holding most of it in. It is about self-control, respect for others and responsibility. It is about a value system that places others before self. A certain amount of repression is a good thing.

America needs a Make American Parenting Great Again! movement. When all is said and done concerning the many political concerns of the day, one indisputable fact remains: a cultures strength ultimately depends on the strength of its child-rearing practices. Building a strong infrastructure is fine and dandy, but building emotionally resilient and responsible future citizens is even more fine and dandy. In fact, it is the most important thing there is.
While there are already a number of species named after famous British broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, including mammals, reptiles, invertebrates and plants, both extinct and extant, not until now has the host of the BBC Natural History's Life series been honoured with an amphibian.

A new fleshbelly frog, recently discovered in the Peruvian Andes, is formally described as Pristimantis attenboroughi, while commonly it is to be referred to as the Attenborough's Rubber Frog. The new species is published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.

Scientists Dr. Edgar Lehr, Illinois Wesleyan University, and Dr. Rudolf von May, University of Michigan, spent two years (2012-2014) surveying montane forests in central Peru, in order to document the local amphibians and reptiles, and evaluate their conservation statuses. Their efforts have been rewarded with several new species of frogs and a new spectacled lizard.

Each of these discoveries, including the Attenborough's Rubber Frog, prove how beneficial it is to take into account both morphological and the genetic data, while looking for species new to science. For example, the authors report that when they spotted the P. attenboroughi frog for the first time, both of them were sure that they had found a species of another genus.

The Attenborough's rubber frog is known to inhabit several localities across the Pui Pui Protected Forest, a nature reserve located at elevations between 3400 and 3936 m a.s.l. in central Peru. The adult males reach size of 14.6-19.2 mm in length, while the females are larger measuring between 19.2 and 23.0 mm. Their ground colour ranges from pale to dark gray, or reddish brown to brownish olive with dark gray scattered flecks. Meanwhile, the juveniles are paler (yellowish to reddish brown) with contrasting dark brown flecks and distinct stripes.

Due to the amphibian being known from fewer than ten localities, spread across less than 20,000 km2, the species should be deemed either Vulnerable or Endangered, according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. However, the authors suggest that the Attenborough's Rubber frog should be listed as Near Threatened instead, since the Piu Piu forest is formally protected and still largely unknown, so it is likely that there are more additional populations of the new species. On the other hand, factors such as fungal infections, climate change, pollution, and human-made fires continue to be threats for many Andean amphibians even inside protected areas.

"We dedicate this species to Sir David Frederick Attenborough in honor for his educational documentaries on wildlife, especially on amphibians (e.g., Life in Cold Blood, Fabulous Frogs), and for raising awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation," explain the authors.

In the present study, the scientists note that there are more terrestrial-breeding frogs from the surveyed montane forests that will be described in the near future.

Among the numerous namesakes of Sir David Attenborough to date, there are a rare genus of beautiful flowering plants, a rare butterfly species, commonly known as the Attenborough's black-eyed satyr, a flightless weevil species, as well as a number of extinct species.
OICR researchers, together with international collaborators, have invented a technique to avoid a major problem with common laboratory techniques and improve the sensitivity of important cancer tests.

The findings, recently published in the journal Nature Protocols, describe a process by which the sensitivity of DNA sequencing can be improved. The technology, called SiMSen-Seq, could aid in detecting the recurrence of cancers, catching possible disease relapses faster than current methods and improving patient outcomes.

To sequence DNA, scientists often use a technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to increase the amount of DNA available from a sample. However, PCR can introduce mistakes that can limit researchers' ability to detect real mutations in the original DNA molecules. To track the original molecules in a sample, molecular tags called DNA barcodes are added. This technique is essential for sensitive detection of mutations but can lead to other errors, as components of the tags can interfere with each other and affect the final results.

"We created a DNA barcode with a hairpin structure that opens up to be read when heated and contracts when cooled. This allows us to 'hide' the barcode and analyze more patient DNA fragments in a single reaction," said Dr. Paul Krzyzanowski, Program Manager of OICR's Genome Technologies Program. Krzyzanowski led the development of analysis pipeline software used in SiMSen-Seq. This software flags errors in sequencing results and corrects them computationally.

Current genome sequencing technologies return results with error rates of about one per cent, meaning that for researchers to be certain that a mutation exists it has to be detected in a sample at a rate of greater than one per cent. SimSen-Seq technology has lowered this error rate 100-fold, meaning that the recurrence of cancers could be detected at lower levels and earlier than before, allowing patients to receive additional treatment sooner.

The team has patented their technique, and while it can conceivably be performed in any molecular biology lab, the group also hopes to make their expertise in using the method available to the research community. "Our paper describes how this process can be carried out, but we think that our experience in using the technique could be leveraged by other research groups and save them the trial and error of instituting a new process," said Krzyzanowski. Those interested in accessing this service can do so through OICR's Collaborative Research Resources directory.

"Ontario is pleased to support this collaborative research project through the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research," said Reza Moridi, Ontario's Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. "This innovative technique that increases the sensitivity of DNA sequencing is a remarkable breakthrough and one that could improve patient outcomes in Ontario and around the world by detecting the reoccurrence of cancers earlier."
The continuous daylight conditions of summer in Antarctica are known to interfere with physiological functions such as sleep patterns and the release of melatonin, a hormone associated with circadian rhythms and sleep. Now, a study offers new information about why people in this region sleep poorly, and suggests that social behavior may also play a role. The study, published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for March.

Antarctica, located at the tip of the Southern Hemisphere, experiences 24-hour daylight and no darkness for several months of the year (Antarctic summer). An expedition team stationed in Antarctica during the summer followed their daily work routine and volunteered for sleep studies at night. Belgian researchers monitored the volunteers' sleep stages and recorded the secretion of cortisol (a stress hormone also associated with wakefulness) and melatonin.

In normal circumstances, we begin the night with proportionally more deep sleep that provides the body with physical recovery. As morning approaches, sleep patterns contain more dream sleep. The research team found the reverse was true in the Antarctic expedition workers -- their dream sleep occurred earlier, with a deep sleep period at the end of the night. In addition, melatonin secretion -- a process that helps you fall asleep -- was delayed by several hours. Melatonin is sensitive to light and is usually released in the darkness of night. Members of the expedition team also reported "morning sleepiness, which waned with exposure to sunlight." This may be due to the delayed release of melatonin, which remained high in the body upon waking, explained Nathalie Pattyn, first author of the study.

To the researchers' surprise, cortisol secretion remained normal, with the highest levels secreted in the morning. Typically, melatonin and cortisol have an inverse relationship: When one hormone is high, the other is low. The common schedule of the expedition members -- who worked and slept at the same time -- kept the cortisol from delaying its release. If the expedition team had been on different schedules, the timing of cortisol secretion would have likely changed. These findings warrant more study about how social behavior modifies physiological function explained Pattyn, because it "shows the story behind sleep complaints in Antarctica is more complicated" than just being exposed to continuous sunlight.
In the forthcoming decades, risks of summer fire may increase in Mediterranean Europe. A recent study published in Scientific Reports, led by researchers of the University of Barcelona in collaboration with several other research institutions, shows that the direct effect of climate change in regulating fuel moisture (droughts leading to larger fires) is expected to be dominant, regarding the indirect effect of antecedent climate on fuel load and structure -that is, warmer/drier conditions that determine fuel availability. The researchers drew this conclusion after analyzing a set of empirical models linking the summer Burned Area to the climatic indicators. These models are also promising for developing a seasonal forecast system supporting fire management strategies.

According to the current state of regional fire risk projections, an increase in fire risks is expected, but the effects of climate change on burned areas are not always obvious. For instance, the direct effect of climate change in regulating fuel moisture could be counterbalanced by the indirect effects on fuel structure. For instance, warmer conditions increase droughts and reduce fuel quantity.

The research uses a large, high-quality database provided by the European Forest Fire Information System to analyze the burned areas in summer in Mediterranean Europe which coincide with drought episodes and are related to previous wet conditions. "The conclusion of the study indicates that there is a statistically significant relationship between fire and same-summer droughts in most regions, while antecedent climate conditions play a relatively minor role, except in few specific ecoregions. In addition, the drought-fire relationship is stronger in northern regions," says Marco Turco, researcher at the Meteorological Hazard Analysis Group (GAMA) of UB, led by Professor M. del Carme Llasat.

Therefore, drought plays a more prominent role in northern regions (generally wetter and more productive) than southern regions (drier), possibly because in southern areas the vegetation is better adapted to water scarcity. Thus, in the forthcoming decades, and especially in northern Mediterranean regions, the direct effect of climate change is expected to be more dominant, regarding the indirect effect of the previous climate.

Climate effects could thus overcome fire prevention efforts. In the past few decades, the measured trend of the burned area in Mediterranean Europe has been generally negative, while drought conditions have been increasing. These opposite trends suggest that management actions have so far counterbalanced the climatic trend. However, keeping fire management actions at the current level might not be enough to balance a future increase in droughts. Therefore researchers demand a reconsideration of the current management strategies.

Finally, the ability to model the link between drought and forest fires is crucial to identify key actions in adaptation strategies. The developed drought-fire models in this study can help to developing a seasonal forecast system for these management strategies. Also, according to the researchers, seasonal climate forecasts enable a more effective and dynamic adaptation to climate variability and change, offering an underexploited opportunity to reduce the fire impact of adverse climate conditions.
Opitz C syndrome is a genetic disease that causes severe disabilities in patients and has been diagnosed in three people in the Iberian Peninsula, and sixty people in the world. A team led by the professors Daniel Grinberg and Susana Balcells, from the Group on Human Molecular Genetics of the University of Barcelona and the Biomedical Research Networking Center of Rare Diseases (CIBERER) has now identified a gene that causes the Opitz C syndrome in the only patient in Catalonia diagnosed with this severe congenital disease. This new scientific advance is a first step to discover the genetic bases of this syndrome which, so far, does not offer treatment possibilities, prenatal diagnosis or genetic counseling.

The new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, has the participation of John M. Opitz (University of Utah, United States), Giovanni Neri (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Italy) and a wide group of experts of the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and the Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics of the University Hospital Vall d'Hebron (VHIR).

Opitz C syndrome: rare but not invisible

The genetic bases of this ultra-minority disease, described for the first time in 1969 by John M. Opitz, are still unknown. It is generally thought that its origin is caused by the apparition of dominant -maternally silenced- novo mutations. At the moment, the diagnose is clinical and it is based on the symptomatology presented on patients with different degrees (trigonocephaly, learning disability, psychomotor disability, etc.) and which, in lots of cases, coincides with similar minority pathologies such as the syndromes of Schaaf-Yang, Bohring-Opitz and Prader-Willi.

In the new study, the experts described for the first time, the existence of a novo mutation -p.Q638*- located in the gene MAGEL2 of the only diagnosed person with Opitz C syndrome in Catalonia. Identifying this mutation, found in the Prader-Willi Region on chromosome 15, widens the knowledge horizons on genetics and the possibilities for a diagnosis on these rare diseases.

"The p.Q638* mutation, identified in the gene MAGEL2, coincides with the one described concurrently and independently in a patient with Schaaf-Yang syndrome, a new minoritary disease affecting fifty people in the world. The first cases were described on a scientific bibliography in 2013 by the team of Professor Christian Schaaf, from the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston," says Professor Daniel Grinberg, member of the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), the Research Institute of Sant Joan de Deu (IRSJD) and CIBERER.

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"Consequently, from a genetic diagnosis perspective -says DanieL Grinberg- this patient initially diagnosed with Opitz C in Catalonia would correspond to the group of patients with Schaaf-Yang syndrome."

Genetics will define the limits of rare diseases

Identifying the genes that cause a disease is a breakpoint to understand the pathology and set new future therapeutic approaches that improve the quality of life of the patients. In the new study, the teams of the UB and the CRG applied techniques of DNA massive sequencing (exome and genome), a powerful methodology that allows identifying altered genes in each patient.

According to Susana Balcells, tenured lecturer at the UB and also member of IBUB and CIBERER, "what we can see from a clinical symptomatology view in these kinds of diseases which are so hard to study and diagnose, is far from the initial molecular defect that generates the disease."

"All these clinical doubts -continued Balcells- will be solved with genetics, which will define the limits of these rare diseases and will ease the scientific consensus on the diagnosis and genetic causes that create them."

According to Luis Serrano, director of CRG, "projects like this one show the important role of genomics in the future of medicine and the way on which we diagnose and treat diseases. To understand the diseases and offering not only a diagnosis but also approaches to possible treatments is very relevant in minority diseases. It is a satisfaction for the CRG to contribute with our knowledge and advanced technologies in a project that gives hope to a vulnerable collective" concluded the researcher.

Crowdfunding: when society supports scientific research

The members of the Group of Human Molecular Genetics of the University of Barcelona and the CRG are currently in contact with the team of Professor Schaaf and three families of patients diagnosed with Schaaf-Yang syndrome in the Iberian Peninsula.

In December 2026, the first author of the study published in Scientific Reports, Roser Urreitzi, researcher of CIBERER and lecturer at the UB, coordinated the meeting between the experts and the affected families. The meeting took place at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona and was a new encouragement for the collaboration of researchers and affected families in future projects with the participation of the UB, CRG and CIBERER Biobank, in Valencia. This cooperation has also allowed the three patients to be examined by the same clinical expert: the pediatrician Dr Anna M. Cueto, assistant doctor and clinical geneticist at the Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics of the University Hospital Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona. This is clearly a new progress in the field of ultra-minority diseases.
They are known as gloomy scales, and these insects can make a red maple trees life downright dreary. This is because the arthropods feed and thrive on them, especially in warm and dry urban landscapes, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher says.

Melanaspis tenebricosa, or gloomy scale insects, reproduce more, especially when the trees they live on are under the stress of heat and drought, according to new study led by UF/IFAS entomology assistant professor Adam Dale.

Dales new research is important as residents and urban landscapers decide when and where to plant red maple trees, which are native and widely distributed in North America from Florida to Canada and whose canopy helps cool urban areas.

Dale conducted the study in Raleigh, North Carolina when he was a doctoral student at North Carolina State University. He wanted to know how the gloomy scale, an insect widely distributed around the eastern and southeastern U.S., would respond to hot, dry weather  conditions typical for urban trees. Researchers studied urban red maple trees at various temperatures around the city. Then they irrigated half the trees twice a week during the summers of 2014 and 2015.

At the end of 2015, they collected gloomy scales from each tree, measured their body size, dissected them and counted the number of eggs the insects produced, Dale said. They then looked at the relationship between the temperature in the trees canopy and whether the tree was irrigated. Scientists wanted to see if either factor had an effect on the insects body size or egg production.

The hotter and drier the trees were, the more eggs the gloomy scales produced.

This insect is drastically more abundant on urban than rural trees throughout the southeastern U.S., Dale said. It reduces the health of these trees along with the services they provide to people and the environment.

In many ways, this native pest acts like an invasive insect when it is in urban landscapes, he said.

This pest can severely damage and kill trees that it feeds on, Dale said. Plus, its favorite host tree is the most common urban landscape tree in the eastern U.S. Since the gloomy scale benefits from warming and drought -- two features common to urban landscapes -- and urban landscapes are rapidly expanding, there is a potential for this pest to proliferate and cause even more problems in the future.

Urban foresters and landscape architects can use the studys findings by selecting more appropriate trees to be planted where heat and drought stress may be likely, Dale said. The research holds practical implications for urban residents, too.

Sites that are surrounded by more impervious surfaces -- roads, parking lots, buildings and more -- and thus warmer and drier, are not the most suitable sites for these trees, Dale said. If they are in such sites, irrigating during the warmest months to reduce drought stress can help manage these pests.

Dales study is published in the online journal PLOS ONE.
A new type of blood test may help physicians identify which patients with and without evidence of coronary blockages are at risk for heart attacks and strokes. Even individuals with normal levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as the so-called "bad" cholesterol, but still at risk, seem to be identified, according to Mayo Clinic research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 66th Annual Scientific Session.

The test, released commercially by Mayo Medical Laboratories in August 2016, measures blood concentrations of plasma ceramides, a class of lipids that are highly linked to cardiovascular disease processes. The study found that individuals with the highest levels of blood ceramides were found to have a 3- to 4-times greater risk of having a cardiovascular event compared with those with the lowest ceramide score, regardless of their LDL cholesterol level or the presence of a blockage in the heart's arteries.

"Our research suggests that evaluating ceramide levels in patients who are not at immediate risk for coronary artery disease events may help cardiologists decide who could benefit from proactive and preventive treatment, such as statins, or lifestyle changes to prevent a serious cardiac event down the road," says Jeff Meeusen, Ph.D., a clinical chemist, co-director of Cardiovascular Laboratory Medicine at Mayo Clinic and the study's lead author.

According to Dr. Meeusen, ceramides are different than cholesterol, which gathers and causes a clog in the arteries. Ceramides are more active, attracting inflammatory cells and promoting clotting.

In the study, 499 Mayo Clinic patients who were referred for coronary angiography to check for possible artery blockages were included and followed prospectively for approximately eight years. Patients were similar in age and with regard to blood pressure, smoking status and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol; excluded were those who had diabetes or a previous heart attack, stroke or procedure to open narrowed coronary arteries. Researchers measured four different types of ceramides in the blood at baseline and combined the values into a 12-point scale. Patients were grouped into four risk categories according to their ceramide levels: low (0-2), intermediate (3-6), moderate (7-9) and high (10-12).

Over the eight years, researchers recorded occurrences of heart attack, stroke, revascularization and death. Overall, 5.1 percent of patients had a major cardiovascular event each year. But the risk of having an event became higher as ceramide level increased; for each 1-point increase in the ceramide risk score, the risk rose by 9 percent. The rate of events was double among people with the highest ceramide score compared with those with the lowest (8.1 vs. 4.1 percent, respectively).

In patients without coronary artery disease following angiography, the rate of cardiovascular events was only 3.1 percent, lower than the average overall. But when researchers examined cardiovascular disease in this population by ceramide scores, people with the highest levels of ceramides were four times more likely to have an event compared with those with the lowest (7.8 vs. 2.2 percent, respectively). A similar trend was seen among people with low LDL levels (<100 mg/dL), typically considered a good LDL target. In this group, the rate of heart attack, stroke and revascularization and death was 3.7 percent among those with a low ceramide score, but 16.4 percent in people with the highest ceramide levels.

"There is a need to identify patients at increased risk for cardiovascular events so that we can test strategies to prevent those events. This test seems to provide such information," says Allan S. Jaffe, M.D., senior author of the study, cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and chair of the Division of Clinical Core Laboratory Services.

The trial was funded by Mayo Clinic. The new test is available to health care providers worldwide through Mayo Medical Laboratories, which offers laboratory testing and pathology services to more than 4,000 health care organizations in more than 70 countries. Mayo Medical Laboratories collaborated with some of the original researchers who established the role of ceramides in cardiovascular disease and Zora Biosciences Oy, a diagnostics discovery company based in Finland, to develop and refine the test. The present study is also the first to test its clinical utility in a U.S. population.

Co-authors are: Leslie Donato, Ph.D.; Sandra Bryant; Grant Spears; Peter Berger, M.D.; and Linnea Baudhuin, Ph.D., all of Mayo Clinic.
Despite preventative measures against bankruptcy fraud and money laundering, criminals are finding ways to exploit differing regulations in the United States and Europe.

In a recent study published online in the International Journal of Arts and Sciences, two UT Dallas alumnae examine the frequency and implications of bankruptcy fraud and money laundering. They also assess the degree of cultural and ethical differences between these acts in the United States and Europe, where the crimes are more prevalent.

Brenda Limon BS'16 and Pamela Wong BS'16 are the authors of the paper, which they wrote in their International Business class with Dr. Shawn Carraher during their undergraduate studies.

"The lack of uniformity between the financial systems and their regulations makes a lot of room for criminals to participate in these illegal activities. If somehow the nations of the world were able to create uniformity within their financial systems and the way regulations work, it would eliminate a lot of the crime that is happening right now," said Limon, a corporate finance graduate. She is working toward a master's degree in environmental geology.

The pair was among a group of students Carraher took to Harvard University last summer for the International Journal of Arts and Sciences' conference, where Limon and Wong presented their work to a panel.

Carraher, clinical professor of organizations, strategy and international management and undergraduate research director in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, said presenting research benefits students by differentiating them in the marketplace.

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"In 2014, a group of international business students in the Jindal School of Management studied the present value of an annuity of presenting papers at Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge, and the present value of an annuity of presenting a paper at Harvard is $280,000," he said.

Limon and Wong's study found that while auditors and financial analysts are in the process of reducing bankruptcy fraud and money laundering, completely nullifying these issues may never be possible without a uniform structure of financial regulations.

The researchers analyzed Hofstede's cultural model and how it pertains to financial regulations between the U.S. and Europe.

"It was interesting to see the cultural differences across different nations and how they manifest in the policies and financial regulations," said Wong, who graduated from the accounting program and is pursuing a master's degree in the Jindal School. "Specifically for the U.S., one of the dimensions is low power distance, which means Americans prefer an equal distribution of power amongst individuals. This is exactly why the U.S. has strong whistleblower protection against retaliation for people who speak out against corporations that commit these types of fraud."

According to the study, Americans also measure performance on a short-term basis, meaning they prefer quick results.

"We found this tendency to look for short-term results sometimes pushes people in influential positions to commit crimes, either money laundering, bankruptcy fraud or the manipulation of financial statements," Limon said. "Because they find themselves under pressure to show stockholders that the company is growing, or has closed a deal, that pressure instigates them to make the mistake of doing whatever it takes to get quick results.

"On the other side of the coin, the United States has been one of the most active in trying to create uniformity in the rules. They're one of the countries trying to come up with regulations that fit not only their standards, but standards of other countries that are strongly tied to them financially."

Find the report at: http://www.universitypublications.net/ijas/0903/html/H6V942.xml
Sediment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCBs, from the bottom of the New Bedford Harbor is the number one source of airborne PCBs in the neighborhoods surrounding the port, according to new research by the University of Iowa and Boston University School of Public Health.

In fact, airborne PCB emissions from the harbor are so high that researchers say it is the single largest continuous source of airborne PCBs ever measured from natural waters in the U.S. and Canada.

The East Coast harbor is one of the largest PCB Superfund sites in the nation, currently undergoing clean-up. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has monitored airborne PCB levels near the harbor since 1999, the levels measured in this study are consistent with levels measured by EPA, however this is the first time that researchers have focused on the harbor as a unique source of airborne PCBs.

"Our study shows that people in the neighborhoods around the harbor are being exposed to airborne PCBs and that those PCBs are coming from the harbor, not from a variety of sources," says Keri Hornbuckle, professor of civil and environmental engineering at IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering at the University of Iowa, and core leader of the Iowa Superfund Research Program.

Residents have been concerned with air quality since dredging to clean the port started in 1994. Industry in the area used PCBs to produce electric devices from 1940 until the late 1970s, when the EPA banned the manufacture of PCBs due to health concerns. "As our knowledge grew about the high levels of PCBs in the sediments and water, we began to question the air from this site," explains Karen Vilandry, President of the community-based organization, Hands Across the River Coalition.

"The community requested this study and they played an integral role in its completion," says Wendy Heiger-Bernays, associate professor at the Boston University School of Public Health and co-author of the study, which was published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

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Researchers used calculated emissions and atmospheric dispersion modeling to confirm New Bedford Harbor as the source of airborne PCBs. PCBs are released from the sludge at the bottom of the port and escape into the water and air.

Researchers worked with residents affiliated with Hands Across the River Coalition to select air sampling locations at 18 sites in New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, and Acushnet. Air samples were taken during three consecutive periods from July to November, 2015. The highest readings for airborne PCBs were from air sampling locations closest to the harbor.

"In terms of remediation, it is important to understand that the harbor is the largest contributor to local levels of airborne PCBs," says Hornbuckle.

PCBs can cause a variety of adverse health effects, including an increased risk for cancer in humans. However, researchers are quick to add that the effects of long-term inhalation of airborne PCBs are still uncertain.

"There is much more work to be done," says Andres Martinez, lead author and research engineer at IIHR -- Hydroscience & Engineering at the University of Iowa. "For example, some members of the community believe that the local mud flats are also a source of PCBs. We haven't looked at that yet."

Researchers are hopeful that residents will continue to help them prioritize next steps.

Community engagement in the study was assisted by Alternatives for Community & the Environment (ACE) and Toxics Action Center.

"Every time we went to collect the monitors from residents' homes, we were faced with the same question: 'Should I be worried?' said Claire Miller of Toxics Action Center, "exposure is a 24/7 reality for folks living near the harbor, and this study is an important step forward."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2017-43

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the agenda for the February 15 meeting of its Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies. The committee will discuss secondary market liquidity for Regulation A companies and reporting companies not listed on an exchange, and explore why more companies may be choosing to stay private. It also will consider recommendations on corporate board diversity and on the treatment of so-called finders that assist companies in capital raising activities.

The February 15 meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the multipurpose room at the SECs headquarters at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., and is open to the public. It will be webcast live on the SECs website and archived on the website for later viewing.

The committee provides a formal mechanism for the SEC to receive advice and recommendations on privately held small businesses and publicly traded companies with a market capitalization less than $250 million.

Members of the public who wish to provide their views on the matters to be considered by the committee may submit comments electronically or on paper. Please submit comments using one method only. Information that is submitted will become part of the public record of the meeting.

Electronic submissions:

Use the SECs Internet submission form or send an e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov.

Paper submissions:

Send paper submissions to Brent Fields, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number 265-27, and the file number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used.

AGENDA
QUITO, Ecuador (TNS)  The historian carefully leafs through pages of a 400-year-old, leather-bound book until she finds the shaky signature. Its a faint scrawl that has consumed Tamara Estupinan for more than 30 years, led her to find forgotten Inca ruins and sparked an academic firestorm.

The signature, she says, is the key to unlocking two of archaeologys greatest mysteries: What happened to the body of Atahualpa, the last king of the Incas? And what became of his fabled treasure?

Estupinan thinks she has the answer to both questions. And while she hasnt found gold, she may have uncovered something considered even more precious.

The story begins in 1532 when Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro captured Atahualpa  pronounced ah-ta-WAL-pah  in Peru.

Pizarro demanded a room full of gold in exchange for Atahualpas release, but the impatient Spaniard garroted the ruler before the ransom coming from Ecuador ever arrived. Atahualpas body disappeared, and his faithful generals were thought to have stashed the treasure they were hauling in secret caves.

For centuries, scientists, scholars and wild-eyed adventurers have been scouring Ecuadors misty mountains and water-logged jungles looking for the Incan hoard. Perhaps no treasure but El Dorado, the lost city of gold, has sparked so much interest and intrigue in the Americas.

But Estupinan says she knows why the loot will never be found. What Atahualpas followers were really hiding was no mere treasure but the future of the empire itself: the kings corpse.

For a new Incan king to be crowned, she explained, the ceremony had to take place in front of the mummy of his predecessor.

For the (Incas) the real treasure was Atahualpas body, she said. Without a mummy there is no coronation. Without a body there is nothing  its as simple as that.

And she says the book helped her identify the site where Atahualpas body was taken.

Not everyone agrees with her conclusions  especially since no remains have been discovered during initial investigations at the site she identified.

Miguel Fernando Mejia, the head of the archaeology department at Ecuadors Institute of Patrimony, which safeguards national cultural treasures, says theres no doubt that Estupinan has made a significant archaeological discovery. But he said the verdict is still out on whether the ruins are truly the resting place of the last Inca.

There are several archaeological sites that are fighting for that same title, he said.

But Estupinan says the evidence is clear  and it started with the book and the signature.

As a young historian in the 1980s, Estupinan became fascinated with ancient economic texts (bills of lading, warehouse reports, real estate transfers) that many researchers would find mind-numbing. One day, as she was meticulously making her way through a massive, 4,000-page tome, she stumbled across the last will and testament of Atahualpas son, Francisco Topatauchi, written on Dec. 16, 1582  50 years after his fathers death.

The document had been hiding in plain sight for centuries, as few had learned to read the intricate Spanish writing of the time. It took Estupinan almost a year to transcribe the seven-page document into intelligible text.

The discovery was significant, though at the time it seemed mundane: a basic list of the sons homes and land holdings, passed down from his father. Estupinan wrote about it in academic journals and moved on.

But over the years, her research kept bringing her back to the will. In 2003, as she researched the life of famed Incan general Ruminahui, she discovered a curious pattern. The general  who has been rumored to have played a role in hiding the treasure  and other Incan officials all converged on a remote area of Ecuador called Sigchos, about 70 miles southwest of Quito.

Why was everybody heading toward Sigchos, a place that was really in the middle of nowhere? she asked. Because thats where they were taking what was most important to them, the body of Atahualpa.

When she went back to the sons will, Estupinan found that Sigchos was part of Atahualpas landholdings.

Working on a hunch, Estupinan began researching Incan death rituals and discovered that a rulers mummy was referred to as a malqui. And, sure enough, there was an area called Malqui near Sigchos. A few years later, Estupinan was studying an old map when she found another piece of the puzzle: an area called Machay, an Incan name that refers to final resting places, also near Sigchos.

Estupinan said the use of two such culturally charged words  mummy and final resting place  in the heart of Atahualpas historic landholdings couldnt be a coincidence.

They werent going to name an area Malqui-Machay just because they felt like it, she explained. There had to be something there.

In 2010, Estupinan threw down the academic gauntlet. She led an archaeologist to the region, convinced they would find the resting place of the last Incan king.

It was terrifying because I was putting my academic prestige on the line, Estupinan recalls. This was going to prove that I was either a charlatan or someone doing real scientific research.

With the help of some villagers, they eventually stumbled on an area where thick brush concealed previously unknown Incan-style stonework.

When I got to the top of the mountain, I started seeing walls and walls and walls, Estupinan said. I got goose bumps  and started screaming Weve discovered Malqui-Machay, the last resting place of the Inca!

The 2010 discovery made news around the world and led the government of Ecuador to protect the archaeological site. But it also ignited debate about exactly what Estupinan had discovered.

The site sits in a wet and windswept area that isnt typically associated with Incan construction. Built around a trapezoidal plaza with a network of stone walls and water channels, the complex was likely an Incan governmental or religious site, most academics agree. But theyre more wary about Estupinans claim.

It was easier for me to discover the site than to prove what Ive discovered, Estupinan lamented.

David Brown, an archaeologist and retired professor from the University of Texas who has done research at Malqui-Machay, calls Estupinan a world class researcher who has found something thats undeniably important.

Its an incredibly unique site and a unique area, and all the evidence suggests that it was an extremely late site, only begun, perhaps, as the Spanish were punching north up through the valley, he explained. It could be what she says it is, but as an archaeologist, I would rather see physical evidence.

Estupinan says Atahualpas body  like the fabled treasure  might never be found.

The Incas, Estupinan notes, didnt bury their dead rulers. They kept them out in the open as living oracles.

And as the once mighty Incan empire collapsed, the body was likely lost in the chaos, she speculated.

For Estupinan, theres no doubt about what she found. But she also knows that what she needs to fully validate her discovery wont be in a book.

This mystery is a puzzle, and I have 70 to 80 percent of the pieces, she said. Im still missing 30 percent of the puzzle  and in that 30 percent is the body.
Obtains Court Order Freezing More Than $29 Million in U.S. Accounts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2017-44

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it obtained an emergency court order freezing brokerage accounts holding more than $29 million in illegal profits from insider trading in advance of the April 2016 acquisition of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. by Comcast Corp.

The SEC alleges that in the weeks leading up to the news of the acquisition, Shaohua (Michael) Yin amassed more than $56 million of DreamWorks stock in the U.S. brokerage accounts of five Chinese nationals, including his elderly parents. DreamWorks stock price rose 47.3% once the acquisition was announced.

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, the SEC alleged the five accounts reaped $29 million from the DreamWorks trades. The complaint also alleges the accounts profited from other suspicious trading in another U.S.-based company and three China-based companies ahead of market-moving news.

Yin, a partner at Summitview Capital Management Ltd., a Hong Kong-based private equity firm, allegedly did not trade in DreamWorks stock through his own account but instead traded through five accounts from addresses in Beijing and Palo Alto and on a computer that also accessed Yins email accounts.

Despite the defendants alleged attempts to hide his control over these accounts, the SECs data analytic investigative tools enabled us to determine who was behind the suspicious trading, said Michele Wein Layne, Director of the SEC's Los Angeles Regional Office. Our action today shows that the SEC will not hesitate to freeze the assets of foreign traders when they use our markets to conduct illegal activity.

On February 10, Judge J. Paul Oetken of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the SECs request for an asset freeze of the five brokerage accounts and issued an order to show cause why an injunction and other relief should not be issued. A hearing has been scheduled for February 17.

The SECs complaint charges Michael Yin with securities fraud and names the holders of the five brokerage accounts  Lizhao Su, Zhiqing Yin, Jun Qin, Yan Zhou and Bei Xie  as relief defendants. The SEC is seeking a permanent injunction, return of allegedly ill-gotten profits, civil money penalties, and other relief.

The SECs investigation has been conducted by Jasmine Starr, Sarah Mitchell, and Finola H. Manvelian of the Los Angeles Regional Office, with assistance from John Rymas of the Enforcement Divisions Market Abuse Unit. The SECs litigation will be led by Gary Leung and Amy Longo. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2017-45

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that a New York-based brokerage firm has agreed to pay a $100,000 penalty to settle charges of compliance and trading surveillance failures.

Federal securities laws require firms to enforce policies and procedures to prevent the misuse of material, nonpublic information to which their employees routinely have access. The SECs order finds that Sidoti & Company LLC had no written policies or procedures in place from November 2014 to July 2015 as it pertained to those making investment decisions for an affiliated hedge fund that invested in issuers covered by Sidotis research department and some other issuers for which Sidoti provided investment banking services. For example, Sidoti maintained a daily restricted list of securities restricting personal trading because Sidoti was involved in investment banking or marketing activities or the firm was publishing research on the security. There were 126 instances from Nov. 3, 2014 to May 5, 2015 when the hedge fund traded in a stock that appeared on the daily restricted list.

Sidoti did not devote sufficient resources to set up the requisite trade surveillance and compliance systems and failed to meet its obligation to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Sidoti consented to the SECs order finding that the firm violated Section 15(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The SECs investigation was conducted in the New York office by Pamela Sawhney, Jason W. Sunshine, and Sandeep Satwalekar, and the case was supervised by Sanjay Wadhwa. The SEC examination that led to the investigation was conducted by Jennifer Grumbrecht, Lourdes Caballes, Evett Evelyn, and Sabrina Rubin.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2017-47

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that a purported real estate investment manager has agreed to pay more than a half-million dollars to settle charges that he pocketed investor money in an investment scheme.

The SEC alleges that James P. Toner Jr. of Scottsdale, Ariz., siphoned $51,000 from investors who were falsely told that he would personally manage some of the real estate projects in which they were purchasing interests. The stated purpose of each investor offering was to purchase a residential property in the Phoenix area, renovate that property, and then sell it for a profit.

According to the SECs complaint, Toner took $31,000 in undisclosed management fees even though he did not manage any of the offerings, and stole $20,000 directly from an investor. Without conducting any due diligence, Toner allegedly entrusted the management of the investments to a real estate broker who subsequently squandered investor funds. According to the SECs complaint, the real estate broker was later imprisoned for other crimes.

In addition to falsely stating that he planned to personally manage some of the properties, Toner allegedly told investors he would make personal investments in the projects when in fact he never did. In order to skirt the registration requirements for the offerings, Toner allegedly instructed some investors to falsely state that they were accredited investors.

As alleged in our complaint, Toner defrauded investors with false promises that he would manage their investments and personally invest along with them. Instead he siphoned off some investor money as management fees and handed over the rest to a third party without any due diligence, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office.

Without admitting or denying the allegations, Toner consented to the entry of a court order requiring him to pay disgorgement of $51,358 plus interest of $4,893.98 and a penalty of $450,000. The settlement is subject to court approval.

The SECs investigation was conducted in the New York office by Jorge G. Tenreiro, Elizabeth Butler, Neil Hendelman, and Sandeep Satwalekar, and the case was supervised by Sanjay Wadhwa. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Arizona, and Pennsylvania Attorney Generals office.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2017-49

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a California-based penny stock company and four corporate officers with misleading investors about the research, development, and profitability of their purported business to manufacture power generation products such as fuel cells.

The SEC alleges that while raising approximately $7.9 million from investors in Terminus Energy Inc., the company and its officers claimed to have a viable prototype capable of being sold and earning revenue. According to the SEC's complaint, Terminus did not have the fuel cell technology or the funding to match their claims, and the officers were instead converting substantial amounts of investor funds to their own use.

According to the SECs complaint, the company failed to disclose to investors that Terminuss operations manager George Doumanis is a convicted felon who went to prison for securities fraud and was secretly acting as an officer of the company despite being barred from participating in penny stock offerings. Emanuel Pantelakis served on the Terminus board of directors despite having been permanently barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Also charged in the SECs complaint are Terminuss CEO Danny B. Pratte and its former president, director, and legal counsel Joseph L. Pittera.

Terminus also allegedly used unregistered brokers to sell its securities and paid them more than twice as much in commissions than was disclosed to investors in offering documents. Joseph Alborano is charged in the SECs complaint with soliciting and selling investments for which he received more than $1 million in commissions.

As alleged in our complaint, these company insiders spent massive, undisclosed amounts of investor funds and left the company with no realistic chance of developing a fuel cell product, said Eric I. Bustillo, Director of the SECs Miami Regional Office.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York today filed criminal charges against Pratte, Doumanis, and Pantelakis.

The SECs complaint seeks disgorgement of ill-gotten gains plus interest and penalties as well as officer-and-director bars and penny stock bars.

The SECs investigation, which is continuing, is being conducted by Robert H. Murphy and Mark Dee in the Miami office. The case is being supervised by Jessica M. Weissman, and the litigation is being led by Alejandro Soto. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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The Securities and Exchange Commission and the North American Securities Administrators Association today signed an information-sharing agreement as new rules to facilitate intrastate crowdfunding offerings and regional offerings take effect.

The agreement signed by the SEC and NASAA is intended to facilitate the sharing of information to ensure that the new exemptions are serving their intended purpose of facilitating access to capital for small businesses. Under the memorandum of understanding (MOU), federal and state securities regulators will be better able to monitor the effects of the new rules and also guard against fraud.

The MOU was signed by SEC Acting Chairman Michael S. Piwowar and Mike Rothman, Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce and President of NASAA, which represents state securities administrators.

The agreement not only builds on an already productive relationship between the SEC and state regulators, it also offers additional insights and protections as we help companies grow and create jobs while providing new opportunities to investors. - Acting Chairman Piwowar

The agreement not only builds on an already productive relationship between the SEC and state regulators, it also offers additional insights and protections as we help companies grow and create jobs while providing new opportunities to investors, said Acting Chairman Piwowar.

This agreement will strengthen collaboration among state and federal securities regulators to help expand small-business investment opportunities while also protecting investors, said Rothman. Ongoing dialogue is essential to carry out our responsibilities going forward. With this MOU in place, we have an opportunity to share information that will bolster our efforts to support small business capital formation and prevent fraud."

Under the new rules, companies will have more flexibility to engage in intrastate offers through websites and social media without having to register their offering with the federal government. Companies now can also raise up to $5 million per year through other amended rules, which could facilitate the development of regional offering exemptions at the state level to permit companies to raise from investors in a specific region. The previous limit was $1 million.

New JOBS Act rules went into effect in 2015 and 2016. New amendments to facilitate regional offerings went into effect in January and amendments to provide more flexibility for intrastate crowdfunding offerings will go into effect in April. These amendments are intended to facilitate greater access to capital for entrepreneurs that may not have been able to otherwise access capital using other alternatives. The MOU will increase the regulators ability to share data to better monitor implementation of the new rules and guard against fraud.

NASAA President Mike Rothman (L) and SEC Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar sign MOU.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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The Securities and Exchange Commission will host a crowdfunding symposium Feb. 28, covering research, challenges, opportunities, and the effects of securities-based crowdfunding on various market participants.

The Commissions Division of Economic and Risk Analysis is partnering with NYUs Salomon Center for the Study of Financial Institutions to bring together regulators, practitioners, and academics for the half-day event. Presentations and discussions will focus on protecting investors while facilitating capital formation.

We are excited to collaborate with NYU in this event focused on new sources of capital formation, and designed to bring together academics, industry participants, and the SEC, notes Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar.

Regulation Crowdfunding, a key JOBS Act rulemaking that went into effect on May 16, 2016, allows for a large number of retail investors to be solicited on the web and through social media to purchase unregistered securities of small private companies. Additionally, the rule establishes a new type of intermediary  the funding portal  that brings buyers and sellers together online.

To date, 21 funding portals have emerged to facilitate these transactions, with 163 deals initiated, of which 33 have completed their fundraising. Approximately $10 million of new capital has been raised in total since Regulation Crowdfunding became effective.

The event is free and open to the public, and will kick off with welcoming remarks by SEC Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar at 9:15 am at the SECs headquarters building at 100 F Street, NE. A webcast will be available at sec.gov. For individuals wishing to attend, please register in advance and provide photo ID to the security personnel at the front desk.
Committee Welcomes New Member Jerome Solomon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2017-53

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the agenda for the March 9 meeting of its Investor Advisory Committee. The meeting will commence at 9:30 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room at SEC headquarters at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. and is open to the public. The meeting will be webcast live and archived on the committees website for later viewing.

The committee will hold two panel discussions, one on research into investor behavior and financial capability and another on unequal voting rights of common shares.

The committee welcomes new member Jerome H. Solomon, a fixed-income portfolio manager at Capital Group. Members of the committee represent a wide variety of investor interests, including those of individual and institutional investors, senior citizens, and state securities commissions. For a full list of committee members, see the committees webpage.

The Investor Advisory Committee was established under Section 911 of the Dodd-Frank Act to advise the SEC on regulatory priorities, the regulation of securities products, trading strategies, fee structures, the effectiveness of disclosure, and on initiatives to protect investor interests and to promote investor confidence and the integrity of the securities marketplace. The Dodd-Frank Act authorizes the committee to submit findings and recommendations to the Commission.
Discover Australia

Australia

The mental images associated with Australia are vivid and gorgeous. Its a country of contrasts, home to bizarre and beautiful wildlife, world-class cities, millions of miles of untamed wilderness, gorgeous beaches, uncompromising deserts, strong beer, and even stronger sunshine.

Early September through late December is just before Australias peak tourism season with temps in the 70s but smaller crowds. More than 6 million people take flights to Australia every year, and none of them go home quite the same afterwards.

What to Do in Australia

With so much ground to cover, youre going to have to make some tough choices. Sydney or Melbourne? Surfing or snorkeling? Youll have fun no matter you do, but a visit to the Great Barrier Reef should probably be on your bucket list. So should Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock: nothing can prepare you for the lonesome grandeur of that timeless landmark.

Theres something about Australia that just gets under your skin, and were not talking about sand (or critters!) The fierce majesty of the landscape is softened by the warm hearts of its people, and the casual culture somehow makes sense in a land where youre always expecting the unexpected. Trust us, leaving wont be easy. But if youre lucky, the cheap flights to Australia you find on Skyscanner just might mean you can go back.

Fast Facts: Australia By the Numbers

 45 minutes is the time it takes to get to Great Barrier Reef by boat from Cairns, Australia

 20% is the % in savings for booking airfare to Sydney in November (based on 2017 data)

 1,000+ is the amount of golf courses in Australia (4th most after Japan, Canada and the UK)

 86 F is the average temperature during summer (Jan), while 59 F is the average during winter (July)

 1922 is the year Vegemite was invented

 58% is the % of people who live less than 31 miles from the coast

Travel Tips while in Australia

English is by far the most common language in the country, though Australian English has a vocabulary and a distinct personality all its own! The currency is the Australian dollar, conveniently divided into 100 cents. Tipping is uncommon, but appreciated, with 10% considered a generous bonus for good service. Youll need a passport to enter Australia, and its important to note that Australian customs and border patrol are extremely strict, with harsh penalties for infractions.

If you spend any time in Australia, youll know that the distances are long and your schedule will be full. By using our free car rental and hotel comparison tools, you can make the most of every minute, and save money, too.

Flights to Australia

Australia has dozens of commercial airports, but the top five are Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE), Perth (PER), and Adelaide (ADL). Sydney is the busiest, serving over 42 million passengers a year. Its a primary hub for Qantas, Australias largest airline. If youre interested in exploring Australia, the most popular destinations to kick start a trip are Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. If you want to explore that corner of the world in-depth, take a look at our flights to Oceania.

All of the major international airlines fly to Australia, though the long-haul nature of flights from most of the western world means that direct routes are rare. Many visitors make the most of this by scheduling in a short break in Asia for an extra dose of adventure.

Because of the huge blank areas on the Australian map, flying remains the most efficient form of transport from one major area to the next. Quantas, Virgin Australia, Tiger and Jetstar Airlines all offer robust internal flight schedules. Remember to take advantage of Skyscanners free price comparison tool to find cheap flights within Australia, too!
Countries & Areas

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Germany has ordered $1.2 billion worth of Norwegian NSM (Naval strike missile) anti-ship missiles as part of the deal involving the Norwegian purchase of four German Type 212 submarines. The NSM deal includes the missiles themselves (their number is unknown) plus all related things like logistical support and training for maintenance and technical personnel together with spare parts. Moreover the missiles will be produced in Germany under license. Both countries also have agreed to jointly develop improved versions of NSM.

This use of offsets (in effect barter) is more important to smaller nations like Norway because the NSM/ submarine deal will benefit about a hundred Norwegian firms. Since the German economy (GDP) is 90 times larger than Norways a deal like this means a lot more. With both the German and Norwegian warships using so many NSMs there is likely to be much closer cooperation on joint maintenance and logistics between the two navies.

Germany has been seeking a replacement for their Cold War era anti-ship missiles and NSM is currently the only fifth generation long range precision strike missile in service. The NSM is a successor to the Penguin anti-ship missile that entered service in 1972 and was due for a major upgrade. Development of NSW began in 1996 with the decision to create a stealthy anti-ship missile. The first test firing took place in 2006 and mass production began in mid- 2007. NSW has also been purchased by the Polish Navy for its new coastal defense batteries. NSM is available in a two variants so far: naval and land-based launchers.

NSM will be installed in the new German multi mission MKS 180 class frigate and all future new ships as well as replace older missiles on existing ships when those vessels undergo upgrades. The NSM is 3.96 meters (13 feet) long and weighs about 407 kilograms (900 pounds). The NSM has a range above 200 kilometers and a guidance system using GPS/INS to get to the general area of the target as well as infrared (IIR) sensor for finding the target and homing in on it. Thanks to stealth design and use of passive homing NSM is extremely difficult for the target ship to detect and defeat.. Other missiles which use radar for terminal guidance always emit radar signals which can be detected by enemy radar warning receivers. In case of NSM there arent any emissions. Moreover the target selection technology provides NSM with a capacity for independent detection, recognition, and discrimination of targets and even their weak spots if there are any stored in missile database. This connected with missile capability to perform a series of evasive maneuvers including re-attack if necessary gives the missile excellent hit probability and lethality). The destructive power is provided by 125 kilogram (275 pound) warhead. Although it is a small warhead compared to competition but with usage of weak spot hit capability it can cause even more damage.

The NSM/Type 212 submarine deal creates a lot more strategic cooperation between Germany and Norway. Moreover this cooperation will further strengthen the position as Norwegian defense industry has built up in this area through decades of high-tech development. Export potential will increase as a consequence of the extensive cooperation that Norway and Germany are now entering. It should be noted that Germany was Norway largest trading partner and one of its closest allies. Now Norwegians have entered into even closer cooperation on defense since, and it will have a major impact on the Navy and Army in general. -- Przemysaw Juraszek
Studios Win Injunction to Shut Down 6 Torrent Websites Including PubFilm.com and PidTV.com

We had reported last week about how Pubfilm.com was engaged in a battle with media companies over copyright infringement. It seems that the media companies have won this round against Pubfilm.com and PidTV.com.

A United States court federal judge has granted studios request to shut down the operation of PubFilm and PidTV for trafficking in large-scale piracy of recent movie releases. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero granted studios a temporary restraining order on Feb. 7 and a preliminary injunction on Feb. 17 to halt the distribution of movies on the sites, and to suspend the domain names through which the sites operate.

The court order is effectively immediately and the media companies have already asked the Registrar to block Pubfilm.com and PidTV.com.

More Torrent websites to be blocked

Having tasted blood the media companies and its spearhead MPAA are sure to move to court to get more torrent websites blocked. In this particular case, MPAA had requeseted banning of six inter-connected torrent websites and movie streaming websites including Pubfilm.com and PidTV.com. They asked the injunction against both the websites stating that the defendants operate at the shadowy margins of the internet, easily to disappear or move their operations beyond this courts jurisdiction, thereby rendering plaintiffs enforcement efforts futile.

The media companies told the court that they were unsure about the location from which both Pubfilm.com and Pidtv.com operated bet believed there were in Vietnam. The defendants in case, Pubfilm and Pidtv did not show up for court hearings.

According to the studios, PubFilms sites were one of the most active pirate streaming sites in the country, with more than 8 million visits each month. About 40% of users were linked to U.S. IP addresses.

The ring of large-scale piracy sites known as PubFilm/PidTV distributed vast numbers of stolen movies and television shows for streaming and downloading  all for the financial benefit of its operators, without paying a dime to those who worked so hard to make them, said a spokesman for the MPAA. By seeking legal orders to stop these illegal commercial enterprises, we are protecting the hard work of the millions of people who contribute to the American creative economy.

Pubfilm.com has already moved its domain to PubFilm.ac expecting a averse decision form the courts while the fate of PidTV is not known.

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Fiction in the English-speaking world is mostly post-political, perhaps recognizing that it cant compete with the spectacle of a reality-TV star as president of the United States, and perhaps just because there are so few meaningful differences between the major parties in our democracies. We have novels that address individual political issues, but few books that are interested in exploring the nature and operation of government and the role of the state in our lives.

The fact that The Accusation is the first work of fiction to be smuggled out of North Korea, and had to be published under a pseudonym (Bandi means firefly) because the writer still lives there, gives some indication of just how different, and dangerous, a world North Korea is, even beyond headline-gathering incidents such as the provocative firing of missiles or foreign assassinations.

The Accusation takes us across a deep cultural as well as political border. Even the texture of the writing, which has been translated by Deborah Smith  a British translator of Korean fiction who was a co-winner of the Man Booker International Prize last year  gives us a chilly sense of the Cold War era. Bandi is a realistic writer, but from a twenty-first century Western perspective it may seem like hes describing some dark fantasy set in Mordor, or a futuristic dystopia.

The stories, written between 1989 and 1995, constitute a passionate Jaccuse: a political polemic written against North Koreas communist dictatorship, headed at the time by the Great Leader Kim Il Sung (grandfather of North Koreas current leader, Kim Jong Un).

The picture Bandi draws is unrelievedly grim. His stories have been compared to Solzhenitsyns revelation of life in the Gulag system, with the main difference being that in The Accusation all of North Korea has been turned into a giant prison labour camp. Fear has to be instilled at birth if one is going to survive (a process we see happening in the most disturbing story, City of Specters). It is a state choked by tyranny, a den of evil magic, where cries of pain and sadness were wrenched from the mouths of its people and distorted into laughter, a barren desert, a place where life withers and dies!

As you can tell from this, the political message is not subtle. The stories make it painfully clear how awful life in North Korea is, with grinding poverty and an economy that at times seems little advanced from the Stone Age. Key themes are the family divided against itself, a world turned upside-down, and false appearance (or propaganda) vs. reality.

The word totalitarian gets thrown around a lot these days, which makes it worth seeing what living under such a regime looks like from the inside. The essential point is that the party is everywhere, controlling every aspect of the lives of the people we meet, mainly through the operation of an army of minor officials that make up a petty and at times even sadistic bureaucracy. These functionaries are sinister, alien figures, almost impossible for a Western audience to understand. We certainly have our own time-serving bureaucrats and corporate drones, but the party officials in these stories are totally dehumanized creatures of the state. These are people who have lost their souls.

Big Brother is firmly in charge, and black is white, light is dark. This disjunction between truth and lie is hammered home again and again, beginning with a prefatory poem where Bandi talks of communisms promised world of light and how it has resulted in North Koreas truly fathomless darkness, black as a moonless night at the years end. In case you miss the point, which wont be easy, each story usually winds up with a trumpet blast of climactic rhetoric aimed at the cruelty of the regime and the monstrous hypocrisy of its ideology.

Theres a famous satellite photograph of the Korean Peninsula at night that shows North Korea as an empty gap sandwiched between a brightly lit South Korea below and China above. Its as though the country is a black hole from which even information cannot escape. The Accusation is an angry book, composed in pure indignation, but it shines a necessary light on what remains one of the darkest places on Earth.

Alex Good is a frequent contributor to these pages.

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Its an announcement that would typically register on the Richter scale of the Canadian art landscape, but when the Power Plant quietly added its summer show to the upcoming exhibitions section of its website earlier this month, it was with a whisper, not a shout.

Maybe its a strategy designed to temper expectations, of which there will be many, most of them great. And fair enough. In June, the Power Plant will open The Milliners Daughter, the first survey of Ydessa Hendeles work here in her hometown, and a more momentous occasion in the Canadian art world would be hard to imagine. Its historic for another reason too: It marks the first time in its 30-year history that the gallery will give over its entire space to a solo female artist.

Its a nice bit of symmetry. Hendeles, now 68, is nothing less than a Canadian art legend. In the 1980s, she opened the Ydessa Gallery, on Queen St. near Spadina, where she helped launch the careers of Canadian artists like Jeff Wall and Rodney Graham, among the countrys biggest art exports of all time. But she was destined for even bigger things. In 1988, she opened the Ydessa Hendeles Art Foundation on King St., a two-storey brick warehouse whose innards she had polished to an international art-museum sheen.

There, she displayed works from her remarkable collection, which she had gathered not to sell, but to fill a public need. When it opened, the landscape for seeing international contemporary art here was desolate, indeed. By the time I first encountered the foundation, as a young and curious fan in the early 2000s, it became my reliable window into a greater art world. The roll call of A-list artists I saw there for the first time is almost too long to completely remember: Jeff Koons, Bruce Naumann, On Kawara, Robert Gober, Pipilotti Rist, Shirin Neshat, Christian Boltanski, Maurizio Cattelan  the list goes on.

Over time, Hendeles evolved at the foundation a unique model, taking authorship over her exhibitions with such voice and coherence that her curation became something of an art practice itself. Looking back, a 2003 show at the Foundation, Partners, now seems the departure point: An overwhelming display of thousands of vintage photographs of people posing with teddy bears (Hendeles had hunted them up personally, on eBay) all led to a single, chilling piece in a final room: Cattelans Him, a child-sized sculpture of Adolf Hitler on his knees.

By the time she closed the foundation in 2012, her position as an artist had become less a notion than a fact. Its closure signaled a shift, both for the city  which had caught up, finally, with her vision of an intermingled local and international scene  and for Hendeles herself.

As she began to split time between Toronto and New York, she started to divest her collection. She had already donated 32 works to the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2009, but in 2013, she sold 144 pieces, many of them monumental, to the Glenstone Museum, a privately owned institution near Washington, D.C.

It left her suddenly untethered, and free to take on the role more fully. Hendeles public self-declaration as an artist had taken place at the Andrea Rosen Gallery in New York in late 2011, just months before the foundation was closed. There, she presented an installation of photographs by Walker Evans and Eugene Atget, among others, alongside intricate antique woodworking  an enormous, cathedral-esque birdcage, for one. The pairing, of images long-acknowledged to be within the realm of art and evocative objects outside such distinctions, had become her signature, and a unique art practice of its own.

From there, Hendeles embraced her second act with resounding clarity. From her wooden sleep . . ., an arrangement of hundreds of wooden mannequins dating across a span of nearly 500 years at Londons Institute of Contemporary Art in 2015, was its full declaration; last fall, at New Yorks New Museum, Partners appeared as part of an exhibition called The Keeper, a coming-out party in the city shes adopted as a second home.

The Milliners Daughter, then, in an odd way, marks Hendeles Toronto debut (museum-wise at least: Death to Pigs, an intimate, intense small show at Barbara Edwards Contemporary here last fall officially holds that distinction). Its details remain to be seen, though the gallery offers some clues. Portions of the London Institute of Contemporary Arts show will be here, as will earlier projects from Berlin and from Marburg, Germany, where Hendeles was born in 1948 and from where her parents, both of them Auschwitz survivors, bundled her up in 1951 and brought her to Canada.

Whatever its final form, The Milliners Daughter will serve both as a declaration of self (Hendeles elides autobiography, though as she once told me, if youre not pulling on something of your own, youre not showing what it feels like to be alive today) and as an urgent reminder of the here and now.

Hendeles arrived as a refugee from a war-torn state, and grew up to become one of her generations most significant contributors to the culture of her adopted homeland. She tells stories, through objects, of collective identity forged through loss, tragedy and, ultimately, humanity and survival. With the world flooded with displacement, and humanity in short supply, her official homecoming, 40 years later, couldnt come at a better time.

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1. I live in a community of mobile homes. We all get along well. Lately, one of our neighbours left each of us a package. Inside was a self-addressed envelope, a donation card for the MS Society (a worthy cause) and a note thanking me in advance for my generous donation. I felt I had no choice because I didnt want her to think badly of me. But it made me furious because I already have charities I give to. Would it be rude for the rest of us to send her a donation card for our own charities?

2. Recently, the son of a co-worker was injured in an accident. Our boss decided it would be good if we all donated money to offset some of the cost of caring for the child. A brown envelope arrived on everyones desk, suggesting we each contribute $50 and return it by Friday to the bosss office. I am one of the lowest paid employees in the company; while I agree that we should help, its not fair that we should all be asked for the same amount. Those with higher incomes should give more. Agree?

Theres something sad about both letters; its the sadness born when a gracious opportunity is transformed into a dreary duty.

These situations start out with someone trying to do a good thing. Both correspondents, to their credit, acknowledge that.

Unfortunately, both campaigns derail the same way; instead of building a case for generosity and inviting people to be supportive, they use the language of obligation and presumption. In the first case, sending a thank you note in advance is coercive; its a pressure tactic designed to take away the neighbours right to make their own decisions. In the second case, assigning a suggested amount and demanding the envelope be returned to the boss at a given time is a similar gambit; the unspoken threat is obvious.

During my years in the church, there were people in every congregation who wanted to use tactics like these. Some wanted to publish the donations of all members, so that others would feel pressured to live up to their neighbours. Some wanted to divide the budget equally among the members and assign everyone their fair share. Still others wanted to suggest an appropriate amount to each member-family based on their standard of living  presumably whether they drove a Kia or Mercedes.

All these strategies are wrong, both practically and ethically.

Toronto is full of genuinely good causes: hospital foundations, religious communities, arts groups, refugee projects and so on. And beyond the citys boundaries theres another whole list: Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International and countless more.

Each of them has the absolute right to build a case for support and invite us to respond. And each of us has the duty, as members of civil society, to consider those invitations seriously and give as generously as possible.

But when the language of invitation is replaced by the semantics of coercion, everyone loses. Falling in love with a cause and therefore giving graciously to it, feels wonderful. Being pressured to respond feels lousy and leads to the resentful reactions found in both of these questions.

Send your questions to star.ethics@yahoo.ca

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Toronto tattoo artist Jennifer Liles leans over Celeste Toledos arm, the distinctive buzz of her tattooing needle blending with the Nas album reverberating through her small west-end studio.

Its Valentines Day, but Liles isnt inking a heart or lovers name into Toledos forearm. Its a monogram  MMIW  and it stands for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

This same day, hundreds of people gathered in front of Toronto Police Headquarters on College St. to remember and honour missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, trans and two-spirit people at the 12th annual Strawberry Ceremony.

It is the reason Liles choose Feb. 14 to launch her tattoo project  to raise awareness about missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada.

On the 14th day of each month, for as long as she can manage, the native artist from Kenora, Ont., will create symbolic tattoos for clients and give the days earning to a family or organization searching for answers and justice.

This first session was dedicated to Delaine Copenace, a 16-year-old from Kenora who was reported missing on Feb. 28, 2016. Her body was found in a lake three weeks later. Officials ruled her death an accidental drowning, a conclusion Delaines mother doesnt accept.

It was Delaines tragic story that struck a chord with Liles.

(I was thinking about) myself, my friends, kids I went to school with.  the awareness kind of came over me  this s--t happens everywhere, even in your small, tiny little hometown. It happens everywhere.

After reaching out to Delaines mother, Anita Ross, to get her blessing for the dedication, Liles created four pages of tattoo designs including American traditional and black-and-grey fine-line styles that are popular with tattoo collectors now, and also designs that incorporate Haida and Northern Ontario iconography. Potential clients can pick a tattoo from the pages or bring their own design. Liles said it didnt matter what people want tattooed, as long as they want their money to go to charity.

One page features three women surrounded by roses; it was based on a flash piece by iconic American tattoo artist Bert Grimm, but unlike the original, the women are wearing jingle dress regalia rather than headdresses.

Liles chose to play on Grimms design, in part, because older tattoo designs often featured sexualized, racist depictions of indigenous women and she wants to change that view.

I guess its a little bit of education, she said.

Liles, 34, only recently began connecting with her indigenous heritage  shes part Ojibwe through her mothers side.

We werent really immersed in it as younger children, she said. Now that Im older, Im finding the importance of my heritage.

Liles posted her project on Instagram (@jenntattoos) and got a positive response.

Toledo, who is one of Liles regular clients and attends the Strawberry Ceremony every year, was one of the first to book an appointment. She went straight to Liles studio after this years ceremony for her ink.

Basically, I just thought it was a really good way to support what Jenns doing, and if youre going to donate, its a good way to donate, she said.

The proceeds from the March 14 session  still open for bookings  will go to the Edmonton Sisters4Sisters Society. Its non-profit founded in memory of Georgina Faith Papin, who was murdered by serial killer Robert Pickton, and supports families that have lost mothers, sister, wives and daughters lost to violence.

I can take a day off of work once a month  I can afford it, so I think thats kind of an obvious thing,Liles said. And the other thing is, Delaines family just wants to make sure that theres justice for a lot of families, not just theirs  her moms still fighting.

Reached by phone in Kenora, Delaines mother, Ross, said the pain of losing her daughter is still fresh and raw, but that Liles gesture was heartwarming and overwhelming  I never realized how many hearts my daughter touched.

Ross said shed be putting some of the money -- $750  towards a headstone for Delaines grave, and the rest towards memorial services for her.

Its a big help, she said. Im very honoured that (Liles) honoured my daughter.

Correction  March 13, 2017: This article has been edited from a previous version that incorrectly stated the official ruling on the manner of Delaines death.

Dates and numbers:

A May 2015 report by the RCMP found 1,224 indigenous women and girls were missing and/or murdered between 1980 and 2014.

Of the cases 1,049 are homicides and 175 are missing persons.

In February 2017, after speaking to families, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said the number of missing and murdered women is likely way bigger than 1,200.

A national inquiry is scheduled to start formal hearings in May with interim findings due in November 2017 and a final report in December 2018.

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OTTAWAAs NDP leadership hopefuls prepare for their first debate on Sunday, Quebec MP Guy Caron is fleshing out his pitch for a basic income to reduce income inequality in Canada.

Caron, an economist, is proposing a taxable supplement that would help those Canadians whose income levels fall below a standard minimum threshold, determined in part by the size of their family and the city they live in.

He says the proposal would be designed to complement existing provincial and federal social programs, not replace them.

Caron says 70 per cent of those people who are living in poverty are considered working poor: they have jobs, but simply dont earn enough to get by.

Other candidates in the race to replace Thomas Mulcair as leader include Manitoba MP Niki Ashton, who entered the race this week, B.C. MP Peter Julian and Ontario MP Charlie Angus.

Would-be candidates have until July 3 to declare formally whether they are in the running; a new leader will be named in October.

Despite what weve been led to believe, poverty and inequality are not inevitable, Caron said in a statement Saturday.

A basic income will actually save us money. Less poverty means less stress on health care, social programs and public safety resources. Its also good public policy, since investing in Canadians gives them the tools to participate fully in society, access better opportunities and achieve financial independence.

The concept of a basic guaranteed income has been around for decades and crosses partisan lines: an Ontario Liberal government pilot project is getting underway to test the viability of a basic income program.

But while the Liberals and the Conservatives see the idea as a replacement for existing social programs, progressives recognize basic income as an important tool in fighting inequality and levelling the economic playing field, Caron says.

The NDP is the only party putting forward basic income for the right reason: to end economic inequality.

Caron is sure to talk up his proposal during Sundays inaugural leadership debate in Ottawa. But at least one potential candidate wont be there, since he hasnt made up his mind on whether to run: Ontario deputy NDP leader Jagmeet Singh.

Singh says he is still weighing his options, but doesnt see a problem with not taking part in the debate.

If I was in the race and  chose not to go to the debate, I think thats definitely problematic, he said in an interview. But not having decided, I dont think thats something I can really weigh in on.

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Mark Campbell is sitting in a bright pink chair in the Allan Slaight Radio Institute at Ryerson, recounting his younger days as a member of an east-end hip-hop sound crew and later, a DJ on a community radio station.

As he looks around at the upscale recording studio he marvels at a little-known fact. Until recently, the university had no idea that former student Ron Nelson became the godfather of Toronto hip hop while sitting in a much more modest chair in a Ryerson community radio station.

Ryerson had no idea that one of the first hip-hop shows in Canada came out of Jorgenson Hall in the basement. That was Ron Nelsons show, says Campbell, an adjunct professor at the RTA School of Media. That should be part of Canadas pride across the world.

Campbell is also the lead developer of a new think tank in the faculty of communication and design at Ryerson, where he will develop strategies and partnerships to promote Canadian culture.

Campbell, 38, began documenting Torontos vibrant hip-hop scene in 2009 after discovering during research for a book that little had been written about it.

He has organized live events so that artists and industry insiders can tell their stories and share memorabilia. The historical material is being compiled online in the Northside Hip Hop Archive, a website that hosts a collection of audio, images and accounts  beginning in the late 80s  that is funded by a number of partners including Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts.

This month, Campbell will talk to pioneers of hip hop in four cities across Canada during an event called I Was There which launches Thursday in Montreal and wraps up on March 31 at Ryerson with a celebration of Nelsons contributions.

Campbell has a number of collaborators working with him on the archive, including researchers, hip-hop pioneers and teachers, who are writing lesson plans in hip hop for Grade 10 teachers of English, history and art.

I wanted young people to have the opportunity to see themselves successful in something theyre invested in, says Campbell, noting the material can be taught by anyone outside the class as well.

There are already some Toronto high school teachers using hip hop to connect to students.

A lot of the music is really rich in figurative language, in metaphor and simile, says Kulsoom Anwer Shaikh, a high school English teacher at Jane and Finch. Anwer Shaikh is part of the Northside archive and is writing a curriculum that she hopes Toronto schools will adopt.

American hip hop is so ubiquitous that students might not feel as connected to its roots in Canada, says Shaikh, 37, but there have been distinct Canadian contributions to hip hop and I feel like its something we should be thinking about.

For Campbell, the music has been part of his life since he first discovered it watching a movie as a child.

He says the music empowered him because the more he learned about it, the more he understood the creativity, the innovation and the ingenuity of the artists and the skill they needed to DJ, produce, write and dance.

And that realization was an antidote to the stereotypes he heard about hip-hop artists, the discourses that would say they dont want to go to school or they dont want to learn or theyre not interested in politics.

He regrets that he never saw that part of his culture reflected in school.

The idea with this curriculum is that we will have young people that will feel less alienated, have more civic pride, think about themselves as belonging to the city in a certain kind of way.

Ron Nelson was a first-year radio and television arts student in 1983 when he began his long-running show, the Fantastic Voyage Program, on Saturday afternoons at CKLN.

Then, Torontos burgeoning scene included local sound crews such as Maceo and DOC as well as Sunshine, perhaps the best-known crew, who performed with rappers Brother Different, Butch Lee and Michie Mee, Canadas first rapper to get a major U.S. record deal. Toronto and Montreal were also major stops on the circuit in the 80s for emerging U.S. artists such as Run-D.M.C., DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince (actor Will Smith), and LL Cool J.

With few record stores selling black music, Nelson, now 54, says his show was one of the only places where hip-hop fans could hear new music and where the citys talent could get air time.

And that made it one of the few places to market hip hop.

He remembers how in the early days, a record company hired him to go to suburban malls with Maestro Fresh Wes  who appeared on Nelsons show at age 15  along with another MC to promote Kings of Rap, a compilation album. The trio played music on the sidewalk.

As people are shopping, hopefully they would be drawn towards the music that we were doing  and then buy the album, says Nelson. Can you imagine that? Thats the kind of marketing people had to do back then, because nobody knew how to do it.

Nelsons show helped launch Mees career as well as Wes Williams, a.k.a. Maestro Fresh Wes, whose single Let Your Backbone Slide was released as part of his 1989 platinum-selling album Symphony in Effect.

The radio host also became a promoter and turned his bedroom into an office so he could organize concerts. He enticed some of the best U.S. talent to travel north and battle Canadian rappers and breakdancers in events he called Monster Jams.

Having them battle was probably the best thing for putting Canada on the map, says Nelson, who is still a concert promoter and who has lectured for more than a decade about hip hop at York University. Some of our best, including Michie Mee, went up against Americas best and that was probably the peak of it all.

It was a very special time, a very special feeling.

As he talks over the phone, he flips through the Monster Jam fliers that are part of a collection of memorabilia that hes stored away all these years, and reads out the big names that came to Toronto in late 80s, including American rappers Salt-N-Pepa, Big Daddy Kane and the late Heavy D, as well as Michie Mee.

Anyone who sees these are going to go down memory lane, says Nelson.

At the age of 6, Mark Campbell saw breakdancers in a movie on TV and told his parents that thats what he wanted to do.

It was the mid-80s and Wild Style, the first hip-hop film, which featured pioneers including Grandmaster Flash, had come out in 1982. Breakin and Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo followed in 1984. Campbell doesnt remember which film it was, but the dancing and the music stuck.

After that introduction, he says: I really just consumed it and learned and studied it until I was old enough to participate.

Campbell grew up with his parents and three siblings in Scarborough. His father is a retired machine mechanic who worked at Kraft for 35 years. His mother is retired from Sears.

Music was important in his household, he says, but his dad, who emigrated from Jamaica before reggae was big, favoured ska and soul.

As he got older he tuned into hip hop on the radio. MuchMusic was a huge influence. The stations VJs, including Master T and Michael Williams, were always ensuring that we had access to the latest hip-hop music, Canadian and American.

By Grade 8 he was making pause tapes  literally songs recorded from the radio on tapes paused during commercials  and playing them at house parties.

His high school, Francis Libermann near McCowan and Finch Aves., had a number of hip-hop packs, says Campbell, including Monolith, which came out of Scarborough in the mid-90s. Monolith had eight or nine members and half of them went to school at Francis Libermann, where they also performed.

Campbell and his friends formed a sound crew called Triple S. They would get together on Saturday nights in one of their basements to watch videos that showed turntable scratching, beat juggling or mixing, and practise their techniques. He bought turntables with the money he earned selling shoes in Champs in the Scarborough Town Centre, money that was earmarked for university.

We had four people in the crew and there would be two turntables for four of us, says Campbell. Each weekend we would trade and travel and bring mixers to each others houses and practise.

And he and his friends would make tapes to show off their mixing skills and promote their group so they could get hired.

At the time, the cassettes were huge, says Campbell. Mix tapes with promotional tracks and sometimes exclusive tracks  Campbell made one with an exclusive track by Monolith  were traded, shared and sold.

The tapes often moved from one city to another via a family member. Campbell remembers being in Grade 9 and receiving a Ron G mix tape from a relative.

That was serious social capital in high school, he says. It had original songs and stuff you couldnt access. You couldnt buy this music anywhere. So mix tapes were really critical to spreading hip-hop culture.

Meanwhile, his group would DJ wherever they could find a place to perform, even taking the bus from Scarborough to an outdoor party at Dufferin and Finch.

Sometimes, theyd borrow one of their parents cars, a much easier way to transport their milk crates full of records, although the albums would often have to be lugged up or down stairs once they reached their destination.

It was pretty nightmarish for our backs, says Campbell.

Sometimes, his Triple S sound crew would get their name on a flier but when theyd get to an event, the older DJs wouldnt let them perform. Or nobody would come to the party, and the promoter would tell them he couldnt pay them.

Campbell had a lifeline to hip hop, but he couldnt make the same connection in high school, where he felt alienated.

A couple of teachers at Francis Libermann had low expectations of him, he says, and speculates it was because he was a young black man or an athlete. He says he was stopped on his first day of Grade 9 by a religion teacher who told him he looked like trouble. A male teacher wouldnt ask to see his homework, perhaps thinking it was never done, says Campbell.

He also says his typical upbringing in Scarborough included being carded by police.

Campbell changed schools for Grade 13 and went to Pope John Paul II so he could prioritize his education, knowing his parents would never accept DJing as a career.

But he didnt leave music behind. In 1997, Campbell went to York University for his bachelor of education and began volunteering at CHRY, the York radio station where DJ Grouch played the hip hop that Campbell had listened to when he was getting ready for high school.

After class, Campbell would file records in the stations library or sell food at bake sales to raise money.

He and his high school sound crew got their own show, The Soul of Hip Hop Show, in 1998 in the 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. slot. Campbell took the name DJ Grumps, an ode to DJ Grouch, and because his friends thought he was moody.

He mentored me on the radio and sort of got me started, says Campbell. The show was a mixture of interviews with live guests as well as performances and recorded music.

After graduating from York in 2003, he worked as a supply teacher and filled in for long-term occasional work. Throughout the years, Campbell continued to work overnight on radio, moving with his sound crew to the midnight-to 2-a.m. slot with a show called The Bigger Than Hip Hop Show.

He says his high school DJ career gave him the skills to get into radio. And in his nearly two decades on air, he says he met almost everyone there was to meet in the Canadian industry.

These artists are coming through and a lot of time they have no label, says Campbell. They have no management and theyre just doing the work because theyre artists. Theyre making amazing music.

Campbell would go on to write his dissertation for his PhD on the influence of hip-hop music and DJ remix culture, which he says affected products such as Nike remix shoes and films like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the 2012 fact-and-fiction mashup that came from a novel of the same name.

After earning his PhD in sociology from U of T, he was one of 25 people awarded a prestigious Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Regina, where he did a project on how digitization of hip hop made it more accessible to young women.

He joined Ryerson last year and teaches two courses in the RTA program: Sonic Innovations in Black Music, and a graduate course, From Antiblackness to Intersectionality: Race and Racism in Popular Culture.

Campbell left his radio show two years ago, after the birth of his second son, because hed made a promise to his wife, Gena Chang-Campbell, to be there for the overnight feedings.

The city still has a number of veterans hosting community radio shows, like DJ MelBoogie  Maestros sister  who co-hosts a hip-hop show on CHRY-FM at York, and DTS, who continues to co-host the Masterplan Show at U of Ts CIUT station, where he started in 1989.

And although Campbell is off the air, he continues his work on hip hop with the archive, which he hopes will allow young people to look back and say oh, OK, there is value to us. We did contribute to this city. We are important, says Campbell.

And that wasnt the message growing up, especially if you were involved in hip hop in the 90s in a very suburban neighbourhood, he says.

The message then was that you dont belong here.

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MERU, KENYAMercy Chidi didnt really think she could pull it off. Changing the way an entire country views its girls would mean taking on the police, as well as the parents and the very culture of Kenya.

But Chidi, who runs a shelter for orphaned, abandoned and raped kids called Ripples International in Meru, a city of one million about five hours north of Nairobi, was determined to take action on rape cases. She was outraged that in Kenya three girls in 10 are raped before their 18th birthday. And she was consumed by the persistent myth held by many sub-Saharan Africa men that having sex with a little girl will cure them of HIV/AIDS.

Her quest took a serendipitous turn when, in 2010, she arrived in Toronto to take a course in womens human rights at U of T. She met Fiona Sampson, CEO of The Equality Effect, an organization that uses international human rights law to protect girls and women.

Together, they hatched a plan that became a precedent-setting court case: one hundred and sixty girls from Meru between the ages of 3 and 17 sued the government of Kenya for failing to protect them from being raped.

A six-year battle ensued, culminating last week in a newly trained police force, the launch of a pilot program called Justice Clubs, which teaches school kids what the law says about the rights as girls, and soaring public awareness about rape  or defilement as its called in Kenya when the victim is under the age of 18.

Amid a heartfelt celebration in Kenya, Chidi remembered the long road to this success. When this began in 2010, I didnt have coin to take action, said Chidi. The number of girls being raped was rising. The police didnt investigate or arrest or convict the predators.

It was about legal impunity, said Sampson, who is one of Canadas last-born thalidomide children, so she knows a thing or two about impunity. The pharmaceuticals and governments had impunity when my mother was pregnant with me. The rapists in Kenya also had impunity because the police didnt take the defilement of girls seriously.

A collection of human rights lawyers from Canada and Kenya prepared the case, and on International Day of the Girl, Oct. 11, 2012, they launched the suit. On May 26, 2013, the judge announced his verdict: the girls won. The state would be obliged to protect girls from rape by training a police force that could arrest, interrogate and charge assailants. It was a victory for 10 million girls.

Following the decision, Chidi implored Sampson to stay on the case when she returned to Canada. It would be a hollow victory if there was no change. The police suggested working together to implement the 160 Girls decision. But they needed to be trained in the new law, an expensive, time-consuming and sensitive task. Who could take that on?

They turned to Insp. Tom McCluskie, a 31-year veteran with the Vancouver Police Department and long-time investigator of sexual assault. Sampson has previously relied on his expertise in preparation for the 160 Girls lawsuit. McCluskie, who had been working on the Robert Pickton serial murder case at the time, had gone over the girls files with a fine-tooth comb: The ones I read didnt meet any standard at all, he explained. There was no chance of a conviction. The children would never get justice with these investigations.

In the wake of the court victory, Chidi and Sampson needed him again. Would he consider collaborating to prepare a program to train the police force in defilement investigations and the new 160 Girls law?

He agreed, together with his wife, Sgt. Leah Terpsma  who worked undercover in the sex crimes unit on the Vancouver force  along with equality lawyers and frontline advocates.

Training began in Toronto in October 2014 when 12 senior officers from Kenya came for a five-day, 40-hour session. It was designed by McCluskie to include every step of a rape investigation, from the time the police receive a call to the day the case goes to court. The Kenyan officers were flabbergasted by the course details. They gave a thumbs-up to continuing it back home.

Today, 2,400 police out of a force of 80,000 have taken the course in Kenya with local trainers  40 per cent of them female officers. On March 1, with newly trained officers in place, evaluations began to weigh the effectiveness of the programs rollout.

Sospeter Munyi, director of criminal investigations for the National Police Service, called it a wonderful program. The welfare of our children is at stake. Its possible to push this training out across the country. People are talking about it and the police officers feel they own the project.

In the meantime, 160 Girls has become a catchword for safety and justice. The girls held one-day workshops in schools soon after the 2013 court victory to talk about how to stop rape and violence. But they felt the workshop wasnt enough.

They wanted something sustainable, a club perhaps that would teach girls and boys what the law says about defilement, what the police and community role is in preventing violence and what the constitution says about the obligation of the state to protect the rights of each citizen. That required expert advice, research and a whole new level of organization.

This time the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto stepped up to the plate. Just as the lawyers and Vancouver police officers had worked pro bono, so did the Rotman school. MBA students conducted focus groups remotely with the 160 girls who shared their ideas on how to spread the word  through drama, music, poetry, singing, dancing and debate. They wanted community endorsement and to partner with police. A report, written by the U of T students, went to education curriculum specialists, who fleshed out the plan.

On Feb. 27, Justice Clubs was launched as a pilot project in four shelters and 12 schools, with the hope of quickly expanding to every school across the country.

The impact can already be seen at Ntani Primary School, a one-hour drive into the bush from Meru. There, 251 students between the ages of 4 and 18 years told the story of violence and justice in song, to the tune of Found a Peanut  got raped last night; went to the police last night; got justice last night. They sung another song with the words, these are my private parts, dont touch them. Its something their relatives could never have imagined: boys and girls talking about sexual assault and defilement and all the what-ifs that go with it.

Police are also participating in the clubs. At Ntani, police officer Hussein Gure told the kids stories, making them laugh when he said, Even if its your teacher who is wronging you, come and tell me because I am here to protect you.

Children here have always feared the police, said Jennifer Koone, a teacher in charge of the Justice Club at Mukongorone Primary School, another hours drive from Meru. Thats why we encourage the officers to come to the clubs and talk to the students.

Koone teaches students about their rights, about defilement and its consequences and how they can protect themselves. I teach them life skills, like dont go in the bush alone; if someone touches you a wrong way, scream.

This is a big conversation going on in a part of the world where old habits die hard. Much has changed. Much has not. Boney cows still bawl in roadside ditches, tethered goats strain to reach greener patches of grass. This is noisy, crowded Africa where motorcycles carry three to a bike. This is ancient, rural Africa under the majestic gaze of the craggy crown of Mount Kenya. But this is also Africa throwing off the past and adopting a future that embraces the rights of girls.

Not far from Meru and the schools where the Justice Clubs have launched, in the Tigania West divisional headquarters, officer-in-command Alex Otieno said he relates to these kids now. He says the crimes in his region are mostly domestic. The training I took for the 160 Girls law made me see these cases as a father. Ill share that training with other officers so that justice will prevail.

His national boss, Munyi, who attended the three-day evaluation of police training, told Otieno, It takes time to change a culture. Dont give up.

The police officers bid Vancouvers McCluskie and Terpsma farewell, but not before extracting a promise that theyll come back. Stay with us on this, said Otieno. Terpsma told the officers, Youre having an effect on the children out there. Im inspired by you.

This all started with 160 little girls, said Sampson. You are their guardians of the constitution. As author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said, Culture doesnt make people, people make culture, and you are making a new one.

Back in Meru, Mercy Chidi is the first one to admit there is still work to be done, but she is committed to continuing, along with the 160 girls and the newly trained police officers.

Chidi likes to quote her hero, the late Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, who told a story about a hummingbird trying to put out a forest fire. With its tiny beak, it took drops of water to try to douse the inferno. When the other animals said what do you think you are doing, the hummingbird said, Im doing what I can.

Thats me, said Mercy. Im doing what I can.

Sally Armstrong is a journalist who covers zones of conflict from the point of view of what happens to women and girls. She's been reporting on this story in Kenya for six years. Her latest book is Ascent of Women: A New Age Is Dawning for Every Mother's Daughter (Random House)

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Exceptions to government transparency are growing in Minnesota as lobbyists for local officials, law enforcement and businesses gain exemptions under the states public records law.

The number of secrecy provisions in Minnesotas public records law has risen to at least 660, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Sunday in a story kicking off Sunshine Week, the annual nationwide celebration of access to public information.

As examples, the newspaper noted residents are not allowed to see complete disaster plans for a derailment of train cars loaded with highly flammable oil that roll through Minnesota every day. The state also keeps secret which companies have received $72 million in tax subsidies.

State lawmakers recently blocked the public from seeing nearly all video from police body cameras. And legislators are considering proposals that could restrict access to financial records of government contractors and prevent the public from reviewing tax court proceedings.

For a decade, Minnesota health care advocates have failed to force the state to detail how much insurers profit from the $5 billion a year in taxpayer money they get to administer Medicaid and other public programs.

Buddy Robinson of the Minnesota Citizens Federation-Northeast, a Duluth advocacy group for seniors and health care access, said secrecy still seems to reign supreme.

In an interview, Gov. Mark Dayton said he is concerned that Minnesotas open records watchdog agency isnt doing enough to make sure people get the information to which they are entitled.

Theres got to be a recourse for people, said Dayton, a Democrat. Theres got to be somebody whos going to be taking this seriously.

In the internet age, the cost of managing the surge of new information that governments agencies must collect, sort and store is cited as a reason for withholding and even destroying public records. Elected officials and agency leaders say it is too expensive and time-consuming to weed out emails, text messages and other records deemed confidential.

The government Data Practices Act was passed long before we had email and websites and all this other electronic information, Bloomington City Manager Jamie Verbrugge said.

Bloomington paid $45,000 last year to settle a lawsuit from a Minneapolis man for refusing to turn over records related to protests at the Mall of America. Now, Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead is joining other Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs in asking legislators to put limits on requests for public information, saying some activists use the requests to bog down the process.

Winstead said filing data requests is a way that people who are against things can cause you issues and trouble.

Minnesota law starts with the assumption that the records produced by its governments are public. Originally passed in 1974, the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act has ballooned from 29 pages in 1982 to 176 pages today.

Every year, the Legislature adjusts the law, so much that it begins to have all these exceptions that swallow the rule, said state Rep. John Lesch of St. Paul, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Civil Law and Data Practices Policy.

Theres got to be a recourse for people. Theres got to be somebody whos going to be taking this seriously. Gov. Mark Dayton
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDSThat Duindorp has few immigrants is part of its charm for Willem van Vliet, whose Willem and Toet fish bar serves crispy shrimp croquettes and other Dutch snacks.

When the cook leaves the tidy, quiet neighbourhood next to The Hagues port and travels the few kilometres to more culturally diverse areas of the city, he sees a Netherlands not enriched by immigration, but ravaged by it.

Too many people have come to Holland with no education, no work experience, and they are coming here only for money from the government, he said. Enough is enough.

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Such views make Duindorp one of the epicentres of the populist wave sweeping Europe, gatecrashing its politics and clouding its future. Dutch elections on Wednesday, followed by polls later this year in France and Germany, will be a barometer of whether the storm is gaining strength.

The spectre of uncontrolled floods of migrants from countries that dont share Europes Christian heritage is a principal selling point of the far-right firebrand politics of the Netherlands Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen in France. By harping on anti-Islam, anti-immigrant themes, they are accused of making xenophobic views mainstream again.

For their supporters, they simply tell it like it is.

Of the Netherlands 17 million people, just over one in five now have a foreign background and about 850,000 are Muslim. Paradoxically, hostility against migrants is sometimes sharpest in places that have not absorbed large numbers of them.

Duindorp has no mosques and few Muslims. Its several thousand people are overwhelmingly white, most born locally.

Yet Duindorp is Wilders territory. When his Party for Freedom got hammered in the last parliamentary election in 2012, Duindorp bucked the trend. At Duindorps community centre that serves as a polling station, where retirees come for billiards and company, 352 people voted for Wilders, more than for the two largest parties combined.

Leo Pronk, a Duindorp community leader, said Wilders hooks voters who dont know any better with his program to de-Islamize the Netherlands, ban the Quran and immigration from Muslim countries and shut the countrys estimated 475 mosques.

Wilders is saying what the low-educated people want to hear ... Immigrants are taking our jobs, they are raping our women, said Pronk, who doesnt vote for Wilders.

Islam, relatively new in the Netherlands, has spread as increasing numbers of native Dutch are abandoning religion. The Netherlands oldest mosque, in The Hague, was built in 1955. Its imam, Naeem Ahmad, dismisses Wilders program as not possible.

He says the Muslim community is thriving. The Mobarak Mosque gets new years greeting cards from its Dutch neighbours. Before the ubiquity of GPS, people would lead worshippers who had trouble finding the building right to the door, he said.

In what other country would that happen? he asked. The majority of the people in the Netherlands are still very liberal, very welcoming.

But those receptive to Wilders arguments also include wealthier people, among them the crew of the Maarten Jacob. The trawlermen make as much as 8,000 ($11,500 Canadian) each per month catching fish from the North Sea. Of the six aboard, five plan to vote Wilders, even though his desire to pull the Netherlands out of the European Union could hurt its fishing industry, likely limiting access to European waters.

Islam is very dangerous, the captain, Jan de Boer, said. Im very scared and I mean it, honestly.

Fear cuts both ways.

Immigrants and their Dutch-born children are questioning their place in the country once famed for its tolerance.

The Netherlands that I grew up in are not the Netherlands I live in today, said 46-year-old Sylvana Simons, of Surinamese descent.

Weve told ourselves and we desperately wanted to believe  and believed  that we were the most tolerant country in the world, the former TV presenter said. It has proven not to be enough.

Born in The Hague, with Moroccan parents, 36-year-old market-stall holder Latif Boujada said he no longer feels at home in either country. He sells lets-learn-Arabic books, recordings from the Quran and other Muslim apparel.

Boujadas father came in the 1970s for work in the textile industry.

The Dutch didnt want to do the dirty jobs. We helped make the country rich. Now they want us to go back, Boujada said.

But he added defiantly: Were not going anywhere. We are staying.

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NEW YORKDont open the front door if immigration officials knock. If you are arrested, tell them your name and nothing else. Definitely dont sign anything.

That is some of the advice being given in New York City and around the country at training sessions, put on by advocacy organizations, aimed at helping immigrants living in the country illegally get in as little trouble as possible if they encounter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Called know your rights training, the sessions have been pushed by some groups as a way to prepare for a possible crackdown on illegal immigration under President Donald Trump. Similar trainings are scheduled in New Mexico and El Paso.

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The idea, organizers said, is to give immigrants guidance on how to legitimately push back against attempts to detain them, mostly using tactics designed to keep agents from learning anything they dont already know. The government cant deport someone unless they can prove they are in the U.S. illegally.

At a training session Tuesday in Queens, a little more than two dozen people sat in a room listening to Yaritza Mendez, an outreach co-ordinator at the pro-immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York. She spoke about various ways ICE agents can find a person, and what to do if they come knocking.

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Even people in the country illegally have constitutional rights, Mendez said, such as not being subjected to unreasonable searches and seizures, not answering questions and not signing any documents without speaking with an attorney.

Volunteers took part in a role-playing exercise. The audience broke into laughter when a woman wearing a vest with ICE taped on it burst into the room after knocking loudly on a door.

I try to make it interactive because its long and very sad, in a way, Mendez said.

A lady sitting at the back had a question. If immigration officials knocked on her door, what if she opened it a crack but kept the chain on?

No, Mendez said. Not even a crack. Thats guidance that closely mirrors something criminal defence attorneys have long been telling clients. Letting a law enforcement agent peek inside could give them the probable cause they need to enter without a warrant.

Other advice dispensed during the session: Make sure any warrants presented have the right name and addresses and are signed by a judge. Do not volunteer information. Do not show the agents any fake documents, since doing so is a crime that could land them in much deeper trouble.

Plan ahead for the worst. For example, she said, parents in danger of being detained should have paperwork in place to have someone look after their children, instead of scrambling to find someone in an emergency.

Most of the people in the audience were immigrants in the country illegally.

But they were also people like Pascalina Chirinos, 63, a legal permanent resident from Venezuela who has been in the U.S. for about five years.

She said she attended so she could share the information with friends and neighbours, but also to know her own rights if she were ever caught up even in passing in immigration enforcement efforts.

In reality, all of us are afraid, Chirinos said in Spanish, through an interpreter. The air that we breathe is very tense.

In Los Angeles, Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said his organization is trying to train more people to conduct know-your-rights presentations at schools and churches to keep up with rising community demand.

Were training the trainers, he said. People dont have to be lawyers to share what the constitutional rights of people are.

Mendez said Make the Road has been getting calls from churches and other institutions like a local hospital to come and give the trainings in those places for their staffs and clients.

The atmosphere is fearful, she said. You dont know what is going to happen the next day.

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ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations Sunday, claiming that Nazism is alive in the West after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would pay the price for their unusual action.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased.

He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police in riot gear from entering her countrys consulate in Rotterdam.

That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

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Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

The Dutch prime minster said it was important for his government not to bow to pressure from Turkey, especially after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept Turkish ministers out.

Turkey is a proud nation. The Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail, said Mark Rutte, whose party is locked in a neck-and-neck race with populist firebrand Geert Wilders.

To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkeys president, Turkish cabinet ministers have scheduled campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

However, some European nations have complained that Turkey under Erdogan is slipping toward authoritarian practices, especially since last summers aborted coup. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands.

The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken centre stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday.

Ruttes actions, which came two days after several German municipalities cancelled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being Nazi remnants.

On Sunday, he heaped on more criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch.

Turkey's Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya criticized Dutch authorities for refusing to allow her into her country's consulate in downtown Rotterdam.

If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price, Erdogan warned.

Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price, he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting pro-Erdogan protesters who gathered outside the consulate.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming.

Addressing crowds at a campaign rally later, Erdogan called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands and urged the European Union to speak out against the Dutch.

What took place in the Netherlands was the trampling of diplomacy, international law, practice, decency. Is there a peep coming out of Europe? No. Why? Because they wont bite one another. They are all the same. The Netherlands did not behave like a European Union member state governed by the rule of law, but like a banana republic.

Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz a day after he was banned from speaking in the Netherlands. He told hundreds of supporters there that the Dutch would be forced to account regardless of an apology and called the Netherlands the capital of fascism.

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said the rally presented no threat to public order and was permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

Frances foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, called for the calming of tensions between some European countries and Turkey. He also urged Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations.

About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted Cavusoglu as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz.

I am disappointed by Holland because they speak of democracy and freedom but it is not the case. To not allow a speech, its sad. We are all disappointed, said Beatrice Bozkus, a Metz resident who attended the rally.

The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenship, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland.

The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to, Rutte said. These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey.

Still, added the prime minister, his government will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate.

On Saturday, Turkeys family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, where she was to campaign for the upcoming referendum in Turkey.

After a tense standoff outside the consulate, she was escorted back to the German border.

Speaking to reporters Sunday at Istanbuls main airport, Kaya condemned Dutch authorities anti-democratic actions which trampled on freedom of expression and right to assembly.

We were subject to very rude and harsh treatment, she said.

Earlier, a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate in Istanbul and replaced the Netherlands flag with the Turkish one.

Television footage showed a man standing on the roof of the building shouting Allahu akbar, Arabic for God is great. A small group of men holding Turkish flags were seen outside the consulate shouting Damn Holland and Racist Holland.

The private Dogan news agency reported that the consulate later took down Turkeys flag and put the Dutch flag back up.

In Rotterdam, police arrested 12 people early Sunday at a demonstration outside the consulate after police were hit by bottles and rocks.

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From the start of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump pledged total change, delivering his promises with a scorched-earth political vocabulary  Lyin Ted, Crooked Hillary, drain the swamp, lock her up. Some found his language appalling, but others found it refreshing enough to make him president.

Now, in the Oval Office, Trump and his chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, have moved beyond the campaigns embrace of political incorrectness to shake official Washington with a new vocabulary that breaks from the usual liberal-conservative terms of debate.

Bannon rails against the corporatist, globalist media. Trump talks about a global power structure. Bannon promises the deconstruction of the administrative state. With evident relish, the president stands before Congress and enunciates every syllable of radical Islamic terrorism, even after his own national security adviser protests that the phrase is unhelpful.

The populist rhetoric is so systemic, its hard to believe its not a deliberate effort to change the language of politics, said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) who taught history at the University of Oklahoma before entering politics. This is obviously very populist language  the idea that theres finally somebody here to protect you from these international and corporate forces that are making you feel lost.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump END

The purpose of the new rhetoric is to break through the partisan paralysis of recent years, pull the country into an America-first nationalism and persuade Trump supporters that the new president meant it when he announced at his inauguration that the hour of action has commenced.

What youre hearing is genuine change, said former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), a Trump supporter and occasional adviser. Its an assertive language and a focus on America that cuts against the norm of what weve seen from our elites over the last 30 years.

A senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that the rhetoric of the Trump administration is designed to be neither left nor right but a common-sense approach that shines light on a very out-of-touch small group of people in a few big cities who have been the big winners and who try to portray the mainstream of America as being abnormal.

During the campaign, Trump promised to rein in his rhetoric and become more presidential than anybody, other than the great Abe Lincoln, but he also said he would keep up the tough, street-level vernacular that thrilled crowds at his rallies.

As president, Trump has continued to make statements that are factually incorrect or are based on opinions he heard on TV. It is a pattern he followed throughout his business career. I play to peoples fantasies, he wrote in his first book, The Art of the Deal. People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. Its an innocent form of exaggeration  and a very effective form of promotion.

In addition to exaggeration, Trump has long used insults and dire descriptions to diminish rivals. With help from Bannon and senior adviser and speech writer Stephen Miller, Trump has portrayed the country as a mess, beset with the crime and the gangs and the drugs that the president summed up in his inaugural address as American carnage. (The full sentence in which that phrase appeared  This American carnage stops right here and stops right now  is, according to the administration official, a statement of hope, and if it took the word carnage to get the community, and especially the media, to look at whats really happening, then thats what has to be done.)

Trump and his strategists have turned their rhetorical guns on coastal elites, academics, journalists, financiers and Hollywood celebrities  a fairly traditional roster of targets for a populist.

The ideology that Bannon calls economic nationalism is a very recognizable, quite common strategy that weve seen in Europe for many years, said Bart Bonikowski, a sociologist at Harvard who studies the appeal of populism and nationalism. They use language that vilifies elites, combined with glorification of the people and a pretty strong anti-intellectualism and skepticism about expertise. Its a very powerful mix that taps anxieties and fears.

The rhetoric Trump and Bannon use is not conservative Republican language, said Manfred Steger, a political scientist at the University of Hawaii who studies globalization. Its really the language of the left, the same rhetoric we heard in the late 90s in the demonstrations against corporations that scour the planet for profits.

By using rhetoric outside the usual right-left or Republican-Democratic debates, Trump and Bannon seek to establish the administration as the sole protector of the forgotten men and women against the elites, Steger said.

By talking about globalism and corporatism, Cole said, Trump seeks not to unite the country but to solidify his support with a very important target group  people who voted for Obama but were willing to try something different.

Although Trumps rhetoric is distant from the GOP mantras of lower taxes, smaller government and social conservatism, it is hard for Republicans in Congress to oppose a president who was elected under the GOP banner and who has a habit of tagging opponents as part of an enemy elite.

Bannon and Trumps message of economic nationalism is the opposite of what Republicans have been preaching for 20 years, said Patrick Buchanan, who ran for president twice in the 1990s as a populist Republican. But what we saw in the speech to Congress was amazing: [House Speaker Paul] Ryan and those guys, standing and cheering for economic nationalism! Cheering for enormous public-works undertakings  the Republicans! Its Trumps party now.

Cole said Trumps foundation of support is strong enough to let him use divisive language  if he gets things done. He has to show real progress on four things: border security, replace Obamacare, tax reform and rebuilding the military, Cole said. If we dont get those four big things done, itll all collapse into finger-pointing and division.

Asked whether the president shares or understands Bannons theories of nationalism, Gingrich said, No, of course not. The president has a very broad sense of what he wants America to be. His philosophy is based on four basic principles: anti-left, anti-stupidity, anti-political correctness, pro-American. And thats what you hear from him.

Some of Trumps comments about the forces he blames for the decline of the middle class strike some listeners as a resort to classic anti-Semitic tropes.

In one of Trumps most powerful TV ads near the end of the campaign, he spoke against a global power structure that is responsible for the economic decisions that have robbed our working class [and] stripped our country of its wealth. Those searing words were illustrated with images of billionaire hedge fund king George Soros, Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and Goldman Sachs banker Lloyd Blankfein, all of whom are Jewish.

Steven Goldstein, director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, a civil-rights group based in New York, said the administration is using the code words of anti-Semitism ... Youd have to be living in the Stone Age not to connect the dots.

But the senior administration official called any suggestion of anti-Semitism libelous and ludicrous, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group based in Los Angeles, said it is too early to conclude that such language is intended to condone anti-Semitism.

The rhetoric deployed by Trump and Bannon rejects the idea that open global markets and international institutions such as the World Trade Organization and the European Union will lift all boats.

But even as George H.W. Bush and the next three presidents, Republicans and Democrats alike, embraced globalism, it grew increasingly unpopular in some corners of the left and the right. The patriot and militia movements of the 1990s, the leftist and anarchist anti-globalization demonstrations in 1999, and the Tea Party and Occupy movements all blamed globalism for the decline of the middle class and the fraying of social bonds.

Buchanan says Trumps opponents are correct to note the mismatch between his anti-globalist, anti-elite, anti-Wall Street rhetoric and the reality of a cabinet filled with wealthy executives.

Ive never seen so many billionaires and bankers in there, he said, so it is an apparent contradiction. Trump is going to have to go beyond the rhetoric and deliver.

Trumpisms: A glossary

Terms that Donald Trump and chief strategist Stephen Bannon have been using, with some explanation:

Economic nationalism

Bannon defines this as a singular focus on American jobs. The idea, according to two senior administration officials, is to pull back from multilateral trade agreements, multinational organizations and the free flow of goods (and, to some degree, workers). Instead, they want a system that used to be known as protectionism, using tariffs and other government action to press U.S. companies to bring offshored jobs back home.

Enemy of the people

From the internecine political battles of ancient Rome through the Leninist purges within the Soviet Unions sprawling bureaucracy, the term enemy of the people has been used by revolutionaries and reactionary states alike to tar the opposition as disloyal. In 1956, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev eliminated the term from the Soviet lexicon because it had been specifically introduced for the purpose of physically annihilating those who opposed the government.

Globalist

To Trump and Bannon, what Trump called the false song of globalism connotes jobs shipped abroad, out-of-control immigration and an international elite of political and financial leaders who profit from a globalized economy, at the cost of good jobs and wages for middle-class Americans. Globalism for many decades has been used by nationalists in many countries as shorthand for a drive by elites to demean national cultures and traditions, seeking instead a one-world, single-market system.

Corporatist

Corporatism used to be part of Americanism, said a senior administration official. People used to say Whats good for GE is good for America. But then came globalization, and the corporation was disaggregated from the country, the official said, because some American companies made more money by investing outside the country than they did within its borders.

Fake news

Trumps use of the term to diminish the credibility of news organizations whose reports he objects to is not new. As far back as the 16th century, Roman political operatives composed nasty sonnets about the candidates they opposed and posted them for voters to read, according to the historian Robert Darnton. In the United States before the Civil War, fake news about rapes and assaults by slaves sometimes sparked attacks against slaves by white mobs. And in the 1930s and 40s, Adolf Hitlers Nazi party used fake news accounts of purported crimes by Jews to spur Germans to attack their Jewish neighbours.

America first

America first is not merely a statement of nationalist pride; its a slogan that candidates and movements have used periodically in three centuries of American politics to connote various degrees of isolationism and opposition to immigration and foreign influences. America first supporters have almost uniformly contended that most Americans supported their cause but that the news media refused to reflect that reality. Charles Lindberghs America First Committee in the 1940s, the American First Party that supporters of Patrick Buchanan created in 2002 and Trump have all made that argument, despite opinion surveys to the contrary. Until Trump, candidates from America first movements have failed to win elections. Now one has.

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A mere 47 years ago I was sitting in Sir Isaiah Berlins office with a young American political scientist Joe Femia. A little awe struck to intervene much, we would both write short papers and discuss them. In one of our first classes, we were expressing some frustration in getting Hegel. Later we formed a study group called Hegel United where we would work our way through passages and try to figure them out.

Berlin, a warm, witty, and voluble man, must have felt he was dealing with two young guys with very little candle power as he called it. Mr. Rae, look at the carpet in front of you. What strikes you about it? I commented on the beautiful design, the fine craftsmanship. Yes, yes, but the point is not so much that as something much simpler. Everything fits. Its all within the lines, with answers to every question posed by the design. Thats true for Hegel, and its true for Marx as well. Do you think everything fits?

I ventured an answer and said, No, life is too unpredictable, theres always the human factor ...

Life, said Berlin, is plural. It changes. Do not believe those who think theres one big answer. He then went on a riff about the hedge hog and the fox, one of my favourite pieces of analysis. The hedge hog knows one big thing. The fox knows many smaller and different things.

Some time later I had the opportunity to sit with Berlin at a University of Toronto convocation. I told him I hadnt forgotten the business about the carpet. He remarked on the remarkable diversity of the student body. I would probably fit in here in a way I never could in England. Ill always be a foreigner there.

Canadas commitment to diversity and pluralism has become a critical feature of our identity. For many generations we were no such thing  a deputy minister of immigration in the 1930s was asked how many Jews would be admitted that year. His reply was devastatingly simple: None is too many. Chinese immigrants paid a head tax. Japanese and others were rounded up and lost all their property and livelihood in the Second World War. The litany of exclusion and discrimination is long  and we lapse into it still today.

A particular kind of brutality was imposed on the indigenous community. Children were rounded up and taken away to boarding schools whose mission was appallingly simple  to take the Indian out of the child. This was the policy of the government of Canada from the 1830s to as recently as the early 1990s. The Chief Justice of Canada has called it cultural genocide. This is the system a Tory Senator wants to defend and find the positive parts of this experience. This mind boggling comment has rightly set off a firestorm.

These past 10 days I have been attending, as an adviser to Forum of Federations, meetings in Myanmar/Burma, and listening to discussions and debates that have many parallels with Canada and other countries.

That Aung San Suu Kyi is now free to move around, and leads a party that has a majority in the National Parliament obscures another reality: the army, which has been at the centre of national politics since the Second World War, controls key ministries, such as defence, policing, and security, and has a block on all legislation and potential constitutional change.

Pluralism is discussed but words are not matched by deeds. Violent clashes with the military continue in many pockets in the country. The plight of the Rohingya people of northwestern Myanmar has captured much attention, but no one should think that this issue is easily addressed, or that it stands alone as an issue. As in Sri Lanka, Buddhist nationalism is a powerful, underlying force, and wont just go away. The army is close to a half million strong. It continues to see itself as the protector of the unity of the country.

Canada is reportedly considering adding Mali to the list of countries where our soldiers will be providing advice to the local military. But as in Myanmar, and Ukraine, it is not just a tense security situation, it is also a deeply divided and complex political maelstrom. Our military efforts have to be matched by diplomatic and aid work, as we are trying to do in Syria and Iraq.

I doubt if Donald Trump has read much Hegel, or Sir Isaiah Berlin for that matter. But the blustering nationalism he now champions runs contrary to everything America has stood for in the world. Other countries will have to counter what he is doing and saying by insisting that pluralism, openness, and embracing the dignity of difference need to lie at the core of international politics.

America First is a dead end, because it will only lead to everyone else insisting on the same protectionism. Everything doesnt fit.

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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Since the American election, commentators have been bemused, and even amused, by President Donald Trumps alleged inconsistencies.

On immigration, Trump has been on all sides of the issue. His position has drifted from figure it out later, to deport bad hombres, to let the good ones stay, and so on.

Trump has also mused about every strategy in the books to deal with Daesh, also know as ISIS. He has insisted any plan had to remain a secret, but then hinted at the need for Russian co-operation. He later updated that to include possibly sending ground troops. He reconsidered ground troops in short order, but now Marines have been deployed in Syria.

All that being true, I believe Trump is the most consistent president in recent memory  not because of his consistent inconsistency, but rather for his unwavering commitment to the fundamental policy positions he has maintained since he launched his presidential campaign in June 2015.

Cast your mind back 21 months to that infamous moment when Trump descended by escalator to the Trump Tower lobby and was welcomed by a small crowd of paid talent.

His campaign launch speech highlighted four key ideas  four commitments that to this day remain non-negotiable, foundational pieces of Trumps policy. These are the commitments that will not only define his presidency but the American political discourse for years to come.

Trump vowed to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, and he declared that Mexico would pay for it. He has not wavered on that. Today, the U.S. Congress is exploring funding options for the wall and pursuing ways to ask Mexico for reimbursement.

Since the beginning, Trump has also been adamant that the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, had to go. He committed to repealing and replacing the law with something terrific. His position has not vacillated; repealing and replacing Obamacare remains at the top of his agenda.

Perhaps most troubling for Canada, Trump has long questioned Americas trade deals. In his campaign launch, he noted: Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people, but we have people that are stupid. We have people that arent smart. And we have people that are controlled by special interests. And its just not going to work.

Since he became president, he has killed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, signalled his intention to renegotiate NAFTA, and taken an aggressive stance toward China. In his recent address to Congress, the president spoke about trade five separate times.

Trump also announced he would be the leader who could bring back Americas manufacturing jobs. He promised that he would be the greatest jobs president that God ever created. And since taking office, Trump has remained steadfastly focused on this task, and has been gloating that his first full month in office has sparked a massive optimism and employment boom.

On these four foundational policy pillars, highlighted 21 months ago, Trump has remained remarkably consistent. In short, for him, nothing has changed.

That said, Trump has no realistic plan to accomplish any of these objectives. Indeed, his biggest weakness is that he has no idea how to get what he wants.

He has no experience in getting policies through to the finish line. His Twitter-centric communications style reveals a lack of the restraint and patience needed to shepherd a policy through the machinations of government.

While Trumps intended goals may well be immovable, his means to his ends remain bizarrely in flux.

And this is precisely where Trump is vulnerable. It is here where the courts, Democrats in Congress, social activists and others can most effectively oppose Trumps policies and propose other solutions.

While the Trump train knows its destination, it doesnt know which track to use or how fast to go. This is where moderates can exercise influence and minimize damage. Weve already seen this with the dialed-down Muslim ban 2.0 introduced last week.

While he is in office, Trump will focus on delivering these four key pillars. The test of success, however, will not come until he leaves office and we can all see what is actually left behind.

Jaime Watt is the executive chairman of Navigator Ltd. and a Conservative strategist.

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When they met four years ago he was a Toronto-area senator and an ordained Pentecostal pastor who professed a commitment to religion and youth. She was a starry-eyed 16-year-old university student whose parents were living overseas.

He was cute. I was meeting a senator. I got a picture with him, she would later tell the Stars Kevin Donovan. She loved him and thought he loved her.

Now a Senate ethics watchdog has found that Independent Senator Don Meredith breached two sections of the Red Chambers ethics code by having a sexual relationship with the young woman. In her report , Lyse Ricard found Meredith did not uphold the highest standards of dignity of the Senate. Thats putting it mildly.

After putting the Senate through a lengthy investigation while he denied, denied, denied, Meredith should at last do the right thing and resign. Several senators, including the government leader in the chamber, Peter Harder, are calling on him to do just that.

If Meredith doesnt step down voluntarily, the Senate ethics committee should demand his expulsion from the chamber. Based on Ricards findings, an apology or suspension is not enough.

Senator Meredith drew upon his weight, prestige and notability of his office, as well as his relative position of power as a much older adult, to lure or attract Ms. M, a teenager who, by virtue of her age, was necessarily vulnerable, Ricard wrote. He exploited Ms. M and the power imbalance between them.

Nor did Meredith try to make amends for his wrong-doing when he was caught. Ricard found him to be evasive, inconsistent and not credible. Indeed, he even suggested to the ethics officer that the young woman was lying.

Regardless, Ricard found that Meredith had intercourse with her three times, including once when she was just 17. Meredith denies he had sex with her before she turned 18.

Its not the first time this senator has been investigated. An earlier investigation was launched, as CTV first reported, after four of Merediths former female employees and four other Senate staffers alleged he made sexual advances, used sexual innuendo, and was often rude and vindictive.

As well, Meredith, who has been a senator since 2010, has previously been criticized for improperly claiming he had a doctoral degree (he is no longer allowed to call himself Dr. Meredith on Senate correspondence), and for expensing a trip he and his wife took to Washington to attend the National Prayer Breakfast.

Meredith told Ricard he is taking remedial measures to address the ethics breaches, including placing himself under the guidance of spiritual advisors.

Its hard to believe that Meredith, a married father and pastor, needs spiritual guidance to know that his actions were wrong. He has disgraced himself and the Senate. He must do the decent thing and resign immediately.

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Re: Ontarios schools at risk, March 8

Ontarios schools at risk, March 8

Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown has called for a moratorium on school closures in Ontario. While he complains that Premier Wynne is out of touch with Ontarians on various issues, he, too, demonstrates being out of touch. A significantly under-enrolled school is counter-productive to the education of kids who attend such a school.

If Mr. Brown wants to be premier of Ontario, he will need to stop using kids as pawns for his political games.

Stephen Thiele, the Toronto Party for a Better City, Toronto

The Stars Queens Park bureau chief, Robert Benzie, has alerted readers that more than 600 schools across Ontario may soon be on the chopping block! Meanwhile, Education Minister Mitzie Hunter cannot give us a direct answer as to the size of this problem and shes deflecting the fallout by pushing this key issue until the school board can complete a final accommodation review.

Education is one of the most important pillars ensuring our provinces success. Our elected politicians must not take decisions for school closures lightly and we must hold their feet to the fire when such massive cuts to education are being considered.

It is comforting to note that Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown has argued that school closures have a devastating impact on our communities, and has asked for a province-wide moratorium.

Rudy Fernandes, Mississauga

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The nightly news and the morning paper are great ways to keep informed. Unfortunately, theyre also great avenues for politicians to peddle their schemes for foisting new taxes on unsuspecting taxpayers.

When I heard La Crosse County wants to become a premiere resort area, and that this designation would generate millions to fix roads, at first I felt like I was in Oprahs audience that day she gave everyone a new car.

In reality, the proposal for a new Premiere Resort Area Tax, or PRAT, is more like when you overbid on the Showcase Showdown on "The Price Is Right" and the infamous fail horn blares just before youre escorted from the stage.

The PRAT tax, the latest tax scheme cooked up by La Crosse County officials, is really just another half-percent sales tax that could be imposed on nearly all retail businesses in the county. As with any other sales tax, this $6.6 million new tax will inevitably be paid for by consumers like you.

But without more money we cant fill the potholes! the tax-and-spend crowd keeps shouting in your ear every time you turn on the TV. What they conveniently omit are their own failures to properly prioritize county spending.

La Crosse County budgeted for $136,764,518 in revenue for 2016. It planned nearly $33 million in property tax collections and $11.6 million from the countys 0.5 percent sales tax. Yes, the county already has a sales tax onto which the proposed PRAT tax would be stacked.

According to the state Department of Revenue, 44 categories of business are subject to this tax in any jurisdiction that enacts it  bars, restaurants, gas stations, clothing retailers, hotels  even a category called miscellaneous retail stores, lest any devious boutique business falls through the cracks. In short, pretty much every business that a tourist could theoretically walk into would be subject to the PRAT tax.

The PRAT was conceived for the most innocent of reasons. When the summer residents of certain areas, like the Wisconsin Dells, fled for the winter, the Dells and similar tourist reliant areas needed a consistent revenue source.

Thus the Legislature invented the PRAT, but it required at least 40 percent of assessed property values in the taxed region to be composed of tourism-related businesses in order to be enacted. Thus, only six municipalities in Wisconsin currently have a PRAT tax, according to the Department of Revenue. At 5.3 percent, La Crosse County doesnt come close to qualifying.

While our home is a beautiful region with plenty of tourist attractions, its hardly a premiere resort area according to state law. Nobodys going to be winning a trip to La Crosse on the "Wheel of Fortune."

Fortunately for the pro-PRAT crowd, theres an exemption. After an advisory referendum, the Legislature can pass a special measure allowing the county to proceed with the final steps required to enact the tax.

Taxpayers should keep an eye on the big picture, and I dont mean the size of their property tax bills.

The county should make better decisions with what it does with taxpayer money, and roads should clearly be a priority. However, when the county board voted to nearly double its debt in 2015 from $59 million to $110 million in one fell swoop, filling potholes or fixing cracks was hardly a priority. Instead, the county embarked on a series of expansions of its office complex downtown.

Thankfully, we have a vast network of paved, pristine bike trails around here  nary a pothole in sight. Or I suppose these days were supposed to call them multi-use trails.

The county is clearly taking in significant revenue, its just not choosing to spend it on roads. Now, county officials want to hit up hard-working taxpayers for even more. If your neighbor said they desperately needed to borrow money from you, all the while installing an in-ground pool and building a breakfast nook off their foyer, any rational person would raise an eyebrow.

A tax by any other name is still a tax. Taxpayers beware.
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The beautiful Mississippi River valley in southeastern Minnesota is a bustling transportation corridor.

Thousands of cars and trucks, dozens of trains, and (in summertime) many barges are moving people and goods daily through the region.

The Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission is working on ways to improve the safety and efficiency of the travel experience for those coming to the River Route as well as for those traveling through it. And the first step  adding a second daily round trip passenger train  could be up and running in just a few years, with your help.

The MNHSR Commission, a group representing 17 governments along the River Route, is advocating for the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago Second Train. The Commission is seeking funding for the Minnesota Department of Transportations Passenger Rail Office so planning for the Second Train can be completed this year.

We know theres local support for improved passenger rail service. Each of the 17 governments in the commission has passed a resolution in support. Business leaders and residents have told us they want expanded transportation alternatives. They are excited about the opportunity to quickly add service at a relatively low cost.

As you know, there are many issues before the Minnesota Legislature. We ask legislators to give Minnesota House File 523 and Senate File 713 strong consideration. The bills would appropriate funds for the Minnesota Department of Transportation to complete work statewide on the intercity passenger rail system. This includes the TCMC Second Train, and projects connecting Minnesotas important regional hubs including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, St. Cloud, Willmar, Mankato and Albert Lea.

We believe expanded passenger rail is good for the Mississippi River Route, and all of Minnesota. Here are three beneficiaries:

Minnesotas economy: Since nearly all passenger trains run on freight rail tracks, passenger rail investments in tracks and stations help the movement of freight.

Our environment: Freight railroads are four times more fuel efficient than trucks and produce 75 percent less greenhouse gasses. Passenger trains can carry hundreds of passengers, reducing automobile emissions.

People: Passenger rail investments create temporary construction jobs and permanent jobs as businesses expand and tourism increases. And track improvements boost safety on the tracks and at roadway crossings.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, nearly 10 million trips are taken annually between the Twin Cities and Chicago. More people are choosing to use passenger rail. Now that the oil boom has slowed in North Dakota, Amtraks Empire Builder has improved on-time performance and is attracting more riders (a 3.7 percent increase in 2016). A 2015 TCMC Second Train feasibility study showed ridership could more than double by adding a second daily round trip that complements the Empire Builder schedule. Second train ridership is estimated at 155,000 trips annually, in addition to the annual Empire Builder ridership of approximately 104,000.

Support for expanded passenger rail using existing tracks is real, the cost of upgrading existing tracks is less than building new lines, and investments benefit freight and passenger rail. Now is the time to let your legislators know how you feel about expanding passenger rail in Minnesota and in the Mississippi River Route.


Michael Contis White Gaze (Yu'pik Ena), archival pigment ink on canvas, 2016. On view through March 18 in Decolonizing Alaska at GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. (Michael Conti/GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design)

Theres a lot more fish skin in Decolonizing Alaska than in the typical contemporary-art survey, but most of the other elements are familiar. The art in the atrium of the former Corcoran Gallery (now the GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design) includes reflections on personal and cultural identity, as well as on political and environmental issues. Figuratively, glaciers and permafrost melt just outside the frame of many of the pieces.

Among the 31 contributors are people of indigenous and Russian descent, but also relative newcomers who sing their affection for the land and its cultures. Often, the artists juxtapose tradition and technology. Video plays beneath a salmon-skin screen and is projected on the head of a handmade drum. Three abstract sculptures have been fashioned out of caribou antlers, and moose antlers have been wrapped in a plastic sheet that the artifact has partly deformed.



Sonya Kelliher Combss Remnant (Moose Antler), acrylic polymer, moose antler, caribou fur, 2016, on view at GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. (Sonya Kelliher Combs/GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design)

The multimedia installation that combines video and drum is Da-ka-xeen Mehners pointed response to a heroic statue of explorer Capt. James Cook, who in 1778 claimed a piece of Alaska for the British crown. Michael Contis White Gaze reacts to another sort of annexation: It places a photo of an indigenous woman, pressing on the glass with her hands, inside a museum-style diorama of a native family.

Other comebacks to the Europeans arrival and its effects are more personal, and several turn on the effects of booze. Holly Nordlum assembled a mosaic-like portrait of her brother, adopted after he was neglected by an alcoholic mother, out of beer bottle caps. Susie Silooks carved statue celebrates conquering alcohol dependence; decolonizing is for me an inner reckoning, she writes.

Although many of the shows ingredients are specifically Alaskan, the artistic styles and gambits derive mostly from the world of the colonizers. Russian religious icons and Old Master paintings provide the model for works such as Linda Infante Lyonss St. Katherine of Karluk, a Madonna-and-child scene in which mom is a shaman and baby is a seal pup. Politically, extricating Alaska from its self-styled discoverers is improbable. Artistically, its simply impossible.

Decolonizing Alaska On view through March 18 at GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, 500 17th St. NW. 202-994-1700. corcoran.gwu.edu/decolonizing-alaska.



From video of Estefani Mercedess 1,000 Yellow Dahlias performance outside Trump Tower in New York in 2015. (Estefani Mercedes/VisArts at Rockville)

Questioning Power

Theres lots of video in Questioning Power at VisArts, which comprises four individual shows on overlapping themes. The medium suits the subjects, most of which are grist for recent cable-news communiques. But the most immediate works are Esteban del Valles satirical drawing-paintings, which portray angry older men in red hats that read Make America Great Again.

1,000 Yellow Dahlias, Estefani Mercedess video piece, chronicles both the artists September 2015 performance and reaction to it. Responding to Donald Trumps attacks on Mexican immigrants, Mercedes brought dahlias (Mexicos national flower) to Trump Tower. There were too many blooms for the artist to manage, and her inability to deliver them drew gleeful responses from right-wing websites. But the mess was intentional, a theater-of-the absurd moment designed to highlight simplistic rhetoric and Internet commentators propensity for snap judgments. Some cyber-pundits assumed, for example, that Mercedes is undocumented and Mexican, when in fact shes American-born and of Argentine lineage.

Two of the shows address stereotyping of young African American men. Shane K. Goodings To See or Not to See is a three-screen video piece that focuses primarily on four subjects, interweaving almost-still portraits with documentary footage of the mens vocations (which tend to be artistic) and their lives. Antoine Williamss gods in the gaps is a series of mixed-media drawing-paintings of young men in hooded sweatshirts and low-slung, boxer-revealing jeans. Their heads are hidden or missing, and some appear vaguely ominous. The menace is all a matter of perception, of course.



Esteban del Valles Freedom from Want, 2017, acrylic on canvas, on view at VisArts. (Esteban del Valle/VisArts at Rockville)

The largest show, Esteban del Valles Unsettled, was partly inspired by the Chicago natives involvement in his fathers 2011 run for mayor of that city. In a smaller gallery whose work is all in shades of gray, a video of a performance piece features dialogue derived from speeches by Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. The effect is far from somber, and one of the elements is a model of the front end of a 1963 Ford Galaxy.

Around the corner, del Valle is showing large, vividly colored pictures of belligerent Trump supporters, including one whos stocking up in a home-improvement superstore. (The piece is titled Build the Wall.) Yet the artist, who now lives in Brooklyn, also lampoons young liberal gentrifiers in vignettes such as Jacob Lawrence at a Harlem Cafe: The Great Migration. Next to the late African American artist who depicted his peoples quest for freedom is an oversize coffee drink topped with whipped cream. Its the history of upper-middle-class white privilege in a single frappucino.

Estefani Mercedes: 1,000 Yellow Dahlias and Shane K. Gooding: To See or Not to See On view through March 19. Antoine Williams: gods in the gaps and Esteban del Valle: Unsettled On view through March 26. VisArts at Rockville, 155 Gibbs St., Rockville. 301-315-8200. visartscenter.org.



Photos by Marissa Long, on view at Transformer. (Marissa Long/Transformer)

Chandi Kelley & Marissa Long

Chandi Kelleys Disappearing Act, archival injet print, on view at Transformer. (Chandi Kelley/Transformer)

The title of Luminiferous Aether, photographers Chandi Kelley and Marissa Longs Transformer show, refers to a discredited 19th-century notion of how light moves through air. The archaic name suits the images. High contrast, mostly black-and-white and often eerie, the pictures evoke Surrealist reveries, Victorian seances and vaudeville magic shows.

The local artists photos are mixed together, which is apt, because theyre compatible in both style and vibe. The backdrops are mostly black, while the highlights are often a harsh white. Kelley sometimes uses color, but it can be as faint as the green tint around the edge of the mist in Disappearing Act. Just as the white seems to scar the black, it also appears to incinerate the other hues.

Longs stated specialty is the portal, which might be a mirror, a window, the moon or a human eye peering through a tiny opening in an rumpled ivory curtain. Kelley is more inclined to pose natural objects, whether a shell, a snake or a coyote skull. Whatever the subject, the goal is not to document the world as it exists, but to gaze within and beyond. Luminiferous Aether tricks the eye in a bid to free the mind.

Luminiferous Aether: Chandi Kelly & Marissa Long On view through March 18 at Transformer, 1404 P St. NW. 202-483-1102. transformerdc.org.
Part of the conspiracy feedback loop? Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, shown speaking at a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz last year. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

To save Tinkerbell, all you had to do was clap your hands and really, really believe in fairies.

To send a conspiracy theory on its vicious way around the world, you need to do more than just believe. You need help.

Luckily for those who wanted to elect Donald Trump, that help was available during the presidential campaign, and still is. It comes from a collection of new right-wing hyperpartisan media outlets that are having a huge effect on politics.

Consider, for example, one outlandish idea from just last week: that the CIA hacked the Democratic National Committees emails, gave them to WikiLeaks and then framed Russia.

Business Insider traced it: from replies to the WikiLeaks Twitter account, through conservative radio and then Breitbart News, and out into the semi-mainstream  Sean Hannity on Fox News  all within 48 hours.

Similarly, the right-wing radio host Mark Levin may have started the evidence-free idea that President Barack Obama ordered the wiretapping of now-President Trump. It made its way quickly through the media ecosystem, after Trump saw it, apparently on Breitbart News.

Once the president tweets it, its undeniably news, picked up everywhere and re-amplified  especially by right-wing sites.

Derek Thompson of the Atlantic called this a conspiracy-theory feedback loop. And a very effective one it is.

A major new study, published in Columbia Journalism Review, detailed just how influential the new media ecosystem has become, calling it a determining factor in Trumps election.

A right-wing media network anchored around Breitbart developed as a distinct and insulated media system, using social media as a backbone to transmit a hyperpartisan perspective to the world, the report concluded, after studying 1.25 million stories.

(Breitbart, of course, was run by  and maintains close ties to  Stephen K. Bannon, Trumps chief strategist.)

As right-wing sites concentrated during the campaign on immigration stories  often with exaggerated or false claims about the dangers of refugees and immigrants  they also endlessly attacked Hillary Clinton over Benghazi and her use of a private email server.

These sites often traffic in decontextualized truths, repeated falsehoods, and leaps of logic to create a fundamentally misleading view of the world, the report said.

This brings to mind a Trump voter I met in northeast Pennsylvania who took right-wing talking points and put them in a blender. She told me she couldnt trust Clinton because I didnt like how she stole those emails and it got people killed in Benghazi.

This tainted media sphere not only set the conservative media agenda, but also strongly influenced the broader media agenda, in particular coverage of Hillary Clinton.

Kyle Pope, editor of CJR, explained: On the right, there was an intense focus on Trumps policies, especially immigration.

But in covering Clinton, the right-wing sites often served as stenographers for conservative politicians.

And the mainstream media often went along for the ride, obsessing about the presidential horse race and failing to understand how all of this was resonating with voters. Plenty of excellent investigative reporting on Trump was published, but to some extent, it was drowned out by the noise.

Theres another way that the traditional press has allowed right-wing media to flourish  by moving too far to the left itself.

Mainstream newsrooms were once much more ideologically diverse, said Tom Rosenstiel, executive director of the American Press Institute.

The best data out there shows that there are fewer Republicans working in traditional newsrooms and news generally than there used to be, he told me.

As right-wing media sprang up over the past few decades, reporters and editors with more conservative beliefs migrated there. That left mainstream newsrooms with a high percentage of people identifying themselves as independent, a fair number of Democrats  and relatively few Republicans.

That affects the discussion in newsrooms even when people are trying mightily to be fair, Rosenstiel said.

Pope puts it more bluntly, referring to the unarguable partisanship he saw from some mainstream journalists as Nov. 8 neared, evident especially on social media. Favoring Clinton, they not only mocked Trump but also were unable to fathom that he might win.

Pope now sees a huge corrective underway, as journalists dig in, providing meaty accountability coverage of Trump and spending more time listening to Trumps core of voters.

But whom are they reaching? Many Americans, especially on the right, have lost trust in mainstream media, which may be deeply flawed but at least is committed to factuality and truth.

Meanwhile, disinformation gains more of a dangerous foothold.

You cant fight propaganda with standard journalism, Pope told me. Watchdogging the fake-news machinery and fact-checking relentlessly is part of his prescription.

Rosenstiel has suggested other measures: being more transparent about how we gather and verify the news; covering whats important (not barking at every car); and using clearer labels to distinguish news from opinion.

I would add that news organizations have to acknowledge their own biases internally, and constantly report against them.

The CJR study concludes on a hopeful note: that a renaissance of legitimate journalism may be the result of everything thats happened.

Id love to think that, but its going to take hard work, the kind that doesnt come easy to journalists: more openness to criticism, continued self-examination and willingness to change.

It wont happen by closing our eyes and believing in fairies.

For more by Margaret Sullivan visit wapo.st/sullivan.
Laura Tarantino would love to adopt a child. But under Virginia law, she cannot try for now.

In 2009, when she was 21, Tarantino was arrested a second time for possession of heroin and went to prison for 15 months.

The felony prevents her from adopting for a decade after her conviction under a law that imposes a ban that is twice as long as similar federal standards on adoptions, which the District and Maryland use.

Now 28, Tarantino is mounting a challenge to a law she says is unfair, antiquated and desperately needs to be changed. It is like someone driving their car through the new home I am trying to build, Tarantino said. It hurts every bone in my body.

Adopted herself as a child, Tarantino wants to expand the family she has in Alexandria with her husband, Frederick, and their 5-year-old son, Tyler.

Laura Tarantino and her husband, Frederick, at home with son Tyler, 5. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

Tarantino, who said she has written hundreds of letters to lawmakers in Richmond, hopes to persuade legislators to shorten the time period or begin case-by-case considerations, as already happens in nearby Delaware.

Her challenge to the adoption restriction occurs amid a larger national conversation about the long-term effect of nonviolent felony drug convictions and mandatory sentencing.

A lot of people arent forthcoming about this topic, said Tarantino, who has mailed about 500 letters since 2014 seeking support. To be honest, I was fearful when we started talking about adoption, just because I had a feeling this was something we would face because of my background. As difficult as it is, its time to put our foot forward.

Supporters of the Virginia limit say the full 10-year span triggered by convictions for felony possession of drugs and by felony possession of drugs with intent to distribute ensure that prospective parents do not slide back into trouble.

[The Virginia law Tarantino wants to see examined]

Other convictions prompt even longer waits. Virginia has a 25-year wait period for people who want to become foster parents who have been convicted of statutory burglary for breaking and entering involving a dwelling, home or other structure with intent to commit larceny. And every state, the District and Puerto Rico permanently disqualify anyone from adopting who has been convicted of a crime that poses a risk to the safety and well-being of a child.

If Tarantino is in a better place, thats great, were all happy for her, but the paramount concern for adoption is to make sure that we find the safest and best placement for these children, said Del. Robert B. Bell (R-Albemarle), who has run twice for Virginia attorney general. Some children up for adoption come from difficult backgrounds, especially if theyre coming out of foster care, and we want to make absolutely certain we get a safe and good place for them to land, he said.

Laura Tarantino plays a game of chess with her 5-year-old son, Tyler. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

Bell said he does not think a decade-wait is too long in drug cases, because the time period ensures the person who was convicted of the crime is obviously not just in a short-term better place but actually on an entirely new path.

But Tarantino said Virginias law, which doubles the federal wait time for convictions such as hers, is harsh.

People can turn their lives around and Virginia doesnt have to be so hard on crime, Tarantino said recently while her son played nearby. We understand the point behind it, but we need to acknowledge the fact that people can and do change, and when they do it should be recognized, not suppressed.

President Barack Obama had granted clemency to more 1,700 people, including 330 commutations for nonviolent drug offenders on his last day in office. Many courts have stepped up efforts to sentence nonviolent drug offenders to treatment programs rather than jail. And numerous studies in recent years have charted the changing attitudes among Americans toward illegal drugs and how to punish those who use them.

[Virginia is finally giving felons like me the right to vote.]

But for Tarantino and her husband of four years, the issue of adoptions by drug offenders is one ripe for widespread re-examination.

Before I met Laura, I was oblivious to this, said 31-year-old Frederick Tarantino, who is an Air Force reservist and a contractor in the intelligence community. But now to me its personal, and, honestly, it brings us closer together.

The Tarantinos acknowledge they could move to the District or Maryland, where she already would have passed beyond the time barrier. But, they said, Virginia is where we have settled and what we call home, and wed like to remain here.

We both consider this [state] as home. Our roots are here, she added.

Laura Tarantino was adopted from Peru in 1988 at 3-weeks-old. Raised in Northern Virginia by a single mom, Tarantino dreamed of one day growing her family by adoption.

Its upsetting that the law is the way it is, said Tarantinos mom, 68-year-old Barbara Marshall, who lives in Fairfax County. And while I understand the concept, 10 years is an awfully long time. I know that she is a good mother, I know that she will be a good mother, and I know they want to bring a child into their home who needs a family and I really believe they should be able to do it.

[Our little boy was worth the wait]

In 2007 at age 19 and again in 2009, Laura Tarantino was arrested for possession of heroin and went to prison following the second offense. She was sentenced to 18 months and released early in 2010 for good behavior.

In the years that followed, Tarantino worked odd jobs, got an apartment and became a volunteer with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), a nonprofit organization. Tarantino applied six times to be a volunteer and was rejected five of those times. She said that people saying no to her drives her forward.

A random person hears the word felon and believes we deserve what we got, she said. It always comes back to that red mark on my record  thats what shines brightest, and it shouldnt be that way. I got out and I made differences and I want to shed light on that.

She and Frederick Tarantino were roommates five years ago and married a year after meeting. She now describes herself as wife, mother and full-time college student.

Colleen Quinn, president of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, said theres no large-scale movement to challenge and modify the list of crimes that are barriers to adoption in Virginia or throughout the nation, where laws vary by state.

Most people that look toward adoption learn early on if a barrier crime is going to prevent them from adopting and they just dont go down that path, said Quinn, who founded a law firm in Richmond.

One person cheering on Tarantino from the sidelines is Michael Jervey. Convicted of first-degree murder in the death of a high school classmate in 1992, Jervey, now 45, was released from prison a decade ago and is a life leader at his hometown church in Franklin Va.

When he and his wife found out a baby girl needed a home, he said, they jumped into action  but quickly discovered that he could never be cleared to adopt because of the murder conviction.

You need to take a look at all types of criminal activity, but you also need to be able to understand when theres time to give grace and look into things more deeply, said Jervey, who with his wife, Betania, has legal custody of the baby but cant adopt her. Why cant that person having done their time, not only be a productive member of society but also adopt a child thats in desperate need. Why not be able to take a look individually so you can really examine whats going down?

Tarantino said that even if she can adopt in a few years, she and her husband plan to continue their battle to shorten the ban: Were just going to keep moving.

Make it a challenge; make it difficult, she wrote in one of the many letters she has sent about the state law. But make it so families like mine can have a chance at adopting without waiting arbitrarily.

Marshall said she remembers holding Tarantino for the first time in Peru and looking into the most beautiful face she had ever seen.

I cant tell you how proud I am of her, because if I was in her shoes I would have said, Oh, well, Ill wait until the 10 years are up,  she said. All of this has taught her a great deal  its taught her how powerful she is. Whatever comes of this. Whether she can change a law or not, it has helped raise her above what happened to her.

Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.
Sunshine Week  the time set aside to celebrate freedom, openness and transparency in our democracy  is a wonderful time to pause for a brief reminder about our rights as Americans.

How brief?

Just 45 words.

Its called the First Amendment.

Congress passed the measure on Sept. 25, 1789, and it was ratified on Dec. 15, 1791. The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution form the Bill of Rights.

The First Amendment reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The wording is sweeping, inclusive and straightforward, and it protects each of us.

It doesnt differentiate by nation of origin, gender or color of skin.

It doesnt differentiate by political party.

It guarantees freedom for all, and is a basic tenet of the democracy that makes America truly exceptional.

At a time when the president of the United States insists on framing journalists as the enemy of the American people, the framers of the Constitution had a different view of a free press.

The same constitutional right that the president exercises when he speaks  or Tweets  his mind protects all of us when it comes to faith, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble and freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances.

Freedom depends on openness  a concept too often attacked by legislators who would prefer the public didnt know what government is up to.

The First Amendment has been a bedrock of our nation for 225 years.

But we dare not take it for granted. We need to guard it and celebrate it  not just during Sunshine Week, but every day.
Teacher education

Senate votes to ditch standing rules

The Senate voted 59 to 40 Wednesday to overturn Obama administration regulations meant to ensure that new K-12 public school teachers are ready for the nations classrooms.

The House has already approved the measure, and the White House has indicated that President Trump intends to sign it.

This regulation actually makes the assumption that bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., are competent to micromanage teacher training programs in America, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said. Thats absurd.

The regulations, which stemmed from the Higher Education Act, require each state to issue annual ratings for teacher-prep programs within their borders. Poor-performing programs would lose eligibility for some federal student aid.

 Emma Brown
At the beginning of the D.C. public charter school surge two decades ago, the KIPP schools  because of their significant achievement gains  got the most attention and found many good teachers eager to be hired. But as the number of charters grew, it became more difficult for KIPP DC Executive Director Susan Schaeffler to find the people she wanted.

Charter school leaders would visit the best happy hour spots, such as the Tryst coffee shop in Adams Morgan, and recruit young veterans of Teach for America. TFA people were popular  in some ways, too popular  because they had the best resumes and had already taught in difficult urban and rural schools. It got to the point, Schaeffler said, where we had maybe 20 corps members available, and maybe 20 schools were offering them jobs.

Schaeffler and her board wanted to start many more schools. (They have since grown to 16, with more than 450 teachers and 5,800 students.) They could no longer count on finding enough good people in local bars and at recruitment events. So they created the Capital Teaching Residency program, a way to train recruits through classroom work that has become nationally the most promising solution to giving disadvantaged children the most skilled educators possible.

KIPP DC has the second-largest of several KIPP residency programs nationally. Other charter networks such as San Diego-based High Tech High have also pioneered the approach, along with the Relay Graduate School of Education, which fosters residencies throughout the country.

KIPP residents work for a year as teaching assistants while taking training classes at their schools. KIPP DC trains 80 to 100 residents a year. It has 360 current residents or alumni teaching in the District and expects to have 800 teachers trained by 2020.

The training includes a balance of classroom culture and management, child development, pedagogy and content coursework, Schaeffler said. It is intended to give them tools and skills to go back and try the very next day with their students. It allows residents to grow in their craft at an individualized, accelerated pace, she said.

This costs a lot of money. Unlike many other training programs, KIPP pays its residents salaries and arranges for them to earn teaching certificates without paying education school tuition. Schaeffler and other KIPP leaders have been able to find donors and leverage federal grants because they have a proven track record. The need for that financial support keeps many networks and districts from adopting similar methods, even though education activists have argued for decades that working with a master teacher is an improvement over the standard education school approach.

The residencies also allow KIPP to recruit many former KIPP students whose potential was obvious to their teachers, plus career changers and military veterans. KIPP DC has managed to save some money by moving previous classroom aide jobs into resident slots, but that does not cover the full cost.

Schaeffler said she considers residency programs essential at a time when D.C. charters are educating nearly half of the citys public schoolchildren and intensifying the competition for good teachers. Without the residents, she said, she would have to be taking a lot of teachers from other schools, from D.C. public schools, and thats not helping. The teacher swap within charter schools too is not moving the needle for the city in achievement. Its totally unproductive and very frustrating.

We see the Capital Teaching Residency as a source of high-quality, diverse talent for all D.C. schools, she said.

Anyone who has spent significant time in urban schools knows they can only succeed with well-trained, creative teachers led by administrators who understand what disadvantaged students need. Politicians on all sides of the education debate say they want that.

This would be a good time for them to appropriate the money to put more promising newcomers in situations where they can learn best how to make schools better.


There is a backlash in Reston over new parking fees in the Reston Town Center. Residents see this as another headache brought by the Silver Line to Reston. (Pete Marovich/for The Washington Post)

Tempers were already hot in Reston over increased traffic congestion, crowded classrooms and other problems triggered by a surge of development along Metros Silver Line.

The death of free weekday parking at Reston Town Center was the final straw.

Several hundred people marched in protest this month against the $2-per-hour parking fee that took effect in January. A group of residents and merchants is trying to convince Boston Properties, the town centers owner, to scale back the fees or eliminate them  warning that the shopping district will lose customers if the company doesnt respond.

This wasnt part of Robert Simons goal, said Reston resident Guruang Shah, referring to the entrepreneur who founded Reston as a suburban utopia in 1964 and died 51 years later, at age 101. Tysons Corner doesnt charge for parking. We just dont understand why this is happening in our small town.

Boston Properties, which took over full ownership of the town center in 2015, had planned for years to implement fees for garage and curb spaces. In 2011, when it was moving to acquire town center parcels, the company estimated that the parking fees would generate as much as $8 million per year. Officials now say the amount will probably be lower.

The fees will deter commuters from leaving their cars in town center garages for long periods of time, Boston Properties says, taking away space intended for shoppers. Parking remains free on weekends and holidays.

[Officials expect Silver Line parking demand to outstrip supply]

At the end of the day, Boston Properties continues to try to provide an environment and activities that make Reston Town Center a draw for people who want to come and shop and play and stay there, said Kathy Walsh, a Boston Properties publicist.

But businesses in the Northern Virginia suburb, about 23 miles west of Washington, say there has been a noticeable drop in customer traffic since the fees took effect and parking enforcement officers began writing tickets.

Many customers are confused by the mobile-phone application Boston Properties uses as a primary method of payment, they say. Some are put off by having to share credit card information and license plate numbers just to eat a meal or catch a movie.

Parking validation from participating businesses on the property is also confusing. Customers can only get the discount if their car is in the color-coded garage assigned to the store or restaurant theyve visited, which can get complicated for those visiting multiple shops.

Its a mess, said Aaron Gordon, whose restaurant group owns the Red Velvet Cupcakery and who heads a group of merchants seeking to overturn the fees. He said some stores are considering leaving the town center once their lease expires. This is absolutely killing the reputation of the town center, and it is hurting the fabric of Reston, he said.

Im Sun Sunny Park, owner of Obi Sushi restaurant, said sales have dropped by about a third since January. As she spoke, she watched a Boston Properties parking enforcement officer outside the restaurant leave a citation on the windshield of a car parked on the street.

I see them giving tickets all day, Park said. They are killing business.

Inside one of the town center garages, Susanne Gaines puzzled over a sign explaining how to download the parking app. Her son Connor, 20, took over, tapping into his phone their credit card information and other data so they could head off to the Apple store. Susanne Gaines smiled impatiently, vowing out loud that this would be her last trip to Reston.

[Metros Silver Line jump-started the Tysons boom, but some say its too much too soon]

I dont want to come here and spend half an hour just to park my car, she said.

Boston Properties says it is working to make its parking-fee system easier for customers. The company has hired more parking ambassadors to help navigate the phone app and point customers to kiosks inside parking garages where one can pay with a credit or debit card, Walsh said. Those pay stations are also being upgraded.

Sridhar Ganesan, president of the Reston Citizens Association, said his group has tried to persuade Boston Properties to allow free parking for three or four hours, which he argued would take care of the commuter problem. Boston Properties politely rejected the suggestion, he said.

Ganesan said that while the parking fees themselves are little more than an annoyance, the issue touches a sore spot for residents who have seen the cost of living rise as the Silver Line extension inches its way through Reston toward Dulles International Airport.

[Dulles Toll Road users shoulder an increasing share of Silver Lines costs]

Rates on the nearby Dulles Toll Road have gone up to help pay for the projects $1.2 billion second phase, including a Reston Town Center station scheduled to open by 2020.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is considering a new tax district in areas of Reston near Silver Line stations; property owners would pay 2 cents per $100 of their propertys assessed value to help fund road improvements in the affected neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, residents say there arent enough parks or playing fields being built along with the townhouses and condominiums that have sprouted along the Silver Line route.

There are a lot of heads spinning, Ganesan said. There are so many things going on at the same time.
THE REGION

Blue Line Metro rider is punched in the face

A Blue Line passenger was punched in the face Friday after he sat down next to a younger man who had refused to scoot over, Metro said Sunday.

Metro Transit Police are searching for a person of interest.

The passenger had boarded a Franconia-bound Blue Line train before 8:45 a.m. when he approached a man who had been blocking the aisle, Metro said. When the younger man refused to move over, the older passenger slid past him and sat down. According to a Metro Transit Police report, at Metro Center the attacker stood and told the man, You could have said Excuse me before sitting, then punched him and fled. Todd Post, 42, of Arlington said he was on the train and saw a brutal assault.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said police took witness statements and began searching but were unable to find the alleged assailant. Stessel said the man was treated and released from a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

 Faiz Siddiqui

MetroAccess service

will be suspended

MetroAccess service will be suspended at 4 p.m. Monday and all day Tuesday because of the predicted storm, Metro said.

Service will be restored when it is safe, Metro said.

The transit agency said it is contacting MetroAccess customers to reschedule trips. Metrobus service changes also are possible.

 Faiz Siddiqui

Maryland

Man is killed when car strikes building

A man was killed and another was critically injured Saturday night when a car ran into a building in Prince Georges County, police said.

The crash occurred at Kenilworth Avenue and Lawrence Street in the Bladensburg area, they said. No names were available.

 Faiz Siddiqui

THE District

2 slain in separate Southeast stabbings

Two men were fatally stabbed in separate incidents in Southeast Washington on Saturday, police said.

In the first incident, police said that Dennis Lee Wise, 51, of Southeast was found dead about 2:15 a.m. in the 1800 block of Bruce Place.

In the second, police said that Leonte Butler, 26, was found about 11:15 p.m. in the 4000 block of South Capitol Street SE.

 Martin Weil
TUESDAY, MARCH 7

Key witness pulls out of Rams murder trial

Prosecutors in Prince William County seeking to convict Joaquin Rams of capital murder claim that Rams drowned his 15-month-old son to collect more than $500,000 in life insurance money on the boy.

A crucial defense witness for Rams is the insurance salesman who previously said he persuaded Rams to purchase extra policies. Court records show that the salesman has changed his story and no longer wants to testify after a police detective and two Prince William prosecutors visited him in New Jersey.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

Judge refuses to toss evidence in Rams case

Defense attorneys for Rams claimed the Prince William prosecutors had intimidated the insurance salesman into refusing to testify. The defense asked that in remedy, Circuit Court Judge Randy I. Bellows exclude the insurance policy from consideration. Bellows on Thursday refused to throw out as evidence the fact that Rams purchased a $444,000 life insurance policy on his newborn son in 2011, a year before the boy collapsed in Ramss home and later died. Ramss trial is set to begin Monday in Manassas.
By all accounts, Prince McLeod Rams was a happy, well-loved little boy. He lived in Maryland with his mother, Hera McLeod, who adored him, and regularly visited his father, Joaquin S. Rams, who lived in Virginia. On one of those visits to his father, Prince collapsed and died. He was 15 months old.

On Monday, a trial will begin in Prince William County to decide whether the toddler died a natural death or, as prosecutors contend, was killed by his father for a life insurance payout. In one of many unusual aspects of the case, the verdict will be rendered by a judge, not a jury. Four years after Rams was arrested, prosecutors withdrew the death penalty from the case, a major victory for the defense. In exchange, the defense agreed to waive a jury trial and have the case decided by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy I. Bellows, a former federal prosecutor who defense lawyers say is one of the toughest sentencing judges in Fairfax.

So Bellows will know things that a jury would never have heard  namely that Rams was suspected (but not charged) in the 2003 shooting death of his ex-girlfriend and in the 2008 asphyxiation of his mother (ruled a suicide). He will also know that both women had life insurance policies, one that Rams did not collect and one that he did, for $162,000, all evidence that the judge cant take into account because it had already been ruled inadmissible for a jury.

The death of Prince in October 2012 and the prosecution of his father have been followed by a sequence of startling twists that will conclude with the rare circumstance of a judge being the sole arbiter of a murder trial. In the meantime, lawyers on both sides dropped out of the case after years on it, as did the original judge. A special grand jury was launched. The official cause of death changed. Jailhouse informants entered the case.

[The death of Prince McLeod Rams]

Prosecutors say their case will take less than a week to present, and the seemingly complex case is likely to be over by early April, perhaps boiling down to a clash of experts over how Prince died and whether that was even a homicide.

The crucial moments in the case occurred on Oct. 20, 2012, when paramedics were summoned to Ramss home in Manassas City, Va., for an unresponsive child. On arrival, the paramedics found Prince, naked, wet and not breathing, wrapped in a towel on the floor. The toddler was rushed to Prince William Hospital, but records show he wasnt revived for 40 minutes. He was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital and placed on life support, but he died the next day.

I did not harm my son, Rams said in a written statement in 2013, after hed been charged with murder. It breaks my heart to think that anyone would believe that I did. Im still shocked to learn how sick Prince was. He has pleaded not guilty, and defense lawyers declined to say whether he would testify in his own defense.

Either hes the most unlucky person around, McLeod, Princes mother, said in 2013, or hes a serial killer.

In life, Prince was the subject of a heated custody battle started soon after his birth in 2011, his mother pleading with a Montgomery County, Md., judge not to allow Princes father near the boy. After the toddlers death, a Virginia medical examiner ruled in 2013 that Prince had drowned, but a year later that finding was reversed, and the official cause of death is now undetermined.

Prosecutors plan to stick with their theory that Rams drowned his son. Ramss attorneys have experts lined up to say that the boy didnt drown and that the series of six febrile seizures Prince suffered in the months before his death were a more likely contributor. They also have three witnesses in the Manassas City house where the boy fell unconscious who say that Rams did not drown his son.

The other part of the prosecutions case is their theory that Rams was having financial problems and killed his son to collect insurance money. What Bellows will hear in evidence is that Rams took out $524,000 in life insurance policies on Prince shortly after he was born in 2011. Ramss attorneys claim that he intended to take out a policy only on himself but was persuaded to add policies for his children as college savings vehicles.

Prosecutors say the backstory to the life of Joaquin Rams, 44, who has spent the last four years in the Prince William jail, shows the character of a man who would kill his son. But how much of that will be admissible is unclear, and Bellows cannot base his verdict on facts not in evidence, even if he is otherwise aware of them.

Rams was born John Anthony Ramirez in New York City in 1972, though he has often used 1977 as a birth year, and prosecutors have charged him with multiple counts of fraud for doing so. His first son, Joaquin Shadow Rams Jr., was born to Ramss girlfriend Shawn K. Mason in 1999, and Rams formally changed his name to Joaquin Shadow Rams in 2002.

Mason and Rams broke up, and Rams was granted custody of his son. In March 2003, Rams was spotted breaking into Masons house, and police found her with a single gunshot wound to the head, apparently dead for at least a day. Rams told Manassas City police that he was concerned after not hearing from her, and police said he cooperated with the investigation.

Mason had a $142,000 life insurance policy, and prosecutors believe Rams tried to collect, but their son Joaquin Jr. was the beneficiary and the money was placed in a trust.

In 2008, Ramss mother, Alma Collins, was found asphyxiated at her home in Bristow, a plastic bag around her head and a suicide note by her side. The medical examiner ruled the death a suicide and Prince William police agreed. Rams collected a $162,000 death benefit.

Prince William prosecutors wanted to use both of these cases in the murder trial, but then-Judge Craig Johnston rejected that idea in 2014.

Rams met Princes mother, McLeod, through an online dating site in February 2010, and they seemed to have a smooth courtship. Rams posted love notes McLeod sent him in an online blog. When McLeod became pregnant, the couple became engaged, and McLeod gave birth on July 1, 2011.

Two weeks later, Rams slept with McLeods younger sister, court records show. McLeod took Prince and left, setting off a custody battle in Montgomery County. McLeods attorneys presented details about Ramss past, including launching an adults online nude modeling website, and his seeming lack of steady employment. McLeod was granted sole custody of Prince in March 2012, and Rams was allowed supervised visits. Then in August 2012, he was granted unsupervised visits every other Saturday.

On one of those visits, in September 2012, Prince had a febrile seizure in Manassas, and then three more seizures in the next 24 hours, defense records show. Prince had two more febrile seizures in subsequent weeks, which experts said could be an indication of a more serious condition.

Then on Oct. 20, 2012, Rams says that Prince had another seizure while lying in a crib next to Joaquin Rams Jr., then 13. Rams told police that he rushed Prince to the bathtub to splash water on him, to lower his temperature, and court records show Joaquin Jr. told prosecutors in May 2013 that he followed his father to the bathroom and watched this, and that there was no water in the tub because there was no stopper.

Joaquin Jr. ran to housemate Roger Jestice to tell him to call 911. Both then returned to the bathroom and saw Rams splashing water on the boy. Was there any water in the tub at all? prosecutor Sandy Sylvester asked the teen. No, Joaquin Jr. replied. From when my dad brought him into the tub there was no water in it . . . because the plug wasnt there.

Roger Jestice and his wife, Sue Jestice, gave similar accounts. Still, Prince William prosecutors empaneled a special grand jury to investigate Rams, and the panel indicted him on capital murder. At least four fellow inmates of Rams apparently testified at the grand jury, and at least two are expected to testify at trial. If convicted, Rams would face life without parole.

The trial is expected to last about four weeks.
BUFORD  Jason Hirsch has big dreams for the smallest town in America.

From behind the convenience store counter, he looks over the windblown 10 acres of Wyoming high prairie that he manages  the mailboxes, the gas pumps, the small house, the old school  and sees potential.

He wants to upgrade the RV spots, build a playground, add fire pits, install picnic tables. He wants to sell Wyoming crafts and art. Or put in a deli. He envisions the town as a must-see stop along Interstate 80 as tourists travel between Cheyenne and Laramie toward Yellowstone.

The town  owned by a Vietnamese businessman  is a nexus for truckers, travelers and cowboys. Its a safe haven for truckers waiting out bad weather and a quirky roadside attraction for summer tourists. Sheriffs deputies stop in the convenience store for a cup of coffee. Local ranchers in dirty jeans and big hats come by for cigarettes or a lotto ticket and stay to chat about the weather.

The problem? Buford, population one, is having money troubles.

Its a week by week thing right now, said Hirsch, who works as the town manager, town sanitation team, town handyman, town spokesman and convenience store operator. It depends on whether I can make the bills.

Making ends meet

During Bufords heyday, about 2,000 people lived in the town, which was established as a fort in the 1860s. But when the fort moved to Laramie, so did Bufords population. By 2006, there was only one resident left: Don Sammons.

Sammons decided to sell the town in 2012 after more than 20 years as mayor, owner and manager. The new owner, Nguyen Dinh Pham, is famous in his native Vietnam for winning the auction and buying the town for $900,000. He now owns the gas pumps, the convenience store, a schoolhouse from 1905 that was converted into an office, a cell tower, a garage, a tool shed, a three-bedroom home and the towns zip code.

Pham, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City, bought the town so he could market his specialty coffee to Americans. Pham even unofficially renamed the town PhinDeli Town Buford in honor of the coffee brand, PhinDeli. The convenience store itself is a mishmash of cultures: art from local photographers sits on a long wood counter next to bags of the foreign coffee. Above the counter, an enormous, colorful mural shows Vietnamese women growing coffee beans and brewing it for eventual consumption by an American man sitting in a recliner watching CNN.

While the town may be small, it touches a large amount of people and we hope it will happen that they will have Vietnamese coffee from PhinDeli, Pham told the Star-Tribune in 2013.

Pham is known to wear a cowboy hat around the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. People refer to him as the mayor. Hirsch said Pham is rock star famous in Vietnam for owning Buford.

Hirsch started leasing the town from Pham in 2015 in the hopes of helping Buford reach its full potential.

His lease is up in December and, unless something changes, hes probably not going to sign again. The lease requires Hirsch to run the town, complete all repair work and pay for all expenses out of the profits from the store and the gas pumps. Its expensive to ship in the stores inventory and the gas for the pumps. He pays about $800 a month to have the towns trash removed.

In short, the agreement is not working out. Hirsch would like to renegotiate the lease and sign again for five more years. But Pham would have to agree to a different set of conditions that would relieve Hirsch of some of the financial obligations and allow him more leeway to make improvements.

Theres a lot of things that could be done to make this a sustainable business, he said. Right now, its just not.

Winter is the hardest for Buford. There are far fewer tourists spending money at the gas station, and upkeep of the facilities becomes more complicated and expensive. Fences fall over. Wells freeze. The wind, ripping across the plains, tears roofing off the tops of the towns five buildings sandwiched between the interstate and some railroad tracks. A year ago, lightning struck the towns cell tower, which cost Hirsch about $8,000 to repair.

On Tuesday, the store shelves were sparse. Hirsch, wearing a Murdochs vest bearing the towns name and the states bucking horse, said he doesnt quite have the money to restock yet.

What Buford really needs is an investor, Hirsch said  someone who can lend the money for the improvements.

If I leave, hes going to have a hard time finding someone else to run this place, he said. Living alone in Buford, Wyoming, is not exactly everyones cup of tea.

Creating community

But Hirsch is not actually Bufords sole resident. That title belongs to Brandon Hoover, who lives rent-free in the modest green-roofed home a few hundred feet behind the gas station. In exchange for a place to stay and a small stipend, Hoover shares in the responsibility of taking care of the town and the store. Hirsch lives on a small ranch about 3 miles south of town.

It gets quiet in Buford, and it gets boring, Hirsch said. But its never lonely, even in the winter. Hirsch pulled out the guest log he created when he started running the town. He ran his finger down the long list of where his visitors came from: London, France, California, Texas. There are also a substantial number of people from the other Buford  Buford, Georgia  and Vietnam.

The Vietnamese travelers come in and take lots of pictures but never really buy anything, Hirsch said.

One trucker wandered into the store Tuesday looking for Wi-Fi, another amenity Hirsch would like but just cant afford. After buying a pack of cigarettes, the trucker stepped back into the wind.

Keep rocks in your pocket, Hirsch called out as the door swung shut.

But its the locals who come in and sit on the cream-colored bar stools along the glass counter  filled with trinkets featuring pictures of the towns semi-famous POP 1 sign  who are the heart of the place. Hirsch loves the smallest-town lifestyle. He likes that there are no stoplights or even paved roads between his home and the town. Sometimes on sunny summer days he rides his paint horse, Sugar Pie, to work.

Hirsch makes almost no money off of the locals. But the locals are what compel him to keep the town running. Hes made Buford into a community center for the 100 or so people spread out over more than 100,000 acres of surrounding ranch land.

Theyre my base, Hirsch said. They try to support me as best they can.

Buford hosted a Fourth of July party last summer, complete with music, barbecue and beer pong. A couple of hundred people from the area came in, along with a few travelers who mixed with the locals. They sat on hay bales and overturned washtubs and listened to the bands over the howl of the constant Wyoming wind. They called it the Buford Windstock.

The volunteer firefighters often meet in the schoolhouse-turned-office, and Hirsch has hosted a number of poker nights, whenever the weather permits.

Neighbors have just started to get to know each other by visiting at the store, said Victor Miller, a regular customer and friend who runs a ranch nearby. He comes to the store almost every day to chat and check his mailbox. Now, when a truck gets stuck in a snowdrift or there is some other emergency, neighbors have each others numbers.

Hirsch doesnt know what hed do if he couldnt be Bufords town manager. He doesnt know how people will get their packages if the town closed. He doesnt know who would host the poker games.

Its kind of sad, Hirsch said. Im just starting to figure things out, and now the future is uncertain.
Famously, George Washington uttered the line, "I cannot tell a lie..." This quote was anecdotally attributed to him by his first biographer, Mason Weems.

That was then, this is now. President Trump cannot tell the truth. He made false claims about Barack Obama's place of birth. His remarks about the weather and the crowd size during his inauguration speech were false. His insinuations that most Mexicans crossing the border illegally are "killers" and "rapists" were not only bigoted, but they are statistically incorrect. His assertion that he would have won the popular vote if not for "3-5 million" illegals voting is comical and completely untrue.

Last week, he tweeted "alternative facts" about the former president by claiming "122 vicious prisoners released by the Obama administration from Gitmo, have returned to the battlefield." In reality, 113 prisoners released by George W. Bush and only nine released by Obama are verified to have returned to active battle against Americans.

My Republican friends had to overlook a long list of ugly traits in order to vote for Donald Trump. They are now telling me I should "just give him a chance." But this guy disrespects all of us with his perpetual falsehoods, why should we respect him? This is an important question, because, as a president with a compliant Congress, Trump can take this nation to war. If he were to declare that a certain country presented a mortal danger to our nation's security, would you believe him?


Capt. Ron Meyers, left, and Deputy J. David Weber approach the apartment of an overdose victim from the previous week in Chillicothe, Ohio, on March 8. The Ross County Heroin Partnership Project collaborates with federal, state and local agencies in an effort to reduce heroin deaths. (Maddie McGarvey/For The Washington Post)

The nations opioid epidemic is changing the way law enforcement does its job, with police officers acting as drug counselors and medical workers and shifting from law-and-order tactics to approaches more akin to social work.

Departments accustomed to arresting drug abusers are spearheading programs to get them into treatment, convinced that their old strategies werent working. Theyre administering medication that reverses overdoses, allowing users to turn in drugs in exchange for treatment, and partnering with hospitals to intervene before abuse turns fatal.

A lot of the officers are resistant to what we call social work. They want to go out and fight crime, put people in jail, said Capt. Ron Meyers of the police department in Chillicothe, Ohio, a 21-year veteran who is convinced that punitive tactics no longer work against drugs. We need to make sure the officers understand this is what is going to stop the epidemic.

(Lee Powell/The Washington Post)

[No longer Mayberry: A small Ohio city fights an epidemic of self-destruction]

Officers are finding children who were barricaded in rooms while their parents got high, and they are responding to the same homes for the same problems. Feelings of exasperation course through some departments in which officers are interacting with the same drug users over and over again, sometimes saving their lives repeatedly with naloxone, a drug that reverses an opiate overdose.

Youre tired of dealing with this person because it saps your resources and its frustrating, and sometimes that manifests itself in a poor attitude or police officer becoming cynical or sarcastic, said Officer Jamie Williamson of the police department in Ithaca, N.Y., where he said heroin is on every corner of the city. But you want to get them the help so you dont have to deal with them and so that person gets to a better place.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 33,000 people died from opiate overdoses in 2015, a record. Opioids now kill more people than car accidents, and in 2015 the number of heroin deaths nationwide surpassed the number of deaths from gun homicides. The expansion of the problem has forced officers to fundamentally rethink their work.

When I came out of the police academy, it was law enforcement enforcing the law, said Kevin Coppinger, the sheriff in Essex County, Mass., and a former police chief in Lynn, Mass. Now police officers have to be generalists. You have to enforce the law, you have to be social-service workers and almost mental-health workers.

Last Wednesday morning in Chillicothe, Meyers, Ross County Deputy Sheriff J. David Weber and three others sat in a conference room, reviewing police reports about six white men between the ages of 26 and 34 who overdosed the week before. One needed four doses of naloxone to survive.



A bag of information is left at the home of an overdose victim from the previous week in Chillicothe, Ohio. (Maddie McGarvey/For The Washington Post)

The officers are part of the Ross County Post Overdose Response Team, known as PORT, which visits the home of each person in the county who overdosed during the prior week. Sometimes family members dont know that their loved one overdosed, but most people are receptive to the intervention, said Teri Minney, the partnerships coordinator.

The group provides information that includes a list of support group meetings, a brochure on how to contact treatment providers and detox centers and a primer on naloxone.

Weber said he and the team are blunt, telling victims that they are playing Russian roulette. Though the team hopes the person wont use drugs again, it knows they likely will. So it implores them to do so in the presence of others, so someone can call for help.

This is just one piece of the puzzle, Minney said.

Police must also work as front-line social-service providers in homes where children are present during an overdose.

[Orphaned by Americas opiate epidemic]

Were struggling to get them somewhere safe, Meyers said. You could send them to grandmas house, but shes also a heroin addict. You have to vet everyone who you send those kids to.

Officials said drugs are taking a particular toll on children. In Martinsburg, W.Va., police have partnered with the Berkeley County Schools and Shepherd University to form the Martinsburg Initiative. It links schools, law enforcement, families and the community to help children who are living in traumatic situations, such as having an incarcerated parent or a history of domestic violence, and connects the families with available resources. Police Chief Maury Richards said it is based on data showing that children who grow up in dysfunctional households are more likely to use drugs.

Unless we get a handle on this, it could really unravel our entire community and society as a whole, Richards said.

Even run-of-the-mill calls such as shoplifting and car break-ins now have a drug connection, as do more serious ones like robberies. In large cities such as Cincinnati and small towns including Mount Sterling, Ky., calls for overdoses sometimes overwhelm local emergency response systems.

Louisvilles emergency medical services are making overdose run after overdose run, said spokesman Mitchell Burmeister. In February, the system received 52 overdose calls in 32 hours, most of which were believed to be related to heroin or fentanyl.

Authorities say last August provides an example of how a powerful batch of drugs can quickly cause devastation. In Ohio, 174 overdoses were reported in Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati, in less than a week. In Charleston, W.Va., 26 people overdosed in a matter of hours, as did 14 in Jennings County, Ind. In Mount Sterling  population 6,900  at least 18 people overdosed in a matter of hours that month.



Deputy J. David Weber talks with a woman who gave CPR to an overdose victim in Chillicothe, Ohio. (Maddie McGarvey/For The Washington Post)

Police blame the spikes on a rash of potent synthetic drugs. They include fentanyl and carfentanil, an opiate typically used as a large animal tranquilizer that can kill people when taken in even minuscule amounts. According to the CDC, the number of drug overdose deaths involving synthetic drugs like fentanyl rose from 8 percent in 2010 to 18 percent in 2015.

[Where opiates killed the most people in 2015]

Drugs that can kill instantly and massive spikes in overdose calls are the new normal, said Van Ingram, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy.

Drugs are being introduced into the illicit drug supply that are more powerful than anything weve ever seen before, and its taxing our law enforcement resources, our EMS resources, our emergency departments and hospitals, and its difficult to manage, Ingram said.

These drugs also pose a danger for first responders. Many officers are now carrying extra doses of naloxone to use on officers or K-9s should they accidentally breathe in drugs or handle ones that are particularly potent. Other departments across the country no longer allow officers to process drugs at crime scenes because of the risk of exposure, instead sending the drugs directly to labs.

In Hartford, Conn., a doctor goes with police on raids so he can treat officers who might encounter drugs; he was on vacation when 11 SWAT officers were exposed to fentanyl and heroin that was atomized by a flash grenade the officers used to burst into a drug stash house, according to Hartford Deputy Chief Brian Foley. Three were sickened and all were sent to the hospital.

In Hamilton County, Ohio, which saw the rash of overdoses blamed on carfentanil last year, 414 people died of a drug overdose, compared with 298 the year before, according to the county coroners office.

Tom Synan, chief of the Newtown, Ohio, police department and a leader of the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition, said the staggering numbers are difficult because we are in this job to help people and often the resources are not there to do it correctly. He said his biggest source of frustration is sitting across from parents of drug addicts knowing there are few resources available that can help their children.

Law enforcement has been forced to take the lead on this, and we probably are not the best profession to be doing this because our job really is to enforce laws, he said, noting that he has seen family after family torn apart by addiction. He keeps in touch with the children of some who have died. I never got into police work thinking Id watch an entire generation die of drugs.
PENNSYLVANIA

Hoverboard sparked deadly re, officials say

A fire that killed a toddler appears to have been sparked by a recharging hoverboard, authorities said Saturday.

Fire officials in Harrisburg, Pa., said one victim jumped from a second-floor roof to escape the blaze, which was reported about 8 p.m. Friday.

Three other people were rescued by ladder.

The Lehigh County coroners office said Ashanti Hughes, 3, was pronounced dead about 11:30 a.m. Saturday at a hospital. Two girls remain hospitalized in critical condition. A man and a teenage male were treated and released.

Fire Lt. Dennis DeVoe was driving to the station before heading to the scene when his vehicle was hit, Fire Chief Brian Enterline said. DeVoe was reported in critical condition. The driver of the other vehicle was arrested on assault and other charges.

The fire was ruled accidental and attributed to a hoverboard plugged in to recharge on the first floor, Enterline said.

 Associated Press

MASSACHUSETTS

Gay vets allowed spot in St. Patricks parade

Organizers of South Bostons St. Patricks Day parade reversed course Friday and said theyd allow a group of gay veterans to march in this years parade.

The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council said on the parades Twitter account that it had signed an acceptance letter that would clear the way for OutVets to participate.

We are honored and humbled by all the outpouring of support that has been displayed for our LGBTQ veterans, said OutVets lawyer Dee Dee Edmondson.

An earlier vote by the council to bar OutVets from marching drew condemnation from high-profile politicians, with some saying they would not march if the gay veterans were excluded.

 Associated Press

Musical with slurs goes on: Students at a New Jersey high school have begun performing a musical that includes scenes with racial slurs. Cherry Hill school district officials had planned to remove instances in the musical Ragtime when characters uttered the slur. But they decided to allow the students to perform the musical as written after students and community members of all races argued against sanitizing the show.

Two ill after drinking tea: Two people are critically ill in San Francisco after drinking tea from the same Chinatown herbalist. The citys Department of Public Health said Friday that the tea leaves bought at Sun Wing Wo Trading Company contained the plant-based toxin Aconite. Health officials say that in the past two months a man in his 50s and a woman in her 30s became critically ill within an hour of drinking the tea and that both remain hospitalized. Aconite is used in Asian herbal medicines and must be processed properly to be safe.

 From news reports
When Donna Helen Crisp, a 59-year-old nursing professor, entered a North Carolina teaching hospital for a routine hysterectomy in 2007, she expected to come home the next day.

Instead, Crisp spent weeks in a coma and underwent five surgeries to correct a near-fatal cascade of medical errors that left her with permanent injuries. Desperate for an explanation, Crisp, who is also a lawyer, said she repeatedly encountered a white wall of silence: The hospital and her surgeon refused to say little more than things didnt go well. Crisp spent years piecing together what happened. I decided I was going to find out even if it takes the rest of my life, she said.

Jack Gentry said he went into the hospital a patient and came out a victim. In 2013, the retired Baltimore police officer suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury during disk replacement surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital that left him a quadriplegic.

[First-year doctors will be allowed to work 24-hour shifts starting in July]

But unlike Crisp, Gentry and his wife, a nurse, were immediately told what had gone wrong by his surgeon, who apologized for the error. The hospital covered Gentrys rehabilitation and other major expenses and paid an undisclosed amount in compensation, all without litigation. When hospitals mess up, they need to do the right thing, Gentry said. MedStar did.

For patients and their families killed or maimed by medical errors, Crisps experience  in which doctors clam up and hospitals deny wrongdoing and aggressively defend their care  remains standard operating procedure in most institutions.

But spurred by concerns about the deny and defend model  including its cost, lack of transparency and the perpetuation of errors  programs to circumvent litigation by offering prompt disclosure, apology and compensation for mistakes as an alternative to malpractice suits are becoming more popular. Johns Hopkins researchers recently estimated that medical mistakes kill 251,000 Americans annually, which would make them the third-leading cause of death. Traditionally, the only way for patients to find out what went wrong has been to sue.

A blueprint for the approach employed in Gentrys case is being promoted by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Called CANDOR, an acronym for Communication and Optimal Resolution, the approach is modeled on a long-standing program pioneered at the University of Michigan. It was tested in 14 hospitals around the country, including MedStars Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown University Hospital.

[Researchers: Medical errors now third leading cause of death in United States]

Although they differ, these programs  which typically feature prompt investigation of errors whose findings are shared with the victims, as well as an apology and compensation for injuries  are operating at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Stanford and eight hospitals and outpatient groups in Massachusetts. Despite fears that the new approach would encourage lawsuits, the opposite has proved true. In Michigan, the number of lawsuits was cut nearly in half, and the hospital system saved about $2 million in litigation costs in the first year after the new model was adopted in 2001.

The whole point of this isnt to drop malpractice costs, its to drive patient safety, said Richard C. Boothman, the University of Michigan Health Systems executive director of clinical safety and chief risk officer, who launched the program after a career defending doctors and hospitals. We need to hard-wire as quickly as possible the lessons of these cases.

In most hospitals, Boothman said, patient safety experts do not routinely talk to risk managers who handle malpractice claims. As a result, valuable information about preventing errors is lost.

Teresa Gentry helps her husband, Jack, stretch out his hands after exercising. He was paralyzed during back surgery. (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

In the dark

Most patients never learn they are victims of a medical error. A landmark 1991 Harvard study found that only 2 percent of people harmed by errors file a lawsuit. Those who do face daunting odds: Patients lose 80 percent of malpractice cases. Huge litigation costs, combined with laws that have reduced damage awards in many states, have left many unable to find an attorney because plaintiffs lawyers are paid on contingency. Malpractice cases typically take three or more years to resolve. In the interim, many injured people struggle to pay for care.

[Women really are better doctors, study suggests]

Litigation is a tortuous process for patients and health-care workers, said Beth Daley Ullem, who spent five years seeking answers about the 2003 death of her newborn son from a Chicago hospital that denied any wrongdoing.

We later learned that this had happened to a family before us and another seven months after, said Daley Ullem, a former McKinsey consultant whose ruptured uterus went untreated for an hour. She said she received a $4 million settlement before trial, which she offered to give back to the hospital to fund safety improvements. The hospital refused.

Disclosure efforts also face stiff resistance from doctors, insurers and lawyers, including defense attorneys for whom speedier resolution means fewer billable hours.

Despite laws in most states that prevent apologies from being used against doctors in lawsuits, many worry that it will make patients more likely to file suit, said Thomas H. Gallagher, a University of Washington professor of medicine who has written extensively about disclosure. A recent study found that 77 percent of 300 primary-care doctors would not fully disclose a delayed breast cancer diagnosis to a patient.

Doug Wojcieszak, who founded an Illinois-based disclosure advocacy group called Sorry Works!, said one Iowa doctor told him that if he started apologizing when things went wrong, hed be doing nothing else all day long.

[Five simple steps to avoid becoming a medical mystery]

Insurers are also leery, said Brian Atchinson, president of Physician Insurers Association of America, the trade association for liability insurers, which was involved in the development of CANDOR. Some states are more conducive to this than others, he said. But there are those who dont believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

Lawyer Joanne Doroshow, director of the Center for Justice & Democracy at New York Law School, worries that disclosure programs may take advantage of vulnerable patients who are not represented by a lawyer. The hospitals are in control of it, and its still in their interest to try and limit compensation to patients, she said.

Jeffrey Catalano, a Massachusetts plaintiffs lawyer who is president of the state bar and a participant in that states disclosure program, says that patients should be represented early in the process. I think if theres a good attorney present, theres no way a client is going to be shortchanged, he said. Good attorneys know this: Medical malpractice cases are hard to take to trial. If a client can get $1 now rather than risking getting nothing [at trial] for the prospect of $1.50 later, it may be better to take the $1 now.

Doing the right thing

The countrys first disclosure program began 30 years ago with a doctors desire to do the right thing.

Pulmonologist Steve Kraman, newly named as chief of staff for what is now the Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Kentucky, said he faced a problem in 1987: how to handle the death of a middle-aged woman caused by an undeniable error, a massive overdose of potassium.

If we had said nothing, [the family] never would have known a thing, said Kraman, who was also the hospitals risk manager. We never would have gotten sued. But I just didnt feel that was right. So he suggested to the hospitals lawyer that they come clean to the patients two adult daughters, from whom she was estranged.

I sat down and told them exactly what happened, that we were responsible for it, that they should hire a lawyer and we were going to negotiate a payment, he recalled. Two months later, the family was paid $250,000.

From then on, Kraman said, all cases involving errors were handled similarly. We paid out for things that nobody could have sued for in their wildest dreams, said Kraman, who is now a professor at the University of Kentucky. Some patients declined the cash, he said, because they feared it would ruin their relationship with the doctor. Kraman said he refused to pay a dime in cases where no injury could be proved. That just alienates doctors and nurses who feel like youre throwing them under the bus.

Kraman said he had several advantages: Doctors were employed and insured by the VA system. Payments, which averaged $16,000, were made from the U.S. treasury, not the hospital coffers. And the program had the support of the hospitals director and lawyer as well as the U.S. attorney for Kentucky.

This has to be done from the top down or it wont work, Kraman said. The message has to be This is how we do business. 

When Boothman arrived at the University of Michigan in 2001  after two decades defending doctors, including an orthopedic surgeon who had been sued 21 times  he decided to try a similar approach. That included encouraging staff to report errors and bad outcomes; reports jumped from 2,400 a year to more than 34,000.

You have to normalize honesty, Boothman said, to create a culture of continuous improvement. Applying the lessons gleaned from those errors, he said, has helped make care safer.

Litigating a case for three years and telling everybody, Dont talk about it and dont change anything, is immoral and counterproductive, he added. I dont serve my organization well by defending care we shouldnt be defending.

Today were often at the bedside as soon as things happen, he said. Patients and their families are interviewed as part of the hospitals investigation of the facts, something that does not happen in traditional litigation.

Like Kraman, Boothman said he worries that some hospitals are using disclosure to cherry-pick small or unwinnable cases, not as a standard approach.

[Hospital discharge: Its one of the most dangerous periods for patients ]

A test case

Orthopedic surgeon P. Justin Tortolani remembers with sickening clarity the moment he realized that a device he was installing had gone too far, penetrating Jack Gentrys spine. The 60-year-old retired police officer, who had hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, was instantly paralyzed from the neck down.

You cant really believe its happening, said Tortolani, Union Memorials director of spine surgery. Summoning his years of training, the surgeon formulated a plan and steeled himself to tell Teresa Gentry what had happened. It was the first of many conversations about the accident that he would have with the family.

We didnt want to go through litigation, we didnt need to go through litigation, said Larry L. Smith, MedStars vice president for risk management. MedStar uses CANDOR in about a dozen cases with substantial damages annually.

MedStar executives told me what had happened, why it happened, that it was directly or indirectly their fault and that whatever I needed I should ask for, Gentry recalled. MedStar paid for five months of inpatient rehab  Gentrys insurance would have covered only two weeks  modifications to the couples home, a $45,000 wheelchair and a new wheelchair-accessible van. It provided a case manager, a home-care nurse and $15,000 for incidental medical expenses.

Because of the nature of Jacks injury, we would have had to mortgage everything to pay for his care otherwise, Teresa Gentry said.

Early on, Gentry said, his older brother, a Baltimore malpractice lawyer, expressed bafflement at MedStars approach. He said as long as we were getting what we needed, to just go with it, Gentry recalled.

At the end of two years, the case was settled with a confidential payment negotiated by lawyers for the couple, MedStar and the device manufacturer.

I felt like it would take care of Jack for the rest of his life, said Teresa Gentry, adding that the couple had been prepared to file a lawsuit if an agreement could not be reached. Did I get enough to pay for everybodys pain and suffering and trauma? No.

I was very skeptical in the beginning of this whole process, she recalled, but she said she believes it has worked well, as does her husband.

Tortolani said he feels remorse, guilt and sorrow for Jack and his family. This shakes you to your core, he said. MedStar officials have been unbelievably supportive, Tortolani said, and he remains deeply grateful to the Gentrys. My relationship with Jack has never been stronger.

Donna Helen Crisp says she thinks she would have been less traumatized had the North Carolina hospital and her surgeon not stonewalled her. I would have been deeply depressed that I had such a bad experience, but I could have moved on with my life, said Crisp, who has written a book, Anatomy of Medical Errors: The Patient in Room 2, about her experience. Being denied the truth left her with no way to put it into perspective.

This story was produced as part of a partnership with Kaiser Health News, a national health policy news service that is part of the nonpartisan Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Read more:

Her story went viral. But she is not the only black doctor ignored in an airplane emergency

A doctor with a bad knee runs into one-size-fits-all medicine

Doctors, hospitals and insurers oppose Republican health plan


City officials take down a KKK sign from a vacant building downtown in Dahlonega, Ga., on Feb. 16. Residents said the banner left them both surprised and scared. (Matt Aiken/The Dahlonega Nugget)

The mayor was still home when his phone started ringing. The reverend was still down with the flu when he began getting one message after another. Valerie Fambrough had just dropped off her daughters at day care when she heard.

Have you seen the sign in the square? a parent asked her on a cold morning three weeks ago. Theres a Ku Klux Klan sign in the town square.

And, in fact, there was. Just past the old brick courthouse and across the street from candy stores and antique shops, a large rectangular banner was screwed tight into the cracked wood siding of a long-vacant building on East Main Street. Historic Ku Klux Klan Meeting Hall, it said.

It had a cartoonish drawing of a white-sheeted person raising a hand. In addition, there was a Confederate battle flag at one corner of the building and a red flag with a white cross and the letters KKK at the other. They were fluttering in the wind blowing across Dahlonega, and what happened next would become one more pocket of America dealing with a disturbing incident at a time when hate crimes have been on the rise and new brands of white nationalism have been making a comeback across the country.

In Upstate New York, the home of a Jewish man was spray-painted with swastikas. In Virginia, fliers were distributed in several neighborhoods with the words, Make America WHITE again-and greatness will follow. In Colorado, two typewritten notes that read WERE GONNA BLOW UP ALL OF YOU REFUGEES, were left at a community center serving mainly Muslim immigrants. Now whatever was happening in other parts of the country seemed to have arrived in Dahlonega.

The mayor got dressed and headed for the square. The reverend called the sheriff. Fambrough recalled how she hurried over to see for herself, saying No, no, not here, the whole way, and Hell, no, until she was there, alone, staring at the banner.

She was a white 37-year-old mother of two, a program specialist in the biology department at the University of North Georgia who called Dahlonega a sweet, loving town and had never protested anything in her life. Now she felt her anger rising. She remembered the flip-chart paper in her trunk left over from a presentation a month before and made two signs  Not in my town, she wrote, and Love Lives Here  then got out and stood in her sandals holding them.

She was freezing. The square was still quiet, with all the shops closed. She scanned the windows across the street to see if someone was watching. She planned which way she would run if something happened. Cars passed, and she scrutinized each face.

A woman shook her head and kept going.

A man gave her a thumbs-up.

A woman called out of her window, Did you put that sign up? and Fambrough said No, no! and then Bridget Kahn parked, got out, and now there were the two of them.

A woman in a red minivan stopped and yelled Yall are angry! Youre angry, angry people! and drove off.

A black pickup truck parked across the street, and a muscular man got out, and a reporter from the local paper whod just arrived told the women it was Chester Doles, a former leader in the Klan and a white-separatist group called the National Alliance who had gone to prison on federal weapons charges. He lived just outside town and was currently a personal trainer who also worked promoting hate rock concerts around the country. He pulled out a cellphone and began taking photographs. He said something to the women, but they couldnt hear.

Whats that, sir? Kahn called out, and the women heard him say something about how glorious it was to see such a sign in the light of day, and then he drove off, even as more people were arriving  white-haired locals, college students and others who said they were appalled; a Native American man who brought a ladder and tried to rip the banner down; a white man who argued the KKK banner and flag should come down but not the Confederate battle flag; a young black man who stood there crying.

Here came the mayor and the sheriff trying to figure out what was going on.

Here came two pickup trucks circling the square, revving their engines. The woman in the red minivan returned, honking her horn and seeming to veer too close to the protesters.

A school bus passed, and now Fambrough was crying as the town dispatched a cherry picker to the scene, and workers began ratcheting out the first of 21 screws holding the banner in place.

Another truck arrived, this one belonging to a local roofing company and plastered with Confederate logos, and several workers climbed on the roof and began removing the flags.

And that was how the banner came down, and the flags came down, and all the rest began.

***

All over town that first day, people kept saying this was not the Dahlonega they knew.

Our little pocket of loveliness is how one resident described the former gold mining town an hour north of Atlanta, known for its redbrick square lined with antique shops and wine tasting rooms. It was the seat of Lumpkin County, which did not have the reputation for racial violence that many other north Georgia counties did, though no one disputed that there were probably Klan members scattered around. It was overwhelmingly white and Republican, though Dahlonega itself was home to a small, deeply rooted, black population, and had in recent years attracted a more liberal crowd who considered themselves part of the progressive South.

Now, though, all anyone could talk about was what happened in the town square.

Even before the last screw came out of the banner, photos of it were appearing all over social media with captions like WTF, Dahlonega? and people began speculating about who did it.

Maybe it was a college prank. Maybe it was an outsider. Maybe it really was the Klan, a relic coming back to life. In an area that voted heavily for Donald Trump, speculation began that the whole thing was the work of anti-Trump activists, and when she got home, Fambrough went online and saw that people were accusing her of putting up the banner, saying she was part of the alt-left.

By evening, though, people had found out who was really responsible: It was one of their own, an 84-year-old white woman named Roberta Green-Garrett, the owner of the building in question who lives in a brick mansion with four white columns on a hill overlooking the town.

Offering no explanation and declining to speak with reporters, she had told town officials that she had allowed the banner to go up and might try to put it up again. She had been seeking permission to build a hotel on the square, and people speculated that it was all an audacious ploy to embarrass the town into approving her plans.

An isolated case of Mrs. Green, is how the mayor, Gary McCullough, described it, saying that there was no evidence the building was ever used by the Klan and that he hoped people would move on.

For many people, though, it was too late for that. The point wasnt who did it. The point was that it had happened, and whatever it had unleashed was taking on a life of its own.

As day two began, a local Unitarian church was organizing a unity march for later that afternoon.

Fambrough heard and began calling her friends. Its about showing people that they have nothing to be afraid of in our town! she told them.

More calls were made, including one to the minister, John Webb, a former town council member who is black, who had heard by then who had done it, which didnt make it less worrying to him. He said he had noticed more pickup trucks roaring around during the presidential campaign, Confederate battle flags flying  Guys I know, he said, saying the South will rise again and all that stuff  and that regardless of why the banner went up, Its very possible it could boomerang into something bigger than it is.

He was 72, a veteran of the civil rights struggle still sick from the flu, but he was going, and he called others to go, too, and as word spread about the coming demonstration, so did a parallel set of rumors.

The KKK was coming. The neo-Nazis were coming. Black Lives Matter was coming. Fambrough heard that a so-called antifascist group from Atlanta was coming and began feeling sick imagining windows being smashed and businesses being torched. The sheriff called for backup and readied a plan in case a riot or something worse was about to happen in Dahlonega.

In the late afternoon, people began rallying around the square, waving signs.

Not OKKK America, one said. Dahlonega Loves Yall, read another, and Really, Roberta?



Protesters rally Feb. 17 in Dahlonega, Ga., after a KKK sign was displayed on a vacant building downtown. (Matt Aiken/The Dahlonega Nugget)

People honked horns in support. A local fiddler came. A member of the folk-rock duo Indigo Girls came and everybody sang This Land Is Your Land.

Soon, several pickup trucks arrived, revving their engines and circling the square, with Confederate battle flags and Make America Great Again flags flying. When a protester started yelling at one of them, Fambrough yelled at the protester, Dont make assumptions!

By the third day, events began taking another turn.

More s--- stirrers! someone posted online about the protesters. You all are the ones that are going to ruin that town and jobs will be lost!!! Good job, morons!!

All crybabies jump on board! wrote someone else.

Let it go, a woman posted.

But people were not letting it go.

Its like a certain political climate has opened up, said Paul Dunlap, a professor at the university, sitting at the end of the fifth day around a fire with friends at Shenanigans pub on the square. An openly gay man, he said he had never experienced any kind of bigotry in his two decades in Dahlonega.

I think its a good idea not to be naive, said Deb Rowe, the pubs owner, and now they started talking about Chester Doles, who sometimes came in for a beer at the bar. Someone had noticed that on the building where the banner had been, inside a locked glass case near the door, there was a flier for Doless personal training services, showing him oiled up and smiling in full bodybuilder pose.

Is this indicative of something bigger? said Dunlap. Like, do they think they have a voice?

I think Robertas using the national polarization against us all, said Jeremy Sharp, a white student at the university who was organizing a boycott of her businesses, which included two buildings she rented out to antique dealers, several hundred units of student housing, and a Holiday Inn Express.

A peaceable revolution, Sharp said at a news conference on the sixth day as residents crowded into a small room at the university to hear.

A few days ago, we had an obtuse sign put up, he began. When I walked out and saw that, it scared me. It scared me as a Catholic. It scared me as a person who has friends who look different than me. We are here because we are afraid.

People clapped and cheered as Sharp began explaining a plan to withhold rent from Green-Garrett and barrage Holiday Inns corporate offices with phone calls, which would lead the hotel chains parent company, IHG, to issue a statement saying that they had expressed our concerns to Green-Garrett and that This is not the type of activity that we want any of our brands associated with. As Sharp kept talking, two Dahlonega council members arrived, explaining that they were only there to get the public sentiment.

So, no comment? a young woman yelled at them.

The only comment Ill make is that the KKK does not represent the values of this town, one of the men said.

Then whyd you vote for it? Whyd you vote for it? the woman yelled, getting more upset, and even though there was never such a vote, some people began cheering her on.

Lets keep this civil! They did not vote for that sign! said another young woman trying to quiet the room, but emotions were high.

A man said that the KKK had recently applied unsuccessfully to take part in the Adopt-A-Highway program in a neighboring county. A woman said she was worried about all the undertones of hate being brought out of the woodwork.

Im very concerned, said Daniel Blackman, a former state Senate candidate who was the first black person ever to run for office from nearby Forsyth County, which has a long history of violence against blacks and was until the late 1980s known as a whites only county. Whether its a stunt or whether Ms. Garrett really feels that way, the fact is there are children here that might be threatened or afraid and weve got to get ahead of it. The last thing you want to see is someone crazy enough to do something stupid.

Soon, the meeting ended, and as everyone was heading out into the cold Dahlonega night, an older white man, trying to be sensitive, said to Blackman, Be careful.

The next morning, all of this was the topic of North Georgia talk radio, and the host was taking callers. A woman named Sharon was on the line.

Its not just fake news, its a fake agenda, she began, and explained that the banner might have been part of an elaborate plot not only to create chaos in Dahlonega, but also to undermine the presidency of Donald Trump and ultimately, the nation.

She knew all of this, she said, because she had gone online and discovered a website for a group with locations across the country  including in Dahlonega  that was made up of former congressional staffers working for the previous administration. They are supporting the impeachment. They support open borders. They are supporting Obamacare. They are promoting disruption at town halls  I call it bullying  and they have a potential for violence.

I hope everyone is aware that this type of activity  I call it subversion, with a fake narrative  is taking root in the area, she continued, and meanwhile, in Dahlonega, another new development was unfolding.

Over at town hall, an assistant to Green-Garrett was filing paperwork for a new sign permit.

Size of sign: 4x6.

Material of sign: wood (painted).

Color of sign: Gold with Black Lettering.

How sign will be attached to wall: Screwed.

It was an application to make the sign permanent. It would say, Historic Ku Klux Klan Meeting Hall, and that was how the seventh day ended.

***

And then, two days after that, the application was withdrawn.

Green-Garrett issued her first statement since unleashing all of this eight days before, saying that she had been trying to get a hotel built only to meet opposition at every turn. I have no other motivation other than to bring businesses and tax revenue to the city, her statement said. I want to move forward and do something positive for the city of Dahlonega.

She said nothing about the KKK banner, and when she was reached by phone at her winter home in Florida, she said no comment and hung up.

At her real estate office in a worn-out strip mall on the edge of town, her assistant, Barbara Bridges, said the banner was there, rolled up and stored in a closet.

The town issued an official statement saying that Dahlonega is a welcoming community for people of diverse backgrounds and that recent episodes are not indicative of a change in our character or philosophy.

The students called off the boycott and declared victory.

And now it was a sunny afternoon on the town square.

People were stopping by the candy shop, or wandering down the aisles of antique shops where Kenny G was playing through the speakers, or eating a sandwich across from the building where a KKK banner had been.

Yeah, its the site of one of the last major gold rushes, a man standing on the square said to a woman, explaining what he knew about Dahlonega.

Do you have this in a large? a woman asked at a T-shirt shop.

Reverend Webb, home this afternoon, said he was heartened to see how so many people had taken a stand. Dahlonega is a sacred place for everybody, he said.

At the same time, he said, the episode was not simply about the banner. To him, it was about a banner that had appeared after an election in which the new president had said certain things that had appealed to white nationalists and other hatemongers, whether he intended to or not, opening the door to events that could spiral out of control.

The atmosphere hes created in America today has caused people to think they have some kind of power again, he said. I thought that before, and I still do.

Doles, who was out driving in his truck, said he agreed with this assessment. He had been on the way home from the gym when he first saw the banner and the flags, he said, and thought to himself, Its been a long time coming. He said he had recently raised his own flag for the first time in years  the American one, because he finally feels pleased with the direction of the country.

In the last 50 years, I didnt think we had the votes to elect a governor, much less a president, Doles said. And yet here we are today.

All of this was what worried Valerie Fambrough, sitting outside at a coffee shop on the pleasant afternoon. She felt good about all the people, including Trump supporters, who had come out to proclaim a message of love. She felt unsettled that some people thought she was part of an alt-left agenda. It all felt like the beginning of something, not the end.

Im just scared these days, she said, even though the banner was no longer anywhere in sight.
INDIA

Modis party wins big

in bellwether polls

Indias ruling Hindu nationalist party won landslide victories in results announced Saturday of key state legislative elections that are seen as a referendum on the performance of Prime Minister Narendra Modis nearly three-year-old government.

Leaders from Modis Bharatiya Janata Party said the partys victory in Uttar Pradesh, Indias largest state, would boost the premiers chances of winning another term in 2019 elections.

The Election Commission said the BJP won 311 out of 403 seats in Uttar Pradeshs legislature. The partys president, Amit Shah, described it as a historic verdict.

In another northern state, Uttarakhand, the BJP won 56 of 70 seats and was leading in one other constituency, wresting power from the Congress party, the main opposition at the national level.

The elections were held in five states in February and early March, but the votes were not tallied until Saturday.

Modi tweeted: Am overjoyed that BJP has received unprecedented support from all sections of society. Huge support from the youth is gladdening.

The Congress party had a face-saving win in Punjab state, where it captured 77 of 117 seats, unseating the governing alliance of the BJP and a powerful regional group, the Akali Dal.

 Associated Press

SYRIA

Bombings kill dozens

near shrines in capital

A double bomb attack targeting Shiite pilgrims in the Syrian capital, Damascus, killed at least 40 Iraqis and wounded 120 more, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturdays attack, which the Hezbollah-run al-Manar TV station said was carried out by two suicide bombers.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been supported in the countrys war by Shiite militias from countries including Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon.

The attack took place at a bus station where the pilgrims had been taken to visit the nearby Bab al-Saghir cemetery after visiting the Shiite Sayeda Zeinab shrine just outside Damascus, the TV station reported.

The second blast went off 10 minutes after the first, inflicting casualties on civil-defense workers who had gathered to tend to the casualties, an al-Manar reporter said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based organization that reports on the war, said the number of dead was at least 44.

Last June, the Islamic State asserted responsibility for bombings near the Sayeda Zeinab shrine.

 Reuters

500 bodies found at prison near Mosul: A pro-government Shiite Iraqi militia said it found a mass grave containing the remains of about 500 people at a prison northwest of Mosul. Iraqi military forces seized control of Badoush prison from the Islamic State this past week. The extremist group took control of Badoush village and the prison complex in June 2014, and Human Rights Watch said the group reportedly executed 600 inmates at the prison on June 10 that year. Survivors told the rights group at the time that most of those executed were Shiites.

German mall shut over attack fears: German police sealed off and closed a shopping mall in the heart of the western city of Essen after security services warned of a possible terrorist attack. Police later said they had searched an apartment in the nearby town of Oberhausen and were questioning the owner and another man about the alleged plot to attack the Limbecker Platz shopping center, one of the countrys biggest.

8 police killed in insider attack in Afghanistan: At least eight Afghan security personnel were killed by two colleagues in southern Zabul province late Friday, a spokesman for the provincial governor said. Gul Islam Seyal said the two police officers who staged the attack in Shinkia district fled the area afterward, taking all the weapons and ammunition from the checkpoint.

Victims of 2011 Japan quake, tsunami remembered: Family members and friends offered prayers for the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the sixth anniversary of the disaster. Memorials were held at a number of locations in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which were all devastated by the powerful tsunami that followed the quake on March 11, 2011. The disaster claimed the lives of 18,446 people, of whom 15,893 were confirmed dead and 2,553 remain unaccounted for.

 From news services
A panel of federal judges has ruled that Texass Republican-led legislature gerrymandered some of the states congressional districts to stunt the growing influence of minority voters.

The 2-to-1 decision  years in the making  was issued Friday night. It invalidated three congressional districts in south and west Texas and in the Austin area. Although a remedy was not prescribed, redrawing the districts will probably aid Latino and Democratic voters.

The challenge to the districts was supported by the Obama administrations Justice Department lawyers. The dissenting judge issued an acidic attack on their work, saying they painted state officials as a bunch of backwoods hayseed bigots.

[Appeals court says Texas voting law discriminates against minorities]

The congressional redistricting plan was drawn by the legislature in 2011, the same year that then-Gov. Rick Perry (R) signed a voter ID law that a federal appeals court ultimately found discriminates against minorities. A district court is now considering whether that effect was intentional.

The combination of rulings could lead to Texas being required to have election changes approved in advance by federal officials. It and other states, most of them in the South, were freed from that requirement by a Supreme Court decision in 2013.

The two judges who ruled for challengers in the redistricting case Friday said the maps and the voter ID law were enacted against a backdrop in the Austin capitol of strong racial tension and heated debate about Latinos, Spanish-speaking people, undocumented immigrants and sanctuary cities.

All three judges agreed that the legislature packed minorities into some districts and splintered them among others to dilute their power. But the jurists disagreed about whether that was simply partisan gerrymandering, which the Supreme Court has tolerated, or racial discrimination, which is forbidden.

U.S. District judges Xavier Rodriguez and Orlando Garcia said it was the latter. The record indicates not just a hostility toward Democrat districts, but a hostility to minority districts, and a willingness to use race for partisan advantage, they wrote.

Dissenting Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit said previous rulings over years of litigation made the case moot. But if he were deciding the case on the merits, he wrote, Texas redistricting in 2011 was essentially about politics, not race.

The legal battle over the districts has raged for years, and a trial on the suit ended in August 2014. Fridays decision featured a nearly 450-page fact-finding report and a nearly 200-page opinion. The congressional districts voided by the panel are represented by Democrat Lloyd Doggett and Republicans Will Hurd and Blake Farenthold.

Judge Smith criticized the arrogance and condescension of the Justice Department lawyers, who he said came to Texas on a witch hunt.

It was obvious, from the start, that the DoJ attorneys viewed state officials and the legislative majority and their staffs as a bunch of backwoods hayseed bigots who bemoan the abolition of the poll tax and pine for the days of literacy tests and lynchings, Smith wrote. And the DoJ lawyers saw themselves as an expeditionary landing party arriving here, just in time, to rescue the state from oppression, obviously presuming that plaintiffs counsel were not up to the task.

Smith was particularly incensed by one unnamed lawyer, saying she showed disdain for these proceedings by regularly rolling her eyes at state witnesses answers that she did not like, and she amused herself by chewing gum while court was in session.

The remarks were similar to those of another Texas federal judge, Andrew Hanen, who last year lambasted Justice Department lawyers for allegedly lying to him in a high-profile immigration case and threatened them with ethics training.

[Judge delays sanctions against Justice Department lawyers]

Conservative judges in the state may no longer have to tolerate the aggressive federal position on Texas voting changes.

Last month, under new Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the department said it was changing its long-held position that the voter ID law was intentionally written to dilute minority power.

[Justice Department changes position in Texas voting rights case]

If Texas appeals the redistricting decision, it will go directly to the Supreme Court.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) speaks as people hold up signs during a town hall meeting at the Junior Seau Beach Community Center in Oceanside, Calif., on March 11, 2017. (Hayne Palmour IV/AP)

For three hours Saturday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) endured pointed questions, jeers and derisive laughter during two successive town halls in this northern suburb of San Diego.

But this wasnt just a moment for Issa to let anxious constituents vent their worries about immigration policy, health-care reform or the first seven weeks of President Trumps tenure. It was a major first test of the Democratic Partys efforts to turn antipathy toward Trump into electoral gains in 2018. It was also a chance for Issa to show that he is willing to stand apart from Trump for a district that has rapidly grown more liberal in recent years.

I do not work for the executive branch, Issa said in an opening statement Saturday at one of two morning town hall meetings at a community center here. I investigated the Obama administration. I also investigated the Bush administration.

Issa, 63, has been distancing himself from Trump for some time. Widely seen as a partisan flamethrower during his years leading the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and its many investigations of the Obama administration, Issa is more likely these days to defend the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency or to demand a rigorous investigation into allegations of Russian intervention in the 2016 election.

He has good reason to moderate: Californias 49th Congressional District, which encompasses the increasingly diverse and liberal suburban cities in northern San Diego County and southern Orange County, is no longer the safely Republican terrain that it was for Issas first eight elections to Congress.

Tim O'Healy, 70, a military veteran from Carlsbad, Calif., speaks in support of veterans health benefits during a town hall meeting with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) in Oceanside on March 11, 2017. (Hayne Palmour IV/AP)

Last year, Issa won narrowly against a lawyer and retired Marine colonel, Douglas Applegate, who has announced plans to challenge him again in 2018. Last week, environmental lawyer Mike Levin, another Democrat, announced that he, too, plans to challenge Issa.

On Saturday, one questioner noted that some Democrats have wondered whether Trump is too emotionally unstable to be trusted with nuclear weapons.

Issas answer stopped short of a full-throated show of support for the new commander in chief. If the issue comes up in front of the appropriate body, he said, I will vote my conscience.

Yet Issas attempts to distance himself from Trump were met with derision and boos. When he referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as an evil son of a blank who sows chaos and then capitalizes on it, an audience member yelled so does Trump. The crowd cheered.

A protester outside the community center held a sign that seemed to sum up the attitude of many, if not most, of the more than 1,000 who attended the two sessions: Repeal and Replace the President.

One man wore a Russian military hat. Another wore a T-shirt that read, Trump-Putin, 16. A woman held a sign: Russia-Gate Follow the Money. Another had a shirt signaling that she is a nasty woman, a jibe Trump aimed at Hillary Clinton during a presidential campaign debate.

Between the two sessions, a reporter asked Issa whether he is worried about the 2018 congressional election becoming a referendum on Trump.

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

I dont care, he said. Fact is that Im going to be with Trump sometimes, against him sometimes.

Only a few of Issas colleagues held town hall meetings after Congresss workweek ended, but questions about the American Health Care Act, as the House GOP plan to replace the Affordable Care Act is known, were rampant. Rep. Douglas A. Collins (R-Ga.), a supporter of the bill, was confronted in a Friday night tele-town hall by a man named Bill who demanded that Republicans pass the repeal package of 2015. That has been the plan favored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and most of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

[Will Obamacare repeal break the Freedom Caucus? It depends on Trump.]

Its already done, said the constituent. It doesnt take a PowerPoint presentation. Lets send it up. Collins assured the constituent that the 2015 bill is in this package thats going to be sent to the president, which is not true, as the AHCA keeps some parts of the ACA that Republicans formerly voted to repeal.

Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), a Freedom Caucus member whose district backed Trump by 17 points, told a morning crowd in St. Augustine that he wasnt ready to back the bill.

I dont think you can come to grips with the bill in 36 hours. I dont, DeSantis said. Im not sure it does enough to lower the costs of health care.

DeSantis was booed when he praised the idea of expanding health savings accounts, a part of the GOPs plans; he also said that a viral moment from a CNN interview he did, where he appeared to be saying that cancer patients could get coverage at emergency rooms, was misinterpreted. He was received more sympathetically when he criticized the bill, saying that as structured, it might lead to higher premiums.

If you do it right, people are going to have access to cheaper plans, DeSantis said. If you dont, Im not sure its going to reduce costs.

Issa faced questions about the Affordable Care Act, too. He did not fully buy into the current GOP plan being promoted by House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). But he didnt help himself with many in the crowd when he referred to the ACA as Obamacare, which prompted the audience to boo and cry out, the Affordable Care Act.

Issa responded sharply, Hey, its not affordable.

As at so many other town halls across the country in recent weeks, no one asked Issa about local issues, not even about a recent deployment of Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton to Syria. The only local issue was brought up by Issa: removal of nuclear fuel from the San Onofre power plant.

That suggests that the electorate is primed to turn the 2018 election into a referendum on Trump  something of which Democrats are likely to try to take advantage.

After last years squeaker election in the 49th District, Democrats listed Issa as among the most vulnerable Republican incumbents in 2018. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has hired a full-time organizer in the district. In response, the GOP campaign committee has included Issa among 10 House incumbents who will receive additional help from the party.

While most of the crowd Saturday was markedly anti-Trump, a smattering of the presidents supporters were present, some wearing the red Make America Great Again campaign hats. A bare-chested man outside held a sign asking Whats Not To Like? about Trumps views.

Repeatedly, Issa asked questioners to be succinct  and implored the rest of the audience to not drown out the question or answer. His goal for the meeting was modest, he joked with the crowd.

The only thing I ask is that it not end like [the play] Hamilton, he said, referring to Alexander Hamiltons untimely death in a duel with Aaron Burr.

David Weigel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
Geert Wilders walks during a visit to the town of Volendam, the Netherlands, on March 3, ahead of March 15 general elections. (Remko De Waal/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

He warns about the perils of Muslim immigrants. A single well-lobbed tweet can ignite his nations political scene for days. And in a time of relative prosperity, he has succeeded in focusing dark fears about what is happening in mosques across his land.

The peroxide-blond Dutch politician Geert Wilders was executing the Donald Trump playbook long before the U.S. president started his insurgent campaign for the White House. And in Dutch elections Wednesday, Wilders has a strong chance to come out on top, cementing the influence of a politician who wants to ban the Koran, shut down mosques and upend his nations sleepy political scene.

Nervous leaders across Europe are looking to the Netherlands this week for clues about elections this year in France and Germany. There, anti-Islam, anti-European Union candidates also are capitalizing on fears about a wave of mostly Muslim refugees and migrants who have surged over their borders in recent years.

[Ahead of pivotal European elections, rightist websites grow in influence]

Even if Wilders is barred from power by the wide range of parties that are refusing to cooperate with him, he already has tugged his nations political discourse toward a far harder line on immigrants. In a bid to appeal to Wilders voters, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said this year that immigrants who do not work harder to fit into Dutch society should leave  a stark departure from a centuries-old Dutch tradition of acceptance.

These elections are historic, because the Netherlands can choose on the 15th of March if we want to give our land away further or if we are going to recapture it, Wilders said this month.

Mainstream politicians shake their heads at Wilderss contradictions, even as they scramble to match his common-persons touch. The man who is railing at the establishment is one of the longest-serving members of the Dutch parliament, a fixture of The Hague for nearly 20 years. He is a man who directs his message straight to the gut of ordinary Dutch voters but has hardly any contact with them, as assassination concerns have forced him to live on the move  surrounded by a bristling guard detail  since the 2004 murder of the anti-Islam filmmaker Theo van Gogh.

Although Wilders dominates Dutch airwaves and political discussions, he rarely grants interviews to the news media, preferring to avoid tough questions by communicating through Twitter. And despite his bar-the-door attitude toward immigration, his mother was born in Indonesia and his hair dye has bleached away the dark curls that once drew racist schoolyard taunts.

Ever since I knew him starting in 1997, he has been talking about the dangers of radical Islam. And no one in politics was interested at the time, said Mark Verheijen, a former senior leader of the ruling center-right Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy, where Wilders started his career before splitting to form his own party.

[Europes leaders gather amid fears Trump is campaigning for their breakup]

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he really got wings, Verheijen said. He talked about it on Page 32 of the newspaper and suddenly it was a Page One topic.

In Wilderss southeastern Dutch home town of Venlo, residents are split about whether their native son is a source of pride or shame. The future firebrand grew up here in middle-class comfort, attending public schools that drew from Venlos mostly white, Catholic population; roaming the compact, manicured streets; and pursuing minor rebellions, such as wearing a leather jacket in class.

It wasnt the person that you now see, said Joep Bingels, a former classmate who said he and other boys would pretend to have kung fu fights in the Wilders family basement.

Later, Wilders traveled to Israel and worked on a kibbutz there, a trip he described as transformative in shaping his pro-Israel, anti-Muslim views.

He has kept his distinctive regional accent, a point of pride for locals who have long bridled at rule by the faraway Protestant elite in The Hague. Wilders always has maintained a supportive stronghold in his home region.

A lot of people think the things he says, but he says it, said Marc Schatorje, 49, who works as a supervisor at a roofing tile manufacturer near Venlo. I dont have a problem with the whole of Islam, just Moroccans and immigrants who dont make you feel safe on the street anymore.

But others resent his pull on the nations political discourse.

Every city has its idiot, and ours is Geert Wilders, said Abbie Chalgoum, 37, a high school teacher who moved to Venlo from Morocco when he was a child.

When you have a prime minister saying you have to work harder to fit in, he said of Ruttes message to immigrants, cant we work equally? Dont we have equal chances?

For now, the answer may be no. Wilders pulled ahead in opinion polling after Trumps November victory, starting the year with 20 percent support in the polls, a result that would have made him the dominant political leader in the fragmented Dutch political landscape. His appeal was only enhanced by a December criminal conviction for inciting discrimination against Dutch Moroccans.

Its ammunition for his populist argument that there is an elite that doesnt listen to the concerns of ordinary citizens, said Matthijs Rooduijn, an expert on populist parties at Utrecht University.

[As Europe braces for the Trump era, a showdown looms over values ]

Wilders has since slumped to second place, but only after the prime minister took on rhetoric that could have come from the challengers mouth.

His participation in governing the Netherlands would not be unprecedented  he was a member of a ruling coalition from 2010 until 2012  but in an era of rising Euroskepticism, his most radical messages have powerful new traction. Wilders has long been financially supported by some of the most extreme anti-Islam voices in the United States, and those activists have moved straight into the White House with Trumps election  a 2015 donation to Wilders of about $125,000 from David Horowitz, an anti-Islam activist who writes for Breitbart News, was the biggest single political donation in the country that year.

Still, most observers expect that Wilders will not take part in any coalition following the election, forcing mainstream parties to form a broad and weak alliance to muster a majority in parliament. If it fails, Wilders may be the long-term beneficiary.

Wilders is assuming that everything will be broken very soon and that when it does, the urgency to ask him to be the prime minister will be bigger than the aversion to work together with him, said Wim Kortenoeven, a former ally who split after internal party struggles.

Wilders says that he is seeking ballot-box triumph.

There is a lot of Moroccan scum in Holland who makes the streets unsafe, Wilders said at a campaign appearance in the town of Spijkenisse, where he spoke in English to drive home his message to his broad new international audience.

I have one message to the Dutch people, and that is, if you want to regain your country, if you want to make the Netherlands for the people of the Netherlands, he said, then you can only vote for one party.

Annabell Van den Berghe contributed to this report.

Read more

Trumps calls for Europe to increase defense spending could force other upheaval

In Britains working-class heartland, a populist wave threatens to smash the traditional order

Is it too late for the Wests center-left?

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news


The Turkish parliament in January approved restructuring the constitution to change the countrys parliamentary system of governance into a presidential one, which the opposition denounced as giving more power to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose picture hangs at Taksim Square in Istanbul. (Sedat Suna/European Pressphoto Agency)

So far in a rancorous campaign season, the Turkish government or its opponents have invoked Nazi Germany, terrorist groups, fifth columnists and a Latin American dictator.

And that was in the campaigns first two weeks.

There is more than a month to go before a referendum in April that will allow Turks to vote on constitutional amendments that could give Turkeys dominating leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, vast new powers and allow him to remain in office for more than a decade.

But already, the poisonous rhetoric surrounding the campaign has aggravated tensions in this sharply divided nation, raising fears about the aftermath of the vote. And the anger has surged beyond Turkeys borders, upending its foreign alliances, including in Europe. On Sunday, as part of an escalating feud with the Dutch government, Erdogan warned that the Dutch would pay a price after Turkish ministers were prevented from visiting the Netherlands over the past two days.

The tensions have been building for months. Fistfights broke out in the Turkish parliament when lawmakers debated the proposed changes. Now, at campaign rallies, the referendum is portrayed as an existential struggle over the nations future, propelling Turkey either toward tyranny or stagnation. Abroad, the governments nationalist rhetoric is beginning to have an impact on the war against the Islamic State in Syria, according to U.S. officials, who cite Turkeys increasingly vociferous opposition to any battle plan that would include Syrian Kurds that Ankara regards as part of a terrorist group.

Incendiary arguments between Turkey and several European allies, including the Netherlands and Germany, erupted after Turkish ministers were prevented from addressing potential voters at rallies in both countries. On Saturday, after the Dutch government blocked Turkeys foreign minister from visiting the Netherlands, citing security concerns, protests broke out in both countries, provoking angry recriminations amid an unexpected diplomatic crisis.

Shame on the Dutch government for succumbing to anti-Islam racist and fascists, and damaging long-standing Turkey-NL relations, Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogans spokesman and senior adviser, wrote on Twitter on Sunday. It was a reference to a view that European governments were lashing out at Turkey in response to their own domestic pressures, and trying to siphon off popularity from right-wing, anti-immigrant parties in Europe as elections approach.

Erdogan has responded by associating both the German and Dutch governments with the Nazis.



Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim waves as he arrives Feb. 25 at a rally officially opening the AKP Party Yes (Evet) constitutional referendum campaign at the Ankara Arena. (Chris Mcgrath/Getty Images)

The heated rhetoric is a reflection, in part, of how difficult it is to predict the outcome of the referendum. Polls have shown the country evenly split or have reflected a slight edge for a no vote, which would represent an embarrassing defeat for Erdogan, who served as prime minister for 11 years before becoming president in 2014.

There is a lot at stake for the government, the party and the president, said Soli Ozel, a professor of international relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul. The vitriolic comments by some Turkish officials  which have included casting opponents of the constitutional changes as sympathetic to terrorist groups  underscored the governments worry at polls showing the no forces gaining momentum, he said.

They are concerned they will not be able to pull it off this time, he said.

The amendments would transform Turkeys government, by abolishing the post of prime minister in favor of what has been called the executive presidency, while enlarging the parliament and empowering the president to unilaterally issue decrees. Erdogans supporters argue that the changes would leave the president free to govern what has become an unruly state, hobbled by political instability and coalition governments, and as the country faces threats to its stability from foreign and domestic militant groups.

This change will make Turkey stronger in the region, and it will act faster against threats from inside and outside, the prime minister, Binali Yildirim, said at a rally for the yes vote last month in Ankara as he passionately advocated for measures that included the elimination of his job.

The governments most ardent supporters, at least, enthusiastically embraced his arguments. Were concerned about terror, said Nimet Buyukaras, a homemaker who had traveled from the far east of Turkey to attend the rally. If he wins the referendum, she said, referring to Erdogan, it will all be better.

Erdogans opponents have accused the government of playing on the publics fears after a string of deadly militant attacks over the past few months. The more worrying backdrop to the referendum, they say, is the authorities crackdown on enemies and opponents after a failed coup attempt in July, resulting in the dismissals or arrests of tens of thousands of people.

Passage of the amendments would formalize the sweeping powers Erdogan claimed after the attempted coup, effectively transforming Turkey into a dictatorship, his opponents say. Or, as an informational campaign brochure distributed by the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, or HDP, whose leaders have been jailed in the past few months, puts it: Can the deed of a country be given to one person?



Erdogan arrives for a meeting in Istanbul on March 5. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential palace via Reuters)



Members of the Nationalist Movement Party show their palms with the flag of Turkey imprinted during a gathering to start a campaign for Vote No on the constitutional referendum on Feb. 18 in Ankara. (Tumay Berkin/European Pressphoto Agency)



Paramilitary police escort the defendants as a trial opened in Mugla, southern Turkey, on Feb. 20 for dozens of people accused of attempting to kill Erdogan on the night of a failed coup attempt while he was vacationing with his family. The suspects face possible life sentences on charges that include attempted assassination, overthrow of the constitutional order and other crimes against the state in the July 15 coup attempt. (DHA-Depo Photos via Associated Press)

In a tight contest, the Turkish government is eager to turn out the expatriate vote, especially in Germany, which hosts a vast Turkish diaspora, including 1.4 million eligible voters, a majority of whom have tended to support Erdogan.

Campaigning in Germany by Turkish politicians in the past has sparked diplomatic rifts between Berlin and Ankara, but this time has been far more acrimonious. Across Germany, politicians have portrayed the Turkish vote as a power grab by Erdogan. The recent detention in Turkey of the German Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel, a correspondent of the daily Die Welt, has added to the outrage.

In the aftermath of the arrest, venues in at least five German towns canceled appearances by Erdogan surrogates, mostly because of what officials have called security concerns. Then came Erdogans reference to the Nazis  a burst of anger that many in Turkey, including some of the governments opponents, considered justified and that may serve to bolster Erdogans support at home.

In a series of increasingly stinging rebukes, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accused Erdogan of trivializing the victims of the Nazis and demanded that he stop making the comparison.

Yet, at the same time, Merkel has stressed that Turkey and Germany were bound together in many ways, highlighting her delicate position as she navigates her relationship with the Turkish leader.



A man is shown selling packets of tissues on Feb. 23 in Istanbul. Turks will vote on 18 proposed amendments to the constitution of Turkey in a referendum scheduled for April 16. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

After more than 1 million asylum seekers arrived in Germany over the past two years  the majority of them Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans fleeing war, and traveling via Turkey  a European Union deal with Ankara to stem the flow of migrants has helped close down the route most of them used. Erdogan has threatened to open the floodgates again  something that could be politically devastating for Merkel, now locked in her own unexpectedly tight race for reelection.

Merkel has a problem, said Josef Janning, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. She has been accused of licking Erdogans feet and being blackmailed by him and being afraid to speak her mind. . . . The problem is that Erdogan can pretend not to need Germany, not to need the E.U. But Merkel cannot pretend to not need Turkey.

The Turkish vote is scheduled for April 16. Despite the early polls, a lot can happen, to change the mood in the country, said Ozel, the professor at Kadir Has University.

If its a yes vote, by and large the current situation will have been legalized and legitimized, he said. If there is a no vote, the unhappiness of the presidency will be known by all.

But Mehmet Simsek, the deputy prime minister, said in an interview with foreign journalists in Ankara on Wednesday that the vote would provide Turkey with a measure of closure  regardless of the result.



For now, given the governments vast resources, Erdogans opponents still regard themselves as underdogs in the contest and have been searching for tactics that will help them prevail. In the past few weeks, opposition activists have been holding screenings of No, a Chilean film based on the 1988 plebiscite that ended the rule of strongman Augusto Pinochet.

The film depicts the scrappy, creative television advertising campaign that was used by the No campaign to defeat Pinochet in the plebiscite, which centered on the question of whether he should stay in power for eight more years. People are desperate, and they dont have much hope, said Ebru Ozdemir, a representative of the HDP, explaining the popularity of the screenings. This movie makes us hopeful.

Late last month, the film, which was available on demand from a leading Turkish cable provider, was quietly removed.

Faiola reported from Berlin. Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin and Karen DeYoung in Ankara contributed to this report.

Read more:

Arrest of journalist in Turkey strains relations between Erdogan and Merkel

As a new relationship is tested, Turkey keeps high hopes for Trump

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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The number of asylum seekers entering Canada from the United States has continued to rise in recent weeks. Fearing the Trump administrations anti-immigrant witch-hunt, men and women, often travelling with children and babies, are crossing the border in hazardous conditions and cold temperatures, risking their health and even their lives.

Early Wednesday, 19 refugees had to be rescued as they crossed into Manitoba during a winter storm.

Just in Quebec, 635 people claimed asylum in February, up six times from the same month in 2016.

In January and February, about 450 asylum seekers crossed into Canada overland without going through an official checkpoint. Although this is a tiny numbereven when compared with Ottawas 2017 refugee target of 40,000, let alone the scope and scale of the global refugee crisisit has provoked an outcry in the Canadian press and political establishment.

Last Saturday, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale went to Emerson, a small city in Manitoba that has reportedly seen some 200 border crossings so far this year. While he announced funding for the Emerson Fire Department, which deals with new arrivals, Goodale failed to promise any financial help for asylum seekers. He did, however, reiterate that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Border Services Agency are fully enforcing the law and that Canada has no intention of suspending the Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States.

The Liberals refusal to scrap the Safe Third Country Agreementbrushing aside warnings from legal scholars and refugee advocacy groups about Trumps anti-democratic policiesis putting the lie to the Trudeau governments fraudulent refugee-friendly posturing. Under the agreement, most asylum-seekers who enter Canada from the US at a land-crossing are denied the right to make a claim for refugee status in Canada and are immediately returned to the US.

On the other hand, those who cross into Canada without going through a regulated border checkpoint are allowed to seek refugee status. This is why growing numbers of migrants are being forced to enter Canada illegallythat is, passing through snow-covered fields and ditches instead of showing up at an official border crossing.

Most of the asylum seekers come from the Middle East or Africa, but there are also many who hail from Latin America. These regions have been the target of brutal US-led wars of aggression and/or subjected to bloody US-backed dictatorshipscrimes in which Canadian imperialism has been complicit.

The Trump administration is mounting a draconian witch-hunt against immigrants and refugees. This includes suspending the entire refugee assessment process, banning travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries, broadening the arbitrary powers of immigration authorities to expel people, and initiating plans for the arrest and deportation of millions of immigrants.

A key reason Trudeau and his Liberals are so emphatic about upholding the Safe Third Country Agreement is that they are keen to avoid causing the Trump administration, with which they are determined to forge a close working relationship, any embarrassment. As was made clear in a joint statement Trudeau and Trump issued last month, the basis of a reinvigorated Canada-US alliance is to be Canadas further integration into US-led military violence abroad and the creation of a US-led North American trade war bloc, either through the refurbishing of NAFTA or a new bilateral trade deal.

Speaking in Calgary last week, Justin Trudeau demonstrated his contempt for asylum seekers and the willingness of his government to step up repression against migrants. We can reassure Canadians, said Trudeau, that we have a strong and robust system for processing these new arrivals, but at the same time, we are working with all levels of government and indeed talking with our counterparts in the United States to ensure that we are addressing the situation properly.

The Liberal government has responded to the inflow of desperate asylum seekers by increasing border surveillance and deepening Ottawas already very close cooperation with the US Department of Homeland Security and the US Customs and Border Protection Agencythe very bodies overseeing the mass round-up of immigrants south of the border.

On Friday, Trumps Homeland Security chief, John Kelly, traveled to Ottawa to meet with Canadian officials.

Big business fully supports the Liberals indifference and hostility to those fleeing Trumps anti-immigrant witch-hunt and, if anything, is pressing the government to take a harder line. John Manley, the CEO of Canadas most important corporate lobby group, the Business Council of Canada, has urged the government to take measures to dissuade people from seeking safety in Canada. The world is literally swimming in refugees, Manley told the CBC. We figure we can take in and manage about 40,000 a year. Do we really need to take people from the United States?

Manley, who as Liberal deputy prime minster in 2002 signed the Canada-US Smart Border Declaration, which helped bring the Safe Third Country agreement into effect, was at pains to minimize the Trump administrations attack on democratic rights and its anti-immigrant witch-hunt. People have misgivings about Donald Trump  OK, said Manley. But its still the United States. Its not Homs, Syria, or Mosul in Iraq.

Despite the fact that the Trump administration is stepping up an already brutal crackdown on immigrants (Obama deported some 3 million people during his presidency) the Liberal government has repeatedly vowed that it will not raise Canadas miserably low 2017 refugee quota of 40,000down 15,000 from its 2016 quota.

While the media in Canada and internationally have presented Trudeau as a champion of liberalism for accepting 25,000 Syrian refugees in his governments first months in office, the reality is that the government is providing them virtually no support. Many have been forced to rely on charity just to feed, clothe, and house themselves.

The reactionary character of Canadas immigration system was underscored by the praise it received from Donald Trump in his recent speech to Congress. The US president hailed Canadas merit-based immigration, which uses a point system to select immigrants according to the needs of big business, saying that it should serve as a model for the US.

The Conservative Party, meanwhile, is seeking to whip up xenophobia, with most of the 14 candidates to succeed Stephen Harper as party leader denouncing Trudeau for failing to halt the illegal influx of refugee-claimants from the US. Trump wannabee Kellie Leith has vowed that if she were prime minister she would cut funding for so-called sanctuary cities, and has produced a video to promote her call for all immigrants, refugees and visitors to Canada to undergo a face-to-face interview with an immigration officer to determine whether they adhere to Canadian values.

Jason Kenney, former Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism under Harper and front-runner in the Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership race, told CTV that Canada should eliminate the exemptions in the Safe Third Country Agreement that allow people to enter Canada because it is incentivizing people coming in illegally and dangerously.

The Conservatives have also denounced a Liberal parliamentary motion condemning Islamophobia. On the Liberals part the motion is a hypocritical manoeuvre: an attempt to distance themselves from a rise in anti-Muslim incidents in the wake of the January 29 Quebec mosque massacre and to give them political cover for their eager pursuit of close ties with Trump. But the Conservatives opposition is a crude appeal to anti-Muslim sentiment, including ludicrous claims that the Liberal-backed motion is an attack on free speech and that the government is privileging Islam over other faiths.

The whipping up of such foul xenophobia is emboldening racist and outright fascist forces. Last weekend, the newly-created Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens held demonstrations in several Canadian cities, including Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Calgary and Edmonton, to protest the anti-Islamophobia motion and the purported Islamization of Canada. Georges Hallack, the groups founder, urged Canadian patriots to participate in the protests, which attracted a few hundred, to prevent the introduction of sharia law in Canada and oppose globalization.

The Trudeau government, on behalf of Canadian imperialism, is determined to join Washington in its bloody military interventions in the Middle East and Africa, as well as in its war preparations against Iran, Russia and China. Such conflicts will only create more destruction, deaths and refugees. But the Canadian ruling class, like its US counterpart, is determined to close the borders and send back the desperate asylum seekers to their war-torn countries.
Mary Jennings Hegar details her fight for equality and her time serving in Afghanistan in her new book Shoot Like a Girl. (Photo: Twitter)

Mary Jennings Hegar is a decorated Air Force helicopter pilot and combat veteran. But in the pages of her autobiography, Shoot Like a Girl, out this month through Penguin Random House, she tells the story of another fight: one against the entrenched sexism of the armed forces.

Hegar grew up in Texas and, at 4 years old, witnessed her father abusing her mother. This would be a critical moment for Hegar and one she credits with her decision to pursue a career in the military.

When someone calls me brave, she writes, I think: Hell, flying helicopters under fire in Afghanistan is nowhere near as scary as the thought of being that little girl again.

But it was a long and difficult process to go from green cadet to seasoned pilot. And Hegar, who is now 41, battled a bias against women in the armed forces all along the way. She recalls being told to skip an obstacle course during basic training. She disobeyed that order and ran to the head of the line. While jumping onto a rolling log, however, she fell and cracked her kneecap. She describes the pain as unbearable, but after a drill sergeant told her that if she passed out she would never be able to fly, she willed herself to stay conscious.

This is just one of many trials Hegar would face throughout her career, and some of the most trying would come far from a battlefield or training ground.

She recalls an episode in which a military physician not qualified in gynecology insisted on giving her an exam during her annual physical. Hegar protested, but the doctor replied, I can fail you for psychological reasons. You can kiss being a pilot goodbye.

Even though the incident later came to light, the doctor faced no serious punishment. In fact, Hegar would run into him later at an awards ceremony. He was being honored as the Medical Groups Company Grade Officer of the Year.

When she finally reached Afghanistan in the spring of 2007 she was ready to show what she could do. She served one tour flying rescue missions out of a small Dutch base in Kandahar. But it was during her second tour in 2009 that she would truly be tested.

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On July 29 of that year, the call came in that three American soldiers had been seriously injured by a roadside bomb. Hegar and her crew, as well as another helicopter crew, rushed to the scene.

They found a convoy of Army vehicles under heavy fire from Taliban insurgents. It was then that Hegar heard a crack; a windshield had been knocked out. She looked down to see blood seeping through her pant leg and down her forearm. Im hit, but I can still fly! she told her co-pilot, and circled the helicopter around in an attempt to pick up the wounded soldiers.

As the copter touched down, the second phase of the ambush began, and the Taliban fighters peppered the helicopter with small-arms fire. Despite the withering attack, Hegars crew loaded the wounded Americans and took off. Theyd spent too much fuel, however, and were forced to make an emergency landing in the hills. Hegar disembarked and took up a defensive position, rifle in hand.

The second helicopter hovered high above but refused to land, and the pilot said he couldnt continue with the mission. All of us who had done tours in Afghanistan had seen someone lose their courage, Hegar writes. There was no coming back from that.

Fortunately, rescue wasnt far behind, and more helicopters soon arrived. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen, recalls Hegar.

Back at the base, Hegar refused to let medics examine her wounds. She was so wound up from the ordeal that it took a few minutes for them to convince her that she needed medical attention.

Im not sure they noticed I was a woman under all that body armor and helmet, writes Hegar. Now they stared openly  at my Hello Kitty panties. A soldier Hegar calls JT, who had just flown on the same mission, walked up to a gawking onlooker and said What the F*** are YOU looking at?

After that, no one doubted Hegars abilities, or courage, ever again.

Hegar received a Purple Heart and retired from the Air National Guard in 2010 at the rank of major. Shed suffered a severe back injury in the Kandahar mission and was about to be married to a man shed met years before in the service.

In 2012 she would file a class-action lawsuit against the secretary of defense with the aim of allowing women to serve in combat. In the following year, then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta lifted the ban on females in combat roles, but Hegar remains an outspoken advocate for women in the military.

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Texas State Representative Jessica Farrar has introduced what seems to be a satirical bill that would regulate mens reproductive health. (Photo: JessicaFarrar.org)

A Texas lawmaker has put forth a sarcastic new bill that would penalize men in the state for what are deemed unregulated masturbatory emissions, according to the document. State Rep. Jessica Farrar filed the satirical mens health bill in response to potential laws filed by men regarding womens health care.

Farrar, a Democrat who represents the 148th distict in Houston, put forth House Bill 4260 after being angered about how womens health care is being regulated in the state by legislation she feels is harmful.

A lot of people find the bill funny, Farrar said in an interview with SF Gate. Whats not funny are the obstacles that Texas women face every day, that were placed there by legislatures making it very difficult for them to access health care.

Farrars bill states that a man must remain abstinent and only make infrequent emissions inside health and medical facilities. If a man does so outside of these respective facilities, or without a female partner, he would have to pay a $100 fine, as it would be considered an act against an unborn child, and failing to preserve the sanctity of life, according to the legislation. Monies collected would go towards the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

In a tweet posted this weekend, Rep. Farrar wrote, #HB4260, A Mans Right to Know, mirrors real Texas laws and health care restrictions faced by Texas women every #txlege session  which hammered home the stance shes taking by addressing what she sees as gender health care inequality.

#HB4260, A Mans Right to Know, mirrors real TX laws and health care restrictions faced by TX women every #txlege session.  Jessica Farrar (@JFarrarDist148) March 11, 2017

The response to the tweet has been largely positive, with one user writing, I just want to thank you & your staff. I know youre all working hard for Tx women, & we truly couldnt do it without yall.

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@JFarrarDist148 I just want to thank you & your staff. I know you're all working hard for Tx women, & we truly couldn't do it without y'all.  boot cut genes (@ATXnicci) March 12, 2017

Another user added, Brilliant! Thank you for representing the women of your district with heart, integrity and a touch of humor. Cali stands w/u.

@JFarrarDist148 Brilliant! Thank you for representing the women of your district with heart, integrity and a touch of humor. Cali stands w/u  B. Newman (@marmaladenewman) March 12, 2017

Others cited what they saw as issues with Farrars proposed legislation.

@JFarrarDist148 No, it's a waste of taxpayer resources, it shows a lack of scientific understanding, &, worse than both, it's incredibly stupid.  just alan (@anythingbutdem) March 12, 2017

The bill also looks to provide men with safe environments for vasectomies, colonoscopies, and Viagra use via A Mans Right To Know booklet, which would mirror the booklet A Womans Right To Know, which women are given before requesting an abortion. Farrar referred to the booklet as a way to guilt women out of terminating a pregnancy.

Texas legislators have yet to weigh in on the bill.

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Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's ruling ANC has called for an end to corruption and division within the party as it battles to reverse declining popularity, according to a policy paper published Sunday.

The ANC recorded its worst-ever results in local polls last August and will choose a new leader at the end of this year, ahead of the 2019 general election when President Jacob Zuma must stand down.

"The document recognises that the ANC is increasingly losing trust of the people as illustrated by the declining electoral performance and intense public criticism," ANC policy chief Jeff Radebe said in a speech broadcast on local television.

"The organisation must act urgently to restore its moral character to win back the trust of the people," he said during a meeting at the ANC's Johannesburg headquarters.

Zuma is personally facing a slew of corruption allegations and an ongoing crisis over the payment of welfare benefits that has further tarnished the ANC's reputation.

It has also been engulfed by infighting at the highest level of government. Friction has soared in recent months between Zuma, who is seeking increased expenditure to fund a "radical economic transformation", and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan who is taking a stand against graft and uncontrolled spending.

More than 20 years after the end of apartheid, about 35 percent of the labour force is unemployed or has given up looking for work, and South Africa remains beset by inequality.

"The ANC faces declining fortunes. Internal squabbles, money politics, corruption and poor performance in government all conspire to undermine its legitimacy in the eyes of the broader public," warned one of the policy papers.

They also called for the presidency to be strengthened as the "strategic centre of power in the state".

The discussion documents unveiled on Sunday will form the basis of debates at the party's national conference which will kick off on June 30.
Alec Baldwin returned to Saturday Night Live as President Trump to enact how the Commander-in-Chief might react in the event of an alien invasion.

While addressing soldiers in charge of saving the world from deadly aliens, SNLs Trump was still in campaign mode  promising to bring back coal, complaining about his feud with NBC, and insisting many really top-shelf, classy people people had died at his destroyed Trump Hotel in New York City.

After a military officer, played by cast member Kenan Thompson, informed Trump that everyone in California is dead, he jumped onto the most pertinent concern: that his Apprentice rival Arnold Schwarzenegger was gone. Even Arnold? Baldwin asked.

Baldwin also used the address to talk about policy on undocumented immigrants.

The aliens are already here, theyve been hiding in this country for hundreds of years, he said. Theyre shape-shifters, they look like regular people but theyre aliens.

He then pointed out Leslie Jones and Sasheer Zamata as aliens. Look, theres one right there, he said.

Watch the sketch above.
Alec Baldwin pretty much told us to expect a President Trump impression on Saturday Night Live tonight. But that didnt make his appearance any less...out of this world.

Baldwin starred tonight as a post-apocalyptic commander-in-chief, leading troops of the future against an alien invasion thats all but destroyed America. A devastating scenario, indeed.

SEE ALSO: It's not aliens. It's never aliens. Stop saying it's aliens.

What a beautiful day! Baldwin, as Trump, said to open his remarks.

Who here loves Trump? I know this guy here, he loves Trump, he continued, pointing out a charred carcass.

"The aliens are laughing at us and they're killing us. Mr. President! We have to do something!"



Mr. President: pic.twitter.com/rAdOQTcSu6  Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) March 12, 2017

The skit played on what critics have said is Trumps tendency to focus on the negative  or not to focus on anything at all.

What about the aliens? squadron leader Kenan Thompson asked, after Trump starts ranting about revitalizing the coal industry. They just vaporized the entire state of California!

So then I won the popular vote? Trump responded.

The president went on to defend the very beautiful, very fantastic planet of Zorblatt 9, prompting the question of whether he had business ties there, and suggested the aliens infiltrated the U.S. populace decades ago.

Look, theres one right there, Trump said, pointing out Leslie Jones. And the racial implications were confirmed when he mentioned Sasheer Zamata.

When the aliens finally show up, they seem pretty confident that taking over the United States with Trump as president will be a cakewalk.

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Wheres Bill Pullman when you need him?

We should note, the photo Baldwin shared on Twitter earlier Saturday featured the actor in his most presidential big-boy suit, so Trump may turn up yet again tonight.
As I've listened to President Donald Trump go on tirades against the "very dishonest" media, I've tried not to take his criticism personally.

Lord knows, I've made my share of mistakes in my career. But they've never been on purpose, or out of malice.

In fact, after more than 30 years, I can still remember the phone call from a grieving relative when I misspelled a name in an obituary (I wrote Ronald instead of Roland). This was before articles were published online, so print newspapers were the permanent record. The man's family had to live with my error. However Trump bashes journalists, he'll never make me feel as bad as I did back then.

So here's the truth:

The press is not the opposition party. The media is not the enemy of the American people. Negative stories are not fake news.

And when Trump keeps making these claims, he isn't just attacking the press; he is chipping away at one of the pillars of our democracy.

It means something that a president who is all over the map on policy is so single-minded about going after reporters every chance he gets. In a recent tweet, Trump raised the stakes, calling the media "a great danger to our country."

At the Conservative Political Action Conference last month, Trump again bashed "fake news," though he's the one with only a passing relationship with the truth. He complained about leaks and anonymous sources, though his administration is perfectly happy to take advantage of both. He even claimed that the media says its coverage can't be criticized because of freedom of the press.

"I love the First Amendment; nobody loves it better than me," he said. "Nobody."

He has chutzpah, I'll give him that.

But what's more alarming is that he also said the media "doesn't represent the people, it never will represent the people and we're going to do something about it."

It's not clear what the president plans. He talked during the campaign about changing the law so that it's easier for politicians to sue for libel and slander  a terrible idea that would discourage robust reporting.

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And what if an unhinged supporter takes Trump's rhetoric seriously and literally and physically assaults a journalist? What will the president say then?

Trump is choosing a phrase  "enemy of the people"  that has been used by communist dictators and Nazi propagandists.

Unfortunately, only a few Republican leaders stood up to that attack on a free press: "Without it," said Sen. John McCain of Arizona, "I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. That's how dictators get started."

Trying to control coverage, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has called only on friendlier media outlets at some news conferences. He took it a step further during a recent question-and-answer session, blocking reporters from several major news organizations that have had critical coverage of Trump, including looking into the administration's Russia connections.

Another part of the White House strategy, it seems, is to trap reporters. When there are leaks, officials sometimes wait until after the news story is published to respond. This apparently happened earlier this month when The Associated Press reported that a draft memo showed the administration was considering calling up National Guard troops for immigration raids.

It's a cynical ploy. The administration can see how popular its ideas are and pull them back if they're too controversial. When the most extreme versions don't happen, it further damages the media's credibility. And if the public is unsure about what's real, it opens up more room for Trump to do what he wants.

So reporters need to be aggressive, but also careful. Journalists can't get too defensive, or distracted from doing our jobs, or lose sight of what Trump is actually doing  giving Wall Street free rein, looking out for the wealthy and tearing down government.

This is going to be a long struggle, day after day. Steve Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, made that clear, declaring at CPAC that the war with the media is "not going to get better. It's going to get worse."

Yet, times of crisis like this bring clarity. Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times, said Sunday on CNN that the mission of news organizations is clearer than it has been in years  to hold Trump and others in power accountable.

He's absolutely right, but it's more important for the public to support a free press. And this would be a good time, with Sunshine Week, the annual recognition of the importance of a public's right to know, beginning Sunday.

It's encouraging that a new poll found that Americans trust their favorite news source over Trump, 67 percent to 29 percent.

It's also great to hear from people like Charles Marchant of Placerville: "I just want to say thank you for being here, for doing your job and for doing your part in our democratic system," he wrote in a letter to the editor.

"I write not to grind any particular ax, but to let you know I do NOT consider the press my enemy. I value the hard work you do, which is a vital role in our society."

Thanks a lot, Mr. Marchant. We'll keep doing our best, whatever President Trump throws our way.

___

Foon Rhee is an associate editor and editorial writer for The Sacramento Bee. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/foonrhee

EDITOR'S NOTE _ One of a package of stories marking Sunshine Week, an annual celebration of access to public information.
LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany (AP)  Demetrius Andrade defeated Jack Culcay by split decision to take the Ecuadorian-born German's WBA super welterweight title on Saturday.

The unbeaten American started well but allowed Culcay to grow in confidence before recovering to convince two of the judges to score it 116-112 in his favor. The other had it 115-114 for Culcay.

Andrade had only fought three times since winning the vacant WBO super welterweight belt by split decision over Vanes Martirosyan in November 2013 and he was perhaps hindered by his lack of activity against Culcay, whom he had already beaten as an amateur.

Andrade, who slipped in the fourth round, was unable to assert control despite his superior height and reach in the face of a resilient opponent.

The southpaw displayed good movement in the final rounds and Culcay was forced to go all-out in the final minute. Though Andrade was wobbling, it was too late to retain his belt.

Andrade improved to 24-0 with 16 KOs, while Culcay dropped 22-2 (11 KOs).
Sydney (AFP) - Australia's prime minister held talks with Elon Musk on Sunday after the US innovator offered to solve the energy crisis plaguing a southern region in a hundred days -- or install the technology free.

Musk, the entrepreneur behind electric carmaker Tesla, made the pledge in response to power woes in South Australia, which was last year hit by a state-wide blackout after severe winds from an "unprecedented" storm tore transmission towers from the ground.

In a Twitter exchange on Friday with Australian software startup Atlassian's co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, Musk said he could solve the energy issue with a battery farm.

"Tesla will get the system installed and working 100 days from contract signature or it is free. That serious enough for you?" Musk wrote to Cannon-Brookes, who had earlier said he could get financing for the plan.

The conversation piqued the interest of the Australian leader Malcolm Turnbull, who on Sunday said he had spoken to Musk and had "a great in depth discussion today about energy storage and its role in delivering affordable & reliable electricity".

It is understood their conversation lasted almost an hour and that the pair would continue their talks about energy storage over the next few months.

Musk replied that it was "very exciting to discuss the future of electricity. Renewables + storage arguably biggest disruption since DC to AC".

South Africa-born Musk was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft. He is also chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer recently bought by Tesla.

He has envisaged Tesla as a company that can help reduce emissions by not only selling people electric cars, but also generating and storing the solar energy that powers them.

Australia is one of the world's worst per capita greenhouse gas polluters, due to its heavy use of coal-fired power.
Brasilia (AFP) - Brazil's capital is on edge ahead of the expected opening of scores of corruption cases this week against sitting and former politicians in a crisis that could threaten President Michel Temer's rule.

Within days, Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot is expected to request authority for a slew of probes against members of the government and Congress.

It's the latest chapter of a three-year embezzlement and bribery scandal shaking Latin America's biggest economy.

Last week "was the calm before the political crisis which is coming and which will last for months," said political analyst Alberto Almeida. "It's a terrible time for the credibility of the political class."

Speculation has been growing for months over who will be on Janot's list. On Saturday, G1 news site reported that Janot would seek about 80 investigations and that the number of politicians involved may reach 200.

The request to the Supreme Court, which oversees all judicial matters concerning sitting politicians, will be based on a deluge of testimony in plea bargains with 77 former executives of the giant Odebrecht construction company.

Odebrecht employees have confessed to systemic bribery of politicians in exchange for inflated contracts with state oil company Petrobras and favorable legislation. The money went either directly into politicians' pockets or into party campaign slush funds.

It is not clear whether Temer, who has already lost a string of ministers to the ever-expanding corruption crisis, will be subjected to a probe himself.

He is also involved in a separate case at the Supreme Electoral Court which is looking into whether his 2014 election as vice president on the ticket with then president Dilma Rousseff benefited from campaign slush funds.

The court could, in theory, annul the election's result, creating yet another wave of instability for Brazil.

- Reforms in danger -

At the very least this week, Temer's government looks certain to take a new battering just when it's trying to push through austerity reforms.

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Brazil has been through two straight years of recession and Temer, who became president last year after Rousseff was impeached, says his main goal is to put the economy back on track.

He has got Congress to pass a 20 year spending freeze and is now asking for pension reform and other painful measures.

But the corruption scandal also means that Congress -- where many members are expected to be probed by Janot -- is sometimes more interested in survival than legislation.

For example, Congress has spent much of its energy in recent weeks on trying to craft amnesties to cover anyone involved in taking unregistered campaign donations, despite fierce condemnation from anti-corruption judges and prosecutors.

"Every time there's a new phase (of the probe), Congress stops," said a source in the Chamber of Deputies, asking not to be identified.

Almeida said that unlike previous Brazilian political crises, this one is turning into open war between the judiciary and the political world. "These crises used to be resolved within the political world..., but that's not possible any more."
By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is drawing up contingency plans for the unlikely event it has to walk away from divorce talks with the European Union without a deal, Brexit minister David Davis said on Sunday. Prime Minister Theresa May is set to begin exit talks by the end of the month, kicking off Britain's most complex set of negotiations since the end of World War Two. The outcome will shape Britain's political and economic future. Ahead of the start of negotiations, which could be triggered as early as Tuesday, a committee of lawmakers warned it would be a serious dereliction of duty if the government failed to plan for the possibility of not reaching an exit deal. "I don't think, firstly, that is remotely likely," Davis told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, responding to the report. "It's in absolutely everybody's interest that we get a good outcome." Parliament's Foreign Affairs committee warned that a breakdown in negotiations would be a "very destructive outcome," causing economic harm to both sides as well as creating uncertainty and legal confusion for individuals and businesses. "The simple truth is we have been planning for the contingency - all the various outcomes, all the possible outcomes of the negotiations," Davis said. "One of the reasons we don't talk about the contingency plan too much is that we don't want people to think 'Oh, this is what we're trying to do.'" Asked when May would trigger talks, Davis declined to name a specific date. "Each date has different implications in terms of when it could be responded to by the (European) council ... I'm not going to get into the details why, but there's politics in terms of achieving success." NO VETO Before May can begin negotiations, she must finish passing the legislation that gives her the right to formally notify the EU of Britain's intention to leave and start a two-year negotiating period as set out in the EU's Lisbon treaty. The laws are expected to be finalised in a series of votes early next week, which will test May's authority over her Conservative Party as she seeks to overturn changes made to the draft bill by parliament's upper chamber. The government suffered two heavy defeats in parliament during the legislative process, inserting conditions into the bill saying May must guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in Britain and give lawmakers more powers to reject the final terms she reaches with the EU. Facing a possible rebellion from Conservatives who want to vote on the final Brexit terms, Davis urged lawmakers to back May's Brexit strategy and overturn those changes because they would tie the government's hands in the negotiations. "What we can't have is either house of parliament reversing the decision of the British people - they haven't got a veto," Davis said. (Editing by Stephen Powell)
London (AFP) - Britain is drawing up contingency plans in case its Brexit negotiations with the EU fail, a minister said Sunday as speculation mounted that the withdrawal process could start this week.

Brexit minister David Davis said it was in "everybody's interests that we get a good outcome", but said the government was "planning for the contingency, all the various outcomes".

He was speaking after MPs warned that ministers must prepare for the possibility that, with EU treaties allowing just two years to agree a new relationship, Britain might well leave without a deal.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is optimistic about settling the divorce and a new trade agreement with the EU within the timeframe, but would walk away rather than accept a bad deal.

The cross-party parliamentary foreign affairs committee said this "represents a very destructive outcome leading to mutually assured damage for the EU and the UK", citing economic losses and legal confusion.

Davis told the BBC he did not think that was "remotely likely", adding: "There will be tough points in this negotiation. But it's in absolutely everybody's interests that we get a good outcome."

The MPs noted that the previous government had not prepared for the shock vote to leave the EU in the June referendum, something they called "gross negligence".

"Making an equivalent mistake would constitute a serious dereliction of duty by the present administration," they said in the report.

- Brexit imminent -

A bill empowering May to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and begin the withdrawal process returns to the House of Commons on Monday for debate.

Without further opposition, it could pass the House of Lords that night.

After it is rubber-stamped by Queen Elizabeth II, May could start Brexit at any point.

Asked when the process might start, Davis noted that "in theory it's the point at which you have royal assent", but refused to confirm a date.

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"Each date has different implications in terms of when it can be responded to by the Council (of EU leaders)," he said.

One factor could be the Dutch elections on Wednesday.

Keir Starmer, the Brexit spokesman for the opposition Labour party, repeated to Sky News that he expected the government to start Brexit "probably on Wednesday or Thursday".
Paris (AFP) - Carlos the Jackal, the perpetrator of headline-grabbing attacks in the 1970s and early 1980s, goes on trial in France on Monday for the deadly bombing of a Paris shop more than 40 years ago.

With attention in France now focused on the ever-present threat of jihadist attack, the trial in Paris will reach back to a time when Europe was repeatedly targeted by ruthless groups sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.

Carlos, 67, a Venezuelan whose real name is Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, describes himself as a "professional revolutionary" and was dubbed "Carlos the Jackal" by the press when he was one of the world's most wanted terror suspects.

The nickname came from a fictional terrorist in the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel, "The Day of the Jackal", which was turned into a popular film.

Arrested in the Sudanese capital Khartoum in 1994 by elite French police, Carlos is already serving a life sentence for the murders of two policemen killed in Paris in 1975 and that of a Lebanese revolutionary.

He was also found guilty of four bombings in Paris and Marseille in 1982 and 1983, some targeting trains, which killed a total of 11 people and injured nearly 150.

Carlos will be judged by three judges for the attack on the Drugstore Publicis, a busy shop once located in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in the heart of Paris.

In the late afternoon of September 15, 1974, a grenade was lobbed into the entrance of the store, killing two men and leaving 34 people injured.

- 'Wounds never healed' -

Georges Holleaux, a lawyer representing the two widows of the men killed and 16 other people affected, said they relished the chance to finally see Carlos in court.

"The victims have been waiting so long for Carlos to be judged and convicted. Their wounds have never healed," he said.

Carlos's lawyer, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, said the trial was a waste of time and money.

"What exactly is the point of having a trial so long after the events?" she said.

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Carlos denies the charges, which include "murders carried out with a terrorist organisation".

Al Watan Al-Arabi magazine published an interview in 1979 in which Carlos is said to have admitted that he had thrown the grenade into the shop.

He has since denied giving the interview.

The prosecution says the attack was linked to a hostage-taking at the French embassy in the Dutch capital The Hague that had begun two days earlier, on September 13, 1974.

The Japanese Red Army, a communist militant group which had close ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in which Carlos was the head of "special operations", was demanding that French authorities free one of its members who had been arrested at Paris Orly airport two months early.

The prosecution says Carlos orchestrated the Hague hostage-taking and carried out the Paris grenade attack to force the French government to give in to the Japanese group's demands.

He achieved his aim -- the Japanese suspect was released and was able to travel to Yemen with other members of the Hague hostage-taking team.

The case against Carlos is also based on witness testimony from his former brothers-in-arms, including Hans-Joachim Klein, a German to whom the Venezuelan is said to have admitted he wanted to "apply pressure to get the Japanese man freed".

Investigators have tracked the provenance of the grenade and say it came from the same batch as those used by the Hague hostage-takers and had been stolen from a US army base in 1972. One was also found at the Paris home of Carlos's mistress.
BEIJING (AP)  China's ruling Communist Party is hardening its rhetoric on Islam, with top officials making repeated warnings about the specter of global religious extremism seeping into the country and the need to protect traditional Chinese identity.

Shaerheti Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, on Sunday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn political leaders gathered in Beijing for this month's National People's Congress about China becoming destabilized by the "international anti-terror situation."

Over the past year, President Xi Jinping has directed the party to "Sinicize" the country's ethnic and religious minorities, while regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures, police patrols and demonstrations amid an uptick in violence blamed on Islamic separatists.

Although some scholars question whether global jihadi networks have indeed penetrated the country, top Chinese officials, including those overseeing areas outside Xinjiang, are increasingly echoing certain strands of international discourse to back up claims that Islamic extremism is growing worldwide and needs to be rolled back.

Officials from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region  which has an ethnic Hui population that is predominantly Muslim but, unlike Xinjiang, rarely sees separatist or religious violence  warned similarly this past week about the perils of Islamic extremism. Speaking at a regional meeting open to the media, Ningxia Communist Party secretary Li Jianguo drew comparisons to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration to make his point.

"What the Islamic State and extremists push is jihad, terror, violence," Li said. "This is why we see Trump targeting Muslims in a travel ban. It doesn't matter whether anti-Muslim policy is in the interests of the U.S. or it promotes stability, it's about preventing religious extremism from seeping into all of American culture."

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Wu Shimin, a former ethnic affairs official from Ningxia, said that ideological work must be strengthened in the region to promote a Chinese identity among its Hui population, the descendants of Muslim traders plying the Silk Road centuries ago.

"The roots of the Hui are in China," Wu said. "To discuss religious consciousness, we must first discuss Chinese consciousness. To discuss the feelings of minorities, we must first discuss the feelings of the Chinese people."

Mohammed al-Sudairi, a doctoral student at the University of Hong Kong and an expert on Islam in China, said the comments by Ningxia party officials reflected the increasingly anti-Islamic rhetoric that has been rolled out over the past year by the top leadership in Beijing.

"There's a strengthening trend of viewing Islam as a problem in Chinese society," al-Sudairi said. "Xi Jinping has been quite anxious about what he saw as the loss of party-state control over the religious sphere when he entered power, which necessitated this intervention. I don't think things will take a softer turn."

In Xinjiang, where hundreds of people have died in recent years in violent attacks, the government's rising rhetoric has coincided with new security measures that activists say exacerbate a cycle of repression, radicalization and violence. The government, meanwhile, says Xinjiang faces a grave separatist threat from Uighur fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, though it provides little evidence for such claims. IS released a video in late February purportedly showing Uighur fighters training in Iraq and vowing to strike China, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.

On Sunday, a delegation of Xinjiang leaders appeared at a news conference at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, but absent was the region's new top leader, Chen Quanguo, who has led a series of high-profile anti-terror rallies that have involved phalanxes of police and armored vehicles rumbling through the streets of the regional capital. As was the case for several other regions and provinces, most of the Xinjiang delegation's meetings were conducted with top Chinese leaders behind closed doors this past week, according to state media reports.

On Friday, Xi met with Xinjiang officials, according to state media, and directed them to safeguard the region's stability by erecting a metaphorical "great wall of iron."

It was a reference loaded with historical and martial overtones: Former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping praised the People's Liberation Army as a "great wall of iron and steel" in June 1989, days after the military quashed a pro-democracy protest in Tiananmen Square in a bloody assault.
New guidelines released by the American College of Physicians suggest that an ancient Chinese martial art can be an effective defense against back pain.

Tai chi combines slow, gentle movements with deep breathing and mental focus. Its one of several nondrug measuresincluding yoga, chiropractic care, and massagethat the new guidelines recommend back-pain sufferers try before resorting to over-the-counter or prescription pain medications.

A new, nationally representative Consumer Reports survey of more than 3,500 adults who've had back pain in the last three years confirms that tai chi helps provide relief. Nearly 90 percent of respondents who used tai chi for back pain (or yoga or a similar exercise) found it helpful. In comparison, only 64 percent of people thought the advice and treatment they got from a primary-care physician or orthopedic surgeon gave them relief.

Tai chi helps with back pain in several ways, says Benjamin Kligler, M.D., national director of the Integrative Health Coordinating Center at the Veterans Health Administration. It strengthens the muscles in your abdomen and pelvic area that are crucial to supporting the lower back; it improves your balance and flexibility; and it makes you more aware of your posture when you sit, stand, and walk.

This gentle exercise is sometimes called moving meditation and the mindfulness aspects are also key to deriving benefits. You are encouraged to focus on your breathing and visualize the movement of energy or chi through your body.

Stress and tension worsen pain, says Kligler. Any practice such as yoga or tai chi that induces relaxation and gives you some mental distance from your physical problems can help with pain.

A Long-Term Strategy to Protect Your Back

The research used as a basis for the new guidelines involved chronic pain patients, whose pain lingered for three months or longer.

Tai chi can also help alleviate shorter-term pain as well, says Kligler, but be aware that it takes at least a few weeks to start seeing results. Massage or acupuncture may provide more immediate relief, he says.

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When you first hurt your back is probably not the best time to start a new class in tai chi. If you are familiar with the moves, it's okay to do a few of them at home if it's comfortable for you. Otherwise, Kligler recommends just doing some gentle stretches and walking, even if its just around your living room. After two to four weeks, or as soon as you can stand and walk reasonably comfortably, you can try out a class.

Even if back pain recedes on its own, Kligler still encourages patients to check out tai chi if it interests them. Back pain tends to recur unless you take steps such as strengthening your back and improving your posture, he says. Tai chi is a great prevention strategy.

A Tai Chi Success Story

Thomas Sells, of Culver City, Calif., first injured his back carrying heavy packs as a combat soldier in the Vietnam War. By 2009, my low-back pain had become so bad I could barely walk, he says. My surgical prognosis wasnt great, but that was beginning to look like my only option.

Thats when staffers at the local Veterans Affairs (VA) facility persuaded him to join a twice-weekly class in tai chi. Three months in, I started to get more fluid and had far less pain, says Sells. I carried myself differently and began to view obstacles differently. I became calmer and less stressed.

Today, at the age of 72, Sells studies with a grandmaster practitioner of tai chi and leads classes. Most days he describes his pain as mild to nonexistent. Hes added other exercises to his routine, including Zumba classes and hiking, but credits tai chi as the core element of his recovery.

Its given me back my life, says Sells.

Finding a Tai Chi Class

If youve recently suffered a back injury, its a good idea to get checked out by your doctor before participating in any exercise class, says Linda Huang, director of the American Tai Chi and Qigong Association. Your provider may also be able to refer you to a tai chi class in your area.

Local YMCA and recreational centers often offer tai chi. You can also find a list of certified instructors who teach in your area through the American Tai Chi and Qigong Association.

If you try tai chi for back pain, Huang advises that you talk to your instructor before class about what hurts. He or she can advise you on how to make the moves comfortable for you. And listen to your body. Tai chis slow, gentle movements are very safe, but if certain postures causes tension or pain, dont do them, says Huang.

To get the most benefit, you should be doing the movements at least twice weekly for about 45 minutes to one hour says Huang. If the class only meets once a week, she advises practicing on your own between sessions. Ask your instructor if he or she can recommend an online video or a DVD that you can follow at home.

If youd like to get an idea of what to expect, check out this introductory video about tai chi and qigong (a similar martial art) posted by the National Institutes of Health.

Three Tai Chi Moves to Try

There are several different styles of tai chi, but they all use similar movements. A typical routine contains 24 types of movements, or forms, that flow from one to another.

According to Huang, it's important to understand that tai chi is more than just body movements. "The breathing and meditation components are also essential, she says. "It takes practice to learn to coordinate all three elements."

Here are three "forms" that can help stretch your back and strengthen the muscles that support it. Repeat each movement several times.

Circle the globe. Hold your arms in front of you as if you were cradling a beach ball: right hand on top; left, on bottom. Relax your knees. Step slightly to the side with your right leg, shift your weight, and slowly turn your torso to the right. Breathe out as your hands holding the "ball" glide across your body. Once you reach the right side, inhale as you rotate your hands so that the left arm is now on top. Shift your weight to the left leg and exhale as you turn your torso to the left.

Push and pull. Relax your knees and raise both arms in front of you shoulder high with palms facing outward. Imagine yourself in the center of a clock; with your right leg step forward toward the two on the clock. Shift your weight and exhale as you gently push with your arms. Turn your palms inward and inhale as you pull your arms back towards you. Repeat several times on each side.

Hands waving clouds. Relax your knees and bring your right arm up and gaze at your palm. Curve your left arm in front of your waist. Step slightly to the right and shift your weight, slowly turning your torso to the right as if you were opening a sliding door. Exhale and watch your right hand as your arms follow your body. (The movement should come from your upper body, not your shoulder.)

When you reach the right side, inhale and rotate your arms so that your left arm is raised and your right arm curves naturally in front of your waist. Repeat the move, shifting your weight to your left leg and exhaling as you slowly turn your torso to the left.

Editor's Note: This article and related materials are made possible by a grant from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by the multistate settlement of consumer-fraud claims regarding the marketing of the prescription drug Neurontin (gabapentin).





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Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

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Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright  2006-2017 Consumers Union of U.S.
The daylight saving time, which began 2 a.m. Sunday, marks the unofficial beginning of spring wherein we "spring forward" an hour. Some believe that daylight saving time was brought up by farmers for themselves, but according to the History Channel it was actually accepted by the U.S. as a wartime move in 1918 after the Germans did the same in 1916.

"Agrarian interests led the fight for the 1919 repeal of national daylight saving time, which passed after Congress voted to override President Woodrow Wilsons veto. Rather than rural interests, it has been urban entities such as retail outlets and recreational businesses that have championed daylight saving over the decades," History Channel pointed out.

Read: When And Why Do You 'Spring Forward' Your Clocks?

However, this biannual time changing ritual might have serious implications on your health. Besides loss of sleep, there could be more serious risks like car accidents, heart attacks and strokes.

The sudden time change can often lead to disruptions in your regular sleep cycle. The human body needs time to adjust to the phenomena and as one tries to go to sleep early, it might lead to restlessness through the night and result in sleepiness the following day. Americans lose 40 minutes of sleep during daylight saving time on an average. Studies have found that sleep-deprived humans are likely to have more irritability and mood swings.

A study published in the American Economic Journal

in April 2016 showed that there was a significant increase of about 6 percent in the number of car crashes after time change than before.

"Many Americans are sleep deprived and when starting with chronically low levels of sleep, even a small reduction can have serious consequences," Austin Smith, an economics professor at Miami University's Farmer School of Business, told CBS News.

Another 2016 study on the risks of stroke during daylight saving time discovered that the rate of stroke increased by 8 percent within two days of the time change. During this time, cancer victims were 25 percent more susceptible to have a stroke and people over the age of 65 years were 20 percent more prone to strokes than others.

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"Stroke risk is highest in the morning hours," Dr. Jori Ruuskanen, study author from the University of Turku, said in an email to CNN. "Previous studies have also shown that the disruption of the circadian clock due to other reasons (e.g. due to rotating shift work) and sleep fragmentation are associated with an increased risk of stroke. What is common in these situations is the disturbed sleep cycle, while the immediate mechanisms for the increased risk are unknown at the moment."

GettyImages-73508067

Photo: Getty Images

Charles A. Czeisler, an American physician and sleep researcher, has provided tips that can help you adjust with the time change and thus decrease your chances of health risks associated with time transitions.

Some of his tips include practicing going to bed early and waking up a little earlier than your regular schedule so that your body gets prepared for the time transition. Exposing yourself to sunlight as soon as you wake up could help reset your body clock and adjust accordingly. A few days prior to the time change and also following it, you should try and avoid caffeine or equally stimulating products because those could affect your sleep more. It is always better to be safe than sorry, so avoid driving as far as possible when you are sleep deprived around the days of time change.

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San Francisco (AFP) - Uber's rise to the top of the ride-sharing industry is due in large part to its hard-charging founder and chief executive, Travis Kalanick.

But while Kalanick has steered Uber to a valuation in the tens of billions of dollars with operations worldwide, he and the company have been bruised by this aggressiveness, prompting a search for a steadier hand at the wheel.

After a series of missteps and embarrassments for Uber and Kalanick, the San Francisco startup has acknowledged it is searching for a number-two executive to handle some of the day-to-day management tasks.

Kalanick, 40, is known for taking a hard line in battles with regulators and taxi operators in markets opposing the entry of a new kind of competitor.

But he has been humbled by the events of the past month, which included the release of a dash-cam video showing him berating and cursing at one of Uber's drivers.

"To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement," Kalanick said in a memo to employees after the incident.

The video, he said, was "a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time I've been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it."

Uber has also been rocked by disclosures about a culture of sexism and its covert use of law enforcement-evading software.

Kalanick also made a hasty exit from a business advisory panel for President Donald Trump after a consumer boycott campaign fueled by concerns that he was aiding a leader with divergent values.

But Kalanick has long been known as someone who drives close to the edge.

The California native dropped out of the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) to start a file-sharing service called Scour, which pre-dated the popular service Napster but ran into similar legal challenges.

Scour faced lawsuits from major music and film industry groups claiming $250 billion in damages, and was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2000.

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After that failure, he launched another file-sharing service called Red Swoosh.

Despite legal issues, Kalanick ended his tenure at Red Swoosh a millionaire when the company was bought in 2007 by Akamai Technologies.

Kalanick frequently recounts his story for the idea of Uber -- saying he and co-founder Garrett Camp were unable to find a taxi during a 2008 visit to Paris, and dreamed up the idea of pushing a button on a smartphone to summon a ride, and called it UberCab.

The name was shortened to Uber, which launched in 2010 in San Francisco, and now is active in more than 500 cities around the world, with an estimated valuation of $68 billion.

According to Forbes magazine, Uber's lofty value gives Kalanick a personal net worth of $6.3 billion.

- Bumps in the road -

The road has not always been smooth.

Last year, Uber had to quit the Chinese market and agree to a partnership with the local market leader, Didi Chuxing.

Uber and Kalanick have faced protests and traffic tie-ups from angry taxi drivers, with demonstrators in Paris setting fire to some vehicles.

Some Uber drivers have sued to be recompensed as employees, rather than independent contractors, and others have complained that the mobile app used by Uber lacks the ability to offer tips.

Uber has also faced criticism for its "Greyball" software that may be used to avoid authorities, and its "God View" which could be used to spy on riders.

After revelations about "Greyball," Uber announced it would not use the program to evade regulators.

Kalanick is known for being defiant in the face of criticism but his recent mea culpa is not the first time he has tried to soften his image.

"I realize that I can come off as a passionate advocate for Uber," he was quoted as saying in 2015 by The Wall Street Journal.

"I'll be the first to admit I'm not perfect, and neither is this company."
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt ANKARA/ROTTERDAM (Reuters) - Turkey told the Netherlands on Sunday that it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres. President Tayyip Erdogan had branded its fellow NATO member a "Nazi remnant" and the dispute escalated into a diplomatic incident on Saturday evening, when Turkey's family minister was prevented by police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister. Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd, which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. They carried out charges on horseback, while officers advanced on foot with shields and armored vans. Less than a day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkey's family minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she was being escorted back to Germany. "The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behavior against a female minister can never be accepted," she said. The Rotterdam mayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to the German border. Kaya later boarded a private plane from the German town of Cologne to return to Istanbul, mass-circulating newspaper Hurriyet said on Sunday. The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and "the Netherlands could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands." The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte's decision to ban the visits. In a statement issued early on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had told Dutch authorities it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" and "respond in kind to this unacceptable behavior". Turkey's foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return from leave "for some time". Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action. Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigre Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been canceled due to the growing dispute. Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders. The Dutch government had banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally on Saturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there anyway, saying Europe must be rid of its "boss-like attitude". Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting in Hamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkish consulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkish citizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from Ankara. "If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want," he added hours before his planned flight to Rotterdam was banned. SANCTIONS THREAT Cavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threats proved decisive for the Netherlands government. It cited public order and security concerns in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and said the threat of sanctions made the search for a reasonable solution impossible. "This decision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way. It does not abide by diplomatic practices," Cavusoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening. Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling second ahead of Wednesday's elections, said in a tweet on Saturday: "To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!" Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: "This morning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear he was threatening the Netherlands with sanctions and we can never negotiate with the Turks under such threats. So we decided ... in a conference call it was better for him not to come." 'NAZI REMNANTS, FASCISTS' Addressing a rally of supporters, Erdogan retaliated against the decision to prevent the Turkish foreign minister from visiting Rotterdam. "Listen Netherlands, you'll jump once, you'll jump twice, but my people will thwart your game," he said. "You can cancel our foreign minister's flight as much as you want, but let's see how your flights will come to Turkey now." "They don't know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists," he said. Rutte called Erdogan's reference to Nazis and Fascists "a crazy remark". He added: "I understand they're angry but this is of course way out of line". Erdogan chafes at Western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him. He maintains it is clear the West begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a "no" vote in the referendum. Barred from the Netherlands, Cavusoglu arrived in France on Saturday ahead of a planned speech to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. Earlier, an official at the Moselle regional prefecture told Reuters there were currently no plans to prevent the meeting from going ahead. A member of the Union of European Turkish Democrats also said on Saturday via a Facebook post that the Turkish foreign minister would no longer come to Switzerland for a planned event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue. Zurich's security department, which had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglu's appearance, said in a statement on Saturday evening it was relieved the event had been canceled. (Additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Writing by Ralph Boulton and Daren Butler; Editing by David Clarke and Simon Cameron-Moore)
TOKYO (AP)  Six years ago, more than 18,000 people died or went missing as a tsunami triggered by a massive quake engulfed coastal areas of northeastern Japan. Tens of thousands more peoples lives were unraveled when they lost family members, friends, homes and livelihoods. The displacement widened as entire communities fled after meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant.

Japan is marking the anniversary of the disaster Saturday with somber ceremonies in Tokyo and in cities and towns in the northeast. Most of the towns devastated in the March 11, 2011, disasters have only partially rebuilt, and local authorities are struggling to finance construction. Meanwhile, despite an abundance of jobs thanks to the rebuilding, the population in most of the region is falling.

Here are some measures of progress in Japans recovery:

Reconstruction

The government spent 26 trillion yen ($220 billion) in recovery and rebuilding from 2011-2015, but is due to slash that to only 6.5 trillion yen in 2016-2020. Reconstruction has been hampered by a shortage of workers, and while much of the public housing planned to replace destroyed homes has been finished, about a fifth of the units stand empty.

Displaced families

As many as 150,000 people fled radiation-affected areas near the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant. As of February, 123,000 were still displaced. Housing subsidies for so-called voluntary evacuees  those who left areas not designated as evacuation zones  are due to run out by the end of March. Japanese media say some of those families have struggled to find new housing.

The nuclear plant

Tokyo Electric Power Co. is struggling to decommission the wrecked plant and the estimated total cost exceeds 21 trillion yen ($182 billion). Cleanup of nearby areas has lagged and radiation levels remain high. The cost of that cleanup has reportedly almost doubled to 4 trillion yen ($35 billion). TEPCO officials say radiation is not leaking outside of the reactors.

The missing

As of Friday, 2,553 people are still missing, and occasionally teams still search the coastline for signs of their remains. Whats also missing are the many close-knit fishing hamlets and waterfronts in areas that were scoured bare by the tsunami, where only foundations remain.
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
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Sunday he would do everything to "de-escalate" a diplomatic confrontation with Turkey he described as the worst the Netherlands has experienced in years, after two major incidents on Saturday. Turkey told the Netherlands that it would retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres. "I've never experienced this before, but we want to be the more prudent party," Rutte said. "If they escalate we will have to respond, but we will do everything in our power to de-escalate," he added. First on Saturday Turkey attempted to send its foreign minister to the Netherlands to hold a rally among Dutch-Turkish immigrants in support of a referendum campaign which aims to give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan new powers. The Netherlands, which had asked the minister not to come, revoked landing permission for his plane. Later the same day, Turkey's family affairs minister travelled from Germany and attempted to address a large crowd in Rotterdam. She was stopped by Dutch police, declared an undesirable alien and escorted back to the German border. Around 2,000 Erdogan supporters demonstrating with Turkish flags in front of the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam were dispersed in the early morning hours by military police using horseback charges and water cannons. Erdogan threatened the Netherlands with economic sanctions and called the Dutch government "Nazi remnants and fascists." "The Netherlands will not let itself be blackmailed," Rutte said on Sunday. Rutte, who is running neck and neck with anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders in Dutch elections to be held on Wednesday, said the Netherlands was within its rights to block Turkish rallies here, as they present a threat to public order. Around 500,000 Turkish immigrants and their children live in the Netherlands, most of them holding dual nationality and eligible to vote in both countries. (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek)
By Arwa Gaballa CAIRO (Reuters) - Cairo's population is set to grow by 500,000 this year, more than any other city in the world, adding to the pressure on an Egyptian economy struggling to recover from six years of political turmoil. Greater Cairo, a metropolitan area including Cairo and parts of the Giza and Qalyubia provinces, is home to some 22.8 million people and will gain another half a million in 2017, a Euromonitor International report released last week shows. That represents a quarter of Egypt's 92 million. The national natural population growth of 2.4 percent per year is double the average of other developing countries, said Mohamed Abdelgalil, adviser to official statistics agency CAPMAS. Stinging poverty in southern Egypt leads many families to have several children in the hope they can become sources of income. Those children eventually migrate to larger cities for job opportunities scarce in their hometowns. "In rural areas, and in the south in particular, poor families have many children because they see these children as a safety net," Maysa Shawky, the head of the National Population Council, told Reuters in an interview. "Also, many of them have daughters until they have sons," she added. "They want to produce breadwinners - instead of hiring a worker, they could have their children help them." Shawky said awareness campaigns at universities and schools have begun as part of a national population strategy. NEW CAPITAL Internal migration is one of the main causes of overpopulation in Cairo. Egypt lists 351 slums as "unsafe", most of them in the sprawling capital where the poorest have built ramshackle homes that lack basic amenities such as mains sewage and water. Some 850,000 people are believed to live in such dangerous slums. "For the average citizen to not be affected by hikes in the prices of goods and services, the economic growth rate must be double the natural population increase rate," Abdelgalil said. Egypt's economic growth was 4.3 percent in 2015-2016 - not enough to achieve that. The IMF expects it to be about 4 percent this year. A new administrative capital, announced in March 2015, is intended partly to reduce the crowding in Cairo. Some 45 km (28 miles) to the east, it will be home to government ministries, housing and an airport. People will start moving to the as yet-unnamed new city in 2018, said Khaled Abbas, assistant to the housing minister for technical affairs. Work on 17,000-18,000 residential units is nearing completion and they will be put up for sale in April. "Egypt's population is expected to reach 160-180 million in 40 years. Where will all these people go?" said Abbas. "We're also working on developing areas in northern and southern Egypt." (Editing by Ahmed Aboulenein and Andrew Roche)
Beirut (AFP) - Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front on Sunday said in a statement it was behind twin bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims in the centre of Damascus that killed 74 people.

"On Saturday... a twin attack was carried out by two heroes of Islam... in the centre of the capital Damascus, killing and wounding dozens," the statement said.

Without elaborating, it called the bombings "a message to Iran and its militias".

Iran and the Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement of Lebanon are close allies of the Syrian government.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 43 Iraqi pilgrims were among those killed when a roadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrims made its way through the Ban al-Saghir area of Damascus's famed Old City and a suicide bomber blew himself up.

The Britain-based monitor said 11 bystanders and eight children were among the dead, as were 20 members of the pro-government security forces.

State television gave a toll of 40 killed and 120 wounded by "two bombs detonated by terrorists", while Iraq's foreign ministry said around 40 of its nationals had died.

In January, Fateh al-Sham Front also claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of Damascus that killed 10 people, eight of them soldiers.

Damascus, stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad's government, has been largely spared the violence that has rocked other major cities in Syria's six-year war.

But periodic bombings have targeted Shiite shrines and were subsequently claimed by Sunni extremists, including the Islamic State jihadist group.
Facebook has a growing list of companies it owns, but Snapchat isnt one... yet. An analyst at FBN Securities, a New York City stock broker, wrote in an email to clients Wednesday that he believes Facebook would love to acquire Snapchat, if the price were right, according to Business Insider. The analyst, Shebly Seyrafi, said in the same email that he thinks Facebook would be willing to spend $14/share.

Facebook Inc. owns Instagram, the photo sharing app that is proving to be a Snap Inc. competitor. Instagram added stories much like Snapchat stories last summer, and even added stickers and filters like Snapchats geotags. On Thursday Facebook introduced Messenger Day a story clone within it messaging app, something WhatsApp (another Facebook acquisition) has as well. Meanwhile, Snapchat blamed slowing user growth on technical issues, but many think the competition from Instagram is the start of Snaps downfall.

Snap Inc. went public in early March debuting on the market at $24/share, far higher than the initial offering of $17/share, but the shares fell 12 percent less than a week after. Its currently hovering around $22/share.

Facebook and Snapchat have previously discussed the possibility of an acquisition in 2013, it ended in Snapchat turning down a $3 billion offer. If Facebook were to eventually purchase Snapchat at $14/share, that would be a total cost of about $20 billion. But for now the two companies remain in competition.

Facebook went public in 2012 with an initial public offering of $38/share, with the first trade at $42/share. But its launch was fraught with lawsuits after technical difficulties on NASDAQs part lead to a delayed opening and stuck offers. Facebook's stock took a dip after it came on the market and didnt make it back up to its initial price offering until August 2013, from then on its climbed steadily, with each share today at $138.

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PARIS (Reuters) - France urged Turkey and several EU member states to calm tensions and said there had been no reason to prohibit a meeting on its soil on Sunday between Ankara's foreign minister and a local Turkish association. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu addressed a public meeting in eastern France on Sunday a day after the Netherlands barred his plane from landing in a row over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish emigres. "In the absence of a proven threat to public order, there was no reason to prohibit the meeting," the Foreign Ministry said in the statement. "Given the current tensions between Turkey and several member states of the European Union, France calls for a de-escalation". "It also calls on the Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations," the ministry added. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier; Editing by Keith Weir)
Moscow (AFP) - French dance star Laurent Hilaire, the new artistic director of Moscow's renowned Stanislavsky Music Theatre ballet troupe, has vowed to expand its repertoire while preserving its rich traditions.

"This is an opera and ballet house with a certain history, culture and tradition," Hilaire, who took on the position in January, told AFP during a recent interview.

"The goal is not to make revolution, to change everything. The goal is to open up the company's repertoire."

The 54-year-old Frenchman's appointment represents a rare case of a foreigner picked to head a Russian ballet troupe.

Spanish dance legend Nacho Duato's tenure as the director of the Mikhailovsky Theatre ballet in Saint Petersburg from 2011 to 2014 left many ballet Russian critics and amateurs with lukewarm impressions.

Hilaire, a former principal dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet, is now trying to avoid that fate, walking a tightrope between tradition and reform in a country that prides itself on its legendary ballet troupes.

He said his diversification plan for the repertoire of the Stanislavsky Theatre, Moscow's second most prominent ballet and opera house after the Bolshoi, will not reject the ballets choreographed by Vladimir Burmeister in the 1960s.

"There is no way we will touch this," he said. "This is part of the theatre's history. This needs to be kept."

- Becoming an 'etoile' -

Hilaire's ties to Russian ballet predate his appointment to the Stanislavsky.

In 1985, the 22-year-old Hilaire was named principal dancer -- or "etoile" -- by legendary Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev after a performance of Swan Lake choreographed by Burmeister.

The former ballet master of the Paris Opera is now set to stage Serge Lifar's "Suite en Blanc", William Forsythe's "The Second Detail" and Jiri Kylian's "Petite mort" in July, his first programme at the Stanislavsky.

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"For this first night I wanted three emblematic pieces that represent what I want to offer the company," Hilaire said.

Hilaire, who has a five-year contract with the troupe of 120 dancers, said he is pleased to work with artists who "wish to grow" and dance in a very "physical, committed and unselfish" way.

"I could have never imagined becoming the artistic director of a theatre like the Stanislavsky," he said. "This occurred very naturally, although this happened without me being aware to some extent."

- In Petipa's footsteps -

Hilaire is the first Frenchman to lead a Russian ballet theatre since famed choreographer Marius Petipa, who was invited by the imperial ballet to work in Saint Petersburg in the 19th century.

Despite arriving in Moscow in the dead of winter, with temperatures sliding to minus 30 degrees Celsius, Hilaire says he enjoys living in the Russian capital.

He speaks to dancers through an interpreter but hopes to be able to speak to them in Russian in the near future.

At the time of his appointment, observers said Hilaire's work could be hindered by a language barrier, an issue the French star is trying to avoid.

"I spent many years at the Paris Opera Ballet, I come from there, but I have also worked a lot abroad, in the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia," he said.

"Of course I want to pass on the experience I have gained."
A 25-year-old Wilton woman was referred to the Monroe County District Attorney for drug charges after a March 2 traffic stop in the town of Tomah.

Police observed a northbound vehicle on Highway 131 with a defective headlight and initiated the traffic stop. Dispatch informed the officer that one of the passengers, Ashley M. Winchel, had an outstanding warrant. A search of Winchel reportedly found multiple pipes with the odor of burned marijuana, two containers with a green, leafy substance that police believed to be marijuana and a zip bag containing white, powdery residue.

The report says the driver consented to a search of the vehicle, during which police reportedly found a shoebox containing a glass pipe with white residue later identified as methamphetamine.

Winchel was referred for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

In other Monroe County Sheriffs Office news:

Cassandra M. Carmody, 28, Sparta, was referred to the district attorney for possessing an illegally obtained prescription drug. She is accused of possessing a Suboxone pill for which she didnt have a prescription.

Gregory Hernandez, 28, and Lacy Newbury, 31, both of Sparta, were referred to the district attorney for bail jumping for allegedly violating a no-contact order while housed as prisoners in the Monroe County Jail. Newbury is accused of sending 14 emails to Hernandez, and Hernandez is accused of sending eight emails to Newbury. Hernandez was also referred for contempt of court.

Timothy L. Schram, 33, La Crescent, Minnesota, was referred to the district attorney for third-offense drunk driving after a March 3 traffic stop in the town of Little Falls.

Police pulled over Schrams vehicle for a defective brake light. The report says Schram smelled of alcohol and that an open can of beer was sitting on the floorboard. He reportedly had two passengers in the vehicle, ages nine and eight.

The report says Schram admitted to drinking three or four beers in Rockland earlier in the evening. He submitted to a field sobriety test, and a preliminary breath test recorded a blood-alcohol count of .121.

Kenneth W. Parker, 28, Warrens, was referred to the district attorney for bail jumping. He is accused of violating a bond condition that established a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew.

Joseph D. Totman, 49, and Michelle R. Bailey, 44, both of Tomah, were referred to the district attorney for disorderly conduct after a Feb. 28 incident in the town of Oakdale. The two are accused of conducting a loud argument. Totman accused Bailey of slamming doors and throwing items around the residence, and Bailey said Totman threw water on her.

Kyle D. Stout, 30, Tomah, was referred to the district attorney for second-offense drunk driving after police responded to a vehicle in a ditch March 1 in the town of Byron.

While en route to the scene, police observed a passenger car that appeared to have exited the ditch and was heading south on Funnel Road at a high rate of speed before police initiated a traffic stop. Police noticed what appeared to be a bumper laying across the back seat of the car.

The report identified the driver as Stout. He initially couldnt give a satisfactory answer to why the vehicle went into the ditch but later told police he had suffered a seizure. Stout reportedly had watery eyes and alcohol coming from his breath. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test, and a police allegedly found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

The report says Stout refused to submit to a blood test. He was also referred for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's interior minister said police had stopped a possible attack at a shopping centre in the western city of Essen on Saturday and there were indications of a link to Islamic State militants. Germany is on high alert following deadly militant attacks in France and Belgium and after a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December, killing 12 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack. Police closed one of Germany's biggest shopping malls on Saturday after security agencies warned of a possible attack and questioned two men in connection with the threat. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said there could have been an attack at the shopping centre. "That was stopped," he told public broadcaster ARD on Sunday, adding there was a connection to someone pulling the strings in Islamic State. "There were indications or orders from someone who had travelled to the region (Syria) from Germany. That shows how close the connection is. So it is good that the federal and regional security authorities were vigilant," said de Maiziere. Security sources told Reuters that the threat appeared to follow a call for violence by a German militant loyal to Islamic State who is currently based in a region of Syria controlled by the militant group. He reiterated that the danger of a terrorist attack in Germany remained high. Officials are worried that Islamist radicals will return from Syria or Iraq to stage attacks on German soil. Just over six months before an election, Chancellor Angela Merkel's political foes say her open-door migrant policy may have raised the risks. Separately, German police said on Sunday they were questioning a man in his early 20s who was detained after an overnight operation in the southwestern town of Offenburg, near the French border, following a security threat. Police said they believed one target of a potential attack was a night club. They added that no weapons were found during the operation and a second man who was arrested was later released. (Additional reporting by Reuters Television and Sabine Siebold; Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Richard Lough and Stephen Powell)
German police claim the ax-wielding attacker who injured 10 people at a Dusseldorf train station Thursday has paranoid schizophrenia and have ruled out religious or political motives for the assault.

The 36-year-old Kosovo man living in Wuppertal, who remains unidentified, is suspected of starting his rampage at about 8:50 p.m. He randomly attacked passersby on the train platform, the Telegraph reported.

In a statement, police said the man attacked the victims indiscriminately with the ax, which was later secured.

Read: Best Place To Live In The World? Terrorism In Germany Makes It No Longer No. 1 Country

Police also said the man was in an exceptional mental state at the time and has obvious psychological problems. He was taken to a nearby hospital due to multiple bone fractures he got during a police chase as he jumped from a bridge onto a street, police said in a statement.

We were on the platform waiting for the train. The train arrived and suddenly someone with an ax came out and started attacking people, an unnamed witness told German newspaper Bild.

There was blood everywhere.

A 13-year-old girl was one of those who was injured, the Rheinische Post reported. A witness told the newspaper he helped treat the girls wound and was able to get her safely to her father.

The newspaper also reported a 20-year-old man suffered a head injury but was pulled onto a train by friends just in time to escape the attacker.

Authorities ruled out any act of terrorism and were certain the suspect acted alone. However, before their assessment, police commandos had entered the crime scene with automatic weapons, wearing bulletproof vests and balaclavas, assuming it was a possible terrorist attack. They were also backed by police helicopters.

We are not using the words rampage or 'terror,'" a police spokesman told Reuters.

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Authorities also initially said multiple attackers were involved, and two were taken into custody Thursday night, Bild reported. But they have since all been released. Police also detained people to ensure their safety while they looked for the attacker.

Federal Chancellery minister Peter Altmaier, a close adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, took to Twitter addressing Thursdays violent attack. "Whatever happened at Dusseldorf's main station; our empathy and thoughts are with the innocent injured, he tweeted.

Police have not yet released a motive for the attack and said the investigation is ongoing. Train services resumed on Friday.

German authorities have been extremely vigilant for possible terrorist attack as they had just undergone assaults in the recent year. In December, a truck drove into crowds at the Breitscheidplatz Christmas market killing 12 people and injuring 48. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Last July, a mentally disturbed 17-year-old refugee wielded an ax and a knife on a train in Wuerzburg in southern Germany. Four people were injured, according to the BBC.

Also in July, a suicide bombing took place outside a wine bar in Ansbach, Germany, that left 12 people injured. The bomber, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, was the only person killed. It was the first suicide attack in German history.

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Berlin (AFP) - German police were searching Sunday for possible contacts of an IS fighter believed to be behind a terror plot against a major shopping mall.

Authorities had ordered the Limbecker Platz mall in the central city of Essen shut on Saturday over "concrete information regarding a possible attack".

Although there was no announcement of arms or explosives being found, Essen police said two men had been detained for questioning in the nearby town of Oberhausen.

One man was later released, while the second was still being questioned, police said, adding that authorities were looking into "objects that were found in his possession".

Germany's domestic intelligence service had tipped police off about the threat, interior minister Thomas de Maiziere told public broadcaster ARD.

"There exists a link to the so-called Islamic State terror organisation," he said, adding that "some indications or orders" were given by someone who had travelled from Germany to the conflict zone in the Middle East.

A German fighter of the IS State group, who is in Syria, had sought to recruit several people for an attack in Essen, according to a source speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity.

Investigators are examining if the jihadist is working with anyone in Germany, added the source.

According to Bild daily, the IS fighter also provided instructions on bomb making in his online chat messages.

Separately, police in the southwestern city of Offenburg were deployed late Saturday after a "possible threat of attack", citing a local disco as a potential target.

But they gave the all-clear on Sunday, without revealing further details about the threat. One man remains in custody over the case, said police.

Germany is on high alert since last December's attack in Berlin, when a Tunisian national hijacked a truck and rammed it into a crowd, killing 12 people.

Domestic security officials estimate there are some 10,000 radical Islamists in Germany, with roughly 1,600 among them suspected of being capable of violence.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Germany in the past year, including the Berlin Christmas market truck attack, the murder of a teen in Hamburg, a suicide bombing in Ansbach and an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzberg that injured five.
An 89-year-old New Jersey woman was saved from a possible tragedy when a Good Samaritan leaped into action to move her out of the way of an oncoming train.

Police say the elderly woman was crossing a set of railroad tracks around 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Read: Teen Babysitter Driving 4 Kids Charged With DWI After Good Samaritan Stops Her

In a dash cam video recorded of the scary moment, the woman is seen walking slowly across the tracks after the railroad crossing warning signals have already come down.

Jonathan Mango, 28, and an unidentified Good Samaritan rush to her aid and help her get off the tracks moments before a NJTransit train speeds past.

I saw the train was really coming. I sprinted onto the tracks, and I pulled her by the arm, Mango told CBSNews. She actually stopped because she was scared, so then I tried grabbing her arm and then really tried pulling her. She was having a lot of trouble.

Thankfully the men showed up just in time.

Read: Good Samaritan Uses His Cane to Stop Bus Driver's Attacker

The woman is always walking through our community and in all types of weather conditions attracting many to gaze and many others to offer assistance, Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler said in a statement.She certainly had the angels watching over her today and the two individuals, angels themselves without a doubt, saved her from this near disaster.

Mango said he isnt a hero and he just saw that something needed to be done.

Just an ordinary Wednesday, Mango told the station,.

The elderly woman was reportedly uninjured. .

Watch: Good Samaritan Rescues 8 Puppies From Abandoned Box on Side of the Road

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Tegucigalpa (AFP) - Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez won his party's primary on Sunday, raising his hopes of winning re-election in November 26 polls despite a constitutional one-term limit.

Hernandez got 222,759 votes against 17,461 for his only contender, Roberto Ramon Castillo, to get the presidential nomination from the ruling, right-leaning National Party (PN), according to a partial count announced by Supreme Electoral Tribunal president Erik Rodriguez.

Seventeen parties fielded candidates in Honduras's party primaries on for local councils, national and Central American lawmakers, three vice presidents and for the post of president.

All of Honduras' 5.8 million registered voters were invited to cast votes in Sunday's primary.

Scholar Luis Zelaya stood as candidate for the center-right Liberal Party (PL), obtaining 98,739 votes. His rival, economist Gabriela Nunez, took in 55,270 votes.

One of the president's challengers will be Xiomara Castro, the wife of Manuel Zelaya, a former president who was ousted by the military in 2009 as he tried to change the constitution in a way many suspected was meant to let him stay in power beyond one term.

She won the leftist Liberty and Refoundation's nomination with 117,461 votes, against 4,222 for Rasel Tome. The party is also known as Libre.

"Hondurans have given a lesson in civility," Hernandez said in a speech, in which he promised to "continue the changes that the country needs" in the next four years, especially in fighting crime.

Hernandez's bid for a new four-year mandate at the head of the ruling National Party is buoyed by a Supreme Court ruling two years ago discarding the term-limit clause in the 1982 constitution.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House intelligence committee is asking the Trump administration for evidence that the phones at Trump Tower were tapped during the campaign as its namesake has charged.

President Donald Trump asserted in a tweet last week: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" He continued the allegation against former President Barack Obama in other tweets but offered no evidence.

On Saturday a senior congressional aide said the request for evidence by Monday was made in a letter sent by the committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., according to the aide, who wasn't authorized to discuss the request by name and requested anonymity.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, has said that nothing matching Trump's claims had taken place, but that has not quelled speculation that Trump's communications were monitored by the Obama administration. Trump has asked Congress to investigate.

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Early this past week, Schiff said the committee would answer the president's call to investigate the claim. He also said that he would ask FBI Director James Comey directly when he appears later this month before the full committee, which is investigating Russian activities during the election.

"We should be able to determine in fairly short order whether this allegation is true or false," Schiff told reporters Tuesday evening at the Capitol.

Nunes has said that so far he has not seen any evidence to back up Trump's claim and has suggested the news media were taking the president's weekend tweets too literally.

"The president is a neophyte to politics  he's been doing this a little over a year," Nunes told reporters earlier this week.

Other lawmakers have asked for similar evidence.

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Declaring that Congress "must get to the bottom" of Trump's claim, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asked Comey and Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente to produce the paper trail created when the Justice Department's criminal division secures warrants for wiretaps.

Sen. John McCain said Trump could "clear this up in a minute" if he were to call "the director of the CIA, director of national intelligence and say, 'OK, what happened?'"

McCain, R-Ariz., told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday: "I do believe on issues such as this, accusing a former president of the United States of something which is not only illegal, but just unheard of, that requires corroboration. I'll let the American people be the judge, but this is serious stuff."
Budapest (AFP) - Hungary's left-wing parties are certain to fail at Monday's presidential vote but have already won a victory of sorts, forming a rare united front against Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Ahead of next year's general election, challenges to the powerful right-wing premier are taking shape on both left and right, although few are speculating they will be strong enough to turn Hungary's populist tide.

The parliamentary vote for the largely ceremonial presidential role is a mere formality given that Orban's ruling rightwing Fidesz party, in power since 2010, holds close to a two-thirds majority.

In the last election five years ago, Orban's ally Janos Ader ran uncontested.

But on Monday, Ader, standing for reelection, faces respected former ombudsman Laszlo Majtenyi who has managed to unite normally warring leftist parties, all of whose 43 lawmakers in the 199-seat house have pledged to vote for him.

"It's significant because for once they support a single candidate even though they don't like each other," analyst Csaba Toth told AFP.

The key question is whether that unity will lead them to support Lajos Botka, mayor of the third-biggest city Szeged, as prime ministerial candidate.

Botka, towering at nearly two metres (6.5 feet) in height, was put forward in December by the Socialists, the largest leftist party.

A trained lawyer and ex-water polo player who cuts a formidable figure, his competent running since 2002 of Szeged, the only major city not controlled by Fidesz, has earned the 44-year-old respect across party lines.

Botka has accused strongman Orban of governing like a "king" and said the time has come for "new left-wing policies".

Although a recent poll put Botka almost neck-and-neck with Orban in personal popularity, his Socialist party is much less popular, tainted by its roots as a communist party and a corruption-ridden spell in government.

Botka insists he will only run if the fragmented left bloc, comprising some seven parties, stands behind him -- a Herculean task given their current reluctance to cooperate.

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Under election rules most seats are won on a first-past-the-post basis, rewarding the monolithic Fidesz.

Therefore without compromises and alliances, the leftist opposition can expect "total defeat", local journalist Peter Peto told AFP,

- Far-right ambitions -

If Botka drops out, the opposite political wing could serve up the main rival to Orban - Gabor Vona, the charismatic young leader of the radical-right Jobbik party.

The ultra-nationalist outfit, whose members used to burn EU flags and spout anti-Semitic rhetoric, came second behind Fidesz in 2014 with 20 percent of the votes.

But when the migrant crisis hit the following year, Jobbik was outflanked by Orban's hardline anti-immigration stance and saw its support stagnate.

Vona, 38, has since sought to revamp the party image, akin to moves undertaken by other far-right movements in Europe.

Jewish community leaders were taken aback when he offered his Hanukkah greetings last year, while he has told the country's much-slighted Roma population that they have "nothing to fear from Jobbik".

Vona's candidacy hinges on the fate of the leftwing hope Botka, according to the analyst Csaba Toth.

"If Botka enters the race, that leaves little room for Jobbik... If Botka drops out, Vona has a fighting chance of leading the anti-Orban challenge," he said.

- 'Fresh dynamics' -

The smart money, according to Toth, remains on a comfortable win next year for Fidesz, who lead both the Socialists and Jobbik by around 30 points in current polls.

But some chinks have appeared in Orban's armour, giving hope to his opponents.

In October he failed -- despite a propaganda campaign costing an estimated 32-million euros ($34 million) -- to persuade enough voters to validate his referendum on EU refugee quotas.

Last month a group of young activists called Momentum Movement derailed Budapest's government-backed bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games with a referendum drive.

Rather than giving in to a ballot, a rattled Orban denounced the "murder of a dream" and swiftly binned the bid.

Buoyed by their success, Momentum have now set up a party targeting disillusioned "political orphans", the large pool of undecided voters estimated at around 50 percent of the 8.2-million electorate.

However their rejection of cooperation with any other party does not bode well for a broad anti-Orban front.

However Orban's setbacks have chipped away at the widespread belief that he is "omnipotent", according to political analyst Peter Kreko.

"His hold on power has been mainly built on the lack of an alternative, and maintaining a stagnant paralysed opposition. Now at last there are some fresh dynamics".
Paris (AFP) - Dutch elections on Wednesday set the stage for others in France and Germany that come against a background of eurosceptic or anti-immigrant sentiments boosted by Brexit.

- The Netherlands: PVV eyes record score -

On Wednesday, 12.9 million Dutch voters will be eligible to cast ballots in general elections contested by 28 parties and 1,114 candidates.

The vote has boiled down to a tight race between MP Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) and Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his Liberals (VVD).

Polls indicate that the anti-euro, anti-Islam PVV could score its best result since its creation in 2006.

The PVV would not necessarily be part of the next government however, because that will likely be a coalition and most parties have pledged not to govern with the PVV.

A firebrand politician, Wilders has vowed to shut mosques, ban the Koran, close the country's borders and take The Netherlands out of the EU, an institution that it helped found.

Leiden University analyst Geerten Waling believes the vote will produce "a very divided parliament" and warned: "It's going to be much tougher to form a coalition government, much tougher than before."

- France: duel ahead with Le Pen -

France's presidential race has turned into a rollercoaster, with frontrunning candidates dogged by scandal and the anti-immigrant, anti-euro National Front (FN) seeking to pull off a Donald Trump-style upset.

The first round of voting takes place on April 23. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two go into a runoff on May 7.

Once the frontrunner, conservative Francois Fillon has had to battle to stay in the race because of the revelations that he had paid his wife Penelope hundreds of thousands of euros from public funds, allegedly for fake jobs.

This has proved good news for Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist, who polls show would reach the second round of the election, where his opponent is forecast to be far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

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Although polls show Le Pen losing in the second round, all eyes are on her nationalist FN, which is seeking to emulate Trump's surprise November victory in the US, which defied pollsters and media alike.

However, Le Pen has her own legal troubles: she faces prosecution for distributing images of Islamic State atrocities over Twitter as well as separate cases over misusing public funds at the European Parliament and campaign financing.

- Germany: Merkel under pressure -

Immigration is a widely-discussed issue in German elections to be held on September 24, but both leading parties favour strong links within the EU.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative coalition, which comprises her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian CSU party, is, according to polls, in a dead heat or even slightly behind the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which has named popular former European Parliament president Martin Schulz as its candidate.

The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party appears to have lost some steam after polling at 12-15 percent in the wake of a jihadist attack that killed 12 people in a Berlin Christmas market in December.

Recent surveys have given it 11 percent, boosting its hopes of becoming the first hard right-wing party to enter Germany's parliament since 1945.

The AfD, close to France's FN and the Dutch PVV, rails against Merkel's liberal asylum policy that has drawn more than a million asylum seekers to Germany since 2015.

The AfD started out as an anti-euro party before seizing on public anger over Merkel's decision to open the country's doors to migrants and refugees.
Insiders including two interns were among the attackers who launched a gun-and-grenade assault this week on Afghanistan's largest military hospital, killing more than 100 people, multiple surviving staff and security sources told AFP.

The six-hour attack on the Sardar Daud Khan hospital on Wednesday began when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the back entrance, paving the way for gunmen disguised as doctors, according to the official account of the assault.

But multiple survivors spoke of a "simultaneous massacre", revealing that attackers already positioned inside the facility - some of them familiar staff - launched a killing spree with guns, grenades and knives immediately after the blast.

They included two interns in their 20s who had worked in the facility for months, according to a hospital official who guided Afghan special forces to rescue the victims.

"We all knew them," he told AFP, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media.

"One of them blew himself up and the other was shot down by special forces."

Another doctor, badly wounded in the attack, said one of the interns had worked under him. "He was my student, a familiar face... It was painful to see him shooting at everyone," he told AFP.

The involvement of the two interns was corroborated by an Afghan security source.

The carnage inside the heavily guarded hospital points at a spectacular intelligence failure and spotlights how insurgents have managed to infiltrate top government and military institutions in Afghanistan.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish conceded that "the attack was carried out from both outside and inside".

"This could not have been possible without the help of people inside," Radmanish told AFP. "Some individuals are being questioned."

- Savage assault -

The Islamic State group claimed it was behind the attack via its propaganda agency Amaq - hours after the Taliban denied responsibility.

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But the survivors AFP spoke to said the attackers chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and "Long live Taliban" in Pashto.

Officials have also cast doubt that the attack was the handiwork of IS, a group seeking to expand its foothold in Afghanistan but which faces heavy pressure from both US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces.

"We have leads and clues that contradict IS's claim," a senior Afghan security official told AFP earlier this week.

"The group does not have the capacity to carry out such complex attacks. There are indications that the (Taliban-allied) Haqqani network was behind it."

Perhaps most tellingly, the gunmen, who were well-versed with the building's layout and raided nearly every floor, spared two wards on the first floor where Taliban patients were admitted, the survivors said.

A particular target, they said, was the VIP wing of the hospital where the attackers sought out an army general and the relative of a former minister by name. It was unclear whether they survived the attack.

The defence ministry insists only over 30 people were killed by five attackers. But Western sources, the Afghan security source and the survivors, some of whom counted dead bodies, said there were far more attackers and the death toll exceeded 100.

The savagery of the assault was characterised by how the assailants stabbed bed-ridden patients, threw grenades into crowded wards and shot people from pointblank range.

"They weren't spraying bullets; they were shooting victims in the head," one hospital staff member told AFP, adding that the victims included a mother and a child in her arms.

"Some of them were in phone contact with handlers whom they addressed as Mullah Sahib. 'We are killing all the non-believers,' they said."
Berlin (AFP) - Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Sunday he was against Turkish ministers holding political rallies in Germany, and signalled that there are legal ways to stop such campaigns.

"A Turkish campaign has no business being here in Germany," he told public broadcaster ARD, saying he is "strongly opposed politically" to such events.

Ankara is locked in a dispute with several European countries which have sought to stop Turkish ministers from holding rallies in their countries ahead of an April referendum aimed at expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

German local authorities this month scrapped such campaign appearances over logistical problems, sparking an angry response from Ankara, which is keen to win votes from the Turkish diaspora.

The row escalated sharply at the weekend after The Netherlands refused to allow Turkish ministers into the country for rallies.

De Maiziere said while he is opposed to such appearances, the question of whether to impose an outright entry ban requires careful consideration.

"But there are limits -- clear limits, for example in the criminal code. It is hardly noticed," he said.

"Someone who insults and maliciously condemns Germany or its constitution has committed a criminal offence. That would at least be a limit," he said.

Erdogan had labelled the decision by German local authorities to halt the rallies as "Nazi practices", sparking consternation in Berlin.

Chancellor Angela Merkel called such rhetoric "depressing", saying it belittled Holocaust victims and was "so out of place as to be unworthy of serious comment".

But on any future rallies, she said: "We continue to view such appearances by Turkish government representatives as possible as long as they are duly announced, in a timely manner, and in an open way."

Separately, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he hoped Turkey "would return to its senses."

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Through the dispute, as well as Ankara's arrest of a correspondent of German daily Die Welt, Schaeuble said: "Turkey and those responsible in Turkey have destroyed the basis for further progress in cooperation."

The latest row over rallies is one in a long list of issues surrounding human rights and freedom of expression that plague Ankara-Berlin ties, particularly since the failed military coup against Erdogan in July.

Berlin has emerged as a strident critic of Ankara's post-coup crackdown, which has seen more than 100,000 people arrested or dismissed from their posts over alleged links to the plotters or to Kurdish militants.

Amid the tension, Florian Hahn, a politician from Merkel's Bavarian allies the CSU, called on Berlin to withdraw its troops stationed at Turkey's Incirlik air base.

De Maiziere however rejected the call, saying German troops were there to "protect NATO interests, and therefore our interests".
The physical devastation left by the Syrian war is tangible. But a less visible, more insidious damage is hurting the countrys most vulnerable.

Save the Childrens Invisible Wounds report found that Syrias children are suffering from a condition called toxic stress, due to living in an almost constant state of fear and terror. In order to visualize the invisible, the NGO commissioned photographer Nick Ballon and conceptual artist Alma Haser to create a series of animated portraits and short videos. Ballons thoughtful photos combined with Hasers paper manipulation techniques  folding, crumpling, ripping and origami  attempt to show the intense psychological pain these children suffer.

Ballon shot the portraits of the refugee children near the Turkish-Syrian border. He got to know them at their orphanage, in a place where they felt comfortable, but shot the portraits on the streets. The lighting was the key element, he says.

When they left the familiarity of the orphanage, Ballon was struck by the distinct difference in the childrens behavior. They would be fooling around with the other children and playing, he says. But when they left that environment they became more introverted. There was definitely this internal thing going on inside them, which made them look a lot more adult-like than the kids that they actually are. Theyve obviously seen and been through an awful lot. Ballon hopes the portraits quietly portray this internal angst.

The second part of the creative process involved Haser, based back in the U.K. Though she didnt meet the children, their words combined with Ballons portraits served as powerful inspiration. Just as each narrative is unique, each animation required a different approach and technique. I wanted to open up their story. The impact is all emotional but I wanted to bring that to life in a physical way, she says.

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One boy, Ahmed, witnessed people being decapitated and since then he has become violent. I created these layers of ripped paper to show his anger. Its like layers and layers of himself being ripped away, she says. I just repeated it because theyre seeing the same thing over and over. Its just their everyday life now which is quite scary really.

While all the children featured in the project have suffered unimaginable hardships and witnessed extreme violence, Ballon believes there is still hope. What struck me is their resilience. Theyve never met you before but they would put their arms out and just want to be picked up and hugged, he says. They still have the capacity to love.

Save the Children is a non-governmental organization that promotes childrens rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries. Nick Ballon is a documentary and portrait photographer based in London. Alma Haser is a conceptual artist and photographer based in London and the East Coast.

Alexandra Genova is a writer and contributor for TIME LightBox. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Mosul (Iraq) (AFP) - Iraqi forces have retaken more than a third of west Mosul from the Islamic State group, a commander said, as Baghdad's troops fought Sunday to advance deeper into the city.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to recapture west Mosul -- the most populated urban area still under IS control -- on February 19, retaking a series of areas as they advanced up from the south.

Officers have said that jihadist resistance is weakening, but tough fighting -- including in the Old City, a warren of narrow streets and closely-spaced buildings where hundreds of thousands of civilians may still reside -- remains ahead.

"Around more than a third of the right bank (west Mosul) is under the control of our units," Staff Major General Maan al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service told AFP.

CTS forces were battling IS inside the Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawat areas in west Mosul on Sunday, said Saadi, adding that he expected the fighting there to be completed in the coming hours.

And Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said that forces from the Rapid Response Division, another special forces unit, and the federal police were attacking the Bab al-Toub area on the edge of the Old City.

But the process of advancing in Mosul is laborious, Saadi said.

"We are not able to leave pockets (of jihadists) behind us; therefore, the advance includes taking control of areas and searching and clearing them and security checks on the citizens present, then the continuation of the advance," he said.

- 'Not easy' -

The jihadists are "still relying on explosives-rigged vehicles and suicide bombers and snipers" and units that aim to slow the Iraqi advance, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, the spokesman for the JOC, told AFP.

"The battle is not easy... we are fighting an irregular enemy who hides among the citizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping, explosions and suicide bombers, and the operation is taking place with precision to preserve the lives of the citizens," Rasool said.

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But IS resistance "has begun to weaken in a big way," he said.

The battle against IS inside west Mosul is being spearheaded by CTS and the Rapid Response Division, the latter of which is working with the federal police.

Outside Mosul, Iraqi army forces and pro-government paramilitaries are operating against IS to the west of the city.

On Saturday, the Hashed al-Shaabi -- an umbrella organisation for paramilitary groups that is dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias -- announced the discovery of a large mass grave northwest of Mosul.

The Hashed said the grave contained the remains of around 500 people killed by IS at the Badush prison, a figure that could not be independently confirmed, but which was in keeping with accounts from Human Rights Watch and the United Nations.

According to HRW, IS gunmen executed up to 600 inmates from the prison on June 10, 2014, forcing them to kneel along a nearby ravine and then shooting them with assault rifles, an account also contained in a UN report.

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 retaken most of the territory they lost.
MILAN (Reuters) - Italy has expelled a Tunisian who may have had links with the man who killed 12 people in Berlin when he plowed a truck through a busy Christmas market, the Italian interior ministry said on Sunday. The Tunisian, a resident of Latina near Rome, was identified in investigations launched in the wake of the Dec. 19 Berlin attack, the ministry said in a statement.The 37-year old man was the owner of a telephone whose number was found among the contacts of Anis Amri, it said. Amri killed 12 people when he plowed a truck through a Christmas market in Berlin. He was killed in a shootout with police near Milan on Dec. 23. Amri came to Italy by boat in 2011 and spent almost four years in jail there before being ordered out of the country in 2015. The expelled Tunisian's phone number was also linked to a Facebook profile pointing to his support of jihadist ideology and connections with people supporting Islamic State, the ministry said. The ministry said Italy had expelled 153 people suspected of religious extremism since January 2015. (Reporting by Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Mark Potter)
Beijing (AFP) - In his January inauguration speech, US President Donald Trump made a seemingly straightforward pledge: "We will follow two simple rules: buy American and hire American."

His daughter is the exception: even as he spoke, at least eight shipments of Ivanka Trump-branded shoes, bags and clothes  more than 59 tons  were steaming towards American ports from China, according to US Customs bills of lading examined by AFP.

Trump uses his presidential pulpit to censure manufacturers  both domestic and foreign  for using overseas labor to make goods for American consumers, but the Ivanka-branded orders have kept rolling in.

More than two tons of ladies' polyester woven blouses, 1,600 cowhide leather wallets and 25 tons of made-in-China footwear were among at least 82 such shipments that passed US Customs  almost one per business day  from Trump's November 8 election win through February 26, records showed.

The goods were made in China by three US companies holding licences to manufacture products for Ivanka Trump's fashion line: garment maker G-III, Mondani Handbags and Marc Fisher Footwear.

Marc Fisher told AFP it had no comment, while the others did not respond to requests.

The first daughter's business has come under scrutiny since major US department store chain Nordstrom announced in February it would stop carrying her products, citing poor sales.

That provoked a scathing attack from Trump and his advisers and even prompted senior counselor Kellyanne Conway to urge Americans to go out and buy his daughter's products.

The Washington Post reported this week that many had done just that, with February proving a banner month for the brand, in terms of sales.

- 'Very hypocritical' -

More than 1,200 shipments of Trump-branded products have flowed into the US from China and Hong Kong over the past decade, according to an examination of US import data last year by anti-Trump political action committee Our Principles PAC.

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During his campaign, Trump defended the licensing of the Trump name for goods made in China  from shoes to ties to dress shirts  as smart business.

But at the same time he frequently accused China of stealing US jobs through unfair trade practices and currency manipulation, while also slamming US firms such as Ford and Nabisco for off-shoring.

Since taking office, he has kept up the pressure, vowing to punish domestic and foreign companies that manufacture abroad with massive tariffs of as much as 45 percent.

His frequent fusillades have led some companies to second-guess decisions to build production facilities overseas.

In February, Japanese firm Nisshinbo Holdings, a leading global maker of automobile brake parts, dropped plans to open a factory in Mexico, saying it was due to Trump's trade policies.

But the president has been notably silent on his daughter's products, which are sold in American retailers like Macy's, Lord & Taylor and TJ Maxx.

G-III alone sold $29.4 million of the goods in 2015, and sales in the first nine months of 2016 were up $13.3 million over the same period the previous year, according to the company's public filings.

But rather than chide his daughters partners for making their products abroad, Trump instead lashed out at Nordstrom last month after it announced it would stop carrying Ivanka's fashion range.

"My daughter has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom," he tweeted.

Christopher Balding, an expert on Sino-US trade relations at Peking University, called it "very hypocritical to make (bringing jobs back to the US) a policy plank and manufacture her products in China."

But "in their defense... she couldn't get those products manufactured in the US at a reasonable price point."

However, a long-time garment industry executive who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP simple products like polyester dresses could "definitely" be made in the US at a similar price once savings from transportation and tariffs are factored in.

"The less labour involved in making the garment, the more they can compete with Asian manufacturers."

- 'Tough policies' -

Late last month, Ivanka sat in on a White House meeting where her father discussed "tough policies" to bring "our jobs back."

"Everything is going to be based on bringing our jobs back," the president said, as he addressed a group of manufacturing moguls from a dozen American firms.

Following the meeting, a spokesperson for the Ivanka Trump brand told AFP the company has "consistently expressed that we share industry leaders' interest in bringing more manufacturing opportunities to the US and are looking forward to being a part of the conversation."

Just not yet: two days later, more than 5,000 Ivanka Trump polyester blouses arrived in Newark, New Jersey.

And at least one shoe factory in southern China has received an order for 10,000 shoes for next season, according to Chinese newspaper the Global Times.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich said Sunday that both the Republican and Democratic parties are disintegrating before our very eyes while discussing the GOPs plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Kasich urged Republicans to work with Democrats on the American Health Care Act, arguing that it would be unsustainable if signed into law without bipartisan support during an interview on NBCs Meet the Press.

If you dont get both parties together, nothing is sustainable, Kasich told host Chuck Todd. I mean, if they pass this just by themselves, well be back at this again.

When asked about how Republicans could get Democrats on board, Kasich critiqued the state of politics in general.

Look, I believe the political parties are disintegrating before our very eyes. I think more and more people across this country see no purpose for political parties, he said. Whats at risk here to Democrats is you cant turn your back on these people. And to Republicans, you need to invite Democrats in because were talking about lives.
Arizona Sen. John McCain said theres a lot of shoes to drop regarding more information about President Trump and his teams ties to Russia.

McCain said several aspects related to Trumps connections with Russia needed more questioning during an interview on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday.

Theres a lot of aspects with this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, and so far I dont think the American people have gotten all the answers, McCain told host Jake Tapper. In fact, I think theres a lot of shoes to drop from this centipede.

A growing number of Trumps associates have been revealed to have contacts with Russian officials. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigating ties between Russia and Trumps presidential campaign after it emerged he had met with the Russian ambassador in 2016 and failed to disclose it during his confirmation hearing. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned from his post after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contact with the same ambassador.

McCain said the issue clearly cries out for an investigation, although he cautioned against judging anyone guilty.
Amman (AFP) - A Jordanian soldier who shot dead seven Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 was released from prison Sunday after serving out his life sentence, sparking outrage from the families of those killed.

In March 1997, Ahmad Dakamseh fired an automatic weapon at schoolgirls on a trip to the Jordan-Israel border, killing seven of them and wounding five others and a teacher.

"He is now a free man," his cousin Mohammed Yahya Dakamseh told AFP by phone, saying he had been released at around 1:00 am after "he finished his jail term".

Dakamseh, who is aged 46 according to a family member, was released from the Bab al-Hawa prison in Irbid, 90 kilometres (60 miles) north of the capital Amman.

He had been sentenced to life imprisonment, which in Jordan is 20 years.

Dakamseh, who hails from Irbid's Ebder area, was a married father-of-three at the time of the attack.

His motives were never entirely clear, but he told the national security court during his trial that he fired his weapon at the schoolgirls after they mocked him while he was praying.

Jordan's then ruler King Hussein condemned the attack and later travelled to Israel to offer his condolences to the families of the murdered schoolgirls. His government also paid compensation.

- 'Children's blood not worthless' -

The attack came less than three years after Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty.

Dakamseh was driven home on Sunday in a convoy of dozens of cars whose drivers were honking their horns, a video shared on social media showed.

Dakamseh's brother Bassem said the family home was full of well-wishers.

"He is in good health, wearing a black suit among his relatives and close family including his 78-year-old mother," his brother said.

Videos circulated on social media showed Dakamseh greeting relatives and posing for selfies with visitors.

Dakamseh told Jordanian media on Sunday that he was "against any destabilisation in the country", but that his opinion of Israelis had not changed.

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"As for my position on the Zionists, you all know... what I did 20 years ago," he said.

There was no immediate official reaction from neighbouring Israel, but relatives of the slain schoolgirls slammed Dakamseh's release.

"This morning takes us back 20 years, to that horrible day," said Hezi Cohen, whose daughter Nirit was shot dead in the attack.

"I'd like to tell the (Israeli) prime minister and defence minister: Our children's blood should not be worthless," he told Israeli news website Ynet.

"You should have acted vis-a-vis Jordan to prevent this release at any cost."

Orit Cohen, whose sister Keren was killed, said: "Who says that tomorrow he (Dakamseh) won't carry out another attack and murder more Israelis?"

- Hunger strike -

Israel Fatihi, whose daughter Sivan was killed in the attack, said the Israeli ambassador to Jordan had warned them of the Jordanian's release.

Dakamseh "was called a hero in the Jordanian parliament at the time of the murder," he said. "If that's what they said in parliament, what can we expect from the family?"

Israel's "peace with Jordan is between us (Israelis) and the royal family -- not the people or the parliament," Fatihi said.

After the 1997 killings, Jordanian police said they prevented 100 people including two Islamist members of parliament from paying a solidarity visit to Dakamseh's family.

But 21 other lawmakers in a statement condemned the massacre, saying the holy war mentioned in the Koran did not authorise the killing of children.

Dakamseh, who suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes, was hospitalised in 2014 after he went on a five-day hunger strike to demand his release.

His strike followed Jordanian lawmakers demanding his release after Israeli soldiers killed a Jordanian judge in a scuffle at the Allenby Bridge border crossing with the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Jordan in 2011 had to distance itself from a newly appointed minister's remarks that Dakamseh was a "hero" after Israel summoned Jordan's ambassador.

Then justice minister Hussein Mujalli, who had also been Dakamseh's lawyer, said he was a "hero" and did not deserve prison.

Jordan is the only Arab nation besides Egypt to have signed a peace treaty with the Jewish state.
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - At least 34 people were killed and 17 injured in northern Haiti late on Saturday after a bus crashed into a parade of pedestrians, the country's civil protection authorities said on Sunday. The bus, which was coming from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au-Prince, crashed into a "rara" parade in the town of Gonaives in the northern part of the country, authorities said. Rara parades are groupings of musicians playing traditional instruments who are often joined by passers-by. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. The driver and passengers on the bus were being held at the police station, said Patrick Cherilus, a Civil Protection spokesman for the department of Artibonite. After the accident, other musicians and people in the parade began hurling rocks at the bus and passing vehicles, injuring other people, said Albert Moulion, the Ministry of the Interior's spokesman. Haitian roads are dangerous and chaotic, with few rules observed by pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Christine Murray and Sandra Maler)
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - At least 38 people were killed and about a dozen injured in northern Haiti late on Saturday after a bus drove into a parade of pedestrians while fleeing from an accident, the country's civil protection authorities said on Sunday. The bus, which was traveling from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au-Prince, initially hit two people in a town outside Gonaives in the north of the country, killing one, said Joseph Faustin, civil protection head in the Artibonite department. The bus driver then fled and crashed into three "rara" parades in Mapou, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away, Faustin said. Rara parades, which usually take place around Easter, are groupings of musicians playing traditional instruments who are often joined by passers-by. In total, 34 people were killed at the scene and an another four people died in hospital, said Fred Henry, the area's deputy representative, who added that the incident had occurred around 4 a.m. "Usually the drivers involved in such accidents don't stop because they are afraid they might be killed [in reprisal]," Henry said. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. The driver and passengers on the bus were taken to the police station, said Patrick Cherilus, a Civil Protection spokesman for the department of Artibonite. They have since been released and the bus driver has fled, said Jean Bazlais Bornelus, the police chief for the area, said. After the accident, other musicians and people in the parade began hurling rocks at the bus and passing vehicles, injuring other people, said Albert Moulion, the Ministry of the Interior's spokesman. Haitian roads are dangerous and chaotic, with few rules observed by pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers. President Jovenel Moise called for an investigation into the incident. "The head of state sends ... sincere condolences to the victims' families and loved ones," he added. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Christine Murray and Sandra Maler)
UPDATE: 5:35 p.m. EDT  Reuters upped the death toll from Sundays Haitian bus accident to 38 with the deaths of four of the injured at a hospital.

After the initial accident that killed one of two pedestrians, the fleeing bus driver crashed into three rara parades in Mapou, about 3 miles away, said Joseph Faustin, civil protection head in the Artibonite department.

Rara parades are an Easter-time staple and involve groups of musicians playing traditional instruments.

It was unclear what caused the 4 a.m. accident.

The bus driver was initially taken to a hospital along with injured passengers, but Police Chief Jean Bazlais Bornelus said he has since fled.

UPDATE: 3:30 p.m. EDT  A Haitian bus driver fleeing a hit-and-run accident in which one person was killed, plowed into three groups of street musicians, killing 33 more and injuring 17 Sunday in Gonaives, about 90 miles from Port-au-Prince.

Haitian President Jovenel Moise issued a statement, saying he was deeply saddened by the incident and pledged an investigation.

UPDATE: 1:15 p.m. EDT  A bus traveling from Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince killed at least 34 people Sunday and injured 17 others, Reuters reported.

Original story

A Haitian bus driver is accused of killing 34 people as he tried to flee a fatal accident in Gonaives, about 90 miles from Port-au-Prince. Early Sunday.

The bus hit two pedestrians, killing one, before plowing into a group of musicians. Fifteen other people were injured.

Police were attempting to control angry crowds as they transported the injured to hospital, Sky News reported.

"The people who were not victims of the accident tried to burn the bus with the passengers inside," said Faustin Joseph, civic protection coordinator for the area.

"The bus, the passengers and the driver were all placed into the care of the local authorities."

More to come

Related Articles
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Malaysia's deputy prime minister said Sunday that 315 North Koreans are in the country and barred from leaving amid a diplomatic dispute over the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half brother.

The figure is lower than an estimate previously given by a government official, who had told The Associated Press that some 1,000 North Koreans were believed to be in Malaysia.

Malaysia says Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13, but North Korea  which is widely suspected to be behind the attack  rejects the findings.

Relations have steadily deteriorated, with each country expelling the other's ambassador. On Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a "fair settlement" of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil.

Both countries have also scrapped visa-free travel for each other's citizens.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told local media on Sunday that 2,453 North Koreans came to Malaysia from 2014 to 2017, but that the latest record showed only 315 remained.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said Saturday that the government hopes to begin formal talks with North Korea in the "next few days" on the release of the nine Malaysians who are in Pyongyang, comprising three embassy workers and their family members.

Anifah also said the return of Kim's body would be part of the talks' agenda.

North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysia's autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked in a crowded airport terminal.

On Friday, Malaysian police confirmed that Kim Chol and Kim Jong Nam was the same person, but refused to say how they identified Kim.

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Although Malaysia has never directly accused North Korea of being behind the attack, many speculate that Pyongyang must have orchestrated it. Experts say the VX nerve agent used to kill Kim was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons.

Four of the seven North Korean suspects being sought by Malaysia are believed to have left the country the day Kim was killed. Police say the other three suspects, including a North Korean diplomat, are believed to be in hiding at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

The attack was caught on surveillance video that shows two women going up to Kim and apparently smearing something on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes, authorities say. Two women  one Indonesian, one Vietnamese  have been charged with murder but say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.
Sen. John McCain says President Trump has two choices when it comes to his assertion that President Barack Obama wiretapped his phones at Trump Tower before the election: provide evidence or retract the allegation immediately.

President Trump has to provide the American people  not just the intelligence community, but the American people  with evidence that his predecessor, former president of the Unites States, was guilty of breaking the law, McCain said on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday.

The Arizona Republican, who lost the 2008 presidential election to Obama, said he has no reason to believe that the charge is true.

Trump leveled the explosive claim in a series of tweets last weekend.

Related: Without evidence, Trump accuses Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Trump declared.

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.

Trump provided no evidence to back up the claims, and a spokesman for Obama branded the accusation simply false. The White House then called on Congress to investigate to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.

According to the New York Times, FBI Director James Comey asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Trumps assertion that Obama ordered the tapping of Trumps phones.

The House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election, has asked the White House to provide any evidence it has of Trumps allegations by Monday.

McCain said Trump could put the issue to rest by calling the director of the CIA and the director of National Intelligence for proof.

The president of the Unites States could clear this up in a minute, McCain said. All he has to do is pick up the phone, call the director of the CIA, director of National Intelligence and say, OK, what happened? Because they certainly should know whether the former president of the United States was wiretapping Trump Tower.

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Indeed, if Trump had obtained wiretapping information from his own intelligence sources, he would have the authority to declassify the material and substantiate his claims.

It looks as if the president just for a moment forgot that he was president, former NSA and CIA Director Michael Hayden said last week on Fox News. Why didnt he simply use the powers of the presidency to ask the acting director of national intelligence, the head of the FBI, to confirm or deny the story he apparently read from Breitbart the evening before?

McCain also weighed in on the recent report that Gen. Michael Flynn, Trumps ousted national security adviser, was working as a foreign agent last year while he was advising Trumps campaign.

Theres a lot of aspects of this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, McCain said. And, so far, I dont think the American people have gotten all the answers. In fact, I think theres a lot more shoes to drop from this centipede.

Hayden told Yahoo News that he isnt ready to say theres a direct link between Russia and President Trump or his campaign  but, he said, theres a lot of smoke.

This does deserve an investigation, because there are just so many coincidences, Hayden said.

Hayden, a vocal critic of Trump during the campaign, said there seems to be a lot of what he would call connective tissue between at least elements of the Trump campaign and people inside the Russian Federation  an unusual number.

Read more from Yahoo News:
MILWAUKEE (AP)  Authorities say a man who worked at the Milwaukee Police Department and a woman are dead after a double shooting on the city's northwest side.

The Milwaukee County medical examiner responded to the call about 3 p.m. Saturday. Police spokesman Sgt. Timothy Gauerke says a 47-year-old man died at the scene and a 38-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Investigators say the incident is related to domestic violence and police are not looking for any suspects.

No further information was immediately available.
PREWITT, N.M. (AP)  A police officer from the nation's largest American Indian reservation was shot early Sunday as he responded to a domestic violence call in western New Mexico and died hours later, federal officials said.

Navajo Nation Officer Houston James Largo, 27, died after being critically wounded near the small town of Prewitt, said Frank A. Fisher, an FBI spokesman in Albuquerque. The agency, which is investigating along with the tribe, said a suspect was in custody, but no other details were released.

Largo was flown to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said he went to give condolences to the officer's family.

"Our nation mourns for you as does the country," Begaye said in a statement. "Our officer's lives are precious. They are the ones who stand guard over our nation and protect us."

He said earlier Sunday that tribal officers are well-trained but face danger.

"Our officers put themselves in highly volatile situations every day in addressing domestic violence situations," Begaye said.

He said the tribe recently upgraded equipment and protective devices for its police department.

Begaye says Largo was from Thoreau, New Mexico, and had served with the department for 4 years. The FBI said Largo had five years of service. The Associated Press could not immediately reconcile the two numbers.

The tribal president said he appreciated a call from New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and her offer to help after the shooting.

"This sad news reinforces the dangers our police officers face every day  so we and our families don't have to," Martinez said in a statement. "I'm confident the monster who took this brave officer from us will face the full measure of justice."

New Mexico State Police and the McKinley County Sheriff's Office also were assisting with the investigation.

Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez called for support and respect of officers from the Navajo Nation, which covers 27,425 square miles in portions of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.

"Our Navajo Nation police officers risk their lives every day to protect our communities," Nez said in the statement. "Officer Largo is a great example of an officer who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect the life of another."
Days after a court ordered the removal of Park Geun-hye, South Koreas first female president, its rival neighbor North Korea has come forward to praise the move. Park, who left the presidential Blue House on Sunday, could also face criminal charges following her impeachment over a corruption scandal.

A spokesman for North Korea's National Reconciliation Council told the state-run media that Park was an "incomprehensible and outrageous lunatic."

The official said in a statement on KCNA, North Korea's official state news agency, This time Park was judged and punished by people, not by any specified force or political dissidents. ... This is a stern warning of history which proved that such matchless and heinous traitor will only meet ruin and death.

The scathing piece was titled, Traitors Are Bound to Meet Disgraceful Death.

It also took a potshot at the United States and its allies, adopting a rather tough tone, The U.S. and other riff-raffs who shielded human scum Park forsaken by the public will face the same fate as Park's sooner or later. This is a stern warning of the Koreans.

Another critical piece Friday by Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper from the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, remarked, The Park group is making last-ditch efforts to quell the mind-set of the participants in the candlelight actions in a bid to prolong its dirty remaining days.

Parks impeachment, the first for the South Korean nation, could shift the balance of power in favor of North Korea. Parks establishment had worked with the United States in trying to counter North Koreas nuclear threats. However, opposition leaders would apparently prefer to work more closely with the reclusive nation, and won't be too keen to get involved in a major confrontation, according to a New York Times report.

Tensions in the Korean Peninsula remain high, with North Korea testing four ballistic missiles last week. The tests were most likely in retaliation to the joint military drills that were conducted by the U.S. and South Korea. Under strict United Nations resolutions, the isolated country is not allowed to test any ballistic missile technology.

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The nuclear threat from North Korea continues to be a cause of worry. According to experts, Pyongyang could develop a nuclear-armed ballistic missile within four to five years that could potentially target and destroy an American city, the Time magazine reported last week.

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  The senior advisers to ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye offered to resign on Monday, news reports said, three days after the country's Constitutional Court formally ended her rule over a corruption scandal.

Park, whose power had been suspended in a parliamentary impeachment vote in December, was formally removed from office Friday after the court dismissed her from the top post. Park vacated the presidential office on Sunday.

Nine senior presidential advisers tendered their resignations to acting leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unidentified government officials. Other South Korean media carried a similar report.

Hwang's office could not immediately confirm the report, and calls to the presidential Blue House weren't answered.

Park's Blue House had 10 main presidential advisers on foreign policy, economy and other issues, but one position has been vacant since the arrest of one adviser over the scandal.

After being removed from office, Park has lost her presidential immunity and will likely face a direct investigation over allegations she colluded with a longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil, to extort money from businesses and allow Choi to meddle in state affairs though she has never held an official post.

Dozens of high-profile figures, including Choi, Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong and top government officials are already facing criminal trials.

Park has expressed defiance about the corruption allegations, raising worries about a further deepening of the national divide over her fate. Three people died and dozens were injured in violent clashes between Park's supporters and police following the court's ruling.

"Although it will take time, I believe the truth will certainly come out," Park said in a statement read by her former presidential spokesman, as hundreds of her supporters chanted her name and waved national flags.

She had previously apologized for putting trust in her jailed friend, Choi Soon-sil, but denied any legal wrongdoing.

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South Korea's main opposition party has called Park's statement "shocking" and "very regrettable" because she did not express remorse.

Park's departure from the Blue House came a day after tens of thousands of opponents and supporters divided the streets of downtown Seoul with massive rallies, reflecting the deep split in the nation.

South Korea now has to elect a president by early May. Opinion polls show the Democratic Party's Moon Jae-in, who lost to Park in 2012, as the favorite to become the country's next leader.

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Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.
Paris (AFP) - The mayor of Paris said Sunday the city would spend 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) to rid the French capital of rats and install more public ashtrays to clean up the city's streets.

In an interview with Journal du Dimanche weekly, Mayor Anne Hidalgo unveiled a 10-point plan aimed at making cleanliness a "priority".

The measures include increasing the number of sanitation workers and health inspectors, expanding the hours for garbage pickup, and urging restaurants and buildings to provide more ashtrays at entrances and exit points.

Municipal workers collect more than 150 tonnes of cigarette butts every year in Paris.

"We already allot 500 million euros a year for cleanliness and waste management...and the situation has improved," she said. "But it is clear that Paris is not yet perfectly clean."

"I want to speed up, increase efforts. It is a top priority," she said.

"In a civilised city, cleanliness must be everybody's responsibility," she said, calling for a change in the mindsets and habits of residents.

"In Tokyo, everything is clean and yet there are no dustbins because people wait to get home before throwing their waste."

Paris had come under fire in December for allegedly dragging its feet before it launched what has been dubbed its "war on rats".

Most of the criticism was centred on Hidalgo and the city's environmental health services chief.

The city's failure to keep the streets clean was also a major sticking point for residents, as a scathing commentary at the time in the conservative daily Le Figaro targeting the eco-friendly mayor revealed.

"New in the Parisian cityscape: filthy streets because of the total and persistent disarray in the cleaning services," wrote author and politician Serge Federbusch, describing the situation as "Hidalchaos".

In announcing the 1.5-million euro anti-rodent campaign, Hidalgo said the city would buy new traps for the rats and surround some of the city's 30,000 rubbish bins with wooden or Plexiglass bases.

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The bins are currently lined with flimsy plastic bags designed to avert terror attacks by making it harder to hide explosives in them.

The Republican group on the Council of Paris however scoffed at Hidalgo's measures.

"Anne Hidalgo is attempting to short-circuit her opposition by announcing as of now certain placebo measures, but there is absolutely nothing new," said the group.

The Republicans said an investigative commission will begin to study the city's cleanliness problem in May, suggesting that only then can the city come up with the right policies to "know how to remake Paris" into "a clean city".

The Journal du Dimanche said cleanliness "is the city's management weak point".
LONDON (Reuters) - Brexit minister David Davis said parliament must not be able to veto Britain's decision to leave the European Union, urging lawmakers to reject proposed changes to legislation that gives Prime Minister Theresa May the power to begin exit talks. Davis urged lawmakers in the elected lower chamber of parliament to overturn changes made last week by the upper house of parliament which sought to give politicians more power to reject the final terms of Britain's exit. "What we can't have is either house of parliament reversing the decision of the British people - they haven't got a veto," Davis said. (Reporting by William James; Editing by Mark Potter)
Manila (AFP) - The Philippine government agreed on Sunday to reinstate a ceasefire with the communists behind one of the world's longest-running insurgencies, despite President Rodrigo Duterte's earlier threat to step up attacks on the group.

Negotiators for both the government and the communist-led National Democratic Front also agreed to resume collapsed peace talks, a joint statement said.

"The parties shall continue the formal peace talks and reiterate their reaffirmation of all bilateral agreements and statements," made before the peace talks ended abruptly last month, the statement said, after a meeting in Utrecht, Netherlands.

"In the meantime, the parties agreed to reinstate their respective unilateral ceasefires," as soon as both sides inform their armed units, the statement added.

Duterte, a self-described socialist who once boasted of his links to the communist rebels, had reopened stalled peace talks with the 4,000-strong communist rebel movement after taking office in June.

His government released captured rebel leaders and both sides had called separate ceasefires to pave the way for peace talks overseas.

But the volatile Duterte angrily called off peace talks in February after guerrillas killed soldiers in a series of attacks.

Last week, Duterte ordered the military and police to step up their attacks following a communist ambush that left four policemen dead on Wednesday.

"This time, I'm using everything. I have encouraged the police to call in the air assets. Use our new jets. Make use of the rockets and bombs. Flatten the hills with bombs," Duterte said.

The joint statement said an NDF negotiator, arrested after talks collapsed, would be released.

The next round of formal talks will be held in April with another round to be held in June, the two sides said.

The communist insurgency in the poverty-stricken country began in 1968 and is one of the longest running in the world. It has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives, according to the military.
The 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar is celebrated as the start of Purim every year and the celebrations go on until the next evening. Saturday evening marked the start of Purim this year. The festival celebrates the heroism of Esther and Mordecai who freed the Jews in 4th century Persian Empire from being annihilated by an ominous plan created by the king's adviser, Haman. This holiday was first celebrated in the first century and has gradually become more popular around the world.

During the Purim holiday, Jews read the story of Esther and offer retellings of the story to their children. People enjoy the holiday with festive meals, dressing up in various costumes and dancing. Purim is considered to be a time to give. Following the tradition, families exchange gifts and treats in baskets while children dress up in costumes. Plays and parades are also held on the day Purim starts or on the eve of the Jewish celebratory holiday. People also offer money, clothes or food to the poor as a part of the celebration and consume festival meals that include wine and meat.

A major part of the tradition includes reading the Book of Esther, known as "the Scroll," or Megillah in Hebrew. It is generally read once on the eve of Purim and again on the next day. People retell the story of Esther to their children, which is considered an important part of the celebrations. During the synagogue services, churchgoers reportedly shake noisemakers known as "groggers" while mentioning the name of the villain, Haman, and believe that this act would "blot out" his name from history.

Bible verses are also read during Purim. Some important ones include:

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your fathers house will perish. And you know whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14

"I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Psalm 16:8

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Tunis (AFP) - A police officer was killed and another wounded in a night-time ambush on a checkpoint in southern Tunisia, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

Two suspected jihadists were killed and another seriously wounded in the incident near Kebili, 480 kilometres (300 miles) south of Tunis, in what the ministry described as a "terrorist attack".

The ambush by motorcycle-mounted gunmen occurred early Sunday on a police checkpoint, it said, adding that a fourth attacker fled the scene but was detained later.

"Home-made explosives" were found on the motorbikes, the ministry added.

Interior Minister Hedi Majdoub was among a large crowd of mourners who attended the policeman's funeral at Kebili on Sunday afternoon.

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced an increase in jihadist attacks that have cost the lives of dozens of members of the security forces and also 59 foreign tourists.

A soldier was wounded when a mine exploded on Sunday in the Mount Sammama area of central-western Tunisia, a defence ministry spokesman said.

Mount Sammama is in a range of hills that are a favoured hideout of loyalists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

It is adjacent to Mount Chaambi, considered to be the main rear base of the jihadists near the border with Algeria.

The injured soldier was hospitalised, but his life was not in danger, the spokesman added.

Tunisia has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when a suicide bombing in Tunis claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group killed 12 presidential guards.
Mosul (Iraq) (AFP) - It was once home to priceless archaeological treasures, but these days you get into Mosul museum in Iraq's second city via a gaping hole in the basement.

In the darkness lies a pile of rubble -- all that remains of two ancient Assyrian statues of winged bulls, smashed to pieces by Islamic State group jihadists.

Iraqi forces announced that they retook the building from IS on Tuesday as they pushed into west Mosul as part of a vast offensive to oust the jihadists from the northern city.

Taking the museum was a symbolic victory.

In a notorious video issued in February 2015, the jihadists were seen attacking items at the museum with sledgehammers and pneumatic drills, destroying priceless pre-Islamic artefacts.

Today, the museum is in ruins -- nothing escaped the attackers.

In a darkened hall, a heap of stones marks the spot where tourists once admired two imposing "lamassu" statues, Assyrian winged bulls with human faces.

The two-metre-tall monuments weighed more than four tonnes, according to Iraqi archaeologist Layla Salih.

In the rubble, what appear to be the remains of carved legs and wings can be seen. Other pieces of smashed stone bear inscriptions in the cuneiform alphabet.

Amid the ruins, a hole leads to the basement, where twisted iron bars are visible in the foundations.

From time to time, an explosion rocks the building, a plain structure of ochre rock, as Iraqi forces fire rockets at IS positions.

On the first floor, two Iraqi snipers huddle behind narrow windows, their weapons trained. An IS sniper is operating nearby.

Assyria, with its capital Nineveh in the area of present-day Mosul, was a kingdom in northern Mesopotamia that became one of the most powerful empires in the ancient Middle East.

Assyrian art is famous for its bas-reliefs showing scenes of war.

- 'Destroyed on the spot' -

As well as the two lamassu, the museum housed a winged lion of similar proportions, says Salih.

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The three lost sculptures "were among the most valuable pieces in the museum", she says.

The building had housed 100 objects, she adds, and all but six of them were originals.

"Antiquities weighing more than four tonnes were impossible for them to steal, so they were destroyed on the spot."

The second-most important museum in Iraq, the building also housed Hellenic objects dating from centuries before the Christian era.

But now, the iron and wood showcases are empty, covered with broken glass.

Labels discarded on the ground bear witness, in Arabic and English, to inestimable losses:

"Two silver goblets found in the royal cemetery of Ur... dating from 2,600 BC."

"Various small objects found in the royal palaces of Nimrud - 9th century BC."

Others mention pottery, marble or alabaster tablets and a Mamluk-era copper candleholder decorated with floral motifs.

IS jihadists seized a string of ancient sites in their lightning 2014 advance across Iraq and Syria.

After declaring their supposed caliphate that summer, they plundered and destroyed several of them.

The jihadists cast their destruction of artefacts as the religiously mandated elimination of idols, but they have had no qualms about selling smaller pieces on the black market to fund their rule.

In one video, they were seen using bulldozers, pickaxes and explosives to demolish Nimrud, a jewel of the Assyrian empire founded in the 13th century BC.

At Mosul museum, little survived except two massive, dark coffins decorated with inscriptions from the Koran. Salih says they belonged to 13th century Shiite imams.

"A restoration is possible, but it will be difficult to know if we will find all the fragments, or if some are missing," she says.
Berlin (AFP) - Europe's most powerful leader, Angela Merkel, meets for the first time next week America's flamboyant President Donald Trump whose arrival in the White House has sent shockwaves across the Atlantic.

While former US president Barack Obama had labelled Merkel his "closest international partner", there has been little known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office.

Trump's criticism of Germany over issues ranging from its record trade surplus to Merkel's liberal refugee stance, as well as his backing for Britain to leave the European Union, have not gone unnoticed in Berlin.

A month after US Vice President Mike Pence delivered a message to Europe underscoring the importance of transatlantic ties, Tuesday's meeting will be scrutinised for clues on whether Trump fully endorses that message.

The reserved German leader herself underlined that she is travelling to Washington not only as Germany's leader, but also as an envoy of the EU.

"I will of course point out that for us, our country and our membership in the European Union are two sides of the same coin," Merkel said in Brussels ahead of the visit.

The Washington meeting would also allow for "an exchange of bilateral and international topics, and transatlantic ties, as we have always stressed, are very important," added Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer.

As in other similar tours, Merkel will be accompanied by an army of business leaders, but this time the delegation faces an uncertain reception as Trump preaches an "America First" policy.

Siemens boss Joe Kaeser and BMW's Harald Krueger will be part of the group, according to news weekly Der Spiegel, and both will likely be trumpeting the thousands of jobs linked to their investments in the US.

Krueger will also be keen to persuade Trump, who has singled out BMW for hefty tariffs if it built a factory in Mexico, to reconsider the threat.

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But "if the government is serious about its new tax, the chancellery has already prepared a series of retaliatory measures," said Der Spiegel.

Juergen Hardt, the German government's US coordinator, said Merkel will sound a clear warning against protectionism, and press Washington to keep working towards a free trade deal with the EU.

- Leader of the free world? -

The meeting will also be closely watched for the dynamics between the two leaders who appear to stand far apart on content and style.

While Merkel is a firm believer in the European Union and globalisation, Trump cheers Britain's departure from the EU and scrapped the TPP free trade deal in his first days in office.

The two also differ on immigration policies -- she slammed his ban on citizens from mainly-Muslim countries, while he criticised as "catastrophic" her liberal refugee stance that led more than a million asylum-seekers into Germany.

And while Merkel, a trained physicist, rarely makes public statements deviating from a thoroughly researched text, Trump does not hold back on announcing US policy upheavals in 140-character Twitter messages.

Merkel had already set the tone from the beginning, when in their first phone conversation, she reminded Trump of democratic values while offering cooperation.

That phone call had led some to speculate that she may have taken on the mantel of the "leader of the free world", a title usually reserved for US presidents.

With Trump's latest bid to temporarily close US borders to refugees and citizens from six mainly-Muslim countries, expectations will be high for Merkel to raise human rights issues.

Asked if that is on the chancellor's list, Demmer refused to be drawn.

Washington meanwhile suggested that the talks will be focused on what both sides have in common than their differences.

A senior administration official skirted a question on Trump's criticism of Merkel over her stance on refugees, saying "those are German government decisions".

"The discussions that they will have on this will focus on the areas where we can cooperate," the official said, adding that Trump will reiterate a demand already driven home by Pence for NATO allies to boost defence spending.

The US president will also be "very interested in hearing her insights on what it's like to deal with the Russians" and Merkel's views on resolving the Ukraine conflict, added the official.
China on Sunday boasted harsh punishments meted out to rights defenders was the legal system's top accomplishment last year, as the country reported a jump in the number of corruption cases tried in its courts.

Activists and lawyers are a constant thorn in the side of Beijing and are often accused of being in cahoots with foreign organisations trying to undermine national security and stir up opposition to the government.

In an annual report to China's rubber-stamp parliament, Chief Justice Zhou Qiang said the "severe punishment of the crime of endangering state security" committed by rights defenders was a key achievement in 2016.

It ranked as the leading item in a list of measures taken last year to "safeguard human rights" in China.

Among the rights defenders punished and singled out for mention in the report was prominent lawyer Zhou Shifeng, who in August was sentenced to seven years in prison for "subversion".

His Fengrui law firm was known for taking on cases considered sensitive by the ruling Communist Party, such as those of dissident scholars, victims of sexual abuse and members of banned religious groups.

The number of corruption cases tried in China's courts last year rose by about a third from 2015, chief justice Zhou said, vowing the country would maintain the momentum of President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign.

Xi has presided over a much-publicised crackdown on rampant government corruption since coming to power in 2012, with more than one million officials punished in what some compare to a political purge.

In 2016, Chinese courts heard 45,000 graft cases involving 63,000 people, up from 34,000 cases in 2015.

For overall hearings, the Supreme People's Court heard nearly 23,000 cases and local courts heard some 23 million last year, with only 1,076 defendants found not guilty, according to data cited by Zhou.

Chinese courts have a conviction rate of 99.92 percent.
Representative Steve King (R., Iowa) sparked controversy on Sunday for a tweet that expressed support for the far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

King, who has a history of making racially provocative comments, tweeted: Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies. His comment quoted a cartoon from the account Voices of Europe, which described itself on Twitter as Anti EU / Pro Europe / MAGA.

Hundreds of Islamists shouting "Allahu Akbar" in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Wilders is right for over 10 years. #turkijerel pic.twitter.com/dV2SjXg23r  Voice of Europe (@V_of_Europe) March 12, 2017

Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. https://t.co/4nxLipafWO  Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017

King has regularly espoused white-supremacist ideologies  inciting outrage last year when he asked which subgroup contributed more to advancements in civilization than white people and when he put a Confederate flag on his desk.

His Sunday tweet earned praise from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

Kings office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Congressman Steve King has a history of stirring controversy. (Chris Keane/Reuters/File)

Iowa Rep. Steve King is facing a fierce backlash over a tweet critics say is an open embrace of white nationalism.

On Sunday, King retweeted a political cartoon featuring Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician whose anti-Muslim rhetoric and blown-out hairstyle have drawn plenty of comparisons to Donald Trump. The cartoon depicts Wilders, chairman of the far-right Party for Freedom and a member of the Dutch parliament, plugging a hole in the wall protecting Western Civilization as a flood of water bearing the star-and-crescent symbol of Islam comes crashing over the top.

Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny, King wrote on Twitter. We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies.

Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. https://t.co/4nxLipafWO  Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017

Hundreds of Islamists shouting "Allahu Akbar" in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Wilders is right for over 10 years. #turkijerel pic.twitter.com/dV2SjXg23r  Voice of Europe (@V_of_Europe) March 12, 2017

It isnt entirely clear whose babies King was referring to, and his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, Wilders recently thanked a different cartoonist for an excellent cartoon urging Europe to stop Islamization.

We must indeed stop the Islamization of our societies! he wrote.

Thank you my friend @BoschFawstin for the excellent cartoon. We must indeed stop the Islamization of our societies!https://t.co/FsJHLhZDCm pic.twitter.com/eSHEPrsWXM  Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) February 27, 2017

Kings tweet was retweeted by David Duke, former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

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Sanity reigns supreme in Iowas 4th congressional district, Duke tweeted, adding: GOD BLESS STEVE KING!!!

Just in case you were thinking about moving -> sanity reigns supreme in Iowa's 4th congressional district.#MakeAmericaGreatAgain https://t.co/RRjTzAzlKw  David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) March 12, 2017

Evan McMullin, the former independent U.S. presidential candidate, was quick to condemn Kings tweet.

GOP Congressman @SteveKingIA promotes the un-American ideas of white nationalism, McMullin tweeted. Will any Republican congressmen condemn his bigotry?

GOP Congressman @SteveKingIA promotes the un-American ideas of white nationalism. Will any Republican congressmen condemn his bigotry? https://t.co/5etQ8fwZx2  Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) March 12, 2017

California Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat, also condemned Kings message.

Dear Representative Steve King: These are my two babies. Representative Ted Lieu pic.twitter.com/MHU21jJUrY  Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 12, 2017

King is no stranger to stirring controversy.

In early 2008, King predicted that al-Qaida would be dancing in the streets if Barack Obama became president, in part because of Obamas middle name, Hussein.

His middle name does matter, King said. It matters because they read a meaning into that.

In 2012, King defended his Republican colleague Todd Akins controversial suggestion that women couldnt get pregnant from rape, saying he hadnt heard of such cases.

Well I just havent heard of that being a circumstance thats been brought to me in any personal way, King said. And Id be open to discussion about that subject matter.

And during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, King wondered aloud what contributions nonwhite citizens have made to society.

This old white people business does get a little tired, King said in an appearance on MSNBC. Id ask you to go back through history and figure out, where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people  where did any other subgroup of people contribute more to civilization?

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King is also well-versed in the Trump administrations controversial rhetoric.

Last week, King told the New York Times that he believes in the existence of a deep state thats attempting to undermine President Trump.

We are talking about the emergence of a deep state led by Barack Obama, and that is something that we should prevent, King told the Times. The person who understands this best is Steve Bannon.

King added that Trump needs to purge the leftists within the administration that are holdovers from the Obama administration, because it appears that they are undermining his administration and his chances of success.

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Romanias 205th Air Defense Battalion announced they would be sending 100 troops abroad to support NATOs presence in Poland.

This footage shows scenes of the soldiers undergoing training exercises as well as an interview with Romanian Brigade Commander Nistor Andrei, who explains it is up to the Romanian troops to support their allies.

We have worked before with our allies, but only in Romania, Andrei says. We have never worked abroad.

Romanias deployment comes as over 1,000 NATO troops from multiple countries have stationed themselves in Estonia, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania for Operation Atlantic Resolve. The operation is intended to be a bulwark in the Baltic region against Russia, following its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the occupation of Georgian territory since 2008. Credit: NATO Channel via Storyful
A report calling NATO to increase its presence in the North Atlantic Ocean in response to Russia's growing military strength was slammed by an expert Saturday. Nikolai Topornin, an associate professor of European Law at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Moscow State Institute of International Relations, told Radio Sputnik that the claims were a baseless attempt to spread fear in the region.

Last week, the report published by the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank urged NATO to reinforce its naval activity in the region over threats from the Russian navy, especially the Northern Fleet. Topornin raised doubts over the report, authored by former NATO commanders James Stavridis and Philip Breedlove.

"All work is paid for, and this report is no exception. How objective it is and the competency of the person who prepared it is another issue. It's one thing if he has tried to give an objective picture, but if he wanted to spread some fear and think up some stories, that's quite another and it seems to me that in this case, it's most likely the second one," Topornin said, according to Sputnik.

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"The man has simply set himself the task of telling everyone that Russia was violating some kind of strategic standards, is strengthening its military presence, including naval and may constitute some kind of threat," he added.

Both NATO and Russia have undergone massive military escalations in recent months with each side accusing the other of provocation.

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NATO must extend its naval presence in the North Atlantic amid concern that Russia developed "offensive long-range, high-precision capabilities and is building high-end maritime capabilities that could deny NATO members freedom of maneuver at sea," Breedlove said in his recommendation.

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"As we look to the future we need to think more broadly and to re-emphasize the maritime domain. NATO must put the North Atlantic Ocean back on its agenda. We must have command of the sea," he wrote.

This is not the first time Breedlove, who retired as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe last year, called for NATO to increase its military presence. He had pushed for similar move in Europe and urged the U.S. to supply lethal weapons to Kiev to use in eastern Ukraine.

Last week, a top U.S. military official accused Russia of breaking its commitment to the arms treaty, signed more than a decade ago, by deploying a new land-based, nuclear-capable cruise missile in Europe.

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Saudi Arabia's King Salman arrived in Tokyo Sunday, making the first visit to Japan by a monarch from the oil-rich nation in nearly five decades.

The 81-year-old king, who was greeted by Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito at Haneda airport, will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday and as he kicks off the Japanese leg of a broader tour of Asia.

Salman, who will visit 83-year-old Emperor Akihito on Tuesday, is travelling with a lavish entourage estimated at over 1,000 people.

Some 1,200 rooms at Tokyo's luxury hotels have been booked by the delegation for the three-night stay through Wednesday, according to local media, which has also reported that hundreds of limousines have been brought into the capital to accomodate the visitors.

Saudi Arabia is the largest provider of oil exports for Japan, which relies on Middle East for energy to power the world's third largest economy.

Japan hopes to use the visit to widen its relations with Saudi Arabia and help the country's efforts to diversify its economy, including exploring ways to increase Japanese investments in non-energy sectors such as manufacturing, according to officials.

King Salman's arrival marks the first visit to Japan by a Saudi leader since the 1971 visit to Japan by then-King Faisal.

King Salman himself, however, last visited Japan in 2014 as a crown prince.

The king is on a month-long tour of Asia, which has already taken him to Malaysia and Indonesia.

After Japan, he is scheduled to visit China and the Maldives.

Maldivian opposition parties on Friday raised objections to the planned visit and warned that they would stage protests over reports that Saudi business interests were buying an entire atoll in the politically-troubled Indian Ocean republic.
The death toll in the twin blasts Saturday near a pilgrimage site, frequently visited by Shiites, in the Shaghour area in the Syrian city of Damascus rose to 74, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Sunday.

According to the details of the deaths documented by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, they include 54 devotees from Iraq and Syria and 20 members of regime forces comprising gunmen, police and men loyal to the regime. The bombs detonated one after the other near the Bab-al-Saghir Cemetery. Casualties are expected to rise as more than 120 people among the visitors were injured.

Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Shaar said the attack targeted "pilgrims of various Arab nationalities."

"The sole aim was to kill, Shaar added.

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Photo: REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Ali Zatari, condemned the attack Saturday in a statement obtained by Sputnik. "The United Nations has expressed regret over the killing of innocent people in Damascus al-Shagur quarter as a result of the blast conducted by terrorists today in the morning, which left 40 civilians dead and a many injured," Zatari said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

The Iranian foreign ministry also released a statement condemning the attack. "The ministry calls on the international community to condemn this heinous terrorist crime that targeted civilian Iraqi visitors to the holy shrines. It also urges a firm and decisive stand against the Takfiri (Arabic derogatory term for Sunni Muslims or ISIS members) groups responsible for them," Iraqs Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal said, CBS News reported.

Last year, the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, attacked one of the most respected Shiite shrines in Damascus. In January, Syria's Kafr Sousa district faced a twin suicide bombing attack that killed 10 people, of whom eight were soldiers. The former al Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front claimed the attack and said it was targeted toward Russian military workers involved with the Syrian army.

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The body of Gibson Gib Lee Mathers, 61, of Powell, was found Saturday on the North Fork, according to a press release from the Park County Sheriff's office.

Mathers, a 61-year-old reporter for the Powell Tribune, had been missing since Jan. 31. Before his disappearance Mathers was seen taking photographs west of Cody near U.S. Highway 14. His pickup truck was later discovered near the Elk Fork Campground.

A local man on horseback discovered Mathers' body Saturday morning south of U.S. Highway 14-16-20 west in the Elk Fork Creek drainage, the release stated.

Park County Sheriffs Office deputies as well as search and rescue members were on scene as of Saturday afternoon.

The investigation into Mathers death is ongoing and no further information is available at this time, the release stated.
Vatican City (AFP) - Elected in 2013 with a brief to reform a scandal-hit Vatican, Pope Francis has launched numerous initiatives but, four years later, he is still struggling to deliver real change.

As he celebrates his fourth anniversary at the head of the Catholic Church on Monday, the affable Argentine continues to bask in a remarkable level of popularity around the world thanks to his popular touch, plain speaking and his humble, modest style.

But inside the Vatican Curia there is not always the same enthusiasm for a pope who has regularly lambasted the administration that runs the global church.

Addressing senior officials in December, the 80-year-old pontiff warned them the reform process he launched in 2013 had to lead to more than a cosmetic "face-lift" to remove wrinkles.

"Dear brothers, it's not the wrinkles in the church that you should fear, but the stains!" he told a group of religious bureaucrats he had previously described as suffering from "spiritual Alzheimer's".

One Argentine bishop estimates active supporters of Francis's agenda to make up only around 20 percent of the Curia. A majority are loyal but passive and there is a significant minority actively opposed to him, the cleric says.

Adding to Francis's problems is the fact that rapid change has been anything but a feature of Church culture over the centuries.

- Good pope, bad Curia? -

The sensitive issue of clerical sex crimes illustrated this double difficulty last week when Irish abuse survivor Marie Collins resigned from the pope's advisory panel on the issue blaming "shameful" obstruction from within the Curia.

But some Vatican insiders say depictions of a kind of civil war in the upper echelons of the Church are wide of the mark.

"We need to get rid of this cliched idea of a reforming pope on one side and a group trying to block him on the other," said German cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller, the head of the department targeted by Collins' criticism.

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"This simplistic idea of a good pope and a wicked Curia is dangerous for the pontiff because it can leave him isolated," said Gianni Valente, of the specialist review Vatican Insider.

And it does not always reflect reality. Many Vatican officials say certain reforms are held up because of a lack of sufficient preparatory consultation or because the wrong people are put in charge of them.

The most flagrant example of this was the appointment to a financial reform panel of Francesca Chaouqui, a PR consultant with questionable qualifications for the role.

- Years to go -

Chaouqui was convicted last year of leaking classified documents to journalists at the end of a highly embarrassing trial dubbed Vatileaks II.

The case centred on an unsuccessful attempt to prosecute two investigative journalists for using the leaked documents to expose waste and mismanagement of Vatican finances and the taste of some cardinals for lavish luxury.

Better controls on money coming in and going out are at the heart of Francis's reform agenda but officials admit it will be several years before fully audited consolidated accounts are produced.

"It is not easy to introduce common accounting standards when you have not had them for centuries," confides one official.

A month after his election, Francis appointed eight (now nine) cardinals to an advisory committee on administrative reform, but details of progress on this are sketchy.

At the beginning of 2014 a powerful economic department was created under Australian cardinal George Pell.

The move created shockwaves at the time but his powers have been trimmed since, according to Vatican watchers.

The body that manages the Vatican's huge assets has resumed control of its own affairs, noted Sandro Magister, a conservative commentator who is critical of Francis's leadership.

On the other hand, Vatican media activities have been completely reorganised and shaken up, despite considerable internal reservations.

"The pope starts procedures and sows disorder," says Magister, who describes Francis as being far from delivering the kind of change that was much discussed at the time of the conclave of cardinals which elected him.

Valente is more forgiving. "It is a long-distance job and the pope is laying out guidelines," he says, while stressing that most believers will judge Francis's performance as pope on other, less institutional, issues.
LONDON (AP)  Son Heung-min grabbed a hat trick as he seamlessly filled the void left by Harry Kane's injury-enforced early departure, powering Tottenham into the FA Cup semifinals with a 6-0 rout of third-tier Millwall on Sunday.

The South Korean made it six goals in four FA Cup games this season and he even set up fellow forward Vincent Janssen to end a seven-month wait for a goal from open play since joining Tottenham.

Christian Eriksen, who replaced Kane after 10 minutes, provided the cross for Son's third after scoring the opener and also set up Dele Alli's second-half strike.

But the joy at sealing Tottenham's trip to the semifinals for the first time in five years was tempered by Kane's ankle injury. Tottenham's top scorer missed 10 games after twisting the same right ankle in September and manager Mauricio Pochettino fears the worst again after he left in a protective boot.

"We cannot cry, we have to try to be positive," Pochettino said. "We have enough players to replace him."

Son can never be sure of a starting spot but he has netted 13 goals this season.

"Son can play like a striker," Pochettino said. "If you remember one of our best performances was a game against Manchester City here and he was the striker here when Harry was injured (and set up Alli's goal).

"We have different possibilities and different formations. Of course I am sad about Harry's injury but now I try to find solutions and try to find which is the best player to replace him."

Son's first goal came after initially struggling to control a pass but he recovered, cutting inside defender Jake Cooper and curling a shot into the far corner five minutes before halftime. Son doubled his tally nine minutes into the second half, getting ahead of Cooper again to latch onto Kieran Trippier's high pass from the halfway line and volleying into the net. The third in stoppage time was helped into the net by goalkeeper Tom King who let Son's strike slip through his legs as he fumbled the save.

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Son was also the target of abuse from some Millwall fans when he touched the ball in the first half at White Hart Lane, with chants of "DVD" and "selling three for a fiver" aimed at him. Millwall manager Neil Harris was asked in the post-match news conference about such chants being racially offensive Asian stereotypes.

"I'm sure it will be investigated and left to the authorities," Harris said. "We want people dealt with harshly. ... It's wrong in football and wrong in society."

Herman Ouseley, the Millwall-supporting chairman of anti-racism group Kick It Out, was unaware of the offensive interpretation of the "DVD"-related chants.

"If complaints are made they will have to be looked at to see if they have any validity to see if it stirs up racial hatred," Ouseley told The Associated Press.

The English Football Association plans to investigate the incident, and gather observations and evidence from the clubs and police.

There was a heavy police presence outside the ground, with some confrontations between rival fans before and after the game. Inside, though, there was no disorder at what could be the last FA Cup game at White Hart Lane.

The semifinal will see the 1991 FA Cup winners visit their second home at Wembley. Tottenham's Champions League and Europa League games were played at English soccer's national stadium this season and it is set to play every fixture there next season as White Hart Lane is demolished to make way for a new stadium.

Tottenham joins north London rival Arsenal and Manchester City in a strong semifinal lineup that will be completed after Chelsea hosts Manchester United on Monday.
By Hyunjoo Jin and James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - The liberal politician expected to succeed disgraced Park Geun-hye as South Korea's next president could significantly soften Seouls stance toward North Korea and possibly delay deployment of a U.S. missile-defense system that has enraged China. A Constitutional Court on Friday dismissed Park from office after upholding her impeachment over a corruption scandal involving "chaebol", the family-run conglomerates that dominate Asia's fourth-biggest economy, and which could also face reform under a liberal leader. A presidential election will be held by May 9 and opinion polls suggest South Koreans will opt for change by electing a liberal into the presidential Blue House, ending nine years of conservative rule. The front-runner is Moon Jae-in, a human rights lawyer who was a top aide to former President Roh Moo-hyun, an advocate of a "sunshine policy" of engagement with North Korea. Moon has criticized the two former conservative presidents  Park and her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak - for derailing the progress made inter-Korean relations during the previous liberal administrations. He calls for a "two-step" approach on North Korea, with talks leading first to "economic unification" and ultimately "political and military unification". Moon on Sunday stressed the need to "embrace and be united with" the North Korean people, while adding that he could never accept its "dictatorial regime", or its trampling of rights. He denounced the North's "cruel and ruthless behavior" in the wake of the murder in Malaysia last month of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But he told a news conference there was no choice but to recognize Kim Jong Un as leader. "We cant deny that the ruler of the North Korean people is Kim Jong Un. We have no choice but to recognize Kim Jong Un as a counterpart, whether we put pressure and impose sanctions on North Korea or hold dialogue," Moon said. A conciliatory line might face opposition from main ally the United States where President Donald Trump's aides are pressing to complete a strategy review on how to counter North Korea's missile and nuclear threats. North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year, as well as numerous missile launches, the latest on March 6 when it fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan. Speaking to reporters recently, Moon invoked his old boss, Roh, and Roh's predecessor, Nobel peace prize winner Kim Dae-jung, the architect of the "sunshine policy", as inspirations behind his bid for the presidency. The two former liberal presidents both held summits with the North's then-leader, Kim Jong Il - the only such meetings ever -promising reconciliation and initiating joint projects including the Kaesong Industrial Complex and tours to Mount Kumgang in the North. Both were suspended under conservative administrations. DELAY IN DEPLOYMENT? Moon said South Korea should resume operations at Kaesong - where South Korean companies operate factories with North Korean workers on the North Korean side of the border - regardless of North's nuclear ambitions. Some conservatives have denounced Moon as "pro-North". He would also face conservative ire if he were to delay deployment of a U.S. missile-defense system. Alarmed by North Korean weapons tests, South Korea and the United States have agreed to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in South Korea, angering China which sees its sophisticated radar as a threat to its own security. The first elements of the system arrived in South Korea last week. Moon says a final decision on deployment should be made by the next government, and parliament should approve it. But that could cost him in the polls if defense become a big election issue, said Myongjin University politics professor Kim Hyong-joon. "He's perceived as lacking a sense of national security," Kim said. On business, Moon has called for reform of the chaebol, addressing Koreans' concerns over their influence, and their involvement in the scandal that brought down Park. Moon has said chaebols stifle smaller companies and are detrimental to the economy. But he is unlikely to introduce radical reform, or ramp up corporate taxes, let alone dismantle them, as some critics urge. "I just want transparent and democratic management," he said recently. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by James Pearson and Cynthia Kim; Editing by Robert Birsel & Simon Cameron-Moore)
Prism and Upstream, two surveillance programs first revealed by former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden, are set to expire at the end of the year. However, intelligence agencies have continued not to disclose to Congress how many Americans have had communications caught up in the spying efforts.

Upstream and Prism operate under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows intelligence agencies to acquire foreign intelligence information concerning people who arent citizens of the United States and are located outside the country.

Prism is used to collect messaging data from major tech companies including Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft that is sent and received by foreign targets under surveillance. Upstream gives the NSA the ability to intercept internet traffic flowing along the "internet backbone"major Internet cables and switcheslocated in the U.S. and overseas.

That section of the law is set to expire at the end of the year on Dec. 31. The White House reportedly supports the renewal of the law as-is and is not pushing for reforms to the programs despite widespread criticism of the wide net they cast.

Congress has started to process of renewal, reviewing the law and its effects, but has continually had a request denied to learn how many Americans have their electronic communications intercepted by the programs.

Democratic Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, is the latest to ask for figures from the intelligence community. Last week, he informed a panel hearing that Congress would need to know the numbers to help decide on reauthorization.

"The members of this committee and the public at large require that estimate to engage in a meaningful debate," he said.

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Conyers is joined in his request by Democratic Senator Ron Wyden from Oregon, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Wyden has pressed the director of national intelligence for the information in 2011, 2012 and 2014, and has renewed his request in a letter sent to Daniel Coats, the Trump administrations choice for director of national intelligence.

"I and other members of Congress have been seeking an answer to this question since 2011. We posed the question again in the context of the reauthorization of Section 702. It is now central to the debate this year over the reauthorization of the program, which you have described as your 'top legislative priority, Wyden wrote.

Coats reportedly told Wyden he would "do everything I can" to "get you that number," but provided no guarantee that he would follow through.

According to April Doss, a former NSA lawyer who testified before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month, U.S. spies dont keep track of the number of American citizens caught by the surveillance programs because doing so would create its own privacy concern.

She reasoned that identifying whether a person caught in the spy net would require spies to de-anonymize data collected, including phone numbers and IP addresses, to determine whether the person attached to that data is an American.

Doss said that practice would constitute an unnecessary and unwarranted intrusion on the privacy of U.S. persons and would also likely be illegal as it would be both intrusive and unrelated to any need for foreign intelligence gathering.

Privacy organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation have called on Congress to put an end to the programs by letting them expire at years end.

We've long argued that the surveillance programs under Section 702 are not targeted, do not have sufficient oversight, and violate Fourth Amendment protections. That's why were calling on Congress to let the authority sunset," the EFFs Kate Tummarello wrote in a blog post earlier this month.

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The Hague (AFP) - Three days before key Dutch elections campaigning was reaching fever pitch Sunday with the far-right poised to make huge gains, and the poll overshadowed by a bitter diplomatic row with Turkey.

As politicians criss-crossed the country ahead of Wednesday's vote, Turkish and Dutch leaders traded accusations and ties sank to new lows after The Netherlands banned Turkish ministers from a pro-Ankara rally in Rotterdam.

The stakes are high, with Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Liberals (VVD) predicted to return as the largest party in the 150-seat parliament scooping up between 23 to 27 seats, according to the latest aggregated polls. That is well down from 40 VVD MPs in the outgoing lower chamber.

Rutte, who is bidding for a third term, is facing a strong challenge from far-right anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV).

"I'm fighting very hard to win these elections," Rutte told reporters as he campaigned in The Hague on Sunday. "Now we are ahead in the polls, but still I think we should gain some more seats."

But he warned "it is still possible that Geert Wilders could win the elections" pointing to last year's shock Brexit vote and the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential race.

"I am not personally afraid, (but) I think it is not a good outcome to the election," he added.

Buoyed for months by the polarising debate over immigration, Wilders sought to capitalise on violent scenes in Rotterdam early Sunday when riot police moved in to break-up a huge demonstration.

Tweeting a picture of a woman in headscarf taking a selfie amid a sea of Turkish flags, he wrote: "Decades of open borders, mass immigration, no integration, and double nationality and this is the result."

- 'Cultural divide' -

After weeks of flirting at the top of the polls, Wilders has seen his ratings slip and may now come second with between 19 and 23 seats, according to the latest surveys.

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The election is being closely watched as a bellwether of the rise of populist and far-right parties ahead of other national votes in Europe later this year.

Known for his incendiary anti-Islam rhetoric, the peroxide-blonde Wilders has vowed to close the country's borders to Muslim immigrants, ban the Koran and shut mosques.

If he emerges as one of the largest parties in parliament he may be a difficult voice to ignore.

Already Rutte, in a bid to sap support from Wilders, has called on immigrants to adapt to Dutch values or leave.

The row with Turkey, "emphasises this cultural divide, the cultural issues in the elections," said analyst Monika Sie Dhian Ho, director of the Clingendael Institute think-tank.

"It forces the more established parties to also run a campaign in this cultural dimension, rather than in the traditional left-right dimension," she told AFP.

Wednesday's results will likely trigger some tough coalition talks to govern one of the largest countries in the eurozone and a founding pillar of the European Union.

- Rise of the greens -

Polls also suggest the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the progressive pro-democracy party D66 -- both long-established parties -- are having a late surge and may take between 18 and 20 seats each.

With a total of 28 parties chasing some 12.9 million eligible voters, the results are likely to be fragmented and negotiations to form the next coalition government could take months.

Many parties have vowed not to work with Wilders, and these elections have also seen the remarkable rise of the left-wing ecologists GroenLinks and their charismatic young leader Jesse Klaver.

"My weapons are hope and optimism," the 30-year-old Klaver told AFP Saturday after campaigning in southern Eindhoven.

"We have a realistic view for the future, these are our weapons... we dont have a normal campaign. We are building a movement that is stronger than any parties in Netherlands."

Several of the party leaders are already eyeing the coveted premiership, such as the leader of the progressive D66 party Alexander Pechtold.

"I think there should be an alternative to Mr Rutte, and it should be a progressive alternative," he told AFP.
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified his dispute with European nations Sunday, claiming that Nazism is alive in the West after two of his ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands and promising that the Dutch would pay the price for their unusual action.

While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte worked to contain the diplomatic damage, Erdogan made it clear that Turkey would not be easily appeased.

He said Ankara would retaliate for the treatment of the Turkish family affairs minister, who on Saturday was blocked by police in riot gear from entering her countrys consulate in Rotterdam.

That came hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied airport landing rights to address crowds at a Rotterdam rally.

Saying that he was wrong to think Nazism was over, Erdogan made the comment to an audience in Istanbul. The remarks were similar to ones he made about Germany earlier this month.

The Dutch prime minster said it was important for his government not to bow to pressure from Turkey, especially after Ankara threatened sanctions if the Dutch kept Turkish ministers out.

Turkey is a proud nation. The Netherlands is a proud nation. We can never do business under those sorts of threats and blackmail, said Mark Rutte, whose party is locked in a neck-and-neck race with populist firebrand Geert Wilders.

To bolster support for an April 16 referendum that would expand the powers of Turkeys president, Turkish cabinet ministers have scheduled campaign trips to several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

However, some European nations have complained that Turkey under Erdogan is slipping toward authoritarian practices, especially since last summers aborted coup. Rutte cited that concern in asking Cavusoglu not to come to the Netherlands.

The furor between two NATO allies comes at a crucial time in the Netherlands, where issues of Dutch identity, relations with migrant communities and Islam have taken center stage in the run-up to a national election on Wednesday.

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Ruttes actions, which came two days after several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish Cabinet ministers had planned to address, prompted Erdogan on Saturday to accuse the Dutch of being Nazi remnants.

On Sunday, he heaped on more criticism while demanding an apology from the Dutch.

If you sacrifice Turkish-Dutch relations to the elections on Wednesday, then you will pay the price, Erdogan warned.

Those who unleash the dogs and their hatred will pay the price, he added in reference to images showing police dogs biting pro-Erdogan protesters who gathered outside the consulate.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said no apologies would be forthcoming.

Addressing crowds at a campaign rally later, Erdogan called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands and urged the European Union to speak out against the Dutch.

What took place in the Netherlands was the trampling of diplomacy, international law, practice, decency. Is there a peep coming out of Europe? No. Why? Because they wont bite one another. They are all the same. The Netherlands did not behave like a European Union member state governed by the rule of law, but like a banana republic.

Amid the sparring, Cavosoglu was allowed to campaign Sunday in the northern French city of Metz a day after he was banned from speaking in the Netherlands. He told hundreds of supporters there that the Dutch would be forced to account regardless of an apology and called the Netherlands the capital of fascism.

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said the rally presented no threat to public order and was permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

Frances foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, called for the calming of tensions between some European countries and Turkey. He also urged Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations.

About 100 supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted Cavusoglu as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz.

I am disappointed by Holland because they speak of democracy and freedom but it is not the case. To not allow a speech, its sad. We are all disappointed, said Beatrice Bozkus, a Metz resident who attended the rally.

The Netherlands said Turkish attempts to campaign here touched at the heart of Dutch citizenship, although hundreds of thousands of residents have Turkish roots and many still feel committed to their ancestral homeland.

The biggest problem in this case is that Turkey is talking about Turkish citizens who they want to talk to, Rutte said. These are Dutch citizens who possibly also have voting rights in Turkey.

Still, added the prime minister, his government will keep working to de-escalate where we can. If the Turks choose to escalate, we will have to react, but we will do everything we can to de-escalate.

On Saturday, Turkeys family and social policies minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, was denied entry to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, where she was to campaign for the upcoming referendum in Turkey.

After a tense standoff outside the consulate, she was escorted back to the German border.

Speaking to reporters Sunday at Istanbuls main airport, Kaya condemned Dutch authorities anti-democratic actions which trampled on freedom of expression and right to assembly.

We were subject to very rude and harsh treatment, she said.

Earlier, a man climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate in Istanbul and replaced the Netherlands flag with the Turkish one.

Television footage showed a man standing on the roof of the building shouting Allahu akbar, Arabic for God is great. A small group of men holding Turkish flags were seen outside the consulate shouting Damn Holland and Racist Holland.

The private Dogan news agency reported that the consulate later took down Turkeys flag and put the Dutch flag back up.

In Rotterdam, police arrested 12 people early Sunday at a demonstration outside the consulate after police were hit by bottles and rocks.
BANGKOK (AP)  Bank the green sea turtle flapped her flippers with vigor in her first swim after a life-saving operation to remove a heavy mass of swallowed coins from her stomach.

Veterinarians in Bangkok put the turtle in water Friday for the first time since her surgery four days ago to see how well she could move. The turtle was gently lowered into a large plastic tank and very quickly began swimming as best as she could in the restricted space.

"It's fantastic! She is responding very well," said Dr. Nantarika Chansue, who led the team from Chulalongkorn University's Veterinary Faculty. "Now she is very happy and looks like normal turtle."

The 25-year-old turtle was rescued from a pool in the seaside town of Sri Racha by the Thai navy. The cause of her ill health was revealed by 3D scans that showed she had been eating the coins thrown into her pool by passers-by who believed doing so would bring them luck or longevity.

Over the years, the loose change got stuck in the turtle's digestive tract, cracking her ventral shell and causing a life-threatening infection.

The surgeons needed four hours to remove 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of money, counting 915 coins of various currencies. Some are still inside. Veterinarians hope Bank will pass them naturally.

Her rehabilitation has involved manipulating her limbs to make sure the muscles don't stiffen up after being out of water for a prolonged period, and checking that the surgical scar does not get infected. But there are lingering concerns.

"The wound healing seems to be OK and there is no secondary infection because we are using sterile seawater," said Nantarika, "but we have checked her blood and her nickel concentration is very high so we have to work on that."

___

Associated Press writers Dake Kang and Kaweewit Kaewjinda contributed to this report.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  The senior advisers to ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye offered to resign on Monday, news reports said, three days after the country's Constitutional Court formally ended her rule over a corruption scandal. Park, whose power had been suspended in a parliamentary impeachment vote in December, was formally removed from office Friday after the court dismissed her from the top post. Park vacated the presidential office on Sunday. Nine senior presidential advisers tendered their resignations to acting leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unidentified government officials. Other South Korean media carried a similar report.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Korean politicians want to ensure that the country never again sees a leader like Park Geun-hye, who was booted from office over an explosive corruption scandal. But they are far apart on whether doing so would require rewriting the country's 3-decade-old constitution, a treasured symbol of the bloody transition from dictatorship to democracy. Several parties, including conservatives scrambling to distance themselves from Park, say South Koreans should vote in a new constitution in addition to a new president in early May. They say the shocking downfall of Park, who may face criminal charges over extortion and bribery, shows that the constitution places too much power that is easily abused and often goes unchecked into the hands of the president.

TOKYO (AP)  King Salman and hundreds of business leaders from Saudi Arabia are in Japan for talks Monday mainly expected to focus on economic ties. The visit is the first by a Saudi king in 46 years, though Salman visited more recently as crown prince. Saudi Arabia is one of Japan's biggest suppliers of crude oil, accounting for about a third of its total imports of oil from the Middle East. The kingdom is striving to diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on oil exports, and Salman is on a month-long tour of Asia to advance his kingdom's economic and business interests.

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BEIJING (AP)  The convictions of a prominent defense attorney and his associates were among the country's top legal achievements last year, China's chief justice said Sunday, highlighting a case that has been criticized by Western governments and rights groups. In a report to the national legislature, Zhou Qiang also said that China, which is believed to execute more people than the rest of the world combined, gave the death penalty "to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely serious offenses" in the past 10 years. The actual number of executions in China is a state secret. A 2007 decision that all death sentences must be reviewed by the Supreme People's Court is believed to have reduced the number of executions dramatically.

BEIJING (AP)  China's ceremonial parliament and its official advisory body traditionally hold their annual sessions at Beijing's Great Hall of the People during the first two weeks of March, a time when the Chinese capital is finally emerging from the long winter freeze. This year's gatherings were blessed by unusually clear weather, with little of the choking smog that so often grips the city, and the resulting sunshine cast heavy black shadows of the building and people on the surrounding plaza. The sessions draw a veritable army of attendants, from the sentinels who guard the hall year round, to the special police, K9 units and firefighters brought in to prevent and contain any threats to the safety of participants.

BEIJING (AP)  China's ruling Communist Party is hardening its rhetoric on Islam, with top officials making repeated warnings about the specter of global religious extremism seeping into the country and the need to protect traditional Chinese identity. Shaerheti Ahan, a top political and legal affairs party official in Xinjiang, on Sunday became the latest official from a predominantly Muslim region to warn political leaders gathered in Beijing for this month's National People's Congress about China becoming destabilized by the "international anti-terror situation." Over the past year, President Xi Jinping has directed the party to "Sinicize" the country's ethnic and religious minorities, while regional leaders in Xinjiang, home to the Uighur (pronounced WEE-gur) ethnic minority, have ramped up surveillance measures, police patrols and demonstrations amid an uptick in violence blamed on Islamic separatists.

SOUTH ARI ATOLL, Maldives (AP)  There were startling colors here just a year ago, a dazzling array of life beneath the waves. Now this Maldivian reef is dead, killed by the stress of rising ocean temperatures. What's left is a haunting expanse of gray, a scene repeated in reefs across the globe in what has fast become a full-blown ecological catastrophe. The world has lost roughly half its coral reefs in the last 30 years. Scientists are now scrambling to ensure that at least a fraction of these unique ecosystems survives beyond the next three decades. The health of the planet depends on it: Coral reefs support a quarter of all marine species, as well as half a billion people around the world.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Malaysia's deputy prime minister said Sunday that 315 North Koreans are in the country and barred from leaving amid a diplomatic dispute over the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half brother. The figure is lower than an estimate previously given by a government official, who had told The Associated Press that some 1,000 North Koreans were believed to be in Malaysia. Malaysia says Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13, but North Korea  which is widely suspected to be behind the attack  rejects the findings.

ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistan's information minister says the country is set to launch a national census for the first time in 19 years. Maryam Aurangzeb said told reporters Sunday that the census will start on March 15 and should be completed by May 15. She appealed to citizens to cooperate and warned against giving false information. Pakistani army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor said that nearly 200,000 soldiers will help civilian staffers collect the door-to-door data. Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998, which recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time. Analysts believe the figure has risen much higher, most probably crossing over 200 million.

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The Philippine government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said Sunday. Government and rebel negotiators will resume talks early next month and discuss the terms of a broader cease-fire, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said. Norway, which has been brokering the negotiations, hosted two days of informal talks in the Netherlands that led to a decision to resume the negotiations on ending one of Asia's longest-running rebellions. Just three days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to unleash an all-out war against the New People's Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another in an ambush in southern Davao del Sur province.
Washington (AFP) - A senior Republican lawmaker on Sunday challenged President Donald Trump to prove his claim that his phone was tapped by predecessor Barack Obama during last year's campaign -- or else retract the unsubstantiated allegation.

Senator John McCain, a frequent Trump critic, issued his demand in an interview with CNN.

"The president has one of two choices, either retract, or to provide the information that the American people deserve," McCain said.

"I have no reason to believe this is true, but I also believe that the president of the United States could clear this up in a minute," he continued.

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"All he has to do is pick up the phone, call the director of the CIA, the director of national intelligence and say, 'OK, what happened?' Because they certainly should know whether the former president of the United States was wiretapping Trump Tower."

Obama, through a spokesman, has denied Trump's claim, which the billionaire-turned-politician made in a series of tweets earlier this month.

Obama's director of national intelligence James Clapper also said in an interview that there was no wiretap of Trump or his campaign.

But Trump has not walked back his allegation, and the White House asked a congressional committee that is examining Russian interference in last year's US presidential election to investigate the wiretapping claim as well.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, part of a group of eight top lawmakers who receive classified intelligence briefings, was asked Sunday during an interview with CBS News if he has seen anything to suggest there's truth to Trump's claim.

He responded simply: "No."

But Ryan added, "I don't want to get ahead of the intelligence committees and their thorough investigation."
Roger Stone

President Donald Trump's former campaign adviser and longtime confidante Roger Stone said he exchanged private messages with a hacker implicated in a massive cyberattack that targeted the Democratic National Commitee last year.

Stone told Business Insider in an email late Thursday night that he had a private conversation on Twitter with the person, nicknamed "Guccifer 2.0," and that the interaction was so "brief and banal, I had forgotten it."

"Not exactly 007 stuff even if Gruccifer 2.0 [sic] was working for the Russkies," Stone said. "Meaningless."

Guccifer 2.0 has said that they targeted Democrats in the heat of the election last summer. One such cyberattack hit the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, leading to the release of email addresses and phone numbers belonging to nearly 200 Democratic congressional members on August 12, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time.

Guccifer 2.0 has denied having any links to Russia. But digital fingerprints were left on the hacks that led the US intelligence community  as well as several private cybersecurity firms  to conclude that the cyberattacks were largely, if not entirely, carried out by two Russian intelligence groups.

Piecing together Guccifer's comments and cyber trails, experts soon began to agree that the self-proclaimed hacker was either a poser or the product of a Russian disinformation campaign. ThreatConnect, a cyber-security firm based in Arlington, Virginia, concluded that Guccifer 2.0 had been using the Russian-based Virtual Private Network service, Elite VPN, to secure their communications.

For his part, Stone cast aside any suggestion that he may have collaborated with the DNC hackers, Russian or not, telling Business Insider that he first noticed on August 14  after he'd written an article for Breitbart saying he thought Guccifer was "the real deal"  that a Twitter account that apparently belonged to Guccifer had been reinstated after a brief suspension.

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Screenshots of Stone's back-and-forth with Guccifer via Twitter direct messaging were first revealed by The Smoking Gun. Stone later shared them with Business Insider.

trump carrier

"Long after Grufficer's [sic] bit part in this drama, I did in fact have a short and innocuous Direct Message Exchange with Gruccifer 2.0," Stone said. He told The Smoking Gun that he thought the messages had been public.

Business Insider cannot independently confirm if Stone's screenshots accurately portrayed the entirety of his conversation with Guccifer. But in what appeared to be the first message in their conversation, Stone said he was delighted that Twitter had reinstated Guccifer 2.0s account.

Stone messaged Guccifer again on August 16 and asked if the alleged hacker could retweet his column about the 2016 presidential election possibly being rigged.

im pleased to say that u r great man, Guccifer 2.0 replied on August 17. please tell me if i can help u anyhow. it would be a great pleasure to me.

Stone's tweets in the days after raised questions about whether he knew in advance that emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, would be imminently published by WikiLeaks.

"Trust me, it will soon the Podesta's time in the barrel. #CrookedHillary," Stone tweeted on August 21.

Wednesday @HillaryClinton is done," Stone tweeted on October 1. "I have total confidence that @wikileaks and my hero Julian Assange will educate the American people soon #LockHerUp," he tweeted on October 3.

Payload coming. #Lockthemup," Stone tweeted on October 5. On October 7, shortly after an Access Hollywood video surfaced of Trump making lewd remarks about women, WikiLeaks published the first batch of Podesta emails.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange makes a speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, in central London, Britain February 5, 2016. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo

I think theres a reasonable belief that Mr. Assange may have passed this information onto Mr. Stone," Podesta told reporters later.

Stone has denied having any direct contact with WikiLeaks, saying that he had been getting his information from a mutual friend he shared with Assange.

He told BI on Thursday that he "had no contacts or communications with the Russian State, Russian Intelligence or anyone fronting for them or acting as intermediaries for them," Stone said. "None. Nada. Zilch. I am not in touch with any Russians. don't have a Russian girlfriend, don't like Russian dressing and have stopped drinking Russian Vodka."

Seventeen US intelligence agencies concluded in January that Russia interfered in the US election  hacking into the DNC and John Podesta's inbox and leaking the stolen documents to WikiLeaks  to undermine Hillary Clinton.

US intelligence agencies and the House and Senate intelligence committees are currently investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with, or was complicit in, Russia's election-related meddling. They have found no evidence so far that the Trump campaign actively collaborated with Russia to affect the outcome of the election.

NOW WATCH: The Trump family's lavish lifestyle is costing taxpayers a fortune





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Hebron (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli settlers celebrating a Jewish holiday in the occupied West Bank Sunday paid tribute to a soldier who shot dead a wounded Palestinian assailant, with some even dressing up as him.

A parade in the city of Hebron for Purim, which sees participants dress up, began at the spot where the shooting which deeply divided Israeli society occurred on the same holiday last year.

The parade traditionally begins there, but this year it took on particular significance -- a prominent far-right lawyer dressed up as the soldier, Sgt. Elor Azaria, who has been convicted of manslaughter.

At least one other person also dressed up in tribute to Azaria, and a loudspeaker announcement as the parade began thanked him, drawing cheers from some in the crowd.

Several hundred people took part in the parade in Hebron, where the presence of some 500 Israeli settlers in the heart of the city of some 200,000 Palestinians leads to near-constant tension.

Security was tight, with a large deployment of Israeli soldiers and police.

"I think it's very normal that people feel that he saved us from a terrorist who tried to kill us, and a lot of people support him," Tzipi Schlissel, 51, who lives down the street from where last year's incident occurred, said of Azaria.

"I think the terrorist who gets support from a lot of people in the world is an evil person that came to kill people, and he can't complain that he got killed when he came to kill other people," added Schlissel, who said her father was killed in an attack years ago.

Despite the tributes to Azaria, the parade was more celebration than politics, with children and adults dressed as everything from cartoon characters to clowns.

They paraded through a part of the flashpoint city under tight Israeli control, with checkpoints restricting access. Traditional and dance music blared from speakers.

Purim celebrates a story from Hebrew scripture in which the Jews of the Persian empire were rescued from annihilation. Every year, Jews celebrate by giving each other presents and wearing costumes.

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The March 2016 shooting was caught on video and spread widely online.

It showed Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, lying wounded on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian after the army said he stabbed and wounded a soldier.

Azaria then shot him in the head without any apparent provocation.

The soldier was sentenced by a military court on February 21 to 18 months in jail after an exceptional trial that highlighted deep divisions in public opinion.

He has appealed the conviction, but prosecutors have also appealed the sentence, calling it "excessively lenient".

A number of politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have called for Azaria to be pardoned, despite the military top brass strongly condemning the soldier's actions.

Palestinians have described the shooting as another example of the abuses under Israel's occupation.
By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Aides to U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday attacked the credibility of the nonpartisan agency that will analyze the costs of a replacement for Obamacare, as the White House sought to quell opposition from many conservative Republicans. The Congressional Budget Office, which provides official estimates of the budget impact of proposed legislation, is expected to issue a report as soon as Monday that will assess the healthcare legislation put forward by Republican House of Representatives leaders. The report could influence sentiment toward a bill already under fire from Democrats and some Republicans, especially if it suggests the legislation would reduce the number of Americans with health coverage or worsen U.S. budget deficits. Republicans have long opposed Obamacare, formally called the Affordable Care Act, on the grounds it was government overreach and led to higher insurance premiums. The 2010 law, Democratic President Barack Obamas signature legislation, provided 20 million previously uninsured Americans with health coverage. Trump has called Obamacare a "disaster" and made its repeal and replacement a key campaign pledge. Several Republican lawmakers said on Sunday the replacement bill was unacceptable in its current form, including conservative Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who said the plan could not pass the Senate and could put the Republican House majority at risk in 2018 congressional elections. "I believe it would have adverse consequences for millions of Americans and it wouldn't deliver on our promises to reduce the cost of health insurance for Americans," Cotton said. In a series of television interviews, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney and top White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said the CBO was focusing on the wrong metrics with the estimates it will provide on the number of people who are insured. Cohn and Mulvaney said the CBO should instead should analyze whether patients can actually afford to go to a doctor. "I love the folks at the CBO, they work really hard, they do, but sometimes we ask them to do stuff they're not capable of doing, and estimating the impact of a bill of this size probably isn't the - isn't the best use of their time," Mulvaney told ABC's "This Week" program. Speaking on Fox News, Gary Cohn, director of the White House National Economic Council, said: "We will see what the score is, in fact in the past, the CBO score has really been meaningless." "They've said that many more people will be insured than are actually insured. But when we get the CBO score, we'll deal with that," Cohn said. 'COWARDLY' The Trump administration's criticisms of the CBO are unusual. Prior administrations, both Republican and Democratic, steered clear of attacking the credibility of the agency, which many lawmakers regard as a neutral arbiter. The CBO's current director, Keith Hall, was appointed by Republicans in 2015. The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's has estimated 6 million to 10 million people could lose health insurance coverage under the Republican plan. Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran for president in 2016 as a Democrat, said it was "cowardly" for Republicans to proceed with a healthcare bill without CBO estimates, telling CBS' Face the Nation show: "This is a disgrace." In recent weeks, Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers have criticized what they said were overly optimistic estimates from the CBO of the number of Americans who would sign up for health insurance on government-run exchanges. The CBO estimated in 2013 that 22 million people would be purchasing insurance through the exchanges in 2016. Only 10.4 million were signed up for those plans by the middle of last year, according to Department of Health and Human Services data. The House Republican legislation would scrap tax penalties for Americans without health insurance, roll back an expansion of Medicaid insurance for the poor, and replace Obamacare's income-based subsidies with a system of fixed tax credits to help people buy private insurance on the open market. Cohn also disputed the notion that millions of people on Medicaid would become uninsured as Obamacare's expansion of the program is rolled back over a period of years. He said many of these people would be transitioned into new private and employer-sponsored plans that would become more affordable under the Republican plan. House Speaker Paul Ryan, the Republican plan's top backer in Congress, said he was "certain" the CBO would show a reduction in the number of Americans with coverage. "You know why? Because this isn't a government mandate," Ryan told NBC's Meet the Press. Conservative Republicans said, however, they could not support the plan without significant changes. Republican Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, a founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said it did not go far enough to meet Republicans' promise to kill Obamacare. "We told them we were going to replace it with something that would bring down the cost of insurance. That's what we told them," Jordan told Fox News Sunday. "This legislation that the speaker's brought forward doesn't do that." (Reporting by David Lawder; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Grant McCool and Peter Cooney)
WASHINGTON (AP)  Wondering who is visiting the White House? The web-based search has gone dark. Curious about climate change? Some government sites have been softened or taken down. Worried about racial discrimination in housing? Laws have been introduced to bar federal mapping of such disparities.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has made a series of moves that have alarmed groups with a stake in public access to information  historians, librarians, journalists, climate scientists, internet activists, to name a few. Some are so concerned they have thrown themselves into "data rescue" sessions nationwide, where they spend their weekends downloading and archiving federal databases they fear could soon be taken down or obscured.

Previous presidential transitions have triggered fears about access to government data, but not on this scope.

"What is unprecedented is the scale of networking and connectivity of groups working on this, and the degree it is being driven by librarians and scientists and professors," said Alex Howard, deputy director of the Sunlight Foundation, a group that tracks transparency in government.

The White House declined to comment, but Trump's supporters say the administration's detractors are overreacting. Trump is committed to open government, said Ben Marchi, a Trump supporter and Republican operative. In a recent interview with McClatchy, Marchi noted how, prior to announcing the selection of Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court, the White House released a list of 21 candidates under consideration.

Yet moves by the Trump administration have helped stoke the fears. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture removed animal cruelty data from its website, prompting protests from animal welfare advocates, including the Humane Society, which has filed a lawsuit against the USDA.

Also in February, the Trump administration suspended an Obama regulation aimed at protecting whistleblowers who work for Department of Energy contractors. The regulation would have permitted civil penalties against contractors that retaliate against whistleblowers. Supporters of the rule say that its rescission will make it harder for contract workers at the government nuclear facilities to report waste, abuse and safety concerns.

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Trump, Howard said, has made clear he will seek to prosecute leakers and has labeled the media an "enemy of the people." He has dismissed climate change science and raised questions about the use of vaccines.

"The reaction we are seeing is driven by concerns unique to this administration," Howard said.

During his eight years in office, President Barack Obama was hardly a darling of open government advocates. His Justice Department prosecuted nine cases against whistleblowers and leakers, compared to three by all other previous administrations.

But Obama also took some steps to increase transparency, including establishing a web-based log of visitors to the White House. That log allowed journalists and others to track lobbying at the White House, including links between the Obama administration and the pharmaceutical industry.

But easy access to the log disappeared after Trump was sworn in. The National Archives and Records Administration stopped paying a contractor to maintain an embedded web application for the Obama-era visitation records. They are still available at the Obama White House archive, but only on zip files that are difficult to download and analyze.

As of last week, the Trump administration had not built a web page with information about recent visitors to the White House, although it has said it will post such records "on an ongoing basis, once they become available."

Other information of interest has also disappeared. The phone book for employees at the U.S. Department of Energy has been removed from the agency's website. Several federal websites have been altered to eliminate or tone down evidence linking human activities to global climate change.

While all incoming administrations put their ideological stamp on federal websites, librarians and other professionals fear that previously accessible raw data could be put behind walls. They have started networking on how to salvage what they can.

Bethany Wiggin, founding director of the environmental humanities program at the University of Pennsylvania, and others started organizing dozens of "data rescue" sessions nationwide, in which activists were invited to bring their laptops and ideas for federal data sets deemed vulnerable.

Fearing that federal data on gun violence might also vanish under a president with close ties to the National Rifle Association, Dr. Garen Wintemute called together his partners in the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.

Within minutes, the team was downloading a crime victimization survey from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. They scoured the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, gathering data on retail gun sales. They preserved mortality records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which includes a field for deaths caused by firearms.

"I don't think the CDC would do that of their own volition, but they might be directed to," said Wintemute, an emergency room doctor. The data sets are now stored on a secure server at UC Davis.

Access to existing federal records is one concern of data rescuers. The other is whether the government will continue to collect information as it has in the past. Earlier this year, for example, a group of Republicans that included U.S. Sen Mike Lee of Utah, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona introduced legislation to undo a 2015 Obama regulation aimed at reducing past patterns of housing segregation.

How Trump may approach access to federal data is not entirely known, but one upcoming appointment will provide a signal. In coming weeks, the administration will appoint a director to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which it is charged with guiding federal policy on information technology, information policy, privacy and statistics.

"That is going to be a key position in the federal collection of data going forward," said Raphael Calel, an assistant professor of public policy at Georgetown University.

EDITOR'S NOTE _ One of a package of stories marking Sunshine Week, an annual celebration of access to public information.
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Thomas Escritt ANKARA/ROTTERDAM (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday the Netherlands was acting like a "banana republic" and should face sanctions for barring Turkish ministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over Ankara's political campaigning abroad. Erdogan is looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers. In a speech in France, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described the Netherlands as the "capital of fascism" as it joined other European countries in stopping Turkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that tensions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate communities. The Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there, before escorting her out of the country to Germany. Dutch police used dogs and water cannon on Sunday to disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags outside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some threw bottles and stones and several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mounted police officers charged the crowd. The Dutch government - set to lose about half its seats in elections this week, according to polls, as the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders makes strong gains - said the visits were undesirable and it would not cooperate in their campaigning. "I call on all international organisations in Europe and elsewhere to impose sanctions on the Netherlands," Erdogan said, after his prime minister earlier said Turkey would retaliate in the "harshest ways", without specifying how. "Has Europe said anything? No. Why? Because they don't bite each other. The Netherlands are acting like a banana republic," Erdogan said in a speech in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul. "NAZISM WIDESPREAD IN WEST" A day earlier, Erdogan described the Netherlands as "Nazi remnants" and returned to the theme on Sunday by saying "Nazism is still widespread in the West" in what Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said were inflammatory remarks. "We ended up in a totally unprecedented situation in which a NATO ally...with whom we have historic ties, strong trade relations, is acting in a totally unacceptable, irresponsible manner," Rutter told reporters. Rather than the Netherlands apologising for refusing the Turkish ministers entry, Turkey's president should apologize for comparing the Netherlands to fascists and Nazis, he said. The row risked spreading on Sunday as Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed postponing a planned visit by Yildirim this month due to the dispute. The French foreign ministry urged calm and said there had been no reason to prohibit a meeting in France between Cavusoglu and a local Turkish association. Supporting Rutte's decision to ban the visits, the Dutch government said there was a risk of Turkish political divisions flowing over into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. DUTCH ELECTION The diplomatic row comes in the run-up to next week's Dutch election in which the mainstream parties are under strong pressure from Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV). Experts said it was too early to tell how events in Rotterdam might affect the election. "If there is any impact, however, it is likely that Geert Wilders and his PVV Party will profit most," said Leiden University professor of electoral research Joop van Holsteijn. After Turkey's family minister was escorted into Germany, Wilders tweeted: "go away and never come back". The Dutch government cited public order and security worries in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu's flight and Turkey fired back saying the Dutch ambassador to Ankara should not return from leave "for some time". Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul. Police sealed off both sites. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do all she can to prevent Turkey's domestic tensions spreading onto German territory. Austria and Switzerland have also cancelled Turkish rallies due to the escalating dispute. European Parliament Vice President Alexander Graff Lambsdorff demanded a ban on Turkish ministers campaigning in the EU. "The European Union should agree on a line that Turkish ministers are not allowed to campaign in the EU," he said. "The Dutch are showing how it is done, the German government pussyfoots around ... in that way Turkey can try to play one country off the other," he told Die Welt newspaper. (Additional reporting by Yesim Dikmen in Istanbul, Orhan Coskun and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara, Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Teis Jensen in Copenhagen, Madeline Chambers in Berlin, Maya Nikolaeva and Marine Pennetier in Paris,; Writing by Daren Butler and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey will continue to take steps against the Netherlands until it apologizes over a diplomatic row, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday. A diplomatic dispute has raged between Turkey and the Netherlands since the Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying there, and then prevented the Turkish family minister from meeting Turks outside the Rotterdam consulate. Turkey told the Netherlands on Sunday it would retaliate in the "harshest ways." Speaking to reporters in France ahead of a public appearance in the northeastern city of Metz, Cavusoglu said Turkey was waiting to see whether European countries would voice criticism of the "fascist act" by the Netherlands. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Mark Potter)
Metz (France) (AFP) - Turkey's foreign minister said in France on Sunday that the Netherlands is the "capital of fascism", the day after he was barred from speaking in the country to promote a referendum at home.

Some 800 flag-waving Turks gathered in the eastern French city of Metz for the address by Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is campaigning for constitutional changes that would boost the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The "fascism" comment echoed accusations by Erdogan himself, both Saturday and again on Sunday, when he said the Netherlands was behaving like the Nazis in its treatment of Turkish ministers.

The Metz rally, which had the blessing of the French authorities, was planned weeks ago but took on "another dimension" because of the row between Ankara and The Hague, said Saban Kiper, vice president of a grouping in France of Turkish associations.

"France has a more serene attitude than the Netherlands," he said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in a statement there was "no reason to prohibit this gathering that... poses no possibility of interference in French political life."

However, Ayrault warned Ankara: "In the face of the current tension between Turkey and several member states of the European Union, France... urges the Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations."

The Turkish community in France numbers around 700,000, including some 160,000 in the eastern region.
Lagos (AFP) - Civilian vigilantes foiled a suicide attack on the outskirts of Nigeria's flashpoint city of Maiduguri, killing two teenaged female bombers, police said on Sunday.

Boko Haram's Islamist insurgency has frequently used young women and girls to stage suicide bombings.

"Two female suicide bombers, about 18 years of age... were sighted by the civilian JTF (vigilantes) and consequently shot dead by security personnel," police spokesman Victor Isuku said in a statement.

The would-be bombers were killed Saturday as they tried to break into Maiduguri, the provincial capital of Borno state where Boko Haram was born.

Isuku said no one else was killed or injured in the incident, though a rescue services official said a vigilante had been hurt.

Abdulkadir Ibrahim of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said one of the bombers was pregnant.

In January, a female bomber with a baby strapped to her back used the infant as a decoy before detonating her explosives, killing several people in the volatile region.

Boko Haram has regularly used suicide bombers in their eight-year insurgency, which seeks to establish a hardline Islamist state.

A regional military force has pushed the insurgents back from captured territories since 2015, but attacks on soft targets in the region continue.

The Boko Haram violence has claimed at least 20,000 lives and forced some 2.6 million others to flee their homes, triggering a dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
LONDON (Reuters) - It would be a serious dereliction of duty if the British government failed to plan for the possibility of not reaching an exit deal with the European Union, a committee of lawmakers said in a report published on Sunday. Prime Minister Theresa May, who will trigger the formal divorce process by the end of this month, has said she would be prepared to walk away from negotiations without an agreement because "no deal is better than a bad deal". Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty allows for a period of up to two years of divorce talks. Parliament's Foreign Affairs committee warned that a breakdown in negotiations would be a "very destructive outcome", causing economic harm to both sides as well as creating uncertainty and legal confusion for individuals and businesses. "There is a real prospect that negotiations will fail," committee chairman Crispin Blunt, a lawmaker in May's ruling Conservatives, said in a statement. "The government should therefore require each department to produce a 'no deal' plan identifying the likely consequences and making proposals, including guidance to individuals and businesses, to mitigate potential risks. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty." Issues such as the sudden return of a customs border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a gap in regulations and confusion about the future of UK citizens in the EU and vice versa were among the consequences of a 'no deal' situation highlighted by the committee. The committee, which previously criticized the government's failure to plan for Britons voting to leave the EU at last year's referendum, said making such preparations would also add credibility to the government's position that it is prepared to walk away from a bad deal. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Toby Davis)
Washington (AFP) - Dismissed by former US president Barack Obama as a place explorers had already seen, the Moon has once again gained interest as a potential destination under Donald Trump's presidency.

Private sector companies in particular are energized by the prospect of future space exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit, where the International Space Station circles the Earth.

Even though Trump himself has said little about the subject, his close circle and some former NASA officials have made clear their interest in returning to the Moon by way of partnerships with the private sector.

Billionaire Elon Musk, the president and chief executive of SpaceX, along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also runs a rocket company called Blue Origin, have met with Trump's advisors several times since the Republican won the presidency.

"There is certainly a renewed interest in the Moon in the Trump administration," said John Logsdon, former director of the Space Policy Institute at The George Washington University.

Some of Trump's advisors worked on the Constellation program, conceived by former president George W. Bush with a goal to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the pioneering US Apollo missions of the 1960s and '70s.

Obama cancelled Constellation, deeming it too costly and repetitive in nature, opting instead to work toward new and unexplored destinations like an asteroid and, one day, Mars.

"The people advising Trump on space in a sense are still angry at that and believe it was a mistake," said Logsdon.

"If the Trump administration gets out of the current chaos and if their approach to the budget would allow it, I think within the next 12 months, we will see a major space initiative involving a public-private partnership -- hopefully international partnership -- focused on a return to the Moon."

- Bold -

Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, which represents the private sector of spaceflight, agreed.

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"I think the Trump administration wants to do something big and bold and the Moon is certainly that idea," he told AFP.

NASA's current focus on developing what will be the world's most powerful rocket, known as the Space Launch System, which will propel a new capsule, Orion, to deep space, one day carrying people around the Moon, to an asteroid or even to Mars by the 2030s.

Stallmer described this program as "very expensive."

"I think you cannot proceed with a mission to the Moon and beyond at this point anymore without a partnership with the commercial industry," he added.

Since the US-run space shuttle program ended in 2011, NASA has forged partnerships with private industry, including SpaceX and Orbital ATK, to resupply the International Space Station.

SpaceX plans to start sending astronauts to the orbiting outpost as early as 2018.

"I know that there is no backing down from the commercial sector, from the commercial launch companies on their desire and vision to go to the Moon and beyond. These are very exciting times," said Stallmer.

SpaceX said last month it had signed its first contract to send two space tourists on a trip around the Moon at the end of 2018, but did not give many details, including the cost or their identities.

SpaceX has also vowed to send an unmanned spacecraft on a journey to Mars in 2018, as a prelude to manned missions one day.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that its owner Bezos is working on an Amazon-like delivery service to the Moon.

The proposal has not been made public, but was circulated to the Trump team and NASA in the form of a seven-page white paper, the report said.

- Moon colonies -

The goal of the project is to enable "future human settlement" on the Moon.

"It is time for America to return to the Moon -- this time to stay," Bezos was quoted as saying in an email to the Post.

"A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. I sense a lot of people are excited about this."

Oklahoma Republican lawmaker Jim Bridenstine, who has told Trump he wants to be the next NASA administrator, has praised cooperation between the US space agency and private industry, and called for a return to Moon mission as a way to boost needed resources on Earth, such as water.

Research has shown billions of tons of water ice can be found at each lunar pole.

"Water ice on the Moon could be used to refuel satellites in orbit or perform on-orbit maintenance," he wrote in a blog post in December.

"Government and commercial satellite operators could save hundreds of millions of dollars by servicing their satellites with resources from the Moon rather than disposing of, and replacing, their expensive investments."

This could translate into lower bills for users of satellite internet, television and radio services, he said.

The lunar soil is also believed to be rich in rare Earth minerals that are widely used in electronic devices.

The Google Lunar XPrize Foundation is also in on the action, recently announcing its five finalists for a $20 million award to the first team to land a robot on the Moon.
By Sachi Jenkins AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The newest tool for internationally acclaimed organizing guru Marie Kondo in her global battle against messy rooms is an app. My goal is to have as many people as possible who can get the job done in tidying up, she said in an interview after speaking at the South by Southwest technology conference in Austin, Texas over the weekend. To achieve that, Im implementing various measures, one of which is the app to support decluttering," said the woman whose name has been turned into a verb by followers who clean out clutter at home and say that have "Kondoed" their closets. Kondo is known to global audiences for her best-selling books, including The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, which has been translated from Japanese to more than 40 languages, with more than 7 million copies sold worldwide. The app called "KonMari," was launched a few months ago and gives out organizing tips, allows people to share before and after pictures, and provides a platform for her followers to socialize. The followers of the woman who earned a spot on Time magazines 100 Most Influential People list in 2015 call themselves Konverts." But her critics see her as an irritating presence with a cult-like following, harping on the glaringly obvious need to be better organized. Kondo has made an art of folding clothes into optimal shapes for storage and her KonMari disciples see her words as a philosophy about seeking a happier life by putting their homes in order. Kondo spends 80 percent of her time outside of Japan, but with the help of technology, she wants to knock on the doors of more homes around the world. "Tidying up is a broad theme that is relevant to anyone in any country," said Kondo, who has a knack for decluttering her quotes. (Reporting by Sachi Jenkins; Editing by Jon Herskovitz and Nick Zieminski)
Fifteen years ago, Glenn Spencer left his home in California for a reason: to help secure the border between the United States and Mexico.

Spencer now lives on a ranch in Arizona, about 100 meters from the metal barrier that separates the two countries. His one-man effort against illegal immigration has put people crossing the Sonoran Desert at risk.

Spencer says he has reported or captured thousands of people over the past 15 years. He believes most of them were transporting illegal drugs. However, most experts say that drugs are rarely brought across the border that way.

Spencer uses drone aircraft launched from his farm in Cochise County. He developed the drone technology he uses.

The computer is looking at five miles of information, and then when something happens the algorithm says hey, theres people out there.

Spencer leads a group called the American Border Patrol. It is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that reports on and fights discrimination.

Spencer says he has spent one million dollars of his own money to stop the illegal movement of people across the border. He believes it is the reason he was born.

I just kept digging and digging and digging. The more I dug, the uglier it became"

Spencer says he wants to show what he calls the truth about illegal immigration. He believes that Mexicans are plotting to take control of the southwestern United States by becoming a voting majority. He says that when immigrants vote in U.S. elections, they are voting in Mexicos best interests. He believes they want to cancel the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Under the treaty, Mexico gave the United States 1.3 million square kilometers of land.

Spencer is almost 80 years old. He says he is saddened by changes to the local population. He says they show that white people will no longer be in the majority.

This is not natural. Most of this is because of illegal immigration and what they call anchor babies. And then family reunification. I think we have to put a stop to this because if you get a power bloc of Hispanics -- and they have said this themselves -- they are going to be a swing vote.

Juanita Molina is the head of a rights group called the Border Action Network. She says there are many people along the border who share Spencers beliefs.

You see this trend, and you can see this in this presidency, of a culture of scarcity, this feeling that the America that they once knew is slipping away and is being stolen

Mo Goldman is an immigration lawyer. He says many people in Arizona reject the actions and beliefs of people like Spencer. He believes Spencer, and those like him, are wasting their time.

Their viewpoint is: Hey, were patriotic, were going to seal up the border, were going to catch these people and were going to call the Border Patrol. You know, if thats what they want to do, fine. (But) I think a lot of people in this community think that that is not the right thing to do and they reject that mentality.

Spencer says many opponents of illegal immigration have stopped giving money to his group because they believe President Donald Trump will close the border. But Spencer says even if others stop supporting him, he will keep watching the border.

He adds, America cant start over again. That wont happen again. If we lose that, thats it. We have got to keep it. Weve got to hold it. Weve got to defend it. And thats what I do.

Im Bryan Lynn.

VOA Correspondent Ramon Taylor reported this story from Cochise County, Arizona. John Smith adapted the story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

ranch  n. large farm where animals are kept

algorithm  n. set of steps that are followed in order to solve a mathematical problem or to complete a computer process

dig  v. look for information about something

anchor babies  n. term, considered offensive to many, to describe children who gain citizenship when born in the United States to noncitizen parents

bloc  n. group of people who share the same political ideas

swing vote  n. vote that has a major influence on the result of an election

scarcity  n. very small amount of something

viewpoint  n. way of thinking about something

seal  v. to close, cut off
VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents.

James Madison was elected in 1808. He was a capable president who served two terms. But most Americans do not remember Madison for his presidency. They remember him for work he did earlier.

After the Revolutionary War, in which the American colonists separated from Britain, Madison proposed that the new United States form a stronger national government.

Madisons vision for a three-part government  with an executive, a legislature, and an independent Supreme Court  became the basis for the Constitution we still use today.

Madison went on to persuade voters to accept the proposed Constitution. He explained how a system of checks and balances would prevent any one part of government from becoming too powerful.

And, when voters demanded more protection for individual liberties, Madison wrote the amendments that became the Bill of Rights.

These actions earned Madison the name Father of the Constitution.

Opposites attract

Madison did not have the appearance of most politicians. He was a short man with a soft voice who had been sick often as a child.

He grew up in a wealthy family in Virginia. He liked to read books, and to study. He went to college at the school that later became Princeton University in New Jersey.

When the Revolutionary War started, Madisons intelligence and knowledge  as well as family money  helped him participate in debates about independence.

Madison also held positions in the new American government he helped create, including as secretary of state under President Thomas Jefferson.

Madison did not have much of a personal life. Many people were surprised when he married a young widow named Dolley Payne Todd. She was 26; he was 43. The couple did not have children, but they raised Mrs. Madisons surviving son together.

Stories suggest the two were very happy, although they had different personalities. Dolley Madison was energetic, warm, and social. She loved to throw parties  and her guests loved to attend them.

Historian Catherine Allgor notes Dolley Madison often dressed dramatically  including wearing turbans covered with peacock feathers. Her weekly gatherings at the presidents house were so crowded that they became known as squeezes.

As first lady, Dolley Madison did not follow her husbands idea of a strict separation of powers. She invited officials from all parts of the government to her parties, as well as people from opposing political groups.

Allgor says Dolley Madison succeeded in making the presidents house a symbol of unity and glamor. She remains one of the best- known and most-loved first ladies in U.S. history.

But his wifes popularity could not prevent Madison from facing a difficult presidency.

Conflict abroad and at home

During his first term, the U.S. faced increasingly tense relations with Britain. Madison accused the British of interfering with international trade and seizing American sailors.

At the same time, European-American settlers blamed the British for helping native tribes fight against them. But, the settlers had violated treaties between the U.S. government and the Native Americans. In 1811, native warriors attacked U.S. soldiers at the Battle of Tippecanoe in todays state of Indiana. A U.S. general named William Henry Harrison led his troops to fight back. The result was not clear, but Harrison declared victory.

The following year, Madison proposed war against Britain. Congress approved. The War of 1812 began.

War of 1812

For most of the war, American forces failed.

But in 1813, they had two notable victories in Canada. They captured and burned the city of York, in Toronto.

And General Harrison had another major fight with native warriors at the Battle of the Thames. The Native Americans were defeated. The leader of the tribal alliance, Tecumseh, died from the wounds he received there.

That loss ended, for the most part, the efforts of eastern Native American tribes to push back white settlers.

In 1814, the war turned again. British soldiers took the U.S. capital of Washington, DC.

Madison had already left the presidents house to meet with generals in the field. Dolley Madison remained. But when she learned the British were approaching quickly, she acted. She famously ordered her servants, as well as a 15-year-old house slave named Paul Jennings, to take down a painting of George Washington. The servants, slaves, first lady, and painting all escaped to safety.

Commanders of the British force took a group of men to the Capitol building and set it on fire. Then, they went to the presidents house. They found the table set for dinner. The British commanders stopped to toast the president before they burned his home.

By the time Washington, D.C. burned, American and British officials were already in peace talks.

But in the U.S., one more major battle was being fought. A militia general named Andrew Jackson led a ragtag army against a British attack in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Americans rain of bullets and shells was so deadly that only one British soldier reached the top of the American defenses.

When the British finally withdrew, they left behind more than 2,000 dead and wounded. Five hundred other British soldiers had been captured.

Thirteen Americans were killed.

The Battle of New Orleans was considered a great victory for the U.S; however, it was not necessary. The war had ended, by treaty, two weeks earlier.

Legacy

The War of 1812 almost bankrupted the U.S. government and cost the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers. It was devastating for many Native Americans. It did provide a chance for several thousand slaves to escape to freedom by serving in the British military. But it did nothing to improve the lives of most of 1 million enslaved people in the U.S. at the time.

Despite all this, the war united most of the country.

Albert Gallatin, Madison's treasury secretary, said people felt "more American" after the war. They acted more like a nation, he said.

The song that would become the countrys national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, was written during the War of 1812.

Madison benefited from most peoples belief that the war was a success. The end of his second term began what historians call the Era of Good Feelings. Madison left the presidency more popular than when he had started it.

After he retired, Madison lived on his Virginia estate for nearly another 20 years. He died in his bed at age 85. A niece was in the room. She says that a strange look passed her uncles face. She asked him what was wrong.

Madisons last words were: Nothing more than a change of mind, my dear. I always talk better lying down.

I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

See how well you understand the story of James Madison by taking this listening quiz. Play each video, then choose the best answer.

Quiz - American Presidents  James Madison Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

capable - adj. skilled at doing something or able to do something well

participate - v. to be involved with others in doing something

widow - n. a woman whose husband has died

dramatic - adj. attracting attention or causing people to carefully listen and look

turban - n. a head covering made of a long cloth wrapped around the head

feather - n. any one of the light growths that make up the outer covering of the body of a bird

squeeze - n. a small or crowded space

glamor - n. a very exciting and attractive quality

approach - v. to move or become near or nearer to something or someone

toast - v. to drink and say or agree to words that honor someone or express good wishes

ragtag - adj. made up of different people or things and not organized or put together well

devastating - adj. causing great damage or harm
Scientists think they have discovered a way to use a common bacteria to stop disease-carrying mosquitoes from reproducing.

They say the discovery could make it possible to control the mosquito that spreads two viral diseases: Zika virus and dengue.

The bacteria is called Wolbachia. It can infect up to 70 percent of the insect species on Earth.

The bacteria has changed in different ways over time. Some insects need it to stay alive. Wolbachia can act as a parasite in other insects. It can even affect the ability of eggs to produce young. However, experts say it does not infect many disease-carrying mosquitoes.

But researchers may have found a way to use the bacteria on mosquitoes that carry two viral diseases, Zika and dengue.

Experts say a woman infected with Zika virus early in her pregnancy is at risk of giving birth to a baby with microcephaly. Microcephaly causes mental and physical disability, seizures and sometimes death.

Dengue can make people very sick. A person develops a condition like influenza. The disease can also turn deadly.

John Bechmann is an entomologist  someone who studies insects -- at Yale University in Connecticut.

Its kind of been the issue with the Wolbachia field is that all of the insects that are really, really medically relevant dont have their own Wolbachia infection. So thats one reason why this is such an important discovery is because thats been one thing that's limited the field is people have always tried to make these fake or non-natural infections that can infect these mosquitoes. Now we dont have to do that -- we can just put the genes in.

Aedes aegypti is the name of a mosquito that carries Zika and dengue.

Researchers at Yale and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee are studying the Wolbachia bacteria. They reported finding two genes that might make the mosquitoes unable to have young.

The researchers have performed successful experiments in fruit flies. And they believe they can do the same with mosquitoes.

The scientists reported success with two ways to stop the spread of Zika and dengue. The first was to place many male mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia in an area. When these males mate with uninfected females, the bacteria kills life in any eggs the female is carrying.

The other method involved leaving male and female mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia in a mosquito population. Over time, the Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes replaced the Zika- and dengue-infected mosquitoes by making them sterile.

Reports on the Wolbachia gene discovery were published in the journals Nature and Nature Microbiology.

John Bechmann says controlling the two diseases may one day be as simple as breeding Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes, then releasing them into the wild.

The problem has always been figuring out systems that can work well in mosquitoes, and this seems like this is going to be one thats going to be great for that.

He adds that the discovery may also work with Anopheles gambiae, the mosquito that carries malaria.

The World Health Organization says there are 214 million cases of malaria each year. And the disease kills over 400,000 people a year worldwide.

Because the mosquitoes are genetically engineered, Bechmann says he is concerned about legal barriers on the release of sterilized mosquitoes. He and other researchers are working to find money to pay for more experiments.

Im Anne Ball.

VOA Health Correspondent Jessica Berman reported this story from Washington. John Smith adapted the story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson and George Grow were the editors.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

parasite  n. an organism that feeds on or lives in an organism

relevant  adj. relating to a subject in an appropriate way

sterile  adj. not able to produce children, young animals, etc.

offspring  n. the young of an animal or plant

breed  v. to produce young animals, birds or insects; to produce offspring by sexual reproduction

fake  adj. of or related to something made to seem other than it really is
CHEYENNE, Wyo.  U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Crofts says he will resign his post as the lead federal attorney in the state.

Crofts is one of 46 U.S. attorneys appointed by former President Barack Obama who have been asked to leave their posts as part of the transition to the new Trump administration. Crofts was appointed to the post by Obama in December 2009.

In a statement, Crofts says: "It has been my distinct pleasure to work with the men and women of the Wyoming United States Attorney's Office for the past seven years. I thank them and the law enforcement community for their tireless efforts in the pursuit of justice on behalf of the citizens of Wyoming and the United States."


Of the 28 shows playing on New York Citys Broadway, the musical Dear Evan Hansen, probably gets the most people crying.

The show centers on a lonely teenager, Evan Hansen, and his schoolmates. They find communicating with each other to be difficult -- even with tools such as Facebook.

New York Times theater critic Charles Isherwood praised the show and the young actor who plays Evan, Ben Platt. Isherwood wrote that Blatts eyes blink in continual embarrassment whenever he has to interact socially, which isnt often.

But Isherwood said that, below all the insecurity, Platt shows the characters strong desire to be liked -- or even just to be noticed.

The Dear Evan Hansen story centers on what happens when a teen-ager at Hansens school kills himself.

Before the tragedy, Evan had been writing Dear Evan Hansen letters to himself at the suggestion of a doctor. The doctor wanted Evan to start out each day by saying something positive about himself.

But one of Evans letters was taken by the boy who killed himself. The boys parents found it in his clothing. They thought their son had written the letter to Evan. They believed Evan was a friend they did not know their son had.

They reached out to Evan. But, Evan did not admit to them that he and their son were not really friends. Evan later trended on Facebook after he gave a speech urging people not to let his so-called friends brief life go unnoticed.

Steven Levenson wrote the book for the musical. That means he wrote all of the words that are not part of a song in the show.

He says audiences feel strong emotional reactions because of the shows actors.

I know that lot of cast members have gotten letters from people saying I saw myself in you, seeing the show inspired me to have hope, which is really truly incredible and the best gift that you can ask for as a creator.

Some audience members said the show helped them talk to their children about things that are difficult to discuss, he added.

Michael Park is one of the shows adult stars. From the stage, he said, he does not notice people crying in the audience. But Park said he and other actors can feel the energy from audience members, as they react to the emotional story line and powerful songs.

He often hears directly from audience members after the show, when people line up to get their programs signed. Some parents quietly say the words, thank you, after he and other actors sign programs for their children.

One time, Park said, he was asked, can you be my dad?

Thats a pretty powerful reaction, Park said. You just kind of pause and give a hug. Its all you can do.

Evan Hansen selling all seats

Dear Evan Hansen is a success. The show is selling out all performances. And it is likely to win the Tony Award for best musical. Ben Platt, its star, is expected to win the Tony for best actor in a musical.

Platt and the shows creators are all young. Platt is 24 and is signed to play Even Hansen through November.

Benj Pasek, 31, and Justin Paul, 32, wrote the music. This is a good year for them. They already won the Academy Award for best song written for a movie. That movie was La La Land.

Levenson, who wrote the book, is 32. He also has a second hit show playing in New York. It is called, If I Forget. And he is working on a new musical movie.

Levenson said he owes a lot to his playwriting teacher at Brown University in Rhode Island. Her name is Paula Vogel.

At the end of the semester, Vogel takes each of her students out for coffee to discuss their work and what should come next. Levenson said at the time he was getting ready to graduate from Brown and had no idea what he would do next.

She said if this is something you want to do -- this writing thing -- I believe that you can do it.

That kept me going for several years, just that one conversation -- you know through sort of the darker moments of being in New York and trying to figure it all out. So, I give her all the credit for that.

I'm Dorothy Gundy. And I'm Bruce Alpert.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. Have you ever felt lonely?

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

blink - v. to close and then open your eyes very quickly

embarrassment - n. the state of feeling foolish in front of others

stage - n. a raised platform in a theater where the performers stand

audience - n. group of people who gather together to listen to a concert or watch a play or movie

pause - v. to stop what you are doing

hug - n. to put your arms around someone especially as a way of showing love or friendship

inspire - v. to make someone want to do something

incredible - adj. difficult or impossible to believe

conversation - n. a discussion
Technology activists are appealing to tech companies and their leaders to build a future in which the effect of machinery on humans is lessened.

Some workers have long feared that machines are coming to take away their jobs.

Robots now are doing more work than ever before.

Tim OReilly heads OReilly Media, a technology advisory service. He says it is important for people and machines to work together. He says most computer software depends on human beings to keep it operating and current.

Its so important that we have to think about not using technology to replace people -- but to augment them, to do something that was previously impossible, OReilly said.

He spoke last week at conference in Ho Chi Minh City. The meeting was a project of the Asia and Pacific Internet Association and APNIC  the Asia-Pacific registry for internet domain names.

With more skills, people can work with machines, OReilly noted. For example, the ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber use software designed to help human drivers. Most large airplanes are now flown by computers. But passengers will likely always want a human pilot on the plane.

Jonathan Brewer is a trainer at the Network Startup Resource Center, a non-profit group based at the University of Oregon. He believes the next step in technology should improve on the one before it.

Speaking at the conference, he noted that when factories began to be built in large numbers, many people were left with undrinkable water and unbreathable air.

Today, Brewer said, technology experts must consider how their inventions can help people. He noted how sensors can warn people an hour before a mudslide takes place. There are other life-saving devices that cost very, very little money. He added there is not much reason to have machines do difficult work if people are not able to use and enjoy the results of their labor.

OReilly said the world needs people. He told the conferences delegates that all of you, in some sense, are inside the internet. (If) you go away, it stops working. Its not like a piece of software in (the) PC era where if you had a copy of Microsoft Windows running on your personal computer, it would keep running without the original programmers. Almost all of the software we depend on today is a service that depends on the work of people like you.

While some experts believe robots will help in the future, others are worried. In 2015 the consulting service McKinsey & Company said machines will someday perform 45 percent of the jobs humans now do.

That may be why many technology experts support the idea of universal guaranteed earnings. Under the plan, a small monthly payment would be made to each person, even if they do not work.

Brewer hopes that people and machines will continue to cooperate. He said there is technology that tells city workers when street lights need to be repaired or when trash cans are full. That means the workers do not need to examine the lights or cans, as many now do. But he said when the technology tells when repairs are needed or containers must be emptied, humans must still provide the service.

Many delegates at the conference support technology and the changes it will bring. But many are also starting to think about its effect on humans and how to help people live in a world where machines do so much work.

Im Dorothy Gundy.

Ha Nguyen and Lien Hoang reported this story from Ho Chi Minh City for VOANews.com. John Smith adapted the story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

aircraft  n. a vehicle for traveling through the air

software  n. a set of programs and related documentation ties to a system, usually a computer system

augment  v. to make greater or more numerous

era  n. an important date or period
Late last year, the United Nations promised to strengthen its fight against the spread of the deadly cholera disease. U.N. peacekeeping troops unknowingly brought the disease to Haiti seven years ago.

But, so far, the U.N. has raised just a small amount of the estimated $400 million it needs over the next two years to fight the disease.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote that the voluntary funding received so far makes up only 2 percent of its goal. It has received around $8 million in funding.

The letter said that, as of February 8, Chile, France, India, Liechtenstein and South Korea together had promised almost $2 million. Outside of that fund, Japan has promised $2.6 million and Canada has committed about $6 million.

Guterres asked all member states to notify him by March 6 of their plans to help finance the campaign.

U.N. peacekeepers arriving from Nepal are believed to have caused Haitis current cholera epidemic. The disease spread near a U.N. base in October of 2010.

Since then, more than 788,000 cases of the infectious disease have been reported. At least 9,000 people have died.

Last December, former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon apologized to Haitis people, on behalf of the United Nations, for the loss of life and suffering caused by the countrys cholera epidemic.

Two pathways

The U.N. has two goals for the funding: reducing cholera and aiding victims. Its aim is to decrease the number of yearly cases from the current 30,000 to fewer than 10,000 by the end of 2018.

It also plans to help all Haitians have clean drinking water and toilets by 2030. Right now, about 25 percent of the population owns or lives near toilets, the U.N.s recent letter said.

Vibrio cholerae bacteria spread through food and water polluted by an infected persons feces - or waste - the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The disease is most common in places with poor waste and health systems.

Reparations considered

The U.N. also plans to provide material assistance to aid Haitians most affected by the epidemic.

Brian Concannon is the director of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. The nonprofit organization supports Haitian cholera victims and their relatives. He told VOA that, at one point, half of the expected $400 million was promised to victims. That money would be used for either community projects such as new hospitals and schools or direct payment to the families.

But, since little money has been raised, Concannon said that some have warned the victims to lower their expectations. However, he said that the cholera victims have a right to compensation under international law and that the U.N. must obey this law.

Holding out hope

Gabriel Thimothe is general director of Haitis Ministry of Public Health. He said Haitians have not given up hope that the U.N. will meet its funding goal.

Right now, Thimothe said, the ministry is trying to reduce infections. It gave out a million vaccine doses in southern Haiti after the damaging hurricane last October. The U.N.s World Health Organization provided the vaccines. And the ministry is planning a national vaccination program.

The ministry is also teaching the public good cleanliness practices and providing clean water.

I'm Alice Bryant.

And I'm Bryan Lynn.

Carol Guensberg and Ronal Cesar reported this story for VOAs Creole Service. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

cholera - n. a serious disease that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and that often results in death

finance - v. to provide money for something or someone

epidemic - n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people

toilet - n. a large bowl attached to a pipe that is used for getting rid of bodily waste and then flushed with water

feces - n. solid waste that is released from the body

dose - n. the amount of a medicine, drug, or vitamin that is taken or given at one time
Can't download the mp3s or zip files? Baffled by the point of this blog? Please go to the FAQ first of all. Your answer should be there.

NOTE - you can also join our Facebook group by clicking on this link or alternatively feel free to be a Twitter follower . My personal site where you can find out more about my writing can also be found here

"Left and to the Back" is a blog exploring the dark and dusty world of flop singles and albums, the kind you may find lingering near the stock room of your local second hand record store (if you still have one), or perhaps going for extortionate sums on ebay.







The music uploaded to this site is for evaluation only, and where it is otherwise available at a reasonable price I would persuade you to support your local second hand record store by buying it. Many of the posts on here are about digging around in these shops and being thrilled by ridiculous and obscure finds, and I hope I'm persuading a few more readers to get out there and dig around. So please do dig. Man. No blog or download site can ever be an effective substitute.

For a better idea about the kind of music featured, both sublime and ridiculous, please go to our Spotify playlist here . Please note that L&TTB is not primarily a sixties blog, even though a lot of good "lost" material was released around this era and will be featured. In short, if I like it and it's interesting, I'll upload it. And sometimes if I don't like it but it's interesting, it will also feature.
Wald gets recognition

David Wald, of Bismarck, has been named 2016 adviser of the year as well as adviser of the month for February by Securian Financial Advisors of North Dakota, based on production and service to clients.

With Securian since 2008, Wald is located at 1550 Burnt Boat Drive, Bismarck.

Klabo achieves

Mike Klabo, a Knights of Columbus Insurance agent with the Dolan Agency of Fargo, has been named agent of the month for February. He has been an agent since 2015 and serves Bismarck, Strasburg, Hague and Linton.

Wilmes promoted

Ross Wilmes has been promoted to North Dakota director of operations for Kraus-Anderson Construction Co.

Wilmes, who earned an architectural drafting and estimating technology degree from North Dakota State College of Science, has served as senior project manager since 2014. He is based in Bismarck.

Bouley with bank

Grant Bouley has joined Cornerstone Bank as a home mortgage consultant in Bismarck.

Originally from Grand Forks, Bouley holds a bachelors degree in criminal justice from the University of North Dakota and a masters degree in business administration from Webster University. He has nearly 10 years of experience with the U.S. Army, most recently as a lead planner/project manager.

Sagsveen selected

Amanda Sagsveen has been named director of laboratory operations at Sanford Health in Bismarck.

She previously was its manager of regional laboratories.

Sagsveen has been with Sanford for 16 years.

Awards given

Dan Roller, of Dickinson, received the Outstanding Water Works Employee award from the North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association. The award recognizes outstanding leadership and performance beyond a jobs normal requirements.

Roller is the operations specialist with Southwest Water Authority. He began his career in the water industry in 1994 and transferred to SWA in 1996.

The association also gave Dave Lang, of Bismarck, its Clark Cronquist Waterline Award."

This award is given for significant achievement in the promotion, development or enhancement of rural water on a state or national level.

Lang became involved in the water industry in 1981, when he was asked to be a representative for rural water in Burleigh County. He is a member of South Central Regional Water District.

Advisers achieve

Jason Kirchmeier, Joel Bird and Loren Melvie, private wealth advisers with Ameriprise Financial in Bismarck, have achieved membership in the Million Dollar Round Table and MDRT Top of the Table status.

MDRT membership is achieved by less than 1 percent of life insurance and financial services professionals worldwide. Top of the Table represents the top 4 percent of MDRT membership.

Melvie also has been named to the annual list of Americas Top 1,200 Advisors: State-by-State published by Barrons Magazine.

Boateng certified

Stephen A. Boateng, a cardiologist at Sanford Clinic in Bismarck, has completed his board certification in cardiovascular disease through The American Board of Internal Medicine and his certification in adult echocardiography by the National Board of Echocardiography Inc.

Boateng joined Sanford Health last year.

Wilhelm achieves

Kirstin Wilhelm was the top agent in written volume in February at Keller Williams Inspire Realty.
SOUTH KOREA President Park Geun-hye departure from the presidential palace came a day after tens of thousands of opponents and supporters divided the streets of downtown Seoul with massive rallies. Three people died and dozens were injured in violent clashes between Parks supporters and police.

CHINAs ruling Communist Party is hardening its rhetoric about Islam, with top officials making repeated warnings this past week about the specter of global religious extremism seeping into the country.

SINGAPORE Developer stocks soared as authorities eased some property-market curbs, with analysts saying the changes will buoy shares that have been weighed down by a three-year losing streak for house prices.

PHILIPPINES The government and communist rebels have agreed to resume peace talks and restore separate cease-fires after an escalation of deadly clashes, officials said yesterday. Just three days ago, President Duterte threatened to unleash an all-out war against the New Peoples Army guerrillas after they killed four policemen and wounded another.

NEPAL has asked India to investigate the fatal shooting of a Nepali man by Indian border guards. The 25-year-old man was shot by border guards last week during a dispute between people on both sides of the border over the construction of a culvert in the area.

LIBYA Hundreds if not thousands of armed men are converging on Libyas main oil shipping terminals, which the rival powers in the countrys east and west are fighting to control in a battle being watched by global oil markets.

TURKEY-NETHERLANDS Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara would retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands in an unprecedented midnight standoff outside the countrys Rotterdam consulate between a high-level government official and police in full gear.

SERBIA-RUSSIA Serbias defense minister says that the country is expecting Russian President Vladimir Putins approval for the delivery of fighter jets, which could worsen tensions with neighboring states.

BRAZIL Rio de Janeiro state plans to vaccinate its entire population against yellow fever as a precaution amid Brazils largest outbreak of the disease in years. The state said Saturday it expects to reach a 90 percent vaccination rate this year. It will need 12 million vaccine doses to do that.
TWIN FALLS  Michael Anthony Southerland was 20 when he got the break of his life. After more than three years in jail and two trials in Californias Placer County, a jury acquitted him in March 2000 of the double murder of his stepfather and half brother.

Southerland gasped and dropped his face to the defendants table as the verdict was read, the Sacramento Bee reported. The judge who tried the case barely hid his surprise.

I dont know if justice has been done here today. I certainly hope its been done, Judge Larry D. Gaddis told the courtroom, according to the Sacramento Bee. Mr. Southerland, I think you received a very good job from your attorney, and I certainly hope the jury made the right decision.

It was clear that many observers thought Southerland got away with murder.

Fifteen years to the month after his acquittal, Southerland was dating a woman named Lillian Ruth Cawley when, on March 12, 2015, her husband, Glenn Russell Cawley, 55, was murdered in his Twin Falls home. He was killed the same way Southerlands family members died: A shotgun blast to the back of the head.

Sunday marks two years since Cawley was killed execution-style in the home he shared with his teenage daughter and his wife, when she was in town. Federal authorities last year said Southerland was a prime suspect in the killing. But as the years have passed without an arrest, Cawleys family is left to wonder: Did Southerland get away with murder?

March 12, 2015

Lillian Cawley was living and working in California at the time of her husbands death and dating Southerland, whom family members said she met while working in Texas. Glenn Cawleys sister, Nancy Mayhan, said Lillian Cawley crisscrossed the country as a traveling nurse and Glenn stayed in Twin Falls to raise the couples daughter.

My brother had no idea (about the affair), or chose not to know, Mayhan said over the phone Friday.

On March 12, 2015, Lillian Cawley called law enforcement to ask for a welfare check on her husband at their home, 3873 N. 2600 E., west of Twin Falls. He hadnt answered his text messages in several hours, she reported, which was rare.

When deputies arrived about 7:30 p.m., they found Cawley dead from the shotgun blast to the back of the head.

Glenn was splattered everywhere, his sister-in-law, Edie Cawley, said over the phone Friday. To be killed like that, execution-style? Thats totally, totally mean. We probably could bear it a little better if he was just shot, but no; shot in the back of the head? It was terrible.

The sheriffs office and prosecutors office waited four days to announce the death, saying at the time that releasing any information could have harmed the investigation. Two years later, local authorities have still said very little.

The Cawley case is still an active investigation and very much a priority for our agency, Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Lori Stewart said Friday. As such, I cant report any further information.

I can only tell you that they continue to work on it  and progress is being made, Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs said Wednesday. I had a meeting about it within the last week.

But where local authorities have offered almost no clues into Cawleys death, federal authorities last year made it clear who they believe killed Glenn Cawley.

Michael Anthony Southerland

According to Mayhan and Edie Cawley, Lillian moved back to Twin Falls just days after her husbands murder, and she brought Southerland, now 37, with her.

She was cheating on my brother, and then moved him into the house four days after the memorial, Mayhan said.

Records show Lillian Cawley was hired to teach at Canyon Ridge High School and was authorized by the College of Southern Idaho to teach dual-credit nursing courses there. Mayhan called it a slap in the face that Lillian only returned to live in Twin Falls after her husband was killed.

But it didnt take long for trouble to brew. On Oct. 28, about seven months after Southerland moved into the home, the Cawleys teen daughter called 911 to report a break-in by an armed intruder. When deputies arrived, those at the home said it was a misunderstanding, explaining Southerland had left for work but returned home unexpectedly, startling the 15-year-old girl.

But the damage was done. Southerland, who was convicted of a felony in 2003 for making explosive devices in California, was discovered at the home with several guns. He was arrested for illegal possession of firearms by a convicted felon.

Two weeks later, he was indicted on the gun charges by a federal grand jury, and an FBI agent wrote an explosive affidavit detailing evidence (that) connects Southerland to the murder, including a shotgun he owned that matched the possible murder weapon. At his sentencing in federal court last June, a deputy U.S. attorney described Southerland as a prime suspect in the killing, and his defense attorney said the murder investigation was the elephant in the room.

The Cawley family firmly believes Southerland, imprisoned at a federal correctional facility in Englewood, Colo., pulled the trigger. They also believe Lillian Cawley played a role in her husbands death.

Honestly, there is no doubt in my mind that Mike and Lillian planned this when they were living together in California, Mayhan said. Not one tiny little ounce of doubt that those two did it.

Edie Cawley said when she heard the news of Glenns slaying, Lillians name was the first to pop into her head as a suspect.

Neither local nor federal officials have ever publicly linked Lillian Cawley to Glenns death, and she has not been charged.

A phone number for Lillian no longer worked when a reporter attempted to call Friday seeking comment, and she did not immediately respond to requests for comments through email or on Facebook.

But the Cawley family hopes a fracture between Southerland and Lillian Cawley might result in one of them turning on the other. At his sentencing last June in Boise, Southerland said he considered Lillian and her 15-year-old daughter to be his family.

Lillian apparently didnt feel the same. Marriage records from Clark County, Nev., show she married Jeffrey Scott Nelson last Nov. 23, less than six months after a judge sentenced Southerland to 3  years in prison on the gun charges.

Will there be justice?

In Placer County, Calif., there has still been no justice for William Miller, 49, and Steven Miller, 11, who were gunned down Nov. 20, 1996, while watching TV in their mobile home.

At trial, Southerland and his lawyers claimed it was Southerlands mother, Dianna Miller, who killed her husband and son to collect nearly $500,000 in life insurance. Southerland took the blame and confessed to the killing to protect his mother, they claimed.

After a first trial ended with a deadlocked jury  nine voted to convict, three voted to acquit  a second trial resulted in Southerlands acquittal. But prosecutors clearly believed there was only one suspect.

If youre implying that we should file charges against Dianna Miller . . . the evidence just doesnt exist, said Prosecutor Thomas H. Beattie, according to the Sacramento Bee. Its that simple. Theres no evidence.

The Cawley family hopes this time, justice will be served.

I just wish to God this can be resolved before (Glenns parents) pass away, Edie Cawley said. They lost (Edies husband) Roy 20 years ago  all they have left is Nancy.

Edie called her brother-in-law a sweet heart who was so mild; his death has devastated his family and left a big hole.

It just infuriates me that people can get away with murder, Edie said. I didnt think it could happen.

Mayhan said theres still a lot of anger about the whole situation  Glenns murder, his widow moving into the house with her boyfriend, the lack of an arrest and the slow investigation.

He didnt do anything to deserve what he got, Mayhan said. He was a really good guy with the sweetest heart. He couldnt stand to see anyone else hurting. He was just a really sweet man.

But despite her frustration that two years have passed with no arrests, Mayhan remains confident the truth will prevail.

There will be justice. The truth always floats to the top, Mayhan said. It will come to the surface.
TWIN FALLS  Thanks to grant funding, the College of Southern Idahos Bridge to Success program will return for a second summer.

The program helps first-time, degree-seeking students who plan to study science, technology, engineering and math.

CSI received $20,000 in funding from the Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho STEM Action Center.

Other funding partners include the CSI Foundation and J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.

The 10-week program, beginning June 6 at the Twin Falls campus, introduces students to college life. They also take their first college classes at CSI over the summer.

Students who are interested in signing up can contact John Hughes at 208-732-6549 or jhughes@csi.edu.

More information about the program can be found at http://www.csi.edu/bridgetosuccess/.
TWIN FALLS  Twin Falls parents: If your child starts kindergarten next school year, registration is coming up soon.

Kindergarten registration for the Twin Falls School District begins Monday, April 24 and continues through Friday, April 28.

Parents can register their child at school offices:

Bickel Elementary School: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Harrison Elementary School: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Lincoln Elementary School: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Morningside Elementary School: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Oregon Trail Elementary School: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

I.B. Perrine Elementary School: 8:30 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Pillar Falls Elementary School: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Rock Creek Elementary School: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sawtooth Elementary School: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Call your neighborhood school for more information or to determine which school your child will be attending.

Attendance zone maps and information about registration can also be found on the school districts website: https://www.tfsd.org/parents/enrolling-your-student/.

Parents will need to bring their childs original birth certificate, proof of immunizations and proof of residency (such as a current utility bill, rental agreement or house sales agreement).

Students must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2017. Children may need to be present during the registration process to do a pre-kindergarten screening, but check with the school.

Schools are also planning kindergarten open houses:

Bickel Elementary School: 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, May 3

Harrison Elementary School: 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3

Lincoln Elementary School: 5-6 p.m. Thursday, April 27

Morningside Elementary School: 3:30-4:15 p.m. Thursday, April 27

Oregon Trail Elementary School: 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5

I.B. Perrine Elementary School: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27

Pillar Falls Elementary School: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27

Rock Creek Elementary School: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26

Sawtooth Elementary School: 9-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 26
TWIN FALLS  Awareness is the first step to action.

So this is your opportunity to have an honest conversation about sexual and domestic violence in the Magic Valley.

The public is invited to the Times-News Community Forum on Domestic Violence from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday at the theater at Marilyns Bar, 233 Fifth Ave. S. The event is a collaboration between the Times-News and the cast of The Vagina Monologues and CSI Pride Alliance.

Director Liyah Babayan said the forum is needed because there is a culture of silencing and shaming victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence in the Magic Valley.

We need to have an honest conversation about the cycle of violence in our community, Babayan said. Beyond one forum, our leaders need to prioritize a task force to find solutions, programs and preventative resources to interrupt this cycle of violence, give the children a chance to break out of it.

The forum will feature a roundtable discussion with local experts in domestic violence. Panelists are Lori Stewart, victim services coordinator at Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office; Kristy Rasmusson, domestic violence court in 5th District; Lynda Brennen, Advocates Against Violence in Burley; Craig Kingsbury, Twin Falls Police Chief; Anne Tierney with St. Lukes CARES; Karen McCarthy, an attorney with Idaho Legal Aid and Marisol Towell with Voices Against Violence womens shelter.

Domestic violence is something that affects our entire community, Stewart said. We all lose when there is domestic violence.

Stewart said some topics she would like to discuss is how law enforcement can help and the resources available.

The public can submit questions to the panel ahead of time by emailing frontdoor@magicvalley.com. Question cards will also be provided at the forum and all submissions will remain anonymous. The forum will be moderated by Times-News Managing Editor Alison Smith.

We want people who attend to come away with practical understanding of the resources available for those who need help  and with solutions for ways our community can begin to deal with domestic violence head-on, said Times-News Editor Matt Christensen. This is going to be a fascinating and empowering conversation.
A site where thousands of American Indians once gathered to trade along the Missouri River is eroding fast. And legislators are looking to cut funding needed to fix it.

Facing budget shortfalls, the House voted to yank a $1.25 million loan authorized last session to repair the Double Ditch Indian Village Historic Site.

With our current budget situation, that is not what we consider a priority now, said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Jeff Delzer, R-Underwood. Wed much rather have the money go to vulnerable adults, K-12 funding, protection and public safety.

The issue is now before the Senate Appropriations Committee, which may revise the bill to reinstate the funds.

The news has alarmed some historians, Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara members and local residents.

This is one of the most important historic sites in the American West, said Elizabeth Fenn, a professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Encounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People."

"Id make an argument it should be a UNESCO World Heritage Site," she said.

Due to erosion, at least 16 graves have been exposed. Last fall, members of the MHA nation reburied them.

Id seen a skull of my ancestor among the bones. That was the first time Id seen a complete skull, said MHA nation tribal historic preservation officer Calvin Grinnell. It really impressed upon me that this is definitely a place that needs to be preserved."

"We ask and are asking that our human remains are respected," he said.

Double Ditch

The earthlodge village located 7 miles north of Bismarck was home to thousands of Mandan people from about 1490 to 1785. This village and others at the Heart River confluence were the centers of commerce and social life on the Northern Plains, Fenn said. The women were noted corn farmers, and the village was a trading point for many different tribes. People would come and camp for one to two weeks and trade agricultural and bison products. The Mandan people ultimately abandoned the town as smallpox devastated their population.

The state has owned the site since 1936, having bought it from private owners over an 18-year period, according to Fern Swenson, director of the archaeology and historic preservation division at the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

Due to its age, size and relative preservation, Double Ditch is a goldmine for archaeologists learning about native civilizations and the movement of Europeans, Africans and disease into the area.

Fenn said study and understanding of the site is barely beginning.

Erosion

The site began seriously eroding during the floods of 2011, which washed out the "clay toe," a stable clay base at the bottom of the bluff, Swenson said. Soon, the hill started sliding into the river, causing cracks that have widened and exposed burials. Most recently, a new and threatening crack 75 feet from the river has emerged.

A $3.5 million plan to stop the erosion involves building a rock trench to stabilize the bottom and placing pipe pilings along the side to stop the dirt from falling out, Swenson said. About $700,000 of that money has been spent already on Kansas-based Atwell Engineering firm. The project is a few weeks away from going out to bid and could be completed by fall.

Swenson said she worries that waiting on the project would lead to more damage at the site, requiring new engineering designs and more fees.

Funding

During the 2015 Legislature, the state historical society was promised the full $3.5 million in the form of $250,000 from the general fund, $2 million from the state disaster relief fund and authorization for a $1.25 million loan from the Bank of North Dakota.

The House Appropriations Committee decided last month to no longer authorize the loan and recommend the state historical society not take one out. If it does, the state would not follow its standard procedure and pay it back. The House approved HB1018 by an 80-11 vote.

The bill is now before the Senate Appropriations Committee, who heard testimony from supporters during a hearing earlier in the month, and it is possible there will be a different result.

Sen. Karen Krebsbach, R-Minot, who will chair the subcommittee reviewing the issue, said she believes there is a "strong desire" in the committee to "see that the project is taken care of as we had planned in the previous session."

Sen. Robert Erbele, R-Lehr, and Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, also are on the subcommittee.

Krebsbach suggested a solution could involve reauthorizing the loan or, less likely, scrounging for funds. If they decide to reinstate funding, the issue would need to be reconciled with the House.

"Its just not something we like to have hanging over us as a state," Krebsbach said. "That were not attending to (the site)."

A two-year delay

The central irony in the situation at Double Ditch is that, would the project have been completed already, the site would no longer be eroding and there would be no funding problem.

The holdup was around an earlier engineering plan that involved placing bendway weirs in the Missouri River to divert the water away from the historic site. As the plan would influence the waterway, it required special permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The historical society applied for this permission in February 2016.

As supporters of the project see it, the corps put unnecessary roadblocks in front of the plan they believed was unlikely to affect people downstream.

The Army corps has been stonewalling us, delaying us up to this time, said Grinnell, who was involved in the planning process. Theyve had their so-called reviews and hearings. They bear some responsibility.

We kept having to provide more and more information, said Swenson, who believes the weirs would have made the least impact on the site and little impact on the water. It became pretty obvious we couldnt get the permit we needed from the corps of engineers.

Swenson said the current plan was a second choice.

But from the corps' perspective, the weirs were a complicated project, very likely to affect others downstream, because of changes in water flow and sediment deposits. Toni Erhardt, project manager at the corps office in Bismarck, said she warned members of the historical society about problems a year before the application was submitted, and they were slow to provide information.

It really was somebody having a set design in mind and absolutely refusing to admit it would do anything at all, Erhardt said. Maybe its something we couldve worked with, but they didnt acknowledge anything would happen.

The plan went out for comment in August, and the corps received questions from landowners and state agencies, including the health department and water commission. After the historical society responded to the comments in September, the corps began its evaluation. The historical society withdrew its application last month due to its new plan, which begins above the high-water mark.

Other funding sources

If funding is cut for the site, it raises a question of where else money could be obtained to restore it. Delzer argued in an interview that the historical society should look for private donations.

Then they should put some money for it, he said of people advocating around saving the site. Thats their opinion if they feel that way.

But Swenson argues the need is too urgent, and that more damage will occur at the site while fundraising is undertaken.

The main problem is we need to move forward with the project, and I dont know how long fundraising would take, she said.

It's also a state-owned site, Grinnell pointed out, arguing the state, not the tribe, has a duty to maintain it. It's a popular tourist destination near Bismarck, he added.

Its not tribal land  its state property, he said.

Local support

As the issue is debated in the Legislature, a group of concerned citizens in Bismarck is working to draw attention to it.

Emily Sakariassen, a Bismarck native and architectural historian with MetCalf, hosted a gathering at the site on Saturday that drew about 40 supporters in the snow.

She said many locals dont realize that erosion of the site is still an issue. They assume construction was completed already.

People dont know its a problem, she said. I think it would be an embarrassment if we turned a blind eye to it and lost this site to the world.
MONDAY the House State Affairs Committee passed a bill repealing two laws passed in 2015 that ban the use of telemedicine, or consulting with a doctor over the internet rather than in person, to prescribe abortion pills. The law is being passed as a consequence of a settlement the state reached with Planned Parenthood in a lawsuit, and abortion foes hope passing the law will at least stave off a court ruling against the state and leave Idahos options open to ban the procedure later.

The full House passed a bill to let current members of the armed services carry concealed handguns without a permit within city limits, after an unsuccessful attempt by a handful of far-right Republicans to amend the bill to let any non-resident American citizen do the same. (Currently, only Idaho residents are allowed to carry without a permit in cities.) A separate bill to change this law has been presented to the House State Affairs Committee but hasnt been scheduled for an introductory hearing.

Then, freshman Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, objected to waiving the full reading of a bill to update Idahos notary public laws. The clerk read the first couple of pages of the 21-page bill, then House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, issued a call of the House, during which the doors are locked and members and any media in there when it happens arent allowed to leave even to go the bathroom. Members who arent present are brought back, in handcuffs if necessary, during a call of the House or Senate, although this didnt happen this time. Its not common; the Senate does them occasionally to put on a show for the pages but this was the first real one this year. The House then voted to make Giddings finish reading the bill, which she did, taking a little more than an hour.

TUESDAY the House Education Committee voted to hold a bill that would have encouraged Idaho high schools to create elective gun safety classes. Later in the day, the full House voted to pass a bill that hikes hunting, fishing and trapping fees, combined with more money to compensate landowners for depredation and a price lock that will freeze the fees for people who buy licenses every year.

WEDNESDAY Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, tried to use a procedural rule to force the full House to consider a bill by Boise Democrat Ilana Rubel that would require a hearing on any bill that gets five Democratic and five Republican co-sponsors. The bill has been sitting in the House Ways and Means Committee for more than a month and is almost certain never to get a hearing. Both Democrats and far-right Republicans alike frequently gripe that the current committee process prevents their bills from getting hearings and gives all the power to the more establishment Republicans. After almost an hour of debate the House voted 57-13 to block consideration of the bill.

Then, after an emotional debate during which abortion foes choked up and compared their struggle to the Revolutionary War and the battles for black civil rights and a couple of abortion rights supporters walked out in protest during the reading of the bill, the full House passed the bill to repeal the telemedicine abortion ban.

THURSDAY the Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send on a bill that would offer coverage for doctors visits and some prescriptions for people in the Medicaid gap. Many people showed up at the meeting to testify, mostly Medicaid expansion supporters who think the proposal doesnt go far enough. Most of the committee meeting was taken up by two other bills, however, and the people who were signed up didnt have a chance to testify because the Senate was scheduled to go back on the floor at 4 p.m.

Also, House Ways and Means voted to print a bill co-sponsored by Gooding Democrat Sally Toone to forgive some of the student loans of teachers in rural districts, clearing the way for a full hearing later. And, the state announced it had settled a lawsuit over the Idaho Education Network school broadband project.

FRIDAY the Senate State Affairs Committee voted to advance a proposed constitutional amendment to give some rights to crime victims and their families. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee held what will likely be its last agency budget-setting meeting of the year, although the committee likely will hold additional meetings to pass trailer bills appropriating money for various things as bills pass the Legislature. And two major transportation funding proposals were introduced into the Senate.

NEXT WEEK will, if the Legislature sticks with the expected sine die, be the next-to-last week of the session. Its hard to say what will happen but tax cuts and transportation funding are two big as-yet unanswered questions before adjournment, and I would expect to see some news on one of those fronts.
December 14, 1919  November 25, 2016

BOISE  Lawrence Larry H. Moore, W7NJU, passed away November 25, 2016 at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise, Idaho with daughter, Judy, and son-in-law, Tony Sabala, by his side. Larry had spent the last 6 years of his life there and knew that it was the best place for him. While living at the State Veterans Home, he made many new friends amongst the staff as well as the other residing Veterans. Larry loved to enter into and hold conversation with others and through this he had a talent for inspiring and gave encouragement to many others throughout his life and especially during the time he was at the Veterans home.

Larry was born December 14, 1919 in Estherville, Iowa to Elmer and Helen (Bowman) Moore. He spent his academic years in Esthervilles schools, graduating from the Estherville High School in 1937 and going to complete one year of Junior College there also.

On January 12, 1942, Larry enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Corp as a Teletype Machine operator. He was first stationed in Ft. Snelling Minnesota, where he took training and became a Tower Operator. He was then shipped overseas to Northern-Africa, then on to Italy, in which he was involved in the Tunisian, Naples-Foggie and Roe-Arno Campaigns and was awarded 3 bronze stars for his service. A lapel button was issued to him and he was entitled to wear the European African Middle Eastern Theatre Campaign Ribbon, 5 Overseas Bars, and a Victory Ribbon, with no time lost under AW 107, all of which reflected in and for his war efforts. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant in November 1945.

He had a passion for flying and due to this passion, a friend and he bought a small plane together, in which they engaged and enjoyed many hours of flying until his friend crashed the plane one day while landing. Well, the plane was a total loss, but one day while visiting his friend in the hospital, a gorgeous nurse walked in to tend to the friend. When she left the room, Larry told his friend, I am going to marry that gal! and of course his friend just laughed.

On December 2, 1945, Larry held true to his prediction and married that nurse, Virginia Mitchell, in Kasson, Minnesota, and were together for 61 years until Virginias passing in February of 2012. As newly wedded, they returned to Estherville where Larry worked as a bookkeeper for the town grocery store and in the photography business, and Virginia worked for a doctor. On September 16, 1946, they welcomed their daughter, Judy, into the young family.

In December 1948, this young family made a trip to Jerome, Idaho to spend that Christmas with Virginias parents. This trip ended up in permanent residency, as they lived in Jerome ever since all the while saying.... its been a long Christmas.

In his working years, Larry was employed at Lyson Studios as a photographer, Birds Sporting Goods in sales, and Farmers Elevator and Simplot Soilbuilders as a bookkeeper. His health forced him into early retirement, but not to be kept down he began selling Watkins Products, which he enjoyed as he could visit more freely with his great customers. Along with his wife, Virginia, he helped Joe and Dorothy Rose in their photography business at weddings and other special photo occasions. He had a love for photography, from taking pictures to developing them in his own dark room in what he called the Dog House. His love for photography seemingly has been passed on to his daughter, Judy!

Larrys service time in the communications field led him to become a Ham Radio operator in April 1949. This became a hobby that he was very dedicated to. He helped parents reach their sons in Viet Nam over the airwaves when they could not be reached via phone line. He was known as W7NJU over the airwaves. He became the Net Central Station for the Military Amateur Radio Service (MARS). His dedication to this program was to see that it was opened up 7 days a week and other Ham Operators would check in from the states of Colorado, Montana, California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. He completed this service every morning for 17 years and from the time he became a Ham Radio Operator he also helped fellow operators when in need as they traveled this area; he was the original Google Maps. Larry and Virginia attended many ham radio festivities, where many a wonderful friendships developed thru the ham radio. As Judy will say, it was more than a hobby with him, it was a way of life. While at home Judy enjoyed listening to the conversations and later grandson, Brian, would do the same; listening instead of talking.

There came a great day in October 1970 when Larry and Virginia welcomed their grandson, Brian. Brian became an instant hit with the Moore grandparents, with Larry and Brian bonding instantly. Grandpa was overjoyed that it became routine for him to go to Judy and Tonys home every morning to help bathe and feed Brian. Through this ritual, grandpa and grandson became fast pals and gave each other great joy. Dad said that being able to see and help with Brian saved his life, as Larry was struggling with health issues during that time.

It could be said by my dad, Larry, that he has spent many, many wonderful hours/days fishing, hunting, and shooting with friends, camping at the Cottonwoods below Magic Dam, being able to take Brian ahead to secure a preferred camping spot in the Baker Creek area and packing a lunch for a day of arrowhead hunting in the South Hills. He also enjoyed block party potlucks or going to a family reunion. He spent many hours raising and showing tumbler pigeons which also earned him trophies. He had many adventures in life and enjoyed relating them to those who would listen.

Judy states that in 1999 her mother, and Larrys wife, Viriginia, had to be moved to the Creekside Care Center due to Alzheimers, which was a very hard decision for him. But with the love he had for his wife he hardly missed a day of visiting her at least twice a day until his own health began to decline and he could no longer drive himself.

In 1979 it became known that if Larry had to spend the final years of his life in assisted living he wanted and preferred to fulfill them at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise, Idaho. So in August 2009 he was moved there and took up permanent residency. It was difficult at first, but when was visited there he stated it was the best place for him and he made many friends amongst the other veterans residents and staff that took care of him.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Helen; one younger sister, Margaret; and his wife, Virginia. He is survived by his daughter, Judy and son-in-law, Tony Sabala; grandson, Brian and wife, Ranae Sabala; and great grandchildren, Colton, Kodie, and Emily Sabala and Zach and Chase Dulin.

A great Thank You is extended to all his many friends who were there when he needed a visit and someone to talk to and to the medical personnel who provided great care and compassion and each and every one for your constant support.

Larrys wishes were to be cremated and to hold no formal services. He has been laid to rest at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, Boise, Idaho.

At this time Larry would use his ham radio sign off saying... W7NJU, over and out.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Larrys memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com.
June Rasmussen

BURLEY  June Rasmussen of Burley, funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, March 13, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E 16th St, Burley. A visitation will be held from 10 until 10:45 a.m. preceding the service.

Mary Ann Staker

BURLEY  Mary Ann Staker of Burley, memorial services at 11 a.m. Monday, March 13, 2017 of the Burley Stake Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Joel Heward Hansen Mortuary.

Dorothy L. Howard

TWIN FALLS  Dorothy Howard of Twin Falls, funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, March 13 at White Mortuary, Chapel by the Park, 136 4th Avenue East, Twin Falls. Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Sunday, March 12 at the funeral home.

William Taylor

KIMBERLY  William Taylor of Kimberly, service at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 14 at Parkes Magic Valley Funeral Home. A viewing will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Monday, March 12 at the funeral home.

Philip L. Baker

NAMPA  Philip L. Baker of Nampa, funeral services at 2 p.m. Friday, March 17, 2017 at Alsip and Persons Funeral Chapel. A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 6-8 p.m. at Alsip and Persons Funeral Chapel, 404 10th Ave. South, Nampa, Idaho.
BURLEY  Weak afternoon sun trickled through a window onto Amanda Harris as her thumb stroked the cool, slick glass of a photo frame cradled against her chest.

The photo is of her tiny son.

This is all I have of him, the Paul woman said. Photos, hand- and footprints, a minuscule diaper and a white gown adorned with a yellow duck. These things are some of my most prized possessions.

Born much too soon  at 21 weeks gestation on Aug. 3, 2012  Michael Allen did not survive. But he was real.

He weighed 9 ounces. He was 10 inches long. He waved his hands at his mom when the doctor performed the last ultrasound screening.

Theres no joyful celebration for families of the 20 or 30 south-central Idaho babies each year who are stillborn or die shortly after birth. Instead, most hospitals offer infant-loss programs spearheaded by nurses, staffers and volunteers who understand these parents pain.

They sew tiny clothing, make blankets and hats, paint memento boxes and help families take the first and last photos of their children.

They offer compassion and the gift of a few precious hours.

I was able to have seven hours with him before the mortuary took him, Harris said. Eternity is not long enough to spend with your child, let alone seven hours.

A dress repurposed

A miniature white gown with tiny beadwork lay atop Wendy Petersons sewing workbench as she turned an infant boys outfit made from the same satin right-side out.

The backs of the clothing would have Velcro closures, because the infant bodies that will wear them are fragile and cant withstand a lot of manipulation.

They dont make any patterns for boys, Peterson said, showing the tiny tuxedo she styled. The vest would be finished with buttons. A dapper bow tie would complete the ensemble.

The luxurious material? Harris wedding dress.

After Harris lost her son, she donated the dress to Cassia Regional Hospitals infant-loss program to be made into layettes for perinatal deaths. Nurses and volunteers eagerly took up the cause and began working on them.

Harris donation snowballed  spurring others to donate their wedding dresses.

Peterson, a registered nurse at Cassia Regionals birth center, expects to get four outfits from Harris dress, mostly for boys and all with individual designs.

We dont have any outfits for the boys, she said.

Peterson has experience sewing clothing  for her six children, then 12 grandchildren  but the clothing was never this small.

No one makes it this small, she said. And doll clothes arent really appropriate for a babys last outfit.

Dolls in varying sizes sit against her windowsill to serve as fitting models. As she sews, her mind sometimes wanders to the little ones who will use them.

I think about the different families Ive seen and how hard it was on them, Peterson said.

Society has come a long way in the past 60 years with acknowledging a familys grief after the loss of a baby, Peterson said. Sometimes mothers didnt get to see their babies after they died, let alone hold them.

Now parents decide whether they want to see and hold the bodies and how much time they want to spend. And nurses make sure parents have photos and mementos for later, even if they think they dont want to see the baby.

Everything that can be done to soften this time for parents, Peterson said, is worth it.

Its the hardest part of labor and delivery, she said. Its mostly a happy place.

A whirlwind of decisions

Six years ago, Declo mother Kara Ramsey and her husband, Matt, lost Braxton Heward at five months gestation. A routine checkup showed no heartbeat.

The loss catapulted Ramsey into the uncharted. Still reeling from the news, she and her husband were hit with questions about what they wanted to do after Braxtons stillbirth.

I just felt like I was in a whirlwind, and I didnt know the answers, Ramsey said.

When Braxton arrived looking pink and perfect, they were able to spend time with him before the mortuary took him.

Nurses encourage parents to capture those moments after a stillbirth, said Sally Edgar, a registered nurse who oversees the infant-loss program at Cassia Regional. We always encourage those things because you cant go back afterwards.

The Ramseys buried their son in a small fiberglass casket, placed on top of his grandfathers casket during a simple, sweet ceremony.

I felt such a sense of release, Ramsey said. But her grief lingered.

I think it is the loneliest kind of grieving because nobody had bonded with the baby yet but me, Ramsey said. Expectant mothers start making a connection with the being growing inside long before it becomes a reality for others. I felt so lost and alone and kept asking myself, Is this normal?

As her grief lingered for years, Ramsey reached out to the hospital and spearheaded the grief support group that Harris eventually joined.

Its a group that I would have never chosen for myself, Ramsey said, the words heavy in her throat.

Little boy lost

Harris lost an ectopic pregnancy before losing Michael, so she and her husband, Joseph, were cautious about feeling joyful too soon. But after the 12-week mark, she allowed herself to feel excitement.

I thought I was fine and I was having a healthy baby, Harris said. I didnt even know what a stillbirth was.

When Harris started bleeding and cramping, an ultrasound showed Michael moving and waving his fists. But an infection threatened Harris life, and she was told Michael had stopped growing at 18 weeks. The doctor said the baby would not live.

Harris could still feel him moving, and in desperation the couple called other hospitals, only to hear the same grim message.

I still had hope, she said. I was preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

A nurse who had experienced a stillbirth explained to the couple what their son would look like so they wouldnt be shocked by his appearance and darkened skin.

Soon, as Harris cleaned up she felt Michaels tiny head  and then his body slipped into her waiting palm.

Its something I cherish, she said. Other mothers are there to pick up their children and comfort them when they fall. The only time my son fell and needed me to catch him, I was there.

She saw a pulse on Michael, but the nurse told her it was only from the umbilical cord. Harris wasnt so sure.

I was scared to touch him because his skin was so thin I thought it would tear, she said. I talked to him and told him I loved him and his heart stopped beating.

The nurse took Michaels body and made impressions of his hands and feet.

Many mothers plan what their babies will wear home from the hospital, but the Harris family had no clothing to fit this boy.

When they brought him back wearing the layette it was like there was a light around him, Harris said. He deserved to have something beautiful to wear.

The clothing helped her look at her child and come to terms with the death. The Harrises examined Michaels hands and features, etching them into their hearts.

The hospital gave them a tiny box holding a bear, a blanket and a camera, and they took photos during the hours they spent cradling and touching Michaels body.

I dont know the color of his eyes or who he looks like or who he would have been, but I do know what I have right here, Harris said, touching the tiny clothing he wore. It helps keep his memory alive and lets other people know him.

Afterward, she bought a bear to hug  to ease the ache in her empty arms  and a stuffed donkey for 10-year-old son Zane, who still sleeps with it.

For months she couldnt bear to go to a store because seeing baby clothes or hearing a crying infant caused waves of grief. Food tasted different, and colors seemed muted.

If you imagine the mess after an earthquake, thats what I felt like inside, she said.

Though surrounded by supportive family, Harris felt isolated.

Maybe people tend to stay away because they just dont know what to say, she said. I felt like he didnt exist to the rest of the world.

Instead of comforting, well-meaning remarks often stung.

Dont tell someone to move on or that they can have more children, Harris said. And dont tell them at least you have this other child.

And dont just turn your head away, she said.

Say my childs name.

Just listen

Grief after a loss like Harris is completely normal, said licensed professional counselor Jeanette Bern, owner of Aspenwood Counseling in Burley.

They were an active part of your life and part of everything you chose to do, Bern said. Not only do parents lose the physical child, they lose their dream of that child.

You lose that future, she said.

While spending time with the deceased child is right for some parents, Bern said, for others it could produce post-traumatic stress disorder. Hospitals with infant-loss programs must be cautious to make sure its the parents wishes.

Grief after a babys death, like all grief, has no timetable and is cyclical. People move in and out of the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Grief, Bern said, can be triggered years later by the sight of another child.

Grief doesnt ever really go away, she said, you just learn to cope with it.

After the loss of her son, Ramsey sought a day that felt normal only to discover it didnt exist.

You have to find the new normal, she said.

If loved ones are dealing with grief, listen to them and validate their feelings, Bern said; hear their pain without judging them. Those searching for comfort after a childs death should seek out a counselor or someone they dont know well who is willing to sit and really listen.

South-central Idaho hospitals also offer counseling and clergy visits to families who lose babies.

The first time Harris attended a grief support group after her sons death she felt angry that she even had a reason to be there. Over time, she realized the participants understood her loss through the windows of their own grief.

Even though every story of loss is different I realized we are all grieving in our own way and it made me stronger, she said. When you experience the loss of a child you have to let it hurt, bleed. You have to experience the rawness of it, then you can be ready to heal.

Healing moments

Four years after losing her son, Harris wanted to do something in Michaels memory.

I dont want his memory, she said, to be just another sad story of a child lost.

In October she and her husband made baked goods, held a fundraiser and donated $450 to the hospital for purchasing stuffed bears for its memory boxes. And she donated the wedding dress collecting dust in her closet.

Harris hopes to continue raising money to purchase a CuddleCot to donate to the hospital. The refrigerated bassinet allows families to spend more time with a babys body.

I knew I wanted to help this program because they helped me, no questions asked, Harris said. Maybe I can help another mom whose heart is shattered in a million pieces.
TWIN FALLS  What began as a senior project still continues today.

The Distinguished Young Women Program of Magic Valley is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Buhl High School Auditorium. Distinguished Young Women, formerly Americas Junior Miss Program, is a national scholarship program that encourages fitness, performance and communication skills.

Twenty contestants from five Magic Valley high schools will compete. Contestants are high school juniors who can compete only once in this program. The Distinguished Young Women Program of Magic Valley program was reinstated in 2009 by Kristina Nye, a senior at Buhl High School.

More than $15,000 in scholarships will be awarded and contestants compete in areas of scholastic achievement, interview, fitness, self-expression and talent.

Contestants this year are Kendra Benson, Hana Olsen, Makayla Woll, Celina Arroyo and Kayanna Zamora from Buhl High School; Madie Hatch, Anna Jensen and Katie Mowers from Canyon Ridge High School; Ceral Lott, Hanna Lloyd and Angel Martinez from Filer High School; Janae Swenson, Abbey Andersen, Viviana Barrera, Ally Farnsworth, Brooklynne Burbank, Annabelle Wallace and Madison Ohlensehlen from Jerome High School and Rebekah Kezele and Cheyon Sheen from Twin Falls High School.

Maci Dimond of Buhl High School won last year. She is currently a senior at Murtaugh High School. Dimond won more than $7,500 and was named first runner-up at the state program held in September 2016.

Presale tickets are $8 or $10 at the door. More info: 208-420-5510.
This past Wednesday, after fighting for decades to break the glass ceiling and demanding equal pay for equal work, a few thousand women across America played hooky. Nothing says We work like men! like skipping work. If being a lousy employee now passes as political speech, perhaps next week these same women can exert their feminist rage by napping at their desks and stealing a ream of copy paper.

Because I felt no impact from this protest whatsoever in my own orbit, I had to Google just how disruptive the Day Without a Woman protests were nationwide. Seems a school district here and there had to cancel classes, and a few rallies were held in big cities. But I noticed only hundreds turned out for the Washington, D.C., rally. Hundreds? Holy crud. I could probably organize a Facebook rally for yellow snow and toilet gunk and get hundreds to show up; they march for about anything in D.C. Compare the hundreds of thousands of women marching on Jan. 21 to the measly hundreds this past week, and the pink kitty-kat hat trajectory is not looking hopeful. Perhaps the short-lived era of protests without a clear grievance is coming to an end.

Furthermore, I felt a sweet irony that on the very day that these lousy female employees were trying to land a punch on Americas economy, ADP announced in their monthly jobs report that the numbers expected under President Trumps first full month completely shattered expectations. Instead of an anticipated 190,000 jobs, the report predicts 298,000 new jobs. Even Obama-favoring economists conceded that President Trumps policy positions are creating a positive atmosphere for employment growth for men and women. In other words, far more women are celebrating a new job this past month than showed up to protest perceived unjust gender-based vagaries.

Despite the distinct anti-Trump flavor to these protests, the president managed magnanimity, tweeting: On International Womens Day, join me in honoring the critical role of women here in America & around the world. Ill take the challenge, Mr. President, and honor the many women I work with who are empowered by their contributions and numerous examples of achievement, and not by their truancy. The truly empowered women I know are those who dont make their gender the central theme of their lives, professional or otherwise, then leverage it against largely non-existent hostility.

The idea of being worthless for a day to show how valuable you are is just another contradiction in a deep tradition of baked-in incongruity from the Left. Their alleged support for homosexuals  except those killed by radical Muslims. And what sort of ethical and philosophical gymnastics are required to hold simultaneous support for abortion and opposition to capital punishment? How does their love of technology mesh with their hatred of free market capitalism? Then theres the promotion of both free expression ... and campus safe spaces. I guess it seems only predictable they would think employee absenteeism is a great way to prove ones worth.

The latest Protest of the Week appears to have been a dud. Most of America is getting tired of this parade of manufactured outrage thats rewarded with disproportionate media attention by an activist press that thinks they are breeding a Trump insurrection. In reality, all theyre breeding by over-amplifying vague grievances of women skipping work, is an exhausted electorate and an erosion of their own credibility.
For years, our outdated and overly complex immigration system for scientists and engineers has threatened our nations position as a magnet for scientific and engineering talent from all over the world. Now, the government is finally taking action, only its in the wrong direction. It has decided to make it more difficult  not easier  for foreign scientists and students to come to the United States and for U.S. scientists to collaborate with colleagues in other countries.

President Donald Trumps travel ban is creating turmoil in U.S. laboratories. It is discouraging foreign scientists from coming to the United States, and it is creating a climate of insecurity and fear among many of those who are already here. It is threatening collaborative research projects involving U.S. and foreign scientists. And it is disrupting the flow of international students to U.S. universities.

As reported in the journal Nature, foreign-born scientists are reconsidering their plans to work or study in the United States because of Trumps actions on immigration. Meanwhile, administrators at Harvard University have cautioned foreign students and faculty about potential problems of reentry after traveling outside the United States. Such fears could have serious consequences for research and education in this country. Although the administration limited the scope of its 90-day travel ban to six majority-Muslim nations, the presidents heated rhetoric has raised fears and created a climate of uncertainty about his administrations longer-term plans and intentions.

We have already seen a precipitous drop in applications to some U.S. engineering schools from international students, who are vital to science, technology, engineering and math graduate programs at universities. According to data from the National Science Foundation, foreign nationals represent more than 70 percent of full-time graduate students in electrical engineering, 63 percent in computer science and about half of all engineering faculty members. But the latest figures from many universities are worrisome. International applications for Dartmouth Colleges masters in engineering management are down 30 percent; at Vanderbilt University, engineering graduate applications from international students have declined 18 percent. The timing and application deadlines suggest that these drops may be due to Trumps campaign rhetoric rather than the recent travel bans.

The United States has long benefited from the contributions of foreign-born scientists and engineers. Examples abound: Nearly a third of all science Nobel laureates who won their prizes while working in the United States were foreign born. Approximately 40 percent of Fortune 500 firms  including such tech-based giants as Google, Intel, eBay, and Apple  were started by immigrants or children of immigrants. More than five out of six patents in information technology in the United States in 2010 listed a foreign national among the inventors. In view of such contributions, the government should be doing more to attract foreign talent, not driving it away.

Scientific organizations have been speaking out on the travel ban. Rush Holt, chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, called on the president to take a balanced approach to immigration that protects national security interests and advances our scientific leadership. Leaders of the biotechnology industry, heavily dependent on foreign talent, were more forceful. A letter  published in Nature Biotechnology and signed by 166 industry executives  stated bluntly: If this misguided policy is not reversed, America is at risk of losing its leadership position in one of its most important sectors, one that will shape the world in the twenty-first century.

Its not clear that anyone in the White House is listening. In previous administrations, the presidents science adviser and his staff in the Office of Science and Technology Policy would have offered a scientific perspective on issues of this nature. That point of view might not have shaped the final outcome, but its presence would have suggested at least the possibility of informed decision-making. So far, the Trump administration has not named a science adviser or given an indication of howor whetherthe White House science office will be structured and staffed.

The travel ban set to go into effect this month highlights both the need for establishing a channel of high-level scientific advice to the president in the form of an appointed science adviser. It also demonstrates the need for a concerted, unified effort by the scientific community to speak out and oppose such misguided policies. The president needs to turn his attention to this situation soon. It is essential that, as we seek to secure our borders and protect the nation against terrorism and other threats to our security, we do not allow the strength and international reputation of our scientific enterprise to become collateral damage.
COLLECTIVE MADNESS



Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."
DULUTH, Minn.  Some family members held flags, while others held up handwritten signs welcoming their loved ones home. Little kids sat on adults shoulders so they could see over the crowd and a woman wore a sweatshirt stating, Proud Army Mom.

The crowd continued to grow at the Duluth International Airport on Saturday night, and a few near the front of the crowd saw the plane carrying the U.S. Army Reserve 312th Engineer Company land.

Seeing the plane, a girl holding a sign started repeating Daddy! while a mother instructed her young son to not run out to his father when he saw him. The Duluth-based unit arrived home on Saturday night after nearly a year-long deployment to Kuwait, with families learning of the homecoming only a few days ago.

Passengers of other flights waiting for their luggage started applauding when the soldiers entered through the baggage claim area to go upstairs, where their families waited. As the soldiers filed past the crowd to stand in formation before being dismissed, families began waving and cheering as they spotted their loved ones arriving.

The crowd stood quietly for a brief thank you to the families for giving their loved ones to the Army for the year. But when the order was given for the company to fall out, the crowd cheered and ran toward the soldiers.

Married only a few hours, Hermantown newlyweds Bryce and Victoria Haryu waited in their suit and wedding dress to pick up their best man and Bryces best friend, Andrew Knight of Barnum. Bryce said it was incredible to have Knight arrive home on Saturday  in the middle of their wedding festivities. Their original plan was for Knight to be a part of their wedding from overseas via Skype, but his arrival home changed their plans and they were at the airport to pick him up between their wedding ceremony and reception.

This is better, Victoria said, adding that she loves that Knights homecoming was part of her wedding day.

Knights family was at the wedding reception, unaware that he had arrived home  he was planning to surprise them at the reception. Bryce explained, We decided to give up part of our special night to make it as special as we can for everybody.

Knight said he was excited to be home. He was looking forward to hanging out with all my friends and family, he said. Ill miss all the bonds with my military guys, thats what Im going to miss the most.

Brad Dalbec of Wakefield, Mich., said he was as excited as you could possibly be to see his son Mike Dalbec arrive home. The family was practically shaking with excitement on Saturday, he explained. His son had been living in southern Minnesota for a year before deploying, so hes only seen him a few times in the past two years, he said.

Just to be able to give him a hug is going to be a good thing for me, Brad said.

Shannon Shirkey of Wakefield said she has missed the companionship of her best friend and husband, Shawn Shirkey, during the past year. When asked what the toughest part of the past year was, she replied, Where do we start? Trying to take care of things while hes way too far away and the time difference, and ... trying to get a hold of him (when) were on opposite schedules completely.

The families were given a general time frame for the company coming home a few months ago. They were given the exact homecoming date just last week and then given the exact time on Saturday, explained the 312ths Family Readiness Group leader, Jennilee Anderson of Cloquet.

Its been a very long day. Were ready. Were done. Were done, said Jennilee, whose husband Tim Anderson was deployed.

Their two children are staying with grandparents this weekend because theyre planning for Tim to surprise the children at school on Monday.

When asked what she was most looking forward to, Jennilee replied, Just having my partner back, going back to a normal life where were all home for dinner.

The 312th did well during the yearlong deployment, Jennilee said.

Everyone has issues, whether its a car, whether its a furnace, whether its whatever, you just grin and bear it. But for the most part, I think they did well and now were all just excited. All our soldiers are safe and sound and coming home, she said.
What happens when someone calls a school to say he plans to blow up the building while spouting a vile and sadistic anti-Semitic tirade? On Monday, the school I lead received such a call. One moment smiling, high-fiving students were entering the campus to begin their week; the next that sense of joy and welcome was shattered and became dread and danger.

My school was not the first to receive such a threat, and it was not the only school or community center affected that morning. In fact, since Jan. 1 more than 100 Jewish day schools and other Jewish institutions across the country have been forced to react to bomb threats. Other faith traditions, including Muslim organizations and mosques, have also received threats.

What occurred because of that phone call? Two very different things.

The first result was a major disruption and violation of our right to safety and security. Students who had just sat down to study the ancient texts of our tradition, or gene therapy, or trigonometry, received the emotional shock that someone wanted to destroy their school simply because it was a Jewish institution. Parents who had just begun their workdays felt their hearts skip a beat as they received the news that their children were in danger. Faculty and staff were thrust instantly into positions challenging them to show their students care and calmness while, at the same time, they held the very real feeling that an explosion might take place at any moment. The staff and administration spent countless hours responding to parents, community members and the media. What should have been the beginning of a normal week of learning instead brought feelings of fear and anxiety accompanied by physical threat  exactly what the perpetrator sought to accomplish.

But something else  something wonderful and amazing  happened, too. Later that day, and throughout the rest of the week, I received countless emails, phone calls and letters from concerned citizens and local and religious leaders expressing their support for our students and our community. Then, a news conference was held where both U.S. senators from Maryland, three U.S. representatives and virtually all of the major elected officials of our county condemned the bomb threats and the hatred they represent in clear and strong language. The climax of this outpouring came when more than 40 religious leaders filled our stage to announce their condemnation and support. Thus, the second outcome of the bomb threat was an unexpected bolstering of my faith in what it means to be an American and in the American experiment that I believe in so deeply.

Seeing those religious leaders, representing Anglicans, Catholics, Episcopalians, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, among others, was one of my proudest moments as an American. The leaders stood tall to proclaim that when one religious groups constitutional right to worship and congregate freely is threatened, all religious groups are threatened. This is what Americans do in difficult times: We stand up for each other.

At that moment, it was abundantly clear to me  and to the hundreds of others in the auditorium  that those responsible for threats made in hatred had unleashed an outpouring of love and support. As the United States experienced a precipitous rise in hate speech over the past year, I expected that it would be the Jewish community that would need to stand up for the rights of Muslims, Hispanics and other groups being targeted. Seeing those religious and elected leaders stand up for my own community reassured me that the American values that have enabled American Jews to flourish in this country will continue to be a source of strength for all Americans.

Rather than darkness and hate, a bomb threat brought light and hope for our future as a country.
At the center of many allegations swirling around the Trump administrations relationship with Moscow is one man: Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador. As U.S. intelligence agencies contend that his country attempted, through hacking and other efforts, to influence Novembers election, Kislyaks discussions with Trump campaign associates  including former national security adviser Michael Flynn (who resigned for not disclosing them) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions (who did not)  have been the subject of intense reporting and speculation.

While it is one thing to question Russias efforts or the truthfulness of American officials, this debate is threatening the time-honored tradition of foreign ambassadors freely meeting political figures in their country of accreditation. There is nothing inherently wrong with meeting a foreign ambassador  even one from a rival nation; even one from a rival superpower on which the United States has imposed sanctions. As Pakistans ambassador to the United States, I saw firsthand, in the assassination of Osama bin Laden, just how essential such consultations were.

We dont know what Kislyaks particular motivations were or what he discussed in these meetings, but the question before the American public is whether Trumps allies comported themselves honorably and legally, not whether Kislyak did. Diplomacy is the process by which foreign enemies are turned into friends and friends are converted into allies. Democratic countries such as the United States have always taken pride in the relative ease with which foreign diplomats can meet Americans of all political persuasions. (This is not the case in more-restrictive nations, such as Russia.) No matter what Moscows policy holds, the free interaction of Americans with foreign ambassadors works to Americas advantage.

I became Pakistans ambassador in May 2008, soon after the countrys return to civilian rule after nine years of military dictatorship under Gen. Pervez Musharraf. The George W. Bush administration had forged an alliance with Musharraf in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, hoping that economic incentives and offers of military hardware would turn Pakistan away from its long-standing policy of supporting Islamist militants, including the Afghan Taliban, as instruments of regional influence.

By 2007, Bush had realized that Musharraf either would not or could not fulfill his promises in fighting terrorism, as he wrote later, and the president welcomed Pakistans return to democracy. The civilian leaders who appointed me as ambassador  President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani  looked forward to U.S. backing in reversing Musharrafs policies at home and abroad. They said they wanted to end Pakistans support for the Taliban, improve relations with India and Afghanistan, and limit the role of Pakistans military intelligence service in defining the countrys foreign policy. In return, they sought generous U.S. aid to improve the ailing Pakistani economy.

I had an advantage most ambassadors did not: Id lived most of the Musharraf years in exile in Washington and had established close ties with members of Congress and others influential in policymaking. But I began my job in the middle of the 2008 election campaign, and I knew that the Bush administrations policies might not continue under a new president. Within weeks of presenting my credentials to Bush that June, I was communicating with campaign officials in both parties, and soon had meetings with aides to both Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.

The State Department facilitated the participation of Washington-based ambassadors in the Democratic and Republican national conventions that year. In Denver and in Minneapolis-St. Paul, we were briefed by officials from both campaigns. More active and better-connected ambassadors, including myself, were able to meet personally with people we expected to have major roles in the conduct of foreign policy after the election. There was nothing unusual, let alone treasonable, in this.

As a presidential candidate, Obama argued that U.S. success in Afghanistan was more important than the war in Iraq, which he had opposed. In a major speech that summer, he pledged to make the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban the top priority. He also had a particular message for my country: He said terrorists and insurgents in Pakistans tribal areas were waging war against the Afghan government. We must make it clear that if Pakistan cannot or will not act, we will take out high-level terrorist targets like bin Laden if we have them in our sights.

From Obamas public positions and from my meetings with his aides, it was clear that a democratic, civilian government in Pakistan could join with him to help attain his objectives in Afghanistan in exchange for support of consolidation of democracy with greater U.S. economic assistance. I sent this message to my bosses in Islamabad and told Obamas campaign team that we would be willing to play ball. Once Obama took office, this is exactly what happened: Civilian aid to Pakistan was enhanced to record levels in an effort to secure greater cooperation in defeating the Taliban.

Whats more, the relationships I forged with members of Obamas campaign team also led to closer cooperation between Pakistan and the United States in fighting terrorism over the 31/2 years I served as ambassador. These connections eventually enabled the United States to discover and eliminate bin Laden without depending on Pakistans intelligence service or military, which were suspected of sympathy toward Islamist militants. Friends I made from the Obama campaign were able to ask, three years later, as National Security Council officials, for help in stationing U.S. Special Operations and intelligence personnel on the ground in Pakistan. I brought the request directly to Pakistans civilian leaders, who approved. Although the United States kept us officially out of the loop about the operation, these locally stationed Americans proved invaluable when Obama decided to send in Navy SEAL Team 6 without notifying Pakistan.

Unfortunately, the United States did not attain victory in Afghanistan, and the Pakistani governments behavior toward militant Islamists did not change on a permanent basis. But for the period I was in office, the two nations worked jointly toward their common goals  the essence of diplomacy.

After I began reading about the affairs of Kislyak, I rummaged through my files and diaries to retrace my steps as ambassador in the fall of 2008. I maintained relations with three teams of American officials, politicians and professional staffers: the Bush administration and the two major-party candidates. I met senior members of the Republican and Democratic national committees, more than a dozen senators and congressmen from each party, and several individuals from both sides who were tipped to emerge in senior government positions after the election. This is totally normal for ambassadors.

Kislyak, who presented his credentials just a couple of months after I did, has probably advanced shared Russian-American interests through similar contacts in the three U.S. presidential election cycles that he has covered as ambassador. I do not know if he reached out to Hillary Clintons camp as vigorously as he did to Trumps (he probably already knew Clintons top foreign policy players from his work with the Obama administration, in which many of them had served), but it does not matter: Ambassadors do not make policy. They only facilitate understanding between countries that leads to policymaking in their respective capitals. Any Russian decision to covertly interfere in the U.S. election would have been made in Moscow, not necessarily with Kislyaks knowledge, just as Pakistans breach of promises with the Obama administration occurred in Islamabad, not in my embassy.

In November 2011, I was forced to resign as ambassador after Pakistans military-intelligence apparatus gained the upper hand in the countrys perennial power struggle. Among the security establishments grievances against me was the charge that I had facilitated the presence of large numbers of CIA operatives who helped track down bin Laden without the knowledge of Pakistans army  even though I had acted under the authorization of Pakistans elected civilian leaders.

Russia is, of course, unlike Pakistan, but U.S.-Russia relations have seesawed, too, and Kislyaks means were no different from what probably every ambassador of every country hopes to use, even if his ends were unique.

Americans have a legitimate interest in figuring out whether Russia tried to covertly influence U.S. politics. Investigating officials who may have perjured themselves about their diplomatic contacts also seems reasonable. It should not, however, create the impression that engagement between a foreign ambassador  even one from a country with which relations are strained  and people who might hold senior positions in a future administration is inherently sinister. Such engagement is essential if new presidents want to translate their foreign policy plans into reality.
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.
FARGO -- Leaders of nonprofit organizations are gearing up to fight a legislative proposal that could pave the way for up to six state-owned casinos.

State-run casinos would take a big bite out of the gaming profits many North Dakota charities rely on to run their programs, said Jonathan Jorgensen, president of the board of directors for the Charitable Gaming Association of North Dakota.

It could affect services for tens of thousands of people, to be honest, Jorgensen said.

The gaming association, which represents nearly 350 licensed organizations, operating 900 gaming sites statewide, voted unanimously last week to oppose the plan, which requires the Legislature to approve it and a statewide public vote next year.

The head of a nonprofit thats taken in the most money from charitable gaming in the state for at least the last decade thinks it has a lot to lose.

The North Dakota Association for the Disabled operates 10 gaming sites in Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck and Minot.

CEO Don Santer said the organization relies on gaming for about 75 percent of its budget. He thinks charities stand to lose as much as 25 percent of their gaming funds to state-owned casinos, if approved.

Were scrambling to get up to speed on whats going on with this, Santer said.

House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo, is the primary sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 3033, which would ask voters whether to amend the state Constitution to allow the Legislature to authorize casinos. The question would go to voters in the 2018 primary election.

Currently, casinos are allowed only on tribal land in the state through federal law.

The resolution, first announced publicly March 1, will get a hearing Monday, March 13, before the House Judiciary Committee at the Capitol in Bismarck.

The proposal is seen as a way to boost the states bottom line. State revenue is down, mostly due to sagging oil and agriculture economies.

Carlson wants to see net proceeds from state-run casinos go into the states general fund, with 30 percent earmarked for behavioral health and addiction treatment and 70 percent for tax relief.

The state-run casinos would be destination-oriented and focused on rural economic development. For example, Carlson said, one casino could be built at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Washburn. He doesnt think they would have much impact on charitable gaming.

We still think people will go to local bars and buy their pull tabs, Carlson said.

However, the nonprofits still fear a large casino could be built right outside of Fargo. As written, the resolution would allow a state-run casino as close as five miles from the boundary of any city of more than 5,000 people.

Nate Medhus, president and CEO of ShareHouse, an addiction treatment center based in Fargo, said it receives $400,000 in net income annually from charitable gaming. He said the closer the casino is, the larger the impact.

Fifty miles outside of Fargo is one thing, Medhus said. If it was in town, it would be catastrophic for a lot of nonprofits.

Santer also worries about a section of the resolution that states the legislative assembly may provide by law for smoking and service of alcoholic beverages in parts of the casino facility.

He said charitable gaming sites would definitely lose business to any casino where patrons were allowed to smoke, just a few miles outside the city.

When asked about the possibility of smoking at state-run casinos, Carlson said its an option.

The charitable gaming association may hire a lobbyist to make its case at the Capitol, and at the very least, Jorgensen will testify against the resolution when he gets the opportunity, he said.

Native American communities are concerned about the impact state-run casinos could have on a key source of tribal revenue.

Rep. Marvin Nelson, D-Rolla, said they could take customers from the reservation casinos. His district includes the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indian Reservation, which has the Sky Dancer Casino.

Under the resolution, a state-run casino also couldnt be within 20 miles of a Native American reservation boundary.

Charitable gaming has brought in big dollars to nonprofits in North Dakota over the years. According to the state Attorney Generals website, licensed gaming organizations raised more than $43 million for charities during the 2013-2015 biennium.

For the year ending in June 2016, charitable gaming in North Dakota collected adjusted gross proceeds of a little more than $57 million. That represents the amounts wagered, minus the prizes awarded but not gaming taxes

For the three-month quarter ending in September 2016, two Fargo-based charities were among the top three in the state in total adjusted gross proceeds, which is the wagers minus whats won and gaming taxes. It doesnt include gaming expenses, though nonprofits are required to put at least 40 percent of their total adjusted gross proceeds toward programming.

Prairie Public Broadcasting, based in Fargo with stations across the state, collected $479,251 in total adjusted gross proceeds, ranking second. Fargos Plains Art Museum ranked third with $473,914.

The top charity in the state for the quarter was North Dakota Association for the Disabled, based in Grand Forks, with $877,167.

At ShareHouse, Medhus said theyd operate at a loss without charitable gaming, forcing cuts in programs and staff.

That money is definitely very much needed, Medhus said.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is set to visit the country this week. The occasion is expected to bring to fore the challenges and opportunities that inform the long-standing relationship between the two countries. Trade, investment, and security are just some of the issues that will be raised, underscored by a shared interest in regional prosperity.

It bears mentioning that Australia is the Philippines second largest grant partner, contributing a total of $567 million in 2015. Official Development Assistance from the Australian government is invested in reforming education, preparing for disasters, providing humanitarian response, strengthening institutions, and working toward peace and security. Government initiatives like the Public-Private Partnership, the establishment of the Philippine Competition Commission, and even the Bangsamoro Transition Commission have all benefited from technical support from Canberra.

As far as trade goes, the Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) has successfully eliminated over 95 percent of duties on imports. The trade deal has been instrumental in the 50-percent jump in bilateral trade since 2010, which had ballooned to some $3.16 billion in 2015.

Despite the usual concerns regarding institutional and regulatory hurdles in the Philippine bureaucracy, Australian investment in the country is relatively robust, valued at over $10 billion and employing some 30,000 Filipinos. Areas like business process outsourcing, energy, telecommunications, manufacturing, and mining all have significant capital infusion from Australia.

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No industry, however, better exemplifies the persistence of these hurdles than the beleaguered mining sector. Even before the hullabaloo involving Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez, a number of Australian firms have long lamented the numerous missed opportunities in the sector. Many have expressed disappointment over the deleterious regulatory environment, including the strong, often simplistic, opposition to expansion activities and the prolonged impasse in the issuance of mining permits.

Perhaps with the exception of China, no country in the Asean knows more about mining-related prospects than Australia. Mining is a primary engine of the Australian economy, generating some $138 billion annually and accounting for more than half of total produced goods and services. The country is a top producer of aluminum, copper, gold, iron, mineral sands, zinc, and coal, with giants like BHP Billiton, Newcrest, Rio Tinto, Alcoa, and Xstrata having long-term local operations.

Altogether, the sector contributes up to 8.5 percent of the GDP and employs 187,400 Australians directly, equivalent to 2 percent of the workforce. Bishop, then, no doubt recognizes the historically vital link between industrialization and a vibrant extractive industry. Australias present state of developmentno doubt spurring the general well-being of its citizensserves to testify to the of the soundness of this path.

In contrast, while the Philippines is widely considered to be among the most mineral-rich country in the world, these riches remain underground, idle and virtually untapped. By some estimates, only two percent of its the countys minerals are being extracted. A miniscule amount by any metric.

With crusading Regina Lopez entering the picture, the prospects have gotten even dimmer. After less than a year in office, she had managed to undermine years, if not decades, of investments in mining with the slew of closures and suspensions. Australian mining firm OceanaGold, which operates the Didipio gold mine in Nueva Vizcaya, had won no less than five mining awards, including the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award, the highest award conferred to companies with outstanding performances in environmental management. It too was suspended following the Lopez audit.

The unstable and largely arbitrary mining policy that these orders exemplify can only put off further investments in the sector, which, as we know, is one of the most demanding in terms of capital infusion. About a decade long timeline is necessary before a mining sites potential is fully realized hence anything that further weakens an already volatile regulatory environment is very dangerous. Few things discourage investors than an erratic and disjointed regulatory environment.

Worse, this brand of oversightand overreachfrom the government can have similarly dire repercussions in other industries as well. As it is, news of the crackdown on mines have grabbed business headlines all over, diminishing the already diminutive role of the country in the global mineral sector and sends a disturbing alarm for investors in the Presidents vision for a Golden Age of Infrastructure.

As far as Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) go, the Philippines already lags behind its neighbors in the region. This, despite the otherwise sterling national profile: a young, educated, English-speaking workforce and abundant natural resources. The visit from the Australian foreign minister is only too fortuitous, then, if only to remind the government of the work that must be done in reforming the regulatory environment and the badly needed jobs that good investments will create for the people.

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BISMARCK, N.D.  The two biggest railroads shipping oil from North Dakota don't seem particularly concerned that the Dakota Access pipeline may be about to come online, as oil makes up only a small percentage of their business in the state.

The pipeline could begin operating as soon this week, despite an unresolved legal dispute involving two Native American tribes seeking to shut it down. At capacity, it will be able to transport half of the oil production of North Dakota, the nation's No. 2-producing state behind Texas.

That isn't likely to be a big concern for the state's dominant rail shippers, BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway, which ship more coal and commodities such as grain than crude.

The pipeline's developer, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, said in court documents last year that it has long-term transportation contracts with nine companies that want to ship oil through the pipeline.

"We think it's going to be substantial," said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, a trade group representing nearly 500 energy companies. "It's going to move a lot of barrels from western North Dakota."

The pipeline could move enough oil to fill 500 or more rail cars each day, according to ETP. It is generally cheaper to move oil by pipeline than by rail, though it is still profitable to move it by rail, according to John Duff, operations research analyst with the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Currently, it costs about $6 per barrel to ship by pipeline and about $10 per barrel to ship by rail, according to Justin Kringstad, director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority.

BNSF Railway shipped more than 426,000 carloads of products from North Dakota last year  about half of which contained coal or grain  and "overall, crude oil never made up more than 5 percent of the total volume on our railroad," spokeswoman Amy McBeth said.

BNSF has invested more than $1 billion in its network in North Dakota since 2013 and plans to pump another $80 million into it this year, according to McBeth.

"As this pipeline or any other is completed, we believe rail will always provide a valuable transportation option," she said.

Crude shipments made up only 2 percent of total freight revenue last year for Canadian Pacific Railway, the other major rail shipper in North Dakota. Coal and grain totaled 26 percent. The company supplied the data but declined to comment on the pipeline.

ETP is finishing up construction and says oil could be flowing through the pipeline as early as next week. Once that happens, it will take about three weeks for it to reach Illinois, according to company spokeswoman Vicki Granado.

"The line will be considered fully operational once the crude reaches Patoka," she said.

New pipelines typically can operate at full capacity immediately, according to Ness. Dakota Access is expected to carry nearly half a million barrels of crude daily. The most recent data available show that in January, North Dakota produced about double that amount.
New Associates

Kinsey Fisher recently joined River City Whole Health as a family nurse practitioner. Fisher earned her masters degree in nursing from Frontier Nursing University in 2016, and her bachelors degree in nursing from Montana State University in 2012. Fisher is passionate about helping her patients take an active role in their health. Fisher sees patients of all ages, and is excited to serve the residents of Missoula in her new position.

Recognition

Sheila Hall was named employee of the year at First Interstate Bank. Hall has been with First Interstate Bank for 28 of years.

Kendall Edwards was selected as First Interstate Bank's January employee of the month. Edwards has been a teller at First Interstate for three years, and her hard work, dedication and customer service skills are greatly appreciated.

Shannon Hillard was named Ink Realty Group's top sales agent for February.

The National Board of Trial Advocacy is pleased to announce that P. Mars Scott of P. Mars Scott, P.C. Law Offices has successfully achieved board certification as a family trial advocate. The screening of credentials all NBTA board certified attorneys must successfully complete include demonstration of substantial trail experience, submission of judicial and peer references to attest to their competency, attendance of continuing legal education courses, submission of legal writing documents, proof of good standing and passing an examination. Approximately 3 percent of American lawyers are board certified.

Teal Kober was chosen by the employees of Missoula Federal Credit Union as the winner of the annual service quality and excellence award for 2016. Winners are chosen for providing exceptional service and mentoring, demonstrating leadership, showing initiative and promoting teamwork. MFCU employees nominate and choose winners on a quarterly basis, as well as an overall winner on a yearly basis.

The ERA Lambros top producers for February were the McQuirk team for commercial, Julie Gardner for the Missoula office, Tono Lippy for the Florence office and overall company residential top producer, Catherine Taylor for the Hamilton office, Jodie Hooker for the Polson office and Rod Delaney for the Libby office.

Jared L. Losing, a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial, has been added to Americas Top 1,200 Advisors: State-by-State published by Barrons Magazine, a publication covering business and finance. The annual Barrons list recognizes the most outstanding financial advisors who represent the highest levels of ethical standards, professionalism and success in the business.

Elected

The Providence Montana Health Foundation Board of Directors has elected the following officers and new members: Chair Sydney Carlino, Vice President D.A. Davidson; Co Vice Chair Larry White, retired CEO St. Patrick Hospital; Co Vice Chair Danielle Sebastian, antimicrobial pharmacist ascension health center of excellence for antimicrobial stewardship; Secretary Alan B. Jensen, financial advisor Wells Fargo Advisors Treasurer Linda Hogg, trustee, financial/systems facilitator. Newly elected board members include: Nicole Riekerm, a branch manager and Certified Public Accountant White at JCCS. She holds a B.S.B.A in accounting from Montana State University-Billings and a master's in taxation from University of Denver. Kyle Ryan is an associate attorney at the law firm of Datsopoulos, MacDonald & Lind, P.C. Tom Snyder is the owner of the Brazilian food restaurant Five On Black, which has locations in Montana and Colorado. Kitte Robins has been deeply engaged in community activities and development, including co-founding the University of Montana alumni community lecture series and serving on various boards. Joseph Knapp, MD, is a cardiologist at the International Heart Institute of Montana. He received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Child Care Resources recently held its annual meeting and elections. Austin Habich was elected president and Melanie Calahan vice president. Bill Dunn of Opportunity Bank was elected secretary and treasurer. New board members elected were Megan Purdy and Ryan Revis, and continuing board members are Amy Scott Smith, Michelle Felde and Larry Lamb.

Bethany Williamson of Human Resources Services has been elected to the board of the Missoula Job Service Employers Council. Williamson has been with Associated Employers in the role of HR Business Partner since 2016 and she has more than 20 years of human resources, sales and customer service experience in retail and hospitality management. Williamson has been in store management, district and regional management, and hospitality management with the responsibility for teams of up to 200. Williamson's experiences include working with everything from small employers to large corporations. She has extensive experience in employee management, recruiting, staff training, succession planning, performance management, conflict resolution and management training. Williamson provides member services in the areas of training, HR hotline calls, and assisting members with projects such as handbooks, job descriptions and compensation surveys.

Promotions

Amanda McInnis has been promoted to wastewater principal program delivery manager of HDR's Missoula office. In this newly created role, she will be responsible for supporting technical delivery on strategic projects and helping support strategic business initiatives. In her 16 years with HDR, McInnis has held positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as Montana area manager. McInnis holds a bachelor's of science in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a master of science in civil engineering from the University of Washington.

Relocated

Pam Price is now located at Salon 406 at 317 S.W. Higgins Ave., offering personal and professional hair care services for men, women and families. She brings over 25 years of hair styling experience. Contact Price at 406-728-7820 or 406-370-3223.
Inside a nondescript converted elementary school building at 310 S. Curtis Street in central Missoula, more than 500 people a day take classes on everything from phlebotomy to welding to bookkeeping to Korean cooking as part of a massive effort to provide adult education in a much different form than the standard college structure.

The Lifelong Learning Center, which is a part of Missoula County Public Schools, offers a huge variety in the 2,000 different classes offered by 200 different instructors every year for extremely affordable fees. The mission, according to adult education division director Monique Fortmann, is to provide a low-cost opportunity for people of all ages  as long as they are 16 or older  to learn both informal arts and crafts and potential job skills, no matter their station in life.

Fortmann acknowledges that although the program is hugely popular, it is still relatively unknown to most people in Missoula County.

Its probably the best-kept secret in Missoula, Fortmann said. We have great word of mouth, but its a constant battle. We dont want to be a secret. We want everybody to be able to come here and enjoy and utilize. I really look at us as a community service.

Still, the place is extremely popular.

I was here last night at 8 p.m. and theres not a parking spot  every one of the classrooms is full, Fortmann said. You look in the classrooms and you might have a group of students who are prepping to take the ACT, right next to that you might have students that are taking sign language and you have anybody from early 20s to late 60s in there. Its just all over the place.

The program began in 1957 and is funded by fees, grants and a small millage from MCPS. Fortmann said the workforce training classes  which include a certified nursing assistant training, a chairside dental assistant program and a low pressure boiler operation class  are usually completely full.

Im pretty tied in with the Missoula Job Service and we take a look at unemployment in different areas and we look at state initiatives where they say these are areas where we know there are vacancies going to be coming up so we make sure were trying to get a trained workforce, she said. Our state statistics right now, when you take a look at the number of baby boomers that are going to be retiring out, our labor pool is short.

"And so anything and everything we can do to help kind of backfill, or at least get folks ready where they can start getting into positions to fill in, thats what we take a look at doing.

Theoretically, one could take a pickleball lesson in the morning, learn the software skills necessary to be an office administrative specialist in the afternoons and then discover how to can fruits and vegetables at night, all for about $600 total. The workforce training classes are longer and more in-depth and therefore cost more, but other life-skills classes cost as little as $17.

Really part of our goal and mission is to keep the cost of our classes as low as possible so individuals of all socioeconomic classes can participate, Fortmann said.

The Lifelong Learning Center has a special program for English-as-a-second-language where many of the recent resettled refugees from other countries are learning how to communicate here. Fortmann said the Learning Center is constantly adapting to community demand.

So as were trying to figure out what classes to offer, we look at whats hot in the community, she said. We listen to our students. They fill out evaluations and we read every one of those and one of the questions we ask is what else would you like to see offered? We are an institution that is constantly changing because whatever the demands are is what we are trying to meet.

In the highly technical classes such as the dental program and the welding program, experts from the community are brought in to give presentations. In fact, many students in the Learning Centers welding program have gone on to get jobs at local employers like Alcom, a company that manufactures trailers in Bonner. On Friday, which is the quietest day, a group of students were taking an Excel class. One middle-aged woman explained that she just wanted to learn the software program so she could help her son with his bookkeeping.

Fortmann said she is almost brought to tears when she looks at the schools Hall of Fame where pictures and letters of former students whove gone on to success explain how the Learning Center helped them. The program also has an official graduation every May.

Not everyone had a positive experience with the education system, she said. Here, our mission is to try to make learning fun for everyone.

For more information visit missoulaclasses.com or call 406-549-8765.
Its been less than two months since Donald Trump was sworn in, but the new president quickly has made his mark when it comes to divisive issues.

From a revised travel ban and work to replace the Affordable Care Act to allegations of wiretapping and Russian interference, the talking points have fueled conversations across the country.

The delegations that represent North Dakota and western Minnesota were asked for their thoughts on some hot-button issues:

1. Where do you stand on Trumps revised travel ban barring visitors from six Muslim-majority countries?

The revised travel ban replaces one of Trumps first executive orders, which barred immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. Sometimes called Muslim Ban 2.0, the revised order signed earlier this week exempts permanent residents and current visa orders.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., support the revised ban, with Hoeven saying it is reasonable to have a temporary pause to lawfully review our refugee program and ensure that we have a strong screening process in place to make America safer.

This issue is particularly important for North Dakota as our state has one of the highest resettlement rates for refugees per capita in the nation, Cramer said. We cannot allow these terrorist groups to take advantage of our compassion and generosity.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., Sens. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., criticized the ban, stating the U.S. already extensively vets refugees and the plan was poorly executed.

We need tough, smart national security strategies to keep Americans safe, but President Trumps new ban still puts that safety at risk, Heitkamp said, adding the U.S. should focus on homegrown terrorism. The ban hurts us in the war against ISIS, isolates Muslims living in the U.S. who help root out potential terrorists, and reinforces the lie terrorists tell their recruits that America is waging a war on Islam.

2. What is your stance on the plan introduced this week to replace the Affordable Care Act?

Minnesota Democrats have opposed a complete repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which was implemented under President Barack Obama, with Franken saying the Republican plan was unacceptable and would hurt Minnesotans. He claimed it could force rural hospitals and nursing facilities to close.

Doctors, hospitals and insurers oppose the bill because it will almost certainly rip coverage away from millions of people, increase health care costs, undermine essential public health protections and end Medicaid as we know it, he said.

Peterson and Heitkamp appear open to reviewing the plan but have concerns over how much it would cost and if it would make health care less affordable.

I am skeptical of any bill that would have such wide-ranging consequences for Minnesota families that is drafted behind closed doors without input from the people it would impact, Peterson said.

Klobuchar called for bipartisan efforts to bring health care costs down.

Cramer and Hoeven support replacing the ACA, saying it has limited health care choices and has raised costs for families. Cramer said the new plan, titled the American Health Care Act, protects the most vulnerable and empowers U.S. citizens.

The House plan is still a work in progress, but it has the right elements to provide Americans with access to health care options, Hoeven said.

3. Should Congress act on the presidents call for an investigation into his allegations of wiretapping at Trump Tower?

Cramer, Hoeven, Peterson and Heitkamp all said the claims of wiretapping should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.

Peterson called on Trump to disclose evidence that Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower, while Klobuchar and Franken said there appears to be no evidence to support Trumps claims.

The President made this charge with a tweet ... and since then, neither he, nor any administration officials have provided evidence that President Obama wiretapped President Trump, Franken said.

4. How should Congress investigate evidence and claims of Russian interference in the 2016 election?

Klobuchar, Heitkamp, Franken and Peterson called for an independent commission to investigate the matter, with Klobuchar saying it was about defending democracies, and we must be a united front in fighting Russian aggression and interference. Franken called for a special counsel to oversee FBI and Justice Department investigations.

Any attempt made by a foreign government to influence the outcome of a U.S. election threatens to undermine the democratic process, and that is unacceptable, Heitkamp said.

Cramer and Hoeven noted their chambers are investigating the matter. Hoeven called Russia an adversary, stating we have to stand up for whats best for America.

Through bipartisan committees, Congress already has the tools in place to investigate any Russian interference in the election, Cramer said. Theres no doubt in my mind they will do everything in their power to seek the truth on this matter.

5. Should we renegotiate portions of NAFTA and why?

NAFTA, or the North American Free Trade Agreement, is an accord between Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The agreement is expected to be discussed in the following months, though Trump has threatened to withdraw U.S. involvement if it doesnt meet his standards.

The agreement is 20 years old, so Heitkamp, Cramer, Klobuchar, Peterson, Franken and Hoeven all appear open to renegotiating the agreement, or at least parts of it.

They said they want a better deal for the agricultural sector and for manufacturers to make the U.S. more competitive.

Heitkamp and Peterson pointed to issues they have with the Canadian market, with Peterson saying dairy products are effectively shut out of the Canadian market, while Canadian dairy producers are free to sell their products in the U.S.

As the administration talks about throwing out or rewriting trade deals that currently guarantee our farmers access to Mexico, Canada and other key trading partners, we cant forget how vital export markets are for North Dakotas workers, Heitkamp said. Trade policies that grow American manufacturing jobs have my full support, but they cant come at the expense of agricultural jobs.

Cramer said there are areas of NAFTA that need to be modernized, pointing specifically to the growth of the internet and e-commerce.

These areas barely existed when NAFTA went into effect in 1994, he said. Further, with respect to our relationship with Canada, we should look to harmonize our travel standards for a more efficient flow of goods, services and people.
Bring a date or just treat yourself to an enjoyable night in front of a big screen when the library hosts the March installment of Cheap Date Night, which features a screening of a recent feature film on Friday, March 17, at 7 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room. This months movie follows the story of a former neurosurgeon who embarks on a journey of healing, only to be drawn into the world of mystic arts. Please call 721-BOOK (2665) to find out the title of this film.

Friends of Missoula Public Library Appraisal Fair on the horizon

Is that old lamp given to you by your grandma a treasure or a tchotchke? You can find out next month when The Friends of Missoula Public Library hosts its sixth annual Appraisal Fair, which occurs on Sunday, April 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the librarys Large Meeting Room.

This Antiques Roadshow-style event will feature expert appraisers from across Montana who will help assess the value of your items for just $10 per item, or $15 for two items. All proceeds from the appraisal fair will go to support library programming. Further details on the appraisal fair are still forthcoming, so stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.

We Have It: Staff Reviews

Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza; Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2008; Call Number: 303.484 Emerzia

Today is Sunday; are you dreading going back to work tomorrow? Weve all been there, but maybe feeling down about returning to the grind isnt the best use of our energy. Every Monday Matters is an antidote for a case of The Mondays. The premise is simple. Instead of harboring negative feelings about Mondays, we can do something worthwhile every Monday of the year. The book provides 52 springboards for making positive impacts in our communities.

While some of the ideas are simpler than others, each of them is easy to implement. Ideas range from turning off your television to donating blood, showing your smile to thanking a teacher, giving a hug to planting a tree. Making a difference is an attainable goal for everyone.

We are living in a time of uncertainty, but we can choose to let fear and worry overcome us, or we can choose to take action and make positive contributions. Every Monday Matters provides 52 simple ways to start being the change you wish to see in the world.

READMore! categories this book fits into: Number in the Title, 200 Pages or Fewer, How-to

Reviewed by Desiree Funston

Big Sky Branch events

Family Friendly Movie Screening

Wednesday, March 15, at 3:45 p.m.

Call the branch at 728-2400 Ext. 8605 for the title.

Book Madness

March Madness-style tournament of book characters continues. Please visit tinyurl.com/mplbigskybranch to vote and for more information.

MakerSpace Offerings

Computer Electronics

Mondays and Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m.

Do you have an interest in the Arduino platform? Come in and try out this and other electronics platforms during the drop-in program Computer Electronics.

Monday Night Jewelry Workshop

Mondays from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m.

Join local jewelry makers for the Monday Night Jewelry Workshop. Each workshop will teach participants a new skill and will be accompanied by a project.

Open Hours

Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays from 1 to 6 p.m.

Open Hours allows visitors to explore the resources of the MakerSpace, or to work on a project of their choice.

Community Creative Writing Workshop

Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Drop-in environment focusing on the creative writing workshop process.

Watercolor Painting Class

Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room

Experience the pleasure and satisfaction of creating and working with watercolors. Local artist Robert Peltzer will help you understand and develop the skills and techniques necessary to enjoy and succeed at watercolor painting. Open to adults ages 18 and older. Bring your own watercolor paper, paints, brushes and palette. For questions, call 406-258-3867 and leave a message.

Computer Classes

Beginning WORD

Monday, March 13, from 6 to 7 p.m.

This class offers an introduction to word processing, including how to create a document, manipulate the text and font, and use templates.

Android Tablets and Smartphones

Wednesday, March 15, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

This class will offer instruction on the features, settings, and apps that are common to Androids. Participants must bring their own tablets or smartphones to the class.

Registration is required to attend MPLs computer classes. Please call 721-BOOK (2665) to secure your spot.
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Bud Moore spent much more time in the mountains than he did in school.

The man who reached eighth grade at the one-room Woodside Elementary School in six years went on to retire as the chief of fire and aviation for the U.S. Forest Service with an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Montana. He learned from running traplines in the Bitterroot Mountains, leading U.S. Marines through World War II battles, fighting forest fires throughout the Rocky Mountains and embracing contradictions all the way.

A new documentary about William R. Bud Moore recounts how he raced to be the first lookout to report and attack wildfires, but bucked the Forest Service orthodoxy by allowing fires to burn naturally in the woods. He advocated for the benefits of untrammeled wilderness in Washington, D.C., and ran a sawmill in his Swan Valley backyard. He could read animal signs well enough to support himself trapping furs, but also maintained such meticulous document files the agency occasionally had to refer to his personal archive when it lost its own copies.

He was a guy who spent his whole career living in wilderness and doing things in wilderness, said filmmaker George Sibley. He was knowledgeable and opinionated, and a very sweet human being.

Moore died in 2010 at the age of 93. Until his final days, he entertained a stream of visitors to his Coyote Forest home near Condon, where he would talk for hours about seemingly everything.

We started calling it The Bud Thing,  said John Fraley, a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks information officer and author who spent years collaborating with Moore. Id go there three or four times a year just to sit in the cabin and talk and talk about his experiences. So many people looked at Bud as a mentor and special person, and we started collectively referring to it as The Bud Thing. People would just come to absorb all this wisdom.

Moore would guest-lecture at Fraleys wildlife classes at Flathead Valley Community College. Then he would join Fraley in a sound studio to record four or five radio segments in an afternoon.

Hes the kind of person who could move between everyone, no matter what their opinion was, Fraley said. He saw the value of actually using the land. He always said of his Coyote Forest sawmill that he had to make a profit or he wouldnt be able to exist. But he also taught a lot of the Forest Service brass about ecosystem management. Bud called it keeping all the parts. You could do a lot of things as long as you kept the parts intact.

Those tapes, and an equally large trove of Forest Service archive material, gave Sibley access to Moores voice after he was gone.

When the Forest Service got to work on a video about its 100th anniversary, Bud was the only guy still around who had worked both before and after World War II, Sibley said. The documentary dips into a part of Moores life he rarely talked about  experience during World War II.

As a young man, Moore had worked as a Forest Service fire lookout and backcountry patrol ranger. A nerve problem weakened one hand just as the war broke out, and the Army rated him 4-F: medically unfit for duty. Instead, he returned to the Forest Service and helped run an experimental farm raising guayule, a desert plant with the potential to replace the natural rubber lost to the Japanese.

The farm happened to be next to Camp Pendleton in California, the main U.S. Marine training base. Therapy on a kinked vertebrae fixed his hand and he enlisted. He served as a machine gunner in the Pacific, including the invasions of Peleliu and Okinawa.

He eventually made company first sergeant, Buds son Bill Moore said. He was four weeks late getting discharged after the war was over because he had to close out all the paperwork.

As horrific as those battles were, Moores recollections of his time in the war stayed positive. He credited his time as an infantryman for teaching him teamwork and how to find the good in people. And the guy whod spent three times as many years in the woods as he had in school turned into a wizard at paperwork.

He put those administrative skills to task advancing up the Forest Service ranks after the war, especially in his favorite Bitterroot Mountains at the Powell Ranger Station. Bill Moore helped point out many of the personal historic landmarks, illustrating the change from snowshoes to semi trucks.

We filmed some of the video in front of that cabin, Bill Moore said. It was there before the highway. Now when you stand there, youre worried the semis will suck your wallet out of your pocket when youre standing on the berm.

As a young man, Moore would spend winters trapping in the Lochsa River drainage, bringing out enough furs to buy a brand-new Chevrolet pickup off the lot in the middle of the Great Depression. When he returned to Powell Ranger Station as its district ranger after the war, skills like horsemanship and packing were fading from the Forest Services administrative resume. Moore adapted by applying his experience with forests and fire to the agencys growing wildfire management challenge.

In the documentary, Moore recalls the long line of leaders hoping for promotion to forest supervisor. He opted for a different route, plunging into piles of data from the nations atom bomb tests about how wildfire might spread after a nuclear war. He advanced up the ranks of fire and aviation management, helping develop the let burn policy necessary to promote forest health.

He retired fairly young, Bill Moore said. But he stayed involved with students at Northwest Connections (now Swan Valley Connections) and other things. He could go clear back to when they first opened the Lochsa to logging up through today and how we managed forests.

The University of Montana has more than 4,500 photos and numerous audio clips of Moore in its archives. His book, The Lochsa Story: Land Ethics in the Bitterroot Mountains has become something of a textbook for wilderness managers and forest policy thinkers.

But it was his porch at Coyote Forest, where Moore would sit on the step and jot observations in an ever-present notebook, where the experience really flowed. Sibley treasured his own time as a family friend soaking up those afternoons, and said he loved hearing them recreated in the hours of audio tape he got to explore.

That was Buds place, whether in Condon or in the universe, Sibley said. I wanted to give folks who never had good fortune to meet him an idea of what his sense of honesty and justice was like, his story-telling ability and his sense of humor. So you could understand what he meant when he said Im a creature of wilderness. 
BILLINGS  Possessing a Montana drivers license means youre legally qualified to operate a motor vehicle, and its the go-to document that most Montanans reach for when cashing a check at the grocery store or proving that theyre old enough to buy liquor.

But on Jan. 22, 2018, Montanas state-issued drivers license will no longer be accepted as a valid form of identification if you plan to board a commercial aircraft.

Instead, youll be required to produce a passport or some other form of identification that complies with Real ID, a 2005 law that sought to boost security by mandating nationwide standards for drivers licenses and other forms of identification.

In light of the approaching deadline, Montana travel professionals have begun warning their customers to make plans for carrying another form of identification so that they wont get booted from a plane once the provisions of Real ID take effect.

Billie Ruff, owner of Travel Cafe, said some of her corporate clients are just starting to pay attention to the approaching crackdown.

Im not sure they understand whats going on, Ruff said. I have tried to stress the importance of this, and I hope its filtering down.

Ruff, a frequent traveler, already complies with the REAL ID requirements by carrying her passport, even on domestic flights.

Because I travel so much, Ive gotten into the habit of using it no matter what, she said.

If the thought of being booted from an airplane chaps your hide, you can blame Montanas long-standing distrust for rules promulgated by the federal government. For more than a decade, Montana politicians of all stripes  liberals, conservatives and libertarians  have railed against Real ID, criticizing it as a federal overreach and a potential invitation to identity theft. Besides Montana, four other states  Maine, Minnesota, Missouri and Washington  are not in compliance. All other states are either in compliance with Real ID or have been granted an extension.

In fact, Montana has made it all but impossible to comply with Real ID even if state officials wanted to. In 2007 Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed legislation, approved unanimously by Montana lawmakers, that banned the states Motor Vehicle Division from enforcing Real ID. The Department of Homeland Security has granted Montana two extensions for compliance. But after the second expired last year, Gov. Steve Bullock sent a letter urging federal officials to suspend implementation of Real ID.

Meanwhile, Montanas two U.S. senators, Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Steve Daines, have introduced legislation to repeal Real ID. With Republicans controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, deregulation is in vogue these days, but so far there's no word about whether a Real ID rollback could take place.

The bill is awaiting a markup in the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Tester has asked the Department of Homeland Security to grant Montana an emergency waiver but has yet to receive a response, said Marnee Banks, a Tester spokeswoman.

"We have to take a balanced, common-sense approach on this," Tester said in a statement. "We cannot have Montanans' lives disrupted because of federal identification requirements. I hope the administration will work with Montana to find a solution that protects Montanans' privacy, keeps our country safe, and doesn't disrupt our day-to-day lives."

Asked why Montanans seem so adamantly opposed to Real ID, Ruff said: "Ive never understood that part of the debate.

Any form of identification requires providing personal information to government officials, she said.

Doug Mulvaney flies around 60,000 miles per year as director of facilities development for Kampgrounds of America Inc.

Right now, I have yet to have my Montana license be questioned by the TSA, Mulvaney said. But I have been warned flat out that after the end of this year, theyll no longer accept it.

Mulvaney often travels to Canada for business and plans to keep his passport handy whenever he flies.

The Real ID Act was passed in 2005 to prevent terrorism and identity theft by improving the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identity documents, according to federal officials.

Subsequent to the passage of Real ID, some states have begun issuing enhanced drivers licenses, which include additional information such as proof of U.S. citizenship. Such cards include a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and a bar code, which allow border officials to access information about the card's owner. Despite the concerns voiced by opponents, Homeland Security officials say the system is secure.

Meanwhile, the Billings passport office has seen a steady uptick in the number of people who have come in to apply for or renew a passport.

Lillian Harrington, who manages the Billings passport office, said the office has has been processing an average of 50 passport applications or renewals each day. That's roughly triple the number that were processing a day a year ago.

A passport costs $110, not including a processing fee and the cost of a photo. A $30 passport card, a wallet-sized card which will suffice for boarding a domestic aircraft, is also available. The document can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings or ports-of-entry by sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, according to federal officials.

The Transportation Security Administration has provided a list of acceptable identification documents at tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification.

Passports can be obtained or renewed at the Missoula Public Library, the U.S. Post Office on Kent in Missoula and at post offices in Florence, Ronana, Superior, Hamilton, Polson, Big Fork and Deer Lodge. Generally the wait to receive a passport is six weeks.
Missoula County Public Schools officials are reviving a conversation to see what district property they could get rid of to put some extra change in the budget.

At the school board meeting Feb. 28, executive director of business and operations Pat McHugh explained to the trustees how the district could sell district property.

In all, MCPS owns more than 30 properties, three of which are undeveloped and being considered for sale:

Linda Vista: a 15-acre site near Marilyn Park that at one point was considered for the new Cold Springs School.

Homevale (Casaloma): a building on South Avenue across the street from Sentinel High that's currently used for storage.

55th Street/Heavens Gate: a 21-acre parcel near 55th and Whitaker in the South Hills that was donated to the district years ago.

None have schools on site, nor the potential for a school, Superintendent Mark Thane said last week. They also are not generating revenue for the district.

"If we're not building on it now, and we're not contemplating that in the future, why do we hold that asset?" Thane said Thursday.

The idea is that revenue from those sales could go into the building funds to fund projects outside of those resulting from the $158 million in bonds for school construction that passed in November 2015, so MCPS would "not have to go back to voters to ask them to fund those projects," Thane said at the meeting.

"We're not necessarily committing to yes or no on selling right now," Thane said last week. "And right now we're just looking at parcels unsuitable for a school."

He emphasized the discussions will not at this time include the future for any school buildings  such as the current Cold Springs School, which will be vacated after the new school is built; the Prescott School, which will be vacated once Missoula International School moves into its new building; and Mount Jumbo School, which is being used this year as a swing space for Lowell students while their school is being renovated.

Administration will bring a draft plan back to the board sometime in the future.

"We will likely put out an RFQ (request for qualifications) for a realtor, develop a list of realtors who might analyze the properties and determine if they appear to be marketable," Thane said.

***

There are two ways to sell or "convey" school district property, according to state statute:

Trustees can adopt a resolution to sell or dispose of district property if they determine it is "about to become abandoned, obsolete, undesirable or unsuitable" for the district's use; or

Trustees can call for an election, letting the voters decide on a ballot measure.

McHugh told trustees that the district likely would use the first option.

"If we couldn't fall within a resolution to sell, then we would look to an election," he said.

Passing a resolution  which would take effect 14 days after publication  would be a faster process than calling for an election, which must be noticed 70 days in advance. A resolution also would be cheaper, as the district would not have to pay for the county's election services.

A resolution also requires the district to specify what it will do with the proceeds of the sale.

In the case of a resolution, within those 14 days the public would have an opportunity to appeal. That objection would go to district court  which is what happened 12 years ago.

The district sold Roosevelt School to Missoula Catholic Schools in 2005 for $1.5 million. MCPS did so through an election  and the sale resulted in a lawsuit from Good Schools Missoula, which was eventually dismissed.

Loyola paid $50,000 more than the property's appraised value, though the attorney for Good Schools Missoula said the property would have fetched more in Missoula's real estate market, accusing school trustees of violating their fiduciary responsibility.

Good Schools Missoula accused the district of selling the property to MCS in a "sweetheart deal."

The statute does not specify fair market value, McHugh pointed out.

"One of the pieces of rationale offered by the district court was you should have done a better job marketing it from a fair market value standpoint," he said. "That was not authoritative, it was part of the district court proceeding, but it's something I heard and took to heart. We do try to get the maximum value for the property."

In weighing a resolution versus an election, district counsel Megan Morris said it comes down to risk.

"You guys annually enter into a resolution to get rid of property. It's the same process you use to get rid of your desks and computers that are determined to be no longer needed," she said.

"What is the risk of having a challenge on this? ... Depending on the type of property, the risk is lower. If you're talking about the sale of a school, that is more likely where you might want to consider an election."

***

The conversations are getting underway as the district is taking back property from Missoula College.

On Friday, the Montana Board of Regents voted unanimously to transfer property of the old Missoula College at 909 South Ave. back to MCPS. The transfer will officially happen once the college moves into its new building on East Broadway.

For the past three decades, the college has used the property  which was originally built by MCPS  for vocational education. It sits behind the district's business building on South Avenue, next to Sentinel High School.

The transfer also brings up another conversation that the district had years ago when it was examining facilities for the November 2015 bond measure: combining administrative offices at one location. Currently, it's split between the business building on South Avenue and the administration building on South Sixth Street West.

The administration building is one of the oldest in the district, and it's not ADA-accessible, which is "unacceptable," Thane said.

In 1990, the city of Missoula, on behalf of the Missoula Children's Theatre, bought the former Central School from MCPS for $300,000.

Prescott School is currently being leased by Missoula International School for $60,000 a year, though MIS is redeveloping the former Hive on South Third Street for its new school.

Central Baptist Church bought Lincoln School from MCPS in the early 1990s for $80,000. It was sold to a real estate developer a decade ago for $800,000, and today is being developed into condominiums.
Mystudentinneed.org is a unique website that provides a private and nurturing way for teachers and staff members of Missoula County Public Schools to ask for help for a Student in Need and a way for the community to give back.

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Current needs include:

Willard Alternative School's Family Resource Center is in need of the following clothing items for students with an immediate need: women's leggings, yoga pants and sweatpants in a range of sizes including women's sizes small, medium, large and extra large; men's sweatpants and athletic pants in a range of sizes including men's sizes small, medium, large and extra large. We need new underwear to have in stock for both male and female students, as well as new socks in a range of sizes. New or gently used is wonderful. If you would like to help with this need you can donate gently used items or make a donation of any amount up to $200 to My Student in Need and we will purchase a gift card so the teachers can purchase what they need. Willard Alternative 2257.

Fourth-grade boy age 10, needs a gently used/clean twin bed system (mattress and box spring). If you have a gently used twin bed system and would like to donate it to this need please call My Student in Need and let us know how you would like to help. Lowell 2278.

Fifth-grade girl age 11, needs leggings/yoga pants size 14/16, shoes size 4 (youth), tops size 14/16, socks and underwear, which must be new and in the package. New or used is great. If you would like to help with this need you can donate gently used items or make a donation of $150 to My Student In Need and we will purchase a gift card so the teacher can take the student shopping. Russell 2292.

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If you would like to help, visit mystudentinneed.org/Missoula-MT/. The number next to the school represents the current needs at that school. The needs can change every day. Click the school, find a need request and click the fulfill this need button. Complete the donor form and press the submit button. A member of our team will contact you. Or you can call 406-750-2542.

Operational costs for My Student in Need are underwritten by a sponsorship from Montana Farmers Union and our Partners in Dignity. Dont forget to like us on our Facebook page for updates and the latest information.
If not for professional development, Braelynne Shell said her first year teaching would have been overwhelming.

The first-grade teacher at Rattlesnake Elementary is in the home stretch of her first year on the job, with spring break approaching and a baby on the way.

Every week, she and her fellow first-grade teachers meet in their professional learning community. PLCs were implemented in Missoula County Public Schools six years ago. They're regular meetings for teachers to discuss what's happening in their classrooms, curriculum, data and interventions.

"As a first-year teacher it's helpful to have that built-in mentorship time," Shell said. "I don't have to seek somebody out."

Teachers in MCPS all work in PLCs, and they each have to complete 12 hours of PIR (Pupil-Instruction-Related) outside of their contract per year. They can peruse the Montana Professional Development Portal to find topics that interest them, from CPR training to deconstructing math standards.

The district offers two in-service days during the school year; students have the day off and teachers spend the day in professional development. The next is April 24.

"Professional development is important because ... so much of teaching is trial by fire," Shell said. "You learn the most when you're in it. For me, without the PLC piece, I would have far less of a grip on what we need to be moving towards."

***

Professional development is key not only for new teachers, but veterans, said Adrea Lawrence, chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning in the University of Montana's Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences.

"Teaching and learning are two sides of the same coin," she said. "If you're not learning, if you're not reflecting on your profession, you're not effective in your classroom."

Shell is new to teaching and new to Rattlesnake. Fellow first-grade teacher Erin Rohde is also new to Rattlesnake this year, though she's been teaching since 1999.

"When I got on board, there was a lot of workshop-based professional development, which is a great experience, but then you come back to your classroom and it can be overwhelming. Where do I start?" Rohde said.

With PLCs, teachers can take it week by week, working through the curriculum map and having time to discuss how interventions did or did not work, and bounce ideas off each other.

"As a first-year teacher or teaching for 30 years, you need that time," she said.

They look at data when they meet, which drives instruction. Data can come from formative assessments, quizzes, tests  even observational notes.

A teacher jumped in on Rohde's PLC last year and suggested she try an intervention to help her students in the Walk to Read model. She tried it, and immediately noticed an improvement.

Not only do the veteran teachers act as mentors for Shell, but Rohde said Shell  who graduated from UM in 2015  is a mentor to them.

"She's a mentor in a new way," Rohde said. "She brings that fresh perspective."

***

How school districts statewide approach professional development obviously differs, but there are several options available through the state and online.

The Office of Public Instruction offers the Teacher Learning Hub, an online professional development platform, among other professional development opportunities.

There's the annual MEA-MFT and Indian Education for All conferences. Colleges and universities offer their own professional development opportunities for teachers in the region.

Some head to social media. Crista Anderson, superintendent and principal of Dixon Elementary, a school of about 50 students, created the hashtag #mtedchat, and eventually the handle @MTedchat, on Twitter. She did so with Jessica Anderson  last year's Montana Teacher of the Year.

Anyone can join on the conversation, exploring the theme of the week. Crista Anderson said she enjoys that because it "levelizes all the different players." Teachers, superintendents, university practicum teachers and parents jump in, as would, from time to time, former superintendent Denise Juneau and Gov. Steve Bullock.

Each tweet uses the hashtag so everyone can find one other. Last week, Anderson popped in during intermission of her daughter's band concert.

"I had already been doing a lot with technology in the classroom, but there was not a lot necessarily happening around me," she said of her decision to attend a Google conference four years ago. "I came back incredibly excited. I had been on Twitter for a few years, and had always felt inspired when I was in that environment."

Anderson considers it a professional development tool, "particularly for teachers who find themselves isolated."

"For some of us who tend to jump onto newer trends fairly quickly ... it can be hard sometimes to go next door or even to your own building administrator to get the support you need," she said. "Because it's global, you can connect with so many other people working on the same projects. I think of it as 24/7 on-demand personalized professional development.

"It's something that benefits those siloed teachers who may not be able to travel to professional development."

During the Montana AGATE conference March 2 and 3  which Shell attended  educators connected throughout the two days in person, of course, and on Twitter using #MTagate17.

***

PLCs gained steam in the 1990s, as research started showing how they can positively transform practices in a school.

"Historically, it was pretty easy for teachers to work in isolation, within the four walls of their classroom," Lawrence said. "The lesson is to study, watch and learn. Uncovering those can be really illuminating. So much of your first few years of teaching is figuring out how you roll.

"One exciting thing about teaching is you can still be a learner."

Lawrence used to be a high school social studies teacher.

"My kids would read a text I've read a dozen times  and then they would point out something I'd never considered before," she said.
HAMILTON  A project to thin over 2,300 acres of national forest lands that adjoins an area burned in last summers Roaring Lion fire near Hamilton will move forward.

Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor Julie King announced last week that a settlement agreement had been reached with landowners who had sued the agency over concerns about a new road being constructed near their property.

King said the area has been identified as a high priority for treatment under the agencys wildfire protection plan.

The sooner we get started, the better our chances are of reducing the possibility of another high-intensity, devastating wildfire like we experienced last summer, King said.

Last summers 8,700-acre Roaring Lion Fire southwest of Hamilton burned 16 homes and endangered hundreds more.

The project will thin nearly five miles of national forest lands that border private lands between Roaring Lion and Lost Horse creeks in the Bitterroot Mountains. One of the units that will be harvested was partially burned in last summers fire.

Fred Rohrbach and Bitterroot LLC sued the Forest Service last year over the Westside Collaborative Vegetation Management Project. The suit focused on the agencys proposal to build a new, permanent road next to Rohrbach property and the construction of a new bridge over Camas Creek.

As part of the settlement, the Forest Service has agreed to move the location of the new road west a few hundred feet, said Bitterroot Forest Darby District Ranger Eric Winthers. The bridge will be constructed at a later date when funds become available.

In return, Rohrbach will grant access through his property on an existing road to remove timber and do additional treatments to the national forest lands.

That will be very beneficial in making the sale more competitive and cheaper to implement, Winthers said. It should be a win/win for everyone.

While the lawsuit did slow the process down, Winthers said the thinning work envisioned in the project would not have occurred in time to impact last summers fire.

We wouldnt have been able to implement it that quickly even without the lawsuit, he said.

Plans call for finishing the pre-design work this spring and putting the project out to bid by June. Road construction could occur this summer. The logging portion of the project may happen as soon as next winter.

The project includes commercial timber harvest, non-commercial thinning and prescribed burning. The project is expected to provide nearly 6.5 million board feet of timber to Montana sawmills.

Work on a small salvage timber sale in the vicinity of Roaring Lion and Ward Mountain trailheads was completed recently. Those trailheads are now open to the public, Winthers said.
A 60-year-old gentlemen who is living with degenerative joint disease, chronic back pain, depression and social anxiety disorder is in need of some basic toiletries, particularly bath soap, shampoo, toothpaste, shaving razors and aftershave. He also would greatly benefit from a gift card from Target so he can purchase minutes for his cellphone. He is living on a very limited income and cannot afford the items at this time. If you would like help with these items or a gift card to Target please contact John Sheehan, MSW with Home & Community Based Services at Community Medical Center at 2685 Palmer St. Suite D. Missoula, Mt 59808, or by calling 406-327-4228.

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A disabled mother needs assistance purchasing season-appropriate clothing. We are looking for a Walmart gift card so she can go shopping. If you can help, please contact Becca with Winds of Change at 406-926-9927 or rkwon@windsofchangemontana.com.

***

Winds of Change received a donation of TracFones for clients in need in order to stay in contact with their mental health case managers and to ensure they make it to medical and psychiatric appointments. If you can assist and donate TracFone phone cards, please contact Becca with Winds of Change at 406-926-9927 or rkwon@windsofchangemontana.com.

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A young disabled woman needs assistance purchasing a Straight Talk phone card so she can stay in contact with her family and mental health case manager to ensure she makes it to her appointments. Any help is greatly appreciated. If you are able to donate, please contact Becca with Winds of Change Mental Health Center, 406-926-9927 or rkwon@windsofchangemontana.com.

***

A homeless mother and her newborn are seeking community assistance programs in effort to find housing. To do so she needs to replace her stolen IDs in order to complete her applications. Any donations to cover the $12 cost to replace her Montana Birth Certificate and $16 to replace her Montana State ID would be very helpful, and any checks could be made out to Winds of Change. Please contact Becca G. at Winds of Change 406-241-6124.

***

Grandparents in a small town outside of Missoula have stepped in to care for their five grandchildren. They would really appreciate the donation of bunk beds (frames and mattresses) and bedding (mattress pad, sheets, and blankets) to provide a comfy and cozy place for children to sleep. Additionally, the grandparents have all the applications in for state assistance, but until that starts are struggling with the expenses of caring for five children. This includes weekly drives from their rural Montana town into Missoula for doctor and counseling appointments. Gift cards to assist with groceries or gas until state assistance starts would be a tremendous benefit and relieve some of the stress of this life changing event. Please contact Jill Sheridan with Child & Family Services at 406-544-2107 to help.

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Two disabled, low-income gentlemen are in need of immediate housing. A local assisted living facility is shutting its doors and these two men need to have a place to live by Monday, March 20. As of these writing, an accessible and affordable housing option has not been found. These two men would be roommates so a two-bedroom, ground floor apartment (with no stairs) is needed with a rent no higher than $900 per month. If you have a unit available, please contact Jenece Jacobs-Sharkey at 406-327-4692.
In my previous Ask the Judge column (Feb. 6), I pointed out how important Supreme Court nominations are. Since that time, President Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Lets take an objective look at Gorsuchs qualifications.

***

Gorsuchs educational background

Gorsuch grew up in Denver, Colorado, but graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School, received a B.A. from Columbia in three years Phi Beta Kappa (which only recognizes students in the top 10 percent of their class). Gorsuch then attended Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude (top 25 percent of the class). Not one to rest on his laurels, Gorsuch then received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Oxford. Clearly, Gorsuch checks all the boxes in the education department.

***

Gorsuchs legal career

Gorsuch first clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) and then clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. I once heard a quip that the US Supreme Court is the place where the best and brightest lawyers in American go  and clerk.

For the next 10 years Gorsuch practiced law with a Washington, D.C., law firm, making partner after three years. Gorsuch was then appointed principal director to the associate attorney general in the Department of Justice, before he was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit by President Bush, where he has served the past 10 years. Gorsuch was deemed well qualified by the American Bar Association, and was confirmed to the 10th Circuit by a unanimous voice vote by the Senate. Clearly, Gorsuch has checked all the boxes for a stellar legal career.

I am not sure how a U.S. senator decides how to measure the qualifications of a judicial candidate. If it is on tangibles like education and legal career, Gorsuch would be hard not to support. It would be difficult to find finer education and career credentials.

***

Gorsuchs legal philosophy

While it is sometimes risky to look at a few decisions over a 10-year judicial career and come to conclusions, several of Gorsuchs opinions tell us something about his judicial philosophy. Gorsuchs most famous decision is Hobby Lobby Stores v. Sebelius (2013), where Gorsuch concurred in an opinion finding the Affordable Care Acts contraceptive mandate on a private business violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This indicates Gorsuch believes in religious freedom. This ruling was affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014).

In an interesting case where Justice Scalia and Justice Ginsberg agreed with Gorsuch in a dissenting opinion together, Reynolds v. United States (2012), Gorsuch argued a federal act possibly violated the non-delegation doctrine, essentially finding federal agencies cannot be delegated too much power by congressional fiat.

I have a good college friend who has a plaintiffs civil practice in Colorado. He is a staunch Democrat. He praised Gorsuch as a mainstream conservative who follows the law, and is known as a nice guy.

***

Summary

Gorsuch believes judges should follow the law, not make it. That policy decisions are up to Congress, not courts. Gorsuch favors states rights over federal rights, and believes the Constitution should be given its original intent, not to be changed based on todays mores. Importantly for Montanans, Gorsuch is a fellow Westerner. In the end analysis, I believe the selection of Judge Gorsuch is a home run. He will make an excellent Supreme Court justice and should be confirmed without delay.
ST. PAUL -- Most states, including Minnesota, will be getting new U.S. attorneys.

The Justice Department announced Friday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked all 46 remaining Obama administration U.S. attorneys across the country to submit their resignations immediately.

Among them is Andrew Luger, the U.S. attorney for Minnesota, who resigned his post Friday evening.

Although most U.S. attorneys are political appointees, and the request from President Trump's Justice Department is part of a routine process, the move came as a surprise. Not every new administration replaces all U.S. attorneys at once.

One of those spared is North Dakota U.S. Attorney Chris Myers who said Friday night he was not a political appointee but a career prosecutor appointed by the court and thus will stay until Trump nominates someone and they are confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Myers has been in his role since 2015 when he replaced Tim Purdon.

Luger, in a statement, said his resignation was effective immediately, and that leading the federal prosecutors office in Minnesota has been the most fulfilling and rewarding experience of my professional life.

Luger was nominated by Obama in November 2013 and sworn in on Feb. 14, 2014.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a Friday statement that Luger has been an extraordinary U.S. attorney.

During his tenure, Luger oversaw a plea deal that led authorities to the remains of 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling, solving the abduction that haunted Minnesota since 1989. He also oversaw terrorism recruitment prosecutions and large sex trafficking cases.

Klobuchar said earlier Friday that Luger has bipartisan support, and that shell urge that he be renominated for the post. U.S. Sen. Al Franken echoed that sentiment Friday. Both Minnesota senators are Democrats.

The Justice Department added in a statement Friday: "Until the new U.S. attorneys are confirmed, the dedicated career prosecutors in our U.S. attorneys offices will continue the great work of the department in investigating, prosecuting, and deterring the most violent offenders.
As Montana ranchers, we have considered ourselves to be good stewards of the rich natural resources we are blessed to have. However, the Environmental Protection Agency's so-called Waters of the United States Rule has the potential to undermine our ability to work our land and has trampled on our private property rights.

We were pleased to see that President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order on directing the EPA to reconsider an Obama-era rule that expanded federal jurisdiction over streams and wetlands. This rule has caused excessive economic harm to farmers and ranchers across the country and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester voted in favor of this harmful rule. What seems like a meaningless rule to a politician like Tester has a real impact here in our state.

We agree with President Trump when he said EPA's so-called Waters of the United States Rule is, one of the worst examples of federal regulation. The rule has removed local control over land and water and it allows for the EPA to treat ditches, storm water drainages, storm sewer systems and water supply as Waters of the United States which are subject to the Clean Water Air Act. This expansion of the definition of the term Waters of the United States means that every pond, stream and irrigation ditch can be subjected to costly federal sanctioning, fines and federal criminal enforcement actions.

In essence, landowners could be penalized every time a cow walks through a ditch. The EPA's own estimates show the rule will cost American property owners between $158 million and $465 million a year.

To make matters worse, the constitutionally of the rule is under question. Many believe that this rule is an overreach of federal power and the federal government shouldnt be regulating every pond on private property. Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear National Association of Manufacturers v. Department of Defense, where the National Association of Manufacturers is challenging the lawfulness of the Waters of the United States rule. This specific case will resolve the wrangling over which federal court should hear challenges, but nonetheless will provide an avenue to debate the issue.

We are encouraged that the new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was a leading voice in the effort to overturn the Waters of the United States rule as Oklahoma attorney general. However, we am disappointed but not surprised to see that Tester voted against his confirmation.

Testers lack of action on the Waters of the United States rule is exactly why we need a change in Washington. Tester has let government bureaucrats write rules without public input and without understanding the economic impact on Montana farmers and ranchers. We deserve a senator that will review and address our concerns, not turn the other way.
The University of Montana is struggling financially due to several years of falling enrollment, and though it is taking the right steps toward recovery, discussions happening in the Legislature right now will help determine just how steep a hill Missoulas largest employer will have to climb.

Legislators absolutely must allocate sufficient funding for higher education in Montana to remain competitive on a national scale. That means keeping Montanas universities and colleges affordable for resident students and attractive for non-resident students, which means doing everything possible to avoid a major increase in tuition. This is especially important for UM, which has already undergone a series of painful budget cuts and is facing more in the near future.

Unfortunately, the Legislature currently has a total of $23 million in proposed cuts on the table, an amount all but guaranteed to diminish Montanas ability to provide higher education opportunities across the state.

The most realistic way to respond to such deep cuts is to reduce costs by eliminating programs and trimming employees, and charge more tuition  although last week, in a meeting with the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Gov. Steve Bullock floated the idea that such a sizable reduction could also mean closing one of Montanas colleges. While its clearly too soon to consider such a drastic measure, that day might not be too far away if the Legislature allows the Montana University System to wither from lack of resources. Right now, legislators must recognize that its simply not possible for the Montana University System to sustain a massive budget cut and still operate at current levels.

Each school within the Montana University System, of course, would likely be affected to a different degree.

Bozemans Montana State University, for one, has seen climbing enrollment and thus faces its own unique set of budgeting challenges; namely, how to stretch every dollar to meet the increased demand. Given that state funding is allocated according to the number of students, MSU stands to receive a commensurate amount of money. And thats fair.

However, it is not fair to expect UM or other schools with declining enrollment to succeed in attracting more students in the future while cutting its budget to the bone. Recruiting and retaining more students is likely to be an uphill battle indeed given that enrollment has fallen despite a tuition freeze.

Schools like UM rely on tuition for more than half  roughly 60 percent  of their total budget. Montana provides $650 million in funding to the states public university system, which is comprised of 16 different campuses located to maximize access for students located anywhere in the state. Six of these are organized under the Montana State University umbrella, and seven of them are under the UM system. Three others are stand-alone community colleges. Cutting any one of them would reduce access to educational opportunities for Montanans.

UM is not the only campus suffering from declining enrollment; Montana State University-Billings, which receives the same amount of state funding as is proposed in cuts this legislative session - $23 million  experienced a drop of more than 20 percent over 10 years. One would expect the only university in the states largest city to be flourishing.

Smaller communities stand to be hit even harder by withering state support for local colleges. Nevertheless, Billings Republican Rep. Donald Jones has sponsored a bill to end state support for Glendives Dawson Community College  one of only three of its kind in our vast state, along with Flathead Valley and Miles community colleges  due to its declining numbers.

However, state funding is not always strictly tied to enrollment. MSUs Northern school in Havre, for example, spends more than the state average to educate each full-time student. At MSU-Northern, state support amounts to $10,878 per student  which is outside the state university systems efficiency range, as reported earlier in the Missoulian. The school gets a total of only $11.4 million in public support, the fourth-smallest amount in the Montana University System.

In any community, at any institute of higher learning, a tuition hike of more than 20 percent would likely price a sizable number of students out of the market, driving them to delay their education or seek more affordable options elsewhere. Neither situation helps UM with its enrollment goals.

And like other college towns, Missoulas fate is inextricably linked to UMs in ways that go beyond simple economics, though economics might be the easiest to measure. Should more of Montanas young adults pursue their educations outside the state, the entire state will suffer the consequences. Our bright young minds will not be here to rent or buy housing, spend money at businesses, start new businesses, pay taxes or otherwise contribute to the fortunes of Montanas other, older residents.

Legislators need to seek a more balanced approach to funding higher education than just cutting state support. As they continue to study Montanas bigger budget picture, it should become clear that theres very little fat to trim. Any reductions in state spending should be guided by reduced need and prioritized accordingly, not by a lack of political will to make difficult financial decisions.

Maybe it would help legislators to think of the proposed cuts to Montanas colleges and universities as an education tax.
Last Sunday (March 5) the Missoulian published an article stating that thousands of Libby residents are worried that their health care will be taken away by repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Yet, that is what they have continually voted for; 72 percent of Lincoln County voted for President Trump, who promised to repeal the ACA on his first day.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines has voted to repeal the ACA over 50 times, yet 73 percent of Lincoln County voted to send him to the Senate in 2014. Although Daines said he doesn't think that the Libby-specific provisions will be repealed, his assurance is hardly reliable since he has never offered a replacement plan, and none of the plans being floated by Republicans include any such provisions.

Hopefully, in the upcoming special election for Congress, Libby voters will take off their red-colored glasses and vote for the Democratic candidate who will fight to save their health care, rather than voting to kill it, and themselves.

Richard Buley,

Missoula
Several years ago, I installed solar panels on my house, and helped my employer and my sons school to do the same. Solar would reduce our dependence on foreign energy and create clean-energy jobs here in Montana. It would make the air my kids breathe cleaner, lessen Missoulas winter inversions and even save a few bucks for my kids school. A win-win, right? Wrong.

Thanks to politicians and lobbyists, the Montana Legislature is about to destroy Montanas solar industry. By reducing the rate solar producers are compensated for clean power they produce, and by charging them more than traditional customers for using the grid, new solar projects in Montana may cease to exist. So too will energy independence and good-paying Montana jobs. Energy prices will rise with less sources of production, as will pollution. Bad for Montanans, but good for profits at Northwestern Energy.

Please join this fight for smart energy policy and against big corporations and lobbyists. For clean air. For renewable energy jobs here in Montana. For energy independence, our environment and less reliance on foreign oil. Please call the Legislature in Helena at (406) 444-4800 and support renewable energy by opposing Senate bills 7 and 78.

Dan Cottrell,

Missoula
The news of recent hate crimes against Sikhs and Muslims are disturbing to me. I was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army paratroopers and fought alongside soldiers both Sikh and Muslim. Before I entered the service, my perspective was skewed.

In 2007, before the surge, 7 kilometers north of Fallujah, it was an American Muslim in a U.S. Army uniform who saved my life after identifying a non-Iraqi interpreter as a Hezbollah member. The interpreter was actively subverting our efforts during combat patrols and missions  passing guard hours, numbers and techniques to AQI sympathizers. By identifying the subversion, my American Muslim comrade thwarted the effectiveness of a complex attack across our battle space.

As for my Sikh comrade, he now lives in Toronto and for that I am grateful. He and his wife find happiness there. He was a member of my fires and effects team - a forward observer- killing hundreds of Taliban and associated fighters in Afghanistan with American artillery and other aerial bombardment.

We should all remember the men and women who fight for these racist cowards on our own streets, and redefine who really is American and who chooses the easy path commensurate with a frail mind.

Nick Fry,

Missoula
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says tribal relations should be based on sovereignty, respect, and self- determination. Native leaders say he has a strong record of working with them. But Zinke honors these only when they align with his  and his campaign donors'  interest in natural resource development.

Zinke cites Bears Ears National Monument and Standing Rock as ways he might strive for balance, but he ignores consensus in Native communities.

Bears Ears was a historic success for protecting ancestral lands and cultural heritage. The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and 30 tribes with ties to Bears Ears are united to preserve the area. This is the broad support of the people who live there that Zinke seeks, so he should keep Bears Ears as designated.

Standing Rock ignited a global inter-tribal movement to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline. If Zinke aspires to honor tribal sovereignty above fossil fuel development, he should advocate against DAPL, enabling the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to have the authority ... to carve [its] own path."

Native peoples' voices have been silenced for too long. Zinke needs to walk the walk, not just talk the talk on tribal sovereignty and conservation of our public lands.

Nicki Jimenez,

Pablo
HELENA  More than a dozen Dawson Community College leaders, students and alumni took turns behind the lectern last week, trying to convince members of the House Appropriations Committee not to close their 75-year-old campus.

A week earlier, Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock had suggested that budget cuts to higher education proposed by the Legislature would be deep enough that he might need to close a college  a statement he later walked back since the authority to do so lies with the Board of Regents for university-affiliated campuses and with separate local boards for community colleges. The regents and board leaders have said they have no plans to do so, but have warned that the proposed cuts will result in tuition increases and impact programs.

But Glendive-area leaders say the threat remains and the closure of Dawson Community College could still be forced by legislators budget decisions.

Unlike the seven campuses managed by the regents, the Legislature has the power to decide which community colleges to fund and at what level. Following a recommendation from the governor, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education had proposed reducing the states share of the cost to educate a resident student from the 50.8 percent it has been for a decade to 47.05 percent. The full committee reversed some of those cuts on Friday. Although local taxes and tuition also support community college programs and pay for any construction, leaders say the states appropriation for educational programs are a critical piece of their budgets.

As the 2018-19 state budget is finalized in the next two months, legislators also could decide not to fund a particular campus at all.

Rep. Donald Jones, the Billings Republican who chairs the education subcommittee, has said Dawson Community College spends too much per student after years of enrollment declines. Across all of Montanas campuses, the states higher education spending amounts to an average of about $7,000 per student. Dawson spent $12,514 per student in 2016, in part because resident enrollment has plummeted from 380 in 2010 to 154 in 2016. It has climbed some this year.

Jones noted that Montana State University Northern also spends more than he would like per-student  about $10,000 in recent years  but the Legislature does not have authority over that campus. It is up to the Regents to manage their own lump sum appropriation from the state.

On Friday, Jones and the majority of the Appropriations committee amended the states core budget bill to cap how much per-student the state will fund community colleges at $9,518 per student. Any costs beyond that would have to be picked up by local taxpayers. He is carrying a companion bill to amend the funding formula in state law to support that appropriation level.

But removing state funding for Dawson altogether remains an option, Jones said.

He recalled conversations he and Rep. Randy Brodehl, R-Kalispell, had with Dawson and Miles City community colleges in 2013 about their high per-student costs, telling the two campuses within 70 miles of each other that if youre not going to get your numbers up  you need to start putting a plan together to shut down.

Weve been telling them theyve got to do something serious here, Jones said. At some point, you have to say is it really viable? Is it a good use of state money?

It is unclear how many legislators would support such a proposal, although some members have said they are more focused on finding a way to reduce Dawsons operating costs or boost enrollment rather than closing it.

Republican Rep. Alan Doane wore a sticker on his left lapel with the colleges red-and-black logo as he testified before his colleagues Wednesday.

I graduated from DCHS in 1983. In 1984, I took a horseshoeing class at Dawson Community College. In 2006, I graduated from DCCs farm and ranch management program, he said. If that hadnt been right down the road, I wouldnt have done any of those opportunities. If I hadnt of done that, I probably wouldnt be up here representing Dawson and Wibaux counties today. I didnt even know how to turn on a computer when I took that class. Try imagining doing this job we do up here without being computer literate. I know you have a hard job to do, but take a good hard look at this one for me, if you would.

The crowd that filled the House Appropriations hearing room on Wednesday wanted to make sure legislators know they would fight any proposal to defund Dawson Community College.

If you were to have this meeting today in Glendive, there would be hundreds in attendance and wed be in the auditorium at the college or at a high school. At a community meeting just this last Friday, there were over 130 attendees in support of DCC, Glendive Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Director Christine Whitlatch said, comparing the campus recent financial and enrollment struggles to the ranches and farms that surround the rural college. You make it over the ebbs and flows over the cost of grain and cattle  its pretty low right now. You dont make it unless youre in it for the long haul. If you really look at the history of our communitys commitment to this campus, to the education of our children, other Montana children, you will really see that we will weather the storm and we are making really good strides to move forward.

Dont throw away an over-75-year investment to solve a temporary problem we have right now in Montana, she said.
When renowned trumpeter Jim Rotondi comes home to Butte, he brings a bit of the big-city life from Europe and mainstream jazz tours with him.

With a new CD, Dark Blue, under his belt on the Smoke Sessions Records label, Rotondi the Butte Boy exudes an urban cool amid the rural simplicity of his home town whenever he visits. Family and at least three other surefire amenities call him back every few years.

Its the mountains, clean air and friendliness, said Rotondi, 54, and a Butte High graduate.

Mother Ruths influence teaching piano and the professional sway of Jims late father, physician Dr. Leonard Rotondi  plus a treasured grand piano that still adorns the family sitting room  made Jim into one of the modern greats, as John Arvish, a Montana Public Radio jazz and blues show host, described him in 2013.

Rotondi has carved a professional life as a college professor and touring improvisational trumpeter who had the extreme good luck to work under jazzmaster Ray Charles.

A solid home base in the Butte Country Club neighborhood and a house filled with music established high standards of success that carry over to this day for the Rotondis.

We had a family environment that encouraged us, said Jim, recently visiting his brother Frank, who was in town from Houston, and his mother.

Ruth and Leonard, both New Yorkers, moved to Butte in 1955 when the doctor expected to fill a temporary physician vacancy. But the family stayed.

In the liner notes of his latest CD, Rotondi admits its pretty unlikely, thats for sure, for a guy from Butte, Montana, to become a bebop trumpet player.

I grew up in a family of five kids and Im the youngest, he writes. My mom was and still is a piano teacher, and she was sort of my initial musical influence. She set the rules in the family. My father enforced the rules, but she set the rule that all of the kids needed to study the piano.

When asked if she gave piano lessons to her own children, Ruth wisecracked, I always felt it was better not to mess up one relationship with another."

Still, the baby grand piano sits in the well-lit family home, a symbol of future fame, at least for Jim. Ruth, 93, still maintains a full caseload of local students.

She teaches 12 students per week  the same number of students I have, said Jim, amazed at his mothers persistence, longevity and high regard in the community.

Rotondi switched to playing trumpet at age 12. He credits former private Butte teacher Larry Cragwick with teaching him fundamental trumpet techniques.

Even as a child, Jim had a natural-born ear for music. Brother Frank said his talent was extraordinary.

TEACHING IN AUSTRIA

Rotondi works as a jazz trumpet professor in the highly regarded Jazz Institute University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria, one of the longest standing jazz departments in Europe. It was founded in 1965.

"The Alps are sort of right outside my window," he said, glancing out the window at the East Ridge.

For seven years, he has taught students his specialties: brass and jazz improvisation. Music is highly revered in the Austrian city, as the university has 18 separate music and drama departments, including accordion playing and opera.

Its a big school, he said. We are sort of autonomous as a jazz department.

When hes not touring in places like Seattle or New York City, hes teaching.

Its great. Its a dream come true for me, he said about imparting his knowledge on students. When I was living in New York, (the Austria job) came up so suddenly, that I didnt really have time to think about it. At that time, I was already teaching at Rutgers University and the State University of New York.

For 25 years prior, he lived in New York City, where he honed his craft at jazz clubs like Smoke.

Recently, he and wife, Julie, bought a house in France, where she lives and teaches English at a university. The laborious commute is eight hours, one train and two plane rides away, he said.

He teaches students with a wide array of jazz futures. Instead of urging them to emulate him, he encourages their strengths.

My philosophy is to help them do whatever they do best. I dont want to make them into me, he said.

Rotondi has played with the best of them. He toured with jazz master Ray Charles in 1991. If Ray wanted changes in the trumpet arrangement, he called in Rotondi, then simply sang the notes the way he wanted him to play.

He had the reputation of being a taskmaster, said Rotondi. We had to wear formal dress on the bus. We even had assigned seats.

HIS JAZZ STYLE

Open to the everyday fan, Rotondis style of jazz is organic and a reflection of his influences.

My style is mainstream jazz  sometimes the term straight ahead is used, said Rotondi. Its definitely not like smooth jazz, which is more produced and processed a little bit.

His national influences include jazz trombonist Curtis Fuller, saxophonist George Coleman and bandleader Lionel Hampton.

On the local side, he and older brother Frank grew up playing in the Big Butte Swing Band in high school, and with J.P. Letourneau and the Kestle brothers. Piano player George Groesbeck of Butte was an influence, too.

While growing up in Butte, a high school friend lent him his vinyl box set of Max Roach and Clifford Brown on Emarcy.

I had never heard anything like it, writes Rotondi in the liner notes. That was my initial impetus to start investigating the music.

Later on in his career, Rotondi took his cue from working with the greats when performing for an audience.

If they dont understand it, it makes them feel good, even if they dont understand every little note I play. Sometimes I hear artists who dont concern themselves with that at all.

Rotondis approach to performing sounds very much like his philosophy to teaching:

I feel that I need to have a good relationship with the people that I play for, he said. I dont ever try to do anything that would be exclusive or over somebodys head; its important for me to do what feels good.

Dark Blue, his 16th CD to date, is also the title track, an original ballad. A common theme on Dark Blue: places hes called home, like Graz and British Columbia.

Going to the Sun, another track on the CD, pays homage to the Going-to-the- Sun Road in Glacier Park. Dark Blue is available at www.smokesessionsrecords.com/

Rotondi is scheduled to play in the famed Newport Jazz Music Festival next August.

However, he is not the only talented trumpet player with Butte ties. John Driscoll, executive director of the Missoula Symphony Association, took piano lessons from Ruth Rotondi. Luca Rodoni, 18, of Bozeman, has local family ties. The website for St. Timothys Summer Music Festival at Georgetown Lake calls Rodoni a rising star within the jazz world.

The last time Jim Rotondi played St. Timothys was in 2012. He hopes to return sometime soon  to see family and play for his Montana fans  similar to when he and Frank formed the Butte Summer Jazz Orchestra in college.

Today, a younger generation, ages 19 to 25, offers an innovative resurgence of jazz, he said. He recommends readers unfamiliar with jazz start by listening to one of his former Stanford Jazz Workshop students, Ambrose Akinmusire, a bit more avant-garde musician. See www.ambroseakinmusire.com

All around, Rotondi teaches the fundamentals and history of music, along with improvisational techniques and steady, regimented practice.

If your spirit is to be an innovator, to create something new, you have to know what it is youre trying to create something new from, he said. Its really important to study the history. My students and I go all the way back to Louis Armstrong.
GRAND FORKS -- The University of North Dakota released on Friday draft proposals submitted by the heads of campus units to reduce budgets by 12 percent across the board.

Much of the reduction plans submitted by UNDs academic colleges highlight decreases in personnel costs brought on by the recent round of voluntary separations, along with suggested closures of vacant tenure-track faculty lines.

UND President Mark Kennedy said the final impact of voluntary separations and phased retirement programs -- which drew a combined total of 119 staff and faculty applicants earlier this winter -- wont be fully known for more than a month.

Kennedy said the campus response to the release of the plans was relatively quiet on Friday, a perception he attributed to the work of college deans in gathering information throughout the reduction process.

This is in line with the input theyve received and in line with the strategy plan, he said, adding that his executive council waited to ensure all affected employees were informed prior to the public release. Were trying to do this in straightforward yet planned way to reduce the amount of uncertainty the campus faces, and were hopeful that we have done that.

The reduction plans have been in the works through the winter and were submitted to meet deadline at the beginning of this week. The UND Executive Council returned earlier versions of the proposals to campus leaders in mid-February, instructing deans and support staff heads to more closely adhere to goals identified through the universitys strategic planning process.

The cuts on campus are expected to amount to a $32 million reduction over the upcoming two-year budget period, a sum mainly tied to a sluggish state economy and slashed appropriations to public entities. The North Dakota University System has been anticipating a 20 percent reduction from its previous biennium budget.

On Thursday, the North Dakota Legislature accepted a state revenue forecast which painted an even grimmer fiscal picture, projecting a $46 million shortfall in the ongoing 2015-17 funding biennium. Beyond that, the forecast identified $103 million less in general fund revenue than what had previously been expected in a January prediction.

Its not yet clear how those reductions will impact the North Dakota University System.

Kennedy, who has suggested to the Legislature that schools be allowed to increase tuition rates before being handed further budget cuts, said he hasnt yet had a chance to meet with local legislators. He added that the legislators have been kept in close contact with us and have been supportive throughout the budgeting process.

Back on campus, the reduction plans were written to meet the university cuts as expected before the Thursday forecast. The proposals were paired with memos submitted by the college deans outlining the nature and purpose of their suggested cuts. These notes point to the ways in which the proposed reductions will meet goals identified so far in the ongoing, campuswide strategic planning process.

Many of the memos underline the potential for collaborative or interdisciplinary approaches to delivering programs to students. On the other side of that, the plans also identify opportunities to close or alter low-enrollment courses to expand their utility.

Art and Sciences

The UND College of Arts and Sciences, the largest academic area on campus, will face the largest single cut of about $4.2 million.

Of that sum, more than $900,000 was proposed to be reached through voluntary separations and phased retirements alone. Dean Debbie Storrs wrote in her reduction memo that her office has accepted nine applicants for those programs, which was more than had been expected. Storrs wrote the proposed cuts are largely consistent with the wider strategic plan and feature decisions driven by an earlier review of the colleges graduate programs. That review, she stated, was intended to reallocate the use of graduate teaching assistants and tuition waivers to enhance offerings. The context and severity of the budget reductions have instead primarily guided choices about finding savings, though the redirection of funds will continue, targeting high-return areas.

In the future, the college will direct (graduate teaching assistants) and tuition waivers to graduate programs with high research potential, successful grant productivity, and nationally and internationally recognized creative activity, wrote Storrs.

Much of the cut is realized through the loss of personnel, ranging from faculty positions to graduate teaching assistants. As a result of the reductions, the full learning community in the first-year Integrated Studies program would be eliminated.

Business

The UND College of Business and Public Affairs will face a cut of more than $1.5 million.

The single largest reduction in that total comes from the elimination of vacant faculty lines, a move which would save more than $200,000.

Margaret Williams, dean of the college, wrote in her memo that her reduction plan meets the universitys strategic goals by retaining staff in student support areas including the schools advising and career development centers. However, Williams wrote, the plans elimination of open faculty lines will hurt the colleges ability to publish research, which is another strategic goal. With fewer faculty lines, there will be fewer research-active faculty in the college, she writes.

Williams stated in a news release that instruction previously led by tenure-track faculty could instead be provided by lecturers and instructors.

Aerospace

The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences will also take on a reduction of more than $1.5 million.

The largest individual cuts come from savings of more than $200,000 apiece in academic support services, at least one of which was the result of an employee buyout. An additional $200,000-plus was saved by filling a series of positions at lower salaries.

Paul Lindseth, dean of the school, wrote in his memo to the executive council that it is extremely difficult to align reductions with the universitys strategic priorities. Lindseth also wrote that, given the timing of the proposals in the midst of the voluntary separation process, the school is operating with unknown variables regarding the impact of the loss of faculty members.

He didnt forward any proposals to cut open faculty lines, though his college has seven such positions. Lindseth wrote that those openings, paired with the expectation of losing longtime senior faculty members to voluntary separation, puts the college in an extremely tough position to carry out our educational mission.

In terms of interdisciplinary efforts, Lindseth wrote the schools department of earth system science and policy is set to propose the Earth, Environment and Sustainability Institute in collaboration with two departments related to geology.

Education

The UND College of Education and Human Development is planning to reduce more than $1.2 million from its budget.

Dean Cindy Juntunen wrote that her school will be maintaining its Ph.D. programs and resources to keep in line with the universitys wider strategic goal of increasing its output of those degrees. However, she wrote, the college will be phasing out support for its Doctor of Education program from base funds.

The reduction plan would also see five assistant professorships go unfilled, as well as one professor being replaced with a new assistant.

Juntunen stated college leadership intends to reorganize the college to support collaborative efforts. One aspect of that would be to solidify resources around two Grand Challenge clusters, a reference to the campuswide initiatives identified through the strategic planning process and intended to promote collaborative efforts.

For the college, those initiatives would lead to a focus on school-based health centers and the educational pipeline carrying students from pre-kindergarten on into higher education.

Engineering

The UND College of Engineering and Mines will take on a cut of $1.17 million.

The colleges proposals include eliminating one vacancy in staff and three in faculty opened by last years round of voluntary separations. As written into the plan, the implications of eliminating two of those positions could have the potential to jeopardize (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation.

Beyond the full-time personnel, more than $390,000 would be saved through the elimination of part-time positions, teaching overload and other expenses. The plan also calls for reducing more than $170,000 in operating expenses and $150,000 in for graduate teaching assistants, graders and student workers.

A note from college Dean Hesham El-Rewini said the guiding principle of the proposals is to minimize negative impact on our long-term success.

To elaborate on that success, El-Rewini included a list of goals for the college spanning the next five years. Those include boosting enrollment to 2,500 students, marking an annual research expenditure of $15 million and establishing a graduation rate of 75 percent.

The college will be starting a joint Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, an area related to a Grand Challenge at the onset of the 2017-18 academic year, El-Rewini wrote.

Nursing

The UND College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines will absorb a cut of more than $1 million.

College Dean Gayle Roux wrote her school had recently reviewed its program offerings and has eliminated or begun phasing out three programs: Adult gerontology clinical nurse specialist, advanced public health nursing and social work PLUS, which stands for parents learning and understanding supports.

Roux stated the college will continue to evaluate programs as time goes on.

Law

The UND School of Law is facing almost $700,000 in budget reductions.

Kathryn Rand, dean of the law school, wrote that all of her recommended cuts have been designed to meet the requirements of the university president and provost without endangering the law schools ability to keep its accreditation with the American Bar Association.

Rand wrote the school is working beyond its own goals to contribute to the universitys strategic planning objectives by expanding course offerings related to energy and oil and gas law, finding offerings relevant to Canadian law students and by exploring options to deliver online courses.

Earlier this year, Rand announced the school would be putting its student law clinic on hiatus for at least two years in response to budget reductions.

Academic Affairs

The UND Academic Affairs Office will reduce its budget by slightly less than $420,000. The support units for UND Provost Tom DiLorenzo had not yet completed their proposals at the time of the general release.
HELENA  More than a dozen Dawson Community College leaders, students, and alumni took turns behind the lectern last week trying to convince members of the House Appropriations Committee not to close their 75-year-old campus.

A week earlier, Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock had suggested that budget cuts to higher education proposed by the Legislature would be deep enough that he might need to close a college  a statement he later walked back since the authority to do so lies with the Board of Regents for university-affiliated campuses and with separate local boards for community colleges. The regents and board leaders have said they have no plans to do so but have warned that the proposed cuts will result in tuition increases and impact programs.

But Glendive-area leaders say the threat remains and the closure of Dawson Community College could still be forced by legislators' budget decisions.

Unlike the seven campuses managed by the regents, the Legislature has the power to decide which community colleges to fund and at what level. Following a recommendation from the governor, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education had proposed reducing the state's share of the cost to educate a resident student from the 50.8 percent it has been for a decade to 47.05 percent. The full committee reversed some of those cuts on Friday. Although local taxes and tuition also support community college programs and pay for any construction, leaders say the state's appropriation for educational programs are a critical piece of their budgets.

As the 2018-19 state budget is finalized in the next two months, legislators also could decide not to fund a particular campus at all.

Rep. Donald Jones, the Billings Republican who chairs the education subcommittee, has said Dawson Community College spends too much per student after years of enrollment declines. Across all of Montana's campuses, the state's higher education spending amounts to an average of about $7,000 per student. Dawson spent $12,514 per student in 2016, in part because resident enrollment has plummeted from 380 in 2010 to 154 in 2016. It has climbed some this year.

Jones noted that Montana State University-Northern also spends more than he would like per-student  about $10,000 in recent years  but the Legislature does not have authority over that campus. It is up to the regents to manage their own lump sum appropriation from the state.

On Friday, Jones and the majority of the Appropriations committee amended the state's core budget bill to cap how much per student the state will fund community colleges at $9,518 per student. Any costs beyond that would have to be picked up by local taxpayers. He is carrying a companion bill to amend the funding formula in state law to support that appropriation level.

But removing state funding for Dawson altogether remains an option, Jones said.

He recalled conversations he and Rep. Randy Brodehl, R-Kalispell, had with Dawson and Miles City community colleges in 2013 about their high per-student costs, telling the two campuses within 70 miles of each other that "if you're not going to get your numbers up  you need to start putting a plan together to shut down."

"We've been telling them they've got to do something serious here," Jones said. "At some point, you have to say is it really viable? Is it a good use of state money?"

It is unclear how many legislators would support such a proposal, although some members have said they are more focused on finding a way to reduce Dawson's operating costs or boost enrollment rather than close it.

Republican Rep. Alan Doane wore a sticker on his left lapel with the college's red-and-black logo as he testified before his colleagues Wednesday.

"I graduated from DCHS in 1983. In 1984, I took a horseshoeing class at Dawson Community College. In 2006, I graduated from DCC's farm and ranch management program," he said. "If that hadn't been right down the road, I wouldn't have done any of those opportunities. If I hadn't of done that, I probably wouldn't be up here representing Dawson and Wibaux counties today. I didn't even know how to turn on a computer when I took that class. Try imagining doing this job we do up here without being computer literate. I know you have a hard job to do, but take a good hard look at this one for me, if you would."

The crowd that filled the House Appropriations hearing room on Wednesday wanted to make sure legislators know they would fight any proposal to defund Dawson Community College.

"If you were to have this meeting today in Glendive, there would be hundreds in attendance and we'd be in the auditorium at the college or at a high school. At a community meeting just this last Friday, there were over 130 attendees in support of DCC," Glendive Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Director Christine Whitlatch said, comparing the campus's recent financial and enrollment struggles to the ranches and farms that surround the rural college. "You make it over the ebbs and flows over the cost of grain and cattle  it's pretty low right now. You don't make it unless you're in it for the long haul. If you really look at the history of our community's commitment to this campus, to the education of our children, other Montana children, you will really see that we will weather the storm and we are making really good strides to move forward.

"Don't throw away an over-75-year investment to solve a temporary problem we have right now in Montana," she said.
WEST GLACIER  Waiting for Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to finish a private meeting with Blackfeet tribal leaders, Glacier National Park Deputy Superintendent Eric Smith did some quick math.

Add $27.8 million here, $17.4 million there, and Smith soon had tallied up $125.9 million in deferred maintenance in his park alone. That doesn't even rank Glacier among the top 15 parks with the highest needs, although Yellowstone National Park made No. 3 with $632.3 million.

Fixing Glacier's Route 10 alone  the spur road into the Many Glacier Valley  has a price tag of $39.2 million.

The National Park Service needs about $12.5 billion  with a 'B'  just to catch up on its backlogged to-do list. Just nine days into his new cabinet position, Zinke acknowledged he has some catching up to do.

"It's a tremendous honor," Zinke told a roomful of Glacier rangers and staff at the park headquarters on Friday. "But now when you look at the bathroom and it's not clean, that's my fault. You get a little different perspective when you're in charge of the place."

Zinke grew up in Whitefish, less than an hour west of Glacier's main entrance. At the meeting, he reunited with his high school science teacher, Bill Schustrom  now a regular seasonal park ranger. The two joked about seeing a portrait of past Interior Secretary James Watt, who served when Zinke was in Schustrom's classroom.

"He had the Interior pin on, but the bison was facing the other direction," Zinke said of Watt's portrait. "That was his way of saying he was taking the department in a different direction."

Zinke announced his own plans to put the Interior Department on a new heading, with a pledge to push more decision-making to the park supervisor level at the expense of Washington D.C. and regional managers. A former Navy SEAL, Zinke also spoke of breaking down some of the "stovepipes" of separate agencies like the way the military uses joint command.

That could mean more cooperation with the Agriculture Department's U.S. Forest Service, to see if overflow park visitors might shift to trails and campgrounds on national forest sites. It might also involve shifting workers between parks as seasonal changes redirect visitor flows.

But budgets will remain a challenge. Park superintendents send their spending plans up to Zinke, who then sends a number to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. What comes back, in the form of the president's budget plan, is what Zinke has to work with.

"It's really hard to make the justification for capital improvement investments when you don't have money to maintain what you already have," Smith said.

But Glacier broke another attendance record in 2016 by welcoming 2,946,681 visitors. So in addition to dealing with the landslides that undermine the Many Glacier Road, park road engineers want to rebuild the little-known Inside North Fork Road. That expansion might help spread the crush of cars now turtling over the Going to the Sun Road.

"We're hearing a lot of infrastructure-package talk from the administration and folks on the Hill," said Marcia Argust, who directs the Pew Charitable Trust's Restore America's Parks campaign. "We need to make sure parks infrastructure is part of that package."

In the past decade, the only major surge of parks money came in 2009, when President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. That sent about $750 million to the National Park Service, of which more than $500 million went to deferred maintenance.

"The only other time was the Mission 66 initiative," Argust said. "That was 50 years after the initial creation of the Park Service, and things were showing issues then. They spent $1 billion, which is about $7 billion or $8 billion in today's dollars. It's been another 50 years, and facilities are showing more need of repairs."
BLM Advisory Council meets Thursday

The Bureau of Land Management's Western Montana Resource Advisory Council will meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at 106 N. Parkmont in Butte.

Key agenda items include a discussion of public land access led by Ryan Weiss, Public Access Specialist with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; reports from the managers of the Butte, Dillon, and Missoula BLM field offices about activities in their areas; and other resource management issues the council may raise.

For a copy of the agenda, email David Abrams at dabrams@blm.gov.

The meeting is open to the public, and the public comment period is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to noon. Interested parties may make oral statements directly to the council at this time or file written statements for the council to consider.

Butte CPR accepting grant applications

Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization, a non-profit organization, is accepting grant applications for the Historic Improvement Program. Since 1997, Butte CPR has paid out over $70,000 through this grant program to assist in facade improvements that honor the historic character of buildings throughout Butte.

One or more grants will be awarded to either residential or commercial applicants who meet the appropriate criteria. To be considered for an award, buildings must be circa 1950 or earlier, and improvements must be compatible with the historic character of the building and visible from the street. Grants range from $600 to $2,000. The deadline for applications is Monday, May 1.

For grant guidelines and to apply for a grant, go to www.buttecpr.org/services/grants.php. Details: info@buttecpr.org or 406-782-3682.

Openings available for Axolotl Cabin

ENNIS  Even as winter keeps teasing the landscape with late-season snowstorms, now is the time to start thinking of summer and autumn getaways to the Bureau of Land Management's Axolotl Cabin above Axolotl Lake.

Reservations for September and October begin March 15 at 8 a.m. Mountain Time. For online reservations, go to the recreation.gov site at 1.usa.gov/1SlX6RA.

The cabin, which costs $75 per night, is open for reservations from May 25 to Oct. 10, with Oct. 9 being the last night to reserve the cabin. The booking window for the cabin was originally intended to open for the entire season on March 1, but a technical glitch delayed those electronic reservations. The remainder of the dates in September and October will now become available to book on March 15.

The cabin is located 14 miles southwest of Ennis in the foothills of the Gravelly Range. Details: on.doi.gov/1JJ5YiY, Chris McGrath at 406-490-9044, or the Dillon Field Office at 406-683-8000.

Animal shelter lists stats for February

Following are statistics from the Butte Animal Shelter, 699 Centennial Ave., for the month of February. The information is provided by the shelter.

DOGS:

 Turned in by owners: 5

 Turned in by citizens: 9

 Picked up by animal control officer: 29

 Adopted: 19

 Reclaimed by their owners: 23

 Sent to rescue: 1

 Died/euthanized: 0

CATS:

 Turned in by owners: 4

 Turned in by citizens: 9

 Picked up by Animal Control officer: 9

 Adopted: 4

 Reclaimed by their owners: 2

 Sent to rescue: 0

 Died/euthanized: 5 (4 died; 1 euthanized)

Kiwanis fundraiser planned for April 26

The Kiwanis Club of Butte is holding its 31st annual fundraising dinner and auction on Wednesday, April 26, at the Butte Country Club. Proceeds go toward funding the Kiwanis Children's Sunshine Camp, now in its 71st year.

The theme of this year's camp and fundraiser is "Help a Child Shine!" The Sunshine Camp provides the opportunity for children ages 8 through 11 to enjoy a fun-filled week of camp activities in a relaxed and nurturing environment. The camp experience includes campfires, field trips, educational and fun activities, and good nutritious meals. Many of the children served are from low-income or disadvantaged homes, and there is never a cost for a child to attend summer camp.

The fundraising event includes a full-course dinner buffet, a no-host bar and hors d'oeuvres, an expanded silent auction, a chance to win a $1,000 cash prize and other door prizes, and a 50/50 drawing with proceeds going to the Butte High Key Club.

The cost is $150 per couple or $600 for a sponsored table of eight people. To purchase your tickets or for more details, call Leonard Haxby at 406-494-4081 or Gary Staudinger at 406-491-1157.
A hypothetical narrative for your consideration:

A man climbs through the window of a sleeping girl. She stirs awake and starts to scream, but he punches her with a closed fist. Brandishing a gun, he vows to kill her parents, asleep in the next room, if she makes another sound. She nods in tearful comprehension and he is upon her, tearing at her night clothes. Then he violently makes love to her.

It could be argued that theres nothing wrong with the foregoing description. After all, the basic mechanics of love making and rape are the same: sexual intercourse. But if you understand why that argument would be specious and offensive, please explain it to Ben Carson. The new secretary of Housing and Urban Development just described slaves as immigrants.

This happened Monday in a speech before HUD staff. Carson waxed eloquent about America as a nation built by people from other places, then said, There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less. But they, too, had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, great-granddaughters, might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land.

But the slaves were no more immigrants than rape is making love. Nor is it difficult to tell the difference.

Immigrants booked passage and came to these shores in steerage, enduring heat, stench and cramped conditions in hopes of better lives in America. Slaves were kidnapped and came to these shores shackled, lying cheek to cheek in their own body waste.

Immigrants disembarked at Ellis Island where they endured questioning and health inspections before being allowed to enter the country. Slaves disembarked at places like Annapolis, Charleston and Savannah, where families were snatched away from one another, had their bodies probed by foreign fingers, then were sold at auction, sometimes on credit.

Immigrants stood staring up at the towers of New York City and were daunted and inspired by the universe of possibilities they represented. Slaves stood staring down at fields of cotton or tobacco, at an overseers whip, at a thin mattress of corn shucks in a tiny cabin where winters icy breath came slicing through the cracks, and tried to understand that this was life now, and that death would be their only freedom.

Immigrants relocated. Slaves were relocated. They had no more say in the matter than a chair moved from one side of a room to the other.

After being excoriated for his apparent ignorance of this, Carson issued a statement on Facebook that said that the immigrant and slave experiences were different and should never be intertwined. Which doesnt explain why he did exactly that.

Its hard not to see this as part of an ongoing campaign by the political right to arrogate or neuter entirely the language of politics and social grievance. Consider how, in the last 25 years, liberal and feminist became curse words and racism was redefined as speaking about race. Now its becoming sadly common to hear enslaved Africans described as workers, settlers and, yes, immigrants.

Words, you must understand, have weight and effect. So this campaign is neither incidental nor accidental. No, like Holocaust denial, it is an attempt to minimize and trivialize a crucible of agony, to rob it of pathos, to render it unworthy of reverence. Its heartbreaking to have to explain to anyone why this is wrong.

Its pathetic to have to explain it to a 65-year-old African-American man.

-- Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald. Readers may contact him via e-mail at lpitts@miamiherald.com.
We listened with interest to Sen. Steve Daines 14th tele-town hall last week. While we wish he would mix in some in-person town halls, we appreciate the fact that Daines leverages technology to reach wide audiences across this far-flung state.

We found it particularly interesting to Butte that he doubled down on his earlier statements regarding EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Pruitts curious vow to clean up the Berkeley Pit.

Sen. Daines again referred to the Berkeley Pit as the largest Superfund site in the nation.

The pit is big enough, surely, at about mile wide and a mile and a half long, but it is not the nations largest Superfund site by itself. It is certainly a part of it  the nations largest label refers to the complex of Superfund areas all along the Clark Fork from Butte past Anaconda.

While the error may seem a semantical one, it aptly represents a larger problem with Sen. Daines understanding of the issues along that stretch of deeply wounded and deeply beloved country.

Whats at stake is much more than the Berkeley Pit, and we actually need much more from the EPA than a focus on the pit. Which actually is not being focused on at all by the agency at the moment.

We wonder if Sen. Daines or Administrator Pruitt knows that the EPAs role in the Berkeley Pit is actually pretty much a matter of settled law. A consent decree has been signed, committing ARCO to a remedy involving treating the pit water in perpetuity when it reaches critical level a few years hence.

Do we think thats good enough? Absolutely not. But its shocking to hear a senator from Montana boldly relaying a commitment from the EPA Administrator to clean up the pit when according to the EPA, theres nothing to see here, folks, move along, a cleanup plan is already in place.

ARCO must be quite interested to hear that the agencys administrator, while trimming the agency by what looks to be billions upon billions of dollars, is advocating reopening the consent decree and forcing ARCO and/or federal taxpayers to pay for some as yet unspecified alternative remedy. If it actually involves draining the pit and keeping acid mine drainage from accumulating in the pit going forward, any such plan would cost in the billions, perhaps the tens of billions. We frankly dont believe theres any thought whatsoever in this iteration of the federal government to do that.

Thats not to say that there isnt plenty an aggressive, sincere EPA could do here. The agency under President Obama and his two predecessors has been far too complaisant in its approach to cleaning up Butte. We desperately need EPA to do its job and force ARCO to clean up the Upper Silver Bow watershed so that real restoration can begin. Oh, and we need them to force ARCO to pay for that restoration, as well.

That  a restored creek that turns Buttes ugliest scar into its most beautiful feature  would be a far better thing for Scott Pruitt and Steve Daines to focus on if they truly believe in both preserving and expanding EPAs cleanup role in Butte.

If, along the way, theyd like to throw a few billion at the Berkeley Pit, that would be lovely. But heres what we need from the administrator, the agency and the senator: If you want to engage with Butte and facilitate the cleanup this city deeply deserves, give us real solutions, not inaccurate sound bites.
In 2016, Ryan Zinke claimed he was a Teddy Roosevelt Conservationist, then voted to transfer management of four million acres of national forests to state committees. Theodore Roosevelts multiple-use forests were to be sacrificed to industrialization. It was this very activity that Roosevelt (TR) sought to reduce in setting them aside. The March 3 edition of several Montana newspapers carried two new stories featuring now Secretary of Interior Zinke. One had him riding a horse to work; the other signing an order allowing toxic lead ammunition on wildlife refuges.

In the picture of Zinke authorizing toxic ammunition, he had propped a picture of TR in front of his table. TR created the Refuge System in 1903 for wildlife restoration and conservation. In a staged photo opportunity, with a host of political swamp dwellers, Zinke opened those places to an activity known to kill waterfowl and eagles. On the very day he assured the death of eagles, his agency was engaged in sending a near record number of Yellowstone buffalo to slaughter.

In his first days as Secretary of Interior, Zinke demonstrated he is little more than a political lemming eager to please Donald Trump while ducks, eagles and buffalo bite the dust. How appropriate to ride a horse to work when all you intend to do as the Secretary of Interior is politically horse-around. By claiming Roosevelts legacy with his words and image while, defying that legacy with his actions, Zinke proved he will fit the swamp nicely.

-- Jim Posewitz, Helena
MUSCATINE  Iris Ilene Edkin, 95, of Muscatine, passed away March 6, 2017, at Millpond Senior Care Center in Ankeny, Iowa and is now rejoicing in the presence of the Lord. A memorial service will be 11 a.m. March 25 at the Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services, 2907 Mulberry Ave., Muscatine with the Rev. Ed Gregory officiating. The family will welcome friends at the funeral home at a reception following the service. Following the reception, burial will be in the Columbus City Cemetery at 3 p.m. A memorial fund has been established at the funeral home in Iris name. Sympathy notes may be left for the family at www.lewisfuneralhomes.com.

Iris was born April 21, 1921, in Pueblo, Colorado, to Valdimure Albert and Vivian Zee Thompson Eberhart. She married Forrest Chester Edkin in Washington state on Jan. 4, 1942. While Forrest was overseas with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, Iris lived with the family in St. Joseph, Missouri. After the war years, they moved to Ketchikan, Alaska, and lived there until 1952, when they moved to Davenport, where Forrest completed his doctor of chiropractic degree. In 1955, the family moved to Columbus Junction, Iowa, where she resided until 2007. Iris then moved to Muscatine and resided there with her daughter, Sylvia, until her health required additional special care. In November 2015, she moved to the Millpond Senior Care Center, in Ankeny, Iowa, to be near her daughter, Cynthia. She was also blessed to live close enough to her sons so that they could assist with her needs and visit often.

Iris is survived by two sons, Forrest (Frosty) Edkin and wife Linda of Muscatine, Dr. Roger Edkin and wife Pam of Cedar Rapids; and two daughters, Cynthia Gregory and husband Ed of Ankeny, and Sylvia Carson and husband David of Muscatine; one brother, Glen Eberhart of Florida. She is also survived by 23 grandchildren; 48 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband and three children, Vivian, Bruce and Mark; one sister Beverly; two grandchildren, Andrew and Warren; and one great-grandchild Paige.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  More than 30 people gathered at the Muscatine County Extension Office Saturday to hear from three speakers  who spoke in English and Spanish  about their rights.

The Conozca sus Derechos, or Know your Rights event, was a partnership among Muscatine LULAC Council 371, Diversity Service Center of Iowa in Muscatine and Muscatine County ISU Extension.

Summer Allchin, an immigration attorney with Allchin Law Office in Muscatine, said she has not seen a rise in Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, but knows many people remain on edge in the county.

"I hope it helps alleviate some of the fears that are permeating the community," she said. "There are a lot of fears and a lot of misinformation, so I'm hoping that by coming here today they have a better understanding of what the immigration laws actually are."

If ICE knocks: Allchin told those attending the event they still have rights if ICE officers come to their home in search of a person who may not be in the U.S. legally.

She encouraged those in attendance to contact an immigration attorney if they are detained, and provided some tips:

Similar to interactions with other law enforcement, Allchin said everyone has the right to remain silent when interacting with ICE, and "should exercise that right."

If ICE knocks on the door, the officers are required to identify who they are.

"Don't open the door," Allchin said, adding they can ask the officers to slide the warrant under the door.

Unless the warrant is signed by a state or federal judge, officers cannot enter the home without permission.

If they enter the house and other people in the home do not have papers, ICE can arrest them.

Allchin recommended the person on the warrant go willingly if others in the house do not have papers.

If local law enforcement arrests someone without papers, Allchin said, they can only hold that person for 48 hours for ICE.

The deportation process can take a long time, Allchin said, but the best course of action is to pay the bond set after a person is detained, and hire an immigration lawyer.

Planning ahead: Sonia Reyes-Snyder, executive officer for Latino Affairs for Iowa Department of Human Rights, said it's important to prepare in advance for what will happen if someone is detained.

The first step, she said, is to talk to children about the possibility.

Getting a passport for children, she said, will allow parents to take the children with them if they are deported, and the children can come back to the U.S. more easily with a passport.

The next step, Reyes-Snyder said, is to find someone who the children can stay with if their parent is detained.

Resources: Rosa Mendoza, executive director of DSCI in Muscatine, advised listeners to work through the process to become a citizen.

Mendoza provided those who attended the event with information about area immigration attorneys and other resources, and said DSCI also can help, as the organization has accredited staff members who can help sort through the paperwork.
The Napa Valley College cafe is more than just a place to grab a bite to eat. Its a hangout plus a source of healthy foods and income for the college itself.

Its the first place where students go to mingle, meet professors and tutors, said Oliver Gray, the cafe manager. Its one of those areas where all the barriers on campus come down, making it the social capitol of the college.

Chemistry professor Forest Quinlan agreed.

All of my mornings start at the cafe, he said.

It is the kind of place on campus that reminds you of the TV sitcom Cheers, where the staff members know you, are always pleasant, and the food is really good and at a good price, said Quinlan.

Gray ran healthcare food service enterprises in California for 15 years before he landed at NVC one year ago. The main campus food services are managed by the colleges District Auxiliary Services.

The core cafe menu includes toasted classics such as the chicken pesto panini and the famous grilled cheese, but the general fare theme is to promote good health using local ingredients.

Everything is freshly prepared every day, said Gray. We changed suppliers to get quality, local products, like bread specially made by Sciambra, a Napa family-run company founded in the 1930s, and we are in a strong partnership with Buttercream Bakery of Napa, and Moschettis, the Vallejo-based fair-trade, organic coffee company.

But the key to the cafes success, he said, is an enthusiastic, diverse workforce of 13 student employees who are focused on customer service, attention to detail, and providing fellow students with quality, low-cost food to fuel their studies.

Gray said he interviewed 50 to 60 students who were initially attracted by the flexibility of keeping their work and studies under one roof, and then stayed for the camaraderie and work experience.

They were selling themselves, not so much their experience, but more about their customer service traits, as if this was their own business, said Gray.

Now, this little coffee shop with a refrigerator and a freezer and one espresso machine is the option for 8,000 students, and at peak times, takes 90 customers in one hour.

Cafe lead Rebecca Christilaw, a math major from Vallejo, said the cafe is like one big family.

We all work together to make this place a success. If one of us is struggling, we all happily jump to help, she said.

Eric Rodriguez, a computer science major, said working at the cafe for the past four months has been a learning experience.

We really support each other in a relaxing environment, where we all get along and work in unison, said Rodriguez, a Vintage High School graduate who lives in Napa.

The NVC Cafe also caters special events. At the NVC Police Academy graduation in December four members of the cafe staff served more than 600 people with fresh, artisan, and seasonal foods.

The cafe staff created a memorable experience for the attendees, many of whom said the finger foods and refreshments made the event special, said Damien Sandoval, the academy director. The cafe staff members were warm and welcoming.

Gray said in the near future he would like to get involved serving local companies by expanding catering services, allowing revenues to be invested into the local college.

Additionally, they are working together with other groups on campus to showcase the students educational experiences and creations in the cafe.

The cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.
ST. HELENA  Experts from various corners of the wine industry gathered last week to talk about the state of the Napa Valley brand in the wine world.

Speaking before a hall packed with industry members at Brasswood Estate, presenters at the Napa Valley Grapegrowers annual Ahead of the Curve symposium included economists, authors, sommeliers and more. Each offered insights into potential changes on the horizon for the countys dominant industry.

Topics ranged from the nuances of vineyard and vintage to sustainability efforts and farmworker wages, but a recurring theme shared by several speakers was the growing influence of younger demographics and a burgeoning consumer emphasis on authenticity and experiences.

In my opinion, the boomers boomed with Napa Valley, said Gillian Ballance, national education manager with Treasury Wine Estates, whose presentation focused on changing demographics and trends within the industry. It was a hand-in-hand relationship and how do we replace that to engage with millennial consumers?

Noting the demographic tallies roughly 75 million potential consumers, Ballance said research indicates millennials more often prefer wines that represent links to experiences.

Theyre kind of on the fast track of education and dont really want to research things extensively, but they want to have a story or connection relating to their wine consumption, Ballance said.

Ballance pointed to the shifting approaches among wineries in engaging visitors with unique tasting room experiences.

They want more of the experience, Ballance said. And I feel like this is kind of creating a dividing force in Napa Valley of how we are entertaining, or edu-taining, as we like to call it, the next millennial consumer.

But the shift toward providing those experiences, Ballance said, comes with the risk of being coined as maybe a Disneyland for the wine world  so its a really interesting dilemma.

Also speaking at the event, from the perspective of a wine seller, was Peter Granoff, owner of Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in San Francisco and Oxbow Wine & Cheese Merchant in downtown Napa. Granoff also stressed the emphasis on authenticity he sees driving more and more consumer choices.

Granoff described a hunger on the part of most consumers for something that feels real. I mean, we are spun to, pitched to, advertised to, etc., all day long.

The advantage Napa Valley winemakers and grapegrowers have, Granoff told the crowd, is youre the folks that have your hands in the dirt. You celebrate that. Make the connection with consumers to that exact thing.

With respect to sustainability and organics, Granoff said, The strongest case you have to make for that is that your kids and your pets are running through the vineyard. Youre raising your families right there next to the vineyards and that gives you a motivation to be far more careful and better stewards of your land than somebody whos farming 40 acres of wheat 20 miles down the road from their actual home.

So thats something that is an asset and the more you emphasize that I think the stronger your position will be.

Providing the take of a dual winemaker and grapegrower was John Conover, managing partner with the PlumpJack Hospitality Group, owners of PlumpJack, CADE and Odette wineries. In breaking down the current financial realities of winemaking and grapegrowing in Napa Valley, and using his company as the example, Conover also noted the growing premium placed on experiences by younger consumers.

Theyre experiential. They want to understand where your wines come from. They want to know, what are your social values? Do you believe in teamwork? Its a very complicated decision.

Conover noted that the companys CADE winery in St. Helena was the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certified winery in Napa Valley.

For them, thats important. Thats a social consciousness decision that they make. We farm organically and for them we have a lot more bullets in our holsters than just a 100 point score. And thats really resonating with younger people.

Conover pointed out, however, that the demographic primarily buying his wines for the time being still tends to be baby boomers. Younger demographics, Conover said, are just building their lives and their careers and arent our consumers now, but will be in the future. And these decisions will prosper for the wineries that really embrace I think this aspirational aspect of grapegrowing [and] winemaking up here.
Baynunah-class corvettes Falaj-class stealth patrol vessels Abu Dhabi-class ASW corvette



Most shipyards were understandably reluctant to share details with us, therefore this is merely an overview of some of the designs that Navy Recognition saw during the show. It is in no way an exhaustive list. The one piece of information we received from several shipyards however is that no detailed requirements have been set yet, despite the rumors of the UAE Navy looking for additional ASW Corvettes. This explains the great design differences of the solutions being proposed (not only in terms of equipment but in terms of size and displacement as well). During IDEX-NAVDEX, held from 19th to 23rd February in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, many shipyards were showcasing their proposals for the so called "Bani Yas" (from Arabic:   ) program of the UAE Navy. According to our information, the program calls for two (with an option for one more) corvettes to the existing UAE Navy fleet of front line surface combatant consisting of 6x(the final one, Al Hili was commissioned during NAVDEX 2017), 2xand 1xMost shipyards were understandably reluctant to share details with us, therefore this is merely an overview of some of the designs that Navy Recognition saw during the show. It is in no way an exhaustive list. The one piece of information we received from several shipyards however is that no detailed requirements have been set yet, despite the rumors of the UAE Navy looking for additional ASW Corvettes. This explains the great design differences of the solutions being proposed (not only in terms of equipment but in terms of size and displacement as well).
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India looked forward to the first official visit here by King Salman of Saudi Arabia to further deepen the strategic ties between both countries, an official said on Sunday. "We are looking forward to the visit of the King of Saudi Arabia later this year," External Affairs Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha, said at an event here organised by the Saudi petrochemicals giant SABIC. "Our historical and deep relations have been growing rapidly over the last couple of years. Both countries have intensified joint production and investment and are looking at new investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and pooling of technical resources and skills," he added. Salman was crowned the new king in January 2015, following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. SABIC, which has a major presence in India, including an advanced R&D facility in Bengaluru, announced its CSR activity to test the eyesight of over 100,000 government-aided school children in Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Vadodara, Chennai and Mumbai. In his address, Saudi Ambassador Saud Al-Sati invited India to play a key role in the kingdom's economic transformation as it seeks to reduce its dependence on oil exports following a long period of decline in crude prices and emergence of new fuels by diversifying its sources of income and attracting foreign investment. Al-Sati said the Kingdom's Vision 2030 plan aims to free the Saudi economy from dependence on oil by diversifying its sources of income, attract foreign investment and make Saudi Arabia a manufacturing hub. Bilateral trade in 2015 was worth nearly $40 billion, with India importing a fifth of its oil needs from Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, King Salman began a four-day visit to Japan on Sunday, marking the first trip to the country by a Saudi king in 46 years. Saudi Arabia is Japan's largest supplier of crude oil. Last month, the Saudi monarch went to Indonesia on his first trip outside the Middle East and North Africa since he visited the US in 2015. Asian banks and companies are expected to play a major role in Saudi Arabia's plans to develop its non-oil sectors and expand its international investments. --IANS bc/dg ( 365 Words) 2017-03-12-20:38:07 (IANS)
Taking to his Twitter handle, the 54-year-old director said, "I doubt even 1 in 120 crore Indians knows reason why Holi is celebrated but they all do becos Bhang needs no reason ..Mera Bharat Mahaan!"

In another tweet, the 'Satya' helmer wrote, "Greatest thing about Holi is that this is only legitimate day in entire year men and women can see and touch each other in wet clothes."

"I really don't know which god killed which raakshas that we celebrating Holi but I thank Rakshas for creating such wonderfully sexy moments," he went on.

Varma added in another tweet, "Don't know what which rakshas did nd why God killed him but I thank both for giving me opportunity to see girl next door in wet clothes."

According to him, "Foolishness of festivals is celebrating victory over problems we not even aware of and ignoring both our present problems and solutions."

"I wish a very unhappy Holi to all who understood the shallow depth of my Holi tweets in relation to the deep shallowness of their minds," he concluded. (ANI)
"Respected Modi ji, I congratulate you on the phenomenal success of your party in UP and Uttarakhand assembly elections. I am sure this will inspire you to work with renewed energy towards the progress and prosperity of the nation," KCR said in a letter addressed to the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister was earlier was inundated in a deluge of congratulatory messages from celebrities, politicians and admirers alike, all hailing him for the historic mandate given to the saffron party.

Breaking all previous records, the BJP bagged two-third majority in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The BJP won with a clear majority in Uttarakhand with 57 seats in a 70-member assembly, ousting the Congress led by chief minister Harish Rawat and in Uttar Pradesh, the saffron party saw an unprecedented victory with 321 seats, while the Congress-Samajwadi party alliance bagged 54, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) got 19 and others 18.

While accepting the defeat in the politically-crucial state, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav congratulated the BJP for its victory and said the SP-Congress alliance will continue in future. (ANI)
Calling the landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand by Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) as 'historic', Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday said that the saffron party has finally become 'pan-India', adding that the people of the state had never trusted the "opportunistic" alliance between Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) in the first place. "This win is historic as BJP got three fourth majority in UP and same for Uttarakhand. In Goa we got 32.4 percent which is four percent more than the Congress. This is a signal for change and country wants to be with Narendra Modi and development. People want to see evidential work," he told ANI. Quickly turning to Samajwadi Party- Congress alliance, Prasad said, "If you make opportunistic alliance and indulge into opportunistic politics then public is not going to believe that. This is a new chapter in the Indian politics and this win would strengthen us. Today BJP has become a pan India party. This is a big win for the organization and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." The BJP won with a clear majority in Uttarakhand with 57 seats in a 70-member assembly, ousting the Congress led by chief minister Harish Rawat and in Uttar Pradesh, the saffron party saw an unprecedented victory with 321 seats, while the Congress-Samajwadi party alliance bagged 54, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) got 19 and others 18. While accepting the defeat in the politically-crucial state, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav congratulated the BJP for its victory and said the SP-Congress alliance will continue in future. After the BJP overwhelming victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly polls, and the Congress failing to score on its alliance with the Samajwadi Party, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said their fight to win people's heart would continue. Gandhi said in a series of tweets, "Our fight continues and will not end till we win the hearts & minds of people." "To all Congress workers across India: We stand resolute & committed to our values & our belief in an India united in strength & purpose" "I thank everyone in Punjab for their immense faith and support. This is a mandate for a brighter future for Punjab and it's youth" Rahul also congratulated Punjab Congress supremo Capt. Amarinder Singh, who won the Patiala assembly seat and under who, the party has taken a lead over the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Accepting the defeat in the politically-crucial Akhilesh on Saturday congratulated the BJP for its victory and said the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance will continue in future. "The decision of the public is very well accepted by the Samajwadi Party. We wish all the best to the upcoming government in the state," he said adding, "I am very happy that we formed an alliance with the Congress. Two young leaders came together and this alliance will continue in future as well." He further said, "Sometimes in politics, you don't get votes by making people understand something, but by enticing them."(ANI)
It's a tug of war between the Congress with 28 seats and the BJP with 21 seats to form the next government. Congress needs three more seats to form the government. It is trying to get support of two MLAs, one Trinamol and another Independent. Congress has ruled out possibility of aligning with Naga People's Front (NPF) and hence it is trying to woo the National People's Party which won four seats. If it gets support of NPP it will comfortably form the government. BJP on the other hand was trying to get support of the NPP , NPF and the lone Lok Jan Shakti Party MLA. All were supporting BJP in the centre but the NPP and the Lok Jan Shakti party have not announced any decision so far. Both Congress and BJP leaders were closeted to chalk out strategies. Chief Minister, O Ibobi will be trying his level best to sit on the throne for a record fourth term while the BJP is hoping a favourable turn of tide as it is in power in the centre. Both the NPP and NPF with four votes each will play a major role in formation of government. The NPP, NPF have closer ties with the BJP as they are going together with BJP in the centre. The state BJP had, however, announced that it will not go with NPF. The LJP has won a seat and the party is also in close ties with the BJP in the centre. The AITC candidate who has won could be favoring Congress while the decision of the single Independent is not known. For the Congress four ministers were defeated . The ministers defeated included Manga Vaiphei, I Hemochandra, Ratan and M Okendro. Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had a cakewalk at Thoubal defeating BJP candidate Basanta by 10470 votes. The BJP big shots who were defeated included former Union Minister, Th Chaoba at Nambol, former Minister Francis Ngajokpa at Tadubi and O Joy at Langthabal. Congress strongman Th Debendra was also defeated by an Independent at Jiribam. UNI NS SJC -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1186026.Xml
The reason behind the murder was not immediately known.

The body has been sent for post mortem examination, police added.UNI XC-DH KK

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1186033.Xml
Under the Sagarmala Programme, the government has identified 415 projects, which would come up at an investment of Rs eight lakh crore. These projects include port modernisation and new port development, port connectivity enhancement, port-linked industrialisation and coastal community development for phase wise implementation over the period 2015 to 2035, an official statement said. As per the approved implementation plan of Sagarmala Programme, these projects are to be taken up by the relevant Central Ministries and state governments preferably through private or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. A total of 189 projects worth Rs 142,828 crore are to be taken up, 170 projects of Rs 230,576 crore for connectivity enhancement, 33 projects of Rs 420,881 crore for port-linked industrialisation and 23 projects worth Rs 4,216 crore to be taken up for coastal community development.As part of the Sagarmala Programme, six new port locations have been identified, -- Vadhavan, Enayam, Sagar Island, Paradip Outer Harbour, Sirkazhi and Belekeri. Increasing the share of coastal shipping and inland navigation in the transport modal mix is one of the key objectives of the Sagarmala Programme. In order to equip ports for movement of coastal cargo, the scope of coastal berth scheme has been expanded and merged with the ambitious programme. Under the scheme, a financial assistance of 50 per cent of project cost is provided to major ports or state governments for construction of coastal berths, breakwater, mechanisation of coastal berths and capital dredging. An amount of Rs 152 crore has been released for 16 projects under this scheme. In addition, cabotage has been relaxed for a period of five years for specialised vessels like RO-RO, RO-PAX and others. To augment transhipment capacity in the country, Vizhinjam (Kerala) and Enayam (Tamil Nadu) are being developed as transhipment ports. Vizhinjam is being developed as transhipment hub under PPP mode by Kerala government with viability gap funding from the Centre. In principle approval has been obtained for setting up a major port at Enayam and its DPR is under preparation, officials said.UNI RBE CJ RJ 1215 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1185980.Xml
the ruling Tlugu Desam party MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy suffered severe cardiac arrest this morning in Allagadda town in Kurnool district. He was immediately shifted to a hospital. As his condition is turned to be very critical, he was taken to a hospital in Nandyala town.Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu telephoned to the district Collector of Kurnool and district and inquired about his condition. As doctors informed him the condition of the MLA is very critical, the Chief Minister directed the officials to shift the MLA to Hyderabad by a helicopter. Large number of followers of the MLA converged at the hospital.UNI DP CJ RAI1217 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1185989.Xml
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Eddapadi K Palaniswami will inaugurate the desilting of Manimangalam lake in Kancheepuram district tomorrow under the stategovernment's Kudimaramathu scheme under which more than 1,500 projects in 30 districtswould be taken up this year at an outlay of Rs 100 crore. The State government in partnership with citizens, self-help groups and farmer associations,will clean the water bodies under the scheme, which included strengtheing the lake bunds and weeding out the plants, including hyacinths. Apart from Kancheepuram, the desilting work would be undertake in various districts across the state in the presence of Ministers, MPs, MLAs and District Collectors, an official release here today said. It has been planned to conduct this event with the involvement of local people and the people's representatives at the grass-roots level along with PWD authorities. A total of 1,519 projects in 30 districts involving an expenditure of Rs 100 crore would be taken up under the scheme.UNI GV 1455 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1186177.Xml
In a classic example of saviours turning into tormentors, five policemen, including a police officer, looted Rs. 8.80 lakh from the employee of a jeweller in East Champaran district last night. Assistant police sub inspector Dhananjay Singh and four police personnel were arrested today after it was proved that they looted Rs. 8.80 lakh from one Chhotan Jha, the manager of a local jeweller Manoj Kumar when they were on official duty at Meena Bazar roundabout under Town police station here. Providing details, East Champaran Police Superintendent Jitendra Rana said here today that Chhotan, who had gone to Patna to purchase jewellery yesterday returned to the district headquarters last night on a bus and deboarded from it at Balua roundabout with the cash when he found the shop closed in the state capital. He said that guilty police personnel stopped the jeweller`s employee under the garb of checking and looted the amount from him when he was returning to his residence in Henry Bazar locality here on a rickshaw after deboarding from the bus. Soon after the victim employee was relieved of the cash, he informed him as well as a DSP rank officer about the incident. All police personnel were found guilty of looting the cash from the employee in a probe and arrested later. He said that an FIR had also been lodged at the police station concerned against them.UNI XC-DH KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1186247.Xml
The 93rd Battalion of the Border Security Force today celebrated Holi festival at their battalion ground at Chedema, about 10 Kms from here with D.K Pathak, former Director General of BSF. In a function held at the BSF Battalion ground the Commandant of the 93rd BSF battalion Hemant Kumar welcomed the guests, the Chairman of the Ceasefire Monitoring Group D K Pathak, Nagaland Director General of Police (Prison) Rupin Sharma and Deputy Commissioner of Kohima Rajesh Soundararajan. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Pathak commended the Commandant 93 Battalion of BSF, for having organized such a festival in a grand manner, as the members of the battalion were far away from their homes. He also extended his warm Holi greetings to all troops and their families and exhorted them to celebrate the festival of colours to bring peace, unity and harmony in the country. The jawans of the battalion also presented colourful cultural function and Hindi songs during the celebration. UNI AS KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1186260.Xml
Hailing BJP's massive victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali today congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his tireless and unstoppable charisma and magic, which has proved yet again that he was the tallest and most popular and dynamic leader to lead the great secular country, India, forward. In a statement here, he said BJP's historic victory in Uttar Pradesh, with huge number of seats, has no parallel in the history of India's State Elections, which only showed the dedicated and disciplined team work, under the leadership of Mr Modi and followed by the most capable President of BJP Amit Shah, which has broken all records in UP, the \\most populous State in India. The Prince expressed the hope that the government at the Centre, led by the Prime Minister, would continue to preserve and uphold secularism and democracy, as enshrined in the Constitution. ''The nation, look at you and your able government for good governance and equal rights to all in a peaceful atmosphere of co-existence of fellow citizens, irrespective of caste, creed or religion'', the Prince said. ''The government should also involve the minority communities in nation-building, which would be vital and essential for stability and progress of our country, at all times'', he added.UNI GV 1620 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1186275.Xml
The Czechs realise with horror: "We are poor!"

12. 3. 2017 / Jan Culik

cas cteni 8 minut

Just like the attitude of most of the 27 EU member states to Brexit, the attitude of the Czech government has been fairly uncompromising. Tomas Prouza, the Czech government minister for EU affairs, has been rather critical towards Theresa May and her attitude to Brexit over the past few weeks and months. For instance, in late February, the Czech minister expressed the anger of the EU nations over Downing Street's attempts to divert a part of the UK aid budget to eastern European countries in order to bribe them to give Britain a good trade deal. The benefits go to the UK only, said Tomas Prouza, the Czech minister for EU affairs. There is a real danger that British politics, with all its whipped up resentments of Europe, will mean British negotiators are unable to compromise, and we will head for a crash-landing. In January of this year, Prouza tweeted: UKs plan seems a bit ambitious. Trade as free as possible, full control on immigration... where is the give for all the take? The hard line of the Czech government towards Brexit is in line with the prevailing European belief that Brexit will be a self-inflicted disaster for the United Kingdom. This belief has been eloquently expressed by this Duesseldorf carnival float:

While the Czechs as members of a ten million nation know very well that their international influence would be greatly diminished if the EU ceased to exist, their dissatisfaction of what they increasingly see as a position of second rate citizens within the EU could in future become a deeply destabilising factor.

Paradoxically it was the pro-European Social Democratic Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka who seems to have unwittingly drawn the attention of the Czechs to the fact that almost 30 years after the fall of communism, their salaries and wages still remain extremely low. Over the past couple of weeks, Sobotka has inadvertently created a strong wave of public dissatisfaction with what the Czechs see as their poverty within the EU. Many of them blame the European Union for this.

Sobotka's Czech Social Democrats are currently part of a ruling coalition with the right-of-centre Ano (Yes) party, which is run by a Berlusconi-like oligarch Andrej Babis, Czech Deputy PM and Finance Secretary, who owns most of the Czech food industry and also controls some important Czech media outlets. Remarkably, Babis's party is now supported by more than 30 per cent of the Czech voters, while the Social Democrats are supported only by 20 per cent. It is quite likely that the Social Democrats will be the losers in the forthcoming general election, which is due to take place in October 2017.

In an attempt to improve the electoral chances of the Social Democrats, the Czech PM Sobotka has decided to propose to re-introduce progressive taxation in the Czech Republic. Like in several other East European countries, progressive taxation was replaced by flat tax in the Czech Republic in 2008.

Sobotka has pointed out that only 9 per cent of Czech employees earn more than 50 000 crowns (USD 1965) per month before tax. He has proposed to raise the income tax for those 9 per cent and to lower the income tax for the remaining 91 per cent.

His proposal has immediately become the target of sharp criticism in the media. Cynics might say that this is because most of the media pundits belong to the rich 9 per cent of the Czech employees and would thus be adversely affected by the income tax rise.

The problem, however is, that due to fairly high levels of other deductions, the gross income of 50 000 crowns per month is actually only 36 000 crowns (USD 1415) per month net, as was pointed out by Petr Honzejk, a commentator on the Prague economic newspaper Hospodarske noviny. Which is not a particularly astronomical pay. It became the subject of public attention that most of the so called rich people in the Czech Republic earn only around 1400 US dollars per month net.

But what was particularly alarming for the Czechs was the realisation that the overwhelming majority of the Czech employees earn an absolute minimum. As the graph below shows, in the Czech Republic, a country with 3,7 million employees, 630 000 employees (17 per cent) earn less than 15 000 crowns (USD 590) per month, 800 000 (22 per cent) of them earn less than 20 000 crowns (USD 786) per month and 1,1 million (30 per cent) earn less than 25 000 crowns (USD 982) per month. All these sums are before tax:

Mzdova realita: 91 % lidi ma v nasi zemi mzdu do 50 tisic. Vsem temto lidem navrhujeme snizit dane! #spravedlivedane pic.twitter.com/3S3t3xCOIr  Bohuslav Sobotka (@SlavekSobotka) February 22, 2017





The sudden realisation, as a result of public debate, that only some 30 per cent of the Czech employees earn more than about 1000 USD per month before tax, was absolutely horrifying for most Czechs. As can be seen from Eurostat statistics, the Czech Republic belongs to the group of those EU countries which have minimal labour costs and hence the smallest wages.

While some local goods and services are cheaper than their equivalents in the West, most industrial products are of the same price as in the West.

But this is not what was promised to the Czech population in the heady, optimistic period in the early 1990s, immediately after the fall of communism. The Czechs were told that they would quickly enter the land of milk and honey and would become just as affluent as the neighbouring (West) Germans, with whom they constantly compare themselves.

The realisation of how poor we all are seems all the more frustrating to the Czechs since an opinion poll has shown recently that many of them are not particularly interested in democracy, what they are interested in is affluence. (According to a CVVM opinion poll conducted in February 2016, only 50 per cent of Czech adults think that democracy is the best method of government.)

The public debate on the topic of the general poverty of the Czechs, which followed in the Czech media and on the social networks after Sobotka's announcement made the Czechs realise that, as they see it, they are second class citizens in the European Union and will always remain so.

According to Eurostat, the Czech Republic has the smallest levels of people who are threatened by poverty, i.e. 9,5 per cent and along with Slovakia, it has the smallest inequality of income distribution of all the member states of the European Union (although it has one of the largest gender pay gap in Europe, 22 per cent). But many critics in the Czech Republic reject these statistics, pointing out that these data are calculated on the basis of a median income, weighted according to local consumption patterns. But the Czech median income is, in their view, very low in the Czech Republic and the local consumption patterns are questionable:

As one commentator put it:

In Germany, the average age of a private car is about 8-9 years. In the Czech Republic, it is 15 years and growing. My German colleague who does the same type of work as me, can buy a new car every ten years and after ten years, he can sell it as a second hand car. I can afford to buy, once every ten years, a second hand car for half the German price and will have to pray that it does not break down and that I will be able to repair it if it does break down. So these are the typical consumption patterns on which these statistical assessments are based: a German can buy a new car every ten years and I can buy a second hand car every ten years.

What are the reasons for this state of affairs? Many people complain that the Czech Republic is a paradise for the multinational companies who pay almost no taxes in the country and repatriate USD 14  17 billion of profits from the Czech Republic annually. Half of that amount would solve most of the social problems in the Czech Republic. Repatriation of profits abroad is possible, critics say, because successive Czech governments have been in cahoots with influential entrepreneurs and multinational companies at the expense of ordinary employees. Others point to the fact that trade unions are extremely weak in the Czech Republic and that the Czechs almost never strike demanding an increase in pay. Yet others argue that since the fall of communism in 1989, successive Czech governments never tried to push through an economic policy based on industrial innovation and have turned the country into a giant assembly hall of products made abroad, mostly in Germany. The resulting low levels of pay are a source of wholesale frustration in the country and a potentially major destabilising factor.

There is a serious danger that with advancing automation and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on employment and on industrial processes, income levels in the Czech Republic will drop even further. At the moment, the country has no strategy how to tackle this threatening problem.

Needless to say, in the other post-communist EU member states, this situation is even worse.

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"We are still meeting with the people from the National People's Party (NPP) and hopefully by today evening and tomorrow morning we will able to give you a very clear picture. As you know that we need 31 MLAs to form the government and we are in progressive mode and hopefully by today evening and tomorrow morning we will able to give you a very clear picture," he told the media here.

Sarma also rubbished reports of NPP joining hands with the Congress in Meghalaya.

"Whosoever has portrayed this theory, I still don't get it. What was the logic behind it?" he asked.

Manipur witnessed a nail-biting contest between the BJP and Congress. The Congress won 28 seats to the BJP's 21 in the 60-member Manipur Assembly.

Out of the 60 assembly constituencies, a party has to win 31 seats to form the government in Manipur. (ANI)
Charging the BJP of making a mockery of the electoral verdict and trying to subvert Democracy in Manipur by illegally abducting Independent MLA Asabuddin. Talking to reporters here, AICC media panelist Jaiveer Shergill alleged that at the Imphal airport, an independent MLA Asabuddin travelling with Minister, Nasir has been illegally abducted by 200 CISF personnel. This has been done at the behest of BJP general secretary Ram Madhav.''He demanded registering of an FIR against Mr Ram Madhav.Mr Shergill alleged that by using money power and muscle power, the BJP is trying to form a government in the state by ignoring the mandate given by the people. ''At the Imphal airport, the independent MLA has been abducted through misuse of the CISF and the airport administration,''he said.Alleging that the abduction has been done at the behest of BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, he said,''an FIR should be registered against the BJP general secretary.''Earlier, in a statement, AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said,''the BJP is now misusing the CISF and Airport authorities to detain and abduct Independent MLA, Asabuddin at Imphal Airport and take him to Kolkata. The Modi Governemt is playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy and abducting MLAs by misusing CISF at Imphal Airport despite its electoral loss. Federalism and rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by the Modi Government.''UNI AR SHK 1827 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-1186398.Xml
Confusion reigns over the continuation of agitation against the killing of an Indian fisherman allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, with one group of fisher-folk called off the stir after holding talks with Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon.Radhakrishnan, while other group refuse to accept the negotiation by announcing that the protest would continue at Thangatchimadam coastal hamlet, here today. Hundreds of fishermen, including women were staging protest in front of the Infant Jesus Church at Thangatchimadam for the sixth consecutive day to condemn the killing of K.Britjo (21) on March 6. Leaders of various political parties visited the protest venue and expressed their solidarity with the agitating fishermen. The fishermen were demanding among other things including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj or a senior bureaucrat of the Ministry concerned come to the protest venue and assure them that the Centre would find a lasting solution to the fishermen issue within a time frame, secure the release of all the 85 detained fishermen and 146 fishing trawlers from lanka and assure that hereafter no such firing incident would recur etc. They were also demanding Sri lanka to register a case against the naval men who opened fire on the Indian fishermen and bring them to face trial in a court of law. Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon.Radhakrishnan visited Thangatchimadam, held talks with the fishermen and asked them to give up their stir. They also paid homage to the body of Britjo at Rameswaram government hospital mortuary and consoled his family members. The Ministers requested the bereaving family members to accept the body and perform the final rites. More UNI GSM PS GC1845 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1186445.Xml
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) headquarters at Ashoka Road here resounded with festivity on Sunday evening as party supporters gathered in huge numbers to celebrate the party's historic wins in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. A large number of the supporters came from the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to get a glimpse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although not more than 2,500-3,000 people were allowed inside the office premises for security reasons, the inside view was fully saffron with BJP flags, Modi posters and masks dominating the space. Patriotic songs were played as ecstatic crowd shouted "Modi, Modi" and these chants reached their crescendo when the Prime Minister reached the venue to a floral shower welcome. Veerbhadra Tripathi, a student from Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh, had come in the morning to ensure that he gets entry and sees Modi speaking. "I knew that there would be a huge rush and many will not get entry inside. So I came here at 11 a.m. I am happy that I am listening to a person who is messiah for the people, especially the youth," the Modi-struck youth said. The situation outside the party office, on Ashoka Road in Lutyens' Delhi, was equally charged up. Girish, a banking professional, said: "We can relate Modi's welcome today to that of God Rama." The crowd was of all age groups as well as women but the majority were youth, who kept chanting slogans in favour of Modi throughout the event. During his speech, Modi stressed on the welfare of the poor and his dreams of a 'New India', which led to huge applause from the public. An elderly couple, Shamlal and Nirmala Devi, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki, said they had come to see Modi, who led the BJP to a historic win in the state. "What Modiji has done is a miracle. We have come here just to see him. We are very happy today," Nirmala Devi said. There were cheers when Modi thanked everyone for their support and congratulated BJP President Amit Shah for the success in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. However, a grand applause erupted when Modi said he did not differentiate between those who voted for the BJP and those who did not. "It is grandness of Modiji as he talks about inclusiveness," said Jagdish, an insurance professional. Jubilant BJP workers said they were confident of winning municipal elections in Delhi after the assembly election results. --IANS spk/vd/dg ( 420 Words) 2017-03-12-21:56:07 (IANS)
The BJP''s march to power in the Northeastern state of Manipur with the support of old and new allies have come with some price, political compromises and hard bargaining. According to the sources, Conrad Sangma-led National People''s Party (NPP) with four MLAs have told BJP negotiators, including the likes of senior leaders Himanta Biswa Sarma and Ram Madhav, that their support will be "conditional". "There is general agreement," Mr Madhav told reporters in Imphal. Meanwhile in Delhi, sources told UNI that the NPP, founded by the Late PA Sangma, may get Deputy Chief Minister''s post while there was also an assurance from the BJP central leadership that in the event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertaking any expansion of the council of ministers, Mr Conrad Sangma''s candidature would be considered. "Conrad may be accommodated as a Minister of State at the Centre," the source said. The BJP has already an alliance with Conrad K Sangma''s NPP in Meghalaya. "The deal is a win-win situation for both the BJP and the NPP as the victory in Manipur can now be used for party''s campaign in Meghalaya, the state Conrad Sangma comes from," the source said. Elections are due in Meghalaya in March 2018 and Mr Sangma will be a good face for the BJP-led Northeast Democratic Alliance in the state. Conrad Sangma was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2016 after his father and former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma''s death representing Tura parliamentary constituency. Conrad also became the youngest Finance Minister of Meghalaya in 2008. Between 2009 and 2013, Conrad held the post of Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.UNI DEVN SNU 2156 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1186670.Xml
Even as popularity of Manohor Parrikar made it easy for the BJP leadership to name new Goa Chief Minister, for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur, party's Parliamentary Board tonight decided to nominate observers to consult MLAs for deciding on the leadership in these states.The party named M Venkaiah Naidu and Bhupendra Yadav as observers for Uttar Pradesh, where party recorded a landslide victory, Narendra Singh Tomar and Saroj Pandey will visit Uttarakhand, and Piyush Goyal and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe have been selected as observers for Manipur, party leader JP Nadda told reporters after the meeting of the Parliamentary Board.The highest policy making body of the party also authorised BJP President Amit Shah to take final decision once the observers in each states submit their report.The meeting of the Parliamentary Board was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior ministers like Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Madhya Pradesh Chief Shivraj Singh Chouhan.The Parliamentary Board also gave its crucial nod for allowing Defence Minister Manohor Parrikar's shift back to the state of Goa after central interlocutor for Goa polls Nitin Gadkari reported to the Prime Minister and BJP chief that most BJP MLAs in Goa and the legislators of regional and smaller parties insisted that only Parrikar should be made the Chief Minister.While Congress bagged 18 seats in 40-member assembly, BJP with 13 MLAs has able to cobble together the requisite numbers with the support of smaller parties in Goa.The party legislature meetings in Lucknow and other state capitals will be announced later once the team of observersin each states consult the newly elected MLAs informally, sources said.Among others, Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, Union Minister Manoj Sinha and even Home Minister Rajnath Singh could be considered for the prized post in Lucknow while a first time MP Siddharth Nath Singh's chances are also not ruled out.The Parliamentary Board today passed two resolutions, one paying homage to 12 CRPF personnel killed in a Maoists' attack in Sukma in Chhattisgarh and another thanking people for voting the party and its allies to victory in the state polls.The resolutions also lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and mentioned special mention about BJP chief Amit Shah's organisational skills, sources said.While BJP managed massive victories in UP and Uttarakhand, in Manipur also with the support of NPP,LJP and NPF; the BJP is all set to form government in the northeastern state as well.Defence Minister Manohor Parrikar will have to resign before departing for Goa to take over reins yet again.UNI DEVN JW SNU 2346 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1186691.Xml
Dutch government has made the issue a part of their elections on March 15, Xinhua quoted Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus as saying to NTV news broadcaster.

Entrances of Dutch Embassy in Ankara and Consulate in Istanbul, along with their residences, were closed on late Saturday due to "security reasons," a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said.

The move comes after the Dutch police closed a road of Turkish consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday after Turkish ministers insisted to hold a rally in the country against the Dutch government.

--IANS sku/

( 136 Words)

2017-03-12-06:22:07 (IANS)
The federal police and interior ministry special forces, known as Rapid Response, advanced in the neighbourhood of Bab al-Toub in Mosul city centre, fighting heavy clashes against IS terrorists in the narrow streets of the old neighbourhood, Xinhua quoted Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yarallah from the Joint Operations Command as saying.

The troops killed several IS terrorists, destroyed three car bombs and 20 explosive devices during the battles in Bab al-Toub, the statement said.

The commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) continued their advance inside the neighbourhoods of Aghawat and Risala in the west of the old city centre.

Also in the day, the army's 16th infantry division made a new progress in northwest of Mosul's western side and the troops recaptured two villages, a compound of industry installation and the major water facility, which provides the western side of Mosul with water.

--IANS sku/

( 183 Words)

2017-03-12-07:04:07 (IANS)
Preet Bharara, the high-profile Indian-American federal prosecutor, who defied US President Donald Trump administration's request to resign, said he has been dismissed. "Today (Saturday), I was fired from my position as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York," Bharara said in a statement released through the Justice Department. From a jurisdiction covering Manhattan, Bharara was often in the limelight as he went after politicians and high-flying financiers. He and 45 other federal prosecutors or US district attorneys appointed by former President Barack Obama were On Friday asked by Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente to submit their resignations. Unlike some of his peers, he refused and was fired. It is customary for political appointees of a President to resign when a new one is elected. All ambassadors, for example, were asked in January to resign and they complied. Among them was Richard Verma, an Indian-American US ambassador to India. Bharara's case was unusual because unlike most of the other federal prosecutors he had been asked by Trump in November to stay on in his job. He told reporters at that time that he had agreed to Trump's request to continue in his position. Preetinder Singh Bharara was born in Ferozepore in 1968 and immigrated to the US as a child. Bharara in 2013 set off a major diplomatic spat with India that backfired on Washington when he singled out an Indian woman diplomat for arrest and the humiliation of a strip search alleging that she had made a false statement in the visa application for her maid. Other diplomats accused of such offences were not similarly treated by Bharara and the humiliating action against Devyani Khobragade, a Dalit, brought protests in India and retaliatory action by the government against US diplomats. The then-Secretary of State John Kerry expressed regret for the incident and the matter was taken out of Bharara's hands and diplomatically resolved. Bharara's jurisdiction covered the US financial capital, earning him the nickname of "Sheriff of Wall Street". He prosecuted more than 100 finance executives for criminal activities like stock trading irregularities using insider information. They include several Indians like Rajat Gupta, the former head of the consulting company McKinsey, and a Goldman Sachs Director, who served two years in jail for colluding with the Sri Lankan-American hedge fund operator Raj Rajaratnam in a stock market scam. His ouster was probably greeted with a silent sigh of temporary relief by several politicians. Although a Democrat, Bharara has prosecuted several New York politicians of his party and the most notable among them is Sheldon Silver, a former speaker of the state assembly, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption. While he was being ousted, Bharara was investigating Mayor Bill DeBlasio's election fundraising and close aides of Governor Mario Cuomo. He also prosecuted former UN General Assembly President John Ashe for alleged corruption before he died. Among Bharara's high-profile cases against banks, Citibank paid a $158 million fine to settle a case he brought against it for misleading the government about loans. In another case, Citbank made a $7 billion payment to the government after Bharara began investigating its Mexican unit. JP Morgan Chase was made to forfeit $7 billion for failing to inform authorities about a massive investment fraud by a client. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) --IANS al/py/ ( 571 Words) 2017-03-12-09:28:07 (IANS)
Iraqi special forces battling the Islamic State group have pushed deeper into west Mosul, where a commander said jihadist resistance is weakening under repeated assaults. The IS is facing simultaneous offensives by the government forces, Turkish-backed rebels and a US-supported alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, in western Mosul. The old city Mosul could see some of the toughest fighting of the operation -- which has not yet begun -- nor has fighting inside the city of Raqqa, IS's main bastion in Syria. Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service attacked the Al-Amil al-Oula neighbourhood of west Mosul early on Friday, and were battling the jihadists inside it, said CTS commander Major General Maan al-Saadi. Iraq's Joint Operations Command later announced that CTS had retaken that area along with Al-Amil al-Thaniyah neighbourhood. According to Saadi, the IS resistance had diminished following a string of losses since the launch of the government's assault on west Mosul on February 19. "After we broke the (first) defensive line, they lost many fighters," he said. "The enemy has begun to collapse. They have lost many of their combat capabilities. Today, the enemy sent (suicide car bombs), but not in the numbers they sent at the beginning of the battle." Seif Rasheed, 28, a medic with the CTS unit operating from a house behind the lines in the Shuhada district, said it received one dead and one wounded on Friday. "The dead was shot in the head and the wounded in the neck and hip," he said. "Daesh (IS) are hiding in homes, opening the doors and firing at troops from just a few metres." Supplies to the IS-held parts of Mosul have dwindled over the past week as the army shut the main route westward. "We used to get potatoes, vegetables and milk from Badoosh, but these areas are no longer accessible," said a man in Zanjeely district over the phone. "The entire family lives in one room and mortars are falling like rain." In another sign that the jihadists are feeling the squeeze, their chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has abandoned Mosul, leaving local commanders behind to oversee defence of the city. Iraqi forces launched their operation to retake Mosul in October, and recaptured the whole east bank of the Tigris River that runs through it in January. They then set their sights on the smaller but more densely populated west side of the city. More than 215,000 people are displaced as a result of the battle for Mosul, according to the International Organisation for Migration. Others fled their homes but later returned. In neighbouring Syria, the jihadists lost more ground to a Russian-backed offensive by government forces east of second city Aleppo. Russia's military on Friday said it had carried out over 450 airstrikes in support of the offensive over the past week, killing more than 600 IS fighters, and destroying 16 infantry fighting vehicles and 41 machinegun-mounted pickups. Washington, too, has turned up the heat on the IS in Syria, doubling its troops in the country with the deployment of 400 reinforcements to back the offensive on Raqqa. --IANS py/ ( 525 Words) 2017-03-12-11:02:07 (IANS)
The Dutch riot police have used water cannons and horses to disperse protestors outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, as the city forbade a Turkish minister from entering it. More than 1,000 people had gathered outside the building as the diplomatic row between the two nations escalated after the Netherlands denied entry to Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Betul Sayan Kaya to the consulate, and later escorted her to the German border on Sunday, reported BBC. "I am being taken to Germany from the Nijmegen border with democratic and humanitarian values disregarded. I condemn this on behalf of all my citizens," Kaya said in a tweet. "This treatment against a woman minister can never be accepted", she wrote. Kaya, who had arrived by road, was intercepted by the Dutch police on Saturday night near the consulate building hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight clearance to Rotterdam was cancelled over "security" and "public safety" issues. Both the ministers were due to meet and seek the votes of Turks living in the Netherlands ahead of April 16 referendum which will see a constitutional amendment. Kaya, who was blocked from entering the consulate, was later taken to the German border by the police, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte confirmed early on Sunday morning. In a Facebook post, Rutte said attempts to find a "reasonable solution" to the countries' differences had proved "impossible", and dismissing Kaya's arrival in Rotterdam as "irresponsible". Cavusoglu said that Ankara would respond 10 times stronger to the Dutch government's decision to prevent a Turkish minister from entering the country, reported Anadolu Agency. "To prevent a female minister from entering 'our territory, our consulate office', was shameful for Europe," said Cavusoglu. Protests also erupted in Istanbul and Ankara in front of the Dutch diplomatic missions which had been sealed off after the Dutch move. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the actions as a measure by "Nazi remnants and fascists". The Turkish Foreign Ministry said late Saturday that it has conveyed to the Netherlands its will for the Dutch envoy to Ankara to not return to his post for a while upon the cancellation of Cavusoglu's flight permit. The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Erdogan. The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming. --IANS soni/vt ( 433 Words) 2017-03-12-14:54:08 (IANS)
Negotiators from the Philippine government and Maoist-led rebels have reached an agreement to resume formal peace negotiations next month, a month after an angry President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled talks after rebels ambushed soldiers.The two sides would hold talks in the first of April to work out a bilateral ceasefire, Duterte's peace adviser Jesus Dureza said after two-day informal talks in Utrecht over the weekend."I am pleased to announce that the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front which broke down weeks ago, are now back on track again," Dureza said on his Facebook post today."The parties are expected to start discussions on the bilateral ceasefire during the planned resumption of the negotiations during the first week of April, this year."A second meeting was set for June. The talks are brokered by Norway to end nearly five decades of conflict, which has killed more than 40,000 people. The communist rebellion is one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies.The firebrand leader scrapped peace talks last month due to the New People's Army's increasing attacks in the countryside, a violation of its own unilateral truce. He said he would only agree to resume talks if rebels stopped the attacks and extortion activities on mines and plantations.In Baguio City, a mountain resort city north of Manila, the president said the government will reciprocate the "valor and courage" of soldiers by providing them with modern weapons and financial benefits."In the next two to three years, the Armed Forces of the Philippines will have flight simulators, fast boats, radars, assault vehicles, as well as new surveillance and fighter aircraft so you can patrol our borders and seas," he said.He also promised to upgrade the army so it will be "at par with the rest of the world".REUTERS PS BD1543 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1186211.Xml
Turkey will continue to take steps against the Netherlands until it apologises over a diplomatic row, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said today.A diplomatic dispute has raged between Turkey and the Netherlands since the Dutch government barred Cavusoglu from flying there, and then prevented the Turkish family minister from meeting Turks outside the Rotterdam consulate.Turkey told the Netherlands today it would retaliate in the "harshest ways".Speaking to reporters in France ahead of a public appearance in the northeastern city of Metz, Cavusoglu said Turkey was waiting to see whether European countries would voice criticism of the "fascist act" by the Netherlands.REUTERS PS PM1702 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1186318.Xml
Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, has alleged that she suffered "harsh and rude treatment" at the hands of Dutch authorities when she was blocked from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam late Saturday night. Kaya said even the Turkish consul was not allowed to meet her outside the consulate, reported Anadolu news agency. She said that she was taken to Germany via the Nijmegen border as democratic and humanitarian values were trampled underfoot. "We received an inhumane and unethical treatment," the minister said. "We were treated harshly and rudely. The European attitude towards a female minister three days after the International Women's Day is a tragicomedy. All this happened as Europe repeatedly spoke about human rights and freedoms," she said. Five members of her security detail were also detained late Saturday, she added. Commenting on the issue, Energy Minister Berat Albayrak said it was "a night of shame for the Netherlands". He said it was "quite alarming" that most of his European colleagues avoided making a public statement to condemn the incident. Yesterday, The Netherlands denied flight permit Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and then blocked a convoy carrying the Family Minister from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. As the diplomatic row escalated, policemen sealed off the entrances and exits of roads to Dutch consulate due to security concerns following protests those staged in solidarity with Cavusoglu and Kaya. The Netherlands is not the first country to impose such a ban. The ties between Ankara and Berlin strained in recent months after a ban on rallies by Turkish ministers in Germany. Germany had revoked its permission for Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag's meeting, citing concerns about overcrowding. The planned rallies by Turkish ministers in countries with native population come ahead of the April 16 referendum in Turkey that would expand the powers of the President. (ANI)
Turkish authorities are responsible for the safety of Dutch diplomats in Turkey, the Dutch foreign ministry said today, responding to an escalating row between the two countries.For a short period, the Turkish flag flew outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, prompting a complaint from the Dutch government."The situation is unclear. The Turkish authorities are responsible for the safety of the Dutch diplomatic mission in Turkey. We have filed a complaint with the Turkish authorities," the foreign ministry said.Sources inside the Turkish presidency said earlier today that the flags had been changed by Dutch consulate officials and there had been no outside interference. REUTERS JW BL1852 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1186455.Xml
A British intelligence agency has told political parties to protect themselves against potential cyber attacks, citing allegations that Russian hackers tried to influence last year's US presidential election.Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of the GCHQ spying agency, said it had written to the leaders of political parties offering to help strengthen their network security, confirming a report in the Sunday Times."You will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system," a letter from NCSC head Ciaran Martin said, according to the Times."Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond (political parties) and can include attacks on parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts," it said.The NCSC told Reuters it had written to parties on the matter, although it did not confirm that the main cybersecurity risk was Russia.Asked about the report, foreign minister Boris Johnson said: "We have no evidence that the Russians are actually involved in trying to undermine our democratic processes at the moment."But what we do have is plenty of evidence that the Russians are capable of doing that. And there is no doubt that they've been up to all sorts of dirty tricks," he told ITV television's "Peston on Sunday".US intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic Party emails as part of an effort to tilt the presidential election vote in favour of Donald Trump, something Russia denies.The French government this month dropped plans to let its citizens abroad vote electronically in legislative elections in June because of concern about the risk of cyber attacks.REUTERS PS PM1833 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1186429.Xml
She is controlled and cautious, a physicist from East Germany who takes her time making decisions and has never relished the attention that comes from being Europe's most powerful leader.He is a wealthy real estate magnate from New York who shoots from the hip and enjoys the spotlight.It is hard to imagine two leaders more different, in style or substance, than Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Donald Trump, the new president of the United States.For months, they have been engaged in an uneasy long-distance skirmish over policy and values.On Tuesday, they meet for the first time - a high-stakes encounter that will be watched by governments around the world for clues about the future of the transatlantic alliance, a partnership that has helped shape the global order since World War Two but which Trump is threatening to upend."Do I think they are going to become good friends? Probably not. They are very different personalities," said Charles Kupchan, who advised Trump's predecessor Barack Obama on European policy as a member of the National Security Council."But I do think they have a strong interest, both politically and strategically, in learning how to work together. It is arguably the most important meeting with a foreign leader of Trump's presidency."German officials say the detail-oriented Merkel, 62, has been preparing assiduously for her trip to Washington.She has watched Trump's speeches and poured over his interviews, including a lengthy Q&A with Playboy magazine from 1990 in which he floats many of the controversial ideas he is now trying to implement as president, they say.Members of her entourage have also analysed Trump's encounters with other leaders - including Britain's Theresa May, Japan's Shinzo Abe and Canada's Justin Trudeau - and have had exchanges with some of their counterparts on how to handle the unpredictable former reality-TV star, the officials added."We have to be prepared for the fact that he does not like to listen for long, that he prefers clear positions and does not want to delve into details," said one senior German official.'CATASTROPHIC MISTAKE'On both economic and foreign policy, the divide between the two leaders appears vast.Trump, 70, has called Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany a "catastrophic mistake".He has threatened to impose tariffs on German carmakers that import into the US market. And he has criticised Berlin for not spending more on defence, a longstanding US complaint that Merkel has promised to address.Another source of tension is Germany's 50 billion euro trade surplus with the United States.Trump adviser Peter Navarro has accused Germany of gaining unfair trade advantages through a weak euro. Merkel and her ministers have pointed out that the European Central Bank - and not Berlin - controls the fate of Europe's single currency.Russia will also be on the agenda. White House officials have said Trump will seek advice from Merkel on how to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.For her part, Merkel has been critical of Trump's travel ban targeting the citizens of several mainly Muslim countries. In a phone call in January, she explained to Trump that the Geneva Convention obliges signatories, including the United States, to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds.Merkel is also concerned that Trump, who has repeatedly praised Britain's decision to leave the European Union, might continue to undermine the bloc with his rhetoric at a time of deep crisis triggered by the rise of anti-EU populist parties."Europe is in a very fragile, precarious state and Germany is trying to ensure that the European integration project holds together. I suspect the chancellor will want to make this clear to the president," said Anthony Gardner, who served as US ambassador to the European Union until January."This is an opportunity to sketch out areas of common interest, to define a positive agenda," he added. "But one meeting won't change the atmosphere on its own."POTENTIAL FOR SURPRISESTrump is the third US president that Merkel, Europe's longest-serving leader, has worked with.She established a good rapport with George W. Bush, who was keen to repair ties with Germany after his clash with Merkel's predecessor Gerhard Schroeder over the Iraq war.And although relations with Obama got off to an awkward start when Merkel rebuffed his request to speak at the Brandenburg Gate during the 2008 presidential campaign, the two grew close over time, cooperating on sanctions against Russia and launching negotiations on a transatlantic free-trade deal."The parting is hard for me," Merkel acknowledged when Obama visited Berlin in November, a week after Trump's victory.The German leader will be walking a fine line in Washington. With an election looming at home in September, she must avoid offering her political opponents ammunition by cozying up to Trump. Neither can she afford an open confrontation that might damage German interests.One of the biggest concerns in the chancellor's camp before the visit is the potential for surprises.Japan's Abe had an awkward 19-second handshake with Trump, while May was criticised in some sections of the British media for holding hands with Trump during a stroll at the White House, apparently after he reached out to steady himself.When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump last month, he and his team spent the day before running through endless scenarios, lines of questioning and role-plays to ensure they were prepared for any scenario.But in the end, they were still taken aback when Trump spoke off the cuff at their news conference on the sensitive issues of settlements and a future Palestinian state.Merkel has admitted to being so uncomfortable with surprises as a child that she drew up her Christmas wish-list months in advance to avoid being caught off-guard by an unexpected gift.With Trump, she might have to expect the unexpected. REUTERS PS PM1834 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1186433.Xml
Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen proposed on Sunday postponing a planned visit by Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yilderim this month due to the diplomatic row between Turkey and the Netherlands."With the current Turkish attacks on Holland the meeting can not be seen separated from that. I have therefore proposed to my Turkish colleague that the meeting will be postponed," Rasmussen said in a press release. REUTERS JW BL2003 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1186587.Xml
At least 34 people were killed and 17 injured in northern Haiti Today after a bus crashed into a group of people, the country's civil protection authorities said.The bus, which was coming from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au-Prince, crashed outside the town of Gonaives in the northern part of the country, the authorities said. REUTERS JW PM2345 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1186692.Xml
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Tanzania's ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) on Saturday sacked 12 members and relieved six others of their leadership roles for what it described as "sabotaging the party".

"Time for tolerating saboteurs within the party is over," CCM Ideology and Publicity Secretary Humphrey Polepole told a news conference in the political capital Dodoma at the end of a one-day NEC meeting chaired by President John Magufuli.

Polepole said according to CCM regulations, a member who has been sacked for committing mistakes out of ignorance might reapply membership after 48 months but someone who have been sacked out of gross misconduct has no chance of being readmitted.

He said those who have been relieved of their leadership roles will have to wait for 40 months before considering contesting for any post within the party.
THE HAGUE, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey rose on Saturday night after a convoy of Turkey's Minister of Family and Social Policies Betul Sayan Kaya was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam.

Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a "yes" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey.

Earlier on Saturday, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan.

Kaya entered the country at the German-Dutch border in a convoy by car and drove straight to the consulate in Rotterdam. Near the consulate, her car was stopped by the police.

"The Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam," the Turkish Minister stated through twitter.

The support of Turkish-Dutch citizens, holding Turkish flags, near the consulate grew to hundreds of people during the evening.

Around 10 p.m. local time, the Dutch military police started to clear some streets, without major incidents occurring so far, although Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported a rising tension.

The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming.

Related:

Dutch embassy in Turkey closed off due to "security reasons"

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Entrances of Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul, along with their residences, are closed off late Saturday due to "security reasons," a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told Xinhua.

The move came after the Dutch police closed a road of Turkish consulate residence in Rotterdam on Saturday after Turkish minister insisted to hold a rally in the country. Full story

Protest bursts outside Dutch embassy in Turkey

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Some 150 to 200 people holding Turkish national flags were gathering in front of Dutch Embassy in Ankara on late Saturday to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Netherlands ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum.

Dutch government has made the issue a part of their elections on March 15, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus on Saturday said in a televised interview to NTV news broadcaster. Full story

Turkish FM calls Dutch flight ban "scandal from every angle"

ISTANBUL, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday blasted the Dutch denial of his entry by air as a "scandal from every angle and unacceptable," while another Turkish minister decided to enter the Netherlands by land amid a worsening diplomatic row.

"The move would not remain unrequited," the top Turkish envoy told reporters in Istanbul. "This is the most extreme point in diplomacy." Full story

Turkey asks off-duty Dutch ambassador to extend leave as row spirals

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Saturday asked the Dutch ambassador to Turkey to extend his leave and not to return to his position "for some time," local Daily Sabah reported.

The move came after Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Betul Sayan Kaya's vehicle was stopped by Dutch police from entering the consulate in Rotterdam late Saturday. Full story

Some Dutch parties leaders voice support to Rutte over blocking visit by Turkish FM

THE HAGUE, March 11 (Xinhua) -- While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks likening his government to "fascists and Nazis" as "bizarre," some parties leaders in the Netherlands have voiced their support to the government's decision to cancel the landing rights of a Turkish plane with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on board.
HELSINKI, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Demonstrations of supporters and opponents of asylum seekers in downtown Helsinki went peacefully on Saturday, although police warned of possible skirmishes in advance.

Senior police officer Jari Taponen told Finish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that over 1,000 people were in a major square in downtown Helsinki.

The supporters of refugees gathered at southern end of the square, where as the opponents stood a hundred meters north, with the public ice ring in the middle.

In the past weeks, disgruntled asylum seekers have camped in tents to the south of the ring. "Refugee is not your enemy; Enemy is who make them refugees," read one of the posters.

"The immigration office agreed that I was threatened and my mother was killed, but still insisted Baghdad is safe for me to return to," an Iraqi named Karrar was seen telling a Finnish couple in front of the tents.

On Friday, the Ateneum Museum of Art, on the southern side of the square, placed a large poster saying refugees were welcome.

Some anti-immigration groups had announced in social media that they would "evict" the asylum seekers' tents on Saturday. The police detained one man who had behaved aggressively.

A "counter camp" has been set up north of the square for weeks, and one of the banners carried slogan "Finland first".

While the organizers said they want to differentiate from those who prefer direct action to "clean the square", the group demanded the asylum seekers to leave Finland and urged exit from the EU.

Group leader Marco de Wit told Xinhua they had gathered 4,000 signatures in the past months, and they still need 1,000 to become a political party.

Officials of the Finnish immigration authority (Migri) have visited the camp under police escort. Later a discussion event was arranged between the representatives of Migri and the asylum seekers.

Finland has tightened the criteria for giving asylum during the past year. The government has also tried to reduce the attractiveness of Finland as a destination for asylum seekers.
BRATISLAVA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 people including several politicians marched against extremism and fascism in this Slovakian capital on Saturday.

"It isn't enough anymore to be part of a silent majority rejecting extremism and fascism, but it's necessary to make one's attitude known aloud," Mayor of Bratislava Ivo Nesrovnal said in his speech.

The capital city of Slovakia has always in history been tolerant, he said.

Bratislava region governor Pavol Freso said that all democrats, both from the Left and the Right, must hold together in the fight against extremism.

"This is why it's necessary to meet and show that we're numerous enough to defeat fascists in any form," Freso added.

The demonstration was part of a series of events called "Anti-fascist Mobilization".
SAN FRANCISCO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- A new study shows detailed consumption advisories have a role in recent years when fish consumption has increased while blood mercury concentrations have decreased among women of childbearing age in the United States.

The research, published in the journal Environmental Health by researchers with Oregon State University (OSU), looked at fish consumption patterns with regard to blood mercury levels in U.S. women of childbearing age from 1999 to 2010 using data from the ongoing U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Food from the ocean has a unique nutritional profile. Among seafood's many benefits are the omega-3 fatty acids that promote neurodevelopment, therefore are especially important for pregnant women to pass on to developing fetuses. But the main way people are exposed to toxic methylmercury, a mercury atom with a methyl group, CH3, attached to it, is through eating seafood.

Comparatively less-toxic elemental mercury enters the ocean from natural sources such as volcanic eruptions and also from human activities like the burning of fossil fuels, which accounts for about two-thirds of the mercury that goes into the water.

Once in the ocean, the mercury is methylated, diffuses into phytoplankton and passes up the food chain, accumulating along the way. A scallop or a shrimp, for example, can have a mercury concentration of less than 0.003 parts per million. A large predator like a tuna, on the other hand, can contain roughly 10 million times as much methylmercury as the water that surrounds it and have a concentration of many parts per million.

Thus, said Leanne Cusack, a postdoctoral scholar in OSU's College of Public Health and Human Sciences and the corresponding author of the study, fish consumption advisories need to be precise and nuanced.

These advisories are often aimed at women of childbearing age because a developing fetus has greater sensitivity to the neurotoxic effects of methylmercury. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend women in that group eat two meals of low-mercury fish per week.

"We also found total monthly fish consumption by women of reproductive age was higher than it had been in recent years, with women consuming more marine fish and shellfish but with no appreciable difference in the mean consumption of freshwater fish, tuna, swordfish and shark," Cusack was quoted as saying in a news release. "That's encouraging because marine and shellfish are associated with smaller increases in blood mercury. And also encouragingly, an average women who'd eaten fish nine or more times in the previous month had lower blood mercury levels than women who'd had fish at the same rate in 1999-2000."

Among ethnic groups in the United States, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Alaska Natives and Native Americans ate fish the most often and showed the most mercury, and Mexican Americans consumed fish the least often and showed the smallest concentration of mercury.

Cusack said the differences in consumption and mercury levels by race and region illustrate the need for tailored fish advisories.
LA PAZ, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales stated Saturday that a nodule in his throat, which led him to seek treatment in Cuba, did not pose a risk to his life.

"The discomfort in my throat does not put my life in danger. It is a small nodule which must be removed through surgery in Cuba in the next few weeks... thankfully, it is not malignant," he told a press conference in the city of Cochabamba.

Morales also revealed that, before going to Cuba, he sought to treat his illness with a number of home remedies.

"They made me take anything, honey with onion, honey with garlic, vapors, even amor seco (a local herb)," he explained.

Morales added he now felt much better but would follow his treatment until the end before going to Havana for the nodule to be removed.

During Morales' stay in Cuba, rumors circulated on social media that his illness was terminal. Earlier in the week, the Bolivian government denied the rumors and said that Morales had a "benign tumor" on his vocal chords of between 1-2 millimeters.

Morales flew to Havana on March 1 to seek treatment after his throat complications had continued since January. While there, it became known he also suffered from sinusitis and a stomach infection.
Chief Justice Zhou Qiang delivers a work report of the Supreme People's Court at the third plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's court system concluded 45,000 graft cases in 2016, implicating 63,000 people, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday.

The defendants included 35 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, and 240 at the prefectural level, said the report to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

Courts at all levels convicted 2,862 criminals of bribery, and concluded 15,000 cases involving corruption, embezzling funds and other crimes found in poverty alleviation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, China has launched a sweeping fight against corruption, which the top leadership announced late last year "has gained crushing momentum."

In 2016, procurators investigated 47,650 people for their suspected involvement in duty-related crimes, according to a work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, which will be delivered by Procurator-General Cao Jianming at the plenary meeting.

Prosecution proceedings were launched against 48 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, including Ling Jihua and Su Rong, both former vice chairmen of the country's top political advisory body, and Bai Enpei, a former senior lawmaker with the NPC, the report said.

In particular, procurators investigated 17,410 lower level officials suspected of corruption in land expropriation and demolition, social security, management of agriculture-related funds and other issues concerning people's well-being, according to the report.
Chief Justice Zhou Qiang delivers a work report of the Supreme People's Court at the third plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday China's courts only handed out death sentences to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely severe offenses in the past ten years.

In a work report to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress, the SPC said the capital punishment had been strictly controlled and applied prudently since 2007, when the SPC reserved the right to review all death penalty decisions handed out by lower courts.

The report did not give an exact number of cases where death sentences had been applied.

It said courts had strengthened efforts to protect human rights in judicial practices.
Chief Justice Zhou Qiang delivers a work report of the Supreme People's Court at the third plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Sunday vowed to create a "safe and stable" social environment for a key Communist Party of China (CPC) congress set to convene in Beijing in the second half of this year.

"[We will] resolutely protect the nation's political security, in particular the security of the state power and the political system," according to a work report to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the on-going annual session of the National People's Congress.

It promised to keep a firm hand on crimes undermining national security and on violent and terrorist crimes in accordance with the law.

Courts will also strike hard on severe criminal offences such as murder and robbery, and hand out due sentences for those involved in telecom and Internet fraud, in order to maintain social stability, the report said. ' It promised that the current anti-corruption momentum will not lose steam, and vowed to step up efforts in the administration of justice in major duty-related crime cases and in supporting pilot reforms in the national supervision system.

A separate report by the Supreme People's Procuratorate also pledged to severely punish infiltrating, subversive and sabotage activities by hostile forces, violent and terrorist crimes, ethnic separatist activities and religious extremist activities, to "safeguard security, protect stability and promote harmony."

Crimes involving Mafia-like gangs, guns, explosives, drug making and trafficking, women and children trafficking, as well as crimes undermining national defense and military interests will also face harsh penalties, it added.

Related:

China vows efforts against wrongful convictions

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Court vowed on Sunday to create a "safe and stable" social environment for a key Communist Party of China (CPC) congress set to convene in Beijing in the second half of this year. Full Story

China's top court concludes 42 pct more cases in 2016

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Sunday reported a sharp rise in the number of cases it concluded in 2016, while promising to play a bigger role this year in helping maintain stability and promote growth. Full Story

China concludes trials of 147,000 IPR cases in 2016

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese courts at different levels concluded some 147,000 intellectual property right (IPR) cases in 2016, boosting mass entrepreneurship and innovation, a work report of the Supreme People's Court said Sunday. Full Story

China to step up IPR trials to stimulate innovation

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China will step up the trials of intellectual property right (IPR) cases in 2017 to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship of diverse entities, a work report of the Supreme People's Court said Sunday. Full Story

Chinese courts conclude 45,000 graft cases in 2016, implicating 63,000 people

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's court system concluded 45,000 graft cases in 2016, implicating 63,000 people, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday. Full Story

Death penalties in China only apply in extremely severe cases: supreme court

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday China's courts only handed out death sentences to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely severe offenses in the past ten years. Full Story

China's maritime jurisdiction extends to cover all jurisdictional seas
by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has won local elections in two Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand, while as opposition Congress party has swept Punjab.

In two other states of Goa and Manipur, the results presented a fractured verdict, with no political party gaining a clear majority. Congress has emerged as a leading party ahead BJP, but would need support from other parties to stake claim for government making.

BJP recorded a spectacular victory in India's most populous Uttar Pradesh state with a population of 200 million and consolidated its position further in the political arena of India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who personally led an aggressive campaign in Uttar Pradesh state won 312 seats out of 403. His BJP routed the regional players, besides Congress party that had entered into a pre-poll alliance with incumbent Samajwadi Party. In neighboring Uttarakhand state out of 70 seats, BJP bagged 56 seats and is leading in one.

Congress party won seven seats, while as its alliance partner has won 47 seats.

BJP's victory has come as referendum to Modi for his decision of demonetization (a step to ban high value currency notes) and promises of development, modernisation and uprooting corruption in a state where caste and religious affiliations are deeply entrenched.

As BJP did not promote any chief ministerial candidate, Modi was the face of campaign in the elections.

Modi's radical move in November last year led to cash shortage and was opposed by all opposition parties besides common people, who faced lots of hardships in banks.

During 2014 India's general election, BJP won 71 seats from Uttar Pradesh. Modi, who is basically from the western state of Gujarat, also managed to get elected from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi constituency.

The latest victory in local elections would strengthen BJP's position in the upper house of Indian parliament (Rajya Sabha) where it is in a minority and often faces difficulty in pushing legislation of key laws.

The victory in the adjacent Uttarakhand state too enhanced BJP's image and Modi's stature. With these victories the BJP now rules in more than a dozen of India's 29 states.

Critics view Modi's performance in the Uttar Pradesh elections as a precursor for his second term victory in 2019 India's general elections, although he is midway through his first term.

"In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi and the BJP in 2019," wrote Omar Abdullah, an Indian politician and ally of Congress. "At this rate we might as well forget 2019 and start planning, hoping for 2024."

The main opposition Congress party has won 77 seats out of 117 in Punjab. However BJP only got three seats, while as its alliance partner, the regional Shiromani Akali Dal won 15 seats.

For the new entrant India's anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party (common man's party) the defeat in Punjab and Goa proved to be a setback and dashed their hopes to hold power outside national capital Delhi. The party won 20 seats in Punjab but couldn't make a debut in Goa.

However in Goa and Manipur neither BJP nor Congress has managed to gain majority. With Congress emerging as leading party in both the states, reports said it has started engaging in closed door negotiations with other parties to forge alliance in order to stake claim for government formation.

India's election commission, an independent body conducted the polls in these five states during several phases from Feb. 4 to March 8. Counting of votes was out on Saturday.

A close look at the elections in these five states suggest anti-incumbency factor has played a key role in the final results as no party has managed to retain their states.

Analysts said though landslide victory in key state of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have given a boost to BJP, however performance of Congress party in three other states -- Punjab, Goa and Manipur suggest the main opposition is not out as yet.
MANILA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government and the communist rebels have agreed to resume the peace talks to end the 48-year-old communist insurgency in the Philippines, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza announced on Sunday.

Dureza also said in a statement posted on his Facebook page that both sides have also agreed to restore their separate unilateral ceasefire before the fourth round of talks scheduled for the first week of April "as soon as their respective forces shall have been informed."

"I am pleased to announce that the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines/ New People's Army/ National Democratic Front which broke down weeks ago, are now back on track again," Dureza said.

"At the same time, a unilateral ceasefire that was also earlier terminated is deemed restored and reinstated but will be made effective only as soon as the respective forces of both sides are duly informed but definitely before the next round of talks in April, 2017," he added.

Both sides have also agreed to hold the fifth round of formal peace negotiations in June.

He said the agreement was reached at informal talks held on March 10 and 11 in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Dureza said Philippine "President Rodrigo Duterte himself closely monitored the efforts taken by the negotiators."

"The unilateral ceasefire is a prelude to an interim bilateral ceasefire that needs further meetings between the two sides to determine and agree on rules, necessary guidelines and mechanisms," he said, adding that the parties "are expected to start discussions on the bilateral ceasefire during the planned resumption of the negotiations during the first week of April this year."

Dureza said that the effectivity of the agreement on safety and immunity guarantee that Duterte terminated has been restored to enable the rebel consultants and their staff who were in jail or otherwise constrained, to physically surface and join the peace work."

The announcement for the resumption of talks came more than a month after Duterte ordered the termination of the peace talks that he initiated with the rebels. Duterte has ordered an all-out war against the rebels after he halted the talks.

The rebels have been trying to overthrow the government since 1969. the conflict peaked in the 1980s, under the repressive government of Ferdinand Marcos.

However, military operation coupled with an internal split crippled the underground organization.

The number of guerrillas dwindled from 26,000 in the mid-1980s to less than 4,000 this year, according to the military.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the rebel forces remain a threat to national security. He added that an "all-out war" is necessary to deal a fatal blow to the rebels who refused to talk peace with the Duterte administration.
CANBERRA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Liberal Party of Western Australia (WA) has been voted out of government in a landmark result for the state's Australian Labor Party (ALP).

The new Labor government, led by Premier-elect Mark McGowan, is expected to pick up as many as 41 of the 59 seats in the lower house of WA parliament.

The election marks the end of eight and a half years in Opposition for the ALP in WA, traditionally one of Australia's most conservative states.

Among the casualties for the Liberals in the 16 percent swing against the party were at least four government ministers with two others also facing the possibility of losing their seat.

McGowan used his victory speech to push home his key election promises, most notably a multi-billion-dollar public transport system for the state.

"With success comes responsibility and the obligation to implement our program," McGowan told his jubilant supporters.

"We will get to work immediately on carrying out our plans."

"You deserve good government and, with my team, I am committed to delivering just that," McGowan said.

Though McGowan will have unconditional control on the lower house, his party's hold on the WA Senate will be much more tenuous with minor parties winning as many as five seats.

Outgoing Premier Colin Barnett, who faced a leadership challenge in September of 2016 as signs were ominous for the election, said he did all he could to retain government for the party.

"My best shot wasn't good enough, but I can assure you I gave it my best shot," Barnett said.

"I pledged to be a pro-development government and a government of integrity.. and we have."

"The over-riding factor was time. The voters only give a government a certain amount of time. It's a trend," Barnett added.

The results have been described as disastrous for the far-right wing One Nation Party (ONP) which, despite winning two seats in the Senate, received just 4.5 percent of the vote in the lower house and won no seats.
File Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2017 shows a warning sign at Okuma near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. (Xinhua/Hua Yi)

TOKYO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- While Japan marks the sixth anniversary on Saturday of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster, how the aftermath has been dealt with has drawn much attention and concern from all over the world.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO), operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, has said it plans to decommission the reactors in about four decades.

However, the difficult tasks such as processing contaminated water, cooling the reactors and removing nuclear fuel and debris, continue to pose serious challenges to the power company as well as the government.

DECOMMISSIONING HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC

The massive earthquake and the ensuing tsunami on March 11, 2011 severely damaged three reactors at Daiichi facility in Fukushima, which suffered core meltdowns after their key cooling systems were knocked out and backup power supplies rendered useless.

TEPCO has, since the disaster, successfully decommissioned the No. 5 and 6 reactors at the plant, and more than 1,500 fuel rods in the No. 4 reactor have been taken out and safely stored.

But removing the melted nuclear fuel rods from the No.1-3 reactors poses the biggest challenge yet to the decommission work, according to experts, and TEPCO, apparently, has not come up with a viable solution yet.

Naohiro Masuda, head of the decommissioning unit of TEPCO, told Xinhua recently that TEPCO will come up with a plan after discussing with the government this summer, but how the plan will proceed is not yet clear.

One of the difficulties lies in the extremely high radiation levels inside the reactors, and the fact that the actual condition of the melted fuel inside the reactors remains unknown.

The operator of the crippled power plant said last month that levels of radiation as high as 650 sieverts per hour were detected inside the No. 2 reactor, much higher than an earlier reading of 73 sieverts per hour in 2012. The amount of radiation is enough to kill a person, even after being exposed for just a brief period of time.

Even robots sent to gather information in the damaged reactor suffered malfunctions and failures, possibly due to extremely high levels of radiation.

The power company said on Thursday that it will attempt to examine the inside of the No. 1 reactor of theFukushima Daiichi nuclear plant next Tuesday using another remote-controlled robot, following a failure last month to robotically look into the No. 2 reactor.

There have also been concerns that the melted nuclear fuel residue is eroding through the concrete bottom of the safety shell of the reactors, having already penetrated the reactor pressure vessel.

Masuda denied such a possibility, however, saying that "although we don't have direct confirmation about the concrete bottom of the safety shell, based on other information, we think the residue has not eroded through the bottom."

"The bottom might have been eroded by fifty or sixty centimeters, but it is as thick as two or three meters, so there is no need to worry," he added.

File Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2017 shows an abandoned building at Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. (Xinhua/Hua Yi)

CONTAMINATION IN PACIFIC UNKNOWN

To keep the No.1 to 3 reactors cooled, TEPCO has to inject a large amount of fresh water into the reactors constantly. The water becomes radioactive in the process and is then stored in the basement of the reactor buildings.

TEPCO's "decontamination" facilities can remove radioactive cesium and strontium from the water but not tritium, and now there is close to 1 million tons of "decontaminated" water stored in giant steel tanks at the nuclear plant, and the amount of water is increasing.

TEPCO released a limited amount of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean after getting approval from the local fishery association in September 2015. But there is not yet enough scientific research to determine the effects of the contaminated water on the sea.

TEPCO has also tried to build a frozen soil wall around the crippled Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant, to prevent groundwater from flowing into the facilities and getting contaminated.

The wall was built by driving around 1,500 steel pipes, 30 meters into the soil around the perimeter surrounding the No. 1 to 4 reactors at the troubled plant and then pumping liquid calcium chloride at minus 40 degrees Celsius into the pipes to freeze the surrounding soil.

The wall reportedly melted in two places following powerful typhoons last September, raising concerns over the efficacy of such an unprecedented and expensive approach.

COSTS, CORRUPTION SPIKE

According to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the cost of the decontamination work, including soil and tree removal, is expected to surge to 4 trillion yen (35 billion U.S. dollars) in total.

The profitable project has also led to an increase in corruption, as evidenced recently by a 56-year-old environment ministry employee arrested on suspicion of accepting a bribe.

The employee was found to have given favorable treatment to a construction company in the allocation of cleanup work in Fukushima Prefecture after he was treated with nice dinners and free trips.

The case is only "the tip of the iceberg," according to local media, as there have been a lot of rumors about corruption connected to the multi-trillion-yen decontamination project.

Meanwhile, the skyrocketing costs are also imposing a higher burden on the power company as well as taxpayers here.

A special law requires TEPCO to cover all the costs of the decontamination work, although the government is shouldering it for the time being.

The government also plans to chip in more taxpayer money and other financial support to help TEPCO, including expanding a 9-trillion-yen interest-free loan program for TEPCO, to 13.5 trillion yen.

Besides such huge fees, TEPCO is also mired in lawsuits filed by evacuees from the Fukushima disaster.

A court is expected to rule later this month on a suit filed by some 137 people forced to flee from Fukushima in 2011, demanding the power company and the Japanese government pay a total of around 1.5 billion yen in damages.
Chief Justice Zhou Qiang delivers a work report of the Supreme People's Court at the third plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's top court and procuratorate on Sunday pledged to help maintain social stability and boost economic growth, ahead of a key Communist Party of China (CPC) congress to be convened in the second half of this year.

"[We will] resolutely protect the nation's political security, in particular the security of the state power and the political system," Chief Justice Zhou Qiang said.

Presenting a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) at a plenary meeting of the National People's Congress annual session, Zhou said Chinese courts will help create a "safe and stable" social environment as well as a fair and just legal environment.

CPC and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli attended the plenary meeting.

Zhou promised to keep a firm hand on crimes undermining national security and on violent and terrorist crimes in accordance with the law.

Courts will strike hard on severe criminal offenses such as murder and robbery, and hand out due sentences for those involved in telecom and Internet fraud, in order to maintain social stability, the chief justice said.

Procurator-General Cao Jianming, meanwhile, pledged to severely punish infiltrating, subversive and sabotage activities by hostile forces, violent and terrorist crimes, ethnic separatist activities and religious extremist activities, to "safeguard security, protect stability and promote harmony."

Crimes involving Mafia-like gangs, guns, explosives, drug making and trafficking, women and children trafficking, as well as crimes undermining national defense and military interests will also face harsh penalties, Cao said in a report on the work of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Last year, Chinese courts convicted a number of people on charges of subverting state power, including Zhou Shifeng, a lawyer who formerly managed the Fengrui Law Firm in Beijing, and Hu Shigen, an illegal church leader. Zhou was sentenced to seven years in prison, and Hu seven years and a half, by a court in Tianjin Municipality.

NO WEAKENING IN GRAFT FIGHT

Both Zhou Qiang and Cao Jianming promised that the current anti-corruption momentum will not lose steam, and vowed to step up efforts in the administration of justice in major duty crime cases.

China is in the middle of a sweeping campaign against corruption which targets both high-ranking "tigers" and lowly "flies." Last year, the central authorities announced that the campaign had "gained crushing momentum."

According to Zhou, China's court system concluded 45,000 graft cases in 2016, implicating 63,000 people. The defendants included 35 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, and 240 at the prefectural level, he said.

In the meantime, procurators investigated 47,650 people for their suspected involvement in duty-related crimes, according to Cao.

Prosecution proceedings were launched against 48 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, including Ling Jihua and Su Rong, both former vice chairmen of the country's top political advisory body, and Bai Enpei, a former senior lawmaker with the NPC, Cao said.

Procurators also investigated 17,410 lower level officials suspected of corruption in land expropriation and demolition, social security, management of agriculture-related funds and other issues concerning the people's well-being, he said.

He went on to highlight the progress in capturing fugitives abroad and recovering their ill-gotten assets.

Since China launched a campaign to hunt down fugitives implicated in duty-related crimes in October 2014, 164 suspects, including 27 listed in an Interpol red notice, have been repatriated or persuaded to return to China from 37 countries and regions, he said.

BOOSTING ECONOMIC GROWTH

The chief justice and procurator-general noted the importance China's judiciary puts in promoting social and economic development.

This year, the SPC will perfect the country's bankruptcy trial system to help cut overcapacity and facilitate the supply-side structural reform, one of the top priorities of economic reform.

In 2017, China's courts will step up trials of foreign-related business and maritime cases to serve the Belt and Road Initiative and the strategy of building China into a major maritime power.

China has extended its maritime jurisdiction to cover all seas under its jurisdiction in an effort to safeguard the country's maritime rights and interests.

Protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) will also be strengthened as part of the efforts to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship.

For his part, Cao said Chinese prosecutors will strike hard on crimes that involve disturbing market order, infringement of IPR and encroachment of special government funds.

They will focus on crimes undermining food and drug safety and environmental protection, he added.

Both judicial organs will target cases related to poverty alleviation, a fundamental task in building a moderately prosperous society by 2020 as set by the Chinese government.

"In the face of new situation and new tasks, we will follow the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and work harder ... to embrace the Party's 19th National Congress," Zhou said.

The CPC will hold its 19th National Congress to elect a new leadership for the next five years.
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- "In the Name of People", adapted from a novel under the same title, was staged for the fourth time in the Poly Theatre in Beijing, on Saturday.

The play sheds light on Chinese politics and officialdom in the ongoing campaign against corruption. It follows a tense struggle among fictional provincial officials: the secretary of the political and legal affairs committee, the anti-corruption director of the procuratorate, and the chief of the public security department.

The novel "In the Name of People" by Zhou Meisen was published in January and drew an enormous amount of public attention as it discussed corruption at a senior level.

"We don't focus on the fact of corruption and the plot of investigation and punishment," says director Wang Xiaoying. "We highlight the complicated and subtle emotional activities and personality conflicts between criminals and corruption fighters, exposing the internal virtue and vice of characters gradually."

Hunan Satellite TV is to broadcast its own drama of "In the Name of People", also authored by Zhou Meisen. Co-produced by the Film and TV Center of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China, it is set to air at the end of March.

Costing 120 million yuan (about 17.4 million U.S. dollars) and comprising 55 episodes, it will be the first Chinese screen production to focus on the war against graft since regulatory authorities ordered in 2004 that dramas involving corruption and violent crime should not be broadcast in prime time on satellite channels.

"The TV play took almost two years to prepare and shoot, and more than 40 well-known actors appeared in it," says director Li Lu. "The audience can discern the resolution of the Party and nation in fighting corruption. The investment came from five private film and TV companies, and satellite TV stations above provincial level purchased the play for 220 million yuan (about 31.8 million U.S. dollars), which shows the confidence of the market."

As many as 11 other TV plays set amid the anti-corruption campaign were submitted to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television before 2016, but they are still waiting to be broadcast.

The new generation of state leaders fighting corruption and striving to build clean government is driving this new theme in China's arts.

At the Third Plenary Session of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in 2014, Chinese leaders urged all CPC members to be fully aware of the protracted, complex and arduous nature of the fight against corruption, and to continue the fight against corruption until the end with the resolution and courage depicted in ancient Chinese idioms where a man has to scrape the toxins off the bones and cut off his own snake-bitten wrist to save his own life.

"This shows the unprecedented confidence and resolution of Chinese leaders in eliminating corruption," says Zhou Meisen. "As a writer, I can't remain silent on events concerning the survival of our nation."

Zhou says the authorities used to take months to examine such works in the past - and usually only approved them after substantial changes. However, the TV play was approved 10 days after its submission to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television.

Artists pay more attention to exploring the human aspects of the fight against corruption than do news reports, says Zhou.

"There are various reasons for the corruption of an official, but the ultimate reason is the unchecked development of human greed, with authority not being supervised effectively," he says. "Absolute power leads to absolute corruption."

At the end of the drama, the anti-corruption director received a new task, starting new anti-corruption struggles at the newly-established supervisory committee of a province.

In December 2016, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed a resolution to carry out pilot reforms of national supervisory system in Beijing, Shanxi Province, and Zhejiang Province, integrating the functions of relevant organs in the regions involving the investigation of bribery and corruption, dereliction of duty, and the prevention of duty-related crimes into the supervisory committee. This is an important step of the state toward "combating corruption by system".
by Guo Yage, Dong Yue

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- "Don't you think this little girl looks great with the red glasses?" said Sam Waldo, pointing at a photo he took in Shangri-La County in southern China's Yunnan Province, with a radiant smile on his face.

Sam, a 28-year-old American volunteer teacher, has been dedicated to helping students in rural Yunnan since he first came to China.

He has teamed up with other volunteers to raise funds and donations for vision tests and corrective lenses to help local students in need.

"We did some researches and this problem exists throughout Yunnan," Sam said, concerned about the impact vision problems may have on students' academic performances. "Giving a child a pair of glasses is equivalent to giving them an additional year of schooling."p "It's also been proven that glasses have a higher impact on educational outcome for students than a family's education level or economic background," he said.

Sam's attachment to China could trace back to his school days. When he studied Chinese at Columbia University in New York, he fell in love with the ancient language and culture. Later, in 2008, he made his first visit to China, a trip that further consolidated his decision to move to this country.

Amazed by its economic and social development over the years, Sam felt a sense of excitement in China, a country filled with new ideas and dynamism.

"I was really amazed by everything that happened here, so much change, so much possibility and a lot of areas to contribute. So that's why I decided to move to China in 2010," Sam said.

Interested in understanding the other face of China that foreigners usually don't get the chance to see, Sam joined a program called Teach for China that offered volunteers teaching opportunities in rural areas in Yunnan Province.

"I was really excited to go to a part of China, hours and hours away from the nearest McDonald's, from the nearest familiar cultural things, and to really spend a long time there getting to know what is life like there for people, what are the needs and dreams and challenges of young people in China's rural areas," he said.

Upon arrival in Yunnan, Sam was fascinated by the local culture. "From Monihei Festival in Cangyuan to WWII history in Chuxiong, or hiking trails up in the Nujiang area next to Tibet, there was so much diversity in such a compact region," Sam said.

"Most of my students were different ethnic minorities. When I went to their homes and met their parents and grandparents, they were still wearing a lot of traditional clothing, and farming in traditional methods using hand plows and water buffalo, something that was entirely new for me to see and explore," he said.

However, the rich culture was not the only thing Sam noticed. While he was racking his brains to help local students understand English vocabulary and grammar, he realized that some of the students sitting in the back of the classroom were just not performing well.

"You can see them like squinting and really trying to get the information on the blackboard but they just couldn't. Or they were not copying notes when they should be. So we realize that these kids just could't see," Sam said.

Sam and other volunteers had tried to make more photocopies of notes and let the students move to the front of the classroom, but they knew it was not a long-term solution. That was when the idea of glasses donation came up.

They started the donation at three schools in the local village. With money raised from friends and families, they donated 331 pairs of glasses in the first year.

Then, to build up a donor pipeline in order to make their goal more sustainable, Sam and his friends decided to found a social enterprise in 2015. By selling sunglasses in big cities, they raise money for tests of vision, and give Yunnan students access to glasses.

So far, the team has done 180,000 vision screening exams at 337 schools and donated over 19,000 pairs of glasses in Yunnan. In the local village of Yunnan, six out of eight students Sam once taught were wearing the donated glasses, and were later enrolled in the best high school in the county.

"Look how happy they were!" Sam said, smiling at a photo of teenagers he once taught in Shangri-La.

To build a connection between more developed and modernized cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and rural communities, as well as to enhance communications between the Chinese and the Americans, Sam hopes that more and more people can participate in this charity program.

For Sam and his team, there is still a lot of work to do. "We have estimated that 13 million students in rural China need corrective vision but don't have access to it," he said.

Luckily, his team has been expanding ever since its establishment.

Apart from other volunteering foreigners, energetic young people from Beijing, Hong Kong and other places across China are also making efforts to upgrade the donations.
by Ndumiso Mlilo

JOHANNESBURG, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) ended their 10-day robust discussions on Saturday with various resolutions to advance the continent.

The African Union (AU)'s legislative body had deliberated various issues since March 2 in Johannesburg. PAP and the Nairobi-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) decided to initiate a process to have AU members adopt integrated climate-related legislation. PAP also agreed to domesticate the Paris Agreement on Climate Change adopted in 2015.

"We want to have a unified legislation on climate change as a continent to lessen the impact of climate change and PAP will lead that process," PAP Vice President Bernadette Lahai told Xinhua.

Lahai said they also agreed to ensure youths' role in shaping the future of the continent. African youths will meet later this year to discuss various issues like immigration, peace and security.

She said PAP, PACJA and the Pan-African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change (PAPNCC) will meet to devise a policy and legislation on climate change.

PAP also called on African countries to combat gender-based violence through education.

Hasna Houmed Bilil, chairperson of PAP's Permanent Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and People with Disability, said some governments have not shown any political will to carry out regulations and tackle abuse against women.

"The parliament has an important role in safeguarding the implementation of the reforms and laws," Bilil said.

PAP called on its members to establish systemic capacity building at the institutional level in order to understand and champion gender issues. The parliament also asked for a repeal of the laws that discriminate against women.

Moreover, PAP called for integrated legislation to fight an increase of electronic waste. PAP said that children in some African countries work in hazardous places (e-waste dumps) where they are exposed to the dangers of the effluent and fumes.

African parliamentarians were also resolved to promote greater regional and continental integration by stepping up the pace of introducing a common passport that will allow visa-free travel to member states.

PAP had in the past asked African governments to adopt and ratify a PAP protocol to grant the legislative body relevant legislative powers. However, the process of ratifying the PAP protocol has been slow, said PAP President Roger Nkodo Dang.

Dang said that it is a grave concern for the continental parliament that some three years after the AU adopted PAP's new protocol, the ratification process remains slow in African member countries.

Currently, PAP is unable to play its expected pivotal role in promoting Africa's integration and steering the social, political and economic development of the continent since AU members have failed to ratify the protocol.

PAP needs 28 member states to ratify its protocol but only 14 out of the 54 AU members have done so.

The African parliamentarians also discussed how to combat terrorism, promote intra-Africa trade and security, as well as address illicit financial outflows.
CARACAS, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela aims to receive up to 10 billion U.S. dollars from oil exports in 2017 if international crude oil prices continue to rise, an official said on Saturday.

Jesus Faria, minister of foreign trade and investment, made the remarks at a business summit in the western state of Zulia.

He also praised President Nicolas Maduro's efforts to secure a deal within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut production and stabilize the global oil market.

"Oil prices have gone up, and an additional 8-10 billion U.S. dollars will come in, thanks to President Maduro's oil policies," Faria said.

He added that the upward trend of oil prices would help Venezuela to realize economic recovery but made it clear that actions needed to be taken on other exports as well.

"Our efforts are focused on the productive sectors of the economy and non-traditional exports," Faria said.

The government has rolled out a new fiscal reform allowing exporters to keep 80 percent of their income generated by international sales, which is viewed as a stimulus to economic growth.

The reform was accompanied by a simplification of export procedures in Venezuela, which would allow producers to enjoy "shorter time, less cost and greater profit," according to Faria.
LONDON, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Ministry of Defence (MOD) hailed on Saturday the completion of the refurbishment of a historic jetty at Britain's Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth as a major milestone in preparation for the arrival of the biggest warships ever built for the Royal Navy.

The jetty, parts of which date back over 90 years ago, has been refurbished to prepare for the first of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

"The completed jetty is a crucial element of the infrastructure package delivered to support the arrival of the carriers into their homeport of Portsmouth," Philip Wise, the project manager, said.

In order to prepare the port for new warships, the building of the jetty was coupled with the dredging of the approach channel, the inner harbor area and the berth.

With the jetty completed, the next phase includes a series of trials to familiarize the port crew with the new facility.

The trials started this weekend with the arrival of the 40,000-ton United States Naval Ship Robert E. Peary to test the related processes and equipment.
JINAN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China will publish the Analects of Confucius -- a collection of ideas and sayings from the Chinese philosopher -- in five languages for Belt and Road countries this year.

China Confucius Foundation and Qingdao Publishing Group in east China's Shandong Province, will jointly complete the translation and publication of the collection in the Arabic, Mongolian, Czech, Portuguese and Spanish languages.

The translations will be distributed to countries along the Belt and Road through the foundation and global Confucius institutes, said Wang Daqian, president of the China Confucius Foundation.

"The thoughts of Confucius constitute the root of Chinese traditional culture and have profoundly influenced Chinese society over the past 2,500 years," said Wang.

"Confucianism has contributed much to mankind's culture," he added.

Born near the present-day town of Qufu, Shandong, Confucius (551-479 BC) founded a school of thought that influenced later generations and became known as Confucianism. He is believed to be the first person to set up private schools in China and enroll students from all walks of life.

The Analects is a collection of his famous sayings, reflecting his political views, moral principles and educational ideas. "How happy we are to have friends from afar" and "Do not do to others what you don't want to be done to you" are among the classic sayings.

The Analects has already been translated into English, Japanese, Russian, Korean, French and German.

China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, aiming to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient Silk Road trade routes.
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/Wang Ye)

by Xinhua writer Ma Mengli

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Unveiling unprecedented opening-up measures, China is poised to open its door wider to the world amid a growing tide of protectionism and anti-globalization sentiments.

Chinese leaders have told national lawmakers during the major annual political sessions that the country will open up like never before.

This once again manifests China's steadfast determination to stick to its reform and opening-up policy as well as China's confidence and strong sense of responsibility in face of rising global uncertainties.

TO OPEN DOOR EVEN WIDER

"Opening-up" is one of the most used catch phrases during China's ongoing "two sessions" -- the annual gatherings of the country's top legislature and the political advisory body.

"China's open door will not close," said President Xi Jinping during the annual two sessions, vowing the country will keep on opening up on all fronts, and continue to liberalize and facilitate trade and investment.

Xi's remarks echoed his January speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in which the Chinese president said pursuing protectionism is like "locking oneself in a dark room."

Meanwhile, Xi's pledges sent once again clear messages that China has always been ready to carry out win-win cooperation with other countries.

"At a time when isolationism and protectionism are on the rise in the West, China's openness will be the benchmark for continued globalization," said lawmaker Ou Chengzhong.

China's government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang during the two sessions pointed the way to improving the strategic blueprint of China's opening up, and set the course toward a deeper and higher level of opening up.

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, according to the report.

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, the report said.

The latest opening-up initiatives demonstrate China's confidence and focus, said Zhang Zhao'an, deputy head of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and a National People's Congress (NPC) deputy.

Marcelo Fernandez, an international relations analyst, said that given its global geopolitical importance, China's increasing openness is positive.

"It is highly positive that China will open itself further to the world. It is something Ecuadorians must learn to promote our development," said Fernandez, who is also a former diplomat.

REFORM, OPENING-UP MUTUALLY REINFORCED

By sticking to the policy of opening up, China made a choice that greatly benefits its own economic growth as well as the rest of the world.

Experts believe China's resolve to open up wider to the outside world will create a new impetus and bring fresh air to its reform efforts, and as a result, will eventually boost its socio-economic development and improve the livelihood of its people.

"Stimulating the internal impetus to growth through promoting opening up is an important approach to deepening structural reforms," said Du Benwei, a deputy of the NPC, the country's legislature.

"Opening up and reform are actually like two wings of a bird or two wheels of a bicycle, they can interact, promote and reinforce each other," Du said.

The government report said the supply-side structural reform will be given priority in the country's development, and reform efforts will center on a variety of areas, including streamlining administration, reducing taxes, further expanding market access, and reducing the ineffective supply while expanding the effective supply.

"China's endeavors to deepen reforms, improve government efficiency and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship have had positive impacts on the economic sector," Zhang said.

"In coming months, we are going to see a China with enormous dynamism," said Ignacio Martinez Cortes, a professor at the Center for International Relations at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Those measures and the 6.5-percent economic growth target set for 2017 "aim for sustainable development," Martinez told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Meanwhile, China's opening-up endeavors are generating positive spillovers for the entire world. In today's highly interconnected global economy, China's opening-up policy has helped solidify its role as a key engine for global growth.

China's economic performance contributed more than 30 percent of global economic growth, placing the country ahead of many others.

Its non-financial outbound direct investment increased 44.1 percent year-on-year to 170.11 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, and Chinese companies invested in 7,961 overseas enterprises in 164 countries and regions in the past year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

China's economy would continue to be the growth engine and stabilizer of the world economy, said Bambang Suryono, an Indonesian scholar and president of the Jakarta-based think tank Nanyang ASEAN Foundation.
People attend a protest outside the Dutch Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, March 12, 2017. People holding Turkish national flags were gathering in front of Dutch Embassy in Ankara on late Saturday to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

THE HAGUE, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey escalated on Saturday night after a convoy of Turkey's Minister of Family and Social Policies Betul Sayan Kaya was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam.

"I am being taken to Germany via the Nijmegen border with democratic and humanitarian values trampled underfoot," Kaya said Sunday on her official Twitter, "I condemn this on behalf of all my citizens."

"The whole world should take a stance against such a fascist implementation in the name of democracy," she added.

Kaya entered the country at the German-Dutch border in a convoy by car and drove straight to the consulate in Rotterdam. Near the consulate, her car was stopped by the police.

Around 1:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT), the Turkish official left her car and was moved to another car. She was moved back to Germany under the Dutch police' escort. A team of the Dutch Special Intervention Service arrived at the consulate before midnight and assisted the intervention.

Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a "yes" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey.

Rotterdam's Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said at a press conference at around 2 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) that the minister was seen as an "unwanted stranger," therefore she has to leave the country.

The mayor also said he felt "terribly" misled after he had asked the Turkish consul-general whether someone would come to the consulate.

"He lied to us and he has called on people to come to the consulate. And they even drove with different convoys to mislead us."

Earlier on Saturday, the diplomatic row came to a high when the Dutch government withdrew the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan.

"The Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam," Kaya said on twitter.

"This treatment against a woman minister can never be accepted", the minister wrote.

The support of Turkish-Dutch citizens, holding Turkish flags and chanting slogans like "democracy," "Erdogan" and "Turkey" near the consulate, grew to hundreds of people during the evening.

As the crowd gathered, Aboutaleb extended the Emergency Ordinance to the whole center of Rotterdam, forbidding all people, except the residents or the people who really have to be there, from entering these regions.

Earlier on Saturday night, the mayor issued an Emergency Ordinance in the streets around the Turkish consulate and the consul's house.

Around 10 p.m. local time (1100 GMT), the Dutch military police started to clear some streets, without major incidents occurring so far, although Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported a rising tension.

After the Turkish minister left, some protesters clashed with the military police. The situation has been calmed down, said Aboutaleb.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a interview with local television TV24 on Sunday that the domestic politics are to blame for the crisis between Turkey and Netherlands.

The "huge diplomatic scandal" was a failure of Turkey's European allies to address the issue, Yildirim said in a statement posted on the prime ministry's website.

In Turkey, hundreds of people waving flags flocked to the Dutch missions in Ankara and Istanbul to protest. Turkish Foreign Ministry asked duty-off Dutch ambassador in Ankara who was on leave not to return 'for a while.'

The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an April 16 referendum.

The Dutch government, saying "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign and managed to prevent Turkish officials from entering the nation.

An official statement issued after Aboutaleb's press conference said that the Netherlands does not want to cooperate with a Turkish political campaign in its territory, adding it "still advocates holding talks with Turkey."

Related:

Dutch embassy in Turkey closed off due to "security reasons"

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Entrances of Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul, along with their residences, are closed off late Saturday due to "security reasons," a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told Xinhua.

The move came after the Dutch police closed a road of Turkish consulate residence in Rotterdam on Saturday after Turkish minister insisted to hold a rally in the country. Full story

Protest bursts outside Dutch embassy in Turkey

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Some 150 to 200 people holding Turkish national flags were gathering in front of Dutch Embassy in Ankara on late Saturday to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Netherlands ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum.

Dutch government has made the issue a part of their elections on March 15, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus on Saturday said in a televised interview to NTV news broadcaster. Full story

Turkish FM calls Dutch flight ban "scandal from every angle"

ISTANBUL, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday blasted the Dutch denial of his entry by air as a "scandal from every angle and unacceptable," while another Turkish minister decided to enter the Netherlands by land amid a worsening diplomatic row.
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The top government official of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region said on Sunday the westernmost region has been "resolutely and forcefully" fighting terrorism to maintain stability.

Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, made the remarks at a panel discussion among lawmakers from Xinjiang at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing.

His words came two days after Chinese President Xi Jinping said the "great wall of iron" should be fortified in Xinjiang to safeguard national unity, ethnic solidarity and social stability.

Xinjiang is an important "security barrier" in northwest China which holds a special strategic position and faces special issues, Xi said.
People attend a ceremony to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the death of Dr. Sun Yat-sen at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, March 12, 2017. Sun was born in 1866 and is known to the Chinese people as a "great revolutionary and statesman" for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China. (Xinhua/Sun Can)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Ceremonies were held on Sunday to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the death of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a renowned statesman who led the revolution that ended imperial rule in China.

Representatives from all walks of life attended a ceremony in Zhongshan Park, named after Sun, in Beijing. A moment of silence was observed before attendees showed their respect to Sun by bowing three times in front a statue of Sun.

The ceremony was presided over by Liu Fan, vice chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang Central Committee.

Also on Sunday, local officials and residents of east China's Jiangsu Province marked the day at Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing, the province's capital city, honoring his achievements and role in the revolution.

Sun was born in 1866 and is known to the Chinese people as a "great revolutionary and statesman" for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China.

Sun died on March 12, 1925, in Beijing.
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The fifth session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee will hold its closing meeting at the Great Hall of the People Monday morning.
RIYADH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Saudi police are searching for the shooters of former municipal councilor who sustained gun wounds in the back and leg, Al Arabiya local news reported on Sunday.

The incident took place on Thursday while the victim Nabiah Al Ibrahim was driving his car in Al Awamiah in the Eastern Province, in which he was intercepted by a group of masked men who asked him to step out from the car and shot him when he refused.

According to his brother, the former councilor was targeted after he was assigned by the government to negotiate with the residents to demolish old and deserted houses in the area that shelter terrorists and fugitives.

Al Awamiah is one of few areas in the eastern province that witness similar violent activities by youth are who members of the minority Shiite community in Saudi Arabia, in demand for more rights in the conservative Sunni state.

On Friday, the police killed a Saudi fugitive wanted in a number of security cases in crossfire when he resisted his arrest in the province.

The deceased Mustafa Ali Abdullah Al Madad wanted for a number of terrorist cases against citizens, police personnel and public property, mainly in Qatif region.
by Peter Mertz

LAS VEGAS, the United States, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese construction moguls who came to this desert oasis spoke words of praise for the new American president and the prospect of increased trade between the two most powerful economies in the world.

"I slept in Trump Towers last night and the hotel was excellent," said Min Wang, president of the XCMG, the ninth largest construction equipment maker in the world with 2016 revenues of 3.6 billion U.S. dollars.

"Please tell President (Donald) Trump we collaborate well with American companies, and our products are of very good quality and are priced well," Wang said, whose equipment is exported to 170 countries around the globe.

Last year, the Chinese construction titan was the personal guest of Brazilian President Michel Temer to discuss rebuilding the infrastructure of the world's ninth largest economy with a GDP of 1.8 trillion dollars.

With Trump saying he will rebuild America's "highways, bridges, tunnels, and airports," he is describing infrastructure components that define China's explosive growth during the past two decades.

"It's without governmental regulations to slow down the construction which is why China can accomplish so much, so fast," said Denver Republican analyst James Ryder.

"Trump and the Chinese are the perfect partners," Ryder, a retired oil executive, told Xinhua.

Wang and the bevy of wealthy Chinese construction businessmen who attended 2017 ConExpo this week weren't the only ones giving compliments to America's new president.

"The people attending this show are workers - they supported Trump and we know he represents our interests," Steve Norman told Xinhua.

Norman, 58, was one of 130,000 ConExpo attendees who filled parking lots with construction equipment.

"As long as the playing field is equal, let the best business win," said Norman, who told Xinhua that he has no problem with China entering the U.S. market. "Competition is the American way," he said.

Schaffer, a 36-year-old businessman who runs a parts manufacturing plant in Illinois, is one of many American businessmen who downgraded brand loyalty in a "bottom-line" American business climate.

"Construction manufacturing is already one of the most international industries in the world...there is not one machine made in the USA that doesn't have foreign parts," he said.

With companies from Switzerland, Germany, America, China, South Korea and Japan ranking in the top 10 equipment makers in the world, Americans in the business seem unafraid of international competition.

"We just want to make sure it's a fair deal," said Wayne Day from Centralia, Washington.

Day, 67, runs a trucking company and is one of millions of Americans who voted for Trump because he "promised to stop jobs from disappearing from U.S. soil."

"We need to bring jobs back to America and stop outsourcing labor," said Day, repeating a familiar Trump campaign theme.

Of all the major Chinese equipment producers, Sany Heavy Equipment Corp., one of the world's top sellers with annual revenues of 6.3 billion dollars, seems positioned best to heed the Trump message.

In 2011, Sany opened a factory in Peachtree City, Georgia that currently employs 100 locals, with promises of having a staff that's 80 percent American.

Meanwhile, the American media criticizes Trump's ability to accomplish his infrastructure rebuilding feat.

The American Society of Civil Engineers calls the cost about five trillion dollars by 2040.

"Perhaps the solution lies across the vast Pacific," Ryder said.

"The Chinese are the master infrastructure builders of the 21st century already. They can build anything, build it well, and build it cheaper than anybody on Earth."

"Why not partner up with some real players?" Ryder asked.
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's star sisters Jiang Wenwen and Jiang Tingting won the duet technical title at the FINA Synchronized Swimming World Series in Paris on Sunday.

The twin sisters, who made history by finishing fourth in pairs synchronized swimming at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, retired after the National Games in 2013. They each decided to make a comeback in 2015 after having daughters.

In the final which was contested by 28 pairs, the Chinese sisters collected 91.4818 points to win their first title after their comeback. The silver medal went to Japan's Yukiko Inui/Mai Nakamura, bronze medalists at the 2016 Rio Games, who scored 90.1401 points. Ukraine's Anna Voloshyna/Anastasiya Savchuk earned bronze.

"We failed to win in Germany last week due to a lack of preparation," said Jiang Wenwen. "So today we are very happy."

China also took a silver in the free combination final, while the gold went to an inspired Japanese squad. France won their first medal of the competition, finishing third.
People hold a rally in front of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 12, 2017. People holding Turkish national flags were gathering in front of Dutch Consulate in Istanbul to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians. (Xinhua/DHA/Depo Photos)

ANKARA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed Sunday that Netherlands' deportation of Family and Social Affairs Minister is unacceptable and will be responded to in the harshest way, local media reported.

"Whatever the reason for this (decision) is, it is unacceptable and will be responded in kind," he said.

Yildirim slammed that the Netherlands violated protocols with the decision, and urged Turkish nationals in the country, who went to the streets to protest the scandal, to remain calm and to return to their homes, private NTV channel reported.

On Saturday, the Dutch police blocked the Family and Social Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya's convoy from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Earlier on Sunday, Dutch police escorted Kaya back to Germany after hours of standoff between both sides.

Kaya was scheduled to meet Turkish society in Rotterdam ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum in Turkey on constitutional reform.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said late Saturday that Ankara would respond ten times stronger to the Dutch government's decision to prevent Turkish minister from entering the country.

Ibrahim Kalin, presidential spokesperson, criticized that it's a shame for the Dutch government to succumb to anti-Islam racists and fascists.

The Dutch government's decision to ban Turkish ministers and use force against peaceful citizens marks a dark day for democracy in Europe, he said on his Twitter Sunday.

Omer Celik, Turkish EU minister slammed on his Twitter that authorities in the Netherlands for engaging in "exactly fascism."

The Dutch prime minister has become the voice of a dark and racist mentality that led to WWII, he added.

Naci Agbal, Turkey's Finance Minister, said that the Netherlands' decision to deport Turkey's Minister will be passed into history of democracy as a black stain.

The decision resembles a fascist Nazi understanding and evokes Islamophobia, he said.

Late on Saturday, hundreds of people waving flags flocked to Dutch missions in Ankara and Istanbul to protest the Dutch government's moves.
Turkish protesters hold a banner with a picture of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and shout slogans during a protest in front of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, early March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

ANKARA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim vowed Sunday that Netherlands' deportation of Family and Social Affairs Minister is unacceptable and will be responded to in the harshest way, local media reported.

"Whatever the reason for this (decision) is, it is unacceptable and will be responded in kind," he said.

Yildirim slammed that the Netherlands violated protocols with the decision, and urged Turkish nationals in the country, who went to the streets to protest the scandal, to remain calm and to return to their homes, private NTV channel reported.

On Saturday, the Dutch police blocked the Family and Social Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya's convoy from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Earlier on Sunday, Dutch police escorted Kaya back to Germany after hours of standoff between both sides.

Kaya was scheduled to meet Turkish society in Rotterdam ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum in Turkey on constitutional reform.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said late Saturday that Ankara would respond ten times stronger to the Dutch government's decision to prevent Turkish minister from entering the country.

Ibrahim Kalin, presidential spokesperson, criticized that it's a shame for the Dutch government to succumb to anti-Islam racists and fascists.

The Dutch government's decision to ban Turkish ministers and use force against peaceful citizens marks a dark day for democracy in Europe, he said on his Twitter Sunday.

Omer Celik, Turkish EU minister slammed on his Twitter that authorities in the Netherlands for engaging in "exactly fascism."

The Dutch prime minister has become the voice of a dark and racist mentality that led to WWII, he added.

Naci Agbal, Turkey's Finance Minister, said that the Netherlands' decision to deport Turkey's Minister will be passed into history of democracy as a black stain.

The decision resembles a fascist Nazi understanding and evokes Islamophobia, he said.

Late on Saturday, hundreds of people waving flags flocked to Dutch missions in Ankara and Istanbul to protest the Dutch government's moves.
Dont'a Hightower

New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower #54 sacks and forces a fumble against the Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan #2 at Super Bowl 51 on Sunday, February 5, 2017 in Houston, TX. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)

(Gregory Payan)

Free agent linebacker Dont'a Hightower is deciding between several teams including the New England Patriots and New York Jets, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

Hightower has helped the Patriots to two Super Bowls, making enormous plays in each game. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection this past year.

Per La Canfora's report, the Jets and Patriots are "leading the pack to sign Hightower," but several other teams are closely monitoring the situation.

Albert Breer of The MMQB tweeted Saturday night that, "at least one team involved in talks with Hightower is now convinced he'll return to the Patriots."

The five-year veteran is the top free agent available at any position, according to NFL.com's rankings. Most high-profile players signed within the first 48 hours. Hightower remains unsigned three days into in the process.
File photo taken on Nov. 29, 2016 shows Park Geun-hye bowing to the public in Seoul, South Korea. South Korean President Park Geun-hye was ousted as the country's head of state on Friday after the constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach the scandal-scarred leader. (Xinhua)

SEOUL, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday left the presidential Blue House for her private home in southern Seoul two days after the constitutional court upheld her impeachment.

A queue of black sedans and vans departed from the presidential office at about 7:16 p.m. local time (1016 GMT), TV footage showed.

A line of police motorcycles followed. It was expected to take 20 to 30 minutes for Park to arrive at her private home.
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers have called for more effective response systems to better protect personal information.

China's Ministry of Public Security said on Friday that police in 2016 arrested 4,261 suspects in 1,886 cases related to infringement of personal information.

Among the suspects, 391 were insiders in industries including banking, education, telecommunications, delivery services, the stock market and e-commerce, said the ministry.

The Internet Society of China estimated junk messages, leaked personal information and fraud led to losses of about 91.5 billion yuan (about 13.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016.

Ma Huateng, national lawmaker and chairman and chief executive officer of Tencent, a leading Internet company, said there are about 1.5 million people doing illegal business online, citing government figures.

"The government shall create an industry standard for web data safety. It should coordinate telecommunications, finance and Internet companies to better handle information leaks. A system needs to be built for people to make reports of information leaks so that relevant organizations can perform damage control as early as possible," Ma said.

Shao Zhiqing, lawmaker and deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, said the potential for huge profits is driving the increase in information leaks. "The most urgent thing to do is to cut off the profit chain," he said.

"We must establish a rule governing the trade and communication of big data. Controllability and safety are the most important thing in data flow," he said, while emphasizing the need to limit the black market.

Companies have rarely been punished for leaking the information of their users, experts said.

"The law should identify parties responsible for protecting personal information, and punitive measures shall be made more harsh," said Chen Jingying, deputy head of Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance.

"We need to set high fines for those who infringe upon personal information. Repeat violations shall be considered serious criminal offenses," Chen said.

Police in Bengbu City of Anhui Province announced on Friday that 96 suspects had been caught for hacking into the servers of Internet companies and stealing more than 5 billion items of personal information in the transportation, logistics, medical, social and banking fields.

The stolen information was traded online or used to hack into bank accounts. Police in more than 14 provinces and municipalities joined together to catch the suspects.
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TUNIS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A security patrol was targeted on Saturday night in Tunisia's Kebili province by three armed men, two of them were killed while the third was transferred to the hospital after being hit, a regional source affirmed to Xinhua.

According to the source, the law enforcement officer Modhafar Ben Ali was dead in the armed clash with the attackers while another policeman was injured at the feet.

The circumstances and the official statement about this attack are still unavailable.
ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania and Mauritius have signed a one-year pact to promote tourism destinations available in the two countries to the outside world.

The agreement was reached on Saturday at the ongoing ITB global tourism showcasing event in Berlin between the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA).

At the signing, Tanzania was represented by TTB managing director Devota Mdachi, while Mauritius was represented by the director of MTPA, Kevin Ramkaloan

According to Mdachi, the pact is meant to attract more visitors from as far as US, Australia, China, India and European countries.

She said that two organizations have agreed to join efforts in promoting their countries as the twin destination for the mutual benefits of their both respective countries by creating a conducive environment for tourists visiting Mauritius for beach holiday to also visit Tanzania for wildlife and adventure safaris.

"Our commitment is to promote Tanzania and Mauritius as a twin tourist destination so that tourists visiting Mauritius can as well visit Tanzania to experience other unique attractions available in the country such as varieties of wildlife in National Parks, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Ngorongoro crater," Mdachi said.

Ramkaloan also pointed out that the MTPA is pleased to partner with Tanzania Tourist Board since it has been their longtime intention to forge such a relationship due to the fact that the tourists visiting Mauritius wish to visit other exciting sites for their life history.

"It is obvious that Tanzania is the only country in Africa endowed with exclusive and spectacular tourist attractions where one could enjoy and become more excited. Air Mauritius which is a Mauritius National Carrier is also part of the signed agreement as a partner airline of MTPA," Ramkaloan said.
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's court system concluded 45,000 graft cases in 2016, implicating 63,000 people, a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said Sunday.

The defendants included 35 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, and 240 at the prefectural level, said the report delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

Courts at all levels convicted 2,862 criminals of bribery, and concluded 15,000 cases involving corruption in poverty alleviation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, China has launched a sweeping fight against corruption, which the top leadership announced late last year "has gained crushing momentum."

In 2016, procurators investigated 47,650 people for their suspected involvement in duty-related crimes, according to a work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), delivered by Procurator-General Cao Jianming at the plenary meeting.

Prosecution proceedings were launched against 48 former officials at the provincial and ministerial level or above, including Ling Jihua and Su Rong, both former vice chairmen of the country's top political advisory body, and Bai Enpei, a former senior lawmaker, the report said.

Bai was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking a huge amount of bribes and holding excessive assets with unidentified sources.

In accordance with a provision in the ninth amendment to the Criminal Law adopted in 2015, the court also ruled that no further commutation or parole shall be permitted if Bai's death penalty was commuted to life imprisonment after the two-year reprieve.

This marked the first time the provision was applied in judicial practice.

The provision is a "deterrent" to corrupt officials, Zhang Yongjian, a chief judge with the SPC, said Sunday in an interview with Xinhua, which was live streamed on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

"The provision just tells them: don't do anything wrong. Once you are sentenced, you will stay behind bars till the end of your life, without any chance to get free," Zhang said.

The provision was later applied to Wei Pengyuan and Yu Tieyi, two other officials convicted of corruption.

This is a demonstration of the "crushing momentum," and the resolve of the Party and government to fight corruption, Zhang noted.

According to the SPP report, procurators also investigated 17,410 lower level officials suspected of corruption in land expropriation and demolition, social security, management of agriculture-related funds and other issues concerning people's well-being.

In addition, the SPP report highlighted progress in capturing fugitives abroad and recovering their ill-gotten assets.

Since China launched a campaign to hunt down fugitives implicated in duty-related crimes in October 2014, 164 suspects, including 27 listed in an Interpol red notice, have been repatriated or persuaded to return to China from 37 countries and regions, according to the report.

Both the SPC and SPP have vowed to continue cracking down on corruption-related crimes in 2017.

Anti-graft efforts will by no means weaken, and the zero-tolerance stance on corruption will not be changed, the SPP report said.
File photo shows an elephant at Amboseli National Park, located in Loitoktok District, Rift Valley region, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) South of Nairobi, capital of Kenya. In the background is the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. (Xinhua/Liu Jiang)

ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania and Mauritius have signed a one-year pact to promote tourism destinations available in the two countries to the outside world.

The agreement was reached on Saturday at the ongoing ITB global tourism showcasing event in Berlin between the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA).

At the signing, Tanzania was represented by TTB managing director Devota Mdachi, while Mauritius was represented by the director of MTPA, Kevin Ramkaloan

According to Mdachi, the pact is meant to attract more visitors from as far as US, Australia, China, India and European countries.

She said that two organizations have agreed to join efforts in promoting their countries as the twin destination for the mutual benefits of their both respective countries by creating a conducive environment for tourists visiting Mauritius for beach holiday to also visit Tanzania for wildlife and adventure safaris.

File photo shows the beach in Mauritius. Mauritius, an island country in the Indian Ocean which has a wide range of natural and man-made attractions. It enjoys a sub-tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, attractive beaches, tropical fauna and flora complemented by a multi-ethnic and cultural population that is friendly and welcoming. (Xinhua/ He Xianfeng )

"Our commitment is to promote Tanzania and Mauritius as a twin tourist destination so that tourists visiting Mauritius can as well visit Tanzania to experience other unique attractions available in the country such as varieties of wildlife in National Parks, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Ngorongoro crater," Mdachi said.

Ramkaloan also pointed out that the MTPA is pleased to partner with Tanzania Tourist Board since it has been their longtime intention to forge such a relationship due to the fact that the tourists visiting Mauritius wish to visit other exciting sites for their life history.

"It is obvious that Tanzania is the only country in Africa endowed with exclusive and spectacular tourist attractions where one could enjoy and become more excited. Air Mauritius which is a Mauritius National Carrier is also part of the signed agreement as a partner airline of MTPA," Ramkaloan said.
KABUL, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Afghan security forces have killed 31 militants during series of operations across the militancy-battered country over the past 24 hours, said the Interior Ministry in a statement on Sunday.

During the operations that covered parts of Wardak, Nangarhar, Daikundi and Uruzgan provinces, according to the statement, two other insurgents have been injured and another 12 captured.

The statement did not say if there were casualties among security personnel.

However, it added that the Defense and Security Forces have stepped up counter-terror operations to curb insurgency in the country.

The hardliner Taliban and Islamic State groups have intensified anti-government activities elsewhere in insurgency-hit Afghanistan.
SEOUL, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday apologized for unfinished presidential term through her spokesman.

Former presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook read Park's short statement, saying Park made her apology for the unfinished five-year term of her presidency.

Without the impeachment, Park's five-year term was supposed to end in February next year. Park was sworn in as the country's 18th leader in February 2013.

Park expressed her thanks to people supporting her, saying she will take responsibility for all results.

Though it would take time, truth will be disclosed, Park said in the statement.

Park arrived at her private home in southern district of Seoul on Sunday night, two days after the constitutional court's ruled to permanently remove her from power.

Park became the first South Korean leader to be ousted through impeachment. Her impeachment bill was passed by the parliament on Dec. 9.

Hundreds of loyalists to Park welcomed her return to the private home, shouting invalid impeachment.

Park smilingly waved her hand to the supporters and shook hands with some lawmakers of the Liberty Korea Party.

After leaving office, Park will be subject to criminal prosecution and even detention as she has lost her immunity as head of state.

Prosecutors have identified her as an accomplice to her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil who is now in custody for multiple charges including bribery.
DAMASCUS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The deadly bombings that rocked Damascus Saturday and killed 74 people, mainly Shiite Iraqi visitors, reflect the threat of terrorism and the role of the radical groups in further inflaming the sectarian tension in the war-torn Syria, analysts here said.

On Saturday, two bombings were carried out in swift succession near a cemetery in the Shaghour area in the old part of the capital Damascus.

The first explosion was carried out through an explosive device that went off near a gathering of busses carrying Shiite Iraqi visitors coming to the Bab al-Saghir cemetery to visit Shiite shrines, as part of Shiite pilgrim practices.

When the explosive device went off, passengers of nine busses gathered to see what happened, when a suicide bomber wearing bomb vest detonated himself among the crowds, killing 54 of them and wounding nearly 100 others.

Around 40 of the slain people were Iraqis, while the rest were Syrians from the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group said that eight children under 18 were among those killed, as well as 11 women, and many Syrian soldiers.

It added that the death toll could likely rise due to the large number of critically wounded people.

Many of those wounded will suffer a lifetime disabilities, it added.

The bombing site was a mess, with busses overturned, with glass littered on the ground, mingled with blood stains and scattered people's belongings.

Later on, a group calling itself the Brigade of Levant Swords released a statement, claiming responsibility for the bombings, saying it has carried out "heroic operation" against two busses carrying "Shiite fighters."

It contended that those Shiite were fighters comping to take part in the battles against the Sunni rebellion in the neighborhoods of Qaboun, in northern Damascus, where the army has been on a wide-scale offensive to clear that area of rebel groups.

"We stress our full readiness to carry out any new mission, or military action that could contribute in alleviate the suffering of our people in Damascus and provide all we have got of weapons and ammunition for the sake of liberating the homeland," the statement said.

Little is known about the group, but in their statement they claimed to be part of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels fighting on the southern front, meaning southern Syria, including the capital.

The Syrian government was quick to condemn the bombings, urging the UN to do the same.

In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the attack came in retaliation for the victories achieved by the Syrian army against terror-labeled groups such as the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

It also said that the attack reflects the terrorist organizations' rejection of the reconciliations that have been witnessed in several areas.

That was the ministry's response, but such explosions were not new to the capital, as a Shiite school in the same area was targeted before by mortar shells, when many children got killed.

Also, the predominantly-Shiite neighborhood of Sayyida Zaynab in southern Damascus has also witnessed several deadly bombings, killing 200 people in 2016 alone.

Such bombings reflect the growing sectarian tension, which even though is largely confined to the fighting group, those Sunni rebels and the Shiite fighters backing the military forces of President Bashar al-Assad's government, but it also widen the gap between the people of the capital and elsewhere in Syria.

The targeted area in Shaghour houses a mixed population of Shiite and Sunni people, and such bombings threaten the relatively calm atmosphere among those people, even though the Sunni people have also suffered greatly from either the bombings or the mortar and rocket fire targeting the capital and other areas in Syria throughout the six-year-old war, according to observers.

Maher Ihsan, a journalist and political observer, told Xinhua that the bombings underscore the need to fight terrorism, and such incidents will put the international community ahead of a great responsibility to exert more efforts to eliminate such a terror threat that could negatively rebound on the regional and international peace.
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for deepening military-civilian integration, while highlighting sci-tech innovation as the key to military upgrading.

Speaking to national lawmakers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the ongoing annual parliamentary session, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said efforts should be made to provide greater science and technology support for the PLA.




TOKYO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The support rate for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet has tumbled recently over a school land deal scandal, according to various media surveys.

According to a Kyodo News poll released on Sunday, the support rate for Abe's cabinet dropped to 55.7 percent, down 6 percentage points from last month.

A total of 86.5 percent of the respondents to the telephone survey over the weekend said that the purchase of a state-owned land at a heavily reduced price by Moritomo Gakuen, a private school operator reportedly having close ties with Abe's wife, was inappropriate.

While 74.6 percent of the respondents supported the opposition parties' demand that Yasunori Kagoike, head of Moritomo Gakuen, shall be summoned to a parliamentary session to explain the controversial deal.

A different poll by Japan News Network, a local commercial television news network, showed last week that the support rate for Abe's cabinet dropped 4.4 percentage points to 61 percent compared with a month ago.

An online poll by Nihon Keizai Shimbun last week showed a more drastic fall, with the support rate for Abe's cabinet down to 36.1 percent compared to 63.7 percent 10 days earlier. The non-support rate, meanwhile, rose to 63.9 percent.

Moritomo Gakuen, a private school operator, reportedly bought a 8,770-square-meter piece of land last June in Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, for 134 million yen (1.2 million U.S. dollars), equivalent to only 14 percent of its appraisal price.

The land, according to local reports, had been intended for a new elementary school to be opened in April with the prime minister's wife Akie as its honorary principal.

Abe has denied in parliament that he and his wife had anything to do with the scandal and said that his wife Akie had stepped down in her role as would-be honorary principle of the school.

He also said that he had rejected a request to have the school bear his name and he was unaware that his name had been used in seeking donations for the school. Moritomo Gakuen withdrew its application to the local government for approval to open a new elementary school earlier this week, and Kagoike indicated that he would resign in a bid to end the turmoil.
Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, joins a panel discussion with deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) from Henan Province at the annual session of the NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese leaders on Sunday joined national lawmakers from the provinces of Henan and Jiangxi in discussing socialist core values, industrial upgrading and ecological civilization.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended a panel discussion with lawmakers from Henan at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

Liu called for consistently promoting the development of socialist core values, saying that the draft general provisions of the civil law deliberated on at the ongoing session embodies the requirements of socialist core values.

Efforts should be made to resolve prominent moral problems by legal means, Liu said.
RAMALLAH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that Israel is putting obstacles on the ground, ahead of the upcoming visit to Israel by U.S. President Advisor Jason Greenblatt.

The ministry said in an emailed press statement that "the Israeli government continues to implement it's settlement schemes aiming at more Palestinian land grab, unraveling preliminary measures and bulldozing operations to bailiff thousands of new settlement units in occupied Jerusalem."

The ministry denounced the settlement activity "that are aimed at destroying the two state solution," and represents "a preemptive measure and hinders the path of the international and U.S. efforts aiming at reviving negotiations between both sides, particularly ahead of the important visit by U.S. president's envoy Jasin Greenblatt to the region."

Palestinian sources said that Israeli authorities have approved construction of settlement units in Palestinian towns of East Jerusalem and open new roads connecting settlements to one another, cutting off geographical contiguity of Palestinian territories.

Sources added that Israeli authorities issued notifications for Palestinians living in villages near Tulkarem, north of the West Bank to take over 142.3 dunums (1 dunum equals 1,000 sq. meters) of land that are close to the Green Line.

The Green Line is the 1967 border that represents the demarcation line defined in the 1949 armistice agreement between Israel and it's Arab neighbors after the 1948 war. It was considered the de facto borders of the State of Israel since 1948 and until the Six Days War in 1967.

On Saturday, the Palestinian President Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeinah said that the resumed communique between the Palestinian leadership and the U.S. administration "represents a clear message that the resolution (of the conflict) lies in the international, Arab and Palestinian legitimacy that are not illusions or projects irrelevant to the unraveling course of events."

World powers, including U.S., have condemned the Israeli settlement activity, which is considered one of the main disputes between Palestinians and Israel.
LAGOS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian government forces in the northeastern state of Borno have rescued 211 civilians from the Boko Haram group, the army authorities said Sunday.

Troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Operation Lafiya Dole, rescued the victims during an operation in Cingal Murye and Maja villages on Saturday, Sani Usman, the army spokesman said in a statement made available to Xinhua.

One terrorist was neutralized while 11 bicycles were recovered from the fleeing terrorists, he added, noting that security team also escorted two heavy-duty trucks and 18 pickup vans to recover Internally Displaced Persons' food stuff from Mala Maja.

The Boko Haram insurgency has been blamed for more than 20,000 deaths and displacement of 2.3 million people since 2009.

Nigeria has made a considerable gain on the Boko Haram front, with its security forces operating in the restive region dislodging the Boko Haram fighters from the Sambisa Forest, the group's largest training camp in the country, last December.

The security forces are intensifying aerial and ground patrols in the country's northeast, extending their offensive mission around the Green Belt Region near Niger and Chad.
File photo taken on Feb. 16, 2016 shows the camp of Boko Haram terrorists in Gulumba area of northeast Borno State, Nigeria. (Xinhua/Pool/Olawale Salau)

LAGOS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian government forces in the northeastern state of Borno have rescued 211 civilians from the Boko Haram group, the army authorities said Sunday.

Troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Operation Lafiya Dole, rescued the victims during an operation in Cingal Murye and Maja villages on Saturday, Sani Usman, the army spokesman said in a statement made available to Xinhua.

One terrorist was neutralized while 11 bicycles were recovered from the fleeing terrorists, he added, noting that security team also escorted two heavy-duty trucks and 18 pickup vans to recover Internally Displaced Persons' food stuff from Mala Maja.

The Boko Haram insurgency has been blamed for more than 20,000 deaths and displacement of 2.3 million people since 2009.

Nigeria has made a considerable gain on the Boko Haram front, with its security forces operating in the restive region dislodging the Boko Haram fighters from the Sambisa Forest, the group's largest training camp in the country, last December.

The security forces are intensifying aerial and ground patrols in the country's northeast, extending their offensive mission around the Green Belt Region near Niger and Chad.
Zhang Dejiang, executive chairperson of the presidium for the fifth session of China's 12th National People's Congress (NPC) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, presides over the second meeting of the presidium for the fifth session of the 12th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The presidium for China's annual parliamentary session on Sunday reviewed several draft resolutions, among other documents, and decided to submit them to lawmakers for deliberation.

The presidium for the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) held the second meeting, presided over by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and one of the presidium's executive chairpersons.

The presidium heard review reports on the government work report, the implementation of the 2016 national economic and social development plan and the draft 2017 national economic and social development plan, as well as the implementation of the 2016 central and local budgets, and the draft 2017 central and local budgets.

Based on lawmakers' opinions, 78 revisions were made to the government work report, according to a statement released after the meeting.

The presidium also heard review reports on the draft general provisions of the civil law, the draft decision on the quota and election of deputies to the 13th NPC, and the draft methods for electing deputies to the 13th NPC from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

It decided to submit draft resolutions on the government work report, national economic and social development plan, and central and local budgets to NPC delegations for review.

A revised draft of the general provisions of the civil law, the draft decision on the quota and election of deputies to the 13th NPC, and revised drafts of the methods for electing NPC deputies from Hong Kong and Macao, will also be distributed to the delegations.
LAGOS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Police authority in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri Sunday said two suspected female suicide bombers were shot dead by security agents.

The bombers were shot on Saturday when they attempted to enter Maiduguri through the Umarari in Molai, near Damboa road, Victor Isuku, the Borno State police spokesman said in a statement reaching Xinhua.

"On Saturday at about 20:45 hrs, two female suspected suicide bombers, of about 18 years of age, attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General Area which is about 9 Kilometers to the township," he added.

"They were sighted by local vigilantes- the Civilian JTF- and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty at the area," he said.

The two bombers died in the incident, Isuku said.

According to him, the police Explosive Ordinance Disposal team was mobilized to the scene to render the un-exploded improvised explosive device safe, while normalcy has been restored to the area.
RAMALLAH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians expressed relief Sunday following the recent growing improvement in their contact with the new U.S. administration led by Trump since he took office in the White House on January 20.

During a phone conversation, Trump invited Abbas to visit the White House soon, an invitation the Palestinians considered as a turning point in the ties between U.S. and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

Last Friday, Trump had a conversation with President Mahmoud Abbas on the phone; the first such talk since Jan. 20.

The U.S. contacts with the Palestinians had reached its lowest levels politically, economically and in terms of security, according to chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.

In February, Palestinian intelligence security chief Majid Farraj coordinated a meeting between Abbas and CIA chief Mike Pompeo in Ramallah.

The meeting focused on the importance of pushing forward the stalled peace process in the Middle East.

Following the telephone conversation between Trump and Abbas, the latter held talks in Ramallah on Saturday night to coordinate the upcoming ties between U.S. and the Palestinians in the future.

Earlier, Erekat announced that Trump told Abbas he will delegate his envoy to the region next week to work on arranging a meeting between them in the future.

"U.S. envoy Jason Greenblatt will meet in Ramallah with President Abbas on Tuesday to discuss the arrangement of a meeting between President Trump and President Abbas in the White House soon," Erekat told Voice of Palestine Radio.

The veteran Palestinian negotiator said "the upcoming meeting in the White House is so important because it may lead to launching the stalled peace process again," adding "President Trump showed a U.S. commitment to the peace process."

Meanwhile, Reyad al-Malki, the Palestinian foreign affairs minister told the Palestinian radio "Trump's decision to send his convoy to meet with the Palestinians is a positive sign that expressed the U.S. concerns to end the Mideast conflict."

Al-Malki unveiled that the U.S. envoy may check the two sides; Israel and the Palestinians, desire to resume the stalled peace negotiations and finding a mechanism that enables the Palestinian side to keep in touch with the United States.

"I believe that the visit of Greenblatt to Ramallah and meeting with the Palestinian leaders would help to a great extent the U.S. administration to have a deeper understanding to the current situation in the Middle East."

Ahmed Awad, the Ramallah-based political analyst, told Xinhua that finally the U.S. administration found out that without being in contact with the Palestinians, the conflict in the Middle East won't be resolved, adding "improving the contacts with the Palestinian side would make peace in the Middle East imminent."
People hold a rally in front of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 12, 2017. People holding Turkish national flags were gathering in front of Dutch Consulate in Istanbul to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians. (Xinhua/DHA/Depo Photos)

ANKARA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Netherlands has barred Turkish ministers from rally in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning for a referendum in April, which tensed their bilateral diplomatic ties.

The dispute escalated into a major diplomatic crisis on Saturday night when Turkey's Family Minister was prevented by police from entering her country's consulate in Rotterdam. Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister.

Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd in a violent way. The intervention of the riot police against hundreds of demonstrators led to several arrests and many people suffered injuries, according to the local press.

"This is just unacceptable and intolerable. Turkey will surely take retaliatory measures against such a flagrant violation of the freedom of speech in an European country," said a source close to the Turkish government on Sunday.

The Turkish reaction was furious on Sunday, and the high circulation pro-government newspaper Star's main headline was "fascists' Europe."

A day after Dutch authorities banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, an unprecedented move in diplomatic courtesy, Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was prevented by a police barrage to go to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam city and was escorted back to Germany where she came from, as she was declared "undesired" by the authorities.

In angry tweets, the minister argued that "the Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights." "Merely tyranny and oppression. We will not surrender to this oppressive mentality."

Ibrahim Kalin, the Turkish presidential spokesman for its part tweeted "The decision by the Dutch government to ban Turkish ministers and use force against peaceful citizens mark a dark day for democracy in Europe."

The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and "could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands."

The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte's decision to ban the visits.

An official from the Dutch embassy in Ankara confirmed to Xinhua that the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Ankara doesn't want, for the moment being, the Dutch ambassador who is on vacation abroad to return to the Turkish capital.

The powerful Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigrant Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory in a referendum on the April 16 that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

The move was criticized by the opposition who claim that Turkey will become a single man rule.

Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute.

Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his executive powers which will transform the country from a parliamentary regime to a presidential one.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who was barred from a similar meeting in Germany last week, threatened of harsh economic and political sanctions, saying "We will retaliate to this scandalous decision. We did not send our people to the Netherlands to become their captives. One can rest assured that we will respond to those who took this step."

Erdogan, known to be very vocal to express any kind of anger, addressed a rally of supporters in Istanbul on Saturday and shouted "They don't know diplomacy, there are remnant of nazism, they are fascists."

Dutch Prime Minister Rutte called Erdogan remarks to Nazism "a crazy remark" and argued that the Turkish leader was "way out of line."

Erdogan chafes at western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people, that authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him organized according to Ankara by the influential Turkish Muslim cleric living in the United States, Fethullah Gulen.

He maintains it is clear the west begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a "no" vote. In the past he was not prevented by organizing big rallies in Germany nor the Netherlands.

In a written statement on Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would take "strong counter measures" as a response to the Dutch actions. "Our so called European friends who mention democracy, freedom of speech and human rights, have in the face of this event failed again the class."

In a rare backing to the government, the main opposition party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the People's Republican Party, (CHP), showed unity against a "scandalous decision " from the Dutch authorities and cancelled his planned campaign in European country's for the coming days.

The Turkish expats in Europe are of a big importance for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) because, according to opinion polls, a large majority of some 2 million Turkish voters there favour the actual regime and Erdogan's aspirations to boost his powers.

But in fact, Turkish law prohibits election campaigning outside the country or in this matter in foreign diplomatic missions as well. Despite the ban, most parties violate the law, including AKP and CHP.

Sinan Ulgen, chairman of the Center for Economics and Foreign Policies Studies, argues that European country's who prevent Turkish ministers to speak at rallies there should show maturity to officials from a country who negotiates its entry to the European Union and understand its "legitimate expectations."

"These countries fear that the sharp political polarisation that we witness in Turkey spills over there and disrupt the public order," added the analyst.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan greets the audience as he arrives for a ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey, March 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

ANKARA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Netherlands has barred Turkish ministers from rally in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara's political campaigning for a referendum in April, which tensed their bilateral diplomatic ties.

The dispute escalated into a major diplomatic crisis on Saturday night when Turkey's Family Minister was prevented by police from entering her country's consulate in Rotterdam. Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister.

Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd in a violent way. The intervention of the riot police against hundreds of demonstrators led to several arrests and many people suffered injuries, according to the local press.

"This is just unacceptable and intolerable. Turkey will surely take retaliatory measures against such a flagrant violation of the freedom of speech in an European country," said a source close to the Turkish government on Sunday.

The Turkish reaction was furious on Sunday, and the high circulation pro-government newspaper Star's main headline was "fascists' Europe."

A day after Dutch authorities banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, an unprecedented move in diplomatic courtesy, Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was prevented by a police barrage to go to the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam city and was escorted back to Germany where she came from, as she was declared "undesired" by the authorities.

In angry tweets, the minister argued that "the Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights." "Merely tyranny and oppression. We will not surrender to this oppressive mentality."

Ibrahim Kalin, the Turkish presidential spokesman for its part tweeted "The decision by the Dutch government to ban Turkish ministers and use force against peaceful citizens mark a dark day for democracy in Europe."

The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and "could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands."

The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte's decision to ban the visits.

An official from the Dutch embassy in Ankara confirmed to Xinhua that the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Ankara doesn't want, for the moment being, the Dutch ambassador who is on vacation abroad to return to the Turkish capital.

The powerful Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigrant Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory in a referendum on the April 16 that would give the presidency sweeping new powers.

The move was criticized by the opposition who claim that Turkey will become a single man rule.

Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute.

Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote "yes" to his executive powers which will transform the country from a parliamentary regime to a presidential one.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who was barred from a similar meeting in Germany last week, threatened of harsh economic and political sanctions, saying "We will retaliate to this scandalous decision. We did not send our people to the Netherlands to become their captives. One can rest assured that we will respond to those who took this step."

Erdogan, known to be very vocal to express any kind of anger, addressed a rally of supporters in Istanbul on Saturday and shouted "They don't know diplomacy, there are remnant of nazism, they are fascists."

Dutch Prime Minister Rutte called Erdogan remarks to Nazism "a crazy remark" and argued that the Turkish leader was "way out of line."

Erdogan chafes at western criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people, that authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him organized according to Ankara by the influential Turkish Muslim cleric living in the United States, Fethullah Gulen.

He maintains it is clear the west begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a "no" vote. In the past he was not prevented by organizing big rallies in Germany nor the Netherlands.

In a written statement on Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would take "strong counter measures" as a response to the Dutch actions. "Our so called European friends who mention democracy, freedom of speech and human rights, have in the face of this event failed again the class."

In a rare backing to the government, the main opposition party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the People's Republican Party, (CHP), showed unity against a "scandalous decision " from the Dutch authorities and cancelled his planned campaign in European country's for the coming days.

The Turkish expats in Europe are of a big importance for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) because, according to opinion polls, a large majority of some 2 million Turkish voters there favour the actual regime and Erdogan's aspirations to boost his powers.

But in fact, Turkish law prohibits election campaigning outside the country or in this matter in foreign diplomatic missions as well. Despite the ban, most parties violate the law, including AKP and CHP.

Sinan Ulgen, chairman of the Center for Economics and Foreign Policies Studies, argues that European country's who prevent Turkish ministers to speak at rallies there should show maturity to officials from a country who negotiates its entry to the European Union and understand its "legitimate expectations."

"These countries fear that the sharp political polarisation that we witness in Turkey spills over there and disrupt the public order," added the analyst.
TAIPEI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Civilian groups and residents gathered in downtown Taipei on Sunday to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, calling for opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting China's peaceful unification.

Sunday marked the 92nd anniversary of the death of Sun, a renowned statesman who led the revolution that ended imperial rule in China.

Hundreds of residents and members from local civilian groups, including the Zhong Shan International, named after Sun, visited the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, bowing to Sun's statue and singing patriotic songs. They held banners and shouted slogans such as "oppose Taiwan Independence" and "peaceful unification."

Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou also paid respect to Sun's statue.

More than 560 civilian groups in Taiwan announced that they have established an "alliance of anti-independence," based on adherence to the 1992 consensus, which stresses the one-China principle. They called on people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to make common efforts for unification and national rejuvenation.

"The alliance is aimed at carrying on Dr. Sun's ideas and promoting the peaceful unification of the nation," said Sun Wu-yan, head of Zhong Shan International.

He said Dr. Sun is very important in the minds of Taiwan people, but some are trying to eliminate Sun's legacy with an ulterior motive, which is not tolerable.

On Sunday, ceremonies were also held on the Chinese mainland to commemorate Dr. Sun.

Representatives from all walks of life attended a ceremony at Zhongshan Park in Beijing, observing a moment of silence and bowing three times in front of a statue of Sun. Local officials and residents of east China's Jiangsu Province also marked the day at Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing, the provincial capital.

Sun was born in 1866 and is known as a "great revolutionary and statesman" for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China.
MOMBASA, Kenya, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President on Sunday ruled out further talks with the striking doctors and directed them to return to work before any more talks.

State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu told journalists in Mombasa that Kenyatta ordered the doctors who have been on strike sine December 5, 2016 to resume work if they wish to have the government to engage them in more negotiations.

"President Kenyatta has directed that all doctors resume duty before any further negotiations can be convened," he said.

The doctors have been demanding a 300 percent salary increment and improved working conditions at the public hospitals, where some 5,000 members are employed.

The government last week ordered the doctors to return to work, saying each and every doctor should negotiate their terms of work with their employers.

But the doctors union said the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which defines the terms and conditions of service for union members of a professional body, was finalized and signed.

Esipisu said the president is aware of a statement from the doctor's union requesting for more time to negotiate, but that his resolve is clear.

"We thank the doctors that have so far gone back to work. We note the union's statement on the subject, which was sent to doctors last night. But the President's resolve and message remain the same: there will be no more chicanery on this subject," he said.

The doctors made the request after President Kenyatta last week said he had come to the end of his patience with the striking doctors who had rejected one of the best deals ever to be offered to a Kenyan public servant.

The doctors had rejected a 40 percent salary increase and a further 6 million U.S. dollars as backdated allowances. The government has now ordered the doctors to return to work or face the sack.
MOMBASA, Kenya, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has kicked off plans to revive the Kenya National Shipping Line (KNSL) that has the potential to contribute over 3 billion U.S. dollars into the country's economy annually, a government official said on Sunday.

State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said the shipping line is expected to create an average of 3,000 job opportunities for youth in the first year, and thereafter progressively increase to 6,000 in five years.

"This administration has invested billions of shillings in this region to build or improve security, infrastructure and general service delivery, with the simple goal of uplifting the lives of residents in an inclusive way," he told journalists in Mombasa.

Esipisu said negotiations are at an advanced stage for the exit of foreign shareholders who have expressed desire to cease working with KNSL, due to KNSL having become a parastatal.

The revival of the shipping line is expected to return Kenya to its historical place as a rich seafaring nation with highly respected seafarers. The shipping line has been dormant for decades.

Esipisu said the plan which is being rolled out by the State Department of Maritime and Shipping Affairs, is part of the government's wider plan to boost the economy of the coast region as well as that of the whole country.

Meanwhile, Esipisu said Kenya Railways will receive 200 freight wagons, three passenger locomotives and other equipment in the coming week for the Standard Gauge Railway which will be ready for use in June.

He also revealed that 35 students left the country last month to start a four year Railway Degree Programme at Beijing Jiaotong University in China.

"We are still on schedule for the handover and the first train will run by June 1," said Esipisu. He also pointed out that the Mombasa Port has undergone significant transformation under the Jubilee Administration.

"There has been an increase in the number of berths, improved efficiency of management of the port that has resulted in significant increase of the container throughput," he said.
CAPE TOWN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Sunday launched its policy strategy, vowing to address its own internal challenges.

The strategy, known as Discussion Documents, recognizes that the ANC is increasingly losing the trust of the people as illustrated by declining electoral performance and intense public criticism.

This refers to the Local Government Election last year in which the ANC lost some major cities such as Johannesburg, Pretoria and the Nelson Mandela Bay. The ANC has thus came under criticism for arrogance, nepotism, corruption and inability.

The Documents list a series of internal challenges confronted by the ANC such as social distance between leaders and members, widespread corruption, poor performance in government and abuse of organizational processes for personal gain.

These challenges "will contribute to the ANC's demise if left unattended", the party warned.

"The organization must act urgently to restore its moral character, to win back the trust of the people and to ensure that the ANC is structured optimally to remain the leader of the motive forces for change," the ANC said.

The ANC launched the Discussion Papers in order to inform debate and discussion towards the 2017 National Policy Conference, to be held from June 30 to July 5 this year, ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

It is only the National Conference of the ANC that adopts policy.

"The ANC looks forward to wide-ranging discussions, highlighting divergent views and intense debate on its policy proposals and we trust that the organization and the nation will emerge from this process with a united, common vision of our country's developmental trajectory," Kodwa said.

The documents propose that the ANC should maintain its dual character as a national liberation movement and a political party, specifically as access to state power.

The paper acknowledges that South Africa has not made enough progress in reducing unemployment and inequality.

The paper stresses the need to increase wages and broad-based ownership and control of the economy.

The ANC's programme to transform South Africa's society and economy must, therefore, be judged on the extent to which it radically and systematically improves the lives and opportunities of those who are marginalized and excluded, according to the paper.

The paper proposes a series of measures to ensure that the ANC strengthen radical economic transformation.

These measures aim to reduce unemployment and specifically youth unemployment, return the land to the people and increase black ownership and control in the economy, among others, the party says.

At the heart of the Discussion Documents remain the ANC's call for the second phase of the National Democratic Revolution that requires a more intense focus on the full radical economic and social transformation of the country.
LAGOS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- If it were not the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Etisalat, the telecom giant of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would have been taken over by a consortium of banks some days ago.

The company, which has been in the Nigerian market since 2009, was on the verge of being taken over following a tumultuous time because of its huge debt.

Etisalat is Nigeria's fourth largest telecommunications operator with about 21 million subscribers as at January 2017.

There was an attempt by a consortium of banks to take over Etisalat, because of its 1.72 billion U.S. dollars debt on March 8.

A consortium of some foreign and Nigerian banks, including Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank and Zenith Bank, have been having a running battle with the mobile telephone operator, over a loan facility obtained in 2015.

The banks said their attempt to recover the loan by all means, was fueled by the pressure from the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), demanding immediate cut down on the rate of their non-performing loans.

NCC appears not to be favorably disposed to the takeover proposal; as it believed that Etisalat is not only a viable going concern, but also willing and able to negotiate the servicing of its loans.

The loan, which involved a foreign-backed guaranty bond, was for Etisalat to finance a major network rehabilitation and the expansion of its operational base in Nigeria.

However, Etisalat failed to meet its debt servicing schedule, agreed since 2016, for which they were reported to the banking sector regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and its communications sector counterpart, the NCC.

Etisalat was said to have blamed its inability to fulfill its obligation to the banks on the current economic recession in Nigeria.

Tony Ojobo, a spokesperson for NCC, said that both the sector's regulatory agency and the country's apex bank got reprieve for Etisalat on the loan default crisis facing the company.

The reprieve came following a meeting convened by CBN and NCC to find a quick resolution to the crisis, he added, noting that the meeting succeeded in halting the attempt by Etisalat's creditors at bringing it under any form of take over.

Receivership was completely taken off the table in a meeting that was very productive and constructive, he said.

The meeting, held at the CBN office in Lagos, had the consortium of banks being owed and Etisalat in attendance.

The spokesperson said the banks and the mobile network operator agreed to concrete actions that will bring all parties closest to a resolution.

He said apex bank and NCC were able to secure for Etisalat the necessary "oxygen" to enable it continue to meet urgent operational expenses.

Ojobo said CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele who chaired the meeting, was firm in declaring what needed to be done by both parties towards a quick resolution.

He said NCC equally made it clear that everything necessary must be done to protect the 23 million Etisalat subscribers.

The spokesperson said there was also the need to protect the telecom industry to prevent potential investors from developing cold feet.

According to him, effort has been made to ensure that Etisalat remains in business while the consortium of banks meet their obligations to their customers.

A meeting will be held on March 16 to agree on a payment restructuring path going forward.

The NCC will lead the CBN in a possible crucial meeting with Etisalat's shareholders anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Oluseyi Osuntedo, a spokesperson for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) company dispelled the rumor that banks had taken over the company.

Osuntedo said talks were still ongoing between the banks and the company.

She said the company was not being picketed as rumored by some people, adding that whoever was giving the information was not telling the truth. Enditem
BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Despite a busy schedule at the two sessions, Dao Shuren sticks to his daily Buddhist practice. He sits in meditation for half an hour after waking up and chants scripture before sleep.

The 82-year-old lay Buddhist is the head of the Buddhist Association of Yunnan Province and has been a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body, for the past 20 years.

Dao says the Buddhist aspiration to "glorify the country and benefit sentient beings" coincides with the duties of a political advisor, as both stress the importance of serving the country and the people.

As a national political advisor and religious leader, Dao has worked to promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen talent cultivation among Buddhists.

In addition to religious issues, Dao, a member of the Dai ethnic group, also focused on ethnic minority issues. At the ongoing "two sessions, " he suggested an institution be established to study historical documents from the 1950s from regions inhabited by ethnic minorities.

Poverty alleviation has also been a focus of both Dao's work and that of the Chinese leadership in recent years.

"Buddhists cherish the ideal of 'delivering oneself and all beings from misery and sufferings,' which is in line with the philosophy of poverty reduction," he said.

Dao often travels in Yunnan's poor areas, calling upon local Buddhist temples to perform charity work.

"The monks and nuns also have their part to do in poverty relief, such as helping villagers grow cash crops, treating illness with their mastery of traditional Chinese medicine, and raising donations and participating in rescue efforts when natural disasters occur," he said.

"It is my duty to be a voice for the religious circle through the platform of the CPPCC and contribute to social causes with my religious background," he said.

The current 12th National Committee of the CPPCC consists of

more than 2,000 national political advisors, including 65 representing religions communities, including Buddhist masters, living Buddhas, Taoists,imams, and priests. Dao is one of the 102 political advisors representing ethnic minorities.

Dao said the CPPCC offers a golden opportunity for leaders of different religions to sit down together to learn about policy and discuss religious,political and social issues, he said.

"When conducting international exchanges, friendly relations among representatives of China's different religions often impress our foreign counterparts," he said.

Dao still remembers his first foreign trip as a religious representative in 1984, when he traveled to Nairobi with several other Buddhist and Taoist representatives for the World Conference on Religion and Peace.

"Some foreigners were astonished to see us as they thought religious beliefs were not allowed in China," he said.

Frequent foreign exchanges have helped eliminate misunderstandings. Dao said now he has friends from various religions in dozens of countries.

Dao was born to a Tusi family in Menghai County of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan. Tusi were tribal leaders appointed to govern ethnic minorities in feudal China. The system was not abolished until the 1950s in parts of the country.

Like most Dai people, Dao is a follower of Southern Buddhism, which is found in countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, India, and Thailand, as well as among the minorities of China's Yunnan Province.

As a layperson, Dao follows the "five precepts" according to Buddhist teachings -- abstaining from killing, stealing, illicit sexual conduct, false speech and intoxicants.

"The core of Buddhism is to teach people to be well-behaved and compassionate, which is similar to that of other religions and fits with the requirements of good citizenship in the modern age," he said.

"Focusing on similarity while reserving differences is the key to achieving harmony," he said. "The CPPCC offers a platform for people with different beliefs to exchange varied opinions while seeking consensus."

According to the report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee delivered on March 3, various efforts were made to promote religious harmony during the past year.
BAGHDAD, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing operations to free the western side of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) militants have pushed up to 100,000 civilians to flee their homes, the Iraqi government said on Sunday.

"The latest statistics of the Iraqi ministry of migration shows 99,852 displaced people since the launch of operations to free the neighborhoods of Mosul's right bank (western side)," according to a statement by Jassim Mohammed al-Jaf, Minister of Migration and Displaced.

Only on Sunday, teams affiliated to the ministry have received 10,607 civilians, who left their homes from the battleground of the neighborhoods of western Mosul, Jaf said.

The migration ministry prepared appropriate places to shelter the displaced people and provided emergency supplies, including food and medicine, Jaf added.

The announcement came as the Iraqi security forces are fighting fierce clashes while pushing deeper into the IS-held western side of Mosul, locally known as right bank of Tigris River, which bisects the city.

The troops dislodged IS militants from several neighborhoods in the southern part of Mosul's western side, including the main government buildings in the old city center.

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 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.
RIYADH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that police forces killed another fugitive during a raid on hideouts of terrorists in the eastern Province of Al Awamiah.

The ministry said in its statement that the raid targeted old, deserted houses in the area which terrorists were using as shelters.

Sunday's police raid was in response to the heavy shooting on Saturday which targetted police personnel, during which police forces retaliated, injuring the fugitive Waleed Talal Ali Al Orayed, who died later at the hospital.

Saudi Arabia has recently taken serious measures against violent Shiite citizens in the Eastern Province to end escalating attacks against citizens and police personnel.

Saudi youth are demanding increased rights for the Shiite minority population in the country, considered the center of the world's Sunni teachings.

Furthermore, on Friday, police forces killed a Saudi fugitive wanted for his involvement in several security crossfire cases whilst evading arrest in the province.

Moreover, police forces are still searching for the shooters of the former municipal councilor who sustained gunshot wounds in his back and leg the previous week.

In addition to the violent Shiite youth in the Eastern province, the country is facing increasing critical attacks from the Islamic State (IS) militant groups's sleeping cells, responsible for countless bloody detonations throughout the country.
A Russian Su-34 jet returns to its home base on March 16, 2016, after competing missions in Syria. (Xinhua/Sputnik Photo)

MOSCOW, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Aerospace Defence Forces will receive 16 new Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers in 2017, TASS cited Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Borisov as saying on Friday.

"The Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPA) has a long-term contract with the Russian Defense Ministry for the production of a total of 92 Su-34 strike fighters. We are expecting to receive 16 Su-34fighter-bombers this year," said Borisov after visiting NAPA.

Borisov said nine of the aircraft are in the final stage of assembly, noting the Su-34 aircraft had proved highly effective in the fight against terrorists in Syria.

It has an enormous modernization potential, and could be called a new generation aircraft, he added.
Released back in 1986, A Great Wall was billed as the first American film to be shot in China, which was directed by Peter Wang, who also wrote and starred in the film. This mix of subtle comedy and drama is a brilliant and realistic look at two different cultures colliding with the added stress of family in the mixture. What Wang does so well here is that he never makes a big conflict or unnecessary plot device, but simply shows how one family adapts to the another culture with all of its awkwardness and pleasantries, while showcasing some amazing landmarks overseas.

A Great Wall follows Leo Fang, a successful computer engineer in Silicon Valley and husband and father to his family. They are the picture of the American Dream who work hard and have a bit of fun. It's decided that the family will take a long vacation to their homeland of China to visit Leo's family, which he hasn't seen for a few decades. Instead of staying in a hotel, they decide to stay with their family, The Chaos, who lead a simple life that consists of meditation, gardening, amongst other tasks. It's the big city that meets the countryside here as Leo and his family adapt to their new home and the ways of China.

It's rather funny, too, as Leo's son can't figure out why his uncle opens their kids mail before they can read it, or why his cousin just can't apply for a university, but must jump through hoops. Another funny moment is when Leo sees the big computer lab in China that has one lonely poorly made computer. There is never really anything at stake throughout the film, but rather a light-hearted look at these two worlds coming together as one. Wang shows us the actual Great Wall, traffic in the city, and the high rise apartments that populate the Chinese landscapes.

It's a fantastic look still to this day and gave us Americans a small glimpse of what life is like on the other side of the pond. It also shows us that while it might be hard to come home again, it's still something we all do.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

A Great Wall comes with a 50GB Blu-ray Disc from Kino Classics. There is an 18-page booklet that contains essay and information about the film. The disc is housed in a hard plastic case.
TEHRAN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Energy Ministry inaugurated a 55-megawatt (MW) wind farm in town of Takestan in Qazvin province on Sunday, semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"Iranian MAPNA group of companies has invested over 92 million U.S. dollars for the project, and the wind farm will be able to supply 15 percent of Iran's electricity," an Iranian energy ministry official was quoted as saying.

Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said on Sunday that the wind farm has 22 turbines for generating electricity.

Qazvin has the capacity to produce 4,000 MW of electricity thanks to the wind and solar energies, according to the report.

Chitchian said earlier that his country has already approved three billion dollars for foreign investments in Iran's renewable energies.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with deputies from grassroots units to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) after a panel discussion in Beijing, capital of China, March 12, 2017. Xi joined a panel discussion with deputies to the 12th NPC from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the annual session of the NPC in Beijing on Sunday. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for deepening military-civilian integration, while highlighting sci-tech innovation as the key to military upgrading.

Speaking to national lawmakers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the ongoing annual parliamentary session, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said efforts should be made to provide greater science and technology support for the PLA.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, historic breakthrough in national defense and military reform has been made, significant progress in combat readiness has been achieved, and crushing momentum in fighting corruption has been realized, he said.

Pointing to the profound changes brought by sci-tech advancement to people's lifestyles and the world's military development, Xi said, "We must have a greater sense of urgency to push for sci-tech innovation and advancement with greater determination and efforts."

He called for enhanced top-level design and strategic planning in promoting military-civilian integration in national defense technology and military equipment, and strengthening military and civilian cooperation in training high-quality military personnel.

He urged the PLA to speed up the transition featuring better quality and performance with the intensive application of advanced technologies in army building.

Civil technologies should better serve military purposes, and defense technologies should be adapted and applied well for civil use, the president said.

Efforts to improve the training system of military personnel should also be strengthened to foster a large number of high-quality military talent, Xi said, adding that enhancing scientific and technological attainment of officers and men should be a basic requirement for the PLA.

He noted that the CPC Central Committee's decision to establish a central commission for integrated military and civilian development aims to reinforce centralized and unified leadership. Efforts should be made to remove institutional barriers and work out perfect policies for military and civilian integration.
COPENHAGEN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said on Sunday that he had proposed delaying the planned visit to Denmark by Turkish Prime Minister Prime Minister Binali Yilderim.

In a press release, Rasmussen said the decision was made in light of the escalating tensions between Turkey on the one hand and Germany and the Netherlands on the other hand.

"Under normal circumstances, it would be a pleasure to welcome the Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim," Rasmussen said, noting that he had a "frank and constructive dialogue" with Ankara on Dec. 10, 2016, during his visit to Turkey.

"However, with the current Turkish attack on Holland, the meeting can not be seen separated from that. I have therefore suggested to my Turkish colleague that our meeting be postponed," the prime minister said in the press release.
BANGKOK, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and 13 others injured in a traffic accident in central Thailand on Sunday, according to local media.

The accident happened at around 5 a.m. local time when a chartered van carrying Myanmar passengers slammed into a truck in the central province of Kamphaengphet, Thairath newspaper said.

Two Myanmar passengers were found dead on the scene; the rest were rushed to hospital, three being in serious condition.

Initial investigation showed that the Myanmar passengers had jointly chartered the van on Saturday to return home. When they were heading to Thailand-Myanmar border, a big sound was heard, but they did not know what happened.

Police suspected the van driver was falling asleep when the accident happened.

Further investigation is underway.

Fatigue driving has been the main killer in most of Thailand's road accidents over the past years. In January, a passenger van crashed into a truck and burst into flames, killing 25.
by Xinhua Writer Liu Si

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The type of globalization is changing largely because of the rise of China and the "globalization 2.0" is more about investment, infrastructure and development rather than just trade in the old times, an Indian-born Canadian scholar on globalization has said.

Amitav Acharya, writer of the popular book "The End of American World Order," published in 2014 and translated into Chinese, told Xinhua in a recent interview, when teaching at Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University here.

All the globalization was basically driven by the West and now the new globalization will be driven more by the East than the West, said Acharya, also the Boeing Company chair in International Relations and former president of the International Studies Association.

"This globalization will be led by the East, China in particular and others like India, and it will be based on south linkages," he said.

For Acharya, this is not a prediction but it is happening now. He listed several trends to illustrate his point.

One is from the economic perspective, which is that the relative share of the Western world GDP is declining and by 2050 the developing countries could account for 60 percent of the world GDP.

Secondly, the pattern of international trade is shifting away from north-north trade among the developed countries to south-south among developing countries.

Connected with trade, investment is also an indicator. Acharya said that Asian countries minus Japan have been the largest source of foreign investment in the world, and during the last 10 years, the biggest investment in the world was from East Asia.

If you look at these trends, It will not be difficult for you to imagine future globalization is moving away from the West toward the East, he said.

Particularly pointing out China's role in globalization, Acharya said that China's biggest push to globalization is construction of infrastructure.

"Infrastructure is not only about trade but also about development," he said, adding that China now invests more outside than it receives from outside and China is building the Belt and Road and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

He was referring to the China-led construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes.

The AIIB was established in 2015 and started operation in January 2016. With 57 signatory countries and authorized capital of 100 billion U.S. dollars, it aims to provide financing for infrastructure improvement in Asia as a "lean, clean and green" bank.

Figures can tell. China's outbound investment surpassed inbound funding in 2016. According to official data, China's non-financial outbound direct investment soared 44.1 percent to 170 billion U.S. dollars and Chinese companies invested in 7,961 overseas enterprises in 164 countries and regions in the past year.

Besides, China's combined imports and exports with countries along the Belt and Road topped 6.3 trillion yuan (about 912 billion dollars) in 2016, up 0.6 percent from 2015.

Noting that it will be a different stage of globalization, Acharya said that investment and infrastructure relations are much deeper and more suitable for developing countries, because they need infrastructure before they need trade. "That means the future globalization is moving more towards economic development in infrastructure rather than trade."

Commenting on the Western globalization, which was backed by military intervention or use of force in the past like colonialism, Acharya said "globalization in the last 40 years has been eroding state sovereignty."

"If it is led by countries in the East, like China, it will be more respectful of the political identity and sovereignty of other countries, and will be more geared to development not just trade," he said, "It's very different globalization."

Speaking of challenges, Acharya said that China will surely face problems from some countries, "just like everybody who invests in another country."

He said different cultures and management styles may make it difficult for companies to operate in other parts of the world. "But it can't create permanent barriers because Chinese companies will learn and develop partnerships with local companies."

"The globalization is not over...China will have much more influence in shaping the globalization than in the past. But China is not going to be the global hegemony," he said. Enditem
VIENTIANE, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) chief is visiting Laos to assess the progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP Administrator and Chair of the United Nations Development Group Helen Clark is in Laos on a two-day official visit that began on Sunday.

The UNDP chief is set to meet with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, high-ranking government officials and development partners to discuss the progress made so far by Laos towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals since her last visit in November 2015.

The UNDP administrator will also launch three flagship UNDP programs in coordination with Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare under the new UNDP Country Program for Laos (2017-2021).
KATHMANDU, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Nepali national Govinda Gautam, who was killed due to firing opened by the Indian security forces at the Nepal-India border near Anandabazar in Kanchanpur district last week, was cremated in his hometown with honor on Sunday.

The local administration in Kanchanpur gave an 11-canon salute during the cremation in his honor, who was declared a martyr by the government earlier.

Hundreds of local people attended the funeral procession of Gautam that was taken out from the Seti Zonal Hospital, where he was being kept for the autopsy, the Himalayan Times Online said in its report.

Clashes broke out between Indian border security forces and local residents near Anandabazar regarding the construction of a culvert over Sano Khola river by the Nepalese authorities.

Following the incident, Nepal-India Kanchanpur border section has remained tensed with the protests of local residents of Nepal.

Condemning the incident, the Nepalese government has demanded a fair investigation and bring the guilty to justice.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that it has initiated an enquiry, requesting the Nepalese side to share post-mortem and forensic reports to facilitate the enquiry process.
KATHMANDU, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Nepalese people across the hilly region of the country, including the Kathmandu valley, celebrated the festival of colors Holi on Sunday with merriment.

Holi is one of the major festivals celebrated annually in the Himalayan country.

The one-day festival, locally known as Fagu Purnima, is celebrated by smearing different types of color powder over each other along with water.

Hindus celebrate Holi to remember the day when the victory of good over evil was achieved.

According to religious belief, a mythical legend named Holika jumps into the fire along with her son Prahlad to devote herself to God Bishnu. Though her son Prahlad survives the fire, Holika gets burned into ashes as a punishment for inflicting injustices which is interpreted as victory of justice over injustice.

Since then, people celebrate Holi by exchanging greetings with each other and sharing happiness and love with family members, friends and well wishers.

Hundreds of thousands of Nepali people from all walks of life, especially youths, and even foreign tourists joined the celebrations in major parts of the capital city like new Road, Thamel and Kathmandu Durbar Square.

On the occasion, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal all extended their best wishes to the public.

In a press statement released by the Office of the President, President Bhandari said that it is the responsibility of all to preserve such cultural festivities.

"Such cultural festivals help forge national unity, foster fraternity and mutual harmony," the statement reads.

Similarly, Prime Minister Dahal in his message stressed promotion of such cultural heritages in a country full of diversity.

"Nepal is a country of multi-languages, multi-cultures and multi-religions. May Holi festival enhance and strengthen brotherhood among all communities," the prime minister said.

Holi is also synonym to sweet delicacy, music and dancing and consumption of alcohol. Considering the possible hooliganism, security of the capital city was beefed up Sunday with heavy mobilization of security personnel in major road-sections.

Holi is marked in the southern belt of the country known as Terai region only on Monday.
NEW DELHI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A day after India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the assembly polls in the politically important northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday described the win as "foundation of a new India" and an opportunity to serve people.

"I see this victory as the foundation of a new India where 65 per cent of population will be of young people below 35 years of age. A new India of unprecedently vigilant women. A new India where the poor do not want anything by way of charity, but seek opportunity to chart out their own course. I see this change happening," Modi said in his victory speech in the BJP headquarters in Delhi.

He added: "I am seeing a new India, the India of the dreams of the youth. A new India that fulfills the aspirations of our women. A new India that is about opportunities for the poor ... The poor are saying, I want to progress and I seek the opportunity from you."

The prime minister also said that BJP's governments would work for everyone regardless of whether they voted for the party or not.

"I am not one to run according an election calendar. We have goal in front of us -- 2022. It will be the 75th anniversary of India's independence. If 125 crore Indians pledge to help this country advance for five years, India will not be behind," he said.

Earlier in the day, Modi tweeted: "India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development."

The BJP has won 312 of 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh and has credited Modi for its most important victory since winning the 2014 general election.
RABAT, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan authorities said it seized 7.42 tons of cannabis late on Saturday at the Guerguarate crossing point near the border with Mauritania.

According to a police statement, the banned substance was packed in bags of agricultural fertilizers in a Morocco-registered truck heading to an African country.

Despite efforts to crack down on cannabis farming in the last decade, Morocco remains the world's largest producer of the cannabis resin.

According to the 2016 report by the United Nation's Office on Drugs and Crime, Morocco ranks first among 129 countries in terms of cannabis production from 2009 to 2014, followed by Afghanistan, Lebanon, India and Pakistan.
With Obama's federal government reducing the role of private prisons in the incarceration of Americans, companies like Corrections Corporation of America (now known as Corecivic) and GAO aggressively moved into providing detention facilities for people awaiting deportation, like the 2,000,000+ people deported under the Obama administrations.

These detention facilities were, if anything, even more cruel and inhumane than the private prisons that warehoused so many Americans. The Verge made FOIA requests to ICE for information on conditions in their privately contracted detention centers, and these documents reveal that under Obama, "life inside the facilities can be so dangerous and hostile that numerous detainees have voluntarily admitted themselves to solitary confinement just to seek refuge from the general population," and the remaining solitary confinement cells were routinely used to punish inmates for minor infractions like "horseplay" and talking back to guards, a punishment visited indiscriminately against detainees with severe mental illness.

Solitary confinement is classed as a form of torture by the UN.

Donald Trump has reversed the Obama policy of preventing private companies from providing federal prisons. The share prices of GAO and Corecivic have increased significantly since the inauguration.

In some of these cases, logs describe detainees who appear in obvious need of psychiatric help being put in isolation for long periods. One log reads that, on June 8th, 2016, CoreCivic staff placed a detainee in isolation for "standing up on his open bay bed and urinating in a cup followed by [the detainee] drinking the same urine." CoreCivic, with ICE's blessing, placed this detainee in solitary confinement for nearly a month not for mental health treatment but to discipline him for drinking his urine. The detainee had no attorney to represent him in this disciplinary action, the logs state. In another case at Lumpkin, a mentally ill detainee was placed in disciplinary isolation because he refused "to be housed in his assigned living area because he says that he is hurting and wants to see medical, medical did see the detainee and done all that they could for the detainee." In a case at the Texas facility, GEO Group placed a female detainee with mental illness in punitive isolation for two weeks for "making inappropriate comments to a GEO Officer while in the dormitory." The logs contain indications of things being particularly amiss at the Lumpkin facility. As The Verge documented last week, CoreCivic placed dozens of detainees in solitary confinement for hunger striking at the facility in 2016 alone. Additional logs show that CoreCivic's facilities at Lumpkin were over capacity, causing detainees to be placed in solitary simply because there was no room elsewhere. Two logs state that CoreCivic had placed detainees in isolation simply because its medical unit had no room to house people requiring medical attention.

ICE detainees are asking to be put in solitary confinement for their own safety

[Spencer Woodman/The Verge]

(via Naked Capitalism)

(Image: Cellule du quartier d'isolement de la prison Jacques-Cartier, a travers le judas, Rennes, France, Edouard Hue, CC-BY-SA)
MOSCOW, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Smartphones made in China took a larger share of the Russian market in January than a year ago, local retailers said recently.

In January 2017, five Chinese brands -- Lenovo, Huawei, Meizu, Xiaomi and ZTE -- collectively accounted for 24 percent of the Russian market in sales and 19 percent in revenue, increased from 19 percent and 13 percent respectively againt January of last year, electronic devices retailer M.video revealed.

Chinese manufacturers are no longer perceived by Russian buyers as suppliers of cheap phones, said Svyaznoy's spokesman Sergei Tikhonov.

According to him, earlier smartphones of Chinese brands were sold mainly in low price segments, but now they appear in both medium and high price categories.

Another reason is technology, said Tikhonov, adding that in recent years Chinese smartphones are in some respects even superior to the smartphone leaders in terms of technical characteristics.
A Turkish police vehicle is seen outside Dutch Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, March 12, 2017. Some 150 to 200 people holding Turkish national flags gathered in front of Dutch Embassy in Ankara on late Saturday to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Netherlands ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

PARIS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- France on Sunday called for de-escalation of tensions between Turkey and some European Union (EU) countries over Ankara's political campaigning among Turkish immigrants, French top diplomat Jean-Marc Ayrault said.

"Given the current tensions between Turkey and several member states of the European Union, France calls for calm," Ayrault said in a statement. "France also calls on the Turkish authorities to avoid excesses and provocations."

Ayrault's remarks came after the Netherlands joined other EU members in stopping Turkish politicians from holding rallies on their own soil out of fears that tensions in Turkey might be exported into their own communities.

Dutch authorities on Saturday banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam to attend a rally with Turkish nationals, and later that day stopped Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate there before escorting her out of the country to Germany.

Earlier on Sunday, Cavusoglu held a meeting with the Turkish community in Metez, eastern France as part of Ankara's political campaigning for a referendum in April.

"In the absence of a proven threat to public order, there was no reason to prohibit the meeting," the French foreign minister said.
NAIROBI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Chinese firms operating in Kenya on Sunday donated 30 tonnes of food, oil and water to victims of drought in Makueni County located in lower eastern part of the country.

Speaking at the donation ceremony, Chairman of Kenya Chinese Chamber of Commerce Zhuo Wu said Chinese enterprises are keen to be part of the solution to drought ravaging different parts of the east African Nation.

"We are ready to assist Kenyans affected by drought and have donated maize and wheat flour, cooking fat and water to the most vulnerable. This is part of our responsibility to strengthen bonds of friendship," Zhuo remarked.

Zhuo said Chinese firms will extend assistance to other parts of Kenya reeling from severe drought.

An estimated 2.7 million Kenyans in 23 counties are affected by the current drought that escalated early this year.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on February 10 declared the current drought a national disaster and made a fresh appeal to the international community to increase food aid.

The Chinese community in Kenya has been in the front line to assist Kenyans in overcoming the ravages of drought.

Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya Yao Ming said at the donation ceremony that emergency support to Kenya's drought victims dovetails with Beijing's policy of cementing sincere friendship with bilateral partners.

"The food donation is noble gesture by the Chinese community in Kenya. We are ready to assist the country in building a better future," Yao remarked.

Local administrators present at the ceremony hailed Chinese enterprises for providing essential support to drought victims.

Richard Katemi Makenga, Member of Parliament for Kaiti Constituency in Makueni County, said that vulnerable members of society like children and the elderly will benefit from food donated by Chinese firms.

Makenga noted that suppressed rains in the last two seasons worsened food and water insecurity in the larger Makueni County.

"Timely support from Chinese businesses will provide relief to the most vulnerable drought victims such as the elderly," he added.
A staff member of Huawei company introduces P9 smartphone at a product launch in Moscow, Russia, on June 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)

MOSCOW, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Smartphones made in China took a larger share of the Russian market in January than a year ago, local retailers said recently.

In January 2017, five Chinese brands -- Lenovo, Huawei, Meizu, Xiaomi and ZTE -- collectively accounted for 24 percent of the Russian market in sales and 19 percent in revenue, increased from 19 percent and 13 percent respectively againt January of last year, electronic devices retailer M.video revealed.

Chinese manufacturers are no longer perceived by Russian buyers as suppliers of cheap phones, said Svyaznoy's spokesman Sergei Tikhonov.

According to him, earlier smartphones of Chinese brands were sold mainly in low price segments, but now they appear in both medium and high price categories.

Another reason is technology, said Tikhonov, adding that in recent years Chinese smartphones are in some respects even superior to the smartphone leaders in terms of technical characteristics.
By BETTY L. MARTIN

HOUSTON, March 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump administration's plans to lift government regulations and environmental protections on fossil fuel was good for the economy, two U.S. senators said here.

Senior U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chair of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said last Friday, March 10, at the end of IHS CERA week that they were looking forward for less restrictive policies that would allow greater oil exploration, production and delivery systems, including approval of controversial pipelines.

"We're going to roll back some of what I see as an overreach by the previous (President Barrack Obama's) administration," Cornyn said, citing Trump's lifting of a crude oil ban on and proposed changes in fuel standards. "It's nice to have an administration that actually believes in the energy industry."

"We're planning how we access our federal lands, with more available for (harvesting) resources," Murkowski said.

A Friday panel was composed of energy company and agency heads from countries who signed, along with the United States, the Paris Agreement last year, a commitment to reduce carbon emissions over a period of time to aid in combating global warming -- an agreement from which Trump has vowed to withdraw -- say there is enough support from remaining signatories to ensure its success.

"We managed to sign an agreement. It was historical. Big difference was not just a political agenda, but from countries with cities where 80 percent of the emissions occur," said Ignacio Galan, chairman and chief executive officer of Iberdrole.

"I've been attending (environmental) meetings and I've seen companies where they have already pushed the politicians to move in the direction to lessen climate change. The U.S. is no different than the world," he added.

He cited the United States' billions of dollars in investments in clean energy, along with China's.

"Their companies want more sustainable, cleaner, better conditions than we have been getting," Galan said. "In India, economics make a lot of coal-powered plants, but today, they are looking at cleaner energy, which is also cheaper."

Iberdrole is the second largest provider of windmill grids in the United States, Galan said, saying that the company has invested 4 billion U.S. dollars on non-fossil-based energy in the past four years.

Carlos Pascual, senior vice president and chair of IHS Markit said that while oil prices go up and down and electricity is dependent on resources, use of digitalization is creating more efficient energy for emerging companies in Africa, Southeast Asia.

"Fifty percent of our business is in China. Our company has decided to become carbon neutral in the next 10 years," said Pascual, who lives in Chinese mainland. "Thirty percent of our business is digital technology, insertion of intelligence sources.

He said China is on pace where 70 percent of its energy source is coal, but will be 40 percent by 2040. "We do a lot in China, working on efficiency incentives, renewables and electric mobility and more distribution."

Jaime Francisco Hernandez Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of Comision Federal de Electricida, said that Mexico has reduced its carbon emissions by 40 percent in the past five years by transferring from coal to cleaner, renewable energy.

"It's a great time to invest in Mexico," he said. "We are closing the gap in price of renewable energy with the U.S... We now have 180 electricity plants, distribution of more than 800,000 kilometers. We are transforming the company and the country, looking forward to a more comfortable, cleaner, competitive energy."

Martinez said that for the first time in Mexico's history, even the most remote areas of the country has electricity, a market created by the government and private participation and one of several five-to-10-year projects that includes Mexico-produced natural gas flowing through 26 pipelines and other renewables.

"We have established a level of 10 to 11 percent emissions, far from the goal of six percent, but we are promoting 6 billion (U.S. dollars) in the next five years on clean energy," Martinez said.

Jean-Paul Tricolne, chairman and CEO of Schneider Electric, which works with more than 100 countries and partners on various types of energy, carbon-based to digital technology, including China.

"We partner to bring more efficiency in our relationship with customers, to bring those solutions," Tricolne said.

"China is very, very keen on more efficiency going into the mix of supply. We have customers come to us to resource renewables. It's about competitiveness and being credible with customers of today."
UNITED NATIONS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday condemned the terrorist bombings in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Saturday, saying that those responsible for the bombings "must be held accountable."

"The secretary-general is appalled by the utter disregard for human life displayed by the perpetrators, and extends his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, many of whom were pilgrims," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said in a statement.

"Those responsible for the bombings, and anyone carrying out attacks against civilians, must be held accountable," the statement said.

On Saturday, two bombings were carried out in swift succession near a cemetery in the Shaghour area in the old part of the capital Damascus, reportedly killing 74 people, mainly Shiite Iraqi visitors.

The Levant Liberation Committee, an Al Qaeda-linked group, on Sunday claimed responsibility for the twin blasts in Damascus.

The group said in a statement that the attack was carried by two of its suicide attackers, claiming that they targeted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen, reports said.
A girl is pictured in front of a damaged building in Gorlovka, eastern Ukraine, on July 10, 2016.

KIEV, March 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 civilians were killed and 70 others wounded this year in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Friday.

Alexander Hug, deputy chief of the OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine, said that the civilian casualties occurred as the sides continue ceasefire violations, even in the disengagement areas, despite their commitments to observe the truce.

The presence of landmines and heavy weapons along the contact line is also presenting a danger to the civilian population, Hug told a media briefing in Kiev.

The conflict has been spreading in Ukraine's east since April 2014, when the government troops launched offensives to regain control over the cities and towns seized by pro-independence insurgents.

The confrontation has claimed the lives of some 10,000 people, including civilians and combatants on both sides, and left about 22,000 others wounded.

The latest round of truce started in the restive region on Feb. 20.
KIGALI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Two Rwandans are said to have been killed while another was injured in an attack by armed gunmen in western Rwandan town of Rusizi, on Sunday morning.

According to information from Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), one of the deceased and the wounded were on night patrol locally called irondo at a health post, while the second dead victim was a 12-year-old.

"This morning, at around 1:00 in Rusizi District, Bugarama Sector, Ryankana cell, Kabuga village, unidentified armed group attacked and killed two civilians and wounded one," a statement by Lt Col Rene Ngendahimana, the acting Defence and Military spokesperson said.

It said the unidentified gunmen withdrew to Burundi as the incident took place near the border with Burundi.

"Investigations into the incident have started to establish the identity of the attackers," the statement said.

The year 2016 ended with frosty relations between Rwanda and Burundi following allegations that Kigali was meddling in Bujumbura affairs. Rwanda denies the accusations.
A pump jack operates at a well site leased by Devon Energy ProductionCompany near Guthrie, Oklahoma in this September 15, 2015.(REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo)

By BETTY L. MARTIN

HOUSTON, March 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump administration's plans to lift government regulations and environmental protections on fossil fuel was good for the economy, two U.S. senators said here.

Senior U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chair of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said last Friday, March 10, at the end of IHS CERA week that they were looking forward for less restrictive policies that would allow greater oil exploration, production and delivery systems, including approval of controversial pipelines.

"We're going to roll back some of what I see as an overreach by the previous (President Barrack Obama's) administration," Cornyn said, citing Trump's lifting of a crude oil ban on and proposed changes in fuel standards. "It's nice to have an administration that actually believes in the energy industry."

"We're planning how we access our federal lands, with more available for (harvesting) resources," Murkowski said.

A Friday panel was composed of energy company and agency heads from countries who signed, along with the United States, the Paris Agreement last year, a commitment to reduce carbon emissions over a period of time to aid in combating global warming -- an agreement from which Trump has vowed to withdraw -- say there is enough support from remaining signatories to ensure its success.

"We managed to sign an agreement. It was historical. Big difference was not just a political agenda, but from countries with cities where 80 percent of the emissions occur," said Ignacio Galan, chairman and chief executive officer of Iberdrole.

"I've been attending (environmental) meetings and I've seen companies where they have already pushed the politicians to move in the direction to lessen climate change. The U.S. is no different than the world," he added.

He cited the United States' billions of dollars in investments in clean energy, along with China's.

"Their companies want more sustainable, cleaner, better conditions than we have been getting," Galan said. "In India, economics make a lot of coal-powered plants, but today, they are looking at cleaner energy, which is also cheaper."

Iberdrole is the second largest provider of windmill grids in the United States, Galan said, saying that the company has invested 4 billion U.S. dollars on non-fossil-based energy in the past four years.

Carlos Pascual, senior vice president and chair of IHS Markit said that while oil prices go up and down and electricity is dependent on resources, use of digitalization is creating more efficient energy for emerging companies in Africa, Southeast Asia.

"Fifty percent of our business is in China. Our company has decided to become carbon neutral in the next 10 years," said Pascual, who lives in Chinese mainland. "Thirty percent of our business is digital technology, insertion of intelligence sources.

He said China is on pace where 70 percent of its energy source is coal, but will be 40 percent by 2040. "We do a lot in China, working on efficiency incentives, renewables and electric mobility and more distribution."

Jaime Francisco Hernandez Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of Comision Federal de Electricida, said that Mexico has reduced its carbon emissions by 40 percent in the past five years by transferring from coal to cleaner, renewable energy.

"It's a great time to invest in Mexico," he said. "We are closing the gap in price of renewable energy with the U.S... We now have 180 electricity plants, distribution of more than 800,000 kilometers. We are transforming the company and the country, looking forward to a more comfortable, cleaner, competitive energy."

Martinez said that for the first time in Mexico's history, even the most remote areas of the country has electricity, a market created by the government and private participation and one of several five-to-10-year projects that includes Mexico-produced natural gas flowing through 26 pipelines and other renewables.

"We have established a level of 10 to 11 percent emissions, far from the goal of six percent, but we are promoting 6 billion (U.S. dollars) in the next five years on clean energy," Martinez said.

Jean-Paul Tricolne, chairman and CEO of Schneider Electric, which works with more than 100 countries and partners on various types of energy, carbon-based to digital technology, including China.

"We partner to bring more efficiency in our relationship with customers, to bring those solutions," Tricolne said.

"China is very, very keen on more efficiency going into the mix of supply. We have customers come to us to resource renewables. It's about competitiveness and being credible with customers of today."
PANAMA CITY, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A bus ran into a crowd in the city of Gonaives in northern Haiti on Sunday, killing at least 34 people and wounded 17 others, local report in capital Port-au-Prince quoted Haitian rescue officials as saying.

The report said the accident occurred at about 3 a.m. Sunday after a bus crashed into a group of people attending a music festival.

The bus was coming from Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince and the bus driver fled the scene after the accident.
KIGALI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe have signed five agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation ranging from agriculture to tourism.

The agreements are on cooperation in areas of agriculture, animal resources, tourism trade, air transport, and visa waiver.

Rwanda's foreign minister Louise Mushikiwabo, and her counterpart Urbino Botelho signed the agreements on behalf of their respective countries, following talks in Kigali aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries.

A statement released Sunday said both sides pledged to implement the agreements aimed at consolidating bilateral relations as well as promoting South-South Cooperation and strengthening African solidarity.

Botelho expressed feelings of gratitude to the government and people of Rwanda for the warm welcome extended to him, the statement said.

Botelho was in Rwanda from March 9 to 11. He was accompanied by a delegation of high-level dignitaries, including Carlos Manuel Vila Nova, Minister of Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment and other experts from Sao Tome and Principe.

Botelho and his delegation visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial and laid a wreath of flowers in tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

The delegation then toured the Kigali Special Economic Zone and the Rwanda Development Board. The delegation was briefed about the efforts and progress made by the Government of Rwanda to improve the business climate.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the media at the State House in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 8, 2017. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that the international community will rally behind Kenya's efforts to tackle biting drought and regional conflicts. (Xinhua/File Photo/Pan Siwei)

UNITED NATIONS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday condemned the terrorist bombings in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Saturday, saying that those responsible for the bombings "must be held accountable."

"The secretary-general is appalled by the utter disregard for human life displayed by the perpetrators, and extends his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, many of whom were pilgrims," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said in a statement.

"Those responsible for the bombings, and anyone carrying out attacks against civilians, must be held accountable," the statement said.

On Saturday, two bombings were carried out in swift succession near a cemetery in the Shaghour area in the old part of the capital Damascus, reportedly killing 74 people, mainly Shiite Iraqi visitors.

The Levant Liberation Committee, an Al Qaeda-linked group, on Sunday claimed responsibility for the twin blasts in Damascus.

The group said in a statement that the attack was carried by two of its suicide attackers, claiming that they targeted pro-Iranian and pro-government militiamen, reports said.
Turkish national flag is seen at Dutch consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 12, 2017. Hundreds of protesters held demonstrations at the Dutch missions in Turkey on late Saturday and Sunday, and an unidentified person downed the Dutch flag in consulate in Istanbul and raised Turkish flag. Turkish leaders have threatened Dutch government to retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from holding rallies in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional amendments to expand the president's powers. (Xinhua/DHA/Depo Photos)

ANKARA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish leaders has threatened Dutch government to retaliate in the "harshest ways" after Turkish ministers were barred from holding rallies in Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional amendments to expand the president's powers.

"You will pay the price if you sacrifice ties between Turkey-Netherlands. We have yet to do what is required," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.

"I thought that Nazism was over, but I was wrong. In fact, Nazism is up on its feet in the West," he said.

"We'll respond in harshest way," the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sunday speaking at a rally in western Turkey. "Hey Europe, please don't meddle in Turkey's internal affairs and politics and don't take a side," he said.

Diplomatic tensions between the two countries escalated on the weekend after the Dutch authorities canceled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permission to the Netherlands and then blocked Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday. As she insisted to enter the consulate compound, the minister was declared "persona non grata" and deported to Germany.

Dutch police intervened hundreds of Turkish protesters that were demonstrating in front of the Turkish consulate compound after the Turkish minister was blocked from entering, with seven Turks were injured and 12 others were detained.

"I went there to meet our electorate, to meet them at our consulate which is part of our homeland. We do not need to get permission for that," Minister Kaya told reporters on Sunday after she arrived in Istanbul.

They were treated rudely by the Dutch authorities, and the charge d'affaires of Turkish embassy in Netherlands and five security guards of the minister were detained, the minister added.

"An apology from the Netherlands will not be enough to normalize relations, and the Turkish government will take additional steps against this country," Foreign Minister Cavusoglu said on Sunday in France where he arrived to hold a rally after he could not travel to Netherlands.

The minister also called on European Union to side with Turkey and react against Netherlands as the Dutch government has "violated European norms."

Hundreds of protesters held demonstrations at the Dutch missions in Turkey on late Saturday and Sunday, and an unidentified person downed the Dutch flag in consulate in Istanbul and raised Turkish flag.

Entries and exits had been closed to the Netherlands' consulate in Istanbul and embassy in Ankara, along with the Dutch charge d'affaires' house and the ambassador's residence.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Sunday that he would do everything to "de-escalate" a diplomatic tension with Turkey.

"I've never experienced this before, but we want to be the more prudent party. If they escalate we will have to respond, but we will do everything in our power to de-escalate," he said.

The diplomatic rift erupted when the Turkish ministers attempted to campaign in the Netherlands, where around 500,000 Turkish immigrants and their children mostly holding dual citizenships live, just days before the March 15 Dutch election.

The Dutch government said it withdrew the permission for Turkish politician's campaign because of "risks to public order and security."

Prime Minister Rutte is in election fight with Geert Wilders, who is poised to increase his share of the vote after having campaigned on an anti-immigrant platform targeting Turkish immigrants.
TEHRAN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's Hyundai Engineering Company (HEC) signed a three-billion euros (3.2 billion U.S. dollars) of contract with Iran's Ahdaf Investment Company on Sunday for construction of the second phase of Kangan Petro Refining Complex in Iran's southwestern Bushehr province, Tehran Times daily reported.

According to the report, the contract, which is in the form of an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPCF) Contract, was signed by the two sides' representatives in Iran's capital Tehran.

Asghar Arefi, the managing director of Ahdaf, who signed the contract on Iran's side, said that the first phase of the complex has had a 30 percent progress so far.

According to Arefi, 95 percent of the project's finance will be provided by South Korean banks within nine months. "The most important issue and the most difficult step, after signing the contract, would be finalization of financing agreements with banks and insurance institute of South Korea," he added.

Kangan Petro Refining project encompasses the construction of C2 recovery and fractioning plants as well as ethane cracker and polymer plants.
BAGHDAD, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Islamic State (IS) fighters are completely "trapped" and "the last road out of Mosul" has been cut off, claimed a US envoy Sunday in Baghdad.

"Just last night, the 9th Iraqi armydivision, up near Badush, just northwest of Mosul, cut off the last road out of Mosul," said Brett McGurk, U.S. envoy to the anti-IS coalition.

Meanwhile, Iraqi government forces have expelled IS fighters from about 30 percent of western Mosul, a senior official from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service(CTS) said Sunday, a major progress in the massive operation to retake the second largest city of Iraq.

The official said that CTS soldiers clashed fiercely with IS members in the old city center in western Mosul, stressing that the enemy's power has been greatly weakened in the battle.

Iraqi government forces launched the offensive to liberate western Mosul on February 19 after declaring the full control of eastern Mosul late January.

McGurk also announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will visit Washington next week to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump on the further cooperation between two countries.
by Ronald Ssekandi, Yuan Qing

KAMPALA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The rainy season has set off and in the swampy villages of Budaka district in eastern Uganda, Joyce Nabejja tills her hybrid rice field in anticipation of greater yields.

Nabejja is one of the thousands of Ugandan small scale farmers benefiting from an agriculture project that is run by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Ugandan government and China.

The two million U.S. dollar project, which is in its second phase, is run under the FAO South-South Cooperation program. It was set up to help developing countries share knowledge and expertise so that all can benefit from innovations and good practices that have been tried and tested in countries facing similar conditions and challenges.

This program is part of China's move to channel its aid to Africa and other parts of the world through multilateral organizations like the UN.

In September 2015, China made major pledges in foreign aid, including two billion U.S. dollars to support South-South cooperation and debt relief for least-developed countries.

Also among the pledges is a 10-year, one billion dollars peace and development fund to support the UN.

These pledges have started exerting a positive influence on Africa, one of the major beneficiaries.

Farmers in Uganda are being trained by Chinese agronomists on better farming skills. The scientists have introduced Chinese hybrid rice Foxtail millet, apple farming, and irrigation among others.

From rice field to the classroom, China is also helping to boost Africa's education sector to promote social development.

About a week ago, the Chinese government through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) donated equipment to three teacher training institutions in Uganda.

Figures from the Chinese embassy here show that 137 tutors were trained and 272 pieces of Information Communication and Technology, and studio equipment were donated.

The tutors were skilled on how to integrate technology with traditional methods of training, according to Beatrice Byakutaga, head of Shimon Primary Teachers College, one of the three beneficiary institutions in Uganda.

Other African countries like Ethiopia, Namibia and Cote d'Ivoire are benefiting from the same scheme of skilling teachers and trainers.

China has in the past decade been in the front line of supporting UN peacekeeping efforts in Africa, with more than 2,400 Chinese blue helmets currently on duties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Liberia, Sudan, South Sudan and Mali. The troops carry out security, engineering and medical work.

The Chinese military engineers in the DRC have been involved in road renovation, bridge construction, landmine detection and airport maintenance, while the medical personnel have been providing treatment for local people.

China is the biggest contributor to UN peacekeeping forces among the five UN Security Council permanent members.

In 2015, China also pledged to provide military aid worth 100 million dollars to the African Union to support the African Standby Force, Africa's peacekeeping troops.
BRUSSELS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- When the European Union (EU) is preparing for the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, from which the whole integration process stemmed, the future of Europe aroused hot discussions inside the bloc.

Giles Merritt, founder and chairman of Friends of Europe think tank and author of "Slippery Slope Europe's Troubled Future," said EU "still has much worth" but argued that poor productivity is Europe's greatest weakness, and it is going to be exacerbated by aging and youth unemployment.

He said, "European productivity growth used to outstrip America's. But now Europe's rate is half that of the United States. It's time for the Commission to identify the backsliders, the greatest threat to prosperity."

According to Emma Marcegaglia, president of BusinessEurope, the Brussels-based representative body for Europe's business community, industrial policy, trade and investment are "key" for growth, competitiveness and job creation in Europe and to take the European project forward.

Ulrike Trebesius, a centre right German European parliamentarian, believed that past hopes in Europe and the eurozone have fallen victim to "centralism and delusions of grandeur", adding, "The EU should concentrate on fewer policy areas and become more efficient, for example, in fighting terrorism and protecting its borders.

"Times have changed, we need more flexibility and to adapt our institutional set-up", she said.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, now a member of European Parliament (MEP) who will play a key role in the Brexit negotiations, said the bloc currently lacks real capabilities to address many of today's challenges.

Therefore, he stressed the need to start a further inter-institutional reflection on the future of Europe.

Earlier this month, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker unveiled a White Paper on the future of Europe, in which he outlined five possible scenarios for the remaining 27 member states of the bloc (considering Brexit as done) by 2025.

The leading consultancy, Grayling, has drafted a policy paper on the White Paper which will feed into member state discussions on this issue during the EU summit in Rome on March 25.

It said Juncker is aware that a multi-speed Europe (one of his scenarios) can be supported by both founding members, such as Germany, France and Italy, as well as by non-Eurozone countries such as Poland, a country with no plans to join the euro in the foreseeable future.

It went on, "Indeed, it could be argued that the Euro, the Schengen Area, and the process of "enhanced cooperation" signify that a multispeed Europe already exists. Deeper pan-EU cooperation, however, could be expected in foreign affairs, defense, growth, investment, and migration policies."

For Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, the EU needs to be changed but not weakened.

"The 60th anniversary celebrations of the Treaty of Rome should not be just a formal ceremony but an opportunity to consolidate our abilities to deliver concrete results to European citizens," he said.

But, with populist parties on the rise, eurosceptics like Gerard Batten, an MEP with the UK Independence Party, see this moment as their big chance to seize the initiative.

He said that the commission's White Paper recognizes the problems facing the EU, "but fails to understand that many of these were created by the EU in the first place".

On March 25, the "White Paper on the Future of Europe: Avenues for Unity for the EU at 27", will be officially handed over to the governments of 27 EU members in Rome, and they will be asked to provide input "in a structured way" by December.

The EU summit in December will be the culmination of the process to forge the "new vision" for Europe for the next decade.
TEHRAN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian First Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi said on Sunday that his country is resolved to strengthen bilateral ties with Oman, Tasnim news agency reported.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is serious about forging more consolidated ties with Oman," Sarmadi said in a meeting with Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, the visiting secretary general of Oman's ministry of foreign affairs, in the capital Tehran.

Sarmadi highlighted President Hassan Rouhani's recent visit to Oman, saying the two nations have the necessary political will to boost mutual relations.

Tehran-Muscat ties are exemplary in the region, he added.

For his part, Hamood Albusaidi also voiced Oman's willingness and seriousness to deepen relations with Iran.

Good ties between the two countries will help improve stability and security in the volatile region, he added.
LONDON, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A two-year-old American cocker spaniel named Miami won best of show on Sunday night at Crufts, the world's biggest dog show.

Miami emerged as the supreme champion from more than 22,000 entries at the four-day show in Birmingham.

Miami, full name Afterglow Miami Ink, won the gundog category to secure a place in the final seven in front of a packed arena at the Birmingham NEC.

Owner Jason Lynn from Northern England described Miami as a pretty special dog, saying: "I'm speechless and absolutely thrilled."

Reserve best in the show was a two-year-old miniature poodle, kennel name Minarets Best Kept Secret, but called Frankie from Blackburn, also in Northern England.

Meanwhile Biscuit, a German Shepherd Dog/Border Collie cross owned by Joshua King from North Wales won the Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year title.
LIMA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- 18 people were killed Saturday night in Peru when a passenger minivan tumbled down a ravine on a highway in the Peruvian Andres, local press reported on Sunday.

The tragedy occurred outside the town of Maribamba, in the northwestern province of Fitzcarrald, along a road around 3,000m above sea level.

According to the Peru21 news website, the van left the road due to a landslide, which pushed the vehicle down a cliff around 500 meters deep.

The driver and 17 passengers died instantly, according to rescuers who struggled to arrive at the scene due to the remote area and dark. Only the driver has so far been identified as Jhony Marco Cadenillas Morales.

The regional police issued a statement Sunday, saying that they would continue the operation to retrieve the bodies, while specialized personnel were on the scene.
Photo taken on March 12, 2017 shows the site of a traditional activity praying for prosperous and good harvest in Gyangze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)
A child takes part in the Holon Purim Parade in Holon, central Israel on March 12, 2017. Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman's plot during the reign of the ancient Persian Empire, according to the Biblical Book of Esther. (Xinhua/Guo Yu)
100 murders

Three of the murders occurred in Chaguanas and investigators have linked them to an ongoing war between Enterprise gangs, Unruly Isis and Rasta City Muslims.

The fourth man was gunned down in Diego Martin.

Hours after 22-year-old Terrance Boomy Patrick was shot dead in Enterprise, Chaguanas at about 4 pm, his friend Christian Mohammed, 23, who was wounded in the shooting died at hospital early yesterday morning.

In the interval, at about 11 pm, Kareem Gomes was gunned down near his home at Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas.

Detailing Fridays events in the borough, police said Patrick and three friends, Mohammed, Candice James and Daniel Tannis, were liming at a house on the corner of John and School Streets, Enterprise when four men got out of a white Nissan Tiida and opened fire. Patrick was pronounced dead on arrival at the Chaguanas Health Centre while the others were transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.

Police said Mohammed, of Cunupia, succumbed to gunshot wounds at about 12.15 am yesterday.

James and Tannis remained warded in stable condition under police guard yesterday.

Three men, reported to be in their 20s, have been detained for the Enterprise murders. One of them has been identified as a relative of murdered community activist Selwyn Robo Cop Alexis.

Investigators believe the men are also responsible for Gomes murder.

They report that Gomes, of Jade Avenue, Edinburgh 500, was at a neighbours house when a gunman walked up and began shooting. While his neighbour escaped unhurt, Gomes was not so lucky as he was shot several times and died on the spot.

Police said the arrest of the three suspects is a major breakthrough in their investigations of shootings in Chaguanas, which they believe are reprisals for the murder of Alexis last year.

There is a lot of grief in the community, a police source said.

Police also disclosed Patricks brother was shot and killed two years ago.

Edinburgh 500 residents yesterday called for the return of regular police patrols which they claimed stopped a month ago because the police did not have enough vehicles.

And in the west, 23-year-old Randy Alexander died undergoing treatment after he was shot in the gallery of a neighbours home in Diego Martin.

Police report that at about 9.30 pm, Alexander, of Farm Road off Richplain, Diego Martin, and a neighbour were liming in her gallery.

She left him, went inside and then heard loud gunshots. When the shooting stopped, the woman returned outside and found Alexander slumped on a chair, bleeding from small holes about his body. Police said Alexander had been involved in criminal activities since he was a teenager and, just four years ago, he was shot in his right foot which had to be amputated.

Alexander was taken to the St James District Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Investigations into his murder continue.

There were also unconfirmed reports of the discovery of a mans body in St Joseph yesterday.
Hosein: Team up to fight crime too

Crime goes beyond party, religion, race and so on and just as how we are teaming up to clean up the country and it is being successful, I am urging the country to come together to solve the crime situation, Hosein told Sunday Newsday yesterday.

Everybody must come together, he said after the launch of the seventh clean-up campaign in the Penal/Debe region.

Hundreds of volunteers, including school-children, and non-governmental organisations gathered at Francis Seepaul Recreation Ground, Debe for the Debe/Penal Regional Corporation leg of the campaign which is being undertaken in all 14 regional corporations. Hosein wants litter wardens and officers of the corporations public health and building departments to enforce the litter laws.

Charge persons, enforce the law, Hosein said observing that offenders are hardly ever prosecuted.

They come to work and in that area little is done. These officers should become more active and once persons are charged people will become more conscious.

You must charge people for dumping in rivers and so on.

We cant be doing this clean-up and after one week people start dumping again. Penal/Debe Regional Corporation chairman David Sammy said the response has been overwhelming.

They are all on board, Sammy said adding the exercise continues today.

More than 40 small dump sites and watercourses are to be cleaned. Tyres dumped along the length of the M2 Ring Road from La Romaine to Debe were cleared yesterday.

The garbage was deposited at the Guapo and Claxton Bay landfills. Collections points were set up in Penal and Debe and Sammy hopes volunteers will continue to work with the corporation.

The clean-up campaign next goes to Siparia.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) issued a report on Moroccos efforts to strengthen economic ties with African countries, noting that the Kingdom is steadily becoming a main economic hub in the continent.



The report dubbed Analysis of Moroccos Trade Policy, sheds light on the progress of Moroccos trade with Africa and recommends lowering custom duties with African countries.

Moroccos trade with Africa has increased by 20% in recent years, i.e. a 1.5 billion dollar increase and recently accelerated with a 13% growth in trade with sub-Saharan Africa in 2014, says the report.

The AfDB underscores that Moroccos return to the African Union and its bid to join the West African economic community (ECOWAS) are part of efforts to strengthen the Kingdoms position as an economic hub.

The report adds that the growth rate experienced by African economies lures Moroccos operators to boost exports towards the continent through sealing trade agreements.

Moroccos trade continues to be geared towards the following countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Guinea, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Cote dIvoire, Ghana, Togo, Angola, Nigeria and Mauritania in addition to Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia.

I terms of Moroccan imports, the report highlights the difficulties faced by Sub-Saharan products in entering the Moroccan market, noting that these products comprise notably coal (15. 8%), coffee (13.6%), animal feedstuffs (11.2%), spices (6.2%) and inorganic chemical products (4.7%).

A reduction in customs duties remains a trade policy tool that could effectively boost bilateral trade flows with a positive impact for Morocco and the rest of the world, in particular, sub-Saharan Africa, recommends the AfDB.
Stone waving something off at Trump Tower in December. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone has admitted that he exchanged completely innocuous private messages with the hacker or hackers who claimed they had infiltrated the DNC during last years presidential election. Stone told the Washington Times that he exchanged private Twitter messages with the person or people who used the pseudonym Guccifer 2.0 in August. Guccifer 2.0, self identifying as a Romanian hacktivist, took credit for compromising the DNC and supplying what was obtained in the hack to WikiLeaks. U.S. intelligence officials, meanwhile, say that the Guccifer persona was in fact a front for hackers directed by the Russian government with the intent of intervening in the election on behalf of then-candidate Donald Trump. The investigation into that meddling, as well as any possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, is ongoing.



Stone downplayed the messages to the Times, explaining that the conversation was so perfunctory, brief and banal I had forgotten it. He also supplied what he said were screenshots of three private Twitter messages. The exchange apparently followed Stones writing of a Breitbart post, which claimed the DNC hack was perpetrated by Guccifer 2.0 instead of the Russian government. Transcribes the Times:

In one of the messages dated Aug. 14, Mr. Stone said he was delighted that Twitter had reinstated Guccifer 2.0s account following a brief suspension. Two days later, Mr. Stone again privately messaged the Twitter account and asked for it to retweet a column he had written about the prospects of the 2016 presidential election being rigged.



wow. thank u for writing back, and thank u for an article about me!!! Guccifer 2.0 wrote Mr. Stone in the interim, referring to the Breitbart piece. do u find anything interesting in the docs i posted?



im pleased to say that u r great man, Guccifer 2.0 wrote in an Aug. 17 message to Mr. Stone. please tell me if i can help u anyhow. it would be a great pleasure to me.

I myself had no contacts or communications with the Russian State, Russian Intelligence or anyone fronting for them or acting as intermediaries for them, Stone further insisted to the Times, asking how he could have been directing the hacks if the messages happened after the fact. Stone, however, has recently bragged about having had a back channel to WikiLeaks during the campaign after having also touted his communication with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at an event in August. (WikiLeaks then denied there had ever been any contact between them and Stone.) WikiLeaks, of course, went on to slowly leak Clinton campaign manager John Podestas emails  which were allegedly obtained by Guccifer 2.0  starting in October. Back in August, less than two weeks after mentioning his communication with WikiLeaks, Stone tweeted, Trust me, it will soon the Podestas time in the barrel.
Mercy Brewer for Lonely lingerie. Photo: Harry Were/Lonely Lingerie

New Zealands Lonely clothing brand has a new ad campaign thats turning heads. Fifty-six-year-old Mercy Brewer is the star of the brands SS17 lingerie presentation, making ageism the latest taboo for the indie label to break. Lonely is known for its inclusive marketing, from its retouch-free autumn/winter 2016 campaign to its Instagram feed of customers wearing their lingerie in everyday life.

Co-founder and designer Helene Morris said, The beauty and fashion industries are so obsessed with youth, but the reality is we are all aging, and there are so many wonderful things about growing older. So often the primary message around age is intervention, which is a frustrating response to such a natural, inevitable process.

Brewer, a former punk rocker who modeled alongside Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, added, I believe we are in a moment in time where older womens beauty has been a startling revelation. If we dont recognize it, we, every one of us, deny ourselves a future to look forward to.

Or, as Brewer simply told i-D, Forget stereotypes, if someone looks good in your gear, shine a light on them.

Mercy Brewer/Photo by Harry Were

Mercy Brewer/Photo by Harry Were

Update: This article has been updated to reflect that this campaign is for the SS17 season.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

MDC-T Leader Morgan Tsvangirai has issued a winding statement on the worsening economic crisis of the country condemning the ruling Zanu PF for failing to rescue the nation from the spiraling economic quagmire.The condemnation of the ruling party come at a time when the Presi9dent Robert Mugabe is being accused of squandering the little remaining money in the treasury through his useless foreign trips. Recently he chartered a plane to Singapore which reportedly gobbled over $1 million.Below are the excerpts of his statement.IntroductionThe party's national executive has just met, amid the context of a worsening national crisis and Zanu PF's attempt to steal the next election, even before that election is held.I will appraise you on these and other key issues that we have deliberated upon in the national executive, including the people's views that I gathered during my one-and-half months' tour of the country's provinces since the end of January this year. Some of the people's inputs during my tour were strategic, some informed party policy while others were exclusively internal advice to the party and I hope you will understand if I do not give you the full bouquet of the people's views.However, we have mainly called this press briefing to highlight some of the important national issues that are pre-occupying the party and its organs, including the national executive that has just met.1. The brazen attempt to steal the next electionA fortnight ago, the nation was startled to hear that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, a supposedly independent Commission, had allowed the Zanu PF government to hijack the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise, in the process casting fresh doubts on the prospect for a free, fair and credible election in 2018.Given our history of stolen elections, everyone was confident with the process in which the United Nations was involved through the UNDP.Elections are about confidence and credibility and the involvement of the respected world body had given everyone reason to believe in the freeness, fairness and credibility of the process leading to the 2018 elections.The government, as currently composed, constitutes of one political party. It is pertinent to note that when a government so-constituted hijacks an important process, it means simply that Zanu PF, an interested party, has unilaterally taken over the work of an independent Commission ahead of a watershed poll. This should be cause for national alarm, given how Zanu PF has in the past used violence and dubious companies such as Nikuv International Projects to steal the people's vote.No political party that should be allowed to unilaterally superintend an electoral process as that can only imperil or endanger the people's will.We are hearing more disturbing reports about what this government is doing to subvert the will of the people in the next election.For instance, we are aware of teams that have been working and training under the tutelage of a spy agency of a country that shall remain nameless for now. There is also a ploy to have NIKUV International Projects get registered under surrogate names in an attempt to enable the company to win the tender to supply the BVR kits.If Zimbabwe proceeds to use the BVR system, which Zanu PF is not keen to do, we are also aware of plans to have Nikuv International Projects work with some named Indian companies in hacking or engaging in cyber attacks on the whole electoral system once it becomes clear that the results are not going in Zanu PF's favour.We are aware therefore that plans are afoot to either control or derail the BVR process, frustrate voter registration and the actual voting in perceived opposition strongholds. We know as well that there are plans to tamper with silver nitrate and other inks such as UV ink that may be used in order to fudge the result of the next election.As a party, together with our colleagues in the broader democratic movement, we take great umbrage at the brazen hostile take-over of the electoral process by a political party when such work is solely reposed in an independent Commission. The party's national executive has just met and I wish to restate its resolution that as a party, we will utilize all legitimate and constitutionally permissible avenues at our disposal to stop this daylight theft. Whether in the courts or in the streets, we shall fight all attempts to steal the next election and we fully endorse the resolution that we took with others under the banner of NERA to mobilize Zimbabweans for a public protest on the 22nd of March!Indeed, come hail come high water, we will do all we can to stem the subversion of the people's will.As MDC, together with our colleagues in the NERA and others in the broader democratic movement, we will continue to demand from ZEC that it takes urgent steps to chlorinate the electoral process and restore national confidence.Our demands include, but are not limited to, the following:1. A credible voters' rollA credible voters' roll is mandatory and if there is continued dithering and subversion of the biometric voter registration process, then we can ensure that prospective voters simply produce their IDs, as happened in the election of 1980.2. Civil servants and traditional leaders to stick to their constitutional rolesThere is need to redefine the role of bureaucrats and other civil servants during elections in line with the dictates of the Constitution. Those whose roles should be aligned include the police, the army and intelligence services some of whom have been stuffed into the ZEC secretariat. Apart from civil servants, it is important to re-emphasize the apolitical role of chiefs and headmen as defined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe. I heard sad stories from the chiefs themselves of how they are being politicized, including making them chairpersons of the Zanu PF cell structure to make them frog-march people to influence the vote at rural polling stations.3. Stern action on vote-buyingVote-buying by any means should be made a serious, punishable offence. We have seen key government actors associated with Zanu PF overtly buying votes with rice and ZIMRA-confiscated items, among other vote-buying gimmicks. We saw these antics in Norton and Bikita West, as well as in Buhera where ZIMRA goods were donated at the same time when the nation was being threatened with a corpse as a Presidential candidate. Apart from being a punishable offence, vote-buying should be a basis for disqualification, even before the election is held.4. Chlorinating the ZEC secretariatThere is urgent need to chlorinate the ZEC secretariat for it to be truly professional. The ZEC secretariat should be de-militarized and de-securotized as it is now common cause that it is heavily stuffed with members of the army, the police and the CIO. This is a key issue and even the 10 provincial officers of ZEC must be professional and must inspire confidence in all the political players.5. Guaranteed access to the public media by all parties.This is now a requirement in the Constitution, even where there are no elections. Media reforms remain a key electoral matter that continues to suffer from non-implementation, even where the Constitution is clear and unequivocal as stipulated in section 61 of the supreme law of the land.6. Agreement on the printing of voting materialThere is need for agreement by all parties on who is printing the ballot papers and other voting material. We have seen happening in other countries in the SADC as in the elections held in Namibia and Zambia. There is also need for a forensic testing and examination of ballot papers and other voting material before and after voting.7. Presence of polling agents from all political parties at polling stationsEvery political party must have polling agents at every polling station during the voting process.8. Safety of candidatesAll political candidates must be given the opportunity t campaign freely without fear, coercion or intimidation. Related to this, Zanu PF must disband youth officers, who mainly political agents doing party work in the wards at the expense of the State. This is highly anomalous and illegal as the taxpayer cannot be liable for agents directly carrying out Zanu PF work as is currently obtaining.9. Diaspora VoteIt is now constitutional for every Zimbabwean to exercise his/her right to vote. The ZEC must ensure that it puts in place administrative and other mechanisms in place to ensure that every Zimbabwean, regardless of their physical location, exercises this Constitutional right.10. ObserversIf we really have nothing to hide, we must ensure that our polls are observed by all and sundry without preconditions---and without exclusionary tendencies towards certain observers. All observers without exception must be allowed to observe both before and after the election.As the nation converges on a common agenda for progress, growth and development and for democracy to take hold, I wish to applaud war veterans for joining the rest of the country in making the same demands for which they fought a brutal but legitimate armed struggle against racism and repression.We salute the ex-combatants for converging with the rest of the nation in making key national demands.Not only are they calling for President Mugabe to step down in the interest of the country, but they have now joined the rest of the nation in the sonorous cry for democracy and for the protection of the right to vote, for which they fought and for which so many paid the ultimate price.A message to our liberation war iconsOn behalf of the party I lead, the broad democratic movement and on my own behalf, I want to assure the war veterans, ex-detainees and restrictees that Zimbabweans sincerely welcome their joining the legitimate national demand for the institution of democracy, beyond mere liberation and political independence. We sincerely welcome their withdrawal of support from the notion of one-man-rule and one-centre-of power which were never the objective of the brutal and protracted liberation struggle.Together, let us confront those who have betrayed the ethos of that sacred war. Together, we can all complete the unfinished business of the liberation struggle. Indeed, our war veterans, with the support of the generality of our citizens, did not only fight for independence. They also fought for democracy and it was always going to be inadequate to assume the struggle was over merely upon the attainment of independence.I promise the nation and our war veterans that some of us remain sticklers to the solemn commitments we collectively made in the Constitution, especially on the sanctity of our land and that the land reform programme is irreversible.Fellow Zimbabweans should heed our assurance that we have no intention of stripping anyone of their land; save only to address issues of inequality in distribution and productivity on the land that genuinely belongs to us as Zimbabweans.Some of us believe in giving beneficiaries the right to land so that this land, for which so many died, can be both an asset and a legacy that can be passed on to future generations. True, there will be rationalization in the allocation of land without any reversal of the sacred principle that Zimbabweans must own their land.The Constitution is clear on the value we must attach to the liberation struggle and the war veterans who brought us independence through a brutal and protracted war. Their welfare and their plight are matters that we value and hold in sanctity.Everything that is happening in our country today, including this despicable attempt to steal the next election, is a divergence from the core values and principles of the liberation struggle.Our brothers and sisters went to war, not only to liberate the country but also to democratize it. As a nation, we have always placed a premium on the right to vote, then referred to as one-man-one-vote, itself one of the reasons the heroic people of Zimbabwe went to war. Any attack or subversion of the right to a credible vote is an assault on the ethos of the liberation struggle.I want to assure Zimbabweans that we will do everything we can to protect their vote, even though we cannot do it alone. We appeal to all Zimbabweans to work together in the patriotic quest for this nation to hold free, fair and credible elections.Indeed, I am encouraged by the growing national convergence in this regard, as well as the current efforts to rally all Zimbabweans beyond political parties to forge an alliance that will inspire the people and assure everyone of a new dispensation, come 2018.My tour of the provincesIn the past one-and half months, I have been touring the country and listening to community leaders outside the party I lead. I am encouraged by the growing national convergence about what should be done in the interest of the citizens and the future generations. Indeed, I have realized that everyone and ever sector has got a genuine grievance against this regime and I know we are all agreed that 2018 provides us with a perfect opportunity to defeat the authors of this debilitating national crisis by ushering in a new, democratic dispensation.Since January, I have traversed the length and breadth of this country. For f six weeks, I sat under trees, in village huts and in urban town-halls listening to our pastors, civic leaders and traditional healers. I have had very enriching engagements with our chiefs, headmen, village heads, civil servants, commuter bus drivers, rank marshals and ordinary villagers.I spent hours with students, vendors, artisanal miners and the unemployed and derived comfort in the national consensus that 2018 is a watershed year for all of us, but more importantly for future generations.Indeed, everyone and every sector have a genuine grievance against Zanu PF.I listened to the wise words from my fellow countrymen and countrywomen. I agree to the clarion call that we must all make for the sake of our country; the call never to allow a 94-year old to mismanage our affairs once again. I heard the appeal from across all sectors, that it would be tantamount to high treason to allow a 94-year old another five years, with some even suggesting they will field him as a corpse. It would be an insult to the people of this country to give this man and this party another five years.Yes, Mugabe may lead his party but he must not be allowed to lead this country solely on the basis of age and past performance!I am heartened by my fellow citizens and the effort we are collectively investing in ensuring that the country delivers a free, fair and credible poll in 2018. I am humbled by our fruitful engagements across political parties, across religions, across social classes, across religions, across gender and across artificial barriers---all for the sake of this dear country that we all love.I listened to the people on the issue of political alliances and that as a party we must exercise due diligence on who we work with as some of these political parties do not have proper structures and membership while others are surrogates of Zanu PF.I heard the cries of our chiefs, headmen and village heads, who are abused by Zanu PF; being forced to frog-march people and to engage in partisan food distribution. They said for all this abuse, they were paid a measly allowance of $25, which is now several months in arrears.They also told me that Zanu PF had already begun to violate the Constitution, subsuming village heads into Zanu PF structures as cell chairpersons in a desperate attempt to control the environment around polling station by illegally creating dual role for village heads.I heard the cry of the minorities that how they do not feel they are part of the country. The Venda, the Ndebele, the Kalanga, the Ndau, the Tonga and the Shangaan all told me sad stories of abuse that confirm the ignominy of the tyranny of the majority. There is a legitimate concern about exclusion and domination by those that feel they are the majority tribes in our country.This is shameful, considering that this is the brave 21st century. We certainly cannot afford, in this day and age, to have people with a sense of entitlement by virtue of the fact that they come from a tribe they subjectively regard as a majority tribe.It was an enriching experience. I will not forget the concerns, the advice and the genuine expectation from across the provinces that in 2018, we will hold a genuinely free, fair and credible poll. Zimbabweans out there expect their vote to count and their will to be respected so that even the skeptics can enjoy comfort and security under a new dispensation.A message to the change skepticsThe next election holds a key to the future of our country. We will rise or fall as a nation by the choice we make in the ballot.I have a message to those who have in the past resisted change and who remain keen to subvert the people's will because of their uncertainty the prospect of political change in the country.I wish to assure everyone that there is nothing to fear in the change that we seek. We have no intention to engage in retribution and we are only driven by the genuine patriotic spirit to ensure peace, stability and growth. Change will be good for everyone. Change will allow every one of us to pursue and live their dreams under the protection of the State.In 2008, a large part of our fellow citizens in State institutions were reticent and suspicious about the prospect of change. The people won the election but there was no transfer of power because of the skeptics of change; those whose reticence about a new Zimbabwe cost this country the opportunity to set a new political direction.I want to say there will be space for every one in the new Zimbabwe that I envision. There will be neither vengeance nor retribution against anyone. There is certainly nothing to fear about a free and fair election and the new political and economic order that it will engender in our country.This country belongs to all of us and there will be neither retribution nor vengeance against any of our citizens. No one should have any reason neither to fear change nor to be suspicious and uncertain of the new dispensation that is now upon us.ConclusionLastly, I urge fellow Zimbabweans to support the efforts for free and fair elections with our assurance that we do not wish to harm or engage in vengeance against anyone. All we seek is a peaceful country poised for growth, development and democracy.I am confident that collectively we will not fail the nation and the future generations to whom we must bequeath a stable, prosperous and democratic country underpinned by growth and opportunities for all.The year 2018 presents us with a perfect opportunity to start afresh and lay the foundation for a prosperous country. We must leave our footprints on the sands of history so that in future, we will be able to boldly stare history in the face and say in 2018, we charted a new direction for our country!Together, we can do it.I thank you
allison williams is so classy, that blond looks so good on her

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I saw Get Out and just caught up on 3 seasons of Girls in the past week and a half and am partially in love with Allison Williams. I especially like her character in Girls.

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Love

Yourself





Don't love quagmire

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She plays herself really well!

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I haven't been able to look at SLJ the same way since he said he likes hentai.

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I'm choosing to believe that he was just kidding and said that to fuck with people.

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Lmao omg

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lol his laugh at the end killed me

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lmaaao wat

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lmfao he doesn't even take off his hat hahaha



alison looks good blonde, giving me emma roberts vibe

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I just saw a gif set of Matthew rhys(?) taking out his dick next to Lena on bed. So awkward..... Like, why?



She better not make my beautiful prince Riz to whip his dick out~ Let alone that she better be not the reason that he takes it out in front of her. Y'all better call me ASAP when Riz has his full frontal scene in a movie so I can go pay up and see it in 3-D irl. Thx!!

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If it makes you feel better it was a fake penis, lol.

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Oh whew! lol

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[ Spoiler (click to open) ] lena's character is writing a story about how matthew's character has been accused of sexual assault by young women that worked for him. Throughout the episode he stands by his innocence while she doesn't believe him. He humanizes himself with personal stories about his life and flatters her writing skill so that by the end she starts to believe him. Then he asks her to lay down next to him and when he turns around his dick is out and he has a grin of satisfaction when she freaks out. If you wanna know what that gif set was about

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it's impressive that he basically looked at the lines once and just went with it. idk if he's problematic but if he was in girls i'd actually watch it.

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She got sooooo thin.

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i wish i was as skinny as allison. if only i could give up eating full stop

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But has she denied paying for her child rapist brother's bail and lawyers?



Edited at 2017-03-12 03:44 am (UTC)

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Her mom may have signed the papers but that money comes from Nicki.

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Now sis

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Nnnnn you really tried it.

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What about your pedo brother, skank? Comment on something that really matters. What about your pedo brother, skank? Comment on something that really matters.

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still avoiding the pedo stuff i see

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Releasing a diss track 3 weeks after the fact pretty much makes it null and void anyway.

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it does sound like party though. so does no frauds.



if beyonce is out here rerecording pnd vocals I have no trouble believing nicki is

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he's got the writing credit on shining

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I'm surprised she didn't ask Beyonce lol...

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Beyonce probably told her not to include her in this after Nicky tried in the beginning

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Beyonce never even picked up the phone call lbr.

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get it together sis

nick just pls take this L', what she shouldve done in the first place was post shether on ha ig & said some shit like "buy & support shether, remy needs the coin more than i do"get it together sis

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lol that gif, queen

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It took her 3 weeks and she still couldn't write some new shit to hit Remy with smh.





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So she added a couple of lines in an old track and called that a diss. That makes her even more pathetic.

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Yeahhhh. I'm not sure if she meant for that to make her look better or what, but it doesn't. At all.

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Lol mte

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Correction: She took three weeks to add a couple of lines to an old track and called it a diss!

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or worse..when you click the screenshot and its not an img but a link to a twitter thread of a million tweets you gotta read thru

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You couldnt decipher three tweets with the time stamps the read from top to bottom?



Bless. Teach the children and let them lead the way.

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yupp

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Fucking pathetic and sick that these ass kisser celebs out here are supporting her pedo enabling ass.

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remy needs to come out with a diss thats just about how nicki supports her pedo brother

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the world needs this

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Yep. Say what you will about the rest of what she does/has going on, that deserves ALL the attention. Especially given her main demographic.

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All I know is that No Fraud is #2 on iTunes and I heard it on urban radio today.

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Nicki Minaj has commercial appeal, there's no doubt about that. She also has ever-decreasing credibility and that's everything if she wants to show her face in rap circles.

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At the end of the day Remy won when Nicki actually engaged ina feud with her. Nobody was checking for Remy before this. And now all of a sudden she's in a feud with the reigning queen of rap. Nicki should've done what Beyonce did whenever Keri Hilson tried to diss her. She just ignored it and let the Beyhive take care of her.

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No Fraud features Drake and Lil Wayne the 2 most popular hip hop artists rn...

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Your fans made you rich. It's fine to refuse to take a picture but the least you can do is quickly thank them for their support and be on your merry way. Don't say your fans make you "sick" wtf

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Ikr, fuck this asshole.

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And yet he still has fans. That's the confusing part.

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Exactly, I just don't have sympathy for the fans lining his pockets (unless they are really young but they probably aren't anymore).



Like what is this? The fan is still going to try and meet him at the airport before he flies out of the city to his next tour stop.



Nooo, I'm on neither team, ew.

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I hear you. I've never understood what fans of justin beiber see in him. All I ever read is he's made a fan cry or called one fat or been really rude. Why would you stan for someone who hates you?

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after justin timberlake, one direction, he now has the monopoly on hot white male pop star.





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It's like the Chris Brown fans.

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'uhm he was just having a bad day!!1 its allowed, he works so hard!1' - his fans making excuses for him probably

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Right. I would understand one story of him being unkind  it's normal to feel less than friendly sometimes  but there's too many stories now, including his blowoffs at professional obligations (M&G, concerts), to deny that he's a straight up asshole.

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His fans are clones of Selena: no self respect & they keep coming back for more abuse from him

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It's very confusing, but I fear a lot of them are really young and don't know better / are being conditioned not to respect themselves, bc society. :\

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They don't love themselves. I mean this girl is still going to try to meet him at the airport... like??????????????????????????????

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chris brown still has fans tho

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How does he still have a career? He treats fans like a pariah. He wouldn't be here if it weren't for them being obsessed with him.

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My mom would've cussed him the fuck out. Shit, I would've too.

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pretty damn much

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"The fan is still going to try and meet him at the airport before he flies out of the city to his next tour stop." girl, why???? love yourself

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mte

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i've stopped feeling bad for his stans that he treats like shit



u all get what u deserve, enjoy this dipshit pickle

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IA they know what they sign up for when they go to his shows and when they try to approach him for a photo. He wanted the fame and money and success but hates the people that made all that possible for him. I don't understand why this tour is still continuing when you know deep down he wants to go back to LA and keep Hailey locked up in his hotel room.

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i'm dying for a hailey reunion, they suit each other, can she cancel him out already.

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Yep. 1D stans are horrible but you don't see the boys doing them like this. If you're dumb enough to continue to stan this trash after he's shitted on his fans repeatedly then you're getting what you deserve. Unstan and loveyourself.mp3

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this flop ass piece of shit.



but that begs the question, why does he still have stans

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The fan is still going to try and meet him at the airport

the fuck? how can this pissant have such a hold on people? he's an absolute dickhead.

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'The fan is still going to try and meet him at the airport before he flies out of the city to his next tour stop.' Well.



In 'Chasing Cameron' some of the fans are so entitled and terrifying and Justin Bieber is (for some reason) a million times more famous. I don't think he should have told her she made him sick but I would get pissed off too if people were grabbing me or dragging me or waving a phone in my face like I wasn't even a human being. That mum also needs to get a grip.



Edited at 2017-03-12 08:49 pm (UTC)

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Fans don't see celebrities as human beings they see them as fictional characters sometimes I think fanfic feeds in the dehumanizing of them

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It's been ages since I watched it but I remember one or two episodes where they were creepy as fuck. I'm also not here for them bawling about how they saved their life.

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mte. people's entitlement re: celebs is fucking creepy. maybe he went too far with his words, but i can't really blame him either. he's an entertainer who gives his fans music & shows, they pay for it, the transaction ends there unless he's willing to offer more. clearly he isn't.

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ia completely

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Tbh I'd probably be hella annoyed if I had to deal with that on the daily although I wouldn't go around calling people "sick"

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ia with women celebs not getting away with shit..but POC? donno how chris br*wn treats his fans..but he's continually done reprehensible things and seems to get away with it.

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Does he really treat them shitty? I just thought he was shitty to everyone else around him. I know he gets mad when they don't buy his music since he made a whole post about it on Instagram. I guess I just haven't seen anyone besides Justin treat their fans continuously awful before and always get away with it. Even Louis who has people wishing death on his child knows how to reel it in and will take a fan pic.

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That has a lot more to do with the fact that he's a MAN and his targets are women than his race. You tried it with this comment. Not excusing any of Chris' actions but he still gets more shit than white men WHO ARE ABUSIVE.



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Donno whether to lmao or smh. Ill just lolz. And what exactly did I try sweetie?

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When I was 14 I ran the biggest website for a semi-big WB TV show star and she literally colluded with several other people to take my domain name from me, she even called me at home to basically chastise me for not giving into their demands sooner. It was all so surreal and crazy b/c here was somebody I idolized basically being a total asshole. It really does suck.

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You could tell us it's Reba..lol

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Who was it. Expose ha

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I will just say it was an ensemble cast with a cult-like following and her career went down the toilet afterwards ;)

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lol, why tell the story if you're not gonna say who it is?

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dis juicy blind item rn

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Was it Majandra Delfino? I think I remember you saying this a long time ago and for some reason it always stuck with me, lmao.

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It always surprises me when celebs are anything but grateful for any extra advertisement/support.



On that note, when I was 14 I had a Riley Smith fansite. He visited it and commented and I was super happy and like 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED'. Then I let the site go and went back to Sailor Moon fanpages. Haha.

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this makes me so sad. i love majandra's music. no one ever stays problem free forever. le sigh

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The fan is still going to try and meet him at the airport before he flies out of the city to his next tour stop.



Now sis.... don't do that.

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I'm so confused by parents that allow or help their kids be over the top super fans that stalk celebs. Like i was obsessed with the Spice Girls when I was a kid but if I asked my mom to drive me around while I stalk them she would have slapped me upside the head and taken away my CDs.

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mte. i feel like social media makes it way too easy to find celebs these days though. like stalker sarah wouldn't have been a thing in the 90s/early 2000s.

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You can always watch JJ ilegally tho!

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Girl if you want to stop supporting any media backed by corrupt business men who's interests are money rather than social welfare then turn off your tv and shut your computer because there's not one innocent party

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Well duh, how can anyone make any change without being involved, we need a few people to be the voice of reason on that trump panel

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no we need to obstruct until 2018. nothing they want to do will be good for anyone but the 1%

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And they'll achieve it easier if no one is actually there to oppose them

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Only in the US (and wherever they have spread their tentacles) do people actually think climate change is a myth. These people need to go back to high school and take a proper science class tbh.





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Um it snowed a few days ago so global warming is a lie hurr durr hurr durr hurr



God I hate this country on its best days.

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i fucking HATE when people say "if global warming is real how come it still snooowwwwssss???????????"



oh myyyygod

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mte. in india practically every religious group are fundies of different variations and still no one's dumb enough to boycott science, deny evolution or climate change. wtf is wrong with america?

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Yeah, like in my 3rd world country (almost) everybody is aware of it.

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i honestly cannot wrap my head around the fact that some people do not believe in climate change. did your science teacher die in 1st grade and you never got a new one?!?

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The education system in the US is a complete joke, especially now considering who runs the Dept of Ed. There are too many uneducated, stupid people in the country and it's embarrassing.

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Yeah I dont get it. In our country, we've passed the question of "Is climate change real" a looooong time ago and are more focused on "What is the best way to combat it."

Also, y'all need to recycle better. I remember we only had to separate glass, plastic and cardboard when I was in DC.

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im glad you added wherever they spread their tentacles cause some of the denial here in canada is intense man. even if our northern territories are among the first affected i was taught GEORMORPHOLOGY by a climate change denier, even if our department had a thawing permafrost research team

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unfortunately lots of people here in australia believe this too. Government pretend its a myth so they can keep getting $ for mining

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Many of those people believe that science is satanic though, and refuse to even listen to theory. For example, these people believe fossils were put in the ground by the devil to trick humanity into believing that the Earth is older than 6,000 years. That's what you're dealing with and that can't be reasoned with. I have people like this in my family and it's mind boggling what they believe (and what they refuse to believe, like gravity and the Earth being round).

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I'm glad I never was a fan/lowkey hated all of the above (sans old-school Star Wars)

The biggest problem for me will be the Shondaland line-up from ABC

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I actually barelly care about any of those properties lol, the only one I like is Star Wars and I don't like it that much so I don't think I'll see the next film.





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You could always watch it illegally

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disneys own so much to begin with:



lmao mtedisneys own so much to begin with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Disney

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All about the money I mean ethics I mean you I mean me I mean the gay I mean the economy I mean the environment look we made money here's two seconds of inclusion in batb

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wat

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on one hand I feel like we need all the sane, rational people who are close to trump and his cabinet to work with the administration because it's better than any his incompetent cabinet picks already in place but then I also think "fuck that"

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I have stock in Disney, does that count? I keep meaning to sell it, but I want some more cash to invest first.

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It's prob a good idea to keep it tbh, just based on how well it's doing

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I've actually never made money with my Disney stocks.

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sell it before the market tanks

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He's only there to ask for more tax cuts. He ain't shit. Trump ain't shit. Republicans ain't shit. Everyone who voted for Trump ain't shit. Let a meteor end us tbh.

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Exactly. I can't at people actually believing he was there opposing agent orange in any way. He was there for himself alone.

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Translation: Blah blah We're disney no one would ever boycott us blah blah ppl hate to be inconvenienced in the slightest blah blah $$$$$$$ talks blah





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mte. He really thinks he being slick with the "express views of value to the company" phrase, as if he's defending disney's values and not only trying to protect/increase their pockets

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The shareholder meeting was a lot more complex than it sounds here lmao



Shareholders were MAD and he promised he would only go so he could oppose things like immigration and w/e but I don't believe him.

Shareholders also had a vote for transparency on lobbying bc they want to know what kind of lobbying Disney pays for and this isn't currently available to them but there was no resolution on that (and prob won't bc other major proxies don't care)...



On the bright side, this man only has 1 year left at the company and someone with more backbone should follow him

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I don't believe him about opposing Tr*mp at all and I don't know why anyone would

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It was ironic to me that he'd refuse to step out while the board opposed the vote for lobbying transparency.

I am glad shareholders were so angry @ him though because then they won't care when he has to leave next year

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I don't believe him either, please provide minutes of the meeting tbh



What?! shareholders don't have access to what they lobbies for? That's crazy

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good on the shareholders then. i always imagine those types as caring more about money than what the business does so this is nice to read.

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i'd rather have smart people in the room than the panel being an echo chamber of buffoons. also, if they ever disagree and he gets kicked out for it, then it'll be a major news story.

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why so the horrible stuff they want to do has a chance of passing? I'd rather everything be like the first muslim ban. Inept and doomed to fail.

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fair point. he's on the financial advisory panel though and i am seriously extremely frightened about their administration completely wrecking us economically. :(

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I know nothing about this guy, but if he's smart at all it's a good thing he can get close to Trump. There need to be more poeple around him who disagree with him, maybe they'll change his mind on some things at least.

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uhhh

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people are so dumb. Trump is not going to change.

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That was my thought process, and apparently what Iger is trying to do. That's clearly the wrong thought process though according to the comments here.

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trash. fortunately i'm poor so none of these motherfuckers would ever get a dime from me (blood, stone, etc)

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oh boy, can't wait to see the twelve page dissertations on why it's suddenly impossible to boycott Disney.

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lol exactly

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Every single time sigh

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people still reblog that stupidass twitter thread about cinderella, so this isn't much of a step away

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lol

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Germany currently has a plan to usher in renewable energy: 100 percent of cars on the streets will be electric. However, as it stands, the plan to create the worlds first 100 percent electric vehicle country would actually increase emissions  an unintended consequence of what appears to be a good-natured piece of legislation. Indeed, if Germany reaches their goal of 100 percent EV, their emissions would increase by the amount produced by present day Uruguay or the entire state of Montana.

The plan to phase-out all gasoline vehicles by the year 2030 is not official governmental policy. The Bundesrat, Germanys legislative body, called for bipartisan support of this phase out in October 2016, in accordance with the Paris agreement. Even without official legislation, the headlines alone send a clear message to the German auto industry; it takes 10 times more staff to manufacture a carbon-based vehicle when compared to its electric counterpart. Thousands would be out of work if such legislation existed and if automakers did not adapt accordingly.

Moreover, such a plan would not achieve the decrease in emissions it seeks. Environmentalists, of course, are eager to see such a resolution banning carbon-based vehicles from German markets, as they comprise a large portion of total emissions. As with all politics, however, it isnt that simple.

An electric car creates more emissions than a car burning petrol fuel if the power to charge that car was generated by coal or gas, in the first place. Currently in Germany, it would be. For this ban to be effective at reducing emissions on a net level, a switch to an entire grid of renewable energy must first occur  this is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Angela Merkel announced that the country would be slowing down their expansion into new wind turbine farms, as they were creating too much intermittent power, creating an unstable grid. Furthermore, Germany is retiring its entire nuclear reactor fleet by 2022, a result of the Fukushima travesty. Related: Iran And Iraq To Ramp Up Oil Production Despite OPEC Cuts

While electric vehicles are indeed more efficient than petrol vehicles, the transition would require an enormous amount of energy to be added to the grid  258 terawatt-hours. It seems that the government is opposed to further expansion into renewable energy sources, and the country has already maximized its potential in hydro, geothermal, and biomass.

Therefore, the gap would likely have been filled by coal or natural gas, each of which would produce 260 million tons or 131 million tons of carbon dioxide, respectively. For comparisons sake, current road transportation in Germany contributes approximately 156 million tons of carbon dioxide. Unless the 258 terawatt-hour gap is filled entirely with renewable energy, Germany could very well experience a net increase in emissions as a result of this carbon-vehicle ban.

Even if half of the gap was filled by coal, and the other half by natural gas, and even if both increased their efficiency by 25 percent, analysts still expect total emissions to increase by 20 percent. This is the most likely scenario for Germanys future if a ban is indeed implemented. If Germany is truly intent on reducing the amount of emissions they contribute to the atmosphere, this policy needs to be rethought.

By Michael McDonald for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Spanish oil firm Repsol SA just announced the largest onshore oil discovery in the U.S. in three decades, a 1.2 billion barrel find on Alaskas North Slope. Repsol has been actively exploring in Alaska since 2008 and finally hit a big one.

The find came after drilling two wells with its partner, Armstrong Oil & Gas. Repsol says that it if it moves forward and develops the project, first oil could come by 2021. The field could produce 120,000 bpd, a significant volume given the predicament the state of Alaska finds itself in.

Alaskan oil production has been declining for decades. After BPs massive Prudhoe Bay oil field came online in the 1970s  the largest oil field in North America  Alaskas oil production shot up. But the field saw its production peak in the late 1980s at 1.5 million barrels per day, after which it went into long-term decline.

The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System (TAPS) has made oil production on Alaskas northern coast possible. With a price tag of $8 billion, the pipeline was the largest privately-funded construction project in the 1970s. The 800-mile pipeline carries oil from Alaskas northern coast to a terminus on its southern coast in Valdez for export. The pipeline traverses mountain ranges, and much of it has to run at an elevated position above ground because of melting permafrost.

The pipeline is absolutely critical to Alaskas oil industry  without it, producing on the North Slope never would have gotten off the ground. But falling output levels on the North Slope from aging fields like Prudhoe Bay put the pipelines existence into jeopardy. The pipeline has a throughput capacity of 2 million barrels per day, but actual oil flows have declined to roughly 0.5 mb/d, and are falling by about 5 percent per year. Related: Oil Prices Continue Plunging As Speculators Rush For The Exit

That isnt just a problem from a revenue standpoint, but also from an operational one. Declining throughput means slower moving oil, which means lower temperatures for that oil. Slower and colder oil leads to water separating from the oil and freezing. That can damage the pipeline. Also, oil contains some small amounts of wax, and when the crude flow slows and gets cold, wax separates and sticks to the pipeline. Removing that wax requires more cleaning and maintenance, raising costs and operational problems.

If the oil flow drops too low, the pipeline operator might have to switch from continuous flows to more intermittent throughput. Ultimately, the pipelines very existence is in doubt if the states oil production continues to fall.

That puts greater weight on Repsols discovery. The Pikka area, as it is known, could add 120,000 bpd to North Slope production and throw a life line to the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline. We must all pull together to fill an oil pipeline thats three-quarters emptyand todays announcement shows measurable results of that hard work, Alaskas Governor Bill Walker said on Thursday.

We think that Pikka is going to be critical to bring production not only in balance, but to raise it tremendously, Andy Mack, Alaskas Commissioner for the Department of Natural Resources, said back in November. Repsols partner Armstrong Oil & Gas said that there is probably even more oil to discover in the area.

Separately, a small exploration company known as Caelus Energy made another discovery last October, a world class find that could hold as much as 1.8 to 2.4 billion barrels. That amount of oil could raise Alaskas reserve base by 80 percent. However, Caelus Energys discovery would require much heavier investment in infrastructure. Caelus play is tricky: it would have to drill in the winter through frozen manmade islands and then piped through a yet-to-be-built $800 million pipeline to connect to existing infrastructure at Prudhoe Bay. The discoverys prospects are uncertain at this point. Related: The Bakken Gets A Second Wind

Yet another route for the resurgence in Alaskas oil industry is from ConocoPhillips, which is hoping to drill in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. However, conflict with Inupiaq communities caused Conoco to recently put its drilling plans on hold, a move that has angered state officials. The fortunes of this oil prospect are also unknown.

And, of course, drilling offshore in the Chukchi Sea was essentially put on ice in 2015 when Royal Dutch Shell pulled out after disappointing exploration results.

That arguably makes Repsols discovery the most viable of the bunch. The state of Alaska is desperate to see somebody move forward and produce more oil in order to save the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline  and the states deteriorating fiscal situation.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

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Joining the ranks of former Exxon CEO, and now Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, the chief executive of another big U.S. energy company, ConocoPhillips, is saying that the U.S. should stay in the Paris Climate Agreement.

It would be good for the U.S. to stay in the climate agreement, ConocoPhillips chairman and CEO Ryan Lance told reporters on the sidelines of the CERAWeek conference in Houston, Axios reports.



While on the campaign trail, President Trump repeatedly criticized the Paris Agreement which enlisted almost every country in the world to make efforts to curb global warming. In his An America First Energy Plan from May 2016, one of the actions he had vowed to take during the first 100 days in office was to cancel the Paris Climate Agreement and stop all payments of U.S. tax dollars to U.N. global warming programs.

This agreement gives foreign bureaucrats control over how much energy we use right here in America, Trumps campaign pledges said.

Now, the White Houses An America First Energy Plan does not mention the Paris accord, and although were halfway through the first 100 days of President Trumps term in office, the word is that his advisers and executives are divided over that particular campaign pledge.



For ConocoPhillips and Exxonas well the non-U.S. oil and gas heavyweights; BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Eni, Total, and Statoilbacking the Paris Agreement is not just riding the trend of increasingly environmentally-conscious businesses. Those companies with operations all over the world stand to benefit from the Paris Agreement because the nations efforts to cut carbon emissions will lead to transitioning from coal-fired plants to gas-fired plants. And natural gas is quite a substantial portion of all those majors businesses, investments and profits.



So its no wonder that Big Oil has pledged US$1 billion over the next ten years to fighting climate change under the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative that includes BP, CNPC, Eni, Pemex, Reliance Industries, Repsol, Saudi Aramco, Shell, Statoil, and Total.

Although U.S. companies are not part of that initiative, Exxon and ConocoPhillips have identified opportunities in the global climate change actions. ConocoPhillips says that it sees opportunities and value in lower carbon emission energy in its existing business of natural gas exploration and production. Related: Oil Major BP Buys Boone Pickens Clean Energy Assets

On the day which the Paris Agreement entered into force, Exxonat the time still led by Tillerson before he was tapped for Secretary of Statesaid:

ExxonMobil supports the work of the Paris signatories, acknowledges the ambitious goals of this agreement and believes the company has a constructive role to play in developing solutions.

At his confirmation hearing a couple of months later, Tillerson said that the U.S. would be better off sticking with the Paris agreement to tackle climate change.

In his first blog post on the company website, Exxons new chairman and CEO Darren Woods said a national revenue-neutral carbon tax would be good, and that his company was encouraged:

The pledges made at last years Paris Accord create an effective framework for all countries to address rising emissions. Of course, he singled out natural gas as one of the powerful tools for meeting global energy demand while reducing emissions. Related: IEA: Huge Oil Price Spike Inevitable

Regarding the White Houses policies on the Paris deal, it is said to be divided. President Trumps senior adviser, Stephen Bannon, is pushing to back the U.S. out of the deal while Tillerson and Ivanka Trump fear that a withdrawal may damage some of Americas diplomatic relations, according to the New York Times.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Ivanka Trump and her husband, and close adviser of President Trump, Jared Kushner, have convinced the President to remove language from an upcoming executive order that would have criticized the Paris Agreement.

While it is nearly impossible to predict the White Houses future stance on the Paris climate deal, it is certain that energy companies with big exposure to natural gas exploration and production should benefit from the global efforts to switch from coal to gas in the fight against climate change.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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WhatsApp used to be a simple instant messaging application a couple of years back. The revenue system of the chat was not well defined. However, after Facebook acquired the application at a hefty amount ($19 billion), it's making sure the app can start generating revenue. In last year's Facebook conference, the company had outlined a few methods to make WhatsApp a more investor friendly entity.

Company chief, Mark Zuckerberg mentioned that through WhatsApp, companies will be able to interact with their desired customer in a very personal and direct way. The feature is finally seeing the light of the day and is being tested by WhatsApp.

According to a report by Reuters, there is no official announcement about the tests, but the feature is being used by business ventures like Y Combinator, a United States based seed accelerator, which helps promising young tech firms grow rapidly.

This new feature falls perfectly in line with what WhatsApp's promise to focus on rolling out commercial messaging this year for businesses as it looks to tap into enterprises for monetising its platform.

The business model has previously been put to use on Facebook's Messenger. The user can not only interact with various businesses but also complete the payment with the application. The same chat-bot model might come into play with WhatsApp.

WhatsApp hardly used to benefit from its subscription charges, which does not justify Facebook's mighty investment in the application. This new feature will turn that around and help WhatsApp generate revenue by giving businesses direct access to over 1 billion users.

India is also the biggest market for WhatsApp. Of its over one billion users, about 200 million are here. Last month, Brian Acton, co-founder of popular messaging app WhatsApp, called IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to discuss ways in which the company can contribute to Indias vision for digital commerce.

Highlighting the countrys importance, Acton said WhatsApp hopes to contribute more to "Indias vision for digital commerce in future".

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has almost become the default messaging application for people in countries like India and Brazil. In India, it competes with the likes of Hike, Snapchat and Viber.
From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Mthwakazi Republic Party on Friday last week held a successful march in the city of Bulawayo in what is believed was to mark and register its presence and readness to participate in the 2018 elections as it has earlier on announced its position.The demonstration started at Egodini terminusParty spokesperson Mbonisi Gumbo said the march marked the turning point in the history of scores of Mthwakazi people, who have lived with Shona imposed dominance for the past 37 years. He said the people demonstrated enthusiasm to the leadership of Mthwakazi, which took the party to them."The sensitisation road show commenced at 1430 hours and about 16 768 party literature was distributed in the CBD. The National Executive Council gives credit to the Bulawayo provincial leadership, which crafted and organised such a historic event. The purpose of the march was to make the people of Mthwakazi aware of their home come 2018. This event was a launch of the series of road shows that would spread nation wide in Mthwakazi," he said."The road show was led by the Party President Mqondisi Moyo and the National Executive Members comprising of the National Youth and Women's League. The people of Bulawayo overwhelmingly and enthusiastically welcomed the Mthwakazi revolutionary movement and they agree that they need a change that would do away with Shona domination."All speakers comprising of the President Mqondisi Moyo, the Secretary General Hloniphani Ncube, Youth League National Chairperson Xolani Ncube and the Women's League Secretary Corah Ndebele condemned the Shona imposed hegemony.Other leaders who were in attendance are the Foreign Affairs Secretary Ackim Gasela Mhlanga, Sakhile Nkomo Deputy Secretary General, Colman Khanye National Organizer, Rebecca Mafu secretary for security in Women's league, Samukeliso Ndlovu Matabeleland North women's Provincial Chair, Clearance Ndlovu Matabeleland south Provincial Deputy Chairperson, Ngqabutho Mpofu Committee member in Matabeleland south Provincial stricture, Nkanyiso Ngulube Matabeleland North Provincial Secretary for security, Luba Gwebu Bulawayo Provincial Chair and Bulawayo Provincial organizer Lydia."We also thank all the provincial representatives who graced the event. The event as planned was a success. Our teams demonstrated courage in the midst of all security state agents who behave well so far for the first time. We urge them to continually enforce the constitution rather than enforcing ZANU PF corruption and brutality," he said."As a party we have launched all our campaign strategies and we will soon spread the door to door campaigns around Mthwakazi. Siyabonga bakwethu ngokusamukela okukhulu."
The Government of Ghana has signed a Double Taxation Avoidance agreement (DTA) with the government of Mauritius.



The countries have also set up a Ghana-Mauritius Permanent Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, as part of measures to facilitate trade between the two countries.



As well, Ghana and Mauritius have agreed to collaborate on an Investment promotion and protection agreement to better channel investment into each others country, possibly via Special Investment Zones.



Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, signed the agreement on behalf of Ghana, while Hon Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade signed on behalf of Mauritius.



The DTA is subject to ratification by Ghanas Parliament.



The agreements were signed on Saturday March 11, 2017 at Port Louis, Mauritius in the lead up to the celebration of the Indian Ocean nations 49th Independence anniversary, which falls on March 12.



Speaking at a joint press conference after the signing ceremony, Ghanas Vice President, Alhaji Dr Bawumia, who is the Special Guest for the Celebrations, explained that the agreements form part of Ghanas quest for greater cooperation with the rest of the world, especially Africa, in order to boost trade.



We have seen the manifestation of the first fruits of this Joint Permanent Commission with the signing of the historic double taxation agreement between Ghana and Mauritius, and we believe that this will provide a platform to give confidence to investors both in Ghana and Mauritius to undertake investments in our respective countries and not be taxed twice by our respective governments. We believe this is just the beginning of our cooperation, Vice President Bawumia indicated.



Dr Bawumia emphasized the need for greater intra-African trade to better improve the lives of Africans.



Our government believes very strongly there has to be more trade within the African continent and among countries of the South. There has to be more investment, and more cooperation. We are happy to note that this type of cooperation that we seek is being manifested, especially recently in our relationship with Mauritius, in the area of trying to set up Ghana as an International Financial Services Centre in the West African Sub region, Dr Bawumia indicated.



Prime Minister of Mauritius, H. E. Anerood Jugnauth, announced that a number of framework agreements have also been reviewed, including the setting up of a Technology Park at Dawa in the Greater Accra region, and investments in the energy and tourism sectors.



We have also agreed to pursue consultations on two project proposals submitted by Mauritius, namely, the setting up of a solar energy power generation, and a tourism and hospitality project providing for the construction of a coastal resort in Ghana.



Cooperation between the Public Utility Regulatory Commission and Mauritius was also discussed Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth disclosed.



The Ghanaian delegation included Hon Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communication, Hon Mohammed Awal, Minister for Business Development, Mr Reginald Grant, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and other senior government officials.

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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Many more firms in the United Kingdom (UK) are now willing to do business in Ghana to take advantage of the new governments pro-business policies, a senior UK government official has disclosed.



Adam Afriyie MP, Trade Envoy for UK Prime Minister Theresa May, made the disclosure when he led a delegation from the UK - Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) to pay a working visit on the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.



The visit, aimed at strengthening the existing trade relations between the two countries, was also an opportunity for the UK government and business to discuss how they could support Ghana to achieve her infrastructure development goals. Ghana is the UKs fourth largest export market in Sub-Saharan Africa.



The policies and budget of the Akufo-Addo government have a positive, private sector-driven agenda and the UK is ready to help the government achieve its aims and targets, Hon. Adam Afriyie indicated.



The environment is very refreshing. In the past it has been difficult for me to recommend that UK firms invest in Ghana. But so far its been good, and long may it continue.



Vice President Dr Bawumia reiterated the governments determination to make Ghana the investment destination of choice on the African continent.

Governments focus is on encouraging the private sector to help in making Ghana Africas most business friendly country.



Our agenda is to remove the bottlenecks in doing business, reduce the cost of doing business, create a low tax environment for businesses in Ghana, increase the standard of living of Ghanaians, and the budget statement presented by the Finance Minister to Parliament attests to these he stated.



We have to manage the economy in a fiscally responsible manner, the Vice President added.



The Nana Akufo-Addo government, Dr Bawumia continued, would strengthen the fight against corruption, especially in the award of contracts.



There will be transparency in the award of contracts. We will make sure we move away from era of sole sourcing contracts; we will be guided by the law. Rule of law will be at the center of this government, corruption will not be tolerated. As President Akufo-Addo has earlier indicated, the Right To Information bill will soon be passed by Parliament.



Mr. Jon Benjamin, UK High Commissioner to Ghana, bemoaned the fact that trade between the two countries had dropped by a third in the last three years, and hoped the renewed commitment would boost bilateral relations.



Ghana is very important to us, and we hope we can grow our trade again, H.E. Benjamin indicated.

Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
On International Womens Day - March 8, 2017 - we take a look at the richest women on the African continent according to the 2017 Forbes magazine rich list.



According to the list only two African women are billionaires. They are Isabel dos Santos, the oldest daughter of Angola's longtime president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Nigerian oil magnate Folorunsho Alakija.



Isabel dos Santos, 43, made her fortune from investments in Angola's state oil firm while 66-year-old Folorunsho Alakija made the vast majority of her wealth from oil exploration.



Read below how these inspirational women amassed their fortune;



Folorunsho Alakija - Real Time Net Worth As of 3/8/17 - $1.63 Billion



Folorunsho Alakija is the vice chair of Famfa Oil, a Nigerian oil exploration company that has a 60% participating interest in block OML 127, part of Agbami field, one of Nigeria's largest deepwater discoveries. Its partners include Chevron and Petrobras.



Her first company was a fashion label that catered to Nigeria's elite women, including the wife of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, who awarded Alakija's company an oil prospecting license.

Source: Daily Graphic









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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The new Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah has pledged to be time conscious and not attend functions late in all his dealings as a representative of the President in the region.



On Wednesday, the Minister expressed his abhorrence for lateness when he attended an orientation workshop for Assembly Members of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).



There were just 35 out of the 135 Assembly Member participants at the venue for the programme at 9:30 am when proceedings started.



Speaking to the Assembly Members on the new Local Government Act, 2016 (936), the minister expressed concern about lateness and said such attitudes impedes development.



There is no African time, we have just one world time that we all use What I believe in is that before any fish starts rotting, it starts from the head. So I being the head and representing the President, I should set a good example for others to emulate. I am going to be time conscious and will never be late, he added.



He noted that time was a scarce resource that must be used judiciously and with great care adding that he did not believe what had become Ghana Man time; or the usual Ghanaian lateness, adding that a change in such attitude towards punctuality was what was going to help move Ghana forward.



Time book at RCC



Mr Osei-Mensah stated that since he assumed office as the Regional Minister, he has always been to the office before 8am and when it was exactly 8am, he would descend and sign the attendance book for those coming after him to realise that they were late.



Talking to Graphic Online after the programme, the Minister said at his maiden meeting with the staff at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) he told them about the need to respect and use time judiciously and that he was monitoring those who would be coming late for a period and at the appropriate time take the necessary action.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Ken Yeboah has been explaining reasons behind the seizure of vehicles belonging to founder and leader of United Freedom Party, Nana Agyenim Boateng.



According to DCOP Ken Yeboah, the said vehicles were found abandoned in a bush which compelled the police to tow them away based on suspicion.



The Regional Police Chief was responding to a law suit filed by the UFP leader regarding seizure of his two vehicles.



Founder and National Chairman of the United Front Party (UFP), Nana Agyenim Boateng, filed a suit at a Kumasi High Court against the Ghana Police Service and the Invisible Forces of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for illegal seizure of his vehicles.



The Invincible Forces reportedly stormed the residence of Nana Boateng, fondly called Gyataba, at Barekese in his absence and forcibly towed his two pickups with registration numbers GM 1842-16 and GM 1413-16 away.



The group alleged on radio that the cars belonged to the National Security and that they were working to safeguard national property.



But Gyataba said he had documents to prove that he legally acquired the vehicles from the manufacturers.

Source: abusuafmonline.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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The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said that the world will respect Africa only when it detaches itself from aid and handouts from the west.



According to him, Africa must emancipate itself from freebies and strive for investments and favourable partnerships.



Africans will only get the respect of the rest of the world if we emancipate ourselves economically. We dont have to take begging bowls around the world. We should look for investment, cooperation and partnerships, Dr Bawumia said.



The Vice President made the remarks when he addressed a gathering at the Africa Leadership University in Mauritius on how to unlock the leadership potential of the continent.



He added that the continent must take advantage of education to unlock its leadership potential and set examples in various fields.



Dr. Bawumia has consistently emphasized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) governments plan of going into key partnerships and weaning the country from aid which the government believes does not enhance national development.



At the recent World Government Summit held in Dubai, UAE, he said the government wants a relationship with the international community driven by trade rather than aid.



Dr Bawumia is in Mauritius as a special guest to celebrate the countrys Independence anniversary.



His three-day-stay will see him hold bilateral talks with Her Excellency Mrs Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister and other senior officials of the Mauritius government.



He is expected to return to Ghana on Monday, March 13, 2017.

Source: citifmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
With the Parallel App, available for Android, users can "clone" the messenger and use two different accounts on the same device; Check step by step Using two WhatsApp accounts on the same phone is something that can be done on Android devices . With different phone numbers, it is possible to use two applications for this: Dual Messenger, in the case of Samsung devices , or the Parallel...
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

HUNDREDS of Zanu PF youth members have continued to pile pressure on Bulawayo youth executive and Minister of State Sandi Moyo to stop their corrupt activities.

Last week they demonstrated again at the party offices Davis Hall piling pressure for the suspension of the youth executive and calling for a disciplinary action against Bulawayo Provincial State Minister Eunice Sandi Moyo.

During demonstrations said the problem is that they do not want to be told the truth. If we challenge them for wrong doing they claim that we are challenging President. Some of these people were imposed to use and they are faced with a dilemma of pleasing the youth and those who imposed them. Anyone who challenges them has to be suspended or labeled as a factionalist.

They said this happens when they are preparing for elections and if we go for elections with such people we will lose dismally.

Tapera Zinyohwera of Hlangabeza District said during the 21 Movement, they had a serious problem of transport yet the party had allocated the district fuel coupons which were diverted by the executive and Sandi Moyo.

His sentiments were echoed by Nomagugu Khumalo of Emthunzini weSizwe district who said the executive dumped them on the President's birth day and they struggled to get transport despite coupons being allocated to them.

Nkosilathi Ndlovu the Chairman of Chinamanho district in Pumula South said the leaders are no longer wanted as they refused to give them fuel on the day but took all coupons and went to sleep in hotels.

"They told us to come early so that we could get the regalia but all this we did not see," Ndlovu said.

Nyamande District Chair Joseph Chikwevo said there was serious flawed distribution of the food such hat as a chairperson of the district he was sidelined amid concerns there were corrupt activities by the same executive in collaboration with Minister Sandi Moyo.

Makhandeni Chair Beauty Sibanda said the distribution of food in the area was seriously flawed and recently several packs of maize seeds, rice, and fertilizers disappeared and she believes that the youth executive is involved.
QUEENSBURY  A three-time felon from Glens Falls who sold cocaine during a police investigation is headed to state prison for up to 6.5 years.

Rhondel K. Jeremiah, 32, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, for cocaine sales from his former home on Maple Street last year.

He was on parole at the time for a 2006 burglary conviction in New York City, and also has a prior robbery conviction.

Warren County Judge John Hall sentenced him to 6.5 years in prison to be followed by 3 years on parole. He also must make $400 restitution for the money he received for the cocaine that was purchased.
Two local fire departments, Greenwich and Argyle, will be offering public training this week, and Greenwich will be offering its training into the future.

Every third Thursday of the month, including this week, the Greenwich Fire Department will offer free hands only CPR training for all members of the community. The classes will be held at the new Greenwich Firehouse, located at 60 Hill Street 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

According to the American Heart Association, about 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die, and 70 percent of those arrests happen at home. When a person has cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby. That can double or triple the chances of survival.

No preregistration is required for the classes, which will include instruction in adult CPR, child/infant CPR, automatic external debrillator use and how to help a choking victim.

Large groups, employers and organizations are encouraged to contact the department in advance to schedule a class at their convenience. In addition to hands-only CPR, certied CPR instructors are also offering AHA Heartstart BLS courses for anyone needing to be certied for their employment by leaving a message at the rehouse (692-9002) or GreenwichFireCPR@gmail.com.

Smoke alarms in Argyle

Saturday, the Red Cross will host its Home Fire Campaign at Argyle Fire Department on Route 40. The one-day community-wide event will help local families prepare for home first and will distribute at least 250 smoke alarms to families who need them.

The event will also provide life-saving fire safety, will also provide fire-safety education.

It is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

To schedule an alarm installation for your home, contact the Red Cross at 694-5121.
The investigation that led to last weeks arrest of the director of Lake George Watershed Coalition started with Freedom of Information Law requests by a local government watchdog who was intrigued by comments about the coalition made at a public meeting.

The Warren County Treasurers Office last spring questioned delayed state reimbursement in numerous public works projects overseen by coalition Director David Decker.

That prompted Travis Whitehead to want to take a look at what these projects entailed, and after months of receiving documents from local towns, a village and the state of New York, he contacted the Warren County Sheriffs Office to ask for a criminal investigation, believing that Decker may have been breaking the law.

Travis FOIL requests led to observations of inconsistencies, and based on that, we were able to subpoena documents that led to more information and confirmed his suspicions, said Warren County Sheriffs Lt. Steve Stockdale.

Months later, Decker was charged with three felonies, accused of stealing nearly $70,000 and is out as director of the organization as the criminal investigation continues.

The states Freedom of Information Law gives citizens the ability to view and receive many types of governmental documents. It is used mainly by journalists and lawyers, but some watchdogs like Whitehead have found it to be an important tool to find out what local, county and state officials are up to.

Whitehead said the documents that made him suspicious came from FOIL requests to the towns of Bolton and Queensbury, the village of Lake George and state Department of State about environmental projects Decker oversaw.

The local municipalities were great, and quickly responded and provided the documents that were requested within days, he said.

The state, on the other hand, didnt provide documents in some of his requests for months. One request made in August did not result in information being forwarded until recent weeks.

The state Freedom of Information Law requires a response within five business days, but gives the responding agency as much time as it wants to turn over documents.

Whiteheads experience with languishing FOIL requests to the state have been noted by many journalists as well as Robert Freeman, the executive director of the state Committee on Open Government, an agency that assists the public in access to government documents and issues advisory opinions.

Freeman said three factors seem to be playing a part in the delayed response to FOIL requests to state agencies. The state is getting more FOIL requests and there is more information available in the electronic age, such as public officials emails.

Someone has to go through all of that information to figure out what is public and what is not, Freeman said.

The current state administration also keeps a close tab on inquiries, he said. That is not unique to New York, and is also true on the federal level, he added.

Many believe that a lack of penalties for violating the law allows agencies to flout it as they like.

Those who violate it face only potential civil lawsuits, like the one The Post-Star filed against the city of Glens Falls last year over the citys withholding of documents in the firing of the city assessor. Those who deal with delayed responses have little recourse as they wait for an answer.

Whitehead, a Queensbury resident and semi-retired engineer, has clashed with Warren County leaders over their responses to FOIL requests, twice suing over the issue when he believed the county did not adhere to the law and release documents that should have been released.

Most recently, he filed suit over the countys decision not to release an engineering report that focuses on the performance of a geothermal alternative energy system at the county Municipal Center. That suit is pending before Supreme Court Justice Robert Muller.

All of the material I got came from FOIL requests or reviews of public information on government websites, Whitehead said. If citizens are denied their rights to obtain information from their government, then what is to stop the abuses that we have already uncovered?
GREENWICH  In near below zero temperatures, firefighters battled a blaze at 13 Anthony Road in Greenwich on Saturday night.

A passerby saw smoke coming from the home at a little before 6 p.m. and stopped at a neighbors house to call for help, said Middle Falls Fire Chief Stephen Wilbur at the scene.

When we arrived there was heavy smoke and fire on the first floor, Wilbur said, adding that the owner was not home and his car was not there.

The owners dog, who was running around the scene outside, was inside the home at the time the fire started, but escaped when firefighters arrived.

At this time Wilbur said he has no idea what started the blaze, but the investigator arrived on the scene at about 7:30 p.m.

Assisting Middle Falls Fire Department was Greenwich, Schuylerville, Cossayuna, Easton, Argyle and Cambridge; and Easton Greenwich EMS and National Grid were on scene.

According to Wilbur there were no injuries.

About an hour and a half after the call came in, the firefighters had knocked down the fire and they were checking the home for hot spots, Wilbur said.

There is extensive damage to the property and the cause is currently under investigation.

Property records show the house is 1,000 square feet and was built in 1880.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

UK diaspora customers will now have access to the Ecocash wallet as if they were in Zimbabwe and enjoy the ability to remit funds and pay for goods and services using the newly launched Ecocash Home Wallet app.Econet Group's fintech subsidiary, Cassava Connect (formerly Chitoro), unveiled the product in London on Thursday, calling it a first in the world of remittances between the UK and Zimbabwe'. Cassava is the company through which all EcoCash mobile money services are managed across Africa.For the first time ever, Zimbabweans in the diaspora are now able to take direct control of how the money they remit to Zimbabwe is used. They can sign up for the EcoCash mobile money service via the Ecocash Home Wallet app, and link it to their UK mobile number.The app is available for download on the Google Play Store and Apple store. Once registered, a user in the UK will be able to top up their Home Wallet through a debit or credit card or bank transfer, which will allow them to send money home and perform all other transactions available on EcoCash in Zimbabwe such as pay bills, pay merchants, or buy airtime.Haxton Rose, Managing Director of Cassava Remit UK, described the new service as "a response to long standing calls by the diaspora community for a transaction offering that provides speed, comfort, control, and security of funds remitted back home."He said the launch comes with a three month zero fees offer for top-ups to the wallet, while all in-wallet transactions remain free after topping the wallet.Natalie Jabangwe-Morris, General Manager for EcoCash Zimbabwe, said: "Gone are the days of having to queue at a high street shop to send money home, wait for several days for the money transfer to go through, and then having to rely on someone to handle other transactions in Zimbabwe on your behalf such as paying for school fees or any other projects back home. Regrettably, in such scenarios, we have heard of many instances where the money ends up being misappropriated. This is where the EcoCash Home Wallet comes in handy as the customer not only gets access to a remittance capability, but also gets direct control over how the funds will be used downstream."Cassava has so far excelled in developing and introducing such innovations across the markets in which it operates, which has in turn enhanced the equity of the EcoCash brand as seen at the just ended Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, where EcoCash was recognised as the Best Mobile Money Solution in the World for 2017.
News / Regional

by Thulani Nkala

The calls for an independent state of Matebeleland are increasing, on the 5th November 2016, Stanley Khumalo who is widely known as King Mzilikazi 2 effectively repudiated the Rule by Conquest when he tore into shreds the Matebeleland Order in Council which was promulgated by the British government after the defeat of the Mthwakazi state. We have seen concerted efforts to reawaken Mthwakazi by many various organisations such as the MLF, MRP and other private individuals, such as Xoxani Ngxoxo and others.Recently Mr Paul Siwela the President of Matebeleland Liberation Organisation released a ground-breaking document titled "Notice of Demand for The Restoration of Matebeleland State", whereby all important stakeholders were put on notice about the intentions of the MLO, this included the foreign governments, the government of Zimbabwe, Multinational companies, and other investors. "Under the direction and authority of Matebeleland Liberation Organisation Supreme Council, The President of M.L.O. Paul Siwela served the British government under the leadership of David Cameron and Zimbabwe government under the leadership of Robert Gabriel Mugabe with Notices of Demand for The Restoration of Matebeleland State on 5 December 2015 and 7 December 2015 respectively. Both addressees acknowledged receipt of The Notices" reads part of the statement.Mr Paul Siwela's notification continued as follows "All foreign governments and multi-national organizations, the general public and the business community that has invested in Matebeleland territory must exercise extreme caution as their licenses shall be subject to cancellation in due course and their operations affected by this Notice in one way or the other". The government of Zimbabwe has since 1980 continued mortgaging the resources of Matebeleland without the people of Matebeleland benefitting from them.Of late the evidence that the government of Mr Robert Mugabe is rattled by the increasing calls for an independent state of Mthwakazi is everywhere, last week the Presidential Spokesman Mr George Charamba wrote in the state media where he wrote and poured scorn on the Matebeleland Restoration agenda, he went on to say that even if Matebeleland became independent today (of which it will become) that the cultural hegemony and influence of the so called majority will remain in place in Matebeleland. What George failed to understand is that Mthwakazi is a politically mature construct open to other nations' cultural influences, what Mthwakazi does not want is to be forced to imbibe from a poisonous cultural pot, if Mthwakazi exercises her will to choose then there is nothing wrong in consuming and enjoying Shona culture.In his ground-breaking independence document Mr Paul Siwela puts it clear that the culture of corruption which has become so pervasive in Zimbabwe will not be tolerated in an independent Matebeleland. "To enforce zero tolerance to corruption, the constitution of The Republic of Matebeleland shall provide for the following;- That corruption shall be prescribed as an offense that is considered a serious crime and repugnant to the values of the nation and if one is convicted shall face a mandatory sentence of death by lethal injection" reads part of the statement.Arguably corruption has crippled many African economies to the detriment of their citizenry. If an independent Matebeleland assumes zero tolerance to corruption, then the newly emerged state will stand a better chance of success and sustainable economic growth. On the flip-side some people feel that the proposed punishment is well over the top and too draconian. "I agree with Paul Siwela, in terms of stamping out corruption, I also agree with him that corruption is a foreign concept in Matebeleland, however, his prescription and severity of the proposed punishment is not befitting the crime" a political analyst who wanted to remain anonymous said.Some of the highlights of Mr Siwela's statement:- Matebeleland shall be divided into four provinces, namely Matopo, Gwayi, Lalalphansi and uMhlahlandlela.-There shall be a Matebeleland Dollar which will be pegged at 1:10usa dollars.- Matebeleland will apply to join the Southern African Customs Union and the Southern African Monetary Union.- Matabeleland shall be a Constitutional Republic.- Dual citizenship will be allowed. etcSince the government of Mr Robert Mugabe hounded Mr Paul Siwela out of the country, Mr Siwela's political credibility and stature has been on the rise.